Science Essence Journal

SCOBY-Fermented Citrus x aurantium L. Peel with Enhanced Antioxidant and Cholesterol-Lowering Effects

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Citrus peels are rich sources of phenolic and flavonoid compounds with antioxidant and lipid-lowering effects, yet the bioactive profile of Citrus x aurantium L. (Gerga), a local Indonesian cultivar, has not been thoroughly investigated. Fermentation with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) offers a promising strategy to biotransform phytochemicals and enhance their functional potential. This study compared the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activity, and antihypercholesterolemic effect of C. x aurantium peel infusion and its SCOBY-fermented product. TPC and TFC were quantified spectrophotometrically. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using the DPPH radical scavenging assay, and cholesterol-lowering efficacy was assessed in hypercholesterolemic mice. Data were analyzed using an independent t-test for total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC), while lipid-lowering efficacy was evaluated using one-way ANOVA. Fermentation significantly increased TPC (26.5±0.01 to 42.9±0.03 mg GAE/g) and TFC (20.9±0.05 to 32.7±0.03 mg QE/g) (p < 0.05). The SCOBY-fermented product also exhibited stronger antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 11.98 vs. 14.64 mg/mL) and a greater reduction in serum total cholesterol compared with C. x aurantium peel infusion (29.84±1.03% vs. 27.71±0.25%). These findings indicate that SCOBY fermentation enhances the phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant potential, and antihypercholesterolemic activity of C. x aurantium peel infusion. This bioprocessing approach may provide a sustainable strategy for developing functional beverages from citrus by-products.

MES-Driven Digitalization in Automotive Stamping Industry: A Case Study of Tandem Press Line

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The rapid evolution of smart manufacturing technologies has made Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) central to improving efficiency, traceability, and quality in discrete manufacturing. This work investigates the end-to-end implementation of an MES solution in a newly established automotive stamping facility featuring a Tandem Press line. The objective is to explore how MES can be embedded from the initial design phase to achieve operational excellence in a green field manufacturing environment. A structured case study methodology was adopted, encompassing tandem press line layout design, MES system selection, infrastructure planning, digital workflow mapping, operator training, and real-time data integration with press automation systems. Performance metrics such as Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), traceability, changeover time, and quality rate were defined during commissioning and monitored for seven months post-deployment. The MES implementation led to early stabilization of production parameters, with an OEE ramp-up from 47.17% in Month 1 (Sep. 2024) to 72.36% by Month 7 (Mar. 2025). Real-time visibility enabled a 37.50% reduction in changeover time and defect rate reduced from by 8.22% to 1.93%. Full digital traceability was achieved across material, machine, and operator layers from the first batch onward. The findings offer a replicable digital blueprint for MES integration in green field projects across the automotive stamping sector and other high-volume manufacturing domains. MES, when integrated from inception, transforms plant commissioning from a sequential execution into a data-driven optimization loop, accelerating productivity, standardization, and digital maturity from Day One.

Computational Analysis of FDA-Approved Drugs for Potential Repurposing in Alzheimer's Disease: Targeting mTOR and NGFR Pathways

Shisanupong Anukanon, Narudol Teerapatarakan, Phateep Hankitichai — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a significant unmet medical challenge. This study investigates the repurposing of FDA-approved drugs for AD using computational methods. From 4,046 screened drugs, 341 candidates were retained based on pharmacokinetic criteria, including blood–brain barrier permeability and gastrointestinal absorption. Molecular docking identified nandrolone phenylpropionate, atovaquone, and cholecalciferol as top candidates for mTOR, and nandrolone phenylpropionate, ethynodiol diacetate, and drospirenone for p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR). Molecular dynamics simulations assessed the stability of these protein-ligand complexes, revealing that atovaquone and ethynodiol diacetate exhibited the highest stability with mTOR and p75NTR, respectively. Despite the promising binding properties of steroid-based drugs, their systemic side effects necessitate further structural modifications. This study demonstrates the feasibility of drug repurposing for AD and underscores the importance of computational approaches in accelerating the discovery of new therapeutic options.