Valorisation of waste fractions from autohydrolysis of selected lignocellulosic materials

Non‐isothermal processing of lignocellulosic materials in aqueous media (autohydrolysis reaction) under mild conditions leads to solutions containing valuable chemicals (oligosaccharides, sugars and acetic acid) and other, undesired, compounds (belonging to the extractive and acid‐soluble lignin fractions) which have to be removed in further purification treatments. Liquors obtained by non‐isothermal autohydrolysis of Eucalyptus globulus wood and corncobs under a variety of operational conditions were extracted with ethyl acetate in order to remove non‐saccharide components, and the suitability of the fraction dissolved in the organic phase was assayed for possible utilisation as an antioxidant. The yield and antioxidant activity of ethyl acetate extracts (measured by the α,α‐diphenyl‐β‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity) showed a strong dependence on the autohydrolysis conditions. The antioxidant activity of extracts obtained under selected operational conditions compared well with synthetic antioxidants. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

非洲爪蟾卵提取物中200nm膜泡与环形片层及核被膜上核孔复合体形成的关系

将ＬａｍｂｄａＤＮＡ引入活化的非洲爪蟾卵提取物中，在由磷酸肌酸与磷酸肌酸激酶构成的ＡＴＰ再生系统的参与下，在这种非细胞体系中能够围绕由ＬａｍｂｄａＤＮＡ诱导形成的染色质重建核被膜结构，同时在染色质外出现类似核被膜结构的环形片层。在这两种膜结构中核孔复合体的形成都与直径２００ｎｍ左右的单层圆形小膜泡密切相关，这些小膜泡可以附着在染色质表面或独立于染色质之外相互融合成扁平囊状的双层膜片层，双层膜进一步融合形成核孔，与此同时，核孔复合体在核孔上完成装配。     

An integrated downstream processing strategy for the recovery and partial purification of penicillin acylase from crude media

An integrated process strategy for the recovery of penicillin acylase was developed, based on precipitation of non‐enzymatic proteins directly from Escherichia coli homogenates or crude extracts using Rolquat (quaternary ammonium salt) and adsorption of the enzyme on Amp‐Seph (3.8 µmole ampicillin cm^?3) under pseudo‐affinity conditions. The effect of pH, concentrations of ammonium sulfate and Rolquat, and also concentrations of protein and cell debris on the precipitation of non‐enzymatic proteins from homogenates and crude extracts of penicillin acylase were analysed. The method of addition of Rolquat to homogenates and crude extracts significantly influenced the size of the precipitated particles. Improved results on the specific activity of penicillin acylase were obtained for 22% and 1% (w/v) of ammonium sulfate and Rolquat, respectively, added sequentially to enzyme solutions and at room temperature. Under these experimental conditions, the specific activity of penicillin acylase in homogenates and crude extracts was enhanced 2.5–3.0‐fold. Finally, the integrated process strategy was implemented first by precipitation of non‐enzymatic proteins and recovery of penicillin acylase directly from the enzyme solution treated with Rolquat using an adsorption/filtration system with an overall yield of 86%. This system allows simultaneously the filtration of cell debris and fine precipitated particles, in situ recovery of penicillin acylase by its adsorption on Amp‐Seph, and selective desorption of the enzyme with a specific activity of 11 IU (mg prot)^?1 and a desorption yield of 95%. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Attenuating Effects of Dieckol on Hypertensive Nephropathy in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Hypertension induces renal fibrosis or tubular interstitial fibrosis, which eventually results in end-stage renal disease. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one of the underlying mechanisms of renal fibrosis. Though previous studies showed that Ecklonia cava extracts (ECE) and dieckol (DK) had inhibitory action on angiotensin (Ang) I-converting enzyme, which converts Ang I to Ang II. It is known that Ang II is involved in renal fibrosis; however, it was not evaluated whether ECE or DK attenuated hypertensive nephropathy by decreasing EMT. In this study, the effect of ECE and DK on decreasing Ang II and its down signal pathway of angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R)/TGFβ/SMAD, which is related with the EMT and restoring renal function in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), was investigated. Either ECE or DK significantly decreased the serum level of Ang II in the SHRs. Moreover, the renal expression of AT1R/TGFβ/SMAD was decreased by the administration of either ECE or DK. The mesenchymal cell markers in the kidney of SHRs was significantly decreased by ECE or DK. The fibrotic tissue of the kidney of SHRs was also significantly decreased by ECE or DK. The ratio of urine albumin/creatinine of SHRs was significantly decreased by ECE or DK. Overall, the results of this study indicate that ECE and DK decreased the serum levels of Ang II and expression of AT1R/TGFβ/SMAD, and then decreased the EMT and renal fibrosis in SHRs. Furthermore, the decrease in EMT and renal fibrosis could lead to the restoration of renal function. It seems that ECE or DK could be beneficial for decreasing hypertensive nephropathy by decreasing EMT and renal fibrosis.     

黄荆提取物对几种害虫的杀虫活性

研究了黄荆种子二氯甲烷提取物对5种害虫的杀虫活性以及对天敌异色瓢虫的安全性。结果表明：黄荆提取物对菜青虫、小菜蛾、麦长管蚜和桃蚜都有较高的杀虫活性，尤其是对菜青虫的活性最高，稀释100倍，处理4龄幼虫死亡率可达93．3％。但对大猿叶甲的杀虫活性则很低。黄荆提取物对异色瓢虫幼虫有一定的杀虫活性，但对其成虫无任何影响。本研究结果为开发利用这一新的杀虫植物资源提供了依据。     

Antioxidant activity in leaves of some mediterranean plants

Hexane and methanol leaf extracts of sixteen Mediterranean plant species were obtained by percolation. Higher yields were observed for methanol (16.4–47.8%) than for hexane extracts (1.3–13%). Antioxidant activity of these extracts was determined by a rapid spectrophotometric method involving the combined oxidation of beta-carotene and linoleic acid. Leaf extracts were thus characterized by an Antioxidant Activity Coefficient (AAC) ranging from 0 to 1000. Hexane extracts gave much higher AAC values than the corresponding methanol extracts. In both cases, myrtle (Myrtus communis) showed the best antioxidant effectiveness.     

Identification of organochlorines and organobromines in coals

Four Chinese bituminous coals were extracted with CS₂, n-hexane, benzene, methanol, acetone, tetrahydrofuran (THF) and THF/methanol (1: 3 vol/vol) mixed solvent sequentially. The resulting 28 extracts were analyzed with GC/MS. Six organochlorines (OCs) and two organobromines (OBs) were identified in eight extracts from the coals. Our experiments provide, for the first time, the information on the molecular structure of OCs and OBs in coals.     

Selenium Speciation Studies from Soan-Sakesar Valley,Salt Range,Pakistan

Abstract

A regional study of Selenium (Se) speciation in surface waters, groundwaters, and saturation extracts from Soan-Sakesar valley Salt-Range, Pakistan was started in March 1994 and completed in October 1996. Groundwaters, streams, and springs had median concentrations of: total Se 48, 404.5, and 82 μg/l; Se^+VI 40, 350 and 51 μg/l; Se^+IV 8, 48 and 29 μg/l; Se^-II 0, 6.5 and 2.0 μg/l, respectively. The concentration of Se exceeded the recommended water quality guidelines for drinking and irrigation water of 10 and 20 μg/l, respectively. In saturation extracts, median total Se, Se^+VI, Se^+IV and Se^-II were 190, 146, 37 and 7.0 μg/l, respectively. Uchhali, Khabbaki and Jahlar lake water samples had the mean concentration of: total Se 2103, 670 and 297 μg/l; Se^+VI 1777, 470, and 233 μg/l; Se^+IV 291, 166 and 39 μg/l; Se^-II 35, 34 and 25 μg/l, respectively. The Sakesar limestone Formation of Eocene age rich in shales and fossils (median Se concentration 7.2 μg/kg) are considered to be the source of selenium that have enriched soils of Soan-Sakesar valley. Selenim speciation results show the abundance of selenate in all the environmental samples. A linear relationship between Se^+VI and pH (R²= 0.84, 0.58, 0.88, 0.82, and 0.91; significant at the 0.05 level) for groundwater, saturation extract, stream, spring, and lake waters were noted, suggesting that the Se^+VI in the samples is highly associated with pH. Linear relationships were established between Se^+VI and Mg, NO₃, and SO₄ for groundwater (R²= 0.24, 0.16, and 0.64; significant at the 0.01 level) and surface water (R²= 0.96, 0.14, and 0.91; significant at the 0.001 level). This suggests the high concentrations of Mg, NO₃ and SO₄, which strongly adsorb and compete with selenium for surface site, increases the Se^+VI fraction. The results show that the higher percentage of selenate on other species in the analyzed samples is favored by higher pH and oxidizing environments of the valley.