Continuous liquid–liquid extraction to recover lignin and furanics from lactic acid:Choline chloride deep eutectic solvent after cooking of spruce

Lactic acid: choline chloride mixed in a 10:1 ratio is known to be a suitable delignification solvent. This deep eutectic solvent (DES) can produce lignin and hemicellulose derivatives as byproducts to cellulose. Hemicellulose byproducts include furanic compounds like furfural and 5-HMF. Sustainable and economically viable fractionation of lignin and furanics from the DES is required. After removing the larger lignin (&gt;2500 Da) through water precipitation, non-precipitated molecules such as smaller lignin molecules and furanics can be retrieved through liquid–liquid extraction (LLX). In a previous investigation on solvent extraction conducted in a batch mode, 2-MTHF and guaiacol have been identified as potential solvents. This study investigates the application of a continuous centrifugal contactor separator (CCCS) and Karr reciprocating plate column for LLX from aqueous DES-black liquor remaining after water-precipitation, was employed as the feed. Single stage CCCS operation exhibited extraction yields close to equilibrium yields, thus almost 100 % extraction efficiency. Performing a two-stage countercurrent LLX process via CCCS showed increased removal for furfural and 5-HMF extraction, while lignin extraction yield remained at about 90 %, comparable to single-stage extraction. Karr column countercurrent extraction with different solvent-to-feed ratios (0.5 and 1) yielded approximately 99 % furfural extraction. For 2-MTHF system, 5-HMF achieved 99 % extraction yield at a solvent-to-feed ratio of 1, while guaiacol yielded around 90 % at both solvent-to-feed ratios. However, 5-HMF extraction using 2-MTHF with a ratio of 0.5 required more stages. For guaiacol improvement of lignin extraction applying more stages was hindered by hydrophobic characteristic of residual lignin in raffinate. Conversely, 2-MTHF's multi-stage approach enhanced smaller lignin extraction influenced by increased lactic acid leaching into solvent. Both CCCS and Karr column methods proved viable for counter-current extraction with both solvents.</p

Dialysis of isolated low density lipoprotein induces a loss of lipophilic antioxidants and increases the susceptibility to oxidation in vitro

We determined the effects of different dialysis conditions on the antioxidant content, duration of the lag phase and oxidation rate of LDL. Dialysis for 22 h resulted in a 56%–66% reduction in the concentrations of β-carotene, lycopene and α-tocopherol. The lag phase of copper-induced oxidation of freshly isolated LDL was considerably longer than that of LDL dialysed for 22 or 44 h. Our data show that dialysis may result in LDL preparations with antioxidant compositions that are not truly representative of freshly isolated lipoproteins

Differential Role of Human Choline Kinase α and β Enzymes in Lipid Metabolism: Implications in Cancer Onset and Treatment

11 pages, 6 figures, 1 table.Background The Kennedy pathway generates phosphocoline and phosphoethanolamine through its two branches. Choline Kinase (ChoK) is the first enzyme of the Kennedy branch of synthesis of 1phosphocholine, the major component of the plasma membrane. ChoK family of proteins is composed by ChoKα and ChoKβ isoforms, the first one with two different variants of splicing. Recently ChoKα has been implicated in the carcinogenic process, since it is over-expressed in a variety of human cancers. However, no evidence for a role of ChoKβ in carcinogenesis has been reported. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we compare the in vitro and in vivo properties of ChoKα1 and ChoKβ in lipid metabolism, and their potential role in carcinogenesis. Both ChoKα1 and ChoKβ showed choline and ethanolamine kinase activities when assayed in cell extracts, though with different affinity for their substrates. However, they behave differentially when overexpressed in whole cells. Whereas ChoKβ display an ethanolamine kinase role, ChoKα1 present a dual choline/ethanolamine kinase role, suggesting the involvement of each ChoK isoform in distinct biochemical pathways under in vivo conditions. In addition, while overexpression of ChoKα1 is oncogenic when overexpressed in HEK293T or MDCK cells, ChoKβ overexpression is not sufficient to induce in vitro cell transformation nor in vivo tumor growth. Furthermore, a significant upregulation of ChoKα1 mRNA levels in a panel of breast and lung cancer cell lines was found, but no changes in ChoKβ mRNA levels were observed. Finally, MN58b, a previously described potent inhibitor of ChoK with in vivo antitumoral activity, shows more than 20-fold higher efficiency towards ChoKα1 than ChoKβ. Conclusion/Significance This study represents the first evidence of the distinct metabolic role of ChoKα and ChoKβ isoforms, suggesting different physiological roles and implications in human carcinogenesis. These findings constitute a step forward in the design of an antitumoral strategy based on ChoK inhibition.This work has been supported by grants to JCL from Comunidad de Madrid (GR-SAL-0821-2004), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (SAF2008-03750, RD06/0020/0016), Fundación Mutua Madrileña, and by a grant to ARM from Fundación Mutua Madrileña.Peer reviewe

Swedish fashion companies go abroad : a study on small and medium-size fashion companies’ internationalization processes

The Swedish fashion industry is one of the fastest growing export industries and in recent years the Swedish fashion companies have been praised for their international expansion. For companies with niche products in smaller markets like Sweden internationalization is important but since the industry is constantly changing the internationalization process is quite challenging. Previous studies show that internationalization can be profitable for fashion companies but there is no unified view among researchers as to which way is the right way for the companies to internationalize. Most studies come to the general conclusion that companies seem to follow different paths. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the knowledge development of internationalization for small and medium-sized Swedish fashion companies based on established theories of internationalization. A qualitative study has been conducted based on a multiple case study design with 12 participating Swedish fashion companies. The study has a deductive approach since it has its starting point is from a well-established theoretical model: The Business Network Internationalization Process Model which has also worked as a foundation for the study’s analytical model. The analysis is however partly inductive since findings in the result have been fed back into a modified theoretical model, suitable and applicable for Swedish fashion companies’ internationalization processes. In conclusion the findings indicate that there are several important knowledge-bases for the fashion companies that motivate them to start an internationalization process, mainly their design-driven vision of becoming an international brand and the management’s risk-taking business mindset, founded in their entrepreneurial skills and previous knowledge. The result also shows that relationships with different industry actors are of high importance for the companies and in many cases the only way to internationalize. In addition the results show not only that the established theoretical model on internationalization is applicable to Swedish fashion companies but that there also are tendencies that show that the Swedish companies follow a more chronological path in their processes