Alternative Extraction and Downstream Purification Processes for Anthocyanins

Anthocyanins are natural pigments displaying different attractive colors ranging from red, violet, to blue. These pigments present health benefits that increased their use in food, nutraceuticals, and the cosmetic industry. However, anthocyanins are mainly extracted through conventional methods that are time-consuming and involve the use of organic solvents. Moreover, the chemical diversity of the obtained complex extracts make the downstream purification step challenging. Therefore, the growing demand of these high-value pigments has stimulated the interest in designing new, safe, cost-effective, and tunable strategies for their extraction and purification. The current review focuses on the potential application of compressed fluid-based (such as subcritical and supercritical fluid extraction and pressurized liquid extraction) and deep eutectic solvents-based extraction methods for the recovery of anthocyanins. In addition, an updated review of the application of counter-current chromatography for anthocyanins purification is provided as a faster and cost-effective alternative to preparative-scale HPLC.     

Tightening of gelatin chemically crosslinked networks assisted by physical gelation

Developing the use of polymers from renewable sources to build hydrogels with tailored mechanical properties has become an increasing focus of research. The impact of the thermo‐reversible physical networks of gelatin (arising from the formation of triple‐helices) on the structure formation of a chemical network, obtained by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde (a non‐catalytic crosslinker), was studied using optical rotation, oscillatory rheology, and large strain mechanical deformation. We observed a direct correlation between the storage shear modulus of the chemical network grown in the gel state (i.e., simultaneously with the physical network) and the amount of gelatin residues in the triple‐helix conformation (χ). Since χ is directly affected by temperature, the value of the storage modulus is also sensitive to changes in the temperature of gel formation. χ values as low as 12% lead to an increase of the shear storage modulus of the crosslinked gel by a factor of 2.7, when compared to a chemical network obtained in the sol state (i.e., in the absence of a physical network). Our results show that the physical network acts as a template, which leads to a greater density of the chemical crosslinks and a corresponding higher elastic modulus, beyond what is otherwise achieved in the absence of a physical network. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017 , 55, 1850–1858     

Bond strength of Epiphany™ Sealer combined with different adhesive systems photo-activated with LED and QTH

The Epiphany? Sealer is a new dual-curing resin-based sealer and has been introduced as an alternative to gutta-percha and traditional root canal sealers. The canal filling is claimed to create a seal with the dentinal tubules within the root canal system producing a ‘monoblock’ effect between the sealer and dentinal tubules. Therefore, considering the possibility to incorporate the others adhesive systems, it is important to study the bond strength of the resulting cement. Forty-eight root mandibular canines were sectioned 8-mm below CEJ. The dentine discs were prepared using a tapered diamond bur and irrigated with 1% NaOCl and 17% EDTA. Previous the application Epiphany? Sealer, the Epiphany? Primer, AdheSE, and One Up Bond F were applied to the root canal walls. The LED and QTH (Quartz Tungsten Halogen) were used to photo-activation during 45 s with power density of 400 and 720 mW/cm², respectively. The specimens were performed on a universal testing machine at a cross-head speed of 1 mm/min until bond failure occurred. The force was recorded and the debonding values were used to calculate Push-out bond strength. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s post-hoc tests showed significant statistical differences (P < 0.05) to Epiphany? Sealer/Epiphany? Primer/QTH and EpiphanyTM Sealer/AdheSE/QTH, which had the highest mean values of bond strength. The efficiency of resin-based filling materials are dependent the type of light curing unit used including the power density, the polymerization characteristics of these resin-based filling materials, depending on the primer/adhesive used.     

On multi-Frobenius non-classical plane curves

In this paper, we characterize the plane curves over mathbb F_q{mathbb {F}_q} which are Frobenius non-classical for different powers of q.     

Derivation of a nine variable model of a U-tube steam generator coupled with a three-element controller

In this work a U-Tube Steam Generator – UTSG model derivation is presented. This model was developed as test bed to build a complete power plant simulator. The UTSG is an ordinary component of most of the Pressurized Water Reactor – PWR. A proportional-integral three-element controller was also coupled with the UTSG model. This model is part of a library called SIMODIS – SImulation MODeling Integrated System (“SIstema MODular Integrado de Simulação”). A few transient results are presented as well. The developed simulation program was implemented in MATLAB.     

Selenonium ionic liquid as an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of thioacetals under solvent-free conditions

Acidic ionic liquid butyl ethyl phenyl selenonium tetrafluoroborate, [BEPSe]BF₄, was successfully employed as a catalyst for the synthesis of several dithioacetals in the absence of a solvent. The method is general and selectively afforded thioacetals derived from aldehydes and ketones in good yields.     

There is exactly one $${\mathbb {Z}}_2{\mathbb {Z}}_4$$-cyclic 1-perfect code

Let \(\mathcal{C}\) be a \({\mathbb {Z}}_2{\mathbb {Z}}_4\)-additive code of length \(n > 3\). We prove that if the binary Gray image of \(\mathcal{C}\) is a 1-perfect nonlinear code, then \(\mathcal{C}\) cannot be a \({\mathbb {Z}}_2{\mathbb {Z}}_4\)-cyclic code except for one case of length \(n=15\). Moreover, we give a parity check matrix for this cyclic code. Adding an even parity check coordinate to a \({\mathbb {Z}}_2{\mathbb {Z}}_4\)-additive 1-perfect code gives a \({\mathbb {Z}}_2{\mathbb {Z}}_4\)-additive extended 1-perfect code. We also prove that such a code cannot be \({\mathbb {Z}}_2{\mathbb {Z}}_4\)-cyclic.     

Maximum distance separable codes over {\mathbb{Z}_4} and {\mathbb{Z}_2 \times \mathbb{Z}_4}

Known upper bounds on the minimum distance of codes over rings are applied to the case of ${\mathbb Z_{2}\mathbb Z_{4}}$ -additive codes, that is subgroups of ${\mathbb Z_{2}^{\alpha}\mathbb Z_{4}^{\beta}}$ . Two kinds of maximum distance separable codes are studied. We determine all possible parameters of these codes and characterize the codes in certain cases. The main results are also valid when ?? = 0, namely for quaternary linear codes.     

A characterization of $$\mathbb {Z}_{2}\mathbb {Z}_{2}[u]$$-linear codes

We prove that the class of \(\mathbb {Z}_2\mathbb {Z}_2[u]\)-linear codes is exactly the class of \(\mathbb {Z}_2\)-linear codes with automorphism group of even order. Using this characterization, we give examples of known codes, e.g. perfect codes, which have a nontrivial \(\mathbb {Z}_2\mathbb {Z}_2[u]\) structure. Moreover, we exhibit some examples of \(\mathbb {Z}_2\)-linear codes which are not \(\mathbb {Z}_2\mathbb {Z}_2[u]\)-linear. Also, we state that the duality of \(\mathbb {Z}_2\mathbb {Z}_2[u]\)-linear codes is the same as the duality of \(\mathbb {Z}_2\)-linear codes. Finally, we prove that the class of \(\mathbb {Z}_2\mathbb {Z}_4\)-linear codes which are also \(\mathbb {Z}_2\)-linear is strictly contained in the class of \(\mathbb {Z}_2\mathbb {Z}_2[u]\)-linear codes.