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A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2023 | Viewed by 4519

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Prof. Dr. Alina Pyka-Pająk

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Guest Editor

Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Jagiellońska 4, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
Interests: liquid chromatography; spectrophotometry; densitometry; organic compounds analysis; QSAR; QSRR; QSPR; pharmaceutical analysis; purity of pharmaceutical preparations
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Dr. Piotr Rybarczyk

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Guest Editor

Department of Process Engineering and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdansk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland
Interests: air biofiltration; biotrickling filtration; energetic valorization of biomass; ion flotation; precipitate flotation; phytoremediation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Adina Magdalena Musuc

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Chemical Kinetics Department, Ilie Murgulescu Institute of Physical Chemistry, Romanian Academy, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: physical chemistry, physicochemical characterization of materials; thermal analysis; kinetics; biopolymers, cyclodextrin inclusion complexes; hydrogels; bio-materials for biomedical applications; oxide materials design/synthesis and the thermoreactivity of precursor-oxide transformations; green chemistry; thermal properties; physicochemical characterization; nanomaterials for biomedicine; nanomaterials for energy applications; catalysis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce this Special Issue, entitled “Processes in 2023”, which is part of the MDPI journal New Year Special Issue Series. This Special Issue will be a collection of high-quality reviews and original research articles from Editors-in-Chief, Editorial Board Members, Guest Editors, Topical Advisory Panel Members, Reviewer Board Members, Authors, and Reviewers from Processes.

We cordially invite you to submit your work performed across all areas of process/system research and present your latest discoveries in classical and advanced processes fields such as chemistry, biology, materials, energy, environment, food, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, automation control, catalysis, separation, particles and related technical and engineering areas.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

Chemical processes and systems;
Environmental and green processes;
Energy systems;
Process control and supervision;
Biological processes and systems;
Catalysis enhanced processes;
Separation processes;
Materials processes;
Food processes;
Pharmaceutical processes;
Automation control systems;
Manufacturing processes and systems;
Sustainable processes;
Particle processes;
Advanced digital and other processes.

We encourage the submission of articles where the lead authors are Editors-in-Chief, Editorial Board Members, Guest Editors, Topical Advisory Panel Members, Reviewer Board Members, Authors, and Reviewers from Processes, or that are completely authored by from Editors-in-Chief, Editorial Board Members, Guest Editors, Topical Advisory Panel Members, Reviewer Board Members, Authors, and Reviewers from Processes.

Prof. Dr. Alina Pyka-Pająk
Dr. Piotr Rybarczyk
Dr. Adina Magdalena Musuc
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

processes and systems
materials
catalysis
environmental and green processes process control
automation controls
food
pharmaceuticals
treatment
manufacturing

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Palmitic Acid on Tertiary Structure of Glycated Human Serum Albumin

Agnieszka Szkudlarek

Processes 2023, 11(9), 2746; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11092746 - 14 Sep 2023

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Abstract

Non-enzymatic glycation is a process, which can be best described as a significant posttranslational modification of various proteins. It emerges in hyperglycemic conditions and may have an impact on albumin stability as well as its activity and physical and chemical properties, essentially affecting all its physiological functions. The goal of this research was to answer the following questions: (i) how does the glycation of defatted human serum albumin by glucose–fructose syrup (GFS) alter its tertiary structure; (ii) does palmitic acid (PA), a component of palm oil, affect the in vitro glycation process and cause conformational changes of glycated albumin; and (iii) does PA inhibit the formation of Advanced Glycation End-Products (AGEs)? Therefore, in order to point out differences in the tertiary structure of macromolecules, the absorption and emission of fluorescence spectra and their second derivatives, excitation fluorescence and synchronous spectra, Red-Edge Excitation Shift (REES effect), and the degree of modification of sulfhydryl groups of defatted, non-glycated (HSA) and glycated human serum albumin (gHSA) with GFS and glycated with GFS and PA were investigated. In the present study, it has been confirmed that the glycation of albumin in the presence of GFS and PA causes changes in both HSA and gHSA tertiary structures, respectively. Moreover, palmitic acid, at ratios of 1.5:1 and 3:1 with glycated albumin, does not exhibit inhibition of AGEs formation. This study indicates the fact that the structural changes, especially those of glycated albumin, are important for treatment planning because the type of the interaction between the components and their primary transporter may be altered as the disease progresses or in the elderly. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes in 2023)

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Open AccessArticle

Multi-Response Optimization Analysis of the Milling Process of Asphalt Layer Based on the Numerical Evaluation of Cutting Regime Parameters

Teodor Dumitru

Marius Gabriel Petrescu

Maria Tănase

and

Costin Nicolae Ilincă

Processes 2023, 11(8), 2401; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11082401 - 09 Aug 2023

Viewed by 372

Abstract

The present study aimed to optimize the process parameters (milling depth and advanced speed) for an asphalt milling operation using a multi-response approach based on Taguchi design of experiments (DOE) and Grey Relational Analysis (GRA). Nine simulations tests were conducted using Discrete Element Method (DEM) in order to determine the forces acting on the cutting tooth support and tip. The considered performance characteristics were cutting forces (smaller is better category) and chip section area (larger is better category). A Grey Relational Grade (GRG) was determined from GRA, allowing to identify the optimal parameter levels for the asphalt milling process with multiple performance characteristics. It was found that that the optimal milling parameters for multi-response analysis are a milling depth of 200 mm and an advanced speed of 30 mm/min. Furthermore, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the most significant factor influencing the performance characteristics. The analysis results revealed that the dominant factor affecting the resultant cutting force was milling depth, while the main factor affecting chip section area was the advanced speed. Optimizing milling efficiency is essential in machining operations. A key factor in this direction is comprehending the interplay between chip removal and cutting forces. This understanding is fundamental for achieving increased productivity, cost-effectiveness, and extended tool lifespan during the milling process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes in 2023)

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Open AccessArticle

Ultrasound-Mediated DNA Transformation of Bacteria

and

Processes 2023, 11(7), 2163; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11072163 - 20 Jul 2023

Viewed by 384

Abstract

Ultrasound-mediated transformation has become a feasible means for plasmid transformation of microorganisms due to its simple operation, low influence from external factors, and low equipment requirements. This study investigated the effects of ultrasonic power, ultrasonic application time, microorganism growth phase, wash buffer, and Mg²⁺/Ca²⁺ presence on transformation efficiency. Using stationary-phase Escherichia coli in 0.1 M phosphate-buffered saline, the optimal ultrasonic power was 130 W, the optimal ultrasonic time was 12 s (working, 1 s; pause, 2 s), and the maximum transformation efficiency reached 3.24 × 10⁵ CFU/µg in the presence of Mg²⁺. Based on scanning electron microscopy, the mechanism underlying ultrasound-mediated transformation of microorganisms with an ultrasonic homogenizer involved the cavitation phenomenon, with reversible pore formation accompanied by cell expansion. This method was less dependent on cell types in comparison to other transformation methods, and it also achieved good transformation effect in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This is the first time that the phenomenon of ultrasound-mediated microbial (microbubble-free) transformation has been reported using scanning electron microscopy, which has important significance for the mechanism analysis of relevant subsequent studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes in 2023)

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Open AccessArticle

Metabolic Characteristics of Hairy Root Clones of Scutellaria pycnoclada and Scutellaria baicalensis

Aleksandra I. Solov’eva

Anna Y. Stepanova

Yury M. Panov

and

Evgeny A. Gladkov

Processes 2023, 11(7), 2102; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11072102 - 14 Jul 2023

Viewed by 526

Abstract

Scutellaria baicalensis is the most studied species of the genus, while Scutellaria pycnoclada is a poorly studied endemic species. Ten lines of the hairy roots of S. pycnoclada were obtained using Agrobacterium rhizogenes A4. The hairy root cultures of S. pycnoclada and the previously obtained roots of S. baicalensis were cultured on liquid and agar Gamborg media. A total of 14 flavonoids were detected via HPLC MS/MS in S. pycnoclada, and 17 were detected in S. baicalensis. Among them were flavones characteristic of both the roots and the aboveground parts of the plants. S. pycnoclada had a lower diversity of methylated flavones than S. baicalensis. Moreover, tenaxin I was absent in all S. pycnoclada lines on agar medium. HPLC analysis revealed that the flavone content in the different hairy root lines was 1.4–12.7 times higher on liquid medium than on agar medium. S. baicalensis and S. pycnoclada differed significantly in the ratio of the main flavones. In S. baicalensis, baicalin (7.83 mg/g DW) and wogonoside (6.29 mg/g DW) dominated when cultured on liquid medium, and wogonin (2.08 mg/g DW) dominated when cultured on solid medium. In S. pycnoclada, baicalin predominated (52–88% of the total content). S. pycnoclada is assumed to have a different set of O-methyltransferases and less biosynthetic enzyme activity than S. baicalensis. Full article

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Open AccessArticle

Integrating TPM and Industry 4.0 to Increase the Availability of Industrial Assets: A Case Study on a Conveyor Belt

David Mendes

Pedro D. Gaspar

Fernando Charrua-Santos

and

Helena Navas

Processes 2023, 11(7), 1956; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11071956 - 28 Jun 2023

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Abstract

As the global market becomes increasingly competitive and demanding, companies face the challenge of responding swiftly and efficiently to customer needs. To maintain a competitive advantage, organisations must optimise the usage of their assets. This study focuses on the critical role of maintenance management and presents a novel, cost-effective, and easily applicable model that integrates Industry 4.0 (I4.0) and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) principles to enhance production processes. The proposed model incorporates a real-time monitoring system equipped with sensors, a gateway, and Internet of Things (IoT) services. These components enable data acquisition, transmission, storage, and visualisation through both mobile and fixed devices. The model’s effectiveness was validated through its implementation on a conveyor belt in a feed mill. The availability of the conveyor belt was around 89.5% before TPM implementation. After the implementation of TPM, it was possible to observe that the availability of the treadmill increased to 92.7% in a workweek of 105 h. On the other hand, it was possible to observe a considerable improvement in terms of the average time of each intervention, with a reduction of around 53%. Moreover, the model also facilitated improvements in the maintenance plan for the conveyor belt. Operators were trained to effortlessly comply with the new autonomous maintenance plan, enhancing operational efficiency. The joint application of I4.0 and TPM demonstrated significant advancements in maintenance management. The flexibility of the developed model allows for easy adaptation to monitor other condition parameters, enabling real-time decision-making for both the maintenance and production departments. This integrated approach holds the potential to drive process optimisation, ultimately contributing to improved productivity, cost-effectiveness, and competitiveness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes in 2023)

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Open AccessArticle

Multivariate Parameter Determination of Multi-Component Isotherms for Chromatography Digital Twins

and

Processes 2023, 11(5), 1480; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11051480 - 12 May 2023

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Abstract

Many fundamental decisions in the process design of a separation task are conducted in an early stage where, unfortunately, process simulation does not have the highest priority. Subsequently, during the setup of the digital twin, dedicated experiments are carried out in the design space that was established earlier. These experiments are most often too complicated to conduct directly. This paper addresses the idea of a combined approach. The early-stage buffer screening and optimization experiments were planned with the Design of Experiments, carried out and then analyzed statistically to extract not only the best buffer composition but also the crucial model parameters, in this case the isotherm dependency on the buffer composition. This allowed the digital twin to predict the best buffer composition, and if the model-predicted control was applied to keep the process at the optimal productivity at a predetermined purity. The methodology was tested with an industrial peptide purification step. Full article

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Open AccessArticle

Digital Twin Based Design and Experimental Validation of a Continuous Peptide Polishing Step

and

Processes 2023, 11(5), 1401; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11051401 - 05 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 812

Abstract

Optimizing or debottlenecking existing production plants is a challenging task. In this case study, an existing reversed phased chromatography polishing step for peptide purification was optimized with the help of a digital twin. The existing batch chromatography was depicted digitally with the general rate model. Model parameter determination and model validation was done with dedicated experiments. The digital twin was then used to identify optimized process variants, especially continuous chromatography steps. MCSGP was found to achieve high purities and yield but at the cost of productivity due to column synchronization. An alternative Continuous Twin Column chromatography process (CTCC) was established that eliminates unnecessary waiting times. Ensuring the same or higher purity compared to the batch process, the continuous process achieved a yield increase of 31% and productivity increase of 27.6%. Experimental long runs confirmed these results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processes in 2023)

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