Ratio Of Constituents Research Articles

GC-MS-employed phytochemical characterization, synergistic antioxidant, and cytotoxic potential of Triphala methanol extract at non-equivalent ratios of its constituents

Triphala is a famous triherbal drug, comprising three herb fruits, including Terminalia chebula (Haritaki), Terminalia bellirica (Bibhitaki), and Phyllanthus emblica (Amalaki). It is enriched with vitamin C, polyphenols, flavonoids, sterols, saponins, etc., and is well-documented for its potent antioxidant, anticancer, chemoprotective, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects. This research was conducted to evaluate the synergistic antioxidative and cytotoxic potential of mixtures of the individual constituents of Triphala at their nonequivalent ratios along with the chemical characterization of individual constituents of Triphala to identify and quantify individual compounds. The antioxidative potential was measured using total antioxidant capacity (TAC), DPPH free radical scavenging assay, and total phenolic content (TPC) tests. The cytotoxic potential was assessed on brain cancer cells (N4X4) using MTT assay, and phytochemical characterization was performed by GS-MS analysis. Nonequivalent ratios of Triphala constituents exhibited significantly higher synergistic antioxidant and cytotoxic potential than the equivalent ratios of them. Moreover, the nonequivalent ratio where the quantity of Amalaki was doubled than the other two constituents showed the highest synergistic antioxidant and cytotoxic effect. GC-MS analysis of individual constituents of Triphala identified and quantified the presence of a wide array of compounds, and fatty acid, fatty acid ester, triterpene, and aminoglycoside remained the predominant class of compounds. Thus, it can be inferred that the observed bioactivities can be attributed to the phytocompounds characterized and extracts at the nonequivalent ratio of Triphala constituents where Amalaki is doubled can be more effective in treating oxidative degenerative diseases and glioblastoma.

21 Decreasing Preparation Time of Full-thickness Engineered Constructs: Seeding Dermal Allografts with Non-cultured Keratinocytes

IntroductionEarly wound closure reduces risk of infection and fluid loss, which can reduce mortality and decrease length of hospital stay. The most common challenge associated with rapid wound closure in patients with large, full-thickness (FT) burns is lack of available donor skin. Tissue engineering can generate significant amounts of tissue for grafting but requires specialized facilities and up to three weeks of culture, substantially increasing time to closure.Off-the-shelf technologies that do not require ex vivo culture of cells represent a major advance in wound care. Point-of-care cell spray technology isolated using an autologous cell harvesting device (ACHD) allows for immediate application of a cell suspension to the wound bed, eliminating specialized laboratory equipment and culture of skin cells. The goal of this project was to assess the ability of freshly isolated skin cells harvested using ACHD or traditional laboratory techniques to regenerate epithelium on engineered dermal tissue, in an effort to decrease time required for preparation of FT engineered skin.MethodsDermal allografts were made by seeding collagen scaffolds with human dermal fibroblasts. Human surgical discard tissue was collected with IRB approval. Split-thickness skin (0.008”) was harvested from the discard tissue and cells were isolated using ACHD or via standard laboratory procedures following epidermal separation. Cell suspensions were seeded on the dermal allografts and cell populations were assessed histologically using H&E and Fontana-Masson’s, and via immunohistochemistry for Ki67, ColIV, ColVII, keratin 15, and involucrin. Advanced phenotyping of the cell suspension isolated using ACHD was assessed using flow cytometry.ResultsIsolation of cells using ACHD required 8-fold less preparation time and resulted in a different ratio of cell constituents. ACHD yielded suspensions comprised predominantly of keratinocytes (60-75%), fibroblasts (25-40%), and melanocytes (1-3%). Advanced phenotyping indicates subpopulations of keratinocytes including epidermal stem cells, activated keratinocytes, and proliferating keratinocytes. The standard laboratory protocol resulted in a keratinocyte suspension (96-99%) with melanocytes (1-3%) and no fibroblasts. Both cell suspensions were capable of epidermal regeneration with greater pigment and slightly higher numbers of proliferative cells and epidermal stem cells with the ACHD.ConclusionsThe results suggest non-cultured cell sprays have the potential to regenerate bioengineered dermal allografts in the absence of a split-thickness skin graft. Additionally, ACHD offers a significant time advantage to laboratory-based procedures in the preparation of cell-spray.

Formulation and Optimization of Progesterone Microemulsion Using Simplex Lattice Mixture Design

Progesterone (P4) is a neurosteroid hormone synthesized in both males and females, it is widely used in reproductive health and hormone replacement therapy. The aim of this study was to develop microemulsions (ME) and optimization of P4 microemulsion using a simplex lattice mixture design for enhancing the transdermal delivery of P4. Pseudo-ternary phase diagrams were generated to find the optimal ratio of the microemulsion constituents. The solubilities of P4 in different oils, surfactants, and co-surfactants were determined. The ME formulations of P4 were then prepared and optimized by simplex lattice mixture design. Each ME formulation was characterized for size, PDI, zeta potential, drug content, in vitro permeation study, and drug permeation in porcine skin. The result showed that the optimal ME formulation composed of 34.97 %w/w eugenol as the oil phase, 18.35 %w/w Labrasol® as the surfactant, 36.69 %w/w ethanol as the cosurfactant, and 10.00% w/w water containing HPβCD (1.0 M). The optimized ME showed an appropriate size of about 178 ± 42 nm with a low polydispersity index (PDI) and almost neutral charge. The drug content of the optimized ME was about 19.9 ± 0.6 %w/w. The results of in vitro permeability showed that the optimized ME formulation was significantly higher than the drug suspension. Moreover, the P4 from the optimized ME was able to be deposited in the dermis (1.07 mg) at a higher extent than in the stratum corneum (0.65 mg). In conclusion, this study explored a formulation approach to improve the transdermal permeation of P4.

Response Surface Method Based Modeling and Optimization of CMC-g Terpolymer Interpenetrating Network/Bentonite Superabsorbent Composite for Enhancing Water Retention.

Water shortages have become a serious issue, so the importance of developing innovative cellulose-based superabsorbent polymer (SAP) was experimentally assessed as an environmentally friendly alternative to acrylate-based SAPs for the optimization of water consumption. The development of a biodegradable superabsorbent hydrogel composite based on a graft copolymer of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and mixtures of different comonomers such as an acrylamide-co-acrylic acid-co-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (Am-co-AA-co-AMPS) CMC-g-TerPoly interpenetrating network was characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scan electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and swelling capacity in different aqueous media. The optimized CMC-g-(TerPoly) composite showing outstanding superabsorbance with high water retention, the ratio of constituents, temperature, and pH effect on equilibrium swelling have been optimized by using multistage response surface methodology (RSM). In distilled water (d-water), the equilibrium water absorption capacity (EW) of the synthesized composite hydrogels (SAP-IPN1) is 1200 g (d-water/1g hydrogel) which is superior to any other commercial polyacrylate SAP hydrogels, while in saline water the EW is 650 g (s-water/1g hydrogel). The performance of the SAP-IPN for water retention was evaluated by studying several swelling/deswelling cycle measurements. The prepared SAP-IPN hydrogels were found to show pH and salt solution dependence on the swelling behavior. The new SAP-IPN can work with commercial SAP, which is recommended for application as a water reservoir in arid land for irrigation for agriculture purposes.

Ultrasound characterization of bioinspired functionally graded soft-to-hard composites: Experiment and modeling.

Functional grading is a distinctive feature adopted by nature to improve the transition between tissues that present a strong mismatch in mechanical properties, a relevant example being the tendon-to-bone attachment. Recent progress in multi-material additive manufacturing now allows for the design and fabrication of bioinspired functionally graded soft-to-hard composites. Nevertheless, this emerging technology depends on several design variables, including both material and mechanistic ingredients, that are likely to affect the mechanical performance of such composites. In this paper, a model-based approach is developed to describe the interaction of ultrasound waves with homogeneous and heterogeneous additively manufactured samples, which respectively display a variation either of the material ingredients (e.g., ratio of the elementary constituents) or of their spatial arrangement (e.g., functional gradients, damage). Measurements are performed using longitudinal bulk waves, which are launched and detected using a linear transducer array. First, model is calibrated by exploiting the signals measured on the homogeneous samples, which allow identifying relationships between the model parameters and the material composition. Second, the model is validated by comparing the signals measured on the heterogeneous samples with those predicted numerically. Overall, the reported results pave the way for characterizing and optimizing multi-material systems that display complex bioinspired features.

High electrocatalytical performance of FeCoNiCuPd high-entropy alloy for nitrogen reduction reaction

To search excellent catalyst for electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (eNRR) is of great importance for the alternative to the traditional Haber-Bosch process. Herein, based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we systematically investigated the catalytic mechanism of eNRR on different-proportions high-entropy alloy (HEA) FeCoNiCuPd. The calculation of formation energy shown the dependence of structural stability on the ratio of constituents. Meanwhile, it is found that Ni0.3(FeCoCuPd)0.175 features high thermal stability. The Ni0.3(FeCoCuPd)0.175 with exposed crystal plane (111) exhibited excellent performance of eNRR with the lowest overpotential of 0.34 eV. Catalytically kinetic results demonstrated that Ni0.3(FeCoCuPd)0.175 follows the distal reaction pathway and the rate-determining step (RDS) was found to be *N2 →*NNH with the barrier of 0.50 eV. Relative to the secondary reaction of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), such catalyst achieves the excellent selectivity of 99%. Detailed electronical calculations results indicated the connection between catalytic activity and d-band center, shedding light on the critical role of Ni element ratio in the catalytic performance.

A preliminary animal study of thermal rheology fluid as a new temperature-dependent liquid intravascular embolic material

PurposeThermal rheology (TR) fluid, which comprises polyethylene (PE) particles, their dispersant, and solvent, is a material that increases in viscosity to various degrees depending on the type and ratio of these constituents when its temperature rises. The viscosity of type 1 (TRF-1) increases more than that of type 2 (TRF-2) near rabbit body temperature. This preliminary animal study aimed to determine the basic characteristics and embolic effect of TR fluid by comparing TRF-1 and TRF-2.Materials and methodsTwenty-four Japanese white rabbits underwent unilateral renal artery embolization using TRF-1 or TRF-2 and follow-up angiography at 7 or 28 days (4 subgroups, n = 6 each). Subsequently, the rabbits were euthanized, and the embolized kidneys were removed for pathological examination. The primary and final embolization rates were defined as the ratio of renal artery area not visible immediately after embolization and follow-up angiography, respectively, to visualized renal artery area before embolization. The final embolization rate and maximum vessel diameter filled with PE particles were compared between materials. Moreover, the embolic effect was determined to be persistent when a two-sided 95% confidence interval (CI) for the difference in means between the embolization rates was < 5%.ResultsThe final embolization rate was significantly higher for the TRF-1 than for the TRF-2 at both 7 (mean 80.7% [SD 18.7] vs. 28.4% [19.9], p = 0.001) and 28 days (94.0% [3.5] vs. 37.8% [15.5], p < 0.001). The maximum occluded vessel diameter was significantly larger for TRF-1 than for TRF-2 (870 µm [417] vs. 270 µm [163], p < 0.001). The embolic effect of TRF-1 was persistent until 28 days (difference between rates − 3.3 [95% CI − 10.0–3.4]).ConclusionThe embolic effect of TRF-1 was more persistent than that of TRF-2, and the persistency depended on the type and ratio of TR fluid constituents.

Assessing the representative elementary volume of rock types by X-ray computed tomography (CT) – a simple approach to demonstrate the heterogeneity of the Boda Claystone Formation in Hungary

Abstract X-ray computed tomography (CT) can reveal internal, three-dimensional details of objects in a non-destructive way and provide high-resolution, quantitative data in the form of CT numbers. The sensitivity of the CT number to changes in material density means that it may be used to identify lithology changes within cores of sedimentary rocks. The present pilot study confirms the use of Representative Elementary Volume (REV) to quantify inhomogeneity of CT densities of rock constituents of the Boda Claystone Formation. Thirty-two layers, 2 m core length, of this formation were studied. Based on the dominant rock-forming constituent, two rock types could be defined, i.e., clayey siltstone (20 layers) and fine siltstone (12 layers). Eleven of these layers (clayey siltstone and fine siltstone) showed sedimentary features such as, convolute laminations, desiccation cracks, cross-laminations and cracks. The application of the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Averages, Statistical Process Control (ARIMA SPC) method to define Representative Elementary Volume (REV) of CT densities (Hounsfield unit values) affirmed the following results: i) the highest REV values corresponded to the presence of sedimentary structures or high ratios of siltstone constituents (&gt; 60%). ii) the REV average of the clayey siltstone was (5.86 cm3) and (6.54 cm3) of the fine siltstone. iii) normalised REV percentages of the clayey siltstone and fine siltstone, on the scale of the core volume studied were 19.88% and 22.84%; respectively. iv) whenever the corresponding layer did not reveal any sedimentary structure, the normalised REV values would be below 10%. The internal void space in layers with sedimentary features might explain the marked textural heterogeneity and elevated REV values. The drying process of the core sample might also have played a significant role in increasing erroneous pore proportions by volume reducation of clay minerals, particularly within sedimentary structures, where authigenic clay and carbonate cement were presumed to be dominant.

Effect of aspect ratio of piezoelectric constituents on the energy harvesting performance of magneto-mechano-electric generators

In this study, we investigate the effect of the aspect ratio (length (L)/width (W)) of piezoelectric constituents on the energy harvesting performance of cantilever-structured magneto-mechano-electric energy generators comprising magnetoelectric composites. 56 Pb(Mg1/3,Nb1/3)O3–10PbZrO3–34PbTiO3 (PMN-PZT) single crystal fiber bundled plates with different aspect ratios (L/W = 0.59, 0.78, 1, 1.25, and 1.6), a magnetostrictive Ni plate and NdFeB permanent magnet proof mass were used to fabricate the magneto-mechano-electric generator. The results of a finite element analysis showed that the output electric potential is strongly dependent on the aspect ratio of PMN-PZT single crystal fiber plates for dual potential-inducing mechanisms, i.e., the magnetic torque (flexural transverse) and magnetic magnetostrictive (in-plane longitudinal) vibrations. However, magnetostrictive vibrations rather than magnetic torque dominate the generated output energy. The experimental results show good agreement with the results of the finite element analysis. The magneto-mechano-electric harvester with a PMN-PZT single crystal fiber aspect ratio of 1.6 shows a ∼440% increment in the root mean square voltage and power and a ∼300% enhancement in the power density measured at a load resistance of 100 kΩ and a magnetic field of 10 Oe.

Tracking Errors and Their Determinants

The purposes of this study are to compare the tracking error between 53 sampled physical and 15 over-the-counter (OTC) swap-type exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, and to contribute to a better understanding of the impact of selected determinants on the daily tracking error. The sample synthetic ETFs are found having higher tracking error than the sampled physical ETFs. The synthetic-type ETF managers may be difficult in using derivatives to replicate the benchmark performance. A panel regression model with cross-section fixed effects indicates the tracking error of the sampled physical ETFs is negatively related to size but positively related to expense ratio, dividend yield, trading volumes, market risk, and number of constituents in the target indexes. The results conform with the hypotheses that the expense, delay in receiving dividends, the trading cost and the market risk may erode the tracking ability; on the other hand, the economies of scale will improve the tracking ability. This study may help to raise a broader discussion of potential tracking error determinants and to provide some new insights.

Determining the effective compounds of Salvia miltiorrhiza through chromatographic fingerprinting coupled with chemometrics

Herbs are rich in the active ingredients of drugs for preventing or treating various disorders. However, conventional bioactivity-guided separation is time and labor-intensive and neglects the additive effect of multiple components. These problems hinder the development of new medicines from natural products. This study established a chemometric analysis method that integrates processes based on the spectrum-effect relationship for the rapid identification of the primary active components of a plant. The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprints of 171 Salvia miltiorrhiza extracts (SMEs) with varied constituent profiles were analyzed. Chemometric analysis was performed to establish an HPLC fingerprint–bioactivity relationship to explore the components of SMEs that contribute to the antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity effect, respectively. The results indicated that the developed strategy can be used to identify components largely contributing to particular bioactivities and re-evaluate the efficacy of previously neglected components. The present study identified not only the primary active components of S. miltiorrhiza but also the optimal ratios of constituents, validating the method for use in the future investigation and development of herbal medicines. Keywords: Chemometric, herb, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, fingerprint, Salvia miltiorrhiza.

Preparation and properties of self-assembled gels based on electrostatic interactions: Applications for N2/CO2 adsorption and inhibition

To solve the environmental problems caused by greenhouse gas emissions, a type of oxidized nanocellulose (NC)@chitosan (CS)@silica sol (Sol) gel foam based on electrostatic interactions was obtained by simple blending and freeze drying. The self-assembly process was driven by electrostatic forces between the negatively charged NC and Sol and positively charged CS. The gas adsorption properties of the gel foams under various ratios of constituents were studied by orthogonal experiments. The gel foam had a good adsorption capacity for CO2 at 30 °C. After eight adsorption–desorption cycles, the adsorption efficiency remained above 90%, indicating that the gel foam structure was stable. Infrared (IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses showed that CO2 adsorption occurred via physical adsorption. The interaction state and adsorption mechanism of CO2 and gel foam adsorption were explained using a molecular dynamics model. In addition, the gel material can be used as a filling material in underground coal mines for low-temperature resistance and to prevent the spontaneous combustion of coal. This conforms to the concept of sustainable development and has significant theoretical research significance.

Toxicological, histological and biochemical effects of Lepidium sativum seeds extract on Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae

The greater wax moth Galleria mellonella L. is a serious destructive pest of honeybee colonies in the beekeeping industry all over the world. The larvae feed on almost all of the honeybee products and have the ability to completely destroy the bee colony, especially the weakened ones. The toxicity and biochemical effect of garden cress, Lepidium sativum seed methanolic extract as natural product against greater wax moth was evaluated under laboratory conditions. The defatted seeds (250g) of garden cress were refluxed in 500 ml methanol, filtered and then dry in a rotary evaporator. Results revealed that the toxic effect of the garden cress extract against 5th instar larvae of G. mellonella was 1.15%, (LC50) after 24h. which induced more histopathological alterations on cuticle layers, fat bodies and muscle. Moreover, it causes highly significant inhibition in α, β esterase and phenol oxidase activities as well as possesses a significant reduction in protein content. On other hand, it causes an elevation in total lipid content and acid phosphatase activity. Also, apoptotic activity with DNA fragmentation was occurred at concentrations of 3, 2 and 1%. GC-MS analysis illustrated the toxic effect of methanol extract of L. sativum seeds related to a high ratio of phenolic, flavonoid and fatty acids constituents.

Grid-Assisted Co-Sputtering Method: Background, Advancement, and Prospect

In this paper, the incorporation of auxiliary grids/electrodes into the design of the sputtering method is scrutinized by studying the impact of factors such as grid size, grid position, grid bias voltage, electrode sheath design, substrate bias voltage, reactive gas partial pressure, and magnetic trap configuration on the discharge condition and thin-film growth. In this regard, utilizing the updated Berg model for reactive sputtering, the authors obtained a formulation for the reactive grid-assisted sputtering. By the newly-developed formulation, the sputtering rate and the reactive gas partial pressure were simulated as a function of the reactive gas flow rate for various grid-to-target distances, argon partial pressures (0.67, 1.6, and 3.6 Pa), and discharge current densities (0.01, 0.015, and 0.02 A/cm2). According to the computation results, with a grid being utilized, the width of the hysteresis loops can be modified in a broader range by changing either the grid-to-target distance, the argon partial pressure, or the discharge current, resulting in better control over the deposition process. Moreover, the novel configuration of anode-spot-assisted sputtering was proposed to significantly ionize sputtered/neutral atoms near the substrate and to simultaneously deposit sputtered species and products produced as the direct result of introducing dust into the dense plasma. Finally, diverse configurations of the grid-assisted co-sputtering method were introduced for two prime purposes: deposition of composite films in any desired ratios of constituents without significantly changing the other co-sputtering parameters, and favorable alternation of a hysteresis loop for one of the guns at shared gas flow rates.

Deciphering the effective combinatorial components from Si-Miao-Yong-An decoction regarding the intervention on myocardial hypertrophy

Ethnopharmacological relevanceSi-Miao-Yong-An decoction (SMYAD), a classical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, has been used to treat various cardiovascular diseases in clinics. Aim of the studyThe aim of this study is to investigate the effective combinatorial components from SMYAD and its mechanism regarding the intervention on myocardial hypertrophy. Materials and methodsSMYAD constituents absorbed in rat plasma and heart were identified using UHPLC Q-Exactive-Orbitrap MS/MS. The identified constituents in SMYAD were further analyzed using ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity) prediction and molecular docking. The effective constituents were identified using isoproterenol (ISO)-induced H9c2 cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, and neochlorogenic acid (NCA), chlorogenic acid (CA), cryptochlorogenic acid (CCA), isochlorogenic acid C (ICAC), angoroside C (AGDC), isochlorogenic acid A (ICAA), sweroside (SRD), and harpagide (HPD) in SMYAD extract were quantified by HPLC for compatibility. Finally, anti-hypertrophic activities of candidate effective combinatorial components, which were prepared according to the determined molar concentration ratio of effective constituents using reference substance solution, were analyzed using immunofluorescence staining and Quantitative real-time PCR. The expression levels of PI3Kα, p-ERK, p-Akt, Akt, p-mTOR, mTOR and HIF-1α were measured using Western blot. Results32 prototypes of SMYAD were identified from plasma and heart tissue of rat. Combining with ADMET prediction, 31 dominant constituents were focused. Based on HIF-1 pathway identified in preliminary result, 17 targets were focused, which were used to dock with 31 constituents. 27 constituents were therefore hit as the potential effective constituents of SMYAD in inhibiting myocardial hypertrophy. Bioactivity evaluation showed that NCA, CA, CCA, ICAC, AGDC, ICAA, SRD, and HPD significantly inhibited the increase of H9c2 cell surface area induced by ISO. Except for ICAA and AGDC, the remaining 6 effective constituents, showing a certain inhibitory effect on ISO-induced ANP mRNA overexpression at high and low concentrations, participated in compatibility based on the molar concentration ratio determined by HPLC. Effective combinatorial components composed of the 6 effective constituents (effective combinatorial components ABC) showed significant inhibitory effect on the increase of cell surface area, and the overexpression of ANP and β-MHC mRNA in H9c2 cells induced by ISO. Moreover, effective combinatorial components ABC significantly inhibited the protein overexpressions of p-Akt, p-mTOR and HIF-1α. Based on the results, we put forward the strategy of “Focusing constituents” and “Focusing targets” for the effective constituents research of TCM formula. ConclusionEffective combinatorial components ABC composed of NCA, CA, CCA, ICAC, SRD and HPD from SMYAD inhibited ISO-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and down-regulated expression of ANP and β-MHC mRNA through the inactivation of Akt/mTOR/HIF-1α pathway.

Continuous Integrated Process of Biodiesel Production and Purification—The End of the Conventional Two-Stage Batch Process?

In this research, optimization of the integrated biodiesel production process composed of transesterification of edible sunflower oil, catalyzed by commercial lipase, with simultaneous extraction of glycerol from the reaction mixture was performed. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were used in this integrated process as the reaction and extraction media. For two systems, choline chloride:glycerol (ChCl:Gly) and choline chloride:ethylene glycol (ChCl:EG), respectively, the optimal water content, mass ratio of the phase containing the mixture of reactants (oil and methanol) with an enzyme and a DES phase (mass ratio of phases), and the molar ratio of deep eutectic solvent constituents were determined using response surface methodology (RSM). Experiments performed with ChCl:Gly resulted in a higher biodiesel yield and higher glycerol extraction efficiency, namely, a mass ratio of phases of 1:1, a mass fraction of water of 6.6%, and a molar ratio of the ChCl:Gly of 1:3.5 were determined to be the optimal process conditions. When the reaction was performed in a batch reactor under the optimal conditions, the process resulted in a 43.54 ± 0.2% yield and 99.54 ± 0.19% glycerol extraction efficiency (t = 2 h). Unfortunately, the free glycerol content was higher than the one defined by international standards (wG &gt; 0.02%); therefore, the process was performed in a microsystem to enhance the mass transfer. Gaining the same yield and free glycerol content below the standards (wG = 0.0019 ± 0.003%), the microsystem proved to be a good direction for future process optimization.

한국어 분석 도구를 활용한 국어교과서 텍스트의 장르 비교 분석

This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of three different genres, including argumentative, expository, and narrative texts that were selected from high school Korean textbooks revised by the 2015 National Curriculum with Auto-Kohesion, a Korean text analysis tool. The indices used for the current study included basic measures (the number of words, the number of sentences, the average sentence length, the average word length), word frequency (word frequency for contents words and all words), lexical diversity (type-token ratio for content words), personal pronouns (the first person pronouns, the second person pronouns, the third person pronouns, all pronouns), connectives (causal, additive, and all connectives), syntactic complexity (the ratio of modifiers, the ratio of constituents), and reference cohesion measures. The analysis demonstrated that the argumentative and expository texts were not significantly different in all measures. However, the differences between the two genres versus narratives were substantial; a greater use of personal pronouns and lower frequency words as well as more words and sentences was identified in the narrative texts, whereas the argumentative and expository texts included the higher text cohesion and the sentence constituent ratio along with the longer average words and sentences. The argumentative texts have been shown to include more personal pronouns than the other two genres. The current study provides some implications for designing Korean textbooks and analyzing the characteristics of different genres.

Judicial design of graphene based nanocomposite harvesting UV-Visible spectrum: Efficient, eco-friendly solar photocatalyst for industrial waste management

The UV-Visible light reaping graphene based simple nanocomposite was designed by sensible choice and optimization of two constituents of the composite. The hydrothermally synthesized nanopetals of ZnO flower were decorated on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets. The absorptivity of ZnO was improved by aptly dispersion on rGO in the nanocomposites, harmonized with solar spectrum maximum (2.4 eV). Even though ZnO in nanoform is a strong UV absorber, our synthesized ZnO nanoflower showed a broad absorptivity covering UV and visible spectral range due to development of different energy states accompanied with various crystal defects. Development of rGO/ZnO composites with optimized ratio of constituents results in a board-range solar absorber (200–800 nm). The intensification in the luminescence accompanied by a reduction in the radiative lifetime of ZnO due to formation of nanocomposite implies a charge transfer process from LUMO levels of rGO to the conduction band of ZnO. Well-tuned absorptivity causing an ample of photogenerated carriers inside the nanocomposite and easy charge transfer between duo make the nanocomposite an efficient solar photocatalyst. Methodical and comparative studies of photocatalytic performance of our designed solar photocatalyst in degradation of cationic and anionic dyes were tested. The best performance was exhibited by 10rGO/ZnO nanocomposite [GO: Zn(NO3)2·6H2O ~ 0.0035 in reaction medium] to degrade the cationic dyes like Safranin O (78%) and Rhodamine 6G (65%) under white light irradiation. Suitable strategy of synthesizing the composite explored an environment-friendly, low-cost, efficient solar photocatalyst for industrial waste management.

Synthesis of optically active chiral mesoporous molybdenum carbide film

A chiral nematic mesoporous molybdenum carbide film (CN-Mo2C) was fabricated through the self-assembly of cellulose nanocrystal with peroxomolybdate. CN-Mo2C exhibits a tunable chiral nematic structure by varying the ratio of constituents, enabling a surface area of 210m2g−1. Importantly, it shows a typical chiroptical feature through polarized optical microscopy and circular dichroism spectral analysis. As it has an excellent conductivity of 2.4×10−2 S cm−1, we try to use CN-Mo2C in the electrocatalytic HER production, presenting an efficient H2 production capacity. It is a versatile synthetic strategy that can conveniently enable other large-area macroscopic chiral metal-based materials.

Mixed mode (I/II) fracture energy of cement emulsified asphalt mortar under intermediate temperature

Being a combination of sand, cement, water, and asphalt emulsion, Cement Emulsified Asphalt Mortar (CEAM) has better toughness and flexibility properties than cement mortar. Given the multiphase nature of CEAM, it is susceptible to micro-cracking during the setting process and also due to other factors such as traffic loads, undesirable atmospheric conditions. Given the typical direction of loading and cracking in these mortars, they are likely to experience mixed-mode fractures. Therefore, this study investigated the fracture properties of CEAM at service temperature in mixed mode I&II fractures. For this investigation, the mixed-mode fracture energy was determined through experiments on Semi-Circular Bending (SCB) specimens with the volume fractions of mortar treated as independent variables and the material behavior assumed to be viscoelastic at ambient temperature. Considering the need to investigate the effect of mix design ratios and their interactions, to reduce the number of experiments, and to limit these ratios to the ranges that produce acceptable rheological and mechanical properties, the D-Optimal mixture design method at 5% significance level was used to optimize the design of experiments and related analyses. Next, a regression model was developed for the relationship between fracture energy in each mode (I, II, I&II) and the mortar constituents. Also, the optimum mix design range to reach maximum fracture energy in all three modes was determined by graphical optimization. Analysis of the results with ternary contour plots showed the dependence of fracture energy and the optimum mix design range in the studied modes on the mix ratios of the CEAM constituents. The Cement and asphalt were identified as the independent variables with greatest effects on fracture energy variations and the optimum mix design. The results also revealed that as the asphalt emulsion-to-cement ratio increased, the maximum carried force decreased and the deformation corresponding to this force increased.