微单来袭：索尼全新EVIL机型NEX-5C发布

随着可换镜头类单反相机在市场上风生水起,影像业界的知名大厂商索尼（SONY）也耐不住寂寞了。2010年6月9日,索尼在北京发布了基于全新E-mount卡口的新品NEX-5C,被誉为微单相机的它采用了与可换镜头类单反相机一样的光学结构,还配有APS-C画幅的传感器。     

Production of pharmaceuticals: Amines from alcohols in a continuous flow fixed bed catalytic reactor

This paper reports the use of an immobilised ruthenium complex in a continuous flow process for the N-alkylation of morpholine with benzyl alcohol. The ruthenium-based catalyst was supported on a phosphine bound polymer. Screening experiments were first performed in a batch reactor, with a 16 vol% mixture of morpholine and benzyl alcohol (stoichiometric molar ratio of 1:1) in toluene as the solvent. Operating at 110 °C for 24 h, it was shown that high conversions (>99%) into the desired tertiary amine could be achieved. This reaction was then shown to be viable in a continuous flow reactor, where the catalytic polymer beads were retained in the bed. Operating at 150 °C and using p-xylene as a solvent, the conversion into the desired tertiary amine was shown to be as high as 98%. This approach is clearly very promising, as it provides a greener and more atom efficient route for the production of secondary and tertiary amines in the pharmaceutical industry.     

Microencapsulation of Curcumin by a Spray-Drying Technique Using Gum Arabic as Encapsulating Agent and Release Studies

Curcumin is a natural yellow pigment extracted from dried roots of turmeric, used in food applications. Despite its applicability in food products, this phenolic compound is also used in the pharmaceutical field. It is reported to have health benefits such as anticancer, antitumor, and antiviral effects. However, curcumin is a very unstable compound. Therefore, this work proposes the microencapsulation of curcumin, in order to protect it and to improve its stability and solubility in water, by spray-drying, using the gum arabic as an encapsulating agent in three different concentrations 10, 15, and 20% (weight/volume (w/v)). Emulsions were prepared with coconut oil and used to prepare the curcumin microparticles. For this purpose, different analysis and studies were performed. A product yield ranging from 44 to 52% and from 29 to 42% was obtained for the production of microparticles without and with curcumin, respectively. The curcumin microcapsules and empty capsules were characterized and evaluated. All the microparticles presented a spherical form, had a diameter around 7–9 μm (considering a volume distribution), and had a rough surface. The efficiency of encapsulation was between 75 and 85%, being higher for the particles prepared with higher concentrations of encapsulating agents. Considering the controlled release studies, the microcapsules were prepared with different concentrations of gum arabic but showed similar release profiles. However, it was also concluded that increasing the amount of gum arabic used in the formulation of the microparticles, the amount of curcumin released in the first minutes decreases; therefore, the release tends to be slower (63.2% of the release varied between 25.5 and 69.0 min). Fitting the experimental results to a linearized equation of the Weibull model, it was possible to obtain a good correlation coefficient (R² varying from 0.94 to 0.97), indicating that this model adapts to the experimental data obtained.

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Graphical Abstract SEM images for the microparticles prepared with curcumin using gum arabic, as encapsulating agent and experimental and Weibull model release profiles

     

Parameter identification and model based predictive control of temperature inside a house

HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems used for heating or cooling buildings, consume a considerable amount of energy. To optimize the energy consumption, the behavior of occupants must be changed. This can be achieved by providing information and suggestions to occupants. A first step is developing of a less expensive and non-invasive measurement system and metering of the electricity and heat consumed. Based on collected experimental data, it can identify the parameters of a thermal model of the house. The model obtained will be used to simulate different aspects that can help to reduce the energy consumption. This paper presents a simple solution for thermal modeling of a house which includes experimental identification of the model's parameters. Such data are used to simulate the thermal behavior of the house and to obtain solutions to reduce energy consumption. In simulation, the control of the thermal system is performed using a model based predictive control algorithm.     

Heterogeneity of the kappa-casein glycomacropeptide and physiological activity of its fractions

A number of fractions with differing intensity of the inhibitory action on the gastric secretion were obtained by gel filtration in a column with biogels P-30 and P-2 of cappa-casein glycomacropeptide. A low-molecular fraction displays the greatest capacity for inhibiting gastric secretion. Desialism, heating and partial hydrolysis of glycomacropeptide with pepsin, trypsin and chemotrypsin used separately have no effect on its inhibitory activity. The resulting data suggest that the inhibitory action of glycomacropeptide is caused by a certain part rather than by entire molecule.     

Dynamic extension - A new principle for a vacuum primary standard for UHV-range (10-10 Pa) calibration of hot cathode ionisation gauges

The main obstacle in the construction of primary vacuum standards for very low pressures - ultra-high vacuum (UHV) - is outgassing from the walls of the apparatus. Thus, principles utilising a higher pumping rate in the calibration chamber, e.g., the pressure ratio technique, seem to be more useful for this range. However, a serious problem is inherent in this method, namely, that the gas in the calibration chamber is not in equilibrium and thus cannot be characterised by a single scalar pressure value, although such a value is then used to evaluate the measurement. This discrepancy can be overcome by using a hot cathode ionisation gauge as a transfer standard calibrated by the dynamic extension method.The dynamic extension method is explained and compared with the pressure ratio technique. The basic conditions for achieving acceptable uncertainty values are considered.     

In Vitro and in Vivo Characteristics of Fluorapatite-Forming Calcium Phosphate Cements

This study reports for the first time in vitro and in vivo properties of fluorapatite (FA)-forming calcium phosphate cements (CPCs). The experimental cements contained from (0 to 3.1) mass % of F, corresponding to presence of FA at levels of approximately (0 to 87) mass %. The crystallinity of the apatitic cement product increased greatly with the FA content. When implanted subcutaneously in rats, the in vivo resorption rate decreased significantly with increasing FA content. The cement with the highest FA content was not resorbed in soft tissue, making it the first known biocompatible and bioinert CPC. These bioinert CPCs might be useful for applications where slow or no resorption of the implant is required to achieve the desired clinical outcome.