Self-assembly of Liposomes Loading Hinesol by Rapid Expansion from Supercritical to Surfactant Solution

To improve the encapsulation efficiency and minimize particle agglomeration of liposomes, rapid expansion from supercritical to surfactant solution（RESSS） was applied to self-assembly of liposomes entrapping hinesol in supercritical carbon dioxide（SC-CO2） medium. In the process, the solution of liposomal materials and hinesol dissolved in the mixture of SC-CO2/ethanol was sprayed into a surfactant solution. The surfactant provided stabilization for liposomes by preventing bubbles overflowing and liposomes agglomeration during the spraying process. The encapsulating performance and particle size distribution of liposomes could be controlled by changing expansion processing conditions. When the solution was sprayed into a 5.0% Poloxamer 188 solution at a flow rate of 2 L/min, the entrapment efficiency and average particle size of liposomes were found to be 88.26% and 124 nm, respectively, which came to the standards of Chinese pharmacopoeia. The results show RESSS process provides an innovative method for formation of liposomes incorporating valid compositions extracted from the Chinese traditional medicines in SC-CO2 medium.

A new approach of CO_(2)separation by applying rapid expansion of supercritical CO_(2)rich natural gas

The previous methods for CO_(2)separation from CO_(2)rich natural gas led to expensive production costs.This work was implemented to overcome the problems utilizing a new approach economically.The cooling and rapid expansion processes were integrated for the CO_(2)separation from CO_(2)rich natural gas on the supercritical condition.The experimental apparatus was newly constructed to perform the experiments,and the results were simulated using a various equation of state.The result reveals that the inlet temperature of supercritical expansion diminished the outlet temperature and the gas condensed easily.The simulation indicated that the 70%CO_(2)in natural gas was condensed easier than 45%CO_(2).We found that the outlet temperature of
42C and the vapor fraction of 0.69 was attained at the CO_(2)composition of 70%.Besides,the pressure drop change influences the vapor fraction at various CO_(2)compositions.The vapor fraction under supercritical diminished significantly compared with the nonsupercritical condition.The expansion coefficient determined utilizing the equation of state escalates by the enhancement of expansion inlet temperature based on CO_(2)composition in natural gas.The acid gas equation of state was the perfect equation to estimate the expansion coefficient with the absolute average error of 4.83%.This work suggests that the CO_(2)separation from CO_(2)rich natural gas with the cooling and rapid expansion method promotes the new approach to overcome the disadvantages of previous methods.

Risk Control Amid Rapid Expansion

China’s flourishing hotel industry not only presents endless business opportunities but also poses unprecedented risks for international hotel management companies. In a recent article, Gary Tillyer, Vice President of the Argyle Hotel Group (Australia) in China, put forward a series of risk control guidelines. Excerpts follow:

Seven-year follow-up of the nonsurgical expansion of maxillary and mandibular arches in a young adult: A case report

BACKGROUND Palatal expansion treatment has been used to expand the constricted maxillary arch and has become a routine procedure in orthodontic practice over the past decades.However,the long-term stability of expansion in the permanent dentition without a surgical approach is uncertain.CASE SUMMARY We present the case of a 15-year-old boy with Class II malocclusion and constricted arches.The patient was treated with rapid palatal expansion(RPE)followed by a fixed orthodontic appliance.A 7-year follow-up evaluation was performed by analyzing cephalometric radiographs,plaster models,and photographs.The patient’s constricted maxillary and mandibular arches were relived after the expansion treatment.A Class I occlusion and normal arch form were established and maintained in the long-term.CONCLUSION RPE treatment is successful in solving constricted dental arch in the permanent dentition without a surgical approach.Permanent retention and even occlusal contact help prevent long-term relapse.

Reducing relapse and accelerating osteogenesis in rapid maxillary expansion using an injectable mesoporous bioactive glass/fibrin glue composite hydrogel

Rapid maxillary expansion(RME),as a common treatment for craniomaxillofacial deformity,faces the challenge of high relapse rates and unsatisfactory therapeutic effects.In this study,a standardized Sprague-Dawley(SD)rat RME model was first established with a modified expander as well as retainer design and optimized anterior maxillary expanding force of 100 g which exerted the most synchronized mobility of mid-palatal suture and incisors.Via the standardized model,the high relapse rate was proven to be attributed to insufficient osteogenesis in expanded suture,requiring long-term retainer wearing in clinical situations.To reduce the relapse rate,mesoporous bioactive glass/fibrin glue(MBG/FG)composite hydrogels were developed for an in situ minimal invasive injection that enhance osteogenesis in the expanded palate.The component of 1 wt%MBG was adopted for enhanced mechanical strength,matched degradation rate and ion dissolution,excellent in vitro biocompatibility and osteoinductivity.Effects of 1%MBG/FG composite hydrogel on osteogenesis in expanded mid-palatal sutures with/without retention were evaluated in the standardized model.The results demonstrated that injection of 1%MBG/FG composite hydrogel significantly promoted bone formation within the expanded mid-palatal suture,inhibited osteoclastogenesis and benefited the balance of bone remodeling towards osteogenesis.Combination of retainer and injectable biomaterial was demonstrated as a promising treatment to reduce relapse rate and enhance osteogenesis after RME.The model establishment and the composite hydrogel development in this article might provide new insight to other craniomaxillofacial deformity treatment and design of bone-repairing biomaterials with higher regenerative efficiency.

Evaluating the effect of midpalatal corticotomy-assisted rapid maxillary expansion on the upper airway in young adults using computational fluid dynamics

Midpalatal corticotomy-assisted rapid maxillary expansion(MCRME)is a minimally invasive treatment of maxillary transverse deficiency(MTD)in young adults.However,the effect of MCRME on respiratory function still needs to be determined.In this study,we evaluated the changes in maxillary morphology and the upper airway following MCRME using computational fluid dynamics(CFD).Twenty patients with MTD(8 males,12 females;mean age 20.55 years)had cone-beam computed tomography(CBCT)images taken before and after MCRME.The CBCT data were used to construct a threedimensional(3 D)upper airway model.The upper airway flow characteristics were simulated using CFD,and measurements were made based on the CBCT images and CFD.The results showed that the widths of the palatal bone and nasal cavity,and the intermolar width were increased significantly after MCRME.The volume of the nasal cavity and nasopharynx increased significantly,while there were no obvious changes in the volumes of the oropharynx and hypopharynx.CFD simulation of the upper airway showed that the pressure drop and maximum velocity of the upper airway decreased significantly after treatment.Our results suggest that in these young adults with MTD,increasing the maxillary width,upper airway volume,and quantity of airflow by MCRME substantially improved upper airway ventilation.

Dynamic load balancing algorithm for distributed system

In distributed systems, it is important to adjust load distribution dynamically based on server performance and load information. Meanwhile, gray release and rapid expansion are the basic requirements to ensure reliability and stability for systems with short version iteration cycles. The traditional Hash algorithm performs poorly in gray release, rapid expansion, and load distribution. To solve these problems, a novel Hash-based dynamic mapping(HDM) load balancing algorithm was proposed. On the one hand, this algorithm can adjust the load distribution dynamically based on server performance and load information. On the other hand, it implements gray release by controlling the ratio of requests assigned to the changed nodes. Additionally, HDM has a higher expansion efficiency. Experiments show that the HDM distributes the load more reasonably, provides a more stable gray release ratio, and has a higher expansion efficiency.

Supercritical fluids:Clean solvents for green chemistry

Supercritical fluids are becoming increasingly attractive as environmentally acceptable replacement for organic solvents in chemical reactions and material processing. This paper highlights some of the properties of supercritical fluids, especially supercritical CO2, which offer particular advantages for the handling of polymers, metal complexes and the environmentally more friendly synthesis and manufacture of chemicals. The paper includes same of the researches in University of Nottingham and a number of recent reviews which together provide a comprehensive introduction.

Alternatives to surgery in children with mild OSA

Precision medicine requires coordinated and integrated evidence-based combinatorial approaches so that diagnosis and treatment can be tailored to the individual patient.In this context,the treatment approach to mild obstructive sleep apnea(OSA)is fraught with substantial debate as to what is mild OSA,and as to what constitutes appropriate treatment.As such,it is necessary to first establish a proposed consensus of what criteria need to be employed to reach the diagnosis of mild OSA,and then examine the circumstances under which treatment is indicated,and if so,whether and when anti-inflammatory therapy(AIT),rapid maxillary expansion(RME),and/or myofunctional therapy(MFT)may be indicated.