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Due to their gastrointestinal immaturity or the severity of their pathology, many neonates require parenteral nutrition (PN). An amino acid (AA) solution is an important part of PN. Cysteine is a key AA for protein and taurine synthesis, as well as for glutathione synthesis, which is a cornerstone of antioxidant defenses. As cysteine could be synthesized from methionine, it is considered a nonessential AA. However, many studies suggest that cysteine is a conditionally essential AA in preterm infants due to limitations in their capacity for cysteine synthesis from methionine and the immaturity of their cellular cysteine uptake. This critical review discusses the endogenous synthesis of cysteine, its main biological functions and whether cysteine is a conditionally essential AA. The clinical evidence evaluating the effectiveness of the current methods of cysteine supplementation, between 1967 and 2023, is then reviewed. The current understanding of cysteine metabolism is applied to explain why these methods were not proven effective. To respond to the urgent need for changing the current methods of parenteral cysteine supplementation, glutathione addition to PN is presented as an innovative alternative with promising results in an animal model. At the end of this review, future directions for research in this field are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PBAT (poly(butylene adipate- co -terephthalate) is an important player in the field of bioplastics for its biodegradability performance and good mechanical properties. Awareness of the forecasted increased use of PBAT has prompted researchers to develop methods for its analysis in a variety of samples. Py-GC-MS, conventional or with derivatising agents, is a technique of excellence for the analysis of polymers that relies on a detailed structural knowledge of the evolved products. This study presents a comprehensive investigation on the chemical composition of the pyrolysate of PBAT evolved at 600 °C alone and in the presence of various reagents (hexamethyldisilazane, HMDS; acetic anhydride, Ac 2 O, tetramethylammonium hydroxide, TMAH). Identification of relevant pyrolysis products was confirmed through the analysis of pure standards and associated reagents/byproducts. A GC-MS data set of about 50 compounds was compiled, including open chain fragments of the polymer and their derivatives as well as single and mixed subunit cyclic dimers. A compound distinctive of PBAT (but-3-en-1-yl (4-((6-(but-3-en-1-yloxy)-6-oxohexanoyl)oxy)butyl) terephthalate) containing the adipic, terephthalic and butylene units was tentatively identified by its mass spectrum. Pyrolysis products with active hydrogens (alcoholic and carboxylic) were efficiently silylated by HMDS. Two pyrolysis products containing the hydroxybutyl moiety could be acetylated by pyrolysis with Ac 2 O. Thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation with TMAH caused important transmethylation of the ester groups of the polymer chain with the formation of dimethyl adipate and dimethyl terephthalate. The importance of the results for the analysis of PBAT in commercial bioplastics and environmental samples was discussed. • GC-MS data of several pyrolysis products of PBAT. • Two pyrolysis products highly specific of PBAT were proposed. • Pyrolysis with HMDS successfully silylated pyrolysis products OH groups. • Derivatisation of hydroxybutyl terephathalate adipate by pyrolysis with acetic anhydride. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]