Sample records for abundant natural biopolymer

  1. Natural biopolymer-based nanocomposite films for packaging applications.

    PubMed

    Rhim, Jong-Whan; Ng, Perry K W

    2007-01-01

    Concerns on environmental waste problems caused by non-biodegradable petrochemical-based plastic packaging materials as well as the consumer's demand for high quality food products has caused an increasing interest in developing biodegradable packaging materials using annually renewable natural biopolymers such as polysaccharides and proteins. Inherent shortcomings of natural polymer-based packaging materials such as low mechanical properties and low water resistance can be recovered by applying a nanocomposite technology. Polymer nanocomposites, especially natural biopolymer-layered silicate nanocomposites, exhibit markedly improved packaging properties due to their nanometer size dispersion. These improvements include increased modulus and strength, decreased gas permeability, and increased water resistance. Additionally, biologically active ingredients can be added to impart the desired functional properties to the resulting packaging materials. Consequently, natural biopolymer-based nanocomposite packaging materials with bio-functional properties have a huge potential for application in the active food packaging industry. In this review, recent advances in the preparation of natural biopolymer-based films and their nanocomposites, and their potential use in packaging applications are addressed.

  2. Fabrication of Porous Materials from Natural/Synthetic Biopolymers and Their Composites.

    PubMed

    Sampath, Udeni Gunathilake T M; Ching, Yern Chee; Chuah, Cheng Hock; Sabariah, Johari J; Lin, Pai-Chen

    2016-12-07

    Biopolymers and their applications have been widely studied in recent years. Replacing the oil based polymer materials with biopolymers in a sustainable manner might give not only a competitive advantage but, in addition, they possess unique properties which cannot be emulated by conventional polymers. This review covers the fabrication of porous materials from natural biopolymers (cellulose, chitosan, collagen), synthetic biopolymers (poly(lactic acid), poly(lactic- co -glycolic acid)) and their composite materials. Properties of biopolymers strongly depend on the polymer structure and are of great importance when fabricating the polymer into intended applications. Biopolymers find a large spectrum of application in the medical field. Other fields such as packaging, technical, environmental, agricultural and food are also gaining importance. The introduction of porosity into a biomaterial broadens the scope of applications. There are many techniques used to fabricate porous polymers. Fabrication methods, including the basic and conventional techniques to the more recent ones, are reviewed. Advantages and limitations of each method are discussed in detail. Special emphasis is placed on the pore characteristics of biomaterials used for various applications. This review can aid in furthering our understanding of the fabrication methods and about controlling the porosity and microarchitecture of porous biopolymer materials.

  3. Fabrication of Porous Materials from Natural/Synthetic Biopolymers and Their Composites

    PubMed Central

    Sampath, Udeni Gunathilake T.M.; Ching, Yern Chee; Chuah, Cheng Hock; Sabariah, Johari J.; Lin, Pai-Chen

    2016-01-01

    Biopolymers and their applications have been widely studied in recent years. Replacing the oil based polymer materials with biopolymers in a sustainable manner might give not only a competitive advantage but, in addition, they possess unique properties which cannot be emulated by conventional polymers. This review covers the fabrication of porous materials from natural biopolymers (cellulose, chitosan, collagen), synthetic biopolymers (poly(lactic acid), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)) and their composite materials. Properties of biopolymers strongly depend on the polymer structure and are of great importance when fabricating the polymer into intended applications. Biopolymers find a large spectrum of application in the medical field. Other fields such as packaging, technical, environmental, agricultural and food are also gaining importance. The introduction of porosity into a biomaterial broadens the scope of applications. There are many techniques used to fabricate porous polymers. Fabrication methods, including the basic and conventional techniques to the more recent ones, are reviewed. Advantages and limitations of each method are discussed in detail. Special emphasis is placed on the pore characteristics of biomaterials used for various applications. This review can aid in furthering our understanding of the fabrication methods and about controlling the porosity and microarchitecture of porous biopolymer materials. PMID:28774113

  4. Biopolymers and supramolecular polymers as biomaterials for biomedical applications

    PubMed Central

    Freeman, Ronit; Boekhoven, Job; Dickerson, Matthew B.; Naik, Rajesh R.

    2015-01-01

    Protein- and peptide-based structural biopolymers are abundant building blocks of biological systems. Either in their natural forms, such as collagen, silk or fibronectin, or as related synthetic materials they can be used in various technologies. An emerging area is that of biomimetic materials inspired by protein-based biopolymers, which are made up of small molecules rather than macromolecules and can therefore be described as supramolecular polymers. These materials are very useful in biomedical applications because of their ability to imitate the extracellular matrix both in architecture and their capacity to signal cells. This article describes important features of the natural extracellular matrix and highlight how these features are being incorporated into biomaterials composed of biopolymers and supramolecular polymers. We particularly focus on the structures, properties, and functions of collagen, fibronectin, silk, and the supramolecular polymers inspired by them as biomaterials for regenerative medicine. PMID:26989295

  5. Recent advances in biopolymers and biopolymer-based nanocomposites for food packaging materials.

    PubMed

    Tang, X Z; Kumar, P; Alavi, S; Sandeep, K P

    2012-01-01

    Plastic packaging for food and non-food applications is non-biodegradable, and also uses up valuable and scarce non-renewable resources like petroleum. With the current focus on exploring alternatives to petroleum and emphasis on reduced environmental impact, research is increasingly being directed at development of biodegradable food packaging from biopolymer-based materials. The proposed paper will present a review of recent developments in biopolymer-based food packaging materials including natural biopolymers (such as starches and proteins), synthetic biopolymers (such as poly lactic acid), biopolymer blends, and nanocomposites based on natural and synthetic biopolymers. The paper will discuss the various techniques that have been used for developing cost-effective biodegradable packaging materials with optimum mechanical strength and oxygen and moisture barrier properties. This is a timely review as there has been a recent renewed interest in research studies, both in the industry and academia, towards development of a new generation of biopolymer-based food packaging materials with possible applications in other areas.

  6. Biopolymer - A beginning towards back to nature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gautam, S.; Gautam, A.

    2018-05-01

    Biopolymer is regarded as a polymer which can be biodegradable. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) is one of the biopolymer which can be recovered from biomass. PHAs are naturally conserved in the cytoplasm of the bacterial cell during the growth. Bacteria/microbes store their energy from carbon sources in the form of hydrocarbons. Intracellular stored compounds are tightly linked with entire cell resulting difficulty of separation. The work aims to extract PHAs from biomass effectively. Chemical and mechanical separation of PHA can be done from biomass. A pretreatment of cells before chemical and mechanical separation is also effective for separation of PHA and has been carried out. Chemical extraction of PHA includes digestion of cell wall in acidic or alkaline medium and releasing PHA in broth, later sedimentation recovers PHA. In recent work different chemical methods were carried out to extract PHA of medium chain length. In one of these, sodium hypochlorite was used to denature the protein and chloroform was used for extraction of purified PHA. A recovery upto 96.6%, PHA by dried weight of cell, was obtained which is quite high comparing to reported literature. Other chemical disruption by sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide with and without pretreatment have also been carried out.

  7. Quercetin as natural stabilizing agent for bio-polymer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Morici, Elisabetta; Arrigo, Rossella; Dintcheva, Nadka Tzankova

    The introduction of antioxidants in polymers is the main way to prevent or delay the degradation process. In particular natural antioxidants receive attention in the food industry also because of their presumed safety. In this work bio-polymers, i.e. a commercial starch-based polymer (Mater-Bi®) and a bio-polyester (PLA), and a bio-polyether (PEO) were additivated with quercetin, a natural flavonoid antioxidants, in order to formulate bio-based films for ecosustainable packaging and outdoor applications. The photo-oxidation behavior of unstabilized and quercetin stabilized films was analyzed and compared with the behavior of films additivated with a commercial synthetic light stabilizer. The quercetin is ablemore » to slow down the photo-degradation rate of all bio-polymeric films investigated in similar way to the synthetic stabilizer.« less

  8. Quercetin as natural stabilizing agent for bio-polymer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morici, Elisabetta; Arrigo, Rossella; Dintcheva, Nadka Tzankova

    2014-05-01

    The introduction of antioxidants in polymers is the main way to prevent or delay the degradation process. In particular natural antioxidants receive attention in the food industry also because of their presumed safety. In this work bio-polymers, i.e. a commercial starch-based polymer (Mater-Bi®) and a bio-polyester (PLA), and a bio-polyether (PEO) were additivated with quercetin, a natural flavonoid antioxidants, in order to formulate bio-based films for ecosustainable packaging and outdoor applications. The photo-oxidation behavior of unstabilized and quercetin stabilized films was analyzed and compared with the behavior of films additivated with a commercial synthetic light stabilizer. The quercetin is able to slow down the photo-degradation rate of all bio-polymeric films investigated in similar way to the synthetic stabilizer.

  9. Lignin biopolymer based triboelectric nanogenerators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bao, Yukai; Wang, Ruoxing; Lu, Yunmei; Wu, Wenzhuo

    2017-07-01

    Ongoing research in triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) focuses on increasing power generation, but obstacles concerning economical and eco-friendly utilization of TENGs continue to prevail. Being the second most abundant biopolymer on earth, lignin offers a valuable opportunity for low-cost TENG applications in biomedical devices, benefitting from its biodegradability and biocompatibility. Here, we develop for the first time a lignin biopolymer based TENGs for harvesting mechanical energy in the environment, which shows great potential for self-powered biomedical devices among other applications and opens doors to new technologies that utilize otherwise wasted materials for economically feasible and ecologically friendly production of energy devices.

  10. Natural Minerals Coated by Biopolymer Chitosan: Synthesis, Physicochemical, and Adsorption Properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Budnyak, T. M.; Yanovska, E. S.; Kichkiruk, O. Yu.; Sternik, D.; Tertykh, V. A.

    2016-11-01

    Natural minerals are widely used in treatment technologies as mineral fertilizer, food additive in animal husbandry, and cosmetics because they combine valuable ion-exchanging and adsorption properties together with unique physicochemical and medical properties. Saponite (saponite clay) of the Ukrainian Podillya refers to the class of bentonites, a subclass of layered magnesium silicate montmorillonite. Clinoptilolits are aluminosilicates with carcase structure. In our work, we have coated biopolymer chitosan on the surfaces of natural minerals of Ukrainian origin — Podilsky saponite and Sokyrnitsky clinoptilolite. Chitosan mineral composites have been obtained by crosslinking of adsorbed biopolymer on saponite and clinoptilolite surface with glutaraldehyde. The obtained composites have been characterized by the physicochemical methods such as thermogravimetric/differential thermal analyses (DTA, DTG, TG), differential scanning calorimetry, mass analysis, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to determine possible interactions between the silica and chitosan molecule. The adsorption of microquantities of cations Cu(II), Zn(II), Fe(III), Cd(II), and Pb(II) by the obtained composites and the initial natural minerals has been studied from aqueous solutions. The sorption capacities and kinetic adsorption characteristics of the adsorbents were estimated. It was found that the obtained results have shown that the ability of chitosan to coordinate heavy metal ions Zn(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), and Fe(III) is less or equal to the ability to retain ions of these metals in the pores of minerals without forming chemical bonds.

  11. Extraction of cellulose microcrystalline from galam wood for biopolymer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ismail, Ika; Sa'adiyah, Devy; Rahajeng, Putri; Suprayitno, Abdi; Andiana, Rocky

    2018-04-01

    Consumption of plastic raw materials tends to increase, but until now the meet of the consumption of plastic raw are still low, even some are still imported. Nowadays, Indonesia's plastic needs are supported by petrochemicals where raw materials are still dependent abroad and petropolymer raw materials are derived from petroleum which will soon be depleted due to rising petroleum needs. Therefore, various studies have been conducted to develop natural fiber-based polymers that are biodegradable and abundant in nature. It is because the natural polymer production process is very efficient and very environmentally friendly. There have been many studies of biopolymers especially natural fiber-based polymers from plants, due to plants containing cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. However, cellulose is the only one who has crystalline structures. Cellulose has a high crystality compared to amorphous lignin and hemicellulose. In this study, extracted cellulose as biopolymer and amplifier on composite. The cellulose is extracted from galam wood from East Kalimantan. Cellulose extraction will be obtained in nano / micro form through chemical and mechanical treatment processes. The chemical treatment of cellulose extraction is alkalinization process using NaOH solution, bleaching using NaClO2 and acid hydrolysis using sulfuric acid. After chemical treatment, ultrasonic mechanical treatment is made to make cellulose fibers into micro or nano size. Besides, cellulose results will be characterized. Characterization was performed to analyze molecules of cellulose compounds extracted from plants using Fourier Transformation Infra Red (FTIR) testing. XRD testing to analyze cellulose crystallinity. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) test to analyze morphology and fiber size.

  12. Biomedical Biopolymers, their Origin and Evolution in Biomedical Sciences: A Systematic Review

    PubMed Central

    Yadav, Harsh; Shah, Veena Gowri; Shah, Gaurav; Dhaka, Gaurav

    2015-01-01

    Biopolymers provide a plethora of applications in the pharmaceutical and medical applications. A material that can be used for biomedical applications like wound healing, drug delivery and tissue engineering should possess certain properties like biocompatibility, biodegradation to non-toxic products, low antigenicity, high bio-activity, processability to complicated shapes with appropriate porosity, ability to support cell growth and proliferation and appropriate mechanical properties, as well as maintaining mechanical strength. This paper reviews biodegradable biopolymers focusing on their potential in biomedical applications. Biopolymers most commonly used and most abundantly available have been described with focus on the properties relevant to biomedical importance. PMID:26501034

  13. Chemical composition and molecular structure of polysaccharide-protein biopolymer from Durio zibethinus seed: extraction and purification process

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background The biological functions of natural biopolymers from plant sources depend on their chemical composition and molecular structure. In addition, the extraction and further processing conditions significantly influence the chemical and molecular structure of the plant biopolymer. The main objective of the present study was to characterize the chemical and molecular structure of a natural biopolymer from Durio zibethinus seed. A size-exclusion chromatography coupled to multi angle laser light-scattering (SEC-MALS) was applied to analyze the molecular weight (Mw), number average molecular weight (Mn), and polydispersity index (Mw/Mn). Results The most abundant monosaccharide in the carbohydrate composition of durian seed gum were galactose (48.6-59.9%), glucose (37.1-45.1%), arabinose (0.58-3.41%), and xylose (0.3-3.21%). The predominant fatty acid of the lipid fraction from the durian seed gum were palmitic acid (C16:0), palmitoleic acid (C16:1), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2), and linolenic acid (C18:2). The most abundant amino acids of durian seed gum were: leucine (30.9-37.3%), lysine (6.04-8.36%), aspartic acid (6.10-7.19%), glycine (6.07-7.42%), alanine (5.24-6.14%), glutamic acid (5.57-7.09%), valine (4.5-5.50%), proline (3.87-4.81%), serine (4.39-5.18%), threonine (3.44-6.50%), isoleucine (3.30-4.07%), and phenylalanine (3.11-9.04%). Conclusion The presence of essential amino acids in the chemical structure of durian seed gum reinforces its nutritional value. PMID:23062269

  14. Natural gum-type biopolymers as potential modified nonpolar drug release systems.

    PubMed

    Salamanca, Constain H; Yarce, Cristhian J; Moreno, Roger A; Prieto, Vanessa; Recalde, Juanita

    2018-06-01

    In this work, the relationship between surface properties and drug release mechanism from binary composition tablets formed by quetiapine fumarate and biopolymer materials was studied. The biopolymers correspond to xanthan and tragacanth gums, which are projected as modified drug release systems. The surface studies were carried out by the sessile drop method, while the surface free energy (SFE) was determinate through Young-Dupree and OWRK semi-empirical models. On the other hand, the drug release studies were performed by in vitro dissolution tests, where the data were analyzed through kinetic models of zero order, first order, Higuchi, and Korsmeyer-Peppas. The results showed that depending on the type and the proportion of biopolymer, surface properties, and the drug release processes are significantly affected, wherein tragacanth gum present a usual erosion mechanism, while xanthan gum describes a swelling mechanism that controls the release of the drug. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. The adsorption interaction of a rutin-biopolymer complex with nanosized silica particles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fedyanina, T. V.; Barvinchenko, V. N.; Lipkovskaya, N. A.; Pogorelyi, V. K.

    2008-10-01

    The influence of complex formation with biopolymers on the optical and acid properties of natural flavonoid rutin was studied. The adsorption interaction of biologically active flavonoids from officinal plants with the surface of nanosized silica particles was found to depend on the chemical nature of the biopolymer and adsorbate and solution properties.

  16. Formation and stabilization of nanoemulsion-based vitamin E delivery systems using natural biopolymers: Whey protein isolate and gum arabic.

    PubMed

    Ozturk, Bengu; Argin, Sanem; Ozilgen, Mustafa; McClements, David Julian

    2015-12-01

    Natural biopolymers, whey protein isolate (WPI) and gum arabic (GA), were used to fabricate emulsion-based delivery systems for vitamin E-acetate. Stable delivery systems could be formed when vitamin E-acetate was mixed with sufficient orange oil prior to high pressure homogenization. WPI (d32=0.11 μm, 1% emulsifier) was better than GA (d32=0.38 μm, 10% emulsifier) at producing small droplets at low emulsifier concentrations. However, WPI-stabilized nanoemulsions were unstable to flocculation near the protein isoelectric point (pH 5.0), at high ionic strength (>100mM), and at elevated temperatures (>60 °C), whereas GA-stabilized emulsions were stable. This difference was attributed to differences in emulsifier stabilization mechanisms: WPI by electrostatic repulsion; GA by steric repulsion. These results provide useful information about the emulsifying and stabilizing capacities of natural biopolymers for forming food-grade vitamin-enriched delivery systems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Chemical modeling of acid-base properties of soluble biopolymers derived from municipal waste treatment materials.

    PubMed

    Tabasso, Silvia; Berto, Silvia; Rosato, Roberta; Marinos, Janeth Alicia Tafur; Ginepro, Marco; Zelano, Vincenzo; Daniele, Pier Giuseppe; Montoneri, Enzo

    2015-02-04

    This work reports a study of the proton-binding capacity of biopolymers obtained from different materials supplied by a municipal biowaste treatment plant located in Northern Italy. One material was the anaerobic fermentation digestate of the urban wastes organic humid fraction. The others were the compost of home and public gardening residues and the compost of the mix of the above residues, digestate and sewage sludge. These materials were hydrolyzed under alkaline conditions to yield the biopolymers by saponification. The biopolymers were characterized by 13C NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and potentiometric titration. The titration data were elaborated to attain chemical models for interpretation of the proton-binding capacity of the biopolymers obtaining the acidic sites concentrations and their protonation constants. The results obtained with the models and by NMR spectroscopy were elaborated together in order to better characterize the nature of the macromolecules. The chemical nature of the biopolymers was found dependent upon the nature of the sourcing materials.

  18. Chemical Modeling of Acid-Base Properties of Soluble Biopolymers Derived from Municipal Waste Treatment Materials

    PubMed Central

    Tabasso, Silvia; Berto, Silvia; Rosato, Roberta; Tafur Marinos, Janeth Alicia; Ginepro, Marco; Zelano, Vincenzo; Daniele, Pier Giuseppe; Montoneri, Enzo

    2015-01-01

    This work reports a study of the proton-binding capacity of biopolymers obtained from different materials supplied by a municipal biowaste treatment plant located in Northern Italy. One material was the anaerobic fermentation digestate of the urban wastes organic humid fraction. The others were the compost of home and public gardening residues and the compost of the mix of the above residues, digestate and sewage sludge. These materials were hydrolyzed under alkaline conditions to yield the biopolymers by saponification. The biopolymers were characterized by 13C NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and potentiometric titration. The titration data were elaborated to attain chemical models for interpretation of the proton-binding capacity of the biopolymers obtaining the acidic sites concentrations and their protonation constants. The results obtained with the models and by NMR spectroscopy were elaborated together in order to better characterize the nature of the macromolecules. The chemical nature of the biopolymers was found dependent upon the nature of the sourcing materials. PMID:25658795

  19. Natural biopolymers : novel templates for the synthesis of nanostructures.

    Treesearch

    Sonal Padalkar; J.R. Capadona; S.J. Rowan; C. Weder; Yu-Ho Won; Lia A. Stanciu; Robert J. Moon

    2010-01-01

    Biological systems such as proteins, viruses, and DNA have been most often reported to be used as templates for the synthesis of functional nanomaterials, but the properties of widely available biopolymers, such as cellulose, have been much less exploited for this purpose. Here, we report for the first time that cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) have the capacity to assist...

  20. A biopolymer-like metal enabled hybrid material with exceptional mechanical prowess

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Junsong; Cui, Lishan; Jiang, Daqiang; Liu, Yinong; Hao, Shijie; Ren, Yang; Han, Xiaodong; Liu, Zhenyang; Wang, Yunzhi; Yu, Cun; Huan, Yong; Zhao, Xinqing; Zheng, Yanjun; Xu, Huibin; Ren, Xiaobing; Li, Xiaodong

    2015-01-01

    The design principles for naturally occurring biological materials have inspired us to develop next-generation engineering materials with remarkable performance. Nacre, commonly referred to as nature's armor, is renowned for its unusual combination of strength and toughness. Nature's wisdom in nacre resides in its elaborate structural design and the judicious placement of a unique organic biopolymer with intelligent deformation features. However, up to now, it is still a challenge to transcribe the biopolymer's deformation attributes into a stronger substitute in the design of new materials. In this study, we propose a new design strategy that employs shape memory alloy to transcribe the “J-curve” mechanical response and uniform molecular/atomic level deformation of the organic biopolymer in the design of high-performance hybrid materials. This design strategy is verified in a TiNi-Ti3Sn model material system. The model material demonstrates an exceptional combination of mechanical properties that are superior to other high-performance metal-based lamellar composites known to date. Our design strategy creates new opportunities for the development of high-performance bio-inspired materials. PMID:25665501

  1. A biopolymer-like metal enabled hybrid material with exceptional mechanical prowess.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Junsong; Cui, Lishan; Jiang, Daqiang; Liu, Yinong; Hao, Shijie; Ren, Yang; Han, Xiaodong; Liu, Zhenyang; Wang, Yunzhi; Yu, Cun; Huan, Yong; Zhao, Xinqing; Zheng, Yanjun; Xu, Huibin; Ren, Xiaobing; Li, Xiaodong

    2015-02-10

    The design principles for naturally occurring biological materials have inspired us to develop next-generation engineering materials with remarkable performance. Nacre, commonly referred to as nature's armor, is renowned for its unusual combination of strength and toughness. Nature's wisdom in nacre resides in its elaborate structural design and the judicious placement of a unique organic biopolymer with intelligent deformation features. However, up to now, it is still a challenge to transcribe the biopolymer's deformation attributes into a stronger substitute in the design of new materials. In this study, we propose a new design strategy that employs shape memory alloy to transcribe the "J-curve" mechanical response and uniform molecular/atomic level deformation of the organic biopolymer in the design of high-performance hybrid materials. This design strategy is verified in a TiNi-Ti3Sn model material system. The model material demonstrates an exceptional combination of mechanical properties that are superior to other high-performance metal-based lamellar composites known to date. Our design strategy creates new opportunities for the development of high-performance bio-inspired materials.

  2. Biopolymers to improve physical properties and leaching characteristics of mortar and concrete: A review

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olivia, M.; Jingga, H.; Toni, N.; Wibisono, G.

    2018-04-01

    The invention of environmentally friendly, high performance, and green material such as biopolymers marked an emerging trend for sustainable construction over the past decades. Biopolymer comprises of natural monomers and synthesized by plants or other organisms. The sustainable, biodegradable, and renewable biopolymers were used in concrete mixes to improve their physical and mechanical properties and durability. The aim of this paper is to provide a brief an overview of the impact of biopolymer addition into concrete and mortar mixes. Many studies on the influence of biopolymer on the properties of concrete and mortar by adding biopolymers at a certain proportion (usually less than one wt.%) to the concrete or mortar mixes, and the heavy metal leaching, rheological, and mechanical properties of the mixes were conducted. Biopolymers included in this review are chitosan (CH), xanthan gum (XG), guar gum (GG), lignosulphonate (LS), and cellulose ethers (CE). Data from previous studies showed that the addition of certain types of biopolymer into concrete and mortar mixes improve workability, water retention, and compressive strength by up to 30 percent. Chitosan strengthens heavy metal encapsulation in the mortar and neutralizes the negative impact of heavy metal on the mortar properties and environment. To sum up, the use of biopolymers improve physical properties and leaching characteristics of mortar and concrete.

  3. Coupled biopolymer networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schwarz, J. M.; Zhang, Tao

    2015-03-01

    The actin cytoskeleton provides the cell with structural integrity and allows it to change shape to crawl along a surface, for example. The actin cytoskeleton can be modeled as a semiflexible biopolymer network that modifies its morphology in response to both external and internal stimuli. Just inside the inner nuclear membrane of a cell exists a network of filamentous lamin that presumably protects the heart of the cell nucleus--the DNA. Lamins are intermediate filaments that can also be modeled as semiflexible biopolymers. It turns out that the actin cytoskeletal biopolymer network and the lamin biopolymer network are coupled via a sequence of proteins that bridge the outer and inner nuclear membranes. We, therefore, probe the consequences of such a coupling via numerical simulations to understand the resulting deformations in the lamin network in response to perturbations in the cytoskeletal network. Such study could have implications for mechanical mechanisms of the regulation of transcription, since DNA--yet another semiflexible polymer--contains lamin-binding domains, and, thus, widen the field of epigenetics.

  4. Biopolymers as transdermal drug delivery systems in dermatology therapy.

    PubMed

    Basavaraj, K H; Johnsy, George; Navya, M A; Rashmi, R; Siddaramaiah

    2010-01-01

    The skin is considered a complex organ for drug delivery because of its structure. Drug delivery systems are designed for the controlled release of drugs through the skin into the systemic circulation, maintaining consistent efficacy and reducing the dose of the drugs and their related side effects. Transdermal drug delivery represents one of the most rapidly advancing areas of novel drug delivery. The excellent impervious nature of the skin is the greatest challenge that must be overcome for successful drug delivery. Today, polymers have been proven to be successful for long-term drug delivery applications as no single polymer can satisfy all of the requirements. Biopolymers in the field of dermal application are rare and the mechanisms that affect skin absorption are almost unknown. Biopolymers are widely used as drug delivery systems, but as such the use of biopolymers as drug delivery systems in dermatologic therapy is still in progress. Commonly used biopolymers include hydrocolloids, alginates, hydrogels, polyurethane, collagen, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), chitosan, proteins and peptides, pectin, siRNAs, and hyaluronic acid. These new and exciting methods for drug delivery are already increasing the number and quality of dermal and transdermal therapies. This article reviews current research on biopolymers and focuses on their potential as drug carriers, particularly in relation to the dermatologic aspects of their use.

  5. A biopolymer-like metal enabled hybrid material with exceptional mechanical prowess

    DOE PAGES

    Zhang, Junsong; Cui, Lishan; Jiang, Daqiang; ...

    2015-02-10

    In this study, the design principles for naturally occurring biological materials have inspired us to develop next-generation engineering materials with remarkable performance. Nacre, commonly referred to as nature's armor, is renowned for its unusual combination of strength and toughness. Nature's wisdom in nacre resides in its elaborate structural design and the judicious placement of a unique organic biopolymer with intelligent deformation features. However, up to now, it is still a challenge to transcribe the biopolymer's deformation attributes into a stronger substitute in the design of new materials. In this study, we propose a new design strategy that employs shape memorymore » alloy to transcribe the "J-curve'' mechanical response and uniform molecular/atomic level deformation of the organic biopolymer in the design of high-performance hybrid materials. This design strategy is verified in a TiNi-Ti 3Sn model material system. The model material demonstrates an exceptional combination of mechanical properties that are superior to other high-performance metal-based lamellar composites known to date. Our design strategy creates new opportunities for the development of high-performance bio-inspired materials.« less

  6. The Impact of Invasive Earthworm Activity on Biopolymer Character of ýDecayed Litter ý

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Filley, T.; Crow, S.; Johnston, C.; McCormick, M.; Szlavecz, K.

    2007-12-01

    Over the last 400-500 years invasive European earthworm populations have ýmoved steadily into North American forests either previously devoid of ýearthworms or that contained their own native populations. This has profound ýimpacts upon litter decay and soil organic matter dynamics. To determine the ýimpact of earthworm activity on the biopolymer and stable isotope chemistry of ýlitter residues and the nature of organic carbon moved to the soil profile we ýanalyzed tulip poplar leaves from a multi-year addition experiment in open ýsurface decay litter and litter bag decay experiments, as well as the associated ýsoils among forest plots that varied in non-native earthworm density and ýbiomass. The chemical alteration of biopolymers was tracked with FTIR ýspectroscopy, 13C-TMAH thermochemolysis, alkaline CuO extraction, and stable ýisotope mass spectrometry. Earthworm activity resulted in residues and soil ýparticulate organic matter depleted in cuticular aliphatic components and ýpolyphenols but highly enriched in ether-linked lignin with respect to initial litter ýmaterial. Decay in low earthworm abundance plots, as well as all experiments ýwith earthworm-excluding litter bags, resulted in enrichment in cutin aliphatics ýand only minor increases in ether linked lignin phenols which was also reflected ýin the soils below the amendments. Additionally, the stable carbon and nitrogen ýisotope composition of tulip poplar residues became isotopically distinct. The ýresults from litter bag decays were only reflective of the chemistry at sites with ývery low earthworm abundances. ý

  7. Natural additives and agricultural wastes in biopolymer formulations for food packaging.

    PubMed

    Valdés, Arantzazu; Mellinas, Ana Cristina; Ramos, Marina; Garrigós, María Carmen; Jiménez, Alfonso

    2014-01-01

    The main directions in food packaging research are targeted toward improvements in food quality and food safety. For this purpose, food packaging providing longer product shelf-life, as well as the monitoring of safety and quality based upon international standards, is desirable. New active packaging strategies represent a key area of development in new multifunctional materials where the use of natural additives and/or agricultural wastes is getting increasing interest. The development of new materials, and particularly innovative biopolymer formulations, can help to address these requirements and also with other packaging functions such as: food protection and preservation, marketing and smart communication to consumers. The use of biocomposites for active food packaging is one of the most studied approaches in the last years on materials in contact with food. Applications of these innovative biocomposites could help to provide new food packaging materials with improved mechanical, barrier, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. From the food industry standpoint, concerns such as the safety and risk associated with these new additives, migration properties and possible human ingestion and regulations need to be considered. The latest innovations in the use of these innovative formulations to obtain biocomposites are reported in this review. Legislative issues related to the use of natural additives and agricultural wastes in food packaging systems are also discussed.

  8. Natural additives and agricultural wastes in biopolymer formulations for food packaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Valdés, Arantzazu; Mellinas, Ana Cristina; Ramos, Marina; Garrigós, María Carmen; Jiménez, Alfonso

    2014-02-01

    The main directions in food packaging research are targeted towards improvements in food quality and food safety. For this purpose, food packaging providing longer product shelf-life, as well as the monitoring of safety and quality based upon international standards, is desirable. New active packaging strategies represent a key area of development in new multifunctional materials where the use of natural additives and/or agricultural wastes is getting increasing interest. The development of new materials, and particularly innovative biopolymer formulations, can help to address these requirements and also with other packaging functions such as: food protection and preservation, marketing and smart communication to consumers. The use of biocomposites for active food packaging is one of the most studied approaches in the last years on materials in contact with food. Applications of these innovative biocomposites could help to provide new food packaging materials with improved mechanical, barrier, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. From the food industry standpoint, concerns such as the safety and risk associated with these new additives, migration properties and possible human ingestion and regulations need to be considered. The latest innovations in the use of these innovative formulations to obtain biocomposites are reported in this review. Legislative issues related to the use of natural additives and agricultural wastes in food packaging systems are also discussed.

  9. Natural additives and agricultural wastes in biopolymer formulations for food packaging

    PubMed Central

    Valdés, Arantzazu; Mellinas, Ana Cristina; Ramos, Marina; Garrigós, María Carmen; Jiménez, Alfonso

    2014-01-01

    The main directions in food packaging research are targeted toward improvements in food quality and food safety. For this purpose, food packaging providing longer product shelf-life, as well as the monitoring of safety and quality based upon international standards, is desirable. New active packaging strategies represent a key area of development in new multifunctional materials where the use of natural additives and/or agricultural wastes is getting increasing interest. The development of new materials, and particularly innovative biopolymer formulations, can help to address these requirements and also with other packaging functions such as: food protection and preservation, marketing and smart communication to consumers. The use of biocomposites for active food packaging is one of the most studied approaches in the last years on materials in contact with food. Applications of these innovative biocomposites could help to provide new food packaging materials with improved mechanical, barrier, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. From the food industry standpoint, concerns such as the safety and risk associated with these new additives, migration properties and possible human ingestion and regulations need to be considered. The latest innovations in the use of these innovative formulations to obtain biocomposites are reported in this review. Legislative issues related to the use of natural additives and agricultural wastes in food packaging systems are also discussed. PMID:24790975

  10. Biopolymer-Based Nanoparticles for Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering

    PubMed Central

    Nitta, Sachiko Kaihara; Numata, Keiji

    2013-01-01

    There has been a great interest in application of nanoparticles as biomaterials for delivery of therapeutic molecules such as drugs and genes, and for tissue engineering. In particular, biopolymers are suitable materials as nanoparticles for clinical application due to their versatile traits, including biocompatibility, biodegradability and low immunogenicity. Biopolymers are polymers that are produced from living organisms, which are classified in three groups: polysaccharides, proteins and nucleic acids. It is important to control particle size, charge, morphology of surface and release rate of loaded molecules to use biopolymer-based nanoparticles as drug/gene delivery carriers. To obtain a nano-carrier for therapeutic purposes, a variety of materials and preparation process has been attempted. This review focuses on fabrication of biocompatible nanoparticles consisting of biopolymers such as protein (silk, collagen, gelatin, β-casein, zein and albumin), protein-mimicked polypeptides and polysaccharides (chitosan, alginate, pullulan, starch and heparin). The effects of the nature of the materials and the fabrication process on the characteristics of the nanoparticles are described. In addition, their application as delivery carriers of therapeutic drugs and genes and biomaterials for tissue engineering are also reviewed. PMID:23344060

  11. A Targeted Nanoprobe Based on Carbon Nanotubes-Natural Biopolymer Chitosan Composites

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Baoyan; Zhao, Na

    2016-01-01

    A novel targeting theranostic nanoprobe based on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)-natural biopolymer chitosan composites was developed for cancer cell targeting imaging and fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic therapy. First, chitosan was respectively conjugated with a tumor-homing molecule folic acid, or a photosensitizing drug pyropheophorbide a using a water-soluble carbodiimide coupling chemistry. Chitosan was fluorescently labeled by fluorescein isothiocyanate via the covalently linkage of the isothiocyanate group with the amino group. Second, SWCNTs were sonicated in the functional chitosan aqueous solution for 6 h at room temperature in order to obtain the nanoprobe (PPa/FITC-SWCNT-FA). The as-prepared nanoprobe has been characterized with transmission electron microscope, confocal microscopy, and cell cytotoxicity tests. Chitosan was decorated onto SWCNTs resulting in the water-dispersible PPa/FITC-SWCNT-FA, and can be selectively transported inside folate receptor-positive tumor cell with good targeting imaging. PPa/FITC-SWCNT-FA exhibited low dark toxicity about 7%–13%, and high phototoxicity about 60%–74% against HeLa cells upon a 635 nm laser irradiation, indicating satisfying biocompatibility and antitumor activity. These results suggest the study could offer a feasible alternative to presently available nanoparticle-based theranostic agents. PMID:28335344

  12. Terahertz Absorption and Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy of Solvated Biopolymers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Jing; Plaxco, Kevin; Allen, S. James

    2006-03-01

    Biopolymers are expected to exhibit broad spectral features in the terahertz frequency range, corresponding to their functionally relevant, global and sub-global collective vibrational modes with ˜ picosecond timescale. Recent advances in terahertz technology have stimulated researchers to employ terahertz absorption spectroscopy to directly probe these postulated collective modes. However, these pioneering studies have been limited to dry and, at best, moist samples. Successful isolation of low frequency vibrational activities of solvated biopolymers in their natural water environment has remained elusive, due to the overwhelming attenuation of the terahertz radiation by water. Here we have developed a terahertz absorption and circular dichroism spectrometer suitable for studying biopolymers in biologically relevant water solutions. We have precisely isolated, for the first time, the terahertz absorption of solvated prototypical proteins, Bovine Serum Albumin and Lysozyme, and made important direct comparison to the existing molecular dynamic simulations and normal mode calculations. We have also successfully demonstrated the magnetic circular dichroism in semiconductors, and placed upper bounds on the terahertz circular dichroism signatures of prototypical proteins in water solution.

  13. Single Molecule Science for Personalized Nanomedicine: Atomic Force Microscopy of Biopolymer-Protein Interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hsueh, Carlin

    Nanotechnology has a unique and relatively untapped utility in the fields of medicine and dentistry at the level of single-biopolymer and -molecule diagnostics. In recent years atomic force microscopy (AFM) has garnered much interest due to its ability to obtain atomic-resolution of molecular structures and probe biophysical behaviors of biopolymers and proteins in a variety of biologically significant environments. The work presented in this thesis focuses on the nanoscale manipulation and observation of biopolymers to develop an innovative technology for personalized medicine while understanding complex biological systems. These studies described here primarily use AFM to observe biopolymer interactions with proteins and its surroundings with unprecedented resolution, providing a better understanding of these systems and interactions at the nanoscale. Transcriptional profiling, the measure of messenger RNA (mRNA) abundance in a single cell, is a powerful technique that detects "behavior" or "symptoms" at the tissue and cellular level. We have sought to develop an alternative approach, using our expertise in AFM and single molecule nanotechnology, to achieve a cost-effective high throughput method for sensitive detection and profiling of subtle changes in transcript abundance. The technique does not require amplification of the mRNA sample because the AFM provides three-dimensional views of molecules with unprecedented resolution, requires minimal sample preparation, and utilizes a simple tagging chemistry on cDNA molecules. AFM images showed collagen polymers in teeth and of Drebrin-A remodeling of filamentous actin structure and mechanics. AFM was used to image collagen on exposed dentine tubules and confirmed tubule occlusion with a desensitizing prophylaxis paste by Colgate-Palmolive. The AFM also superseded other microscopy tools in resolving F-actin helix remodeling and possible cooperative binding by a neuronal actin binding protein---Drebrin-A, an

  14. Biopolymer Aerogels and Foams: Chemistry, Properties, and Applications.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Shanyu; Malfait, Wim J; Guerrero-Alburquerque, Natalia; Koebel, Matthias M; Nyström, Gustav

    2018-06-25

    Biopolymer aerogels were among the first aerogels produced, but only in the last decade has research on biopolymer and biopolymer-composite aerogels become popular, motivated by sustainability arguments, their unique and tunable properties, and ease of functionalization. Biopolymer aerogels and open-cell foams have great potential for classical aerogel applications such as thermal insulation, as well as emerging applications in filtration, oil-water separation, CO 2 capture, catalysis, and medicine. The biopolymer aerogel field today is driven forward by empirical materials discovery at the laboratory scale, but requires a firmer theoretical basis and pilot studies to close the gap to market. This Review includes a database with over 3800 biopolymer aerogel properties, evaluates the state of the biopolymer aerogel field, and critically discusses the scientific, technological, and commercial barriers to the commercialization of these exciting materials. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Printed Biopolymer-Based Electro-Optic Device Components

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-07-01

    devices and fabricated e-beam lithography-based master molds. Printed micro and nanostructures using a newly developed spin-on nanoprinting (SNAP...polymeric materials. Among the natural biopolymers , deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is an attractive material which can be used to make electronic and...photonic devices [2, 3]. If patterned on the micro and nanoscale using a soft lithography technique, high quality biodegradable optical devices can be

  16. In planta production of ELPylated spidroin-based proteins results in non-cytotoxic biopolymers.

    PubMed

    Hauptmann, Valeska; Menzel, Matthias; Weichert, Nicola; Reimers, Kerstin; Spohn, Uwe; Conrad, Udo

    2015-02-19

    Spider silk is a tear-resistant and elastic biopolymer that has outstanding mechanical properties. Additionally, exiguous immunogenicity is anticipated for spider silks. Therefore, spider silk represents a potential ideal biomaterial for medical applications. All known spider silk proteins, so-called spidroins, reveal a composite nature of silk-specific units, allowing the recombinant production of individual and combined segments. In this report, a miniaturized spidroin gene, named VSO1 that contains repetitive motifs of MaSp1 has been synthesized and combined to form multimers of distinct lengths, which were heterologously expressed as elastin-like peptide (ELP) fusion proteins in tobacco. The elastic penetration moduli of layered proteins were analyzed for different spidroin-based biopolymers. Moreover, we present the first immunological analysis of synthetic spidroin-based biopolymers. Characterization of the binding behavior of the sera after immunization by competitive ELISA suggested that the humoral immune response is mainly directed against the fusion partner ELP. In addition, cytocompatibility studies with murine embryonic fibroblasts indicated that recombinant spidroin-based biopolymers, in solution or as coated proteins, are well tolerated. The results show that spidroin-based biopolymers can induce humoral immune responses that are dependent on the fusion partner and the overall protein structure. Furthermore, cytocompatibility assays gave no indication of spidroin-derived cytotoxicity, suggesting that recombinant produced biopolymers composed of spider silk-like repetitive elements are suitable for biomedical applications.

  17. Sustainably Sourced, Thermally Resistant, Radiation Hard Biopolymer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pugel, Diane

    2011-01-01

    This material represents a breakthrough in the production, manufacturing, and application of thermal protection system (TPS) materials and radiation shielding, as this represents the first effort to develop a non-metallic, non-ceramic, biomaterial-based, sustainable TPS with the capability to also act as radiation shielding. Until now, the standing philosophy for radiation shielding involved carrying the shielding at liftoff or utilizing onboard water sources. This shielding material could be grown onboard and applied as needed prior to different radiation landscapes (commonly seen during missions involving gravitational assists). The material is a bioplastic material. Bioplastics are any combination of a biopolymer and a plasticizer. In this case, the biopolymer is a starch-based material and a commonly accessible plasticizer. Starch molecules are composed of two major polymers: amylase and amylopectin. The biopolymer phenolic compounds are common to the ablative thermal protection system family of materials. With similar constituents come similar chemical ablation processes, with the potential to have comparable, if not better, ablation characteristics. It can also be used as a flame-resistant barrier for commercial applications in buildings, homes, cars, and heater firewall material. The biopolymer is observed to undergo chemical transformations (oxidative and structural degradation) at radiation doses that are 1,000 times the maximum dose of an unmanned mission (10-25 Mrad), indicating that it would be a viable candidate for robust radiation shielding. As a comparison, the total integrated radiation dose for a three-year manned mission to Mars is 0.1 krad, far below the radiation limit at which starch molecules degrade. For electron radiation, the biopolymer starches show minimal deterioration when exposed to energies greater than 180 keV. This flame-resistant, thermal-insulating material is non-hazardous and may be sustainably sourced. It poses no hazardous

  18. System for measuring radioactivity of labelled biopolymers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gross, V.

    1980-07-08

    A system is described for measuring radioactivity of labelled biopolymers, comprising: a set of containers adapted for receiving aqueous solutions of biological samples containing biopolymers which are subsequently precipitated in said containers on particles of diatomite in the presence of a coprecipitator, then filtered, dissolved, and mixed with a scintillator; radioactivity measuring means including a detection chamber to which is fed the mixture produced in said set of containers; an electric drive for moving said set of containers in a stepwise manner; means for proportional feeding of said coprecipitator and a suspension of diatomite in an acid solution to saidmore » containers which contain the biological sample for forming an acid precipitation of biopolymers; means for the removal of precipitated samples from said containers; precipitated biopolymer filtering means for successively filtering the precipitate, suspending the precipitate, dissolving the biopolymers mixed with said scintillator for feeding of the mixture to said detection chamber; a system of pipelines interconnecting said above-recited means; and said means for measuring radioactivity of labelled biopolymers including, a measuring cell arranged in a detection chamber and communicating with said means for filtering precipitated biopolymers through one pipeline of said system of pipelines; a program unit electrically connected to said electric drive, said means for acid precipatation of biopolymers, said means for the removal of precipitated samples from said containers, said filtering means, and said radioactivity measuring device; said program unit adapted to periodically switch on and off the above-recited means and check the sequence of the radioactivity measuring operations; and a control unit for controlling the initiation of the system and for selecting programs.« less

  19. Role of Native and Exotic Earthworms in Plant Biopolymer Dynamics in Forest Soil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Filley, Timothy

    2010-05-01

    Many forests within northern North America are experiencing the introduction of earthworms for the first time, presumably since before the last major glaciation. Forest dynamics are undergoing substantial changes because of the activity of the mainly European lumbricid species. Documented losses in litter layers, expansion of A-horizons, loss of the organic horizon, changes in fine root density, and shifts in microbial populations have all been documented in invaded zones. Two free air CO2 enrichment (FACE) forest experiments (aspen FACE at Rhinelander, Wisconsin and sweet gum FACE at Oak Ridge National Lab, Tennessee) lie within the zones of invasion and exhibit differences in amounts of exotic and native species as well as endogeic (predominantly mineral soil dwelling) and epigeic (litter and organic matter horizon dwelling) types. Considerations of carbon accrual dynamics and relative input of above vs. below ground plant input in these young successional systems do not consider the potential impact of these ecosystem engineers. We investigated the impact of earthworm activity by tracking the relative abundance and stable carbon isotope compositions of lignin and substituted fatty acids extracted from isolated earthworms and their fecal pellets and from host soils. Indications of root vs leaf input to earthworm casts and fecal matter were derived from differences in the chemical composition of cutin, suberin, and lignin. The isotopically depleted CO2 used in FACE and the resulting isotopically depleted plant organic matter afford an excellent opportunity to assess biopolymer-specific turnover dynamics. We find that endogeic species are proportionately more responsible for fine root cycling while some epigeic species are responsible for microaggregation of foliar cutin. CSIA of fecal pellet lignin and SFA indicates how these biopolymer pools can be derived from variable sources, roots, background soil, foliar tissue within one earthworm. Additionally, CSIA

  20. Physical-biopolymer characterization of polyhydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV) blended with natural rubber latex

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kuntanoo, K., E-mail: thip-kk@hotmail.com; Promkotra, S., E-mail: sarunya@kku.ac.th; Kaewkannetra, P., E-mail: paknar@kku.ac.th

    A biopolymer of polyhydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV) is blended with bio-based materials, natural rubber latex, to improve their microstructures. The various ratios between PHBV and natural rubber latex are examined to develop their mechanical properties. In general, physical properties of PHBV are hard, brittle and low flexible while natural rubber (NR) is presented itself as high elastic materials. Concentrations of the PHBV solution are constituted at 1%, 2% and 3% (w/v). The mixtures of their PHBV solutions to natural rubber latex are produced the blended films in three different ratios of 4:6, 5:5 and 6:4, respectively. They are characterized by appearance analysesmore » which are the scanning electron microscope (SEM), universal testing machine (UTM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The SEM photomicrographs of the blended films and the controlled PHBV can provide the void distribution in the range of 12-14% and 19-21%, respectively. For mechanical properties of the blended films, the various elastic moduli of 1%, 2% and 3% (w/v) PHBV are the average of 773, 956 and 1,007 kPa, respectively. The tensile strengths of the blends increase with the increased concentrations of PHBV, similarly trend to the elastic modulus. The crystallization and melting behavior of unmixed PHBV and the blends are determined by DSC. Melting transition temperatures (T{sub m}) of the unmixed PHBV are stated two melting peak at 154°C and 173°C. Besides, the melting peaks of the blends alter in the range of 152-156°C and 168-171°C, respectively. According to morphology of the blends, the void distribution decreases twice compared to the unmixed PHBV. The results of mechanical properties and thermal analysis indicate that the blended PHBV can be developed their properties by more resilient and wide range of temperature than usual.« less

  1. Structure and properties of hybrid biopolymer particles fabricated by co-precipitation cross-linking dissolution procedure.

    PubMed

    Xiong, Yu; Georgieva, Radostina; Steffen, Axel; Smuda, Kathrin; Bäumler, Hans

    2018-03-15

    The Co-precipitation Crosslinking Dissolution technique (CCD-technique) allows a few-steps fabrication of particles composed of different biopolymers and bioactive agents under mild conditions. Morphology and properties of the fabricated biopolymer particles depend on the fabrication conditions, the nature of the biopolymers and additives, but also on the choice of the inorganic templates for co-precipitation. Here, we investigate the influence of an acidic biopolymer, hyaluronic acid (HA), on the formation of particles from bovine hemoglobin and bovine serum albumin applying co-precipitation with CaCO 3 and MnCO 3 . CaCO 3 templated biopolymer particles are almost spherical with particle size from 2 to 20 µm and protein entrapment efficiency from 13 to 77%. Presence of HA causes significant structural changes of the particles and decreasing protein entrapment efficiency. In contrast, MnCO 3 templated particles exhibit uniform peanut shape and submicron size with remarkably high protein entrapment efficiency of nearly 100%. Addition of HA has no influence on the protein entrapment efficiency or on morphology and size of the particles. These effects can be attributed to the strong interaction of Mn 2+ with proteins and much weaker interaction with HA. Therefore, entrapment efficiency, size and structure of biopolymer particles can be optimized by varying the mineral templates and additives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Investigation on wear characteristic of biopolymer gear

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghazali, Wafiuddin Bin Md; Daing Idris, Daing Mohamad Nafiz Bin; Sofian, Azizul Helmi Bin; Basrawi, Mohamad Firdaus bin; Khalil Ibrahim, Thamir

    2017-10-01

    Polymer is widely used in many mechanical components such as gear. With the world going to a more green and sustainable environment, polymers which are bio based are being recognized as a replacement for conventional polymers based on fossil fuel. The use of biopolymer in mechanical components especially gear have not been fully explored yet. This research focuses on biopolymer for spur gear and whether the conventional method to investigate wear characteristic is applicable. The spur gears are produced by injection moulding and tested on several speeds using a custom test equipment. The wear formation such as tooth fracture, tooth deformation, debris and weight loss was observed on the biopolymer spur gear. It was noted that the biopolymer gear wear mechanism was similar with other type of polymer spur gears. It also undergoes stages of wear which are; running in, linear and rapid. It can be said that the wear mechanism of biopolymer spur gear is comparable to fossil fuel based polymer spur gear, thus it can be considered to replace polymer gears in suitable applications.

  3. Multilayered materials based on biopolymers as drug delivery systems.

    PubMed

    Vilela, Carla; Figueiredo, Ana R P; Silvestre, Armando J D; Freire, Carmen S R

    2017-02-01

    The design of efficient therapeutic delivery devices has become a tremendously active area of research with a strong contribution from the layer-by-layer (LbL) technology. The application of this simple yet firmly established technique for the design of drug reservoirs originates a multitude of multilayered systems of tailored architecture and with a high level of control of drug administration. Areas covered: This review will focus on the most recent and original research on LbL assemblies based on biopolymers including polysaccharides, polypeptides and proteins, with potential use in drug delivery. Herein, drug reservoirs consisting of multilayered planar films and capsules will be examined with emphasis on the ones benefiting from the non-cytotoxic and biocompatible nature of biopolymers, which are suitable to load, protect and release a high payload of toxic and fragile drugs. Expert opinion: The combination of biopolymers with LbL technology has undergone extensive research, still, there is a multitude of R&D opportunities for the design of smart drug delivery systems with distinct multilayered morphologies, low immunological response, non-invasive drug release devices, as well as the design of theranostic systems combining diagnostics and therapeutic features. Further developments in terms of scaling towards mass production in the pharmaceutical industry are expected in the long-term.

  4. The correlation between biofilm biopolymer composition and membrane fouling in submerged membrane bioreactors.

    PubMed

    Luo, Jinxue; Zhang, Jinsong; Tan, Xiaohui; McDougald, Diane; Zhuang, Guoqiang; Fane, Anthony G; Kjelleberg, Staffan; Cohen, Yehuda; Rice, Scott A

    2014-10-01

    Biofouling, the combined effect of microorganism and biopolymer accumulation, significantly reduces the process efficiency of membrane bioreactors (MBRs). Here, four biofilm components, alpha-polysaccharides, beta-polysaccharides, proteins and microorganisms, were quantified in MBRs. The biomass of each component was positively correlated with the transmembrane pressure increase in MBRs. Proteins were the most abundant biopolymer in biofilms and showed the fastest rate of increase. The spatial distribution and co-localization analysis of the biofouling components indicated at least 60% of the extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) components were associated with the microbial cells when the transmembrane pressure (TMP) entered the jump phase, suggesting that the EPS components were either secreted by the biofilm cells or that the deposition of these components facilitated biofilm formation. It is suggested that biofilm formation and the accumulation of EPS are intrinsically coupled, resulting in biofouling and loss of system performance. Therefore, strategies that control biofilm formation on membranes may result in a significant improvement of MBR performance.

  5. Current Status and New Perspectives on Chitin and Chitosan as Functional Biopolymers.

    PubMed

    Philibert, Tuyishime; Lee, Byong H; Fabien, Nsanzabera

    2017-04-01

    The natural biopolymer chitin and its deacetylated product chitosan are found abundantly in nature as structural building blocks and are used in all sectors of human activities like materials science, nutrition, health care, and energy. Far from being fully recognized, these polymers are able to open opportunities for completely novel applications due to their exceptional properties which an economic value is intrinsically entrapped. On a commercial scale, chitosan is mainly obtained from crustacean shells rather than from the fungal and insect sources. Significant efforts have been devoted to commercialize chitosan extracted from fungal and insect sources to completely replace crustacean-derived chitosan. However, the traditional chitin extraction processes are laden with many disadvantages. The present review discusses the potential bioextraction of chitosan from fungal, insect, and crustacean as well as its superior physico-chemical properties. The different aspects of fungal, insects, and crustacean chitosan extraction methods and various parameters having an effect on the yield of chitin and chitosan are discussed in detail. In addition, this review also deals with essential attributes of chitosan for high value-added applications in different fields and highlighted new perspectives on the production of chitin and deacetylated chitosan from different sources with the concomitant reduction of the environmental impact.

  6. Association of residual feed intake with abundance of ruminal bacteria and biopolymer hydrolyzing enzyme activities during the peripartal period and early lactation in Holstein dairy cows.

    PubMed

    Elolimy, Ahmed A; Arroyo, José M; Batistel, Fernanda; Iakiviak, Michael A; Loor, Juan J

    2018-01-01

    Residual feed intake (RFI) in dairy cattle typically calculated at peak lactation is a measure of feed efficiency independent of milk production level. The objective of this study was to evaluate differences in ruminal bacteria, biopolymer hydrolyzing enzyme activities, and overall performance between the most- and the least-efficient dairy cows during the peripartal period. Twenty multiparous Holstein dairy cows with daily ad libitum access to a total mixed ration from d - 10 to d 60 relative to the calving date were used. Cows were classified into most-efficient (i.e. with low RFI, n  = 10) and least-efficient (i.e. with high RFI, n  = 10) based on a linear regression model involving dry matter intake (DMI), fat-corrected milk (FCM), changes in body weight (BW), and metabolic BW. The most-efficient cows had ~ 2.6 kg/d lower DMI at wk 4, 6, 7, and 8 compared with the least-efficient cows. In addition, the most-efficient cows had greater relative abundance of total ruminal bacterial community during the peripartal period. Compared with the least-efficient cows, the most-efficient cows had 4-fold greater relative abundance of Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens at d - 10 and d 10 around parturition and tended to have greater abundance of Fibrobacter succinogenes and Megaspheara elsdenii . In contrast, the relative abundance of Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus and Streptococcus bovis was lower and Succinimonas amylolytica and Prevotella bryantii tended to be lower in the most-efficient cows around calving. During the peripartal period, the most-efficient cows had lower enzymatic activities of cellulase, amylase, and protease compared with the least-efficient cows. The results suggest that shifts in ruminal bacteria and digestive enzyme activities during the peripartal period could, at least in part, be part of the mechanism associated with better feed efficiency in dairy cows.

  7. Facultative methanotrophs are abundant at terrestrial natural gas seeps.

    PubMed

    Farhan Ul Haque, Muhammad; Crombie, Andrew T; Ensminger, Scott A; Baciu, Calin; Murrell, J Colin

    2018-06-28

    Natural gas contains methane and the gaseous alkanes ethane, propane and butane, which collectively influence atmospheric chemistry and cause global warming. Methane-oxidising bacteria, methanotrophs, are crucial in mitigating emissions of methane as they oxidise most of the methane produced in soils and the subsurface before it reaches the atmosphere. Methanotrophs are usually obligate, i.e. grow only on methane and not on longer chain alkanes. Bacteria that grow on the other gaseous alkanes in natural gas such as propane have also been characterised, but they do not grow on methane. Recently, it was shown that the facultative methanotroph Methylocella silvestris grew on ethane and propane, other components of natural gas, in addition to methane. Therefore, we hypothesised that Methylocella may be prevalent at natural gas seeps and might play a major role in consuming all components of this potent greenhouse gas mixture before it is released to the atmosphere. Environments known to be exposed to biogenic methane emissions or thermogenic natural gas seeps were surveyed for methanotrophs. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed that Methylocella were the most abundant methanotrophs in natural gas seep environments. New Methylocella-specific molecular tools targeting mmoX (encoding the soluble methane monooxygenase) by PCR and Illumina amplicon sequencing were designed and used to investigate various sites. Functional gene-based assays confirmed that Methylocella were present in all of the natural gas seep sites tested here. This might be due to its ability to use methane and other short chain alkane components of natural gas. We also observed the abundance of Methylocella in other environments exposed to biogenic methane, suggesting that Methylocella has been overlooked in the past as previous ecological studies of methanotrophs often used pmoA (encoding the alpha subunit of particulate methane monooxygenase) as a marker gene. New biomolecular tools designed in

  8. Insights into the sorption properties of cutin and cutan biopolymers.

    PubMed

    Shechter, Michal; Chefetz, Benny

    2008-02-15

    Plant cuticles have been reported as highly efficient sorbents for organic compounds. The objective of this study was to elucidate the sorption and desorption behavior of polar and nonpolar organic compounds with the major structural components of the plant cuticle: the biopolymers cutin and cutan. The sorption affinity values of the studied compounds followed the order: phenanthrene > atrazine > chlorotoluron > carbamazepine. A higher sorption affinity of phenanthrene and atrazine to cutin was probably due to the higher level of amorphous paraffinic carbon in this biopolymer. Phenanthrene exhibited reversible sorption behavior and a high ratio of organic-carbon-normalized distribution coefficient (Koc) to carbon-normalized octanol-water partitioning coefficients (Kowc) with both biopolymers. This suggests that both biopolymers provide phenanthrene with a partition medium for hydrophobic interactions with the flexible long alkyl-chain moieties of the biopolymers. The low Koc/Kowc ratios obtained for the polar sorbates suggest that the polar sites in the biopolymers are not accessible for sorption interactions. Atrazine and carbamazepine exhibited sorption-desorption hysteresis with both sorbents, indicating that both sorbates interact with cutin and cutan via both hydrophobic and specific interactions. In general, the sorptive properties of the studied biopolymers were similar, signifying that the active sorption sites are similar even though the biopolymers exhibit different properties.

  9. Is there a field-theoretic explanation for precursor biopolymers?

    PubMed

    Rosen, Gerald

    2002-08-01

    A Hu-Barkana-Gruzinov cold dark matter scalar field phi may enter a weak isospin invariant derivative interaction that causes the flow of right-handed electrons to align parallel to (inverted delta phi). Hence, in the outer regions of galaxies where (inverted delta phi) is large, as in galactic halos, the derivative interaction may induce a chirality-imbued quantum chemistry. Such a chirality-imbued chemistry would in turn be conducive to the formation of abundant precursor biopolymers on interstellar dust grains, comets and meteors in galactic halo regions, with subsequent delivery to planets in the inner galactic regions where phi and (inverted delta phi) are concomitantly near zero and left-right symmetric terrestrial quantum chemistry prevails.

  10. Effect of ozone on biopolymers in biofiltration and ultrafiltration processes.

    PubMed

    Siembida-Lösch, Barbara; Anderson, William B; Wang, Yulang Michael; Bonsteel, Jane; Huck, Peter M

    2015-03-01

    The focus of this full-scale study was to determine the effect of ozone on biopolymer concentrations in biofiltration and ultrafiltration (UF) processes treating surface water from Lake Ontario. Ozonation was out of service for maintenance for 9 months, hence, it was possible to investigate ozone's action on biologically active carbon contactors (BACCs) and UF, in terms of biopolymer removal. Given the importance of biopolymers for fouling, this fraction was quantified using a chromatographic technique. Ozone pre-treatment was observed to positively impact the active biomass in biofilters. However, since an increase of the active biomass did not result in higher biopolymer removal, active biomass concentration cannot be a surrogate for biofiltration performance. It was evident that increasing empty bed contact time (EBCT) from 4 to 19 min only had a positive effect on biopolymer removal through BACCs when ozone was out of service. However, as a mass balance experiment showed, ozone-free operation resulted in higher deposition of biopolymers on a UF membrane and slight deterioration in its performance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Structurally colored biopolymer thin films for detection of dissolved metal ions in aqueous solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cathell, Matthew David

    Natural polymers, such as the polysaccharides alginate and chitosan, are noted sorbents of heavy metals. Their polymer backbone structures are rich in ligands that can interact with metal ions through chelation, electrostatics, ion exchange and nonspecific mechanisms. These water-soluble biopolymer materials can be processed into hydrogel thin films, creating high surface area interfaces ideal for binding and sequestering metal ions from solution. By virtue of their uniform nanoscale dimensions (with thicknesses smaller than wavelengths of visible light) polymer thin films exhibit structure-based coloration. This phenomenon, frequently observed in nature, causes the transparent and essentially colorless films to reflect light in a wide array of colors. The lamellar film structures act as one-dimensional photonic crystals, allowing selective reflection of certain wavelengths of light while minimizing other wavelengths by out-of-phase interference. The combination of metal-binding and reflective properties make alginate and chitosan thin films attractive candidates for analyte sensing. Interactions with metal ions can induce changes in film thicknesses and refractive indices, thus altering the path of light reflected through the film. Small changes in dimensional or optical properties can lead to shifts in film color that are perceivable by the unaided eye. These thin films offer the potential for optical sensing of toxic dissolved materials without the need for instrumentation, external power or scientific expertise. With the use of a spectroscopic ellipsometer and a fiber optic reflectance spectrometer, the physical and optical characteristics of biopolymer thin films have been characterized in response to 50 ppm metal ion solutions. It has been determined that metal interactions can lead to measurable changes in both film thicknesses and effective refractive indices. The intrinsic response behaviors of alginate and chitosan, as well as the responses of modified

  12. Hydrogels from biopolymer hybrid for biomedical, food, and functional food applications

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Hybrid hydrogels from biopolymers have been applied for various indications across a wide range of biomedical, pharmaceutical, and functional food industries. In particular, hybrid hydrogels synthesized from two biopolymers have attracted increasing attention. The inclusion of a second biopolymer st...

  13. A review of experimental and modeling techniques to determine properties of biopolymer-based nanocomposites

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The nonbiodegradable and nonrenewable nature of plastic packaging has led to a renewed interest in packaging materials based on bio-nanocomposites (biopolymer matrix reinforced with nanoparticles such as layered silicates). One of the reasons for unique properties of bio-nanocomposites is the differ...

  14. Interaction between polymer constituents and the structure of biopolymers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rein, R.

    1974-01-01

    The paper reviews the current status of methods for calculating intermolecular interactions between biopolymer units. The nature of forces contributing to the various domains of intermolecular separations is investigated, and various approximations applicable in the respective regions are examined. The predictive value of current theory is tested by establishing a connection with macroscopic properties and comparing the theoretical predicted values with those derived from experimental data. This has led to the introduction of a statistical model describing DNA.

  15. Structure and Properties of Polysaccharide Based BioPolymer Gels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prud'Homme, Robert K.

    2000-03-01

    Nature uses the pyranose ring as the basic building unit for a wideclass of biopolymers. Because of their biological origin these biopolymers naturally find application as food additives, rheology modifiers. These polymers range from being rigid skeletal material, such as cellulose that resist dissolution in water, to water soluble polymers, such as guar or carrageenan. The flexibility of the basic pyranose ring structure to provide materials with such a wide range of properties comes from the specific interactions that can be engineered by nature into the structure. We will present several examples of specific interactions for these systems: hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, and specific ion interactions. The relationship between molecular interations and rheology will be emphasized. Hydrogen bonding mediated by steric interference is used to control of solubility of starch and the rheology of guar gels. A more interesting example is the hydrogen bonding induced by chemical modification in konjac glucomannan that results in a gel that melts upon cooling. Hydrogen bonding interactions in xanthan lead to gel formation at very low polymer concentrations which is a result of the fine tuning of the polymer persistence length and total contour length. Given the function of xanthan in nature its molecular architecture has been optimized. Hydrophobic interactions in methylcellulose show a reverse temperature dependence arising from solution entropy. Carrageenan gelation upon the addition of specific cations will be addressed to show the interplay of polymer secondary structure on chemical reactivity. And finally the cis-hydroxyls on galactomannans permit crosslinking by a variety of metal ions some of which lead to "living gels" and some of which lead to permanently crosslinked networks.

  16. End-of-life of starch-polyvinyl alcohol biopolymers.

    PubMed

    Guo, M; Stuckey, D C; Murphy, R J

    2013-01-01

    This study presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) model comparing the waste management options for starch-polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) biopolymers including landfill, anaerobic digestion (AD), industrial composting and home composting. The ranking of biological treatment routes for starch-PVOH biopolymer wastes depended on their chemical compositions. AD represents the optimum choice for starch-PVOH biopolymer containing N and S elements in global warming potential (GWP(100)), acidification and eutrophication but not on the remaining impact categories, where home composting was shown to be a better option due to its low energy and resource inputs. For those starch-PVOH biopolymers with zero N and S contents home composting delivered the best environmental performance amongst biological treatment routes in most impact categories (except for GWP(100)). The landfill scenario performed generally well due largely to the 100-year time horizon and efficient energy recovery system modeled but this good performance is highly sensitive to assumptions adopted in landfill model. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Fine Structure of Starch-Clay Composites as Biopolymers

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Midsol 50 wheat starch and 5% Cloisite clay with or without the addition of glycerin were used to prepare biopolymers in a twin-screw extruder. Early trials of sectioning the unembedded biopolymer resulted in the immediate absorption of water and subsequent dissolution of the sample due to the the ...

  18. Carbon and nitrogen biogeochemistry in the ocean: A study using stable isotope natural abundance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rau, G. H.; Desmarais, David J.

    1985-01-01

    Determining the biogeochemical pathways traveled by carbon and nitrogen in the ocean is fundamental to the understanding of how the ocean participates in the cycling of these elements within the biosphere. Because biological production, metabolism, and respiration can significantly alter the natural abundance of C-13 and N-15, these abundances can provide important information about the nature of these biological processes and their variability in the marine environment. The research initially seeks to characterize the spatial and temporal patterns of stable isotope abundances in organic matter, and to relate these abundances to C and N biogeochemical processes within selected areas of the northeastern Pacific Ocean.

  19. Development of Seaweed-based Biopolymers for Edible Films and Lectins

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Praseptiangga, D.

    2017-04-01

    Marine macroalgae (seaweeds) as one of important groups of biopolymers play an important role in human life. Biopolymers have been studied regarding their film-forming properties to produce edible films intended as food packaging and active ingredient carriers. Edible film, a thin layer or which is an integral part of food and can be eaten together with, have been used to avoid food quality deterioration due to physico-chemical changes, texture changes, or chemical reactions. Film-forming materials can be utilized individually or as mixed composite blends. Proteins and polysaccharides used for their mechanical and structural properties, and hydrophobic substances (lipids, essential oils, and emulsifiers) to provide good moisture barrier properties. In addition, bioactive substances from marine natural products, including seaweeds, have been explored for being used in the fields of medicine, food science, pharmaceutical science, biochemistry, and glycobiology. Among them, lectins or carbohydrate-binding proteins from seaweeds have recently been remarked. Lectins (hemagglutinins) are widely distributed in nature and also good candidates in such prospecting of seaweeds. They are useful as convenient tools to discriminate differences in carbohydrate structures and reveal various biological activities through binding and interacting to carbohydrates, suggesting that they are promising candidates for medicinal and clinical application.

  20. Temporary skin grafts based on hybrid graphene oxide-natural biopolymer nanofibers as effective wound healing substitutes: pre-clinical and pathological studies in animal models.

    PubMed

    Mahmoudi, N; Eslahi, N; Mehdipour, A; Mohammadi, M; Akbari, M; Samadikuchaksaraei, A; Simchi, A

    2017-05-01

    In recent years, temporary skin grafts (TSG) based on natural biopolymers modified with carbon nanostructures have received considerable attention for wound healing. Developments are required to improve physico-mechanical properties of these materials to match to natural skins. Additionally, in-deep pre-clinical examinations are necessary to ensure biological performance and toxicity effect in vivo. In the present work, we show superior acute-wound healing effect of graphene oxide nanosheets embedded in ultrafine biopolymer fibers (60 nm) on adult male rats. Nano-fibrous chitosan-based skin grafts crosslinked by Genepin with physico-mechanical properties close to natural skins were prepared by electrospinning of highly concentrated chitosan- polyvinylpyrrolidone solutions containing graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets. No surfactants and organic solvents were utilized to ensure high biocompatibility of the fibrous structure. In vitro evaluations by human skin fibroblast cells including live and dead assay and MTT results show that GO promote cell viability of porous nanofibrous membrane while providing enhanced bactericidal capacity. In vivo studies on rat's skin determine accelerated healing effect, i.e. a large open wound (1.5 × 1.5 cm 2 ) is fully regenerated after 14-day of post operation while healing is observed for sterile gauze sponge (as the control). Pathological studies support thick dermis formation and complete epithelialization in the presence of 1.5 wt% GO nanosheets. Over 99% wound healing occurs after 21 days for the injury covered with TSG containing 1.5 wt% GO while this would takes weeks for the control. Therefore, the developed materials have a high potential to be used as TSG as pre-clinical testing has shown.

  1. Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Bio-Polymer Graphite Thin Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saddam Kamarudin, M.; Rus, Anika Zafiah M.; Munirah Abdullah, Nur; Abdullah, M. F. L.

    2017-08-01

    Waste cooking oil is used as the main substances in producing graphite biopolymer thin films. Biopolymer is produce from the reaction of bio-monomer and cross linker with the ratio of 2:1 and addition of graphite with an increment of 2% through a slip casting method. The morphological surface properties of the samples are observed by using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). It is shown that the graphite particle is well mixed and homogenously dispersed in biopolymer matrix. Meanwhile, the mechanical response of materials by monitoring the change in the material properties in terms of frequency and temperature of the samples were determined using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). The calculated cross-linked density of biopolymer composites revealed the increment of graphite particle loading at 8% gives highest results with 260.012 x 103 M/m3.

  2. Natural abundance high-resolution solid state 2 H NMR spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aliev, Abil E.; Harris, Kenneth D. M.; Apperley, David C.

    1994-08-01

    We report for the first time an approach for natural abundance solid state 2 H NMR spectroscopy involving magic angle sample spinning (MAS), high-power 1 H decoupling (HPPD) and 1 H- 2 H cross polarization (CP). Taking tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)silane (TTMSS), adamantane, 1-chloroadamantane, hexamethylbenzene (HMB), 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol (DMPD) and 2-hydroxymethyl-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol (HMPD) as examples, it has been shown that the combination of HPPD and MAS can be applied readily to study rotator phase solids, allowing isotropic peaks arising from chemically inequivalent 2 H nuclei to be resolved. For natural abundance samples of TTMSS and chloroadamantane, it has been shown that 2 H CP/HPPD/MAS NMR experiments, involving polarization transfer from 1 H to 2 H, may provide considerable sensitivity enhancement in comparison with single pulse experiments.

  3. Natural abundance high-resolution solid state 2 H NMR spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aliev, Abil E.; Harris, Kenneth D. M.; Apperley, David C.

    1994-08-01

    We report for the first time an approach for natural abundance solid state 2H NMR spectroscopy involving magic angle sample spinning (MAS), high-power 1H decoupling (HPPD) and 1H- 2H cross polarization (CP). Taking tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)silane (TTMSS), adamantane, 1-chloroadamantane, hexamethylbenzene (HMB), 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol (DMPD) and 2-hydroxymethyl-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol (HMPD) as examples, it has been shown that the combination of HPPD and MAS can be applied readily to study rotator phase solids, allowing isotropic peaks arising from chemically inequivalent 2H nuclei to be resolved. For natural abundance samples of TTMSS and chloroadamantane, it has been shown that 2H CP/HPPD/MAS NMR experiments, involving polarization transfer from 1H to 2H, may provide considerable sensitivity enhancement in comparison with single pulse experiments.

  4. Natural abundance 17O DNP two-dimensional and surface-enhanced NMR spectroscopy

    DOE PAGES

    Perras, Frédéric A.; Kobayashi, Takeshi; Pruski, Marek

    2015-06-22

    Due to its extremely low natural abundance and quadrupolar nature, the 17O nuclide is very rarely used for spectroscopic investigation of solids by NMR without isotope enrichment. Additionally, the applicability of dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), which leads to sensitivity enhancements of 2 orders of magnitude, to 17O is wrought with challenges due to the lack of spin diffusion and low polarization transfer efficiency from 1H. Here, we demonstrate new DNP-based measurements that extend 17O solid-state NMR beyond its current capabilities. The use of the PRESTO technique instead of conventional 1H– 17O cross-polarization greatly improves the sensitivity and enables the facilemore » measurement of undistorted line shapes and two-dimensional 1H– 17O HETCOR NMR spectra as well as accurate internuclear distance measurements at natural abundance. This was applied for distinguishing hydrogen-bonded and lone 17O sites on the surface of silica gel; the one-dimensional spectrum of which could not be used to extract such detail. As a result, this greatly enhanced sensitivity has enabled, for the first time, the detection of surface hydroxyl sites on mesoporous silica at natural abundance, thereby extending the concept of DNP surface-enhanced NMR spectroscopy to the 17O nuclide.« less

  5. Its Preferential Interactions with Biopolymers Account for Diverse Observed Effects of Trehalose

    PubMed Central

    Hong, Jiang; Gierasch, Lila M.; Liu, Zhicheng

    2015-01-01

    Biopolymer homeostasis underlies the health of organisms, and protective osmolytes have emerged as one strategy used by Nature to preserve biopolymer homeostasis. However, a great deal remains unknown about the mechanism of action of osmolytes. Trehalose, as a prominent example, stabilizes proteins against denaturation by extreme temperature and denaturants, preserves membrane integrity upon freezing or in dry conditions, inhibits polyQ-mediated protein aggregation, and suppresses the aggregation of denatured proteins. The underlying thermodynamic mechanisms of such diverse effects of trehalose remain unclear or controversial. In this study, we applied the surface-additive method developed in the Record laboratory to attack this issue. We characterized the key features of trehalose-biopolymer preferential interactions and found that trehalose has strong unfavorable interactions with aliphatic carbon and significant favorable interactions with amide/anionic oxygen. This dissection has allowed us to elucidate the diverse effects of trehalose and to identify the crucial functional group(s) responsible for its effects. With (semi)quantitative thermodynamic analysis, we discovered that 1) the unfavorable interaction of trehalose with hydrophobic surfaces is the dominant factor in its effect on protein stability, 2) the favorable interaction of trehalose with polar amides enables it to inhibit polyQ-mediated protein aggregation and the aggregation of denatured protein in general, and 3) the favorable interaction of trehalose with phosphate oxygens, together with its unfavorable interaction with aliphatic carbons, enables trehalose to preserve membrane integrity in aqueous solution. These results provide a basis for a full understanding of the role of trehalose in biopolymer homeostasis and the reason behind its evolutionary selection as an osmolyte, as well as for a better application of trehalose as a chemical chaperone. PMID:26153711

  6. Electrical, structural, thermal and electrochemical properties of corn starch-based biopolymer electrolytes.

    PubMed

    Liew, Chiam-Wen; Ramesh, S

    2015-06-25

    Biopolymer electrolytes containing corn starch, lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) and ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BmImPF6) are prepared by solution casting technique. Temperature dependence-ionic conductivity studies reveal Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher (VTF) relationship which is associated with free volume theory. Ionic liquid-based biopolymer electrolytes show lower glass transition temperature (Tg) than ionic liquid-free biopolymer electrolyte. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies demonstrate higher amorphous region of ionic liquid-added biopolymer electrolytes. In addition, the potential stability window of the biopolymer electrolyte becomes wider and stable up to 2.9V. Conclusively, the fabricated electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) shows improved electrochemical performance upon addition of ionic liquid into the biopolymer electrolyte. The specific capacitance of EDLC based on ionic liquid-added polymer electrolyte is relatively higher than that of ionic liquid-free polymer electrolyte as depicted in cyclic voltammogram. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Meteorological factors associated with abundance of airborne fungal spores over natural vegetation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crandall, Sharifa G.; Gilbert, Gregory S.

    2017-08-01

    The abundance of airborne fungal spores in agricultural and urban settings increases with greater air temperature, relative humidity, or precipitation. The same meteorological factors that affect temporal patterns in spore abundance in managed environments also vary spatially across natural habitats in association with differences in vegetation structure. Here we investigated how temporal and spatial variation in aerial spore abundance is affected by abiotic (weather) and biotic (vegetation) factors as a foundation for predicting how fungi may respond to changes in weather and land-use patterns. We measured the phenology of airborne fungal spores across a mosaic of naturally occurring vegetation types at different time scales to describe (1) how spore abundance changes over time, (2) which local meteorological variables are good predictors for airborne spore density, and (3) whether spore abundance differs across vegetation types. Using an air volumetric vacuum sampler, we collected spore samples at 3-h intervals over a 120-h period in a mixed-evergreen forest and coastal prairie to measure diurnal, nocturnal, and total airborne spore abundance across vegetation types. Spore samples were also collected at weekly and monthly intervals in mixed-evergreen forest, redwood forest, and maritime chaparral vegetation types from 12 field sites across two years. We found greater airborne spore densities during the wetter winter months compared to the drier summer months. Mean total spore abundance in the mixed-evergreen forest was twice than in the coastal prairie, but there were no significant differences in total airborne spore abundance among mixed-evergreen forest, redwood forest, and maritime chaparral vegetation types. Weekly and monthly peaks in airborne spore abundance corresponded with rain events and peaks in soil moisture. Overall, temporal patterns in meteorological factors were much more important in determining airborne fungal spore abundance than the

  8. Strong, Thermally Superinsulating Biopolymer-Silica Aerogel Hybrids by Cogelation of Silicic Acid with Pectin.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Shanyu; Malfait, Wim J; Demilecamps, Arnaud; Zhang, Yucheng; Brunner, Samuel; Huber, Lukas; Tingaut, Philippe; Rigacci, Arnaud; Budtova, Tatiana; Koebel, Matthias M

    2015-11-23

    Silica aerogels are excellent thermal insulators, but their brittle nature has prevented widespread application. To overcome these mechanical limitations, silica-biopolymer hybrids are a promising alternative. A one-pot process to monolithic, superinsulating pectin-silica hybrid aerogels is presented. Their structural and physical properties can be tuned by adjusting the gelation pH and pectin concentration. Hybrid aerogels made at pH 1.5 exhibit minimal dust release and vastly improved mechanical properties while remaining excellent thermal insulators. The change in the mechanical properties is directly linked to the observed "neck-free" nanoscale network structure with thicker struts. Such a design is superior to "neck-limited", classical inorganic aerogels. This new class of materials opens up new perspectives for novel silica-biopolymer nanocomposite aerogels. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. USING BIOPOLYMERS TO REMOVE HEAVY METALS FROM SOIL AND WATER

    EPA Science Inventory

    Chemical remediation of soils may involve the use of harsh chemicals that generate waste streams and may adversely affect the soil's integrity and ability to support vegetation. his paper reviews the promise of benign reagents such as biopolymers to extract metals. he biopolymers...

  10. Micro-heterogeneity of Cellulosic Fiber Biopolymer Prepared from Corn Hulls

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Z-trim is a zero calorie cellulosic fiber biopolymer produced from corn hulls. The micro-structural heterogeneities of Z-trim biopolymer were investigated by monitoring the thermally driven displacements of well-dispersed micro-spheres via video fluorescence microscopy named multiple-particle track...

  11. Micro-Heterogeneity of Cellulosic Fiber Biopolymer Prepared from Corn Hulls

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Z-trim is a zero calorie cellulosic fiber biopolymer produced from corn hulls. The micro-structural heterogeneities of Z-trim biopolymer were investigated by monitoring the thermally driven displacements of well-dispersed micro-spheres via video fluorescence microscopy named multiple-particle track...

  12. Biopolymers for Sample Collection, Protection, and Preservation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-05-19

    biopolymer. The cured polymer results in a solid protective film that is stable to many organic solvents, but quickly removed by the application of the water...the biopolymer. The cured polymer results in a solid protective film that is stable to many organic solvents, but quickly removed by the appli- cation...frozen after that. RNAlater® has been demonstrated to Ta bl e 1 C om pa ri so n of ce ll an d nu cl ei c ac id pr es er va tio n te ch ni qu es Sy st

  13. Imperfection sensitivity of pressured buckling of biopolymer spherical shells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Lei; Ru, C. Q.

    2016-06-01

    Imperfection sensitivity is essential for mechanical behavior of biopolymer shells [such as ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) and spherical viruses] characterized by high geometric heterogeneity. In this work, an imperfection sensitivity analysis is conducted based on a refined shell model recently developed for spherical biopolymer shells of high structural heterogeneity and thickness nonuniformity. The influence of related parameters (including the ratio of radius to average shell thickness, the ratio of transverse shear modulus to in-plane shear modulus, and the ratio of effective bending thickness to average shell thickness) on imperfection sensitivity is examined for pressured buckling. Our results show that the ratio of effective bending thickness to average shell thickness has a major effect on the imperfection sensitivity, while the effect of the ratio of transverse shear modulus to in-plane shear modulus is usually negligible. For example, with physically realistic parameters for typical imperfect spherical biopolymer shells, the present model predicts that actual maximum external pressure could be reduced to as low as 60% of that of a perfect UCA spherical shell or 55%-65% of that of a perfect spherical virus shell, respectively. The moderate imperfection sensitivity of spherical biopolymer shells with physically realistic imperfection is largely attributed to the fact that biopolymer shells are relatively thicker (defined by smaller radius-to-thickness ratio) and therefore practically realistic imperfection amplitude normalized by thickness is very small as compared to that of classical elastic thin shells which have much larger radius-to-thickness ratio.

  14. Designing biopolymer microgels to encapsulate, protect and deliver bioactive components: Physicochemical aspects.

    PubMed

    McClements, David Julian

    2017-02-01

    Biopolymer microgels have considerable potential for their ability to encapsulate, protect, and release bioactive components. Biopolymer microgels are small particles (typically 100nm to 1000μm) whose interior consists of a three-dimensional network of cross-linked biopolymer molecules that traps a considerable amount of solvent. This type of particle is also sometimes referred to as a nanogel, hydrogel bead, biopolymer particles, or microsphere. Biopolymer microgels are typically prepared using a two-step process involving particle formation and particle gelation. This article reviews the major constituents and fabrication methods that can be used to prepare microgels, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. It then provides an overview of the most important characteristics of microgel particles (such as size, shape, structure, composition, and electrical properties), and describes how these parameters can be manipulated to control the physicochemical properties and functional attributes of microgel suspensions (such as appearance, stability, rheology, and release profiles). Finally, recent examples of the utilization of biopolymer microgels to encapsulate, protect, or release bioactive agents, such as pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, enzymes, flavors, and probiotics is given. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Equilibrium & Nonequilibrium Fluctuation Effects in Biopolymer Networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kachan, Devin Michael

    Fluctuation-induced interactions are an important organizing principle in a variety of soft matter systems. In this dissertation, I explore the role of both thermal and active fluctuations within cross-linked polymer networks. The systems I study are in large part inspired by the amazing physics found within the cytoskeleton of eukaryotic cells. I first predict and verify the existence of a thermal Casimir force between cross-linkers bound to a semi-flexible polymer. The calculation is complicated by the appearance of second order derivatives in the bending Hamiltonian for such polymers, which requires a careful evaluation of the the path integral formulation of the partition function in order to arrive at the physically correct continuum limit and properly address ultraviolet divergences. I find that cross linkers interact along a filament with an attractive logarithmic potential proportional to thermal energy. The proportionality constant depends on whether and how the cross linkers constrain the relative angle between the two filaments to which they are bound. The interaction has important implications for the synthesis of biopolymer bundles within cells. I model the cross-linkers as existing in two phases: bound to the bundle and free in solution. When the cross-linkers are bound, they behave as a one-dimensional gas of particles interacting with the Casimir force, while the free phase is a simple ideal gas. Demanding equilibrium between the two phases, I find a discontinuous transition between a sparsely and a densely bound bundle. This discontinuous condensation transition induced by the long-ranged nature of the Casimir interaction allows for a similarly abrupt structural transition in semiflexible filament networks between a low cross linker density isotropic phase and a higher cross link density bundle network. This work is supported by the results of finite element Brownian dynamics simulations of semiflexible filaments and transient cross-linkers. I

  16. Role of adsorption in combined membrane fouling by biopolymers coexisting with inorganic particles.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xu-di; Wang, Zhi; Liu, Dan-Yang; Xiao, Kang; Guan, Jing; Xie, Yuefeng F; Wang, Xiao-Mao; Waite, T David

    2018-01-01

    This study was conducted in order to obtain a better understanding of the combined fouling by biopolymers coexisting with inorganic particles from the aspects of fouling index, fouling layer structure and biopolymer-particle interactions. Calcium alginate was used as the model biopolymer and Fe 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 , kaolin, and SiO 2 were used as model inorganic particles. Results showed that the combined fouling differed greatly among the four types of inorganic particles. The differences were attributed particularly to the different adsorption capacities for calcium alginate by the particles with this capacity decreasing in the order of Fe 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 , kaolin and SiO 2 . Particle size measurement and electron microscopic observation indicated the formation of agglomerates between calcium alginate and those inorganic particles exhibiting strong adsorption capacity. A structure was proposed for the combined fouling layer comprised of a backbone cake layer of alginate-inorganic particle agglomerates with the pores partially filled with discontinuous calcium alginate gels. The filterability of the fouling layer was primarily determined by the abundance of the gels. The strength of physical interaction between calcium alginate and each type of inorganic particle was calculated from the respective surface energies and zeta potentials. Calculation results showed that the extent of physical interaction increased in the order of Al 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , kaolin and SiO 2 , with this order differing from that of adsorption capacity. Chemical interactions may also play an important role in the adsorption of alginate and the consequent combined fouling. High-resolution XPS scans revealed a slight shift of electron binding energies when alginate was adsorbed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Biophysical and biochemical characteristics of cutin, a plant barrier biopolymer.

    PubMed

    Heredia, Antonio

    2003-03-17

    Cutin is a support biopolyester involved in waterproofing the leaves and fruits of higher plants, regulating the flow of nutrients among various plant cells and organs, and minimizing the deleterious impact of pathogens. Despite the complexity and intractable nature of this biopolymer, significant progress in chemical composition, molecular architecture and, more recently, biosynthesis have been made in the past 10 years. This review is focused in the description of these advances and their physiological impacts to improve our knowledge on plant cutin, an unusual topic in most plant physiology and biochemistry books and reviews.

  18. Understanding anisotropy and architecture in ice-templated biopolymer scaffolds.

    PubMed

    Pawelec, K M; Husmann, A; Best, S M; Cameron, R E

    2014-04-01

    Biopolymer scaffolds have great therapeutic potential within tissue engineering due to their large interconnected porosity and biocompatibility. Using an ice-templated technique, where collagen is concentrated into a porous network by ice nucleation and growth, scaffolds with anisotropic pore architecture can be created, mimicking natural tissues like cardiac muscle and bone. This paper describes a systematic set of experiments undertaken to understand the effect of local temperatures on architecture in ice-templated biopolymer scaffolds. The scaffolds within this study were at least 10mm in all dimensions, making them applicable to critical sized defects for biomedical applications. It was found that monitoring the local freezing behavior within the slurry was critical to predicting scaffold structure. Aligned porosity was produced only in parts of the slurry volume which were above the equilibrium freezing temperature (0°C) at the time when nucleation first occurs in the sample as a whole. Thus, to create anisotropic scaffolds, local slurry cooling rates must be sufficiently different to ensure that the equilibrium freezing temperature is not reached throughout the slurry at nucleation. This principal was valid over a range of collagen slurries, demonstrating that by monitoring the temperature within slurry during freezing, scaffold anisotropy with ice-templated scaffolds can be predicted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Post-buckling of a pressured biopolymer spherical shell with the mode interaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Lei; Ru, C. Q.

    2018-03-01

    Imperfection sensitivity is essential for mechanical behaviour of biopolymer shells characterized by high geometric heterogeneity. The present work studies initial post-buckling and imperfection sensitivity of a pressured biopolymer spherical shell based on non-axisymmetric buckling modes and associated mode interaction. Our results indicate that for biopolymer spherical shells with moderate radius-to-thickness ratio (say, less than 30) and smaller effective bending thickness (say, less than 0.2 times average shell thickness), the imperfection sensitivity predicted based on the axisymmetric mode without the mode interaction is close to the present results based on non-axisymmetric modes with the mode interaction with a small (typically, less than 10%) relative errors. However, for biopolymer spherical shells with larger effective bending thickness, the maximum load an imperfect shell can sustain predicted by the present non-axisymmetric analysis can be significantly (typically, around 30%) lower than those predicted based on the axisymmetric mode without the mode interaction. In such cases, a more accurate non-axisymmetric analysis with the mode interaction, as given in the present work, is required for imperfection sensitivity of pressured buckling of biopolymer spherical shells. Finally, the implications of the present study to two specific types of biopolymer spherical shells (viral capsids and ultrasound contrast agents) are discussed.

  20. Water desorption from a confined biopolymer.

    PubMed

    Pradipkanti, L; Satapathy, Dillip K

    2018-03-14

    We study desorption of water from a confined biopolymer (chitosan thin films) by employing temperature dependent specular X-ray reflectivity and spectroscopic ellipsometry. The water desorption is found to occur via three distinct stages with significantly different desorption rates. The distinct rates of water desorption are attributed to the presence of different kinds of water with disparate mobilities inside the biopolymer film. We identify two characteristic temperatures (T c1 and T c2 ) at which the water desorption rate changes abruptly. Interestingly, the characteristic temperatures decrease with decreasing the film thickness. The thickness dependence of the characteristic temperature is interpreted in the context of a higher mobility of polymer chains at the free surface for polymers under one-dimensional confinement.

  1. Biopolymer Green Lubricant for Sustainable Manufacturing

    PubMed Central

    Shi, Shih-Chen; Lu, Fu-I

    2016-01-01

    We report on the preparation of a biopolymer thin film by hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), which can be used as a dry green lubricant in sustainable manufacturing. The thin films were characterized through scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy; the films showed desirable levels of thickness, controllability, and uniformity. Tribology tests also showed desirable tribological and antiwear behaviors, caused by the formation of transfer layers. Zebrafish embryo toxicity studies showed that HPMC has excellent solubility and biocompatibility, which may show outstanding potential for applications as a green lubricant. The results of the present study show that these techniques for biopolymer HPMC provide an ecologically responsible and convenient method for preparing functional thin films, which is particularly applicable to sustainable manufacturing. PMID:28773462

  2. Are biopolymers potential deodourising agents in wound management?

    PubMed

    Lee, G; Anand, S C; Rajendran, S

    2009-07-01

    To investigate the odour-adsorbing properties of biopolymers, with a view to using the findings to develop a novel dressing with odour-adsorbing properties. The odour-adsorbing properties of a selection of biopolymers (aloe vera, tea tree oil, neem oil and manuka honey) and three commercially available dressings containing activated charcoal cloth (ACC) were quantitatively assessed using laboratory test equipment. An aloe vera-containing composite dressing, designed and developed by the authors, was also compared with the ACC dressings. Aloe vera was the most adsorbent of the biopolymers and a 40% dilution had comparable values to those of the ACC dressings. Furthermore, values for the novel composite dressing were similar to those of the ACC dressings. The novel composite dressing may be a potential alternative to ACC dressings, and has the added advantages of having antimicrobial properties as well as the ability to promote a moist wound environment. However, more research is needed.

  3. Natural Genetic Variation Influences Protein Abundances in C. elegans Developmental Signalling Pathways

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Kapil Dev; Roschitzki, Bernd; Snoek, L. Basten; Grossmann, Jonas; Zheng, Xue; Elvin, Mark; Kamkina, Polina; Schrimpf, Sabine P.; Poulin, Gino B.; Kammenga, Jan E.; Hengartner, Michael O.

    2016-01-01

    Complex traits, including common disease-related traits, are affected by many different genes that function in multiple pathways and networks. The apoptosis, MAPK, Notch, and Wnt signalling pathways play important roles in development and disease progression. At the moment we have a poor understanding of how allelic variation affects gene expression in these pathways at the level of translation. Here we report the effect of natural genetic variation on transcript and protein abundance involved in developmental signalling pathways in Caenorhabditis elegans. We used selected reaction monitoring to analyse proteins from the abovementioned four pathways in a set of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) generated from the wild-type strains N2 (Bristol) and CB4856 (Hawaii) to enable quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping. About half of the cases from the 44 genes tested showed a statistically significant change in protein abundance between various strains, most of these were however very weak (below 1.3-fold change). We detected a distant QTL on the left arm of chromosome II that affected protein abundance of the phosphatidylserine receptor protein PSR-1, and two separate QTLs that influenced embryonic and ionizing radiation-induced apoptosis on chromosome IV. Our results demonstrate that natural variation in C. elegans is sufficient to cause significant changes in signalling pathways both at the gene expression (transcript and protein abundance) and phenotypic levels. PMID:26985669

  4. Novel Task Functionalized Biopolymers for Enhanced Change Detection in Support of C-IED Operations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-04-15

    biopolymer was tested. All materials tested, PAM, chitin , the native biopolymer, and the MU conjugated biopolymer, were applied in small soil plots...phaseoli Strain 127 K36. Carbohydr. Res. 117, 141-156. EPA. 2001. Chitin ; Poly-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (128991) Fact Sheet. USEPA Fact Sheet

  5. Characterizing the changes in biopolymer composition in roots of photosynthetically divergent grasses exposed to future climates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suseela, V.; Tharayil, N.; Pendall, E.

    2014-12-01

    A majority of carbon in soil is derived from plant roots, yet roots remain remarkably less explored. Root tissues are abundant in heteropolymers such as suberin, lignin and tannins which are energetically demanding to depolymerize, thus facilitating the accrual of carbon in soil. Most biopolymers are operationally/functionally defined and their function is regulated by the identity of monomers and the linkages connecting these monomers. The structural chemistry of these biopolymers could vary with the environmental conditions experienced during their formative stage thus altering the potential for soil carbon sequestration. We examined the biopolymer composition in the roots of a C3 (Hesperostipa comata) and a C4 (Bouteloua gracilis) grass species exposed to a factorial combination of warming and elevated CO2 at the Prairie Heating and CO2 Enrichment (PHACE) experiment, Wyoming, USA. The grass roots were subjected to a sequential solvent extraction and base hydrolysis to delineate various operational fractions within the polydisperse matrix. The extracted fractions were analyzed using various chromatography mass spectrometry platforms. Warming and elevated CO2 increased the total suberin content and the amount of ω-hydroxy acids in C4 grass species while in C3 species there was a trend of increasing concentration of α,ω-dioic acids in roots exposed to elevated CO2 compared to ambient CO2 treatment. Our results highlight the effect of warming and elevated CO2 on the chemical composition of heteropolymers in roots that may potentially alter root function and rate of decomposition leading to changes in soil carbon in a future warmer world.

  6. Natural Origin Materials for Osteochondral Tissue Engineering.

    PubMed

    Bonani, Walter; Singhatanadgige, Weerasak; Pornanong, Aramwit; Motta, Antonella

    2018-01-01

    Materials selection is a critical aspect for the production of scaffolds for osteochondral tissue engineering. Synthetic materials are the result of man-made operations and have been investigated for a variety of tissue engineering applications. Instead, the products of physiological processes and the metabolic activity of living organisms are identified as natural materials. Over the recent decades, a number of natural materials, namely, biopolymers and bioceramics, have been proposed as the main constituent of osteochondral scaffolds, but also as cell carriers and signaling molecules. Overall, natural materials have been investigated both in the bone and in the cartilage compartment, sometimes alone, but often in combination with other biopolymers or synthetic materials. Biopolymers and bioceramics possess unique advantages over their synthetic counterparts due similarity with natural extracellular matrix, the presence of cell recognition sites and tunable chemistry. However, the characteristics of natural origin materials can vary considerably depending on the specific source and extraction process. A deeper understanding of the relationship between material variability and biological activity and the definition of standardized manufacturing procedures will be crucial for the future of natural materials in tissue engineering.

  7. Construction of new biopolymer (chitosan)-based pincer-type Pd(II) complex and its catalytic application in Suzuki cross coupling reactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baran, Talat; Menteş, Ayfer

    2017-04-01

    In this paper we described the fabrication, characterization and application of a new biopolymer (chitosan)-based pincer-type Pd(II) catalyst in Suzuki cross coupling reactions using a non-toxic, cheap, eco-friendly and practical method. The catalytic activity tests showed remarkable product yields as well as TON (19800) and TOF (330000) values with a small catalyst loading. In addition, the catalyst indicated good recyclability in the Suzuki C-C reaction. This biopolymer supported catalyst can be used with various catalyst systems due to its unique properties, such as being inert, green in nature, low cost and chemically durable.

  8. Decomposition and transformation of cutin and cutan biopolymers in soils: effect on their sorptive capabilities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shechter, M.; Chefetz, B.

    2009-04-01

    Plant cuticle materials, especially the highly aliphatic biopolymers cutin and cutan, have been reported as highly efficient natural sorbents. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of decomposition on their sorption behavior with naphthol and phenanthrene. The level of cutin and cutan was reduced by 15 and 27% respectively during the first 3 mo of incubation. From that point, the level of the cutan did not change, while the level of the cutin continued to decrease up to 32% after 20 mo. 13C NMR analysis suggested transformation of cutan mainly within its alkyl-C structure which are assigned as crystalline moieties. Cutin, however, did not exhibit significant structure changes with time. The level of humic-like substances increased due to cutin decomposition but was not influenced in the cutan system after 20 mo of incubation. This indicates that the cutin biopolymer has been decomposed and transformed into humic-like substances, whereas the cutan was less subject to transformation. Decomposition affected sorption properties in similar trends for both cutin and cutan. The Freundlich capacity coefficients (KFOC) of naphthol were much lower than phenanthrene and were less influenced by the decomposition, whereas with phenanthrene KFOC values increased significantly with time. Naphthol exhibited non-linear isotherms; and nonlinearity was decreased with incubation time. In contrast, phenanthrene isotherms were more linear and showed only moderate change with time. The decrease in the linearity of naphthol isotherms might relate to the transformation of the sorption sites due to structural changes in the biopolymers. However, with phenanthrene, these changes did not affect sorption linearity but increased sorption affinities mainly for cutan. This is probably due to decomposition of the rigid alkyl-C moieties in the cutan biopolymer. Our data suggest that both biopolymers were relatively stable in the soil for 20 mo. Cutan is less degradable than cutin

  9. Biopolymers Containing Unnatural Amino Acids

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schultz, Peter

    Although the main chain structure of polymers has a profound effect on their materials properties, the side groups can also have dramatic effects on their properties including conductivity, liquid crystallinity, hydrophobicity, elasticity and biodegradability. Unfortunately control over the side chain structure of polymers remains a challenge – it is difficult to control the sequence of chain elongation when mixtures of monomers are polymerized, and postpolymerization side chain modification is made difficult by polymer effects on side chain reactivity. In contrast, the mRNA templated synthesis of polypeptides on the ribosome affords absolute control over the primary sequence of the twenty aminomore » acid monomers. Moreover, the length of the biopolymer is precisely controlled as are sites of crosslinking. However, whereas synthetic polymers can be synthesized from monomers with a wide range of chemically defined structures, ribosomal biosynthesis is largely limited to the 20 canonical amino acids. For many applications in material sciences, additional building blocks would be desirable, for example, amino acids containing metallocene, photoactive, and halogenated side chains. To overcome this natural constraint we have developed a method that allows unnatural amino acids, beyond the common twenty, to be genetically encoded in response to nonsense or frameshift codons in bacteria, yeast and mammalian cells with high fidelity and good yields. Here we have developed methods that allow identical or distinct noncanonical amino acids to be incorporated at multiple sites in a polypeptide chain, potentially leading to a new class of templated biopolymers. We have also developed improved methods for genetically encoding unnatural amino acids. In addition, we have genetically encoded new amino acids with novel physical and chemical properties that allow selective modification of proteins with synthetic agents. Finally, we have evolved new metal-ion binding sites in

  10. Biopolymers Containing Unnatural Building Blocks

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schultz, Peter G.

    2013-06-30

    Although the main chain structure of polymers has a profound effect on their materials properties, the side groups can also have dramatic effects on their properties including conductivity, liquid crystallinity, hydrophobicity, elasticity and biodegradability. Unfortunately control over the side chain structure of polymers remains a challenge – it is difficult to control the sequence of chain elongation when mixtures of monomers are polymerized, and postpolymerization side chain modification is made difficult by polymer effects on side chain reactivity. In contrast, the mRNA templated synthesis of polypeptides on the ribosome affords absolute control over the primary sequence of the twenty aminomore » acid monomers. Moreover, the length of the biopolymer is precisely controlled as are sites of crosslinking. However, whereas synthetic polymers can be synthesized from monomers with a wide range of chemically defined structures, ribosomal biosynthesis is largely limited to the 20 canonical amino acids. For many applications in material sciences, additional building blocks would be desirable, for example, amino acids containing metallocene, photoactive, and halogenated side chains. To overcome this natural constraint we have developed a method that allows unnatural amino acids, beyond the common twenty, to be genetically encoded in response to nonsense or frameshift codons in bacteria, yeast and mammalian cells with high fidelity and good yields. Here we have developed methods that allow identical or distinct noncanonical amino acids to be incorporated at multiple sites in a polypeptide chain, potentially leading to a new class of templated biopolymers. We have also developed improved methods for genetically encoding unnatural amino acids. In addition, we have genetically encoded new amino acids with novel physical and chemical properties that allow selective modification of proteins with synthetic agents. Finally, we have evolved new metal-ion binding sites in

  11. Importance of coccolithophore-associated organic biopolymers for fractionating particle-reactive radionuclides (234Th, 233Pa, 210Pb, 210Po, and 7Be) in the ocean

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Peng; Xu, Chen; Zhang, Saijin; Sun, Luni; Schwehr, Kathleen A.; Bretherton, Laura; Quigg, Antonietta; Santschi, Peter H.

    2017-08-01

    Laboratory incubation experiments using the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi were conducted in the presence of 234Th, 233Pa, 210Pb, 210Po, and 7Be to differentiate radionuclide uptake to the CaCO3 coccosphere from coccolithophore-associated biopolymers. The coccosphere (biogenic calcite exterior and its associated biopolymers), extracellular (nonattached and attached exopolymeric substances), and intracellular (sodium-dodecyl-sulfate extractable and Fe-Mn-associated metabolites) fractions were obtained by sequentially extraction after E. huxleyi reached its stationary growth phase. Radionuclide partitioning and the composition of different organic compound classes, including proteins, total carbohydrates (TCHO), and uronic acids (URA), were assessed. 210Po was closely associated with the more hydrophobic biopolymers (high protein/TCHO ratio, e.g., in attached exopolymeric substances), while 234Th and 233Pa showed similar partitioning behavior with most activity being distributed in URA-enriched, nonattached exopolymeric substances and intracellular biopolymers. 234Th and 233Pa were nearly undetectable in the coccosphere, with a minor abundance of organic components in the associated biopolymers. These findings provide solid evidence that biogenic calcite is not the actual main carrier phase for Th and Pa isotopes in the ocean. In contrast, both 210Pb and 7Be were found to be mostly concentrated in the CaCO3 coccosphere, likely substituting for Ca2+ during coccolith formation. Our results demonstrate that even small cells (E. huxleyi) can play an important role in the scavenging and fractionation of radionuclides. Furthermore, the distinct partitioning behavior of radionuclides in diatoms (previous studies) and coccolithophores (present study) explains the difference in the scavenging of radionuclides between diatom- and coccolithophore-dominated marine environments.

  12. In vitro assessment of biopolymer-modified porous silicon microparticles for wound healing applications.

    PubMed

    Mori, Michela; Almeida, Patrick V; Cola, Michela; Anselmi, Giulia; Mäkilä, Ermei; Correia, Alexandra; Salonen, Jarno; Hirvonen, Jouni; Caramella, Carla; Santos, Hélder A

    2014-11-01

    The wound healing stands as very complex and dynamic process, aiming the re-establishment of the damaged tissue's integrity and functionality. Thus, there is an emerging need for developing biopolymer-based composites capable of actively promoting cellular proliferation and reconstituting the extracellular matrix. The aims of the present work were to prepare and characterize biopolymer-functionalized porous silicon (PSi) microparticles, resulting in the development of drug delivery microsystems for future applications in wound healing. Thermally hydrocarbonized PSi (THCPSi) microparticles were coated with both chitosan and a mixture of chondroitin sulfate/hyaluronic acid, and subsequently loaded with two antibacterial model drugs, vancomycin and resveratrol. The biopolymer coating, drug loading degree and drug release behavior of the modified PSi microparticles were evaluated in vitro. The results showed that both the biopolymer coating and drug loading of the THCPSi microparticles were successfully achieved. In addition, a sustained release was observed for both the drugs tested. The viability and proliferation profiles of a fibroblast cell line exposed to the modified THCPSi microparticles and the subsequent reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were also evaluated. The cytotoxicity and proliferation results demonstrated less toxicity for the biopolymer-coated THCPSi microparticles at different concentrations and time points comparatively to the uncoated counterparts. The ROS production by the fibroblasts exposed to both uncoated and biopolymer-coated PSi microparticles showed that the modified PSi microparticles did not induce significant ROS production at the concentrations tested. Overall, the biopolymer-based PSi microparticles developed in this study are promising platforms for wound healing applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Natural Enemy Abundance in Southeastern Blueberry Agroecosystems: Distance to Edge and Impact of Management Practices.

    PubMed

    Whitehouse, T Seth; Sial, Ashfaq A; Schmidt, Jason M

    2018-02-08

    Natural enemies are valuable components of agroecosystems as they provide biological control services to help regulate pest populations. Promoting biocontrol services can improve sustainability by decreasing pesticide usage, which is a major challenge for the blueberry industry. Our research is the first to compare natural enemy populations in managed (conventional and organic) and unmanaged blueberry systems, in addition to the effects of non-crop habitat. We conducted our study in 10 blueberry orchards during the growing season across the major blueberry producing counties in Georgia, United States. To estimate the spatial distribution of natural enemies, we conducted suction sampling at three locations in each orchard: within the forested border, along the edge of blueberry orchard adjacent to forested border, and within the interior of the blueberry orchard. Natural enemies maintained higher abundance over the season in unmanaged areas when compared with organic or conventional production systems. In the conventional orchards, natural enemies were more abundant in the surrounding non-crop area compared with the interior of the orchard. Populations were more evenly distributed in less intensive systems (organic and unmanaged). Our results indicate spatial structure in natural enemy populations is related to management practice, and less intensive management can retain higher abundance of natural enemies in blueberry systems. Considerations must be made towards promoting ecologically based management practices to sustain natural enemy populations and potentially increase the delivery of biological control services. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. Recent progress in biopolymer nanoparticle and microparticle formation by heat-treating electrostatic protein-polysaccharide complexes.

    PubMed

    Jones, Owen G; McClements, David Julian

    2011-09-14

    Functional biopolymer nanoparticles or microparticles can be formed by heat treatment of globular protein-ionic polysaccharide electrostatic complexes under appropriate solution conditions. These biopolymer particles can be used as encapsulation and delivery systems, fat mimetics, lightening agents, or texture modifiers. This review highlights recent progress in the design and fabrication of biopolymer particles based on heating globular protein-ionic polysaccharide complexes above the thermal denaturation temperature of the proteins. The influence of biopolymer type, protein-polysaccharide ratio, pH, ionic strength, and thermal history on the characteristics of the biopolymer particles formed is reviewed. Our current understanding of the underlying physicochemical mechanisms of particle formation and properties is given. The information provided in this review should facilitate the rational design of biopolymer particles with specific physicochemical and functional attributes, as well as stimulate further research in identifying the physicochemical origin of particle formation. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Natural biopolimers in organic food packaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wieczynska, Justyna; Cavoski, Ivana; Chami, Ziad Al; Mondelli, Donato; Di Donato, Paola; Di Terlizzi, Biagio

    2014-05-01

    Concerns on environmental and waste problems caused by use of non-biodegradable and non-renewable based plastic packaging have caused an increase interest in developing biodegradable packaging using renewable natural biopolymers. Recently, different types of biopolymers like starch, cellulose, chitosan, casein, whey protein, collagen, egg white, soybean protein, corn zein, gelatin and wheat gluten have attracted considerable attention as potential food packaging materials. Recyclable or biodegradable packaging material in organic processing standards is preferable where possible but specific principles of packaging are not precisely defined and standards have to be assessed. There is evidence that consumers of organic products have specific expectations not only with respect to quality characteristics of processed food but also in social and environmental aspects of food production. Growing consumer sophistication is leading to a proliferation in food eco-label like carbon footprint. Biopolymers based packaging for organic products can help to create a green industry. Moreover, biopolymers can be appropriate materials for the development of an active surfaces designed to deliver incorporated natural antimicrobials into environment surrounding packaged food. Active packaging is an innovative mode of packaging in which the product and the environment interact to prolong shelf life or enhance safety or sensory properties, while maintaining the quality of the product. The work will discuss the various techniques that have been used for development of an active antimicrobial biodegradable packaging materials focusing on a recent findings in research studies. With the current focus on exploring a new generation of biopolymer-based food packaging materials with possible applications in organic food packaging. Keywords: organic food, active packaging, biopolymers , green technology

  16. Models of the solvent-accessible surface of biopolymers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Smith, R.E.

    1996-09-01

    Many biopolymers such as proteins, DNA, and RNA have been studied because they have important biomedical roles and may be good targets for therapeutic action in treating diseases. This report describes how plastic models of the solvent-accessible surface of biopolymers were made. Computer files containing sets of triangles were calculated, then used on a stereolithography machine to make the models. Small (2 in.) models were made to test whether the computer calculations were done correctly. Also, files of the type (.stl) required by any ISO 9001 rapid prototyping machine were written onto a CD-ROM for distribution to American companies.

  17. Invited review nonmulberry silk biopolymers.

    PubMed

    Kundu, S C; Kundu, Banani; Talukdar, Sarmistha; Bano, Subia; Nayak, Sunita; Kundu, Joydip; Mandal, Biman B; Bhardwaj, Nandana; Botlagunta, Mahendran; Dash, Biraja C; Acharya, Chitrangada; Ghosh, Ananta K

    2012-06-01

    The silk produced by silkworms are biopolymers and can be classified into two types--mulberry and nonmulberry. Mulberry silk of silkworm Bombyx mori has been extensively explored and used for century old textiles and sutures. But for the last few decades it is being extensively exploited for biomedical applications. However, the transformation of nonmulberry silk from being a textile commodity to biomaterials is relatively new. Within a very short period of time, the combination of load bearing capability and tensile strength of nonmulberry silk has been equally envisioned for bone, cartilage, adipose, and other tissue regeneration. Adding to its advantage is its diverse morphology, including macro to nano architectures with controllable degradation and biocompatibility yields novel natural material systems in vitro. Its follow on applications involve sustained release of model compounds and anticancer drugs. Its 3D cancer models provide compatible microenvironment systems for better understanding of the cancer progression mechanism and screening of anticancer compounds. Diversely designed nonmulberry matrices thus provide an array of new cutting age technologies, which is unattainable with the current synthetic materials that lack biodegradability and biocompatibility. Scientific exploration of nonmulberry silk in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and biotechnological applications promises advancement of sericulture industries in India and China, largest nonmulberry silk producers of the world. This review discusses the prospective biomedical applications of nonmulberry silk proteins as natural biomaterials. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Biopolymer-based thermoplastic mixture for producing solid biodegradable shaped bodies and its photo degradation stability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sulong, Nurulsaidatulsyida; Rus, Anika Zafiah M.

    2013-12-01

    In recent years, biopolymers with controllable lifetimes have become increasingly important for many applications in the areas of agriculture, biomedical implants and drug release, forestry, wild life conservation and waste management. Natural oils are considered to be the most important class of renewable sources. They can be obtained from naturally occurring plants, such as sunflower, cotton, linseed and palm oil. In Malaysia, palm oil is an inexpensive and commodity material. Biopolymer produced from palm oil (Bio-VOP) is a naturally occurring biodegradable polymer and readily available from agriculture. For packaging use however, Bio-VOP is not thermoplastic and its granular form is unsuitable for most uses in the plastics industry, mainly due to processing difficulties during extrusion or injection moulding. Thus, research workers have developed several methods to blend Bio-VOP appropriately for industrial uses. In particular, injections moulding processes, graft copolymerisation, and preparation of blends with thermoplastic polymers have been studied to produce solid biodegradable shaped bodies. HDPE was chosen as commercial thermoplastic materials and was added with 10% Bio-VOP for the preparation of solid biodegradable shaped bodies named as HD-VOP. The UV light exposure of HD-VOP at 12 minutes upon gives the highest strength of this material that is 17.6 MPa. The morphological structure of HD-VOP shows dwi structure surface fracture which is brittle and ductile properties.

  19. Photoacoustic monitoring of water transport process in calcareous stone coated with biopolymers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    May-Crespo, J.; Ortega-Morales, B. O.; Camacho-Chab, J. C.; Quintana, P.; Alvarado-Gil, J. J.; Gonzalez-García, G.; Reyes-Estebanez, M.; Chan-Bacab, M. J.

    2016-12-01

    Moisture is a critical control of chemical and physical processes leading to stone deterioration. These processes can be enhanced by microbial biofilms and associated exopolymers (EPS). There is limited current understanding of the water transport process across rocks covered by EPS. In the present work, we employed the photoacoustic technique to study the influence of three biopolymers (xanthan, microbactan and arabic gum) in the water transport process of two types of limestone rock of similar mineralogy but contrasting porosity. Both controls of RL (low porosity) and RP (high porosity) presented the higher values of water diffusion coefficient ( D) than biopolymer-coated samples, indicating that biopolymer layers slowed down the transport of water. This trend was steeper for RP samples as water was transported seven times faster than in the more porous rock. Important differences of D values were observed among samples coated by different biopolymers. Scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy showed that surface topography was different between both types of rocks; adherence of coatings was seen predominantly in the less porous rocks samples. FTIR and NMR analysis showed the presence of pyruvate and acetate in microbactan and xanthan gum, suggesting their participation on adherence to the calcareous surfaces, sealing surface pores. These results indicate that water transport at rock interfaces is dependent on the chemistry of biopolymer and surface porosity. The implications for reduced water transport in stone conservation under the influence of biopolymers include both enhanced and lower deterioration rates along with altered efficiency of biocide treatment of epilithic biofilms.

  20. Valorisation of CO2-rich off-gases to biopolymers through biotechnological process.

    PubMed

    Garcia-Gonzalez, Linsey; De Wever, Heleen

    2017-11-01

    As one of the key enabling technologies, industrial biotechnology has a high potential to tackle harmful CO2 emissions and to turn CO2 into a valuable commodity. So far, experimental work mainly focused on the bioconversion of pure CO2 to chemicals and plastics and little is known about the tolerance of the bioprocesses to the presence of impurities. This work is the first to investigate the impact of real CO2-rich off-gases on autotrophic production of polyhydroxybutyrate. To this end, two-phase heterotrophic-autotrophic fermentation experiments were set up, consisting of heterothrophic cell mass growth using glucose as substrate followed by autotrophic biopolymer production using either pure synthetic CO2 or industrial off-gases sampled at two point sources. The use of real off-gases did not affect the bacterial performance. High biopolymer content (up to 73%) and productivities (up to 0.227 g/lh) were obtained. Characterisation of the polymers showed that all biopolymers had similar properties, independent of the CO2 source. Moreover, the CO2-derived biopolymers' properties were comparable to commercial ones and biopolymers reported in literature, which are all produced from organic carbon sources. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. Do single-use medical devices containing biopolymers reduce the environmental impacts of surgical procedures compared with their plastic equivalents?

    PubMed

    Unger, Scott R; Hottle, Troy A; Hobbs, Shakira R; Thiel, Cassandra L; Campion, Nicole; Bilec, Melissa M; Landis, Amy E

    2017-01-01

    Background While petroleum-based plastics are extensively used in health care, recent developments in biopolymer manufacturing have created new opportunities for increased integration of biopolymers into medical products, devices and services. This study compared the environmental impacts of single-use disposable devices with increased biopolymer content versus typically manufactured devices in hysterectomy. Methods A comparative life cycle assessment of single-use disposable medical products containing plastic(s) versus the same single-use medical devices with biopolymers substituted for plastic(s) at Magee-Women's Hospital (Magee) in Pittsburgh, PA and the products used in four types of hysterectomies that contained plastics potentially suitable for biopolymer substitution. Magee is a 360-bed teaching hospital, which performs approximately 1400 hysterectomies annually. Results There are life cycle environmental impact tradeoffs when substituting biopolymers for petroplastics in procedures such as hysterectomies. The substitution of biopolymers for petroleum-based plastics increased smog-related impacts by approximately 900% for laparoscopic and robotic hysterectomies, and increased ozone depletion-related impacts by approximately 125% for laparoscopic and robotic hysterectomies. Conversely, biopolymers reduced life cycle human health impacts, acidification and cumulative energy demand for the four hysterectomy procedures. The integration of biopolymers into medical products is correlated with reductions in carcinogenic impacts, non-carcinogenic impacts and respiratory effects. However, the significant agricultural inputs associated with manufacturing biopolymers exacerbate environmental impacts of products and devices made using biopolymers. Conclusions The integration of biopolymers into medical products is correlated with reductions in carcinogenic impacts, non-carcinogenic impacts and respiratory effects; however, the significant agricultural inputs associated

  2. Film forming microbial biopolymers for commercial applications--a review.

    PubMed

    Vijayendra, S V N; Shamala, T R

    2014-12-01

    Microorganisms synthesize intracellular, structural and extracellular polymers also referred to as biopolymers for their function and survival. These biopolymers play specific roles as energy reserve materials, protective agents, aid in cell functioning, the establishment of symbiosis, osmotic adaptation and support the microbial genera to function, adapt, multiply and survive efficiently under changing environmental conditions. Viscosifying, gelling and film forming properties of these have been exploited for specific significant applications in food and allied industries. Intensive research activities and recent achievements in relevant and important research fields of global interest regarding film forming microbial biopolymers is the subject of this review. Microbial polymers such as pullulan, kefiran, bacterial cellulose (BC), gellan and levan are placed under the category of exopolysaccharides (EPS) and have several other functional properties including film formation, which can be used for various applications in food and allied industries. In addition to EPS, innumerable bacterial genera are found to synthesis carbon energy reserves in their cells known as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), microbial polyesters, which can be extruded into films with excellent moisture and oxygen barrier properties. Blow moldable biopolymers like PHA along with polylactic acid (PLA) synthesized chemically in vitro using lactic acid (LA), which is produced by LA bacteria through fermentation, are projected as biodegradable polymers of the future for packaging applications. Designing and creating of new property based on requirements through controlled synthesis can lead to improvement in properties of existing polysaccharides and create novel biopolymers of great commercial interest and value for wider applications. Incorporation of antimicrobials such as bacteriocins or silver and copper nanoparticles can enhance the functionality of polymer films especially in food packaging

  3. Load sharing in the growth of bundled biopolymers

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Ruizhe; Carlsson, A. E.

    2014-01-01

    To elucidate the nature of load sharing in the growth of multiple biopolymers, we perform stochastic simulations of the growth of biopolymer bundles against obstacles under a broad range of conditions and varying assumptions. The obstacle motion due to thermal fluctuations is treated explicitly. We assume the “Perfect Brownian Ratchet” (PBR) model, in which the polymerization rate equals the free-filament rate as soon as the filament-obstacle distance exceeds the monomer size. Accurate closed-form formulas are obtained for the case of a rapidly moving obstacle. We find the following: (1) load sharing is usually sub-perfect in the sense that polymerization is slower than for a single filament carrying the same average force; (2) the sub-perfect behavior becomes significant at a total force proportional to the logarithm or the square root of the number of filaments, depending on the alignment of the filaments; (3) for the special case of slow barrier diffusion and low opposing force, an enhanced obstacle velocity for an increasing number of filaments is possible; (4) the obstacle velocity is very sensitive to the alignment of the filaments in the bundle, with a staggered alignment being an order of magnitude faster than an unstaggered one at forces of only 0.5 pN per filament for 20 filaments; (5) for large numbers of filaments, the power is maximized at a force well below 1 pN per filament; (6) for intermediate values of the obstacle diffusion coefficient, the shape of the force velocity relation is very similar to that for rapid obstacle diffusion. PMID:25489273

  4. Load sharing in the growth of bundled biopolymers.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ruizhe; Carlsson, A E

    2014-11-01

    To elucidate the nature of load sharing in the growth of multiple biopolymers, we perform stochastic simulations of the growth of biopolymer bundles against obstacles under a broad range of conditions and varying assumptions. The obstacle motion due to thermal fluctuations is treated explicitly. We assume the "Perfect Brownian Ratchet" (PBR) model, in which the polymerization rate equals the free-filament rate as soon as the filament-obstacle distance exceeds the monomer size. Accurate closed-form formulas are obtained for the case of a rapidly moving obstacle. We find the following: (1) load sharing is usually sub-perfect in the sense that polymerization is slower than for a single filament carrying the same average force; (2) the sub-perfect behavior becomes significant at a total force proportional to the logarithm or the square root of the number of filaments, depending on the alignment of the filaments; (3) for the special case of slow barrier diffusion and low opposing force, an enhanced obstacle velocity for an increasing number of filaments is possible; (4) the obstacle velocity is very sensitive to the alignment of the filaments in the bundle, with a staggered alignment being an order of magnitude faster than an unstaggered one at forces of only 0.5 pN per filament for 20 filaments; (5) for large numbers of filaments, the power is maximized at a force well below 1 pN per filament; (6) for intermediate values of the obstacle diffusion coefficient, the shape of the force velocity relation is very similar to that for rapid obstacle diffusion.

  5. Meta-analysis reveals that seed-applied neonicotinoids and pyrethroids have similar negative effects on abundance of arthropod natural enemies

    PubMed Central

    Tooker, John F.

    2016-01-01

    Background Seed-applied neonicotinoids are widely used in agriculture, yet their effects on non-target species remain incompletely understood. One important group of non-target species is arthropod natural enemies (predators and parasitoids), which contribute considerably to suppression of crop pests. We hypothesized that seed-applied neonicotinoids reduce natural-enemy abundance, but not as strongly as alternative insecticide options such as soil- and foliar-applied pyrethroids. Furthermore we hypothesized that seed-applied neonicotinoids affect natural enemies through a combination of toxin exposure and prey scarcity. Methods To test our hypotheses, we compiled datasets comprising observations from randomized field studies in North America and Europe that compared natural-enemy abundance in plots that were planted with seed-applied neonicotinoids to control plots that were either (1) managed without insecticides (20 studies, 56 site-years, 607 observations) or (2) managed with pyrethroid insecticides (eight studies, 15 site-years, 384 observations). Using the effect size Hedge’s d as the response variable, we used meta-regression to estimate the overall effect of seed-applied neonicotinoids on natural-enemy abundance and to test the influence of potential moderating factors. Results Seed-applied neonicotinoids reduced the abundance of arthropod natural enemies compared to untreated controls (d = −0.30 ± 0.10 [95% confidence interval]), and as predicted under toxin exposure this effect was stronger for insect than for non-insect taxa (QM = 8.70, df = 1, P = 0.003). Moreover, seed-applied neonicotinoids affected the abundance of arthropod natural enemies similarly to soil- or foliar-applied pyrethroids (d = 0.16 ± 0.42 or −0.02 ± 0.12; with or without one outlying study). Effect sizes were surprisingly consistent across both datasets (I2 = 2.7% for no-insecticide controls; I2 = 0% for pyrethroid controls), suggesting little moderating influence of

  6. Meta-analysis reveals that seed-applied neonicotinoids and pyrethroids have similar negative effects on abundance of arthropod natural enemies.

    PubMed

    Douglas, Margaret R; Tooker, John F

    2016-01-01

    Seed-applied neonicotinoids are widely used in agriculture, yet their effects on non-target species remain incompletely understood. One important group of non-target species is arthropod natural enemies (predators and parasitoids), which contribute considerably to suppression of crop pests. We hypothesized that seed-applied neonicotinoids reduce natural-enemy abundance, but not as strongly as alternative insecticide options such as soil- and foliar-applied pyrethroids. Furthermore we hypothesized that seed-applied neonicotinoids affect natural enemies through a combination of toxin exposure and prey scarcity. To test our hypotheses, we compiled datasets comprising observations from randomized field studies in North America and Europe that compared natural-enemy abundance in plots that were planted with seed-applied neonicotinoids to control plots that were either (1) managed without insecticides (20 studies, 56 site-years, 607 observations) or (2) managed with pyrethroid insecticides (eight studies, 15 site-years, 384 observations). Using the effect size Hedge's d as the response variable, we used meta-regression to estimate the overall effect of seed-applied neonicotinoids on natural-enemy abundance and to test the influence of potential moderating factors. Seed-applied neonicotinoids reduced the abundance of arthropod natural enemies compared to untreated controls ( d = -0.30 ± 0.10 [95% confidence interval]), and as predicted under toxin exposure this effect was stronger for insect than for non-insect taxa ( Q M = 8.70, df = 1, P = 0.003). Moreover, seed-applied neonicotinoids affected the abundance of arthropod natural enemies similarly to soil- or foliar-applied pyrethroids ( d = 0.16 ± 0.42 or -0.02 ± 0.12; with or without one outlying study). Effect sizes were surprisingly consistent across both datasets ( I 2  = 2.7% for no-insecticide controls; I 2  = 0% for pyrethroid controls), suggesting little moderating influence of crop species

  7. Natural variation in stomatal abundance of Arabidopsis thaliana includes cryptic diversity for different developmental processes

    PubMed Central

    Delgado, Dolores; Alonso-Blanco, Carlos; Fenoll, Carmen; Mena, Montaña

    2011-01-01

    Background and Aims Current understanding of stomatal development in Arabidopsis thaliana is based on mutations producing aberrant, often lethal phenotypes. The aim was to discover if naturally occurring viable phenotypes would be useful for studying stomatal development in a species that enables further molecular analysis. Methods Natural variation in stomatal abundance of A. thaliana was explored in two collections comprising 62 wild accessions by surveying adaxial epidermal cell-type proportion (stomatal index) and density (stomatal and pavement cell density) traits in cotyledons and first leaves. Organ size variation was studied in a subset of accessions. For all traits, maternal effects derived from different laboratory environments were evaluated. In four selected accessions, distinct stomatal initiation processes were quantitatively analysed. Key Results and Conclusions Substantial genetic variation was found for all six stomatal abundance-related traits, which were weakly or not affected by laboratory maternal environments. Correlation analyses revealed overall relationships among all traits. Within each organ, stomatal density highly correlated with the other traits, suggesting common genetic bases. Each trait correlated between organs, supporting supra-organ control of stomatal abundance. Clustering analyses identified accessions with uncommon phenotypic patterns, suggesting differences among genetic programmes controlling the various traits. Variation was also found in organ size, which negatively correlated with cell densities in both organs and with stomatal index in the cotyledon. Relative proportions of primary and satellite lineages varied among the accessions analysed, indicating that distinct developmental components contribute to natural diversity in stomatal abundance. Accessions with similar stomatal indices showed different lineage class ratios, revealing hidden developmental phenotypes and showing that genetic determinants of primary and

  8. Effect of organic matter on estuarine flocculation: a laboratory study using montmorillonite, humic acid, xanthan gum, guar gum and natural estuarine flocs.

    PubMed

    Furukawa, Yoko; Reed, Allen H; Zhang, Guoping

    2014-01-03

    Riverine particles undergo a rapid transformation when they reach estuaries. The rapid succession of hydrodynamic and biogeochemical regimes forces the particles to flocculate, settle and enter the sediment pool. The rates and magnitudes of flocculation depend on the nature of the particles which are primarily affected by the types and quantities of organic matter (OM). Meanwhile, the OM characteristics vary widely between environments, as well as within a single environment due to seasonal climate and land use variability. We investigated the effect of the OM types and quantities through laboratory experiments using natural estuarine particles from the Mississippi Sound and Atchafalaya Bay as well as model mixtures of montmorillonite and organic molecules (i.e., biopolymers (guar/xanthan gums) and humic acid). Biopolymers promote flocculation but the magnitude depends on the types and quantities. Nonionic guar gum yields much larger flocs than anionic xanthan gum, while both of them exhibit a nonlinear behavior in which the flocculation is the most pronounced at the intermediate OM loading. Moreover, the effect of guar gum is independent of salinity whereas the effect of xanthan gum is pronounced at higher salinity. Meanwhile, humic acid does not affect flocculation at all salinity values tested in this study. These results are echoed in the laboratory manipulation of the natural estuarine particles. Flocculation of the humic acid-rich Mississippi Sound particles is unaffected by the OM, whereas that of biopolymer-rich Atchafalaya Bay particles is enhanced by the OM. Flocculation is positively influenced by the presence of biopolymers that are produced as the result of marine primary production. Meanwhile, humic acid, which is abundant in the rivers that drain the agricultural soils of Southeastern United States, has little influence on flocculation. Thus, it is expected that humic acid-poor riverine particles (e.g., Mississippi River, and Atchafalaya River, to a

  9. Effect of organic matter on estuarine flocculation: a laboratory study using montmorillonite, humic acid, xanthan gum, guar gum and natural estuarine flocs

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Riverine particles undergo a rapid transformation when they reach estuaries. The rapid succession of hydrodynamic and biogeochemical regimes forces the particles to flocculate, settle and enter the sediment pool. The rates and magnitudes of flocculation depend on the nature of the particles which are primarily affected by the types and quantities of organic matter (OM). Meanwhile, the OM characteristics vary widely between environments, as well as within a single environment due to seasonal climate and land use variability. We investigated the effect of the OM types and quantities through laboratory experiments using natural estuarine particles from the Mississippi Sound and Atchafalaya Bay as well as model mixtures of montmorillonite and organic molecules (i.e., biopolymers (guar/xanthan gums) and humic acid). Results Biopolymers promote flocculation but the magnitude depends on the types and quantities. Nonionic guar gum yields much larger flocs than anionic xanthan gum, while both of them exhibit a nonlinear behavior in which the flocculation is the most pronounced at the intermediate OM loading. Moreover, the effect of guar gum is independent of salinity whereas the effect of xanthan gum is pronounced at higher salinity. Meanwhile, humic acid does not affect flocculation at all salinity values tested in this study. These results are echoed in the laboratory manipulation of the natural estuarine particles. Flocculation of the humic acid-rich Mississippi Sound particles is unaffected by the OM, whereas that of biopolymer-rich Atchafalaya Bay particles is enhanced by the OM. Conclusions Flocculation is positively influenced by the presence of biopolymers that are produced as the result of marine primary production. Meanwhile, humic acid, which is abundant in the rivers that drain the agricultural soils of Southeastern United States, has little influence on flocculation. Thus, it is expected that humic acid-poor riverine particles (e.g., Mississippi

  10. Encapsulation of lead from hazardous CRT glass wastes using biopolymer cross-linked concrete systems.

    PubMed

    Kim, Daeik; Quinlan, Michael; Yen, Teh Fu

    2009-01-01

    Discarded computer monitors and television sets are identified as hazardous materials due to the high content of lead in their cathode ray tubes (CRTs). Over 98% of lead is found in CRT glass. More than 75% of obsolete electronics including TV and CRT monitors are in storage because appropriate e-waste management and remediation technologies are insufficient. Already an e-waste tsunami is starting to roll across the US and the whole world. Thus, a new technology was developed as an alternative to current disposal methods; this method uses a concrete composite crosslinked with minute amounts of biopolymers and a crosslinking agent. Commercially available microbial biopolymers of xanthan gum and guar gum were used to encapsulate CRT wastes, reducing Pb leachability as measured by standard USEPA methods. In this investigation, the synergistic effect of the crosslinking reaction was observed through blending two different biopolymers or adding a crosslinking agent in biopolymer solution. This CRT-biopolymer-concrete (CBC) composite showed higher compressive strength than the standard concrete and a considerable decrease in lead leachability.

  11. Encapsulation of lead from hazardous CRT glass wastes using biopolymer cross-linked concrete systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kim, Daeik; Quinlan, Michael; Yen, Teh Fu

    2009-01-15

    Discarded computer monitors and television sets are identified as hazardous materials due to the high content of lead in their cathode ray tubes (CRTs). Over 98% of lead is found in CRT glass. More than 75% of obsolete electronics including TV and CRT monitors are in storage because appropriate e-waste management and remediation technologies are insufficient. Already an e-waste tsunami is starting to roll across the US and the whole world. Thus, a new technology was developed as an alternative to current disposal methods; this method uses a concrete composite crosslinked with minute amounts of biopolymers and a crosslinking agent.more » Commercially available microbial biopolymers of xanthan gum and guar gum were used to encapsulate CRT wastes, reducing Pb leachability as measured by standard USEPA methods. In this investigation, the synergistic effect of the crosslinking reaction was observed through blending two different biopolymers or adding a crosslinking agent in biopolymer solution. This CRT-biopolymer-concrete (CBC) composite showed higher compressive strength than the standard concrete and a considerable decrease in lead leachability.« less

  12. Anaerobic digestion of starch-polyvinyl alcohol biopolymer packaging: biodegradability and environmental impact assessment.

    PubMed

    Guo, M; Trzcinski, A P; Stuckey, D C; Murphy, R J

    2011-12-01

    The digestibility of a starch-polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) biopolymer insulated cardboard coolbox was investigated under a defined anaerobic digestion (AD) system with key parameters characterized. Laboratory results were combined with industrial operational data to develop a site-specific life cycle assessment (LCA) model. Inoculated with active bacterial trophic groups, the anaerobic biodegradability of three starch-PVOH biopolymers achieved 58-62%. The LCA modeling showed that the environmental burdens of the starch-PVOH biopolymer packaging under AD conditions on acidification, eutrophication, global warming and photochemical oxidation potential were dominated by atmospheric emissions released from substrate degradation and fuel combustion, whereas energy consumption and infrastructure requirements were the causes of abiotic depletion, ozone depletion and toxic impacts. Nevertheless, for this bio-packaging, AD of the starch-PVOH biopolymer combined with recycling of the cardboard emerged as the environmentally superior option and optimization of the energy utilization system could bring further environmental benefits to the AD process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Enzymatic functionalization of cork surface with antimicrobial hybrid biopolymer/silver nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Francesko, Antonio; Blandón, Lucas; Vázquez, Mario; Petkova, Petya; Morató, Jordi; Pfeifer, Annett; Heinze, Thomas; Mendoza, Ernest; Tzanov, Tzanko

    2015-05-13

    Laccase-assisted assembling of hybrid biopolymer-silver nanoparticles and cork matrices into an antimicrobial material with potential for water remediation is herein described. Amino-functional biopolymers were first used as doping agents to stabilize concentrated colloidal dispersions of silver nanoparticles (AgNP), additionally providing the particles with functionalities for covalent immobilization onto cork to impart a durable antibacterial effect. The solvent-free AgNP synthesis by chemical reduction was carried out in the presence of chitosan (CS) or 6-deoxy-6-(ω-aminoethyl) aminocellulose (AC), leading to simultaneous AgNP biofunctionalization. This approach resulted in concentrated hybrid NP dispersion stable to aggregation and with hydrodynamic radius of particles of about 250 nm. Moreover, laccase enabled coupling between the phenolic groups in cork and amino moieties in the biopolymer-doped AgNP for permanent modification of the material. The antibacterial efficiency of the functionalized cork matrices, aimed as adsorbents for wastewater treatment, was evaluated against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus during 5 days in conditions mimicking those in constructed wetlands. Both intrinsically antimicrobial CS and AC contributed to the bactericidal effect of the enzymatically grafted on cork AgNP. In contrast, unmodified AgNP were easily washed off from the material, confirming that the biopolymers potentiated a durable antibacterial functionalization of the cork matrices.

  14. The correlation between gelatin macroscale differences and nanoparticle properties: providing insight into biopolymer variability.

    PubMed

    Stevenson, André T; Jankus, Danny J; Tarshis, Max A; Whittington, Abby R

    2018-05-21

    From therapeutic delivery to sustainable packaging, manipulation of biopolymers into nanostructures imparts biocompatibility to numerous materials with minimal environmental pollution during processing. While biopolymers are appealing natural based materials, the lack of nanoparticle (NP) physicochemical consistency has decreased their nanoscale translation into actual products. Insights regarding the macroscale and nanoscale property variation of gelatin, one of the most common biopolymers already utilized in its bulk form, are presented. Novel correlations between macroscale and nanoscale properties were made by characterizing similar gelatin rigidities obtained from different manufacturers. Samples with significant differences in clarity, indicating sample purity, obtained the largest deviations in NP diameter. Furthermore, a statistically significant positive correlation between macroscale molecular weight dispersity and NP diameter was determined. New theoretical calculations proposing the limited number of gelatin chains that can aggregate and subsequently get crosslinked for NP formation were presented as one possible reason to substantiate the correlation analysis. NP charge and crosslinking extent were also related to diameter. Lower gelatin sample molecular weight dispersities produced statistically smaller average diameters (<75 nm), and higher average electrostatic charges (∼30 mV) and crosslinking extents (∼95%), which were independent of gelatin rigidity, conclusions not shown in the literature. This study demonstrates that the molecular weight composition of the starting material is one significant factor affecting gelatin nanoscale properties and must be characterized prior to NP preparation. Identifying gelatin macroscale and nanoscale correlations offers a route toward greater physicochemical property control and reproducibility of new NP formulations for translation to industry.

  15. Eco-Friendly Extraction of Biopolymer Chitin and Carotenoids from Shrimp Waste

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prameela, K.; Venkatesh, K.; Divya vani, K.; Sudesh Kumar, E.; Mohan, CH Murali

    2017-08-01

    Astaxanthin a nutraceutical and chitin a natural biopolymer present in shrimp waste. In current chemical extraction methods HCl and NaOH are used for extraction and these chemicals are introduced into aquatic ecosystems are spoiling aquatic flora and fauna, pollute the environment and destroy astaxanthin. Lactobacillus species were isolated from gut of Solenocera melantho and characterized phenotypically and genotypically. Initial screening experiments have shown to be an effective and identified as Lactobacillus plantaram based on morphological, biochemical characteristics and molecular analysis. Efficiency of fermentation has shown with good yield of astaxanthin and recovery of chitin. Hence this alternative microbial process is having advantage than existing hazardous, non-economical chemical process.

  16. Molecular Biodynamers: Dynamic Covalent Analogues of Biopolymers

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Conspectus Constitutional dynamic chemistry (CDC) features the use of reversible linkages at both molecular and supramolecular levels, including reversible covalent bonds (dynamic covalent chemistry, DCC) and noncovalent interactions (dynamic noncovalent chemistry, DNCC). Due to its inherent reversibility and stimuli-responsiveness, CDC has been widely utilized as a powerful tool for the screening of bioactive compounds, the exploitation of receptors or substrates driven by molecular recognition, and the fabrication of constitutionally dynamic materials. Implementation of CDC in biopolymer science leads to the generation of constitutionally dynamic analogues of biopolymers, biodynamers, at the molecular level (molecular biodynamers) through DCC or at the supramolecular level (supramolecular biodynamers) via DNCC. Therefore, biodynamers are prepared by reversible covalent polymerization or noncovalent polyassociation of biorelevant monomers. In particular, molecular biodynamers, biodynamers of the covalent type whose monomeric units are connected by reversible covalent bonds, are generated by reversible polymerization of bio-based monomers and can be seen as a combination of biopolymers with DCC. Owing to the reversible covalent bonds used in DCC, molecular biodynamers can undergo continuous and spontaneous constitutional modifications via incorporation/decorporation and exchange of biorelevant monomers in response to internal or external stimuli. As a result, they behave as adaptive materials with novel properties, such as self-healing, stimuli-responsiveness, and tunable mechanical and optical character. More specifically, molecular biodynamers combine the biorelevant characters (e.g., biocompatibility, biodegradability, biofunctionality) of bioactive monomers with the dynamic features of reversible covalent bonds (e.g., changeable, tunable, controllable, self-healing, and stimuli-responsive capacities), to realize synergistic properties in one system. In addition

  17. Biopolymer-based strategies in the design of smart medical devices and artificial organs.

    PubMed

    Altomare, Lina; Bonetti, Lorenzo; Campiglio, Chiara E; De Nardo, Luigi; Draghi, Lorenza; Tana, Francesca; Farè, Silvia

    2018-06-01

    Advances in regenerative medicine and in modern biomedical therapies are fast evolving and set goals causing an upheaval in the field of materials science. This review discusses recent developments involving the use of biopolymers as smart materials, in terms of material properties and stimulus-responsive behavior, in the presence of environmental physico-chemical changes. An overview on the transformations that can be triggered in natural-based polymeric systems (sol-gel transition, polymer relaxation, cross-linking, and swelling) is presented, with specific focus on the benefits these materials can provide in biomedical applications.

  18. Economic assessment of flash co-pyrolysis of short rotation coppice and biopolymer waste streams.

    PubMed

    Kuppens, T; Cornelissen, T; Carleer, R; Yperman, J; Schreurs, S; Jans, M; Thewys, T

    2010-12-01

    The disposal problem associated with phytoextraction of farmland polluted with heavy metals by means of willow requires a biomass conversion technique which meets both ecological and economical needs. Combustion and gasification of willow require special and costly flue gas treatment to avoid re-emission of the metals in the atmosphere, whereas flash pyrolysis mainly results in the production of (almost) metal free bio-oil with a relatively high water content. Flash co-pyrolysis of biomass and waste of biopolymers synergistically improves the characteristics of the pyrolysis process: e.g. reduction of the water content of the bio-oil, more bio-oil and less char production and an increase of the HHV of the oil. This research paper investigates the economic consequences of the synergistic effects of flash co-pyrolysis of 1:1 w/w ratio blends of willow and different biopolymer waste streams via cost-benefit analysis and Monte Carlo simulations taking into account uncertainties. In all cases economic opportunities of flash co-pyrolysis of biomass with biopolymer waste are improved compared to flash pyrolysis of pure willow. Of all the biopolymers under investigation, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is the most promising, followed by Eastar, Biopearls, potato starch, polylactic acid (PLA), corn starch and Solanyl in order of decreasing profits. Taking into account uncertainties, flash co-pyrolysis is expected to be cheaper than composting biopolymer waste streams, except for corn starch. If uncertainty increases, composting also becomes more interesting than flash co-pyrolysis for waste of Solanyl. If the investment expenditure is 15% higher in practice than estimated, the preference for flash co-pyrolysis compared to composting biopolymer waste becomes less clear. Only when the system of green current certificates is dismissed, composting clearly is a much cheaper processing technique for disposing of biopolymer waste. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Mobility Enhancement of Red Blood Cells with Biopolymers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tahara, Daiki; Oikawa, Noriko; Kurita, Rei

    2016-03-01

    Adhesion of red blood cells (RBC) to substrates are one of crucial problems for a blood clot. Here we investigate the mobility of RBC between two glass substrates in saline with polymer systems. We find that RBCs are adhered to the glass substrate with PEG, however the mobility steeply increases with fibrinogen and dextran, which are biopolymers. We also find that the mobility affects an aggregation dynamics of RBCs, which is related with diseases such as influenza, blood clot and so on. The Brownian motion helps to increase probability of contact with each other and to find a more stable condition of the aggregation. Thus the biopolymers play important roles not only for preventing the adhesion but also for the aggregation.

  20. Soil Carbon-Fixation Rates and Associated Bacterial Diversity and Abundance in Three Natural Ecosystems.

    PubMed

    Lynn, Tin Mar; Ge, Tida; Yuan, Hongzhao; Wei, Xiaomeng; Wu, Xiaohong; Xiao, Keqing; Kumaresan, Deepak; Yu, San San; Wu, Jinshui; Whiteley, Andrew S

    2017-04-01

    CO 2 assimilation by autotrophic microbes is an important process in soil carbon cycling, and our understanding of the community composition of autotrophs in natural soils and their role in carbon sequestration of these soils is still limited. Here, we investigated the autotrophic C incorporation in soils from three natural ecosystems, i.e., wetland (WL), grassland (GR), and forest (FO) based on the incorporation of labeled C into the microbial biomass. Microbial assimilation of 14 C ( 14 C-MBC) differed among the soils from three ecosystems, accounting for 14.2-20.2% of 14 C-labeled soil organic carbon ( 14 C-SOC). We observed a positive correlation between the cbbL (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO) large-subunit gene) abundance, 14 C-SOC level, and 14 C-MBC concentration confirming the role of autotrophic bacteria in soil carbon sequestration. Distinct cbbL-bearing bacterial communities were present in each soil type; form IA and form IC RubisCO-bearing bacteria were most abundant in WL, followed by GR soils, with sequences from FO soils exclusively derived from the form IC clade. Phylogenetically, the diversity of CO 2 -fixing autotrophs and CO oxidizers differed significantly with soil type, whereas cbbL-bearing bacterial communities were similar when assessed using coxL. We demonstrate that local edaphic factors such as pH and salinity affect the C-fixation rate as well as cbbL and coxL gene abundance and diversity. Such insights into the effect of soil type on the autotrophic bacterial capacity and subsequent carbon cycling of natural ecosystems will provide information to enhance the sustainable management of these important natural ecosystems.

  1. Seasonal variation in natural abundance of 2H and 18O in urine samples from rural Nigeria

    PubMed Central

    Dugas, Lara R.; Brieger, William; Tayo, Bamidele O.; Alabi, Tunrayo; Schoeller, Dale A.; Luke, Amy

    2015-01-01

    The doubly labeled water (DLW) method is used to measure free-living energy expenditure in humans. Inherent to this technique is the assumption that natural abundances of stable isotopes 2H and 18O in body water remain constant over the course of the measurement period and after elimination of the loading dose of DLW will return to the same predose level. To determine variability in the natural abundances of 2H and 18O in humans living in a region with seasonal shifts in rain patterns and sources of drinking water, over the course of 12 mo we collected weekly urine samples from four individuals living in southwest Nigeria as well as samples of their drinking water. From ongoing regional studies of hypertension, obesity, and energy expenditure, we estimated average water turnover rate, urine volumes, and sodium and potassium excretion. Results suggest that 2H and 18O in urine, mean concentrations of urinary sodium and potassium, urine volume, and total body turnover differed significantly from dry to rainy season. Additionally, seasonal weather variables (mean monthly maximum temperatures, total monthly rainfall, and minimum relative humidity) were all significantly associated with natural abundances in urine. No seasonal difference was observed in drinking water samples. Findings suggest that natural abundances in urine may not remain constant as assumed, and studies incorporating DLW measurements across the transition of seasons should interpret results with caution unless appropriate doses of the tracers are used. PMID:25977450

  2. Seasonal variation in natural abundance of 2H and 18O in urine samples from rural Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Harbison, Justin E; Dugas, Lara R; Brieger, William; Tayo, Bamidele O; Alabi, Tunrayo; Schoeller, Dale A; Luke, Amy

    2015-07-01

    The doubly labeled water (DLW) method is used to measure free-living energy expenditure in humans. Inherent to this technique is the assumption that natural abundances of stable isotopes (2)H and (18)O in body water remain constant over the course of the measurement period and after elimination of the loading dose of DLW will return to the same predose level. To determine variability in the natural abundances of (2)H and (18)O in humans living in a region with seasonal shifts in rain patterns and sources of drinking water, over the course of 12 mo we collected weekly urine samples from four individuals living in southwest Nigeria as well as samples of their drinking water. From ongoing regional studies of hypertension, obesity, and energy expenditure, we estimated average water turnover rate, urine volumes, and sodium and potassium excretion. Results suggest that (2)H and (18)O in urine, mean concentrations of urinary sodium and potassium, urine volume, and total body turnover differed significantly from dry to rainy season. Additionally, seasonal weather variables (mean monthly maximum temperatures, total monthly rainfall, and minimum relative humidity) were all significantly associated with natural abundances in urine. No seasonal difference was observed in drinking water samples. Findings suggest that natural abundances in urine may not remain constant as assumed, and studies incorporating DLW measurements across the transition of seasons should interpret results with caution unless appropriate doses of the tracers are used. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

  3. Nanostructured Materials Utilized in Biopolymer-based Plastics for Food Packaging Applications.

    PubMed

    Ghanbarzadeh, Babak; Oleyaei, Seyed Amir; Almasi, Hadi

    2015-01-01

    Most materials currently used for food packaging are nondegradable, generating environmental problems. Several biopolymers have been exploited to develop materials for ecofriendly food packaging. However, the use of biopolymers has been limited because of their usually poor mechanical and barrier properties, which may be improved by adding reinforcing compounds (fillers), forming composites. Most reinforced materials present poor matrix-filler interactions, which tend to improve with decreasing filler dimensions. The use of fillers with at least one nanoscale dimension (nanoparticles) produces nanocomposites. Nanoparticles have proportionally larger surface area than their microscale counterparts, which favors the filler-matrix interactions and the performance of the resulting material. Besides nanoreinforcements, nanoparticles can have other functions when added to a polymer, such as antimicrobial activity, etc. in this review paper, the structure and properties of main kinds of nanostructured materials which have been studied to use as nanofiller in biopolymer matrices are overviewed, as well as their effects and applications.

  4. A Biogeotechnical approach to Stabilize Soft Marine Soil with a Microbial Organic Material called Biopolymer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chang, I.; Cho, G. C.; Kwon, Y. M.; Im, J.

    2017-12-01

    The importance and demands of offshore and coastal area development are increasing due to shortage of usable land and to have access to valuable marine resources. However, most coastal soils are soft sediments, mainly composed with fines (silt and clay) and having high water and organic contents, which induce complicated mechanical- and geochemical- behaviors and even be insufficient in Geotechnical engineering aspects. At least, soil stabilization procedures are required for those soft sediments, regardless of the purpose of usage on the site. One of the most common soft soil stabilization method is using ordinary cement as a soil strengthening binder. However, the use of cement in marine environments is reported to occur environmental concerns such as pH increase and accompanying marine ecosystem disturbance. Therefore, a new environmentally-friendly treatment material for coastal and offshore soils. In this study, a biopolymer material produced by microbes is introduced to enhance the physical behavior of a soft tidal flat sediment by considering the biopolymer rheology, soil mineralogy, and chemical properties of marine water. Biopolymer material used in this study forms inter-particle bonds between particles which is promoted through cation-bridges where the cations are provided from marine water. Moreover, biopolymer treatment renders unique stress-strain relationship of soft soils. The mechanical stiffness (M) instantly increase with the presence of biopolymer, while time-dependent settlement behavior (consolidation) shows a big delay due to the viscous biopolymer hydrogels in pore spaces.

  5. Remediation of heavy hydrocarbon impacted soil using biopolymer and polystyrene foam beads.

    PubMed

    Wilton, Nicholas; Lyon-Marion, Bonnie A; Kamath, Roopa; McVey, Kevin; Pennell, Kurt D; Robbat, Albert

    2018-05-05

    A green chemistry solution is presented for the remediation of heavy hydrocarbon impacted soils. The two-phase recovery system relies on a plant-based biopolymer, which releases hydrocarbons from soil, and polystyrene foam beads, which recover them from solids and water. The efficiency of the process was demonstrated by comparisons with control experiments, where water, biopolymer, or beads alone yielded total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) reductions of 25%, 52%, and 58%, respectively, compared to 94% when 1.25 mL of 1% biopolymer and 15 mg beads per gram of soil were agitated for 30 min. Reductions in TPH content were substantial regardless of soil fraction, with removals of 97%, 91%, and 75% from sand, silt, and clay size fractions, respectively. Additionally, treatment efficiency was independent of carbon number, C 13 to C 43 , as demonstrated by reductions in both diesel fuel (C 13 -C 28 ) and residual-range organics (C 25 -C 43 ) of ∼90%. Compared to other published polymer- and surfactant-based treatment methods, this system requires less mobilizing agent, sorbent, and mixing time. The remediation process is both efficient and sustainable because the biopolymer is re-useable and sourced from renewable crops and polystyrene beads are obtained from recycled materials. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Direct cerebral and cardiac 17O-MRI at 3 Tesla: initial results at natural abundance.

    PubMed

    Borowiak, Robert; Groebner, Jens; Haas, Martin; Hennig, Jürgen; Bock, Michael

    2014-02-01

    To establish direct (17)O-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for metabolic imaging at a clinical field strength of 3 T. An experimental setup including a surface coil and transmit/receive switch was constructed. Natural abundance in vivo brain images of a volunteer were acquired with a radial three-dimensional (3D) sequence in the visual cortex and in the heart with electrocardiogram (ECG)-gating. In the brain, a signal-to-noise ratio of 36 was found at a nominal resolution of (5.6 mm)(3), and a transverse relaxation time of T(2)* = (1.9 ± 0.2) ms was obtained. In the heart (17)O images were acquired with a temporal resolution of 200 ms. Cerebral and cardiac (17)O-MRI at natural abundance is feasible at 3 T.

  7. Thermodynamics of Potassium Ferricyanide Diffusion through B-1355N Exopolysaccharide Films

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Biological polymers (biopolymers) offer a degree of functionality not available in most synthetic polymers. Carbohydrate polymers (polysaccharides) are produced with great frequency in nature. Starch, cellulose and chitin are some of the most abundant natural polymers on earth. We examine here for...

  8. Interactions between natural-occurring landscape conditions and land use influencing the abundance of riverine smallmouth bass, micropterus dolomieu

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brewer, S.K.; Rabeni, C.F.

    2011-01-01

    This study examined how interactions between natural landscape features and land use influenced the abundance of smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu, in Missouri, USA, streams. Stream segments were placed into one of four groups based on natural-occurring watershed characteristics (soil texture and soil permeability) predicted to relate to smallmouth bass abundance. Within each group, stream segments were assigned forest (n = 3), pasture (n = 3), or urban (n = 3) designations based on the percentages of land use within each watershed. Analyses of variance indicated smallmouth bass densities differed between land use and natural conditions. Decision tree models indicated abundance was highest in forested stream segments and lowest in urban stream segments, regardless of group designation. Land use explained the most variation in decision tree models, but in-channel features of temperature, flow, and sediment also contributed significantly. These results are unique and indicate the importance of natural-occurring watershed conditions in defining the potential of populations and how finer-scale filters interact with land use to further alter population potential. Smallmouth bass has differing vulnerabilities to land-use attributes, and the better the natural watershed conditions are for population success, the more resilient these populations will be when land conversion occurs.

  9. Biopolymer stabilized water dispersible polyaniline for supercapacitor electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anbalagan, Amarnath Chellachamy; Sawant, Shilpa Nandkishor

    2018-04-01

    Polyaniline colloidal nanoparticles (PANI CNs) were synthesized, employing biopolymer pectin (Pec) as a stabilizer along with hydrochloric acid dopant and ammonium persulfate oxidant. Chemical nature and electronic structure was studied by FT-IR and UV-visible spectroscopy respectively. FE-SEM revealed spindle like morphology of PANI CNs and displayed the nearly discrete particles without aggregation, showing stabilizing capacity of the Pec. Cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements demonstrated the electroactivity and supercapacitive property of the PANI CNs in 1 M HCl. The specific capacitance of PANI CNs in 1 M HCl at 1.5 A/g was found to be 197 F/g, where 70% of specific capacitance was retained even after 1000 cycles. These findings establish the feasibility of using the PANI CNs as a potential material for energy storage in aqueous acidic medium. Furthermore, this colloidal dispersion can find potential application in electrodes of flexible supercapacitor device and printable electronics.

  10. The stability and degradation kinetics of Sulforaphene in microcapsules based on several biopolymers via spray drying.

    PubMed

    Tian, Guifang; Li, Yuan; Yuan, Qipeng; Cheng, Li; Kuang, Pengqun; Tang, Pingwah

    2015-05-20

    Sulforaphene (SFE) was extracted from the radish seeds and the purity of SFE extracted by our laboratory was 95%. It is well known that SFE can prevent cancers. It is also known that SFE is unstable to heat. To overcome the problem, SFE microcapsules using natural biopolymers were prepared by spray drying. The results indicated that SFE microcapsules using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD), maltodextrin (MD) and isolated soybean protein (SPI) as wall materials could effectively improve its stability against heat, especially SFE-loaded HP-β-CD and MD microcapsules. The amount of SFE in the microcapsules was found 20% higher than that of the non-encapsulated SFE under 90 °C in 168 h. Our finding suggested that the rate of degradation of the non-encapsulated and encapsulated SFE with HP-β-CD, MD and SPI followed the first-order kinetics. The speed of the degradation of the encapsulated SFE in biopolymers increased from SFE with HP-β-CD, to SFE with MD, and to SFE-SPI. The non-encapsulated SFE degrades fastest. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Hybrid waste filler filled bio-polymer foam composites for sound absorbent materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rus, Anika Zafiah M.; Azahari, M. Shafiq M.; Kormin, Shaharuddin; Soon, Leong Bong; Zaliran, M. Taufiq; Ahraz Sadrina M. F., L.

    2017-09-01

    Sound absorption materials are one of the major requirements in many industries with regards to the sound insulation developed should be efficient to reduce sound. This is also important to contribute in economically ways of producing sound absorbing materials which is cheaper and user friendly. Thus, in this research, the sound absorbent properties of bio-polymer foam filled with hybrid fillers of wood dust and waste tire rubber has been investigated. Waste cooking oil from crisp industries was converted into bio-monomer, filled with different proportion ratio of fillers and fabricated into bio-polymer foam composite. Two fabrication methods is applied which is the Close Mold Method (CMM) and Open Mold Method (OMM). A total of four bio-polymer foam composite samples were produce for each method used. The percentage of hybrid fillers; mixture of wood dust and waste tire rubber of 2.5 %, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10% weight to weight ration with bio-monomer. The sound absorption of the bio-polymer foam composites samples were tested by using the impedance tube test according to the ASTM E-1050 and Scanning Electron Microscope to determine the morphology and porosity of the samples. The sound absorption coefficient (α) at different frequency range revealed that the polymer foam of 10.0 % hybrid fillers shows highest α of 0.963. The highest hybrid filler loading contributing to smallest pore sizes but highest interconnected pores. This also revealed that when highly porous material is exposed to incident sound waves, the air molecules at the surface of the material and within the pores of the material are forced to vibrate and loses some of their original energy. This is concluded that the suitability of bio-polymer foam filled with hybrid fillers to be used in acoustic application of automotive components such as dashboards, door panels, cushion and etc.

  12. Effect on tomato plant and fruit of the application of biopolymer-oregano essential oil coatings.

    PubMed

    Perdones, Ángela; Tur, Núria; Chiralt, Amparo; Vargas, Maria

    2016-10-01

    Oregano essential oil (EO) was incorporated into film-forming dispersions (FFDs) based on biopolymers (chitosan and/or methylcellulose) at two different concentrations. The effect of the application of the FFDs was evaluated on tomato plants (cultivar Micro-Tom) at three different stages of development, and on pre-harvest and postharvest applications on tomato fruit. The application of the FFDs at '3 Leaves' stage caused phytotoxic problems, which were lethal when the EO was applied without biopolymers. Even though plant growth and development were delayed, the total biomass and the crop yield were not affected by biopolymer-EO treatments. When the FFDs were applied in the 'Fruit' stage the pre-harvest application of FFDs had no negative effects. All FFDs containing EO significantly reduced the respiration rate of tomato fruit and diminished weight loss during storage. Moreover, biopolymer-EO FFDs led to a decrease in the fungal decay of tomato fruit inoculated with Rhizopus stolonifer spores, as compared with non-treated tomato fruit and those coated with FFDs without EO. The application of biopolymer-oregano essential oil coatings has been proven to be an effective treatment to control R. stolonifer in tomato fruit. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  13. Surface enhaced raman scattering (SERS) with biopolymer encapsulated silver nanosubstrates for rapid detection of foodborne pathogens

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A biopolymer encapsulated with silver nanoparticles was prepared using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution, silver nitrate, and trisodium citrate. Biopolymer based nanosubstrates were deposited on a mica sheet for SERS. Fresh cultures of Salmonella Typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus a...

  14. Active biopolymers in green non-conventional media: a sustainable tool for developing clean chemical processes.

    PubMed

    Lozano, Pedro; Bernal, Juana M; Nieto, Susana; Gomez, Celia; Garcia-Verdugo, Eduardo; Luis, Santiago V

    2015-12-21

    The greenness of chemical processes turns around two main axes: the selectivity of catalytic transformations, and the separation of pure products. The transfer of the exquisite catalytic efficiency shown by enzymes in nature to chemical processes is an important challenge. By using appropriate reaction systems, the combination of biopolymers with supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) and ionic liquids (ILs) resulted in synergetic and outstanding platforms for developing (multi)catalytic green chemical processes, even under flow conditions. The stabilization of biocatalysts, together with the design of straightforward approaches for separation of pure products including the full recovery and reuse of enzymes/ILs systems, are essential elements for developing clean chemical processes. By understanding structure-function relationships of biopolymers in ILs, as well as for ILs themselves (e.g. sponge-like ionic liquids, SLILs; supported ionic liquids-like phases, SILLPs, etc.), several integral green chemical processes of (bio)catalytic transformation and pure product separation are pointed out (e.g. the biocatalytic production of biodiesel in SLILs, etc.). Other developments based on DNA/ILs systems, as pathfinder studies for further technological applications in the near future, are also considered.

  15. Biopolymer as an Alternative to Petroleum-based Polymers to Control Soil Erosion: Iowa Army Ammunition Plant

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-11-01

    surface. Biopolymer (first application), and biopolymer plus seed (second application), were applied using a hydroseeder. 20 Figure 9. Initial...fluid replacement. Replacement fluids can be commercial mixes such as water, Gatorade, or fruit juices . • Work/Rest Regimens: Implementation of a

  16. Corrosion Inhibition of High Speed Steel by Biopolymer HPMC Derivatives

    PubMed Central

    Shi, Shih-Chen; Su, Chieh-Chang

    2016-01-01

    The corrosion inhibition characteristics of the derivatives of biopolymer hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate (HPMCP), and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS) film are investigated. Based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopic measurements and potentiodynamic polarization, the corrosion inhibition performance of high speed steel coated with HPMC derivatives is evaluated. The Nyquist plot and Tafel polarization demonstrate promising anti-corrosion performance of HPMC and HPMCP. With increasing film thickness, both materials reveal improvement in corrosion inhibition. Moreover, because of a hydrophobic surface and lower moisture content, HPMCP shows better anti-corrosion performance than HPMCAS. The study is of certain importance for designing green corrosion inhibitors of high speed steel surfaces by the use of biopolymer derivatives. PMID:28773733

  17. Integrated bioconversion of syngas into bioethanol and biopolymers.

    PubMed

    Lagoa-Costa, Borja; Abubackar, Haris Nalakath; Fernández-Romasanta, María; Kennes, Christian; Veiga, María C

    2017-09-01

    Syngas bioconversion is a promising method for bioethanol production, but some VFA remains at the end of fermentation. A two-stage process was set-up, including syngas fermentation as first stage under strict anaerobic conditions using C. autoethanogenum as inoculum, with syngas (CO/CO 2 /H 2 /N 2 , 30/10/20/40) as gaseous substrate. The second stage consisted in various fed-batch assays using a highly enriched PHA accumulating biomass as inoculum, where the potential for biopolymer production from the remaining acetic acid at the end of the syngas fermentation was evaluated. All of the acetic acid was consumed and accumulated as biopolymer, while ethanol and 2,3-butanediol remained basically unused. It can be concluded that a high C/N ratio in the effluent from the syngas fermentation stage was responsible for non-consumption of alcohols. A maximum PHA content of 24% was reached at the end of the assay. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Natural melanin: a potential pH-responsive drug release device.

    PubMed

    Araújo, Marco; Viveiros, Raquel; Correia, Tiago R; Correia, Ilídio J; Bonifácio, Vasco D B; Casimiro, Teresa; Aguiar-Ricardo, Ana

    2014-07-20

    This work proposes melanin as a new nanocarrier for pH-responsive drug release. Melanin is an abundant natural polymer that can be easily extracted from cuttlefish as nanoparticles with a suitable size range for drug delivery. However, despite its high potentiality, the application of this biopolymer in the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields is yet to be explored. Herein, melanin nanoparticles were impregnated with metronidazole, chosen as model antibiotic drug, using supercritical carbon dioxide. The drug release profile was investigated at acidic and physiologic pH, and the dominant mechanism was found to follow a non-Fickian transport. Drug release from melanin shows a strong pH dependency, which allied to its biocompatibility and lack of cytotoxicity envisages its potential application as nanocarrier in formulations for colon and intestine targeted drug delivery. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Hemostatic, antibacterial biopolymers from Acacia arabica (Lam.) Willd. and Moringa oleifera (Lam.) as potential wound dressing materials.

    PubMed

    Bhatnagar, Monica; Parwani, Laxmi; Sharma, Vinay; Ganguli, Jhuma; Bhatnagar, Ashish

    2013-10-01

    Acacia arabica and Moringa oleifera are credited with a number of medicinal properties. Traditionally gum of Acacia plant is used in the treatment of skin disorders to soothe skin rashes, soreness, inflammation and burns while Moringa seed extracts are known to have antibacterial activity. In the present study the potential of the polymeric component of aqueous extracts of gum acacia (GA) and the seeds of M. oleifera (MSP) in wound management was evaluated. The results revealed that both biopolymers were hemostatic and hasten blood coagulation. They showed shortening of activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time and were non-cytotoxic in nature. Both showed antibacterial activity against organisms known to be involved in wound infections with MIC ranging from 500-600 microg mL(-1) for GA and 300-700 microg mL(-1) for MSP. They were biodegradable and exhibited water absorption capacity in the range of 415 to 935%. The hemostatic character coupled to these properties envisions their potential in preparation of dressings for bleeding and profusely exuding wounds. The biopolymers have been further analysed for their composition by Gas chromatography.

  20. Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) Synthesis by Spirulina sp. LEB 18 Using Biopolymer Extraction Waste.

    PubMed

    da Silva, Cleber Klasener; Costa, Jorge Alberto Vieira; de Morais, Michele Greque

    2018-01-20

    The reuse of waste as well as the production of biodegradable compounds has for years been the object of studies and of global interest as a way to reduce the environmental impact generated by unsustainable exploratory processes. The conversion of linear processes into cyclical processes has environmental and economic advantages, reducing waste deposition and reducing costs. The objective of this work was to use biopolymer extraction waste in the cultivation of Spirulina sp. LEB 18, for the cyclic process of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) synthesis. Concentrations of 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30% (v/v) of biopolymer extraction waste were tested. For comparison, two assays were used without addition of waste, Zarrouk (SZ) and modified Zarrouk (ZM), with reduction of nitrogen. The assays were carried out in triplicate and evaluated for the production of microalgal biomass and PHB. The tests with addition of waste presented a biomass production statistically equal to ZM (0.79 g L -1 ) (p < 0.1). The production of PHB in the assay containing 25% of waste was higher when compared to the other cultivations, obtaining 10.6% (w/w) of biopolymer. From the results obtained, it is affirmed that the use of PHB extraction waste in the microalgal cultivation, aiming at the synthesis of biopolymers, can occur in a cyclic process, reducing process costs and the deposition of waste, thus favoring the preservation of the environment.

  1. Determination of lithium isotopes at natural abundance levels by atomic absorption spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Meier, A.L.

    1982-01-01

    The relationships of the absorption of 6Li and 7Li hollow cathode lamp emissions are used to determine lithium isotopic composition in the natural abundance range of geologic materials. Absorption was found to have a nonlinear dependence upon total lithium concentration and isotopic composition. A method using nonlinear equations to describe the relationship of the absorption of 6Li and 7Li lamp radiation is proposed as a means of calculating isotopic composition that is independent of total lithium concentration.

  2. Solid-State (13)C NMR Delineates the Architectural Design of Biopolymers in Native and Genetically Altered Tomato Fruit Cuticles.

    PubMed

    Chatterjee, Subhasish; Matas, Antonio J; Isaacson, Tal; Kehlet, Cindie; Rose, Jocelyn K C; Stark, Ruth E

    2016-01-11

    Plant cuticles on outer fruit and leaf surfaces are natural macromolecular composites of waxes and polyesters that ensure mechanical integrity and mitigate environmental challenges. They also provide renewable raw materials for cosmetics, packaging, and coatings. To delineate the structural framework and flexibility underlying the versatile functions of cutin biopolymers associated with polysaccharide-rich cell-wall matrices, solid-state NMR spectra and spin relaxation times were measured in a tomato fruit model system, including different developmental stages and surface phenotypes. The hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance of the cutin ensures compatibility with the underlying polysaccharide cell walls; the hydroxy fatty acid structures of outer epidermal cutin also support deposition of hydrophobic waxes and aromatic moieties while promoting the formation of cell-wall cross-links that rigidify and strengthen the cuticle composite during fruit development. Fruit cutin-deficient tomato mutants with compromised microbial resistance exhibit less efficient local and collective biopolymer motions, stiffening their cuticular surfaces and increasing their susceptibility to fracture.

  3. Wetting of biopolymer coatings: contact angle kinetics and image analysis investigation.

    PubMed

    Farris, Stefano; Introzzi, Laura; Biagioni, Paolo; Holz, Torsten; Schiraldi, Alberto; Piergiovanni, Luciano

    2011-06-21

    The surface wetting of five biopolymers, used as coating materials for a plastic film, was monitored over a span of 8 min by means of the optical contact angle technique. Because most of the total variation was observed to occur during the first 60 s, we decided to focus on this curtailed temporal window. Initial contact angle values (θ(0)) ranged from ∼91° for chitosan to ∼30° for pullulan. However, the water drop profile began to change immediately following drop deposition for all biocoatings, confirming that the concept of water contact angle equilibrium is not applicable to most biopolymers. First, a three-parameter decay equation [θ(t) = θ(0) exp(kt(n))] was fit to the experimental contact angle data to describe the kinetics of the contact angle change for each biocoating. Interestingly, the k constant correlated well with the contact angle evolution rate and the n exponent seemed to be somehow linked to the physicochemical phenomena underlying the overall kinetics process. Second, to achieve a reliable description of droplet evolution, the contact angle (CA) analysis was coupled with image analysis (IA) through a combined geometric/trigonometric approach. Absorption and spreading were the key factors governing the overall mechanism of surface wetting during the 60 s analysis, although the individual quantification of both phenomena demonstrated that spreading provided the largest contribution for all biopolymers, with the only exception of gelatin, which showed two quasi-equivalent and counterbalancing effects. The possible correlation between these two phenomena and the topography of the biopolymer surfaces are then discussed on the basis of atomic force microscopy analyses. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  4. Identification of microbial populations driving biopolymer degradation in acidic peatlands by metatranscriptomic analysis.

    PubMed

    Ivanova, Anastasia A; Wegner, Carl-Eric; Kim, Yongkyu; Liesack, Werner; Dedysh, Svetlana N

    2016-10-01

    Northern peatlands play a crucial role in the global carbon balance, serving as a persistent sink for atmospheric CO2 and a global carbon store. Their most extensive type, Sphagnum-dominated acidic peatlands, is inhabited by microorganisms with poorly understood degradation capabilities. Here, we applied a combination of barcoded pyrosequencing of SSU rRNA genes and Illumina RNA-Seq of total RNA (metatranscriptomics) to identify microbial populations and enzymes involved in degrading the major components of Sphagnum-derived litter and exoskeletons of peat-inhabiting arthropods: cellulose, xylan, pectin and chitin. Biopolymer addition to peat induced a threefold to fivefold increase in bacterial cell numbers. Functional community profiles of assembled mRNA differed between experimental treatments. In particular, pectin and xylan triggered increased transcript abundance of genes involved in energy metabolism and central carbon metabolism, such as glycolysis and TCA cycle. Concurrently, the substrate-induced activity of bacteria on these two biopolymers stimulated grazing of peat-inhabiting protozoa. Alveolata (ciliates) was the most responsive protozoa group as confirmed by analysis of both SSU rRNA genes and SSU rRNA. A stimulation of alphaproteobacterial methanotrophs on pectin was consistently shown by rRNA and mRNA data. Most likely, their significant enrichment was due to the utilization of methanol released during the degradation of pectin. Analysis of SSU rRNA and total mRNA revealed a specific response of Acidobacteria and Actinobacteria to chitin and pectin, respectively. Relatives of Telmatobacter bradus were most responsive among the Acidobacteria, while the actinobacterial response was primarily affiliated with Frankiales and Propionibacteriales. The expression of a wide repertoire of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) corresponded well to the detection of a highly diverse peat-inhabiting microbial community, which is dominated by yet uncultivated

  5. The physicochemical properties of a spray dried glutinous rice starch biopolymer.

    PubMed

    Laovachirasuwan, Pornpun; Peerapattana, Jomjai; Srijesdaruk, Voranuch; Chitropas, Padungkwan; Otsuka, Makoto

    2010-06-15

    Glutinous rice starch (GRS) is a biopolymer used widely in the food industry but not at all in the pharmaceutical industry. There are several ways to modify this biopolymer. Physical modification is simple and cheap because it requires no chemicals or biological agents. The aim of this study was to characterize the physicochemical properties of a spray dried glutinous rice starch (SGRS) produced from pregelatinized GRS. The surface morphology changed from an irregular to concave spherical shape as revealed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). SGRS was almost amorphous as determined by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy. The water molecules became linked through hydrogen bonds to the exposed hydroxyl group of amorphous SGRS as determined by Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. Then, SGRS formed a colloid gel matrix with water and developed a highly viscous gelatinous form as determined using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and a stress control type rheometer. In addition, SGRS can swell and produce a gelatinous surface barrier like a hydrophilic matrix biopolymer which controls drug release. Therefore, a novel application of SGRS is as a sustained release modifier for direct compression tablets in the pharmaceutical industry. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Inorganic polyphosphate in the microbial world. Emerging roles for a multifaceted biopolymer.

    PubMed

    Albi, Tomás; Serrano, Aurelio

    2016-02-01

    Inorganic polyphosphates (polyP) are linear polymers of tens to hundreds orthophosphate residues linked by phosphoanhydride bonds. These fairly abundant biopolymers occur in all extant forms of life, from prokaryotes to mammals, and could have played a relevant role in prebiotic evolution. Since the first identification of polyP deposits as metachromatic or volutin granules in yeasts in the nineteenth century, an increasing number of varied physiological functions have been reported. Due to their "high energy" bonds analogous to those in ATP and their properties as polyanions, polyP serve as microbial phosphagens for a variety of biochemical reactions, as a buffer against alkalis, as a storage of Ca(2+) and as a metal-chelating agent. In addition, recent studies have revealed polyP importance in signaling and regulatory processes, cell viability and proliferation, pathogen virulence, as a structural component and chemical chaperone, and as modulator of microbial stress response. This review summarizes the current status of knowledge and future perspectives of polyP functions and their related enzymes in the microbial world.

  7. Increased natural mortality at low abundance can generate an Allee effect in a marine fish.

    PubMed

    Kuparinen, Anna; Hutchings, Jeffrey A

    2014-10-01

    Negative density-dependent regulation of population dynamics promotes population growth at low abundance and is therefore vital for recovery following depletion. Inversely, any process that reduces the compensatory density-dependence of population growth can negatively affect recovery. Here, we show that increased adult mortality at low abundance can reverse compensatory population dynamics into its opposite-a demographic Allee effect. Northwest Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) stocks collapsed dramatically in the early 1990s and have since shown little sign of recovery. Many experienced dramatic increases in natural mortality, ostensibly attributable in some populations to increased predation by seals. Our findings show that increased natural mortality of a magnitude observed for overfished cod stocks has been more than sufficient to fundamentally alter the dynamics of density-dependent population regulation. The demographic Allee effect generated by these changes can slow down or even impede the recovery of depleted populations even in the absence of fishing.

  8. Porous structures from bio-based polymers via supercritical drying

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Natural biobased polymers (biopolymers or biomacromolecules) such as polysaccharides, proteins, and polylactic acid derived from plant and animal sources are interesting materials due to their abundance, renewability, low cost, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and interesting chemistry. Many biop...

  9. Application of guar gum biopolymer in the prescription of tablets with sodium ibuprofen--quality tests and pharmaceutical availability in vitro.

    PubMed

    Berner-Strzelczyk, Aneta; Kołodziejska, Justyna; Zgoda, Marian Mikołaj

    2006-01-01

    The increasing interest of the technology of drug form in natural biopolymers has become the reason for undertaking investigations on the possibility of guar gum application in the prescription of oral solid form of a drug. Alternative compositions and technology of the production of tablets of regulated in time sodium ibuprofen release were worked out for children. Two series of tablets were prepared with guar gum (5 and 10% content) and a series without the biopolymer. The tablet mass in each case contained keryostatic sorbitol and bioadhesive polyvinylpyrrolidone. All tablets were tested as regards the quality of production, compliance with the requirements of Polish Pharmacopoeia VI and potential therapeutic usefulness, manifestation of which is pharmaceutical availability of the therapeutic agent (sodium ibuprofen). The tests demonstrated that the produced tablets with sodium ibuprofen have proper physicochemical properties, in compliance with Polish Pharmacopoeia VI requirements. Application of biopolymer of guar gum type as adjuvant substance contributes to the improvement of the tablet hardness parameters and prevents technological problems (lining mixture of powders to tableting machine punch). The designed tablets demonstrate proper pharmaceutical availability of over 80%. Introduction of guar gum into their prescription prolonged their disintegration time and the rate of sodium ibuprofen release, which predisposes the produced form of a drug to have the function of a tablet with slowed-down release.

  10. Relation of desert pupfish abundance to selected environmental variables in natural and manmade habitats in the Salton Sea basin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Martin, B.A.; Saiki, M.K.

    2005-01-01

    We assessed the relation between abundance of desert pupfish, Cyprinodon macularius, and selected biological and physicochemical variables in natural and manmade habitats within the Salton Sea Basin. Field sampling in a natural tributary, Salt Creek, and three agricultural drains captured eight species including pupfish (1.1% of the total catch), the only native species encountered. According to Bray-Curtis resemblance functions, fish species assemblages differed mostly between Salt Creek and the drains (i.e., the three drains had relatively similar species assemblages). Pupfish numbers and environmental variables varied among sites and sample periods. Canonical correlation showed that pupfish abundance was positively correlated with abundance of western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, and negatively correlated with abundance of porthole livebearers, Poeciliopsis gracilis, tilapias (Sarotherodon mossambica and Tilapia zillii), longjaw mudsuckers, Gillichthys mirabilis, and mollies (Poecilia latipinnaandPoecilia mexicana). In addition, pupfish abundance was positively correlated with cover, pH, and salinity, and negatively correlated with sediment factor (a measure of sediment grain size) and dissolved oxygen. Pupfish abundance was generally highest in habitats where water quality extremes (especially high pH and salinity, and low dissolved oxygen) seemingly limited the occurrence of nonnative fishes. This study also documented evidence of predation by mudsuckers on pupfish. These findings support the contention of many resource managers that pupfish populations are adversely influenced by ecological interactions with nonnative fishes. ?? Springer 2005.

  11. Natural abundances of carbon isotopes in acetate from a coastal marine sediment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Blair, N. E.; Martens, C. S.; Des Marais, D. J.

    1987-01-01

    Measurements of the natural abundances of carbon isotopes were made in acetate samples isolated from the anoxic marine sediment of Cape Lookout Bight, North Carolina. The typical value of the total acetate carbon isotope ratio (delta 13C) was -16.1 +/- 0.2 per mil. The methyl and carboxyl groups were determined to be -26.4 +/- 0.3 and -6.0 +/- 0.3 per mil, respectively, for one sample. The isotopic composition of the acetate is thought to have resulted from isotopic discriminations that occurred during the cycling of that molecule. Measurements of this type, which have not been made previously in the natural environment, may provide information about the dominant microbial pathways in anoxic sediments as well as the processes that influence the carbon isotopic composition of biogenic methane from many sources.

  12. Biopolymers for Antitumor Implantable Drug Delivery Systems: Recent Advances and Future Outlook.

    PubMed

    Talebian, Sepehr; Foroughi, Javad; Wade, Samantha J; Vine, Kara L; Dolatshahi-Pirouz, Alireza; Mehrali, Mehdi; Conde, João; Wallace, Gordon G

    2018-05-13

    In spite of remarkable improvements in cancer treatments and survivorship, cancer still remains as one of the major causes of death worldwide. Although current standards of care provide encouraging results, they still cause severe systemic toxicity and also fail in preventing recurrence of the disease. In order to address these issues, biomaterial-based implantable drug delivery systems (DDSs) have emerged as promising therapeutic platforms, which allow local administration of drugs directly to the tumor site. Owing to the unique properties of biopolymers, they have been used in a variety of ways to institute biodegradable implantable DDSs that exert precise spatiotemporal control over the release of therapeutic drug. Here, the most recent advances in biopolymer-based DDSs for suppressing tumor growth and preventing tumor recurrence are reviewed. Novel emerging biopolymers as well as cutting-edge polymeric microdevices deployed as implantable antitumor DDSs are discussed. Finally, a review of a new therapeutic modality within the field, which is based on implantable biopolymeric DDSs, is given. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Achieving biopolymer synergy in systems chemistry.

    PubMed

    Bai, Yushi; Chotera, Agata; Taran, Olga; Liang, Chen; Ashkenasy, Gonen; Lynn, David G

    2018-05-31

    Synthetic and materials chemistry initiatives have enabled the translation of the macromolecular functions of biology into synthetic frameworks. These explorations into alternative chemistries of life attempt to capture the versatile functionality and adaptability of biopolymers in new orthogonal scaffolds. Information storage and transfer, however, so beautifully represented in the central dogma of biology, require multiple components functioning synergistically. Over a single decade, the emerging field of systems chemistry has begun to catalyze the construction of mutualistic biopolymer networks, and this review begins with the foundational small-molecule-based dynamic chemical networks and peptide amyloid-based dynamic physical networks on which this effort builds. The approach both contextualizes the versatile approaches that have been developed to enrich chemical information in synthetic networks and highlights the properties of amyloids as potential alternative genetic elements. The successful integration of both chemical and physical networks through β-sheet assisted replication processes further informs the synergistic potential of these networks. Inspired by the cooperative synergies of nucleic acids and proteins in biology, synthetic nucleic-acid-peptide chimeras are now being explored to extend their informational content. With our growing range of synthetic capabilities, structural analyses, and simulation technologies, this foundation is radically extending the structural space that might cross the Darwinian threshold for the origins of life as well as creating an array of alternative systems capable of achieving the progressive growth of novel informational materials.

  14. Development of a biopolymer nanoparticle-based method of oral toxicity testing in aquatic invertebrates.

    PubMed

    Gott, Ryan C; Luo, Yangchao; Wang, Qin; Lamp, William O

    2014-06-01

    Aquatic toxicity testing generally focuses on the water absorption/dermal route of exposure to potential toxic chemicals, while much less work has been done on the oral route of exposure. This is due in part to the difficulties of applying traditional oral toxicity testing to aquatic environments, including the tendency for test chemicals to dissolve into water. The use of biopolymer nanoparticles to encapsulate test chemicals onto food to prevent dissolution is one solution presented herein. The biopolymers zein and chitosan were explored for their previously known nanoparticle-forming abilities. Nanoparticles containing the test chemical rhodamine B were formed, applied as films to coat food, and then fed to the test organism, the freshwater amphipod Hyalella azteca. In feeding trials both zein and chitosan nanoparticles showed a significantly lower release rate of rhodamine B into water than food dyed with rhodamine B without biopolymer nanoparticles. Zein nanoparticles also showed better retention ability than chitosan nanoparticles. Both kinds of nanoparticles showed no significant effect on the survival, growth, or feeding behavior of H. azteca. Thus these biopolymers may be an effective system to encapsulate and deliver chemicals to aquatic invertebrates without interfering with common toxicity assessment endpoints like survival and growth. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Microbial Flocculant for Nature Soda

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Qin, Peiyong; Zhang, Tong; Chen, Cuixian

    2004-03-31

    Microbial flocculant for nature soda has been studied. Lactobacillus TRJ21, which was able to produce an excellent biopolymer flocculant for nature soda, was obtained in our lab. The microbial flocculant was mainly produced when the bacteria laid in stationary growth phase. Fructose or glucose, as carbon sources, were more favorable for the bacterial growth and flocculant production. The bacteria was able to use ammonium sulfate or Urea as nitrogen to produce flocculant, but was not able to use peptone effectively. High C/N ratio was more favorable to Lactobacillus TRJ21 growth and flocculant production than low C/N ratio. The biopolymer flocculantmore » was mainly composed of polysaccharide and protein with a molecular weight 1.38x106 by gel permeation chromatography. It was able to be easily purified from the culture medium by acetone. Protein in the flocculant was tested for the flocculating activity ingredient by heating the flocculant.« less

  16. PALS: A unique probe for the molecular organisation of biopolymer matrices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roussenova, M.; Alam, M. A.

    2013-06-01

    This short review aims to illustrate the versatility of Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS) when utilized for the characterization of biopolymers (e.g.: starch, fractionated maltooligomers, gelatin and cellulose derivatives) commonly used for the formulation of pharmaceutical encapsulants. By showing examples from a number of recent PALS studies, we illustrate that this technique can be used to probe the changes in thermodynamic state and molecular packing for a wide range of biopolymer matrices as a function of temperature, matrix composition and water content. This provides a basis for establishing composition-structure-property relationships for these materials, which would eventually enable the rational control of their macroscopic properties and the design of optimal encapsulating matrices and intelligent drug delivery systems.

  17. Smart swelling biopolymer microparticles by a microfluidic approach: synthesis, in situ encapsulation and controlled release.

    PubMed

    Fang, Aiping; Cathala, Bernard

    2011-01-01

    This paper reports a microfluidic synthesis of biopolymer microparticles aiming at smart swelling. Monodisperse aqueous emulsion droplets comprising biopolymer and its cross-linking agent were formed in mineral oil and solidified in the winding microfluidic channels by in situ chaotic mixing, which resulted in internal chemical gelation for hydrogels. The achievement of pectin microparticles from in situ mixing pectin with its cross-linking agent, calcium ions, successfully demonstrates the reliability of this microfluidic synthesis approach. In order to achieve hydrogels with smart swelling, the following parameters and their impacts on the swelling behaviour, stability and morphology of microparticles were investigated: (1) the type of biopolymers (alginate or mixture of alginate and carboxymethylcellulose, A-CMC); (2) rapid mixing; (3) concentration and type of cross-linking agent. Superabsorbent microparticles were obtained from A-CMC mixture by using ferric chloride as an additional external cross-linking agent. The in situ encapsulation of a model protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), was also carried out. As a potential protein drug-delivery system, the BSA release behaviours of the biopolymer particles were studied in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. Compared with alginate and A-CMC microparticles cross-linked with calcium ions, A-CMC microparticles cross-linked with both calcium and ferric ions demonstrate a significantly delayed release. The controllable release profile, the facile encapsulation as well as their biocompatibility, biodegradability, mucoadhesiveness render this microfluidic approach promising in achieving biopolymer microparticles as protein drug carrier for site-specific release. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Effects of weed cover composition on insect pest and natural enemy abundance in a field of Dracaena marginata (Asparagales: Asparagaceae) in Costa Rica.

    PubMed

    Sadof, Clifford S; Linkimer, Mildred; Hidalgo, Eduardo; Casanoves, Fernando; Gibson, Kevin; Benjamin, Tamara J

    2014-04-01

    Weeds and their influence on pest and natural enemy populations were studied on a commercial ornamental farm during 2009 in the Atlantic Zone of Costa Rica. A baseline survey of the entire production plot was conducted in February, along a 5 by 5 m grid to characterize and map initial weed communities of plants, cicadellids, katydids, and armored scales. In total, 50 plant species from 21 families were found. Seven weed treatments were established to determine how weed manipulations would affect communities of our targeted pests and natural enemies. These treatments were selected based on reported effects of specific weed cover on herbivorous insects and natural enemies, or by their use by growers as a cover crop. Treatments ranged from weed-free to being completely covered with endemic species of weeds. Although some weed treatments changed pest abundances, responses differed among arthropod pests, with the strongest effects observed for Caldwelliola and Empoasca leafhoppers. Removal of all weeds increased the abundance of Empoasca, whereas leaving mostly cyperacaeous weeds increased the abundance of Caldwelliola. Weed manipulations had no effect on the abundance of katydid and scale populations. No weed treatment reduced the abundance of all three of the target pests. Differential responses of the two leafhopper species to the same weed treatments support hypotheses, suggesting that noncrop plants can alter the abundance of pests through their effects on arthropod host finding and acceptance, as well as their impacts on natural enemies.

  19. Aliphatic and aromatic plant biopolymer dynamics in soil particles isolated from sequential density fractionation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Caldwell, B.; Filley, T.; Sollins, P.; Lajtha, K.; Swanston, C.; Kleber, M.; Kramer, M.

    2007-12-01

    A recent multi-layer-based soil organic matter-mineral interaction mechanistic model to describe the nature of soil organic matter-mineral surface mechanism for soil organic matter stabilization predicts that proteinaceous and aliphatic materials establish the core of strong binding-interactions upon which other organic matter is layered. A key methodology providing data underpinning this hypothesis is sequential density fractionation where soil is partitioned into particles of increasing density with the assumption that a partial control on organic matter distribution through density series is the thickness of its layering. Four soils of varying mineralogy and texture were investigated for their biopolymer, isotopic, and mineralogical properties. Light fractions (<1.8 g/cm3), although dominanted by organic detritus, did not always contain the highest concentration of lignin and substituted fatty acids from cutin and suberin while heavier fractions, 1.8-2.6 g/cm3, exhibited a progressive decrease in concentration in plant derived biopolymers with density. Extractable lignin phenols exhibited a progressive oxidation state with density. The concentration of biopolymers roughly mirrored the C:N ratio of soil particles which dropped consistently with increasing particle density. Although, in all soils, both lignin phenols and SFA concentration generally decreased with increasing density the ratio SFA/lignin varied with density and depending upon the soil. All soils, except the oxisol, exhibited an increase in SFA with respect to lignin suggesting a selective stabilization of those material with respect to lignin. In the oxisol, which showed little variation in its hematite dominated mineralogy across density, SFA/lignin remained constant, potentially indicating a greater capacity to stabilize lignin in that system. Interestingly, the lignin oxidation state increased with density in the oxisol. Given the variation in soil character, the consistency in these trends it

  20. Boletus edulis biologically active biopolymers induce cell cycle arrest in human colon adenocarcinoma cells.

    PubMed

    Lemieszek, Marta Kinga; Cardoso, Claudia; Ferreira Milheiro Nunes, Fernando Hermínio; Ramos Novo Amorim de Barros, Ana Isabel; Marques, Guilhermina; Pożarowski, Piotr; Rzeski, Wojciech

    2013-04-25

    The use of biologically active compounds isolated from edible mushrooms against cancer raises global interest. Anticancer properties are mainly attributed to biopolymers including mainly polysaccharides, polysaccharopeptides, polysaccharide proteins, glycoproteins and proteins. In spite of the fact that Boletus edulis is one of the widely occurring and most consumed edible mushrooms, antitumor biopolymers isolated from it have not been exactly defined and studied so far. The present study is an attempt to extend this knowledge on molecular mechanisms of their anticancer action. The mushroom biopolymers (polysaccharides and glycoproteins) were extracted with hot water and purified by anion-exchange chromatography. The antiproliferative activity in human colon adenocarcinoma cells (LS180) was screened by means of MTT and BrdU assays. At the same time fractions' cytotoxicity was examined on the human colon epithelial cells (CCD 841 CoTr) by means of the LDH assay. Flow cytometry and Western blotting were applied to cell cycle analysis and protein expression involved in anticancer activity of the selected biopolymer fraction. In vitro studies have shown that fractions isolated from Boletus edulis were not toxic against normal colon epithelial cells and in the same concentration range elicited a very prominent antiproliferative effect in colon cancer cells. The best results were obtained in the case of the fraction designated as BE3. The tested compound inhibited cancer cell proliferation which was accompanied by cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1-phase. Growth inhibition was associated with modulation of the p16/cyclin D1/CDK4-6/pRb pathway, an aberration of which is a critical step in the development of many human cancers including colon cancer. Our results indicate that a biopolymer BE3 from Boletus edulis possesses anticancer potential and may provide a new therapeutic/preventive option in colon cancer chemoprevention.

  1. Hydration water dynamics in biopolymers from NMR relaxation in the rotating frame.

    PubMed

    Blicharska, Barbara; Peemoeller, Hartwig; Witek, Magdalena

    2010-12-01

    Assuming dipole-dipole interaction as the dominant relaxation mechanism of protons of water molecules adsorbed onto macromolecule (biopolymer) surfaces we have been able to model the dependences of relaxation rates on temperature and frequency. For adsorbed water molecules the correlation times are of the order of 10(-5)s, for which the dispersion region of spin-lattice relaxation rates in the rotating frame R(1)(ρ)=1/T(1)(ρ) appears over a range of easily accessible B(1) values. Measurements of T(1)(ρ) at constant temperature and different B(1) values then give the "dispersion profiles" for biopolymers. Fitting a theoretical relaxation model to these profiles allows for the estimation of correlation times. This way of obtaining the correlation time is easier and faster than approaches involving measurements of the temperature dependence of R(1)=1/T(1). The T(1)(ρ) dispersion approach, as a tool for molecular dynamics study, has been demonstrated for several hydrated biopolymer systems including crystalline cellulose, starch of different origins (potato, corn, oat, wheat), paper (modern, old) and lyophilized proteins (albumin, lysozyme). Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Stereolithographic models of the solvent-accessible surface of biopolymers. Topical report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bradford, J.; Noel, P.; Emery, J.D.

    1996-11-01

    The solvent-accessible surfaces of several biopolymers were calculated. As part of the DOE education outreach activity, two high school students participated in this project. Computer files containing sets of triangles were produced. These files are called stl files and are the ISO 9001 standard. They have been written onto CD-ROMs for distribution to American companies. Stereolithographic models were made of some of them to ensure that the computer calculations were done correctly. Stereolithographic models were made of interleukin 1{beta} (IL-1{beta}), three antibodies (an anti-p-azobenzene arsonate, an anti-Brucella A cell wall polysaccharide, and an HIV neutralizing antibody), a triple stranded coiledmore » coil, and an engrailed homeodomain. Also, the biopolymers and their files are described.« less

  3. Enzyme and metabolic engineering for the production of novel biopolymers: crossover of biological and chemical processes.

    PubMed

    Matsumoto, Ken'ichiro; Taguchi, Seiichi

    2013-12-01

    The development of synthetic biology has transformed microbes into useful factories for producing valuable polymers and/or their precursors from renewable biomass. Recent progress at the interface of chemistry and biology has enabled the production of a variety of new biopolymers with properties that substantially differ from their petroleum-derived counterparts. This review touches on recent trials and achievements in the field of biopolymer synthesis, including chemo-enzymatically synthesized aliphatic polyesters, wholly biosynthesized lactate-based polyesters, polyhydroxyalkanoates and other unusual bacterially synthesized polyesters. The expanding diversities in structure and the material properties of biopolymers are key for exploring practical applications. The enzyme and metabolic engineering approaches toward this goal are discussed by shedding light on the successful case studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. A review of combined experimental and computational procedures for assessing biopolymer structure–process–property relationships

    PubMed Central

    Gronau, Greta; Krishnaji, Sreevidhya T.; Kinahan, Michelle E.; Giesa, Tristan; Wong, Joyce Y.; Kaplan, David L.; Buehler, Markus J.

    2013-01-01

    Tailored biomaterials with tunable functional properties are desirable for many applications ranging from drug delivery to regenerative medicine. To improve the predictability of biopolymer materials functionality, multiple design parameters need to be considered, along with appropriate models. In this article we review the state of the art of synthesis and processing related to the design of biopolymers, with an emphasis on the integration of bottom-up computational modeling in the design process. We consider three prominent examples of well-studied biopolymer materials – elastin, silk, and collagen – and assess their hierarchical structure, intriguing functional properties and categorize existing approaches to study these materials. We find that an integrated design approach in which both experiments and computational modeling are used has rarely been applied for these materials due to difficulties in relating insights gained on different length- and time-scales. In this context, multiscale engineering offers a powerful means to accelerate the biomaterials design process for the development of tailored materials that suit the needs posed by the various applications. The combined use of experimental and computational tools has a very broad applicability not only in the field of biopolymers, but can be exploited to tailor the properties of other polymers and composite materials in general. PMID:22938765

  5. A review of combined experimental and computational procedures for assessing biopolymer structure-process-property relationships.

    PubMed

    Gronau, Greta; Krishnaji, Sreevidhya T; Kinahan, Michelle E; Giesa, Tristan; Wong, Joyce Y; Kaplan, David L; Buehler, Markus J

    2012-11-01

    Tailored biomaterials with tunable functional properties are desirable for many applications ranging from drug delivery to regenerative medicine. To improve the predictability of biopolymer materials functionality, multiple design parameters need to be considered, along with appropriate models. In this article we review the state of the art of synthesis and processing related to the design of biopolymers, with an emphasis on the integration of bottom-up computational modeling in the design process. We consider three prominent examples of well-studied biopolymer materials - elastin, silk, and collagen - and assess their hierarchical structure, intriguing functional properties and categorize existing approaches to study these materials. We find that an integrated design approach in which both experiments and computational modeling are used has rarely been applied for these materials due to difficulties in relating insights gained on different length- and time-scales. In this context, multiscale engineering offers a powerful means to accelerate the biomaterials design process for the development of tailored materials that suit the needs posed by the various applications. The combined use of experimental and computational tools has a very broad applicability not only in the field of biopolymers, but can be exploited to tailor the properties of other polymers and composite materials in general. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Self-(Un)rolling Biopolymer Microstructures: Rings, Tubules, and Helical Tubules from the Same Material.

    PubMed

    Ye, Chunhong; Nikolov, Svetoslav V; Calabrese, Rossella; Dindar, Amir; Alexeev, Alexander; Kippelen, Bernard; Kaplan, David L; Tsukruk, Vladimir V

    2015-07-13

    We have demonstrated the facile formation of reversible and fast self-rolling biopolymer microstructures from sandwiched active-passive, silk-on-silk materials. Both experimental and modeling results confirmed that the shape of individual sheets effectively controls biaxial stresses within these sheets, which can self-roll into distinct 3D structures including microscopic rings, tubules, and helical tubules. This is a unique example of tailoring self-rolled 3D geometries through shape design without changing the inner morphology of active bimorph biomaterials. In contrast to traditional organic-soluble synthetic materials, we utilized a biocompatible and biodegradable biopolymer that underwent a facile aqueous layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly process for the fabrication of 2D films. The resulting films can undergo reversible pH-triggered rolling/unrolling, with a variety of 3D structures forming from biopolymer structures that have identical morphology and composition. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Effect of Environmental Factors on Cyanobacterial Abundance and Cyanotoxins Production in Natural and Drinking Water, Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Affan, Abu; Khomavis, Hisham S; Al-Harbi, Salim Marzoog; Haque, Mahfuzul; Khan, Saleha

    2015-02-01

    Cyanobacterial blooms commonly appear during the summer months in ponds, lakes and reservoirs in Bangladesh. In these areas, fish mortality, odorous water and fish and human skin irritation and eye inflammation have been reported. The influence of physicochemical factors on the occurrence of cyanobacteria and its toxin levels were evaluated in natural and drinking water in Bangladesh. A highly sensitive immunosorbent assay was used to detect microcystins (MCs). Cyanobacteria were found in 22 of 23 samples and the dominant species were Microcystis aeruginosa, followed by Microcystisflosaquae, Anabeana crassa and Aphanizomenon flosaquae. Cyanobacterial abundance varied from 39 to 1315 x 10(3) cells mL(-1) in natural water and 31 to 49 x 10(3) cells mL(-1) in tap water. MC concentrations were 25-82300 pg mL(-1) with the highest value measured in the fish research pond, followed by Ishakha Lake. In tap water, MC concentrations ranged from 30-32 pg mL(-1). The correlation between nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) concentration and cyanobacterial cell abundance was R2 = 0.62 while that between cyanobacterial abundance and MC concentration was R2 = 0.98. The increased NO3-N from fish feed, organic manure, poultry and dairy farm waste and fertilizer from agricultural land eutrophicated the water bodies and triggered cyanobacterial bloom formation. The increased amount of cyanobacteria produced MCs, subsequently reducing the water quality.

  8. A Vegetal Biopolymer-Based Biostimulant Promoted Root Growth in Melon While Triggering Brassinosteroids and Stress-Related Compounds

    PubMed Central

    Lucini, Luigi; Rouphael, Youssef; Cardarelli, Mariateresa; Bonini, Paolo; Baffi, Claudio; Colla, Giuseppe

    2018-01-01

    Plant biostimulants are receiving great interest for boosting root growth during the first phenological stages of vegetable crops. The present study aimed at elucidating the morphological, physiological, and metabolomic changes occurring in greenhouse melon treated with the biopolymer-based biostimulant Quik-link, containing lateral root promoting peptides, and lignosulphonates. The vegetal-based biopolymer was applied at five rates (0, 0.06, 0.12, 0.24, or 0.48 mL plant-1) as substrate drench. The application of biopolymer-based biostimulant at 0.12 and 0.24 mL plant-1 enhanced dry weight of melon leaves and total biomass by 30.5 and 27.7%, respectively, compared to biopolymer applications at 0.06 mL plant-1 and untreated plants. The root dry biomass, total root length, and surface in biostimulant-treated plants were significantly higher at 0.24 mL plant-1 and to a lesser extent at 0.12 and 0.48 mL plant-1, in comparison to 0.06 mL plant-1 and untreated melon plants. A convoluted biochemical response to the biostimulant treatment was highlighted through UHPLC/QTOF-MS metabolomics, in which brassinosteroids and their interaction with other hormones appeared to play a pivotal role. Root metabolic profile was more markedly altered than leaves, following application of the biopolymer-based biostimulant. Brassinosteroids triggered in roots could have been involved in changes of root development observed after biostimulant application. These hormones, once transported to shoots, could have caused an hormonal imbalance. Indeed, the involvement of abscisic acid, cytokinins, and gibberellin related compounds was observed in leaves following root application of the biopolymer-based biostimulant. Nonetheless, the treatment triggered an accumulation of several metabolites involved in defense mechanisms against biotic and abiotic stresses, such as flavonoids, carotenoids, and glucosinolates, thus potentially improving resistance toward plant stresses. PMID:29692795

  9. Biosurfactant-biopolymer driven microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) and its optimization by an ANN-GA hybrid technique.

    PubMed

    Dhanarajan, Gunaseelan; Rangarajan, Vivek; Bandi, Chandrakanth; Dixit, Abhivyakti; Das, Susmita; Ale, Kranthikiran; Sen, Ramkrishna

    2017-08-20

    A lipopeptide biosurfactant produced by marine Bacillus megaterium and a biopolymer produced by thermophilic Bacillus licheniformis were tested for their application potential in the enhanced oil recovery. The crude biosurfactant obtained after acid precipitation effectively reduced the surface tension of deionized water from 70.5 to 28.25mN/m and the interfacial tension between lube oil and water from 18.6 to 1.5mN/m at a concentration of 250mgL -1 . The biosurfactant exhibited a maximum emulsification activity (E 24 ) of 81.66% against lube oil. The lipopeptide micelles were stabilized by addition of Ca 2+ ions to the biosurfactant solution. The oil recovery efficiency of Ca 2+ conditioned lipopeptide solution from a sand-packed column was optimized by using artificial neural network (ANN) modelling coupled with genetic algorithm (GA) optimization. Three important parameters namely lipopeptide concentration, Ca 2+ concentration and solution pH were considered for optimization studies. In order to further improve the recovery efficiency, a water soluble biopolymer produced by Bacillus licheniformis was used as a flooding agent after biosurfactant incubation. Upon ANN-GA optimization, 45% tertiary oil recovery was achieved, when biopolymer at a concentration of 3gL -1 was used as a flooding agent. Oil recovery was only 29% at optimal conditions predicted by ANN-GA, when only water was used as flooding solution. The important characteristics of biopolymers such as its viscosity, pore plugging capabilities and bio-cementing ability have also been tested. Thus, as a result of biosurfactant incubation and biopolymer flooding under the optimal process conditions, a maximum oil recovery of 45% was achieved. Therefore, this study is novel, timely and interesting for it showed the combined influence of biosurfactant and biopolymer on solubilisation and mobilization of oil from the soil. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Light Weight Biomorphous Cellular Ceramics from Cellulose Templates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Singh, Mrityunjay; Yee, Bo-Moon; Gray, Hugh R. (Technical Monitor)

    2003-01-01

    Bimorphous ceramics are a new class of materials that can be fabricated from the cellulose templates derived from natural biopolymers. These biopolymers are abundantly available in nature and are produced by the photosynthesis process. The wood cellulose derived carbon templates have three- dimensional interconnectivity. A wide variety of non-oxide and oxide based ceramics have been fabricated by template conversion using infiltration and reaction-based processes. The cellular anatomy of the cellulose templates plays a key role in determining the processing parameters (pyrolysis, infiltration conditions, etc.) and resulting ceramic materials. The processing approach, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the biomorphous cellular ceramics (silicon carbide and oxide based) have been discussed.

  11. Immobilization of Lipase Inhibitor on the Biopolymers from Agaricus bisporus Cell Walls

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Summary One of the methods for curing obesity is the inclusion of some substances with the antilipase activity in the diet and thus reducing the uptake of fat components from food. The aim of this research is to provide a stabilized form of lipase inhibitor by immobilization of enzyme on the biopolymers from Agaricus bisporus cell walls. The phenolic compounds extracted from the rapeseed were considered as the lipase inhibitor. The activity of the inhibitor was considerably reduced in the gastric juice, as well as at temperatures above 37 °C and during its storage, which determined the suitability of the inhibitor for stabilization on the matrix. The effectiveness of the phenolic compound stabilization was investigated by means of immobilization on the biopolymers from Agaricus bisporus cell wall matrix. The biopolymers used were β-glucan, chitin, melanin and proteins. A number of samples, which differed both in the content of the inhibitor (from 1 to 16%) and in the ratio of biopolymers in the matrix composition, was obtained. The conditions of immobilization (temperature, duration of the process) were also varied. The expediency of obtaining the sample with the inhibitor content of 12% and matrix containing 47.9% of glucan, 18.8% of chitin, 18.8% of melanin and 11.1% of proteins was shown. The best immobilization was carried out at 20–25 °C for 30 min. Thermal analysis and infrared spectroscopy data confirmed that immobilization of the lipase inhibitor on the matrix was due to the hydrogen bonds. The immobilized inhibitor had higher pH stability and higher thermal stability than the original one. The remaining activity of the immobilized inhibitor was higher than the original one after incubation in the gastric acid and bile. The immobilized inhibitor was characterized by a low loss of activity after 12 months of storage. PMID:29540987

  12. Biopolymers produced from gelatin and other sustainable resources using polyphenols

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Several researchers have recently demonstrated the feasibility of producing biopolymers from the reaction of polyphenolics with gelatin in combination with other proteins (e.g. whey) or with carbohydrates (e.g. chitosan and pectin). These combinations would take advantage of the unique properties o...

  13. USING BIOPOLYMERS TO REMOVE HEAVY METALS FROM SOIL AND WATER

    EPA Science Inventory

    Chemical remediation of soil may involve the use of harsh chemicals that generate waste streams, which may adversely affect the soil's integrity and ability to support vegetation. This article reviews the potential use of benign reagents, such as biopolymers, to extract heavy me...

  14. Synthesis and evaluation of alendronate-modified gelatin biopolymer as a novel osteotropic nanocarrier for gene therapy.

    PubMed

    Mekhail, George M; Kamel, Amany O; Awad, Gehanne As; Mortada, Nahed D; Rodrigo, Rowena L; Spagnuolo, Paul A; Wettig, Shawn D

    2016-09-01

    To synthesize an osteotropic alendronate functionalized gelatin (ALN-gelatin) biopolymer for nanoparticle preparation and targeted delivery of DNA to osteoblasts for gene therapy applications. Alendronate coupling to gelatin was confirmed using Fourier transform IR, (31)PNMR, x-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry. ALN-gelatin biopolymers prepared at various alendronate/gelatin ratios were utilized to prepare nanoparticles and were optimized in combination with DNA and gemini surfactant for transfecting both HEK-293 and MG-63 cell lines. Gelatin functionalization was confirmed using the above methods. Uniform nanoparticles were obtained from a nanoprecipitation technique. ALN-gelatin/gemini/DNA complexes exhibited higher transfection efficiency in MG-63 osteosarcoma cell line compared with the positive control. ALN-gelatin is a promising biopolymer for bone targeting of either small molecules or gene therapy applications.

  15. Hindrances to precise recovery of cellular forces in fibrous biopolymer networks.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yunsong; Feng, Jingchen; Heizler, Shay I; Levine, Herbert

    2018-01-11

    How cells move through the three-dimensional extracellular matrix (ECM) is of increasing interest in attempts to understand important biological processes such as cancer metastasis. Just as in motion on flat surfaces, it is expected that experimental measurements of cell-generated forces will provide valuable information for uncovering the mechanisms of cell migration. However, the recovery of forces in fibrous biopolymer networks may suffer from large errors. Here, within the framework of lattice-based models, we explore possible issues in force recovery by solving the inverse problem: how can one determine the forces cells exert to their surroundings from the deformation of the ECM? Our results indicate that irregular cell traction patterns, the uncertainty of local fiber stiffness, the non-affine nature of ECM deformations and inadequate knowledge of network topology will all prevent the precise force determination. At the end, we discuss possible ways of overcoming these difficulties.

  16. Hindrances to precise recovery of cellular forces in fibrous biopolymer networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yunsong; Feng, Jingchen; Heizler, Shay I.; Levine, Herbert

    2018-03-01

    How cells move through the three-dimensional extracellular matrix (ECM) is of increasing interest in attempts to understand important biological processes such as cancer metastasis. Just as in motion on flat surfaces, it is expected that experimental measurements of cell-generated forces will provide valuable information for uncovering the mechanisms of cell migration. However, the recovery of forces in fibrous biopolymer networks may suffer from large errors. Here, within the framework of lattice-based models, we explore possible issues in force recovery by solving the inverse problem: how can one determine the forces cells exert to their surroundings from the deformation of the ECM? Our results indicate that irregular cell traction patterns, the uncertainty of local fiber stiffness, the non-affine nature of ECM deformations and inadequate knowledge of network topology will all prevent the precise force determination. At the end, we discuss possible ways of overcoming these difficulties.

  17. 2013-2014 Production of guayule natural rubber in Arizona, U.S.A.

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Natural rubber is a unique biopolymer whose physical properties cannot be replicated in synthetic alternatives; therefore, it is required for production of tires (passenger, truck, and aircraft) and thousands of consumer and medical products. While demand for natural rubber is expected to increase ...

  18. Ant-cave structured MnCO3/Mn3O4 microcubes by biopolymer-assisted facile synthesis for high-performance pseudocapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chandra Sekhar, S.; Nagaraju, Goli; Yu, Jae Su

    2018-03-01

    Porous and ant-cave structured MnCO3/Mn3O4 microcubes (MCs) were facilely synthesized via a biopolymer-assisted hydrothermal approach. Herein, chitosan was used as a natural biopolymer, which greatly controls the surface morphology and size of the prepared composite. The amino and hydroxyl group-functionalized chitosan engraves the outer surface of MCs during the hydrothermal process, which designs the interesting morphology of nanopath ways on the surface of MCs. When used as an electrode material for pseudocapacitors, the ant-cave structured MnCO3/Mn3O4 MCs showed superior energy storage values compared to the material prepared without chitosan in aqueous electrolyte solution. Precisely, the prepared ant-cave structured MnCO3/Mn3O4 MCs exhibited a maximum specific capacitance of 116.2 F/g at a current density of 0.7 A/g with an excellent cycling stability of 73.86% after 2000 cycles. Such facile and low-cost synthesis of pseudocapacitive materials with porous nanopaths is favorable for the fabrication of high-performance energy storage devices.

  19. Biopolymers as an Alternative to Petroleum-Based Polymers for Soil Modification; ESTCP ER-0920: Treatability Studies

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-08-01

    carboxylic, amine, hydroxyl). Molasses produced more carboxylic acid groups than the corn syrup -based material and was composed of high ...molecular weight EPS units (as high as 800 KDa). Corn syrup -derived biopolymer, on the other hand, showed a greater number of small molecular weight...biopolymer by R. tropici: corn syrup , maltose, sorghum, and molasses. The maltose, being a very expensive carbon source, has been replaced by the sorghum

  20. Biopolymers as an Alternative to Petroleum-Based Polymers for Soil Modification, ESTCP ER-0920: Treatability Studies

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-08-01

    carboxylic, amine, hydroxyl). Molasses produced more carboxylic acid groups than the corn syrup -based material and was composed of high ...molecular weight EPS units (as high as 800 KDa). Corn syrup -derived biopolymer, on the other hand, showed a greater number of small molecular weight...biopolymer by R. tropici: corn syrup , maltose, sorghum, and molasses. The maltose, being a very expensive carbon source, has been replaced by the sorghum

  1. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation in an arid ecosystem measured by sup 15 N natural abundance

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Johnson, G.V.

    1990-05-01

    Plants dependent on nitrogen fixation have an {sup 15}N abundance similar to the atmosphere, while non-nitrogen fixing plants usually are enriched in {sup 15}N and are similar to soil nitrogen values. The natural abundance of {sup 15}N in leaf tissues and soils was determined to evaluate symbiotic nitrogen fixation by several legumes and actinorhizal species in the Sevilleta Long-term Ecological Research area in central New Mexico. Comparison of {delta}{sup 15}N values for the legume Prosopis glandulosa (mesquite) to adjacent Atriplex canascens (fourwing saltbush) indicated that P. glandulosa obtained 66% of its nitrogen by fixation. The legume Hoffmanseggia jamesii was foundmore » to be utilizing soil nitrogen. The {delta}{sup 15}N values for the actinorhizal plants, Elaeagnus angustifolia and Cercocarpus montanus, while below values for soil nitrogen, did not differ from associated non-fixing plants.« less

  2. The Determination of the Natural Abundance of the Isotopes of Chlorine: An Introductory Experiment in Mass Spectrometry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Malley, Rebecca M.

    1982-01-01

    Describes a laboratory experiment which introduces basic principles and experimental techniques of mass spectrometry for fourth year undergraduate (B.Sc.) students. Laboratory procedures, background information, and discussion of results are provided for the experiment in which the natural isotopic abundance of chlorine is determined. (Author/JN)

  3. Production of a Biopolymer at Reactor Scale: A Laboratory Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Genc, Rukan; Rodriguez-Couto, Susana

    2011-01-01

    Undergraduate students of biotechnology became familiar with several aspects of bioreactor operation via the production of xanthan gum, an industrially relevant biopolymer, by "Xanthomonas campestris" bacteria. The xanthan gum was extracted from the fermentation broth and the yield coefficient and productivity were calculated. (Contains 2 figures.)

  4. Biological Effects of Spirulina (Arthrospira) Biopolymers and Biomass in the Development of Nanostructured Scaffolds

    PubMed Central

    de Morais, Michele Greque; Vaz, Bruna da Silva; de Morais, Etiele Greque; Costa, Jorge Alberto Vieira

    2014-01-01

    Spirulina is produced from pure cultures of the photosynthetic prokaryotic cyanobacteria Arthrospira. For many years research centers throughout the world have studied its application in various scientific fields, especially in foods and medicine. The biomass produced from Spirulina cultivation contains a variety of biocompounds, including biopeptides, biopolymers, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, minerals, oligoelements, and sterols. Some of these compounds are bioactive and have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, and antifungal properties. These compounds can be used in tissue engineering, the interdisciplinary field that combines techniques from cell science, engineering, and materials science and which has grown in importance over the past few decades. Spirulina biomass can be used to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), biopolymers that can substitute synthetic polymers in the construction of engineered extracellular matrices (scaffolds) for use in tissue cultures or bioactive molecule construction. This review describes the development of nanostructured scaffolds based on biopolymers extracted from microalgae and biomass from Spirulina production. These scaffolds have the potential to encourage cell growth while reducing the risk of organ or tissue rejection. PMID:25157367

  5. Attachment of a hydrophobically modified biopolymer at the oil-water interface in the treatment of oil spills.

    PubMed

    Venkataraman, Pradeep; Tang, Jingjian; Frenkel, Etham; McPherson, Gary L; He, Jibao; Raghavan, Srinivasa R; Kolesnichenko, Vladimir; Bose, Arijit; John, Vijay T

    2013-05-01

    The stability of crude oil droplets formed by adding chemical dispersants can be considerably enhanced by the use of the biopolymer, hydrophobically modified chitosan. Turbidimetric analyses show that emulsions of crude oil in saline water prepared using a combination of the biopolymer and the well-studied chemical dispersant (Corexit 9500A) remain stable for extended periods in comparison to emulsions stabilized by the dispersant alone. We hypothesize that the hydrophobic residues from the polymer preferentially anchor in the oil droplets, thereby forming a layer of the polymer around the droplets. The enhanced stability of the droplets is due to the polymer layer providing an increase in electrostatic and steric repulsions and thereby a large barrier to droplet coalescence. Our results show that the addition of hydrophobically modified chitosan following the application of chemical dispersant to an oil spill can potentially reduce the use of chemical dispersants. Increasing the molecular weight of the biopolymer changes the rheological properties of the oil-in-water emulsion to that of a weak gel. The ability of the biopolymer to tether the oil droplets in a gel-like matrix has potential applications in the immobilization of surface oil spills for enhanced removal.

  6. Dynamics of Biopolymer Turnover in Soil Physical Fractions Following Land-Cover yChange in a Subtropical Savanna

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Filley, T. R.; Gamblin, D.; Wang, Y.; Liao, J.; Boutton, T.; Jastrow, J.

    2004-12-01

    Changes in the apportionment of organic carbon and nitrogen among soil physical yfractions following land-cover shifts are of critical importance to the debate surrounding ythe capacity of terrestrial ecosystems to store or release greenhouse gases. For example, ythe difference between the mean residence times (MRTs) of light particulate organic ymatter (POM) vs. silts and clays is typically quite large, with silt and clay associated yorganic matter having the longest MRTs and the greatest likelihood to contribute to long yterm carbon storage. A few studies in agricultural and forest systems have demonstrated ythat biopolymer chemistry also varies along physical, as well as density, fractionation ygradients. We quantified changes in biopolymer (lignin, suberin and cutin, and yhydrolysable amino acids) chemistry of size and density fractionated soil from the Rio yGrande Plains of Texas where C4 grasslands (d13C = -14 %) have undergone succession yto subtropical thorn woodland dominated by C3 trees/shrubs (d13C = -27 %) over the ypast 150 years. This natural isotopic distinction was used to determine MRTs of free ylight organic matter (density less than 1.0 g/cc), macroaggregate (greater than 250 um), ymicroaggregate (53-250 um) and silt+clay (less than 53 um) fractions (see Liao et al., ythis session) which were then related to their specific biopolymer chemistries. Our yresults illustrate that lignin and aliphatic biopolymers (as measured by hydroxyl fatty yacids) are apportioned differently among size/density fractions and along the successional ychronosequence. Lignin is incorporated into all soil fractions soon after woody yencroachment, whereas aliphatic components are slow to be incorporated in the silt and yclay fractions. The lignin components that do become associated with silts and clays are, yin general, highly oxidized. Differences in foliar chemistry among the plant sources yindicate selective movement of leaf cutins into POM, macro- and microaggregate

  7. Finding water scarcity amid abundance using human–natural system models

    PubMed Central

    Amos, Adell; Bigelow, Daniel P.; Chang, Heejun; Conklin, David R.; Haggerty, Roy; Langpap, Christian; Moore, Kathleen; Mote, Philip W.; Nolin, Anne W.; Plantinga, Andrew J.; Schwartz, Cynthia L.; Tullos, Desiree; Turner, David P.

    2017-01-01

    Water scarcity afflicts societies worldwide. Anticipating water shortages is vital because of water’s indispensable role in social-ecological systems. But the challenge is daunting due to heterogeneity, feedbacks, and water’s spatial-temporal sequencing throughout such systems. Regional system models with sufficient detail can help address this challenge. In our study, a detailed coupled human–natural system model of one such region identifies how climate change and socioeconomic growth will alter the availability and use of water in coming decades. Results demonstrate how water scarcity varies greatly across small distances and brief time periods, even in basins where water may be relatively abundant overall. Some of these results were unexpected and may appear counterintuitive to some observers. Key determinants of water scarcity are found to be the cost of transporting and storing water, society’s institutions that circumscribe human choices, and the opportunity cost of water when alternative uses compete. PMID:29078299

  8. Finding water scarcity amid abundance using human-natural system models.

    PubMed

    Jaeger, William K; Amos, Adell; Bigelow, Daniel P; Chang, Heejun; Conklin, David R; Haggerty, Roy; Langpap, Christian; Moore, Kathleen; Mote, Philip W; Nolin, Anne W; Plantinga, Andrew J; Schwartz, Cynthia L; Tullos, Desiree; Turner, David P

    2017-11-07

    Water scarcity afflicts societies worldwide. Anticipating water shortages is vital because of water's indispensable role in social-ecological systems. But the challenge is daunting due to heterogeneity, feedbacks, and water's spatial-temporal sequencing throughout such systems. Regional system models with sufficient detail can help address this challenge. In our study, a detailed coupled human-natural system model of one such region identifies how climate change and socioeconomic growth will alter the availability and use of water in coming decades. Results demonstrate how water scarcity varies greatly across small distances and brief time periods, even in basins where water may be relatively abundant overall. Some of these results were unexpected and may appear counterintuitive to some observers. Key determinants of water scarcity are found to be the cost of transporting and storing water, society's institutions that circumscribe human choices, and the opportunity cost of water when alternative uses compete. Published under the PNAS license.

  9. Biopolymer-based membranes associated with osteogenic growth peptide for guided bone regeneration.

    PubMed

    Saska, Sybele; Pigossi, Suzane C; Oliveira, Guilherme J P L; Teixeira, Lucas N; Capela, Marisa V; Gonçalves, Andreia; de Oliveira, Paulo T; Messaddeq, Younès; Ribeiro, Sidney J L; Gaspar, Ana Maria Minarelli; Marchetto, Reinaldo

    2018-03-14

    Barrier membranes for guided bone regeneration (GBR) mainly promote mechanical maintenance of bone defect space and induce osteopromotion. Additionally, biopolymer-based membranes may provide greater bioactivity and biocompatibility due to their similarity to extracellular matrix (ECM). In this study, biopolymers-based membranes from bacterial cellulose (BC) and collagen (COL) associated with osteogenic growth peptide (OGP(10-14)) were evaluated to determine in vitro osteoinductive potential in early osteogenesis; moreover, histological study was performed to evaluate the BC-COL OGP(10-14) membranes on bone healing after GBR in noncritical defects in rat femur. The results showed that the BC-COL and BC-COL OGP(10-14) membranes promoted cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity in osteoblastic cell cultures. However, ECM mineralization was similar between cultures grown on BC OGP(10-14) and BC-COL OGP(10-14) membranes. In vivo results showed that all the membranes tested, including the peptide-free BC membrane, promoted better bone regeneration than control group. Furthermore, the BC-COL OGP(10-14) membranes induced higher radiographic density in the repaired bone than the other groups at 1, 4 and 16 weeks. Histomorphometric analyses revealed that the BC-COL OGP(10-14) induced higher percentage of bone tissue in the repaired area at 2 and 4 weeks than others membranes. In general, these biopolymer-based membranes might be potential candidates for bone regeneration applications.

  10. Blocking Gastric Lipase Adsorption and Displacement Processes with Viscoelastic Biopolymer Adsorption Layers.

    PubMed

    Scheuble, Nathalie; Lussi, Micha; Geue, Thomas; Carrière, Frédéric; Fischer, Peter

    2016-10-10

    Delayed fat digestion might help to fight obesity. Fat digestion begins in the stomach by adsorption of gastric lipases to oil/water interfaces. In this study we show how biopolymer covered interfaces can act as a physical barrier for recombinant dog gastric lipase (rDGL) adsorption and thus gastric lipolysis. We used β-lactoglobulin (β-lg) and thermosensitive methylated nanocrystalline cellulose (metNCC) as model biopolymers to investigate the role of interfacial fluid dynamics and morphology for interfacial displacement processes by rDGL and polysorbate 20 (P20) under gastric conditions. Moreover, the influence of the combination of the flexible β-lg and the elastic metNCC was studied. The interfaces were investigated combining interfacial techniques, such as pendant drop, interfacial shear and dilatational rheology, and neutron reflectometry. Displacement of biopolymer layers depended mainly on the fluid dynamics and thickness of the layers, both of which were drastically increased by the thermal induced gelation of metNCC at body temperature. Soft, thin β-lg interfaces were almost fully displaced from the interface, whereas the composite β-lg-metNCC layer thermogelled to a thick interfacial layer incorporating β-lg as filler material and therefore resisted higher shear forces than a pure metNCC layer. Hence, with metNCC alone lipolysis by rDGL was inhibited, whereas the layer performance could be increased by the combination with β-lg.

  11. Natural-abundance 17O NMR spectra of some inorganic and biologically important phosphates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gerothanassis, Ioannis P.; Sheppard, Norman

    A number of optimization techniques were employed to obtain 17O NMR spectra at natural abundance for a variety of inorganic and orgnic phosphates and polyphosphates. 17O chemical shifts and some JPO coupling constants are reported for the orthophosphate series of ions from H 3PO 4 to PO 43-, the pyrophosphate ion, P 2O 74-, the linear tripolyphosphate ion, P 3O 105-, and the cyclic trimetaphosphate ion, P 3O 93-; and for disodium DL-α-glycerophosphate and monosodium adenosine monophosphate. 17O- depleted water enables much improved results to be obtained in acqueous solutions.

  12. Biopolymers production with carbon source from the wastes of a beer brewery industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wong, Phoeby Ai Ling

    The main purpose of this study was to assess the potential and feasibility of malt wastes, and other food wastes, such as soy wastes, ice-cream wastes, confectionery wastes, vinegar wastes, milk waste and sesame oil, in the induction of biosynthesis of PHA, in the cellular assembly of novel PHA with improved physical and chemical properties, and in the reduction of the cost of PHA production. In the first part of the experiments, a specific culture of Alcaligenes latus DSM 1124 was selected to ferment several types of food wastes as carbon sources into biopolymers. In addition, the biopolymer production, by way of using malt waste, of microorganisms from municipal activated sludge was also investigated. In the second part, the experiments focused on the synthesis of biopolymer with a higher molecular mass via the bacterial strain, which was selected and isolated from sesame oil, identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis . Molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of PHB were studied by GPC. Molecular weight of PHB produced from various types of food wastes by Alcaligenes latus was higher than using synthetic sucrose medium as nutrient, however, it resulted in the reverse by Staphylococcus epidermidis. Thermal properties of biopolymers were studied by DSC and TG. Using malt wastes as nutrients by Alcaligenes latus gave a higher melting temperature. Using sucrose, confectionery and sesame oil as nutrients by Staphylococcus epidermidis gave higher melting temperature. Optimization was carried out for the recovery of microbial PHB from Alcaligenes latus. Results showed that molecular weight can be controlled by changing the hypochlorite concentration, the ratio of chloroform to hypochlorite solution and the extraction time. In addition, the determination of PHB content by thermogravimetric analysis method with wet cell was the first report in our study. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

  13. Genome-wide Determinants of Proviral Targeting, Clonal Abundance and Expression in Natural HTLV-1 Infection

    PubMed Central

    Melamed, Anat; Laydon, Daniel J.; Gillet, Nicolas A.; Tanaka, Yuetsu; Taylor, Graham P.; Bangham, Charles R. M.

    2013-01-01

    The regulation of proviral latency is a central problem in retrovirology. We postulate that the genomic integration site of human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) determines the pattern of expression of the provirus, which in turn determines the abundance and pathogenic potential of infected T cell clones in vivo. We recently developed a high-throughput method for the genome-wide amplification, identification and quantification of proviral integration sites. Here, we used this protocol to test two hypotheses. First, that binding sites for transcription factors and chromatin remodelling factors in the genome flanking the proviral integration site of HTLV-1 are associated with integration targeting, spontaneous proviral expression, and in vivo clonal abundance. Second, that the transcriptional orientation of the HTLV-1 provirus relative to that of the nearest host gene determines spontaneous proviral expression and in vivo clonal abundance. Integration targeting was strongly associated with the presence of a binding site for specific host transcription factors, especially STAT1 and p53. The presence of the chromatin remodelling factors BRG1 and INI1 and certain host transcription factors either upstream or downstream of the provirus was associated respectively with silencing or spontaneous expression of the provirus. Cells expressing HTLV-1 Tax protein were significantly more frequent in clones of low abundance in vivo. We conclude that transcriptional interference and chromatin remodelling are critical determinants of proviral latency in natural HTLV-1 infection. PMID:23555266

  14. Chitosan biopolymer for fuel cell applications.

    PubMed

    Ma, Jia; Sahai, Yogeshwar

    2013-02-15

    Fuel cell is an electrochemical device which converts chemical energy stored in a fuel into electrical energy. Fuel cells have been receiving attention due to its potential applicability as a good alternative power source. Recently, cost-effective and eco-friendly biopolymer chitosan has been extensively studied as a material for membrane electrolytes and electrodes in low to intermediate temperature hydrogen polymer electrolyte fuel cell, direct methanol fuel cell, alkaline fuel cell, and biofuel cell. This paper reviews structure and property of chitosan with respect to its applications in fuel cells. Recent achievements and prospect of its applications have also been included. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Electrical study on Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Polyvinyl alcohol based bio-polymer blend electrolytes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saadiah, M. A.; Samsudin, A. S.

    2018-04-01

    The present work deals with the formulation of bio-materials namely carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) for bio-polymer blend electrolytes (BBEs) system which was successfully carried out with different ratio of polymer blend. The biopolymer blend was prepared via economical & classical technique that is solution casting technique and was characterized by using impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The ionic conductivity was achieved to optimum value 9.12 x 10-6 S/cm at room temperature for sample containing ratio 80:20 of CMC:PVA. The highest conducting sample was found to obey the Arrhenius behaviour with a function of temperature. The electrical properties were analyzed using complex permittivity ε* and complex electrical modulus M* for BBEs system and it shows the non-Debye characteristics where no single relaxation time has observed.

  16. Milliscale Self-Integration of Megamolecule Biopolymers on a Drying Gas-Aqueous Liquid Crystalline Interface.

    PubMed

    Okeyoshi, Kosuke; Okajima, Maiko K; Kaneko, Tatsuo

    2016-06-13

    A drying environment is always a proposition faced by dynamic living organisms using water, which are driven by biopolymer-based micro- and macrostructures. Here, we introduce a drying process for aqueous liquid crystalline (LC) solutions composed of biopolymer with extremely high molecular weight components such as polysaccharides, cytoskeletal proteins, and DNA. On controlling the mobility of the LC microdomain, the solutions showed milliscale self-integration starting from the unstable gas-LC interface during drying. In particular, we first identified giant rod-like microdomains (∼1 μm diameter and more than 20 μm length) of the mega-molecular polysaccharide, sacran, which is remarkably larger than other polysaccharides. These microdomains led to the formation of a single milliscale macrodomain on the interface. In addition, the dried polymer films on a solid substrate also revealed that such integration depends on the size of the microdomain. We envision that this simple drying method will be useful not only for understanding the biopolymer hierarchization at the macroscale level but also for preparation of surfaces with direction controllability, as seen in living organisms, for use in various fields such as diffusion, mechanics, and photonics.

  17. Geophysical and Geotechnical Characterization of Beta-1,3/1,6-glucan Biopolymer treated Soil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chang, I.; Cho, G.

    2012-12-01

    Bacteria or microbes in soil excrete hydrocarbon (e.g. polysaccharide) by-products which are called biopolymers. These biopolymers (or sometime biofilms) recently begun to make a mark on soil erosion control, aggregate stabilization, and drilling enhancement. However, the biological effect on soil behavior (e.g. bio-clogging or bio-cementation) has been poorly understood. In this study, the bio-cementation and bio-clogging effect induced by the existence of β-1,3/1,6-glucan biopolymers in soil were evaluated through a series of geophysical and geotechnical characterization tests in laboratory. According to the experimental test results, as the β-1,3/1,6-glucan content in soil increases, the compressive strength and shear wave velocity increase (i.e., bio-cementation) while the hydraulic conductivity decreases (i.e., bio-clogging) but the electrical conductivity increases due to the high electrical conductivity characteristic of β-1,3/1,6-glucan fibers. Coefficient of consolidation variation with the increases of β-1,3/1,6-glucan content in soil. SEM image of β-1,3/1,6-glucan treated soil. Fibers are form matices with soil particles.

  18. Conventional oil and natural gas infrastructure increases brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) relative abundance and parasitism in mixed-grass prairie.

    PubMed

    Bernath-Plaisted, Jacy; Nenninger, Heather; Koper, Nicola

    2017-07-01

    The rapid expansion of oil and natural gas development across the Northern Great Plains has contributed to habitat fragmentation, which may facilitate brood parasitism of ground-nesting grassland songbird nests by brown-headed cowbirds ( Molothrus ater ), an obligate brood parasite, through the introduction of perches and anthropogenic edges. We tested this hypothesis by measuring brown-headed cowbird relative abundance and brood parasitism rates of Savannah sparrow ( Passerculus sandwichensis ) nests in relation to the presence of infrastructure features and proximity to potential perches and edge habitat. The presence of oil and natural gas infrastructure increased brown-headed cowbird relative abundance by a magnitude of four times, which resulted in four times greater brood parasitism rates at infrastructure sites. While the presence of infrastructure and the proximity to roads were influential in predicting brood parasitism rates, the proximity of perch sites was not. This suggests that brood parasitism associated with oil and natural gas infrastructure may result in additional pressures that reduce productivity of this declining grassland songbird.

  19. Relevant insight of surface characterization techniques to study covalent grafting of a biopolymer to titanium implant and its acidic resistance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    D'Almeida, Mélanie; Amalric, Julien; Brunon, Céline; Grosgogeat, Brigitte; Toury, Bérangère

    2015-02-01

    Peri-implant bacterial infections are the main cause of complications in dentistry. Our group has previously proposed the attachment of chitosan on titanium implants via a covalent bond to improve its antibacterial properties while maintaining its biocompatibility. A better knowledge of the coating preparation process allows a better understanding of the bioactive coating in biological conditions. In this work, several relevant characterization techniques were used to assess an implant device during its production phase and its resistance in natural media at different pH. The titanium surface was functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) followed by grafting of an organic coupling agent; succinic anhydride, able to form two covalent links, with the substrate through a Ti-O-Si bond and the biopolymer through a peptide bond. Each step of the coating synthesis as well as the presence confirmation of the biopolymer on titanium after saliva immersion was followed by FTIR-ATR, SEM, EDS, 3D profilometry, XPS and ToF-SIMS analyses. Results allowed to highlight the efficiency of each step of the process, and to propose a mechanism occurring during the chitosan coating degradation in saliva media at pH 5 and at pH 3.

  20. Shear flow behaviour and emulsion-stabilizing effect of natural polysaccharide-protein gum in aqueous system and oil/water (O/W) emulsion.

    PubMed

    Amid, Bahareh Tabatabaee; Mirhosseini, Hamed

    2013-03-01

    The main objective of the current work was to characterize the shear rheological flow behaviour and emulsifying properties of the natural biopolymer from durian seed. The present study revealed that the extraction condition significantly affected the physical and functional characteristics of the natural biopolymer from durian seed. The dynamic oscillatory test indicated that the biopolymer from durian seed showed more gel (or solid) like behaviour than the viscous (or liquid) like behaviour (G'>G″) at a relatively high concentration (20%) in the fixed frequency (0.1 Hz). This might be explained by the fact that the gum coils disentangle at low frequencies during the long period of oscillation, thus resulting in more gel like behaviour than the viscous like behaviour. The average droplet size of oil in water (O/W) emulsions stabilized by durian seed gum significantly varied from 0.42 to 7.48 μm. The results indicated that O/W emulsions showed significant different stability after 4 months storage. This might be interpreted by the considerable effect of the extraction condition on the chemical and molecular structure of the biopolymer, thus affecting its emulsifying capacity. The biopolymer extracted by using low water to seed (W/S) ratio at the low temperature under the alkaline condition showed a relatively high emulsifying activity in O/W emulsion. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Rheological and mechanical properties of recycled polyethylene films contaminated by biopolymer.

    PubMed

    Gere, D; Czigany, T

    2018-06-01

    Nowadays, with the increasing amount of biopolymers used, it can be expected that biodegradable polymers (e.g. PLA, PBAT) may appear in the petrol-based polymer waste stream. However, their impact on the recycling processes is not known yet; moreover, the properties of the products made from contaminated polymer blends are not easily predictable. Therefore, our goal was to investigate the rheological and mechanical properties of synthetic and biopolymer compounds. We made different compounds from regranulates of mixed polyethylene film waste and original polylactic acid (PLA) by extruison, and injection molded specimens from the compounds. We investigated the rheological properties of the regranulates, and the mechanical properties of the samples. When PLA was added, the viscosity and specific volume of all the blends decreased, and mechanical properties (tensile strength, modulus, and impact strength) changed significantly. Young's modulus increased, while elongation at break and impact strength decreased with the increase of the weight fraction of PLA. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Increased seawater temperature increases the abundance and alters the structure of natural Vibrio populations associated with the coral Pocillopora damicornis

    PubMed Central

    Tout, Jessica; Siboni, Nachshon; Messer, Lauren F.; Garren, Melissa; Stocker, Roman; Webster, Nicole S.; Ralph, Peter J.; Seymour, Justin R.

    2015-01-01

    Rising seawater temperature associated with global climate change is a significant threat to coral health and is linked to increasing coral disease and pathogen-related bleaching events. We performed heat stress experiments with the coral Pocillopora damicornis, where temperature was increased to 31°C, consistent with the 2–3°C predicted increase in summer sea surface maxima. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing revealed a large shift in the composition of the bacterial community at 31°C, with a notable increase in Vibrio, including known coral pathogens. To investigate the dynamics of the naturally occurring Vibrio community, we performed quantitative PCR targeting (i) the whole Vibrio community and (ii) the coral pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus. At 31°C, Vibrio abundance increased by 2–3 orders of magnitude and V. coralliilyticus abundance increased by four orders of magnitude. Using a Vibrio-specific amplicon sequencing assay, we further demonstrated that the community composition shifted dramatically as a consequence of heat stress, with significant increases in the relative abundance of known coral pathogens. Our findings provide quantitative evidence that the abundance of potential coral pathogens increases within natural communities of coral-associated microbes as a consequence of rising seawater temperature and highlight the potential negative impacts of anthropogenic climate change on coral reef ecosystems. PMID:26042096

  3. Surface Morphology of Vapor-Deposited Chitosan: Evidence of Solid-State Dewetting during the Formation of Biopolymer Films.

    PubMed

    Retamal, Maria Jose; Corrales, Tomas P; Cisternas, Marcelo A; Moraga, Nicolas H; Diaz, Diego I; Catalan, Rodrigo E; Seifert, Birger; Huber, Patrick; Volkmann, Ulrich G

    2016-03-14

    Chitosan is a useful and versatile biopolymer with several industrial and biological applications. Whereas its physical and physicochemical bulk properties have been explored quite intensively in the past, there is a lack of studies regarding the morphology and growth mechanisms of thin films of this biopolymer. Of particular interest for applications in bionanotechnology are ultrathin films with thicknesses under 500 Å. Here, we present a study of thin chitosan films prepared in a dry process using physical vapor deposition and in situ ellipsometric monitoring. The prepared films were analyzed with atomic force microscopy in order to correlate surface morphology with evaporation parameters. We find that the surface morphology of our final thin films depends on both the optical thickness, i.e., measured with ellipsometry, and the deposition rate. Our work shows that ultrathin biopolymer films can undergo dewetting during film formation, even in the absence of solvents and thermal annealing.

  4. Sunflower cake as a natural composite: composition and plastic properties.

    PubMed

    Geneau-Sbartaï, Céline; Leyris, Juliette; Silvestre, Françoise; Rigal, Luc

    2008-12-10

    Nowadays, the end-of-life of plastic products and the decrease of fossil energy are great environmental problems. Moreover, with the increase of food and nonfood transformations of renewable resources, the quantities of agro-industrial byproducts and wastes increase hugely. These facts allow the development of plastic substitutes made from agro-resources. Many researches show the feasibility of molding biopolymers extracted from plants like a common polymeric matrix. Other natural macromolecules are used like fillers into polyolefins, for example. However, limited works present results about the transformation of a natural blend of biopolymers into a plastic material. The aim of this study is the determination of the composition of sunflower cake (SFC) and also the characterization of its components. These were identified by chemical and biochemical analysis often used in agricultural or food chemistry. Most of the extraction and purification processes modify the macrostructure of several biopolymers (e.g., denaturation of proteins, cleavage or creation of weak bonds, etc.). So, the composition of different parts of the sunflower seed (husk, kernel, and also protein isolate) was determined, and the plasticlike properties of their components were studied with thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and a dynamic mechanical thermal analysis apparatus. Finally, this indirect way of characterization showed that SFC can be considered a natural composite. In SFC, several components like lignocellulosic fibers [40%/dry matter (DM)], which essentially come from the husk of sunflower seed, can act as fillers. However, other biopolymers like globulins ( approximately 30% of the 30% of sunflower seed proteins/DM of SFC) can be shaped as a thermoplastic-like material because this kind of protein has a temperature of glass transition and a temperature of denaturation that seems to be similar to a melting temperature. These proteins have also viscoelastic

  5. Comparison of pollinators and natural enemies: a meta-analysis of landscape and local effects on abundance and richness in crops.

    PubMed

    Shackelford, Gorm; Steward, Peter R; Benton, Tim G; Kunin, William E; Potts, Simon G; Biesmeijer, Jacobus C; Sait, Steven M

    2013-11-01

    To manage agroecosystems for multiple ecosystem services, we need to know whether the management of one service has positive, negative, or no effects on other services. We do not yet have data on the interactions between pollination and pest-control services. However, we do have data on the distributions of pollinators and natural enemies in agroecosystems. Therefore, we compared these two groups of ecosystem service providers, to see if the management of farms and agricultural landscapes might have similar effects on the abundance and richness of both. In a meta-analysis, we compared 46 studies that sampled bees, predatory beetles, parasitic wasps, and spiders in fields, orchards, or vineyards of food crops. These studies used the proximity or proportion of non-crop or natural habitats in the landscapes surrounding these crops (a measure of landscape complexity), or the proximity or diversity of non-crop plants in the margins of these crops (a measure of local complexity), to explain the abundance or richness of these beneficial arthropods. Compositional complexity at both landscape and local scales had positive effects on both pollinators and natural enemies, but different effects on different taxa. Effects on bees and spiders were significantly positive, but effects on parasitoids and predatory beetles (mostly Carabidae and Staphylinidae) were inconclusive. Landscape complexity had significantly stronger effects on bees than it did on predatory beetles and significantly stronger effects in non-woody rather than in woody crops. Effects on richness were significantly stronger than effects on abundance, but possibly only for spiders. This abundance-richness difference might be caused by differences between generalists and specialists, or between arthropods that depend on non-crop habitats (ecotone species and dispersers) and those that do not (cultural species). We call this the 'specialist-generalist' or 'cultural difference' mechanism. If complexity has stronger

  6. Preparation of poly(vinyl alcohol)/chitosan/starch blends and studies on thermal and surface properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nasalapure, Anand V.; Chalannavar, Raju K.; Malabadi, Ravindra B.

    2018-05-01

    Biopolymers are abundantly available from its natural sources of extraction. Chitosan(CH) is one of the widely used natural polymer which is perspective natural polysaccharide. Natural polymer blend with synthetic polymer enhances property of the material such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). PVA is nontoxic degradable synthetic polymer and very good film forming polymer. In this study prepared hybrid based film by adding starch into Chitosan/PVA which slighlty increased the surface and thermal property of ternary blend film.

  7. Robust Abundance Estimation in Animal Abundance Surveys with Imperfect Detection

    EPA Science Inventory

    Surveys of animal abundance are central to the conservation and management of living natural resources. However, detection uncertainty complicates the sampling process of many species. One sampling method employed to deal with this problem is depletion (or removal) surveys in whi...

  8. Nonlinear viscoelasticity and generalized failure criterion for biopolymer gels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Divoux, Thibaut; Keshavarz, Bavand; Manneville, Sébastien; McKinley, Gareth

    2016-11-01

    Biopolymer gels display a multiscale microstructure that is responsible for their solid-like properties. Upon external deformation, these soft viscoelastic solids exhibit a generic nonlinear mechanical response characterized by pronounced stress- or strain-stiffening prior to irreversible damage and failure, most often through macroscopic fractures. Here we show on a model acid-induced protein gel that the nonlinear viscoelastic properties of the gel can be described in terms of a 'damping function' which predicts the gel mechanical response quantitatively up to the onset of macroscopic failure. Using a nonlinear integral constitutive equation built upon the experimentally-measured damping function in conjunction with power-law linear viscoelastic response, we derive the form of the stress growth in the gel following the start up of steady shear. We also couple the shear stress response with Bailey's durability criteria for brittle solids in order to predict the critical values of the stress σc and strain γc for failure of the gel, and how they scale with the applied shear rate. This provides a generalized failure criterion for biopolymer gels in a range of different deformation histories. This work was funded by the MIT-France seed fund and by the CNRS PICS-USA scheme (#36939). BK acknowledges financial support from Axalta Coating Systems.

  9. Could essential oils enhance biopolymers performance for wound healing? A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Pérez-Recalde, Mercedes; Ruiz Arias, Ignacio E; Hermida, Élida B

    2018-01-01

    Millions of people in the world suffer from chronic wounds of different etiologies such as diabetic foot and leg ulcers, without solutions nowadays. Molecules obtained from plants offer an alternative to aid wound healing. Strong evidence about essential oils (EO) anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties is thoroughly described in literature and their chemical compositions are well characterized. More recently, EO effects in experimental wounds have begun to be analyzed. We aim to summarize the evidence of EO in experimental wounds, and the possibility of combining them with biopolymers commonly used in skin regeneration. Electronic databases such as ScienceDirect, PubMed and Scopus were used to search scientific contributions until March 2017, using relevant keywords. In a first step, literature focusing on EO and/or mono- or sesqui-terpenoids effects in rodent wounds was identified and summarized. In all cases, chemical structures and EO composition were detailed, as well as references to in vitro activities previously determined, e.g. antibacterial, antioxidant or anti-inflammatory. In a second step, scientific literature devoted to combine EO and biopolymers with the focus set on wound healing innovations, was collected and analyzed. Treatments with EO from species of genders Lavandula, Croton, Blumea, Eucalyptus, Pinus, Cymbopogon, Eucalyptus, Cedrus, Abies, Rosmarinus, Origanum, Salvia and Plectranthus, have shown positive results in rodent wounds. All of these EO were mainly composed by monoterpenoids-thymol, 1,8-cineole, linalool-or monoterpenes, as limonene or pinenes. Experimental wounds in rodents have shown faster closure rate, better collagen deposition and/or enhanced fibroblasts proliferation. In blends with biopolymers, several EO combined with chitosan, alginate, gelatin or collagen, were processed to give active films or nanofibers, with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory or antimicrobial activities. Curiously, all of these works were carried

  10. Applications of free-electron lasers to measurements of energy transfer in biopolymers and materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Edwards, Glenn S.; Johnson, J. B.; Kozub, John A.; Tribble, Jerri A.; Wagner, Katrina

    1992-08-01

    Free-electron lasers (FELs) provide tunable, pulsed radiation in the infrared. Using the FEL as a pump beam, we are investigating the mechanisms for energy transfer between localized vibrational modes and between vibrational modes and lattice or phonon modes. Either a laser-Raman system or a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer will serve as the probe beam, with the attribute of placing the burden of detection on two conventional spectroscopic techniques that circumvent the limited response of infrared detectors. More specifically, the Raman effect inelastically shifts an exciting laser line, typically a visible frequency, by the energy of the vibrational mode; however, the shifted Raman lines also lie in the visible, allowing for detection with highly efficient visible detectors. With regards to FTIR spectroscopy, the multiplex advantage yields a distinct benefit for infrared detector response. Our group is investigating intramolecular and intermolecular energy transfer processes in both biopolymers and more traditional materials. For example, alkali halides contain a number of defect types that effectively transfer energy in an intermolecular process. Similarly, the functioning of biopolymers depends on efficient intramolecular energy transfer. Understanding these mechanisms will enhance our ability to modify biopolymers and materials with applications to biology, medecine, and materials science.

  11. Effects of Dietary Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Biopolymer Encapsulation on Lipid Metabolism in Mice

    PubMed Central

    Hur, Sun Jin; Kim, Doo Hwan; Chun, Se Chul; Lee, Si Kyung

    2013-01-01

    Forty mice were randomly divided into four groups on the basis of the diet to be fed as follows: 5% (low) fat diet (T1: LF); 20% (high) fat diet (T2: HF); 20% fat containing 1% conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) (T3: HFC); and 20% fat containing 1% CLA with 0.5% biopolymers (T4: HFCB). The high-fat with CLA diet groups (HFC and HFCB) and the low-fat diet group (LF) tended to have lower body weights and total adipose tissue weights than those of the high-fat diet group (HF). Serum leptin and triglyceride were significantly lower in the high fat with CLA-fed groups (HFC and HFCB) and the low-fat diet group (LF) than those in the high-fat diet group (HF). It is noteworthy that the high-fat with CLA and biopolymers group (HFCB) showed the lowest serum triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations. In the high-fat-fed group (HF), voluntary travel distance as a measure of physical activity decreased after three weeks of feeding. However, the CLA-fed groups showed increased physical activity. The groups fed high-fat diets supplemented with CLA alone and with CLA and biopolymers had higher viscosity of small intestinal contents than that in the low- and high-fat dietary groups. PMID:23531540

  12. Recovery of oil from oil-in-water emulsion using biopolymers by adsorptive method.

    PubMed

    Elanchezhiyan, S Sd; Sivasurian, N; Meenakshi, Sankaran

    2014-09-01

    In the present study, it is aimed to identify, a low cost sorbent for the recovery of oil from oil-in-water emulsion using biopolymers such as chitin and chitosan. Chitin has the greater adsorption capacity than chitosan due to its hydrophobic nature. The characterizations of chitin and chitosan were done using FTIR, SEM, EDAX, XRD, TGA and DSC techniques. Under batch equilibrium mode, a systematic study was performed to optimize the various equilibrium parameters viz., contact time, pH, dosage, initial concentration of oil, and temperature. The adsorption process reached equilibrium at 40 min of contact time and the percentage removal of oil was found to be higher (90%) in the acidic medium. The Freundlich and Langmuir models were applied to describe the equilibrium isotherms and the isotherm constants were calculated. Thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS° were calculated to find out the nature of the sorption mechanism. The kinetic studies were investigated with reaction-based and diffusion-based models. The suitable mechanism for the removal of oil has been established. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Natural abundant (17) O NMR in a 1.5-T Halbach magnet.

    PubMed

    Sørensen, Morten K; Bakharev, Oleg N; Jensen, Ole; Nielsen, Niels Chr

    2016-06-01

    We present mobile, low-field (17) O NMR as a means for monitoring oxygen in liquids. Whereas oxygen is one of the most important elements, oxygen NMR is limited by a poor sensitivity related to low natural abundance and gyro-magnetic ratio of the NMR active (17) O isotope. Here, we demonstrate (17) O NMR detection at a Larmor frequency of 8.74 MHz in a 1.5-T Halbach neodymium magnet with a home-built digital NMR instrument suitable for large-scale production and in-line monitoring applications. The proposed (17) O NMR sensor may be applied for direct, noninvasive measurements of water content in, for example, oil, manure, or food in automated quality or process control. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Seasonal abundance and development of the Asian longhorned beetle and natural enemy prevalence in different forest types in China

    Treesearch

    Houping Liu; Leah S. Bauer; Tonghai Zhao; Ruitong Gao; Therese M. Poland

    2016-01-01

    Seasonal abundance and population development of the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), and prevalence of its natural enemies were studied on Hankow willow (Salix matsudana Koidz.) at an urban forest site (Anci) and a rural forest site (Tangerli) in Hebei province...

  15. Influence of partial harvesting and site factors on the abundance and composition of natural regeneration in the Acadian Forest of Maine, USA

    Treesearch

    Mohammad Bataineh; Laura Kenefic; Aaron Weiskittel; Robert Wagner; John Brissette

    2013-01-01

    Understanding the factors regulating the composition and abundance of natural regeneration in forest ecosystems is critical to sustainable management worldwide. Using a long-term silvicultural experiment in Maine, we partitioned the variation in natural regeneration and examined the contribution of overstory and understory vegetation (biotic factors), substrate and...

  16. Conventional oil and natural gas infrastructure increases brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) relative abundance and parasitism in mixed-grass prairie

    PubMed Central

    Nenninger, Heather; Koper, Nicola

    2017-01-01

    The rapid expansion of oil and natural gas development across the Northern Great Plains has contributed to habitat fragmentation, which may facilitate brood parasitism of ground-nesting grassland songbird nests by brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater), an obligate brood parasite, through the introduction of perches and anthropogenic edges. We tested this hypothesis by measuring brown-headed cowbird relative abundance and brood parasitism rates of Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) nests in relation to the presence of infrastructure features and proximity to potential perches and edge habitat. The presence of oil and natural gas infrastructure increased brown-headed cowbird relative abundance by a magnitude of four times, which resulted in four times greater brood parasitism rates at infrastructure sites. While the presence of infrastructure and the proximity to roads were influential in predicting brood parasitism rates, the proximity of perch sites was not. This suggests that brood parasitism associated with oil and natural gas infrastructure may result in additional pressures that reduce productivity of this declining grassland songbird. PMID:28791134

  17. Fractional Generalizations of Maxwell and Kelvin-Voigt Models for Biopolymer Characterization

    PubMed Central

    Jóźwiak, Bertrand; Orczykowska, Magdalena; Dziubiński, Marek

    2015-01-01

    The paper proposes a fractional generalization of the Maxwell and Kelvin-Voigt rheological models for a description of dynamic behavior of biopolymer materials. It was found that the rheological models of Maxwell-type do not work in the case of modeling of viscoelastic solids, and the model which significantly better describes the nature of changes in rheological properties of such media is the modified fractional Kelvin-Voigt model with two built-in springpots (MFKVM2). The proposed model was used to describe the experimental data from the oscillatory and creep tests of 3% (w/v) kuzu starch pastes, and to determine the values of their rheological parameters as a function of pasting time. These parameters provide a lot of additional information about structure and viscoelastic properties of the medium in comparison to the classical analysis of dynamic curves G’ and G” and shear creep compliance J(t). It allowed for a comprehensive description of a wide range of properties of kuzu starch pastes, depending on the conditions of pasting process. PMID:26599756

  18. MOLECULAR TRACERS FOR SMOKE FROM CHARRING/BURNING OF CHITIN BIOPOLYMER. (R823990)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Abstract

    Monosaccharide derivatives from the breakdown of cellulose are the major organic components of smoke particles emitted to the atmosphere from biomass burning. In urban areas a related biopolymer, chitin, may contribute markers to smoke from grilling/charring o...

  19. Nucleosynthesis: Stellar and Solar Abundances and Atomic Data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cowan, John J.; Lawler, James E.; Sneden, Christopher; DenHartog, E. A.; Collier, Jason; Dodge, Homer L.

    2006-01-01

    Abundance observations indicate the presence of often surprisingly large amounts of neutron capture (i.e., s- and r-process) elements in old Galactic halo and globular cluster stars. These observations provide insight into the nature of the earliest generations of stars in the Galaxy the progenitors of the halo stars responsible for neutron-capture synthesis. Comparisons of abundance trends can be used to understand the chemical evolution of the Galaxy and the nature of heavy element nucleosynthesis. In addition age determinations, based upon long-lived radioactive nuclei abundances, can now be obtained. These stellar abundance determinations depend critically upon atomic data. Improved laboratory transition probabilities have been recently obtained for a number of elements. These new gf values have been used to greatly refine the abundances of neutron-capture elemental abundances in the solar photosphere and in very metal-poor Galactic halo stars. The newly determined stellar abundances are surprisingly consistent with a (relative) Solar System r-process pattern, and are also consistent with abundance predictions expected from such neutron-capture nucleosynthesis.

  20. Reaction Event Counting Statistics of Biopolymer Reaction Systems with Dynamic Heterogeneity.

    PubMed

    Lim, Yu Rim; Park, Seong Jun; Park, Bo Jung; Cao, Jianshu; Silbey, Robert J; Sung, Jaeyoung

    2012-04-10

    We investigate the reaction event counting statistics (RECS) of an elementary biopolymer reaction in which the rate coefficient is dependent on states of the biopolymer and the surrounding environment and discover a universal kinetic phase transition in the RECS of the reaction system with dynamic heterogeneity. From an exact analysis for a general model of elementary biopolymer reactions, we find that the variance in the number of reaction events is dependent on the square of the mean number of the reaction events when the size of measurement time is small on the relaxation time scale of rate coefficient fluctuations, which does not conform to renewal statistics. On the other hand, when the size of the measurement time interval is much greater than the relaxation time of rate coefficient fluctuations, the variance becomes linearly proportional to the mean reaction number in accordance with renewal statistics. Gillespie's stochastic simulation method is generalized for the reaction system with a rate coefficient fluctuation. The simulation results confirm the correctness of the analytic results for the time dependent mean and variance of the reaction event number distribution. On the basis of the obtained results, we propose a method of quantitative analysis for the reaction event counting statistics of reaction systems with rate coefficient fluctuations, which enables one to extract information about the magnitude and the relaxation times of the fluctuating reaction rate coefficient, without a bias that can be introduced by assuming a particular kinetic model of conformational dynamics and the conformation dependent reactivity. An exact relationship is established between a higher moment of the reaction event number distribution and the multitime correlation of the reaction rate for the reaction system with a nonequilibrium initial state distribution as well as for the system with the equilibrium initial state distribution.

  1. Application of biopolymers for improving the glass transition temperature of hairtail fish meat.

    PubMed

    Yu, Haixia; Yang, Shuibing; Yuan, Chunhong; Hu, Qinglan; Li, Yuan; Chen, Shiguo; Hu, Yaqin

    2018-03-01

    Glass transition temperature (T g ) and food moisture content are closely related, especially in foods with a high moisture content, such as surimi products. In order to improve storage condition and maintain food quality, the influence of six biopolymers on the T g of hairtail fish meat paste was investigated by differential scanning colorimetry. Samples were stored at -8 °C (>T g ), -14 °C (T g ) and -18 °C (biopolymers could effectively restrain the increase in TVC and TVB-N, as well as the dropping of gel strength and whiteness of fish meat paste during storage. A mixture of the biopolymers could improve T g and showed great potential in the preservation of hairtail meat products. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  2. Preparation of the polyelectrolyte complex hydrogel of biopolymers via a semi-dissolution acidification sol-gel transition method and its application in solid-state supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Jian; Chen, Yu; Yao, Ying; Tong, Zong-Rui; Li, Pu-Wang; Yang, Zi-Ming; Jin, Shao-Hua

    2018-02-01

    Hydrogels have drawn many attentions as the solid-state electrolytes in flexible solid-state supercapacitors (SCs) recently. Among them, the polyelectrolyte complex hydrogel (PECH) electrolytes of natural polymers are more competitive because of their environmentally friendly property and low cost. However, while mixing two biopolymer solutions with opposite charges, the strong electrostatic interactions between the cationic and anionic biopolymers may result in precipitates instead of hydrogels. Here we report a novel method, semi-dissolution acidification sol-gel transition (SD-A-SGT), for the preparation of the PECH of chitosan (CTS) and sodium alginate (SA), with the controllable sol-gel transition and uniform composition and successfully apply it as the hydrogel electrolyte of solid-state supercapacitors (SCs). The CTS-SA PECH exhibits an extremely high ionic conductivity of 0.051 S·cm-1 and reasonable mechanical properties with a tensile strength of 0.29 MPa and elongation at break of 109.5%. The solid-state SC fabricated with the CTS-SA PECH and conventional polyaniline (PANI) nanowire electrodes provided a high specific capacitance of 234.6 F·g-1 at 5 mV·s-1 and exhibited excellent cycling stability with 95.3% capacitance retention after 1000 cycles. Our work may pave a novel avenue to the preparation of biodegradable PECHs of full natural polymers, and promote the development of environmentally friendly electronic devices.

  3. Evidence for cleavage of lignin by a brown rot basidiomycete

    Treesearch

    Daniel J. Yelle; John Ralph; Fachuang Lu; Kenneth E. Hammel

    2008-01-01

    Biodegradation by brown-rot fungi is quantitatively one of the most important fates of lignocellulose in nature. It has long been thought that these basidiomycetes do not degrade lignin significantly, and that their activities on this abundant aromatic biopolymer are limited to minor oxidative modifications. Here we have applied a new technique for the complete...

  4. Single walled carbon nanotubes functionally adsorbed to biopolymers for use as chemical sensors

    DOEpatents

    Johnson, Jr., Alan T.; Gelperin, Alan [Princeton, NJ; Staii, Cristian [Madison, WI

    2011-07-12

    Chemical field effect sensors comprising nanotube field effect devices having biopolymers such as single stranded DNA functionally adsorbed to the nanotubes are provided. Also included are arrays comprising the sensors and methods of using the devices to detect volatile compounds.

  5. Microtubule-based nanomaterials: Exploiting nature's dynamic biopolymers

    DOE PAGES

    Bachand, George D.; Stevens, Mark J.; Spoerke, Erik David

    2015-04-09

    For more than a decade now, biomolecular systems have served as an inspiration for the development of synthetic nanomaterials and systems that are capable of reproducing many of unique and emergent behaviors of living systems. In addition, one intriguing element of such systems may be found in a specialized class of proteins known as biomolecular motors that are capable of performing useful work across multiple length scales through the efficient conversion of chemical energy. Microtubule (MT) filaments may be considered within this context as their dynamic assembly and disassembly dissipate energy, and perform work within the cell. MTs are onemore » of three cytoskeletal filaments in eukaryotic cells, and play critical roles in a range of cellular processes including mitosis and vesicular trafficking. Based on their function, physical attributes, and unique dynamics, MTs also serve as a powerful archetype of a supramolecular filament that underlies and drives multiscale emergent behaviors. In this review, we briefly summarize recent efforts to generate hybrid and composite nanomaterials using MTs as biomolecular scaffolds, as well as computational and synthetic approaches to develop synthetic one-dimensional nanostructures that display the enviable attributes of the natural filaments.« less

  6. Terrestrial plant biopolymers in marine sediments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gough, Mark A.; Fauzi, R.; Mantoura, C.; Preston, Martin

    1993-03-01

    The vascular land plant biopolymers lignin and cutin were surveyed in the surface sediments of coastal and open ocean waters by controlled alkaline CuO oxidation/reaction. Two contrasting oceanic regimes were studied: the northwest Mediterranean (NWM) Sea, which receives significant particulate terrigenous debris through riverine discharge; and the northeast Atlantic (NEA) Ocean, with poorly characterised terrestrial carbon inputs. In the NWM products of lignin and cutin co-occurred at all stations, elevated levels (ca. 0.5-3.0 mg lignin phenols/100 mg organic carbon; ca. 0.01-0.09 mg cutin acids/100 mg organic carbon) were observed for near-shore deltaic and shelf sediments. The influence of terrestrial land plant inputs extended across the shelf and through the slope to the abyssal plain, providing molecular evidence for advective offshore transfer of terrestrial carbon. Mass balance estimates for the basin suggest riverine inputs account for the majority of surface sedimentary lignin/cutin, most of which (>90%) is deposited on the shelf. Products of CuO oxidation of lignin and cutin were also detected in NEA surface sediments, at levels comparable to those observed for the NWM continental slope, and were detectable at low concentrations ( ca. 0.5 μgg-1 in the sediments of the abyssal plains (>4,000 m depth). While atmospheric deposition of lignin/cutin-derived material cannot be discounted in this open ocean system, lateral advective transfer of enriched shelf sediments is inferred as a possible transport process. A progressive enrichment in cutin-derived material relative to lignin was observed offshore, with evidence of an increase in the degree of oxidative alteration of lignin residues. To account for these observations, preferential offshore transport of finer and more degraded material is proposed. Nonspecific oxidation products dominated the gas chromatograms of NEA sediments, which appear to originate from marine sources of sedimentary organic carbon

  7. Food resources of stream macroinvertebrates determined by natural-abundance stable C and N isotopes and a 15N tracer addition

    Treesearch

    Patrick J. Mulholland; Jennifer L. Tank; Diane M. Sanzone; Wilfrid M. Wollheim; Bruce J. Peterson; Jackson R. Webster; Judy L. Meyer

    2000-01-01

    Trophic relationships were examined using natural-abundance 13C and 15N analyses and a 15N-tracer addition experiment in Walker Branch, a 1st-order forested stream in eastern Tennessee. In the 15N-tracer addition experiment, we added 15NH4...

  8. Biopolymer-based structuring of liquid oil into soft solids and oleogels using water-continuous emulsions as templates.

    PubMed

    Patel, Ashok R; Rajarethinem, Pravin S; Cludts, Nick; Lewille, Benny; De Vos, Winnok H; Lesaffer, Ans; Dewettinck, Koen

    2015-02-24

    Physical trapping of a hydrophobic liquid oil in a matrix of water-soluble biopolymers was achieved using a facile two-step process by first formulating a surfactant-free oil-in-water emulsion stabilized by biopolymers (a protein and a polysaccharide) followed by complete removal of the water phase (by either high- or low-temperature drying of the emulsion) resulting in structured solid systems containing a high concentration of liquid oil (above 97 wt %). The microstructure of these systems was revealed by confocal and cryo-scanning electron microscopy, and the effect of biopolymer concentrations on the consistency of emulsions as well as the dried product was evaluated using a combination of small-amplitude oscillatory shear rheometry and large deformation fracture studies. The oleogel prepared by shearing the dried product showed a high gel strength as well as a certain degree of thixotropic recovery even at high temperatures. Moreover, the reversibility of the process was demonstrated by shearing the dried product in the presence of water to obtain reconstituted emulsions with rheological properties comparable to those of the fresh emulsion.

  9. The Effects of Biopolymers Composite Based Waste Cooking Oil and Titanium Dioxide Fillers as Superhydrophobic Coatings.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marsi, N.; Rus, A. Z. M.

    2017-08-01

    This project presents the effect of biopolymer composite surface coating on TiO2 fillers by analysing the static water contact angle, SEM micrographs, porosity, density and refractive index of biopolymer doped with different loading of TiO2. The different ratio loading of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 (wt/wt%) TiO2 can be used to improve the material properties in practical use for outdoor application especially to enhance the stability of surface coating. It is found that the smooth surfaces with a low ratio loading of TiO2 fillers on biopolymer composite surface coating increases the static water contact angle up to 162.29°. It is interpreted with respect to nano- features existing on the surface of the water repellent creates a thin superhydrphobic layer. The relationship between porosity and density is indirectly proportional where the higher the loading of TiO2 filler produce the lower porosity up to 0.86% of the surface coating. The movement from shorter to longer of wavelength was observed before and after exposure indicates that there are optimization of absorption of UV-B radiation as the amount of delocalisation.

  10. Infrared spectroscopic study of thermotropic phase behavior of newly developed synthetic biopolymers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bista, Rajan K.; Bruch, Reinhard F.; Covington, Aaron M.

    2011-10-01

    The thermotropic phase behavior of a suite of newly developed self-forming synthetic biopolymers has been investigated by variable-temperature Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) absorption spectroscopy. The temperature-induced infrared spectra of these artificial biopolymers (lipids) composed of 1,2-dimyristoyl- rac-glycerol-3-dodecaethylene glycol (GDM-12), 1,2-dioleoyl- rac-glycerol-3-dodecaethylene glycol (GDO-12) and 1,2-distearoyl- rac-glycerol-3-triicosaethylene glycol (GDS-23) in the spectral range of 4000-500 cm -1 have been acquired by using a thin layered FT-IR spectrometer in conjunction with a custom built temperature-controlled demountable liquid cell having a pathlength of ˜15 μm. The lipids under consideration have long hydrophobic acyl chains and contain various units of hydrophilic polyethylene glycol (PEG) headgroups. In contrast to conventional phospholipids, this new kind of lipids forms liposomes or nanovesicles spontaneously upon hydration, without requiring external activation energy. We have found that the thermal stability of the PEGylated lipids differs greatly depending upon the acyl chain-lengths as well as the nature of the associated bonds and the number of PEG headgroup units. In particular, GDM-12 (saturated 14 hydrocarbon chains with 12 units of PEG headgroup) exhibits one sharp order-disorder phase transition over a temperature range increasing from 3 °C to 5 °C. Similarly, GDS-23 (saturated 18 hydrocarbon chains with 23 units of PEG headgroup) displays comparatively broad order-disorder phase transition profiles between temperature 17 °C and 22 °C. In contrast, GDO-12 (monounsaturated 18 hydrocarbon chains with 12 units of PEG headgroup) does not reveal any order-disorder transition phenomena demonstrating a highly disordered behavior for the entire temperature range. To confirm these observations, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was applied to the samples and revealed good agreement with the infrared spectroscopy

  11. Appraisal of the nitrogen-15 natural-abundance method for quantifying dinitrogen fixation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bremer, E.; van Kessel, C.

    Several investigators have questioned the use of the {sup 15}N natural-abundance method of estimating N{sub 2} fixation because of variability in soil {delta}{sup 15}N and small differences between the {delta}{sup 15}N of soil N and atmospheric N. Investigations were conducted to compare the {sup 15}N natural-abundance and {sup 15}N-isotope-dilution methods for estimating N{sub 2} fixation of field-grown pea (Pisum sativum L.) and lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.). Spatial variability was assessed at three sites by determining the {delta}{sup 15}N of non-N{sub 2}-fixing plants. Seasonal variation in {delta}{sup 15}N for spring and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), barleymore » (Hordeum vulgare L.), rape (Brassica napus L.) and lentil was determined at one site. Comparisons between {delta}{sup 15}N and {sup 15}N-enriched isotope-dilution methods for estimating N{sub 2} fixation by lentil were conducted at several sites over a 3-yr period. Variability in {delta}{sup 15}N of the reference plant was site dependent: the {delta}{sup 15}N ranged from 2.8 to 9.3 at the first site, 3.4 to 8.8 at the second site, and 3.5 to 6.2 at the third site. The average {delta}{sup 15}N of four of the five non-N{sub 2}-fixing plants increased from 5.4 at 42 d after planting to 6.9 at the final harvest. The fifth non-N{sub 2}-fixing plant, rape, accumulated most of its N during the first 42 d after planting, and its {delta}{sup 15}N value declined from 8.1 at 42 d after planting to 7.3 at the final harvest. Estimates of N{sub 2} fixation were not significantly different in 18 out of 21 comparisons; in two comparisons in the {delta}{sup 15}N method and in one comparison the {sup 15}N-enriched method provided higher estimates of N{sub 2} fixation. Overall, both methods appeared to provide equally reliable estimates of N{sub 2} fixation for lentil.« less

  12. Single walled carbon nanotubes with functionally adsorbed biopolymers for use as chemical sensors

    DOEpatents

    Johnson, Jr., Alan T

    2013-12-17

    Chemical field effect sensors comprising nanotube field effect devices having biopolymers such as single stranded DNA or RNA functionally adsorbed to the nanotubes are provided. Also included are arrays comprising the sensors and methods of using the devices to detect volatile compounds.

  13. Implications of Abundant Gas and Oil for Climate Forcing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Edmonds, J.

    2015-12-01

    Perhaps the most important development in the field of energy over the past decade has been the advent of technologies that enable the production of larger volumes of natural gas and oil at lower cost. The availability of more abundant gas and oil is reshaping the global energy system, with implications for both evolving emissions of CO2 and other climate forcers. More abundant gas and oil will also transform the character of greenhouse gas emissions mitigation. We review recent findings regarding the impact of abundant gas and oil for climate forcing and the challenge of emissions mitigation. We find strong evidence that, absent policies to limits its penetration against renewable energy, abundant gas has little observable impact on CO2 emissions, and tends to increase overall climate forcing, though the latter finding is subject to substantial uncertainty. The presence of abundant gas also affects emissions mitigation. There is relatively little literature exploring the implication of expanded gas availability on the difficulty in meeting emissions mitigation goals. However, preliminary results indicate that on global scales abundant gas does not substantially affect the cost of emissions mitigation, even though natural gas could have an expanded role in emissions mitigation scenarios as compared with scenarios in which natural gas is less abundant.

  14. Valorization of industrial waste and by-product streams via fermentation for the production of chemicals and biopolymers.

    PubMed

    Koutinas, Apostolis A; Vlysidis, Anestis; Pleissner, Daniel; Kopsahelis, Nikolaos; Lopez Garcia, Isabel; Kookos, Ioannis K; Papanikolaou, Seraphim; Kwan, Tsz Him; Lin, Carol Sze Ki

    2014-04-21

    The transition from a fossil fuel-based economy to a bio-based economy necessitates the exploitation of synergies, scientific innovations and breakthroughs, and step changes in the infrastructure of chemical industry. Sustainable production of chemicals and biopolymers should be dependent entirely on renewable carbon. White biotechnology could provide the necessary tools for the evolution of microbial bioconversion into a key unit operation in future biorefineries. Waste and by-product streams from existing industrial sectors (e.g., food industry, pulp and paper industry, biodiesel and bioethanol production) could be used as renewable resources for both biorefinery development and production of nutrient-complete fermentation feedstocks. This review focuses on the potential of utilizing waste and by-product streams from current industrial activities for the production of chemicals and biopolymers via microbial bioconversion. The first part of this review presents the current status and prospects on fermentative production of important platform chemicals (i.e., selected C2-C6 metabolic products and single cell oil) and biopolymers (i.e., polyhydroxyalkanoates and bacterial cellulose). In the second part, the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of waste and by-product streams from existing industrial sectors are presented. In the third part, the techno-economic aspects of bioconversion processes are critically reviewed. Four case studies showing the potential of case-specific waste and by-product streams for the production of succinic acid and polyhydroxyalkanoates are presented. It is evident that fermentative production of chemicals and biopolymers via refining of waste and by-product streams is a highly important research area with significant prospects for industrial applications.

  15. Adsorption of aluminum and lead from wastewater by chitosan-tannic acid modified biopolymers: Isotherms, kinetics, thermodynamics and process mechanism.

    PubMed

    Badawi, M A; Negm, N A; Abou Kana, M T H; Hefni, H H; Abdel Moneem, M M

    2017-06-01

    Chitosan was reacted by tannic acid to obtain three modified chitosan biopolymer. Their chemical structures were characterized by FTIR and elemental analysis. The prepared biopolymers were used to adsorb Al(III) and Pb(II) metal ions from industrial wastewater. The factors affecting the adsorption process were biosorbent amount, initial concentration of metal ion and pH of the medium. The adsorption efficiency increased considerably with the increase of the biosorbent amount and pH of the medium. The adsorption process of biosorbent on different metal ions was fitted by Freundlich adsorption model. The adsorption kinetics was followed Pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The adsorption process occurred according to diffusion mechanism which was confirmed by the interparticle diffusion model. The modified biopolymers were efficient biosorbents for removal of Pb(II) and Al(III) metal ions from the medium. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Patterns of Diversity and Abundance of Carrion Insect Assemblages in the Natural Park “Hoces del Río Riaza” (Central Spain)

    PubMed Central

    Baz, Arturo; Cifrián, Blanca; Martín-Vega, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    Abstract The patterns of diversity and abundance of the carrion insect species in the different habitats of the Natural Park “Hoces del Río Riaza” (central Spain) were studied with the use of carrion-baited traps. Representativeness of the inventories was assessed with the calculation of randomized species richness curves and nonparametric estimators. Coleoptera families, Silphidae and Dermestidae, and Diptera families, Calliphoridae and Muscidae, were dominant in every sampling habitat, but differences in the patterns of diversity and abundance were found. Lusitanian oakwood and riparian forest were the most diverse habitats with high abundance of saprophagous species, whereas more open (i.e., exposed to continuous sunlight during the day) habitats showed lower diversity values and a different species composition and distribution of species abundance, favoring thermophilous species and necrophagous species with high tolerance to different environmental conditions. Differences in the bioclimatical features of the sampled habitats are suggested to explain the composition and diversity of the carrion insect assemblages in different environments. PMID:25368080

  17. Complex coacervation in charge complementary biopolymers: Electrostatic versus surface patch binding.

    PubMed

    Pathak, Jyotsana; Priyadarshini, Eepsita; Rawat, Kamla; Bohidar, H B

    2017-12-01

    In this review, a number of systems are described to demonstrate the effect of polyelectrolyte chain stiffness (persistence length) on the coacervation phenomena, after we briefly review the field. We consider two specific types of complexation/coacervation: in the first type, DNA is used as a fixed substrate binding to flexible polyions such as gelatin A, bovine serum albumin and chitosan (large persistence length polyelectrolyte binding to low persistence length biopolymer), and in the second case, different substrates such as gelatin A, bovine serum albumin, and chitosan were made to bind to a polyion gelatin B (low persistence length substrate binding to comparable persistence length polyion). Polyelectrolyte chain flexibility was found to have remarkable effect on the polyelectrolyte-protein complex coacervation. The competitive interplay of electrostatic versus surface patch binding (SPB) leading to associative interaction followed by complex coacervation between these biopolymers is elucidated. We modelled the SPB interaction in terms of linear combination of attractive and repulsive Coulombic forces with respect to the solution ionic strength. The aforesaid interactions were established via a universal phase diagram, considering the persistence length of polyion as the sole independent variable. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Derivation of a variational principle for plane strain elastic-plastic silk biopolymers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, J. H.; Liu, F. J.; Cao, J. H.; Zhang, L.

    2014-01-01

    Silk biopolymers, such as spider silk and Bombyx mori silk, behave always elastic-plastically. An elastic-plastic model is adopted and a variational principle for the small strain, rate plasticity problem is established by semi-inverse method. A trial Lagrangian is constructed where an unknown function is included which can be identified step by step.

  19. Studies of antibacterial efficacy of different biopolymer protected silver nanoparticles synthesized under reflux condition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Su, Chia Hung; Velusamy, Palaniyandi; Kumar, Govindarajan Venkat; Adhikary, Shritama; Pandian, Kannaiyan; Anbu, Periyasamy

    2017-01-01

    In the present study, a simple method to impregnate silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) into carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and sodium alginate (SA) is reported for the first time. Single step synthesis of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and sodium alginate (SA) biopolymer protected silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aniline as a reducing agent under reflux conditions was investigated. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The FESEM results of CMC@AgNPs and SA@AgNPs showed the formation of spherical nanoparticles sized 30-60 nm. Testing of the antibiofilm efficacy of the polymer protected AgNPs against different bacterial strains such as Klebsiella pneumoniae MTCC 4032 and Streptococcus pyogenes MTCC 1924 revealed that the biopolymer protected AgNPs had excellent antibiofilm activity.

  20. Solid-State 87Sr NMR Spectroscopy at Natural Abundance and High Magnetic Field Strength.

    PubMed

    Faucher, Alexandra; Terskikh, Victor V; Ye, Eric; Bernard, Guy M; Wasylishen, Roderick E

    2015-12-10

    Twenty-five strontium-containing solids were characterized via (87)Sr NMR spectroscopy at natural abundance and high magnetic field strength (B0 = 21.14 T). Strontium nuclear quadrupole coupling constants in these compounds are sensitive to the strontium site symmetry and range from 0 to 50.5 MHz. An experimental (87)Sr chemical shift scale is proposed, and available data indicate a chemical shift range of approximately 550 ppm, from -200 to +350 ppm relative to Sr(2+)(aq). In general, magnetic shielding increased with strontium coordination number. Experimentally measured chemical shift anisotropy is reported for stationary samples of solid powdered SrCl2·6H2O, SrBr2·6H2O, and SrCO3, with δaniso((87)Sr) values of +28, +26, and -65 ppm, respectively. NMR parameters were calculated using CASTEP, a gauge including projector augmented wave (GIPAW) DFT-based program, which addresses the periodic nature of solids using plane-wave basis sets. Calculated NMR parameters are in good agreement with those measured.

  1. In situ enzyme aided adsorption of soluble xylan biopolymers onto cellulosic material.

    PubMed

    Chimphango, Annie F A; Görgens, J F; van Zyl, W H

    2016-06-05

    The functional properties of cellulose fibers can be modified by adsorption of xylan biopolymers. The adsorption is improved when the degree of biopolymers substitution with arabinose and 4-O-methyl-glucuronic acid (MeGlcA) side groups, is reduced. α-l-Arabinofuranosidase (AbfB) and α-d-glucuronidase (AguA) enzymes were applied for side group removal, to increase adsorption of xylan from sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L) bagasse (BH), bamboo (Bambusa balcooa) (BM), Pinus patula (PP) and Eucalyptus grandis (EH) onto cotton lint. The AguA treatment increased the adsorption of all xylans by up to 334%, whereas, the AbfB increased the adsorption of the BM and PP by 31% and 44%, respectively. A combination of AguA and AbfB treatment increased the adsorption, but to a lesser extent than achieved with AguA treatment. This indicated that the removal of the glucuronic acid side groups provided the most significant increase in xylan adsorption to cellulose, in particular through enzymatic treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Seasonal abundance of Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) and its natural enemies Oobius agrili (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in China

    Treesearch

    Houping Liu; Leah S. Bauer; Tonghai Zhao; Ruitong Gao; Liwen Song; Qingshu Luan; Ruozhong Jin; Changqi Gao

    2007-01-01

    The seasonal abundance and population dynamics of Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) and its natural enemies Oobius agrili Zhang and Huang (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) were studied on ash (Fraxinus spp.) in...

  3. Silk fibroin/gold nanocrystals: a new example of biopolymer-based nanocomposites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Noinville, S.; Garnier, A.; Courty, A.

    2017-05-01

    The dispersion of nanoparticles in ordered polymer nanostructures can provide control over particle location and orientation, and pave the way for tailored nanomaterials that have enhanced mechanical, electrical, or optical properties. Here we used silk fibroin, a natural biopolymer, to embed gold nanocrystals (NCs), so as to obtain well-ordered structures such as nanowires and self-assembled triangular nanocomposites. Monodisperse gold NCs synthesized in organic media are mixed to silk fibroin and the obtained nanocomposites are characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Infrared spectroscopy. The optical properties study of gold NCs and silk-gold nanocomposites shows that the Surface Plasmon band is blue shifted compared to gold NCs. The size and shape of NCs gold superlattices can be well controlled by the presence of silk fibroin giving nanowires and also self-assembled triangular nanocomposites as characterized by TEM, FE-SEM and AFM. The strong interaction between gold NCs and silk fibroin is also revealed by the conformation change of silk protein in presence of gold NCs, as shown by FTIR analysis. The formation of such ordered nanocomposites (gold NCs/silk fibroin) will provide new nanoplasmonic devices.

  4. Growing three-dimensional biomorphic graphene powders using naturally abundant diatomite templates towards high solution processability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Ke; Li, Cong; Shi, Liurong; Gao, Teng; Song, Xiuju; Bachmatiuk, Alicja; Zou, Zhiyu; Deng, Bing; Ji, Qingqing; Ma, Donglin; Peng, Hailin; Du, Zuliang; Rümmeli, Mark Hermann; Zhang, Yanfeng; Liu, Zhongfan

    2016-11-01

    Mass production of high-quality graphene with low cost is the footstone for its widespread practical applications. We present herein a self-limited growth approach for producing graphene powders by a small-methane-flow chemical vapour deposition process on naturally abundant and industrially widely used diatomite (biosilica) substrates. Distinct from the chemically exfoliated graphene, thus-produced biomorphic graphene is highly crystallized with atomic layer-thickness controllability, structural designability and less noncarbon impurities. In particular, the individual graphene microarchitectures preserve a three-dimensional naturally curved surface morphology of original diatom frustules, effectively overcoming the interlayer stacking and hence giving excellent dispersion performance in fabricating solution-processible electrodes. The graphene films derived from as-made graphene powders, compatible with either rod-coating, or inkjet and roll-to-roll printing techniques, exhibit much higher electrical conductivity (~110,700 S m-1 at 80% transmittance) than previously reported solution-based counterparts. This work thus puts forward a practical route for low-cost mass production of various powdery two-dimensional materials.

  5. Optimization of methylene blue using Ca(2+) and Zn(2+) bio-polymer hydrogel beads: A comparative study.

    PubMed

    Kumar, M; Tamilarasan, R; Arthanareeswaran, G; Ismail, A F

    2015-11-01

    Recently noted that the methylene blue cause severe central nervous system toxicity. It is essential to optimize the methylene blue from aqueous environment. In this study, a comparison of an optimization of methylene blue was investigated by using modified Ca(2+) and Zn(2+) bio-polymer hydrogel beads. A batch mode study was conducted using various parameters like time, dye concentration, bio-polymer dose, pH and process temperature. The isotherms, kinetics, diffusion and thermodynamic studies were performed for feasibility of the optimization process. Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm equations were used for the prediction of isotherm parameters and correlated with dimensionless separation factor (RL). Pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order Lagegren's kinetic equations were used for the correlation of kinetic parameters. Intraparticle diffusion model was employed for diffusion of the optimization process. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) shows different absorbent peaks of Ca(2+) and Zn(2+) beads and the morphology of the bio-polymer material analyzed with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The TG & DTA studies show that good thermal stability with less humidity without production of any non-degraded products. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Concentration Regimes of Biopolymers Xanthan, Tara, and Clairana, Comparing Dynamic Light Scattering and Distribution of Relaxation Time

    PubMed Central

    Oliveira, Patrícia D.; Michel, Ricardo C.; McBride, Alan J. A.; Moreira, Angelita S.; Lomba, Rosana F. T.; Vendruscolo, Claire T.

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this work was to evaluate the utilization of analysis of the distribution of relaxation time (DRT) using a dynamic light back-scattering technique as alternative method for the determination of the concentration regimes in aqueous solutions of biopolymers (xanthan, clairana and tara gums) by an analysis of the overlap (c*) and aggregation (c**) concentrations. The diffusion coefficients were obtained over a range of concentrations for each biopolymer using two methods. The first method analysed the behaviour of the diffusion coefficient as a function of the concentration of the gum solution. This method is based on the analysis of the diffusion coefficient versus the concentration curve. Using the slope of the curves, it was possible to determine the c* and c** for xanthan and tara gum. However, it was not possible to determine the concentration regimes for clairana using this method. The second method was based on an analysis of the DRTs, which showed different numbers of relaxation modes. It was observed that the concentrations at which the number of modes changed corresponded to the c* and c**. Thus, the DRT technique provided an alternative method for the determination of the critical concentrations of biopolymers. PMID:23671627

  7. Biodegradation of polyether-polyol-based polyurethane elastomeric films: influence of partial replacement of polyether polyol by biopolymers of renewable origin.

    PubMed

    Obruca, Stanislav; Marova, Ivana; Vojtova, Lucy

    2011-07-01

    In this work we investigated the degradation process ofpolyether-polyol-based polyurethane (PUR) elastomeric films in the presence of a mixed thermophilic culture as a model of a natural bacterial consortium. The presence of PUR material in cultivation medium resulted in delayed but intensive growth of the bacterial culture. The unusually long lag phase was caused by the release of unreacted polyether polyol and tin catalyst from the material. The lag phase was significantly shortened and the biodegradability of PUR materials was enhanced by partial replacement (10%) of polyether polyol with biopolymers (carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, acetyl cellulose and actylated starch). The process of material degradation consisted of two steps. First, the materials were mechanically disrupted and, second, the bacterial culture was able to utilize abiotic degradation products, which resulted in supported bacterial growth. Direct utilization of PUR by the bacterial culture was observed as well, but the bacterial culture contributed only slightly to the total mass losses. The only exception was PUR material modified by acetyl cellulose. In this case, direct biodegradation represented the major mechanism of material decomposition. Moreover, PUR material modified by acetyl cellulose did not tend to undergo abiotic degradation. In conclusion, the modification of PUR by proper biopolymers is a promising strategy for reducing potential negative effects of waste PUR materials on the environment and enhancing their biodegradability.

  8. Ricinus communis-based biopolymer and epidermal growth factor regulations on bone defect repair: A rat tibia model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mendoza-Barrera, C.; Meléndez-Lira, M.; Altuzar, V.; Tomás, S. A.

    2003-01-01

    We report the effect of the addition of an epidermal growth factor to a Ricinus communis-based biopolymer in the healing of a rat tibia model. Bone repair and osteointegration after a period of three weeks were evaluated employing photoacoustic spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction. A parallel study was performed at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 weeks with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. We conclude that the use of an epidermal growth factor (group EGF) in vivo accelerates the process of bony repair in comparison with other groups, and that the employment of the Ricinus communis-based biopolymer as a bone substitute decreases bone production.

  9. Starch-entrapped biopolymer microspheres as a novel approach to vary blood glucose profiles.

    PubMed

    Venkatachalam, Mahesh; Kushnick, Michael R; Zhang, Genyi; Hamaker, Bruce R

    2009-10-01

    With emerging knowledge of the impact of the metabolic quality of glycemic carbohydrates on human health, there is a need for novel carbohydrate ingredients that can be custom-made to deliver controlled amounts of glucose to the body and to test hypotheses on the postprandial metabolic consequences of carbohydrates. The goal of the present study was to demonstrate the applicability and action of starch-entrapped biopolymer microspheres as customized, novel, slowly digestible carbohydrates to obtain desired glycemic responses. Starch-entrapped microspheres were developed; and starch digestion and glucose release, subsequent to their cooking (100 degrees C, 20 min) in water, were initially monitored by measuring the rapidly digestible, slowly digestible, and resistant starch fractions using the in vitro Englyst assay. Glycemic and insulinemic responses after consumption of glucose and two different slowly digestible starch microsphere diets were compared using a crossover study in 10 healthy individuals. The mechanism of starch digestion in the microspheres was elucidated from scanning electron microscopic images of the in vitro digested microspheres. Factors such as biopolymer type and concentration, microsphere size, and starch type were manipulated to obtain starch materials with defined amounts of slowly digestible starch based on in vitro studies. Scanning electron microscopy showed that cooked starch entrapped in the dense biopolymer matrix is digested layer by layer from the outside to the inside of the microsphere. Glycemic and insulinemic responses to microsphere test diets were moderate as compared to a glucose diet, but more important, they showed extended glucose release. Starch-entrapped microspheres provide a useful tool to study the postprandial metabolic consequences of slowly digestible carbohydrates.

  10. Physicochemical and Immunomodulatory Properties of Gum Exudates Obtained from Astragalus myriacanthus and Some of Its Isolated Carbohydrate Biopolymers

    PubMed Central

    Hamedi, Azadeh; Yousefi, Gholamhossein; Farjadian, Shirin; Bour Bour, Mitra Saadat; Parhizkar, Elahenaz

    2017-01-01

    Plants gums are complex mixtures of different polysaccharides with a variety of biological activities and pharmaceutical applications. Few studies have focused on physicochemical and biological properties of gums obtained from different plants. This study was designed to determine potential pharmaceutical and pharmacological values of the gum exudates and its isolated biopolymers obtained from Astragalus myriacanthus Boiss [syn. Astracantha myriacantha (Boiss.) Podlech] (Fabaceae). The physicochemical, rheological, and mucoadhesion properties of the gum and its fractions was measured at 7, 27, and 37 °C with and without the presence of NaCl (1%). Also, the structural and immunomodulatory properties of several water soluble biopolymers isolated using ion exchange and size exclusion chromatographic methods were investigated on Jurkat cells at concentrations of 31.25, 62.5, 125, 250, 500 and 1000 μg/mL. The consistency and shear-thinning property of the gum and its fractions decreased as temperature increased. In the presence of NaCl, the consistency increased but no regular pattern was observed regarding to shear-thinning behavior. The mucoadhesion strength was 40.66 ± 2.08 g/cm2 which is suitable for use as a formulary mucoadhesive polymer. The isolated biopolymers had proteo-arabinoglycan structure. Their molecular weight was calculated to be 1.67-667 kDa. One biopolymer had a proliferative effect and others had dose dependent cytotoxic/proliferative properties. The crude gum and its insoluble fraction showed suitable mucoadhesion, swellability and rheological properties which makes them suitable for designing drug delivery systems. The gum proteo-arabinoglycans with different molecular weight and structures had different immunomodulatory properties. PMID:29552060

  11. Stable silver/biopolymer hybrid plasmonic nanostructures for high performance surface enhanced raman scattering (SERS)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Silver/biopolymer nanoparticles were prepared by adding 100 mg silver nitrate to 2% polyvinyl alcohol solution and reduced the silver nitrate into silver ion using 2 % trisodium citrate for high performance Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) substrates. Optical properties of nanoparticle were ...

  12. Beyond Textbook Illustrations: Hand-Held Models of Ordered DNA and Protein Structures as 3D Supplements to Enhance Student Learning of Helical Biopolymers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jittivadhna, Karnyupha; Ruenwongsa, Pintip; Panijpan, Bhinyo

    2010-01-01

    Textbook illustrations of 3D biopolymers on printed paper, regardless of how detailed and colorful, suffer from its two-dimensionality. For beginners, computer screen display of skeletal models of biopolymers and their animation usually does not provide the at-a-glance 3D perception and details, which can be done by good hand-held models. Here, we…

  13. Associative Interactions in Crowded Solutions of Biopolymers Counteract Depletion Effects.

    PubMed

    Groen, Joost; Foschepoth, David; te Brinke, Esra; Boersma, Arnold J; Imamura, Hiromi; Rivas, Germán; Heus, Hans A; Huck, Wilhelm T S

    2015-10-14

    The cytosol of Escherichia coli is an extremely crowded environment, containing high concentrations of biopolymers which occupy 20-30% of the available volume. Such conditions are expected to yield depletion forces, which strongly promote macromolecular complexation. However, crowded macromolecule solutions, like the cytosol, are very prone to nonspecific associative interactions that can potentially counteract depletion. It remains unclear how the cytosol balances these opposing interactions. We used a FRET-based probe to systematically study depletion in vitro in different crowded environments, including a cytosolic mimic, E. coli lysate. We also studied bundle formation of FtsZ protofilaments under identical crowded conditions as a probe for depletion interactions at much larger overlap volumes of the probe molecule. The FRET probe showed a more compact conformation in synthetic crowding agents, suggesting strong depletion interactions. However, depletion was completely negated in cell lysate and other protein crowding agents, where the FRET probe even occupied slightly more volume. In contrast, bundle formation of FtsZ protofilaments proceeded as readily in E. coli lysate and other protein solutions as in synthetic crowding agents. Our experimental results and model suggest that, in crowded biopolymer solutions, associative interactions counterbalance depletion forces for small macromolecules. Furthermore, the net effects of macromolecular crowding will be dependent on both the size of the macromolecule and its associative interactions with the crowded background.

  14. Biopolymer films to control fusarium dry rot and their application to preserve potato tubers

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Films were cast using sodium alginate (NaAlg), high molecular weight (HMW) chitosan, and low molecular weight (LMW) chitosan as film forming biopolymers. Fludioxonil (Fl) at 1% concentration was used as fungicide. Thermal stability, mechanical, and water sorption properties of the films were examine...

  15. Micro-heterogeneity of corn hulls cellulosic fiber biopolymer studied by multiple-particle tracking (MPT)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A novel technique named multiple-particle tracking (MPT) was used to investigate the micro-structural heterogeneities of Z-trim, a zero calorie cellulosic fiber biopolymer produced from corn hulls. The Multiple-Particle Tracking (MPT) method was used in this study, which was originally described by ...

  16. Introductory lecture: interpreting and predicting Hofmeister salt ion and solute effects on biopolymer and model processes using the solute partitioning model.

    PubMed

    Record, M Thomas; Guinn, Emily; Pegram, Laurel; Capp, Michael

    2013-01-01

    Understanding how Hofmeister salt ions and other solutes interact with proteins, nucleic acids, other biopolymers and water and thereby affect protein and nucleic acid processes as well as model processes (e.g. solubility of model compounds) in aqueous solution is a longstanding goal of biophysical research. Empirical Hofmeister salt and solute "m-values" (derivatives of the observed standard free energy change for a model or biopolymer process with respect to solute or salt concentration m3) are equal to differences in chemical potential derivatives: m-value = delta(dmu2/dm3) = delta mu23, which quantify the preferential interactions of the solute or salt with the surface of the biopolymer or model system (component 2) exposed or buried in the process. Using the solute partitioning model (SPM), we dissect mu23 values for interactions of a solute or Hofmeister salt with a set of model compounds displaying the key functional groups of biopolymers to obtain interaction potentials (called alpha-values) that quantify the interaction of the solute or salt per unit area of each functional group or type of surface. Interpreted using the SPM, these alpha-values provide quantitative information about both the hydration of functional groups and the competitive interaction of water and the solute or salt with functional groups. The analysis corroborates and quantifies previous proposals that the Hofmeister anion and cation series for biopolymer processes are determined by ion-specific, mostly unfavorable interactions with hydrocarbon surfaces; the balance between these unfavorable nonpolar interactions and often-favorable interactions of ions with polar functional groups determine the series null points. The placement of urea and glycine betaine (GB) at opposite ends of the corresponding series of nonelectrolytes results from the favorable interactions of urea, and unfavorable interactions of GB, with many (but not all) biopolymer functional groups. Interaction potentials and

  17. Does human activity impact the natural antibiotic resistance background? Abundance of antibiotic resistance genes in 21 Swiss lakes.

    PubMed

    Czekalski, Nadine; Sigdel, Radhika; Birtel, Julia; Matthews, Blake; Bürgmann, Helmut

    2015-08-01

    Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are emerging environmental contaminants, known to be continuously discharged into the aquatic environment via human and animal waste. Freshwater aquatic environments represent potential reservoirs for ARG and potentially allow sewage-derived ARG to persist and spread in the environment. This may create increased opportunities for an eventual contact with, and gene transfer to, human and animal pathogens via the food chain or drinking water. However, assessment of this risk requires a better understanding of the level and variability of the natural resistance background and the extent of the human impact. We have analyzed water samples from 21 Swiss lakes, taken at sampling points that were not under the direct influence of local contamination sources and analyzed the relative abundance of ARG using quantitative real-time PCR. Copy numbers of genes mediating resistance to three different broad-spectrum antibiotic classes (sulfonamides: sul1, sul2, tetracyclines: tet(B), tet(M), tet(W) and fluoroquinolones: qnrA) were normalized to copy numbers of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. We used multiple linear regression to assess if ARG abundance is related to human activities in the catchment, microbial community composition and the eutrophication status of the lakes. Sul genes were detected in all sampled lakes, whereas only four lakes contained quantifiable numbers of tet genes, and qnrA remained below detection in all lakes. Our data indicate higher abundance of sul1 in lakes with increasing number and capacity of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the catchment. sul2 abundance was rather related to long water residence times and eutrophication status. Our study demonstrates the potential of freshwater lakes to preserve antibiotic resistance genes, and provides a reference for ARG abundance from lake systems with low human impact as a baseline for assessing ARG contamination in lake water. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  18. Micro-heterogeneity of corn hulls cellulosic fiber biopolymer studied by multiple-particle tracking (MPT)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A novel technique named multiple-particle tracking (MPT) was used to investigate the micro-structural heterogeneities of Z-trim, a zero calorie cellulosic fiber biopolymer produced from corn hulls. The principle of MPT technique is to monitor the thermally driven motion of inert micro-spheres, which...

  19. Adsorption of aquaculture pollutants using a sustainable biopolymer.

    PubMed

    Zadinelo, Izabel Volkweis; Dos Santos, Lilian Dena; Cagol, Luana; de Muniz, Graciela Inês Bolzón; de Souza Neves Ellendersen, Luciana; Alves, Helton José; Bombardelli, Robie Allan

    2018-02-01

    Intensive aquaculture needs to adopt techniques that are able to contribute towards sustainability. Closed systems that employ water recirculation can combine intensive production with environmental sustainability, since there is no exchange of water or discharge of effluents into the environment. In order to achieve this, effective filtration systems are required to ensure that the water quality is satisfactory for the cultivation of aquatic organisms. Chitosan, an industrial waste material derived from crustacean farming, is a renewable natural material that is biodegradable and possesses adsorbent characteristics. In this work, chitosan foam was incorporated in filters and was evaluated as an adsorbent of aquaculture pollutants, adding value to the material and at the same time providing a use for industrial waste. The foam was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy, apparent density, and water absorption capacity. It was used to remove ammonia, nitrite, orthophosphate, and turbidity from aquaculture effluents. The foam consisted of a bilayer with smooth and porous sides, which presented low density, flexibility, and high water absorption capacity. The best proportion of the foam, in terms of the mass of foam per volume of solution (% m v -1 ), was 0.10, which resulted in removal of 32.8, 57.2, 89.5, and 99.9% of ammonia, nitrite, orthophosphate, and turbidity, respectively. This biopolymer produced is biodegradable, and when saturated with organic compounds from aquaculture, and no longer suitable for reuse as a filter material, it can be employed as a fertilizer, hence closing the sustainability cycle of the aquaculture production chain.

  20. H(C)P and H(P)C triple-resonance experiments at natural abundance employing long-range couplings.

    PubMed

    Malon, Michal; Koshino, Hiroyuki

    2007-09-01

    Modified two-dimensional (2D) triple-resonance H(C)P and H(P)C experiments based on INEPT/HMQC and double-INEPT schemes are applied to the study of organophosphorus compounds at natural abundances. The implementation of effective (1)H--(13)C gradient selection, additional purging pulsed field gradients, spinlock pulses, and improved phase cycling is demonstrated to allow weak correlation signals based on long-range couplings to be readily observed. Through the combination of two heteronuclear long-range coupling constants, (n)J(CH) and (n)J(PC) in H(C)P experiments or (n)J(PH) and (n)J(PC) in H(P)C experiments, protons can be correlated to a second heteronucleus through 4-7 chemical bonds. These experiments thus overcome the inherit limitations of classical (1)H-X HMBC experiments, which require a nonzero value of the heteronuclear coupling constant (n)J(XH). Ultra-broadband inversion composite pulses are successfully employed in the H(P)C INEPT/HMQC and H(P)C double-INEPT pulse sequences to increase the utility of the experiments and the quality of obtained spectra. This work extends and completes a set of 2D phase-sensitive triple-resonance experiments applicable at natural abundances, and also offers insight into the methodology of triple-resonance experiments and the application of pulsed field gradients. A one-dimensional triple-resonance experiment employing carbon detection is suggested for accurate determination of small (n)J(PC).

  1. Modified biopolymers as sorbents for the removal of naphthenic acids from oil sands process affected water (OSPW).

    PubMed

    Arshad, Muhammad; Khosa, M A; Siddique, Tariq; Ullah, Aman

    2016-11-01

    Oil sands operations consume large volumes of water in bitumen extraction process and produce tailings that express pore water to the surface of tailings ponds known as oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). The OSPW is toxic and cannot be released into the environment without treatment. In addition to metals, dissolved solids, dissolved gases, hydrocarbons and polyaromatic compounds etc., OSPW also contains a complex mixture of dissolved organic acids, referred to as naphthenic acids (NAs). The NAs are highly toxic and react with metals to develop highly corrosive functionalities which cause corrosion in the oil sands processing and refining processes. We have chemically modified keratin biopolymer using polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) nanocages and goethite dopant to unfold keratinous structure for improving functionality. The untreated neat keratin and two modified sorbents were characterized to investigate structural, morphological, dimensional and thermal properties. These sorbents were then tested for the removal of NAs from OSPW. The NAs were selectively extracted and quantified before and after sorption process. The biosorption capacity (Q), rejection percentage (R%) and isotherm models were studied to investigate NAs removal efficiency of POSS modified keratin biopolymer (PMKB) and goethite modified keratin biopolymer (GMKB) from aliquots of OSPW. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Time-dependent extinction rate and species abundance in a tangled-nature model of biological evolution.

    PubMed

    Hall, Matt; Christensen, Kim; di Collobiano, Simone A; Jensen, Henrik Jeldtoft

    2002-07-01

    We present a model of evolutionary ecology consisting of a web of interacting individuals, a tangle-nature model. The reproduction rate of individuals characterized by their genome depends on the composition of the population in genotype space. Ecological features such as the taxonomy and the macroevolutionary mode of the dynamics are emergent properties. The macrodynamics exhibit intermittent two-mode switching with a gradually decreasing extinction rate. The generated ecologies become gradually better adapted as well as more complex in a collective sense. The form of the species abundance curve compares well with observed functional forms. The model's error threshold can be understood in terms of the characteristics of the two dynamical modes of the system.

  3. Effect of biopolymer on the dewatering characteristics of autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion of sludges.

    PubMed

    Agarwal, S; Abu-Orf, M M; Novak, J T

    2006-03-01

    Autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion of sludge is known to produce poorly dewatering sludges. Laboratory studies were conducted to investigate the reasons for the poor dewatering. It was found that, during digestion, proteins and polysaccharides were released into solution, and that these could be linked to the deterioration in dewatering. The biopolymer release was accompanied by an increase in the monovalent-to-divalent (M/D) cation ratio. The degree to which the M/D caused deterioration of the sludges depended on the presence of iron in sludge. When the iron content was high, the release of protein and polysaccharides was low. When iron was low, the release of protein and polysaccharides increased linearly with the M/D ratio. The dose of conditioning chemicals, cationic polymer or ferric chloride, was related to the amount of colloidal biopolymer present in solution. The findings suggest that the addition of iron during the digestion process has the potential to produce better dewatering sludges.

  4. Polymethacrylate-based monoliths as stationary phases for separation of biopolymers and immobilization of enzymes.

    PubMed

    Martinović, Tamara; Josić, Djuro

    2017-11-01

    The experiences in the production and application of polymethacrylate-based monolithic supports, since their development almost thirty years ago, are presented. The main driving force for the development of new chromatographic supports was the necessity for the isolation and separation of physiologically active biopolymers and their use for therapeutic purposes. For this sake, a development of a method for fast separation, preventing denaturation and preserving their biological activity was necessary. Development of polysaccharide-based supports, followed by the introduction of polymer-based chromatographic media, is shortly described. This development was followed by the advances in monolithic media that are now used for both large- and small-scale separation of biopolymers and nanoparticles. Finally, a short overview is given about the applications of monoliths for sample displacement chromatography, resulting in isolation of physiologically active biomolecules, such as proteins, protein complexes, and nucleic acid, as well as high-throughput sample preparation for proteomic investigations. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Monomers of cutin biopolymer: sorption and esterification on montmorillonite surfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olshansky, Yaniv; Polubesova, Tamara; Chefetz, Benny

    2013-04-01

    One of the important precursors for soil organic matter is plant cuticle, a thin layer of predominantly lipids that cover all primary aerial surfaces of vascular plants. In most plant species cutin biopolymer is the major component of the cuticle (30-85% weight). Therefore cutin is the third most abundant plant biopolymer (after lignin and cellulose). Cutin is an insoluble, high molecular weight bio-polyester, which is constructed of inter-esterified cross linked hydroxy-fatty acids and hydroxyepoxy-fatty acids. The most common building blocks of the cutin are derivatives of palmitic acid, among them 9(10),16 dihydroxy palmitic acid (diHPA) is the main component. These fatty acids and their esters are commonly found in major organo-mineral soil fraction-humin. Hence, the complexes of cutin monomers with minerals may serve as model of humin. Both cutin and humin act as adsorption efficient domains for organic contaminants. However, only scarce information is available about the interactions of cutin with soil mineral surfaces, in particular with common soil mineral montmorillonite. The main hypothesize of the study is that adsorbed cutin monomers will be reconstituted on montmorillonite surface due to esterification and oligomerization, and that interactions of cutin monomers with montmorillonite will be affected by the type of exchangeable cation. Cutin monomers were obtained from the fruits of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). Adsorption of monomers was measured for crude Wyoming montmorillonites and montmorillonites saturated with Fe3+ and Ca2+. To understand the mechanism of monomer-clay interactions and to evaluate esterification on the clay surface, XRD and FTIR analyses of the montmorillonite-monomers complexes were performed. Our results demonstrated that the interactions of cutin monomers with montmorillonite are affected by the type of exchangeable cation. Isotherms of adsorption of cutin monomers on montmorillonites were fitted by a dual mode model of

  6. Characterization of Cross-Linked Porous Gelatin Carriers and Their Interaction with Corneal Endothelium: Biopolymer Concentration Effect

    PubMed Central

    Lai, Jui-Yang; Ma, David Hui-Kang; Lai, Meng-Heng; Li, Ya-Ting; Chang, Ren-Jie; Chen, Li-Mei

    2013-01-01

    Cell sheet-mediated tissue regeneration is a promising approach for corneal reconstruction. However, the fragility of bioengineered corneal endothelial cell (CEC) monolayers allows us to take advantage of cross-linked porous gelatin hydrogels as cell sheet carriers for intraocular delivery. The aim of this study was to further investigate the effects of biopolymer concentrations (5–15 wt%) on the characteristic and safety of hydrogel discs fabricated by a simple stirring process combined with freeze-drying method. Results of scanning electron microscopy, porosity measurements, and ninhydrin assays showed that, with increasing solid content, the pore size, porosity, and cross-linking index of carbodiimide treated samples significantly decreased from 508±30 to 292±42 µm, 59.8±1.1 to 33.2±1.9%, and 56.2±1.6 to 34.3±1.8%, respectively. The variation in biopolymer concentrations and degrees of cross-linking greatly affects the Young’s modulus and swelling ratio of the gelatin carriers. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements and glucose permeation studies indicated that for the samples with a highest solid content, the highest pore wall thickness and the lowest fraction of mobile water may inhibit solute transport. When the biopolymer concentration is in the range of 5–10 wt%, the hydrogels have high freezable water content (0.89–0.93) and concentration of permeated glucose (591.3–615.5 µg/ml). These features are beneficial to the in vitro cultivation of CECs without limiting proliferation and changing expression of ion channel and pump genes such as ATP1A1, VDAC2, and AQP1. In vivo studies by analyzing the rabbit CEC morphology and count also demonstrate that the implanted gelatin discs with the highest solid content may cause unfavorable tissue-material interactions. It is concluded that the characteristics of cross-linked porous gelatin hydrogel carriers and their triggered biological responses are in relation to biopolymer concentration

  7. The insufficient part of abiogenesis theory - natural selection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ploompuu, Tõnu

    2016-04-01

    Abiogenesis has already been studied for a whole century. There have been studies on the synthesis of precursors of biopolymers, concentration processes and polymerization pathways, sites of initiation of life. Autoreplication has been explained. Protocells have been constructed from abiogenic membranes. But one essential aspect for life - the natural selection - has been marginalized in these investigations. Despite the convincing use of natural selection in biology for one and half century, it has not been used sufficiently in the models of the beginning of life. Pictorially - Darwin's pond model is used without darwinism. This generates an unnecessary interruption on the path for understanding the process. Natural selection is essential in abiogenesis, in the genesis of biological information system. A selection of more collaborative autoreplicate biopolymers and the depolymerisation of others was required. Only natural selection was able to combine biopolymer molecules for life. The primary natural selection can operate only in an environment with variable physical and chemical conditions. The selective agent must constantly fluctuate during a long time span and a large area. Formation of the simplest complex of life needs homeostasis. The best sites for constant fluctuations are littoral areas of oceans. Two very constant fluctuations - waves and tides - occur there. The best conditions for the origin of life were exactly in the end of the Late Heavy Bombardment at temperature nealy 100° C. Earth's surface was then protected against the UV destruction by a thick cloud cover. High evaporation at the hotter parts of shore rocks increased the concentration of the primordial soup and there was excellent selective power by routine water level fluctuations. Because of the water level fluctuations salty ocean water and fresh water from continuous downpours alternated at the littoral zones. In low temperatures the formation of life would be hindered by UV

  8. An optically transparent, flexible, patterned and conductive silk biopolymer film (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Umar, Muhammad; Min, Kyungtaek; Kim, Sunghwan

    2017-02-01

    Transparent, flexible, and conducting films are of great interest for wearable electronics. For better biotic/abiotic interface, the films to integrate the electronics components requires the patterned surface conductors with optical transparency, smoothness, good electrical conductivity, along with the biofriendly traits of films. We focus on silk fibroin, a natural biopolymer extracted from the Bombyx mori cocoons, for this bioelectronics applications. Here we report an optically transparent, flexible, and patterned surface conductor on a silk film by burying a silver nanowires (AgNW) network below the surface of the silk film. The conducting silk film reveals high optical transparency of 80% and the excellent electronic conductivity of 15 Ω/sq, along with smooth surface. The integration of light emitting diode (LED) chip on the patterned electrodes confirms that the current can flow through the transparent and patterned electrodes on the silk film, and this result shows an application for integration of functional electronic/opto-electronic devices. Additionally, we fabricate a transparent and flexible radio frequency (RF) antenna and resistor on a silk film and apply these as a food sensor by monitoring the increasing resistance by the flow of gases from the spoiled food.

  9. Growing three-dimensional biomorphic graphene powders using naturally abundant diatomite templates towards high solution processability.

    PubMed

    Chen, Ke; Li, Cong; Shi, Liurong; Gao, Teng; Song, Xiuju; Bachmatiuk, Alicja; Zou, Zhiyu; Deng, Bing; Ji, Qingqing; Ma, Donglin; Peng, Hailin; Du, Zuliang; Rümmeli, Mark Hermann; Zhang, Yanfeng; Liu, Zhongfan

    2016-11-07

    Mass production of high-quality graphene with low cost is the footstone for its widespread practical applications. We present herein a self-limited growth approach for producing graphene powders by a small-methane-flow chemical vapour deposition process on naturally abundant and industrially widely used diatomite (biosilica) substrates. Distinct from the chemically exfoliated graphene, thus-produced biomorphic graphene is highly crystallized with atomic layer-thickness controllability, structural designability and less noncarbon impurities. In particular, the individual graphene microarchitectures preserve a three-dimensional naturally curved surface morphology of original diatom frustules, effectively overcoming the interlayer stacking and hence giving excellent dispersion performance in fabricating solution-processible electrodes. The graphene films derived from as-made graphene powders, compatible with either rod-coating, or inkjet and roll-to-roll printing techniques, exhibit much higher electrical conductivity (∼110,700 S m -1 at 80% transmittance) than previously reported solution-based counterparts. This work thus puts forward a practical route for low-cost mass production of various powdery two-dimensional materials.

  10. Growing three-dimensional biomorphic graphene powders using naturally abundant diatomite templates towards high solution processability

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Ke; Li, Cong; Shi, Liurong; Gao, Teng; Song, Xiuju; Bachmatiuk, Alicja; Zou, Zhiyu; Deng, Bing; Ji, Qingqing; Ma, Donglin; Peng, Hailin; Du, Zuliang; Rümmeli, Mark Hermann; Zhang, Yanfeng; Liu, Zhongfan

    2016-01-01

    Mass production of high-quality graphene with low cost is the footstone for its widespread practical applications. We present herein a self-limited growth approach for producing graphene powders by a small-methane-flow chemical vapour deposition process on naturally abundant and industrially widely used diatomite (biosilica) substrates. Distinct from the chemically exfoliated graphene, thus-produced biomorphic graphene is highly crystallized with atomic layer-thickness controllability, structural designability and less noncarbon impurities. In particular, the individual graphene microarchitectures preserve a three-dimensional naturally curved surface morphology of original diatom frustules, effectively overcoming the interlayer stacking and hence giving excellent dispersion performance in fabricating solution-processible electrodes. The graphene films derived from as-made graphene powders, compatible with either rod-coating, or inkjet and roll-to-roll printing techniques, exhibit much higher electrical conductivity (∼110,700 S m−1 at 80% transmittance) than previously reported solution-based counterparts. This work thus puts forward a practical route for low-cost mass production of various powdery two-dimensional materials. PMID:27819652

  11. Biopolymer encapsulated live influenza virus as a universal CD8+ T cell vaccine against influenza virus.

    PubMed

    Boesteanu, Alina C; Babu, Nadarajan S; Wheatley, Margaret; Papazoglou, Elisabeth S; Katsikis, Peter D

    2010-12-16

    Current influenza virus vaccines primarily elicit antibodies and can be rendered ineffective by antigenic drift and shift. Vaccines that elicit CD8+ T cell responses targeting less variable proteins may function as universal vaccines that have broad reactivity against different influenza virus strains. To generate such a universal vaccine, we encapsulated live influenza virus in a biopolymer and delivered it to mice subcutaneously. This vaccine was safe, induced potent CD8+ T cell immunity and protected mice against heterosubtypic lethal challenge. Safety of subcutaneous (SQ) vaccination was tested in Rag-/-γc-/- double knockout mice which we show cannot control intranasal infection. Biopolymer encapsulation of live influenza virus could be used to develop universal CD8+ T cell vaccines against heterosubtypic and pandemic strains. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Beyond textbook illustrations: Hand-held models of ordered DNA and protein structures as 3D supplements to enhance student learning of helical biopolymers.

    PubMed

    Jittivadhna, Karnyupha; Ruenwongsa, Pintip; Panijpan, Bhinyo

    2010-11-01

    Textbook illustrations of 3D biopolymers on printed paper, regardless of how detailed and colorful, suffer from its two-dimensionality. For beginners, computer screen display of skeletal models of biopolymers and their animation usually does not provide the at-a-glance 3D perception and details, which can be done by good hand-held models. Here, we report a study on how our students learned more from using our ordered DNA and protein models assembled from colored computer-printouts on transparency film sheets that have useful structural details. Our models (reported in BAMBED 2009), having certain distinguished features, helped our students to grasp various aspects of these biopolymers that they usually find difficult. Quantitative and qualitative learning data from this study are reported. Copyright © 2010 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  13. Oxidation of alginate and pectate biopolymers by cerium(IV) in perchloric and sulfuric acid solutions: A comparative kinetic and mechanistic study.

    PubMed

    Fawzy, Ahmed

    2016-03-15

    The kinetics of oxidation of alginate (Alg) and pectate (Pec) carbohydrate biopolymers was studied by spectrophotometry in aqueous perchloric and sulfuric acid solutions at fixed ionic strengths and temperature. In both acids, the reactions showed a first order dependence on [Ce(IV)], whereas the orders with respect to biopolymer concentrations are less than unity. In perchloric acid, the reactions exhibited less than unit orders with respect to [H(+)] whereas those proceeded in sulfuric acid showed negative fractional-first order dependences on [H(+)]. The effect of ionic strength and dielectric constant was studied. Probable mechanistic schemes for oxidation reactions were proposed. In both acids, the final oxidation products were characterized as mono-keto derivatives of both biopolymers. The activation parameters with respect to the slow step of the mechanisms were computed and discussed. The rate laws were derived and the reaction constants involved in the different steps of the mechanisms were calculated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Abiotic and biotic factors associated with the presence of Anopheles arabiensis immatures and their abundance in naturally occurring and man-made aquatic habitats

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Anopheles arabiensis (Diptera: Culicidae) is a potential malaria vector commonly present at low altitudes in remote areas in Reunion Island. Little attention has been paid to the environmental conditions driving larval development and abundance patterns in potential habitats. Two field surveys were designed to determine whether factors that discriminate between aquatic habitats with and without An. arabiensis larvae also drive larval abundance, comparatively in man-made and naturally occurring habitats. Methods In an initial preliminary survey, a representative sample of aquatic habitats that would be amenable to an intensive long-term study were selected and divided into positive and negative sites based on the presence or absence of Anopheles arabiensis larvae. Subsequently, a second survey was prompted to gain a better understanding of biotic and abiotic drivers of larval abundance, comparatively in man-made and naturally occurring habitats in the two studied locations. In both surveys, weekly sampling was performed to record mosquito species composition and larval density within individual habitats, as well as in situ biological characteristics and physico-chemical properties. Results Whilst virtually any stagnant water body could be a potential breeding ground for An. arabiensis, habitats occupied by their immatures had different structural and biological characteristics when compared to those where larvae were absent. Larval occurrence seemed to be influenced by flow velocity, macrofauna diversity and predation pressure. Interestingly, the relative abundance of larvae in man-made habitats (average: 0.55 larvae per dip, 95%CI [0.3–0.7]) was significantly lower than that recorded in naturally occurring ones (0.74, 95%CI [0.5–0.8]). Such differences may be accounted for in part by varying pressures that could be linked to a specific habitat. Conclusions If the larval ecology of An. arabiensis is in general very complex and factors affecting

  15. Integrated systems for biopolymers and bioenergy production from organic waste and by-products: a review of microbial processes.

    PubMed

    Pagliano, Giorgia; Ventorino, Valeria; Panico, Antonio; Pepe, Olimpia

    2017-01-01

    Recently, issues concerning the sustainable and harmless disposal of organic solid waste have generated interest in microbial biotechnologies aimed at converting waste materials into bioenergy and biomaterials, thus contributing to a reduction in economic dependence on fossil fuels. To valorize biomass, waste materials derived from agriculture, food processing factories, and municipal organic waste can be used to produce biopolymers, such as biohydrogen and biogas, through different microbial processes. In fact, different bacterial strains can synthesize biopolymers to convert waste materials into valuable intracellular (e.g., polyhydroxyalkanoates) and extracellular (e.g., exopolysaccharides) bioproducts, which are useful for biochemical production. In particular, large numbers of bacteria, including Alcaligenes eutrophus , Alcaligenes latus , Azotobacter vinelandii , Azotobacter chroococcum , Azotobacter beijerincki , methylotrophs, Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus spp., Rhizobium spp., Nocardia spp., and recombinant Escherichia coli , have been successfully used to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates on an industrial scale from different types of organic by-products. Therefore, the development of high-performance microbial strains and the use of by-products and waste as substrates could reasonably make the production costs of biodegradable polymers comparable to those required by petrochemical-derived plastics and promote their use. Many studies have reported use of the same organic substrates as alternative energy sources to produce biogas and biohydrogen through anaerobic digestion as well as dark and photofermentation processes under anaerobic conditions. Therefore, concurrently obtaining bioenergy and biopolymers at a reasonable cost through an integrated system is becoming feasible using by-products and waste as organic carbon sources. An overview of the suitable substrates and microbial strains used in low-cost polyhydroxyalkanoates for biohydrogen and biogas

  16. Assessment of spruce (Picea obovata) abundance by spectral unmixing algorithm for sustainable forest management in highland Natural Reserve (case study of Zigalga Range, South-Ural State Natural Reserve, Russia).

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mikheeva, Anna; Moiseev, Pavel

    2017-04-01

    In mountain territories climate change affects forest productivity and growth, which results in the tree line advancing and increasing of the forest density. These changes pose new challenges for forest managers whose responsibilities include forest resources inventory, monitoring and protection of ecosystems, and assessment of forest vulnerability. These activities require a range of sources of information, including exact squares of forested areas, forest densities and species abundances. Picea obovata, dominant tree species in South-Ural State Natural Reserve, Russia has regenerated, propagated and increased its relative cover during the recent 70 years. A remarkable shift of the upper limit of Picea obovata up to 60-80 m upslope was registered by repeating photography, especially on gentle slopes. The stands of Picea obovata are monitored by Reserve inspectors on the test plots to ensure that forests maintain or improve their productivity, these studies also include projective cover measurements. However, it is impossible to cover the entire territory of the Reserve by detailed field observations. Remote sensing data from Terra ASTER imagery provides valuable information for large territories (scene covers an area of 60 x 60 km) and can be used for quantitative mapping of forest and non-forest vegetation at regional scale (spatial resolution is 15-30 m for visible and infrared bands). A case study of estimating Picea obovata abundance was conducted for forest and forest-tundra sites of Zigalga Range, using 9-band ASTER multispectral imagery of 23.08.2007, field data and spectral unmixing algorithm. This type of algorithms intends to derive object and its abundance from a mixed pixel of multispectral imagery which can be further converted to object's projective cover. Atmospheric correction was applied to the imagery prior to spectral unmixing, and then pure spectra of Picea obovata were extracted from the image in 10 points and averaged. These points located in

  17. Sub-micron lines patterning into silica using water developable chitosan bioresist films for eco-friendly positive tone e-beam and UV lithography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Caillau, Mathieu; Chevalier, Céline; Crémillieu, Pierre; Delair, Thierry; Soppera, Olivier; Leuschel, Benjamin; Ray, Cédric; Moulin, Christophe; Jonin, Christian; Benichou, Emmanuel; Brevet, Pierre-François; Yeromonahos, Christelle; Laurenceau, Emmanuelle; Chevolot, Yann; Leclercq, Jean-Louis

    2018-03-01

    Biopolymers represent natural, renewable and abundant materials. Their use is steadily growing in various areas (food, health, building …) but, in lithography, despite some works, resists, solvents and developers are still oil-based and hazardous chemicals. In this work, we replaced synthetic resist by chitosan, a natural, abundant and hydrophilic polysaccharide. High resolution sub-micron patterns were obtained through chitosan films as water developable, chemically unmodified, positive tone mask resist for an eco-friendly electron beam and deep-UV (193 nm) lithography process. Sub-micron patterns were also successfully obtained using a 248 nm photomasker thanks to the addition of biosourced photoactivator, riboflavin. Patterns were then transferred by plasma etching into silica even for high resolution patterns.

  18. The Effects of Biopolymer Encapsulation on Total Lipids and Cholesterol in Egg Yolk during in Vitro Human Digestion

    PubMed Central

    Hur, Sun-Jin; Kim, Young-Chan; Choi, Inwook; Lee, Si-Kyung

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of biopolymer encapsulation on the digestion of total lipids and cholesterol in egg yolk using an in vitro human digestion model. Egg yolks were encapsulated with 1% cellulose, pectin, or chitosan. The samples were then passed through an in vitro human digestion model that simulated the composition of mouth saliva, stomach acid, and the intestinal juice of the small intestine by using a dialysis tubing system. The change in digestion of total lipids was monitored by confocal fluorescence microscopy. The digestion rate of total lipids and cholesterol in all egg yolk samples dramatically increased after in vitro human digestion. The digestion rate of total lipids and cholesterol in egg yolks encapsulated with chitosan or pectin was reduced compared to the digestion rate of total lipids and cholesterol in other egg yolk samples. Egg yolks encapsulated with pectin or chitosan had lower free fatty acid content, and lipid oxidation values than samples without biopolymer encapsulation. Moreover, the lipase activity decreased, after in vitro digestion, in egg yolks encapsulated with biopolymers. These results improve our understanding of the effects of digestion on total lipids and cholesterol in egg yolk within the gastrointestinal tract. PMID:23965957

  19. Effects of Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc. extract and its biopolymer encapsulation on a mouse model of colitis.

    PubMed

    Lee, Seung Yun; Lee, Seung-Jae; Hur, Sun Jin

    2017-01-01

    Prunus mume suppresses various diseases caused by inflammation response and exhibits antioxidant and free radical-scavenging activities. Therefore this study determined the effect of an aqueous P. mume (PM) extract in a mouse colitis model and investigated the value of biopolymer encapsulation, facilitating targeted delivery to the colon. Colitis was induced by administration of 30 g kg -1 dextran sulfate sodium to male BALB/c mice for 7 days prior to treatment with vehicle, 50 mg kg -1 PM extract or biopolymer-encapsulated PM extract, or 50 mg kg -1 sulfasalazine. Histological examination of the colon in BALB/c mice showed epithelial destruction and mucosal infiltration of inflammatory cells. These changes were attenuated in PM-treated mice, which had lower levels of inflammatory cytokines, cyclooxygenase 2 and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM and IgE) compared with the vehicle-treated colitis group. The PM extract showed concentration-dependent radical scavenging and superoxide dismutase-like antioxidant activities. These results indicated that the effects of the PM extract on colitis were not influenced by biopolymer encapsulation and that this PM extract could be a potential therapeutic agent for inflammatory bowel disease. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  20. Faraday Discussion 160 Introductory Lecture: Interpreting and Predicting Hofmeister Salt Ion and Solute Effects on Biopolymer and Model Processes Using the Solute Partitioning Model

    PubMed Central

    Record, M. Thomas; Guinn, Emily; Pegram, Laurel; Capp, Michael

    2013-01-01

    Understanding how Hofmeister salt ions and other solutes interact with proteins, nucleic acids, other biopolymers and water and thereby affect protein and nucleic acid processes as well as model processes (e.g solubility of model compounds) in aqueous solution is a longstanding goal of biophysical research. Empirical Hofmeister salt and solute “m-values” (derivatives of the observed standard free energy change for a model or biopolymer process with respect to solute or salt concentration m3) are equal to differences in chemical potential derivatives: m-value = Δ(dμ2/dm3) = Δμ23 which quantify the preferential interactions of the solute or salt with the surface of the biopolymer or model system (component 2) exposed or buried in the process. Using the SPM, we dissect μ23 values for interactions of a solute or Hofmeister salt with a set of model compounds displaying the key functional groups of biopolymers to obtain interaction potentials (called α-values) that quantify the interaction of the solute or salt per unit area of each functional group or type of surface. Interpreted using the SPM, these α-values provide quantitative information about both the hydration of functional groups and the competitive interaction of water and the solute or salt with functional groups. The analysis corroborates and quantifies previous proposals that the Hofmeister anion and cation series for biopolymer processes are determined by ion-specific, mostly unfavorable interactions with hydrocarbon surfaces; the balance between these unfavorable nonpolar interactions and often-favorable interactions of ions with polar functional groups determine the series null points. The placement of urea and glycine betaine (GB) at opposite ends of the corresponding series of nonelectrolytes results from the favorable interactions of urea, and unfavorable interactions of GB, with many (but not all) biopolymer functional groups. Interaction potentials and local-bulk partition coefficients

  1. Biopolymers codelivering engineered T cells and STING agonists can eliminate heterogeneous tumors.

    PubMed

    Smith, Tyrel T; Moffett, Howell F; Stephan, Sirkka B; Opel, Cary F; Dumigan, Amy G; Jiang, Xiuyun; Pillarisetty, Venu G; Pillai, Smitha P S; Wittrup, K Dane; Stephan, Matthias T

    2017-06-01

    Therapies using T cells that are programmed to express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR T cells) consistently produce positive results in patients with hematologic malignancies. However, CAR T cell treatments are less effective in solid tumors for several reasons. First, lymphocytes do not efficiently target CAR T cells; second, solid tumors create an immunosuppressive microenvironment that inactivates T cell responses; and third, solid cancers are typified by phenotypic diversity and thus include cells that do not express proteins targeted by the engineered receptors, enabling the formation of escape variants that elude CAR T cell targeting. Here, we have tested implantable biopolymer devices that deliver CAR T cells directly to the surfaces of solid tumors, thereby exposing them to high concentrations of immune cells for a substantial time period. In immunocompetent orthotopic mouse models of pancreatic cancer and melanoma, we found that CAR T cells can migrate from biopolymer scaffolds and eradicate tumors more effectively than does systemic delivery of the same cells. We have also demonstrated that codelivery of stimulator of IFN genes (STING) agonists stimulates immune responses to eliminate tumor cells that are not recognized by the adoptively transferred lymphocytes. Thus, these devices may improve the effectiveness of CAR T cell therapy in solid tumors and help protect against the emergence of escape variants.

  2. Recombinant protein blends: silk beyond natural design.

    PubMed

    Dinjaski, Nina; Kaplan, David L

    2016-06-01

    Recombinant DNA technology and new material concepts are shaping future directions in biomaterial science for the design and production of the next-generation biomaterial platforms. Aside from conventionally used synthetic polymers, numerous natural biopolymers (e.g., silk, elastin, collagen, gelatin, alginate, cellulose, keratin, chitin, polyhydroxyalkanoates) have been investigated for properties and manipulation via bioengineering. Genetic engineering provides a path to increase structural and functional complexity of these biopolymers, and thereby expand the catalog of available biomaterials beyond that which exists in nature. In addition, the integration of experimental approaches with computational modeling to analyze sequence-structure-function relationships is starting to have an impact in the field by establishing predictive frameworks for determining material properties. Herein, we review advances in recombinant DNA-mediated protein production and functionalization approaches, with a focus on hybrids or combinations of proteins; recombinant protein blends or 'recombinamers'. We highlight the potential biomedical applications of fibrous protein recombinamers, such as Silk-Elastin Like Polypeptides (SELPs) and Silk-Bacterial Collagens (SBCs). We also discuss the possibility for the rationale design of fibrous proteins to build smart, stimuli-responsive biomaterials for diverse applications. We underline current limitations with production systems for these proteins and discuss the main trends in systems/synthetic biology that may improve recombinant fibrous protein design and production. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  3. Estimates of abundance and diversity of Shewanella genus in natural and engineered aqueous environments with newly designed primers.

    PubMed

    Li, Bing-Bing; Cheng, Yuan-Yuan; Fan, Yang-Yang; Liu, Dong-Feng; Fang, Cai-Yun; Wu, Chao; Li, Wen-Wei; Yang, Zong-Chuang; Yu, Han-Qing

    2018-05-12

    Shewanella species have a diverse respiratory ability and wide distribution in environments and play an important role in bioremediation and the biogeochemical cycles of elements. Primers with more accuracy and broader coverage are required with consideration of the increasing number of Shewanella species and evaluation of their roles in various environments. In this work, a new primer set of 640F/815R was developed to quantify the abundance of Shewanella species in natural and engineered environments. In silico tools for primer evaluation, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and clone library results showed that 640F/815R had a higher specificity and coverage than the previous primers in quantitative analysis of Shewanella. Another newly developed primer pair of 211F/815cR was also adopted to analyze the Shewanella diversity and demonstrated to be the best candidate in terms of specificity and coverage. We detected more Shewanella-related species in freshwater environments and found them to be substantially different from those in marine environments. Abundance and diversity of Shewanella species in wastewater treatment plants were largely affected by the process and operating conditions. Overall, this study suggests that investigations of abundance and diversity of Shewanella in various environments are of great importance to evaluate their ecophysiology and potential ecological roles. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Surface changes of biopolymers PHB and PLLA induced by Ar+ plasma treatment and wet etching

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Slepičková Kasálková, N.; Slepička, P.; Sajdl, P.; Švorčík, V.

    2014-08-01

    Polymers, especially group of biopolymers find potential application in a wide range of disciplines due to their biodegradability. In biomedical applications these materials can be used as a scaffold or matrix. In this work, the influence of the Ar+ plasma treatment and subsequent wet etching (acetone/water) on the surface properties of polymers were studied. Two biopolymers - polyhydroxybutyrate with 8% polyhydroxyvalerate (PHB) and poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) were used in these experiments. Modified surface layers were analyzed by different methods. Surface wettability was characterized by determination of water contact angle. Changes in elemental composition of modified surfaces were performed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Surface morphology and roughness was examined using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Gravimetry method was used to study the mass loss. It was found that the modification from both with plasma and wet etching leads to dramatic changes of surface properties (surface chemistry, morphology and roughness). Rate of changes of these features strongly depends on the modification parameters.

  5. Core-shell biopolymer nanoparticle delivery systems: synthesis and characterization of curcumin fortified zein-pectin nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Hu, Kun; Huang, Xiaoxia; Gao, Yongqing; Huang, Xulin; Xiao, Hang; McClements, David Julian

    2015-09-01

    Biopolymer core-shell nanoparticles were fabricated using a hydrophobic protein (zein) as the core and a hydrophilic polysaccharide (pectin) as the shell. Particles were prepared by coating cationic zein nanoparticles with anionic pectin molecules using electrostatic deposition (pH 4). The core-shell nanoparticles were fortified with curcumin (a hydrophobic bioactive molecule) at a high loading efficiency (>86%). The resulting nanoparticles were spherical, relatively small (diameter ≈ 250 nm), and had a narrow size distribution (polydispersity index ≈ 0.24). The encapsulated curcumin was in an amorphous (rather than crystalline form) as detected by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectra indicated that the encapsulated curcumin interacted with zein mainly through hydrophobic interactions. The nanoparticles were converted into a powdered form that had good water-dispersibility. These core-shell biopolymer nanoparticles could be useful for incorporating curcumin into functional foods and beverages, as well as dietary supplements and pharmaceutical products. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Biopolymer foams - Relationship between material characteristics and foaming behavior of cellulose based foams

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rapp, F., E-mail: florian.rapp@ict.fraunhofer.de, E-mail: anja.schneider@ict.fraunhofer.de; Schneider, A., E-mail: florian.rapp@ict.fraunhofer.de, E-mail: anja.schneider@ict.fraunhofer.de; Elsner, P., E-mail: peter.elsner@ict.fraunhofer.de

    2014-05-15

    Biopolymers are becoming increasingly important to both industry and consumers. With regard to waste management, CO{sub 2} balance and the conservation of petrochemical resources, increasing efforts are being made to replace standard plastics with bio-based polymers. Nowadays biopolymers can be built for example of cellulose, lactic acid, starch, lignin or bio mass. The paper will present material properties of selected cellulose based polymers (cellulose propionate [CP], cellulose acetate butyrate [CAB]) and corresponding processing conditions for particle foams as well as characterization of produced parts. Special focus is given to the raw material properties by analyzing thermal behavior (differential scanning calorimetry),more » melt strength (Rheotens test) and molecular weight distribution (gel-permeation chromatography). These results will be correlated with the foaming behavior in a continuous extrusion process with physical blowing agents and underwater pelletizer. Process set-up regarding particle foam technology, including extrusion foaming and pre-foaming, will be shown. The characteristics of the resulting foam beads will be analyzed regarding part density, cell morphology and geometry. The molded parts will be tested on thermal conductivity as well as compression behavior (E-modulus, compression strength)« less

  7. Biopolymer foams - Relationship between material characteristics and foaming behavior of cellulose based foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rapp, F.; Schneider, A.; Elsner, P.

    2014-05-01

    Biopolymers are becoming increasingly important to both industry and consumers. With regard to waste management, CO2 balance and the conservation of petrochemical resources, increasing efforts are being made to replace standard plastics with bio-based polymers. Nowadays biopolymers can be built for example of cellulose, lactic acid, starch, lignin or bio mass. The paper will present material properties of selected cellulose based polymers (cellulose propionate [CP], cellulose acetate butyrate [CAB]) and corresponding processing conditions for particle foams as well as characterization of produced parts. Special focus is given to the raw material properties by analyzing thermal behavior (differential scanning calorimetry), melt strength (Rheotens test) and molecular weight distribution (gel-permeation chromatography). These results will be correlated with the foaming behavior in a continuous extrusion process with physical blowing agents and underwater pelletizer. Process set-up regarding particle foam technology, including extrusion foaming and pre-foaming, will be shown. The characteristics of the resulting foam beads will be analyzed regarding part density, cell morphology and geometry. The molded parts will be tested on thermal conductivity as well as compression behavior (E-modulus, compression strength).

  8. Measuring Long-Range 13C– 13C Correlations on a Surface under Natural Abundance Using Dynamic Nuclear Polarization-Enhanced Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance [Measuring Long Range 13C– 13C Correlations on Surface under Natural Abundance Using DNP-enhanced Solid-state NMR

    DOE PAGES

    Kobayashi, Takeshi; Slowing, Igor I.; Pruski, Marek

    2017-10-13

    Here, we report that spatial (<1 nm) proximity between different molecules in solid bulk materials and, for the first time, different moieties on the surface of a catalyst, can be established without isotope enrichment by means of homonuclear CHHC solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance experiment. This 13C– 13C correlation measurement, which hitherto was not possible for natural-abundance solids, was enabled by the use of dynamic nuclear polarization. Importantly, it allows the study of long-range correlations in a variety of materials with high resolution.

  9. Measuring Long-Range 13C– 13C Correlations on a Surface under Natural Abundance Using Dynamic Nuclear Polarization-Enhanced Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance [Measuring Long Range 13C– 13C Correlations on Surface under Natural Abundance Using DNP-enhanced Solid-state NMR

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kobayashi, Takeshi; Slowing, Igor I.; Pruski, Marek

    Here, we report that spatial (<1 nm) proximity between different molecules in solid bulk materials and, for the first time, different moieties on the surface of a catalyst, can be established without isotope enrichment by means of homonuclear CHHC solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance experiment. This 13C– 13C correlation measurement, which hitherto was not possible for natural-abundance solids, was enabled by the use of dynamic nuclear polarization. Importantly, it allows the study of long-range correlations in a variety of materials with high resolution.

  10. Interfacial behaviour of biopolymer multilayers: Influence of in vitro digestive conditions.

    PubMed

    Corstens, Meinou N; Osorio Caltenco, Lilia A; de Vries, Renko; Schroën, Karin; Berton-Carabin, Claire C

    2017-05-01

    Although multilayered emulsions have been related to reduced lipolysis, the involved interfacial phenomena have never been studied directly. In this work, we systematically built multilayers of whey protein and pectin, which we further subjected to digestive conditions, using two different techniques: droplet volume tensiometry to investigate interfacial rheology, and reflectometry to determine the amount of adsorbed material. Interfacial tension and dilatational rheology were linked to adsorption/desorption kinetics measured under static in vitro conditions. The interfacial tension and rheology of the multilayers was rather similar to those found for single whey protein layers, as well as their resistance to duodenal conditions and lipolytic components, which is explained by the rapid destabilisation of multilayers at neutral pH. Sequential adsorption of bile extract or lipase to pre-adsorbed films rapidly lowered the interfacial tension via co-adsorption and displacement, forming a viscoelastic film with low mechanical strength, and highly dynamic adsorption/desorption. When both were present, bile salts dominated the initial adsorption, followed by lipase co-adsorption and formation of lipolysis products that further lowered the interfacial tension, forming a complex interface (including biopolymers, bile salts, lipase, and lipolysis products), independent of pre-adsorbed biopolymer layers. Our study shows that the combination of drop volume tensiometry and reflectometry can be used to study complex interfacial behaviours under digestive conditions, which can lead to smart design of interfacial structures for controlled lipolysis in food emulsions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Efficient global biopolymer sampling with end-transfer configurational bias Monte Carlo

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arya, Gaurav; Schlick, Tamar

    2007-01-01

    We develop an "end-transfer configurational bias Monte Carlo" method for efficient thermodynamic sampling of complex biopolymers and assess its performance on a mesoscale model of chromatin (oligonucleosome) at different salt conditions compared to other Monte Carlo moves. Our method extends traditional configurational bias by deleting a repeating motif (monomer) from one end of the biopolymer and regrowing it at the opposite end using the standard Rosenbluth scheme. The method's sampling efficiency compared to local moves, pivot rotations, and standard configurational bias is assessed by parameters relating to translational, rotational, and internal degrees of freedom of the oligonucleosome. Our results show that the end-transfer method is superior in sampling every degree of freedom of the oligonucleosomes over other methods at high salt concentrations (weak electrostatics) but worse than the pivot rotations in terms of sampling internal and rotational sampling at low-to-moderate salt concentrations (strong electrostatics). Under all conditions investigated, however, the end-transfer method is several orders of magnitude more efficient than the standard configurational bias approach. This is because the characteristic sampling time of the innermost oligonucleosome motif scales quadratically with the length of the oligonucleosomes for the end-transfer method while it scales exponentially for the traditional configurational-bias method. Thus, the method we propose can significantly improve performance for global biomolecular applications, especially in condensed systems with weak nonbonded interactions and may be combined with local enhancements to improve local sampling.

  12. The versatile biopolymer chitosan: potential sources, evaluation of extraction methods and applications.

    PubMed

    Kaur, Surinder; Dhillon, Gurpreet Singh

    2014-05-01

    Among the biopolymers, chitin and its derivative chitosan (CTS) have been receiving increasing attention. Both are composed of randomly distributed β-(1-4)-linked d-glucosamine and N-acetyl glucosamine units. On commercial scale, CTS is mainly obtained from the crustacean shells. The chemical methods employed for extraction of CTS from crustacean shells are laden with many disadvantages. Waste fungal biomass represents a potential biological source of CTS, in fact with superior physico-chemical properties, such as high degree of deacetylation, low molecular weight, devoid of protein contamination and high bioactivity. Researchers around the globe are attempting to commercialize CTS production and extraction from fungal sources. Fungi are promising and environmentally benign source of CTS and they have the potential to completely replace crustacean-derived CTS. Waste fungal biomass resulting from various pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries is grown on inexpensive agro-industrial wastes and its by-products are a rich and inexpensive source of CTS. CTS is emerging as an important natural polymer having broad range of applications in different fields. In this context, the present review discusses the potential sources of CTS and their advantages and disadvantages. This review also deals with potential applications of CTS in different fields. Finally, the various attributes of CTS sought in different applications are discussed.

  13. 13C and 15N natural isotope abundance reflects breast cancer cell metabolism

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tea, Illa; Martineau, Estelle; Antheaume, Ingrid; Lalande, Julie; Mauve, Caroline; Gilard, Francoise; Barillé-Nion, Sophie; Blackburn, Anneke C.; Tcherkez, Guillaume

    2016-09-01

    Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Despite the information provided by anatomopathological assessment and molecular markers (such as receptor expression ER, PR, HER2), breast cancer therapies and prognostics depend on the metabolic properties of tumor cells. However, metabolomics have not provided a robust and congruent biomarker yet, likely because individual metabolite contents are insufficient to encapsulate all of the alterations in metabolic fluxes. Here, we took advantage of natural 13C and 15N isotope abundance to show there are isotopic differences between healthy and cancer biopsy tissues or between healthy and malignant cultured cell lines. Isotope mass balance further suggests that these differences are mostly related to lipid metabolism, anaplerosis and urea cycle, three pathways known to be impacted in malignant cells. Our results demonstrate that the isotope signature is a good descriptor of metabolism since it integrates modifications in C partitioning and N excretion altogether. Our present study is thus a starting point to possible clinical applications such as patient screening and biopsy characterization in every cancer that is associated with metabolic changes.

  14. Impacts of urbanisation level and distance from potential natural mosquito breeding habitats on the abundance of canine dirofilariosis.

    PubMed

    Trájer, Attila; Rengei, Antal; Farkas-Iványi, Kinga; Bede-Fazekas, Ákos

    2016-09-01

    Dirofilariosis is an emerging mosquito-borne veterinary and medical problem in the Northern hemisphere. The ecological investigation of 56 canine dirofilariosis cases in new endemic locations was performed in Szeged, Hungary. The aim was to analyse the influence of the spatial patterns of dog abundance and the potential mosquito breeding habitats on the spatial occurrence patterns of dirofilariosis in the city of Szeged. The limnoecological characterisation was based on the fluvial habitat classification of Amoros of natural water bodies; the built environment was evaluated using the UrbanisationScore urbanisation intensity measuring software. Dirofilaria immitis accounted for 51% and D. repens for 34.3% of the dirofilariosis cases, and in 20% of the cases only the Knott's test was positive. It was concluded that most of the cases were related to locations with a medium to high urbanisation index, although the proximity of mosquito-bearing waters also played an important role in the observed spatial infection patterns. We found that the distance from potential mosquito habitats and the urbanisation intensity determine the abundance of dirofilariosis in urban environments.

  15. Determination of Natural 14C Abundances in Dissolved Organic Carbon in Organic-Rich Marine Sediment Porewaters by Thermal Sulfate Reduction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnson, L.; Komada, T.

    2010-12-01

    The abundances of natural 14C in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the marine environment hold clues regarding the processes that influence the biogeochemical cycling of this large carbon reservoir. At present, UV irradiation is the widely accepted method for oxidizing seawater DOC for determination of their 14C abundances. This technique yields precise and accurate values with low blanks, but it requires a dedicated vacuum line, and hence can be difficult to implement. As an alternative technique that can be conducted on a standard preparatory vacuum line, we modified and tested a thermal sulfate reduction method that was previously developed to determine δ13C values of marine DOC (Fry B. et al., 1996. Analysis of marine DOC using a dry combustion method. Mar. Chem., 54: 191-201.) to determine the 14C abundances of DOC in marine sediment porewaters. In this method, the sample is dried in a 100 ml round-bottom Pyrex flask in the presence of excess oxidant (K2SO4) and acid (H3PO4), and combusted at 550 deg.C. The combustion products are cryogenically processed to collect and quantify CO2 using standard procedures. Materials we have oxidized to date range from 6-24 ml in volume, and 95-1500 μgC in size. The oxidation efficiency of this method was tested by processing known amounts of reagent-grade dextrose and sucrose (as examples of labile organic matter), tannic acid and humic acid (as examples of complex natural organic matter), and porewater DOC extracted from organic-rich nearshore sediments. The carbon yields for all of these materials averaged 99±4% (n=18). The 14C abundances of standard materials IAEA C-6 and IAEA C-5 processed by this method using >1mgC aliquots were within error of certified values. The size and the isotopic value of the blank were determined by a standard dilution technique using IAEA C-6 and IAEA C-5 that ranged in size from 150 to 1500 μgC (n=4 and 2, respectively). This yielded a blank size of 6.7±0.7 μgC, and a blank isotopic

  16. Rotational molding of bio-polymers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Greco, Antonio; Maffezzoli, Alfonso; Forleo, Stefania

    2014-05-01

    This paper is aimed to study the suitability of bio-polymers, including poly-lactic acid (PLLA) and Mater-Bi, for the production of hollow components by rotational molding. In order to reduce the brittleness of PLLA, the material was mixed with two different plasticizers, bis-ethyl-hexyl-phthalate (DEHP) and poly-ethylene-glycol (PEG). The materials were characterized in terms of sinterability. To this purpose, thermomechanical (TMA) analysis was performed at different heating rates, in order to identify the endset temperatures of densification and the onset temperatures of degradation. Results obtained indicated that the materials are characterized by a very fast sintering process, occurring just above the melting temperature, and an adequately high onset of degradation. The difference between the onset of degradation and the endset of sintering, defined as the processing window of the polymer, is sufficiently wide, indicating that the polymers can be efficiently processed by rotational molding. Therefore, a laboratory scale apparatus was used for the production of PLLA and Mater-Bi prototypes. The materials were processed using very similar conditions to those used for LLDPE. The production of void-free samples of uniform wall thickness was considered as an indication of the potentiality of the process for the production of biodegradable containers.

  17. Natural Materials, Systems & Extremophiles

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-06

    system. Linked: FY11 AFRL/RX pgm • Structural Coloration – new area, several PIs moving in and out; MURI (Harvard) • Biopolymers – Mainly silk but...looking at other biopolymers . The silk work is well integrated with AFRL; many exchanges of personnel & material. Some PIs moving out with...it pertains to marking items. • Silk – DARPA has contributed to my existing program. ARO has a single grantee. ONR funds a single investigator. NSF

  18. Natural and Genetically Engineered Proteins for Tissue Engineering

    PubMed Central

    Gomes, Sílvia; Leonor, Isabel B.; Mano, João F.; Reis, Rui L.

    2011-01-01

    To overcome the limitations of traditionally used autografts, allografts and, to a lesser extent, synthetic materials, there is the need to develop a new generation of scaffolds with adequate mechanical and structural support, control of cell attachment, migration, proliferation and differentiation and with bio-resorbable features. This suite of properties would allow the body to heal itself at the same rate as implant degradation. Genetic engineering offers a route to this level of control of biomaterial systems. The possibility of expressing biological components in nature and to modify or bioengineer them further, offers a path towards multifunctional biomaterial systems. This includes opportunities to generate new protein sequences, new self-assembling peptides or fusions of different bioactive domains or protein motifs. New protein sequences with tunable properties can be generated that can be used as new biomaterials. In this review we address some of the most frequently used proteins for tissue engineering and biomedical applications and describe the techniques most commonly used to functionalize protein-based biomaterials by combining them with bioactive molecules to enhance biological performance. We also highlight the use of genetic engineering, for protein heterologous expression and the synthesis of new protein-based biopolymers, focusing the advantages of these functionalized biopolymers when compared with their counterparts extracted directly from nature and modified by techniques such as physical adsorption or chemical modification. PMID:22058578

  19. Biopolymers codelivering engineered T cells and STING agonists can eliminate heterogeneous tumors

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Tyrel T.; Moffett, Howell F.; Stephan, Sirkka B.; Opel, Cary F.; Dumigan, Amy G.; Jiang, Xiuyun; Pillarisetty, Venu G.; Pillai, Smitha P. S.; Wittrup, K. Dane; Stephan, Matthias T.

    2017-01-01

    Therapies using T cells that are programmed to express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR T cells) consistently produce positive results in patients with hematologic malignancies. However, CAR T cell treatments are less effective in solid tumors for several reasons. First, lymphocytes do not efficiently target CAR T cells; second, solid tumors create an immunosuppressive microenvironment that inactivates T cell responses; and third, solid cancers are typified by phenotypic diversity and thus include cells that do not express proteins targeted by the engineered receptors, enabling the formation of escape variants that elude CAR T cell targeting. Here, we have tested implantable biopolymer devices that deliver CAR T cells directly to the surfaces of solid tumors, thereby exposing them to high concentrations of immune cells for a substantial time period. In immunocompetent orthotopic mouse models of pancreatic cancer and melanoma, we found that CAR T cells can migrate from biopolymer scaffolds and eradicate tumors more effectively than does systemic delivery of the same cells. We have also demonstrated that codelivery of stimulator of IFN genes (STING) agonists stimulates immune responses to eliminate tumor cells that are not recognized by the adoptively transferred lymphocytes. Thus, these devices may improve the effectiveness of CAR T cell therapy in solid tumors and help protect against the emergence of escape variants. PMID:28436934

  20. `Reverse Chemical Evolution': A New Method to Search for Thermally Stable Biopolymers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mitsuzawa, Shigenobu; Yukawa, Tetsuyuki

    2003-04-01

    The primitive sea on Earth may have had high-temperature and high-pressure conditions similar to those in present-day hydrothermal environments. If life originated in the hot sea, thermal stability of the constituent molecules would have been necessary. Thus far, however, it has been reported that biopolymers hydrolyze too rapidly to support life at temperatures of more than 200 °C. We herein propose a novel approach, called reverse chemical evolution, to search for biopolymers notably more stable against thermal decomposition than previously reported. The essence of the approach is that hydrolysis of a protein or functional RNA (m-, t-, r-RNA) at high temperature and high pressure simulating the ancient sea environment may yield thermally stable peptides or RNAs at higher concentrations than other peptides or RNAs. An experimental test hydrolyzing bovine ribonuclease A in aqueous solution at 205 °C and 25 MPa yielded three prominently stable molecules weighing 859, 1030 and 695 Da. They are thermally some tens or hundreds times more stable than a polyglycine of comparable mass. Sequence analyses of the 859- and 1030-Da molecules revealed that they are a heptapeptide and its homologue, respectively, elongated by two amino acids at the N-terminal region, originally embedded as residues 112-120 in the protein. They consist mainly of hydrophobic amino acids.

  1. Metrologically Traceable Determination of the Water Content in Biopolymers: INRiM Activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rolle, F.; Beltramino, G.; Fernicola, V.; Sega, M.; Verdoja, A.

    2017-03-01

    Water content in materials is a key factor affecting many chemical and physical properties. In polymers of biological origin, it influences their stability and mechanical properties as well as their biodegradability. The present work describes the activity carried out at INRiM on the determination of water content in samples of a commercial starch-derived biopolymer widely used in shopping bags (Mater-Bi^{circledR }). Its water content, together with temperature, is the most influencing parameter affecting its biodegradability, because of the considerable impact on the microbial activity which is responsible for the biopolymer degradation in the environment. The main scope of the work was the establishment of a metrologically traceable procedure for the determination of water content by using two electrochemical methods, namely coulometric Karl Fischer (cKF) titration and evolved water vapour (EWV) analysis. The obtained results are presented. The most significant operational parameters were considered, and a particular attention was devoted to the establishment of metrological traceability of the measurement results by using appropriate calibration procedures, calibrated standards and suitable certified reference materials. Sample homogeneity and oven-drying temperature were found to be the most important influence quantities in the whole water content measurement process. The results of the two methods were in agreement within the stated uncertainties. Further development is foreseen for the application of cKF and EWV to other polymers.

  2. Viscoplastic fracture transition of a biopolymer gel.

    PubMed

    Frieberg, Bradley R; Garatsa, Ray-Shimry; Jones, Ronald L; Bachert, John O; Crawshaw, Benjamin; Liu, X Michael; Chan, Edwin P

    2018-06-13

    Physical gels are swollen polymer networks consisting of transient crosslink junctions associated with hydrogen or ionic bonds. Unlike covalently crosslinked gels, these physical crosslinks are reversible thus enabling these materials to display highly tunable and dynamic mechanical properties. In this work, we study the polymer composition effects on the fracture behavior of a gelatin gel, which is a thermoreversible biopolymer gel consisting of denatured collagen chains bridging physical network junctions formed from triple helices. Below the critical volume fraction for chain entanglement, which we confirm via neutron scattering measurements, we find that the fracture behavior is consistent with a viscoplastic type process characterized by hydrodynamic friction of individual polymer chains through the polymer mesh to show that the enhancement in fracture scales inversely with the squared of the mesh size of the gelatin gel network. Above this critical volume fraction, the fracture process can be described by the Lake-Thomas theory that considers fracture as a chain scission process due to chain entanglements.

  3. Layer-by-layer assembled biopolymer microcapsule with separate layer cavities generated by gas-liquid microfluidic approach.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yifeng; Zhou, Jing; Guo, Xuecheng; Hu, Qian; Qin, Chaoran; Liu, Hui; Dong, Meng; Chen, Yanjun

    2017-12-01

    In this work, a layer-by-layer (LbL) assembled biopolymer microcapsule with separate layer cavities is generated by a novel and convenient gas-liquid microfluidic approach. This approach exhibits combined advantages of microfluidic approach and LbL assembly method, and it can straightforwardly build LbL-assembled capsules in mild aqueous environments at room temperature. In particular, using this approach we can build the polyelectrolyte multilayer capsule with favorable cavities in each layer, and without the need for organic solvent, emulsifying agent, or sacrificial template. Various components (e.g., drugs, proteins, fluorescent dyes, and nanoparticles) can be respectively encapsulated in the separate layer cavities of the LbL-assembled capsules. Moreover, the encapsulated capsules present the ability as colorimetric sensors, and they also exhibit the interesting release behavior. Therefore, the LbL-assembled biopolymer capsule is a promising candidate for biomedical applications in targeted delivery, controlled release, and bio-detection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Archaeal community diversity and abundance changes along a natural salinity gradient in estuarine sediments

    PubMed Central

    Webster, Gordon; O'Sullivan, Louise A.; Meng, Yiyu; Williams, Angharad S.; Sass, Andrea M.; Watkins, Andrew J.; Parkes, R. John; Weightman, Andrew J.

    2014-01-01

    Archaea are widespread in marine sediments, but their occurrence and relationship with natural salinity gradients in estuarine sediments is not well understood. This study investigated the abundance and diversity of Archaea in sediments at three sites [Brightlingsea (BR), Alresford (AR) and Hythe (HY)] along the Colne Estuary, using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) of 16S rRNA genes, DNA hybridization, Archaea 16S rRNA and mcrA gene phylogenetic analyses. Total archaeal 16S rRNA abundance in sediments were higher in the low-salinity brackish sediments from HY (2–8 × 107 16S rRNA gene copies cm−3) than the high-salinity marine sites from BR and AR (2 × 104–2 × 107 and 4 × 106–2 × 107 16S rRNA gene copies cm−3, respectively), although as a proportion of the total prokaryotes Archaea were higher at BR than at AR or HY. Phylogenetic analysis showed that members of the ‘Bathyarchaeota’ (MCG), Thaumarchaeota and methanogenic Euryarchaeota were the dominant groups of Archaea. The composition of Thaumarchaeota varied with salinity, as only ‘marine’ group I.1a was present in marine sediments (BR). Methanogen 16S rRNA genes from low-salinity sediments at HY were dominated by acetotrophic Methanosaeta and putatively hydrogentrophic Methanomicrobiales, whereas the marine site (BR) was dominated by mcrA genes belonging to methylotrophic Methanococcoides, versatile Methanosarcina and methanotrophic ANME-2a. Overall, the results indicate that salinity and associated factors play a role in controlling diversity and distribution of Archaea in estuarine sediments. PMID:25764553

  5. MICROBIAL FERMENTATION OF ABUNDANT BIOPOLYMERS: CELLULOSE AND CHITIN

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Leschine, Susan

    Our research has dealt with seven major areas of investigation: i) characterization of cellulolytic members of microbial consortia, with special attention recently given to Clostridium phytofermentans, a bacterium that decomposes cellulose and produces uncommonly large amounts of ethanol, ii) investigations of the chitinase system of Cellulomonas uda; including the purification and characterization of ChiA, the major component of this enzyme system, iii) molecular cloning, sequence and structural analysis of the gene that encodes ChiA in C. uda, iv) biofilm formation by C. uda on nutritive surfaces, v) investigations of the effects of humic substances on cellulose degradation by anaerobic cellulolyticmore » microbes, vi) studies of nitrogen metabolism in cellulolytic anaerobes, and vii) understanding the molecular architecture of the multicomplex cellulase-xylanase system of Clostridium papyrosolvens. Also, progress toward completing the research of more recent projects is briefly summarized. Major accomplishments include: 1. Characterization of Clostridium phytofermentans, a cellulose-fermenting, ethanol-producing bacterium from forest soil. The characterization of a new cellulolytic species isolated from a cellulose-decomposing microbial consortium from forest soil was completed. This bacterium is remarkable for the high concentrations of ethanol produced during cellulose fermentation, typically more than twice the concentration produced by other species of cellulolytic clostridia. 2. Examination of the use of chitin as a source of carbon and nitrogen by cellulolytic microbes. We discovered that many cellulolytic anaerobes and facultative aerobes are able to use chitin as a source of both carbon and nitrogen. This major discovery expands our understanding of the biology of cellulose-fermenting bacteria and may lead to new applications for these microbes. 3. Comparative studies of the cellulase and chitinase systems of Cellulomonas uda. Results of these studies indicate that the chitinase and cellulase systems of this bacterium are distinct in terms of the proteins involved and the regulation of their production. 4. Characterization of the chitinase system of C. uda. A 70,000-Mr endochitinase, designated ChiA, was purified from C. uda culture supernatant fluids and characterized. 5. Analysis of chiA, which codes for the major enzymatic component of the chitinase system of C. uda. The gene encoding the endochitinase ChiA in C. uda was cloned, its complete nucleotide sequence was determined and its implications were investigated. 6. Formation of biofilms by C. uda on cellulose and chitin. Microscopic observations indicated that, under conditions of nitrogen limitation, C. uda cells grew as a biofilm attached tightly to the surface of cellulose or chitin. 7. Development of tools for a genetic approach to studies of cellulose fermentation by cellulolytic clostridia. We have explored the potential of various techniques, and obtained evidence indicating that Tn916 mutagenesis may be particularly effective in this regard. As part of this research, we identified the presence of a plasmid in one strain, which was cloned, sequenced, and analyzed for its utility in the development of vectors for genetic studies. 8. Effects of humic substances on cellulose degradation by anaerobic cellulolytic microbes. We determined that humic substances play an important role in the anaerobic cellulose decomposition and in the physiology of cellulose-fermenting soil bacteria. 9. Nitrogenases of cellulolytic clostridia. We described a nitrogenase gene from a cellulolytic clostridium and presented evidence, based on sequence analyses and conserved gene order, for lateral gene transfer between this bacterium and a methanogenic archaeon. 10. Characterization of Clostridium hungatei, a new N2-fixing cellulolytic species isolated from a methanogenic consortium from soil. 11. Understanding the molecular architecture of the multicomplex cellulase-xylanase system of Clostridium papyrosolvens. We discovered that C. papyrosolvens produces a multiprotein, multicomplex cellulase-xylanase enzyme system that hydrolyzes crystalline cellulose, and we have described this system in detail.« less

  6. Kinetics of natural organic matter (NOM) removal during drinking water biofiltration using different NOM characterization approaches.

    PubMed

    Chen, Fei; Peldszus, Sigrid; Elhadidy, Ahmed M; Legge, Raymond L; Van Dyke, Michele I; Huck, Peter M

    2016-11-01

    To better understand biofiltration, concentration profiles of various natural organic matter (NOM) components throughout a pilot-scale drinking water biofilter were investigated using liquid chromatography - organic carbon detection (LC-OCD) and fluorescence excitation and emission matrices (FEEM). Over a 2 month period, water samples were collected from six ports at different biofilter media depths. Results showed substantial removal of biopolymers (i.e. high molecular weight (MW) NOM components as characterized by LC-OCD) and FEEM protein-like materials, but low removal of humic substances, building blocks and low MW neutrals and low MW acids. For the first time, relative biodegradability of different NOM components characterized by LC-OCD and FEEM approaches were investigated across the entire MW range and for different fluorophore compositions, in addition to establishing the biodegradation kinetics. The removal kinetics for FEEM protein-like materials were different than for the LC-OCD-based biopolymers, illustrating the complementary nature of the LC-OCD and FEEM approaches. LC-OCD biopolymers (both organic carbon and organic nitrogen) and FEEM protein-like materials were shown to follow either first or second order biodegradation kinetics. Due to the low percent removal and small number of data points, the performance of three kinetic models was not distinguishable for humic substances. Pre-filtration of samples for FEEM analyses affected the removal behaviours and/or kinetics especially of protein-like materials which was attributed to the removal of the colloidal/particulate materials. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Protein abundances can distinguish between naturally-occurring and laboratory strains of Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague

    DOE PAGES

    Merkley, Eric D.; Sego, Landon H.; Lin, Andy; ...

    2017-08-30

    Adaptive processes in bacterial species can occur rapidly in laboratory culture, leading to genetic divergence between naturally occurring and laboratory-adapted strains. Differentiating wild and closely-related laboratory strains is clearly important for biodefense and bioforensics; however, DNA sequence data alone has thus far not provided a clear signature, perhaps due to lack of understanding of how diverse genome changes lead to adapted phenotypes. Protein abundance profiles from mass spectrometry-based proteomics analyses are a molecular measure of phenotype. Proteomics data contains sufficient information that powerful statistical methods can uncover signatures that distinguish wild strains of Yersinia pestis from laboratory-adapted strains.

  8. Alginate based polyurethanes: A review of recent advances and perspective.

    PubMed

    Zia, Khalid Mahmood; Zia, Fatima; Zuber, Mohammad; Rehman, Saima; Ahmad, Mirza Nadeem

    2015-08-01

    The trend of using biopolymers in combination with synthetic polymers was increasing rapidly from last two or three decades. Polysaccharide based biopolymers especially starch, cellulose, chitin, chitosan, alginate, etc. found extensive applications for different industrial uses, as they are biocompatible, biodegradable, bio-renewable resources and chiefly environment friendly. Segment block copolymer character of polyurethanes that endows them a broad range of versatility in terms of tailoring their properties was employed in conjunction with various natural polymers resulted in modified biomaterials. Alginate is biodegradable, biocompatible, bioactive, less toxic and low cost anionic polysaccharide, as a part of structural component of bacteria and brown algae (sea weed) is quite abundant in nature. It is used in combination with polyurethanes to form elastomers, nano-composites, hydrogels, etc. that especially revolutionized the food and biomedical industries. The review summarized the development in alginate based polyurethanes with their potential applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Novel synthesis and characterization of a collagen-based biopolymer initiated by hydroxyapatite nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Bhuiyan, D; Jablonsky, M J; Kolesov, I; Middleton, J; Wick, T M; Tannenbaum, R

    2015-03-01

    In this study, we developed a novel synthesis method to create a complex collagen-based biopolymer that promises to possess the necessary material properties for a bone graft substitute. The synthesis was carried out in several steps. In the first step, a ring-opening polymerization reaction initiated by hydroxyapatite nanoparticles was used to polymerize d,l-lactide and glycolide monomers to form poly(lactide-co-glycolide) co-polymer. In the second step, the polymerization product was coupled with succinic anhydride, and subsequently was reacted with N-hydroxysuccinimide in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide as the cross-linking agent, in order to activate the co-polymer for collagen attachment. In the third and final step, the activated co-polymer was attached to calf skin collagen type I, in hydrochloric acid/phosphate buffer solution and the precipitated co-polymer with attached collagen was isolated. The synthesis was monitored by proton nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared and Raman spectroscopies, and the products after each step were characterized by thermal and mechanical analysis. Calculations of the relative amounts of the various components, coupled with initial dynamic mechanical analysis testing of the resulting biopolymer, afforded a preliminary assessment of the structure of the complex biomaterial formed by this novel polymerization process. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  10. Measurement of isotope abundance variations in nature by gravimetric spiking isotope dilution analysis (GS-IDA).

    PubMed

    Chew, Gina; Walczyk, Thomas

    2013-04-02

    Subtle variations in the isotopic composition of elements carry unique information about physical and chemical processes in nature and are now exploited widely in diverse areas of research. Reliable measurement of natural isotope abundance variations is among the biggest challenges in inorganic mass spectrometry as they are highly sensitive to methodological bias. For decades, double spiking of the sample with a mix of two stable isotopes has been considered the reference technique for measuring such variations both by multicollector-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) and multicollector-thermal ionization mass spectrometry (MC-TIMS). However, this technique can only be applied to elements having at least four stable isotopes. Here we present a novel approach that requires measurement of three isotope signals only and which is more robust than the conventional double spiking technique. This became possible by gravimetric mixing of the sample with an isotopic spike in different proportions and by applying principles of isotope dilution for data analysis (GS-IDA). The potential and principle use of the technique is demonstrated for Mg in human urine using MC-TIMS for isotopic analysis. Mg is an element inaccessible to double spiking methods as it consists of three stable isotopes only and shows great potential for metabolically induced isotope effects waiting to be explored.

  11. Afforestation impacts microbial biomass and its natural (13)C and (15)N abundance in soil aggregates in central China.

    PubMed

    Wu, Junjun; Zhang, Qian; Yang, Fan; Lei, Yao; Zhang, Quanfa; Cheng, Xiaoli

    2016-10-15

    We investigated soil microbial biomass and its natural abundance of δ(13)C and δ(15)N in aggregates (>2000μm, 250-2000μm, 53-250μm and <53μm) of afforested (implementing woodland and shrubland plantations) soils, adjacent croplands and open area (i.e., control) in the Danjiangkou Reservoir area of central China. The afforested soils averaged higher microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN) levels in all aggregates than in open area and cropland, with higher microbial biomass in micro-aggregates (<250μm) than in macro-aggregates (>2000μm). The δ(13)C of soil microbial biomass was more enriched in woodland soils than in other land use types, while δ(15)N of soil microbial biomass was more enriched compared with that of organic soil in all land use types. The δ(13)C and δ(15)N of microbial biomass were positively correlated with the δ(13)C and δ(15)N of organic soil across aggregates and land use types, whereas the (13)C and (15)N enrichment of microbial biomass exhibited linear decreases with the corresponding C:N ratio of organic soil. Our results suggest that shifts in the natural (13)C and (15)N abundance of microbial biomass reflect changes in the stabilization and turnover of soil organic matter (SOM) and thereby imply that afforestation can greatly impact SOM accumulation over the long-term. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Woody Plant Invasion of Grassland: Lignin and Aliphatic Biopolymer Chemistry and Carbon Isotope Composition in Physical Fractions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gamblin, D.; Boutton, T.; Liao, J.; Jastrow, J.; Filley, T.

    2003-12-01

    Significant changes in the apportionment of organic carbon in grassland and savanna soils have been document as a result of woody plant encroachment. In the Rio Grande Plains of Texas, C4 grasslands (d13C = -14 0/00) have undergone succession to trees and shrubs of a subtropical thorn woodland (d13C = -27 0/00) over the past 150 y which has resulted in increased soil organic carbon storage. Large differences in the turnover times of physical fractions in this system indicate selective preservation mechanisms which may include physical protection or inherent biochemical recalcitrance. To elucidate mechanisms of SOC sequestration during woody plant succession in this system, we are investigating the chemistry and compound-specific stable carbon isotope composition of lignin and aliphatic biopolymers in specific physical (size, density) soil fractions within a chronosequence that includes remnant grasslands (Time 0) and woody plant stands ranging in age from 10-130 y. The soil fraction data is being compared to biopolymer and isotope chemistry of the root, stem and/or leaf tissue of 20 of the dominant genus of plants in the system. Lignin phenols and suberin and cutin-derived hydroxyfatty acids are being isolated using alkaline CuO oxidation and tetramethylammonium hydroxide thermochemolysis. A comparison of the macroaggregate (greater than 250 um), microaggregate (53-250 um), and free silt and clay fractions in the oldest stand indicates that lignin is the most concentrated (organic carbon normalized values) in macroaggregates and is significantly less degraded, as determined by relative yields of oxidized and reduced lignin phenols. Additionally, the intra-aggregate silt and clay fraction from the macroaggregates contains less than half of the organic carbon normalized lignin phenols and is relatively more oxidized than what is found in the total macroaggregate pool. From these preliminary results it appears that the bulk macroaggregate pool contains the least

  13. Rheological and Tribological Properties of Complex Biopolymer Solutions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klossner, Rebecca Reese

    2011-12-01

    little impact on the actual aggregation process. Additionally, the relationship between the rheology and tribology of the SFM was studied through a series of nanoscratch tests using a Hysitron nanoindenter. The nanoindenter has the ability to measure both normal and lateral forces simultaneously, which gives an indication of the lubricity of the solution. The coefficient of friction values for solutions of varying protein concentrations were determined by dividing the lateral force by the normal force. Tribological testing of the synovial fluid model and modified solutions were carried out on spin-cast polyethylene and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene sheets. At lower molecular weight substrates, the film thickness limited the validity of the generated data, and with higher molecular weight surfaces, surface roughness effects were found to dominate the tribological response. Finally, the addition of HCQ does not have a large impact on the tribological data, indicating that the anti-inflammatory drug does not significantly impact the lubrication properties within the synovial fluid model. Finally, additional rheological studies of biopolymer solutions were conducted in which solutions containing chitosan, a natural, bioactive polymer, were characterized to determine their fitness for the electropsinning process. Chitosan fibers are difficult to electrospin, and through these studies, the entanglement concentration, a critical parameter for electrospinning, was determined. The generated rheological data provided a means to predict the morphology of the resulting nanofibers, and aspects of the difficulty in electrospinning chitosan were revealed.

  14. The Rheological Properties of the Biopolymers in Synovial Fluid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krause, Wendy E.; Klossner, Rebecca R.; Wetsch, Julie; Oates, Katherine M. N.; Colby, Ralph H.

    2005-03-01

    The polyelectrolyte hyaluronic acid (HA, hyaluronan), its interactions with anti-inflammatory drugs and other biopolymers, and its role in synovial fluid are being studied. We are investigating the rheological properties of sodium hyaluronate (NaHA) solutions and an experimental model of synovial fluid (comprised of NaHA, and the plasma proteins albumin and γ-globulins). Steady shear measurements on bovine synovial fluid and the synovial fluid model indicate that the fluids are highly viscoeleastic and rheopectic (stress increases with time under steady shear). In addition, the influence of anti-inflammatory agents on these solutions is being explored. Initial results indicate that D-penicillamine and hydroxychloroquine affect the rheology of the synovial fluid model and its components. The potential implications of these results will be discussed.

  15. The natural abundance of 13C with different agricultural management by NIRS with fibre optic probe technology.

    PubMed

    Fuentes, Mariela; González-Martín, Inmaculada; Hernández-Hierro, Jose Miguel; Hidalgo, Claudia; Govaerts, Bram; Etchevers, Jorge; Sayre, Ken D; Dendooven, Luc

    2009-06-30

    In the present study the natural abundance of (13)C is quantified in agricultural soils in Mexico which have been submitted to different agronomic practices, zero and conventional tillage, retention of crop residues (with and without) and rotation of crops (wheat and maize) for 17 years, which have influenced the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the soil. The natural abundance of C13 is quantified by near infrared spectra (NIRS) with a remote reflectance fibre optic probe, applying the probe directly to the soil samples. Discriminate partial least squares analysis of the near infrared spectra allowed to classify soils with and without residues, regardless of the type of tillage or rotation systems used with a prediction rate of 90% in the internal validation and 94% in the external validation. The NIRS calibration model using a modified partial least squares regression allowed to determine the delta(13)C in soils with or without residues, with multiple correlation coefficients 0.81 and standard error prediction 0.5 per thousand in soils with residues and 0.92 and 0.2 per thousand in soils without residues. The ratio performance deviation for the quantification of delta(13)C in soil was 2.5 in soil with residues and 3.8 without residues. This indicated that the model was adequate to determine the delta(13)C of unknown soils in the -16.2 per thousand to -20.4 per thousand range. The development of the NIR calibration permits analytic determinations of the values of delta(13)C in unknown agricultural soils in less time, employing a non-destructive method, by the application of the fibre optic probe of remote reflectance to the soil sample.

  16. At the forefront: evidence of the applicability of using environmental DNA to quantify the abundance of fish populations in natural lentic waters with additional sampling considerations

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Klobucar, Stephen L.; Rodgers, Torrey W.; Budy, Phaedra

    2017-01-01

    Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling has proven to be a valuable tool for detecting species in aquatic ecosystems. Within this rapidly evolving field, a promising application is the ability to obtain quantitative estimates of relative species abundance based on eDNA concentration rather than traditionally labor-intensive methods. We investigated the relationship between eDNA concentration and Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) abundance in five well-studied natural lakes; additionally, we examined the effects of different temporal (e.g., season) and spatial (e.g., depth) scales on eDNA concentration. Concentrations of eDNA were linearly correlated with char population estimates ( = 0.78) and exponentially correlated with char densities ( = 0.96 by area; 0.82 by volume). Across lakes, eDNA concentrations were greater and more homogeneous in the water column during mixis; however, when stratified, eDNA concentrations were greater in the hypolimnion. Overall, our findings demonstrate that eDNA techniques can produce effective estimates of relative fish abundance in natural lakes. These findings can guide future studies to improve and expand eDNA methods while informing research and management using rapid and minimally invasive sampling.

  17. Prickly business: abundance of sea urchins on breakwaters and coral reefs in Dubai.

    PubMed

    Bauman, Andrew G; Dunshea, Glenn; Feary, David A; Hoey, Andrew S

    2016-04-30

    Echinometra mathaei is a common echinoid on tropical reefs and where abundant plays an important role in the control of algal communities. Despite high prevalence of E. mathaei on southern Persian/Arabian Gulf reefs, their abundance and distribution is poorly known. Spatial and temporal patterns in population abundance were examined at 12 sites between breakwater and natural reef habitats in Dubai (UAE) every 3 months from 2008 to 2010. Within the breakwater habitat, densities were greatest at shallow wave-exposed sites, and reduced with both decreasing wave-exposure and increasing depth. Interestingly, E. mathaei were significantly more abundant on exposed breakwaters than natural reef sites, presumably due to differences in habitat structure and benthic cover. Population abundances differed seasonally, with peak abundances during summer (July-September) and lower abundances in winter (December-February). Seasonal fluctuations are likely the result of peak annual recruitment pulses coupled with increased fish predation from summer to winter. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Glycerine and levulinic acid: renewable co-substrates for the fermentative synthesis of short-chain poly(hydroxyalkanoate) biopolymers

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Glycerine and levulinic acid were used alone and in combination for the fermentative synthesis of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHB/V) biopolymers. Shake-flask cultures of Pseudomonas oleovorans NRRL B-14682 containing different glycerine:levulinic acid ratios (1%, w/v total carbon ...

  19. Constitutive modelling of composite biopolymer networks.

    PubMed

    Fallqvist, B; Kroon, M

    2016-04-21

    The mechanical behaviour of biopolymer networks is to a large extent determined at a microstructural level where the characteristics of individual filaments and the interactions between them determine the response at a macroscopic level. Phenomena such as viscoelasticity and strain-hardening followed by strain-softening are observed experimentally in these networks, often due to microstructural changes (such as filament sliding, rupture and cross-link debonding). Further, composite structures can also be formed with vastly different mechanical properties as compared to the individual networks. In this present paper, we present a constitutive model presented in a continuum framework aimed at capturing these effects. Special care is taken to formulate thermodynamically consistent evolution laws for dissipative effects. This model, incorporating possible anisotropic network properties, is based on a strain energy function, split into an isochoric and a volumetric part. Generalisation to three dimensions is performed by numerical integration over the unit sphere. Model predictions indicate that the constitutive model is well able to predict the elastic and viscoelastic response of biological networks, and to an extent also composite structures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Natural landscape and stream segment attributes influencing the distribution and relative abundance of riverine smallmouth bass in Missouri

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brewer, S.K.; Rabeni, C.F.; Sowa, S.P.; Annis, G.

    2007-01-01

    Protecting and restoring fish populations on a regional basis are most effective if the multiscale factors responsible for the relative quality of a fishery are known. We spatially linked Missouri's statewide historical fish collections to environmental features in a geographic information system, which was used as a basis for modeling the importance of landscape and stream segment features in supporting a population of smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu. Decision tree analyses were used to develop probability-based models to predict statewide occurrence and within-range relative abundances. We were able to identify the range of smallmouth bass throughout Missouri and the probability of occurrence within that range by using a few broad landscape variables: the percentage of coarse-textured soils in the watershed, watershed relief, and the percentage of soils with low permeability in the watershed. The within-range relative abundance model included both landscape and stream segment variables. As with the statewide probability of occurrence model, soil permeability was particularly significant. The predicted relative abundance of smallmouth bass in stream segments containing low percentages of permeable soils was further influenced by channel gradient, stream size, spring-flow volume, and local slope. Assessment of model accuracy with an independent data set showed good concordance. A conceptual framework involving naturally occurring factors that affect smallmouth bass potential is presented as a comparative model for assessing transferability to other geographic areas and for studying potential land use and biotic effects. We also identify the benefits, caveats, and data requirements necessary to improve predictions and promote ecological understanding. ?? Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2007.

  1. Dynamic cell culture on porous biopolymer microcarriers in a spinner flask for bone tissue engineering: a feasibility study.

    PubMed

    Jin, Guang-Zhen; Park, Jeong-Hui; Seo, Seog-Jin; Kim, Hae-Won

    2014-07-01

    Porous microspherical carriers have great promise for cell culture and tissue engineering. Dynamic cultures enable more uniform cell population and effective differentiation than static cultures. Here we applied dynamic spinner flask culture for the loading and multiplication of cells onto porous biopolymer microcarriers. The abilities of the microcarriers to populate cells and to induce osteogenic differentiation were examined and the feasibility of in vivo delivery of the constructs was addressed. Over time, the porous microcarriers enabled cell adhesion and expansion under proper dynamic culture conditions. Osteogenic markers were substantially expressed by the dynamic cell cultures. The cell-cultured microcarriers implanted in the mouse subcutaneous tissue for 4 weeks showed excellent tissue compatibility, with minimal inflammatory signs and significant induction of bone tissues. This first report on dynamic culture of porous biopolymer microcarriers providing an effective tool for bone tissue engineering.

  2. Highly hydrophobic biopolymers prepared by the surface pentafluorobenzoylation of cellulose substrates.

    PubMed

    Cunha, Ana G; Freire, Carmen S R; Silvestre, Armando J D; Pascoal Neto, Carlos; Gandini, Alessandro; Orblin, Elina; Fardim, Pedro

    2007-04-01

    New highly hydrophobic/lipophobic biopolymers were prepared by the controlled heterogeneous pentafluorobenzoylation of cellulose substrates, i.e., plant and bacterial cellulose fibers. The characterization of the modified fibers was performed by elemental analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and surface analysis (XPS, ToF-SIMS, and contact angle measurements). The degree of substitution of the ensuing pentafluorobenzoylated fibers ranged from 0.014 to 0.39. The hydrolytic stability of these perfluorinated cellulose derivatives was also evaluated and showed that they were quite water stable, although of course the fluorinated moieties could readily be removed by hydrolysis in an aqueous alkaline medium.

  3. Natural abundance 14N and 15N solid-state NMR of pharmaceuticals and their polymorphs

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Veinberg, Stanislav L.; Johnston, Karen E.; Jaroszewicz, Michael J.

    14N ultra-wideline (UW), 1H{ 15N} indirectly-detected HETCOR (idHETCOR) and 15N dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) solid-state NMR (SSNMR) experiments, in combination with plane-wave density functional theory (DFT) calculations of 14N EFG tensors, were utilized to characterize a series of nitrogen-containing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), including HCl salts of scopolamine, alprenolol, isoprenaline, acebutolol, dibucaine, nicardipine, and ranitidine. Here, a case study applying these methods for the differentiation of polymorphs of bupivacaine HCl is also presented. All experiments were conducted upon samples with naturally-abundant nitrogen isotopes. For most of the APIs, it was possible to acquire frequency-stepped UW 14N SSNMR spectra of stationarymore » samples, which display powder patterns corresponding to pseudo-tetrahedral (i.e., RR'R"NH + and RR'NH 2 +) or other (i.e., RNH 2 and RNO 2) nitrogen environments.« less

  4. Natural abundance 14N and 15N solid-state NMR of pharmaceuticals and their polymorphs

    DOE PAGES

    Veinberg, Stanislav L.; Johnston, Karen E.; Jaroszewicz, Michael J.; ...

    2016-06-08

    14N ultra-wideline (UW), 1H{ 15N} indirectly-detected HETCOR (idHETCOR) and 15N dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) solid-state NMR (SSNMR) experiments, in combination with plane-wave density functional theory (DFT) calculations of 14N EFG tensors, were utilized to characterize a series of nitrogen-containing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), including HCl salts of scopolamine, alprenolol, isoprenaline, acebutolol, dibucaine, nicardipine, and ranitidine. Here, a case study applying these methods for the differentiation of polymorphs of bupivacaine HCl is also presented. All experiments were conducted upon samples with naturally-abundant nitrogen isotopes. For most of the APIs, it was possible to acquire frequency-stepped UW 14N SSNMR spectra of stationarymore » samples, which display powder patterns corresponding to pseudo-tetrahedral (i.e., RR'R"NH + and RR'NH 2 +) or other (i.e., RNH 2 and RNO 2) nitrogen environments.« less

  5. Archaeal community diversity and abundance changes along a natural salinity gradient in estuarine sediments.

    PubMed

    Webster, Gordon; O'Sullivan, Louise A; Meng, Yiyu; Williams, Angharad S; Sass, Andrea M; Watkins, Andrew J; Parkes, R John; Weightman, Andrew J

    2015-02-01

    Archaea are widespread in marine sediments, but their occurrence and relationship with natural salinity gradients in estuarine sediments is not well understood. This study investigated the abundance and diversity of Archaea in sediments at three sites [Brightlingsea (BR), Alresford (AR) and Hythe (HY)] along the Colne Estuary, using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) of 16S rRNA genes, DNA hybridization, Archaea 16S rRNA and mcrA gene phylogenetic analyses. Total archaeal 16S rRNA abundance in sediments were higher in the low-salinity brackish sediments from HY (2-8 × 10(7) 16S rRNA gene copies cm(-3)) than the high-salinity marine sites from BR and AR (2 × 10(4)-2 × 10(7) and 4 × 10(6)-2 × 10(7) 16S rRNA gene copies cm(-3), respectively), although as a proportion of the total prokaryotes Archaea were higher at BR than at AR or HY. Phylogenetic analysis showed that members of the 'Bathyarchaeota' (MCG), Thaumarchaeota and methanogenic Euryarchaeota were the dominant groups of Archaea. The composition of Thaumarchaeota varied with salinity, as only 'marine' group I.1a was present in marine sediments (BR). Methanogen 16S rRNA genes from low-salinity sediments at HY were dominated by acetotrophic Methanosaeta and putatively hydrogentrophic Methanomicrobiales, whereas the marine site (BR) was dominated by mcrA genes belonging to methylotrophic Methanococcoides, versatile Methanosarcina and methanotrophic ANME-2a. Overall, the results indicate that salinity and associated factors play a role in controlling diversity and distribution of Archaea in estuarine sediments. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Federation of European Microbiological Society.

  6. Fabrication, functionalization, and application of electrospun biopolymer nanofibers.

    PubMed

    Kriegel, Christina; Arecchi, Alessandra; Arrechi, Alessandra; Kit, Kevin; McClements, D J; Weiss, Jochen

    2008-09-01

    -fiber manufacturing with a particular emphasis on the use of biopolymers. We will review typical fabrication set-ups, discuss the influence of process conditions on nanofiber properties, and then review previous studies that describe the production of biopolymer-based nanofibers. Finally we briefly discuss emerging methods to further functionalize fibers and discuss potential applications in the area of food science and technology.

  7. Dispersion of cellulose nanofibers in biopolymer based nanocomposites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Bei

    The focus of this work was to understand the fundamental dispersion mechanism of cellulose based nanofibers in bionanocomposites. The cellulose nanofibers were extracted from soybean pod and hemp fibers by chemo-mechanical treatments. These are bundles of cellulose nanofibers with a diameter ranging between 50 to 100 nm and lengths of thousands of nanometers which results in very high aspect ratio. In combination with a suitable matrix polymer, cellulose nanofiber networks show considerable potential as an effective reinforcement for high quality specialty applications of bio-based nanocomposites. Cellulose fibrils have a high density of --OH groups on the surface, which have a tendency to form hydrogen bonds with adjacent fibrils, reducing interaction with the surrounding matrix. The use of nanofibers has been mostly restricted to water soluble polymers. This thesis is focused on synthesizing the nanocomposite using a solid phase matrix polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE) by hot compression and poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in an aqueous phase by film casting. The mechanical properties of nanofiber reinforced PVA film demonstrated a 4-5 fold increase in tensile strength, as compared to the untreated fiber-blend-PVA film. It is necessary to reduce the entanglement of the fibrils and improve their dispersion in the matrix by surface modification of fibers without deteriorating their reinforcing capability. Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) was used to explore how various surface treatments would change the dispersion component of surface energy and acid-base character of cellulose nanofibers and the effect of the incorporation of these modified nanofibers into a biopolymer matrix on the properties of their nano-composites. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) based nanocomposites using cellulose nanofibers were prepared by extrusion, injection molding and hot compression. The IGC results indicated that styrene maleic anhydride coated and ethylene

  8. Characterization of un-plasticized and propylene carbonate plasticized carboxymethyl cellulose doped ammonium chloride solid biopolymer electrolytes.

    PubMed

    Ahmad, N H; Isa, M I N

    2016-02-10

    Two solid biopolymer electrolytes (SBEs) systems of carboxymethyl cellulose doped ammonium chloride (CMC-AC) and propylene carbonate plasticized (CMC-AC-PC) were prepared via solution casting technique. The ionic conductivity of SBEs were analyzed using electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in the frequency range of 50 Hz-1 MHz at ambient temperature (303K). The highest ionic conductivity of CMC-AC SBE is 1.43 × 10(-3)S/cm for 16 wt.% of AC while the highest conductivity of plasticized SBE system is 1.01 × 10(-2)S/cm when added with 8 wt.% of PC. TGA/DSC showed that the addition of PC had increased the decomposition temperature compared of CMC-AC SBE. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra showed the occurrence of complexation between the SBE components and it is proved successfully executed by Gaussian software. X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated that amorphous nature of SBEs. It is believed that the PC is one of the most promising plasticizer to enhance the ionic conductivity and performance for SBE system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Electrical conductivity behavior of Gum Arabic biopolymer-Fe3O4 nanocomposites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bhakat, D.; Barik, P.; Bhattacharjee, A.

    2018-01-01

    Present work reports a study on the electrical conduction properties of some composites of Gum Arabic biopolymer and magnetite nanoparticles as host and guest, respectively, synthesized in different weight percentages. The nanocomposites are found to be non-extrinsic type of semiconductors with guest content dependent trap distribution of charge carriers. Conductivity of these materials increases with increasing guest content along with a concomitant decrease in the activation energy. Percolation theory has been employed for the analysis of the electrical conductivity results to explore the effect of the guest on the electrical conductivity of the host.

  10. Exploring the Nature of Galaxies with Abundance Gradient Anomalies in the SDSS-IV/MaNGA Survey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keith, Celeste; Tremonti, Christy; Pace, Zach; Schaefer, Adam

    2018-01-01

    Disk galaxies are known to have radial oxygen abundance gradients with their centers being more chemically enriched than their outskirts. The steepness of the abundance gradient has recently been shown to correlate with galaxy stellar mass, on average. However, individual galaxies sometimes show pronounced deviations from the expected trends, such as flatter or steeper slopes than expected for their mass, abrupt changes in slope, or azimuthal asymmetries. Here we report on a systematic search for galaxies with abundance gradient anomalies using 2-D spectroscopy from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV MaNGA. We construct nebular oxygen and nitrogen abundance maps for 300 moderately inclined non-interacting disk galaxies and use visual inspection to identify the most interesting cases. We use this training set to develop an automated pipeline to flag galaxies with abundance anomalies from the larger MaNGA dataset for visual inspection. We combine the metallicity maps with kinematic data and measurements of the galaxies' local environments to better understand the processes that shape the radial abundance gradients of disk galaxies.

  11. Effect of γ-irradiation on the physical and mechanical properties of kefiran biopolymer film.

    PubMed

    Shahabi-Ghahfarrokhi, Iman; Khodaiyan, Faramarz; Mousavi, Mohammad; Yousefi, Hossein

    2015-03-01

    In this study, the effect of different γ-ray dosages (3, 6, and 9 kGy) on the functional properties of kefiran biopolymer was investigated. The obtained results showed that increasing γ-ray dosage brought about an increase in the tensile strength of film specimens up to three-times. However, elongation at break, and tensile energy to break of γ-irradiated kefiran films decreased in the wake of increasing γ-ray dosage. γ-Irradiation could improve surface hydrophobicity, sensitivity of kefiran film specimens to water, and water vapor permeability, but yellowness of films increased, simultaneously. XRD spectrum confirmed increased crystallinity of γ-irradiated films. Melting point of films was constant but glass transition temperature decreased drastically at high γ-ray dosage (9 kGy). ATR-FTIR analysis confirmed that γ-ray engendered no changes in chemical functional groups. According to the result, a mechanism was proposed to percept the effects of γ-irradiation on kefiran biopolymer and its role on the functional properties of kefiran film. Hence, the functional properties of kefiran films were depend on the ratio of cross-linkages between polymer chains and produced mono and disaccharide by γ-irradiation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Weak temporal signals can synchronize and accelerate the transition dynamics of biopolymers under tension.

    PubMed

    Kim, Won Kyu; Hyeon, Changbong; Sung, Wokyung

    2012-09-04

    In addition to thermal noise, which is essential to promote conformational transitions in biopolymers, the cellular environment is replete with a spectrum of athermal fluctuations that are produced from a plethora of active processes. To understand the effect of athermal noise on biological processes, we studied how a small oscillatory force affects the thermally induced folding and unfolding transition of an RNA hairpin, whose response to constant tension had been investigated extensively in both theory and experiments. Strikingly, our molecular simulations performed under overdamped condition show that even at a high (low) tension that renders the hairpin (un)folding improbable, a weak external oscillatory force at a certain frequency can synchronously enhance the transition dynamics of RNA hairpin and increase the mean transition rate. Furthermore, the RNA dynamics can still discriminate a signal with resonance frequency even when the signal is mixed among other signals with nonresonant frequencies. In fact, our computational demonstration of thermally induced resonance in RNA hairpin dynamics is a direct realization of the phenomena called stochastic resonance and resonant activation. Our study, amenable to experimental tests using optical tweezers, is of great significance to the folding of biopolymers in vivo that are subject to the broad spectrum of cellular noises.

  13. Design of polymer-biopolymer-hydroxyapatite biomaterials for bone tissue engineering: Through molecular control of interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Verma, Devendra

    In this dissertation, novel biomaterials are designed for bone biomaterials and bone tissue engineering applications. Novel biomaterials of hydroxyapatite with synthetic and natural polymers have been fabricated using a combination of processing routes. Initially, we investigated hydroxyapatite-polycaprolactone-polyacrylic acid composites and observed that minimal interfacial interactions between polymer and mineral led to inadequate improvement in the mechanical properties. Bioactivity experiments on these composites showed that the presence of functional groups, such as carboxylate groups, influence bioactivity of the composites. We have developed and investigated composites of hydroxyapatite with chitosan and polygalacturonic acid (PgA). Chitosan and PgA are biocompatible, biodegradable, and also electrostatically complementary to each other. This strategy led to significant improvement in mechanical properties of new composites. The nanostructure analysis using atomic force microscopy revealed a multilevel organization in these composites. Enhancement in mechanical response was attributed to stronger interfaces due to strong electrostatic interaction between oppositely charged chitosan and PgA. Further analysis using the Rietveld method showed that biopolymers have marked impact on hydroxyapatite crystal growth and also on its crystal structure. Significant changes were observed in the lattice parameters of hydroxyapatite synthesized by following biomineralization method (organics mediated mineralization). For scaffold preparation, chitosan and PgA were mixed first, and then, nano-hydroxyapatite was added. Oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, such as chitosan and PgA, spontaneously form complex upon mixing. The poly-electrolyte complex exists as nano-sized particles. Chitosan/PgA scaffolds with and without hydroxyapatite were prepared by the freeze drying method. By controlling the rate of cooling and concentration, we have produced both fibrous and sheet

  14. Preformed amide-containing biopolymer for improving the environmental performance of synthesized urea–formaldehyde in agro-fiber composites

    Treesearch

    Altaf H. Basta; Houssni El-Saied; Jerrold E. Winandy; Ronald Sabo

    2011-01-01

    Investigations have continued for production high performance agro-based composites using environmentally acceptable approaches. This study examines the role of adding amide-containing biopolymers during synthesis of urea–formaldehyde (UF) on properties of adhesive produced, especially its adhesion potential. The environmental performance of UF-resin synthesized in the...

  15. Female offspring desertion and male-only care increase with natural and experimental increase in food abundance

    PubMed Central

    Eldegard, Katrine; Sonerud, Geir A.

    2009-01-01

    In species with biparental care, one parent may escape the costs of parental care by deserting and leaving the partner to care for the offspring alone. A number of theoretical papers have suggested a link between uniparental offspring desertion and ecological factors, but empirical evidence is scarce. We investigated the relationship between uniparental desertion and food abundance in a natural population of Tengmalm's owl Aegolius funereus, both by means of a 5-year observational study and a 1-year experimental study. Parents and offspring were fitted with radio-transmitters in order to reveal the parental care strategy (i.e. care or desert) of individual parents, and to keep track of the broods post-fledging. We found that 70 per cent of the females from non-experimental nests deserted, while their partner continued to care for their joint offspring alone. Desertion rate was positively related to natural prey population densities and body reserves of the male partner. In response to food supplementation, a larger proportion of the females deserted, and females deserted the offspring at an earlier age. Offspring survival during the post-fledging period tended to be lower in deserted than in non-deserted broods. We argue that the most important benefit of deserting may be remating (sequential polyandry). PMID:19324835

  16. Female offspring desertion and male-only care increase with natural and experimental increase in food abundance.

    PubMed

    Eldegard, Katrine; Sonerud, Geir A

    2009-05-07

    In species with biparental care, one parent may escape the costs of parental care by deserting and leaving the partner to care for the offspring alone. A number of theoretical papers have suggested a link between uniparental offspring desertion and ecological factors, but empirical evidence is scarce. We investigated the relationship between uniparental desertion and food abundance in a natural population of Tengmalm's owl Aegolius funereus, both by means of a 5-year observational study and a 1-year experimental study. Parents and offspring were fitted with radio-transmitters in order to reveal the parental care strategy (i.e. care or desert) of individual parents, and to keep track of the broods post-fledging. We found that 70 per cent of the females from non-experimental nests deserted, while their partner continued to care for their joint offspring alone. Desertion rate was positively related to natural prey population densities and body reserves of the male partner. In response to food supplementation, a larger proportion of the females deserted, and females deserted the offspring at an earlier age. Offspring survival during the post-fledging period tended to be lower in deserted than in non-deserted broods. We argue that the most important benefit of deserting may be remating (sequential polyandry).

  17. Engineered, thermoresponsive, magnetic nanocarriers of oligo(ethylene glycol)-methacrylate-based biopolymers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McCallister, Thomas; Gidney, Elwood; Adams, Devin; Diercks, David R.; Ghosh, Santaneel

    2014-11-01

    Engineered magnetic nanocarriers offer attractive options for implementing novel therapeutic solutions in biomedical research; however lack of biocompatibility and external tunability have prevented a biomedical breakthrough. Here we report multifunctional, magnetic nanospheres with tailored size, volumetric transition range, and magnetic properties based on biocompatible, thermo-responsive oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate biopolymers. Precise control of the nanosphere size in the range 100-300 nm, coupled with a higher and broader volumetric transition range (32-42 °C), is ideal for various biomedical applications. More importantly, super-paramagnetic behavior of the nanocarriers, even after polymer shell shrinkage, indicates stable and easily controllable loss mechanisms under exposure to an ac magnetic field.

  18. Evolutionary optimization of biopolymers and sequence structure maps

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Reidys, C.M.; Kopp, S.; Schuster, P.

    1996-06-01

    Searching for biopolymers having a predefined function is a core problem of biotechnology, biochemistry and pharmacy. On the level of RNA sequences and their corresponding secondary structures we show that this problem can be analyzed mathematically. The strategy will be to study the properties of the RNA sequence to secondary structure mapping that is essential for the understanding of the search process. We show that to each secondary structure s there exists a neutral network consisting of all sequences folding into s. This network can be modeled as a random graph and has the following generic properties: it is densemore » and has a giant component within the graph of compatible sequences. The neutral network percolates sequence space and any two neutral nets come close in terms of Hamming distance. We investigate the distribution of the orders of neutral nets and show that above a certain threshold the topology of neutral nets allows to find practically all frequent secondary structures.« less

  19. Natural Isotope Abundance in Metabolites: Techniques and Kinetic Isotope Effect Measurement in Plant, Animal, and Human Tissues.

    PubMed

    Tea, Illa; Tcherkez, Guillaume

    2017-01-01

    The natural isotope abundance in bulk organic matter or tissues is not a sufficient base to investigate physiological properties, biosynthetic mechanisms, and nutrition sources of biological systems. In fact, isotope effects in metabolism lead to a heterogeneous distribution of 2 H, 18 O, 13 C, and 15 N isotopes in metabolites. Therefore, compound-specific isotopic analysis (CSIA) is crucial to biological and medical applications of stable isotopes. Here, we review methods to implement CSIA for 15 N and 13 C from plant, animal, and human samples and discuss technical solutions that have been used for the conversion to CO 2 and N 2 for IRMS analysis, derivatization and isotope effect measurements. It appears that despite the flexibility of instruments used for CSIA, there is no universal method simply because the chemical nature of metabolites of interest varies considerably. Also, CSIA methods are often limited by isotope effects in sample preparation or the addition of atoms from the derivatizing reagents, and this implies that corrections must be made to calculate a proper δ-value. Therefore, CSIA has an enormous potential for biomedical applications, but its utilization requires precautions for its successful application. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. GeneBee-net: Internet-based server for analyzing biopolymers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brodsky, L.I.; Ivanov, V.V.; Nikolaev, V.K.

    This work describes a network server for searching databanks of biopolymer structures and performing other biocomputing procedures; it is available via direct Internet connection. Basic server procedures are dedicated to homology (similarity) search of sequence and 3D structure of proteins. The homologies found could be used to build multiple alignments, predict protein and RNA secondary structure, and construct phylogenetic trees. In addition to traditional methods of sequence similarity search, the authors propose {open_quotes}non-matrix{close_quotes} (correlational) search. An analogous approach is used to identify regions of similar tertiary structure of proteins. Algorithm concepts and usage examples are presented for new methods. Servicemore » logic is based upon interaction of a client program and server procedures. The client program allows the compilation of queries and the processing of results of an analysis.« less

  1. Fabrication of Biopolymer Nanofibers of Hyaluronic Acid via Electrospinning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Young, Denice; Queen, Hailey; Krause, Wendy

    2006-03-01

    Electrospinning is a novel technology that uses an electric field to form fibrous materials from a polymer solution. Unlike traditional spinning techniques, electrospinning can produce fibers on the order of 100 nm that can be utilized in applications where nanoscale fibers are necessary for successful implementation, including tissue engineering. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a widely used biopolymer found in the extracellular matrix and currently marketed in medical applications for joint lubrications and tissue engineering. The high viscosity and surface tension of HA make it an unlikely candidate for electrospinning processes as viscosity is an important parameter in successful electrospinning. To promote HA fiber formation by electrospinning, the effects of salt (NaCl), which is used to reduce the viscosity of aqueous HA solutions; molecular weight of the HA; and an additional biocompatible polymer (e.g., PEO) are under investigation.

  2. Control of microbiological corrosion on carbon steel with sodium hypochlorite and biopolymer.

    PubMed

    Oliveira, Sara H; Lima, Maria Alice G A; França, Francisca P; Vieira, Magda R S; Silva, Pulkra; Urtiga Filho, Severino L

    2016-07-01

    In the present work, the interaction of a mixture of a biocide, sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), and a biopolymer, xanthan, with carbon steel coupons exposed to seawater in a turbulent flow regime was studied. The cell concentrations, corrosion rates, biomasses, and exopolysaccharides (EPSs) produced on the coupon surfaces with the various treatments were quantified. The corrosion products were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the surfaces of steels were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that xanthan and the hypochlorite-xanthan mixture reduced the corrosion rate of steel. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. How selection structures species abundance distributions

    PubMed Central

    Magurran, Anne E.; Henderson, Peter A.

    2012-01-01

    How do species divide resources to produce the characteristic species abundance distributions seen in nature? One way to resolve this problem is to examine how the biomass (or capacity) of the spatial guilds that combine to produce an abundance distribution is allocated among species. Here we argue that selection on body size varies across guilds occupying spatially distinct habitats. Using an exceptionally well-characterized estuarine fish community, we show that biomass is concentrated in large bodied species in guilds where habitat structure provides protection from predators, but not in those guilds associated with open habitats and where safety in numbers is a mechanism for reducing predation risk. We further demonstrate that while there is temporal turnover in the abundances and identities of species that comprise these guilds, guild rank order is conserved across our 30-year time series. These results demonstrate that ecological communities are not randomly assembled but can be decomposed into guilds where capacity is predictably allocated among species. PMID:22787020

  4. Flow and habitat effects on juvenile fish abundance in natural and altered flow regimes

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Freeman, Mary C.; Bowen, Z.H.; Bovee, K.D.; Irwin, E.R.

    2001-01-01

    Conserving biological resources native to large river systems increasingly depends on how flow-regulated segments of these rivers are managed. Improving management will require a better understanding of linkages between river biota and temporal variability of flow and instream habitat. However, few studies have quantified responses of native fish populations to multiyear (>2 yr) patterns of hydrologic or habitat variability in flow-regulated systems. To provide these data, we quantified young-of-year (YOY) fish abundance during four years in relation to hydrologic and habitat variability in two segments of the Tallapoosa River in the southeastern United States. One segment had an unregulated flow regime, whereas the other was flow-regulated by a peak-load generating hydropower dam. We sampled fishes annually and explored how continuously recorded flow data and physical habitat simulation models (PHABSIM) for spring (April-June) and summer (July-August) preceding each sample explained fish abundances. Patterns of YOY abundance in relation to habitat availability (median area) and habitat persistence (longest period with habitat area continuously above the long-term median area) differed between unregulated and flow-regulated sites. At the unregulated site, YOY abundances were most frequently correlated with availability of shallow-slow habitat in summer (10 species) and persistence of shallow-slow and shallow-fast habitat in spring (nine species). Additionally, abundances were negatively correlated with 1-h maximum flow in summer (five species). At the flow-regulated site, YOY abundances were more frequently correlated with persistence of shallow-water habitats (four species in spring; six species in summer) than with habitat availability or magnitude of flow extremes. The associations of YOY with habitat persistence at the flow-regulated site corresponded to the effects of flow regulation on habitat patterns. Flow regulation reduced median flows during spring and

  5. Combustion influences on natural abundance nitrogen isotope ratio in soil and plants following a wildfire in a sub-alpine ecosystem.

    PubMed

    Huber, Edith; Bell, Tina L; Adams, Mark A

    2013-11-01

    This before-and-after-impact study uses the natural abundance N isotope ratio (δ(15)N) to investigate the effects of a wildfire on sub-alpine ecosystem properties and processes. We measured the (15)N signatures of soil, charred organic material, ash and foliage in three sub-alpine plant communities (grassland, heathland and woodland) in south-eastern Australia. Surface bulk soil was temporarily enriched in (15)N immediately after wildfire compared to charred organic material and ash in all plant communities. We associated the enrichment of bulk soil with fractionation of N during combustion and volatilization of N, a process that also explains the sequential enrichment of (15)N of unburnt leaves > ash > charred organic material in relation to duration and intensity of heating. The rapid decline in (15)N of bulk soil to pre-fire values indicates that depleted ash, containing considerable amounts of total N, was readily incorporated into the soil. Foliar δ(15)N also increased with values peaking 1 year post-fire. Foliar enrichment was foremost coupled with the release of enriched NH4(+) into the soil owing to isotopic discrimination during volatilization of soluble N and combustion of organic material. The mode of post-fire regeneration influenced foliar (15)N enrichment in two species indicating use of different sources of N following fire. The use of natural abundance of (15)N in soil, ash and foliage as a means of tracing transformation of N during wildfire has established the importance of combustion products as an important, albeit temporary source of inorganic N for plants regenerating after wildfire.

  6. Ticks and the city - are there any differences between city parks and natural forests in terms of tick abundance and prevalence of spirochaetes?

    PubMed

    Kowalec, Maciej; Szewczyk, Tomasz; Welc-Falęciak, Renata; Siński, Edward; Karbowiak, Grzegorz; Bajer, Anna

    2017-11-21

    Ixodes ricinus ticks are commonly encountered in either natural or urban areas, contributing to Lyme disease agents Borreliella [(Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato)] spp. and Borrelia miyamotoi enzootic cycles in cities. It is an actual problem whether urbanization affects pathogen circulation and therefore risk of infection. The aim of the study was to evaluate main tick-borne disease risk factors in natural, endemic areas of north-east (NE) Poland (Białowieża) and urban areas of central Poland (Warsaw), measuring tick abundance/density, prevalence of infection with spirochaetes and diversity of these pathogens in spring-early summer and late summer-autumn periods between 2012 and 2015. Questing I. ricinus ticks were collected from three urban sites in Warsaw, central Poland and three natural sites in Białowieża, NE Poland. A total of 2993 ticks were analyzed for the presence of Borreliella spp. and/or Borrelia miyamotoi DNA by PCR. Tick abundance was analyzed by General Linear Models (GLM). Prevalence and distribution of spirochaetes was analyzed by Maximum Likelihood techniques based on log-linear analysis of contingency tables (HILOGLINEAR). Species typing and molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the sequenced flaB marker were carried out. Overall 4617 I. ricinus ticks were collected (2258 nymphs and 2359 adults). We report well established population of ticks in urban areas (10.1 ± 0.9 ticks/100 m 2 ), as in endemic natural areas with higher mean tick abundance (16.5 ± 1.5 ticks/100 m 2 ). Tick densities were the highest in spring-early summer in both types of areas. We observed no effect of the type of area on Borreliella spp. and B. miyamotoi presence in ticks, resulting in similar prevalence of spirochaetes in urban and natural areas [10.9% (95% CI: 9.7-12.2%) vs 12.4% (95% CI: 10.1-15.1%), respectively]. Prevalence of spirochaetes was significantly higher in the summer-autumn period than in the spring-early summer [15.0% (95% CI: 12

  7. Comparison of the chemical alteration trajectory of Liriodendron tulipifera L. leaf litter among forests with different earthworm abundance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Filley, Timothy R.; McCormick, Melissa K.; Crow, Susan E.; Szlavecz, Katalin; Whigham, Dennis F.; Johnston, Cliff T.; van den Heuvel, Ronald N.

    2008-03-01

    To investigate the control of earthworm populations on leaf litter biopolymer decay dynamics, we analyzed the residues of Liriodendron tulipifera L. (tulip poplar) leaves after six months of decay, comparing open surface litter and litter bag experiments among forests with different native and invasive earthworm abundances. Six plots were established in successional tulip poplar forests where sites varied in earthworm density and biomass, roughly 4-10 fold, of nonnative lumbricid species. Analysis of residues by diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and alkaline CuO extraction indicated that open decay in sites with abundant earthworms resulted in residues depleted in cuticular aliphatic and polysaccharide components and enriched in ether-linked lignin relative to open decay in low earthworm abundance plots. Decay within earthworm-excluding litter bags resulted in an increase in aliphatic components relative to initial amendment and similar chemical trajectory to low earthworm open decay experiments. All litter exhibited a decline in cinnamyl-based lignin and an increase in nitrogen content. The influence of earthworm density on the chemical trajectory of litter decay was primarily a manifestation of the physical separation and concentration of lignin-rich and cutin-poor petioles with additional changes promoted by either microorganisms and/or mesofauna resulting in nitrogen addition and polysaccharide loss. These results illustrate how projected increases in invasive earthworm activity in northern North American forests could alter the chemical composition of organic matter in litter residues and potentially organic matter reaching the soil which may result in shifts in the aromatic and aliphatic composition of soils in different systems.

  8. Seasonal abundance of horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) from two locations in eastern Croatia.

    PubMed

    Krcmar, Stjepan

    2005-12-01

    A total of 10,539 tabanid horse flies from 22 species and five genera was collected in the Tikves forest within the Kopacki rit Nature Park in eastern Croatia. Seasonal abundance was analyzed for the six most abundant species. Tabanus maculicornis, Tabanus tergestinus, and Haematopota pluvialis reached their highest peak abundance in the fourth week of June. Atylotus loewianus and Tabanus bromius reached their highest peak of abundance in the first week of August, whereas Tabanus sudeticus reached its maximum abundance in the third week of July. Horse flies also were collected once a week on the pasture at Petrijevci from mid-May to mid-September during 1993. Paired collections were made from a Malaise trap and from a horse by using a sweep net. A total of 2,867 tabanids belonging to 26 species was collected. The number of tabanids collected on horses was much higher than the total captured with Malaise traps. On their natural host (horse), 2.6 times more tabanids were collected than in the traps. Seasonal abundance was analyzed only for the eight most abundant species. Chrysops paralellogrammus, Tabanus autumnalis, Tabanus bromius, Tabanus tergestinus, Haematopota pluvialis, and Haematopota subcylindrica all reached their highest peak of abundance in the second week of July, whereas Tabanus maculicornis reached the maximal peak of abundance in the third week of June. Seasonal meteorological variability that occurs periodically from one year to another has a significant influence on the maximal peaks of tabanid abundance.

  9. Diversity and abundance of phosphonate biosynthetic genes in nature

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Phosphonates, molecules containing direct C-P bonds, comprise a structurally diverse class of natural products with interesting and useful biological properties. Although their synthesis in protozoa was discovered more than fifty years ago, the extent and diversity of phosphonate production in natur...

  10. A CRADLE TO GATE LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS OF THE BIOPOLYMER POLYLACTIC ACID: LOOKING BEYOND GLOBAL WARMING AND FOSSIL FUEL USE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Derived from corn, the biopolymer polylactic acid (PLA) has recently emerged in the marketplace and is advertised as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based polymers. Research into the environmental implications of biobased production has focused primarily on global warming...

  11. Effects of landscape anthropization on mosquito community composition and abundance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ferraguti, Martina; Martínez-de La Puente, Josué; Roiz, David; Ruiz, Santiago; Soriguer, Ramón; Figuerola, Jordi

    2016-07-01

    Anthropogenic landscape transformation has an important effect on vector-borne pathogen transmission. However, the effects of urbanization on mosquito communities are still only poorly known. Here, we evaluate how land-use characteristics are related to the abundance and community composition of mosquitoes in an area with endemic circulation of numerous mosquito-borne pathogens. We collected 340 829 female mosquitoes belonging to 13 species at 45 localities spatially grouped in 15 trios formed by 1 urban, 1 rural and 1 natural area. Mosquito abundance and species richness were greater in natural and rural areas than in urban areas. Environmental factors including land use, vegetation and hydrological characteristics were related to mosquito abundance and community composition. Given the differing competences of each species in pathogen transmission, these results provide valuable information on the transmission potential of mosquito-borne pathogens that will be of great use in public and animal health management by allowing, for instance, the identification of the priority areas for pathogen surveillance and vector control.

  12. Effects of landscape anthropization on mosquito community composition and abundance

    PubMed Central

    Ferraguti, Martina; Martínez-de la Puente, Josué; Roiz, David; Ruiz, Santiago; Soriguer, Ramón; Figuerola, Jordi

    2016-01-01

    Anthropogenic landscape transformation has an important effect on vector-borne pathogen transmission. However, the effects of urbanization on mosquito communities are still only poorly known. Here, we evaluate how land-use characteristics are related to the abundance and community composition of mosquitoes in an area with endemic circulation of numerous mosquito-borne pathogens. We collected 340 829 female mosquitoes belonging to 13 species at 45 localities spatially grouped in 15 trios formed by 1 urban, 1 rural and 1 natural area. Mosquito abundance and species richness were greater in natural and rural areas than in urban areas. Environmental factors including land use, vegetation and hydrological characteristics were related to mosquito abundance and community composition. Given the differing competences of each species in pathogen transmission, these results provide valuable information on the transmission potential of mosquito-borne pathogens that will be of great use in public and animal health management by allowing, for instance, the identification of the priority areas for pathogen surveillance and vector control. PMID:27373794

  13. Natural emulsifiers - Biosurfactants, phospholipids, biopolymers, and colloidal particles: Molecular and physicochemical basis of functional performance.

    PubMed

    McClements, David Julian; Gumus, Cansu Ekin

    2016-08-01

    There is increasing consumer pressure for commercial products that are more natural, sustainable, and environmentally friendly, including foods, cosmetics, detergents, and personal care products. Industry has responded by trying to identify natural alternatives to synthetic functional ingredients within these products. The focus of this review article is on the replacement of synthetic surfactants with natural emulsifiers, such as amphiphilic proteins, polysaccharides, biosurfactants, phospholipids, and bioparticles. In particular, the physicochemical basis of emulsion formation and stabilization by natural emulsifiers is discussed, and the benefits and limitations of different natural emulsifiers are compared. Surface-active polysaccharides typically have to be used at relatively high levels to produce small droplets, but the droplets formed are highly resistant to environmental changes. Conversely, surface-active proteins are typically utilized at low levels, but the droplets formed are highly sensitive to changes in pH, ionic strength, and temperature. Certain phospholipids are capable of producing small oil droplets during homogenization, but again the droplets formed are highly sensitive to changes in environmental conditions. Biosurfactants (saponins) can be utilized at low levels to form fine oil droplets that remain stable over a range of environmental conditions. Some nature-derived nanoparticles (e.g., cellulose, chitosan, and starch) are effective at stabilizing emulsions containing relatively large oil droplets. Future research is encouraged to identify, isolate, purify, and characterize new types of natural emulsifier, and to test their efficacy in food, cosmetic, detergent, personal care, and other products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Design and characterization of a composite material based on Sr(II)-loaded clay nanotubes included within a biopolymer matrix.

    PubMed

    Del Buffa, Stefano; Bonini, Massimo; Ridi, Francesca; Severi, Mirko; Losi, Paola; Volpi, Silvia; Al Kayal, Tamer; Soldani, Giorgio; Baglioni, Piero

    2015-06-15

    This paper reports on the preparation, characterization, and cytotoxicity of a hybrid nanocomposite material made of Sr(II)-loaded Halloysite nanotubes included within a biopolymer (3-polyhydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) matrix. The Sr(II)-loaded inorganic scaffold is intended to provide mechanical resistance, multi-scale porosity, and to favor the in-situ regeneration of bone tissue thanks to its biocompatibility and bioactivity. The interaction of the hybrid system with the physiological environment is mediated by the biopolymer coating, which acts as a binder, as well as a diffusional barrier to the Sr(II) release. The degradation of the polymer progressively leads to the exposure of the Sr(II)-loaded Halloysite scaffold, tuning its interaction with osteogenic cells. The in vitro biocompatibility of the composite was demonstrated by cytotoxicity tests on L929 fibroblast cells. The results indicate that this composite material could be of interest for multiple strategies in the field of bone tissue engineering. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Modeling unobserved sources of heterogeneity in animal abundance using a Dirichlet process prior

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Dorazio, R.M.; Mukherjee, B.; Zhang, L.; Ghosh, M.; Jelks, H.L.; Jordan, F.

    2008-01-01

    In surveys of natural populations of animals, a sampling protocol is often spatially replicated to collect a representative sample of the population. In these surveys, differences in abundance of animals among sample locations may induce spatial heterogeneity in the counts associated with a particular sampling protocol. For some species, the sources of heterogeneity in abundance may be unknown or unmeasurable, leading one to specify the variation in abundance among sample locations stochastically. However, choosing a parametric model for the distribution of unmeasured heterogeneity is potentially subject to error and can have profound effects on predictions of abundance at unsampled locations. In this article, we develop an alternative approach wherein a Dirichlet process prior is assumed for the distribution of latent abundances. This approach allows for uncertainty in model specification and for natural clustering in the distribution of abundances in a data-adaptive way. We apply this approach in an analysis of counts based on removal samples of an endangered fish species, the Okaloosa darter. Results of our data analysis and simulation studies suggest that our implementation of the Dirichlet process prior has several attractive features not shared by conventional, fully parametric alternatives. ?? 2008, The International Biometric Society.

  16. Exploring the Milky Way Disk Abundance Transition Zone Rgc 10 kpc with Open Clusters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jacobson, Heather R.; Friel, E.; Pilachowski, C.

    2009-01-01

    Recent studies of the radial chemical abundance distribution among stellar populations in the Galactic disk have shown a change in the abundance trend at galactocentric distance Rgc 10 kpc, as first noted by Twarog et al. (1997). Here the gradient in [Fe/H] with distance appears to vanish, with abundances of stars at greater distances dropping to [Fe/H] -0.3, independent of galactocentric distance. Much is still unknown about the exact nature of the transition from inner to outer disk, and it is still uncertain if the outer disk has had a distinct evolutionary history from that of the inner disk. While current chemical evolution models can well match the outer disk abundances (Cescutti et al. 2007), abundances of many more stars at Rgc 9-12 kpc must be determined to better characterize the nature of the transition from inner to outer disk. We have initiated a survey of abundances of 20 open clusters in this region using spectroscopy obtained with the WIYN, KPNO 4m, CTIO 4m and Hobby-Eberly telescopes. Chemical abundances are determined for Fe, O, Na, and alpha-elements, among others. Results for the survey to date are presented here.

  17. Effect of urea deproteinization on catalytic hydrogenation of natural rubber latex

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cifriadi, A.; Chalid, M.; Puspitasari, S.

    2017-07-01

    Natural rubber is unsaturated biopolymer which has low resistance to heat, oxygen, and ozone. Chemical modification of natural rubber by catalytic hydrogenation can improve its oxidative property. In this study, the catalytic hydrogenation of natural rubber was investigated in latex phase after reduction of protein content with urea. Hydrogenation of deproteinized natural rubber latex was performed by using diimide which generated insitu from hydrazine hydrate/hydrogen peroxide and catalyst (boric acid, cupric sulfate and cupric acetate) at 70°C for 5 h. The hydrogenation system was stabilized with sodium dodecyl sulphate. The hydrogenation of deproteinized natural rubber (HDPNR) was confirmed by FTIR analysis. The result indicated that cupric sulphate was extremely active catalyst which was showed by the elimination of C=C transmittance bands at 1660 cm-1 on HDPNR spectra and highest degree of hydrogenation. Furthermore, urea deproteinization increased possibility of side reactions during catalytic hydrogenation as seen on the reduction of gel content compared to undeproteinized natural rubber.

  18. Oceanic heterotrophic dinoflagellates: distribution, abundance, and role as microzooplankton

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lessard, E.J.

    1984-01-01

    The primary objectives of this thesis were to determine the distribution and abundance of heterotrophic dinoflagellates across the Gulf Stream system off Cape Hatteras and to assess the potential grazing impact of these microheterotrophs in plankton communities. A list of species encountered in this study and their trophic status based on epifluorescence is presented, as well as observations on the presence of external or internal symbionts. The abundance of heterotrophic dinoflagellates across the Gulf Stream region off Cape Hatteras was determined from bimonthly net tow samples over a year and from whole water samples in March. Their average abundance wasmore » twice that of net ciliates in the net plankton and ten times that of ciliates in the nanoplankton. An isotope technique was developed to measure grazing rates of individual dinoflaggellates and other microzooplankton which cannot be separated in natural populations on the basis of size. /sup 3/H-thymidine and /sup 14/C-bicarbonate were used to label natural heterotrophic (bacteria and bacterivores) and autotrophic (phytoplankton and herbivores) food, respectively. Estimates of the grazing impact of heterotrophic kinoflagellates relative to other groups of heterotrophs on phytoplankton and bacteria were made by combining abundance data and clearance rates. Such calculations suggested that heterotrophic dinoflagellates may be an important group of grazers in oceanic waters.« less

  19. Biphasic response of cell invasion to matrix stiffness in 3-dimensional biopolymer networks

    PubMed Central

    Lang, Nadine R.; Skodzek, Kai; Hurst, Sebastian; Mainka, Astrid; Steinwachs, Julian; Schneider, Julia; Aifantis, Katerina E.; Fabry, Ben

    2015-01-01

    When cells come in contact with an adhesive matrix, they begin to spread and migrate with a speed that depends on the stiffness of the extracellular matrix. On a flat surface, migration speed decreases with matrix stiffness mainly due to an increased stability of focal adhesions. In a 3-dimensional (3D) environment, cell migration is thought to be additionally impaired by the steric hindrance imposed by the surrounding matrix. For porous 3D biopolymer networks such as collagen gels, however, the effect of matrix stiffness on cell migration is difficult to separate from effects of matrix pore size and adhesive ligand density, and is therefore unknown. Here we used glutaraldehyde as a crosslinker to increase the stiffness of self-assembled collagen biopolymer networks independently of collagen concentration or pore size. Breast carcinoma cells were seeded onto the surface of 3D collagen gels, and the invasion depth was measured after 3 days of culture. Cell invasion in gels with pore sizes larger than 5 μm increased with higher gel stiffness, whereas invasion in gels with smaller pores decreased with higher gel stiffness. These data show that 3D cell invasion is enhanced by higher matrix stiffness, opposite to cell behavior in 2D, as long as the pore size does not fall below a critical value where it causes excessive steric hindrance. These findings may be important for optimizing the recellularization of soft tissue implants or for the design of 3D invasion models in cancer research. PMID:25462839

  20. Rapid nano impact printing of silk biopolymer thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    White, Robert D.; Gray, Caprice; Mandelup, Ethan; Amsden, Jason J.; Kaplan, David L.; Omenetto, Fiorenzo G.

    2011-11-01

    In this paper, nano impact printing of silk biopolymer films is described. An indenter is rapidly accelerated and transfers the nanopattern from a silicon master into the silk film during an impact event that occurs in less than 1 ms. Contact stresses of greater than 100 MPa can be achieved during the short impact period with low power and inexpensive hardware. Ring shaped features with a diameter of 2 µm and a ring width of 100-200 nm were successfully transferred into untreated silk films using this method at room temperature. Mechanical modeling was carried out to determine the contact stress distribution, and demonstrates that imprinting can occur for contact stresses of less than 2 MPa. Thermal characterization at the impact location shows that raising the temperature to 70 °C has only a limited effect on pattern transfer. Contact stresses of greater than approximately 100 MPa result in excessive deformation of the film and poor pattern transfer.

  1. Conjugates of a Photoactivated Rhodamine with Biopolymers for Cell Staining

    PubMed Central

    Zaitsev, Sergei Yu.; Shaposhnikov, Mikhail N.; Solovyeva, Daria O.; Solovyeva, Valeria V.; Rizvanov, Albert A.

    2014-01-01

    Conjugates of the photoactivated rhodamine dyes with biopolymers (proteins, polysaccharides, and nucleic acids) are important tools for microscopic investigation of biological tissue. In this study, a precursor of the photoactivated fluorescent dye (PFD) has been successfully used for staining of numerous mammalian cells lines and for conjugate formation with chitosan (“Chitosan-PFD”) and histone H1 (“Histone H1.3-PFD”). The intensive fluorescence has been observed after photoactivation of these conjugates inside cells (A431, HaCaT, HEK239, HBL-100, and MDCK). Developed procedures and obtained data are important for further application of novel precursors of fluorescent dyes (“caged” dyes) for microscopic probing of biological objects. Thus, the synthesized “Chitosan-PFD” and “Histone H1-PFD” have been successfully applied in this study for intracellular transport visualization by fluorescent microscopy. PMID:25383365

  2. Detecting the Biopolymer Behavior of Graphene Nanoribbons in Aqueous Solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Jingqiang; Wijeratne, Sithara; Penev, Evgeni; Lu, Wei; Duque, Amanda; Yakobson, Boris; Tour, James; Kiang, Ching-Hwa; Boris I. Yakobson Group Team; James M. Tour Group Team; Ching-Hwa Kiang Group Team

    Graphene nanoribbons (GNR), can be prepared in bulk quantities for large-area applications by reducing the product from the lengthwise oxidative unzipping of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT). Recently, the biomaterials application of GNR has been explored, for example, in the pore to be used for DNA sequencing. Therefore, understanding the polymer behavior of GNR in solution is essential in predicting GNR interaction with biomaterials. Here, we report experimental studies of the solutionbased mechanical properties of GNR and their parent products, graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONR). We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study their mechanical properties in solution and showed that GNR and GONR have similar force-extension behavior as in biopolymers such as proteins and DNA. The rigidity increases with reducing chemical functionalities. The similarities in rigidity and tunability between nanoribbons and biomolecules might enable the design and fabrication of GNR-biomimetic interfaces.

  3. Steering air bubbles with an add-on vacuum layer for biopolymer membrane biofabrication in PDMS microfluidics.

    PubMed

    Pham, Phu; Vo, Thanh; Luo, Xiaolong

    2017-01-17

    Membrane functionality is crucial in microfluidics for realizing operations such as filtration, separation, concentration, signaling among cells and gradient generation. Currently, common methods often sandwich commercially available membranes in multi-layer devices, or use photopolymerization or temperature-induced gelation to fabricate membrane structures in one-layer devices. Biofabrication offers an alternative to forming membrane structures with biomimetic materials and mechanisms in mild conditions. We have recently developed a biofabrication strategy to form parallel biopolymer membranes in gas-permeable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic devices, which used positive pressure to dissipate air bubbles through PDMS to initiate membrane formation but required careful pressure balancing between two flows. Here, we report a technical innovation by simply placing as needed an add-on PDMS vacuum layer on PDMS microfluidic devices to dissipate air bubbles and guide the biofabrication of biopolymer membranes. Vacuuming through PDMS was simply achieved by either withdrawing a syringe or releasing a squeezed nasal aspirator. Upon vacuuming, air bubbles dissipated within minutes, membranes were effortlessly formed, and the add-on vacuum layer can be removed. Subsequent membrane growth could be robustly controlled with the flows and pH of solutions. This new process is user-friendly and has achieved a 100% success rate in more than 200 trials in membrane biofabrication.

  4. Bayesian Inference of Allele-Specific Gene Expression Indicates Abundant Cis-Regulatory Variation in Natural Flycatcher Populations

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Mi

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Polymorphism in cis-regulatory sequences can lead to different levels of expression for the two alleles of a gene, providing a starting point for the evolution of gene expression. Little is known about the genome-wide abundance of genetic variation in gene regulation in natural populations but analysis of allele-specific expression (ASE) provides a means for investigating such variation. We performed RNA-seq of multiple tissues from population samples of two closely related flycatcher species and developed a Bayesian algorithm that maximizes data usage by borrowing information from the whole data set and combines several SNPs per transcript to detect ASE. Of 2,576 transcripts analyzed in collared flycatcher, ASE was detected in 185 (7.2%) and a similar frequency was seen in the pied flycatcher. Transcripts with statistically significant ASE commonly showed the major allele in >90% of the reads, reflecting that power was highest when expression was heavily biased toward one of the alleles. This would suggest that the observed frequencies of ASE likely are underestimates. The proportion of ASE transcripts varied among tissues, being lowest in testis and highest in muscle. Individuals often showed ASE of particular transcripts in more than one tissue (73.4%), consistent with a genetic basis for regulation of gene expression. The results suggest that genetic variation in regulatory sequences commonly affects gene expression in natural populations and that it provides a seedbed for phenotypic evolution via divergence in gene expression. PMID:28453623

  5. Diversity, abundance, and possible sources of fecal bacteria in the Yangtze River.

    PubMed

    Sun, Haohao; He, Xiwei; Ye, Lin; Zhang, Xu-Xiang; Wu, Bing; Ren, Hongqiang

    2017-03-01

    The fecal bacteria in natural waters may pose serious risks on human health. Although many source tracking methods have been developed and used to determine the possible sources of the fecal pollution, little is known about the overall diversity and abundance of fecal bacterial community in natural waters. In this study, a method based on fecal bacterial sequence library was introduced to evaluate the fecal bacterial profile in the Yangtze River (Nanjing section). Our results suggested that the Yangtze River water harbors diverse fecal bacteria. Fifty-eight fecal operational taxonomic units (97% identity level) were detected in the Yangtze River water samples and the relative abundance of fecal bacteria in these samples ranged from 0.1 to 8%. It was also found that the relative abundances of the fecal bacteria in locations near to the downstream of wastewater treatment plants were obviously higher than those in other locations. However, the high abundance of fecal bacteria could decrease to the normal level in 2~4 km in the river due to degradation or dilution, and the overall fecal bacteria level changed little when the Yangtze River flew through the Nanjing City. Moreover, the fecal bacteria in the Yangtze River water were found to be highly associated (Spearman rho = 0.804, P < 0.001) with the potential pathogenic bacteria. Collectively, the findings in this study reveal the diversity, abundance, and possible sources of fecal bacteria in the Yangtze River and advance our understandings of the fecal bacteria community in the natural waters.

  6. Relationships between salmon abundance and tree-ring δ 15N: three objective tests

    Treesearch

    D.C. Drake; Paul J. Sheppard; Robert J. Naiman

    2011-01-01

    Quantification of a relationship between salmon escapement in rivers and riparian tree-ring δ 15N could allow reconstruction of prehistorical salmon abundance. Unfortunately, attempts to quantify this link have met with little success. We examined the feasibility of the approach using natural abundance of δ 15...

  7. Empirical research on the correlation between economic development and environmental pollution in natural resource abundant regions: the case of China Shaanxi province

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luo, Bo; Zhang, Jinsuo

    2018-02-01

    This paper investigates the relationship between economic development and environmental pollution in natural resource abundant regions via testing the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis by regression analysis, based on the statistical data of per capita GDP growth and environmental pollution indicators in Shaanxi Province from 1989 to 2015. The results show that the per capita GDP and environmental pollution in Shaanxi Province do not always accord with the “inverted U” Environmental Kuznets Curve, which mainly show “N” shapes; only SO2 show the “Inverted U” shapes.

  8. Climatic effects on mosquito abundance in Mediterranean wetlands

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background The impact of climate change on vector-borne diseases is highly controversial. One of the principal points of debate is whether or not climate influences mosquito abundance, a key factor in disease transmission. Methods To test this hypothesis, we analysed ten years of data (2003–2012) from biweekly surveys to assess inter-annual and seasonal relationships between the abundance of seven mosquito species known to be pathogen vectors (West Nile virus, Usutu virus, dirofilariasis and Plasmodium sp.) and several climatic variables in two wetlands in SW Spain. Results Within-season abundance patterns were related to climatic variables (i.e. temperature, rainfall, tide heights, relative humidity and photoperiod) that varied according to the mosquito species in question. Rainfall during winter months was positively related to Culex pipiens and Ochlerotatus detritus annual abundances. Annual maximum temperatures were non-linearly related to annual Cx. pipiens abundance, while annual mean temperatures were positively related to annual Ochlerotatus caspius abundance. Finally, we modelled shifts in mosquito abundances using the A2 and B2 temperature and rainfall climate change scenarios for the period 2011–2100. While Oc. caspius, an important anthropophilic species, may increase in abundance, no changes are expected for Cx. pipiens or the salt-marsh mosquito Oc. detritus. Conclusions Our results highlight that the effects of climate are species-specific, place-specific and non-linear and that linear approaches will therefore overestimate the effect of climate change on mosquito abundances at high temperatures. Climate warming does not necessarily lead to an increase in mosquito abundance in natural Mediterranean wetlands and will affect, above all, species such as Oc. caspius whose numbers are not closely linked to rainfall and are influenced, rather, by local tidal patterns and temperatures. The final impact of changes in vector abundance on disease frequency

  9. Probing surface hydrogen bonding and dynamics by natural abundance, multidimensional, 17O DNP-NMR spectroscopy

    DOE PAGES

    Perras, Frederic A.; Chaudhary, Umesh; Slowing, Igor I.; ...

    2016-05-06

    Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP)-enhanced solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR) spectroscopy is increasingly being used as a tool for the atomic-level characterization of surface sites. DNP surface-enhanced SSNMR spectroscopy of materials has, however, been limited to studying relatively receptive nuclei, and the particularly rare 17O nuclide, which is of great interest for materials science, has not been utilized. We demonstrate that advanced 17O SSNMR experiments can be performed on surface species at natural isotopic abundance using DNP. We use 17O DNP surface-enhanced 2D SSNMR to measure 17O{ 1H} HETCOR spectra as well as dipolar oscillations on a series of thermally treatedmore » mesoporous silica nanoparticle samples having different pore diameters. These experiments allow for a nonintrusive and unambiguous characterization of hydrogen bonding and dynamics at the surface of the material; no other single experiment can give such details about the interactions at the surface. Lastly, our data show that, upon drying, strongly hydrogen-bonded surface silanols, whose motions are greatly restricted by the interaction when compared to lone silanols, are selectively dehydroxylated.« less

  10. Characterization of natural organic matter adsorption in granular activated carbon adsorbers.

    PubMed

    Velten, Silvana; Knappe, Detlef R U; Traber, Jacqueline; Kaiser, Hans-Peter; von Gunten, Urs; Boller, Markus; Meylan, Sébastien

    2011-07-01

    The removal of natural organic matter (NOM) from lake water was studied in two pilot-scale adsorbers containing granular activated carbon (GAC) with different physical properties. To study the adsorption behavior of individual NOM fractions as a function of time and adsorber depth, NOM was fractionated by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) into biopolymers, humics, building blocks, and low molecular weight (LMW) organics, and NOM fractions were quantified by both ultraviolet and organic carbon detectors. High molecular weight biopolymers were not retained in the two adsorbers. In contrast, humic substances, building blocks and LMW organics were initially well and irreversibly removed, and their effluent concentrations increased gradually in the outlet of the adsorbers until a pseudo-steady state concentration was reached. Poor removal of biopolymers was likely a result of their comparatively large size that prevented access to the internal pore structure of the GACs. In both GAC adsorbers, adsorbability of the remaining NOM fractions, compared on the basis of partition coefficients, increased with decreasing molecular size, suggesting that increasingly larger portions of the internal GAC surface area could be accessed as the size of NOM decreased. Overall DOC uptake at pseudo-steady state differed between the two tested GACs (18.9 and 28.6 g-C/kg GAC), and the percent difference in DOC uptake closely matched the percent difference in the volume of pores with widths in the 1-50 nm range that was measured for the two fresh GACs. Despite the differences in NOM uptake capacity, individual NOM fractions were removed in similar proportions by the two GACs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Solid biopolymer electrolytes came from renewable biopolymer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Ning; Zhang, Xingxiang; Qiao, Zhijun; Liu, Haihui

    2009-07-01

    Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) have attracted many attentions as solid state ionic conductors, because of their advantages such as high energy density, electrochemical stability, and easy processing. SPEs obtained from starch have attracted many attentions in recent years because of its abundant, renewable, low price, biodegradable and biocompatible. In addition, the efficient utilization of biodegradable polymers came from renewable sources is becoming increasingly important due to diminishing resources of fossil fuels as well as white pollution caused by undegradable plastics based on petroleum. So N, N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) with certain concentration ranges of lithium chloride (LiCl) is used as plasticizers of cornstarch. Li+ can complexes with the carbonyl atoms of DMAc molecules to produce a macro-cation and leave the Cl- free to hydrogen bond with the hydroxyl or carbonyl of starch. This competitive hydrogen bond formation serves to disrupt the intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonding existed in starch. Therefore, melt extrusion process conditions are used to prepare conductive thermoplastic starch (TPS). The improvements of LiCl concentration increase the water absorption and conductance of TPS. The conductance of TPS containing 0.14 mol LiCl achieve to 10-0.5 S cm-1 with 18 wt% water content.

  12. BOND: A quantum of solace for nebular abundance determinations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vale Asari, N.; Stasińska, G.; Morisset, C.; Cid Fernandes, R.

    2017-11-01

    The abundances of chemical elements other than hydrogen and helium in a galaxy are the fossil record of its star formation history. Empirical relations such as mass-metallicity relation are thus seen as guides for studies on the history and chemical evolution of galaxies. Those relations usually rely on nebular metallicities measured with strong-line methods, which assume that H II regions are a one- (or at most two-) parameter family where the oxygen abundance is the driving quantity. Nature is however much more complex than that, and metallicities from strong lines may be strongly biased. We have developed the method BOND (Bayesian Oxygen and Nitrogen abundance Determinations) to simultaneously derive oxygen and nitrogen abundances in giant H II regions by comparing strong and semi-strong observed emission lines to a carefully-defined, finely-meshed grid of photoionization models. Our code and results are public and available at http://bond.ufsc.br.

  13. Robust Abundance Estimation in Animal Surveys with Imperfect Detection

    EPA Science Inventory

    Surveys of animal abundance are central to the conservation and management of living natural resources. However, detection uncertainty complicates the sampling process of many species. One sampling method employed to deal with this problem is depletion (or removal) surveys in whi...

  14. Natural abundance (25)Mg solid-state NMR of mg oxyanion systems: a combined experimental and computational study.

    PubMed

    Cahill, Lindsay S; Hanna, John V; Wong, Alan; Freitas, Jair C C; Yates, Jonathan R; Harris, Robin K; Smith, Mark E

    2009-09-28

    Solid-state (25)Mg magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) data are reported from a range of organic and inorganic magnesium-oxyanion compounds at natural abundance. To constrain the determination of the NMR interaction parameters (delta(iso), chi(Q), eta(Q)) data have been collected at three external magnetic fields (11.7, 14.1 and 18.8 T). Corresponding NMR parameters have also been calculated by using density functional theory (DFT) methods using the GIPAW approach, with good correlations being established between experimental and calculated values of both chi(Q) and delta(iso). These correlations demonstrate that the (25)Mg NMR parameters are very sensitive to the structure, with small changes in the local Mg(2+) environment and the overall hydration state profoundly affecting the observed spectra. The observations suggest that (25)Mg NMR spectroscopy is a potentially potent probe for addressing some key problems in inorganic materials and of metal centres in biologically relevant molecules.

  15. Detecting the Biopolymer Behavior of Graphene Nanoribbons in Aqueous Solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wijeratne, Sithara S.; Penev, Evgeni S.; Lu, Wei; Li, Jingqiang; Duque, Amanda L.; Yakobson, Boris I.; Tour, James M.; Kiang, Ching-Hwa

    2016-08-01

    Graphene nanoribbons (GNR), can be prepared in bulk quantities for large-area applications by reducing the product from the lengthwise oxidative unzipping of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT). Recently, the biomaterials application of GNR has been explored, for example, in the pore to be used for DNA sequencing. Therefore, understanding the polymer behavior of GNR in solution is essential in predicting GNR interaction with biomaterials. Here, we report experimental studies of the solution-based mechanical properties of GNR and their parent products, graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONR). We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study their mechanical properties in solution and showed that GNR and GONR have similar force-extension behavior as in biopolymers such as proteins and DNA. The rigidity increases with reducing chemical functionalities. The similarities in rigidity and tunability between nanoribbons and biomolecules might enable the design and fabrication of GNR-biomimetic interfaces.

  16. Detecting the Biopolymer Behavior of Graphene Nanoribbons in Aqueous Solution

    PubMed Central

    Wijeratne, Sithara S.; Penev, Evgeni S.; Lu, Wei; Li, Jingqiang; Duque, Amanda L.; Yakobson, Boris I.; Tour, James M.; Kiang, Ching-Hwa

    2016-01-01

    Graphene nanoribbons (GNR), can be prepared in bulk quantities for large-area applications by reducing the product from the lengthwise oxidative unzipping of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT). Recently, the biomaterials application of GNR has been explored, for example, in the pore to be used for DNA sequencing. Therefore, understanding the polymer behavior of GNR in solution is essential in predicting GNR interaction with biomaterials. Here, we report experimental studies of the solution-based mechanical properties of GNR and their parent products, graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONR). We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study their mechanical properties in solution and showed that GNR and GONR have similar force-extension behavior as in biopolymers such as proteins and DNA. The rigidity increases with reducing chemical functionalities. The similarities in rigidity and tunability between nanoribbons and biomolecules might enable the design and fabrication of GNR-biomimetic interfaces. PMID:27503635

  17. Metaproteomics reveals abundant transposase expression in mutualistic endosymbionts

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kleiner, Manuel; Young, Jacque C; Shah, Manesh B

    2013-01-01

    Transposases, enzymes that catalyze the movement of mobile genetic elements, are the most abundant genes in nature. While many bacteria encode an abundance of transposases in their genomes, the current paradigm is that transposase gene expression is tightly regulated and generally low due to its severe mutagenic effects. In the current study, we detected the highest number of transposase proteins ever reported in bacteria, in symbionts of the gutless marine worm Olavius algarvensis using metaproteomics. At least 26 different transposases from 12 different families were detected and genomic and proteomic analyses suggest many of these are active. This high expressionmore » of transposases indicates that the mechanisms for their tight regulation have been disabled or destroyed. Based on recent studies on other symbionts and pathogens that showed high transposase transcription, we speculate that abundant transposase expression might be common in symbionts and pathogens.« less

  18. Nature's starships. I. Observed abundances and relative frequencies of amino acids in meteorites

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cobb, Alyssa K.; Pudritz, Ralph E., E-mail: cobbak@mcmaster.ca, E-mail: pudritz@physics.mcmaster.ca

    The class of meteorites called carbonaceous chondrites are examples of material from the solar system which have been relatively unchanged from the time of their initial formation. These meteorites have been classified according to the temperatures and physical conditions of their parent planetesimals. We collate available data on amino acid abundance in these meteorites and plot the concentrations of different amino acids for each meteorite within various meteorite subclasses. We plot average concentrations for various amino acids across meteorites separated by subclass and petrologic type. We see a predominance in the abundance and variety of amino acids in CM2 andmore » CR2 meteorites. The range in temperature corresponding to these subclasses indicates high degrees of aqueous alteration, suggesting aqueous synthesis of amino acids. Within the CM2 and CR2 subclasses, we identify trends in relative frequencies of amino acids to investigate how common amino acids are as a function of their chemical complexity. These two trends (total abundance and relative frequencies) can be used to constrain formation parameters of amino acids within planetesimals. Our organization of the data supports an onion shell model for the temperature structure of planetesimals. The least altered meteorites (type 3) and their amino acids originated near cooler surface regions. The most active amino acid synthesis likely took place at intermediate depths (type 2). The most altered materials (type 1) originated furthest toward parent body cores. This region is likely too hot to either favor amino acid synthesis or for amino acids to be retained after synthesis.« less

  19. Calibrating abundance indices with population size estimators of red back salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) in a New England forest

    PubMed Central

    Ellison, Aaron M.; Jackson, Scott

    2015-01-01

    Herpetologists and conservation biologists frequently use convenient and cost-effective, but less accurate, abundance indices (e.g., number of individuals collected under artificial cover boards or during natural objects surveys) in lieu of more accurate, but costly and destructive, population size estimators to detect and monitor size, state, and trends of amphibian populations. Although there are advantages and disadvantages to each approach, reliable use of abundance indices requires that they be calibrated with accurate population estimators. Such calibrations, however, are rare. The red back salamander, Plethodon cinereus, is an ecologically useful indicator species of forest dynamics, and accurate calibration of indices of salamander abundance could increase the reliability of abundance indices used in monitoring programs. We calibrated abundance indices derived from surveys of P. cinereus under artificial cover boards or natural objects with a more accurate estimator of their population size in a New England forest. Average densities/m2 and capture probabilities of P. cinereus under natural objects or cover boards in independent, replicate sites at the Harvard Forest (Petersham, Massachusetts, USA) were similar in stands dominated by Tsuga canadensis (eastern hemlock) and deciduous hardwood species (predominantly Quercus rubra [red oak] and Acer rubrum [red maple]). The abundance index based on salamanders surveyed under natural objects was significantly associated with density estimates of P. cinereus derived from depletion (removal) surveys, but underestimated true density by 50%. In contrast, the abundance index based on cover-board surveys overestimated true density by a factor of 8 and the association between the cover-board index and the density estimates was not statistically significant. We conclude that when calibrated and used appropriately, some abundance indices may provide cost-effective and reliable measures of P. cinereus abundance that could

  20. Robust and biodegradable polymer of cassava starch and modified natural rubber.

    PubMed

    Riyajan, Sa-Ad

    2015-12-10

    The application of starch based materials for packaging purposes has attracted significant interest because they are both cheap and renewable resources. The study investigated the preparation and properties of a novel biopolymer sheet produced from a blend of maleated epoxidized natural rubber (MENR) and natural rubber-g-cassava starch (NR-g-CSt). The water resistance, toluene resistance and elongation at break of the polymer blend were enhanced after the addition of the MENR compared to pristine NR-g-CSt. The maximum tensile strength and thermal stability of the NR-g-CSt/MENR blend were found in the 100:50 NR-g-CSt:MENR blend. The novel films demonstrated good biodegradability in soil. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Abundance and diversity of CO2-fixing bacteria in grassland soils close to natural carbon dioxide springs.

    PubMed

    Videmsek, Urska; Hagn, Alexandra; Suhadolc, Marjetka; Radl, Viviane; Knicker, Heike; Schloter, Michael; Vodnik, Dominik

    2009-07-01

    Gaseous conditions at natural CO2 springs (mofettes) affect many processes in these unique ecosystems. While the response of plants to extreme and fluctuating CO2 concentrations ([CO2]) is relatively well documented, little is known on microbial life in mofette soil. Therefore, it was the aim of this study to investigate the abundance and diversity of CO2-fixing bacteria in grassland soils in different distances to a natural carbon dioxide spring. Samples of the same soil type were collected from the Stavesinci mofette, a natural CO2 spring which is known for very pure CO2 emissions, at different distances from the CO2 releasing vents, at locations that clearly differed in soil CO2 efflux (from 12.5 to over 200 micromol CO2 m(-2) s(-1) yearly average). Bulk and rhizospheric soil samples were included into analyses. The microbial response was followed by a molecular analysis of cbbL genes, encoding for the large subunit of RubisCO, a carboxylase which is of crucial importance for C assimilation in chemolitoautotrophic microbes. In all samples analyzed, the "red-like" type of cbbL genes could be detected. In contrast, the "green-like" type of cbbL could not be measured by the applied technique. Surprisingly, a reduction of "red-like" cbbL genes copies was observed in bulk soil and rhizosphere samples from the sites with the highest CO2 concentrations. Furthermore, the diversity pattern of "red-like" cbbL genes changed depending on the CO(2) regime. This indicates that only a part of the autotrophic CO2-fixing microbes could adapt to the very high CO2 concentrations and adverse life conditions that are governed by mofette gaseous regime.

  2. Polysaccharide Fabrication Platforms and Biocompatibility Assessment as Candidate Wound Dressing Materials

    PubMed Central

    Aduba, Donald C.; Yang, Hu

    2017-01-01

    Wound dressings are critical for wound care because they provide a physical barrier between the injury site and outside environment, preventing further damage or infection. Wound dressings also manage and even encourage the wound healing process for proper recovery. Polysaccharide biopolymers are slowly becoming popular as modern wound dressings materials because they are naturally derived, highly abundant, inexpensive, absorbent, non-toxic and non-immunogenic. Polysaccharide biopolymers have also been processed into biomimetic platforms that offer a bioactive component in wound dressings that aid the healing process. This review primarily focuses on the fabrication and biocompatibility assessment of polysaccharide materials. Specifically, fabrication platforms such as electrospun fibers and hydrogels, their fabrication considerations and popular polysaccharides such as chitosan, alginate, and hyaluronic acid among emerging options such as arabinoxylan are discussed. A survey of biocompatibility and bioactive molecule release studies, leveraging polysaccharide’s naturally derived properties, is highlighted in the text, while challenges and future directions for wound dressing development using emerging fabrication techniques such as 3D bioprinting are outlined in the conclusion. This paper aims to encourage further investigation and open up new, disruptive avenues for polysaccharides in wound dressing material development. PMID:28952482

  3. Biopolymer-based nanocomposites: effect of lignin acetylation in cellulose triacetate films

    PubMed Central

    Nevárez, Laura Alicia Manjarrez; Casarrubias, Lourdes Ballinas; Celzard, Alain; Fierro, Vanessa; Muñoz, Vinicio Torres; Davila, Alejandro Camacho; Lubian, José Román Torres; Sánchez, Guillermo González

    2011-01-01

    We have prepared all-biopolymer nanocomposite films using lignin as a filler and cellulose triacetate (CTA) as a polymer matrix, and characterized them by several analytical methods. Three types of lignin were tested: organosolv, hydrolytic and kraft, with or without acetylation. They were used in the form of nanoparticles incorporated at 1 wt% in CTA. Self-supported films were prepared by vapor-induced phase separation at controlled temperature (35–55 °C) and relative humidity (10–70%). The efficiency of acetylation of each type of lignin was studied and discussed, as well as its effects on film structure, homogeneity and mechanical properties. The obtained results are explained in terms of intermolecular filler-matrix interaction at the nanometer scale, for which the highest mechanical resistance was reached using hydrolytic lignin in the nanocomposite. PMID:27877425

  4. Abundance of introduced species at home predicts abundance away in herbaceous communities

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Firn, Jennifer; Moore, Joslin L.; MacDougall, Andrew S.; Borer, Elizabeth T.; Seabloom, Eric W.; HilleRisLambers, Janneke; Harpole, W. Stanley; Cleland, Elsa E.; Brown, Cynthia S.; Knops, Johannes M.H.; Prober, Suzanne M.; Pyke, David A.; Farrell, Kelly A.; Bakker, John D.; O'Halloran, Lydia R.; Adler, Peter B.; Collins, Scott L.; D'Antonio, Carla M.; Crawley, Michael J.; Wolkovich, Elizabeth M.; La Pierre, Kimberly J.; Melbourne, Brett A.; Hautier, Yann; Morgan, John W.; Leakey, Andrew D.B.; Kay, Adam; McCulley, Rebecca; Davies, Kendi F.; Stevens, Carly J.; Chu, Cheng-Jin; Holl, Karen D.; Klein, Julia A.; Fay, Phillip A.; Hagenah, Nicole; Kirkman, Kevin P.; Buckley, Yvonne M.

    2011-01-01

    Many ecosystems worldwide are dominated by introduced plant species, leading to loss of biodiversity and ecosystem function. A common but rarely tested assumption is that these plants are more abundant in introduced vs. native communities, because ecological or evolutionary-based shifts in populations underlie invasion success. Here, data for 26 herbaceous species at 39 sites, within eight countries, revealed that species abundances were similar at native (home) and introduced (away) sites - grass species were generally abundant home and away, while forbs were low in abundance, but more abundant at home. Sites with six or more of these species had similar community abundance hierarchies, suggesting that suites of introduced species are assembling similarly on different continents. Overall, we found that substantial changes to populations are not necessarily a pre-condition for invasion success and that increases in species abundance are unusual. Instead, abundance at home predicts abundance away, a potentially useful additional criterion for biosecurity programmes.

  5. Stellar Abundance Observations and Heavy Element Formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cowan, J. J.

    2005-05-01

    Abundance observations indicate the presence of rapid-neutron capture (i.e., r-process) elements in old Galactic halo and globular cluster stars. These observations provide insight into the nature of the earliest generations of stars in the Galaxy -- the progenitors of the halo stars -- responsible for neutron-capture synthesis of the heavy elements. Abundance comparisons among the r-process-rich halo stars show that the heaviest neutron-capture elements (i.e., Ba and above) are consistent with a scaled solar system r-process abundance distribution, while the lighter neutron-capture elements do not conform to the solar pattern. These comparisons suggest the possibility of two r-process sites in stars. The large star-to-star scatter observed in the abundances of neutron-capture element/iron ratios at low metallicities -- which disappears with increasing metallicity or [Fe/H] -- suggests the formation of these heavy elements (presumably from certain types of supernovae) was rare in the early Galaxy. The stellar abundances also indicate a change from the r-process to the slow neutron capture (i.e., s-) process at higher metallicities in the Galaxy and provide insight into Galactic chemical evolution. Finally, the detection of thorium and uranium in halo and globular cluster stars offers an independent age-dating technique that can put lower limits on the age of the Galaxy, and hence the Universe. This work has been supported in part by NSF grant AST 03-07279 (J.J.C.) and by STScI grants GO-8111, GO-8342 and GO-9359.

  6. Transferring biomarker into molecular probe: Melanin nanoparticle as a naturally active platform for multimodality imaging

    DOE PAGES

    Fan, Quli; Cheng, Kai; Hu, Xiang; ...

    2014-10-07

    Developing multifunctional and easily prepared nanoplatforms with integrated different modalities is highly challenging for molecular imaging. Here, we report the successful transfer of an important molecular target, melanin, into a novel multimodality imaging nanoplatform. Melanin is abundantly expressed in melanotic melanomas and thus has been actively studied as a target for melanoma imaging. In our work, the multifunctional biopolymer nanoplatform based on ultrasmall (<10 nm) water-soluble melanin nanoparticle (MNP) was developed and showed unique photoacoustic property and natural binding ability with metal ions (for example, 64Cu 2+, Fe 3+). Therefore, MNP can serve not only as a photoacoustic contrast agent,more » but also as a nanoplatform for positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Traditional passive nanoplatforms require complicated and time-consuming processes for prebuilding reporting moieties or chemical modifications using active groups to integrate different contrast properties into one entity. In comparison, utilizing functional biomarker melanin can greatly simplify the building process. We further conjugated α vβ 3 integrins, cyclic c(RGDfC) peptide, to MNPs to allow for U87MG tumor accumulation due to its targeting property combined with the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. As a result, the multimodal properties of MNPs demonstrate the high potential of endogenous materials with multifunctions as nanoplatforms for molecular theranostics and clinical translation.« less

  7. Developing ISM Dust Grain Models with Precision Elemental Abundances from IXO

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Valencic, L. A.; Smith, R. K.; Juet, A.

    2009-01-01

    The exact nature of interstellar dust grains in the Galaxy remains mysterious, despite their ubiquity. Many viable models exist, based on available IR-UV data and assumed elemental abundances. However, the abundances, which are perhaps the most stringent constraint, are not well known: modelers must use proxies in the absence of direct measurements for the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM). Recent revisions of these proxy values have only added to confusion over which is the best representative for the diffuse ISM, and highlighted the need for direct, high signal-to-noise measurements from the ISM itself. The International X-ray Observatory's superior facilities will enable high-precision elemental abundance measurements. We ill show how these results will measure both the overall ISM abundances and challenge dust models, allowing us to construct a more realistic picture of the ISM.

  8. Estimating abundance

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sutherland, Chris; Royle, Andy

    2016-01-01

    This chapter provides a non-technical overview of ‘closed population capture–recapture’ models, a class of well-established models that are widely applied in ecology, such as removal sampling, covariate models, and distance sampling. These methods are regularly adopted for studies of reptiles, in order to estimate abundance from counts of marked individuals while accounting for imperfect detection. Thus, the chapter describes some classic closed population models for estimating abundance, with considerations for some recent extensions that provide a spatial context for the estimation of abundance, and therefore density. Finally, the chapter suggests some software for use in data analysis, such as the Windows-based program MARK, and provides an example of estimating abundance and density of reptiles using an artificial cover object survey of Slow Worms (Anguis fragilis).

  9. Natural and engineered polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase: key enzyme in biopolyester production.

    PubMed

    Zou, Huibin; Shi, Mengxun; Zhang, Tongtong; Li, Lei; Li, Liangzhi; Xian, Mo

    2017-10-01

    With the finite supply of petroleum and increasing concern with environmental issues associated with their harvest and processing, the development of more eco-friendly, sustainable alternative biopolymers that can effectively fill the role of petro-polymers has become a major focus. Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) can be naturally produced by many species of bacteria and the PHA synthase is believed to be key enzyme in this natural pathway. Natural PHA synthases are diverse and can affect the properties of the produced PHAs, such as monomer composition, molecular weights, and material properties. Moreover, recent studies have led to major advances in the searching of PHA synthases that display specific properties, as well as engineering efforts that offer more efficient PHA synthases, increased PHA compound production, or even novel biopolyesters which cannot be naturally produced. In this article, we review the updated information of natural PHA synthases and their engineering strategies for improved performance in polyester production. We also speculate future trends on the development of robust PHA synthases and their application in biopolyester production.

  10. Dynamic regulation of partner abundance mediates response of reef coral symbioses to environmental change.

    PubMed

    Cunning, R; Vaughan, N; Gillette, P; Capo, T R; Matté, J L; Baker, A C

    2015-05-01

    Regulating partner abunclance may allow symmotic organisms to mediate interaction outcomes, facilitating adaptive responses to environmental change. To explore the capacity for-adaptive regulation in an ecologically important endosymbiosis, we studied the population dynamics of symbiotic algae in reef-building corals under different abiotic contexts. We found high natural variability in symbiont abundance in corals across reefs, but this variability converged to different symbiont-specific abundances when colonies were maintained under constant conditions. When conditions changed seasonally, symbiont abundance readjusted to new equilibria. We explain these patterns using an a priori model of symbiotic costs and benefits to the coral host, which shows that the observed changes in symbiont abundance are consistent with the maximization of interaction benefit under different environmental conditions. These results indicate that, while regulating symbiont abundance helps hosts sustain maximum benefit in a dynamic environment, spatiotemporal variation in abiotic factors creates a broad range of symbiont abundances (and interaction outcomes) among corals that may account for observed natural variability in performance (e.g., growth rate) and stress tolerance (e.g., bleaching susceptibility). This cost or benefit framework provides a new perspective on the dynamic regulation of reef coral symbioses and illustrates that the dependence of interaction outcomes on biotic and abiotic contexts may be important in understanding how diverse mutualisms respond to environmental change.

  11. Effect of different drying techniques on flowability characteristics and chemical properties of natural carbohydrate-protein Gum from durian fruit seed

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background A natural carbohydrate biopolymer was extracted from the agricultural biomass waste (durian seed). Subsequently, the crude biopolymer was purified by using the saturated barium hydroxide to minimize the impurities. Finally, the effect of different drying techniques on the flow characteristics and functional properties of the purified biopolymer was investigated. The present study elucidated the main functional characteristics such as flow characteristics, water- and oil-holding capacity, solubility, and foaming capacity. Results In most cases except for oven drying, the bulk density decreased, thus increasing the porosity. This might be attributed to the increase in the inter-particle voids of smaller sized particles with larger contact surface areas per unit volume. The current study revealed that oven-dried gum and freeze-dried gum had the highest and lowest compressibility index, thus indicating the weakest and strongest flowability among all samples. In the present work, the freeze-dried gum showed the lowest angle of repose, bulk, tapped and true density. This indicates the highest porosity degree of freeze dried gum among dried seed gums. It also exhibited the highest solubility, and foaming capacity thus providing the most desirable functional properties and flow characteristics among all drying techniques. Conclusion The present study revealed that freeze drying among all drying techniques provided the most desirable functional properties and flow characteristics for durian seed gum. PMID:23289739

  12. Chitosan-bound pyridinedicarboxylate Ni(II) and Fe(III) complex biopolymer films as waste water decyanidation agents.

    PubMed

    Adewuyi, Sheriff; Jacob, Julianah Modupe; Olaleye, Oluwatoyin Omolola; Abdulraheem, Taofiq Olanrewaju; Tayo, Jubril Ayopo; Oladoyinbo, Fatai Oladipupo

    2016-10-20

    Chitosan is a biopolymer with immense structural advantage for chemical and mechanical modifications to generate novel properties, functions and applications. This work depicts new pyridinedicarboxylicacid (PDC) crosslinked chitosan-metal ion films as veritable material for cyanide ion removal from aqueous solution. The PDC-crosslinked chitosan-metal films (PDC-Chit-Ni(II) and PDC-Chit-Fe(III)) were formed by complexing PDC-crosslinked chitosan film with anhydrous nickel(II) and iron(III) chloride salts respectively. The PDC-Chit and its metal films were characterized employing various analytical and spectroscopic techniques. The FT-IR, UV-vis and the XRD results confirm the presence of the metal ions in the metal coordinated PDC-crosslinked chitosan film. The surface morphological difference of PDC-Chit-Ni(II) film before and after decyanidation was explored with scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the quantitative amount of nickel(II) and iron(III) present in the complex were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer as 32.3 and 37.2μg/g respectively which portends the biopolymer film as a good complexing agent. Removal of cyanide from aqueous solution with PDC-Chit, PDC-Chit-Ni(II) and PDC-Chit-Fe(III) films was studied with batch equilibrium experiments. At equilibrium, decyanidation capacity (DC) followed the order PDC-Chit-Ni (II)≈PDC-Chit-Fe(III)>PDC-Chit. PDC-Chit-Ni(II) film gave 100% CN(-) removal within 40min decyanidation owing to favorable coordination geometry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Synchronous centennial-scale variability in abundance of remote sardine populations in the Pacific

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuwae, M.; Takashige, S.; Yamamoto, M.; Sagawa, T.; Takeoka, H.

    2012-12-01

    A number of studies have identified evidence for connections between Pacific climate decadal variability and variations in Pacific marine ecosystems which are typically shown in abundance of remote sardine and anchovy species off Japan, California, Peru, and Chile as well as Alaska salmon species. The variations in climate indices and abundance of sardine and anchovy species most likely have 50-70 year cycles and therefore these natural perturbations in climates and Pacific ecosystems should be considered for developing predictive models of fisheries productions and the managements. Despite the importance of natural perturbations for long-term predictions, one issue, whether synchronous centennial-variations in remote Pacific fisheries productions in response to climate variability exists in the past, has not been questioned, because there has never been long-term reconstructed time series in the western North Pacific. Here we present well preserved, fossil fish scale-based abundance record of Japanese sardine over the last 1100 years reconstructed from a seasonal anoxic basin in the western Seto Inland Sea near their spawning areas in the western North Pacific. A comparison of our record with other previous records clearly showed centennial-scale variations in abundance of sardine species off Japan, California, and Chile, characterized by centennial-scale alternations between low abundance regimes and high abundance regimes in which multidecadal fluctuations with large amplitudes occurred once or several times. High abundance regimes from 1450 to 1650 AD and after 1800 AD and a low abundance regime from 1650 to 1800 AD corresponded to low frequency patterns of PDO index reconstructed from tree-ring records in North America. This indicates that connections between Pacific climate variability and variations in Pacific marine ecosystems exist not only on multidecadal timescales but on centennial timescales. Three to four hundred-yr periodicity of the Pacific climate

  14. New Guar Biopolymer Silver Nanocomposites for Wound Healing Applications

    PubMed Central

    Abdullah, Md Farooque; Das, Suvadra; Roy, Partha; Datta, Sriparna; Mukherjee, Arup

    2013-01-01

    Wound healing is an innate physiological response that helps restore cellular and anatomic continuity of a tissue. Selective biodegradable and biocompatible polymer materials have provided useful scaffolds for wound healing and assisted cellular messaging. In the present study, guar gum, a polymeric galactomannan, was intrinsically modified to a new cationic biopolymer guar gum alkylamine (GGAA) for wound healing applications. Biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles (Agnp) were further impregnated in GGAA for extended evaluations in punch wound models in rodents. SEM studies showed silver nanoparticles well dispersed in the new guar matrix with a particle size of ~18 nm. In wound healing experiments, faster healing and improved cosmetic appearance were observed in the new nanobiomaterial treated group compared to commercially available silver alginate cream. The total protein, DNA, and hydroxyproline contents of the wound tissues were also significantly higher in the treated group as compared with the silver alginate cream (P < 0.05). Silver nanoparticles exerted positive effects because of their antimicrobial properties. The nanobiomaterial was observed to promote wound closure by inducing proliferation and migration of the keratinocytes at the wound site. The derivatized guar gum matrix additionally provided a hydrated surface necessary for cell proliferation. PMID:24175306

  15. New guar biopolymer silver nanocomposites for wound healing applications.

    PubMed

    Ghosh Auddy, Runa; Abdullah, Md Farooque; Das, Suvadra; Roy, Partha; Datta, Sriparna; Mukherjee, Arup

    2013-01-01

    Wound healing is an innate physiological response that helps restore cellular and anatomic continuity of a tissue. Selective biodegradable and biocompatible polymer materials have provided useful scaffolds for wound healing and assisted cellular messaging. In the present study, guar gum, a polymeric galactomannan, was intrinsically modified to a new cationic biopolymer guar gum alkylamine (GGAA) for wound healing applications. Biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles (Agnp) were further impregnated in GGAA for extended evaluations in punch wound models in rodents. SEM studies showed silver nanoparticles well dispersed in the new guar matrix with a particle size of ~18 nm. In wound healing experiments, faster healing and improved cosmetic appearance were observed in the new nanobiomaterial treated group compared to commercially available silver alginate cream. The total protein, DNA, and hydroxyproline contents of the wound tissues were also significantly higher in the treated group as compared with the silver alginate cream (P < 0.05). Silver nanoparticles exerted positive effects because of their antimicrobial properties. The nanobiomaterial was observed to promote wound closure by inducing proliferation and migration of the keratinocytes at the wound site. The derivatized guar gum matrix additionally provided a hydrated surface necessary for cell proliferation.

  16. Screening molecular associations with lipid membranes using natural abundance 13C cross-polarization magic-angle spinning NMR and principal component analysis.

    PubMed

    Middleton, David A; Hughes, Eleri; Madine, Jillian

    2004-08-11

    We describe an NMR approach for detecting the interactions between phospholipid membranes and proteins, peptides, or small molecules. First, 1H-13C dipolar coupling profiles are obtained from hydrated lipid samples at natural isotope abundance using cross-polarization magic-angle spinning NMR methods. Principal component analysis of dipolar coupling profiles for synthetic lipid membranes in the presence of a range of biologically active additives reveals clusters that relate to different modes of interaction of the additives with the lipid bilayer. Finally, by representing profiles from multiple samples in the form of contour plots, it is possible to reveal statistically significant changes in dipolar couplings, which reflect perturbations in the lipid molecules at the membrane surface or within the hydrophobic interior.

  17. Abundance Profiles for C3 Hydrocarbons in Titan's Atmosphere

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lombardo, Nicholas; Nixon, Conor A.; Achterberg, Richard; Jolly, Antoine; Sung, Keeyoon; Irwin, Patrick; Flasar, F. Michael

    2017-10-01

    The atmosphere of Titan is of astrobiological importance. Its highly reducing composition and prebiotic chemistry make it analogous to that of the early Earth. Since the Voyager era, several complex hydrocarbons and nitriles have been detected, in some cases making Titan the only known planetary body where these gasses occur naturally. In this work, we report abundance profiles of four major C3 gasses expected to occur in Titan’s atmosphere, derived from Cassini/Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) data.Using the NEMESIS iterative radiative transfer module, we retrieved vertical abundance profiles for propane (C3H8) and propyne (CHCCH3), both initially detected by the Voyager IRIS instrument. Using newly available line data, we were also able to determine the first vertical abundance profiles for propene (C3H6), initially detected in 2013. We present profiles for several latitudes and times and compare to photochemical model predictions and previous observations. We also discuss our efforts to further the search for allene (CH2CCH2), an isomer of propyne. The abundances we retrieved will help to further our understanding of the chemical pathways that occur in Titan's atmosphere.

  18. Removal of 2,4-D from aqueous solutions by adsorption processes using two biopolymers: chitin and chitosan and their optical properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El Harmoudi, H.; El Gaini, L.; Daoudi, E.; Rhazi, M.; Boughaleb, Y.; El Mhammedi, M. A.; Migalska-Zalas, A.; Bakasse, M.

    2014-07-01

    Chitin, extracted primarily from exoskeleton shellfish, is one of the most abundant biopolymer in the world. It is estimated to be produced annually almost as much as cellulose. The development of fishing activities in Morocco (coastline of 3500 km on both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean) induced an important fish industry waste. The aim of this work is to recover chitin, extracted from shellfish waste, and chitosan, produced by deacetylation of chitin, in the adsorption of organic pesticide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate (2,4-D). The chitosan samples were prepared from chitin from crustacean shells. The chitin deacetylation was carried out in aqueous sodium hydroxide. Characterization of chitin and chitosan was performed by infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and theoretical calculation of UV-Vis spectra and optical parameters. Analysis of theoretical spectra shows a substantial sensitivity to the hydroxyl and amino groups. The presented hydroxyl group in chitin determines the conformation of the molecule and also the stereochemistry of chemical reactions and kinetics. The presence of functional groups causes the substantial changes of both absorption spectra as well as permanent dipole moment. The adsorption of 2,4-D by chitin and chitosan was performed at different pH values, the pesticide-adsorbent contact time and initial pesticide concentration. The adsorption is described by Langmuir-type isotherm and Freundlich-type isotherm. Recovery tests of 2,4-D confirm the initial interest in using chitin and chitosan as a depolluting agent.

  19. Abundance of non-native crabs in intertidal habitats of New England with natural and artificial structure.

    PubMed

    Lovely, Christina M; O'Connor, Nancy J; Judge, Michael L

    2015-01-01

    Marine habitats containing complex physical structure (e.g., crevices) can provide shelter from predation for benthic invertebrates. To examine effects of natural and artificial structure on the abundance of intertidal juvenile crabs, 2 experiments were conducted in Kingston Bay, Massachusetts, USA, from July to September, 2012. In the first experiment, structure was manipulated in a two-factor design that was placed in the high intertidal for 3 one-week periods to test for both substrate type (sand vs. rock) and the presence or absence of artificial structure (mesh grow-out bags used in aquaculture, ∼0.5 m(2) with 62 mm(2) mesh openings). The Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus, and small individuals of the green crab, Carcinus maenas, were observed only in the treatments of rocks and mesh bag plus rocks. Most green crabs were small (<6 mm in carapace width) whereas H. sanguineus occurred in a wide range of sizes. In the second experiment, 3 levels of oyster-shell treatments were established using grow-out bags placed on a muddy sand substrate in the low intertidal zone: mesh grow-out bags without shells, grow-out bags with oyster shells, and grow-out bags containing live oysters. Replicate bags were deployed weekly for 7 weeks in a randomized complete block design. All crabs collected in the bags were juvenile C. maenas (1-15 mm carapace width), and numbers of crabs differed 6-fold among treatments, with most crabs present in bags with live oysters (29.5 ± 10.6 m(-2) [mean ± S.D.]) and fewest in bags without shells (4.9 ± 3.7 m(-2)). Both C. maenas and H. sanguineus occurred in habitats with natural structure (cobble rocks). The attraction of juvenile C. maenas to artificial structure consisting of plastic mesh bags containing both oyster shells and living oysters could potentially impact oyster aquaculture operations.

  20. Carbon Microfibers with Hierarchical Porous Structure from Electrospun Fiber-Like Natural Biopolymer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Yeru; Wu, Dingcai; Fu, Ruowen

    2013-01-01

    Electrospinning offers a powerful route for building one-dimensional (1D) micro/nanostructures, but a common requirement for toxic or corrosive organic solvents during the preparation of precursor solution has limited their large scale synthesis and broad applications. Here we report a facile and low-cost way to prepare 1D porous carbon microfibers by using an electrospun fiber-like natural product, i.e., silk cocoon, as precursor. We surprisingly found that by utilizing a simple carbonization treatment, the cocoon microfiber can be directly transformed into 1D carbon microfiber of ca. 6 μm diameter with a unique three-dimensional porous network structure composed of interconnected carbon nanoparticles of 10~40 nm diameter. We further showed that the as-prepared carbon product presents superior electrochemical performance as binder-free electrodes of supercapacitors and good adsorption property toward organic vapor.

  1. SPECIAL ISSUE DEVOTED TO THE 80TH BIRTHDAY OF S.A. AKHMANOV: Four-photon microwave laser spectroscopy of molecules in the hydration layers of biopolymers and nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bunkin, Aleksei F.; Pershin, Sergei M.

    2009-07-01

    Four-photon laser scattering spectra of bidistilled water and aqueous solutions of biopolymers (proteins and DNA), carbon nanotubes and hydrogen peroxide have been measured in the range ±10 cm-1. The spectra show rotational resonances of H2O2, ortho-H2O and para-H2O molecules. The resonance contribution of the H2O rotational spectrum to the four-photon scattering signal in the solutions of the biopolymers and hydrophobic nanoparticles is an order of magnitude larger in comparison with water, which points to free rotation of the water molecules near the surface of such particles. This effect is due to the formation of water depletion layers near hydrophobic nanoparticles, as predicted in earlier theoretical studies.

  2. Polylysine as a functional biopolymer to couple gold nanorods to tumor-tropic cells.

    PubMed

    Borri, Claudia; Centi, Sonia; Ratto, Fulvio; Pini, Roberto

    2018-05-31

    The delivery of plasmonic particles, such as gold nanorods, to the tumor microenvironment has attracted much interest in biomedical optics for topical applications as the photoacoustic imaging and photothermal ablation of cancer. However, the systemic injection of free particles still crashes into a complexity of biological barriers, such as the reticuloendothelial system, that prevent their efficient biodistribution. In this context, the notion to exploit the inherent features of tumor-tropic cells for the creation of a Trojan horse is emerging as a plausible alternative. We report on a convenient approach to load cationic gold nanorods into murine macrophages that exhibit chemotactic sensitivity to track gradients of inflammatory stimuli. In particular, we compare a new model of poly-L-lysine-coated particles against two alternatives of cationic moieties that we have presented elsewhere, i.e. a small quaternary ammonium compound and an arginine-rich cell-penetrating peptide. Murine macrophages that are exposed to poly-L-lysine-coated gold nanorods at a dosage of 400 µM Au for 24 h undertake efficient uptake, i.e. around 3 pg Au per cell, retain the majority of their cargo until 24 h post-treatment and maintain around 90% of their pristine viability, chemotactic and pro-inflammatory functions. With respect to previous models of cationic coatings, poly-L-lysine is a competitive solution for the preparation of biological vehicles of gold nanorods, especially for applications that may require longer life span of the Trojan horse, say in the order of 24 h. This biopolymer combines the cost-effectiveness of small molecules and biocompatibility and efficiency of natural peptides and thus holds potential for translational developments.

  3. Composite biodegradable biopolymer coatings of silk fibroin - Poly(3-hydroxybutyric-acid-co-3-hydroxyvaleric-acid) for biomedical applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miroiu, Floralice Marimona; Stefan, Nicolaie; Visan, Anita Ioana; Nita, Cristina; Luculescu, Catalin Romeo; Rasoga, Oana; Socol, Marcela; Zgura, Irina; Cristescu, Rodica; Craciun, Doina; Socol, Gabriel

    2015-11-01

    Composite silk fibroin-poly(3-hydroxybutyric-acid-co-3-hydroxyvaleric-acid) (SF-PHBV) biodegradable coatings were grown by Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation on titanium substrates. Their physico-chemical properties and particularly the degradation behavior in simulated body fluid at 37 °C were studied as first step of applicability in local controlled release for tissue regeneration applications. SF and PHBV, natural biopolymers with excellent biocompatibility, but different biodegradability and tensile strength properties, were combined in a composite to improve their properties as coatings for biomedical uses. FTIR analyses showed the stoichiometric transfer from targets to coatings by the presence in the spectra of the main absorption maxima characteristic of both polymers. XRD investigations confirmed the FTIR results showing differences in crystallization behavior with respect to the SF and PHBV content. Contact angle values obtained through wettability measurements indicated the MAPLE deposited coatings were highly hydrophilic; surfaces turning hydrophobic with the increase of the PHBV component. Degradation assays proved that higher PHBV contents resulted in enhanced resistance and a slower degradation rate of composite coatings in SBF. Distinct drug-release schemes could be obtained by adjusting the SF:PHBV ratio to controllably tuning the coatings degradation rate, from rapid-release formulas, where SF predominates, to prolonged sustained ones, for larger PHBV content.

  4. Legume abundance along successional and rainfall gradients in Neotropical forests.

    PubMed

    Gei, Maga; Rozendaal, Danaë M A; Poorter, Lourens; Bongers, Frans; Sprent, Janet I; Garner, Mira D; Aide, T Mitchell; Andrade, José Luis; Balvanera, Patricia; Becknell, Justin M; Brancalion, Pedro H S; Cabral, George A L; César, Ricardo Gomes; Chazdon, Robin L; Cole, Rebecca J; Colletta, Gabriel Dalla; de Jong, Ben; Denslow, Julie S; Dent, Daisy H; DeWalt, Saara J; Dupuy, Juan Manuel; Durán, Sandra M; do Espírito Santo, Mário Marcos; Fernandes, G Wilson; Nunes, Yule Roberta Ferreira; Finegan, Bryan; Moser, Vanessa Granda; Hall, Jefferson S; Hernández-Stefanoni, José Luis; Junqueira, André B; Kennard, Deborah; Lebrija-Trejos, Edwin; Letcher, Susan G; Lohbeck, Madelon; Marín-Spiotta, Erika; Martínez-Ramos, Miguel; Meave, Jorge A; Menge, Duncan N L; Mora, Francisco; Muñoz, Rodrigo; Muscarella, Robert; Ochoa-Gaona, Susana; Orihuela-Belmonte, Edith; Ostertag, Rebecca; Peña-Claros, Marielos; Pérez-García, Eduardo A; Piotto, Daniel; Reich, Peter B; Reyes-García, Casandra; Rodríguez-Velázquez, Jorge; Romero-Pérez, I Eunice; Sanaphre-Villanueva, Lucía; Sanchez-Azofeifa, Arturo; Schwartz, Naomi B; de Almeida, Arlete Silva; Almeida-Cortez, Jarcilene S; Silver, Whendee; de Souza Moreno, Vanessa; Sullivan, Benjamin W; Swenson, Nathan G; Uriarte, Maria; van Breugel, Michiel; van der Wal, Hans; Veloso, Maria das Dores Magalhães; Vester, Hans F M; Vieira, Ima Célia Guimarães; Zimmerman, Jess K; Powers, Jennifer S

    2018-05-28

    The nutrient demands of regrowing tropical forests are partly satisfied by nitrogen-fixing legume trees, but our understanding of the abundance of those species is biased towards wet tropical regions. Here we show how the abundance of Leguminosae is affected by both recovery from disturbance and large-scale rainfall gradients through a synthesis of forest inventory plots from a network of 42 Neotropical forest chronosequences. During the first three decades of natural forest regeneration, legume basal area is twice as high in dry compared with wet secondary forests. The tremendous ecological success of legumes in recently disturbed, water-limited forests is likely to be related to both their reduced leaflet size and ability to fix N 2 , which together enhance legume drought tolerance and water-use efficiency. Earth system models should incorporate these large-scale successional and climatic patterns of legume dominance to provide more accurate estimates of the maximum potential for natural nitrogen fixation across tropical forests.

  5. In Situ Natural Abundance 17 O and 25 Mg NMR Investigation of Aqueous Mg(OH) 2 Dissolution in the Presence of Supercritical CO 2

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hu, Mary Y.; Deng, Xuchu; Thanthiriwatte, K. Sahan

    We report the development of an in situ high pressure NMR capability that permits natural abundance 17O and 25Mg NMR characterization of dissolved species in aqueous solution and in the presence of supercritical CO 2 fluid (scCO 2). The dissolution of Mg(OH) 2 (brucite) in a multiphase water/scCO 2 fluid at 90 atm pressure and 50 C was studied in situ, with relevance to geological carbon sequestration. 17O NMR spectra allowed identification and distinction of various fluid species including dissolved CO 2 in the H 2O-rich phase, scCO 2, aqueous H 2O, and HCO 3 -. The widely separated spectralmore » peaks for various species can all be observed both dynamically and quantitatively at concentrations of as low as 20 mM. Measurement of the concentrations of these individual species also allows an in situ estimate of the hydrogen ion concentration, or pCH + values, of the reacting solutions. The concentration of Mg 2+ can be observed by natural abundance 25Mg NMR at a concentration as low as 10 mM. Quantum chemistry calculations of the NMR chemical shifts on cluster models aided in the interpretation of the experimental results. Evidence for the formation of polymeric Mg 2+ clusters at high concentrations in the H 2O-rich phase, a possible critical step needed for magnesium carbonate formation, was found. The approach and findings enable insight into metal carbonation reactions associated with geological carbon sequestration that cannot be probed by ex situ methods.« less

  6. Natural abundance deuterium and 18-oxygen effects on the precision of the doubly labeled water method

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Horvitz, M. A.; Schoeller, D. A.

    2001-01-01

    The doubly labeled water method for measuring total energy expenditure is subject to error from natural variations in the background 2H and 18O in body water. There is disagreement as to whether the variations in background abundances of the two stable isotopes covary and what relative doses of 2H and 18O minimize the impact of variation on the precision of the method. We have performed two studies to investigate the amount and covariance of the background variations. These were a study of urine collected weekly from eight subjects who remained in the Madison, WI locale for 6 wk and frequent urine samples from 14 subjects during round-trip travel to a locale > or = 500 miles from Madison, WI. Background variation in excess of analytical error was detected in six of the eight nontravelers, and covariance was demonstrated in four subjects. Background variation was detected in all 14 travelers, and covariance was demonstrated in 11 subjects. The median slopes of the regression lines of delta2H vs. delta18O were 6 and 7, respectively. Modeling indicated that 2H and 18O doses yielding a 6:1 ratio of final enrichments should minimize this error introduced to the doubly labeled water method.

  7. Natural abundance deuterium and 18-oxygen effects on the precision of the doubly labeled water method.

    PubMed

    Horvitz, M A; Schoeller, D A

    2001-06-01

    The doubly labeled water method for measuring total energy expenditure is subject to error from natural variations in the background 2H and 18O in body water. There is disagreement as to whether the variations in background abundances of the two stable isotopes covary and what relative doses of 2H and 18O minimize the impact of variation on the precision of the method. We have performed two studies to investigate the amount and covariance of the background variations. These were a study of urine collected weekly from eight subjects who remained in the Madison, WI locale for 6 wk and frequent urine samples from 14 subjects during round-trip travel to a locale > or = 500 miles from Madison, WI. Background variation in excess of analytical error was detected in six of the eight nontravelers, and covariance was demonstrated in four subjects. Background variation was detected in all 14 travelers, and covariance was demonstrated in 11 subjects. The median slopes of the regression lines of delta2H vs. delta18O were 6 and 7, respectively. Modeling indicated that 2H and 18O doses yielding a 6:1 ratio of final enrichments should minimize this error introduced to the doubly labeled water method.

  8. Solar abundance ratios of the iron-peak elements in the Perseus cluster.

    PubMed

    2017-11-23

    The metal abundance of the hot plasma that permeates galaxy clusters represents the accumulation of heavy elements produced by billions of supernovae. Therefore, X-ray spectroscopy of the intracluster medium provides an opportunity to investigate the nature of supernova explosions integrated over cosmic time. In particular, the abundance of the iron-peak elements (chromium, manganese, iron and nickel) is key to understanding how the progenitors of typical type Ia supernovae evolve and explode. Recent X-ray studies of the intracluster medium found that the abundance ratios of these elements differ substantially from those seen in the Sun, suggesting differences between the nature of type Ia supernovae in the clusters and in the Milky Way. However, because the K-shell transition lines of chromium and manganese are weak and those of iron and nickel are very close in photon energy, high-resolution spectroscopy is required for an accurate determination of the abundances of these elements. Here we report observations of the Perseus cluster, with statistically significant detections of the resonance emission from chromium, manganese and nickel. Our measurements, combined with the latest atomic models, reveal that these elements have near-solar abundance ratios with respect to iron, in contrast to previous claims. Comparison between our results and modern nucleosynthesis calculations disfavours the hypothesis that type Ia supernova progenitors are exclusively white dwarfs with masses well below the Chandrasekhar limit (about 1.4 times the mass of the Sun). The observed abundance pattern of the iron-peak elements can be explained by taking into account a combination of near- and sub-Chandrasekhar-mass type Ia supernova systems, adding to the mounting evidence that both progenitor types make a substantial contribution to cosmic chemical enrichment.

  9. Solar abundance ratios of the iron-peak elements in the Perseus cluster

    DOE PAGES

    Aharonian, Felix; Akamatsu, Hiroki; Akimoto, Fumie; ...

    2017-11-13

    The metal abundance of the hot plasma that permeates galaxy clusters represents the accumulation of heavy elements produced by billions of supernovae1. Therefore, X-ray spectroscopy of the intracluster medium provides an opportunity to investigate the nature of supernova explosions integrated over cosmic time. In particular, the abundance of the iron-peak elements (chromium, manganese, iron and nickel) is key to understanding how the progenitors of typical type Ia supernovae evolve and explode2–6. Recent X-ray studies of the intracluster medium found that the abundance ratios of these elements differ substantially from those seen in the Sun, suggesting differences between the nature ofmore » type Ia supernovae in the clusters and in the Milky Way. However, because the K-shell transition lines of chromium and manganese are weak and those of iron and nickel are very close in photon energy, highresolution spectroscopy is required for an accurate determination of the abundances of these elements. Here in this paper we report observations of the Perseus cluster, with statistically significant detections of the resonance emission from chromium, manganese and nickel. Our measurements, combined with the latest atomic models, reveal that these elements have near-solar abundance ratios with respect to iron, in contrast to previous claims. Comparison between our results and modern nucleosynthesis calculations disfavours the hypothesis that type Ia supernova progenitors are exclusively white dwarfs with masses well below the Chandrasekhar limit (about 1.4 times the mass of the Sun). The observed abundance pattern of the iron-peak elements can be explained by taking into account a combination of near- and sub-Chandrasekhar-mass type Ia supernova systems, adding to the mounting evidence that both progenitor types make a substantial contribution to cosmic chemical enrichment.« less

  10. Solar abundance ratios of the iron-peak elements in the Perseus cluster

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Aharonian, Felix; Akamatsu, Hiroki; Akimoto, Fumie

    The metal abundance of the hot plasma that permeates galaxy clusters represents the accumulation of heavy elements produced by billions of supernovae1. Therefore, X-ray spectroscopy of the intracluster medium provides an opportunity to investigate the nature of supernova explosions integrated over cosmic time. In particular, the abundance of the iron-peak elements (chromium, manganese, iron and nickel) is key to understanding how the progenitors of typical type Ia supernovae evolve and explode2–6. Recent X-ray studies of the intracluster medium found that the abundance ratios of these elements differ substantially from those seen in the Sun, suggesting differences between the nature ofmore » type Ia supernovae in the clusters and in the Milky Way. However, because the K-shell transition lines of chromium and manganese are weak and those of iron and nickel are very close in photon energy, highresolution spectroscopy is required for an accurate determination of the abundances of these elements. Here in this paper we report observations of the Perseus cluster, with statistically significant detections of the resonance emission from chromium, manganese and nickel. Our measurements, combined with the latest atomic models, reveal that these elements have near-solar abundance ratios with respect to iron, in contrast to previous claims. Comparison between our results and modern nucleosynthesis calculations disfavours the hypothesis that type Ia supernova progenitors are exclusively white dwarfs with masses well below the Chandrasekhar limit (about 1.4 times the mass of the Sun). The observed abundance pattern of the iron-peak elements can be explained by taking into account a combination of near- and sub-Chandrasekhar-mass type Ia supernova systems, adding to the mounting evidence that both progenitor types make a substantial contribution to cosmic chemical enrichment.« less

  11. Effective recovery of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) biopolymer from Cupriavidus necator using a novel and environmentally friendly solvent system.

    PubMed

    Fei, Tao; Cazeneuve, Stacy; Wen, Zhiyou; Wu, Lei; Wang, Tong

    2016-05-01

    This work demonstrates a significant advance in bioprocessing for a high-melting lipid polymer. A novel and environmental friendly solvent mixture, acetone/ethanol/propylene carbonate (A/E/P, 1:1:1 v/v/v) was identified for extracting poly-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), a high-value biopolymer, from Cupriavidus necator. A set of solubility curves of PHB in various solvents was established. PHB recovery of 85% and purity of 92% were obtained from defatted dry biomass (DDB) using A/E/P. This solvent mixture is compatible with water, and from non-defatted wet biomass, PHB recovery of 83% and purity of 90% were achieved. Water and hexane were evaluated as anti-solvents to assist PHB precipitation, and hexane improved recovery of PHB from biomass to 92% and the purity to 93%. A scale-up extraction and separation reactor was designed, built and successfully tested. Properties of PHB recovered were not significantly affected by the extraction solvent and conditions, as shown by average molecular weight (1.4 × 10(6) ) and melting point (175.2°C) not being different from PHB extracted using chloroform. Therefore, this biorenewable solvent system was effective and versatile for extracting PHB biopolymers. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:678-685, 2016. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  12. Changes in spectrochemical and catalytic properties of biopolymer anchored Cu(II) and Ni(II) catalysts by electron beam irradiation.

    PubMed

    Antony, R; Suja Pon Mini, P S; Theodore David Manickam, S; Sanjeev, Ganesh; Mitu, Liviu; Balakumar, S

    2015-01-01

    Chitosan (a biopolymer) anchored Cu(II) and Ni(II) Schiff base complexes, [M(OIAC)Cl2] (M: Cu/Ni and OIAC: ([2-oxo-1H-indol-3-ylidene]amino)chitosan) were electron beam irradiated by different doses (100 Gy, 1 kGy and 10 kGy). The electron beam has shown potential impact on biopolymer's support, in detail chain linking and chain scissoring, as evidenced by viscosity studies, FT-IR and X-ray diffraction spectroscopic techniques. Due to these structural changes, thermal properties of the complexes were found to be changed. The surface of these heterogeneous complexes was also effectually altered by electron beam. As a consequence, pores and holes were created as probed by SEM technique. The catalytic activity of both non-irradiated and irradiated complexes was investigated in the aerobic oxidation of cyclohexane using hydrogen peroxide oxidant. The catalytic ability of the complexes was enhanced significantly after irradiation as the result of surface changes. The reusability of the complexes was also greatly affected because of the structural variations in polymeric support. In terms of both better catalytic activity along with the reusability, 1 kGy is suggested as the best dose to attain adequate increase in catalytic activity and good reusability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Space-based measurements of elemental abundances and their relation to solar abundances

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Coplan, M. A.; Ogilvie, K. W.; Bochsler, P.; Geiss, J.

    1990-01-01

    The Ion Composition Instrument (ICI) aboard the ISEE-3/ICE spacecraft was in the solar wind continuously from August 1978 to December 1982. The results made it possible to establish long-term average solar wind abundance values for helium, oxygen, neon, silicon, and iron. The Charge-Energy-Mass instrument aboard the CCE spacecraft of the AMPTE mission has measured the abundance of these elements in the magnetosheath and has also added carbon, nitrogen, magnesium, and sulfur to the list. There is strong evidence that these magnetosheath abundances are representative of the solar wind. Other sources of solar wind abundances are Solar Energetic Particle experiments and Apollo lunar foils. When comparing the abundances from all of these sources with photospheric abundances, it is clear that helium is depleted in the solar wind while silicon and iron are enhanced. Solar wind abundances for carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and neon correlate well with the photospheric values. The incorporation of minor ions into the solar wind appears to depend upon both the ionization times for the elements and the Coulomb drag exerted by the outflowing proton flux.

  14. Transposases are the most abundant, most ubiquitous genes in nature.

    PubMed

    Aziz, Ramy K; Breitbart, Mya; Edwards, Robert A

    2010-07-01

    Genes, like organisms, struggle for existence, and the most successful genes persist and widely disseminate in nature. The unbiased determination of the most successful genes requires access to sequence data from a wide range of phylogenetic taxa and ecosystems, which has finally become achievable thanks to the deluge of genomic and metagenomic sequences. Here, we analyzed 10 million protein-encoding genes and gene tags in sequenced bacterial, archaeal, eukaryotic and viral genomes and metagenomes, and our analysis demonstrates that genes encoding transposases are the most prevalent genes in nature. The finding that these genes, classically considered as selfish genes, outnumber essential or housekeeping genes suggests that they offer selective advantage to the genomes and ecosystems they inhabit, a hypothesis in agreement with an emerging body of literature. Their mobile nature not only promotes dissemination of transposable elements within and between genomes but also leads to mutations and rearrangements that can accelerate biological diversification and--consequently--evolution. By securing their own replication and dissemination, transposases guarantee to thrive so long as nucleic acid-based life forms exist.

  15. Urban warming trumps natural enemy regulation of herbivorous pests.

    PubMed

    Dale, Adam G; Frank, Steven D

    Trees provide ecosystem services that counter negative effects of urban habitats on human and environmental health. Unfortunately, herbivorous arthropod pests are often more abundant on urban than rural trees, reducing tree growth, survival, and ecosystem services. Previous research where vegetation complexity was reduced has attributed elevated urban pest abundance to decreased regulation by natural enemies. However, reducing vegetation complexity, particularly the density of overstory trees, also makes cities hotter than natural habitats. We ask how urban habitat characteristics influence an abiotic factor, temperature, and a biotic factor, natural enemy abundance, in regulating the abundance of an urban forest pest, the gloomy scale, (Melanaspis tenebricosa). We used a map of surface temperature to select red maple trees (Acer rubrum) at warmer and cooler sites in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. We quantified habitat complexity by measuring impervious surface cover, local vegetation structural complexity, and landscape scale vegetation cover around each tree. Using path analysis, we determined that impervious surface (the most important habitat variable) increased scale insect abundance by increasing tree canopy temperature, rather than by reducing natural enemy abundance or percent parasitism. As a mechanism for this response, we found that increasing temperature significantly increases scale insect fecundity and contributes to greater population increase. Specifically, adult female M. tenebricosa egg sets increased by approximately 14 eggs for every 1°C increase in temperature. Climate change models predict that the global climate will increase by 2–3°C in the next 50–100 years, which we found would increase scale insect abundance by three orders of magnitude. This result supports predictions that urban and natural forests will face greater herbivory in the future, and suggests that a primary cause could be direct, positive effects of warming on herbivore

  16. The influence of hydrolysis induced biopolymers from recycled aerobic sludge on specific methanogenic activity and sludge filterability in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor.

    PubMed

    Buntner, D; Spanjers, H; van Lier, J B

    2014-03-15

    The objective of the present study was to evaluate the impact of excess aerobic sludge on the specific methanogenic activity (SMA), in order to establish the maximum allowable aerobic sludge loading. In batch tests, different ratios of aerobic sludge to anaerobic inoculum were used, i.e. 0.03, 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15, showing that low ratios led to an increased SMA. However, the ratio 0.15 caused more than 20% SMA decrease. In addition to the SMA tests, the potential influence of biopolymers and extracellular substances, that are generated as a result of excess aerobic sludge hydrolysis, on membrane performance was determined by assessing the fouling potential of the liquid broth, taking into account parameters such as specific resistance to filtration (SRF) and supernatant filterability (SF). Addition of aerobic sludge to the anaerobic biomass resulted in a high membrane fouling potential. The increase in biopolymers could be ascribed to aerobic sludge hydrolysis. A clear positive correlation between the concentration of the colloidal fraction of biopolymer clusters (cBPC) and the SRF was observed and a negative correlation between the cBPC and the SF measured at the end of the above described SMA tests. The latter implies that sludge filtration resistance increases when more aerobic sludge is hydrolyzed, and thus more cBPC is released. During AnMBR operation, proteins significantly contributed to sludge filterability decrease expressed as SRF and SF, whereas the carbohydrate fraction of SMP was of less importance due to low concentrations. On the contrary, carbohydrates seemed to improve filterability and diminish SRF of the sludge. Albeit, cBPC increase caused an increase in mean TMP during the AnMBR operation, confirming that cBPC is positively correlated to membrane fouling. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Natural Abundance 43Ca NMR as a Tool for Exploring Calcium Biomineralization: Renal Stone Formation and Growth

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bowers, Geoffrey M.; Kirkpatrick, Robert J.

    2011-12-07

    Renal stone diseases are a global health issue with little effective therapeutic recourse aside from surgery and shock-wave lithotripsy, primarily because the fundamental chemical mechanisms behind calcium biomineralization are poorly understood. In this work, we show that natural abundance 43Ca NMR at 21.1 T is an effective means to probe the molecular-level Ca2+ structure in oxalate-based kidney stones. We find that the 43Ca NMR resonance of an authentic oxalate-based kidney stone cannot be explained by a single pure phase of any common Ca2+-bearing stone mineral. Combined with XRD results, our findings suggest an altered calcium oxalate monohydrate-like Ca2+ coordination environmentmore » for some fraction of Ca2+ in our sample. The evidence is consistent with existing literature hypothesizing that nonoxalate organic material interacts directly with Ca2+ at stone surfaces and is the primary driver of renal stone aggregation and growth. Our findings show that 43Ca NMR spectroscopy may provide unique and crucial insight into the fundamental chemistry of kidney stone formation, growth, and the role organic molecules play in these processes.« less

  18. In VivoQuantitation of Cerebral Metabolite Concentrations Using Natural Abundance 13C MRS at 1.5 T

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blüml, Stefan

    1999-02-01

    A method for the quantitation of cerebral metabolites on a clinical MR scanner by natural abundance13C MRSin vivois described. Proton-decoupled spectra were acquired with a power deposition within FDA guidelines using a novel coil design.myo-Inositol, quantified by a separate proton MRS, and readily detectable in13C MRS, was used as an internal reference. Normal concentrations, measured in four control subjects, age 7 months to 12 years, were glutamate 9.9 ± 0.7, glutamine 5.6 ± 1.0, and NAA 8.8 ± 2.8 mmol/kg. In a patient diagnosed with Canavan disease, examined four times, glutamate was reduced to 46% of normal, 4.6 ± 0.5 mmol/kg. NAA was increased by 50% to 13.2 ± 1.6 mmol/kg in13C MRS, consistent with the 41% increase to 12.3 ± 1.1 from control 8.7 ± 1.1 mmol/kg assayed by1H MRS. Limited concentration of glutamate may impact on glutamatergic neurons and excitatory neurotransmission in Canavan disease. Quantitation of cerebral glutamate in human brain may have clinical value in human neuropathologies in which glutamate is believed to play a central role.

  19. Estimating modal abundances from the spectra of natural and laboratory pyroxene mixtures using the modified Gaussian model

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sunshine, Jessica M.; Pieters, Carle M.

    1993-01-01

    The modified Gaussian model (MGM) is used to explore spectra of samples containing multiple pyroxene components as a function of modal abundance. The MGM allows spectra to be analyzed directly, without the use of actual or assumed end-member spectra and therefore holds great promise for remote applications. A series of mass fraction mixtures created from several different particle size fractions are analyzed with the MGM to quantify the properties of pyroxene mixtures as a function of both modal abundance and grain size. Band centers, band widths, and relative band strengths of absorptions from individual pyroxenes in mixture spectra are found to be largely independent of particle size. Spectral properties of both zoned and exsolved pyroxene components are resolved in exsolved samples using the MGM, and modal abundances are accurately estimated to within 5-10 percent without predetermined knowledge of the end-member spectra.

  20. Population abundance of Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and natural enemies on plant hosts in central Chile.

    PubMed

    Ripa, Renato; Funderburk, Joe; Rodriguez, Fernando; Espinoza, Fernanda; Mound, Laurence

    2009-04-01

    Populations of the invasive Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) are serious pests of agricultural crops in the Aconcagua Valley of central Chile. An extensive survey was conducted of 55 plant species in 24 families to identify plant hosts of F. occidentalis and to determine its relative abundance on each host during each season. A more intensive study was conducted on selected plant species serving as reproductive hosts to determine the population dynamics of F. occidentalis and to evaluate the potential importance of Orius species and other natural enemies for controlling F. occidentalis. Adults of F. occidentalis were active during each season of the year inhabiting the flowers of 91% of the sampled plant species in 22 families, and 86% of these plant species in 19 families served as reproductive hosts. The number of host plant species used was greatest in the spring and least in the winter. All of the hosts except Medicago sativa L. were used only when flowering. Populations of F. occidentalis were significantly aggregated in M. sativa in the terminal buds over the leaves when the host was not flowering, and in the flowers, followed by the terminal buds, followed by the leaves when the host was flowering. Larvae were 1.3-2.3 times more abundant on dates when M. sativa was flowering. There were no identifiable patterns in plant hosts based on endemicity or plant family. Most of the plant species used by F. occidentalis were inferior quality hosts where populations either declined or were stable. Populations of F. occidentalis on low-quality hosts generally escaped predation by Orius species and competition by other species of thrips. Only 25% of the food hosts and 28% of the reproductive hosts for F. occidentalis in the extensive survey, respectively, were host plants for Orius. Parasitoids and other predators were not found to be important in suppressing thrips on any of the plant hosts. Populations of F. occidentalis increased on only a few hosts, including M

  1. Nonlinear optical probe of biopolymer adsorption on colloidal particle surface: poly-L-lysine on polystyrene sulfate microspheres.

    PubMed

    Eckenrode, Heather M; Dai, Hai-Lung

    2004-10-12

    A nonlinear optical technique--second harmonic generation (SHG)--has been applied to characterize the adsorption of poly-L-lysine on micrometer size polystyrene particles, whose surface is covered with negatively charged sulfonate groups, in aqueous solutions. Adsorption behavior of the biopolymer with two chain lengths (14 and 75 amino acid units; PL14 and PL75) has been examined. Centrifugation experiments were also performed to support the adsorption measurements made using SHG. The adsorption free energies of the two polymers PL75 and PL14 are determined as -16.57 and -14.40 kcal/mol, respectively. The small difference in the adsorption free energies of the two chain lengths, however, leads to dramatic difference in the concentration needed for saturated surface coverage: nearly 50 times higher concentration is needed for the smaller polymer. Under acidic colloidal conditions, polylysine is found to adsorb in a relatively flat conformation on the surface. The surface area that each polylysine molecule occupies is nearly 1 order of magnitude larger than the size of the molecule in its extended form. The low adsorption density is likely a result from Coulombic repulsion between the positive charges on the amino acid units of PL. The measurements demonstrate the utility of SHG as an efficient and sensitive experimental approach for measuring adsorption characteristics of bio/macromolecules on colloidal particles and define surface and colloidal conditions for achieving maximum surface coverage of a widely used biopolymer. Copyright 2004 American Chemical Society

  2. The bliss (not the problem) of motor abundance (not redundancy).

    PubMed

    Latash, Mark L

    2012-03-01

    Motor control is an area of natural science exploring how the nervous system interacts with other body parts and the environment to produce purposeful, coordinated actions. A central problem of motor control-the problem of motor redundancy-was formulated by Nikolai Bernstein as the problem of elimination of redundant degrees-of-freedom. Traditionally, this problem has been addressed using optimization methods based on a variety of cost functions. This review draws attention to a body of recent findings suggesting that the problem has been formulated incorrectly. An alternative view has been suggested as the principle of abundance, which considers the apparently redundant degrees-of-freedom as useful and even vital for many aspects of motor behavior. Over the past 10 years, dozens of publications have provided support for this view based on the ideas of synergic control, computational apparatus of the uncontrolled manifold hypothesis, and the equilibrium-point (referent configuration) hypothesis. In particular, large amounts of "good variance"-variance in the space of elements that has no effect on the overall performance-have been documented across a variety of natural actions. "Good variance" helps an abundant system to deal with secondary tasks and unexpected perturbations; its amount shows adaptive modulation across a variety of conditions. These data support the view that there is no problem of motor redundancy; there is bliss of motor abundance.

  3. Biopolymers for sample collection, protection, and preservation.

    PubMed

    Sorokulova, Iryna; Olsen, Eric; Vodyanoy, Vitaly

    2015-07-01

    One of the principal challenges in the collection of biological samples from air, water, and soil matrices is that the target agents are not stable enough to be transferred from the collection point to the laboratory of choice without experiencing significant degradation and loss of viability. At present, there is no method to transport biological samples over considerable distances safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively without the use of ice or refrigeration. Current techniques of protection and preservation of biological materials have serious drawbacks. Many known techniques of preservation cause structural damages, so that biological materials lose their structural integrity and viability. We review applications of a novel bacterial preservation process, which is nontoxic and water soluble and allows for the storage of samples without refrigeration. The method is capable of protecting the biological sample from the effects of environment for extended periods of time and then allows for the easy release of these collected biological materials from the protective medium without structural or DNA damage. Strategies for sample collection, preservation, and shipment of bacterial, viral samples are described. The water-soluble polymer is used to immobilize the biological material by replacing the water molecules within the sample with molecules of the biopolymer. The cured polymer results in a solid protective film that is stable to many organic solvents, but quickly removed by the application of the water-based solution. The process of immobilization does not require the use of any additives, accelerators, or plastifiers and does not involve high temperature or radiation to promote polymerization.

  4. Long-term trends in midwestern milkweed abundances and their relevance to monarch butterfly declines

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Zaya, David N.; Pearse, Ian; Spyreas, Gregory

    2017-01-01

    Declines in monarch butterfly populations have prompted investigation into the sensitivity of their milkweed host plants to land-use change. Documented declines in milkweed abundance in croplands have spurred efforts to promote milkweeds in other habitats. Nevertheless, our current understanding of milkweed populations is poor. We used a long-term plant survey from Illinois to evaluate whether trends in milkweed abundance have caused monarch decline and to highlight the habitat-management practices that promote milkweeds. Milkweed abundance in natural areas has not declined precipitously, although when croplands are considered, changes in agricultural weed management have led to a 68% loss of milkweed available for monarchs across the region. Midsuccessional plant communities with few invasive species provide optimal milkweed habitat. The augmentation of natural areas and the management of existing grasslands, such as less frequent mowing and woody- and exotic-species control, may replace some of the milkweed that has been lost from croplands.

  5. A linear biopolymer in the vicinity of the triple point. The homopolymer case.

    PubMed

    Frank-Kamenetskii, M D; Chogovadze, G I

    1984-06-01

    This is a theoretical study of a situation where each residue of a linear biopolymer may adopt one of three conformational states. Such a situation exists in the case of DNA, since it may be in helical A, B, . . ., Z forms as well as the melted state. In the vicinity of the triple point in the phrase diagram three states, e.g. the A form, the B form and the denatured state, co-exist within a given molecule. We present an exact analytical solution of the simplest homopolymer model. Theory predicts that the presence of two helical states in one molecule should affect the helix-coil transition in two ways. The melting temperature experiences an upward shift and the melting range width is increased, by a factor of square root of two as a maximum.

  6. Rapid detection of microbial cell abundance in aquatic systems

    DOE PAGES

    Rocha, Andrea M.; Yuan, Quan; Close, Dan M.; ...

    2016-06-01

    The detection and quantification of naturally occurring microbial cellular densities is an essential component of environmental systems monitoring. While there are a number of commonly utilized approaches for monitoring microbial abundance, capacitance-based biosensors represent a promising approach because of their low-cost and label-free detection of microbial cells, but are not as well characterized as more traditional methods. Here, we investigate the applicability of enhanced alternating current electrokinetics (ACEK) capacitive sensing as a new application for rapidly detecting and quantifying microbial cellular densities in cultured and environmentally sourced aquatic samples. ACEK capacitive sensor performance was evaluated using two distinct and dynamicmore » systems the Great Australian Bight and groundwater from the Oak Ridge Reservation in Oak Ridge, TN. Results demonstrate that ACEK capacitance-based sensing can accurately determine microbial cell counts throughout cellular concentrations typically encountered in naturally occurring microbial communities (10 3 – 10 6 cells/mL). A linear relationship was observed between cellular density and capacitance change correlations, allowing a simple linear curve fitting equation to be used for determining microbial abundances in unknown samples. As a result, this work provides a foundation for understanding the limits of capacitance-based sensing in natural environmental samples and supports future efforts focusing on evaluating the robustness ACEK capacitance-based within aquatic environments.« less

  7. Rapid detection of microbial cell abundance in aquatic systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rocha, Andrea M.; Yuan, Quan; Close, Dan M.

    The detection and quantification of naturally occurring microbial cellular densities is an essential component of environmental systems monitoring. While there are a number of commonly utilized approaches for monitoring microbial abundance, capacitance-based biosensors represent a promising approach because of their low-cost and label-free detection of microbial cells, but are not as well characterized as more traditional methods. Here, we investigate the applicability of enhanced alternating current electrokinetics (ACEK) capacitive sensing as a new application for rapidly detecting and quantifying microbial cellular densities in cultured and environmentally sourced aquatic samples. ACEK capacitive sensor performance was evaluated using two distinct and dynamicmore » systems the Great Australian Bight and groundwater from the Oak Ridge Reservation in Oak Ridge, TN. Results demonstrate that ACEK capacitance-based sensing can accurately determine microbial cell counts throughout cellular concentrations typically encountered in naturally occurring microbial communities (10 3 – 10 6 cells/mL). A linear relationship was observed between cellular density and capacitance change correlations, allowing a simple linear curve fitting equation to be used for determining microbial abundances in unknown samples. As a result, this work provides a foundation for understanding the limits of capacitance-based sensing in natural environmental samples and supports future efforts focusing on evaluating the robustness ACEK capacitance-based within aquatic environments.« less

  8. [Humus composition and stable carbon isotope natural abundance in paddy soil under long-term fertilization].

    PubMed

    Ma, Li; Yang, Lin-Zhang; Ci, En; Wang, Yan; Yin, Shi-Xue; Shen, Ming-Xing

    2008-09-01

    Soil samples were collected from an experimental paddy field with long-term (26 years) fertilization in Taihu Lake region of Jiangsu Province to study the effects of different fertilization on the organic carbon distribution and stable carbon isotope natural abundance (delta 13C) in the soil profile, and on the humus composition. The results showed that long-term fertilization increased the organic carbon content in top soil significantly, and there was a significantly negative exponential correlation between soil organic carbon content and soil depth (P < 0.01). The organic carbon content in 10-30 cm soil layer under chemical fertilizations and in 20-40 cm soil layer under organic fertilizations was relatively stable. Soil delta 13C increased gradually with soil depth, its variation range being from -24% per thousand to -28 per thousand, and had a significantly negative linear correlation with soil organic carbon content (P < 0.05). In 0-20 cm soil layer, the delta 13C in treatments organic manure (M), M + NP, M + NPK, M + straw (R) + N, and R + N decreased significantly; while in 30-50 cm soil layer, the delta 13C in all organic fertilization treatments except R + N increased significantly. Tightly combined humus (humin) was the main humus composition in the soil, occupying 50% or more, and the rest were loosely and stably combined humus. Long-term fertilization increased the content of loosely combined humus and the ratio of humic acid (HA) to fulvic acid (FA).

  9. Porous silicon photonic crystals as hosts for polymers, biopolymers, and magnetic nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Yang Yang

    This thesis describes the construction of one-dimensional photonic crystals of porous silicon by electrochemically etching and the use of these materials as hosts for polymers, biopolymers, and magnetic nanoparticles. The spectral features of the photonic crystals derive from a porosity gradient that is determined by the electrochemical etching parameters. Since the photonic crystals are constructed of a porous material, they can serve as hosts for other materials. The first chapter of the thesis provides an introduction to porous Si, templating techniques and the use of porous materials for controlled release of drugs. This latter section is added because much of the thesis work addresses the application of porous Si hosts for controlled release of drugs. In the second chapter, it is shown that the spectral properties of the porous Si photonic crystal template can be transferred to a variety of organic and biopolymers. It is demonstrated that these castings can be used as vapor sensors and as self-reporting, bioresorbable materials. If the template is not removed, porous Si polymer composites are formed. The third chapter discussed that by spray-coating a fine mist of polymer solution onto the porous Si film, robust and smooth micron-sized cylindrical photonic crystals suitable for bioassays can be prepared. The fourth chapter focuses on using porous Si photonic crystals as a host for magnetic nanoparticles. The magnetic nanoparticles in this work are found to adhere to the surface of the porous Si film as well to infiltrate the pore structure. In a demonstration of optical switching that may be useful for information display applications, flipping between the colored to dark sides by application of a magnetic field is found to occur at rates of as large as 175 Hz. As the host for soluble molecular species, porous Si photonic crystals can be impregnated from solution. The aggregates that form upon evaporation of solvent are found to scatter light from the resonant

  10. Positive relationships between genetic diversity and abundance in fishes.

    PubMed

    McCusker, Megan R; Bentzen, Paul

    2010-11-01

    Molecular markers, such as mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite loci, are widely studied to assess population genetics and phylogeography; however, the selective neutrality of these markers is increasingly being questioned. Given the importance of molecular markers in fisheries science and conservation, we evaluated the neutrality of both mtDNA and microsatellite loci through their associations with population size. We surveyed mtDNA and microsatellite data from the primary literature and determined whether genetic diversity increased with abundance across a total of 105 marine and freshwater fishes, with both global fisheries catch data and body size as proxies for abundance (with an additional 57 species for which only body size data were assessed). We found that microsatellite data generally yielded higher associations with abundance than mtDNA data, and within mtDNA analyses, number of haplotypes and haplotype diversity were more strongly associated with abundance than nucleotide diversity, particularly for freshwater fishes. We compared genetic diversity between freshwater and marine fishes and found that marine fishes had higher values of all measures of genetic diversity than freshwater fishes. Results for both mtDNA and microsatellites generally conformed to neutral expectations, although weaker relationships were often found between mtDNA nucleotide diversity and 'abundance' compared to any other genetic statistic. We speculate that this is because of historical events unrelated to natural selection, although a role for selection cannot be ruled out. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  11. Natural-abundance stable carbon isotopes of small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) from Guaymas Basin (Mexico)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    MacGregor, B. J.; Mendlovitz, H.; Albert, D.; Teske, A. P.

    2012-12-01

    Small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) is a phylogenetically informative molecule found in all species. Because it is poorly preserved in most environments, it is a useful marker for active microbial populations. We are using the natural-abundance stable carbon isotopic composition of specific microbial groups to help identify the carbon substrates contributing to microbial biomass in a variety of marine environments. At Guaymas Basin, hydrothermal fluids interact with abundant sedimentary organic carbon to produce natural gas and petroleum. Where this reaches the sediment surface, it can support dense patches of seafloor life, including Beggiatoa mats. We report here on the stable carbon isotopic composition of SSU rRNA from a Beggiatoa mat transect, a cold background site, a warm site with high oil concentration, and a second Beggiatoa mat. The central part of the transect mat overlay the steepest temperature gradient, and was visually dominated by orange Beggiatoa. This was fringed by white Beggiatoa mat and bare, but still warm, sediment. Methane concentrations were saturating beneath the orange and white mats and at the oily site, lower beneath bare sediment, and below detection at the background site. Our initial hypotheses were that rRNA isotopic composition would be strongly influenced by methane supply, and that archaeal rRNA might be lighter than bacterial due to contributions from methanogens and anaerobic methane oxidizers. We used biotin-labeled oligonucleotides to capture Bacterial and Archaeal SSU rRNA for isotopic determination. Background-site rRNA was isotopically heaviest, and bacterial RNA from below 2 cm at the oily site was lightest, consistent with control by methane. Within the transect mat, however, the pattern was more complicated; at some sediment depths, rRNA from the mat periphery was isotopically lightest. Part of this may be due to the spatially and temporally variable paths followed by hydrothermal fluid, which can include horizontal

  12. Production of novel biopolymers in plants: recent technological advances and future prospects.

    PubMed

    Snell, Kristi D; Singh, Vijay; Brumbley, Stevens M

    2015-04-01

    The production of novel biopolymers in plants has the potential to provide renewable sources of industrial materials through agriculture. In this review we will highlight recent progress with plant-based production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), silk, elastin, collagen, and cyanophycin with an emphasis on the synthesis of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (PHB), a renewable biodegradable PHA polymer with potential commercial applications in plastics, chemicals, and feed markets. Improved production of PHB has required manipulation of promoters driving expression of transgenes, reduction in activity of endogenous enzymes in competing metabolic pathways, insertion of genes to increase carbon flow to polymer, and basic plant biochemistry to understand metabolic limitations. These experiments have increased our understanding of carbon availability and partitioning in different plant organelles, cell types, and organs, information that is useful for the production of other novel molecules in plants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Effect on Ammonium Bromide in dielectric behavior based Alginate Solid Biopolymer electrolytes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fuzlin, A. F.; Rasali, N. M. J.; Samsudin, A. S.

    2018-04-01

    This paper present the development of solid biopolymer electrolytes (SBEs) system which has been accomplished by incorporating various composition of ionic dopant namely ammonium bromide (NH4Br) with alginate solution casting method. The prepared sample of SBEs has been analyzed via electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that the ionic conductivity at room temperature was increased from 4.67 x 10-7 S cm-1 for un-doped sample to optimum value at 4.41 x 10-5 S cm-1 for composition of 20 wt. % NH4Br. The SBEs system was found to obey the Arrhenius characteristics with R2~1where all sample is thermally activated when increasing temperature. The dielectric behavior of the alginate-NH4Br SBEs system were measured using complex permittivity (ε*) and complex electrical modulus (M*) and shown the non-debye behavior where no single relaxation was found for present SBEs system.

  14. Natural abundance 17O DNP NMR provides precise O–H distances and insights into the Brønsted acidity of heterogeneous catalysts

    DOE PAGES

    Perras, Frederic A.; Wang, Zhuoran; Naik, Pranjali; ...

    2017-05-12

    Heterogeneous Brønsted acid catalysts are tremendously important in industry, particularly in catalytic cracking processes. Here we show that these Brønsted acid sites can be directly observed at natural abundance by 17O DNP surface-enhanced NMR spectroscopy (SENS). We additionally show that the O–H bond length in these catalysts can be measured with sub-picometer precision, to enable a direct structural gauge of the lability of protons in a given material, which is correlated with the pH of the zero point of charge of the material. As a result, experiments performed on materials impregnated with pyridine also allow for the direct detection ofmore » intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions through the lengthening of O–H bonds.« less

  15. Natural abundance 17O DNP NMR provides precise O–H distances and insights into the Brønsted acidity of heterogeneous catalysts

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Perras, Frederic A.; Wang, Zhuoran; Naik, Pranjali

    Heterogeneous Brønsted acid catalysts are tremendously important in industry, particularly in catalytic cracking processes. Here we show that these Brønsted acid sites can be directly observed at natural abundance by 17O DNP surface-enhanced NMR spectroscopy (SENS). We additionally show that the O–H bond length in these catalysts can be measured with sub-picometer precision, to enable a direct structural gauge of the lability of protons in a given material, which is correlated with the pH of the zero point of charge of the material. As a result, experiments performed on materials impregnated with pyridine also allow for the direct detection ofmore » intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions through the lengthening of O–H bonds.« less

  16. Natural abundance N stable isotopes in plants and soils as an indicator of N deposition hotspots in urban environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trammell, T. L.

    2017-12-01

    The natural abundance of stable isotopes in plants and soils has been utilized to understand ecological phenomenon. Foliar δ15N is an integrator of soil δ15N, atmospheric N sources, and fractionation processes that occur during plant N uptake, plant N assimilation, and mycorrhizal associations. The amount of reactive N in the environment has greatly increased due to human activities, and urban ecosystems experience excess N deposition that can have cascading effects on plants and soils. Foliar δ15N has been shown to increase with increasing N deposition and nitrification rates suggesting increased foliar δ15N occurs with greater N inputs as a result of accelerated soil N cycling. Thus, foliar δ15N can be an indication of soil N availability for plant uptake and soil N cycling rates, since high N availability results in increased soil N cycling and subsequent loss of 14N. Limited research has utilized foliar and soil δ15N in urban forests to assess the importance of plant uptake of atmospheric N deposition and to gain insight about ecosystem processes. Previous investigations found foliar δ15N of mature trees in urban forests is not only related to elevated pollutant-derived N deposition, but also to soil N availability and soil N cycling rates. Similarly, enriched foliar δ15N of urban saplings was attributed to soil characteristics that indicated higher nitrification, thus, greater nitrate leaching and low N retention in the urban soils. These studies demonstrate the need for measuring the δ15N of various plant and soil N sources while simultaneously measuring soil N processes (e.g., net nitrification rates) in order to use natural abundance δ15N of plants and soils to assess N sources and cycling in urban forests. A conceptual framework that illustrates biogenic and anthropogenic controls on nitrogen isotope composition in urban plants and soils will be presented along with foliar and soil δ15N from urban forests across several cities as a proof of

  17. Tunable deformation modes shape contractility in active biopolymer networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stam, Samantha; Banerjee, Shiladitya; Weirich, Kim; Freedman, Simon; Dinner, Aaron; Gardel, Margaret

    Biological polymer-based materials remodel under active, molecular motor-driven forces to perform diverse physiological roles, such as force transmission and spatial self-organization. Critical to understanding these biomaterials is elucidating the role of microscopic polymer deformations, such as stretching, bending, buckling, and relative sliding, on material remodeling. Here, we report that the shape of motor-driven deformations can be used to identify microscopic deformation modes and determine how they propagate to longer length scales. In cross-linked actin networks with sufficiently low densities of the motor protein myosin II, microscopic network deformations are predominantly uniaxial, or dominated by sliding. However, longer-wavelength modes are mostly biaxial, or dominated by bending and buckling, indicating that deformations with uniaxial shapes do not propagate across length scales significantly larger than that of individual polymers. As the density of myosin II is increased, biaxial modes dominate on all length scales we examine due to buildup of sufficient stress to produce smaller-wavelength buckling. In contrast, when we construct networks from unipolar, rigid actin bundles, we observe uniaxial, sliding-based contractions on 1 to 100 μm length scales. Our results demonstrate the biopolymer mechanics can be used to tune deformation modes which, in turn, control shape changes in active materials.

  18. Biochemical transformation of lignin for deriving valued commodities from lignocellulose

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gall, Daniel L.; Ralph, John; Donohue, Timothy J.

    The biochemical properties of lignin present major obstacles to deriving societally beneficial entities from lignocellulosic biomass, an abundant and renewable feedstock. Similar to other biopolymers such as polysaccharides, polypeptides, and ribonucleic acids, lignin polymers are derived from multiple types of monomeric units. However, lignin’s renowned recalcitrance is largely attributable to its racemic nature and the variety of covalent inter-unit linkages through which its aromatic monomers are linked. Indeed, unlike other biopolymers whose monomers are consistently inter-linked by a single type of covalent bond, the monomeric units in lignin are linked via non-enzymatic, combinatorial radical coupling reactions that give rise tomore » a variety of inter-unit covalent bonds in mildly branched racemic polymers. Yet, despite the chemical complexity and stability of lignin, significant strides have been made in recent years to identify routes through which valued commodities can be derived from it. This paper discusses emerging biological and biochemical means through which degradation of lignin to aromatic monomers can lead to the derivation of commercially valuable products.« less

  19. Biochemical transformation of lignin for deriving valued commodities from lignocellulose

    DOE PAGES

    Gall, Daniel L.; Ralph, John; Donohue, Timothy J.; ...

    2017-03-24

    The biochemical properties of lignin present major obstacles to deriving societally beneficial entities from lignocellulosic biomass, an abundant and renewable feedstock. Similar to other biopolymers such as polysaccharides, polypeptides, and ribonucleic acids, lignin polymers are derived from multiple types of monomeric units. However, lignin’s renowned recalcitrance is largely attributable to its racemic nature and the variety of covalent inter-unit linkages through which its aromatic monomers are linked. Indeed, unlike other biopolymers whose monomers are consistently inter-linked by a single type of covalent bond, the monomeric units in lignin are linked via non-enzymatic, combinatorial radical coupling reactions that give rise tomore » a variety of inter-unit covalent bonds in mildly branched racemic polymers. Yet, despite the chemical complexity and stability of lignin, significant strides have been made in recent years to identify routes through which valued commodities can be derived from it. This paper discusses emerging biological and biochemical means through which degradation of lignin to aromatic monomers can lead to the derivation of commercially valuable products.« less

  20. Isotope-abundance variations of selected elements (IUPAC technical report)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Coplen, T.B.; Böhlke, J.K.; De Bievre, P.; Ding, T.; Holden, N.E.; Hopple, J.A.; Krouse, H.R.; Lamberty, A.; Peiser, H.S.; Revesz, K.; Rieder, S.E.; Rosman, K.J.R.; Roth, E.; Taylor, P.D.P.; Vocke, R.D.; Xiao, Y.K.

    2002-01-01

    Documented variations in the isotopic compositions of some chemical elements are responsible for expanded uncertainties in the standard atomic weights published by the Commission on Atomic Weights and Isotopic Abundances of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. This report summarizes reported variations in the isotopic compositions of 20 elements that are due to physical and chemical fractionation processes (not due to radioactive decay) and their effects on the standard atomic-weight uncertainties. For 11 of those elements (hydrogen, lithium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, silicon, sulfur, chlorine, copper, and selenium), standard atomic-weight uncertainties have been assigned values that are substantially larger than analytical uncertainties because of common isotope-abundance variations in materials of natural terrestrial origin. For 2 elements (chromium and thallium), recently reported isotope-abundance variations potentially are large enough to result in future expansion of their atomic-weight uncertainties. For 7 elements (magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, molybdenum, palladium, and tellurium), documented isotope variations in materials of natural terrestrial origin are too small to have a significant effect on their standard atomic-weight uncertainties. This compilation indicates the extent to which the atomic weight of an element in a given material may differ from the standard atomic weight of the element. For most elements given above, data are graphically illustrated by a diagram in which the materials are specified in the ordinate and the compositional ranges are plotted along the abscissa in scales of (1) atomic weight, (2) mole fraction of a selected isotope, and (3) delta value of a selected isotope ratio.

  1. Book review: A new view on the species abundance distribution

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    DeAngelis, Donald L.

    2018-01-01

    The sampled relative abundances of species of a taxonomic group, whether birds, trees, or moths, in a natural community at a particular place vary in a way that suggests a consistent underlying pattern, referred to as the species abundance distribution (SAD). Preston [1] conjectured that the numbers of species, plotted as a histogram of logarithmic abundance classes called octaves, seemed to fit a lognormal distribution; that is, the histograms look like normal distributions, although truncated on the left-hand, or low-species-abundance, end. Although other specific curves for the SAD have been proposed in the literature, Preston’s lognormal distribution is widely cited in textbooks and has stimulated attempts at explanation. An important aspect of Preston’s lognormal distribution is the ‘veil line’, a vertical line drawn exactly at the point of the left-hand truncation in the distribution, to the left of which would be species missing from the sample. Dewdney rejects the lognormal conjecture. Instead, starting with the long-recognized fact that the number of species sampled from a community, when plotted as histograms against population abundance, resembles an inverted J, he presents a mathematical description of an alternative that he calls the ‘J distribution’, a hyperbolic density function truncated at both ends. When multiplied by species richness, R, it becomes the SAD of the sample.

  2. Abundance of large old trees in wood-pastures of Transylvania (Romania).

    PubMed

    Hartel, Tibor; Hanspach, Jan; Moga, Cosmin I; Holban, Lucian; Szapanyos, Árpád; Tamás, Réka; Hováth, Csaba; Réti, Kinga-Olga

    2018-02-01

    Wood-pastures are special types of agroforestry systems that integrate trees with livestock grazing. Wood pastures can be hotspots for large old tree abundance and have exceptional natural values; but they are declining all over Europe. While presence of large old trees in wood-pastures can provide arguments for their maintenance, actual data on their distribution and abundance are sparse. Our study is the first to survey large old trees in Eastern Europe over such a large area. We surveyed 97 wood-pastures in Transylvania (Romania) in order to (i) provide a descriptive overview of the large old tree abundance; and (ii) to explore the environmental determinants of the abundance and persistence of large old trees in wood-pastures. We identified 2520 large old trees belonging to 16 taxonomic groups. Oak was present in 66% of the wood-pastures, followed by beech (33%), hornbeam (24%) and pear (22%). For each of these four species we constructed a generalized linear model with quasi-Poisson error distribution to explain individual tree abundance. Oak trees were most abundant in large wood-pastures and in wood-pastures from the Saxon cultural region of Transylvania. Beech abundance related positively to elevation and to proximity of human settlements. Abundance of hornbeam was highest in large wood-pastures, in wood-pastures from the Saxon cultural region, and in places with high cover of adjacent forest and a low human population density. Large old pear trees were most abundant in large wood-pastures that were close to paved roads. The maintenance of large old trees in production landscapes is a challenge for science, policy and local people, but it also can serve as an impetus for integrating economic, ecological and social goals within a landscape. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Interactive association between biopolymers and biofunctions in carinata seeds as energy feedstock and their coproducts (carinata meal) from biofuel and bio-oil processing before and after biodegradation: current advanced molecular spectroscopic investigations.

    PubMed

    Yu, Peiqiang; Xin, Hangshu; Ban, Yajing; Zhang, Xuewei

    2014-05-07

    Recent advances in biofuel and bio-oil processing technology require huge supplies of energy feedstocks for processing. Very recently, new carinata seeds have been developed as energy feedstocks for biofuel and bio-oil production. The processing results in a large amount of coproducts, which are carinata meal. To date, there is no systematic study on interactive association between biopolymers and biofunctions in carinata seed as energy feedstocks for biofuel and bioethanol processing and their processing coproducts (carinata meal). Molecular spectroscopy with synchrotron and globar sources is a rapid and noninvasive analytical technique and is able to investigate molecular structure conformation in relation to biopolymer functions and bioavailability. However, to date, these techniques are seldom used in biofuel and bioethanol processing in other research laboratories. This paper aims to provide research progress and updates with molecular spectroscopy on the energy feedstock (carinata seed) and coproducts (carinata meal) from biofuel and bioethanol processing and show how to use these molecular techniques to study the interactive association between biopolymers and biofunctions in the energy feedstocks and their coproducts (carinata meal) from biofuel and bio-oil processing before and after biodegradation.

  4. Can Occupancy–Abundance Models Be Used to Monitor Wolf Abundance?

    PubMed Central

    Latham, M. Cecilia; Latham, A. David M.; Webb, Nathan F.; Mccutchen, Nicole A.; Boutin, Stan

    2014-01-01

    Estimating the abundance of wild carnivores is of foremost importance for conservation and management. However, given their elusive habits, direct observations of these animals are difficult to obtain, so abundance is more commonly estimated from sign surveys or radio-marked individuals. These methods can be costly and difficult, particularly in large areas with heavy forest cover. As an alternative, recent research has suggested that wolf abundance can be estimated from occupancy–abundance curves derived from “virtual” surveys of simulated wolf track networks. Although potentially more cost-effective, the utility of this approach hinges on its robustness to violations of its assumptions. We assessed the sensitivity of the occupancy–abundance approach to four assumptions: variation in wolf movement rates, changes in pack cohesion, presence of lone wolves, and size of survey units. Our simulations showed that occupancy rates and wolf pack abundances were biased high if track surveys were conducted when wolves made long compared to short movements, wolf packs were moving as multiple hunting units as opposed to a cohesive pack, and lone wolves were moving throughout the surveyed landscape. We also found that larger survey units (400 and 576 km2) were more robust to changes in these factors than smaller survey units (36 and 144 km2). However, occupancy rates derived from large survey units rapidly reached an asymptote at 100% occupancy, suggesting that these large units are inappropriate for areas with moderate to high wolf densities (>15 wolves/1,000 km2). Virtually-derived occupancy–abundance relationships can be a useful method for monitoring wolves and other elusive wildlife if applied within certain constraints, in particular biological knowledge of the surveyed species needs to be incorporated into the design of the occupancy surveys. Further, we suggest that the applicability of this method could be extended by directly incorporating some of its

  5. Active biopolymer film based on carboxymethyl cellulose and ascorbic acid for food preservation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Halim, Al Luqman Abdul; Kamari, Azlan

    2017-05-01

    In the present study, an active biopolymer film based on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and ascorbic acid (AA) was synthesised at an incorporation rate of 15% (w/w). Several analytical instruments such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR), Thermogravimetry Analyser (TGA), UV-Visible Spectrophotometer (UV-Vis), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Universal Testing Machine were used to characterise the physical and chemical properties of CMC-AA film. The addition of AA significantly reduced elongation at break (322%) and tensile strength (10 MPa) of CMC-AA film. However, CMC-AA film shows a better antimicrobial property against two bacteria, namely Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) as compared to CMC film. The CMC-AA film was able to preserve cherry tomato with low weight loss and browning index. Overall, results from this study highlight the feasibility of CSAA film for food preservation.

  6. Advanced textile materials and biopolymers in wound management.

    PubMed

    Petrulyte, Salvinija

    2008-02-01

    New generation medical textiles are an important growing field with great expansion in wound management products. Virtually new products are coming but also well known materials with significantly improved properties using advanced technologies and new methods are in the centre of research which are highly technical, technological, functional, and effective oriented. The key qualities of fibres and dressings as wound care products include that they are bacteriostatic, anti-viral, fungistatic, non-toxic, high absorbent, non-allergic, breathable, haemostatic, biocompatible, and manipulatable to incorporate medications, also provide reasonable mechanical properties. Many advantages over traditional materials have products modified or blended with also based on alginate, chitin/chitosan, collagen, branan ferulate, carbon fibres. Textile structures used for modern wound dressings are of large variety: sliver, yarn, woven, non-woven, knitted, crochet, braided, embroidered, composite materials. Wound care also applies to materials like hydrogels, matrix (tissue engineering), films, hydrocolloids, foams. Specialized additives with special functions can be introduced in advanced wound dressings with the aim to absorb odours, provide strong antibacterial properties, smooth pain and relieve irritation. Because of unique properties as high surface area to volume ratio, film thinness, nano scale fibre diameter, porosity, light weight, nanofibres are used in wound care. The aim of this study is to outline and review the latest developments and advance in medical textiles and biopolymers for wound management providing the overview with generalized scope about novelties in products and properties.

  7. Abundance of non-native crabs in intertidal habitats of New England with natural and artificial structure

    PubMed Central

    Lovely, Christina M.; Judge, Michael L.

    2015-01-01

    Marine habitats containing complex physical structure (e.g., crevices) can provide shelter from predation for benthic invertebrates. To examine effects of natural and artificial structure on the abundance of intertidal juvenile crabs, 2 experiments were conducted in Kingston Bay, Massachusetts, USA, from July to September, 2012. In the first experiment, structure was manipulated in a two-factor design that was placed in the high intertidal for 3 one-week periods to test for both substrate type (sand vs. rock) and the presence or absence of artificial structure (mesh grow-out bags used in aquaculture, ∼0.5 m2 with 62 mm2 mesh openings). The Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus, and small individuals of the green crab, Carcinus maenas, were observed only in the treatments of rocks and mesh bag plus rocks. Most green crabs were small (<6 mm in carapace width) whereas H. sanguineus occurred in a wide range of sizes. In the second experiment, 3 levels of oyster-shell treatments were established using grow-out bags placed on a muddy sand substrate in the low intertidal zone: mesh grow-out bags without shells, grow-out bags with oyster shells, and grow-out bags containing live oysters. Replicate bags were deployed weekly for 7 weeks in a randomized complete block design. All crabs collected in the bags were juvenile C. maenas (1–15 mm carapace width), and numbers of crabs differed 6-fold among treatments, with most crabs present in bags with live oysters (29.5 ± 10.6 m−2 [mean ± S.D.]) and fewest in bags without shells (4.9 ± 3.7 m−2). Both C. maenas and H. sanguineus occurred in habitats with natural structure (cobble rocks). The attraction of juvenile C. maenas to artificial structure consisting of plastic mesh bags containing both oyster shells and living oysters could potentially impact oyster aquaculture operations. PMID:26401456

  8. Use of Natural Antimicrobial Peptides and Bacterial Biopolymers for Cultured Pearl Production

    PubMed Central

    Simon-Colin, Christelle; Gueguen, Yannick; Bachere, Evelyne; Kouzayha, Achraf; Saulnier, Denis; Gayet, Nicolas; Guezennec, Jean

    2015-01-01

    Cultured pearls are the product of grafting and rearing of Pinctada margaritifera pearl oysters in their natural environment. Nucleus rejections and oyster mortality appear to result from bacterial infections or from an inappropriate grafting practice. To reduce the impact of bacterial infections, synthetic antibiotics have been applied during the grafting practice. However, the use of such antibiotics presents a number of problems associated with their incomplete biodegradability, limited efficacy in some cases, and an increased risk of selecting for antimicrobial resistant bacteria. We investigated the application of a marine antimicrobial peptide, tachyplesin, which is present in the Japanese horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus, in combination with two marine bacterial exopolymers as alternative treatment agents. In field studies, the combination treatment resulted in a significant reduction in graft failures vs. untreated controls. The combination of tachyplesin (73 mg/L) with two bacterial exopolysaccharides (0.5% w/w) acting as filming agents, reduces graft-associated bacterial contamination. The survival data were similar to that reported for antibiotic treatments. These data suggest that non-antibiotic treatments of pearl oysters may provide an effective means of improving oyster survival following grafting procedures. PMID:26110895

  9. Estimation of phenotypic variability in symbiotic nitrogen fixation ability of common bean under drought stress using 15N natural abundance in grain.

    PubMed

    Polania, Jose; Poschenrieder, Charlotte; Rao, Idupulapati; Beebe, Stephen

    2016-09-01

    Common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important food legume, cultivated by small farmers and is usually exposed to unfavorable conditions with minimum use of inputs. Drought and low soil fertility, especially phosphorus and nitrogen (N) deficiencies, are major limitations to bean yield in smallholder systems. Beans can derive part of their required N from the atmosphere through symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF). Drought stress severely limits SNF ability of plants. The main objectives of this study were to: (i) test and validate the use of 15 N natural abundance in grain to quantify phenotypic differences in SNF ability for its implementation in breeding programs of common bean with bush growth habit aiming to improve SNF, and (ii) quantify phenotypic differences in SNF under drought to identify superior genotypes that could serve as parents. Field studies were conducted at CIAT-Palmira, Colombia using a set of 36 bean genotypes belonging to the Middle American gene pool for evaluation in two seasons with two levels of water supply (irrigated and drought stress). We used 15 N natural abundance method to compare SNF ability estimated from shoot tissue sampled at mid-pod filling growth stage vs. grain tissue sampled at harvest. Our results showed positive and significant correlation between nitrogen derived from the atmosphere (%Ndfa) estimated using shoot tissue at mid-pod filling and %Ndfa estimated using grain tissue at harvest. Both methods showed phenotypic variability in SNF ability under both drought and irrigated conditions and a significant reduction in SNF ability was observed under drought stress. We suggest that the method of estimating Ndfa using grain tissue (Ndfa-G) could be applied in bean breeding programs to improve SNF ability. Using this method of Ndfa-G, we identified four bean lines (RCB 593, SEA 15, NCB 226 and BFS 29) that combine greater SNF ability with greater grain yield under drought stress and these could serve as potential

  10. Determination of microbial carbon sources and cycling during remediation of petroleum hydrocarbon impacted soil using natural abundance (14)C analysis of PLFA.

    PubMed

    Cowie, Benjamin R; Greenberg, Bruce M; Slater, Gregory F

    2010-04-01

    In a petroleum impacted land-farm soil in Sarnia, Ontario, compound-specific natural abundance radiocarbon analysis identified biodegradation by the soil microbial community as a major pathway for hydrocarbon removal in a novel remediation system. During remediation of contaminated soils by a plant growth promoting rhizobacteria enhanced phytoremediation system (PEPS), the measured Delta(14)C of phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) biomarkers ranged from -793 per thousand to -897 per thousand, directly demonstrating microbial uptake and utilization of petroleum hydrocarbons (Delta(14)C(PHC) = -1000 per thousand). Isotopic mass balance indicated that more than 80% of microbial PLFA carbon was derived from petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) and a maximum of 20% was obtained from metabolism of more modern carbon sources. These PLFA from the contaminated soils were the most (14)C-depleted biomarkers ever measured for an in situ environmental system, and this study demonstrated that the microbial community in this soil was subsisting primarily on petroleum hydrocarbons. In contrast, the microbial community in a nearby uncontaminated control soil maintained a more modern Delta(14)C signature than total organic carbon (Delta(14)C(PLFA) = +36 per thousand to -147 per thousand, Delta(14)C(TOC) = -148 per thousand), indicating preferential consumption of the most modern plant-derived fraction of soil organic carbon. Measurements of delta(13)C and Delta(14)C of soil CO(2) additionally demonstrated that mineralization of PHC contributed to soil CO(2) at the contaminated site. The CO(2) in the uncontaminated control soil exhibited substantially more modern Delta(14)C values, and lower soil CO(2) concentrations than the contaminated soils, suggesting increased rates of soil respiration in the contaminated soils. In combination, these results demonstrated that biodegradation in the soil microbial community was a primary pathway of petroleum hydrocarbon removal in the PEPS system. This study

  11. Biocompatible ionic liquid-biopolymer electrolyte-enabled thin and compact magnesium-air batteries.

    PubMed

    Jia, Xiaoteng; Yang, Yang; Wang, Caiyun; Zhao, Chen; Vijayaraghavan, R; MacFarlane, Douglas R; Forsyth, Maria; Wallace, Gordon G

    2014-12-10

    With the surge of interest in miniaturized implanted medical devices (IMDs), implantable power sources with small dimensions and biocompatibility are in high demand. Implanted battery/supercapacitor devices are commonly packaged within a case that occupies a large volume, making miniaturization difficult. In this study, we demonstrate a polymer electrolyte-enabled biocompatible magnesium-air battery device with a total thickness of approximately 300 μm. It consists of a biocompatible polypyrrole-para(toluene sulfonic acid) cathode and a bioresorbable magnesium alloy anode. The biocompatible electrolyte used is made of choline nitrate (ionic liquid) embedded in a biopolymer, chitosan. This polymer electrolyte is mechanically robust and offers a high ionic conductivity of 8.9 × 10(-3) S cm(-1). The assembled battery delivers a maximum volumetric power density of 3.9 W L(-1), which is sufficient to drive some types of IMDs, such as cardiac pacemakers or biomonitoring systems. This miniaturized, biocompatible magnesium-air battery may pave the way to a future generation of implantable power sources.

  12. Rapid communication: Computational simulation and analysis of a candidate for the design of a novel silk-based biopolymer.

    PubMed

    Golas, Ewa I; Czaplewski, Cezary

    2014-09-01

    This work theoretically investigates the mechanical properties of a novel silk-derived biopolymer as polymerized in silico from sericin and elastin-like monomers. Molecular Dynamics simulations and Steered Molecular Dynamics were the principal computational methods used, the latter of which applies an external force onto the system and thereby enables an observation of its response to stress. The models explored herein are single-molecule approximations, and primarily serve as tools in a rational design process for the preliminary assessment of properties in a new material candidate. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. A Computational Framework for High-Throughput Isotopic Natural Abundance Correction of Omics-Level Ultra-High Resolution FT-MS Datasets

    PubMed Central

    Carreer, William J.; Flight, Robert M.; Moseley, Hunter N. B.

    2013-01-01

    New metabolomics applications of ultra-high resolution and accuracy mass spectrometry can provide thousands of detectable isotopologues, with the number of potentially detectable isotopologues increasing exponentially with the number of stable isotopes used in newer isotope tracing methods like stable isotope-resolved metabolomics (SIRM) experiments. This huge increase in usable data requires software capable of correcting the large number of isotopologue peaks resulting from SIRM experiments in a timely manner. We describe the design of a new algorithm and software system capable of handling these high volumes of data, while including quality control methods for maintaining data quality. We validate this new algorithm against a previous single isotope correction algorithm in a two-step cross-validation. Next, we demonstrate the algorithm and correct for the effects of natural abundance for both 13C and 15N isotopes on a set of raw isotopologue intensities of UDP-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine derived from a 13C/15N-tracing experiment. Finally, we demonstrate the algorithm on a full omics-level dataset. PMID:24404440

  14. Studies of minute quantities of natural abundance molecules using 2D heteronuclear correlation spectroscopy under 100kHz MAS

    DOE PAGES

    Nishiyama, Y.; Kobayashi, T.; Malon, M.; ...

    2015-02-16

    Two-dimensional 1H{ 13C} heteronuclear correlation solid-state NMR spectra of naturally abundant solid materials are presented, acquired using the 0.75-mm magic angle spinning (MAS) probe at spinning rates up to 100 kHz. In spite of the miniscule sample volume (290 nL), high-quality HSQC-type spectra of bulk samples as well as surface-bound molecules can be obtained within hours of experimental time. The experiments are compared with those carried out at 40 kHz MAS using a 1.6-mm probe, which offered higher overall sensitivity due to a larger rotor volume. The benefits of ultrafast MAS in such experiments include superior resolution in 1H dimensionmore » without resorting to 1H– 1H homonuclear RF decoupling, easy optimization, and applicability to mass-limited samples. As a result, the HMQC spectra of surface-bound species can be also acquired under 100 kHz MAS, although the dephasing of transverse magnetization has significant effect on the efficiency transfer under MAS alone.« less

  15. Solar Flare Abundances of Potassium, Argon, and Sulphur

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Oegerle, William (Technical Monitor); Phillips, K. J. H.; Sylwester, J.; Sylwester, B.; Landi, E.

    2003-01-01

    The absolute coronal abundances of potassium has been determined for the first time from X-ray solar flare line and continuous spectra together with absolute and relative abundances of Ar and S. Potassium is of importance in the continuing debate concerning the nature of the coronal/photospheric element abundance ratios which are widely considered to depend on first ionization potential since it has the lowest FIP of any common element in the Sun. The measurements were obtained with the RESIK crystal spectrometer on the Coronas-F spacecraft. A differential emission measure DEM = const. x exp (-(beta)T(sub e) was found to be the most consistent with the data out of three models considered. We find that the coronal ratio [K/H] = 3.7 x 10(exp - 7), a factor 3 times photospheric, in agreement with other observations using line-to-line ratios. Our measured value for the coronal ratio [Ar/H] = 1.5 x 10(exp -6) is significantly less than photospheric, indicating that there is a slight depletion of this high-FIP element in the corona. For S (an intermediate-FIP element) we obtained [S/H] = 2.2 x 10(exp - 5), approximately the same as in previous work.

  16. NEON AND OXYGEN ABUNDANCES AND ABUNDANCE RATIO IN THE SOLAR CORONA

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Landi, E.; Testa, P., E-mail: elandi@umich.edu

    2015-02-20

    In this work we determine the Ne/O abundance ratio from Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)/Solar Ultraviolet Measurement of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) off-disk observations of quiescent streamers over the 1996-2008 period. We find that the Ne/O ratio is approximately constant over solar cycle 23 from 1996 to 2005, at a value of 0.099 ± 0.017; this value is lower than the transition region determinations from the quiet Sun used to infer the neon photospheric abundance from the oxygen photospheric abundance. Also, the Ne/O ratio we determined from SUMER is in excellent agreement with in situ determinations from ACE/SWICS. In 2005-2008, the Ne/O abundancemore » ratio increased with time and reached 0.25 ± 0.05, following the same trend found in the slowest wind analyzed by ACE/SWICS. Further, we measure the absolute abundance in the corona for both oxygen and neon from the data set of 1996 November 22, obtaining A {sub o} = 8.99 ± 0.04 and A {sub Ne} = 7.92 ± 0.03, and we find that both elements are affected by the first ionization potential (FIP) effect, with oxygen being enhanced by a factor of 1.4-2.1 over its photospheric abundance, and neon being changed by a factor of 0.75-1.20. We conclude that the Ne/O ratio is not constant in the solar atmosphere, both in time and at different heights, and that it cannot be reliably used to infer the neon abundance in the photosphere. Also, we argue that the FIP effect was less effective during the minimum of solar cycle 24, and that the Ne/O = 0.25 ± 0.05 value measured at that time is closer to the true photospheric value, leading to a neon photospheric abundance larger than assumed by ≈40%. We discuss the implications of these results for the solar abundance problem, for the FIP effect, and for the identification of the source regions of the solar wind.« less

  17. Probing the structure and function of biopolymer-carbon nanotube hybrids with molecular dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnson, Robert R.

    2009-12-01

    Nanoscience deals with the characterization and manipulation of matter on the atomic/molecular size scale in order to deepen our understanding of condensed matter and develop revolutionary technology. Meeting the demands of the rapidly advancing nanotechnological frontier requires novel, multifunctional nanoscale materials. Among the most promising nanomaterials to fulfill this need are biopolymer-carbon nanotube hybrids (Bio-CNT). Bio-CNT consists of a single-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) coated with a self-assembled layer of biopolymers such as DNA or protein. Experiments have demonstrated that these nanomaterials possess a wide range of technologically useful properties with applications in nanoelectronics, medicine, homeland security, environmental safety and microbiology. However, a fundamental understanding of the self-assembly mechanics, structure and energetics of Bio-CNT is lacking. The objective of this thesis is to address this deficiency through molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, which provides an atomic-scale window into the behavior of this unique nanomaterial. MD shows that Bio-CNT composed of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) self-assembles via the formation of high affinity contacts between DNA bases and the CNT sidewall. Calculation of the base-CNT binding free energy by thermodynamic integration reveals that these contacts result from the attractive pi--pi stacking interaction. Binding affinities follow the trend G > A > T > C. MD reveals that long ssDNA sequences are driven into a helical wrapping about CNT with a sub-10 nm pitch by electrostatic and torsional interactions in the backbone. A large-scale replica exchange molecular dynamics simulation reveals that ssDNA-CNT hybrids are disordered. At room temperature, ssDNA can reside in several low-energy conformations that contain a sequence-specific arrangement of bases detached from CNT surface. MD demonstrates that protein-CNT hybrids composed of the Coxsackie-adenovirus receptor are biologically

  18. Possibilities for Pedagogy in Further Education: Harnessing the Abundance of Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ivanic, Roz; Edwards, Richard; Satchwell, Candice; Smith, June

    2007-01-01

    In this report, it is argued that the most salient factor in the contemporary communicative landscape is the sheer abundance and diversity of possibilities for literacy, and that the extent and nature of students' communicative resources is a central issue in education. The text outlines the conceptual underpinnings of the Literacies for Learning…

  19. Actinide abundances in ordinary chondrites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hagee, B.; Bernatowicz, T. J.; Podosek, F. A.; Johnson, M. L.; Burnett, D. S.

    1990-01-01

    Measurements of actinide and light REE (LREE) abundances and of phosphate abundances in equilibrated ordinary chondrites were obtained and were used to define the Pu abundance in the solar system and to determine the degree of variation of actinide and LREE abundances. The results were also used to compare directly the Pu/U ratio with the earlier obtained ratio determined indirectly, as (Pu/Nd)x(Nd/U), assuming that Pu behaves chemically as a LREE. The data, combined with high-accuracy isotope-dilution data from the literature, show that the degree of gram-scale variability of the Th, U, and LREE abundances for equilibrated ordinary chondrites is a factor of 2-3 for absolute abundances and up to 50 percent for relative abundances. The observed variations are interpreted as reflecting the differences in the compositions and/or proportions of solar nebula components accreted to ordinary chondrite parent bodies.

  20. Estimation of biological nitrogen fixation by black locust in short-rotation forests using natural 15N abundance method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Veste, M.; Böhm, C.; Quinckenstein, A.; Freese, D.

    2012-04-01

    The importance of short rotation forests and agroforestry systems for woody biomass production for bioenergy will increase in Central Europe within the next decades. In this context, black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) has a high growth potential especially at marginal, drought-susceptible sites such as occur in Brandenburg State (Eastern Germany). As a pioneer tree species black locust grows under a wide range of site conditions. The native range of black locust in Northern America is classified by a humid to sub-humid climate with a mean annual precipitation of 1020 to 1830 mm. In Central and Eastern Europe, this species is cultivated in a more continental climate with an annual precipitation often below 600 mm. Therefore, black locust is known to be relatively drought tolerant compared to other temperate, deciduous tree species. Because of its N2-fixation ability black locust plays generally an important role for the improvement of soil fertility. This effect is of particular interest at marginal sites in the post-mining landscapes. In order to estimate the N2-fixation potential of black locust at marginal sites leaf samples were taken from black locust trees in short rotation plantations planted between 1995 and 2007 in post-mining sites south of Cottbus (Brandenburg, NE Germany). The variation of the natural 15N abundance was measured to evaluate the biological nitrogen fixation. The nitrogen derived from the atmosphere can be calculated using a two-pool model from the quotient of the natural 15N abundances of the N2-fixing plant and the plant available soil N. Because representatively determining the plant available soil N is difficult, a non-N2-fixing reference plant growing at the same site with a similar root system and temporal N uptake pattern to the N2-fixing plant is often used. In our case we used red oak (Quercus rubra) as a reference. The average nitrogen content in the leaves of black locust ranged from 3.1% (C/N 14.8) in 15 years old trees to 3

  1. Nitrate dynamics in natural plants: insights based on the concentration and natural isotope abundances of tissue nitrate

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Xue-Yan; Koba, Keisuke; Makabe, Akiko; Liu, Cong-Qiang

    2014-01-01

    The dynamics of nitrate (NO−3), a major nitrogen (N) source for natural plants, has been studied mostly through experimental N addition, enzymatic assay, isotope labeling, and genetic expression. However, artificial N supply may not reasonably reflect the N strategies in natural plants because NO−3 uptake and reduction may vary with external N availability. Due to abrupt application and short operation time, field N addition, and isotopic labeling hinder the elucidation of in situ NO−3-use mechanisms. The concentration and natural isotopes of tissue NO−3 can offer insights into the plant NO−3 sources and dynamics in a natural context. Furthermore, they facilitate the exploration of plant NO−3 utilization and its interaction with N pollution and ecosystem N cycles without disturbing the N pools. The present study was conducted to review the application of the denitrifier method for concentration and isotope analyses of NO−3 in plants. Moreover, this study highlights the utility and advantages of these parameters in interpreting NO−3 sources and dynamics in natural plants. We summarize the major sources and reduction processes of NO−3 in plants, and discuss the implications of NO−3 concentration in plant tissues based on existing data. Particular emphasis was laid on the regulation of soil NO−3 and plant ecophysiological functions in interspecific and intra-plant NO−3 variations. We introduce N and O isotope systematics of NO−3 in plants and discuss the principles and feasibilities of using isotopic enrichment and fractionation factors; the correlation between concentration and isotopes (N and O isotopes: δ18O and Δ17O); and isotope mass-balance calculations to constrain sources and reduction of NO−3 in possible scenarios for natural plants are deliberated. Finally, we offer a preliminary framework of intraplant δ18O-NO−3 variation, and summarize the uncertainties in using tissue NO−3 parameters to interpret plant NO−3 utilization

  2. Nitrate dynamics in natural plants: insights based on the concentration and natural isotope abundances of tissue nitrate.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xue-Yan; Koba, Keisuke; Makabe, Akiko; Liu, Cong-Qiang

    2014-01-01

    The dynamics of nitrate (NO(-) 3), a major nitrogen (N) source for natural plants, has been studied mostly through experimental N addition, enzymatic assay, isotope labeling, and genetic expression. However, artificial N supply may not reasonably reflect the N strategies in natural plants because NO(-) 3 uptake and reduction may vary with external N availability. Due to abrupt application and short operation time, field N addition, and isotopic labeling hinder the elucidation of in situ NO(-) 3-use mechanisms. The concentration and natural isotopes of tissue NO(-) 3 can offer insights into the plant NO(-) 3 sources and dynamics in a natural context. Furthermore, they facilitate the exploration of plant NO(-) 3 utilization and its interaction with N pollution and ecosystem N cycles without disturbing the N pools. The present study was conducted to review the application of the denitrifier method for concentration and isotope analyses of NO(-) 3 in plants. Moreover, this study highlights the utility and advantages of these parameters in interpreting NO(-) 3 sources and dynamics in natural plants. We summarize the major sources and reduction processes of NO(-) 3 in plants, and discuss the implications of NO(-) 3 concentration in plant tissues based on existing data. Particular emphasis was laid on the regulation of soil NO(-) 3 and plant ecophysiological functions in interspecific and intra-plant NO(-) 3 variations. We introduce N and O isotope systematics of NO(-) 3 in plants and discuss the principles and feasibilities of using isotopic enrichment and fractionation factors; the correlation between concentration and isotopes (N and O isotopes: δ(18)O and Δ(17)O); and isotope mass-balance calculations to constrain sources and reduction of NO(-) 3 in possible scenarios for natural plants are deliberated. Finally, we offer a preliminary framework of intraplant δ(18)O-NO(-) 3 variation, and summarize the uncertainties in using tissue NO(-) 3 parameters to interpret

  3. Biopolymer protected silver nanoparticles on the support of carbon nanotube as interface for electrocatalytic applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Satyanarayana, M.; Kumar, V. Sunil; Gobi, K. Vengatajalabathy

    2016-04-01

    In this research, silver nanoparticles (SNPs) are prepared on the surface of carbon nanotubes via chitosan, a biopolymer linkage. Here chitosan act as stabilizing agent for nanoparticles and forms a network on the surface of carbon nanotubes. Synthesized silver nanoparticles-MWCNT hybrid composite is characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, XRD analysis, and FESEM with EDS to evaluate the structural and chemical properties of the nanocomposite. The electrocatalytic activity of the fabricated SNP-MWCNT hybrid modified glassy carbon electrode has been evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance analysis. The silver nanoparticles are of size ˜35 nm and are well distributed on the surface of carbon nanotubes with chitosan linkage. The prepared nanocomposite shows efficient electrocatalytic properties with high active surface area and excellent electron transfer behaviour.

  4. How binarity affect the abundance discrepancy in planetary nebulae

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    García-Rojas, J.; Monteiro, H.; Jones, D.; Boffin, H.; Wesson, R.; Corradi, R.; Rodríguez-Gil, P.

    2017-11-01

    The discrepancy between chemical abundances computed using optical recombination lines (ORLs) and collisionally excited lines (CELs) is a major unresolved problem in nebular astrophysics, with significant implications for the determination of chemical abundances throughout the Universe. In planetary nebulae (PNe), a common explanation of this discrepancy is that two different gas phases coexist: a hot component with standard metallicity, and a much cooler plasma with a highly enhanced content of heavy elements. This dual nature is not predicted by mass loss theories, and observational support for it is still weak. We present recent findings which show that the largest abundance discrepancies (ADs) are reached in PNe with close binary central stars. Our last long-slit spectroscopic studies as well as direct imaging of the gas in the faint O II ORLs and high spatial resolution IFU spectroscopy support the fact that probably two different gas phases coexist in these nebulae and that high ADs should be explained in a framework of binary evolution. Although the exact scenario is still not understood, a promising proposal is that nova-like ejecta have a crucial role in the strong ORL emission in these objects.

  5. Influence of Compositional Variations on Floc Size and Strength

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yin, H.; Tan, X.; Reed, A. H.; Furukawa, Y.; Zhang, G.

    2010-12-01

    Clay-biopolymer micro aggregates or flocs are abundant in waters, including rivers, lakes, and oceans. Owing to their small size and charged surfaces, fine-grained inorganic sediment particles, mainly clays, interact actively with organic substances, such as organic matter and biogenic polymers, to form aggregates or flocs, typically in the size of 10-1000 μm. The flocs in ocean waters are also termed “marine snow”. These flocs are typically porous, tenuous, and soft in nature. During transport in suspension, they may breakdown and decrease in size if the turbulent shear stress exceeds their strength. They may also collide and form larger ones if the shear stress is relatively small. Since flocs of different size and structure settle at different velocities, understanding their strength is also of essential importance for sediment hydrodynamics, transport, and management. Our study focuses on investigating the influence of compositional variations on floc size and strength so that a better understanding of floc dynamics can be achieved. A laser diffraction-based Cilas® particle size and shape analyzer with controllable fluid circulation velocity was employed to conduct floc size measurements and shape imaging, the latter achieved by a high resolution inverted optical microscope, which is also installed with the size analyzer. Totally two clay minerals, kaolinite and illite, were tested as the model inorganic solid skeleton minerals for floc formation, and two biopolymers, anionic xanthan gum and neutral guar gum, were chosen as analogs of naturally occurring organic matter or biopolymers to simulate clay-biopolymer floc formation. Moreover, the concentration of both organic and inorganic phases was varied. The floc breakage or tensile strength was indirectly estimated by the varied fluid flow velocity in the particle size analyzer’s circulation system. For each individual composition, stable flocs were formed by three different fluid circulating velocities

  6. Structural, mechanical and electrical properties biopolymer blend nanocomposites derived from poly (vinyl alcohol)/cashew gum/magnetite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramesan, M. T.; Jayakrishnan, P.; Manojkumar, T. K.; Mathew, G.

    2018-01-01

    Blending of poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) and natural biopolymers such as cashew gum (CG) with magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles has been a promising way for preparing bio-degradable polymeric blend nanocomposites. PVA/CG/Fe3O4 blend nanocomposites have been prepared by a simple solution casting technique using water as the green solvent. The characterization of blend nanocomposites has been carried out by using Fourier transform infrared, UV, x-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, mechanical properties and electrical conductivity. The interaction between nanoparticles and the blend segments was confirmed from the shift in characteristic absorption peaks of nanocomposites compared to PVA/CG blend. XRD analysis has shown the presence of crystalline peaks of nanoparticles in the blend matrix. The uniform distribution of Fe3O4 nanoparticles in the blend was revealed by TEM and SEM. The strong interaction of nanoparticles with the blend has been confirmed by the increase in glass transition temperature resulting from the reduced flexibility of the blend nanocomposite compared to that of the blend system. An increase in thermal stability and tensile strength and reduction in elongation at break of nanocomposites have been noticed with the increasing loading of nanoparticles. The AC electrical conductivity, dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the nanocomposites have been found to be higher than that of the blend. Generally, it can be stated that the magnetite nanoparticles acts as a potential filler in the PVA/CG blend at 7 wt% loading, giving the best balance of properties.

  7. Oxygen abundances in halo stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bessell, Michael S.; Sutherland, Ralph S.; Ruan, Kui

    1991-12-01

    The present study determines the oxygen abundance for a sample of metal-poor G dwarfs by analysis of OH lines between 3080 and 3200 A and the permitted high-excitation far-red O I triple. The oxygen abundances determined from the low-excitation OH lines are up to 0.55 dex lower than those measured from the high-excitation O I lines. The abundances for the far-red O I triplet lines agree with those rederived from Abia and Rebolo (1989), and the abundances from the OH lines in dwarfs and giants are in agreement with the rederived O abundances of Barbuy (1988) and others from the forbidden resonance O I line. Because the chi = 0.1.7 eV OH lines are formed in the same layers as the majority of Fe, Ti, and other neutral metal lines used for abundance analyses, it is argued that the OH lines and the forbidden O I line yield the true oxygen abundances relative to the metals.

  8. Synthetic and Biopolymer Gels - Similarities and Difference.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Horkay, Ferenc

    2006-03-01

    Ion exchange plays a central role in a variety of physiological processes, such as nerve excitation, muscle contraction and cell locomotion. Hydrogels can be used as model systems for identifying fundamental chemical and physical interactions that govern structure formation, phase transition, etc. in biopolymer systems. Polyelectrolyte gels are particularly well-suited to study ion-polymer interactions because their structure and physical-chemical properties (charge density, crosslink density, etc) can be carefully controlled. They are sensitive to different external stimuli such as temperature, ionic composition and pH. Surprisingly few investigations have been made on polyelectrolyte gels in salt solutions containing both monovalent and multivalent cations. We have developed an experimental approach that combines small angle neutron scattering and osmotic swelling pressure measurements. The osmotic pressure exerted on a macroscopic scale is a consequence of changes occurring at a molecular level. The intensity of the neutron scattering signal, which provides structural information as a function of spatial resolution, is directly related to the osmotic pressure. We have found a striking similarity in the scattering and osmotic behavior of polyacrylic acid gels and DNA gels swollen in nearly physiological salt solutions. Addition of calcium ions to both systems causes a sudden volume change. This volume transition, which occurs when the majority of the sodium counterions are replaced by calcium ions, is reversible. Such reversibility implies that the calcium ions are not strongly bound by the polyanion, but are free to move along the polymer chain, which allows these ions to form temporary bridges between negative charges on adjacent chains. Mechanical measurements reveal that the elastic modulus is practically unchanged in the calcium-containing gels, i.e., ion bridging is qualitatively different from covalent crosslinks.

  9. Tipping Points in Resource Abundance Drive Irreversible Changes in Community Structure.

    PubMed

    Haney, Seth D; Siepielski, Adam M

    2018-05-01

    Global climate change has made what were seemingly extraordinary environmental conditions, such as prolonged droughts, commonplace. One consequence of extreme environmental change is concomitant changes in resource abundance. How will such extreme resource changes impact biodiversity? We developed a trait-based consumer-resource model to examine how resource abundance affects the potential for adaptive evolution and coexistence among competitors. We found that moderate changes in resource abundance have little effect on trait evolution. However, when resource scarcities were sufficiently extreme, a critical transition-a tipping point-occurred, which caused consumer traits to diverge and restructured the community in a way that outlasted the scarcity. Therefore, even though traits can evolve in response to minor resource fluctuations, large environmental shifts may be necessary for producing long-lasting impacts on community structure. These results may also help to illuminate patterns of stasis frequently observed in nature, despite the considerable evidence demonstrating rapid evolutionary change.

  10. Regulation of infection efficiency in a globally abundant marine Bacteriodetes virus

    DOE PAGES

    Howard-Varona, Cristina; Roux, Simon; Dore, Hugo; ...

    2016-05-17

    Microbes impact human health and disease, industrial processes and natural ecosystems, but do so under the influence of viruses. Problematically, knowledge of viral infection efficiencies and outcomes (e.g. lysis, lysogeny) derives from few model systems that over-represent efficient, lytic infections and under-represent virus-host natural diversity. Here we sought to understand how infection efficiency is regulated in an environmental Bacteroidetes virus that represents a globally abundant viral group and has drastically different infection efficiencies when infecting two nearly identical bacterial strains. To this end, we quantified bacterial virus (phage) and host DNA, transcripts and phage particles throughout the infection of bothmore » bacterial hosts. While the phage transcriptome was similar during both infections, host transcriptional differences appeared to have altered infection efficiency. Specifically, host transcriptomes suggested that the phage failed to repress early host expression in the inefficient nfection, thereby allowing the host to respond against infection by delaying phage DNA replication and protein translation. Further measurements showed that phage DNA and particle production were delayed (by >30 minutes) and reduced (by >50%) in the inefficient versus efficient infection as the host over-expressed DNA degradation genes and under-expressed translation genes, respectively. Together these results suggest that multiple levels of regulation can impact infection efficiencies as failure to repress host transcription allowed the host to defend against both phage DNA and protein production. Given that this phage type is ubiquitous and abundant in the global oceans and that variably efficient viral infections are likely common in any ecosystem with varying phage-host abundances and physiological states, these data provide a critically needed foundation for understanding and modeling viral infection efficiency in nature.« less

  11. Regulation of infection efficiency in a globally abundant marine Bacteriodetes virus

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Howard-Varona, Cristina; Roux, Simon; Dore, Hugo

    Microbes impact human health and disease, industrial processes and natural ecosystems, but do so under the influence of viruses. Problematically, knowledge of viral infection efficiencies and outcomes (e.g. lysis, lysogeny) derives from few model systems that over-represent efficient, lytic infections and under-represent virus-host natural diversity. Here we sought to understand how infection efficiency is regulated in an environmental Bacteroidetes virus that represents a globally abundant viral group and has drastically different infection efficiencies when infecting two nearly identical bacterial strains. To this end, we quantified bacterial virus (phage) and host DNA, transcripts and phage particles throughout the infection of bothmore » bacterial hosts. While the phage transcriptome was similar during both infections, host transcriptional differences appeared to have altered infection efficiency. Specifically, host transcriptomes suggested that the phage failed to repress early host expression in the inefficient nfection, thereby allowing the host to respond against infection by delaying phage DNA replication and protein translation. Further measurements showed that phage DNA and particle production were delayed (by >30 minutes) and reduced (by >50%) in the inefficient versus efficient infection as the host over-expressed DNA degradation genes and under-expressed translation genes, respectively. Together these results suggest that multiple levels of regulation can impact infection efficiencies as failure to repress host transcription allowed the host to defend against both phage DNA and protein production. Given that this phage type is ubiquitous and abundant in the global oceans and that variably efficient viral infections are likely common in any ecosystem with varying phage-host abundances and physiological states, these data provide a critically needed foundation for understanding and modeling viral infection efficiency in nature.« less

  12. On the statistical mechanics of species abundance distributions.

    PubMed

    Bowler, Michael G; Kelly, Colleen K

    2012-09-01

    A central issue in ecology is that of the factors determining the relative abundance of species within a natural community. The proper application of the principles of statistical physics to species abundance distributions (SADs) shows that simple ecological properties could account for the near universal features observed. These properties are (i) a limit on the number of individuals in an ecological guild and (ii) per capita birth and death rates. They underpin the neutral theory of Hubbell (2001), the master equation approach of Volkov et al. (2003, 2005) and the idiosyncratic (extreme niche) theory of Pueyo et al. (2007); they result in an underlying log series SAD, regardless of neutral or niche dynamics. The success of statistical mechanics in this application implies that communities are in dynamic equilibrium and hence that niches must be flexible and that temporal fluctuations on all sorts of scales are likely to be important in community structure. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Development of pH-responsive biopolymer-silica composites loaded with Larrea divaricata Cav. extract with antioxidant activity.

    PubMed

    Alvarez Echazú, María Inés; Olivetti, Christian Ezequiel; Peralta, Ignacio; Alonso, Maria Rosario; Anesini, Claudia; Perez, Claudio Javier; Alvarez, Gisela Solange; Desimone, Martin Federico

    2018-05-07

    A detailed study of biomaterials is mandatory to comprehend their feasible biomedical applications in terms of drug delivery and tissue regeneration. Particularly, mucoadhesive biopolymers such as chitosan (chi) and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) have become interesting biomaterials regards to their biocompatibility and non-toxicity for oral mucosal drug delivery. In this work, pH-responsive biopolymer-silica composites (Chi-SiO 2 , Chi-CMC-SiO 2 ) were developed. These two types of composites presented a different swelling behavior due to the environmental pH. Moreover, the nanocomposites were loaded with aqueous Larrea divaricata Cav. extract (Ld), a South American plant which presents antioxidant properties suitable for the treatment of gingivoperiodontal diseases. Chi-CMC-SiO 2 composites showed the highest incorporation and reached the 100% of extract release in almost 4 days while they preserved their antioxidant properties. In this study, thermal and swelling behavior were pointed out to show the distinct water-composite interaction and therefore to evaluate their mucoadhesivity. Furthermore, a cytotoxicity test with 3T3 fibroblasts was assessed, showing that in both composites the addition of Larrea divaricata Cav. extract increased fibroblast proliferation. Lastly, preliminary in vitro studies were performed with simulated body fluids. Indeed, SEM-EDS analysis indicated that only chi-SiO 2 composite may provide an environment for possible biomineralization while the addition of CMC to the composites discouraged calcium accumulation. In conclusion, the development of bioactive composites could promote the regeneration of periodontal tissue damaged throughout periodontal disease and the presence of silica nanoparticles could provide an environment for biomineralization. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Characterization of the mechanical properties of tough biopolymer fibres from the mussel byssus of Aulacomya ater.

    PubMed

    Troncoso, O P; Torres, F G; Grande, C J

    2008-07-01

    Byssus fibres are tough biopolymer fibres produced by mussels to attach themselves to rocks. In this communication, we present the mechanical properties of the byssus from the South American mussel Aulacomya ater which have not been previously reported in the literature. The mechanical properties of the whole threads were assessed by uniaxial tensile tests of dry and hydrated specimens. Elastoplastic and elastomeric stress-strain curves were found for byssal threads from A. ater in the dry and hydrated state, respectively. The results obtained from mechanical tests were modelled using linear, power-law-type and Mooney-Rivlin relationships. These methods for dealing with tensile measurements of mussel byssus have the potential to be used with other stretchy biomaterials.

  15. Potential retention effect at fish farms boosts zooplankton abundance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fernandez-Jover, D.; Toledo-Guedes, K.; Valero-Rodríguez, J. M.; Fernandez-Gonzalez, V.; Sanchez-Jerez, P.

    2016-11-01

    Coastal aquaculture activities influence wild macrofauna in natural environments due to the introduction of artificial structures, such as floating cages, that provide structural complexity in the pelagic system. This alters the abundance and distribution of the affected species and also their feeding behaviour and diet. Despite this, the effects of coastal aquaculture on zooplankton assemblages and the potential changes in their abundance and distribution remain largely unstudied. Traditional plankton sampling hauls between the farm mooring systems entail some practical difficulties. As an alternative, light traps were deployed at 2 farms in the SW Mediterranean during a whole warm season. Total zooplankton capture by traps at farms was higher than at control locations on every sampling night. It ranged from 3 to 10 times higher for the taxonomic groups: bivalvia, cladocera, cumacea, fish early-life-stages, gastropoda, polychaeta and tanaidacea; 10-20 times higher for amphipoda, chaetognatha, isopoda, mysidacea and ostracoda, and 22 times higher for copepoda and the crustacean juvenile stages zoea and megalopa. Permutational analysis showed significant differences for the most abundant zooplankton groups (copepoda, crustacean larvae, chaetognatha, cladocera, mysidacea and polychaeta). This marked incremental increase in zooplankton taxa at farms was consistent, irrespective of the changing environmental variables registered every night. Reasons for the greater abundance of zooplankton at farms are discussed, although results suggest a retention effect caused by cage structures rather than active attraction through physical or chemical cues.

  16. Stellar Oxygen Abundances

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    King, Jeremy

    1994-04-01

    This dissertation addresses several issues concerning stellar oxygen abundances. The 7774 {\\AA} O I triplet equivalent widths of Abia & Rebolo [1989, AJ, 347, 186] for metal-poor dwarfs are found to be systematically too high. I also argue that current effective temperatures used in halo star abundance studies may be ~150 K too low. New color-Teff relations are derived for metal-poor stars. Using the revised Teff values and improved equivalent widths for the 7774A O I triplet, the mean [O/Fe] ratio for a handful of halo stars is found to be +0.52 with no dependence on Teff or [Fe/H]. Possible cosmological implications of the hotter Teff scale are discussed along with additional evidence supporting the need for a higher temperature scale for metal-poor stars. Our Teff scale leads to a Spite Li plateau value of N(Li)=2.28 +/- 0.09. A conservative minimal primordial value of N(Li)=2.35 is inferred. If errors in the observations and models are considered, consistency with standard models of Big Bang nucleosynthesis is still achieved with this larger Li abundance. The revised Teff scale raises the observed B/Be ratio of HD 140283 from 10 to 12, making its value more comfortably consistent with the production of the observed B and Be by ordinary spallation. Our Teff values are found to be in good agreement with values predicted from both the Victoria and Yale isochrone color-Teff relations. Thus, it appears likely that no changes in globular cluster ages would result. Next, we examine the location of the break in the [O/Fe] versus [Fe/H] plane in a quantitative fashion. Analysis of a relatively homogeneous data set does not favor any unique break point in the range -1.7 /= -3), in agreement with the new results for halo dwarfs. We find that the gap in the observed [O/H] distribution, noted by Wheeler et al

  17. Critical evaluation of 13C natural abundance techniques to partition soil-surface CO2 efflux

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Snell, H.; Midwood, A. J.; Robinson, D.

    2013-12-01

    Soil is the largest terrestrial store of carbon and the flux of CO2 from soils to the atmosphere is estimated at around 98 Pg (98 billion tonnes) of carbon per year. The CO2 efflux from the soil surface is derived from plant root and rhizosphere respiration (autotrophically fuelled) and microbial degradation of soil organic matter (heterotrophic respiration). Heterotrophic respiration is a key determinant of an ecosystem's long-term C balance, but one that is difficult to measure in the field. One approach involves partitioning the total soil-surface CO2 efflux between heterotrophic and autotrophic components; this can be done using differences in the natural abundance stable isotope ratios (δ13C) of autotrophic and heterotrophic CO2 as the end-members of a simple mixing model. In most natural, temperate ecosystems, current and historical vegetation cover (and therefore also plant-derived soil organic matter) is produced from C3 photosynthesis so the difference in δ13C between the autotrophic and heterotrophic CO2 sources is small. Successful partitioning therefore requires accurate and precise measurements of the δ13CO2 of the autotrophic and heterotrophic end-members (obtained by measuring the δ13CO2 of soil-free roots and root-free soil) and of total soil CO2 efflux. There is currently little consensus on the optimum measurement protocols. Here we systematically tested some of the most commonly used techniques to identify and minimise methodological errors. Using soil-surface chambers to sample total CO2 efflux and a cavity ring-down spectrometer to measure δ13CO2 in a partitioning study on a Scottish moorland, we found that: using soil-penetrating collars leads to a more depleted chamber measurement of total soil δ13CO2 as a result of severing roots and fungal hyphae or equilibrating with δ13CO2 at depth or both; root incubations provide an accurate estimate of in-situ root respired δ13CO2 provided they are sampled within one hour; the δ13CO2 from root

  18. Luminescence properties of femtosecond-laser-activated silver oxide nanoparticles embedded in a biopolymer matrix

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gleitsmann, T.; Bernhardt, T. M.; Wöste, L.

    2006-01-01

    Strong visible luminescence is observed from silver clusters generated by femtosecond-laser-induced reduction of silver oxide nanoparticles embedded in a polymeric gelatin matrix. Light emission from the femtosecond-laser-activated matrix areas considerably exceeds the luminescence intensity of similarly activated bare silver oxide nanoparticle films. Optical spectroscopy of the activated polymer films supports the assignment of the emissive properties to the formation of small silver clusters under focused femtosecond-laser irradiation. The size of the photogenerated clusters is found to sensitively depend on the laser exposure time, eventually leading to the formation of areas of metallic silver in the biopolymer matrix. In this case, luminescence can still be observed in the periphery of the metallic silver structures, emphasizing the importance of the organic matrix for the stabilization of the luminescent nanocluster structures at the metal matrix interface.

  19. Rodent Abundance and Hantavirus Infection in Protected Area, East-Central Argentina

    PubMed Central

    Maroli, Malena; Vadell, María Victoria; Padula, Paula

    2018-01-01

    We captured 3 hantavirus rodent hosts in Otamendi Natural Reserve, Argentina, during 2007–2012. Hantavirus antibodies were found only in Akodon azarae grass mice, mainly in males and old animals. Higher abundance of this species was associated with warm and rainy weather and high water levels, which peaked after a strong El Niño event. PMID:29260665

  20. Seasonal variation in species composition and abundance of demersal fish and invertebrates in a Seagrass Natural Reserve on the eastern coast of the Shandong Peninsula, China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Qiang; Guo, Dong; Zhang, Peidong; Zhang, Xiumei; Li, Wentao; Wu, Zhongxin

    2016-03-01

    Seagrass habitats are structurally complex ecosystems, which support high productivity and biodiversity. In temperate systems the density of seagrass may change seasonally, and this may influence the associated fish and invertebrate community. Little is known about the role of seagrass beds as possible nursery areas for fish and invertebrates in China. To study the functioning of a seagrass habitat in northern China, demersal fish and invertebrates were collected monthly using traps, from February 2009 to January 2010. The density, leaf length and biomass of the dominant seagrass Zostera marina and water temperature were also measured. The study was conducted in a Seagrass Natural Reserve (SNR) on the eastern coast of the Shandong Peninsula, China. A total of 22 fish species and five invertebrate species were recorded over the year. The dominant fish species were Synechogobius ommaturus, Sebastes schlegelii, Pholis fangi, Pagrus major and Hexagrammos otakii and these species accounted for 87% of the total number of fish. The dominant invertebrate species were Charybdis japonica and Octopus variabilis and these accounted for 98% of the total abundance of invertebrates. There was high temporal variation in species composition and abundance. The peak number of fish species occurred in August-October 2009, while the number of individual fish and biomass was highest during November 2009. Invertebrate numbers and biomass was highest in March, April, July and September 2009. Temporal changes in species abundance of fishes and invertebrates corresponded with changes in the shoot density and leaf length of the seagrass, Zostera marina.

  1. Snake venoms are integrated systems, but abundant venom proteins evolve more rapidly.

    PubMed

    Aird, Steven D; Aggarwal, Shikha; Villar-Briones, Alejandro; Tin, Mandy Man-Ying; Terada, Kouki; Mikheyev, Alexander S

    2015-08-28

    abundance, which are likely correlated with biosynthetic costs, we hypothesize that as a result of natural selection, snakes optimize return on energetic investment by producing more of venom proteins that increase their fitness. Natural selection then acts on the additive genetic variance of these components, in proportion to their contributions to overall fitness. Adaptive evolution of venoms may occur most rapidly through changes in expression levels that alter fitness contributions, and thus the strength of selection acting on specific secretome components.

  2. N-15 NMR spectra of naturally abundant nitrogen in soil and aquatic natural organic matter samples of the International Humic Substances Society

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thorn, K.A.; Cox, L.G.

    2009-01-01

    The naturally abundant nitrogen in soil and aquatic NOM samples from the International Humic Substances Society has been characterized by solid state CP/MAS 15N NMR. Soil samples include humic and fulvic acids from the Elliot soil, Minnesota Waskish peat and Florida Pahokee peat, as well as the Summit Hill soil humic acid and the Leonardite humic acid. Aquatic samples include Suwannee River humic, fulvic and reverse osmosis isolates, Nordic humic and fulvic acids and Pony Lake fulvic acid. Additionally, Nordic and Suwannee River XAD-4 acids and Suwannee River hydrophobic neutral fractions were analyzed. Similar to literature reports, amide/aminoquinone nitrogens comprised the major peaks in the solid state spectra of the soil humic and fulvic acids, along with heterocyclic and amino sugar/terminal amino acid nitrogens. Spectra of aquatic samples, including the XAD-4 acids, contain resolved heterocyclic nitrogen peaks in addition to the amide nitrogens. The spectrum of the nitrogen enriched, microbially derived Pony Lake, Antarctica fulvic acid, appeared to contain resonances in the region of pyrazine, imine and/or pyridine nitrogens, which have not been observed previously in soil or aquatic humic substances by 15N NMR. Liquid state 15N NMR experiments were also recorded on the Elliot soil humic acid and Pony Lake fulvic acid, both to examine the feasibility of the techniques, and to determine whether improvements in resolution over the solid state could be realized. For both samples, polarization transfer (DEPT) and indirect detection (1H-15N gHSQC) spectra revealed greater resolution among nitrogens directly bonded to protons. The amide/aminoquinone nitrogens could also be observed by direct detection experiments.

  3. Volatile-bearing phases in carbonaceous chondrites: Compositions, modal abundance, and reaction kinetics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ganguly, Jibamitra

    1990-01-01

    The spectral and density characteristics of Phobos and Deimos (the two small natural satellites of Mars) strongly suggest that a significant fraction of the near-earth asteroids are made of carbonaceous chondrites, which are rich in volatile components and, thus, could serve as potential resources for propellants and life supporting systems in future planetary missions. However, in order to develop energy efficient engineering designs for the extraction of volatiles, knowledge of the nature and modal abundance of the minerals in which the volatiles are structurally bound and appropriate kinetic data on the rates of the devolatilization reactions is required. Theoretical calculations to predict the modal abundances and compositions of the major volatile-bearing and other mineral phases that could develop in the bulk compositions of C1 and C2 classes (the most volatile rich classes among the carbonaceous chondrites) were performed as functions of pressure and temperature. The rates of dehydration of talc at 585, 600, 637, and 670 C at P(total) = 1 bar were determine for the reaction: Talc = 3 enstatite + quartz + water. A scanning electron microscopic study was conducted to see if the relative abundance of phases can be determined on the basis of the spectral identification and x ray mapping. The results of this study and the other studies within the project are discussed.

  4. The role of geography and host abundance in the distribution of parasitoids of an alien pest

    PubMed Central

    Nováková, Petra; Holuša, Jaroslav

    2016-01-01

    Chalcid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) are probably the most effective and abundant parasitoids of the horse chestnut leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella), an alien pest in Europe that lacks specialized enemies. We studied how the species richness and abundance of chalcids are influenced by altitude, direction of an alien spread and host abundance of C. ohridella. We quantified the numbers and species richness of chalcid wasps and the numbers of C. ohridella that emerged from horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) leaf litter samples collected from 35 sites in the Czech Republic. Species richness of chalcids, which was considered an indicator of the possible adaptation of parasitoids to this alien host, was unrelated to C. ohridella abundance, direction of spread, or altitude. Chalcid abundance, which was considered an indicator of parasitism of the alien host, was strongly and positively related to C. ohridella abundance. Chalcid abundance was negatively related to direction of spread and positively related, although in a non-linear manner, to altitude. The relationship of chalcid abundance with direction of spread and altitude was weaker than that with C. ohridella abundance. The results provide evidence that biological control of the alien pest C. ohridella by natural enemies might develop in the future. PMID:26819849

  5. Diet and condition of mesopredators on coral reefs in relation to shark abundance

    PubMed Central

    Meekan, Mark G.; Meeuwig, Jessica J.

    2017-01-01

    Reef sharks may influence the foraging behaviour of mesopredatory teleosts on coral reefs via both risk effects and competitive exclusion. We used a “natural experiment” to test the hypothesis that the loss of sharks on coral reefs can influence the diet and body condition of mesopredatory fishes by comparing two remote, atoll-like reef systems, the Rowley Shoals and the Scott Reefs, in northwestern Australia. The Rowley Shoals are a marine reserve where sharks are abundant, whereas at the Scott Reefs numbers of sharks have been reduced by centuries of targeted fishing. On reefs where sharks were rare, the gut contents of five species of mesopredatory teleosts largely contained fish while on reefs with abundant sharks, the same mesopredatory species consumed a larger proportion of benthic invertebrates. These measures of diet were correlated with changes in body condition, such that the condition of mesopredatory teleosts was significantly poorer on reefs with higher shark abundance. Condition was defined as body weight, height and width for a given length and also estimated via several indices of condition. Due to the nature of natural experiments, alternative explanations cannot be discounted. However, the results were consistent with the hypothesis that loss of sharks may influence the diet and condition of mesopredators and by association, their fecundity and trophic role. Regardless of the mechanism (risk effects, competitive release, or other), our findings suggest that overfishing of sharks has the potential to trigger trophic cascades on coral reefs and that further declines in shark populations globally should be prevented to protect ecosystem health. PMID:28422965

  6. Diet and condition of mesopredators on coral reefs in relation to shark abundance.

    PubMed

    Barley, Shanta C; Meekan, Mark G; Meeuwig, Jessica J

    2017-01-01

    Reef sharks may influence the foraging behaviour of mesopredatory teleosts on coral reefs via both risk effects and competitive exclusion. We used a "natural experiment" to test the hypothesis that the loss of sharks on coral reefs can influence the diet and body condition of mesopredatory fishes by comparing two remote, atoll-like reef systems, the Rowley Shoals and the Scott Reefs, in northwestern Australia. The Rowley Shoals are a marine reserve where sharks are abundant, whereas at the Scott Reefs numbers of sharks have been reduced by centuries of targeted fishing. On reefs where sharks were rare, the gut contents of five species of mesopredatory teleosts largely contained fish while on reefs with abundant sharks, the same mesopredatory species consumed a larger proportion of benthic invertebrates. These measures of diet were correlated with changes in body condition, such that the condition of mesopredatory teleosts was significantly poorer on reefs with higher shark abundance. Condition was defined as body weight, height and width for a given length and also estimated via several indices of condition. Due to the nature of natural experiments, alternative explanations cannot be discounted. However, the results were consistent with the hypothesis that loss of sharks may influence the diet and condition of mesopredators and by association, their fecundity and trophic role. Regardless of the mechanism (risk effects, competitive release, or other), our findings suggest that overfishing of sharks has the potential to trigger trophic cascades on coral reefs and that further declines in shark populations globally should be prevented to protect ecosystem health.

  7. Impact of amylases on biopolymer dynamics during storage of straight-dough wheat bread.

    PubMed

    Bosmans, Geertrui M; Lagrain, Bert; Fierens, Ellen; Delcour, Jan A

    2013-07-03

    When Bacillus stearothermophilus α-amylase (BStA), Pseudomonas saccharophila α-amylase (PSA), or Bacillus subtilis α-amylase (BSuA) was added to a bread recipe to impact bread firming, amylose crystal formation was facilitated, leading to lower initial crumb resilience. Bread loaves that best retained their quality were those obtained when BStA was used. The enzyme hindered formation of an extended starch network, resulting in less water immobilization and smaller changes in crumb firmness and resilience. BSuA led to extensive degradation of the starch network during bread storage with release of immobilized water, eventually resulting in partial structure collapse and poor crumb resilience. The most important effect of PSA was an increased bread volume, resulting in smaller changes in crumb firmness and resilience. A negative linear relation was found between NMR proton mobilities of water and biopolymers in the crumb and crumb firmness. The slope of that relation gave an indication of the strength of the starch network.

  8. The Abundance of Pink-Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophs in the Root Zone of Plant Species in Invaded Coastal Sage Scrub Habitat

    PubMed Central

    Irvine, Irina C.; Brigham, Christy A.; Suding, Katharine N.; Martiny, Jennifer B. H.

    2012-01-01

    Pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria (PPFMs) are associated with the roots, leaves and seeds of most terrestrial plants and utilize volatile C1 compounds such as methanol generated by growing plants during cell division. PPFMs have been well studied in agricultural systems due to their importance in crop seed germination, yield, pathogen resistance and drought stress tolerance. In contrast, little is known about the PPFM abundance and diversity in natural ecosystems, let alone their interactions with non-crop species. Here we surveyed PPFM abundance in the root zone soil of 5 native and 5 invasive plant species along ten invasion gradients in Southern California coastal sage scrub habitat. PPFMs were present in every soil sample and ranged in abundance from 102 to 105 CFU/g dry soil. This abundance varied significantly among plant species. PPFM abundance was 50% higher in the root zones of annual or biennial species (many invasives) than perennial species (all natives). Further, PPFM abundance appears to be influenced by the plant community beyond the root zone; pure stands of either native or invasive species had 50% more PPFMs than mixed species stands. In sum, PPFM abundance in the root zone of coastal sage scrub plants is influenced by both the immediate and surrounding plant communities. The results also suggest that PPFMs are a good target for future work on plant-microorganism feedbacks in natural ecosystems. PMID:22383990

  9. The abundance of pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs in the root zone of plant species in invaded coastal sage scrub habitat.

    PubMed

    Irvine, Irina C; Brigham, Christy A; Suding, Katharine N; Martiny, Jennifer B H

    2012-01-01

    Pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria (PPFMs) are associated with the roots, leaves and seeds of most terrestrial plants and utilize volatile C(1) compounds such as methanol generated by growing plants during cell division. PPFMs have been well studied in agricultural systems due to their importance in crop seed germination, yield, pathogen resistance and drought stress tolerance. In contrast, little is known about the PPFM abundance and diversity in natural ecosystems, let alone their interactions with non-crop species. Here we surveyed PPFM abundance in the root zone soil of 5 native and 5 invasive plant species along ten invasion gradients in Southern California coastal sage scrub habitat. PPFMs were present in every soil sample and ranged in abundance from 10(2) to 10(5) CFU/g dry soil. This abundance varied significantly among plant species. PPFM abundance was 50% higher in the root zones of annual or biennial species (many invasives) than perennial species (all natives). Further, PPFM abundance appears to be influenced by the plant community beyond the root zone; pure stands of either native or invasive species had 50% more PPFMs than mixed species stands. In sum, PPFM abundance in the root zone of coastal sage scrub plants is influenced by both the immediate and surrounding plant communities. The results also suggest that PPFMs are a good target for future work on plant-microorganism feedbacks in natural ecosystems.

  10. Abundance estimation and conservation biology

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Nichols, J.D.; MacKenzie, D.I.

    2004-01-01

    Abundance is the state variable of interest in most population–level ecological research and in most programs involving management and conservation of animal populations. Abundance is the single parameter of interest in capture–recapture models for closed populations (e.g., Darroch, 1958; Otis et al., 1978; Chao, 2001). The initial capture–recapture models developed for partially (Darroch, 1959) and completely (Jolly, 1965; Seber, 1965) open populations represented efforts to relax the restrictive assumption of population closure for the purpose of estimating abundance. Subsequent emphases in capture–recapture work were on survival rate estimation in the 1970’s and 1980’s (e.g., Burnham et al., 1987; Lebreton et al.,1992), and on movement estimation in the 1990’s (Brownie et al., 1993; Schwarz et al., 1993). However, from the mid–1990’s until the present time, capture–recapture investigators have expressed a renewed interest in abundance and related parameters (Pradel, 1996; Schwarz & Arnason, 1996; Schwarz, 2001). The focus of this session was abundance, and presentations covered topics ranging from estimation of abundance and rate of change in abundance, to inferences about the demographic processes underlying changes in abundance, to occupancy as a surrogate of abundance. The plenary paper by Link & Barker (2004) is provocative and very interesting, and it contains a number of important messages and suggestions. Link & Barker (2004) emphasize that the increasing complexity of capture–recapture models has resulted in large numbers of parameters and that a challenge to ecologists is to extract ecological signals from this complexity. They offer hierarchical models as a natural approach to inference in which traditional parameters are viewed as realizations of stochastic processes. These processes are governed by hyperparameters, and the inferential approach focuses on these hyperparameters. Link & Barker (2004) also suggest that our attention

  11. OXYGEN ABUNDANCES IN CEPHEIDS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Luck, R. E.; Andrievsky, S. M.; Korotin, S. N.

    2013-07-01

    Oxygen abundances in later-type stars, and intermediate-mass stars in particular, are usually determined from the [O I] line at 630.0 nm, and to a lesser extent, from the O I triplet at 615.7 nm. The near-IR triplets at 777.4 nm and 844.6 nm are strong in these stars and generally do not suffer from severe blending with other species. However, these latter two triplets suffer from strong non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) effects and thus see limited use in abundance analyses. In this paper, we derive oxygen abundances in a large sample of Cepheids using the near-IR triplets from an NLTEmore » analysis, and compare those abundances to values derived from a local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) analysis of the [O I] 630.0 nm line and the O I 615.7 nm triplet as well as LTE abundances for the 777.4 nm triplet. All of these lines suffer from line strength problems making them sensitive to either measurement complications (weak lines) or to line saturation difficulties (strong lines). Upon this realization, the LTE results for the [O I] lines and the O I 615.7 nm triplet are in adequate agreement with the abundance from the NLTE analysis of the near-IR triplets.« less

  12. Biopolymer protected silver nanoparticles on the support of carbon nanotube as interface for electrocatalytic applications

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Satyanarayana, M.; Kumar, V. Sunil; Gobi, K. Vengatajalabathy, E-mail: drkvgobi@gmail.com, E-mail: satyam.nitw@gmail.com

    In this research, silver nanoparticles (SNPs) are prepared on the surface of carbon nanotubes via chitosan, a biopolymer linkage. Here chitosan act as stabilizing agent for nanoparticles and forms a network on the surface of carbon nanotubes. Synthesized silver nanoparticles-MWCNT hybrid composite is characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, XRD analysis, and FESEM with EDS to evaluate the structural and chemical properties of the nanocomposite. The electrocatalytic activity of the fabricated SNP-MWCNT hybrid modified glassy carbon electrode has been evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance analysis. The silver nanoparticles are of size ∼35 nm and are well distributed on the surface ofmore » carbon nanotubes with chitosan linkage. The prepared nanocomposite shows efficient electrocatalytic properties with high active surface area and excellent electron transfer behaviour.« less

  13. Partitioning nitrogen losses by natural abundance nitrogen isotope composition in a process-based statistical modelling framework

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dong, Ning; Wright, Ian; Prentice, Iain Colin

    2017-04-01

    Natural abundance of the stable isotope 15N is an under-utilized resource for research on the global terrestrial nitrogen cycle. Mass balance considerations suggest that if reactive N inputs have a roughly constant isotopic signature, soil δ15N should be mainly determined by the fraction of N losses by leaching - which barely discriminates against 15N - versus gaseous N losses, which discriminate strongly against 15N. We defined simple process-oriented functions of runoff (frunoff) and soil temperature (ftemp) and investigated the dependencies of soil and foliage δ15N (from global compilations of both types of measurement) on their ratio. Both plant and soil δ15N were found to systematically increase with ftemp/frunoff. Consistent with previous analyses, foliage δ15N was offset (more negative) with respect to soil δ15N, with significant differences in this offset between (from largest to smallest offset) ericoid, ectomycorrhizal, arbuscular mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal associated plants. δ15N values tend to be large and positive in the driest environments and to decline as frunoff increases, while also being lower in cold environments and increasing as ftemp increases. The fitted statistical model was used to estimate the gaseous fraction of total N losses from ecosystems (fgas) on a global grid basis. In common with earlier results, the largest values of fgas are predicted in the tropics and semi-arid subtropics. This analysis provides an indirectly estimated global mapping of fgas, which could be used as an improved benchmark for terrestrial nitrogen cycle models.

  14. High-resolution abundance analysis of HD 140283

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Siqueira-Mello, C.; Andrievsky, S. M.; Barbuy, B.; Spite, M.; Spite, F.; Korotin, S. A.

    2015-12-01

    Context. HD 140283 is a reference subgiant that is metal poor and confirmed to be a very old star. The element abundances of this type of old star can constrain the nature and nucleosynthesis processes that occurred in its (even older) progenitors. The present study may shed light on nucleosynthesis processes yielding heavy elements early in the Galaxy. Aims: A detailed analysis of a high-quality spectrum is carried out, with the intent of providing a reference on stellar lines and abundances of a very old, metal-poor subgiant. We aim to derive abundances from most available and measurable spectral lines. Methods: The analysis is carried out using high-resolution (R = 81 000) and high signal-to-noise ratio (800 abundances for 26 elements, and NLTE calculations for the species C i, O i, Na i, Mg i, Al i, K i, Ca i, Sr ii, and Ba ii lines. Results: The abundance analysis provided an extensive line list suitable for metal-poor subgiant stars. The results for Li, CNO, α-, and iron peak elements are in good agreement with literature. The newly NLTE Ba abundance, along with a NLTE Eu correction and a 3D Ba correction from literature, leads to [Eu/Ba] = + 0.59 ± 0.18. This result confirms a dominant r-process contribution, possibly together with a very small contribution from the main s-process, to the neutron-capture elements in HD 140283. Overabundances of the lighter heavy elements and the high abundances derived for Ba, La, and Ce favour the operation of the weak r-process in HD 140283

  15. Estimating abundance: Chapter 27

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Royle, J. Andrew

    2016-01-01

    This chapter provides a non-technical overview of ‘closed population capture–recapture’ models, a class of well-established models that are widely applied in ecology, such as removal sampling, covariate models, and distance sampling. These methods are regularly adopted for studies of reptiles, in order to estimate abundance from counts of marked individuals while accounting for imperfect detection. Thus, the chapter describes some classic closed population models for estimating abundance, with considerations for some recent extensions that provide a spatial context for the estimation of abundance, and therefore density. Finally, the chapter suggests some software for use in data analysis, such as the Windows-based program MARK, and provides an example of estimating abundance and density of reptiles using an artificial cover object survey of Slow Worms (Anguis fragilis).

  16. C3 Hydrocarbon Abundance in Titan's Atmosphere with Cassini Infrared Spectra

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lombardo, Nicholas; Nixon, Conor; Achterberg, Richard; Jolly, Antoine; Sung, Keeyoon; Irwin, Patrick; Flasar, F. M.

    2018-01-01

    Titan, the largest moon of the Saturn system, has an astrobiologically important atmosphere. The anoxic nature and high N2 abundance make it a strong analog to the early Earth. The secondary species, CH4, is easily photodissociated, and reactions between its dissociated products give rise to highly complex hydrocarbons and nitriles. The Voyager flyby and 14 year Cassini campaign allowed for the intense study of several of these molecules, enabling scientists to increase our understanding of the chemical pathways present above Titan. In this work, we report abundance profiles of four major C3 gasses expected to occur in Titan’s atmosphere, derived from Cassini/Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) data, allowing us to fill the gaps in the photochemical zoo that is Titan’s atmosphere.Using the NEMESIS iterative radiative transfer module, we retrieved vertical abundance profiles for propane (C3H8) and propyne (CHCCH3) both initially detected by the Voyager IRIS instrument. Using newly available line data, we were also able to determine the first vertical abundance profiles for propene (C3H6), initially detected in 2013. We present profiles for several latitudes and times and compare to photochemical model predictions and previous observations. We also discuss our ongoing search for allene (CH2CCH2), an isomer of propyne, which has yet to be definitively detected. The abundances we determined will help to further our understanding of the chemical pathways that occur in Titan's atmosphere.

  17. pH induced contrast in viscoelasticity imaging of biopolymers

    PubMed Central

    Yapp, R D; Insana, M F

    2009-01-01

    Understanding contrast mechanisms and identifying discriminating features is at the heart of diagnostic imaging development. This report focuses on how pH influences the viscoelastic properties of biopolymers to better understand the effects of extracellular pH on breast tumour elasticity imaging. Extracellular pH is known to decrease as much as 1 pH unit in breast tumours, thus creating a dangerous environment that increases cellular mutatation rates and therapeutic resistance. We used a gelatin hydrogel phantom to isolate the effects of pH on a polymer network with similarities to the extracellular matrix in breast stroma. Using compressive unconfined creep and stress relaxation measurements, we systematically measured the viscoelastic features sensitive to pH by way of time domain models and complex modulus analysis. These results are used to determine the sensitivity of quasi-static ultrasonic elasticity imaging to pH. We found a strong elastic response of the polymer network to pH, such that the matrix stiffness decreases as pH was reduced, however the viscous response of the medium to pH was negligible. While physiological features of breast stroma such as proteoglycans and vascular networks are not included in our hydrogel model, observations in this study provide insight into viscoelastic features specific to pH changes in the collagenous stromal network. These observations suggest that the large contrast common in breast tumours with desmoplasia may be reduced under acidic conditions, and that viscoelastic features are unlikely to improve discriminability. PMID:19174599

  18. Optimization of Analytical Potentials for Coarse-Grained Biopolymer Models.

    PubMed

    Mereghetti, Paolo; Maccari, Giuseppe; Spampinato, Giulia Lia Beatrice; Tozzini, Valentina

    2016-08-25

    The increasing trend in the recent literature on coarse grained (CG) models testifies their impact in the study of complex systems. However, the CG model landscape is variegated: even considering a given resolution level, the force fields are very heterogeneous and optimized with very different parametrization procedures. Along the road for standardization of CG models for biopolymers, here we describe a strategy to aid building and optimization of statistics based analytical force fields and its implementation in the software package AsParaGS (Assisted Parameterization platform for coarse Grained modelS). Our method is based on the use and optimization of analytical potentials, optimized by targeting internal variables statistical distributions by means of the combination of different algorithms (i.e., relative entropy driven stochastic exploration of the parameter space and iterative Boltzmann inversion). This allows designing a custom model that endows the force field terms with a physically sound meaning. Furthermore, the level of transferability and accuracy can be tuned through the choice of statistical data set composition. The method-illustrated by means of applications to helical polypeptides-also involves the analysis of two and three variable distributions, and allows handling issues related to the FF term correlations. AsParaGS is interfaced with general-purpose molecular dynamics codes and currently implements the "minimalist" subclass of CG models (i.e., one bead per amino acid, Cα based). Extensions to nucleic acids and different levels of coarse graining are in the course.

  19. Antimicrobial nanocomposites based on natural modified materials: a review of carbons and clays.

    PubMed

    Martynková, Grazyna Simha; Valásková, Marta

    2014-01-01

    The review is focused on the recent research and development of antimicrobial nanocomposites based on selected carbon nanomaterials and natural nanoclay minerals. The nanocomposites comprised of two or several components, where at least one presents antimicrobial properties, are discussed. Yet the most popular agent remains silver as nanoparticle or in ionic form. Second, broadly studied group, are organics as additives or polymeric matrices. Both carbons and clays in certain forms possess antimicrobial properties. A lot of interest is put on to research graphene oxide. The low-environmental impact technologies-based on sustainable biopolymers have been studied. Testing of antimicrobial properties of nanomaterials is performed most frequently on E. coli and S. aureus bacterias.

  20. Imaging the elusive H-poor gas in planetary nebulae with large abundance discrepancy factors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    García-Rojas, Jorge; Corradi, Romano L. M.; Boffin, Henri M. J.; Monteiro, Hektor; Jones, David; Wesson, Roger; Cabrera-Lavers, Antonio; Rodríguez-Gil, Pablo

    2017-10-01

    The discrepancy between abundances computed using optical recombination lines (ORLs) and collisionally excited lines (CELs) is a major, unresolved problem with significant implications for the determination of chemical abundances throughout the Universe. In planetary nebulae (PNe), the most common explanation for the discrepancy is that two different gas phases coexist: a hot component with standard metallicity, and a much colder plasma enhanced in heavy elements. This dual nature is not predicted by mass loss theories, and direct observational support for it is still weak. In this work, we present our recent findings that demonstrate that the largest abundance discrepancies are associated with close binary central stars. OSIRIS-GTC tunable filter imaging of the faint O ii ORLs and MUSE-VLT deep 2D spectrophotometry confirm that O ii ORL emission is more centrally concentrated than that of [Oiii] CELs and, therefore, that the abundance discrepancy may be closely linked to binary evolution.