Profitability of Chemically Cross-Linked Collagen Scaffold Production Using Bovine Pericardium: Revaluing Waste from the Meat Industry for Biomedical Applications.

The meat industry generates a large amount of waste that can be used to create useful products such as bio-implants, which are usually expensive. In this report, we present an economic analysis of a continuous process for large-scale chemically cross-linked collagen scaffold (CCLCS) production in a Mexican context. For this purpose, three production capacities were simulated using SuperPro Designer® v 12.0: 5, 15, and 25 × 103 bovine pericardium units (BPU) per month as process feedstock. Data indicated that these capacities produced 2.5, 7.5, and 12.5 kg of biomesh per batch (per day), respectively. In addition, Net Unit Production Costs (NUPC) of 784.57, 458.94, and 388.26 $USD.kg-1 were obtained, correspondingly, with selling prices of 0.16 ± 0.078 USD.cm-2, 0.086 ± 0.043 USD.cm-2, and 0.069 ± 0.035 USD.cm-2, in the same order. We found that these selling prices were significantly lower than those in the current market in Mexico. Finally, distribution of costs associated with the process followed the order: raw materials > facility-dependent > labor > royalties > quality analysis/quality control (QA/QC) > utilities. The present study showed the feasibility of producing low-cost and highly profitable CCLCS with a relatively small investment. As a result, the circular bioeconomy may be stimulated.

Quantitative 1 H NMR spectroscopy (qNMR) in the early process development of a new quorum sensing inhibitor.

2-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2H-chromen-4(3H)-one (called 6-oxo) is presented as a new AI-1 quorum sensing inhibitor for Vibrio harveyi. The development of a chemical process to afford traceable materials for new biological assays demands the development of analytical methods to ensure their purity and quality. This work describes the use of quantitative 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy (qNMR) to assess the purity of a sample of 6-oxo (99.88%) and a sample of its major process impurity (E)-1-(2-hydroxycyclohex-2-en-1-yl)but-2-en-1-one (called HCB; 98.28%). To explore the scope of the use of qNMR to quantify the amount of low-content components in samples related to the chemical process for 6-oxo synthesis, this work also determined the amount of 6-oxo in two HCB samples: (a) the high-purity HCB sample described above and (b) a crude HCB sample collected during the chemical process. Despite the complexity of the crude sample, the amount of 6-oxo was readily assessed and could help to estimate the extent to which 6-oxo was already formed during the HCB synthesis. This information can help the understanding of how the process parameters can be modified to improve the performance of the whole process, by controlling the reaction mechanisms working at each step of this chemical process. In this context, our results reinforce qNMR as a complementary analytical tool for the quantification of the main component found in a sample, contributing to the standardization of reference materials and thus allowing the development of analytical methods for process control and traceability of the samples used for biological assays.

Development of a 3-step straight-through purification strategy combining membrane adsorbers and resins.

The pressures to efficiently produce complex biopharmaceuticals at reduced costs are driving the development of novel techniques, such as in downstream processing with straight-through processing (STP). This method involves directly and sequentially purifying a particular target with minimal holding steps. This work developed and compared six different 3-step STP strategies, combining membrane adsorbers, monoliths, and resins, to purify a large, complex, and labile glycoprotein from Chinese hamster ovary cell culture supernatant. The best performing pathway was cation exchange chromatography to hydrophobic interaction chromatography to affinity chromatography with an overall product recovery of up to 88% across the process and significant clearance of DNA and protein impurities. This work establishes a platform and considerations for the development of STP of biopharmaceutical products and highlights its suitability for integration with single-use technologies and continuous production methods. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:931-940, 2017.

Strain engineering and process optimization for enhancing the production of a thermostable steryl glucosidase in Escherichia coli.

Biodiesels produced from transesterification of vegetable oils have a major problem in quality due to the presence of precipitates, which are mostly composed of steryl glucosides (SGs). We have recently described an enzymatic method for the efficient removal of SGs from biodiesel, based on the activity of a thermostable ß-glycosidase from Thermococcus litoralis. In the present work, we describe the development of an Escherichia coli-based expression system and a high cell density fermentation process. Strain and process engineering include the assessment of different promoters to drive the expression of a codon-optimized gene, the co-expression of molecular chaperones and the development of a high cell density fermentation process. A 200-fold increase in the production titers was achieved, which directly impacts on the costs of the industrial process for treating biodiesel.

Resultados del proceso productivo de la solución concentrada de propóleos 2010-2013. Impacto de la innovación tecnológica / Results of the production process of the concentrated solution of propolis 2010-2013. Impact of technological innovation

El proceso productivo de las soluciones concentradas de propóleos en el Centro de Inmunología y Biopreparados, ha sido una tarea esencial desde el 2010; por consiguiente, el objetivo fundamental de este trabajo es mostrar cómo se han comportado los parámetros de calidad de los lotes de estas soluciones desde el 2010 al 2013, teniendo en cuenta los elementos de innovación tecnológica desarrollados. Se analizaron los requisitos de conformidad de las soluciones concentradas de propóleos, según los registros de control de la calidad para este producto. El procesamiento estadístico se realizó de forma automatizada con el programa estadístico Medcal. Las propiedades organolépticas de estas soluciones respondieron de forma positiva y las concentraciones de sólidos totales fueron superiores al 24%. Es importante señalar que en los lotes obtenidos en 2012 y 2013, se logró un agotamiento significativo de la materia prima, debido a la introducción de cambios tecnológicos en el proceso; aspecto este que no afectó la calidad del producto, ya que los sólidos totales están por encima del 16% establecido en el Sistema de Gestión de Calidad del Centro, corroborándose los mismos con el análisis estadístico realizado. Se obtuvo un producto conforme y con calidad, lográndose una mejor recuperación de los principios activos de estas soluciones.

The production process of Propolis Concentrated Solutions Center for Immunology and Biologicals, has been an essential task since 2010, so we have performed show how the parameters of quality of batches of these solutions from 2010 to 2013, is the main objective of this work taking into account the factors of technological innovation developed. Compliance requirements of Propolis Concentrated solutions were analyzed according to the records of Quality Control for this product. The statistical processing was performed automatically using the statistical program Medcal. The organoleptic properties of these solutions responded positively and total solids concentrations were higher than 24%, it is important to note that the lots obtained in 2012 and 2013, a significant depletion of the raw material was obtained, due to the introduction of technological changes in the process, appearance is not affected the quality of the product and the total solids are above the 16% set in the quality Management System of the center, corroborating them with statistical analysis. Conforming product quality and achieving a better recovery of the active ingredients of these solutions were obtained.

Swine Dialyzable Spleen Extract as Antiviral Prophylaxis.

Worldwide, the most highly consumed meat is of porcine origin. The production and distribution of swine meat are affected by diverse health matters, such as influenza and diarrhea, which cause head losses and require the use of antibiotics and other drugs in hog farms. To stimulate newborn piglet immune responses and increase resistance to infections, we developed a spray-drying technique to produce dried swine dialyzable spleen extract (sDSE), an immunomodulator. Based on the size-exclusion ultra performance liquid chromatography quantitative analysis, it was possible to recover up to 58% of the product after the drying process. The biological activity of orally administered dried sDSE increased mouse survival and induced cytokine production in a herpes infection model.