美国EPA提出2014年可再生燃制标准草案并征集公众意见

2013年11月15日,美国环境保护署（EPA）在美国国会2007年制定的《能源独立和安全法案（Energy Independence and Security Act,EISA）》的基础上,提出了混合可再生燃料标准草案,并宣布征集公众意见。     

提高乙醇产率的新方法

燃料乙醇作为一种可再生能源（或替代燃料）已在世界许多国家得到较为普遍的应用，有积极发展的趋势。巴西主要以甘蔗汁为原料生产乙醇，目前已实现替代40％的进口石油或煤炭；80％的汽车使用乙醇与汽油混合燃料，这为其它国家特别是发展中国家中起到了“榜样”的作用。     

美国环保局批准E15混合用生物乙醇的注册申请

2012年4月2日，美国环境保护局（EPA）宣布，首次批准用于与汽油混合生产E15汽油的生物乙醇的注册登记。E15就是乙醇含量最多为15％的混合汽油。生物乙醇是能与汽油混合的可再生燃料。虽然30多年来乙醇一直用来与汽油混合，     

美国乙醇生产进展

美国对可再生燃料不断增长的兴趣正在促使或继续改变目前美国联邦政府的乙醇政策，尤其是：①指令将使可再生燃料使用量从现在的130亿加仑（1加仑=3．78541升，下同）增加到2022年的360亿加仑；②对乙醇汽油调合物给予45美分／）OH仑的税收优惠减免；     

美国能源部向生物燃料投资超过7．8亿美元

2009年5月5日,美国能源部（DOE）宣布作为促进美国国内增加可再生燃料使用量的措施之一,计划投资7．865亿美元。为了加速先进生物燃料的研究开发,将向商业规模生物炼制中间试验项目追加资金。该措施是根据American Recovery and Reinvestrnent法（Recovery法）提出的。     

美国能源部出资3380万美元开发纤维素分解酶

美国能源部（DOE）的能效和可再生能源局（EERE）负责人、部长助理Andrew Karsner先生,于2008年2月在佛罗里达州奥兰多市举办的美国可再生燃料协会（Renewable Fuels Association）的年度乙醇讨论会（National Ethanol Conference）上宣布,已经对4个项目进行立项,致力于提高纤维素系列的生物质糖化酶的性能。在今后4年中,能源部将出资3380万美元用于这4个项目的研发。各项目的实际负责企业将出资同样金额,全部科研项目的总投资接近7000万美元。     

以另一种形式燃烧——大有作为的植物燃料

如果您驾驶的汽车里燃烧的除了汽油,还有从玉米、稻草提纯的乙醇等等,您有何感想？植物燃料——作为可再生能源,正在谱写着中国能源的明天!以玉米为原料生产燃料乙醇,与汽油按照一定比例混配制成汽油醇,用于汽车燃料,已经成为国家重点推进的能源工程之一。     

Amyris公司与Total公司吏用可再生喷气机燃料试飞成功

2013年6月20日,美国Amyris公司和法国Total公司宣布,在巴黎航空表演中,使用植物糖类生产的可再生喷气机燃料的表演飞行成功了。这是第一次在欧洲采用空中客车的表演试飞,明确表明了两家公司取得了燃料国际标准制定机构ASTM国际认证。     

美国能源部和农业部公布生物燃料行动计划

2008年10月7日，美国农业部（USDA）和美国能源部（DOE）公布了为促进生物燃料产业可持续发展，美国联邦政府各部门间协作的详细计划，即美国生物燃料行动计划（national biofuels action plan，NBAP）。该计划是在降低对国外石油的依赖程度和强化农村经济展望下制定的，其主要目的为了保证稳定供应清洁、廉价的可再生能源．对生物燃料增长提供支持。     

《生物工程学报》2013年“生物能源”专刊征稿公告

我国是当前世界第二大石油消耗和进口国,对石油的需求正以惊人的速度增长。由于石油储量有限,可再生能源,如燃料乙醇和生物柴油等生物能源的应用,有望减少能源需求对石油的依赖程度。生物能源可从可再生的原材料生产,因此可作为理想的石油资源的补充。为总结交流世界各地生物燃料开发利用的成果,更好地服务于企业、高校及研究单位,并为政府决策提供建议。由清华大学主办的第6届国际生物能源会议(World Bioenergy Symposium,简称WBS)将于2012年9月13～14日在     

Investigating the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis in seven regions: The role of renewable energy

The aim of this research is to investigate how renewable energy consumption effects pollution and whether the relationship between income and pollution formulates the inverted U-shaped relationship which signals the existence of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). To realize the aims of this study, non-stationary panel data techniques were utilized to examine the seven selected regions. According to Pedroni and Fisher type cointegration tests, the variables were cointegrated. Moreover, the dynamic ordinary least square (DOLS) and the vector error correction model Granger causality revealed that renewable energy consumption has a significant negative effect on pollution in Central and Eastern Europe, Western Europe, East Asia and the Pacific, South Asia, and the Americas. However, the tests revealed that renewable energy consumption has no significant effect on pollution in the Middle East and North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, the results in general indicated that the existence of the EKC hypothesis is determined by the significance of the renewable energy consumption. Therefore, the EKC hypothesis was only found in the regions where their renewable energy has a significant correlation with pollution in both the short run and the long run. Furthermore, a number of policy recommendations were provided for the investigated regions.     

Economic analysis of biomass power generation schemes under renewable energy initiative with Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) in Korea

An economic analysis of biomass power generation was conducted. Two key technologies--direct combustion with a steam turbine and gasification with a syngas engine--were mainly examined. In view of the present domestic biomass infrastructure of Korea, a small and distributed power generation system ranging from 0.5 to 5 MW(e) was considered. It was found that gasification with a syngas engine becomes more economically feasible as the plant size decreases. Changes in the economic feasibilities with and without RPS or heat sales were also investigated. A sensitivity analysis of each system was conducted for representative parameters. Regarding the cost of electricity generation, electrical efficiency and fuel cost significantly affect both direct combustion and gasification systems. Regarding the internal rate of return (IRR), the heat sales price becomes important for obtaining a higher IRR, followed by power generation capacity and electrical efficiency.     

Strategies for PHA production by mixed cultures and renewable waste materials

Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) by mixed cultures has been widely studied in the last decade. Storage of PHA by mixed microbial cultures occurs under transient conditions of carbon or oxygen availability, known respectively as aerobic dynamic feeding and anaerobic/aerobic process. In these processes, PHA-accumulating organisms, which are quite diverse in terms of phenotype, are selected by the dynamic operating conditions imposed to the reactor. The stability of these processes during long-time operation and the similarity of the polymer physical/chemical properties to the one produced by pure cultures were demonstrated. This process could be implemented at industrial scale, providing that some technological aspects are solved. This review summarizes the relevant research carried out with mixed cultures for PHA production, with main focus on the use of wastes or industrial surplus as feedstocks. Basic concepts, regarding the metabolism and microbiology, and technological approaches, with emphasis on the kind of feedstock and reactor operating conditions for culture selection and PHA accumulation, are described. Challenges for the process optimization are also discussed.     

In vitro studies of the rabbit immune system. IV. Differential mitogen responses of isolated T and B cells.

The mitogenic responses of separated rabbit lymphocyte populations functionally analogous to mouse T and B cells have been tested in vitro. Purified T cells were prepared by passage over nylon wool (NW) and purified B cells prepared by treatment with antithymocyte serum and complement (ATS + C). ATS + C kills 70% of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL's) and 50% of the spleen cells while passage over NW yields 40% of the applied PBL's and 5–23% of the applied spleen cells. NW-purified T cells from the spleen or PBL's respond fully to concanavalin A (Con A) but have a reduced response to phytohemaglutinin (PHA) and little or no response to goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin (anti-Ig). PBL's that survive ATS + C (B cells) are stimulated by anti-Ig but not by Con A or PHA. B cells purified from spleen do not respond to Con A or PHA but will respond to anti-Ig under appropriate conditions. A full spleen B-cell response to anti-Ig required removal of Ig produced by the cultures that blocked anti-Ig stimulation. It is concluded that, for rabbit lymphocytes, Con A and PHA are primarily T-cell mitogens and that anti-Ig is primarily a B-cell mitogen. However, the mitogen response of unfractionated PBL or spleen cell populations indicates an overlap in reactivity. This could be due to cells sharing T and B properties, alteration of cell populations by the fractionation procedures used, or recruitment of one population in the presence of a mitogenic response of the other population.     

1. Effects of Embedding 2. Experiments with Modifications

Paraffin embedding was found to be satisfactory for brain stained by a modification of the Golgi dichromate-silver method. Nitrocellulose embedding caused fading in a few specimens. Several modifications in which the tissue was impregnated with silver nitrate before treating it with potassium dichromate were investigated. The following one is recommended. Fix pieces of brain 5-6 mm. thick for 2 days in: silver nitrate;0.5%, 90 ml.; formalin, comml. unneutralized (37-40% gas), 10 ml.; pyridine, pure, 0.05-0.1 ml. Mix in the order given and test for pH with brom cresol purple. A pH of 5.5-6.0 is about optimum and the amount of pyridine added can be varied to adjust it. A slight turbidity of the fixing fluid may be disregarded, but precipitation indicates too much alkalinity. Rinse the tissues with distilled water and place them in a mixture of potassium dichromate, 2.5%, 100 ml. and osmic acid, 1%, 1 ml., for 3-5 days. Wash in water, dehydrate with alcohol and embed in soft paraffin for thick sectioning. Greater intensity of staining (but with an increase in precipitate) can be secured by rinsing the blocks after the dichromate treatment and resilvering in a 0.5% solution of silver nitrate for a day or two, then washing, dehydrating and embedding. This modification of the Golgi method was worked out on brain of adult rat, guinea pig, cat and monkey. Results with fetal material were not good. All solutions used were aqueous, and staining was done at room temperature.     

Betalain producing cell cultures ofBeta vulgaris L. var. bikores monogerm (red beet)

Summary The betalains are a class of natural pigments comprising the yellow betaxanthins and the violet betacyanins. Callus lines developed fromBeta vulgaris, L. var. bikores monogerm exhibited cell colors ranging from white/green (nonpigmented) through yellow, orange, red, and violet and were representative of all betalain pigments found in the whole plant. The betalains have gained particular interest from the food industry as potential natural alternatives to synthetic food colorants in use today. Red beet extracts (E162), which contain significant amounts of the betacyanins, are currently used in products such as yogurts and ice creams. We describe here the characteristics of culture growth and betalain production for cell suspensions derived from the orange (predominantly betaxanthin-producing) and violet (betacyanin producing) callus lines. The major factors affecting betalain biosynthesis in both cultured and whole plant tissues are reviewed. Presented in the Session-in-Depth Batch Production and Fermentation at the 1991 World Congress on Cell and Tissue Culture, Anaheim, California, June 16–29, 1991.     

Tissue-related changes in methyl-esterification of pectic polysaccharides in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) stems

Pectic substances are a major component of cell walls in vegetable plants and have an important influence on plant food texture. Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) stem sections at different regions of the mature plant stem have been monitored for tissue-related changes in the native pectic polysaccharides. Chemical analysis detected appreciable differences in the degree of methyl-esterification (ME) of pectic polysaccharides. About 65% of galacturonic acid (GalpA) residues were methyl-esterified in floret tissues. Relative ME showed a basipetal decrease, from 94% in the upper stem to 51% in the lower-stem vascular tissues. The decrease was not related to a basipetal increase in glucuronic acid (GlcpA) residues. The monoclonal antibodies, JIM 5 and JIM 7, produced distinct labelling patterns for the relatively low-methyl-esterified and high-methyl-esterified pectin epitopes, respectively. Labelling was related to cell type and tissue location in the stem. Floret cell walls contained epitopes for both JIM 5 and JIM 7 throughout the wall. Stem vascular tissues labelled more strongly with JIM 5. Whereas pith parenchyma in the upper stem labelled more strongly with JIM 7, in the lower-stem pith parenchyma, JIM 5 labelling predominated. Localization of pectic polysaccharide epitopes in cell walls provides an insight into how structural modifications might relate to the textural and nutritional properties of cell walls. Received: 16 August 1997 / Accepted: 20 December 1997     

Photocontrol of hypocotyl elongation in light-grown Cucumis sativus L.

The control by phytochrome of hypocotyl elongation of light-grown Cucumis sativus L. after a white-light period was examined. The farred-absorbing form of phytochrome inhibits hypocotyl elongation. The response to phytochrome photostationary state () is not linear; all values of from 0.004 to 0.13 promote growth maximally, in the range of values of from 0.13 to 0.22 there is a linear growth response, between values of of 0.22 and 0.35 there is again no differential effect, and for values above 0.35 there is a strong (near linear) effect of on elongation. A kinetic examination of events following the white-light period shows that the major recovery from the photoperiod requires 8.5 h of darkness. End-of-day far-red treatment produces a very different response pattern, with a minor growth stimulation within 28 min of treatment followed by a major effect after 80 to 90 min. Three hours after far-red treatment there is a transient decline in growth rate which persists for about 2 h. Over the whole time course there is a great stimulation of growth rate compared with the controls. A similar growth-rate pattern also occurs if the end-of-day is 0.48, although the magnitude of the growth stimulation is less. Two components are affected by end-of-day , namely the time at which growth recovers and the subsequent growth rate. In the long term, the latter accounts for most of the differences in elongation growth. The dark recovery when only the hypocotyl is irradiated requires 4 h, but end-of-day far-red treatment reduces this to about 1.5 h. The persistence of the far-red-absorbing form of phytochrome for many hours in darkness in these light-grown plants is also demonstrated.Abbreviations and symbols D darkness - FR far-red light - Pfr far-red-absorbing form of phytochrome - R red light - WL white light (from fluorescent lamps) - photostationary state of phytochrome - _c calculated      

Calcium in electron-dense globoids during pollen grain maturation in Chlorophytum elatum R.Br.

The localization, elemental composition and quantitative changes in insoluble, electron-dense globoids observed in the course of pollen grain development in Chlorophytum elatum R.Br. have been investigated. During pollen maturation, small electron-dense globoids were only found within larger electron-light vesicles in the cytoplasm of the vegetative cell. The number and diameter of the electron-dense globoids increased during pollen grain maturation, and decreased after pollen germination. By energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis, the presence of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus was detected in these globoids. The results are discussed in the light of previous findings with regard to phytate metabolism and the role of calcium in pollen germination. Received: 28 December 1996 / Accepted: 7 May 1997     

Expression of gibberellin mutations in fruits of Pisum sativum L.

The gibberellin (GA) economy of young pea (Pisum sativum L.) fruits was investigated using a range of mutants with altered GA biosynthesis or deactivation. The synthesis mutation lh-2 substantially reduced the content of both GA₄ and GA₁ in young seeds. Among the other synthesis mutations, ls-1, le-1 and le-3, the largest reduction in seed GA₁ content was only 1.7-fold (le-1), while GA₄ was not reduced in these mutants, and in fact accumulated in some experiments (compared with the wild type). Mutation sln appeared to block the step GA₂₀ to GA₂₉ in young pods and seeds, but not as strongly as in older seeds. Mutations ls-1, le-1 and le-3 markedly reduced pod GA₁ levels, but pod elongation was not affected. After feeds of [¹³C,³H]GA₂₀ to leaves, the pods contained ¹³C,³H-labelled GA₂₀, GA₁, GA₂₉ and GA₈₁, and the seeds, [¹³C,³H]GA₂₀ and [¹³C,³H]GA₂₉. These findings are discussed in relation to recent suggestions regarding the role and origin of GA₁ in pea fruits. Received: 6 June 1997 / Accepted: 15 July 1997