Mass cultivation of catharanthus roseus cells using a nonmechanically agitated bioreactor

Batch suspension cultures ofCatharanthus roseus G. Don were grown in a 5 L LKB Ultraferm fermenter, converted to operate as an airlift bioreactor, to test the suitability of such a system for the mass culture of plant cells. Results show that the airlift system has considerable merits as a culture vessel for such a purpose, including: conversion rates of carbohydrate substrate to cell mass equivalent to > 50% under optimum conditions. (Operating under these conditions, growth rates of approximately 0.4 d^-1 are typical). In the absence of the mechanical shear normally associated with mechanically driven bioreactors, the gently agitated environment of the airlift vessel proves to be an ideal system for the growth of fragile plant cells. Use of a nozzle sparger reduces the possibility of a high mass transfer coefficient, except at very high gassing rates, thereby eliminating any interference with the growth rate caused by high rates of gaseous exchange.     

Effect of tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide on rheological properties of aqueous zirconia suspensions with polyacrylate

The role of tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) in determining the rheological properties of aqueous zirconia suspensions containing polyacrylate (PANH₄) was investigated. At acidic pH, the addition of TMAH after PANH₄ could result in a much higher stability in zirconia slurries than that with only polymer as dispersant. While in alkaline media, it was more easily realized to lower yield stress of suspensions by adding TMAH before PANH₄. Moreover, the both TMAH and PANH₄ contained systems were found to need the less polyacrylate for obtaining complete dispersion than those stabilized with PANH₄ alone.     

On the non-linear instability of fiber suspensions in a Poiseuille flow

The non-linear instability characteristics of fiber suspensions in a plane Poiseuille flow are investigated. The evolution equation of the perturbation amplitude analogous to Landau equation is formulated and solved numerically for different fiber parameters. It is found that the equilibrium amplitude decreases with the increase of the fiber aspect ratio and volume fraction, i.e. the addition of the fibers reduces the amplitude of the perturbation, and leads to the reduction of the flow instability. This phenomenon becomes significant for large volume concentration and aspect ratio. The mechanism of the reduction of the flow instability is also analyzed by taking into account of the modification of the mean flow and the energy transfer from the mean flow to the perturbation flow.     

大麦花药培养及其胚性悬浮细胞系的高频快速建立

研究了（1）在低温预处理过程中，不同相对湿度对大麦花药出愈率的影响；（2）低温处理愈伤组织对植株分化的影响；（3）高频快速建立大麦胚性悬浮细胞系，结果表明，低温预处理的较大相对湿度能明显促进花药的出愈率，低温处理愈伤组织能提高绿苗率，以7周龄的花药胚性愈伤组织为起始材料高频快速建立了均质，分散性好的胚性悬浮细胞系，建立频率约为25%～50%，已8～9周龄的花药胚性愈伤组织作为起始材料，难以建立胚性悬浮细胞系。     

The elastic properties of sodium montmorillonite suspensions

Shear wave rigidity moduliG have been determined using a shear wave propagation technique for sodium montmorillonite suspensions. Measurements were made as a function of time at various values of pH, NaCl concentration (C) and solids concentration and the data used to estimateG _e the value of the modulus att=. The dependency ofG _e on pH,C and solids concentration is interpreted in terms of the mode of interaction between particles and the associated volume filling structure. The results suggest that whether a coagulated or dispersive structure develops in these suspensions depends not only on pH andC but also on the degree of delamination of the clay.     

Random-Walk Aggregation Phenomena in Solid Bimodal Liquid Dispersions: Transition to Nondeterminism from Si3N4to Si3N4+ Al2O3Aqueous Systems

This paper, which is based on another recent work, (Mezzasalma, S. A.,Phys. Rev. E55(4), (1997)) deals with experiments and theory concerning an aqueous dispersed system formed from silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), alumina (Al₂O₃), and mixed silicon nitride + alumina (Si₃N₄+ Al₂O₃) solid agglomerates. From titration data applied to a thermodynamic equilibrium condition, the minimum number of each agglomerate species and their maximal average dimensions have been derived as functions of the aqueous solution pH. These parameters are of the order of, respectively, (1–2) μm for Si₃N₄and Al₂O₃agglomerates and (20–50) μm for the mixed agglomerates. The numbers of solid particles of all species are poorly correlated with changes in pH of the liquid phase. This behavior has been interpreted as intrinsically related to the complexity of the system which, due to the many interactions among the different species, probably becomes nondeterministic. In order to describe such behavior a probabilistic approach has been developed. The probability of finding a given solid agglomerate number within a scatter band varies with the suspension pH. Furthermore, the scatter band amplitude becomes negligible near the isoelectric point. Accordingly, only the numbers of aggregates derived in the neighborhood of the isoelectric point are predictable.     

Ion size effects on the electrokinetics of salt-free concentrated suspensions in ac fields

We analyze the influence of finite ion size effects in the response of a salt-free concentrated suspension of spherical particles to an oscillating electric field. Salt-free suspensions are just composed of charged colloidal particles and the added counterions released by the particles to the solution that counterbalance their surface charge. In the frequency domain, we study the dynamic electrophoretic mobility of the particles and the dielectric response of the suspension. We find that the Maxwell-Wagner-O’Konski process associated with the counterions condensation layer is enhanced for moderate to high particle charges, yielding an increment of the mobility for such frequencies. We also find that the increment of the mobility grows with ion size and particle charge. All these facts show the importance of including ion size effects in any extension attempting to improve standard electrokinetic models.     

Magnetorheological characteristics of aqueous suspensions that contain Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles

This investigation examines the magnetorheological (MR) characteristics of Fe₃O₄ aqueous suspensions. Magnetite particles (Fe₃O₄) were synthesized using a colloidal process and their sizes were determined to be normally distributed with an average of 10 nm by TEM. Experimental results reveal that the MR effect increases with the magnetic field and suspension concentration. The yield stress increases by up to two orders of magnitude when the sample is subjected to a magnetic field of 146 Oe/mm. In comparison with other published results, concerning a concentration of approximately 10–15% v/v, this study demonstrates that the same increase can be obtained with a concentration of nano-scale particles as low as 0.04% by volume. The viscosity was increased by an order of magnitude while the shear rate remained low; however, the increase decayed rapidly as the shear rate was raised. Finally, the MR effect caused by DC outperformed that caused by AC at the same current.     

Mathematical modeling of polymer-induced flocculation by charge neutralization

A detailed mathematical model for flocculation of colloidal suspensions in presence of salts and polymers is described and validated. In former case, the classical DLVO theory, which accounts for relevant variables such as pH and salt concentration, is incorporated into a geometrically sectioned discrete population balance model. For processes involving polymers, flocculation via simple charge neutralization is modeled using a modified DLVO theory in which the effect of adsorbed polymer layers on van der Waals attraction is included. The fractal dimension of aggregates is obtained by dynamic scaling of experimental data for time evolution of mean aggregate size. The particle surface potential is assumed to be approximately equal to the zeta potential. The model predictions are in close agreement with experimental results for flocculation of colloidal hematite suspensions in the presence of KCl and polyacrylic acid at different concentrations. In particular, given values of model parameters, e.g., Hamaker constant, fractal dimension, surface potential, and thickness of adsorbed polymer layer, the model can realistically describe the kinetics of flocculation by a simple charge neutralization mechanism and track the evolution of floc size distribution. Representative examples of sensitivity of the flocculation model to perturbations in surface potential and fractal dimension and to modification in the DLVO theory for polymer-coated particles are included.