Sutasinee Kityakarn

Carnosine and anserine are bioactive, histidine-containing dipeptides recognized for their antioxidant, pH-buffering, and neuroprotective functions. However, their precise quantification is frequently compromised by their high structural similarity and complex matrix-induced analytical interferences. This study developed and validated an optimized, simplified extraction protocol coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) for the simultaneous determination of both dipeptides across diverse meat matrices, including Thai native black-bone chicken (Nin-Kaset), commercial broiler, pork, beef, and buffalo meat. Extraction efficiency was systematically optimized by modulating the solution pH. Under optimized conditions, the validated method demonstrated excellent linearity (1–200 µg mL⁻¹, r² ≥ 0.9990) with limits of detection and quantification (LOD/LOQ) values at 0.0093/0.0283 mg g⁻¹ for carnosine and 0.0139/0.0420 mg g⁻¹ for anserine. Method accuracy was confirmed by satisfactory recoveries ranging from 96.64% to 102.68%, with repeatability values (RSDs) of 0.70–14.18%. Application to real matrices revealed distinct dipeptide profiles. Pork contained the highest carnosine level (3.59 ± 0.19 mg g⁻¹), whereas white-feather Nin-Kaset exhibited the highest anserine level (6.77 ± 0.40 mg g⁻¹). Overall, the validated framework offers a rapid, cost-effective, and robust approach for routine dipeptide profiling, supporting future applications in food authentication, nutritional evaluation and functional food development.

Indigenous chickens represent a culturally significant and resilient resource in sustainable poultry production systems. Cricket powder (Acheta domesticus), recognized for its high-quality protein and environmentally friendly attributes, has emerged as a promising alternative protein source to enhance sustainability in poultry nutrition. This study investigated the biochemical and molecular responses to dietary cricket powder supplementation in three Thai indigenous chicken breeds: Betong KU line (BT), Nin Kaset black-meat with black feathers (NB), and Nin Kaset with white feathers (NW). A 15% inclusion of cricket powder in the diet was used to replace palm oil and partially substitute soybean meal, maintaining equivalent levels of crude protein and essential amino acids across diets. Cricket powder supplementation did not significantly affect physical meat quality traits such as pH, cooking loss, or Warner-Bratzler shear force. However, it notably enhanced soluble protein and collagen content, particularly in BT chickens. Moreover, significant increases in bioactive dipeptides—anserine and carnosine—were observed in NB chickens, indicating a breed-specific molecular response. These findings suggest that cricket powder supplementation can positively modulate muscle biochemistry and enhance bioactive compound profiles in Thai indigenous chickens, offering a sustainable strategy to improve meat functionality without compromising quality.

Electrocatalytic oxidation of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) offers a sustainable route to bio‐based plastics that can replace petroleum‐derived PET. Here, we systematically compare NiOOH and Fe−, Co−, and Cu‐doped NiOOH electrocatalysts synthesized by pulsed electrodeposition with matched loadings and dopant distributions, enabling a direct one‐to‐one assessment of dopant effects on HMFOR in alkaline media. Among all catalysts, NiFeOOH delivers the highest activity and selectivity across the full potential range, reaching an FE _FDCA of 87.42% and an FE _HMFOR of 98.85% at 1.53 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode. Scaling the electrode area fivefold achieves near‐quantitative HMF conversion (99.98%) with a 95.45% FDCA yield over 6 h while maintaining excellent durability. Mechanistic investigation via potential‐dependent product analysis, in situ Raman spectroscopy, spontaneous kinetics, and density functional theory reveals dopant‐specific functions: Fe strongly tunes the Ni ³⁺ electronic structure to weaken Ni ³⁺ –O bonding, enhance substrate adsorption, and accelerate charge transfer; Co primarily increases electrochemical surface area, boosting site density but not intrinsic site reactivity; and Cu alters the rate‐determining step, redirecting the reaction pathway. These insights show that different dopants offer distinct design levers in Ni‐based HMF oxidation reaction (HMFOR) catalysts and motivate multidopant strategies to jointly tune electronic structure, morphology, and reaction pathways for improved performance.

Recently, hydrogen has garnered significant attention as a renewable and environmentally friendly energy source. The majority of industrial hydrogen is produced by turning natural gas into hydrogen. In this case, the development of reliable, economical, and effective catalysts that can produce hydrogen from water with minimum electrical bias is one of the main objectives of large-scale electrolysis. One approach to achieving the practical application of electrocatalysts in the production of hydrogen is to use easily accessible electrocatalyst materials that can facilitate the oxidation of water. In this work, we report the synthesis of an electrocatalyst for the electrochemical detection of the hydroquinone (HQ) analyte molecule in water samples and H₂ production. A polypyrrole nanotube/copper oxide (PNT/CuO) nanocomposite was synthesized via the self-assembly of a soft template obtained through chemical polymerization and a one-pot hydrothermal method. The prepared material was characterized using various techniques to examine its crystal phase, functional groups, and surface morphology. An electrochemical study was conducted using a PNT glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and PNT/CuO GCE, and CV curves showed a large surface area with good oxidation behaviour towards the HQ analyte. The DPV analysis of the HQ analyte exhibited an LOD of 0.36 μM and a high sensitivity of 9.33 μA μM⁻¹ cm⁻², with a linear range of 5–60 μM. The real sample analysis of the HQ analyte in a water sample showed recovery in the range of 97.45–102.61% with an RSD of 1%. These findings suggest that the PNT/CuO GCE sensor is a strong option for detecting the HQ analyte in real samples. Furthermore, the PNT/CuO GCE exhibited exceptional electrocatalytic activity for the HER (η = 330 mV and Tafel slope = 139 mV dec⁻¹), showing that the PNT/CuO GCE exhibits high activity as an electrocatalyst for H₂ generation.

The gut microbiota is pivotal to chickens’ overall health, influencing digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune function. Dietary compounds significantly impact gut microbiota composition. House crickets (Acheta domesticus) have emerged as an alternative protein source for animal feed, rich in proteins and beneficial fatty acids. This study compared the gut microbiota in the cecum and ileum of Thai indigenous chicken breeds (Betong Chicken, white feather with black bone chicken, and black feather with black bone chicken) fed with or without house crickets. Using Oxford Nanopore Technology of 16S rDNA, this study found a similar relative abundance of gut bacteria across groups, with dominant bacteria including Firmicute, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. LEfSe analysis identified differential abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Ruminococcaceae, Rikenella, and Deferribacteres, in the cecum of the black feather with black bone chicken after cricket feeding. Additionally, Lactobacillaceae exhibited differential abundance in the ileum of this breed post-cricket diet. Consequently, this study provides new data into the gut microbiota of Thai indigenous chickens. It suggests that house cricket diets did not significantly alter microbiota diversity but may enhance beneficial bacteria in certain breeds.

The present investigation examined how substituting some Cu²⁺ ions for Zn²⁺ ions could increase zinc oxide (ZnO) photocatalytic activity toward the reduction of Rhodamine B. Phase composition, the presence of functional groups, optical properties, emission spectra, and surface morphology of ZnO nanoflakes (NFs) were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), photoluminescence (PL) spectrophotometer, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). To investigate the photocatalytic capabilities of Cu-doped ZnO NFs driven by visible light/sunlight, Rhodamine B dyes were photocatalytically degraded in water using UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. Using Williamson-Hall analysis of the XRD data, it was discovered that the internal strain of the Cu-doped ZnO NFs was altered. UV-vis absorption showed that the energy gap of the semiconducting ZnO NFs shrank when Cu was substituted. FT-IR studies revealed that the surface of the Cu-doped ZnO NFs contained greater amounts of reactive oxidizing species. PL studies revealed that the ZnO NFs' surface defects were being caused by the Cu substitution. According to SEM research, more surface fault NFs formed when the concentration of Cu increased. The photocatalytic activity was enhanced by the production of these NFs. The UV-vis absorption spectra showed that Cu-doped ZnO NFs were more effective than pure ZnO at degrading the rhodamine B dye (RhB). Finally, it was shown that replacing Zn²⁺ ions with Cu²⁺ ions improved the photodegradation of the rhodamine B dye. According to this study, Cu-doped ZnO NFs are an excellent choice for wastewater treatment.

A bifunctional oxygen evolution reaction and oxygen reduction reaction (OER/ORR) electrocatalyst, macroporous cerium‐doped LaCoO₃, was designed based on a dual strategy that included (1) constructing a three‐dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) structure to increase the electrochemical surface area and (2) varying amount of cerium substitution from 0.02 to 0.15 mole fraction of the A site to alter the intrinsic activity of LaCoO₃. The catalytic activity of 3DOM La_0.95Ce_0.05CoO₃ (3DOM LCCO‐0.05) is significantly improved over that of the unmodified LaCoO₃, with the OER overpotential to reach 10 mA cm⁻² lowered by 190 mV, the ORR limiting current density doubled, and the OER‐ORR potential gap reduced by 220 mV to 1.07 V. This enhanced activity is attributed to the increased electrochemical surface area and specific activity, as evidenced by the greater double‐layer capacitances and the lower charge transfer resistances determined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Furthermore, X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and X‐ray photospectroscopy (XPS) results reveal that these enhanced OER/ORR activities are possibly related to the transformation of the cobalt(III) spin state from low to intermediate or high‐spin, and the increasing amount of surface oxygen species and oxygen vacancies.