Fungal xylanases‐mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles for catalytic and biomedical applications

Green synthesis of nanoparticles has fuelled the use of biomaterials to synthesise a variety of metallic nanoparticles. The current study investigates the use of xylanases of Aspergillus niger L3 (NEA) and Trichoderma longibrachiatum L2 (TEA) to synthesise silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Characterisation of AgNPs was carried out using UV–Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and transmission electron microscopy, while their effectiveness as antimicrobial, antioxidant, catalytic, anticoagulant, and thrombolytic agents were determined. The colloidal AgNPs was brownish with surface plasmon resonance at 402.5 and 410 nm for NEA‐AgNPs and TEA‐AgNPs, respectively; while FTIR indicated that protein molecules were responsible for the capping and stabilisation of the nanoparticles. The spherical nanoparticles had size of 15.21–77.49 nm. The nanoparticles significantly inhibited the growth of tested bacteria (63.20–88.10%) and fungi (82.20–86.10%), and also scavenged DPPH (37.48–79.42%) and hydrogen peroxide (20.50–96.50%). In addition, the AgNPs degraded malachite green (78.97%) and methylene blue (25.30%). Furthermore, the AgNPs displayed excellent anticoagulant and thrombolytic activities using human blood. This study has demonstrated the potential of xylanases to synthesise AgNPs which is to the best of our knowledge the first record of such. The present study underscores the relevance of xylanases in nanobiotechnology.Inspec keywords: visible spectra, catalysis, ultraviolet spectra, silver, microorganisms, antibacterial activity, transmission electron microscopy, surface plasmon resonance, nanoparticles, nanofabrication, colloids, blood, Fourier transform infrared spectra, particle sizeOther keywords: Ag, fungal xylanases‐mediated synthesis, silver nanoparticles, catalytic applications, biomedical applications, green synthesis, metallic nanoparticles, Trichoderma longibrachiatum L2, transmission electron microscopy, antimicrobial agents, antioxidant agents, catalytic agents, thrombolytic agents, surface plasmon resonance, spherical nanoparticles, FTIR spectra, anticoagulant agents, colloidal nanoparticles, biomaterials, Aspergillus niger L3, UV‐vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, protein molecules, DPPH, hydrogen peroxide, malachite green, methylene blue, human blood, nanobiotechnology     

Robust comprehension of natural language instructions by a domestic service robot

We present a method through which domestic service robots can comprehend natural language instructions. For each action type, a variety of natural language expressions can be used, for example, the instruction, ‘Go to the kitchen’ can also be expressed as ‘Move to the kitchen.’ We are of the view that natural language instructions are intuitive and, therefore, constitute one of the most user-friendly robot instruction methods. In this paper, we propose a method that enables robots to comprehend instructions spoken by a human user in his/her natural language. The proposed method combines action-type classification, which is based on a support vector machine, and slot extraction, which is based on conditional random fields, both of which are required in order for a robot to execute an action. Further, by considering the co-occurrence relationship between the action type and the slots along with the speech recognition score, the proposed method can avoid degradation of the robot’s comprehension accuracy in noisy environments, where inaccurate speech recognition can be problematic. We conducted experiments using a Japanese instruction data-set collected using a questionnaire-based survey. Experimental results show that the robot’s comprehension accuracy is higher in a noisy environment using our method than when using a baseline method with only a 1-best speech recognition result.     

Enhanced catalytic activity of nanoshell carbon co-doped with boron and nitrogen in the oxygen reduction reaction

The use of carbon cathode catalysts in polymer electrolyte fuel cells instead of the current platinum catalysts is attracting increasing attention. We claim that two factors are important for enhancing the activity of carbon cathode catalysts in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR): the formation of a nanoshell structure and co-doping with boron and nitrogen. Herein, we investigate the preparation and characterization of active ORR carbon catalysts that combine the above factors. Boron and nitrogen (BN)-doped nanoshell-containing carbon (BN-NSCC) was prepared by carbonizing a mixture of poly(furfuryl alcohol), cobalt phthalocyanine, melamine, and a trifluoroborane–methanol complex at 1000 °C. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the formation of nanoshell structures with distorted graphitic layers and the introduction of boron and nitrogen atoms, respectively. The ORR activity was evaluated in oxygen-saturated 0.5 mol dm^?3 H₂SO₄ using Koutecky–Levich analysis. The BN-NSCC showed an eight to ten times higher ORR activity than undoped NSCC, with an increased number of electrons participating in the reaction. Tafel analysis revealed a change in the rate-determining step caused by BN-doping. Thus, the combination of a nanoshell structure and co-doping with boron and nitrogen was found to improve the ORR activity of carbon catalysts.     

A Method for Systematic Assessment of Intrinsically Disordered Protein Regions by NMR

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) that lack stable conformations and are highly flexible have attracted the attention of biologists. Therefore, the development of a systematic method to identify polypeptide regions that are unstructured in solution is important. We have designed an “indirect/reflected” detection system for evaluating the physicochemical properties of IDPs using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). This approach employs a “chimeric membrane protein”-based method using the thermostable membrane protein PH0471. This protein contains two domains, a transmembrane helical region and a C-terminal OB (oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide binding)-fold domain (named NfeDC domain), connected by a flexible linker. NMR signals of the OB-fold domain of detergent-solubilized PH0471 are observed because of the flexibility of the linker region. In this study, the linker region was substituted with target IDPs. Fifty-three candidates were selected using the prediction tool POODLE and 35 expression vectors were constructed. Subsequently, we obtained ¹⁵N-labeled chimeric PH0471 proteins with 25 IDPs as linkers. The NMR spectra allowed us to classify IDPs into three categories: flexible, moderately flexible, and inflexible. The inflexible IDPs contain membrane-associating or aggregation-prone sequences. This is the first attempt to use an indirect/reflected NMR method to evaluate IDPs and can verify the predictions derived from our computational tools.     

Why we talk?: altruism and multilevel selection in the origin of language

Talking entails costs of production and time, although some of the information sent to hearers will be of value to them in general. We believe that the matter of why we talk at all is a key question for the origin of language, and the answer will shed some light on the mystery of human identity. This article focuses on altruism in communication, and aims to demonstrate evolutionary scenarios based on multilevel selection. We constructed a computational model to examine these scenarios. The evolutionary experiments showed that in the case of an unstructured population, a linguistic system hardly emerged due to the dynamics between interpretable utterance that imposes a penalty and correct interpretation that yields a reward, which is similar to prey-predator dynamics. However, in the case of a multigroup population, a linguistic system emerged owing to multilevel selection among the groups. In addition, the probability of success in conversation was higher in a group in more severe environmental conditions. This result supports Bickerton’s hypothesis based on the ecological gap between human ancestors and other ape species.     

Effects of brushing with a dentifrice for sensitive teeth on tubule occlusion and abrasion of dentin

By using a dentifrice or toothpaste for sensitive teeth, the brushing-induced effects on dentinal tubule occlusion and abrasion of human sound dentin were investigated with a scanning electron microscope and a scanning laser microscope. The dentifrice contained diatomaceous earth and silica as abrasives and strontium chloride hexahydrate as an active ingredient. Thirty dentin pieces of human premolar teeth with an average of 20% occluded dentinal tubules were attached to resin plates and exposed to the oral cavities of five adult subjects for 2, 4, and 8 weeks. Brushing with and without dentifrice was performed 1 min per day, respectively. Brushing with the dentifrice gradually decreased the mean average of occluded tubules from about 91 to 77% during 2 to 8 weeks, although there were no significant differences among the individual values. However, the mean abrasive loss of the dentin surfaces brushed with dentifrice significantly increased from about 52 to 143 microm in depth. The brushed surfaces of the dentin showed a rough topography with numerous toothbrush scratches but no organic pellicle was found. On the other hand, brushing without dentifrice caused about 99% of the dentinal tubules to occlude in 2 and 4 weeks and 100% in 8 weeks. The brushed dentin surfaces at 8 weeks were entirely covered with organic pellicle containing fine mineral granules derived from saliva, and the abrasive loss was about 1.4 microm in mean depth. Such results indicate that brushing with abrasive dentifrices for sensitive teeth remarkably erodes dentin, and suggest that the brushing should cause the dentinal tubules to open again for a certain period of time.     

Cell wall formation in regenerating protoplasts of Schizosaccharomyces pombe: study by high resolution, low voltage scanning electron microscopy

The ultrastructure of regenerating cell wall in Schizosaccharomyces pombe protoplasts was studied with a high resolution, low voltage scanning electron microscope (LVSEM). In contrast to the transmission electron microscopy, the LVSEM images give three-dimensional information on the cell wall regeneration in yeast protoplasts. We found that, after only a few minutes of incubation, the protoplasts began to show protuberances in a unipolar manner, and a fibrilar network was formed asymmetrically which covered the whole surface of the protoplasts after 5 hr. The network consisted of microfibrils about 8 to 10 nm wide, forming flat and wavy bundles of various widths and lengths, up to about 200 nm wide and 1 micron long, mainly made of yeast glucan. Free ends of microfibrils were seldom found. Interfibrillar spaces were progressively filled with granular particles and finally the complete cell wall was formed after 12 hr. The fibrillar network was destroyed by the digestion with beta (1----3)-glucanase. When protoplasts were regenerating in the presence of aculeacin A, the fibrillar networks were not formed, resulting in incomplete cell wall formation. These observations suggest that beta-glucan is the main component of the microfibrils and that it plays an important role in the formation of the cell wall in S. pombe.     

High dispersion ability of fluorene‐based polyester as a polymer matrix for carbon nanotubes

The high compatibility of fluorene‐based polyester (FBP‐HX) as a polymer matrix for multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) is discussed. A low surface resistivity due to the fine dispersion of MWCNTs in FBP‐HX and polycarbonate (PC) is reported. With a solution‐casting method, a percolation threshold with the addition of between 0.5 and 1.0 wt % MWCNTs was observed in the MWCNT/PC and MWCNT/FBP‐HX composites. Because of the coverage of FBP‐HX on the MWCNTs, a higher surface resistivity and a higher percolation ratio of the MWCNT/FBP‐HX composites were achieved compared with the values for the MWCNT/PC composites. In the MWCNT/FBP‐HX composites, MWCNTs covered with FBP‐HX were observed by scanning electronic microscopy. Because of the coverage of FBP‐HX on the MWCNTs, FBP‐HX interfered with the electrical pathway between the MWCNTs. The MWCNTs in FBP‐HX were covered with a 5‐nm layer of FBP‐HX, but the MWCNTs in the MWCNT/PC composites were in their naked state. MWCNT/PC sheets demonstrated the specific Raman absorption of the MWCNTs only with the addition of MWCNTs of 1 wt % or above because of the coverage of the surface of the composite sheet by naked MWCNTs. In contrast, MWCNT/FBP‐HX retained the behavior of the matrix resin until a 3 wt % addition of MWCNTs was reached because of the coverage of MWCNTs by the FBP‐HX resin, induced by its high wettability. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Abrasion of human enamel by brushing with a commercial dentifrice containing hydroxyapatite crystals in vitro.

Automatic toothbrushing with a commercial dentifrice containing hydroxyapatite (HAP) crystals was performed on the tangential polished surfaces of sound human enamel, mainly consisting of biological apatite similar to HAP, for 10 min in vitro. The X-ray diffraction peaks of HAP, brushite (DCPD), and monetite (DCP) crystals were detected from the dentifrice. After brushing, the enamel surfaces were observed with a scanning electron and a confocal scanning laser microscope. The brushing caused larger abrasive loss and more remarkable roughness of the enamel surfaces following the broad traces of brush bristles and the exposure of prism structures than brushing with a dentifrice containing only DCPD, which we previously reported. We claim that the fine granular-shaped HAP crystals of the dentifrice indicated as an active ingredient for preventing enamel caries possess stronger abrasivity of sound enamel than the DCPD and DCP as abrasives on account of their Mohs hardness values rather than sizes and shapes. The HAP crystals of dentifrices may not occlude the small defects of early caries enamel, but erode them more strongly as an abrasive than the other abrasives.     

Viewing angle performance of TN-LCD with hybrid aligned nematic film

We developed a novel hybrid aligned nematic film that improves viewing angle performance of twisted nematic liquid crystal display (TN-LCD). The viewing angle performance of the normally white (NW) TN-LCD with the compensation film was evaluated by both computer simulation and experiment. The compensated NW-TN-LCD exhibits wide viewing angle performance including good gray scale stability and low color shift.