Biominerlization and possible endosulfan degradation pathway adapted by Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Bhalerao, Tejomyee S

2013-11-28

Endosulfan is a chlorinated pesticide; its persistence in the environment and toxic effects on biota are demanding its removal. This study aims at improving the tolerance of the previously isolated fungus Aspergillus niger (A. niger) ARIFCC 1053 to endosulfan. Released chloride, dehalogenase activity, and released proteins were estimated along with analysis of endosulfan degradation and pathway identification. The culture could tolerate 1,000 mg/ml of technical grade endosulfan. Complete disappearance of endosulfan was seen after 168 h of incubation. The degradation study could easily be correlated with increase in released chlorides, dehalogenase activity and protein released. Comparative infrared spectral analysis suggested that the molecule of endosulfan was degraded efficiently by A. niger ARIFCC 1053. Obtained mass ion values by GC-MS suggested a hypothetical pathway during endosulfan degradation by A. niger ARIFCC 1053. All these results provide a basis for the development of bioremediation strategies to remediate the pollutant under study in the environment.

Contribution of arginase to manganese metabolism of Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Keni, Sarita; Punekar, Narayan S

2016-02-01

Aspects of manganese metabolism during normal and acidogenic growth of Aspergillus niger were explored. Arginase from this fungus was a Mn[II]-enzyme. The contribution of the arginase protein towards A. niger manganese metabolism was investigated using arginase knockout (D-42) and arginase over-expressing (ΔXCA-29) strains of A. niger NCIM 565. The Mn[II] contents of various mycelial fractions were found in the order: D-42 strain < parent strain < ΔXCA-29 strain. While the soluble fraction forms 60% of the total mycelial Mn[II] content, arginase accounted for a significant fraction of this soluble Mn[II] pool. Changes in the arginase levels affected the absolute mycelial Mn[II] content but not its distribution in the various mycelial fractions. The A. niger mycelia harvested from acidogenic growth media contain substantially less Mn[II] as compared to those from normal growth media. Nevertheless, acidogenic mycelia harbor considerable Mn[II] levels and a functional arginase. Altered levels of mycelial arginase protein did not significantly influence citric acid production. The relevance of arginase to cellular Mn[II] pool and homeostasis was evaluated and the results suggest that arginase regulation could occur via manganese availability.

Decoupled Changes in Western Niger Delta Primary Productivity and Niger River Discharge Across the Last Deglacial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, A. O.; Schmidt, M. W.; Slowey, N. C.; Jobe, Z. R.; Marcantonio, F.

2014-12-01

Abrupt droughts in West Africa impart significant socio-economic impacts on the developing countries of this region, and yet a comprehensive understanding of the causes and duration of such droughts remains elusive. Much of the summertime rainfall associated with the West African Monsoon (WAM) falls within the Niger River basin and eventually drains into the eastern Gulf of Guinea, contributing to the low sea-surface salinity of this region. Of the limited number of studies that reconstruct Gulf of Guinea salinity through the deglacial, the most comprehensive of those is located ~ 400 km east of the Niger delta and may not be solely influenced by WAM runoff. Here, we present XRF and foraminiferal trace metal data from two new cores located less than 100 km from the Western Niger Delta. Radiocarbon dating of cores Grand 21 (4.72oN, 4.48oE) and Fan 17 (4.81oN, 4.41oE) produced near linear sedimentation rates of 20 cm/kyr and 15 cm/kyr respectively. Elemental sediment compositions from XRF core scanning reveal an abrupt 50% increase in SiO2 between 17-15 ka during Heinrich Event 1. This increase, coeval with increases of CaCO3 (+12%) content and Ba/Ti ratios suggests a large increase in primary productivity during H1. Values then decrease at the onset of the Bolling-Allerod (~14.6 kyr) until a similar, albeit smaller increase is recorded during the Younger Dryas beginning at 12.7 kyr. In contrast, FeO2 and TiO2 are thought to be a proxies of Niger River discharge strength and suggest a more gradual change in riverine discharge across the deglacial that is most likely driven by precession. These proxies suggest Niger River runoff was low from the LGM through Heinrich 1, gradually increasing around 13 ka. FeO2 and TiO2 values then peak between 11.5-7.5 kyr, consistent with the African Humid Period, before gradually decreasing through the mid-late Holocene. This deglacial pattern of riverine input is markedly different from previous reconstructions of WAM variability and

Characterization of oxylipins and dioxygenase genes in the asexual fungus Aspergillus niger

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Aspergillus niger is an ascomycetous fungus that is known to reproduce through asexual spores, only. Interestingly, recent genome analysis of A. niger has revealed the presence of a full complement of functional genes related to sexual reproduction [1]. An example of such genes are the dioxygenase genes which in Aspergillus nidulans, have been shown to be connected to oxylipin production and regulation of both sexual and asexual sporulation [2-4]. Nevertheless, the presence of sex related genes alone does not confirm sexual sporulation in A. niger. Results The current study shows experimentally that A. niger produces the oxylipins 8,11-dihydroxy octadecadienoic acid (8,11-diHOD), 5,8-dihydroxy octadecadienoic acid (5,8-diHOD), lactonized 5,8-diHOD, 8-hydroxy octadecadienoic acid (8-HOD), 10-hydroxy octadecadienoic acid (10-HOD), small amounts of 8-hydroxy octadecamonoenoic acid (8-HOM), 9-hydroxy octadecadienoic acid (9-HOD) and 13-hydroxy octadecadienoic acid (13-HOD). Importantly, this study shows that the A. niger genome contains three putative dioxygenase genes, ppoA, ppoC and ppoD. Expression analysis confirmed that all three genes are indeed expressed under the conditions tested. Conclusion A. niger produces the same oxylipins and has similar dioxygenase genes as A. nidulans. Their presence could point towards the existence of sexual reproduction in A. niger or a broader role for the gene products in physiology, than just sexual development. PMID:19309517

Cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of variants of monoamine oxidase from Aspergillus niger

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

Atkin, Kate E.; Reiss, Renate; Turner, Nicholas J.

2008-03-01

Crystals of A. niger monoamine oxidase variants display P2{sub 1} or P4{sub 1}2{sub 1}2/P4{sub 3}2{sub 1}2 symmetry, with eight or two molecules in the asymmetric unit, respectively. Monoamine oxidase from Aspergillus niger (MAO-N) is an FAD-dependent enzyme that catalyses the conversion of terminal amines to their corresponding aldehydes. Variants of MAO-N produced by directed evolution have been shown to possess altered substrate specificity. Crystals of two of these variants (MAO-N-3 and MAO-N-5) have been obtained; the former displays P2{sub 1} symmetry with eight molecules per asymmetric unit and the latter has P4{sub 1}2{sub 1}2 or P4{sub 3}2{sub 1}2 symmetry andmore » two molecules per asymmetric unit. Solution of these structures will help shed light on the molecular determinants of improved activity and high enantioselectivity towards a broad range of substrates.« less

Polycistronic gene expression in Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Schuetze, Tabea; Meyer, Vera

2017-09-25

Genome mining approaches predict dozens of biosynthetic gene clusters in each of the filamentous fungal genomes sequenced so far. However, the majority of these gene clusters still remain cryptic because they are not expressed in their natural host. Simultaneous expression of all genes belonging to a biosynthetic pathway in a heterologous host is one approach to activate biosynthetic gene clusters and to screen the metabolites produced for bioactivities. Polycistronic expression of all pathway genes under control of a single and tunable promoter would be the method of choice, as this does not only simplify cloning procedures, but also offers control on timing and strength of expression. However, polycistronic gene expression is a feature not commonly found in eukaryotic host systems, such as Aspergillus niger. In this study, we tested the suitability of the viral P2A peptide for co-expression of three genes in A. niger. Two genes descend from Fusarium oxysporum and are essential to produce the secondary metabolite enniatin (esyn1, ekivR). The third gene (luc) encodes the reporter luciferase which was included to study position effects. Expression of the polycistronic gene cassette was put under control of the Tet-On system to ensure tunable gene expression in A. niger. In total, three polycistronic expression cassettes which differed in the position of luc were constructed and targeted to the pyrG locus in A. niger. This allowed direct comparison of the luciferase activity based on the position of the luciferase gene. Doxycycline-mediated induction of the Tet-On expression cassettes resulted in the production of one long polycistronic mRNA as proven by Northern analyses, and ensured comparable production of enniatin in all three strains. Notably, gene position within the polycistronic expression cassette matters, as, luciferase activity was lowest at position one and had a comparable activity at positions two and three. The P2A peptide can be used to express at

Tandem mass spectrometric analysis of aspergillus niger pectin methylesterase: mode of action on fully methyl-esterified oligogalacturonates.

PubMed

Kester, H C; Benen, J A; Visser, J; Warren, M E; Orlando, R; Bergmann, C; Magaud, D; Anker, D; Doutheau, A

2000-03-01

The substrate specificity and the mode of action of Aspergillus niger pectin methylesterase (PME) was determined using both fully methyl-esterified oligogalacturonates with degrees of polymerization (DP) 2-6 and chemically synthesized monomethyl trigalacturonates. The enzymic activity on the different substrates and a preliminary characterization of the reaction products were performed by using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography at neutral pH. Electrospray ionization tandem MS (ESI-MS/MS) was used to localize the methyl esters on the (18)O-labelled reaction products during the course of the enzymic reaction. A. niger PME is able to hydrolyse the methyl esters of fully methyl-esterified oligogalacturonates with DP 2, and preferentially hydrolyses the methyl esters located on the internal galacturonate residues, followed by hydrolysis of the methyl esters towards the reducing end. This PME is unable to hydrolyse the methyl ester of the galacturonate moiety at the non-reducing end.

The infrared spectral transmittance of Aspergillus niger spore aggregated particle swarm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xinying; Hu, Yihua; Gu, Youlin; Li, Le

2015-10-01

Microorganism aggregated particle swarm, which is quite an important composition of complex media environment, can be developed as a new kind of infrared functional materials. Current researches mainly focus on the optical properties of single microorganism particle. As for the swarm, especially the microorganism aggregated particle swarm, a more accurate simulation model should be proposed to calculate its extinction effect. At the same time, certain parameters deserve to be discussed, which helps to better develop the microorganism aggregated particle swarm as a new kind of infrared functional materials. In this paper, take Aspergillus Niger spore as an example. On the one hand, a new calculation model is established. Firstly, the cluster-cluster aggregation (CCA) model is used to simulate the structure of Aspergillus Niger spore aggregated particle. Secondly, the single scattering extinction parameters for Aspergillus Niger spore aggregated particle are calculated by using the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) method. Thirdly, the transmittance of Aspergillus Niger spore aggregated particle swarm is simulated by using Monte Carlo method. On the other hand, based on the model proposed above, what influences can wavelength causes has been studied, including the spectral distribution of scattering intensity of Aspergillus Niger spore aggregated particle and the infrared spectral transmittance of the aggregated particle swarm within the range of 8-14μm incident infrared wavelengths. Numerical results indicate that the scattering intensity of Aspergillus Niger spore aggregated particle reduces with the increase of incident wavelengths at each scattering angle. Scattering energy mainly concentrates on the scattering angle between 0-40°, forward scattering has an obvious effect. In addition, the infrared transmittance of Aspergillus Niger spore aggregated particle swarm goes up with the increase of incident wavelengths. However, some turning points of the trend are

Toolkit for visualization of the cellular structure and organelles in Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Buren, Emiel B J Ten; Karrenbelt, Michiel A P; Lingemann, Marit; Chordia, Shreyans; Deng, Ying; Hu, JingJing; Verest, Johanna M; Wu, Vincen; Gonzalez, Teresita J Bello; Heck, Ruben G A van; Odoni, Dorett I; Schonewille, Tom; Straat, Laura van der; Graaff, Leo H de; Passel, Mark W J van

2014-12-19

Aspergillus niger is a filamentous fungus that is extensively used in industrial fermentations for protein expression and the production of organic acids. Inherent biosynthetic capabilities, such as the capacity to secrete these biomolecules in high amounts, make A. niger an attractive production host. Although A. niger is renowned for this ability, the knowledge of the molecular components that underlie its production capacity, intercellular trafficking processes and secretion mechanisms is far from complete. Here, we introduce a standardized set of tools, consisting of an N-terminal GFP-actin fusion and codon optimized eforRed chromoprotein. Expression of the GFP-actin construct facilitates visualization of the actin filaments of the cytoskeleton, whereas expression of the chromoprotein construct results in a clearly distinguishable red phenotype. These experimentally validated constructs constitute the first set of standardized A. niger biomarkers, which can be used to study morphology, intercellular trafficking, and secretion phenomena.

The transcriptomic fingerprint of glucoamylase over-expression in Aspergillus niger

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Filamentous fungi such as Aspergillus niger are well known for their exceptionally high capacity for secretion of proteins, organic acids, and secondary metabolites and they are therefore used in biotechnology as versatile microbial production platforms. However, system-wide insights into their metabolic and secretory capacities are sparse and rational strain improvement approaches are therefore limited. In order to gain a genome-wide view on the transcriptional regulation of the protein secretory pathway of A. niger, we investigated the transcriptome of A. niger when it was forced to overexpression the glaA gene (encoding glucoamylase, GlaA) and secrete GlaA to high level. Results An A. niger wild-type strain and a GlaA over-expressing strain, containing multiple copies of the glaA gene, were cultivated under maltose-limited chemostat conditions (specific growth rate 0.1 h-1). Elevated glaA mRNA and extracellular GlaA levels in the over-expressing strain were accompanied by elevated transcript levels from 772 genes and lowered transcript levels from 815 genes when compared to the wild-type strain. Using GO term enrichment analysis, four higher-order categories were identified in the up-regulated gene set: i) endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane translocation, ii) protein glycosylation, iii) vesicle transport, and iv) ion homeostasis. Among these, about 130 genes had predicted functions for the passage of proteins through the ER and those genes included target genes of the HacA transcription factor that mediates the unfolded protein response (UPR), e.g. bipA, clxA, prpA, tigA and pdiA. In order to identify those genes that are important for high-level secretion of proteins by A. niger, we compared the transcriptome of the GlaA overexpression strain of A. niger with six other relevant transcriptomes of A. niger. Overall, 40 genes were found to have either elevated (from 36 genes) or lowered (from 4 genes) transcript levels under all conditions that were

Mapping and dating based evolution studies of the Niger Vallis outflow channel, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kukkonen, S.; Kostama, V.-P.

2018-04-01

Niger Vallis is one of the four large outflow channel systems in the eastern Hellas rim region of Mars. Niger, as well as the other nearby valles, is assumed to have been carved by water and later covered by ice-rich deposits. Thus, it plays a significant role both in the fluvial and glacial evolution of the region. This work presents the photogeological mapping and crater count dating results of the Niger Vallis system achieved based on the images of the ConTeXt (CTX) and High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) cameras of Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). The results show that Niger Vallis formed in at least two stages. The southern branch of Niger Vallis originated from Ausonia Cavus, ∼3.7-3.9 Ga ago, whereas the northern branch formed from Peraea Cavus, ∼3.3-3.4 Ga ago. Both of the time scales correspond to the volcanic activity phases of the nearby highland volcanoes of Tyrrhenus and Hadriacus Montes. The fluvial activity of Niger Vallis was not, however, as intense as the activity of the other nearby outflow channels, and it seems to have weakened soon after the formation of the northern branch. The outflow channel was resurfaced again ∼0.9-1.5 Ga ago, probably by regional fluvial activity. After that, the floor of Niger Vallis was covered by lineated valley fills and corresponding ice-rich deposits, the formation of which ended ∼220-470 Ma ago, or not later than ∼110 Ma ago. Although the origin of the deposits was probably related to contemporary climate conditions, the emplacement of some deposits, or even their formation, may have been contributed by impact events. After lineated valley fill formation, the region was resurfaced several times, probably because of changes in regional climatic or endogenic circumstances.

Biotransformation of Stypotriol triacetate by Aspergillus niger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Areche, Carlos; Vaca, Inmaculada; Labbe, Pamela; Soto-Delgado, Jorge; Astudillo, Luis; Silva, Mario; Rovirosa, Juana; San-Martin, Aurelio

2011-07-01

Biological transformation of the meroditerpenoid, stypotriol triacetate ( 1) by the fungi Aspergillus niger, Cunninghamella elegans, Gibberella fujikuroi and Mucor plumbeus was studied. The incubation of 1 with A. niger yielded the new compound 6',14-diacetoxy-stypol-4,5-dione ( 2) whose structure was established by 1H, 13C and 2D NMR and supported by DFT/GIAO.

Using Remote Sensing and GIS in the Analysis of Ecosystem Decline along the River Niger Basin: The Case of Mali and Niger

PubMed Central

Twumasi, Yaw A.; Merem, Edmund C.

2007-01-01

objective of the paper is to develop a new framework for analyzing the health of riverine ecosystems while the second objective seeks a contribution to the literature. The third objective is to design a geo-spatial tool for riverine ecosystem management and impact analysis. The fourth objective is to measure the nature of change in riverine environments with the latest advances in geo-spatial information technologies and methods. In terms of methodology, the paper relies on primary data sources analyzed with descriptive statistics, GIS techniques and remote sensing. The sections in the paper consist of a review of the major environmental effects and factors associated with the problem as well as mitigation measures in Mali and Niger. The paper concludes with some recommendations. The results point to growing modification along the riverine environments of the Mali and Niger portions of the River Niger Basin due to a host of factors. PMID:17617682

Using remote sensing and GIS in the analysis of ecosystem decline along the River Niger Basin: the case of Mali and Niger.

PubMed

Twumasi, Yaw A; Merem, Edmund C

2007-06-01

objective of the paper is to develop a new framework for analyzing the health of riverine ecosystems while the second objective seeks a contribution to the literature. The third objective is to design a geo-spatial tool for riverine ecosystem management and impact analysis. The fourth objective is to measure the nature of change in riverine environments with the latest advances in geo-spatial information technologies and methods. In terms of methodology, the paper relies on primary data sources analyzed with descriptive statistics, GIS techniques and remote sensing. The sections in the paper consist of a review of the major environmental effects and factors associated with the problem as well as mitigation measures in Mali and Niger. The paper concludes with some recommendations. The results point to growing modification along the riverine environments of the Mali and Niger portions of the River Niger Basin due to a host of factors.

Cell emulation and preliminary results.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-07-01

This report details preliminary results of the testing plan implemented by the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute to evaluate Electric Vehicle (EV) battery durability and reliability under electric utility grid operations. Commercial EV battery cells ar...

The Niger Delta petroleum system; Niger Delta Province, Nigeria, Cameroon, and equatorial Guinea, Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tuttle, Michele L.W.; Charpentier, Ronald R.; Brownfield, Michael E.

1999-01-01

In the Niger Delta province, we have identified one petroleum system--the Tertiary Niger Delta (Akata-Agbada) petroleum system. The delta formed at the site of a rift triple junction related to the opening of the southern Atlantic starting in the Late Jurassic and continuing into the Cretaceous. The delta proper began developing in the Eocene, accumulating sediments that now are over 10 kilometers thick. The primary source rock is the upper Akata Formation, the marine-shale facies of the delta, with possibly contribution from interbedded marine shale of the lowermost Agbada Formation. Oil is produced from sandstone facies within the Agbada Formation, however, turbidite sand in the upper Akata Formation is a potential target in deep water offshore and possibly beneath currently producing intervals onshore. Known oil and gas resources of the Niger Delta rank the province as the twelfth largest in the world. To date, 34.5 billion barrels of recoverable oil and 93.8 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas have been discovered. In 1997, Nigeria was the fifth largest crude oil supplier to the United States, supplying 689,000 barrels/day of crude.

Spatio-temporal dynamics of genetic diversity in Sorghum bicolor in Niger.

PubMed

Deu, Monique; Sagnard, F; Chantereau, J; Calatayud, C; Vigouroux, Y; Pham, J L; Mariac, C; Kapran, I; Mamadou, A; Gérard, B; Ndjeunga, J; Bezançon, G

2010-05-01

The dynamics of crop genetic diversity need to be assessed to draw up monitoring and conservation priorities. However, few surveys have been conducted in centres of diversity. Sub-Saharan Africa is the centre of origin of sorghum. Most Sahel countries have been faced with major human, environmental and social changes in recent decades, which are suspected to cause genetic erosion. Sorghum is the second staple cereal in Niger, a centre of diversity for this crop. Niger was submitted to recurrent drought period and to major social changes during these last decades. We report here on a spatio-temporal analysis of sorghum genetic diversity, conducted in 71 villages covering the rainfall gradient and range of agro-ecological conditions in Niger's agricultural areas. We used 28 microsatellite markers and applied spatial and genetic clustering methods to investigate change in genetic diversity over a 26-year period (1976-2003). Global genetic differentiation between the two collections was very low (F (st) = 0.0025). Most of the spatial clusters presented no major differentiation, as measured by F (st), and showed stability or an increase in allelic richness, except for two of them located in eastern Niger. The genetic clusters identified by Bayesian analysis did not show a major change between the two collections in the distribution of accessions between them or in their spatial location. These results suggest that farmers' management has globally preserved sorghum genetic diversity in Niger.

Niger Vallis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site]

Released 24 September 2003

Named for a great river in Africa, the martian version is a system of eroding channels that empties into the Hellas impact basin. One style of erosion is evident in this image, where the upper branches of the Niger are merging. Some process weakens the crust until it founders, producing large slump blocks that continue to erode. This process enlarges the channels and ultimately may lead to a single upper channel.

Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -34.7, Longitude 92.6 East (267.4 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.

Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

FluG affects secretion in colonies of Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Wang, Fengfeng; Krijgsheld, Pauline; Hulsman, Marc; de Bekker, Charissa; Müller, Wally H; Reinders, Marcel; de Vries, Ronald P; Wösten, Han A B

2015-01-01

Colonies of Aspergillus niger are characterized by zonal heterogeneity in growth, sporulation, gene expression and secretion. For instance, the glucoamylase gene glaA is more highly expressed at the periphery of colonies when compared to the center. As a consequence, its encoded protein GlaA is mainly secreted at the outer part of the colony. Here, multiple copies of amyR were introduced in A. niger. Most transformants over-expressing this regulatory gene of amylolytic genes still displayed heterogeneous glaA expression and GlaA secretion. However, heterogeneity was abolished in transformant UU-A001.13 by expressing glaA and secreting GlaA throughout the mycelium. Sequencing the genome of UU-A001.13 revealed that transformation had been accompanied by deletion of part of the fluG gene and disrupting its 3' end by integration of a transformation vector. Inactivation of fluG in the wild-type background of A. niger also resulted in breakdown of starch under the whole colony. Asexual development of the ∆fluG strain was not affected, unlike what was previously shown in Aspergillus nidulans. Genes encoding proteins with a signal sequence for secretion, including part of the amylolytic genes, were more often downregulated in the central zone of maltose-grown ∆fluG colonies and upregulated in the intermediate part and periphery when compared to the wild-type. Together, these data indicate that FluG of A. niger is a repressor of secretion.

9.4T Human MRI: Preliminary Results

PubMed Central

Vaughan, Thomas; DelaBarre, Lance; Snyder, Carl; Tian, Jinfeng; Akgun, Can; Shrivastava, Devashish; Liu, Wanzahn; Olson, Chris; Adriany, Gregor; Strupp, John; Andersen, Peter; Gopinath, Anand; van de Moortele, Pierre-Francois; Garwood, Michael; Ugurbil, Kamil

2014-01-01

This work reports the preliminary results of the first human images at the new high-field benchmark of 9.4T. A 65-cm-diameter bore magnet was used together with an asymmetric 40-cm-diameter head gradient and shim set. A multichannel transmission line (transverse electromagnetic (TEM)) head coil was driven by a programmable parallel transceiver to control the relative phase and magnitude of each channel independently. These new RF field control methods facilitated compensation for RF artifacts attributed to destructive interference patterns, in order to achieve homogeneous 9.4T head images or localize anatomic targets. Prior to FDA investigational device exemptions (IDEs) and internal review board (IRB)-approved human studies, preliminary RF safety studies were performed on porcine models. These data are reported together with exit interview results from the first 44 human volunteers. Although several points for improvement are discussed, the preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of safe and successful human imaging at 9.4T. PMID:17075852

Real-time PCR-based method for rapid detection of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus welwitschiae isolated from coffee.

PubMed

von Hertwig, Aline Morgan; Sant'Ana, Anderson S; Sartori, Daniele; da Silva, Josué José; Nascimento, Maristela S; Iamanaka, Beatriz Thie; Pelegrinelli Fungaro, Maria Helena; Taniwaki, Marta Hiromi

2018-05-01

Some species from Aspergillus section Nigri are morphologically very similar and altogether have been called A. niger aggregate. Although the species included in this group are morphologically very similar, they differ in their ability to produce mycotoxins and other metabolites and their taxonomical status has evolved continuously. Among them, A. niger and A. welwitschiae are ochratoxin A and fumonisin B 2 producers and their detection and/or identification is of crucial importance for food safety. The aim of this study was the development of a real-time PCR-based method for simultaneous discrimination of A. niger and A. welwitschiae from other species of the A. niger aggregate isolated from coffee beans. One primer pair and a hybridization probe specific for detection of A. niger and A. welwitschiae strains were designed based on the BenA gene sequences, and used in a Real-time PCR assay for the rapid discrimination between both these species from all others of the A. niger aggregate. The Real-time PCR assay was shown to be 100% efficient in discriminating the 73 isolates of A. niger/A. welwitschiae from the other A. niger aggregate species analyzed as a negative control. This result testifies to the use of this technique as a good tool in the rapid detection of these important toxigenic species. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparing phosphorus mobilization strategies using Aspergillus niger for the mineral dissolution of three phosphate rocks.

PubMed

Schneider, K D; van Straaten, P; de Orduña, R Mira; Glasauer, S; Trevors, J; Fallow, D; Smith, P S

2010-01-01

Phosphorus deficiencies are limiting crop production in agricultural soils worldwide. Locally available sources of raw phosphate rock (PR) are being recognized for their potential role in soil fertility improvement. Phosphorus bioavailability is essential for the efficiency of PRs and can be increased by acid treatments. The utilization of organic acid producing micro-organisms, notably Aspergillus niger, presents a sustainable alternative to the use of strong inorganic acids, but acid production of A. niger strongly depends on the mineral content of the growth media. This study compared the phosphorus mobilization efficiency of two biological treatments, namely addition of acidic cell-free supernatants from A. niger cultivations to PRs and the direct cultivation of A. niger with PRs. The results show that addition of PR to cultivations leads to significant differences in the profile of organic acids produced by A. niger. Additions of PR, especially igneous rocks containing high amounts of iron and manganese, lead to reduced citric acid concentrations. In spite of these differences, phosphorus mobilization was similar between treatments, suggesting that the simpler direct cultivation method was not inferior. In addition to citric acid, it is suggested that oxalic acid contributes to PR solubilization in direct cultivations with A. niger, which would benefit farmers in developing countries where conventional fertilizers are not adequately accessible.

3D seismic attribute expressions of deep offshore Niger Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anyiam, Uzonna Okenna

Structural and stratigraphic interpretation of 3D seismic data for reservoir characterization in an area affected by dense faulting, such as the Niger Delta, is typically difficult and strongly model driven because of problems with imaging. In the Freeman field, located about 120km offshore southwestern Niger Delta at about 1300m water depth, 3D seismic attribute-based analogs, and structural and stratigraphic based geometric models are combined to help enhance and constrain the interpretation. The objectives being to show how 3D seismic attribute analysis enhances seismic interpretation, develop structural style and stratigraphic architecture models and identify trap mechanisms in the study area; with the main purpose of producing structural and stratigraphic framework analogs to aid exploration and production companies, as well as researchers in better understanding the structural style, stratigraphic framework and trap mechanism of the Miocene to Pliocene Agbada Formation reservoirs in the deep Offshore Niger Delta Basin. A multidisciplinary approach which involved analyses of calculated variance-based coherence cube, spectral decomposition box probe and root-mean-square amplitude attributes, sequence stratigraphy based well correlation, and structural modeling; were undertaken to achieve these objectives. Studies reveal a massive northwest-southeast trending shale cored detachment fold anticline, with associated normal faults; interpreted to have been folded and faulted by localized compression resulting from a combination of differential loading on the deep-seated overpressured-ductile-undercompacted-marine Akata shale, and gravitational collapse of the Niger delta continental slope due to influx of sediments. Crestal extension resulting from this localized compression, is believed to have given rise to the synthetic, antithetic and newly observed crossing conjugate normal faults in the study area. This structure is unique to the existing types of principal

Expression of Lactate Dehydrogenase in Aspergillus niger for L-Lactic Acid Production

PubMed Central

Dave, Khyati K.; Punekar, Narayan S.

2015-01-01

Different engineered organisms have been used to produce L-lactate. Poor yields of lactate at low pH and expensive downstream processing remain as bottlenecks. Aspergillus niger is a prolific citrate producer and a remarkably acid tolerant fungus. Neither a functional lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) from nor lactate production by A. niger is reported. Its genome was also investigated for the presence of a functional ldh. The endogenous A. niger citrate synthase promoter relevant to A. niger acidogenic metabolism was employed to drive constitutive expression of mouse lactate dehydrogenase (mldhA). An appraisal of different branches of the A. niger pyruvate node guided the choice of mldhA for heterologous expression. A high copy number transformant C12 strain, displaying highest LDH specific activity, was analyzed under different growth conditions. The C12 strain produced 7.7 g/l of extracellular L-lactate from 60 g/l of glucose, in non-neutralizing minimal media. Significantly, lactate and citrate accumulated under two different growth conditions. Already an established acidogenic platform, A. niger now promises to be a valuable host for lactate production. PMID:26683313

Rising Water Storage in the Niger River basin: Clues and Cause

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werth, S.

2016-12-01

Heavily populated west African regions along the Niger River are affected by climate and land cover changes, altering the distribution of water resources. To maintain a reliable water supply in the region, water management authorities require knowledge of hydrological changes at various spatial and temporal scales. Local and regional studies reported rising water tables over the last decades as a consequence of complex responses on land use change in the Sahel zone. The spatial extend of this responses is not well understood, as of yet. Thus, this study provides an in-depth investigation of long-term changes in the water storages of Niger River basin and its sub-regions by analyzing more than a decade of satellite based gravity data from the Gravity Recovery And Climate Change (GRACE) satellites. Soil moisture data from four global hydrological models serve to separate freshwater resources (WR) from GRACE-based terrestrial water storage variations. Surface water variations from a global water storage model and trends from altimetry data were applied to separate the groundwater component from WR trends. Errors of all datasets are taken into account. Trends in WR are positive, except for the tropical Upper Niger with negative trends. For the Niger basin, a rise in GW stocks was detected. On the subbasin scale, GW changes are positive for the Sahelian Middle Niger and the Benue. The findings confirm previous observations of water tables in the Sahel and tropical zones, indicating that reported effects of land use change are relevant on large, i.e. basin and subbasin, scales. Our results have implications for Niger water management strategies. While areas with rising water storage are stocking a comfortable backup to mitigate possible future droughts and to deliver water to remote areas with no access to rivers or reservoirs. Increasing groundwater recharges may be accompanied by a reduction in water quality. This study helps to inform authority's decision to address

Heterologous and endogenous U6 snRNA promoters enable CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genome editing in Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Zheng, Xiaomei; Zheng, Ping; Sun, Jibin; Kun, Zhang; Ma, Yanhe

2018-01-01

U6 promoters have been used for single guide RNA (sgRNA) transcription in the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR/Cas9) genome editing system. However, no available U6 promoters have been identified in Aspergillus niger, which is an important industrial platform for organic acid and protein production. Two CRISPR/Cas9 systems established in A. niger have recourse to the RNA polymerase II promoter or in vitro transcription for sgRNA synthesis, but these approaches generally increase cloning efforts and genetic manipulation. The validation of functional RNA polymerase II promoters is therefore an urgent need for A. niger . Here, we developed a novel CRISPR/Cas9 system in A. niger for sgRNA expression, based on one endogenous U6 promoter and two heterologous U6 promoters. The three tested U6 promoters enabled sgRNA transcription and the disruption of the polyketide synthase albA gene in A. niger . Furthermore, this system enabled highly efficient gene insertion at the targeted genome loci in A. niger using donor DNAs with homologous arms as short as 40-bp. This study demonstrated that both heterologous and endogenous U6 promoters were functional for sgRNA expression in A. niger . Based on this result, a novel and simple CRISPR/Cas9 toolbox was established in A. niger, that will benefit future gene functional analysis and genome editing.

Evidence for a cytoplasmic pathway of oxalate biosynthesis in Aspergillus niger

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

Kubicek, C.P.; Schreferl-Kunar, G.; Woehrer, W.

1988-03-01

Oxalate accumulation of up to 8 g/liter was induced in Aspergillus niger by shifting the pH from 6 to 8. This required the presence of P/sub i/ and a nitrogen source and was inhibited by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. Exogenously added /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ was not incorporated into oxalate, but was incorporated into acetate and malate, thus indicating the biosynthesis of oxalate by hydrolytic cleavage of oxaloacetate. Inhibition of mitochondrial citrate metabolism by fluorocitrate did not significantly decrease the oxalate yield. The putative enzyme that was responsible for this oxaloacetate hydrolase (EC 3.7.1.1), which was induced de novo duringmore » the pH shift. Subcellular fractionation of oxalic acid-forming mycelia of A. niger showed that this enzyme is located in the cytoplasm of A. niger. The results are consistent with a cytoplasmic pathway of oxalate formation which does not involve the tricarboxylic acid cycle.« less

A refined estimate of the malaria burden in Niger.

PubMed

Doudou, Maimouna Halidou; Mahamadou, Aboubacar; Ouba, Ibrahim; Lazoumar, Ramatoulaye; Boubacar, Binta; Arzika, Ibrahim; Zamanka, Halima; Ibrahim, Maman L; Labbo, Rabiou; Maiguizo, Seydou; Girond, Florian; Guillebaud, Julia; Maazou, Abani; Fandeur, Thierry

2012-03-27

The health authorities of Niger have implemented several malaria prevention and control programmes in recent years. These interventions broadly follow WHO guidelines and international recommendations and are based on interventions that have proved successful in other parts of Africa. Most performance indicators are satisfactory but, paradoxically, despite the mobilization of considerable human and financial resources, the malaria-fighting programme in Niger seems to have stalled, as it has not yet yielded the expected significant decrease in malaria burden. Indeed, the number of malaria cases reported by the National Health Information System has actually increased by a factor of five over the last decade, from about 600,000 in 2000 to about 3,000,000 in 2010. One of the weaknesses of the national reporting system is that the recording of malaria cases is still based on a presumptive diagnosis approach, which overestimates malaria incidence. An extensive nationwide survey was carried out to determine by microscopy and RDT testing, the proportion of febrile patients consulting at health facilities for suspected malaria actually suffering from the disease, as a means of assessing the magnitude of this problem and obtaining a better estimate of malaria morbidity in Niger. In total, 12,576 febrile patients were included in this study; 57% of the slides analysed were positive for the malaria parasite during the rainy season, when transmission rates are high, and 9% of the slides analysed were positive during the dry season, when transmission rates are lower. The replacement of microscopy methods by rapid diagnostic tests resulted in an even lower rate of confirmation, with only 42% of cases testing positive during the rainy season, and 4% during the dry season. Fever alone has a low predictive value, with a low specificity and sensitivity. These data highlight the absolute necessity of confirming all reported malaria cases by biological diagnosis methods, to increase

Coupled hydrologic and hydraulic modeling of Upper Niger River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleischmann, Ayan; Siqueira, Vinícius; Paris, Adrien; Collischonn, Walter; Paiva, Rodrigo; Gossett, Marielle; Pontes, Paulo; Calmant, Stephane; Biancamaria, Sylvain; Crétaux, Jean-François; Tanimoune, Bachir

2017-04-01

The Upper Niger Basin is located in Western Africa, flowing from Guinea Highlands towards the Sahel region. In this area lies the seasonally inundated Niger Inland Delta, which supports important environmental services such as habitats for wildlife, climate and flood regulation, as well as large fishery and agricultural areas. In this study, we present the application of MGB-IPH large scale hydrologic and hydrodynamic model for the Upper Niger Basin, totaling c.a. 650,000 km2 and set up until the city of Niamey in Niger. The model couples hydrological vertical balance and runoff generation with hydrodynamic flood wave propagation, by allowing infiltration from floodplains into soil column as well as representing backwater effects and floodplain storage throughout flat areas such as the Inland Delta. The model is forced with TRMM 3B42 daily precipitation and Climate Research Unit (CRU) climatology for the period 2000-2010, and was calibrated against in-situ discharge gauges and validated with in-situ water level, remotely sensed estimations of flooded areas (classification of MODIS imagery) and satellite altimetry (JASON-2 mission). Model results show good predictions for calibrated daily discharge and validated water level and altimetry at stations both upstream and downstream of the delta (Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency>0.7 for all stations), as well as for flooded areas within the delta region (ENS=0.5; r2=0.8), allowing a good representation of flooding dynamics basinwide and simulation of flooding behavior of both perennial (e.g., Niger main stem) and ephemeral rivers (e.g., Niger Red Flood tributaries in Sahel). Coupling between hydrology and hydrodynamic processes indicates an important feedback between floodplain and soil water storage that allows high evapotranspiration rates even after the flood passage around the inner delta area. Also, representation of water retention in floodplain channels and distributaries in the inner delta (e.g., Diaka river

[Development and application of morphological analysis method in Aspergillus niger fermentation].

PubMed

Tang, Wenjun; Xia, Jianye; Chu, Ju; Zhuang, Yingping; Zhang, Siliang

2015-02-01

Filamentous fungi are widely used in industrial fermentation. Particular fungal morphology acts as a critical index for a successful fermentation. To break the bottleneck of morphological analysis, we have developed a reliable method for fungal morphological analysis. By this method, we can prepare hundreds of pellet samples simultaneously and obtain quantitative morphological information at large scale quickly. This method can largely increase the accuracy and reliability of morphological analysis result. Based on that, the studies of Aspergillus niger morphology under different oxygen supply conditions and shear rate conditions were carried out. As a result, the morphological responding patterns of A. niger morphology to these conditions were quantitatively demonstrated, which laid a solid foundation for the further scale-up.

Surface Modified Long Period Fiber Grating Sensor for Rapid Detection of Aspergillus Niger Fungal Spores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gambhir, Monika; Gupta, Shilpi; John, Priya; Mahakud, Ramakanta; Kumar, Jitendra; Prakash, Om

2018-03-01

We present development of a compact and label-free sensor based on the surface modification of copper vapor laser fabricated long period fiber gratings for detection of airborne Aspergillus niger (A. niger) fungal spores. Surface of sensors were functionalized with monoclonal glucose oxidases IgG1 for target-specific covalent binding. In process of functionalization and binding of 103 cfu/ml of pathogenic A. niger fungal spores, notable shorter wave transition in resonance wavelength from 1562.93 nm to 1555.97 nm, and significant reduction in peak loss from 61.72 dB to 57.48 dB were recorded. The implementation was cost effective and yielded instantaneous results.

Aspergillus niger contains the cryptic phylogenetic species A. awamori.

PubMed

Perrone, Giancarlo; Stea, Gaetano; Epifani, Filomena; Varga, János; Frisvad, Jens C; Samson, Robert A

2011-11-01

Aspergillus section Nigri is an important group of species for food and medical mycology, and biotechnology. The Aspergillus niger 'aggregate' represents its most complicated taxonomic subgroup containing eight morphologically indistinguishable taxa: A. niger, Aspergillus tubingensis, Aspergillus acidus, Aspergillus brasiliensis, Aspergillus costaricaensis, Aspergillus lacticoffeatus, Aspergillus piperis, and Aspergillus vadensis. Aspergillus awamori, first described by Nakazawa, has been compared taxonomically with other black aspergilli and recently it has been treated as a synonym of A. niger. Phylogenetic analyses of sequences generated from portions of three genes coding for the proteins β-tubulin (benA), calmodulin (CaM), and the translation elongation factor-1 alpha (TEF-1α) of a population of A. niger strains isolated from grapes in Europe revealed the presence of a cryptic phylogenetic species within this population, A. awamori. Morphological, physiological, ecological and chemical data overlap occurred between A. niger and the cryptic A. awamori, however the splitting of these two species was also supported by AFLP analysis of the full genome. Isolates in both phylospecies can produce the mycotoxins ochratoxin A and fumonisin B₂, and they also share the production of pyranonigrin A, tensidol B, funalenone, malformins, and naphtho-γ-pyrones. In addition, sequence analysis of four putative A. awamori strains from Japan, used in the koji industrial fermentation, revealed that none of these strains belong to the A. awamori phylospecies. Copyright © 2011 British Mycological Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Growth and hydrolase profiles can be used as characteristics to distinguish Aspergillus niger and other black aspergilli

PubMed Central

Meijer, M.; Houbraken, J.A.M.P.; Dalhuijsen, S.; Samson, R.A.; de Vries, R.P.

2011-01-01

Wild type Aspergillus niger isolates from different biotopes from all over the world were compared to each other and to the type strains of other black Aspergillus species with respect to growth and extracellular enzyme profiles. The origin of the A. niger isolate did not result in differences in growth profile with respect to monomeric or polymeric carbon sources. Differences were observed in the growth rate of the A. niger isolates, but these were observed on all carbon sources and not specific for a particular carbon source. In contrast, carbon source specific differences were observed between the different species. Aspergillus brasiliensis is the only species able to grow on D-galactose, and A. aculeatus had significantly better growth on Locus Bean gum than the other species. Only small differences were found in the extracellular enzyme profile of the A. niger isolates during growth on wheat bran, while large differences were observed in the profiles of the different black aspergilli. In addition, differences were observed in temperature profiles between the black Aspergillus species, but not between the A. niger isolates, demonstrating no isolate-specific adaptations to the environment. These data indicate that the local environment does not result in stable adaptations of A. niger with respect to growth profile or enzyme production, but that the potential is maintained irrespective of the environmental parameters. It also demonstrates that growth, extracellular protein and temperature profiles can be used for species identification within the group of black aspergilli. PMID:21892240

Effect of different polyphenol sources on the efficiency of ellagic acid release by Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Sepúlveda, Leonardo; de la Cruz, Reynaldo; Buenrostro, José Juan; Ascacio-Valdés, Juan Alberto; Aguilera-Carbó, Antonio Francisco; Prado, Arely; Rodríguez-Herrera, Raúl; Aguilar, Cristóbal Noé

2016-01-01

Fungal hydrolysis of ellagitannins produces hexahydroxydiphenic acid, which is considered an intermediate molecule in ellagic acid release. Ellagic acid has important and desirable beneficial health properties. The aim of this work was to identify the effect of different sources of ellagitannins on the efficiency of ellagic acid release by Aspergillus niger. Three strains of A. niger (GH1, PSH and HT4) were assessed for ellagic acid release from different polyphenol sources: cranberry, creosote bush, and pomegranate used as substrate. Polyurethane foam was used as support for solid-state culture in column reactors. Ellagitannase activity was measured for each of the treatments. Ellagic acid was quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. When pomegranate polyphenols were used, a maximum value of ellagic acid (350.21 mg/g) was reached with A. niger HT4 in solid-state culture. The highest amount of ellagitannase (5176.81 U/l) was obtained at 8h of culture when cranberry polyphenols and strain A. niger PSH were used. Results demonstrated the effect of different polyphenol sources and A. niger strains on ellagic acid release. It was observed that the best source for releasing ellagic acid was pomegranate polyphenols and A. niger HT4 strain, which has the ability to degrade these compounds for obtaining a potent bioactive molecule such as ellagic acid. Copyright © 2015 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Antiparkinsonian effects of aqueous methanolic extract of Hyoscyamus niger seeds result from its monoamine oxidase inhibitory and hydroxyl radical scavenging potency.

PubMed

Sengupta, T; Vinayagam, J; Nagashayana, N; Gowda, B; Jaisankar, P; Mohanakumar, K P

2011-01-01

Hyoscyamus species is one of the four plants used in Ayurveda for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Since Hyoscyamus niger was found to contain negligible levels of L-DOPA, we evaluated neuroprotective potential, if any, of characterized petroleum ether and aqueous methanol extracts of its seeds in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) model of PD in mice. Air dried authenticated H. niger seeds were sequentially extracted using petroleum ether and aqueous methanol and were characterized employing HPLC-electrochemistry and LCMS. Parkinsonian mice were treated daily twice with the extracts (125-500 mg/kg, p.o.) for two days and motor functions and striatal dopamine levels were assayed. Administration of the aqueous methanol extract (containing 0.03% w/w of L-DOPA), but not petroleum ether extract, significantly attenuated motor disabilities (akinesia, catalepsy and reduced swim score) and striatal dopamine loss in MPTP treated mice. Since the extract caused significant inhibition of monoamine oxidase activity and attenuated 1-methyl-4-phenyl pyridinium (MPP+)-induced hydroxyl radical (·OH) generation in isolated mitochondria, it is possible that the methanolic extract of Hyoscyamus niger seeds protects against parkinsonism in mice by means of its ability to inhibit increased ·OH generated in the mitochondria.

Differential cytotoxic properties of Helleborus niger L. on tumour and immunocompetent cells.

PubMed

Schink, Michael; Garcia-Käufer, Manuel; Bertrams, Julia; Duckstein, Sarina M; Müller, Margit B; Huber, Roman; Stintzing, Florian C; Gründemann, Carsten

2015-01-15

In Romanian folk medicine, Helleborus niger L. is used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis or viral infections and in complementary therapy, especially in anthroposophic medicine (AM), where the plant is administered as an adjuvant to treat malignant diseases. In the present study, we investigated the differential cytotoxic effects of H. niger on human tumour and healthy cells of the human immune system in vitro. Protoanemonin and saponins, as significant constituents of H. niger extracts, were quantified in five individual batches using validated HPLC methods. Further, the impact of H. niger on proliferation capacity (MTT assay) as well as on apoptosis and necrosis induction in a panel of tumour cell lines and human lymphocytes (combined annexin V and propidium iodide staining) was monitored. In addition, NK cell function (degranulation-CD107a assay and IFN-gamma secretion) was also investigated since these immunocompetent cells are important for the control of malignancies within the human body. Extracts of H. niger induced proliferation inhibition not only of lymphoblastic leukaemia cells (MOLT4; IC50: 171 µg/mL) but also of myosarcoma (SK-UT-1b; IC50: 304 µg/mL) and melanoma cells (HT-144; IC50: 569 µg/mL) due to the induction of apoptosis. Purified T cells or NK cells were significantly affected through the presence of high H. niger concentrations while bulk lymphocytes were not affected. NK cells' anti-tumour functions expressed by degranulation capacity as well as IFN-y production were unaffected by the presence of the H. niger extract. Since protoanemonin and saponins have been reported in the literature to exert cytotoxic effects, their content was also determined. H. niger extracts exhibit differential cytotoxicity towards tumour cell lines and healthy human T- and NK-cells. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Salmonella biofilm formation on Aspergillus niger involves cellulose--chitin interactions.

PubMed

Brandl, Maria T; Carter, Michelle Q; Parker, Craig T; Chapman, Matthew R; Huynh, Steven; Zhou, Yaguang

2011-01-01

Salmonella cycles between host and nonhost environments, where it can become an active member of complex microbial communities. The role of fungi in the environmental adaptation of enteric pathogens remains relatively unexplored. We have discovered that S. enterica Typhimurium rapidly attaches to and forms biofilms on the hyphae of the common fungus, Aspergillus niger. Several Salmonella enterica serovars displayed a similar interaction, whereas other bacterial species were unable to bind to the fungus. Bacterial attachment to chitin, a major constituent of fungal cell walls, mirrored this specificity. Pre-incubation of S. Typhimurium with N-acetylglucosamine, the monomeric component of chitin, reduced binding to chitin beads by as much as 727-fold and inhibited attachment to A. niger hyphae considerably. A cellulose-deficient mutant of S. Typhimurium failed to attach to chitin beads and to the fungus. Complementation of this mutant with the cellulose operon restored binding to chitin beads to 79% of that of the parental strain and allowed for attachment and biofilm formation on A. niger, indicating that cellulose is involved in bacterial attachment to the fungus via the chitin component of its cell wall. In contrast to cellulose, S. Typhimurium curli fimbriae were not required for attachment and biofilm development on the hyphae but were critical for its stability. Our results suggest that cellulose-chitin interactions are required for the production of mixed Salmonella-A. niger biofilms, and support the hypothesis that encounters with chitinaceous alternate hosts may contribute to the ecological success of human pathogens.

Gurya cutting and female genital fistulas in Niger: ten cases.

PubMed

Ouedraogo, Itengre; McConley, Regina; Payne, Christopher; Heller, Alison; Wall, L Lewis

2018-03-01

The objective was to determine the contribution of female genital cutting to genital fistula formation in Niger from the case records of a specialist fistula hospital. A retrospective review was undertaken of the records of 360 patients seen at the Danja Fistula Center, Danja, Niger, between March 2014 and September 2016. Pertinent clinical and socio-demographic data were abstracted from the cases identified. A total of 10 fistulas resulting from gurya cutting was obtained: 9 cases of urethral loss and 1 rectovaginal fistula. In none of the cases was genital cutting performed for obstructed labor or as part of ritual coming-of-age ceremonies, but all cutting procedures were considered "therapeutic" within the local cultural context as treatment for dyspareunia, lack of interest in or unwillingness to engage in sexual intercourse, or female behavior that was deemed to be culturally inappropriate by the male spouse, parents, or in-laws. Clinical cure (fistula closed and the patient continent) was obtained in all 10 cases, although 3 women required more than one operation. Gurya cutting is an uncommon, but preventable, cause of genital fistulas in Niger. The socio-cultural context which gives rise to gurya cutting is explored in some detail.

Lead immobilization by geological fluorapatite and fungus Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Li, Zhen; Wang, Fuwei; Bai, Tongshuo; Tao, Jinjin; Guo, Jieyun; Yang, Mengying; Wang, Shimei; Hu, Shuijin

2016-12-15

Phosphate solubilizing fungi have high ability to secrete organic acids. In this study, fungus Aspergillus niger and geological fluorapatite were applied in lead remediation in aqueous solution. Formation and morphology of the lead minerals, e.g., pyromorphite and lead oxalate, were investigated by SEM, XRD, and ATR-IR. The total quantity of organic acids reached the maximum at the sixth day, which improved the concentration of soluble P up to ∼370mg/L from ∼0.4mg/L. The organic acids, especially the oxalic acid, enhance the solubility of fluorapatite significantly. The stable fluoropyromorphite [Pb 5 (PO 4 ) 3 F] is precipitated with the elevated solubility of fluorapatite in the acidic environment. Furthermore, A. niger grows normally with the presence of lead cations. It is shown that >99% lead cations can be removed from the solution. However, immobilization caused by the precipitation of lead oxalate cannot be ignored if the fungus A. niger was cultured in the Pb solution. This study elucidates the mechanisms of lead immobilization by FAp and A. niger, and sheds its perspective in lead remediation, especially for high Pb concentration solution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing Niger-Delta Wetland Resources: A Case-Study of Mangrove Ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anwan, R. H.; Ndimele, P. E.; Whenu, O. O.; Anetekhai, M. A.; Essien-Ibok, M. A.; Erondu, E. S.

2016-02-01

The Niger Delta is located in the Atlantic coast of Southern Nigeria and is the world's second largest delta with a coastline of about 450km. The Niger Delta region occupies a surface area of about 112,110km2, representing about 12% of Nigeria's total surface area. The Delta's environment can be broken down into four ecological zones: coastal barrier islands, mangrove swamp forests, freshwater swamps, and lowland rainforests. The mangrove swamps of Niger Delta, which is the largest delta in Africa constitute the dominant wetland ecosystem in the Niger Delta region and covers an area of about 1,900km2. Mangroves constitute important nurseries for fishes, crustaceans, sponges, algae and other invertebrates, and also acts as a sink, retaining pollutants from contaminated tidal water. The Niger Delta mangrove together with the creeks and rivers are a major source of food and livelihood for about 30 million people, which represents more than 17% of Nigeria's population. Other ecosystem services provided by this unique environment are flood control, ground water re-fill, reservoir of biodiversity, fuel wood, cultural values etc. This ecosystem also plays important role in climate change mitigation because of its high blue carbon sequestration potential. This is particularly important because of continuous gas flaring in Niger Delta from petroleum operations, which releases carbon dioxide among other gases into the atmosphere. This wetland is potentially a good site for ecotourism and also qualifies to be a world heritage site and Ramsar site if proper steps are taken. The benefits derivable from this fragile ecosystem are under severe threat by anthropogenic stressors. These include the installation of pipelines and seismic exploration by oil companies, crude oil pollution, deforestation, urbanization etc. This paper discusses the extent of depletion and loss of mangrove ecosystem in the Niger Delta region and the value of its goods and services.

Oiling the friction: environmental conflict management in the Niger Delta, Nigeria.

PubMed

Ibeanu, O

2000-01-01

The Niger Delta, a sensitive ecosystem rich in biodiversity, has witnessed considerable violence as a result of the tense relationship among oil companies, the Nigerian state, and oil-bearing communities. Environmental damage from the extraction and movement of fossil fuels is a central point of dispute among the parties while the precise extent of ecological damage remains unknown. Drawing on numerous interviews while living and working in the Niger Delta, Doctor Okechukwu Ibeanu analyzes the management of conflicts surrounding petroleum production in the region, including the role of state violence and contradictory perceptions of security held by Delta communities and the oil companies and their partners in the Nigerian federal government.

Effect of temperature and water activity on the production of fumonisins by Aspergillus niger and different Fusarium species

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Fumonisins are economically important mycotoxins which until recently were considered to originate from only a few Fusarium species. However recently a putative fumonisin gene cluster was discovered in two different Aspergillus niger strains followed by detection of an actual fumonisin B2 (FB2) production in four strains of this biotechnologically important workhorse. Results In the present study, a screening of 5 A. niger strains and 25 assumed fumonisin producing Fusarium strains from 6 species, showed that all 5 A. niger strains produced FB2 and 23 of 25 Fusarium produced fumonisin B1 and other isoforms (fumonisin B2 and B3). Five A. niger and five Fusarium spp. were incubated at six different temperatures from 15-42°C on Czapek Yeast Agar +5% salt or Potato Dextrose Agar. A. niger had the highest production of FB2 at 25-30°C whereas Fusarium spp. had the maximal production of FB1 and FB2 at 20-25°C. Addition of 2.5-5% NaCl, or 10-20% sucrose increased the FB2 production of A. niger, whereas addition of glycerol reduced FB2 production. All three water activity lowering solutes reduced the fumonisin production of the Fusarium species. Conclusion The present study shows that the regulation of fumonisin production is very different in A. niger and Fusarium, and that food and feeds preserved by addition of sugar or salts may be good substrates for fumonisin B2 production by A. niger. PMID:20043849

The opposite roles of agdA and glaA on citric acid production in Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Wang, Lu; Cao, Zhanglei; Hou, Li; Yin, Liuhua; Wang, Dawei; Gao, Qiang; Wu, Zhenqiang; Wang, Depei

2016-07-01

Citric acid is produced by an industrial-scale process of fermentation using Aspergillus niger as a microbial cell factory. However, citric acid production was hindered by the non-fermentable isomaltose and insufficient saccharification ability in A. niger when liquefied corn starch was used as a raw material. In this study, A. niger TNA 101ΔagdA was constructed by deletion of the α-glucosidase-encoding agdA gene in A. niger CGMCC 10142 genome using Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. The transformants A. niger OG 1, OG 17, and OG 31 then underwent overexpression of glucoamylase in A. niger TNA 101ΔagdA. The results showed that the α-glucosidase activity of TNA 101ΔagdA was decreased by 62.5 % compared with CGMCC 10142, and isomaltose was almost undetectable in the fermentation broth. The glucoamylase activity of the transformants OG 1 and OG 17 increased by 34.5 and 16.89 % compared with that of TNA 101ΔagdA, respectively. In addition, for the recombinants TNA 101ΔagdA, OG 1 and OG 17, there were no apparent defects in the growth development. Consequently, in comparison with CGMCC 10142, TNA 101ΔagdA and OG 1 decreased the residual reducing sugar by 52.95 and 88.24 %, respectively, and correspondingly increased citric acid production at the end of fermentation by 8.68 and 16.87 %. Citric acid production was further improved by decreasing the non-fermentable residual sugar and increasing utilization rate of corn starch material in A. niger. Besides, the successive saccharification and citric acid fermentation processes were successfully integrated into one step.

Genome mining and functional genomics for siderophore production in Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Franken, Angelique C W; Lechner, Beatrix E; Werner, Ernst R; Haas, Hubertus; Lokman, B Christien; Ram, Arthur F J; van den Hondel, Cees A M J J; de Weert, Sandra; Punt, Peter J

2014-11-01

Iron is an essential metal for many organisms, but the biologically relevant form of iron is scarce because of rapid oxidation resulting in low solubility. Simultaneously, excessive accumulation of iron is toxic. Consequently, iron uptake is a highly controlled process. In most fungal species, siderophores play a central role in iron handling. Siderophores are small iron-specific chelators that can be secreted to scavenge environmental iron or bind intracellular iron with high affinity. A second high-affinity iron uptake mechanism is reductive iron assimilation (RIA). As shown in Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus nidulans, synthesis of siderophores in Aspergilli is predominantly under control of the transcription factors SreA and HapX, which are connected by a negative transcriptional feedback loop. Abolishing this fine-tuned regulation corroborates iron homeostasis, including heme biosynthesis, which could be biotechnologically of interest, e.g. the heterologous production of heme-dependent peroxidases. Aspergillus niger genome inspection identified orthologues of several genes relevant for RIA and siderophore metabolism, as well as sreA and hapX. Interestingly, genes related to synthesis of the common fungal extracellular siderophore triacetylfusarinine C were absent. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) confirmed the absence of triacetylfusarinine C, and demonstrated that the major secreted siderophores of A. niger are coprogen B and ferrichrome, which is also the dominant intracellular siderophore. In A. niger wild type grown under iron-replete conditions, the expression of genes involved in coprogen biosynthesis and RIA was low in the exponential growth phase but significantly induced during ascospore germination. Deletion of sreA in A. niger resulted in elevated iron uptake and increased cellular ferrichrome accumulation. Increased sensitivity toward phleomycin and high iron concentration reflected the toxic effects of excessive

Quantitative iTRAQ secretome analysis of Aspergillus niger reveals novel hydrolytic enzymes.

PubMed

Adav, Sunil S; Li, An A; Manavalan, Arulmani; Punt, Peter; Sze, Siu Kwan

2010-08-06

The natural lifestyle of Aspergillus niger made them more effective secretors of hydrolytic proteins and becomes critical when this species were exploited as hosts for the commercial secretion of heterologous proteins. The protein secretion profile of A. niger and its mutant at different pH was explored using iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics approach coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). This study characterized 102 highly confident unique proteins in the secretome with zero false discovery rate based on decoy strategy. The iTRAQ technique identified and relatively quantified many hydrolyzing enzymes such as cellulases, hemicellulases, glycoside hydrolases, proteases, peroxidases, and protein translocating transporter proteins during fermentation. The enzymes have potential application in lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysis for biofuel production, for example, the cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes glucan 1,4-alpha-glucosidase, alpha-glucosidase C, endoglucanase, alpha l-arabinofuranosidase, beta-mannosidase, glycosyl hydrolase; proteases such as tripeptidyl-peptidase, aspergillopepsin, and other enzymes including cytochrome c oxidase, cytochrome c oxidase, glucose oxidase were highly expressed in A. niger and its mutant secretion. In addition, specific enzyme production can be stimulated by controlling pH of the culture medium. Our results showed comprehensive unique secretory protein profile of A. niger, its regulation at different pH, and the potential application of iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics for the microbial secretome analysis.

A Climate Trend Analysis of Niger

USGS Publications Warehouse

Funk, Christopher C.; Rowland, Jim; Eilerts, Gary; Adoum, Alkhalil; White, Libby

2012-01-01

This brief report, drawing from a multi-year effort by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), identifies a substantial recovery of rainfall in Niger, accompanied by increases in air temperatures. These analyses are based on quality-controlled station observations. Conclusions: * Summer rains have increased during the past 20 years and have almost returned to 1960-89 levels. * Temperatures have increased by 0.6° Celsius since 1975, amplifying the effect of droughts. * Crop yields are very low and stagnant, and the population is growing very rapidly. * Niger has offset very rapid population growth with a large expansion of cultivated land. * If the expansion of farmland slows down, stagnant yields and population growth could lead to increased food insecurity.

21 CFR 173.120 - Carbohydrase and cellulase derived from Aspergillus niger.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... PERMITTED IN FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION Enzyme Preparations and Microorganisms § 173.120 Carbohydrase and cellulase derived from Aspergillus niger. Carbohydrase and cellulase enzyme preparation derived from... Aspergillus niger from the carbohydrase and cellulase enzyme product. (d) The additive is used or intended for...

21 CFR 173.120 - Carbohydrase and cellulase derived from Aspergillus niger.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... PERMITTED IN FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION Enzyme Preparations and Microorganisms § 173.120 Carbohydrase and cellulase derived from Aspergillus niger. Carbohydrase and cellulase enzyme preparation derived from... Aspergillus niger from the carbohydrase and cellulase enzyme product. (d) The additive is used or intended for...

21 CFR 173.120 - Carbohydrase and cellulase derived from Aspergillus niger.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Enzyme Preparations and Microorganisms § 173.120 Carbohydrase and cellulase derived from Aspergillus niger. Carbohydrase and cellulase enzyme preparation derived from Aspergillus niger may be safely used... the carbohydrase and cellulase enzyme product. (d) The additive is used or intended for use as follows...

21 CFR 173.120 - Carbohydrase and cellulase derived from Aspergillus niger.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... PERMITTED IN FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION Enzyme Preparations and Microorganisms § 173.120 Carbohydrase and cellulase derived from Aspergillus niger. Carbohydrase and cellulase enzyme preparation derived from... Aspergillus niger from the carbohydrase and cellulase enzyme product. (d) The additive is used or intended for...

21 CFR 173.120 - Carbohydrase and cellulase derived from Aspergillus niger.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... PERMITTED IN FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION Enzyme Preparations and Microorganisms § 173.120 Carbohydrase and cellulase derived from Aspergillus niger. Carbohydrase and cellulase enzyme preparation derived from... Aspergillus niger from the carbohydrase and cellulase enzyme product. (d) The additive is used or intended for...

Aspergillus niger membrane-associated proteome analysis for the identification of glucose transporters.

PubMed

Sloothaak, J; Odoni, D I; de Graaff, L H; Martins Dos Santos, V A P; Schaap, P J; Tamayo-Ramos, J A

2015-01-01

The development of biological processes that replace the existing petrochemical-based industry is one of the biggest challenges in biotechnology. Aspergillus niger is one of the main industrial producers of lignocellulolytic enzymes, which are used in the conversion of lignocellulosic feedstocks into fermentable sugars. Both the hydrolytic enzymes responsible for lignocellulose depolymerisation and the molecular mechanisms controlling their expression have been well described, but little is known about the transport systems for sugar uptake in A. niger. Understanding the transportome of A. niger is essential to achieve further improvements at strain and process design level. Therefore, this study aims to identify and classify A. niger sugar transporters, using newly developed tools for in silico and in vivo analysis of its membrane-associated proteome. In the present research work, a hidden Markov model (HMM), that shows a good performance in the identification and segmentation of functionally validated glucose transporters, was constructed. The model (HMMgluT) was used to analyse the A. niger membrane-associated proteome response to high and low glucose concentrations at a low pH. By combining the abundance patterns of the proteins found in the A. niger plasmalemma proteome with their HMMgluT scores, two new putative high-affinity glucose transporters, denoted MstG and MstH, were identified. MstG and MstH were functionally validated and biochemically characterised by heterologous expression in a S. cerevisiae glucose transport null mutant. They were shown to be a high-affinity glucose transporter (K m = 0.5 ± 0.04 mM) and a very high-affinity glucose transporter (K m = 0.06 ± 0.005 mM), respectively. This study, focusing for the first time on the membrane-associated proteome of the industrially relevant organism A. niger, shows the global response of the transportome to the availability of different glucose concentrations. Analysis of the A. niger

Lipase of Aspergillus niger NCIM 1207: A Potential Biocatalyst for Synthesis of Isoamyl Acetate.

PubMed

Mhetras, Nutan; Patil, Sonal; Gokhale, Digambar

2010-10-01

Commercial lipase preparations and mycelium bound lipase from Aspergillus niger NCIM 1207 were used for esterification of acetic acid with isoamyl alcohol to obtain isoamyl acetate. The esterification reaction was carried out at 30°C in n-hexane with shaking at 120 rpm. Initial reaction rates, conversion efficiency and isoamyl acetate concentration obtained using Novozyme 435 were the highest. Mycelium bound lipase of A. niger NCIM 1207 produced maximal isoamyl acetate formation at an alcohol/acid ratio of 1.6. Acetic acid at higher concentrations than required for the critical alcohol/acid ratio lower than 1.3 and higher than 1.6 resulted in decreased yields of isoamyl acetate probably owing to lowering of micro-aqueous environmental pH around the enzyme leading to inhibition of enzyme activity. Mycelium bound A. niger lipase produced 80 g/l of isoamyl acetate within 96 h even though extremely less amount of enzyme activity was used for esterification. The presence of sodium sulphate during esterification reaction at higher substrate concentration resulted in increased conversion efficiency when we used mycelium bound enzyme preparations of A. niger NCIM 1207. This could be due to removal of excess water released during esterification reaction by sodium sulphate. High ester concentration (286.5 g/l) and conversion (73.5%) were obtained within 24 h using Novozyme 435 under these conditions.

HisB as novel selection marker for gene targeting approaches in Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Fiedler, Markus R M; Gensheimer, Tarek; Kubisch, Christin; Meyer, Vera

2017-03-08

For Aspergillus niger, a broad set of auxotrophic and dominant resistance markers is available. However, only few offer targeted modification of a gene of interest into or at a genomic locus of choice, which hampers functional genomics studies. We thus aimed to extend the available set by generating a histidine auxotrophic strain with a characterized hisB locus for targeted gene integration and deletion in A. niger. A histidine-auxotrophic strain was established via disruption of the A. niger hisB gene by using the counterselectable pyrG marker. After curing, a hisB - , pyrG - strain was obtained, which served as recipient strain for further studies. We show here that both hisB orthologs from A. nidulans and A. niger can be used to reestablish histidine prototrophy in this recipient strain. Whereas the hisB gene from A. nidulans was suitable for efficient gene targeting at different loci in A. niger, the hisB gene from A. niger allowed efficient integration of a Tet-on driven luciferase reporter construct at the endogenous non-functional hisB locus. Subsequent analysis of the luciferase activity revealed that the hisB locus is tight under non-inducing conditions and allows even higher luciferase expression levels compared to the pyrG integration locus. Taken together, we provide here an alternative selection marker for A. niger, hisB, which allows efficient homologous integration rates as well as high expression levels which compare favorably to the well-established pyrG selection marker.

Screening a strain of Aspergillus niger and optimization of fermentation conditions for degradation of aflatoxin B₁.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Xue, Beibei; Li, Mengmeng; Mu, Yang; Chen, Zhihui; Li, Jianping; Shan, Anshan

2014-11-13

Aflatoxin B₁, a type of highly toxic mycotoxin produced by some species belonging to the Aspergillus genus, such as Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, is widely distributed in feed matrices. Here, coumarin was used as the sole carbon source to screen microorganism strains that were isolated from types of feed ingredients. Only one isolate (ND-1) was able to degrade aflatoxin B₁ after screening. ND-1 isolate, identified as a strain of Aspergillus niger using phylogenetic analysis on the basis of 18S rDNA, could remove 26.3% of aflatoxin B₁ after 48 h of fermentation in nutrient broth (NB). Optimization of fermentation conditions for aflatoxin B₁ degradation by selected Aspergillus niger was also performed. These results showed that 58.2% of aflatoxin B₁ was degraded after 24 h of culture under the optimal fermentation conditions. The aflatoxin B₁ degradation activity of Aspergillus niger supernatant was significantly stronger than cells and cell extracts. Furthermore, effects of temperature, heat treatment, pH, and metal ions on aflatoxin B₁ degradation by the supernatant were examined. Results indicated that aflatoxin B₁ degradation of Aspergillus niger is enzymatic and this process occurs in the extracellular environment.

Korean Ginseng Berry Fermented by Mycotoxin Non-producing Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus oryzae: Ginsenoside Analyses and Anti-proliferative Activities.

PubMed

Li, Zhipeng; Ahn, Hyung Jin; Kim, Nam Yeon; Lee, Yu Na; Ji, Geun Eog

2016-01-01

To transform ginsenosides, Korean ginseng berry (KGB) was fermented by mycotoxin non-producing Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus oryzae. Changes of ginsenoside profile and anti-proliferative activities were observed. Results showed that A. niger tended to efficiently transform protopanaxadiol (PPD) type ginsenosides such as Rb1, Rb2, Rd to compound K while A. oryzae tended to efficiently transform protopanaxatriol (PPT) type ginsenoside Re to Rh1 via Rg1. Butanol extracts of fermented KGB showed high cytotoxicity on human adenocarcinoma HT-29 cell line and hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line while that of unfermented KGB showed little. The minimum effective concentration of niger-fermented KGB was less than 2.5 µg/mL while that of oryzae-fermented KGB was about 5 µg/mL. As A. niger is more inclined to transform PPD type ginsenosides, niger-fermented KGB showed stronger anti-proliferative activity than oryzae-fermented KGB.

Salmonella Biofilm Formation on Aspergillus niger Involves Cellulose – Chitin Interactions

PubMed Central

Brandl, Maria T.; Carter, Michelle Q.; Parker, Craig T.; Chapman, Matthew R.; Huynh, Steven; Zhou, Yaguang

2011-01-01

Salmonella cycles between host and nonhost environments, where it can become an active member of complex microbial communities. The role of fungi in the environmental adaptation of enteric pathogens remains relatively unexplored. We have discovered that S. enterica Typhimurium rapidly attaches to and forms biofilms on the hyphae of the common fungus, Aspergillus niger. Several Salmonella enterica serovars displayed a similar interaction, whereas other bacterial species were unable to bind to the fungus. Bacterial attachment to chitin, a major constituent of fungal cell walls, mirrored this specificity. Pre-incubation of S. Typhimurium with N-acetylglucosamine, the monomeric component of chitin, reduced binding to chitin beads by as much as 727-fold and inhibited attachment to A. niger hyphae considerably. A cellulose-deficient mutant of S. Typhimurium failed to attach to chitin beads and to the fungus. Complementation of this mutant with the cellulose operon restored binding to chitin beads to 79% of that of the parental strain and allowed for attachment and biofilm formation on A. niger, indicating that cellulose is involved in bacterial attachment to the fungus via the chitin component of its cell wall. In contrast to cellulose, S. Typhimurium curli fimbriae were not required for attachment and biofilm development on the hyphae but were critical for its stability. Our results suggest that cellulose–chitin interactions are required for the production of mixed Salmonella-A. niger biofilms, and support the hypothesis that encounters with chitinaceous alternate hosts may contribute to the ecological success of human pathogens. PMID:22003399

GRACE Detected Rise of Groundwater in the Sahelian Niger River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werth, S.; White, D.; Bliss, D. W.

2017-12-01

West African regions along the Niger River experience climate and land cover changes that affect hydrological processes and therewith the distribution of fresh water resources (WR). This study provides an investigation of long-term changes in terrestrial water storages (TWS) of the Niger River basin and its subregions by analyzing a decade of satellite gravity data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission. The location of large trends in TWS maps of differently processed GRACE solutions points to rising groundwater stocks. Soil moisture data from a global land surface model allow separating the effect of significantly increasing amount of WR from that of TWS variations. Surface water variations from a global water storage model validated with observations from altimetry data were applied to estimate the groundwater component in WR. For the whole Niger, a rise in groundwater stocks is estimated to be 93 ± 61 km3 between January 2003 and December 2013. A careful analysis of uncertainties in all data sets supports the significance of the groundwater rise. Our results confirm previous observations of rising water tables, indicating that effects of land cover changes on groundwater storage are relevant on basin scales. Areas with rising water storage are stocking a comfortable backup to mitigate possible future droughts and to deliver water to remote areas. This has implications for Niger water management strategies. Increasing groundwater recharges may be accompanied by reduction in water quality. This study helps to inform authority's decision to mitigate its negative impacts on local communities.

Benchmarking the Integration of WAVEWATCH III Results into HAZUS-MH: Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berglund, Judith; Holland, Donald; McKellip, Rodney; Sciaudone, Jeff; Vickery, Peter; Wang, Zhanxian; Ying, Ken

2005-01-01

The report summarizes the results from the preliminary benchmarking activities associated with the use of WAVEWATCH III (WW3) results in the HAZUS-MH MR1 flood module. Project partner Applied Research Associates (ARA) is integrating the WW3 model into HAZUS. The current version of HAZUS-MH predicts loss estimates from hurricane-related coastal flooding by using values of surge only. Using WW3, wave setup can be included with surge. Loss estimates resulting from the use of surge-only and surge-plus-wave-setup were compared. This benchmarking study is preliminary because the HAZUS-MH MR1 flood module was under development at the time of the study. In addition, WW3 is not scheduled to be fully integrated with HAZUS-MH and available for public release until 2008.

Fumonisin and Ochratoxin Production in Industrial Aspergillus niger Strains

PubMed Central

Frisvad, Jens C.; Larsen, Thomas O.; Thrane, Ulf; Meijer, Martin; Varga, Janos; Samson, Robert A.; Nielsen, Kristian F.

2011-01-01

Aspergillus niger is perhaps the most important fungus used in biotechnology, and is also one of the most commonly encountered fungi contaminating foods and feedstuffs, and occurring in soil and indoor environments. Many of its industrial applications have been given GRAS status (generally regarded as safe). However, A. niger has the potential to produce two groups of potentially carcinogenic mycotoxins: fumonisins and ochratoxins. In this study all available industrial and many non-industrial strains of A. niger (180 strains) as well as 228 strains from 17 related black Aspergillus species were examined for mycotoxin production. None of the related 17 species of black Aspergilli produced fumonisins. Fumonisins (B2, B4, and B6) were detected in 81% of A. niger, and ochratoxin A in 17%, while 10% of the strains produced both mycotoxins. Among the industrial strains the same ratios were 83%, 33% and 26% respectively. Some of the most frequently used strains in industry NRRL 337, 3112 and 3122 produced both toxins and several strains used for citric acid production were among the best producers of fumonisins in pure agar culture. Most strains used for other biotechnological processes also produced fumonisins. Strains optimized through random mutagenesis usually maintained their mycotoxin production capability. Toxigenic strains were also able to produce the toxins on media suggested for citric acid production with most of the toxins found in the biomass, thereby questioning the use of the remaining biomass as animal feed. In conclusion it is recommended to use strains of A. niger with inactive or inactivated gene clusters for fumonisins and ochratoxins, or to choose isolates for biotechnological uses in related non-toxigenic species such as A. tubingensis, A. brasiliensis, A vadensis or A. acidus, which neither produce fumonisins nor ochratoxins. PMID:21853139

Hydroxylative activity of Aspergillus niger towards androst-4-ene and androst-5-ene steroids.

PubMed

Świzdor, Alina; Panek, Anna; Milecka-Tronina, Natalia

2017-10-01

Aspergillus niger, one of fungal species most frequently used for experimental and industrial-scale biotransformations of various organic compounds, is generally known to transform steroids at 16β position. In this work, application of the strain A. niger KCH910 to bioconversion of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenediol and testosterone is described, with emphasis on the metabolic steps leading to the products. Evidence from this study indicated that incubated 5-ene steroids underwent bioconversion within two metabolic pathways: oxidation by the action of 3β-HSD (3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) to 4-ene steroids, and minor allylic hydroxylation to epimeric 7-alcohols. Further transformation of the 3-oxo-4-ene metabolites resulted in non-selective 16-hydroxylation. It is the first report on an A. niger strain able to introduce not only 16β- but also 16α-hydroxyl function into steroids. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Reduction of Aspergillus niger Virulence in Apple Fruits by Deletion of the Catalase Gene cpeB.

PubMed

Zhang, Meng-Ke; Tang, Jun; Huang, Zhong-Qin; Hu, Kang-Di; Li, Yan-Hong; Han, Zhuo; Chen, Xiao-Yan; Hu, Lan-Ying; Yao, Gai-Fang; Zhang, Hua

2018-05-30

Aspergillus niger, a common saprophytic fungus, causes rot in many fruits. We studied the role of a putative catalase-peroxidase-encoding gene, cpeB, in oxidative stress and virulence in fruit. The cpeB gene was deleted in A. niger by homologous recombination, and the Δ cpeB mutant showed decreased CAT activity compared with that of the wild type. The cpeB gene deletion caused increased sensitivity to H 2 O 2 stress, and spore germination was significantly reduced; in addition, the reactive-oxygen-species (ROS) metabolites superoxide anions (·O 2 - ), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulated in the Δ cpeB mutant during H 2 O 2 stress. Furthermore, ROS metabolism in A. niger infected apples was determined, and our results showed that the Δ cpeB mutant induced an attenuated response in apple fruit during the fruit-pathogen interaction; the cpeB gene deletion significantly reduced the development of lesions, suggesting that the cpeB gene in A. niger is essential for full virulence in apples.

Oil, migration, and the political economy of HIV/AIDS prevention in Nigeria's Niger Delta.

PubMed

Udoh, Isidore A

2013-01-01

In most of sub-Saharan Africa, HIV/AIDS is driven by endemic structural problems such as unemployment, poverty, forced migration, sexual exploitation, and concurrent sexual partnerships. In the Niger Delta of Nigeria, the epidemic is exacerbated by recurring regional conflict and negative environmental externalities resulting from 50 years of oil exploration. This article seeks to identify and analyze potential barriers to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment from oil pollution and other environmental stressors in Nigeria's Niger Delta. We develop a conceptual framework to understand how oil politics and economic systems affect HIV risks in Nigeria. We then evaluate evidence of how environmental exposures can amplify risks. Using 10 semi-structured interviews, with 85 focus group participants, we test the argument that HIV transmission in the Niger Delta is related to a manipulative "divide and rule" power dynamic that characterizes multinational oil companies' role in shaping conflict contours in oil communities. Oil exploration destroys livelihoods, institutions, and values and forces impoverished and illiterate girls and women to migrate or be trafficked to urban centers as child laborers and sex workers. The elevated HIV/AIDS risk in the Niger Delta brings into focus the political economy of resource extraction, globalization, and indigenous, minority rights and struggles.

The identity of the enigmatic "Black Shrew" (Sorex niger Ord, 1815)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Woodman, Neal

2013-01-01

The scientific name Sorex niger Ord, 1815 (Mammalia, Soricidae) was originally applied to a North American species that George Ord called the “Black Shrew.” The origin of the name “Black Shrew,” however, was obscure, and Samuel Rhoads subsequently wrote that the species represented by this name could not be determined. The names Sorex niger Ord and Black Shrew have since been mostly forgotten. Two of Ord's contemporaries, however, noted that Ord's use of these names probably alluded to Benjamin Smith Barton's Black Shrew, whose discovery near Philadelphia was announced by Barton in 1806. Examination of two unpublished illustrations of the Black Shrew made by Barton indicates that the animal depicted is Blarina brevicauda (Say, 1822). Had the connection between Ord's and Barton's names been made more clearly, one of the most common mammals in eastern North America would bear a different scientific name today. This connection also would have affected the validity of Sorex niger Horsfield, 1851. While Sorex niger Ord remains a nomen nudum, the animal it referenced can now be identified.

Niger River Discharge and the Connection to the West African Monsoon Over the Last 25 kyr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patten, J.; Marcantonio, F.; Slowey, N. C.; Schmidt, M. W.; Parker, A. O.; Thomas, D. J.

2016-12-01

The intensity of the West African monsoon is directly tied to the shifting of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone and global-scale climate variability. As the West African monsoon varies through time, it affects the precipitation that occurs within the Niger River basin and the Niger River's discharge into the eastern equatorial Atlantic Ocean. The accumulation of marine sediments on the continental slope offshore of the Niger Delta reflects these processes. We seek to better understand how related environmental processes have varied as climate and sea level changed during the latter part of the last glacial-interglacial cycle. Here we present results from our ongoing investigation of sediments collected offshore of the Niger Delta that reflect such changes. The concentrations of 230Th, 232Th, and 234U in the sediments have been measured and combined with ages from radiocarbon dates and planktonic foraminiferal δ18O stratigraphies to estimate how the rate of sediment accumulation has varied through time. This record is considered together with measurements of sediment CaCO3 content and grain-size distribution to better understand the relative importance of environmental processes that control the flux of sediments and thorium to the seafloor - scavenging by particles settling through the water column versus the transport of sediments downslope by turbidity flows. We present xs230Th-derived 232Th fluxes that we suggest approximate the amount of fine-grained detrital material delivered from the Niger River to our sites. We anticipate that the importance of these competing processes will vary as climate/sea-level change influences the flux of sediments from the Niger River and the transport of these sediments to the slope.

The role of analytical chemistry in Niger Delta petroleum exploration: a review.

PubMed

Akinlua, Akinsehinwa

2012-06-12

Petroleum and organic matter from which the petroleum is derived are composed of organic compounds with some trace elements. These compounds give an insight into the origin, thermal maturity and paleoenvironmental history of petroleum, which are essential elements in petroleum exploration. The main tool to acquire the geochemical data is analytical techniques. Due to progress in the development of new analytical techniques, many hitherto petroleum exploration problems have been resolved. Analytical chemistry has played a significant role in the development of petroleum resources of Niger Delta. Various analytical techniques that have aided the success of petroleum exploration in the Niger Delta are discussed. The analytical techniques that have helped to understand the petroleum system of the basin are also described. Recent and emerging analytical methodologies including green analytical methods as applicable to petroleum exploration particularly Niger Delta petroleum province are discussed in this paper. Analytical chemistry is an invaluable tool in finding the Niger Delta oils. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perspective: big oil, rural poverty, and environmental degradation in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

PubMed

Aaron, K K

2005-05-01

The Niger Delta region of Nigeria is richly endowed with both renewable and non-renewable natural resources. It contains 20 billion of Africa's proven 66 billion barrels of oil reserves and more than 3 trillion cubic meters of gas reserves. Oil and gas resources of the Niger Delta account for over 85% of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP), over 95% of the national budget, and over 80% of the nation's wealth. Paradoxically, the Niger Delta remains the poorest region, due largely to the ecologically unfriendly exploitation of oil and gas and state policies that expropriate the indigenous peoples of the Niger Delta of their rights to these natural resources. The ecological devastation occasioned by the activities of oil transnational corporations (TNCs) have rendered farming and fishing useless, previously the main occupations of these rural people. The people of the Niger Delta are deprived of their share of the wealth on which the entire nation depends; they "benefit" only from compensation for incidents of oil pollution. At the same time, occurrences of oil spills in the Niger Delta region have increased. In this article, it is argued that the ecologically unfriendly activities of oil TNCs, and the state's petroleum development policies, lead to poverty in the Niger Delta, and poverty in turn leads to environmental degradation. It is the dynamics of this interconnectedness that we wish to explore.

Physicochemical Properties Analysis and Secretome of Aspergillus niger in Fermented Rapeseed Meal

PubMed Central

Shi, Changyou; He, Jun; Yu, Jie; Yu, Bing; Mao, Xiangbing; Zheng, Ping; Huang, Zhiqing; Chen, Daiwen

2016-01-01

The nutrient digestibility and feeding value of rapeseed meal (RSM) for non-ruminant animals is poor due to the presence of anti-nutritional substances such as glucosinolate, phytic acid, crude fiber etc. In the present study, a solid state fermentation (SSF) using Aspergillus niger was carried out with the purpose of improving the nutritional quality of RSM. The chemical composition and physicochemical properties of RSM before and after fermentation were compared. To further understand possible mechanism of solid state fermentation, the composition of extracellular enzymes secreted by Aspergillus niger during fermentation was analysed using two-dimentional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) combined with matrix assisted laser desorption ionization—time of flight—mass spectrometer (MALDI-TOF-MS). Results of the present study indicated that SSF had significant effects on chemical composition of RSM. The fermented rapeseed meal (FRSM) contained more crude protein (CP) and amino acid (AA) (except His) than unfermented RSM. Notably, the small peptide in FRSM was 2.26 time larger than that in unfermented RSM. Concentrations of anti-nutritional substrates in FRSM including neutral detergent fiber (NDF), glucosinolates, isothiocyanate, oxazolidithione, and phytic acid declined (P < 0.05) by 13.47, 43.07, 55.64, 44.68 and 86.09%, respectively, compared with unfermented RSM. A. niger fermentation disrupted the surface structure, changed macromolecular organic compounds, and reduced the protein molecular weights of RSM substrate. Total proteins of raw RSM and FRSM were separated and 51 protein spots were selected for mass spectrometry according to 2D-DIGE map. In identified proteins, there were 15 extracellular hydrolases secreted by A. niger including glucoamylase, acid protease, beta-glucanase, arabinofuranosidase, xylanase, and phytase. Some antioxidant related enzymes also were identified. These findings suggested that A. niger is able to secrete many

Physicochemical Properties Analysis and Secretome of Aspergillus niger in Fermented Rapeseed Meal.

PubMed

Shi, Changyou; He, Jun; Yu, Jie; Yu, Bing; Mao, Xiangbing; Zheng, Ping; Huang, Zhiqing; Chen, Daiwen

2016-01-01

The nutrient digestibility and feeding value of rapeseed meal (RSM) for non-ruminant animals is poor due to the presence of anti-nutritional substances such as glucosinolate, phytic acid, crude fiber etc. In the present study, a solid state fermentation (SSF) using Aspergillus niger was carried out with the purpose of improving the nutritional quality of RSM. The chemical composition and physicochemical properties of RSM before and after fermentation were compared. To further understand possible mechanism of solid state fermentation, the composition of extracellular enzymes secreted by Aspergillus niger during fermentation was analysed using two-dimentional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) combined with matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometer (MALDI-TOF-MS). Results of the present study indicated that SSF had significant effects on chemical composition of RSM. The fermented rapeseed meal (FRSM) contained more crude protein (CP) and amino acid (AA) (except His) than unfermented RSM. Notably, the small peptide in FRSM was 2.26 time larger than that in unfermented RSM. Concentrations of anti-nutritional substrates in FRSM including neutral detergent fiber (NDF), glucosinolates, isothiocyanate, oxazolidithione, and phytic acid declined (P < 0.05) by 13.47, 43.07, 55.64, 44.68 and 86.09%, respectively, compared with unfermented RSM. A. niger fermentation disrupted the surface structure, changed macromolecular organic compounds, and reduced the protein molecular weights of RSM substrate. Total proteins of raw RSM and FRSM were separated and 51 protein spots were selected for mass spectrometry according to 2D-DIGE map. In identified proteins, there were 15 extracellular hydrolases secreted by A. niger including glucoamylase, acid protease, beta-glucanase, arabinofuranosidase, xylanase, and phytase. Some antioxidant related enzymes also were identified. These findings suggested that A. niger is able to secrete many extracellular

ITS2 barcoding DNA region combined with high resolution melting (HRM) analysis of Hyoscyami Semen, the mature seed of Hyoscyamus niger.

PubMed

Xiong, Chao; Hu, Zhi-Gang; Tu, Yuan; Liu, He-Gang; Wang, Ping; Zhao, Ming-Ming; SHIi, Yu-Hua; Wu, Lan; Sun, Wei; Chen, Shi-Lin

2016-12-01

Hyoscyami Semen, the mature dried seed of Hyoscyamus niger L., has long been used as a traditional Chinese medicine to treat human diseases. Hyoscyami Semen is found in local markets in China. In markets, sellers and buyers commonly inadvertently mix the seeds of H. niger with the seeds of related species such as Hygrophila salicifolia (Vahl) Nees, Astragalus complanatus R. Br., Cuscuta australis R. Br., Cuscuta chinensis Lam., and Impatiens balsamina L. because of their similar morphologies or similar names. Thus, developing a reliable method for discriminating H. niger seeds from its adulterants is necessary to reduce confusion and ensure the safe use of Hyoscyami Semen. The present study was designed to evaluate the efficiency of high-resolution melting analysis combined with DNA barcoding (Bar-HRM) with internal transcribed spacer 2 to discriminate H. niger. Our results show that Bar-HRM successfully identified the adulterants and detected the proportion of H. niger DNA extract within an admixture. In particular, HRM detected H. niger DNA extract in A. complanatus DNA extract at concentrations as low as 1%. In conclusion, the Bar-HRM method developed in the present study for authenticating H. niger is rapid and cost-effective. It can be used in the future to guarantee the purity of Hyoscyami Semen for the clinical use. Copyright © 2016 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Continuous citric acid production in repeated-fed batch fermentation by Aspergillus niger immobilized on a new porous foam.

PubMed

Yu, Bin; Zhang, Xin; Sun, Wenjun; Xi, Xun; Zhao, Nan; Huang, Zichun; Ying, Zhuojun; Liu, Li; Liu, Dong; Niu, Huanqing; Wu, Jinglan; Zhuang, Wei; Zhu, Chenjie; Chen, Yong; Ying, Hanjie

2018-06-20

The efficiency of current methods for industrial production of citric acid is limited. To achieve continuous citric acid production with enhanced yield and reduced cost, immobilized fermentation was employed in an Aspergillus niger 831 repeated fed-batch fermentation system. We developed a new type of material (PAF201), which was used as a carrier for the novel adsorption immobilization system. Hydrophobicity, pore size and concentration of carriers were researched in A. niger immobilization. The efficiency of the A. niger immobilization process was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Then eight-cycle repeated fed-batch cultures for citric acid production were carried out over 600 h, which showed stable production with maximum citric acid concentrations and productivity levels of 162.7 g/L and 2.26 g L -1  h -1 , respectively. Compared with some other literatures about citric acid yield, PAF201 immobilization system is 11.3% higher than previous results. These results indicated that use of the new adsorption immobilization system could greatly improve citric acid productivity in repeated fed-batch fermentation. Moreover, these results could provide a guideline for A.niger or other filamentous fungi immobilization in industry. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

78 FR 28192 - Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags From Thailand: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-14

... Bags From Thailand: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2011-2012 AGENCY... Import Administration, ``Decision Memorandum for Preliminary Results of the 2011/12 Antidumping Duty... (August 12, 2010) (Section 129 Determination). Preliminary Results of Review As a result of our review, we...

78 FR 34644 - Stainless Steel Plate in Coils From Belgium: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-10

... Coils From Belgium: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2011-2012 AGENCY... of the scope of the order, see the ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary Results of Antidumping... Preliminary Decision Memorandum are identical in content. Preliminary Results of the Review As a result of...

Antifungal mechanism of antibacterial peptide, ABP-CM4, from Bombyx mori against Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Wu, Xi; Zhang, Shuang-Quan

2008-12-01

Antibacterial peptide, CM4 (ABP-CM4), a 35 amino acid peptide from Chinese silkworm-Bombyx mori, displayed a strong antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger, Trichoderma viride and Gibberella saubinetii. Scanning electron microcopy showed that the morphology of conidia became more irregular and swelled when treated with ABP-CM4 at its minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 8 muM. A cell wall regeneration assay indicated that the plasma membrane was the prime target of ABP-CM4 action. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that the cytoskeleton of A. niger was destroyed when treated with ABP-CM4 at 8 muM. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy showed that the membrane and the cellular organelles of fungus were disrupted and there were many vacuoles in the fungal cellular space after the treatment with ABP-CM4. A gel-retardation assay showed that ABP-CM4 bound the DNA of A. niger. Our results suggest that ABP-CM4 exerts its antifungal activity by disrupting the structure of cell membranes and the cytoskeleton and interacts with the organelles, such as the mitochondrion and with the DNA in the fungal cell, subsequently resulting in cell death.

An Antifungal Role of Hydrogen Sulfide on the Postharvest Pathogens Aspergillus niger and Penicillium italicum

PubMed Central

Li, Yan-Hong; Hu, Liang-Bin; Yan, Hong; Liu, Yong-Sheng; Zhang, Hua

2014-01-01

In this research, the antifungal role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on the postharvest pathogens Aspergillus niger and Penicillium italicum growing on fruits and under culture conditions on defined media was investigated. Our results show that H2S, released by sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) effectively reduced the postharvest decay of fruits induced by A. niger and P. italicum. Furthermore, H2S inhibited spore germination, germ tube elongation, mycelial growth, and produced abnormal mycelial contractions when the fungi were grown on defined media in Petri plates. Further studies showed that H2S could cause an increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in A. niger. In accordance with this observation we show that enzyme activities and the expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) genes in A. niger treated with H2S were lower than those in control. Moreover, H2S also significantly inhibited the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Rhizopus oryzae, the human pathogen Candida albicans, and several food-borne bacteria. We also found that short time exposure of H2S showed a microbicidal role rather than just inhibiting the growth of microbes. Taken together, this study suggests the potential value of H2S in reducing postharvest loss and food spoilage caused by microbe propagation. PMID:25101960

Aspergillus niger Enhance Bioactive Compounds Biosynthesis As Well As Expression of Functional Genes in Adventitious Roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.

PubMed

Li, Jing; Wang, Juan; Li, Jinxin; Liu, Dahui; Li, Hongfa; Gao, Wenyuan; Li, Jianli; Liu, Shujie

2016-02-01

In the present study, the culture conditions for the accumulation of Glycyrrhiza uralensis adventitious root metabolites in balloon-type bubble bioreactors (BTBBs) have been optimized. The results of the culture showed that the best culture conditions were a cone angle of 90° bioreactor and 0.4-0.6-0.4-vvm aeration volume. Aspergillus niger can be used as a fungal elicitor to enhance the production of defense compounds in plants. With the addition of a fungal elicitor (derived from Aspergillus niger), the maximum accumulation of total flavonoids (16.12 mg g(-1)) and glycyrrhetinic acid (0.18 mg g(-1)) occurred at a dose of 400 mg L(-1) of Aspergillus niger resulting in a 3.47-fold and 1.8-fold increase over control roots. However, the highest concentration of polysaccharide (106.06 mg g(-1)) was achieved with a mixture of elicitors (Aspergillus niger and salicylic acid) added to the medium, resulting in a 1.09-fold increase over Aspergillus niger treatment alone. Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS(n)) analysis was performed, showing that seven compounds were present after treatment with the elicitors, including uralsaponin B, licorice saponin B2, liquiritin, and (3R)-vestitol, only identified in the mixed elicitor treatment group. It has also been found that elicitors (Aspergillus niger and salicylic acid) significantly upregulated the expression of the cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H), β-amyrin synthase (β-AS), squalene epoxidase (SE) and a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP72A154) genes, which are involved in the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds, and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) activity.

Advances in citric acid fermentation by Aspergillus niger: biochemical aspects, membrane transport and modeling.

PubMed

Papagianni, Maria

2007-01-01

Citric acid is regarded as a metabolite of energy metabolism, of which the concentration will rise to appreciable amounts only under conditions of substantive metabolic imbalances. Citric acid fermentation conditions were established during the 1930s and 1940s, when the effects of various medium components were evaluated. The biochemical mechanism by which Aspergillus niger accumulates citric acid has continued to attract interest even though its commercial production by fermentation has been established for decades. Although extensive basic biochemical research has been carried out with A. niger, the understanding of the events relevant for citric acid accumulation is not completely understood. This review is focused on citric acid fermentation by A. niger. Emphasis is given to aspects of fermentation biochemistry, membrane transport in A. niger and modeling of the production process.

Characterization of a polyketide synthase in Aspergillus niger whose product is a precursor for both dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) melanin and naphtho-γ-pyrone.

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

Chiang, Yi Ming; Meyer, Kristen M; Praseuth, Michael

2010-12-06

The genome sequencing of the fungus Aspergillus niger, an industrial workhorse, uncovered a large cache of genes encoding enzymes thought to be involved in the production of secondary metabolites yet to be identified. Identification and structural characterization of many of these predicted secondary metabolites are hampered by their low concentration relative to the known A. niger metabolites such as the naphtho-γ-pyrone family of polyketides. We deleted a nonreducing PKS gene in A. niger strain ATCC 11414, a daughter strain of A. niger ATCC strain 1015 whose genome was sequenced by the DOE Joint Genome Institute. This PKS encoding gene ismore » a predicted ortholog of alb1 from Aspergillus fumigatus which is responsible for production of YWA1, a precursor of fungal DHN melanin. Our results show that the A. niger alb1 PKS is responsible for the production of the polyketide precursor for DHN melanin biosynthesis. Deletion of alb1 elimnates the production of major metabolites, naphtho-γ-pyrones. The generation of an A. niger strain devoid of naphtho-γ-pyrones will greatly facilitate the elucidation of cryptic biosynthetic pathways in this organism.« less

Pollution of the River Niger and its main tributaries

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

Nwokedi, G.I.C.; Obodo, G.A.

1993-08-01

The River Niger system, with a length of about 4200 kilometers, and a discharge volume of 190 cubic kilometers, per year is the third largest river in Africa, and the largest in West Africa. It serves as an important waterway for the transportation of goods and provides rich agricultural flood basins for the cultivation of food and vegetables. Also it is a major source of animal proteins in form of fishes, snails and other aquatics. Above all the River and its tributaries represent the main source of domestic water supply for the rural communities, and water for irrigation. Therefore theremore » is a need to establish the nature and present levels of pollutants in the river, and the contribution made by the tributaries to the gross pollution level. A number of studies have been reported. Martins reported on the geochemistry of the River Niger while Nriagu; Livingstone; and Imevbore provided some chemical data on the upper reaches around and above its confluence with River Benue at Lokoja. Ajayi and Osibanjo reported on the chemical properties of some tributaries above the confluence of the Niger and the Benue. So far no work has been reported on the lower reaches of the Niger where contributions of the Benue and other major tributaries are significant, and where there are large settlements on its banks and the banks of the tributaries. This work aims at establishing base-line levels of the various pollutants and their sources. 12 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.« less

Identification of Genes Associated with Morphology in Aspergillus Niger by Using Suppression Subtractive Hybridization

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

Dai, Ziyu; Mao, Xingxue; Magnuson, Jon K.

2004-04-01

The morphology of citric acid production strains of Aspergillus niger is sensitive to a variety of factors including the concentration of manganese (Mn2+). Upon increasing the Mn2+ concentration in A. niger (ATCC 11414) cultures to 14 ppb or higher, the morphology switches from pelleted to filamentous, accompanied by a rapid decline in citric acid production. Molecular mechanisms through which Mn2+ exerts effects on morphology and citric acid production in A. niger have not been well defined, but our use of suppression subtractive hybridization has identified 22 genes responsive to Mn2+. Fifteen genes were differentially expressed when A. niger was grownmore » in media containing 1000 ppb Mn2+ (filamentous form) and seven genes in 10 ppb Mn2+ (pelleted form). Of the fifteen filamentous-associated genes, seven are novel and eight share 47-100% identity to genes from other organisms. Five of the pellet-associated genes are novel, and the other two genes encode a pepsin-type protease and polyubiquitin. All ten genes with deduced functions are either involved in amino acid metabolism/protein catabolism or cell regulatory processes. Northern-blot analysis showed that the transcripts of all 22 genes were rapidly enhanced or suppressed by Mn2+. Steady-state mRNA levels of six selected filamentous associated genes remained high during five days of culture in a filamentous state and low under pelleted growth conditions. The opposite behavior was observed for four selected pellet-associated genes. The full-length cDNA of the filamentous-associated clone, Brsa-25 was isolated. Antisense expression of Brsa-25 permitted pelleted growth and increased citrate production at higher concentrations of Mn2+ than could be tolerated by the parent strain. The results suggest the involvement of the newly isolated genes in regulation of A. niger morphology.« less

Cloning and Genomic Organization of a Rhamnogalacturonase Gene from Locally Isolated Strain of Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Damak, Naourez; Abdeljalil, Salma; Taeib, Noomen Hadj; Gargouri, Ali

2015-08-01

The rhg gene encoding a rhamnogalacturonase was isolated from the novel strain A1 of Aspergillus niger. It consists of an ORF of 1.505 kb encoding a putative protein of 446 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 47 kDa, belonging to the family 28 of glycosyl hydrolases. The nature and position of amino acids comprising the active site as well as the three-dimensional structure were well conserved between the A. niger CTM10548 and fungal rhamnogalacturonases. The coding region of the rhg gene is interrupted by three short introns of 56 (introns 1 and 3) and 52 (intron 2) bp in length. The comparison of the peptide sequence with A. niger rhg sequences revealed that the A1 rhg should be an endo-rhamnogalacturonases, more homologous to rhg A than rhg B A. niger known enzymes. The comparison of rhg nucleotide sequence from A. niger A1 with rhg A from A. niger shows several base changes. Most of these changes (59 %) are located at the third base of codons suggesting maintaining the same enzyme function. We used the rhamnogalacturonase A from Aspergillus aculeatus as a template to build a structural model of rhg A1 that adopted a right-handed parallel β-helix.

In vivo and in vitro control activity of plant essential oils against three strains of Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Kumar, Peeyush; Mishra, Sapna; Kumar, Atul; Kumar, Sanjeev; Prasad, Chandra Shekhar

2017-09-01

Contamination of environment and food from the prevalent spores and mycotoxins of Aspergillus niger has led to several diseases in humans and other animals. The present study investigated the control activity of plant essential oils against three strains of A. niger. In the elaborate assays done through microdilution plate assay and agar disk diffusion assay in the lab condition and in vivo assay on the stored wheat grains, the essential oil of Thymus vulgaris depicted overall superior efficacy. In microdilution plate assay, the oil of Anethum graveolens showed best fungistatic activity, while best fungicidal activity was depicted by Syzygium aromaticum oil. The oil of T. vulgaris showed moderate control efficacy against A. niger strains with its antifungal activity resulting mainly due to killing of microorganism rather than growth inhibition. In agar disk diffusion assay, T. vulgaris oil with a zone of inhibition (ZOI) of 23.3-61.1% was the most effective fungicide. The in vivo assay to evaluate the protection efficacy of oils for stored wheat grains against A. niger (AN1) revealed T. vulgaris (90.5-100%) to be the best control agent, followed by the oil of S. aromaticum (61.9-100%). The GC-MS analysis of T. vulgaris oil indicated the presence of thymol (39.11%), γ-terpinene (19.73%), o-cymene (17.21%), and β-pinene (5.38%) as major oil components. Phytotoxic effects of the oils on wheat seeds showed no significant phytotoxic effect of oils in terms of seed germination or seedling growth. The results of the study demonstrated control potentiality of essential oils for the protection of stored wheat against A. niger with prospect for development of eco-friendly antifungal products.

Analytical and computational approaches to define the Aspergillus niger secretome.

PubMed

Tsang, Adrian; Butler, Gregory; Powlowski, Justin; Panisko, Ellen A; Baker, Scott E

2009-03-01

We used computational and mass spectrometric approaches to characterize the Aspergillus niger secretome.The 11,200 gene models predicted in the genome of A. niger strain ATCC 1015 were the data source for the analysis. Depending on the computational methods used, 691 to 881 proteins were predicted to be secreted proteins. We cultured A. niger in six different media and analyzed the extracellular proteins produced using mass spectrometry. A total of 222 proteins were identified, with 39 proteins expressed under all six conditions and 74 proteins expressed under only one condition. The secreted proteins identified by mass spectrometry were used to guide the correction of about 20 gene models. Additional analysis focused on extracellular enzymes of interest for biomass processing. Of the 63 glycoside hydrolases predicted to be capable of hydrolyzing cellulose, hemicellulose or pectin, 94% of the exo-acting enzymes and only 18% of the endo-acting enzymes were experimentally detected.

Analytical and computational approaches to define the Aspergillus niger secretome

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

Tsang, Adrian; Butler, Gregory D.; Powlowski, Justin

2009-03-01

We used computational and mass spectrometric approaches to characterize the Aspergillus niger secretome. The 11,200 gene models predicted in the genome of A. niger strain ATCC 1015 were the data source for the analysis. Depending on the computational methods used, 691 to 881 proteins were predicted to be secreted proteins. We cultured A. niger in six different media and analyzed the extracellular proteins produced using mass spectrometry. A total of 222 proteins were identified, with 39 proteins expressed under all six conditions and 74 proteins expressed under only one condition. The secreted proteins identified by mass spectrometry were used tomore » guide the correction of about 20 gene models. Additional analysis focused on extracellular enzymes of interest for biomass processing. Of the 63 glycoside hydrolases predicted to be capable of hydrolyzing cellulose, hemicellulose or pectin, 94% of the exo-acting enzymes and only 18% of the endo-acting enzymes were experimentally detected.« less

[Understanding the non-use of long-lasting impregnated nets (LLINs) in Niger].

PubMed

Faye, S L

2012-01-01

In Niger, malaria is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity among pregnant women and children under 5 years. To decrease these rates, the country initiated a prevention policy of free distribution of long-lasting impregnated nets (LLINs). However, improved physical access to this preventive tool has not led to its regular use in households. A nationally representative quantitative and qualitative survey sought to document the reasons for non-use. The results show that the possession of a LLIN is quite low and confirm the low utilization rate, with significant differences by region. Cultural beliefs are not the main barriers to the use of LLINs in Niger. Knowledge and social, technical, environmental and economic dimensions were all more decisive. These results suggest that while improving awareness and communication is important for changing behavior, it cannot alone remove certain socioeconomic barriers and improve LLIN use.

Expression of naturally ionic liquid-tolerant thermophilic cellulases in Aspergillus niger

DOE PAGES

Amaike Campen, Saori; Lynn, Jed; Sibert, Stephanie J.; ...

2017-12-27

Efficient deconstruction of plant biomass is a major barrier to the development of viable lignocellulosic biofuels. Pretreatment with ionic liquids reduces lignocellulose recalcitrance to enzymatic hydrolysis, increasing yields of sugars for conversion into biofuels. However, commercial cellulases are not compatible with many ionic liquids, necessitating extensive water washing of pretreated biomass prior to hydrolysis. To circumvent this issue, previous research has demonstrated that several thermophilic bacterial cellulases can efficiently deconstruct lignocellulose in the presence of the ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimadizolium acetate. As promising as these enzymes are, they would need to be produced at high titer in an industrial enzyme productionmore » host before they could be considered a viable alternative to current commercial cellulases. Aspergillus Niger has been used to produce high titers of secreted enzymes in industry and therefore, we assessed the potential of this organism to be used as an expression host for these ionic liquid-tolerant cellulases. We demonstrated that 29 of these cellulases were expressed at detectable levels in a wild-type strain of A. Niger, indicating a basic level of compatibility and potential to be produced at high levels in a host engineered to produce high titers of enzymes. We then profiled one of these enzymes in detail, the β-glucosidase A5IL97, and compared versions expressed in both A. Niger and Escherichia coli. Finally, this comparison revealed the enzymatic activity of A5IL97 purified from E. coli and A. Niger is equivalent, suggesting that A. Niger could be an excellent enzyme production host for enzymes originally characterized in E. coli, facilitating the transition from the laboratory to industry.« less

Expression of naturally ionic liquid-tolerant thermophilic cellulases in Aspergillus niger

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

Amaike Campen, Saori; Lynn, Jed; Sibert, Stephanie J.

Efficient deconstruction of plant biomass is a major barrier to the development of viable lignocellulosic biofuels. Pretreatment with ionic liquids reduces lignocellulose recalcitrance to enzymatic hydrolysis, increasing yields of sugars for conversion into biofuels. However, commercial cellulases are not compatible with many ionic liquids, necessitating extensive water washing of pretreated biomass prior to hydrolysis. To circumvent this issue, previous research has demonstrated that several thermophilic bacterial cellulases can efficiently deconstruct lignocellulose in the presence of the ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimadizolium acetate. As promising as these enzymes are, they would need to be produced at high titer in an industrial enzyme productionmore » host before they could be considered a viable alternative to current commercial cellulases. Aspergillus Niger has been used to produce high titers of secreted enzymes in industry and therefore, we assessed the potential of this organism to be used as an expression host for these ionic liquid-tolerant cellulases. We demonstrated that 29 of these cellulases were expressed at detectable levels in a wild-type strain of A. Niger, indicating a basic level of compatibility and potential to be produced at high levels in a host engineered to produce high titers of enzymes. We then profiled one of these enzymes in detail, the β-glucosidase A5IL97, and compared versions expressed in both A. Niger and Escherichia coli. Finally, this comparison revealed the enzymatic activity of A5IL97 purified from E. coli and A. Niger is equivalent, suggesting that A. Niger could be an excellent enzyme production host for enzymes originally characterized in E. coli, facilitating the transition from the laboratory to industry.« less

Expression of naturally ionic liquid-tolerant thermophilic cellulases in Aspergillus niger

PubMed Central

Lynn, Jed; Sibert, Stephanie J.; Srikrishnan, Sneha; Phatale, Pallavi; Feldman, Taya; Guenther, Joel M.; Hiras, Jennifer; Tran, Yvette Thuy An; Singer, Steven W.; Adams, Paul D.; Sale, Kenneth L.; Simmons, Blake A.; Baker, Scott E.; Magnuson, Jon K.; Gladden, John M.

2017-01-01

Efficient deconstruction of plant biomass is a major barrier to the development of viable lignocellulosic biofuels. Pretreatment with ionic liquids reduces lignocellulose recalcitrance to enzymatic hydrolysis, increasing yields of sugars for conversion into biofuels. However, commercial cellulases are not compatible with many ionic liquids, necessitating extensive water washing of pretreated biomass prior to hydrolysis. To circumvent this issue, previous research has demonstrated that several thermophilic bacterial cellulases can efficiently deconstruct lignocellulose in the presence of the ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimadizolium acetate. As promising as these enzymes are, they would need to be produced at high titer in an industrial enzyme production host before they could be considered a viable alternative to current commercial cellulases. Aspergillus niger has been used to produce high titers of secreted enzymes in industry and therefore, we assessed the potential of this organism to be used as an expression host for these ionic liquid-tolerant cellulases. We demonstrated that 29 of these cellulases were expressed at detectable levels in a wild-type strain of A. niger, indicating a basic level of compatibility and potential to be produced at high levels in a host engineered to produce high titers of enzymes. We then profiled one of these enzymes in detail, the β-glucosidase A5IL97, and compared versions expressed in both A. niger and Escherichia coli. This comparison revealed the enzymatic activity of A5IL97 purified from E. coli and A. niger is equivalent, suggesting that A. niger could be an excellent enzyme production host for enzymes originally characterized in E. coli, facilitating the transition from the laboratory to industry. PMID:29281693

Expression of naturally ionic liquid-tolerant thermophilic cellulases in Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Amaike Campen, Saori; Lynn, Jed; Sibert, Stephanie J; Srikrishnan, Sneha; Phatale, Pallavi; Feldman, Taya; Guenther, Joel M; Hiras, Jennifer; Tran, Yvette Thuy An; Singer, Steven W; Adams, Paul D; Sale, Kenneth L; Simmons, Blake A; Baker, Scott E; Magnuson, Jon K; Gladden, John M

2017-01-01

Efficient deconstruction of plant biomass is a major barrier to the development of viable lignocellulosic biofuels. Pretreatment with ionic liquids reduces lignocellulose recalcitrance to enzymatic hydrolysis, increasing yields of sugars for conversion into biofuels. However, commercial cellulases are not compatible with many ionic liquids, necessitating extensive water washing of pretreated biomass prior to hydrolysis. To circumvent this issue, previous research has demonstrated that several thermophilic bacterial cellulases can efficiently deconstruct lignocellulose in the presence of the ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimadizolium acetate. As promising as these enzymes are, they would need to be produced at high titer in an industrial enzyme production host before they could be considered a viable alternative to current commercial cellulases. Aspergillus niger has been used to produce high titers of secreted enzymes in industry and therefore, we assessed the potential of this organism to be used as an expression host for these ionic liquid-tolerant cellulases. We demonstrated that 29 of these cellulases were expressed at detectable levels in a wild-type strain of A. niger, indicating a basic level of compatibility and potential to be produced at high levels in a host engineered to produce high titers of enzymes. We then profiled one of these enzymes in detail, the β-glucosidase A5IL97, and compared versions expressed in both A. niger and Escherichia coli. This comparison revealed the enzymatic activity of A5IL97 purified from E. coli and A. niger is equivalent, suggesting that A. niger could be an excellent enzyme production host for enzymes originally characterized in E. coli, facilitating the transition from the laboratory to industry.

Exploiting proteomic data for genome annotation and gene model validation in Aspergillus niger

PubMed Central

Wright, James C; Sugden, Deana; Francis-McIntyre, Sue; Riba-Garcia, Isabel; Gaskell, Simon J; Grigoriev, Igor V; Baker, Scott E; Beynon, Robert J; Hubbard, Simon J

2009-01-01

Background Proteomic data is a potentially rich, but arguably unexploited, data source for genome annotation. Peptide identifications from tandem mass spectrometry provide prima facie evidence for gene predictions and can discriminate over a set of candidate gene models. Here we apply this to the recently sequenced Aspergillus niger fungal genome from the Joint Genome Institutes (JGI) and another predicted protein set from another A.niger sequence. Tandem mass spectra (MS/MS) were acquired from 1d gel electrophoresis bands and searched against all available gene models using Average Peptide Scoring (APS) and reverse database searching to produce confident identifications at an acceptable false discovery rate (FDR). Results 405 identified peptide sequences were mapped to 214 different A.niger genomic loci to which 4093 predicted gene models clustered, 2872 of which contained the mapped peptides. Interestingly, 13 (6%) of these loci either had no preferred predicted gene model or the genome annotators' chosen "best" model for that genomic locus was not found to be the most parsimonious match to the identified peptides. The peptides identified also boosted confidence in predicted gene structures spanning 54 introns from different gene models. Conclusion This work highlights the potential of integrating experimental proteomics data into genomic annotation pipelines much as expressed sequence tag (EST) data has been. A comparison of the published genome from another strain of A.niger sequenced by DSM showed that a number of the gene models or proteins with proteomics evidence did not occur in both genomes, further highlighting the utility of the method. PMID:19193216

Field analyses of (238)U and (226)Ra in two uranium mill tailings piles from Niger using portable HPGe detector.

PubMed

Déjeant, Adrien; Bourva, Ludovic; Sia, Radia; Galoisy, Laurence; Calas, Georges; Phrommavanh, Vannapha; Descostes, Michael

2014-11-01

The radioactivities of (238)U and (226)Ra in mill tailings from the U mines of COMINAK and SOMAÏR in Niger were measured and quantified using a portable High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector. The (238)U and (226)Ra activities were measured under field conditions on drilling cores with 600s measurements and without any sample preparation. Field results were compared with those obtained by Inductive Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and emanometry techniques. This comparison indicates that gamma-ray absorption by such geological samples does not cause significant deviations. This work shows the feasibility of using portable HPGe detector in the field as a preliminary method to observe variations of radionuclides concentration with the aim of identifying samples of interest. The HPGe is particularly useful for samples with strong secular disequilibrium such as mill tailings. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cognitive Task Analysis of Business Jet Pilots' Weather Flying Behaviors: Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Latorella, Kara; Pliske, Rebecca; Hutton, Robert; Chrenka, Jason

2001-01-01

This report presents preliminary findings from a cognitive task analysis (CTA) of business aviation piloting. Results describe challenging weather-related aviation decisions and the information and cues used to support these decisions. Further, these results demonstrate the role of expertise in business aviation decision-making in weather flying, and how weather information is acquired and assessed for reliability. The challenging weather scenarios and novice errors identified in the results provide the basis for experimental scenarios and dependent measures to be used in future flight simulation evaluations of candidate aviation weather information systems. Finally, we analyzed these preliminary results to recommend design and training interventions to improve business aviation decision-making with weather information. The primary objective of this report is to present these preliminary findings and to document the extended CTA methodology used to elicit and represent expert business aviator decision-making with weather information. These preliminary findings will be augmented with results from additional subjects using this methodology. A summary of the complete results, absent the detailed treatment of methodology provided in this report, will be documented in a separate publication.

Value addition of vegetable wastes by solid-state fermentation using Aspergillus niger for use in aquafeed industry.

PubMed

Rajesh, N; Imelda-Joseph; Raj, R Paul

2010-11-01

Vegetable waste typically has high moisture content and high levels of protein, vitamins and minerals. Its value as an agricultural feed can be enhanced through solid-state fermentation (SSF). Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the nutritional status of the products derived by SSF of a mixture of dried vegetable waste powder and oil cake mixture (soybean flour, wheat flour, groundnut oil cake and sesame oil cake at 4:3:2:1 ratio) using fungi Aspergillus niger S(1)4, a mangrove isolate, and A. niger NCIM 616. Fermentation was carried out for 9 days at 35% moisture level and neutral pH. Significant (p<0.05) increase in crude protein and amino acids were obtained in both the trials. The crude fat and crude fibre content showed significant reduction at the end of fermentation. Nitrogen free extract (NFE) showed a gradual decrease during the fermentation process. The results of the study suggest that the fermented product obtained on days 6 and 9 in case of A. niger S(1)4 and A. niger NCIM 616 respectively contained the highest levels of crude protein. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of Aspergillus niger inoculum dosage on nutritive value and metabolizable energy of apu-apu meal (Pistia stratiotes L.) on broiler chicken

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gloria, J.; Tafsin, M.; Hanafi, N. D.; Daulay, A. H.

2018-02-01

Apu-apu lives at tropical and subtropical fresh waterways. The apu-apu meals ultization as feed still limited. The problem of ultization apu-apu meals as ingredients is a high crude fiber and need a treatment to decrease crude fiber. This study aim to find out the influence of Aspergillus niger inoculums dosage on apu-apu meal (Pistia stratiotes L.) on metabolizable energy on broiler chicken. This research used completely randomize design (CRD). The treatments consists of Aspergillus niger inoculum dosage (CFU/g) such as P0 (0), P1 (104 CFU/g), P2 (106 CFU/g), and P3 (108 CFU/g). The variable were observed : apparent metabolizable energy (AME), true metabolizable energy (TME), apparent metabolizable energy nitrogen corrected (AMEn) and true metabolizable energy nitrogen corrected (TMEn).The results showed that the dosage of Aspergillus niger increase nutritive value of Aspergillus niger. Dosage of Aspergillus niger also influence (P<0.05) metabolizable energy of apu-apu meals. Dosage 108 CFU/g had metabolizable energy significantly higher than other treatments. Conclusion of this research is the Aspergillus niger at the dosage 108 CFU/g increased nutritive value and metabolizable energy of apu-apu meal.

Genomic analysis of the aconidial and high-performance protein producer, industrially relevant Aspergillus niger SH2 strain.

PubMed

Yin, Chao; Wang, Bin; He, Pan; Lin, Ying; Pan, Li

2014-05-15

Aspergillus niger is usually regarded as a beneficial species widely used in biotechnological industry. Obtaining the genome sequence of the widely used aconidial A. niger SH2 strain is of great importance to understand its unusual production capability. In this study we assembled a high-quality genome sequence of A. niger SH2 with approximately 11,517 ORFs. Relatively high proportion of genes enriched for protein expression related FunCat items verify its efficient capacity in protein production. Furthermore, genome-wide comparative analysis between A. niger SH2 and CBS513.88 reveals insights into unique properties of A. niger SH2. A. niger SH2 lacks the gene related with the initiation of asexual sporulation (PrpA), leading to its distinct aconidial phenotype. Frame shift mutations and non-synonymous SNPs in genes of cell wall integrity signaling, β-1,3-glucan synthesis and chitin synthesis influence its cell wall development which is important for its hyphal fragmentation during industrial high-efficiency protein production. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polarisation Measurement with a Dual Beam Interferometer (CATSI). Exploratory Results and Preliminary Phenomenological Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

Polarisation measurement with a dual beam interferometer (CATSI) Exploratory results and preliminary phenomenological analysis H. Lavoie J.-M... Polarisation measurement with a dual beam interferometer (CATSI) Exploratory results and preliminary phenomenological analysis H. Lavoie J.-M. Thériault... Polarisation measurement with a dual beam interferometer (CATSI) - Exploratory results and preliminary phenomenological analysis. ECR 2004-372. DRDC Valcartier

Interpretation of satellite images of the Republic of Niger

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bender, F.; Bannert, D.

1981-01-01

Interpretations of LANDSAT pictures were carried out for an area located in the west of the Niger Republic in the geological, hydrogeological and pedological sectors. Checking of the extent of vegetation and use of the soils and effects of desertification for the purpose of yearly map making was carried out. The proposed control of land use may be optimized by the direct reception of LANDSAT data by the receiving station planned for Ouagadougou. Since that station will not be operating before 1983, the establishment of a mobile reception station in the Republic of Niger to enable the installation of the required control system is advised.

Thermal Inactivation of Aerosolized Bacillus subtilis var. niger Spores

PubMed Central

Mullican, Charles L.; Buchanan, Lee M.; Hoffman, Robert K.

1971-01-01

A hot-air sterilizer capable of exposing airborne microorganisms to elevated temperatures with an almost instantaneous heating time was developed and evaluated. With this apparatus, aerosolized Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores were killed in about 0.02 sec when exposed to temperatures above 260 C. This is about 500 times faster than killing times reported by others. Extrapolation and comparison of data on the time and temperature required to klll B. subtilis var. niger spores on surfaces show that approximately the same killing time is required as is necessary for spores in air, if corrections are made for the heating time of the surface. PMID:5002138

Remediation of contaminated lands in the Niger Delta, Nigeria: Prospects and challenges.

PubMed

Zabbey, Nenibarini; Sam, Kabari; Onyebuchi, Adaugo Trinitas

2017-05-15

Contamination of the total environment (air, soil, water and biota) by crude oil has become a paramount interest in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Studies have revealed variable impacts of oil toxicity on the environment and exposed populations. The revelation gained much international attention in 2011 with the release of Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This has up scaled local and international pressures for urgent clean-up and restoration of degraded bio-resource rich environments of the Niger Delta, starting from Ogoniland. Previous remediation attempts in the area had failed due to erroneous operational conclusions (such as conclusions by oil industry operators that the Niger Delta soil is covered by a layer of clay and as such oil percolation remains within the top soil and makes remediation by enhanced natural attenuation (RENA) suitable for the region) and the adoption of incompatible and ineffective approaches (i.e. RENA) for the complex and dynamic environments. Perennial conflicts, poor regulatory oversights and incoherent standards are also challenges. Following UNEP recommendations, the Federal Government of Nigeria recently commissioned the clean-up and remediation of Ogoniland project; it would be novel and trend setting. While UNEP outlined some measures of contaminated land remediation, no specific approach was identified to be most effective for the Niger Delta region. Resolving the technical dilemma and identified social impediments is the key success driver of the above project. In this paper, we reviewed the socio-economic and ecological impacts of contaminated land in the Niger Delta region and the global state-of-the-art remediation approaches. We use coastal environment clean-up case studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of bioremediation (sometimes in combination with other technologies) for remediating most of the polluted sites in the Niger Delta. Bioremediation

Geochemical evaluation of Niger Delta sedimentary organic rocks: a new insight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akinlua, Akinsehinwa; Torto, Nelson

2011-09-01

A geochemical evaluation of Niger Delta organic matter was carried out using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) sample preparation procedure. Comparison of geochemical significance of gas chromatographic data of rock extracts of SFE with those of Soxhlet extraction method from previous studies was made in order to establish the usefulness of SFE in geochemical exploration. The assessment of geochemical character of the rock samples from the comparison and interpretation of other geochemical parameters were used to give more insights into understanding the source rocks characteristics of onshore and shelf portions of the Niger Delta Basin. The results of the gas chromatographic (GC) analysis of the rock extracts across the lithostratigraphic units show that Pr/Ph, Pr/nC17, Pr/nC18, CPI and odd/even preference ranged from 0.07 to 12.39, 0.04 to 6.66, 0.05 to 13.80, 0.12 to 8.4 and 0.06 to 8.12, respectively. The Rock-Eval pyrolysis data and geochemical ratios and parameters calculated from the GC data showed that most of the samples are mature and have strong terrestrial provenance while a few samples have strong marine provenance. The few marine source rocks are located in the deeper depth horizon. Pr/Ph and standard geochemical plots indicate that most of samples were derived from organic matter deposited in less reducing conditions, i.e. more of oxidizing conditions while a few samples have predominantly influence of reducing conditions. The results of trace metal analysis of older samples from Agbada Formation also indicate marine and mixed organic matter input deposited in less reducing conditions. The results obtained in this study are comparable with those obtained from previous studies when Soxhlet extraction method was used and also indicated the presence of more than one petroleum systems in the Niger Delta.

76 FR 2655 - Honey From Argentina: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-14

...: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review AGENCY: Import Administration, International... S.A. (CIPSA), or Patagonik S.A. (Patagonik) during the POR. If these preliminary results are adopted in our final results of administrative review, we will issue appropriate assessment instructions to U...

Prospecting for the incidence of genes involved in ochratoxin and fumonisin biosynthesis in Brazilian strains of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus welwitschiae.

PubMed

Massi, Fernanda Pelisson; Sartori, Daniele; de Souza Ferranti, Larissa; Iamanaka, Beatriz Thie; Taniwaki, Marta Hiromi; Vieira, Maria Lucia Carneiro; Fungaro, Maria Helena Pelegrinelli

2016-03-16

Aspergillus niger "aggregate" is an informal taxonomic rank that represents a group of species from the section Nigri. Among A. niger "aggregate" species Aspergillus niger sensu stricto and its cryptic species Aspergillus welwitschiae (=Aspergillus awamori sensu Perrone) are proven as ochratoxin A and fumonisin B2 producing species. A. niger has been frequently found in tropical and subtropical foods. A. welwitschiae is a new species, which was recently dismembered from the A. niger taxon. These species are morphologically very similar and molecular data are indispensable for their identification. A total of 175 Brazilian isolates previously identified as A. niger collected from dried fruits, Brazil nuts, coffee beans, grapes, cocoa and onions were investigated in this study. Based on partial calmodulin gene sequences about one-half of our isolates were identified as A. welwitschiae. This new species was the predominant species in onions analyzed in Brazil. A. niger and A. welwitschiae differ in their ability to produce ochratoxin A and fumonisin B2. Among A. niger isolates, approximately 32% were OTA producers, but in contrast only 1% of the A. welwitschiae isolates revealed the ability to produce ochratoxin A. Regarding fumonisin B2 production, there was a higher frequency of FB2 producing isolates in A. niger (74%) compared to A. welwitschiae (34%). Because not all A. niger and A. welwitschiae strains produce ochratoxin A and fumonisin B2, in this study a multiplex PCR was developed for detecting the presence of essential genes involved in ochratoxin (polyketide synthase and radHflavin-dependent halogenase) and fumonisin (α-oxoamine synthase) biosynthesis in the genome of A. niger and A. welwitschiae isolates. The frequency of strains harboring the mycotoxin genes was markedly different between A. niger and A. welwitschiae. All OTA producing isolates of A. niger and A. welwitschiae showed in their genome the pks and radH genes, and 95.2% of the nonproducing

Whole-Genome Characterization of Epidemic Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup C and Resurgence of Serogroup W, Niger, 2015.

PubMed

Kretz, Cecilia B; Retchless, Adam C; Sidikou, Fati; Issaka, Bassira; Ousmane, Sani; Schwartz, Stephanie; Tate, Ashley H; Pana, Assimawè; Njanpop-Lafourcade, Berthe-Marie; Nzeyimana, Innocent; Nse, Ricardo Obama; Deghmane, Ala-Eddine; Hong, Eva; Brynildsrud, Ola Brønstad; Novak, Ryan T; Meyer, Sarah A; Oukem-Boyer, Odile Ouwe Missi; Ronveaux, Olivier; Caugant, Dominique A; Taha, Muhamed-Kheir; Wang, Xin

2016-10-01

In 2015, Niger reported the largest epidemic of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C (NmC) meningitis in sub-Saharan Africa. The NmC epidemic coincided with serogroup W (NmW) cases during the epidemic season, resulting in a total of 9,367 meningococcal cases through June 2015. To clarify the phylogenetic association, genetic evolution, and antibiotic determinants of the meningococcal strains in Niger, we sequenced the genomes of 102 isolates from this epidemic, comprising 81 NmC and 21 NmW isolates. The genomes of 82 isolates were completed, and all 102 were included in the analysis. All NmC isolates had sequence type 10217, which caused the outbreaks in Nigeria during 2013-2014 and for which a clonal complex has not yet been defined. The NmC isolates from Niger were substantially different from other NmC isolates collected globally. All NmW isolates belonged to clonal complex 11 and were closely related to the isolates causing recent outbreaks in Africa.

78 FR 34648 - Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts: Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-10

... Citrate Salts: Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2011 AGENCY: Import... December 31, 2011. These preliminary results cover RZBC Group Shareholding Co., Ltd., RZBC Co., Ltd., RZBC... Memorandum for the Preliminary Results of the Countervailing Duty Administrative Review: Citric Acid and...

Preliminary results on heavy flavor physics at SLD

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

Usher, T.

1994-12-01

The author reports on preliminary heavy flavor physics results from the SLD detector at the SLAC Linear Collider. Efficient tagging of b{bar b} events is achieved with an impact parameter technique that takes advantage of the small and stable interaction point of the SLC and all charged tracks in Z{sup 0} decays. This technique is applied to samples of Z{sup 0} events collected during the 1992 and 1993 physics runs. Preliminary measurements of the ratio R{sub b} = {Gamma}(Z{sup 0} {yields} b{bar b})/{Gamma}(Z{sup 0} {yields} hadrons) and the average B hadron lifetime <{tau}{sub B}> are reported. In a sample ofmore » 27K Z{sup 0} events, values of R{sub b} = 0.235 {+-} 0.006(stat.) {+-} 0.018(syst.) and <{tau}{sub B}> = 1.53 {+-} 0.006(stat.) {+-} 0.018(syst.) are obtained. In addition, the first measurement of the left-right asymmetry A{sub b} is reported. Using a sample of 38K Z{sup 0} events with a luminosity weighted electron polarization of 62%, the author obtains a preliminary value of A{sub b} = 0.94 {+-} 0.006(stat.) {+-} 0.018(syst.).« less

Invasive Aspergillus niger complex infections in a Belgian tertiary care hospital.

PubMed

Vermeulen, E; Maertens, J; Meersseman, P; Saegeman, V; Dupont, L; Lagrou, K

2014-05-01

The incidence of invasive infections caused by the Aspergillus niger species complex was 0.043 cases/10 000 patient-days in a Belgian university hospital (2005-2011). Molecular typing was performed on six available A. niger complex isolates involved in invasive disease from 2010 to 2011, revealing A. tubingensis, which has higher triazole minimal inhibitory concentrations, in five out of six cases. © 2013 The Authors Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2013 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

[Medical fault or professional negligence? Case studies in two recovery nutrition centers in Niger].

PubMed

Halidou Doudou, M; Manzo, M L; Guero, D

2014-12-01

In developing countries such as Niger, the risk of medical malpractice is ubiquitous in health, jeopardizing patient safety. The aim of this work was to contribute to patients' safety and respect of code of ethics and conduct in the exercise of the medical profession. The reported cases involved two children under 5 years who were admitted to nutrition rehabilitation centers, died as a result of medical malpractice. In Niger, there are no statistics on this phenomenon and a few cases found have always been considered "accident" or "fate." The establishment of an observatory collections of such information should improve their frequency, consequences and propose a prevention plan. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

76 FR 79655 - Honey From Argentina: Notice of Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-22

... of Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade... preliminary results of this administrative review to no later than January 3, 2012. DATES: Effective Date... Initiation Notice. On September 7, 2011, the Department extended the time limit for the preliminary results...

76 FR 76374 - Honey From Argentina: Notice of Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-07

... of Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade... preliminary results of this administrative review to no later than December 15, 2011. DATES: Effective Date... Initiation Notice. On September 7, 2011, the Department extended the time limit for the preliminary results...

76 FR 36519 - Purified Carboxymethylcellulose from the Netherlands; Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-22

... Carboxymethylcellulose from the Netherlands; Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review AGENCY: Import... Chemicals B.V. were made at less than normal value during the period of review. If these preliminary results are adopted in our final results of administrative review, we will issue appropriate assessment...

Epidemiology of malaria in an area of seasonal transmission in Niger and implications for the design of a seasonal malaria chemoprevention strategy.

PubMed

Guillebaud, Julia; Mahamadou, Aboubacar; Zamanka, Halima; Katzelma, Mariama; Arzika, Ibrahim; Ibrahim, Maman L; Eltahir, Elfatih Ab; Labbo, Rabiou; Druilhe, Pierre; Duchemin, Jean-Bernard; Fandeur, Thierry

2013-10-30

Few data are available about malaria epidemiological situation in Niger. However, implementation of new strategies such as vaccination or seasonal treatment of a target population requires the knowledge of baseline epidemiological features of malaria. A population-based study was conducted to provide better characterization of malaria seasonal variations and population groups the most at risk in this particular area. From July 2007 to December 2009, presumptive cases of malaria among a study population living in a typical Sahelian village of Niger were recorded, and confirmed by microscopic examination. In parallel, asymptomatic carriers were actively detected at the end of each dry season in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Among the 965 presumptive malaria cases recorded, 29% were confirmed by microscopic examination. The incidence of malaria was found to decrease significantly with age (p < 0.01). The mean annual incidence was 0.254. The results show that the risk of malaria was higher in children under ten years (p < 0.0001). The number of malaria episodes generally followed the temporal pattern of changes in precipitation levels, with a peak of transmission in August and September. One-thousand and ninety subjects were submitted to an active detection of asymptomatic carriage of whom 16% tested positive; asymptomatic carriage decreased with increasing age. A higher prevalence of gametocyte carriage among asymptomatic population was recorded in children aged two to ten years, though it did not reach significance. In Southern Niger, malaria transmission mostly occurs from July to October. Children aged two to ten years are the most at risk of malaria, and may also represent the main reservoir for gametocytes. Strategies such as intermittent preventive treatment in children (IPTc) could be of interest in this area, where malaria transmission is highly seasonal. Based on these preliminary data, a pilot study could be implemented in Zindarou using IPTc targeting children aged

Surveyor 3 Preliminary Science Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1967-01-01

Surveyor III soft-landed on the Moon at 00:04 GMT on April 20, 1967. Data obtained have significantly increased our knowledge of the Moon. The Surveyor III spacecraft was similar to Surveyor I; the only major change in scientific instrumentation was the addition of a soil mechanics surface sampler. Surveyor III results at this preliminary evaluation of data give valuable information about the relation between the surface skin of under-dense material responsible for the photometric properties and the deeper layers of material whose properties resemble those of ordinary terrestrial soils. In addition, they provide new insight into the relation between the general lunar surface as seen by Surveyor I and the interior of a large subdued crater. The new results have also contributed to our understanding of the mechanism of downhill transport. Many critical questions cannot, however, be answered until final reduction of experimental data.

Remote sensing experiment in West Africa. [drought effects on desert agriculture and vegetation in Niger

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macleod, N. H.

1974-01-01

There are substantial needs of the Sahelien Zone to detail the state of regional agricultural resources in the face of a sixth year of serious drought conditions. While most of the work has been done in the Republic of Niger, the principles which have emerged from the analysis seem to be applicable to much of the Sahel. The discussion relates to quite specific rehabilitation and development initiations under consideration in Niger which are based in part upon direct analysis of ERTS imagery of the country, in part on field surveys and on discussions with Nigerian officials and technicians. Again, because the entire Sahelien Zone (including Niger) has large zones of similar ecologic characteristics, modificiations of the approaches suggested for Niger are applicable to the solution of rehabilitation of the desert, the savannah and the woodlands of West Africa in general.

Corporate Social Responsibility: Case Study of Community Expectations and the Administrative Systems, Niger Delta

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ogula, David

2012-01-01

Poor community-company relations in the Niger Delta have drawn attention to the practice of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the region. Since the 1960s, transnational oil corporations operating in the Niger Delta have adopted various CSR strategies, yet community-company relations remain adversarial. This article examines community…

Providing peak river flow statistics and forecasting in the Niger River basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersson, Jafet C. M.; Ali, Abdou; Arheimer, Berit; Gustafsson, David; Minoungou, Bernard

2017-08-01

Flooding is a growing concern in West Africa. Improved quantification of discharge extremes and associated uncertainties is needed to improve infrastructure design, and operational forecasting is needed to provide timely warnings. In this study, we use discharge observations, a hydrological model (Niger-HYPE) and extreme value analysis to estimate peak river flow statistics (e.g. the discharge magnitude with a 100-year return period) across the Niger River basin. To test the model's capacity of predicting peak flows, we compared 30-year maximum discharge and peak flow statistics derived from the model vs. derived from nine observation stations. The results indicate that the model simulates peak discharge reasonably well (on average + 20%). However, the peak flow statistics have a large uncertainty range, which ought to be considered in infrastructure design. We then applied the methodology to derive basin-wide maps of peak flow statistics and their associated uncertainty. The results indicate that the method is applicable across the hydrologically active part of the river basin, and that the uncertainty varies substantially depending on location. Subsequently, we used the most recent bias-corrected climate projections to analyze potential changes in peak flow statistics in a changed climate. The results are generally ambiguous, with consistent changes only in very few areas. To test the forecasting capacity, we ran Niger-HYPE with a combination of meteorological data sets for the 2008 high-flow season and compared with observations. The results indicate reasonable forecasting capacity (on average 17% deviation), but additional years should also be evaluated. We finish by presenting a strategy and pilot project which will develop an operational flood monitoring and forecasting system based in-situ data, earth observations, modelling, and extreme statistics. In this way we aim to build capacity to ultimately improve resilience toward floods, protecting lives and

[Serological study of rickettsia infections in Niamey, Niger].

PubMed

Julvez, J; Michault, A; Kerdelhue, C

1997-01-01

Rickettsioses is a possible alternative to presumptive diagnosis of malaria. A serologic study was carried out in 1994 to determine the prevalence of rickettsioses in children under 5 years of age from three different areas of Niamey, Niger. Indirect immunofluorescent assays using the micromethod were performed with antigens for Rickettsia conori, Rickettsia mooseri, and Coxiella burneti. Results were read from a positive threshold of 1/160 up to 1/640. Out of a randomized population of 177 children 35 were positive for at least one antigen: 17.5% for Rickettsia conori, 15.8% for Rickettsia mooseri, and 9.6% for Coxiella burneti. The incidence of positivity for Rickettsia mooseri and Coxiella burneti. was significantly higher in an area where contact between people and animals was particularly close. This high rate of positivity is in agreement with previous reports in other countries in West Africa and suggests that close contact between man and rickettsiae is common. Although dogs carry ticks in Niger, direct contact with Rickettsia conori is probably the most mode of transmission. Rodents like Cricetomys gambianus and Rattus norvegicus carry Rickettsia mooseri and goats and sheep which are often kept in the courtyards of buildings carry Coxiella burneti. The recently identified species Rickettsia africae could be transmitted by other vectors such as cattle ticks.

Equilibrium unfolding of A. niger RNase: pH dependence of chemical and thermal denaturation.

PubMed

Kumar, Gundampati Ravi; Sharma, Anurag; Kumari, Moni; Jagannadham, Medicherla V; Debnath, Mira

2011-08-01

Equilibrium unfolding of A. niger RNase with chemical denaturants, for example GuHCl and urea, and thermal unfolding have been studied as a function of pH using fluorescence, far-UV, near-UV, and absorbance spectroscopy. Because of their ability to affect electrostatic interactions, pH and chemical denaturants have a marked effect on the stability, structure, and function of many globular proteins. ANS binding studies have been conducted to enable understanding of the folding mechanism of the protein in the presence of the denaturants. Spectroscopic studies by absorbance, fluorescence, and circular dichroism and use of K2D software revealed that the enzyme has α + β type secondary structure with approximately 29% α-helix, 24% β-sheet, and 47% random coil. Under neutral conditions the enzyme is stable in urea whereas GuHCl-induced equilibrium unfolding was cooperative. A. niger RNase has little ANS binding even under neutral conditions. Multiple intermediates were populated during the pH-induced unfolding of A. niger RNase. Urea and temperature-induced unfolding of A. niger RNase into the molten globule-like state is non-cooperative, in contrast to the cooperativity seen with the native protein, suggesting the presence of two parts/domains, in the molecular structure of A. niger RNase, with different stability that unfolds in steps. Interestingly, the GuHCl-induced unfolding of the A state (molten globule state) of A. niger RNase is unique, because a low concentration of denaturant not only induces structural change but also facilitates transition from one molten globule like state (A(MG1)) into another (I(MG2)).

Production of extremophilic bacterial cellulase enzymes in aspergillus niger.

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

Gladden, John Michael

2013-09-01

Enzymes can be used to catalyze a myriad of chemical reactions and are a cornerstone in the biotechnology industry. Enzymes have a wide range of uses, ranging from medicine with the production of pharmaceuticals to energy were they are applied to biofuel production. However, it is difficult to produce large quantities of enzymes, especially if they are non-native to the production host. Fortunately, filamentous fungi, such as Aspergillus niger, are broadly used in industry and show great potential for use a heterologous enzyme production hosts. Here, we present work outlining an effort to engineer A. niger to produce thermophilic bacterialmore » cellulases relevant to lignocellulosic biofuel production.« less

75 FR 39207 - Purified Carboxymethylcellulose From Finland: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-08

... Carboxymethylcellulose From Finland: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative...: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 75 FR 3444... than July 7, 2010. Extension of Time Limits for Preliminary Results Section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Tariff...

Early detection of Aspergillus carbonarius and A. niger on table grapes: a tool for quality improvement.

PubMed

Ayoub, F; Reverberi, M; Ricelli, A; D'Onghia, A M; Yaseen, T

2010-09-01

Aspergillus carbonarius and A. niger aggregate are the main fungal contaminants of table grapes. Besides their ability to cause black rot, they can produce ochratoxin A (OTA), a mycotoxin that has attracted increasing attention worldwide. The objective of this work was to set up a simple and rapid molecular method for the early detection of both fungi in table grapes before fungal development becomes evident. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays were developed by designing species-specific primers based on the polyketide synthases (PKS(S)) sequences of A. carbonarius and A. niger that have recently been demonstrated to be involved in OTA biosynthesis. Three table grape varieties (Red globe, Crimson seedless, and Italia) were inoculated with A. carbonarius and A. niger aggregate strains producing OTA. The extracted DNA from control (non-inoculated) and inoculated grapes was amplified by PCR using ACPKS2F-ACPKS2R for A. carbonarius and ANPKS5-ANPKS6 for A. niger aggregate. Both primers allowed a clear detection, even in symptomless samples. PCR-based methods are considered to be a good alternative to traditional diagnostic means for the early detection of fungi in complex matrix for their high specificity and sensitivity. The results obtained could be useful for the definition of a 'quality label' for tested grapes to improve the safety measures taken to guarantee the production of fresh table grapes.

Functional expression of amine oxidase from Aspergillus niger (AO-I) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Kolaríková, Katerina; Galuszka, Petr; Sedlárová, Iva; Sebela, Marek; Frébort, Ivo

2009-01-01

The aim of this work was to prepare recombinant amine oxidase from Aspergillus niger after overexpressing in yeast. The yeast expression vector pDR197 that includes a constitutive PMA1 promoter was used for the expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Recombinant amine oxidase was extracted from the growth medium of the yeast, purified to homogeneity and identified by activity assay and MALDI-TOF peptide mass fingerprinting. Similarity search in the newly published A. niger genome identified six genes coding for copper amine oxidase, two of them corresponding to the previously described enzymes AO-I a methylamine oxidase and three other genes coding for FAD amine oxidases. Thus, A. niger possesses an enormous metabolic gear to grow on amine compounds and thus support its saprophytic lifestyle.

VeA of Aspergillus niger increases spore dispersing capacity by impacting conidiophore architecture.

PubMed

Wang, Fengfeng; Dijksterhuis, Jan; Wyatt, Timon; Wösten, Han A B; Bleichrodt, Robert-Jan

2015-01-01

Aspergillus species are highly abundant fungi worldwide. Their conidia are among the most dominant fungal spores in the air. Conidia are formed in chains on the vesicle of the asexual reproductive structure called the conidiophore. Here, it is shown that the velvet protein VeA of Aspergillus niger maximizes the diameter of the vesicle and the spore chain length. The length and width of the conidiophore stalk and vesicle were reduced nearly twofold in a ΔveA strain. The latter implies a fourfold reduced surface area to develop chains of spores. Over and above this, the conidial chain length was approximately fivefold reduced. The calculated 20-fold reduction in formation of conidia by ΔveA fits the 8- to 17-fold decrease in counted spore numbers. Notably, morphology of the ΔveA conidiophores of A. niger was very similar to that of wild-type Aspergillus sydowii. This suggests that VeA is key in conidiophore architecture diversity in the fungal kingdom. The finding that biomass formation of the A. niger ΔveA strain was reduced twofold shows that VeA not only impacts dispersion capacity but also colonization capacity of A. niger.

Combinatorial control of gene expression in Aspergillus niger grown on sugar beet pectin.

PubMed

Kowalczyk, Joanna E; Lubbers, Ronnie J M; Peng, Mao; Battaglia, Evy; Visser, Jaap; de Vries, Ronald P

2017-09-27

Aspergillus niger produces an arsenal of extracellular enzymes that allow synergistic degradation of plant biomass found in its environment. Pectin is a heteropolymer abundantly present in the primary cell wall of plants. The complex structure of pectin requires multiple enzymes to act together. Production of pectinolytic enzymes in A. niger is highly regulated, which allows flexible and efficient capture of nutrients. So far, three transcriptional activators have been linked to regulation of pectin degradation in A. niger. The L-rhamnose-responsive regulator RhaR controls the production of enzymes that degrade rhamnogalacturonan-I. The L-arabinose-responsive regulator AraR controls the production of enzymes that decompose the arabinan and arabinogalactan side chains of rhamnogalacturonan-II. The D-galacturonic acid-responsive regulator GaaR controls the production of enzymes that act on the polygalacturonic acid backbone of pectin. This project aims to better understand how RhaR, AraR and GaaR co-regulate pectin degradation. For that reason, we constructed single, double and triple disruptant strains of these regulators and analyzed their growth phenotype and pectinolytic gene expression in A. niger grown on sugar beet pectin.

Floods in the Niger basin - analysis and attribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aich, V.; Koné, B.; Hattermann, F. F.; Müller, E. N.

2014-08-01

This study addresses the increasing flood risk in the Niger basin and assesses the damages that arise from flooding. Statistics from three different sources (EM-DAT, Darthmouth Flood Observatory, NatCat Munich RE) on people affected by floods show positive trends for the entire basin beginning in the 1980s. An assessment of four subregions across the Niger basin indicates even exponential trends for the Sahelian and Sudanian regions. These positive trends for flooding damage match up to a time series of annual maximum discharge (AMAX): the strongest trends in AMAX are detected in the Sahelian and Sudanian regions, where the population is also increasing the fastest and vulnerability generally appears to be very high. The joint effect of these three factors can possibly explain the exponential increase in people affected by floods in these subregions. In a second step, the changes in AMAX are attributed to changes in precipitation and land use via a data-based approach within a hypothesis-testing framework. Analysis of rainfall, heavy precipitation and the runoff coefficient shows a coherent picture of a return to wet conditions in the basin, which we identify as the main driver of the increase in AMAX in the Niger basin. The analysis of flashiness (using the Richards-Baker Index) and the focus on the "Sahel Paradox" of the Sahelian region reveal an additional influence of land-use change, but it seems minor compared to the increase in precipitation.

Decision-Making in Flight with Different Convective Weather Information Sources: Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Latorella, Kara A.; Chamberlain, James P.

2004-01-01

This paper reports preliminary and partial results of a flight experiment to address how General Aviation (GA) pilots use weather cues to make flight decisions. This research presents pilots with weather cue conditions typically available to GA pilots in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) and instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) today, as well as in IMC with a Graphical Weather Information System (GWIS). These preliminary data indicate that both VMC and GWIS-augmented IMC conditions result in better confidence, information sufficiency and perceived performance than the current IMC condition. For all these measures, the VMC and GWIS-augmented conditions seemed to provide similar pilot support. These preliminary results are interpreted for their implications on GWIS display design, training, and operational use guidelines. Final experimental results will compare these subjective data with objective data of situation awareness and decision quality.

77 FR 6061 - Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts From Canada: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-07

... Citrate Salts From Canada: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review AGENCY: Import... below normal value (NV). If the preliminary results are adopted in the final results of the... all appropriate entries. Interested parties are invited to comment on the preliminary results. FOR...

Sahara Desert, Niger

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-01-20

STS072-709-063 (11-20 Jan. 1996) --- The astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour exposed this 70mm frame of the Air Mountains, located in the country of Niger. These Sahara Desert structures are granitic intrusions. They are resistant to erosion and are very prominent in the lighter colored sands of the area. According to NASA geologists studying the photo collection, the ring-like structure on the lower left-hand edge of the photograph is probably a Quaternary volcanic feature. The highest peaks in the range approach 1,800 meters (6,000 feet). Deep valleys in the range are used by the Tuaregs for pasturage. Uranium and other minerals are being mined in the massif.

Metabolic characterization of Hyoscyamus niger root-specific putrescine N-methyltransferase.

PubMed

Geng, Chen; Zhao, Tengfei; Yang, Chunxian; Zhang, Qiaozhuo; Bai, Feng; Zeng, Junlan; Zhang, Fangyuan; Liu, Xiaoqiang; Lan, Xiaozhong; Chen, Min; Liao, Zhihua

2018-03-02

N-methylputrescine is the precursor of nicotine and pharmaceutical tropane alkaloids such as hyoscyamine. Putrescine N-methyltransferase (PMT) catalyzes the N-methylation of putrescine to form N-methylputrescine. While the role of PMT in nicotine biosynthesis is clear, knowledge of PMT in the biosynthesis of tropane alkaloids (TAs) and the regulation of polyamines remains limited. We characterized a PMT gene from Hyoscyamus niger, designated HnPMT that was specifically expressed in roots, especially in the secondary roots and dramatically induced by methyl jasmonate (MeJA). The GUS gene was specifically expressed in Arabidopsis roots or in the vascular tissues, including pericycles and endodermis, of the H. niger hairy root cultures, when it was driven by the 5'-flanking promoter region of HnPMT. The recombinant HnPMT was purified for enzymatic assays. HnPMT converted putrescine to form N-methylputrescine, as confirmed by LC-MS. The kinetics analysis revealed that HnPMT had high affinity with putrescine but low catalytic activity, suggesting that it was a rate-limiting enzyme. When HnPMT was suppressed in the H. niger plants by using the VIGS approach, the contents of N-methylputrescine and hyoscyamine were markedly decreased, but the contents of putrescine, spermidine and a mixture of spermine and thermospermine were significantly increased; this suggested that HnPMT was involved in the biosynthesis of tropane alkaloids and played a competent role in regulating the biosynthesis of polyamines. Functional identification of HnPMT facilitated the understanding of TA biosynthesis and thus implied that the HnPMT-catalyzed step might be a target for metabolic engineering of the TA production in H. niger. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Hybrid microneedles devices for diagnostic and therapeutic applications: fabrication and preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dardano, P.; Caliò, A.; Politi, J.; Di Palma, V.; Bevilacqua, M. F.; Rea, I.; Casalino, M.; Di Matteo, A.; Rendina, I.; De Stefano, L.

2015-06-01

Microneedles are newly developed biomedical devices, whose advantages are mainly in the non-invasiveness, discretion and versatility of use both as diagnostics and as therapeutics tool. In fact, they can be used both for drugs delivery in the interstitial fluids and for the analysis of the interstitial fluid. In this work we present the preliminary results for two devices based on micro needles in PolyEthylene (Glycol). The first for the drugs delivery includes a membrane whose optical reflected wavelength is related to the concentration of drug. Here, we present our preliminary result in diffusion of drugs between the membrane and the microneedles. The second device is gold coated and it works as electrode for the electrochemical detection of species in the interstitial fluid. A preliminary result in detection of glucose will be shown.

Simultaneous Production of Amyloglucosidase and Exo-Polygalacturonase by Aspergillus niger in a Rotating Drum Reactor.

PubMed

Colla, Eliane; Santos, Lucielen Oliveira; Deamici, Kricelle; Magagnin, Glênio; Vendruscolo, Mauricio; Costa, Jorge Alberto Vieira

2017-02-01

Simultaneous production of amyloglucosidase (AMG) and exo-polygalacturonase (exo-PG) was carried out by Aspergillus niger in substrate of defatted rice bran in a rotating drum bioreactor (RDB) and studied by a 3 1  × 2 2 factorial experimental design. Variables under study were A. niger strains (A. niger NRRL 3122 and A. niger t0005/007-2), types of inoculum (spore suspension and fermented bran), and types of inducer (starch, pectin, and a mix of both). Solid-state fermentation process (SSF) was conducted at 30 °C under 60-vvm aeration for 96 h in a pilot scale. Production of AMG and exo-PG was significantly affected by the fungal strain and the type of inoculum, but inducers did not trigger any significant effect, an evidence of the fact that these enzymes are constitutive. The maximum activity of exo-PG was 84 U g dm -1 whereas the maximum yield of AMG was 886.25 U g dm -1 .

Maintaining high vitamin A supplementation coverage in children: lessons from Niger.

PubMed

Aguayo, Victor M; Baker, Shawn K; Crespin, Xavier; Hamani, Harouna; MamadoulTaïbou, Aissa

2005-03-01

In 1997, the reduction of child mortality became a policy priority for the Government of Niger because Niger's child mortality rate was the highest in the world. The Ministry of Public Health, Helen Keller International (HKI), and UNICEF spearheaded a coalition-building process linking vitamin A deficiency (VAD) control to national child survival goals. An evidence-based advocacy strategy was developed around the child survival benefits of adequate and sustained VAD control with one unambiguous message: "VAD control can avert over 25,000 child deaths per year." As a result, in 1997 Niger became one of the first countries in Africa to effectively integrate vitamin A supplementation into National Immunization Days (NIDs) for polio eradication. The challenge was then to provide children with a second annual dose of vitamin A. This led in 1999 to the first ever National Micronutrient Days (NMDs) in Africa. NMDs are mobilization campaigns in which caregivers are actively encouraged to take their children for the delivery of vitamin A supplements. Since 1999, the combination of NIDs and NMDs has ensured that over 80% of children 6 to 59 months of age receive two vitamin A doses annually. The success of NIDs/NMDs has relied on five pillars: leadership and ownership by the Ministry of Public Health; district-level planning and implementation; effective training and flexible delivery mechanisms; effective social information, communication, and mobilization; and responsiveness and flexibility of Ministry of Public Health and development partners. This successful approach has been widely disseminated, notably through the West African Nutrition Focal Points Network.

A Polyketide Synthase Encoded by the Gene An15g07920 Is Involved in the Biosynthesis of Ochratoxin A in Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Zhang, Jian; Zhu, Liuyang; Chen, Haoyu; Li, Min; Zhu, Xiaojuan; Gao, Qiang; Wang, Depei; Zhang, Ying

2016-12-28

The polyketide synthase gene An15g07920 was known in Aspergillus niger CBS 513.88 as putatively involved in the production of ochratoxin A (OTA). Genome resequencing analysis revealed that the gene An15g07920 is also present in the ochratoxin-producing A. niger strain 1062. Disruption of An15g07920 in A. niger 1062 removed its capacity to biosynthesize ochratoxin β (OTβ), ochratoxin α (OTα), and OTA. These results indicate that the polyketide synthase encoded by An15g07920 is a crucial player in the biosynthesis of OTA, in the pathway prior to the phenylalanine ligation step. The gene An15g07920 reached its maximum transcription level before OTA accumulation reached its highest level, confirming that gene transcription precedes OTA production. These findings will not only help explain the mechanism of OTA production in A. niger but also provide necessary information for the development of effective diagnostic, preventive, and control strategies to reduce the risk of OTA contamination in foods.

Highly thermostable and pH-stable cellulases from Aspergillus niger NS-2: properties and application for cellulose hydrolysis.

PubMed

Bansal, Namita; Janveja, Chetna; Tewari, Rupinder; Soni, Raman; Soni, Sanjeev Kumar

2014-01-01

Optimization of cultural conditions for enhanced cellulase production by Aspergillus niger NS-2 were studied under solid-state fermentation. Significant increase in yields (CMCase 463.9 ± 20.1 U/g, FPase 101.1 ± 3.5 U/g and β-glucosidase 99 ± 4.0 U/g) were obtained under optimized conditions. Effect of different nutritional parameters was studied to induce the maximum production of cellulase complex. Scale-up studies for enzyme production process were carried out. Characterization studies showed that enzymes produced by A. niger NS-2 were highly temperature- and pH stable. At 50 °C, the half life for CMCase, FPase, β-glucosidase were approximately 240 h. Cellulases from A. niger NS-2 were stable at 35 °C for 24 h over a broader pH range of 3.0-9.0. We examined the feasibility of using steam pretreatment to increase the saccharification yields from various lignocellulosic residues for sugar release which can potentially be used in bioethanol production. Saccharification of pretreated dry potato peels, carrot peels, composite waste mixture, orange peels, onion peels, banana peels, pineapple peels by crude enzyme extract from A. niger NS-2, resulted in very high cellulose conversion efficiencies of 92-98 %.

Comparative genomics and transcriptome analysis of Aspergillus niger and metabolic engineering for citrate production

PubMed Central

Yin, Xian; Shin, Hyun-dong; Li, Jianghua; Du, Guocheng; Liu, Long; Chen, Jian

2017-01-01

Despite a long and successful history of citrate production in Aspergillus niger, the molecular mechanism of citrate accumulation is only partially understood. In this study, we used comparative genomics and transcriptome analysis of citrate-producing strains—namely, A. niger H915-1 (citrate titer: 157 g L−1), A1 (117 g L−1), and L2 (76 g L−1)—to gain a genome-wide view of the mechanism of citrate accumulation. Compared with A. niger A1 and L2, A. niger H915-1 contained 92 mutated genes, including a succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase in the γ-aminobutyric acid shunt pathway and an aconitase family protein involved in citrate synthesis. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis of A. niger H915-1 revealed that the transcription levels of 479 genes changed between the cell growth stage (6 h) and the citrate synthesis stage (12 h, 24 h, 36 h, and 48 h). In the glycolysis pathway, triosephosphate isomerase was up-regulated, whereas pyruvate kinase was down-regulated. Two cytosol ATP-citrate lyases, which take part in the cycle of citrate synthesis, were up-regulated, and may coordinate with the alternative oxidases in the alternative respiratory pathway for energy balance. Finally, deletion of the oxaloacetate acetylhydrolase gene in H915-1 eliminated oxalate formation but neither influence on pH decrease nor difference in citrate production were observed. PMID:28106122

An artificially constructed Syngonium podophyllum-Aspergillus niger combinate system for removal of uranium from wastewater.

PubMed

He, Jia-dong; Wang, Yong-dong; Hu, Nan; Ding, Dexin; Sun, Jing; Deng, Qin-wen; Li, Chang-wu; Xu, Fei

2015-12-01

Aspergillus niger was inoculated to the roots of five plants, and the Syngonium podophyllum-A. niger combinate system (SPANCS) was found to be the most effective in removing uranium from hydroponic liquid with initial uranium concentration of 5 mg L(-1). Furthermore, the hydroponic experiments on the removal of uranium from the hydroponic liquids with initial uranium concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0 mg L(-1) by the SPANCS were conducted, the inhibitory effect of A. niger on the growth of S. podophyllum in the SPANCS was studied, the accumulation characteristics of uranium by S. podophyllum in the SPANCS were analyzed, and the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra were measured. The results show that the removal of uranium by the SPANCS from the hydroponic liquids with initial uranium concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0 mg L(-1) reached 98.20, 97.90, and 98.50%, respectively, after 37 days of accumulation of uranium; that the uranium concentrations in the hydroponic liquids decreased to 0.009, 0.021, and 0.045 mg L(-1), respectively, which are lower than the stipulated concentration for discharge of 0.050 mg L(-1) by the People's Republic of China; that A. niger helped to generate more groups in the root of S. podophyllum which can improve the complexing capability of S. podophyllum for uranium; and that the uranium accumulated in the root of S. podophyllum was in the form of phosphate uranyl and carboxylic uranyl.

Morphology engineering - Osmolality and its effect on Aspergillus niger morphology and productivity

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger is a widely used strain in a broad range of industrial processes from food to pharmaceutical industry. One of the most intriguing and often uncontrollable characteristics of this filamentous organism is its complex morphology, ranging from dense spherical pellets to viscous mycelia depending on culture conditions. Optimal productivity correlates strongly with a specific morphological form, thus making high demands on process control. Results In about 50 2L stirred tank cultivations the influence of osmolality on A. niger morphology and productivity was investigated. The specific productivity of fructofuranosidase producing strain A. niger SKAn 1015 could be increased notably from 0.5 to 9 U mg-1 h-1 around eighteen fold, by increasing the culture broth osmolality by addition of sodium chloride. The specific productivity of glucoamylase producing strain A. niger AB1.13, could be elevated using the same procedure. An optimal producing osmolality was shown to exist well over the standard osmolality at about 3.2 osmol kg-1 depending on the strain. Fungal morphology of all cultivations was examined by microscope and characterized by digital image analysis. Particle shape parameters were combined to a dimensionless Morphology number, which enabled a comprehensive characterization of fungal morphology correlating closely with productivity. A novel method for determination of germination time in submerged cultivations by laser diffraction, introduced in this study, revealed a decelerated germination process with increasing osmolality. Conclusions Through the introduction of the versatile Morphology number, this study provides the means for a desirable characterization of fungal morphology and demonstrates its relation to productivity. Furthermore, osmolality as a fairly new parameter in process engineering is introduced and found to affect fungal morphology and productivity. Osmolality might provide an auspicious and

Germination of Aspergillus niger conidia is triggered by nitrogen compounds related to L-amino acids.

PubMed

Hayer, Kimran; Stratford, Malcolm; Archer, David B

2014-10-01

Conidial germination is fundamentally important to the growth and dissemination of most fungi. It has been previously shown (K. Hayer, M. Stratford, and D. B. Archer, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 79:6924-6931, 2013, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02061-13), using sugar analogs, that germination is a 2-stage process involving triggering of germination and then nutrient uptake for hyphal outgrowth. In the present study, we tested this 2-stage germination process using a series of nitrogen-containing compounds for the ability to trigger the breaking of dormancy of Aspergillus niger conidia and then to support the formation of hyphae by acting as nitrogen sources. Triggering and germination were also compared between A. niger and Aspergillus nidulans using 2-deoxy-D-glucose (trigger), D-galactose (nontrigger in A. niger but trigger in A. nidulans), and an N source (required in A. niger but not in A. nidulans). Although most of the nitrogen compounds studied served as nitrogen sources for growth, only some nitrogen compounds could trigger germination of A. niger conidia, and all were related to L-amino acids. Using L-amino acid analogs without either the amine or the carboxylic acid group revealed that both the amine and carboxylic acid groups were essential for an L-amino acid to serve as a trigger molecule. Generally, conidia were able to sense and recognize nitrogen compounds that fitted into a specific size range. There was no evidence of uptake of either triggering or nontriggering compounds over the first 90 min of A. niger conidial germination, suggesting that the germination trigger sensors are not located within the spore. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Regulation of the alpha-glucuronidase-encoding gene ( aguA) from Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

de Vries, R P; van de Vondervoort, P J I; Hendriks, L; van de Belt, M; Visser, J

2002-09-01

The alpha-glucuronidase gene aguA from Aspergillus niger was cloned and characterised. Analysis of the promoter region of aguA revealed the presence of four putative binding sites for the major carbon catabolite repressor protein CREA and one putative binding site for the transcriptional activator XLNR. In addition, a sequence motif was detected which differed only in the last nucleotide from the XLNR consensus site. A construct in which part of the aguA coding region was deleted still resulted in production of a stable mRNA upon transformation of A. niger. The putative XLNR binding sites and two of the putative CREA binding sites were mutated individually in this construct and the effects on expression were examined in A. niger transformants. Northern analysis of the transformants revealed that the consensus XLNR site is not actually functional in the aguA promoter, whereas the sequence that diverges from the consensus at a single position is functional. This indicates that XLNR is also able to bind to the sequence GGCTAG, and the XLNR binding site consensus should therefore be changed to GGCTAR. Both CREA sites are functional, indicating that CREA has a strong influence on aguA expression. A detailed expression analysis of aguA in four genetic backgrounds revealed a second regulatory system involved in activation of aguA gene expression. This system responds to the presence of glucuronic and galacturonic acids, and is not dependent on XLNR.

Full-aperture x-ray tests of Kirkpatrick-Baez modules: preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pina, L.; Marsikova, V.; Hudec, R.; Inneman, A.; Marsik, J.; Cash, W.; Shipley, A.; Zeiger, B.

2011-05-01

We report on preliminary results of full aperture X-ray optical tests at the X-ray test facility at the University of Colorado (USA) of four test modules of Kirkpatrick-Baez (KB) X-ray optical systems performed in August 2010. Direct experimental comparisons were made between gold-coated optics of two novel substrates: glass foils and silicon wafers. The preliminary results are promising, with full-width half-maxima of full stacks being of order of 30 arcsec in 2D full arrangement. These results justify further efforts to improve KB optics for use in low-cost, high-performance space-borne astronomical imaging instruments for X-ray wavelengths.

Fungal bioleaching of WPCBs using Aspergillus niger: Observation, optimization and kinetics.

PubMed

Faraji, Fariborz; Golmohammadzadeh, Rabeeh; Rashchi, Fereshteh; Alimardani, Navid

2018-07-01

In this study, Aspergillus niger (A. niger) as an environmentally friendly agent for fungal bioleaching of waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) was employed. D-optimal response surface methodology (RSM) was utilized for optimization of the bioleaching parameters including bioleaching method (one step, two step and spent medium) and pulp densities (0.5 g L -1 to 20 g L -1 ) to maximize the recovery of Zn, Ni and Cu from WPCBs. According to the high performance liquid chromatography analysis, citric, oxalic, malic and gluconic acids were the most abundant organic acids produced by A.niger in 21 days experiments. Maximum recoveries of 98.57% of Zn, 43.95% of Ni and 64.03% of Cu were achieved based on acidolysis and complexolysis dissolution mechanisms of organic acids. Based on the kinetic studies, the rate controlling mechanism for Zn dissolution at one step approach was found to be diffusion through liquid film, while it was found to be mixed control for both two step and spent medium. Furthermore, rate of Cu dissolution which is controlled by diffusion in one step and two step approaches, detected to be controlled by chemical reaction at spent medium. It was shown that for Ni, the rate is controlled by chemical reaction for all the methods studied. Eventually, it was understood that A. niger is capable of leaching 100% of Zn, 80.39% of Ni and 85.88% of Cu in 30 days. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 26247 - Magnesium Metal From the Russian Federation: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-06

... Russian Federation: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review AGENCY: Import... AVISMA did not make sales to the United States at less than normal value. If these preliminary results are adopted in the final results of this administrative review, we will instruct U.S. Customs and...

Preliminary test results from a telescope of Hughes pixel arrays at FNAL

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

Jernigan, J.G.; Arens, J.; Vezie, D.

1992-09-01

In December of 1991 three silicon hybrid pixel detectors each having 2.56 [times] 2.56 pixels 30 [mu]m square, made by the Hughes Aircraft Company, were placed in a high energy muon beam at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. Straight tracks were recorded in these detectors at angles to the normal to the plane of the silicon ranging from 0 to 45[degrees]. In this note, preliminary results are presented on the straight through tracks, i.e., those passing through the telescope at normal incidence. Pulse height data, signal-to-noise data, and preliminary straight line fits to the data resulting in residual distributions aremore » presented. Preliminary calculations show spatial resolution of less than 5 [mu]m in two dimensions.« less

Preliminary test results from a telescope of Hughes pixel arrays at FNAL

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

Jernigan, J.G.; Arens, J.; Vezie, D.

1992-09-01

In December of 1991 three silicon hybrid pixel detectors each having 2.56 {times} 2.56 pixels 30 {mu}m square, made by the Hughes Aircraft Company, were placed in a high energy muon beam at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. Straight tracks were recorded in these detectors at angles to the normal to the plane of the silicon ranging from 0 to 45{degrees}. In this note, preliminary results are presented on the straight through tracks, i.e., those passing through the telescope at normal incidence. Pulse height data, signal-to-noise data, and preliminary straight line fits to the data resulting in residual distributions aremore » presented. Preliminary calculations show spatial resolution of less than 5 {mu}m in two dimensions.« less

A Highly Efficient Xylan-Utilization System in Aspergillus niger An76: A Functional-Proteomics Study.

PubMed

Gong, Weili; Dai, Lin; Zhang, Huaiqiang; Zhang, Lili; Wang, Lushan

2018-01-01

Xylan constituted with β-1,4-D-xylose linked backbone and diverse substituted side-chains is the most abundant hemicellulose component of biomass, which can be completely and rapidly degraded into fermentable sugars by Aspergillus niger . This is of great value for obtaining renewable biofuels and biochemicals. To clarify the underlying mechanisms associated with highly efficient xylan degradation, assimilation, and metabolism by A. niger , we utilized functional proteomics to analyze the secreted proteins, sugar transporters, and intracellular proteins of A. niger An76 grown on xylan-based substrates. Results demonstrated that the complete xylanolytic enzyme system required for xylan degradation and composed of diverse isozymes was secreted in a sequential order. Xylan-backbone-degrading enzymes were preferentially induced by xylose or other soluble sugars, which efficiently produced large amounts of xylooligosaccharides (XOS) and xylose; however, XOS was more efficient than xylose in triggering the expression of the key transcription activator XlnR, resulting in higher xylanase activity and shortening xylanase-production time. Moreover, the substituted XOS was responsible for improving the abundance of side-chain-degrading enzymes, specific transporters, and key reductases and dehydrogenases in the pentose catabolic pathway. Our findings indicated that industries might be able to improve the species and concentrations of xylan-degrading enzymes and shorten fermentation time by adding abundant intermediate products of natural xylan (XOS) to cultures of filamentous fungi.

A Highly Efficient Xylan-Utilization System in Aspergillus niger An76: A Functional-Proteomics Study

PubMed Central

Gong, Weili; Dai, Lin; Zhang, Huaiqiang; Zhang, Lili; Wang, Lushan

2018-01-01

Xylan constituted with β-1,4-D-xylose linked backbone and diverse substituted side-chains is the most abundant hemicellulose component of biomass, which can be completely and rapidly degraded into fermentable sugars by Aspergillus niger. This is of great value for obtaining renewable biofuels and biochemicals. To clarify the underlying mechanisms associated with highly efficient xylan degradation, assimilation, and metabolism by A. niger, we utilized functional proteomics to analyze the secreted proteins, sugar transporters, and intracellular proteins of A. niger An76 grown on xylan-based substrates. Results demonstrated that the complete xylanolytic enzyme system required for xylan degradation and composed of diverse isozymes was secreted in a sequential order. Xylan-backbone-degrading enzymes were preferentially induced by xylose or other soluble sugars, which efficiently produced large amounts of xylooligosaccharides (XOS) and xylose; however, XOS was more efficient than xylose in triggering the expression of the key transcription activator XlnR, resulting in higher xylanase activity and shortening xylanase-production time. Moreover, the substituted XOS was responsible for improving the abundance of side-chain-degrading enzymes, specific transporters, and key reductases and dehydrogenases in the pentose catabolic pathway. Our findings indicated that industries might be able to improve the species and concentrations of xylan-degrading enzymes and shorten fermentation time by adding abundant intermediate products of natural xylan (XOS) to cultures of filamentous fungi. PMID:29623069

Polygalacturonase gene pgxB in Aspergillus niger is a virulence factor in apple fruit.

PubMed

Liu, Cheng-Qian; Hu, Kang-Di; Li, Ting-Ting; Yang, Ying; Yang, Feng; Li, Yan-Hong; Liu, He-Ping; Chen, Xiao-Yan; Zhang, Hua

2017-01-01

Aspergillus niger, a saprophytic fungus, is widely distributed in soil, air and cereals, and can cause postharvest diseases in fruit. Polygalacturonase (PG) is one of the main enzymes in fungal pathogens to degrade plant cell wall. To evaluate whether the deletion of an exo-polygalacturonase gene pgxB would influence fungal pathogenicity to fruit, pgxB gene was deleted in Aspergillus niger MA 70.15 (wild type) via homologous recombination. The ΔpgxB mutant showed similar growth behavior compared with the wild type. Pectin medium induced significant higher expression of all pectinase genes in both wild type and ΔpgxB in comparison to potato dextrose agar medium. However, the ΔpgxB mutant was less virulent on apple fruits as the necrosis diameter caused by ΔpgxB mutant was significantly smaller than that of wild type. Results of quantitive-PCR showed that, in the process of infection in apple fruit, gene expressions of polygalacturonase genes pgaI, pgaII, pgaA, pgaC, pgaD and pgaE were enhanced in ΔpgxB mutant in comparison to wild type. These results prove that, despite the increased gene expression of other polygalacturonase genes in ΔpgxB mutant, the lack of pgxB gene significantly reduced the virulence of A. niger on apple fruit, suggesting that pgxB plays an important role in the infection process on the apple fruit.

Polygalacturonase gene pgxB in Aspergillus niger is a virulence factor in apple fruit

PubMed Central

Yang, Ying; Yang, Feng; Li, Yan-Hong; Liu, He-Ping; Chen, Xiao-Yan

2017-01-01

Aspergillus niger, a saprophytic fungus, is widely distributed in soil, air and cereals, and can cause postharvest diseases in fruit. Polygalacturonase (PG) is one of the main enzymes in fungal pathogens to degrade plant cell wall. To evaluate whether the deletion of an exo-polygalacturonase gene pgxB would influence fungal pathogenicity to fruit, pgxB gene was deleted in Aspergillus niger MA 70.15 (wild type) via homologous recombination. The ΔpgxB mutant showed similar growth behavior compared with the wild type. Pectin medium induced significant higher expression of all pectinase genes in both wild type and ΔpgxB in comparison to potato dextrose agar medium. However, the ΔpgxB mutant was less virulent on apple fruits as the necrosis diameter caused by ΔpgxB mutant was significantly smaller than that of wild type. Results of quantitive-PCR showed that, in the process of infection in apple fruit, gene expressions of polygalacturonase genes pgaI, pgaII, pgaA, pgaC, pgaD and pgaE were enhanced in ΔpgxB mutant in comparison to wild type. These results prove that, despite the increased gene expression of other polygalacturonase genes in ΔpgxB mutant, the lack of pgxB gene significantly reduced the virulence of A. niger on apple fruit, suggesting that pgxB plays an important role in the infection process on the apple fruit. PMID:28257463

A single amino acid change (Y318F) in the L-arabitol dehydrogenase (LadA) from Aspergillus niger results in a significant increase in affinity for D-sorbitol

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background L-arabitol dehydrogenase (LAD) and xylitol dehydrogenase (XDH) are involved in the degradation of L-arabinose and D-xylose, which are among the most abundant monosaccharides on earth. Previous data demonstrated that LAD and XDH not only differ in the activity on their biological substrate, but also that only XDH has significant activity on D-sorbitol and may therefore be more closely related to D-sorbitol dehydrogenases (SDH). In this study we aimed to identify residues involved in the difference in substrate specificity. Results Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that LAD, XDH and SDH form 3 distinct groups of the family of dehydrogenases containing an Alcohol dehydrogenase GroES-like domain (pfam08240) and likely have evolved from a common ancestor. Modelling of LadA and XdhA of the saprobic fungus Aspergillus niger on human SDH identified two residues in LadA (M70 and Y318), that may explain the absence of activity on D-sorbitol. While introduction of the mutation M70F in LadA of A. niger resulted in a nearly complete enzyme inactivation, the Y318F resulted in increased activity for L-arabitol and xylitol. Moreover, the affinity for D-sorbitol was increased in this mutant. Conclusion These data demonstrates that Y318 of LadA contributes significantly to the substrate specificity difference between LAD and XDH/SDH. PMID:19674460

Strain improvement of Aspergillus niger for enhanced lipase production.

PubMed

Sandana Mala, John Geraldine; Kamini, Numbi R.; Puvanakrishnan, Rengarajulu

2001-08-01

The enhancement of lipase production from Aspergillus niger was attempted by ultraviolet (UV) and nitrous acid mutagenesis, and the mutants were selected on media containing bile salts. Nitrous acid mutants exhibited increased efficiency for lipase production when compared with UV mutants in submerged fermentation. The hyperproducing UV and nitrous acid mutants were further subjected to a second step of mutagenesis to devise an economical and ecofriendly technique for lipase production by the effective use of hydrocarbons. One percent kerosene was found to be optimal for lipase production, and one of the mutant strains NAII exhibited 2.53 times more increased lipase activity than the parental strain did. This investigation indicates a possible role for the A. niger mutant strains in the biodegradation of oil-polluted environments for the development of ecofriendly technologies.

75 FR 19610 - Solid Urea From the Russian Federation: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-15

... Federation: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review AGENCY: Import Administration.... We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results. Parties who submit argument in...

Stereoplotting Hominid Brain Endocasts : Some Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holloway, Ralph L.

1980-07-01

To objectively and quantitatively demonstrate regional differences in brain endocast morphology, traditional anthropometric caliper measurements must be replaced by a system providing not only localness, but homology and reasonable freedom from allometric distortion. Stereoplotting the radial distances from endocast surface (the closest point to the once underlying brain cortex) to a homologous center every ten degrees provides some 300+ data points for each dorsal endocast surface, thus giving the requisite localness. These measurements provide a large matrix of data suitable for a number of multivariate statistical techniques, and the translation of such data and analyses to readily visualized maps, which can then be compared in relation to both taxonomic and functional knowledge about the cerebral surface. This paper descri-bes some preliminary results from using such methods on a sample of 64 undistorted endocasts composed of both pongids and fossil hominids. While sample sizes within taxonomic groups need to be augmented, the preliminary and tentative pilot studies conducted so far suggest that the method has excellent potential, and that two major areas of the brain endocast surface show the greatest shape changes : 1) the posterior association areas (inferior parietal lobule); 2) the anterior prefrontal areas.

Ordinance No. 87-015, Economic and Social Development Plan of Niger, 1987-1991, 30 April 1987.

PubMed

1987-01-01

This document contains major provisions of the Economic and Social Development Plan of Niger (1987-91) and Niger's 1987 Ordinance No. 87-16 containing the National Charter. The development plan notes the problems attendant upon Niger's population growth and calls for voluntary, not coercive, measures to manage population growth. A program of action is outlined that involves a reduction in mortality and morbidity, an emphasis on family planning programs, demographic research and education, and provision of population information. The reprinted portions of Niger's National Charter define national unity; call for improvement in the status and education of women; and guarantee freedom of movement and of residence as well as the right to education and to health. Specific actions sought include making basic education obligatory, improving literacy, protecting health by increasing life expectancy and improving quality of life, protecting the family, protecting the handicapped and the aged, and providing sex education for young people. The foundation of the population policy of Niger will be to improve living conditions and the health of the people. Efforts will be made to allow women to master the appropriate technologies to lighten the burden of their domestic work and free them for training activities. Specific actions are delineated to protect agricultural resources, reduce desertification, improve housing conditions, and address urbanization.

Proteome analysis of Aspergillus niger: Lactate added in starch-containing medium can increase production of the mycotoxin fumonisin B2 by modifying acetyl-CoA metabolism

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Aspergillus niger is a filamentous fungus found in the environment, on foods and feeds and is used as host for production of organic acids, enzymes and proteins. The mycotoxin fumonisin B2 was recently found to be produced by A. niger and hence very little is known about production and regulation of this metabolite. Proteome analysis was used with the purpose to reveal how fumonisin B2 production by A. niger is influenced by starch and lactate in the medium. Results Fumonisin B2 production by A. niger was significantly increased when lactate and starch were combined in the medium. Production of a few other A. niger secondary metabolites was affected similarly by lactate and starch (fumonisin B4, orlandin, desmethylkotanin and pyranonigrin A), while production of others was not (ochratoxin A, ochratoxin alpha, malformin A, malformin C, kotanin, aurasperone B and tensidol B). The proteome of A. niger was clearly different during growth on media containing 3% starch, 3% starch + 3% lactate or 3% lactate. The identity of 59 spots was obtained, mainly those showing higher or lower expression levels on medium with starch and lactate. Many of them were enzymes in primary metabolism and other processes that affect the intracellular level of acetyl-CoA or NADPH. This included enzymes in the pentose phosphate pathway, pyruvate metabolism, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, ammonium assimilation, fatty acid biosynthesis and oxidative stress protection. Conclusions Lactate added in a medium containing nitrate and starch can increase fumonisin B2 production by A. niger as well as production of some other secondary metabolites. Changes in the balance of intracellular metabolites towards a higher level of carbon passing through acetyl-CoA and a high capacity to regenerate NADPH during growth on medium with starch and lactate were found to be the likely cause of this effect. The results lead to the hypothesis that fumonisin production by A. niger is regulated by acetyl

Changes in the physiological properties and kinetics of citric acid accumulation via carbon ion irradiation mutagenesis of Aspergillus niger *

PubMed Central

Hu, Wei; Chen, Ji-hong; Wang, Shu-yang; Liu, Jing; Song, Yuan; Wu, Qing-feng; Li, Wen-jian

2016-01-01

The objective of this work was to produce citric acid from corn starch using a newly isolated mutant of Aspergillus niger, and to analyze the relationship between changes in the physiological properties of A. niger induced by carbon ion irradiation and citric acid accumulation. Our results showed that the physiological characteristics of conidia in A. niger were closely related to citric acid accumulation and that lower growth rate and viability of conidia may be beneficial to citric acid accumulation. Using corn starch as a raw material, a high-yielding citric acid mutant, named HW2, was obtained. In a 10-L bioreactor, HW2 can accumulate 118.9 g/L citric acid with a residual total sugar concentration of only 14.4 g/L. This represented an 18% increase in citric acid accumulation and a 12.5% decrease in sugar utilization compared with the original strain.

Radiative transfer in shrub savanna sites in Niger: Preliminary results from HAPEX-Sahel. Part 3: Optical dynamics and vegetation index sensitivity to biomass and plant cover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

vanLeeuwen, W. J. D.; Huete, A. R.; Duncan, J.; Franklin, J.

1994-01-01

A shrub savannah landscape in Niger was optically characterized utilizing blue, green, red and near-infrared wavelengths. Selected vegetation indices were evaluated for their performance and sensitivity to describe the complex Sahelian soil/vegetation canopies. Bidirectional reflectance factors (BRF) of plants and soils were measured at several view angles, and used as input to various vegetation indices. Both soil and vegetation targets had strong anisotropic reflectance properties, rendering all vegetation index (6) responses to be a direct function of sun and view geometry. Soil background influences were shown to alter the response of most vegetation indices. N-space greenness had the smallest dynamic range in VI response, but the n-space brightness index provided additional useful information. The global environmental monitoring index (GEMI) showed a large 6 dynamic range for bare soils, which was undesirable for a vegetation index. The view angle response of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), atmosphere resistant vegetation index (ARVI) and soil atmosphere resistant vegetation index (SARVI) were asymmetric about nadir for multiple view angles, and were, except for the SARVI, altered seriously by soil moisture and/or soil brightness effects. The soil adjusted vegetation index (SAVI) was least affected by surface soil moisture and was symmetric about nadir for grass vegetation covers. Overall the SAVI, SARVI and the n-space vegetation index performed best under all adverse conditions and were recommended to monitor vegetation growth in the sparsely vegetated Sahelian zone.

The metabolic cost of nesting: body condition and blood parameters of Caiman crocodilus and Melanosuchus niger in Central Amazonia.

PubMed

Barão-Nóbrega, José António Lemos; Marioni, Boris; Botero-Arias, Robinson; Nogueira, António José Arsénia; Lima, Emerson Silva; Magnusson, William Ernest; Da Silveira, Ronis; Marcon, Jaydione Luiz

2018-01-01

Although nesting ecology is well studied in several crocodilian species, it is not known how nest attendance influences physiology and body condition of nesting females. In this study, we describe body condition and serum biochemical values of nesting female, non-nesting female and male spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) and black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) in two areas of Central Amazonia. We also evaluated the effect of nest age and nest distance to water on body condition and blood parameters of nesting females. Body condition and plasmatic concentrations of glucose, triglycerides, lactate and uric acid of nesting females were significantly different from those of non-nesting females and males in C. crocodilus, but not in M. niger. Our study also demonstrated that nest age and distance to water had a negative effect on female body condition in C. crocodilus, but not in M. niger. Female C. crocodilus attending older nests or nests built further away from permanent water bodies tended to have lower body condition. Our results demonstrate that the nesting strategy of C. crocodilus has a metabolic cost associated with nest attendance for nesting females, which appear to depend on accumulated energetic reserves during nest attendance. In contrast, nest attendance had little effect on the physiology of female M. niger.

King County Metro Battery Electric Bus Demonstration: Preliminary Project Results

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

The U.S. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds a variety of research projects that support the commercialization of zero-emission bus technology. To evaluate projects funded through these programs, FTA has enlisted the help of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to conduct third-party evaluations of the technologies deployed under the FTA programs. NREL works with the selected agencies to evaluate the performance of the zero-emission buses compared to baseline conventional buses in similar service. The evaluation effort will advance the knowledge base of zero-emission technologies in transit bus applications and provide 'lessons learned' to aid other fleets in incrementally introducing nextmore » generation zero-emission buses into their operations. This report provides preliminary performance evaluation results from a demonstration of three zero-emission battery electric buses at King County Metro in King County, Washington. NREL developed this preliminary results report to quickly disseminate evaluation results to stakeholders. Detailed evaluation results will be published in future reports.« less

76 FR 44305 - Honey From Argentina: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty New...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-25

...: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty New Shipper Review AGENCY: Import... results of this review is July 24, 2011. Extension of Time Limits for Preliminary Results of Review... time to complete the preliminary results. Specifically, the Department requires additional time to...

75 FR 12514 - Stainless Steel Bar From Brazil: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-16

... Brazil: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review AGENCY: Import Administration... results are adopted in our final results of administrative review, we will instruct U.S. Customs and... invited to comment on these preliminary results of review. We intend to issue the final results of review...

A biodegradation study of forest biomass by Aspergillus niger F7: correlation between enzymatic activity, hydrolytic percentage and biodegradation index

PubMed Central

Sharma, Nivedita; Kaushal, Richa; Gupta, Rakesh; Kumar, Sanjeev

2012-01-01

Aspergillus niger F7 isolated from soil was found to be the potent producer of cellulase and xylanase. The residue of forest species Toona ciliata, Celtris australis, Cedrus deodara and Pinus roxburghii was selected as substrate for biodegradation study due to its easy availability and wide use in industry. It was subjected to alkali (sodium hydroxide) treatment for enhancing its degradation. Biodegradation of forest waste by hydrolytic enzymes (cellulase and xylanase) secreted by A. niger under solid state fermentation (SSF) was explored. SSF of pretreated forest biomass was found to be superior over untreated forest biomass. Highest extracellular enzyme activity of 2201±23.91 U/g by A. niger was shown in pretreated C. australis wood resulting in 6.72±0.20 percent hydrolysis and 6.99±0.23 biodegradation index (BI). The lowest BI of 1.40±0.08 was observed in untreated saw dust of C. deodara having the least enzyme activity of 238±1.36 U/g of dry matter. Biodegradation of forest biomass under SSF was increased many folds when moistening agent i.e. tap water had been replaced with modified basal salt media (BSM). In BSM mediated degradation of forest waste with A. niger, extracellular enzyme activity was increased up to 4089±67.11 U/g of dry matter in turn resulting in higher BI of 15.4±0.41 and percent hydrolysis of 19.38±0.81 in pretreated C. australis wood. A. niger exhibited higher enzyme activity on pretreated biomass when moistened with modified BSM in this study. Statistically a positive correlation has been drawn between these three factors i.e. enzyme activity, BI and percent hydrolysis of forest biomass thus proving their direct relationship with each other. PMID:24031853

High level expression and characterization of tannase tan7 using Aspergillus niger SH-2 with low-background endogenous secretory proteins as the host.

PubMed

Liu, Fengling; Wang, Bin; Ye, Yanrui; Pan, Li

2018-04-01

Tannin acyl hydrolase (tannase, EC3.1.1.20) catalyzes the hydrolysis of hydrolyzable tannins. It is used in the manufacture of instant tea and in the production of gallic acid. In this study, we reported that the overexpression, purification and characterization of an Aspergillus niger tannase. The tannase gene was cloned from A. niger SH-2 and expressed in the A. niger strain Bdel4 which is low-background of secreted proteins. The recombinant tannase was purified by desalting, followed by gel filtration for characterization. The tannase activity achieved 111.5 U/mL at 168 h, and the purity of the enzyme in the broth supernatant was estimated to be over 70%. The optimum temperature and pH of the recombinant tannase was ∼40 °C and 7.0, respectively. The tannase activity was inhibited by Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Cu 2+ , Ba 2+ , Ni 2+ and EDTA, and was enhanced by Mn 2+ and Co 2+ . Since A. niger is a GRAS microorganism, the recombinant tannase could be purification-free due to its high purity. The results of this study suggested that this recombinant strain could be subjected to large-scale production of A. niger tannase. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Characterisation of a starch-hydrolysing enzyme of Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Suresh, C; Dubey, A K; Srikanta, S; Kumar, S U; Karanth, N G

1999-05-01

A UV-induced mutant strain of Aspergillus niger (CFTRI-1105-U9) overproduced a starch-hydrolysing enzyme with properties characteristically different from the known amylases of the fungus. The purified enzyme of 4.0 pI had an apparent molecular mass of 125 kDa and it dextrinised starch and then saccharified the dextrins. Patterns of the enzyme activity on starch, resulting in glucose at 60 degrees C and glucose, maltose and maltodextrins at 70 degrees C as primary products, suggested significant applications for the enzyme in starch-processing industries.

Isolation, Purification, and Identification of Taxol and Related Taxanes from Taxol-Producing Fungus Aspergillus niger subsp. taxi.

PubMed

Li, Dan; Fu, Dongwei; Zhang, Yue; Ma, Xueling; Gao, Liguo; Wang, Xioahua; Zhou, Dongpo; Zhao, Kai

2017-08-28

The content of taxol in the bark of yews is very low, and this is not affordable from the environmental point of view. Thus, it is a necessity to look for alternative sources of taxol production to solve its supply. Currently, a large portion of the taxol in the market comes from chemical semi-synthesis, but the semi-synthetic precursors such as baccatin III and 10-deacetyl-baccatin III are extracted from needles and twigs of yew trees. Taxol-producing fungi as a renewable resource is a very promising way to increase the scale of taxol production. Our group has obtained a taxol-producing endophytic fungus, Aspergillus niger subsp. taxi HD86-9, to examine if A. niger can produce the taxanes. Six compounds from the fermentation broth of strain HD86-9 were isolated and identified by 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, and ESI-MS. The results showed that the six compounds included four taxane diterpenoids (taxol, cephalomannine, baccatin III, and 10-deacetyl-baccatin III) and two non-taxane compounds (β-sitosterol and flavonoid isovitexin). The study verified that the taxanes can be produced by the A. niger , which is very important to taxol production via chemical semi-synthesis. Additionally, the finding is potentially very significant to solve the taxol semi-synthetic precursors extracted from needles and twigs of yew trees, and the precursor production can be easily increased through the culture condition optimization, genetic breeding, and metabolic engineering of the A. niger .

Shotgun proteomics of Aspergillus niger microsomes upon D-xylose induction.

PubMed

Ferreira de Oliveira, José Miguel P; van Passel, Mark W J; Schaap, Peter J; de Graaff, Leo H

2010-07-01

Protein secretion plays an eminent role in cell maintenance and adaptation to the extracellular environment of microorganisms. Although protein secretion is an extremely efficient process in filamentous fungi, the mechanisms underlying protein secretion have remained largely uncharacterized in these organisms. In this study, we analyzed the effects of the d-xylose induction of cellulase and hemicellulase enzyme secretion on the protein composition of secretory organelles in Aspergillus niger. We aimed to systematically identify the components involved in the secretion of these enzymes via mass spectrometry of enriched subcellular microsomal fractions. Under each condition, fractions enriched for secretory organelles were processed for tandem mass spectrometry, resulting in the identification of peptides that originate from 1,081 proteins, 254 of which-many of them hypothetical proteins-were predicted to play direct roles in the secretory pathway. d-Xylose induction led to an increase in specific small GTPases known to be associated with polarized growth, exocytosis, and endocytosis. Moreover, the endoplasmic-reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) components Cdc48 and all 14 of the 20S proteasomal subunits were recruited to the secretory organelles. In conclusion, induction of extracellular enzymes results in specific changes in the secretory subproteome of A. niger, and the most prominent change found in this study was the recruitment of the 20S proteasomal subunits to the secretory organelles.

The oil rich Niger Delta region: a framework for improved performance of the Nigerian regulatory process.

PubMed

Onu, N Chukemeka Hemanachi

2003-06-01

The adoption of this policy framework has the ability to reconcile industry, the environment and community interests, taking into account all factors that are relevant to managing developments that are both sustainable and contributory to the achievement of industrial and community stability. The management of resource development is crucial in sustaining the Niger Delta ecosystem and the human population resident in the Niger Delta region. If these separate bodies are constituted they would have the potential to reduce and discourage: i) the vulnerability of the regulatory body to influential and powerful multinational oil companies; ii) the proclivity for unaccountability to the people of the Niger Delta region, since the people of the Niger Delta would have access to the regulatory body's classified and unclassified information, and are part of the decision-making process; and iii) a reduction in conflict between the oil mining companies and the aggrieved youths of the oil rich Niger Delta region. This policy framework also has the added advantage of producing high quality decisions and more acceptable decisions than those for which the people of the Niger Delta region are excluded from the processes that concern their existence. The agency decision-making could now become a multilateral process and thus promote and enhance the accurate, impartial and rational application of legislative directives to given cases or classes of cases. Most importantly, the Minister of Petroleum Resources should be empowered by legislation to revoke any license or lease in respect of an area designated as marginal if left undeveloped for a period of 5 years and grant a lease or license for the area to a more responsible oil company.

Overexpression of the NADP+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase gene (icdA) in citric acid-producing Aspergillus niger WU-2223L.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Keiichi; Hattori, Takasumi; Hayashi, Rie; Kirimura, Kohtaro

2014-01-01

In the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, NADP(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP(+)-ICDH) catalyzes oxidative decarboxylation of isocitric acid to form α-ketoglutaric acid with NADP(+) as a cofactor. We constructed an NADP(+)-ICDH gene (icdA)-overexpressing strain (OPI-1) using Aspergillus niger WU-2223L as a host and examined the effects of increase in NADP(+)-ICDH activity on citric acid production. Under citric acid-producing conditions with glucose as the carbon source, the amounts of citric acid produced and glucose consumed by OPI-1 for the 12-d cultivation period decreased by 18.7 and 10.5%, respectively, compared with those by WU-2223L. These results indicate that the amount of citric acid produced by A. niger can be altered with the NADP(+)-ICDH activity. Therefore, NADP(+)-ICDH is an important regulator of citric acid production in the TCA cycle of A. niger. Thus, we propose that the icdA gene is a potentially valuable tool for modulating citric acid production by metabolic engineering.

Improvement of the optimum pH of Aspergillus niger xylanase towards an alkaline pH by site-directed mutagenesis.

PubMed

Li, Fei; Xie, Jingcong; Zhang, Xuesong; Zhao, Linguo

2015-01-01

In an attempt to shift the optimal pH of the xylanase B (XynB) from Aspergillus niger towards alkalinity, target mutation sites were selected by alignment between Aspergillus niger xylanase B and other xylanases that have alkalophilic pH optima that highlight charged residues in the eight-residues-longer loop in the alkalophilic xylanase. Multiple engineered XynB mutants were created by site-directed mutagenesis with substitutions Q164K and Q164K+D117N. The variant XynB-117 had the highest optimum pH (at 5.5), which corresponded to a basic 0.5 pH unit shift when compared with the wild-type enzyme. However, the optimal pH of the XynB- 164 mutation was not changed, similar to the wild type. These results suggest that the residues at positions 164 and 117 in the eight-residues-longer loop and the cleft's edge are important in determining the pH optima of XynB from Aspergillus niger.

Mapping the polysaccharide degradation potential of Aspergillus niger

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The degradation of plant materials by enzymes is an industry of increasing importance. For sustainable production of second generation biofuels and other products of industrial biotechnology, efficient degradation of non-edible plant polysaccharides such as hemicellulose is required. For each type of hemicellulose, a complex mixture of enzymes is required for complete conversion to fermentable monosaccharides. In plant-biomass degrading fungi, these enzymes are regulated and released by complex regulatory structures. In this study, we present a methodology for evaluating the potential of a given fungus for polysaccharide degradation. Results Through the compilation of information from 203 articles, we have systematized knowledge on the structure and degradation of 16 major types of plant polysaccharides to form a graphical overview. As a case example, we have combined this with a list of 188 genes coding for carbohydrate-active enzymes from Aspergillus niger, thus forming an analysis framework, which can be queried. Combination of this information network with gene expression analysis on mono- and polysaccharide substrates has allowed elucidation of concerted gene expression from this organism. One such example is the identification of a full set of extracellular polysaccharide-acting genes for the degradation of oat spelt xylan. Conclusions The mapping of plant polysaccharide structures along with the corresponding enzymatic activities is a powerful framework for expression analysis of carbohydrate-active enzymes. Applying this network-based approach, we provide the first genome-scale characterization of all genes coding for carbohydrate-active enzymes identified in A. niger. PMID:22799883

Effect of low shear modeled microgravity on phenotypic and central chitin metabolism in the filamentous fungi Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum.

PubMed

Sathishkumar, Yesupatham; Velmurugan, Natarajan; Lee, Hyun Mi; Rajagopal, Kalyanaraman; Im, Chan Ki; Lee, Yang Soo

2014-08-01

Phenotypic and genotypic changes in Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum, spore forming filamentous fungi, with respect to central chitin metabolism were studied under low shear modeled microgravity, normal gravity and static conditions. Low shear modeled microgravity (LSMMG) response showed a similar spore germination rate with normal gravity and static conditions. Interestingly, high ratio of multiple germ tube formation of A. niger in LSMMG condition was observed. Confocal laser scanning microscopy images of calcofluor flurophore stained A. niger and P. chrysogenum showed no significant variations between different conditions tested. Transmission electron microscopy images revealed number of mitochondria increased in P. chrysogenum in low shear modeled microgravity condition but no stress related-woronin bodies in fungal hyphae were observed. To gain additional insight into the cell wall integrity under different conditions, transcription level of a key gene involved in cell wall integrity gfaA, encoding the glutamine: fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase enzyme, was evaluated using qRT-PCR. The transcription level showed no variation among different conditions. Overall, the results collectively indicate that the LSMMG has shown no significant stress on spore germination, mycelial growth, cell wall integrity of potentially pathogenic fungi, A. niger and P. chrysogenum.

Bioethanol potentials of corn cob hydrolysed using cellulases of Aspergillus niger and Penicillium decumbens.

PubMed

Saliu, Bolanle Kudirat; Sani, Alhassan

2012-01-01

Corn cob is a major component of agricultural and domestic waste in many parts of the world. It is composed mainly of cellulose which can be converted to energy in form of bioethanol as an efficient and effective means of waste management. Production of cellulolytic enzymes were induced in the fungi Aspergillus niger and Penicillium decumbens by growing them in mineral salt medium containing alkali pre-treated and untreated corn cobs. The cellulases were characterized and partially purified. Alkali pre-treated corn cobs were hydrolysed with the partially purified cellulases and the product of hydrolysis was fermented using the yeast saccharomyces cerevisae to ethanol. Cellulases of A. niger produced higher endoglucanase and exoglucanase activity (0.1698 IU ml(-1) and 0.0461 FPU ml(-1)) compared to that produced by P. decumbens (0.1111 IU ml(-1) and 0.153 FPU ml(-1)). Alkali pre-treated corn cob hydrolysed by cellulases of A. niger yielded 7.63 mg ml(-1) sugar which produced 2.67 % (v/v) ethanol on fermentation. Ethanol yield of the hydrolysates of corn cob by cellulases of P. decumbens was much lower at 0.56 % (v/v). Alkali pre-treated corn cob, hydrolysed with cellulases of A. niger is established as suitable feedstock for bioethanol production.

77 FR 39683 - Aluminum Extrusions From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of Changed...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-05

... People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of Changed Circumstances Review AGENCY: Import... invited to comment on these preliminary results. DATES: Effective Date: July 5, 2012. FOR FURTHER... its final determination for this investigation on April 4, 2011.\\1\\ As a result of that final...

Induced environment contamination monitor: Preliminary results from the Spacelab 1 flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, E. R. (Editor)

1984-01-01

The STS-9/Induced Environment Contamination Monitor (IECM) mission is briefly described. Preliminary results and analyses are given for each of the 10 instruments comprising the IECM. The final section presents a summary of the major results.

Preliminary Results of the Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pap, Judit

1995-01-01

The preliminary results of the photometry of CaII K spectroheliograms taken at the NationalSolar Observatory at Sacramento peak are presented in this paper. We have digitizedspectroheliograms for 1980 (maximum of SC21), 1985 (minimum of SC21), 1987 (beginning of theascending phase of SC22), 1988 and 1989 (ascending phase and maximum of SC22), and 1992(declining phase of SC22). We have analyzed images for 1992 and separated the plages, the magneticnetwork, internetwork elements and the chromospheric background using histogram method. Wehave derived the intensity and area of these features as well as the full disk intensity (Spatial KIndex). The Spatial K Index has been compared to the spectral Ca K index derived from the lineprofiles and total solar and UV irradiance measured by the UARS and NOAA9 satellites. Thecontribution of plages, the magnetic network and internetwork element to the changes observed intotal solar and UV irradiances are also estimated.

Niger-wide assessment of in situ sorghum genetic diversity with microsatellite markers.

PubMed

Deu, M; Sagnard, F; Chantereau, J; Calatayud, C; Hérault, D; Mariac, C; Pham, J-L; Vigouroux, Y; Kapran, I; Traore, P S; Mamadou, A; Gerard, B; Ndjeunga, J; Bezançon, G

2008-05-01

Understanding the geographical, environmental and social patterns of genetic diversity on different spatial scales is key to the sustainable in situ management of genetic resources. However, few surveys have been conducted on crop genetic diversity using exhaustive in situ germplasm collections on a country scale and such data are missing for sorghum in sub-Saharan Africa, its centre of origin. We report here a genetic analysis of 484 sorghum varieties collected in 79 villages evenly distributed across Niger, using 28 microsatellite markers. We found a high level of SSR diversity in Niger. Diversity varied between eastern and western Niger, and allelic richness was lower in the eastern part of the country. Genetic differentiation between botanical races was the first structuring factor (Fst = 0.19), but the geographical distribution and the ethnic group to which farmers belonged were also significantly associated with genetic diversity partitioning. Gene pools are poorly differentiated among climatic zones. The geographical situation of Niger, where typical western African (guinea), central African (caudatum) and eastern Sahelian African (durra) sorghum races converge, explained the high observed genetic diversity and was responsible for the interactions among the ethnic, geographical and botanical structure revealed in our study. After correcting for the structure of botanical races, spatial correlation of genetic diversity was still detected within 100 km, which may hint at limited seed exchanges between farmers. Sorghum domestication history, in relation to the spatial organisation of human societies, is therefore key information for sorghum in situ conservation programs in sub-Saharan Africa.

Preliminary results of the scientific experiments on the Kosmos-936 biosatellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

The scientific equipment and experiments on the Kosmos-936 biosatellite are described, including various ground controls and the lab unit for studies at the descent vehicle landing site. Preliminary results are presented of the physiological experiment with rats, biological experiments with drosophila and higher and lower plants, and radiation physics and radiobiology studies for the planning of biological protection on future space flights. The most significant conclusion from the preliminary data is that rats tolerate space flight better with an artificial force of gravity.

Collective violence and attitudes of women toward intimate partner violence: Evidence from the Niger Delta

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background The Niger Delta region of Nigeria has been undergoing collective violence for over 25 years, which has constituted a major public health problem. The objectives of this study were to investigate the predictors of women's attitudes toward intimate partner violence in the Niger Delta in comparison to that of women in other parts of Nigeria. Methods The 2003 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey was used for this study. Respondents were selected using a stratified two-stage cluster sampling procedure through which 3725 women were selected and interviewed. These women contributed 6029 live born children born to the survey. Internal consistency of the measure of the women's attitudes towards intimate partner violence against a woman was assessed using Cronbach's alpha (α). Percentage distributions of the relevant characteristics of the respondents were carried out, and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to measure the magnitude and direction of the relationship between the outcome and predictor variables were expressed as odds ratios (OR) and statistical significance was determined at the 95 percent confident interval level (CI). Results Tolerance for intimate partner violence among the women in the Niger delta (47 percent) was higher than that of women from the rest of the country (42 percent). Rural residence, lower household wealth, lower status occupations, and media access (newspaper and radio) were associated with higher risk of justifying IPV among the women in the Niger Delta. In contrast full or partial autonomy in household decisions regarding food to be cooked, and access to television were associated with a lower risk of justifying violence. Conclusion The increased justification of intimate partner violence among the women in the Niger Delta could be explained by a combination of factors, among which are cognitive dissonance theory (attitudes that do not fit with other opinions they hold as a means of coping with their situation

Aflatoxin B1 inhibition in Aspergillus flavus by Aspergillus niger through down-regulating expression of major biosynthetic genes and AFB1 degradation by atoxigenic A. flavus.

PubMed

Xing, Fuguo; Wang, Limin; Liu, Xiao; Selvaraj, Jonathan Nimal; Wang, Yan; Zhao, Yueju; Liu, Yang

2017-09-01

Twenty Aspergillus niger strains were isolated from peanuts and 14 strains were able to completely inhibit AFB 1 production with co-cultivation. By using a Spin-X centrifuge system, it was confirmed that there are some soluble signal molecules or antibiotics involved in the inhibition by A. niger, although they are absent during the initial 24h of A. flavus growth when it is sensitive to inhibition. In A. flavus, 19 of 20 aflatoxin biosynthetic genes were down-regulated by A. niger. Importantly, the expression of aflS was significantly down-regulated, resulting in a reduction of AflS/AflR ratio. The results suggest that A. niger could directly inhibit AFB 1 biosynthesis through reducing the abundance of aflS to aflR mRNAs. Interestingly, atoxigenic A. flavus JZ2 and GZ15 effectively degrade AFB 1 . Two new metabolites were identified and the key toxic lactone and furofuran rings both were destroyed and hydrogenated, meaning that lactonase and reductase might be involved in the degradation process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Workshop Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Millis, Marc G.

1997-01-01

In August, 1997, a NASA workshop was held to assess the prospects emerging from physics that might lead to creating the ultimate breakthroughs in space transportation: propulsion that requires no propellant mass, attaining the maximum transit speeds physically possible, and breakthrough methods of energy production to power such devices. Because these propulsion goals are presumably far from fruition, a special emphasis was to identify affordable, near-term, and credible research that could make measurable progress toward these propulsion goals. Experiments and theories were discussed regarding the coupling of gravity and electromagnetism, vacuum fluctuation energy, warp drives and wormholes, and superluminal quantum tunneling. Preliminary results of this workshop are presented, along with the status of the Breakthrough Propulsion Physics program that conducted this workshop.

76 FR 33210 - Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review: Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-08

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-583-008] Preliminary Results of... Enterprise Co., Ltd. (Yieh Phui) have been made below normal value (NV). If these preliminary results are adopted in our final results, we will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess...

The utilization of coconut waste fermentated by aspergillus niger and saccharomyces cerevisiae on meat quality of weaning males rex rabbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahyuni, T. H.; Ginting, N.; Yunilas; Hasnudi; Mirwandono, E.; Siregar, G. A.; Sinaga, I. G.; Sembiring, I.

2018-02-01

Coconut waste (CW) could be applied for animal feed while its nutrition quality were low. This study aims to investigate fermented CW effect on meat quality of Rex rabbit which feed by fermented CW either by Aspergillus niger or Tape Yeast. This research was conducted in rabbit farm Brastagi, using 24 male Rex rabbits with initial weight 1012 ± 126.67 gram in July-October 2016. The design used was complete randomized design : 6 treatment 4 replications. Treatment were T1 (unfermented 10%); T2 (unfermented 20%); T3 (a.niger fermentation 10%); T4 (a niger fermentation 20%); T5 (tape yeast fermentation 10%) and T6 (tape yeast fermentation 20%). The parameters were pH, meat texture either raw or cooked, water content, fat content, protein content of meat and cooking loss. The results showed that effect of treatment was not significantly different (P>0.05) on pH and raw meat texture, but significantly different (P< 0.05) on texture of meat cooked and meat fat content and very significantly different effect ( P> 0,01) on cooking loss, water content and protein content of meat. The conclusion of this research was the utilization of fermented CW by Aspergillius niger and Tape Yeast improved the quality of Rex rabbit meat

Action of transglucosidase from Aspergillus niger on maltoheptaose and [U-(13)C]maltose.

PubMed

Ota, Masafumi; Okamoto, Takeshi; Wakabayashi, Hidehiko

2009-03-10

Oligosaccharides synthesized from a mixture of maltoheptaose and [U-(13)C]maltose with transglucosidase [EC 2.4.1.24] from Aspergillus niger were investigated. When the reaction mixture was incubated at 15 degrees C for 1h, several types of oligosaccharides with DP (degree of polymerization) 2 to DP8 containing alpha-D-Glcp-(1-->6)-maltoheptaose were detected by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and methylation analysis. Most of these compounds consisted of alpha-(1-->4) linkages in the main chain and alpha-(1-->6) linkages at the non-reducing ends. However, when the reaction mixture was incubated for 96h, most of these products were converted into oligosaccharides with DP2 to DP5 consisting of only alpha-(1-->6) linkages. These results suggested that A. niger transglucosidase rapidly transferred glucosyl residues to maltooligosaccharides, and gradually hydrolyzed both alpha-(1-->4) linkages and alpha-(1-->6) linkages at the non-reducing end, and transformed these into smaller molecules of mainly alpha-(1-->6) linkages.

Comparison of phenanthrene removal by Aspergillus niger ATC 16404 (filamentous fungi) and Pseudomonas putida KT2442 (bacteria) in enriched nutrient-liquid medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamzah, N.; Kamil, N. A. F. M.; Singhal, N.; Padhye, L.; Swift, S.

2018-04-01

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) is one of the persistent and carcinogenic pollutants that needs to be eliminated from the environment. The study on degradation of PAHs by bacteria is thoroughly discussed in literature. Many strains of bacteria were chosen in order to eliminate the PAHs compound in the environment. However, there are less study on the filamentous fungi although fungi appears to be an abundant population and as dominant group in PAHs contaminated soil habitats [1], [2]. This study was conducted to determine and compare the Phenanthrene (PHE) removal by fungi and bacteria in excessive nutrient-liquid culture. Then, the survival for both strains was investigated in the presence of PHE and finally, the analysis on the fungi-PHE interaction was carried out. In condition of excessive nutrient, the removal of PHE was evaluated for fungi and bacteria in batch experiment for 5 days. PHE removal for A.niger and P.putida were found to be 97% and 20% respectively after 5 days. The presence of PHE was negatively inhibits the grow of the bacteria and the fungus. The PHE uptake mechanism for A.niger was observed to be a passive transport mechanism with 45 μg per g fungus dry weight within 24 hr of incubation. As a conclusion, filamentous fungi have the potent role in the removal of PHE as well as bacteria but depending on the strains and the condition of the environment. Fungi is known to co-metabolize the PHE meanwhile, PHE can be used as sole carbon for bacteria. This preliminary result is significant in understanding the bacteria-fungi-PHE interaction to enhance the degradation of PAHs for co-culture study in the future.

Expression-based clustering of CAZyme-encoding genes of Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Gruben, Birgit S; Mäkelä, Miia R; Kowalczyk, Joanna E; Zhou, Miaomiao; Benoit-Gelber, Isabelle; De Vries, Ronald P

2017-11-23

The Aspergillus niger genome contains a large repertoire of genes encoding carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes) that are targeted to plant polysaccharide degradation enabling A. niger to grow on a wide range of plant biomass substrates. Which genes need to be activated in certain environmental conditions depends on the composition of the available substrate. Previous studies have demonstrated the involvement of a number of transcriptional regulators in plant biomass degradation and have identified sets of target genes for each regulator. In this study, a broad transcriptional analysis was performed of the A. niger genes encoding (putative) plant polysaccharide degrading enzymes. Microarray data focusing on the initial response of A. niger to the presence of plant biomass related carbon sources were analyzed of a wild-type strain N402 that was grown on a large range of carbon sources and of the regulatory mutant strains ΔxlnR, ΔaraR, ΔamyR, ΔrhaR and ΔgalX that were grown on their specific inducing compounds. The cluster analysis of the expression data revealed several groups of co-regulated genes, which goes beyond the traditionally described co-regulated gene sets. Additional putative target genes of the selected regulators were identified, based on their expression profile. Notably, in several cases the expression profile puts questions on the function assignment of uncharacterized genes that was based on homology searches, highlighting the need for more extensive biochemical studies into the substrate specificity of enzymes encoded by these non-characterized genes. The data also revealed sets of genes that were upregulated in the regulatory mutants, suggesting interaction between the regulatory systems and a therefore even more complex overall regulatory network than has been reported so far. Expression profiling on a large number of substrates provides better insight in the complex regulatory systems that drive the conversion of plant biomass by fungi. In

Coping strategies and nutritional health in rural Niger: recommendations for consumption of wild plant foods in the Sahel.

PubMed

Glew, Robert S; Vanderjagt, Dorothy

2006-01-01

People who live in food and water deficit regions of Sahelien West Africa employ various coping strategies as they attempt to meet their food and water needs. In this paper we discuss various coping strategies employed by rural Nigeriens living in the Tanout and Mirriya administrative regions of central Niger. In rural Niger people often harvest or buy wild plant foods to eat. Laboratory studies of the nutritional content of these plants indicate that there are benefits to eating wild plant foods. In this study we summarize the results of field research conducted during the summer of 2002 on the use of wild plant foods in three regions of rural central Niger. Comparing local use of various wild plant foods with major nutrition-related health problems including protein deficiency, essential fatty acid deficiency, iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia, calcium deficiency rickets, and zinc deficiency, suggests potential recommendations for consumption of these plants. However, further research on the bioavailability of these nutrients is needed to confirm the potential benefits of these plants.

[Hygiene, safety and occupational medicine in Niger].

PubMed

Moussa, F; Sékou, H

1997-01-01

The laws and rules governing hygiene, safety and medicine in the workplace in Niger were evaluated in this study. We used labour administration, health service and Social Security Department reports to review each type of professional activity and the risks associated with it. This enabled us to make recommendations to the authorities and to the organizations representing employers and staff, concerning the prevention of risks at work.

Apollo 17 traverse gravimeter experiment /Preliminary results/

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Talwani, M.; Kahle, H.-G.

1976-01-01

Preliminary results of the traverse gravimeter experiment successfully performed during the Apollo 17 mission are discussed. An earth-moon gravity tie was established. On the basis of several readings, a gravity value of 162,695 + or - 5 mgal was obtained at the lunar-module landing site in the Taurus-Littrow valley. Free-air and Bouguer corrections were applied to the gravity data. The resultant Bouguer anomaly, analyzed with a two-dimensional approximation, shows a relative gravity maximum of about 25 to 30 mgal over the Taurus-Littrow valley. This maximum is interpreted in terms of a 1-km-thick block of basalt flow with a positive density contrast of 0.8 g/cu cm relative to the highland material on either side.

Comparative genomics of citric-acid producing Aspergillus niger ATCC 1015 versus enzyme-producing CBS 513.88

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

Grigoriev, Igor V.; Baker, Scott E.; Andersen, Mikael R.

2011-04-28

The filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger exhibits great diversity in its phenotype. It is found globally, both as marine and terrestrial strains, produces both organic acids and hydrolytic enzymes in high amounts, and some isolates exhibit pathogenicity. Although the genome of an industrial enzyme-producing A. niger strain (CBS 513.88) has already been sequenced, the versatility and diversity of this species compels additional exploration. We therefore undertook whole genome sequencing of the acidogenic A. niger wild type strain (ATCC 1015), and produced a genome sequence of very high quality. Only 15 gaps are present in the sequence and half the telomeric regionsmore » have been elucidated. Moreover, sequence information from ATCC 1015 was utilized to improve the genome sequence of CBS 513.88. Chromosome-level comparisons uncovered several genome rearrangements, deletions, a clear case of strain-specific horizontal gene transfer, and identification of 0.8 megabase of novel sequence. Single nucleotide polymorphisms per kilobase (SNPs/kb) between the two strains were found to be exceptionally high (average: 7.8, maximum: 160 SNPs/kb). High variation within the species was confirmed with exo-metabolite profiling and phylogenetics. Detailed lists of alleles were generated, and genotypic differences were observed to accumulate in metabolic pathways essential to acid production and protein synthesis. A transcriptome analysis revealed up-regulation of the electron transport chain, specifically the alternative oxidative pathway in ATCC 1015, while CBS 513.88 showed significant up-regulation of genes relevant to glucoamylase A production, such as tRNA-synthases and protein transporters. Our results and datasets from this integrative systems biology analysis resulted in a snapshot of fungal evolution and will support further optimization of cell factories based on filamentous fungi.[Supplemental materials (10 figures, three text documents and 16 tables) have been made

Risk assessment of fungal spoilage: A case study of Aspergillus niger on yogurt.

PubMed

Gougouli, Maria; Koutsoumanis, Konstantinos P

2017-08-01

A quantitative risk assessment model of yogurt spoilage by Aspergillus niger was developed based on a stochastic modeling approach for mycelium growth by taking into account the important sources of variability such as time-temperature conditions during the different stages of chill chain and individual spore behavior. Input parameters were fitted to the appropriate distributions and A. niger colony's diameter at each stage of the chill chain was estimated using Monte Carlo simulation. By combining the output of the growth model with the fungus prevalence, that can be estimated by the industry using challenge tests, the risk of spoilage translated to number of yogurt cups in which a visible mycelium of A. niger is being formed at the time of consumption was assessed. The risk assessment output showed that for a batch of 100,000 cups in which the percentage of contaminated cups with A. niger was 1% the predicted numbers (median (5 th , 95 th percentiles)) of the cups with a visible mycelium at consumption time were 8 (5, 14). For higher percentages of 3, 5 and 10 the predicted numbers (median (5 th , 95 th percentiles)) of the spoiled cups at consumption time were estimated to be 24 (16, 35), 39 (29, 52) and 80 (64, 94), respectively. The developed model can lead to a more effective risk-based quality management of yogurt and support the decision making in yogurt production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The amyR-deletion strain of Aspergillus niger CICC2462 is a suitable host strain to express secreted protein with a low background.

PubMed

Zhang, Hui; Wang, Shuang; Zhang, Xiang Xiang; Ji, Wei; Song, Fuping; Zhao, Yue; Li, Jie

2016-04-28

The filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger is widely exploited as an important expression host for industrial production. The glucoamylase high-producing strain A. niger CICC2462 has been used as a host strain for the establishment of a secretion expression system. It expresses recombinant xylanase, mannase and asparaginase at a high level, but some high secretory background proteins in these recombinant strains still remain, such as alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase; lead to a low-purity of fermentation products. The aim was to construct an A. niger host strain with a low background of protein secretion. The transcription factor amyR was deleted in A. niger CICC2462, and the results from enzyme activity assays and SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the glucoamylase and amylase activities of the ∆amyR strains were significantly lower than those of the wild-type strain. High-throughput RNA-sequencing and shotgun LC-MS/MS proteomic technology analysis demonstrated that the expression of amylolytic enzymes was decreased at both the transcriptional and translational levels in the ∆amyR strain. Interestingly, the ∆amyR strain growth rate better than the wild-type strain. Our findings clearly indicated that the ∆amyR strain of A. niger CICC2462 can be used as a host strain with a low background of protein secretion.

Biosorption of reactive dye from textile wastewater by non-viable biomass of Aspergillus niger and Spirogyra sp.

PubMed

Khalaf, Mahmoud A

2008-09-01

The potential of Aspergillus niger fungus and Spirogyra sp., a fresh water green algae, was investigated as a biosorbents for removal of reactive dye (Synazol) from its multi component textile wastewater. The results showed that pre-treatment of fungal and algal biomasses with autoclaving increased the removal of dye than pre-treatment with gamma-irradiation. The effects of operational parameters (pH, temperature, biomass concentration and time) on dye removal were examined. The results obtained revealed that dried autoclaved biomass of A. niger and Spirogyra sp. exhibited maximum dye removal (88% and 85%, respectively) at pH3, temperature 30 degrees C and 8 gl(-1)(w/v) biomass conc. after 18h contact time. The stability and efficiency of both organisms in the long-term repetitive operation were also investigated. The results showed that the non-viable biomasses possessed high stability and efficiency of dye removal over 3 repeated batches.

78 FR 7395 - Stainless Steel Bar From India: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-01

... India: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2011-2012 AGENCY: Import... steel bar (SSB) from India. The period of review (POR) is February 1, 2011, through January 31, 2012... Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review: Stainless Steel Bar from India'' dated...

Maternal-related deaths and impoverishment among adolescent girls in India and Niger: findings from a modelling study

PubMed Central

Verguet, Stéphane; Nandi, Arindam; Filippi, Véronique; Bundy, Donald A P

2016-01-01

Background High levels of maternal mortality and large associated inequalities exist in low-income and middle-income countries. Adolescent pregnancies remain common, and pregnant adolescent women face elevated risks of maternal mortality and poverty. We examined the distribution across socioeconomic groups of maternal deaths and impoverishment among adolescent girls (15–19 years old) in Niger, which has the highest total fertility rate globally, and India, which has the largest number of maternal deaths. Methods In Niger and India, among adolescent girls, we estimated the distribution per income quintile of: the number of maternal deaths; and the impoverishment, measured by calculating the number of cases of catastrophic health expenditure incurred, caused by complicated pregnancies. We also examined the potential impact on maternal deaths and poverty of increasing adolescent girls' level of education by 1 year. We used epidemiological and cost inputs sourced from surveys and the literature. Results The number of maternal deaths would be larger among the poorer adolescents than among the richer adolescents in Niger and India. Impoverishment would largely incur among the richer adolescents in Niger and among the poorer adolescents in India. Increasing educational attainment of adolescent girls might avert both a large number of maternal deaths and a significant number of cases of catastrophic health expenditure in the 2 countries. Conclusions Adolescent pregnancies can lead to large equity gaps and substantial impoverishment in low-income and middle-income countries. Increasing female education can reduce such inequalities and provide financial risk protection and poverty alleviation to adolescent girls. PMID:27670517

An ultra-wideband microwave tomography system: preliminary results.

PubMed

Gilmore, Colin; Mojabi, Puyan; Zakaria, Amer; Ostadrahimi, Majid; Kaye, Cam; Noghanian, Sima; Shafai, Lotfollah; Pistorius, Stephen; LoVetri, Joe

2009-01-01

We describe a 2D wide-band multi-frequency microwave imaging system intended for biomedical imaging. The system is capable of collecting data from 2-10 GHz, with 24 antenna elements connected to a vector network analyzer via a 2 x 24 port matrix switch. Through the use of two different nonlinear reconstruction schemes: the Multiplicative-Regularized Contrast Source Inversion method and an enhanced version of the Distorted Born Iterative Method, we show preliminary imaging results from dielectric phantoms where data were collected from 3-6 GHz. The early inversion results show that the system is capable of quantitatively reconstructing dielectric objects.

Metabolic pathway reconstruction of eugenol to vanillin bioconversion in Aspergillus niger

PubMed Central

Srivastava, Suchita; Luqman, Suaib; Khan, Feroz; Chanotiya, Chandan S; Darokar, Mahendra P

2010-01-01

Identification of missing genes or proteins participating in the metabolic pathways as enzymes are of great interest. One such class of pathway is involved in the eugenol to vanillin bioconversion. Our goal is to develop an integral approach for identifying the topology of a reference or known pathway in other organism. We successfully identify the missing enzymes and then reconstruct the vanillin biosynthetic pathway in Aspergillus niger. The procedure combines enzyme sequence similarity searched through BLAST homology search and orthologs detection through COG & KEGG databases. Conservation of protein domains and motifs was searched through CDD, PFAM & PROSITE databases. Predictions regarding how proteins act in pathway were validated experimentally and also compared with reported data. The bioconversion of vanillin was screened on UV-TLC plates and later confirmed through GC and GC-MS techniques. We applied a procedure for identifying missing enzymes on the basis of conserved functional motifs and later reconstruct the metabolic pathway in target organism. Using the vanillin biosynthetic pathway of Pseudomonas fluorescens as a case study, we indicate how this approach can be used to reconstruct the reference pathway in A. niger and later results were experimentally validated through chromatography and spectroscopy techniques. PMID:20978605

Microbial transformation of artemisinin to 5-hydroxyartemisinin by Eurotium amstelodami and Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Parshikov, Igor A; Miriyala, Brushapathy; Muraleedharan, Kannoth M; Avery, Mitchell A; Williamson, John S

2006-05-01

Transformation of the anti-malarial drug artemisinin by the fungi Eurotium amstelodami and Aspergillus niger were investigated. Cultures were grown in sucrose/malt broth with artemisinin for 14 days and extracted with ethyl acetate. Extracts were characterized by liquid chromatography. Two metabolites from each fungal extract were isolated and identified using mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. 5Beta-hydroxyartemisinin and 7beta-hydroxyartemisinin were isolated in 63 and 32% yields, respectively, from the extract of E. amstelodami, and 80 and 19%, respectively, from the extract of A. niger.

Xylanase production by a newly isolated Aspergillus niger SS7 in submerged culture.

PubMed

Bakri, Yasser; Al-Jazairi, Manal; Al-Kayat, Ghassan

2008-01-01

Xylanase production by a newly isolated Aspergillus niger SS7 was studied in submerged culture. The optimum initial pH for xylanase production was found to be 7.0. Different agricultural and industrial wastes were evaluated for their ability to induce xylanase production by this isolate. The best xylanase production (293.82 IU/ml) was recorded at 3% (w/v) corn cob hulls after 120 h of incubation. The Aspergillus niger SS7 isolate grown in a simple medium, proved to be a promising microorganism for xylanase production.

Bioleaching of valuable metals from spent lithium-ion mobile phone batteries using Aspergillus niger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horeh, N. Bahaloo; Mousavi, S. M.; Shojaosadati, S. A.

2016-07-01

In this paper, a bio-hydrometallurgical route based on fungal activity of Aspergillus niger was evaluated for the detoxification and recovery of Cu, Li, Mn, Al, Co and Ni metals from spent lithium-ion phone mobile batteries under various conditions (one-step, two-step and spent medium bioleaching). The maximum recovery efficiency of 100% for Cu, 95% for Li, 70% for Mn, 65% for Al, 45% for Co, and 38% for Ni was obtained at a pulp density of 1% in spent medium bioleaching. The HPLC results indicated that citric acid in comparison with other detected organic acids (gluconic, oxalic and malic acid) had an important role in the effectiveness of bioleaching using A. niger. The results of FTIR, XRD and FE-SEM analysis of battery powder before and after bioleaching process confirmed that the fungal activities were quite effective. In addition, bioleaching achieved higher removal efficiency for heavy metals than the chemical leaching. This research demonstrated the great potential of bio-hydrometallurgical route to recover heavy metals from spent lithium-ion mobile phone batteries.

Phenotypes of gene disruptants in relation to a putative mitochondrial malate-citrate shuttle protein in citric acid-producing Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Kirimura, Kohtaro; Kobayashi, Keiichi; Ueda, Yuka; Hattori, Takasumi

2016-09-01

The mitochondrial citrate transport protein (CTP) functions as a malate-citrate shuttle catalyzing the exchange of citrate plus a proton for malate between mitochondria and cytosol across the inner mitochondrial membrane in higher eukaryotic organisms. In this study, for functional analysis, we cloned the gene encoding putative CTP (ctpA) of citric acid-producing Aspergillus niger WU-2223L. The gene ctpA encodes a polypeptide consisting 296 amino acids conserved active residues required for citrate transport function. Only in early-log phase, the ctpA disruptant DCTPA-1 showed growth delay, and the amount of citric acid produced by strain DCTPA-1 was smaller than that by parental strain WU-2223L. These results indicate that the CTPA affects growth and thereby citric acid metabolism of A. niger changes, especially in early-log phase, but not citric acid-producing period. This is the first report showing that disruption of ctpA causes changes of phenotypes in relation to citric acid production in A. niger.

An inducible tool for random mutagenesis in Aspergillus niger based on the transposon Vader.

PubMed

Paun, Linda; Nitsche, Benjamin; Homan, Tim; Ram, Arthur F; Kempken, Frank

2016-07-01

The ascomycete Aspergillus niger is widely used in the biotechnology, for instance in producing most of the world's citric acid. It is also known as a major food and feed contaminant. While generation of gene knockouts for functional genomics has become feasible in ku70 mutants, analyzing gene functions or metabolic pathways remains a laborious task. An unbiased transposon-based mutagenesis approach may aid this process of analyzing gene functions by providing mutant libraries in a short time. The Vader transposon is a non-autonomous DNA-transposon, which is activated by the homologous tan1-transposase. However, in the most commonly used lab strain of A. niger (N400 strain and derivatives), we found that the transposase, encoded by the tan1 gene, is mutated and inactive. To establish a Vader transposon-based mutagenesis system in the N400 background, we expressed the functional transposase of A. niger strain CBS 513.88 under the control of an inducible promoter based on the Tet-on system, which is activated in the presence of the antibiotic doxycycline (DOX). Increasing amounts of doxycycline lead to higher Vader excision frequencies, whereas little to none activity of Vader was observed without addition of doxycycline. Hence, this system appears to be suitable for producing stable mutants in the A. niger N400 background.

Expression and Characterization of Glucose Oxidase from Aspergillus niger in Yarrowia lipolytica.

PubMed

Khadivi Derakshan, Fatemeh; Darvishi, Farshad; Dezfulian, Mehrouz; Madzak, Catherine

2017-08-01

Glucose oxidase (GOX) is currently used in clinical, pharmaceutical, food and chemical industries. The aim of this study was expression and characterization of Aspergillus niger glucose oxidase gene in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. For the first time, the GOX gene of A. niger was successfully expressed in Y. lipolytica using a mono-integrative vector containing strong hybrid promoter and secretion signal. The highest total glucose oxidase activity was 370 U/L after 7 days of cultivation. An innovative method was used to cell wall disruption in current study, and it could be recommended to use for efficiently cell wall disruption of Y. lipolytica. Optimum pH and temperature for recombinant GOX activity were 5.5 and 37 °C, respectively. A single band with a molecular weight of 80 kDa similar to the native and pure form of A. niger GOX was observed for the recombinant GOX in SDS-PAGE analysis. Y. lipolytica is a suitable and efficient eukaryotic expression system to production of recombinant GOX in compered with other yeast expression systems and could be used to production of pure form of GOX for industrial applications.

Molecular Dynamics Approach in Designing Thermostable Aspergillus niger Xylanase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malau, N. D.; Sianturi, M.

2017-03-01

Molecular dynamics methods we have applied as a tool in designing thermostable Aspergillus niger Xylanase, by examining Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) and The Stability of the Secondary Structure of enzymes structure at its optimum temperature and compare with its high temperature behavior. As RMSD represents structural fluctuation at a particular temperature, a better understanding of this factor will suggest approaches to bioengineer these enzymes to enhance their thermostability. In this work molecular dynamic simulations of Aspergillus niger xylanase (ANX) have been carried at 400K (optimum catalytic temperature) for 2.5 ns and 500K (ANX reported inactive temperature) for 2.5 ns. Analysis have shown that the Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) significant increase at higher temperatures compared at optimum temperature and some of the secondary structures of ANX that have been damaged at high temperature. Structural analysis revealed that the fluctuations of the α-helix and β-sheet regions are larger at higher temperatures compared to the fluctuations at optimum temperature.

Enhancing fructooligosaccharides production by genetic improvement of the industrial fungus Aspergillus niger ATCC 20611.

PubMed

Zhang, Jing; Liu, Caixia; Xie, Yijia; Li, Ning; Ning, Zhanguo; Du, Na; Huang, Xirong; Zhong, Yaohua

2017-05-10

Aspergillus niger ATCC20611 is one of the most potent filamentous fungi used commercially for production of fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which are prospective components of functional food by stimulating probiotic bacteria in the human gut. However, current strategies for improving FOS yield still rely on production process development. The genetic engineering approach hasn't been applied in industrial strains to increase FOS production level. Here, an optimized polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated protoplast transformation system was established in A. niger ATCC 20611 and used for further strain improvement. The pyrithiamine resistance gene (ptrA) was selected as a dominant marker and protoplasts were prepared with high concentration (up to 10 8 g -1 wet weight mycelium) by using mixed cell wall-lysing enzymes. The transformation frequency with ptrA can reach 30-50 transformants per μg of DNA. In addition, the efficiency of co-transformation with the EGFP reporter gene (egfp) was high (approx. 82%). Furthermore, an activity-improved variant of β-fructofuranosidase, FopA(A178P), was successfully overexpressed in A. niger ATCC 20611 by using the transformation system. The transformant, CM6, exhibited a 58% increase in specific β-fructofuranosidase activity (up to 507U/g), compared to the parental strain (320U/g), and effectively reduced the time needed for completion of FOS synthesis. These results illustrate the feasibility of strain improvement through genetic engineering for further enhancement of FOS production level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in transcript levels of starch hydrolysis genes and raising citric acid production via carbon ion irradiation mutagenesis of Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Hu, Wei; Li, Wenjian; Chen, Hao; Liu, Jing; Wang, Shuyang; Chen, Jihong

2017-01-01

The filamentous ascomycete Aspergillus niger is well known for its ability to accumulate citric acid for the hydrolysis of starchy materials. To improve citric acid productivity, heavy ion beam mutagenesis was utilized to produce mutant A.niger strains with enhanced production of citric acid in this work. It was demonstrated that a mutant HW2 with high concentration of citric acid was isolated after carbon ion irradiation with the energy of 80Mev/μ, which was obvious increase higher than the original strain from liquefied corn starch as a feedstock. More importantly, with the evidence from the expression profiles of key genes and enzyme activity involved in the starch hydrolysis process between original strain and various phenotype mutants, our results confirmed that different transcript levels of key genes involving in starch hydrolysis process between original strain and mutants could be a significant contributor to different citric acid concentration in A.niger, such as, amyR and glaA, which therefore opened a new avenue for constructing genetically engineered A.niger mutants for high-yield citric acid accumulation in the future. As such, this work demonstrated that heavy ion beam mutagenesis presented an efficient alternative strategy to be developed to generate various phenotype microbe species mutants for functional genes research.

Changes in transcript levels of starch hydrolysis genes and raising citric acid production via carbon ion irradiation mutagenesis of Aspergillus niger

PubMed Central

Li, Wenjian; Chen, Hao; Liu, Jing; Wang, Shuyang; Chen, Jihong

2017-01-01

The filamentous ascomycete Aspergillus niger is well known for its ability to accumulate citric acid for the hydrolysis of starchy materials. To improve citric acid productivity, heavy ion beam mutagenesis was utilized to produce mutant A.niger strains with enhanced production of citric acid in this work. It was demonstrated that a mutant HW2 with high concentration of citric acid was isolated after carbon ion irradiation with the energy of 80Mev/μ, which was obvious increase higher than the original strain from liquefied corn starch as a feedstock. More importantly, with the evidence from the expression profiles of key genes and enzyme activity involved in the starch hydrolysis process between original strain and various phenotype mutants, our results confirmed that different transcript levels of key genes involving in starch hydrolysis process between original strain and mutants could be a significant contributor to different citric acid concentration in A.niger, such as, amyR and glaA, which therefore opened a new avenue for constructing genetically engineered A.niger mutants for high-yield citric acid accumulation in the future. As such, this work demonstrated that heavy ion beam mutagenesis presented an efficient alternative strategy to be developed to generate various phenotype microbe species mutants for functional genes research. PMID:28650980

Correction to: The metabolic cost of nesting: body condition and blood parameters of Caiman crocodilus and Melanosuchus niger in Central Amazonia.

PubMed

Barão-Nóbrega, José António Lemos; Marioni, Boris; Botero-Arias, Robinson; Nogueira, António José Arsénia; Lima, Emerson Silva; Magnusson, William Ernest; Da Silveira, Ronis; Marcon, Jaydione Luiz

2017-11-13

Although nesting ecology is well studied in several crocodilian species, it is not known how nest attendance influences physiology and body condition of nesting females. In this study, we describe body condition and serum biochemical values of nesting female, non-nesting female and male spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) and black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) in two areas of Central Amazonia. We also evaluated the effect of nest age and nest distance to water on body condition and blood parameters of nesting females. Body condition and plasmatic concentrations of glucose, triglycerides, lactate and uric acid of nesting females were significantly different from those of non-nesting females and males in C. crocodilus, but not in M. niger. Our study also demonstrated that nest age and distance to water had a negative effect on female body condition in C. crocodilus, but not in M. niger. Female C. crocodilus attending older nests or nests built further away from permanent water bodies tended to have lower body condition. Our results demonstrate that the nesting strategy of C. crocodilus has a metabolic cost associated with nest attendance for nesting females, which appear to depend on accumulated energetic reserves during nest attendance. In contrast, nest attendance had little effect on the physiology of female M. niger.

Shotgun Proteomics of Aspergillus niger Microsomes upon d-Xylose Induction▿ †

PubMed Central

de Oliveira, José Miguel P. Ferreira; van Passel, Mark W. J.; Schaap, Peter J.; de Graaff, Leo H.

2010-01-01

Protein secretion plays an eminent role in cell maintenance and adaptation to the extracellular environment of microorganisms. Although protein secretion is an extremely efficient process in filamentous fungi, the mechanisms underlying protein secretion have remained largely uncharacterized in these organisms. In this study, we analyzed the effects of the d-xylose induction of cellulase and hemicellulase enzyme secretion on the protein composition of secretory organelles in Aspergillus niger. We aimed to systematically identify the components involved in the secretion of these enzymes via mass spectrometry of enriched subcellular microsomal fractions. Under each condition, fractions enriched for secretory organelles were processed for tandem mass spectrometry, resulting in the identification of peptides that originate from 1,081 proteins, 254 of which—many of them hypothetical proteins—were predicted to play direct roles in the secretory pathway. d-Xylose induction led to an increase in specific small GTPases known to be associated with polarized growth, exocytosis, and endocytosis. Moreover, the endoplasmic-reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) components Cdc48 and all 14 of the 20S proteasomal subunits were recruited to the secretory organelles. In conclusion, induction of extracellular enzymes results in specific changes in the secretory subproteome of A. niger, and the most prominent change found in this study was the recruitment of the 20S proteasomal subunits to the secretory organelles. PMID:20453123

Trade-off results and preliminary designs of Near-Term Hybrid Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandberg, J. J.

1980-01-01

Phase I of the Near-Term Hybrid Vehicle Program involved the development of preliminary designs of electric/heat engine hybrid passenger vehicles. The preliminary designs were developed on the basis of mission analysis, performance specification, and design trade-off studies conducted independently by four contractors. THe resulting designs involve parallel hybrid (heat engine/electric) propulsion systems with significant variation in component selection, power train layout, and control strategy. Each of the four designs is projected by its developer as having the potential to substitute electrical energy for 40% to 70% of the petroleum fuel consumed annually by its conventional counterpart.

[You will become a saleswoman, my girl. Press review: Niger].

PubMed

1999-12-01

In the Maradi district of southwestern Niger, the country¿s commercial hub, children are born with business sense. Parents in the district expect their young daughters to take part in the region¿s business activities by selling products at village markets. Therefore, only 13% of girls in the district attend school and during market days, classrooms are almost empty, but particularly devoid of female students. Students in Sabon Machi village have school vacation every Tuesday in order to attend the weekly market, then catch up on coursework on Wednesdays. Parents approve of such district norms because they prefer to keep their girls at home to help with household chores. Otherwise, they enroll their daughters in a Koranic school, where they can learn the basics of becoming a wife. Girls in this part of Niger are either promised to someone else in the future or they are under the control of their mothers, who are charged with teaching daughters what they need to know to be proper wives. Girls sell market products to slowly accumulate funds for their dowries. Also with regard to daughters, many parents believe that school attendance is synonymous with unwanted pregnancies, abortions, and other sorts of aberrations. Niger¿s government and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are wondering how to convince parents in this region to send their daughters to school. Some approaches employed to reassure and convince parents to that end are described.

Molecular Cloning and Characteristic Features of a Novel Extracellular Tyrosinase from Aspergillus niger PA2.

PubMed

Agarwal, Pragati; Singh, Jyoti; Singh, R P

2017-05-01

Aspergillus niger PA2, a novel strain isolated from waste effluents of food industry, is a potential extracellular tyrosinase producer. Enzyme activity and L-DOPA production were maximum when glucose and peptone were employed as C source and nitrogen source respectively in the medium and enhanced notably when the copper was supplemented, thus depicting the significance of copper in tyrosinase activity. Tyrosinase-encoding gene from the fungus was cloned, and amplification of the tyrosinase gene yielded a 1127-bp DNA fragment and 374 amino acid residue long product that encoded for a predicted protein of 42.3 kDa with an isoelectric point of 4.8. Primary sequence analysis of A. niger PA2 tyrosinase had shown that it had approximately 99% identity with that of A. niger CBS 513.88, which was further confirmed by phylogenetic analysis. The inferred amino acid sequence of A. niger tyrosinase contained two putative copper-binding sites comprising of six histidines, a characteristic feature for type-3 copper proteins, which were highly conserved in all tyrosinases throughout the Aspergillus species. When superimposed onto the tertiary structure of A. oryzae tyrosinase, the conserved residues from both the organisms occupied same spatial positions to provide a di-copper-binding peptide groove.

EUPORIAS: plans and preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buontempo, C.

2013-12-01

Recent advances in our understanding and ability to forecast climate variability have meant that skilful predictions are beginning to be routinely made on seasonal to decadal (s2d) timescales. Such forecasts have the potential to be of great value to a wide range of decision-making, where outcomes are strongly influenced by variations in the climate. In 2012 the European Commission funded EUPORIAS, a four year long project to develop prototype end-to-end climate impact prediction services operating on a seasonal to decadal timescale, and assess their value in informing decision-making. EUPORIAS commenced on 1 November 2012, coordinated by the UK Met Office leading a consortium of 24 organisations representing world-class European climate research and climate service centres, expertise in impacts assessments and seasonal predictions, two United Nations agencies, specialists in new media, and commercial companies in climate-vulnerable sectors such as energy, water and tourism. The poster describes the setup of the project, its main outcome and some of the very preliminary results.

75 FR 14422 - Purified Carboxymethylcellulose from Mexico: Extension of Time Limits for Preliminary Results of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-25

... Carboxymethylcellulose from Mexico: Extension of Time Limits for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative... this administrative review is now April 9, 2010. Extension of Time Limits for Preliminary Results... the review within this time period, section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Tariff Act allows the Department to...

Efficient Conversion of Inulin to Inulooligosaccharides through Endoinulinase from Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Xu, Yanbing; Zheng, Zhaojuan; Xu, Qianqian; Yong, Qiang; Ouyang, Jia

2016-03-30

Inulooligosaccharides (IOS) represent an important class of oligosaccharides at industrial scale. An efficient conversion of inulin to IOS through endoinulinase from Aspergillus niger is presented. A 1482 bp codon optimized gene fragment encoding endoinulinase from A. niger DSM 2466 was cloned into pPIC9K vector and was transformed into Pichia pastoris KM71. Maximum activity of the recombinant endoinulinase, 858 U/mL, was obtained at 120 h of the high cell density fermentation process. The optimal conditions for inulin hydrolysis using the recombinant endoinulinase were investigated. IOS were harvested with a high concentration of 365.1 g/L and high yield up to 91.3%. IOS with different degrees of polymerization (DP, mainly DP 3-6) were distributed in the final reaction products.

Effects of Aspergillus niger-fermented Terminalia catappa seed meal-based diet on selected enzymes of some tissues of broiler chicks.

PubMed

Muhammad, N O; Oloyede, O B

2010-05-01

Effects of Aspergillus niger-fermented Terminalia catappa seed meal-based diet on the activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and gamma-glutamate transferase (gamma-GT) in the crop, small intestine, gizzard, heart, liver and serum of broiler chicks were investigated. Milled T. catappa seed was inoculated with spores of A.niger (2.21 x 10(4) spores per ml) for 3 weeks. Forty-five day-old broiler chicks weighing between 27.62 and 36.21 g, were divided into three groups. The first group was fed soybean-based (control) diet; the second on raw T. catappa seed meal-based diet; and the third on A. niger-fermented T. catappa seed meal-based diet for 7 weeks. The results revealed a significantly increased (p<0.05) activity of ALP in the tissues. Contrarily, there were significant reductions (p<0.05) in the activities of ALP, ALT, AST and gamma-GT in the liver and heart of the broilers fed the raw T. catappa seed meal-based diet while there were significant increase (p<0.05) in the activities of these enzymes in the serum of the broilers in this group. The data obtained showed that A. niger-fermented T. catappa seed meal reduced the toxic effects of the raw seed meal on the tissues of broiler chicks. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploiting proteomic data for genome annotation and gene model validation in Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Wright, James C; Sugden, Deana; Francis-McIntyre, Sue; Riba-Garcia, Isabel; Gaskell, Simon J; Grigoriev, Igor V; Baker, Scott E; Beynon, Robert J; Hubbard, Simon J

2009-02-04

Proteomic data is a potentially rich, but arguably unexploited, data source for genome annotation. Peptide identifications from tandem mass spectrometry provide prima facie evidence for gene predictions and can discriminate over a set of candidate gene models. Here we apply this to the recently sequenced Aspergillus niger fungal genome from the Joint Genome Institutes (JGI) and another predicted protein set from another A.niger sequence. Tandem mass spectra (MS/MS) were acquired from 1d gel electrophoresis bands and searched against all available gene models using Average Peptide Scoring (APS) and reverse database searching to produce confident identifications at an acceptable false discovery rate (FDR). 405 identified peptide sequences were mapped to 214 different A.niger genomic loci to which 4093 predicted gene models clustered, 2872 of which contained the mapped peptides. Interestingly, 13 (6%) of these loci either had no preferred predicted gene model or the genome annotators' chosen "best" model for that genomic locus was not found to be the most parsimonious match to the identified peptides. The peptides identified also boosted confidence in predicted gene structures spanning 54 introns from different gene models. This work highlights the potential of integrating experimental proteomics data into genomic annotation pipelines much as expressed sequence tag (EST) data has been. A comparison of the published genome from another strain of A.niger sequenced by DSM showed that a number of the gene models or proteins with proteomics evidence did not occur in both genomes, further highlighting the utility of the method.

The Viking biological investigation - Preliminary results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klein, H. P.; Oyama, V. I.; Berdahl, B. J.; Horowitz, N. H.; Hobby, G. L.; Levin, G. V.; Straat, P. A.; Lederberg, J.; Rich, A.; Hubbard, J. S.

1976-01-01

A preliminary progress report is presented for the Viking biological investigation through its first month. The carbon assimilation, gas exchange, and labeled release experiments are described in detail, and the chronology of the experiments is outlined. For the first experiment, it is found that a small amount of gas was converted into organic material in one sample and that heat treatment of a duplicate sample prevented such conversion. In the second experiment, a substantial amount of O2 was detected along with significant increases in CO2 and small changes in N2. In the third experiment, a significant amount of radioactive gas was evolved from one sample, but not from a duplicate heat-treated sample. Possible biological and nonbiological interpretations are considered for these results. It is concluded that while the experiments provide clear evidence for the occurrence of chemical reactions and while the results do not violate any prima facie criteria for biological processes, a definitive answer cannot yet be given to the question of whether life exists on Mars.

75 FR 3444 - Purified Carboxymethylcellulose From Finland: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-21

... Carboxymethylcellulose From Finland: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative... of Time Limits for Preliminary Results Section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended.... However, if it is not practicable to complete the review within this time period, section 751(a)(3)(A) of...

Preliminary Results from the Application of Automated Adjoint Code Generation to CFL3D

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carle, Alan; Fagan, Mike; Green, Lawrence L.

1998-01-01

This report describes preliminary results obtained using an automated adjoint code generator for Fortran to augment a widely-used computational fluid dynamics flow solver to compute derivatives. These preliminary results with this augmented code suggest that, even in its infancy, the automated adjoint code generator can accurately and efficiently deliver derivatives for use in transonic Euler-based aerodynamic shape optimization problems with hundreds to thousands of independent design variables.

New insight into the disinfection mechanism of Fusarium monoliforme and Aspergillus niger by TiO2 photocatalyst under low intensity UVA light.

PubMed

Pokhum, Chonlada; Viboonratanasri, Duangamon; Chawengkijwanich, Chamorn

2017-11-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2) photocatalytic reaction has great potential for the disinfection of harmful pathogens. However, the disinfection mechanisms of TiO 2 photocatalysis are not yet well-known for fungi and protozoa. In this work, the photocatalytic disinfection mechanism of Fusarium monoliforme and Aspergillus niger under low intensity UVA light (365nm, <10W/m 2 ) was studied at the ultrastructural level. Photocatalytic treatments showed that the photocatalytic oxidation of 10% TiO 2 based paint was efficacious in the complete disinfection of F. monoliforme under low intensity UVA light. No growth of F. monoliforme was observed on agar plate in the subsequent dark. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of F. monoliforme exposed to TiO 2 photocatalysis treatment showed a distinct damage to electron-dense outer cell wall, but not to an underlying electron-transparent layer cell wall. The TEM image revealed that the UVA-light only did not damage cell wall, cell membrane and cellular organelles. Unlike, A. niger was more sensitive to UVA-light. Serious destructions of cell membrane and cellular organelles were shown in A. niger exposed to UVA-light only and photocatalytic treatments. However, morphological change in A. niger cell wall was only observed in photocatalytic treatment. Changes to the outermost melanin like layer and cell wall of A. niger spore due to photocatalytic treatment were greatly apparent while the intracellular organelles of A. niger spore were not affected. Therefore, regrowth of A. niger on agar plate was expected from the germination of A. niger spore in the subsequent dark. These observations give a better understanding of the photocatalytic disinfection mechanism toward fungi. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The weak acid preservative sorbic acid inhibits conidial germination and mycelial growth of Aspergillus niger through intracellular acidification.

PubMed

Plumridge, Andrew; Hesse, Stephan J A; Watson, Adrian J; Lowe, Kenneth C; Stratford, Malcolm; Archer, David B

2004-06-01

The growth of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger, a common food spoilage organism, is inhibited by the weak acid preservative sorbic acid (trans-trans-2,4-hexadienoic acid). Conidia inoculated at 10(5)/ml of medium showed a sorbic acid MIC of 4.5 mM at pH 4.0, whereas the MIC for the amount of mycelia at 24 h developed from the same spore inoculum was threefold lower. The MIC for conidia and, to a lesser extent, mycelia was shown to be dependent on the inoculum size. A. niger is capable of degrading sorbic acid, and this ability has consequences for food preservation strategies. The mechanism of action of sorbic acid was investigated using (31)P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. We show that a rapid decline in cytosolic pH (pH(cyt)) by more than 1 pH unit and a depression of vacuolar pH (pH(vac)) in A. niger occurs in the presence of sorbic acid. The pH gradient over the vacuole completely collapsed as a result of the decline in pH(cyt). NMR spectra also revealed that sorbic acid (3.0 mM at pH 4.0) caused intracellular ATP pools and levels of sugar-phosphomonoesters and -phosphodiesters of A. niger mycelia to decrease dramatically, and they did not recover. The disruption of pH homeostasis by sorbic acid at concentrations below the MIC could account for the delay in spore germination and retardation of the onset of subsequent mycelial growth.

Enhanced synthesis of andrographolide by Aspergillus niger and Penicillium expansum elicitors in cell suspension culture of Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees.

PubMed

Vakil, Moinuddin M A; Mendhulkar, Vijay D

2013-12-01

Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees is an important medicinal plant which has enormous applications in pharmaceutical industries. Cell suspension culture of Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees. was treated with Aspergillus niger and Penicillium expansum elicitors to enhance the synthesis of andrographolide, the bioactive constituent of A. paniculata. The elicitation treatment with fungal elicitors (A. niger and P. expansum) was observed to be most suitable for eliciting andrographolide production in the culture. The quantification of andrographolide was done using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) technique. A. niger extract (1.5 ml with10 days treatment duration) revealed 6.94 fold increase in andrographolide content (132 μg) which was higher than the control (19 μg). P. expansum elicitor (0.6% with 8 days treatment duration) could reveal 6.23 fold enhancement in andrographolide content (81.0 μg) over control (13 μg). The results obtained reveal that the longer treatment duration is most favorable for the elicitation of andrographolide using both the fungal elicitors.

Cissus quadrangularis mediated ecofriendly synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles and its antifungal studies against Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus.

PubMed

Devipriya, Duraipandi; Roopan, Selvaraj Mohana

2017-11-01

Recently, non-toxic source mediated synthesis of metal and a metal oxide nanoparticle attains more attention due to key applicational responsibilities. This present report stated that the eco-friendly synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) using Cissus quadrangularis (C. quadrangularis) plant extract. Further the eco-friendly synthesized CuO NPs were characterized using a number of analytical techniques. The observed results stated that the synthesized CuO NPs were spherical in shape with 30±2nm. Then the eco-friendly synthesized CuO NPs were subjected for anti-fungal against two strains namely Aspergillus niger (A. niger) resulted in 83% at 500ppm, 86% of inhibition at 1000ppm and Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) resulted in 81% at 500ppm, 85% of inhibition at 1000ppm respectively. Despite the fact that compared to standard Carbendazim, eco-friendly synthesized CuO NPs exhibits better results were discussed in this manuscript. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Corruption and oil exploration: expert agreement about the prevention of HIV/AIDS in the Niger Delta of Nigeria

PubMed Central

Udoh, Isidore A.; Stammen, Ronald M.; Mantell, Joanne E.

2008-01-01

The Niger Delta, according to the Nigerian Ministry of Health, has a disproportionately high HIV infection rate, which is double the national average. The United Nations Development Program attributes the spiraling HIV infection rate in the region to poverty, migration and gender inequality. This paper examines two complementary suppositions: Is the high prevalence of HIV in the Niger Delta related to incompetent leadership and corruption? Is it related to the negative effects of oil exploration in the region? Currently, there is a dearth of research on the effectiveness of government programs or the role of the oil industry on the impact of AIDS in Nigeria. To address this gap, we conducted a survey with 27 internationally renowned experts from diverse disciplines using a three-round modified Delphi to formulate consensus about the impact of weak governance and oil corruption on AIDS in the Niger Delta. Results from the Delphi suggest that these factors and others have exacerbated the transmission of HIV in the region. To mitigate the impact of AIDS in the region, efforts to engage oil companies in implementing HIV prevention programs as part of their corporate environmental responsibility to the community are urgently needed. PMID:17906312

Corruption and oil exploration: expert agreement about the prevention of HIV/AIDS in the Niger Delta of Nigeria.

PubMed

Udoh, Isidore A; Stammen, Ronald M; Mantell, Joanne E

2008-08-01

The Niger Delta, according to the Nigerian Ministry of Health, has a disproportionately high HIV infection rate, which is double the national average. The United Nations Development Program attributes the spiraling HIV infection rate in the region to poverty, migration and gender inequality. This paper examines two complementary suppositions: Is the high prevalence of HIV in the Niger Delta related to incompetent leadership and corruption? Is it related to the negative effects of oil exploration in the region? Currently, there is a dearth of research on the effectiveness of government programs or the role of the oil industry on the impact of AIDS in Nigeria. To address this gap, we conducted a survey with 27 internationally renowned experts from diverse disciplines using a three-round modified Delphi to formulate consensus about the impact of weak governance and oil corruption on AIDS in the Niger Delta. Results from the Delphi suggest that these factors and others have exacerbated the transmission of HIV in the region. To mitigate the impact of AIDS in the region, efforts to engage oil companies in implementing HIV prevention programs as part of their corporate environmental responsibility to the community are urgently needed.

Upstream petroleum degradation of mangroves and intertidal shores: the Niger Delta experience.

PubMed

Osuji, Leo C; Erondu, Ebere S; Ogali, Regina E

2010-01-01

This article was inspired by a field reconnaissance survey of outcrops along the Nembe-Brass axis of the petroliferous Niger Delta. It reviews various tradeoffs of the impact of upstream petroleum (seismic and production) operations on the mangrove ecosystems in that region, the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Mangroves and intertidal shores are considered critical to the economic well-being of this region owing to the people's dual occupation in fishing and farming. The mangrove ecosystem provides a nutrient medium, which serves as a nursery and spawning ground for many fish species and other biota. Oil and gas activities might destroy these spawn areas, causing reduction in resource output and community pressure. Devegetation of the mangrove forest as a result of seismic delineation leaves the fragile soil exposed, unprotected, and susceptible to erosion. Again, loss of vegetation might discourage the natural role of plants in air purification (CO(2) utilization and O(2) production). The release of nutrients (organic N(2), NH(3), and NO$\\rm{{_{3};{-}}}$) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to the environment, with the attendant increase in microbial load, increases biochemical O(2) demand (BOD) and depletes dissolved O(2) (DO) in H(2)O to a level that is beyond the tolerance limit of organisms. This anoxic situation leads to asphyxiation and subsequent fish kill in affected areas. In order of increasing vulnerability, the mangroves and intertidal shores of the Niger Delta fall under categories 8 to 10 on the environmental sensitivity index (ESI) scale, which predisposes the areas to serious long-term effects and clean-up complexity. Thus, there is need to monitor mangrove systems and shoreline changes in the areas of considerable seismic and production activities, especially in the coastal Niger Delta, where pipeline corrosion due to salt intrusion into the swampy environment and 'unsighted fingers' of sabotage have increased the prevalence of oil spills.

Hellenic Amateur Astronomy Association's activities: Preliminary results on Perseids 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maravelias, G.

2011-01-01

Preliminary results on the Perseids 2010 are presented. Visual and video observations were obtained by the author and a first reduction of the visual data shows that a maximum of ZHR ~120 was reached during the night 12-13 of August 2010. Moreover, a video setup was tested (DMK camera and UFO Capture v2) and the results show that, under some limitations, valuable data can be obtained.

Functional requirements regarding medical registries--preliminary results.

PubMed

Oberbichler, Stefan; Hörbst, Alexander

2013-01-01

The term medical registry is used to reference tools and processes to support clinical or epidemiologic research or provide a data basis for decisions regarding health care policies. In spite of this wide range of applications the term registry and the functional requirements which a registry should support are not clearly defined. This work presents preliminary results of a literature review to discover functional requirements which form a registry. To extract these requirements a set of peer reviewed articles was collected. These set of articles was screened by using methods from qualitative research. Up to now most discovered functional requirements focus on data quality (e. g. prevent transcription error by conducting automatic domain checks).

Optimization of Fermentation Medium for Extracellular Lipase Production from Aspergillus niger Using Response Surface Methodology

PubMed Central

Jia, Jia; Yang, Xiaofeng; Wu, Zhiliang; Zhang, Qian; Lin, Zhi; Guo, Hongtao; Lin, Carol Sze Ki; Wang, Jianying; Wang, Yunshan

2015-01-01

Lipase produced by Aspergillus niger is widely used in various industries. In this study, extracellular lipase production from an industrial producing strain of A. niger was improved by medium optimization. The secondary carbon source, nitrogen source, and lipid were found to be the three most influential factors for lipase production by single-factor experiments. According to the statistical approach, the optimum values of three most influential parameters were determined: 10.5 g/L corn starch, 35.4 g/L soybean meal, and 10.9 g/L soybean oil. Using this optimum medium, the best lipase activity was obtained at 2,171 U/mL, which was 16.4% higher than using the initial medium. All these results confirmed the validity of the model. Furthermore, results of the Box-Behnken Design and quadratic models analysis indicated that the carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio significantly influenced the enzyme production, which also suggested that more attention should be paid to the C/N ratio for the optimization of enzyme production. PMID:26366414

Breast ultrasound tomography with two parallel transducer arrays: preliminary clinical results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Lianjie; Shin, Junseob; Chen, Ting; Lin, Youzuo; Intrator, Miranda; Hanson, Kenneth; Epstein, Katherine; Sandoval, Daniel; Williamson, Michael

2015-03-01

Ultrasound tomography has great potential to provide quantitative estimations of physical properties of breast tumors for accurate characterization of breast cancer. We design and manufacture a new synthetic-aperture breast ultrasound tomography system with two parallel transducer arrays. The distance of these two transducer arrays is adjustable for scanning breasts with different sizes. The ultrasound transducer arrays are translated vertically to scan the entire breast slice by slice and acquires ultrasound transmission and reflection data for whole-breast ultrasound imaging and tomographic reconstructions. We use the system to acquire patient data at the University of New Mexico Hospital for clinical studies. We present some preliminary imaging results of in vivo patient ultrasound data. Our preliminary clinical imaging results show promising of our breast ultrasound tomography system with two parallel transducer arrays for breast cancer imaging and characterization.

Preliminary results on passive eddy current damper technology for SSME turbomachinery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cunningham, R. E.

1985-01-01

Some preliminary results have been obtained for the dynamic response of a rotor operating over a speed range of 800 to 10,000 rpm. Amplitude frequency plots show the lateral vibratory response of an unbalanced rotor with and without external damping. The mode of damping is by means of eddy currents generated with 4 c shaped permanent magnets installed at the lower bearing of a vertically oriented rotor. The lower ball bearing and its damper assembly are totally immersed in liquid nitrogen at a temperature of -197 deg C (-320 deg F). These preliminary results for a referenced or base line passive eddy current damper assembly show that the amplitude of synchronous vibration is reduced at the resonant frequency. Measured damping coefficients were calculated to phi = .086; this compares with a theoretically calculated value of phi = .079.

Dephosphorization of High-Phosphorus Iron Ore Using Different Sources of Aspergillus niger Strains.

PubMed

Xiao, Chunqiao; Wu, Xiaoyan; Chi, Ruan

2015-05-01

High-phosphorus iron ore is traditionally dephosphorized by chemical process with inorganic acids. However, this process is not recommended nowadays because of its high cost and consequent environmental pollution. With the current tendency for development of a low-cost and eco-friendly process, dephosphorization of high-phosphorus iron ore through microbial process with three different sources of Aspergillus niger strains was studied in this study. Results show that the three strains of A. niger could grow well in the broth, and effectively remove phosphate from high-phosphorus iron ore during the experiments. Meanwhile, the total iron in the broth was also increased. Acidification of the broth seemed to be the major mechanism for the dephosphorization by these strains. High-pressure liquid chromatography analysis indicated that various organic acids were secreted in the broth, which caused a significant drop of the broth pH. Scanning electron microscopy of ore residues revealed that the high-phosphorus iron ore was obviously destroyed by the actions of these strains. Ore residues by energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that the phosphate was obviously removed from the high-phosphorus iron ore. The optimization of the dephosphorization by these strains was also investigated, and the maximum percentages of phosphate removal were recorded at temperature 27-30 °C, initial pH 5.0-6.5, particle size 0.07-0.1 mm, and pulp density of 2-3% (w/v), respectively. The fungus A. niger was found to have good potential for the dephosphorization of high-phosphorus iron ore, and this microbial process seems to be economic and effective in the future industrial application.

Inhibition of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus by some herbs and spices.

PubMed

Yin, M C; Cheng, W S

1998-01-01

The inhibitory effect of water-soluble extracts of garlic bulbs, green garlic, green onions, hot peppers, ginger, Chinese parsley, and basil on the growth of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus was examined. Garlic bulbs, green garlic, and green onions showed an inhibitory effect against these two fungi. The influence of heat, acid, and salt upon the inhibitory effect of these three herbs was further studied. Increasing the temperature from 60 to 100 degrees C resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in the inhibitory effect of garlic bulbs against the fungi tested. Green garlic and green onion lost their antifungal activity against A. niger after being treated at 80 and 60 degrees, respectively. For A. flavus, the inhibitory effect of green garlic declined significantly (P < 0.05) with an increase in temperature. However, the antifungal activity of green onions against A. flavus was heat stable. For both fungi tested in this study, the antifungal activity of these spice plants was not affected by acid treatments at pH values 2, 4, or 6, or salt by treatments at concentrations of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 M (P > 0.05).

Secretome analysis of Trichoderma reesei and Aspergillus niger cultivated by submerged and sequential fermentation processes: Enzyme production for sugarcane bagasse hydrolysis.

PubMed

Florencio, Camila; Cunha, Fernanda M; Badino, Alberto C; Farinas, Cristiane S; Ximenes, Eduardo; Ladisch, Michael R

2016-08-01

Cellulases and hemicellulases from Trichoderma reesei and Aspergillus niger have been shown to be powerful enzymes for biomass conversion to sugars, but the production costs are still relatively high for commercial application. The choice of an effective microbial cultivation process employed for enzyme production is important, since it may affect titers and the profile of protein secretion. We used proteomic analysis to characterize the secretome of T. reesei and A. niger cultivated in submerged and sequential fermentation processes. The information gained was key to understand differences in hydrolysis of steam exploded sugarcane bagasse for enzyme cocktails obtained from two different cultivation processes. The sequential process for cultivating A. niger gave xylanase and β-glucosidase activities 3- and 8-fold higher, respectively, than corresponding activities from the submerged process. A greater protein diversity of critical cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes were also observed through secretome analyses. These results helped to explain the 3-fold higher yield for hydrolysis of non-washed pretreated bagasse when combined T. reesei and A. niger enzyme extracts from sequential fermentation were used in place of enzymes obtained from submerged fermentation. An enzyme loading of 0.7 FPU cellulase activity/g glucan was surprisingly effective when compared to the 5-15 times more enzyme loadings commonly reported for other cellulose hydrolysis studies. Analyses showed that more than 80% consisted of proteins other than cellulases whose role is important to the hydrolysis of a lignocellulose substrate. Our work combined proteomic analyses and enzymology studies to show that sequential and submerged cultivation methods differently influence both titers and secretion profile of key enzymes required for the hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse. The higher diversity of feruloyl esterases, xylanases and other auxiliary hemicellulolytic enzymes observed in the enzyme

Preliminary Results on Uncertainty Quantification for Pattern Analytics

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

Stracuzzi, David John; Brost, Randolph; Chen, Maximillian Gene

2015-09-01

This report summarizes preliminary research into uncertainty quantification for pattern ana- lytics within the context of the Pattern Analytics to Support High-Performance Exploitation and Reasoning (PANTHER) project. The primary focus of PANTHER was to make large quantities of remote sensing data searchable by analysts. The work described in this re- port adds nuance to both the initial data preparation steps and the search process. Search queries are transformed from does the specified pattern exist in the data? to how certain is the system that the returned results match the query? We show example results for both data processing and search,more » and discuss a number of possible improvements for each.« less

A possible water-soluble inducer for synthesis of cellulase in Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Zhang, Jian-Guo; Li, Qi-Meng; Thakur, Kiran; Faisal, Shah; Wei, Zhao-Jun

2017-02-01

The synthesis of cellulase in filamentous fungi can be triggered by several inducers. In this study, a bamboo-shoot shell pretreated with Pleurotus ostreatus could promote the formation of cellulases in Aspergillus niger. Further identification, including UPLC-TOF-MS, ultrafiltration, and FT-IR, denoted that the soluble inducer was not a traditional disaccharide but a type of modified lignin polymer. This revelation may result in incipient strategies to ameliorate cellulase productivity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vulnerability and Resilience of the Niger Delta Coastal Communities to Pollution and Environmental Degradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ndimele, P. E.; Whenu, O. O.; Anwan, H. R.; Anetekhai, M. A.

2016-02-01

The Niger Delta is Africa's largest delta consisting of the third largest mangrove forest in the world and covering 70,000km2 of Nigeria land mass. This delta is the largest wetland in Africa and among the ten most important wetland and marine ecosystems in the world. The delta is home to all of Nigeria's endemic or near-endemic mammal species and to six IUCN Red List mammals. The Niger Delta harbours globally outstanding fish fauna and displays exceptional evolutionary phenomena with its higher taxonomic endemism and distinct species assemblages. The Niger delta is blessed with abundance of natural and human resources, including the majority of Nigeria's oil and gas deposits, good agricultural land, extensive forests, excellent fisheries as well as a well-developed industrial base, a large labour force and a vibrant private sector. However, this fragile but rich ecosystem is seriously threatened by increased industrial pollution, resource over-exploitation and environmental degradation caused by over six decades of oil exploitation. Aquatic life has been destroyed with the pollution of traditional fishing grounds, exacerbating hunger and poverty in fishing communities. The multifarious use of the delta has led to human-induced changes in biota, habitats and landscapes necessitating the development of a holistic policy that considers all the interacting factors in the ecosystem. Taking a systems approach incorporating an understanding of The Ecosystem Approach, vulnerability, resilience, the DPSIR framework, ecosystem services and societal benefits are integrated in order to evolve a management tool that will result in sustainable resource exploitation, improvement in living standards of locals and restoration of the ecosystem.

Impact of Introducing the Pneumococcal and Rotavirus Vaccines Into the Routine Immunization Program in Niger

PubMed Central

Assi, Tina-Marie; Rajgopal, Jayant; Norman, Bryan A.; Chen, Sheng-I; Brown, Shawn T.; Slayton, Rachel B.; Kone, Souleymane; Kenea, Hailu; Welling, Joel S.; Connor, Diana L.; Wateska, Angela R.; Jana, Anirban; Wiringa, Ann E.; Van Panhuis, Willem G.; Burke, Donald S.

2012-01-01

Objectives. We investigated whether introducing the rotavirus and pneumococcal vaccines, which are greatly needed in West Africa, would overwhelm existing supply chains (i.e., the series of steps required to get a vaccine from the manufacturers to the target population) in Niger. Methods. As part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation–funded Vaccine Modeling Initiative, we developed a computational model to determine the impact of introducing these new vaccines to Niger's Expanded Program on Immunization vaccine supply chain. Results. Introducing either the rotavirus vaccine or the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine could overwhelm available storage and transport refrigerator space, creating bottlenecks that would prevent the flow of vaccines down to the clinics. As a result, the availability of all World Health Organization Expanded Program on Immunization vaccines to patients might decrease from an average of 69% to 28.2% (range = 10%–51%). Addition of refrigerator and transport capacity could alleviate this bottleneck. Conclusions. Our results suggest that the effects on the vaccine supply chain should be considered when introducing a new vaccine and that computational models can help assess evolving needs and prevent problems with vaccine delivery. PMID:21940923

Ecophysiological characterization of Aspergillus carbonarius, Aspergillus tubingensis and Aspergillus niger isolated from grapes in Spanish vineyards.

PubMed

García-Cela, E; Crespo-Sempere, A; Ramos, A J; Sanchis, V; Marin, S

2014-03-03

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diversity of black aspergilli isolated from berries from different agroclimatic regions of Spain. Growth characterization (in terms of temperature and water activity requirements) of Aspergillus carbonarius, Aspergillus tubingensis and Aspergillus niger was carried out on synthetic grape medium. A. tubingensis and A. niger showed higher maximum temperatures for growth (>45 °C versus 40-42 °C), and lower minimum aw requirements (0.83 aw versus 0.87 aw) than A. carbonarius. No differences in growth boundaries due to their geographical origin were found within A. niger aggregate isolates. Conversely, A. carbonarius isolates from the hotter and drier region grew and produced OTA at lower aw than other isolates. However, little genetic diversity in A. carbonarius was observed for the microsatellites tested and the same sequence of β-tubulin gene was observed; therefore intraspecific variability did not correlate with the geographical origin of the isolates or with their ability to produce OTA. Climatic change prediction points to drier and hotter climatic scenarios where A. tubingensis and A. niger could be even more prevalent over A. carbonarius, since they are better adapted to extreme high temperature and drier conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preliminary Results Of A 600 Joules Small Plasma Focus Device

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

Lee, S. H.; Yap, S. L.; Wong, C. S.

Preliminary results of a 600 J (3.7 muF, 18 kV) Mather type plasma focus device operated at low pressure will be presented. The discharge is formed between a solid anode with length of 6 cm and six symmetrically and coaxially arranged cathode rods of same lengths. The cathode base is profiled in a knife-edge design and a set of coaxial plasma gun are attached to it in order to initiate the breakdown and enhance the current sheath formation. The experiments have been performed in argon gas under a low pressure condition of several microbars. The discharge current and the voltagemore » across the electrodes during the discharge are measured with high voltage probe and current coil. The current and voltage characteristics are used to determine the possible range of operating pressure that gives good focusing action. At a narrow pressure regime of 9.0+-0.5 mubar, focusing action is observed with good reproducibility. Preliminary result of ion beam energy is presented. More work will be carried out to investigate the radiation output.« less

Potential pathways to HIV/AIDS transmission in the Niger Delta of Nigeria: Poverty, migration and commercial sex

PubMed Central

Udoh, IA; Mantell, JE; Sandfort, T; Eighmy, MA

2010-01-01

HIV prevalence in the Niger Delta of Nigeria is generally attributed to concurrent sexual partnerships and weak public sector health care and education systems. This paper examines the likelihood of additional factors, such as the intersection of widespread poverty, migration, and sex work, as contributory channels of HIV transmission in the region. To explore this issue, we conducted a Delphi survey with 27 experts to formulate consensus about the impact of poverty, migration, and commercial sex on AIDS in the Niger Delta. Results suggest that these factors and others have exacerbated the epidemic in the region. To stop the further spread of HIV in the region, efforts to address poverty, sex work, and multiple sexual partnerships require building a public-private partnership which involves participatory action strategies among key stakeholders. PMID:19444664

Study of a High-Yield Cellulase System Created by Heavy-Ion Irradiation-Induced Mutagenesis of Aspergillus niger and Mixed Fermentation with Trichoderma reesei

PubMed Central

Chen, Ji-Hong; Li, Wen-Jian; Liu, Jing; Hu, Wei; Xiao, Guo-Qing; Dong, Miao-Yin; Wang, Yu-Chen

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate and validate the efficiency of 12C6+ irradiation of Aspergillus niger (A. niger) or mutagenesis via mixed Trichoderma viride (T. viride) culturing as well as a liquid cultivation method for cellulase production via mixed Trichoderma reesei (T. reesei) and A. niger culture fermentation. The first mutagenesis approach was employed to optimize yield from a cellulase-producing strain via heavy-ion mutagenesis and high-throughput screening, and the second was to effectively achieve enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulase from a mixed culture of mutant T. viride and A. niger. We found that 12C6+-ion irradiation induced changes in cellulase biosynthesis in A. niger but had no effect on the time course of the synthesis. It is notable that the exoglucanases (CBH) activities of A. niger strains H11-1 and H differed (6.71 U/mL vs. 6.01 U/mL) and were significantly higher than that of A. niger mutant H3-1. Compared with strain H, the filter paper assay (FPA), endoglucanase (EG) and β-glucosidase (BGL) activities of mutant strain H11-1 were increased by 250.26%, 30.26% and 34.91%, respectively. A mixed culture system was successfully optimized, and the best ratio of T. reesei to A. niger was 5:1 for 96 h with simultaneous inoculation. The BGL activity of the mixed culture increased after 72 h. At 96 h, the FPA and BGL activities of the mixed culture were 689.00 and 797.15 U/mL, respectively, significantly higher than those of monocultures, which were 408.70 and 646.98 U/mL for T. reesei and 447.29 and 658.89 U/mL for A. niger, respectively. The EG activity of the mixed culture was 2342.81 U/mL, a value that was significantly higher than that of monocultures at 2206.57 U/mL for T. reesei and 1727.62 U/mL for A. niger. In summary, cellulose production and hydrolysis yields were significantly enhanced by the proposed combination scheme. PMID:26656155

SLS-1 flight experiments preliminary significant results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

Spacelab Life Sciences-1 (SLS-1) is the first of a series of dedicated life sciences Spacelab missions designed to investigate the mechanisms involved in the physiological adaptation to weightlessness and the subsequent readaptation to 1 gravity (1 G). Hypotheses generated from the physiological effects observed during earlier missions led to the formulation of several integrated experiments to determine the underlying mechanisms responsible for the observed phenomena. The 18 experiments selected for flight on SLS-1 investigated the cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary, regulatory physiology, musculoskeletal, and neuroscience disciplines in both human and rodent subjects. The SLS-1 preliminary results gave insight to the mechanisms involved in the adaptation to the microgravity environment and readaptation when returning to Earth. The experimental results will be used to promote health and safety for future long duration space flights and, as in the past, will be applied to many biomedical problems encountered here on Earth.

Preliminary results toward injection locking of an incoherent laser array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daher, J.

1986-01-01

The preliminary results of phase locking an incoherent laser array to a master source in an attempt to achieve coherent operation are presented. The techniques necessary to demonstrate phase locking are described along with some topics for future consideration. As expected, the results obtained suggest that injection locking of an array, where the spacing between adjacent longitudinal modes of its elements is significantly larger than the locking bandwidth, may not be feasible.

76 FR 50284 - Request for Public Comments on Interim Review of Eligibility of Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Niger...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-12

... Eligibility of Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Niger for Benefits Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act.... SUMMARY: The African Growth and Opportunity Act Implementation Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff... eligibility of Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Niger to receive the benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity...

Balneological Evaluation of the Tafadek Spring, Agadez Region, Niger Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nghargbu, K.; Latour, T.; Ponikowska, I.; Kurowska, E.

2012-04-01

West Africa, particularly Niger Republic is home to thousands of tourists annually. The vast Saharan desert and it's numerous oases in the northern parts of the Republic are a hot attraction on their own. However, in a recent survey of medicinal springs within the West African sub-region, the only hot spring in this country known locally for its therapeutic egress was analyzed. Located about 160km West of Agadez, the "Tafadek" spring with a yield of over 5l/s and temperature of about 50oC, rich in fluoride and silica is a specific water with capacity for application in balneotherapy for the treatment of orthopaedic, rheumatological, neurological, urinary tract infections, and osteoporosis. If the Tafadek spring is developed into a modern health resort promoting balneotherapy, health (balnear) tourism which is non-existent in Niger Republic today could kick start a new dawn in the health/economic development of the nation and the sub-region at large. Keywords: West Africa, Nigeria, Balneotherapy, Health tourism, Spring

Production of Proteolytic Enzymes by a Keratin-Degrading Aspergillus niger

PubMed Central

Lopes, Fernanda Cortez; Silva, Lucas André Dedavid e; Tichota, Deise Michele; Daroit, Daniel Joner; Velho, Renata Voltolini; Pereira, Jamile Queiroz; Corrêa, Ana Paula Folmer; Brandelli, Adriano

2011-01-01

A fungal isolate with capability to grow in keratinous substrate as only source of carbon and nitrogen was identified as Aspergillus niger using the sequencing of the ITS region of the rDNA. This strain produced a slightly acid keratinase and an acid protease during cultivation in feather meal. The peak of keratinolytic activity occurred in 48 h and the maximum proteolytic activity in 96 h. These enzymes were partly characterized as serine protease and aspartic protease, respectively. The effects of feather meal concentration and initial pH on enzyme production were evaluated using a central composite design combined with response surface methodology. The optimal conditions were determined as pH 5.0 for protease and 7.8 for keratinase and 20 g/L of feather meal, showing that both models were predictive. Production of keratinases by A. niger is a less-exploited field that might represent a novel and promising biotechnological application for this microorganism. PMID:22007293

Multimode electromagnetic target discriminator: preliminary data results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Black, Christopher J.; McMichael, Ian T.; Nelson, Carl V.

2004-09-01

This paper describes the Multi-mode Electromagnetic Target Discriminator (METD) sensor and presents preliminary results from recent field experiments. The METD sensor was developed for the US Army RDECOM NVESD by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. The METD, based on the technology of the previously developed Electromagnetic Target Discriminator (ETD), is a spatial scanning electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensor that uses both the time-domain (TD) and the frequency-domain (FD) for target detection and classification. Data is collected with a custom data acquisition system and wirelessly transmitted to a base computer. We show that the METD has a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the ability to detect voids created by plastic anti-tank (AT) mines, and is practical for near real-time data processing.

Antifungal effects of citronella oil against Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404.

PubMed

Li, Wen-Ru; Shi, Qing-Shan; Ouyang, You-Sheng; Chen, Yi-Ben; Duan, Shun-Shan

2013-08-01

Essential oils are aromatic oily liquids obtained from some aromatic plant materials. Certain essential oils such as citronella oil contain antifungal activity, but the antifungal effect is still unknown. In this study, we explored the antifungal effect of citronella oil with Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404. The antifungal activity of citronella oil on conidia of A. niger was determined by poisoned food technique, broth dilution method, and disc volatility method. Experimental results indicated that the citronella oil has strong antifungal activity: 0.125 (v/v) and 0.25 % (v/v) citronella oil inhibited the growth of 5 × 10⁵ spore/ml conidia separately for 7 and 28 days while 0.5 % (v/v) citronella oil could completely kill the conidia of 5 × 10⁵ spore/ml. Moreover, the fungicidal kinetic curves revealed that more than 90 % conidia (initial concentration is 5 × 10⁵ spore/ml) were killed in all the treatments with 0.125 to 2 % citronella oil after 24 h. Furthermore, with increase of citronella oil concentration and treatment time, the antifungal activity was increased correspondingly. The 0.5 % (v/v) concentration of citronella oil was a threshold to kill the conidia thoroughly. The surviving conidia treated with 0.5 to 2 % citronella oil decreased by an order of magnitude every day, and no fungus survived after 10 days. With light microscope, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope, we found that citronella oil could lead to irreversible alteration of the hyphae and conidia. Based on our observation, we hypothesized that the citronella oil destroyed the cell wall of the A. niger hyphae, passed through the cell membrane, penetrated into the cytoplasm, and acted on the main organelles. Subsequently, the hyphae was collapsed and squashed due to large cytoplasm loss, and the organelles were severely destroyed. Similarly, citronella oil could lead to the rupture of hard cell wall and then act on the sporoplasm to kill the

Preliminary science results of Voyager 1 Saturn encounter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bane, D.

1981-01-01

Preliminary science results of the Voyager 1 encounter of the planet Saturn are reported. On August 22, 1980, the spacecraft was 109 million km (68 million mi) from Saturn. Closest approach to Saturn took place on November 12, at 3:46 p.m. (PDT), when the spacecraft passed 126,000 km (78,000 mi) from the cloud tops. Measurements of the atmosphere, wind speed, radiation, six surrounding rings, and the planet's old and newly found satellites were recorded. The encounter ended December 15, 1980. The spacecraft took more than 17,500 photographs of Saturn and its satellites.

Hydrology of the Niger River from Nimbus HRIR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macleod, N. H.

1972-01-01

The seasonal changes in aspect of the Niger River in the Republic of Mali, West Africa, as seen in daytime imagery obtained by the high-resolution infrared radiometer on Nimbus 3 are described. The identification of different plants by their reflectance is shown to provide an ecological map that changes with time. It is concluded that Nimbus imagery provides an integrated view of the entire watershed on a daily basis.

Synergistic effect of Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma reesei enzyme sets on the saccharification of wheat straw and sugarcane bagasse.

PubMed

van den Brink, Joost; Maitan-Alfenas, Gabriela Piccolo; Zou, Gen; Wang, Chengshu; Zhou, Zhihua; Guimarães, Valéria Monteze; de Vries, Ronald P

2014-10-01

Plant-degrading enzymes can be produced by fungi on abundantly available low-cost plant biomass. However, enzymes sets after growth on complex substrates need to be better understood, especially with emphasis on differences between fungal species and the influence of inhibitory compounds in plant substrates, such as monosaccharides. In this study, Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma reesei were evaluated for the production of enzyme sets after growth on two "second generation" substrates: wheat straw (WS) and sugarcane bagasse (SCB). A. niger and T. reesei produced different sets of (hemi-)cellulolytic enzymes after growth on WS and SCB. This was reflected in an overall strong synergistic effect in releasing sugars during saccharification using A. niger and T. reesei enzyme sets. T. reesei produced less hydrolytic enzymes after growth on non-washed SCB. The sensitivity to non-washed plant substrates was not reduced by using CreA/Cre1 mutants of T. reesei and A. niger with a defective carbon catabolite repression. The importance of removing monosaccharides for producing enzymes was further underlined by the decrease in hydrolytic activities with increased glucose concentrations in WS media. This study showed the importance of removing monosaccharides from the enzyme production media and combining T. reesei and A. niger enzyme sets to improve plant biomass saccharification. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

75 FR 4350 - Certain Frozen Fish Fillets From the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Preliminary Results of New...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-27

... From the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Preliminary Results of New Shipper Review AGENCY: Import...'') of August 1, 2008, through January 31, 2009. If these preliminary results are adopted in our final results of review, we will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (``CBP'') to assess antidumping...

Homologue expression of a β-xylosidase from native Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Amaro-Reyes, A; García-Almendárez, B E; Vázquez-Mandujano, D G; Amaya-Llano, S; Castaño-Tostado, E; Guevara-González, R G; Loera, O; Regalado, C

2011-09-01

Xylan constitutes the second most abundant source of renewable organic carbon on earth and is located in the cell walls of hardwood and softwood plants in the form of hemicellulose. Based on its availability, there is a growing interest in production of xylanolytic enzymes for industrial applications. β-1,4-xylan xylosidase (EC 3.2.1.37) hydrolyses from the nonreducing end of xylooligosaccharides arising from endo-1,4-β-xylanase activity. This work reports the partial characterization of a purified β-xylosidase from the native strain Aspergillus niger GS1 expressed by means of a fungal system. A gene encoding β-xylosidase, xlnD, was successfully cloned from a native A. niger GS1 strain. The recombinant enzyme was expressed in A. niger AB4.1 under control of A. nidulans gpdA promoter and trpC terminator. β-xylosidase was purified by affinity chromatography, with an apparent molecular weight of 90 kDa, and showed a maximum activity of 4,280 U mg protein(-1) at 70°C, pH 3.6. Half-life was 74 min at 70°C, activation energy was 58.9 kJ mol(-1), and at 50°C optimum stability was shown at pH 4.0-5.0. β-xylosidase kept residual activity >83% in the presence of dithiothreitol (DTT), β-mercaptoethanol, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), and Zn(2+). Production of a hemicellulolytic free xylosidase showed some advantages in applications, such as animal feed, enzymatic synthesis, and the fruit-juice industry where the presence of certain compounds, high temperatures, and acid media is unavoidable in the juice-making process.

High resolution visualization and exo-proteomics reveal the physiological role of XlnR and AraR in plant biomass colonization and degradation by Aspergillus niger: Visualizing plant biomass degradation by A. niger

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

Kowalczyk, Joanna E.; Khosravi, Claire; Purvine, Samuel

In A. niger, two transcription factors, AraR and XlnR, regulate the production of enzymes involved in degradation of arabinoxylan and catabolism of the released L-arabinose and D-xylose. Deletion of both araR and xlnR in leads to reduced production of (hemi)cellulolytic enzymes and reduced growth on arabinan, arabinogalactan and xylan. In this study, we investigated the colonization and degradation of wheat bran by the A. niger reference strain CBS 137562 and araR/xlnR regulatory mutants using highresolution microscopy and exo-proteomics. We discovered that wheat bran flakes have a ‘rough’ and ‘smooth’ surface with substantially different affinity towards fungal hyphae. While colonization ofmore » the rough side was possible for all strains, the xlnR mutants struggled to survive on the smooth side of the wheat bran particles after 20 and 40 h post inoculation. Impaired colonization ability of the smooth surface of wheat bran was linked to reduced potential of DxlnR to secrete arabinoxylan and cellulosedegrading enzymes and indicates that XlnR is the major regulator that drives colonization of wheat bran in A. niger.« less

Demand generation and social mobilisation for integrated community case management (iCCM) and child health: Lessons learned from successful programmes in Niger and Mozambique

PubMed Central

Sharkey, Alyssa B; Martin, Sandrine; Cerveau, Teresa; Wetzler, Erica; Berzal, Rocio

2014-01-01

Aim We present the approaches used in and outcomes resulting from integrated community case management (iCCM) programmes in Niger and Mozambique with a strong focus on demand generation and social mobilisation. Methods We use a case study approach to describe the programme and contextual elements of the Niger and Mozambique programmes. Results Awareness and utilisation of iCCM services and key family practices increased following the implementation of the Niger and Mozambique iCCM and child survival programmes, as did care–seeking within 24 hours and care–seeking from appropriate, trained providers in Mozambique. These approaches incorporated interpersonal communication activities and community empowerment/participation for collective change, partnerships and networks among key stakeholder groups within communities, media campaigns and advocacy efforts with local and national leaders. Conclusions iCCM programmes that train and equip community health workers and successfully engage and empower community members to adopt new behaviours, have appropriate expectations and to trust community health workers’ ability to assess and treat illnesses can lead to improved care–seeking and utilisation, and community ownership for iCCM. PMID:25520800

Aspergillus niger-mediated biotransformation of methenolone enanthate, and immunomodulatory activity of its transformed products.

PubMed

Hussain, Zahid; Dastagir, Nida; Hussain, Shabbir; Jabeen, Almas; Zafar, Salman; Malik, Rizwana; Bano, Saira; Wajid, Abdul; Choudhary, M Iqbal

2016-08-01

Two fungal cultures Aspergillus niger and Cunninghamella blakesleeana were used for the biotransformation of methenolone enanthate (1). Biotransformation with A. niger led to the synthesis of three new (2-4), and three known (5-7) metabolites, while fermentation with C. blakesleeana yielded metabolite 6. Substrate 1 and the resulting metabolites were evaluated for their immunomodulatory activities. Substrate 1 was found to be inactive, while metabolites 2 and 3 showed a potent inhibition of ROS generation by whole blood (IC50=8.60 and 7.05μg/mL), as well as from isolated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) (IC50=14.0 and 4.70μg/mL), respectively. Moreover, compound 3 (34.21%) moderately inhibited the production of TNF-α, whereas 2 (88.63%) showed a potent inhibition of TNF-α produced by the THP-1 cells. These activities indicated immunomodulatory potential of compounds 2 and 3. All products were found to be non-toxic to 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Variation in Fumonisin and Ochratoxin Production Associated with Differences in Biosynthetic Gene Content in Aspergillus niger and A. welwitschiae Isolates from Multiple Crop and Geographic Origins

PubMed Central

Susca, Antonia; Proctor, Robert H.; Morelli, Massimiliano; Haidukowski, Miriam; Gallo, Antonia; Logrieco, Antonio F.; Moretti, Antonio

2016-01-01

The fungi Aspergillus niger and A. welwitschiae are morphologically indistinguishable species used for industrial fermentation and for food and beverage production. The fungi also occur widely on food crops. Concerns about their safety have arisen with the discovery that some isolates of both species produce fumonisin (FB) and ochratoxin A (OTA) mycotoxins. Here, we examined FB and OTA production as well as the presence of genes responsible for synthesis of the mycotoxins in a collection of 92 A. niger/A. welwitschiae isolates from multiple crop and geographic origins. The results indicate that (i) isolates of both species differed in ability to produce the mycotoxins; (ii) FB-nonproducing isolates of A. niger had an intact fumonisin biosynthetic gene (fum) cluster; (iii) FB-nonproducing isolates of A. welwitschiae exhibited multiple patterns of fum gene deletion; and (iv) OTA-nonproducing isolates of both species lacked the ochratoxin A biosynthetic gene (ota) cluster. Analysis of genome sequence data revealed a single pattern of ota gene deletion in the two species. Phylogenetic analysis suggest that the simplest explanation for this is that ota cluster deletion occurred in a common ancestor of A. niger and A. welwitschiae, and subsequently both the intact and deleted cluster were retained as alternate alleles during divergence of the ancestor into descendent species. Finally, comparison of results from this and previous studies indicate that a majority of A. niger isolates and a minority of A. welwitschiae isolates can produce FBs, whereas, a minority of isolates of both species produce OTA. The comparison also suggested that the relative abundance of each species and frequency of FB/OTA-producing isolates can vary with crop and/or geographic origin. PMID:27667988

Variation in Fumonisin and Ochratoxin Production Associated with Differences in Biosynthetic Gene Content in Aspergillus niger and A. welwitschiae Isolates from Multiple Crop and Geographic Origins.

PubMed

Susca, Antonia; Proctor, Robert H; Morelli, Massimiliano; Haidukowski, Miriam; Gallo, Antonia; Logrieco, Antonio F; Moretti, Antonio

2016-01-01

The fungi Aspergillus niger and A. welwitschiae are morphologically indistinguishable species used for industrial fermentation and for food and beverage production. The fungi also occur widely on food crops. Concerns about their safety have arisen with the discovery that some isolates of both species produce fumonisin (FB) and ochratoxin A (OTA) mycotoxins. Here, we examined FB and OTA production as well as the presence of genes responsible for synthesis of the mycotoxins in a collection of 92 A. niger/A. welwitschiae isolates from multiple crop and geographic origins. The results indicate that (i) isolates of both species differed in ability to produce the mycotoxins; (ii) FB-nonproducing isolates of A. niger had an intact fumonisin biosynthetic gene (fum) cluster; (iii) FB-nonproducing isolates of A. welwitschiae exhibited multiple patterns of fum gene deletion; and (iv) OTA-nonproducing isolates of both species lacked the ochratoxin A biosynthetic gene (ota) cluster. Analysis of genome sequence data revealed a single pattern of ota gene deletion in the two species. Phylogenetic analysis suggest that the simplest explanation for this is that ota cluster deletion occurred in a common ancestor of A. niger and A. welwitschiae, and subsequently both the intact and deleted cluster were retained as alternate alleles during divergence of the ancestor into descendent species. Finally, comparison of results from this and previous studies indicate that a majority of A. niger isolates and a minority of A. welwitschiae isolates can produce FBs, whereas, a minority of isolates of both species produce OTA. The comparison also suggested that the relative abundance of each species and frequency of FB/OTA-producing isolates can vary with crop and/or geographic origin.

Catalytic and thermodynamic properties of a tannase produced by Aspergillus niger GH1 grown on polyurethane foam.

PubMed

Ramos, Erika L; Mata-Gómez, Marco A; Rodríguez-Durán, Luis V; Belmares, Ruth E; Rodríguez-Herrera, Raúl; Aguilar, Cristóbal Noe

2011-11-01

Tannase is an inducible enzyme with important applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. This enzyme was produced by the fungus Aspergillus niger GH1 under solid-state fermentation using polyurethane foam as solid support and tannic acid as sole carbon source and tannase inducer. Physicochemical properties of A. niger tannase were characterized, and the kinetic and thermodynamics parameters on methyl gallate hydrolysis were evaluated. The enzyme was stable in a pH range of 2-8 and a functional temperature range of 25-65 °C. The highest k(cat) value was 2,611.10 s(-1) at 65 °C. Tannase had more affinity for methyl gallate at 45 °C with a K(M) value of 1.82 mM and an efficiency of hydrolysis (k(cat)/K(M)) of 330.01 s(-1) mM(-1). The lowest E(a) value was found to be 21.38 kJ/mol at 4.4 mM of methyl gallate. The lowest free energy of Gibbs (ΔG) and enthalpy (ΔH) were found to be 64.86 and 18.56 kJ/mol, respectively. Entropy (ΔS) was -0.22 kJ/mol K. Results suggest that the A. niger GH1 tannase is an attractive enzyme for industrial applications due its catalytic and thermodynamical properties.

Remote Sensing of Water Quality in the Niger River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, C.; Palacios, S. L.; Milesi, C.; Schmidt, C.; Baney, O. N.; Mitchell, Å. R.; Kislik, E.; Palmer-Moloney, L. J.

2015-12-01

An overarching goal of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) Anticipatory Analytics- -GEOnarrative program is to establish water linkages with energy, food, and climate and to understand how these linkages relate to national security and stability. Recognizing that geopolitical stability is tied to human health, agricultural productivity, and natural ecosystems' vitality, NGA partnered with NASA Ames Research Center to use satellite remote sensing to assess water quality in West Africa, specifically the Niger River Basin. Researchers from NASA Ames used MODIS and Landsat imagery to apply two water quality indices-- the Floating Algal Index (FAI) and the Turbidity Index (TI)--to large rivers, lakes and reservoirs within the Niger Basin. These indices were selected to evaluate which observations were most suitable for monitoring water quality in a region where coincident in situ measurements are not available. In addition, the FAI and TI indices were derived using data from the Hyperspectral Imagery for the Coastal Ocean (HICO) sensor for Lake Erie in the United States to determine how increased spectral resolution and in-situ measurements would improve the ability to measure the spatio-temporal variations in water quality. Results included the comparison of outputs from sensors with different spectral and spatial resolution characteristics for water quality monitoring. Approaches, such as the GEOnarrative, that incorporate water quality will enable analysts and decision-makers to recognize the current and potentially future impacts of changing water quality on regional security and stability.

Biotransformation of Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine Catalyzed by a NAD(P)H: Nitrate Oxidoreductase from Aspergillus niger

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

Biotransformation of Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine Catalyzed by a NAD(P)H: Nitrate Oxidoreductase from Aspergillus niger B H A R A T B H U...reductase from Aspergillus niger catalyzed the biotransformation of RDX most effectively at pH 7.0 and 30 °C under anaerobic conditions using NADPH as...nitroreductase. We selected a nitrate reductase (EC 1.6.6.2) from a fungus Aspergillus niger to transform RDX under anaerobic condi- tions because nitrate

Comparative genomics of citric-acid-producing Aspergillus niger ATCC 1015 versus enzyme-producing CBS 513.88

PubMed Central

Andersen, Mikael R.; Salazar, Margarita P.; Schaap, Peter J.; van de Vondervoort, Peter J.I.; Culley, David; Thykaer, Jette; Frisvad, Jens C.; Nielsen, Kristian F.; Albang, Richard; Albermann, Kaj; Berka, Randy M.; Braus, Gerhard H.; Braus-Stromeyer, Susanna A.; Corrochano, Luis M.; Dai, Ziyu; van Dijck, Piet W.M.; Hofmann, Gerald; Lasure, Linda L.; Magnuson, Jon K.; Menke, Hildegard; Meijer, Martin; Meijer, Susan L.; Nielsen, Jakob B.; Nielsen, Michael L.; van Ooyen, Albert J.J.; Pel, Herman J.; Poulsen, Lars; Samson, Rob A.; Stam, Hein; Tsang, Adrian; van den Brink, Johannes M.; Atkins, Alex; Aerts, Andrea; Shapiro, Harris; Pangilinan, Jasmyn; Salamov, Asaf; Lou, Yigong; Lindquist, Erika; Lucas, Susan; Grimwood, Jane; Grigoriev, Igor V.; Kubicek, Christian P.; Martinez, Diego; van Peij, Noël N.M.E.; Roubos, Johannes A.; Nielsen, Jens; Baker, Scott E.

2011-01-01

The filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger exhibits great diversity in its phenotype. It is found globally, both as marine and terrestrial strains, produces both organic acids and hydrolytic enzymes in high amounts, and some isolates exhibit pathogenicity. Although the genome of an industrial enzyme-producing A. niger strain (CBS 513.88) has already been sequenced, the versatility and diversity of this species compel additional exploration. We therefore undertook whole-genome sequencing of the acidogenic A. niger wild-type strain (ATCC 1015) and produced a genome sequence of very high quality. Only 15 gaps are present in the sequence, and half the telomeric regions have been elucidated. Moreover, sequence information from ATCC 1015 was used to improve the genome sequence of CBS 513.88. Chromosome-level comparisons uncovered several genome rearrangements, deletions, a clear case of strain-specific horizontal gene transfer, and identification of 0.8 Mb of novel sequence. Single nucleotide polymorphisms per kilobase (SNPs/kb) between the two strains were found to be exceptionally high (average: 7.8, maximum: 160 SNPs/kb). High variation within the species was confirmed with exo-metabolite profiling and phylogenetics. Detailed lists of alleles were generated, and genotypic differences were observed to accumulate in metabolic pathways essential to acid production and protein synthesis. A transcriptome analysis supported up-regulation of genes associated with biosynthesis of amino acids that are abundant in glucoamylase A, tRNA-synthases, and protein transporters in the protein producing CBS 513.88 strain. Our results and data sets from this integrative systems biology analysis resulted in a snapshot of fungal evolution and will support further optimization of cell factories based on filamentous fungi. PMID:21543515

Comprehensive reconstruction and in silico analysis of Aspergillus niger genome-scale metabolic network model that accounts for 1210 ORFs.

PubMed

Lu, Hongzhong; Cao, Weiqiang; Ouyang, Liming; Xia, Jianye; Huang, Mingzhi; Chu, Ju; Zhuang, Yingping; Zhang, Siliang; Noorman, Henk

2017-03-01

Aspergillus niger is one of the most important cell factories for industrial enzymes and organic acids production. A comprehensive genome-scale metabolic network model (GSMM) with high quality is crucial for efficient strain improvement and process optimization. The lack of accurate reaction equations and gene-protein-reaction associations (GPRs) in the current best model of A. niger named GSMM iMA871, however, limits its application scope. To overcome these limitations, we updated the A. niger GSMM by combining the latest genome annotation and literature mining technology. Compared with iMA871, the number of reactions in iHL1210 was increased from 1,380 to 1,764, and the number of unique ORFs from 871 to 1,210. With the aid of our transcriptomics analysis, the existence of 63% ORFs and 68% reactions in iHL1210 can be verified when glucose was used as the only carbon source. Physiological data from chemostat cultivations, 13 C-labeled and molecular experiments from the published literature were further used to check the performance of iHL1210. The average correlation coefficients between the predicted fluxes and estimated fluxes from 13 C-labeling data were sufficiently high (above 0.89) and the prediction of cell growth on most of the reported carbon and nitrogen sources was consistent. Using the updated genome-scale model, we evaluated gene essentiality on synthetic and yeast extract medium, as well as the effects of NADPH supply on glucoamylase production in A. niger. In summary, the new A. niger GSMM iHL1210 contains significant improvements with respect to the metabolic coverage and prediction performance, which paves the way for systematic metabolic engineering of A. niger. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 685-695. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Whole body pointing movements in transient microgravity: preliminary results.

PubMed

Tagliabue, Michele; Pedrocchi, Alessandra; Gower, Valerio; Ferrigno, Giancarlo; Pozzo, Thierry

2004-07-01

The aim of the present study is a better comprehension of strategies of motor coordination during complex movements. In this field of research microgravity represent a unique experimental condition for the investigation of the role of equilibrium control in movement planning. Namely, here we focus on two important issues: the centre of mass control and the endpoint trajectory. Preliminary results of the center of mass position and the finger path curvature during pointing movements performed under normal and transient microgravity conditions are presented.

Preliminary results of an intercomparison of total ozone spectrophotometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parsons, C. L.; Gerlach, J. C.; Williams, M. E.; Kerr, J. B.

1981-01-01

Preliminary results from an intercomparison of five total ozone spectrophotometers are presented. These are the Dobson spectrophotometer, the USSR M-83 ozonometer, the Canterbury filter photometer, the SenTran Company filter photometer, and the Brewer grating spectrophotometer. The pertinent characteristics of each are described, and conclusions are drawn about the agreement of each instrument's measurements with the Dobson's values over a time period of nearly one year. A discussion of the importance of calibration and long-term stability and reliability is included.

The Situations Bank, a Tool for Curriculum Design Focused on Daily Realities: The Case of the Reform in Niger

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charland, Patrick; Cyr, Stéphane

2013-01-01

In the context of the curriculum reform in Niger, the authors describe the process of developing a situations bank which focusses on everyday life situations in Niger. The bank plays a central role in the formulation of new study programmes guided by the so-called "situated" approach. The authors also describe various issues that arose…

Comparison of landfarming amendments to improve bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons in Niger Delta soils.

PubMed

Brown, David M; Okoro, Samson; van Gils, Juami; van Spanning, Rob; Bonte, Matthijs; Hutchings, Tony; Linden, Olof; Egbuche, Uzoamaka; Bruun, Kim Bye; Smith, Jonathan W N

2017-10-15

Large scale landfarming experiments, using an extensive range of treatments, were conducted in the Niger-Delta, Nigeria to study the degradation of oil in contaminated soils. In this work the effect of nutrient addition, biosurfactant, Eisenia fetida (earthworm) enzyme extract, bulking and sorption agents and soil neutralization were tested. It was found that these treatments were successful in removing up to 53% of the total petroleum hydrocarbon in the soil within 16 weeks. A comparison between treatments demonstrated that most were no more effective than agricultural fertilizer addition alone. One strategy that did show better performance was a combination of nutrients, biochar and biosurfactant, which was found to remove 23% more Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) than fertilizer alone. However, when performance normalized costs were considered, this treatment became less attractive as a remedial option. Based on this same analysis it was concluded that fertilizer only was the most cost effective treatment. As a consequence, it is recommended that fertilizer is used to enhance the landfarming of hydrocarbon contaminated soils in the Niger Delta. The attenuation rates of both bulk TPH and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon Criteria Working Group (TPHCWG) fractions are also provided. These values represent one of the first large scale and scientifically tested datasets for treatment of contaminated soil in the Niger Delta region. An inverse correlation between attenuation rates and hydrocarbon molecular weight was observed with heavy fractions showing much slower degradation rates than lighter fractions. Despite this difference, the bioremediation process resulted in significant removal of all TPH compounds independent of carbon number. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatially resolving the secretome within the mycelium of the cell factory Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Krijgsheld, Pauline; Altelaar, A F Maarten; Post, Harm; Ringrose, Jeffrey H; Müller, Wally H; Heck, Albert J R; Wösten, Han A B

2012-05-04

Aspergillus niger is an important cell factory for the industrial production of enzymes. These enzymes are released into the culture medium, from which they can be easily isolated. Here, we determined with stable isotope dimethyl labeling the secretome of five concentric zones of 7-day-old xylose-grown colonies of A. niger that had either or not been treated with cycloheximide. As expected, cycloheximide blocked secretion of proteins at the periphery of the colony. Unexpectedly, protein release was increased by cycloheximide in the intermediate and central zones of the mycelium when compared to nontreated colonies. Electron microscopy indicated that this is due to partial degradation of the cell wall. In total, 124 proteins were identified in cycloheximide-treated colonies, of which 19 secreted proteins had not been identified before. Within the pool of 124 proteins, 53 secreted proteins were absent in nontreated colonies, and additionally, 35 proteins were released ≥4-fold in the central and subperipheral zones of cycloheximide-treated colonies when compared to nontreated colonies. The composition of the secretome in each of the five concentric zones differed. This study thus describes spatial release of proteins in A. niger, which is instrumental in understanding how fungi degrade complex substrates in nature.

Bioconversion of Agave tequilana fructans by exo-inulinases from indigenous Aspergillus niger CH-A-2010 enhances ethanol production from raw Agave tequilana juice.

PubMed

Huitrón, Carlos; Pérez, Rosalba; Gutiérrez, Luís; Lappe, Patricia; Petrosyan, Pavel; Villegas, Jesús; Aguilar, Cecilia; Rocha-Zavaleta, Leticia; Blancas, Abel

2013-01-01

Agave tequilana fructans are the source of fermentable sugars for the production of tequila. Fructans are processed by acid hydrolysis or by cooking in ovens at high temperature. Enzymatic hydrolysis is considered an alternative for the bioconversion of fructans. We previously described the isolation of Aspergillus niger CH-A-2010, an indigenous strain that produces extracellular inulinases. Here we evaluated the potential application of A. niger CH-A-2010 inulinases for the bioconversion of A. tequilana fructans, and its impact on the production of ethanol. Inulinases were analyzed by Western blotting and thin layer chromatography. Optimal pH and temperature conditions for inulinase activity were determined. The efficiency of A. niger CH-A-2010 inulinases was compared with commercial enzymes and with acid hydrolysis. The hydrolysates obtained were subsequently fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae to determine the efficiency of ethanol production. Results indicate that A. niger CH-A-2010 predominantly produces an exo-inulinase activity. Optimal inulinase activity occurred at pH 5.0 and 50 °C. Hydrolysis of raw agave juice by CH-A-2010 inulinases yielded 33.5 g/l reducing sugars, compared with 27.3 g/l by Fructozyme(®) (Novozymes Corp, Bagsværd, Denmark) and 29.4 g/l by acid hydrolysis. After fermentation of hydrolysates, we observed that the conversion efficiency of sugars into ethanol was 97.5 % of the theoretical ethanol yield for enzymatically degraded agave juice, compared to 83.8 % for acid-hydrolyzed juice. These observations indicate that fructans from raw Agave tequilana juice can be efficiently hydrolyzed by using A. niger CH-A-2010 inulinases, and that this procedure impacts positively on the production of ethanol.

Complete nucleotide sequences of okra isolates of Cotton leaf curl Gezira virus and their associated DNA-beta from Niger.

PubMed

Shih, S L; Kumar, S; Tsai, W S; Lee, L M; Green, S K

2009-01-01

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is a major crop in Niger. In the fall of 2007, okra leaf curl disease was observed in Niger and the begomovirus and DNA-beta satellite were found associated with the disease. The complete nucleotide sequences of DNA-A (FJ469626 and FJ469627) and associated DNA-beta satellites (FJ469628 and FJ469629) were determined from two samples. This is the first report of molecular characterization of okra-infecting begomovirus and their associated DNA-beta from Niger. The begomovirus and DNA-beta have been identified as Cotton leaf curl Gezira virus and Cotton leaf curl Gezira betasatellite, respectively, which are reported to also infect okra in Egypt, Mali and Sudan.

ATR-FTIR spectroscopy reveals polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contamination despite relatively pristine site characteristics: Results of a field study in the Niger Delta.

PubMed

Obinaju, Blessing E; Martin, Francis L

2016-01-01

Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is an emerging technique to detect biochemical alterations in biological tissues, particularly changes due to sub-lethal exposures to environmental contaminants. We have previously shown the potential of attenuated total reflection FTIR (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy to detect real-time exposure to contaminants in sentinel organisms as well as the potential to relate spectral alterations to the presence of specific environmental agents. In this study based in the Niger Delta (Nigeria), changes occurring in fish tissues as a result of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure at contaminated sites are compared to the infrared (IR) spectra of the tissues obtained from a relatively pristine site. Multivariate analysis revealed that PAH contamination could be occurring at the pristine site, based on the IR spectra and significant (P<0.0001) differences between sites. The study provides evidence of the IR spectroscopy techniques' sensitivity and supports their potential application in environmental biomonitoring. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of introducing the pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines into the routine immunization program in Niger.

PubMed

Lee, Bruce Y; Assi, Tina-Marie; Rajgopal, Jayant; Norman, Bryan A; Chen, Sheng-I; Brown, Shawn T; Slayton, Rachel B; Kone, Souleymane; Kenea, Hailu; Welling, Joel S; Connor, Diana L; Wateska, Angela R; Jana, Anirban; Wiringa, Ann E; Van Panhuis, Willem G; Burke, Donald S

2012-02-01

We investigated whether introducing the rotavirus and pneumococcal vaccines, which are greatly needed in West Africa, would overwhelm existing supply chains (i.e., the series of steps required to get a vaccine from the manufacturers to the target population) in Niger. As part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded Vaccine Modeling Initiative, we developed a computational model to determine the impact of introducing these new vaccines to Niger's Expanded Program on Immunization vaccine supply chain. Introducing either the rotavirus vaccine or the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine could overwhelm available storage and transport refrigerator space, creating bottlenecks that would prevent the flow of vaccines down to the clinics. As a result, the availability of all World Health Organization Expanded Program on Immunization vaccines to patients might decrease from an average of 69% to 28.2% (range = 10%-51%). Addition of refrigerator and transport capacity could alleviate this bottleneck. Our results suggest that the effects on the vaccine supply chain should be considered when introducing a new vaccine and that computational models can help assess evolving needs and prevent problems with vaccine delivery.

75 FR 4044 - Stainless Steel Bar From Brazil: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of Antidumping...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-26

... Brazil: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review AGENCY... antidumping duty order on certain stainless steel bar from Brazil for the period February 1, 2008, through... Steel Bar From Brazil: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty...

78 FR 26748 - Certain Activated Carbon From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of Antidumping...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-08

... From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review... People's Republic of China (``PRC'') for the period of review (``POR'') April 1, 2011, through March 31... People's Republic of China,'' (``Preliminary Decision Memorandum'') from Christian Marsh, Deputy...

77 FR 75998 - Lemon Juice from Mexico: Preliminary Results of Full Sunset Review of the Suspended Antidumping...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-26

...: Preliminary Results of Full Sunset Review of the Suspended Antidumping Duty Investigation AGENCY: Import... provided for in section 751(c)(5)(A) of the Act and in 19 CFR 351.218(e)(2). As a result of its analysis... ``Preliminary Results of Review'' section of this notice. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maureen Price or...

PRELIMINARY RESULTS: EVALUATIONS OF THE ALTERNATIVE ASBESTOS CONTROL METHOD FOR BUILDING DEMOLITION

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation describes the preliminary results of the evaluations of the alternative asbestos control method for demolishing buildings containing asbestos, and are covered under the regulatory requirements of the Asbestos NESHAP. This abstract and presentation are based, at ...

Efficient Expression of an Acidic Endo-polygalacturonase from Aspergillus niger and Its Application in Juice Production.

PubMed

Wang, Jiaojiao; Zhang, Yuhong; Qin, Xing; Gao, Lingyu; Han, Bin; Zhang, Deqing; Li, Jinyang; Huang, He; Zhang, Wei

2017-04-05

An endo-polygalacturonase gene (pga-zj5a) was cloned by reverse transcription from cDNAs synthesized from Aspergillus niger ZJ5 total RNA. The open reading frame of pga-zj5a was 1089 base pairs encoding 362 amino acids. Pga-zj5a lacking a signal peptide sequence was successfully amplified using A. niger ZJ5 cDNA as the template and was ligated into the pPIC9 vector. The resulting plasmid was transformed into competent cells of Pichia pastoris GS115 for heterologous expression. The polygalacturonase showed a maximum activity level of 10436 U/mL in the culture supernatant from a 3 L fermenter. Assays of enzymatic properties showed that the optimal pH and temperature of the recombinant PGA-ZJ5A were 4.5 and 40 °C, respectively. PGA-ZJ5A was effective in pear juice clarification, increased the volume of pear juice by 41.8%, and improved its light transmittance 3-fold.

Successive membrane separation processes simplify concentration of lipases produced by Aspergillus niger by solid-state fermentation.

PubMed

Reinehr, Christian Oliveira; Treichel, Helen; Tres, Marcus Vinicius; Steffens, Juliana; Brião, Vandré Barbosa; Colla, Luciane Maria

2017-06-01

In this study, we developed a simplified method for producing, separating, and concentrating lipases derived from solid-state fermentation of agro-industrial residues by filamentous fungi. First, we used Aspergillus niger to produce lipases with hydrolytic activity. We analyzed the separation and concentration of enzymes using membrane separation processes. The sequential use of microfiltration and ultrafiltration processes made it possible to obtain concentrates with enzymatic activities much higher than those in the initial extract. The permeate flux was higher than 60 L/m 2 h during microfiltration using 20- and 0.45-µm membranes and during ultrafiltration using 100- and 50-kDa membranes, where fouling was reversible during the filtration steps, thereby indicating that the fouling may be removed by cleaning processes. These results demonstrate the feasibility of lipase production using A. niger by solid-state fermentation of agro-industrial residues, followed by successive tangential filtration with membranes, which simplify the separation and concentration steps that are typically required in downstream processes.

Low Noise Results From IMS Site Surveys: A Preliminary New High-Frequency Low Noise Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebeling, C.; Astiz, L.; Starovoit, Y.; Tavener, N.; Perez, G.; Given, H. K.; Barrientos, S.; Yamamoto, M.; Hfaiedh, M.; Stewart, R.; Estabrook, C.

2002-12-01

Zimbabwe (Archaean granite). Based on a composite of the results from these five surveys, we propose a preliminary IMS Low-Noise Model (pIMS-LNM) consisting of a revision downward of Peterson's NLNM in the passband from 0.1 to about 0.7 s and an extension of Peterson's NLNM above 0.1 to 0.07 s. As these low noise results are derived from data recorded at temporary installations, improved resolution of this model will be possible when data from final installations become available. Preliminary International Monitoring System Low Noise Model (pIMS-LNM) for periods from 0.07 to 0.70 s. Decibels are relative to ground acceleration ((m/s2)2/Hz). Values presented in (Period, dB) format. Figure in bold is from Peterson's NLNM. [(0.07,-167.0),(0.08,-168.0),(0.09,-169.0),(0.10,-169.5), (0.11,-170.5),(0.13,-171.0),(0.14,-171.5),(0.17,-172.0), (0.20,-1 72.5),(0.25,-173.0),(0.30,-173.5),(0.40,-173.0), (0.50,-172.0),(0.60,-171.0),(0.70,-170.0),(0.80,-169.2)] Reference Peterson, J., 1993. Observations and Modeling of Seismic Background Noise, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 93-322, 47 p.

Upper Stratospheric Temperature Climatology Derived from SAGE II Observations: Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, P.-H.; Cunnold, D. M.; Wang, H. J.; Chu, W. P.; Thomason, L. W.

2002-01-01

This study shows that the temperature information in the upper stratosphere can be derived from the SAGE II 385-mn observations. The preliminary results indicate that the zonal mean temperature increases with altitude below 50 km and decreases above 50 km. At 50 km, a regional maximum of 263 K is located in the tropics, and a minimum of 261 K occurs in the subtropics in both hemispheres. The derived long-term temperature changes from 1985 to 1997 reveal a statistically significant negative trend of -2 to -2.5 K/decade in the tropical upper stratosphere and about -2 K/decade in the subtropics near the stratopause. At latitudes poleward of 50, the results show a statistically significant positive trend of about 1 K/decade in the upper stratosphere. The preliminary results also show large annual temperature oscillations in the extratropics with a maximum amplitude of approx. 8 K located at about 44 km near 50 in both hemispheres during local summer. In addition, the semiannual oscillation is found to be a maximum in the tropics with a peak amplitude of approx. 3.3 K located at about 42 km during the equinox.

Self-assessed approach to improving school health in Niger.

PubMed

Takeuchi, R; Boureima, D; Mizuguchi, D; Awazawa, T; Kato, Y; Akiyama, T; Nonaka, D; Kobayashi, J

2013-01-01

Award schemes and self-evaluation systems have been developed to implement the 'Health-Promoting School (HPS)' concept in European and Asian countries. While there have been many successes in these regions, the implementation of HPS in African countries has been minimal. This study evaluated the impact of a self-evaluation system on school health in Niger. A school health activity guide was developed and distributed to 1999 primary schools in the Niger Tahoua region to raise awareness and solve problems related to school health and hygiene. The number of schools that planned or implemented health-related activities, and the budget and implementation status of their activities was compared over 3 years (before, soon after, and 1 year after distribution). Focus group discussions (FGDs) were also conducted targeting Conseillers Pédagogiques (CPs), who supervise primary schools and teachers, primary school principals and members of Comité de Gestion des Etablissement Scolaire (COGES), which is a type of school steering committee. The number of schools planning at least one health-related activity increased from 47% to 79% soon after distribution of the guide (p <0.001).The number of schools implementing activities increased from 44% to 65% one year after distribution (p <0.001). Health-related budget per school also increased after distribution (p <0.0001) and increases were maintained 1 year after the intervention (p=0.8414). Fulfilment or partial fulfilment rates for health-related activities were lower compared with other (non-health) activities in all three years (80%, 77% & 84% in health-related activities vs 88%, 90% & 91% in others; p <0.001, p <0.001, & p=0.004, respectively). Most FGD participants expressed a positive impression of the program and noted the usefulness of the guide. However, some respondents reported difficulties, especially in relation to budget. The introduction of a health activity guide for self-assessment was effective in increasing

Long range radio tracking of sea turtles and polar bear: Instrumentation and preliminary results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baldwin, H. A.

1972-01-01

Instrumentation developed for studies of path behavior of the green sea turtle and migration movement of polar bear is described. Preliminary results bearing on navigation ability in these species are presented. Both species operate in difficult environments, and the problems faced in the design of electronic instrumentation for these studies are not completely specified at this time. However, the critical factors yet to be understood are primarily related to the behavior of instrumented animals. The data obtained with these experimental techniques are included, first to illustrate the technique and, second to provide initial preliminary results bearing on animal navigation.

Comparison of survivability of Staphylococcus aureus and spores of Aspergillus niger on commonly used floor materials.

PubMed

Gupta, Mridula; Bisesi, Michael; Lee, Jiyoung

2017-07-01

The survivability of Staphylococcus aureus and spores of Aspergillus niger was compared on 5 common floor materials. Floor materials were inoculated with a known concentration of S aureus and spores of A niger on day 0. Their survivability was measured on days, 2, 7, 14, and 28 by bulk rinsate method and enumerated using culture-based method. The difference in change of S aureus levels was statistically significant for all tested days (P < .001) for all floor materials. Vinyl composition tile (VCT) and porcelain tile (PT) had statistically similar survivability and differed statistically from carpets. On both VCT and PT, positive growth for S aureus occurred by day 2 (1-1.7 log 10 ), declined slightly (0.1 to -0.2 log 10 ) by day 7, and remained positive until day 28. However, S aureus was undetected by day 7 on both carpets. A niger spores were undetected on residential broadloom carpet and rubber-backed commercial carpet after day 2 but survived on VCT, PT, and wood until day 28. Floor materials with hard and smooth surfaces, such as VCT and PT, can allow survival of S aureus and A niger for up to 4 weeks. It may imply that floor materials can play a major role in preserving microbial contaminants in the built environment. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effects of juvenile hormone on Lasius niger reproduction.

PubMed

Pamminger, T; Buttstedt, A; Norman, V; Schierhorn, A; Botías, C; Jones, J C; Basley, K; Hughes, W O H

2016-12-01

Reproduction has been shown to be costly for survival in a wide diversity of taxa. The resulting trade-off, termed the reproduction-survival trade-off, is thought to be one of the most fundamental forces of life-history evolution. In insects the pleiotropic effect of juvenile hormone (JH), antagonistically regulating reproduction and pathogen resistance, is suggested to underlie this phenomenon. In contrast to the majority of insects, reproductive individuals in many eusocial insects defy this trade-off and live both long and prosper. By remodelling the gonadotropic effects of JH in reproductive regulation, the queens of the long-lived black garden ant Lasius niger (living up to 27 years), have circumvented the reproduction-survival trade off enabling them to maximize both reproduction and pathogen resistance simultaneously. In this study we measure fertility, vitellogenin gene expression and protein levels after experimental manipulation of hormone levels. We use these measurements to investigate the mechanistic basis of endocrinological role remodelling in reproduction and determine how JH suppresses reproduction in this species, rather then stimulating it, like in the majority of insects. We find that JH likely inhibits three key aspects of reproduction both during vitellogenesis and oogenesis, including two previously unknown mechanisms. In addition, we document that juvenile hormone, as in the majority of insects, has retained some stimulatory function in regulating vitellogenin expression. We discuss the evolutionary consequences of this complex regulatory architecture of reproduction in L. niger, which might enable the evolution of similar reproductive phenotypes by alternate regulatory pathways, and the surprising flexibility regulatory role of juvenile hormone in this process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ATIC Experiment: Preliminary Results from the Flight in 2002

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahn, H. S.; Adams, J. H.; Bashindzhagyan, G.; Batkov, K. E.; Chang, J.; Christl, M.; Cox, M.; Ellison, S. B.; Fazely, A. R.; Ganel, O.

2003-01-01

Abstract The Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter (ATIC) had successful Long Duration Balloon flights from McMurdo, Antarctica in both 2000 and 2002. The instrument consists of a Silicon matrix for charge measurement, a flared graphite target to induce nuclear interactions, scintillator strip hodoscopes for triggering and helping reconstruct trajectory, and a BGO calorimeter to measure the energy of incident particles. In this paper, we discuss the second flight, which lasted 20 days, starting on 12/29/02. Preliminary results from the on-going analysis of the data including the proton and helium spectra are reported.

Spatial differentiation of gene expression in Aspergillus niger colony grown for sugar beet pulp utilization

PubMed Central

Benoit, Isabelle; Zhou, Miaomiao; Vivas Duarte, Alexandra; Downes, Damien J.; Todd, Richard B.; Kloezen, Wendy; Post, Harm; Heck, Albert J. R.; Maarten Altelaar, A. F.; de Vries, Ronald P.

2015-01-01

Degradation of plant biomass to fermentable sugars is of critical importance for the use of plant materials for biofuels. Filamentous fungi are ubiquitous organisms and major plant biomass degraders. Single colonies of some fungal species can colonize massive areas as large as five soccer stadia. During growth, the mycelium encounters heterogeneous carbon sources. Here we assessed whether substrate heterogeneity is a major determinant of spatial gene expression in colonies of Aspergillus niger. We analyzed whole-genome gene expression in five concentric zones of 5-day-old colonies utilizing sugar beet pulp as a complex carbon source. Growth, protein production and secretion occurred throughout the colony. Genes involved in carbon catabolism were expressed uniformly from the centre to the periphery whereas genes encoding plant biomass degrading enzymes and nitrate utilization were expressed differentially across the colony. A combined adaptive response of carbon-catabolism and enzyme production to locally available monosaccharides was observed. Finally, our results demonstrate that A. niger employs different enzymatic tools to adapt its metabolism as it colonizes complex environments. PMID:26314379

Spatial differentiation of gene expression in Aspergillus niger colony grown for sugar beet pulp utilization.

PubMed

Benoit, Isabelle; Zhou, Miaomiao; Vivas Duarte, Alexandra; Downes, Damien J; Todd, Richard B; Kloezen, Wendy; Post, Harm; Heck, Albert J R; Maarten Altelaar, A F; de Vries, Ronald P

2015-08-28

Degradation of plant biomass to fermentable sugars is of critical importance for the use of plant materials for biofuels. Filamentous fungi are ubiquitous organisms and major plant biomass degraders. Single colonies of some fungal species can colonize massive areas as large as five soccer stadia. During growth, the mycelium encounters heterogeneous carbon sources. Here we assessed whether substrate heterogeneity is a major determinant of spatial gene expression in colonies of Aspergillus niger. We analyzed whole-genome gene expression in five concentric zones of 5-day-old colonies utilizing sugar beet pulp as a complex carbon source. Growth, protein production and secretion occurred throughout the colony. Genes involved in carbon catabolism were expressed uniformly from the centre to the periphery whereas genes encoding plant biomass degrading enzymes and nitrate utilization were expressed differentially across the colony. A combined adaptive response of carbon-catabolism and enzyme production to locally available monosaccharides was observed. Finally, our results demonstrate that A. niger employs different enzymatic tools to adapt its metabolism as it colonizes complex environments.

Inhibitory effect of double atmospheric pressure argon cold plasma on spores and mycotoxin production of Aspergillus niger contaminating date palm fruits.

PubMed

Ouf, Salama A; Basher, Abdulrahman H; Mohamed, Abdel-Aleam H

2015-12-01

Aspergillus niger has been reported as a potentially dangerous pathogen of date-palm fruits in Saudi Arabia due to the production of fumonisin B2 (FB2 ) and ochratoxin A (OTA). In a trial to disinfect this product, a double atmospheric pressure argon cold plasma (DAPACP) jet system was set up and evaluated against spore germination and mycotoxin production of the pathogen. The plasma jets were characterised photographically, electrically and spectroscopically. DAPACP jet length increases with the increase of argon flow rate, with optimum rate at 3.5 L min(-1) . The viability of A. niger spores, inoculated onto sterilised date palm fruit discs, progressively decreases with extension of the exposure time of DAPACP due to the more quantitative amount of OH and O radicals interacting with the examined samples. There was a progressive reduction of the amount of FB2 and OTA detected in date palm discs on extension of the exposure time of the plasma-treated inoculums at flow rate of 3.5 L min(-1) . FB2 was not detected in the discs inoculated with 6-min plasma-treated A. niger, while OTA was completely absent when the fungus was treated for 7.5 min. DAPACP showed promising results in dry fruit decontamination and in inhibition of mycotoxin release by A. niger contaminating the fruits. The progress in the commercial application of cold plasma needs further investigation concerning the ideal width of the plasma output to enable it to cover wider surfaces of the sample and consequently inducing greater plasma performance. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

75 FR 1495 - Certain Hot-Rolled Carbon Steel Flat Products From India: Preliminary Results of Countervailing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-11

...The Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on certain hot-rolled carbon steel flat products from India for the period of review (POR) January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2008. These preliminary results cover one company Tata Steel Limited (Tata). For the information on the net subsidy rate for the reviewed company, see the ``Preliminary Results of Review'' section.

Efficacy and possible mechanisms of perillaldehyde in control of Aspergillus niger causing grape decay.

PubMed

Tian, Jun; Wang, Yanzhen; Zeng, Hong; Li, Zongyun; Zhang, Peng; Tessema, Akalate; Peng, Xue

2015-06-02

A variety of plant products have been recognized for their antifungal activity and recently have attracted food industry attention for their efficacy in controlling postharvest fungal decay of fruits. The antifungal activity of perillaldehyde (PAE) was evaluated against Aspergillus niger, a known cause of grape spoilage, and possible mechanisms were explored. PAE showed notable antifungal activity against A. niger, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and a minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of 0.25 and 1 μl/ml, respectively. The accumulation of mycelial biomass was also inhibited by PAE in a dose-dependent manner, completely inhibiting mycelial growth at 1 μl/ml. In vivo data confirmed that the vapour treatment of grapes with various concentrations of PAE markedly improved control of A. niger and suppressed natural decay. Concentrations of PAE of 0.075 μl/ml air showed the greatest inhibition of fungal growth compared to the controls. Further experiments indicated that PAE activated a membrane-active mechanism that inhibits ergosterol synthesis, increases membrane permeability (as evidenced by extracellular pH and conductivity measurements), and disrupts membrane integrity, leading to cell death. Our findings suggest that this membrane-active mechanism makes PAE a promising potential antifungal agent for postharvest control of grape spoilage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lipase production in solid-state fermentation monitoring biomass growth of aspergillus niger using digital image processing.

PubMed

Dutra, Júlio C V; da C Terzi, Selma; Bevilaqua, Juliana Vaz; Damaso, Mônica C T; Couri, Sônia; Langone, Marta A P; Senna, Lilian F

2008-03-01

The aim of this study was to monitor the biomass growth of Aspergillus niger in solid-state fermentation (SSF) for lipase production using digital image processing technique. The strain A. niger 11T53A14 was cultivated in SSF using wheat bran as support, which was enriched with 0.91% (m/v) of ammonium sulfate. The addition of several vegetable oils (castor, soybean, olive, corn, and palm oils) was investigated to enhance lipase production. The maximum lipase activity was obtained using 2% (m/m) castor oil. In these conditions, the growth was evaluated each 24 h for 5 days by the glycosamine content analysis and digital image processing. Lipase activity was also determined. The results indicated that the digital image process technique can be used to monitor biomass growth in a SSF process and to correlate biomass growth and enzyme activity. In addition, the immobilized esterification lipase activity was determined for the butyl oleate synthesis, with and without 50% v/v hexane, resulting in 650 and 120 U/g, respectively. The enzyme was also used for transesterification of soybean oil and ethanol with maximum yield of 2.4%, after 30 min of reaction.

Lipase Production in Solid-State Fermentation Monitoring Biomass Growth of Aspergillus niger Using Digital Image Processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutra, Julio C. V.; da Terzi, Selma C.; Bevilaqua, Juliana Vaz; Damaso, Mônica C. T.; Couri, Sônia; Langone, Marta A. P.; Senna, Lilian F.

The aim of this study was to monitor the biomass growth of Aspergillus niger in solid-state fermentation (SSF) for lipase production using digital image processing technique. The strain A. niger 11T53A14 was cultivated in SSF using wheat bran as support, which was enriched with 0.91% (m/v) of ammonium sulfate. The addition of several vegetable oils (castor, soybean, olive, corn, and palm oils) was investigated to enhance lipase production. The maximum lipase activity was obtained using 2% (m/m) castor oil. In these conditions, the growth was evaluated each 24 h for 5 days by the glycosamine content analysis and digital image processing. Lipase activity was also determined. The results indicated that the digital image process technique can be used to monitor biomass growth in a SSF process and to correlate biomass growth and enzyme activity. In addition, the immobilized esterification lipase activity was determined for the butyl oleate synthesis, with and without 50% v/v hexane, resulting in 650 and 120 U/g, respectively. The enzyme was also used for transesterification of soybean oil and ethanol with maximum yield of 2.4%, after 30 min of reaction.

Dry land tree management for improved household livelihoods: farmer managed natural regeneration in Niger.

PubMed

Haglund, Eric; Ndjeunga, Jupiter; Snook, Laura; Pasternak, Dov

2011-07-01

Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), a set of practices farmers use to foster the growth of indigenous trees on agricultural land, has drawn substantial attention as a contributing factor to a trend of increasing vegetation greenness in the Republic of Niger. This paper identifies drivers of FMNR adoption and assesses its impacts on rural households in the Region of Maradi, Niger, an area covering 42,000 square kilometers. The results show that 26% of households practice a form of FMNR involving both pruning and protecting woody vegetation. Adoption is strongly linked to soil type, market access, and the education level of the head of household. FMNR raises household income and increases crop diversity, household migration rates, and the density and diversity of trees on farmland. It is estimated that FMNR raises the annual gross income of the region by between 17 and 21 million USD and has contributed an additional 900,000 to 1,000,000 trees to the local environment. These findings support the value of continued promotion of FMNR as an inexpensive means of enhancing rural livelihoods and an attractive alternative to reforestation efforts relying on tree planting. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Majorana Demonstrator Status and Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, C.-H.; Alvis, S. I.; Arnquist, I. J.; Avignone, F. T.; Barabash, A. S.; Barton, C. J.; Bertrand, F. E.; Bode, T.; Brudanin, V.; Busch, M.; Buuck, M.; Caldwell, T. S.; Chan, Y.-D.; Christofferson, C. D.; Chu, P.-H.; Cuesta, C.; Detwiler, J. A.; Dunagan, C.; Efremenko, Yu; Ejiri, H.; Elliott, S. R.; Gilliss, T.; Giovanetti, G. K.; Green, M.; Gruszko, J.; Guinn, I. S.; Guiseppe, V. E.; Haufe, C. R.; Hehn, L.; Henning, R.; Hoppe, E. W.; Howe, M. A.; Keeter, K. J.; Kidd, M. F.; Konovalov, S. I.; Kouzes, R. T.; Lopez, A. M.; Martin, R. D.; Massarczyk, R.; Meijer, S. J.; Mertens, S.; Myslik, J.; Othman, G.; Pettus, W.; Poon, A. W. P.; Radford, D. C.; Rager, J.; Reine, A. L.; Rielage, K.; Ruof, N. W.; Shanks, B.; Shirchenko, M.; Suriano, A. M.; Tedeschi, D.; Varner, R. L.; Vasilyev, S.; Vetter, K.; Vorren, K.; White, B. R.; Wilkerson, J. F.; Wiseman, C.; Xu, W.; Yakushev, E.; Yumatov, V.; Zhitnikov, I.; Zhu, B. Z.

2018-05-01

The MAJORANA Collaboration is using an array of high-purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in 76Ge. Searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay are understood to be the only viable experimental method for testing the Majorana nature of the neutrino. Observation of this decay would imply violation of lepton number, that neutrinos are Majorana in nature, and provide information on the neutrino mass. The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR comprises 44.1 kg of p-type point-contact Ge detectors (29.7 kg enriched in 76Ge) surrounded by a low-background shield system. The experiment achieved a high efficiency of converting raw Ge material to detectors and an unprecedented detector energy resolution of 2.5 keV FWHM at Qββ. The MAJORANA collaboration began taking physics data in 2016. This paper summarizes key construction aspects of the Demonstrator and shows preliminary results from initial data.

Discrimination of Aspergillus niger and other Aspergillus species belonging to section Nigri by PCR assays.

PubMed

González-Salgado, Amaia; Patiño, Belén; Vázquez, Covadonga; González-Jaén, M Teresa

2005-04-15

Aspergillus species included in section Nigri are common in plant products and processed food, such as grapes, cereals, coffee and derivatives, particularly in warm and tropical climates. Two of these species, A. carbonarius and A. niger, are known to produce ochratoxin A (OTA), a potent nephrotoxin and carcinogenic to human (group 2B). Recognition of the several species of this section is difficult and requires considerable expertise using conventional methods based on morphological features. In this work we describe rapid, sensitive and robust assays based on the PCR technique to discriminate the main species included in section Nigri: A. japonicus, A. heteromorphus, A. ellipticus and the two morphologically indistinguishable species of the A. niger aggregate: A. niger and A. tubingensis. The species-specific primers have been designed on the basis of ITS (internal transcribed spacers of rDNA units) sequence comparisons obtained from several Aspergillus strains and have been tested in a number of strains from different origins and hosts. These PCR assays, based on multi-copy sequences, are highly sensitive and specific and represent a good tool for an early detection of OTA-producing Aspergillus species in order to prevent OTA from entering the food chain.

Mutualistic interaction between Salmonella enterica and Aspergillus niger and its effects on Zea mays colonization

PubMed Central

Balbontín, Roberto; Vlamakis, Hera; Kolter, Roberto

2014-01-01

Salmonella Typhimurium inhabits a variety of environments and is able to infect a broad range of hosts. Throughout its life cycle, some hosts can act as intermediates in the path to the infection of others. Aspergillus niger is a ubiquitous fungus that can often be found in soil or associated to plants and microbial consortia. Recently, S. Typhimurium was shown to establish biofilms on the hyphae of A. niger. In this work, we have found that this interaction is stable for weeks without a noticeable negative effect on either organism. Indeed, bacterial growth is promoted upon the establishment of the interaction. Moreover, bacterial biofilms protect the fungus from external insults such as the effects of the anti-fungal agent cycloheximide. Thus, the Salmonella–Aspergillus interaction can be defined as mutualistic. A tripartite gnotobiotic system involving the bacterium, the fungus and a plant revealed that co-colonization has a greater negative effect on plant growth than colonization by either organism in dividually. Strikingly, co-colonization also causes a reduction in plant invasion by S. Typhimurium. This work demonstrates that S. Typhimurium and A. niger establish a mutualistic interaction that alters bacterial colonization of plants and affects plant physiology. PMID:25351041

Soil Dust Aerosols and Wind as Predictors of Seasonal Meningitis Incidence in Niger

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perez Garcia Pando, Carlos; Stanton, Michelle C.; Diggle, Peter J.; Trzaska, Sylwia; Miller, Ron L.; Perlwitz, Jan P.; Baldasano, Jose M.; Cuevas, Emilio; Ceccato, Pietro; Yaka, Pascal;

Sustainability Efforts of One Oil Company in Niger Delta of Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anosike, Charles Afam

Environmental degradation and socioeconomic dilemma continue to stigmatize oil production in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. Sustainability programs of oil companies often determine the improvement of living conditions in the region. This explanatory qualitative case study, guided by systems thinking theory and sustainable value framework, explored practitioners' perceptions of sustainability programs to identify its impact on business and the host communities. The research question was designed to address how sustainability efforts of a single oil company in the Niger Delta contributed to the business performance and the livelihood of the local people. Research data were gathered from a sample of 20 experienced sustainability practitioners of the oil company, partnering nonprofit organizations, and community leaders through face-to-face semistructured interviews. Data were segmented and categorized. The data analysis process revealed several themes regarding the challenges and shortfalls of sustainability programs in the region. The oil company's understanding of sustainability as programs and projects focused on preserving resources for future generations was not evident in practice. Findings from the study suggested the need for improved inclusiveness of people in driving sustainability projects. Inclusive sustainability should enhance the oil company's contemplation mechanism to ensure eco-saving thinking and processes, which could result in improved quality of life and business performance in the region. The research findings underscore the need for oil multinational corporations (MNCs) to use a business lens in viewing sustainability to achieve sustainable value.

Peak Seeking Control for Reduced Fuel Consumption with Preliminary Flight Test Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Nelson

2012-01-01

The Environmentally Responsible Aviation project seeks to accomplish the simultaneous reduction of fuel burn, noise, and emissions. A project at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center is contributing to ERAs goals by exploring the practical application of real-time trim configuration optimization for enhanced performance and reduced fuel consumption. This peak-seeking control approach is based on Newton-Raphson algorithm using a time-varying Kalman filter to estimate the gradient of the performance function. In real-time operation, deflection of symmetric ailerons, trailing-edge flaps, and leading-edge flaps of a modified F-18 are directly optimized, and the horizontal stabilators and angle of attack are indirectly optimized. Preliminary results from three research flights are presented herein. The optimization system found a trim configuration that required approximately 3.5% less fuel flow than the baseline trim at the given flight condition. The algorithm consistently rediscovered the solution from several initial conditions. These preliminary results show the algorithm has good performance and is expected to show similar results at other flight conditions and aircraft configurations.

Dual transcriptional profiling of a bacterial/fungal confrontation: Collimonas fungivorans versus Aspergillus niger

PubMed Central

Mela, Francesca; Fritsche, Kathrin; de Boer, Wietse; van Veen, Johannes A; de Graaff, Leo H; van den Berg, Marlies; Leveau, Johan H J

2011-01-01

Interactions between bacteria and fungi cover a wide range of incentives, mechanisms and outcomes. The genus Collimonas consists of soil bacteria that are known for their antifungal activity and ability to grow at the expense of living fungi. In non-contact confrontation assays with the fungus Aspergillus niger, Collimonas fungivorans showed accumulation of biomass concomitant with inhibition of hyphal spread. Through microarray analysis of bacterial and fungal mRNA from the confrontation arena, we gained new insights into the mechanisms underlying the fungistatic effect and mycophagous phenotype of collimonads. Collimonas responded to the fungus by activating genes for the utilization of fungal-derived compounds and for production of a putative antifungal compound. In A. niger, differentially expressed genes included those involved in lipid and cell wall metabolism and cell defense, which correlated well with the hyphal deformations that were observed microscopically. Transcriptional profiles revealed distress in both partners: downregulation of ribosomal proteins and upregulation of mobile genetic elements in the bacteria and expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress and conidia-related genes in the fungus. Both partners experienced nitrogen shortage in each other's presence. Overall, our results indicate that the Collimonas/Aspergillus interaction is a complex interplay between trophism, antibiosis and competition for nutrients. PMID:21614084

77 FR 19619 - Notice of Extension of Time Limit for the Preliminary Results of Administrative Review of the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-02

... Limit for the Preliminary Results of Administrative Review of the Suspension Agreement on Hot-Rolled... Preliminary Results of Administrative Review of the Suspension Agreement on Hot-Rolled Flat-Rolled Carbon... Suspending the Antidumping Investigation on Hot-Rolled Flat-Rolled Carbon-Quality Steel Products from the...

Agricultural residues for cellulolytic enzyme production by Aspergillus niger: effects of pretreatment.

PubMed

Salihu, Aliyu; Abbas, Olagunju; Sallau, Abdullahi Balarabe; Alam, Md Zahangir

2015-12-01

Different agricultural residues were considered in this study for their ability to support cellulolytic enzyme production by Aspergillus niger. A total of eleven agricultural residues including finger millet hulls, sorghum hulls, soybean hulls, groundnut husk, banana peels, corn stalk, cassava peels, sugarcane bagasse, saw dust, rice straw and sheanut cake were subjected to three pretreatment (acid, alkali and oxidative) methods. All the residues supported the growth and production of cellulases by A. niger after 96 h of incubation. Maximum cellulase production was found in alkali-treated soybean hulls with CMCase, FPase and β-glucosidase yields of 9.91 ± 0.04, 6.20 ± 0.13 and 5.69 ± 0.29 U/g, respectively. Further studies in assessing the potential of soybean hulls are being considered to optimize the medium composition and process parameters for enhanced cellulase production.

Preliminary results on complex ceramic layers deposition by atmospheric plasma spraying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Florea, Costel; Bejinariu, Costicǎ; Munteanu, Corneliu; Cimpoeşu, Nicanor

2017-04-01

In this article we obtain thin layers from complex ceramic powders using industrial equipment based on atmospheric plasma spraying. We analyze the influence of the substrate material roughness on the quality of the thin layers using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray dispersive energy analyze (EDAX). Preliminary results present an important dependence between the surface state and the structural and chemical homogeneity.

Preliminary results from a shallow water benthic grazing study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, N.L.; Monismith, Stephen G.; Thompson, Janet K.

2005-01-01

Despite great improvements in our knowledge on the effects of benthic grazers on seston concentrations in water columns, the effects of different hydrodynamic conditions on grazing rates has not been formulated. This makes it difficult to assess the system-wide effect of the benthic ecosystem on phytoplankton concentrations. Furthermore, it affects our ability to predict the potential success of a benthic species, such as the invasive clams Corbicula fluminea and Potamocorbula amurensis. This paper presents the preliminary results of a control volume approach to elucidate the effect of different hydrodynamic conditions on the grazing rates of Corbicula fluminea.

Clinical and experimental study of TMJ distraction: preliminary results.

PubMed

Festa, F; Galluccio, G

1998-01-01

A physiotherapeutic approach, with manual maneuvers and/or distraction appliances, is indicated in the treatment of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) to prevent the progressive fibrosis of the muscle fibers. In this article, the authors report preliminary results of experimental and clinical studies conducted to assess the real effect of distraction in temporomandibular joint disorders. The experimental invivo studies confirmed the structural alteration due to compression and distraction on the capsular and condylar tissues. Clinical cases are reported to show the increase of the intraarticular vertical dimension, with a forward and downward movement of the condyles in a more physiologic condition.

High Survival of Lasius niger during Summer Flooding in a European Grassland

PubMed Central

Hertzog, Lionel R.; Ebeling, Anne; Meyer, Sebastian T.; Eisenhauer, Nico; Fischer, Christine; Hildebrandt, Anke; Wagg, Cameron; Weisser, Wolfgang W.

2016-01-01

Climate change is projected to increase the frequency of extreme events, such as flooding and droughts, which are anticipated to have negative effects on the biodiversity of primary producers and consequently the associated consumer communities. Here we assessed the effects of an extreme early summer flooding event in 2013 on ant colonies along an experimental gradient of plant species richness in a temperate grassland. We tested the effects of flood duration, plant species richness, plant cover, soil temperature, and soil porosity on ant occurrence and abundance. We found that the ant community was dominated by Lasius niger, whose presence and abundance after the flood was not significantly affected by any of the tested variables, including plant species richness. We found the same level of occupation by L. niger at the field site after the flood (surveyed in 2013) as before the flood (surveyed in 2006). Thus, there were no negative effects of the flood on the presence of L. niger in the plots. We can exclude recolonisation as a possible explanation of ant presence in the field site due to the short time period between the end of the flood and survey as well as to the absence of a spatial pattern in the occupancy data. Thus, the omnipresence of this dominant ant species 1 month after the flood indicates that the colonies were able to survive a 3-week summer flood. The observed ant species proved to be flood resistant despite experiencing such extreme climatic events very rarely. PMID:27851761

High Survival of Lasius niger during Summer Flooding in a European Grassland.

PubMed

Hertzog, Lionel R; Ebeling, Anne; Meyer, Sebastian T; Eisenhauer, Nico; Fischer, Christine; Hildebrandt, Anke; Wagg, Cameron; Weisser, Wolfgang W

2016-01-01

Climate change is projected to increase the frequency of extreme events, such as flooding and droughts, which are anticipated to have negative effects on the biodiversity of primary producers and consequently the associated consumer communities. Here we assessed the effects of an extreme early summer flooding event in 2013 on ant colonies along an experimental gradient of plant species richness in a temperate grassland. We tested the effects of flood duration, plant species richness, plant cover, soil temperature, and soil porosity on ant occurrence and abundance. We found that the ant community was dominated by Lasius niger, whose presence and abundance after the flood was not significantly affected by any of the tested variables, including plant species richness. We found the same level of occupation by L. niger at the field site after the flood (surveyed in 2013) as before the flood (surveyed in 2006). Thus, there were no negative effects of the flood on the presence of L. niger in the plots. We can exclude recolonisation as a possible explanation of ant presence in the field site due to the short time period between the end of the flood and survey as well as to the absence of a spatial pattern in the occupancy data. Thus, the omnipresence of this dominant ant species 1 month after the flood indicates that the colonies were able to survive a 3-week summer flood. The observed ant species proved to be flood resistant despite experiencing such extreme climatic events very rarely.

Niger Delta play types, Nigeria

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

Akinpelu, A.O.

Exploration databases can be more valuable when sorted by play type. Play specific databases provide a system to organize E & P data used in evaluating the range of values of parameters for reserve estimation and risk assessment. It is important both in focusing the knowledge base and in orienting research effort. A play in this context is any unique combination of trap, reservoir and source properties with the right dynamics of migration and preservation that results in hydrocarbon accumulation. This definitions helps us to discriminate the subtle differences found with these accumulation settings. About 20 play types were identifiedmore » around the Niger Delta oil province in Nigeria. These are grouped into three parts: (1) The proven plays-constituting the bulk of exploration prospects in Nigeria today. (2) The unproven or semi-proven plays usually with some successes recorded in a few tries but where knowledge is still inadequate. (3) The unproven or analogous play concept. These are untested but geologically sound ideas which may or may not have been tried elsewhere. With classification and sub grouping of these play types into specific databases, intrinsic attributes and uniqueness of each of them with respect to the four major risk elements and the eight parameters for reserve estimation can be better understood.« less

Large co-axial pulse tube preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emery, N.; Caughley, A.; Meier, J.; Nation, M.; Tanchon, J.; Trollier, T.; Ravex, A.

2014-01-01

We report that Callaghan Innovation, formally known as Industrial Research Ltd (IRL), has designed and built its largest of three high frequency single-stage co-axial pulse tubes, closely coupled to a metal diaphragm pressure wave generator (PWG). The previous pulse tube achieved 110 W of cooling power @ 77 K, with an electrical input power of 3.1 kW from a 90 cc swept volume PWG. The pulse tubes have all been tuned to operate at 50 Hz, with a mean helium working pressure of 2.5 MPa. Sage pulse tube simulation software was used to model the latest pulse tube and predicted 280 W of cooling power @ 77 K. The nominal 250 W cryocooler was designed to be an intermediate step to up-scale pulse tube technology for our 1000 cc swept-volume PWG, to provide liquefaction of gases and cooling for HTS applications. Details of the modeling, design, development and preliminary experimental results are discussed.

The Majorana Demonstrator Status and Preliminary Results

DOE PAGES

Yu, C. -H.; Alvis, S. I.; Arnquist, I. J.; ...

2018-01-01

The MAJORANA Collaboration is using an array of high-purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in 76Ge. Searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay are understood to be the only viable experimental method for testing the Majorana nature of the neutrino. Observation of this decay would imply violation of lepton number, that neutrinos are Majorana in nature, and provide information on the neutrino mass. The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR comprises 44.1 kg of p-type point-contact Ge detectors (29.7 kg enriched in 76Ge) surrounded by a low-background shield system. The experiment achieved a high efficiency of converting raw Ge material to detectors andmore » an unprecedented detector energy resolution of 2.5 keV FWHM at Q ββ. The MAJORANA collaboration began taking physics data in 2016. Here, this paper summarizes key construction aspects of the Demonstrator and shows preliminary results from initial data.« less

The Majorana Demonstrator Status and Preliminary Results

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

Yu, C. -H.; Alvis, S. I.; Arnquist, I. J.

The MAJORANA Collaboration is using an array of high-purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in 76Ge. Searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay are understood to be the only viable experimental method for testing the Majorana nature of the neutrino. Observation of this decay would imply violation of lepton number, that neutrinos are Majorana in nature, and provide information on the neutrino mass. The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR comprises 44.1 kg of p-type point-contact Ge detectors (29.7 kg enriched in 76Ge) surrounded by a low-background shield system. The experiment achieved a high efficiency of converting raw Ge material to detectors andmore » an unprecedented detector energy resolution of 2.5 keV FWHM at Q ββ. The MAJORANA collaboration began taking physics data in 2016. Here, this paper summarizes key construction aspects of the Demonstrator and shows preliminary results from initial data.« less

Modification of Aspergillus niger by conducting polymer, Polypyrrole, and the evaluation of electrochemical properties of modified cells.

PubMed

Apetrei, Roxana-Mihaela; Carac, Geta; Bahrim, Gabriela; Ramanaviciene, Almira; Ramanavicius, Arunas

2018-06-01

The enhancement of bioelectrochemical properties of microorganism by in situ formation of conducting polymer within the cell structures (e.g. cell wall) was performed. The synthesis of polypyrrole (Ppy) within fungi (Aspergillus niger) cells was achieved. Two different Aspergillus niger strains were selected due to their ability to produce glucose oxidase, which initiated the Ppy formation through products of enzymatic reaction. The evolution of Ppy structural features was investigated by absorption spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Insects Associated With Jatropha curcas Linn. (Euphorbiaceae) in West Niger

PubMed Central

Habou, Zakari Abdoul; Adam, Toudou; Haubruge, Eric; Mergeai, Guy; Verheggen, François J.

2014-01-01

Abstract Jatropha curcas has been introduced into Niger since 2004 by International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). This plant is cultivated for its oil, which can be used as a Biofuel. Through direct and indirect insect collection methods, an inventory of the insect associated with J. curcas has been conducted in Western Niger during two rainy seasons (from June to October) in 2010 and 2011. We have identified insects belonging to the following families: Acrididae ( Oedaleus senegalensis Krauss , Oedaleus nigeriensis Uvarov, Heteracris leani Uvarov, Catantops stramineus Walker, Parga cyanoptera Uvarov, and Acanthacris ruficornis citrina Audinet-Serville), Pyrgomorphidae ( Poekilocerus bufonius hieroglyphicus Klug), Cetoniidae ( Pachnoda interrupta Olivier, Pachnoda marginata aurantia Herbst, Pachnoda sinuata Heinrich and McClain, and Rhabdotis sobrina Gory and Percheron), Meloidae ( Decapotoma lunata Pallas), Pentatomidae ( Agonoscelis versicoloratus Dallas, Nezara viridula Linn, and Antestia sp. Kirkaldy), Coreidae ( Leptoglossus membranaceus Fabricius and Cletus trigonus Thunberg), and Scutelleridae ( Calidea panaethiopica Kirkaldy). Origin and potential impact on J. curcas of all these insect species are presented and discussed. The lower insect’s diversity indexes are observed in 2010 and 2011 for Niamey, Saga, and Gaya because of semi-arid character of the Sahelian area. PMID:25528746

In situ photoimmunotherapy for melanoma: preliminary clinical results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naylor, Mark F.; Nordquist, Robert E.; Teauge, T. Kent; Perry, Lisa A.; Chen, Wei R.

2006-02-01

Although melanoma accounts for only 4% of skin cancer cases, it causes 79% of all skin cancer deaths. Patients with metastatic melanoma have a poor prognosis, and long term survival is only about 5% [1, 2]. Conventional therapies such as surgery and radiation therapy usually do not cure stage III or stage IV melanoma, while traditional chemotherapy is primarily palliative. Over the last decade we have been developing new methods for treating solid tumors like melanoma, first in animal models and now in humans. We present here preliminary results from a new technique that utilizes a combination of laser stimulation and drug therapy to stimulate brisk immunological responses in cases of advanced melanoma with cutaneous metastases. A high-power, near-infrared diode laser (805 nm) is used to kill tumors in situ and a topical toll-like receptor agonist (imiquimod cream, 5%) is used to intensify the resulting immunological response. This is essentially an in situ, tumor vaccine approach to treating solid tumors.

Microwave remote sensing of snow experiment description and preliminary results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ulaby, F. T. (Principal Investigator); Stiles, W. H.; Hanson, B. C.

1977-01-01

The active and passive microwave responses to snow were investigated at a site near Steamboat Springs, Colorado during the February and March winter months. The microwave equipment was mounted atop truck-mounted booms. Data were acquired at numerous frequencies, polarizations, and angles of incidence for a variety of snow conditions. The experiment description, the characteristics of the microwave and ground truth instruments, and the results of a preliminary analysis of a small portion of the total data volume acquired in Colorado are documented.

78 FR 50028 - Purified Carboxymethylcellulose From Finland; Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-16

... to requests from Aqualon Company, a division of Hercules Inc., (Petitioner) and respondents CP Kelco Oy and CP Kelco U.S., Inc. (collectively, CP Kelco), the Department of Commerce (the Department) is... that CP Kelco made sales at prices below normal value (NV) during the POR. If these preliminary results...

Kinetic characterization of glucose aerodehydrogenase from Aspergillus niger EMS-150-F after optimizing the dose of mutagen for enhanced production of enzyme

PubMed Central

Umbreen, Huma; Zia, Muhammad Anjum; Rasul, Samreen

2013-01-01

In the present study enhanced production of glucose aerodehydrogenase from Aspergillus niger has been achieved after optimizing the dose of chemical mutagen ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) that has not been reported earlier. Different doses of mutagen were applied and a strain was developed basing upon the best production. The selected strain Aspergillus niger EMS-150-F was optimized for nutrient requirements in order to produce enzyme through fermentation and the results showed the best yield at 2% corn steep liquor (CSL), 36 hours fermentation time, pH 5, 30°C temperature, 0.3% KH2PO4, 0.3% urea and 0.06% CaCO3. The enzyme was then purified and resulted in 57.88 fold purification with 52.12% recovery. On kinetic characterization, the enzyme showed optimum activity at pH 6 and temperature 30°C. The Michaelis-Menton constants (Km, Vmax, Kcat and Kcat/Km) were 20 mM, 45.87 U mL−1, 1118.81 s−1 and 55.94 s−1 mM−1, respectively. The enzyme was found to be thermaly stable and the enthalpy and free energy showed an increase with increase in temperature and ΔS* was highly negative proving the enzyme from A. niger EMS-150-F resistant to temperature and showing a very little disorderliness. PMID:24688499

Demand generation and social mobilisation for integrated community case management (iCCM) and child health: Lessons learned from successful programmes in Niger and Mozambique.

PubMed

Sharkey, Alyssa B; Martin, Sandrine; Cerveau, Teresa; Wetzler, Erica; Berzal, Rocio

2014-12-01

We present the approaches used in and outcomes resulting from integrated community case management (iCCM) programmes in Niger and Mozambique with a strong focus on demand generation and social mobilisation. We use a case study approach to describe the programme and contextual elements of the Niger and Mozambique programmes. Awareness and utilisation of iCCM services and key family practices increased following the implementation of the Niger and Mozambique iCCM and child survival programmes, as did care-seeking within 24 hours and care-seeking from appropriate, trained providers in Mozambique. These approaches incorporated interpersonal communication activities and community empowerment/participation for collective change, partnerships and networks among key stakeholder groups within communities, media campaigns and advocacy efforts with local and national leaders. iCCM programmes that train and equip community health workers and successfully engage and empower community members to adopt new behaviours, have appropriate expectations and to trust community health workers' ability to assess and treat illnesses can lead to improved care-seeking and utilisation, and community ownership for iCCM.

Preliminary mixed-layer model results for FIRE marine stratocumulus IFO conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barlow, R.; Nicholls, S.

1990-01-01

Some preliminary results from the Turton and Nicholls mixed layer model using typical FIRE boundary conditions are presented. The model includes entrainment and drizzle parametrizations as well as interactive long and shortwave radiation schemes. A constraint on the integrated turbulent kinetic energy balance ensures that the model remains energetically consistent at all times. The preliminary runs were used to identify the potentially important terms in the heat and moisture budgets of the cloud layer, and to assess the anticipated diurnal variability. These are compared with typical observations from the C130. Sensitivity studies also revealed the remarkable stability of these cloud sheets: a number of negative feedback mechanisms appear to operate to maintain the cloud over an extended time period. These are also discussed. The degree to which such a modelling approach can be used to explain observed features, the specification of boundary conditions and problems of interpretation in non-horizontally uniform conditions is also raised.

Mapping the polysaccharide degradation potential of Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Andersen, Mikael R; Giese, Malene; de Vries, Ronald P; Nielsen, Jens

2012-07-16

The degradation of plant materials by enzymes is an industry of increasing importance. For sustainable production of second generation biofuels and other products of industrial biotechnology, efficient degradation of non-edible plant polysaccharides such as hemicellulose is required. For each type of hemicellulose, a complex mixture of enzymes is required for complete conversion to fermentable monosaccharides. In plant-biomass degrading fungi, these enzymes are regulated and released by complex regulatory structures. In this study, we present a methodology for evaluating the potential of a given fungus for polysaccharide degradation. Through the compilation of information from 203 articles, we have systematized knowledge on the structure and degradation of 16 major types of plant polysaccharides to form a graphical overview. As a case example, we have combined this with a list of 188 genes coding for carbohydrate-active enzymes from Aspergillus niger, thus forming an analysis framework, which can be queried. Combination of this information network with gene expression analysis on mono- and polysaccharide substrates has allowed elucidation of concerted gene expression from this organism. One such example is the identification of a full set of extracellular polysaccharide-acting genes for the degradation of oat spelt xylan. The mapping of plant polysaccharide structures along with the corresponding enzymatic activities is a powerful framework for expression analysis of carbohydrate-active enzymes. Applying this network-based approach, we provide the first genome-scale characterization of all genes coding for carbohydrate-active enzymes identified in A. niger.

Comparative Soot Diagnostics: Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Urban, David L.; Griffin, DeVon W.; Gard, Melissa Y.

1997-01-01

detected and suppressed. Prior to CSD, no combustion-generated particulate samples had been collected near the flame zone for well-developed microgravity flames. All of the extant data either came from drop tower tests and therefore only corresponded to the early stages of a fire or were collected far from the flame zone. The fuel sources in the drop tower tests were restricted to laminar gas-jet diffusion flames and very rapidly overheated wire insulation. The gas-jet tests indicated, through thermophoretic sampling, (2) that soot primaries and aggregates (groups of primary particles) in low-gravity may be significantly larger than those in normal gravity (1-g). This raises new scientific questions about soot processes as well as practical issues for particulate size sensitivity and detection alarm threshold levels used in on-orbit smoke detectors. Preliminary tests in the 2.2 second drop tower suggest that particulate generated by overheated wire insulation may be larger in low-g than in 1-g. Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) grids downstream of the fire region in the Wire Insulation Flammability experiment as well as visual observation of long string-like aggregates, further confirm this suggestion. The combined impact of these limited results and theoretical predictions is that, as opposed to extrapolation from l-g data, direct knowledge of low-g combustion particulate is needed for more confident design of smoke detectors for spacecraft. This paper describes the operation and preliminary results of the CSD, a project conceived and developed at NASA Lewis Research Center. The CSD flight experiment was conducted in the Middeck Glovebox Facility (MGBX) on USMP-3. The project is support by NASA Headquarters Microgravity Science and Applications Division and Code Q. The results presented here are from the microgravity portion of the experiment, including the temporal response of the detectors and average sizes of the primary and aggregate particles captured on the

Gram-scale production of a basidiomycetous laccase in Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Mekmouche, Yasmina; Zhou, Simeng; Cusano, Angela M; Record, Eric; Lomascolo, Anne; Robert, Viviane; Simaan, A Jalila; Rousselot-Pailley, Pierre; Ullah, Sana; Chaspoul, Florence; Tron, Thierry

2014-01-01

We report on the expression in Aspergillus niger of a laccase gene we used to produce variants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Grams of recombinant enzyme can be easily obtained. This highlights the potential of combining this generic laccase sequence to the yeast and fungal expression systems for large-scale productions of variants. Copyright © 2013 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Response of lead-acid batteries to chopper-controlled discharge: Preliminary results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cataldo, R. L.

1978-01-01

The preliminary results of simulated electric vehicle, chopper, speed controller discharge of a battery show energy output losses up to 25 percent compared to constant current discharges at the same average discharge current of 100 amperes. These energy losses are manifested as temperature rises during discharge, amounting to a two-fold increase for a 400-ampere pulse compared to the constant current case. Because of the potentially large energy inefficiency, the results suggest that electric vehicle battery/speed controller interaction must be carefully considered in vehicle design.

Inhibition of Aspergillus niger Phosphate Solubilization by Fluoride Released from Rock Phosphate

PubMed Central

Mendes, Gilberto de Oliveira; Vassilev, Nikolay Bojkov; Bonduki, Victor Hugo Araújo; da Silva, Ivo Ribeiro; Ribeiro, José Ivo

2013-01-01

The simultaneous release of various chemical elements with inhibitory potential for phosphate solubilization from rock phosphate (RP) was studied in this work. Al, B, Ba, Ca, F, Fe, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Rb, Si, Sr, V, Zn, and Zr were released concomitantly with P during the solubilization of Araxá RP (Brazil), but only F showed inhibitory effects on the process at the concentrations detected in the growth medium. Besides P solubilization, fluoride decreased fungal growth, citric acid production, and medium acidification by Aspergillus niger. At the maximum concentration found during Araxá RP solubilization (22.9 mg F− per liter), fluoride decreased P solubilization by 55%. These findings show that fluoride negatively affects RP solubilization by A. niger through its inhibitory action on the fungal metabolism. Given that fluoride is a common component of RPs, the data presented here suggest that most of the microbial RP solubilization systems studied so far were probably operated under suboptimal conditions. PMID:23770895

An inventory of the Aspergillus niger secretome by combining in silico predictions with shotgun proteomics data

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The ecological niche occupied by a fungal species, its pathogenicity and its usefulness as a microbial cell factory to a large degree depends on its secretome. Protein secretion usually requires the presence of a N-terminal signal peptide (SP) and by scanning for this feature using available highly accurate SP-prediction tools, the fraction of potentially secreted proteins can be directly predicted. However, prediction of a SP does not guarantee that the protein is actually secreted and current in silico prediction methods suffer from gene-model errors introduced during genome annotation. Results A majority rule based classifier that also evaluates signal peptide predictions from the best homologs of three neighbouring Aspergillus species was developed to create an improved list of potential signal peptide containing proteins encoded by the Aspergillus niger genome. As a complement to these in silico predictions, the secretome associated with growth and upon carbon source depletion was determined using a shotgun proteomics approach. Overall, some 200 proteins with a predicted signal peptide were identified to be secreted proteins. Concordant changes in the secretome state were observed as a response to changes in growth/culture conditions. Additionally, two proteins secreted via a non-classical route operating in A. niger were identified. Conclusions We were able to improve the in silico inventory of A. niger secretory proteins by combining different gene-model predictions from neighbouring Aspergilli and thereby avoiding prediction conflicts associated with inaccurate gene-models. The expected accuracy of signal peptide prediction for proteins that lack homologous sequences in the proteomes of related species is 85%. An experimental validation of the predicted proteome confirmed in silico predictions. PMID:20959013

Heterogenic expression of genes encoding secreted proteins at the periphery of Aspergillus niger colonies.

PubMed

Vinck, Arman; de Bekker, Charissa; Ossin, Adam; Ohm, Robin A; de Vries, Ronald P; Wösten, Han A B

2011-01-01

Colonization of a substrate by fungi starts with the invasion of exploring hyphae. These hyphae secrete enzymes that degrade the organic material into small molecules that can be taken up by the fungus to serve as nutrients. We previously showed that only part of the exploring hyphae of Aspergillus niger highly express the glucoamylase gene glaA. This was an unexpected finding since all exploring hyphae are exposed to the same environmental conditions. Using GFP as a reporter, we here demonstrate that the acid amylase gene aamA, the α-glucuronidase gene aguA, and the feruloyl esterase gene faeA of A. niger are also subject to heterogenic expression within the exploring mycelium. Coexpression studies using GFP and dTomato as reporters showed that hyphae that highly express one of these genes also highly express the other genes encoding secreted proteins. Moreover, these hyphae also highly express the amylolytic regulatory gene amyR, and the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene gpdA. In situ hybridization demonstrated that the high expressers are characterized by a high 18S rRNA content. Taken together, it is concluded that two subpopulations of hyphae can be distinguished within the exploring mycelium of A. niger. The experimental data indicate that these subpopulations differ in their transcriptional and translational activity. © 2010 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Significant sequelae after bacterial meningitis in Niger: a cohort study.

PubMed

Jusot, Jean-François; Tohon, Zilahatou; Yazi, Abdoul Aziz; Collard, Jean-Marc

2013-05-21

Beside high mortality, acute bacterial meningitis may lead to a high frequency of neuropsychological sequelae. The Sahelian countries belonging to the meningitis belt experience approximately 50% of the meningitis cases occurring in the world. Studies in Africa have shown that N. meningitidis could cause hearing loss in up to 30% of the cases, exceeding sometimes measles. The situation is similar in Niger which experiences yearly meningitis epidemics and where rehabilitation wards are rare and hearing aids remain unaffordable. The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of neuropsychological sequelae after acute bacterial meningitis in four of the eight regions of Niger. Subjects exposed to acute bacterial meningitis were enrolled into a cohort with non exposed subjects matched on age and gender. Consenting subjects were interviewed during inclusion and at a control visit two months later. If clinical symptoms or psychological troubles persisted at both visits among the exposed subjects with a frequency significantly greater than that observed among the non exposed subjects, a sequelae was retained. The comparison of the frequency of sequelae between non exposed and exposed subjects to bacterial meningitis was also calculated using the Fisher exact test. Three persisting functional symptoms were registered: headaches, asthenia, and vertigo among 31.3, 36.9, and 22.4% respectively of the exposed subjects. A significant motor impairment was retrieved among 12.3% of the exposed versus 1.6% of the non exposed subjects. Hearing loss significantly disabled 31.3% of the exposed subjects and 10.4% exhibited a serious deafness. This study carried out in Niger confirms two serious neurological sequelae occurring at high frequencies after bacterial meningitis: severe and profound hearing loss and motor impairment. Cochlear implantation and hearing aids are too expensive for populations living in developing countries. Neurological sequelae occurring after meningitis

Magnetic Field Observations near Mercury: Preliminary Results from Mariner 10.

PubMed

Ness, N F; Behannon, K W; Lepping, R P; Whang, Y C; Schatten, K H

1974-07-12

Results are presented from a preliminary analysis of data obtained near Mercury on 29 March 1974 by the NASA-GSFC magnetic field experiment on Mariner 10. Rather unexpectedly, a very well-developed, detached bow shock wave, which develops as the super-Alfvénic solar wind interacts with the planet, has been observed. In addition, a magnetosphere-like region, with maximum field strength of 98 gammas at closest approach (704 kilometers altitude), has been observed, contained within boundaries similar to the terrestrial magnetopause. The obstacle deflecting the solar wind flow is global in size, but the origin of the enhanced magnetic field has not yet been uniquely established. The field may be intrinsic to the planet and distorted by interaction with the solar wind. It may also be associated with a complex induction process whereby the planetary interior-atmosphere-ionosphere interacts with the solar wind flow to generate the observed field by a dynamo action. The complete body of data favors the preliminary conclusion that Mercury has an intrinsic magnetic field. If this is correct, it represents a major scientific discovery in planetary magnetism and will have considerable impact on studies of the origin of the solar system.

Identification of a classical mutant in the industrial host Aspergillus niger by systems genetics: LaeA is required for citric acid production and regulates the formation of some secondary metabolites

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

Liu, Jing; Arentshorst, Mark; Nair, Deepa

Rapid acidification of the culture medium by the production of organic acids and the production of acid-induced proteases are key characteristics of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger. The D15 mutant of A. niger is non-acidifying mutant and used often for the expression of recombinant proteins in A. niger, because of its reduced production of extracellular proteases under non-acidic conditions. In this study, the D15 mutant is characterized in detail. Strongly reduced levels of citric and oxalic acid were observed in the D15 mutant both in shake flask cultures and in controlled batch cultivations. To identify the mutation in the D15more » mutant, we successfully combined high-throughput sequencing (Illumina) with bulk segregant analysis. Because of the lack of a sexual cycle for A. niger, the parasexual cycle was used to generate a pool of segregants. From the 52 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between the parental strains, three SNPs were homozygous in the genomic DNA of pool of segregants. These three SNPs mapped to all the right arm of chromosome II, indicating that this region contains the genetic locus affecting the phenotype related to acid production. Of the three SNPs, one mutation resulted in a missense mutation in the gene encoding the A. niger homologue of the A. nidulans methyltransferase gene laeA. Complementation analysis of the original mutant with the laeA gene and targeted disruption of laeA further confirmed that LaeA is involved in citric acid production in A. niger lab (N402) and citric acid production strains (ATCC 11414). Analysis of the secondary metabolite (SM) profile of the laeA mutants indicate that LaeA is required for the production of several SMs (asperrubrol, atromentin and JBIR86), but deletion of laeA also resulted in the presence of SMs (aspernigrin A/B and BMS-192548) that were not detected in the wild-type strain. The levels of ten other SMs were not strongly affected as a result of laeA deletion indicating that

Developing Parenting Skills through Health Visitors: Preliminary Results from an Evaluation Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevenson, Jim

Preliminary results of a study of the extent to which training health visitors in behavior modification techniques improves the effectiveness of their work with families of young children are presented. A total of 14 health visitors were recruited and assigned to training and delay-of-training groups. Selected from case loads, participating…

V and V Efforts of Auroral Precipitation Models: Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zheng, Yihua; Kuznetsova, Masha; Rastaetter, Lutz; Hesse, Michael

2011-01-01

Auroral precipitation models have been valuable both in terms of space weather applications and space science research. Yet very limited testing has been performed regarding model performance. A variety of auroral models are available, including empirical models that are parameterized by geomagnetic indices or upstream solar wind conditions, now casting models that are based on satellite observations, or those derived from physics-based, coupled global models. In this presentation, we will show our preliminary results regarding V&V efforts of some of the models.

Ambient Assisted Living and ageing: preliminary results of RITA project.

PubMed

Aquilano, Michela; Cavallo, Filippo; Bonaccorsi, Manuele; Esposito, Raffaele; Rovini, Erika; Filippi, Massimo; Esposito, Dario; Dario, Paolo; Carrozza, Maria Chiara

2012-01-01

The ageing of population is a social phenomenon that most of worldwide countries are facing. They are, and will be even more in the future, indeed trying to find solutions for improving quality of life of their elderly citizens. The project RITA wants to demonstrate that an update of the current socio-medical services with an Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) approach could improve the service efficiency and the quality of life of both elderly and caregiver. This paper presents the preliminary results obtained in RITA.

Developing empowering health counseling measurement. Preliminary results.

PubMed

Kettunen, Tarja; Liimatainen, Leena; Villberg, Jari; Perko, Ulla

2006-12-01

This article describes the derivation of an instrument (Empowering Speech Practices Scale) for assessing the empowerment of dyadic counseling, the evaluation of the validity and reliability of the ESPS and the results acquired with the instrument from hospital counseling. ESPS was constructed on the basis of empowerment theory and foregoing conversation analytic research. Nurses and patients assessed the same counseling session by way of parallel statements. Structure and reliability of the scale were evaluated with Cronbach alpha, percentage of agreement, factor analysis and logistic regression analysis. According to these preliminary results, ESPS described the realization of empowerment, directing attention to patient participation. By means of the scale, we assessed 127 counseling sessions and found evidence of the realization of empowering counseling. According to the results, nurses were the most successful in constructing a positive emotional atmosphere and in giving information. We found evidence that nurses need to improve the active mutuality of the counseling relationship by asking for patients' opinions and views, by facilitating the patients' assessment of their personal health and their participation in decision-making and coming up with options for their individual treatment. The developed scale can be utilized, in addition to assessing the quality in hospital care, for improving nursing education programs. Further study is needed to evaluate the usability of the scale and to examine its stability and validity.

Aspergillus niger PA2: a novel strain for extracellular biotransformation of L-tyrosine into L-DOPA.

PubMed

Agarwal, Pragati; Pareek, Nidhi; Dubey, Swati; Singh, Jyoti; Singh, R P

2016-05-01

L-DOPA (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-L-alanine), an amino acid derivative is the most widely used drug of choice for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and other neurologic injuries. The present study deals with the elevated biochemical transformation of L-tyrosine to L-DOPA by Aspergillus niger PA2, a potent tyrosinase producer, isolated from decomposed food wastes. This appears to be the first report on A. niger as a notable extracellular tyrosinase producer. The extracellular tyrosinase activity produced remarkably higher levels of L-DOPA, i.e. 2.44 mg mL(-1) when the media was supplemented with 5 mg mL(-1) L-tyrosine. The optimum pH for tyrosinase production was 6.0, with the maximal L-DOPA production at the same pH. The product thus produced was analyzed by thin-layer chromatography, UV spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, that had denoted this to be L-DOPA. Kinetic parameters viz. Y p/s, Q s and Q p had further indicated the notable levels of production. Thus, Aspergillus niger PA2 could be a promising resource and may be further exploited for large-scale production of L-DOPA.

Conversion of fusaric acid to fusarinol by Aspergillus niger: A detoxification reaction

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The fungus Fusarium oxysporum causes wilt diseases of plants and produces a potent phytotoxin fusaric acid (FA) which is also toxic to many microorganisms. An Aspergillus strain with high tolerance to FA was isolated from soil. HPLC analysis of culture filtrates from A. niger grown with the addition...

The viking biological investigation: preliminary results.

PubMed

Klein, H P; Horowitz, N H; Levin, G V; Oyama, V I; Lederberg, J; Rich, A; Hubbard, J S; Hobby, G L; Straat, P A; Berdahl, B J; Carle, G C; Brown, F S; Johnson, R D

1976-10-01

Three different types of biological experiments on samples of martian surface material ("soil") were conducted inside the Viking lander. In the carbon assimilation or pyrolytic release experiment, (14)CO(2) and (14)CO were exposed to soil in the presence of light. A small amount of gas was found to be converted into organic material. Heat treatment of a duplicate sample prevented such conversion. In the gas exchange experiment, soil was first humidified (exposed to water vapor) for 6 sols and then wet with a complex aqueous solution of metabolites. The gas above the soil was monitored by gas chromatography. A substantial amount of O(2) was detected in the first chromatogram taken 2.8 hours after humidification. Subsequent analyses revealed that significant increases in CO(2) and only small changes in N(2) had also occurred. In the labeled release experiment, soil was moistened with a solution containing several (14)C-labeled organic compounds. A substantial evolution of radioactive gas was registered but did not occur with a duplicate heat-treated sample. Alternative chemical and biological interpretations are possible for these preliminary data. The experiments are still in process, and these results so far do not allow a decision regarding the existence of life on the plonet Mars.

Trends in hydrological extremes in the Senegal and the Niger Rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcox, C.; Bodian, A.; Vischel, T.; Panthou, G.; Quantin, G.

2017-12-01

In recent years, West Africa has witnessed several floods of unprecedented magnitude. Although the evolution of hydrological extremes has been evaluated in the region to some extent, results lack regional coverage, significance levels, uncertainty estimations, model selection criteria, or a combination of the above. In this study, Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distributions with and without various non-stationary temporal covariates are applied to annual maxima of daily discharge (AMAX) data sets in the Sudano-Guinean part of the Senegal River basin and in the Sahelian part of the Niger River basin. The data ranges from the 1950s to the 2010s. The two models of best fit most often selected (with an alpha=0.05 certainty level) were 1) a double-linear model for the central tendency parameter (μ) with stationary dispersion (σ) and 2) a double-linear model for both parameters. Change points are relatively consistent for the Senegal basin, with stations switching from a decreasing streamflow trend to an increasing streamflow trend in the early 1980s. In the Niger basin the trend in μ was generally positive with an increase in slope after the change point, but the change point location was less consistent. The study clearly demonstrates the significant trends in extreme discharge values in West Africa over the past six decades. Moreover, it proposes a clear methodology for comparing GEV models and selecting the best for use. The return levels generated from the chosen models can be applied to river basin management and hydraulic works sizing. The results provide a first evaluation of non-stationarity in extreme hydrological values in West Africa that is accompanied by significance levels, uncertainties, and non-stationary return level estimations .

Collaborative Care for Patients With Severe Personality Disorders: Preliminary Results and Active Ingredients From a Pilot Study (Part I).

PubMed

Stringer, Barbara; van Meijel, Berno; Karman, Pieter; Koekkoek, Bauke; Hoogendoorn, Adriaan W; Kerkhof, Ad J F M; Beekman, Aartjan T F

2015-07-01

To test if a collaborative care program (CCP) with nurses in a coordinating position is beneficial for patients with severe personality disorders. A pilot study with a comparative multiple case study design using mixed methods investigating active ingredients and preliminary results. Most patients, their informal caregivers, and nurses value (parts of) the CCP positively; preliminary results show a significant decrease in severity of borderline symptoms. With the CCP, we may expand the supply of available treatments for patients with (severe) personality disorders, but a larger randomized controlled trial is warranted to confirm our preliminary results. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Nanosulfur: A Potent Fungicide Against Food Pathogen, Aspergillus niger

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

Choudhury, Samrat Roy; Goswami, Arunava; Nair, Kishore K.

2010-10-04

Elemental sulfur (S{sup 0}), man's oldest eco-friendly fungicide for curing fungal infections in plants and animals, is registered in India as a non-systemic and contact fungicide. However due to its high volume requirement, Indian agrochemical industry and farmers could not effectively use this product till date. We hypothesize that intelligent nanoscience applications might increase the visibility of nanosulfur in Indian agriculture as a potent and eco-safe fungicide. Sulfur nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized bottom-up via a liquid synthesis method with average particle size in the range of 50-80 nm and the shapes of the NPs were spherical. A comparative study ofmore » elemental and nano-sulfur produced has been tested against facultative fungal food pathogen, Aspergillus niger. Results showed that nanosulfur is more efficacious than its elemental form.« less

Catalytical Properties of Free and Immobilized Aspergillus niger Tannase.

PubMed

Flores-Maltos, Abril; Rodríguez-Durán, Luis V; Renovato, Jacqueline; Contreras, Juan C; Rodríguez, Raúl; Aguilar, Cristóbal N

2011-01-01

A fungal tannase was produced, recovered, and immobilized by entrapment in calcium alginate beads. Catalytical properties of the immobilized enzyme were compared with those of the free one. Tannase was produced intracellularly by the xerophilic fungus Aspergillus niger GH1 in a submerged fermentation system. Enzyme was recovered by cell disruption and the crude extract was partially purified. The catalytical properties of free and immobilized tannase were evaluated using tannic acid and methyl gallate as substrates. K(M) and V(max) values for free enzyme were very similar for both substrates. But, after immobilization, K(M) and V(max) values increased drastically using tannic acid as substrate. These results indicated that immobilized tannase is a better biocatalyst than free enzyme for applications on liquid systems with high tannin content, such as bioremediation of tannery or olive-mill wastewater.

Catalytical Properties of Free and Immobilized Aspergillus niger Tannase

PubMed Central

Flores-Maltos, Abril; Rodríguez-Durán, Luis V.; Renovato, Jacqueline; Contreras, Juan C.; Rodríguez, Raúl; Aguilar, Cristóbal N.

2011-01-01

A fungal tannase was produced, recovered, and immobilized by entrapment in calcium alginate beads. Catalytical properties of the immobilized enzyme were compared with those of the free one. Tannase was produced intracellularly by the xerophilic fungus Aspergillus niger GH1 in a submerged fermentation system. Enzyme was recovered by cell disruption and the crude extract was partially purified. The catalytical properties of free and immobilized tannase were evaluated using tannic acid and methyl gallate as substrates. K M and V max values for free enzyme were very similar for both substrates. But, after immobilization, K M and V max values increased drastically using tannic acid as substrate. These results indicated that immobilized tannase is a better biocatalyst than free enzyme for applications on liquid systems with high tannin content, such as bioremediation of tannery or olive-mill wastewater. PMID:21918717

The Mapping Project: Preliminary Results from the National Survey of Faculty. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drago, Robert; Varner, Amy

This document reports preliminary results from a national survey of college faculty performed as part of the Mapping Project. The project and the survey concern the ways faculty balance, or do not balance, commitments to work and family. The theoretical framework was based on the work of J. Williams (1991) and others who have argued that an…

Constitutive expression of fluorescent protein by Aspergillus var. niger and Aspergillus carbonarius to monitor fungal colonization in maize plants.

PubMed

Palencia, Edwin Rene; Glenn, Anthony Elbie; Hinton, Dorothy Mae; Bacon, Charles Wilson

2013-09-01

Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus carbonarius are two species in the Aspergillus section Nigri (black-spored aspergilli) frequently associated with peanut (Arachis hypogea), maize (Zea mays), and other plants as pathogens. These infections are symptomless and as such are major concerns since some black aspergilli produce important mycotoxins, ochratoxins A, and the fumonisins. To facilitate the study of the black aspergilli-maize interactions with maize during the early stages of infections, we developed a method that used the enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP) and the monomeric red fluorescent protein (mRFP1) to transform A. niger and A. carbonarius, respectively. The results were constitutive expressions of the fluorescent genes that were stable in the cytoplasms of hyphae and conidia under natural environmental conditions. The hyphal in planta distribution in 21-day-old seedlings of maize were similar wild type and transformants of A. niger and A. carbonarius. The in planta studies indicated that both wild type and transformants internally colonized leaf, stem and root tissues of maize seedlings, without any visible disease symptoms. Yellow and red fluorescent strains were capable of invading epidermal cells of maize roots intercellularly within the first 3 days after inoculation, but intracellular hyphal growth was more evident after 7 days of inoculation. We also tested the capacity of fluorescent transformants to produce ochratoxin A and the results with A. carbonarius showed that this transgenic strain produced similar concentrations of this secondary metabolite. This is the first report on the in planta expression of fluorescent proteins that should be useful to study the internal plant colonization patterns of two ochratoxigenic species in the Aspergillus section Nigri. © 2013.

Production of Lytic Enzymes by Trichoderma Isolates during in vitro Antagonism with Aspergillus Niger, The Causal Agent of Collar ROT of Peanut

PubMed Central

Gajera, H. P.; Vakharia, D. N.

2012-01-01

Twelve isolates of Trichoderma (six of T. harzianum, five of T. viride, one of T. virens), which reduced variably the incidence of collar rot disease caused in peanut by Aspergillus niger Van Tieghem, were evaluated for their potential to produce lytic enzymes during in vitro antagonism. T. viride 60 inhibited highest (86.2%) growth of test fungus followed by T. harzianum 2J (80.4%) at 6 days after inoculation (DAI) on PDA media. The specific activities of chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase and protease were 11, 3.46 and 9 folds higher in T6 antagonist (T. viride 60 and A. niger interactions) followed by 8.72, 2.85 and 9 folds in T8antagonist (T. harzianum 2J and A. niger interactions), respectively, compared to the activity produced by control petri plate T13 (A. niger alone) at 6 DAI. Activity of these lytic enzymes induced in antagonists’ plates comprises the growth of Trichoderma isolates. However, cellulase and poly galacturonase were found least amount in these antagonists treatment. A significant positive correlation (p=0.01) between percentage growth inhibition of test fungus and lytic enzymes – (chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase and protease) in the culture medium of antagonist treatment established a relationship to inhibit growth of fungal pathogen by increasing the levels of these enzymes. Among the Trichoderma isolates, T. viride 60 was found best strain to be used in biological control of plant pathogen A. niger. PMID:24031802

75 FR 77831 - Lightweight Thermal Paper From Germany: Notice of Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-14

....90.9010 (for tissue paper, a non-subject product) and 4811.90.9090 (for ``other,'' including LWTP... rates published by the Federal Reserve Bank. Preliminary Results of Review As a result of our review, we...

Petroleum geology of Cretaceous-Tertiary rift basins in Niger, Chad, and Central African Republic

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

Genik, G.J.

1993-08-01

This overview of the petroleum geology of rift basins in Niger, Chad, and Central African Republic (CAR) is based on exploration work by Exxon and partners in the years 1969-1991. The work included 50,000 km of modern reflection seismic, 53 exploration wells, 1,000,000 km[sup 2] of aeromagnetic coverage, and about 10,500 km of gravity profiles. The results outline ten Cretaceous and Tertiary rift basins, which constitute a major part of the West and Central African rift system (WCARS). The rift basins derive from a multiphased geologic history dating from the Pan-African (approximately 750-550 Ma) to the Holocene. WCARS in themore » study area is divided into the West African rift subsystem (WAS) and the Central African rift subsystem (WAS) and the Central African rift subsystem (CAS). WAS basins in Niger and Chad are chiefly extensional, and are filled by up to 13,000 m of Lower Cretaceous to Holocene continental and marine clastics. The basins contain five oil (19-43[degrees]API) and two oil and gas accumulations in Upper Cretaceous and Eocene sandstone reservoirs. The hydrocarbons are sourced and sealed by Upper Cretaceous and Eocene marine and lacustrine shales. The most common structural styles and hydrocarbon traps usually are associated with normal fault blocks. CAS rift basins in Chad and CAR are extensional and transtensional, and are filled by up to 7500 m of chiefly Lower Cretaceous continental clastics. The basins contain eight oil (15-39[degrees]API) and one oil and gas discovery in Lower and Upper Cretaceous sandstone reservoirs. The hydrocarbons are sourced by Lower Cretaceous shales and sealed by interbedded lacustrine and flood-plain shales. Structural styles range from simple fault blocks through complex flower structures. The main hydrocarbon traps are in contractional anticlines. Geological conditions favor the discovery of potentially commercial volumes of oil in WCARS basins, of Niger, Chad and CAR. 108 refs., 24 figs., 4 tabs.« less

Preliminary Results From The First Flight of ATIC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seo, E. S.; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter (ATIC) instrument is designed to measure the composition and energy spectra of Z = 1 to 28 cosmic rays over the energy range approximately 10 GeV - 100 TeV. The instrument was calibrated in September 1999 at CERN using accelerated electron, proton and pion beams. ATIC was launched as a long duration balloon test flight on 12/28/00 local time from McMurdo, Antarctica. After flying successfully for about 16 days the payload was recovered in excellent condition. Absolute calibration of the detector response was made using cosmic-ray muons. The data analysis algorithm which was developed with Monte Carlo simulations and validated with the CERN beam test will be used for the flight data analysis. Preliminary results of the proton and helium spectra will be reported in this paper.

Preliminary Results From the First Flight of ATIC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seo, E. S.; Adams, James H., Jr.; Ahn, H.; Ampe, J.; Bashindzhagyan, G.; Case, G.; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter (ATIC) instrument is designed to measure the composition C and energy spectra of Z = 1 to 28 cosmic rays over the energy range approximately 10 GeV - 100 TeV. The instrument was calibrated in September 1999 at CERN using accelerated electron, proton and pion beams. ATIC was launched as a long duration balloon test flight on 12/28/00 local time from McMurdo, Antarctica. After flying successfully for about 16 days the payload was recovered in excellent condition. Absolute calibration of the detector response was made using cosmic-ray muons. The data analysis algorithm which was developed with Monte Carlo simulations and validated with the CERN beam test will be used for the flight data analysis. Preliminary results of the protons and C helium spectra will be reported in this paper.

Biological Control of Meloidogyne incognita by Aspergillus niger F22 Producing Oxalic Acid

PubMed Central

Jang, Ja Yeong; Choi, Yong Ho; Shin, Teak Soo; Kim, Tae Hoon; Shin, Kee-Sun; Park, Hae Woong; Kim, Young Ho; Kim, Hun; Choi, Gyung Ja; Jang, Kyoung Soo; Cha, Byeongjin; Kim, In Seon; Myung, Eul Jae

2016-01-01

Restricted usage of chemical nematicides has led to development of environmentally safe alternatives. A culture filtrate of Aspergillus niger F22 was highly active against Meloidogyne incognita with marked mortality of second-stage juveniles (J2s) and inhibition of egg hatching. The nematicidal component was identified as oxalic acid by organic acid analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Exposure to 2 mmol/L oxalic acid resulted in 100% juvenile mortality at 1 day after treatment and suppressed egg hatching by 95.6% at 7 days after treatment. Oxalic acid showed similar nematicidal activity against M. hapla, but was not highly toxic to Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. The fungus was incubated on solid medium and dried culture was used for preparation of a wettable powder-type (WP) formulation as an active ingredient. Two WP formulations, F22-WP10 (ai 10%) and oxalic acid-WP8 (ai 8%), were prepared using F22 solid culture and oxalic acid. In a field naturally infested with M. incognita, application of a mixture of F22-WP10 + oxalic acid-WP8 at 1,000- and 500-fold dilutions significantly reduced gall formation on the roots of watermelon plants by 58.8 and 70.7%, respectively, compared to the non-treated control. The disease control efficacy of the mixture of F22-WP10 + oxalic acid-WP8 was significantly higher than that of a chemical nematicide, Sunchungtan (ai 30% fosthiazate). These results suggest that A. niger F22 can be used as a microbial nematicide for the control of root-knot nematode disease. PMID:27258452

Biological Control of Meloidogyne incognita by Aspergillus niger F22 Producing Oxalic Acid.

PubMed

Jang, Ja Yeong; Choi, Yong Ho; Shin, Teak Soo; Kim, Tae Hoon; Shin, Kee-Sun; Park, Hae Woong; Kim, Young Ho; Kim, Hun; Choi, Gyung Ja; Jang, Kyoung Soo; Cha, Byeongjin; Kim, In Seon; Myung, Eul Jae; Kim, Jin-Cheol

2016-01-01

Restricted usage of chemical nematicides has led to development of environmentally safe alternatives. A culture filtrate of Aspergillus niger F22 was highly active against Meloidogyne incognita with marked mortality of second-stage juveniles (J2s) and inhibition of egg hatching. The nematicidal component was identified as oxalic acid by organic acid analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Exposure to 2 mmol/L oxalic acid resulted in 100% juvenile mortality at 1 day after treatment and suppressed egg hatching by 95.6% at 7 days after treatment. Oxalic acid showed similar nematicidal activity against M. hapla, but was not highly toxic to Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. The fungus was incubated on solid medium and dried culture was used for preparation of a wettable powder-type (WP) formulation as an active ingredient. Two WP formulations, F22-WP10 (ai 10%) and oxalic acid-WP8 (ai 8%), were prepared using F22 solid culture and oxalic acid. In a field naturally infested with M. incognita, application of a mixture of F22-WP10 + oxalic acid-WP8 at 1,000- and 500-fold dilutions significantly reduced gall formation on the roots of watermelon plants by 58.8 and 70.7%, respectively, compared to the non-treated control. The disease control efficacy of the mixture of F22-WP10 + oxalic acid-WP8 was significantly higher than that of a chemical nematicide, Sunchungtan (ai 30% fosthiazate). These results suggest that A. niger F22 can be used as a microbial nematicide for the control of root-knot nematode disease.

X-48B Preliminary Flight Test Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Brian R.

2009-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the preliminary Flight tests of the X-48B development program. The X-48B is a blended wing body aircraft that is being used to test various features of the BWB concept. The research concerns the following: (1) Turbofan Development, (2) Intelligent Flight Control and Optimization, (3) Airdata Calibration (4) Parameter Identification (i.e., Determination of the parameters of a mathematical model of a system based on observation of the system inputs and response.)

Preliminary experimental results from a MARS Micro-CT system.

PubMed

He, Peng; Yu, Hengyong; Thayer, Patrick; Jin, Xin; Xu, Qiong; Bennett, James; Tappenden, Rachael; Wei, Biao; Goldstein, Aaron; Renaud, Peter; Butler, Anthony; Butler, Phillip; Wang, Ge

2012-01-01

The Medipix All Resolution System (MARS) system is a commercial spectral/multi-energy micro-CT scanner designed and assembled by the MARS Bioimaging, Ltd. in New Zealand. This system utilizes the state-of-the-art Medipix photon-counting, energy-discriminating detector technology developed by a collaboration at European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). In this paper, we report our preliminary experimental results using this system, including geometrical alignment, photon energy characterization, protocol optimization, and spectral image reconstruction. We produced our scan datasets with a multi-material phantom, and then applied ordered subset-simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique (OS-SART) to reconstruct images in different energy ranges and principal component analysis (PCA) to evaluate spectral deviation among the energy ranges.

Insects associated with Jatropha curcas Linn. (Euphorbiaceae) in west Niger.

PubMed

Habou, Zakari Abdoul; Adam, Toudou; Haubruge, Eric; Mergeai, Guy; Verheggen, François J

2014-01-01

Jatropha curcas has been introduced into Niger since 2004 by International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). This plant is cultivated for its oil, which can be used as a Biofuel. Through direct and indirect insect collection methods, an inventory of the insect associated with J. curcas has been conducted in Western Niger during two rainy seasons (from June to October) in 2010 and 2011. We have identified insects belonging to the following families: Acrididae (Oedaleus senegalensis Krauss, Oedaleus nigeriensis Uvarov, Heteracris leani Uvarov, Catantops stramineus Walker, Parga cyanoptera Uvarov, and Acanthacris ruficornis citrina Audinet-Serville), Pyrgomorphidae (Poekilocerus bufonius hieroglyphicus Klug), Cetoniidae (Pachnoda interrupta Olivier, Pachnoda marginata aurantia Herbst, Pachnoda sinuata Heinrich and McClain, and Rhabdotis sobrina Gory and Percheron), Meloidae (Decapotoma lunata Pallas), Pentatomidae (Agonoscelis versicoloratus Dallas, Nezara viridula Linn, and Antestia sp. Kirkaldy), Coreidae (Leptoglossus membranaceus Fabricius and Cletus trigonus Thunberg), and Scutelleridae (Calidea panaethiopica Kirkaldy). Origin and potential impact on J. curcas of all these insect species are presented and discussed. The lower insect's diversity indexes are observed in 2010 and 2011 for Niamey, Saga, and Gaya because of semi-arid character of the Sahelian area. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

Differential Expression of Three α-Galactosidase Genes and a Single β-Galactosidase Gene from Aspergillus niger

PubMed Central

de Vries, Ronald P.; van den Broeck, Hetty C.; Dekkers, Ester; Manzanares, Paloma; de Graaff, Leo H.; Visser, Jaap

1999-01-01

A gene encoding a third α-galactosidase (AglB) from Aspergillus niger has been cloned and sequenced. The gene consists of an open reading frame of 1,750 bp containing six introns. The gene encodes a protein of 443 amino acids which contains a eukaryotic signal sequence of 16 amino acids and seven putative N-glycosylation sites. The mature protein has a calculated molecular mass of 48,835 Da and a predicted pI of 4.6. An alignment of the AglB amino acid sequence with those of other α-galactosidases revealed that it belongs to a subfamily of α-galactosidases that also includes A. niger AglA. A. niger AglC belongs to a different subfamily that consists mainly of prokaryotic α-galactosidases. The expression of aglA, aglB, aglC, and lacA, the latter of which encodes an A. niger β-galactosidase, has been studied by using a number of monomeric, oligomeric, and polymeric compounds as growth substrates. Expression of aglA is only detected on galactose and galactose-containing oligomers and polymers. The aglB gene is expressed on all of the carbon sources tested, including glucose. Elevated expression was observed on xylan, which could be assigned to regulation via XlnR, the xylanolytic transcriptional activator. Expression of aglC was only observed on glucose, fructose, and combinations of glucose with xylose and galactose. High expression of lacA was detected on arabinose, xylose, xylan, and pectin. Similar to aglB, the expression on xylose and xylan can be assigned to regulation via XlnR. All four genes have distinct expression patterns which seem to mirror the natural substrates of the encoded proteins. PMID:10347026

78 FR 41367 - Chlorinated Isocyanurates From Spain: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-10

... From Spain: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2011-2012 AGENCY: Import... administrative review of the antidumping duty order on chlorinated isocyanurates (chlorinated isos) from Spain.\\2\\ The period of review is June 1, 2011, to May 31, 2012. We preliminarily determine that Ercros did not...

The intra- and extracellular proteome of Aspergillus niger growing on defined medium with xylose or maltose as carbon substrate

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger is well-known as a producer of primary metabolites and extracellular proteins. For example, glucoamylase is the most efficiently secreted protein of Aspergillus niger, thus the homologous glucoamylase (glaA) promoter as well as the glaA signal sequence are widely used for heterologous protein production. Xylose is known to strongly repress glaA expression while maltose is a potent inducer of glaA promoter controlled genes. For a more profound understanding of A. niger physiology, a comprehensive analysis of the intra- and extracellular proteome of Aspergillus niger AB1.13 growing on defined medium with xylose or maltose as carbon substrate was carried out using 2-D gel electrophoresis/Maldi-ToF and nano-HPLC MS/MS. Results The intracellular proteome of A. niger growing either on xylose or maltose in well-aerated controlled bioreactor cultures revealed striking similarities. In both cultures the most abundant intracellular protein was the TCA cycle enzyme malate-dehydrogenase. Moreover, the glycolytic enzymes fructose-bis-phosphate aldolase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase and the flavohemoglobin FhbA were identified as major proteins in both cultures. On the other hand, enzymes involved in the removal of reactive oxygen species, such as superoxide dismutase and peroxiredoxin, were present at elevated levels in the culture growing on maltose but only in minor amounts in the xylose culture. The composition of the extracellular proteome differed considerably depending on the carbon substrate. In the secretome of the xylose-grown culture, a variety of plant cell wall degrading enzymes were identified, mostly under the control of the xylanolytic transcriptional activator XlnR, with xylanase B and ferulic acid esterase as the most abundant ones. The secretome of the maltose-grown culture did not contain xylanolytic enzymes, instead high levels of catalases were found and glucoamylase (multiple spots) was

Identification of Aspergillus (A. flavus and A. niger) Allergens and Heterogeneity of Allergic Patients' IgE Response.

PubMed

Vermani, Maansi; Vijayan, Vannan Kandi; Agarwal, Mahendra Kumar

2015-08-01

Aspergillus species (A. flavus and A. niger) are important sources of inhalant allergens. Current diagnostic modalities employ crude Aspergillus extracts which only indicate the source to which the patient has been sensitized, without identifying the number and type of allergens in crude extracts. We report a study on the identification of major and minor allergens of the two common airborne Aspergillus species and heterogeneity of patients' IgE response to them. Skin prick tests were performed on 300 patients of bronchial asthma and/or allergic rhinitis and 20 healthy volunteers. Allergen specific IgE in patients' sera was estimated by enzyme allergosorbent test (EAST). Immunoblots were performed to identify major/minor allergens of Aspergillus extracts and to study heterogeneity of patients'IgE response to them. Positive cutaneous responses were observed in 17% and 14.7% of patients with A. flavus and A. niger extracts, respectively. Corresponding EAST positivity was 69.2% and 68.7%. In immunoblots, 5 allergenic proteins were identified in A. niger extract, major allergens being 49, 55.4 and 81.5 kDa. Twelve proteins bound patients' IgE in A. flavus extract, three being major allergens (13.3, 34 and 37 kDa). The position and slopes of EAST binding and inhibition curves obtained with individual sera varied from patient to patient. The number and molecular weight of IgE-binding proteins in both the Aspergillus extracts varied among patients. These results gave evidence of heterogeneity of patients' IgE response to major/minor Aspergillus allergens. This approach will be helpful to identify disease eliciting molecules in the individual patients (component resolved diagnosis) and may improve allergen-specific immunotherapy.

Identification and functional analysis of two Golgi-localized UDP-galactofuranose transporters with overlapping functions in Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Park, Joohae; Tefsen, Boris; Heemskerk, Marc J; Lagendijk, Ellen L; van den Hondel, Cees A M J J; van Die, Irma; Ram, Arthur F J

2015-11-02

Galactofuranose (Galf)-containing glycoconjugates are present in numerous microbes, including filamentous fungi where they are important for morphology, virulence and maintaining cell wall integrity. The incorporation of Galf-residues into galactomannan, galactomannoproteins and glycolipids is carried out by Golgi-localized Galf transferases. The nucleotide sugar donor used by these transferases (UDP-Galf) is produced in the cytoplasm and has to be transported to the lumen of the Golgi by a dedicated nucleotide sugar transporter. Based on homology with recently identified UDP-Galf-transporters in A. fumigatus and A. nidulans, two putative UDP-Galf-transporters in A. niger were found. Their function and localization was determined by gene deletions and GFP-tagging studies, respectively. The two putative UDP-Galf-transporters in A. niger are homologous to each other and are predicted to contain eleven transmembrane domains (UgtA) or ten transmembrane domains (UgtB) due to a reduced length of the C-terminal part of the UgtB protein. The presence of two putative UDP-Galf-transporters in the genome was not unique for A. niger. From the twenty Aspergillus species analysed, nine species contained two additional putative UDP-Galf-transporters. Three of the nine species were outside the Aspergillus section nigri, indication an early duplication of UDP-Galf-transporters and subsequent loss of the UgtB copy in several aspergilli. Deletion analysis of the single and double mutants in A. niger indicated that the two putative UDP-Galf-transporters (named UgtA and UgtB) have a redundant function in UDP-Galf-transport as only the double mutant displayed a Galf-negative phenotype. The Galf-negative phenotype of the double mutant could be complemented by expressing either CFP-UgtA or CFP-UgtB fusion proteins from their endogenous promoters, indicating that both CFP-tagged proteins are functional. Both Ugt proteins co-localize with each other as well as with the GDP

Regulation of the Feruloyl Esterase (faeA) Gene from Aspergillus niger

PubMed Central

de Vries, Ronald P.; Visser, Jaap

1999-01-01

Feruloyl esterases can remove aromatic residues (e.g., ferulic acid) from plant cell wall polysaccharides (xylan, pectin) and are essential for complete degradation of these polysaccharides. Expression of the feruloyl esterase-encoding gene (faeA) from Aspergillus niger depends on d-xylose (expression is mediated by XlnR, the xylanolytic transcriptional activator) and on a second system that responds to aromatic compounds with a defined ring structure, such as ferulic acid and vanillic acid. Several compounds were tested, and all of the inducing compounds contained a benzene ring which had a methoxy group at C-3 and a hydroxy group at C-4 but was not substituted at C-5. Various aliphatic groups occurred at C-1. faeA expression in the presence of xylose or ferulic acid was repressed by glucose. faeA expression in the presence of ferulic acid and xylose was greater than faeA expression in the presence of either compound alone. The various inducing systems allow A. niger to produce feruloyl esterase not only during growth on xylan but also during growth on other ferulic acid-containing cell wall polysaccharides, such as pectin. PMID:10584009

Creating the next steps to care: Maternal heath, improvisation, and Fulani women in Niamey, Niger.

PubMed

Burgess, Sarah

2016-12-01

On paper, Niger's maternal healthcare system is extensively outlined by policies which assure access to certain services and create hierarchical referral chains. In practice it remains intensely improvisational: actors in the system must frequently make up the next steps to giving and receiving care, often outside the existing policies and procedures. Although population health in Niger has improved since the recently enacted gratuité des soins policy (which guarantees free access to certain material and child health services), care on the ground is still dictated by difficult circumstances and scarce resources. Health workers often lack the required medications and supplies; nevertheless, they must find ways to deliver services. Patients seeking maternal health services are frequently dissatisfied with the care they receive and so move forward of their own volition, by negotiating with health workers or by looking for services elsewhere. This research builds on recent scholarly work on improvisation, and asks us to further look at the ways that improvisation can be informed by the identity of the actors. Examining case studies of women from the Fulani ethnic group illustrates how particular cultural differences can inform improvisation. Analysing improvisation can also have policy implications; identifying typical points of departure from the official maternal health care system can reveal points where Niger can bolster its commitment to a universally high quality of care.

Mutualistic interaction between Salmonella enterica and Aspergillus niger and its effects on Zea mays colonization.

PubMed

Balbontín, Roberto; Vlamakis, Hera; Kolter, Roberto

2014-11-01

Salmonella Typhimurium inhabits a variety of environments and is able to infect a broad range of hosts. Throughout its life cycle, some hosts can act as intermediates in the path to the infection of others. Aspergillus niger is a ubiquitous fungus that can often be found in soil or associated to plants and microbial consortia. Recently, S. Typhimurium was shown to establish biofilms on the hyphae of A. niger. In this work, we have found that this interaction is stable for weeks without a noticeable negative effect on either organism. Indeed, bacterial growth is promoted upon the establishment of the interaction. Moreover, bacterial biofilms protect the fungus from external insults such as the effects of the anti-fungal agent cycloheximide. Thus, the Salmonella-Aspergillus interaction can be defined as mutualistic. A tripartite gnotobiotic system involving the bacterium, the fungus and a plant revealed that co-colonization has a greater negative effect on plant growth than colonization by either organism in dividually. Strikingly, co-colonization also causes a reduction in plant invasion by S. Typhimurium. This work demonstrates that S. Typhimurium and A. niger establish a mutualistic interaction that alters bacterial colonization of plants and affects plant physiology. © 2014 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Constraints Affecting ICT Utilization by Agricultural Extension Officers in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akpabio, I. A.; Okon, D. P.; Inyang, E. B.

2007-01-01

The study focused on constraints affecting the utilization of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for agricultural extension activities by Agricultural Extension Officers in Nigeria's Niger Delta Region. Data were derived from 160 extension officers affiliated to both public and private extension organizations in four states of the…

KEEP Reading Research 1974: Overall Strategy and Preliminary Results. Technical Report No. 23.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tharp, Roland G.; And Others

Reading research is an important aspect of the Kamehameha Early Education Program. This report describes the overall strategy of the reading research program, which is based on a conceptual framework that divides lines of inquiry into motivation, linguistics, instructional procedures, and correlational analysis. Preliminary results for each of…

Seeds as natural matrices for immobilization of Aspergillus niger mycelium producing pectinases.

PubMed

Fiedurek, J; Szczodrak, J; Rogalski, J

1995-04-01

A simple method for the immobilization of Aspergillus niger mycelium producing polygalacturonase (PG) and pectinesterase (PE) is described. Fungal conidia were immobilized on wheat, rye, barley, peas, buckwheat and mustards seeds. Spongy mycelia overgrowing the seed surfaces on mineral medium with pectin produced extracellular PG and PE; the highest production was reached on the wheat carrier. Some of the variables influencing the enzymatic activity have been optimized. After every 24 h, a culture liquid with 6.8-7.8 U of PG ml-1 and 7.0-10.1 U of PE ml-1 was obtained. This procedure also made possible repeated batch enzyme production and, as many as eight subsequent 24-h batches could be fermented by using the same carrier without any loss of PG activity. The addition of sodium orthovanadate (1 mmol) into the medium with pectin caused a significant increase in PG and PE activity produced by free cells of A. niger (by 1.59-fold and 1.67-fold respectively), and only 0.47-fold of PG activity in case of the immobilized mycelium.

Evaluation for rock phosphate solubilization in fermentation and soil-plant system using a stress-tolerant phosphate-solubilizing Aspergillus niger WHAK1.

PubMed

Xiao, Chunqiao; Zhang, Huaxiang; Fang, Yujuan; Chi, Ruan

2013-01-01

A strain WHAK1, identified as Aspergillus niger, was isolated from Yichang phosphate mines in Hubei province of China. The fungus developed a phosphate solubilization zone on modified National Botanical Research Institute's phosphate growth (NBRIP) agar medium, supplemented with tricalcium phosphate. The fungus was applied in a repeated-batch fermentation process in order to test its effect on solubilization of rock phosphate (RP). The results showed that A. niger WHAK1 could effectively solubilize RP in NBRIP liquid medium and released soluble phosphate in the broth, which can be illustrated by the observation of scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Acidification of the broth seemed to be the major mechanism for RP solubilization by the fungus. Indeed, multiple organic acids (mainly gluconic acid) were detected in the broth by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. These organic acids caused a significant drop of pH and an obvious rise of titratable acidity in the broth. The fungus also exhibited high levels of tolerance against temperature, pH, salinity, and desiccation stresses, although a significant decline in the fungal growth and release of soluble phosphate was marked under increasing intensity of stress parameters. Further, the fungus was introduced into the soil supplemented with RP to analyze its effect on plant growth and phosphate uptake of wheat plants. The result revealed that inoculation of A. niger WHAK1 significantly increased the growth and phosphate uptake of wheat plants in the RP-amended soil compared to the control soil.

Disparity in Democracies: A Comparative Case Study of Mali and Niger

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-01

thought he was. In the spirit of cooperation, Ousmane issued an emotional appeal to the "every patriot,.. .all the Niger political class...even voted on.127 In 1993-1994, eleven Islamic organizations thwarted a government condom distribution campaign aimed at both contraception and AIDS...GR-EN.pdf (accessed October 18, 2010). 123 Radio France Internationale, "Islamic groups attempt to sabotage contraceptive campaign," November 18

SmallWorld Behavior of the Worldwide Active Volcanoes Network: Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spata, A.; Bonforte, A.; Nunnari, G.; Puglisi, G.

2009-12-01

We propose a preliminary complex networks based approach in order to model and characterize volcanoes activity correlation observed on a planetary scale over the last two thousand years. Worldwide volcanic activity is in fact related to the general plate tectonics that locally drives the faults activity, that in turn controls the magma upraise beneath the volcanoes. To find correlations among different volcanoes could indicate a common underlying mechanism driving their activity and could help us interpreting the deeper common dynamics controlling their unrest. All the first evidences found testing the procedure, suggest the suitability of this analysis to investigate global volcanism related to plate tectonics. The first correlations found, in fact, indicate that an underlying common large-scale dynamics seems to drive volcanic activity at least around the Pacific plate, where it collides and subduces beneath American, Eurasian and Australian plates. From this still preliminary analysis, also more complex relationships among volcanoes lying on different tectonic margins have been found, suggesting some more complex interrelationships between different plates. The understanding of eventually detected correlations could be also used to further implement warning systems, relating the unrest probabilities of a specific volcano also to the ongoing activity to the correlated ones. Our preliminary results suggest that, as for other many physical and biological systems, an underlying organizing principle of planetary volcanoes activity might exist and it could be a small-world principle. In fact we found that, from a topological perspective, volcanoes correlations are characterized by the typical features of small-world network: a high clustering coefficient and a low characteristic path length. These features confirm that global volcanoes activity is characterized by both short and long-range correlations. We stress here the fact that numerical simulation carried out in

Preliminary results in large bone segmentation from 3D freehand ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fanti, Zian; Torres, Fabian; Arámbula Cosío, Fernando

2013-11-01

Computer Assisted Orthopedic Surgery (CAOS) requires a correct registration between the patient in the operating room and the virtual models representing the patient in the computer. In order to increase the precision and accuracy of the registration a set of new techniques that eliminated the need to use fiducial markers have been developed. The majority of these newly developed registration systems are based on costly intraoperative imaging systems like Computed Tomography (CT scan) or Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An alternative to these methods is the use of an Ultrasound (US) imaging system for the implementation of a more cost efficient intraoperative registration solution. In order to develop the registration solution with the US imaging system, the bone surface is segmented in both preoperative and intraoperative images, and the registration is done using the acquire surface. In this paper, we present the a preliminary results of a new approach to segment bone surface from ultrasound volumes acquired by means 3D freehand ultrasound. The method is based on the enhancement of the voxels that belongs to surface and its posterior segmentation. The enhancement process is based on the information provided by eigenanalisis of the multiscale 3D Hessian matrix. The preliminary results shows that from the enhance volume the final bone surfaces can be extracted using a singular value thresholding.

Mapping N-linked Glycosylation Sites in the Secretome and Whole Cells of Aspergillus niger Using Hydrazide Chemistry and Mass Spectrometry

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

Wang, Lu; Aryal, Uma K.; Dai, Ziyu

2012-01-01

Protein glycosylation is known to play an essential role in both cellular functions and the secretory pathways; however, little information is available on the dynamics of glycosylated N-linked glycosites of fungi. Herein we present the first extensive mapping of glycosylated N-linked glycosites in industrial strain Aspergillus niger by applying an optimized solid phase enrichment of glycopeptide protocol using hydrazide modified magnetic beads. The enrichment protocol was initially optimized using mouse plasma and A. niger secretome samples, which was then applied to profile N-linked glycosites from both the secretome and whole cell lysates of A. niger. A total of 847 uniquemore » N-linked glycosites and 330 N-linked glycoproteins were confidently identified by LC-MS/MS. Based on gene ontology analysis, the identified N-linked glycoproteins in the whole cell lysate were primarily localized in the plasma membrane, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi apparatus, lysosome, and storage vacuoles. The identified N-linked glycoproteins are involved in a wide range of biological processes including gene regulation and signal transduction, protein folding and assembly, protein modification and carbohydrate metabolism. The extensive coverage of glycosylated N-linked glycosites along with identification of partial N-linked glycosylation in those enzymes involving in different biochemical pathways provide useful information for functional studies of N-linked glycosylation and their biotechnological applications in A. niger.« less

Chemical mimicking of bio-assisted aluminium extraction by Aspergillus niger's exometabolites.

PubMed

Boriová, Katarína; Urík, Martin; Bujdoš, Marek; Pifková, Ivana; Matúš, Peter

2016-11-01

Presence of microorganisms in soils strongly affects mobility of metals. This fact is often excluded when mobile metal fraction in soil is studied using extraction procedures. Thus, the first objective of this paper was to evaluate strain Aspergillus niger's exometabolites contribution on aluminium mobilization. Fungal exudates collected in various time intervals during cultivation were analyzed and used for two-step bio-assisted extraction of alumina and gibbsite. Oxalic, citric and gluconic acids were identified in collected culture media with concentrations up to 68.4, 2.0 and 16.5 mmol L -1 , respectively. These exometabolites proved to be the most efficient agents in mobile aluminium fraction extraction with aluminium extraction efficiency reaching almost 2.2%. However, fungal cultivation is time demanding process. Therefore, the second objective was to simplify acquisition of equally efficient extracting agent by chemically mimicking composition of main organic acid components of fungal exudates. This was successfully achieved with organic acids mixture prepared according to medium composition collected on the 12th day of Aspergillus niger cultivation. This mixture extracted similar amounts of aluminium from alumina compared to culture medium. The aluminium extraction efficiency from gibbsite by organic acids mixture was lesser than 0.09% which is most likely because of more rigid mineral structure of gibbsite compared to alumina. The prepared organic acid mixture was then successfully applied for aluminium extraction from soil samples and compared to standard single step extraction techniques. This showed there is at least 2.9 times higher content of mobile aluminium fraction in soils than it was previously considered, if contribution of microbial metabolites is considered in extraction procedures. Thus, our contribution highlights the significance of fungal metabolites in aluminium extraction from environmental samples, but it also simplifies the

Characterization and preparation of Aspergillus niger naringinase for debittering citrus juice.

PubMed

Ni, Hui; Chen, Feng; Cai, Huinong; Xiao, Anfeng; You, Qi; Lu, Yunzhen

2012-01-01

Naringinase from Aspergillus niger was prepared and characterized to evaluate its effectiveness in debittering citrus juice. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity by sulfate fractionation and chromatographies on Q-Sepharose, Sephacryl S-200, and S-100 HR columns, and estimated by gel filtration chromatography (GFC) to have a molecular weight (MW) of 131 kDa, of which its subunit was measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to be around 65.5 kDa. The enzyme showed active and stable pH ranges both within 4.5 to 5.0. Its optimal temperature was in the range of 45 to 55 °C. Freeze drying provided an estimated enzymatic recovery of 95.9%, greater than spray drying with the recovery at 55.6%. The freeze-drying powder could retain its enzymatic activity stably at 4 °C for 6 mo. Also, the enzyme in 0.220 U/mL citrus juice could sufficiently remove the naringin for the bitterness. Oral acute toxicity study revealed the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of the naringinase powder was >10 g/kg in mice. The contents of arsenic (As), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), the aerobic plate count, and coliform number in the enzyme powder all met the criteria for food use. These characteristics suggest that the naringinase from A. niger is efficient and suitable for debittering the citrus juice, and the process consisting of fermentation, salt precipitation, ion exchange, ultrafiltration, and freeze drying is a promising means to prepare the naringinase for food industry, setting up a strong base to enzymatically debitter citrus juice. This study focused on characterization, preparation, and validation of naringinase from A. niger, which provided useful information on how to prepare, store, and use the naringinase. In addition, this naringinase met the safety standards for food use and showed strong ability to remove the bitter taste from citrus juice, which provided useful information for interested readers, and the food industry. © 2011 Institute of Food

Analysis of functional xylanases in xylan degradation by Aspergillus niger E-1 and characterization of the GH family 10 xylanase XynVII.

PubMed

Takahashi, Yui; Kawabata, Hiroaki; Murakami, Shuichiro

2013-01-01

Xylanases produced by Aspergillus niger are industrially important and many types of xylanases have been reported. Individual xylanases have been well studied for their enzymatic properties, gene cloning, and heterologous expression. However, less attention has been paid to the relationship between xylanase genes carried on the A. niger genome and xylanases produced by A. niger strains. Therefore, we examined xylanase genes encoded on the genome of A. niger E-1 and xylanases produced in culture. Seven putative xylanase genes, xynI-VII (named in ascending order of the molecular masses of the deduced amino acid sequences), were amplified from the strain E-1 genome using primers designed from the genome sequence of A. niger CBS 513.88 by PCR and phylogenetically classified into three clusters. Additionally, culture supernatant analysis by DE52 anion-exchange column chromatography revealed that this strain produced three xylanases, XynII, XynIII, and XynVII, which were identified by N-terminal amino acid sequencing and MALDI-TOF-MS analyses, in culture when gown in 0.5% xylan medium supplemented with 50 mM succinate. Furthermore, XynVII, the only GH family 10 xylanase in A. niger E-1, was purified and characterized. The purified enzyme showed a single band with a molecular mass of 35 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The highest activity of purified XynVII was observed at 55°C and pH 5.5. The enzyme was stable in the broad pH range of 3-10 and up to 60°C and was resistant to most metal ions and modifying regents. XynVII showed high specificity against beechwood xylan with K m and V max values of 2.8 mg mL(-1) and 127 μmol min(-1)mg(-1), respectively. TLC and MALDI-TOF-MS analyses showed that the final hydrolyzed products of the enzyme from beechwood xylan were xylose, xylobiose, and xylotriose substituted with a 4-o-metylglucuronic acid residue.

Construction of Engineered Bifunctional Enzymes and Their Overproduction in Aspergillus niger for Improved Enzymatic Tools To Degrade Agricultural By-Products

PubMed Central

Levasseur, Anthony; Navarro, David; Punt, Peter J.; Belaïch, Jean-Pierre; Asther, Marcel; Record, Eric

2005-01-01

Two chimeric enzymes, FLX and FLXLC, were designed and successfully overproduced in Aspergillus niger. FLX construct is composed of the sequences encoding the feruloyl esterase A (FAEA) fused to the endoxylanase B (XYNB) of A. niger. A C-terminal carbohydrate-binding module (CBM family 1) was grafted to FLX, generating the second hybrid enzyme, FLXLC. Between each partner, a hyperglycosylated linker was included to stabilize the constructs. Hybrid proteins were purified to homogeneity, and molecular masses were estimated to be 72 and 97 kDa for FLX and FLXLC, respectively. Integrity of hybrid enzymes was checked by immunodetection that showed a single form by using antibodies raised against FAEA and polyhistidine tag. Physicochemical properties of each catalytic module of the bifunctional enzymes corresponded to those of the free enzymes. In addition, we verified that FLXLC exhibited an affinity for microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) with binding parameters corresponding to a Kd of 9.9 × 10−8 M for the dissociation constant and 0.98 μmol/g Avicel for the binding capacity. Both bifunctional enzymes were investigated for their capacity to release ferulic acid from natural substrates: corn and wheat brans. Compared to free enzymes FAEA and XYNB, a higher synergistic effect was obtained by using FLX and FLXLC for both substrates. Moreover, the release of ferulic acid from corn bran was increased by using FLXLC rather than FLX. This result confirms a positive role of the CBM. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that the fusion of naturally free cell wall hydrolases and an A. niger-derived CBM onto bifunctional enzymes enables the increase of the synergistic effect on the degradation of complex substrates. PMID:16332795

76 FR 33219 - Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts from the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-08

...The Department of Commerce is conducting an administrative review of the countervailing duty order on citric acid and certain citrate salts from the People's Republic of China for the period September 19, 2008, through December 31, 2009. We preliminarily find that RZBC Co., Ltd. (``RZBC Co.''); RZBC Import & Export Co., Ltd. (``RZBC I&E''); RZBC (Juxian) Co., Ltd. (``RZBC Juxian''); and RZBC Group Co., Ltd. (``RZBC Group'') (collectively, ``RZBC''), and Yixing Union Biochemical Co., Ltd. (``Yixing Union Co.) and Yixing Union Cogeneration Co., Ltd. (``Cogeneration'') (collectively, ``Yixing Union'') received countervailable subsidies during the period of review. If these preliminary results are adopted in our final results of this review, we will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to assess countervailing duties as detailed in the ``Preliminary Results of Review'' section of this notice. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

The political economy of oil and the Niger Delta crisis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ighodaro, Osaro O.

This study is about the burgeoning crisis in Nigeria's Oil Producing Niger Delta region. Discerning the intersecting contributive factors to the crisis, this dissertation suggests that the Niger Delta crisis is symptomatic of challenges to development in Nigeria. Due to the insidious colonial/neo-colonial practices of subjugation, and exploitation of the host communities, it is suggested that the extractive, super-profit motive of Shell, the concomitant environmental degradation, corruption of a bellicose state, ethnic conflict and suffering of the masses are outcomes of a long historically debilitating relationship with international capital which causes irreparable retardation to the host communities. From cash crop economy to a mono-oil economy resources are removed from the communities and used to enhance the colonial state and their post-colonial harbingers of misery. Hence, the indigenous people claim that the Niger Delta is in a crisis, and they are willing to confront the triple alliance of multinational oil companies like Shell, the Nigerian State and the local elite so long as these allies of subjugation continue to neglect the goose that lays the proverbial golden egg (oil that is). Theoretically, a hybrid Political Economy approach was adopted as the over-aching framework for the study, while Dependency theory, modified by what I have called African Transformative scholarly perspective, served as the conceptual tool. Primary and secondary sources of data, including personal observation, interviews, official government documents and other publications were utilized for this analysis. In view of recommendations, it is suggested that first, the Nigerian state should assume decisive and unflinching leadership in holding oil companies responsible for their activities in the host communities; second, oil companies (like Shell) should see themselves as an integral part of the host communities; invest in their development by providing employment opportunities

Soil dust aerosols and wind as predictors of seasonal meningitis incidence in Niger.

PubMed

Pérez García-Pando, Carlos; Stanton, Michelle C; Diggle, Peter J; Trzaska, Sylwia; Miller, Ron L; Perlwitz, Jan P; Baldasano, José M; Cuevas, Emilio; Ceccato, Pietro; Yaka, Pascal; Thomson, Madeleine C

2014-07-01

Epidemics of meningococcal meningitis are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa during the dry season, a period when the region is affected by the Harmattan, a dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind blowing from the Sahara into the Gulf of Guinea. We examined the potential of climate-based statistical forecasting models to predict seasonal incidence of meningitis in Niger at both the national and district levels. We used time series of meningitis incidence from 1986 through 2006 for 38 districts in Niger. We tested models based on data that would be readily available in an operational framework, such as climate and dust, population, and the incidence of early cases before the onset of the meningitis season in January-May. Incidence was used as a proxy for immunological state, susceptibility, and carriage in the population. We compared a range of negative binomial generalized linear models fitted to the meningitis data. At the national level, a model using early incidence in December and averaged November-December zonal wind provided the best fit (pseudo-R2 = 0.57), with zonal wind having the greatest impact. A model with surface dust concentration as a predictive variable performed indistinguishably well. At the district level, the best spatiotemporal model included zonal wind, dust concentration, early incidence in December, and population density (pseudo-R2 = 0.41). We showed that wind and dust information and incidence in the early dry season predict part of the year-to-year variability of the seasonal incidence of meningitis at both national and district levels in Niger. Models of this form could provide an early-season alert that wind, dust, and other conditions are potentially conducive to an epidemic.

Environmental legal implications of oil and gas exploration in the Niger Delta of Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orubebe, Bibobra Bello

Nigeria is an African country endowed with a wealth of oil and gas resources, and they are mainly found in the core Niger Delta (home to the Ijaw and Ogoni indigenous, ethnic minorities). Since Great Britain granted Nigeria political independence on October 1, 1960, successive Nigerian governments (military and civilian) have been dominated by the majority ethnic groups (Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Ibo). Significantly, the government adopted a socialist-based model of absolute state ownership over oil and gas resources. The socialist model formed the basis of Nigeria's business collaboration with multinational oil and gas corporations from Europe and the United States (notably Shell, Chevron Texaco, Agip, Exxon Mobil, Total, and Elf). This model is fraught with contradictions and has led to unacceptable consequences, including policies that allow exploitation of natural resources without reference to environmental sustainability. When oil was first struck in 1956 at Oloibori (Ijaw area), people thought it would bring prosperity and an improved quality of life. Sadly, the opposite has occurred. Forty-nine years of hardship, agonizing pain, debilitating anger, extreme poverty, poisoned rivers, destroyed occupations, devastated environment, and stunted growth of the youth are the negative impacts of oil and gas exploitation in the Niger Delta. In other words, oil and gas exploration and production have visited a full range of evils---socio-political, economic, and cultural---upon the indigenous Niger Delta people. Furthermore, the wealth extracted from the area is used by the state and multinational corporations to enhance their own wealth and quality of life. Revenue has been conspicuously looted and misappropriated by political leaders at the expense of the Niger Delta environment and its people. This confluence of exploitation and injury has led to social upheavals and armed rebellions, all capable of precipitating the disintegration of the country. In this

Some factors affecting tannase production by Aspergillus niger Van Tieghem.

PubMed

Aboubakr, Hamada A; El-Sahn, Malak A; El-Banna, Amr A

2013-01-01

One variable at a time procedure was used to evaluate the effect of qualitative variables on the production of tannase from Aspergillus niger Van Tieghem. These variables including: fermentation technique, agitation condition, tannins source, adding carbohydrates incorporation with tannic acid, nitrogen source type and divalent cations. Submerged fermentation under intermittent shaking gave the highest total tannase activity. Maximum extracellular tannase activity (305 units/50 mL) was attained in medium containing tannic acid as tannins source and sodium nitrate as nitrogen source at 30 °C for 96 h. All added carbohydrates showed significant adverse effects on the production of tannase. All tested divalent cations significantly decreased tannase production. Moreover, split plot design was carried out to study the effect of fermentation temperature and fermentation time on tannase production. The results indicated maximum tannase production (312.7 units/50 mL) at 35 °C for 96 h. In other words, increasing fermentation temperature from 30 °C to 35 °C resulted in increasing tannase production.

Preliminary results from the portable standard satellite laser ranging intercomparison with MOBLAS-7

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Selden, Michael; Varghese, Thomas K.; Heinick, Michael; Oldham, Thomas

1993-01-01

Conventional Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) instrumentation has been configured and successfully used to provide high-accuracy laboratory measurements on the LAGEOS-2 and TOPEX cube-corner arrays. The instrumentation, referred to as the Portable Standard, has also been used for field measurements of satellite ranges in tandem with MOBLAS-7. Preliminary results of the SLR measurements suggest that improved range accuracy can be achieved using this system. Results are discussed.

Preliminary Results of Field Emission Cathode Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sovey, James S.; Kovaleski, Scott D.

2001-01-01

Preliminary screening tests of field emission cathodes such as chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond, textured pyrolytic graphite, and textured copper were conducted at background pressures typical of electric thruster test facilities to assess cathode performance and stability. Very low power electric thrusters which provide tens to hundreds micronewtons of thrust may need field emission neutralizers that have a capability of tens to hundreds of microamperes. From current voltage characteristics, it was found that the CVD diamond and textured metals cathodes clearly satisfied the Fowler-Nordheim emission relation. The CVD diamond and a textured copper cathode had average current densities of 270 and 380 mA/sq cm, respectively, at the beginning-of-life. After a few hours of operation the cathode emission currents degraded by 40 to 75% at background pressures in the 10(exp -5) Pa to 10(exp -4) Pa range. The textured pyrolytic graphite had a modest current density at beginning-of-life of 84 mA/sq cm, but this cathode was the most stable of all. Extended testing of the most promising cathodes is warranted to determine if current degradation is a burn-in effect or whether it is a long-term degradation process. Preliminary experiments with ferroelectric emission cathodes, which are ceramics with spontaneous electric polarization, were conducted. Peak current densities of 30 to 120 mA/sq cm were obtained for pulse durations of about 500 ns in the 10(exp -4) Pa pressure range.

Chemical Analysis of the Moon at the Surveyor VII Landing Site: Preliminary Results.

PubMed

Turkevich, A L; Franzgrote, E J; Patterson, J H

1968-10-04

The alpha-scattering experiment aboard Surveyor VII has provided a chemical analysis of the moon in the area of the crater Tycho. The preliminary results indicate a chemical composition similar to that already found at two mare sites, but with a lower concentration of elements of the iron group (titanium through copper).

Sediment Export from Forest Road Turn-outs: A Study Design and Preliminary Results

Treesearch

Johnny M. Grace

1998-01-01

This paper reports the design and preliminary results of a study that evaluates the effects of commonly prescribed forest road runoff control treatments. A study design which utilizes runoff samplers, runoff diversion walls, sediment filter bags, and erosion stakes to evaluate sediment transport through runoff control treatments is documented. The study design will...

Quantifying the exposure of humans and the environment to oil pollution in the Niger Delta using advanced geostatistical techniques.

PubMed

Obida, Christopher B; Alan Blackburn, G; Duncan Whyatt, J; Semple, Kirk T

2018-02-01

The Niger Delta is one of the largest oil producing regions of the world. Large numbers and volumes of oil spills have been reported in this region. What has not been quantified is the putative exposure of humans and/or the environment to this hydrocarbon pollution. In this novel study, advanced geostatistical techniques were applied to an extensive database of oil spill incidents from 2007 to 2015. The aims were to (i) identify and analyse spill hotspots along the oil pipeline network and (ii) estimate the exposure of the hydrocarbon pollution to the human population and the environment within the Niger Delta. Over the study period almost 90millionlitres of oil were released. Approximately 29% of the human population living in proximity to the pipeline network has been potentially exposed to oil contamination, of which 565,000 people live within high or very high spill intensity sectors. Over 1000km 2 of land has been contaminated by oil pollution, with broadleaved forest, mangroves and agricultural land the most heavily impacted land cover types. Proximity to the coast, roads and cities are the strongest spatial factors contributing to spill occurrence, which largely determine the accessibility of sites for pipeline sabotage and oil theft. Overall, the findings demonstrate the high levels of environmental and human exposure to hydrocarbon pollutants in the Niger Delta. These results provide evidence with which to spatially target interventions to reduce future spill incidents and mitigate the impacts of previous spills on human communities and ecosystem health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Traditional uvulectomy in Niger: a public health problem?

PubMed

Prual, A; Gamatie, Y; Djakounda, M; Huguet, D

1994-10-01

Although traditional uvulectomy, a procedure which consists of cutting away a part of the uvula, has been reported in several sub-Saharan African countries, in Maghreb and in Israel, epidemiological and anthropological data on this practice are rare. Severe complications may require hospitalization. The goal of this study was to assess the prevalence of this traditional procedure in Niamey, capital of Niger, the incidence of its severe complications and the beliefs and practices related to it. By the age of 5, 19.6% of the children in our survey had undergone uvulectomy. Severe complications of uvulectomy represented 7.8/1000 cases of hospitalization for children under 15 years of age. Complications were infections (including tetanus), hemorrhage and passage of the cut piece of uvula further down the respiratory tract. The children who had undergone uvulectomy belonged significantly more often to the Hausa ethnic group (66.2%) than to the majority Zarma ethnic group (18.3%) or to the other ethnic groups (15.5%). This can be explained by the fact that, in some Hausa subgroups, uvulectomy is systematically performed on the 7th day after birth, during the naming ceremony, to prevent death due to a 'swelling of the uvula'. In the other Hausa sub-groups and in the other ethnic groups, uvulectomy is solely a curative practice, both for children and adults, for vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, the child's rejection of the breast, growth retardation and fever. Uvulectomy is performed in Niger by the barbers, whose functions are also to perform specialized surgery. These traditional surgeons claim there is no risk to this practice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Deletion of a Chitin Synthase Gene in a Citric Acid Producing Strain of Aspergillus niger

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

Rinker, Torri E.; Baker, Scott E.

Citric acid production by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger is carried out in a process that causes the organism to drastically alter its morphology. This altered morphology includes hyphal swelling and highly limited polar growth resulting in clumps of swollen cells that eventually aggregate into pellets of approximately 100 microns in diameter. In this pelleted form, A. niger has increased citric acid production as compared to growth in filamentous form. Chitin is a crucial component of the cell wall of filamentous fungi. Alterations in the deposition or production of chitin may have profound effects on the morphology of the organism.more » In order to study the role of chitin synthesis in pellet formation we have deleted a chitin synthase gene (csmA) in Aspergillus niger strain ATCC 11414 using a PCR based deletion construct. This class of chitin synthases is only found in filamentous fungi and is not present in yeasts. The csmA genes contain a myosin motor domain at the N-terminus and a chitin synthesis domain at the C-terminus. They are believed to contribute to the specialized polar growth observed in filamentous fungi that is lacking in yeasts. The csmA deletion strain (csmAΔ) was subjected to minimal media with and without osmotic stabilizers as well as tested in citric acid production media. Without osmotic stabilizers, the mutant germlings were abnormally swollen, primarily in the subapical regions, and contained large vacuoles. However, this swelling is ultimately not inhibitory to growth as the germlings are able to recover and undergo polar growth. Colony formation was largely unaffected in the absence of osmotic stabilizers. In citric acid production media csmAΔ was observed to have a 2.5 fold increase in citric acid production. The controlled expression of this class of chitin synthases may be useful for improving production of organic acids in filamentous fungi.« less

Kinetics of Inactivation of Bacillus subtilis subsp. niger Spores and Staphylococcus albus on Paper by Chlorine Dioxide Gas in an Enclosed Space

PubMed Central

Wang, Tao; Wu, Jinhui; Hao, Limei; Yi, Ying; Zhang, Zongxing

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Bacillus subtilis subsp. niger spore and Staphylococcus albus are typical biological indicators for the inactivation of airborne pathogens. The present study characterized and compared the behaviors of B. subtilis subsp. niger spores and S. albus in regard to inactivation by chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas under different gas concentrations and relative humidity (RH) conditions. The inactivation kinetics under different ClO2 gas concentrations (1 to 5 mg/liter) were determined by first-order and Weibull models. A new model (the Weibull-H model) was established to reveal the inactivation tendency and kinetics for ClO2 gas under different RH conditions (30 to 90%). The results showed that both the gas concentration and RH were significantly (P < 0.05) and positively correlated with the inactivation of the two chosen indicators. There was a rapid improvement in the inactivation efficiency under high RH (>70%). Compared with the first-order model, the Weibull and Weibull-H models demonstrated a better fit for the experimental data, indicating nonlinear inactivation behaviors of the vegetative bacteria and spores following exposure to ClO2 gas. The times to achieve a six-log reduction of B. subtilis subsp. niger spore and S. albus were calculated based on the established models. Clarifying the kinetics of inactivation of B. subtilis subsp. niger spores and S. albus by ClO2 gas will allow the development of ClO2 gas treatments that provide an effective disinfection method. IMPORTANCE Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas is a novel and effective fumigation agent with strong oxidization ability and a broad biocidal spectrum. The antimicrobial efficacy of ClO2 gas has been evaluated in many previous studies. However, there are presently no published models that can be used to describe the kinetics of inactivation of airborne pathogens by ClO2 gas under different gas concentrations and RH conditions. The first-order and Weibull (Weibull-H) models established in this study can

Kinetics of Inactivation of Bacillus subtilis subsp. niger Spores and Staphylococcus albus on Paper by Chlorine Dioxide Gas in an Enclosed Space.

PubMed

Wang, Tao; Wu, Jinhui; Qi, Jiancheng; Hao, Limei; Yi, Ying; Zhang, Zongxing

2016-05-15

Bacillus subtilis subsp. niger spore and Staphylococcus albus are typical biological indicators for the inactivation of airborne pathogens. The present study characterized and compared the behaviors of B. subtilis subsp. niger spores and S. albus in regard to inactivation by chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas under different gas concentrations and relative humidity (RH) conditions. The inactivation kinetics under different ClO2 gas concentrations (1 to 5 mg/liter) were determined by first-order and Weibull models. A new model (the Weibull-H model) was established to reveal the inactivation tendency and kinetics for ClO2 gas under different RH conditions (30 to 90%). The results showed that both the gas concentration and RH were significantly (P < 0.05) and positively correlated with the inactivation of the two chosen indicators. There was a rapid improvement in the inactivation efficiency under high RH (>70%). Compared with the first-order model, the Weibull and Weibull-H models demonstrated a better fit for the experimental data, indicating nonlinear inactivation behaviors of the vegetative bacteria and spores following exposure to ClO2 gas. The times to achieve a six-log reduction of B. subtilis subsp. niger spore and S. albus were calculated based on the established models. Clarifying the kinetics of inactivation of B. subtilis subsp. niger spores and S. albus by ClO2 gas will allow the development of ClO2 gas treatments that provide an effective disinfection method. Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas is a novel and effective fumigation agent with strong oxidization ability and a broad biocidal spectrum. The antimicrobial efficacy of ClO2 gas has been evaluated in many previous studies. However, there are presently no published models that can be used to describe the kinetics of inactivation of airborne pathogens by ClO2 gas under different gas concentrations and RH conditions. The first-order and Weibull (Weibull-H) models established in this study can characterize and

Dynamic Fumonisin B₂ Production by Aspergillus niger Intented Used in Food Industry in China.

PubMed

Han, Xiaomin; Jiang, Hongru; Xu, Jin; Zhang, Jing; Li, Fengqin

2017-07-09

There are a total of 30 strains including 27 strains of Aspergillus niger intended used in Chinese food industry, two strains used as control and one strain isolated from corn for fumonisin (FB) production on 3 media. It was found that FB₂ production by A. niger was function-dependent and highly related to culture media, as well as incubation time. All strains studied were unable to produce FB₁ and FB₃. Almost all strains were found to produce FB₂ on corn, rice and wheat bran. Based on their intended use in the food industry, the higher level of FB₂ producers were strains used for saccharifying enzyme ( n = 13) production, followed by organic acid ( n = 6), tannase ( n = 7) and β-galactosidase ( n = 1) production, with the FB₂ mean level of 3553-10,270 μg/kg, 1059-12,036 μg/kg, 3-7 μg/kg and 2-4 μg/kg on corn, 5455-9241 μg/kg, 559-2190 μg/kg, 4-9 μg/kg and 6-10 μg/kg on rice, 5959-7709 μg/kg, 9491-17,339 μg/kg, 8-14 μg/kg and 120-222 μg/kg on wheat bran, respectively. Comparatively, strains of Fusarium verticillioide were capable of producing fumonins simultaneously with broader spectrum including FB₁, FB₂ and FB₃, but at a much lower level. In conclusion, it is necessary to evaluate FB₂ production by A. niger before intended use in the food processing industry.

78 FR 15691 - Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From India; Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-12

... Shrimp From India; Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2011-2012 AGENCY... certain frozen warmwater shrimp (shrimp) from India. The review covers 195 producers/ exporters of the... of Antidumping Duty Changed Circumstances Review: Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From India, 77 FR...

Maternal-related deaths and impoverishment among adolescent girls in India and Niger: findings from a modelling study.

PubMed

Verguet, Stéphane; Nandi, Arindam; Filippi, Véronique; Bundy, Donald A P

2016-09-26

High levels of maternal mortality and large associated inequalities exist in low-income and middle-income countries. Adolescent pregnancies remain common, and pregnant adolescent women face elevated risks of maternal mortality and poverty. We examined the distribution across socioeconomic groups of maternal deaths and impoverishment among adolescent girls (15-19 years old) in Niger, which has the highest total fertility rate globally, and India, which has the largest number of maternal deaths. In Niger and India, among adolescent girls, we estimated the distribution per income quintile of: the number of maternal deaths; and the impoverishment, measured by calculating the number of cases of catastrophic health expenditure incurred, caused by complicated pregnancies. We also examined the potential impact on maternal deaths and poverty of increasing adolescent girls' level of education by 1 year. We used epidemiological and cost inputs sourced from surveys and the literature. The number of maternal deaths would be larger among the poorer adolescents than among the richer adolescents in Niger and India. Impoverishment would largely incur among the richer adolescents in Niger and among the poorer adolescents in India. Increasing educational attainment of adolescent girls might avert both a large number of maternal deaths and a significant number of cases of catastrophic health expenditure in the 2 countries. Adolescent pregnancies can lead to large equity gaps and substantial impoverishment in low-income and middle-income countries. Increasing female education can reduce such inequalities and provide financial risk protection and poverty alleviation to adolescent girls. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

The Southern HII Region Discovery Survey: Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shea, Jeanine; Wenger, Trey; Balser, Dana S.; Anderson, Loren D.; Armentrout, William P.; Bania, Thomas M.; Dawson, Joanne; Miller Dickey, John; Jordan, Christopher; McClure-Griffiths, Naomi M.

2017-01-01

HII regions are some of the brightest sources at radio frequencies in the Milky Way and are the sites of massive O and B-type star formation. They have relatively short (< 10 Myr) lifetimes compared to other Galactic objects and therefore reveal information about spiral structure and the chemical evolution of the Galaxy. The HII Region Discovery Surveys (HRDS) discovered about 800 new HII regions in the Galactic longitude range -20 degrees to 270 degrees using primarily the Green Bank Telescope. Candidate HII regions were selected from mid-infrared emission coincident with radio continuum emission, and confirmed as HII regions by the detection of radio recombination lines. Here we discuss the Southern HII Region Discovery Survey (SHRDS), a continuation of the HRDS using the Australia Telescope Compact Array over the Galactic longitude range 230 to 360 degrees. We have reduced and analyzed a small sub-set of the SHRDS sources and discuss preliminary results, including kinematic distances and metallicities.

Radiation Testing on State-of-the-Art CMOS: Challenges, Plans, and Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LaBel, Kenneth A.; Cohn, Lewis M.

2009-01-01

At GOMAC 2007 and 2008, we discussed a variety of challenges for radiation testing of modern semiconductor devices and technologies [1, 2]. In this presentation, we provide more specific details in this on-going investigation focusing on out-of-the-box lessons observed for providing radiation effects assurances as well as preliminary test results.

A Qualitative Study of Factors Influencing Racial Diversity in Environmental Education: Preliminary Results

Treesearch

Kathy James; Leo H. McAvoy

1992-01-01

This study presents preliminary result interviews with people of color working in environmental education and interpretation throughout the United States. The three primary questions asked were these? (1) What path led each individual to a career in environmental education; (2) How does each individual define environmentalism? and (3) What are the primary issues this...

Rubrofusarin from Aspergillus niger GTS01-4 and its biological activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Megawati, Dewi, Rizna Triana; Mulyani, Hanny; Maryani, Faiza; Lotullung, Puspa Dewi N.; Minarti

2017-01-01

During the research for bioactive secondary metabolites from microorganisms, the terestrial fungi Aspergillus niger GTS01-4 has been investigated for the evaluation of antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities using brine shrimp (Artemia salina) lethality test and MCF-7 cell line. Further chromatographic separation and purification of myselium extract resulted in the isolation identified as rubrofusarin (1). The structure elucidation of isolated compound was performed using 1D-NMR, and LCMS. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of rubrofusarin (1) was evaluated and resulted with IC50 of 11.51 µg/mL against MCF-7 and LC50 of 368.11 µg/mL against brine shrimp, respectively. However, rubrofusarin (1) showed moderate activity against E. coli, S. aureus, and B. subtilis compared to standard antibiotic, streptomycin. The average zone of inhibition was ranged from 6 to 8 mm at a concentration of 100 µg/disc. These results suggest that rubrofusarin could be a potential candidate in the field of anticancer drug discovery from terrestrial fungi.

The phosphatidyl choline exchange properties in the cytosol of Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Audigier-Petit, C; Letoublon, R; Fayet, Y; Got, R; Frot-Coutaz, J

1986-01-01

The presence of a PC-binding activity in the cytosol of Aspergillus niger van Tieghem has been established by measuring the reversible exchange of labeled DPC between an adsorbent (celite) and the cytosol. We have shown that this exchange is dependent upon the temperature and the ionic strength and it varies linearly with the protein concentration. This PC-binding activity is able to discriminate between DPC and some other phospholipids.

Removing the regional level from the Niger vaccine supply chain.

PubMed

Assi, Tina-Marie; Brown, Shawn T; Kone, Souleymane; Norman, Bryan A; Djibo, Ali; Connor, Diana L; Wateska, Angela R; Rajgopal, Jayant; Slayton, Rachel B; Lee, Bruce Y

2013-06-10

Since many of the world's vaccine supply chains contain multiple levels, the question remains of whether removing a level could bring efficiencies. We utilized HERMES to generate a detailed discrete-event simulation model of Niger's vaccine supply chain and compared the current four-tier (central, regional, district, and integrated health center levels) with a modified three-tier structure (removing the regional level). Different scenarios explored various accompanying shipping policies and frequencies. Removing the regional level and implementing a collection-based shipping policy from the district stores increases vaccine availability from a mean of 70-100% when districts could collect vaccines at least weekly. Alternatively, implementing a delivery-based shipping policy from the central store monthly in three-route and eight-route scenarios only increases vaccine availability to 87%. Restricting central-to district vaccine shipments to a quarterly schedule for three-route and eight-route scenarios reduces vaccine availability to 49%. The collection-based shipping policy from district stores reduces supply chain logistics cost per dose administered from US$0.14 at baseline to US$0.13 after removing the regional level. Removing the regional level from Niger's vaccine supply chain can substantially improve vaccine availability as long as certain concomitant adjustments to shipping policies and frequencies are implemented. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A SUSTAINABLE METHOD OF WATER EXTRACTION FOR SCHOOL-COMMUNITY GARDENS IN NIGER, WEST AFRICA

EPA Science Inventory

The challenge of this project is significant in the developing world, specifically in the Air Massif region of Niger, the poorest country in the world. A sustainable water extraction system is needed to irrigate community gardens. These gardens produce a basic need, food, for ...

Two novel, putatively cell wall-associated and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored alpha-glucanotransferase enzymes of Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

van der Kaaij, R M; Yuan, X-L; Franken, A; Ram, A F J; Punt, P J; van der Maarel, M J E C; Dijkhuizen, L

2007-07-01

In the genome sequence of Aspergillus niger CBS 513.88, three genes were identified with high similarity to fungal alpha-amylases. The protein sequences derived from these genes were different in two ways from all described fungal alpha-amylases: they were predicted to be glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchored, and some highly conserved amino acids of enzymes in the alpha-amylase family were absent. We expressed two of these enzymes in a suitable A. niger strain and characterized the purified proteins. Both enzymes showed transglycosylation activity on donor substrates with alpha-(1,4)-glycosidic bonds and at least five anhydroglucose units. The enzymes, designated AgtA and AgtB, produced new alpha-(1,4)-glycosidic bonds and therefore belong to the group of the 4-alpha-glucanotransferases (EC 2.4.1.25). Their reaction products reached a degree of polymerization of at least 30. Maltose and larger maltooligosaccharides were the most efficient acceptor substrates, although AgtA also used small nigerooligosaccharides containing alpha-(1,3)-glycosidic bonds as acceptor substrate. An agtA knockout of A. niger showed an increased susceptibility towards the cell wall-disrupting compound calcofluor white, indicating a cell wall integrity defect in this strain. Homologues of AgtA and AgtB are present in other fungal species with alpha-glucans in their cell walls, but not in yeast species lacking cell wall alpha-glucan. Possible roles for these enzymes in the synthesis and/or maintenance of the fungal cell wall are discussed.

Highly active promoters and native secretion signals for protein production during extremely low growth rates in Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Wanka, Franziska; Arentshorst, Mark; Cairns, Timothy C; Jørgensen, Thomas; Ram, Arthur F J; Meyer, Vera

2016-08-20

The filamentous ascomycete Aspergillus niger is used in many industrial processes for the production of enzymes and organic acids by batch and fed-batch cultivation. An alternative technique is continuous cultivation, which promises improved yield and optimized pipeline efficiency. In this work, we have used perfusion (retentostat) cultivation to validate two promoters that are suitable for A. niger continuous cultivation of industrially relevant products. Firstly, promoters of genes encoding either an antifungal protein (Panafp) or putative hydrophobin (PhfbD) were confirmed as active throughout retentostat culture by assessing mRNA and protein levels using a luciferase (mluc) reporter system. This demonstrated the anafp promoter mediates a high but temporally variable expression profile, whereas the hfbD promoter mediates a semi-constant, moderate-to-high protein expression during retentostat culture. In order to assess whether these promoters were suitable to produce heterologous proteins during retentostat cultivation, the secreted antifungal protein (AFP) from Aspergillus giganteus, which has many potential biotechnological applications, was expressed in A. niger during retentostat cultivation. Additionally, this assay was used to concomitantly validate that native secretion signals encoded in anafp and hfbD genes can be harnessed for secretion of heterologous proteins. Afp mRNA and protein abundance were comparable to luciferase measurements throughout retentostat cultivation, validating the use of Panafp and PhfbD for perfusion cultivation. Finally, a gene encoding the highly commercially relevant thermal hysteresis protein (THP) was expressed in this system, which did not yield detectable protein. Both hfbD and anafp promoters are suitable for production of useful products in A. niger during perfusion cultivation. These findings provide a platform for further optimisations for high production of heterologous proteins with industrial relevance.

Mineral and Anti-Nutritional Contents of Niger Seed (Guizotia abyssinica (L.f.) Cass., Linseed (Linumusitatissimum L.) and Sesame (Sesamumindicum L.) Varieties Grown in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Deme, Tesfaye; Haki, Gulelat D; Retta, Nigussie; Woldegiorgis, Ashagrie; Geleta, Mulatu

2017-04-01

Oilseeds are rich sources of micronutrients and contribute to combating malnutrition caused by micronutrient deficiency. The objective of this study was to investigate the mineral and anti-nutritional contents of different varieties of niger seed, linseed and sesame. Five niger seed, eight linseed and ten sesame varieties were used. Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) was used for mineral analysis and the standard method was adopted to estimate tannin and phytate. Twelve mineral elements; Ca, K, Mg, Na, P, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, S, Se and Zn were analyzed for each oilseed variety. In niger seed, phosphorous was the most abundant mineral element ranging from 661 to 867 mg/100 g and selenium was the least, ranging from 0.1 to 0.33 mg/100 g. Potassium was recorded in the range of 502 to 732 mg/100 g for linseed varieties. Calcium was the most common mineral element in sesame (1112 to 1787 mg/100 g). The average phytate contents of niger seed, linseed and sesame varieties were353 mg/100 g, 104 mg/100 g and 285 mg/100 g, respectively. Tannin ranged from 91 to 201 mg/100 g, 96 to 695 mg/100 g and 85 to 660 mg/100 g in niger seed, linseed and sesame, respectively. In conclusion, there is a significant variation among the varieties within each crop species as well as among the different oilseeds in terms of their mineral and anti-nutritional contents.

Small-angle neutron scattering investigations of Co-doped iron oxide nanoparticles. Preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Creanga, Dorina; Balasoiu, Maria; Soloviov, Dmitro; Balasoiu-Gaina, Alexandra-Maria; Puscasu, Emil; Lupu, Nicoleta; Stan, Cristina

2018-03-01

Preliminary small-angle neutron scattering investigations on aqueous suspensions of several cobalt doped ferrites (CoxFe3-xO4, x=0; 0.5; 1) nanoparticles prepared by chemical co-precipitation method, are reported. The measurements were accomplished at the YuMO instrument in function at the IBR-2 reactor. Results of intermediary data treatment are presented and discussed.

Chemical Analysis of the Moon at the Surveyor VI Landing Site: Preliminary Results.

PubMed

Turkevich, A L; Patterson, J H; Franzgrote, E J

1968-06-07

The alpha-scattering experiment aboard soft-landing Surveyor VI has provided a chemical analysis of the surface of the moon in Sinus Medii. The preliminary results indicate that, within experimental errors, the composition is the same as that found by Surveyor V in Mare Tranquillitatis. This finding suggests that large portions of the lunar maria resemble basalt in composition.

Lynx home range and movements in Montana and Wyoming: Preliminary results [Chapter 11

Treesearch

John R. Squires; Tom Laurion

2000-01-01

Preliminary telemetry data suggest that lynx in Montana and Wyoming have large home ranges; this result supports the Koehler and Aubry (1994) contention that lynx from southern lynx populations have large spatial-use areas. Annual home ranges of males were larger than females. Straight-line, daily travel distance averaged 2 to 4 km, which is similar to northern...

78 FR 62584 - Certain Lined Paper Products From India: Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-22

... From India: Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; Calendar Year 2011 AGENCY... (CVD) order on certain lined paper products from India. The period of review (POR) is January 1, 2011.... Printing & Packaging India Pvt. Ltd. (AR Printing). We have preliminarily determined that AR Printing...

77 FR 66580 - Certain Preserved Mushrooms From India: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-06

... From India: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2011-2012 AGENCY: Import... preserved mushrooms (mushrooms) from India. The period of review (POR) is February 1, 2011, through January..., available in Antidumping Duty Order: Mushrooms From India, 64 FR 8311 (February 19, 1999) (Mushroom...

78 FR 48147 - Polyethylene Terephthalate Film, Sheet, and Strip From India: Preliminary Results of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-07

... Film, Sheet, and Strip From India: Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review... countervailing duty (CVD) order on polyethylene terephthalate film, sheet and strip (PET film) from India for the..., the products covered are all gauges of raw, pretreated, or primed polyethylene terephthalate film...

The capacity of Aspergillus niger to sense and respond to cell wall stress requires at least three transcription factors: RlmA, MsnA and CrzA.

PubMed

Fiedler, Markus Rm; Lorenz, Annett; Nitsche, Benjamin M; van den Hondel, Cees Amjj; Ram, Arthur Fj; Meyer, Vera

2014-01-01

Cell wall integrity, vesicle transport and protein secretion are key factors contributing to the vitality and productivity of filamentous fungal cell factories such as Aspergillus niger . In order to pioneer rational strain improvement programs, fundamental knowledge on the genetic basis of these processes is required. The aim of the present study was thus to unravel survival strategies of A. niger when challenged with compounds interfering directly or indirectly with its cell wall integrity: calcofluor white, caspofungin, aureobasidin A, FK506 and fenpropimorph. Transcriptomics signatures of A. niger and phenotypic analyses of selected null mutant strains were used to predict regulator proteins mediating the survival responses against these stressors. This integrated approach allowed us to reconstruct a model for the cell wall salvage gene network of A. niger that ensures survival of the fungus upon cell surface stress. The model predicts that (i) caspofungin and aureobasidin A induce the cell wall integrity pathway as a main compensatory response via induction of RhoB and RhoD, respectively, eventually activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase MkkA and the transcription factor RlmA. (ii) RlmA is the main transcription factor required for the protection against calcofluor white but it cooperates with MsnA and CrzA to ensure survival of A. niger when challenged with caspofungin and aureobasidin A. (iii) Membrane stress provoked by aureobasidin A via disturbance of sphingolipid synthesis induces cell wall stress, whereas fenpropimorph-induced disturbance of ergosterol synthesis does not. The present work uncovered a sophisticated defence system of A. niger which employs at least three transcription factors - RlmA, MsnA and CrzA - to protect itself against cell wall stress. The transcriptomic data furthermore predicts a fourth transfactor, SrbA, which seems to be specifically important to survive fenpropimorph-induced cell membrane stress. Future studies

Tannase sequence from a xerophilic Aspergillus niger Strain and production of the enzyme in Pichia pastoris.

PubMed

Fuentes-Garibay, José Antonio; Aguilar, Cristóbal Noé; Rodríguez-Herrera, Raúl; Guerrero-Olazarán, Martha; Viader-Salvadó, José María

2015-05-01

Tannin acyl hydrolases, or tannases (EC 3.1.1.20), are enzymes with potential biotechnological applications. In this work, we describe the gene and amino acid sequences of the tannase from Aspergillus niger GH1. In addition, we engineered Pichia pastoris strains to produce and secrete the enzyme, and the produced tannase was characterized biochemically. The nucleotide sequence of mature tannase had a length of 1,686 bp, and encodes a protein of 562 amino acids. A molecular model of mature A. niger GH1 tannase showed the presence of two structural domains, one with an α/β-hydrolase fold and one lid domain that covers the catalytic site, likely being residues Ser-196, Asp-448, and His-494 the putative catalytic triad, which are connected by a disulfide bond between the neighboring cysteines, Cys-195 and Cys-495. A 120-ml shake flask culture with a constructed recombinant P. pastoris strain showed extracellular tannase activity at 48 h induction of 0.57 U/ml. The produced tannase was N-glycosylated, consisted of two subunits, likely linked by a disulfide bond, and had an optimum pH of 5.0 and optimum temperature of 20 °C. These biochemical properties differed from those of native A. niger GH1 tannase. The recombinant tannase could be suitable for food and beverage applications.

SUPRAPUBIC LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY: TECHNIQUE AND PRELIMINARY RESULTS

PubMed Central

SALES, Leonardo Adolpho S.; PINTO, João Odilo G.; QUEIROZ, Carlos Eduardo F.; CASTRO, Marcelo; DOURADO, Paulo Henrique F.; PINHEIRO, Fernando Antonio S.

2014-01-01

Background The minimally invasive abdominal surgery has evolved to reduce portals, culminating with a single incision and natural orifice operation. However, these methods are still expensive, difficult to implement and with questionable aesthetic results. Aim To present the standardization and preliminary results of a technique for performing laparoscopic suprapubic access by the principle which was called the Supra Pubic Endoscopic Surgery for cholecystectomy. Method The average body mass index of patients, the mean operative time, clinical data of the postoperative complications and quality of life were prospectively studied. The operation incisions consisted of: A) umbilical for instrumental dissection and clipping; B) in the right groin for handling and gallbladder gripping; C) suprapubic for the camera. With the patient in reverse Trendelenburg and left lateral decubitus, the operation flew by the camera trocar in C, proceeding with dissection and isolation of the biliary pedicle, identification of cystic duct and artery, with usual instrumentation. Transcystic intraoperative cholangiography was performed in all cases in which there were indications. The procedure was completed with clipping and sectioning of the cystic duct and artery, retrograde resection of the gallbladder and extracting it by the umbilical trocar incision under direct vision. Results Thirty patients undergone this surgical procedure between March and June 2012 and were evaluated. The mean age was 40.7 years and the indications were typical biliary colic in 18 cases (60 %), cholecystitis in five cases (16.6 %), biliary pancreatitis in one case (3.3%); polyp in three cases (10%) and obstructive jaundice at three cases (10%). The average body mass index was 27.8 (23.1-35.1) and surgical time ranged between 24 and 70 minutes. Conclusion The technique proved to be feasible and safe , with no significant complications, and satisfactory cosmetic results. PMID:24676293

Remote sensing of ephemeral water bodies in western Niger

USGS Publications Warehouse

Verdin, J.P.

1996-01-01

Research was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of monitoring the small ephemeral water bodies of the Sahel with the 1.1 km resolution data of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). Twenty-one lakes of western Niger with good ground observation records were selected for examination. Thematic Mapper images from 1988 were first analysed to determine surface areas and temperature differences between water and adjacent land. Six AVHRR scenes from the 1988-89 dry season were then studied. It was found that a lake can be monitored until its surface area drops below 10 ha, in most cases. Furthermore, with prior knowledge of the location and shape of a water body, its surface area can be estimated from AVHRR band 5 data to within about 10 ha. These results are explained by the sharp temperature contrast between water and land, on the order of 13?? C.

76 FR 12054 - Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Preliminary Results...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-04

... made below normal value (``NV''). If these preliminary results are adopted in our final results of... Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Antidumping Duty Order: Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From the... Less Than Fair Value: Certain Hot-Rolled Carbon Steel Flat Products From the People's Republic of China...

The 53-kDa proteolytic product of precursor starch-hydrolyzing enzyme of Aspergillus niger has Taka-amylase-like activity.

PubMed

Ravi-Kumar, K; Venkatesh, K S; Umesh-Kumar, S

2007-04-01

The 53-kDa amylase secreted by Aspergillus niger due to proteolytic processing of the precursor starch-hydrolyzing enzyme was resistant to acarbose, a potent alpha-glucosidase inhibitor. The enzyme production was induced when A. niger was grown in starch medium containing the inhibitor. Antibodies against the precursor enzyme cross-reacted with the 54-kDa Taka-amylase protein of A. oryzae. It resembled Taka-amylase in most of its properties and also hydrolyzed starch to maltose of alpha-anomeric configuration. However, it did not degrade maltotriose formed during the reaction and was not inhibited by zinc ions.

Response of waves and coastline evolution to climate variability off the Niger Delta coast during the past 110 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dada, Olusegun A.; Li, Guangxue; Qiao, Lulu; Ma, Yanyan; Ding, Dong; Xu, Jishang; Li, Pin; Yang, Jichao

2016-08-01

River deltas, low-lying landforms that host critical economic infrastructures and diverse ecosystems as well as high concentrations of human population, are highly vulnerable to the effects of global climate change. In order to understand the wave climate, their potential changes and implication on coastline evolution for environment monitoring and sustainable management of the Niger Delta in the Gulf of Guinea, an investigation was carried out based on offshore wave statistics of an 110-year time series (1900-2010) dataset obtained from the ECMWF ERA-20C atmospheric reanalysis. Results of multivariate regression analyses indicate that interannual mean values of Hs and Tm trends tended to increase over time, especially in the western part of the delta coast, so that they are presently (1980 and 2010) up to 264 mm (300%) and 0.32 s (22%), respectively, higher than 80 years (1900-1930) ago. The maximum directions of the wave have become more westerly (southward) than southerly (westward) by up to 2° (33%) and the mean longshore sediment transport rate has increased by more than 8% over the last 80 years. The linear regression analysis for shoreline changes from 1987 to 2013 shows an erosional trend at the western part of the delta and accretional trends towards eastern part. The relationship between wave climate of the study area and atmospheric circulation using Pearson's correlation shows that the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), East Atlantic pattern (EA) and El-Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Index explain significant proportion of the seasonal and annual wave variabilities compared to other indices. But it is most likely that the combination of these climatic indices acting together or separately constitutes a powerful and effective mechanism responsible for much of the variability of the offshore Niger Delta wave climate. The study concludes that changing wave climate off the Niger Delta has strong implications on the

Assessment of environmental change and its socio-economic impacts in the mangrove ecological zone of the Niger Delta, Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

James, Godstime Kadiri

The Niger Delta, located in the central part of Southern Nigeria, is endowed with immense Mangrove resources, estimated to be the fourth largest in the world. The term Mangrove refers to salt tolerant species of trees or shrubs that grow on shores and in estuaries located in the coastal tropics and sub-tropical regions of the world. They support highly productive marine food chains. However, Mangrove ecosystems are in serious decline around the world due to the rapid increase in maritime commerce and exploration of mineral resources in the last few decades. These pressures often have immediate consequences on sensitive coastal environments and can potentially impact future human use of coastal space and resources. This dynamic process presents unique opportunities for research to explore the nature and consequences of these pressures. This dissertation focused on the Mangrove ecological zone of the Niger Delta, where resource exploitation and indigenous use of the environment are in direct conflict with important socio-economic implications. Environmental accounting metrics derived from the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework were used to assess changes in the spatial extent of the Niger Delta Mangrove ecosystem and the socio-economic impacts of the observed changes. Landsat remotely sensed satellite data from the mid-1980s through 2003 was used to assess change in the spatial extent of the Mangrove vegetation in the region. A total of 21,340 hectares of Mangrove forest was determined to be lost over the study period. Field research in the region confirmed that this loss was primarily driven by urbanization and activities of the multinational oil and gas corporations operating in the region. To estimate the socio-economic impacts of the Mangrove loss in the region, neoclassical economic valuation and participatory social valuation approaches were adopted. Results from the economic valuation revealed that the net present value of future income

Thermal Characterization of Purified Glucose Oxidase from A Newly Isolated Aspergillus Niger UAF-1

PubMed Central

Anjum Zia, Muhammad; Khalil-ur-Rahman; K. Saeed, Muhammad; Andaleeb, Fozia; I. Rajoka, Muhammad; A. Sheikh, Munir; A. Khan, Iftikhar; I. Khan, Azeem

2007-01-01

An intracellular glucose oxidase was isolated from the mycelium extract of a locally isolated strain of Aspergillus niger UAF-1. The enzyme was purified to a yield of 28.43% and specific activity of 135 U mg−1 through ammonium sulfate precipitation, anion exchange and gel filtration chromatography. The enzyme showed high affinity for D-glucose with a Km value of 2.56 mM. The enzyme exhibited optimum catalytic activity at pH 5.5. Temperature optimum for glucose oxidase, catalyzed D-glucose oxidation was 40°C. The enzyme showed a high thermostability having a half-life 30 min, enthalpy of denaturation 99.66 kJ mol−1 and free energy of denaturation 103.63 kJ mol−1. These characteristics suggest the use of glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger UAF-1 as an analytical reagent and in the design of biosensors for clinical, biochemical and diagnostic assays. PMID:18193107

Determination of University Athletes Character through Sport Participation in Niger Delta of Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dada, Benson Olu

2016-01-01

There are increasing reports concerning the character displayed by athletes on and off the field of play. These reports are not far different from the ones observed in Nigerian University sports. This worrisome report has necessitated this study carried out on determining the character of university athletes in Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The…

The quality of risk factor screening during antenatal consultations in Niger.

PubMed

Prual, A; Toure, A; Huguet, D; Laurent, Y

2000-03-01

A decade after the first International Conference on Safe Motherhood, maternal mortality remains very high in most West African countries, even in capital cities. The detection of high risk pregnancies, known as the risk approach, during antenatal consultations has been the basis of most maternal and child health programmes over the last decade. The effectiveness of antenatal care as a tool to prevent or predict obstetric complications is being questioned more and more. In addition to the scarcity of reliable data about the predictivity of most risk factors, the quality of the screening must be questioned. The goal of this study was to assess the frequency of risk factors among a sample of pregnant women attending antenatal care in Niger and to assess the quality of the screening of those risk factors. Overall, 330 pregnant women were enrolled in the study. Each woman was examined twice: the first time by a midwife, the second time by one of the authors but without knowledge of the results of the first consultation. Fifty-five percent of pregnant women had at least one risk factor, 31% had more than one. Ninety-one percent of the risk factors were detected at interview. The following risk factors were not systematically searched for by midwives: height (48.5%), blood pressure (43.6%), glycosuria (40.6%), vaginal bleeding (38.2%), oedema (37.3%), parity (17%), age (16%), previous caesarean section (15.2%), previous stillbirth (15.2%) and previous miscarriages (14.8%). This study has shown that, in Niger, the quality of screening for risk factors during antenatal consultation is poor. In the urban settings where this study took place, lack of personnel, lack of equipment, lack of time and poor compliance by women cannot be made responsible for this situation. While screening of these risk factors continues as policy, the quality of screening must be dramatically improved.

Isolation, molecular cloning and expression of cellobiohydrolase B (CbhB) from Aspergillus niger in Escherichia coli

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woon, J. S. K.; Murad, A. M. A.; Abu Bakar, F. D.

2015-09-01

A cellobiohydrolase B (CbhB) from Aspergillus niger ATCC 10574 was cloned and expressed in E. coli. CbhB has an open reading frame of 1611 bp encoding a putative polypeptide of 536 amino acids. Analysis of the encoded polypeptide predicted a molecular mass of 56.2 kDa, a cellulose binding module (CBM) and a catalytic module. In order to obtain the mRNA of cbhB, total RNA was extracted from A. niger cells induced by 1% Avicel. First strand cDNA was synthesized from total RNA via reverse transcription. The full length cDNA of cbhB was amplified by PCR and cloned into the cloning vector, pGEM-T Easy. A comparison between genomic DNA and cDNA sequences of cbhB revealed that the gene is intronless. Upon the removal of the signal peptide, the cDNA of cbhB was cloned into the expression vector pET-32b. However, the recombinant CbhB was expressed in Escherichia coli Origami DE3 as an insoluble protein. A homology model of CbhB predicted the presence of nine disulfide bonds in the protein structure which may have contributed to the improper folding of the protein and thus, resulting in inclusion bodies in E. coli.

The human health implications of crude oil spills in the Niger delta, Nigeria: An interpretation of published studies

PubMed Central

Ordinioha, Best; Brisibe, Seiyefa

2013-01-01

Background: The health hazards created by oil exploration and exploitation are covert and slow in action. They are not given the deserved attention in official documents in Nigeria, even as they can be major contributors to the disease burden in oil-bearing communities. This study is an interpretation of the data reported in several published studies on crude oil spills in the Niger delta region, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A manual and Internet search was conducted to extract quantitative data on the quantity of crude oil spilled; the concentrations of the pollutants in surface water, ground water, ambient air and plant and animal tissue; and the direct impact on human health and household food security. Results: An average of 240,000 barrels of crude oil are spilled in the Niger delta every year, mainly due to unknown causes (31.85%), third party activity (20.74%), and mechanical failure (17.04%). The spills contaminated the surface water, ground water, ambient air, and crops with hydrocarbons, including known carcinogens like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and benxo (a) pyrene, naturally occurring radioactive materials, and trace metals that were further bioaccumulated in some food crops. The oil spills could lead to a 60% reduction in household food security and were capable of reducing the ascorbic acid content of vegetables by as much as 36% and the crude protein content of cassava by 40%. These could result in a 24% increase in the prevalence of childhood malnutrition. Animal studies indicate that contact with Nigerian crude oil could be hemotoxic and hepatotoxic, and could cause infertility and cancer. Conclusions: The oil spills in the Niger delta region have acute and long-term effects on human health. Material relief and immediate and long-term medical care are recommended, irrespective of the cause of the spill, to ensure that the potential health effects of exposures to the spills are properly addressed. PMID:23661893

76 FR 12025 - Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From India: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-04

... Falcon have been made at below normal value (NV), and, therefore, are subject to antidumping duties. In addition, based on the preliminary results for the respondents selected for individual examination, we have... Than Fair Value and Antidumping Duty Order: Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from India, 70 FR 5147 (Feb...

77 FR 13082 - Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From Thailand: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-05

... preliminarily determine that Pakfood and TRF have made sales at below normal value (NV) and, therefore, are subject to antidumping duties. In addition, based on the preliminary results for the respondents selected... Fair Value and Antidumping Duty Order: Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from Thailand, 70 FR 5145 (Feb...

76 FR 12033 - Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From Thailand: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-04

... Pakfood have been made at below normal value (NV) and, therefore, are subject to antidumping duties. In addition, based on the preliminary results for the respondents selected for individual examination, we have... Than Fair Value and Antidumping Duty Order: Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from Thailand, 70 FR 5145...

Study of the rice straw biodegradation in mixed culture of Trichoderma viride and Aspergillus niger by GC-MS and FTIR.

PubMed

Chen, Yaoning; Huang, Jingxia; Li, Yuanping; Zeng, Guangming; Zhang, Jiachao; Huang, Aizhi; Zhang, Jie; Ma, Shuang; Tan, Xuebin; Xu, Wei; Zhou, Wei

2015-07-01

This study was conducted to investigate the biodegradation ability of the mixed culture of Trichoderma viride and Aspergillus niger through the study of the organic matter extracted from rice straw and the lignocellulose structure by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results of the GC-MS showed that the mixed culture possessed shorter alkane (heptane) at the end of the incubation and more kinds of organic matter (except the alkanes, 29 kinds of organic matter were detected) than the pure cultures. It could be deduced that the organic matter could indicate the degradation degree of the lignocellulose to some extent. Moreover, pinene was detected in the mixed culture on days 5 and 10, which might represent the antagonistic relationship between T. viride and A. niger. The analysis of FTIR spectrums which indirectly verified the GC-MS results showed that the mixed culture possessed a better degradation of rice straw compared with the pure culture. Therefore, the methods used in this research could be considered as effective ones to investigate the lignocellulose degradation mechanism in mixed culture.

Sensitivity and feeding efficiency of the black garden ant Lasius niger to sugar resources.

PubMed

Detrain, Claire; Prieur, Jacques

2014-05-01

Carbohydrate sources such as plant exudates, nectar and honeydew represent the main source of energy for many ant species and contribute towards maintaining their mutualistic relationships with plants or aphid colonies. Here we characterise the sensitivity, feeding response curve and food intake efficiency of the aphid tending ant, Lasius niger for major sugars found in nectar, honeydew and insect haemolymph (i.e. fructose, glucose, sucrose, melezitose and trehalose). We found that sucrose concentrations - ranging from 0.1 to 2.5 M - triggered food acceptance by L.niger workers with their food intake efficiency being enhanced by sugar concentrations of 1M or higher at which points energy intake was maximised. The range of sucrose concentrations that elicit a feeding response by L. niger scouts thus overlaps with that of natural sugar resources. The response curves of feeding acceptance by scouts consistently increased with sugar concentration, except for trehalose which was disregarded by the ants. Ants are highly sensitive to sucrose and melezitose exhibiting low response thresholds. Sucrose, fructose and glucose share a same potential to act as phagostimulants as they had similar half feeding efficiency concentration values when expressed as the energetic content of sugar solution. Aphid-biosynthezised melezitose generated the highest sensitivity and phagostimulant potential. The feeding behavior of ants appears to be primarily regulated by the energy content of the food solution for the main sugars present in nectar and honeydew. However, feeding by scouts is also influenced by the informative value of individual sugars when it serves as a cue for the presence of aphid partners such as the aphid-biosynthesised melezitose. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Case-fatality rate during a measles outbreak in eastern Niger in 2003.

PubMed

Nandy, Robin; Handzel, Thomas; Zaneidou, Maman; Biey, José; Coddy, Rene Z; Perry, Robert; Strebel, Peter; Cairns, Lisa

2006-02-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the case-fatality rate (CFR) for measles in West Africa is 4%-6%. In Niger, 50,138 measles cases and 201 deaths (CFR, 0.4%) were reported in 2003. We conducted an investigation to determine the epidemiology and the true CFR of measles in the Mirriah district in Niger. Twenty-two villages from the Mirriah district that reported measles cases in 2003 were included in the investigation. A comprehensive household search for measles cases and deaths was conducted, and serum samples from 12 villages were collected for laboratory confirmation. A measles case was defined as illness characterized by fever, rash, and either cough, coryza, or conjunctivitis, with rash onset during the period from 1 January 2003 to 15 April 2003. Deaths occurring within 30 days after rash onset were attributed to measles unless they were obviously due to other causes. Measles was confirmed serologically in all villages from which samples were collected. Of 945 case patients identified, 900 (95.2%) were aged <15 years, 114 (12.3%) were vaccinated, and 789 (83.5%) sought treatment at a health care facility. A total of 92 deaths were attributed to measles (CFR, 9.7%; 95% confidence interval, 7.9%-11.5%). The CFR was highest in infants aged <1 year (15.6%). Households with >or=2 case patients had a higher CFR (10.8%) than that of households with only 1 case patient (6.0%). Households consisting of >or=8 members had a CFR of 12.8%, whereas the CFR of smaller households was 7.1%. This investigation suggests that the measles CFR in the Mirriah district may be 2-fold higher than the WHO regional estimate and 20-fold higher than the estimate derived from routine surveillance. Reducing measles mortality in Niger will require wide-age-range vaccination campaigns, improvement in routine immunization services, and periodic "follow-up" campaigns.

Switching from a unicellular to multicellular organization in an Aspergillus niger hypha.

PubMed

Bleichrodt, Robert-Jan; Hulsman, Marc; Wösten, Han A B; Reinders, Marcel J T

2015-03-03

Pores in fungal septa enable cytoplasmic streaming between hyphae and their compartments. Consequently, the mycelium can be considered unicellular. However, we show here that Woronin bodies close ~50% of the three most apical septa of growing hyphae of Aspergillus niger. The incidence of closure of the 9th and 10th septa was even ≥94%. Intercompartmental streaming of photoactivatable green fluorescent protein (PA-GFP) was not observed when the septa were closed, but open septa acted as a barrier, reducing the mobility rate of PA-GFP ~500 times. This mobility rate decreased with increasing septal age and under stress conditions, likely reflecting a regulatory mechanism affecting septal pore diameter. Modeling revealed that such regulation offers effective control of compound concentration between compartments. Modeling also showed that the incidence of septal closure in A. niger had an even stronger impact on cytoplasmic continuity. Cytoplasm of hyphal compartments was shown not to be in physical contact when separated by more than 4 septa. Together, data show that apical compartments of growing hyphae behave unicellularly, while older compartments have a multicellular organization. The hyphae of higher fungi are compartmentalized by porous septa that enable cytosolic streaming. Therefore, it is believed that the mycelium shares cytoplasm. However, it is shown here that the septa of Aspergillus niger are always closed in the oldest part of the hyphae, and therefore, these compartments are physically isolated from each other. In contrast, only part of the septa is closed in the youngest part of the hyphae. Still, compartments in this hyphal part are physically isolated when separated by more than 4 septa. Even open septa act as a barrier for cytoplasmic mixing. The mobility rate through such septa reduces with increasing septal age and under stress conditions. Modeling shows that the septal pore width is set such that its regulation offers maximal control of

Magnetic field observations near Mercury: Preliminary results from Mariner 10

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ness, N. F.; Behannon, K. W.; Lepping, R. P.; Whang, Y. C.; Schatten, K. H.

1974-01-01

Results are presented from a preliminary analysis of data obtained near Mercury by the NASA/GSFC Magnetic Field Experiment on Mariner 10. A very well developed, detached bow shock wave, which developed as the super-Alfvenic solar wind interacted with the planet Mercury was observed. A magnetosphere-like region, with maximum field strength of 98 gamma at closest approach (704 km altitude) was also observed, and was contained within boundaries similar to the terrestrial magnetopause. The obstacle deflecting the solar wind flow was global in size, but the origin of the enhanced magnetic field was not established. The most plausible explanation, considering the complete body of data, favored the conclusion that Mercury has an intrinsic magnetic field.

Aspergillus niger P6 and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa CH4 used for olive mill wastewater (OMW) biological treatment in single pure and successive cultures.

PubMed

Jarboui, Raja; Magdich, Salwa; Ayadi, Raja Jarboui; Gargouri, Ali; Gharsallah, Néji; Ammar, Emna

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the Rhodotorula mucilaginosa CH4 and Aspergillus niger P6 abilities to purify olive mill wastewater (OMW) in single pure and mixed cultures during the treatment. Both fungi were molecularly identified. OMW was used at five dilutions from 5% to 30% with chemical oxygen demand (COD) ranging from 11,600 to 24,600 mg L(-1). Firstly, each fungus was used separately, then they were successively used to treat the OMW. In single pure culture, A. niger showed a better efficiency in OMW purification than R. mucilaginosa. Furthermore, when successively used, the two studied strains exhibited improvements in the decrease of COD, polyphenolic compounds concentration and effluent colour. COD removals were 95.68-56.71% by R. mucilaginosa and 98.02-69.51% by A. niger for OMW dilutions varying from 5% to 30%. Both strains showed an important polyphenolic compounds removal of 83-45% by R. mucilaginosa and 94-58% by A. niger, in accordance with the OMW COD initially used. The COD and phenolic compound removals fitted simple equation models, with high regression coefficients. The strains' growth kinetics decreased according to the OMW concentration, but, when successively used, fungal growth was improved, allowing efficient effluent treatment.

Metabolism of DL-(+/-)-phenylalanine by Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Kishore, G; Sugumaran, M; Vaidyanathan, C S

1976-10-01

A fungus capable of degrading DL-phenylalanine was isolated from the soil and identified as Aspergillus niger. It was found to metabolize DL-phenylalanine by a new pathway involving 4-hydroxymandelic acid. D-Amino acid oxidase and L-phenylalanine: 2-oxoglutaric acid aminotransferase initiated the degradation of D- and L-phenylalanine, respectively. Both phenylpyruvate oxidase and phenylpyruvate decarboxylase activities could be demonstrated in the cell-free system. Phenylacetate hydroxylase, which required reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, converted phenylacetic acid to 2- and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid. Although 4-hydroxyphenylacetate was converted to 4-hydroxymandelate, 2-hydroxyphenylacetate was not utilized until the onset of sporulation. During sporulation, it was converted rapidly into homogentisate and oxidized to ring-cleaved products. 4-Hydroxymandelate was degraded to protocatechuate via 4-hydroxybenzoylformate, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and 4-hydroxybenzoate.

Metabolism of DL-(+/-)-phenylalanine by Aspergillus niger.

PubMed Central

Kishore, G; Sugumaran, M; Vaidyanathan, C S

1976-01-01

A fungus capable of degrading DL-phenylalanine was isolated from the soil and identified as Aspergillus niger. It was found to metabolize DL-phenylalanine by a new pathway involving 4-hydroxymandelic acid. D-Amino acid oxidase and L-phenylalanine: 2-oxoglutaric acid aminotransferase initiated the degradation of D- and L-phenylalanine, respectively. Both phenylpyruvate oxidase and phenylpyruvate decarboxylase activities could be demonstrated in the cell-free system. Phenylacetate hydroxylase, which required reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, converted phenylacetic acid to 2- and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid. Although 4-hydroxyphenylacetate was converted to 4-hydroxymandelate, 2-hydroxyphenylacetate was not utilized until the onset of sporulation. During sporulation, it was converted rapidly into homogentisate and oxidized to ring-cleaved products. 4-Hydroxymandelate was degraded to protocatechuate via 4-hydroxybenzoylformate, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and 4-hydroxybenzoate. PMID:10273

Impact of changing the measles vaccine vial size on Niger's vaccine supply chain: a computational model

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Many countries, such as Niger, are considering changing their vaccine vial size presentation and may want to evaluate the subsequent impact on their supply chains, the series of steps required to get vaccines from their manufacturers to patients. The measles vaccine is particularly important in Niger, a country prone to measles outbreaks. Methods We developed a detailed discrete event simulation model of the vaccine supply chain representing every vaccine, storage location, refrigerator, freezer, and transport device (e.g., cold trucks, 4 × 4 trucks, and vaccine carriers) in the Niger Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). Experiments simulated the impact of replacing the 10-dose measles vial size with 5-dose, 2-dose and 1-dose vial sizes. Results Switching from the 10-dose to the 5-dose, 2-dose and 1-dose vial sizes decreased the average availability of EPI vaccines for arriving patients from 83% to 82%, 81% and 78%, respectively for a 100% target population size. The switches also changed transport vehicle's utilization from a mean of 58% (range: 4-164%) to means of 59% (range: 4-164%), 62% (range: 4-175%), and 67% (range: 5-192%), respectively, between the regional and district stores, and from a mean of 160% (range: 83-300%) to means of 161% (range: 82-322%), 175% (range: 78-344%), and 198% (range: 88-402%), respectively, between the district to integrated health centres (IHC). The switch also changed district level storage utilization from a mean of 65% to means of 64%, 66% and 68% (range for all scenarios: 3-100%). Finally, accounting for vaccine administration, wastage, and disposal, replacing the 10-dose vial with the 5 or 1-dose vials would increase the cost per immunized patient from $0.47US to $0.71US and $1.26US, respectively. Conclusions The switch from the 10-dose measles vaccines to smaller vial sizes could overwhelm the capacities of many storage facilities and transport vehicles as well as increase the cost per vaccinated child. PMID

Multiple myeloma in Niger Delta, Nigeria: complications and the outcome of palliative interventions

PubMed Central

Nwabuko, Ogbonna Collins; Igbigbi, Elizabeth Eneikido; Chukwuonye, Innocent Ijezie; Nnoli, Martin Anazodo

2017-01-01

Background Multiple myeloma (MM) is one of the hematological malignancies that require palliative care. This is because of the life-threatening nature and the suffering associated with the illness. The aim of this study is to bring to the fore the complications experienced by people living with MM in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria and the outcome of various palliative interventions. Methods This was a 10-year multi-center retrospective study of 26 patients diagnosed and managed in three major centers in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria from January 2003 to December 2012. Information on the clinical, laboratory, radiological data, and palliative treatment was obtained at presentation and subsequently at intervals of 3 months until the patient was lost to follow-up. Result The mean duration from onset of symptoms to diagnosis was 13.12 months (95% CI, 6.65–19.58). A total of 16 (61.5%), eight (30.8%), and two subjects (7.7%) presented in Durie–Salmon (DS) stages III, II, and I, respectively. The complications presented by patients at diagnoses included bone pain (84.6%), anemia (61.5%), nephropathy (23.1%), and hemiplegia (35%). All the patients received analgesics, while 50.0% received blood transfusion, 56.7% had surgery performed, 19% had hemodialysis, and 3.8% received radiotherapy. A total of 10 (38%) patients benefited from bisphosphonates (BPs). A total of 57.6% of patients were on melphalan–prednisone (MP) double regimen, while 19% and 8% patients were on MP–thalidomide and MP–bortezomib triple regimens, respectively. A total of 3.8% of patients at DS stage IIIB disease had autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT). Only 7.6% of the myeloma patients survived up to 5 years post diagnosis. The overall mean survival interval was 39.7 months (95% CI, 32.1–47.2). Conclusion Late diagnosis and inadequate palliative care account for major complications encountered by MM patients in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria. This could be responsible for

Preliminary Results Of PCA On MRO CRISM Multispectral Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klassen, David R.; Smith, M. D.

2008-09-01

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter arrived at Mars in March 2006 and by September had achieved its science-phase orbit with the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) beginning its visible to near-infrared (VIS/NIR) spectral imaging shortly thereafter. One of the goals of CRISM is to fill in the spatial gaps between the various targeted observations, eventually mapping the entire surface. Due to the large volume of data this would create, the instrument works in a reduced spectral sampling mode creating "multispectral” images. From this data we can create image cubes using 70 wavelengths from 0.410 to 3.504 µm. We present here a preliminary analysis of these multispectral mode data products using the technique of Principal Components Analysis. Previous work with ground-based images has shown that over an entire visible hemisphere, there are only three to four meaningful components out of 32-105 wavelengths over 1.5-4.1 µm. The first two of these components are fairly consistent over all time intervals from day-to-day and season-to-season. [1-4] The preliminary work on the CRISM images cubes implies similar results_three to four significant principal components that are fairly consistent over time. We will show these components and a rough linear mixture modeling based on in-data spectral endmembers derived from the extrema of the principal components [5]. References: [1] Klassen, D. R. and Bell III, J. F. (2001) BAAS 33, 1069. [2] Klassen, D. R. and Bell III, J. F. (2003) BAAS, 35, 936. [3] Klassen, D. R., Wark, T. J., Cugliotta, C. G. (2005) BAAS, 37, 693. [4] Klassen, D. R. and Bell III, J. F. (2007) in preparation. [5] Klassen, D. R. and Bell III, J. F. (2000) BAAS, 32, 1105.

75 FR 12175 - Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp from India: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-15

... determine that sales made by Devi have not been made at below normal value (NV), while those made by Falcon.... In addition, based on the preliminary results for the respondents selected for individual examination... from India. See Notice of Amended Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Antidumping...

43 CFR 11.43 - Can interested parties review the results of the preliminary application?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Can interested parties review the results of the preliminary application? 11.43 Section 11.43 Public Lands: Interior Office of the Secretary of the Interior NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS Type A Procedures § 11.43 Can interested parties...

43 CFR 11.43 - Can interested parties review the results of the preliminary application?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Can interested parties review the results of the preliminary application? 11.43 Section 11.43 Public Lands: Interior Office of the Secretary of the Interior NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS Type A Procedures § 11.43 Can interested parties...

Effect of Matricaria chamomilla L. flower essential oil on the growth and ultrastructure of Aspergillus niger van Tieghem.

PubMed

Tolouee, Marziyeh; Alinezhad, Soheil; Saberi, Reza; Eslamifar, Ali; Zad, Seyed Javad; Jaimand, Kamkar; Taeb, Jaleh; Rezaee, Mohammad-Bagher; Kawachi, Masanobu; Shams-Ghahfarokhi, Masoomeh; Razzaghi-Abyaneh, Mehdi

2010-05-15

The antifungal activity of Matricaria chamomilla L. flower essential oil was evaluated against Aspergillus niger with the emphasis on the plant's mode of action at the electron microscopy level. A total of 21 compounds were identified in the plant oil using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) accounting for 92.86% of the oil composition. The main compounds identified were alpha-bisabolol (56.86%), trans-trans-farnesol (15.64%), cis-beta-farnesene (7.12%), guaiazulene (4.24%), alpha-cubebene (2.69%), alpha-bisabolol oxide A (2.19%) and chamazulene (2.18%). In the bioassay, A. niger was cultured on Potato Dextrose Broth medium in 6-well microplates in the presence of serial two fold concentrations of plant oil (15.62 to 1000 microg/mL) for 96 h at 28 degrees C. Based on the results obtained, A. niger growth was inhibited dose dependently with a maximum of approximately 92.50% at the highest oil concentration. A marked retardation in conidial production by the fungus was noticed in relation to the inhibition of hyphal growth. The main changes of hyphae observed by transmission electron microscopy were disruption of cytoplasmic membranes and intracellular organelles, detachment of plasma membrane from the cell wall, cytoplasm depletion, and complete disorganization of hyphal compartments. In scanning electron microscopy, swelling and deformation of hyphal tips, formation of short branches, and collapse of entire hyphae were the major changes observed. Morphological alterations might be due to the effect on cell permeability through direct interaction of M. chamomilla essential oil with the fungal plasma membrane. These findings indicate the potential of M. chamomilla L. essential oil in preventing fungal contamination and subsequent deterioration of stored food and other susceptible materials. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The human health implications of crude oil spills in the Niger delta, Nigeria: An interpretation of published studies.

PubMed

Ordinioha, Best; Brisibe, Seiyefa

2013-01-01

The health hazards created by oil exploration and exploitation are covert and slow in action. They are not given the deserved attention in official documents in Nigeria, even as they can be major contributors to the disease burden in oil-bearing communities. This study is an interpretation of the data reported in several published studies on crude oil spills in the Niger delta region, Nigeria. A manual and Internet search was conducted to extract quantitative data on the quantity of crude oil spilled; the concentrations of the pollutants in surface water, ground water, ambient air and plant and animal tissue; and the direct impact on human health and household food security. An average of 240,000 barrels of crude oil are spilled in the Niger delta every year, mainly due to unknown causes (31.85%), third party activity (20.74%), and mechanical failure (17.04%). The spills contaminated the surface water, ground water, ambient air, and crops with hydrocarbons, including known carcinogens like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and benxo (a) pyrene, naturally occurring radioactive materials, and trace metals that were further bioaccumulated in some food crops. The oil spills could lead to a 60% reduction in household food security and were capable of reducing the ascorbic acid content of vegetables by as much as 36% and the crude protein content of cassava by 40%. These could result in a 24% increase in the prevalence of childhood malnutrition. Animal studies indicate that contact with Nigerian crude oil could be hemotoxic and hepatotoxic, and could cause infertility and cancer. The oil spills in the Niger delta region have acute and long-term effects on human health. Material relief and immediate and long-term medical care are recommended, irrespective of the cause of the spill, to ensure that the potential health effects of exposures to the spills are properly addressed.

Micronutrient Status among Pregnant Women in Zinder, Niger and Risk Factors Associated with Deficiency

PubMed Central

Wessells, K. Ryan; Ouédraogo, Césaire T.; Young, Rebecca R.; Faye, M. Thierno; Brito, Alex; Hess, Sonja Y.

2017-01-01

Anemia and micronutrient (MN) deficiencies in pregnant women are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. In Niger, 58.6% of pregnant women are anemic; however, MN statuses are unknown. The study objectives were to estimate the prevalence of MN deficiencies among pregnant women in Zinder, Niger and explore associated risk factors. Pregnant women living in randomly selected rural villages (n = 88) were included. Capillary and venous blood samples (n = 770) were analyzed for hemoglobin (Hb) and plasma ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), zinc (pZn), retinol binding protein (RBP), folate and vitamin B12. C-reactive protein and alpha-1-acid glycoprotein were measured to adjust for inflammation. The prevalence of MN deficiencies in pregnant woman was high, indicative of a severe public health problem. Prevalence of iron deficiency was 20.7% and 35.7%, by ferritin (<15 µg/L) and sTfR (>8.3 mg/L), respectively. In total, 40.7% of women had low pZn (<50 µg/dL), 79.7% had marginal RBP (<1.32 µmol/L), 44.3% of women had low folate (<10 nmol/L) and 34.8% had low B12 concentrations (<148 pmol/L). Common risk factors associated with MN status included gravidity, mid-upper-arm circumference, geophagy, malaria, and result of the woman’s last pregnancy. Interventions to promote the strengthening of antenatal care, and access and adherence to nutrition and health interventions are critical among pregnant women in this population. PMID:28445440

Micronutrient Status among Pregnant Women in Zinder, Niger and Risk Factors Associated with Deficiency.

PubMed

Wessells, K Ryan; Ouédraogo, Césaire T; Young, Rebecca R; Faye, M Thierno; Brito, Alex; Hess, Sonja Y

2017-04-26

Anemia and micronutrient (MN) deficiencies in pregnant women are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. In Niger, 58.6% of pregnant women are anemic; however, MN statuses are unknown. The study objectives were to estimate the prevalence of MN deficiencies among pregnant women in Zinder, Niger and explore associated risk factors. Pregnant women living in randomly selected rural villages ( n = 88) were included. Capillary and venous blood samples ( n = 770) were analyzed for hemoglobin (Hb) and plasma ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), zinc (pZn), retinol binding protein (RBP), folate and vitamin B 12 . C-reactive protein and alpha-1-acid glycoprotein were measured to adjust for inflammation. The prevalence of MN deficiencies in pregnant woman was high, indicative of a severe public health problem. Prevalence of iron deficiency was 20.7% and 35.7%, by ferritin (<15 µg/L) and sTfR (>8.3 mg/L), respectively. In total, 40.7% of women had low pZn (<50 µg/dL), 79.7% had marginal RBP (<1.32 µmol/L), 44.3% of women had low folate (<10 nmol/L) and 34.8% had low B 12 concentrations (<148 pmol/L). Common risk factors associated with MN status included gravidity, mid-upper-arm circumference, geophagy, malaria, and result of the woman's last pregnancy. Interventions to promote the strengthening of antenatal care, and access and adherence to nutrition and health interventions are critical among pregnant women in this population.

Instructional Technology in Higher Education: A Case of Selected Universities in the Niger Delta

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ololube, Nwachukwu Prince; Eke, Paul; Uzorka, Michael Chukwuwieke; Ekpenyong, Nkereuwem Stephen; Nte, Ngboawaji Daniel

2009-01-01

This article examines the effectiveness of instructional technology in higher education institutions in relation to the role and usage of Information Communication Technology (ICT), its effectiveness in faculty teaching and its impact on student learning in universities in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. This study applied the Need Assessment Approach…

Issues of Human Security and Educational Development in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ololube, Nwachukwu Prince; Kpolovie, Peter James; Amaele, Samuel

2013-01-01

Drawing from documents, observation, interview and questionnaire, we highlighted the role of issues of human security and its impact on the educational development of the Niger Delta region as well as means of enhancing human security in Nigeria. This article is a conceptual and methodological breakthrough in Nigeria's academic landscape where…

Spitzer IRS Spectra of Basaltic Asteroids: Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lim, Lucy F.; Emery, Joshua P.; Moskovitz, Nick; Stewart, Heather; Marchis, Frank

2008-01-01

We present preliminary results of a Spitzer program to observe the 5.2--38 micron spectra of small basaltic asteroids using the Spitzer IRS (Infrared Spectrograph). Our targets include members of the dynamical family of the unique large differentiated asteroid 4 Vesta ("Vestoids"), four outer-main-belt basaltic asteroids whose orbits exclude them from originating on 4 Vesta, and the basaltic near-Earth asteroid (NEA) 4055 Magellan. We will compare the compositions and thermophysical properties of the non-Vestoid objects with those of the dynamical vestoids to provide insight on the extent of metal-silicate differentiation on planetsimals during the epoch of planet formation in the early Solar System. As of this writing, spectra of asteroids 10537 (1991 RY16) and 2763 Jeans have been returned. Analysis of these data are ongolng. Observations of 956 Elisa, 2653 Principia, 4215 Kamo, 7472 Kumakiri, and 1459 Magnya have been scheduled and are expected to be available by the time of the DPS meeting. NIR spectra and lightcurves o f the target asteroids are also being observed in support of this program.

Ontogeny of the Appendicular Skeleton in Melanosuchus niger (Crocodylia: Alligatoridae).

PubMed

Vieira, Lucélia Gonçalves; Santos, André Luiz Quaqliatto; Lima, Fabiano Campos; Mendonça, Sônia Helena Santesso Teixeira de; Menezes, Lorena Tannus; Sebben, Antônio

2016-08-01

The objective of the present study was to analyze chondrogenesis and the ossification pattern of the limbs of Melanosuchus niger in order to contribute with possible discussions on homology and the fusion pattern of autopodial elements and phylogeny. In the Reserva Extrativista do Lago Cuniã, Rondônia, Brazil, six nests were marked and two eggs removed from each nest at 24-hour intervals until hatching. Embryos were cleared using KOH; bone tissue was stained with alizarin red S and cartilage with Alcian blue. Routine staining with HE was also performed. In the pectoral girdle, the scapula showed ossification centers before the coracoid process. In the pelvic girdle, the ilium and the ischium were condensed as a single cartilage, although ossification took place through two separate centers, forming distinct elements in the adult. The pubis developed from an independent cartilaginous center with free end, which reflects its function in breathing. In the initial stages, the stylopodium and the zeugopodium developed from the condensation of a Y-shaped cartilage in the limbs, and differentiation of the primary axis and digital arch were observed. The greatest changes were observed in the mesopodia. In their evolution, Crocodylia underwent a vast reduction in the number of autopodial elements as a consequence of fusions and ossification of some elements. This study shows that the chondrogenesis and ossification sequences are dissociated. Moreover, the differences between M. niger and other species show clear variation in the patterns for these events in Alligatoridae.

Evaluation of the effect of Cassia surattensis Burm. f., flower methanolic extract on the growth and morphology of Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Sumathy, V; Zakaria, Z; Chen, Y; Latha, L Y; Jothy, S L; Vijayarathna, S; Sasidharan, S

2013-06-01

Cassia (C.) surattensis Burm. f. (Leguminosae), a medicinal herb native to tropical equatorial Asia, was commonly used in folk medicine to treat various diseases. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of methanolic flower extract of C. surattensis against Aspergillus (A.) niger. Antifungal activity of C. surattensis flower extract was studied by using agar disc diffusion method, broth dilution method, percentage of hyphal growth inhibition and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation. The extract exhibited good antifungal activity with zone of inhibition 15 mm and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) 6.25 mg/ml. The flower extract exhibited considerable antifungal activity against A. niger with a IC50 of 2.49 mg/ml on the hyphal growth. In scanning electron microscopy (SEM) squashed, collapsed, empty and deformation of hyphae were the major changes observed. Shrunken conidiophores were the obvious alteration on the spores. Morphological alterations observed on A. niger caused by the flower extract could be the contribution of chemical compounds present in the Cassia flower. Phytochemical screening reveals the presence of carbohydrate, tannins, saponins and phenols in the extract. The amount of tannin, total phenolics and flavonoids were estimated to be 55.14 ± 3.11 mg/g, 349.87 ± 5.41 mg/g gallic acid equivalent and 89.64 ± 3.21 mg/g catechin equivalent respectively. C. surattensis flower extract potently inhibited the growth of A. niger and are, therefore, excellent candidates for use as the lead compounds for the development of novel antifungal agents.

75 FR 49900 - Polyethylene Terephthalate Film, Sheet, and Strip From Brazil: Preliminary Results of Antidumping...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-16

... Film, Sheet, and Strip From Brazil: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review... on polyethylene terephthalate film, sheet, and strip (PET film) from Brazil. This administrative... on PET film from Brazil. See Polyethylene Terephthalate Film, Sheet, and Strip From Brazil, the...

78 FR 32367 - Multilayered Wood Flooring From the People's Republic of China; Preliminary Results of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-30

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-570-970] Multilayered Wood Flooring... duty order on multilayered wood flooring (``MLWF'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). The... Memorandum for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty New Shipper Review: Multilayered Wood Flooring from...

Antifungal activity of plant extracts against Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus stolonifer.

PubMed

Surapuram, Venkatasaichaitanya; Setzer, William N; McFeeters, Robert L; McFeeters, Hana

2014-11-01

Despite recent advances in antifungal development, fungi remain a devastating threat to human health and compromise viability of the food supply. Plant based antimicrobials represent a vast untapped source with tremendous potential. Herein we present the antifungal properties of more than 50 plant extracts against two important human and agricultural pathogens, Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus stolonifer. Multiple extracts exhibit promising MIC values of less than 100 μg/mL and are reported for both fungal species.

Preliminary pioneer 10 encounter results from the ames research center plasma analyzer experiment.

PubMed

Wolfe, J H; Collard, H R; Mihalov, J D; Intriligator, D S

1974-01-25

Preliminary results from the Ames Research Center plasma analyzer experiment for the Pioneer 10 Jupiter encounter indicate that Jupiter has a detached bow shock and magnetopause similar to the case at Earth but much larger in spatial extent. In contrast to Earth, Jupiter's outer magnetosphere appears to be highly inflated by thermal plasma and therefore highly responsive in size to changes in solar wind dynamic pressure.

Preliminary Results From the First Flight of ATIC: The Silicon Matrix

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, James H., Jr.; Ahn, H. S.; Bashindzhagyan, G.; Ampe, J.; Case, G.; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter (ATIC) uses a silicon matrix detector in conjunction with a scintillator hodoscope to determine the incident cosmic ray's charge. Cosmic rays that interact in a carbon target have their energy determined from the shower that develops within a fully active calorimeter composed of a stack of scintillating BGO crystals. The silicon matrix consists of 4480 individual silicon pads, each capable of measuring the signal from cosmic rays with atomic numbers from I to 26. Preliminary results will be presented describing the performance of the silicon matrix during the 16-day maiden flight of ATIC around Antarctica.

Preliminary Results from the First Flight of ATIC: The Silicon Matrix

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, J. H., Jr.; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter (ATIC) uses a silicon matrix detector to determine charge in conjunction with a scintillator hodoscope that measures charge and trajectory. Cosmic rays that interact in a carbon target have their energy determined from the shower that develops within a fully active calorimeter composed of a stack of scintillating BGO crystals. The silicon matrix consists of 4480 individual silicon pads, each capable of measuring the signal from cosmic rays with atomic numbers from 1 to 26. Preliminary results will be presented describing the performance of the silicon matrix during the 16-day maiden flight of ATIC around Antarctica.

MISSE-7 MESA Miniaturized Electrostatic Analyzer - Ion Spectra Analysis Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enloe, C. L.; Balthazor, R. L.; McHarg, M. G.; Clark, A. L.; Waite, D.; Wallerstein, A. J.; Wilson, K. A.

2011-12-01

The 7th Materials on the International Space Station Experiment (MISSE-7) was launched in November 2009 and retrieved on STS-134 in April 2011. One of the onboard experiments, the Miniaturized Electrostatic Analyzer (MESA), is a small low-cost low-size/weight/power ion and electron spectrometer that was pointed into ram during the majority of the time onboard. Over 800 Mb of data has been obtained by taking spectra every three minutes on-orbit. The data has been analyzed with a novel "parameterizing the parameters" method suitable for on-orbit data analysis using low-cost microcontrollers. Preliminary results are shown.

Phytase Production by Aspergillus niger CFR 335 and Aspergillus ficuum SGA 01 through Submerged and Solid-State Fermentation

PubMed Central

Shivanna, Gunashree B.; Venkateswaran, Govindarajulu

2014-01-01

Fermentation is one of the industrially important processes for the development of microbial metabolites that has immense applications in various fields. This has prompted to employ fermentation as a major technique in the production of phytase from microbial source. In this study, a comparison was made between submerged (SmF) and solid-state fermentations (SSF) for the production of phytase from Aspergillus niger CFR 335 and Aspergillus ficuum SGA 01. It was found that both the fungi were capable of producing maximum phytase on 5th day of incubation in both submerged and solid-state fermentation media. Aspergillus niger CFR 335 and A. ficuum produced a maximum of 60.6 U/gds and 38 U/gds of the enzyme, respectively, in wheat bran solid substrate medium. Enhancement in the enzyme level (76 and 50.7 U/gds) was found when grown in a combined solid substrate medium comprising wheat bran, rice bran, and groundnut cake in the ratio of 2 : 1 : 1. A maximum of 9.6 and 8.2 U/mL of enzyme activity was observed in SmF by A. niger CFR 335 and A.ficuum, respectively, when grown in potato dextrose broth. PMID:24688383

RNA Seq analysis of the role of calcium chloride stress and electron transport in mitochondria for malachite green decolorization by Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Gomaa, Ola M; Selim, Nabila S; Wee, Josephine; Linz, John E

2017-08-01

Aspergillus niger was previously demonstrated to decolorize the commercial dye malachite green (MG) and this process was enhanced under calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ) treatment. Previous data also suggested that the decolorization process is related to mitochondrial cytochrome c. In the current work, we analyzed in depth the specific relationship between CaCl 2 treatment and MG decolorization. Gene expression analysis (RNA Seq) using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) revealed up-regulation of 28 genes that are directly or indirectly associated with stress response functions as early as 30min of CaCl 2 treatment; these data further strengthen our previous findings that CaCl 2 treatment induces a stress response in A. niger which enhances the ability to decolorize MG. A significant increase in fluorescence observed by MitoTracker dye suggests that CaCl 2 treatment also increased mitochondrial membrane potential. Isolated mitochondrial membrane protein fractions obtained from A. niger grown under standard growth conditions decolorized MG in the presence of NADH and decolorization was enhanced in samples isolated from CaCl 2 -treated A. niger cultures. Treatment of whole mitochondrial fraction with KCN which inhibits electron transport by cytochrome c oxidase and Triton-X 100 which disrupts mitochondrial membrane integrity suggests that cyanide sensitive cytochrome c oxidase activity is a key biochemical step in MG decolorization. This suggestion was confirmed by the addition of palladium α-lipoic acid complex (PLAC) which resulted in an initial increase in decolorization. Although the role of cytochrome c and cytochrome c oxidase was confirmed at the biochemical level, changes in levels of transcripts encoding these enzymes after CaCl 2 treatment were not found to be statistically significant in RNA Seq analysis. These data suggest that the regulation of cytochrome c enzymes occur predominantly at the post-transcriptional level under CaCl 2 stress. Thus, using global

Pgas, a Low-pH-Induced Promoter, as a Tool for Dynamic Control of Gene Expression for Metabolic Engineering of Aspergillus niger

PubMed Central

Yin, Xian; Shin, Hyun-Dong; Li, Jianghua; Du, Guocheng; Chen, Jian

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The dynamic control of gene expression is important for adjusting fluxes in order to obtain desired products and achieve appropriate cell growth, particularly when the synthesis of a desired product drains metabolites required for cell growth. For dynamic gene expression, a promoter responsive to a particular environmental stressor is vital. Here, we report a low-pH-inducible promoter, Pgas, which promotes minimal gene expression at pH values above 5.0 but functions efficiently at low pHs, such as pH 2.0. First, we performed a transcriptional analysis of Aspergillus niger, an excellent platform for the production of organic acids, and we found that the promoter Pgas may act efficiently at low pH. Then, a gene for synthetic green fluorescent protein (sGFP) was successfully expressed by Pgas at pH 2.0, verifying the results of the transcriptional analysis. Next, Pgas was used to express the cis-aconitate decarboxylase (cad) gene of Aspergillus terreus in A. niger, allowing the production of itaconic acid at a titer of 4.92 g/liter. Finally, we found that Pgas strength was independent of acid type and acid ion concentration, showing dependence on pH only. IMPORTANCE The promoter Pgas can be used for the dynamic control of gene expression in A. niger for metabolic engineering to produce organic acids. This promoter may also be a candidate tool for genetic engineering. PMID:28087530

Pgas, a Low-pH-Induced Promoter, as a Tool for Dynamic Control of Gene Expression for Metabolic Engineering of Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Yin, Xian; Shin, Hyun-Dong; Li, Jianghua; Du, Guocheng; Liu, Long; Chen, Jian

2017-03-15

The dynamic control of gene expression is important for adjusting fluxes in order to obtain desired products and achieve appropriate cell growth, particularly when the synthesis of a desired product drains metabolites required for cell growth. For dynamic gene expression, a promoter responsive to a particular environmental stressor is vital. Here, we report a low-pH-inducible promoter, P gas , which promotes minimal gene expression at pH values above 5.0 but functions efficiently at low pHs, such as pH 2.0. First, we performed a transcriptional analysis of Aspergillus niger , an excellent platform for the production of organic acids, and we found that the promoter P gas may act efficiently at low pH. Then, a gene for synthetic green fluorescent protein ( sGFP ) was successfully expressed by P gas at pH 2.0, verifying the results of the transcriptional analysis. Next, P gas was used to express the cis -aconitate decarboxylase ( cad ) gene of Aspergillus terreus in A. niger , allowing the production of itaconic acid at a titer of 4.92 g/liter. Finally, we found that P gas strength was independent of acid type and acid ion concentration, showing dependence on pH only. IMPORTANCE The promoter P gas can be used for the dynamic control of gene expression in A. niger for metabolic engineering to produce organic acids. This promoter may also be a candidate tool for genetic engineering. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Some factors affecting tannase production by Aspergillus niger Van Tieghem

PubMed Central

Aboubakr, Hamada A.; El-Sahn, Malak A.; El-Banna, Amr A.

2013-01-01

One variable at a time procedure was used to evaluate the effect of qualitative variables on the production of tannase from Aspergillus niger Van Tieghem. These variables including: fermentation technique, agitation condition, tannins source, adding carbohydrates incorporation with tannic acid, nitrogen source type and divalent cations. Submerged fermentation under intermittent shaking gave the highest total tannase activity. Maximum extracellular tannase activity (305 units/50 mL) was attained in medium containing tannic acid as tannins source and sodium nitrate as nitrogen source at 30 °C for 96 h. All added carbohydrates showed significant adverse effects on the production of tannase. All tested divalent cations significantly decreased tannase production. Moreover, split plot design was carried out to study the effect of fermentation temperature and fermentation time on tannase production. The results indicated maximum tannase production (312.7 units/50 mL) at 35 °C for 96 h. In other words, increasing fermentation temperature from 30 °C to 35 °C resulted in increasing tannase production. PMID:24294255

Preliminary Results From the Chile-Illapel Aftershock Experiment (CHILLAX)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roecker, S. W.; Russo, R. M.; Comte, D.; Carrizo, D.; Peyrat, S.; Opazo, T.; Peña, G.; Farrell, M. E.; Moore, J.; Glick, R.; Rodriguez, E. E.

2016-12-01

On September 16, 2015, the Mw 8.3 Illapel earthquake ruptured a segment of the Nazca-South America subduction zone directly to the north of the 2010 Maule Mw 8.8 earthquake. Soon afterwards, a team from the Departamento de Geofisica, University of Chile, installed 18 short period sensors on land above the rupture to record aftershocks. A month later, the network was upgraded and expanded with funding from NSF RAPID to 20 broad band stations, loaned by IRIS PASSCAL. The installation of the Chile-Illapel Aftershock Experiment (CHILLAX) was completed in mid-November, 2015, and will operate until November, 2016. Preliminary analysis of data collected to date indicates an average detection rate of about 1000 locatable aftershocks per month. The combined CHILLAX and Maule aftershock deployments will yield the first modern-instrumentation observations of the zone of along-strike rupture termination that separates these temporally related and spatially adjacent megathrust rupture zones. Additionally, seismic observations of this part of the Nazca subduction zone are relatively sparse, and an aftershock sequence provides an opportunity to fill this gap efficiently. Preliminary analysis of CHILLAX network data revealed unexpected patterns in seismicity down dip from the rupture zone, in the unusual "flat slab" region to the east. Compared to the Maule event, the Illapel rupture apparently generated a more significant increase in seismicity in the 60-200 km depth range, suggesting that it "lit up" the subducted Nazca plate. Although high strain rates due to rupture might extend brittle failure into normally ductile regions, such an effect at these depths by the relatively low magnitude Illapel event is unusual. A perhaps more intriguing result is the frequent occurrence of events at depths significantly below that of the "flat slab". Attribution of this apparent second, deeper slab segment to event mislocations would require unrealistic seismic heterogeneity, We hypothesize

77 FR 73420 - Diamond Sawblades and Parts Thereof From the Republic of Korea: Preliminary Results of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-10

... Republic of Korea (``Korea''). The period of review (``POR'') is November 1, 2010, through October 23, 2011... Thereof From the Republic of Korea: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2010... 73421

Marriage structure and contraception in Niger.

PubMed

Peterson, S A

1999-01-01

Analysis of the 1992 Niger Demographic and Health Survey showed that although roughly two-thirds of both polygamous and monogamous women approve of birth control, polygamous wives are less likely than monogamous wives to discuss family size or birth control with their husband or to plan on using birth control. The study suggests that characteristics of polygamous couples have caused polygamous women to be more resistant to birth control use than monogamous women. The polygamous women tended to be married to older men who had not gone to primary school and who desired more children than monogamous husbands. The influence of marital structure is not significantly associated with intention to use birth control when the husband's age and the wife's ideal number of children were controlled for in the multivariate logistic regression model suggesting that background social factors may be more influential. In fact, educational level and age at first marriage were significantly associated with attitudes towards birth control and also with marital structure.

75 FR 52930 - Carbazole Violet Pigment 23 From India: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Changed...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-30

... From India: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Changed-Circumstances Review AGENCY: Import... order on carbazole violet pigment 23 from India to determine whether Meghmani Pigments (Meghmani) is the... initiation of an antidumping duty changed- circumstances review. See Carbazole Violet Pigment 23 from India...

76 FR 48122 - Polyethylene Terephthalate Film, Sheet, and Strip From Brazil: Preliminary Results of Antidumping...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-08

... Film, Sheet, and Strip From Brazil: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review... on polyethylene terephthalate film, sheet, and strip (PET film) from Brazil. This administrative... antidumping duty order on PET film from Brazil. See Polyethylene Terephthalate Film, Sheet, and Strip From...

78 FR 48651 - Polyethylene Terephthalate Film, Sheet, and Strip From Taiwan; Preliminary Results of Antidumping...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-09

... Film, Sheet, and Strip From Taiwan; Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2011... duty order on polyethylene terephthalate film, sheet, and strip (PET Film) from Taiwan. The period of.... (SMTC) (collectively, Shinkong), producer and exporter of PET Film from Taiwan. The Department...

78 FR 50029 - Polyethylene Terephthalate Film, Sheet and Strip From Brazil: Preliminary Results of Antidumping...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-16

... Film, Sheet and Strip From Brazil: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2011...Pont Teijin Films, Mitsubishi Polyester Film, Inc., SKC, Inc., and Toray Plastics (America), Inc... the antidumping duty order on polyethylene terephthalate film, sheet and strip (PET film) from Brazil...

78 FR 41364 - Chlorinated Isocyanurates From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of Antidumping...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-10

... From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review... antidumping duty order on chlorinated isocyanurates (chlorinated isos) from the People's Republic of China.... DATES: Effective Date: July 10, 2013. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Halle, AD/CVD Operations...

A novel tannase from the xerophilic fungus Aspergillus niger GH1.

PubMed

Mata-Gomez, Marco; Rodriguez, Luis V; Ramos, Erika L; Renovato, Jacqueline; Cruz-Hernandez, Mario A; Rodriguez, Raul; Contreras, Juan; Aguilar, Cristobal N

2009-09-01

Aspergillus niger GH1 previously isolated and identified by our group as a wild tannase producer was grown under solid-state (SSC) and submerged culture (SmC) conditions to select the enzyme production system. For tannase purification, extracellular tannase was produced under SSC using polyurethane foam as the inert support. Tannase was purified to apparent homogeneity by ultrafiltration, anion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration that led to a purified enzyme with a specific activity of 238.14 IU/mg protein with a final yield of 0.3% and a purification fold of 46. Three bands were found on the SDS-PAG with molecular masses of 50, 75, and 100 kDa. PI of 3.5 and 7.1% Nglycosylation were noted. Temperature and pH optima were 60 degrees and 6.0 [methyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate (MTB) as substrate], respectively. Tannase was found with a KM value of 0.41 x 10-4 M and the value of Vmax was 11.03 micromoL/min at 60 degrees for MTB. Effects of several metal salts, solvents, surfactants, and typical enzyme inhibitors on tannase activity were evaluated to establish the novelty of the enzyme. Finally, the tannase from A. niger GH1 was significantly inhibited by PMSF (phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride), and therefore, it is possible to consider the presence of a serine or cysteine residue in the catalytic site.

Thermal airborne multispectral aster simulator and its preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mills, F.; Kannari, Y.; Watanabe, H.; Sano, M.; Chang, S. H.

1994-03-01

An Airborne ASTER Simulator (AAS) is being developed for the Japan Resources Observation System Organization (JAROS) by the Geophysical Environmental Research (GER) Corporation. The first test flights of the AAS were over Cuprite, Nevada; Long Valley, California; and Death Valley, California, in December 1991. Preliminary laboratory tests at NASA's Stennis Space Center (SSC) were completed in April 1992. The results of the these tests indicate the AAS can discriminate between silicate and non-silicate rocks. The improvements planned for the next two years may give a spectral Full-Width at Half-Maximum (FWHM) of 0.3 μm and NEΔT of 0.2 - 0.5°K. The AAS has the potential to become a good tool for airborne TIR research and can be used for simulations of future satellite-borne TIR sensors. Flight tests over Cuprite, Nevada, and Castaic Lake, California, are planned for October-December 1992.

Characterization of the fumonisin B2 biosynthetic gene cluster in Aspergillus niger and A. awamori.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aspergillus niger and A. awamori strains isolated from grapes cultivated in Mediterranean basin were examined for fumonisin B2 (FB2) production and presence/absence of sequences within the fumonisin biosynthetic gene (fum) cluster. Presence of 13 regions in the fum cluster was evaluated by PCR assay...

Activity of Escherichia coli, Aspergillus niger, and Rye Phytase toward Partially Phosphorylated myo-Inositol Phosphates.

PubMed

Greiner, Ralf

2017-11-08

Kinetic parameters for the dephosphorylation of sodium phytate and a series of partially phosphorylated myo-inositol phosphates were determined at pH 3.0 and pH 5.0 for three phytase preparations (Aspergillus niger, Escherichia coli, rye). The enzymes showed lower affinity and turnover numbers at pH 3 compared to pH 5 toward all myo-inositol phosphates included in the study. The number and distribution of phosphate groups on the myo-inositol ring affected the kinetic parameters. Representatives of the individual phytate dephosphorylation pathways were identified as the best substrates of the phytases. Within the individual phytate dephosphorylation pathways, the pentakisphosphates were better substrates compared to the tetrakisphosphates or phytate itself. E. coli and rye phytase showed comparable activities at both pH values toward the tetrakis- and trisphosphate, whereas A. niger phytase exhibited a higher activity toward the tetrakisphosphate. A myo-inositol phosphate with alternate phosphate groups was shown to be not significantly dephosphorylated by the phytases.

Enzymatic detergent formulation containing amylase from Aspergillus niger: a comparative study with commercial detergent formulations.

PubMed

Mitidieri, Sydnei; Souza Martinelli, Anne Helene; Schrank, Augusto; Vainstein, Marilene Henning

2006-07-01

There is a wide range of biotechnological applications for amylases, including the textile, pharmaceutical, food and laundry industries. Hydrolytic enzymes are 100% biodegradable and enzymatic detergents can achieve effective cleaning with lukewarm water. Microorganisms and culture media were tested for amylase production and the best producer was Aspergillus niger L119 (3.9 U ml(-1) +/- 0.2) in submerged culture and its amylase demonstrated excellent activity at 50-55 degrees C and pH 4.0, remaining stable at 53 degrees C for up to 200 h. In order to establish the potential uses of this enzyme in detergents, different formulations were tested using the A. niger amylase extract. Enzyme activity was compared with three commercial formulations. The detergents are used in hospitals to clean surgical and endoscopy equipment. The presence of amylase in the formulation is because of its action within hospital drainage system, whether or not it has any function in cleaning the equipment.

Forward genetics screen coupled with whole-genome resequencing identifies novel gene targets for improving heterologous enzyme production in Aspergillus niger

DOE PAGES

Reilly, Morgann C.; Kim, Joonhoon; Lynn, Jed; ...

2018-01-06

Plant biomass, once reduced to its composite sugars, can be converted to fuel substitutes. One means of overcoming the recalcitrance of lignocellulose is pretreatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis. However, currently available commercial enzyme cocktails are inhibited in the presence of residual pretreatment chemicals. Recent studies have identified a number of cellulolytic enzymes from bacteria that are tolerant to pretreatment chemicals such as ionic liquids. The challenge now is generation of these enzymes in copious amounts, an arena where fungal organisms such as Aspergillus niger have proven efficient. Fungal host strains still need to be engineered to increase production titers ofmore » heterologous protein over native enzymes, which has been a difficult task. Here, we developed a forward genetics screen coupled with whole-genome resequencing to identify specific lesions responsible for a protein hyper-production phenotype in A. niger. As a result, this strategy successfully identified novel targets, including a low-affinity glucose transporter, MstC, whose deletion significantly improved secretion of recombinant proteins driven by a glucoamylase promoter.« less

Forward genetics screen coupled with whole-genome resequencing identifies novel gene targets for improving heterologous enzyme production in Aspergillus niger

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

Reilly, Morgann C.; Kim, Joonhoon; Lynn, Jed

Plant biomass, once reduced to its composite sugars, can be converted to fuel substitutes. One means of overcoming the recalcitrance of lignocellulose is pretreatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis. However, currently available commercial enzyme cocktails are inhibited in the presence of residual pretreatment chemicals. Recent studies have identified a number of cellulolytic enzymes from bacteria that are tolerant to pretreatment chemicals such as ionic liquids. The challenge now is generation of these enzymes in copious amounts, an arena where fungal organisms such as Aspergillus niger have proven efficient. Fungal host strains still need to be engineered to increase production titers ofmore » heterologous protein over native enzymes, which has been a difficult task. Here, we developed a forward genetics screen coupled with whole-genome resequencing to identify specific lesions responsible for a protein hyper-production phenotype in A. niger. As a result, this strategy successfully identified novel targets, including a low-affinity glucose transporter, MstC, whose deletion significantly improved secretion of recombinant proteins driven by a glucoamylase promoter.« less

Modelling growth of Penicillium expansum and Aspergillus niger at constant and fluctuating temperature conditions.

PubMed

Gougouli, Maria; Koutsoumanis, Konstantinos P

2010-06-15

The growth of Penicillium expansum and Aspergillus niger, isolated from yogurt production environment, was investigated on malt extract agar with pH=4.2 and a(w)=0.997, simulating yogurt, at isothermal conditions ranging from -1.3 to 35 degrees C and from 5 to 42.3 degrees C, respectively. The growth rate (mu) and (apparent) lag time (lambda) of the mycelium growth were modelled as a function of temperature using a Cardinal Model with Inflection (CMI). The results showed that the CMI can describe successfully the effect of temperature on fungal growth within the entire biokinetic range for both isolates. The estimated values of the CMI for mu were T(min)=-5.74 degrees C, T(max)=30.97 degrees C, T(opt)=22.08 degrees C and mu(opt)=0.221 mm/h for P. expansum and T(min)=10.13 degrees C, T(max)=43.13 degrees C, T(opt)=31.44 degrees C, and mu(opt)=0.840 mm/h for A. niger. The cardinal values for lambda were very close to the respective values for mu indicating similar temperature dependence of the growth rate and the lag time of the mycelium growth. The developed models were further validated under fluctuating temperature conditions using various dynamic temperature scenarios. The time-temperature conditions studied included single temperature shifts before or after the end of the lag time and continuous periodic temperature fluctuations. The prediction of growth at changing temperature was based on the assumption that after a temperature shift the growth rate is adopted instantaneously to the new temperature, while the lag time was predicted using a cumulative lag approach. The results showed that when the temperature shifts occurred before the end of the lag, they did not cause any significant additional lag and the observed total lag was very close to the cumulative lag predicted by the model. In experiments with temperature shifts after the end of the lag time, accurate predictions were obtained when the temperature profile included temperatures which were inside the