Scale Production Research Articles

Blasting techniques applied to control vibrations, flyrock, and slope damage while ensuring compatibility with fragmentation

Blasting operations in mines near communities are of increasing social concern and scientific investigation due to the potential structural damage and human discomfort caused by blasting induced vibrations. Therefore, a technical-scientific approach is necessary to conduct these activities safely and sustainably compatible with fragmentation requirements of the scale of production. This paper presents a case study of an open-pit mine located in Brazil, where blasts are frequently carried out near a community. Additionally, controlling flyrock is extremely important in this mine due to the proximity of people to the blasting sites, as well as controlling the slope damage. Thus, it became necessary to develop a methodology for the application and combination of techniques and simulation fo blasting-induced vibration and wall control, flyrock and fragmentation such as attenuation law, signature holes, decking charge techniques, pre-split holes. The proposed methodology was effective, validated, and is recommended for open-pit mines operating near communities.

Microfluidic Synthesis of Magnetic Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications.

Magnetic nanoparticles have attracted great attention and become promising candidates in the biomedicine field due to their special physicochemical properties. They are generally divided into metallic and non-metallic magnetic nanoparticles, according to their compositions. Both of the two types have shown practical values in biomedicine applications, such as drug delivery, biosensing, bioimaging, and so on. Research efforts are devoted to the improvement of synthesis strategies to achieve magnetic nanoparticles with controllable morphology, diverse composition, active surface, or multiple functions. Taking high repeatability, programmable operation, precise fluid control, and simple device into account, the microfluidics system can expand the production scale and develop magnetic nanoparticles with desired features. This review will first describe different classifications of promising magnetic nanoparticles, followed by the advancements in microfluidic synthesis and the latest biomedical applications of these magnetic nanoparticles. In addition, the challenges and prospects of magnetic nanoparticles in the biomedical field are also discussed.

Pennycress reduces potential for nutrient loss in Illinois.

Nutrient export of nitrogen and phosphorus from row crop agriculture in the Upper US Midwest is a threat to the structure and function of aquatic systems. To meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) nutrient reduction goals, the Upper US Midwest needs to implement strategies to reduce nutrient export from agriculture. Studies demonstrate the potential of cover crops to reduce the export of nitrate-nitrogen from the Upper US Midwest. We investigated the impact of the economically viable winter cash cover crop pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) on soil porewater nutrients and soil nutrients and characteristics. We used nine replicated 0.8ha plots (n=3 per treatment) at a production scale research farm over 4 years with pennycress and fertilized pennycress (56kg ha-1 of urea) treatments compared to a fallow reference. Over the study period, soil porewater nitrate-nitrogen was reduced by 53% in pennycress plots and 34% in fertilized pennycress plots relative to the fallow reference at a depth of 45cm. Early season establishment was crucial in providing nutrient reduction potential. In 2021, poor pennycress establishment resulted in porewater nitrate-nitrogen concentrations 141% higher than in 2022 with excellent pennycress establishment. Following pennycress termination, soil nitrate-nitrogen was reduced by 24% in pennycress and 26% in fertilized pennycress compared to the fallow reference in the top 30cm of soil. Following 4 years of pennycress planting, nitrate-nitrogen concentrations were significantly reduced with no broad effect on soil characteristics. We conclude that the novel pennycress crop has potential to reduce nutrient loss from row crop agriculture in the Upper US Midwest.

Edible Films from the Laboratory to Industry: A Review of the Different Production Methods

AbstractEdible films or coatings as potential replacements for traditional plastic food packaging are a popular subject for research. This article provides a narrative summary of the progress of research into edible food packaging and preparation methods at three different production scales over the past 5 years. First, at the laboratory research level, commonly used coating methods include dipping, vacuum dipping, and spraying. Films are mostly made by solution casting, while 3D printing film technology and electrospinning/electrostatic spraying are emerging technologies in the field. At the pilot level, panning coating, brush coating, and fluidized bed technologies give edible food packaging a more scalable and realistic approach. On an industrial manufacturing scale, in order to improve film formation efficiency, blowing, injection, calendering, etc. are generally based on the extrusion mode. Laboratory-scale research is critical for developing materials and exploring their properties. The technology used for industrial-scale production needs to consider factors such as cost and efficiency. Each technology for making food packaging needs to be selected according to the production purposes and the currently available packaging equipment. However, commonly used edible packaging source materials are generally derived from biological macromolecules such as proteins and polysaccharides. These materials are heated and extruded in industrial production, and their performance will be inferior to that of traditional plastic packaging. In addition, high cost is also a factor that must be considered.

Genome reduction improves octanoic acid production in scale down bioreactors.

Microorganisms in large-scale bioreactors are exposed to heterogeneous environmental conditions due to physical mixing constraints. Nutritional gradients can lead to transient expression of energetically wasteful stress responses and as a result, can reduce the titres, rates and yields of a bioprocess at larger scales. To what extent these process parameters are impacted is often unknown and therefore bioprocess scale-up comes with major risk. Designing platform strains to account for these intermittent stresses before introducing synthesis pathways is one strategy for de-risking bioprocess development. For example, Escherichia coli strain RM214 is a derivative of wild-type MG1655 that has had several genes and whole operons removed from its genome based on their metabolic cost. In this study, we engineered E. coli strain RM214 (referred to as WG02) to produce octanoic acid from glycerol in batch-flask and fed-batch bioreactor cultivations and compared it to an octanoic acid-producing E. coli MG1655 (WG01). In batch flask cultivations, the two strains performed similarly. However, in carbon limited fed-batch bioreactor cultivations, WG02 provided a greater than 22% boost to biomass compared to WG01 while maintaining similar titres of octanoic acid. Reducing the biomass accumulation of WG02 with nitrogen limited fed-batch cultivation resulted in a 16% improvement in octanoic acid titre over WG01. Finally, in a scale-down system consisting of a stirred tank reactor (representing a well-mixed zone) and plug flow reactor (representing an intermittent carbon starvation zone), WG02 again improved octanoic acid titre by almost 18% while maintaining similar biomass concentrations as WG01.

Does green financing promote outward FDI in enterprises? Evidence from China

In the context of sustainable development, green rules and standards have been incorporated into the international investment system. The specific advantages driving outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) by emerging market enterprises have also undergone profound changes. Green financing plays an important role in promoting green transformation and may become a new type of competitive advantage driving OFDI by firms. Based on legitimacy theory, we explore the impact of green financing on OFDI by emerging market firms. Using data from Chinese A-share listed companies from 2008 to 2021, we find that green financing significantly promotes corporate OFDI. Improving ESG levels, alleviating financing constraints and expanding production scale are the main channels. The positive effects of green financing on OFDI are more pronounced in heavily polluting industries, capital-intensive enterprises and state-owned enterprises. This study confirms the positive impact of green financing on OFDI earlier, and also provides useful inspiration and reference for emerging market countries to improve the green financial system and actively promote global green and sustainable development.

ANALYTICAL EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EQUITY MANAGEMENT IN AGRICULTURAL, FORESTRY AND FISHERY ENTERPRISES IN UKRAINE

The purpose of the research is to generalize the theoretical and methodological aspects and implementation an analytical evaluation of the effectiveness of the management of equity of agricultural, forestry and fishery enterprises of Ukraine using the data of official statistics on large, medium and small enterprises for ten years (2013-2022) as a basis for directing analysis results for the further search for reserves to improve the efficiency of equity management. Methodology. The basis of the research methodology is a dialectical approach, an analysis of data on the composition and structure of equity capital of agricultural, forestry and fishing enterprises of Ukraine for the period from 2013 to 2022 with the division of enterprises into large, medium and small using official statistical information, published on the website of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine. The results of the research showed that in the period from 2013 until 2022, the largest increase in the equity capital of agricultural, forestry and fishing enterprises of Ukraine was observed at the end of 2015 compared to the end of 2014 due to the simultaneous increase in the value of the indicator at enterprises of different sizes. In the structure of equity capital, the share of retained earnings (uncovered loss) was the most significant. In the vast majority of the research years, at average and small enterprises, cash revenue exceeded the amount of equity capital, while at large enterprises, from 2016 to 2022, equity capital made less than one turnover per year. As the calculations showed, large enterprises in the field of agriculture, forestry and fisheries of Ukraine do not properly take advantage of the possibilities of the influence of the scale of production on the formation of indicators of the efficiency of the use of equity. Practical implications. The practical significance of the obtained results lies in their focus on confirming the expediency of the further search for reserves to increase the efficiency of the use of equity, first of all, by large enterprises in the field of agriculture, forestry and fisheries of Ukraine. Value / Originality. The results of the conducted research serve as the basis for further in-depth analysis and search for reserves to increase the efficiency of equity management at different sized of business entities.

Research on tomato disease image recognition method based on DeiT

Tomatoes, globally cultivated and economically significant, play an essential role in both commerce and diet. However, the frequent occurrence of diseases severely affects both yield and quality, posing substantial challenges to agricultural production worldwide. In China, where tomato cultivation is carried out on a large scale, disease prevention and identification are increasingly critical for enhancing yield, ensuring food safety, and advancing sustainable agricultural practices. As agricultural production scales and the demand for efficient methodologies grows, traditional disease recognition methods no longer meet current needs. The agricultural sector's move towards more modern and scalable production methods necessitates more effective and precise disease recognition technologies to support swift decision-making and timely preventive actions. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a novel tomato disease recognition method that integrates the data-efficient image transformers (DeiT) model with strategies like exponential moving average (EMA) and self-distillation, named EMA-DeiT. By leveraging deep learning technologies, this method significantly improves the accuracy of disease recognition. The enhanced EMA-DeiT model demonstrated exemplary performance, achieving a 99.6 % accuracy rate in identifying ten types of tomato leaf diseases within the PlantVillage public dataset and 98.2 % on the Dataset of Tomato Leaves, which encompasses six disease types. In generalization tests, it achieved 97.1 % accuracy on the PlantDoc dataset and 97.6 % on the Tomato-Village dataset. Utilizing the improved DeiT model, a comprehensive tomato disease recognition system was developed, featuring modules for image collection, disease detection, and information display. This system facilitates an integrated process from image collection to intelligent disease analysis, enabling agricultural workers to promptly understand and respond to disease occurrences. This system holds significant practical value for implementing precision agriculture and enhancing the efficiency of agricultural production.

Dielectric drying of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens): impact on microbiological product quality, safety and stability

Abstract Along with the increasing scale of industrial production of insects as food and feed, the need for processing methods applicable on large scale is rising within the insect sector. One important processing technology in this context is drying, which aims at stabilising the quality of the insects. This study investigated the impact of dielectric drying technologies, specifically microwave (μW) and radio frequency (RF) drying, on the microbiological quality, safety, and stability of black soldier fly (BSF) larvae in comparison to the traditional methods oven drying and freeze drying. Before, during and after subjecting a large batch of blanched BSF larvae to the four drying technologies, their water activity and moisture content as well as general microbial and pathogen counts were assessed. Dielectric drying effectively reduced water activity, thus enhancing product stability. Microbiological analyses revealed the efficacy of blanching in microbial reduction, with dielectric (especially RF) drying further contributing to these reductions. The results, however, do not conclusively support nonthermal microbial inactivation through dielectric treatment. Specific analyses targeting foodborne pathogens indicated the absence of most selected bacterial pathogens, except for (presumptive) Bacillus cereus. This pathogen was detected in a few samples but remained below safety thresholds and was effectively eliminated by dielectric drying. Finally, a shelf life stability evaluation showed minimal changes in dielectrically dried BSF larvae over six months, indicating a microbiologically stable product. In conclusion, dielectric drying technologies can retain or even improve the microbiological quality and stability of BSF larvae in the insect industry and can be considered as valuable and more efficient (time, energy consumption) alternatives to oven and freeze drying.

3D stochastic simulation of a deep-water turbidite system: An example from the Los Molles Formation, southern region of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina

A recurring challenge in geological modeling is bridging the gap between different scales. For example, difficulties arise when connecting outcrop data through production to exploration scale models. An object-based stochastic simulation was performed using outcrop data from the Arroyo La Jardinera area in the southern region of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina. This simulation involved four depositional sequences in a vertical succession that includes turbidites and associated deep marine facies. The aims of this study are (a) to determine the best geological model consistent with field and aerial image data; (b) to validate the application of object modeling to determine facies distribution; (c) to evaluate uncertainties from models based on scarce data. The studied interval covers a transgressive (J1) to regressive succession (J21, J22, and J23) of basin plain to slope depositional settings, featuring sandy and gravelly turbidite channels, turbidite lobes and interlobes, lobe fringes, and muddy slope and basin plain. Each depositional sequence model was constructed using specific input parameters for architectural elements, with lithological proportions based on sedimentary logs. The J1 sequence includes basin plain, lobe fringe, and minor lobe deposits; J21 features turbidite lobes, fringes, and subordinate channels; J22 accommodates turbidite channels scoured into muddy slope facies; and J23 encompasses gravelly and sandy turbidite channels carved on muddy slope facies. The geostatistical modeling of outcrop data has allowed building a quantitative sedimentological model useful for understanding subsurface facies heterogeneity in both exploration (vertical) and production (horizontal) scales.

Family farm and family business: Distinction and transition between concepts

Objective: Explore the conceptual limits between the family farming unit and the agricultural family business to identify the elements that determine the transition from one figure to another. Methodology: The distinctive elements between both concepts were determined from the most relevant definitions reported in the literature. Subsequently, the transition from a family farming unit to an agricultural family business was illustrated based on the case study of an enterprise dedicated to the production and collection of barley in Hidalgo, Mexico. Results: Seven distinctive elements were identified between the family farming unit and the agricultural family business. Two elements (the scale of production and productive diversification) drive the transition, three are modified consequently (the source of labor, the priority destination of productive activity, and the strength of the link with agricultural land), and the remaining two are carried out infrequently (assignment of a non-family member as main head and disengagement of family members from community life). Limitations: The findings of the study lack statistical representativeness as they come from a case study. Conclusions: The seven distinctive elements between a family farming unit and an agricultural family business can be used to study the phenomenon of entrepreneurship around agriculture and to typify agricultural units to design differentiated strategies for political intervention.

Nanomaterial-Enhanced Microneedles: Emerging Therapies for Diabetes and Obesity.

Drug delivery systems (DDS) have improved therapeutic agent administration by enhancing efficacy and patient compliance while minimizing side effects. They enable targeted delivery, controlled release, and improved bioavailability. Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) offer non-invasive medication administration and have evolved to include methods such as chemical enhancers, iontophoresis, microneedles (MN), and nanocarriers. MN technology provides innovative solutions for chronic metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity using various MN types. For diabetes management, MNs enable continuous glucose monitoring, diabetic wound healing, and painless insulin delivery. For obesity treatment, MNs provide sustained transdermal delivery of anti-obesity drugs or nanoparticles (NPs). Hybrid systems integrating wearable sensors and smart materials enhance treatment effectiveness and patient management. Nanotechnology has advanced drug delivery by integrating nano-scaled materials like liposomes and polymeric NPs with MNs. In diabetes management, glucose-responsive NPs facilitate smart insulin delivery. At the same time, lipid nanocarriers in dissolving MNs enable extended release for obesity treatment, enhancing drug stability and absorption for improved metabolic disorder therapies. DDS for obesity and diabetes are advancing toward personalized treatments using smart MN enhanced with nanomaterials. These innovative approaches can enhance patient outcomes through precise drug administration and real-time monitoring. However, widespread implementation faces challenges in ensuring biocompatibility, improving technologies, scaling production, and obtaining regulatory approval. This review will present recent advances in developing and applying nanomaterial-enhanced MNs for diabetes and obesity management while also discussing the challenges, limitations, and future perspectives of these innovative DDS.

Coconut Cultivation in South Konkan Region of Maharashtra: A Study of Economic Well-being

A study on economic well-being was conducted in the South Konkan region with 144 sample coconut growers. The objective behind this study was to estimate cost, returns, profitability and financial feasibility of coconut production. The study was conducted by means of adoption index, standard cost concept and financial feasibility measures. Numerous technologies have been suggested by the Regional Coconut Research Station, Bhatye, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, to enhance the quality of coconut production after extensive research in the field. The extent up to which the technologies were adopted was 45.51 per cent overall. This suggested a wide scope for raising the adoption rate. The economic analysis of coconut production in the research area showed that growing coconuts through the use of recommended technology was profitable. It was observed that farmers are saving more on each expense due to the high adoption rate. In coconut cultivation, the net present value was positive (Rs. 230665). The B: C ratio is greater than one (1.41) and the internal rate of return (IRR) is higher than the going interest rate (23.01%). This demonstrated the economic viability of coconut production. The policy should be made to spread the recommendations to the farmers and training should be provided to farmers on larger scale for more profitable production.

Challenges and Solutions in Scaling Operations Globally: A Guide for U.S. Food and BeverageExecutives

Abstract—This paper explores the challenges and solutions associated with scaling operations globally in the food and beverage sector from a U.S. executive’s perspective. It examines why expanding internationally makes sense for companies with successful domestic products, highlighting the advantages of U.S. innovation and lower costs of innovation compared to local markets abroad. The paper outlines a strategic roadmap for global expansion, including test markets, partnerships with local firms, and focusing on countries with positive sentiments toward U.S. food safety standards. A hypothetical case study illustrates the growth process, emphasizing the need for internal buy-in, patience, and a long-term view. Potential pitfalls and strategies for success are discussed, along with competitive analysis and the role of disruption in scaling products. Index Terms—Global Expansion, Food and Beverage Industry, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), International Operations, U.S. Innovation, Market Entry Strategy, Competitive Analysis, Disruption

Technical note: Altitude scaling of 36Cl production from Fe

Abstract. Cosmogenic nuclide production rates depend on the excitation functions of the underlying nuclear reactions and the intensity and energy spectrum of the cosmic-ray flux. The cosmic-ray energy spectrum shifts towards lower average energies with decreasing altitude (increasing atmospheric depth), so production rate scaling will differ for production reactions that have different energy sensitivities. Here, we assess the possibility of the unique scaling of 36Cl production from Fe by modeling changes in the 36ClFe/36ClK and 36ClFe/10Beqtz production ratios with altitude. We evaluate model predictions against measured 36Cl concentrations in magnetite and K-feldspar and 10Be concentrations in quartz from granitic rocks exposed across an elevation transect (ca. 1700–4300 ma.s.l.) in western North America. The data are broadly consistent with model predictions. The null hypothesis that 36ClFe/10Beqtz and 36ClFe/36ClK production ratios are invariant with altitude can be rejected at the 90 % confidence level. Thus, reaction-specific scaling factors will likely yield more accurate results than non-reaction-specific scaling factors when scaling 36Cl production in Fe-rich rocks and minerals.

ВПЛИВ FINTECH НА РОЗВИТОК СТРАТЕГІЙ РЕАЛІЗАЦІЇ ТА ПЕРСОНАЛІЗАЦІЇ ІТ-ПРОДУКТІВ

Modern FinTech solutions significantly change traditional approaches to the development, implementation and sale of IT products, allowing companies to create unique financial instruments, reduce transaction costs and increase competitiveness. But the questions remain unclear which FinTech tools have the greatest impact on IT product implementation strategies and whether the use of financial technologies really affects the personalization of IT products in terms of efficiency and scalability. The purpose of the study is a comprehensive study of the influence of financial technologies (FinTech) on the development of strategies for the implementation and personalization of IT products, with the identification of key FinTech tools that contribute to the improvement of the processes of development, implementation and adaptation of IT products in accordance with the specific needs of users and markets. The object of the research is payment services as an innovative segment of FinTech and their marketing in the modern market, namely aspects related to the development, implementation, promotion and use of payment services. Scientific publications and monographic editions, magazine articles and materials of scientific and practical conferences became the methodological basis of the research. During the research, content analysis of scientific periodicals was used; comparative critical analysis of existing approaches and methods of analysis of financial stability and tax burden; statistical methods of analysis. The main hypothesis of the research is that FinTech technologies allow IT companies to more accurately adapt their products to the individual needs of users, which contributes to increasing the level of customer satisfaction, increasing loyalty and competitiveness of companies in the market. Presentation of the main material. The study analyzed the main FinTech tools, their impact on the business processes of IT companies, as well as possible risks and barriers to their integration. The relationship between the use of FinTech solutions and the improvement of the effectiveness of personalization of products, which positively affects the competitiveness of companies on the global market, is determined. Based on the results of the research, practical recommendations were formulated for IT companies regarding the optimal use of financial technologies in the processes of product implementation and personalization. Originality and practical significance. Key FinTech tools and their impact on the effectiveness of implementation strategies are considered, as well as the main challenges and risks associated with the integration of financial technologies into the development and implementation of IT products are identified. Based on the results of the research, recommendations are proposed for the use of FinTech to increase the effectiveness of personalization and scaling of IT products on the global market. Conclusions and prospects for further research. The analysis showed that the use of FinTech solutions allows IT companies to bring products to market faster, reducing the time for processing payments and interaction with customers, which improves the efficiency of business processes and allows companies to focus on the development of innovative products. Thanks to access to users' financial data and the latest algorithms for processing this data, companies can develop products that more accurately meet the needs of individual users. This contributes to increasing customer satisfaction, as well as the formation of long-term brand loyalty.

Orange-flesh sweet potato powder as a promising partial substitution rice flour to produce high quality and low glycemic index vermicelli

This study aims to improve the quality of vermicelli products by replacing a portion of rice flour with orange-fleshed sweet potato powder at four ratios ranging from 10 % (F1) to 25 % (F4) (5 % interval), while the control sample used 100 % rice flour (F0). The products were analyzed for quality and sensory characteristics. The analysis of five vermicelli production formulas revealed that the product made from formula F3, which contains OFSP powder and rice flour at a ratio of 20:80 %, had a relatively high amount of β-carotene (9.29 μg/g), a bright color (L∗ = 67.15, b∗ = 29.45), and a suitable hardness (46.79 g-force). The F3 sample had better cooking quality than the F0 sample, which was proved by the percentages of weight increase, volume increase, and dry matter loss of 59.88 %, 56.89 %, and 7.08 %, respectively. The estimated PRAL score of the product prepared from formula F3 was −1.45 (PRAL<0), indicating that the vermicelli product is alkaline, which can support and improve human health. A quantity of 100 g of vermicelli contains 25.15 g of carbohydrates, 3.17 g of protein, 1.48 g of lipids, 4.26 g of resistant starch, 2.43 g of fiber, and 1.66 g of ash. The reduction in estimated glycemic index (eGI) was also found, reaching a value of 51.24 for the F3 sample, whereas the eGI of F0 was 58.24 (medium-high range). Furthermore, microstructural image analysis (from a scanning electron microscope) of sample F3 indicated that OFSP powder addition could result in a better gel network structure than occurs in conventional vermicelli. The findings from this study will be a steppingstone to processing various popular food products with enhanced nutrients. This activity can also be developed on a larger production scale, improving the quality of life for communities, especially in areas with chronic vitamin A deficiency.

Sludge-derived biostimulants promote glycosylation of tricin and luteolin in the flavone and flavonol biosynthesis to enhance anti-inflammatory activities of rice

Alkaline thermal hydrolysis of sewage sludge produces nutrients and biostimulants that enhance plant growth, attracting considerable interest in agriculture. However, the metabolic differences and regulatory mechanisms of sewage sludge-derived biostimulants (SS-BS) on the phenotypic traits, nutritional quality, and safety indicators of harvested crops remain unclear. This study investigates the impact of SS-BS on rice quality on an agricultural production scale. The research reveals that rice treated with SS-BS complies with safety standards comparable to premium rice. SS-BS significantly enhances nutrient enrichment in the endosperm, increasing protein, vitamin B1, dietary fiber, and vitamin E content by 7%, 7.2%, 23.2%, and 42.2%, respectively. Furthermore SS-BS upregulates the FG2 gene,leading to increased Nictoflorin content and activation of the gene expression of UGT73C6 and CYP75A, which catalyze O-glycosylation and promot glycosyl transfer. By inhibiting the synthesis of Trifolin, Scolymoside, and Swertiajaponin, SS-BS favors the synthesis of glycosylated derivatives of Tricin and Luteolin, which exhibit higher anti-inflammatory activity. Additionally, two novel genes, novel.2100 and novel.1300, and an uncharacterized gene, LOC9269295, are closely associated with the production of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds. This study provides new evidence for SS-BS application and insights into their regulatory mechanisms affecting crop quality, contributing to the development of functional foods and sustainable agriculture.

A Simple and Facile Conjugate Addition of Cyclic and Acyclic 1,3‐Diketones to β‐Nitrostyrenes

AbstractA simple synthesis of 3‐hydroxy‐2‐(2‐nitro‐1‐arylethyl)cyclohex‐2‐en‐1‐ones, 3‐hydroxy‐5,5‐dimethyl‐2‐(2‐nitro‐1‐arylethyl)cyclohex‐2‐en‐1‐ones and 4‐hydroxy‐3‐(2‐nitro‐1‐arylethyl)pent‐3‐en‐2‐ones via conjugate addition of cyclic 1,3‐diketones, 1,3‐cyclohexanedione and 5,5‐dimethyl‐1,3‐cyclohexanedione and acyclic 1,3‐diketone, pentane‐2,4‐dione to β‐Nitrostyrenes were reported. This methodology is pleasing with reliability and scalability with gram scale products that can be synthesized.

Monitoring small-scale bioreactor studies for media development using polarized total synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy (pTSFS) and synchronous light scattering (SyLS)

Biopharmaceutical process development often involves the use of small-scale bioreactors (SSBR) for optimizing media formulations and process conditions during scale up to commercial scale production. Two key process parameters (CPP) used in SSBR studies are protein titre and viable cell density (VCD). Here, we explore the efficacy of parallel polarized total synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy (TSFS||) and Synchronous Light Scattering (SyLS||) to qualitatively monitor these CPPs and quantitatively predict titre and VCD for a large-scale cell culture media optimization SSBR study. The study involved 71 different media formulations (50+ components each), and the bioprocess was run for 13 days or more. Samples were extracted at set times (Day 0, 3, 9, and 13) and clarified by centrifugation. TSFS|| spectra showed significant emission changes along with increased light scatter over the course of the bioprocess. SyLS|| measurements strongly correlated with particle size data obtained from Dynamic Light Scattering but did not correlate well with VCD probably because of the centrifugation-based sample preparation. Statistical and principal component analysis (PCA) of the pTSFS data showed that spectral variation was greater between media formulations than due to the evolving bioprocess. This prevented the development of accurate global prediction models for media performance (e.g., predicting product titre at day 9 from media spectra measured at day 0). However, classification methods were successfully used to select media subsets with better quantitative prediction accuracy based on spectral similarities. A practical binary (high/low performance) classification model based on Support Vector Machines was generated for media formulation screening. Combining emission and scatter measurements with multivariate data analysis provides a more holistic, multi-attribute bioprocess monitoring method that minimizes the need to use different offline analytical methods. This methodology can be used to monitor process trajectories and deviations, and ultimately be used to predict bioprocess CPPs when implemented on production scale processes where there is much less compositional variation in the media. We believe this SSBR-pTSFS/SyLS approach will provide a valuable resource to develop the design/parameter space for in-process monitoring at production scale from early-stage process/media development studies.