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Succinic acid is recognized as a key component in the production of various commercially important chemical commodities. Technical‐economic analysis can provide valuable insights into the feasibility of large‐scale biochemical production of succinic acid. In this study, the effects of scale on the design of a biorefinery using sugarcane bagasse were evaluated using a detailed process modeling methodology. Four processes were simulated and compared, three based on patents from biosuccinic acid (bio‐SA) manufacturing companies and one based on a process economic program report (PEP). This methodology allowed for the analysis of scale benefits for each technological route. A comprehensive economic evaluation was conducted by comparing the biochemical processes in terms of investment and production costs, as well as the minimum selling price (MSP) of bio‐SA. Results show that the MSP of more promising process designs ranged from 3105 to 2095 $ t−1, which is compatible with the cost of petrochemical‐based succinic acid. Moreover, for capacities above 90 kt year−1, the MSP remains virtually constant, and every process evaluated revealed a breakdown in the project economy of scale. A sensitivity and risk analysis was carried out to evaluate the impacts of several process parameters on the project's technoeconomic analysis, resulting in bio‐SA selling price and investment costs as parameters with the highest impact on economic viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Succinic acid production of 30 g/L was shown with 6 gC/L MgCO3 and 24 gC/L glucose. • The inorganic carbon of "carbonate:CO2 = 1:9″ presented the highest CO2 fixation. • The PEPCK/LDH was enhanced at high gaseous CO2, by promoting succinic acid path. • 50%−65% of inorganic carbon utilization was increased via stepwise CO2 addition. • 20%−30% increment in succinic acid selectivity was shown via stepwise CO2 addition. Utilizing CO 2 for bio-succinic acid production is an attractive approach to achieve carbon capture and recycling (CCR) with simultaneous production of a useful platform chemical. Actinobacillus succinogenes and Basfia succiniciproducens were selected and investigated as microbial catalysts. Firstly, the type and concentration of inorganic carbon concentration and glucose concentration were evaluated. 6 g C/L MgCO 3 and 24 g C/L glucose were found to be the optimal basic operational conditions, with succinic acid production and carbon yield of over 30 g/L and over 40%, respectively. Then, for maximum gaseous CO 2 fixation, carbonate was replaced with CO 2 at different ratios. The "less carbonate more CO 2 " condition of the inorganic carbon source was set as carbonate: CO 2 = 1:9 (based on the mass of carbon). This condition presented the highest availability of CO 2 by well-balanced chemical reaction equilibrium and phase equilibrium, showing the best performance with regarding CO 2 fixation (about 15 mg C/(L·hr)), with suppressed lactic acid accumulation. According to key enzymes analysis, the ratio of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase to lactic dehydrogenase was enhanced at high ratios of gaseous CO 2 , which could promote glucose conversion through the succinic acid path. To further increase gaseous CO 2 fixation and succinic acid production and selectivity, stepwise CO 2 addition was evaluated. 50%-65% increase in inorganic carbon utilization was obtained coupled with 20%-30% increase in succinic acid selectivity. This was due to the promotion of the succinic acid branch of the glucose metabolism, while suppressing the pyruvate branch, along with the inhibition on the conversion from glucose to lactic acid. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental issues, including climate change and plastic pollution, have compelled scientists to look at alternatives to traditional polymers. Scientists are actively researching biobased hyperbranched polymers, an emerging group of highly branched polymers made from sustainable resources. They are seen as a promising alternative to petrochemical-based polymers. Hyperbranched polymers can be made using single- and double-monomer techniques. This review provides an extensive perspective of the synthesis and properties of biobased hyperbranched polymers made from a variety of renewable starting materials, including starch, lignin, vanillin, levulinic acid, furfurylamine, ferulic acid, citric acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, and tannic acid and various vegetable oils have been investigated till date. Most of these biobased hyperbranched polymers have been created using vegetable oil as their raw materials because numerous vegetable oil derivatives like monoglycerides, polyols, and fatty acids can be potentially used as monomers for the polymer. In the paper, specifics about modified biobased hyperbranched polymers, their composites, nanocomposites, and functionalized versions are highlighted. These materials belong to a class that combines the special characteristics of hyperbranched polymers with the reinforcing and functionalizing effects of fillers like silver, carbon, silicone, clay, etc. Lastly, the paper also discusses the various practical applications of biobased hyperbranched polymers in various industrial sectors and their prospects for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, green -stretchable ‎ hydrogels based on succinic acid were prepared. Green monomers based on bio-acid were identified using the compression reaction between an acidic group and an alcoholic group and using 1H NMR and FT-IR. The results showed the preparation of flexible stretchable hydrogel with high swelling capacity (7050%) and suitable rheological behavior. The surface morphology and antibacterial behavior of hydrogels were also investigated through SEM and optical density methods, respectively. Examining the results of these tests confirmed the preparation of hydrogel with suitable porosity for biomedical applications and favorable antibacterial properties (Antibacterial efficiency > 77%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, thermoset elastomers, particularly polyesters derived from the polycondensation of glycerol and non-toxic diacids, have garnered significant interest. This study focuses on the synthesis of poly(glycerol-co-diacids) polymers using varying molar ratios of glycerol (G), sebacic acid (S), and succinic acid (Su). Seven distinct ratios were investigated (PGS (1:1), PGSSu (1:0.9:0.1), PGSSu (1:0.8:0.2), PGSSu (1:0.5:0.5), PGSSu (1:0.2:0.8), PGSSu (1:0.1:0.9) and PGSu (1:1)). The resulting polymers were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA), tensile tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), gel fraction and degree of swelling determination. Among the synthesized polymers, PGS (1:1) and PGSu (1:1) exhibited superior mechanical robustness than the polymers obtained by mixing diacids. The results show that the incorporation of succinic acid in the synthesis of the polymers progressively led to rougher surfaces and a reduction in thermal resistance compared to PGS (1:1). PGSu (1:1) showed the highest surface roughness and the lowest thermal resistance. The glass transition temperature (Tg) for these elastomers ranged from − 30 °C to 30 °C. Additionally, higher ratios of succinic acid led to increased polymer density and less degree of swelling. The gel fraction of these polymers ranged from 70 to 95%. PGS (1:1) with the lowest and PGSu (1:1) with the highest gel fraction, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under high humidity and high temperature conditions, the quality of pepper essential oil easily deteriorates, and the oxidation of oil restricts its application, especially for the insolubility in water. This study investigated pepper essential oil encapsulated in Pickering emulsion with octenyl succinic acid starch, which was effectively able to reduce 100 times of the release rate. The smooth surface and complete particles of the emulsion were observed and no new chemical bonds were formed. The minimum particle sizes were 2.05 µm and 1.89 µm, when the Pickering emulsion was set to different storage conditions at pH 5 and 0.1 M NaCl, respectively. During gastrointestinal digestion, the release of essential oils was effectively delayed in the Pickering emulsion and the digestibility of the emulsion was 16.93% in 120 min. Compared with untreated cells, Pickering emulsion can effectively inhibit the proliferation of MCF‐7 (52.71%). All these results indicate that OSA starch stabilized pepper essential oil can effectively increase solubility, improve stability, and expand the application range. Therefore, it can provide a theoretical basis for applications of pepper essential oil, especially for the functional drug application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Methods Results Conclusions Dysbiosis of the skin microbiota has been identified as a key factor in the development of acne. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of a facial cream gel containing a biotechnological phytocomplex, niacinamide and succinic acid on the bacterial diversity of subjects with mild–moderate acne and its clinical benefits due to microbiota changes.Open‐label, clinical study in 44 subjects with mild–moderate acne treated with a facial cream gel for 8 weeks. Bacterial diversity was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing of skin samples. Clinical effects were evaluated using the IGA acne severity scale, biometric measurements, and safety.After 56 days of product's use, an increase in alpha and beta diversity was found (p < 0.01), with a decrease in the relative abundance of C. acnes (48.99% vs. 38.83%, p < 0.001). Regarding clinical results, a decrease in acne severity on the IGA scale (27.33%, p < 0.001), number of non‐inflammatory and inflammatory lesions (respectively: 31.12%, p = 0.05; 42.27%, p < 0.001), amount of sebum (89.00%, p < 0.01) and erythema (15.35%, p < 0.01), was found. Responder analysis of the IGA score showed that 61.36% of patients improved by at least one point at day 56. The product was well tolerated throughout the study.The use of the facial cream gel on skin was effective in rebalancing the microbiota, inhibiting biofilm formation and other virulence factors, reducing the number of mild–moderate acne lesions and sebum secretion, and consequently improving acne's severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artemisia abyssinica and Artemisia arborescens are unique plants that show significant bioactive properties and are used for the treatment of a variety of diseases. This study assessed the nutritional values, functional properties, chemical composition, and bioactive attributes of these plants as functional nutritional supplements. Compared to A. arborescens, A. abyssinica had higher fat (4.76%), fiber (16.07%), total carbohydrates (55.87%), and energy (302.15 kcal/100 g DW), along with superior functional properties, including higher water and oil absorption capacities (638.81% and 425.85%, respectively) and foaming capacity and stability (25.67% and 58.48%). The investigation of volatile compounds found that A. abyssinica had higher amounts of hotrienol (4.53%), yomogi alcohol (3.92%), caryophyllene (3.67%), and carvotanacetone (3.64%), which possess anti‐inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. Artemisia abyssinica contributed over 30% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) of amino acids. It displayed superior levels of sodium (31.46 mg/100 g DW) and calcium (238.07 mg/100 g DW). It also exhibited higher levels of organic acids, particularly malic acid, butyric acid, and succinic acid, compared to A. arborescens. Fatty acid analysis revealed palmitic and linoleic acids as primary components in both plants, with A. abyssinica having a higher palmitic acid content. Artemisia abyssinica also had higher vitamin C and thiamine levels. Although A. arborescens showed the highest total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, and capacity, A. abyssinica demonstrated acceptable efficiency in TPC and antioxidant content. These findings highlight the potential of both Artemisia species, particularly A. abyssinica, as valuable sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dogs diagnosed with chronic enteropathy (CE) or small-cell lymphoma (SCL) exhibit marked differences in faecal microbiota and organic acid profiles compared with healthy dogs, as well as immune abnormalities in intestinal mucosal tissue. However, few studies have analysed trace organic acids, such as succinic acid, which have been suggested to be associated with IBD in humans. Therefore, in this study, we compared the faecal microbiota and organic acid profiles as well as serum inflammatory markers between dogs with disease (n = 11; 6 with CE and 5 with SCL) and healthy controls (n = 16). We also performed machine learning and correlation analysis to obtain more detailed insights into the characteristics of affected dogs. These results revealed that dogs with CE and SCL had lower levels of Erysipelotrichaceae (e.g. Turicibacter and Allobaculum), exhibited abnormalities in the succinic acid metabolism (i.e. succinic acid accumulation and decreased levels of Phascolarctobacterium as succinic acid-utilising bacteria) and increased levels of pathobiont bacteria such as Escherichia-Shigella. Additionally, the presence of Dubosiella was significantly negatively correlated with Canine Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity Index scores. These findings are expected to aid the development of microbiome-based medications and/or supplements, although further verification is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cymoxanil (CX), an essential fungicide, effectively controls fungal diseases but its environmental instability often leads to decreased efficacy and frequent applications, increasing costs and environmental risks. We propose to address this issue by cocrystal engineering, particularly, utilizing organic small acids as coformers to enhance the stability of CX in alkaline and neutral conditions. This study reports the synthesis of two CX cocrystals with succinic acid (SA) and salicylic acid (SCA). The prepared cocrystals were evaluated using X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, chemical stability experiment, and solubility and dissolution measurements. Hirshfeld surface analysis was applied to quantify the molecular interactions in CX–SA and CX–SCA cocrystals. Notably, the cocrystals preserve high CX residuals in PBS buffer at pH 5.8 and 8.0 and in pure water after 20 days, demonstrating their ability to enhance chemical stability of CX. The findings related to solubility and dissolution rates further underscore the utility of the cocrystals. This work may facilitate the design of a practical system through the cocrystallization of APIs that exhibit instability or other challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Succinic acid and lactic acid have been associated with diarrhea in weaned piglets. The level of succinic acid and lactic acid in serum, meat, and intestinal contents is important to elucidate the mechanism of diarrhea in weaned piglets. Methods: A facile method was developed for the quantification of succinic acid and lactic acid in pigs' serum, intestinal contents, and meat using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC/MS/MS). The serum samples underwent protein precipitation with methanol. The meat and intestinal contents were freeze-dried and homogenized using a tissue grinding apparatus. Methanol-water mixture (80:20, v/v) was used for homogenizing the meat, while water was used for homogenizing the intestinal contents. An additional step of protein precipitation with acetonitrile was required for the intestinal contents. The resulting solution was diluted with water before being analyzed by UHPLC/MS/MS. Separation of succinic acid and lactic acid could be achieved within 3 min using a Kinetic XB-C18 column. Results: The coefficients of variation for peak areas of succinic acid and lactic acid were less than 5.0%. The established method demonstrated good linearity as indicated by correlation coefficients exceeding 0.996. Additionally, satisfactory recoveries ranging from 88.58% to 108.8% were obtained. The detection limits (RS/N = 3) for succinic acid and lactic acid were determined to be 0.75 ng/mL and 0.02 µg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: This method exhibited high sensitivity, simplicity in operation, and small sample weight, making it suitable for quantitative determination of succinic acid and lactic acid in pigs' serum, intestinal contents, and meat. The method developed will provide valuable technical support in studying the metabolic mechanisms of succinic acid and lactic acid in pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work describes the synthesis of poly(butylene succinate) (PBSu)-cutin copolymers by the two-stage melt polycondensation method, esterification and polycondensation. Cutin was added in four different concentrations, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 wt%, in respect to succinic acid. The obtained copolymers were studied using a variety of techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), polarized light microscopy (PLM), as well as diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). A series of results, in agreement between different techniques, revealed the formation of PBSu-cutin interactions, confirming indirectly the successful in situ synthetic route of copolymers. DSC and XRD combined with PLM results provided indications that the crystallization temperature increases with the addition of small amounts of cutin and gradually decreases with increasing concentration. The crystallization process was easier and faster at 2.5%, 5%, and 10% concentrations, whereas at 20%, it was comparable to neat PBSu. The presence of cutin, in general, leads to the facilitated crystallizability of PBSu (direct effect), whereas a moderate drop in the glass transition temperature is recorded, the latter being an indirect effect of cutin via crystallization. The thermal stability improved in the copolymers compared to neat PBSu. Water contact angle measurements confirmed that the addition of cutin decreased the hydrophilicity. The local and segmental relaxation mapping is demonstrated for PBSu/cutin here for the first time. Enzymatic hydrolysis and soil degradation tests showed that, overall, cutin accelerated the decomposition of the polymers. The copolymers may be proven useful in several applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new cyclic natural compound formed by succinic acid and two alanine amino acid units was isolated from the Tetragonisca angustula honey extract. The chemical structure of 1 was established based on spectroscopic data analysis, including one- (1H and 13C NMR) and two-dimensional NMR techniques (1H-1H-COSY, HSQC and HMBC). A primary culture model previously infected with Neospora caninum was used to evaluate 1 for two time intervals (24 and 72 h), showing a reduction (40-56%) of the number of tachyzoites in the first 24 h and until 72 h, a dose-dependent reduction in parasite proliferation (25-50%). Glial cells treated with 1 did not demonstrate toxicity at concentrations up to 25 ug/mL. Treated and infected cultures showed an increase in NO when compared to control cells in 24 h and 72 h. In silico studies suggest that the new compound may affect DNA synthesis and impair -protein production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total content of acidic compounds in sake is called titratable acidity, which is a parameter to evaluate the taste of sake. Thus, the titratable acidity of sake and moromi (sake mash) is frequently determined for their control during brewing. In this study, a portable sensor has been developed for determining the titratable acidity of sake and moromi based on the voltammetric measurements of the reduction prepeak of 3,5-di-tert-butyl-1,2-benzoquinone (DBBQ) in the presence of acidic compounds. The portable sensor, which consists of a prototype potentiostat, a function generator, a mobile lithium-ion battery, a recorder, and an electrochemical cell, was used to measure a voltammogram of DBBQ. The prepeak currents of DBBQ were proportional to the concentrations of succinic acid ranging from 1.33 to 33.3 mM, and thus the portable sensor could be applied to determine titratable acidity ranging from 0.266 to 6.66. In real sample analyses using commercially available sakes and moromi samples fractionated during brewing, the titratable acidities determined using the portable sensor were essentially the same compared with those determined by neutralization titration. These results demonstrate that our portable sensor is useful for on-site analysis for the quality control of sake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies have shown that m6A modification is related to the occurrence and development of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The disorder of succinic acid metabolism is associated with the occurrence and development of various tumors. However, there are few studies based on m6A and succinate metabolism-related genes (SMRGs) in PTC. Methods: The TCGA-Thyroid carcinoma (THCA), GSE33630, 1159 SMRGs, and 23 m6A regulatory factors were collected from the online databases. Subsequently, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were selected between PTC (Tumor) and Normal samples. The overlapping genes among the DEGs, m6A, and SMRGs were applied to screen the biomarkers. Using the 3 machine-learning algorithms, the biomarkers were determined based on the overlapping genes. Next, the biomarkers were evaluated by the ROC curve and expression analysis in TCGA-THCA and GSE33630. Then, the overall survival (OS) differences were compared between the high-and low-expression biomarkers. Finally, immune infiltration analysis, molecular regulatory network, and drug prediction were performed based on the biomarkers. Results: In TCGA-THCA, there were 2800 DEGs between and Normal samples, and then 7 overlapping genes were obtained. Importantly, ADK, TNFRSF10B, CYP7B1, FGFR2, and CPQ were determined as biomarkers with excellent diagnostic efficiency (AUC > 0.7). In PTC samples, ADK and TNFRSF10B were high-expressed while CYP7B1, FGFR2, and CPQ were low-expressed. Especially, the high-expression groups of ADK had a better prognosis, while the high-expression groups of CYP7B1, FGFR2, and CPQ had a worse prognosis. Afterward, immune infiltration analysis found that 16 immune cells had infiltration differences between the Tumor and Normal samples. Finally, transcription factor SP1 could regulate CYP7B1 and TNFRSF10B. Moreover, Navitoclax was a potential drug for PTC patients. Conclusion: Overall, we described 5 biomarkers associated with adverse prognosis of PTC, including ADK, TNFRSF10B, CYP7B1, FGFR2, and CPQ. All these biomarkers were involved in succinate metabolism and m6A modification of RNA. This set of biomarkers should be explored further for their diagnostic value in PTC. Investigations into the mechanistic role of alteration of succinate metabolism and m6A modification of RNA pathways in the pathophysiology of PTC are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinus edodes) are renowned as the "King of mountain treasures" in China due to their abundant nutritional and health-enhancing properties. Intensive chemical investigations of the fruiting bodies and mycelium of Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinus edodes) afforded five new compounds (1–5), named lentinmacrocycles A-C and lentincoumarins A-B, along with fifteen known compounds (6–20). Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis, including one-and two-dimensional (1D and 2D) NMR spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD), and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS). The anti-inflammatory activity test showed that lentincoumarins A (4), (3S)-7-hydroxymellein (9), (3R)-6-hydroxymellein (11) and succinic acid (18) exhibited strong NO inhibitory effects (IC50 < 35 μM), and that (3S)-5-hydroxymellein (10) and (3R)-6-hydroxymellein (11) exhibited potent TNF-α inhibitory effects (IC50 < 80 μM) and were more potent than the positive control, Indomethacin (IC50 = 88.5 ± 2.1 μM). The antioxidant activity test showed that (3R)-6-hydroxymellein (11) had better DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC50 = 25.2 ± 0.5 μM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Rumen microorganisms and their hosts have co-evolved over a long period of time, adapting to their environment. This co-evolution not only impacts the host phenotype but also establishes a sophisticated regulatory network with the host to uphold organismal homeostasis. This study's findings indicated that the process of three-way hybridization had a notable impact on the taxonomic characteristics, functions, and metabolites of rumen microbes. Moreover, significant interactions were observed between rumen microbes and metabolites in sheep, with biomarkers playing a significant role in influencing the variation in rumen metabolites. Meanwhile, rumen microbial markers in Hu sheep exhibited a predominantly positive correlation with down-regulated metabolites and a negative correlation with up-regulated metabolites. In contrast, rumen microbial markers in CAH lambs showed an overall negative correlation with down-regulated metabolites and a positive correlation with up-regulated metabolites. The data obtained in this study provide a basis for understanding hybridization advantages from microbial metabolic pathways. The objective of this experiment was to explore the effects of three-way hybridization on rumen microbes and metabolites in sheep using rumen metagenomics and metabolomics. Healthy Hu and CAH (Charolais × Australian White × Hu) male lambs of similar birth weight and age were selected for short-term fattening after intensive weaning to collect rumen fluid for sequencing. Rumen metagenomics diversity showed that Hu and CAH sheep were significantly segregated at the species, KEGG-enzyme, and CAZy-family levels. Moreover, the CAH significantly increased the ACE and Chao1 indices. Further, correlation analysis of the abundance of the top 80 revealed that the microorganisms were interrelated at the species, KEGG-enzyme, and CAZy-family levels. Overall, the microbiome significantly affected metabolites of the top five pathways, with the strongest correlation found with succinic acid. Meanwhile, species-level microbial markers significantly affected rumen differential metabolites. In addition, rumen microbial markers in Hu sheep were overall positively correlated with down-regulated metabolites and negatively correlated with up-regulated metabolites. In contrast, rumen microbial markers in CAH lambs were overall negatively correlated with down-regulated metabolites and positively correlated with up-regulated metabolites. These results suggest that three-way crossbreeding significantly affects rumen microbial community and metabolite composition, and that significant interactions exist between rumen microbes and metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vegetable fermentation, pellicle is a common quality deterioration phenomenon. This study investigates the characteristics of glucose, organic acids, amino acids, and biogenic amines during the pellicle occurrence and disappearance of paocai. The results revealed a slight increase in pH of the fermentation system after pellicle occurred, and glucose was the main carbohydrate that microbial activity primary relied on. The microorganisms responsible for pellicle formation consumed organic acids in brine, but the lactic acid in paocai gradually increased and exceeded 25 mg/g. The appearance of pellicle caused a decrease in total free amino acids from 200.390 mg/100 g to 172.079 when pellicle occurred, whereas its impact on biogenic amines was not apparent. Through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment of metagenomics sequencing data, screening, and sorting of the key enzymes involved in organic acid metabolism, it was observed that the composition and species of the key microorganisms capable of metabolizing organic acids were more abundant before the appearance of pellicle. When pellicle occurred, lactic acid may be metabolized by Lactobacillus plantarum; in contrast, Lactobacillus and Pichia were associated with citric acid metabolism, and Lactobacillus, Pichia, Saccharomycodes, and Kazachstania were linked to malic acid metabolism. Moreover, Prevotella, Kazachstania, Lactobacillus, Vibrio, and Siphonobacter were implicated in succinic acid metabolism. Additionally, the production of tartaric acid and oxalic acid in paocai and brine resulted from abiotic effects. This knowledge offers a theoretical basis for precise control of paocai fermentation process. Practical Application: Our study revealed the specific situation of the metabolites produced by the microorganisms during the pollution and recovery process of pellicle in paocai fermentation, especially the effect of pellicle on the key process of organic acid metabolism. These research results provided theoretical basis for precise control of paocai fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Succinic acid (SA) is a platform chemical for producing biofuel and other green chemicals. Fermentative SA production is a cost – effective and eco – friendly method, with quite a few downstream challenges. The recovery method of reactive extraction shows promise but faces toxicity issues with the diluent and extractant, especially concerning microorganisms in the fermentation broth. Hence, a non – toxic diluent and extractant, or less toxic combinations, are needed for efficient acid recovery. Hence, non – toxic diluents, groundnut oil and sesame oil, were evaluated. Based on the superior extraction efficiency (E%) achieved with groundnut oil, the study conducted reactive extraction of SA from the aqueous phase using tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) dissolved in groundnut oil. Using response surface methodology with central composite rotatable design, E% was maximized by optimizing independent variables, which were: initial SA concentration– 0.2525 mol L−1, TBP concentration in groundnut oil as the extractant– 50%, shaking time–4 h, pH– 3. These conditions resulted in a distribution coefficient of 0.951 and E% of 48.75%, which are closely aligned with the predicted values of 0.953 and 50.21%, respectively. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analysis confirmed a 1:1 complex formation in the organic phase. The results provide insights into the efficient recovery of SA from the fermentation broth. Groundnut oil can be used as nontoxic diluent in succinic acid reactive extraction. CCD based RSM can be used to design the reactive extraction system. FTIR was used to analyze the interactions between the acid and extractant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological nutrition aims to unravel the extensive web of nutritional links that drives animals in their interactions with their ecological environments. Nutrition plays a key role in the success of European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and could be affected by the breeding status of the animals and reflected in the metabolome of this species. As nutritional needs are considerably increased during pregnancy and lactation, the main objective of this work was to determine how the breeding status (pregnant and lactating) of European wild rabbit does affects nutritional requirements and their metabolome (using targeted and untargeted metabolomics), aiming to find a useful biomarker of breeding status and for monitoring nutritional requirements. To address this gap, 60 wild European rabbits were studied. Animals were divided according to their breeding status and only pregnant (n = 18) and lactating (n = 11) rabbit does were used (n = 29 in total). The body weight and length of each animal were analyzed. The relative and absolute chemical composition of the gastric content and whole blood sample were taken, and targeted and untargeted metabolomics were analyzed. As a main result, there were no differences in biometric measurements, gastric content, and targeted metabolomics, except for live weight and nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), as pregnant animals showed higher live weight (+12%; p = 0.0234) and lower NEFA acid levels (−46%; p = 0.0262) than lactating females. Regarding untargeted metabolomics, a good differentiation of the metabolome of the two breeding groups was confirmed, and it was proven that pregnant animals showed higher plasmatic levels of succinic anhydride (3.48 more times; p = 0.0236), succinic acid (succinate) (3.1 more times; p = 0.0068) and propionic acid (3.98 more times; p = 0.0121) than lactating animals. However, lactating animals showed higher levels of N‐[(3a,5b,7b)‐7‐hydroxy‐24‐oxo‐3‐(sulfoxide) cholan‐24‐yl]‐Glycine (cholestadien) (2.4 more times; p < 0.0420), 4‐maleyl‐acetoacetate (MAA) (3.2 more times; p < 0.0364) and irilone (2.2 more times; p = 0.0451) than pregnant animals, any of these metabolites could be used as a potential biomarker. From these results, it can be concluded that the most notable changes were observed in the metabolome of individuals, with most of the changes observed being due to energy and protein mobilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Pulp & Paper is the property of China Pulp & Paper Magazines Publisher and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

An empty oil-palm fruit bunch (EFB) has been proposed as an alternative lignocellulose with potential to produce bio-succinate. However, studies of succinate production from EFB were sparse. Succinate concentrations and yield reported in published literatures were still low. To be more attractive, the utilization of EFB for bio-succinate at high concentrations and yields was demonstrated in this study. EFB was thermochemically pretreated employing diluted H2SO4, 121 °C for 30 min. After pretreatment, detoxification of EFB black-liquor hemicellulosic hydrolysate exploiting 0.5%(w/v) activated carbon could remove 92.04% furfural and 100% HMF derived from degraded sugars and fatty acids in EFB. Removals of 76.4% acetate and 95.80% phenols from the activated carbon-treated hydrolysate were further achieved by vacuum distillation. The 70%(v/v) detoxified hydrolysate showed the least inhibitory effect on succinate production at the level of 54.8 ± 1.5 g/L by Escherichia coli KJ12201-14 T. Alternatively, 70 g/L acid-pretreated EFB cellulosic solid was hydrolyzed with minimized cellulase and β-glucosidase at a ratio of 15FPU:10CBU/g to release fermentable sugars at 94.02% recovery to produce 32.3 ± 1.6 g/L succinate. A combined fraction of 50%(v/v) detoxified EFB hydrolysate and 70 g/L cellulosic EFB solid was additionally utilized to produce succinate at 72.5 ± 0.8 g/L with a yield of 0.83 ± 0.02 g/g. These concentration and yield attained were highest than those of previous literatures. Our fermentation differs from published reports in the application of low inorganic-salts medium (0.9 g/L) without supplementation of any rich nutrients. These may reduce costs of medium, purification, energy consumption, and waste disposal. Our developed process may be an economically feasible option for future industrial succinate production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, crosslinked films of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were prepared using two dicarboxylic acids: saturated succinic acid (SA) and unsaturated maleic acid (MAL) as crosslinkers. The crosslinking capabilities of these acids were compared through physical, chemical, mechanical, morphological, thermal analysis, and swelling measurements to investigate their impact on the physicochemical properties of the resulting films. Attenuated total reflectance fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the occurrence of an esterification reaction between PVA and the dicarboxylic acids. Based on the degree of crosslinking and thermal properties, it was noted that the crosslinking achieved with maleic acid is more effective for PVA compared with succinic acid. The crosslinking degree of PVA‐MAL was determined to be 6.47 times higher than that of the PVA‐SA film. In terms of thermal stability, the decomposition temperature for crosslinked PVA‐MAL was measured at 365.57°C, whereas PVA‐SA exhibited a slightly lower decomposition temperature of 362.58°C. The findings indicate that the PVA‐MAL film displays lower crystallinity and a higher contact angle (80.60°) in contrast to PVA‐SA (76.0°) and PVA (30.4°). Atomic force microscopy analysis indicated that the PVA‐SA film exhibited more surface roughness compared with the smoother PVA‐MAL film. Also, crosslinked films displayed enhanced elasticity and resilience in comparison with neat PVA, which may be due to the difference in crosslinking density, disruption in intermolecular hydrogen bonding due to crosslinking, and incorporation of flexible crosslinkers. Highlights: PVA was crosslinked using SA and MAL.Unsaturated MAL exhibited superior crosslinking density over saturated SA.PVA‐SA film exhibited a porous surface compared to PVA‐MAL film.PVA crosslinked with unsaturated MAL showed higher thermal stability than SA.Both the films showed enhanced elasticity and resilience compared with neat PVA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present investigation, a total of 108 combinations of ionic liquids (ILs) were screened using the conductor-like screening model for real solvents (COSMO-RS) with the aid of six cations and eighteen anions for the extraction of succinic acid (SA) from aqueous streams through dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME). Using the screened ILs, an ionic liquid-based DLLME (IL-DLLME) was developed to extract SA and the role of different reaction parameters in the effectiveness of IL-DLLME approach was investigated. COSMO-RS results suggested that, quaternary ammonium and choline cations form effective IL combinations with [OH¯], [F¯], and [SO42¯] anions due to hydrogen bonding. In view of these results, one of the screened ILs, tetramethylammonium hydroxide [TMAm][OH] was chosen as the extractant in IL-DLLME process and acetonitrile was adopted as the dispersive solvent. The highest SA removal efficiency of 97.8% was achieved using 25 μL of IL [TMAm][OH] as a carrier and 500 μL of acetonitrile as dispersive solvent. The highest amount of SA was extracted with a stir time of 20 min at 300 rpm, followed by centrifugation for 5 min at 4500 rpm. Overall, the findings showed that IL-DLLME is efficient in extracting succinic acid from aqueous environments while adhering to the first-order kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food & Fermentation Industries is the property of Food & Fermentation Industries and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A growing trend in plant protection is replacing chemical preparations with environmentally friendly biological compositions. Chitosan, due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and bioactivity, is an effective agent against plant diseases. The purpose of the study was to evaluate chitosan as a potential biopesticide for potato plants. Three variants of chitosan were tested: high (310–375 kDa, >75% deacetylated), medium (190–310 kDa, 75–85% deacetylated), and low (50–190 kDa, 75–85% deacetylated) molecular weight. The chitosan variants were dissolved in lactic and succinic acids and tested for antibacterial and antifungal properties against eight strains of mould and two strains of bacteria responsible for potato diseases. The possible cytotoxicity of chitosan was evaluated against different cell lines: insect Sf-9, human keratinocyte HaCaT, and human colon carcinoma Caco-2. The bioprotective activities of the chitosan were also evaluated in situ on potato tubers. Chitosan inhibited the growth of almost all the selected phytopathogens. The most active was medium molecular chitosan in lactic acid. This formula was characterized by low toxicity towards human cells and high toxicity towards Sf-9 cells. It was also found to have positive effects on the growth of stems and roots, gas exchange, and chlorophyll index in potato plants. Selected chitosan formulation was proposed as a functional biopesticide for potato protection against phytopathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mammalian spermatozoa rely on glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation for energy leading up to fertilization. Sperm capacitation involves a series of well-regulated biochemical steps that are necessary to give spermatozoa the ability to fertilize the oocyte. Additionally, zinc ion (Zn2+) fluxes have recently been shown to occur during mammalian sperm capacitation. Semen from seven commercial boars was collected and analyzed using image-based flow cytometry before, after, and with the inclusion of 2 mM Zn2+ containing in vitro capacitation (IVC) media. Metabolites were extracted and analyzed via Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), identifying 175 metabolites, with 79 differentially abundant across treatments (p < 0.05). Non-capacitated samples showed high levels of respiration-associated metabolites including glucose, fructose, citric acid, and pyruvic acid. After 4 h IVC, these metabolites significantly decreased, while phosphate, lactic acid, and glucitol increased (p < 0.05). With zinc inclusion, we observed an increase in metabolites such as lactic acid, glucitol, glucose, fructose, myo-inositol, citric acid, and succinic acid, while saturated fatty acids including palmitic, dodecanoic, and myristic acid decreased compared to 4 h IVC, indicating regulatory shifts in metabolic pathways and fatty acid composition during capacitation. These findings underscore the importance of metabolic changes in improving artificial insemination and fertility treatments in livestock and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Science & Technology of Food Industry is the property of Science & Technology of Food Industry Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, we present the synthesis, characterization and evaluation of antiproliferative activity for four compounds carrying the 4-amino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl scaffold. The synthesis of 1,n-bis-(4-amino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl) alkanes was carried out using as starting reagents the dihydrazides of oxalic, malonic, succinic and adipic acids, using mercaptoacetic acid dianion as a leaving group, by a one-pot synthesis method implemented in our research group for the synthesis of 3-substituted-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazoles. The compounds were obtained with modest yields (12–60%) but with good purity and were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. Also, the stability of the synthesized bis-triazoles was investigated under controlled thermal stress in a dynamic oxidative atmosphere. The last part of the study consisted of biological activity evaluation, by evaluating the antiproliferative activity against the A375 line (human malignant melanoma), as well as on viability of the BJ fibroblast cell line, using MTT and LDH assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty organic acids in fermented grains of nongxiangxing Baijiu were determined by HPLC and LC-MS/MS, and the spatial and time distribution of organic acids in fermented grains during fermentation were analyzed with multivariate statistics. The results showed that the linear relationships of 30 organic acids were good within the detection ranges (R²≥0.998), the recovery rates were 82.29%-113.20%, the limits of quantitation for HPLC analysis were 0.500-5.050 mg/L, and the limits of quantitation for LC-MS/MS analysis were 0.005-1.380 mg/L. The total content of organic acids in the lower layer of fermented grains was the highest, lactic acid and acetic acid were the two organic acids with the highest content, and the contents of higher fatty acids of linoleic acid and oleic acid with higher contents in fermented grains were 306.06-814.66 μg/g and 150.31-440.52 μg/g, respectively. The OPLS-DA model could identify the spatial distribution of different fermented grains, and VIP analysis screened out the key differential substances which were lactic acid, acetic acid, succinic acid, butyric acid, and linoleic acid. The total content of organic acids in fermented grains with a long fermentation was higher than that with a short fermentation, and hexanoic acid had the highest increase ratio. The PCA analysis could distinguish fermented grains at different fermentation stages and analyze the characteristic organic acids that affected their distribution. The accurate quantitative analysis and distribution study of organic acids in fermented grains would provide a reference for the process control of brewing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report primordial aqueous alteration signatures in water-soluble organic molecules from the carbonaceous asteroid (162173) Ryugu by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft of JAXA. Newly identified low-molecular-weight hydroxy acids (HO-R-COOH) and dicarboxylic acids (HOOC-R-COOH), such as glycolic acid, lactic acid, glyceric acid, oxalic acid, and succinic acid, are predominant in samples from the two touchdown locations at Ryugu. The quantitative and qualitative profiles for the hydrophilic molecules between the two sampling locations shows similar trends within the order of ppb (parts per billion) to ppm (parts per million). A wide variety of structural isomers, including α- and β-hydroxy acids, are observed among the hydrophilic molecules. We also identify pyruvic acid and dihydroxy and tricarboxylic acids, which are biochemically important intermediates relevant to molecular evolution, such as the primordial TCA (tricarboxylic acid) cycle. Here, we find evidence that the asteroid Ryugu samples underwent substantial aqueous alteration, as revealed by the presence of malonic acid during keto–enol tautomerism in the dicarboxylic acid profile. The comprehensive data suggest the presence of a series for water-soluble organic molecules in the regolith of Ryugu and evidence of signatures in coevolutionary aqueous alteration between water and organics in this carbonaceous asteroid. In this study, the authors report primordial aqueous alteration signatures in water-soluble organic molecules from the carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu. This provides evidence o coevolutionary aqueous alteration between water and organics in this asteroid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of succinic acid on the processes of myogenesis was investigated in the study with the cells of C2C12 line. In the concentration range 10-1000 µM, succinic acid stimulated the process of myogenic differentiation, increasing the levels of myogenesis factors MyoD (at all stages of myogenesis) and myogenin (at the stage of terminal differentiation). Presence of the succinate receptors SUCNR1 was revealed in the C2C12 cells using Western blotting, level of which decreased during myogenesis. When succinic acid was added to the cells, the level of intracellular succinate did not change significantly and decreased during myogenic differentiation. Using a specific Gai protein inhibitor, pertussis toxin, it was found that stimulation of myogenesis in the C2C12 cells under the action of succinic acid is realized through SUCNR1–Gai interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objects: This study aims to explore the etiology of peri‐implantitis by comparing the metabolic profiles in peri‐implant crevicular fluid (PICF) from patients with healthy implants (PH) and those with peri‐implantitis (PI). Materials and Methods: Fifty‐six patients were enrolled in this cross‐sectional study. PICF samples were collected and analyzed using both non‐targeted and targeted metabolomics approaches. The relationship between metabolites and clinical indices including probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), and marginal bone loss (MBL) was examined. Additionally, submucosal microbiota was collected and analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing to elucidate the association between the metabolites and microbial communities. Results: Significant differences in metabolic profiles were observed between the PH and PI groups, with 179 distinct metabolites identified. In the PI group, specific amino acids and fatty acids were significantly elevated compared to the PH group. Organic acids including succinic acid, fructose‐6‐phosphate, and glucose‐6‐phosphate were markedly higher in the PI group, showing positive correlations with mean PD, BOP, and MBL. Metabolites that increased in the PI group positively correlated with the presence of Porphyromonas and Treponema and negatively with Streptococcus and Haemophilus. Conclusions: This study establishes a clear association between metabolic compositions and peri‐implant condition, highlighting enhanced metabolite activity in peri‐implantitis. These findings open avenues for further research into metabolic mechanisms of peri‐implantitis and their potential therapeutic implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we performed a quantitative analysis of 12 compounds derived from Piper sarmentosum extract (PSE) and guava leaf extract (GE). In addition, we investigated the effects of mixed extract (ME) of PSE and GE (1:1) on piglets' gut microbiome and metabolome. A total of 200 piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Large Yorkshire, 21‐day‐old) were randomly assigned into two groups with five replicates of 20 piglets/pen having the same initial body weight. Piglets were fed a basal diet supplemented with ME at 0 (T0) or 200 mg/kg (T1) for 3 weeks. The quantitation results by ultraperformance liquid chromatography linked to triple‐quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry showed that vitexin 2‐O‐rhamnoside and pellitorine were the greatest abundant among six compounds detected in the PSE. In addition, quercetin, isoquercitrin and avicularin were found to be the richest of all detected compounds in the GE. Findings on experimental animals indicated that three differential metabolites, comprising L‐alanine, sarcosine and dihydrofolic acid, in T1 compared with T0 groups, have exactly opposite levels trends in serum and faeces. Moreover, two metabolic pathways (i.e., urea cycle and glutamate metabolism) differed significantly in the serum and faeces of piglets between T0 and T1 (p < 0.05). At the same time, T1 had significantly higher relative abundances of Agathobacter and Alloprevotella than T0 at genus level (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that the genus Agathobacter correlated positively with carbamoyl phosphate (p < 0.01) and oxoglutaric acid (p < 0.05), and negatively with succinic acid (p < 0.01) and ornithine (p < 0.05). These four differential metabolites were also involved in the urea cycle and/or glutamate metabolism pathways. The results here indicated that the tested plant extract mixture represents a worthy feed additive with obvious antioxidative properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of organics in Bayer liquors has a notable adverse effect on alumina production. Among these organics, dicarboxylic acids are a class of low molecular weight compounds that have yet to be studied for their decomposition in Bayer liquors using advanced oxidation techniques. This study aims to investigate the oxidation behavior of four dicarboxylic acids, including malonic acid (C3), succinic acid (C4), glutaric acid (C5), and adipic acid (C6), in Bayer liquors. The influences of different variables, such as sodium persulfate (SPS) dosage, initial organic concentration, caustic soda concentration, reaction temperature, and reaction time, on the advanced oxidation process of dicarboxylic acids were also studied. The results of the experiment indicate that an increase in SPS dosage, initial organic concentration, reaction temperature, and reaction time promoted the removal of total organic carbon (TOC). However, the concentration of caustic soda had an inhibitory effect on TOC removal, and it also affected the type of decomposition products of dicarboxylic acids. The EPR results revealed that the reactive groups responsible for organic decomposition were SO 4 - · and HO · . Dicarboxylic acids were found to produce several decomposition products, including carbon dioxide (in the form of carbonate), formic acid, and oxalic acid. Additionally, malonic and fumaric acids were observed as the main oxidation intermediates for dicarboxylic acids with C-atom numbers > 3. A reaction mechanism for succinic acid was also proposed. Advanced oxidation techniques have shown promise as a means of removing organics from Bayer liquors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The disruption of the microbial community or dysbiosis alters the functional composition, metabolic activity, and local distribution of the microbiota leading the development of acne. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a lotion containing a biotechnological phytocomplex, niacinamide, and succinic acid in the bacterial diversity of subjects with truncal mild‐moderate acne and its clinical benefits due to microbiota changes. Materials and Methods: Open, clinical study in 43 subjects with truncal mild‐moderate acne treated with a lotion for 8 weeks. Bacterial diversity was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing of skin samples. Clinical effects were evaluated through IGA acne severity scale, biometric measurements, and safety. Results: After 56 days of product's use, an increase in richness alpha diversity was found (p = 0.005), with a decrease in Cutibacterium acnes relative abundance (66.43% vs. 58.11%, p = 0.009). The clinical results showed a decrease in IGA score (27.59% decrease; p = 0.001), the inflammatory lesions (52.12% decrease, p = 0.006) and erythema (18.33% decrease, p = 0.007), and desquamation index (63.83% decrease, p = 0.02). The responder analysis of the IGA score showed that 60.47% of patients improved by at least one point at day 56. The product was well tolerated along the study. Conclusion: The use of the lotion on acneic skin was effective on rebalancing the microbiota, inhibiting biofilm formation and other virulence factors, reducing erythema and desquamation, and improving acne's severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to elucidate the molecular mechanism of Qi Wei anti-burn Tincture (QW) on wound healing in burnt mice using metabolomics and molecular biology techniques. A scald model was first established in Kunming mice. After treatment, biochemical indicators for liver function and burnt skin tissues were then evaluated via biochemical detection and HE staining respectively. Liver tissues were further analyzed for differential metabolites, inflammatory factors, and mRNA levels of cytokines using metabolomics and molecular biology techniques. Involved metabolic pathways were also identified using software. Qi Wei anti-burn Tincture treatment did promote the healing of the burn wounds on Kunming mice with a downregulation of ALP, ALT, AST to normal levels. In mouse liver tissue, the contents of glutamine, aspartic acid, succinic acid and citrulline were significantly reduced, while the contents of 5-hydroxyproline, taurine, hypotaurine and glutamic acid significantly increased. These major differential compounds are involved in the arginine metabolic pathway, nitrogen excretion, and the metabolism of taurine and hypotaurine, suggesting that Qi Wei anti-burn Tincture reprogramed the above metabolic processes in the liver. Furthermore, the application of Qi Wei anti-burn Tincture increased the expression of TGF-β1 and FGF-2, and reduced the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and reactive oxygen species in the liver of mice induced by burn injury. This study found that Qi Wei anti-burn Tincture treatment promoted metabolic pathway remodeling in liver, which might be a potential mechanism for Qi Wei anti-burn Tincture to treat burn wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective and facile method of generating nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CD) by microwave irradiation is presented in this study. A precursor, succinic acid (SA), and a nitrogen source, bis-(3-aminopropyl)-amine (BAPA), were used to obtain N-CD. A precious quantum yield (QY) of 49.0% was obtained from the preparation of N-CD, which was wellsoluble in water. The N-CD material was highly selective and sensitive for the detection of nickel ion (Ni2+), with a detection limit of 0.26 μM and a linear concentration range of 5-175 μM. The quenching of the N-CD by the presence of Ni2+ was referred to formation of complexes because of the interaction of Ni2+ on the N-CD. Hence, the proposed study has great promise regarding Ni2+ detection in broad applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton is highly sensitive to potassium, and Xinjiang, China's leading cotton-producing region, faces a severe challenge due to reduced soil potassium availability. Biofertilizers, particularly potassium-solubilizing rhizobacteria (KSR), convert insoluble potassium into plant-usable forms, offering a sustainable solution for evergreen agriculture. This study isolated and characterized KSR from cotton, elucidated their potassium solubilization mechanisms, and evaluated the effects of inoculating KSR strains on cotton seedlings. Twenty-three KSR strains were isolated from cotton rhizosphere soil using modified Aleksandrov medium. Their solubilizing capacities were assessed in a liquid medium. Strain A10 exhibited the highest potassium solubilization capacity (21.8 ppm) by secreting organic acids such as lactic, citric, acetic, and succinic acid, lowering the pH and facilitating potassium release. A growth curve analysis and potassium solubilization tests of A10 under alkali stress showed its vigorous growth and maintained solubilization ability at pH 8–9, with significant inhibition at pH 10. Furthermore, 16S rRNA sequencing identified strain A10 as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Greenhouse pot experiments showed that inoculating cotton plants with strain A10 significantly increased plant height and promoted root growth. This inoculation also enhanced dry biomass accumulation in both the aerial parts and root systems of the plants, while reducing the root–shoot ratio. These results suggest that Pseudomonas aeruginosa A10 has potential as a biofertilizer, offering a new strategy for sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with succinic acid on growth performance, flesh quality, glucose, and lipid metabolism of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed a high-carbohydrate diet (HCD), five iso-nitrogenous and iso-lipidic diets were prepared as follows: HCD (control group) consisting of 55% corn starch and HCD supplemented with 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%, and 4.0% succinic acid, respectively. Tilapia with an initial body weight of 204.90 ± 1.23 g randomly assigned to 15 tanks with 3 replicates per group and 10 fish per tank fed for 8 weeks. Increasing dietary succinic acid supplementation resulted in significant second-order polynomial relationship in the weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency rate (PER), viscerosomatic index, condition factor, and contents of muscular crude lipid and glycogen (P

Propionate is a microbial metabolite formed in the gastrointestinal tract, and it affects host physiology as a source of energy and signaling molecule. Despite the importance of propionate, the biochemical pathways responsible for its formation are not clear in all microbes. For the succinate pathway used during fermentation, a key enzyme appears to be missing-one that oxidizes ferredoxin and reduces NAD. Here we show that Rnf [ferredoxin-NAD+ oxidoreductase (Na+-transporting)] is this key enzyme in two abundant bacteria of the rumen (Prevotella brevis and Prevotella ruminicola). We found these bacteria form propionate, succinate, and acetate with the classic succinate pathway. Without ferredoxin:NAD+ oxidoreductase, redox cofactors would be unbalanced; it would produce almost equal excess amounts of reduced ferredoxin and oxidized NAD. By combining growth experiments, genomics, proteomics, and enzyme assays, we point to the possibility that these bacteria solve this problem by oxidizing ferredoxin and reducing NAD with Rnf [ferredoxin-NAD+ oxidoreductase (Na+-transporting)]. Genomic and phenotypic data suggest many bacteria may use Rnf similarly. This work shows the ferredoxin:NAD+ oxidoreductase activity of Rnf is important to propionate formation in Prevotella species and other bacteria from the environment, and it provides fundamental knowledge for manipulating fermentative propionate production.

Dark chocolate presents exclusive characteristics that make it a food product with worldwide consumption and also as an ingredient in several food industries. Although chocolate is an energy-dense food, it is also rich in bioactive compounds and recent studies have demonstrated health benefits from a moderate consumption. Therefore, the quantification of the bioactive compounds of different types of cocoa, from different geographical origins, is of great importance to recognize the importance of single origin dark chocolate from the nutritional point of view. Dark chocolate produced from Amelonado variety presented higher values of hardness (5592 g), plastic viscosity (2.87 Pa.s) and yield value (12.91 Pa). Both dark chocolates from Peru, Piura Blanco and Chuncho, presented higher results in total phenolic content, total antioxidant capacity, caffeine and vitamin E. Additionally, sample Piura Blanco presented a higher content of theobromine (720.7 mg/100 g), lactic acid (1153.2 mg/100 g), succinic acid (679.4 mg/100 g) and oxalic acid (468.5 mg/100 g). On the other hand, chocolate from São Tomé presented a higher content of sucrose (38.22%) and SFA (62.38% of total fat). The results obtained demonstrate the existence of heterogeneity in cocoa varieties, supporting decision-makers in the selection of the most suitable cocoa for specific market needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cocrystal of p-Methoxycinnamate acid-succinic acid has been produced by microwave irradiation and solvent evaporation methods. Cocrystals are formed using succinic acid as the coformer at a molar ratio of 1:1. The formation of cocrystal can be done by solvent evaporation method and microwave radiation method. Physicochemical properties have been studied by FT-IR, DSC, PXRD, and SEM analysis. The solubility test was carried out with pH 6.8 phosphate buffer at a temperature of 25±0.5°C for 5 hours and the dissolution test was carried out with 900 mL pH 6.8 phosphate buffer at a temperature of 37±0.5°C with the speed of 75 rpm using a paddle-type dissolution test apparatus. The solubility of PMCA has increased its solubility in cocrystals by the solvent evaporation method by 1.19 times and by the microwave radiation method by 1.16 times compared to PMCA. The dissolution rate of the cocrystals of the solvent evaporation method increased by 3.50 times and the cocrystals of the microwave radiation method increased by 2.29 times compared to PMCA.

Abstract Succinic acid (SA) is one of the top platform chemicals with huge applications in diverse sectors. The presence of two carboxylic acid groups on the terminal carbon atoms makes SA a highly functional molecule that can be derivatized into a wide range of products. The biological route for SA production is a cleaner, greener, and promising technological option with huge potential to sequester the potent greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide. The recycling of renewable carbon of biomass (an indirect form of CO2), along with fixing CO2 in the form of SA, offers a carbon-negative SA manufacturing route to reduce atmospheric CO2 load. These attractive attributes compel a paradigm shift from fossil-based to microbial SA manufacturing, as evidenced by several commercial-scale bio-SA production in the last decade. The current review article scrutinizes the existing knowledge and covers SA production by the most efficient SA producers, including several bacteria and yeast strains. The review starts with the biochemistry of the major pathways accumulating SA as an end product. It discusses the SA production from a variety of pure and crude renewable sources by native as well as engineered strains with details of pathway/metabolic, evolutionary, and process engineering approaches for enhancing TYP (titer, yield, and productivity) metrics. The review is then extended to recent progress on separation technologies to recover SA from fermentation broth. Thereafter, SA derivatization opportunities via chemo-catalysis are discussed for various high-value products, which are only a few steps away. The last two sections are devoted to the current scenario of industrial production of bio-SA and associated challenges, along with the author's perspective.

Abstract Background The production of succinic acid (SA) from biomass has attracted worldwide interest. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is preferred for SA production due to its strong tolerance to low pH conditions, ease of genetic manipulation, and extensive application in industrial processes. However, when compared with bacterial producers, the SA titers and productivities achieved by engineered S. cerevisiae strains were relatively low. To develop efficient SA-producing strains, it’s necessary to clearly understand how S. cerevisiae cells respond to SA. Results In this study, we cultivated five S. cerevisiae strains with different genetic backgrounds under different concentrations of SA. Among them, KF7 and NBRC1958 demonstrated high tolerance to SA, whereas NBRC2018 displayed the least tolerance. Therefore, these three strains were chosen to study how S. cerevisiae responds to SA. Under a concentration of 20 g/L SA, only a few differentially expressed genes were observed in three strains. At the higher concentration of 60 g/L SA, the response mechanisms of the three strains diverged notably. For KF7, genes involved in the glyoxylate cycle were significantly downregulated, whereas genes involved in gluconeogenesis, the pentose phosphate pathway, protein folding, and meiosis were significantly upregulated. For NBRC1958, genes related to the biosynthesis of vitamin B6, thiamin, and purine were significantly downregulated, whereas genes related to protein folding, toxin efflux, and cell wall remodeling were significantly upregulated. For NBRC2018, there was a significant upregulation of genes connected to the pentose phosphate pathway, gluconeogenesis, fatty acid utilization, and protein folding, except for the small heat shock protein gene HSP26. Overexpression of HSP26 and HSP42 notably enhanced the cell growth of NBRC1958 both in the presence and absence of SA. Conclusions The inherent activities of small heat shock proteins, the levels of acetyl-CoA and the strains’ potential capacity to consume SA all seem to affect the responses and tolerances of S. cerevisiae strains to SA. These factors should be taken into consideration when choosing host strains for SA production. This study provides a theoretical basis and identifies potential host strains for the development of robust and efficient SA-producing strains.

Abstract Escherichia coli MLB (MG1655 ΔpflB ΔldhA), which can hardly grow on glucose with little succinate accumulation under anaerobic conditions. Two-stage fermentation is a fermentation in which the first stage is used for cell growth and the second stage is used for product production. The ability of glucose consumption and succinate production of MLB under anaerobic conditions can be improved significantly by using acetate as the solo carbon source under aerobic condition during the two-stage fermentation. Then, the adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) of growing on acetate was applied here. We assumed that the activities of succinate production related enzymes might be further improved in this study. E. coli MLB46-05 evolved from MLB and it had an improved growth phenotype on acetate. Interestingly, in MLB46-05, the yield and tolerance of succinic acid in the anaerobic condition of two-stage fermentation were improved significantly. According to transcriptome analysis, upregulation of the glyoxylate cycle and the activity of stress regulatory factors are the possible reasons for the elevated yield. And the increased tolerance to acetate made it more tolerant to high concentrations of glucose and succinate. Finally, strain MLB46-05 produced 111 g/L of succinic acid with a product yield of 0.74 g/g glucose. Synopsis

Background: Wheat grain development in the first few days after pollination determines the number of endosperm cells that influence grain yield potential and is susceptible to various environmental conditions, including high night temperatures (HNTs). Flag leaves and seed-associated bracts (glumes, awn, palea, and lemma) provide nutrients to the developing seed. However, the specific metabolic roles of these tissues are uncertain, especially their dynamics at different developmental stages and the time in a day. Tissue- and time-dependent metabolite profiling may hint at the metabolic roles of tissues and the mechanisms of how HNTs affect daytime metabolic status in early grain development. Results: The metabolite profiles of flag leaf, bract, seed (embryo and endosperm), and entire spike were analyzed at 12:00 (day) and 23:00 (night) on 2, 4, and 6 days after fertilization under control and HNT conditions. The metabolite levels in flag leaves and bracts showed day/night oscillations, while their behaviors were distinct between the tissues. Some metabolites, such as sucrose, cellobiose, and succinic acid, showed contrasting oscillations in the two photosynthetic tissues. In contrast, seed metabolite levels differed due to the days after fertilization rather than the time in a day. The seed metabolite profile altered earlier in the HNT than in the control condition, likely associated with accelerated grain development caused by HNT. HNT also disrupted the day/night oscillation of sugar accumulation in flag leaves and bracts. Conclusions: These results highlight distinct metabolic roles of flag leaves and bracts during wheat early seed development. The seed metabolite levels are related to the developmental stages. The early metabolic events in the seeds and the disruption of the day/night metabolic cycle in photosynthetic tissues may partly explain the adverse effects of HNT on grain yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus are symbiotic starters widely used in yogurt fermentation. They exchange metabolites to meet their nutritional demands during fermentation, promoting mutual growth. Although S. thermophilus produces fumaric acid, and the addition of fumaric acid has been shown to promote the growth of L. bulgaricus monoculture, whether fumaric acid produced by S. thermophilus is used by L. bulgaricus during coculture remains unclear. Furthermore, the importance of fumaric acid metabolism in the growth of L. bulgaricus is yet to be elucidated. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the importance of fumaric acid metabolism in L. bulgaricus monocultures and coculture with S. thermophilus. We deleted the fumarate reductase gene (frd), which is responsible for the metabolism of fumaric acid to succinic acid, in L. bulgaricus strains 2038 and NCIMB 701373. Both Δ frd strains exhibited longer fermentation times than their parent strains, and fumaric acid was metabolized to malic acid rather than succinic acid. Coculture of Δ frd strains with S. thermophilus 1131 also resulted in a longer fermentation time, and the accumulation of malic acid was observed. These results indicated that fumaric acid produced by S. thermophilus is used by L. bulgaricus as a symbiotic substance during yogurt fermentation and that the metabolism of fumaric acid to succinic acid by fumarate reductase is a key factor determining the fermentation ability of L. bulgaricus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]