Valorization of productive chains based on crops is of utmost interest for countries with potential for obtaining products from agricultural resources. In this regard, this contribution explores the ...valorization of sugarcane through the diversification of products for one of its derivatives: lactic acid (LA). A set of chemical processes yielding valuable products, such as esters and polylactic acid, was synthesized by means of the P-graph methodology. The operating units considered were evaluated by simulation with Aspen Plus and MATLAB to estimate the profit of various flowsheets involving such units. The P-graph methodology identified the best process, with a profit of 31.9 million USD/y. In addition, the methodology identified 124 alternative processes to use LA, some of which exhibited interesting features, such as process safety or energy robustness, despite exhibiting lower profit. Methyl lactate was identified as a key product for valorization in view of the additional valuable products that are generated from it.
Summary In frozen part‐baked bread technology, starch is influenced by various processing factors. This study aimed to investigate the effect of part‐baking time, freezing rate and frozen storage ...time on pasting, thermal and structural properties of part‐baked bread. Wheat dough was part‐baked for 0, 3 or 6 min and frozen at −20 °C using two freezing rates: slow (0.15 °C min −1 ) or fast (1.45 °C min −1 ). Next, samples were stored in frozen conditions for 56 days and analysed every 14 days for starch damage, pasting properties, thermal and X‐ray analysis. The level of damaged starch increased with 3 min (69.3%), and 6 min (88.8%) of part‐baking time for both freezing rates compared to no part‐baked. In pasting analyses, peak viscosity decreased 27.3% and 38.4% for 3 and 6 min of part‐baking time, respectively, at 0 days of frozen storage; however, this tendency was observed for all frozen storage time. The gelatinisation enthalpy (Δ H g ) decreased as part‐baking time increased, showing the maximum reduction at 6 min of part‐baked (94.9%). In X‐ray diffraction analyses at 3 and 6 min of part‐baking, the intensity of the signal increased 4.4% and 10.9%, respectively, probably due to the starch gelatinisation. These results can serve as a valuable guide for developing strategies to enhance the quality of part‐baked bread and improve production performance.
In this work, process control is studied in an optimal Extractive Distillation (ED) system to dehydrate ethanol using a glycerol-ethylene glycol mixture as separating agent. ED system simulation and ...optimization with respect to the total annual cost (TAC) was made using the software platform Aspen Plus. The control structure of the optimized system was evaluated in Aspen Dynamics. Two control strategies were studied: a conventional control and a modified control scheme. The conventional control structure uses the distillate and bottoms flow rates to control the top and bottom levels, respectively. The second strategy uses the entrainer makeup flow rate to control the sump level in the recovery column and the recovery column bottoms flow rate to control the entrainer feed flow rate to the extractive column. Dynamic simulations show the control strategy that allows obtaining a soft-regulating control while at the same time ethanol purity is above 0.995 mole fraction. In addition, the use of solvents mixture as entrainer reduces importantly the energy consumption and favors the process stability.
Biogeographic regions of North American mammals based on endemism Escalante, Tania; Morrone, Juan J.; Rodríguez-Tapia, Gerardo
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society/Biological journal of the Linnean Society,
November 2013, Volume:
110, Issue:
3
Journal Article
This essay aims to contribute to the contemporary transgender debate by using Lili Elbe’s account of her life in Man Into Woman (1933), David Ebershoff’s novel The Danish Girl (2000) and Tom Hooper’s ...film adaptation of the latter (2015) as case studies. All three narratives explore biologism and medicalization as being closely aligned with the Frankenstein metaphor in terms of the conceptualization of trans bodies. However, this essay contends that Ebershoff’s novel, although tending towards the much-criticized allegorization of such bodies as the exceptional locus of gender trouble, engages in a subtly political enterprise where an androgynous and liberating third space is made available to transgender identities.
Response to antidepressants is related to hippocampal neurogenesis integrity, a process mediated by neurotrophins, such as Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). In turn, pro-inflammatory state ...appears to reduce neurogenesis, and has been associated with refractory depressive states. We propose to analyze the human neural progenitor cells derived from the olfactory epithelium (HNPCs-OE) as an indicator of neurogenesis in humans. Therefore, we compared the number and content of HNPCs-OE in depressed patients taking antidepressants, according to response to treatment. Twenty depressed patients were followed during eight weeks after antidepressant treatment was prescribed. At the end evaluation they were divided in two groups according to Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS) scores: responders and non-responders. We compared the number and components of HNPCs-OE between groups and observed an elevation of interleukine-8 in those patients who do not achieve response to treatment, BDNF levels were no related to antidepressant response.
•Human neuronal progenitor cells derived from the olfactory epithelium were studied in depressed patients.•The cells number was higher in younger than older depressed patients.•The cells number was associated to depression scores after antidepressant treatment.•Increased interleukine-8 was observed in patients who did not achieve response to antidepressant.
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