Size effect studies on smooth tensile specimens at room temperature and 400 {sup o}C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krompholz, K.; Kamber, J.; Groth, E.; Kalkhof, D

2000-06-15

One of the objectives of the REVISA project (REactor Vessel Integrity in Severe Accidents) is to assess the size effect related to deformation and failure models as well as material data under quasistatic and dynamic conditions in homogeneous and non-homogeneous states of strain. For these investigations the reactor pressure vessel material 20 MnMoNi 55 was selected. It was subjected to a size effect study on smooth scaled tensile specimens of three sizes. Two strain rates (2*10{sup -5}/s and 10{sup -3}/s) and two temperatures (room temperature and 400 {sup o}C) were selected. The investigations are aimed at a support for a gradient plasticity approach to size effects. Test on the small specimens (diameters 3 and 9 mm) were performed at an electromechanical test machine, while the large specimens (diameter 30 mm) had to be tested at a servohydraulical closed loop test machine with a force capacity of 1000 kN.

Biotechnology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewanika, Mbikusita Mwananyanda

2005-01-01

The article sets out to explain in simple terms the main concepts of Biotechnology beginning with traditional biotechnology to modern biotechnology. It outlines fundamentals of Recombinant Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA), Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and Genetic Engineering. The article offers a discussion of the benefits, disadvantages and the general public and policy concerns regarding genetically modified organisms

Progress towards the 'Golden Age' of biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Gartland, K M A; Bruschi, F; Dundar, M; Gahan, P B; Viola Magni, M p; Akbarova, Y

2013-07-01

Biotechnology uses substances, materials or extracts derived from living cells, employing 22 million Europeans in a € 1.5 Tn endeavour, being the premier global economic growth opportunity this century. Significant advances have been made in red biotechnology using pharmaceutically and medically relevant applications, green biotechnology developing agricultural and environmental tools and white biotechnology serving industrial scale uses, frequently as process feedstocks. Red biotechnology has delivered dramatic improvements in controlling human disease, from antibiotics to overcome bacterial infections to anti-HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals such as azidothymidine (AZT), anti-malarial compounds and novel vaccines saving millions of lives. Green biotechnology has dramatically increased food production through Agrobacterium and biolistic genetic modifications for the development of 'Golden Rice', pathogen resistant crops expressing crystal toxin genes, drought resistance and cold tolerance to extend growth range. The burgeoning area of white biotechnology has delivered bio-plastics, low temperature enzyme detergents and a host of feedstock materials for industrial processes such as modified starches, without which our everyday lives would be much more complex. Biotechnological applications can bridge these categories, by modifying energy crops properties, or analysing circulating nucleic acid elements, bringing benefits for all, through increased food production, supporting climate change adaptation and the low carbon economy, or novel diagnostics impacting on personalized medicine and genetic disease. Cross-cutting technologies such as PCR, novel sequencing tools, bioinformatics, transcriptomics and epigenetics are in the vanguard of biotechnological progress leading to an ever-increasing breadth of applications. Biotechnology will deliver solutions to unimagined problems, providing food security, health and well-being to mankind for centuries to come. Copyright © 2013

In situ TEM and synchrotron characterization of U–10Mo thin specimen annealed at the fast reactor temperature regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yun, Di; Mo, Kun; Mohamed, Walid; Ye, Bei; Kirk, Marquis A.; Baldo, Peter; Xu, Ruqing; Yacout, Abdellatif M.

2015-01-01

U–Mo metallic alloys have been extensively used for the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) program, which is now known as the Office of Material Management and Minimization under the Conversion Program. This fuel form has also recently been proposed as fast reactor metallic fuels in the recent DOE Ultra-high Burnup Fast Reactor project. In order to better understand the behavior of U–10Mo fuels within the fast reactor temperature regime, a series of annealing and characterization experiments have been performed. Annealing experiments were performed in situ at the Intermediate Voltage Electron Microscope (IVEM-Tandem) facility at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). An electro-polished U–10Mo alloy fuel specimen was annealed in situ up to 700 °C. At an elevated temperature of about 540 °C, the U–10Mo specimen underwent a relatively slow microstructure transition. Nano-sized grains were observed to emerge near the surface. At the end temperature of 700 °C, the near-surface microstructure had evolved to a nano-crystalline state. In order to clarify the nature of the observed microstructure, Laue diffraction and powder diffraction experiments were carried out at beam line 34-ID of the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at ANL. Phases present in the as-annealed specimen were identified with both Laue diffraction and powder diffraction techniques. The U–10Mo was found to recrystallize due to thermally-induced recrystallization driven by a high density of pre-existing dislocations. A separate in situ annealing experiment was carried out with a Focused Ion Beam processed (FIB) specimen. A similar microstructure transition occurred at a lower temperature of about 460 °C with a much faster transition rate compared to the electro-polished specimen. - Highlights: • TEM annealing experiments were performed in situ at the IVEM facility up to fast reactor temperature. • At 540 °C, the U-10Mo specimen underwent a slow microstructure transition

In situ TEM and synchrotron characterization of U–10Mo thin specimen annealed at the fast reactor temperature regime

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yun, Di, E-mail: diyun1979@xjtu.edu.cn [Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States); Xi' an Jiao Tong University, 28 Xian Ning West Road, Xi' an 710049 (China); Mo, Kun; Mohamed, Walid; Ye, Bei; Kirk, Marquis A.; Baldo, Peter; Xu, Ruqing; Yacout, Abdellatif M. [Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States)

2015-12-15

U–Mo metallic alloys have been extensively used for the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) program, which is now known as the Office of Material Management and Minimization under the Conversion Program. This fuel form has also recently been proposed as fast reactor metallic fuels in the recent DOE Ultra-high Burnup Fast Reactor project. In order to better understand the behavior of U–10Mo fuels within the fast reactor temperature regime, a series of annealing and characterization experiments have been performed. Annealing experiments were performed in situ at the Intermediate Voltage Electron Microscope (IVEM-Tandem) facility at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). An electro-polished U–10Mo alloy fuel specimen was annealed in situ up to 700 °C. At an elevated temperature of about 540 °C, the U–10Mo specimen underwent a relatively slow microstructure transition. Nano-sized grains were observed to emerge near the surface. At the end temperature of 700 °C, the near-surface microstructure had evolved to a nano-crystalline state. In order to clarify the nature of the observed microstructure, Laue diffraction and powder diffraction experiments were carried out at beam line 34-ID of the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at ANL. Phases present in the as-annealed specimen were identified with both Laue diffraction and powder diffraction techniques. The U–10Mo was found to recrystallize due to thermally-induced recrystallization driven by a high density of pre-existing dislocations. A separate in situ annealing experiment was carried out with a Focused Ion Beam processed (FIB) specimen. A similar microstructure transition occurred at a lower temperature of about 460 °C with a much faster transition rate compared to the electro-polished specimen. - Highlights: • TEM annealing experiments were performed in situ at the IVEM facility up to fast reactor temperature. • At 540 °C, the U-10Mo specimen underwent a slow microstructure transition

Biotechnology 2009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-12-01

This book first reveals prospect on biotechnology with low-carbon green growth Next, it consists of four chapters, which deal with vision of biotechnology, trend of biotechnology in main countries like the U.S, Eu, Japan and China, current condition for biotechnology with support and promoting policy such as health and medical treatment and maritime and fisheries, major product on investment, human power, paper and pattern, research development such as genomic, system biology, bio new medicine, agriculture, stock breeding and food, biological resources and legal system related biotechnology.

Concepts in Biotechnology An Affordable Overview of Biotechnology ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 2; Issue 9. Concepts in Biotechnology An Affordable Overview of Biotechnology Through Self Study ... Author Affiliations. Narayan S Punekar1. Molecular Enzymology Group, Biotechnology Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai 400 076, India.

Method for determining thermo-physical properties of specimens. [photographic recording of changes in thin film phase-change temperature indicating material in wind tunnel

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, R. A. (Inventor)

1974-01-01

The square root of the product of thermophysical properties q, c and k, where p is density, c is specific heat and k is thermal conductivity, is determined directly on a test specimen such as a wind tunnel model. The test specimen and a reference specimen of known specific heat are positioned at a given distance from a heat source. The specimens are provided with a coating, such as a phase change coating, to visually indicate that a given temperature was reached. A shutter interposed between the heat source and the specimens is opened and a motion picture camera is actuated to provide a time record of the heating step. The temperature of the reference specimen is recorded as a function of time. The heat rate to which both the test and reference specimens were subjected is determined from the temperature time response of the reference specimen by the conventional thin-skin calorimeter equation.

Irradiation temperature measurement of the reactor pressure vessel surveillance specimen in the programmes of radiation degradation monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kupca, L.; Stanc, S.; Simor, S.

2001-01-01

The information's about the special system of irradiation temperature measurement, used for reactor pressure vessel surveillance specimen, which are placed in reactor thermal shielding canals are presented in the paper. The system was designed and realized in the frame of Extended Surveillance Specimen Programme for NPP V-2 Jaslovske Bohunice and Modern Surveillance Specimen Programme for NPP Mochovce. Base design aspects, technical parameters of realization and results of measurement on the two units in Bohunice and Mochovce NPPs are presented too. (Authors)

Turkish university students' knowledge of biotechnology and attitudes toward biotechnological applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Öztürk-Akar, Ebru

2017-03-04

This study questions the presumed relation between formal schooling and scientific literacy about biotechnologies. Comparing science and nonscience majors' knowledge of and attitudes toward biotechnological applications, conclusions are drawn if their formal learnings improve pupils' understandings of and attitudes toward biotechnology applications. Sample of the study consists of 403 undergraduate and graduate students, 198 nonscience, and 205 science majors. The Biotechnology Knowledge Questionnaire and the Biotechnology Attitude Questionnaire were administered. Descriptive statistics (mean and percentages), t test, and correlations were used to examine the participants' knowledge of biotechnology and attitudes toward biotechnological applications and differences as regards their majors. Although the science majors had higher knowledge and attitude scores than the nonscience majors, it is not possible to say that they have sufficient knowledge of biotechnologies. Besides, the participants' attitudes toward biotechnological applications were not considerably related to their knowledge of biotechnology. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(2):115-125, 2017. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Biotechnology worldwide and the 'European Biotechnology Thematic Network' Association (EBTNA).

Science.gov (United States)

Bruschi, F; Dundar, M; Gahan, P B; Gartland, K; Szente, M; Viola-Magni, M P; Akbarova, Y

2011-09-01

The European Biotechnology Congress 2011 held under the auspices of the European Biotechnology Thematic Network Association (EBTNA) in conjunction with the Turkish Medical Genetics Association brings together a broad spectrum of biotechnologists from around the world. The subsequent abstracts indicate the manner in which biotechnology has permeated all aspects of research from the basic sciences through to small and medium enterprises and major industries. The brief statements before the presentation of the abstracts aim to introduce not only Biotechnology in general and its importance around the world, but also the European Biotechnology Thematic Network Association and its aims especially within the framework of education and ethics in biotechnology. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Disclosing Biology Teachers' Beliefs about Biotechnology and Biotechnology Education

Science.gov (United States)

Fonseca, Maria Joao; Costa, Patricio; Lencastre, Leonor; Tavares, Fernando

2012-01-01

Teachers have been shown to frequently avoid addressing biotechnology topics. Aiming to understand the extent to which teachers' scarce engagement in biotechnology teaching is influenced by their beliefs and/or by extrinsic constraints, such as practical limitations, this study evaluates biology teachers' beliefs about biotechnology and…

"Othering" agricultural biotechnology: Slovenian media representation of agricultural biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Zajc, Jožica; Erjavec, Karmen

2014-08-01

While studies on media representations of agricultural biotechnology mostly analyse media texts, this work is intended to fill a research gap with an analysis of journalistic interpretations of media representations. The purpose of this project was to determine how news media represent agricultural biotechnology and how journalists interpret their own representations. A content and critical discourse analysis of news texts published in the Slovenian media over two years and in-depth interviews with their authors were conducted. News texts results suggest that most of the news posts were "othering" biotechnology and biotechnologists: biotechnology as a science and individual scientists are represented as "they," who are socially irresponsible, ignorant, arrogant, and "our" enemies who produce unnatural processes and work for biotechnology companies, whose greed is destroying people, animals, and the environment. Most journalists consider these representations to be objective because they have published the biotechnologists' opinions, despite their own negative attitudes towards biotechnology.

Temperature-Switchable Agglomeration of Magnetic Particles Designed for Continuous Separation Processes in Biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Paulus, Anja S; Heinzler, Raphael; Ooi, Huey Wen; Franzreb, Matthias

2015-07-08

The purpose of this work was the synthesis and characterization of thermally switchable magnetic particles for use in biotechnological applications such as protein purification and enzymatic conversions. Reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization was employed to synthesize poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) brushes via a "graft-from" approach on the surface of magnetic microparticles. The resulting particles were characterized by infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis and their temperature-dependent agglomeration behavior was assessed. The influence of several factors on particle agglomeration (pH, temperature, salt type, and particle concentration) was evaluated. The results showed that a low pH value (pH 3-4), a kosmotropic salt (ammonium sulfate), and a high particle concentration (4 g/L) resulted in improved agglomeration at elevated temperature (40 °C). Recycling of particles and reversibility of the temperature-switchable agglomeration were successfully demonstrated for ten heating-cooling cycles. Additionally, enhanced magnetic separation was observed for the modified particles. Ionic monomers were integrated into the polymer chain to create end-group functionalized particles as well as two- and three-block copolymer particles for protein binding. The adsorption of lactoferrin, bovine serum albumin, and lysozyme to these ion exchange particles was evaluated and showed a binding capacity of up to 135 mg/g. The dual-responsive particles combined magnetic and thermoresponsive properties for switchable agglomeration, easy separability, and efficient protein adsorption.

Estimation of Surface Temperature and Heat Flux by Inverse Heat Transfer Methods Using Internal Temperatures Measured While Radiantly Heating a Carbon/Carbon Specimen up to 1920 F

Science.gov (United States)

Pizzo, Michelle; Daryabeigi, Kamran; Glass, David

2015-01-01

The ability to solve the heat conduction equation is needed when designing materials to be used on vehicles exposed to extremely high temperatures; e.g. vehicles used for atmospheric entry or hypersonic flight. When using test and flight data, computational methods such as finite difference schemes may be used to solve for both the direct heat conduction problem, i.e., solving between internal temperature measurements, and the inverse heat conduction problem, i.e., using the direct solution to march forward in space to the surface of the material to estimate both surface temperature and heat flux. The completed research first discusses the methods used in developing a computational code to solve both the direct and inverse heat transfer problems using one dimensional, centered, implicit finite volume schemes and one dimensional, centered, explicit space marching techniques. The developed code assumed the boundary conditions to be specified time varying temperatures and also considered temperature dependent thermal properties. The completed research then discusses the results of analyzing temperature data measured while radiantly heating a carbon/carbon specimen up to 1920 F. The temperature was measured using thermocouple (TC) plugs (small carbon/carbon material specimens) with four embedded TC plugs inserted into the larger carbon/carbon specimen. The purpose of analyzing the test data was to estimate the surface heat flux and temperature values from the internal temperature measurements using direct and inverse heat transfer methods, thus aiding in the thermal and structural design and analysis of high temperature vehicles.

Specimen size effects in Charpy impact testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, D.J.; Klueh, R.L.

1989-01-01

Full-size , half-size, and third-size specimens from several different steels have been tested as part of an ongoing alloy development program. The smaller specimens permit more specimens to be made from small trail heats and are much more efficient for irradiation experiments. The results of several comparisons between the different specimen sizes have shown that the smaller specimens show qualitatively similar behavior to large specimens, although the upper-shelf energy level and ductile-to-ductile transition temperature are reduced. The upper-shelf energy levels from different specimen sizes can be compared by using a simple volume normalization method. The effect of specimen size and geometry on the ductile-to-ductile transition temperature is more difficult to predict, although the available data suggest a simple shift in the transition temperature due to specimen size changes.The relatively shallower notch used in smaller specimens alters the deformation pattern, and permits yielding to spread back to the notched surface as well as through to the back. This reduces the constraint and the peak stresses, and thus the initiation of cleavage is more difficult. A better understanding of the stress and strain distributions is needed. 19 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

Construction Biotechnology: a new area of biotechnological research and applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Stabnikov, Viktor; Ivanov, Volodymyr; Chu, Jian

2015-09-01

A new scientific and engineering discipline, Construction Biotechnology, is developing exponentially during the last decade. The major directions of this discipline are selection of microorganisms and development of the microbially-mediated construction processes and biotechnologies for the production of construction biomaterials. The products of construction biotechnologies are low cost, sustainable, and environmentally friendly microbial biocements and biogrouts for the construction ground improvement. The microbial polysaccharides are used as admixtures for cement. Microbially produced biodegradable bioplastics can be used for the temporarily constructions. The bioagents that are used in construction biotechnologies are either pure or enrichment cultures of microorganisms or activated indigenous microorganisms of soil. The applications of microorganisms in the construction processes are bioaggregation, biocementation, bioclogging, and biodesaturation of soil. The biotechnologically produced construction materials and the microbially-mediated construction technologies have a lot of advantages in comparison with the conventional construction materials and processes. Proper practical implementations of construction biotechnologies could give significant economic and environmental benefits.

Size effect studies on notched tensile specimens at room temperature and 400 {sup o}C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krompholz, K.; Kamber, J.; Groth, E.; Kalkhof, D

2000-07-01

One of the objectives of the REVISA project (REactor Vessel Integrity in Severe Accidents) is to assess the size effect related to deformation and failure models as well as material data under quasistatic and dynamic conditions in homogeneous and non-homogeneous states of strain. For these investigations the reactor pressure vessel material 20 MnMoNi 55 was selected. It was subjected to a size effect study on notched scaled tensile specimens of three sizes. Two strain rates (2*10{sup -5}/s and 10{sup -3}/s) and two temperatures (room temperature and 400 {sup o}C) were selected. The investigations are aimed at a support for a gradient plasticity approach to size effects. Test on the small specimens (diameters 2.4 and 7.2 mm) were performed at an electromechanical test machine, while the large specimens (diameter 24 mm) had to be tested at a servohydraulical closed loop test machine with a force capacity of 1000 kN. All characteristic values were found to be size dependent. A selected semicircular notch retains its shape. The notch opening becomes a chord of a segment of a circle, the notch shape at fracture is a segment of a circle. (author)

Students' knowledge of, and attitudes towards biotechnology revisited, 1995-2014: Changes in agriculture biotechnology but not in medical biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shao-Yen; Chu, Yih-Ru; Lin, Chen-Yung; Chiang, Tzen-Yuh

2016-09-10

Modern biotechnology is one of the most important scientific and technological revolutions in the 21st century, with an increasing and measurable impact on society. Development of biotechnology curriculum has become important to high school bioscience classrooms. This study has monitored high school students in Taiwan on their knowledge of and attitudes towards biotechnology for nearly two decades. Not surprisingly, knowledge of biotechnology of current students has increased significantly (p students have learned some definitions and examples of biotechnology. There was a positive correlation between biotechnology knowledge and attitudes toward biotechnology for current students who study Advanced Biology (AB). However, for current students who did not study AB, there was a negative correlation.The attitude results showed that students today expressed less favorable opinions toward agricultural biotechnology (p students today and 18 years ago in opinions towards medical biotechnology. In addition, current students showed a greater concern involving environmental risks than former students. Interestingly, the high school curriculum did affect students' attitudes toward genetically engineered (GE) plants but not GE animals. Our current study also found that the students' attitude towards GE animals was influenced more by their limited knowledge than by their moral belief. On the basis of findings from this study, we suggest that more materials of emerging animal biotechnology should be included in high school curriculum and recommend that high school teachers and university faculty establish a collaborative framework in the near future. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 44(5):475-491, 2016. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

In-situ tritium recovery from Li2O irradiated in fast neutron flux - Beatrix-II temperature change specimen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slagle, O.D.; Hollenberg, G.W.; Kurasawa, T.; Verrall, R.A.

1992-01-01

The Beatrix-II irradiation experiment is an in-situ tritium release experiment to evaluate the stability and tritium release characteristics of Li 2 O under fast neutron irradiation to extended burnups. A thin annular ring specimen capable of temperature changes was irradiated in Phase I of the experiment to a lithium burnup of 5%. The primary emphasis of the test plan was to determine the effect and interrelationship of gas composition and temperature on the tritium inventory with increasing temperature and a series of specific temperature changes were carried out at intervals throughout the experiment to characterize the effect of burnup. Decreasing the amount of hydrogen in the sweep gas resulted in an increase in the tritium inventory in the Li 2 O specimen. The tritium recovery during startup and shutdown was observed to be strongly influenced by the composition of the sweep gas

Controlled Environment Specimen Transfer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damsgaard, Christian Danvad; Zandbergen, Henny W.; Hansen, Thomas Willum

2014-01-01

an environmental transmission electron microscope to an in situ X-ray diffractometer through a dedicated transmission electron microscope specimen transfer holder, capable of sealing the specimen in a gaseous environment at elevated temperatures. Two catalyst material systems have been investigated; Cu/ZnO/Al2O3...... transferred in a reactive environment to the environmental transmission electron microscope where further analysis on the local scale were conducted. The Co/Al2O3 catalyst was reduced in the environmental microscope and successfully kept reduced outside the microscope in a reactive environment. The in situ......Specimen transfer under controlled environment conditions, such as temperature, pressure, and gas composition, is necessary to conduct successive complementary in situ characterization of materials sensitive to ambient conditions. The in situ transfer concept is introduced by linking...

Notch effects in uniaxial tension specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delph, T.J.

1979-03-01

Results of a literature survey on the effect of notches on the time-dependent failure of uniaxial tension specimens at elevated temperatures are presented. Particular attention is paid to the failure of notched specimens containing weldments

Biotechnology: Challenge for the food industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Popov Stevan

2007-01-01

Full Text Available According to the broadest definition, biotechnology is the use of living matter (plants, animals and microorganisms in industry, environment protection, medicine and agriculture. Biotechnology takes a key position in the field of food processing during thousands of years. Last about fifty years brought dynamical development of knowledges in the natural sciences especially in domain of genetics and manipulation of genes. Biotechnology for which active role in the on-coming times could be foreseen, not only with respect of R&D, but also in general technological development represents scope of priority in the USA and in European Union (EU as well. It is accepted that the results achieved in biotechnology oversize scientific domain and find their entrance into economics, legislation, quality of life and even of politics. Corresponding with the definition of biotechnology as "the integration of natural sciences and engineering in the application of microorganisms, cells, their components and molecular analogues in production (General assembly of the European federation for Biotechnology, 1989 European Commission (1999 adopted the biotechnological taxonomy, i.e. fields and sub-fields of biotechnology. R&D activities in this domain are oriented to eight fields and branched through them. Fields of biotechnology (EC, 1999 are: 1 Plant biotechnology (agricultural cultivars, trees, bushes etc; 2 Animal biotechnology; 3 Biotechnology in environment protection; 4 Industrial biotechnology (food, feed, paper, textile, pharmaceutical and chemical productions; 5 Industrial biotechnology (production of cells and research of cells - producers of food and of other commodities; 6 Development of humane and veterinarian diagnostics (therapeutical systems 7 Development of the basic biotechnology, and 8 Nontechnical domains of biotechnology. In concordance with some judgments, in the World exist about 4000 biotechnological companies. World market of biotechnological

Healthcare biotechnology in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Srivastava, L M

2005-01-01

Biotechnology in India has made great progress in the development of infrastructure, manpower, research and development and manufacturing of biological reagents, biodiagnostics, biotherapeutics, therapeutic and, prophylactic vaccines and biodevices. Many of these indigenous biological reagents, biodiagnostics, therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines and biodevices have been commercialized. Commercially when biotechnology revenue has reached $25 billions in the U.S. alone in 2000 excluding the revenues of biotech companies that were acquired by pharmaceutical companies, India has yet to register a measurable success. The conservative nature and craze of the Indian Industry for marketing imported biotechnology products, lack of Government support, almost non-existing national healthcare system and lack of trained managers for marketing biological and new products seem to be the important factors responsible for poor economic development of biotechnology in India. With the liberalization of Indian economy, more and more imported biotechnology products will enter into the Indian market. The conditions of internal development of biotechnology are not likely to improve in the near future and it is destined to grow only very slowly. Even today biotechnology in India may be called to be in its infancy.

Fungal biodiversity to biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Chambergo, Felipe S; Valencia, Estela Y

2016-03-01

Fungal habitats include soil, water, and extreme environments. With around 100,000 fungus species already described, it is estimated that 5.1 million fungus species exist on our planet, making fungi one of the largest and most diverse kingdoms of eukaryotes. Fungi show remarkable metabolic features due to a sophisticated genomic network and are important for the production of biotechnological compounds that greatly impact our society in many ways. In this review, we present the current state of knowledge on fungal biodiversity, with special emphasis on filamentous fungi and the most recent discoveries in the field of identification and production of biotechnological compounds. More than 250 fungus species have been studied to produce these biotechnological compounds. This review focuses on three of the branches generally accepted in biotechnological applications, which have been identified by a color code: red, green, and white for pharmaceutical, agricultural, and industrial biotechnology, respectively. We also discuss future prospects for the use of filamentous fungi in biotechnology application.

Biotechnology for energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malik, K.A.; Naqvi, S.H.M.

1991-01-01

The present volume comprises paper presented and discussed in the symposium. The main purpose of this symposium was to collect researchers in the area of bioconversion of biomass into biofuels, petroleum biotechnology and biohydrometallurgy. This book has been divided into four main sections which includes molecular biology of biomass conversion, microbial conversion of biomass, petroleum biotechnology and biohydrometallurgy. It is becoming clear that biotechnology play a role in production and conservation of energy and can contribute to the overall energy situation. (A.B.)

Traditional Chinese Biotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yan; Wang, Dong; Fan, Wen Lai; Mu, Xiao Qing; Chen, Jian

The earliest industrial biotechnology originated in ancient China and developed into a vibrant industry in traditional Chinese liquor, rice wine, soy sauce, and vinegar. It is now a significant component of the Chinese economy valued annually at about 150 billion RMB. Although the production methods had existed and remained basically unchanged for centuries, modern developments in biotechnology and related fields in the last decades have greatly impacted on these industries and led to numerous technological innovations. In this chapter, the main biochemical processes and related technological innovations in traditional Chinese biotechnology are illustrated with recent advances in functional microbiology, microbial ecology, solid-state fermentation, enzymology, chemistry of impact flavor compounds, and improvements made to relevant traditional industrial facilities. Recent biotechnological advances in making Chinese liquor, rice wine, soy sauce, and vinegar are reviewed.

Fiscal 1998 'Plant Biotechnology in the 21st Century' workshop report; '21 seiki no shokubutsu biotechnology' workshop 1998 nendo seika hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

The workshop was opened with the opening remarks by Yamada (President of Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NIST)), the overview of plant biotechnology in the 21st century from academia by Shinmyo (Professor of NIST), and the overview of such technology from Ministry of International Trade and Industry by Katao (Chief of Chemical Industry Division). Lectures and discussions of various topics were conducted for 2 days as follows. The effectiveness of a genomic DNA array method for obtaining the genes for switching genes according to daytime, nighttime, drying, salt, high temperature and low temperature for every plant. Current transfer technology of large DNA fragments into plant cell nuclei and chloroplast. Biological evaluation of the physiological functions and complex stress tolerance capacity transformed by transferring complex stress tolerance genes and useful genes for productivity improvement and value addition. Discussion was also held on the importance of a basic research for biotechnology in the 21st century. (NEDO)

The phenology of Rubus fruticosus in Ireland: herbarium specimens provide evidence for the response of phenophases to temperature, with implications for climate warming

Science.gov (United States)

Diskin, E.; Proctor, H.; Jebb, M.; Sparks, T.; Donnelly, A.

2012-11-01

To date, phenological research has provided evidence that climate warming is impacting both animals and plants, evidenced by the altered timing of phenophases. Much of the evidence supporting these findings has been provided by analysis of historic records and present-day fieldwork; herbaria have been identified recently as an alternative source of phenological data. Here, we used Rubus specimens to evaluate herbaria as potential sources of phenological data for use in climate change research and to develop the methodology for using herbaria specimens in phenological studies. Data relevant to phenology (collection date) were recorded from the information cards of over 600 herbarium specimens at Ireland's National Herbarium in Dublin. Each specimen was assigned a score (0-5) corresponding to its phenophase. Temperature data for the study period (1852 - 2007) were obtained from the University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit (CRU); relationships between temperature and the dates of first flower, full flower, first fruit and full fruit were assessed using weighted linear regression. Of the five species of Rubus examined in this study, specimens of only one ( R. fruticosus) were sufficiently abundant to yield statistically significant relationships with temperature. The results revealed a trend towards earlier dates of first flower, full flower and first fruit phenophases with increasing temperature. Through its multi-phenophase approach, this research serves to extend the most recent work—which validated the use of herbaria through use of a single phenophase—to confirm herbarium-based research as a robust methodology for use in future phenological studies.

BIOTECHNOLOGY : AN OVERVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John I. Bruce

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Biotechnology as a science includes various aspects of the management and manipulation of biological systems. Recent advances in immunology, molecular biology, cell culture and other associated areas provide an opportunity for scientists to move biology out of the laboratory and into the realms of society. This has many implications which mankind on a whole may not be prepared to cope with at this time. This new capability has been referred to as "Biotechnology". Biotechnology has also been defined as "the integrated use of biochemistry, microbiology, and chemical engineering in order to achieve the capacities of microbes and culture cells". Genetic engineering which includes gene splicing and recombinant DNA-cloning is an example of a recent offshoot of biotechnology. Because of the advent of biotechnology, one can now think of the prospect of engineering tomorrows vaccines. In the past, vaccine development has been laborious and in many instances an unrewarding task. After years of effort only a handful of safe, effective vaccines have emerged. In the biotechnology arena, new methodologies and strategies for immunizing humans and domestic animals against infectious diseases are providing new hope for discovering successful vaccines. While most of the effort in the past has focused on viral vaccine development, attention is now being directed towards vaccines for protection against parasitic diseases. Currently, considerable effort is being made to develop vaccines for malaria, coccidiosis (in fowl, cholera, malaria, schistosomiasis and trypanosomiasis among others.

Biotechnology in Turkey: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozdamar, Tunçer H

2009-07-01

The term biotechnology first appeared in the programs of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) in 1982. The State Planning Organization (SPO) in 1988 defined biotechnology and the scientific fields. Moreover, it put forward an institutional framework and suggested priority areas for research and development. Turkey has been researching and investing in biotechnology for almost four decades. This review covers the development of science and technology policy with its history, consensus and consequences, bio-industries in Turkey, and research activities in biotechnology at Turkish Universities. Details are provided by the research groups in response to a common request for information on their activities and major publications in the field. The information provided has been grouped under thematic topics within the broad theme of biotechnology, and summarized within these topics. Although many aspects of biotechnological research are being pursued in Turkey, it appears that the most common research activities of the field are in fermentation processes, environmental biotechnology, and biomedical engineering.

Biotechnology Industry, 2006

Science.gov (United States)

2006-01-01

for commercial or other purposes. Because it is a process resting on the understanding of genetics, proteomics , and life science, biotechnology has...Luhnow & Samor, 2006). Novel biotechnologies could bring down the costs of making ethanol. Iogen Corporation has genetically modified a fungus to

Fracture toughness measurements with subsize disk compact specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, D.J.

1994-01-01

Special fixtures and test methods have been developed for testing small disk compact specimens (1.25 mm diam by 4.6 mm thick). Specimens of European type 316L austenitic stainless steel were irradiated to damage levels of about 3 dpa at nominal irradiation temperatures of either 90 or 250 C and tested over a temperature range from 20 to 250 C. Results show that irradiation to this dose level at these temperatures reduces the fracture toughness but the toughness remains quite high. The toughness decreases as the test temperature increases. Irradiation at 250 C is more damaging than at 90 C, causing larger decreases in the fracture toughness. The testing shows that it is possible to generate useful fracture toughness data with a small disk compact specimens

Biotechnology in China

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Hamer, Dean H; Kung, Shain-dow

1989-01-01

... and Shain-dow Kung Center for Agricultural Biotechnology Maryland Biotechnology Institute Department of Botany University of Maryland College Park, Maryland Committee on Scholarly Communication with the People's Republic of China National Academy of Sciences National Academy Press Washington, DC 1989 i Copyrightthe cannot be not from bo...

Development of biotechnology in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghose, T K; Bisaria, V S

2000-01-01

India has embarked upon a very ambitious program in biotechnology with a view to harnessing its available human and unlimited biodiversity resources. It has mainly been a government sponsored effort with very little private industry participation in investment. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) established under the Ministry of Science and Technology in 1986 was the major instrument of action to bring together most talents, material resources, and budgetary provisions. It began sponsoring research in molecular biology, agricultural and medical sciences, plant and animal tissue culture, biofertilizers and biopesticides, environment, human genetics, microbial technology, and bioprocess engineering, etc. The establishment of a number of world class bioscience research institutes and provision of large research grants to some existing universities helped in developing specialized centres of biotechnology. Besides DBT, the Department of Science & Technology (DST), also under the Ministry of S&T, sponsors research at universities working in the basic areas of life sciences. Ministry of Education's most pioneering effort was instrumental in the creation of Biochemical Engineering Research Centre at IIT Delhi with substantial assistance from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland to make available state-of-the-art infrastructure for education, training, and research in biochemical engineering and biotechnology in 1974. This initiative catalysed biotechnology training and research at many institutions a few years later. With a brief introduction, the major thrust areas of biotechnology development in India have been reviewed in this India Paper which include education and training, agricultural biotechnology, biofertilizers and biopesticides, tissue culture for tree and woody species, medicinal and aromatic plants, biodiversity conservation and environment, vaccine development, animal, aquaculture, seri and food biotechnology, microbial

Biotechnology and Agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenney, Martin

Even at this early date in the application of biotechnology to agriculture, it is clear that agriculture may provide the largest market for new or less expensive biotechnologically manufactured products. The chemical and pharmaceutical industries that hold important positions in agricultural inputs are consolidating their positions by purchasing…

The rise (and decline?) of biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinch, Michael S

2014-11-01

Since the 1970s, biotechnology has been a key innovator in drug development. An analysis of FDA-approved therapeutics demonstrates pharmaceutical companies outpace biotechs in terms of new approvals but biotechnology companies are now responsible for earlier-stage activities (patents, INDs or clinical development). The number of biotechnology organizations that contributed to an FDA approval began declining in the 2000s and is at a level not seen since the 1980s. Whereas early biotechnology companies had a decade from first approval until acquisition, the average acquisition of a biotechnology company now occurs months before their first FDA approval. The number of hybrid organizations that arise when pharmaceutical companies acquire biotechnology is likewise declining, raising questions about the sustainability of biotechnology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Biotechnology's macroeconomic impact].

Science.gov (United States)

Dones Tacero, Milagros; Pérez García, Julián; San Román, Antonio Pulido

2008-12-01

This paper tries to yield an economic valuation of biotechnological activities in terms of aggregated production and employment. This valuation goes beyond direct estimation and includes the indirect effects derived from sectorial linkages between biotechnological activities and the rest of economic system. To deal with the proposed target several sources of data have been used, including official data from National Statistical Office (INE) such us national accounts, input-output tables, and innovation surveys, as well as, firms' level balance sheets and income statements and also specific information about research projects compiled by Genoma Spain Foundation. Methodological approach is based on the estimation of a new input-output table which includes the biotechnological activities as a specific branch. This table offers both the direct impact of these activities and the main parameters to obtain the induced effects over the rest of the economic system. According to the most updated available figures, biotechnological activities would have directly generated almost 1,600 millions of euros in 2005, and they would be employed more than 9,000 workers. But if we take into account the full linkages with the rest of the system, the macroeconomic impact of Biotechnological activities would reach around 5,000 millions euros in production terms (0.6% of total GDP) and would be responsible, directly or indirectly, of more than 44,000 employments.

Strain Measurement System Developed for Biaxially Loaded Cruciform Specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, David L.

2000-01-01

A new extensometer system developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field measures test area strains along two orthogonal axes in flat cruciform specimens. This system incorporates standard axial contact extensometers to provide a cost-effective high-precision instrument. The device was validated for use by extensive testing of a stainless steel specimen, with specimen temperatures ranging from room temperature to 1100 F. In-plane loading conditions included several static biaxial load ratios, plus cyclic loadings of various waveform shapes, frequencies, magnitudes, and durations. The extensometer system measurements were compared with strain gauge data at room temperature and with calculated strain values for elevated-temperature measurements. All testing was performed in house in Glenn's Benchmark Test Facility in-plane biaxial load frame.

The biotechnology innovation machine: a source of intelligent biopharmaceuticals for the pharma industry--mapping biotechnology's success.

Science.gov (United States)

Evens, R P; Kaitin, K I

2014-05-01

The marriage of biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry (pharma) is predicated on an evolution in technology and product innovation. It has come as a result of advances in both the science and the business practices of the biotechnology sector in the past 30 years. Biotechnology products can be thought of as "intelligent pharmaceuticals," in that they often provide novel mechanisms of action, new approaches to disease control, higher clinical success rates, improved patient care, extended patent protection, and a significant likelihood of reimbursement. Although the first biotechnology product, insulin, was approved just 32 years ago in 1982, today there are more than 200 biotechnology products commercially available. Research has expanded to include more than 900 biotechnology products in clinical trials. Pharma is substantially engaged in both the clinical development of these products and their commercialization.

Students' Knowledge of, and Attitudes towards Biotechnology Revisited, 1995-2014: Changes in Agriculture Biotechnology but Not in Medical Biotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shao-Yen; Chu, Yih-Ru; Lin, Chen-Yung; Chiang, Tzen-Yuh

2016-01-01

Modern biotechnology is one of the most important scientific and technological revolutions in the 21st century, with an increasing and measurable impact on society. Development of biotechnology curriculum has become important to high school bioscience classrooms. This study has monitored high school students in Taiwan on their knowledge of and…

Determination of the Glass-Transition Temperature of GRPS and CFRPS Using a Torsion Pendulum in Regimes of Freely Damped Vibrations and Quasi-Stastic Torsion of Specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Startsev, V. O.; Lebedev, M. P.; Molokov, M. V.

2018-03-01

A method to measure the glass-transition temperature of polymers and polymeric matrices of composite materials with the help of an inverse torsion pendulum over a wide range of temperatures is considered combining the method of free torsional vibrations and a quasi-static torsion of specimens. The glass-transition temperature Tg of a KMKS-1-80. T10 fiberglass, on increasing the frequency of freely damped torsional vibrations from 0.7 to 9.6 Hz, was found to increase from 132 to 140°C. The value of Tg of these specimens, determined by measuring the work of their torsion through a small fixed angle was 128.6°C ± 0.8°C. It is shown that the use of a torsion pendulum allows one to determine the glass-transition temperature of polymeric or polymer matrices of PCMs in dynamic and quasi-static deformation regimes of specimens.

On impact testing of subsize Charpy V-notch type specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikhail, A.S.; Nanstad, R.K.

1994-01-01

The potential for using subsize specimens to determine the actual properties of reactor pressure vessel steels is receiving increasing attention for improved vessel condition monitoring that could be beneficial for light-water reactor plant-life extension. This potential is made conditional upon, on the one hand, by the possibility of cutting samples of small volume from the internal surface of the pressure vessel for determination of actual properties of the operating pressure vessel. The plant-life extension will require supplemental surveillance data that cannot be provided by the existing surveillance programs. Testing of subsize specimens manufactured from broken halves of previously tested surveillance Charpy V-notch (CVN) specimens offers an attractive means of extending existing surveillance programs. Using subsize CVN type specimens requires the establishment of a specimen geometry that is adequate to obtain a ductile-to-brittle transition curve similar to that obtained from full-size specimens. This requires the development of a correlation of transition temperature and upper-shelf toughness between subsize and full-size specimens. The present study was conducted under the Heavy-Section Steel Irradiation Program. Different published approaches to the use of subsize specimens were analyzed and five different geometries of subsize specimens were selected for testing and evaluation. The specimens were made from several types of pressure vessel steels with a wide range of yield strengths, transition temperatures, and upper-shelf energies (USEs). Effects of specimen dimensions, including depth, angle, and radius of notch have been studied. The correlation of transition temperature determined from different types of subsize specimens and the full-size specimen is presented. A new procedure for transforming data from subsize specimens was developed and is presented

Current state of biotechnology in Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Dundar, Munis; Akbarova, Yagut

2011-09-01

Biotechnology is an interdisciplinary branch of science that encompasses a wide range of subjects like genetics, virology, microbiology, immunology, engineering to develop vaccines, and so on and plays a vital role in health systems, crop and seed management, yield improvement, agriculture, soil management, ecology, animal farming, cellular process, bio statistics, and so on. This article is about activities in medical and pharmaceutical biotechnology, environmental biotechnology, agricultural biotechnology and nanobiotechnology carried out in Turkey. Turkey has made some progress in biotechnology projects for research and development. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hyperthermostable cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes and their biotechnological applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tipparat Hongpattarakere

2002-07-01

Full Text Available Hyperthermal cellulases and hemicellulases have been intensively studied due to their highly potential applications at extreme temperatures, which mimic industrial processes involving cellulose and hemicellulose degradation. More than 50 species of hyperthermophiles have been isolated, many of which possess hyperthermal enzymes required for hydrolyzing cellulose and hemicelluloses. Endoglucanases, exoglucanases, cellobiohydrolases, xylanases, β-glucosidase and β-galactosidase, which are produced by the hyperthermophiles, are resistant to boiling temperature. The characteristics of these enzymes and the ability to maintain their functional integrity at high temperature as well as their biotechnological application are discussed.

ISS Biotechnology Facility - Overview of Analytical Tools for Cellular Biotechnology Investigations

Science.gov (United States)

Jeevarajan, A. S.; Towe, B. C.; Anderson, M. M.; Gonda, S. R.; Pellis, N. R.

2001-01-01

The ISS Biotechnology Facility (BTF) platform provides scientists with a unique opportunity to carry out diverse experiments in a microgravity environment for an extended period of time. Although considerable progress has been made in preserving cells on the ISS for long periods of time for later return to Earth, future biotechnology experiments would desirably monitor, process, and analyze cells in a timely way on-orbit. One aspect of our work has been directed towards developing biochemical sensors for pH, glucose, oxygen, and carbon dioxide for perfused bioreactor system developed at Johnson Space Center. Another aspect is the examination and identification of new and advanced commercial biotechnologies that may have applications to on-orbit experiments.

Biotechnology organizations in action

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Norus, Jesper

This volume analyzes the dynamics and interactive processes among the players (individuals, institutions, and organizations/firms) that have constituted and legitimized the development of the biotechnology industries. The unit of analysis is small entrepreneurial firms developing biotechnological...

Thermal expansion of epoxy-fiberglass composite specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McElroy, D.L.; Weaver, F.J.; Bridgman, C.

1986-01-01

The thermal expansion behavior of three epoxy-fiberglass composite specimens was measured from 20 to 120 0 C (70 to 250 0 F) using a fused quartz push-rod dilatometer. Billets produced by vacuum impregnating layers of two types of fiberglass cloth with an epoxy resin were core-drilled to produce cylindrical specimens. These were used to study expansion perpendicular and parallel to the fiberglass layers. The dilatometer is held at a preselected temperature until steady-state is indicated by stable length and temperature data. Before testing the composite specimens, a reliability check of the dilatometer was performed using a copper secondary standard. This indicated thermal expansion coefficient (α) values within +-2% of expected values from 20 to 200 0 C

Biotechnology education as social and cultural production/reproduction of the biotechnology community

Science.gov (United States)

Andrée, Maria

2014-03-01

This paper is a commentary to a paper by Anne Solli, Frank Bach and Björn Åkerman on how students at a technical university learn to argue as biotechnologists. Solli and her colleagues report from an ethnographic study performed during the first semester of a 5-year program in biotechnology at a technical university in Sweden. Their study demonstrates how students begin to acquire `the right way' of approaching the controversial issue of producing and consuming genetically modified organisms. In my response I discuss the ethnographic account of this particular educational practice in terms of social and cultural production/reproduction of a biotechnology community and how the participants (students and teaching professors) deal with the dialectic of individual and collective transformation. In the perspective of the biotechnology community, the work done by the teaching professor becomes a way of ensuring the future of the biotechnology community in terms of what values and objectives are held highly in the community of practice.

Biotechnology and hazardous waste treatment; Part 1. The state of the art

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stroo, H F [Remediation Technologies, Inc., Kent, WA (USA)

1990-04-01

There is considerable speculation regarding the use of biotechnology for improving the treatment of hazardous waste. Biotechnology may be able to improve waste treatment capabilities by overcoming the limits of biological treatment (bioremediation). The contaminant is usually one of the sources of food and energy for the organisms thriving in the contaminated environment. The viability of these organisms is controlled by several environmental factors, notably, nutrient, water, oxygen, temperature and pH levels; the presence of toxic organic compounds, metals, or high salt content can inhibit their activities. Carbon:nitrogen:phosphorous ratios must be monitored to assure that only the contaminant is the limiting nutrient. Several innovative bioremediation practices which can be considered biotechnological are being tested: anaerobic dehalogenation of PCBs and DDT; cometabolic degradation; denitrification; and gene amplification.

Technique for the residual life assessment of high temperature components based on creep-rupture testing on welded miniature specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garzillo, A.; Guardamagna, C.; Moscotti, L.; Ranzani, L. [Ente Nazionale per l`Energia Elettrica, Milan (Italy)

1995-06-01

Following the present trend in the development of advanced methodologies for residual life assessment of high temperature components operating in power plants, particularly in non destructive methods, a testing technique has been set up at ENEL-CRAM based on creep-rupture testa in an argon on welded miniature specimens. Five experimental systems for creep-rupture tests in an argon atmosphere have been set up which include high accuracy systems, vacuum chambers and exrwnsometer devices. With the aim of establishing and validating the suitability of the experimental methodology, creep-rupture and interrupted creep testing programmes have been performed on miniature specimens (2 mm diameter and 10 mm gauge lenght). On the basis of experience gathered by various European research laboratories, a miniature specimen construction procedure has been developed using a laser welding technique for joining threaded heads to sample material. Low alloy ferritic steels, such as virgin 2.25CrlMo, 0.5Cr 0.5Mo 0.25V, and IN 738 superalloy miniature specimens have been investigated and the results, compared with those from standard specimens, show a regular trend in deformation vs time. Additional efforts to provide guidelines for material sampling from each plant component will be required in order to reduce uncertainties in residual life prediction.

Tensile and Creep Testing of Sanicro 25 Using Miniature Specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Dymáček, Petr; Jarý, Milan; Dobeš, Ferdinand; Kloc, Luboš

2018-01-01

Tensile and creep properties of new austenitic steel Sanicro 25 at room temperature and operating temperature 700 °C were investigated by testing on miniature specimens. The results were correlated with testing on conventional specimens. Very good agreement of results was obtained, namely in yield and ultimate strength, as well as short-term creep properties. Although the creep rupture time was found to be systematically shorter and creep ductility lower in the miniature test, the minimum creep rates were comparable. The analysis of the fracture surfaces revealed similar ductile fracture morphology for both specimen geometries. One exception was found in a small area near the miniature specimen edge that was cut by electro discharge machining, where an influence of the steel fracture behavior at elevated temperature was identified. PMID:29337867

Tensile and Creep Testing of Sanicro 25 Using Miniature Specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Dymáček, Petr; Jarý, Milan; Dobeš, Ferdinand; Kloc, Luboš

2018-01-16

Tensile and creep properties of new austenitic steel Sanicro 25 at room temperature and operating temperature 700 °C were investigated by testing on miniature specimens. The results were correlated with testing on conventional specimens. Very good agreement of results was obtained, namely in yield and ultimate strength, as well as short-term creep properties. Although the creep rupture time was found to be systematically shorter and creep ductility lower in the miniature test, the minimum creep rates were comparable. The analysis of the fracture surfaces revealed similar ductile fracture morphology for both specimen geometries. One exception was found in a small area near the miniature specimen edge that was cut by electro discharge machining, where an influence of the steel fracture behavior at elevated temperature was identified.

The effect of biotechnology education on Australian high school students' understandings and attitudes about biotechnology processes

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, Vaille; Soames, Christina

2006-11-01

Our education system aims to equip young people with the knowledge, problem-solving skills and values to cope with an increasingly technological society. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of biotechnology education on adolescents’ understanding and attitudes about processes associated with biotechnology. Data were drawn from teacher and student interviews and surveys in the context of innovative Year 10 biotechnology courses conducted in three Western Australian high schools. The results indicate that after completing a biotechnology course students’ understanding increased but their attitudes remained constant with the exception of their views about human uses of gene technology. The findings of this study have ramifications for the design and implementation of biotechnology education courses in high schools.

Fiscal 1998 'Plant Biotechnology in the 21st Century' workshop report; '21 seiki no shokubutsu biotechnology' workshop 1998 nendo seika hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

The workshop was opened with the opening remarks by Yamada (President of Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NIST)), the overview of plant biotechnology in the 21st century from academia by Shinmyo (Professor of NIST), and the overview of such technology from Ministry of International Trade and Industry by Katao (Chief of Chemical Industry Division). Lectures and discussions of various topics were conducted for 2 days as follows. The effectiveness of a genomic DNA array method for obtaining the genes for switching genes according to daytime, nighttime, drying, salt, high temperature and low temperature for every plant. Current transfer technology of large DNA fragments into plant cell nuclei and chloroplast. Biological evaluation of the physiological functions and complex stress tolerance capacity transformed by transferring complex stress tolerance genes and useful genes for productivity improvement and value addition. Discussion was also held on the importance of a basic research for biotechnology in the 21st century. (NEDO)

World Biotechnology Leaders to Gather for Conference

Science.gov (United States)

Biotechnology Leaders to Gather for Conference For more information contact: e:mail: Public Affairs biotechnology leaders gather in Fort Collins, CO May 2-6 for the 21st Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and special session on funding opportunities for U.S. biotechnology projects. More than 175 presentations are

Damages detection in cylindrical metallic specimens by means of statistical baseline models and updated daily temperature profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Villamizar-Mejia, Rodolfo; Mujica-Delgado, Luis-Eduardo; Ruiz-Ordóñez, Magda-Liliana; Camacho-Navarro, Jhonatan; Moreno-Beltrán, Gustavo

2017-05-01

In previous works, damage detection of metallic specimens exposed to temperature changes has been achieved by using a statistical baseline model based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA), piezodiagnostics principle and taking into account temperature effect by augmenting the baseline model or by using several baseline models according to the current temperature. In this paper a new approach is presented, where damage detection is based in a new index that combine Q and T2 statistical indices with current temperature measurements. Experimental tests were achieved in a carbon-steel pipe of 1m length and 1.5 inches diameter, instrumented with piezodevices acting as actuators or sensors. A PCA baseline model was obtained to a temperature of 21º and then T2 and Q statistical indices were obtained for a 24h temperature profile. Also, mass adding at different points of pipe between sensor and actuator was used as damage. By using the combined index the temperature contribution can be separated and a better differentiation of damages respect to undamaged cases can be graphically obtained.

Small punch tensile/fracture test data and 3D specimen surface data on Grade 91 ferritic/martensitic steel from cryogenic to room temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruchhausen, Matthias; Lapetite, Jean-Marc; Ripplinger, Stefan; Austin, Tim

2016-12-01

Raw data from small punch tensile/fracture tests at two displacement rates in the temperature range from -196 °C to room temperature on Grade 91 ferritic/martensitic steel are presented. A number of specimens were analyzed after testing by means of X-ray computed tomography (CT). Based on the CT volume data detailed 3D surface maps of the specimens were established. All data are open access and available from Online Data Information Network (ODIN)https://odin.jrc.ec.europa.eu. The data presented in the current work has been analyzed in the research article "On the determination of the ductile to brittle transition temperature from small punch tests on Grade 91 ferritic-martensitic steel" (M. Bruchhausen, S. Holmström, J.-M. Lapetite, S. Ripplinger, 2015) [1].

Halophiles, coming stars for industrial biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Jin; Chen, Jin-Chun; Wu, Qiong; Chen, Guo-Qiang

2015-11-15

Industrial biotechnology aims to produce chemicals, materials and biofuels to ease the challenges of shortage on petroleum. However, due to the disadvantages of bioprocesses including energy consuming sterilization, high fresh water consumption, discontinuous fermentation to avoid microbial contamination, highly expensive stainless steel fermentation facilities and competing substrates for human consumption, industrial biotechnology is less competitive compared with chemical processes. Recently, halophiles have shown promises to overcome these shortcomings. Due to their unique halophilic properties, some halophiles are able to grow in high pH and high NaCl containing medium under higher temperature, allowing fermentation processes to run contamination free under unsterile conditions and continuous way. At the same time, genetic manipulation methods have been developed for halophiles. So far, halophiles have been used to produce bioplastics polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), ectoines, enzymes, and bio-surfactants. Increasing effects have been made to develop halophiles into a low cost platform for bioprocessing with advantages of low energy, less fresh water consumption, low fixed capital investment, and continuous production. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biotechnology : A Dutch perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Apeldoorn, J.H.F.

1981-01-01

Biotechnology: a Dutch Perspective assesses the future potential of biotechnology in the Netherlands. It has been published in English because it is felt that the Dutch case could be of relevance to other industrialised nations. Although the report is aimed primarily at policy planners and decision

Room temperature fatigue behavior of OFHC copper and CuAl25 specimens of two sizes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Singhal, A.; Stubbins, J.F.; Singh, B.N.

1994-01-01

requiring an understanding of their fatigue behavior.This paper describes the room temperature fatigue behavior of unirradiated OFHC (oxygen-free high-conductivity) copper and CuAl25 (copper strengthened with a 0.25% atom fraction dispersion of alumina). The response of two fatigue specimen sizes to strain......Copper and its alloys are appealing for application in fusion reactor systems for high heat flux components where high thermal conductivities are critical, for instance, in divertor components. The thermal and mechanical loading of such components will be, at least in part, cyclic in nature, thus...

Effects of cavity surface temperature on mechanical properties of specimens with and without a weld line in rapid heat cycle molding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Guilong; Zhao, Guoqun; Wang, Xiaoxin

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Higher cavity surface temperature reduces tensile strength of non-weldline part. ► Higher cavity surface temperature increases weldline tensile strength for PS and PP. ► Higher cavity surface temperature reduces weldline tensile strength for ABS, ABS/PMMA, ABS/PMMA/nano-C a CO 3 and FRPP. ► Tensile strength is reduced more by the weldline than impact strength. ► FRPP has the lowest weld line factor than other plastics without reinforced fibers. - Abstract: Rapid heat cycle molding (RHCM) is a recently developed injection molding technology to enhance surface esthetic of the parts. By rapid heating and cooling of mold cavity surfaces in molding process, it can greatly alleviate or even eliminate the surface defects such as flow mark, weld line, glass fiber rich surface, silver mark, jetting mark, and swirl mark, and also improve gloss finish and dimensional accuracy without prolonging the molding cycle. Besides surface esthetic, mechanical property is also a very import issue for the molded plastic part. The aim of this study is focusing on the effects of the cavity surface temperature just before filling, T cs , in RHCM on the mechanical strength of the specimen with and without weld line. Six kinds of typical plastics including polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene/polymethylmethacrylate (ABS/PMMA), ABS/PMMA/nano-C a CO 3 and glass fiber reinforced polypropylene (FRPP) are used in experiments. The specimens with and without a weld line are produced with the different T cs on the developed electric-heating RHCM system. Tensile tests and notched Izod impact tests are conducted to characterize the mechanical strength of the specimens molded with different cavity surface temperatures. Simulations, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and optical microscope are implemented to explain the impact mechanism of T cs on mechanical properties

Pre-analytical variation in glucose concentration due to atmospheric temperature and clot in blood specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butt, T.; Masud, K.; Khan, J.A.; Bhatti, M.S.

2016-01-01

Objective: To determine the effect of temperature and contact of clot with serum on laboratory results of glucose concentration in blood. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: December 2014 to August 2015 at the laboratory of Shoaib Hospital, Fateh Jang, Attock Pakistan. Material and Methods: Samples were collected for estimation of blood glucose (Random) concentration from patients reporting to the hospital. Blood specimens (n=94) of such volunteers were analyzed for glucose level. Each sample was put up in five tubes. When the blood clotted the serum from tube-1 was analyzed for glucose level within 30 minutes. In tube-2 and tube-3 serum was kept for 24 hours at room temperature and refrigerator temperature respectively before glucose estimation. In tube-4 and tube-5 serum was not separated from clot and kept at room temperature and refrigerator temperature respectively before glucose estimation. The value of tube 1 was taken as reference value for comparison with other parts of the specimen. The equipment used for blood glucose level estimation was semi auto chemistry analyzer (Rayto, China). The kit used for analysis was Glucose - Liquizyme (Germany). Results: The difference between the mean reference value (tube-1) and refrigerated serum without clot (tube-3) was 4.63 mg/100 ml while that of unrefrigerated portion (tube-2) had a difference of 10.68 mg/100 ml. The mean of unrefrigerated (tube-4) and refrigerated (tube-5) portions of serum kept with the clot had difference of 42.05 mg/100 ml and 25.84 mg/100 ml respectively. The fall in the blood glucose level in all (n=94) the samples in the tube number 3 (serum separated and kept at refrigerated temperature) was 4.63 mg/100 ml +- 3.68 (Mean +- SD) and it ranged from 0 to 20 mg/100 ml whereas fall was maximum in the tube number 4 (serum with clotted blood and kept at room temperature) was 42.04 mg/100 ml +- 10.61 (Mean +- SD) and it ranged from 13 to 82 mg/100 ml. The sample in

Proceedings of the International Symposium on Biotechnology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

This is a book of abstracts of oral communications and posters that were presented during the International Symposium on Biotechnology that was held in Sfax, Tunisia from May 4th to 8th, 2008. The following themes were covered : - Biotechnology for animal and human health and biopharmaceuticals; - Microbial and environmental biotechnology; - Agricultural, Food and marine biotechnology

Environmental biotechnology: Reducing risks from environmental chemicals through biotechnology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Omenn, G.S.

1988-01-01

This book contains 34 papers on various aspects of hazardous waste management through biotechnology. The articles stress the three basic strategies of waste management; minimize the amount of waste generated; reduce the toxicity of the wastes; and find more satisfactory ways of disposing of wastes. Part I of this collection describes the use of microbial ecology, molecular biology, and other scientific disciplines to combat these problems. Part II describes the application of present technology to current problems. Part III describes the effect of policy and regulations on biotechnology. Individual papers are processed separately for the data base

Development of fatigue life evaluation technique using miniature specimen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nogami, Shuhei; Nishimura, Arata; Fujiwara, Masaharu; Hisaka, Tomoaki

2012-01-01

To develop the fatigue life evaluation technique using miniature specimen, the investigation of the effect of specimen size and specimen shape on the fatigue life and the development of the fatigue testing machine, especially the extensometer, were carried out. The effect of specimen size on the fatigue life was almost negligible for the round-bar specimens. The shorter fatigue life at relatively low strain range conditions for the hourglass specimen that the standard specimen were observed. Therefore the miniature round-bar specimen was considered to be adequate for the fatigue life evaluation using small specimen. Several types of the extensometer system using a strain gauge and a laser has been developed for realizing the fatigue test of the miniature round-bar specimen at high temperature in vacuum. (author)

Development of fatigue life evaluation method using small specimen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nogami, Shuhei; Nishimura, Arata; Wakai, Eichi; Tanigawa, Hiroyasu; Itoh, Takamoto; Hasegawa, Akira

2013-01-01

For developing the fatigue life evaluation method using small specimen, the effect of specimen size and shape on the fatigue life of the reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steels (F82H-IEA, F82H-BA07 and JLF-1) was investigated by the fatigue test at room temperature in air using round-bar and hourglass specimens with various specimen sizes (test section diameter: 0.85–10 mm). The round-bar specimen showed no specimen size and no specimen shape effects on the fatigue life, whereas the hourglass specimen showed no specimen size effect and obvious specimen shape effect on it. The shorter fatigue life of the hourglass specimen observed under low strain ranges could be attributed to the shorter micro-crack initiation life induced by the stress concentration dependent on the specimen shape. On the basis of this study, the small round-bar specimen was an acceptable candidate for evaluating the fatigue life using small specimen

Environmental biotechnology for waste treatment, environmental science research, Volume 41

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saylor, G.S.; Fox, R.; Blackburn, J.W.

1991-01-01

This book contains the proceedings of the symposium entitled [open quotes]Environmental Biotechnology: Moving from the Flask to the Field[close quotes] held in October 17th through 19th, 1990, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Environmental biotechnology involves the use of microorganisms and their processes for the clean-up of environmental contamination, specific examples of which include ground-water treatment, treatment of leachates, and clean-up of contaminated soils, sludges, and sediments. In comparison with other technologies, environmental biotechnology (or bioremediation) has the advantages of affecting mineralization of toxic compounds to innocuous end-products, being energy-effective with processes able to take place at a moderate temperature and pressure, safety, and economy and is, therefore, perceived to hold great potential for environmental clean-up. Bioremediation treatment technologies for contaminated soils and groundwater can take the form of: (1) solid-phase biotreatment; (2) slurry-phase treatment; (3) in situ treatment; and (4) combination biological and physical/chemical treatment. The goal of the symposium was to pressure technical accomplishments at the laboratory and field-scale levels, future technical directions and economic, public and regulatory concerns in environmental biotechnology. The book is divided into five major sections on Current Perceptions, Field-Scale Studies, Technical Issues and Concerns in Implementation, Nontechnical Issues and Concerns in Implementation, International Activities, and ends with a critical review of the symposium.

STRENGTHENING BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH IN INDONESIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Sastrapradja

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The wave of biotechnology promises has struck not only the developed countries but the developing countries as well. The scientific community in Indonesia is aware of the opportunities and is eager to take an active part in this particular endeavour. Meanwhile resources are required to welcoming the biotech­nology era. The need of trained manpower, appropriate infrastructure and equipment, operational and maintenance costs requires serious consideration if a unit or a laboratory is expected to be functional in biotechnology. There is a good opportunity of applying biotechnology in the field of agriculture and industry considering the availability of biological resources in Indonesia. This paper outlines what have been done so far, the difficulties encountered and the efforts made to strengthening biotechnology research in Indonesia.

Biotechnological Innovations in Aquaculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mangesh M. Bhosale

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Aquaculture is gaining commendable importance to meet the required protein source for ever increasing human population. The aquaculture industry is currently facing problems on developing economically viable production systems by reducing the impact on environment. Sustainable and enhanced fish production from aquaculture may be better achieved through application of recent biotechnological innovations. Utilisation of transgenic technology has led to production of fishes with faster growth rate with disease resistance. The full advantage of this technology could not be achieved due to concern of acceptance for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs. The biotechnological intervention in developing plant based feed ingredient in place of fish meal which contain high phosphorus is of prime area of attention for fish feed industry. The replacement of fish meal will also reduce fish feed cost to a greater extent. Year round fish seed production of carps through various biotechnological interventions is also need of the hour. This paper discusses technical, environmental and managerial considerations regarding the use of these biotechnological tools in aquaculture along with the advantages of research application and its commercialization.

National Center for Biotechnology Information

Science.gov (United States)

... to NCBI Sign Out NCBI National Center for Biotechnology Information Search database All Databases Assembly Biocollections BioProject ... Search Welcome to NCBI The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access ...

Biotechnology and human rights.

Science.gov (United States)

Feuillet-Le Mintier, B

2001-12-01

Biotechnology permits our world to progress. It's a tool to better apprehend the human being, but as well to let him go ahead. Applied to the living, biotechnologies present the same finality. But since their matter concerns effectively the living, they are the sources of specific dangers and particularly of that one to use the improvements obtained on the human to modify the human species. The right of the persons has to find its place to avoid that the fundamental rights of the human personality shall undergo harm. This mission assigned to the right of the persons is as so much invaluable that the economical stakes are particularly important in the domain of the biotechnologies.

Current status of biotechnology in Slovakia.

Science.gov (United States)

Stuchlík, Stanislav; Turna, Ján

2013-07-01

The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity defines biotechnology as: 'Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use.' In other words biotechnology is 'application of scientific and technical advances in life science to develop commercial products' or briefly 'the use of molecular biology for useful purposes'. This short overview is about different branches of biotechnology carried out in Slovakia and it shows that Slovakia has a good potential for further development of modern biotechnologies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brief Note on the Development of Biotechnology

OpenAIRE

Karl Bayer

2014-01-01

Biotechnology, with the main applications in food and nutrition, dates back to the early times of mankind. In the recent decades the progress in natural sciences, mathematics and computer science has led to a new branch termed molecular biotechnology, which finally developed as an autonomous scientific discipline. The field of biotechnology, in the past generally empirically driven, now largely benefits from molecular biotechnology by improved systems, knowledge and understanding. Thereby, co...

Test methodology and technology of fracture toughness for small size specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wakai, E.; Takada, F.; Ishii, T.; Ando, M. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naga-gun, Ibaraki-ken (Japan); Matsukawa, S. [JNE Techno-Research Co., Kanagawa-ken (Japan)

2007-07-01

Full text of publication follows: Small specimen test technology (SSTT) is required to investigate mechanical properties in the limited availability of effective irradiation volumes in test reactors and accelerator-based neutron and charged particle sources. The test methodology guideline and the manufacture processes for very small size specimens have not been established, and we would have to formulate it. The technology to control exactly the load and displacement is also required in the test technology under the environment of high dose radiation produced from the specimens. The objective of this study is to examine the test technology and methodology of fracture toughness for very small size specimens. A new bend test machine installed in hot cell has been manufactured to obtain fracture toughness and DBTT (ductile - brittle transition temperature) of reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steels for small bend specimens of t/2-1/3PCCVN (pre-cracked 1/3 size Charpy V-notch) with 20 mm length and DFMB (deformation and fracture mini bend specimen) with 9 mm length. The new machine can be performed at temperatures from -196 deg. C to 400 deg. C under unloading compliance method. Neutron irradiation was also performed at about 250 deg. C to about 2 dpa in JMTR. After the irradiation, fracture toughness and DBTT were examined by using the machine. Checking of displacement measurement between linear gauge of cross head's displacement and DVRT of the specimen displacement was performed exactly. Conditions of pre-crack due to fatigue in the specimen preparation were also examined and it depended on the shape and size of the specimens. Fracture toughness and DBTT of F82H steel for t/2-1/3PCCVN, DFMB and 0.18DCT specimens before irradiation were examined as a function of temperature. DBTT of smaller size specimens of DFMB was lower than that of larger size specimen of t/2-1/3PCCVN and 0.18DCT. The changes of fracture toughness and DBTT due to irradiation were also

The costly benefits of opposing agricultural biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Apel, Andrew

2010-11-30

Rigorous application of a simple definition of what constitutes opposition to agricultural biotechnology readily encompasses a wide array of key players in national and international systems of food production, distribution and governance. Even though the sum of political and financial benefits of opposing agricultural biotechnology appears vastly to outweigh the benefits which accrue to providers of agricultural biotechnology, technology providers actually benefit from this opposition. If these barriers to biotechnology were removed, subsistence farmers still would not represent a lucrative market for improved seed. The sum of all interests involved ensures that subsistence farmers are systematically denied access to agricultural biotechnology. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ENVIRONMENTAL RISK MANAGEMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

Science.gov (United States)

The last two decades have shown remarkable advances in the field of biotechnology. We have processes using biotechnology to produce materials from commodity chemicals to pharmaceuticals. The application to agriculture has shown the introduction of transgenic crops with pesticidal...

Influence of specimen size on the creep of rock salt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Senseny, P.E.

1982-01-01

Triaxial compression creep data for Avery Island dome salt are analyzed to determine the influence of specimen size on creep deformation. Laboratory experiments were performed on 50- and 100-mm-diameter specimens in the temperature range from 25 to 200 0 C and the axial stress difference range from 2.5 to 31.0 MPa. The strain-vs-time data from each test are divided into transient and steady-state components. Results of statistical analysis of these data show that transient creep of the small specimens is a stronger function of stress, temperature, and time than is transient creep of the larger specimens. Analysis of the steady-state data show no size effect, however. 14 references, 7 figures, 3 tables

The current biotechnology outlook in Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khairiah Salwa MOKHTAR

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Blessed with extremely rich biodiversity, Malaysia is all geared up to explore new high technology to utilize the advantage it possesses whilst to protect its environment. Biotechnology has been identified as an appropriate driver that can deliver economic gains through research and development, improvement of food security, creation of entrepreneurial opportunities for industrial growth, health and environmental sustainability. This paper attempts to address the evolution of biotechnology institutions and the stumbling blocks in developing the Malaysian biotechnology industry. This paper identifies three main impediments in the current Malaysian biotechnology, namely lack of skilled human capital; weak industrial base; and lack of commercialization effort. Besides, a set of strategies are discussed with aim to further improve and strengthen the Malaysian biotechnology industry. In general, the arguments are presented by mapping out the symbiotic relationship between data from elite interviews, archival data and observations.

Inter- and intra-specimen variability masks reliable temperature control on shell Mg/Ca ratios in laboratory- and field-cultured Mytilus edulis and Pecten maximus (bivalvia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. A. Kennedy

2008-09-01

Full Text Available The Mg/Ca ratios of biogenic calcite is commonly seen as a valuable palaeo-proxy for reconstructing past ocean temperatures. The temperature dependence of Mg/Ca ratios in bivalve calcite has been the subject of contradictory observations. The palaeoceanographic use of a geochemical proxy is dependent on initial, rigorous calibration and validation of relationships between the proxy and the ambient environmental variable to be reconstructed. Shell Mg/Ca ratio data are reported for the calcite of two bivalve species, Mytilus edulis (common mussel and Pecten maximus (king scallop, which were grown in laboratory culturing experiments at controlled and constant aquarium seawater temperatures over a range from ~10 to ~20°C. Furthermore, Mg/Ca ratio data of laboratory- and field-grown M. edulis specimens were compared. Only a weak, albeit significant, shell Mg/Ca ratio–temperature relationship was observed in the two bivalve species: M. edulis (r2=0.37, p0.001 for laboratory-cultured specimens and r2=0.50, p0.001 for field-cultured specimens and P. maximus (r2=0.21, p0.001 for laboratory-cultured specimens only. In the two species, shell Mg/Ca ratios were not found to be controlled by shell growth rate or salinity. The Mg/Ca ratios in the shells exhibited a large degree of variability among and within species and individuals. The results suggest that the use of bivalve calcite Mg/Ca ratios as a temperature proxy is limited, at least in the species studied to date. Such limitations are most likely due to the presence of physiological effects on Mg incorporation in bivalve calcite. The utilization is further limited by the great variability both within and among shells of the same species that were precipitated under the same ambient conditions.

Healthcare biotechnology in India

OpenAIRE

Srivastava, L. M.

2005-01-01

Biotechnology in India has made great progress in the development of infrastructure, manpower, research and development and manufacturing of biological reagents, biodiagnostics, biotherapeutics, therapeutic and, prophylactic vaccines and biodevices. Many of these indigenous biological reagents, biodiagnostics, therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines and biodevices have been commercialized. Commercially when biotechnology revenue has reached $25 billions in the U.S. alone in 2000 excluding the r...

Biotechnology in diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koprowski, H.; Ferrone, S.; Albertini, A.

1985-01-01

In recent years much progress has been made in the area of biotechnology. The cellular and molecular cloning methodology to develop monoclonal antibodies and DNA probes have been extensively utilized in basic and clinical research. These investigations have provided the necessary information to apply these reagents to diagnostic problems. The RIA 85 meeting focused on the application of monoclonal antibodies and DNA probes in laboratory medicine. The papers presented at this meeting clearly indicate that biotechnology has already had a significant impact on clinical medicine. (Auth.)

Colloids in Biotechnology

CERN Document Server

Fanun, Monzer

2010-01-01

Colloids have come a long way from when Thomas Graham coined the term colloid to describe 'pseudo solutions'. This book enables scientists to close the gap between extensive research and translation into commercial options in biomedicine and biotechnology. It covers biosurfactants and surface properties, phase behavior, and orientational change of surfactant mixtures with peptides at the interface. It also covers adsorption of polymers and biopolymers on the surface and interface, discusses colloidal nanoparticles and their use in biotechnology, and delves into bioadhesion and microencapsulati

Determination of necking time in tensile test specimens, under high-temperature creep conditions, subjected to distribution of stresses over the cross-section

Science.gov (United States)

Lokoshchenko, A.; Teraud, W.

2018-04-01

The work describes an experimental research of creep of cylindrical tensile test specimens made of aluminum alloy D16T at a constant temperature of 400°C. The issue to be examined was the necking at different values of initial tensile stresses. The use of a developed noncontacting measuring system allowed us to see variations in the specimen shape and to estimate the true stress in various times. Based on the obtained experimental data, several criteria were proposed for describing the point of time at which the necking occurs (necking point). Calculations were carried out at various values of the parameters in these criteria. The relative interval of deformation time in which the test specimen is uniformly stretched was also determined.

Avian Biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, Yoshiaki

2017-01-01

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) generate new individuals through differentiation, maturation and fertilization. This means that the manipulation of PGCs is directly linked to the manipulation of individuals, making PGCs attractive target cells in the animal biotechnology field. A unique biological property of avian PGCs is that they circulate temporarily in the vasculature during early development, and this allows us to access and manipulate avian germ lines. Following the development of a technique for transplantation, PGCs have become central to avian biotechnology, in contrast to the use of embryo manipulation and subsequent transfer to foster mothers, as in mammalian biotechnology. Today, avian PGC transplantation combined with recent advanced manipulation techniques, including cell purification, cryopreservation, depletion, and long-term culture in vitro, have enabled the establishment of genetically modified poultry lines and ex-situ conservation of poultry genetic resources. This chapter introduces the principles, history, and procedures of producing avian germline chimeras by transplantation of PGCs, and the current status of avian germline modification as well as germplasm cryopreservation. Other fundamental avian reproductive technologies are described, including artificial insemination and embryo culture, and perspectives of industrial applications in agriculture and pharmacy are considered, including poultry productivity improvement, egg modification, disease resistance impairment and poultry gene "pharming" as well as gene banking.

An Overview on Indian Patents on Biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallick, Anusaya; Chandra Santra, Subhas; Samal, Alok Chandra

2015-01-01

The application of biotechnology is a potential tool for mitigating the present and future fooding and clothing demands in developing countries like India. The commercialization of biotechnological products might benefiting the poor`s in developing countries are unlikely to be developed. Biotechnology has the potential to provide a wide range of products and the existing production skills in the industrial, pharmaceuticals and the agricultural sector. Ownership of the intellectual property rights is the key factors in determining the success of any technological invention, which was introduced in the market. It provides the means for technological progress to continue of the industry of the country. The new plans, animal varieties, new methods of treatments, new crops producing food articles as such are the inventions of biotechnology. Biotechnology is the result of the application of human intelligence and knowledge to the biological processes. Most of the tools of biotechnology have been developed, by companies, governments, research in- stitutes and universities in developed nations. These human intellectual efforts deserve protection. India is a developing country with advance biotechnology based segments of pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. The Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is not likely to have a significant impact on incentives for innovation creation in the biotechnology sectors. In the recent years, the world has seen the biotechnology sector as one of greatest investment area through the Patent Law and will giving huge profit in future. The Research and Development in the field of biotechnology should be encouraged for explor- ing new tools and improve the biological systems for interest of the common people. Priority should be given to generation, evaluation, protection and effective commercial utilization of tangible products of intellectual property in agriculture and pharmaceuticals. To support the future growth and

Re-Framing Biotechnology Regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Peck, Alison

Biotechnology is about to spill the banks of federal regulation. New genetic engineering techniques like CRISPR-Cas9 promise revolutionary breakthroughs in medicine, agriculture, and public health—but those techniques would not be regulated under the terms of the Coordinated Framework for Regulation of Biotechnology. This revolutionary moment in biotechnology offers an opportunity to correct the flaws in the framework, which was hastily patched together at the advent of the technology. The framework has never captured all relevant technologies, has never satisfied the public that risk is being effectively managed, and has never been accessible to small companies and publicly-funded labs that increasingly are positioned to make radical, life-saving innovations. This Article offers a proposal for new legislation that would reshape biotechnology regulation to better meet these goals. Key reforms include tying regulation to risk rather than technology category; consolidating agency review; capturing distinct regulatory expertise through inter-agency consultations; creating a clearinghouse to help guide applicants and disseminate information; setting up more comprehensive monitoring of environmental effects; and providing federal leadership to fill key data gaps and address socio-economic impacts.

State responses to biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Rebecca C

2015-01-01

This article reviews biotechnology legislation in the 50 states for 11 policy areas spanning 1990-2010, an era of immense growth in biotechnology, genetic knowledge, and significant policy development. Policies regarding health insurance, life insurance, long-term care insurance, DNA data bank collection, biotech research protection, biotech promotion and support, employment discrimination, genetic counselor licensing, human cloning, and genetic privacy each represent major policy responses arising from biotechnology and coinciding with key areas of state regulation (insurance, criminal justice, economic development, labor law, health and safety, privacy, and property rights). This analysis seeks to answer three questions regarding biotechnology legislation at the state level: who is acting (policy adoption), when is policy adopted (policy timing), and what is policy doing (policy content). Theoretical concerns examine state ideology (conservative or liberal), policy type (economic or moral), and the role of external events (federal law, news events, etc.) on state policy adoption. Findings suggest ideological patterns in adoption, timing, and content of biotech policy. Findings also suggest economic policies tend to be more uniform in content than moral policies, and findings also document a clear link between federal policy development, external events, and state policy response.

Design of measurement system for Doppler broadening profiles of annihilation radiations as a function of controlled specimen temperature and its applications for a study of metals in the thermal equilibrium state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uedono, Akira; Tanigawa, Shoichiro; Kawano, Takao.

1992-01-01

The measurement system for Doppler broadening profiles of annihilation radiation was developed. This system reads out data for energies of γ-rays from an analog to digital converter and those for specimen temperature from a digital-voltmeter coupled to a thermocouple. These two types of digital-quantities were stored in a memory matrix of 512 channels (energy) x 128 channels (temperature) x 4 byte (count). For this purpose, a memory board of 256 kbyte with 32-dynamic RAMs (64 kbits) was used. The data acquisition was controlled by a microcomputer. Temperature of the specimen was controlled by a programmable temperature controller, thus it can be varied in a desired way. This was useful for measurements in repeated temperature cycles. A sample heater with a compact size was developed in order to obtain a homogeneous temperature distribution in the specimen. Application of this system for a study of thermal vacancies in Al-dilute alloys was also shown. (author)

Characterizing the transition region of an A508 cl3 steel using small specimens by the reference temperature and the weak-link distances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miranda, C.A.J.

2001-01-01

An experimental program was developed to characterize the transition region of an A508 cl3 steel. Some fracture mechanic specimens were tested in the transition region using three geometries with thickness B c values, the reference temperature values, To, associated with each geometry and test temperature, and the measured r wl distances and the theoretical ones. (author)

Biotechnology: An Era of Hopes and Fears

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

Strategic Studies Quarterly ♦ Fall 2016 23 Biotechnology An Era of Hopes and Fears LTC Douglas R. Lewis, PhD, US Army Abstract Biotechnology ......ignored. The idea of advances in biotechnology increasing the biological weapons threat is not new. In 2003 an analysis of gene sequencing and

Bioceres: AG Biotechnology from Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto Feeney

2016-04-01

Full Text Available In this case we present a business decision-making situation in which the CEO of an Argentine Ag Biotech company, Bioceres, has to decide the best way to commercialize a new drought-tolerant transgenic technology. The company was founded by twenty three farmers, who shared a common dream that Argentina could become a benchmark in the development of Ag biotechnology. The case has strategic and financial implications, as well as decision-making situation involving a joint venture with an American biotechnology company. It also introduces to discussion the business models of Ag biotechnology companies in developing countries.

Biotechnology Process Engineering Center at MIT Home

Science.gov (United States)

has provided a focal point for biotechnology research and education at MIT. Prominent examples include the NIH Training Program in Biotechnology and the NIH Training Program in Genomics; both of these are -genomic biology. Another example is the new DuPont-MIT Alliance (DMA), focused on materials biotechnology

Biotechnology: Challenge for the food industry

OpenAIRE

Popov Stevan

2007-01-01

According to the broadest definition, biotechnology is the use of living matter (plants, animals and microorganisms) in industry, environment protection, medicine and agriculture. Biotechnology takes a key position in the field of food processing during thousands of years. Last about fifty years brought dynamical development of knowledges in the natural sciences especially in domain of genetics and manipulation of genes. Biotechnology for which active role in the on-coming times could be fore...

Ethical perception of modern biotechnology

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Jane

2011-09-30

Sep 30, 2011 ... 1Social Impact of Biotechnology Development in Malaysia Research ... purpose of this paper is to examine the ethical perception of modern ... and social benefits of modern biotechnology, consumer .... Company or organisation directly involved in the production of ...... Food safety battle: organic vs. biotech.

Editorial: from plant biotechnology to bio-based products.

Science.gov (United States)

Stöger, Eva

2013-10-01

From plant biotechnology to bio-based products - this Special Issue of Biotechnology Journal is dedicated to plant biotechnology and is edited by Prof. Eva Stöger (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria). The Special Issue covers a wide range of topics in plant biotechnology, including metabolic engineering of biosynthesis pathways in plants; taking advantage of the scalability of the plant system for the production of innovative materials; as well as the regulatory challenges and society acceptance of plant biotechnology. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effect of holes on the room temperature tensile behaviors of thin wall specimens with (210) side surface of Ni-base single crystal superalloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Z.J.; Liu, T.; Pu, S. [Superalloys Division, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 72, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China); Xu, H. [Materials Fatigue and Fracture Division, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 72, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China); Wang, L., E-mail: wangli@imr.ac.cn [Superalloys Division, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 72, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China); Lou, L.H. [Superalloys Division, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 72, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China)

2015-10-25

Tensile properties of Ni-base single crystal superalloy plate specimens with and without a hole at room temperature were studied in the present paper. During the testing process, an ARAMIS system based on the digital image correlation technique and in-situ scanning electron microscopy were employed to in-situ observe the strain distribution and slip traces development on the sample surfaces. It was demonstrated that the yield stress was decreased with the appearance of a hole due to the stress concentration. The results were analyzed based on the stress and strain states of specimens and the slip traces development observed on specimen surfaces. - Graphical abstract: The strain distribution for samples without and with a hole, respectively. - Highlights: • Tensile tests of plate specimens without and with a hole were performed. • Surface strain fields were in-situ observed by ARAMIS system. • Slip traces development on sample surfaces was in-situ observed by SEM. • The hole deteriorated both the tensile strength and elongation of the samples. • Tensile strength of specimens without and with a hole was discussed respectively.

Biotechnological research in Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rehm, H J

1982-01-01

The current research possibilities in the expanding field of biotechnology in Europe are very briefly described. Remarks on research and development are limited to six topics: fermented food products; biomass production; product formation; bioreactors; waste-water treatment, environmental processes and methane formation; central research institutions. It is summarised that increased efforts at co-operation on all levels are vital for an improved development in the field of biotechnology throughout Europe.

Thermo-mechanical Fatigue Failure of Thermal Barrier Coated Superalloy Specimen

Science.gov (United States)

Subramanian, Rajivgandhi; Mori, Yuzuru; Yamagishi, Satoshi; Okazaki, Masakazu

2015-09-01

Failure behavior of thermal barrier coated (TBC) Ni-based superalloy specimens were studied from the aspect of the effect of bond coat material behavior on low cycle fatigue (LCF) and thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) at various temperatures and under various loading conditions. Initially, monotonic tensile tests were carried out on a MCrAlY alloy bond coat material in the temperature range of 298 K to 1273 K (25 °C to 1000 °C). Special attention was paid to understand the ductile to brittle transition temperature (DBTT). Next, LCF and TMF tests were carried out on the thermal barrier coated Ni-based alloy IN738 specimen. After these tests, the specimens were sectioned to understand their failure mechanisms on the basis of DBTT of the bond coat material. Experimental results demonstrated that the LCF and TMF lives of the TBC specimen were closely related to the DBTT of the bond coat material, and also the TMF lives were different from those of LCF tests. It has also been observed that the crack density in the bond coat in the TBC specimen was significantly dependent on the test conditions. More importantly, not only the number of cracks but also the crack penetration probability into substrate were shown to be sensitive to the DBTT.

Environmental biotechnology: concepts and applications

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Winter, Josef; Jördening, Hans-Joachim

2005-01-01

... for the - development of new and environmentally improved production technologies with less purified substrates and generation of fewer by-products - bioproducts as non-toxic matters, mostly recyclable. Some impressive studies on industrial applications of biotechnology are published in two OECD reports, which summarized, that biotechnology has the potential o...

Evaluation of A-1 reactor heavy-water calandria specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brumovsky, M.

1976-01-01

Container chains with surveillance specimens were placed in two special channels of the core peripheral part to test changes in mechanical properties due to reactor operation of caisson tube material. The specimens were made from the caisson tube material and placed by eight pieces on the outer surface of the containers. The first removed specimens were tested for corrosion losses, tensile strength, and fractured surfaces were then assessed. The changes in strength properties were found to be similar in both base material and welded joints. The corrosion film on surveillance specimens did not practically affect strength properties nor ductility. It was found that the Al-Mg-Si alloy used for the heavy water vessel caisson tubes following stabilization annealing was fully stable at operating temperatures of up to 100 degC. Slio.ht changes in properties can be attributed to the effect of a high neutron dose. Thus, the high radiation and temperature stability of the alloy was confirmed. (O.K.)

Biotechnology information service of the GDR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poetzsch, E.

1990-05-01

The paper gives a survey of the biotechnology information in the GDR and describes the establishment of the Biotechnology Information Service of the GDR (BioInfo GDR). BioInfo GDR is a referral database and is to provide information on information sources available in the GDR, and on institutions working in the various fields of biotechnology in the GDR. In addition, some general problems of the building and use of databases are discussed. (author). 8 refs

Biotechnology information service of the GDR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poetzsch, E [Academy of Sciences, Berlin (Germany). Scientific Information Center

1990-05-01

The paper gives a survey of the biotechnology information in the GDR and describes the establishment of the Biotechnology Information Service of the GDR (BioInfo GDR). BioInfo GDR is a referral database and is to provide information on information sources available in the GDR, and on institutions working in the various fields of biotechnology in the GDR. In addition, some general problems of the building and use of databases are discussed. (author). 8 refs.

Biotechnology in China II. Chemicals, energy and environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsao, G.T. [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States). Lab. Renewable Resources Engineering; Ouyang, Pingkai [Nanjing Univ. of Technology (China). College of Life Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering; Chen, Jian (eds.) [Jiangnan Univ., Wuxi (China). School of Biotechnology

2010-07-01

The biochemical engineering and biotechnology is now becoming the most important industry all over the world. China, as a country that has more than 1.3 billion people, has become one of the fastest growing countries in the world during the last several decades. Both the Chinese government and companies pay more and more attention on the research and the application of biotechnology. In the 11th five-year plan (2006-2010), Chinese government unprecedented enhanced the support on the biotechnology in both policy and finance. Currently, the biotechnology gains the most R and D funding in China. With the great support and the increasingly frequent exchanges from abroad, the biotechnology in China becomes more and more important in the world. In recognition of the enormous advances in biotechnology in China, we are pleased to present the second volume of Advances in Biochemical Engineering/ Biotechnology: Biotechnology in China II, edited by P. K. Ouyang, J. Chen and G. T. Tsao, relatively soon after the introduction of the first volume of this multivolume comprehensive books. Since the previous volume was extremely well accepted by the scientific community, we have maintained the overall goal of creating a number of chapters, each devoted to a certain topic by several Chinese research groups working in the field, which provide scientists in academia and public institutions with a well-balanced and comprehensive overview of this growing field in China. We have fully revised the volume and expanded it from bioreaction, bioseparation and bioremediation to more extensive issues in order to cover all recent developments in China into account as much as possible. The new volume of Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology: Biotechnology in China II is a comprehensive description of the state-of-the-art in China, and a guide to the understanding the work of Chinese biochemical engineering and biotechnology researchers. It is specifically directed to microbiologists

Progress Report on Alloy 617 Notched Specimen Testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McMurtrey, Michael David [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Wright, Richard Neil [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Lillo, Thomas Martin [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2016-08-01

Creep behavior of Alloy 617 has been extensively characterized to support the development of a draft Code Case to qualify Alloy 617 in Section III division 5 of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. This will allow use of Alloy 617 in construction of nuclear reactor components at elevated temperatures and longer periods of time (up to 950°C and 100,000 hours). Prior to actual use, additional concerns not considered in the ASME code need to be addressed. Code Cases are based largely on uniaxial testing of smooth gage specimens. In service conditions, components will generally be under multi axial loading. There is also the concern of the behavior at discontinuities, such as threaded components. To address the concerns of multi axial creep behavior and at geometric discontinuities, notched specimens have been designed to create conditions representative of the states that service components experience. Two general notch geometries have been used for these series of tests: U notch and V notch specimens. The notches produce a tri axial stress state, though not uniform across the specimen. Characterization of the creep behavior of the U notch specimens and the creep rupture behavior of the V notch specimens provides a good approximation of the behavior expected of actual components. Preliminary testing and analysis have been completed and are reported in this document. This includes results from V notch specimens tested at 900°C and 800°C. Failure occurred in the smooth gage section of the specimen rather than at the root of the notch, though some damage was present at the root of the notch, where initial stress was highest. This indicates notch strengthening behavior in this material at these temperatures.

Role of biotechnology in future agriculture. Korekarano nogyo to biotechnology eno kitai

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Komano, T. (Kyoto Univ., Kyoto (Japan). Faculty of Agriculture)

1992-09-01

In comparison with ancient times when everything is handled empirically, biological matter suitable for purposes can be produced and utilized faster and more reliably these days when life science has made a great advance. The advancement is related to new breeding technology and production means, and those means offer the point of contact between biotechnology and agriculture. The application fields of biotechnology are microbiology, cell technology, enzyme technology (bioreactor), and gene engineering. High yield, high content of high value ingredients as foods, adaptability to environment, resistance to disease and insect damage, etc. may be the subjects expected for future agricultural organisms. There may be many areas where biotechnology is related to those organisms, but a discussion is made in this report centering around the problem in breeding. Outlines are given on the applied cases of cell technological method, gene engineering method, and recombinant DNA technology, as well as on gene engineering for plants and animals. 10 refs., 7 figs.

Brief Note on the Development of Biotechnology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karl Bayer

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Biotechnology, with the main applications in food and nutrition, dates back to the early times of mankind. In the recent decades the progress in natural sciences, mathematics and computer science has led to a new branch termed molecular biotechnology, which finally developed as an autonomous scientific discipline. The field of biotechnology, in the past generally empirically driven, now largely benefits from molecular biotechnology by improved systems, knowledge and understanding. Thereby, compliance with the recently published initiatives of the regulatory authorities to accelerate the approval process for the manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals can be gained.

[The past 30 years of Chinese Journal of Biotechnology].

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Ning

2015-06-01

This review addresses the association of "Chinese Journal of Biotechnology" and the development of biotechnology in China in the past 30 years. Topics include relevant awards and industrialization, development of the biotechnology discipline, and well know scientists in biotechnology, as well as perspectives on the journal.

Teachers' Concerns about Biotechnology Education

Science.gov (United States)

Borgerding, Lisa A.; Sadler, Troy D.; Koroly, Mary Jo

2013-01-01

The impacts of biotechnology are found in nearly all sectors of society from health care and food products to environmental issues and energy sources. Despite the significance of biotechnology within the sciences, it has not become a prominent trend in science education. In this study, we seek to more fully identify biology teachers' concerns…

Biotechnology, nanotechnology, and pharmacogenomics and pharmaceutical compounding, Part 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Loyd V

2015-01-01

The world of pharmaceuticals is changing rapidly as biotechnology continues to grow and nanotechnology appears on the horizon. Biotechnology is gaining in importance in extemporaneous pharmaceutical compounding, and nanotechnology and pharmacogenomics could drastically change the practice of pharmacy. This article discusses biotechnology and the factors to consider when compounding biotechnology drugs.

A Case for Teaching Biotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

Lazaros, Edward; Embree, Caleb

2016-01-01

Biotechnology is an innovative field that is consistently growing in popularity. It is important that students are taught about this technology at an early age, so they are motivated to join the field, or at least motivated to become informed citizens and consumers (Gonzalez, et al, 2013). An increase in biotechnology knowledge can result in an…

Environmental Biotechnology Research and Development Program 1989-1992

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brinkman J; Rulkens WH; Visscher K

1989-01-01

This report is an English translation of the Dutch Research and Development Program on environmental biotechnology 1989-1992. In this program an overview is given of the recent developments in environmental biotechnology. Based on this overview, the possibilities of biotechnology for management

Frontiers in biomedical engineering and biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Feng; Goodarzi, Ali; Wang, Haifeng; Stasiak, Joanna; Sun, Jianbo; Zhou, Yu

2014-01-01

The 2nd International Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology (iCBEB 2013), held in Wuhan on 11–13 October 2013, is an annual conference that aims at providing an opportunity for international and national researchers and practitioners to present the most recent advances and future challenges in the fields of Biomedical Information, Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology. The papers published by this issue are selected from this conference, which witnesses the frontier in the field of Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology, which particularly has helped improving the level of clinical diagnosis in medical work.

Advancement of Marketing Developing Biotechnology-Based Business

OpenAIRE

Vilmantas, Vaidas; Melnikas, Borisas

2014-01-01

The article, in a complex way, analyzes the needs of marketing improvement in developing biotechnology-based business and highlights its role in the context of modern society and globalization challenges. The article distinguishes between the existing problems of biotechnology business, the present perspectives and specific characteristics of developing the marketing of biotechnological business. The paper represents the possibility of the substantial modernization of marketing tools with reg...

Termites as targets and models for biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Scharf, Michael E

2015-01-07

Termites have many unique evolutionary adaptations associated with their eusocial lifestyles. Recent omics research has created a wealth of new information in numerous areas of termite biology (e.g., caste polyphenism, lignocellulose digestion, and microbial symbiosis) with wide-ranging applications in diverse biotechnological niches. Termite biotechnology falls into two categories: (a) termite-targeted biotechnology for pest management purposes, and (b) termite-modeled biotechnology for use in various industrial applications. The first category includes several candidate termiticidal modes of action such as RNA interference, digestive inhibition, pathogen enhancement, antimicrobials, endocrine disruption, and primer pheromone mimicry. In the second category, termite digestomes are deep resources for host and symbiont lignocellulases and other enzymes with applications in a variety of biomass, industrial, and processing applications. Moving forward, one of the most important approaches for accelerating advances in both termite-targeted and termite-modeled biotechnology will be to consider host and symbiont together as a single functional unit.

Biotechnological production of vanillin.

Science.gov (United States)

Priefert, H; Rabenhorst, J; Steinbüchel, A

2001-08-01

Vanillin is one of the most important aromatic flavor compounds used in foods, beverages, perfumes, and pharmaceuticals and is produced on a scale of more than 10 thousand tons per year by the industry through chemical synthesis. Alternative biotechnology-based approaches for the production are based on bioconversion of lignin, phenolic stilbenes, isoeugenol, eugenol, ferulic acid, or aromatic amino acids, and on de novo biosynthesis, applying fungi, bacteria, plant cells, or genetically engineered microorganisms. Here, the different biosynthesis routes involved in biotechnological vanillin production are discussed.

Use of miniature and standard specimens to evaluate effects of irradiation temperature on pressure vessel steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haggag, F.M.; Nanstad, R.K.; Byrne, S.T.

1991-01-01

The effects of neutron irradiation on the steel reactor vessel for the modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (MHTGR) are being investigated, primarily because the operating temperatures are low [121 to 210 degrees C (250--410 degrees F)] compared to those for commercial light-water reactors (LWRs) [∼288 degrees C (550 degrees F)]. The need for design data on the reference temperature shift necessitated the irradiation at different temperatures of A 533 grade B class 1 plate. A 508 class 3 forging, and welds used for the vessel shell, vessel closure head, the vessel flange. This paper presents results from the first four irradiation capsules of this program. The four capsules were irradiated in the University of Buffalo Reactor to an effective fast fluence of 1 x10 18 neutron/cm 2 [0.68 x 10 18 neutron/cm 2 (>1 MeV)] at temperatures of 288, 204, 163, and 121 degrees C (550, 400, 325, and 250 degrees F), respectively. The yield and ultimate strengths of both steel plate materials of the MHTGR Program increased with decreasing irradiation temperature. Similarly, the 41-J Charpy V-notch (CVN) transition temperature shift increased with decreasing irradiation temperature (in agreement with the increase in yield strength). The miniature tensile and automated ball indentation (ABI) test results (yield strength and flow properties) were in good agreement with those from standard tensile specimens. The miniature tensile and ABI test results were also used in a model that utilizes the changes in yield strength to estimate the CVN ductile-to-brittle transition temperature shift due to irradiation. The model predictions were compared with CVN test results obtained here and in earlier work. 5 refs., 11 figs., 6 tabs

The Effect of Biotechnology Education on Australian High School Students' Understandings and Attitudes about Biotechnology Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, Vaille; Soames, Christina

2006-01-01

Our education system aims to equip young people with the knowledge, problem-solving skills and values to cope with an increasingly technological society. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of biotechnology education on adolescents' understanding and attitudes about processes associated with biotechnology. Data were drawn from…

Medical Biotechnology Trends and Achievements in Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Mahboudi, Fereidoun; Hamedifar, Haleh; Aghajani, Hamideh

2012-01-01

A healthcare system has been the most important priority for all governments worldwide. Biotechnology products have affected the promotion of health care over the last thirty years. During the last several decades, Iran has achieved significant success in extending healthcare to the rural areas and in reducing the rates of infant mortality and increasing population growth. Biomedical technology as a converging technology is considered a helpful tool to fulfill the Iranian healthcare missions. The number of biotechnology products has reached 148 in 2012. The total sales have increased to 98 billion USD without considering vaccines and plasma derived proteins in 2012. Iran is one of the leading countries in the Middle East and North Africa in the area of Medical biotechnology. The number of biotechnology medicines launched in Iran is 13 products until 2012. More than 15 products are in pipelines now. Manufacturers are expecting to receive the market release for more than 8 products by the end of 2012. Considering this information, Iran will lead the biotechnology products especially in area of biosimilars in Asia after India in next three years. The present review will discuss leading policy, decision makers’ role, human resource developing system and industry development in medical biotechnology. PMID:23407888

Hairy root biotechnology of Rauwolfia serpentina: a potent approach for the production of pharmaceutically important terpenoid indole alkaloids.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehrotra, Shakti; Goel, Manoj K; Srivastava, Vikas; Rahman, Laiq Ur

2015-02-01

Hairy root cultures of Rauwolfia serpentina induced by Agrobacterium rhizogenes have been investigated extensively for the production of terpenoid indole alkaloids. Various biotechnological developments, such as scaling up in bioreactors, pathway engineering etc., have been explored to improve their metabolite production potential. These hairy roots are competent for regenerating into complete plants and show survival and unaltered biosynthetic potential during storage at low temperature. This review provides a comprehensive account of the hairy root cultures of R. serpentina, their biosynthetic potential and various biotechnological methods used to explore the production of pharmaceutically important terpenoid indole alkaloids. The review also indicates how biotechnological endeavors might improve the future progress of research for production of alkaloids using Rauwolfia hairy roots.

Study of physical and chemical properties of Y-Ba-Cu-O ceramic specimens treated with temperature-electric domains for the texture formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khirnyj, V.F.; Seminozhenko, V.P.; Zagoskin, V.T.

1995-01-01

Study of temperature-electric domain (TED) behaviour is conducted and physico-chemical properties of specimens treated by moving TED are investigated. According to the data obtained, texture does not appear during such a treatment. To reduce v of TED the specimen is placed to a longitudinal magnetic field. TED stop at H=0.4 T and V=3.2 V is observed when the direction of the north magnetic pole coincides with the point of the positive electrode junction. Domain movement rate, at which texture occurrence is possible, is achieved by means of magnetic field intensity H variation. 10 refs.; 3 figs.; 1 tab

Biotechnology Process Engineering Center at MIT - Overview

Science.gov (United States)

| Facsimile (617) 253-2400 | e-mail: bpec-www@mit.edu THERAPEUTIC GENE BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIAL CONSORTIUM Board (ICAB) in Therapeutic Gene Biotechnology. ICAB Member Representatives review our research progress

Application of biotechnology to fossil fuels explored

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haggin, J

1989-02-13

A review is presented of the December 1988 symposium on coal, oil and gas biotechnology held in New Orleans, organised by the Institute of Gas Technology. Papers discussed include: opportunities for R D in desulfurization, coal gasification and environmental cleanup; an assessment of the economic constraints that new energy biotechnology must overcome; biotechnology research at EPRI; microbial conversion of coal; bioconversion of low rank coal; and bioremediation of ground containing PAHs. 2 figs.

Life sciences today and tomorrow: emerging biotechnologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, E Diane

2017-08-01

The purpose of this review is to survey current, emerging and predicted future biotechnologies which are impacting, or are likely to impact in the future on the life sciences, with a projection for the coming 20 years. This review is intended to discuss current and future technical strategies, and to explore areas of potential growth during the foreseeable future. Information technology approaches have been employed to gather and collate data. Twelve broad categories of biotechnology have been identified which are currently impacting the life sciences and will continue to do so. In some cases, technology areas are being pushed forward by the requirement to deal with contemporary questions such as the need to address the emergence of anti-microbial resistance. In other cases, the biotechnology application is made feasible by advances in allied fields in biophysics (e.g. biosensing) and biochemistry (e.g. bio-imaging). In all cases, the biotechnologies are underpinned by the rapidly advancing fields of information systems, electronic communications and the World Wide Web together with developments in computing power and the capacity to handle extensive biological data. A rationale and narrative is given for the identification of each technology as a growth area. These technologies have been categorized by major applications, and are discussed further. This review highlights: Biotechnology has far-reaching applications which impinge on every aspect of human existence. The applications of biotechnology are currently wide ranging and will become even more diverse in the future. Access to supercomputing facilities and the ability to manipulate large, complex biological datasets, will significantly enhance knowledge and biotechnological development.

Biotechnology: challenges and prospects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sasson, A.

1985-04-01

Rapidly occurring technological breakthroughs in the wake of numerous discoveries in different fields, such as biochemistry, genetic engineering as well as cellular and molecular biology as described in this paper have a variety of industrial applications, and forcasts covering these and various other fields have been made. The emerging bio-industry, covering diverse industries, such as chemical, food, pharmaceutical, etc., as well as the domains of health, environmental protection and abatement of pollution present challenging prospects. Several biotechnology processes relating to bioenergy, fermentation, waste transformation, vaccines, etc. are of particular interest to the developing countries. The 'functioning systems' resulting from the breakthrouth in genetic engineering, entailing extraordinary refinement of analytical techniques and technological progress, pose the challenging task of harnessing them to the advantage of mankind. Providing effective legal protection, conducive to the development of biotechnologies-their innovative process and technological change-is a matter of serious concern, involving practical and economical considerations. Several other issues and questions, such as risk prevention and management of potential dangers and hazards in genetic recombination operation by way of safety regulations and necessary guidelines, questions relating to the clinical trials of the interferons-the wonder drug-as well as questions of professional ethics are raised by biotechnologies. Industry-funded research in biotechnology, where scientific and commercial imperatives are interlocked, has for instance, its repercussions on the traditional thrust of university system, specially the sanctity of autonomy for basic research.

Practicing environmental biotechnology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruce E.Rittmann

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Environmental biotechnology involves ″managing microbial communities to provide services to society″.Its success comes from partnering with prokaryotic microorganisms,whose wideranging metabolic capabilities can be harnessed to destroy pollutants and to generate renewable materials.Partnering with microorganisms requires that we understand them well,and important advances in molecular microbial ecology,analytical chemistry,and mathematical modeling are making it possible to look inside the black box of microbial communities.Also crucial is translating the understanding to biotechnological processes that ″work for the microorganisms so that they work for us″.Successful translation demands novel reactor designs,application of advanced materials,and partnering with practitioners and users.The Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology,founded in at Arizona State University in 2005,brings together the science and engineering tools in an interdisciplinary environment.The Center emphasizes teamwork and collaborations with research and practice partners around the world.Three new technologies illustrate how the Center applies these principles to ″work for the microorganisms″:the H2-based membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR for reducing many oxidized contaminants in water,the microbial electrochemical cells (MXCs for converting organic wastes into renewable products,and Intimately Coupled PhotoBioCatalysis (ICPBC to detoxify very difficult to biodegrade organic pollutants.

Biotechnology and species development in aquaculture

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-12-29

Dec 29, 2008 ... The use of biotechnology in various aspects of human endeavour have obviously created a great ... the already adopted biotechnologies are being improved upon with lesser demerits. ... potential to improve the quality and quantity of fish reared .... become easier with the development of artificial breeding.

Journal of Tropical Microbiology and Biotechnology

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Journal of Tropical Microbiology and Biotechnology (JTMB) formerly Journal of Tropical Microbiology gives preeminence to the central role of modern biotechnology and microorganisms as tools and targets in current research, which is largely multidisciplinary. JTMB covers a broad range of topics, such as disease ...

Agave biotechnology: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Nava-Cruz, Naivy Y; Medina-Morales, Miguel A; Martinez, José L; Rodriguez, R; Aguilar, Cristóbal N

2015-01-01

Agaves are plants of importance both in Mexican culture and economy and in other Latin-American countries. Mexico is reported to be the place of Agave origin, where today, scientists are looking for different industrial applications without compromising its sustainability and preserving the environment. To make it possible, a deep knowledge of all aspects involved in production process, agro-ecological management and plant biochemistry and physiology is required. Agave biotechnology research has been focusing on bio-fuels, beverages, foods, fibers, saponins among others. In this review, we present the advances and challenges of Agave biotechnology.

Progress report on irradiation experiment on small size specimens in high temperature flux module

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramesh, M.; Jacquet, P.; Chaouadi, R.

2011-02-15

This report describes the progress made in IFREC/DEMO Research and Development Program during the year 2010 at SCK/CEN. This task is part of demonstrating the possibility to irradiate small specimens in the HFTM modules that will be used in DEMO. Different small specimens of three candidate materials of DEMO fusion reactor will be irradiated with the objective of validating the specimen geometry and size to reliably characterize the mechanical properties of unirradiated and in future of irradiated materials.

Mechatronics design principles for biotechnology product development.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandenius, Carl-Fredrik; Björkman, Mats

2010-05-01

Traditionally, biotechnology design has focused on the manufacture of chemicals and biologics. Still, a majority of biotechnology products that appear on the market today is the result of mechanical-electric (mechatronic) construction. For these, the biological components play decisive roles in the design solution; the biological entities are either integral parts of the design, or are transformed by the mechatronic system. This article explains how the development and production engineering design principles used for typical mechanical products can be adapted to the demands of biotechnology products, and how electronics, mechanics and biology can be integrated more successfully. We discuss three emerging areas of biotechnology in which mechatronic design principles can apply: stem cell manufacture, artificial organs, and bioreactors. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of biotechnology to improve livestock products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Swati Gupta

Full Text Available Biotechnological achievements of recent years have emerged as powerful tool to improve quality attributes of livestock products including milk and meat products. Biotechnological approaches can be employed for improving productivity, economy, physicochemical and nutritional attributes of a wide range of livestock products. The target areas of biotechnological research in the field of livestock products can be envisaged as production of high yielding food animal, improvement in quality of their products, enhanced production of natural food grade preservatives, efficient byproduct utilization and so forth. Many of the biotechnological techniques can be explored in the area of quality assurance programmes, which would be of great help to produce livestock products of assured quality and public health safety. [Vet World 2012; 5(10.000: 634-638

Editorial: Latest methods and advances in biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sang Yup; Jungbauer, Alois

2014-01-01

The latest "Biotech Methods and Advances" special issue of Biotechnology Journal continues the BTJ tradition of featuring the latest breakthroughs in biotechnology. The special issue is edited by our Editors-in-Chief, Prof. Sang Yup Lee and Prof. Alois Jungbauer and covers a wide array of topics in biotechnology, including the perennial favorite workhorses of the biotech industry, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell and Escherichia coli. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Approaches to education of pharmaceutical biotechnology in faculties of pharmacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Calis, S; Oner, F; Kas, S; Hincal, A A

2001-06-01

Pharmaceutical biotechnology is developing rapidly both in academic institutions and in the biopharmaceutical industry. For this reason, FIP Special Interest Group of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology decided to develop a questionnaire concerning pharmaceutical biotechnology education. After preliminary studies were completed, questionnaires were sent to the leading scientists in academia and research directors or senior managers of various Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Companies in order to gather their views about how to create a satisfactory program. The objectives of this study were as follows: -To review all of the graduate and undergraduate courses which are presently available worldwide on pharmaceutical biotechnology in Faculties of Pharmacy. -To review all of the text books, references and scientific sources available worldwide in the area of pharmaceutical biotechnology. When replying to the questionnaires, the respondents were asked to consider the present status of pharmaceutical biotechnology education in academia and future learning needs in collaboration with the biotechnology industry. The data from various pharmacy faculties and biotechnology industry representatives from Asia, Europe and America were evaluated and the outcome of the survey showed that educational efforts in training qualified staff in the rapidly growing field of pharmaceutical biotechnology is promising. Part of the results of this questionnaire study have already been presented at the 57th International Congress of FIP Vancouver, Canada in 1997.

Modernizing the Regulatory System for Biotechnology Products

Science.gov (United States)

This Web page describes the continuing effort to modernize the federal regulatory system for biotechnology products as well as clarify various roles of EPA, FDA and USDA in evaluating new biotechnology products.

The quantification of specimen size effects in the ductile-brittle transition for C-Mn steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knee, N.; Worthington, P.J.; Moskovic, R.

1989-02-01

It is now generally accepted that the temperature range of the brittle to ductile transition, determined using fracture mechanics specimens, is dependent of the specimen size for ferritic steels. This size effect arises through increasing constraint at the crack tip as the specimen thickness increases together with an increasing volume of material sampled. The size effect can be quantified in terms of a shift in temperature for a given toughness level. This was determined in the present work from fracture toughness/temperature curves obtained by performing fracture toughness tests on eight 100 mm thick compact tension specimens and 40 25 mm thick compact tension specimens over the ductile-brittle transition range of a C-Mn steel. The emphasis is on the development of a practical methodology to quantify the size effect from a limited but still appreciable number of tests. (author)

AGC-2 Specimen Post Irradiation Data Package Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Windes, William Enoch [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Swank, W. David [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Rohrbaugh, David T. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Cottle, David L. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2015-08-01

This report documents results of the post-irradiation examination material property testing of the creep, control, and piggyback specimens from the irradiation creep capsule Advanced Graphite Creep (AGC)-2 are reported. This is the second of a series of six irradiation test trains planned as part of the AGC experiment to fully characterize the neutron irradiation effects and radiation creep behavior of current nuclear graphite grades. The AGC-2 capsule was irradiated in the Idaho National Laboratory Advanced Test Reactor at a nominal temperature of 600°C and to a peak dose of 5 dpa (displacements per atom). One-half of the creep specimens were subjected to mechanical stresses (an applied stress of either 13.8, 17.2, or 20.7 MPa) to induce irradiation creep. All post-irradiation testing and measurement results are reported with the exception of the irradiation mechanical strength testing, which is the last destructive testing stage of the irradiation testing program. Material property tests were conducted on specimens from 15 nuclear graphite grades using a similar loading configuration as the first AGC capsule (AGC-1) to provide easy comparison between the two capsules. However, AGC-2 contained an increased number of specimens (i.e., 487 total specimens irradiated) and replaced specimens of the minor grade 2020 with the newer grade 2114. The data reported include specimen dimensions for both stressed and unstressed specimens to establish the irradiation creep rates, mass and volume data necessary to derive density, elastic constants (Young’s modulus, shear modulus, and Poisson’s ratio) from ultrasonic time-of-flight velocity measurements, Young’s modulus from the fundamental frequency of vibration, electrical resistivity, and thermal diffusivity and thermal expansion data from 100–500°C. No data outliers were determined after all measurements were completed. A brief statistical analysis was performed on the irradiated data and a limited comparison between

Comparative study on Charpy specimen reconstitution techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourdiliau, B.; Decroix, G.-M.; Averty, X.; Wident, P.; Bienvenu, Y.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Welding processes are used to reconstitute previously tested Charpy specimens. → Stud welding is preferred for a quick installation, almost immediately operational. → Friction welding produces better quality welds, but requires a development effort. - Abstract: Reconstitution techniques are often used to allow material from previously fractured Charpy-V specimens to be reused for additional experiments. This paper presents a comparative experimental study of various reconstitution techniques and evaluates the feasibility of these methods for future use in shielded cells. The following techniques were investigated: arc stud welding, 6.0 kW CO 2 continuous wave laser welding, 4.5 kW YAG continuous wave laser welding and friction welding. Subsize Charpy specimens were reconstituted using a 400 W YAG pulsed wave laser. The best result was obtained with arc stud welding; the resilience of the reconstituted specimens and the load-displacement curves agreed well with the reference specimens, and the temperature elevation caused by the welding process was limited to the vicinity of the weld. Good results were also obtained with friction welding; this process led to the best quality welds. Laser welding seems to have affected the central part of the specimens, thus leading to different resilience values and load-displacement curves.

Some recent innovations in small specimen testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odette, G.R.; He, M.; Gragg, D.; Klingensmith, D.; Lucas, G.E.

2002-01-01

New innovative small specimen test techniques are described. Finite element simulations show that combinations of cone indentation pile-up geometry and load-penetration depth relations can be used to determine both the yield stress and strain-hardening behavior of a material. Techniques for pre-cracking and testing sub-miniaturized fracture toughness bend bars, with dimensions of 1.65x1.65x9 mm 3 , or less, are described. The corresponding toughness-temperature curves have a very steep transition slope, primarily due to rapid loss of constraint, which has advantages in some experiments to characterize the effects of specified irradiation variables. As one example of using composite specimens, an approach to evaluating helium effects is proposed, involving diffusion bonding small wires of a 54 Fe-based ferritic-martensitic alloy to a surrounding fracture specimen composed of an elemental Fe-based alloy. Finally, we briefly outline some potential approaches to multipurpose specimens and test automation

Linking Biotechnology and Agricultural Biodiversity Resources in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

komla

on how to best manage the strategic interplay between biotechnology and diversity in ... Therefore, it is imperative that, in formulating a biotechnology ..... Acknowledgement, indicating the source of any financial support or personal assistance.

The Application of Miniaturized Three-Point-Bend Specimens for Determination of the Reference Temperature of A533 Cl.1 Steel

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Stratil, Luděk; Šiška, Filip; Dlouhý, Ivo; Serrano, M.

2017-01-01

Roč. 139, č. 4 (2017), č. článku 041410. ISSN 0094-9930 R&D Projects: GA ČR GJ15-21292Y; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0068 Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : fracture toughness * Master Curve * the reference temperature * JRQ steel * miniaturized specimens Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics OBOR OECD: Audio engineering, reliability analysis Impact factor: 0.729, year: 2016

Thermal endurance tests on silicone rubber specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warburton, C.

1977-07-01

Thermal endurance tests have been performed on a range of silicone rubber specimens at temperature above 300 0 C. It is suggested that the rubber mix A2426, the compound from which Wylfa sealing rings are manufactured, will fail at temperatures above 300 0 C within weeks. Hardness measurements show that this particular rubber performs in a similar manner to Walker's S.I.L./60. (author)

Freeze-Thaw Cycle Test on Basalt, Diorite and Tuff Specimens with the Simulated Ground Temperature of Antarctica

Science.gov (United States)

Park, J.; Hyun, C.; Cho, H.; Park, H.

2010-12-01

Physical weathering caused by freeze-thaw action in cold regions was simulated with artificial weathering simulator in laboratory. Physical weathering of rock in cold regions usually depends on the temperature, rock type and moisture content. Then these three variables were considered in this study. The laboratory freeze-thaw tests were conducted on the three types of rocks, e.g. diorite, basalt and tuff, which are the major rock types around Sejong Station, King George Island, Antarctica. Nine core samples composed of three samples from each rock type were prepared in NX core, and 50 cycles of freeze-thaw test was carried out under dried and saturated water conditions. In this study, the physical weathering of rocks was investigated after each 10 cycles by measuring P-wave velocity, bulk density, effective porosity, Schmidt hardness and uniaxial compression strength(UCS). The experimental result of the diorite and the tuff specimens showed that P-wave velocity, bulk density, effective porosity, Schmidt hardness and UCS were gradually decreased as weathering progresses, but the result of the basalt specimens did not show typical trends due to the characteristics of irregular pore distribution and various pore sizes. Scanning electron microscopy(SEM) photographs of diorite, basalt and tuff specimens weathered in dried and saturated conditions were also acquired to investigate the role of water during physical weathering processes. The number and size of microcracks were increased as weathering progresses. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) Grant(NRF-2010-0027753).

BIOTECHNOLOGY CAN IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY IN AFRICA ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

BIOTECHNOLOGY CAN IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY IN AFRICA. ... and capacity to innovate and patent new materials as well as enforce biosafety requirements. In order for countries to access biotechnology products or technologies, it will ...

Biotechnology and Consumer Decision-Making.

Science.gov (United States)

Sax, Joanna K

Society is facing major challenges in climate change, health care and overall quality of life. Scientific advances to address these areas continue to grow, with overwhelming evidence that the application of highly tested forms of biotechnology is safe and effective. Despite scientific consensus in these areas, consumers appear reluctant to support their use. Research that helps to understand consumer decision-making and the public’s resistance to biotechnologies such as vaccines, fluoridated water programs and genetically engineered food, will provide great social value. This article is forward-thinking in that it suggests that important research in behavioral decision-making, specifically affect and ambiguity, can be used to help consumers make informed choices about major applications of biotechnology. This article highlights some of the most controversial examples: vaccinations, genetically engineered food, rbST treated dairy cows, fluoridated water, and embryonic stem cell research. In many of these areas, consumers perceive the risks as high, but the experts calculate the risks as low. Four major thematic approaches are proposed to create a roadmap for policymakers to consider for policy design and implementation in controversial areas of biotechnology. This article articulates future directions for studies that implement decision-making research to allow consumers to appropriately assign risk to their options and make informed decisions.

BIOTECHNOLOGY OF THE FISH AQUACULTURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. P. Buchatsky

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The latest progress in biotechnology on fish aquaculture and different modern methods of investigations for increasing of fish productivity in aquaculture are analyzed. Except for the applied aspect, the use of modern biotechnological methods of investigations opens new possibilities for fundamental researches of sex-determining mechanisms, polyploidy, distant hybridization, and developmental biology of bony fishes. Review contains examples of utilizing modern biotechnology methods to obtain transgenic fishes with accelerated growth and for designing surrogate fishes. Methods for receiving unisexual shoals of salmon and sturgeon female fishes with the view of obtaining a large quantity of caviar, as well as receiving sterile (triploid fishes are analyzed. Great attention is given to androgenesis, particularly to disperm one, in connection with the problem of conserving rare and vanishing fish species using only sperm genetic material. Examples how distant hybrids may be obtained with the use of disperm androgenesis and alkylated DNA are given. Methods of obtaining fish primordium germ cells, recent developments in cultivation of fish stem cells and their use in biotechnology, as well as ones of transplantation of oogonium and spermatogonium to obtain surrogate fishes. The examples of successful experiments on spermatogonial xenotransplantation and characteristic of antifreezing fish proteins and also the prospect of their practical usage are given.

Sharing Malaysian experience with the development of biotechnology-derived food crops.

Science.gov (United States)

Abu Bakar, Umi K; Pillai, Vilasini; Hashim, Marzukhi; Daud, Hassan Mat

2005-12-01

Biotechnology-derived food crops are currently being developed in Malaysia mainly for disease resistance and improved post harvest quality. The modern biotechnology approach is adopted because of its potential to overcome constraints faced by conventional breeding techniques. Research on the development of biotechnology-derived papaya, pineapple, chili, passion fruit, and citrus is currently under way. Biotechnology-derived papaya developed for resistance to papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) and improved postharvest qualities is at the field evaluation stage. Pineapple developed for resistance to fruit black heart disorder is also being evaluated for proof-of-concept. Other biotechnology-derived food crops are at early stages of gene cloning and transformation. Activities and products involving biotechnology-derived crops will be fully regulated in the near future under the Malaysian Biosafety Law. At present they are governed only by guidelines formulated by the Genetic Modification Advisory Committee (GMAC), Malaysia. Commercialization of biotechnology-derived crops involves steps that require GMAC approval for all field evaluations and food-safety assessments before the products are placed on the market. Public acceptance of the biotechnology product is another important factor for successful commercialization. Understanding of biotechnology is generally low among Malaysians, which may lead to low acceptance of biotechnology-derived products. Initiatives are being taken by local organizations to improve public awareness and acceptance of biotechnology. Future research on plant biotechnology will focus on the development of nutritionally enhanced biotechnology-derived food crops that can provide more benefits to consumers.

Biotechnology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

The guidelines of the Biotechnology Program are research and development aiming to develop and manufacture products of pharmaceutical interest. This program has two main research areas, namely Pituitary Hormones and Biopharmaceuticals. The first one comprises a group with a long experience on Recombinant Human Pituitary Hormone synthesis, purification and characterization. The Biopharmaceutical area is dedicated to the research of isolation, structural analysis and biological activities in different biological system of macromolecules

Biotechnology's foreign policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Feldbaum, Carl

2002-01-01

From its inception, biotechnology has been a uniquely international enterprise. An American and an Englishman working together elucidated the structure of DNA almost 50 years ago; more recently, the Human Genome Project linked researchers around the world, from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston to the Beijing Human Genome Center. Today our industry's researchers hail from African villages and Manhattan high rises; from Munich and Melbourne; from London, Ontario, and London, England; from Scotland and Nova Scotia--New Scotland; from Calcutta and Calgary. But in the beginning, the infrastructure that supported these efforts--intellectual property, venture capital, streamlined technology transfer--was less widely dispersed and the world's brightest biotech researchers clustered in only half a dozen scientific Meccas. Previous technological revolutions have spread around the world. Following in their footsteps, biotechnology's global diaspora seems inevitable, especially since governments are promoting it. But as our science and business emigrate from early strongholds in the United States, Canada and Europe across oceans and borders and into new cultures, international tensions over biotechnology continue to grow. In just the last few years, controversies have rolled over R&D spending priorities, genetic patents, bioprospecting, transgenic agriculture and drug pricing. My premise today is that our industry needs to formulate its first foreign policy, one which is cognizant of the miserable judgments and mistakes of other industries--and avoids them.

[Trends of microalgal biotechnology: a view from bibliometrics].

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiaoqiu; Wu, Yinsong; Yan, Jinding; Song, Haigang; Fan, Jianhua; Li, Yuanguang

2015-10-01

Microalgae is a single-cell organism with the characteristics of high light energy utilization rate, fast growth rate, high-value bioactive components and high energy material content. Therefore, microalgae has broad application prospects in food, feed, bioenergy, carbon sequestration, wastewater treatment and other fields. In this article, the microalgae biotechnology development in recent years were fully consulted, through analysis from the literature and patent. The progress of microalgal biotechnology at home and abroad is compared and discussed. Furthermore, the project layout, important achievements and development bottlenecks of microalgae biotechnology in our country were also summarized. At last, future development directions of microalgae biotechnology were discussed.

Four-hour processing of clinical/diagnostic specimens for electron microscopy using microwave technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Giberson, R T; Demaree, R S; Nordhausen, R W

1997-01-01

A protocol for routine 4-hour microwave tissue processing of clinical or other samples for electron microscopy was developed. Specimens are processed by using a temperature-restrictive probe that can be set to automatically cycle the magnetron to maintain any designated temperature restriction (temperature maximum). In addition, specimen processing during fixation is performed in 1.7-ml microcentrifuge tubes followed by subsequent processing in flow-through baskets. Quality control is made possible during each step through the addition of an RS232 port to the microwave, allowing direct connection of the microwave oven to any personal computer. The software provided with the temperature probe enables the user to monitor time and temperature on a real-time basis. Tissue specimens, goat placenta, mouse liver, mouse kidney, and deer esophagus were processed by conventional and microwave techniques in this study. In all instances, the results for the microwave-processed samples were equal to or better than those achieved by routine processing techniques.

UNCOVERING FACTORS INFLUENCING PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF FOOD BIOTECHNOLOGY

OpenAIRE

Hossain, Ferdaus; Onyango, Benjamin M.; Adelaja, Adesoji O.; Schilling, Brian J.; Hallman, William K.

2002-01-01

Significant divergence exists in public opinions about biotechnology. Although there is broad support for plant biotechnology for health benefits, opinions differ on the issue of animal genetics for pure economic benefits. While some are opposed to it, many are undecided about genetically modified foods. Considerable skepticism exists about scientists, corporations and government which have negative influence on public acceptance of food biotechnology. Consumers' personal attributes have sign...

Medical Biotechnology: Problems and Prospects in Bangladesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaikh Mizan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Biotechnology is the knowledge and techniques of developing and using biological systems for deriving special products and services. The age-old technology took a new turn with the advent of recombinant DNA techniques, and boosted by the development of other molecular biological techniques, cell culture techniques and bioinformatics. Medical biotechnology is the major thrust area of biotechnology. It has brought revolutions in medicine – quick methods for diagnosing diseases, generation of new drugs and vaccines, completely novel approach of treatment are only a few to mention. The industrial and financial bulk of the industry mushroomed very rapidly in the last three decades, led by the USA and western advanced nations. Asian countries like China, India, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore joined late, but advancing forward in a big way. In all the Asian countries governments supported the initiatives of the expert and entrepreneur community, and invested heavily in its development. Bangladesh has got great potential in developing biotechnology and reaping its fruits. However, lack of commitment and patriotism, and too much corruption and irresponsibility in political and bureaucratic establishment are the major hindrance to the development of biotechnology in Bangladesh.

Validity of fracture toughness determined with small bend specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallin, K.; Rintamaa, R.; Valo, M.

1994-02-01

This report considers the validity of fracture toughness estimates obtained with small bend specimens in relation to fracture toughness estimates obtained with large specimens. The study is based upon the analysis and comparison of actual test results. The results prove the validity of the fracture toughness determined based upon small bend specimens, especially when the results are only used to determine the fracture toughness transition temperature T o . In this case the possible error is typically less than 5 deg C and at most 10 deg C. It can be concluded that small bend specimens are very suitable for the estimation of fracture toughness in the case of brittle fracture, provided the results are corrected for statistical size effects. (orig.). (20 refs., 17 figs.)

Recent Advances in Marine Enzymes for Biotechnological Processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, R N; Porto, A L M

In the last decade, new trends in the food and pharmaceutical industries have increased concern for the quality and safety of products. The use of biocatalytic processes using marine enzymes has become an important and useful natural product for biotechnological applications. Bioprocesses using biocatalysts like marine enzymes (fungi, bacteria, plants, animals, algae, etc.) offer hyperthermostability, salt tolerance, barophilicity, cold adaptability, chemoselectivity, regioselectivity, and stereoselectivity. Currently, enzymatic methods are used to produce a large variety of products that humans consume, and the specific nature of the enzymes including processing under mild pH and temperature conditions result in fewer unwanted side-effects and by-products. This offers high selectivity in industrial processes. The marine habitat has been become increasingly studied because it represents a huge source potential biocatalysts. Enzymes include oxidoreductases, hydrolases, transferases, isomerases, ligases, and lyases that can be used in food and pharmaceutical applications. Finally, recent advances in biotechnological processes using enzymes of marine organisms (bacterial, fungi, algal, and sponges) are described and also our work on marine organisms from South America, especially marine-derived fungi and bacteria involved in biotransformations and biodegradation of organic compounds. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Supporting Biotechnology Regulatory Policy Processes in Southeast ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Supporting Biotechnology Regulatory Policy Processes in Southeast Asia. Biotechnology innovations or bio-innovations can provide solutions to problems associated with food security, poverty and environmental degradation. Innovations such as genetically engineered (GE) crops can increase food production and ...

Applied thermodynamics: A new frontier for biotechnology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mollerup, Jørgen

2006-01-01

The scientific career of one of the most outstanding scientists in molecular thermodynamics, Professor John M. Prausnitz at Berkeley, reflects the change in the agenda of molecular thermodynamics, from hydrocarbon chemistry to biotechnology. To make thermodynamics a frontier for biotechnology...

Biotechnology in Georgia for Various Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mosulishvili, L.; Tsibakhashvili, N.; Kirkesali, E.; Tsertsvadze, L.; Frontasyeva, M.; Pavlov, S.

2008-01-01

The results of collaborative work carried out in the field of biotechnology at the Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics (FLNP) of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) (Dubna, Russia) jointly with scientists from Georgia are presented. Using instrumental neutron activation analysis (NAA), significant results were ontained in the following directions - medical biotechnology, environmental biotechnology and industrial biotechnology. In the biomedical experiments a blue-green alga Spirulina platensis biomass has been used as a matrix for the development of pharmaceutical substances containing such vitally important trace elements as selenium, chromium and iodine. The feasibility of target-oriented introduction of these elements into Spirulina platensis biocomplexes retaining its protain composition and natural beneficial properties has been proved. The adsorption of such toxic metal as mercury by Spirulina platensis biomass in dynamics of growth has been studied also. NAA has been successfully applied to investigate the biotechnology of toxic Cr(VI) transformation into less toxic Cr(III) complexes by Cr(VI)-reducer bacteria isolated from polluted basalts in Georgia. This method was used to track accumulation of chromium in the bacterial cells. To monitor and identify Cr(III) complexes in these bacteria, electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry was employed. For the first time, the elemental composition of Cr(VI)-reducer bacteria has been studied using epithermal NAA. The natural organic mass of vegetal origin - peat - was applied as a source of microorganisms to study the bacterial leaching of some metals from lean ores, rocks and industrial wastes. (author)

Acceptance of biotechnology and social-cultural implications in Ghana

African Journals Online (AJOL)

take pride in what they eat. A proposal is made to set biotechnology research agenda in the context of social choices; social scientific coalition of biotechnology with endogenous development pathways' as opposed to 'exogenous biotechnology research'. Also there is the need for adequate capacity building of the existing ...

High School Students' Knowledge and Attitudes regarding Biotechnology Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Ozel, Murat; Erdogan, Mehmet; Usak, Muhammet; Prokop, Pavol

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate high school students' knowledge and attitudes regarding biotechnology and its various applications. In addition, whether students' knowledge and attitudes differed according to age and gender were also explored. The Biotechnology Knowledge Questionnaire (BKQ) with 16 items and the Biotechnology Attitude…

Environmental Biotechnology Research and Development Program 1989-1992

OpenAIRE

Brinkman J; Rulkens WH; Visscher K

1989-01-01

This report is an English translation of the Dutch Research and Development Program on environmental biotechnology 1989-1992. In this program an overview is given of the recent developments in environmental biotechnology. Based on this overview, the possibilities of biotechnology for management of the environment are evaluated. In this program two kinds of research are distinguished. Applied research directly focusses on specific environmental problems. Fundamental research aims at developing...

Biotechnology 2000: a new German R&D programme

OpenAIRE

Ekkehard Warmuth

1991-01-01

Biotechnology 2000 is a German programme to continue the development of biotechnology started in 1982. It includes two new scientific fields for industrial innovation — genome research and neurobiology. Together with industry and the science community, the biotechnology programme will create a basis for future generations of biologically derived products and processes, including the development of safety precautions for the contained use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and of univers...

Biotechnology: reality or dream

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantinov Kosana

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The development of molecular biology and molecular genetics, especially of the recombinant DNA technology enabled improvement of experimental methods that provide manipulation within a cell-free system, such as cell and tissue cultures. Such methods resulted in the development of different new technologies with specific properties in relation to the conventional definitions. According to PERSLEY and lantin (2000 the following components are essential for the contemporary biotechnology: (i genomics - a molecular characterization of all genes and gene products of an organism (ii bioinformatics - the assembly of data from genomic analysis into accessible forms; (iii transformation - the introduction of genes controlling a trait of interest into a genome of a desired organism (micro organisms, plants, animal systems. By the application of cotemporary biotechnology new methods in the field of diagnostic are developed such as rapid and more accurate identification of the presence and absence of genes in the genome of the organism of interest (identification of pathogens prenatal diagnostics, molecular markers assisted breeding for plants, etc. The traits of an organism are determined by its genetic material, i.e. by a molecule of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA. watson and crick (1953 were the first scientists to describe the structure of DNA as a double-stranded helix. Higher organisms contain a set of linear DNA molecules - chromosomes and a full set of chromosomes of an organism is a genome. Each genome is divided into a series of functional units, i.e. genes. The traits of an organism depend on genes, but their expression depends not only on genes but also on many other factors, including whether a gene, controlling the trait, expresses, specific cells in which it expresses and specially the mode by which the gene and its product interact with the environment. A special aspect within the application of biotechnology occurs as an interaction of a

Biotechnology in maize breeding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mladenović-Drinić Snežana

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Maize is one of the most important economic crops and the best studied and most tractable genetic system among monocots. The development of biotechnology has led to a great increase in our knowledge of maize genetics and understanding of the structure and behaviour of maize genomes. Conventional breeding practices can now be complemented by a number of new and powerful techniques. Some of these often referred to as molecular methods, enable scientists to see the layout of the entire genome of any organism and to select plants with preferred characteristics by "reading" at the molecular level, saving precious time and resources. DNA markers have provided valuable tools in various analyses ranging from phylogenetic analysis to the positional cloning of genes. Application of molecular markers for genetic studies of maize include: assessment of genetic variability and characterization of germ plasm, identification and fingerprinting of genotypes, estimation of genetic distance, detection of monogamic and quantitative trait loci, marker assisted selection, identification of sequence of useful candidate genes, etc. The development of high-density molecular maps which has been facilitated by PCR-based markers, have made the mapping and tagging of almost any trait possible and serve as bases for marker assisted selection. Sequencing of maize genomes would help to elucidate gene function, gene regulation and their expression. Modern biotechnology also includes an array of tools for introducing or deieting a particular gene or genes to produce plants with novel traits. Development of informatics and biotechnology are resulted in bioinformatic as well as in expansion of microarrey technique. Modern biotechnologies could complement and improve the efficiency of traditional selection and breeding techniques to enhance agricultural productivity.

Cancer Biotechnology | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

Biotechnology advances continue to underscore the need to educate NCI fellows in new methodologies. The Cancer Biotechnology course will be held on the NCI-Frederick campus on January 29, 2016 (Bldg. 549, Main Auditorium) and the course will be repeated on the Bethesda campus on February 9, 2016 (Natcher Balcony C). The latest advances in DNA, protein and image analysis will

Perspectives on biotechnological applications of archaea

Science.gov (United States)

Schiraldi, Chiara; Giuliano, Mariateresa; De Rosa, Mario

2002-01-01

Many archaea colonize extreme environments. They include hyperthermophiles, sulfur-metabolizing thermophiles, extreme halophiles and methanogens. Because extremophilic microorganisms have unusual properties, they are a potentially valuable resource in the development of novel biotechnological processes. Despite extensive research, however, there are few existing industrial applications of either archaeal biomass or archaeal enzymes. This review summarizes current knowledge about the biotechnological uses of archaea and archaeal enzymes with special attention to potential applications that are the subject of current experimental evaluation. Topics covered include cultivation methods, recent achievements in genomics, which are of key importance for the development of new biotechnological tools, and the application of wild-type biomasses, engineered microorganisms, enzymes and specific metabolites in particular bioprocesses of industrial interest. PMID:15803645

Biotechnology bibliographies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beaudette, L.A.; McCready, R.G.L.

1986-01-01

This bibliography consists of articles and scientific papers on biotechnology in areas in which BIOMINET is currently involved. The reports are categorized in four areas: 1) acid mine drainage (coals and metals) and bioadsorption of metals; 2) solution mining; 3) metabolism and physiology of Thiobacillus and other microorganisms; and 4) bacterial leaching of metals.

A bibliometric assessment of ASEAN collaboration in plant biotechnology

KAUST Repository

Payumo, Jane

2015-04-03

This study draws on publication and citation data related to plant biotechnology from a 10-year (2004–2013) period to assess the research performance, impact, and collaboration of member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Plant biotechnology is one of the main areas of cooperation between ASEAN member states and among the research areas promoted to achieve regional food security and sustainable development. In general, findings indicate increased scientific output, influence, and overall collaboration of ASEAN countries in plant biotechnology over time. Research performance and collaboration (domestic, regional, and international) of the region in plant biotechnology are linked to the status of the economic development of each member country. Thailand produced the most publications of the ASEAN member states while Singapore had the highest influence as indicated by its citation activity in plant biotechnology among the ASEAN countries. Domestic and international collaborations on plant biotechnology are numerous. Regional collaboration or partnership among ASEAN countries was, however, was found to be very limited, which is a concern for the region’s goal of economic integration and science and technology cooperation. More studies using bibliometric data analysis need to be conducted to understand plant biotechnology cooperation and knowledge flows between ASEAN countries. © 2015 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary

Agricultural biotechnology research and development in Ethiopia ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ethiopia is an agrarian country that can have enormous benefit from the applications of biotechnology for increasing its agricultural productivity. The country is at initial stages of research and development in agricultural biotechnology with scattered efforts underway in various public institutions. Research efforts and ...

Proteomics: A Biotechnology Tool for Crop Improvement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moustafa eEldakak

2013-02-01

Full Text Available A sharp decline in the availability of arable land and sufficient supply of irrigation water along with a continuous steep increase in food demands have exerted a pressure on farmers to produce more with fewer resources. A viable solution to release this pressure is to speed up the plant breeding process by employing biotechnology in breeding programs. The majority of biotechnological applications rely on information generated from various -omic technologies. The latest outstanding improvements in proteomic platforms and many other but related advances in plant biotechnology techniques offer various new ways to encourage the usage of these technologies by plant scientists for crop improvement programs. A combinatorial approach of accelerated gene discovery through genomics, proteomics, and other associated -omic branches of biotechnology, as an applied approach, is proving to be an effective way to speed up the crop improvement programs worldwide. In the near future, swift improvements in -omic databases are becoming critical and demand immediate attention for the effective utilization of these techniques to produce next-generation crops for the progressive farmers. Here, we have reviewed the recent advances in proteomics, as tools of biotechnology, which are offering great promise and leading the path towards crop improvement for sustainable agriculture.

Industrial use of Biotechnology in Agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

But, S.J.

2006-01-01

In the past the biological research was restricted within the boundary of laboratories and the subsequent results were often employed merely to strengthen the research knowledge and information. In life sciences, the traditional methods took years in proving the biological facts. At the leg of last century, the practical application of biotechnology provided a powerful tool to mankind that has led to a revolutionary change in modern agriculture. In the present era, the economy of agro-based countries all over the world is dependent on the adaptation of the pattern of crop-production and their improvement through modern biotechnological means. Biotechnology is in fact the name of a combination of techniques involved to make the full use of living organisms, either in total or in part, for the benefit of plants, animals or human beings. Progressive and dynamic investors, associated with researches/scientists, should be encouraged to step forward for the mobilization of emerging trend of biotechnological industry in agriculture. Researcher/Scientists of biological programmes in Pakistan should be encouraged at Government level to come forward in contributing their tremendous role to boost Agr- industry in the country. (author)

A cylindrical specimen holder for electron cryo-tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmer, Colin M.; Löwe, Jan

2014-01-01

The use of slab-like flat specimens for electron cryo-tomography restricts the range of viewing angles that can be used. This leads to the “missing wedge” problem, which causes artefacts and anisotropic resolution in reconstructed tomograms. Cylindrical specimens provide a way to eliminate the problem, since they allow imaging from a full range of viewing angles around the tilt axis. Such specimens have been used before for tomography of radiation-insensitive samples at room temperature, but never for frozen-hydrated specimens. Here, we demonstrate the use of thin-walled carbon tubes as specimen holders, allowing the preparation of cylindrical frozen-hydrated samples of ribosomes, liposomes and whole bacterial cells. Images acquired from these cylinders have equal quality at all viewing angles, and the accessible tilt range is restricted only by the physical limits of the microscope. Tomographic reconstructions of these specimens demonstrate that the effects of the missing wedge are substantially reduced, and could be completely eliminated if a full tilt range was used. The overall quality of these tomograms is still lower than that obtained by existing methods, but improvements are likely in future. - Highlights: • The missing wedge is a serious problem for electron cryo-tomography. • Cylindrical specimens allow the missing wedge to be eliminated. • Carbon nanopipettes can be used as cylindrical holders for tomography of frozen-hydrated specimens. • Cryo-tomography of cylindrical biological samples demonstrates a reduction of deleterious effects associated with the missing wedge

Cleaning and sterilization in biotechnological clean system. Biotechnological clean system no senjo sakkin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inoue, M.

1994-02-20

Despite their usefulness for mankind, many of microorganisms are generally emphasized of the aspect of their harmfulness as decomposable and pathogenic microorganisms, apt to implant people with wrong preconception. Moreover, the food industries have a habitual practice that they leave unexpectedly unclean conditions unattended. This paper indicates such actual circumstances by quoting various examples, and introduces characteristics and test results on commercially available chemicals having excellent cleansing and sterilizing effects. High-pressure and high-temperature sterilization processes fit the purpose of preservation, but secondary contamination may occur in subsequent processing, for example, from the ceiling and walls of a work room, or operators' fingers. Problems exist there that should be considered in biotechnological clean systems. Technologies have been advanced that mix a small amount of chemicals into plastic sheets, wall materials, and floor materials so that their surfaces are kept away from growth of microorganisms for extended periods of time. About 300 kinds of chemicals have been developed, and are available commercially. 3 refs., 8 figs.

Design and construction of OGL-1 Specimen Transfer System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Kunio; Saruta, Tohru; Nabeya, Hideaki; Nakagaki, Shogo; Nishizaki, Tadashi.

1977-11-01

OGL-1 is the first high temperature gas in-pile loop in Japan, which is installed in JMTR of Oarai Research Establishment, JAERI. As the JMTR is the PWR type, specimens must be set in the loop with a remote control system ''OGL-1 Specimen Transfer System'' because of the needs for moisture prevention and radiation shielding. Described in this report are design philosophy, loop development, problems in construction, inspection and operation. (auth.)

Biotechnology of non-Saccharomyces yeasts-the basidiomycetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Eric A

2013-09-01

Yeasts are the major producer of biotechnology products worldwide, exceeding production in capacity and economic revenues of other groups of industrial microorganisms. Yeasts have wide-ranging fundamental and industrial importance in scientific, food, medical, and agricultural disciplines (Fig. 1). Saccharomyces is the most important genus of yeast from fundamental and applied perspectives and has been expansively studied. Non-Saccharomyces yeasts (non-conventional yeasts) including members of the Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes also have substantial current utility and potential applicability in biotechnology. In an earlier mini-review, "Biotechnology of non-Saccharomyces yeasts-the ascomycetes" (Johnson Appl Microb Biotechnol 97: 503-517, 2013), the extensive biotechnological utility and potential of ascomycetous yeasts are described. Ascomycetous yeasts are particularly important in food and ethanol formation, production of single-cell protein, feeds and fodder, heterologous production of proteins and enzymes, and as model and fundamental organisms for the delineation of genes and their function in mammalian and human metabolism and disease processes. In contrast, the roles of basidiomycetous yeasts in biotechnology have mainly been evaluated only in the past few decades and compared to the ascomycetous yeasts and currently have limited industrial utility. From a biotechnology perspective, the basidiomycetous yeasts are known mainly for the production of enzymes used in pharmaceutical and chemical synthesis, for production of certain classes of primary and secondary metabolites such as terpenoids and carotenoids, for aerobic catabolism of complex carbon sources, and for bioremediation of environmental pollutants and xenotoxicants. Notwithstanding, the basidiomycetous yeasts appear to have considerable potential in biotechnology owing to their catabolic utilities, formation of enzymes acting on recalcitrant substrates, and through the production of unique primary

The influence of specimen size on creep crack growth rate in cross-weld CT specimens cut out from a welded component

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, Peder; Segle, Peter; Samuelson, Lars Aa.

1999-04-01

A 3D finite element study of creep crack growth in cross-weld CT specimens with material properties of 2.25Cr1Mo at 550 deg C is carried out, where large strain and displacement theory is used. The creep crack growth rate is calculated using a creep ductility based damage model, in which the creep strain rate perpendicular to the crack plane ahead of the crack tip is integrated, considering the multiaxial stress state. The influence of specimen size on creep crack growth rate under constant load is given special attention, but the possibility to transfer results from cross-weld CT specimens to welded high temperature components is also investigated. The creep crack growth rate of a crack in a circumferentially welded pipe is compared with the creep crack growth rate of cross-weld CT specimens of three different sizes, cut out from the pipe. Although the constraint ahead of the crack tip is higher for a larger CT specimen, the creep crack growth rate is higher for a smaller specimen than for a larger one if they are loaded to attain the same stress intensity factor. If the specimens are loaded to the same C* value, however, a more complicated pattern occurs; depending on the material properties of the weldment constituents, the CT specimen with the intermediate size will either yield the highest or the lowest creep crack growth rate

Measuring the Contribution of Modern Biotechnology to the Canadian Economy

OpenAIRE

Ricardo de Avillez

2011-01-01

The role of modern biotechnology in agriculture, medicine, and industry has increased dramatically since the 1970s. Despite its growing importance, few efforts have been made so far to estimate the economic contribution of modern biotechnology to the Canadian economy. This report provides an overview of biotechnology activities in Canada, and, using an income-based approach, estimates that biotechnology activities accounted for approximately $15 billion in 2005, equivalent to 1.19 per cent of...

Contribution to the explanation of the spalling of small specimen without any mechanical restraint exposed to high temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morais, Marcus V.G. de; Pliya, Prosper; Noumowe, Albert; Beaucour, Anne-Lise; Ortola, Sophie

2010-01-01

The behaviour of concrete subjected to high temperature is studied. The aim of the study is to explain the spalling or bursting phenomenon observed during experimental studies in the laboratory. Mechanical computations are carried out with the finite element code CAST3M developed at the French Atomic Energy Agency (CEA). Heat gradient and water vapour pressure inside the concrete element are determined by using a thermo-hydrous model. Then, the mechanical stresses generated in the studied concrete element are calculated according to two behaviour assumptions: the linear isotropic elastic law and an elastoplastic model. Numerical simulations show that, during the heating cycles, tension stresses are developed in the central part and compression stresses at the surface of the cylindrical concrete element. The highest stresses appear when the surface temperature of the concrete element is about 300 o C. The tension stresses in the specimens then exceed the concrete tensile strength.

BIOTECHNOLOGY BIOPRODUCTS "HEALING-1"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. I. Artiukhova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Summary. The article presents data on the development of technology and qualitative research, bio-products «Healing-1». One of the promising directions in food biotechnology is the development of new integrated starter-based consortia of microorganisms, which have higher activity compared with cultures prepared using pure cultures. So it was interesting studies on the development of new biotechnology and bio-based microbial consortium of lactic acid bacteria. Based on the analysis of biotechnological properties of native cultures created a new consortium of microorganisms containing lactic acid streptococci and bacilli, allowing the maximum extent possible to implement the physiological, biochemical and technological potential of microorganisms. Scientifically substantiated and experimentally developed a new biotechnology production of bioproducts «Healing-1», obtained on the basis of microbial consortium with broad spectrum antimicrobial activity. Experimentally investigated quality parameters of organic food «Healing-1» using a new microbial consortium as freshly prepared and during storage. Found that antagonistic activity of microflora bio «Healing-1» with respect to pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic bacteria, as well as its resistance to substances in the gastrointestinal tract of man is more pronounced compared to bioproducts obtained using a separate starter, members of the microbial consortium. It should be noted a more pronounced synthesis of exopolysaccharides in bioproduct «Healing-1», which leads to increased viscosity of the system and improves the consistency of bio. New bioproducts have good organoleptic characteristics and contain a high number of viable cells of lactic acid bacteria. High stability and survival of lactic acid bacteria during storage. In the study of attacked proteins bioproducts digestive proteinases «in vitro» found that the fermentation of milk microbial consortium increases the digestibility

Biotechnology: Health care, agriculture, industry, environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sikyta, B; Pavlasova, E; Stejskalova, E

1986-01-01

New developments in different branches of biotechnology are discussed. The production of peptide hormones, new interferons and other lymphokines by the microbial and cell cultures, and new enzyme inhibitors of microbial origin are the most important for health care and pharmacy. The main direction in research in the agriculture represents the development of the new, very effective methods of nitrogen fixation and the production of animal growth hormones by gene manipulated microorganisms. One of the most important field of application of biotechnology is the chemical industry, c.f. microbial production of polymers and biotransformation of compounds previously produced by chemical methods (acrylamide, adipic acid, naphthalene conversion, etc.). Several novel methods of degradation of the cellulosic materials are mentioned and exploitation of biotechnology in environmental protection is also discussed.

Undergraduate Biotechnology Students' Views of Science Communication

Science.gov (United States)

Edmondston, Joanne Elisabeth; Dawson, Vaille; Schibeci, Renato

2010-01-01

Despite rapid growth of the biotechnology industry worldwide, a number of public concerns about the application of biotechnology and its regulation remain. In response to these concerns, greater emphasis has been placed on promoting biotechnologists' public engagement. As tertiary science degree programmes form the foundation of the biotechnology…

Myceliophthora thermophila syn. Sporotrichum thermophile: a thermophilic mould of biotechnological potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Bijender

2016-01-01

Myceliophthora thermophila syn. Sporotrichum thermophile is a ubiquitous thermophilic mould with a strong ability to degrade organic matter during optimal growth at 45 °C. Both genome analysis and experimental data have suggested that the mould is capable of hydrolyzing all major polysaccharides found in biomass. The mould is able to secrete a large number of hydrolytic enzymes (cellulases, laccases, xylanases, pectinases, lipases, phytases and some other miscellaneous enzymes) employed in various biotechnological applications. Characterization of the biomass-hydrolyzing activity of wild and recombinant enzymes suggests that this mould is highly efficient in biomass decomposition at both moderate and high temperatures. The native enzymes produced by the mould are more efficient in activity than their mesophilic counterparts beside their low enzyme titers. The mould is able to synthesize various biomolecules, which are used in multifarious applications. Genome sequence data of M. thermophila also supported the physiological data. This review describes the biotechnological potential of thermophilic mould, M. thermophila supported by genomic and experimental evidences.

Electron shuttles in biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Kazuya; Manefield, Mike; Lee, Matthew; Kouzuma, Atsushi

2009-12-01

Electron-shuttling compounds (electron shuttles [ESs], or redox mediators) are essential components in intracellular electron transfer, while microbes also utilize self-produced and naturally present ESs for extracellular electron transfer. These compounds assist in microbial energy metabolism by facilitating electron transfer between microbes, from electron-donating substances to microbes, and/or from microbes to electron-accepting substances. Artificially supplemented ESs can create new routes of electron flow in the microbial energy metabolism, thereby opening up new possibilities for the application of microbes to biotechnology processes. Typical examples of such processes include halogenated-organics bioremediation, azo-dye decolorization, and microbial fuel cells. Herein we suggest that ESs can be applied widely to create new microbial biotechnology processes.

Biotechnology opportunities on Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Deming, Jess; Henderson, Keith; Phillips, Robert W.; Dickey, Bernistine; Grounds, Phyllis

1987-01-01

Biotechnology applications which could be implemented on the Space Station are examined. The advances possible in biotechnology due to the favorable microgravity environment are discussed. The objectives of the Space Station Life Sciences Program are: (1) the study of human diseases, (2) biopolymer processing, and (3) the development of cryoprocessing and cryopreservation methods. The use of the microgravity environment for crystal growth, cell culturing, and the separation of biological materials is considered. The proposed Space Station research could provide benefits to the fields of medicine, pharmaceuticals, genetics, agriculture, and industrial waste management.

Biotechnology Education and the Internet. ERIC Digest.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Thomas

The world of modern biotechnology is based on recent developments in molecular biology, especially those in genetic engineering. Since this is a relatively new and rapidly advancing field of study, there are few traditional sources of information and activities. This digest highlights biotechnology resources including those that can be found on…

Oil and biotechnology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yasui, Yoshiaki

1988-06-01

The secondary oil recovery due to microorganisms and the production of useful substances from oil distillates using microorganisms are described as examples to solidify the relationship between oil and biotechnology. The secondary crude-oil recovery has been carried out due to the microorganism drive process, which includes the on-the-ground and underground processes. Although the microorganism drive process has been investigated for many years, the selection of the microorganisms is not completely established. Many uncertainties still remain regarding the technical and economic aspects. The single cell protein (SCP) is an example of industrial success in the production of useful substances from the oil. Rumania has produced SCP from normal paraffin and the U. K. from the methanol and the products are used as the protein source for animals. Remarkable progress in the functional efficiency of microorganisms is expected due to the biotechnology for both applications. (4 tabs)

Fossil energy biotechnology: A research needs assessment. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-11-01

The Office of Program Analysis of the US Department of Energy commissioned this study to evaluate and prioritize research needs in fossil energy biotechnology. The objectives were to identify research initiatives in biotechnology that offer timely and strategic options for the more efficient and effective uses of the Nation`s fossil resource base, particularly the early identification of new and novel applications of biotechnology for the use or conversion of domestic fossil fuels. Fossil energy biotechnology consists of a number of diverse and distinct technologies, all related by the common denominator -- biocatalysis. The expert panel organized 14 technical subjects into three interrelated biotechnology programs: (1) upgrading the fuel value of fossil fuels; (2) bioconversion of fossil feedstocks and refined products to added value chemicals; and, (3) the development of environmental management strategies to minimize and mitigate the release of toxic and hazardous petrochemical wastes.

Influence of specimen size/type on the fracture toughness of five irradiated RPV materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokolov, Mikhail A; Lucon, Enrico

2015-01-01

The Heavy-Section Steel Irradiation (HSSI) Program had previously irradiated five reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels/welds at fast neutron fluxes of about 4 to 8 x 10 11 n/cm 2 /s (>1 MeV) to fluences from 0.5 to 3.4 10 19 n/cm 2 and at 288 °C. The unirradiated fracture toughness tests were performed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory with 12.7-mm and 25.4-mm thick (0.5T and 1T) compact specimens, while the HSSI Program provided tensile and 5 x 10-mm three-point bend specimens to SCK-CEN for irradiation in the in-pile section of the Belgian Reactor BR2 at fluxes > 10 13 n/cm 2 /s and subsequent testing by SCK-CEN. The BR2 irradiations were conducted at about 2 and 4 x 10 13 n/cm 2 /s with irradiation temperature between 295 °C and 300 °C (water temperature), and to fluences between 6 and 10 x 10 19 n/cm 2 . The irradiation-induced shifts of the Master Curve reference temperatures, ΔT 0 , for most of the materials deviated from the embrittlement correlations much more than expected, motivating the testing of 5 x 10-mm three-point bend specimens of all five materials in the unirradiated condition to eliminate specimen size and geometry as a variable. Tests of the unirradiated small bend specimens resulted in Master Curve reference temperatures, ΔT 0 , 25 °C to 53 °C lower than those from the larger compact specimens, meaning that the irradiation-induced reference temperature shifts, ΔT 0 , were larger than the initial measurements, resulting in much improved agreement between the measured and predicted fracture toughness shifts.

The role of biotechnology in combating climate change

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aerni, Philipp; Gagalac, Florabelle; Scholderer, Joachim

2016-01-01

on biotechnology and climate change was conducted with 55 representatives of 44 institutions. The results of a perception pattern analysis show that the majority of stakeholder representatives had a neutral or positive attitude towards the use of biotechnology and regarded its potential to address climate change...... problems as significant. The survey results further reveal a significant relationship between a representative’s institutional and disciplinary background and his or her attitude. The respective background appears to determine to a considerable extent whether biotechnology is framed as a risk...

Biotechnology issues in four Malaysian mainstream newspapers

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Jane

2011-09-30

Sep 30, 2011 ... Biotechnology has been identified as the new engine of growth for the transformation of Malaysia into a developed nation by 2020. The objective of this paper is to analyze the impact of National Policy on biotechnology on media reporting in four Malaysian newspapers. Towards this end, a content analysis.

Biotechnology issues in four Malaysian mainstream newspapers ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Biotechnology has been identified as the new engine of growth for the transformation of Malaysia into a developed nation by 2020. The objective of this paper is to analyze the impact of National Policy on biotechnology on media reporting in four Malaysian newspapers. Towards this end, a content analysis of four Malaysian ...

[Health risks in the biotechnological industry].

Science.gov (United States)

Colombi, A; Maroni, M; Foà, V

1989-01-01

Biotechnology has been defined as the application of biological organisms, systems or processes to manufacturing and service industries. In considering health aspects of biotechnological development it must be underlined that the use of microorganisms in traditional industries, such as the production of food, bread, beer and dairy products, has not added significantly to the more usual industrial hazards. The risk factors encountered in the biotechnology industry can be defined as general, i.e., common to other industrial activities, and specific, i.e., depending on the presence of microorganisms and/or their metabolic products. The specific health risks vary according to the type of process, but can be grouped into three main categories: immunological diseases, toxic effects; pathological effects of microorganisms. Allergic immunological diseases such as bronchial asthma, contact dermatitis, oculo-rhinitis and extrinsic allergic alveolitis are by far the most frequent and well known diseases occurring among workers employed on biotechnological production. Toxic effects were observed among workers employed on the production of antibiotics and hormones or single cell proteins, where absorption of endotoxins has been described. Infectious diseases may arise from uncontrolled dissemination of pathogenic microorganisms through aerosols, dusts, aqueous and semisolid sludge effluents from biotechnological plants. The greatest risks occur in the production of antiviral vaccines, in research laboratories and in waste-water treatment plants. Risk of pathogenic effects has also been speculated from exposure to engineered microorganisms in laboratory and environmental or agricultural applications. Safety precautions consisting of protective measures, and effective barriers of containment (both physical and biological) have to be advised according to the hazardous characteristics of the organisms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Biotechnology for site restoration: scope of the problem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bitchaeva, O

1996-09-18

The potential of modern biotechnology for solving problems related with the nuclear industry, especially site restoration, are investigated. The advantages of biotechnology, the current applications in Russia, main points of international collaboration, and political considerations are discussed.

How can developing countries harness biotechnology to improve health?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Persad Deepa L

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The benefits of genomics and biotechnology are concentrated primarily in the industrialized world, while their potential to combat neglected diseases in the developing world has been largely untapped. Without building developing world biotechnology capacity to address local health needs, this disparity will only intensify. To assess the potential of genomics to address health needs in the developing world, the McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health, along with local partners, organized five courses on Genomics and Public Health Policy in the developing world. The overall objective of the courses was to collectively explore how to best harness genomics to improve health in each region. This article presents and analyzes the recommendations from all five courses. Discussion In this paper we analyze recommendations from 232 developing world experts from 58 countries who sought to answer how best to harness biotechnology to improve health in their regions. We divide their recommendations into four categories: science; finance; ethics, society and culture; and politics. Summary The Courses' recommendations can be summarized across the four categories listed above: Science - Collaborate through national, regional, and international networks - Survey and build capacity based on proven models through education, training, and needs assessments Finance - Develop regulatory and intellectual property frameworks for commercialization of biotechnology - Enhance funding and affordability of biotechnology - Improve the academic-industry interface and the role of small and medium enterprise Ethics, Society, Culture - Develop public engagement strategies to inform and educate the public about developments in genomics and biotechnology - Develop capacity to address ethical, social and cultural issues - Improve accessibility and equity Politics - Strengthen understanding, leadership and support at the political level for biotechnology

Biotechnology for the extractive metals industries

Science.gov (United States)

Brierley, James A.

1990-01-01

Biotechnology is an alternative process for the extraction of metals, the beneficiation of ores, and the recovery of metals from aqueous systems. Currently, microbial-based processes are used for leaching copper and uranium, enhancing the recovery of gold from refractory ores, and treating industrial wastewater to recover metal values. Future developments, emanating from fundamental and applied research and advances through genetic engineering, are expected to increase the use and efficiency of these biotechnological processes.

Biotechnology and species development in aquaculture | Ayoola ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The use of biotechnology in various aspects of human endeavour have obviously created a great impact but not without some risks. Not withstanding, there is still the need for its adoption as more of the already adopted biotechnologies are being improved upon with lesser demerits. Aquaculture is not also left out in the ...

Advancement of Marketing Developing Biotechnology-Based Business

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vaidas Vilmantas

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The article, in a complex way, analyzes the needs of marketing improvement in developing biotechnology­based business and highlights its role in the context of modern society and globalization challenges. The article distinguishes between the existing problems of biotechnology business, the present perspectives and specific characteristics of developing the marketing of biotechnological business. The paper represents the possibility of the substantial modernization of marketing tools with regard to modelling user’s behaviour, improvement in marketing strategy for the company, the correction of the elements of the marketing complex, changes in the marketing conception inside the company, product and service differentiation and renewal, the encouragement of expansion into other markets, variations in or the expansion of the target market, alternatives to the positioning strategy for the company, an increase in competitive ability and an internal impact of marketing on the varying elements. The article has referred to the analysis of scientific literature and research on the opinions of consumers and experts in the field in the context of biotechnology­based businesses.

Introduction to Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Volume 1; Basic techniques and concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Bhatia, Saurabh; Goli, Divakar

2018-05-01

Animal biotechnology is a broad field including polarities of fundamental and applied research, as well as DNA science, covering key topics of DNA studies and its recent applications. In Introduction to Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, DNA isolation procedures followed by molecular markers and screening methods of the genomic library are explained. Interesting areas like isolation, sequencing and synthesis of genes, with the broader coverage on synthesis of genes, are also described. The book begins with an introduction to biotechnology and its main branches, explaining both the basic science and the applications of biotechnology-derived pharmaceuticals, with special emphasis on their clinical use. It then moves on to historical development and scope of biotechnology with an overall review of early applications that scientists employed long before the field was defined.

Microbial biotechnology and circular economy in wastewater treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Per Halkjaer

2017-09-01

Microbial biotechnology is essential for the development of circular economy in wastewater treatment by integrating energy production and resource recovery into the production of clean water. A comprehensive knowledge about identity, physiology, ecology, and population dynamics of process-critical microorganisms will improve process stability, reduce CO2 footprints, optimize recovery and bioenergy production, and help finding new approaches and solutions. Examples of research needs and perspectives are provided, demonstrating the great importance of microbial biotechnology. © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Yeast biotechnology: teaching the old dog new tricks.

Science.gov (United States)

Mattanovich, Diethard; Sauer, Michael; Gasser, Brigitte

2014-03-06

Yeasts are regarded as the first microorganisms used by humans to process food and alcoholic beverages. The technology developed out of these ancient processes has been the basis for modern industrial biotechnology. Yeast biotechnology has gained great interest again in the last decades. Joining the potentials of genomics, metabolic engineering, systems and synthetic biology enables the production of numerous valuable products of primary and secondary metabolism, technical enzymes and biopharmaceutical proteins. An overview of emerging and established substrates and products of yeast biotechnology is provided and discussed in the light of the recent literature.

White House Announcement on the Regulation of Biotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

The White House posted a blog unveiling documents as part of the Administration’s continuing effort to modernize the federal regulatory system for biotechnology products as well as clarify various roles of the EPA, FDA in evaluating new biotechnologies.

Biotechnological Aspects of Microbial Extracellular Electron Transfer

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Souichiro

2015-01-01

Extracellular electron transfer (EET) is a type of microbial respiration that enables electron transfer between microbial cells and extracellular solid materials, including naturally-occurring metal compounds and artificial electrodes. Microorganisms harboring EET abilities have received considerable attention for their various biotechnological applications, in addition to their contribution to global energy and material cycles. In this review, current knowledge on microbial EET and its application to diverse biotechnologies, including the bioremediation of toxic metals, recovery of useful metals, biocorrosion, and microbial electrochemical systems (microbial fuel cells and microbial electrosynthesis), were introduced. Two potential biotechnologies based on microbial EET, namely the electrochemical control of microbial metabolism and electrochemical stimulation of microbial symbiotic reactions (electric syntrophy), were also discussed. PMID:26004795

Contribution to the explanation of the spalling of small specimen without any mechanical restraint exposed to high temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morais, Marcus V.G. de, E-mail: mvmorais@unb.b [Cergy-Pontoise University - L2MGC, 5 mail Gay-Lussac Neuville sur Oise, 95031 Cergy-Pontoise Cedex (France); Pliya, Prosper [Cergy-Pontoise University - L2MGC, 5 mail Gay-Lussac Neuville sur Oise, 95031 Cergy-Pontoise Cedex (France); Noumowe, Albert, E-mail: Albert.Noumowe@u-cergy.f [Cergy-Pontoise University - L2MGC, 5 mail Gay-Lussac Neuville sur Oise, 95031 Cergy-Pontoise Cedex (France); Beaucour, Anne-Lise; Ortola, Sophie [Cergy-Pontoise University - L2MGC, 5 mail Gay-Lussac Neuville sur Oise, 95031 Cergy-Pontoise Cedex (France)

2010-10-15

The behaviour of concrete subjected to high temperature is studied. The aim of the study is to explain the spalling or bursting phenomenon observed during experimental studies in the laboratory. Mechanical computations are carried out with the finite element code CAST3M developed at the French Atomic Energy Agency (CEA). Heat gradient and water vapour pressure inside the concrete element are determined by using a thermo-hydrous model. Then, the mechanical stresses generated in the studied concrete element are calculated according to two behaviour assumptions: the linear isotropic elastic law and an elastoplastic model. Numerical simulations show that, during the heating cycles, tension stresses are developed in the central part and compression stresses at the surface of the cylindrical concrete element. The highest stresses appear when the surface temperature of the concrete element is about 300 {sup o}C. The tension stresses in the specimens then exceed the concrete tensile strength.

MPACT OF GENETIC BIOTECHNOLOGIES ON BIOSECURITY AND FOOD SAFETY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NICA-BADEA DELIA

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Biosecurity is a relatively new area global, being promoted by the significant results, particularly in the last 20 years, fundamental and applied research. Biotechnology is a collection of techniques that can be used in the agro-food, medical and industrial. The paper examines the potential impact of transgenic biotechnology, vulnerabilities, implications, benefits and risks, quality of life and health. Introduction into the environment, cross-border trade and use of GMOs resulting from modern biotechnology can untoward effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, food security and safety. It is openly acknowledged that modern biotechnology has great potential to promote human welfare, in particular, to overcome the critical needs in food, agriculture and human health. Establish appropriate safety measures when using genetically modified organisms (biosecurity policy, regulatory regime, scientific and technical measures is a highly sensitive process, aiming both to maximize the benefits of modern biotechnology and to minimize potential risk

Environmental Biotechnology in China

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shuang Jiang; Liu, Lei; Chaudhry, Muhammad Tausif; Wang, Lei; Chen, Ying Guang; Zhou, Qi; Liu, He; Chen, Jian

Environmental biotechnology has emerged as an important measure to tackle the environmental pollution as China experiences great economic success. Over the past decade, much emphasis has been paid to the following fields in environmental biotechnology: microbial degradation of toxic and organic chemicals, bio-treatment of wastewater, waste recycling. The Chinese researchers have done a lot of work to understand the natural degradation processes for organic and toxic compounds and finally to clean these compounds from polluted environments. For the treatment of wastewater, many new processes were proposed and optimized to meet the more strict effluent standards in China. Finally, more and more attention has been paid to the reuse of discharged wastes. In this chapter we review the development in the above fields.

Preliminary investigation of candidate specimens for the Egyptian environmental specimen bank

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shawky, S.; Amer, H.; Schladot, J.D.; Ostapczuk, P.; Emons, H.; Abou El-Nour, F.

2000-01-01

In the frame of establishing an environmental monitoring program related to environmental specimen banking in egypt, some candidate specimens from the aquatic environment (Fish muscle, fish liver; mussels) were investigated. The selection of specimens and sampling sites is described. Specimens are chemically characterised with respect to some major and trace elements and the results are compared with data obtained from comparable specimens collected in aquatic ecosystems of germany

Field study of dried blood spot specimens for HIV-1 drug resistance genotyping.

Science.gov (United States)

Parry, C M; Parkin, N; Diallo, K; Mwebaza, S; Batamwita, R; DeVos, J; Bbosa, N; Lyagoba, F; Magambo, B; Jordan, M R; Downing, R; Zhang, G; Kaleebu, P; Yang, C; Bertagnolio, S

2014-08-01

Dried blood spots (DBS) are an alternative specimen type for HIV drug resistance genotyping in resource-limited settings. Data relating to the impact of DBS storage and shipment conditions on genotyping efficiency under field conditions are limited. We compared the genotyping efficiencies and resistance profiles of DBS stored and shipped at different temperatures to those of plasma specimens collected in parallel from patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in Uganda. Plasma and four DBS cards from anti-coagulated venous blood and a fifth card from finger-prick blood were prepared from 103 HIV patients with a median viral load (VL) of 57,062 copies/ml (range, 1,081 to 2,964,191). DBS were stored at ambient temperature for 2 or 4 weeks or frozen at -80 °C and shipped from Uganda to the United States at ambient temperature or frozen on dry ice for genotyping using a broadly sensitive in-house method. Plasma (97.1%) and DBS (98.1%) stored and shipped frozen had similar genotyping efficiencies. DBS stored frozen (97.1%) or at ambient temperature for 2 weeks (93.2%) and shipped at ambient temperature also had similar genotyping efficiencies. Genotyping efficiency was reduced for DBS stored at ambient temperature for 4 weeks (89.3%, P = 0.03) or prepared from finger-prick blood and stored at ambient temperature for 2 weeks (77.7%, P blood and handled similarly. Resistance profiles were similar between plasma and DBS specimens. This report delineates the optimal DBS collection, storage, and shipping conditions and opens a new avenue for cost-saving ambient-temperature DBS specimen shipments for HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) surveillances in resource-limited settings. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

International Trade in Biotechnology Products and Strategic Mandatory Labelling

OpenAIRE

Jinji, Naoto

2003-01-01

This paper examines strategic motives to impose mandatory labelling of biotechnology products when consumers perceive these products as being of lower quality. When a foreign dominant firm produces a biotechnology product, it is shown that without mandatory labelling fringe firms, which produce a conventional product, provide voluntary labelling as long as voluntary labelling is fully credible. Information on which product is biotechnologically engineered is hence completely disclosed without...

Applications of Novel Techniques to Health Foods, Medical and Agricultural Biotechnology

OpenAIRE

Baianu, I. C.; Lozano, P. R.; Prisecaru, V. I.; Lin, H. C.

2004-01-01

Selected applications of novel techniques in Agricultural Biotechnology, Health Food formulations and Medical Biotechnology are being reviewed with the aim of unraveling future developments and policy changes that are likely to open new niches for Biotechnology and prevent the shrinking or closing the existing ones. Amongst the selected novel techniques with applications to both Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology are: immobilized bacterial cells and enzymes, microencapsulation and liposom...

Feeding the world with induced mutations and biotechnology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohan Jain, S.

2002-01-01

The paper discussed the following subjects: biotechnology - somaclonal variation, somatic embryogenesis, somatic cell hybridization; induced mutations - in banana, ornamental plants; in vitro mutagenesis; T-DNA insertional mutagenesis. Suggestions for improving biotechnology in the developing countries also presented in the paper

Nigerian Journal of Biotechnology

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nigerian Journal of Biotechnology is a publisher of multidisciplinary ... Assessment of microalgae-influenced biodeterioration of concrete structures · EMAIL FREE ... A study on 3-mercaptopyruvate sulphurtransferase (3-MST) produced under ...

Opportunities in biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Gartland, Kevan M A; Gartland, Jill S

2018-06-08

Strategies for biotechnology must take account of opportunities for research, innovation and business growth. At a regional level, public-private collaborations provide potential for such growth and the creation of centres of excellence. By considering recent progress in areas such as genomics, healthcare diagnostics, synthetic biology, gene editing and bio-digital technologies, opportunities for smart, strategic and specialised investment are discussed. These opportunities often involve convergent or disruptive technologies, combining for example elements of pharma-science, molecular biology, bioinformatics and novel device development to enhance biotechnology and the life sciences. Analytical applications use novel devices in mobile health, predictive diagnostics and stratified medicine. Synthetic biology provides opportunities for new product development and increased efficiency for existing processes. Successful centres of excellence should promote public-private business partnerships, clustering and global collaborations based on excellence, smart strategies and innovation if they are to remain sustainable in the longer term. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Biotechnology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

The guidelines of the Biotechnology Program are research and development aiming to develop and manufacture products of pharmaceutical interest. This Program has two main research areas, namely Pituitary Hormones and Biopharmaceuticals. The first one comprises a group with a long experience on Recombinant Human Pituitary Hormone synthesis, purification and characterization. The Biopharmaceutical area is dedicated to the research of isolation, structural analysis and biological activities in different biological system of macromolecules. The Animal Laboratory Division of IPEN is responsible for the breeding and production of small laboratory animal.

Biotechnology of marine fungi

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Damare, S.R.; Singh, P.; Raghukumar, S.

Filamentous fungi are the most widely used eukaryotes in industrial and pharmaceutical applications. Their biotechnological uses include the production of enzymes, vitamins, polysaccharides, pigments, lipids and others. Marine fungi are a still...

Ethical limitations in patenting biotechnological inventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lugagnani, V

1999-01-01

In order to connect ethical considerations with practical limits to patentability, the moral judgement should possibly move from the exploitation of the invention to the nature and/or objectives of Research and Development (R&D) projects which have produced it: in other words, it appears quite reasonable and logical that Society is not rewarding unethical R&D activities by granting intellectual property rights. As far as biotechnology R&D is concerned, ethical guidance can be derived from the 1996 Council of EuropeOs OConvention for the protection of human rights and dignity of the human being with regard to the application of biology and medicineO, whose Chapter V - Scientific research - provides guidelines on: i. protection of persons undergoing research (e.g. informed consent); ii. protection of persons not able to consent to research; iii. research on embryos in vitro. As far as the specific point of patenting biotechnology inventions is concerned, the four exclusions prescribed by Directive 98/44/EC (i.e. human cloning, human germ-line gene therapy, use of human embryos for commercial purposes, unjustified animal suffering for medical purposes) are all we have in Europe in terms of ethical guidance to patentability. In Italy, in particular, we certainly need far more comprehensive legislation, expressing SocietyOs demand to provide ethical control of modern biotechnology. However it is quite difficult to claim that ethical concerns are being raised by currently awarded biotechnology patents related to living organisms and material thereof; they largely deal with the results of genomic R&D, purposely and usefully oriented toward improving health-care and agri-food processes, products and services. ONo patents on lifeOO can be an appealing slogan of militants against modern biotechnology, but it is far too much of an over-simplified abstraction to become the Eleventh Commandment our Society.

Sectoral Innovation Watch Biotechnology Sector. Final sector report

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Enzing, C.

2011-01-01

Biotechnology has evolved from a single set of technologies in the mid 1970s into a full grown technological field that is the driving force in innovation processes in many industrial sectors (pharmaceutical, medical, agriculture, food, chemical, environment, instruments). Nowadays, biotechnology is

Development of reconstitution method for surveillance specimens using surface activated joining

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakamura, Terumi; Kaihara, Shoichiro; Yoshida, Kazuo; Sato, Akira [Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Onizawa, Kunio; Nishiyama, Yutaka; Fukaya, Kiyoshi; Suzuki, Masahide

1996-03-01

Evaluation of embrittlement of reactor vessel steel due to irradiation requires surveillance tests. However, many surveillance specimens are necessary for nuclear plants life extension. Therefore, a specimen reconstitution technique has become important to provide the many specimens for continued surveillance. A surface activated joining (SAJ) method has been developed to join various materials together at low temperatures with little deformation, and is useful to bond irradiated specimens. To assess the validity of this method, Charpy impact tests were carried out, and the characteristics caused by heating during joining were measured. The test results showed the Charpy impact values were almost the same as base materials, and surface activated joining reduced heat affected zone to less than 2 mm. (author).

BIOFAC-An investment in space infrastructure for biotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

Deuser, Mark S.; Vellinger, John C.

2000-01-01

During the last half century, biotechnology has contributed to the development of many important new and useful products that have improved our quality of life. To a large extent, these contributions are attributable to advances in cellular and molecular biology that can be traced to the discovery of DNA. What began as a science involved with manipulations of whole organisms has transcended into an ability to influence organisms at the cellular and molecular levels with greater speed, flexibility and precision than ever before. This has produced significantly improved pharmaceutical, textile, diagnostic, and environmental products, to name just a few. Early in this new century, biotechnology research is expected to literally explode with exciting new and promising opportunities. More importantly, biotechnology research in the low gravity environment of space is expected to play a significant part in this biotechnology revolution by expediting the discovery of important new medical, agricultural and environmental products. .

The role of plant biotechnology methods in sustainable agriculture

OpenAIRE

Koleva Gudeva, Liljana; Trajkova, Fidanka

2016-01-01

Plant biotechnology is set of different scientific approaches and methods that are utilized to improve and modify plants for human and environmental benefit. Plant biotechnology can be used to meet the increasing need for food by improving yields, improving the nutritional quality of crops and recuing the impact on the environment. Plant biotechnology can assist to creation of varieties resistant to frost, droughts and floods, pests and disease, and other abiotic and biotic stresses. Similarl...

Current and Future Leaders' Perceptions of Agricultural Biotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

Wingenbach, Gary J.; Miller, Rene P.

2009-01-01

Were elected state FFA officers' attitudes toward agricultural biotechnology significantly different from elected Texas legislators' attitudes about the same topic? The purpose of this study was to determine if differences existed in agricultural biotechnology perceptions or information source preferences when compared by leadership status:…

Perceptions and attitudes of geography teachers to biotechnology: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-12-03

Dec 3, 2008 ... perceptions of geography teachers towards biotechnology and GM foods but also provided an ... Key words: Biotechnology, GM foods, perceptions, attitudes, geography education, Turkey. ..... Brazilian high school students.

Yeast biotechnology: teaching the old dog new tricks

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Yeasts are regarded as the first microorganisms used by humans to process food and alcoholic beverages. The technology developed out of these ancient processes has been the basis for modern industrial biotechnology. Yeast biotechnology has gained great interest again in the last decades. Joining the potentials of genomics, metabolic engineering, systems and synthetic biology enables the production of numerous valuable products of primary and secondary metabolism, technical enzymes and biopharmaceutical proteins. An overview of emerging and established substrates and products of yeast biotechnology is provided and discussed in the light of the recent literature. PMID:24602262

The impact of plant biotechnology on food allergy.

Science.gov (United States)

Herman, Eliot M; Burks, A Wesley

2011-04-01

Concerns about food allergy and its societal growth are intertwined with the growing advances in plant biotechnology. The knowledge of plant genes and protein structures provides the key foundation to understanding biochemical processes that produce food allergy. Biotechnology offers the prospect of producing low-allergen or allergen null plants that could mitigate the allergic response. Modified low-IgE binding variants of allergens could be used as a vaccine to build immunotolerance in sensitive individuals. The potential to introduce new allergens into the food supply by biotechnology products is a regulatory concern. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Applications of radiations, radioisotopes and nuclear techniques in biotechnology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatia, C.R.

1994-01-01

Applications of radiations, radioisotopes and other nuclear techniques has contributed a great deal in our understanding of microbial plant and animal biochemistry and molecular biology. Electron microscopy has provided visual evidence for molecular events. Developments in cell tissue culture of both plants and animals and immunology have contributed to advances in what we now refer as biotechnology. This paper focuses on the applications in the high-tech end of biotechnology, limited to the use of recombinant-DNA techniques. Molecular identification of the genes, their cloning and horizontal transfer across the species of microbes, plants and animals and expression of the transferred genes is the major strength of modern biotechnology. The techniques described in this paper have played a significant role in the development of biotechnology. 6 refs

Biotechnology--Biotechnical Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruggles, Stanford

1990-01-01

The perspective of biotechnology and its development in the K-12 technology education curriculum are described. The content curriculum development and implications for activities are discussed. The difference between a curriculum focused on the activities of industry compared to one that addresses technology as it pervades all human endeavors is…

[Biotechnological aspects in "loco" larvae].

Science.gov (United States)

Inestrosa, N C; Labarca, R; Perelman, A; Campos, E O; Araneda, R; González, M; Brandan, E; Sánchez, J P; González-Plaza, R

1990-10-01

The biology of planktotrophic larvae of Concholepas concholepas is the main bottleneck towards developing biotechnologies to rear this muricid. Data concerning planktonic larvae development, diets and environmental signals triggering larval settlement and recruitment is scarce. We have begun the study of the molecular and cell biology of embryos, larvae and recruits having as a final goal, the development of appropriate biotechnologies to rear this gastropod. First, an inverse ratio between BuChE and AChE enzyme activities was established. This ratio may be a precise developmental marker for this species. Second, for the first time a phosphoinositide related regulatory pathway is reported in a muricid, opening a new approach to the biotechnological management of larvae. Third, the relation between sulfate in sea water and larval motility was studied. Concentrations below 125 microM sulfate decreases larval motility. The sulfate is incorporated in proteoglycans which participate in different developmental phenomena. Lastly, a genomic Concholepas concholepas DNA sequence, similar to that of a human growth hormone probe was detected. This is very interesting since growth factors are key molecules during development, growth and are involved in food conversion rates in fish and also, in a variety of marine invertebrates.

Dendritic platforms for biomimicry and biotechnological applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagpal, Kalpana; Mohan, Anand; Thakur, Sourav; Kumar, Pradeep

2018-02-15

Dendrimers, commonly referred to as polymeric trees, offer endless opportunities for biotechnological and biomedical applications. By controlling the type, length, and molecular weight of the core, branches and end groups, respectively, the chemical functionality and topology of dendrimeric archetypes can be customized which further can be applied to achieve required solubility, biodegradability, diagnosis and other applications. Given the physicochemical variability of the dendrimers and their hybrids, this review attempts to discuss a full spectrum of recent advances and strides made by these "perfectly designed structures". An extensive biotech/biomimicry application profiling of dendrimers is provided with focus on complex archetypical designs such as protein biomimicry (angiogenic inhibitors, regenerative hydroxyapatite and collagen) and biotechnology applications. In terms of biotechnological advances, dendrimers have provided distinctive advantages in the fields of biocatalysis, microbicides, artificial lights, mitochondrial function modulation, vaccines, tissue regeneration and repair, antigen carriers and even biosensors. In addition, this review provides overview of the extensive chemo-functionalization opportunities available with dendrimers which makes them a perfect candidate for forming drug conjugates, protein hybrids, bio mimics, lipidic derivatives, metal deposits and nanoconjugates thereby making them the most multifunctional platforms for diverse biotechnological applications.

Risk evaluation in biotechnology of environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazaheri Asadi, M.

2003-01-01

It is the Era of technology and many countries are adjusting their economy with it. The research on biotechnology is done with a logarithmic rate at different technologies such as pharmacy, agriculture, environment, food, oil, and etc. The relevant research would result in the production of new materials which are released into the environment. In many developed countries biotechnology is regarded as a firm base for economic development and without doubt plays a determined role in humane wealth and well-being, but this technology should be sustainable and controllable. The producer and consumer of biotechnology must think deeply about this matter and take into account the health and sustain ability of earth and the environment. Evaluation of ecological impacts of micro- organisms and manipulated genetically organism should be considered in all countries of the world and such an activities should be regulated and controlled as it was don in Canada under the supervision of Dept

Organisation of biotechnological information into knowledge.

Science.gov (United States)

Boh, B

1996-09-01

The success of biotechnological research, development and marketing depends to a large extent on the international transfer of information and on the ability to organise biotechnology information into knowledge. To increase the efficiency of information-based approaches, an information strategy has been developed and consists of the following stages: definition of the problem, its structure and sub-problems; acquisition of data by targeted processing of computer-supported bibliographic, numeric, textual and graphic databases; analysis of data and building of specialized in-house information systems; information processing for structuring data into systems, recognition of trends and patterns of knowledge, particularly by information synthesis using the concept of information density; design of research hypotheses; testing hypotheses in the laboratory and/or pilot plant; repeated evaluation and optimization of hypotheses by information methods and testing them by further laboratory work. The information approaches are illustrated by examples from the university-industry joint projects in biotechnology, biochemistry and agriculture.

High temperature corrosion behavior of different grain size specimens of 2.25 Cr-1 Mo steel in SO2+O2 environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, D.; Mitra, S.K.

2011-01-01

The investigation is primarily aimed at the high temperature corrosion behavior of different grain sizes of 2.25 Cr-1 Mo steel at SO 2 +O 2 (mixed oxidation and sulfidation). The various grain sizes (18 μm,26 μm, 48 μm, and 72 μm) are obtained by different annealing treatment. Isothermal corrosion studies are carried out in different grain size specimens at 973K for 8 hours. The corrosion growth rate and the reaction kinetics are studied by weight gain method. The external scales of the post corroded specimen are studied in Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to examine the corrosion products morphology on the scale. X-ray mapping analysis of the different elements (Fe, O, Cr and S) is carried out by Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) attached with SEM. The X-ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD) is also carried out to identify the corrosion products in the external scale. Finally, it is concluded that that the corrosion rate of 2.25 Cr-1 Mo steel strongly depend on grain sizes of the specimens. The corrosion rate increases with the decreases of grain size. The finer grain (18 μm) show higher corrosion rate than the coarse grains (72 μm). The weight gain kinetics follows the parabolic growth rate which further indicates that the corrosion process is diffusion controlled. The scale analysis shows the thicker scale and extensive scale cracking and spallations in case of finer grain size specimen (18 μm), whereas the coarse grain specimen (72 μm) shows compact and adherent layer. The XRD analysis shows that the corrosion products consist of mixtures of iron oxides( Fe 3 O 4 and Fe 2 O 3 ) and iron sulfides (FeS). The details mechanism of the corrosion is discussed to explain the difference in corrosion rate for different grain sizes. (author)

Studies performed on neutron-irradiated copper-doped iron specimens by means of neutron small-angle scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naraghi, M.

1978-01-01

By means of neutron small-angle scattering precipitation arising from heat-treatment and reactor irradiation in copper-alloyed iron specimens were studied. Copper content varried between 0 and 1.5%, irradiation temperature between 310 and 563K. The specimens had been cooled from the melt partly fast, partly slowely. By taking account of magnetic scattering and by investigating the azimuthal dependence of the total scattering it became possible to distinguish between copper precipitations and vacancy agglomerates. The most obvious effect in the slowly cooled specimens after irradiation with 2-10 19 fast neutrons per cm 2 at a temperature of 563 K is the existence of copper agglomerates with diameters of the order of magnitude of 5nm. Precipitation already occurs to a much lesser extent by the influence of temperature alone. Fast cooling from the melt or low irradiation temperature reduce precipitation during reactor irradiation. Moreover, there are indications on the formation of vacancy accumulations and dislocation rings, the latter especially in the fast cooled specimens. (orig.) [de

Patenting Biotechnological Inventions in Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Raspor

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The patent system has been able to provide the protection for the achievements of different technologies and in that way it has supported further development and growth of the industry where those achievements were implemented. Modern technologies like information technology and biotechnology with genetic engineering that appeared in the 70s have overgrown the frames of the existing patent system because of their exponential development during the last thirty years. Industry that invests a huge amount of money in these technologies, especially in the field of biotechnology, where the results are very uncertain, has started to claim changes in the patent system.

Management in biophotonics and biotechnologies

Science.gov (United States)

Meglinski, I. V.; Tuchin, V. V.

2005-10-01

Biophotonics, one of the most exciting and rapidly growing areas, offers vast potential for changing traditional approaches to meeting many critical needs in medicine, biology, pharmacy, food, health care and cosmetic industries. Follow the market trends we developed new MSc course Management in Biophotonics and Biotechnologies (MBB) that provide students of technical disciplines with the necessary training, education and problem-solving skills to produce professionals and managers who are better equipped to handle the challenges of modern science and business in biophotonics and biotechnology. A major advantage of the course is that it provides skills not currently available to graduates in other Master programs.

Impact of specimen adequacy on the assessment of renal allograft biopsy specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Cimen, S; Geldenhuys, L; Guler, S; Imamoglu, A; Molinari, M

2016-01-01

The Banff classification was introduced to achieve uniformity in the assessment of renal allograft biopsies. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of specimen adequacy on the Banff classification. All renal allograft biopsies obtained between July 2010 and June 2012 for suspicion of acute rejection were included. Pre-biopsy clinical data on suspected diagnosis and time from renal transplantation were provided to a nephropathologist who was blinded to the original pathological report. Second pathological readings were compared with the original to assess agreement stratified by specimen adequacy. Cohen's kappa test and Fisher's exact test were used for statistical analyses. Forty-nine specimens were reviewed. Among these specimens, 81.6% were classified as adequate, 6.12% as minimal, and 12.24% as unsatisfactory. The agreement analysis among the first and second readings revealed a kappa value of 0.97. Full agreement between readings was found in 75% of the adequate specimens, 66.7 and 50% for minimal and unsatisfactory specimens, respectively. There was no agreement between readings in 5% of the adequate specimens and 16.7% of the unsatisfactory specimens. For the entire sample full agreement was found in 71.4%, partial agreement in 20.4% and no agreement in 8.2% of the specimens. Statistical analysis using Fisher's exact test yielded a P value above 0.25 showing that - probably due to small sample size - the results were not statistically significant. Specimen adequacy may be a determinant of a diagnostic agreement in renal allograft specimen assessment. While additional studies including larger case numbers are required to further delineate the impact of specimen adequacy on the reliability of histopathological assessments, specimen quality must be considered during clinical decision making while dealing with biopsy reports based on minimal or unsatisfactory specimens.

Herbarium specimens can reveal impacts of climate change on plant phenology; a review of methods and applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Casey A; Daehler, Curtis C

2018-01-01

Studies in plant phenology have provided some of the best evidence for large-scale responses to recent climate change. Over the last decade, more than thirty studies have used herbarium specimens to analyze changes in flowering phenology over time, although studies from tropical environments are thus far generally lacking. In this review, we summarize the approaches and applications used to date. Reproductive plant phenology has primarily been analyzed using two summary statistics, the mean flowering day of year and first-flowering day of year, but mean flowering day has proven to be a more robust statistic. Two types of regression models have been applied to test for associations between flowering, temperature and time: flowering day regressed on year and flowering day regressed on temperature. Most studies analyzed the effect of temperature by averaging temperatures from three months prior to the date of flowering. On average, published studies have used 55 herbarium specimens per species to characterize changes in phenology over time, but in many cases fewer specimens were used. Geospatial grid data are increasingly being used for determining average temperatures at herbarium specimen collection locations, allowing testing for finer scale correspondence between phenology and climate. Multiple studies have shown that inferences from herbarium specimen data are comparable to findings from systematically collected field observations. Understanding phenological responses to climate change is a crucial step towards recognizing implications for higher trophic levels and large-scale ecosystem processes. As herbaria are increasingly being digitized worldwide, more data are becoming available for future studies. As temperatures continue to rise globally, herbarium specimens are expected to become an increasingly important resource for analyzing plant responses to climate change.

Stability studies needed to define the handling and transport conditions of sensitive pharmaceutical or biotechnological products.

Science.gov (United States)

Ammann, Claude

2011-12-01

Many pharmaceutical or biotechnological products require transport using temperature-controlled systems to keep their therapeutic properties. There are presently no official guidelines for testing pharmaceutical products in order to define suitable transport specifications. After reviewing the current guidance documents, this paper proposes a methodology for testing pharmaceutical products and defining appropriate transport conditions.

Influence of specimen size/type on the fracture toughness of five irradiated RPV materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sokolov, Mikhail A [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Lucon, Enrico [National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Boulder, CO (United States)

2015-01-01

The Heavy-Section Steel Irradiation (HSSI) Program had previously irradiated five reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels/welds at fast neutron fluxes of about 4 to 8 x 10¹¹ n/cm²/s (>1 MeV) to fluences from 0.5 to 3.4 10¹⁹ n/cm² and at 288 °C. The unirradiated fracture toughness tests were performed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory with 12.7-mm and 25.4-mm thick (0.5T and 1T) compact specimens, while the HSSI Program provided tensile and 5 x 10-mm three-point bend specimens to SCK-CEN for irradiation in the in-pile section of the Belgian Reactor BR2 at fluxes > 10¹³ n/cm²/s and subsequent testing by SCK-CEN. The BR2 irradiations were conducted at about 2 and 4 x 10¹³ n/cm²/s with irradiation temperature between 295 °C and 300 °C (water temperature), and to fluences between 6 and 10 x 10¹⁹n/cm². The irradiation-induced shifts of the Master Curve reference temperatures, ΔT₀, for most of the materials deviated from the embrittlement correlations much more than expected, motivating the testing of 5 x 10-mm three-point bend specimens of all five materials in the unirradiated condition to eliminate specimen size and geometry as a variable. Tests of the unirradiated small bend specimens resulted in Master Curve reference temperatures, T₀, 25 °C to 53 °C lower than those from the larger compact specimens, meaning that the irradiation-induced reference temperature shifts, ΔT₀, were larger than the initial measurements, resulting in much improved agreement between the measured and predicted fracture toughness shifts.

Plant biotechnology for food security and bioeconomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Jihong Liu; Zhang, Peng

2013-09-01

This year is a special year for plant biotechnology. It was 30 years ago, on January 18 1983, one of the most important dates in the history of plant biotechnology, that three independent groups described Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation at the Miami Winter Symposium, leading to the production of normal, fertile transgenic plants (Bevan et al. in Nature 304:184-187, 1983; Fraley et al. in Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 80:4803-4807, 1983; Herrera-Estrella et al. in EMBO J 2:987-995, 1983; Vasil in Plant Cell Rep 27:1432-1440, 2008). Since then, plant biotechnology has rapidly advanced into a useful and valuable tool and has made a significant impact on crop production, development of a biotech industry and the bio-based economy worldwide.

Determination of irradiation temperature using SiC temperature monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maruyama, Tadashi; Onose, Shoji

1999-01-01

This paper describes a method for detecting the change in length of SiC temperature monitors and a discussion is made on the relationship between irradiation temperature and the recovery in length of SiC temperature monitors. The SiC specimens were irradiated in the experimental fast reactor JOYO' at the irradiation temperatures around 417 to 645degC (design temperature). The change in length of irradiated specimens was detected using a dilatometer with SiO 2 glass push rod in an infrared image furnace. The temperature at which recovery in macroscopic length begins was obtained from the annealing intersection temperature. The results of measurements indicated that a difference between annealing intersection temperature and the design temperature sometimes reached well over ±100degC. A calibration method to obtain accurate irradiation temperature was presented and compared with the design temperature. (author)

A bibliometric assessment of ASEAN collaboration in plant biotechnology

KAUST Repository

Payumo, Jane; Sutton, Taurean C.

2015-01-01

, influence, and overall collaboration of ASEAN countries in plant biotechnology over time. Research performance and collaboration (domestic, regional, and international) of the region in plant biotechnology are linked to the status of the economic development

Experimental procedure for the characterization of cyclic behavior from very thin plate specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maury, A.; Moulin, D.

1983-01-01

Many investigators, including those involved in the INTERNATIONAL BENCHMARK PROJECT ON SIMPLIFIED METHODS FOR ELEVATED TEMPERATURE DESIGN AND ANALYSIS - PROBLEM II, have tried to reproduce experimentally observed behavior by inelastic calculations. Unfortunately, the material characteristics used in the computer code were established from monotonic tensile tests performed with specimens extracted from the plate product itself (1.45 mm thick) employed to construct the ratchetting specimen. It now appears that the cyclic behavior of the material is much more relevant to the phenomenon observed. Hence the need to make this kind of characterization. Nevertheless, the practical problem is to produce cyclic stresses, i.e. tensile and compressive stresses, with very thin specimens. The main difficulty is to prevent the buckling effect. A new special device set up for this particular purpose is described here. The solution adopted was to create uniformly distributed alternative pure bending stresses in the thin plate specimen. Bending moments were produced by two end-grips fixed to the specimen, and these grips were mounted on a conventional test-machine which was displacement-controlled. To reduce tensile and compressive membrane stresses inside the specimen, the grips had two parallel axles of rotation. The forces produced by the machine and the displacements of a number of points of the specimen were continuously recorded during the test, so that cyclically stabilized, bending moments could be evaluated easily for each curvature variation imposed. The very first cyclic experimental data obtained, at room temperature, for the material of the sodium test specimen, a 316 type stainless steel, are presented. It may be noted that the simple specimens were very easy to prepare and hence inexpensive. (orig.)

Development of stress relaxation measurement by a small size C-ring specimen method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimanuki, Shizuka; Nakata, Kiyotomo; Kasahara, Shigeki; Kuniya, Jiro

2002-01-01

A stress relaxation measurement method has been developed by using C-ring specimens, and a specimen size effect has been evaluated taking radiation-induced stress relaxation into consideration. C-ring specimens were stressed by forcing a wedge in the gap. Giving an appropriate eccentric configuration in the half of the ring opposite the gap, the stress gradient along the circumference was eliminated in the section and the stress level could be varied by changing the gap spacing. The validity of the C-ring test method was confirmed by thermally stress relaxation experiments at annealing temperatures from 300 to 600degC for 1 min to 200 h in carbon steel: considerable stress relaxation could be measured for all levels of applied stress even at relatively low annealing temperatures. The relaxation results obtained from the C-ring test were in good agreement with those from a uniaxial tensile stress relaxation test. The smaller C-ring specimen with about 40 mm diameter, which is required for radiation-induced stress relaxation test, also showed adequate accuracy on stress relaxation at 600 to 830degC in stainless steel, compared with the large size C-ring specimen test. (author)

Strength characterization of tubular ceramic materials by flexure of semi-cylindrical specimens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kwok, Kawai; Kiesel, Lutz; Frandsen, Henrik Lund

2014-01-01

Mechanical strength at elevated temperatures and operating atmospheres needs to be characterized during development of tubular ceramic components for advanced energy technologies. Typical procedures are time-consuming because a large number of tests are required for a reliable statistical strength...... characterization and every specimen has to be subjected to the process conditions individually. This paper presents an efficient strength characterization methodology for tubular ceramics. The methodology employs flexure of semi-cylindrical specimens as the strength test and implements the tests within a facility...... conducted on oxygen transport membrane materials at room temperature and 850°C....

Evaluation of Brazilian biotechnology patent activity from 1975 to 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Dias, F; Delfim, F; Drummond, I; Carmo, A O; Barroca, T M; Horta, C C; Kalapothakis, E

2012-08-01

The analysis of patent activity is one methodology used for technological monitoring. In this paper, the activity of biotechnology-related patents in Brazil were analyzed through 30 International Patent Classification (IPC) codes published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). We developed a program to analyse the dynamics of the major patent applicants, countries and IPC codes extracted from the Brazilian Patent Office (INPI) database. We also identified Brazilian patent applicants who tried to expand protection abroad via the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). We had access to all patents published online at the INPI from 1975 to July 2010, including 9,791 biotechnology patent applications in Brazil, and 163 PCTs published online at World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) from 1997 to December 2010. To our knowledge, there are no other online reports of biotechnology patents previous to the years analyzed here. Most of the biotechnology patents filed in the INPI (10.9%) concerned measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acids. The second and third places belonged to patents involving agro-technologies (recombinant DNA technology for plant cells and new flowering plants, i.e. angiosperms, or processes for obtaining them, and reproduction of flowering plants by tissue culture techniques). The majority of patents (87.2%) were filed by nonresidents, with USA being responsible for 51.7% of all biotechnology patents deposited in Brazil. Analyzing the resident applicants per region, we found a hub in the southeast region of Brazil. Among the resident applicants for biotechnology patents filed in the INPI, 43.5% were from São Paulo, 18.3% were from Rio de Janeiro, and 9.7% were from Minas Gerais. Pfizer, Novartis, and Sanofi were the largest applicants in Brazil, with 339, 288, and 245 biotechnology patents filed, respectively. For residents, the largest applicant was the governmental institution FIOCRUZ (Oswaldo Cruz

Advanced health biotechnologies in Thailand: redefining policy directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Velasco, Román Pérez; Chaikledkaew, Usa; Myint, Chaw Yin; Khampang, Roongnapa; Tantivess, Sripen; Teerawattananon, Yot

2013-01-02

Thailand faces a significant burden in terms of treating and managing degenerative and chronic diseases. Moreover, incidences of rare diseases are rising. Many of these-such as diabetes, cancer, and inherited inborn metabolic diseases-have no definite treatments or cure. Meanwhile, advanced health biotechnology has been found, in principle, to be an effective solution for these health problems. Qualitative approaches were employed to analyse the current situation and examine existing public policies related to advanced health biotechnologies in Thailand. The results of this analysis were then used to formulate policy recommendations. Our research revealed that the system in Thailand in relation to advanced health biotechnologies is fragmented, with multiple unaddressed gaps, underfunding of research and development (R&D), and a lack of incentives for the private sector. In addition, there are no clear definitions of advanced health biotechnologies, and coverage pathways are absent. Meanwhile, false advertising and misinformation are prevalent, with no responsible bodies to actively and effectively provide appropriate information and education (I&E). The establishment of a specialised institution to fill the gaps in this area is warranted. The development and implementation of a comprehensive national strategic plan related to advanced health biotechnologies, greater investment in R&D and I&E for all stakeholders, collaboration among agencies, harmonisation of reimbursement across public health schemes, and provision of targeted I&E are specifically recommended.

Biotechnology for renewable chemicals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borodina, Irina; Kildegaard, Kanchana Rueksomtawin; Jensen, Niels Bjerg

2014-01-01

The majority of the industrial organic chemicals are derived from fossil sources. With the oil and gas resources becoming limiting, biotechnology offers a sustainable alternative for production ofchemicals from renewable feedstocks. Yeast is an attractive cell factory forsustainable production...

The present status and perspectives of Biotechnology in Cameroon ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... for the rapid exploitation of biotechnology for the socioeconomic development of Cameroon, subject to the mobilization of the necessary venture capital. Keywords: Cameroon, Biotechnology, GMO, Biodiversity, Economic Development, Recombinant DNA JOURNAL OF THE CAMEROON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Vol.

Biotechnology awareness study, Part 2: Meeting the information needs of biotechnologists.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, D; Grefsheim, S; Simon, M; Lansing, P S

1991-01-01

The second part of the biotechnology awareness study focused on health sciences libraries and how well they are meeting the needs of biotechnologists working in the study's nine medical centers. A survey was conducted over a three-month period to assess the demand for biotechnology-related reference services at nine libraries and the sources the librarians used to answer the questions. Data on monographic and current serial holdings were also collected. At the end of the survey period, librarians were asked for their perceptions about biotechnology research at their institutions and in their geographic areas. Their responses were compared to the responses the scientists at the nine schools gave to the same or similar questions. Results showed few biotechnology-related reference questions were asked of the librarians. The recorded questions dealt with a range of biotechnology subjects. MEDLINE was used to answer 77% of the questions received during the survey period. More detailed notes in MeSH and a guide to online searching for biotechnology topics were suggested by the librarians as ways to improve reference service to this group of researchers. Journal collections were generally strong, with libraries owning from 50% to 87% of the titles on a core list of biotechnology journals compiled for this study. All libraries subscribed to the five titles most often cited by the scientists surveyed. Generally, librarians were unaware of the biotechnology-related research being done on their campuses or in their geographic areas. PMID:1998819

Religious voices in biotechnology: the case of gene patenting.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, M J

1999-01-01

On 18 May 1995, nearly 200 religious leaders joined with leading biotechnology critic Jeremy Rifkin in a press conference named the "Joint Appeal against Human and Animal Patenting," a move that many within the biotechnology industry could only interpret as seeking to inhibit biotechnological advance. What moral and religious concerns motivated this challenge to patenting? How could the biotechnology industry understand and respectfully attend to these concerns? What values were at play in the debates that followed the joint appeal? What lessons for future dialogue can be learned from attempts at conversation between the opposing positions? This essay is a report from a Hastings Center research project that accepted the task of addressing these questions. Specifically, the project focused on the patenting of human genetic material, a subset of the issues raised by the joint appeal.

PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE 21ST CENTURY: THE CHALLENGES AHEAD

OpenAIRE

Altman, Arie

1999-01-01

In a world where population growth is outstripping food supply agricultural -and especially plant-biotechnology, needs to be swiftly implemented in all walks of life. Achievements today in plant biotechnology have already surpassed all previous expectations, and the future is even more promising. The full realisation of the agricultural biotechnology revolution depends on both continued successful and innovative research and development activities and on a favourable regulatory climate and pu...

Biotechnological Applications of Microbial (Per)chlorate Reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ouwei; Coates, John D

2017-11-24

While the microbial degradation of a chloroxyanion-based herbicide was first observed nearly ninety years ago, only recently have researchers elucidated the underlying mechanisms of perchlorate and chlorate [collectively, (per)chlorate] respiration. Although the obvious application of these metabolisms lies in the bioremediation and attenuation of (per)chlorate in contaminated environments, a diversity of alternative and innovative biotechnological applications has been proposed based on the unique metabolic abilities of dissimilatory (per)chlorate-reducing bacteria (DPRB). This is fueled in part by the unique ability of these organisms to generate molecular oxygen as a transient intermediate of the central pathway of (per)chlorate respiration. This ability, along with other novel aspects of the metabolism, have resulted in a wide and disparate range of potential biotechnological applications being proposed, including enzymatic perchlorate detection; gas gangrene therapy; enhanced xenobiotic bioremediation; oil reservoir bio-souring control; chemostat hygiene control; aeration enhancement in industrial bioreactors; and, biogenic oxygen production for planetary exploration. While previous reviews focus on the fundamental science of microbial (per)chlorate reduction (for example see Youngblut et al., 2016), here, we provide an overview of the emerging biotechnological applications of (per)chlorate respiration and the underlying organisms and enzymes to environmental and biotechnological industries.

Strategic Partnerships and Open Innovation in the Biotechnology Industry in Belgium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Pierre Segers

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Strategic partnerships in the biotechnology industry allow new technology-based firms to gain a foothold in this high-cost, high-risk industry. In this article, we examine the impact of strategic partnerships and open innovation on the success of new biotechnology firms in Belgium by developing multiple case studies of firms in regional biotechnology clusters. We find that, despite their small size and relative immaturity, new biotechnology firms are able to adopt innovative business models by providing R&D and services to larger firms and openly cooperating with them through open innovation.

[The role of biotechnology in pharmaceutical drug design].

Science.gov (United States)

Gaisser, Sibylle; Nusser, Michael

2010-01-01

Biotechnological methods have become an important tool in pharmaceutical drug research and development. Today approximately 15 % of drug revenues are derived from biopharmaceuticals. The most relevant indications are oncology, metabolic disorders and disorders of the musculoskeletal system. For the future it can be expected that the relevance of biopharmaceuticals will further increase. Currently, the share of substances in preclinical testing that rely on biotechnology is more than 25 % of all substances in preclinical testing. Products for the treatment of cancer, metabolic disorders and infectious diseases are most important. New therapeutic approaches such as RNA interference only play a minor role in current commercial drug research and development with 1.5 % of all biological preclinical substances. Investments in sustainable high technology such as biotechnology are of vital importance for a highly developed country like Germany because of its lack of raw materials. Biotechnology helps the pharmaceutical industry to develop new products, new processes, methods and services and to improve existing ones. Thus, international competitiveness can be strengthened, new jobs can be created and existing jobs preserved.

Multidimensional Analysis of High-School Students' Perceptions about Biotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

Fonseca, Maria Joao; Costa, Patricio; Lencastre, Leonor; Tavares, Fernando

2012-01-01

Concerns about public understanding of biotechnology have motivated educational initiatives to improve students' competency to make scientifically sustained decisions regarding controversial issues. Understanding students' perceptions about biotechnology is essential to determine the effectiveness of these programmes. To assess how students'…

Biotechnology Commercialization Strategies: Risk and Return in interfirm cooperation.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fernald, K.D.S.; Pennings, e; Claassen, E.

2014-01-01

The management and exploitation of biotechnological product innovation have proven to be more difficult than initially expected because the number of currently marketed biotechnological products is far from sufficient to counter deficits in pharmaceutical innovation. This study provides insight into

Biotechnology Commercialization Strategies: Risk and Return in Interfirm Cooperation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fernald, K.D.S.; Pennings, H.P.G.; Claassen, E.

2015-01-01

The management and exploitation of biotechnological product innovation have proven to be more difficult than initially expected because the number of currently marketed biotechnological products is far from sufficient to counter deficits in pharmaceutical innovation. This study provides insight into

Proteomics: a biotechnology tool for crop improvement

OpenAIRE

Eldakak, Moustafa; Milad, Sanaa I. M.; Nawar, Ali I.; Rohila, Jai S.

2013-01-01

A sharp decline in the availability of arable land and sufficient supply of irrigation water along with a continuous steep increase in food demands have exerted a pressure on farmers to produce more with fewer resources. A viable solution to release this pressure is to speed up the plant breeding process by employing biotechnology in breeding programs. The majority of biotechnological applications rely on information generated from various -omic technologies. The latest outstanding improve...

Comprehensive biotechnology education and rural economic development

OpenAIRE

Holmes, L.; Brooks, J.

2006-01-01

North Carolina is home to the third largest biotechnology industry in the United States. With over 200 companies involved in manufacturing, research, testing or services and growing at a rate of 12 % per year, this North Carolina industry is aggressively expanding its biotechnology efforts in all domains: pharmaceuticals, agriculture, environment, foods and energy. The North Carolina Department of Commerce along with other state and regional entities are developing strategies to attract new c...

Independent Biotechnology: The Innovation-Regulation Dilemma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Althouse, P. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Prosnitz, D. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Velsko, S. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2016-11-03

The Center for Global Security Research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory convened a workshop on August 19, 2016 to consider “Independent Biotechnology: The Innovation-­Regulation Dilemma”. The topic was motivated by the observation that non-­government funded biotechnology research and development activities have grown and diversified tremendously over the past decade. This sector encompasses a broad range of actors and activities: individuals with private laboratories, community “hackerspaces,” biotechnology incubators, and individual startups. Motivations and aspirations are diverse and include such things as personal curiosity, community education, the invention of new products or services, and even the realization of certain economic, political, or social goals. One driving force is the “democratization” of ever more powerful biological technologies, allowing individual citizens and groups access to capabilities that have traditionally only been available to researchers in universities, research institutes, national laboratories, and large commercial concerns. Another is the rise of alternative financing mechanisms such as “crowdsourcing,” which ostensibly provide greater freedom to innovate, and greater public visibility, but entail looser management oversight and transparency.

Of Apples and Animals: An Introduction to Biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Mourad, Teresa M.; And Others

This guide is designed to foster an understanding of the basic concepts underlying biotechnology through simple activities that are fun and creative for students in grades 3-5. It contains four units that will lead young students to an appreciation of how biotechnology is possible and some of its applications. The process of learning is intended…

Biotechnology as a competitive edge for the Finnish forest cluster

OpenAIRE

Hakala, Terhi

2007-01-01

In this study we have collected information by interviewing all identified parties within the Finnish forest sector who might have a potential biotechnology connection : university research groups, research institutions, small and medium-sized biotechnology-companies and up to the largest forest companies. The ultimate goal was to assess how resources have been allocated and biotechnologies utilized within the value chain of the entire forest sector. This study aimed at providing answers to t...

Biotechnology as a Competitive Edge for the Finnish Forest Cluster

OpenAIRE

Hakala, Terhi; Haltia, Olli; Hermans, Raine; Kulvik, Martti; Nikinmaa, Hanna; Porcar-Castell, Albert; Pursula, Tiina

2007-01-01

In this study we have collected information by interviewing all identified parties within the Finnish forest sector who might have a potential biotechnology connection : university research groups, research institutions, small and medium-sized biotechnology-companies and up to the largest forest companies. The ultimate goal was to assess how resources have been allocated and biotechnologies utilized within the value chain of the entire forest sector. This study aimed at providing answers to t...

TSCA Biotechnology Notifications Status

Science.gov (United States)

This Notifications Table lists only those submissions received under the Biotechnology Regulation, beginning in 1998. From the Table, you can link to a brief summary of select submission and, in many cases, to a fact sheet on the decision reached by OPPT.

Tensile tests and metallography of brazed AISI 316L specimens after irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groot, P.; Franconi, E.

1994-01-01

Stainless steel type 316L tensile specimens were vacuum brazed with three kinds of alloys: BNi-5, BNi-6, and BNi-7. The specimens were irradiated up to 0.7 dpa at 353 K in the High Flux Reactor at JRC Petten, the Netherlands. Tensile tests were performed at a constant displacement rate of 10 -3 s -1 at room temperature in the ECN hot cell facility. BNi-5 brazed specimens showed ductile behaviour. Necking and fractures were localized in the plate material. BNi-6 and BNi-7 brazed specimens failed brittle in the brazed zone. This was preceded by uniform deformation of the plate material. Tensile test results of irradiated specimens showed higher stresses due to radiation hardening and a reduction of the elongation of the plate material compared to the reference. SEM examination of the irradiated BNi-6 and BNi-7 fracture surfaces showed nonmetallic phases. These phases were not found in the reference specimens. ((orig.))

Advanced health biotechnologies in Thailand: redefining policy directions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Velasco Román Pérez

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Thailand faces a significant burden in terms of treating and managing degenerative and chronic diseases. Moreover, incidences of rare diseases are rising. Many of these—such as diabetes, cancer, and inherited inborn metabolic diseases—have no definite treatments or cure. Meanwhile, advanced health biotechnology has been found, in principle, to be an effective solution for these health problems. Methods Qualitative approaches were employed to analyse the current situation and examine existing public policies related to advanced health biotechnologies in Thailand. The results of this analysis were then used to formulate policy recommendations. Results Our research revealed that the system in Thailand in relation to advanced health biotechnologies is fragmented, with multiple unaddressed gaps, underfunding of research and development (R&D, and a lack of incentives for the private sector. In addition, there are no clear definitions of advanced health biotechnologies, and coverage pathways are absent. Meanwhile, false advertising and misinformation are prevalent, with no responsible bodies to actively and effectively provide appropriate information and education (I&E. The establishment of a specialised institution to fill the gaps in this area is warranted. Conclusion The development and implementation of a comprehensive national strategic plan related to advanced health biotechnologies, greater investment in R&D and I&E for all stakeholders, collaboration among agencies, harmonisation of reimbursement across public health schemes, and provision of targeted I&E are specifically recommended.

Emerging Agricultural Biotechnologies for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Jennifer A; Gipmans, Martijn; Hurst, Susan; Layton, Raymond; Nehra, Narender; Pickett, John; Shah, Dilip M; Souza, Thiago Lívio P O; Tripathi, Leena

2016-01-20

As global populations continue to increase, agricultural productivity will be challenged to keep pace without overtaxing important environmental resources. A dynamic and integrated approach will be required to solve global food insecurity and position agriculture on a trajectory toward sustainability. Genetically modified (GM) crops enhanced through modern biotechnology represent an important set of tools that can promote sustainable agriculture and improve food security. Several emerging biotechnology approaches were discussed in a recent symposium organized at the 13th IUPAC International Congress of Pesticide Chemistry meeting in San Francisco, CA, USA. This paper summarizes the innovative research and several of the new and emerging technologies within the field of agricultural biotechnology that were presented during the symposium. This discussion highlights how agricultural biotechnology fits within the context of sustainable agriculture and improved food security and can be used in support of further development and adoption of beneficial GM crops.

Determination of the DBTT of Aluminide Coatings and its Influence on the Mechanical Behavior of Coated Specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dryepondt, Sebastien N [ORNL; Pint, Bruce A [ORNL

2010-01-01

The ductility of various coatings deposited by chemical vapor deposition, pack cementation and slurry processes on Fe- and Ni-based alloys was characterized by indentation at room temperature. A hot indentation apparatus has also been developed to more rapidly determine the ductile to brittle transition temperature of coated specimens. Creep testing has been conducted on bare and coated alloy 230 (NiCrW) specimens at 800 C with a significant decrease in creep life observed. Based on the observed failure of coated 230 specimens, the impact of coating ductility on substrate creep properties is discussed.

BIOTECHNOLOGIES OF MEAT PRODUCTS MANUFACTURE. CURRENT STATE

OpenAIRE

Bal-Prilipko L. V.; Leonova B. I.

2014-01-01

The analysis of literature and patents related to the possibilities of biotechnology for optimizing the domestic meat processing plants was the aim of the article. The analysis of the results of the use of biotechnological methods in the meat processing industry is given. The prospects for their implementation are evaluated. The main development strategy of technological meat processing to develop the methods of obtaining high quality and safe meat products is highlighted. Targeted use of spe...

BIOTECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS ANALYSIS OF AGRICULTURAL POULTRY MICROFLORA

OpenAIRE

Garda S. A.; S. G. Danilenko; G. S. Litvinov

2014-01-01

Probiotics based on normal microflora of the birds using perspective strains become increasingly popular for treatment and prophylaxis of dysbacteriosis in poultry. The purpose of the work is the biotechnological data analysis of the composition and functions of the microflora of different birds’ biotopes. One of biotechnological methods for the study of bacterial flora in the birds is a method of in vivo bacteriological control — analysis of group samples of fresh droppings. To study bir...

Outer Limits of Biotechnologies: A Jewish Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John D. Loike

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A great deal of biomedical research focuses on new biotechnologies such as gene editing, stem cell biology, and reproductive medicine, which have created a scientific revolution. While the potential medical benefits of this research may be far-reaching, ethical issues related to non-medical applications of these technologies are demanding. We analyze, from a Jewish legal perspective, some of the ethical conundrums that society faces in pushing the outer limits in researching these new biotechnologies.

Application of biotechnology for the domestication of Dacryodes edulis

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Biotechnology applications give a scope for rapid improvement and also facilitate the breeding program. Advantages of biotechnology application using molecular markers in breeding programs includes: study of genetic diversity, DNA fingerprinting of individuals, easy identification of specific traits or genes of interest, rapid ...

  Biotechnology in Danish forestry - Christmas trees and Biofuels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Find, Jens

for development of additional biotechnological breeding technologies as e.g. genetic transformation, and because SE allows for storage of elite germ plasm over extended periods in liquid nitrogen. The combination of SE and other biotechnological breeding tools permit for relative fast and market oriented breeding...

Advances in biomedical engineering and biotechnology during 2013-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Feng; Wang, Ying; Burkhart, Timothy A; González Penedo, Manuel Francisco; Ma, Shaodong

2014-01-01

The 3rd International Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology (iCBEB 2014), held in Beijing from the 25th to the 28th of September 2014, is an annual conference that intends to provide an opportunity for researchers and practitioners around the world to present the most recent advances and future challenges in the fields of biomedical engineering, biomaterials, bioinformatics and computational biology, biomedical imaging and signal processing, biomechanical engineering and biotechnology, amongst others. The papers published in this issue are selected from this conference, which witnesses the advances in biomedical engineering and biotechnology during 2013-2014.

Biotechnology in weed control

Science.gov (United States)

Biotechnology can be used to enhance the management of weeds in several ways. Crops have been made resistant to herbicides by inserting transgenes that impart herbicide resistance into the plant genome. Glyphosate and glufosinate-resistant crops are commercialized in North America and crops made res...

MHSS 2020 Focused Study on Biotechnology & Nanotechnology, 29 July 1997

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1998-01-01

.... This focused study on biotechnology and nanotechnology has two primary goals: (1) examine the future strategic impact of biotechnology and nanotechnology as it relates to the military health system, and (2...

Biodiesel production by microalgal biotechnology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, GuanHua [School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology (China); Chen, Feng [School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong (China); College of Light Industry and Food Sciences, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou (China); Wei, Dong; Zhang, XueWu; Chen, Gu [College of Light Industry and Food Sciences, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou (China)

2010-01-15

Biodiesel has received much attention in recent years. Although numerous reports are available on the production of biodiesel from vegetable oils of terraneous oil-plants, such as soybean, sunflower and palm oils, the production of biodiesel from microalgae is a newly emerging field. Microalgal biotechnology appears to possess high potential for biodiesel production because a significant increase in lipid content of microalgae is now possible through heterotrophic cultivation and genetic engineering approaches. This paper provides an overview of the technologies in the production of biodiesel from microalgae, including the various modes of cultivation for the production of oil-rich microalgal biomass, as well as the subsequent downstream processing for biodiesel production. The advances and prospects of using microalgal biotechnology for biodiesel production are discussed. (author)

[Importance of reproductive biotechnology in cattle in Europe].

Science.gov (United States)

Wrenzycki, C; Stinshoff, H

2015-01-01

Reproductive biotechnology has manifold applications and includes a great innovation potential in livestock. Due to the global changes the new findings and techniques can aid to meet the future challenges. The use of biotechnology in animal production can guarantee enough high quality food for the whole population. Genetic resources of animals can be preserved via sperm and embryo banking. Early diagnosis of hereditary defects, generation of offspring with predetermined sex and the avoidance of animal transports for breeding employing shipment of frozen embryos will improve animal welfare. A special application is the use of animal models for human assisted reproductive technologies. Therefore, not only in Germany research related to the methodologies in reproductive biotechnology and their improvement need to be supported.

The Current Developments of Agricultural Biotechnologies Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna M. Shkolyarenko

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Population growth in the context of limited land resources makes the global scientific society research new ways to increase the agricultural yields. Over the past 20 years, biotechnology and GM crops have become widely spread and now are cultivated in 28 countries. The total area of crops has tripled, and it suggests the further vertical and horizontal integration in short term. In 2015, the US Department of Agriculture authorized the commercial use of GM farm animals. The development of agricultural biotechnology market is constrained by opponents of GM crops in more than 160 countries, which include Russia and the European Union, where the production of GM crops is banned due to economic, ethical, ideological and biological reasons. Currently, the EU is seeking to reduce the imports of GM crops and products; Russia's GM imports and exports are prohibited, and the deadline of designing a consolidated position on agricultural biotechnology has been moved to 2017. The author seeks to analyze the volume of production and international trade of agricultural products based on biotechnologies and to describe the main trends in the global market, which could be integrated into the food value chain in Russia. In the context of the worsening economic indicators, the article proposes the possibility of extending the use of GM crops in Russia non-food sector.

Sectoral innovation foresight. Biotechnology sector. Final Reeport. Task 2

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Valk, T. van der; Gijsbers, G.W.; Meis, M.

2010-01-01

Biotechnology has evolved from a single set of technologies in the mid 1970s (e.g. recombinant DNA technology) into the full grown economic activity of today. The set of technologies that constitute the field of biotechnology thus find their applications in different sectors, most notably in

Clinical evaluation of a mobile digital specimen radiography system for intraoperative specimen verification.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yingbing; Ebuoma, Lilian; Saksena, Mansi; Liu, Bob; Specht, Michelle; Rafferty, Elizabeth

2014-08-01

Use of mobile digital specimen radiography systems expedites intraoperative verification of excised breast specimens. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of a such a system for verifying targets. A retrospective review included 100 consecutive pairs of breast specimen radiographs. Specimens were imaged in the operating room with a mobile digital specimen radiography system and then with a conventional digital mammography system in the radiology department. Two expert reviewers independently scored each image for image quality on a 3-point scale and confidence in target visualization on a 5-point scale. A target was considered confidently verified only if both reviewers declared the target to be confidently detected. The 100 specimens contained a total of 174 targets, including 85 clips (49%), 53 calcifications (30%), 35 masses (20%), and one architectural distortion (1%). Although a significantly higher percentage of mobile digital specimen radiographs were considered poor quality by at least one reviewer (25%) compared with conventional digital mammograms (1%), 169 targets (97%), were confidently verified with mobile specimen radiography; 172 targets (98%) were verified with conventional digital mammography. Three faint masses were not confidently verified with mobile specimen radiography, and conventional digital mammography was needed for confirmation. One faint mass and one architectural distortion were not confidently verified with either method. Mobile digital specimen radiography allows high diagnostic confidence for verification of target excision in breast specimens across target types, despite lower image quality. Substituting this modality for conventional digital mammography can eliminate delays associated with specimen transport, potentially decreasing surgical duration and increasing operating room throughput.

Biotechnology of trees: Chestnut

Science.gov (United States)

C.D. Nelson; W.A. Powell; S.A. Merkle; J.E. Carlson; F.V. Hebard; N Islam-Faridi; M.E. Staton; L. Georgi

2014-01-01

Biotechnology has been practiced on chestnuts (Castanea spp.) for many decades, including vegetative propagation, controlled crossing followed by testing and selection, genetic and cytogenetic mapping, genetic modifi cation, and gene and genome sequencing. Vegetative propagation methods have ranged from grafting and rooting to somatic embryogenesis, often in...

Past, present, and future industrial biotechnology in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhenjiang; Ji, Xiaojun; Kan, Suli; Qiao, Hongqun; Jiang, Min; Lu, Dingqiang; Wang, Jun; Huang, He; Jia, Honghua; Ouyuang, Pingkai; Ying, Hanjie

2010-01-01

Fossil resources, i.e. concentrated carbon from biomass, have been irrecoverably exhausted through modern industrial civilization in the last two hundred years. Serious consequences including crises in resources, environment and energy, as well as the pressing need for direct and indirect exploitation of solar energy, pose challenges to the science and technology community of today. Bioenergy, bulk chemicals, and biomaterials could be produced from renewable biomass in a biorefinery via biocatalysis. These sustainable industries will match the global mass cycle, creating a new form of civilization with new industries and agriculture driven by solar energy. Industrial biotechnology is the dynamo of a bioeconomy, leading to a new protocol for production of energy, bulk chemicals, and materials. This new mode of innovation will place the industry at center stage supported by universities and research institutes. Creativity in industrial biotechnology will be promoted and China will successfully follow the road to green modernization. China's rapid economic development and its traditional capacity in fermentation will place it in an advantageous position in the industrial biotechnology revolution. The development and current status of industrial biotechnology in China are summarized herein.

Student Content Knowledge Increases after Participation in a Hands-on Biotechnology Intervention

Science.gov (United States)

Bigler, Amber M.; Hanegan, Nikki L.

2011-01-01

Implementing biotechnology education through hands-on teaching methods should be considered by secondary biology teachers. This study is an experimental research design to examine increased student content knowledge in biotechnology after a hands-on biotechnology intervention. The teachers from both school groups participated in, Project Crawfish,…

Thirty years of European biotechnology programmes: from biomolecular engineering to the bioeconomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Aguilar, Alfredo; Magnien, Etienne; Thomas, Daniel

2013-06-25

This article traces back thirty years of biotechnology research sponsored by the European Union (EU). It outlines the crucial role played by De Nettancourt, Goffeau and Van Hoeck to promote and prepare the first European programme on biotechnology (1982-1986) run by the European Commission. Following this first biotechnology programme, others followed until the current one, part of the seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration (2007-2013) (FP7). Particular attention is given to the statutory role of the European institutions in the design and orientation of the successive biotechnology programmes, compared to the more informal-yet visionary-role of key individuals upstream to any legislative decision. Examples of success stories and of the role of the biotechnology programmes in addressing societal issues and industrial competitiveness are also presented. Finally, an outline of Horizon 2020, the successor of FP7, is described, together with the role of biotechnology in building the bioeconomy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

What Ideas Do Students Associate with "Biotechnology" and "Genetic Engineering"?

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Ruaraidh; Stanisstreet, Martin; Boyes, Edward

2000-01-01

Explores the ideas that students aged 16-19 associate with the terms 'biotechnology' and 'genetic engineering'. Indicates that some students see biotechnology as risky whereas genetic engineering was described as ethically wrong. (Author/ASK)

Biotechnology Towards Energy Crops.

Science.gov (United States)

Margaritopoulou, Theoni; Roka, Loukia; Alexopoulou, Efi; Christou, Myrsini; Rigas, Stamatis; Haralampidis, Kosmas; Milioni, Dimitra

2016-03-01

New crops are gradually establishing along with cultivation systems to reduce reliance on depleting fossil fuel reserves and sustain better adaptation to climate change. These biological assets could be efficiently exploited as bioenergy feedstocks. Bioenergy crops are versatile renewable sources with the potential to alternatively contribute on a daily basis towards the coverage of modern society's energy demands. Biotechnology may facilitate the breeding of elite energy crop genotypes, better suited for bio-processing and subsequent use that will improve efficiency, further reduce costs, and enhance the environmental benefits of biofuels. Innovative molecular techniques may improve a broad range of important features including biomass yield, product quality and resistance to biotic factors like pests or microbial diseases or environmental cues such as drought, salinity, freezing injury or heat shock. The current review intends to assess the capacity of biotechnological applications to develop a beneficial bioenergy pipeline extending from feedstock development to sustainable biofuel production and provide examples of the current state of the art on future energy crops.

Too New for Textbooks: The Biotechnology Discoveries & Applications Guidebook

Science.gov (United States)

Loftin, Madelene; Lamb, Neil E.

2013-01-01

The "Biotechnology Discoveries and Applications" guidebook aims to provide teachers with an overview of the recent advances in genetics and biotechnology, allowing them to share these findings with their students. The annual guidebook introduces a wealth of modern genomic discoveries and provides teachers with tools to integrate exciting…

Agricultural Communications Students' Awareness and Perceptions of Biotechnology Issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Wingenbach, Gary J.; Rutherford, Tracy A.; Dunsford, Deborah W.

2003-01-01

Agricultural communications students (n=330) from 11 universities were most aware of biotechnology effects on food, less aware of effects on health and the environment. They were somewhat accepting of genetic modifications for plants, not humans. Sources of biotechnology knowledge were science classes, labs, and university professors' beliefs.…

Western Australian High School Students' Attitudes towards Biotechnology Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, Vaille; Schibeci, Renato

2003-01-01

This study reports on the attitudes towards biotechnology of 905, 15-16 year-old students from 11 Western Australian schools. Students were asked to read 15 statements about biotechnology processes and to draw a line to separate what they considered "acceptable" statements from those they considered "unacceptable". Overall, the…

Towards sustainable biotechnology innovation in Africa: The roles of stakeholders in local contexts

OpenAIRE

Roelofs, Caspar

2015-01-01

Aim To contribute to sustainable crop-biotechnology innovation in African contexts by operationalizing guiding concepts from Science, Technology and Society (STS) studies. Objectives To explore the roles of different stakeholders in crop-biotechnology innovation processes in Africa; To explore how local contexts shape crop-biotechnology differently; To explore how crop-biotechnology shapes different contexts differently; To make policy recommendations on stakeholder involvement in decision-ma...

Practicing environmental biotechnology

OpenAIRE

Bruce E.Rittmann

2014-01-01

Environmental biotechnology involves ″managing microbial communities to provide services to society″.Its success comes from partnering with prokaryotic microorganisms,whose wideranging metabolic capabilities can be harnessed to destroy pollutants and to generate renewable materials.Partnering with microorganisms requires that we understand them well,and important advances in molecular microbial ecology,analytical chemistry,and mathematical modeling are making it possible to look inside the b...

Measuring Poisson Ratios at Low Temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Boozon, R. S.; Shepic, J. A.

1987-01-01

Simple extensometer ring measures bulges of specimens in compression. New method of measuring Poisson's ratio used on brittle ceramic materials at cryogenic temperatures. Extensometer ring encircles cylindrical specimen. Four strain gauges connected in fully active Wheatstone bridge self-temperature-compensating. Used at temperatures as low as liquid helium.

Biotechnology Computing: Information Science for the Era of Molecular Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Masys, Daniel R.

1989-01-01

The evolution from classical genetics to biotechnology, an area of research involving key macromolecules in living cells, is chronicled and the current state of biotechnology is described, noting related advances in computing and clinical medicine. (MSE)

Full thickness crack arrest investigations on compact specimens and a heavy wide-plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kussmaul, K.; Gillot, R.; Elenz, T.

1993-01-01

In order to determine the influence of specimen size and testing procedure on the crack arrest toughness K Ia at various temperatures, investigations were carried out on a wide-plate and compact specimens using a highly brittle material. Test interpretation included static as well as dynamic methods. The comparison of the measured K Ia -values shows good agreement although there is a distinct difference in specimen size. In general, the (static) ASTM test method yields a lower and thus conservative estimate of the crack arrest toughness K Ia . 14 refs., 27 figs., 3 tabs

Methods and devices for small specimen testing at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jitsukawa, Shiro; Kizaki, Minoru; Umino, Akira; Shiba, Kiyoyuki; Hishinuma, Akimichi

1993-01-01

Devices for a punch test on annular notched specimens, small punch (SP) tests, and miniaturized tension tests in hot cells were developed. A micro-manipulator to handle small specimens and an electro-discharge machine (EDM) to extract miniaturized tension specimens and annular notched specimens from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) disks were also fabricated. These devices were designed and made for remote operation in hot cells. Preliminary tests to evaluate the applicability of test methods were carried out. Correlation between SP test results and tensile properties was not strong. Miniaturized tensile results were reasonably similar to the results with larger specimens. The ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) by the punch test on annular notched specimens was higher than that obtained from the SP test. However, materials dependence of the DBTT was different from that measured by standard Charpy V-notch (CVN) tests. This may be due to a specimen size effect

Review of biotechnology applications to nuclear waste treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashley, N.V.; Roach, D.J.W.

1990-01-01

This paper gives an overview of the feasibility of the application of biotechnology to nuclear waste treatment. Many living and dead organisms accumulate heavy metals and radionuclides. The controlled use of this phenomenon forms the basis for the application of biotechnology to the removal of radionuclides from nuclear waste streams. An overview of biotechnology areas, namely the use of biopolymers and biosorption using biomass applicable to the removal of radionuclides from industrial nuclear effluents is given. The potential of biomagnetic separation technology, genetic engineering and monoclonal antibody technology is also to be examined. The most appropriate technologies to develop for radionuclide removal in the short term appear to be those based on biosorption of radionuclides by biomass and the use of modified and unmodified biopolymers in the medium term. (author)

Microbial ecology to manage processes in environmental biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Rittmann, Bruce E

2006-06-01

Microbial ecology and environmental biotechnology are inherently tied to each other. The concepts and tools of microbial ecology are the basis for managing processes in environmental biotechnology; and these processes provide interesting ecosystems to advance the concepts and tools of microbial ecology. Revolutionary advancements in molecular tools to understand the structure and function of microbial communities are bolstering the power of microbial ecology. A push from advances in modern materials along with a pull from a societal need to become more sustainable is enabling environmental biotechnology to create novel processes. How do these two fields work together? Five principles illuminate the way: (i) aim for big benefits; (ii) develop and apply more powerful tools to understand microbial communities; (iii) follow the electrons; (iv) retain slow-growing biomass; and (v) integrate, integrate, integrate.

National Strategy for Modernizing the Regulatory System for Biotechnology Products

Science.gov (United States)

This National Strategy for Modernizing the Regulatory System for Biotechnology Products sets forth a vision for ensuring that the federal regulatory system is prepared to efficiently assess the risks, if any, of the future products of biotechnology.

Microbial biotechnology addressing the plastic waste disaster.

Science.gov (United States)

Narancic, Tanja; O'Connor, Kevin E

2017-09-01

Oceans are a major source of biodiversity, they provide livelihood, and regulate the global ecosystem by absorbing heat and CO 2 . However, they are highly polluted with plastic waste. We are discussing here microbial biotechnology advances with the view to improve the start and the end of life of biodegradable polymers, which could contribute to the sustainable use of marine and coastal ecosystems (UN Sustainability development goal 14). © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

3D geometry measurement of hot cylindric specimen using structured light

Science.gov (United States)

Quentin, Lorenz; Beermann, Rüdiger; Pösch, Andreas; Reithmeier, Eduard; Kästner, Markus

2017-06-01

We present a fringe projection system to measure glowing hot hybrid components in between production processes. For this a high power green light projector, based on TI DLP technology, is used to create the highest possible contrast between fringes on the red glowing specimen. It has a resolution of 1140 x 912 pixels with a maximum frame rate of 120 images per second for fast measurement. We use a green bandpass filter (525 nm) on the camera lens to block unwanted incoming radiation from the specimen caused by self-emission. Commercial measurement standards are not calibrated for temperatures other than 20° C, so they cannot be used to validate measurement data at the required temperatures of up to 1000°C since thermal expansion invalidates the geometry specification from the calibration data sheet. In our first development we use a uniformly heated pipe made of stainless steel as a dummy specimen to examine the measured geometry data. A pyrometer measures the temperature of the pipe so the expansion can be easily calculated using the thermal expansion coefficient. Different impact and triangulation angles are investigated to identify the effects of hot ambient air on the measurement. The impact of the induced refractive index gradient is examined to check the need for pre-processing steps in the measurement routine.

African Journal of Biotechnology: Submissions

African Journals Online (AJOL)

PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH ... The African Journal of Biotechnology (AJB) (ISSN 1684-5315) provides rapid publication of .... Authors may still request (in advance) that the editorial board waive some of the handling fee ...

75 FR 1749 - Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.; Availability of Petition and Environmental Assessment for...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-13

...] Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.; Availability of Petition and Environmental Assessment for Determination of... Health Inspection Service has received a petition from Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc., seeking a....gov ). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Subray Hegde, Biotechnology Regulatory Services, APHIS...

Workshop proceedings: challenges and opportunities in evaluating protein allergenicity across biotechnology industries.

Science.gov (United States)

Stagg, Nicola J; Ghantous, Hanan N; Ladics, Gregory S; House, Robert V; Gendel, Steven M; Hastings, Kenneth L

2013-01-01

A workshop entitled "Challenges and Opportunities in Evaluating Protein Allergenicity across Biotechnology Industries" was held at the 51st Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology (SOT) in San Francisco, California. The workshop was sponsored by the Biotechnology Specialty Section of SOT and was designed to present the science-based approaches used in biotechnology industries to evaluate and regulate protein allergenicity. A panel of experts from industry and government highlighted the allergenicity testing requirements and research in the agricultural, pharmaceutical/biopharma, and vaccine biotechnology industries and addressed challenges and opportunities for advancing the science of protein allergenicity. The main learning from the workshop was that immunoglobulin E-mediated allergenicity of biotechnology-derived products is difficult to assess without human data. The approaches currently being used to evaluate potential for allergenicity across biotechnology industries are very different and range from bioinformatics, in vitro serology, in vivo animal testing, in vitro and in vivo functional assays, and "biosimilar" assessments (ie, biotherapeutic equivalents to innovator products). The challenge remains with regard to the different or lack of regulatory requirements for allergenicity testing across industries, but the novel approaches being used with bioinformatics and biosimilars may lead to opportunities in the future to collaborate across biotechnology industries.

Nuclear technology and biotechnology for enhancing agricultural production in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamad Osman

2005-04-01

The presentation discussed the following subjects: sustainable development, agriculture in Malaysia, role of biotechnology, role of nuclear technology, improving crops through induced mutations with Malaysian experience in rice and roselle, fusion of nuclear and biotechnology challenges and opportunities

Proteomics meets blue biotechnology: a wealth of novelties and opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartmann, Erica M; Durighello, Emie; Pible, Olivier; Nogales, Balbina; Beltrametti, Fabrizio; Bosch, Rafael; Christie-Oleza, Joseph A; Armengaud, Jean

2014-10-01

Blue biotechnology, in which aquatic environments provide the inspiration for various products such as food additives, aquaculture, biosensors, green chemistry, bioenergy, and pharmaceuticals, holds enormous promise. Large-scale efforts to sequence aquatic genomes and metagenomes, as well as campaigns to isolate new organisms and culture-based screenings, are helping to push the boundaries of known organisms. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics can complement 16S gene sequencing in the effort to discover new organisms of potential relevance to blue biotechnology by facilitating the rapid screening of microbial isolates and by providing in depth profiles of the proteomes and metaproteomes of marine organisms, both model cultivable isolates and, more recently, exotic non-cultivable species and communities. Proteomics has already contributed to blue biotechnology by identifying aquatic proteins with potential applications to food fermentation, the textile industry, and biomedical drug development. In this review, we discuss historical developments in blue biotechnology, the current limitations to the known marine biosphere, and the ways in which mass spectrometry can expand that knowledge. We further speculate about directions that research in blue biotechnology will take given current and near-future technological advancements in mass spectrometry. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Biotechnology of Elementary Education Preservice Teachers: The first Spanish experience

Science.gov (United States)

Casanoves, Marina; González, Ángel; Salvadó, Zoel; Haro, Juan; Novo, Maite

2015-11-01

Due to the important impact that biotechnology has on current Western societies, well-informed critical citizens are needed. People prepared to make conscious decisions about aspects of biotechnology that relate to their own lives. Teachers play a central role in all education systems. Thus, the biotechnological literacy of preservice teachers is an important consideration as they will become an influential collective as future teachers of the next generation of children. The attitudes toward science (and biotechnology) that teachers have affect their behavior and influence the way they implement their daily practice of science teaching in school. This study analyzes the attitudes and knowledge of Spanish preservice teachers toward biotechnology. We designed a new survey instrument that was completed by 407 university students who were taking official degree programs in preschool and primary education. Our results point out that although they are aware of biotechnology applications, topics concerning the structure of DNA, management of genetic information inside the cell, genetically modified organism technology and the use of microorganisms as biotechnological tools were not correctly answered. According to our attitude analysis, Spanish preservice teachers could be defined as opponents of genetically modified product acquisition, supporters of biotechnology for medical purposes and highly interested in increasing their knowledge about biotechnology and other scientific advances. Our results show a positive correlation between better knowledge and more positive attitudes toward biotechnology. A Spanish preservice teacher with positive attitudes toward biotechnology tends to be a student with a strong biology background who scored good marks in our knowledge test.

Review: Biotechnological strategies for conservation of rare and endangered medicinal plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MAHENDRA KUMAR RAI

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Rai MK (2010 Review: Biotechnological strategies for conservation of rare and endangered medicinal plants. Biodiversitas 11: 157-166. The use of medicinal plants is as old as human civilization. The biotechnological tools play a crucial role in conservation of rare and endangered medicinal plants. The rapid depletion of plant genetic diversity has made essential to develop new in situ and ex situ conservation methods. Advances in biotechnology offer new methods for conservation of rare and endangered medicinal plants. The present review is focused on biotechnological tools like in vitro culture, micropropagation, mycorrhization, genetic transformation and development of DNA banks. These are imperative and important alternatives for the conservation of rare and endangered medicinal plants.

Comparing the Governance of Novel Products and Processes of Biotechnology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Janus

The emergence of novel products and processes of biotechnology in medicine, industry and agriculture has been accompanied by promises of healthier, safer and more productive lives and societies. However, biotechnology has also served as cause and catalyst of social controversy about the physical...... to start to fill this gap and develop a conceptual framework for comparing and analysing new and emerging modes of governance affiliated with biotechnology in the light of more general approaches to governance. We aim for a framework that can facilitate comparative inquiries and learning across different...

The biotechnology and bioeconomy landscape in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Arujanan, Mahaletchumy; Singaram, Muthu

2018-01-25

Since 1990s Malaysia aspired to make biotechnology and bioeconomy as her engines of economic growth to utlise the abundance of natural resources and biodiversity. The public sector plays an integral role in developing the sector and various incentives are in place for the private sector to be actively involved and to forge collaboration with the public sector. The country launched its National Biotechnology Policy in 2005 and later launched its National Bioeconomy Programme in 2010 to become the first country in South East Asia and second in Asia after China to have such an initiative. Malaysia is also very proactive in its biosafety law and regulations and has most of the related legal instrument in place. A lot of success has been recorded since the inception of the National Biotechnology Policy in terms of job creation, contribution to GDP through biobusinesses and investment from foreign companies, but the sector is not spared from challenges too. Due to the nature of the discipline that is multidisciplinary and that requires huge amount of investment, expertise and political will, there are a lot of barriers before the country emerges as a bioeconomy player. This paper discusses the public policies, initiatives and funding mechanisms in place in Malaysia that drive its research, development and commercialisation in the area of biotechnology and bioeconomy. The authors also discuss the challenges faced in Malaysia in implementing the policies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A systems engineering perspective on process integration in industrial biotechnology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kiss, Anton A.; Grievink, Johan; Rito-Palomares, Marco

2015-01-01

Biotechnology has many applications in health care, agriculture, industry and the environment. By using renewable raw materials, biotechnology contributes to lowering greenhouse gas emissions and moving away from a petro-based towards a circular sustainable economy. However, major developments are

Biotechnological applications of extremophiles, extremozymes and extremolytes

KAUST Repository

Raddadi, Noura

2015-08-14

In the last decade, attention to extreme environments has increased because of interests to isolate previously unknown extremophilic microorganisms in pure culture and to profile their metabolites. Microorganisms that live in extreme environments produce extremozymes and extremolytes that have the potential to be valuable resources for the development of a bio-based economy through their application to white, red, and grey biotechnologies. Here, we provide an overview of extremophile ecology, and we review the most recent applications of microbial extremophiles and the extremozymes and extremolytes they produce to biotechnology.

Biotechnological processes in the Canadian mining industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCready, R.G.L.

1991-01-01

Since the initiation of the Federal Government's National Strategy on Biotechnology in 1983, CANMET has coordinated the development of numerous biotechnological processes both for economical metal recovery and for the protection of the environment. This presentation will give a brief overview of the development of in-place, underground bacterial leaching of uranium, the development of in-situ bacterial leaching of copper and zinc, bio recovery of metallic selenium from smelter effluents, the degradation of an organic pollutant from a metal smelter and biological treatment of acidic mine drainage. (author)

UK biotechnology companies lead the way for Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1984-05-01

A number of new well-structured biotechnology companies have been launched in Britain over the last few years, e.g. Imperial Biotechnology, IQ(Bio) and Celltech, while Wellcome and Searle (U.K.) are established firms, keeping up with the new technology. Imperial Biotechnology, with its accent on development rather than research and making products not in anyone else's catalogue, has produced a whole range of enzymes, biopolymers, antibiotics, and human proteins under contract. Its long term objective is to develop its own bioproducts. IQ(Bio) is poised to enter the diagnostic big league with its enzyme-linked immunoassay (Aelia) technology and intends to pursue opportunities where there is a strict regulatory climate prohibiting the growth of radioimmunoassays, e.g. France and Japan. It plans to produce kits that a doctor can use simply and give results in less than 30 minutes. Celltech has a culture products division which supplies large quantities of monoclonal antibodies, it has a diagnostics and health care research section, a speciality chemicals area and an industrial microbiology sector. Wellcome Biotechnology has an interferon programme which includes a broad range of chemical trials in the anticancer and antiviral areas. The company could supply the entire world market for interferon using cell culture and produces a very large range of conventional vaccines. Searle uses biotechnology as just another means of producing new drugs as they have a large drug development machine in place. A considerable amount of process development work has focused on Searle's artificial sweetener, aspartame, and they are looking at all the technical approaches to aspartame production.

Biotechnological Production Process and Life Cycle Assessment of Graphene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Noorunnisa Khanam

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to compare the graphene produced using a biotechnological method (Escherichia coli with the graphene produced by Hummers’ method (a chemical method and to study the effect on the energy consumption and environment. The results indicated that the chemical reduction process has higher energy consumption, approximately 1642 Wh, than the energy consumption of the biotechnological reduction process, which is 5 Wh. The potential of global warming (GWP 100 improved by 71% using the biotechnological route for the production of graphene. Abiotic depletion, the photochemical ozone creation potential, and marine aquatic ecotoxicity potential were improved when the biological route was employed, compared with the chemical route. The eutrophication potential, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and ozone depletion layer changed very little since the main variables involved in the production of graphene oxide and waste management are the same. The biotechnological method can be considered a green technique for the production of graphene, especially given the reduction in the negative effects on global warming, abiotic depletion, the photochemical ozone creation potential, and the marine aquatic ecotoxicity potential.

75 FR 41798 - Solicitation of Letters of Interest to Participate in Biotechnology Quality Management System...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-19

...] Solicitation of Letters of Interest to Participate in Biotechnology Quality Management System Program AGENCY... participate in the APHIS Biotechnology Quality Management System Program. The Biotechnology Quality Management..., audit-based compliance assistance program known as the Biotechnology Quality Management System Program...

Biotechnology in Argentina: New products, new multilateral challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciano M. Donadio Linares

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Since 20 years ago, a public-private alliance has transformed Argentina into a remarkable global actor in developing biotechnological products for food and renewable energies. This strategic alliance resulted in the boosting of scientific knowledge, the extension of the production boundary, the expansion of international trade and the creation of the conditions for an integral development. Furthermore, given the characteristics of biotechnology as a new phenomenon, wto has become the field within where a number of disputes take place, disputes which not only controvert trade issues, but also the State’s limits to design and apply public policies on the matter at issue. As a consequence, the present article seeks to, on the one hand, describe how Argentina built its public policy on Biotechnology and, on the other hand, analyze the challenges that Argentina faces within the multilateral trade system

An automated tensile machine for small specimens heavily neutron irradiated in FFTF/MOTA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kohyama, Akira; Sato, Shinji; Hamada, Kenichi

1993-01-01

The objective of this work is to develop a fully automated tensile machine for post-irradiation examination (PIE) of Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF)/Materials Open Test Assembly (MOTA) irradiated miniature tension specimens. The anticipated merit of the automated tensile machine is to reduce damage to specimens during specimen handling for PIE and to reduce exposure to radioactive specimens. This machine is designed for testing at elevated temperatures, up to 873 K, in a vacuum or in an inert gas environment. Twelve specimen assemblies are placed in the vacuum chamber that can be tested successively in a fully automated manner. A unique automated tensile machine for the PIE of FFTF/MOTA irradiated specimens, the Monbusho Automated Tensile Machine (MATRON) consists of a test frame with controlling units and an automated specimen-loading apparatus. The qualification of the test frame has been completed, and the results have satisfied the machine specifications. The capabilities of producing creep and relaxation data have been demonstrated for Cu, Al, 316SS, and ferritic steels. The specimen holders for the three-point bending test and the small bulge test (small punch test; SP test) were also designed and produced

75 FR 20560 - Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.; Determination of Nonregulated Status for Corn Genetically...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-20

...] Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.; Determination of Nonregulated Status for Corn Genetically Engineered for... are advising the public of our determination that a corn line developed by Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc... Biotechnology, Inc., in its petition for a determination of nonregulated status, our analysis of other...

Interface of nuclear and biotechnologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castro Diaz-Balart, F.

2005-01-01

Addressing nuclear and biotechnologies in the International Year of Physics should begin by highlighting the important role that this science has played in the development of both branches of science and technologies. The first as a direct consequence of the Theory of Relativity, the further was considerably influenced by Schroedinger's remarks that there must be a code of some kind that allowed molecules in cells to carry information, making a connection between genes and proteins. Both, like any highly technical endeavor, have also in common that the use of technologies demands a vast accumulation of knowledge, i.e. volumes of scientific research, engineering analysis, strict regulatory controls and a huge amount of information combined with a complex assortment of people with the required educational background, expertise and skills to master it. This presentation briefly explores the ways in which nuclear technology has been used in the last decades of the 20th century in the field of biomedicine applications, which includes the use of radiation to obtain accurate images as well as in diagnosis and therapy. The paper looks at the present prospects of some nuclear methods and instrumentation in the so-called Red biotechnology and its genetically engineered therapeutic agents and diagnostic tests as well as some related perspectives in the field of bioinformatics. As an example of biotechnology being successfully applied to health problems in developing countries the presentation gives an outlook of relevant Cuban achievements in this field. (author)

Small Scale Yielding Correction of Constraint Loss in Small Sized Fracture Toughness Test Specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Maan Won; Kim, Min Chul; Lee, Bong Sang; Hong, Jun Hwa

2005-01-01

Fracture toughness data in the ductile-brittle transition region of ferritic steels show scatter produced by local sampling effects and specimen geometry dependence which results from relaxation in crack tip constraint. The ASTM E1921 provides a standard test method to define the median toughness temperature curve, so called Master Curve, for the material corresponding to a 1T crack front length and also defines a reference temperature, T 0 , at which median toughness value is 100 MPam for a 1T size specimen. The ASTM E1921 procedures assume that high constraint, small scaling yielding (SSY) conditions prevail at fracture along the crack front. Violation of the SSY assumption occurs most often during tests of smaller specimens. Constraint loss in such cases leads to higher toughness values and thus lower T 0 values. When applied to a structure with low constraint geometry, the standard fracture toughness estimates may lead to strongly over-conservative estimates. A lot of efforts have been made to adjust the constraint effect. In this work, we applied a small-scale yielding correction (SSYC) to adjust the constraint loss of 1/3PCVN and PCVN specimens which are relatively smaller than 1T size specimen at the fracture toughness Master Curve test

Opening remarks SIVB congress 2001: opportunities and challenges in plant biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bond, Christopher

2003-01-01

U.S. Senator Christopher Bond joined Dr. Roger Beachy at the podium during the Society for In Vitro Biology's 2001 Congress Plenary Session on Opportunities and Challenges in Plant Biotechnology to Benefit Health and Sustainability, on June 17, 2001, in St. Louis, Missouri. Senator Bond presented an advocate's view regarding the benefits of plant biotechnology development. The strengths of the biotechnology regulatory system were extolled. The opportunities of this new technology to produce more and nutritionally superior food, additional plant-based medicines and vaccines, plant-based renewable sources of energy, and renewable industrial products were outlined. The benefits to the environment by adopting plant biotechnological innovations were discussed. Developing public policy regarding this new technology should be based on facts, science, and reason.

Biotechnologies for the management of genetic resources for food and agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Lidder, Preetmoninder; Sonnino, Andrea

2012-01-01

In recent years, the land area under agriculture has declined as also has the rate of growth in agricultural productivity while the demand for food continues to escalate. The world population now stands at 7 billion and is expected to reach 9 billion in 2045. A broad range of agricultural genetic diversity needs to be available and utilized in order to feed this growing population. Climate change is an added threat to biodiversity that will significantly impact genetic resources for food and agriculture (GRFA) and food production. There is no simple, all-encompassing solution to the challenges of increasing productivity while conserving genetic diversity. Sustainable management of GRFA requires a multipronged approach, and as outlined in the paper, biotechnologies can provide powerful tools for the management of GRFA. These tools vary in complexity from those that are relatively simple to those that are more sophisticated. Further, advances in biotechnologies are occurring at a rapid pace and provide novel opportunities for more effective and efficient management of GRFA. Biotechnology applications must be integrated with ongoing conventional breeding and development programs in order to succeed. Additionally, the generation, adaptation, and adoption of biotechnologies require a consistent level of financial and human resources and appropriate policies need to be in place. These issues were also recognized by Member States at the FAO international technical conference on Agricultural Biotechnologies for Developing Countries (ABDC-10), which took place in March 2010 in Mexico. At the end of the conference, the Member States reached a number of key conclusions, agreeing, inter alia, that developing countries should significantly increase sustained investments in capacity building and the development and use of biotechnologies to maintain the natural resource base; that effective and enabling national biotechnology policies and science-based regulatory frameworks can

Protein engineering approaches to chemical biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhen; Zeng, An-Ping

2016-12-01

Protein engineering for the improvement of properties of biocatalysts and for the generation of novel metabolic pathways plays more and more important roles in chemical biotechnology aiming at the production of chemicals from biomass. Although widely used in single-enzyme catalysis process, protein engineering is only being increasingly explored in recent years to achieve more complex in vitro and in vivo biocatalytic processes. This review focuses on major contributions of protein engineering to chemical biotechnology in the field of multi-enzymatic cascade catalysis and metabolic engineering. Especially, we discuss and highlight recent strategies for combining pathway design and protein engineering for the production of novel products. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A cross-sectional study of biotechnology awareness and teaching in European high schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanderschuren, Hervé; Heinzmann, Dominik; Faso, Carmen; Stupak, Martin; Arga, Kazim Yalçin; Hoerzer, Helen; Laizet, Yech'an; Leduchowska, Paulina; Silva, Nádia; Simková, Klára

2010-12-31

Undoubtedly, biotechnology has a tremendous impact on our daily lives. As a result of this and in parallel to the advancement of knowledge in this field of applied research, consumer awareness of the potential benefits and risks of this technology has steadily increased, leading to a thorough investigation of the public perception of biotechnology in the past years. Indeed, it has become clear that it is in the general interest of science and especially of applied research to inform the public of its advances. A promising next step is to strengthen biotechnology communication in scholastic institutions. In this paper, we investigate the perception of biotechnology in a specific target group, namely high-school students in the 16-20-year-old age range. We conducted a questionnaire-based survey on a total of 1410 students in six European countries to investigate students' perception, concern, scientific knowledge, and awareness. Our data revealed some unexpected patterns of acceptance and concern about biotechnology. Knowledge analysis indicated that pupils lack specific knowledge about biotechnological applications and their interest in biotechnology appeared to be linked to knowledge. Analysis of specific questions about teaching practices at schools suggests that a better targeted choice in media as vehicles for information together with selected speakers could be instrumental in increasing students' interest in science and more specifically in biotechnology. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The measuring technique developed to evaluate the thermal diffusivity of the multi-layered thin film specimens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Tse-Chang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the present study, the thermal diffusivities of the Al, Si and ITO films deposited on the SUS304 steel substrate are evaluated via the present technique. Before applying this technique, the temperature for the thin film of the multi-layered specimen is developed theoretically for the one- dimensional steady heat conduction in response to amplitude and frequency of the periodically oscillating temperature imposed by a peltier placed beneath the specimen's substrate. By the thermal-electrical data processing system excluding the lock-in amplifier, the temperature frequency a3 has been proved first to be independent of the electrical voltage applied to the peltier and the contact position of the thermocouples. The experimental data of phase difference for three kinds of specimen are regressed well by a straight line with a slope. Then, the thermal diffusivity of the thin film is thus determined if the slope value and the film- thickness are available. In the present arrangements for the thermocouples, two thermal diffusivity values are quite close each other and valid for every kind of specimen. This technique can provide an efficient, low-cost method for the thermal diffusivity measurements of thin films.

Biotechnology Education as Social and Cultural Production/Reproduction of the Biotechnology Community

Science.gov (United States)

Andrée, Maria

2014-01-01

This paper is a commentary to a paper by Anne Solli, Frank Bach and Björn Åkerman on how students at a technical university learn to argue as biotechnologists. Solli and her colleagues report from an ethnographic study performed during the first semester of a 5-year program in biotechnology at a technical university in Sweden. Their study…

Biotechnologies and Human Dignity

Science.gov (United States)

Sweet, William; Masciulli, Joseph

2011-01-01

In this article, the authors review some contemporary cases where biotechnologies have been employed, where they have had global implications, and where there has been considerable debate. The authors argue that the concept of dignity, which lies at the center of such documents as the 2005 Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights, the…

International Marine Biotechnology Culture Collection (IMBCC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zaborsky, O.R.; Baker, K. [Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI (United States)

1996-10-01

The objective of this project is to establish a premier culture collection of tropical marine microorganisms able to generate hydrogen from water or organic substances. Both eukaryotic and prokaryotic microorganisms will serve as the biological reservoir or {open_quotes}library{close_quotes} for other DOE Hydrogen Program contractors, the biohydrogen research community and industry. This project consists of several tasks: (a) transfer of the Mitsui-Miami strains to Hawaii`s International Marine Biotechnology Culture Collection (IMBCC) housed at the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI); (b) maintain and distribute Mitsui-Miami strains; (c) characterize key strains by traditional and advanced biotechnological techniques; (d) expand Hawaii`s IMBCC; and (e) establish and operate an information resource (database). The project was initiated only late in the summer of 1995 but progress has been made on all tasks. Of the 161 cyanobacterial strains imported, 147 survived storage and importation and 145 are viable. with most exhibiting growth. Of the 406 strains of other photosynthetic bacteria imported, 392 survived storage and importation and 353 are viable, with many exhibiting growth. This project is linked to cooperative efforts being supported by the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) through its Marine Biotechnology Institute (MBI) and Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE).

Biotechnological applications of bacterial cellulases

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Menéndez, E.; García-Fraile, Paula; Rivas, R.

2015-01-01

Roč. 2, č. 3 (2015), s. 163-182 ISSN 2306-5354 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) EE2.3.30.0003 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Biotechnological applications * Bacterial cellulases * Cellulose degradation Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology

Spring 2008 Industry Study: Biotechnology Industry

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Anttonen, John; Darnauer, Trish; Douglas, Tim; Ferrari, John; Zimdahl, Jennifer; Hall, Ian M; King, William; Klotzsche, Carl; Miller, Doug; Packard, Doug; Renegar, Mike; Rimback, Ed; Rogers, Gordon; Schnedar, Chris; Sekulovski, Zoran

2008-01-01

Defined broadly as the manipulation of genetic material in living organisms or the derivatives thereof, biotechnology represents a veritable gold mine of possibilities for improving the human condition...

SEM-analysis of grain boundary porosity in three S-176 specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malen, K.; Birath, S.; Mattsson, O.

1980-10-01

Porosity in UO 2 -fuel has been studied in scanning electron microscope (SEM). The aim was to obtain a basis for evaluation of porosity in high burnup power reactor fuel. Three specimens have been analyzed. In the high temperature zones porosity can be seen both on grain boundaries and at grain edges. In the low temperature regions very little changes seem to have occurred during irradiation. (author)

Biotechnology Patenting in the BRICS Countries: Strategies and Dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Streltsova, Ekaterina; Linton, Jonathan D

2018-01-05

The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) account for 25% of global biotechnology patents. To understand the current and future landscape of the domain, it is important to better understand the capacity of these contributors. Here, we consider the thematic priorities, strategies, and key players of the BRICS countries in biotechnology patenting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Utilization of protein-rich residues in biotechnological processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pleissner, Daniel; Venus, Joachim

2016-03-01

A drawback of biotechnological processes, where microorganisms convert biomass constituents, such as starch, cellulose, hemicelluloses, lipids, and proteins, into wanted products, is the economic feasibility. Particularly the cost of nitrogen sources in biotechnological processes can make up a large fraction of total process expenses. To further develop the bioeconomy, it is of considerable interest to substitute cost-intensive by inexpensive nitrogen sources. The aim of this mini-review was to provide a comprehensive insight of utilization methods of protein-rich residues, such as fish waste, green biomass, hairs, and food waste. The methods described include (i) production of enzymes, (ii) recovery of bioactive compounds, and/or (iii) usage as nitrogen source for microorganisms in biotechnological processes. In this aspect, the utilization of protein-rich residues, which are conventionally considered as waste, allows the development of value-adding processes for the production of bioactive compounds, biomolecules, chemicals, and materials.

The plant biotechnology flight: Is Africa on board? | Obembe | African ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The development of plant biotechnologies has been very rapid in recent times, especially in the developed countries. The technologies have created a new branch of biotechnology known as molecular farming, where plants are engineered to produce pharmaceutical and technical proteins in large quantities. An evaluation ...

Understanding public perceptions of biotechnology through the "Integrative Worldview Framework".

Science.gov (United States)

De Witt, Annick; Osseweijer, Patricia; Pierce, Robin

2015-07-03

Biotechnological innovations prompt a range of societal responses that demand understanding. Research has shown such responses are shaped by individuals' cultural worldviews. We aim to demonstrate how the Integrative Worldview Framework (IWF) can be used for analyzing perceptions of biotechnology, by reviewing (1) research on public perceptions of biotechnology and (2) analyses of the stakeholder-debate on the bio-based economy, using the Integrative Worldview Framework (IWF) as analytical lens. This framework operationalizes the concept of worldview and distinguishes between traditional, modern, and postmodern worldviews, among others. Applied to these literatures, this framework illuminates how these worldviews underlie major societal responses, thereby providing a unifying understanding of the literature on perceptions of biotechnology. We conclude the IWF has relevance for informing research on perceptions of socio-technical changes, generating insight into the paradigmatic gaps in social science, and facilitating reflexive and inclusive policy-making and debates on these timely issues. © The Author(s) 2015.

Common criteria among States for storage and use of dried blood spot specimens after newborn screening

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlo Petrini

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Biological samples collected in biobanks are a resource with significant research potential. The Italian Joint Group cNB - cNBBSV (National committee of Bioethics - National committee for Biosecurity, Biotechnologies and Life Sciences published a document reporting recommendations on storage and use of dried blood spot (DBS and on the development of a National Network of Regional Newborn Screening Repositories for collection of residual DBS. Several ethical questions (about consent, possible use of genetic information, unanticipated possible usages for research purposes rise from residual newborn screening specimens collections. Moreover, legal and ethical controversies are accentuated by the conflicts between the interests of sample donors, biobank holders, researchers and the public. To overcome these difficulties the identification of a few criteria for storage and research usage of DBS is crucial.

16 CFR Figure 3 to Part 1610 - Specimen Holder Supported in Specimen Rack

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Specimen Holder Supported in Specimen Rack 3 Figure 3 to Part 1610 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION FLAMMABLE FABRICS ACT... Holder Supported in Specimen Rack ER25MR08.002 ...

Biotechnological sulphide removal with oxygen

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buisman, C.

1989-01-01

This thesis deals with the development of a new process for biotechnological sulphide removal from wastewater, in which it is attempted to convert sulphide into elemental sulphur by colourless sulphur bacteria. The toxicity, corrosive properties, unpleasant odor and high oxygen demand of sulphide

High School and University Students' Knowledge and Attitudes regarding Biotechnology: A Turkish Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Usak, Muhammet; Erdogan, Mehmet; Prokop, Pavol; Ozel, Murat

2009-01-01

Biotechnology has a considerable importance in Turkish biology curriculum. This study was designed to explore or indicate Turkish high school and university students' knowledge and attitudes toward biotechnology. A total number of 352 high school and 276 university students were invited to the study. The Biotechnology Knowledge Questionnaire (BKQ)…

Review of computational fluid dynamics applications in biotechnology processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, C; Malhotra, D; Rathore, A S

2011-01-01

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is well established as a tool of choice for solving problems that involve one or more of the following phenomena: flow of fluids, heat transfer,mass transfer, and chemical reaction. Unit operations that are commonly utilized in biotechnology processes are often complex and as such would greatly benefit from application of CFD. The thirst for deeper process and product understanding that has arisen out of initiatives such as quality by design provides further impetus toward usefulness of CFD for problems that may otherwise require extensive experimentation. Not surprisingly, there has been increasing interest in applying CFD toward a variety of applications in biotechnology processing in the last decade. In this article, we will review applications in the major unit operations involved with processing of biotechnology products. These include fermentation,centrifugation, chromatography, ultrafiltration, microfiltration, and freeze drying. We feel that the future applications of CFD in biotechnology processing will focus on establishing CFD as a tool of choice for providing process understanding that can be then used to guide more efficient and effective experimentation. This article puts special emphasis on the work done in the last 10 years. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers

Sequencing historical specimens: successful preparation of small specimens with low amounts of degraded DNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Sproul, John S; Maddison, David R

2017-11-01

Despite advances that allow DNA sequencing of old museum specimens, sequencing small-bodied, historical specimens can be challenging and unreliable as many contain only small amounts of fragmented DNA. Dependable methods to sequence such specimens are especially critical if the specimens are unique. We attempt to sequence small-bodied (3-6 mm) historical specimens (including nomenclatural types) of beetles that have been housed, dried, in museums for 58-159 years, and for which few or no suitable replacement specimens exist. To better understand ideal approaches of sample preparation and produce preparation guidelines, we compared different library preparation protocols using low amounts of input DNA (1-10 ng). We also explored low-cost optimizations designed to improve library preparation efficiency and sequencing success of historical specimens with minimal DNA, such as enzymatic repair of DNA. We report successful sample preparation and sequencing for all historical specimens despite our low-input DNA approach. We provide a list of guidelines related to DNA repair, bead handling, reducing adapter dimers and library amplification. We present these guidelines to facilitate more economical use of valuable DNA and enable more consistent results in projects that aim to sequence challenging, irreplaceable historical specimens. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Biotechnological Applications of Marine Enzymes From Algae, Bacteria, Fungi, and Sponges.

Science.gov (United States)

Parte, S; Sirisha, V L; D'Souza, J S

Diversity is the hallmark of all life forms that inhabit the soil, air, water, and land. All these habitats pose their unique inherent challenges so as to breed the "fittest" creatures. Similarly, the biodiversity from the marine ecosystem has evolved unique properties due to challenging environment. These challenges include permafrost regions to hydrothermal vents, oceanic trenches to abyssal plains, fluctuating saline conditions, pH, temperature, light, atmospheric pressure, and the availability of nutrients. Oceans occupy 75% of the earth's surface and harbor most ancient and diverse forms of organisms (algae, bacteria, fungi, sponges, etc.), serving as an excellent source of natural bioactive molecules, novel therapeutic compounds, and enzymes. In this chapter, we introduce enzyme technology, its current state of the art, unique enzyme properties, and the biocatalytic potential of marine algal, bacterial, fungal, and sponge enzymes that have indeed boosted the Marine Biotechnology Industry. Researchers began exploring marine enzymes, and today they are preferred over the chemical catalysts for biotechnological applications and functions, encompassing various sectors, namely, domestic, industrial, commercial, and healthcare. Next, we summarize the plausible pros and cons: the challenges encountered in the process of discovery of the potent compounds and bioactive metabolites such as biocatalysts/enzymes of biomedical, therapeutic, biotechnological, and industrial significance. The field of Marine Enzyme Technology has recently assumed importance, and if it receives further boost, it could successfully substitute other chemical sources of enzymes useful for industrial and commercial purposes and may prove as a beneficial and ecofriendly option. With appropriate directions and encouragement, marine enzyme technology can sustain the rising demand for enzyme production while maintaining the ecological balance, provided any undesired exploitation of the marine

Proton irradiation effects on tensile and bend-fatigue properties of welded F82H specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saito, S., E-mail: saito.shigeru@jaea.go.j [JAEA Tokai, J-PARC Center, 2-4 Shirakata-shirane, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken 319-1195 (Japan); Kikuchi, K.; Hamaguchi, D. [JAEA Tokai, J-PARC Center, 2-4 Shirakata-shirane, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken 319-1195 (Japan); Usami, K.; Ishikawa, A.; Nishino, Y.; Endo, S. [JAEA Tokai, Department of Hot Laboratories, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki-ken 319-1195 (Japan); Kawai, M. [KEK, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken 305-0801 (Japan); Dai, Y. [PSI, Spallation Source Division, 5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland)

2010-03-15

In several institutes, research and development for an accelerator-driven transmutation system (ADS) have been progressed. Ferritic/martensitic (FM) steels are the candidate materials for the beam window of ADS. To evaluate of the mechanical properties of the irradiated materials, the post irradiation examination (PIE) work of the SINQ (Swiss spallation neutron source) target irradiation program (STIP) specimens was carried out at JAEA. In present study, the results of PIE on FM steel F82H and its welded joint have been reported. The present irradiation conditions of the specimens were as follows: proton energy was 580 MeV. Irradiation temperatures were ranged from 130 to 380 deg. C, and displacement damage level was ranged from 5.7 to 11.8 dpa. The results of tensile tests performed at 22 deg. C indicated that the irradiation hardening occurred with increasing the displacement damage up to 10.1 dpa at 320 deg. C irradiation. At higher dose (11.8 dpa) and higher temperature (380 deg. C), irradiation hardening was observed, but degradation of ductility was relaxed in F82H welded joint. In present study, all specimens kept its ductility after irradiation and fractured in ductile manner. The results on bend-fatigue tests showed that the fatigue life (N{sub f}) of F82H base metal irradiated up to 6.3 dpa was almost the same with that of unirradiated specimens. The N{sub f} of the specimens irradiated up to 9.1 dpa was smaller than that of unirradiated specimens. Though the number of specimen was limited, the N{sub f} of F82H EB (15 mm) and EB (3.3 mm) welded joints seemed to increase after irradiation and the fracture surfaces of the specimens showed transgranular morphology. While F82H TIG welded specimens were not fractured by 10{sup 7} cycles.

Temperature-dependent ion beam mixing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rehn, L.E.; Alexander, D.E.

1993-08-01

Recent work on enhanced interdiffusion rates during ion-beam mixing at elevated temperatures is reviewed. As discussed previously, expected increase in ion-beam mixing rates due to 'radiation-enhanced diffusion' (RED), i.e. the free migration of isolated vacancy and interstitial defects, is well documented in single-crystal specimens in the range of 0.4 to 0.6 of absolute melting temperature. In contrast, the increase often observed at somewhat lower temperatures during ion-beam mixing of polycrystalline specimens is not well understood. However, sufficient evidence is available to show that this increase reflects intracascade enhancement of a thermally-activated process that also occurs without irradiation. Recent evidence is presented which suggests that this process is Diffusion-induced Grain-Boundary Migration (DIGM). An important complementary conclusion is that because ion-beam mixing in single-crystal specimens exhibits no significant temperature dependence below that of RED, models that invoke only irradiation-specific phenomena, e.g., cascade-overlap, thermal-spikes, or liquid-diffusion, and hence which predict no difference in mixing behavior between single- or poly-crystalline specimens, cannot account for the existing results

ProTEK PSB as Biotechnology Photosensitive Protection Mask on 3C-SiC-on-Si in MEMS Sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Marsi, N.; Majlis, B. Y.; Mohd-Yasin, F.; Hamzah, A. A.; Mohd Rus, A. Z.

2016-11-01

This project presents the fabrication of MEMS employing a cubic silicon carbide (3C- SiC) on silicon wafer using newly developed ProTEK PSB as biotechnology photosensitive protection mask. This new biotechnology can reduce the number of processes and simplify the process flow with minimal impact on overall undercut performance. The 680 pm thick wafer is back-etched, leaving the 3C-SiC thin film with a thickness of 1.0 μm as the flexible diaphragm to detect pressure. The effect of the new coating of ProTEK PSB on different KOH solvents were investigated depending on various factors such as development time, final cure temperature and the thickness of the ProTEK PSB deposited layer. It is found that 6.174 μm thickness of ProTEK PSB offers some possibility of reducing the processing time compared to silicon nitride etch masks in KOH (55%wt, 80°C). The new ProTEK PSB biotechnology photosensitive protection mask indicates good stability and sustains its performance in different treatments under KOH and IPA for 8 hours. This work also revealed that the fabrication of MEMS sensors using the new biotechnology photosensitive protection mask provides a simple assembly approach and reduces manufacturing costs. The MEMS sensor can operate up to 500 °C as indicated under the sensitivity of 0.826 pF/MPa with nonlinearity and hysteresis of 0.61% and 3.13%, respectively.

Connecting Learners: The Role of Biotechnology Programme in Preparing Students for the Industry

Science.gov (United States)

Mohd Saruan, Nadiah; Sagran, Avinash; Fadzil, Kamal Solhaimi; Razali, Zuliana; Ow Phui San, Rebecca; Somasundram, Chandran

2015-01-01

The recent growth of biotechnology requires a wide range of expertise within the industry. Education is the primary platform for students to gain information and knowledge on biotechnology. In Malaysia where biotechnology is relatively new, education programs and courses must be tailored to meet the demands of the industry. A combination of…

Device for investigating subcritical crack growth of RPV steel specimens under BWR conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anders, D.; Ahlf, J.

1983-01-01

An experiment is being prepared to investigate the subcritical crack growth of RPV steel specimens under cyclic load and under the environmental conditions of a BWR with regard to primary water and irradiation. The experiment will be carried out in the VAK reactor Kahl which is a boiling water reactor operating at 71 bar, 286 0 C and generating 16 MW/sub e/. The experimental setup is composed of an open frame to which a string consisting of five compact tension speciments (40 mm thickness) and connecting links is fixed. The specimen chain is set under cyclic load by a pneumatically actuated bellows unit which is attached to the frame top. Specimen strain and crack opening are measured by linear differential transformers; for temperature distribution measurements in the specimens thermocouples are applied

Temperature effects on bond between concrete and reinforcing steel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lublóy Éva

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Bond behaviour between concrete and reinforcing bars was observed under elevated temperatures. Five different concrete compositions were used. Hundred five pull-out specimens (Ø120 mm, 100 mm were prepared. After removing the specimens from the formwork, they were stored in water for seven days then kept at laboratory conditions until testing. The specimens were 28 days old by testing. After heating up the specimens, they were kept for two hours at these maximum temperatures (20 °C, 150 °C, 300 °C, 400 °C, 500 °C, 800 °C. Specimens were then cooled down in laboratory conditions. Finally the specimens were tested at room temperature. In order to check the compressive strength standard cubes were cast, cured, and heat treated, then tested to compressive strength. The results showed reduction in residual compressive strength and considerable changes in steel-concrete bond under high temperatures. Based on test results, a proposal is presented for the modification of MC2010 bond-ship formula in order to consider temperature effect.

Using the Mystery of the Cyclopic Lamb to Teach Biotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Jamie L.

2010-01-01

I present a learning cycle that explores different biotechnologies using the process of in situ hybridization as a platform. Students are presented with a cyclopic lamb and must use biotechnology to discover the mechanism behind the deformity. Through this activity, students learn about signal transduction and discover the processes of polymerase…

Biotechnological Production of Organic Acids from Renewable Resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Pleissner, Daniel; Dietz, Donna; van Duuren, Jozef Bernhard Johann Henri; Wittmann, Christoph; Yang, Xiaofeng; Lin, Carol Sze Ki; Venus, Joachim

2017-03-07

Biotechnological processes are promising alternatives to petrochemical routes for overcoming the challenges of resource depletion in the future in a sustainable way. The strategies of white biotechnology allow the utilization of inexpensive and renewable resources for the production of a broad range of bio-based compounds. Renewable resources, such as agricultural residues or residues from food production, are produced in large amounts have been shown to be promising carbon and/or nitrogen sources. This chapter focuses on the biotechnological production of lactic acid, acrylic acid, succinic acid, muconic acid, and lactobionic acid from renewable residues, these products being used as monomers for bio-based material and/or as food supplements. These five acids have high economic values and the potential to overcome the "valley of death" between laboratory/pilot scale and commercial/industrial scale. This chapter also provides an overview of the production strategies, including microbial strain development, used to convert renewable resources into value-added products.

76 FR 27301 - Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.; Availability of Petition, Plant Pest Risk Assessment, and...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-11

...] Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.; Availability of Petition, Plant Pest Risk Assessment, and Environmental... Plant Health Inspection Service has received a petition from Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc., seeking a.../brs/aphisdocs/07_10801p _dpra.pdf. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rick Coker, Biotechnology...

76 FR 60448 - Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.; Determination of Nonregulated Status for Lepidopteran-Resistant Cotton

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-29

...] Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.; Determination of Nonregulated Status for Lepidopteran-Resistant Cotton AGENCY... our determination that a cotton line developed by Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc., designated as event... submitted by Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc., in its petition for a determination of nonregulated status, our...

Biotechnological and molecular approaches for vanillin production: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaur, Baljinder; Chakraborty, Debkumar

2013-02-01

Vanillin is one of the most widely used flavoring agents in the world. As the annual world market demand of vanillin could not be met by natural extraction, chemical synthesis, or tissue culture technology, thus biotechnological approaches may be replacement routes to make production of bio-vanillin economically viable. This review's main focus is to highlight significant aspects of biotechnology with emphasis on the production of vanillin from eugenol, isoeugenol, lignin, ferulic acid, sugars, phenolic stilbenes, vanillic acid, aromatic amino acids, and waste residues by applying fungi, bacteria, and plant cells. Production of biovanillin using GRAS lactic acid bacteria and metabolically engineered microorganisms, genetic organization of vanillin biosynthesis operons/gene cassettes and finally the stability of biovanillin generated through various biotechnological procedures are also critically reviewed in the later sections of the review.

A curved beam test specimen for determining the interlaminar tensile strength of a laminated composite

Science.gov (United States)

Hiel, Clement C.; Sumich, Mark; Chappell, David P.

1991-01-01

A curved beam type of test specimen is evaluated for use in determining the through-the-thickness strength of laminated composites. Two variations of a curved beam specimen configuration (semicircular and elliptical) were tested to failure using static and fatigue loads. The static failure load for the semicircular specimens was found to be highly sensitive to flaw content, with the specimens falling into two distinct groups. This result supports the use of proof testing for structural validation. Static design allowables are derived based on the Weibull distribution. Fatigue data indicates no measured increase in specimen compliance prior to final fracture. All static and fatigue failures at room temperature dry conditions occurred catastrophically. The elliptical specimens demonstrated unusually high failure strengths indicating the presence of phenomena requiring further study. Results are also included for specimens exposed to a wet environment showing a matrix strength degradation due to moisture content. Further testing is underway to evaluate a fatigue methodology for matrix dominated failures based on residual static strength (wearout).

The application of biotechnology in medicinal plants breeding research in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, He-Ping; Li, Jin-Cai; Huang, Lu-Qi; Wang, Dian-Lei; Huang, Peng; Nie, Jiu-Sheng

2015-07-01

Breeding is not only an important area of medicinal plants research but also the foundation for the superior varieties acquirement of medicinal plants. The rise of modern biotechnology provides good opportunities and new means for medicinal plants breeding research in China. Biotechnology shows its technical advantages and new development prospects in breeding of new medicinal plants varieties with high and stable yield, good quality, as well as stress-resistance. In this paper, we describe recent advances, problems, and development prospects about the application of modern biotechnology in medicinal plants breeding research in China.

Melting temperature of graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korobenko, V.N.; Savvatimskiy, A.I.

2001-01-01

Full Text: Pulse of electrical current is used for fast heating (∼ 1 μs) of metal and graphite specimens placed in dielectric solid media. Specimen consists of two strips (90 μm in thick) placed together with small gap so they form a black body model. Quasy-monocrystal graphite specimens were used for uniform heating of graphite. Temperature measurements were fulfilled with fast pyrometer and with composite 2-strip black body model up to melting temperature. There were fulfilled experiments with zirconium and tungsten of the same black body construction. Additional temperature measurements of liquid zirconium and liquid tungsten are made. Specific heat capacity (c P ) of liquid zirconium and of liquid tungsten has a common feature in c P diminishing just after melting. It reveals c P diminishing after melting in both cases over the narrow temperature range up to usual values known from steady state measurements. Over the next wide temperature range heat capacity for W (up to 5000 K) and Zr (up to 4100 K) show different dependencies of heat capacity on temperature in liquid state. The experiments confirmed a high quality of 2-strip black body model used for graphite temperature measurements. Melting temperature plateau of tungsten (3690 K) was used for pyrometer calibration area for graphite temperature measurement. As a result, a preliminary value of graphite melting temperature of 4800 K was obtained. (author)

78 FR 13302 - Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.; Determination of Nonregulated Status of Corn Genetically Engineered...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-27

...] Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.; Determination of Nonregulated Status of Corn Genetically Engineered for... are advising the public of our determination that a corn line developed by the Syngenta Biotechnology... evaluation of data submitted by Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc., in its petition for a determination of...

SOME TRENDS IN MATHEMATICAL MODELING FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. M. Klyuchko

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The purpose of present research is to demonstrate some trends of development of modeling methods for biotechnology according to contemporary achievements in science and technique. At the beginning the general approaches are outlined, some types of classifications of modeling methods are observed. The role of mathematic methods modeling for biotechnology in present époque of information computer technologies intensive development is studied and appropriate scheme of interrelation of all these spheres is proposed. Further case studies are suggested: some mathematic models in three different spaces (1D, 2D, 3D models are described for processes in living objects of different levels of hierarchic organization. In course of this the main attention was paid to some processes modeling in neurons as well as in their aggregates of different forms, including glioma cell masses (1D, 2D, 3D brain processes models. Starting from the models that have only theoretical importance for today, we describe at the end a model which application may be important for the practice. The work was done after the analysis of approximately 250 current publications in fields of biotechnology, including the authors’ original works.

Biodiversity, biotechnologies and the philosophy of biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Galleni, Lodovico

2004-01-01

The thesis of this paper is that in front of the development of biotechnology and of the capacity of techniques of altering the living, there is still a very old philosophy of biology. A rapid historical view is given where the rise and diffusion of the reductionistic paradigm is presented and the connections between this paradigm and biotechnologies are traced. Curiously biotechnologies are still based on the philosophy of F. Bacon. Then the necessity of a new paradigm in biology based on the recent discoveries of complexity is underlined. It is reminded that the main discovery of science of the XX century is that we are living in a small planet of limited resources and frail equilibriums. This discovery asks for a different view of the scientific progress, more linked to the conservation of the Biosphere than to its alteration. Stability is the task for the future interactions of human-kind with nature. For this reason the relationships between stability and diversity are summarised. Finally, as the species is the main step of Biodiversity, a brief discussion of the problems posed by the altering of species barriers is presented.

High performance hybrid magnetic structure for biotechnology applications

Science.gov (United States)

Humphries, David E [El Cerrito, CA; Pollard, Martin J [El Cerrito, CA; Elkin, Christopher J [San Ramon, CA

2009-02-03

The present disclosure provides a high performance hybrid magnetic structure made from a combination of permanent magnets and ferromagnetic pole materials which are assembled in a predetermined array. The hybrid magnetic structure provides means for separation and other biotechnology applications involving holding, manipulation, or separation of magnetic or magnetizable molecular structures and targets. Also disclosed are further improvements to aspects of the hybrid magnetic structure, including additional elements and for adapting the use of the hybrid magnetic structure for use in biotechnology and high throughput processes.

Applications of biotechnology in olive | Cançado | African Journal of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Many scientific and technological fields make use of biotechnology. Among the most important applications of biotechnology in agriculture are large-scale commercial micropropagation, genetic transformation and the development of transgenic varieties, embryo rescue in plant breeding programs, genotyping based on ...

Fostering biotechnology entrepreneurship in developing countries

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Fred

countries cheaper and potentially easier to administer. Efficient sewage treatment ... developing countries, start-up funding for biotechnology companies is still very ... Business incubators are unique in stimulating spin-offs from universities and ...

Acinetobacter: environmental and biotechnological applications ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Among microbial communities involved in different ecosystems such as soil, freshwater, wastewater and solid wastes, several strains belonging to the genus of Acinetobacter have been attracting growing interest from medical, environmental and a biotechnological point of view. Bacteria of this genus are known to be ...

Students' Biotechnology Literacy: The Pillars of STEM Education in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Bahri, Nurnadiah Mohamed; Suryawati, Evi; Osman, Kamisah

2014-01-01

Biotechnology has been widely applied in various products throughout the 21st century. Malaysia selected the biotechnology sector as one of the key strategic technologies that would enable Malaysia to transform into a fully developed nation by the year 2020. However, to date, there has been very little research on the level of biotechnology…

Awareness and knowledge on modern biotechnology

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Jane

2011-09-30

Sep 30, 2011 ... food; MABIC, Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre. on public ... in Malaysia and provide linkage to several international website on modern ... scholars and university students) possess at least tertiary level of education ...

Small specimen technique for assessing mechanical properties of metallic components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lobo, Raquel M.; Andrade, Arnaldo H.P.; Morcelli, Aparecido E., E-mail: rmlobo@ipen.br, E-mail: morcelliae@gmail.com [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2017-11-01

Small Punch Test (SPT) is one of the most promising techniques of small specimen test, which was originally applied in testing of irradiated materials in nuclear engineering. Then it was introduced to other fields as an almost nondestructive method to measure the local mechanical properties that are difficult to be obtained using conventional mechanical tests. Most studies to date are focused on metallic materials, although SPT applications are recently spreading to other materials. The small punch test (SPT) employs small-sized specimens (for example, samples measuring 8 mm in diameter and 0.5 mm thick). The specimen is firmly clamped between two circular dies and is bi-axially strained until failure into a circular hole using a hemispherical punch. The 'load-punch displacement' record can be used to estimate the yield strength, the ultimate tensile strength, the tensile elongation, and the temperature of the ductile-to-brittle transition. Recently, some researchers are working on the use of miniature notched or pre-cracked specimens (denoted as p-SPT) to validate its geometry and dimensions for obtaining the fracture properties of metallic materials. In a first approach, the technique makes it possible to convert primary experimental data into conventional mechanical properties of a massive specimen. In this paper a comprehensive review of the different STP applications is presented with the aim of clarifying its usefulness. (author)

Small specimen technique for assessing mechanical properties of metallic components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lobo, Raquel M.; Andrade, Arnaldo H.P.; Morcelli, Aparecido E.

2017-01-01

Small Punch Test (SPT) is one of the most promising techniques of small specimen test, which was originally applied in testing of irradiated materials in nuclear engineering. Then it was introduced to other fields as an almost nondestructive method to measure the local mechanical properties that are difficult to be obtained using conventional mechanical tests. Most studies to date are focused on metallic materials, although SPT applications are recently spreading to other materials. The small punch test (SPT) employs small-sized specimens (for example, samples measuring 8 mm in diameter and 0.5 mm thick). The specimen is firmly clamped between two circular dies and is bi-axially strained until failure into a circular hole using a hemispherical punch. The 'load-punch displacement' record can be used to estimate the yield strength, the ultimate tensile strength, the tensile elongation, and the temperature of the ductile-to-brittle transition. Recently, some researchers are working on the use of miniature notched or pre-cracked specimens (denoted as p-SPT) to validate its geometry and dimensions for obtaining the fracture properties of metallic materials. In a first approach, the technique makes it possible to convert primary experimental data into conventional mechanical properties of a massive specimen. In this paper a comprehensive review of the different STP applications is presented with the aim of clarifying its usefulness. (author)

Establishing Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as an industrial biotechnology host.

Science.gov (United States)

Scaife, Mark A; Nguyen, Ginnie T D T; Rico, Juan; Lambert, Devinn; Helliwell, Katherine E; Smith, Alison G

2015-05-01

Microalgae constitute a diverse group of eukaryotic unicellular organisms that are of interest for pure and applied research. Owing to their natural synthesis of value-added natural products microalgae are emerging as a source of sustainable chemical compounds, proteins and metabolites, including but not limited to those that could replace compounds currently made from fossil fuels. For the model microalga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, this has prompted a period of rapid development so that this organism is poised for exploitation as an industrial biotechnology platform. The question now is how best to achieve this? Highly advanced industrial biotechnology systems using bacteria and yeasts were established in a classical metabolic engineering manner over several decades. However, the advent of advanced molecular tools and the rise of synthetic biology provide an opportunity to expedite the development of C. reinhardtii as an industrial biotechnology platform, avoiding the process of incremental improvement. In this review we describe the current status of genetic manipulation of C. reinhardtii for metabolic engineering. We then introduce several concepts that underpin synthetic biology, and show how generic parts are identified and used in a standard manner to achieve predictable outputs. Based on this we suggest that the development of C. reinhardtii as an industrial biotechnology platform can be achieved more efficiently through adoption of a synthetic biology approach. © 2015 The Authors The Plant Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Miniature Precracked Charpy Specimens for Measuring the Master Curve Reference Temperature of RPV Steels at Impact Loading Rates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lucon, E.; Scibetta, M.; Puzzolante, L.

2008-10-15

In the framework of the 2006 Convention, we investigated the applicability of fatigue precracked miniature Charpy specimens of KLST type (MPCC - B = 3 mm, W = 4 mm and L = 27 mm) for impact toughness measurements, using the well-characterized JRQ RPV steel. In the ductile to-brittle transition region, MPCC tests analyzed using the Master Curve approach and compared to data previously obtained from PCC specimens had shown a more ductile behavior and therefore un conservative results. In the investigation presented in this report, two additional RPV steels have been used to compare the performance of impact-tested MPCC and PCC specimens in the transition regime: the low-toughness JSPS steel and the high-toughness 20MnMoNi55 steel. The results obtained (excellent agreement for 20MnMoNi55 and considerable differences between T0 values for JSPS) are contradictory and do not presently allow qualifying the MPCC specimens as a reliable alternative to PCC samples for impact toughness measurements.

77 FR 41366 - Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.; Availability of Petition, Plant Pest Risk Assessment, and...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-13

...] Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.; Availability of Petition, Plant Pest Risk Assessment, and Environmental... Biotechnology, Inc., seeking a determination of nonregulated status of corn designated as SYN-05307-1, which has... likely to pose a plant pest risk. We are making available for public comment the Syngenta Biotechnology...

77 FR 13258 - Biotechnology Regulatory Services; Changes Regarding the Solicitation of Public Comment for...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-06

...] Biotechnology Regulatory Services; Changes Regarding the Solicitation of Public Comment for Petitions for..., Chief of Staff, Biotechnology Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 20737... process changes APHIS is making to our petition process, go to http://www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/pet...

The response of pressure vessel steel specimens on drop weight loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winkler, S.; Kalthoff, J.F.; Gerscha, A.

1979-01-01

Load records obtained in instrumented impact tests in general are disturbed by inertia effects. The influence of mechanical damping provisions on these disturbing inertia effects is investigated. Precracked bend specimens are dynamically loaded in a drop weight testing system. The specimens of size 620 mm x 150 mm (25 mm or 50 mm thick) were machined from the pressure vessel steel 22 NiMoCr 37 which was heat treated to achieve a specially hardened condition. The tests were performed at two different low temperatures. The impact velocity was about 4 m/s. As it is usual in instrumented impact testing, the load at the tup of the impining striker is recorded as a function of time during the impact process. In addition the specimen is instrumented by a strain gage close to the crack tip in order to directly measure the stress intensification. Experiments were performed under pure and damped impact conditions. Damping was achieved by utilizing a soft aluminum plate between the striker and the specimen. (orig.)

The effect of thermal treatment on the mechanical properties of PLLA tubular specimens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arbeiter Daniela

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Conventional permanent stent systems for vascular applications are associated with long-term risks, such as restenosis and thrombosis. To overcome these limitations, novel approaches using various biodegradable materials for stent construction have been investigated. In this context, thermal treatment of polymer materials is investigated to adjust the mechanical properties of biodegradable stents. In this work polymeric tubular specimens of biodegradable poly(L-lactide (PLLA were extruded and subjected to a molding process using different temperatures above glass transition temperature TG. Physicochemical properties of the molded samples were analyzed using DSC measurements and uniaxial tensile tests. The molding process resulted in a weakening of the PLLA tubular specimens with a simultaneous increase in the degree of crystallinity (χ.

Promotion of Biotechnology amongst Students by University Departments in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Boshoff, N.; Treptow, R. F.

2011-01-01

University departments (including schools and centres) with a direct or indirect link to biotechnology were identified. Representatives at these entities were surveyed to establish what measures South African universities are undertaking to promote biotechnology amongst students. Of the 168 departments identified, 55 submitted usable…

Seventeenth symposium on biotechnology for fuels and chemicals. Program and abstracts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-05-01

This volume contains the abstracts of oral and poster presentations made at the Seventeenth Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. Session titles include Thermal, Chemical, and Biological Processing; Applied Biological Research; Bioprocessing Research; Special Topics Discussion Groups; Process Economics and Commercialization; and Environmental Biotechnology.

Nutrition by design: a review of biotechnology in functional food

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Reynolds

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Medical institutions in industrial and developing countries are increasingly turning to functional foods as intervention in chronic disease. Advances in genetic engineering have provided methods of purposefully designing functional foods and bioactive compound-producing organisms. This literature review examines the recent history of biotechnological applications in functional food, the state of bioagricultural engineering for high-value compound production, and the challenges that developers face in promulgatingfunctional foods from biotechnological sources. Based on the literature reviewed, it is predicted that adding biotechnologically-produced compounds will be more successful in producing novel functional foods. Conclusion: Current functional food application is frequently hampered by a dearth of foods suitable to the purpose. The concurrent advent of biotechnology means that producers and clinicians are not constrained by limited and precarious natural development. Biotechnology has already produced altered dietary staples that can safely induce real health benefits, but the social approval of genetically modified foodstuffs is inconsistent at best. Modifying microalgae to produce micro and macronutrients, for harvest and incorporation into functional food products, provides the ideal specificity and reliability for bioactive compound use. However, its application in biomedical science is impeded by technical difficulty. It remains to be seen if microorganism engineering willbe able to meet the needs of its many stakeholders, including the functional food community. Nonetheless,the prospect of a flourishing functional food market, and the healthier population it will bring about, certainly makes it worth a try.

Splitting tests on rock specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davies, J D; Stagg, K G

1970-01-01

Splitting tests are described for a square-section sandstone specimens line loaded through steel or timber packings on the top face and supported on the bottom face either on similar packings (type A specimen) or directly on the lower platen plate of the testing machine (type B specimens). The stress distribution across the vertical central plane and the horizontal central plane were determined from a linear elastic finite element analysis for both types. Two solutions were obtained for the type B specimen: one assuming no friction between the base of the specimen and the platen plate and the other assuming no relative slip between the surfaces. Vertical and horizontal strains were measured at the center of the specimens for all loads up to failure.

Biosafety Assessment of Microbial Strains Used in Biotechnology According to Their Taxonomy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalia I. Sheina

2017-03-01

Full Text Available A great variety of biotechnological products are now widely used in different ways in agriculture, medicine, food manufacturing and other areas of our life. Industrialized societies now more than ever depend on the use of genetically engineered products, with many of them synthesized using recombinant strains of microorganisms. There is an opinion that microbial strains used in biotechnology are potentially harmful for human health and the environment. Similar to many other countries, we have enacted environmental legislation in an effort to balance the risks and benefits of using biotechnological strains. Although environmental monitoring rules focus mainly on safety assessments of chemicals, the biosafety assessment of microbial strains used in biotechnology is a very important issue as well. This article summarizes 15 years of research on the biotechnological strains of microbes widely used as producers of various biological substances for industrial purposes, and their environmental and biotechnological applications. In our survey, we tried to evaluate possible adverse effects (general toxicity and damage to the immune system, potential sensitizing effects, and damage to normal microbiota caused by these microbes. It was shown that microscopical fungi of genera Aspergillus, Penicillium and Candida, and some gram-negative bacteria can affect the immune system and disrupt the normal balance of microbial flora of the intestinal tract in rats. The actinomycetes are less dangerous in that they cause fewer side effects. The investigation data obtained can be used to develop safety and hygienic standards for industrial microbes that will help decrease or minimize the occupational risk of infection or damage to the immune system when working with biotechnological strains of microbes.

Determining past leaf-out times of New England's deciduous forests from herbarium specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Everill, Peter H; Primack, Richard B; Ellwood, Elizabeth R; Melaas, Eli K

2014-08-01

• There is great interest in studying leaf-out times of temperate forests because of the importance of leaf-out in controlling ecosystem processes, especially in the face of a changing climate. Remote sensing and modeling, combined with weather records and field observations, are increasing our knowledge of factors affecting variation in leaf-out times. Herbarium specimens represent a potential new source of information to determine whether the variation in leaf-out times observed in recent decades is comparable to longer time frames over past centuries.• Here we introduce the use of herbarium specimens as a method for studying long-term changes in leaf-out times of deciduous trees. We collected historical leaf-out data for the years 1834-2008 from common deciduous trees in New England using 1599 dated herbarium specimens with young leaves.• We found that leaf-out dates are strongly affected by spring temperature, with trees leafing out 2.70 d earlier for each degree C increase in mean April temperature. For each degree C increase in local temperature, trees leafed out 2.06 d earlier. Additionally, the mean response of leaf-out dates across all species and sites over time was 0.4 d earlier per decade. Our results are of comparable magnitude to results from studies using remote sensing and direct field observations.• Across New England, mean leaf-out dates varied geographically in close correspondence with those observed in studies using satellite data. This study demonstrates that herbarium specimens can be a valuable source of data on past leaf-out times of deciduous trees. © 2014 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

Infusing Authentic Inquiry into Biotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

Hanegan, Nikki L.; Bigler, Amber

2009-10-01

Societal benefit depends on the general public's understandings of biotechnology (Betsch in World J Microbiol Biotechnol 12:439-443, 1996; Dawson and Cowan in Int J Sci Educ 25(1):57-69, 2003; Schiller in Business Review: Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia (Fourth Quarter), 2002; Smith and Emmeluth in Am Biol Teach 64(2):93-99, 2002). A National Science Foundation funded survey of high school biology teachers reported that hands-on biotechnology education exists in advanced high school biology in the United States, but is non-existent in mainstream biology coursework (Micklos et al. in Biotechnology labs in American high schools, 1998). The majority of pre-service teacher content preparation courses do not teach students appropriate content knowledge through the process of inquiry. A broad continuum exists when discussing inquiry-oriented student investigations (Hanegan et al. in School Sci Math J 109(2):110-134, 2009). Depending on the amount of structure in teacher lessons, inquiries can often be categorized as guided or open. The lesson can be further categorized as simple or authentic (Chinn and Malhotra in Sci Educ 86(2):175-218, 2002). Although authentic inquiries provide the best opportunities for cognitive development and scientific reasoning, guided and simple inquiries are more often employed in the classroom (Crawford in J Res Sci Teach 37(9):916-937, 2000; NRC in Inquiry and the national science education standards: a guide for teaching and learning, 2000). For the purposes of this study we defined inquiry as "authentic" if original research problems were resolved (Hanegan et al. in School Sci Math J 109(2):110-134, 2009; Chinn and Malhotra in Sci Educ 86(2):175-218, 2002; Roth in Authentic school science: knowing and learning in open-inquiry science laboratories, 1995). The research question to guide this study through naturalistic inquiry research methods was: How will participants express whether or not an authentic inquiry experience enhanced

Knowledge and Attitudes towards Biotechnology of Elementary Education Preservice Teachers: The First Spanish Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Casanoves, Marina; González, Ángel; Salvadó, Zoel; Haro, Juan; Novo, Maite

2015-01-01

Due to the important impact that biotechnology has on current Western societies, well-informed critical citizens are needed. People prepared to make conscious decisions about aspects of biotechnology that relate to their own lives. Teachers play a central role in all education systems. Thus, the biotechnological literacy of preservice teachers is…

A review on plant importance, biotechnological aspects, and cultivation challenges of jojoba plant.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Obaidi, Jameel R; Halabi, Mohammed Farouq; AlKhalifah, Nasser S; Asanar, Shanavaskhan; Al-Soqeer, Abdulrahman A; Attia, M F

2017-08-24

Jojoba is considered a promising oil crop and is cultivated for diverse purposes in many countries. The jojoba seed produces unique high-quality oil with a wide range of applications such as medical and industrial-related products. The plant also has potential value in combatting desertification and land degradation in dry and semi-dry areas. Although the plant is known for its high-temperature and high-salinity tolerance growth ability, issues such as its male-biased ratio, relatively late flowering and seed production time hamper the cultivation of this plant. The development of efficient biotechnological platforms for better cultivation and an improved production cycle is a necessity for farmers cultivating the plant. In the last 20 years, many efforts have been made for in vitro cultivation of jojoba by applying different molecular biology techniques. However, there is a lot of work to be done in order to reach satisfactory results that help to overcome cultivation problems. This review presents a historical overview, the medical and industrial importance of the jojoba plant, agronomy aspects and nutrient requirements for the plant's cultivation, and the role of recent biotechnology and molecular biology findings in jojoba research.

A review on plant importance, biotechnological aspects, and cultivation challenges of jojoba plant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jameel R. Al-Obaidi

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Jojoba is considered a promising oil crop and is cultivated for diverse purposes in many countries. The jojoba seed produces unique high-quality oil with a wide range of applications such as medical and industrial-related products. The plant also has potential value in combatting desertification and land degradation in dry and semi-dry areas. Although the plant is known for its high-temperature and high-salinity tolerance growth ability, issues such as its male-biased ratio, relatively late flowering and seed production time hamper the cultivation of this plant. The development of efficient biotechnological platforms for better cultivation and an improved production cycle is a necessity for farmers cultivating the plant. In the last 20 years, many efforts have been made for in vitro cultivation of jojoba by applying different molecular biology techniques. However, there is a lot of work to be done in order to reach satisfactory results that help to overcome cultivation problems. This review presents a historical overview, the medical and industrial importance of the jojoba plant, agronomy aspects and nutrient requirements for the plant’s cultivation, and the role of recent biotechnology and molecular biology findings in jojoba research.

Biotechnology of intensive aerobic conversion of sewage sludge and food waste into fertilizer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, J.-Y.; Stabnikova, O.; Show, K.-Y.; Ding, H.-B.; Tay, S.T.-L.; Ivanov, V.; Tay, J.-H.

2003-07-01

Biotechnology for intensive aerobic bioconversion of sewage sludge and food waste into fertilizer was developed. The wastes were treated in a closed reactor under controlled aeration, stirring, pH, and temperature at 60{sup o}C, after addition of starter bacterial culture Bacillus thermoamylovorans. The biodegradation of sewage sludge was studied by decrease of volatile solids (VS), content of organic carbon and autofluorescence of coenzyme F{sub 420}. The degradation of anaerobic biomass was faster than biodegradation of total organic matter. The best fertilizer was obtained when sewage sludge was thermally pre-treated, mixed with food waste, chalk, and artificial bulking agent. The content of volatile solid and the content of organic carbon decreased at 24.8% and 13.5% of total solids, respectively, during ten days of bioconversion. The fertilizer was a powder with moisture content of 5%. It was stable, and not toxic for the germination of plant seeds. Addition of 1.0 to 1.5% of this fertilizer to the subsoil increased the growth of different plants tested by 113 to 164 %. The biotechnology can be applied in larger scale for the recycling of sewage sludge and food wastes in Singapore. (author)

The translations and the organizing of scientific practices in R&D biotechnology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorena Bezerra de Souza Matos

Full Text Available Abstract Considering the scientific practices related to Research & Development in biotechnology and, based on the assumptions of Actor Network Theory (ANT, this study aimed to describe the main translations that influenced the composition of an actor-networks, reflecting on the organizing practices in a scientific laboratory Research & Development of Northeast Biotechnology Network (Brazil. The methodological procedures were based on the historical approach of biotechnology under study from an ethnographic posture. The composition of the corpus was organized in the form of reports, observing the historical passages. The history of biotechnology has been reported between the plots of design, patenting and commercialization practices, highlighting the creation of heterogeneous actors’ networks. Finally, he emphasized the influence of laboratory scientist's leadership in the way of organizing of scientific practices.

Laparoscopic specimen retrieval bags.

Science.gov (United States)

Smorgick, Noam

2014-10-01

Specimen retrieval bags have long been used in laparoscopic gynecologic surgery for contained removal of adnexal cysts and masses. More recently, the concerns regarding spread of malignant cells during mechanical morcellation of myoma have led to an additional use of specimen retrieval bags for contained "in-bag" morcellation. This review will discuss the indications for use retrieval bags in gynecologic endoscopy, and describe the different specimen bags available to date.

Reengineering the retail/ambulatory pharmacy for provision of biotechnology pharmaceutical services.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, P J

1998-07-01

Biotechnology products offer both problems and opportunities for pharmacists. On one hand, they are expensive to purchase and keep on inventory. Typical compensation for outpatient prescriptions does not offset the cost of maintaining the inventory, or providing the education and training that patients often need to use biotechnology products properly. On the other hand, there are issues related to proper storage, preparation, and administration for which pharmacists are well prepared to address. Pharmacists are also convenient, trusted, and provide service at relatively low cost. Examples of special services that pharmacists can provide to improve the use of biotechnology products include patient education, injection clinics, provision of medical supplies, and predrawing syringes for patients. Patients are often sent to many providers for these services, resulting in inconvenience and fragmentation of care. If new compensation methods can be established to support more comprehensive pharmacy services, the use of biotechnology products by patients will improve.

Use of globally unique identifiers (GUIDs) to link herbarium specimen records to physical specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Gil; Sweeney, Patrick; Gilbert, Edward

2018-02-01

With the advent of the U.S. National Science Foundation's Advancing Digitization of Biodiversity Collections program and related worldwide digitization initiatives, the rate of herbarium specimen digitization in the United States has expanded exponentially. As the number of electronic herbarium records proliferates, the importance of linking these records to the physical specimens they represent as well as to related records from other sources will intensify. Although a rich and diverse literature has developed over the past decade that addresses the use of specimen identifiers for facilitating linking across the internet, few implementable guidelines or recommended practices for herbaria have been advanced. Here we review this literature with the express purpose of distilling a specific set of recommendations especially tailored to herbarium specimen digitization, curation, and management. We argue that associating globally unique identifiers (GUIDs) with physical herbarium specimens and including these identifiers in all electronic records about those specimens is essential to effective digital data curation. We also address practical applications for ensuring these associations.

Metabolomics for functional genomics, systems biology, and biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Saito, Kazuki; Matsuda, Fumio

2010-01-01

Metabolomics now plays a significant role in fundamental plant biology and applied biotechnology. Plants collectively produce a huge array of chemicals, far more than are produced by most other organisms; hence, metabolomics is of great importance in plant biology. Although substantial improvements have been made in the field of metabolomics, the uniform annotation of metabolite signals in databases and informatics through international standardization efforts remains a challenge, as does the development of new fields such as fluxome analysis and single cell analysis. The principle of transcript and metabolite cooccurrence, particularly transcriptome coexpression network analysis, is a powerful tool for decoding the function of genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. This strategy can now be used for the identification of genes involved in specific pathways in crops and medicinal plants. Metabolomics has gained importance in biotechnology applications, as exemplified by quantitative loci analysis, prediction of food quality, and evaluation of genetically modified crops. Systems biology driven by metabolome data will aid in deciphering the secrets of plant cell systems and their application to biotechnology.

Overview on the biotechnological production of L-DOPA.

Science.gov (United States)

Min, Kyoungseon; Park, Kyungmoon; Park, Don-Hee; Yoo, Young Je

2015-01-01

L-DOPA (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-L-alanine) has been widely used as a drug for Parkinson's disease caused by deficiency of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Since Monsanto developed the commercial process for L-DOPA synthesis for the first time, most of currently supplied L-DOPA has been produced by the asymmetric method, especially asymmetric hydrogenation. However, the asymmetric synthesis shows critical limitations such as a poor conversion rate and a low enantioselectivity. Accordingly, alternative biotechnological approaches have been researched for overcoming the shortcomings: microbial fermentation using microorganisms with tyrosinase, tyrosine phenol-lyase, or p-hydroxyphenylacetate 3-hydroxylase activity and enzymatic conversion by immobilized tyrosinase. Actually, Ajinomoto Co. Ltd commercialized Erwinia herbicola fermentation to produce L-DOPA from catechol. In addition, the electroenzymatic conversion system was recently introduced as a newly emerging scheme. In this review, we aim to not only overview the biotechnological L-DOPA production methods, but also to briefly compare and analyze their advantages and drawbacks. Furthermore, we suggest the future potential of biotechnological L-DOPA production as an industrial process.

Analysis of the applicability of fracture mechanics on the basis of large scale specimen testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brumovsky, M.; Polachova, H.; Sulc, J.; Anikovskij, V.; Dragunov, Y.; Rivkin, E.; Filatov, V.

1988-01-01

The verification is dealt with of fracture mechanics calculations for WWER reactor pressure vessels by large scale model testing performed on the large testing machine ZZ 8000 (maximum load of 80 MN) in the Skoda Concern. The results of testing a large set of large scale test specimens with surface crack-type defects are presented. The nominal thickness of the specimens was 150 mm with defect depths between 15 and 100 mm, the testing temperature varying between -30 and +80 degC (i.e., in the temperature interval of T ko ±50 degC). Specimens with a scale of 1:8 and 1:12 were also tested, as well as standard (CT and TPB) specimens. Comparisons of results of testing and calculations suggest some conservatism of calculations (especially for small defects) based on Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics, according to the Nuclear Reactor Pressure Vessel Codes which use the fracture mechanics values from J IC testing. On the basis of large scale tests the ''Defect Analysis Diagram'' was constructed and recommended for brittle fracture assessment of reactor pressure vessels. (author). 7 figs., 2 tabs., 3 refs

Beam-induced temperature changes in HVEM irradiations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garner, F.A.; Thomas, L.E.; Gelles, D.S.

1975-01-01

The peak value of the temperature distribution induced by energy loss of 1.0 MeV electrons in traversing a typical HVEM irradiation specimen can be very substantial. The origin and various features of this distribution were analyzed for a variety of specimen geometries. The major parametric dependencies are shown to be relatively independent of specimen geometry, however, and allow the definition of a scaling relationship that can be employed to predict temperature rises in materials that cannot be measured directly. The use of this scaling relationship requires that the experimenter minimize perturbations of the heat flow due to proximity of the central hole in the specimen. An experimental method of determining directly the magnitude and distribution of beam-induced temperature profiles was developed which utilizes the order-disorder transformation in Fe 3 Al and Cu 3 Au. Scaling of experimentally determined temperature changes leads to more realistic estimates of the total temperature rise than are currently available in various literature tabulations. The factors which determine the optimum selection of irradiation parameters for a given experiment are also discussed

Biotechnology software in the digital age: are you winning?

Science.gov (United States)

Scheitz, Cornelia Johanna Franziska; Peck, Lawrence J; Groban, Eli S

2018-01-16

There is a digital revolution taking place and biotechnology companies are slow to adapt. Many pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and industrial bio-production companies believe that software must be developed and maintained in-house and that data are more secure on internal servers than on the cloud. In fact, most companies in this space continue to employ large IT and software teams and acquire computational infrastructure in the form of in-house servers. This is due to a fear of the cloud not sufficiently protecting in-house resources and the belief that their software is valuable IP. Over the next decade, the ability to quickly adapt to changing market conditions, with agile software teams, will quickly become a compelling competitive advantage. Biotechnology companies that do not adopt the new regime may lose on key business metrics such as return on invested capital, revenue, profitability, and eventually market share.

78 FR 27977 - Office of Biotechnology Activities; Recombinant DNA Research: Proposed Actions Under the NIH...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-13

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Office of Biotechnology... Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines) SUMMARY: The NIH Office of Biotechnology... of Biotechnology Activities, National Institutes of Health, 6705 Rockledge Drive, Suite 750, Bethesda...

Cacao biotechnology: current status and future prospects.

Science.gov (United States)

Wickramasuriya, Anushka M; Dunwell, Jim M

2018-01-01

Theobroma cacao-The Food of the Gods, provides the raw material for the multibillion dollar chocolate industry and is also the main source of income for about 6 million smallholders around the world. Additionally, cocoa beans have a number of other nonfood uses in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Specifically, the potential health benefits of cocoa have received increasing attention as it is rich in polyphenols, particularly flavonoids. At present, the demand for cocoa and cocoa-based products in Asia is growing particularly rapidly and chocolate manufacturers are increasing investment in this region. However, in many Asian countries, cocoa production is hampered due to many reasons including technological, political and socio-economic issues. This review provides an overview of the present status of global cocoa production and recent advances in biotechnological applications for cacao improvement, with special emphasis on genetics/genomics, in vitro embryogenesis and genetic transformation. In addition, in order to obtain an insight into the latest innovations in the commercial sector, a survey was conducted on granted patents relating to T. cacao biotechnology. © 2017 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Urine culture - catheterized specimen

Science.gov (United States)

Culture - urine - catheterized specimen; Urine culture - catheterization; Catheterized urine specimen culture ... urinary tract infections may be found in the culture. This is called a contaminant. You may not ...

Development of a strain measurement method for non-plane specimens by means of computer picture processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshioka, Akira; Soneda, Naoki; Yagawa, Genki; Miyoshi, Akio.

1988-01-01

Integrity Tests of the Fast Breeder Reactor components are often conducted at an elevated temperature, say 550deg C. Since high-temperature strain measurement using special strain gauges is costly and unappropriate for large and repeated strains, the authors have developed an optical strain measurement method and system based on computer picture processing and the triangulation principle. The present method enables us to measure the strain in specimen with curved surfaces. Its operation is also easy, because of the automatic distinction of marks from noises. The verification tests with a plate specimen and a cylindrical one are performed under elevated temperatures. The results show that the present method is very suitable to the tests under elevated temperatures and that the measurement error of strain is within 0.2 % (2000μ), which is reasonable considering the limitation of hardware. (author)

The evolution of biotechnology and its impact on health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Evens, Ronald; Kaitin, Kenneth

2015-02-01

For more than three decades the field of biotechnology has had an extraordinary impact on science, health care, law, the regulatory environment, and business. During this time more than 260 novel biotechnology products were approved for over 230 indications. Global sales of these products exceeded $175 billion in 2013 and have helped sustain a vibrant life sciences sector that includes more than 4,600 biotech companies worldwide. In this article we examine the evolution of biotechnology during the past three decades and the profound impact that it has had on health care through four interrelated and interdependent tracks: innovations in science, government activity, business development, and patient care. The future impact of biotechnology is promising, as long as the public and private sectors continue to foster policies and provide funds that lead to scientific breakthroughs; governments continue to offer incentives for private-sector biotech innovation; industry develops business models for cost-effective research and development; and all stakeholders establish policies to ensure that the therapeutic advances that mitigate or cure medical conditions that currently have inadequate or no available therapies are accessible to the public at a reasonable cost. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Recent Major Advances of Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture in China

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Jianhai

2015-01-01

Background: Global aquaculture production has increased continuously over the last five decades, and particularly in China. Its aquaculture has become the fastest growing and most efficient agri-sector, with production accounting for more than 70% of the world’s aquaculture output. In the new century, with serious challenges regarding population, resources and the environment, China has been working to develop high-quality, effective, healthy, and sustainable blue agriculture through the application of modern biotechnology. Sound knowledge related to the biology and ecology of aquatic organisms has laid a solid foundation and provided the innovation and technology for rapid development of the aquaculture industry. Marine biotechnology, which is enabling solutions for ocean productivity and sustainability, has been promoted since the last decades of the 20th Century in China. Objective: In this article, priority areas of research, mainly genetic breeding, omics studies, novel production systems, biosecurity, bioprocesses and biorefinery, as well as the major progress of marine biotechnology R&D in China are reviewed. Conclusion: Current innovative achievements in China are not enough and the level and frequency of academic advancements must be improved. International cooperation and assistance remain crucial for the success of marine biotechnology. PMID:28553577

Progress on research of materials science and biotechnology by ion beam application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishigaki, Isao [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Takasaki, Gunma (Japan). Takasaki Radiation Chemistry Research Establishment

1997-03-01

Research of materials science and biotechnology by ion beam application in Takasaki Establishment was reviewed. Especially, the recent progresses of research on semiconductors in space, creation of new functional materials and topics in biotechnology were reported. (author)

HMSRP Hawaiian Monk Seal Specimen Data (includes physical specimens, collection information, status, storage locations, and laboratory results associated with individual specimens)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set includes physical specimens, paper logs and Freezerworks database of all logged information on specimens collected from Hawaiian monk seals since 1975....

Fabrication and loading of long-term stress corrosion cracking surveillance specimens for the Dresden 1 decontamination program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, W.L.

1979-10-01

Stress-corrosion cracking test specimens were prepared for Dow Nuclear Services for insertion in the Dresden 1 reactor during the chemical decontamination of the primary system, and for subsequent exposure under operating conditions when the station returns to service. The specimens consist of pressurized tubes fabricated from Type-304 and -304L stainless steel, Inconel 600, Incoloy 800, and Zircaloy 2. In addition, constant radius bent-beam specimens of 3/4 hard Type-410 stainless steel were also included. All specimens were stressed to, or slightly above, their respective 0.2% offset yield strengths at the temperatures of interest

Essential Features of Responsible Governance of Agricultural Biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartley, Sarah; Gillund, Frøydis; van Hove, Lilian; Wickson, Fern

2016-05-01

Agricultural biotechnology continues to generate considerable controversy. We argue that to address this controversy, serious changes to governance are needed. The new wave of genomic tools and products (e.g., CRISPR, gene drives, RNAi, synthetic biology, and genetically modified [GM] insects and fish), provide a particularly useful opportunity to reflect on and revise agricultural biotechnology governance. In response, we present five essential features to advance more socially responsible forms of governance. In presenting these, we hope to stimulate further debate and action towards improved forms of governance, particularly as these new genomic tools and products continue to emerge.

Alienation from the Objectives of the Patent System: How to Remedy the Situation of Biotechnology Patent.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Li

2018-03-12

Some fundamental biotechnologies hold unprecedented potential to eradicate many incurable diseases. However, in absence of regulations, the power of patent makes the future use of some important biotechnology in few institution's hands. The excessive patents restrict researcher access to the fundamental technologies. It generates concerns and complaints of deteriorating the public health and social welfare. Furthermore, intellectual curiosities, funding, respect among colleagues etc., rather than patents, are the real motivations driving a major ground-breaking discoveries in biotechnology. These phenomena reveal that some biotechnology patents are alienated from the purpose of patent system. Therefore, it is necessary to take some approaches to stop over-patenting these fundamental biotechnology inventions. This article proposes a model regulatory framework for controlling biotechnology patent alienating from the purpose of patent system.

Mathematical Modelling of Continuous Biotechnological Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Pencheva, T.; Hristozov, I.; Shannon, A. G.

2003-01-01

Biotechnological processes (BTP) are characterized by a complicated structure of organization and interdependent characteristics. Partial differential equations or systems of partial differential equations are used for their behavioural description as objects with distributed parameters. Modelling of substrate without regard to dispersion…

Gas, oil, and environmental biotechnology IV

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akin, C; Markuszewski, R; Smith, J [eds.; Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago, IL (United States)

1992-01-01

Contains 32 papers presented at the 4th international IGT symposium on gas, oil and environmental biotechnology. Topics covered were: hydrocarbon bioremediation; groundwater, soil and explosives bioremediation; gas and oil reservoir souring; and biodesulfurization. 2 papers have been abstracted separately.

Application of biotechnology in genetics and breeding of tall fescue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Xin; Ye Hongxia; Shu Xiaoli; Wu Dianxing

2008-01-01

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schred.) is an important lawn and pasture grass in agriculture, animal husbandy and lawn industry. The historical and present situations of tall fescue breeding were briefly introduced, and advances in the researches of molecular biology and germplasm enhancement by biotechnology in tall fescue were reviewed in the paper, which would provide the references for tall fescue breeding by biotechnology. (authors)

Pharma Success in Product Development—Does Biotechnology Change the Paradigm in Product Development and Attrition.

Science.gov (United States)

Evens, Ronald P

2016-01-01

The biotechnology segment of the overall biopharma industry has existed for only about 40–45 years, as a driver of new product development. This driving force was initiated with the FDA approval of recombinant human insulin in 1982, originating from the Genentech company. The pharma industry in the early years of 1970s and 1980s engaged with biotechnology companies only to a small extent with their in-licensing of a few recombinant molecules, led by Roche, Eli Lilly, and Johnson and Johnson. However, subsequently and dramatically over the last 25 years, biotechnology has become a primary driver of product and technology innovation and has become a cornerstone in new product development by all biopharma companies. This review demonstrates these evolutionary changes regarding approved products, product pipelines, novelty of the products, FDA approval rates, product sales, financial R&D investments in biotechnology, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and patent issues. We now have about 300 biotechnology products approved in USA covering 16 medical disciplines and about 250 indications, with the engagement of 25 pharma companies, along with their biotechnology company innovators and partners. The biotechnology pipeline involves over 1000 molecules in clinical trials, including over 300 molecules associated with the top 10 pharma companies. Product approval rates by the FDA for biotechnology products are over double the rate for drugs. Yes, the R&D paradigm has changed with biotechnology now as one of the major focuses for new product development with novel molecules by the whole biopharma industry.

Strength and deformation behaviors of veined marble specimens after vacuum heat treatment under conventional triaxial compression

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Haijian; Jing, Hongwen; Yin, Qian; Yu, Liyuan; Wang, Yingchao; Wu, Xingjie

2017-10-01

The mechanical behaviors of rocks affected by high temperature and stress are generally believed to be significant for the stability of certain projects involving rocks, such as nuclear waste storage and geothermal resource exploitation. In this paper, veined marble specimens were treated to high temperature treatment and then used in conventional triaxial compression tests to investigate the effect of temperature, confining pressure, and vein angle on strength and deformation behaviors. The results show that the strength and deformation parameters of the veined marble specimens changed with the temperature, presenting a critical temperature of 600 °C. The triaxial compression strength of a horizontal vein (β = 90°) is obviously larger than that of a vertical vein (β = 0°). The triaxial compression strength, elasticity modulus, and secant modulus have an approximately linear relation to the confining pressure. Finally, Mohr-Coulomb and Hoek-Brown criteria were respectively used to analyze the effect of confining pressure on triaxial compression strength.

The results of the surveillance specimen program performed in the RPVs NPP V-2 in Jaslovske Bohunice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kupca, L; Beno, P [Vyskumny Ustav Jadrovych Elektrarni, Trnava (Slovakia); Cepeek, S [Atomova Elektraren Bohunice, Jaslovske Bohunice (Slovakia); Tomasich, M [Slovak Nuclear Society, Bratislava (Slovakia)

1994-12-31

After a description of the mechanical and chemical characteristics of the materials (steels, welded joints) used in the pressure vessels of the WWER-440 V-213 type, the present status of the Bohunice NPP Unit 3 and 4 pressure vessel embrittlement assessment programme is presented: neutron flux monitoring and calculations, detector accuracy, irradiation temperature monitoring, reactor core fuel loading calculation, materials, number and types of surveillance specimens, specimen testing. Results are given for 5 years of irradiation: mechanical properties, transition temperatures, lifetime evaluation. 4 refs., 13 figs., 6 tabs.

75 FR 21008 - Office of Biotechnology Activities; Recombinant DNA Research: Proposed Actions Under the NIH...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-22

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Office of Biotechnology... Biotechnology Activities (OBA) published a proposal to revise the NIH Guidelines for Research with Recombinant... by fax to 301-496-9839 or mail to the Office of Biotechnology Activities, National Institutes of...

Size effect studies on geometrically scaled three point bend type specimens with U-notches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krompholz, K.; Kalkhof, D.; Groth, E

2001-02-01

One of the objectives of the REVISA project (REactor Vessel Integrity in Severe Accidents) is to assess size and scale effects in plastic flow and failure. This includes an experimental programme devoted to characterising the influence of specimen size, strain rate, and strain gradients at various temperatures. One of the materials selected was the forged reactor pressure vessel material 20 MnMoNi 55, material number 1.6310 (heat number 69906). Among others, a size effect study of the creep response of this material was performed, using geometrically similar smooth specimens with 5 mm and 20 mm diameter. The tests were done under constant load in an inert atmosphere at 700 {sup o}C, 800 {sup o}C, and 900 {sup o}C, close to and within the phase transformation regime. The mechanical stresses varied from 10 MPa to 30 MPa, depending on temperature. Prior to creep testing the temperature and time dependence of scale oxidation as well as the temperature regime of the phase transformation was determined. The creep tests were supplemented by metallographical investigations.The test results are presented in form of creep curves strain versus time from which characteristic creep data were determined as a function of the stress level at given temperatures. The characteristic data are the times to 5% and 15% strain and to rupture, the secondary (minimum) creep rate, the elongation at fracture within the gauge length, the type of fracture and the area reduction after fracture. From metallographical investigations the accent's phase contents at different temperatures could be estimated. From these data also the parameters of the regression calculation (e.g. Norton's creep law) were obtained. The evaluation revealed that the creep curves and characteristic data are size dependent of varying degree, depending on the stress and temperature level, but the size influence cannot be related to corrosion or orientation effects or to macroscopic heterogeneity (position effect

Potential applications of biotechnology in the energy and the environment sectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chakrabarty, A.M.

1988-06-01

Biotechnological approaches to solving some of the problems of environmental pollution or developing better or alternate sources of energy are considered realistic and technically feasible within the near future. Some of the potential applications of biotechnology of interest to chemists in the energy and the environment sectors are considered briefly in this article.

Identification of External Critical Success Factors in Microbial Biotechnology Firms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alireza AZIMI

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Microbial biotechnology is expected to change production methods, the products themselves and the structure of the industries in the new economies. Hopefully, countries in the Middle-East, Latin America, Asia and Africa have already recognized the importance of microbial biotechnology's promise. In this sense, the importance of externalities which might affect the success or failure of these companies becomes an issue of paramount importance. In the present study, we will try to identify the main external factors which could lead in the success of microbial biotechnology firms in Iran. To do so, the research follows a qualitative research design to answer this main question. Based on our findings, critical success factors are categorized in the following categories: General Environment (GE, Political Position (PP, Economic Position (EP, and Market Position (MP.

Bioanalysis-related highlights from the 2011 AAPS National Biotechnology Conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Crisino, Rebecca M; Dulanto, Beatriz

2011-08-01

The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists is a dynamic international forum for the exchange of knowledge among scientists to enhance their contributions to drug development. The annual National Biotechnology Conference, conducted and organized by the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, is a forum dedicated to advancements in science and technology related to discovery, development and manufacture of medical biotechnology products. The 2011 National Biotechnology Conference meeting convened in San Francisco, CA, USA on 16-18 May. Over 300 abstracts were submitted and approximately 50 sessions examined topics pertaining to advances in drug development, emerging analytical technologies, bioanalysis-related issues, biosimilar therapies, updates on global regulatory documents and expectations, and other topics. The focus of this article is to highlight key developments relevant to immunogenicity and pharmacokinetic drug concentration bioanalysis.

Small specimen test technology of fracture toughness in structural material F82H steel for fusion nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wakai, Eiichi; Ohtsuka, Hideo; Jitsukawa, Shiro; Matsukawa, Shingo; Ando, Masami

2006-03-01

Small specimen test technology (SSTT) has been developed to investigate mechanical properties of nuclear materials. SSTT has been driven by limited availability of effective irradiation volumes in test reactors and accelerator-based neutron and charged particle sources, and it is very useful for the reduction of waste materials produced in nuclear engineering. In this study new bend test machines have been developed to obtain fracture behaviors of F82H steel for very small bend specimens of pre-cracked t/2-1/3CVN (Charpy V-notch) with 20 mm-length and DFMB (deformation and fracture mini bend specimen) with 9 mm-length and disk compact tension of 0.18DCT type, and fracture behaviors were examined to evaluate DBTT (ductile-brittle transition temperature) at temperature from -180 to 25degC. The effect of specimen size on DBTT of F82H steel was also examined by using Charpy type specimens such as 1/2t-CVN, 1/3CVN and t/2-1/3CVN. In this paper, it also provides the information of the specimens irradiated at 250degC and 350degC to about 2 dpa in the capsule of 04M-67A and 04M-68A of JMTR experiments. (author)

Agricultural biotechnology research and development in Ethiopia

African Journals Online (AJOL)

PRECIOUS

2009-12-29

Dec 29, 2009 ... Review. Agricultural biotechnology research and development in Ethiopia ... seed micropropagation, virus-cleaning ongoing, good progress. Garlic meristem ... large quantities of disease-free planting materials in short time.

Are Students Prepared to Communicate? A Case Study of an Australian Degree Course in Biotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

Edmondston, Joanne; Dawson, Vaille; Schibeci, Renato

2010-01-01

Public concerns about biotechnology have resulted in greater attention being paid to the mechanisms by which biotechnology is communicated with non-scientists, including the provision of science communication training. As undergraduate and postgraduate courses form the foundation of the biotechnology sector by providing a pipeline of university…

78 FR 12074 - Office of Biotechnology Activities; Recombinant DNA Research: Actions Under the NIH Guidelines...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-21

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Office of Biotechnology... recommendations of the RAC, the NIH Office of Biotechnology Activities (OBA) concluded that more specific guidance... address or by fax at 301-496-9839 or by mail to the Office of Biotechnology Activities, National...

75 FR 28811 - Office of Biotechnology Activities; Recombinant DNA Research: Proposed Actions Under the NIH...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-24

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Office of Biotechnology... Yersinia pestis has been submitted to the NIH Office of Biotechnology Activities (OBA) by the Institutional... Biotechnology Activities, National Institutes of Health. [FR Doc. 2010-12453 Filed 5-21-10; 8:45 am] BILLING...

Biotechnological production of limonene in microorganisms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jongedijk, Esmer; Cankar, Katarina; Buchhaupt, Markus; Schrader, Jens; Bouwmeester, Harro; Beekwilder, Jules

2016-01-01

This mini review describes novel, biotechnology-based, ways of producing the monoterpene limonene. Limonene is applied in relatively highly priced products, such as fragrances, and also has applications with lower value but large production volume, such as biomaterials. Limonene is currently

Biotechnologizing Jatropha for local sustainable development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Puente, D.

2010-01-01

This article explores whether and how the biotechnologization process that the fuel-plant Jatropha curcas is undergoing might strengthen local sustainable development. It focuses on the ongoing efforts of the multi-stakeholder network Gota Verde to harness Jatropha within local small-scale

Realizing the promises of marine biotechnology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luiten, EEM; Akkerman, [No Value; Koulman, A; Kamermans, P; Reith, H; Barbosa, MJ; Sipkema, D; Wijffels, RH

High-quality research in the field of marine biotechnology is one of the key-factors for successful innovation in exploiting the vast diversity of marine life. However, fascinating scientific research with promising results and claims on promising potential applications (e.g. for pharmaceuticals,

Realizing the promises of marine biotechnology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luiten, E.E.M.; Akkerman, I.; Koulman, A.; Kamermans, P.; Reith, H.; Barbosa, M.J.; Sipkema, D.; Wijffels, R.H.

2003-01-01

High-quality research in the field of marine biotechnology is one of the key-factors for successful innovation in exploiting the vast diversity of marine life. However, fascinating scientific research with promising results and claims on promising potential applications (e.g. for pharmaceuticals,

The use of different type of electron beam radiation equipment for biotechnological materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferdes, O.; Minea, R.; Oproiu, C.; Ferdes, M.

1998-01-01

The potential of using electron beam radiation and bremsstrahlung for some biotechnological materials treatment is presented based on the results of the R and D programme established in 1993 at the Institute of Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics Bucharest, Electron Accelerator Laboratory. The main parameters of different electron accelerator types used to process biotechnological materials are presented as these machines were designed, developed and improved. In order to fulfil the radiation processing requirements for biotechnology and environmental protection, betatron, linear and microtron-type electron accelerators are considered and there is an interest to develop a dedicated one as well. The results of irradiation of different biotechnological items as cell cultures, microbial strains, enzymes and biopreparates and cellulose-based wastes are presented

Foundations for a Colombian Biotechnology policy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Óscar Castellanos

2001-07-01

Full Text Available Globalisation has created challenges for industry related to the constant need for improving national and international productivity and competitivity. Biological knowledge today has growing industrial application as it proposes innovative production methods. This type of biotechnology is becoming more relevant in Colombia's economic and social development all the time. The Colombian Ministry of Development, Colciencias and the National University of Colombia have therefore been jointly developing an integral set of guidelines. These are framed within Colombia's biotechnology policy to create concrete goals, objectives, strategies and direct action from the State, academic institutions and the business world. They encompass six fundamental approaches: markets and management; normativity and legislation; research and development (R&D; economic resources; human resources; and integration training. They al so explicitly raise the question of who shall be responsible for follow-up and the way that the policy's execution and achievements will be evaluated.

Symposium on chemistry and biotechnology for national development. Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garba, A.; Ogunmola, G.B.

1998-01-01

This document is the full proceedings of the symposium on chemistry and biotechnology for national development held at SHESTCO in 1995. It contains the full texts of a forward, opening and special remarks, welcome and keynote addresses and abstracts and texts of 21 technical papers. The subjects covered included information technology,chemistry and biotechnology in agriculture, health care and industrial development. Additionally, the abstracts in respect of 19 other papers are included. We wish to thank the Coordinator of SHESTCO for making available this proceedings

Symposium on chemistry and biotechnology for national development. Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garba, A; Ogunmola, G B [eds.

1998-12-01

This document is the full proceedings of the symposium on chemistry and biotechnology for national development held at SHESTCO in 1995. It contains the full texts of a forward, opening and special remarks, welcome and keynote addresses and abstracts and texts of 21 technical papers. The subjects covered included information technology,chemistry and biotechnology in agriculture, health care and industrial development. Additionally, the abstracts in respect of 19 other papers are included. We wish to thank the Coordinator of SHESTCO for making available this proceedings.

Possible application of brewer’s spent grain in biotechnology

OpenAIRE

Pejin Jelena D.; Radosavljević Miloš S.; Grujić Olgica S.; Mojović Ljiljana V.; Kocić-Tanackov Sunčica D.; Nikolić Svetlana B.; Đukić-Vuković Aleksandra J.

2013-01-01

Brewer’s spent grain is the major by-product in beer production. It is produced in large quantities (20 kg per 100 liters of produced beer) throughout the year at a low cost or no cost, and due to its high protein and carbohydrates content it can be used as a raw material in biotechnology. Biotechnological processes based on renewable agro-industrial by-products have ecological (zero CO2 emission, eco-friendly by-products) and economical (cheap raw materials and reduction of storage cos...

Monitoring of crack growth and crack mouth opening displacement in compact tension specimens at high temperatures : Development and implementation of the Direct Current Potential Drop (DCPD) method

OpenAIRE

Malmqvist, Philip

2016-01-01

The mechanical engineering department at the University of Idaho is conducting a project with the purpose of developing a complete system for investigating creep-, creep-fatigue- and fatigue properties of metallic materials at elevated temperatures up to 650 ˚C with Compact Tension (CT) specimens. Considerable efforts have been made to study and understand these phenomena, although numerous problems still exist. It is important to explore more extensively the complicated phenomena of creep, f...

Bioenergy and the potential contribution of agricultural biotechnologies in developing countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruane, John [FAO Working Group on Biotechnology, UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome (Italy); Sonnino, Andrea [FAO Office of Knowledge Exchange, Research and Extension, UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome (Italy); Agostini, Astrid [FAO Investment Centre, UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome (Italy)

2010-10-15

We provide an overview of the current status of bioenergy development, focusing on first- and second-generation liquid biofuels, considering drivers of growth and risks that have raised concerns over recent years. We also describe the main areas where biotechnologies are being, or can be, applied for production of first- and second-generation biofuels as well as microalgal biodiesel and biogas. Greatest attention is paid to second-generation biofuels in the review because of the large expectations they have created and because of the significant role that biotechnology applications are likely to play in their development. We close with some specific considerations regarding applying biotechnologies for bioenergy development in developing countries. (author)

Enterprise Factors Contributing to The Success of Malaysian Biotechnology SMEs: A Grounded Theory Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saridan Abu Bakar

2013-07-01

Full Text Available While numerous empirical studies have been conducted in Western countries on biotechnology enterprises, little empirical research has been done in Malaysia especially in respect to the factors that contribute to the success of biotechnology small and medium enterprises (SMEs. In view of this, a study was undertaken recently in Malaysia to address this gap in the existing body of biotechnology knowledge. Using a grounded theory approach, this qualitative study managed to develop a conceptual framework that sheds useful information on the enterprise factors that significantly impact the success of Malaysian biotechnology SMEs. Specifically, this study found that organizational structure, innovation activities, linkages with academic research institutions, linkages with other private enterprises, personal linkages with academic researchers, access to financial capital, the procuring of government assistances, vertical integration, enterprise image, GMP compliance and halal certification, strongly influence enterprise success.Keywords: biotechnology, SMEs, Malaysia, success, qualitative study, grounded theory

Plant biotechnology patents: applications in agriculture and medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Hefferon, Kathleen

2010-06-01

Recent advances in agricultural biotechnology have enabled the field of plant biology to move forward in great leaps and bounds. In particular, recent breakthroughs in molecular biology, plant genomics and crop science have brought about a paradigm shift of thought regarding the manner by which plants can be utilized both in agriculture and in medicine. Besides the more well known improvements in agronomic traits of crops such as disease resistance and drought tolerance, plants can now be associated with topics as diverse as biofuel production, phytoremediation, the improvement of nutritional qualities in edible plants, the identification of compounds for medicinal purposes in plants and the use of plants as therapeutic protein production platforms. This diversification of plant science has been accompanied by the great abundance of new patents issued in these fields and, as many of these inventions approach commercial realization, the subsequent increase in agriculturally-based industries. While this review chapter is written primarily for plant scientists who have great interest in the new directions being taken with respect to applications in agricultural biotechnology, those in other disciplines, such as medical researchers, environmental scientists and engineers, may find significant value in reading this article as well. The review attempts to provide an overview of the most recent patents issued for plant biotechnology with respect to both agriculture and medicine. The chapter concludes with the proposal that the combined driving forces of climate change, as well as the ever increasing needs for clean energy and food security will play a pivotal role in leading the direction for applied plant biotechnology research in the future.

Specimen ferromagnetism and the behaviour of electromagnetic ultrasonic shear-wave transducers below and above the Curie point

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, T.S.

1981-04-01

Interest in the potentialities of electromagnetic ultrasonic transducers for non-destructive testing was re-awakened about 1968 and since then a goodly number of articles have appeared concerning transducers design, performance and use. The aim of this report is to fill a gap by describing the relations between theoretical and actual performance of shear-wave transducers, used on magnetic and on non-magnetic specimens: in particular to trace the phenomena occuring as the temperature of a magnetic specimen (mild steel) is raised through the Curie point. At the transmitting transducer generation of ultrasonic wave is almost exclusively by Lorentz forces applied to the skin of the specimen; at the receiver transduction is via Faraday induction. Wave attenuation in mild steel above the curie point hampers the use of shear waves, but does not render unusable there. An anomaly in performance with mild steel specimens just above the Curie temperature is discussed, which necessitates a brief consideration of electromagnetic longitudinal wave transducers, where the need to invoke magnetostriction as a dominant phenomenon is expressed. (Auhtor)

Importance of lactobacilli in food and feed biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Giraffa, Giorgio; Chanishvili, Nina; Widyastuti, Yantyati

2010-01-01

The genus Lactobacillus is a heterogeneous group of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with important implications in food fermentation. The ability to colonize a variety of habitats is a direct consequence of the wide metabolic versatility of this group of LAB. Consequently, lactobacilli have been used for decades in food preservation, as starters for dairy products, fermented vegetables, fish and sausages as well as silage inoculants. Lactobacilli have also been proposed as probiotics and microbial cell factories for the production of nutraceuticals. However, a wide range of applications of lactobacilli in food biotechnology remains potential, whereas a number of important strains still need to be discovered and characterized. This article provides an overview of the taxonomy of lactobacilli and describes four of the most significant case studies on the application of this group of LAB in food and feed biotechnology, including their use as probiotics, dairy starters, silage inoculants, and microbial cell factories. The importance of access to and exchange of biological material within and between different strain collections as a crucial step in expanding the range of different biotechnological applications of lactobacilli is also emphasized. (c) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Nigerian Journal of Biotechnology: Editorial Policies

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nigerian Journal of Biotechnology publishes original research papers, shot ... State Univ., Mubi, Nigeria. yada525@adsu.edu.ng, Molecular biology and bioremediation ... Dr. Kelechi C. Njoku, Dept. of Cell Biology & Genetics, University of Lagos, Lagos, kecynjoku@gmail.com, Environmental Biology ... HOW TO USE AJOL.

Progress report on the varying temperature experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qualls, A.L.; Hurst, M.T.; Raby, D.G. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)] [and others

1997-08-01

A capsule has been designed that permits four specimen sets to be irradiated in an RB* location in the High Flux Isotope reactor (HFIR) with distinct temperature histories. During the reporting period critical component prototyping was completed. The results have lead to some design and operational changes from that previously reported. The primary design changes are (1) compression seals in the specimen holes of the beryllium holders, and (2) oxide-dispersion strengthened aluminum alloy (DISPAL) specimen sleeves in all holders. Details of the capsule design are presented in the previous issue of this publication. Four, axially displaced temperature zones are independently controlled. Holder temperatures are monitored by thermocouples and controlled by a combination of adjustable temperature control gas mixtures and auxiliary heaters. The high temperature holders are located in the center of the experimental region, which is centered on the reactor mid-plane, and the low temperature holders are located at the ends of the experimental region.

Progress report on the varying temperature experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qualls, A.L.; Hurst, M.T.; Raby, D.G.

1997-01-01

A capsule has been designed that permits four specimen sets to be irradiated in an RB* location in the High Flux Isotope reactor (HFIR) with distinct temperature histories. During the reporting period critical component prototyping was completed. The results have lead to some design and operational changes from that previously reported. The primary design changes are (1) compression seals in the specimen holes of the beryllium holders, and (2) oxide-dispersion strengthened aluminum alloy (DISPAL) specimen sleeves in all holders. Details of the capsule design are presented in the previous issue of this publication. Four, axially displaced temperature zones are independently controlled. Holder temperatures are monitored by thermocouples and controlled by a combination of adjustable temperature control gas mixtures and auxiliary heaters. The high temperature holders are located in the center of the experimental region, which is centered on the reactor mid-plane, and the low temperature holders are located at the ends of the experimental region

Improved molecular tools for sugar cane biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinkema, Mark; Geijskes, Jason; Delucca, Paulo; Palupe, Anthony; Shand, Kylie; Coleman, Heather D; Brinin, Anthony; Williams, Brett; Sainz, Manuel; Dale, James L

2014-03-01

Sugar cane is a major source of food and fuel worldwide. Biotechnology has the potential to improve economically-important traits in sugar cane as well as diversify sugar cane beyond traditional applications such as sucrose production. High levels of transgene expression are key to the success of improving crops through biotechnology. Here we describe new molecular tools that both expand and improve gene expression capabilities in sugar cane. We have identified promoters that can be used to drive high levels of gene expression in the leaf and stem of transgenic sugar cane. One of these promoters, derived from the Cestrum yellow leaf curling virus, drives levels of constitutive transgene expression that are significantly higher than those achieved by the historical benchmark maize polyubiquitin-1 (Zm-Ubi1) promoter. A second promoter, the maize phosphonenolpyruvate carboxylate promoter, was found to be a strong, leaf-preferred promoter that enables levels of expression comparable to Zm-Ubi1 in this organ. Transgene expression was increased approximately 50-fold by gene modification, which included optimising the codon usage of the coding sequence to better suit sugar cane. We also describe a novel dual transcriptional enhancer that increased gene expression from different promoters, boosting expression from Zm-Ubi1 over eightfold. These molecular tools will be extremely valuable for the improvement of sugar cane through biotechnology.

Screen-film specimen radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shepard, S.J.; Hogan, J.; Schreck, B.

1990-01-01

This paper reports on the reproducibility and quality of biopsy specimen radiographs, a unique phototimed cabinet x-ray system is being developed. The system utilizes specially modified Kodal Min-R cassettes and will be compatible with current mammographic films. Tube voltages are in the 14-20-kVp range with 0.1-1.0-second exposure times. A top-hat type compression device is used (1) to compress the specimen to uniform thickness, (2) to measure the specimen thickness and determine optimum kVp, and (3) to superimpose a grid over the specimen for identification of objects of radiographic interest. The phototiming circuit developed specifically for this purpose will be described along with the modified Min-R cassette. Characteristics of the generator and cabinet will also be described. Tests will be performed on phantoms to evaluate the system limitations

Dynamic Externalities, Universities and Social Capital Formation in the EU Biotechnology Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malgorzata RUNIEWICZ-WARDYN

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The paper investigates the role of dynamic externalities, university-industry linkages and role of social networking in the biotechnology industry in the European Union (EU. Universities act as platforms for local knowledge spillovers and university-industry cluster development in the biotechnology field. The R&D activities at universities contribute to successful business innovations. However, the relationship between the universities and the local innovation capabilities is much more complex and therefore requires more in-depth analysis. The following study derives from the knowledge of the new economic geography, endogenous growth theory, biotechnology, as well as theories of social capital and social networks. The quantitative research elaborates contemporary literature and databases to find channels of interdependence between local university-based knowledge flows, social capital, and biotechnology cluster performance. The results of the study show that the biotechnology industry relies very much on university-business R&D partnerships and research mobility (e.g. pharmaceutical firms that performed basic research in close cooperation with academia produced more patents. In addition, social networking and informal contacts seem to be a more important for the diffusion of knowledge, especially at the beginning of R&D process, as they allow for building credibility between potential partners.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMPANY AND INCUBATOR FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Paula Ferreira Alves

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The biotechnology activities development demands an intense academic and scientific basis, a productive sector capable of transforming academic research in scientific products and services, and the creation of an institutional environment to promote the sector’s development. Moreover, many biotechnology companies establish formal partnerships with Universities (by technological incubator to expand innovative capacity coming into the market. The importance of biotechnology for developing countries is perceived by its ability to promote national development based on knowledge and innovation. In Brazil, the government establishes technological incubators to accelerate the company consolidation. In this way, it is important to study the relationship between the actors involved. In this context, this article aims to analyze the relationship between a technological incubator and a biotech company. To do so, the qualitative approach was adopted to reach the objective. Interviews with incubator’s employees of a Brazilian University and biotechnology company’s managers were conducted. The results show that the company-incubator interaction promoted projects approval which were able to support new researches development and to purchase production equipment. Incubated companies have higher chances of survival in the market from the interaction with University, through the technological incubator. The relationship between the incubator and the biotech company is considered a fundamental condition for biotechnology activities development.

Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) at a glance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) was established in 1993 as one of the research, development and technology transfer institutes of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC). This was to help the GAEC to expand its research and development in the area of biotechnology and nuclear agriculture, which have been found to have a major impact on the agricultural development in countries involved in peaceful application of nuclear energy. The main objective of the Institute is to explore and exploit the application of isotopes, ionizing radiation and biotechnologies for increased agricultural and economic development of Ghana and to help the Country attain self-sufficiency in food and agriculture in order to alleviate malnutrition, hunger and poverty. This brochure describes the organizational structure; research facilities and programmes; services of the various departments of the Institute as well as achievements

BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MOLECULAR-BASED METHODS FOR GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF TULIPS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aurel Popescu

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Although the conventional methods of improvement have changed significantly throughout the last fifty years, additional tools and novel approaches are needed in order to fasten the process of creation new and highly valuable tulip varieties. The genetic base of tulip production can be preserved and widen by an integration of biotechnology tools in conventional breeding. Micropropagation in vitro may produce very fast large numbers of vigorous plants with high quality and free of endogenous pathogens. The in vitro rescue of embryos resulted from interspecific crosses between more or less distant species, chromosome doubling, somaclonal variation, transformation, and marker-aided selection and breeding are just a few of the examples of the applications of biotechnology in tulip improvement. This review provides an overview of the opportunities presented by the integration of plant biotechnology into the tulip improvement efforts.

75 FR 69687 - Office of Biotechnology Activities Recombinant DNA Research: Proposed Actions Under the NIH...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-15

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Office of Biotechnology... to the NIH Office of Biotechnology Activities (OBA). The data to be considered for certifying a new... same e-mail address or by fax at 301-496-9839 or sent by U.S. mail to the Office of Biotechnology...

Success Factors of Biotechnology Industry Based on Triangular Fuzzy Number

OpenAIRE

Lei, Lei

2013-01-01

Based on the theory of competitive advantage and value chain, this paper establishes the indicator system, and develop the strategic framework using the fuzzy Delphi method. Then the triangular fuzzy number model is established using Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process, and the key factors influencing biotechnology industry are extracted. The results show that in terms of weight, the key factors influencing the success of biotechnology industry are sequenced as follows: “open innovation capaci...

Biopolicies and biotechnologies: reflections on surrogate maternity in India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mónica Amador

2010-07-01

Full Text Available This article explores the impact of biotechnology, particularly on assisted reproductive technologies such as surrogate motherhood. The study is based on interviews and field work conducted in the city of Hyderabad in India within the frame of the seminar on “Research Methodology” given by Dr. Rohan D´Souza at the Centre for Studies in Science Policy at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in India. The theoretical framework of this analysis focuses on exploring concepts such as cyborg (Haraway,1991 and subaltern subject (Spivak, 1998 in the context of biotechnological production in India

[Education on biosafety and bioethics: necessary articulation in biotechnology].

Science.gov (United States)

Bonis, Marcos De; Costa, Marco Antonio Ferreira da

2009-01-01

Science education has been discussed in some segments of the society and, international organizations have encouraged nations to invest in this strategic area. In this context, education in bioethics and biosafety explores a rich content on prevention, standards and ethical principles which serve to guide the paths track by biotechnology. The recovery of bioethics and biosafety, as part of an educational policy scientific, effective and consistent, can stimulate the formation of individuals with a scientific and citizen awareness, in a position to participate on ethical and technological issues produced by biotechnology.

Development and Validation of an Instrument to Measure University Students' Biotechnology Attitude

Science.gov (United States)

Erdogan, Mehmet; Ozel, Murat; Usak, Muhammet; Prokop, Pavol

2009-01-01

The impact of biotechnologies on peoples' everyday lives continuously increases. Measuring young peoples' attitudes toward biotechnologies is therefore very important and its results are useful not only for science curriculum developers and policy makers, but also for producers and distributors of genetically modified products. Despite of…

Making a Case for Epistemological Access in Biotechnology Education in Southern Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Mollett, Jean; Cameron, Ann

2016-01-01

In southern Africa, biotechnology is increasingly important with regard to food security and the development of the pharmaceutical industry. Universities are tasked with providing the relevant capacity development through tertiary-level courses to meet these development needs. However, the knowledge and practices of biotechnology may be…

Personality and Impersonality in Biotechnology Discourse

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lassen, Inger

2006-01-01

With the emergence of biotechnology, the field account has been replaced by something that we may refer to as a laboratory account - a kind of narrative that constitutes the Materials and Methods section of the IMRD model (introduction, methods, results and discussion). Research focusing on field...

Agricultural biotechnologies in developing countries and their possible contribution to food security.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruane, John; Sonnino, Andrea

2011-12-20

Latest FAO figures indicate that an estimated 925 million people are undernourished in 2010, representing almost 16% of the population in developing countries. Looking to the future, there are also major challenges ahead from the rapidly changing socio-economic environment (increasing world population and urbanisation, and dietary changes) and climate change. Promoting agriculture in developing countries is the key to achieving food security, and it is essential to act in four ways: to increase investment in agriculture, broaden access to food, improve governance of global trade, and increase productivity while conserving natural resources. To enable the fourth action, the suite of technological options for farmers should be as broad as possible, including agricultural biotechnologies. Agricultural biotechnologies represent a broad range of technologies used in food and agriculture for the genetic improvement of plant varieties and animal populations, characterisation and conservation of genetic resources, diagnosis of plant or animal diseases and other purposes. Discussions about agricultural biotechnology have been dominated by the continuing controversy surrounding genetic modification and its resulting products, genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The polarised debate has led to non-GMO biotechnologies being overshadowed, often hindering their development and application. Extensive documentation from the FAO international technical conference on Agricultural Biotechnologies in Developing Countries (ABDC-10), that took place in Guadalajara, Mexico, on 1-4 March 2010, gave a very good overview of the many ways that different agricultural biotechnologies are being used to increase productivity and conserve natural resources in the crop, livestock, fishery, forestry and agro-industry sectors in developing countries. The conference brought together about 300 policy-makers, scientists and representatives of intergovernmental and international non

Mannan biotechnology: from biofuels to health.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamabhai, Montarop; Sak-Ubol, Suttipong; Srila, Witsanu; Haltrich, Dietmar

2016-01-01

Mannans of different structure and composition are renewable bioresources that can be widely found as components of lignocellulosic biomass in softwood and agricultural wastes, as non-starch reserve polysaccharides in endosperms and vacuoles of a wide variety of plants, as well as a major component of yeast cell walls. Enzymatic hydrolysis of mannans using mannanases is essential in the pre-treatment step during the production of second-generation biofuels and for the production of potentially health-promoting manno-oligosaccharides (MOS). In addition, mannan-degrading enzymes can be employed in various biotechnological applications, such as cleansing and food industries. In this review, fundamental knowledge of mannan structures, sources and functions will be summarized. An update on various aspects of mannan-degrading enzymes as well as the current status of their production, and a critical analysis of the potential application of MOS in food and feed industries will be given. Finally, emerging areas of research on mannan biotechnology will be highlighted.

The rise of health biotechnology research in Latin America: A scientometric analysis of health biotechnology production and impact in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

This paper analyzes the patterns of health biotechnology publications in six Latin American countries from 2001 to 2015. The countries studied were Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico. Before our study, there were no data available on HBT development in half of the Latin-American countries we studied, i.e., Argentina, Colombia and Chile. To include these countries in a scientometric analysis of HBT provides fuller coverage of HBT development in Latin America. The scientometric study used the Web of Science database to identify health biotechnology publications. The total amount of health biotechnology production in the world during the period studied was about 400,000 papers. A total of 1.2% of these papers, were authored by the six Latin American countries in this study. The results show a significant growth in health biotechnology publications in Latin America despite some of the countries having social and political instability, fluctuations in their gross domestic expenditure in research and development or a trade embargo that limits opportunities for scientific development. The growth in the field of some of the Latin American countries studied was larger than the growth of most industrialized nations. Still, the visibility of the Latin American research (measured in the number of citations) did not reach the world average, with the exception of Colombia. The main producers of health biotechnology papers in Latin America were universities, except in Cuba were governmental institutions were the most frequent producers. The countries studied were active in international research collaboration with Colombia being the most active (64% of papers co-authored internationally), whereas Brazil was the least active (35% of papers). Still, the domestic collaboration was even more prevalent, with Chile being the most active in such collaboration (85% of papers co-authored domestically) and Argentina the least active (49% of papers). We conclude that the

The rise of health biotechnology research in Latin America: A scientometric analysis of health biotechnology production and impact in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

León-de la O, Dante Israel; Thorsteinsdóttir, Halla; Calderón-Salinas, José Víctor

2018-01-01

This paper analyzes the patterns of health biotechnology publications in six Latin American countries from 2001 to 2015. The countries studied were Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico. Before our study, there were no data available on HBT development in half of the Latin-American countries we studied, i.e., Argentina, Colombia and Chile. To include these countries in a scientometric analysis of HBT provides fuller coverage of HBT development in Latin America. The scientometric study used the Web of Science database to identify health biotechnology publications. The total amount of health biotechnology production in the world during the period studied was about 400,000 papers. A total of 1.2% of these papers, were authored by the six Latin American countries in this study. The results show a significant growth in health biotechnology publications in Latin America despite some of the countries having social and political instability, fluctuations in their gross domestic expenditure in research and development or a trade embargo that limits opportunities for scientific development. The growth in the field of some of the Latin American countries studied was larger than the growth of most industrialized nations. Still, the visibility of the Latin American research (measured in the number of citations) did not reach the world average, with the exception of Colombia. The main producers of health biotechnology papers in Latin America were universities, except in Cuba were governmental institutions were the most frequent producers. The countries studied were active in international research collaboration with Colombia being the most active (64% of papers co-authored internationally), whereas Brazil was the least active (35% of papers). Still, the domestic collaboration was even more prevalent, with Chile being the most active in such collaboration (85% of papers co-authored domestically) and Argentina the least active (49% of papers). We conclude that the

A low temperature neutron diffraction study of manganese ferrite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jirak, Z.; Zajicek, J.

1978-01-01

Two specimens of the Mnsub(0.98)Fesub(2.02)Osub(4+0.002) monocrystal differing in the degree of inversion and heat treatment were studied at room temperature and at the liquid helium temperature, respectively. The specimen with the lower inversion degree was heated to 600 degC and subsequently slowly cooled to 340 degC and annealed for 50 hrs; the specimen with the higher inversion degree was quenched from a temperature of 600 degC. In the study, the magnetic moments on sites A and B of the spinel lattice, the degree of inversion, the oxygen parameter and the Debye-Waller factor were investigated. The oxygen parameter was found to be higher at both temperatures for the annealed specimen (with the lower inversion degree), which can be attributed to the inversion degree dependence of the Madelung energy and the mean ion radius on sites A and B. The oxygen parameter did not show significant differences at room and liquid helium temperature. This agrees with the assumption that it is temperature-independent. (J.P.)

76 FR 44339 - Office of Biotechnology Activities; Recombinant DNA Research: Action Under the NIH Guidelines for...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-25

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Office of Biotechnology... Services. ACTION: Proposed Minor Action under the NIH Guidelines. SUMMARY: The Office of Biotechnology....nih.gov , telephone (301-496-9838), or mail to the Office of Biotechnology Activities, National...

76 FR 3150 - Office of Biotechnology Activities; Recombinant DNA Research: Action Under the NIH Guidelines for...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-19

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Office of Biotechnology... rodent). On July 20, 2010 the NIH Office of Biotechnology Activities (OBA) published a proposed action... Biotechnology Activities, National Institutes of Health, 6705 Rockledge Drive, Suite 750, MSC 7985, Bethesda...

Assessment of technology generating institutions in biotechnology ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2009-05-18

May 18, 2009 ... biotechnology innovation system of South-Eastern. Nigeria. E. N. Ajani ... technology is the application of indigenous and / or scientific knowledge to ... developing societies, with the exception of China and. Argentina, (James ...

Biotechnology in plant nutrient management for agricultural ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Biotechnology in plant nutrient management for agricultural production in the tropics: ... and yields, marker assisted selection breeding, to develop new uses for agricultural products, to facilitate early maturation and to improve food and feed ...

From Discovery to Production: Biotechnology of Marine Fungi for the Production of New Antibiotics

Science.gov (United States)

Silber, Johanna; Kramer, Annemarie; Labes, Antje; Tasdemir, Deniz

2016-01-01

Filamentous fungi are well known for their capability of producing antibiotic natural products. Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of antimicrobials with vast chemodiversity from marine fungi. Development of such natural products into lead compounds requires sustainable supply. Marine biotechnology can significantly contribute to the production of new antibiotics at various levels of the process chain including discovery, production, downstream processing, and lead development. However, the number of biotechnological processes described for large-scale production from marine fungi is far from the sum of the newly-discovered natural antibiotics. Methods and technologies applied in marine fungal biotechnology largely derive from analogous terrestrial processes and rarely reflect the specific demands of the marine fungi. The current developments in metabolic engineering and marine microbiology are not yet transferred into processes, but offer numerous options for improvement of production processes and establishment of new process chains. This review summarises the current state in biotechnological production of marine fungal antibiotics and points out the enormous potential of biotechnology in all stages of the discovery-to-development pipeline. At the same time, the literature survey reveals that more biotechnology transfer and method developments are needed for a sustainable and innovative production of marine fungal antibiotics. PMID:27455283

Preparation of TEM specimen by cross-section technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamada, Shozo

1986-01-01

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is applied to the direct observation of the depth dependent damage structure in ion-irradiated stainless steel by using the cross-section technique; obtaining the TEM specimen from a slice of the irradiated stainless steel with thick Ni plating. Here has been developed the specimen preparation method of cross-section technique without heat treatment, which was necessary in the conventional method to strengthen the bonding between Ni and stainless steel. Nickel plating with good bonding to stainless steel is enabled by the following manner. First, the irradiated stainless steel is immersed in the Wood's nickel solution at room temperature for 60s to activate the surface, followed by the stricking for 300s at a current density of 300 A/m 2 in the solution to make fine and homogeneous nucleation of Ni on the stainless steel. Then, the sample is plated with Ni in the Watt's nickel plating solution at 333 K with current density of 900 ∼ 1,000 A/m 2 . The TEM disc is obtained by mechanical slicing from the specimen with Ni plating of more than 3 mm thickness. Electropolishing is accomplished by using both Ballmann method and jet electropolishing to perforate the disc accurately at the aimed point for the observation of the damage structure. (author)

High-temperature metallography setup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blumenfeld, M.; Shmarjahu, D.; Elfassy, S.

1979-06-01

A high-temperature metallography setup is presented. In this setup the observation of processes such as that of copper recrystallization was made possible, and the structure of metals such as uranium could be revealed. A brief historical review of part of the research works that have been done with the help of high temperature metallographical observation technique since the beginning of this century is included. Detailed description of metallographical specimen preparation technique and theoretical criteria based on the rate of evaporation of materials present on the polished surface of the specimens are given

Regulation of Biotechnology in Cameroon W

African Journals Online (AJOL)