Breakthrough in Clinker grinding

To investigate the effect of crystal size on the dissolution and oral absorption of nitrendipine, a poorly soluble drug, in rats. Five types of nitrendipine crystal suspensions with different particle sizes (200 nm, 620 nm, 2.7 microm, 4.1 microm, 20.2 microm) were prepared either by the precipitation-ultrasonication or the anti-solvent precipitation method. The simulated intestinal fluid in the fasted state (FaSSIF) was selected as the dissolution medium, and the dissolution behaviors of different nitrendipine crystals were simulated based on a Noyes-Whitney type equation. The in vivo absorption and the absolute bioavailability of the different nitrendipine crystals were evaluated in Wistar rats. The dissolution rate of nitrendipine was significantly increased by a reduction in particle size. The dissolution test in FaSSIF could discriminate between the differences in the dissolution rates of the different particle sizes, and the simulated results were in agreement with the observed dissolution curves. From the simulated T(50%) values (50% dissolution time), the dissolution rates of crystals with particle sizes of 200 nm, 620 nm, 2.7 microm, 4.1 microm and 20.2 microm were calculated to be 5.1 x 10(4), 1.0 x 10(4), 237, 64 and 11-fold greater than that of the raw crystals and resulted in absolute bioavailability of 61.4% 51.5%, 29.4%, 26.7%, 24.7%, respectively. The reduction in the drug particle size correlated well with incremental improvements in oral absorption. A good linear relationship was observed between the Log (T(50%)) and the absolute bioavailability of nitrendipine. The dissolution rate and the oral bioavailability of nitrendipine were significantly affected by the crystal size, and the oral bioavailability could be improved significantly by preparing it as nanocrystals. FaSSIF can be used to predict differences in oral absorption of crystals with different particle sizes.

Reduction in particle size of methylcobalamin using antisolvent crystallization

A mononuclear complex of composition [Fe(3-Br-phen)2(NCS)2]·0.5CH3OH which exhibits a gradual, incomplete spin crossover (SCO) in bulk sample (1) was selected to study the effect of alteration of particle size and shape on SCO properties. Thin films (2) were fabricated using spin coating technique on quartz substrates and silicon wafers. Morphology analysis by scanning electron micrographs shows a drastic reduction in particles size and deformation in shape compared to the bulk sample. Nearly spherical particles of 200-500 nm diameter were obtained and further reduction in size down to 50-120 nm were obtained with increase in spin coating speed. A thin film on a quartz substrate was studied by 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy in transmission mode which shows only a low-spin signal as opposed to a dominant high-spin signal in bulk sample thus hinting out the effect of texture modification on increasing the ligand field strength.

As the largest aromatic polymer of natural origin, lignin arouses the interest of researchers and industries worldwide. Its three-dimensional polymeric aromatic structure, besides being complex, varies depending on its botanical origin and extraction process, which makes its use as a raw material difficult. Currently, the main destination for lignin is burning for energy production. This study presents the characterization of lignin and lignin microparticles after processing by ultrasonic irradiation. Analyzes were performed to verify the dimensional, morphological and antioxidant characteristics of the particles as well as changes in their structure after sonication. A sample of eucalyptus wood lignin isolated from kraft black liquor was used and the modifications were analyzed by X-ray diffraction analysis, zeta potential, FTIR spectroscopy, particle size, scanning electron microscopy, TGA thermogravimetric analysis, phenolic compounds total by Folin–Ciocalteau and antioxidant analysis by DPPH. The results demonstrate that there was no change in the chemical structure of lignin with the application of ultrasonic radiation, but the reduction in particle size was able to reduce zeta potential with a lower probability of agglomeration between them, and consequent greater stabilization in solution. Also, the ultrasound treatment was able to increase the thermal stability of the lignin microparticle with a decrease of the mass loss rate with the time. The reduction in particle size was also able to expose a larger number of phenolic compounds and thereby increase the total phenolic content and lignin antioxidant activity making the lignin microparticle a promising material to study and application on food-active biodegradable polymers.

Handbook of chemistry: Compiled and Edited by Norbert Adolph Lange. 2092 pages, tables and illustrations, 14 × 20 cms. Sandusky, Ohio, Handbook Publishers, Inc., 1944. Pric

Gas-solid flow behavior and heat transfer in a spiral-based reactor for calcium-based thermochemical energy storage

Feeding forages with reduced particle size in a total mixed ration improves feed intake, total-tract digestibility, and performance of organic dairy cows

Particle-size distributions have been determined for gouge formed by the fresh fracture of granodiorite from the Sierra Nevada batholith, for Pelona schist from the San Andreas fault zone in southern California, and for Berea sandstone from Berea, Ohio, under a variety of triaxial stress states. The finer fractions of the gouge derived from granodiorite and schist are consistent with either a self-similar or a logarithmic normal distribution, whereas the gouge from sandstone is not. Sandstone gouges are texturally similar to the disaggregated protolith, with comminution limited to the polycrystalline fragments and dominantly calcite cement. All three rock types produced significantly less gouge at higher confining pressures, but only the granodiorite showed a significant reduction in particle size with increased confining pressure. Comparison with natural gouges showed that gouges in crystalline rocks from the San Andreas fault zone also tend to be described by either a self-similar or log-normal particle distribution, with a significant reduction in particle size with increased confining pressure (depth). Natural gouges formed in porous sandstone do not follow either a self-similar or a log-normal distribution. Rather, these are represented by mixed log-normal distributions. These textural characteristics are interpreted in terms of the suppression of axial microfracturing by confining pressure and the accommodation of finite strain by scale-independent comminution.

Elucidating the particle size effect of andrographolide suspensions on their IVIVC performance in oral absorption

The particle size distribution (P.S.D.) of fragmented geological materials is affected by the fragmentation process, initial size distribution, number of fracturing events, energy input, strain, and confining pressure. A summary of literature shows that the fractal dimension (D) of the P.S.D. is increased by the number of fracturing events, energy input, strain, and confining pressure. Cenozoic cataclasis of granite, granodiorites, gneisses and arkose seen in cores from the Cajon Pass drillhole, southern California, produced P.S.D.s with values ofD that varied from 1.88 to 3.08. Each rock type has a characteristic and more limited range ofD. Areas of dilatant texture and modeI fracture-fillings have low average values (2.32 and 2.37) compared to an average value of 2.67 in shear fracture-fillingsD has a good inverse correlation with average particle size. Data from fault rocks in the San Gabriel fault zone, southern California (Andersonet al., 1983) have been reanalyzed to show that values ofD are higher (2.10–5.52) and average particle size is lower than the Cajon Pass samples, but the ranges of values overlap, and the inverse correlation betweenD and average particle size is extended. Microstructural observations combined with these results suggest that three processes contributed to particle size reduction during cataclasis. The first process of feldspar alteration, which leads to low values ofD, has not been previously recognized. The second process is probably constrained comminution (Sammiset al., 1987), since the averageD in shear fracture-fillings is close to the value of 2.58 predicted by this theory. A further stage of particle size reduction is demonstrated by an increase ofD with cataclasis. This third process is selective fracture of larger particles, which may also operate during localization and the cataclastic flow-to-faulting transition as observed in experiments. A transition from constrained comminution to selective fracture of large particles, and increasingD values with cataclastic evolution and grain size reduction, may be general features of experimental and natural cataclasis.

Hypertriglyceridaemia, low high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level and reduced LDL particle size are the major features of uraemic dyslipidaemia. They are also found in the Insulin Resistance Syndrome. To examine alterations in HDL composition in patients on chronic dialysis and their relationship with insulin resistance. HDL particle size was determined in 33 patients on chronic haemodialysis (HD), 27 on chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and 32 control non-diabetic subjects (C) without renal disease by non-denaturing 3-30% polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis. A weighted HDL particle size score was calculated taking into account both HDL particle size and percentage total HDL protein concentration of each HDL band of the individual. Lipid and apolipoliprotein concentrations were determined in HDL2 and HDL3 particles obtained by sequential ultracentrifugation. In a subset of 24 control subjects and 22 subjects on HD, insulin sensitivity was also determined by an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT). HDL particles were found to be more triglyceride enriched and apoAI depleted in subjects on HD even though plasma triglyceride level was highest in patients on CAPD. Five subpopulations of HDL particles were identified by gradient gel electrophoresis in all subjects combined. In the subgroup of subjects who underwent IVGTT, the weighted HDL particle size score correlated positively with HDL cholesterol level (r = 0.6, p < 0.0005), LDL particle size (r = 0.47, p < 0.001), and insulin sensitivity (r = 0.48, p < 0.001), and negatively with plasma triglyceride level (r = 0.37, p < 0.01). We conclude that even though HDL cholesterol is reduced to a similar level in subjects on both forms of dialysis for end stage renal failure, abnormalities of HDL composition are more marked in subjects on HD. Reduction in HDL particle size is linked with insulin resistance and accompanies reduction in LDL particle size and hypertriglyceridaemia.

Effect of particles size of TiC on oxidation resistance of in-situ TiC/Ni composite

Grinding performance of wheat, maize and soybeans in a multicracker system

ObjectiveThis experiment was conducted as a 3×2×2 factorial design to examine the effects of particle size (mean particle size of 331, 640, or 862 μm), evaluation method (direct vs indirect method) and adaptation duration (7 or 26 days) on the energy content and the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of various chemical components in wheat when fed to finishing pigs.MethodsForty-two barrows (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire) with an initial body weight of 63.0±0.8 kg were individually placed in metabolic cages and randomly allotted to 1 of 7 diets with 6 pigs fed each diet. For the indirect method, the pigs were fed either a corn-soybean meal based basal diet or diets in which 38.94% of the basal diet was substituted by wheat of the different particle sizes. In the direct method, the diets contained 97.34% wheat with the different particle sizes. For both the direct and indirect methods, the pigs were adapted to their diets for either 7 or 26 days.ResultsA reduction in particle size linearly increased the digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) contents as well as the ATTD of gross energy, crude protein, organic matter, ether extract (EE) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) (p<0.05), and had a trend to increase the ATTD of dry matter of wheat (p = 0.084). The DE, ME contents, and ATTD of gross energy, crude protein, dry matter and organic matter were higher (p<0.05) when determined by the direct method, but the ATTD of ADF, EE, and neutral detergent fiber were higher when determined by the indirect method (p<0.05). Prolongation of the adaption duration decreased the ATTD of neutral detergent fiber (p<0.05) and had a trend to increase the ATTD of EE (p = 0.061). There were no interactions between particle size and the duration of the adaptation duration. The ATTD of EE in wheat was influenced by a trend of interaction between method and adaptation duration (p = 0.074). The ATTD of ADF and EE in wheat was influenced by an interaction between evaluation method and wheat particle size such that there were linear equations (p<0.01) about ATTD of ADF and EE when determined by the direct method but quadratic equations (p = 0.073 and p = 0.088, respectively) about ATTD of ADF and EE when determined by the indirect method.ConclusionDecreasing particle size can improve the DE and ME contents of wheat; both of the direct and indirect methods of evaluation are suitable for evaluating the DE and ME contents of wheat with different particle sizes; and an adaptation duration of 7 d is sufficient to evaluate DE and ME contents of wheat in finishing pigs.

Rheological and structural properties of tart cherry puree as affected by particle size reduction