Distribution and variability of n-alkanes in waxes of conifers

Epicuticular waxes have vital roles in the growth and development of plants and in defense. Conifers have a considerable amount of waxes on their cones and leaves.Here we characterized the n-alkane composition of Iranian conifers, including Juniperus oblonga, J. foetidissima, J.sabina, J. communis subsp. hemisphaerica, J. excelsa,Cupressus sempervirens, Platycladus orientalis from Cupressaceae and Taxus baccata from Taxaceae for the first time using GC-FID analyses. In the waxes, 25 n-alkane homologs with chain lengths ranging from C7 to C32 were identified. Short-chain n-alkanes were dominant in almost all samples with some exceptions. Complementary studies to elucidate complete wax constituents of Iranian conifers and n-alkane distribution pattern as a function of geographical and bioclimatic variables are recommended.

Waxes in asphaltenes of crude oils and wax deposits

Composition and molecular mass distribution of n-alkanes in asphaltenes of crude oils of different ages and in wax deposits formed in the borehole equipment were studied. In asphaltenes, n-alkanes from C12 to C60 were detected. The high molecular weight paraffins in asphaltenes would form a crystalline phase with a melting point of 80–90 ℃. The peculiarities of the redistribution of high molecular paraffin hydrocarbons between oil and the corresponding wax deposit were detected. In the oils, the high molecular weight paraffinic hydrocarbons C50–C60were found, which were not practically detected in the corresponding wax deposits.

Spruce budworm feeding and oviposition are stimulated by monoterpenes in white spruce epicuticular waxes

Monoterpenes, source of the distinctive odor of conifers, are generally considered plant defensive compounds. However, they are also known to act as long-range insect attractants, as they are volatile and permeate forest airspaces. Moreover, they are lipid soluble and can be absorbed into plant epicuticular waxes. We test their role in short-range host plant choice by both adult females and larvae of a folivorous forest pest （Choristoneura fumiferana）. We conducted laboratory assays testing the responses of Eastern spruce budworm to an artificial monoterpene mix （α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, myrcene） and to white spruce （Picea glauca） epicuticular waxes in closed arenas. Ovipositing females pre- ferred filter paper discs treated with P. glauca waxes to controls, and preferred the waxes ＋ monoterpenes treatment to waxes alone. However, females showed no preference between the monoterpene-treated disc and the control when presented without waxes. Feeding larvae prefered wax discs to control discs. They also consumed discs treated with realistic monoterpene concentrations and wax preferentially over wax-only discs, but showed no preference between extremely high monoterpene concentrations and wax-only controls. In an insect-free assay, P. glauca epicuticular wax decreased monoterpene volatilization. These results suggest that P. glauca waxes and realistic concentrations of monoterpenes are stimulatory to both egg-laying females and feeding larvae, and that their effects are synergistic.

Differences in leaf cuticular wax induced by whole-genome duplication in autotetraploid sour jujube

Drought-resistant plants exhibit strong water retention capability.In this regard,the autotetraploid sour jujube leaves exhibit better water retention than diploid leaves.Morphological comparisons and physiological comparisons of diploid and autotetraploid leaves showed that the autotetraploid leaves had thicker leaf cuticles and more leaf wax accumulation than the diploid leaves,which could reduce cuticle permeability and improve the drought tolerance of leaves.In this study,the cuticular wax crystalloids on the adaxial and abaxial sides of young and mature jujube leaves were observed in the two ploidy types,and unique cuticular wax crystalloids covering a large area of the cuticle on autotetraploid sour jujube leaves may provide an advantage in reducing leaf non-stomata transpiration and improving plant drought tolerance.Based on the transcriptome,115 differentially expressed genes between diploids and autotetraploids were further analyzed and found to be involved in the accumulation of cuticular wax components,including terpenoids,fatty acids,and lipids,as well as ABC transporter and wax biosynthetic process.Finally,14 genes differentially expressed between glossy autotetraploid leaves and nonglossy diploid leaves,such as LOC107414787,LOC107411574 and LOC107413721,were screened as candidate genes by qRT-PCR analysis.This findings provided insights into how polyploidization improved drought tolerance.

Investigation of the effect of hydrocarbons and monoesters in the gelators’composition on the properties of edible oleogel

Natural wax gelators have different compositions of compounds(hydrocarbons,wax esters,free fatty alcohols,and free fatty acids),which results in oleogels with varying properties.To maintain a consistent composition,the individual components can be added to the original wax gelator.The content of hydrocarbons and wax esters greatly affects the structuring process of liquid edible oils with waxes.The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of modifying the properties of beeswax as a gelling agent by adding hydrocarbons or monoesters to obtain oleogels with specific properties.Various tests were conducted to assess the changes in the oleogel properties,such as color,microstructure,oil-binding capacity,thermal and textural properties.The research results have shown that the addition of the studied fractions has led to a significant change in all properties of oleogels.The initial size of oleogel crystals(7.29±1.80μm)changed after adding fractions,varying from 5.28μm to 12.58μm with hydrocarbons and from 9.95μm to 30.41μm with wax esters.The addition of 30%–50% hydrocarbons decreased the ability of the oleogels to bind oil and made them less firm compared to samples with 10%-20% hydrocarbons.Adding 10%-20% monoesters increased the firmness of the oleogels,but this indicator decreased when their content was increased to 50%.The obtained data indicate that hydrocarbons and wax esters can be used for targeted correction of the gelling properties of beeswax.

Prediction Model of Wax Deposition Rate in Waxy Crude Oil Pipelines by Elman Neural Network Based on Improved Reptile Search Algorithm

A hard problem that hinders the movement of waxy crude oil is wax deposition in oil pipelines.To ensure the safe operation of crude oil pipelines,an accurate model must be developed to predict the rate of wax deposition in crude oil pipelines.Aiming at the shortcomings of the ENN prediction model,which easily falls into the local minimum value and weak generalization ability in the implementation process,an optimized ENN prediction model based on the IRSA is proposed.The validity of the new model was confirmed by the accurate prediction of two sets of experimental data on wax deposition in crude oil pipelines.The two groups of crude oil wax deposition rate case prediction results showed that the average absolute percentage errors of IRSA-ENN prediction models is 0.5476% and 0.7831%,respectively.Additionally,it shows a higher prediction accuracy compared to the ENN prediction model.In fact,the new model established by using the IRSA to optimize ENN can optimize the initial weights and thresholds in the prediction process,which can overcome the shortcomings of the ENN prediction model,such as weak generalization ability and tendency to fall into the local minimum value,so that it has the advantages of strong implementation and high prediction accuracy.

Investigation of adsorption behaviors of paraffin waxes on iron, iron oxide, and iron Ⅲ oxide pipeline's internal surfaces using adsorption locator model

Wax deposition in pipelines leads to pressure drop,reduced effective cross-sectional area,and blockages.Although mathematical models and experimental loops were used to model wax precipitation on pipeline surfaces,its prediction at molecular levels is not fully recognized.Molecular dynamics is another powerful approach that can predict wax precipitation at the molecular level.This paper uses molecular dynamics simulations with the adsorption locator model found in Material Studio Software to investigate the adsorption behaviors of Icosane-C20H42,Docosane-C22H46,and Tetracosane-C24H50 paraffin waxes on the Fe,FeO,and Fe2O3 pipeline internal surfaces.Modeling is performed by varying temperature values and validated with experimental data.It was found that as the temperature altered,the adsorption energies,probability energy distribution and adsorption density field on the surfaces also changed;on the other hand,the energetic analysis results showed adsorption energies increase with carbon numbers increase due to its larger surface contacting areas and lower aspect ratio,which resulted in stronger interaction with the surfaces.Further,paraffin waxes showed to adsorb easily on Fe surfaces than oxide surfaces.At temperatures below Wax Appearance Temperature(WAT)on both simulations and experiments showed wax deposition.The lower adsorption energy capacity observed on the Fe2O3 pipeline surface confirms it's vitality and suitability for crude oil transportation pipelines surface lining material.

Post-laparotomy heterotopic ossification of the xiphoid process: A case report

BACKGROUND Heterotopic ossification(HO)represents all types of extraskeletal ossification in the body.It occurs in various areas,including the skin,subcutaneous tissue,muscle,and joints.Surgical excision is recommended for symptomatic HO.Postoperative radiotherapy,oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,and topical sealants,such as bone wax,have been recommended as preventive measures.As HO is rare in occurrence,these recommendations are based on personal experiences,and there is a lack of information on individualized treatments depending on its location.CASE SUMMARY A 62-year-old male was admitted for symptomatic HO along a laparotomy scar.Surgical excision was performed for an 11 cm-sized ossification originating from the xiphoid process,and bone wax was applied to the excisional margin.However,the surgical wound failed to heal.After several weeks of saline-soaked gauze dressing,delayed wound closure was performed.The patient was finally discharged eight weeks after the excision.Because HO can occur in various areas of the body,a treatment strategy that may be effective for some may not be for others.Bone wax has been used as a topical sealant over excisional margins in the shoulder,elbow,and temporomandibular joints.However,in our case,its application on an abdominal surgical wound delayed its primary healing intention.The valuable lesson was that,when choosing a treatment method for HO based on available research data,its location must be considered.CONCLUSION Complete excision should be the priority treatment option for symptomatic HO along the laparotomy scar.Bone wax application is not recommended.Core Tip:Heterotopic ossification(HO)represents all types of extraskeletal ossification,and occurs in various areas,including the skin,muscle,and joints.There are some suggested treatment and preventive approaches for symptomatic HO,which include surgical excision and preventive measures such as postoperative radiotherapy,oral nonsteroidal anti-inflam-matory drugs,and topical sealants(bone wax).However,these recommendations are based on personal experiences limited to HO in certain locations.It is important to individualize our treatment approaches depending on its location.For symptomatic HO along the laparotomy scar,complete surgical excision should be the priority treatment option,and bone wax application is not recommended.

Pre-heating temperature induced flowability and wax deposition characteristics of crude oil adding wax inhibitors

This paper investigated the effects of pre-heating treatment temperatures(T_(pre))on the flowability and wax deposition characteristics of a typical waxy crude oil after adding wax inhibitors.It is found that there is little difference in wax precipitation exothermic characteristics of crude oils at different T_(pre),as well as the wax crystal solubility coefficient in the temperature range of 25-30℃.For the undoped crude oil,the flowability after wax precipitation gets much improved and the wax deposition is alleviated as T_(pre)increasing.At T_(pre)=50℃,the viscosity and wax deposition rate of crude oil adding wax inhibitors are higher than those of the undoped crude oil.When the T_(pre)increases to 60,70,and 80℃,the flowability of the doped crude oil are largely improved and the wax deposition is suppressed with the T_(pre)increase,but the wax content of wax deposit increases gradually.It is speculated that,on the one hand,the T_(pre)increase helps the dispersion of asphaltenes into smaller sizes,which facilitates the co-crystallization with paraffin waxes and generates more aggregated wax crystal flocs.This weakens the low-temperature gel structure and increases the solid concentration required for the crosslink to form the wax deposit.On the other hand,the decrease in viscosity increases the diffusion rate of wax molecules and accelerates the aging of wax deposits.The experimental results have important guiding significance for the pipeline transportation of doped crude oils.

采后果实表皮蜡质结构、功能及其调控——综述与展望

表皮蜡质在植物果实生长和贮藏中发挥着重要作用。蜡质是覆盖在果实表皮细胞最外层不溶于水的物质,主要包括超长链脂肪酸(VLCFA)及其衍生物(酯、初级醇、次级醇、醛、酮等)和三萜。这种复杂的脂类化合物在大多数植物表皮细胞中合成并转运至细胞表面。蜡质不仅有利于果实免受微生物侵染,还能减少果实的机械损伤,从而保持果实的商品价值。迄今为止,关于果实蜡质的研究多集中于采前果实蜡质的变化、功能和调控,而忽略了果实采后贮藏过程中蜡质变化及生物学功能。本文对果实表皮蜡质组成、结构及其代谢调控进行综述。重点阐述影响蜡质组成的采后因素,如贮藏温度、相对湿度(RH)、气体环境、外源激素等,以及蜡质对果实采后品质的影响,包括水分散失、果实软化、生理失调、抗病性等。这些总结可能有助于更好地了解采后果实表皮蜡质变化及其在果实品质保持中的作用。

Emerging low-density polyethylene/paraffin wax/aluminum composite as a form-stable phase change thermal interface material

Thermal interface materials(TIMs) play a vital role in the thermal management of electronic devices and can significantly reduce thermal contact resistance(TCR). The TCR between the solid–liquid contact surface is much smaller than that of the solid–solid contact surface, but conventional solid–liquid phase change materials are likely to cause serious leakage. Therefore, this work has prepared a new formstable phase change thermal interface material. Through the melt blending of paraffin wax(PW) and low-density polyethylene(LDPE), the stability is improved and it has an excellent coating effect on PW. The addition of aluminum(Al) powder improves the low thermal conductivity of PW/LDPE, and the addition of 15wt% Al powder improves the thermal conductivity of the internal structure of the matrix by 67%. In addition, the influence of the addition of Al powder on the internal structure, thermal properties, and phase change behavior of the PW/LDPE matrix was systematically studied. The results confirmed that the addition of Al powder improved the thermal conductivity of the material without a significant impact on other properties, and the thermal conductivity increased with the increase of Al addition. Therefore, morphologically stable PW/LDPE/Al is an important development direction for TIMs.

Fischer-Tropsch wax catalytic cracking for the production of low olefin and high octane number gasoline: Process optimization and heat effect calculation

To produce low olefin gasoline with high octane number by Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) wax fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process, operating conditions optimization were carried out in the pilot-scale riser and turbulent fluidized bed (TFB) FCC unit. The experimental results in the riser indicated that under the condition of low reaction temperature and regenerated catalyst temperature, large catalyst-to-oil weight ratio (C/O) and long reaction time, the gasoline olefin content could be reduced to 20.28 wt%, but there is large octane number loss owing to a great loss in high octane number olefin. Therefore, a novel FCC process using the TFB reactor was proposed to strengthen the aromatization reaction. The reaction performance of TFB reactor were investigated. The result demonstrated that the TFB reactor has more significant effect in reducing olefins and improving aromatics. At the expense of certain gasoline yield, the gasoline olefin content reduced to 23.70 wt%, aromatics content could increase to 26.79 wt% and the RON was up to 91.0. The comparison of reactor structure and fluidization demonstrated that the TFB reactor has higher catalyst bed density. The reaction heat and coke combustion heat was calculated indicating the feasibility of its industrial application of the TFB process.

An optimized protocol using Steedman’s wax for high-sensitivity RNA in situ hybridization in shoot apical meristems and flower buds of cucumber

In situ mRNA hybridization(ISH)is a powerful tool for examining the spatiotemporal expression of genes in shoot apical meristems and flower buds of cucumber.The most common ISH protocol uses paraffin wax;however,embedding tissue in paraffin wax can take a long time and might result in RNA degradation and decreased signals.Here,we developed an optimized protocol to simplify the process and improve RNA sensitivity.We combined embedding tissue in low melting-point Steedman’s wax with processing tissue sections in solution,as in the whole-mount ISH method in the optimized protocol.Using the optimized protocol,we examined the expression patterns of the CLAVATA3(CLV3)and WUSCHEL(WUS)genes in shoot apical meristems and floral meristems of Cucumis sativus(cucumber)and Arabidopsis thaliana(Arabidopsis).The optimized protocol saved 4–5 days of experimental period compared with the standard ISH protocol using paraffin wax.Moreover,the optimized protocol achieved high signal sensitivity.The optimized protocol was successful for both cucumber and Arabidopsis,which indicates it might have general applicability to most plants.

Overexpression of ZxABCG11 from Zygophyllum xanthoxylum enhances tolerance to drought and heat in alfalfa by increasing cuticular wax deposition

Drought and heat stresses cause yield losses in alfalfa,a forage crop cultivated worldwide.Improving its drought and heat tolerance is desirable for maintaining alfalfa productivity in hot,arid regions.Cuticular wax forms a protective barrier on aerial surfaces of land plants against environmental stresses.ABCG11encodes an ATP binding cassette(ABC) transporter that functions in the cuticular wax transport pathway.In this study,Zx ABCG11 from the xerophyte Zygophyllum xanthoxylum was introduced into alfalfa by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation.Compared to the wild type(WT),transgenic alfalfa displayed faster growth,higher wax crystal density,and thicker cuticle on leaves under normal condition.Under either drought or heat treatment in greenhouse conditions,the plant height and shoot biomass of transgenic lines were significantly higher than those of the WT.Transgenic alfalfa showed excellent growth and 50% greater hay yield than WT under field conditions in a hot,arid region.Overexpression of Zx ABCG11 up-regulated wax-related genes and resulted in more cuticular wax deposition,which contributed to reduction of cuticle permeability and thus increased water retention and photosynthesis capacity of transgenic alfalfa.Thus,overexpression of Zx ABCG11 can simultaneously improve biomass yield,drought and heat tolerance in alfalfa by increasing cuticular wax deposition.Our study provides a promising avenue for developing novel forage cultivars suitable for planting in hot,arid,marginal lands.

Wax from Pyrolysis of Waste Plastics as a Potential Source of Phase Change Material for Thermal Energy Storage

Over the past half-century, plastic consumption has grown rapidly due to its versatility, low cost, and unrivaled functional properties. Among the diff erent implemented strategies for recycling waste plastics, pyrolysis is deemed the most economical option. Currently, the wax obtained from the pyrolysis of waste plastics is mainly used as a feedstock to manufacture chemicals and fuels or added to asphalt for pavement construction, with no other applications of wax being reported. Herein, the thermal pyrolysis of three common waste polyolefin plastics: high-density polyethylene(HDPE), low-density polyethylene(LDPE), and polypropylene(PP), was conducted at 450 ℃. The waste plastics-derived waxes were characterized and studied for a potential new application: phase change materials(PCMs) for thermal energy storage(TES). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis showed that paraffin makes up most of the composition of HDPE and LDPE waxes, whereas PP wax contains a mixture of naphthene, isoparaffin, olefin, and paraffin. Diff erential scanning calorimetry(DSC) analysis indicated that HDPE and LDPE waxes have a peak melting temperature of 33.8 ℃ and 40.3 ℃, with a relatively high latent heat of 103.2 J/g and 88.3 J/g, respectively, whereas the PP wax was found to have almost negligible latent heat. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and DSC results revealed good chemical and thermal stability of HDPE and LDPE waxes after 100 cycles of thermal cycling. Performance evaluation of the waxes was also conducted using a thermal storage pad to understand their thermoregulation characteristics for TES applications.

Wax deposition modeling in oil-water stratified pipe flow

Wax deposition in oil-water stratified flow is commonly encountered onshore and offshore oil production pipe systems,and typically reduces transportation capacity of oil.The accurate predicted model of wax deposition has becomes an indispensable approach to design effective remediation strategies.However,a reliable mechanistic model for wax deposition prediction in oil-water two-phase stratified pipe flow is lacking to validate the deposition process.In this work,a three-dimensional(axial,radial,and angular)robust wax deposit model for oil-water stratified circular pipe flow was developed.The model of formation of a gel deposit based on the first principles of rheology was developed,associated with the results obtained from hydrodynamics and heat/mass transfer simulations.The predictions for wax deposition are found to compare satisfactorily with experimental data with two different oils for single phase and four different water cuts for oil-water stratified pipe flow.It can be seen from the wax gelation mechanism that an increase in water cut can help to reduce the wall/oil-deposit interface shear stress,thereby leading to an increase in the degree of gelation as well as the deposit rate.Furthermore,a local deposit analysis in the circumferential direction was conducted,for water cut 75%and total flow rate 5 m3/h,which provided insights to understand that the thickness on pipe wall was roughly uniformly distributed locates near the top of the pipe and the nearer the position gets close to two points,where the oil-water interface contacts the inner wall,the deposition thickness quickly dropped to 0.It was attributed to the fact that a roughly uniformly thickness far away from the oil-water interface contact the inner wall resulted in the slowly changes temperature along the circumferential pipe wall wetted by oil.

Melting and floating processes of inorganic materials in molten steel:Visualization physical simulation and mathematical modelling

It has been demonstrated that heat absorption method by using the inorganic material rod to cool the molten steel can significantly reduce the macrosegregation level of the large steel ingot.However,owing to the opacity of the molten steel,the physical mechanism of the heat absorption method is not clear.In this work,a transparent hydraulic physical model with water and paraffin wax was built to simulate the melting and floating processes of inorganic materials in the molten steel.A mathematical simulation was also carried out to analyze the connection between the actual ingot and the physical model.Results show that it is feasible to simulate the molten steel and inorganic materials with water and paraffin wax.With the help of the physical model,the process of the melting of paraffin wax and its floating to the surface of water were clearly observed,during which the temperature of water at some characteristic positions in the mold was recorded.The visualization findings demonstrate that the melting and floating processes of paraffin wax can help to bring the heat from the center of the mold to the top surface more quickly,which reduces the superheat and significantly accelerates the cooling rate of water.The experimental results show that for the water with a certain superheat,the use of a larger mass of paraffin wax can accelerate the cooling of the water,but there is a risk of incomplete melting of the paraffin wax.A higher superheat of water will lead to a quicker melting rate for a given mass of paraffin wax,while a lower superheat leads to the incomplete melting of paraffin wax as well.

An Experimental Study on the Interaction between Hydrate Formation and Wax Precipitation in Waxy Oil-in-Water Emulsions

The coupled formation of wax crystals and hydrates is a critical issue for the safety of deep-sea oil and gas exploration and subsea transport pipeline flow.Therefore,this paper conducts an experimental study on the characteristics of methane hydrate formation in a water-in-oil(W/O)system with different wax crystal contents and explores the influence of different initial experimental pressures on the induction period and maximum rate of hydrate formation.The wavelet function was introduced to process the reaction rate and calculate the maximum speed of hydrate formation.Notably,the higher the pressure,the smaller the maximum rate of hydrate formation.We observed that wax crystal precipitation increases the viscosity of the emulsion,which limits the diffusion of gas in the liquid phase during hydrate nucleation and thus delays the hydrate nucleation.The methane gas precipitation also affects the remaining fraction’s wax content and therefore affects the wax precipitation.Secondary hydrate formation was observed several times during the experiment,increasing the risk of pipeline blockage.Overall,this work provides insights into the effect of wax crystal precipitation on hydrate behaviour that could facilitate flow assurance applications in subsea multiphase pipelines and inform the safe transportation of oil and gas pipelines.

Application of Wax Therapy in Pain Care of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective: To investigate the effect of wax therapy in pain care of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: Convenience sampling method was used to select inpatients with rheumatoid arthritis admitted to the rheumatology and immunology department of a 3A hospital in Jingzhou City. 75 patients from January 2021 to June 2021 were selected as the control group, and 75 patients from January 2022 to June 2022 were selected as the observation group. The control group was given routine nursing, and the observation group was implemented wax therapy nursing on the basis of the control group. The relief of clinical symptoms (morning stiffness time, pain score) and quality of life score of the two groups were observed. Results: After intervention, there was statistical significance between the two groups (P Conclusion: Wax therapy can improve the time of morning stiffness, the degree of pain and the quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

偏岭石与变高岭石微结构的区别

采用广角度 X射线衍射 -散射 ( WAXS)测试技术和由此得到的径向分布函数 ( RDF) ,研究了偏岭石与变高岭石的结构差异 .结果表明 ,变高岭石是由非晶相和少量结晶相物质组成的半晶物质 ,而偏岭石是由非晶相和中间序态组成的准晶物质 .虽然两者均以非晶质相为主 ,并具有相似的近程结构模型 ,但在非晶质相中近邻八面体的连结方式和近邻四面体的连结有序性方面仍存在较大差异 .此外 。