Integrated Process for Ethanol,Biogas, and Edible Filamentous Fungi-Based Animal Feed Production from Dilute Phosphoric Acid-Pretreated Wheat Straw

Integration of wheat straw for a biorefinery-based energy generation process by producing ethanol and biogas together with the production of high-protein fungal biomass (suitable for feed application) was the main focus of the present study. An edible ascomycete fungal strain Neurospora intermedia was used for the ethanol fermentation and subsequent biomass production from dilute phosphoric acid (0.7 to 1.2% w/v) pretreated wheat straw. At optimum pretreatment conditions, an ethanol yield of 84 to 90% of the theoretical maximum, based on glucan content of substrate straw, was observed from fungal fermentation post the enzymatic hydrolysis process. The biogas production from the pretreated straw slurry showed an improved methane yield potential up to 162% increase, as compared to that of the untreated straw. Additional biogas production, using the syrup, a waste stream obtained post the ethanol fermentation, resulted in a combined total energy output of 15.8 MJ/kg wheat straw. Moreover, using thin stillage (a waste stream from the first-generation wheat-based ethanol process) as a co-substrate to the biogas process resulted in an additional increase by about 14 to 27% in the total energy output as compared to using only wheat straw-based substrates.

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Comparison of Flow Cytometry and ELASA for Screening of Proper Candidate Aptamer in Cell-SELEX Pool

Aptamers are single-stranded RNA or DNA, which bind to their target with high affinity and specificity. Method of isolating aptamers against cell surface protein is called cell-SELEX. Common approach for monitoring cell-SELEX developed aptamers is flow cytometry. Since flow cytometry is costly and requires sophisticated equipments, we suggested implementing easy access, high throughput enzyme-link apta-sorbent assay test (ELASA) to confirm the specificity of aptamers selected through cell-SELEX process. In this regard, we compared ELASA and flow cytometry techniques in order to screen potent candidate aptamers against A2780 Rcis cell line, which were selected by cell-SELEX. The obtained results demonstrated that both ELASA and flow cytometry are identical in terms of sensivity and precision for aptamers selection. Then it could be concluded that ELASA method could be used as a versatile, inexpensive procedure for in vito evaluation of isolated aptamers from cell-SELEX based process.     

Colorimetric determination of acidity constant using a paper-based microfluidic analytical device

Acid dissociation constant is an important chemical characteristic of organic and inorganic compounds and it affects both chemical properties and biological activities of the molecules. Herein, a very simple, fast and cost-effective method based on microfluidic technology has been reported for colorimetric determination of acidity constants. The designed device works based on pH-metric titration of colorful indicators followed by colorimetric measurements by a smart phone mobile device or a flatbed scanner. So, it does not need sophisticated instrumentation and is accomplished in a very short time (about 1 min). All titration steps are transferred on a star-like designed µPAD device: (1) spotting 0.3 µL buffers of different pHs at the end of the channels (reaction zones), (2) spotting a 30 µL portion of the indicator on the center of µPAD followed by movement of indicator solution toward the reaction zone by capillary action of the paper. The measured color change of the indicators at the reaction zone is fitted to the Henderson–Hasselbalch equation, through which acidity constants are calculated. The performance of the device was evaluated by measuring acidity constant of 4 indicators including bromothymol blue, bromocresol green, bromocresol purple and phenolphthalein. A very close agreement was achieved between those measured by the suggested device here and the previously reported values. The reproducibility of this method was lower than 5% for relative standard deviation of three replicate measurements.     

Preparation and characterization of curcumin loaded gold/graphene oxide nanocomposite for potential breast cancer therapy

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Graphene oxide (GO) and gold/graphene oxide (Au/GO) nanocomposites were fabricated through a facile chemical route and their application as excellent...     

Polarizability of the Si<Subscript>60</Subscript>H<Subscript>60</Subscript> Derivatives Containing Epoxide Moieties (Si<Subscript>60</Subscript>H<Subscript>60−2n</Subscript>O<Subscript>n</Subscript> with n up to 30): A DFT Study

We have applied density functional theory calculations to study polarizability of the Si₆₀H₆₀ derivatives with epoxide moieties (Si₆₀H_60?2nO_n with n up to 30). The results show that mean polarizability, α, of oxygen-containing silicon fullerene derivatives is higher than that of Si₆₀H₆₀. The mean polarizabilities of the isomers slightly depend on the positional relationship of the epoxide moieties, and are determined mainly by the number of epoxide moieties. Mean polarizabilities of Si₆₀H_60?2nO_n linearly increase with n, and are characterized by the depression of polarizability. The formula describing the mean polarizability as a function of the number of epoxide groups has been obtained, which may be important for the design of silicon-containing nanostructures with regulated polar parameters.     

Binuclear paddle-wheel platinum(II) and platinum(III) complexes containing 4-methyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol ligand: Synthesis,X-ray studies,and spectroscopic characterization

The complex [Pt₂(μ-mtrzt)₄(mtrzt)₂] (1) was synthesized from the reaction of a mixture of 4-methyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol (Hmtrzt) and ethylenediamine (en) with K₂PtCl₄ in CH₃OH/H₂O (2:1) as solvent. The complex [Pt₂(μ-mtrzt)₄] (2) was synthesized by the same procedure as described for preparation of complex 1 but in the absence of ethylenediamine. Both complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, IR,¹H NMR,¹³C{¹H}NMR, UV-Vis, as well as luminescence spectroscopy and their structures were analyzed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction method. The X-ray structure determinations show that complexes of 1 and 2 have binuclear structures in a paddle-wheel fashion with Pt-Pt distances of 2.6628(7) and 2.7977(16)Å, respectively. In complex 1, each platinum(III) atom has a distorted octahedral coordination geometry with the sulfur atom and the second platinum subunit in axial positions and two nitrogen and two sulfur atoms in equatorial positions. Also, in complex 2, each platinum(II) atom has a distorted square-pyramidal coordination geometry with the second platinum subunit in axial position and two nitrogen and two sulfur atoms in equatorial positions. In addition, intermolecular C?H···N and C?H···S hydrogen bonds in 1 and 2 as well as intermolecular anagostic C?H···Pt and C?H···π interactions in 2 are effective in the stabilization of the crystal packing of these complexes.     

DFT and MP2 Calculations on Tautomers and Water-Assisted Proton Transfer on 1,2,5-Oxadiazol-4,3-diamine

In this work a detailed quantum-chemical comparison of the relative stability of six tautomers of 1,2,5-oxadiazol-4,3-diamine studied in the gas phase and solution. Theoretical calculations are carried out by the density functional theory (DFT/B3LYP) and MP2 methods using the standard 311++G(d,p) basis set. The results indicate that A is the most stable form in the gas phase and also is the predominant tautomer in solution at the DFT and MP2 methods. The transition states of proton transfer reaction are calculated. The variation of dipole moments and charges on atoms are studied in various solvent. Specific solvent effects with addition of one water molecule near the electrophilic centers of tautomer investigated. Also the transition state of proton transfer assisted by a water molecule was investigated.     

Synthesis of 3-(quinolin-2-yl)indolizines through iodine-mediated sp3C–H functionalization of azaarenes

An efficient approach toward C–H bond activation using iodine-mediated sp³C–H bond functionalization for the synthesis of dialkyl 3-(quinolin-2-yl)indolizine-1,2-dicarboxylates and dialkyl 3-(quinolin-2-yl)pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline-1,2-dicarboxylates through 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of nitrogen ylides with acetylenic esters is described.     

Heteropolyacid immobilized on polymer/magnetic zeolite nanocomposite as a new and recyclable catalyst for the selective oxidation of alcohols

A new magnetic oxidation catalyst was prepared using immobilization of tungstophosphoric acid on poly(N-vinylimidazole) entrapped magnetic nanozeolite and characterized by FTIR, TGA, XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX, VSM, and ICP-OES. The resulting heterogeneous catalyst displays high catalytic performance for selective oxidation of alcohols compared to the other catalysts. The catalyst could be reused eight times without any loss of catalytic activity.