Carbon dioxide absorption characterization of a bioreactor for biomass production ofPhormidium bohneri: comparative study of three types of diffuser

Under both laboratory-controlled and outdoor conditions, mass culture ofPhormidium bohneri has shown low growth rates and filament aggregate or floc instability. In order to test for a possible carbonaceous supply limitation, a mass transfer characterization study of the reactor used was conducted. To examine different conditions of aeration, the overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient, K_La(C0₂), and the energy and physical transfer efficiency for CO₂ were determined for three air-flow rates and three types of diffuser. For the different aeration conditions studied, the reactor showed adequate mixing properties with respect to CO₂. However, under low air-flow rate conditions, even with the most efficient diffuser, the CO₂ transfer capacity appeared limiting. On the other hand, at high air-flow rates, floc breakage as a result of shear stress appeared to limit bioreactor efficiency.     

Development and application of the thin channel rectangular air lift mass transfer reactor to fermentation and waste-water treatment systems

The consideration of fermentation principles in the treatment of industrial and sanitary waste waters leads to substantial process improvements. In particular, the rate of reaction can be improved by several fold by establishing the proper environmental conditions for microbial growth in a fermentation system. Recent work on the concentric cylinder air lift has shown it to be an economical fermentor with many advantages over conventional fermentors. An attempt to improve the economical performance of this system led to the development of the thin channel rectangular air lift fermentor. This was based upon a theoretical analysis of performance parameters. The analysis indicates decreased bubble coalescence, increased bubble entrainment, decreased power costs, increased mass transfer coefficients, and decrease capital costs. Experience using a prototype thin channel rectangular air lift system with sanitary and industrial waste-water treatment systems has demonstrated exceptionally high rates of BOD removal at low operating and capital costs.     

Is tolerance to summer flooding correlated with distribution patterns in river floodplains? A comparative study of 20 terrestrial grassland species

It is generally assumed that floods during the growing season have a strong impact on the distribution of grassland plant species in river floodplains but this proposition has never been tested. We examined the survival and growth responses of twenty species, originating from mid- and high-level floodplain grasslands along the River Rhine in the Netherlands, to total submergence for a maximum of two months in an outdoor flooding experiment. Plant survival and biomass reduction with flooding duration was determined as well as biomass recovery after de-submergence.
Our results indicate that species survival is the most prominent factor correlated with species distribution in floodplain areas. Relatively flood tolerant species occurred mainly at low elevations along the floodplain while more flood sensitive species were restricted to high parts of the floodplain gradient. Biomass reduction rates during submergence were only marginally significantly correlated with species lower distribution boundaries along the flooding gradient. Biomass recovery rate was significantly correlated with species distribution patterns in the field only after 2 weeks of complete submergence, but not after 4 and 8 weeks. Our results suggest that the more flood tolerant species can have various ways to survive and recover from flooding, ranging from low rates of biomass loss and low recovery to relatively high rates of biomass loss and quick recovery.
Our results are consistent with the notion that disturbance by floods during the growing season is an important determinant of species lower distribution boundaries in river floodplains. They also suggest that high survival under flooding may be achieved by different physiological mechanisms. Such mechanisms are discussed in this paper.     

Jet aeration as alternative to overcome mass transfer limitation of stirred bioreactors

In industrial biotechnology increasing reactor volumes have the potential to reduce production costs. Whenever the achievable space time yield is determined by the mass transfer performance of the reactor, energy efficiency plays an important role to meet the requirements regarding low investment and operating costs. Based on theoretical calculations, compared to bubble column, airlift reactor, and aerated stirred tank, the jet loop reactor shows the potential for an enhanced energetic efficiency at high mass transfer rates. Interestingly, its technical application in standard biotechnological production processes has not yet been realized. Compared to a stirred tank reactor powered by Rushton turbines, maximum oxygen transfer rates about 200% higher were achieved in a jet loop reactor at identical power input in a fed batch fermentation process. Moreover, a model‐based analysis of yield coefficients and growth kinetics showed that E. coli can be cultivated in jet loop reactors without significant differences in biomass growth. Based on an aerobic fermentation process, the assessment of energetic oxygen transfer efficiency [kgO₂ kW^?1 h^?1] for a jet loop reactor yielded an improvement of almost 100%. The jet loop reactor could be operated at mass transfer rates 67% higher compared to a stirred tank. Thus, an increase of 40% in maximum space time yield [kg m^?3 h^?1] could be observed.     

Changes in expansin activity and cell wall susceptibility to expansin action during cessation of internodal elongation in floating rice

We investigated the involvement of expansin action in determining the growth rate of internodes of floating rice (Oryza sativa L.). Floating rice stem segments in which rapid internodal elongation had been induced by submergence for 2 days were exposed to air or kept in submergence for 2 more days. Both treatments reduced the elongation rate of the internodes, and the degree of reduction was much greater in air-exposed stem segments than in continually submerged segments. These rates of internodal elongation were correlated with acid-induced cell wall extensibility and cell wall susceptibility to expansins in the cell elongation zone of the internodes, but not with extractable expansin activity. These results suggest that the reduced growth rate of internodes must be due, at least in part, to the decrease in acid-induced cell wall extensibility, which can be modulated through changes in the cell wall susceptibility to expansins rather than through expansin activity. Analysis of the cell wall composition of the internodes showed that the cellulosic and noncellulosic polysaccharide contents increased in response to exposure to air, but they remained almost constant under continued submergence although the cell wall susceptibility to expansins gradually declined even under continued submergence. The content of xylose in noncellulosic neutral sugars in the cell walls of internodes was closely and negatively correlated with changes in the susceptibility of the walls to expansins. These results suggest that the deposition of xylose-rich polysaccharides into the cell walls may be related to a decrease in acid-induced cell wall extensibility in floating rice internodes through the modulation of cell wall susceptibility to expansins.     

Deficiency of oncoretrovirally transduced hematopoietic stem cells and correction through ex vivo expansion

BACKGROUND: Extensive efforts to develop hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) based gene therapy have been hampered by low gene marking. Major emphasis has so far been directed at improving gene transfer efficiency, but low gene marking in transplanted recipients might equally well reflect compromised repopulating activity of transduced cells, competing for reconstitution with endogenous and unmanipulated stem cells. METHODS: The autologous settings of clinical gene therapy protocols preclude evaluation of changes in repopulating ability following transduction; however, using a congenic mouse model, allowing for direct evaluation of gene marking of lympho-myeloid progeny, we show here that these issues can be accurately addressed. RESULTS: We demonstrate that conditions supporting in vitro stem cell self-renewal efficiently promote oncoretroviral-mediated gene transfer to multipotent adult bone marrow stem cells, without prior in vivo conditioning. Despite using optimized culture conditions, transduction resulted in striking losses of repopulating activity, translating into low numbers of gene marked cells in competitively repopulated mice. Subjecting transduced HSCs to an ex vivo expansion protocol following the transduction procedure could partially reverse this loss. CONCLUSIONS: These studies suggest that loss of repopulating ability of transduced HSCs rather than low gene transfer efficiency might be the main problem in clinical gene therapy protocols, and that a clinically feasible ex vivo expansion approach post-transduction can markedly improve reconstitution with gene marked stem cells.     

Evaluation of Filters for Removal of Bacteriophages from Air

Glass wool, nonabsorbent cotton, fiberglass filter medium, and a commercial absolute filter were tested for effectiveness in removing aerosolized bacterial viruses under low flow rate (1 ft(3)/min) and high flow rate (10 to 25 ft(3)/min) air-flow conditions. Special equipment was designed for measurement of filter efficiencies under the two air-flow conditions. Under low air-flow rate test conditions, glass wool was only 98.543 to 99.83% efficient, whereas cotton (five layers), fiberglass medium (three layers), and the commercial absolute filter were at least 99.900, 99.999, and 99.999 efficient, respectively. Glass wool and cotton were not used under higher air-flow conditions because they were difficult to assemble in leak-tight filters. The commercial absolute filter and fiberglass medium (three layers) were at least 99.990 and 99.999% efficient, respectively, under the higher air flow conditions. A stainless-steel filter of simple design and fitted with three layers of fiberglass medium was found to be greater than 99.999% efficient in removing high concentrations (20,000 to 70,000 plaque-forming units per cubic foot) of aerosolized bacteriophages from air moving at a low flow rate (1 ft(3)/min). Use of this filter on pressure-vacuum tanks in the fermentation industry is suggested. Several other uses of such a filter are proposed.     

A functional comparison of acclimation to shade and submergence in two terrestrial plant species

Terrestrial plants experience multiple stresses when they are submerged, caused both by oxygen deficiency due to reduced gas diffusion in water, and by shade due to high turbidity of the floodwater. It has been suggested that responses to submergence are de facto responses to low light intensity. We investigated the extent to which submergence and shade induce similar acclimation responses by comparing two terrestrial Rumex species that differ in their responses to flooding. Our study confirms that there are strong similarities between acclimation responses to shade and submergence. Petiole length, specific leaf area (SLA), chlorophyll parameters and underwater light-compensation points changed at least qualitatively in the same direction. Maximum underwater photosynthesis rate, however, did discriminate between the functionality of the responses, as the acclimation to submergence appeared to be more effective than acclimation to shade at saturating light. We conclude that acclimation to submergence involves more than an increase in SLA to achieve the significant reduction of diffusion resistance for gas exchange between leaves and the water column.     

温度对4种大型海藻氮磷吸收效率及光合生理特性的影响

研究以裂片石莼(Ulva fasciata)、肠浒苔(Ulva intestinalis)、龙须菜(Gracilaria lemaneaformis)、坛紫菜(Pyropia haitanensis)为实验材料, 分析了不同温度(15、20、25、30℃)下4种大型海藻对海水中N、P元素的吸收效率和光合特性的特点。结果显示: (1)4种大型海藻对水体N、P均有明显的吸收效果, 吸收能力高低依次为肠浒苔>裂片石莼>坛紫菜>龙须菜; (2)温度过高或过低都会限制藻类对N、P的吸收和正常生长, 同时降低4种藻的相对电子传递速率及光化学效率; (3)裂片石莼与肠浒苔的N、P吸收能力强, 且光合系统对温度耐受性高, 是实施养殖污水生物净化的良好材料; (4)4种海藻对水体中N、P营养盐的吸收在48h内基本完成, 实地应用中可考虑24—48h周期换水或采用流通循环式的培养模式, 以达到既促进藻类的生长又提高营养盐吸收效率的目的, 以避免藻体因营养缺乏引起负生长而造成二次污染。     

Interspecific competition in natural plant communities: mechanisms, trade-offs and plant-soil feedbacks

Interspecific competition in natural plant communities is highly dependent on nutrient availability. At high levels of nutrient availability, competition is mainly for light. As light is a unidirectional resource, high nutrient habitats are dominated by fast-growing perennials with a tall stature and a rather uniform vertical distribution of leaf area. Moreover, these species have high turnover rates of leaves and roots and a high morphological plasticity during the differentiation of leaves. There is less consensus, however, about the importance and intensity of interspecific competition in nutrient-poor environments. It is argued that selection in nutrient-poor habitats is not necessarily on a high competitive ability for nutrients and a high growth rate, but rather on traits which reduce nutrient losses (low tissue nutrient concentrations, slow tissue turnover rates, high nutrient resorption efficiency). Due to evolutionary trade-offs plants can not maximize both growth rate and nutrient retention. Thus, the low growth rate of species from nutrient-poor habitats should be considered as the consequence of nutrient retention rather than as a feature on which direct selection takes place. The contrasting traits of species from nutrient-poor and nutrient-rich habitats mutually exclude them from each others' habitats. Moreover, these traits have severe consequences for litter decomposability and thereby also for nutrient cycling. This leads both in nutrient-poor and nutrient-rich habitats to a positive feedback between plant species dominance and nutrient availability, thereby promoting ecosystem stability.     

三峡水库消落区植被在差异性水淹环境中的分布格局

人工水库修建引发的差异性水文节律是决定消落区植被群落格局的主要因素,高强度水淹环境中水淹胁迫是影响植被的重要因子而低强度水淹环境中物种竞争是影响植被的重要因子。为了探究差异性水淹环境中三峡水库消落区植物的水淹耐受能力及光资源竞争能力(植物株高)对植被群落分布格局的影响,对三峡水库典型消落区不同水淹强度下生长的植被进行了研究,结果表明:(1)典型消落区调查共发现有植物41种,其中高耐淹低竞争能力型植物4种,其生物量在所有物种生物量中的占比达70.99%,低耐淹高竞争能力型植物23种,其生物量占比为28.02%,低耐淹低竞争能力型植物14种,生物量占比不足1%,消落区内无高耐淹高竞争能力型植物物种分布;(2)高耐淹低竞争能力型植物在水淹强度大的消落区区域占优,低耐淹高竞争能力型植物在植物物种竞争压力大的消落区区域占据主导,低耐淹低竞争能力型植物在消落区中仅有零星分布;(3)消落区植被生物量格局随着高程增加呈现出先增加后减少的趋势。研究差异性水淹环境对三峡水库消落区植被分布的影响,可以为深入理解消落区植被分布格局的形成机制和大型水库消落区植被恢复与重建提供理论依据。     

Ethylene Sensitivity and Response Sensor Expression in Petioles of Rumex Species at Low O2 and High CO2 Concentrations

Rumex palustris, a flooding-tolerant plant, elongates its petioles in response to complete submergence. This response can be partly mimicked by enhanced ethylene levels and low O2 concentrations. High levels of CO2 do not markedly affect petiole elongation in R. palustris. Experiments with ethylene synthesis and action inhibitors demonstrate that treatment with low O2 concentrations enhances petiole extension by shifting sensitivity to ethylene without changing the rate of ethylene production. The expression level of the R. palustris gene coding for the putative ethylene receptor (RP-ERS1) is up-regulated by 3% O2 and increases after 20 min of exposure to a low concentration of O2, thus preceding the first significant increase in elongation observable after 40 to 50 min. In the flooding-sensitive species Rumex acetosa, submergence results in a different response pattern: petiole growth of the submerged plants is the same as for control plants. Exposure of R. acetosa to enhanced ethylene levels strongly inhibits petiole growth. This inhibitory effect of ethylene on R. acetosa can be reduced by both low levels of O2 and/or high concentrations of CO2.     

模拟水淹对三峡库区常见一年生草本植物种子萌发的影响

根据三峡水库水位运行时间, 设计了30、75、115、155、195和240天共6个水淹时间梯度(T-1、T-2、T-3、T-4、T-5和T-6), 采用模拟水淹的方法, 研究了不同水淹时间对三峡消落带4种常见的一年生草本植物稗(Echinochloa crusgali)、金狗尾草(Setaria pumila)、马唐(Digitaria sanguinalis)和荩草(Arthraxon hispidus)种子萌发的影响。结果表明: 1)随着水淹处理时间的增长, 这4种植物的萌发率基本上呈现先增高后降低的趋势。稗和荩草在T-1-T-5的种子萌发率显著高于对照(CK) (p < 0.05), T-6和CK之间差异不显著。金狗尾草T-2、T-3的萌发率显著高于CK (p < 0.05), T-1、T-4-T-6与CK之间无显著性差异。马唐在水淹处理(T-1-T-6)的萌发率均显著高于对照(CK), 但长时间水淹处理(T-4-T-6)对萌发的促进作用要低于短时间水淹处理(T-1-T-3)。这说明一定时间的水淹有利于打破种子休眠并提高种子萌发率。2)一定时间的水淹处理加快了稗、金狗尾草、马唐和荩草的萌发进程。对照组种子的日萌发率较均匀, 萌发曲线较平缓。而水淹处理的种子多集中在3-5天内大量萌发。和对照相比, 一定时间的水淹处理显著提高了这4种植物种子的萌发指数, 缩短了种子的萌发持续时间, 提早了种子萌发高峰时间和达到50%萌发率的时间。长时间的水淹对种子的萌发进程影响不大。3)总体来说, 稗、金狗尾草、马唐和荩草在各个处理下的萌发率均较高(> 40%), 可以考虑作为三峡消落带植被恢复的备选物种。     

Underwater photosynthesis in flooded terrestrial plants: a matter of leaf plasticity

BACKGROUND: Flooding causes substantial stress for terrestrial plants, particularly if the floodwater completely submerges the shoot. The main problems during submergence are shortage of oxygen due to the slow diffusion rates of gases in water, and depletion of carbohydrates, which is the substrate for respiration. These two factors together lead to loss of biomass and eventually death of the submerged plants. Although conditions under water are unfavourable with respect to light and carbon dioxide supply, photosynthesis may provide both oxygen and carbohydrates, resulting in continuation of aerobic respiration. SCOPE: This review focuses on evidence in the literature that photosynthesis contributes to survival of terrestrial plants during complete submergence. Furthermore, we discuss relevant morphological and physiological responses of the shoot of terrestrial plant species that enable the positive effects of light on underwater plant performance. CONCLUSIONS: Light increases the survival of terrestrial plants under water, indicating that photosynthesis commonly occurs under these submerged conditions. Such underwater photosynthesis increases both internal oxygen concentrations and carbohydrate contents, compared with plants submerged in the dark, and thereby alleviates the adverse effects of flooding. Additionally, several terrestrial species show high plasticity with respect to their leaf development. In a number of species, leaf morphology changes in response to submergence, probably to facilitate underwater gas exchange. Such increased gas exchange may result in higher assimilation rates, and lower carbon dioxide compensation points under water, which is particularly important at the low carbon dioxide concentrations observed in the field. As a result of higher internal carbon dioxide concentrations in submergence-acclimated plants, underwater photorespiration rates are expected to be lower than in non-acclimated plants. Furthermore, the regulatory mechanisms that induce the switch from terrestrial to submergence-acclimated leaves may be controlled by the same pathways as described for heterophyllous aquatic plants.     

Air-permeable hole-pattern and nose-droop control improve aerodynamic performance of primary feathers

Primary feathers of soaring land birds have evolved into highly specialized flight feathers characterized by morphological improvements affecting aerodynamic performance. The foremost feathers in the cascade have to bear high lift-loading with a strong bending during soaring flight. A challenge to the study of feather aerodynamics is to understand how the observed low drag and high lift values in the Reynolds (Re) regime from 1.0 to 2.0E4 can be achieved. Computed micro-tomography images show that the feather responds to high lift-loading with an increasing nose-droop and profile-camber. Wind-tunnel tests conducted with the foremost primary feather of a White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) at Re = 1.8E4 indicated a surprisingly high maximum lift coefficient of 1.5 and a glide ratio of nearly 10. We present evidence that this is due to morphologic characteristics formed by the cristae dorsales as well as air-permeable arrays along the rhachis. Measurements of lift and drag forces with open and closed pores confirmed the efficiency of this mechanism. Porous structures facilitate a blow out, comparable to technical blow-hole turbulators for sailplanes and low speed turbine-blades. From our findings, we conclude that the mechanism has evolved in order to affect the boundary layer and to reduce aerodynamic drag of the feather.     

Rotating biological contactors: a review on main factors affecting performance

Rotating biological contactors (RBCs) constitute a very unique and superior alternative for biodegradable matter and nitrogen removal on account of their feasibility, simplicity of design and operation, short start-up, low land area requirement, low energy consumption, low operating and maintenance cost and treatment efficiency. The present review of RBCs focus on parameters that affect performance like rotational speed, organic and hydraulic loading rates, retention time, biofilm support media, staging, temperature, influent wastewater characteristics, biofilm characteristics, dissolved oxygen levels, effluent and solids recirculation, step-feeding and medium submergence. Some RBCs scale-up and design considerations, operational problems and comparison with other wastewater treatment systems are also reported.     

Gene transfer into eukaryotic cells using activated polyamidoamine dendrimers

The development of efficient methods to transfer genes into eukaryotic cells is important for molecular biotechnology. A number of different technologies to mediate gene transfer have been developed over the last 35 years, but most have drawbacks such as cytotoxicity, low efficiency and/or restricted applicability. Activated polyamidoamine (PAMAM)-dendrimers provide a new technology for gene transfer that offers significant advantages over classical methods. Reagents based on this technology provide high gene transfer efficiencies, minimal cytotoxicity, and can be used with a broad range of cell types. This technology could also be useful for in vivo gene transfer in gene therapy applications.     

Submergence-induced leaf acclimation in terrestrial species varying in flooding tolerance

Earlier work on the submergence-tolerant species Rumex palustris revealed that leaf anatomical and morphological changes induced by submergence enhance underwater gas exchange considerably. Here, the hypothesis is tested that these plastic responses are typical properties of submergence-tolerant species. Submergence-induced plasticity in leaf mass area (LMA) and leaf, cell wall and cuticle thickness was investigated in nine plant species differing considerably in tolerance to complete submergence. The functionality of the responses for underwater gas exchange was evaluated by recording oxygen partial pressures inside the petioles when plants were submerged. Acclimation to submergence resulted in a decrease in all leaf parameters, including cuticle thickness, in all species irrespective of flooding tolerance. Consequently, internal oxygen partial pressures (pO(2)) increased significantly in all species until values were close to air saturation. Only in nonacclimated leaves in darkness did intolerant species have a significantly lower pO(2) than tolerant species. These results suggest that submergence-induced leaf plasticity, albeit a prerequisite for underwater survival, does not discriminate tolerant from intolerant species. It is hypothesized that these plastic leaf responses may be induced in all species by several signals present during submergence; for example, low LMA may be a response to low photosynthate concentrations and a thin cuticle may be a response to high relative humidity.     

Acetic acid production by immobilized acetobacter cells

Summary Using a pulsed gas and liquid flow and with cells directly adsorbed on to a suitably-formed support, aerobic transformations can be carried out in a fixed-cell reactor with significant gain in efficiency. Immobilized cells of Acetobacter on cordierite can produce acetic acid at a high rate which, at different dilution rates, may be limited either by product inhibition or by oxygen transfer requirements.