Production of the Carboxylate Reductase from Nocardia otitidiscaviarum in a Soluble,Active Form for in vitro Applications

Accessing aldehydes from carboxylate moieties is often a challenging task. In this regard, carboxylate reductases (CARs) are promising catalysts provided by nature that are able to accomplish this task in just one step, avoiding over-reduction to the alcohol product. However, the heterologous expression of CARs can be quite difficult due to the excessive formation of insoluble protein, thus hindering further characterization and application of the enzyme. Here, the heterologous production of the carboxylate reductase from Nocardia otitidiscaviarum (NoCAR) was optimized by a combination of i) optimized cultivation conditions, ii) post-translational modification with a phosphopantetheinyl transferase and iii) selection of an appropriate expression strain. Especially, the selection of Escherichia coli tuner cells as host had a strong effect on the final 110-fold increase in the specific activity of NoCAR. This highly active NoCAR was used to reduce sodium benzoate to benzaldehyde, and it was successfully assembled with an in vitro regeneration of ATP and NADPH, being capable of reducing about 30 mM sodium benzoate with high selectivity in only 2 h of reaction.     

Sirtuins as Important Factors in Pathological States and the Role of Their Molecular Activity Modulators

Sirtuins (SIRTs), enzymes from the family of NAD⁺-dependent histone deacetylases, play an important role in the functioning of the body at the cellular level and participate in many biochemical processes. The multi-directionality of SIRTs encourages scientists to undertake research aimed at understanding the mechanisms of their action and the influence that SIRTs have on the organism. At the same time, new substances are constantly being sought that can modulate the action of SIRTs. Extensive research on the expression of SIRTs in various pathological conditions suggests that regulation of their activity may have positive results in supporting the treatment of certain metabolic, neurodegenerative or cancer diseases or this connected with oxidative stress. Due to such a wide spectrum of activity, SIRTs may also be a prognostic markers of selected pathological conditions and prove helpful in assessing their progression, especially by modulating their activity. The article presents and discusses the activating or inhibiting impact of individual SIRTs modulators. The review also gathered selected currently available information on the expression of SIRTs in individual disease cases as well as the biological role that SIRTs play in the human organism, also in connection with oxidative stress condition, taking into account the progress of knowledge about SIRTs over the years, with particular reference to the latest research results.     

Superradiant Emission from Coherent Excitons in van Der Waals Heterostructures

Recent advancements in isolation and stacking of layered van der Waals materials have created an unprecedented paradigm for demonstrating varieties of 2D quantum materials. Rationally designed van der Waals heterostructures composed of monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and few-layer hBN show several unique optoelectronic features driven by correlations. However, entangled superradiant excitonic species in such systems have not been observed before. In this report, it is demonstrated that strong suppression of phonon population at low temperature results in a formation of a coherent excitonic-dipoles ensemble in the heterostructure, and the collective oscillation of those dipoles stimulates a robust phase synchronized ultra-narrow band superradiant emission even at extremely low pumping intensity. Such emitters are in high demand for a multitude of applications, including fundamental research on many-body correlations and other state-of-the-art technologies. This timely demonstration paves the way for further exploration of ultralow-threshold quantum-emitting devices with unmatched design freedom and spectral tunability.     

Influence of tetraploid wheat (Triticum dicoccum) on low glycaemic index pizza base processing and its starch digestibility

The present study aimed to utilise Dicoccum wheat (DW), barley (BF) and soya flour (SF) in the development of low in vitro starch digestibility (IVSD) and estimated glycaemic index (EGI) PB. The BF and SF are mixed (1:1) (BFSF) and used to replace DW at 25%, 50% and 75% level and compared with 100% DW. The quality characteristics (rheological, physical, textural and chemical), IVSD and EGI of PB were determined. The incorporation of BFSF to DW increased the farinograph water absorption capacity (58.1%–64.2%) and mixing tolerance index (21-68 FU), and decreased the dough development time (4.3–2.8 min) and amylograph pasting properties, respectively. Further, the thickness, shear force and redness were decreased and lightness and yellowness increased. Based on the physico-sensory studies, 50% of BFSF along with emulsifier’s incorporation was optimum without affecting any sensory parameters and this PB had decreased IVSD (31) and EGI (54) when compared to the control 37 and 63, respectively.     

High strain rate compressive response of the Cf/SiC composite

Carbon fiber reinforced ceramic owns the properties of lightweight, high fracture toughness, excellent shock resistance, and thus overcomes ceramic's brittleness. The researches on the advanced structure of astronautics, marine have exclusively evaluated the quasi-static mechanical response of carbon fiber reinforced ceramics, while few investigations are available in the open literature regarding elastodynamics. This paper reports the dynamic compressive responses of a carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide (C_f/SiC) composite (CFCMC) tested by the material test system 801 machine (MTS) and the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB). These tests were to determine the rate dependent compression response and high strain rate failure mechanism of the C_f/SiC composite in in-plane and out-plane directions. The in-plane compressive strain rates are from 0.001 to 2200?s^?1, and that of the out-plane direction are from 0.001 to 2400?s^?1. The compressive stress-strain curves show the C_f/SiC composite has a property of strain rate sensitivity in both directions while under high strain rate loadings. Its compressive stiffness, compressive stress, and corresponding strain are also strain rate sensitive. The compressive damage morphologies after high strain rate impacting show different failure modes for each loading direction. This study provides knowledge about elastodynamics of fiber-reinforced ceramics and extends their design criterion with a reliable evaluation while applying in the scenario of loading high strain rate.     

浓香型白酒窖泥放线菌的原位分离及代谢特性研究

以川南某浓香型白酒生产企业50年窖龄且发酵正常的窖泥为研究对象。通过高通量测序技术分析细菌群落结构以及放线菌群落结构,利用原位分离法从中分离得到2株放线菌,结合形态鉴定、生理生化和16S rRNA基因序列比对分析确定菌种属,并对其进行耐酸、耐乙醇特性研究,基于风味导向思路,分别对2株菌进行液态培养和固态培养,采用顶空固相微萃取法和气相色谱质谱联用对发酵挥发性产物进行分析,为放线菌的相关研究和应用提供理论参考。结果显示,放线菌在该窖泥样品含有较高操作分类单元(operational taxonomic unit,OTU),相对丰度达(10.7±3.4)%,且主要分布于链霉菌亚目(Streptomycineae)和科里氏杆菌亚目(Coriobacterineae)。采用原位分离法分离放线菌,将分离得到的2株菌编号为A1、A2,菌株A1鉴定为桑氏链霉菌(Streptomyces sampsonii),菌株A2鉴定为鲁地链霉菌(Streptomyces rutgersensis)。菌株A1、A2均可在pH>4.3或乙醇体积分数<6%的环境中生长。菌株A1在液态和固态发酵条件下都会产生大量土臭素以及萜烯类物质,菌株A2在液态条件下能产生多种酯类,其中己酸乙酯相对含量(5.384%)较高,而固态条件下能够检测出大量的3-羟基-2丁酮、2,3-丁二醇和吡嗪类物质。     

Research on H2/Air rotating detonation in the hollow chamber with double injection

In order to investigate the relationship between high frequency tangential instability and continuous rotating detonation, series of H₂/Air rotating detonations are experimentally achieved in the hollow chamber with double injection sections. In the center part, gaseous H₂ and air injected by co-axial injector. Near the outer wall, the same propellants are injected in the form of slit-orifice collision. By keeping the total air mass flow rate approximately constant, varying the mixture of the inner and outer injection, series experiments are conducted in the test model with or without Laval nozzle. The results verify the possibility of rotating detonation in the hollow chamber with co-axial injector. To clarify the relationship between continuous rotating detonation and high frequency tangential combustion instability, the intrinsic frequencies of the test model are captured to be compared with propagation frequencies of detonation waves. The results show that they are close to each other when enough propellant assembled near the outer wall. In the combustor, the flame direction in constant pressure mode can change itself into rotating direction spontaneously. The results indicate that rotating detonation is an implication to high frequency tangential instability.     

Influence of microwave heating and time on functional,pasting and thermal properties of cassava starch

The effect microwaving power and time on the functional, pasting and thermal properties of cassava starch was investigated. Cassava starch at a moisture content of 30% was microwaved at 600 and 700 W for 0, 5, 15, 30 and 60 s following a preliminary study. Microwaving power and time did not alter the crystalline pattern of the starch, but there were obvious changes in the starch morphology. Starch colour was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) altered by microwave heating, with the total colour difference increasing from 4.85 to 43.01. Microwave treatment increased starch gelatinisation temperatures but decreased the swelling power, water absorption capacity and the relative crystallinity. These changes were influenced by microwave heating power and time. The results further revealed that the peak viscosity (3714.00–1947.00 cP) and setback ratio (1.70–1.49) decreased with increasing microwave heating time. However, breakdown viscosity (322.67–897.63 cP) and pasting temperature (1947.00–3714.00 °C) increased.