Structural characterisation of deposit layer during milk protein microfiltration by means of in-situ mri and compositional analysis

Milk protein fractionation by microfiltration membranes is an established but still growing field in dairy technology. Even under cross-flow conditions, this filtration process is impaired by the formation of a deposit by the retained protein fraction, mainly casein micelles. Due to deposition formation and consequently increased overall filtration resistance, the mass flow of the smaller whey protein fraction declines within the first few minutes of filtration. Currently, there are only a handful of analytical techniques available for the direct observation of deposit formation with opaque feed media and membranes. Here, we report on the ongoing development of a non-invasive and non-destructive method based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and its application to characterise deposit layer formation during milk protein fractionation in ceramic hollow fibre membranes as a function of filtration pressure and temperature, temporally and spatially resolved. In addition, the chemical composition of the deposit was analysed by reversed phase high pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). We correlate the structural information gained by in-situ MRI with the protein amount and composition of the deposit layer obtained by RP-HPLC. We show that the combination of in-situ MRI and chemical analysis by RP-HPLC has the potential to allow for a better scientific understanding of the pressure and temperature dependence of deposit layer formation

Synthesis and characterization of uniform OCL-OEG block cooligomers

Block copolymers are an interesting class of materials, offering the opportunity to form nanostructured morphologies, making them suitable for a broad range of applications in nanotechnology, medicine, or biotechnology. Especially for the pharmaceutical sector, a uniform structure and a distinct structure–property relationship is desirable to manufacture highly reproducible and tailor-made materials. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of uniform (Đ = 1.01) oligo(ε-caprolactone)-oligo(ethylene glycol) (OCL-OEG) block co-oligomers (BCOs). Three different BCOs, varying in the length of the hydrophobic caprolactone segment, were obtained via Steglich esterification of the corresponding homo oligomers. A clear dispersity and composition dependent structure–property relationship based on the thermal properties is observed, compared to identical structures similar in M$_n$ and dispersities of Đ = 1.06, obtained via ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone. In addition, increased long-range-order distances L$_0$ with increasing dispersity of the BCOs are found for the formed morphologies after solvent vapor annealing (SVA). These results highlight the importance of uniform structures for a better understanding of the structure–property relationship of block copolymers

Corticosteroid injection for tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis: a review of the literature

Lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow is a painful and functionally limiting entity affecting the upperextremity and is frequently treated by hand surgeons. Corticosteroid injection is one of the most common interventions for lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow. Here, a review of the medical literature on this treatment is presented

Constructing phase diagrams of block copolymers with A- block -(B- stat -C) architecture

Block copolymers (BCPs) are capable of self-organizing into precise nanoscale structures, generating interest across diverse fields such as drug delivery, catalysis, and lithography. Introducing new functionalities to BCPs through post-modification is a widely used approach. To further advance the design of functional BCPs, it is essential to understand how the incorporated functional groups affect their morphology. In this study, we focus on BCPs with an A-block-(B-statistical-C) architecture, where A is poly(styrene), B is poly(methyl methacrylate), and C is poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), which allows for the addition of photo-crosslinkable groups like methacrylates. In particular, we have synthesized a library of over twenty well-defined BCPs with different compositions and molecular weights using RAFT polymerization. Afterwards, we created a second library by introducing methacrylate groups through post-functionalization. The morphologies of these two sets of BCPs were carefully analyzed using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and infrared scanning near-field optical microscopy (IR-SNOM). By combining this data, we have built phase diagrams for both the original and functionalized copolymers and examined how post-functionalization affects their morphology. Our findings reveal that even small changes in the polymer composition significantly impact the morphological behavi