The effect of bentonite concentration on the drug delivery efficacy of a pH-sensitive alginate/bentonite hydrogel

We produced a protein loaded, pH-sensitive alginate-bentonite hydrogel for wound dressings. Alginate is a nontoxic polysaccharide with favorable pH-sensitive properties that make it useful for the intestinal delivery of protein drugs. However, the use of alginate for drug delivery is limited by drug leaching and rapid dissolution of alginate at the higher pH, which may result in lower entrapment efficiency and a burst in the release of entrapped protein drugs. To overcome these problems, we created a novel cross-linked alginate-bentonite hydrogel by combining mineral-rich bentonite with the alginate matrix along with an additive to ensure controlled release. We analyzed the gel in the drug loading process in an aqueous environment by looking at the release profiles of a model protein drug (BSA) from the hydrogel at pH values of 4.5, 5.2 (skin area) and 7.4, 9.2 (wound area). The swelling ratio decreased with bentonite concentration, but did not fall below 6. The rate of drug release was slowest at a pH value of 4.5 and fastest at a pH value of 9.2. The rate of drug release decreased with bentonite concentration. The presence of bentonite prevents the rapid dissolution of alginate at the higher pH, ensuring the controlled release of the entrapped drug.     

悼念绿色革命之父布劳格博士

布劳格博士从事国际农业研究65年,主要贡献包括:(1)培育的矮秆高产小麦品种为解决世界粮食问题做出了杰出贡献,被誉为绿色革命之父,他不仅是CIMMYT的创始人,也是整个国际农业研究磋商组织的创始者;(2)创立了世界粮食奖;(3)开展了以推广玉米新品种为主要内容的非洲农业革命.     

高直链淀粉突变体Goamy2的淀粉糊化特性及淀粉结构分析

以高直链淀粉及突变体材料Goamy2及其野生型亲本Ilpumbyeo米粉为材料,比较了它们在理化性质和糊化特性上的差别,并通过体积排阻色谱(Size Exclusion Chromatography,SEC)分析其水溶性和不溶性淀粉组成结构差别。从冷水溶性成分来看,Goamy2主要以小分子DP141～DP2(DP为聚合度)为主,而Ilpumbyeo中带分支的链DP4100～DP64也就是相对大分子所占的比例较高,达到33.3%。从热水溶性淀粉成分来看,突变体Goamy2直链淀粉和支链淀粉的比例大致为4∶1,而Ilpumbyeo直链淀粉和支链淀粉比例大致为1∶1。至于两个材料的热水溶性支链淀粉链长分布,长短链比例差别较大,Goamy2长短链比率为0.67,而Ilpumbyeo为0.32。从热水不溶性成分来看,两个材料均以支链淀粉为主,直链淀粉所占的比例很低,均不到5%。热水不溶性支链成分的链长分布中,野生型亲本Ilpumbyeo以短链为主,短链所占的比例高达72.5%,而突变体Goamy2短链和长链几乎各占一半。     

生物有机肥对花生生长发育及产量的影响

施用生物肥可使花生植株矮壮,分枝增多,防止徒长,提高产量,改善品质,突出表现在荚果和籽粒增大,出米率提高,还可防治花生病害,克服重茬障碍和减轻地下害虫蛴螬的为害。     

培养基成分和补料对阿维菌素发酵过程中除虫链霉菌菌丝形态的影响

研究了阿维菌素发酵过程中培养基成分和补料对菌丝形态的影响,以及在这些条件下菌丝形态、菌体代谢以及产量之间的相互关系。结果表明:碳氮源种类和碳氮比与菌体生长密切相关,对除虫链霉菌前期的菌丝形态影响较大。只有当除虫链霉菌为密实的球状时,才能获得较高的阿维菌素产量;进一步通过调控使发酵中后期菌丝形态保持一定的菌球尺寸(球核面积、核区周长和菌丝球面积)对维持阿维菌素合成有利。     

乙醇浸渍对切片茄子干燥特性和品质的影响

为了提高切片茄子的干制品质、缩短干燥时间,对热风干燥前的切片茄子进行了乙醇浸渍处理。以不同干燥温度(45、55、65℃)、预处理乙醇体积分数(0、5%、15%)和茄子切片厚度(1.0、1.5、2.0 cm)为试验因素,以干燥时间及干燥后产品的干燥速率、色泽、复水比和微观结构为评价指标进行正交试验。试验结果表明:干燥温度、乙醇体积分数和切片厚度对干燥时间均有显著影响(P0.05);综合评价的影响顺序由大到小依次为:切片厚度干燥温度乙醇体积分数;切片茄子的干燥过程属于降速干燥,通过费克第二定律得到切片茄子的水分有效扩散系数在2.74×10-9~7.75×10-9 m2/s;切片厚度对干燥后茄子片的复水比有显著影响(P0.05),复水比随着切片厚度的增加而减少;乙醇体积分数对干燥后茄子片的色泽具有显著影响(P0.05),而且可以改变干燥后茄子的微观结构改善物料外观品质。当乙醇体积分数为15%、干燥温度为65℃、切片厚度为1.0 cm时,干燥时间为225 min,复水比为4.93,明亮度为88.24,既有较快的干燥速率又能够得到比较好的色泽。研究表明适宜体积分数的乙醇浸渍预处理能够提高切片茄子的干燥速率、改善色泽,为高品质切片茄子快速干燥提供了理论依据。     

Biochar-induced changes in soil properties affected immobilization/mobilization of metals/metalloids in contaminated soils

Purpose

Remediation of metal contaminated soil with biochar is attracting extensive interest in recent years. Understanding the significance of variable biochar properties and soil types helps elucidating the meticulous roles of biochar in immobilizing/mobilizing metals/metalloids in contaminated soils.

Materials and methods

Six biochars were produced from widely available agricultural wastes (i.e., soybean stover, peanut shells and pine needles) at two pyrolysis temperatures of 300 and 700 °C, respectively. The Pb-, Cu-, and Sb-contaminated shooting range soils and Pb-, Zn-, and As-contaminated agricultural soils were amended with the produced biochars. The mobility of metals/metalloids was assessed by the standard batch leaching test, principal component analysis and speciation modeling.

Results and discussion

The changes in soil properties were correlated to feedstock types and pyrolysis temperatures of biochars based on the principal component analysis. Biochars produced at 300 °C were more efficient in decreasing Pb and Cu mobility (>93 %) in alkaline shooting range soil via surface complexation with carboxyl groups and Fe-/Al-minerals of biochars as well as metal-phosphates precipitation. By contrast, biochars produced at 700 °C outperformed their counterparts in decreasing Pb and Zn mobility (100 %) in acidic agricultural soil by metal-hydroxides precipitation due to biochar-induced pH increase. However, Sb and As mobility in both soils was unfavorably increased by biochar amendment, possibly due to the enhanced electrostatic repulsion and competition with phosphate.

Conclusions

It is noteworthy that the application of biochars is not equally effective in immobilizing metals or mobilizing metalloids in different soils. We should apply biochar to multi-metal contaminated soil with great caution and tailor biochar production for achieving desired outcome and avoiding adverse impact on soil ecosystem.

     

干燥介质相对湿度对胡萝卜片热风干燥特性的影响

为了探究相对湿度和阶段降湿对热风干燥过程的影响,该文在干燥温度60℃、风速3.0 m/s条件下,研究了相对湿度(20%、30%、40%、50%)及第一阶段相对湿度50%保持不同时间(10、30、60、90 min),第二阶段相对湿度20%下,胡萝卜片的干燥特性和温度变化规律;利用Weibull分布函数对干燥曲线进行拟合并分析干燥过程,结合尺度参数估算水分有效扩散系数;基于复水比、色泽、干燥时间和能耗对不同相对湿度条件下的干燥过程进行评价。研究结果表明:相对湿度保持恒定条件下,干燥速率先上升后下降,且相对湿度越低干燥速率越大。降低相对湿度有利于缩短干燥时间,热风相对湿度20%比50%条件下干燥时间缩短了27.6%;分段降湿干燥条件下,热风相对湿度50%保持30min后降低为20%,其干燥时间比相对湿度恒定为20%条件下缩短了18.5%,干燥过程出现2个升速阶段;Weibull分布函数可以很好地描述胡萝卜恒定湿度和阶段降湿干燥过程。尺度参数α范围在1.864~3.635 h之间,形状参数β值在1.296~1.713之间,水分有效扩散系数在1.17×10-9~2.92×10-9 m2/s之间。对绿红值、复水率、能耗和干燥时间进行综合评价显示,热风相对湿度50%保持30 min干燥条件下绿红值最高为41.4,能耗相比于恒定相对湿度20%条件下减少了6.0%,复水比较高为3.81,综合评分较高为0.91。该文揭示了干燥介质相对湿度对胡萝卜片干燥特性的影响规律,对于优化干燥介质湿度控制策略以提高干燥速率和品质,降低干燥能耗提供了科学依据和技术支持。     

肉异物识别中肉厚度激光补偿试验系统的研制

农产品形状的不规则性严重影响用X射线成像方法检测农产品的内部品质的检测质量。针对这个问题,该文以肉为研究对象,建立了基于激光的肉厚度补偿试验系统,补偿X射线图像因厚度不同对肉产生的影响。该系统包括X射线图像采集系统、激光图像采集系统,机械传输部分、控制系统及图像处理系统等。用最小二乘法求取肉厚度补偿模型,建立激光图像与厚度补偿图像映射关系,用激光厚度补偿图像与X射线肉图像融合,基于OTSU算法(最大类间方差,automatically perform histogram shape-based image thresholding)提取出融合后的肉X射线图像中的异物。试验结果表明,这种方法能够消除厚度的变化对图像的影响,该研究为支撑为肉异物提取提供了一种准确高效的方法。     

Hydroxycinnamoylmalic acids and their methyl esters from pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) fruit peel

Two novel caffeoylmalic acid methyl esters, 2-O-(trans-caffeoyl)malic acid 1-methyl ester (6) and 2-O-(trans-caffeoyl)malic acid 4-methyl ester (7), were isolated from pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai cv. Chuhwangbae) fruit peels. In addition, 5 known hydroxycinnamoylmalic acids and their methyl esters were identified: 2-O-(trans-coumaroyl)malic acid (1), 2-O-(cis-coumaroyl)malic acid (2), 2-O-(cis-coumaroyl)malic acid 1-methyl ester (3), 2-O-(trans-coumaroyl)malic acid 1-methyl ester (4), and 2-O-(trans-caffeoyl)malic acid (phaselic acid, 5). The chemical structures of these compounds were determined by spectroscopic data from ESI MS and NMR. Of all the isolated compounds, five hydroxycinnamoylmalic acids and their methyl esters (2-4, 6, 7) were identified in the pear for the first time.