Capability of the rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) extract on the oxidative stability of cooked sea bream (Sparus aurata) during frozen storage

The effects of rosemary extract addition on oxidative stability of cooked sea bream during frozen storage period were investigated. Sea bream fillets were fried, oven baked and grilled. Three groups with rosemary extract were also cooked by the same methods and cooked samples (with and without rosemary extract) were stored in ?18?°C for 4?months. After cooking procedures, the FFA formation was quite similar in fresh-raw and fried sea bream fillets, but significantly increased oven baked (0.31?C0.33% oleic acid) and grilled fillets (0.39?C0.40% oleic acid). The highest value of PV was also obtained from grilled fillets (1.18?C1.58?meq/kg). However, TBA values (1.92?mg MA/kg for fresh-raw fillet) did not increase in sea bream fillets after the frying and grilling procedure except oven baking without rosemary extract (2.41?mg MA/kg). A considerable increase in the FFA, PV and TBA was observed in all cooked groups during frozen storage period. The treated samples with rosemary extract generally showed slower PV and TBA formation than those of the untreated samples. However, the additions of rosemary extract have positive effect on sensory quality of baked sea bream.     

Platelet-Released Growth Factors Influence Wound Healing-Associated Genes in Human Keratinocytes and Ex Vivo Skin Explants

Platelet-released growth factors (PRGFs) or other thrombocyte concentrate products, e.g., Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF), have become efficient tools of regenerative medicine in many medical disciplines. In the context of wound healing, it has been demonstrated that treatment of chronic or complicated wounds with PRGF or PRF improves wound healing in the majority of treated patients. Nevertheless, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanism are still poorly understood. Therefore, we aimed to analyze if PRGF-treatment of human keratinocytes caused the induction of genes encoding paracrine factors associated with successful wound healing. The investigated genes were Semaphorin 7A (SEMA7A), Angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPLT4), Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 (FGF-2), Interleukin-32 (IL-32), the CC-chemokine-ligand 20 (CCL20), the matrix-metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), the chemokine C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) and the subunit B of the Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGFB). We observed a significant gene induction of SEMA7A, ANGPLT4, FGF-2, IL-32, MMP-2 and PDGFB in human keratinocytes after PRGF treatment. The CCL20- and CXCL10 gene expressions were significantly inhibited by PRGF therapy. Signal transduction analyses revealed that the PRGF-mediated gene induction of SEMA7A, ANGPLT4, IL-32 and MMP-2 in human keratinocytes was transduced via the IL-6 receptor pathway. In contrast, EGF receptor signaling was not involved in the PRGF-mediated gene expression of analyzed genes in human keratinocytes. Additionally, treatment of ex vivo skin explants with PRGF confirmed a significant gene induction of SEMA7A, ANGPLT4, MMP-2 and PDGFB. Taken together, these results describe a new mechanism that could be responsible for the beneficial wound healing properties of PRGF or related thrombocytes concentrate products such as PRF.     

Partial purification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">nigella sativa</Emphasis> L. Seed lipase and its application in hydrolytic reactions. Enrichment of γ-linolenic acid from borage oil

Selective hydrolysis of borage (Borago officinalis L.) oil was catalyzed by two lipase preparations of Nigella sativa L. seeds at 40°C in a mixture of borage oil, water, and hexane. Ammonium sulfate-precipitated lipase (Nigella PL) and lipase partially purified by DEAE-ion exchange chromatography (Nigella CPL) exhibited a negative specificity toward γ-linolenic acid (GLA). Best results were obtained in the experiments conducted with 330 U/g oil of Nigella PL and 200 U/g oil of nigella CPL. When 330 U/g oil of Nigella PL was used, after 8 h the GLA level rose from 21.9% in the starting oil to 29.6 and 41.8% in TAG and DAG fractions of the product mixtures, respectively (1.5-fold enrichment of GLA in the total unhydrolyzed acylglycerol fraction). At 200 U/g oil enzyme concentration of Nigella CPL, after 77 h maximum GLA enrichment was observed in the DAG fraction. The GLA content of the DAG increased to 34.6%, corresponding to almost 1.6-fold enrichment. The relative inability of Nigella sativa lipase(s) to hydrolyze γ-linolenoyl moieties of TAG can be used for the enrichment of this acid in the unhydrolyzed acylglycerol fractions of GLA-containing oils.     

Solver and Shell Element Performances for Curved Bridge Analysis

A study has been undertaken to investigate different solver and shell element performances for curved bridge finite-element analysis. Three sparse solvers were implemented into a bridge finite-element analysis code, and the solution times and memory requirements for typical bridges were compared. In addition, the use of four-node and nine-node shell elements in modeling was investigated for different mesh densities. Based on the comparative studies performed, modeling guidelines for practicing engineers have been developed and are presented herein.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)-Iodine Nanofibers with Poloxamer 188 and Chitosan

This study focuses on the fabrication of poly(vinyl alcohol)/ poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)-Iodine nanofibers via electrospinning. Electrospun fibers were characterized by FT-IR, DSC and SEM techniques. DSC results indicated that the thermal stability of nanofibers were improved after the addition of chitosan and poloxamer 188. SEM images showed that the spongiform structure is much more compact and fibrous in the case of added chitosan, with an average fiber diameter of 374 nm, whereas the addition of poloxamer 188 resulted in a more porous and beaded composition, with average fiber diameter of 489 nm.     

Asphaltene Deposition During Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage: Effect of Non-Condensable Gases

Asphaltene deposition was investigated during laboratory-scale steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) experiments to probe in situ upgrading of a heavy oil. Tests were conducted with and without the addition of non-condensable gases (carbon dioxide or n-butane) to the steam. The apparatus was a three-dimensional scaled physical model packed with crushed limestone saturated with 12.4° API heavy-crude oil. Temperature, pressure, and production data, as well as the asphaltene content of the produced oil, were monitored continuously during the experiments. For small well separations, as the fraction of non-condensable gas in the steam increased, the steam condensation temperature and the steam-oil ratio decreased. As a result of lower temperature, the heavy oil was less mobile in the steam chamber relative to pure steam injection. Thus, the heating period was prolonged and the recovery, as well as the rate of oil recovery, decreased. Asphaltene content of the oil produced as a result of pure steam injection decreased initially showing deposition of asphaltene within the porous matrix of the model. As the steam injection continued, the asphaltene content of the produced oil increased but remained below the initial value. Thus, the produced oil indicated some in situ upgrading. As the carbon dioxide concentration in the steam increased, greater asphaltene deposition occurred; however, no significant change in asphaltene content was found when n-butane was added to the steam. Post-experimental analyses of the porous media for asphaltene content confirmed retention for the pure steam and steam with added CO₂ experiments. Numerical simulation of the asphaltene deposition process using a pure solid deposition model corroborated experimental findings and showed that deposition occurred mainly at the steam-chamber boundary.     

JP‐900 Hydroperoxidation and Decomposition

JP‐900 (C₁₀H₁₈) is a bicyclic, high‐energy‐density fuel being employed in aircrafts. In recent years, inspection of fuels refined by different processes has showed that noticeably higher peroxide concentrations exist in fuels, which have been severely hydrotreated. Hydroperoxide concentration was considered to be a parameter in fuel instability. Presently, Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out to investigate the mechanisms of oxidation of JP‐900 through hydroperoxidation. The total electronic energies of JP‐900, and certain radicals and hydroperoxides originated from JP‐900 were calculated. Their thermodynamic stabilities were discussed. The most feasible “carbon center” of JP‐900 that would be oxidized through hydroperoxidation was assigned. It has been found that the hydroperoxides may decompose to different products having greater stability (possessing more negative total electronic energies). A variety of mechanisms including carboxylic acid (ester)‐alkane, alcohol‐aldehyde and ketone‐alcohol decomposition mechanism were questioned. The probable decomposition products were determined and confirmed by thermodynamic calculations.     

Optimization of centrifugally spun thermoplastic polyurethane nanofibers for air filtration applications

While our knowledge of fiber formation by using conventional nanofiber spinning techniques has increased to a considerable extent, there are still few studies on centrifugal spinning either in academia or in the industry. Centrifugal spinning is a comparatively new method of producing fibers having nano- or microscale diameters. In this study, three main parameters (nozzle orifice diameter, rotational speed, polymer concentration) of centrifugal spinning were optimized to produce air filter media from thermoplastic polyurethane nanofibers. The effect of concentration of polymer solution was found to be a major contributor in TPU fibers optimization estimating 77.5%. After the optimization studies, the average fiber diameter of nanofiber sample produced at optimum conditions (22G needle as an orifice, 4000 rpm, and 10 wt% concentration of polymer solution) was 205 ± 84 nm. Aerosol filtration performance of the produced webs was analyzed. Filtration efficiency of the optimized sample was found to be 99.4% for 0.3 µm particle size at an expense of 98 Pa pressure drop.

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