Mild alkaline pretreatment can achieve high hydrolytic and fermentation efficiencies for rice straw conversion to bioethanol

Abstract

Mild alkaline pretreatment was evaluated as a strategy for effective lignin removal and hydrolysis of rice straw. The pretreatment efficiency of different NaOH concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 or 2.0% w/w) was assessed. Rice straw (RS) pretreated with 1.5% NaOH achieved better sugar yield compared to other concentrations used. A cellulose conversion efficiency of 91% (45.84?mg/ml glucose release) was attained from 1.5% NaOH pretreated rice straw (PRS), whereas 1% NaOH pretreated rice straw yielded 35.10?mg/ml of glucose corresponding to a cellulose conversion efficiency of 73.81%. The ethanol production from 1% and 1.5% NaOH pretreated RS hydrolysates was similar at ～3.3% (w/v), corresponding to a fermentation efficiency of 86%. The non-detoxified hydrolysate was fermented using the novel yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae RPP-03O without any additional supplementation of nutrients.     

Restless legs syndrome and arterial stiffness in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease

Sleep and Biological Rhythms - Despite plenty of restless legs syndrome (RLS) studies conducted with hemodialysis patients, it has been scarcely studied in patients with predialysis chronic kidney...     

Sepsis triggered oxidative stress-inflammatory axis: the pathobiology of reprogramming in the normal sleep–wake cycle

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - In individuals with sepsis-related neurodegenerative illness, sleep and circadian rhythm disturbance are common. The alteration in genomic expression linked...     

Muscle LIM protein: expressed in slow muscle and induced in fast muscle by enhanced contractile activity

To identify earlychanges in gene expression during the fast-to-slow transition inducedby chronic low-frequency stimulation, total RNA wasextracted from 12-h-stimulated tibialis anterior (TA) muscles of ratsand amplified by differential display RT-PCR. Among the signals ofdifferentially expressed mRNAs, a cDNA ~300 bp in length, which wasalmost undetectable in control TA muscles but prominent in stimulatedTA and normal soleus muscles, was identified. This cDNA was cloned andidentified as corresponding to the mRNA of the muscle LIM protein(MLP). Its differential expression in control, stimulated TA, andsoleus muscles was verified by Northern blotting. Antibodies againstMLP were used to identify by immunoblot analysis a protein of 22 kDa,the predicted molecular mass of MLP. Immunohistochemistry revealedstrong reactivity for MLP in all fibers of normal soleus muscle andfaint staining of some type IIA and type I fibers in control TA muscle.These fibers increased in number and staining intensity in4-day-stimulated TA muscle. MLP thus seems to play an essential roleduring the rearrangement of cytoskeletal and/or myofibrillar structuresin transforming adult muscle fibers.     

D-3-Hydroxybutyrate metabolism in the perfused rat heart

Summary The utilization of D-3-HB and the production of acetoacetate by the perfused rat heart were investigated over a wide range of DL-3-HB concentrations. The rate of D-3-HB utilization is concentration dependent, and shows saturation kinetics. The oxidized amount of D-3-HB when D-3-HB as a sole substrate, accounts at a maximum for 50% of the total oxygen consumption, which suggest the contribution of the endogenous substrate as fuel source along with D-3-HB. The proportion of the D-3-HB consumed that is oxidized rather than released as acetoacetate increases from 70% to 93% as the concentration of D-3-HB falls from 6.99 mM to 0.30 mM.     

Use of monoclonal antibody and colloidal gold in E.M. localization of von Willebrand factor in megakaryocytes and platelets

The subcellular localization of Factor VIII/von Willebrand protein (VIII R:Ag) is studied with monoclonal antibody and gold immunocytochemical technique. Monoclonal antibody against purified VIII R:Ag is brightly fluorescent on megakaryocytes and platelets. In E.M., gold immunolabeling is performed on thin cell sections of human megakaryocytes and platelets. Different embedding materials are used to preserve the antigenicity : Epon embedded megakaryocytes show a high concentration of VIII R:Ag in alpha-granules using 4F9 monoclonal antibody. In comparison, lowicryl K4M embedded material does not improve the same specificity, only a few platelets granules were stained. This subcellular localization, in full agreement with biochemical results appears visualized for the first time in E.M.     

Woody plant composition and diversity of urban green spaces in Istanbul,Turkey

Abstract

The high urbanization rate of Istanbul in response to rapid population decreased the size and amount of green spaces. Thereby, every green space types are of vital importance in terms of conservation of urban biodiversity. In this study, it was aimed to compare woody species composition of main green space types consist of artificial and natural sites. Botanical gardens had the highest diversity followed by gardens. Residential areas showed to be important in terms of shrub (52%) and evergreen species (58%), which are mostly exotics (71%). The ratio of the invasive plants in the composition was higher in parks, which contain highway greenings and public gardens. Since the most tree species used in public green areas of Istanbul were mostly same with the species used in European cities, all of the green space categories having varied composition must be considered as interconnected habitat patches in urban planning.