Wet Mass Research Articles

Using Chia Powder as a Binder to Obtain Chewable Tablets Containing Quinoa for Dietary Fiber Supplementation

The consumption of fiber in the human diet is a global recommendation to ensure a healthy diet. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), a gluten-free grain, and chia (Salvia hispanica), a seed, contain a high fiber content, and both have the potential to be used in the development of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical formulations. An interesting characteristic of chia is its ability to form viscous mucilage when in contact with water, making it a potential binder in solid formulations. However, there are no studies on chia as a binder, and therefore, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility of using chia as a binder to produce quinoa granules and, subsequently, develop chewable tablet formulations. The quinoa and chia were in a powder form and then transformed into a wet mass with the help of mixer torque rheometer (MTR) equipment. In the wet granulation form, the following parameters were tested: multiple additions, 15 g of material, and 25 timepoints for the addition of 1 mL of water. An experimental design was carried out to evaluate the impact of the variables on the MTR results for subsequent granulation. The granulation point was possible for T1–T9, and most formulations gave satisfactory results, such as an acceptable resistance of the granules. In the end, a formulation was selected for the development of chewable tablets containing quinoa and chia fibers.

Microplastics in the Danube River and Its Main Tributaries—Ingestion by Freshwater Macroinvertebrates

This study was carried out at the Danube River and its tributaries during the Joint Danube Survey 4 (JDS4) expedition. Three freshwater benthic species were used to estimate the quantity of microplastics (MPs): Corbicula spp., Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri (Claparede, 1862), and Polypedilum nubeculosum (Meigen, 1804). Following the kick and sweep technique, individuals were sampled using a hand net or dredge. In order to estimate the number of MP particles/individual particles/g wet body mass, the body mass and total length of all specimens were measured. Alkaline (Corbicula spp. and L. hoffmaisteri) and enzymatic (P. nubeculosum) protocols were performed for tissue degradation. All samples were filtered through glass microfiber filters (mesh size 0.5 µm). The particles were photographed, measured, and counted. A total of 1904, 169, and 204 MPs were isolated from Corbicula spp., L. hoffmaisteri, and P. nubeculosum, respectively. To confirm the chemical composition of isolated MPs, a subsample of 46 particles of the fragmented particles from 14 sampling sites was analysed via µ-ATR-FTIR spectroscopy analysis. The particles were characterised as polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene–polyethylene copolymer (PP-PE), nylon (polyamide-PA) and cellophane, with the domination of PET.

African Breadfruit Seed Oil as Lipid Phase of Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery System for Improved Gastrointestinal Fluid Solubility of Ibuprofen: Design and Evaluation

Introduction: Rain forest vegetations all over the world produce large quantity of economically important seed oils which, in most developing countries are utilized only as food condiments but hardly employed in pharmaceutical formulations.
 Objectives: The purpose of this work was to formulate ibuprofen-loaded self-emulsifying drug delivery system for the enhancement of the gastrointestinal fluid solubility of this poorly water soluble drug.
 Methods: The breadfruit seed oil was extracted by the soxhlet extraction technique and characterized for various physicochemical properties including acid, iodine, peroxide, saponification values and organoleptic properties. The super saturation solubility process, water titration studies and pseudo ternary phase diagrams were used to select and quantify the components of the emulsion systems. The liquid self-emulsifying drug delivery systems were converted to solid forms by adsorption onto a blend of miceocrystalline cellulose and Aerosil-200 powders. The resulting wet mass was dried and processed for encapsulation.
 Results: The percentage yield of the oil from the extraction process was 20.68 % while the acid, iodine, and saponification values were, 4.12 ± 1.24, 21.91 ± 0.88, and 302.45 ± 1.22 respectively. The ibuprofen exhibited higher solubility in the hydrolysed oil than in the crude form. Fourier transform infrared analysis did not reveal existence of component incompatibility. The optimized liquid and solid emulsions exhibited standard characteristics that were compatible to previous literature reports. The formulations also exhibited superior drug release properties over two control samples.
 Conclusion: It was concluded that Breadfruit seed oil has the potential to function as the lipid component of ibuprofen-loaded self-emulsifying drug delivery system formulated to enhance the aqueous solubility of the drug.

On population structure and breeding biology of burrowing crab Dotilla blanfordi Alcock, 1900.

The present study investigated the population structure and breeding biology of the burrowing brachyuran crab species Dotilla blanfordi Alcock, 1900, which is commonly found on the sandy beach of Bhavnagar, located on the Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat coast, India. Monthly sampling was conducted from February 2021 to January 2022 at the time of low tide using three line transects perpendicular to the water line, intercepted by a quadrate (0.25 m2) each at three different levels of the middle intertidal region: 20 m, 70 m, and 120 m. The quadrate area was excavated up to 30 cm and sieved for specimen collection. The collected specimens were categorised into different sexes viz., male, non-ovigerous female, or ovigerous female. For the fecundity study of D. blanfordi, the carapace width (mm) as a measure of size as well as their wet weight (g), size, number, and mass of their eggs were also recorded. The study revealed sexual dimorphism among the population, with females having significantly smaller sizes as compared to males. The overall population was skewed towards females, with a bimodal distribution of males and females. The occurrence of ovigerous females throughout the year suggests that the population breeds incessantly throughout the year, with the highest occurrence in August and September. A positive correlation was observed between the morphology of crabs (carapace width and wet body weight) and the size, number, and mass of eggs.

Endurance exercise preserves physical function in adult and older male C57BL/6 mice: high intensity interval training (HIIT) versus voluntary wheel running (VWR).

Exercise has been shown to improve physical function, mitigate aspects of chronic disease and to potentially alter the trajectory of age-related onset of frailty and sarcopenia. Reliable and valid preclinical models are necessary to elucidate the underlying mechanisms at the intersection of age, exercise, and functional decline. The purpose of this study was to compare, head to head, the effects of two common pre-clinical models of endurance exercise: high intensity interval training (HIIT) and voluntary wheel running (VWR). The hypothesis was that a prescribed and regimented exercise program, HIIT, would prove to be a superior training method to unregulated voluntary exercise, VWR. To investigate this hypothesis, we evaluated adult (n = 24, designated 10m, aged 6 months at the beginning of the study, 10 months at its completion) and older adult (n = 18, designated 26m, aging from 22 months to 26 months over the course of the study) C57BL/6 male mice. These mice were randomly assigned (with selection criteria) to a 13-week program of voluntary wheel running (VWR), high intensity interval training (HIIT), or sedentary control (SED). The functional aptitude of each mouse was determined pre- and post-training using our composite CFAB (comprehensive functional assessment battery) scoring system consisting of voluntary wheel running (volitional exercise and activity rate), treadmill (endurance), rotarod (overall motor function), grip meter (forelimb strength), and inverted cling (whole body strength/endurance). To measure sarcopenia, we tracked body mass, body composition (with EchoMRI), plantar flexor torque (in 10m), and measured muscle wet mass post-training. Overall, adult CFAB scores decreased while body mass and percent body fat increased as they matured; however, exercise significantly mitigated the changes (p < 0.05) compared to SED. Older adults demonstrated preservation of function (CFAB) and reduced body fat (p < 0.05) compared to SED. To conclude, both types of exercise maintained physical function equally in older mice.

The use of computed tomography for in vivo estimation of reticulo-rumen and omasum contents in Alpine goats

Precise in vivo measurement of reticulo-rumen content (volume and mass) is required for the study of digestive processes. Rumen-cannulated animals have been classically used for this purpose, and less invasive alternatives are currently investigated to meet the replacement, reduction, and refinement (3Rs) ethical considerations in animal science. The objective was to compare in vivo reticulo-rumen and omasum volumes assessed by computed tomography (CT) scan with postmortem measurement of their respective digesta masses in dairy goats. Twenty Alpine dairy goats were scanned by CT, and the volumes of the reticulo-rumen and omasum were measured by CT image postprocessing. Goats were slaughtered immediately after CT scan and the masses of reticulo-rumen and omasum digesta were measured. Simple linear regressions were performed between volumes measured in vivo by CT and the corresponding digesta wet masses measured postmortem. Reticulo-rumen and omasum volumes determined by CT were significantly and linearly regressed against the corresponding digesta masses measured postmortem (R2 = 0.72 and 0.87, residual standard deviation = 1.18 and 0.06 kg, and residual coefficient of variation = 11% and 12%, n = 20 and 19, respectively). The use of CT is a promising noninvasive method to measure volume and estimate digesta masses of reticulo-rumen and omasum in small ruminants.

Proximate and fatty acids composition in the muscle of wild and farmed sardine (Sardinella brasiliensis)

Wild sardines contain a high level (2560 mg/100 g n-3 LC-PUFA of wet mass) of long-chain (≥C20) polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), namely, PUFA with 20 and 22 carbon atoms, however, in captivity their fatty acid composition can be affected by food and farming conditions. Therefore, this study evaluated the proximate composition and fatty acid profile of sardines cultivated in the four seasons of the year as well as compared to those captured in the wild in the spring. In both analyses, farmed sardines differed significantly from wild specimens. Total lipid content was significantly higher, especially in winter, with 14.52 % and 2.37 % for farmed and wild sardines, respectively. The fatty acid profile had a prevalence of n-3 LC-PUFA in wild fish (17.6 %) and n-6 PUFA ​​in farmed fish (12.2 %). LC-PUFA showed higher relative levels in wild animals, 16.4 % against 1.2 % for farmed sardines in winter. In absolute terms, the amount of EPA (eicosapentaenoicacid) and DHA (docosahexaenoicacid) in farmed sardine was similar to the wild specimens in spring 4000 mg/100 g and 3000 mg/100 g, respectively.

Performance evaluation of a passive air conditioning module integrating radiative sky cooling and indirect evaporative cooling

Amidst escalating global warming challenges, the demand for sustainable, carbon-free cooling technologies in buildings has become pressing. While radiative cooling (RC) and indirect evaporative cooling (IEC) are carbon–neutral, their efficacy is constrained by a limited cooling capacity. This study introduces an innovative passive air conditioning module that integrates RC and IEC to boost efficiency. The RC-IEC module unifies the air-conditioning process in both the RC and dry channels of the IEC unit, ensuring air cooling with a constant humidity ratio. A portion of the IEC dry channel outlet air is redirected to the wet channel to augment the efficiency of the IEC process. The outlet air from the wet channel is directed to the secondary RC air channel for cold energy recovery instead of being directly exhausted. The developed mathematical model, validated with experimental data, demonstrates that the RC-IEC system lowers the supply air temperature by 0.88 °C compared to the IEC-only system. This corresponds to an 11.91 % and 9.94 % improvement in dew-point effectiveness and cooling energy gain, respectively. A parametric study indicates the system's suitability for hot, arid climates, with optimal performance at a wet channel air mass fraction of 0.31. The analysis of the annual cooling performance of the RC-IEC system across diverse climates, spanning from Athens to Singapore, spotlights Dubai's system as the most efficient, achieving a remarkable annual gain of 1081.09 MJ. The study emphasizes the need for tailored strategies, such as advanced air dehumidification technologies, to optimize cooling in humid regions like Singapore.

Preparation process selection of presonalized traditional Chinese medicine concentrated watered pills containing heat-unstable components

In the process of preparing presonalized concentrated watered pills, the decoction needs to be concentrated by heat and mixed with medicinal slices or powder to prepare a wet mass. However, some of the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) components are easily decomposed or transformed by heat. In order to optimize the preparation process of presonalized TCM concentrated watered pills and reduce the loss of heat-unstable components in prescriptions, this study uses five compound TCM prescriptions containing heat-unstable components as model prescriptions, namely the Linggui Zhugan Formula, Xiaochengqi Formula, Sanpian Formula, Xiaoer Qixing Formula, and Xiaoyao Formula. Based on the two kinds of preparation process of presonalized concentrated watered pills previously established by our research group, whole extract concentrated watered pills and concentrated watered pills without excipients are prepared, respectively. Characteristic maps are measured and compared with those of the corresponding decoction. The results show that the characteristic maps of the concentrated watered pills without excipients of the five model prescriptions are very close to those of the decoction, and the number of characteristic peaks and peak areas are higher than those of whole extract concentrated watered pills. In addition, the peak area of some peaks is higher than that of the corresponding decoction. Thus, it is recommended to select the preparation process of prescription-based concentrated watered pills without excipients based on the &quot;unification of medicines and excipients&quot; to preserve those heat-unstable components more effectively when the prescription contains a heat-unstable component of TCM. This study provides a basis for the subsequent reasonable development and application of presonalized TCM pills.

Analysis of Extreme Weather Causes of Flooding in Manado North Sulawesi

On January 27 and 28 2023, Manado City was hit by heavy rain which caused several areas to experience significant flooding. The high intensity of rain during that period reached extreme levels, resulting in the inundation of several areas and submerging hundreds of residents' houses in 22 villages or sub-districts and 7 sub-districts in Manado. In studying this event, this research investigates the factors that influence extreme weather in Manado, observing sea surface temperature data, streamlines, air observations, the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). The analysis shows that the positive SOI and negative IOD phenomena significantly impact extreme weather in the region. Cumulonimbus (Cb) clouds drove the atmospheric conditions formed on January 27 and 28 2023 and air flows from the Indian Ocean which brought wet air masses into Indonesian territory. High sea surface temperatures, reaching 28-29°C, also play a role in the intensive growth of rain clouds. Based on atmospheric conditions seen from radiosonde observation data, the stability index value shows that unstable conditions trigger heavy rain which causes flooding

Drying Kinetics and Mass Transfer Characteristics of Walnut under Hot Air Drying

This study was conducted to investigate the drying kinetics and internal and external mass transfer characteristics of walnuts for an understanding of the drying mechanism. The drying characteristics, mass transfer characteristics, and color of walnut during hot air drying (HAD) were investigated under different initial moisture content (IMC) (0.35, 0.39, and 0.43 g water/g wet mass) and drying temperatures (50, 60, 70, and 80 °C). The results indicated that the IMC and drying temperature both have significant effects on the drying process of walnut, showing the higher the IMC, the longer the preheating time, the smaller the effective moisture diffusivity (Deff) and mass transfer coefficient (hm), and the longer the drying time, but reverse results for drying temperature. The values of Deff and hm for walnut ranged from 4.94 × 10−10 to 1.44 × 10−9 m2/s and 1.24 × 10−7 to 3.90 × 10−7 m/s, respectively. The values of activation energy for moisture diffusion and mass transfer ranged from 21.56 to 23.35 kJ/mol and 28.92 to 33.43 kJ/mol, respectively. Multivariate linear prediction models were also established for estimating the Deff and hm as a function of the HAD process parameters. The drying temperature has a greater effect on the walnut kernel lightness than the IMC. The Verma et al model could be used to describe the HAD process of the walnut. The findings contribute to the understanding of moisture transfer mechanisms in walnuts and have practical value for the evaluation and improvement of drying systems.

Heat and Mass Transfer Characteristics of Oily Sludge Thermal Desorption

Oily sludge is a loose material containing solid and multiple liquid components. Thermal desorption is an efficient method of disposing of liquids from oily sludge. Most existing studies have mainly discussed the effect of some external process parameters on thermal desorption, with little discussion on the heat transfer characteristics and the variation in the wet component mass of oily sludge under heating. Small-scale experiments have been performed to measure the rise in temperature and liquid phase content change of the sludge during heating. The temperature rise rate increases with material density and increases faster during the initial heating stage, while it slows down as the liquid phase evaporates. The adhesive shear stress is determined by measuring the pulling force of the test rod, which decreases with decreasing water content and increases significantly with decreasing oil phase content. Heat transfer and energy distribution models have been developed to calculate the rise in the temperature of materials and the evaporation of contained liquids. The heat and mass transfer processes are obtained from simulation calculations by taking the initial material with a mass content of 25% water and 10% oil under a heating temperature of 500 °C. When the heating time reaches 135 min, the drying region reaches the boundary of the test container, at which the material temperature exceeds 350 °C. During the evaporation of different liquid-phase components, there are multiple segments in the corresponding temperature curves. The processing time and heat source temperature can be reasonably determined by analyzing the temperature rise of the material, and the effect of the disposal of liquids from oily sludge can be predicted by analyzing the changes in liquid content. The results may guide the formulation of process parameters for engineering project schemes for oily sludge disposal.

Prototyping of rotating packed bed structural internals

A rapid prototyping method was developed for quick and inexpensive design of various geometrical solutions for rotating packed bed internals. Sixteen geometries were designed with the use of 3D modeling software and subsequently 3D-printed, if possible. The printed packings were tested for dry pressure drop to reject the ones generating too high air flow resistance. Eventually, the packings were tested for wet pressure drop and effective mass transfer area generated in specified conditions. An evaluation method was designed to compare the results from the different packings and determine the geometry most suited for the absorption process.

Length-mass allometries of the larvae of aquatic dipterans: differences between taxa, morphological traits, and methods.

Body mass underpins many ecological processes at the level of individuals, populations, and communities. Often estimated in arthropods from linear morphological traits such as body length or head width, these relationships can vary even between closely related taxa. Length-mass relationships of mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae are poorly known despite the importance of this family to disease and aquatic ecology. To fill this gap, we measured ontogenetic changes in linear traits (body length, head width, and thorax width) and dry and wet masses and estimated length- and width-mass relationships in larvae of 3 culicid species inhabiting different niches: the tropical Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1894), the temperate Culex pipiens (Linnaeus, 1758), and the snowmelt Ochlerotatus punctor (Kirby, 1837). We compared our results with published length-mass allometries of other aquatic dipteran larvae. We showed that thorax width and body length, but not head width, reliably predicted body mass for our 3 species. The length-mass allometry slopes in aquatic dipterans varied considerably between and within families but were independent of phylogeny, specimen handling, preservation techniques, and data fitting methods. Slope estimates became less precise with decreasing sample size and size range. To obtain reliable estimates of the allometric slopes, we have thus recommended using data on all larval stages for intraspecific allometries and a wide range of species for interspecific allometries. We also cautioned against the indiscriminate use of length-mass allometries obtained for other taxa or collected at lower taxonomic resolutions, e.g., when using length-mass relationships to estimate biomass production at a given site.

Isoflurane conditioning improves functional outcomes after peripheral nerve injury in a sciatic cut repair murine model.

Anesthetic conditioning has been shown to provide neuroprotection in several neurological disorders. Whether anesthetic conditioning provides protection against peripheral nerve injuries remains unknown. The aim of our current study is to investigate the impact of isoflurane conditioning on the functional outcomes after peripheral nerve injury (PNI) in a rodent sciatic nerve injury model. Adult male Lewis rats underwent sciatic nerve cut and repair and exposed to none (Group 1, sham), single isoflurane exposure (Group 2), three-time isoflurane exposure (Group 3), and six-time isoflurane exposure (Group 4). Isoflurane conditioning was established by administration of 2% isoflurane for 1 hour, beginning 1-hour post sciatic nerve cut and repair. Groups 3 and 4 were exposed to isoflurane for 1 hour, 3 and 6 consecutive days respectively. Functional outcomes assessed included compound muscle action potential (CMAP), evoked muscle force (tetanic and specific tetanic force), wet muscle mass, and axonal counting. We observed an increase in axons, myelin width and a decrease in G-ratio in the isoflurane conditioning groups (3- and 6-days). This correlated with a significant improvement in tetanic and specific tetanic forces, observed in both groups 3 and 4. Isoflurane conditioning (3- and 6-day groups) resulted in improvement in functional outcomes at 12 weeks post peripheral nerve injury and repair in a murine model. Future experiments should be focused on identifying the therapeutic window of isoflurane conditioning and exploring the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for isoflurane conditioning induced neuroprotection in PNI.

Eriochloa villosa in the Primorsky Territory of Russia and the search for soil herbicides to combat it in soybean crops

The work analyzes the results of monitoring the weed field flora of the Primorsky Territory. A tendency has been revealed to increase the occurrence and density of the woolly cupgrass Eriochloa villosa (Thunb ex Murray.) Kunth, which is difficult to control due to a number of competitive biological advantages and morphological features that determine its resistance to many herbicides. In experiments conducted in 2021–2022. in the Far Eastern Scientific Research Institute of Plant Protection, it was revealed that according to the main indicator -a decrease in the wet above-ground mass of experimental weed plants compared to the control, the most effective herbicides were Dual Gold 1.6 l/ha, Proponit 3.0 l/ha and tank mixtures Dual Gold 1.5 l/ha + Gesagard 2.5 l/ha, Dual Gold 1.5 l/ha + Zenkor Ultra 0.5 l/ha, Dual Gold 1.5 l/ha + Command 0.7 l/ha.

Phenotypic flexibility in metabolic adjustments and digestive function in white-shouldered starlings: responses to short-term temperature acclimation.

Changing the intrinsic rate of metabolic heat production is the main adaptive strategy for small birds to cope with different ambient temperatures. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the small passerine the white-shouldered starling (Sturnus sinensis) can modulate basal metabolism under temperature acclimation by changing the morphological, physiological and biochemical state of its tissues and organs. We measured the effects of temperature on body mass, basal metabolic rate (BMR), wet mass of various internal organs, state 4 respiration (S4R) and cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) activity in the pectoral muscle and organs, metabolites in the pectoral muscle, energy intake, histological dynamics and the activity of duodenal digestive enzymes. Warm acclimation decreased BMR to a greater extent than cold acclimation. At the organ level, birds in the cold-acclimated group had significantly heavier intestines but significantly lighter pectoral muscles. At the cellular level, birds in the cold-acclimated group showed significantly higher S4R in the liver and heart and CCO activity in the liver and kidney at both the mass-specific and whole-organ levels. A metabolomic analysis of the pectoral tissue revealed significantly higher lipid decomposition, amino acid degradation, ATP hydrolysis, and GTP and biotin synthesis in cold-acclimated birds. Acclimation to cold significantly increased the gross energy intake (GEI), feces energy (FE) and digestive energy intake (DEI) but significantly decreased the digestive efficiency of these birds. Furthermore, cold-acclimated birds had a higher maltase activity and longer villi in the duodenum. Taken together, these data show that white-shouldered starlings exhibit high phenotypic flexibility in metabolic adjustments and digestive function under temperature acclimation, consistent with the notion that small birds cope with the energy challenges presented by a cold environment by modulating tissue function in a way that would affect BMR.

Evaluation of growth-promoting effect of 1-(2-(dodecyloxy)-2-oxoethyl)pyridin-1-ium chloride on wheat seedlings

Ester-functionalized long-chain pyridinium salt 1-(2-(dodecyloxy)-2-oxoethyl)pyridin-1-ium chloride (1b) has been synthesized. The influence of the substance on morpho-physiological traits of wheat seedlings (germination, shoot and root length and biomass, chlorophylls and carotenoids content, as well as flavonoid content) has been studied. The germination of seeds increased after their exposure to water solutions of pyridinium chloride 1b in the concentration range 0.001-0.1%. However, the concentration 0.1% has a negative effect on plant growth leading to reduced growth parameters in shoots and roots, plant mass, as well as pigments content. The exposure of wheat seeds to water solutions of pyridinium salt with lower concentrations (especially at 0.001%) significantly increased shoot and root length, as well as wet green mass in 7-day-old seedlings. At a concentration of 0.01%, the substance caused a significant increase of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids content thus revealing a positive effect on the photosynthetic apparatus of plant leaves. The flavonoid content in a green part of the plants also significantly increased which may indicate activating the plant defense system under mild stress conditions. The high growth-promoting effect of long-chain pyridinium chloride 1b on wheat plants, together with its broad range of antimicrobial activity and biodegradability, makes it an attractive product for various agrochemical applications

Solidifying Fenofibrate Nanocrystal Suspension: A Scalable Approach via Granulation Method

The pharmaceutical industry has highlighted particle-size reduction via preparing aqueous suspensions containing nano- or submicron drug particles. Owing to the risk of agglomeration and complications during the manufacturing of solid dosage forms, the problems associated with the solidification of nanosuspensions need to be addressed. Herein, the nanocrystallized suspension of fenofibrate (Feno) was prepared using the wet-milling technique, and then two solidification methods, mixing (liquid mixing) and granulation (dry powder blending and wet massing) methods, were investigated. The solidification process involved the adsorption of Feno as a very thin layer on the high-surface-area Florite® to prevent drug accumulation. The critical quality attributes, particle size and dissolution rate, were performed. Infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy were also used to monitor the existence and physical state of drug molecules in the carrier. The final solidified powders and tablets containing Feno nanocrystals improved the dissolution profile (&gt;90% in 15 min), in which the physical properties of Feno were maintained during solidification and tableting. In general, the granulation method is more advantageous than the mixing method in terms of maintaining amorphous proportion and dissolution rate. These results implied a potential approach for manufacturing solid dosage forms from nanoscale products.

Systems design results of LunaCube: Dual-satellite lunar navigation system with 6U-CUBESATs

Aiming to establish a long-term presence on the Moon, interest in new and robust communication and navigation capabilities on the lunar surface is greater than ever before. In response, lunar navigation systems (LNS) have been conceptualized and put into action by space agencies. While we expect these services to be fully functional before the late 2020s, many missions are set to begin surface exploration before the initiation of these services. To meet the immediate needs of early missions, our group proposed a small-start technology demonstration mission called the Lunar Navigation CubeSat (LunaCube).The mission aims to demonstrate a LNS transmitter and store-and-forward radio in the vicinity of the Moon and to provide lunar positioning services to lunar surface assets. The project was initiated with funding support from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) and completed preliminary design and detailed design in 2021 and 2022 respectively. As a result of the design study, the satellites consist of a 6U-size structure, a 50W-class deployed solar panel, a X-band transponder, three-axis attitude control using a star tracker, sun sensors, gyro, reaction wheels, and reaction control system thruster, as well as orbit control using a water-based resistojet. The total wet mass is less than 14 kg.