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The Kremer-Grest (KG) bead-spring model is a near standard in Molecular Dynamic simulations of generic polymer properties. It owes its popularity to its computational efficiency, rather than its ability to represent specific polymer species and conditions. Here we investigate how to adapt the model to match the universal properties of a wide range of chemical polymers species. For this purpose we vary a single parameter originally introduced by Faller and Müller-Plathe, the chain stiffness. Examples include polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, cis-polyisoprene, polydimethylsiloxane, polyethyleneoxide and styrene-butadiene rubber. We do this by matching the number of Kuhn segments per chain and the number of Kuhn segments per cubic Kuhn volume for the polymer species and for the Kremer-Grest model. We also derive mapping relations for converting KG model units back to physical units, in particular we obtain the entanglement time for the KG model as function of stiffness allowing for a time mapping. To test these relations, we generate large equilibrated well entangled polymer melts, and measure the entanglement moduli using a static primitive-path analysis of the entangled melt structure as well as by simulations of step-strain deformation of the model melts. The obtained moduli for our model polymer melts are in good agreement with the experimentally expected moduli.
Das strikt anaerobe Bakterium Clostridium acetobutylicum bildet die Lösemittel Aceton, Butanol und Ethanol (ABE-Fermentation). Im Fall einer Eisenlimitierung kommt es zusätzlich zu einer Riboflavinsekretion (RF), was durch die gelbe Färbung des Kulturüberstands erkennbar ist. In dieser Arbeit wurde beobachtet, dass während Elektrofermentationen mit C. acetobutylicum bei –600 mV eine gelbe Färbung auftritt. Es wurde deshalb untersucht, ob eine Eisenlimitierung im bio-elektrochemischen System (BES) vorliegt. Hierzu wurden die Flavinspezien bei Kultivierungen in Medien mit einer Eisenlimitierung bzw. mit ausreichend Eisen in Serumflaschen sowie im BES mit und ohne angelegtem Potenzial verglichen. In den Serumflaschenversuchen wurden RF und Flavinadenindinukleotid (FAD)-Konzentrationen von ‡ 20 mg L⁻¹ sowie Flavinmononukleotid (FMN)-Konzentrationen von ca. 5 mg L⁻¹ detektiert. Bei ausreichender Eisenverfügbarkeit hingegen wurden in den Serumflaschen fast keine Flavine sekretiert. Im BES bei –600 mV hingegen wurde auch in diesen Kulturüberständen FMN und FAD (1–5 mg L⁻¹ ),jedoch kein RF gemessen. Diese Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Flavinbildung im BES mit angelegtem Potenzial nicht mit der Flavinbildung unter Eisenlimitierung in Serumflaschen korreliert. Andere Faktoren für eine mögliche Flavinbildung werden aktuell näher betrachtet.
Aus hölzernen Cellulosen und Hemicellulosen können durch enzymatische Hydrolyse fermentierbare Zucker für die Herstellung von Chemikalien und Treibstoffen gewonnen werden. Die bisherige Forschung fokussiert sich oft auf die Nutzung dieser Zucker zur Gewinnung von Ethanol. Daneben muss aber auch die stoffliche Nutzung zur Gewinnung von Grundchemikalien berücksichtigt werden. Eine solche Grundchemikalie ist Itakonsäure. Obwohl die biotechnologische Itaconsäureproduktion bereits eingehend untersucht und etabliert ist, gestaltet sie sich im Rahmen von Bioraffinerien der zweiten Generation als schwierig, da der überwiegend verwendete Produktionsorganismus gegen eine weite Bandbreite von Inhibitoren sensibel ist. Die Herstellung von Itaconsäure aus Buchenholzhydrolysaten wird im Rahmen der deutschen Lignocellulose-Bioraffinerie entwickelt. Die unbehandelten Hydrolysate ermöglichen weder das Wachstum von Aspergillus terreus noch die Bildung von Itaconsäure. Daher werden Möglichkeiten zur Konditionierung des Hydrolysates mit dem Ziel einer Itaconsäureproduktion mit hohen Ausbeuten und Konzentrationen vorgestellt.
Although several successful applications of benchtop nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in quantitative mixture analysis exist, the possibility of calibration transfer remains mostly unexplored, especially between high- and low-field NMR. This study investigates for the first time the calibration transfer of partial least squares regressions [weight average molecular weight (Mw) of lignin] between high-field (600 MHz) NMR and benchtop NMR devices (43 and 60 MHz). For the transfer, piecewise direct standardization, calibration transfer based on canonical correlation analysis, and transfer via the extreme learning machine auto-encoder method are employed. Despite the immense resolution difference between high-field and low-field NMR instruments, the results demonstrate that the calibration transfer from high- to low-field is feasible in the case of a physical property, namely, the molecular weight, achieving validation errors close to the original calibration (down to only 1.2 times higher root mean square errors). These results introduce new perspectives for applications of benchtop NMR, in which existing calibrations from expensive high-field instruments can be transferred to cheaper benchtop instruments to economize.
The molecular weight properties of lignins are one of the key elements that need to be analyzed for a successful industrial application of these promising biopolymers. In this study, the use of 1H NMR as well as diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY NMR), combined with multivariate regression methods, was investigated for the determination of the molecular weight (Mw and Mn) and the polydispersity of organosolv lignins (n = 53, Miscanthus x giganteus, Paulownia tomentosa, and Silphium perfoliatum). The suitability of the models was demonstrated by cross validation (CV) as well as by an independent validation set of samples from different biomass origins (beech wood and wheat straw). CV errors of ca. 7–9 and 14–16% were achieved for all parameters with the models from the 1H NMR spectra and the DOSY NMR data, respectively. The prediction errors for the validation samples were in a similar range for the partial least squares model from the 1H NMR data and for a multiple linear regression using the DOSY NMR data. The results indicate the usefulness of NMR measurements combined with multivariate regression methods as a potential alternative to more time-consuming methods such as gel permeation chromatography.
The investigation of the possibility to determine various characteristics of powder heparin (n = 115) was carried out with infrared spectroscopy. The evaluation of heparin samples included several parameters such as purity grade, distributing company, animal source as well as heparin species (i.e. Na-heparin, Ca-heparin, and heparinoids). Multivariate analysis using principal component analysis (PCA), soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA), and partial least squares – discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were applied for the modelling of spectral data. Different pre-processing methods were applied to IR spectral data; multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) was chosen as the most relevant.
Obtained results were confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Good predictive ability of this approach demonstrates the potential of IR spectroscopy and chemometrics for screening of heparin quality. This approach, however, is designed as a screening tool and is not considered as a replacement for either of the methods required by USP and FDA.
Investigation of TRPV1 loss-of-function phenotypes in transgenic shRNA expressing and knockout mice
(2008)
Throughout the last decade, and particularly in 2022, water scarcity has become a critical concern in Morocco and other Mediterranean countries. The lack of rainfall during spring was worsened by a succession of heat waves during the summer. To address this drought, innovative solutions, including the use of new technologies such as hydrogels, will be essential to transform agriculture. This paper presents the findings of a study that evaluated the impact of hydrogel application on onion (Allium cepa) cultivation in Meknes, Morocco. The treatments investigated in this study comprised two different types of hydrogel-based soil additives (Arbovit® polyacrylate and Huminsorb® polyacrylate), applied at two rates (30 and 20 kg/ha), and irrigated at two levels of water supply (100% and 50% of daily crop evapotranspiration; ETc). Two control treatments were included, without hydrogel application and with both water amounts. The experiment was conducted in an open field using a completely randomized design. The results indicated a significant impact of both hydrogel-type dose and water dose on onion plant growth, as evidenced by various vegetation parameters. Among the hydrogels tested, Huminsorb® Polyacrylate produced the most favorable outcomes, with treatment T9 (100%, HP, 30 kg/ha) yielding 70.55 t/ha; this represented an increase of 11 t/ha as compared to the 100% ETc treatment without hydrogel application. Moreover, the combination of hydrogel application with 50% ETc water stress showed promising results, with treatment T4 (HP, 30 kg, 50%) producing almost the same yield as the 100% ETc treatment without hydrogel while saving 208 mm of water.
A future bio-economy should not only be based on renewable raw materials but also in the raise of carbon yields of existing production routes. Microbial electrochemical technologies are gaining increased attention for this purpose. In this study, the electro-fermentative production of biobutanol with C. acetobutylicum without the use of exogenous mediators is investigated regarding the medium composition and the reactor design. It is shown that the use of an optimized synthetic culture medium allows higher product concentrations, increased biofilm formation, and higher conductivities compared to a synthetic medium supplemented with yeast extract. Moreover, the optimization of the reactor system results in a doubling of the maximum product concentrations for fermentation products. When a working electrode is polarized at −600 mV vs. Ag/AgCl, a shift from butyrate to acetone and butanol production is induced. This leads to an increased final solvent yield of Yᴀᴃᴇ = 0.202 gg⁻¹ (control 0.103 gg⁻¹), which is also reflected in a higher carbon efficiency of 37.6% compared to 23.3% (control) as well as a fourfold decrease in simplified E-factor to 0.43. The results are promising for further development of biobutanol production in bioelectrochemical systems in order to fulfil the principles of Green Chemistry.
In the present work an optical sensor in combination with a spectrally resolved detection device for in-line particle-size-monitoring for quality control in beer production is presented. The principle relies on the size and wavelength dependent backscatter of growing particles in fluids. Measured interference structures of backscattered light are compared with calculated theoretical values, based on Mie-Theory, and fitted with a linear least square method to obtain particle size distributions. For this purpose, a broadband light source in combination with a process-CCD-spectrometer (charge ? coupled device spectrometer) and process adapted fiber optics are used. The goal is the development of an easy and flexible measurement device for in-line-monitoring of particle size. The presented device can be directly installed in product fill tubes or vessels, follows CIP- (cleaning in place) and removes the need of sample taking. A proof of concept and preliminary results, measuring protein precipitation, are presented.
Dexamethasone (DEX) is a potent and widely used anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant glucocorticoid. It can bind and activate the pregnane X receptor (PXR), which plays a critical role as xenobiotic sensor in mammals to induce the expression of many enzymes, including cytochromes P450 in the CYP3A family. This induction results in its own metabolism. We have used a series of transgenic mouse lines, including a novel, improved humanized PXR line, to compare the induction profile of PXR-regulated drug-metabolizing enzymes after DEX administration, as well as looking at hepatic responses to rifampicin (RIF). The new humanized PXR model has uncovered further intriguing differences between the human and mouse receptors in that RIF only induced Cyp2b10 in the new humanized model. DEX was found to be a much more potent inducer of Cyp3a proteins in wild-type mice than in mice humanized for PXR. To assess whether PXR is involved in the detoxification of DEX in the liver, we analyzed the consequences of high doses of the glucocorticoid on hepatotoxicity on different PXR genetic backgrounds. We also studied these effects in an additional mouse model in which functional mouse Cyp3a genes have been deleted. These strains exhibited different sensitivities to DEX, indicating a protective role of the PXR and CYP3A proteins against the hepatotoxicity of this compound.
The molecular events during nongenotoxic carcinogenesis and their temporal order are poorly understood but thought to include long-lasting perturbations of gene expression. Here, we have investigated the temporal sequence of molecular and pathological perturbations at early stages of phenobarbital (PB) mediated liver tumor promotion in vivo. Molecular profiling (mRNA, microRNA [miRNA], DNA methylation, and proteins) of mouse liver during 13 weeks of PB treatment revealed progressive increases in hepatic expression of long noncoding RNAs and miRNAs originating from the Dlk1-Dio3 imprinted gene cluster, a locus that has recently been associated with stem cell pluripotency in mice and various neoplasms in humans. PB induction of the Dlk1-Dio3 cluster noncoding RNA (ncRNA) Meg3 was localized to glutamine synthetase-positive hypertrophic perivenous hepatocytes, sug- gesting a role for β-catenin signaling in the dysregulation of Dlk1-Dio3 ncRNAs. The carcinogenic relevance of Dlk1-Dio3 locus ncRNA induction was further supported by in vivo genetic dependence on constitutive androstane receptor and β-catenin pathways. Our data identify Dlk1-Dio3 ncRNAs as novel candidate early biomarkers for mouse liver tumor promotion and provide new opportunities for assessing the carcinogenic potential of novel compounds.
Biomass from various types of organic waste was tested for possible use in hydrogen production. The composition consisted of lignified samples, green waste, and kitchen scraps such as fruit and vegetable peels and leftover food. For this purpose, the enzymatic pretreatment of organic waste with a combination of five different hydrolytic enzymes (cellulase, amylase, glucoamylase, pectinase and xylase) was investigated to determine its ability to produce hydrogen (H2) with the hydrolyzate produced here. In course, the anaerobic rod-shaped bacterium T. neapolitana was used for H2 production. First, the enzymes were investigated using different substrates in preliminary experiments. Subsequently, hydrolyses were carried out using different types of organic waste. In the hydrolysis carried out here for 48 h, an increase in glucose concentration of 481% was measured for waste loads containing starch, corresponding to a glucose concentration at the end of hydrolysis of 7.5 g·L−1. In the subsequent set fermentation in serum bottles, a H2 yield of 1.26 mmol H2 was obtained in the overhead space when Terrific Broth Medium with glucose and yeast extract (TBGY medium) was used. When hydrolyzed organic waste was used, even a H2 yield of 1.37 mmol could be achieved in the overhead space. In addition, a dedicated reactor system for the anaerobic fermentation of T. neapolitana to produce H2 was developed. The bioreactor developed here can ferment anaerobically with a very low loss of produced gas. Here, after 24 h, a hydrogen concentration of 83% could be measured in the overhead space.
Abstractauthoren Graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles were incorporated in temperature-sensitive Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) hydrogels. The nanoparticles increase the light absorption and convert light energy into heat efficiently. Thus, the hydrogels with GO can be stimulated spatially resolved by illumination as it was demonstrated by IR thermography. The temporal progression of the temperature maximum was detected for different concentrations of GO within the polymer network. Furthermore, the compatibility of PNIPAAm hydrogels with GO and cell cultures was investigated. For this purpose, culture medium was incubated with hydrogels containing GO and the viability and morphology of chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells was examined after several days of culturing in presence of this medium.