-
Scientific Reports May 2024Growing obesity is linked to shifts in dietary patterns, particularly the increased intake of ultra-processed high-fat foods. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of...
Growing obesity is linked to shifts in dietary patterns, particularly the increased intake of ultra-processed high-fat foods. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of interesterified palm oil consumption on glucose homeostasis, adipose tissue remodeling, and hepatic lipogenesis in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet. Sixty C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups (n = 15): the control group (C) fed a standard diet (4% soybean oil), the high-fat group (HF) (23.8% lard), the high palm oil fat group (HFP) (23.8% palm oil), and the high interesterified palm fat group (HFI) (23.8% interesterified palm oil) for 8 weeks (all groups received 50% energy from lipids). The HFI group exhibited higher body mass than the HF group (+ 11%, P < 0.05), which was attributed to an increased percentage of fat mass. Plasma concentrations of IL-6, insulin, and HOMA-IR were also elevated in the HFI group. Both the HFP and HFI groups showed hypertrophied adipocytes and pancreatic islets, increased alpha and beta cell masses, hepatic steatosis, low expression of genes related to beta-oxidation, and upregulated lipogenesis. In conclusion, the consumption of interesterified palm oil alters inflammatory and glucose profiles.
Topics: Animals; Palm Oil; Diet, High-Fat; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Inflammation; Adipose Tissue, White; Male; Lipogenesis; Obesity; Liver; Insulin; Insulin Resistance
PubMed: 38822155
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63488-9 -
Scientific Data May 2024Understanding direct deforestation drivers at a fine spatial and temporal scale is needed to design appropriate measures for forest management and monitoring. To achieve...
Understanding direct deforestation drivers at a fine spatial and temporal scale is needed to design appropriate measures for forest management and monitoring. To achieve this, reference datasets with which to design Artificial Intelligence (AI) approaches to classify direct deforestation drivers within areas experiencing forest loss in a detailed, comprehensive and locally-adapted way are needed. This is the case for Cameroon, in the Congo Basin, which has known increasing deforestation rates in recent years. Here, we created an Earth Observation dataset with associated labels to classify detailed direct deforestation drivers in Cameroon, which includes satellite imagery (Landsat and PlanetScope) and auxiliary data on infrastructure and biophysical properties. The dataset provides the following fifteen labels: oil palm, timber, fruit, rubber and other-large scale plantations; grassland/shrubland; small-scale oil palm or maize plantations and other small-scale agriculture; mining; selective logging; infrastructure; wildfires; hunting; and other.
Topics: Cameroon; Conservation of Natural Resources; Satellite Imagery; Forests; Agriculture; Artificial Intelligence
PubMed: 38821976
DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03384-z -
PeerJ 2024The chloroplast genome has the potential to be genetically engineered to enhance the agronomic value of major crops. As a crop plant with major economic value, it is...
BACKGROUND
The chloroplast genome has the potential to be genetically engineered to enhance the agronomic value of major crops. As a crop plant with major economic value, it is important to understand every aspect of the genetic inheritance pattern among individuals to ensure the traceability of agronomic traits.
METHODS
Two parental individuals and 23 of their F progenies were collected and sequenced using the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique on the Illumina platform. Chloroplast genomes were assembled from the cleaned raw reads and aligned to check for variations. The sequences were compared and analyzed with programming language scripting and relevant bioinformatic softwares. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci were determined from the chloroplast genome.
RESULTS
The chloroplast genome assembly resulted in 156,983 bp, 156,988 bp, 156,982 bp, and 156,984 bp. The gene content and arrangements were consistent with the reference genome published in the GenBank database. Seventy-eight SSRs were detected in the chloroplast genome, with most located in the intergenic spacer region.The chloroplast genomes of 17 F progenies were exact copies of the maternal parent, while six individuals showed a single variation in the sequence. Despite the significant variation displayed by the male parent, all the nucleotide variations were synonymous. This study show highly conserve gene content and sequence in chloroplast genomes. Maternal inheritance of chloroplast genome among F progenies are robust with a low possibility of mutations over generations. The findings in this study can enlighten inheritance pattern of chloroplast genome especially among crops' scientists who consider using chloroplast genome for agronomic trait modifications.
Topics: Genome, Chloroplast; Microsatellite Repeats; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Inheritance Patterns
PubMed: 38818457
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17335 -
3 Biotech Jun 2024The CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system has been in the spotlight compared to programmable nucleases such as ZFNs and TALENs due to its simplicity, versatility, and high... (Review)
Review
The CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system has been in the spotlight compared to programmable nucleases such as ZFNs and TALENs due to its simplicity, versatility, and high efficiency. CRISPR/Cas9 has revolutionized plant genetic engineering and is broadly used to edit various plants' genomes, including those transformation-recalcitrant species such as oil palm. This review will comprehensively present the CRISPR-Cas9 system's brief history and underlying mechanisms. We then highlighted the establishment of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in plants with an emphasis on the strategies of highly efficient guide RNA design, the establishment of various CRISPR/Cas9 vector systems, approaches of multiplex editing, methods of transformation for stable and transient techniques, available methods for detecting and analyzing mutations, which have been applied and could be adopted for CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in oil palm. In addition, we also provide insight into the strategy of DNA-free genome editing and its potential application in oil palm.
PubMed: 38817736
DOI: 10.1007/s13205-024-04010-w -
Frontiers in Chemistry 2024Each year, the rising demand for palm oil generates large amounts of palm kernel shell waste. Discarded palm kernel shells can produce activated carbon, crushed shells,...
Examining the ability of palm kernel shell extract to control corrosion and assess its economic value on thermo-mechanically treated steel in artificial seawater: a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach.
Each year, the rising demand for palm oil generates large amounts of palm kernel shell waste. Discarded palm kernel shells can produce activated carbon, crushed shells, liquified fumes, and other derivatives; however, their indiscriminate disposal persists, raising issues related to the environment and economy. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the use of palm kernel shell as a corrosion inhibitor for thermo-mechanically treated steel in a seawater environment using gravimetric and electrochemical techniques, as well as surface tests at varying concentrations. The findings demonstrated that the palm kernel shell inhibited the cathodic and anodic processes by adsorption on the steel surface, which followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The inhibitor exhibited a 98% inhibitory efficiency at 500 ppm concentration. Scanning electron microscopy analysis verified the thin films of the inhibitor on steel surface in seawater solution. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results show that the extract's components prevent the steel corrosion through an adsorptive mechanism. According to the inhibitor economic evaluation, employing the palm kernel shell extract is less expensive than utilizing conventional inhibitors.
PubMed: 38807979
DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1396565 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Oil palm cultivation has improved living standards and alleviated the poverty of many smallholder farmers. However, challenges such as climate change, aging palms and...
Oil palm cultivation has improved living standards and alleviated the poverty of many smallholder farmers. However, challenges such as climate change, aging palms and negative sentiments in the major markets, threaten the wellbeing of and raise the question on smallholder farmers' resilience, which remains poorly understood. Using primary data from Indonesia, the largest palm oil producer in the world, we measure and evaluate the resilience of oil palm smallholder farmers using the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach. Our results revealed five classes of smallholders with different levels of resilience: vulnerable, economically and socially constrained, low-skilled, semi-secure and adaptive smallholders. The farmers in the least resilient group are majorly older local farmers, who established oil palm plantations independently. Meanwhile, the most resilient group is dominated by smallholders who participated in the migration program, and in the past, received support from the government to start oil palm plantations. Our study highlights the heterogeneity of smallholders' livelihood resilience and the need for inclusive and tailored interventions for the various classes of smallholder farmers to establish sustainable communities.
PubMed: 38802471
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62426-z -
Journal of Oleo Science Jun 2024This study investigated the effect of cooking on the levels of 3-chloro-1, 2-propanediol esters (3-MCPDEs), 2-chloro-1, 3-propanediol esters (2-MCPDEs) and glycidyl...
Effects of Heat-Cooking with Edible Fats and Oils on the Levels of 3-Chloro-1, 2-Propanediol Fatty Acid Esters (3-MCPDEs), 2-Chloro-1, 3-Propanediol Fatty Acid Esters (2-MCPDEs) and Glycidyl Fatty Acid Esters (GEs) in Processed Foods.
This study investigated the effect of cooking on the levels of 3-chloro-1, 2-propanediol esters (3-MCPDEs), 2-chloro-1, 3-propanediol esters (2-MCPDEs) and glycidyl esters (GEs) in deep-fried rice cracker, fried potato, croquette, fish fillet, chicken fillet and cooking oils (rice bran oil and palm oil). The levels of 2-/3-MCPDE in rice cracker fried with rice bran oil and the used oil remained about the same, while the levels of GEs in them fell with frying time. The levels of 2-/3-MCPDEs in fried potato, croquette, fried fish and chicken cutlet fried with rice bran oil and palm oil respectively fell with frying time, while the level of GEs in them remained about the same. The levels of 2-/3-MCPDEs and GEs in fried rice cooked with rice bran oil were under the method limit of quantification. These results provide insights the cooking has no influence with the levels of 2-/3-MCPDEs and GEs in cooked foods.
Topics: Cooking; Esters; Palm Oil; Rice Bran Oil; Hot Temperature; alpha-Chlorohydrin; Fatty Acids; Plant Oils; Food Analysis; Animals; Time Factors; Propylene Glycols; Epoxy Compounds; Dietary Fats; Chickens; Food, Processed
PubMed: 38797689
DOI: 10.5650/jos.ess24025 -
Microorganisms May 2024Palm kernel cake (PKC), a byproduct of palm oil extraction, serves an important role in Ecuador's animal feed industry. The emergence of yellow-orange fungal growth in...
Palm kernel cake (PKC), a byproduct of palm oil extraction, serves an important role in Ecuador's animal feed industry. The emergence of yellow-orange fungal growth in PKC on some cattle farms in Ecuador sparked concerns within the cattle industry regarding a potential mycotoxin-producing fungus on this substrate. Due to the limited availability of analytical chemistry techniques in Ecuador for mycotoxin detection, we chose to isolate and identify the fungus to determine its association with mycotoxin-producing genera. Through molecular identification via ITS region sequencing, we identified the yellow-orange fungus as the yeast . Furthermore, we isolated two other fungi-the yeast , and the fungus Molecular identification confirmed that all three species are not classified as mycotoxin-producing fungi but in contrast, the literature indicates that all three have demonstrated antifungal activity against and species, genera associated with mycotoxin production. This suggests their potential use in biocontrol to counter the colonization of harmful fungi. We discuss preventive measures against the fungal invasion of PKC and emphasize the importance of promptly identifying fungi on this substrate. Rapid recognition of mycotoxin-producing and pathogenic genera holds the promise of mitigating cattle intoxication and the dissemination of mycotoxins throughout the food chain.
PubMed: 38792767
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12050937 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... May 2024This study assessed saturated mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOSH) and aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOAH) levels in grower-finisher feeds for pigs supplemented with 5%...
This study assessed saturated mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOSH) and aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOAH) levels in grower-finisher feeds for pigs supplemented with 5% crude palm oil (CP), crude olive pomace oil (COP), olive pomace acid oil (OPA), or a blend of CP and OPA (50:50, /); the contribution of the lipid source to that contamination; and the ability of pigs to accumulate MOH in back fat and loin tissues after 60 days of trial. MOSH and MOAH were analyzed with liquid chromatography (LC)-gas chromatography (GC)-flame ionization detection (FID) after sample preparation. Among the lipid sources, CP had the lowest MOH levels, but CP feeds showed the highest contamination. This, along with the different MOSH profiles, indicated the presence of more significant contamination sources in the feeds than the lipid source. The higher MOH contamination in CP feeds was reflected in the highest MOSH levels in pig back fat, whereas MOAH were not detected in animal tissues. Also, MOSH bioaccumulation in pig tissues was influenced by the carbon chain length. In conclusion, feed manufacturing processes can determine the MOSH contamination present in animal adipose tissues that can be included in human diets.
PubMed: 38791667
DOI: 10.3390/ani14101450 -
Heliyon May 2024Nano-structured materials gain a vast market acceptance mainly due to their overarching endurance. Nanofibrillar cellulose (NFC) is one example of an augmenting agent...
Nano-structured materials gain a vast market acceptance mainly due to their overarching endurance. Nanofibrillar cellulose (NFC) is one example of an augmenting agent unviable for production by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) due to the underlying process complexity. This study aims to characterise the NFC-alternative cells denoted as TRX-cells, which is a mix of cellulose and non-cellulose components, ruling out its status as 'cellulose nanofibers, CNF'. The aim to test-fit the TRX-cells® production process into the circularity model was executed by deliberating on the usability of the byproduct. In doing so, fibrous oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) was treated with dioxydanyl radicals (DIOR) and homogenised. The rapid EFB-DIOR reaction at 70°C targeting dearomatisation reaction in a 10%-solid open system was performed before refining the DIOR-treated EFB to micro-scale fibres. Subjecting the micro-fibres to 17 kWh/mt PFI-milling yielded 85-95% of nano-scale fibrous mass. Relative to the stiff micro-fibres, the nano-scale cells web exhibit 34-41% softness enhancement judged from the web tear resistance profile associated with inter-fibre space reduction. Advanced chromatographic evidence for 27% xylan amongst TRX-cells® total aldo-sugars was one form of the non-cellulose nano-component. High-resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy hyphenated to Energy Dispersive Analysis of X-ray (HRTEM-EDX) elemental mapping showed a 0.4 atomic percentage of nano-biominerals, confirming the presence of the redistributed dearomatised cells adjacent to cellulose held in the web of the hemicellulose. Shearing at the dearomatised inter-cell wall layers by PFI mill peeled 5 nm-100 nm thickness laminae. The smorgasbord of cellulose and non-celluloses resulted in crystallinity comparable to softwood NFC of approximately 60%, with unique preservation and precision-printing enabling properties. Given the non-recyclability of the DIOR-treated EFB microfibres, nestling the rapid waste transformation process into the circularity model shed light on circular bio-nanotechnology to the spectrum of opportunity for zero-waste, reduced emission and net zero carbon practices on top of an added value from waste transformation to a product.
PubMed: 38784543
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30824