Energy is the most limiting nutritional component in diets for high-producing dairy cows. Palmitic (C16:0) and stearic (C18:0) acids have unique and specific functions in lactating dairy cows beyond ...a ubiquitous energy source. This review delineates their metabolism and usage in lactating dairy cows from diet to milk production. Palmitic acid is the fatty acid (FA) found in the greatest quantity in milk fat. Dietary sources of C16:0 generally increase milk fat yield and are used as an energy source for milk production and replenishing body weight loss during periods of negative energy balance. Stearic acid is the most abundant FA available to the dairy cow and is used to a greater extent for milk production and energy balance than C16:0. However, C18:0 is also intimately involved in milk fat production. Quantifying the transfer of each FA from diet into milk fat is complicated by de novo synthesis of C16:0 and desaturation of C18:0 to oleic acid in the mammary gland. In addition, incorporation of both FA into milk fat appears to be limited by the cow’s requirement to maintain fluidity of milk, which requires a balance between saturated and unsaturated FA. Oleic acid is the second most abundant FA in milk fat and likely the main unsaturated FA involved in regulating fluidity of milk. Because the mammary gland can desaturate C18:0 to oleic acid, C18:0 appears to have a more prominent role in milk production than C16:0. To understand metabolism and utilization of these FA in lactating dairy cows, we reviewed production and milk fat synthesis studies. Additional and longer lactation studies on feeding both FA to lactating dairy cows are required to better delineate their roles in optimizing milk production and milk FA composition and yield.
Abstract
Superhydrophobic coatings were successfully fabricated on steel substrates using potentiostatic electrodeposition of Ni and Ni-graphene, Ni-G, coatings followed by immersion in an ethanolic ...solution of stearic acid, SA. Rice straw, an environmentally friendly biomass resource, was used to synthesize high-quality graphene. The Raman spectra proved the high quality of the produced graphene. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, FTIR, results showed that the Ni coating grafted with stearic acid, Ni-SA, and the Ni-G composite grafted with stearic acid, Ni-G-SA, were successfully deposited on the steel substrate. The scanning electron microscope, SEM, results showed that the prepared superhydrophobic coatings exhibit micro-nano structures. The wettability results revealed that the values of contact angles, CAs, for Ni-SA and Ni-G-SA coatings are 155.7° and 161.4°, while the values of sliding angles, SAs, for both coatings are 4.0° and 1.0°, respectively. The corrosion resistance, chemical stability, and mechanical abrasion resistance of the Ni-G-SA coating were found to be greater than those of the Ni-SA coating.
The aim of this study was to investigate the changes of the microstructural, rheological and printing properties of rice starch-stearic acid (SA) paste during the hot-extrusion 3D printing (HE-3DP). ...The results showed that starch chains could complex with SA to form V-type crystalline structure and its molecular kinematic behaviors were changed under shear force, and crystalline structure were then embedded and rearranged to constitute an ordered sea-island structure, thus improving the rigidity and dynamic storage modulus of network structure, leading to the increased layer number. Interestingly, with the increase of SA addition, the network structure became weakened and the viscosity decreased which might due to the destroyed continuity and the breaking of entanglement and hydrogen bonding between starch chains, and finally impairing the printing accuracy of objects. Overall, this study provided important information for the application of lipid in the preparation of starch-based food by HE-3DP.
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•Adding SA can significantly change the printability of starch paste.•SA induced the formation of V-type crystalline structure during 3D printing.•SA improved the rigidity and G′ with higher layer number.•SA reduces the viscosity of SSAP and impaired the printing accuracy.•Sea-island model of SSAP was established.
Aims/hypothesis
Ceramide lipids have a role in the development of insulin resistance, diabetes and risk of cardiovascular disease. Here we investigated four ceramides and their ratios to find the ...best predictors of incident diabetes.
Methods
A validated mass-spectrometric method was applied to measure Cer(d18:1/16:0), Cer(d18:1/18:0), Cer(d18:1/24:0) and Cer(d18:1/24:1) from serum or plasma samples. These ceramides were analysed in a population-based risk factor study (FINRISK 2002,
n
= 8045), in a cohort of participants undergoing elective coronary angiography for suspected stable angina pectoris (Western Norway Coronary Angiography Cohort WECAC,
n
= 3344) and in an intervention trial investigating improved methods of lifestyle modification for individuals at high risk of the metabolic syndrome (Prevent Metabolic Syndrome PrevMetSyn,
n
= 371). Diabetes risk score models were developed to estimate the 10 year risk of incident diabetes.
Results
Analysis in FINRISK 2002 showed that the Cer(d18:1/18:0)/Cer(d18:1/16:0) ceramide ratio was predictive of incident diabetes (HR per SD 2.23, 95% CI 2.05, 2.42), and remained significant after adjustment for several risk factors, including BMI, fasting glucose and HbA
1c
(HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.14, 1.57). The finding was validated in the WECAC study (unadjusted HR 1.81, 95% CI 1.53, 2.14; adjusted HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.16, 1.66). In the intervention trial, the ceramide ratio and diabetes risk scores significantly decreased in individuals who had 5% or more weight loss.
Conclusions/interpretation
The Cer(d18:1/18:0)/Cer(d18:1/16:0) ratio is an independent predictive biomarker for incident diabetes, and may be modulated by lifestyle intervention.
Long-term consumption of a high-fat diet increases the circulating concentration of stearic acid (SA), which has a potent toxic effect on β-cells, but the underlying molecular mechanisms of this ...action have not been fully elucidated. Here, we evaluated the role of long noncoding (lnc)RNA TCONS_00077866 (lnc866) in SA-induced β
cell inflammation. lnc866 was selected for study because lncRNA high-throughput sequencing analysis demonstrated it to have the largest fold-difference in expression of five lncRNAs that were affected by SA treatment. Knockdown of lnc866 by virus-mediated shRNA expression in mice or by Smart Silencer in mouse pancreatic β-TC6 cells significantly inhibited the SA-induced reduction in insulin secretion and β-cell inflammation. According to lncRNA-miRNAs-mRNA coexpression network analysis and luciferase reporter assays, lnc866 directly bound to miR-297b-5p, thereby preventing it from reducing the expression of its target serum amyloid A3 (SAA3). Furthermore, overexpression of miR-297b-5p or inhibition of SAA3 also had marked protective effects against the deleterious effects of SA in β-TC6 cells and mouse islets. In conclusion, lnc866 silencing ameliorates SA-induced β
cell inflammation by targeting the miR-297b-5p/SAA3 axis. lnc866 inhibition may represent a new strategy to protect β-cells against the effects of SA during the development of type 2 diabetes.
Improved synthetic approaches for preparing small‐sized Ni nanoparticles (d=3 nm) supported on HBEA zeolite have been explored and compared with the traditional impregnation method. The formation of ...surface nickel silicate/aluminate involved in the two precipitation processes are inferred to lead to the stronger interaction between the metal and the support. The lower Brønsted acid concentrations of these two Ni/HBEA catalysts compared with the parent zeolite caused by the partial exchange of Brønsted acid sites by Ni2+ cations do not influence the hydrodeoxygenation rates, but alter the product selectivity. Higher initial rates and higher stability have been achieved with these optimized catalysts for the hydrodeoxygenation of stearic acid and microalgae oil. Small metal particles facilitate high initial catalytic activity in the fresh sample and size uniformity ensures high catalyst stability.
The small matter of size: Nearly 5–8‐fold enhancements of initial rates and improved recyclability have been achieved with Ni/HBEA catalysts, prepared by improved synthesis techniques, on the hydrodeoxygenation of stearic acid and microalgae oil. The average size and uniformity of Ni particles are crucial for maintaining the highly active and stable catalyst. The small metal sites facilitate high initial rates and the good uniformity ensures high catalyst stability (see figure).
In this work, zinc nano-coatings were fabricated on a carbon steel by electrodeposition and stearic acid modification, featuring superhydrophobicity and enhanced antifouling performance. The ...morphology, composition and structure of the prepared nano-coatings were characterized by various surface analysis techniques. The water and oil contact angles were measured. The superhydrophobicity of the prepared Zn coatings is attributed to the surface micro/nanostructure and the formed stearic acid layer with a low surface energy. The water contact angle is up to 158.4 ± 1.5°, with an estimated air-occupied fraction up to 90.8% of the total area of the coating under water droplets. The nano-coatings are also superhydrophobic to tea, milk and a soil solution. Moreover, the coated specimen has an oil contact angle of 48.1°, as compared to 8.6° on bare steel, indicating that the prepared nano-coatings improve the surface oleophobicity.
•The superhydrophobicity of prepared Zn coatings is due to the surface micro/nanostructure.•The stearic acid modification introduces a layer with a low surface energy.•The Zn nano-coatings possess a good antifouling performance in mud and soil.
Branched esters of palmitic acid and hydroxy stearic acid are antiinflammatory and antidiabetic lipokines that belong to a family of fatty acid (FA) esters of hydroxy fatty acids (HFAs) called ...FAHFAs. FAHFAs themselves belong to oligomeric FA esters, known as estolides. Glycerol-bound FAHFAs in triacylglycerols (TAGs), named TAG estolides, serve as metabolite reservoir of FAHFAs mobilized by lipases upon demand. Here, we characterized the involvement of two major metabolic lipases, adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), in TAG estolide and FAHFA degradation. We synthesized a library of 20 TAG estolide isomers with FAHFAs varying in branching position, chain length, saturation grade, and position on the glycerol backbone and developed an in silico mass spectra library of all predicted catabolic intermediates. We found that ATGL alone or coactivated by comparative gene identification-58 efficiently liberated FAHFAs from TAG estolides with a preference for more compact substrates where the estolide branching point is located near the glycerol ester bond. ATGL was further involved in transesterification and remodeling reactions leading to the formation of TAG estolides with alternative acyl compositions. HSL represented a much more potent estolide bond hydrolase for both TAG estolides and free FAHFAs. FAHFA and TAG estolide accumulation in white adipose tissue of mice lacking HSL argued for a functional role of HSL in estolide catabolism in vivo. Our data show that ATGL and HSL participate in the metabolism of estolides and TAG estolides in distinct manners and are likely to affect the lipokine function of FAHFAs.
Soybeans are low in saturated fat and a rich source of protein, dietary fiber, and isoflavone; however, their nutritional shelf life is yet to be established. This study evaluated the change in the ...stability and quality of fatty acids in raw and roasted soybean flour under different storage temperatures and durations. In both types of soybean flour, the fatty-acid content was the highest in the order of linoleic acid (18-carbon chain with two double bonds; C18:2), oleic acid (C18:1), palmitic acid (C16:0), linolenic acid (18:3), and stearic acid (C18:0), which represented 47%, 26%, 12%, 9%, and 4% of the total fatty-acid content, respectively. The major unsaturated fatty acids of raw soybean flour-oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid-decreased by 30.0%, 94.4%, and 97.7%, and 38.0%, 94.8%, and 98.0% when stored in polyethylene and polypropylene film, respectively, after 48 weeks of storage under high-temperature conditions. These values were later increased due to hydrolysis. This study presents the changes in composition and content of two soybean flour types and the changes in quality and stability of fatty acids in response to storage temperature and duration. This study shows the influence of storage conditions and temperature on the nutritional quality which is least affected by packing material.
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•Thermal decomposition and combustion of stearic acid were conducted and simulated.•Three flame propagation stages of stearic acid combustion were divided in detail.•Initial ...decomposition and main products of stearic acid combustion were depicted.•Effects of density, temperature, and oxygen content on the combustion were probed.•Combustion mechanism of stearic acid was established by combined flame propagation.
To better look into the thermal decomposition and combustion progress of stearic acid (C18H36O2), the experimental tests and Reaction Force Field (ReaxFF) molecular dynamics simulation were conducted. Also, an investigation into the flame propagation characteristics and the reaction mechanisms of stearic acid was explored under different conditions. The thermal decomposition activation energy of stearic acid obtained by the TG tests was 105.01 kJ/mol. This is consistent with the initial decomposition stage reaction activation energy calculated to be 94.273 kJ/mol in the simulation. The flame propagation process of stearic acid combustion was explored and involved three stages: the flame growth stage, the stable flame stage, and the flame decay stage. The flame growth stage was subdivided into the flame growth inside the tube, upper the tube, and mushroom-shaped cloud. Besides, the flame growth stage could correspond to three flame propagation velocity peaks. Furthermore, the simplified reaction mechanism scheme for stearic acid radicals could explain the macro flame propagation behaviours. The main reaction pathway through which the C18H36O2 molecules were decomposed into C2H4 and C2H3, C2H5, and other free radicals was found to correspond to the initial flame growth stage, and the flame decay stage was dominated by the generation of final reaction products (H2O, CO2, and CO2, etc.). Concerning the overall reaction mechanism, the unburned stearic acid was continuously ignited, and the combustion products were continuously generated at the same time, thereby corresponding to the stable flame propagation stage. According to the flame propagation process and the simulation results, combustion reaction mechanisms of stearic acid were constructed.