Encapsulation of Vitamin B12 by Complex Coacervation of Whey Protein Concentrate–Pectin; Optimization and Characterization

Vitamin B₁₂ (VB₁₂) is one of the essential vitamins for the body, which is sensitive to light, heat, oxidizing agents, and acidic and alkaline substances. Therefore, the encapsulation of VB₁₂ can be one of the ways to protect it against processing and environmental conditions in food. In this work, the influence of pectin concentration (0.5–1% w/v), whey protein concentrate (WPC) level (4–8% w/v) and pH (3–9) on some properties of VB₁₂-loaded pectin–WPC complex carriers was investigated by response surface methodology (RSM). The findings showed that under optimum conditions (1:6.47, pectin:WPC and pH = 6.6), the encapsulation efficiency (EE), stability, viscosity, particle size and solubility of complex carriers were 80.71%, 85.38%, 39.58 mPa·s, 7.07 µm and 65.86%, respectively. Additionally, the formation of complex coacervate was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). In addition, it was revealed that the most important factor in VB₁₂ encapsulation was pH; at a pH < isoelectric point of WPC (pH = 3), in comparison with higher pH values (6 and 9), a stronger complex was formed between pectin and WPC, which led to an increase in EE, lightness parameter, particle size and water activity, as well as a decrease in the zeta-potential and porosity of complex carriers.     

Neural-based pile-up correction and ballistic deficit correction of X-ray semiconductor detectors using the Monte Carlo simulation and the Ramo theorem

Pile-up distortion is a common problem in many nuclear radiation detection systems, especially in high count rates. It can be solved by hardware-based pile-up rejections, but there is no complete pile-up elimination in this way. Additionally, the methods can lead to poor quantitative results. Generally, time characteristics of semiconductor detector pulses are different from Scintillator detector pulses due to ballistic deficit. Hence, pulse processing-based pile-up correction in the detectors should consider this specification. In this paper, the artificial neural network pile-up correction method is applied for silicon detector piled-up pulses. For this purpose, the interaction of photons with a silicon detector is simulated by the MCNP4c code and the pulse current is calculated by Ramo's theorem. In this approach, we use a sub-Nyquist frequency sampling. The results show that the proposed method is reliable for pile-up correction and ballistic deficit in semiconductor detectors. The technique is remarkable for commercial considerations and high-speed, real-time calculations.     

Fabrication of polyaniline‐coated halloysite nanotubes by in situ chemical polymerization as a solid‐phase microextraction coating for the analysis of volatile organic compounds in aqueous solutions

We have synthesized an organic–inorganic polyaniline–halloysite nanotube composite by an in situ polymerization method. This nanocomposite is immobilized on a stainless‐steel wire and can be used as a fiber coating for solid‐phase microextraction. It was found that our new solid‐phase microextraction fiber is an excellent adsorbent for the extraction of some volatile organic compounds in aqueous samples in combination with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The coating can be prepared easily, is mechanically stable, and exhibits relatively high thermal stability. It is capable of extracting phenolic compounds from water samples. Following thermal desorption, the phenols were quantified by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. The effects of extraction temperature, extraction time, sample ionic strength, stirring rate, pH, desorption temperature and desorption time were studied. Under optimal conditions, the repeatability for one fiber (n = 5), expressed as the relative standard deviation, is between 6.2 and 9.1%. The detection limits range from 0.005 to 4 ng/mL. The method offers the advantage of being simple to use, with a shorter analysis time, lower cost of equipment and higher thermal stability of the fiber in comparison to conventional methods of analysis.     

Ultrasound‐assisted magnetic dispersive solid‐phase microextraction: A novel approach for the rapid and efficient microextraction of naproxen and ibuprofen employing experimental design with high‐performance liquid chromatography

A simple, rapid, and sensitive method for the determination of naproxen and ibuprofen in complex biological and water matrices (cow milk, human urine, river, and well water samples) has been developed using ultrasound‐assisted magnetic dispersive solid‐phase microextraction. Magnetic ethylendiamine‐functionalized graphene oxide nanocomposite was synthesized and used as a novel adsorbent for the microextraction process and showed great adsorptive ability toward these analytes. Different parameters affecting the microextraction were optimized with the aid of the experimental design approach. A Plackett–Burman screening design was used to study the main variables affecting the microextraction process, and the Box–Behnken optimization design was used to optimize the previously selected variables for extraction of naproxen and ibuprofen. The optimized technique provides good repeatability (relative standard deviations of the intraday precision 3.1 and 3.3, interday precision of 5.6 and 6.1%), linearity (0.1–500 and 0.3–650 ng/mL), low limits of detection (0.03 and 0.1 ng/mL), and a high enrichment factor (168 and 146) for naproxen and ibuprofen, respectively. The proposed method can be successfully applied in routine analysis for determination of naproxen and ibuprofen in cow milk, human urine, and real water samples.     

Unsteady flow and heat transfer analysis of an impinging synthetic jet

The present paper focuses on the analysis of unsteady flow and heat transfer regarding an axisymmetric impinging synthetic jet on a constant heat flux disc. Synthetic jet is a zero net mass flux jet that provides an unsteady flow without any external source of fluid. Present results are validated against the available experimental data showing that the SST/k − ω turbulence model is more accurate and reliable than the standard and low-Re k − ε models for predicting heat transfer from an impinging synthetic jet. It is found that the time-averaged Nusselt number enhances as the nozzle-to-plate distance is increased. As the oscillation frequency in the range of 16–400 Hz is increased, the heat transfer is enhanced. It is shown that the instantaneous Nu distribution along the wall is influenced mainly by the interaction of produced vortex ring and wall boundary layer. Also, the fluctuation level of Nu decreases as the frequency is raised.     

Fabrication of novel Fe (III), Co (II), Hg (II), and Pd (II) complexes based on water-soluble ligand (NaH2PH): structural characterization,cyclic voltammetric,powder X-ray diffraction,zeta potential,and biological studies

Sodium4-hydroxy-3-([2-picolinoylhydrazineylidene]methyl)benzenesulfonate (NaH₂PH) was synthesized as a novel water-soluble ligand, by the condensation of picolinohydrazide with sodium 3-formyl-4-hydroxybenzenesulfonate. The (NaH₂PH) ligand and its isolated Co (II), Fe (III), Hg (II), and Pd (II) complexes were analyzed by elemental analysis and characterized by spectroscopic (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–visible, powder XRD, ¹H NMR,¹³C NMR, MS) and magnetic measurements. By comparing IR spectra of both ligand and the metal complexes, one can assume that the (NaH₂PH) ligand behaves as a bi-negative tetradentate (ONNO) in [Co (NaPH)(H₂O)₂].3H₂O, and a mono-negative tridentate (ONO) in [Fe (NaPH)Cl₂(H₂O)] complex, whereas in [Hg₂(NaPH)Cl₂(H₂O)] complex, (NaH₂PH) coordinates as a bi-negative pentadentate (ONNNO) ligand via deprotonated OH group of phenolic ring (C=N)_Py and (C=N*) coordinated to one of Hg (II) ion and the oxygen atom of enolic group and (C=N)_az group with the another Hg (II) ion. Moreover, (NaH₂PH) acts as bi-negative tridentate (ONO) ligand in [Pd (NaPH)(H₂O)].2H₂O complex. The geometries of complexes were suggested based on the UV–visible spectra, magnetic measurements and confirmed by applying discrete Fourier transform (DFT) optimization studies. The thermal fragmentation of both [Pd (NaPH)(H₂O)].2H₂O and [Co (NaPH)(H₂O)₂].3H₂O complexes was performed, and the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were computed using the Coats–Redfern and Horowitz–Metzger methods. The redox behavior of divalent ions of cobalt and mercury were discussed by the cyclic voltammetry technique in the presence and absence of (NaH₂PH) ligand. Biological potencies of the ligand and its metal complexes were evaluated as antioxidants (ABTS and DPPH), anticancer, DNA, and antimicrobial (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis as Gram (+) bacteria, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as Gram (−) bacteria, and Candida albicans as fungi).