A novel technique with compound tool for multi-stage metal spinning

The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology - Spinning processes are typically performed on multi-station mandrels whose operation costs time and effort. In the present work, a...     

Chemical composition of juice and seeds of pomegranate fruit

The edible parts of pomegranate fruit represented 52% of total fruit weight, comprising 78% juice and 22% seeds. The fresh juice contained 85.4% moisture, 10.6% total sugars, 1.4% pectin, 0.1 g/100 ml total acidity (as citric acid), 0.7 mg/100 ml ascorbic acid, 19.6 mg/100 ml free amino nitrogen and 0.05 g/100 ml ash. Meanwhile, the seeds are a rich source of total lipids, protein, crude fibers and ash representing 27.2, 13.2, 35.3 and 2.0%, respectively, and also contained 6.0% pectin and 4.7% total sugars. The iron, cupper, sodium, magnesium and zinc contents of the juice were lower than those of seeds, except potassium which was 49.2 ppm in the juice. On the other hand, the physical and chemical properties of seed's lipids indicated that the refractive index was 1.518, melting point 13.0°C, iodine value 74.2, acid number 1.1, unsaponifiable matters 0.7%, saponification value 188.9, ester value 187.8 and glycerol content 10.3%. Moreover, the studied lipids contained 11 fatty acids, from them caprylic, the predominant acid, represented 36.3%, followed by stearic acid (22.5%). Furthermore, oleic and linoleic acids covered 5.1% and 10.3%, respectively. Otherwise, the saturated fatty acids of seed's lipids of pomegranate composed 83.6% of the total fatty acids content.     

Optimization of acyclovir oral tablets based on gastroretention technology: factorial design analysis and physicochemical characterization studies

The purpose of this research was to prepare a floating drug delivery system of acyclovir. Floating matrix tablets of acyclovir were developed to prolong gastric residence time and increase its bioavailability. The tablets were prepared by direct compression technique, using polymers such as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose 4000, Compritol 888. Sodium bicarbonate was used as a gas-generating agent. A 32 factorial design using the Design Expert Software (version 7.1.6) was applied to optimize the drug release profile systematically. The amounts of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose 4000 (X?) and Compritol 888 (X?) were selected as independent variables and the percentage drug released in 1 (Q?), 6 (Q?), and 12 (Q??) h as dependent variables. The results of factorial design indicated that a high level of both hydroxypropylmethylcellulose 4000 (X?) and Compritol 888 (X?) favors the preparation of floating controlled-release of acyclovir tablets. Also, a good correlation was observed between predicted and actual values of the dependent variables chosen for the study. By fitting the data into zero-order, first-order, and Higuchi models, we concluded that the release followed Higuchi diffusion kinetics. Storage of the prepared formulations at 40°C/75% relative humidity for 3 months showed no significant change in drug release profiles and buoyancy of the floating tablets. We can conclude that a combination of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose 4000, Compritol 888, and sodium bicarbonate can be used to increase the gastric residence time of the dosage form up to 12?h. These floating tablets seem to be a promising gastroretentive drug delivery system.     

Characterization of composite materials based on LDPE loaded with agricultural tunisian waste

This study investigated the use of an available agricultural Tunisian vine stem waste as a filler material. Composites of green materials were prepared using vine stems as filler and low density polyethylene (LDPE) as a matrix. A series of composite films was prepared by different loadings of the vine stem waste with 10–50% of the filler in 10% intervals. The ensuing materials were characterized by several techniques. The morphology of the composites was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The thermal and mechanical properties were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), respectively. The results indicated that vine‐stem based particles enhanced the thermo‐mechanical properties of the thermoplastic matrix and demonstrated that this available lignocellulosic biomass of vine stems can be considered to be a promising filler material. However, the obtained result of water absorption indicated that the maximum limit of the filler content should not exceed 30% of vine stems. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:817–824, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Release of furosemide from sustained release microcapsules prepared by phase separation technique

Furosemide Eudragit RL-100 sustained release microcapsules were prepared using phase separation technique. The results of the release studies, in sorensen phosphate buffer at PH 7.4, indicated good sustained release of the prepared microcapsules. Increasing drug to polymer ratio resulted in a decrease in the release, while increased release obtained by increasing the PH of the dissolution medium. Dosing of healthy human volunteers with sustained release microcapsules resulted in a reduced and sustained urine volume compared to the profuse diuresis obtained with the conventional furosemide capsules.     

Evaluation Releasing Efficiency of Selected Micronutrients from Natural Polymer Complex in Laboratory and Field Conditions

This work is a part of long program for producing natural polymers which is used for application in different purposes in agriculture fields. A part of this program was the preparation of various compositions of Gum Arabic (GA) and Poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) with studying its physical and chemical characters. Whereas, the present work was concerning with the evaluation of released amount of selected micronutrients from the same complex under laboratory and field conditions.

In the laboratory, the prepared complex containing copper (Cu) or manganese (Mn) separately, were tested at different pH values for releasing at intervals.

The obtained results showed the possibility of using the Mn⁺² complex at 3000 mg kg^?1. Moreover, the obtained results showed that the maximum released amount was obtained at pH 7.0. A field experiment was planed according to the resulted data obtained in laboratory.

Samples were taken for elemental analysis either from soil or plants during all growth stages likeas vegetative, flowering, bear pods, full pods and harvesting. This analysis involved some selected macro- and micro nutrients such as N, P, K, Fe and Mn either in soil or plants (straw and seed). These results proved that efficiency of Mn-complex can release 1.0 and 34.0% to soil, and plants from used complex, respectively. Some increase in most of other elements compared with untreated plants was also obtained. The presence of the absorbed Mn⁺² from this complex activate the growth of plants and consequently increased the yield of seed than untreated samples. There is a linear relationship between the amount of absorbed Mn⁺² and the growth stages of the plants. This linear relationship has significant correlation coefficient (R ² = 0.5) of Mn⁺² uptake by straw or seed plants after end of stages.     

Structure and Spectral Properties of Pyrazine Ligand Assisted Self-Assembly of a Coordination Polymer Containing Copper-Cyanide Building Blocks

The metal–organic framework $ ^{3}_{\infty } \left[ {{\text{Cu}}_{3} \left( {\text{CN}} \right)_{3} \cdot \left( {\text{pyz}} \right)_{ 2} } \right] $ ∞ 3 [ Cu 3 ( CN ) 3 · ( pyz ) 2 ] , 1, (pyz pyrazine) was prepared in water/acetonitrile solvent at ambient temperature from the adducts K₃[Cu(CN)₄], pyrazine and Me₂SnCl₂. The structure of 1 consists of four-coordinate Cu(1) sites exhibiting a distorted tetrahedral geometry and the linear two-coordinate Cu(2) sites. Notably distorted cages, [Cu₈(CN)₄(pyz)₄], [Cu₈(CN)₆(pyz)₂] and [Cu₆(CN)₂(pyz)₄], can be considered as the basic building blocks of the structure of 1. Box-like structures create inextricably interpenetrated equivalent 3D-frameworks. The structure and spectroscopic properties of 1 were also investigated by thermal analysis and IR, mass, UV/Vis and fluorescence spectra.     

Environmentally friendly road construction

Environmental pollution is a major problem in developing countries like Egypt. Reuse of waste polymers is considered an attractive solution for environmental white pollution and reducing of the costs of road pavement and maintenance. This research aims to prepare environmentally friendly hot mix asphalt (HMA) for paving using some industrial wastes as polypropylene and polyester fibers. The solid materials in the mix include normal and highly porous aggregates. 5% and 10% of waste polymers by weight of the asphalt were used to prepare special binders. The samples were tested for their physical properties, chemical properties, aging, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). The results revealed that the prepared HMA using 5% of waste polymer had high performance as compared to the ordinary one and the waste polymer could be used in road construction.