Co-Production of High-Grade Dissolving Pulp,Furfural,and Lignin from Eucalyptus via Extremely Low Acid Pretreatment and Pulping Technologies and Catalysis

Hemicellulose and lignin are not reasonably utilized during the dissolved pulp preparation process.This work aimed to propose a process for the co-production of dissolving pulp,furfural,and lignin from eucalyptus.High-grade dissolving pulp was prepared from eucalyptus using a combination of extremely low acid(ELA)pretreatment,Kraft cooking,and elementary chlorine-free(ECF)bleaching.The obtained pre-hydrolysate was catalytic conversion into furfural in a biphasic system,and lignin during Kraft cooking and ECF was recovered.The process condition was discussed as well as the mass flow direction.The results showed that ELA pretreatment could effectively remove 80.1%hemicellulose.Compared with traditional hydrothermal pretreatment,the ELA pretreatment significantly increased the xylose yield from 5.05 to 14.18 g/L at 170℃ for 2 h,which had practical significance for furfural production.The 82.7%furfural yield and 82.9%furfural selectivity were obtained from xylose-rich pre-hydrolysate using NaCl as a phase modifier in a biphasic system with 4-methyl-2-pentanone(MIBK)as an organic phase by ion exchange resin catalysts at 190℃ for 2 h.Subsequently,the pretreated eucalyptus was subjected to Kraft cooking,and the optimal alkali amount was 14%.Then,the Kraft pulp was bleached using the O-D1-EP-D_(2) sequence,and dissolving pulp was obtained with an ISO brightness of 86.0%,viscosity of 463 mL/g,andα-cellulose content of 95.4%.The Kraft lignin which has a potential application was investigated by 2D-HSQC NMR and 31P NMR.The results showed that the S/G ratio of Kraft lignin was 1.93,and the content of phenolic hydroxyl groups was 2.53 mmol/g.Moreover,based on the above proposed process,30.5 g dissolving pulp,5.5 g furfural,and 21.2 g lignin per 100 g eucalyptus chips(oven dry)were produced.This research will provide new catalysis and pulping technical routes for dissolving pulp,furfural,and Kraft lignin products,which are in great demand in the chemical industry.

Development, Application and Prospect of Dissolving Microneedles

In recent years, as a new transdermal drug delivery method, microneedle transdermal drug delivery technology accelerates the absorption of drugs through micron pores, which has been widely used in the field of medicine and cosmetics. Dissolving microneedles have the characteristics of good biocompatibility and fast dissolution speed, which attract more and more researchers’ attention and research. In this paper, the concept, properties and preparation methods of dissolving microneedles as well as the research status of dissolving microneedles in the field of medicine and cosmetics in recent years were summarized and prospected, so as to enable researchers to have a clearer and comprehensive understanding of dissolving microneedles and prospect the application and development prospects of dissolving microneedles in the industry.

Numerical Modelling of Dissolving and Driving Exploitation of Potash Salt in the Qarhan Playa——A Coupled Model of Reactive Solute Transport and Chemical Equilibrium in a Multi-component Underground Brine System

Firstly, the macroscopic chemical equilibrium state of a series of chemical reactions between intercrystal brine and its media salt layer （salt deposit） in Qarhan Salt Lake was studied by using the Pitzer theory. The concept of macroscopic solubility product and its relation with accumulated ore dissolving ratio were presented, which are used in the numerical model of dissolving and driving exploitation of potassium salt in Qarhan Salt Lake. And secondly, with a model forming idea of transport model for reacting solutes in the multi-component fresh groundwater system in porous media being a reference, a two-dimensional transport model coupled with a series of chemical reactions in a multi-component brine porous system （salt deposits） was developed by using the Pitzer theory. Meanwhile, the model was applied to model potassium/magnesium transport in Qarhan Salt Lake in order to study the transfer law of solid and liquid phases in the dissolving and driving process and to design the optimal injection/abstraction strategy for dissolving and capturing maximum Potassium/ Magnesium in the mining of salt deposits in Qarhan Salt Lake.

STUDY ON THE MECHANISM OF NYLON 6, 6 DISSOLVING PROCESS USING CaCl_2/MeOH AS THE SOLVENT

A discussion of the mechanism of nylon 6, 6 dissolving process using CaCl_2/MeOH as the sol-vent is presented. The calcium chloride forms a complex compound with nylon 6, 6 by breakingthe hydrogen bonds. The melting point of the CaCl_2 --nylon 6, 6 complex was found to be reducedby 91K relative to the pure nylon 6, 6 polymer. The role of methanol is somewhat similar to acatalyst. The results demonstrate that the complexation of a Lewis acid (CaCl_2) and a Lewis base(nylon 6, 6) can be used to probe intermolecular interactions such as hydrogen bonding in polymers, to modify the polymer properties and mediate its solubility and processing.

Dissolving of Nb and Ti carbonitride precipitates in microalloyed steels

The dissolving behaviour of Nb and Ti carbonitride precipitates inmicroalloyed steels during isothermal holding at 1300℃ was investigated by Transmission electronmicroscopy (TEM) and energy dispersion x-ray spectrum (EDX). It was found that all precipitates inNb-Ti microalloyed steel are (Nb, Ti)(C, N). With holding time increasing, the atomic ratio of Nb/Tiin precipitates decrease gradually. These precipitates still existe even after holding for 48 h at1300℃ while Nb(C, N) precipitates dissolve away in Nb microalloyed steel only after 4 h at the sametemperature. These results show that formation and thermostability of precipitates are considerablyinfluenced by interaction between Nb and Ti.

Upgrading Paper-grade Softwood Kraft Pulp to Dissolving Pulp by Cold Caustic Extraction

Cold caustic extraction has potential applications in the production of dissolving-grade pulps due to its ability to selectively remove hemicellulose from lignocellulosic materials. In this study,we demonstrate the conversion of paper-grade kraft pulp into dissolving pulp by a single-stage cold caustic extraction. Under the extraction conditions of 12 wt% NaOH lye,11% pulp consistency,a temperature of 35℃,and 2 h,a paper-grade softwood kraft pulp was purified to high-grade dissolving pulp with 97. 1% α-cellulose content,1. 2% pentosane content,and narrowed molecular weight distribution. The resulting extraction filtrate was concentrated by nano-filtration to obtain the hemicellulose content of 59. 0 g / L,while the permeate was a clear Na OH solution with 10. 9 wt% concentration. A process configuration was also proposed,integrating this cold caustic extraction process with existing pulp and paper production and multi-purpose utilization of the extraction filtrate.

pH-activatable oxidative stress amplifying dissolving microneedles for combined chemo-photodynamic therapy of melanoma

Photodynamic therapy(PDT)-mediated oxidation treatment is extremely attractive for skin melanoma ablation,but the strong hydrophobicity and poor tumor selectivity of photosensitizers,as well as the oxygen-consuming properties of PDT,leading to unsatisfactory therapeutic outcomes.Herein,a tumor acidic microenvironment activatable dissolving microneedle(DHA@HPFe-MN)was developed to realize controlled drug release and excellent chemo-photodynamic therapy of melanoma via oxidative stress amplification.The versatile DHA@HPFe-MN was fabricated by crosslinking a self-synthesized protoporphyrin(PpIX)-ADH-hyaluronic acid(HA)conjugate HA-ADH-PpIX with“iron reservoir”PA-Fe 3+complex in the needle tip via acylhydrazone bond formation,and dihydroartemisinin(DHA)was concurrently loaded in the hydrogel network.HA-ADH-PpIX with improved water solubility averted undesired aggregation of PpIX to ensure enhanced PDT effect.DHA@HPFe-MN with sharp needle tip,efficient drug loading and excellent mechanical strength could efficiently inserted into skin and reach the melanoma sites,where the acidic pH triggered the degradation of microneedles,enabling Fe-activated and DHA-mediated oxidation treatment,as evidenced by abundant reactive oxygen species(ROS)generation.Moreover,under light irradiation,a combined chemo-photodynamic therapeutic effect was achieved with amplified ROS generation.Importantly,the Fe-catalyzed ROS production of DHA was oxygen-independent,which work in synergy with the oxygen-dependent PDT to effectively destroy tumor cells.This versatile microneedles with excellent biosafety and biodegradability can be customized as a promising localized drug delivery system for combined chemo-photodynamic therapy of melanoma.

The Phenomenon of Proton Dissolving in Vacuum and of Proton Condensation from Vacuum. Two Forms of Protons, Structure of Nuclei, Electrons and Atoms

It was investigated how react molecular clusters in water, starch, bio-matrices, polymers and in quartz on gravitation radiation from planets. Gravitation radiation (GR) was found to influence the proton jumping in hydrogen bonds that stabilize the cluster structure. There was given a method calculating parameters of GR as well as a mechanism of its resonance interaction with weak GR from molecular matter (WGR). WGR has been defined as the result of proton dissolving in vacuum connected with its simultaneous condensation in the nearest free space. Both dissolving and condensation proceed with super light velocity. The gravitation wave length has been determined experimentally and it depends on the planet masses (between Earth and Sun λ ≥ 62 km, between Earth and Milky Way center λ ≥ 330 km). GR has been characterized with super light velocity. After analyzing the Sun influence on water two forms of protons were found: in a condensed and dissolved state. A new model for the atomic nucleus has been suggested according to which the protons in the nucleus oscillate between condensed and dissolved state, where in the case of isotopes this state is partially destroyed. The models for H2 and Be shall be given. Electron orbitals in atoms and molecules were found to be caused by a stationary front of shock waves from condensing protons.

Formulation, optimization & evaluation of mouth dissolving film of nifedipine by using design of experiment

The oral mucosa is vascularized,drugs can be absorbed directly and can enter the systemic circulation without firstpass metabolism[1].This advantage can be used in preparing products with increased oral bioavailability of molecules that undergo first pass metabolism.Thus oral mucosa is an attractive site for drug delivery[2,3].The objective of this research work is to formulate mouth dissolving film of nifedipine for enhanced bioavailability.nifedipine is used to treat hypertension and angina pectoris.

A Study on the Dissolving Loss of Nd in the NdCl_3-Containing Systems

The Dissolving loss of Nd in the systems NdCl_3-MCl_n(M=Li,Na,K,Ca,Sr,Ba;n=1 or 2) and the NdCl_3-rich NdCl_3-LiF motlen salts,and in the system of NdCl_3-(90 wt% KCl,10 wt%MCl_n) was determined.It was found that the dissolving loss of Nd (B_(Nd)) in the NdCl_3-KCl,NdCl_3-CaCl_2 and NdCl_3-(90 wt%KCl,10 wt%CaCl_2) melts is rather insignificant.The dissolving loss of Nd in the NdCl_3-KCl system increases with temperature,yet it is only 1/3 of that in pure NdCl_3 when the content of NdCl_3 was less than 50 wt% in the mixture.Addition of LiF to NdCl_3 can diminish the dissolving loss of Nd.The nature of interaction between metallic Nd and its salts was also discussed.

Two-and Three-Layered Dissolving Microneedles for Transcutaneous Delivery of Model Vaccine Antigen in Rats

Purpose: Comparison of transcutaneous immunization of ovalbumin (OA) between two-and three-layered dissolving microneedles (MN) in rats. Methods: We prepared 500 μm long two-layered and three-layered dissolving microneedle (2-MN and 3-MN, respectively) arrays from chondroitin sulfate as the base, and OA as the model antigen. The 2-MN containing OA at the acral portion and 3-MN with OA at the second portion were administered to rat skin transcutaneously. As a positive control, OA solution was injected subcutaneously (sc). The OA delivery and diffusion in the rat skin were studied using confocal microscopy with fluorescein-conjugated OA (FL-OA). Results: The formulated positions of OA were 0-155 ± 5 μm for 2-MN and 175 ± 4 – 225 ± 5 μm for 3-MN. The administered doses of OA were 2.2 ± 0.1 μg, 12.0 ± 0.2 μg and 22.0 ± 0.2 μg for 2-MN, 1.8 ± 0.2 μg, 12.6 ± 0.7 μg, and 20.4 ± 0.3 μg for 3-MN, 10 μg, 100 μg and 1000 μg for sc injection. At 4 weeks after the first administration, 3-MN showed about 2.5-7.0 fold and 5.4 fold higher total Ig (G + A + M) antibody than 2-MN and sc injection of the OA solution. Conclusions: The 3-MN, which delivered OA to the epidermis, is a useful drug delivery system for transcutaneous antigen delivery.

Usefulness of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF) Loaded Dissolving Microneedles for Local Therapy of Skin Wounds

Purpose: The usefulness of dissolving microneedles (DMs) for local skin therapy by basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was studied in rats. Methods: We prepared four kinds of bFGF-loaded DMs, approximately 500 μm length and 300 μm diameter at the bottom. Long-term stability and dissolution studies were performed by HPLC method. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacological evaluations were performed after administration of bFGF loaded DMs to rats. Results: The bFGF contents were 2.15 ± 0.07, 1.07 ± 0.04, 0.56 ± 0.07 and 0.12 ± 0.03 μg. The 100.2 ± 3.4%, 100.2 ± 3.3%, 99.3 ± 1.4% and 100.4 ± 3.0% of bFGF were recovered after 1, 3 and 6 months and 1 year incubation at 40°C. The bFGF was released from DMs within 5 min. In a pharmacokinetic study using 2.0 and 1.0 μg bFGF-loaded DMs, no systemic exposure of bFGF was detected. The initial bFGF concentrations in the rat skin tissue after administration of bFGF-loaded DMs to the hair-removed rat abdominal skin were 510.2 ± 20.1 ng/g wet weight for 2 μg bFGF DMs and 264.2 ± 56.5 ng/g wet weight for 1 μg DMs, declining slowly thereafter to 226.3 ± 33.5 and 105.1 ± 27.4 ng/g wet weight at 6 hr after administration. Good dose-dependency was observed. Pharmacological evaluation of bFGF-loaded DMs of 2.0, 1.0, 0.5, and 0.1 μg, in the wound healing rat model, all used DMs, but 0.1 μg DMs, showed good healing effects. Considered collectively, these results suggest the usefulness of bFGF-loaded DMs for local therapy of skin wound disease.

Process Control for Dissolving Pulp by SuperBatch Cooking

The process of producing dissolving pulp with SuperBatch cooking was introduced. The factors that affected the quality of the dissolving pulp and the corresponding operations were investigated.

Synergistic immunoreaction of acupuncture-like dissolving microneedles containing thymopentin at acupoints in immune-suppressed rats

Dissolving microneedles carried drug molecules can effectively penetrate the stratum corneum of skin to improve the transdermal drug delivery. The traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture is based on the needle stimulation at a specific location(acupoint) to generate and transmit biochemical and physiological signals which alter the pathophysiological state of patients. However, the pain associated with conventional acupuncture needles and the requirement of highly trained professionals limit the development of acupuncture in non-Asian countries. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the dissolving microneedles can be utilized as a self-administered painless replacement for acupuncture and locally released drug molecules can achieve expected therapeutic outcomes. Immunosuppressive rats were treated with acupuncture at Zusanli(ST36) acupoint using microneedles containing thymopentin.The immune functions and psychological mood of the immunosuppressed animals were examined. The proliferation of splenocytes was examined by CCK-8 assay. CD4 and CD8 expression patterns in spleen cells were detected by flow cytometry. The current study showed that use of either microneedles containing thymopentin or conventional acupuncture both resulted in immune cell proliferation, which was confirmed by flow cytometry. Furthermore, either conventional acupuncture or microneedles were able to effectively mitigate the anxiety caused by immune-suppression when applied on the ST36.

TPGS/hyaluronic acid dual-functionalized PLGA nanoparticles delivered through dissolving microneedles for markedly improved chemo-photothermal combined therapy of superficial tumor

Nanoparticles(NPs)have shown potential in cancer therapy,while a single administration conferring a satisfactory outcome is still unavailable.To address this issue,the dissolving microneedles(DMNs)were developed to locally deliver functionalized NPs with combined chemotherapy and photothermal therapy(PTT).α-Tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate(TPGS)/hyaluronic acid(HA)dualfunctionalized PLGA NPs(HD10 NPs)were fabricated to co-load paclitaxel and indocyanine green.HD10 NPs significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of low-dose paclitaxel because of active and mitochondrial targeting by HA and TPGS,respectively.PTT could further sensitize tumor cells toward chemotherapy by promoting apoptosis into the advanced period,highly activating caspase 3 enzyme,and significantly reducing the expression of survivin and MMP-9 proteins.Further,the anti-tumor effects of HD10 NPs delivered through different administration routes were conducted on the 4 T1 tumorbearing mice.After a single administration,HD10 NPs delivered with DMNs showed the best antitumor effect when giving chemotherapy alone.As expected,the anti-tumor effect was profoundly enhanced after combined therapy,and complete tumor ablation was achieved in the mice treated with DMNs and intra-tumor injection.Moreover,DMNs showed better safety due to moderate hyperthermia.Therefore,the DMNs along with combined chemo-photothermal therapy provide a viable treatment option for superficial tumors.

Mechanisms and solubility equations of gas dissolving in water

The two mechanisms of gas dissolving in water, interstice filling and aquation, are proposed. General equations of gas solubility have been deduced from the mechanisms and experimental observations. Dependence of Henry’s coefficient on temperature, pressure, aquation equilibrium constant and gas molecular wlume is discussed. The theoretical equations were verified by experimental data, which shows that the theoretical results of the solubility of methane are in good agreement with the experimental data in the range of 20 -160℃ and under a pressure of less than 60 MPa.

Quantitative Research on Dissolving of Nb in High Nb Microalloyed Steels during Reheating

The accurate prediction of soluble Nb content during reheating is helpful for the design of chemical compo sition and reheating parameters for Nb-containing steels. The dissolution behavior of Nb in high Nb mieroailoyed steels was investigated. The results show that Nh does not entirely dissolve for high Nb microalloyed steels containing Ti after holding at 1 300 ℃ for 3 h. The soluble Nb content increases with the decrease of C content and/or the increase of Nb content in steels. Moreover, an expression has been established to describe the amount evolution of soluble Nb in high Nb microalloyed steels during reheating and the validity of this expression has also been verified by experiment.

Recent progress on nanomaterial-based electrochemical dissolved oxygen sensors

Dissolved oxygen(DO)usually refers to the amount of oxygen dissolved in water.In the environment,medicine,and fermentation industries,the DO level needs to be accurate and capable of online monitoring to guide the precise control of water quality,clinical treatment,and microbial metabolism.Compared with other analytical methods,the electrochemical strategy is superior in its fast response,low cost,high sensitivity,and portable device.However,an electrochemical DO sensor faces a trade-off between sensitivity and long-term stability,which strongly limits its practical applications.To solve this problem,various advanced nanomaterials have been proposed to promote detection performance owing to their excellent electrocatalysis,conductivity,and chemical stability.Therefore,in this review,we focus on the recent progress of advanced nanomaterial-based electrochemical DO sensors.Through the comparison of the working principles on the main analysis techniques toward DO,the advantages of the electrochemical method are discussed.Emphasis is placed on recently developed nanomaterials that exhibit special characteristics,including nanostructures and preparation routes,to benefit DO determination.Specifically,we also introduce some interesting research on the configuration design of the electrode and device,which is rarely introduced.Then,the different requirements of the electrochemical DO sensors in different application fields are included to provide brief guidance on the selection of appropriate nanomaterials.Finally,the main challenges are evaluated to propose future development prospects and detection strategies for nanomaterial-based electrochemical sensors.

Dissolvable temporary barrier:a novel paradigm for flexible hydrogel patterning in organ-on-a-chip models

A combination of hydrogels and microfluidics allows the construction of biomimetic three-dimensional(3D)tissue models in vitro,which are also known as organ-on-a-chipmodels.The hydrogel patterningwith awell-controlled spatial distribution is typically achieved by embedding sophisticated microstructures to act as a boundary.However,these physical barriers inevitably expose cells/tissues to a less physiologically relevant microenvironment than in vivo conditions.Herein,we present a novel dissolvable temporary barrier(DTB)strategy that allows robust and flexible hydrogel patterning with great freedom of design and desirable flow stimuli for cellular hydrogels.The key aspect of this approach is the patterning of a water-soluble rigid barrier as a guiding path for the hydrogel using stencil printing technology,followed by a barrier-free medium perfusion after the dissolution of the DTB.Single and multiple tissue compartments with different geometries can be established using either straight or curved DTB structures.The effectiveness of this strategy is further validated by generating a 3D vascular network through vasculogenesis and angiogenesis using a vascularized microtumor model.As a new proof-of-concept in vasculature-on-a-chip,DTB enables seamless contact between the hydrogel and the culture medium in closed microdevices,which is an improved protocol for the fabrication ofmultiorgan chips.Therefore,we expect it to serve as a promising paradigm for organ-on-a-chip devices for the development of tumor vascularization and drug evaluation in the future preclinical studies.

Straw mulching alters the composition and loss of dissolved organic matter in farmland surface runoff by inhibiting the fragmentation of soil small macroaggregates

Straw mulching is a widespread practice for reducing the soil carbon loss caused by erosion.However,the effects of straw mulching on dissolved organic matter(DOM)runoff loss from black soil are not well studied.How straw mulching affects the composition and loss of runoff DOM by changing soil aggregates remains largely unclear.Here,a straw mulching treatment was compared to a no mulching treatment(as a control)on sloping farmland with black soil erosion in Northeast China.We divided the soil into large macroaggregates(>2 mm),small macroaggregates(0.25-2 mm),and microaggregates(<0.25 mm).After five rain events,the effects of straw mulching on the concentration(characterized by dissolved organic carbon(DoC)and composition(analyzed by fluorescence spectroscopy)of runoff and soil aggregate DOM were studied.The results showed that straw mulching reduced the runoff amount by 54.7%.Therefore,although straw mulching increased the average DOc concentration in runoff,it reduced the total runoff DOM loss by 48.3%.The composition of runoff DOM is similar to that of soil,as both contain humic-like acid and protein-like components.With straw mulching treatment,the protein-like components in small macroaggregates accumulated and the protein-like components in runoff declined with rain events.Fluorescence spectroscopy technology may help in understanding the hydrological paths of rain events by capturing the dynamic changes of runoff and soil DOM characteristics.A variation partitioning analysis(VPA)indicated that the DOM concentration and composition of microaggregates explained 68.2%of the change in runoff DOM from no mulching plots,while the change in runoff DOM from straw mulching plots was dominated by small macroaggregates at a rate of 55.1%.Taken together,our results demonstrated that straw mulching reduces the fragmentation of small macroaggregates and the loss of microaggregates,thus effecting DOM compositions in soil and reducing the DOM loss in runoff.These results provide a theoretical basis for reducing carbon loss in sloping farmland.