Synergistic antimicrobial effect of lactocin AL705 and nisin combined with organic acid salts against Listeria innocua 7 in broth and a hard cheese

The effectiveness of antimicrobial mixtures against Listeria innocua 7, used as a L. monocytogenes surrogate, was investigated in broth and a food system. Synergistic effects were found for nisin (Nis), potassium sorbate (PS), calcium propionate (CP) and sodium lactate (SL), Nis + PS being the most effective binary mixture that exhibited listericidal activity in broth. To assess the effect of adding lactocin AL705 (AL705) to Nis + organic acid salt combinations, tridimensional isobolograms were generated. Sub-MIC combinations of the antimicrobials exerted bactericidal activity against L. innocua 7 after AL705 addition to the binary mixtures. However, when applied on Sardo cheese contaminated with L. innocua 7 (initial inoculum 4.45 ± 0.06 CFU g⁻¹), only Nis + PS + AL705 produced count reductions respect to the control, reaching 3.04 ± 0.35 CFU g⁻¹ counts after 15 days at 15 °C. Ternary combinations containing AL705 showed potential to reduce antimicrobial usages for L. innocua 7 inhibition.     

3D pore-interconnected calcium phosphate bone blocks for bone tissue engineering

Pore size and connectivity of artificial bone scaffolds play key role in regulating cell ingrowth and vascularization during healing. The objective of this study was to develop a novel process for preparing 3D pore-interconnected open-cell bone substitutes with varying pore sizes. This was achieved by thermal-induced expansion, drying, then sintering the mixture of biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) and a thermal responsive porogen comprising chitosan (CS) and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC). The interpolymer complexes (IPCs) of CS/HPMC were prepared and investigated by FT-IR. The mixtures of IPCs/BCP were heated up to 100 °C for analyzing their thermal expansion properties. This resulted in ~13% and ~42% volume increment for IPC-1/BCP and IPC-2/BCP, respectively, while ~230% volume increased in the case of IPC-3/BCP (therefore chosen for sintering bone blocks). Heating rate-dependent (0.20–0.25 °C/min range) sintering profiles for IPC-3/BCP were utilized to produce BCP bone blocks. Gasification of IPC during sintering resulted in the formation of interconnected porous structures, and the morphology was investigated by SEM, revealing varying sizes ranging from 106 ± 13 μm to 1123 ± 75 μm. The pore size range of bone blocks from 235 ± 46 μm to 459 ± 76 μm portrayed significantly high MC3T3-E1 cell viability with prominent filopodial extensions, and elongated cells, depicting efficient biocompatibility. Therefore, the process for preparing porous interconnected 3D bone blocks were feasible, thereby serving as an alternative for potential bone tissue engineering applications.     

A comparative study on in vitro behavior of calcium silicate ceramics synthesized from biowaste resources

Calcium silicate ceramics have received significant attention for biomedical applications for their excellent bioactivity and osteoconduction properties. Sol-gel process is extensively used for the fabrication of calcium silicates. In sol-gel process, calcium nitrate tetra hydrate (Ca(NO₃)₂·4H₂O) and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) are used as precursors. However, these precursors are expensive. The objective of this work was to compare in vitro behavior of calcium silicate (CaSiO₃) produced using biowaste such as rice husk ash (RHA) and eggshells (coded; NCS) with CaSiO₃ prepared using TEOS and Ca(NO₃)₂·4H₂O (coded; CCS). Thermal investigation results revealed that the crystallization temperature for NCS is relatively lower (772°C) than for CCS (870°C). Bioactivity was studied in vitro using simulated body fluid (SBF) with respect to mineralization rate of hydroxyapatite. Mineralization of a greater hydroxyapatite was observed on NCS ceramics than CCS ceramics after incubation for 3, 7, 14 days in SBF solution, which was confirmed using X-ray diffractometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy. Degradation studies were conducted in Tris-HCl solution and the test results revealed that NCS ceramics has lower dissolution rate than CCS ceramics. The antimicrobial assay has shown that NCS samples exhibit significant zone of inhibition against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus which confirmed that the CaSiO₃ prepared from RHA and eggshell can prevent bacteria from adhering to the surface. In addition cell culture studies revealed that NCS ceramics possess good cytocompatibility with MG-63 cells and significantly promoted cell proliferation.     

基于萤石溶解/表面转化的含钙矿物表面定向调控浮选技术及机理研究

研究了萤石在白钨矿和方解石表面溶解和转化的可能性, 发现萤石可以在特定的捕收剂体系下作为抑制剂实现含钙矿物的浮选分离。浮选实验结果表明, 萤石作为抑制剂, 在白钨矿和方解石的浮选中, 用量小、作用效果明显; 动电位检测结果证实了萤石能明显降低方解石的动电位, 但对白钨矿基本没有影响; XPS检测结果证明了萤石对方解石的作用主要在于对Ca-O键能的减弱和Ca-F基团的生成, 即在方解石表面生成CaF2膜; AFM检测则可直观观察到方解石表面经过萤石处理之后出现明显的起伏, 印证了离子的侵蚀与CaF₂膜的生成。     

氧化钙固体碱催化剂用于大豆油和甲醇酯交换制备生物柴油的研究

对氧化钙固体碱催化剂用于甲醇和大豆油的酯交换反应制备生物柴油（脂肪酸甲酯）进行了研究，考察了醇油摩尔比、反应温度、催化剂用量等因素对生物柴油产率的影响，以及采用四氢呋喃等溶剂溶解产物中的甘油和脂肪酸甲酯以分离回收催化剂的方法。结果表明，在醇油摩尔比为12、反应温度为65℃、催化剂用量为8％、反应1．5h的条件下，生物柴油产率达到了95％以上。重复使用实验结果表明，CaO的催化活性比K2CO3／γ-Al2O3和KF／γ-Al2O3固体碱催化剂高，寿命更长，重复使用20次后催化效果无明显下降。     

MPTA型原油脱金属剂的工业应用

在对高金属含量原油进行初步评价的基础上，利用SH—Ⅰ型电脱盐试验仪对自主开发的MPTA型原油脱金属剂进行了原油脱金属的实验室研究。结果表明，当MPTA型脱金属剂加入量为250μg／g时，钙的脱除率可达97．4％，并且对其它金属元素，如镍、铁、钠、锰、铝和钒也有明显的脱除效果。该剂在山东恒源石油化工股份有限公司重交沥青车间500kt／a的电脱盐装置上进行原油脱金属工业试验的结果表明，经过二级电脱盐处理后，钙的脱除率达到99．1％，钠的脱除率为94．6％，铁的脱除率为82．9％，并可在一定程度上降低原油中镍和铜的含量。使用MPTA型原油脱金属剂显著降低了一、二级电脱盐装置的电场电流，有利于炼油厂的节能降耗。     

两步法合成双氰胺工艺

采用两步法由氰氨化钙合成双氰胺,通过正交试验,考察了水解温度、聚合温度、聚合时间对产品收率的影响,确定了最佳的工艺条件:水解温度42℃、聚合温度70℃、聚合时问150 min,此条件下,双氰胺收率可达85.73％。     

Preparation of Laminin-apatite-polymer Composites Using Metastable Calcium Phosphate Solutions

A synthetic polymer with a laminin-apatite composite layer on its surface would be useful as a percutaneous device. The preparation of such a composite was attempted in the present study using poly（ ethylene terephthalate ） （PET） and polyethylene （PE） as the synthetic polymer. PET and PE plates and those pretreated with an oxygen plasma were alternately dipped in calcium and phosphate ion solutions, and then immersed in a metastable calcium phosphate solution supplemented with laminin （ LCP solution ）. The PET and PE plates pretreated with an oxygen plasma formed a uniform and continuous layer of a laminin-apatite composite on their surfaces. In contrast, the PET and PE plates that had not been pretreated with an oxygen plasma did not form a continuous layer of a laminin-apatite composite on their surfaces. The hydrophilic functional groups on the PET and PE surfaces introduced by the plasma treatment were responsible for the successful laminin-apatite coruposite coating.     

Viscosity estimation for slags containing calcium fluoride

Based on recently published experimental data, the Riboud model was modified for viscosity estimation of the slags containing calcium fluoride. The estimated values were in good agreement with measured data. Reasonable estimation can be achieved using the modified Riboud model for mould fluxes and ESR (eletro slag remelting) slags. Especially for ESR slags, the modified Riboud model can provide much more precise values than the original Riboud model.     

Continuous precipitation of calcium sulfate dihydrate from waste sulfuric acid and lime

Precipitation of calcium sulfate dihydrate, gypsum, from (i) a pure sulfuric acid/lime suspension and (ii) a waste sulfuric acid/lime suspension in a continuous pilot plant in the temperature range from 40 °C to 80 °C was studied. It was observed that in the case of waste sulfuric acid with a high content of Mg²⁺ and Fe²⁺ ions, several hours after the beginning of the precipitation, partial dissolution of the product and modification of the crystals from needle‐ and plate‐like to agglomerated structures occurred. It is suggested that the secondary changes occur due to the increased concentration of Mg²⁺ and Fe²⁺ ions in the reactor. Below 60 °C, and above 70 °C plate‐like and needle‐like single crystals respectively were formed. The mean size (d₅₀) of the crystals was found to increase with increasing temperature and decrease with the initial concentration of lime. Gypsum produced between 70 °C and 80 °C is suitable for further processing for construction plaster. In a precipitation process with pure sulfuric acid only single perfect needle‐like crystals occurred. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry