Adipocyte-specific transcription factors and antioxidants are considered the best target of obesity. Aruncus dioicus var. kamtschaticus (A. dioicus, Samnamul) is easily available owing to edible and inexpensive. However, the anti-adipogenic effects of the underlying mechanism of A. dioicus extract (ADE) have not yet been reported. In the present study, we evaluate anti-adipogenic pathway in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, antioxidant activities and quantified phenolics using high-performance liquid chromatography of ADE. The results revealed ADE had reduced adipocyte differentiation (0.72-fold vs. MDI (media of differentiation) control), triglyceride (TG; 0.50-fold vs. MDI control, p < 0.001), and total cholesterol contents (0.77-fold vs. MDI control) by regulating adipocyte-specific transcription factors (C/EBPα, PPARγ, and SREBP1) and their downstream mRNA (AdipoQ, Ap2, SREBP1-c, and FAS) levels. Furthermore, ADE has higher total phenol and flavonoid contents and scavenging assay in the DPPH a... [more]

A novel method based on the combination of simultaneous cold plasma treatment with Mg nanoparticles deposition, applied to Mung bean seeds by improving their quality, is presented. The SRIM simulation reveals that only the very top layer of the seeds surface can be altered by the plasma. The experimental analysis indicates surface composition changes with a polar groups formation. These groups initiate the shift of surface characteristics from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. The chemical bond analysis shows the formation of MgO and Mg(OH)2 compounds, which acts as a positive factor for seeds germination and growth. The germination experiments showed a 70% outcome with an average of 73.9 mm sprouts length after 30 min of plasma treatment compared to the initial seeds (40% outcome and 71.3 mm sprouts length).

Design as a discipline has changed a lot during the last 50 years. The boundaries have been expanded partially to address the complexity of the problems we are facing nowadays. Areas like sustainable design, inclusive design, codesign, and social design among many more have emerged in response to the failures of the production and consumption system in place. In this context, social, environmental, and cultural trends have affected the way artefacts are designed, but the design process itself remains almost unchanged. In some sense, more criteria beyond economic concerns are now taken into consideration when social and environmental objectives are pursued in the design process, but the process to reach those objectives responds to the same stages and logic as in traditional approaches motivated only by economic aims. We propose in this paper an alternative way to understand and represent the design process, especially oriented to develop innovations that are aligned with the social, en... [more]

Industrialization is serious for changing the environment and natural water composition, especially near cities and manufacturing areas. Logically, the new ultrasensitive technology for precise control of the quality and quantity of water sources is needed. Herein, an innovative method of polarization fluorescence analysis (FPA) was developed to measure the concentration of heavy metals in water. The approach was successfully applied for precise tests with reduced analysis time and increased measurement efficiency among laboratory methods. Based on this work, the investigations established the new type of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with controllable fluorescence properties and functionalized amino—groups, which is appropriate for FPA. The parameters of one and two-step microwave synthesis routes are adjusted wavelength and fluorescence intensity of CQDs. Finally, under optimized conditions, the FPA is showed the detection of copper (2+) cations in water samples below European Union sta... [more]

Coolant is one of the main factors affecting the overall thermal performance of the intercooler for the gas turbine intercooled cycle. The thermal conductivity of conventional coolants, such as water, is relatively low when compared to solid conducting materials, and therefore can hinder the progress towards achieving a compact and highly effective intercooler. Nanofluids are advanced types of working fluids that contain dispersed nanoparticles in conventional basefluids, and as such possess superior thermal conductivity compared to their counterparts. In this paper, a short review on the effect of different nanofluids on the thermal performance of gas turbines intercoolers is presented for the first time. Firstly, this work reviews the different designs of intercoolers used in gas turbines intercooled cycles. Then, it explains the different types of nanofluids and their fabrication processes. The effective parameters, such as physical stability, thermal conductivity, and viscosity are... [more]

Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) have a variety of uses in the production of industrial chemicals, food, and personal care products. These compounds are often produced through palm refining, but recent work has demonstrated that MCFAs can also be produced through the fermentation of complex organic substrates, including organic waste streams. While “chain elongation” offers a renewable platform for producing MCFAs, there are several limitations that need to be addressed before full-scale implementation becomes widespread. Here, we review the history of work on MCFA production by both pure and mixed cultures of fermenting organisms, and the unique metabolic features that lead to MCFA production. We also offer approaches to address the remaining challenges and increase MCFA production from renewable feedstocks.

The present work aimed to design a separation process for 2-phenylethanol (2-PEA) produced by whey fermentation and to evaluate its economic potential. The separation sequence consisted of a liquid−liquid extraction column followed by two distillation columns for 2-PEA purification and solvent recovery. In addition, the use of ethyl acetate as a solvent for the extraction process was analyzed. The results, aided by the Aspen Plus v.10 process simulator, showed that 2-PEA can be separated with a purity of 96% by weight. The operating cost of the process, estimated at USD 22.70 per kilogram, shows that the separation alternative developed in this work has a high economic potential. The use of ethyl acetate as a solvent was found to efficiently remove 2-PEA from the fermentation mixture. From a process safety analysis point of view, the use of a bioprocess safety index developed in this work identified the separation process sections that could require special attention as part of the saf... [more]

Natural zeolites are easily found and abundant in Indonesia. The natural zeolites are low-cost minerals; however, their ammonium sorption is poor. A hydrothermal method was applied to improve the ammonium sorption. Hydrothermal treatment times were varied 8, 24, and 32 h. The parent and hydrothermal treated samples were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopes (FE-SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and nitrogen physisorption. Ammonium adsorption was performed using a batch reactor to evaluate the adsorption performance of the prepared zeolite samples. The 8 h hydrothermal (HT 8 h) treated zeolites showed the highest ammonium removal percentage among others. The XRD analysis of HT 8 h shows a higher crystallinity of mordenite and the Brunauer−Emmett−Teller (BET) model shows a surface area of 105 m2/g, much larger as compared to the parent with a surface area of 19 m2/g. Various kinetic and isotherms models were also... [more]

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) juice is known for its refreshing flavor, but its high perishability limits its availability throughout the year. Watermelon juice concentrate has extended shelf-life and lower transportation and storage costs, but the conventional thermal evaporation process for concentrating juice degrades the nutritional components and sensory quality of the product. Thus, in this work, a large-scale, non-thermal forward osmosis (FO) process was used to concentrate fresh watermelon juice up to 65°Brix. The FO concentrate was compared to thermal concentrate and fresh juices, and to commercially available refrigerated watermelon juices, in terms of lycopene and citrulline content, total soluble phenolics, antioxidant activity, and sensory properties. The FO concentrate had statistically similar (p < 0.05) levels of all the nutrients of interest except antioxidant activity, when compared to the thermal concentrate. The reconstituted FO concentrate maintained the same a... [more]

A hybrid system based on lignocellulosic biomass gasification and syngas fermentation represents a second-generation biorefinery approach that is currently in the development phase. Lignocellulosic biomass can be gasified to produce syngas, which is a gas mixture consisting mainly of H2, CO, and CO2. The major challenge of biomass gasification is the syngas’s final quality. Consequently, the development of effective syngas clean-up technologies has gained increased interest in recent years. Furthermore, the bioconversion of syngas components has been intensively studied using acetogenic bacteria and their Wood−Ljungdahl pathway to produce, among others, acetate, ethanol, butyrate, butanol, caproate, hexanol, 2,3-butanediol, and lactate. Nowadays, syngas fermentation appears to be a promising alternative for producing commodity chemicals in comparison to fossil-based processes. Research studies on syngas fermentation have been focused on process design and optimization, investigating th... [more]

The fruit, vegetable, legume, and cereal industries generate many wastes, representing an environmental pollution problem. However, these wastes are a rich source of antioxidant molecules such as terpenes, phenolic compounds, phytosterols, and bioactive peptides with potential applications mainly in the food and pharmaceutical industries, and they exhibit multiple biological properties including antidiabetic, anti-obesity, antihypertensive, anticancer, and antibacterial properties. The aforementioned has increased studies on the recovery of antioxidant compounds using green technologies to value plant waste, since they represent more efficient and sustainable processes. In this review, the main antioxidant molecules from plants are briefly described and the advantages and disadvantages of the use of conventional and green extraction technologies used for the recovery and optimization of the yield of antioxidant naturals are detailed; finally, recent studies on biological properties of... [more]

This paper proposes a machine learning approach dealing with genetic programming to build classifiers through logical rule induction. In this context, we define and test a set of mutation operators across from different clinical datasets to improve the performance of the proposal for each dataset. The use of genetic programming for rule induction has generated interesting results in machine learning problems. Hence, genetic programming represents a flexible and powerful evolutionary technique for automatic generation of classifiers. Since logical rules disclose knowledge from the analyzed data, we use such knowledge to interpret the results and filter the most important features from clinical data as a process of knowledge discovery. The ultimate goal of this proposal is to provide the experts in the data domain with prior knowledge (as a guide) about the structure of the data and the rules found for each class, especially to track dichotomies and inequality. The results reached by our... [more]

We use a system biology approach to translate the interaction of Bacillus Calmette-Gurin (BCG) + interleukin 2 (IL-2) for the treatment of bladder cancer into a mathematical model. The main goal of this research is to predict the outcome of BCG + IL-2 treatment combinations. We examined whether the delay effect caused by the proliferation of tumor antigen-specific effector cells after the immune system destroys BCG-infected urothelium cells after BCG and IL-2 immunotherapy influences success in bladder cancer treatment. To do this, we introduce a system of differential equations where the variables are the main participants in the immune response after BCG installations to fight cancer: the number of tumor cells, BCG cells, immune cells, and cytokines involved in the tumor-immune response. The relevant parameters describing the dynamics of the system are taken from a variety of biological, clinical literature and estimated using the mathematical models. We examine the local stability a... [more]

The aim of this paper is to study the effect of reinking and pretreatment of waste banknote paper on its usability in the bioethanol production process. To this end, the tensile strength of worn banknote paper was first studied at different pH values. The sample with the lowest tensile strength was considered for the next sections. In the deinking process, NaOH at different concentrations (1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) and in combination with ultrasonic treatment was applied. After deinking the pulp, two acidic and alkaline chemical pretreatments with concentrations of 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% were used independently and in combination with ultrasonic. Enzymatic hydrolysis, following fermentation with Scheffersomyces stipitis, and crystallinity measurements were used to confirm the efficiency of the pretreatments. RSM Design Expert software was used to determine the optimal values by considering the three variables—enzyme loading, ultrasonic loading, and contact time for waste paper deinked (WPD) and... [more]

This work represents an experimental study and mathematical modeling of convective apple slice drying. The influence of multiple process parameters such as temperature, air humidity, air velocity and slice thickness on process kinetics, product water activity and parameters of empirical models has been investigated. Drying characteristics of apple slices were monitored at temperatures of 40, 45 and 50 °C, air velocities of 0.6, 0.85 and 1.1 m/s., slice thicknesses of 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 mm, and in relative air humidity ranges of 25−28, 35−38 and 40−45%. During the process, samples were dried from an initial moisture content of 86.7% to that of 20% (w.b), corresponding to product water activity of 0.45 ± 0.05. By increasing the temperature from 40 to 50 °C, the time for reaching the required product water activity decreased by about 300 min. Sample thickness is the most significant parameter; by increasing the slice thickness from 4 to 12 mm, the time required to achieve the required wat... [more]

Exosomes are defined as a type of extracellular vesicle released when multivesicular bodies of the endocytic pathway fuse with the plasma membrane. They are characterized by their role in extracellular communication, partly due to their composition, and present the ability to recognize and interact with cells from the immune system, enabling an immune response. Their targeting capability and nanosized dimensions make them great candidates for cancer therapy. As chemotherapy is associated with cytotoxicity and multiple drug resistance, the use of exosomes targeting capabilities, able to deliver anticancer drugs specifically to cancer cells, is a great approach to overcome these disadvantages. The objective is to assess treatment efficiency in reducing tumor cells, as well as overall safety and response by cancer carriers. So far, results show exosomes as a promising therapeutic strategy in the fight against cancer. This review summarizes the characteristics and composition of exosomes,... [more]

Many venomous species, especially snakes, contain a variety of secreted phospholipases A2 that contribute to venom toxicity and prey digestion. We characterized a novel highly toxic phospholipase A2 of group II, WaPLA2-II, from the snake venom of Saudi Walterinnesia aegyptia (W. aegyptia). The enzyme was purified using a reverse phase C18 column. It is a monomeric protein with a molecular weight of approximately 14 kDa and an NH2-terminal amino acid sequence exhibiting similarity to the PLA2 group II enzymes. WaPLA2-II, which contains 2.5% (w/w) glycosylation, reached a maximal specific activity of 1250 U/mg at pH 9.5 and 55 °C in the presence of Ca2+ and bile salts. WaPLA2-II was also highly stable over a large pH and temperature range. A strong correlation between antimicrobial and indirect hemolytic activities of WaPLA2 was observed. Additionally, WaPLA2-II was found to be significantly cytotoxic only on cancerous cells. However, chemical modification with para-Bromophenacyl bromide... [more]

Municipal wastewater management causes metal exposure to humans and the environment. Targeted metal removal is suggested to reduce metal loads during sludge reuse and release of effluent to receiving waters. Biochar is considered a low-cost sorbent with high sorption capacity for heavy metals. In this study, heavy metal sorption to sludge-derived biochar (SDBC) was investigated through batch experiments and modeling and compared to that of wood-derived biochar (WDBC) and activated carbon (AC). The aim was to investigate the sorption efficiency at metal concentrations comparable to those in municipal wastewater (<1 mg/L), for which experimental data are lacking and isotherm models have not been verified in previous works. Pb2+ removal of up to 83% was demonstrated at concentrations comparable to those in municipal wastewater, at pH 2. SDBC showed superior Pb2+ sorption capacity (maximum ~2 mg/g at pH 2) compared to WDBC and AC (<0 and (3.5 ± 0.4) × 10−3 mg/g, respectively); howeve... [more]

Anaerobic co-digestion provides a promising solution for converting inexpensive carbon from wastes to biogenic methane. We used microalgae (Nannochloropsis oculata) with cow manure and sludge to produce a better quantity and quality of biogas. To further improve the gas production, microalgae were pretreated with ultrasonication, hot water, and a combination of both. Interestingly, the results showed that the pretreatment of microalgae decreased biogas production by 5 to 30%. The no-pretreatment runs produced a maximum of 118 L of biogas. The relative content of biogenic methane was higher in the pretreated feedstock (48 to 52%) in comparison with the no-pretreatment runs (44%). The conversion of volatile suspended solids present in the feedstock to total biogenic methane production was highest in hot-water-treated runs. The carbon content in the gas produced by the pretreated microalgae peaked (38%) in the middle of the experiment (i.e., at 45 days), whereas for no-pretreatment runs,... [more]

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) molecules are nonemissive in dilute solution but emit intensely upon aggregation in complete contrast to aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) molecules. The emission of ACQ molecules, such as fluorescein, that have been encapsulated into the hydrophilic nanopores in a cyclodextrin-based metal-organic framework (CD-MOF) was reported to be enhanced due to the disappearance of concentration quenching and the restriction of thermal motion. However, the contribution of the restriction of thermal motion in CD-MOF could not be elucidated. In this study, an AIE-active L-cysteine/Au(I) (L-Cys/Au(I)) complex was synthesized and introduced into the nanopores of CD-MOF via a co-crystallization method. We determined the amount and chemical composition of the L-Cys/Au(I) complex in CD-MOF. The fluorescence intensity of the L-Cys/Au(I)@CD-MOF composite was investigated. The L-Cys/Au(I) complex that was synthesized from Au(III) chloride and L-cysteine was found to be a... [more]

Excessive thermal stress and deformation are important reasons causing disservice of high temperature heat exchangers. This paper presents thermal stress and expansion analysis of single-leaf type hollow paddle-shaft components with internal high temperature molten salt flow based on three-dimensional numerical simulations. The results show that the hollow paddles enhance the heat transfer and decrease the maximum thermal stress simultaneously with the expense of a much higher pressure drop than that of solid paddles. The cumulative von Mises stress distribution curve shows that the stress distribution of the component with hollow paddles is more uniform than that with solid paddles. The radial and axial deformations do not differ much for the components with hollow and solid paddles. A larger volume of the fluid space in the hollow paddles leads to stronger heat transfer, smaller maximum thermal stress, and more uniform stress distribution. The effects of the paddle height, the diamet... [more]

A significant challenge in sustainability and development of energy systems is connected with limited diversity and availability of fuels, especially in rural areas. A potential solution to this problem is compression, transport, and storage of raw biogas, that would increase diversity and availability of energy sources in remote areas. The aim of this study was to perform experimental research on raw biogas compression concerning biogas volume that can be stored in a cylinder under the pressure of 20 MPa and to compare obtained results with numerical models used to describe the state of gas at given conditions. Results were used to determine the theoretical energy content of raw biogas, assuming its usage in CHP systems. In the study, six compression test runs were conducted on-site in an agricultural biogas plant. Compression time, pressure as well as gas volume, and temperature rise were measured for raw biogas supplied directly from the digester. Obtained results were used to evalu... [more]

Scaling up bioprocesses is one of the most crucial steps in the commercialization of bioproducts. While it is known that concentration and shear rate gradients occur at larger scales, it is often too risky, if feasible at all, to conduct validation experiments at such scales. Using computational fluid dynamics equipped with mechanistic biochemical engineering knowledge of the process, it is possible to simulate such gradients. In this work, concentration profiles for the by-products of baker’s yeast production are investigated. By applying a mechanistic black-box model, concentration heterogeneities for oxygen, glucose, ethanol, and carbon dioxide are evaluated. The results suggest that, although at low concentrations, ethanol is consumed in more than 90% of the tank volume, which prevents cell starvation, even when glucose is virtually depleted. Moreover, long exposure to high dissolved carbon dioxide levels is predicted. Two biomass concentrations, i.e., 10 and 25 g/L, are considered... [more]

Rapid population growth has contributed to increased solid waste generated in Malaysia. Most landfills that have reached the design capacity are now facing closure. Taman Beringin Landfill was officially closed, so the Taman Beringin Solid Waste Transfer Station was built to manage the relocation, consolidation, and transportation of solid waste to Bukit Tagar Sanitary Landfill. Leachates are generated as a consequence of rainwater percolation through waste and biochemical processes in waste cells. Leachate treatment is needed, as leachates cause environmental pollution and harm human health. This study investigates the impact of treated leachate discharge from a Leachate Treatment Plant (LTP) on the Jinjang River water quality. The performance of the LTP in Taman Beringin Solid Waste Transfer Station was also assessed. Leachate samples were taken at the LTP’s anoxic tank, aeration tank, secondary clarifier tank, and final discharge point, whereas river water samples were taken upstrea... [more]

Reliable estimation of kinetic parameters in chemical systems comprising both slow and rapid reaction steps and rapidly reacting intermediate species is a difficult differential-algebraic problem. Consequently, any conventional approach easily leads to serious convergence and stability problems during the parameter estimation. A robust method is proposed to surmount this dilemma: the system of ordinary differential equations and nonlinear algebraic equations is converted to ordinary differential equations, which are solved in-situ during the parameter estimation. The approach was illustrated with two generic examples and an example from green chemistry: synthesis of dimethyl carbonate from carbon dioxide and methanol.