Modelling the flow of cane constituents in the milling process

A model has been developed to track the flow of cane constituents through the milling process. While previous models have tracked the flow of fibre, brix and water through the process, this model tracks the soluble and insoluble solid cane components using modelling theory and experiment data, assisting in further understanding the flow of constituents into mixed juice and final bagasse. The work provided an opportunity to understand the factors which affect the distribution of the cane constituents in juice and bagasse. Application of the model should lead to improvements in the overall performance of the milling train.

Modelling the flow of cane constituents through the milling process of a raw sugar factory

This thesis reports on an investigation to develop an advanced and comprehensive milling process model of the raw sugar factory. Although the new model can be applied to both, the four-roller and six-roller milling units, it is primarily developed for the six-roller mills which are widely used in the Australian sugar industry. The approach taken was to gain an understanding of the previous milling process simulation model "MILSIM" developed at the University of Queensland nearly four decades ago. Although the MILSIM model was widely adopted in the Australian sugar industry for simulating the milling process it did have some incorrect assumptions. The study aimed to eliminate all the incorrect assumptions of the previous model and develop an advanced model that represents the milling process correctly and tracks the flow of other cane components in the milling process which have not been considered in the previous models. The development of the milling process model was done is three stages. Firstly, an enhanced milling unit extraction model (MILEX) was developed to access the mill performance parameters and predict the extraction performance of the milling process. New definitions for the milling performance parameters were developed and a complete milling train along with the juice screen was modelled. The MILEX model was validated with factory data and the variation in the mill performance parameters was observed and studied. Some case studies were undertaken to study the effect of fibre in juice streams, juice in cush return and imbibition% fibre on extraction performance of the milling process. It was concluded from the study that the empirical relations developed for the mill performance parameters in the MILSIM model were not applicable to the new model. New empirical relations have to be developed before the model is applied with confidence. Secondly, a soluble and insoluble solids model was developed using modelling theory and experimental data to track the flow of sucrose (pol), reducing sugars (glucose and fructose), soluble ash, true fibre and mud solids entering the milling train through the cane supply and their distribution in juice and bagasse streams.. The soluble impurities and mud solids in cane affect the performance of the milling train and further processing of juice and bagasse. New mill performance parameters were developed in the model to track the flow of cane components. The developed model is the first of its kind and provides some additional insight regarding the flow of soluble and insoluble cane components and the factors affecting their distribution in juice and bagasse. The model proved to be a good extension to the MILEX model to study the overall performance of the milling train. Thirdly, the developed models were incorporated in a proprietary software package "SysCAD’ for advanced operational efficiency and for availability in the ‘whole of factory’ model. The MILEX model was developed in SysCAD software to represent a single milling unit. Eventually the entire milling train and the juice screen were developed in SysCAD using series of different controllers and features of the software. The models developed in SysCAD can be run from macro enabled excel file and reports can be generated in excel sheets. The flexibility of the software, ease of use and other advantages are described broadly in the relevant chapter. The MILEX model is developed in static mode and dynamic mode. The application of the dynamic mode of the model is still under progress.

Quality evaluation of Yin Chen Hao Tang extract based on fingerprint chromatogram and simultaneous determination of five bioactive constituents

A completely validated method based on HPLC coupled with photodiode array detector (HPLC-UV) was described for evaluating and controlling quality of Yin Chen Hao Tang extract (YCHTE). First, HPLC-UV fingerprint chromatogram of YCHTE was established for preliminarily elucidating amount and chromatographic trajectory of chemical constituents in YCHTE. Second, for the first time, five mainly bioactive constituents in YCHTE were simultaneously determined based on fingerprint chromatogram for furthermore controlling the quality of YCHTE quantitatively. The developed method was applied to analyze 12 batches of YCHTE samples which consisted of herbal drugs from different places of production, showed acceptable linearity, intraday (RSD <5%), interday precision (RSD <4.80%), and accuracy (RSD <2.80%). As a result, fingerprint chromatogram determined 15 representative general fingerprint peaks, and the fingerprint chromatogram resemblances are all better than 0.9996. The contents of five analytes in different batches of YCHTE samples do not indicate significant difference. So, it is concluded that the developed HPLC-UV method is a more fully validated and complete method for evaluating and controlling the quality of YCHTE.

Analysis of the constituents in the rat plasma after oral administration of Yin Chen Hao Tang by UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS

A UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS method for analyzing the constituents in rat plasma after oral administration of Yin Chen Hao Tang (YCHT), a traditional Chinese medical formula, has been established. The UPLC/MS fingerprints of the samples were established first in vitro and in vivo, with 45 compounds in YCHT and 21 compounds in rat plasma after oral administration of YCHT were detected. Of the 45 detected compounds in vitro, 30 were identified, and all of the 21 compounds detected in rat plasma were identified either by comparing the retention time and mass spectrometry data with that of reference compounds or by mass spectrometry analysis and retrieving the reference literatures. Of the identified 21 compounds in rat plasma, 19 were the original form of compounds absorbed from the 45 detected compounds in vitro, 2 were the metabolites of the compounds existed in YCHT. It is concluded that a rapid and validated method has been developed based on UPLC-MS/MS, which shows high sensitivity and resolution that is more suitable for identifying the bioactive constituents in plasma after oral administration of Chinese herbal medicines, and provides helpful chemical information for further pharmacology and active mechanism research on the Chinese medical formula.

Effect of coffee combining green coffee bean constituents with typical roasting products on the Nrf2/ARE pathway in vitro and in vivo

This study investigated Nrf2-activating properties of a coffee blend combining raw coffee bean constituents with 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (CGA) as a lead component with typical roasting products such as N-methylpyridinium (NMP). In cell culture (HT29) the respective coffee extract (CN-CE) increased nuclear Nrf2 translocation and enhanced the transcription of ARE-dependent genes as exemplified for NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase and glutathione-S-transferase (GST)A1, reflected in the protein level by an increase in GST enzyme activity. In a pilot human intervention study (29 healthy volunteers), daily consumption of 750 mL of CN-coffee for 4 weeks increased Nrf2 transcription in peripheral blood lymphocytes on average. However, the transcriptional response pattern of Nrf2/ARE-dependent genes showed substantial interindividual variations. The presence of SNPs in the Nrf2-promoter, reported recently, as well as the detection of GSTT1*0 (null) genotypes in the study collective strengthens the hypothesis that coffee acts as a modulator of Nrf2-dependent gene response in humans, but genetic polymorphisms play an important role in the individual response pattern.

Improved ultra-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization quadrupole-time-of-flight high-definition mass spectrometry method for the rapid analysis of the chemical constituents of a typical medical formula: Liuwei Dihuang Wan

Liuwei Dihuang Wan (LWD), a classic Chinese medicinal formulae, has been used to improve or restore declined functions related to aging and geriatric diseases, such as impaired mobility, vision, hearing, cognition and memory. It has attracted increasingly much attention as one of the most popular and valuable herbal medicines. However, the systematic analysis of the chemical constituents of LDW is difficult and thus has not been well established. In this paper, a rapid, sensitive and reliable ultra-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight high-definition mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS) method with automated MetaboLynx analysis in positive and negative ion mode was established to characterize the chemical constituents of LDW. The analysis was performed on a Waters UPLCTM HSS T3 using a gradient elution system. MS/MS fragmentation behavior was proposed for aiding the structural identification of the components. Under the optimized conditions, a total of 50 peaks were tentatively characterized by comparing the retention time and MS data. It is concluded that a rapid and robust platform based on UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS has been successfully developed for globally identifying multiple-constituents of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions. This is the first report on systematic analysis of the chemical constituents of LDW. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

HPLC method for preliminary analysis of constituents in rat blood after oral administration of the extract of Acanthopanax senticosus

An HPLC with SPE method has been developed for analysis of constituents in rat blood after oral administration of the extract of Acanthopanax senticosus (ASE). The plasma sample was prepared by SPE method equipped with Oasis HLB cartridge (3cc, 60 mg). The analysis was performed on a Dikma Diamonsil RP(18) column (4.6 mmx150 mm, 5 microm) with the gradient elution of solvent A (ACN) and solvent B (0.1% aqueous phosphoric acid, v/v) and the detection wavelength was set at 270 nm. The calibration curve was linear over the range of 0.156-15.625 microg/mL. The LOD was 60 ng/mL. The intraday precision was less than 5.80%, and the interday precision was less than 6.0%. The recovery was (87.30 +/- 1.73)%. As a result, 19 constituents were detected in rat plasma after oral administration of the ASE, including 11 original compounds in ASE and eight metabolites, and three of the metabolites originated from syringin in ASE. Six constituents were identified by comparing with the corresponding reference compounds.

Volatile constituents of Clausena willdenovii: Structures of the furanoterpenes α-clausenan, diclausenan A and diclausenan B

Four furanoid terpenic compounds, α-clausenan, rosefuran (γ-clausenan) and diclausenans A and B, were isolated from the essential oil of the leaves of Clausena willdenovii. Their structures were determined by chemical and spectral data. The occurrence of a high concentration of rosefuran is noteworthy. Selenium dioxide oxidation of diclausenan gave an unusual product, identified as an epoxy-dicarbonyl compound.

3D Fe2(MoO4)3 microspheres with nanosheet constituents as high-capacity anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

Three-dimensional (3D) Fe2(MoO4)3 microspheres with ultrathin nanosheet constituents are first synthesized as anode materials for the lithium-ion battery. It is interesting that the single-crystalline nanosheets allow rapid electron/ion transport on the inside, and the high porosity ensures fast diffusion of liquid electrolyte in energy storage applications. The electrochemical properties of Fe2(MoO4)3 as anode demonstrates that 3D Fe2(MoO4)3 microspheres deliver an initial capacity of 1855 mAh/g at a current density of 100 mA/g. Particularly, when the current density is increased to 800 mA/g, the reversible capacity of Fe2(MoO4)3 anode still arrived at 456 mAh/g over 50 cycles. The large and reversible capacities and stable charge–discharge cycling performance indicate that Fe2(MoO4)3 is a promising anode material for lithium battery applications. Graphical abstract The electrochemical properties of Fe2(MoO4)3 as anode demonstrates that 3D Fe2(MoO4)3 microspheres delivered an initial capacity of 1855 mAh/g at a current density of 100 mA/g. When the current density was increased to 800 mA/g, the Fe2(MoO4)3 still behaved high reversible capacity and good cycle performance.

Activation of TGF-beta Pathway by Areca Nut Constituents: A Possible Cause of Oral Submucous Fibrosis

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the accumulation of excess collagen, and areca nut chewing has been proposed as an important etiological factor for disease manifestation. Activation of transforming growth factor-beta signaling has been postulated as the main causative event for increased collagen production in OSF. Oral epithelium plays important roles in OSF, and arecoline has been shown to induce TGF-beta in epithelial cells. In an attempt to understand the role of areca nut constituents in the manifestation of OSF, we studied the global gene expression profile in epithelial cells (HaCaT) following treatment with areca nut water extract or TGF-beta. Interestingly, 64% of the differentially regulated genes by areca nut water extract matches with the TGF-beta induced gene expression profile. Out of these, expression of 57% of genes was compromised in the presence of ALK5 (T beta RI) inhibitor and 7% were independently induced by areca nut, highlighting the importance of TGF-beta in areca nut actions. Areca nut water extract treatment induced p-SMAD2 and TGF-beta downstream targets in HaCaT cells but not in human gingival fibroblast cells (hGF), suggesting epithelial cells could be the source of TGF-beta in promoting OSF. Water extract of areca nut consists of polyphenols and alkaloids. Both polyphenol and alkaloid fractions of areca nut were able to induce TGF-beta signaling and its downstream targets. Also, SMAD-2 was phosphorylated following treatment of HaCaT cells by Catechin, Tannin and alkaloids namely Arecoline, Arecaidine and Guvacine. Moreover, both polyphenols and alkaloids induced TGF-beta 2 and THBS1 (activator of latent TGF-beta) in HaCaT cells suggesting areca nut mediated activation of p-SMAD2 involves up-regulation and activation of TGF-beta. These data suggest a major causative role for TGF-beta that is induced by areca nut in OSF progression.

Rapid determination of main constituents of packed juices by reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography: an insight in to commercial fruit drinks

The present work reports the compositional analysis of thirteen different packed fruit juices using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Vitamin C, organic acids (citric and malic) and sugars (fructose, glucose and sucrose) were separated, analyzed and quantified using different reverse phase methods. A new rapid reverse phase HPLC method was developed for routine analysis of vitamin C in fruit juices. The precision results of the methods showed that the relative standard deviations of the repeatability and reproducibility were < 0.05 and < 0.1 respectively. Correlation coefficient of the calibration models developed was found to be higher than 0.99 in each case. It has been found that the content of Vitamin C was less variable amongst different varieties involved in the study. It is also observed that in comparison to fresh juices, the packed juices contain lesser amounts of vitamin C. Citric acid was found as the major organic acids present in packed juices while maximum portion of sugars was of sucrose. Comparison of the amount of vitamin C, organic acids and sugars in same fruit juice of different commercial brands is also reported.

Morphology control synthesis of Au-Cu2S metal-semiconductor hybrid nanostructures by modulating reaction constituents

A facile methodology for synthesizing Au-Cu2S hybrid nanoparticles is presented. Au-Cu2S nanoparticles have application in visible light driven photocatalytic degradation of dyes. Detailed microstructural and compositional characterization illustrated that the hybrid nanoparticles are composed of cube shaped Au-Cu solid solution and hemispherical shaped Cu2S phases. Investigation of nanoparticles extracted at different stages of the synthesis process revealed that the mechanism of formation of hybrid nanoparticles involved initial formation of isolated cube shaped pure Au nanoparticles and Cu-thiolate complex. In the subsequent stages, the Au nanoparticles get adsorbed onto the Cu-thiolate complex which is followed by the decomposition of the Cu-thiolate complex to form Au-Cu2S hybrid nanoparticles. This study also illustrates that an optimum concentration of dodecanethiol is required both for achieving size and morphological uniformity of the participating phases and for their attachment to form a hybrid nanoparticle.