Measurement of XUV-absorption spectra of ZnS radiatively heated foils

Time-resolved absorption of zinc sulfide (ZnS) and aluminum in the XUV-range has been measured. Thin foils in conditions close to local thermodynamic equilibrium were heated by radiation from laser-irradiated gold spherical cavities. Analysis of the aluminum foil radiative hydrodynamic expansion, based on the detailed atomic calculations of its absorption spectra, showed that the cavity emitted flux that heated the absorption foils corresponds to a radiation temperature in the range 55 60 eV. Comparison of the ZnS absorption spectra with calculations based on a superconfiguration approach identified the presence of species Zn6+ - Zn8+ and S5+ - S6+. Based on the validation of the radiative source simulations, experimental spectra were then compared to calculations performed by post-processing the radiative hydrodynamic simulations of ZnS. Satisfying agreement is found when temperature gradients are accounted for

A Review on the Role of Pilocarpine on the Management of Xerostomia and the Importance of the Topical Administration Systems Development

Xerostomia is linked to an increased risk of dental caries, oral fungal infections, and speaking/swallowing difficulties, factors that may significantly degrade patients’ life, socially- or emotionally-wise. Consequently, there is an increasing interest in developing management approaches for confronting this oral condition, at which pilocarpine, a parasympathomimetic agent, plays a vital role. Although the therapeutic effects of orally administrated pilocarpine on the salivary gland flow and the symptoms of xerostomia have been proved by numerous studies, the systemic administration of this drug is affiliated with various adverse effects. Some of the typical adverse effects include sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rhinitis, dizziness and increased urinary frequency. In this vein, new strategies to develop novel and effective dosage forms for topical (i.e., in the oral cavity) pilocarpine administration, in order for the salivary flow to be enhanced with minimal systemic manifestations, have emerged. Therefore, the purpose of the current review is to survey the literature concerning the performance of topical pilocarpine delivery systems. According to the findings, the topical delivery of pilocarpine can be regarded as the equivalent to systemic delivery of the drug, efficacy-wise, but with improved patient tolerance and less adverse effects

Comparative Study of PEGylated and Conventional Liposomes as Carriers for Shikonin

Liposomes are considered to be one of the most successful drug delivery systems. They apply nanotechnology to potentiate the therapeutic efficacy and reduce the toxicity of conventional medicines. Shikonin and alkannin, a pair of chiral natural naphthoquinone compounds, derived from Alkanna and Lithospermum species, are widely used due to their various pharmacological activities, mainly wound healing, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and their recently established antitumor activity. The purpose of this study was to prepare conventional and PEGylated shikonin-loaded liposomal formulations and measure the effects of different lipids and polyethylene glycol (PEG) on parameters related to particle size distribution, the polydispersity index, the zeta potential, drug-loading efficiency and the stability of the prepared formulations. Three types of lipids were assessed (1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC), 1,2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC) and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-rac-(1-glycerol) (DSPG)), separately and in mixtures, forming anionic liposomes with good physicochemical characteristics, high entrapment efficiencies (varying from 56.5 to 89.4%), satisfactory in vitro release profiles and good physical stability. The addition of the negatively charged DSPG lipids to DOPC, led to an increment in the drug’s incorporation efficiency and reduced the particle size distribution. Furthermore, the shikonin–loaded PEGylated sample with DOPC/DSPG, demonstrated the most satisfactory characteristics. These findings are considered promising and could be used for further design and improvement of such formulations

Spent Coffee Grounds’ Valorization towards the Recovery of Caffeine and Chlorogenic Acid: A Response Surface Methodology Approach

The amount of spent coffee grounds (SCGs) created, represents an environmental challenge worldwide. In this context, the aim of the present study was to exploit the potential of SCGs as a source of bioactive compounds that can be utilized in high value-added products. Thus, a cost-effective and environmentally friendly extraction technique was developed to ensure extracts with high total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, as well as significant amounts of caffeine and chlorogenic acid. Response surface methodology was implemented to evaluate the effects of the main extraction parameters (i.e., time, temperature, and ethanol-to-water ratio) and their interactions on the defined responses. The ethanol ratio was found to be the most significant variable. Then, a set of optimum values was determined (i.e., 7 min, 75 °C, and ethanol:water ratio 5:95), where the predicted values for responses were found to be 5.65% for the yield (Y1), 152.68 mg gallic acid equivalents per L for total phenolic content (Y2), 0.797 μmol Trolox equivalent per mL for the antioxidant activity (Y3), 30.5 ppm for caffeine concentration (Y4), and 17.4 ppm for chlorogenic acid concentration (Y5). Furthermore, the corresponding high experimental values from the validation experiment fitted well to these predictions, clearly clarifying the high potential of SCG extracts for use in high value-added applications

Green Extracts from Coffee Pulp and Their Application in the Development of Innovative Brews

Coffee pulp, a by-product of coffee production, contains valuable compounds such as caffeine and chlorogenic acid with high antiradical activity. In this study, aqueous solutions of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) were used as a non-conventional solvent for the extraction of targeted compounds from coffee pulp. The parameters of β-CD concentration (Cβcd), liquid-to-solid ratio (L/S), and temperature (T) were evaluated based on the antiradical activity (AAR) and the caffeine content (CCaf). The optimum operational conditions were found to be Cβcd: 9.25 mg/mL, L/S: 30 mL/g and T: 80 °C. The sensory profiles of brews prepared with coffee and coffee pulp with or without cyclodextrin were studied with quantitative descriptive analysis. The brew from the by-product had fruity, botanic, sweet and sourness sensory properties, and cyclodextrin was found to be able to affect the overall taste of the brew

Optimization of Solvent Extraction of Lipids from <i>Yarrowia lipolytica</i> towards Industrial Applications

Extraction of intracellular lipids of the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica has been systematically studied aiming towards a sustainable extraction process for lipid recovery. Selection of suitable industrial (bulk) solvents and extraction parameters that lead to maximization of lipid recovery are significant issues to be addressed, with industrial applications motivating this study. Biomass from fermentation of Yarrowia lipolytica (MUCL 28849) was used in small laboratory tests to assess different solvent mixtures (i.e., methanol/hexane, isopropanol/hexane, and methanol/ethyl acetate), implementing a systematic design of experiments methodology to identify near-optimum values of key extraction variables (i.e., polar/non-polar ratio, vortex time, dry biomass/solvent ratio) in regard to lipid yield (g lipids/g dry biomass). The methanol/hexane mixture exhibited the highest extraction yield in a wide range of experimental conditions, resulting in the following optimum parameters: polar/non-polar ratio 3/5, vortex time 0.75 h, and dry biomass/solvent ratio 40. Extraction tests on a fifty-times-larger scale (in a Soxhlet apparatus employing the optimal extraction parameters) confirmed the optimization outcome by obtaining up to 27.6% lipids per dry biomass (L/DB), compared to 12.1% L/DB with the reference lipid extraction method employing chloroform/methanol. Assessment of lipid composition showed that unsaturated fatty acid recovery was favored by the methanol/hexane solvent. Fatty acid composition was not affected by the increase in Soxhlet reflux cycles, whilst the lipid yield was notably favored

A Life Cycle Analysis Approach for the Evaluation of Municipal Solid Waste Management Practices: The Case Study of the Region of Central Macedonia, Greece

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management has been a major problem of modern cities for many years. Thus, the development of optimal waste management strategies has been a priority for the European Commission, especially in the transition toward a circular economy. In this paper, an analysis of different MSW treatment methods that can be effectively implemented in the Region of Central Macedonia (RCM) is provided, and their comparison from an environmental point of view is performed. The assessment is based on real data indicated in the recently updated Greek National Waste Management Plan, whereas the different scenarios developed include landfilling without energy recovery, landfilling with energy recovery, recycling and secondary materials recovery, mechanical-biological treatment, bio-waste composting and anaerobic digestion with energy recovery, and incineration with energy recovery. The obtained results illustrate that efficient waste streams sorting is of vital importance for the effective implementation of an integrated waste management system toward the sustainable management of MSW

Growth Performance, Meat Quality, Welfare and Behavior Indicators of Broilers Fed Diets Supplemented with Yarrowia lipolytica Yeast

This study investigated the dietary impact of dried Yarrowia lipolytica yeast (YLP) on the growth performance, meat quality, welfare and behavior indicators of broilers. It was performed in a commercial poultry farm using 108 13 day-old Ross 308 male broilers. The chicks were randomly and equally divided into three dietary groups CON, YLP3 and YLP5, according to the incorporation rate of YLP in the feed (0%, 3%, and 5%, respectively). A positive effect on foot pad dermatitis (FPD) of YLP-fed broilers was observed without any adverse effects on welfare, behavior, meat quality and the overall growth performance of the broilers. YLP significantly decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) values in breast and thigh meat. YLP3 birds presented a superior nutrient quality of breast meat, as indicated by the increased concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), decreased levels of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), a better PUFA/SFA ratio and improved health lipid indices. A significant elevation of n-3 PUFAs was observed in the thigh meat of YLP-fed groups, compared to the CON groups. A positive effect on the overall sensory acceptance of thigh meat was detected in the YLP5 group. YLP feeding, at the rate of 3%, seems to be beneficial for improving the meat nutrition quality

Growth Performance, Meat Quality, Welfare and Behavior Indicators of Broilers Fed Diets Supplemented with <i>Yarrowia lipolytica</i> Yeast

This study investigated the dietary impact of dried Yarrowia lipolytica yeast (YLP) on the growth performance, meat quality, welfare and behavior indicators of broilers. It was performed in a commercial poultry farm using 108 13 day-old Ross 308 male broilers. The chicks were randomly and equally divided into three dietary groups CON, YLP3 and YLP5, according to the incorporation rate of YLP in the feed (0%, 3%, and 5%, respectively). A positive effect on foot pad dermatitis (FPD) of YLP-fed broilers was observed without any adverse effects on welfare, behavior, meat quality and the overall growth performance of the broilers. YLP significantly decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) values in breast and thigh meat. YLP3 birds presented a superior nutrient quality of breast meat, as indicated by the increased concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), decreased levels of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), a better PUFA/SFA ratio and improved health lipid indices. A significant elevation of n-3 PUFAs was observed in the thigh meat of YLP-fed groups, compared to the CON groups. A positive effect on the overall sensory acceptance of thigh meat was detected in the YLP5 group. YLP feeding, at the rate of 3%, seems to be beneficial for improving the meat nutrition quality

A Review on Xerostomia and Its Various Management Strategies: The Role of Advanced Polymeric Materials in the Treatment Approaches

The medical term xerostomia refers to the subjective sensation of oral dryness. The etiology seems to be multifactorial with the most frequently reported causes being the use of xerostomic medications, neck and head radiation, and systematic diseases (such as Sj&ouml;gren&rsquo;s syndrome). Xerostomia is associated with an increased incidence of dental caries, oral fungal infections, and difficulties in speaking and chewing/swallowing, which ultimately affect the oral health-related quality of life. The development of successful management schemes is regarded as a highly challenging project due to the complexity of saliva. This is why, in spite of the fact that there are therapeutic options aiming to improve salivary function, most management approaches are alleviation-oriented. In any case, polymers are an integral part of the various formulations used in every current treatment approach, especially in the saliva substitutes, due to their function as thickening and lubricating agents or, in the case of mucoadhesive polymers, their ability to prolong the treatment effect. In this context, the present review aims to scrutinize the literature and presents an overview of the role of various polymers (or copolymers) on either already commercially available formulations or novel drug delivery systems currently under research and development