Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) comprises the majority of submicron particles and is important for air pollution, health, and climate. When SOA mixes with inorganic particles containing transition metals (e.g., Fe), chemical reactions altering physicochemical properties can occur. Here, we study Fe\'s impact on the formation and chemical composition of SOA formed via dark α-pinene ozonolysis on either (NH4)2SO4 or Fe-containing (NH4)2SO4 seed particles and aged at varying relative humidities (RHs). Aerosol composition was determined using online extractive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, providing high-resolution chemical and temporal identification of monomers and dimers in the SOA. At high RH, Fe\'s presence resulted in higher particulate SOA mass concentrations (117 ± 14 μg m-3) than those formed in its absence (70 ± 1 μg m-3). Enhanced mass is coupled with more dimers (C15-20\'s), attributed to Fenton-driven oligomerization reactions. Experiments with Fe3+-containing seeds showed similar chemical composition and enhanced SOA mass, suggesting a dark reduction pathway to form Fe2+ in the presence of SOA. Overall, Fe\'s presence at high RH lowers SOA volatility and enhances particulate organic mass and condensed phased reactions of higher volatility species that would normally not participate in SOA formation, which may be important when considering its formation in air quality and climate models.

Oral conditions, such as recurrent aphthous stomatitis, are chronic inflammatory disorders that significantly affect the life quality. This study aims to develop a novel buccal mucoadhesive based on methacrylate hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (M-HPMC) and methacrylate lignin (M-SLS) encapsulated with nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) for controlled release of alpha-pinene (α-pinene). NLCs with particle sizes of 152 ± 3 nm were prepared by using stearic acid and oleic acid as solid and liquid lipids, respectively. Following the successful synthesis of M-HPMC and M-SLS, various concentrations of α-pinene loaded NLCs (0, 18, 38, and 50 wt%) were encapsulated in M-HPMC/M-SLS hydrogel. It was demonstrated that the physiological and mechanical performances of hydrogels were changed, depending on the NLC content. Remarkably, the incorporation of 18 wt% NLC improved the compressive strength (143 ± 14 kPa) and toughness (17 ± 1 kJ/m3) of M-HPMC/M-SLS hydrogel. This nanocomposite hydrogel considerably decreased dissipated energy from 1.64 kJ/m3 to 0.99 kJ/m3, after a five-cycle compression test. The nanocomposite hydrogel exhibited controlled α-pinene release for up to 96 h which could significantly improve the antioxidant activity of M-HPMC/M-SLS matrix. Moreover, the reinforcing M-HPMC/M-SLS hydrogel with α-pinene-loaded NLCs resulted in increased adhesive strength (113.5 ± 7.5 kPa) to bovine buccal mucosa and cytocompatibility in contact with fibroblasts.

UNASSIGNED: Monoterpenes, a subset of the terpene family composed of two isoprene units, have garnered significant attention in research circles owing to their potential medicinal benefits. Recent experimental studies indicate that they might exert positive effects on bone health. Nevertheless, the impact of monoterpenes exposure on bone health remains unexplored in humans.
UNASSIGNED: We examined 748 adults (age ≥ 40 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014 to explore the correlation between three monoterpenes (α-pinene, β-pinene, and limonene), bone mineral density (BMD) in the total lumbar spine and proximal femur, FRAX® scores, and prior bone fracture history.
UNASSIGNED: Our analysis unveiled a significant inverse association between a one-unit increase in the natural logarithm (ln) of α-pinene and limonene and total proximal femur BMD (ß = -0.027, S.E. = 0.008, P = 0.004 and ß = -0.019, S.E. = 0.007, P = 0.016, respectively). As serum α-pinene levels ascended across quintiles, there was a notable decrease in total proximal femur BMD (P for trend = 0.025). The inverse relationship between ln α-pinene levels and total proximal femur BMD was more pronounced in women, especially pre-menopausal women. Compared to subjects with α-pinene and limonene levels at or below the 50th percentiles, those exceeding this threshold exhibited the lowest mean value of total proximal femur BMD (0.8628 g/cm2, S.E. = 0.026, P = 0.009). However, the trend was not statistically significant (P = 0.070). Additionally, all three monoterpenes were linked to a higher prevalence of previous spine fractures, whereas β-pinene showed a reduced incidence of other types of fractures. In this comprehensive survey of American adults aged 40 and above, higher serum levels of α-pinene and limonene correlated with decreased total proximal femur BMD. Furthermore, our findings suggest a potential combined effect of α-pinene and limonene on total proximal femur BMD. Further investigation is essential to elucidate the clinical relevance and causative nature of our findings.

α-Pinene is the bicyclic, unsaturated terpene hydrocarbon present in many plants. Due to its beneficial chemical properties, this compound is of great interest and has found numerous applications as a raw material in many chemical industries as well as in medicine and cosmetics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activities of ethanolic extracts obtained from plants containing α-pinene and to test the properties of cosmetic emulsions prepared with these extracts. The raw plant materials consisted of fresh parts of Pinus sylvestris L., such as cones, needles, and branches, as well as dried unground and ground pinecones; dried and fresh Rosmarinus officinalis leaves; dried Levisticum officinale leaves; and dried Salvia officinalis L. leaves. The plant materials were individually extracted with 40% (v/v), 70% (v/v), and 96% (v/v) ethanol using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) for 15, 30, or 60 min. This method is a green extraction technique, frequently applied to isolate active substances from plants. For the selected plant materials, Soxhlet extraction with 96% (v/v) ethanol was also performed. The qualitative and quantitative analyses of the components in the selected extracts were performed with gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated with the DPPH and ABTS methods. The extracts of three plant materials with the highest antioxidant activities-dried Rosmarinus officinalis leaves, dried Salvia officinalis L. leaves, and dried and ground Pinus sylvestris L. cones-were selected to be incorporated in cosmetic emulsions containing glyceryl monostearate and Olivem 1000 as emulsifiers. The stabilities and antioxidant activities of the emulsions were evaluated. Moreover, the antimicrobial properties of the emulsions using microbiological tests were also determined. The findings suggest that the prepared emulsions are stable cosmetic products with a high antioxidant potential.

Helichrysum italicum (immortelle) essential oil is one of the most popular essential oils worldwide and it has many beneficial properties, including antimicrobial. However, in this plant, the chemical diversity of the essential oil is very pronounced. The aim of this work was to process the GC-MS results of four samples of H. italicum essential oil of Serbian origin by chemometric tools, and evaluate the antimicrobial activity in vitro and in silico. Overall, 47 compounds were identified, the most abundant were γ-curcumene, α-pinene, and ar-curcumene, followed by α-ylangene, neryl acetate, trans-caryophyllene, italicene, α-selinene, limonene, and italidiones. Although the four samples of H. italicum essential oil used in this study were obtained from different producers in Serbia, they belong to the type of essential oil rich in sesquiterpenes (γ-curcumene and ar-curcumene chemotype). In vitro antimicrobial potential showed that five were sensitive among ten strains of tested microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Candida albicans. Therefore, these microorganism models were used further for in silico molecular docking through the mechanism of ATP-ase inhibitory activity. Results showed that among all compounds from H. italicum essential oil, neryl acetate has the highest predicted binding energy. Artificial neural network modeling (ANN) showed that two major compounds γ-curcumene and α-pinene, as well as minor compounds such as trans-β-ocimene, terpinolene, terpinene-4-ol, isoitalicene, italicene, cis-α-bergamotene, trans-α-bergamotene, italidiones, trans-β-farnesene, γ-selinene, β-selinene, α-selinene, and guaiol are responsible for the antimicrobial activity of H. italicum essential oil. The results of this study indicate that H. italicum essential oil samples rich in γ-curcumene, α-pinene, and ar-curcumene cultivated in Serbia (Balkan) have antimicrobial potential both in vitro and in silico. In addition, according to ANN modeling, the proportion of neryl acetate and other compounds detected in these samples has the potential to exhibit antimicrobial activity.

The genus Stachys L. (Lamiaceae) comprises more than 300 species as annual or perennial herbs or small shrubs, spread in temperate regions of Mediterranean, Asia, America, and Southern Africa and several species have been used in the traditional medicine of many countries. Section Stachys, one of nineteen sections of genus Stachys, is divided in two subsections: Sylvaticae and Circinatae. In the present study the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Stachys durandiana Coss., endemic of Morocco, and belonging to subsection Circinatae, was analysed by GC-MS. No report has been previously published on this species. The result showed the presence of large quantity of monoterpene hydrocarbons (73.3%), being α-pinene (38.0%) β-pinene (14.8%), and limonene (11.1%) the principal constituents. Furthermore, a complete review on the chemical composition and biological properties of all the other Stachys taxa, belonging to section Stachys, studied so far, was carried out.

In 2009, we determined the effects of the enantiomeric composition of the kairomone, α-pinene, on trap catches of arboreal beetles (Coleoptera) in stands of eastern pine trees with resin dominated by (+)-α-pinene. We hypothesized that the responses of beetles would correlate with the predominant enantiomer of α-pinene found in host pines. Lures of (+)-, racemic (±), and (-)-α-pinene were added separately to ethanol-baited multiple-funnel traps. Species such as Monarthrum mali (Fitch), Dendroctonus terebrans (Olivier), Ips grandicollis (Eichhoff), and Pachylobius picivorus (Germar) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) showed a preference for traps co-baited with (-)-α-pinene. α-Pinene enhanced attraction of Hylastes salebrosus Eichhoff, Hylastes porculus Erickson and Hylastes tenuis Eichhoff (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to ethanol-baited traps with no effects from enantiomeric composition of α-pinene. The attraction of the ambrosia beetles, Xyleborinus saxesenii (Ratzeburg) and Dryoxylon onoharaense (Murayama) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to ethanol-baited traps was interrupted by the addition of α-pinene, regardless of enantiomeric composition. Species such as Xylosandrus germanus (Blandford), Cnestus mutilatus (Blandford) and Stenoscelis brevis (Boheman) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) were unaffected by the presence of α-pinene. Trap catches of some species of longhorn beetles and bark beetle predators (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae, Cleridae, Elateridae, Histeridae, and Trogossitidae) were increased by the addition of α-pinene, although results varied by location. Platysoma spp. (Coleoptera: Histeridae) showed a marked preference for traps co-baited with (+)-α-pinene in Florida and Georgia. In summary, we found that the enantiomeric composition of α-pinene in hosts was not a good predictor of enantiomeric preferences by beetles.

Numerous herbal products have been the subject of research regarding their potential role in cancer prevention or adjuvant therapy. Pistacia atlantica and its main phytochemicals have garnered significant attention for their potential anti-cancer effects. The study aimed to assess the growth inhibitory effects of P. atlantica essential oil (PAEO) on MKN-45 and AGS cells. This study quantified the volatile compounds in PAEO using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Subsequently, MKN-45 and AGS cells were treated with varying concentrations of PAEO (5%, 2.5%, 1.25%, 0.625%, 0.3125%, 0.156%, 0.0781%, 0.0391%, 0.0195%) for 24 h. Cell viability was evaluated through the MTT assay. The impact of PAEO on gene expression was investigated by quantifying the mRNA levels of Bax and Bcl2 in the various experimental groups using quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis. Additionally, flow cytometry was utilized to evaluate apoptosis in the treated cells. The analysis of PAEO revealed that α-pinene was the predominant monoterpene, constituting 87.9% of the oil composition. The cytotoxic effects of PAEO were evaluated, and it was found that the oil significantly reduced the viability of MKN-45 and AGS cells. The IC50 for MKN-45 cells was determined to be 1.94 × 10-3% after 24 h of treatment, while for AGS cells the IC50 was 2.8 × 10-3% after 24 h. Additionally, the research revealed that PAEO triggered a notable rise in apoptotic cells in both AGS and MKN-45 cell lines. Moreover, at the molecular level, the findings indicated an increase in Bax expression and a decrease in Bcl2 mRNA expression, providing further evidence of the induction of apoptosis in both MKN-45 and AGS cell lines following PAEO treatment. The findings of this study offer evidence supporting the cytotoxic effects of PAEO on gastric cancer cell lines by promoting apoptosis. The findings suggest that PAEO may offer potential as a therapeutic candidate in managing and treating gastric cancer.

Butterflies have the ability to learn to associate olfactory information with abundant food sources during foraging. How the co-occurrence of both food and food odours affects the learning behaviour of adults and whether butterflies perceive the odour of their surroundings and develop a preference for that odour during the pupal stage have rarely been tested. We examined the effect of experience with food odour components (α-pinene and ethyl acetate) during the pupal and adult stages on the foraging behaviour of the flower-visiting butterfly Tirumala limniace. We found that α-pinene exposure during the pupal stage changed the foraging preference of newly emerged adults. T. limniace exhibits olfactory learning in the adult stage, and adult learning may influence their previous pupal memory. Moreover, adults\' odour preference did not continue to increase over multiple training times. The learning ability of adults for floral odours (α-pinene) was greater than that for non-floral odours (ethyl acetate). In contrast to previous studies, we found that males learned odours more efficiently than females did. This could be attributed to differences in antennal sensilla, affecting sensitivity to compounds and nectar demand between males and females. Our study provides further insight into how olfactory learning helps flower-visiting butterflies use food odours to forage better.

Oxidation products of monoterpenes (C10H16) play a significant role as precursors for secondary organic aerosol formation. They contain several structural isomers with multifunctional groups. However, only a few of these isomers have been identified experimentally. We describe a measurement technique for identifying oxygen-containing functional groups (carbonyl, carboxyl, and hydroxyl groups) included in monoterpene oxidation products. This technique involves (i) three derivatization reactions (oximation of carbonyls by O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl) hydroxylamine, methyl esterification of carboxylic acids by trimethylsilyl diazomethane, and acylation of alcohols by acetic anhydride), (ii) no preseparation high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and (iii) collision-induced dissociation. This technique was applied to functional group analysis of ozonolysis products for α-pinene. Multifunctional groups of known ozonolysis products were accurately identified. Furthermore, we successfully estimated the multifunctional groups of products that have not been previously reported.