Forced convection subcooled boiling of binary mixtures

A mode based on an additive mechanism of heat transfer is proposed for forced convection subcooled boiling of binary mixtures. The contributing modes of heat transfer are: (i) the heat transferred as latent heat by the rising bubbles, (ii) the heat transferred as the heat contained in the superheated thermal layer that is removed from the surface in the wake of the rising bubbles and (iii) the single phase forced convection heat transfer from the heating surface not influenced by the bubbles. Experimental data from the literature on binary systems show good agreement with the model, validating the postulated mechanism.     

Modularization of a Large-Scale Business Application: A Case Study

Large software systems, developed over several years, are the backbone of industries such as banking, retail, transportation, and telecommunications. With multiple bug fixes and feature enhancements, these systems gradually deviate from the intended architecture and deteriorate into unmanageable monoliths. This article presents a case study of a banking application besot with such problems and the modularization approach that the company adopted as a solution. It also highlights benefits unearthed as a result of this reengineering exercise.     

Fabrication of chitosan microparticles loaded in chitosan and poly(vinyl alcohol) scaffolds for tissue engineering application

In recent decades, the use of microparticle-mediated drug delivery is widely applied in the field of biomedical application. Here, we report the new dressing material with ciprofloxacin-loaded chitosan microparticle (CMP) impregnated in chitosan (CH) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) scaffold for effective delivery of drug in a sustained manner to the wound site. Moreover, the peculiar physiochemical and structural properties of the CH–CMP scaffold has proved better tensile strength and excellent swelling to achieve 82% of drug release. In vitro biocompatibility was done for both scaffold using NIH 3T3 fibroblasts and human keratinocytes (HaCaT) cell lines. In vitro fluorescent activity showed distinct biocompatibility with good cell adhesion and proliferation. However, the CH–CMP scaffold showed best result to act as promising biomaterial in effective drug delivery in tissue engineering.     

Electrospinning of poly (3-hydroxybutyric acid) and gelatin blended thin films: fabrication, characterization, and application in skin regeneration

A tissue engineering scaffold should mimic the structure and biological function of native extracellular matrix proteins. Electrospinning is a simple and versatile method to produce ultrathin fibers for tissue engineering. Blended submicron fibers of poly (3-hydroxybutyric acid) and gelatin were electrospun using 1,1,1,3,3,3 hexafluoro-2-propanol as solvent. Cross linking of fibers was achieved using glutaraldehyde, and the resultant fibers were tested and analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).The fibers were found to exhibit good tensile strength. Degradation studies were performed and analyzed using SEM and FTIR and proved the stability of fibers for tissue engineering applications. The fibrous scaffold supported the growth and rapid proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes with normal morphology, thus proving its reliability in using it as a potential scaffold for skin regeneration.     

Combination of emerging technologies for the extraction of bioactive compounds

Abstract

With the growing consumer demands for greener alternatives that do not involve toxic chemicals as well as the industry concerns of sustainable, nontoxic routes of extraction, the applications of novel extraction technologies in the food industry have been widely studied. This review discussed the novel extraction technologies including their mechanisms, protocols, influencing factors, advantages and drawbacks, as well as a comprehensive summary of the combination of the novel extraction technologies for phyto-bioactive compounds. Novel extraction methods, including ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE), are considered as clean, green and efficient alternative to conventional extraction technologies. Their combinations, ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction (UAEE), microwave-assisted enzymatic extraction (MAEE) and ultrasonic microwave-assisted extraction (UMAE), can exhibit higher potential extraction ability. However, some of them need specific equipment. The food industry in the extraction sector should choose a proper extraction method which has a balance between product quality, process efficiency, production costs and environmentally friendly processes. The current review presented comprehensive references for future research on the novel extraction of phyto-bioactive compounds extraction.

1. Highlights

2. Novel clean, green and efficient alternative to conventional extraction technologies are discussed.

3. Combination of the novel extraction technologies for synergistic effects.

4. Minimal degradation and enhanced extraction yields.

5. Extraction mechanisms, advantages and drawbacks associated with novel extraction technologies.

     

In vivo protective effect against ethanol metabolism and liver injury of oyster (Crassostrea Gigas) extracts obtained via subcritical water processing

Food Science and Biotechnology - The present study assesses hepatoprotective effects of raw oyster lyophilized powder (OP) and subcritical water treated oyster powder (SOP) on D-galactosamine...     

Adsorption characteristics of phenol on novel corn grain-based activated carbons

The adsorption of phenol on highly porous novel corn grain-based activated carbons (CG-ACs) (>2000 m²/g) were assessed in a batch mode. The optimum conditions for the adsorption of phenol on R-series (R-1/2, R-1/3, and R-1/4) CG-ACs were determined by analyzing the various adsorption conditions such as the adsorption temperature (293.15–313.15 K), initial solution concentrations (25–150 mg/L), and initial pH (3–12) of the solution. In addition, effects of CG-AC properties such as physical properties, energetic heterogeneity nature and surface chemistries on phenol adsorption were also investigated. In overall, it was found that the influences of physical properties and energetic heterogeneity nature of CG-ACs on phenol adsorption are considerably high compared to their surface chemistry. More specially, the increase in phenol adsorption capacity with increasing fraction of microporosity ranging from 3 to 11 Å, is likely due to the micropore filling, was noted. The Langmuir model well fitted with the experimental results compared to the Freundlich. Besides, the pseudo second-order equation was successfully used to represent the results of kinetic studies.     

Curcumin protects against hepatic and renal injuries mediated by inducible nitric oxide synthase during selenium‐induced toxicity in Wistar rats

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of curcumin in protecting against selenium‐induced toxicity in liver and kidney of Wistar rats. Light microscopy evaluation of selenium alone administered rats showed liver to be infiltrated with mononuclear cells, vacuolation, necrosis, and pronounced degeneration. Control liver sections showed a regular morphology of parenchymal cells with intact hepatocytes and sinusoids. Kidney from selenium alone administered rats showed vacuolar degeneration changes in the epithelial cells, cellular proliferation with fibrosis, thickening of capillary walls, and glomerular tuft atrophy. Such changes were also observed in rats administered with selenium and curcumin simultaneously and rats administered first with selenium and then curcumin 24 h later. Interestingly, such degenerative changes observed in liver and kidney induced by selenium were not seen in rats that were administered with curcumin first and selenium 24 h later. This clearly suggests the protective nature of curcumin against selenium toxicity. To understand the probable mechanism of action of curcumin, we analyzed inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression by immunohistochemistry, and the results showed an increased iNOS expression in selenium‐alone induced liver and kidney. Such high iNOS levels were inhibited in liver and kidney of rats pretreated with curcumin and then with selenium 24 h later. Based on the histological results, it can be concluded that curcumin functions as a protective agent against selenium‐induced toxicity in liver as well as kidney, and this action is probably by the regulatory role of curcumin on iNOS expression. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.