Six different theoretical equations are compared in the present paper with experimental data, measured for 28 binary liquid metallic systems. General conclusions are drawn on the ability of the different theoretical models to describe the concentration and temperature dependence of the viscosity of liquid alloys. A new equation is derived, being able to predict the viscosity in multicomponents alloy even if the viscosities of the pure components are not known.

Numerous organizations are striving to maximize the profit of their businesses by the effective implementation of competitive advantages including cost reduction, quick delivery, and unique high-quality products. Effective production-scheduling techniques are methods that many firms use to attain these competitive advantages. Implementing scheduling techniques in high-mix low-volume (HMLV) manufacturing industries, especially in Industry 4.0 environments, remains a challenge, as the properties of both parts and processes are dynamically changing. As a reaction to these challenges in HMLV Industry 4.0 manufacturing, a newly advanced and effective real-time production-scheduling decision-support system model was developed. The developed model was implemented with the use of robotic process automation (RPA), and it comprises a hybrid of different advanced scheduling techniques obtained as the result of analytical-hierarchy-process (AHP) analysis. The aim of this research was to develop a method to minimize the total production process time (total make span) by considering the results of risk analysis of HMLV manufacturing in Industry 4.0 environments. The new method is the combination of multi-broker (MB) optimization and a genetics algorithm (GA) that uses general key process indicators (KPIs) that are easy to measure in any kind of production. The new MB–GA method is compatible with industry 4.0 environments, so it is easy to implement. Furthermore, MB–GA deals with potential risk during production, so it can provide more accurate results. On the basis of survey results, 16% of the asked companies could easily use the new scheduling method, and 43.2% of the companies could use it after a little modification of production.

BGP-15 is an active ingredient with many advantages, e.g., beneficial cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory effects. The transdermal administration of BGP-15 has great potential, which has not been investigated yet, despite the fact that it is a non-invasive and safe form of treatment. The aim of our study was to formulate transdermal patches containing BGP-15 and optimize the production with the Box–Behnken design of experiment. The most optimal formulation was further combined with penetration enhancers to improve bioavailability of the active ingredient, and the in vitro drug release and in vitro permeation of BGP-15 from the patches were investigated. FTIR spectra of BGP-15, the formulations and the components were also studied. The most optimal formulation based on the tested parameters was dried for 24 h, with 67% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) content and low ethanol content. The selected penetration enhancer excipients were not cytotoxic on HaCaT cells. The FTIR measurements and SEM photography proved the compatibility of the active substance and the vehicle; BGP-15 was present in the polymer matrix in dissolved form. The bioavailability of BGP-15 was most significantly enhanced by the combination of Transcutol and Labrasol. The in vitro permeation study confirmed that the formulated patches successfully enabled the transdermal administration of BGP-15.

Microencapsulation and coating are preferred methods to increase the viability of the probiotic strains. The effect of microencapsulation technologies and materials used as microcapsule cores on viability is being investigated during development. In the present study, chitosan-coated and Eudragit L100-55-coated alginate microspheres were produced to encapsulate Lactobacillus plantarum probiotic bacteria. After the heat loading and simulated gastrointestinal juice dissolution study, the differences in viability were compared based on the CFU/mL values of the samples. The kinetics of the bacterial release and the ratio of the released live/dead cells of Lactobacillus plantarum were examined by flow cytometry. In all cases, we found that the CFU value for the chitosan-coated samples was virtually zero. The ratio of live/dead cells in the 120 min samples was significantly reduced to less than 20% for chitosan, while it was nearly 90% in the uncoated and Eudragit L100-55-coated samples. In the case of chitosan, based on some published MIC values and the amount of chitosan coating determined in the present study, we concluded the reason for our results. It was the first time to determine the amount of the released chitosan coat of the dried microcapsule, which reached the MIC value during the dissolution studies.

The aim of this paper is to review all the existing literature models on the concentration dependence of the viscosity of binary liquid alloys and to check them against the measured viscosity values in the binary liquid Cu-Ag system at 1373K.