Determination of impregnation parameters and volatile components in vacuum impregnated apricots.

An investigation was conducted to analyse the impact of vacuum impregnation (VI) on aroma profile of intermediate-moisture apricots. cv. Hacihaliloglu and cv. Kabaasi apricots were immersed in a variety of solutions, including citric acid and sucrose, as well as plant extracts like rosehip, roselle, and rhubarb. According to the results, solid loss and water gain were observed in all infused samples by VI, while osmotic dehydration occurred in the apricots after immersing in sucrose solution. After all process, a total of 71 volatile compounds were detected in the Hacihaliloglu variety and 66 in the Kabaasi variety. These components are aldehydes, ketones, esters, furan compounds, alcohols, terpenes, isoprenoids, and acids, collected in eight groups. Vacuum impregnation had positive effects on terpenes in both cultivars.

Upgrading pectin methylation for consistently enhanced biomass enzymatic saccharification and cadmium phytoremediation in rice Ospmes site-mutants.

Crop straws provide enormous biomass residues applicable for biofuel production and trace metal phytoremediation. However, as lignocellulose recalcitrance determines a costly process with potential secondary waste liberation, genetic modification of plant cell walls is deemed as a promising solution. Although pectin methylation plays an important role for plant cell wall construction and integrity, little is known about its regulation roles on lignocellulose hydrolysis and trace metal elimination. In this study, we initially performed a typical CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing for site mutations of OsPME31, OsPME34 and OsPME79 in rice, and then determined significantly upgraded pectin methylation degrees in the young seedlings of three distinct site-mutants compared to their wild type. We then examined distinctively improved lignocellulose recalcitrance in three mutants including reduced cellulose levels, crystallinity and polymerization or raised hemicellulose deposition and cellulose accessibility, which led to specifically enlarged biomass porosity either for consistently enhanced biomass enzymatic saccharification under mild alkali pretreatments or for cadmium (Cd) accumulation up to 2.4-fold. Therefore, this study proposed a novel model to elucidate how pectin methylation could play a unique enhancement role for both lignocellulose enzymatic hydrolysis and Cd phytoremediation, providing insights into precise pectin modification for effective biomass utilization and efficient trace metal exclusion.

Effect of salt pretreatments on physico-chemical, cooking and rehydration kinetics of instant rice.

Instant rice is well-suited for ready-to-use applications as low-moisture, light-weight military ration and emergency food for our Armed Forces, offering longer shelf life with rapid rehydration characteristics. Present investigation demonstrated the effect of different salt pretreatment during soaking as precooking operation on the physico-chemical, cooking and rehydration kinetics of instant rice. Application of salt pretreatment reduced bulk density and damaged grain percentage, while enhanced the porosity, volume expansion percent, weight gain percentage, and rehydration characteristics. The grain elongation ratio was not affected significantly by the application of salt pretreatments; however, water uptake and chemical composition were significantly affected. Soaking pretreatment with 1% calcium chloride, followed by open pan cooking and subsequently freeze-thaw-dehydrating until attainment of 5-6% moisture content was found to be the optimal processing condition for developing instant rice with less than 2 min of rehydration time by mere addition of hot water. Modelling of water absorption behaviour revealed that both Peleg (R2 0.980-0.999) and Singh and Kulshrestha (R2 0.966-0.999) models fitted well. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05877-y.

Consolidation of Spray-Dried Amorphous Calcium Phosphate by Ultrafast Compression: Chemical and Structural Overview.

A large amount of research in orthopedic and maxillofacial domains is dedicated to the development of bioactive 3D scaffolds. This includes the search for highly resorbable compounds, capable of triggering cell activity and favoring bone regeneration. Considering the phosphocalcic nature of bone mineral, these aims can be achieved by the choice of amorphous calcium phosphates (ACPs). Because of their metastable property, these compounds are however to-date seldom used in bulk form. In this work, we used a non-conventional "cold sintering" approach based on ultrafast low-pressure RT compaction to successfully consolidate ACP pellets while preserving their amorphous nature (XRD). Complementary spectroscopic analyses (FTIR, Raman, solid-state NMR) and thermal analyses showed that the starting powder underwent slight physicochemical modifications, with a partial loss of water and local change in the HPO42- ion environment. The creation of an open porous structure, which is especially adapted for non-load bearing bone defects, was also observed. Moreover, the pellets obtained exhibited sufficient mechanical resistance allowing for manipulation, surgical placement and eventual cutting/reshaping in the operation room. Three-dimensional porous scaffolds of cold-sintered reactive ACP, fabricated through this low-energy, ultrafast consolidation process, show promise toward the development of highly bioactive and tailorable biomaterials for bone regeneration, also permitting combinations with various thermosensitive drugs.

Vitamin D delays intervertebral disc degeneration and improves bone quality in ovariectomized rats.

Known to be involved in bone-cartilage metabolism, Vitamin D (VD) may play a role in human's disc pathophysiology. Given that postmenopausal women are prone to suffer VD deficiency and intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), this study is intended to investigate whether VD can delay IDD in ovariectomized rats by improving bone microstructure and antioxidant stress. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into four groups: sham, oophorectomy (OVX)+VD deficiency (VDD), OVX, and OVX+VD supplementation (VDS). In vivo, after a 6-month intervention, imaging and pathology slice examinations showed that IDD induced by OVX was significantly alleviated in VDS and deteriorated by VDD. The expressions of aggrecan and Collagen II in intervertebral disc were reduced by OVX and VDD, and elevated by VDS. Compared with the OVX+VDD and OVX group vertebrae, OVX+VDS group vertebrae showed significantly improved endplate porosity and lumbar bone mineral density with increased percent bone volume and trabecular thickness. Furthermore, 1α,25(OH)2D3 restored the redox balance (total antioxidant capacity, ratio of oxidized glutathione/glutathione) in the disc. The cocultivation of 1α,25(OH)2D3 and nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) was conducted to observe its potential ability to resist excessive oxidative stress damage induced by H2O2. In vitro experiments revealed that 1α,25(OH)2D3 reduced the senescence, apoptosis, and extracellular matrix degradation induced by H2O2 in NPCs. In conclusion, VDS exhibits protective effects in OVX-induced IDD, partly by regulating the redox balance and preserving the microstructure of endplate. This finding provides a new idea for the prevention and treatment of IDD.

Properties of eco-friendly cement mortar designed with grounded lead glass used as supplementary cementitious material.

The purpose of this research is to highlight the effect of adding Leaded Glass Powder (LGP) to cement matrices. To achieve this, glass from Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) with reactive elements (SiO2 + Al2O3 + Fe2O3) of 26.66% (determined by XRF) is collected and grounded to a particle size of 75 µm, before adding to a CPJ CEM II/A-P 42.5 cement, from 5% to 35% with a step of 5%, to make the pastes and mortars that are subsequently studied during 300 curing days. The analysis results show that the initial setting time increases linearly from 180 min (OPC) to 245 min (35 wt%) and the final setting time from 405 min (OPC) to 550 min (35 wt%). Moreover, LGP additions of 5 wt%, 10 wt%, and 15 wt% show better compressive strengths than OPC after 56 curing days, with 29 MPa, 30 MPa, and 30.9 MPa versus 26.9 MPa for OPC. The corresponding growth rates are 7.8%, 11.52%, and 14.87% respectively. Better compressive strengths are also obtained between 90 and 150 days by adding up to 20 wt% of LGP. At 300 days, only the 10 wt% and 15 wt% substitutions exhibit superior characteristics to OPC (32.1 MPa), with 33 MPa and 34.4 MPa, respectively, which translates to growth rates of 2.8% and 8.41%. The optimal substitution percentage was 15 wt% over the entire cure time investigated. The variations in porosity and water absorption of mortar specimens with the addition of glass show convex trends, indicating good correlations confirmed by the Pearson correlation test results (0.99). Furthermore, these parameters have strong correlations with the curing time (-0.65 and -0.63, respectively) and the compressive strengths (-0.84 and -0.82). The apparent density of the specimens does not describe a uniform variation, as evidenced by the low correlation coefficient with curing time (-0.49), whereas the correlations with porosity (0.76), water absorption (0.76), and compressive strength (-0.6) are strong. According to the hydrate analysis, the Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR) is marginal in the matrix studied, and the pozzolanic reaction of the second generation involving the free lime of the cement intervenes faster than the pozzolanic reaction of the first generation, which produces the portlandite. The polynomial regression models of compressive and flexural strengths developed have correlation coefficients R2 = 0.94 and R2 = 0.91, respectively. Based on these findings, the substitution rate of cement by CRT glass recommended is 15 wt%.

Improvement of Plasterboard Properties by the Control of Polymethylhydrosiloxane Dosage, Stirring Time, and Drying Temperature Applied to the Calcium Sulfate Hemihydrate and Water Mixture.

Plasterboard is an important building material in the construction industry because it allows for quick installation of walls, partitions, and ceilings. Although a common material, knowledge about its performance related to modern polymers and fabrication conditions is still lacking. The present work analyzes how some manufacturing factors applied during the plaster board fabrication impact on some plasterboard properties, including water absorption, flexural strength, and thermal conductivity. The manufacturing variables evaluated are the dose (D) of polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS), the agitation time of the mixture (H), and the drying temperature of the plaster boards after setting (T). The results suggest that factors D, H, and T induce changes in the porosity and the morphological structure of the calcium sulfate dihydrate crystals formed. Performance is evaluated at two levels of each factor following a statistical method of factorial experimental design centered on a cube. Morphological changes in the crystals of the resulting boards were evaluated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the IMAGEJ image analysis program. Porosity changes were evaluated with X-ray microcomputed tomography (XMT) and 3D image analysis tools. The length-to-width ratio of the crystals decreases as it goes from low PMHS dosage to high dosage, favoring a better compaction of the plasterboard under the right stirring time and drying temperature. In contrast, the porosity generated by the incorporation of PMHS increases when going from low-level to high-level conditions and affects the maximum size of the pores being generated, with a maximum value achieved at 0.6% dosage, 40 s, and 140 °C conditions. The presence of an optimal PMHS dosage value that is approximately 0.6-1.0% is evidenced. In fact, when comparing trails without and with PMHS addition, a 10% decrease in thermal conductivity is achieved at high H (60 s) and high T (150 °C) level conditions. Water absorption decreases by more than 90% when PMHS is added, mainly due to the hydrophobic action of the PMHS. Minimum water absorption levels can be obtained at high drying temperatures. Finally, the resistance to flexion is not affected by the addition of PMHS because apparently there are two opposing forces acting: on one hand is the decrease in the length-width ratio giving more compactness, and on the other hand is the generation of pores. The maximum resistance to flexion was found around a dosage of 0.6% PMHS. In conclusion, the results suggest that the addition of PMHS, the correct agitation time of the mixture, and the drying temperature reduce the water absorption and the thermal conductivity of the gypsum boards, with no significant changes in the flexural resistance.

Nanocellulose Sponges Containing Antibacterial Basil Extract.

Nanocellulose (NC) is a valuable material in tissue engineering, wound dressing, and drug delivery, but its lack of antimicrobial activity is a major drawback for these applications. In this work, basil ethanolic extract (BE) and basil seed mucilage (BSM) were used to endow nanocellulose with antibacterial activity. NC/BE and NC/BE/BSM sponges were obtained from nanocellulose suspensions and different amounts of BE and BSM after freeze-drying. Regardless of the BE or BSM content, the sponges started to decompose at a lower temperature due to the presence of highly volatile active compounds in BE. A SEM investigation revealed an opened-cell structure and nanofibrillar morphology for all the sponges, while highly impregnated nanofibers were observed by SEM in NC/BE sponges with higher amounts of BE. A quantitative evaluation of the porous morphology by microcomputer tomography showed that the open porosity of the sponges varied between 70% and 82%, being lower in the sponges with higher BE/BSM content due to the impregnation of cellulose nanofibers with BE/BSM, which led to smaller pores. The addition of BE increased the specific compression strength of the NC/BE sponges, with a higher amount of BE having a stronger effect. A slight inhibition of S. aureus growth was observed in the NC/BE sponges with a higher amount of BE, and no effect was observed in the unmodified NC. In addition, the NC/BE sponge with the highest amount of BE and the best antibacterial effect in the series showed no cytotoxic effect and did not interfere with the normal development of the L929 cell line, similar to the unmodified NC. This work uses a simple, straightforward method to obtain highly porous nanocellulose structures containing antibacterial basil extract for use in biomedical applications.

Assessing the potential of red mud and dehydrated mineral mud mixtures as soil matrix for revegetation.

The disposal of red mud (RM) and dehydrated mineral mud (DM) presents a significant challenge for the global alumina industry. This study proposes a novel disposal method for RM and DM, which uses mixtures of RM and DM as a soil matrix for revegetation in the mining area. RM mixed with DM effectively alleviated its salinity and alkalinity. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that reduction of salinity and alkalinity may be due to the release of chemical alkali from sodalite and cancrinite. Applications of ferric chloride (FeCl3), gypsum, and organic fertilizer (OF) improved the physicochemical properties of the RM-DM mixtures. FeCl3 significantly reduced available Cd, As, Cr, and Pb content in the RM-DM, while OF significantly increased the cation exchange capacity, microbial carbon and nitrogen, and aggregate stability (p < 0.05). Micro-computed tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis showed that amendment with OF and FeCl3 increased the porosity, pore diameter, and hydraulic conductivity in the RM-DM mixture. The RM-DM mixtures had low leaching of toxic elements, indicating low environmental risk. Ryegrass grew well in the RM-DM mixture at a ratio of 1:3. OF and FeCl3 significantly increased the ryegrass biomass (p < 0.05). These results suggested that RM-DM amended with OF and FeCl3 has a potential application in the revegetation of areas after bauxite mining.

Feasibility study of porous media for treating oily sludge with self-sustaining treatment for active remediation technology.

Oil sludge is the primary pollutant produced by the petroleum industry, which is characterized by large quantities, difficult disposal, and high toxicity. Improper treatment of oil sludge will pose a severe threat to the human living environment. Self-sustaining treatment for active remediation (STAR) technology has a specific potential for treating oil sludge, with low energy consumption, short remediation time, and high removal efficiency. Given the low smoldering porosity, poor air permeability, and poor repair effect of oil sludge, this paper considered coarse river sand as the porous medium, built a smoldering reaction device, conducted a comparative study on smoldering experiments of oil sludge with and without river sand, and studied the key factors affecting smoldering of oil sludge. The study shows that the repair effect is greatly improved by adding river sand, increasing the pore, and improving air permeability, and the total petroleum hydrocarbon removal rate reaches more than 98%, which meets the requirements of oil sludge treatment. When the mass ratio of oil sludge to river sand (sludge-sand ratio) is 2:1, the flow velocity is 5.39 cm/s, and the particle size of the medium is 2-4 mm. In addition, the best conditions for smoldering occur. The average peak temperature, average propagation speed, and average removal efficiency are relatively high. The peak temperature occurs in a short time; the heating time is also short, and the heat loss is low. Moreover, the generation of toxic and harmful gases is reduced, and secondary pollution is hindered. The experiment indicates that the porous media play a crucial role in the smoldering combustion of oil sludge.

Optimization of Particle Properties of Nanocrystalline Solid Dispersion Based Dry Powder for Inhalation of Voriconazole.

A one-step spray drying based process was employed to generate ready-to-use nanocrystalline solid dispersion (NCSD) dry powder for inhalation (DPI) of voriconazole (VRC). The solid dispersion was prepared by spray drying VRC, MAN (mannitol) and soya lecithin (LEC) from mixture of methanol-water. Various formulation and process related parameters were screened, including LEC, inlet temperature, total solid content and feed flow rate to generate particles of geometric size ≤5 µm. Aerosil® 200 was explored as the quaternary excipient either during spray drying or by physically mixing with the optimized ternary NCSD. The powders were extensively characterized for solid form, primary particle size, assay, embedded nanocrystal size, morphology, porosity, density and moisture content. Aerodynamic properties were studied using next generation impactor (NGI), while surface elemental composition and topography were investigated using SEM-EDS (scanning electron microscopy- energy dispersive spectroscopy) and AFM (atomic force microscopy), respectively. At selected inlet temperature of 120 ˚C, total solid content and feed flow rate significantly impacted the size of primary NCSD particles. Size of primary particles increased with increase in total solid content and feed flow rate of the solution. VRC nanocrystals were obtained in polymorphic Form B whereas the matrix of MAN consisted of mixture of polymorphic Forms α, ß and δ. SEM-EDS analysis confirmed deposition of Aerosil® 200 on surface of spray dried particles. In addition to increased porosity and reduced density, increase in surface roughness of particles (evident from AFM topographic analysis) contributed to enhanced powder deposition at stages 3 and 4 in NGI. In comparison, physical blending of NCSD with Aerosil® 200 showed improvement in aerosolization due to flow enhancement property.

The influence of palm oil fuel ash heat treatment on the strength activity, porosity, and water absorption of cement mortar.

The current study aims to explore the impact of palm oil fuel ash (POFA) heat treatment on the strength activity, porosity, and water absorption of cement mortar. The cement mortar mixtures were typically comprising cement or cement in combination with ultrafine treated POFA (u-TPOFA) which is the final form of the treated POFA, sand, water, and a superplasticizer. Before utilizing the u-TPOFA in mortar mixtures, the treatment processes of POFA were undertaken via five steps (drying at 105 ℃, sieving, grinding, heat treatment, re-grinding) to form u-TPOFA. The heat treatment was performed at three different heating temperatures (i.e., 550 ℃, 600 ℃, and 650 ℃). The ratio on mass/mass basis of the blended ordinary Portland cement (OPC) with u-TPOFA was OPC:u-TPOFA of 70%:30%. A total of four mixtures were prepared, consisting of a plain control mixture (designated as PCM) and three mixtures containing 30% of u-TPOFA treated at three different temperatures designated as M1 "550 ℃," M2 "600 ℃," and M3 "650 ℃". The results show that the optimum mixture was M2 which achieved the highest strength activity index (SAI) of 101.84% and 107% among all mixtures at 7 days and 28 days, respectively. Meanwhile, the porosity (P%) and water absorption (Abs%) of M2 exhibited the lowest values of 9.3% and 4.5%, respectively, among all the mixtures at 28 days. This superior performance of u-TPOFA treated at 600 ℃ represented in the M2 mixture was due to the formation of more binding phases consisting of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) type gel originated from a higher pozzolanic reaction and the filler effects caused by the fine u-TPOFA microparticles. These observations were further confirmed by the improved performance of the M2 mix among all the designed mixes which also exhibited better results in terms of bulk density (BD), ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), X-ray diffraction (XRD) as well as thermogravimetry (TGA) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM-EDX) analyses.

Calcium phosphate-based biomaterials trigger human macrophages to release extracellular traps.

As central part of the innate immune response, immune cells fight against invaders through various mechanisms, such as the release of extracellular traps (ETs). While this mechanism is mainly known for neutrophils in biomaterial contact, the release of macrophage extracellular traps (METs) in response to biomaterials has not yet been reported. An important application area for biomaterials is bone, where healing of defects of a critical size requires the implantation of grafts, which are often composed of calcium phosphates (CaPs). In this study, the response of human monocyte-derived macrophages in vitro to two different CaPs (α-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP) and calcium deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA)) as well as different pore structures was investigated. Scaffolds with anisotropic porosity were prepared by directional freezing, while samples with isotropic pore structure served as reference. It was revealed that ETs are released by human monocyte-derived macrophages in direct or indirect contact with CaP scaffolds. This was caused by mineral nanoparticles formed during incubation of α-TCP samples in culture medium supplemented with human platelet lysate, with an anisotropic pore structure attenuating MET formation. METs were significantly less pronounced or absent in association with CDHA samples. It was furthermore demonstrated that MET formation was accompanied by an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines. Thus, this study provided the first evidence that macrophages are capable of releasing ETs in response to biomaterials.

Odontogenesis by Endocytosis of Peptide Embedding Bioactive Glass Composite.

Limited therapeutic options are available for treating deep caries. Those materials with potential of a dual effect to remineralize hard tissue and regenerate defective dentin tissues could be used as a new strategy for deep caries treatment. However, the application of the single component remains a challenge mainly because they lack calcium and phosphorus, are easily degraded, and are difficult to retain in the intricate body fluid environment. Considering the abundant source of calcium and phosphorus as well as the delivery performance of mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG), an amelogenin-derived peptide (QP5), which has a significant role in hard tissue remineralization, was loaded to fabricate a novel composite. After the synthesis of highly ordered MBG using a sol-gel method, the QP5 peptide was loaded increasingly by its extensive porous structure and enhanced electrostatic absorption. When used in an acidic environment, the MBG/QP5 composite presented pH-responsiveness, releasing therapeutic ions and functional peptides in a sequential cascade, and eventually adjusted the pH to a neutral state. The composite was internalized by dental pulp cells through a clathrin-mediated pathway and influenced by cell membrane lipid raft regulation. It could be also transported through the macro-pinocytotic pathway. Compared to the single treatment of peptide QP5 in 48 h, the composite facilitated a higher level of retention of the intracellular peptides. The composite further promoted migration and odontogenesis of dental pulp cells, including the improved activity of alkaline phosphatase, increased formation of mineralized nodules, and upregulated expression of mineralization-related genes compared to using MBG or QP5 alone. The composite further induced the dentin-like layer in a rat pulp capping model. The results suggested that this intelligent material with pH-responsiveness provides a promising alternative treatment method for biomimetic restoration of deep caries.

Can brushing with regular and whitening dentifrices influence changes in color and micromorphologic surfaces of ceramic brackets subjected to coffee staining?

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of brushing with regular or whitening dentifrices on the change in color and micromorphologic surface of ceramic orthodontic brackets subjected to coffee staining. Fifty ceramic brackets were subjected to cycles of coffee staining followed by brushing according to the following groups (n = 10): C, control (no brushing); DW, brushing with distilled water; CT, brushing with Colgate Total 12 Clean Mint (regular toothpaste); COW, brushing with Colgate Optic White (containing 1% hydrogen peroxide); and CUWA, brushing with Close-Up White Attraction (containing blue covarine). The color of the brackets was assessed using the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) L*a*b* system at 5 different timepoints: prior to staining (baseline) and after 1, 7, 14, and 21 days of staining and brushing cycles. The surface micromorphology of the brackets was assessed at the baseline timepoint and after 21 days. Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn, Friedman, and Nemenyi tests were applied (α = 0.05) for the statistical analysis. The C group demonstrated a significant reduction in L* and a significant increase in a* and b* values over time. For the DW group, the L* value was reduced but was higher than in the C group, and there were also significant increases in a* and b* from baseline values. A significant increase in the a* and b* values was observed in all groups (P < 0.05). Total color change (∆E*) increased over the period of evaluation for all whitening groups, although only the CT group presented significantly lower ∆E* than the other dentifrices. At the end of the test period, only the COW group exhibited a surface with higher porosity. None of the dentifrices prevented the brackets from staining, but they did reduce the magnitude of color change caused by coffee. The most significant difference was found in the CT group. Micromorphologic surface changes were observed when COW was employed.

Impact of Porosity and Boundary Scattering on Thermal Transport in Diameter-Modulated Nanowires.

We study the thermal conductivity of diameter-modulated Si nanowires to understand the impact of different nanoscale transport mechanisms as a function of nanowire morphology. Our investigation couples transient suspended microbridge measurements of diameter-modulated Si nanowires synthesized via vapor-liquid-solid growth and dopant-selective etching with predictive Boltzmann transport modeling. We show that the presence of a low thermal conductivity phase (i.e., porosity) dominates the reduction in effective thermal conductivity and is supplemented by increased phonon-boundary scattering. The relative contributions of both mechanisms depend on the details of the nanoscale morphology. Our findings provide valuable insights into the factors that govern thermal conduction in complex nanoscale materials.

Quality of a powdered grapefruit product formulated with biopolymers obtained by freeze-drying and spray-drying.

Freeze-drying and spray-drying are two techniques used to produce dehydrated food products. Both techniques are easy to use and offer high sensory, nutritive value, and functional quality to foods. However, both processes become difficult for foods with high sugar and acid content, such as fruits. This is because these products, once dehydrated, moisten quickly, causing a change in their physical properties, mainly in the mechanical aspects related to the start of a caking phenomenon. Therefore, incorporating high molecular weight biopolymers that act as facilitators or processors, prevent the structural collapse of the product. The aim of this study was to select the best process, between freeze-drying or spray-drying, to obtain a powdered grapefruit product with the higher quality. The impact of the biopolymers used to stabilize the powdered product was also tested. The properties analyzed were the solubility, wettability, hygroscopicity, porosity, and color of the powder together with the flow behavior, both in air and water. The results of this study show that using the freeze-drying technique, products have a better flow behavior, greater porosity, and a color more like fresh grapefruit. Biopolymers, especially when in combination, have a positive effect on the quality parameters studied. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The results of this study allow freeze-drying to be proposed as a process to obtain a grapefruit product with better properties, both powdered and rehydrated, than that obtained by spray-drying. On the other hand, although the incorporation of biopolymers is necessary to facilitate the process and stabilize the product, no significant differences have been found between the different formulations tested, although it seems that their combination favours some of the properties of the powder, such as solubility, hygroscopicity, wetting time and dispersibility.

STED nanoscopy - A novel way to image the pore space of geological materials.

STED nanoscopy (Stimulated Emission Depletion). which can resolve details far below the diffraction barrier has been applied hitherto preferentially to life sciences. The method is however also ideal for the investigation of geological matrices containing transparent minerals, an application tested here, to our knowledge, for the first time. The measurements on altered granitic rock and sedimentary clay rock, both containing very fine-grained phases, were conducted successfully. The STED fluorophore was dissolved in C-14-labelled methylmethacrylate (C-14-MMA) monomer which was polymerised within the rock matrix, thereby labelling the pore space in the geomaterials. Double labelling provided by the C-14-labelled MMA enables autoradiography and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), providing necessary complementary information for characterisation and quantification of porosity distributions and mineral and structure identification. Promising perspectives for further investigations of geological matrices by using different fluorophores and the optimisation of measuring procedures or even higher resolution are discussed. The combination of these different methods enlarges the observation scale of porosity from nanometre to centimetre scale.

Concept of Evaluation of Mineral Additives' Effect on Cement Pastes' Durability and Environmental Suitability.

This experimental study focuses on the assessment of mineral additives and their incorporation into cement composites (CC). The assessment was based on a holistic approach to the performance of the durability properties of CC. Environmental suitability was also taken into consideration. In the experiments, cement pastes with w/c ratios of 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5, respectively, were prepared. Natural zeolite (NZ) and densified silica fume (SF) at doses of 7.5 and 15.0 wt.% of cement were used as the investigated (replacement) materials. Their effects (including development over time) on density, strength (flexural and compressive), porosity by water absorption, permeability by rapid chloride penetration (RCP) test, phase content by thermal analysis, and hydration progression, were observed. The results were then used to propose an evaluation approach. Natural zeolite was used for its known pozzolanic activity and classification as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM). In contrast SF acted as a filler in cement pastes, and thus did not have a direct positive effect on durability. The concept of comprehensive analysis for unknown additive classification is proposed to expressly differentiate between SCM, inert, and improving mineral additive. This concept could be applied to the assessment of mineral additives with regards to the durability and suitability of cement composites.

Lingzhi and San-Miao-San with hyaluronic acid gel mitigate cartilage degeneration in anterior cruciate ligament transection induced osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mitigate efficacy of Chinese medicine Lingzhi (LZ) and San-Miao-San (SMS) combined with hyaluronic acid (HA)-gel in attenuating cartilage degeneration in traumatic osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: The standardized surgery of anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) was made from the medial compartment of right hind limbs of 8-week-old female SD rats and resulted in a traumatic OA. Rats (n â€‹= â€‹5/group) were treated once intra-articular injection of 50 â€‹µl HA-gel, 50 â€‹µl HA-gel+50 â€‹µg LZ-SMS, 50 â€‹µl of saline+50 â€‹µg LZ-SMS and null (ACLT group) respectively, except sham group. Limbs were harvested for µCT scan and histopathological staining 3-month post-treatment. Inflammatory cytokines from plasma and synovial fluid were detected using Immunology Multiplex Assay kit. The putative targets of active compounds in LZ-SMS and known therapeutic targets for OA were combined to construct protein-protein interaction network. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis was adopted to predict the potential targets and signaling pathway of LZ-SMS in OA through the tool of DAVID Bioinformatics. RESULTS: In vivo, HA-gel â€‹+ â€‹LZ-SMS treatment resulted in a higher volume ratio of hyaline cartilage (HC)/calcified cartilage (CC) and HC/Sum (total volume of cartilage), compared to ACLT and HA-gel groups. In addition, histological results showed the elevated cartilage matrix, chondrogenic and osteoblastic signals in HA-gel â€‹+ â€‹LZ-SMS treatment. Treatment also significantly altered subchondral bone (SCB) structure including an increase in BV/TV, Tb.Th, BMD, Conn.Dn, Tb.N, and DA, as well as a significant decrease in Tb.Sp and Po(tot), which implied a protective effect on maintaining the stabilization of tibial SCB microstructure. Furthermore, there was also a down-regulated inflammatory cytokines and upregulated anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in HA+LZ-SMS group. Finally, 64 shared targets from 37 active compounds in LZ-SMS related to the core genes for the development of OA. LZ-SMS has a putative role in regulating inflammatory circumstance through influencing the MAPK signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Our study elucidated a protective effect of HA-gel â€‹+ â€‹LZ-SMS in mitigating cartilage degradation and putative interaction with targets and signaling pathway for the development of traumatic OA. THE TRANSLATIONAL POTENTIAL OF THIS ARTICLE: Our results provide a biological rationale for the use of LZ-SMS as a potential candidate for OA treatment.