Synergistic anionic/zwitterionic mixed surfactant system with high emulsification efficiency for enhanced oil recovery in low permeability reservoirs

Emulsification is one of the important mechanisms of surfactant flooding. To improve oil recovery for low permeability reservoirs, a highly efficient emulsification oil flooding system consisting of anionic surfactant sodium alkyl glucosyl hydroxypropyl sulfonate(APGSHS) and zwitterionic surfactant octadecyl betaine(BS-18) is proposed. The performance of APGSHS/BS-18 mixed surfactant system was evaluated in terms of interfacial tension, emulsification capability, emulsion size and distribution, wettability alteration, temperature-resistance and salt-resistance. The emulsification speed was used to evaluate the emulsification ability of surfactant systems, and the results show that mixed surfactant systems can completely emulsify the crude oil into emulsions droplets even under low energy conditions. Meanwhile,the system exhibits good temperature and salt resistance. Finally, the best oil recovery of 25.45% is achieved for low permeability core by the mixed surfactant system with a total concentration of 0.3 wt%while the molar ratio of APGSHS:BS-18 is 4:6. The current study indicates that the anionic/zwitterionic mixed surfactant system can improve the oil flooding efficiency and is potential candidate for application in low permeability reservoirs.

Emulsifying property,antioxidant activity,and bitterness of soybean protein isolate hydrolysate obtained by Corolase PP under high hydrostatic pressure

Enzymatic hydrolysis of proteins can enhance their emulsifying properties and antioxidant activities.However,the problem related to the hydrolysis of proteins was the generation of the bitter taste.Recently,high hydrostatic pressure(HHP)treatment has attracted much interest and has been used in several studies on protein modification.Hence,the study aimed to investigate the effects of enzymatic hydrolysis by Corolase PP under different pressure treatments(0.1,100,200,and 300 MPa for 1-5 h at 50℃)on the emulsifying property,antioxidant activity,and bitterness of soybean protein isolate hydrolysate(SPIH).As observed,the hydrolysate obtained at 200 MPa for 4 h had the highest emulsifying activity index(47.49 m^(2)/g)and emulsifying stability index(92.98%),and it had higher antioxidant activities(44.77%DPPH free radical scavenging activity,31.12%superoxide anion radical scavenging activity,and 61.50%copper ion chelating activity).At the same time,the enhancement of emulsion stability was related to the increase of zeta potential and the decrease of mean particle size.In addition,the hydrolysate obtained at 200 MPa for 4 h had a lower bitterness value and showed better palatability.This study has a broad application prospect in developing food ingredients and healthy foods.

Effect of sequential nursing care combined with communication intervention on visual recovery and pain after cataract ultrasound emulsification

BACKGROUND Cataracts are a common ophthalmic disease and postoperative vision recovery is crucial to patient quality of life.Rational and efficient care models play an impor-tant role in promoting vision recovery.AIM To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of procedural nursing care combined with communication intervention in vision recovery after cataract ultrasound emulsi-fication.METHODS A randomized controlled study was conducted on 100 patients with cataracts who underwent ultrasound emulsification surgery.They were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group.The experimental group received procedural nursing combined with Connect,Introduce,Communicate,Ask,Respond,Exit(CICARE)communication intervention,whereas the control group received conventional nursing.The effectiveness of the nursing model was assessed by comparing differences in vision recovery,pain scores,and mental health status between the two groups.RESULTS It was found that over time the visual acuity of patients in both groups gradually recovered and patients in the experimental group had lower pain scores and superior mental health status than the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Procedural nursing combined with CICARE communication intervention has positive effects on vision recovery in patients after cataract ultrasound emulsification.

The Various Complications Associated with Use of Silicone Oil in Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment (RRD) Surgery via Three-Port Vitrectomy (3PV): A Retrospective Study at the Ophthalmology Center of Abass Ndao Hospital

Introduction: RRD (Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment) is a separation between the neuroepithelium and the pigment epithelium due to the passage of fluid through a retinal dehiscence. It constitutes a major ophthalmologic emergency. Its management is primarily surgical, either through external or internal approaches, with tamponade using gas or silicone oil. The purpose of this study was to report the various complications associated with the use of silicone oil in vitreoretinal surgery. Patients et methods: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive, and analytical study from October 1, 2020, to October 31, 2023, which included all patients who underwent surgery for RRD using three-port vitrectomy (3PV) with tamponade using 1000 centistoke silicone oil (Group 1) and 5000 centistoke silicone oil (Group 2). All patients underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination and were operated on by the same surgeon. Data analysis was performed using Excel software. Results: Overall, 31 patient files representing 33 eyes were collected, with a mean age of 48.83 years and a sex ratio of 4.16. Group 1 consisted of 16 eyes (48.48%), and Group 2 consisted of 17 eyes (51.51%). The different complications observed were cataracts in all phakic subjects, accounting for 57.57%;ocular hypertonia in 69.69% (27.27% in Group 1;42.42% in Group 2);anterior chamber silicone oil migration in 24.24% (9.09% in Group 1;15.15% in Group 2);recurrence of retinal detachment in 21.21% (6.06% in Group 1;15.15% in Group 2);and silicone oil emulsification in 24.24% (15.15% in Group 1;9.09% in Group 2). Additionally, there was one case of corneal degeneration in Group 1. Conclusion: Silicone oil is an effective tamponade agent used in the treatment of retinal detachments. Close patient follow-up is necessary due to the complications associated with its use, which can occur either early or late after surgery.

Analysis of Ultrasonic Emulsification Surgery and Small Incision Cataract Extracapsular Extraction Surgery for Cataract Clinical Treatment Level Improvement

Objective:To analyze the efficacy of ultrasonic emulsification and small incision cataract extracapsular extraction in cataract patients.Methods:96 cataract patients admitted from May 2021 to May 2023 were selected and randomly grouped into group A(ultrasonic emulsification)and group B(small-incision extracapsular cataract extraction),with 48 cases each.Results:At 1 week,1-month,and 3 months post-operation,the visual acuity of group A was higher and the astigmatism value was lower than that of group B(P<0.05);at 12h,24h,and 48h post-operation,the intraocular pressure of group A was higher than that of group B(P<0.05);the thickness of macular area of group A was lower than that of group B at 1 week and 1-month post-operation(P<0.05).Conclusion:Ultrasonic emulsification in cataract patients was slightly better than small incision cataract extracapsular extraction in correcting astigmatism,improving visual acuity,and regulating macular thickness.However,due to the high energy of ultrasonic emulsification,the risk of complications such as high postoperative intraocular pressure was higher.Small-incision extracapsular cataract extraction has better application value in economically disadvantaged areas.

Clinical Application of Cataract Ultrasonic Emulsification Combined with Atrial Angle Segmentation in the Treatment of Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma

Objective:To evaluate the therapeutic effect of cataract ultrasonic emulsification(PE)combined with atrial angle separation(CSS)for primary angle-closure glaucoma(PACG).Methods:78 patients with PACG admitted to the hospital between October 2021 and October 2023 were selected and grouped by randomized numerical table;39 cases were counted in the observation group and selected PE combined with CSS surgery;39 cases were counted in the reference group and selected PE combined with trabeculectomy and the total effective rate,the state of the atrial angle,the clinical indexes,the degree of ocular symptoms,and the complication rate were compared.Results:The total effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the reference group,and the percentage of the wide atrial angle of the atrial angle status was higher than that of the reference group;3 months after the operation,the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution(Log MAR)and intraocular pressure of the observation group was lower than that of the reference group,and the central anterior chamber depth(ACD)was greater than that of the reference group;the scores of the degree of ocular symptoms of the observation group were lower than that of the reference group,and the rate of complication was lower than that of the reference group(P<0.05).Conclusion:PE combined with CSS surgical treatment for PACG patients can improve the efficacy of treatment,improve the state of the patients’atrial angles,and restore the ocular function indexes.It can alleviate the ocular symptoms as soon as possible and has a high surgical safety.

Molecular design and applications of a nanostructure green Tripodal surface active ionic liquid in enhanced oil recovery: Interfacial tension reduction, wettability alteration, and emulsification

Surface active ionic liquids (SAILs) are considered as prominent materials in enhanced oil recovery thanks to their high interfacial activity. This study reports the preparation and applications of a nanostructure Tripodal imidazolium SAIL as an environmentally-friendly substitute to the conventional surfactants. The product has a star-like molecular structure centered by a triazine spacer, namely [(C_(4)im)_(3)TA][Cl_(3)], prepared by a one-step synthesis method and characterized with FT-IR, NMR, XRD, and SEM analysis methods. The interfacial tension of the system was decreased to about 78% at critical micelle concentration of less than 0.08 mol·dm^(−3). Increasing temperature, from 298.2 to 323.2 K, improved this capability. The solid surface wettability was changed from oil-wet to water-wet and 80% and 77% stable emulsions of crude oil–aqueous solutions were created after one day and one week, respectively. Compared to the Gemini kind homologous SAILs, the superior effects of the Tripodal SAIL were revealed and attributed to the strong hydrophobic branches in the molecule. The Frumkin adsorption isotherm precisely reproduced the generated IFT data, and accordingly, the adsorption and thermodynamic parameters were determined.

Effects of the degree of oral processing on the properties of saliva-participating emulsions:using stewed pork with brown sauce as the model

This work investigated the changes in properties of saliva-participating emulsions during different oral processing stages(the whole process from intake to swallowing was divided into five stages,i.e.,20%,40%,60%,80%and 100%stage).The stewed pork with brown sauce was masticated and the emulsion was collected for the determination of emulsion stability,droplet size,ζ-potential,interfacial tension,and microstructure.The results showed that the emulsion stability increased gradually during the oral processing and reached the highest level near the swallowing point.The droplet size of emulsion showed a significant downward trend(P<0.05).Microstructure observations also found different degrees of reduction in fat droplets size at different stages of oral processing.In addition,theζ-potential of food boluses emulsion was decreased from-16.4 mV to-41.2 mV and the interfacial tension decreased by 52.6%before and after oral progressing.In conclusion,the oral processing of stewed pork with brown sauce was essentially a process in which fat was constantly emulsified,and saliva might act as an emulsifier.This study provides new insights on understanding the oral processing process and sensory changes of fat.

Temperature-induced hydrophobicity transition of MXene membrane for directly preparing W/O emulsions

Although hydrophilic membranes are desired for reducing resistance to water permeation, hydrophilic surfaces are not used in the water-in-oil(W/O) membrane emulsification process because water spreads on the hydrophilic surface without forming droplets. Here, we report that a hydrophilic ceramic membrane can form a hydrophobic interface in diesel at a higher temperature;interestingly, the experiments show that the contact angle increases when the temperature rises. The hydrophilic membrane surface evolves into a hydrophobic interface, particularly near the boiling point of water, resulting in a water contact angle of 147.5° ± 1.2°. This work established a method for preparing W/O monodispersed emulsions by direct emulsification of hydrophilic ceramic membranes at a temperature close to the boiling point of water.Additionally, it made high flux of membrane emulsification of monodispersed W/O emulsions possible,which satisfied the industrial requirements of fluidized catalytic cracking in the petrochemical industry.

Intraocular Silicone Oil Removed after 10 Years: A Case Report

Background: Silicone oil (SO) has been demonstrated with concrete efficacy and safety in the therapy of complex vitreoretinal diseases. SO is schemed to be cleared within several weeks or months after tamponade, but it’s inevitable for permanent or residual SO in a fraction of patients under extremely complicated clinical conditions. Here, we presented a case of silicone oil removal after 10 years, mainly to observe the disadvantages of long-term persistence. Case presentation: A 69-year-old female with pathologic myopia denied trauma history who had undergone pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), retinal reattachment, laser, and silicone oil tamponade in 2012 presented to our hospital with eye pain and headache, no light perception of her right eye for six months. The slit-lamp biomicroscopy examination for OD indicated evident conjunctival congestion, new blood vessels invasion to the limbus, foggy edema of corneal epithelium, folds of Descemet’s membrane and corneal endothelial edema. There were obvious emulsified silicone oil particles above the anterior chamber. Goldmann’s applanation tonometry test revealed the intraocular pressure was as high as 45/17mmHg. From ocular ultrasound, we saw that the vitreous cavity was filled with silicone oil in right eye;as for the left eye, it showed marked axial elongation and posterior scleral staphyloma. We were unable to obtain more information from fundus photography and macular optical coherence tomography (OCT) due to edema of the cornea. After the silicone oil was removed successfully from her vitreous cavity, although there was no improvement in the patient’s vision (no light perception), she was still satisfied with the relief from eye pain and headache benefited from the reduction of high intraocular pressure (Goldmann’s intraocular pressure decreased to 19/14mmHg). Conclusion: Patients after PPV should remove silicone oil in time to avoid corneal damage, intraocular hypertension, lens opacity and retinal damage induced by long-term silicone tamponade.

Preparation and in Vitro Evaluation of Polylactic Acid (PLA) or Polylactic-co-Glycolic Acid (PLGA) Microcapsules Loaded with Estradiol

Aim PLA/PLGA was used as biodegradable and biocompatible carriers to achieve sustained release of estradiol (E 2). Methods Microcapsules (MC) were prepared by an emulsification solvent extraction method, and then the properties and in vitro drug release behavior of MC were examined. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the statistical significance. Then, multiple comparisons were made with a T method between levels to examine the significance of difference further. For all the results a P value 】0 05 was considered statistically insignificant . Results Under the same conditions, the water adding speed and the particle size had significant effects ( P 【0 01) on the entrapment efficiency of MC; the water adding speed and the concentration of PLA in the oil phase had significant effects ( P 【0 01) on the diameter MC in medium. Release of E 2 from MC was influenced significantly ( P 【0 01) by the water adding speed and the type and molecule weight of the polymers. But the differences between levels of the variates were not all significant. Conclusion E 2 PLA/PLGA MC with various properties can be formed when the formulation and the technology were changed accordingly.

PROGRESS IN PHASE INVERSION EMULSIFICATION FOR EPOXY RESIN WATERBORNE DISPERSIONS

In this review, our recent work in phase inversion emulsification （PIE） for polymer （especially epoxy resin） waterborne dispersions is summarized. Based on experimental results about PIE process, the physical model is proposed which can guide the synthesis of the waterborne dispersions such as polymer/nanoparticle composite dispersion. In the presence of a latent curing catalyst, PIE can give a crosslinkable epoxy resin waterborne dispersion. The dispersions can form cured transparent coatings with some unique properties such as UV shielding. They are promising in functional coatings, waterborne resin matrices for composites, and sizing for high performance fibers.

Analysis of the causative factors related to earlier emulsification of silicone oil

The aim of this study is to report and analyze the factors related with earlier occurrence of silicone oil(SO) emulsification in patients underwent pars plana vitrectomy and SO injection in our hospital. We retrospectively reviewed consecutive case series undergone both SO injection and removal in our hospital, and 182 ones were eligible. Possible related independent factors included: macula status(on/off), concomitant phacoemulsification with the surgery of SO tamponading, concomitant status of proliferative vitreoretinopathy, combined surgery of retinotomy, time to have emulsification(<6 mo/≥6 mo after primary SO injection), route of SO injection(anterior/posterior), lens status(aphakic/pseudophakic/phakic), anesthesia(local/general), brands and type of SO, with/without episcleral cryotherapy, with/without hypertension, with/without diabetes, with/without intraoperative use of triamcinolone acetonide. The study revealed that brand and type of SO was the significant factor related with earlier emulsification of SO. Further study was warranted to find out the underlying causes.

Preparation and in vitro Studies of Stealth PEGylated PLGA Nanoparticles as Carriers for Arsenic Trioxide

The aim of this study was to prepare arsenic trioxide （ATO）-loaded stealth PEGylated PLGA nanoparticles （PEG-PLGA-NPs） and to assess the merits of PEG-PLGA-NPs as drug carriers for ATO delivery. PEG-PLGA copolymer was synthesized with methoxypolyethyleneglycol （Mw=5000）, D, L-lactide, and glycolide by the ring-opening polymerization method. Amorphous ATO was transformed into cubic crystal form to increase its solu-bility in the organic solvent. ATO-loaded PEG-PLGA-NPs were prepared by the modified spontaneous emulsification solvent diffusion （SESD） method, and the main experimental factors influencing the characteristics of nanopar- ticles were investigated, to optimize the preparation. To confirm the escape of PEG-PLGA-NPs from phagocytosis by phagocytes, PEG-PLGA-NPs labeled rhodamine B uptake by murine peritoneal macrophages （MPM） were analyzed by flow cytometry. The results showed that the physicochemical characteristics of PEG-PLGA-NPs were affected by the type and concentration of the emulsifiers, polymer concentration, and drug concentration. ATO-loaded PEG-PLGA-NPs, with particle size of 120.8nm, zeta potential of-10.73mV, encapsulation efficiency of 73.6%, and drug loading of 1.36%, were prepared under optimal conditions. The images of transmission electron micros-copy （TEM） indicated that the optimized nanoparticles were near spherical and without aggregation or adhesion. The release experiments in vitro showed the ATO release from PEG-PLGA-NPs exhibited consequently sustained release for more than 26d, which was in accordance with Higuchi equation. The uptake of PEG-PLGA-NPs by MPM was found to decrease markedly compared to PLGA-NPs. The experimental results showed that PEG-PLGA-NPs were potential nano drug delivery carriers for ATO.

Preparation of Monodispersed O/W Emulsion by Ceramic External Membrane Emulsification System——Preliminary Study on Integrated Ceramic Membrane Emulsification Reactor

A new reactor with integrated conventional slurry stirred reactor and ceramic external membrane emulsification system, was introduced in this paper. Toluene and toluene containing surfactant was separately used as dispersed phase for preparation of emulsions. Two kinds of emulsions were prepared and compared. The volume average sizes of prepared emulsions were 3.53μm and 3.6μm respectively. The results showed that the droplet sizes of two kinds of emulsions were similar, but the monodispersed emulsion was only obtained with addition of surfactant into the dispersed phase.

Analysis of the rates of emulsification in intraocular silicone oil tamponades of differing viscosities

AIM:To investigate the rates of emulsification in silicone oil(SO)tamponades of differing viscosities used during pars plana vitrectomy(PPV)in the treatment of complicated vitreoretinal diseases.METHODS:This study was a prospective randomized clinical trial.Totally 290 cases with greater likelihoods of secondary detachment were included and randomly grouped into either Siluron 2000(n=143)or Siluron 5000(n=147)SO tamponades with 23-gauge PPV.Patient followups and data analyses were conducted 1,3,6,and 12 mo post-surgery.RESULTS:The time of the SO emulsification ranged from 1 to 17 mo,with a mean of 7.3±4.2 mo.The Siluron 5000 group showed a slower emulsification rate in comparison to the Siluron 2000 group.The Siluron 2000 group took a shorter time to show signs of emulsification,necessitating earlier SO removal.However,there were no significant differences in the occurrence of complications,including secondary retinal detachment,cataract,corneal abnormality,high intraocular pressure and hypotony.CONCLUSION:The Siluron 2000 SO tamponade shows a faster rate of emulsification than the Siluron 5000 SO,necessitating earlier removal.Both groups show similar results in terms of anatomical success and visual acuity outcome,and there is no significant difference between the SOs regarding the occurrence of complications.

Impact of emulsification of crude oil on normalized radar cross section

The emulsification of crude oil is caused by the oil flowing into the water,resulting in the increase of oil film tension,viscosity,water content,and volume,which brings great harm to the marine ecological environment and difficulties for the cleanup of marine emergency equipment.The realization observation of emulsification crude oil will increase the response speed of marine emergency response.Therefore,we set up crude oil emulsification samples to study the physical property in laboratory and conducted radar measurements at different incidence angles in outdoor.The radar is C band in resolution of 0.7 m by 0.7 m.A fully polarimetric scatterometer(HH,VV,and VH/HV)is mounted at 1.66 m(minimum altitude)height at an incidence angle between 35°and 60°.An asphalt content of less than 3%crude oil and the filtered seawater were used to the outdoor emulsification scattering experiment.The measurement results are as follows.The water content can be used to describe the process of emulsification and it is easy to measure.Wind speed,asphalt content,seawater temperature,and photo-oxidation affect the emulsifying process of crude oil,and affects the normalized radar cross section(NRCS)of oil film but wind is not the dominant factor.It is the first time to find that the emulsification of crude oil results in an increase of NRCS.

A Mutant Strain of a Surfactant-Producing Bacterium with Increased Emulsification Activity

As reported in this paper, a strain of oil-degrading bacterium Sp - 5 - 3 was determined to belong to Enterobacteriaceae, which would be useful for microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR). The aim of our study was to generate a mutant using low energy N+ beam implantation. With 10 keV of energy and 5.2× 1014 N+/cm2 of dose - the optimum condition, a mutant, S-34, was obtained, which had nearly a 5-fold higher surface and a 13-fold higher of emulsifica-tion activity than the wild type. The surface activity was measured by two methods, namely, a surface tension measuring instrument and a recording of the repulsive circle of the oil film; the emulsification activity was scaled through measuring the separating time of the oil-fermentation mixture. The metabolic acid was determined as methane by means of gas chromatography.

Preparation of Macroporous TiO2 Ceramic Based on Membrane Jet-flow Emulsification

A novel method to prepare macroporous TiO2 ceramic, based on membrane emulsification was reported.To solve the paradox between the instability of nonaqueous emulsion and long emulsification time required by themembrane emulsification, a two-stage ceramic membrane jet-flow emulsification .was. proposed. Discussion wasconducted on the evolution of droplet size with time, which followed the Ostwalcl npemng theory. And a monodispersed nonaqueous emulsion with an average droplet size of 1.6μm could beprepared. Using the emulsion, as atemplate, TiO2 ceramics with an average pore size ot 1.1 μm were obtaineed. Tne material could be prospectivelyused for preparation of catalysts, adsorbents, and membranes.

SYNTHESIS OF STYRENIC TONER PARTICLES BY SPG EMULSIFICATION TECHNIQUE

This research studied the initiator efficiency for producing polymeric particles of poly(styrene-co-methyl methacrylate)copolymers by a Shirasu porous glass membrane(SPG)emulsification technique followed by suspension copolymerization.BPO,ADVN,and AIBN were used as initiators and we found that BPO is the most suitable initiator.Copolymers for various feed ratios of styrene/methyl methacrylate were thus synthesized by benzoyl peroxide,and their copolymer particle size,molecular weight distribution and pat-ride size distribution were characterized.Then n-BMA or 2-EHMA was added as the third monomer to decrease the terpolymer glass transition temperature.This article describes the preparation technique,recipes and polymerization conditions for producing both copolymer and terpolymer particles,particle size changes,the corresponding particle morphologies and glass transition temperatures.