Production of single cell protein (SCP) from food and agricultural waste by using Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Food waste is the single-largest component of the waste stream, in order to protect and safeguard the public health, useful and innovative recycling methods are investigated. The conversion of food wastes in value-added products is becoming a more economically viable and interesting practice. Food waste, collected in the distribution sector and citrus industries, was characterised for its potential as a raw material to use in fermentation processes. In this study, the production of single-cell protein (SCP) using food waste as a substrate was investigated. The purpose of this study has been to produce SCP from mixtures of food waste using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The main fermentation test was carried out using a 25 l bioreactor. The utilisation of food waste can allow us to not only to reduce environmental pollution, but also to obtain value-added products such as protein supply for animal feed.     

Abnormal Temperature Dependence of the Viscosity of Ethylammonium Nitrate–Methanol Ionic Mixtures

The shear viscosities of ionic fluids composed of ethylammonium nitrate (EAN) and methanol (MeOH) have been investigated as a function of the shear rate, the composition of the mixtures (quoted as x, the mole fraction of EAN), and the temperature (T) in the range 293–328 K. At low content of EAN (0.2 x 0.4), the solutions exhibit a non-Newtonian and a non-Arrhenius behavior. The viscosities of these solutions increase with the temperature when T > 313 K, but they are independent of the temperature at x = 0.6 and decrease for x > 0.6. Excess viscosities and excess Gibbs energies for the viscosity give evidence of the formation of strong hydrogen bonded complexes in solution for x < 0.6 and T > 318 K. For these systems, any increase in temperature favors the formation of hydrogen bonds between EAN and MeOH.     

Photomodulated Azoaldolase: A Model for Light Intervention in Biological Systems?

Azoaldolase is obtained from rabbit muscle aldolase by adding an azo chromophore to a cysteine side chain in each of the four enzyme subunits. The enzyme becomes photosensitive whereas both its catalytic activity and the michaelian kinetics are retained. Chromophore excitation causes E to Z isomerization of the azo bond, and mutually influences the protein-substrate equilibria. The various isomerization and substrate binding equilibria have been investigated under the hypothesis of a cyclic process described by four linked equilibrium constants. The mechanism of the light effect is a continuous adaptation of the specific parameters of the active protein, that is substrate recognition and rate of the catalyzed process. Absorbed light allows the rapid modification of the concentrations of various related molecules, depending on the used frequencies. At present such a mechanism has not been described in photobiology; so azoaldolase can be taken as a model for a possible new mechanism of light regulation of a biological system, based on changes in the molecular recognition by an active protein against its substrate.     

The peculiar kinetics of the reaction between acetylene and the cyclopentadienyl radical

The cyclopentadienyl radical (cC(5)H(5)) is a fascinating molecule characterized by several peculiar properties, such as its high internal symmetry and resonance enhanced stability. This makes cC(5)H(5) one of the most abundant radicals present in high temperature gaseous environments, such as flames. Therefore it is generally considered an interesting candidate as the starting point of reaction pathways leading to the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and soot in combustion processes. However, known reaction pathways are not able to explain some recent experimental findings concerning the rapid conversion of cC(5)H(5) into C(7)H(7) and C(9)H(8) in the presence of acetylene. In this work, we used ab initio calculations and quantum Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel (QRRK) theory to investigate the cC(5)H(5) + C(2)H(2) reaction kinetics. We found that cC(5)H(5) can add acetylene to form, through a fast and not previously known reaction, the heptatrienyl radical (cC(7)H(7)), which, in many ways, can be considered the superior homologue of cC(5)H(5). The calculated reaction kinetic constant is (2.2 x 10(11))exp(-6440/T(K)) cm(3) mol(-1) s(-1) and is in good agreement with experimental data, while that of the inverse process is (4.2 x 10(16))T(-1) exp(-30 850/T(K)) s(-1). In a successive reaction, cC(7)H(7) can add a second acetylene molecule to form indene, cC(9)H(8), and H. The forward and backward kinetic constants are (6.6 x 10(11))exp(-10 080/T(K)) and (4.2 x 10(14))exp(-27 300/T(K)) cm(3) mol(-1) s(-1), respectively. These two successive reactions, leading from a single C5 cycle to a bicyclic C5-C6 species, represent a new PAH growth mechanism, characterized by a C5-C7 ring enlargement reaction.     

Are methyl groups electron-donating or electron-withdrawing in boron clusters? Permethylation of o-carborane

That methyl groups attached to carbon atoms are electron donors must not be generally assumed. In boron clusters, Me groups on boron are electron withdrawing. At the B3LYP/6-31G* level of theory, it has been proven that the Mulliken charge on each boron after substitution of -H by -Me increases by +0.18 unit. This leads to a high build-up of positive charge upon permethylation, then hampering it. Experimentally, this is proven by the synthesis of 9-I0.707H0.293-12-Cl0.566H0.434-3,4,5,6,7,8,10,11-Me8-1,2-C2B10H2, in which positions 9 and 12 were first methylated and then attacked by nucleophiles. This is substantiated by the synthesis of 3,6,8,9,10,12-Me6-1,2-C2B10H6 under the same experimental conditions but with time control.     

A contribution to the crystallochemistry of Ternary Rare Earth Intermetallic Phases

A summary of crystal data concerning ternary intermetallic phases of the rare earths is reported. The phases described are those formed with a transition metal and an element of the p-block of the periodic table. It includes the 1:1:1 compounds. The alloying behaviour of Ce and Yb is then briefly discussed with special consideration for the trends of the molar volumes of their intermetallic phases.     

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY OF IODINE DOPED POLY(PHTHALOCYANINATOSILOXANE)/PPTA BLEND FIBERS

Poly(phthalocyaninatosiloxane), [Si(Pc)O]n, with the number average degree of polymerization of about 130 was prepared by heating its monomer Si(Pc) (OH)_2, in solid state at 420℃for 42 hrs at 10~(-3) torr dynamic vacuum. The [Si(Pc)O]n powder was iodine doped with I_2-bensene solution for 48 hrs. Pure iodine doped poly(phthalocyaninatosiloxune), {[Si(Pc)O]I_y}n, fibers and {[Si(Pc)O]I_y}n/poly(p-pbenylene terephthalamide) blend fibers were wet-spun with dry nltrogen-sealed Teflon lined device. D.C. electrical conductivity of the fibers was measured by the four-probe method with an automated charge transport measurement system from 80K to room temperature. It was found that the dependence of conductivity, σ, on temperature, T, could fit a group of thermal fluctuation-induced tunnelling (TFIT) equations, and that the dependence of conductivity on volume fraction, φ, of the iodine doped {[Si(Pc)O]I_y}n could fit a group of modified percolation equations. A thrce-dimensioual composite plot of σ-1 / T-φshows that these two groups of equations match each other quite well. It has been pointed out that for the blend fibers their composition is the most important factor for both mechanical and electrical properties.     

Local photodynamic therapy with Zn(II)-phthalocyanine in an experimental model of intimal hyperplasia

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) appears to be a novel promising modality to prevent intimal hyperplasia (IH) and restenosis after angioplasty. Local PDT, that consists of local delivery of photosensitizing agents followed by intraluminal local irradiation, represents a recent advancement. This methodology requires optimization in order to achieve the best prompt outcome especially in terms of pharmacokinetics of the photosensitizing agent. We studied the pharmacokinetic properties by using the photosensitizing agent Zn(II)-phthalocyanine (ZnPc), locally released by a channeled balloon. The efficacy of local PDT in reducing IH was evaluated in an experimental rabbit model of arterial injury. The maximum accumulation of ZnPc was found at 30 min: the injured portion of the artery gave a ZnPc recovery of 1.18 micromol/mg, as compared with undetectable amounts of ZnPc in the non injured arteries; within 90 min after the local delivery, clearance of the agent was almost complete. Local PDT produced an effective reduction of IH in our vascular injury model: at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days IH and intima/media ratio (IMR) was significantly reduced as compared with balloon injured arteries. The local delivery of ZnPc showed favourable pharmacokinetic properties, that allow the performance of PDT immediately after the vascular injury. Local PDT performed in these conditions represents a promising approach to prevent IH after balloon injury. Further studies are needed to better clarify the biological response of the injured arterial wall to local PDT.     

New computational approach for the simultaneous photometric determination of catalysts and activators

A new method for the simultaneous kinetic determination of catalysts and activators was developed on the basis of a mathematical model. The parameters and variables are optimized from experimental data obtained by application of a multiple standard-addition method and use of the Gauss-Newton and Simplex method, both of which provide identical results. The proposed method was applied to the simultaneous photometric determination of Mn(II) and Pb(II) on the basis of their catalytic and activating effects, respectively, on the oxidation of Tiron by hydrogen peroxide. Data were both acquired and processed with the aid of software developed by the authors. The linear determination range achieved was 1.00-5.00 ng/ml Mn(II) and 200-800 ng/ml Pb(II). Experimental readings were made at 450 nm with a fibre optics detector. The most serious interference with the method was posed by Cr(III).