Reducing flow between manufacturing cells: a sensitivity analysis

We evaluate the sensitivity of cellular manufacturing performance to a reduction in intercell flow. Results from our simulation experiment indicate that the performance of cellular shops operating with lower run time variability, smaller batch sizes, longer setup times and larger reductions in setup times due to dedication, has a greater sensitivity to a reduction of intercell flow. In these scenarios, it would be easier to justify an investment in additional machines or specialized tooling required to reduce the level of intercell flow.     

Mesenchymal stem cells and cell-free preparations for treating atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic cutaneous inflammatory disease caused by an interaction between genetic, immune and epidermal barrier factors. Several treatments can be used to treat this disease but there are patients that do not respond to actual drugs. So, there is a need to develop effective therapies for AD. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are non-hematopoietic multipotent adult progenitor cells with immunomodulatory power and self-regenerating capacity to repair tissue damage, so they could be a potential effective treatment for AD. MSCs-Conditioned Medium (CM) and MSCs-exosomes are cell-free preparation with molecules secreted by stem cells that could be also beneficial for AD. This viewpoint reviews the actual development of MSCs, MSCs-CM and MSCs-exosomes for treating patients with AD.     

Iron Binding by Fiber is Influenced by Competing Minerals

Iron was bound by neutral (NDF) and acid (ADF) detergent fibers extracted from cooked pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). Soluble iron (total iron minus bound iron) in the presence of NDF was increased from 13.11 ± 5.08 to 35.58 ± 9.20% and from 22.22 ± 164 to 29.98 ± 0.96% when 1.17 and 1.38 ppm (18.4 and 21.4 PM) of copper and zinc were added, respectively. In contrast, 0.93 μm (14.6 PM) of copper decreased the soluble iron from 61.02 ± 5.77 to 17.88 ± 4.5% in the presence of ADF. Neither magnesium or cobalt altered the amount of soluble iron in the presence of fiber. The change in soluble iron was directly proportional to the concentration of copper and zinc. The presence of two types of binding sites is proposed.     

Restrictions to the use of cleanrooms for packaging pasteurised milk

The study evaluated the effect of packaging pasteurised milk inside an ISO Class 8 cleanroom and an external Class 7 antechamber. Chemical, microbiological and sensory analyses of three trials did not show evidence of improvements in the product shelf life, although the total airborne particle and the viable airborne counts were considerable higher outside the cleanroom than inside it. Post‐pasteurisation contaminations inherent to the equipments should be considered in futures studies. Therefore, the use of cleanroom technology is an operational alternative to be taken into consideration, provided that the characteristics of the whole system is compatible with the high standards of the clean air.     

RHEOLOGICAL BEHAVIOUR OF KIWI FRUIT JUICE CONCENTRATES

The rheological behaviour of diluted kiwi concentrates (22.5–63.0 °Brix) over the temperature range 4 to 70C, was studied. The values below 55.7 °Brix fit the power law while above 55.7 °Brix fit the Herschel-Bulkley equation. Maximum and minimum consistency index values were 62225 and 16 mPa. s ⁿ . Concentrates showed a yield stress at 55.7 °Brix, from 5 to 11 Pa, and 63.0 °Brix, from 19 to 53 Pa. Yield stress was correlated with temperature by means of a linear equation. Arrhenius activation energies were in the range of 28.97 to 33.89 kJ/mol. The average value of the flow behaviour indexes varied from 0.85 (sample at 22.5 °Brix) to 0.59 (sample at 63.0 °Brix). Simple equations are proposed to describe the combined effect of temperature and soluble solids content on consistency index and rheological behaviour index.     

Synthesis of 2-[~(18)F]fluoro-3-[2(S)-2-azetidinylmethoxy]pyridine as a radioligand for imaging nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nChRs) are involved in the various pharmacological effects or disease states. In order to study the central nChRs by PET or SPECT, some radioligands have been investigated. In this paper, the procedure for synthesis of 2-[18F]fluoro-3-[2(S)-2-azetidinylmethoxy]pyridine (2-[18F]-A-85380), a potential PET ligand for in vivo imaging nicotinic acetylcholine receptor was described. 2-[18F]-A-85380 was prepared from the precursor, 2-nitro-3-[(1-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-2-(S)-azetidinyl)methoxy]pyridine(4), which was synthesized with commercial (S)-2-azetid- inecarboxylic acid as starting material. The whole procedure for radiosynthesis and purification was executed in about 1h and 45-55% of the added fluorine-18 was found in the purified 2-[18F]-A-85380, with specific activity of 1.0-2.2×1011 Bq/μmol.