Effect Of Pretreatment Research Articles

Effect of ultrasound pretreatment combined with different drying methods on the quality and bioactive compounds of broccoli stems

SummaryThe effects of ultrasound (US) pretreatment combined with drying process on storage quality maintenance and bioactive compound accumulation of broccoli stems were investigated. Results indicated that US pretreatment (λ = 8.5 mm) delayed the decline of L* value and ascorbic acid content but inhibited the increase of a* and b* values, browning index, and microbial counts of fresh‐cut broccoli stems. Furthermore, the US application enhanced total phenolics content by activating phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase, cinnamate‐4‐hydroxylase, and 4‐coumarate‐CoA ligase in phenylpropane metabolism. Meanwhile, it also promoted γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) accumulation by upregulating activities of diamine oxidase, polyamine oxidase, and aminoaldehyde dehydrogenase in GABA shunt and polyamine degradation pathway, respectively, which in turn, accelerated the biosynthesis of GABA from polyamines and glutamate. In addition, compared with other three drying methods, the combined vacuum freeze drying (VFD) could further retain the sensory attributes and bioactive compounds to a maximum extent in dehydrated broccoli stems. Hence, current findings illustrated that US pretreatment combined with VFD process is beneficial for commercial quality maintenance and nutritional value enhancement, thus providing new perspectives on the comprehensive utilisation of broccoli stems.

Pyrolysis characteristics and hydrogen production mechanism of biomass impregnated with transition metals

The application of metal impregnation pretreatment to improve the quality of biomass pyrolysis gas production is considered as a promising upgrading technology. Transition metals have been well developed for the unique structural characteristics. After impregnation pretreatment, the product distribution of biomass pyrolysis was changed, and the transfer path of H atoms and the formation mechanism of H2 can be revealed through analysis. The effects of impregnation pretreatment with three different transition metals (iron, cobalt, and nickel) on the pyrolysis characteristics of corn straw were evaluated in this work. Three transition metal solutions with concentrations of 0.5 M, 1 M, and 2 M were used to explore the influence of impregnation concentration on the yield and composition of the pyrolysis products. The results showed that iron promoted the formation of liquid products, whose proportion increased by 37.29% upon increasing the impregnation solution concentration. The addition of cobalt and nickel led to more pyrolysis gas generation. When the impregnation solution concentration was greater than 0.5 M, the gas production rate exceeded 45 wt%. Nickel simultaneously promoted the generation of H2 and CH4 in pyrolysis gas, whose yields were increased by 63% and 20% respectively compared with raw materials. Py-GC/MS analysis showed that Co-CS had strong decarboxylation characteristics during pyrolysis. Metal impregnation decreased the content of aromatic compounds in tar, which increased the stretching vibrations of C-H bonds in char. Ring-opening rearrangements of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were promoted, which formed more -H. Nickel catalyzed the removal of CH3 and H groups and the rearrangement of C-O in volatile products, which formed more H2 and CH4. These findings provide an avenue to optimize the metal impregnation conditions to produce hydrogen via biomass pyrolysis.

Effects of pretreatment with long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists on pregnancy outcomes in patients with minimal and mild peritoneal endometriosis: A retrospective study of 274 frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles.

To investigate the effects of pretreatment with long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) before frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) on pregnancy outcomes in patients after minimal-mild (stages I-II) peritoneal endometriosis surgery. A retrospective cohort study was performed from March 2018 to May 2019. Overall, 274 patients met inclusion criteria of undergoing FET after minimal/mild peritoneal endometriosis surgery. For the FET protocol, patients were divided into 2 groups: GnRH-a plus hormone replacement therapy (HRT) (group A, n = 154) and HRT-only (group B, n = 120), with the former divided into 2 subgroups receiving 1 (group A1, n = 80) or 2 doses (group A2, n = 74) of GnRH-a. Basic characteristics and pregnancy outcomes of groups A and B and groups A1 and A2 were compared. Clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR) were the primary outcomes and logistic regression was used to analyze independent correlation factors. The CPR and LBR in group A were 58.4% and 50.0%, respectively, and were not significantly higher than in group B (49.2% and 40.0%; respectively, χ2 = 2.339, P = .126 and χ2 = 2.719, P = .099, respectively). CPR and LBR in group A1 were not significantly lower than those in group A2 (52.5% and 45.0% vs 64.9% and 55.4%, respectively; χ2 = 2.420, P = .120 and χ2 = 1.665, P = .197, respectively). However, group A2's CPR and LBR were significantly higher than group B's (64.9% and 55.4% vs 49.2% and 40.0%, respectively; χ2 = 4.560, P = .023 and χ2 = 4.375, P = .026, respectively). Logistic regression analysis showed that GnRH-a pretreatment (1 or 2 doses) had no significant effect on CPR and LBR compared with the HRT-only group. Patients with minimal-mild (stages I-II) peritoneal endometriosis surgery may not require GnRH-a pretreatment before FET.

Effect of calcium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide nanoparticles used as intracanal drugs after manual and ultrasonic removal on the bond strength of a new sealer with a pozzolan base (Endoseal mineral trioxide aggregate)

ABSTRACT Aim: The adhesion ability of filling materials to the root canal wall can be affected by the intracanal medicaments. The present study investigated the effect of pretreatment with nano-calcium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide on the bond strength of Endoseal mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) to root canal dentin. Materials and Methods: Fifty maxillary incisor teeth were randomly divided into two experimental groups (n = 20) and a control group (n = 10) after decoronation near the cementoenamel junction and root canal instrumentation according to the type of intracanal medicament (calcium hydroxide and nano-calcium hydroxide). Each experimental group was divided into two subgroups based on manual and ultrasonic drug removal methods. After removing intracanal medicaments and irrigating them, all the groups were obturated with gutta-percha and Endoseal MTA sealer. Then, the samples were sectioned into cross-sections with a thickness of 2 mm using a diamond disc, and the push-out bond strength test was performed on them. Results: The results showed no significant difference in the mean Endoseal MTA bond strength in terms of the type of intracanal medicament and the method used to remove it from the canal (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Using the ultrasonic method compared to the manual method in removing intracanal medicament resulted in no significant difference in the strength of the Endoseal MTA bond. Furthermore, the effect of nanoparticle calcium hydroxide on Endoseal MTA bond strength was not different compared to the conventional type of this medication.

Effect of microwave and ultrasonic pre-treatments on anaerobic co-digestion of orange wastes and municipal sewage sludge: A case study

The application of orange wastes (OW) in anaerobic digestion process still constitutes a technological challenge. One of the possibilities to overcome this issue is application of pre-treatment strategy. In this study, the effect of microwave (MW) and ultrasonic (US) pre-treatments on OW and sewage sludge (SS) co-digestion was examined. Firstly, the selection of optimal pre-treatment conditions in terms of solubilisation and generation of inhibitors (phenol and limonene contents) was conducted. For MW, irradiation time of 10 min and specific energy input of 28 089 kJ/kgTS were chosen as optimal. For US pre-treatment, specific energy input of 8914 kJ/kgTS and time of 20 min were adopted. Then, the mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion in batch mode was performed. However, neither of the two proposed pre-treatments had a significant impact on methane production, as compared to the untreated sample.

Pretreatment of Camellia oleifera shell by ethanolamine-based solvents for selective delignification and enhanced enzymatic saccharification

Fruit shell biomass is an agricultural waste that could be valorised into various value-added chemicals. However, the intertwined structure between lignin and holocellulose limits free sugar generation for further fermentation, requiring efficient pretreatment for selective delignification. We pretreated Camellia oleifera shell by ethanolamine-based solvents (binary deep eutectic solvents and single ethanolamine or its derivatives), and compared pretreatment effectiveness of these solvents. Single ethanolamine was the best among ethanolamine-based solvents, indicating the unnecessity of deep eutectic solvent synthesis. Furthermore, structural characterization confirms that ethanolamine could effectively deconstruct Camellia oleifera shell with the highest delignification (76.46%) and sugar yields (83.73% for glucose and 66.87% for xylose) at 130 °C for 3 h. Additionally, correlation analysis suggests that alkalinity and proton dissociation capacity together determined the delignification capacity of ethanolamine. Our findings serve a potential solution to valorise the waste fruit shell lignocellulose resources.

The effect of pre-treatments on atrazine removal from source water by microbubble ozonation.

Ozone-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have emerged a promising avenue for water treatment, offering effective removal of micropollutants. Recent research underscores the potential of ozone microbubbles to enhance ozone mass transfer during water treatment, particularly when combined with pre-treatment steps. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of three different combined processes (chlorine/KMnO4/PAC pre-treatment followed by ozonation) in removing atrazine, a common micropollutant from natural source water. Results revealed that all combined processes achieved higher atrazine removal rates compared to individual pre-treatment or ozonation methods. Notably, the highest atrazine removal rates were observed under alkaline pH conditions, with treatment outcomes influenced by oxidant dose and pH levels. Among the combined processes, chlorine pre-treatment followed by ozonation emerged as the most effective approach, achieving a removal rate of 59.7% that exceeded the sum of individual treatments. However, this treatment efficacy was affected by water quality parameters, particularly the presence of organic matter and elevated ammonia nitrogen concentration (> 0.5mg/L). This study highlights the potential for utilizing ozone micro/nanobubbles to enhance ozone mass transfer and offers valuable insights for optimizing the combined application of pre-treatment and ozonation strategies for efficient atrazine removal from natural water sources.

The effects of chronic, continuous β-funaltrexamine pre-treatment on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation and behavioral deficits in C57BL/6J mice

BackgroundInflammation and neuroinflammation are integral to the progression and severity of many diseases and are strongly associated with cardiovascular disease, cancer, autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative disease, and neuropsychiatric disorders. These diseases can be difficult to treat without addressing the underlying inflammation, and, as such, a growing need has arisen for pharmaceutical treatments that target inflammatory mediators and signaling pathways. Our lab has investigated the therapeutic potential of the irreversible µ-opioid antagonist β-funaltrexamine (β-FNA) and discovered that acute treatment ameliorates inflammation in astrocytes in vitro and inhibits central and peripheral inflammation and reduces anxiety- and sickness-like behavior in male C57BL/6J mice. Now, our investigation has expanded to investigate the chronic pre-treatment effects of β-FNA on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation and behavior in male C57BL/6J mice.ResultsMicro-osmotic drug pumps were surgically inserted into the subcutaneous intrascapular space of male C57BL/6J mice. β-FNA or saline vehicle was continuously administered for seven days. On the sixth day, mice were given intraperitoneal injections of LPS or saline. An elevated plus maze test, followed by a forced swim test, were administered 24 h post-injection to measure sickness-, anxiety- and depressive-like behavior. Immediately after testing, frontal cortex, hippocampus, spleen, and plasma were collected. Levels of inflammatory chemokines C–C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) were measured in tissues by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to assess expression of the enzyme indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and the NLR family pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NRLP3) inflammasome in frontal cortex and spleen tissues. Chronic pre-treatment robustly decreased inflammation in the hippocampus, frontal cortex, and spleen and reduced or abolished anxiety- and sickness-like behavior (e.g., increased time spent motionless, increased time spent in a contracted position, and reduced distance moved). However, treatment with β-FNA alone increased both inflammation in the frontal cortex and anxiety-like behavior.ConclusionThese findings provide novel insights into the anti-inflammatory and behavior-modifying effects of chronic β-FNA pre-treatment and continue to support the therapeutic potential of β-FNA under inflammatory conditions.

Study of the Effects of Plasma Pretreatment on the Microstructure of Peanuts

In this study, cold plasma treatments are employed to modify peanuts. This study systematically investigates the effects of various plasma treatment conditions, including power, duration, and gas type, on the microstructure of peanut seed coats and embryos. Observations under a scanning electron microscope (SEM) reveal that as plasma treatment power increases from 100 W to 500 W, the etching level of peanut seed coats significantly intensifies, surface roughness deepens, and concavities become more pronounced. Additionally, micro-pores on the seed coat gradually enlarge and form cracks. Specifically, when the plasma treatment is set at 200 W for 60 s, the oxygen (O2) treatment group shows interconnected cracks on the peanut seed coat surface, with lipid particles exuding and protein particles and polymers decomposing. In contrast, the helium (He) treatment group displays clear cell structures and deep grooves, with no noticeable lipid particles exuding around surface cracks. The argon (Ar) treatment group exhibits a distinct rectangular cell structure with clear boundaries, and although surface cracks form, only a few protein particles escape from the cracks. The embryo surface structure becomes looser after plasma treatment, leading to the disintegration of lipid particles, protein particles, and polymers, affecting the fusion and migration of large and small lipid bodies within the peanut’s internal structure. Increasing treatment duration intensifies the etching phenomenon, resulting in more lipid particles exuding, which indicates a positive correlation between lipid particles exuding and treatment duration. This study sheds light on the mechanisms underlying changes in peanut microstructure due to cold plasma treatment, providing scientific evidence for improving peanut quality, enhancing oil extraction efficiency, and optimizing food processing techniques.

Effect of Sodium Thiosulfate Pre-Treatment on Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Kidney Transplantation.

We recently reported in a rat model of kidney transplantation that the addition of sodium thiosulfate (STS) to organ preservation solution improved renal graft quality and prolonged recipient survival. The present study investigates whether STS pre-treatment would produce a similar effect. In vitro, rat kidney epithelial cells were treated with 150 μM STS before and/or during exposure to hypoxia followed by reoxygenation. In vivo, donor rats were treated with PBS or 2.4 mg/kg STS 30 min before donor kidneys were procured and stored in UW or UW+150 μM STS solution at 4 °C for 24 h. Renal grafts were then transplanted into bilaterally nephrectomised recipient rats which were then sacrificed on post-operative day 3. STS pre-treatment significantly reduced cell death compared to untreated and other treated cells in vitro (p < 0.05), which corresponded with our in vivo result (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in other parameters of tissue injury. Our results suggest that STS pre-treatment may improve renal graft function after transplantation.

Effect of ultrasonic pretreatment on the emulsion rheological properties and interface protein structure of epigallocatechin-3-gallate and rice bran protein complex

The effect of ultrasonic pretreatment on the emulsion rheological properties and the structural characteristics of interface-adsorbed protein (IAP) and interface-unabsorbed protein (IUP) of rice bran protein and epigallocatechin-3-gallate complex (RBP-EGCG) were studied. Compared to RBP-EGCG without ultrasonic pretreatment, appropriate ultrasonic pretreatment (ultrasonic power was 425 W) enhanced the IAP trypsin sensitivity (from 3.20 to 3.73), increased the IUP surface hydrophobicity (from 12.59 to 20.87), and decreased the ζ-potential (from −24.93 mV to −36.88 mV) and particle size (from 567.30 nm to 273.13 nm) of IUP, thereby increasing the viscosity and viscoelasticity of emulsion. Compared to appropriate ultrasonic pretreatment, high-power ultrasonic pretreatment (ultrasonic power was 500 W) attenuated the IAP trypsin sensitivity, and increased the ζ-potential and particle size of IUP, thereby decreasing the viscosity and viscoelasticity of emulsion. Overall, ultrasonic pretreatment changed the EGCG-RBP emulsion viscoelasticity by regulating spatial structural characteristics and flexibility of interface protein.

The Effects of Pretreatment with Atorvastatin, Fenofibrate, or Both Drugs in a Mouse Model of Acute Lipemia Induced by the General Lipase Inhibitor Poloxamer 407

The Effects of Pretreatment with Atorvastatin, Fenofibrate, or Both Drugs in a Mouse Model of Acute Lipemia Induced by the General Lipase Inhibitor Poloxamer 407

Effect of pre-treatments and drying methods on beetroot powder

Effect of pre-treatments and drying methods on beetroot powder

Comparison of Lung Tissue-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Using Multiple Dissociation Methods for Profiling Protein Biomarkers.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) operate as chemical messengers that facilitate intercellular communication. Emerging evidence has demonstrated that lung tissue-derived EVs play pivotal roles in pulmonary physiological processes and have potential as biomarkers and therapeutics for lung diseases. Multiple methods have been proposed for the isolation of lung tissue-derived EVs. However, the effects of different tissue pre-treatments on lung EV isolation and subsequent disease biomarker discovery have not yet been comprehensively investigated. In this study, we compared the physical characteristics, recovery yields, and protein compositions of EVs isolated from lung tissues using three methods based on different tissue dissociation principles. Methodologically, the beneficial roles of blood perfusion and gentle meshing were emphasized based on their impact on EV yield and purity. These results demonstrate that different methods enrich distinct subpopulations of EVs that exhibit significant differences in their protein cargo and surface properties. These disparities directly affect the diagnostic detection of marker proteins related to lung diseases, including lung tumors, asthma, and pulmonary fibrosis. Collectively, these findings highlight the variations in EV characteristics resulting from the applied approaches and offer compelling suggestions for guiding researchers in selecting a suitable isolation method based on downstream functional studies and clinical applications.

Transcranial direct current stimulation enhances the protective effect of isoflurane preconditioning on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury: A new mechanism associated with the nuclear protein Akirin2.

Ischemic stroke is a major cause of disability and mortality worldwide. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and isoflurane (ISO) preconditioning exhibit neuroprotective properties. However, it remains unclear whether tDCS enhances the protective effect of ISO preconditioning on ischemic stroke, and the underlying mechanisms are yet to be clarified. A model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), a rat ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury model, and an invitro oxygen-glucose deprivation/re-oxygenation (O/R) model of ischemic injury were developed. ISO preconditioning and tDCS were administered daily for 7 days before MCAO modeling. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, modified neurological severity score, and hanging-wire test were conducted to assess infarct volume and neurological outcomes. Untargeted metabolomic experiments, adeno-associated virus, lentiviral vectors, and small interfering RNA techniques were used to explore the underlying mechanisms. tDCS/DCS enhanced the protective effects of ISO pretreatment on I/R injury-induced brain damage. This was evidenced by reduced infarct volume and improved neurological outcomes in rats with MCAO, as well as decreased cortical neuronal death after O/R injury. Untargeted metabolomic experiments identified oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) as a critical pathological process for ISO-mediated neuroprotection from I/R injury. The combination of tDCS/DCS with ISO preconditioning significantly inhibited I/R injury-induced OXPHOS. Mechanistically, Akirin2, a small nuclear protein that regulates cell proliferation and differentiation, was found to decrease in the cortex of rats with MCAO and in cortical primary neurons subjected to O/R injury. Akirin2 functions upstream of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN). tDCS/DCS was able to further upregulate Akirin2 levels and activate the Akirin2/PTEN signaling pathway invivo and invitro, compared with ISO pretreatment alone, thereby contributing to the improvement of cerebral I/R injury. tDCS treatment enhances the neuroprotective effects of ISO preconditioning on ischemic stroke by inhibiting oxidative stress and activating Akirin2-PTEN signaling pathway, highlighting potential of combination therapy in ischemic stroke.

Exploring the effects of extracranial injections of botulinum toxin type A on activation and sensitization of central trigeminovascular neurons by cortical spreading depression in male and female rats.

OnabotulinumtoxinA (onabotA), is assumed to achieve its therapeutic effect in migraine through blocking activation of unmyelinated meningeal nociceptors and their downstream communications with central dura-sensitive trigeminovascular neurons in the spinal trigeminal nucleus (SPV). The present study investigated the mechanism of action of onabotA by assessing its effect on activation and sensitization of dura-sensitive neurons in the SPV by cortical spreading depression (CSD). It is a follow up to our recent study on onabotA effects on activation and sensitization of peripheral trigeminovascular neurons. In anesthetized male and female rats, single-unit recordings were used to assess effects of extracranial injections of onabotA (five injections, one unit each, diluted in 5 μl of saline were made along the lambdoid (two injection sites) and sagittal (two injection sites) suture) vs. vehicle on CSD-induced activation and sensitization of high-threshold (HT) and wide-dynamic range (WDR) dura-sensitive neurons in the SPV. Single cell analysis of onabotA pretreatment effects on CSD-induced activation and sensitization of central trigeminovascular neurons in the SPV revealed the ability of this neurotoxin to prevent activation and sensitization of WDR neurons (13/20 (65%) vs. 4/16 (25%) activated neurons in the control vs. treated groups, p = 0.022, Fisher's exact). By contrast, onabotA pretreatment effects on CSD-induced activation and sensitization of HT neurons had no effect on their activation (12/18 (67%) vs. 4/7 (36%) activated neurons in the control vs. treated groups, p = 0.14, Fisher's exact). Regarding sensitization, we found that onabotA pretreatment prevented the enhanced responses to mechanical stimulation of the skin (i.e. responses reflecting central sensitization) in both WDR and HT neurons. In control but not treated WDR neurons, responses to brush (p = 0.004 vs. p = 0.007), pressure (p = 0.002 vs. p = 0.79) and pinch (p = 0.007 vs. 0.79) increased significantly two hours after CSD. Similarly, in control but not treated HT neurons, responses to brush (p = 0.002 vs. p = 0.79), pressure (p = 0.002 vs. p = 0.72) and pinch (p = 0.0006 vs. p = 0.28) increased significantly two hours after CSD. Unexpectedly, onabotA pretreatment prevented the enhanced responses of both WDR and HT neurons to mechanical stimulation of the dura (commonly reflecting peripheral sensitization). In control vs. treated WDR and HT neurons, responses to dural stimulation were enhanced in 70 vs. 25% (p = 0.017) and 78 vs. 27% (p = 0.017), respectively. The ability of onabotA to prevent activation and sensitization of WDR neurons is attributed to its preferential inhibitory effects on unmyelinated C-fibers. The inability of onabotA to prevent activation of HT neurons is attributed to its less extensive inhibitory effects on the thinly myelinated Aδ-fibers. These findings provide further pre-clinical evidence about differences and potentially complementary mechanisms of action of onabotA and calcitonin gene-related peptide-signaling neutralizing drugs.

Effect of twin-screw extrusion pretreatment on starch structure, rheological properties and 3D printing accuracy of whole potato flour and its application in dysphagia diets

Twin-screw extrusion pretreatment has great potential for the development of three-dimensional (3D) printed food as dysphagia diets. This study aimed to investigate the effect of twin-screw extrusion pretreatment on starch structure, rheological properties and 3D printing accuracy of whole potato flour and its application in dysphagia diets. The results indicated that twin-screw extrusion pretreatment was found to change chain length distributions, short-range ordered structure and relative crystallinity of whole potato flour (WPF), thereby improving its 3D printing performance. With the increasing proportion of long linear chains (DP > 12), the intensity of hydrogen bonds, linear viscoelastic region, storage modulus (G′), loss modulus (G″), viscosity and n of whole potato flour paste were increased, enhancing high printing accuracy and shape retention of 3D printed samples with a denser microstructure and smaller pore diameter distribution. The whole potato flour paste extruded with a peristaltic pump speed at 5.25 mL/min (WPF-4) displayed the highest printing accuracy with excellent rheological properties, good water distribution state and dense network structure, which classified as class 5 level dysphagia diets. This research provides an effective guidance for the modification of whole potato flour using twin-screw extrusion pretreatment as 3D printed food inks for dysphagia patients.

Effect of ultrasonic pretreatment on physicochemical, thermal, and rheological properties of chemically modified corn starch

This study investigated the effects of ultrasonic and three chemical individual and dual modification treatments on corn starch's physicochemical, thermal, and rheological properties. Ultrasonication and the three chemical treatments disrupted the starch granules with a decrease in particle size and a significant increase in the ζ-potential. The hydrophilicity of ultrasonic-oxidized dual-modified starch (U-O-CS) was the highest, at 0.854 g/g. The lipophilicity of ultrasonic-esterified dual-modified starch (U-E-CS) was the highest, at 1.485 g/g. The gelatinization temperature of ultrasonic, oxidation, and cross-linking modified starches increased significantly, with cross-linking starches being the largest. Oxidative treatment significantly decreased the starch's G' and G" and weakened the textural properties. The rheological properties of U-O-CS were further weakened. The G' of the starch decreased after the esterification treatment, while the G" increased, and the textural properties were cut. The maximum rheological and textural properties were obtained for crosslinked modification, with a hardness value of 284.70 g.

Microbial community dynamics and volatile fatty acid production during anaerobic digestion of microaerated food waste under different organic loadings

This study examined the effects of microaeration pretreatment and varying organic loading rates (OLRs) on volatile fatty acids (VFAs) production from food waste (FW) via anaerobic digestion process. FW was pretreated with 6 mL O2/g VS and digested at OLRs ranging from 10 to 25 g/L VS. Microaeration pretreatment increased the VFA yield to 7.4 g/L, whereas without pretreatment, it was 5.19 g/L, with butyrate as the dominant VFA (92 % at 25 g/L OLR) due to Firmicutes enrichment. A relatively high OLR initially increased VFA production but later favored propionate without pretreatment. Microbial analysis revealed that aerobic conditions promoted lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus, increasing lactic acid production, whereas anaerobic conditions promoted Prevotella and butyrate producers such as Clostridium, which specialize in acetate and butyrate production. This study highlights that microaeration and an optimal OLR can increase and stabilize VFA yields, modulating the microbial community for tailored VFA profiles that are useful in biofuel and biochemical applications.

Effects of pre-treatment with commercial cellulase and hemicellulase and laboratory beating of unbleached pine kraft pulp on freeness, paper strength, and fiber quality

Effects of pre-treatment with commercial cellulase and hemicellulase and laboratory beating of unbleached pine kraft pulp on freeness, paper strength, and fiber quality