Optimization Of Preparation Process Research Articles

Preparation Process Optimization of Glycolipids from Dendrobium officinale and the Difference in Antioxidant Effects Compared with Ascorbic Acid

Background:Dendrobium officinale glycolipids (DOG), often left as residues after hot water extraction for polysaccharide production, are often discarded. Methods: This study investigates the optimal extraction of DOG using response surface methodology, focusing on liquid–solid ratios, ethanol concentrations, extraction temperatures, and extraction times, while preliminarily analyzing DOG’s structural properties. Additionally, the differences in antioxidant effects between DOG and ascorbic acid based on intestinal flora metabolism were further evaluated. Results: The optimal parameters for DOG extraction were determined as follows: liquid–solid ratio of 20 mL/g, ethanol concentration of 70%, extraction temperature of 70 °C, and extraction time of 2.5 h, yielding 2.64 ± 0.18%. In addition, DOG was identified as a diglyceride, mainly composed of glucose, mannose, linoleic acid, 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, and presented certain direct free radicals scavenging effects. In animal experiments, unlike the direct free scavenging effects of ascorbic acid, DOG increased intestinal Bacteroides acidifaciens abundance in mice, up-regulated piceatannol expression, and down-regulated 1-naphthol expression, which contributed to antioxidant effects by enhancing the activities of SOD and GSH-Px while reducing MDA content. Conclusions: DOG was a diglyceride isolated from D. officinale residues after hot water extraction, and presented strong antioxidant effects by regulating intestinal flora metabolism. These findings could promote the efficient utilization of D. officinale and support further development of DOG in functional food applications.

Process optimization for preparation of curcumin and quercetin co-encapsulated liposomes using microfluidic device

Process optimization for preparation of curcumin and quercetin co-encapsulated liposomes using microfluidic device

Impact response characteristics and damage mechanism of continuous carbon-fiber-reinforced magnesium matrix composite materials

The continuous carbon-fiber-reinforced magnesium matrix composite (C_f/Mg) is a new type of composite material made of a magnesium alloy sheet and carbon-fiber-reinforced composite material with alternating layers. It has the advantages of high damage tolerance, light weight, and corrosion resistance, and has become the first choice of lightweight materials in aerospace, transportation, and other fields. Because impact-resistance serves as an important index for its structural design and performance stability, a continuous carbon-fiber-reinforced magnesium matrix composite with indirect bonding using a modified epoxy resin was designed in this study. Moreover, C_f/Mg was chosen to be the object of research through the selection of constituent materials such as magnesium alloys, carbon fibers, resins, and other properties, which matched the aim of realizing a lightweight material. With the help of hot-compression molding technology, dynamic impact mechanical behavior, and damage analysis technology, the structural design and preparation process optimization of epoxy resin carbon-fiber prepregs and magnesium alloy layer materials, as well as the dynamic impact mechanical response characteristics and damage evolution process under different impact energy conditions, were studied. Accordingly, through a combination of low-velocity impact experiments and numerical simulations, the effects of continuous multiple impacts at the same location with the same impact energy, as well as impacts with the same impact energy and different punch diameters, on the low-velocity impact damage behavior and dynamic impact response characteristics of C_f/Mg were investigated. The results of this study show that when the 5J impact is applied four times consecutively, the peak impact load gradually increases with the increasing number of impacts. Moreover, the peak impact loads of the second, third, and fourth impacts increase by 6.09%, 10.7%, and 14.5%, respectively, compared with the results of the first impact.

Machine learning-driven prediction of phosphorus removal performance of metal-modified biochar and optimization of preparation processes considering water quality management objectives

Developing an optimized and targeted design approach for metal-modified biochar based on water quality conditions and management is achievable through machine learning. This study leveraged machine learning to analyze experimental data on phosphate adsorption by metal-modified biochar from literature published in Web of Science. Using six machine learning models, the phosphate adsorption capacity of biochar and residual phosphate concentration were predicted. After hyperparameter optimization, the gradient boosting model exhibited superior training performance (R2 > 0.96). Metal load quantity, solid–liquid ratio, and pH were key factors influencing adsorption performance. Optimal preparation parameters indicated that Mg-modified biochar achieved the highest adsorption capacity (387–396 mg/g), while La-modified biochar displayed the lowest residual phosphate concentration (0 mg/L). The results of verification experiments based on optimized process parameters closely aligned with model predictions. This study introduces a new machine learning–based approach for tailoring biochar preparation processes considering different water quality management objectives.

Analysis of the adhesion mechanism of functionalized carbon nanotubes by molecular dynamics simulation.

Although a lot of research has been carried out on the adhesion mechanism of gecko bristles, the research on materials inspired by gecko bristles is still limited to the design of geometric structure and the optimization of preparation process, and the adhesion mechanism of materials is still unclear. In this paper, the molecular structure of the end of the bristle-like material is focused on, and the interaction between functional group modified carbon nanotubes and the interface is analyzed by molecular dynamics simulation. Thus, the influence of different polar functional groups on the interfacial force between carbon nanotubes and silica is revealed, and the adhesion enhancement mechanism of polar groups on the interface between carbon nanotubes and silica is further verified.

Optimization of preparation process and study on the properties and microstructures of nuclear natural graphite powder for HTR pebble fuel elements

Nuclear natural graphite powder (NNGP) is the key and main component in the matrix graphite (MG) of pebble fuel elements for high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTRs). In this study, a modified lab-scale powder preparation process of NNGP proposed for the first time would contribute to a more efficient and lower energy-consumption preparation system. The optimized NNGP was successfully prepared by the modified process, whose properties and microstructures were comprehensively investigated. The results indicated that the optimized NNGP possessed a lower specific surface area, a higher graphitization degree and fewer structural defects. MG pebbles manufactured by the optimized NNGP exhibited higher crush strength and thermal conductivity, a lower corrosion rate, as well as better thermal stability during heat treatment. This indicated that the modified NNGP was conducive to improving the integrity and safety of MG pebbles.

Towards rational design: Developing universal freezing routes for anchoring DNA onto gold nanoparticles

DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), also known as spherical nucleic acids, are widely used in the development of biosensors, resulting in anchoring DNA onto AuNPs being a crucial preparation step and a popular research topic. The latest freeze-anchoring method is a simple and time-saving alternative to traditional salt aging; however, its universal applicability remains limited. In this study, we explored the interfacial interaction between DNA and the AuNP surface and proposed various universal routes for promoting freezing anchoring. Among them, rational design has been considered as the core idea to overcome these limitations, particularly using non-thiolated DNA anchoring, which offers significant advantages such as being unmodified, cost-effective, and easily accessible. We emphasize the importance of sequence structure and preparation process optimization, which mainly considers differences in DNA conformation and electrostatic repulsion. Additionally, the prepared DNA-functionalized AuNPs exhibited complete biological hybridization capability, and the extreme limiting conditions for non-thiolated DNA freeze anchoring were clarified. In summary, this study enhances our understanding of the interfacial relationship between DNA and AuNPs in the freeze-anchoring process and can significantly advance the applications of DNA-functionalized AuNP-based biosensors.

Cell Sheet Technology: An Emerging Approach for Tendon and Ligament Tissue Engineering.

Tendon and ligament injuries account for a substantial proportion of disorders in the musculoskeletal system. While non-operative and operative treatment strategies have advanced, the restoration of native tendon and ligament structures after injury is still challenging due to its innate limited regenerative ability. Cell sheet technology is an innovative tool for tissue fabrication and cell transplantation in regenerative medicine. In this review, we first summarize different harvesting procedures and advantages of cell sheet technology, which preserves intact cell-to-cell connections and extracellular matrix. We then describe the recent progress of cell sheet technology from preclinical studies, focusing on the application of stem cell-derived sheets in treating tendon and ligament injuries, as well as highlighting its effects on mitigating inflammation and promoting tendon/graft-bone interface healing. Finally, we discuss several prerequisites for future clinical translation including the selection of appropriate cell source, optimization of preparation process, establishment of suitable animal model, and the fabrication of vascularized complex tissue. We believe this review could potentially provoke new ideas and drive the development of more functional biomimetic tissues using cell sheet technology to meet the needs of clinical patients.

Ball-milling of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide for enhanced UV protection

Among various sunscreen materials, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are excellent physical sunscreen components; however, these two materials tend to aggregate and form micrometer-sized particles that may impact their performance. This study utilizes fine grinding techniques to break up the aggregated oxide particles into small nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution averaging around 200 nm in diameter. The ground zinc oxide and titanium dioxide particles exhibit enhanced ability in absorbing and scattering ultraviolet radiation compared to their original state before grinding. Consequently, this research offers innovative concepts as well as approaches towards developing highly efficient yet low-toxic physical sunscreen components while significantly contributing to the preparation process optimization for mixed material performance.

Preparation process optimization and characterization of Litinan-based drug delivery system

Adriamycin is an antitumor antibiotic, but its systemic side effects and large adverse effects in clinical application limit its wide application. In this study, we prepared Lentinan-oleic acid polymers by esterification reaction and optimized their preparation process by response surface methodology. ADM/LNT-OA micelles were prepared by self-assembly to alleviate the side effects associated with drug administration. The morphology and performance measurements of ADM/LNT-OA were investigated by particle size potentiometry, fluorescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the reaction between Lentinan and oleic acid at pH 7 for 16 h at 25 °C was the best preparation condition for LNT-OA, and the degree of substitution of Lentinan could reach 53.6% with 97.5% yield. The ADM/LNT-OA micelles were spherical micelles of 164.2±11.4 nm with a potential of -30.9±1.5 mV, and their critical micelle concentration was 0.063 mg. In summary, our results suggest that the ADM/LNT-OA drug delivery system provides a basis for improving the efficacy and reducing the toxic side effects of the antitumor drug ADM.

Exploring the influence of magnesium stearate content and mixing modality on the rheological properties and in vitro aerosolization of dry powder inhaler

Since carrier-based dry powder inhalers (DPIs) suffer from inadequate drug deposition in the lung, an increasing number of marketed products have added magnesium stearate (MgSt) to improve the aerosolization, dispersion, and stability against moisture of DPI. However, for carrier-based DPI, there is a lack of examination of the optimal MgSt content as well as the mixing modality, and there is also a need to verify the applicability of rheological properties to predict the in vitro aerosolization of DPI formulations containing MgSt. Therefore, in this work, DPI formulations were prepared using fluticasone propionate as a model drug and commercial crystalline lactose Respitose® SV003 as a carrier within 1% MgSt content, the effect of MgSt content on the rheological and aerodynamic properties were investigated. After the optimal MgSt content was determined, the effects of mixing modality, mixing order, and carrier size on formulation properties were further investigated. Meanwhile, correlations were established between rheological parameters and in vitro drug deposition parameters, and the contribution of rheological parameters were determined using principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that the optimal content of MgSt in DPI formulations is 0.25%-0.5% under both high-shear and low-shear, using medium-sized carriers (D50 around 70 μm) and low-shear mixing are beneficial for improving in vitro aerosolization. Good linear relationships between powder rheological parameters such as basic flow energy (BFE), specific energy (SE), Permeability and fine particle fraction (FPF) were established, PCA showed that both flowability and adhesion are key properties affecting FPF. In conclusion, both MgSt content and mixing modality can influence rheological properties of the DPI, which can be used as a screeing tool for DPI formuluation and preparation process optimization.

Optimization of preparation process of high-strength pellets from Panzhihua ilmenite concentrate

Optimization of preparation process of high-strength pellets from Panzhihua ilmenite concentrate

Oral administration of Huanglian-Houpo herbal nanoemulsion loading multiple phytochemicals for ulcerative colitis therapy in mice

How to achieve stable co-delivery of multiple phytochemicals is a common problem. This study focuses on the development, optimization and characterization of Huanglian-HouPo extract nanoemulsion (HLHPEN), with multiple components co-delivery, to enhance the anti-ulcerative colitis (UC) effects. The formulation of HLHPEN was optimized by pseudo-ternary phase diagram combined with Box-Behnken design. The physicochemical properties of HLHPEN were characterized, and its anti-UC activity was evaluated in DSS-induced UC mice model. Based on preparation process optimization, the herbal nanoemulsion HLHPEN was obtained, with the droplet size, PDI value, encapsulation efficiency (EE) for 6 phytochemicals (berberine, epiberberine, coptisine, bamatine, magnolol and honokiol) of 65.21 ± 0.82 nm, 0.182 ± 0.016, and 90.71 ± 0.21%, respectively. The TEM morphology of HLHPEN shows the nearly spheroidal shape of particles. The optimized HLHPEN showed a brownish yellow milky single-phase and optimal physical stability at 25 °C for 90 days. HLHPEN exhibited the good particle stability and gradual release of phytochemicals in SGF and SIF, to resist the destruction of simulated stomach and small intestine environment. Importantly, the oral administration of HLHPEN significantly restored the shrunk colon tissue length and reduced body weight, ameliorated DAI value and colon histological pathology, decreased the levels of inflammatory factors in DSS-induced UC mice model. These results demonstrated that HLHPEN had a significant therapeutic effect on DSS-induced UC mice, as a potential alternative UC therapeutic agent.

Electrospray-Assisted Fabrication of Dextran-Whey Protein Isolation Microcapsules for the Encapsulation of Selenium-Enriched Peptide.

Selenium-enriched peptide (SP, selenopeptide) is an excellent organic selenium supplement that has attracted increasing attention due to its superior physiological effects. In this study, dextran-whey protein isolation-SP (DX-WPI-SP) microcapsules were fabricated via high-voltage electrospraying technology. The results of preparation process optimization showed that the optimized preparation process parameters were 6% DX (w/v), feeding rate Q = 1 mL/h, voltage U = 15 kV, and receiving distance H = 15 cm. When the content of WPI (w/v) was 4-8%, the average diameter of the as-prepared microcapsules was no more than 45 μm, and the loading rate for SP ranged from ~46% to ~37%. The DX-WPI-SP microcapsules displayed excellent antioxidant capacity. The thermal stability of the microencapsulated SP was improved, which was attributed to the protective effects of the wall materials for SP. The release performance was investigated to disclose the sustained-release capacity of the carrier under different pH values and an in-vitro-simulated digestion environment. The digested microcapsule solution showed negligible influence on the cellular cytotoxicity of Caco-2 cells. Overall, our work provides a facile strategy of electrospraying microcapsules for the functional encapsulation of SP and witnesses a broad prospect that the DX-WPI-SP microcapsules can exhibit great potential in the food processing field.

Batch Fabrication of Microminiaturized pH Sensor Integrated With IrO x Film and Solid State Ag/AgCl Electrode for Tap Water Quality Online Detection

Considering the indispensable of pH for tap water, a pH sensor with the characteristics of an implantable, long-term stable, and long lifetime is urgently needed for on-line and in situ pH monitoring in tap water, but this is always a challenging issue. In this article, a competitive integrated electrochemical pH sensor is developed and batch manufactured via micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS). A dense and ultrasensitive IrOx electrode is obtained for almost 1.5 times Nernst response (−82.88 mV/pH), after preparation process optimization. A Si-Si3N4-KCl agar gel-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) multilayer structured Ag/AgCl electrode is designed and proven to be a long lifetime (>40 days) and be stable. By integrating with the IrOx film and solid-state Ag/AgCl electrode on a mini chip and verifying the effectiveness of the as-fabricated sensor by pH detection, the miniature pH sensor demonstrates wide detection range (1.8–12), stirring sensitivity, desirable linearity ( <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${R}^{2}=0.999$ </tex-math></inline-formula> ), ideal repeatability and good resistance to other interference substances. Particularly, by employing the mass-production technique, favorable response consistency (relative standard deviation (RSD) < 2%) is witnessed, offering the opportunity to mass-produce the proposed sensor in the future. What’s more, the sensor still kept 91.7% sensitivity when compared to the sensitivity obtained at its initial state, after continuously operating for 32 days. Undoubtedly, the sensitive, durable, miniaturized, and mass-produced pH sensor proposed in this article is a competitive device to implant into the water pipeline for pH in situ online monitoring.

Preparation Process Optimization of Peptides from Agaricus blazei Murrill, and Comparison of Their Antioxidant and Immune-Enhancing Activities Separated by Ultrafiltration Membrane Technology.

Agaricus blazei murrill (ABM), a large fungus, is reported to have extensive biological activities but the antioxidant and immune-regulatory capacities have been less studied and the components responsible for the functions are unclear. This study prepared ABM peptides (ABMP) using ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction (UAEE) strategy and cascade ultrafiltration (UF) membrane technology. The UAEE extraction conditions were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) with four factors and three levels to achieve the maximum ABMP yield (34.03%); the optimal conditions were an enzyme amount of 4%, ratio of ABM to water of 1:30, ultrasonic power of 360 W, and ultrasonic time of 30 min. Four ABMP fractions were obtained after UF with different pore size and their antioxidant and immune-regulatory abilities were evaluated and compared. The results showed that they could effectively scavenge DPPH, hydroxyl, and ABTS radicals, especially for ABMP-2; the scavenging rate of the above radicals were 79.31%, 63.60%, and 96.08%, respectively. In addition, four ABMP fractions also activated macrophage activity through strengthening phagocytosis and the production of NO, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in a dose-dependent manner. Notably, the ABMP-2 fraction with a MW of 3-5 kDa and peptide purity of 82.88% was found to have the best effect, showing the maximum phagocytosis (189.37%) as well as NO (7.98 μM), IL-6 (195.05 pg/mL), IL-1β (876.15 pg/mL), and TNF-α (1620 pg/mL) secretion at a treatment concentration of 150 μg/mL. The findings indicated that the ABMP, especially for the separate ABMP-2, could be used as dietary supplements and have the potential to be exploited as immune-enhancing agents.

Optimization of Preparation Process and Pharmacokinetics of APAP Double-Release Pellet Capsules

In order to develop a kind of APAP double-release pellet capsules, which was prepared with the manual filling method, the immediate and sustained release pellets of a certain proportion were prepared by the fluidized bed coating and the extrusion spheroidization process, respectively. It was founded that both the prepared immediate-release pellets and sustained-release pellets had smooth and round surfaces. The particle size distribution ranged evenly from 16 to 35 mesh. Response surface plots showed that the optimal preparation prescription for immediate-release pellets were that ethanol concentration (X1) 70%, APAP 20%, MCC (X2) 40%, PVP K30 (X3) 20%, and sucrose pellet core 20%; and the optimal preparation prescription for sustained-release pellets were that HPMC concentration (X*3) 6.5%, APAP 30%, EC (X*1) 20%, MCC (X*2) 40%, PVP K30 4%, and lactose 6%. The results of pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that, after the APAP double-release pellet was orally administered, compared with that of conventional tablets, the plasma APAP levels in the blood circulation dramatically rose to significant peaks as a result of the quick and slow release of APAP from the capsules, which significantly prolonged the effective time of drugs in blood. Finally, immediate and sustained antipyretic-analgesic effects were obtained.

Study on the Preparation Process Optimization of Plywood Based on a Full Biomass Tannin-Sucrose Wood Adhesive

Study on the Preparation Process Optimization of Plywood Based on a Full Biomass Tannin-Sucrose Wood Adhesive

Preparation process optimization and evaluation of bioactive peptides from Carya cathayensis Sarg meal

Carya cathayensis Sarg meal (CM) is a by-product of the edible kernel during oil manufacture. In order to improve wastes utilization, the CM derived peptides (CMPs) that showed an in vitro radical scavenging ability were firstly prepared by five different hydrolases. Alcalase treatment revealed the highest yield and the optimal conditions were further determined by response surface methodology (RSM), under which the yield reached 35.84%. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion led to an enrichment of low molecular weight (MW) peptides (<3 kDa), which was beneficial for protecting hepatocyte damaged by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Furthermore, generated hydrolysates exhibited protective effects on paraquat-induced Caenorhabditis elegans via enhancing expressions of Skinhead-1 (SKN-1) and its downstream target including glutathione S-transferase (GST)-4 and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-3 to diminish oxidative stress. Taken together, our results demonstrated that simple enzymatic hydrolysis of crude protein powder from CM represents an efficient, eco-friendly and economical strategy for producing bioactive peptides, which can be supplemented in nutraceutical products and food preservation.

Research on laser preparation and grinding performance of hydrophilic structured grinding wheels

In order to solve the problems of workpiece damage and grinding wheel clogging when grinding difficult-to-cut materials such as alumina ceramics, organisms with regular hexagonal structures distributed on the body surface and with strong hydrophilicity and high anti-wear functions were used as biomimetic objects for the first time, and the preparation process optimization, structure size design and grinding performance evaluation of hydrophilic structured bronze-bonded diamond grinding wheels were explored in this paper. The influence of the preparation process parameters on the micro-topography and the dimensional accuracy of the structure on the surface of the grinding wheel was revealed, and a new laser structuring process based on the coordinated control of focus position and scanning times was proposed, which could efficiently prepare regular hexagonal structures with a small wall inclination angle and a depth of several millimeters on the surface of the grinding wheel. It was the first to clarify the influence of sub-millimeter-scale structure size on the contact angle of grinding fluid droplet on the surface of the grinding wheel and the surface hydrophilicity of the grinding wheel. Compared with that of the non-structured grinding wheel, the hydrophilicity of the structured grinding wheel was significantly improved, and its surface hydrophilicity increased with the increase of the structure spacing and depth, but had little correlation with the structure side length. The grinding performance of hydrophilic structured grinding wheels and non-structured grinding wheels was evaluated under extreme working conditions. Under the condition of grinding depth of 50 μm, 100 μm and 200 μm, compared with that of the non-structured grinding wheel, the peak grinding temperature of the structured grinding wheel was reduced by 18.0%, 30.4% and 15.2%, respectively, and the surface damage depth of the alumina ceramic after grinding by the structured grinding wheel was reduced by 53.7%, 46.8% and 24.3%, respectively. The hydrophilic structured grinding wheel can enhance the storage and transportation capacity of grinding fluid/chips, effectively relieve the clogging and dullness of the grinding wheel, and significantly reduce the high temperature and damage of grinding. In the next step, we will try to apply this type of grinding wheel to form grinding, in order to provide a reliable solution for suppressing form grinding damage of difficult-to-cut materials.