Dynamic simulation of a direct carbonate fuel cell power plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ernest, J.B. [Fluor Daniel, Inc., Irvine, CA (United States); Ghezel-Ayagh, H.; Kush, A.K. [Fuel Cell Engineering, Danbury, CT (United States)

1996-12-31

Fuel Cell Engineering Corporation (FCE) is commercializing a 2.85 MW Direct carbonate Fuel Cell (DFC) power plant. The commercialization sequence has already progressed through construction and operation of the first commercial-scale DFC power plant on a U.S. electric utility, the 2 MW Santa Clara Demonstration Project (SCDP), and the completion of the early phases of a Commercial Plant design. A 400 kW fuel cell stack Test Facility is being built at Energy Research Corporation (ERC), FCE`s parent company, which will be capable of testing commercial-sized fuel cell stacks in an integrated plant configuration. Fluor Daniel, Inc. provided engineering, procurement, and construction services for SCDP and has jointly developed the Commercial Plant design with FCE, focusing on the balance-of-plant (BOP) equipment outside of the fuel cell modules. This paper provides a brief orientation to the dynamic simulation of a fuel cell power plant and the benefits offered.

Redox regulation of plant stem cell fate.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Jian; Dong, Zhicheng; Wu, Haijun; Tian, Zhaoxia; Zhao, Zhong

2017-10-02

Despite the importance of stem cells in plant and animal development, the common mechanisms of stem cell maintenance in both systems have remained elusive. Recently, the importance of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) signaling in priming stem cell differentiation has been extensively studied in animals. Here, we show that different forms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) have antagonistic roles in plant stem cell regulation, which were established by distinct spatiotemporal patterns of ROS-metabolizing enzymes. The superoxide anion (O2·-) is markedly enriched in stem cells to activate WUSCHEL and maintain stemness, whereas H 2 O 2 is more abundant in the differentiating peripheral zone to promote stem cell differentiation. Moreover, H 2 O 2 negatively regulates O2·- biosynthesis in stem cells, and increasing H 2 O 2 levels or scavenging O2·- leads to the termination of stem cells. Our results provide a mechanistic framework for ROS-mediated control of plant stem cell fate and demonstrate that the balance between O2·- and H 2 O 2 is key to stem cell maintenance and differentiation. © 2017 The Authors.

Mechanochemical Polarization of Contiguous Cell Walls Shapes Plant Pavement Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Majda, Mateusz; Grones, Peter; Sintorn, Ida-Maria; Vain, Thomas; Milani, Pascale; Krupinski, Pawel; Zagórska-Marek, Beata; Viotti, Corrado; Jönsson, Henrik; Mellerowicz, Ewa J; Hamant, Olivier; Robert, Stéphanie

2017-11-06

The epidermis of aerial plant organs is thought to be limiting for growth, because it acts as a continuous load-bearing layer, resisting tension. Leaf epidermis contains jigsaw puzzle piece-shaped pavement cells whose shape has been proposed to be a result of subcellular variations in expansion rate that induce local buckling events. Paradoxically, such local compressive buckling should not occur given the tensile stresses across the epidermis. Using computational modeling, we show that the simplest scenario to explain pavement cell shapes within an epidermis under tension must involve mechanical wall heterogeneities across and along the anticlinal pavement cell walls between adjacent cells. Combining genetics, atomic force microscopy, and immunolabeling, we demonstrate that contiguous cell walls indeed exhibit hybrid mechanochemical properties. Such biochemical wall heterogeneities precede wall bending. Altogether, this provides a possible mechanism for the generation of complex plant cell shapes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Demonstrating the Effects of Light Quality on Plant Growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Whitesell, J. H.; Garcia, Maria

1977-01-01

Describes a lab demonstration that illustrates the effect of different colors or wavelengths of visible light on plant growth and development. This demonstration is appropriate for use in college biology, botany, or plant physiology courses. (HM)

Demonstration tokamak power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdou, M.; Baker, C.; Brooks, J.; Ehst, D.; Mattas, R.; Smith, D.L.; DeFreece, D.; Morgan, G.D.; Trachsel, C.

1983-01-01

A conceptual design for a tokamak demonstration power plant (DEMO) was developed. A large part of the study focused on examining the key issues and identifying the R and D needs for: (1) current drive for steady-state operation, (2) impurity control and exhaust, (3) tritium breeding blanket, and (4) reactor configuration and maintenance. Impurity control and exhaust will not be covered in this paper but is discussed in another paper in these proceedings, entitled Key Issues of FED/INTOR Impurity Control System

Safety demonstration tests on pressure rise in ventilation system and blower integrity of a fuel-reprocessing plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takada, Junichi; Suzuki, Motoe; Tsukamoto, Michio; Koike, Tadao; Nishio, Gunji [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

1996-12-01

In JAERI, the demonstration test was carried out as a part of safety researches of the fuel-reprocessing plant using a large-scale facility consist of cells, ducts, dumpers, HEPA filters and a blower, when an explosive burning due to a rapid reaction of thermal decomposition for solvent/nitric acid occurs in a cell of the reprocessing plant. In the demonstration test, pressure response propagating through the facility was measured under a blowing of air from a pressurized tank into the cell in the facility to elucidate an influence of pressure rise in the ventilation system. Consequently, effective pressure decrease in the facility was given by a configuration of cells and ducts in the facility. In the test, transient responses of HEPA filters and the blower by the blowing of air were also measured to confirm the integrity. So that, it is confirmed that HEPA filters and the blower under pressure loading were sufficient to maintain the integrity. The content described in this report will contribute to safety assessment of the ventilation system in the event of explosive burning in the reprocessing plant. (author)

Design and simulation of a plant control system for a GCFR demonstration plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Estrine, E.A.; Greiner, H.G.

1980-02-01

A plant control system is being designed for a 300 MW(e) Gas Cooled Fast Breeder Reactor (GCFR) demonstration plant. Control analysis is being performed as an integral part of the plant design process to ensure that control requirements are satisfied as the plant design evolves. Plant models and simulations are being developed to generate information necessary to further define control system requirements for subsequent plant design iterations

Savannah River Plant incinerator demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewandowski, K.E.

1983-01-01

A full-scale incineration process was demonstrated at the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) using nonradioactive waste. From October 1981 through September 1982, 15,700 kilograms of solid waste and 5.7 m 3 of solvent were incinerated. Emissions of off-gas components (NO/sub x/, SO 2 , CO, and particulates) were well below South Carolina state standards. Volume reductions of 20:1 for solid waste and 7:1 for Purex solvent/lime slurry were achieved. The process has been relocated and upgraded by the Savannah River Plant to accept low-level beta-gamma combustibles. During a two-year demonstration, the facility will incinerate slightly radioactive ( 3 ) solvent and suspect level (< 1 mR/h at 0.0254 meter) solid wastes. This demonstration will begin in early 1984

Demonstration of a PC 25 Fuel Cell in Russia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

John C. Trocciola; Thomas N. Pompa; Linda S. Boyd

2004-09-01

This project involved the installation of a 200kW PC25C{trademark} phosphoric-acid fuel cell power plant at Orgenergogaz, a Gazprom industrial site in Russia. In April 1997, a PC25C{trademark} was sold by ONSI Corporation to Orgenergogaz, a subsidiary of the Russian company ''Gazprom''. Due to instabilities in the Russian financial markets, at that time, the unit was never installed and started by Orgenergogaz. In October of 2001 International Fuel Cells (IFC), now known as UTC Fuel Cells (UTCFC), received a financial assistance award from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) entitled ''Demonstration of PC 25 Fuel Cell in Russia''. Three major tasks were part of this award: the inspection of the proposed site and system, start-up assistance, and installation and operation of the powerplant.

Measuring the Mechanical Properties of Plant Cell Walls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hannes Vogler

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The size, shape and stability of a plant depend on the flexibility and integrity of its cell walls, which, at the same time, need to allow cell expansion for growth, while maintaining mechanical stability. Biomechanical studies largely vanished from the focus of plant science with the rapid progress of genetics and molecular biology since the mid-twentieth century. However, the development of more sensitive measurement tools renewed the interest in plant biomechanics in recent years, not only to understand the fundamental concepts of growth and morphogenesis, but also with regard to economically important areas in agriculture, forestry and the paper industry. Recent advances have clearly demonstrated that mechanical forces play a crucial role in cell and organ morphogenesis, which ultimately define plant morphology. In this article, we will briefly review the available methods to determine the mechanical properties of cell walls, such as atomic force microscopy (AFM and microindentation assays, and discuss their advantages and disadvantages. But we will focus on a novel methodological approach, called cellular force microscopy (CFM, and its automated successor, real-time CFM (RT-CFM.

Fuel Cell Demonstration Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerald Brun

2006-09-15

In an effort to promote clean energy projects and aid in the commercialization of new fuel cell technologies the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) initiated a Fuel Cell Demonstration Program in 1999 with six month deployments of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) non-commercial Beta model systems at partnering sites throughout Long Island. These projects facilitated significant developments in the technology, providing operating experience that allowed the manufacturer to produce fuel cells that were half the size of the Beta units and suitable for outdoor installations. In 2001, LIPA embarked on a large-scale effort to identify and develop measures that could improve the reliability and performance of future fuel cell technologies for electric utility applications and the concept to establish a fuel cell farm (Farm) of 75 units was developed. By the end of October of 2001, 75 Lorax 2.0 fuel cells had been installed at the West Babylon substation on Long Island, making it the first fuel cell demonstration of its kind and size anywhere in the world at the time. Designed to help LIPA study the feasibility of using fuel cells to operate in parallel with LIPA's electric grid system, the Farm operated 120 fuel cells over its lifetime of over 3 years including 3 generations of Plug Power fuel cells (Lorax 2.0, Lorax 3.0, Lorax 4.5). Of these 120 fuel cells, 20 Lorax 3.0 units operated under this Award from June 2002 to September 2004. In parallel with the operation of the Farm, LIPA recruited government and commercial/industrial customers to demonstrate fuel cells as on-site distributed generation. From December 2002 to February 2005, 17 fuel cells were tested and monitored at various customer sites throughout Long Island. The 37 fuel cells operated under this Award produced a total of 712,635 kWh. As fuel cell technology became more mature, performance improvements included a 1% increase in system efficiency. Including equipment, design, fuel, maintenance

Plant stem cell niches.

Science.gov (United States)

Aichinger, Ernst; Kornet, Noortje; Friedrich, Thomas; Laux, Thomas

2012-01-01

Multicellular organisms possess pluripotent stem cells to form new organs, replenish the daily loss of cells, or regenerate organs after injury. Stem cells are maintained in specific environments, the stem cell niches, that provide signals to block differentiation. In plants, stem cell niches are situated in the shoot, root, and vascular meristems-self-perpetuating units of organ formation. Plants' lifelong activity-which, as in the case of trees, can extend over more than a thousand years-requires that a robust regulatory network keep the balance between pluripotent stem cells and differentiating descendants. In this review, we focus on current models in plant stem cell research elaborated during the past two decades, mainly in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We address the roles of mobile signals on transcriptional modules involved in balancing cell fates. In addition, we discuss shared features of and differences between the distinct stem cell niches of Arabidopsis.

Safety demonstration tests of postulated solvent fire accidents in extraction process of a fuel reprocessing plant, (2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tukamoto, Michio; Takada, Junichi; Koike, Tadao; Nishio, Gunji; Uno, Seiichiro; Kamoshida, Atsusi; Watanabe, Hironori; Hashimoto, Kazuichiro; Kitani, Susumu.

1992-03-01

Demonstration tests of hypothetical solvent fire in an extraction process of the reprocessing plant were carried out from 1984 to 1985 in JAERI, focusing on the confinement of radioactive materials during the fire by a large-scale fire facility (FFF) to evaluate the safety of air-ventilation system in the plant. Fire data from the demonstration test were obtained by focusing on fire behavior at cells and ducts in the ventilation system, smoke generation during the fire, transport and deposition of smoke containing simulated radioactive species in the ventilation system, confinement of radioactive materials, and integrity of HEPA filters by using the FFF simulating an air-ventilation system of the reference reprocessing plant in Japan. The present report is published in a series of the report Phase I (JAERI-M 91-145) of the demonstration test. Test results in the report will be used for the verification of a computer code FACE to evaluate the safety of postulated fire accidents in the reprocessing plant. (author)

Plant stem cell niches.

Science.gov (United States)

Stahl, Yvonne; Simon, Rüdiger

2005-01-01

Stem cells are required to support the indeterminate growth style of plants. Meristems are a plants stem cell niches that foster stem cell survival and the production of descendants destined for differentiation. In shoot meristems, stem cell fate is decided at the populational level. The size of the stem cell domain at the meristem tip depends on signals that are exchanged with cells of the organizing centre underneath. In root meristems, individual stem cells are controlled by direct interaction with cells of the quiescent centre that lie in the immediate neighbourhood. Analysis of the interactions and signaling processes in the stem cell niches has delivered some insights into the molecules that are involved and revealed that the two major niches for plant stem cells are more similar than anticipated.

Evaluation of economical at a uranium enrichment demonstration plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugitsue, Noritake

2001-01-01

In this report, the economy of technical achievement apply in the uranium enrichment demonstration plant is evaluated. From the evaluation, it can be concluded that the expected purpose was achieved because there was a definite economic prospect to commercial plant. The benefit analysis of thirteen years operation of the uranium enrichment demonstration plant also provides a financial aspect of the uranium enrichment business. Therefore, the performance, price and reliability of the centrifuge is an important factor in the uranium enrichment business. And the continuous development of a centrifuge while considering balance with the development cost is necessary for the business in the future. (author)

Characterization of the Process Mechanical Cell at the West Valley Demonstration Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drake, John; Schneider, Ken; Choroser, Jeff; Hughes, Karl

2003-01-01

The West Valley Demonstration Project has initiated decontamination and dismantlement (D and D) of the most highly radioactive and contaminated cells in a former spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. The goals of the D and D project are to remove loose debris in the cells and estimate the residual radioactivity level of legacy plant equipment. To support accomplishment of these goals, a unique characterization approach was developed to gather the information to meet anticipated Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) acceptance criteria for remote-handled transuranic waste, and to facilitate segregation and packaging operations. Implementation of the characterization approach included the development and use of innovative, remote technology for measuring gamma radiation within the hot cell. The technology was used to identify and quantify radiation from individual debris items in radiation fields up to 2,000 R/hr (20 sieverts/hr). Sampling and analysis of the debris were also performed via remote handling means. Significant challenges associated with characterizing the highly radioactive and highly contaminated hot cells were encountered. The innovative solutions for meeting these challenges are applicable throughout the Department of Energy Complex and help support the goal of targeting D and D efforts toward reducing risks to public health and the environment

Controlling system for an experimental demonstration plant for energy conversion using PEMFCs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Culcer, Mihail; Iliescu, Mariana; Stefanescu, Ioan; Raceanu, Mircea; Enache, Adrian; Patularu, Laurentiu

2006-01-01

Full text: In the last decades of the previous century, due to global environmental problems, energy security and supply issues, many studies were conducted to investigate the uses for hydrogen energy and facilitate its penetration as an energy carrier. Subsequently, many industries worldwide began developing and producing hydrogen, hydrogen-powered vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells, and other hydrogen-based technologies. In view of the substantial long-term public and private benefits arising from hydrogen and fuel cells, the European Union and national governments throughout Europe, including the Romanian one, are working towards developing a consistent policy framework preparing the transition to a hydrogen based economy. ICIT Rm Valcea developed a research program on energy conversion using fuel cells, a project supported by the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research within the National R and D Program. An experimental demonstration pilot plant of energy conversion using PEMFCs and hydrogen producing via steam methane reforming (SMR) was achieved in order to investigate the development of small-scale SMR technologies and to allow testing and developing of specific components. The paper deals with the dedicated controlling system that provides automated data acquisition, manual or 'on line' operational control, gas management, humidification, temperature and flow controls of the pilot plant. (authors)

Experience gained with the Synroc demonstration plant at ANSTO and its relevance to plutonium immobilization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jostsons, A.; Ridal, A.; Mercer, D.J.; Vance, E.R.L. [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Menai (Australia)

1996-05-01

The Synroc Demonstration Plant (SDP) was designed and constructed at Lucas Heights to demonstrate the feasibility of Synroc production on a commercial scale (10 kg/hr) with simulated Purex liquid HLW. Since commissioning of the SDP in 1987, over 6000 kg of Synroc has been fabricated with a range of feeds and waste loadings. The SDP utilises uniaxial hot-pressing to consolidate Synroc. Pressureless sintering and hot-isostatic pressing have also been studied at smaller scales. The results of this extensive process development have been incorporated in a conceptual design for a radioactive plant to condition HLW from a reprocessing plant with a capacity to treat 800 tpa of spent LWR fuel. Synroic containing TRU, including Pu, and fission products has been fabricated and characterised in a glove-box facility and hot cells, respectively. The extensive experience in processing of Synroc over the past 15 years is summarised and its relevance to immobilization of surplus plutonium is discussed.

Desalination demonstration plant using nuclear heat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanra, M.S.; Misra, B.M.

1998-01-01

Most of the desalination plants which are operating throughout the world utilize the energy from thermal power station which has the main disadvantage of polluting the environment due to combustion of fossil fuel and with the inevitable rise in prices of fossil fuel, nuclear driven desalination plants will become more economical. So it is proposed to set up nuclear desalination demonstration plant at the location of Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS), Kalpakkam. The desalination plant will be of a capacity 6300 m 3 /day and based on both Multi Stage Flash (MSF) and Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) processes. The MSF plant with performance ratio of 9 will produce water total dissolved solids (TDS-25 ppm) at a rate of 4500 m 3 /day from seawater of 35000 ppm. A part of this water namely 1000 m 3 /day will be used as Demineralised (DM) water after passing it through a mixed bed polishing unit. The remaining 3500 m 3 /day water will be mixed with 1800 m 3 /day water produced from the SWRO plant of TDS of 400 ppm and the same be supplied to industrial/municipal use. The sea water required for MSF and SWRO plants will be drawn from the intake/outfall system of MAPS which will also supply the required electric power pumping. There will be net 4 MW loss of power of MAPS namely 3 MW for MSF and 1 MW for SWRO desalination plants. The salient features of the project as well as the technical details of the both MSF and SWRO processes and its present status are given in this paper. It also contains comparative cost parameters of water produced by both processes. (author)

Apoptotic induction of skin cancer cell death by plant extracts.

Science.gov (United States)

Thuncharoen, Walairat; Chulasiri, Malin; Nilwarangkoon, Sirinun; Nakamura, Yukio; Watanapokasin, Ramida

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of plant extracts on cancer apoptotic induction. Human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cell line, obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC, Manassas, VA), was maintained in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) at 37 degrees C, 5% carbon dioxide (CO2). Plant extract solutions were obtained from S & J international enterprises public company limited. These plant extracts include 50% hydroglycol extracts from Etlingera elatior (Jack) R.M.Smith (torch ginger; EE), Rosa damascene (damask rose; DR) and Rafflesia kerrii Meijer (bua phut; RM). The cell viability, time and dose dependency were determined by MTT (3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. A431 cells were treated with the plant extracts and stained with Hoechst 33342 fluorescent staining dye. Cell viability was demonstrated by the inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50). The anti-proliferative effects were shown to be dependent on time and dose. Typical characteristics of apoptosis which are cell morphological changes and chromatin condensation were clearly observed. The plant extracts was shown to be effective for anti-proliferation and induction of apoptosis cell death in skin cancer cells. Therefore, mechanisms underlying the cell death and its potential use for treatment of skin cancer will be further studied.

Plant cell wall polysaccharide analysis during cell elongation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guo, Xiaoyuan

Plant cell walls are complex structures whose composition and architecture are important to various cellular activities. Plant cell elongation requires a high level of rearrangement of the cell wall polymers to enable cell expansion. However, the cell wall polysaccharides dynamics during plant cell...... elongation is poorly understood. This PhD project aims to elucidate the cell wall compositional and structural change during cell elongation by using Comprehensive Microarray Polymer Profiling (CoMPP), microscopic techniques and molecular modifications of cell wall polysaccharide. Developing cotton fibre......, pea and Arabidopsis thaliana were selected as research models to investigate different types of cell elongation, developmental elongation and tropism elongation. A set of comprehensive analysis covering 4 cotton species and 11 time points suggests that non-cellulosic polysaccharides contribute...

Early Site Permit Demonstration Program: Plant parameters envelope report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-03-01

The Early Site Permit (ESP) Demonstration Program is the nuclear industry's initiative for piloting the early resolution of siting-related issues before the detailed design proceedings of the combined operating license review. The ESP Demonstration Program consists of three phases. The plant parameters envelopes task is part of Phase 1, which addresses the generic review of applicable federal regulations and develops criteria for safety and environmental assessment of potential sites. The plant parameters envelopes identify parameters that characterize the interface between an ALWR design and a potential site, and quantify the interface through values selected from the Utility Requirements Documents, vendor design information, or engineering assessments. When augmented with site-specific information, the plant parameters envelopes provide sufficient information to allow ESPs to be granted based on individual ALWR design information or enveloping design information for the evolutionary, passive, or generic ALWR plants. This document is expected to become a living document when used by future applicants

Phylogenomic analysis demonstrates a pattern of rare and ancient horizontal gene transfer between plants and fungi.

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, Thomas A; Soanes, Darren M; Foster, Peter G; Leonard, Guy; Thornton, Christopher R; Talbot, Nicholas J

2009-07-01

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) describes the transmission of genetic material across species boundaries and is an important evolutionary phenomenon in the ancestry of many microbes. The role of HGT in plant evolutionary history is, however, largely unexplored. Here, we compare the genomes of six plant species with those of 159 prokaryotic and eukaryotic species and identify 1689 genes that show the highest similarity to corresponding genes from fungi. We constructed a phylogeny for all 1689 genes identified and all homolog groups available from the rice (Oryza sativa) genome (3177 gene families) and used these to define 14 candidate plant-fungi HGT events. Comprehensive phylogenetic analyses of these 14 data sets, using methods that account for site rate heterogeneity, demonstrated support for nine HGT events, demonstrating an infrequent pattern of HGT between plants and fungi. Five HGTs were fungi-to-plant transfers and four were plant-to-fungi HGTs. None of the fungal-to-plant HGTs involved angiosperm recipients. These results alter the current view of organismal barriers to HGT, suggesting that phagotrophy, the consumption of a whole cell by another, is not necessarily a prerequisite for HGT between eukaryotes. Putative functional annotation of the HGT candidate genes suggests that two fungi-to-plant transfers have added phenotypes important for life in a soil environment. Our study suggests that genetic exchange between plants and fungi is exceedingly rare, particularly among the angiosperms, but has occurred during their evolutionary history and added important metabolic traits to plant lineages.

40 CFR 63.1585 - How does an industrial POTW treatment plant demonstrate compliance?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Works Industrial Potw Treatment Plant Description and Requirements § 63.1585 How does an industrial POTW treatment plant demonstrate compliance? (a) An existing industrial POTW treatment plant demonstrates... §§ 63.1586 through 63.1590. Non-industrial POTW Treatment Plant Requirements ...

The Mechanism Forming the Cell Surface of Tip-Growing Rooting Cells Is Conserved among Land Plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Honkanen, Suvi; Jones, Victor A S; Morieri, Giulia; Champion, Clement; Hetherington, Alexander J; Kelly, Steve; Proust, Hélène; Saint-Marcoux, Denis; Prescott, Helen; Dolan, Liam

2016-12-05

To discover mechanisms that controlled the growth of the rooting system in the earliest land plants, we identified genes that control the development of rhizoids in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. 336,000 T-DNA transformed lines were screened for mutants with defects in rhizoid growth, and a de novo genome assembly was generated to identify the mutant genes. We report the identification of 33 genes required for rhizoid growth, of which 6 had not previously been functionally characterized in green plants. We demonstrate that members of the same orthogroup are active in cell wall synthesis, cell wall integrity sensing, and vesicle trafficking during M. polymorpha rhizoid and Arabidopsis thaliana root hair growth. This indicates that the mechanism for constructing the cell surface of tip-growing rooting cells is conserved among land plants and was active in the earliest land plants that existed sometime more than 470 million years ago [1, 2]. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Construction and start-up of a 250 kW natural gas fueled MCFC demonstration power plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Figueroa, R.A.; Carter, J.; Rivera, R.; Otahal, J. [San Diego Gas & Electric, CA (United States)] [and others

1996-12-31

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is participating with M-C Power in the development and commercialization program of their internally manifolded heat exchanger (IMHEX{reg_sign}) carbonate fuel cell technology. Development of the IMHEX technology base on the UNOCAL test facility resulted in the demonstration of a 250 kW thermally integrated power plant located at the Naval Air Station at Miramar, California. The members of the commercialization team lead by M-C Power (MCP) include Bechtel Corporation, Stewart & Stevenson Services, Inc., and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI). MCP produced the fuel cell stack, Bechtel was responsible for the process engineering including the control system, Stewart & Stevenson was responsible for packaging the process equipment in a skid (pumps, desulfurizer, gas heater, turbo, heat exchanger and stem generator), IHI produced a compact flat plate catalytic reformer operating on natural gas, and SDG&E assumed responsibility for plant construction, start-up and operation of the plant.

Direct fuel cell power plants: the final steps to commercialization

Science.gov (United States)

Glenn, Donald R.

Since the last paper presented at the Second Grove Fuel Cell Symposium, the Energy Research Corporation (ERC) has established two commercial subsidiaries, become a publically-held firm, expanded its facilities and has moved the direct fuel cell (DFC) technology and systems significantly closer to commercial readiness. The subsidiaries, the Fuel Cell Engineering Corporation (FCE) and Fuel Cell Manufacturing Corporation (FCMC) are perfecting their respective roles in the company's strategy to commercialize its DFC technology. FCE is the prime contractor for the Santa Clara Demonstration and is establishing the needed marketing, sales, engineering, and servicing functions. FCMC in addition to producing the stacks and stack modules for the Santa Clara demonstration plant is now upgrading its production capability and product yields, and retooling for the final stack scale-up for the commercial unit. ERC has built and operated the tallest and largest capacities-to-date carbonate fuel cell stacks as well as numerous short stacks. While most of these units were tested at ERC's Danbury, Connecticut (USA) R&D Center, others have been evaluated at other domestic and overseas facilities using a variety of fuels. ERC has supplied stacks to Elkraft and MTU for tests with natural gas, and RWE in Germany where coal-derived gas were used. Additional stack test activities have been performed by MELCO and Sanyo in Japan. Information from some of these activities is protected by ERC's license arrangements with these firms. However, permission for limited data releases will be requested to provide the Grove Conference with up-to-date results. Arguably the most dramatic demonstration of carbonate fuel cells in the utility-scale, 2 MW power plant demonstration unit, located in the City of Santa Clara, California. Construction of the unit's balance-of-plant (BOP) has been completed and the installed equipment has been operationally checked. Two of the four DFC stack sub-modules, each

Demonstration project: Oxy-fuel combustion at Callide-A plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Makino, Keiji; Misawa, Nobuhiro; Kiga, Takashi; Spero, Chris

2007-07-01

Oxy-fuel combustion is expected to be one of the promising systems on CO2 recovery from pulverized-coal power plant, and enable the CO2 to be captured in a more cost-effective manner compared to other CO2 recover process. An Australia-Japan consortium was established in 2004 specifically for the purpose of conducting a feasibility study on the application of oxy-fuel combustion to an existing pulverized-coal power plant that is Callide-A power plant No.4 unit at 30MWe owned by CS Energy in Australia. One of the important components in this study has been the recent comparative testing of three Australian coals under both oxy-fuel and air combustion conditions using the IHI combustion test facilities. The tests have yielded a number of important outcomes including a good comparison of normal air with oxy-fuel combustion, significant reduction in NOx mass emission rates under oxy-fuel combustion. On the basis of the feasibility study, the project under Australia-Japan consortium is now under way for applying oxy-fuel combustion to an existing plant by way of demonstration. In this project, a demonstration plant of oxy-fuel combustion will be completed by the end of 2008. This project aims at recovering CO2 from an actual power plant for storage. (auth)

Results from an in-plant demonstration of intelligent control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edwards, R.M.; Garcia, H.E.; Messick, N.

1993-01-01

A learning systems-based reconfigurable controller was demonstrated on the deaerating feedwater heater at the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) on April 1, 1993. Failures of the normal pressure regulating process were introduced by reducing the steam flow to the heater by as much as 10%. The controller maintained pressure in the heater at acceptable levels for several minutes, whereas operator intervention would have otherwise been required within a few seconds. This experiment demonstrates the potential of advanced control techniques for improving safety, reliability, and performance of power plant operations as well as the utility of EBR-II as an experimental power plant controls facility

Outside-in control -Does plant cell wall integrity regulate cell cycle progression?

Science.gov (United States)

Gigli-Bisceglia, Nora; Hamann, Thorsten

2018-04-13

During recent years it has become accepted that plant cell walls are not inert objects surrounding all plant cells but are instead highly dynamic, plastic structures. They are involved in a large number of cell biological processes and contribute actively to plant growth, development and interaction with environment. Therefore, it is not surprising that cellular processes can control plant cell wall integrity while, simultaneously, cell wall integrity can influence cellular processes. In yeast and animal cells such a bi-directional relationship also exists between the yeast/animal extra-cellular matrices and the cell cycle. In yeast, the cell wall integrity maintenance mechanism and a dedicated plasmamembrane integrity checkpoint are mediating this relationship. Recent research has yielded insights into the mechanism controlling plant cell wall metabolism during cytokinesis. However, knowledge regarding putative regulatory pathways controlling adaptive modifications in plant cell cycle activity in response to changes in the state of the plant cell wall are not yet identified. In this review, we summarize similarities and differences in regulatory mechanisms coordinating extra cellular matrices and cell cycle activity in animal and yeast cells, discuss the available evidence supporting the existence of such a mechanism in plants and suggest that the plant cell wall integrity maintenance mechanism might also control cell cycle activity in plant cells. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Cell wall assembly and intracellular trafficking in plant cells are directly affected by changes in the magnitude of gravitational acceleration.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Youssef Chebli

Full Text Available Plants are able to sense the magnitude and direction of gravity. This capacity is thought to reside in selected cell types within the plant body that are equipped with specialized organelles called statoliths. However, most plant cells do not possess statoliths, yet they respond to changes in gravitational acceleration. To understand the effect of gravity on the metabolism and cellular functioning of non-specialized plant cells, we investigated a rapidly growing plant cell devoid of known statoliths and without gravitropic behavior, the pollen tube. The effects of hyper-gravity and omnidirectional exposure to gravity on intracellular trafficking and on cell wall assembly were assessed in Camellia pollen tubes, a model system with highly reproducible growth behavior in vitro. Using an epi-fluorescence microscope mounted on the Large Diameter Centrifuge at the European Space Agency, we were able to demonstrate that vesicular trafficking is reduced under hyper-gravity conditions. Immuno-cytochemistry confirmed that both in hyper and omnidirectional gravity conditions, the characteristic spatial profiles of cellulose and callose distribution in the pollen tube wall were altered, in accordance with a dose-dependent effect on pollen tube diameter. Our findings suggest that in response to gravity induced stress, the pollen tube responds by modifying cell wall assembly to compensate for the altered mechanical load. The effect was reversible within few minutes demonstrating that the pollen tube is able to quickly adapt to changing stress conditions.

Bioreactors for plant cells: hardware configuration and internal environment optimization as tools for wider commercialization.

Science.gov (United States)

Georgiev, Milen I; Weber, Jost

2014-07-01

Mass production of value-added molecules (including native and heterologous therapeutic proteins and enzymes) by plant cell culture has been demonstrated as an efficient alternative to classical technologies [i.e. natural harvest and chemical (semi)synthesis]. Numerous proof-of-concept studies have demonstrated the feasibility of scaling up plant cell culture-based processes (most notably to produce paclitaxel) and several commercial processes have been established so far. The choice of a suitable bioreactor design (or modification of an existing commercially available reactor) and the optimization of its internal environment have been proven as powerful tools toward successful mass production of desired molecules. This review highlights recent progress (mostly in the last 5 years) in hardware configuration and optimization of bioreactor culture conditions for suspended plant cells.

Flambeau River Biofuels Demonstration Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Byrne, Robert J. [Flambeau River Biofuels, Inc., Park Falls, WI (United States)

2012-07-30

Flambeau River BioFuels, Inc. (FRB) proposed to construct a demonstration biomass-to-liquids (BTL) biorefinery in Park Falls, Wisconsin. The biorefinery was to be co-located at the existing pulp and paper mill, Flambeau River Papers, and when in full operation would both generate renewable energy – making Flambeau River Papers the first pulp and paper mill in North America to be nearly fossil fuel free – and produce liquid fuels from abundant and renewable lignocellulosic biomass. The biorefinery would serve to validate the thermochemical pathway and economic models for BTL production using forest residuals and wood waste, providing a basis for proliferating BTL conversion technologies throughout the United States. It was a project goal to create a compelling new business model for the pulp and paper industry, and support the nation’s goal for increasing renewable fuels production and reducing its dependence on foreign oil. FRB planned to replicate this facility at other paper mills after this first demonstration scale plant was operational and had proven technical and economic feasibility.

Continued maturing of SOFC cell production technology and development and demonstration of SOFC stacks. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2008-08-15

The overall objective of the 6385 project was to develop stack materials, components and stack technology including industrial relevant manufacturing methods for cells components and stacks. Furthermore, the project should include testing and demonstration of the stacks under relevant operating conditions. A production of 6.829 cells, twenty 75-cell stacks and a number of small stacks was achieved. Major improvements were also made in the manufacturing methods and in stack design. Two test and demonstration activities were included in the project. The first test unit was established at H.C. OErsted power plant at the Copenhagen waterfront in order to perform test of SOFC stacks. The unit will be used for tests in other projects. The second demonstration unit is the alpha prototype demonstration in a system running on natural gas in Finland. The alpha prototype demonstration system with 24 TOFC (Topsoe Fuel Cell) stacks was established and started running in October 2007 and operational experience was gained in the period from October 2007 to February 2008. (auther)

Demonstration of risk-based approaches to nuclear plant regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahn, F.J.; Sursock, J.P.; Darling, S.S.; Oddo, J.M.

1993-01-01

This paper describes generic technical support EPRI is providing to the nuclear power industry relative to its recent initiatives in the area of risk-based regulations (RBR). A risk-based regulatory approach uses probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), or similar techniques, to allocate safety resources commensurate with the risk posed by nuclear plant operations. This approach will reduce O ampersand M costs, and also improve nuclear plant safety. In order to enhance industry, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and public confidence in RBR, three things need to be shown: (1) manpower/resource savings are significant for both NRC and industry; (2) the process is doable in a reasonable amount of time; and (3) the process, if uniformly applied, results in demonstrably cheaper power and safer plants. In 1992, EPRI performed a qualitative study of the key RBR issues contributing to high O ampersand M costs. The results are given on Table 1. This study is being followed up by an in-depth quantitative cost/benefit study to focus technical work on producing guidelines/procedures for licensing submittals to NRC. The guidelines/procedures necessarily will be developed from successful demonstration projects such as the Fitzpatrick pilot plant study proposed by the New York Power Authority and other generic applications. This paper presents three examples: two motor operated valve projects performed by QUADREX Energy Services Corporation working with utilities in responding to NRC Generic Letter 89-10, and a third project working with Yankee Atomic Electric Company on service water systems at a plant in its service system. These demonstration projects aim to show the following: (1) the relative ease of putting together a technical case based on RBR concepts; (2) clarity in differentiating the various risk trade-offs, and in communicating overall reductions in risk with NRC; and (3) improved prioritization of NRC directives

Radiation-induced cell death in embryogenic cells of coniferous plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Yoshito; Homma-Takeda, Shino; Yukawa, Masae; Nishimura, Yoshikazu; Sasamoto, Hamako; Takahagi, Masahiko

2004-01-01

Reproductive processes are particularly radiosensitive in plant development, which was clearly illustrated in reduction of seed formation in native coniferous plants around Chernobyl after the nuclear accident. For the purpose to investigate the effects of ionizing radiation on embryonic formation in coniferous plants, we used an embryo-derived embryogenic cell culture of a Japanese native coniferous plant, Japanese cedar (Cryplomeria japonica). The embryogenic cells were so radiosensitive that most of the cells died by X-ray irradiation of 5 Gy. This indicated that the embryogenic cells are as radiosensitive as some mammalian cells including lymphocytes. We considered that this type of radiosensitive cell death in the embryogenic cells should be responsible for reproductive damages of coniferous plants by low dose of ionizing radiation. The cell death of the embryogenic cells was characteristic of nuclear DNA fragmentation, which is typically observed in radiation-induced programmed cell death, i.e. apoptosis, in mammalian cells. On the other hand, cell death with nuclear DNA fragmentation did not develop by X-ray irradiation in vegetative cells including meristematic cells of Japanese cedar. This suggests that an apoptosis-like programmed cell death should develop cell-specifically in embryogenic cells by ionizing radiation. The abortion of embryogenic cells may work to prevent transmission of radiation-induced genetic damages to the descendants. (author)

Regulation of Water in Plant Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Kowles, Richard V.

2010-01-01

Cell water relationships are important topics to be included in cell biology courses. Differences exist in the control of water relationships in plant cells relative to control in animal cells. One important reason for these differences is that turgor pressure is a consideration in plant cells. Diffusion and osmosis are the underlying factors…

A synthetic glycan microarray enables epitope mapping of plant cell wall glycan-directed antibodies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ruprecht, Colin; Bartetzko, Max P; Senf, Deborah

2017-01-01

In the last three decades, more than 200 monoclonal antibodies have been raised against most classes of plant cell wall polysaccharides by different laboratories world-wide. These antibodies are widely used to identify differences in plant cell wall components in mutants, organ and tissue types......, and developmental stages. Despite their importance and broad use, the precise binding epitope for only a few of these antibodies has been determined. Here, we use a plant glycan microarray equipped with 88 synthetic oligosaccharides to comprehensively map the epitopes of plant cell wall glycan-directed antibodies....... Our results reveal the binding epitopes for 78 arabinogalactan-, rhamnogalacturonan-, xylan-, and xyloglucan-directed antibodies. We demonstrate that, with knowledge of the exact epitopes recognized by individual antibodies, specific glycosyl hydrolases can be implemented into immunological cell wall...

Industrial Fuel Gas Demonstration Plant Program. Demonstration plant operation plan (Deliverable No. 38)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1979-01-01

The Demo Plant Operating Plan is composed of the following sequence of events starting with the training or personnel, familiarizing of the personnel with the plant and completing the long-term run in the following sequences: inspection during construction, plant completion, shakedown of equipment, process unit startup, shakedown of process units, variable run operation and a turnaround. During the construction period, technical personnel from DRC, MLGW and IGT will be at the plant site becoming familiar with the equipment, its installation and all of the auxiliaries so that on completion of construction they will be well grounded on the plant detail and its configuration. At the same time the supervisory operating personnel will have hands on training the gasifier operation at the IGT pilot plant to develop a field for gasifier operation. As a plant sections are completed, they will be checked out in accordance with the contractor and operator (client) procedure as outlined. Subsequent to this, various vendor designs and furnished equipment will be checked out operating-wise and a performance test run if feasible. The actual startup of the plant will be subsequential with the support areas as utilities, coal handling and waste treatment being placed in operation first. Subsequent to this the process units will be placed in operation starting from the rear of the process train and working forward. Thus the downstream units will be operating before the reactor is run on coal. The reactor will be checked out on coke operation.

The Specific Nature of Plant Cell Wall Polysaccharides 1

Science.gov (United States)

Nevins, Donald J.; English, Patricia D.; Albersheim, Peter

1967-01-01

Polysaccharide compositions of cell walls were assessed by quantitative analyses of the component sugars. Cell walls were hydrolyzed in 2 n trifluoroacetic acid and the liberated sugars reduced to their respective alditols. The alditols were acetylated and the resulting alditol acetates separated by gas chromatography. Quantitative assay of the alditol acetates was accomplished by electronically integrating the detector output of the gas chromatograph. Myo-inositol, introduced into the sample prior to hydrolysis, served as an internal standard. The cell wall polysaccharide compositions of plant varieties within a given species are essentially identical. However, differences in the sugar composition were observed in cell walls prepared from different species of the same as well as of different genera. The fact that the wall compositions of different varieties of the same species are the same indicates that the biosynthesis of cell wall polysaccharides is genetically regulated. The cell walls of various morphological parts (roots, hypocotyls, first internodes and primary leaves) of bean plants were each found to have a characteristic sugar composition. It was found that the cell wall sugar composition of suspension-cultured sycamore cells could be altered by growing the cells on different carbon sources. This demonstrates that the biosynthesis of cell wall polysaccharides can be manipulated without fatal consequences. PMID:16656594

Reactive power control with CHP plants - A demonstration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nyeng, Preben; Østergaard, Jacob; Andersen, Claus A.

2010-01-01

power rating of 7.3 MW on two synchronous generators. A closed-loop control is implemented, that remote controls the CHP plant to achieve a certain reactive power flow in a near-by substation. The solution communicates with the grid operator’s existing SCADA system to obtain measurements from...... lines to underground cables has changed the reactive power balance, and third, the TSO has introduced restrictions in the allowed exchange of reactive power between the transmission system and distribution grids (known as the Mvar-arrangement). The demonstration includes a CHP plant with an electric......In this project the potential for ancillary services provision by distributed energy resources is investigated. Specifically, the provision of reactive power control by combined heat and power plants is examined, and the application of the new standard for DER communication systems, IEC 61850...

Synthesis of plant cell wall oligosaccharides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Mads Hartvig

Plant cell walls are structurally complex and contain a large number of diverse carbohydrate polymers. These plant fibers are a highly valuable bio-resource and the focus of food, energy and health research. We are interested in studying the interplay of plant cell wall carbohydrates with proteins...... for characterizing protein-carbohydrate binding. The presentation will highlight chemical syntheses of plant cell wall oligosaccharides from the group and provide examples from studies of their interactions with proteins....... such as enzymes, cell surface lectins, and antibodies. However, detailed molecular level investigations of such interactions are hampered by the heterogeneity and diversity of the polymers of interest. To circumvent this, we target well-defined oligosaccharides with representative structures that can be used...

Morphological classification of plant cell deaths.

Science.gov (United States)

van Doorn, W G; Beers, E P; Dangl, J L; Franklin-Tong, V E; Gallois, P; Hara-Nishimura, I; Jones, A M; Kawai-Yamada, M; Lam, E; Mundy, J; Mur, L A J; Petersen, M; Smertenko, A; Taliansky, M; Van Breusegem, F; Wolpert, T; Woltering, E; Zhivotovsky, B; Bozhkov, P V

2011-08-01

Programmed cell death (PCD) is an integral part of plant development and of responses to abiotic stress or pathogens. Although the morphology of plant PCD is, in some cases, well characterised and molecular mechanisms controlling plant PCD are beginning to emerge, there is still confusion about the classification of PCD in plants. Here we suggest a classification based on morphological criteria. According to this classification, the use of the term 'apoptosis' is not justified in plants, but at least two classes of PCD can be distinguished: vacuolar cell death and necrosis. During vacuolar cell death, the cell contents are removed by a combination of autophagy-like process and release of hydrolases from collapsed lytic vacuoles. Necrosis is characterised by early rupture of the plasma membrane, shrinkage of the protoplast and absence of vacuolar cell death features. Vacuolar cell death is common during tissue and organ formation and elimination, whereas necrosis is typically found under abiotic stress. Some examples of plant PCD cannot be ascribed to either major class and are therefore classified as separate modalities. These are PCD associated with the hypersensitive response to biotrophic pathogens, which can express features of both necrosis and vacuolar cell death, PCD in starchy cereal endosperm and during self-incompatibility. The present classification is not static, but will be subject to further revision, especially when specific biochemical pathways are better defined.

The Evritania (Greece) demonstration plant of biomass pyrolysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zabaniotou, A.A.; Karabela, A.J. [Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece). Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute

1999-06-01

This paper is focused on describing the Evritania demonstration plant for pyrolysis of forestry biomass. This plant was constructed in the village of Voulpi, district of Evritania, in central Greece, in 1995, with a threefold purpose; development of know-how, forest fire prevention and rural development. The products are charcoal and bio-oil. The plant capacity is 1200-1450 kg/h of wet biomass and the pyrolysis temperature is approx. 400 deg C. The raw material used is Arbutus unedo, which is an evergreen broad-leaf tree which covers the area. Other agricultural waste could also be used, such as olive pits and cuttings, almond shells and cotton kernels. The paper includes the conceptual process flow sheet, the changes and improvements made during the trial phase, data from the start-up phase, and product characteristics. Comparison of the process with the Alten process is presented. Additionally, comparisons are made of product characteristics with those from other pyrolysis processes. In general, the results obtained are encouraging even though several improvements of the pilot plant are required. (author)

Colour bio-factories: Towards scale-up production of anthocyanins in plant cell cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Appelhagen, Ingo; Wulff-Vester, Anders Keim; Wendell, Micael; Hvoslef-Eide, Anne-Kathrine; Russell, Julia; Oertel, Anne; Martens, Stefan; Mock, Hans-Peter; Martin, Cathie; Matros, Andrea

2018-06-08

Anthocyanins are widely distributed, glycosylated, water-soluble plant pigments, which give many fruits and flowers their red, purple or blue colouration. Their beneficial effects in a dietary context have encouraged increasing use of anthocyanins as natural colourants in the food and cosmetic industries. However, the limited availability and diversity of anthocyanins commercially have initiated searches for alternative sources of these natural colourants. In plants, high-level production of secondary metabolites, such as anthocyanins, can be achieved by engineering of regulatory genes as well as genes encoding biosynthetic enzymes. We have used tobacco lines which constitutively produce high levels of cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside, delphinidin 3-O-rutinoside or a novel anthocyanin, acylated cyanidin 3-O-(coumaroyl) rutinoside to generate cell suspension cultures. The cell lines are stable in their production rates and superior to conventional plant cell cultures. Scale-up of anthocyanin production in small scale fermenters has been demonstrated. The cell cultures have also proven to be a suitable system for production of 13 C-labelled anthocyanins. Our method for anthocyanin production is transferable to other plant species, such as Arabidopsis thaliana, demonstrating the potential of this approach for making a wide range of highly-decorated anthocyanins. The tobacco cell cultures represent a customisable and sustainable alternative to conventional anthocyanin production platforms and have considerable potential for use in industrial and medical applications of anthocyanins. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High-throughput mapping of cell-wall polymers within and between plants using novel microarrays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moller, Isabel Eva; Sørensen, Iben; Bernal Giraldo, Adriana Jimena

2007-01-01

We describe here a methodology that enables the occurrence of cell-wall glycans to be systematically mapped throughout plants in a semi-quantitative high-throughput fashion. The technique (comprehensive microarray polymer profiling, or CoMPP) integrates the sequential extraction of glycans from...... analysis of mutant and wild-type plants, as demonstrated here for the Arabidopsis thaliana mutants fra8, mur1 and mur3. CoMPP was also applied to Physcomitrella patens cell walls and was validated by carbohydrate linkage analysis. These data provide new insights into the structure and functions of plant...

Demonstration of Passive Fuel Cell Thermal Management Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Kenneth A.; Jakupca, Ian; Colozza, Anthony; Wynne, Robert; Miller, Michael; Meyer, Al; Smith, William

2012-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center is developing advanced passive thermal management technology to reduce the mass and improve the reliability of space fuel cell systems for the NASA Exploration program. The passive thermal management system relies on heat conduction within highly thermally conductive cooling plates to move the heat from the central portion of the cell stack out to the edges of the fuel cell stack. Using the passive approach eliminates the need for a coolant pump and other cooling loop components within the fuel cell system which reduces mass and improves overall system reliability. Previous development demonstrated the performance of suitable highly thermally conductive cooling plates and integrated heat exchanger technology to collect the heat from the cooling plates (Ref. 1). The next step in the development of this passive thermal approach was the demonstration of the control of the heat removal process and the demonstration of the passive thermal control technology in actual fuel cell stacks. Tests were run with a simulated fuel cell stack passive thermal management system outfitted with passive cooling plates, an integrated heat exchanger and two types of cooling flow control valves. The tests were run to demonstrate the controllability of the passive thermal control approach. Finally, successful demonstrations of passive thermal control technology were conducted with fuel cell stacks from two fuel cell stack vendors.

Early Site Permit Demonstration Program: Plant parameters envelope report. Volume 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-03-01

The Early Site Permit (ESP) Demonstration Program is the nuclear industry`s initiative for piloting the early resolution of siting-related issues before the detailed design proceedings of the combined operating license review. The ESP Demonstration Program consists of three phases. The plant parameters envelopes task is part of Phase 1, which addresses the generic review of applicable federal regulations and develops criteria for safety and environmental assessment of potential sites. The plant parameters envelopes identify parameters that characterize the interface between an ALWR design and a potential site, and quantify the interface through values selected from the Utility Requirements Documents, vendor design information, or engineering assessments. When augmented with site-specific information, the plant parameters envelopes provide sufficient information to allow ESPs to be granted based on individual ALWR design information or enveloping design information for the evolutionary, passive, or generic ALWR plants. This document is expected to become a living document when used by future applicants.

Plant Cell Adaptive Responses to Microgravity

Science.gov (United States)

Kordyum, Elizabeth; Kozeko, Liudmyla; Talalaev, Alexandr

simulated microgravity and temperature elevation have different effects on the small HSP genes belonging to subfamilies with different subcellular localization: cytosol/nucleus - PsHSP17.1-CII and PsHSP18.1-CI, cloroplasts - PsHSP26.2-Cl, endoplasmatic reticulum - PsHSP22.7-ER and mitochondria - PsHSP22.9-M: unlike high temperature, clinorotation does not cause denaturation of cell proteins, that confirms the sHSP chaperone function. Dynamics of investigated gene expression in pea seedlings growing 5 days after seed germination under clinorotation was similar to that in the stationary control. Similar patterns in dynamics of sHSP gene expression in the stationary control and under clinorotation may be one of mechanisms providing plant adaptation to simulated microgravity. It is pointed that plant cell responses in microgravity and under clinorotation vary according to growth phase, physiological state, and taxonomic position of the object. At the same time, the responses have, to some degree, a similar character reflecting the changes in cell organelle functional load. Thus, next certain changes in the structure and function of plant cells may be considered as adaptive: 1) an increase in the unsaturated fatty acid content in the plasmalemma, 2) rearrangements of organelle ultrastructure and an increase in their functional load, 3) an increase in cortical F-actin under destabilization of tubulin microtubules, 4) the level of gene expression and synthesis of heat shock proteins, 5) alterations of the enzyme and antioxidant system activity. The dynamics of these patterns demonstrated that the adaptation occurs on the principle of self-regulating systems in the limits of physiological norm reaction. The very importance of changed expression of genes involved in different cellular processes, especially HSP genes, in cell adaptation to altered gravity is discussed.

Förster resonance energy transfer demonstrates a flavonoid metabolon in living plant cells that displays competitive interactions between enzymes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Crosby, K.C.; Pietraszewska-Bogiel, A.; Gadella (jr.), T.W.J.; Winkel, B.S.J.

2011-01-01

We have used Förster resonance energy transfer detected by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM-FRET) to provide the first evidence from living plants cells for the existence of a flavonoid metabolon. The distribution of flux within this system may be regulated by the direct competition of

PA activity by using nuclear power plant safety demonstration and analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuchiya, Mitsuo; Kamimae, Rie

1999-01-01

INS/NUPEC presents one of Public acceptance (PA) methods for nuclear power in Japan, 'PA activity by using Nuclear Power Plant Safety Demonstration and Analysis', by using one of videos which is explained and analyzed accident events (Loss of Coolant Accident). Safety regulations of The National Government are strictly implemented in licensing at each of basic design and detailed design. To support safety regulation activities conducted by the National Government, INS/NLTPEC continuously implement Safety demonstration and analysis. With safety demonstration and analysis, made by assuming some abnormal conditions, what impacts could be produced by the assumed conditions are forecast based on specific design data on a given nuclear power plants. When analysis results compared with relevant decision criteria, the safety of nuclear power plants is confirmed. The decision criteria are designed to help judge if or not safety design of nuclear power plants is properly made. The decision criteria are set in the safety examination guidelines by taking sufficient safety allowance based on the latest technical knowledge obtained from a wide range of tests and safety studies. Safety demonstration and analysis is made by taking the procedure which are summarized in this presentation. In Japan, various PA (Public Acceptance) pamphlets and videos on nuclear energy have been published. But many of them focused on such topics as necessity or importance of nuclear energy, basic principles of nuclear power generation, etc., and a few described safety evaluation particularly of abnormal and accident events in accordance with the regulatory requirements. In this background, INS/NUPEC has been making efforts to prepare PA pamphlets and videos to explain the safety of nuclear power plants, to be simple and concrete enough, using various analytical computations for abnormal and accident events. In results, PA activity of INS/NUPEC is evaluated highly by the people

Demonstration tokamak fusion power plant for early realization of net electric power generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiwatari, R.; Okano, K.; Asaoka, Y.; Shinya, K.; Ogawa, Y.

2005-01-01

A demonstration tokamak fusion power plant Demo-CREST is proposed as the device for early realization of net electric power generation by fusion energy. The plasma configuration for Demo-CREST is optimized to satisfy the electric breakeven condition (the condition for net electric power, P e net = 0 MW) with the plasma performance of the ITER reference operation mode. This optimization method is considered to be suitable for the design of a demonstration power plant for early realization of net electric power generation, because the demonstration power plant has to ensure the net electric generation. Plasma performance should also be more reliably achieved than in past design studies. For the plasma performance planned in the present ITER programme, net electric power from 0 to 500 MW is possible with Demo-CREST under the following engineering conditions: maximum magnetic field 16 T, thermal efficiency 30%, NBI system efficiency 50% and NBI current drive power restricted to 200 MW. By replacing the blanket system with one of higher thermal efficiency, a net electric power of about 1000 MW is also possible so that the performance of the commercial plant with Demo-CREST can also be studied from the economic point of view. The development path from the experimental reactor 'ITER' to the commercial plant 'CREST' through the demonstration power plant 'Demo-CREST' is proposed as an example of the fast track concept. (author)

Stem cells: a plant biology perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scheres, B.J.G.

2005-01-01

A recent meeting at the Juan March Foundation in Madrid, Spain brought together plant biologists to discuss the characteristics of plant stem cells that are unique and those that are shared by stem cells from the animal kingdom

Laser-mediated perforation of plant cells

Science.gov (United States)

Wehner, Martin; Jacobs, Philipp; Esser, Dominik; Schinkel, Helga; Schillberg, Stefan

2007-07-01

The functional analysis of plant cells at the cellular and subcellular levels requires novel technologies for the directed manipulation of individual cells. Lasers are increasingly exploited for the manipulation of plant cells, enabling the study of biological processes on a subcellular scale including transformation to generate genetically modified plants. In our setup either a picosecond laser operating at 1064 nm wavelength or a continuous wave laser diode emitting at 405 nm are coupled into an inverse microscope. The beams are focused to a spot size of about 1.5 μm and the tobacco cell protoplasts are irradiated. Optoporation is achieved when targeting the laser focal spot at the outermost edge of the plasma membrane. In case of the picosecond laser a single pulse with energy of about 0.4 μJ was sufficient to perforate the plasma membrane enabling the uptake of dye or DNA from the surrounding medium into the cytosol. When the ultraviolet laser diode at a power level of 17 mW is employed an irradiation time of 200 - 500 milliseconds is necessary to enable the uptake of macromolecules. In the presence of an EYFP encoding plasmid with a C-terminal peroxisomal signal sequence in the surrounding medium transient transformation of tobacco protoplasts could be achieved in up to 2% of the optoporated cells. Single cell perforation using this novel optoporation method shows that isolated plant cells can be permeabilized without direct manipulation. This is a valuable procedure for cell-specific applications, particularly where the import of specific molecules into plant cells is required for functional analysis.

Development and demonstration of near-real-time accounting systems for reprocessing plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cobb, D.D.; Hakkila, E.A.; Dayem, H.A.; Shipley, J.P.; Baker, A.L.

1981-01-01

A program to develop and demonstrate near-real-time accounting systems for reprocessing plants has been active at Los Alamos since 1976. The technology has been developed through modeling and simulation of process operation and measurement systems and evaluation of these data using decision analysis techniques. Aspects of near-real-time systems have been demonstrated successfully at the AGNS reprocessng plant as part of a joint study of near-real-time accounting

Advanced Grid-Friendly Controls Demonstration Project for Utility-Scale PV Power Plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gevorgian, Vahan; O' Neill, Barbara

2016-01-21

A typical photovoltaic (PV) power plant consists of multiple power electronic inverters and can contribute to grid stability and reliability through sophisticated 'grid-friendly' controls. The availability and dissemination of actual test data showing the viability of advanced utility-scale PV controls among all industry stakeholders can leverage PV's value from being simply an energy resource to providing additional ancillary services that range from variability smoothing and frequency regulation to power quality. Strategically partnering with a selected utility and/or PV power plant operator is a key condition for a successful demonstration project. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Solar Energy Technologies Office selected the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to be a principal investigator in a two-year project with goals to (1) identify a potential partner(s), (2) develop a detailed scope of work and test plan for a field project to demonstrate the gird-friendly capabilities of utility-scale PV power plants, (3) facilitate conducting actual demonstration tests, and (4) disseminate test results among industry stakeholders via a joint NREL/DOE publication and participation in relevant technical conferences. The project implementation took place in FY 2014 and FY 2015. In FY14, NREL established collaborations with AES and First Solar Electric, LLC, to conduct demonstration testing on their utility-scale PV power plants in Puerto Rico and Texas, respectively, and developed test plans for each partner. Both Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas expressed interest in this project because of the importance of such advanced controls for the reliable operation of their power systems under high penetration levels of variable renewable generation. During FY15, testing was completed on both plants, and a large amount of test data was produced and analyzed that demonstrates the ability of

UV-Induced Cell Death in Plants

Science.gov (United States)

Nawkar, Ganesh M.; Maibam, Punyakishore; Park, Jung Hoon; Sahi, Vaidurya Pratap; Lee, Sang Yeol; Kang, Chang Ho

2013-01-01

Plants are photosynthetic organisms that depend on sunlight for energy. Plants respond to light through different photoreceptors and show photomorphogenic development. Apart from Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR; 400–700 nm), plants are exposed to UV light, which is comprised of UV-C (below 280 nm), UV-B (280–320 nm) and UV-A (320–390 nm). The atmospheric ozone layer protects UV-C radiation from reaching earth while the UVR8 protein acts as a receptor for UV-B radiation. Low levels of UV-B exposure initiate signaling through UVR8 and induce secondary metabolite genes involved in protection against UV while higher dosages are very detrimental to plants. It has also been reported that genes involved in MAPK cascade help the plant in providing tolerance against UV radiation. The important targets of UV radiation in plant cells are DNA, lipids and proteins and also vital processes such as photosynthesis. Recent studies showed that, in response to UV radiation, mitochondria and chloroplasts produce a reactive oxygen species (ROS). Arabidopsis metacaspase-8 (AtMC8) is induced in response to oxidative stress caused by ROS, which acts downstream of the radical induced cell death (AtRCD1) gene making plants vulnerable to cell death. The studies on salicylic and jasmonic acid signaling mutants revealed that SA and JA regulate the ROS level and antagonize ROS mediated cell death. Recently, molecular studies have revealed genes involved in response to UV exposure, with respect to programmed cell death (PCD). PMID:23344059

Super-resolution Microscopy in Plant Cell Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Komis, George; Šamajová, Olga; Ovečka, Miroslav; Šamaj, Jozef

2015-12-01

Although the development of super-resolution microscopy methods dates back to 1994, relevant applications in plant cell imaging only started to emerge in 2010. Since then, the principal super-resolution methods, including structured-illumination microscopy (SIM), photoactivation localization microscopy (PALM), stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM), and stimulated emission depletion microscopy (STED), have been implemented in plant cell research. However, progress has been limited due to the challenging properties of plant material. Here we summarize the basic principles of existing super-resolution methods and provide examples of applications in plant science. The limitations imposed by the nature of plant material are reviewed and the potential for future applications in plant cell imaging is highlighted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enzymatic Modification of Plant Cell Wall Polysaccharides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Øbro, Jens; Hayashi, Takahisa; Mikkelsen, Jørn Dalgaard

2011-01-01

Plant cell walls are intricate structures with remarkable properties, widely used in almost every aspect of our life. Cell walls consist largely of complex polysaccharides and there is often a need for chemical and biochemical processing before industrial use. There is an increasing demand...... for sustainable processes that replace chemical treatments with white biotechnology. Plants can contribute significantly to this sustainable process by producing plant or microbialenzymes in planta that are necessary for plant cell wall modification or total degradation. This will give rise to superior food...... fibres, hydrocolloids, paper,textile, animal feeds or biofuels. Classical microbial-based fermentation systems could in the future face serious competition from plant-based expression systems for enzyme production. Plant expressed enzymes can either be targeted to specific cellular compartments...

Kimberlina: a zero-emissions demonstration plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pronske, K. [Clean Energy Systems Inc. (USA)

2007-06-15

FutureGen may be getting the headlines, but it is not the only superclean demonstration plant in town. In fact, you could argue that other technologies are further down the evolutionary timeline. Case in point: Clean Energy Systems' adaptation of rocket engine technology to radically change the way fuel is burned. The result is a true zero-emissions power plant. Its most distinctive element is an oxy-combustor, similar to one used in rocket engines, that generates steam by burning clean, gaseous fuel in the presence of gaseous oxygen and water. The clean fuel is prepared by processing a conventional fossil fuel such as coal-derived syngas, refinery residues, biomass or biodigester gas, or natural or landfill gas. Combustion takes place at near-stoichiometric conditions to produce a mixture of steam and CO{sub 2} at high temperature and pressure. The steam conditions are suitable for driving a conventional or advanced steam turbine-generator, or a gas turbine modified to be driven by high-temperature steam or to do work as an expansion unit at intermediate pressure. After pressure through the turbine(s), the steam/CO{sub 2} mixture is condensed, cooled, and separated into water and CO{sub 2}. The CO{sub 2} can be sequestered and/or purified and sold for commercial use. Durability and performance tests carried out between March 2005 and March 2006 produced excellent results. CO and NOx emissions are considerably low than those of combined-cycle power plants fuelled by natural gas and using selective catalytic reduction for NOx control. Work is continuing under an NETL grant. Progress and plans are reported in the article. 7 figs.

Biotechnological production of pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals in plant cell and organ cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Hidalgo, Diego; Sanchez, Raul; Lalaleo, Liliana; Bonfill, Mercedes; Corchete, Purificacion; Palazon, Javier

2018-03-09

Plant biofactories are biotechnological platforms based on plant cell and organ cultures used for the production of pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals, although to date only a few of these systems have successfully been implemented at an industrial level. Metabolic engineering is possibly the most straightforward strategy to boost pharmaceutical production in plant biofactories, but social opposition to the use of GMOs means empirical approaches are still being used. Plant secondary metabolism involves thousands of different enzymes, some of which catalyze specific reactions, giving one product from a particular substrate, whereas others can yield multiple products from the same substrate. This trait opens plant cell biofactories to new applications, in which the natural metabolic machinery of plants can be harnessed for the bioconversion of phytochemicals or even the production of new bioactive compounds. Synthetic biological pipelines involving the bioconversion of natural substrates into products with a high market value may be established by the heterologous expression of target metabolic genes in model plants. To summarize the state of the art of plant biofactories and their applications for the pipeline production of cosme-, pharma- and biopharmaceuticals. In order to demonstrate the great potential of plant biofactories for multiple applications in the biotechnological production of pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals, this review broadly covers the following: plant biofactories based on cell and hairy root cultures; secondary metabolite production; biotransformation reactions; metabolic engineering tools applied in plant biofactories; and biopharmaceutical production. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Pre-engineering assessment of Enersolve Demonstration Project. Dairy processing plant. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1985-07-15

This study involved evaluation of a dairy processing plant to demonstrate energy conservation potential and developing a strategy to realize energy savings through retrofitting and revamping. The cheese and whey making plant of Agropur Cooperative Agro-Alimentaire located in Quebec was selected as a representative Canadian dairy processing plant. The pre-engineering assessment included a review of existing facility at the plant and plant operation, identification of plant equipment or process steps where substantial economic benefits would result from retrofitting and revamping, and estimation of budgetary cost for the subsequent engineering, procurement, construction management and monitoring of the retrofitted equipment. 3 figs., 2 tabs.

Demonstration of Essential Reliability Services by a 300-MW Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loutan, Clyde; Klauer, Peter; Chowdhury, Sirajul; Hall, Stephen; Morjaria, Mahesh; Chadliev, Vladimir; Milam, Nick; Milan, Christopher; Gevorgian, Vahan

2017-03-24

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO), First Solar, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conducted a demonstration project on a large utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) power plant in California to test its ability to provide essential ancillary services to the electric grid. With increasing shares of solar- and wind-generated energy on the electric grid, traditional generation resources equipped with automatic governor control (AGC) and automatic voltage regulation controls -- specifically, fossil thermal -- are being displaced. The deployment of utility-scale, grid-friendly PV power plants that incorporate advanced capabilities to support grid stability and reliability is essential for the large-scale integration of PV generation into the electric power grid, among other technical requirements. A typical PV power plant consists of multiple power electronic inverters and can contribute to grid stability and reliability through sophisticated 'grid-friendly' controls. In this way, PV power plants can be used to mitigate the impact of variability on the grid, a role typically reserved for conventional generators. In August 2016, testing was completed on First Solar's 300-MW PV power plant, and a large amount of test data was produced and analyzed that demonstrates the ability of PV power plants to use grid-friendly controls to provide essential reliability services. These data showed how the development of advanced power controls can enable PV to become a provider of a wide range of grid services, including spinning reserves, load following, voltage support, ramping, frequency response, variability smoothing, and frequency regulation to power quality. Specifically, the tests conducted included various forms of active power control such as AGC and frequency regulation; droop response; and reactive power, voltage, and power factor controls. This project demonstrated that advanced power electronics and solar generation can be

Plant Systems Biology at the Single-Cell Level.

Science.gov (United States)

Libault, Marc; Pingault, Lise; Zogli, Prince; Schiefelbein, John

2017-11-01

Our understanding of plant biology is increasingly being built upon studies using 'omics and system biology approaches performed at the level of the entire plant, organ, or tissue. Although these approaches open new avenues to better understand plant biology, they suffer from the cellular complexity of the analyzed sample. Recent methodological advances now allow plant scientists to overcome this limitation and enable biological analyses of single-cells or single-cell-types. Coupled with the development of bioinformatics and functional genomics resources, these studies provide opportunities for high-resolution systems analyses of plant phenomena. In this review, we describe the recent advances, current challenges, and future directions in exploring the biology of single-cells and single-cell-types to enhance our understanding of plant biology as a system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Penium margaritaceum as a model organism for cell wall analysis of expanding plant cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Rydahl, Maja G; Fangel, Jonatan U; Mikkelsen, Maria Dalgaard; Johansen, I Elisabeth; Andreas, Amanda; Harholt, Jesper; Ulvskov, Peter; Jørgensen, Bodil; Domozych, David S; Willats, William G T

2015-01-01

The growth of a plant cell encompasses a complex set of subcellular components interacting in a highly coordinated fashion. Ultimately, these activities create specific cell wall structural domains that regulate the prime force of expansion, internally generated turgor pressure. The precise organization of the polymeric networks of the cell wall around the protoplast also contributes to the direction of growth, the shape of the cell, and the proper positioning of the cell in a tissue. In essence, plant cell expansion represents the foundation of development. Most studies of plant cell expansion have focused primarily upon late divergent multicellular land plants and specialized cell types (e.g., pollen tubes, root hairs). Here, we describe a unicellular green alga, Penium margaritaceum (Penium), which can serve as a valuable model organism for understanding cell expansion and the underlying mechanics of the cell wall in a single plant cell.

3D Plant Cell Architecture of Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae Using Focused Ion Beam–Scanning Electron Microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhawana

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Premise of the study: Focused ion beam–scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM combines the ability to sequentially mill the sample surface and obtain SEM images that can be used to create 3D renderings with micron-level resolution. We have applied FIB-SEM to study Arabidopsis cell architecture. The goal was to determine the efficacy of this technique in plant tissue and cellular studies and to demonstrate its usefulness in studying cell and organelle architecture and distribution. Methods: Seed aleurone, leaf mesophyll, stem cortex, root cortex, and petal lamina from Arabidopsis were fixed and embedded for electron microscopy using protocols developed for animal tissues and modified for use with plant cells. Each sample was sectioned using the FIB and imaged with SEM. These serial images were assembled to produce 3D renderings of each cell type. Results: Organelles such as nuclei and chloroplasts were easily identifiable, and other structures such as endoplasmic reticula, lipid bodies, and starch grains were distinguishable in each tissue. Discussion: The application of FIB-SEM produced 3D renderings of five plant cell types and offered unique views of their shapes and internal content. These results demonstrate the usefulness of FIB-SEM for organelle distribution and cell architecture studies.

Waste water pilot plant research, development, and demonstration permit application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-03-01

This permit application has been prepared to obtain a research, development, and demonstration permit to perform pilot-scale treatability testing on the 242-A Evaporator process condensate waste water effluent stream. It provides the management framework, and controls all the testing conducted in the waste water pilot plant using dangerous waste. It also provides a waste acceptance envelope (upper limits for selected constituents) and details the safety and environmental protection requirements for waste water pilot plant testing. This permit application describes the overall approach to testing and the various components or requirements that are common to all tests. This permit application has been prepared at a sufficient level of detail to establish permit conditions for all waste water pilot plant tests to be conducted

Plant and animal stem cells: similar yet different

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heidstra, R.; Sabatini, S.

2014-01-01

The astonishingly long lives of plants and their regeneration capacity depend on the activity of plant stem cells. As in animals, stem cells reside in stem cell niches, which produce signals that regulate the balance between self-renewal and the generation of daughter cells that differentiate into

Space stress and genome shock in developing plant cells

Science.gov (United States)

Krikorian, A. D.

1996-01-01

In the present paper I review symptoms of stress at the level of the nucleus in cells of plants grown in space under nonoptimized conditions. It remains to be disclosed to what extent gravity "unloading" in the space environment directly contributes to the low mitotic index and the chromosomal anomalies and damage that is frequently, but not invariably, demonstrable in space-grown plants. Evaluation of the available facts indicates that indirect effects play a major role and that there is a significant biological component to the susceptibility to stress damage equation as well. Much remains to be learned on how to provide strictly controlled, optimal environments for plant growth in space. Only after optimized controls become possible will one be able to attribute any observed space effects to lowered gravity or to other significant but more indirect effects of the space environment.

Vital Autofluorescence: Application to the Study of Plant Living Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victoria V. Roshchina

2012-01-01

approach to study the autofluorescence of plant living cells—from cell diagnostics up to modelling the cell-cell contacts and cell interactions with fluorescent biologically active substances. It bases on the direct observations of secretions released from allelopathic and medicinal species and the cell-donor interactions with cell-acceptors as biosensors (unicellular plant generative and vegetative microspores. Special attention was paid to the interactions with pigmented and fluorescing components of the secretions released by the cells-donors from plant species. Colored components of secretions are considered as histochemical dyes for the analysis of cellular mechanisms at the cell-cell contacts and modelling of cell-cell interactions. The fluorescence of plant biosensors was also recommended for the testing of natural plant excretions as medical drugs.

Navy fuel cell demonstration project.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Black, Billy D.; Akhil, Abbas Ali

2008-08-01

This is the final report on a field evaluation by the Department of the Navy of twenty 5-kW PEM fuel cells carried out during 2004 and 2005 at five Navy sites located in New York, California, and Hawaii. The key objective of the effort was to obtain an engineering assessment of their military applications. Particular issues of interest were fuel cell cost, performance, reliability, and the readiness of commercial fuel cells for use as a standalone (grid-independent) power option. Two corollary objectives of the demonstration were to promote technological advances and to improve fuel performance and reliability. From a cost perspective, the capital cost of PEM fuel cells at this stage of their development is high compared to other power generation technologies. Sandia National Laboratories technical recommendation to the Navy is to remain involved in evaluating successive generations of this technology, particularly in locations with greater environmental extremes, and it encourages their increased use by the Navy.

Light and Plants. A Series of Experiments Demonstrating Light Effects on Seed Germination, Plant Growth, and Plant Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Downs, R. J.; And Others

A brief summary of the effects of light on plant germination, growth and development, including photoperiodism and pigment formation, introduces 18 experiments and demonstrations which illustrate aspects of these effects. Detailed procedures for each exercise are given, the expected results outlined, and possible sources of difficulty discussed.…

Savannah River Plant low-level waste incinerator demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tallman, J.A.

1984-01-01

A two-year demonstration facility was constructed at the Savannah River Plant (SRP) to incinerate suspect contaminated solid and low-level solvent wastes. Since startup in January 1984, 4460 kilograms and 5300 liters of simulated (uncontaminated) solid and solvent waste have been incinerated to establish the technical and operating data base for the facility. Combustion safeguards have been enhanced, process controls and interlocks refined, some materials handling problems identified and operating experience gained as a result of the 6 month cold run-in. Volume reductions of 20:1 for solid and 25:1 for solvent waste have been demonstrated. Stack emissions (NO 2 , SO 2 , CO, and particulates) were only 0.5% of the South Carolina ambient air quality standards. Radioactive waste processing is scheduled to begin in July 1984. 2 figures, 2 tables

The IPRP (Integrated Pyrolysis Regenerated Plant) technology: From concept to demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D’Alessandro, Bruno; D’Amico, Michele; Desideri, Umberto; Fantozzi, Francesco

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► IPRP technology development for distributed conversion of biomass and wastes. ► IPRP demonstrative unit combines a rotary kiln pyrolyzer to a 80 kWe microturbine. ► Main performances and critical issues are pointed out for different residual fuels. -- Abstract: The concept of integrated pyrolysis regenerated plant (IPRP) is based on a Gas Turbine (GT) fuelled by pyrogas produced in a rotary kiln slow pyrolysis reactor, where waste heat from GT is used to sustain the pyrolysis process. The IPRP plant provides a unique solution for microscale (below 250 kW) power plants, opening a new and competitive possibility for distributed biomass or wastes to energy conversion systems. The paper summarizes the state of art of the IPRP technology, from preliminary numerical simulation to pilot plant facility, including some new available data on pyrolysis gas from laboratory and pilot plants.

Morphological classification of plant cell deaths

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Doorn, van W.G.; Beers, E.P.; Dangl, J.L.; Franklin-Tong, V.E.; Woltering, E.J.

2011-01-01

Programmed cell death (PCD) is an integral part of plant development and of responses to abiotic stress or pathogens. Although the morphology of plant PCD is, in some cases, well characterised and molecular mechanisms controlling plant PCD are beginning to emerge, there is still confusion about the

Plant cortical microtubule dynamics and cell division plane orientation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chakrabortty, Bandan

2017-01-01

This thesis work aimed at a better understanding of the molecular basis of oriented cell division in plant cell. As, the efficiency of plant morphogenesis depends on oriented cell division, this work should contribute towards a fundamental understanding of the molecular basis of efficient plant

Penium margaritaceum as a model organism for cell wall analysis of expanding plant cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rydahl, Maja Gro; Fangel, Jonatan Ulrik; Mikkelsen, Maria Dalgaard

2015-01-01

organization of the polymeric networks of the cell wall around the protoplast also contributes to the direction of growth, the shape of the cell, and the proper positioning of the cell in a tissue. In essence, plant cell expansion represents the foundation of development. Most studies of plant cell expansion...... have focused primarily upon late divergent multicellular land plants and specialized cell types (e.g., pollen tubes, root hairs). Here, we describe a unicellular green alga, Penium margaritaceum (Penium), which can serve as a valuable model organism for understanding cell expansion and the underlying......The growth of a plant cell encompasses a complex set of subcellular components interacting in a highly coordinated fashion. Ultimately, these activities create specific cell wall structural domains that regulate the prime force of expansion, internally generated turgor pressure. The precise...

Plant diversity to support humans in a CELSS ground based demonstrator

Science.gov (United States)

Howe, J. M.; Hoff, J. E.

1981-01-01

A controlled ecological life support system (CELSS) for human habitation in preparation for future long duration space flights is considered. The success of such a system depends upon the feasibility of revitalization of food resources and the human nutritional needs which are to be met by these food resources. Edible higher plants are prime candidates for the photoautotrophic components of this system if nutritionally adequate diets can be derived from these plant sources to support humans. Human nutritional requirements information based on current knowledge are developed for inhabitants envisioned in the CELSS ground based demonstrator. Groups of plant products that can provide the nutrients are identified.

Disposable Bioreactors for Plant Micropropagation and Mass Plant Cell Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Ducos, Jean-Paul; Terrier, Bénédicte; Courtois, Didier

Different types of bioreactors are used at Nestlé R&D Centre - Tours for mass propagation of selected plant varieties by somatic embryogenesis and for large scale culture of plants cells to produce metabolites or recombinant proteins. Recent studies have been directed to cut down the production costs of these two processes by developing disposable cell culture systems. Vegetative propagation of elite plant varieties is achieved through somatic embryogenesis in liquid medium. A pilot scale process has recently been set up for the industrial propagation of Coffea canephora (Robusta coffee). The current production capacity is 3.0 million embryos per year. The pre-germination of the embryos was previously conducted by temporary immersion in liquid medium in 10-L glass bioreactors. An improved process has been developed using a 10-L disposable bioreactor consisting of a bag containing a rigid plastic box ('Box-in-Bag' bioreactor), insuring, amongst other advantages, a higher light transmittance to the biomass due to its horizontal design. For large scale cell culture, two novel flexible plastic-based disposable bioreactors have been developed from 10 to 100 L working volumes, validated with several plant species ('Wave and Undertow' and 'Slug Bubble' bioreactors). The advantages and the limits of these new types of bioreactor are discussed, based mainly on our own experience on coffee somatic embryogenesis and mass cell culture of soya and tobacco.

Morphological classification of plant cell deaths

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Doorn, W.G.; Beers, E.P.; Dangl, J.L.

2011-01-01

, which can express features of both necrosis and vacuolar cell death, PCD in starchy cereal endosperm and during self-incompatibility. The present classification is not static, but will be subject to further revision, especially when specific biochemical pathways are better defined....... the classification of PCD in plants. Here we suggest a classification based on morphological criteria. According to this classification, the use of the term 'apoptosis' is not justified in plants, but at least two classes of PCD can be distinguished: vacuolar cell death and necrosis. During vacuolar cell death...

Calcium in plant cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. V. Schwartau

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The paper gives the review on the role of calcium in many physiological processes of plant organisms, including growth and development, protection from pathogenic influences, response to changing environmental factors, and many other aspects of plant physiology. Initial intake of calcium ions is carried out by Ca2+-channels of plasma membrane and they are further transported by the xylem owing to auxins’ attractive ability. The level of intake and selectivity of calcium transport to ove-ground parts of the plant is controlled by a symplast. Ca2+enters to the cytoplasm of endoderm cells through calcium channels on the cortical side of Kaspary bands, and is redistributed inside the stele by the symplast, with the use of Ca2+-АТPases and Ca2+/Н+-antiports. Owing to regulated expression and activity of these calcium transporters, calclum can be selectively delivered to the xylem. Important role in supporting calcium homeostasis is given to the vacuole which is the largest depo of calcium. Regulated quantity of calcium movement through the tonoplast is provided by a number of potential-, ligand-gated active transporters and channels, like Ca2+-ATPase and Ca2+/H+ exchanger. They are actively involved in the inactivation of the calcium signal by pumping Ca2+ to the depo of cells. Calcium ATPases are high affinity pumps that efficiently transfer calcium ions against the concentration gradient in their presence in the solution in nanomolar concentrations. Calcium exchangers are low affinity, high capacity Ca2+ transporters that are effectively transporting calcium after raising its concentration in the cell cytosol through the use of protons gradients. Maintaining constant concentration and participation in the response to stimuli of different types also involves EPR, plastids, mitochondria, and cell wall. Calcium binding proteins contain several conserved sequences that provide sensitivity to changes in the concentration of Ca2+ and when you

The characteristics of the prestressed concrete reactor vessel of the HHT demonstration plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schoening, J.; Schwiers, H.G.

1979-01-01

The paper concentrates on the design studies of the HTGR prestressed concrete reactor vessel (PCRV) for the HHT Demonstration Plant. The multi-cavity reactor pressure vessel accommodates all components carrying primary gas, including heat exchangers and gas turbine. For reasons of economics and availability of the reactor plant, generic requirements are made for the PCRV. A short description of the power plant is also presented

Pathological modifications of plant stem cell destiny

Science.gov (United States)

In higher plants, the shoot apex contains undifferentiated stem cells that give rise to various tissues and organs. The fate of these stem cells determines the pattern of plant growth as well as reproduction; and such fate is genetically preprogrammed. We found that a bacterial infection can derai...

The participation of singlet oxygen in a photocitotoxicity of extract from amazon plant to cancer cells

Science.gov (United States)

Tcibulnikova, Anna V.; Degterev, Igor A.; Bryukhanov, Valery V.; Roberto, Mantuanelly M.; Campos Pereira, F. D.; Marin-Morales, M. A.; Slezhkin, Vasily A.; Samusev, Ilya G.

2018-01-01

We have been searching for new photosensitizers (PS) for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer based on extracts from Amazonian plants since 2009. In this paper, we demonstrate that, under certain conditions, the extract from fruits of the Amazonian palm Euterpe oleraceae (popular name Açaí) can serve as a PS for PDT treatment of murine breast cancer cells (4T1 cell line). We have been first to show directly that the photodynamic effect of plant PS is due to singlet oxygen.

System-wide organization of actin cytoskeleton determines organelle transport in hypocotyl plant cells

Science.gov (United States)

Nowak, Jacqueline; Ivakov, Alexander; Somssich, Marc; Persson, Staffan; Nikoloski, Zoran

2017-01-01

The actin cytoskeleton is an essential intracellular filamentous structure that underpins cellular transport and cytoplasmic streaming in plant cells. However, the system-level properties of actin-based cellular trafficking remain tenuous, largely due to the inability to quantify key features of the actin cytoskeleton. Here, we developed an automated image-based, network-driven framework to accurately segment and quantify actin cytoskeletal structures and Golgi transport. We show that the actin cytoskeleton in both growing and elongated hypocotyl cells has structural properties facilitating efficient transport. Our findings suggest that the erratic movement of Golgi is a stable cellular phenomenon that might optimize distribution efficiency of cell material. Moreover, we demonstrate that Golgi transport in hypocotyl cells can be accurately predicted from the actin network topology alone. Thus, our framework provides quantitative evidence for system-wide coordination of cellular transport in plant cells and can be readily applied to investigate cytoskeletal organization and transport in other organisms. PMID:28655850

Power-up of Fugen reactor and development of demonstration plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sawai, Sadamu; Akebi, Michio; Yazaki, Akira.

1979-06-01

The Fugen Nuclear Power Station is the 165 MWe prototype plant characterized by heavy water-moderated, boiling light water-cooled, pressure tube type, and was developed by the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation, Japan. The plant went into commercial operation on March 20, 1979, in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture. Some delay in the overall schedule occurred due to the shortage of cement caused by the oil crisis, more stringent regulations as the result of stress corrosion cracking experienced in BWRs, and design modifications. All functional tests, the final check-up of the whole plant, and remaining modifying works had been completed by March 10, 1978. The minimum criticality was achieved with 22 mixed oxide fuel assemblies on March 20, 1978. Thereafter, the tests on reactor physics, plant dynamics, the performances of components and systems, and radiation and water chemistry have been carried out. 5 MWe was sent to grid system for the first time on July 29, 1978. The commercial operation of the plant was licenced by the Government on March 30, 1979. The conceptual design of the 600 MWe demonstration plant was finished in early 1979, and the detailed design is to be carried out in 1979 and 1980. The main design principle was incorporated in the conceptual design, but some modifications are to be made to reduce the power cost and to facilitate the easy maintenance. (Kako, I.)

Plant cell wall extensibility: connecting plant cell growth with cell wall structure, mechanics, and the action of wall-modifying enzymes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cosgrove, Daniel J.

2015-11-25

The advent of user-friendly instruments for measuring force/deflection curves of plant surfaces at high spatial resolution has resulted in a recent outpouring of reports of the ‘Young's modulus’ of plant cell walls. The stimulus for these mechanical measurements comes from biomechanical models of morphogenesis of meristems and other tissues, as well as single cells, in which cell wall stress feeds back to regulate microtubule organization, auxin transport, cellulose deposition, and future growth directionality. In this article I review the differences between elastic modulus and wall extensibility in the context of cell growth. Some of the inherent complexities, assumptions, and potential pitfalls in the interpretation of indentation force/deflection curves are discussed. Reported values of elastic moduli from surface indentation measurements appear to be 10- to >1000-fold smaller than realistic tensile elastic moduli in the plane of plant cell walls. Potential reasons for this disparity are discussed, but further work is needed to make sense of the huge range in reported values. The significance of wall stress relaxation for growth is reviewed and connected to recent advances and remaining enigmas in our concepts of how cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectins are assembled to make an extensible cell wall. A comparison of the loosening action of α-expansin and Cel12A endoglucanase is used to illustrate two different ways in which cell walls may be made more extensible and the divergent effects on wall mechanics.

Microtubule networks for plant cell division

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Keijzer, de Jeroen; Mulder, B.M.; Janson, M.E.

2014-01-01

During cytokinesis the cytoplasm of a cell is divided to form two daughter cells. In animal cells, the existing plasma membrane is first constricted and then abscised to generate two individual plasma membranes. Plant cells on the other hand divide by forming an interior dividing wall, the so-called

Vacuolar processing enzyme: an executor of plant cell death.

Science.gov (United States)

Hara-Nishimura, Ikuko; Hatsugai, Noriyuki; Nakaune, Satoru; Kuroyanagi, Miwa; Nishimura, Mikio

2005-08-01

Apoptotic cell death in animals is regulated by cysteine proteinases called caspases. Recently, vacuolar processing enzyme (VPE) was identified as a plant caspase. VPE deficiency prevents cell death during hypersensitive response and cell death of limited cell layers at the early stage of embryogenesis. Because plants do not have macrophages, dying cells must degrade their materials by themselves. VPE plays an essential role in the regulation of the lytic system of plants during the processes of defense and development. VPE is localized in the vacuoles, unlike animal caspases, which are localized in the cytosol. Thus, plants might have evolved a regulated cellular suicide strategy that, unlike animal apoptosis, is mediated by VPE and the vacuoles.

Demonstration of direct internal reforming for MCFC power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aasberg-Petersen, K.; Christensen, P.S.; Winther, S.K. [HALDOR TOPSOE A/S, Lynby (Denmark)] [and others

1996-12-31

The conversion of methane into hydrogen for an MCFC by steam reforming is accomplished either externally or internally in the stack. In the case of external reforming the plant electrical efficiency is 5% abs. lower mainly because more parasitic power is required for air compression for stack cooling. Furthermore, heat produced in the stack must be transferred to the external reformer to drive the endothermic steam reforming reaction giving a more complex plant lay-out. A more suitable and cost effective approach is to use internal steam reforming of methane. Internal reforming may be accomplished either by Indirect Internal Reforming (DIR) and Direct Internal Reforming (DIR) in series or by DIR-only as illustrated. To avoid carbon formation in the anode compartment higher hydrocarbons in the feedstock are converted into hydrogen, methane and carbon oxides by reaction with steam in ail adiabatic prereformer upstream the fuel cell stack. This paper discusses key elements of the desire of both types of internal reforming and presents data from pilot plants with a combined total of more than 10,000 operating hours. The project is being carried out as part of the activities of the European MCFC Consortium ARGE.

Plant cells without detectable plastids are generated in the crumpled leaf mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yuling; Asano, Tomoya; Fujiwara, Makoto T; Yoshida, Shigeo; Machida, Yasunori; Yoshioka, Yasushi

2009-05-01

Plastids are maintained in cells by proliferating prior to cell division and being partitioned to each daughter cell during cell division. It is unclear, however, whether cells without plastids are generated when plastid division is suppressed. The crumpled leaf (crl) mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana is a plastid division mutant that displays severe abnormalities in plastid division and plant development. We show that the crl mutant contains cells lacking detectable plastids; this situation probably results from an unequal partitioning of plastids to each daughter cell. Our results suggest that crl has a partial defect in plastid expansion, which is suggested to be important in the partitioning of plastids to daughter cells when plastid division is suppressed. The absence of cells without detectable plastids in the accumulation and replication of chloroplasts 6 (arc6) mutant, another plastid division mutant of A. thaliana having no significant defects in plant morphology, suggests that the generation of cells without detectable plastids is one of the causes of the developmental abnormalities seen in crl plants. We also demonstrate that plastids with trace or undetectable amounts of chlorophyll are generated from enlarged plastids by a non-binary fission mode of plastid replication in both crl and arc6.

Metabolism of fluoranthene in different plant cell cultures and intact plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolb, M.; Harms, H.

2000-05-01

The metabolism of fluoranthene was investigated in 11 cell cultures of different plant species using a [{sup 14}C]-labeled standard. Most species metabolized less than 5% of fluoranthene to soluble metabolites and formed less than 5% nonextractable residues during the standardized 48-h test procedure. Higher metabolic rates were observed in lettuce (Lactuca sativa, 6%), wheat (Tricitum aestivum, 9%), and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum, 15%). A special high metabolic rate of nearly 50% was determined for the rose species Paul's Scarlet. Chromatographic analysis of metabolites extracted from aseptically grown tomato plants proved that the metabolites detected in the cell cultures were also formed in the intact plants. Metabolites produced in tomato and rose cells from [{sup 14}C]-fluoranthene were conjugated with glucose, glucuronic acid, and other cell components. After acid hydrolyses, the main metabolite of both species was 1-hydroxyfluoranthene as identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection. The second metabolite formed by both species was 8-hydroxyfluoranthene. A third metabolite in tomatoes was 3-hydroxyfluoranthene.

Demonstrating the benefits of fuel cells: further significant progress towards commercialisation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon,

1995-01-01

The fourteenth Fuel Cell Seminar held in San Diego, California in 1994 is reported. The phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) is the closest to widespread commercialization. PAFC cogeneration plants have to be shown to compare favourable in reliability with current mature natural gas-fuelled engine and turbine technologies. Although highly efficient, further development is necessary to produce cost effective generators. Progress is being made on proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stationary power plants, too, which may prove to be cost effective. In view of its lower operating temperature, at below 100[sup o]C compared with about 200[sup o]C for the PAFC, the principal use of the PEMFC has been identified as powering vehicles. Fuel cells have significant environmental advantages but further capital cost reductions are necessary if they are to compete with established technologies. (UK)

Cell cycle and cell death are not necessary for appressorium formation and plant infection in the fungal plant pathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barhoom Sima

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In order to initiate plant infection, fungal spores must germinate and penetrate into the host plant. Many fungal species differentiate specialized infection structures called appressoria on the host surface, which are essential for successful pathogenic development. In the model plant pathogen Magnaporthe grisea completion of mitosis and autophagy cell death of the spore are necessary for appressoria-mediated plant infection; blocking of mitosis prevents appressoria formation, and prevention of autophagy cell death results in non-functional appressoria. Results We found that in the closely related plant pathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, blocking of the cell cycle did not prevent spore germination and appressoria formation. The cell cycle always lagged behind the morphogenetic changes that follow spore germination, including germ tube and appressorium formation, differentiation of the penetrating hypha, and in planta formation of primary hyphae. Nuclear division was arrested following appressorium formation and was resumed in mature appressoria after plant penetration. Unlike in M. grisea, blocking of mitosis had only a marginal effect on appressoria formation; development in hydroxyurea-treated spores continued only for a limited number of cell divisions, but normal numbers of fully developed mature appressoria were formed under conditions that support appressoria formation. Similar results were also observed in other Colletotrichum species. Spores, germ tubes, and appressoria retained intact nuclei and remained viable for several days post plant infection. Conclusion We showed that in C. gloeosporioides the differentiation of infection structures including appressoria precedes mitosis and can occur without nuclear division. This phenomenon was also found to be common in other Colletotrichum species. Spore cell death did not occur during plant infection and the fungus primary infection structures remained viable

DIRECT DISMANTLING OF REPROCESSING PLANT CELLS THE EUREX PLANT EXPERIENCEe2d12c

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gili, M.; Troiani, F.; Risoluti, P.

2003-01-01

After finishing the reprocessing campaigns in 1970-1983, the EUREX pilot reprocessing plant of ENEA Saluggia Research Center started into a new phase, aiming to materials and irradiated fuel systemation and radioactive wastes conditioning. In 1997 the project ''CORA'' for a vitrification plant for the high and intermediate liquid radioactive wastes started. The ''CORA'' plant will be hosted in some dismantled cells of the EUREX plant, reusing many of the EUREX plant auxiliary systems, duly refurbished, saving money and construction time and avoiding a new nuclear building in the site. Two of the cells that will be reused were part of the EUREX chemical process (solvent recovery and 2nd extraction cycle) and the components were obviously internally contaminated. In 2000 the direct (hands-on) dismantling of one of them started and has been completed in summer 2002; the second one will be dismantled in the next year and then the ''CORA'' plant will be assembled inside the cells. Special care w as taken to avoid spread of contamination in the cells, where ''CORA'' installation activities will start in the next years, during the dismantling process The analysis of data and results collected during the dismantling of the first cell shows that direct dismantling can be achieved with careful choice of tools, procedures and techniques, to reduce volumes of wastes to be disposed and radiological burden

Plant Cell Cultures as Source of Cosmetic Active Ingredients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ani Barbulova

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The last decades witnessed a great demand of natural remedies. As a result, medicinal plants have been increasingly cultivated on a commercial scale, but the yield, the productive quality and the safety have not always been satisfactory. Plant cell cultures provide useful alternatives for the production of active ingredients for biomedical and cosmetic uses, since they represent standardized, contaminant-free and biosustainable systems, which allow the production of desired compounds on an industrial scale. Moreover, thanks to their totipotency, plant cells grown as liquid suspension cultures can be used as “biofactories” for the production of commercially interesting secondary metabolites, which are in many cases synthesized in low amounts in plant tissues and differentially distributed in the plant organs, such as roots, leaves, flowers or fruits. Although it is very widespread in the pharmaceutical industry, plant cell culture technology is not yet very common in the cosmetic field. The aim of the present review is to focus on the successful research accomplishments in the development of plant cell cultures for the production of active ingredients for cosmetic applications.

Inducible cell death in plant immunity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hofius, Daniel; Tsitsigiannis, Dimitrios I; Jones, Jonathan D G

2006-01-01

Programmed cell death (PCD) occurs during vegetative and reproductive plant growth, as typified by autumnal leaf senescence and the terminal differentiation of the endosperm of cereals which provide our major source of food. PCD also occurs in response to environmental stress and pathogen attack......, and these inducible PCD forms are intensively studied due their experimental tractability. In general, evidence exists for plant cell death pathways which have similarities to the apoptotic, autophagic and necrotic forms described in yeast and metazoans. Recent research aiming to understand these pathways...

Plant cell technologies in space: Background, strategies and prospects

Science.gov (United States)

Kirkorian, A. D.; Scheld, H. W.

1987-01-01

An attempt is made to summarize work in plant cell technologies in space. The evolution of concepts and the general principles of plant tissue culture are discussed. The potential for production of high value secondary products by plant cells and differentiated tissue in automated, precisely controlled bioreactors is discussed. The general course of the development of the literature on plant tissue culture is highlighted.

Measuring the elasticity of plant cells with atomic force microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Braybrook, Siobhan A

2015-01-01

The physical properties of biological materials impact their functions. This is most evident in plants where the cell wall contains each cell's contents and connects each cell to its neighbors irreversibly. Examining the physical properties of the plant cell wall is key to understanding how plant cells, tissues, and organs grow and gain the shapes important for their respective functions. Here, we present an atomic force microscopy-based nanoindentation method for examining the elasticity of plant cells at the subcellular, cellular, and tissue level. We describe the important areas of experimental design to be considered when planning and executing these types of experiments and provide example data as illustration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Roles of membrane trafficking in plant cell wall dynamics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazuo eEbine

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The cell wall is one of the characteristic components of plant cells. The cell wall composition differs among cell types and is modified in response to various environmental conditions. To properly generate and modify the cell wall, many proteins are transported to the plasma membrane or extracellular space through membrane trafficking, which is one of the key protein transport mechanisms in eukaryotic cells. Given the diverse composition and functions of the cell wall in plants, the transport of the cell wall components and proteins that are involved in cell wall-related events could be specialized for each cell type, i.e., the machinery for cell wall biogenesis, modification, and maintenance could be transported via different trafficking pathways. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in the current understanding of the roles and mechanisms of membrane trafficking in plant cells and focus on the biogenesis and regulation of the cell wall.

Coupling solar photo-Fenton and biotreatment at industrial scale: Main results of a demonstration plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malato, Sixto; Blanco, Julian; Maldonado, Manuel I.; Oller, Isabel; Gernjak, Wolfgang; Perez-Estrada, Leonidas

2007-01-01

This paper reports on the combined solar photo-Fenton/biological treatment of an industrial effluent (initial total organic carbon, TOC, around 500 mg L -1 ) containing a non-biodegradable organic substance (α-methylphenylglycine at 500 mg L -1 ), focusing on pilot plant tests performed for design of an industrial plant, the design itself and the plant layout. Pilot plant tests have demonstrated that biodegradability enhancement is closely related to disappearance of the parent compound, for which a certain illumination time and hydrogen peroxide consumption are required, working at pH 2.8 and adding Fe 2+ = 20 mg L -1 . Based on pilot plant results, an industrial plant with 100 m 2 of CPC collectors for a 250 L/h treatment capacity has been designed. The solar system discharges the wastewater (WW) pre-treated by photo-Fenton into a biotreatment based on an immobilized biomass reactor. First, results of the industrial plant are also presented, demonstrating that it is able to treat up to 500 L h -1 at an average solar ultraviolet radiation of 22.9 W m -2 , under the same conditions (pH, hydrogen peroxide consumption) tested in the pilot plant

Ultrastructural changes of cell walls under intense mechanical treatment of selective plant raw material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bychkov, Aleksey L.; Ryabchikova, E.I.; Korolev, K.G.; Lomovsky, O.I.

2012-01-01

Structural changes of cell walls under intense mechanical treatment of corn straw and oil-palm fibers were studied by electron and light microscopy. Differences in the character of destruction of plant biomass were revealed, and the dependence of destruction mechanisms on the structure of cell walls and lignin content was demonstrated. We suggest that the high reactivity of the particles of corn straw (about 18% of lignin) after intense mechanical treatment is related to disordering of cell walls and an increase of the surface area, while in the case of oil palm (10% of lignin) the major contribution into an increase in the reactivity is made by an increase of surface area. -- Highlights: ► Structure of cell walls determines the processes of plant materials' destruction. ► Ultrastructure of highly lignified materials strongly disordering by mechanical action. ► Ultrastructure of low-lignified materials is not disordering by mechanical action.

Industrial Fuel Gas Demonstration Plant Program. Task III, Demonstration plant safety, industrial hygiene, and major disaster plan (Deliverable No. 35)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1980-03-01

This Health and Safety Plan has been adopted by the IFG Demonstration Plant managed by Memphis Light, Gas and Water at Memphis, Tennessee. The plan encompasses the following areas of concern: Safety Plan Administration, Industrial Health, Industrial Safety, First Aid, Fire Protection (including fire prevention and control), and Control of Safety Related Losses. The primary objective of this plan is to achieve adequate control of all potentially hazardous activities to assure the health and safety of all employees and eliminate lost work time to both the employees and the company. The second objective is to achieve compliance with all Federal, state and local laws, regulations and codes. Some thirty specific safe practice instruction items are included.

Incorporation of mammalian actin into microfilaments in plant cell nucleus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paves Heiti

2004-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Actin is an ancient molecule that shows more than 90% amino acid homology between mammalian and plant actins. The regions of the actin molecule that are involved in F-actin assembly are largely conserved, and it is likely that mammalian actin is able to incorporate into microfilaments in plant cells but there is no experimental evidence until now. Results Visualization of microfilaments in onion bulb scale epidermis cells by different techniques revealed that rhodamine-phalloidin stained F-actin besides cytoplasm also in the nuclei whereas GFP-mouse talin hybrid protein did not enter the nuclei. Microinjection of fluorescently labeled actin was applied to study the presence of nuclear microfilaments in plant cells. Ratio imaging of injected fluorescent rabbit skeletal muscle actin and phalloidin staining of the microinjected cells showed that mammalian actin was able to incorporate into plant F-actin. The incorporation occurred preferentially in the nucleus and in the perinuclear region of plant cells whereas part of plant microfilaments, mostly in the periphery of cytoplasm, did not incorporate mammalian actin. Conclusions Microinjected mammalian actin is able to enter plant cell's nucleus, whereas incorporation of mammalian actin into plant F-actin occurs preferentially in the nucleus and perinuclear area.

Cell-specific expression of plant nutrient transporter genes in orchid mycorrhizae.

Science.gov (United States)

Fochi, Valeria; Falla, Nicole; Girlanda, Mariangela; Perotto, Silvia; Balestrini, Raffaella

2017-10-01

Orchid mycorrhizal protocorms and roots are heterogeneous structures composed of different plant cell-types, where cells colonized by intracellular fungal coils (the pelotons) are close to non-colonized plant cells. Moreover, the fungal coils undergo rapid turnover inside the colonized cells, so that plant cells containing coils at different developmental stages can be observed in the same tissue section. Here, we have investigated by laser microdissection (LMD) the localization of specific plant gene transcripts in different cell-type populations collected from mycorrhizal protocorms and roots of the Mediterranean orchid Serapias vomeracea colonized by Tulasnella calospora. RNAs extracted from the different cell-type populations have been used to study plant gene expression, focusing on genes potentially involved in N uptake and transport and previously identified as up-regulated in symbiotic protocorms. Results clearly showed that some plant N transporters are differentially expressed in cells containing fungal coils at different developmental stages, as well as in non-colonized cells, and allowed the identification of new functional markers associated to coil-containing cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Small molecule probes for plant cell wall polysaccharide imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ian eWallace

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Plant cell walls are composed of interlinked polymer networks consisting of cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectins, proteins, and lignin. The ordered deposition of these components is a dynamic process that critically affects the development and differentiation of plant cells. However, our understanding of cell wall synthesis and remodeling, as well as the diverse cell wall architectures that result from these processes, has been limited by a lack of suitable chemical probes that are compatible with live-cell imaging. In this review, we summarize the currently available molecular toolbox of probes for cell wall polysaccharide imaging in plants, with particular emphasis on recent advances in small molecule-based fluorescent probes. We also discuss the potential for further development of small molecule probes for the analysis of cell wall architecture and dynamics.

Animal and plant stem cells concepts, propagation and engineering

CERN Document Server

Pavlović, Mirjana

2017-01-01

This book provides a multifaceted look into the world of stem cells and explains the similarities and differences between plant and human stem cells. It explores the intersection between animals and plants and explains their cooperative role in bioengineering studies. The book treats both theoretical and practical aspects of stem cell research. It covers the advantages and limitations of many common applications related to stem cells: their sources, categories, engineering of these cells, reprogramming of their functions, and their role as novel cellular therapeutic approach. Written by experts in the field, the book focuses on aspects of stem cells ranging from expansion-propagation to metabolic reprogramming. It introduces the emergence of cancer stem cells and different modalities in targeted cancer stem cell therapies. It is a valuable source of fresh information for academics and researchers, examining molecular mechanisms of animal and plant stem cell regulation and their usage for therapeutic applicati...

Prospects for advanced coal-fuelled fuel cell power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jansen, D.; Laag, P.C. van der; Oudhuis, A.B.J.; Ribberink, J.S.

1994-01-01

As part of ECN's in-house R and D programmes on clean energy conversion systems with high efficiencies and low emissions, system assessment studies have been carried out on coal gasification power plants integrated with high-temperature fuel cells (IGFC). The studies also included the potential to reduce CO 2 emissions, and to find possible ways for CO 2 extraction and sequestration. The development of this new type of clean coal technology for large-scale power generation is still far off. A significant market share is not envisaged before the year 2015. To assess the future market potential of coal-fuelled fuel cell power plants, the promise of this fuel cell technology was assessed against the performance and the development of current state-of-the-art large-scale power generation systems, namely the pulverized coal-fired power plants and the integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plants. With the anticipated progress in gas turbine and gas clean-up technology, coal-fuelled fuel cell power plants will have to face severe competition from advanced IGCC power plants, despite their higher efficiency. (orig.)

Structural Studies of Complex Carbohydrates of Plant Cell Walls

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Darvill, Alan [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States); Hahn, Michael G. [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States); O' Neill, Malcolm A. [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States); York, William S. [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)

2015-02-17

Most of the solar energy captured by land plants is converted into the polysaccharides (cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin) that are the predominant components of the cell wall. These walls, which account for the bulk of plant biomass, have numerous roles in the growth and development of plants. Moreover, these walls have a major impact on human life as they are a renewable source of biomass, a source of diverse commercially useful polymers, a major component of wood, and a source of nutrition for humans and livestock. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms that lead to wall assembly and how cell walls and their component polysaccharides contribute to plant growth and development is essential to improve and extend the productivity and value of plant materials. The proposed research will develop and apply advanced analytical and immunological techniques to study specific changes in the structures and interactions of the hemicellulosic and pectic polysaccharides that occur during differentiation and in response to genetic modification and chemical treatments that affect wall biosynthesis. These new techniques will make it possible to accurately characterize minute amounts of cell wall polysaccharides so that subtle changes in structure that occur in individual cell types can be identified and correlated to the physiological or developmental state of the plant. Successful implementation of this research will reveal fundamental relationships between polysaccharide structure, cell wall architecture, and cell wall functions.

SOFC solid oxide fuel cell power plants for the decentralised electric energy supply; SOFC-Brennstoffzellen-Kraftwerke fuer die dezentrale elektrische Energieversorgung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fogang Tchonla, Etienne

2012-07-01

To use the fuel cell economically, the efficiency of the system must still be raised so that it can be set up in the market. Within the scope of analysis on this topic, a 120-kW-SOFC-demonstration power plant was to be considered. Since not enough information about the demonstration power plant from the operator was available for the investigation, we had to calculate with the help of the known technical data of similar power plants. After that a model was build and simulated by means of MATLAB/Simulink. Before that the single power plant components were being described. Two of them (the boost converter as well as the inverter) were looked at more thoroughly. As a result of the analysis, it was found that a standard inverter which had been conceived for other applications, for example, Photovoltaic or Wind Power can also be used for fuel cells. Unfortunately, this was not the case for the added boost converter. It had to be precisely conceived for the used fuel cell type. After this discovery information was won for the realization of a 1-MW-Fuel Cell Power Plant. The topology of the 1-MW-power plant was fixed on the basis of the 120-kW-system. A parallel connection of eight 120-kW SOFC-fuel cell aggregates is intended, as well as a connection at the outlet side 120-kW boost converters. A standard inverter with 1 MW electrical power as well as a 1-MVA-transformer could be used for the realization of the 1-MW-power plant. The binding of the power plant in the three-phase current network was examined in view of the norms, laws and connection conditions. Beside the distinction of the operating forms of the power plant (parallel or isolated operation) the security of the plant was emphasized with regard to quick fault recognition, safe supply line isolation in the fault case as well as a compliance of the prescribed regulations. To verify the calculated results as well as the provided models, a 10-kW-labor sample was built and examined in the lab. This experimental

Generic demonstration plant study (A/E package)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molzen, D.F.

1979-01-01

Molzen--Corbin and Associates, Albuquerque, New Mexico, under contract to Sandia Laboratories, has prepared preliminary drawings, descriptive material and a scale model of the demonstration plant. This information will be made available to A/E firms to assist them in the preparation of proposals for complete construction plans and specifications. The four categories for which preliminary work has been prepared consist of structural work, mechanical work, electrical work, and cost estimates. In addition, preliminary specifications, including a written description of the facility consisting of mechanical electrical systems and operations, a description of the safety features, the basic design criteria, three-dimensional sketches, and a scale model of the design have been prepared. The preliminary drawings indicate the required minimum wall thicknesses, overall dimensions and the necessary layout of the removable concrete blocks and slabs required for radiation protection and control

Current status and technical description of Chinese 2 x 250 MWth HTR-PM demonstration plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Zuoyi; Wu Zongxin; Wang Dazhong; Xu Yuanhui; Sun Yuliang; Li Fu; Dong Yujie

2009-01-01

After the nuclear accidents of Three Mile Island and Chernobyl the world nuclear community made great efforts to increase research on nuclear reactors and to develop advanced nuclear power plants with much improved safety features. Following the successful construction and a most gratifying operation of the 10 MW th high-temperature gas-cooled test reactor (HTR-10), the Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology (INET) of Tsinghua University has developed and designed an HTR demonstration plant, called the HTR-PM (high-temperature-reactor pebble-bed module). The design, having jointly been carried out with industry partners from China and in collaboration of experts worldwide, closely follows the design principles of the HTR-10. Due to intensive engineering and R and D efforts since 2001, the basic design of the HTR-PM has been finished while all main technical features have been fixed. A Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) has been compiled. The HTR-PM plant will consist of two nuclear steam supply system (NSSS), so called modules, each one comprising of a single zone 250 MW th pebble-bed modular reactor and a steam generator. The two NSSS modules feed one steam turbine and generate an electric power of 210 MW. A pilot fuel production line will be built to fabricate 300,000 pebble fuel elements per year. This line is closely based on the technology of the HTR-10 fuel production line. The main goals of the project are two-fold. Firstly, the economic competitiveness of commercial HTR-PM plants shall be demonstrated. Secondly, it shall be shown that HTR-PM plants do not need accident management procedures and will not require any need for offsite emergency measures. According to the current schedule of the project the completion date of the demonstration plant will be around 2013. The reactor site has been evaluated and approved; the procurement of long-lead components has already been started. After the successful operation of the demonstration plant

A parasitic nematode releases cytokinin that controls cell division and orchestrates feeding site formation in host plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Siddique, Shahid; Radakovic, Zoran S; De La Torre, Carola M; Chronis, Demosthenis; Novák, Ondřej; Ramireddy, Eswarayya; Holbein, Julia; Matera, Christiane; Hütten, Marion; Gutbrod, Philipp; Anjam, Muhammad Shahzad; Rozanska, Elzbieta; Habash, Samer; Elashry, Abdelnaser; Sobczak, Miroslaw; Kakimoto, Tatsuo; Strnad, Miroslav; Schmülling, Thomas; Mitchum, Melissa G; Grundler, Florian M W

2015-10-13

Sedentary plant-parasitic cyst nematodes are biotrophs that cause significant losses in agriculture. Parasitism is based on modifications of host root cells that lead to the formation of a hypermetabolic feeding site (a syncytium) from which nematodes withdraw nutrients. The host cell cycle is activated in an initial cell selected by the nematode for feeding, followed by activation of neighboring cells and subsequent expansion of feeding site through fusion of hundreds of cells. It is generally assumed that nematodes manipulate production and signaling of the plant hormone cytokinin to activate cell division. In fact, nematodes have been shown to produce cytokinin in vitro; however, whether the hormone is secreted into host plants and plays a role in parasitism remained unknown. Here, we analyzed the spatiotemporal activation of cytokinin signaling during interaction between the cyst nematode, Heterodera schachtii, and Arabidopsis using cytokinin-responsive promoter:reporter lines. Our results showed that cytokinin signaling is activated not only in the syncytium but also in neighboring cells to be incorporated into syncytium. An analysis of nematode infection on mutants that are deficient in cytokinin or cytokinin signaling revealed a significant decrease in susceptibility of these plants to nematodes. Further, we identified a cytokinin-synthesizing isopentenyltransferase gene in H. schachtii and show that silencing of this gene in nematodes leads to a significant decrease in virulence due to a reduced expansion of feeding sites. Our findings demonstrate the ability of a plant-parasitic nematode to synthesize a functional plant hormone to manipulate the host system and establish a long-term parasitic interaction.

Extraction of nucleic acids from yeast cells and plant tissues using ethanol as medium for sample preservation and cell disruption.

Science.gov (United States)

Linke, Bettina; Schröder, Kersten; Arter, Juliane; Gasperazzo, Tatiana; Woehlecke, Holger; Ehwald, Rudolf

2010-09-01

Here we report that dehydrated ethanol is an excellent medium for both in situ preservation of nucleic acids and cell disruption of plant and yeast cells. Cell disruption was strongly facilitated by prior dehydration of the ethanol using dehydrated zeolite. Following removal of ethanol, nucleic acids were extracted from the homogenate pellet using denaturing buffers. The method provided DNA and RNA of high yield and integrity. Whereas cell wall disruption was essential for extraction of DNA and large RNA molecules, smaller molecules such as tRNAs could be selectively extracted from undisrupted, ethanol-treated yeast cells. Our results demonstrate the utility of absolute ethanol for sample fixation, cell membrane and cell wall disruption, as well as preservation of nucleic acids during sample storage.

Filter safety tests under solvent fire in a cell of nuclear-fuel reprocessing plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishio, Gunji

1988-01-01

In a nuclear-fuel reprocessing plant, a solvent fire in an extraction process is postulated. Since 1983, large scale solvent fire tests were carried out by Fire/Filter Facility to demonstrate solvent burning behavior in the cell, HEPA filter integrity by the fire and radioactive confinement by air-ventilation of the plant under postulated fire conditions. From results of 30 % TBP-70 % n-dodecane fire, burning rate of solvent in the cell, smoke generation rate and smoke deposition onto duct surface were obtained by a relation between air-ventilation rate into the cell and burning surface area of the solvent. The endurance of HEPA filter due to smoke plugging was measured by a pressure drop across the filter during the fire. The confinement of radioactive materials from the burning solvent was determined by the measurement of airborne concentrations in the cell for stable nuclei simulated fission products, radioactive tracers and uranium nitrate. (author)

Sonication reduces the attachment of Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028 cells to bacterial cellulose-based plant cell wall models and cut plant material.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Michelle S F; Rahman, Sadequr; Dykes, Gary A

2017-04-01

This study investigated the removal of bacterial surface structures, particularly flagella, using sonication, and examined its effect on the attachment of Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028 cells to plant cell walls. S. Typhimurium ATCC 14028 cells were subjected to sonication at 20 kHz to remove surface structures without affecting cell viability. Effective removal of flagella was determined by staining flagella of sonicated cells with Ryu's stain and enumerating the flagella remaining by direct microscopic counting. The attachment of sonicated S. Typhimurium cells to bacterial cellulose-based plant cell wall models and cut plant material (potato, apple, lettuce) was then evaluated. Varying concentrations of pectin and/or xyloglucan were used to produce a range of bacterial cellulose-based plant cell wall models. As compared to the non-sonicated controls, sonicated S. Typhimurium cells attached in significantly lower numbers (between 0.5 and 1.0 log CFU/cm 2 ) to all surfaces except to the bacterial cellulose-only composite without pectin and xyloglucan. Since attachment of S. Typhimurium to the bacterial cellulose-only composite was not affected by sonication, this suggests that bacterial surface structures, particularly flagella, could have specific interactions with pectin and xyloglucan. This study indicates that sonication may have potential applications for reducing Salmonella attachment during the processing of fresh produce. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kentucky Department for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection permit application for air contaminant source: SRC-I demonstration plant, Newman, Kentucky. Appendix D. Impact assessment. [Demonstration plant at Newman, KY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1980-11-21

In appendix D, the air quality condition for various pollutants in the areas surrounding the proposed demonstration plant site is given with respect to attainment or non-attainment of US EPA regulations. The minimum pollutant emission rates for these regulated and for several other pollutants are given. Then the estimated emission rates from the proposed plant are given for a dozen pollutants which exceed these limits and therefore require an ambient air quality analysis. This involves taking into account the estimated emission of these pollutants from the proposed plant and from other sources in the surrounding area. Finally, background data from the surrounding area including meteorological data and sampling of regulated pollutants are given. (LTN)

Plant cell tissue culture: A potential source of chemicals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scott, C.D.; Dougall, D.K.

1987-08-01

Higher plants produce many industrially important products. Among these are drugs and medicinal chemicals, essential oils and flavors, vegetable oils and fats, fine and specialty chemicals, and even some commodity chemicals. Although, currently, whole-plant extraction is the primary means of harvesting these materials, the advent of plant cell tissue culture could be a much more effective method of producing many types of phytochemicals. The use of immobilized plant cells in an advanced bioreactor configuration with excretion of the product into the reactor medium may represent the most straightforward way of commercializing such techniques for lower-value chemicals. Important research and development opportunities in this area include screening for plant cultures for nonmedical, lower-value chemicals; understanding and controlling plant cell physiology and biochemistry; optimizing effective immobilization methods; developing more efficient bioreactor concepts; and perfecting product extraction and purification techniques. 62 refs., 2 figs.

Plant cell culture initiation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hall, R.D.

2000-01-01

The use of cultured plant cells in either organized or unorganized form has increased vey considerably in the last 10-15 yr. Many new technologies have been developed and applications in both fundamental and applied research have led to the development of some powerful tools for improving our

Evaluation of the uranium enrichment demonstration plant project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugitsue, Noritake

2001-01-01

In this report, the organization system of the uranium enrichment business is evaluated, based on the operation of the uranium enrichment demonstration plant. As a result, in uranium enrichment technology development or business, it was acknowledged that maintenance of the organization which has the Trinity of a research/engineering/operation was necessary in an industrialization stage by exceptional R and D cycle. Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. (JNFL) set up the Rokkashomura Aomori Uranium Enrichment Research and Development Center in November 2000. As a result, the system that company directly engaged in engineering development was prepared. And results obtained in this place is expected toward certain establishment of the uranium enrichment business of Japan. (author)

Live cell CRISPR-imaging in plants reveals dynamic telomere movements

KAUST Repository

Dreissig, Steven

2017-05-16

Elucidating the spatio-temporal organization of the genome inside the nucleus is imperative to understand the regulation of genes and non-coding sequences during development and environmental changes. Emerging techniques of chromatin imaging promise to bridge the long-standing gap between sequencing studies which reveal genomic information and imaging studies that provide spatial and temporal information of defined genomic regions. Here, we demonstrate such an imaging technique based on two orthologues of the bacterial CRISPR-Cas9 system. By fusing eGFP/mRuby2 to the catalytically inactive version of Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus Cas9, we show robust visualization of telomere repeats in live leaf cells of Nicotiana benthamiana. By tracking the dynamics of telomeres visualized by CRISPR-dCas9, we reveal dynamic telomere movements of up to 2 μm within 30 minutes during interphase. Furthermore, we show that CRISPR-dCas9 can be combined with fluorescence-labelled proteins to visualize DNA-protein interactions in vivo. By simultaneously using two dCas9 orthologues, we pave the way for imaging of multiple genomic loci in live plants cells. CRISPR-imaging bears the potential to significantly improve our understanding of the dynamics of chromosomes in live plant cells.

Plant Cell Division Analyzed by Transient Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation of Tobacco BY-2 Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Buschmann, Henrik

2016-01-01

The continuing analysis of plant cell division will require additional protein localization studies. This is greatly aided by GFP-technology, but plant transformation and the maintenance of transgenic lines can present a significant technical bottleneck. In this chapter I describe a method for the Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of tobacco BY-2 cells. The method allows for the microscopic analysis of fluorescence-tagged proteins in dividing cells in within 2 days after starting a coculture. This transient transformation procedure requires only standard laboratory equipment. It is hoped that this rapid method would aid researchers conducting live-cell localization studies in plant mitosis and cytokinesis.

RON kinase isoforms demonstrate variable cell motility in normal cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenbaum, Alissa; Rajput, Ashwani; Wan, Guanghua

2016-09-01

Aberrant RON (Recepteur d'Origine Nantais) tyrosine kinase activation causes the epithelial cell to evade normal growth pathways, resulting in unregulated cell proliferation, increased cell motility and decreased apoptosis. Wildtype (wt) RON has been shown to play a role in metastasis of epithelial malignancies. It presents an important potential therapeutic target for colorectal, breast, gastric and pancreatic cancer. Little is known about functional differences amongst RON isoforms RON155, RON160 and RON165. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of various RON kinase isoforms on cell motility. Cell lines with stable expression of wtRON were generated by inserting the coding region of RON in pTagRFP (tagged red fluorescence protein plasmid). The expression constructs of RON variants (RON155, RON160 and RON165) were generated by creating a mutagenesis-based wtRON-pTag RFP plasmid and stably transfected into HEK 293 cells. The wound closure scratch assay was used to investigate the effect on cell migratory capacity of wild type RON and its variants. RON transfected cells demonstrated increased cell motility compared to HEK293 control cells. RON165 cell motility was significantly increased compared to RON160 (mean percentage of wound covered 37.37% vs. 32.40%; p = 0.03). RON tyrosine kinase isoforms have variable cell motility. This may reflect a difference in the behavior of malignant epithelial cells and their capacity for metastasis.

Overexpression of plasma membrane H+-ATPase in guard cells promotes light-induced stomatal opening and enhances plant growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yin; Noguchi, Ko; Ono, Natsuko; Inoue, Shin-ichiro; Terashima, Ichiro; Kinoshita, Toshinori

2014-01-07

Stomatal pores surrounded by a pair of guard cells in the plant epidermis control gas exchange between plants and the atmosphere in response to light, CO2, and the plant hormone abscisic acid. Light-induced stomatal opening is mediated by at least three key components: the blue light receptor phototropin (phot1 and phot2), plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase, and plasma membrane inward-rectifying K(+) channels. Very few attempts have been made to enhance stomatal opening with the goal of increasing photosynthesis and plant growth, even though stomatal resistance is thought to be the major limiting factor for CO2 uptake by plants. Here, we show that transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing H(+)-ATPase using the strong guard cell promoter GC1 showed enhanced light-induced stomatal opening, photosynthesis, and plant growth. The transgenic plants produced larger and increased numbers of rosette leaves, with ∼42-63% greater fresh and dry weights than the wild type in the first 25 d of growth. The dry weights of total flowering stems of 45-d-old transgenic plants, including seeds, siliques, and flowers, were ∼36-41% greater than those of the wild type. In addition, stomata in the transgenic plants closed normally in response to darkness and abscisic acid. In contrast, the overexpression of phototropin or inward-rectifying K(+) channels in guard cells had no effect on these phenotypes. These results demonstrate that stomatal aperture is a limiting factor in photosynthesis and plant growth, and that manipulation of stomatal opening by overexpressing H(+)-ATPase in guard cells is useful for the promotion of plant growth.

Eduard Strasburger (1844-1912): founder of modern plant cell biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Volkmann, Dieter; Baluška, František; Menzel, Diedrik

2012-10-01

Eduard Strasburger, director of the Botany Institute and the Botanical Garden at the University of Bonn from 1881 to 1912, was one of the most admirable scientists in the field of plant biology, not just as the founder of modern plant cell biology but in addition as an excellent teacher who strongly believed in "education through science." He contributed to plant cell biology by discovering the discrete stages of karyokinesis and cytokinesis in algae and higher plants, describing cytoplasmic streaming in different systems, and reporting on the growth of the pollen tube into the embryo sac and guidance of the tube by synergides. Strasburger raised many problems which are hot spots in recent plant cell biology, e.g., structure and function of the plasmodesmata in relation to phloem loading (Strasburger cells) and signaling, mechanisms of cell plate formation, vesicle trafficking as a basis for most important developmental processes, and signaling related to fertilization.

On the track of transfer cell formation by specialized plant-parasitic nematodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodiuc, Natalia; Vieira, Paulo; Banora, Mohamed Youssef; de Almeida Engler, Janice

2014-01-01

Transfer cells are ubiquitous plant cells that play an important role in plant development as well as in responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. They are highly specialized and differentiated cells playing a central role in the acquisition, distribution and exchange of nutrients. Their unique structural traits are characterized by augmented ingrowths of invaginated secondary wall material, unsheathed by an amplified area of plasma membrane enriched in a suite of solute transporters. Similar morphological features can be perceived in vascular root feeding cells induced by sedentary plant-parasitic nematodes, such as root-knot and cyst nematodes, in a wide range of plant hosts. Despite their close phylogenetic relationship, these obligatory biotrophic plant pathogens engage different approaches when reprogramming root cells into giant cells or syncytia, respectively. Both nematode feeding-cells types will serve as the main source of nutrients until the end of the nematode life cycle. In both cases, these nematodes are able to remarkably maneuver and reprogram plant host cells. In this review we will discuss the structure, function and formation of these specialized multinucleate cells that act as nutrient transfer cells accumulating and synthesizing components needed for survival and successful offspring of plant-parasitic nematodes. Plant cells with transfer-like functions are also a renowned subject of interest involving still poorly understood molecular and cellular transport processes.

On the track of transfer cells formation by specialized plant-parasitic nematodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalia eRodiuc

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Transfer cells are ubiquitous plant cells that play an important role in plant development as well as in responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. They are highly specialized and differentiated cells playing a central role in the acquisition, distribution and exchange of nutrients. Their unique structural traits are characterized by augmented ingrowths of invaginated secondary wall material, unsheathed by an amplified area of plasma membrane enriched in a suite of solute transporters. Similar morphological features can be perceived in vascular root feeding cells induced by sedentary plant-parasitic nematodes, such as root-knot and cyst nematodes, in a wide range of plant hosts. Despite their close phylogenetic relationship, these obligatory biotrophic plant pathogens engage different approaches when reprogramming root cells into giant cells or syncytia, respectively. Both nematode feeding-cells types will serve as the main source of nutrients until the end of the nematode life cycle. In both cases, these nematodes are able to remarkably maneuver and reprogram plant host cells. In this review we will discuss the structural, functional and morphogenetic characteristics function and formation of these specialized multinucleate cells that act as nutrient transfer cells to accumulate and synthesize components needed for survival and successful offspring of plant-parasitic nematodes. Plant cells with transfer-like functions are also a renowned subject of interest involving still poorly understood molecular and cellular transport processes.

Progress and prospects for phosphoric acid fuel cell power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonville, L.J.; Scheffler, G.W.; Smith, M.J. [International Fuel Cells Corp., South Windsor, CT (United States)

1996-12-31

International Fuel Cells (IFC) has developed the fuel cell power plant as a new, on-site power generation source. IFC`s commercial fuel cell product is the 200-kW PC25{trademark} power plant. To date over 100 PC25 units have been manufactured. Fleet operating time is in excess of one million hours. Individual units of the initial power plant model, the PC25 A, have operated for more than 30,000 hours. The first model {open_quotes}C{close_quotes} power plant has over 10,000 hours of operation. The manufacturing, application and operation of this power plant fleet has established a firm base for design and technology development in terms of a clear understanding of the requirements for power plant reliability and durability. This fleet provides the benchmark against which power plant improvements must be measured.

Electron tomography of cryo-immobilized plant tissue: a novel approach to studying 3D macromolecular architecture of mature plant cell walls in situ.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Purbasha Sarkar

Full Text Available Cost-effective production of lignocellulosic biofuel requires efficient breakdown of cell walls present in plant biomass to retrieve the wall polysaccharides for fermentation. In-depth knowledge of plant cell wall composition is therefore essential for improving the fuel production process. The precise spatial three-dimensional (3D organization of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin and lignin within plant cell walls remains unclear to date since the microscopy techniques used so far have been limited to two-dimensional, topographic or low-resolution imaging, or required isolation or chemical extraction of the cell walls. In this paper we demonstrate that by cryo-immobilizing fresh tissue, then either cryo-sectioning or freeze-substituting and resin embedding, followed by cryo- or room temperature (RT electron tomography, respectively, we can visualize previously unseen details of plant cell wall architecture in 3D, at macromolecular resolution (∼ 2 nm, and in near-native state. Qualitative and quantitative analyses showed that wall organization of cryo-immobilized samples were preserved remarkably better than conventionally prepared samples that suffer substantial extraction. Lignin-less primary cell walls were well preserved in both self-pressurized rapidly frozen (SPRF, cryo-sectioned samples as well as high-pressure frozen, freeze-substituted and resin embedded (HPF-FS-resin samples. Lignin-rich secondary cell walls appeared featureless in HPF-FS-resin sections presumably due to poor stain penetration, but their macromolecular features could be visualized in unprecedented details in our cryo-sections. While cryo-tomography of vitreous tissue sections is currently proving to be instrumental in developing 3D models of lignin-rich secondary cell walls, here we confirm that the technically easier method of RT-tomography of HPF-FS-resin sections could be used immediately for routine study of low-lignin cell walls. As a proof of principle, we

Plant cell walls to ethanol.

Science.gov (United States)

Conversion of plant cell walls to ethanol constitutes generation 2 bioethanol production. The process consists of several steps: biomass selection/genetic modification, physiochemical pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification, fermentation, and separation. Ultimately, it is desired to combine as man...

Chinese nuclear heating test reactor and demonstration plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Dazhong; Ma Changwen; Dong Duo; Lin Jiagui

1992-01-01

In this report the importance of nuclear district heating is discussed. From the viewpoint of environmental protection, uses of energy resources and transport, the development of nuclear heating in China is necessary. The development program of district nuclear heating in China is given in the report. At the time being, commissioning of the 5 MW Test Heating Reactor is going on. A 200 MWt Demonstration Plant will be built. In this report, the main characteristics of these reactors are given. It shows this type of reactor has a high inherent safety. Further the report points out that for this type of reactor the stability is very important. Some experimental results of the driving facility are included in the report. (orig.)

National fuel cell bus program : proterra fuel cell hybrid bus report, Columbia demonstration.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-01

This report summarizes the experience and early results from a fuel cell bus demonstration funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under the National Fuel Cell Bus Program. A team led by the Center for Transportation and the Environment an...

Plant cell wall sugars: sweeteners for a bio-based economy.

Science.gov (United States)

Van de Wouwer, Dorien; Boerjan, Wout; Vanholme, Bartel

2018-02-12

Global warming and the consequent climate change is one of the major environmental challenges we are facing today. The driving force behind the rise in temperature is our fossil-based economy, which releases massive amounts of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In order to reduce greenhouse gas emission, we need to scale down our dependency on fossil resources, implying that we need other sources for energy and chemicals to feed our economy. Here, plants have an important role to play; by means of photosynthesis, plants capture solar energy to split water and fix carbon derived from atmospheric carbon dioxide. A significant fraction of the fixed carbon ends up as polysaccharides in the plant cell wall. Fermentable sugars derived from cell wall polysaccharides form an ideal carbon source for the production of bio-platform molecules. However, a major limiting factor in the use of plant biomass as feedstock for the bio-based economy is the complexity of the plant cell wall and its recalcitrance towards deconstruction. To facilitate the release of fermentable sugars during downstream biomass processing, the composition and structure of the cell wall can be engineered. Different strategies to reduce cell wall recalcitrance will be described in this review. The ultimate goal is to obtain a tailor-made biomass, derived from plants with a cell wall optimized for particular industrial or agricultural applications, without affecting plant growth and development. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Use of plant cell cultures to study the metabolism of environmental chemicals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandermann, H. Jr.; Scheel, D.; von der Trenck, T.

1984-01-01

The metabolism of the following environmental chemicals has been studied in cell suspension cultures of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.):2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T), hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorophenol, diethylhexylphthalate , benzo [alpha] pyrene, and DDT. All chemicals tested, including the persistent ones, were partially metabolized. Polar conjugates predominated in all cases. A covalent incorporation into lignin could be demonstrated for 2,4-D and pentachlorophenol. A specific deposition in the cellular vacuole could be demonstrated for the beta-D-glucopyranoside conjugates derived from 2,4-D. A rapid assay procedure to evaluate the metabolism of a given 14 C-labeled chemical in plant cell suspension cultures is described. This procedure requires about 1 week, and the reproducibility of the results obtained has been assessed

In vitro anti-proliferative activity on colon cancer cell line (HT-29) of Thai medicinal plants selected from Thai/Lanna medicinal plant recipe database "MANOSROI III".

Science.gov (United States)

Manosroi, Aranya; Akazawa, Hiroyuki; Akihisa, Toshihiro; Jantrawut, Pensak; Kitdamrongtham, Worapong; Manosroi, Worapaka; Manosroi, Jiradej

2015-02-23

Thai/Lanna region has its own folklore wisdoms including the traditional medicinal plant recipes. Thai/Lanna medicinal plant recipe database "MANOSROI III" has been developed by Prof. Dr. Jiradej Manosroi. It consists of over 200,000 recipes for all diseases including cancer. To investigate the anti-proliferative and apoptotic activities on human colon cancer cell line (HT-29) as well as the cancer cell selectivity of the methanolic extracts (MEs) and fractions of the 23 selected plants from the "MANOSROI III" database. The 23 selected plants were extracted with methanol under reflux and evaluated for their anti-proliferative activity by sulforhodamine B assay. The 5 plants (Gloriosa superba, Caesalpinia sappan, Fibraurea tinctoria, Ventilago denticulata and Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) with potent anti-proliferative activity were fractionated by liquid-liquid partition to give 4 fractions including each hexane (HF), methanol-water (MF), n-butanol (BF) and water (WF) fractions. They were tested for anti-proliferative activity and cancer cell selectivity. The ME and fractions of G. superba which showed potent anti-proliferative activity were further examined for morphological changes and apoptotic activities by acridine orange (AO)/ethidium bromide (EB) staining. The ME of G. superba root showed active with the highest anti-proliferative activity at 9.17 and 1.58 folds of cisplatin and doxorubicin, respectively. After liquid-liquid partition, HF of V. denticulata, MFs of F. tinctoria, V. denticulata and BF of P. tetragonolobus showed higher anti-proliferative activities than their MEs. The MF of G. superba indicated the highest anti-proliferative activity at 7.73 and 1.34 folds of cisplatin and doxorubicin, respectively, but only 0.86 fold of its ME. The ME and HF, MF and BF of G. superba and MF of F. tinctoria demonstrated high cancer cell selectivity. At 50 µg/ml, ME, HF, MF and BF of G. superba demonstrated higher apoptotic activities than the two standard drugs

Role of proline in cell wall synthesis and plant development and its implications in plant ontogeny

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

POLAVARAPU BILHAN KAVI KISHOR

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Proline is a proteogenic amino acid and accumulates both under stress and non-stress conditions as a beneficial solute in plants. Recent discoveries point out that proline plays an important role in plant growth and differentiation across life cycle. It is a key determinant of many cell wall proteins that plays important roles in plant development. The role of extensins (EXTs, arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs and hydroxyproline- and proline-rich proteins (H/PRPs as important components of cell wall proteins that play pivotal roles in cell wall signal transduction cascades, plant development and stress tolerance is discussed in this review. Molecular insights are also provided here into the plausible roles of proline transporters modulating key events in plant development. In addition, the roles of proline during seed developmental transitions including storage protein synthesis are discussed.

1000kW phosphoric acid fuel cell power plant. Outline of the plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shinobe, Kenji; Suzuki, Kazuo; Kaneko, Hideo

1988-02-10

The outline of the 1000KW phosphoric acid fuel cell power plant, developed as part of the Moonlight plan, was described. The plant was composed of 4 stacks of 260KW DC output. They were devided into two train with 680V and 765A. The generation efficiency of the plant was 40% and more. Steam reforming of natural gas was used. As the fuel, fuel cell exhaust gas was used in composition with the natural gas. The DC-AC inverter had an efficiency of 96%. The capacity of hot water generator and demineralized water plant for cell cooling were 2t/h and 1.6t/h, respectively, and air-system was incorporated. In September of 1987, the plant has succeeded in 1000KW power generation, and put in operation now. Under the 100% loaded condition, each cell had a voltage of 0.7V with little variation, and the current was 200mA/cm/sup 2/. No problems were found in cooling conditions and in the control of interpole differential pressure. The reformer has been operated for 1200h scince its commisioning, and had experiences of 100 times on start up-shut down operations, the reformer also indicated good performances in the gas compositions. The starting time of 8h and the load follow-up rate 10%/min remain as the subjects for shortening. DC-AC conversion was good. The concentration of NOx and the noise level satisfied the target values. (12 figs, 1 tab)

Novel functions of plant cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, ICK1/KRP1, can act non-cell-autonomously and inhibit entry into mitosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weinl, Christina; Marquardt, Sebastian; Kuijt, Suzanne J H

2005-01-01

numbers of cells consistent with a function of CKIs in blocking the G1-S cell cycle transition. Here, we demonstrate that at least one inhibitor from Arabidopsis, ICK1/KRP1, can also block entry into mitosis but allows S-phase progression causing endoreplication. Our data suggest that plant CKIs act...... independently from ICK1/KRP1-induced endoreplication. Strikingly, we found that endoreplicated cells were able to reenter mitosis, emphasizing the high degree of flexibility of plant cells during development. Moreover, we show that in contrast with animal CDK inhibitors, ICK1/KRP1 can move between cells...

Cancer-suppressive potential of extracts of endemic plant Helichrysum zivojinii: effects on cell migration, invasion and angiogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Matić, Ivana Z; Aljancić, Ivana; Vajs, Vlatka; Jadranin, Milka; Gligorijević, Nevenka; Milosavljević, Slobodan; Juranić, Zorica D

2013-09-01

Helichrysum zivojinii Cernjavski & Soska is an endemic plant species that grows in the National Park Galicica in Macedonia. Five extracts were isolated as fractions from the aerial parts of the plant: a n-hexane extract (1), a dichloromethane extract (2), an ethyl-acetate extract (3), a n-butanol extract (4) and a methanol extract (5). A dose-dependent cytotoxic activity of the extracts on MDA-MB-231 and EA.hy926 cells was observed. Extracts exhibited more pronounced cytotoxic actions on MDA-MB-231 cells than on EA.hy926 cells. The n-hexane extract (1), at a non-toxic concentration, exhibited an inhibitory effect on the migration as well the invasiveness of MDA-MB-231 cells. The dichloromethane extract (2), at a non-toxic concentration, demonstrated inhibition of MDA-MB-231 cells invasion. Each of the five extracts applied at non-toxic concentrations inhibited migration of EA.hy926 cells. The prominent inhibitory effect of the n-hexane extract on EA.hy926 cells migration was associated with a notable anti-angiogenic action of this extract. The other four tested extracts demonstrated mild anti-angiogenic activity. Our data highlight the prominent anticancer potential of n-hexane (1) and dichloromethane (2) extracts, which could be attributed to their very pronounced and selective cytotoxic activities as well as their anti-invasive and anti-angiogenic properties.

Plant cells oxidize hydroxylamines to NO

Science.gov (United States)

Rümer, Stefan; Gupta, Kapuganti Jagadis; Kaiser, Werner M.

2009-01-01

Plants are known to produce NO via the reduction of nitrite. Oxidative NO production in plants has been considered only with respect to a nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Here it is shown that tobacco cell suspensions emitted NO when hydroxylamine (HA) or salicylhydroxamate (SHAM), a frequently used AOX inhibitor, was added. NG-hydroxy-L-arginine, a putative intermediate in the NOS-reaction, gave no NO emission. Only a minor fraction (≤1%) of the added HA or SHAM was emitted as NO. Production of NO was decreased by anoxia or by the addition of catalase, but was increased by conditions inducing reactive oxygen (ROS) or by the addition of hydrogen peroxide. Cell-free enzyme solutions generating superoxide or hydrogen peroxide also led to the formation of NO from HA or (with lower rates) from SHAM, and nitrite was also an oxidation product. Unexpectedly, the addition of superoxide dismutase (SOD) to cell suspensions stimulated NO formation from hydroxylamines, and SOD alone (without cells) also catalysed the production of NO from HA or SHAM. NO production by SOD plus HA was higher in nitrogen than in air, but from SOD plus SHAM it was lower in nitrogen. Thus, SOD-catalysed NO formation from SHAM and from HA may involve different mechanisms. While our data open a new possibility for oxidative NO formation in plants, the existence and role of these reactions under physiological conditions is not yet clear. PMID:19357430

Attachment of Salmonella strains to a plant cell wall model is modulated by surface characteristics and not by specific carbohydrate interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Michelle Sze-Fan; Moore, Sean C; Tabor, Rico F; Fegan, Narelle; Rahman, Sadequr; Dykes, Gary A

2016-09-15

Processing of fresh produce exposes cut surfaces of plant cell walls that then become vulnerable to human foodborne pathogen attachment and contamination, particularly by Salmonella enterica. Plant cell walls are mainly composed of the polysaccharides cellulose, pectin and hemicelluloses (predominantly xyloglucan). Our previous work used bacterial cellulose-based plant cell wall models to study the interaction between Salmonella and the various plant cell wall components. We demonstrated that Salmonella attachment was favoured in the presence of pectin while xyloglucan had no effect on its attachment. Xyloglucan significantly increased the attachment of Salmonella cells to the plant cell wall model only when it was in association with pectin. In this study, we investigate whether the plant cell wall polysaccharides mediate Salmonella attachment to the bacterial cellulose-based plant cell wall models through specific carbohydrate interactions or through the effects of carbohydrates on the physical characteristics of the attachment surface. We found that none of the monosaccharides that make up the plant cell wall polysaccharides specifically inhibit Salmonella attachment to the bacterial cellulose-based plant cell wall models. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that Salmonella cells can penetrate and attach within the tightly arranged bacterial cellulose network. Analysis of images obtained from atomic force microscopy revealed that the bacterial cellulose-pectin-xyloglucan composite with 0.3 % (w/v) xyloglucan, previously shown to have the highest number of Salmonella cells attached to it, had significantly thicker cellulose fibrils compared to other composites. Scanning electron microscopy images also showed that the bacterial cellulose and bacterial cellulose-xyloglucan composites were more porous when compared to the other composites containing pectin. Our study found that the attachment of Salmonella cells to cut plant cell walls was not mediated by

Oral Delivery of Protein Drugs Bioencapsulated in Plant Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Kwang-Chul; Daniell, Henry

2016-08-01

Plants cells are now approved by the FDA for cost-effective production of protein drugs (PDs) in large-scale current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) hydroponic growth facilities. In lyophilized plant cells, PDs are stable at ambient temperature for several years, maintaining their folding and efficacy. Upon oral delivery, PDs bioencapsulated in plant cells are protected in the stomach from acids and enzymes but are subsequently released into the gut lumen by microbes that digest the plant cell wall. The large mucosal area of the human intestine offers an ideal system for oral drug delivery. When tags (receptor-binding proteins or cell-penetrating peptides) are fused to PDs, they efficiently cross the intestinal epithelium and are delivered to the circulatory or immune system. Unique tags to deliver PDs to human immune or nonimmune cells have been developed recently. After crossing the epithelium, ubiquitous proteases cleave off tags at engineered sites. PDs are also delivered to the brain or retina by crossing the blood-brain or retinal barriers. This review highlights recent advances in PD delivery to treat Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, hypertension, Gaucher's or ocular diseases, as well as the development of affordable drugs by eliminating prohibitively expensive purification, cold chain and sterile delivery.

A Miniature Wastewater Cleaning Plant to Demonstrate Primary Treatment in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Ne´el, Bastien; Cardoso, Catia; Perret, Didier; Bakker, Eric

2015-01-01

A small-scale wastewater cleaning plant is described that includes the key physical pretreatment steps followed by the chemical treatment of mud by flocculation. Water, clay particles, and riverside deposits mimicked odorless wastewater. After a demonstration of the optimization step, the flocculation process was carried out with iron(III)…

Application of heat stress in situ demonstrates a protective role of irradiation on photosynthetic performance in alpine plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Buchner, Othmar; Stoll, Magdalena; Karadar, Matthias; Kranner, Ilse; Neuner, Gilbert

2015-04-01

The impact of sublethal heat on photosynthetic performance, photosynthetic pigments and free radical scavenging activity was examined in three high mountain species, Rhododendron ferrugineum, Senecio incanus and Ranunculus glacialis using controlled in situ applications of heat stress, both in darkness and under natural solar irradiation. Heat treatments applied in the dark reversibly reduced photosynthetic performance and the maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv /Fm), which remained impeded for several days when plants were exposed to natural light conditions subsequently to the heat treatment. In contrast, plants exposed to heat stress under natural irradiation were able to tolerate and recover from heat stress more readily. The critical temperature threshold for chlorophyll fluorescence was higher under illumination (Tc (')) than in the dark (Tc). Heat stress caused a significant de-epoxidation of the xanthophyll cycle pigments both in the light and in the dark conditions. Total free radical scavenging activity was highest when heat stress was applied in the dark. This study demonstrates that, in the European Alps, heat waves can temporarily have a negative impact on photosynthesis and, importantly, that results obtained from experiments performed in darkness and/or on detached plant material may not reliably predict the impact of heat stress under field conditions. © 2014 The Authors. Plant, Cell & Environment published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Intact plant MRI for the study of cell water relations, membrane permeability, cell-to-cell and long distance water transport

NARCIS (Netherlands)

As, van H.

2007-01-01

Water content and hydraulic conductivity, including transport within cells, over membranes, cell-to-cell, and long-distance xylem and phloem transport, are strongly affected by plant water stress. By being able to measure these transport processes non-invasely in the intact plant situation in

The Blend Down Monitoring System Demonstration at the Padijcah Gaseous Diffusion Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benton, J.; Close, D.; Johnson, W. Jr.; Kerr, P.; March-Leuba, J.; Mastal, E.; Moss, C.; Powell, D.; Sumner, J.; Uckan, T.; Vines, R.; Wright, P.D.

1999-01-01

Agreements between the governments of the US and the Russian Federation for the US purchase of low enriched uranium (LEU) derived from highly enriched uranium (HEU) from dismantled Russian nuclear weapons calls for the establishment of transparency measures to provide confidence that nuclear nonproliferation goals are being met. To meet these transparency goals, the agreements call for the installation of nonintrusive US instruments to monitor the down blending of HEU to LEU. The Blend Down Monitoring System (BDMS) has been jointly developed by the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to continuously monitor 235 U enrichments and mass flow rates at Russian blending facilities. Prior to its installation in Russian facilities, the BDMS was installed and operated in a UF 6 flow loop in the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant simulating flow and enrichment conditions expected in a typical down-blending facility. A Russian delegation to the US witnessed the equipment demonstration in June, 1998. To conduct the demonstration in the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP), the BDMS was required to meet stringent Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing, safety and operational requirements. The Paducah demonstration was an important milestone in achieving the operational certification for the BDMS use in Russian facilities

Cooperation between epithelial cells demonstrated by potassium transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ledbetter, M.L.; Young, G.J.; Wright, E.R.

1986-01-01

Junction-mediated communication can be measured in fibroblast cultures by determining the ability of mixed cultures of cells sensitive and resistant to ouabain to concentrate K+ in the presence of ouabain. We now report the extension of this assay procedure to cultured epithelial cells. Hamster kidney (HaK) cells maintain their ability to concentrate K+ in ouabain at levels inhibitory to dog kidney (MDCK) cells. When HaK and MDCK cells were cultured together in ouabain-containing medium, the K+ (measured as 86Rb+) in the mixed population was greater than expected if the cells were not interacting. The degree of enhancement, expressed as index of cooperation, depended on the numbers of cells in the cultures, their opportunity for cell-to-cell contact, and (above a certain permissive level) the concentration of ouabain. As with other cell types, protein synthesis in MDCK cells depends on maintenance of cell K+. Autoradiography of cells incubated with [3H]leucine demonstrated that MDCK cells in ouabain-treated mixed cultures were able to synthesize proteins only when physically adjacent to HaK cells. The transmission of labeled nucleosides among the cells provides independent evidence of the phenomenon of cooperation, probably mediated by gap junctions. This system offers promise for investigation of stimuli modulating junctional communication

Demonstration tokamak-power-plant study (DEMO)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-09-01

A study of a Demonstration Tokamak Power Plant (DEMO) has been completed. The study's objective was to develop a conceptual design of a prototype reactor which would precede commercial units. Emphasis has been placed on defining and analyzing key design issues and R and D needs in five areas: noninductive current drivers, impurity control systems, tritium breeding blankets, radiation shielding, and reactor configuration and maintenance features. The noninductive current drive analysis surveyed a wide range of candidates and selected relativistic electron beams for the reference reactor. The impurity control analysis considered both a single-null poloidal divertor and a pumped limiter. A pumped limiter located at the outer midplane was selected for the reference design because of greater engineering simplicity. The blanket design activity focused on two concepts: a Li 2 O solid breeder with high pressure water cooling and a lead-rich Li-Pb eutectic liquid metal breeder (17Li-83Pb). The reference blanket concept is the Li 2 O option with a PCA structural material. The first wall concept is a beryllium-clad corrugated panel design. The radiation shielding effort concentrated on reducing the cost of bulk and penetration shielding; the relatively low-cost outborad shield is composed of concrete, B 4 C, lead, and FE 1422 structural material

Agrobacterium -induced hypersensitive necrotic reaction in plant cells

African Journals Online (AJOL)

High necrosis and poor survival rate of target plant tissues are some of the major factors that affect the efficiency of Agrobacterium-mediated T-DNA transfer into plant cells. These factors may be the result of, or linked to, hypersensitive defense reaction in plants to Agrobacterium infection, which may involve the recognition ...

Texas LPG fuel cell development and demonstration project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None, None

2004-07-26

The State Energy Conservation Office has executed its first Fuel Cell Project which was awarded under a Department of Energy competitive grant process. The Texas LPG Fuel Processor Development and Fuel Cell Demonstration Program is a broad-based public/private partnership led by the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO). Partners include the Alternative Fuels Research and Education Division (AFRED) of the Railroad Commission of Texas; Plug Power, Inc., Latham, NY, UOP/HyRadix, Des Plaines, IL; Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), San Antonio, TX; the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC), and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The team proposes to mount a development and demonstration program to field-test and evaluate markets for HyRadix's LPG fuel processor system integrated into Plug Power's residential-scale GenSys(TM) 5C (5 kW) PEM fuel cell system in a variety of building types and conditions of service. The program's primary goal is to develop, test, and install a prototype propane-fueled residential fuel cell power system supplied by Plug Power and HyRadix in Texas. The propane industry is currently funding development of an optimized propane fuel processor by project partner UOP/HyRadix through its national checkoff program, the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC). Following integration and independent verification of performance by Southwest Research Institute, Plug Power and HyRadix will produce a production-ready prototype unit for use in a field demonstration. The demonstration unit produced during this task will be delivered and installed at the Texas Department of Transportation's TransGuide headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. Simultaneously, the team will undertake a market study aimed at identifying and quantifying early-entry customers, technical and regulatory requirements, and other challenges and opportunities that need to be addressed in planning commercialization of the units

Simulated coal-gas fueled carbonate fuel cell power plant system verification. Final report, September 1990--June 1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-03-01

This report summarizes work performed under U.S. Department of Energy, Morgantown Energy Technology Center (DOE/METC) Contract DE-AC-90MC27168 for September 1990 through March 1995. Energy Research Corporation (ERC), with support from DOE, EPRI, and utilities, has been developing a carbonate fuel cell technology. ERC`s design is a unique direct fuel cell (DFC) which does not need an external fuel reformer. An alliance was formed with a representative group of utilities and, with their input, a commercial entry product was chosen. The first 2 MW demonstration unit was planned and construction begun at Santa Clara, CA. A conceptual design of a 10OMW-Class dual fuel power plant was developed; economics of natural gas versus coal gas use were analyzed. A facility was set up to manufacture 2 MW/yr of carbonate fuel cell stacks. A 100kW-Class subscale power plant was built and several stacks were tested. This power plant has achieved an efficiency of {approximately}50% (LHV) from pipeline natural gas to direct current electricity conversion. Over 6,000 hours of operation including 5,000 cumulative hours of stack operation were demonstrated. One stack was operated on natural gas at 130 kW, which is the highest carbonate fuel cell power produced to date, at 74% fuel utilization, with excellent performance distribution across the stack. In parallel, carbonate fuel cell performance has been improved, component materials have been proven stable with lifetimes projected to 40,000 hours. Matrix strength, electrolyte distribution, and cell decay rate have been improved. Major progress has been achieved in lowering stack cost.

Size, Shape, and Arrangement of Cellulose Microfibril in Higher Plant Cell Walls

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding, S. Y.

2013-01-01

Plant cell walls from maize (Zea mays L.) are imaged using atomic force microscopy (AFM) at the sub-nanometer resolution. We found that the size and shape of fundamental cellulose elementary fibril (CEF) is essentially identical in different cell wall types, i.e., primary wall (PW), parenchyma secondary wall (pSW), and sclerenchyma secondary wall (sSW), which is consistent with previously proposed 36-chain model (Ding et al., 2006, J. Agric. Food Chem.). The arrangement of individual CEFs in these wall types exhibits two orientations. In PW, CEFs are horizontally associated through their hydrophilic faces, and the planar faces are exposed, forming ribbon-like macrofibrils. In pSW and sSW, CEFs are vertically oriented, forming layers, in which hemicelluloses are interacted with the hydrophobic faces of the CEF and serve as spacers between CEFs. Lignification occurs between CEF-hemicelluloses layers in secondary walls. Furthermore, we demonstrated quantitative analysis of plant cell wall accessibility to and digestibility by different cellulase systems at real-time using chemical imaging (e.g., stimulated Raman scattering) and fluorescence microscopy of labeled cellulases (Ding et al., 2012, Science, in press).

Insights into plant cell wall structure, architecture, and integrity using glycome profiling of native and AFEXTM-pre-treated biomass

Science.gov (United States)

Pattathil, Sivakumar; Hahn, Michael G.; Dale, Bruce E.; Chundawat, Shishir P. S.

2015-01-01

Cell walls, which constitute the bulk of plant biomass, vary considerably in their structure, composition, and architecture. Studies on plant cell walls can be conducted on both native and pre-treated plant biomass samples, allowing an enhanced understanding of these structural and compositional variations. Here glycome profiling was employed to determine the relative abundance of matrix polysaccharides in several phylogenetically distinct native and pre-treated plant biomasses. Eight distinct biomass types belonging to four different subgroups (i.e. monocot grasses, woody dicots, herbaceous dicots, and softwoods) were subjected to various regimes of AFEX™ (ammonia fiber expansion) pre-treatment [AFEX is a trademark of MBI, Lansing (http://www.mbi.org]. This approach allowed detailed analysis of close to 200 cell wall glycan epitopes and their relative extractability using a high-throughput platform. In general, irrespective of the phylogenetic origin, AFEX™ pre-treatment appeared to cause loosening and improved accessibility of various xylan epitope subclasses in most plant biomass materials studied. For most biomass types analysed, such loosening was also evident for other major non-cellulosic components including subclasses of pectin and xyloglucan epitopes. The studies also demonstrate that AFEX™ pre-treatment significantly reduced cell wall recalcitrance among diverse phylogenies (except softwoods) by inducing structural modifications to polysaccharides that were not detectable by conventional gross composition analyses. It was found that monitoring changes in cell wall glycan compositions and their relative extractability for untreated and pre-treated plant biomass can provide an improved understanding of variations in structure and composition of plant cell walls and delineate the role(s) of matrix polysaccharides in cell wall recalcitrance. PMID:25911738

Development, testing, and demonstration of an optimal fine coal cleaning circuit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishra, M.; Placha, M.; Bethell, P.

1995-01-01

The overall objective of this project is to improve the efficiency of fine coal cleaning. The project will be completed in two phases: bench-scale testing and demonstration of four advanced flotation cells and; in-plant proof-of-concept (POC) pilot plant testing of two flotation cells individually and in two-stage combinations. The goal is to ascertain if a two-stage circuit can result in reduced capital and operating costs while achieving improved separation efficiency. The plant selected for this project, Cyprus Emerald Coal Preparation plant, cleans 1200 tph of raw coal. The plant produces approximately 4 million tonnes of clean coal per year at an average as received energy content of 30.2 MJ/Kg (13,000 Btu/lb)

Development, testing, and demonstration of an optimal fine coal cleaning circuit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mishra, M.; Placha, M.; Bethell, P. [and others

1995-11-01

The overall objective of this project is to improve the efficiency of fine coal cleaning. The project will be completed in two phases: bench-scale testing and demonstration of four advanced flotation cells and; in-plant proof-of-concept (POC) pilot plant testing of two flotation cells individually and in two-stage combinations. The goal is to ascertain if a two-stage circuit can result in reduced capital and operating costs while achieving improved separation efficiency. The plant selected for this project, Cyprus Emerald Coal Preparation plant, cleans 1200 tph of raw coal. The plant produces approximately 4 million tonnes of clean coal per year at an average as received energy content of 30.2 MJ/Kg (13,000 Btu/lb).

Preparation for full scale demonstration of an air staged gasifier plant. Technical project development; For combined heat and power production with wood chips; Forberedelse til fuldskala demonstration af trinopdelt forgasningsanlaeg. Teknisk projektudvikling. Delrapport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Houmann Jakobsen, H.

2011-04-15

The project has aimed to further develop the technology for staged biomass gasification and establish an organizational and financial model to ensure that the technology can be introduced on the market. This report describes the technique in an upcoming demonstration plant. A complete planning and design of a demonstration plant with a capacity of 300 kW electric power and 700 kW heat was prepared. That is four times more than the pilot plant at Graested District Heating (Castor plant) can produce. A full scale demonstration plant with bio-gasification technology for wood chips will be established and put into operation in 2012. (ln)

Diesel fueled ship propulsion fuel cell demonstration project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumm, W.H. [Arctic Energies Ltd., Severna Park, MD (United States)

1996-12-31

The paper describes the work underway to adapt a former US Navy diesel electric drive ship as a 2.4 Megawatt fuel cell powered, US Coast Guard operated, demonstrator. The Project will design the new configuration, and then remove the four 600 kW diesel electric generators and auxiliaries. It will design, build and install fourteen or more nominal 180 kW diesel fueled molten carbonate internal reforming direct fuel cells (DFCs). The USCG cutter VINDICATOR has been chosen. The adaptation will be carried out at the USCG shipyard at Curtis Bay, MD. A multi-agency (state and federal) cooperative project is now underway. The USCG prime contractor, AEL, is performing the work under a Phase III Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award. This follows their successful completion of Phases I and II under contract to the US Naval Sea Systems (NAVSEA) from 1989 through 1993 which successfully demonstrated the feasibility of diesel fueled DFCs. The demonstrated marine propulsion of a USCG cutter will lead to commercial, naval ship and submarine applications as well as on-land applications such as diesel fueled locomotives.

Methods of expressing and detecting activity of expansin in plant cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hood, Elizabeth E.; Yoon, Sangwoong

2017-10-10

A method of expressing heterologous expansin in a plant cell is provided where a nucleic acid molecule encoding expansin is introduced into the plant cell and in an embodiment is operably linked to a promoter preferentially expressing in the seed tissue of the plant, and in another embodiment is linked to a promoter preferentially expressing in the embryo tissue of the seed. An embodiment provides the nucleic acid molecule is operably linked to a second nucleic acid molecule that directs expression to the endoplasmic reticulum, vacuole or cell wall. Plants and plant parts expressing expansin are provided. An assay for detection of expansin activity is also provided.

An electron beam flue gas treatment plant for a coal fired thermal power station. EBA demonstration plant in Chengdu thermal power station (China EBA Project)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doi, Yoshitaka; Nakanishi, Ikuo; Shi, Jingke

1999-01-01

Ebara's electron beam flue gas treatment plant was installed and is being demonstrated in Chengdu Thermal Power Station, Sichuan, China. The demonstration is proving that this plant is fully capable of meeting the target removal of sulfur dioxides from flue gas (flow rate : 300-thousand m 3 /h). Recovered by-products, namely ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate, from the treatment were actually tested as fertilizers, the result of which was favorable. The sale and distribution of these by-products are already underway. In May 1995, this plant was presented the certificate of authorization by China's State Power Corporation. It is noted that this was the first time a sulfur dioxide removal plant was certified as such in China. (author)

Ha-DEF1, a sunflower defensin, induces cell death in Orobanche parasitic plants.

Science.gov (United States)

de Zélicourt, Axel; Letousey, Patricia; Thoiron, Séverine; Campion, Claire; Simoneau, Philippe; Elmorjani, Khalil; Marion, Didier; Simier, Philippe; Delavault, Philippe

2007-08-01

Plant defensins are small basic peptides of 5-10 kDa and most of them exhibit antifungal activity. In a sunflower resistant to broomrape, among the three defensin encoding cDNA identified, SF18, SD2 and HaDef1, only HaDef1 presented a preferential root expression pattern and was induced upon infection by the root parasitic plant Orobanche cumana. The amino acid sequence deduced from HaDef1 coding sequence was composed of an endoplasmic reticulum signal sequence of 28 amino acids, a standard defensin domain of 50 amino-acid residues and an unusual C-terminal domain of 30 amino acids with a net positive charge. A 5.8 kDa recombinant mature Ha-DEF1 corresponding to the defensin domain was produced in Escherichia coli and was purified by means of a two-step chromatography procedure, Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography (IMAC) and Ion Exchange Chromatography. Investigation of in vitro antifungal activity of Ha-DEF1 showed a strong inhibition on Saccharomyces cerevisiae growth linked to a membrane permeabilization, and a morphogenetic activity on Alternaria brassicicola germ tube development, as already reported for some other plant defensins. Bioassays also revealed that Ha-DEF1 rapidly induced browning symptoms at the radicle apex of Orobanche seedlings but not of another parasitic plant, Striga hermonthica, nor of Arabidopsis thaliana. FDA vital staining showed that these browning areas corresponded to dead cells. These results demonstrate for the first time a lethal effect of defensins on plant cells. The potent mode of action of defensin in Orobanche cell death and the possible involvement in sunflower resistance are discussed.

Demonstration of hydrogen society in Nakskov. Final report; Denmark; Demonstratorium - Brintsamfundet i Nakskov. Slutrapport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bech-Madsen, J. (IRD Fuel Cell Technology, Svendborg (DK)); Krogh Jensen, J. (Baltic Sea Solutions, Bass, Holeby (DK))

2008-02-15

This report summarizes results from the 'Demonstration of hydrogen in Nakskov' project. The project has established a demonstration of the Hydrogen Community in Nakskov. The demonstration facility is located at the entrance to Nakskov Genbrugsplads which has a lot of visitors. At this location information boards help visitors get acquainted with the technology and the function of the plant. It is likely that the majority of the citizens of West Lolland has visited the demonstration plant. The demonstration plant includes the following elements: 1) Container buildings for control and monitoring as well as housing of the process equipment. The containers are fully equipped with electricity, water and water treatment systems, drains, ventilation, cooling and heating systems and extensive safety systems. 2) Two fully automated PEM-CHP fuel cell units of 2 kW and 7.5 kW. 3) Two PEM-electrolysers for hydrogen and oxygen production for use in fuel cells and stimulation of aerobe processes in a waste water treatment system. 4) Low pressure storage steel tanks for oxygen and hydrogen. 5) Gas distribution grid for transporting oxygen and hydrogen from the electrolysers to the storage tanks and back to the fuel cells. 6) Official Authority approvals of the total demonstration facility comprising municipal building permission. Approval of zone classification and storage of hydrogen and oxygen, by the Lolland fire chief, February 1. 2007. Environmental evaluation and Environmental Impact assesment screening of the project performed by the regional county (Storstroms Amt), November 13. 2006. Project approval of hydrogen production and fuel cell plant by the Danish Safety Technology Authority, May 2. 2007. (au)

St. Louis demonstration final report: refuse processing plant equipment, facilities, and environmental evaluations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fiscus, D.E.; Gorman, P.G.; Schrag, M.P.; Shannon, L.J.

1977-09-01

The results are presented of processing plant evaluations of the St. Louis-Union Electric Refuse Fuel Project, including equipment and facilities as well as assessment of environmental emissions at both the processing and the power plants. Data on plant material flows and operating parameters, plant operating costs, characteristics of plant material flows, and emissions from various processing operations were obtained during a testing program encompassing 53 calendar weeks. Refuse derived fuel (RDF) is the major product (80.6% by weight) of the refuse processing plant, the other being ferrous metal scrap, a marketable by-product. Average operating costs for the entire evaluation period were $8.26/Mg ($7.49/ton). The average overall processing rate for the period was 168 Mg/8-h day (185.5 tons/8-h day) at 31.0 Mg/h (34.2 tons/h). Future plants using an air classification system of the type used at the St. Louis demonstration plant will need an emissions control device for particulates from the large de-entrainment cyclone. Also in the air exhaust from the cyclone were total counts of bacteria and viruses several times higher than those of suburban ambient air. No water effluent or noise exposure problems were encountered, although landfill leachate mixed with ground water could result in contamination, given low dilution rates.

Field Demonstration of Fuel Crud Filtration System at Ulchin Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Duk-Won; Lee, Doo-Ho; Park, Jong-Youl; Choi, In-Kyu

2007-01-01

Crud deposited onto the fuel assemblies in nuclear power plants was not a serious problem until an upper core flux depression named Axial Offset Anomaly (AOA) was found at Callaway, USA in 1989. Though the mechanism of an AOA is not completely understood, crud is believed to be a key component of initiating AOA. After the sufficient amount of corrosion products in the reactor cooling system are deposited on the fuel clad by a sub-cooled nucleate boiling, boron is adsorbed in the crud. Thus a measurable reduction in the neutron flux occurs which causes an AOA problem. A filtration system has been developed to remove the fuel crud from irradiated fuel assemblies for mitigating the axial offset anomaly under a technical cooperation agreement with DEI (Dominion Engineering Inc.). This filtration system with a fuel cleaning fixture was successfully demonstrated at Ulchin plant unit 2. Within several minutes, detachable crud deposits were effectively removed from the clad surfaces of the fuel assembly. Also, to characterize the crud particles for each fuel assembly, a small crud sampling device and radiation monitor devices were connected to the filtration system during the cleaning operation. In this study, we completed a functional test and demonstration of an ultrasonic fuel cleaning system by using four spent fuel assemblies. It took only 5 minutes to remove the fuel crud from each fuel assembly. In addition, collective dose rates indicated an average of 8 R/Hr per assembly

Plant programmed cell death, ethylene and flower senescence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Woltering, E.J.; Jong, de A.; Hoeberichts, F.A.; Iakimova, E.T.; Kapchina, V.

2005-01-01

Programmed cell death (PCD) applies to cell death that is part of the normal life of multicellular organisms. PCD is found throughout the animal and plant kingdoms; it is an active process in which a cell suicide pathway is activated resulting in controlled disassembly of the cell. Most cases of PCD

A study of hazardous air pollutants at the Tidd PFBC Demonstration Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-10-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Clean Coal Technology (CCD Program is a joint effort between government and industry to develop a new generation of coal utilization processes. In 1986, the Ohio Power Company, a subsidiary of American Electric Power (AEP), was awarded cofunding through the CCT program for the Tidd Pressure Fluidized Bed Combustor (PFBC) Demonstration Plant located in Brilliant, Ohio. The Tidd PFBC unit began operation in 1990 and was later selected as a test site for an advanced particle filtration (APF) system designed for hot gas particulate removal. The APF system was sponsored by the DOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) through their Hot Gas Cleanup Research and Development Program. A complementary goal of the DOE CCT and METC R ampersand D programs has always been to demonstrate the environmental acceptability of these emerging technologies. The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA) have focused that commitment toward evaluating the fate of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) associated with advanced coal-based and hot gas cleanup technologies. Radian Corporation was contacted by AEP to perform this assessment of HAPs at the Tidd PFBC demonstration plant. The objective of this study is to assess the major input, process, and emission streams at Plant Tidd for the HAPs identified in Title III of the CAAA. Four flue gas stream locations were tested: ESP inlet, ESP outlet, APF inlet, and APF outlet. Other process streams sampled were raw coal, coal paste, sorbent, bed ash, cyclone ash, individual ESP hopper ash, APF ash, and service water. Samples were analyzed for trace elements, minor and major elements, anions, volatile organic compounds, dioxin/furan compounds, ammonia, cyanide, formaldehyde, and semivolatile organic compounds. The particle size distribution in the ESP inlet and outlet gas streams and collected ash from individual ESP hoppers was also determined

Plant cell wall signalling and receptor-like kinases.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Sebastian

2017-02-15

Communication between the extracellular matrix and the cell interior is essential for all organisms as intrinsic and extrinsic cues have to be integrated to co-ordinate development, growth, and behaviour. This applies in particular to plants, the growth and shape of which is governed by deposition and remodelling of the cell wall, a rigid, yet dynamic, extracellular network. It is thus generally assumed that cell wall surveillance pathways exist to monitor the state of the wall and, if needed, elicit compensatory responses such as altered expression of cell wall remodelling and biosynthesis genes. Here, I highlight recent advances in the field of cell wall signalling in plants, with emphasis on the role of plasma membrane receptor-like kinase complexes. In addition, possible roles for cell wall-mediated signalling beyond the maintenance of cell wall integrity are discussed. © 2017 The Author(s); published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

The plant cell nucleus: a true arena for the fight between plants and pathogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Deslandes, Laurent; Rivas, Susana

2011-01-01

Communication between the cytoplasm and the nucleus is a fundamental feature shared by both plant and animal cells. Cellular factors involved in the transport of macromolecules through the nuclear envelope, including nucleoporins, importins and Ran-GTP related components, are conserved among a variety of eukaryotic systems. Interestingly, mutations in these nuclear components compromise resistance signalling, illustrating the importance of nucleocytoplasmic trafficking in plant innate immunity. Indeed, spatial restriction of defence regulators by the nuclear envelope and stimulus-induced nuclear translocation constitute an important level of defence-associated gene regulation in plants. A significant number of effectors from different microbial pathogens are targeted to the plant cell nucleus. In addition, key host factors, including resistance proteins, immunity components, transcription factors and transcriptional regulators shuttle between the cytoplasm and the nucleus, and their level of nuclear accumulation determines the output of the defence response, further confirming the crucial role played by the nucleus during the interaction between plants and pathogens. Here, we discuss recent findings that situate the nucleus at the frontline of the mutual recognition between plants and invading microbes.

Data Analysis for ARRA Early Fuel Cell Market Demonstrations (Presentation)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurtz, J.; Wipke, K.; Sprik, S.; Ramsden, T.

2010-05-01

Presentation about ARRA Early Fuel Cell Market Demonstrations, including an overview of the ARRE Fuel Cell Project, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's data analysis objectives, deployment composite data products, and planned analyses.

Myosin-Powered Membrane Compartment Drives Cytoplasmic Streaming, Cell Expansion and Plant Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Peremyslov, Valera V; Cole, Rex A; Fowler, John E; Dolja, Valerian V

2015-01-01

Using genetic approaches, particle image velocimetry and an inert tracer of cytoplasmic streaming, we have made a mechanistic connection between the motor proteins (myosins XI), cargo transported by these motors (distinct endomembrane compartment defined by membrane-anchored MyoB receptors) and the process of cytoplasmic streaming in plant cells. It is shown that the MyoB compartment in Nicotiana benthamiana is highly dynamic moving with the mean velocity of ~3 μm/sec. In contrast, Golgi, mitochondria, peroxisomes, carrier vesicles and a cytosol flow tracer share distinct velocity profile with mean velocities of 0.6-1.5 μm/sec. Dominant negative inhibition of the myosins XI or MyoB receptors using overexpression of the N. benthamiana myosin cargo-binding domain or MyoB myosin-binding domain, respectively, resulted in velocity reduction for not only the MyoB compartment, but also each of the tested organelles, vesicles and cytoplasmic streaming. Furthermore, the extents of this reduction were similar for each of these compartments suggesting that MyoB compartment plays primary role in cytosol dynamics. Using gene knockout analysis in Arabidopsis thaliana, it is demonstrated that inactivation of MyoB1-4 results in reduced velocity of mitochondria implying slower cytoplasmic streaming. It is also shown that myosins XI and MyoB receptors genetically interact to contribute to cell expansion, plant growth, morphogenesis and proper onset of flowering. These results support a model according to which myosin-dependent, MyoB receptor-mediated transport of a specialized membrane compartment that is conserved in all land plants drives cytoplasmic streaming that carries organelles and vesicles and facilitates cell growth and plant development.

Demonstration of Hydrogen Energy Network and Fuel Cells in Residential Homes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirohisa Aki; Tetsuhiko Maeda; Itaru Tamura; Akeshi Kegasa; Yoshiro Ishikawa; Ichiro Sugimoto; Itaru Ishii

2006-01-01

The authors proposed the setting up of an energy interchange system by establishing energy networks of electricity, hot water, and hydrogen in residential homes. In such networks, some homes are equipped with fuel cell stacks, fuel processors, hydrogen storage devices, and large storage tanks for hot water. The energy network enables the flexible operation of the fuel cell stacks and fuel processors. A demonstration project has been planned in existing residential homes to evaluate the proposal. The demonstration will be presented in a small apartment building. The building will be renovated and will be equipped with a hydrogen production facility, a hydrogen interchange pipe, and fuel cell stacks with a heat recovery device. The energy flow process from hydrogen production to consumption in the homes will be demonstrated. This paper presents the proposed energy interchange system and demonstration project. (authors)

Analysis of redox relationships in the plant cell cycle: determinations of ascorbate, glutathione and poly (ADPribose)polymerase (PARP) in plant cell cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Foyer, Christine H; Pellny, Till K; Locato, Vittoria; De Gara, Laura

2008-01-01

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and low molecular weight antioxidants, such as glutathione and ascorbate, are powerful signaling molecules that participate in the control of plant growth and development, and modulate progression through the mitotic cell cycle. Enhanced reactive oxygen species accumulation or low levels of ascorbate or glutathione cause the cell cycle to arrest and halt progression especially through the G1 checkpoint. Plant cell suspension cultures have proved to be particularly useful tools for the study of cell cycle regulation. Here we provide effective and accurate methods for the measurement of changes in the cellular ascorbate and glutathione pools and the activities of related enzymes such poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase during mitosis and cell expansion, particularly in cell suspension cultures. These methods can be used in studies seeking to improve current understanding of the roles of redox controls on cell division and cell expansion.

Why plants make puzzle cells, and how their shape emerges.

Science.gov (United States)

Sapala, Aleksandra; Runions, Adam; Routier-Kierzkowska, Anne-Lise; Das Gupta, Mainak; Hong, Lilan; Hofhuis, Hugo; Verger, Stéphane; Mosca, Gabriella; Li, Chun-Biu; Hay, Angela; Hamant, Olivier; Roeder, Adrienne Hk; Tsiantis, Miltos; Prusinkiewicz, Przemyslaw; Smith, Richard S

2018-02-27

The shape and function of plant cells are often highly interdependent. The puzzle-shaped cells that appear in the epidermis of many plants are a striking example of a complex cell shape, however their functional benefit has remained elusive. We propose that these intricate forms provide an effective strategy to reduce mechanical stress in the cell wall of the epidermis. When tissue-level growth is isotropic, we hypothesize that lobes emerge at the cellular level to prevent formation of large isodiametric cells that would bulge under the stress produced by turgor pressure. Data from various plant organs and species support the relationship between lobes and growth isotropy, which we test with mutants where growth direction is perturbed. Using simulation models we show that a mechanism actively regulating cellular stress plausibly reproduces the development of epidermal cell shape. Together, our results suggest that mechanical stress is a key driver of cell-shape morphogenesis. © 2018, Sapala et al.

Influence of lead upon the plant cell. [Lactuca sativa L

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sekerka, V; Bobak, M

1975-01-01

An attempt is made to study the influence of tetramethyl lead upon the mitotic activity of cells, structural changes of the chromosomes, upon the mitotic apparatus and the ultrastructure of the cells in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Tetramethyl lead is an antidetonant additive to the gasoline of automobiles. The authors have found that the Pb ions are toxic for the plant cell, its toxicity increases with an increasing concentration and the prolonged time of action of the Pb solution. Tetramethyl lead influences the cell division causing especially different disturbances of the chromosomes and of the dividing figure during karykinesis and evoking damages of the submicroscopic structure of the plant cell. First of all, the following organels are damaged: the nucleus, the mitochondria, the Golgi apparatus, the endoplasmatic reticulum and the proplastids. A considerable number of formations similar to translosomes arises in the plant cells at the same time.

Human Cytomegalovirus Nuclear Egress Proteins Ectopically Expressed in the Heterologous Environment of Plant Cells are Strictly Targeted to the Nuclear Envelope.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamm, Christian E; Link, Katrin; Wagner, Sabrina; Milbradt, Jens; Marschall, Manfred; Sonnewald, Uwe

2016-03-10

In all eukaryotic cells, the nucleus forms a prominent cellular compartment containing the cell's nuclear genome. Although structurally similar, animal and plant nuclei differ substantially in details of their architecture. One example is the nuclear lamina, a layer of tightly interconnected filament proteins (lamins) underlying the nuclear envelope of metazoans. So far no orthologous lamin genes could be detected in plant genomes and putative lamin-like proteins are only poorly described in plants. To probe for potentially conserved features of metazoan and plant nuclear envelopes, we ectopically expressed the core nuclear egress proteins of human cytomegalovirus pUL50 and pUL53 in plant cells. pUL50 localizes to the inner envelope of metazoan nuclei and recruits the nuclear localized pUL53 to it, forming heterodimers. Upon expression in plant cells, a very similar localization pattern of both proteins could be determined. Notably, pUL50 is specifically targeted to the plant nuclear envelope in a rim-like fashion, a location to which coexpressed pUL53 becomes strictly corecruited from its initial nucleoplasmic distribution. Using pUL50 as bait in a yeast two-hybrid screening, the cytoplasmic re-initiation supporting protein RISP could be identified. Interaction of pUL50 and RISP could be confirmed by coexpression and coimmunoprecipitation in mammalian cells and by confocal laser scanning microscopy in plant cells, demonstrating partial pUL50-RISP colocalization in areas of the nuclear rim and other intracellular compartments. Thus, our study provides strong evidence for conserved structural features of plant and metazoan nuclear envelops and identifies RISP as a potential pUL50-interacting plant protein.

Design consideration on hydrogen production demonstration plant of thermochemical IS process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwatsuki, Jin; Noguchi, Hiroki; Terada, Atsuhiko; Kubo, Shinji; Sakaba, Nariaki; Onuki, Kaoru; Hino, Ryutaro

2009-03-01

Preliminary design study was carried out on the hydrogen production demonstration plant of thermochemical IS process. In the pilot test, hydrogen production will be examined under prototypical condition using an apparatus made of industrial materials, which is driven by the sensible heat of helium gas heated by an electric heater that simulates the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR). Tentative system condition was defined considering the HTTR specification and the experience on the construction and the operation of the mock-up test facility using methane reforming for hydrogen production. The process condition and the system flow diagram were discussed to meet the system condition. Based on the defined process condition, types of the main components were discussed taking the corrosion resistance of the structural materials into consideration. Applicable rules and regulations were also surveyed regarding the plant construction and operation. (author)

Cell-to-cell communication in plants, animals, and fungi: a comparative review.

Science.gov (United States)

Bloemendal, Sandra; Kück, Ulrich

2013-01-01

Cell-to-cell communication is a prerequisite for differentiation and development in multicellular organisms. This communication has to be tightly regulated to ensure that cellular components such as organelles, macromolecules, hormones, or viruses leave the cell in a precisely organized way. During evolution, plants, animals, and fungi have developed similar ways of responding to this biological challenge. For example, in higher plants, plasmodesmata connect adjacent cells and allow communication to regulate differentiation and development. In animals, two main general structures that enable short- and long-range intercellular communication are known, namely gap junctions and tunneling nanotubes, respectively. Finally, filamentous fungi have also developed specialized structures called septal pores that allow intercellular communication via cytoplasmic flow. This review summarizes the underlying mechanisms for intercellular communication in these three eukaryotic groups and discusses its consequences for the regulation of differentiation and developmental processes.

Conversion of solar energy into electricity by using duckweed in Direct Photosynthetic Plant Fuel Cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Hubenova, Yolina; Mitov, Mario

2012-10-01

In the present study we demonstrate for the first time the possibility for conversion of solar energy into electricity on the principles of Direct Photosynthetic Plant Fuel Cell (DPPFC) technology by using aquatic higher plants. Lemna minuta duckweed was grown autotrophically in specially constructed fuel cells under sunlight irradiation and laboratory lighting. Current and power density up to 1.62±0.10 A.m(-2) and 380±19 mW.m(-2), respectively, were achieved under sunlight conditions. The influence of the temperature, light intensity and day/night sequencing on the current generation was investigated. The importance of the light intensity was demonstrated by the higher values of generated current (at permanently connected resistance) during daytime than those through the nights, indicating the participation of light-dependent photosynthetic processes. The obtained DPPFC outputs in the night show the contribution of light-independent reactions (respiration). The electron transfer in the examined DPPFCs is associated with a production of endogenous mediator, secreted by the duckweed. The plants' adaptive response to the applied polarization is also connected with an enhanced metabolism resulting in an increase of the protein and carbohydrate intracellular content. Further investigations aiming at improvement of the DPPFC outputs and elucidation of the electron transfer mechanism are required for practical application. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Decontamination and decommissioning of Extraction Cell 3 at the West Valley Demonstration Project. Topical report, January 1982-April 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, E.D.

1985-12-01

This report describes the decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) of Extraction Cell 3 (XC-3) at the West Valley Demonstration Project. XC-3 is one of several cells in the former reprocessing plant required for use in support of the solidification of high-level waste. It became radioactively contaminated during nuclear fuel reprocessing from 1966 to 1972. XC-3 contained systems used in the final uranium extraction cycle. Several pump niche and sample box drains were routed into the cell. The report describes the work performed to accomplish the D and D objectives of removing existing piping and equipment from XC-3 and to reducing radiation and contamination levels, to allow installation of equipment for the Liquid-Waste Treatment System (LWTS). Contaminated debris and equipment inside the cell were removed, packaged and stored for future disposition. Interior surfaces (walls, floor, and ceiling) of the cell were then decontaminated to a radiation level that allowed entry without the use of protective clothing or respiratory protection

Industrial Fuel Gas Demonstration Plant Program: environmental permit compliance plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bodamer, Jr., James W.; Bocchino, Robert M.

1979-11-01

This Environmental Permit Compliance Plan is intended to assist the Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division in acquiring the necessary environmental permits for their proposed Industrial Fuel Gas Demonstration Plant in a time frame consistent with the construction schedule. Permits included are those required for installation and/or operation of gaseous, liquid and solid waste sources and disposal areas. Only those permits presently established by final regulations are described. The compliance plan describes procedures for obtaining each permit from identified federal, state and local agencies. The information needed for the permit application is presented, and the stepwise procedure to follow when filing the permit application is described. Information given in this plan was obtained by reviewing applicable laws and regulations and from telephone conversations with agency personnel on the federal, state and local levels. This Plan also presents a recommended schedule for beginning the work necessary to obtain the required environmental permits in order to begin dredging operations in October, 1980 and construction of the plant in September, 1981. Activity for several key permits should begin as soon as possible.

Synthesis gas demonstration plant program, Phase I. Site confirmation report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1978-12-01

With few reservations, the Baskett, Kentucky site exhibits the necessary characteristics to suggest compatibility with the proposed Synthesis Gas Demonstration Plant Project. An evaluation of a broad range of technical disciplinary criteria in consideration of presently available information indicated generally favorable conditions or, at least, conditions which could be feasibly accommodated in project design. The proximity of the Baskett site to market areas and sources of raw materials as well as a variety of transportation facilities suggests an overall favorable impact on Project economic feasibility. Two aspects of environmental engineering, however, have been identified as areas where the completion or continuation of current studies are required before removing all conditions on site suitability. The first aspect involves the current contradictory status of existing land use and planning ordinances in the site area. Additional investigation of the legality of, and local attitudes toward, these present plans is warranted. Secondly, terrestrial and aquatic surveys of plant and animal life species in the site area must be completed on a seasonal basis to confirm the preliminary conclusion that no exclusionary conditions exist.

Glycoprotein component of plant cell walls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, J.B.; Chen, J.A.; Varner, J.E.

1984-01-01

The primary wall surrounding most dicotyledonous plant cells contains a hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein (HRGP) component named extensin. A small group of glycopeptides solubilized from isolated cell walls by proteolysis contained a repeated pentapeptide glycosylated by tri- and tetraarabinosides linked to hydroxyproline and, by galactose, linked to serine. Recently, two complementary approaches to this problem have provided results which greatly increase the understanding of wall extensin. In this paper the authors describe what is known about the structure of soluble extensin secreted into the walls of the carrot root cells

Phenomenology and course of severe accidents in PWR-plants training by teaching and demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sonnenkalb, M.; Rohde, J.

1999-01-01

A special one day training course on 'Phenomenology and Course of Severe Accidents in PWR-Plants' was developed at GRS initiated by the interest of German utilities. The work was done in the frame of projects sponsored by the German Ministries for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMW) and for Education, Science, Research and Technology (BMBF). In the paper the intention and the subject of this training course are discussed and selected parts of the training course are presented. Demonstrations are made within this training course with the GRS simulator system ATLAS to achieve a broader understanding of the phenomena discussed and the propagation of severe accidents on a plant specific basis. The GRS simulator system ATLAS is linked in this case to the integral code MELCOR and pre-calculated plant specific severe accident calculations are used for the demonstration together with special graphics showing plant specific details. Several training courses have been held since the first one in November, 1996 especially to operators, shift personal and the management board of a German PWR. In the meantime the training course was updated and suggestions for improvements from the participants were included. In the future this training course will be made available for members of crisis teams, instructors of commercial training centres and researchers of different institutions too. (author)

Round Robin Test for Performance Demonstration System of Ultrasound Examination Personnel in Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Young Ho; Yang, Seung Han; Kim, Yong Sik; Yoon, Byung Sik; Lee, Hee Jong

2005-01-01

Ultrasound testing performance during in-service inspection for the main components of NPPs is strongly affected by each examination person. Therefore, ASME established a more strict qualification requirement in Sec. XI Appendix VIII for the ultrasound testing personnel in nuclear power plants. The Korean Performance Demonstration (KPD) System according to the ASME code for the ultrasonic testing personnel, equipments, and procedures to apply to the Class 1 and 2 piping ultrasound examination of nuclear power plants in Korea was established. And a round robin test was conducted in order to verify the effectiveness of PD method by comparing the examination results from the method of Performance Demonstration (PD) and a traditional ASME code dB-drop method. The round robin test shows that the reliability of the PD method is better than that of the dB-drop method. As a result, application of the PD method to the in-service inspection of the nuclear power plants will improve the performance of ultrasound testing

The role of the cell wall in plant immunity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Malinovsky, Frederikke Gro; Fangel, Jonatan Ulrik; Willats, William George Tycho

2014-01-01

The battle between plants and microbes is evolutionarily ancient, highly complex, and often co-dependent. A primary challenge for microbes is to breach the physical barrier of host cell walls whilst avoiding detection by the plant's immune receptors. While some receptors sense conserved microbial...... features, others monitor physical changes caused by an infection attempt. Detection of microbes leads to activation of appropriate defense responses that then challenge the attack. Plant cell walls are formidable and dynamic barriers. They are constructed primarily of complex carbohydrates joined...... by numerous distinct connection types, and are subject to extensive post-synthetic modification to suit prevailing local requirements. Multiple changes can be triggered in cell walls in response to microbial attack. Some of these are well described, but many remain obscure. The study of the myriad of subtle...

Actin based processes that could determine the cytoplasmic architecture of plant cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Honing, van der H.S.; Emons, A.M.C.; Ketelaar, M.J.

2007-01-01

Actin polymerisation can generate forces that are necessary for cell movement, such as the propulsion of a class of bacteria, including Listeria, and the protrusion of migrating animal cells. Force generation by the actin cytoskeleton in plant cells has not been studied. One process in plant cells

Demonstration of Active Power Controls by Utility-Scale PV Power Plant in an Island Grid: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gevorgian, Vahan; O' Neill, Barbara

2017-02-01

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), AES, and the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority conducted a demonstration project on a utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) plant to test the viability of providing important ancillary services from this facility. As solar generation increases globally, there is a need for innovation and increased operational flexibility. A typical PV power plant consists of multiple power electronic inverters and can contribute to grid stability and reliability through sophisticated 'grid-friendly' controls. In this way, it may mitigate the impact of its variability on the grid and contribute to important system requirements more like traditional generators. In 2015, testing was completed on a 20-MW AES plant in Puerto Rico, and a large amount of test data was produced and analyzed that demonstrates the ability of PV power plants to provide various types of new grid-friendly controls. This data showed how active power controls can leverage PV's value from being simply an intermittent energy resource to providing additional ancillary services for an isolated island grid. Specifically, the tests conducted included PV plant participation in automatic generation control, provision of droop response, and fast frequency response.

Meristem Plant Cells as a Sustainable Source of Redox Actives for Skin Rejuvenation

Science.gov (United States)

Korkina, Liudmila G.; Mayer, Wolfgang; de Luca, Chiara

2017-01-01

Recently, aggressive advertisement claimed a “magic role” for plant stem cells in human skin rejuvenation. This review aims to shed light on the scientific background suggesting feasibility of using plant cells as a basis of anti-age cosmetics. When meristem cell cultures obtained from medicinal plants are exposed to appropriate elicitors/stressors (ultraviolet, ultrasound ultraviolet (UV), ultrasonic waves, microbial/insect metabolites, heavy metals, organic toxins, nutrient deprivation, etc.), a protective/adaptive response initiates the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Highly bioavailable and biocompatible to human cells, low-molecular weight plant secondary metabolites share structural/functional similarities with human non-protein regulatory hormones, neurotransmitters, pigments, polyamines, amino-/fatty acids. Their redox-regulated biosynthesis triggers in turn plant cell antioxidant and detoxification molecular mechanisms resembling human cell pathways. Easily isolated in relatively large quantities from contaminant-free cell cultures, plant metabolites target skin ageing mechanisms, above all redox imbalance. Perfect modulators of cutaneous oxidative state via direct/indirect antioxidant action, free radical scavenging, UV protection, and transition-metal chelation, they are ideal candidates to restore photochemical/redox/immune/metabolic barriers, gradually deteriorating in the ageing skin. The industrial production of plant meristem cell metabolites is toxicologically and ecologically sustainable for fully “biological” anti-age cosmetics. PMID:28498360

A dynamical model for plant cell wall architecture formation.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mulder, B.M.; Emons, A.M.C.

2001-01-01

We discuss a dynamical mathematical model to explain cell wall architecture in plant cells. The highly regular textures observed in cell walls reflect the spatial organisation of the cellulose microfibrils (CMFs), the most important structural component of cell walls. Based on a geometrical theory

Achievement report for fiscal 1993 on developing entrained bed coal gasification power plant. Part 5. Survey and research edition for demonstration plant; 1993 nendo seika hokokusho. Funryusho sekitan gaska hatsuden plant kaihatsu - Sono 5. Jissho plant ni kansuru chosa kenkyu hen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-02-01

With an objective of developing the coal gasification composite power generation technology, surveys and researches have been carried out on a demonstration plant. This paper summarizes the achievements in fiscal 1993. Based on the achievements having been obtained by the previous fiscal year, the current fiscal year has discussed the method for evaluating the up-scaling, and performed a conceptual design of the demonstration plant. In discussing the demonstration plant in the current fiscal year, identification was made on the basic performance characteristics as the IGCC (atmospheric temperature characteristics, coal type change characteristics, partial load characteristics, methods for plant actuation and shutdown, and utility use amount), and selections were conducted on different systems to be adopted in the demonstration plant, both based on the approximate thermal material balance having been derived in the previous fiscal year. The results of the discussions were summarized as the steam cycle discussion, performance discussion by coal types, partial load characteristics, atmospheric temperature characteristics, secondary air temperature characteristics, discussions to enhance efficiency and reliability in association with the up-scaling, discussions on the utility facilities, discussions on the protection interlock, and forecast on the entire performance according to the approximate thermal material balance. (NEDO)

Real Time Demonstration Project XRF Performance Evaluation Report for Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant AOC 492

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, Robert L [Argonne National Laboratory

2008-04-03

This activity was undertaken to demonstrate the applicability of market-available XRF instruments to quantify metal concentrations relative to background and risk-based action and no action levels in Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) soils. As such, the analysis below demonstrates the capabilities of the instruments relative to soil characterization applications at the PGDP.

An introduction to plant cell culture: the future ahead.

Science.gov (United States)

Loyola-Vargas, Víctor M; Ochoa-Alejo, Neftalí

2012-01-01

Plant cell, tissue, and organ culture (PTC) techniques were developed and established as an experimental necessity for solving important fundamental questions in plant biology, but they currently represent very useful biotechnological tools for a series of important applications such as commercial micropropagation of different plant species, generation of disease-free plant materials, production of haploid and doublehaploid plants, induction of epigenetic or genetic variation for the isolation of variant plants, obtention of novel hybrid plants through the rescue of hybrid embryos or somatic cell fusion from intra- or intergeneric sources, conservation of valuable plant germplasm, and is the keystone for genetic engineering of plants to produce disease and pest resistant varieties, to engineer metabolic pathways with the aim of producing specific secondary metabolites or as an alternative for biopharming. Some other miscellaneous applications involve the utilization of in vitro cultures to test toxic compounds and the possibilities of removing them (bioremediation), interaction of root cultures with nematodes or mycorrhiza, or the use of shoot cultures to maintain plant viruses. With the increased worldwide demand for biofuels, it seems that PTC will certainly be fundamental for engineering different plants species in order to increase the diversity of biofuel options, lower the price marketing, and enhance the production efficiency. Several aspects and applications of PTC such as those mentioned above are the focus of this edition.

Cellular growth in plants requires regulation of cell wall biochemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Chebli, Youssef; Geitmann, Anja

2017-02-01

Cell and organ morphogenesis in plants are regulated by the chemical structure and mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix, the cell wall. The two primary load bearing components in the plant cell wall, the pectin matrix and the cellulose/xyloglucan network, are constantly remodelled to generate the morphological changes required during plant development. This remodelling is regulated by a plethora of loosening and stiffening agents such as pectin methyl-esterases, calcium ions, expansins, and glucanases. The tight spatio-temporal regulation of the activities of these agents is a sine qua non condition for proper morphogenesis at cell and tissue levels. The pectin matrix and the cellulose-xyloglucan network operate in concert and their behaviour is mutually dependent on their chemical, structural and mechanical modifications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of alterations in lignin deposition on cellulose organization of the plant cell wall

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Jiliang; Kim, Jeong Im; Cusumano, Joanne C.; Chapple, Clint; Venugopalan, Nagarajan; Fischetti, Robert F.; Makowski, Lee

2016-06-17

high levels of G-or S-lignin. Conclusions: These studies demonstrate that changes in lignin biosynthesis lead to significant disruption in the orientation and order of cellulose fibrils in all tissues of the stem. These dramatic phenotypic changes, in mutants with lignin rich in aldehyde or H-units, correlate with the impact the mutations have on the enzymatic degradation of the plant cell wall.

Decommissioning and decontamination of licensed reactor facilities and demonstration nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lear, G.; Erickson, P.B.

1975-01-01

Decommissioning of licensed reactors and demonstration nuclear power plants has been accomplished by mothballing (protective storage), entombment, and dismantling or a combination of these three. The alternative selected by a licensee seems to be primarily based on cost. A licensee must, however, show that the decommissioning process provides adequate protection of the health and safety of the public and no adverse impact on the environment. To date the NRC has approved each of the alternatives in the decommissioning of different facilities. The decommissioning of small research reactors has been accomplished primarily by dismantling. Licensed nuclear power plants, however, have been decommissioned primarily by being placed in a mothballed state in which they continue to retain a reactor license and the associated licensee responsibilities

Detection of programmed cell death in plant embryos.

Science.gov (United States)

Filonova, Lada H; Suárez, María F; Bozhkov, Peter V

2008-01-01

Programmed cell death (PCD) is an integral part of embryogenesis. In plant embryos, PCD functions during terminal differentiation and elimination of the temporary organ, suspensor, as well as during establishment of provascular system. Embryo abortion is another example of embryonic PCD activated at pathological situations and in polyembryonic seeds. Recent studies identified the sequence of cytological events leading to cellular self-destruction in plant embryos. As in most if not all the developmental cell deaths in plants, embryonic PCD is hallmarked by autophagic degradation of the cytoplasm and nuclear disassembly that includes breakdown of the nuclear envelope and DNA fragmentation. The optimized setup of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) allows the routine in situ analysis of nuclear DNA fragmentation in plant embryos. This chapter provides step-by-step procedure of how to process embryos for TUNEL and how to combine TUNEL with immunolocalization of the protein of interest.

High-resolution solution-state NMR of unfractionated plant cell walls

Science.gov (United States)

John Ralph; Fachuang Lu; Hoon Kim; Dino Ress; Daniel J. Yelle; Kenneth E. Hammel; Sally A. Ralph; Bernadette Nanayakkara; Armin Wagner; Takuya Akiyama; Paul F. Schatz; Shawn D. Mansfield; Noritsugu Terashima; Wout Boerjan; Bjorn Sundberg; Mattias Hedenstrom

2009-01-01

Detailed structural studies on the plant cell wall have traditionally been difficult. NMR is one of the preeminent structural tools, but obtaining high-resolution solution-state spectra has typically required fractionation and isolation of components of interest. With recent methods for dissolution of, admittedly, finely divided plant cell wall material, the wall can...

The plant cell wall integrity maintenance mechanism--a case study of a cell wall plasma membrane signaling network.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamann, Thorsten

2015-04-01

Some of the most important functions of plant cell walls are protection against biotic/abiotic stress and structural support during growth and development. A prerequisite for plant cell walls to perform these functions is the ability to perceive different types of stimuli in both qualitative and quantitative manners and initiate appropriate responses. The responses in turn involve adaptive changes in cellular and cell wall metabolism leading to modifications in the structures originally required for perception. While our knowledge about the underlying plant mechanisms is limited, results from Saccharomyces cerevisiae suggest the cell wall integrity maintenance mechanism represents an excellent example to illustrate how the molecular mechanisms responsible for stimulus perception, signal transduction and integration can function. Here I will review the available knowledge about the yeast cell wall integrity maintenance system for illustration purposes, summarize the limited knowledge available about the corresponding plant mechanism and discuss the relevance of the plant cell wall integrity maintenance mechanism in biotic stress responses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Demonstration of S-100 protein in sustentacular cells of phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schroder, H D; Johannsen, L

1986-01-01

to the sustentacular cells of normal paraganglia and adrenal medulla were found in all paragangliomas and in the benign and aggressively growing phaeochromocytomas. In the two malignant tumours no positive reaction was demonstrated. In one tumour the sustentacular cells were shown to contain glial fibrillary acidic......Eighteen phaeochromocytomas, including both sporadic and familial cases, four cervical paragangliomas, two jugular paragangliomas, and one abdominal paraganglioma were examined immunohistochemically for the presence of S-100 protein. Positive staining in cells morphologically similar...... protein further supporting their Schwann cell relationship. The number of S-100 positive cells varied considerably. They demonstrated a spindle celled or elongated configuration with long slender processes. The nature of the sustentacular cell proliferation, neoplastic versus reactive, is discussed....

Role of AtCDC48 & the AtCDC48 Regulatory Protein Family, PUX, in Plant Cell Morphogenesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bednarek, Sebastian, Y.

2009-11-08

The long-term objective of this work is to understand the molecular events and mechanisms involved in secretory membrane trafficking and organelle biogenesis, which are crucial for normal plant growth and development. Our studies have suggested a vital role for the cytosolic chaperone Cdc48p/p97 during cytokinesis and cell expansion which are highly dependent upon secretory membrane trafficking. Localization studies have shown that the plant Cdc48p/p97, AtCDC48, and the Arabidopsis ortholog of the ER- and Golgi-associated SNARE, syntaxin 5, (referred to as SYP31) are targeted to the division plane during cytokinesis. In addition, AtCDC48 and SYP31 were shown to interact in vitro and in vivo. To characterize further the function of AtCDC48 and SYP31 we have utilized affinity chromatography and MALDI-MS to identify several plant-specific proteins that interact with SYP31 and/or modulate the activity of AtCDC48 including two UBX (i.e. ubiquitin-like) domain containing proteins, PUX1 and PUX2 (Proteins containing UBX domain). These proteins define a plant protein family consisting of 15 uncharacterized members that we postulate interact with AtCDC48. Biochemical studies have demonstrated that PUX2 is a novel membrane adapter for AtCDC48 that mediates AtCDC48/SYP31 interaction and is likely to control AtCDC48-dependent membrane fusion. In contrast, PUX1 negatively regulates AtCDC48 by inhibiting its ATPase activity and by promoting the disassembly of the active hexamer. These findings provide the first evidence that the assembly and disassembly of the CDC48/p97complex is actually a dynamic process. This new unexpected level of regulation for CDC48/p97 was demonstrated to be critical in vivo as pux1 loss-of-function mutants grow faster than wild-type plants. These studies suggest a role for AtCDC48 in plant cell cycle progression including cytokinesis and/or cell expansion. The proposed studies are designed to: 1) characterize further the localization and function of At

The Role of Pectin Acetylation in the Organization of Plant Cell Walls

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fimognari, Lorenzo

adopt defined 3D organization to allow their composition/interactions to be tweaked upon developmental need. Failure to build functional cell wall architecture will affect plant growth and resistance to stresses. In this PhD dissertation I explored the role of pectin acetylation in controlling...... wall organization, namely polysaccharides-to-polysaccharides interactions. These results suggest that cell wall acetylation is a mechanism that plants evolved to control cell wall organization. In Manuscript III, we report the characterization of Arabidopsis mutants trichome birefringence like (tbl) 10......All plant cells are surrounded by one or more cell wall layers. The cell wall serves as a stiff mechanical support while it allows cells to expand and provide a protective barrier to invading pathogens. Cell walls are dynamic structures composed of entangled cell wall polysaccharides that must...

Fiscal 1994 achievement report. Development of entrained bed coal gasification power plant (Part 5 - Survey of demonstration plant); 1994 nendo seika hokokusho. Funryusho sekitan gaska hatsuden plant kaihatsu - Sono 5. Jissho plant ni kansuru chosa kenkyu hen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-07-01

A survey was conducted of a demonstration plant for developing the technology of integrated coal gasification combined cycle power generation. In fiscal 1994, based on the studies of pilot plant operation conducted up to the preceding fiscal year and on the studies of a demonstration plant (conceptual design of a demonstration plant), systems were examined for still higher performance and economical efficiency. For optimizing the heat source for pulverized coal drying air, an extracted air heat utilizing system was adopted, excellent in performance (approximately 0.5% improvement in absolute value) and in economical efficiency. For reducing the consumption of inert gas for the fluidized bed desulfurization facility, an approximately 30% reduction was found to be possible dependent on gas regeneration conditions in the regeneration tower. For performance improvement with the combined cycle equipment placed under a partial load, the generating-end efficiency was improved approximately 0.2% when only SGC (syngas cooler) was loaded 80% or less and kept at a constant pressure. Studies were also made about how to maintain a constant output with the equipment exposed to air temperature changes. (NEDO)

Synthesis and Application of Plant Cell Wall Oligogalactans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Mathias Christian Franch

The plant cell walls represent almost 50% of the biomass found in plants and are therefore one of the main targets for biotechnological research. Major motivators are their potential as a renewable energy source for transport fuels, as functional foods, and as a source of raw materials to generate...

Role of the plant cell wall in gravity resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoson, Takayuki; Wakabayashi, Kazuyuki

2015-04-01

Gravity resistance, mechanical resistance to the gravitational force, is a principal graviresponse in plants, comparable to gravitropism. The cell wall is responsible for the final step of gravity resistance. The gravity signal increases the rigidity of the cell wall via the accumulation of its constituents, polymerization of certain matrix polysaccharides due to the suppression of breakdown, stimulation of cross-link formation, and modifications to the wall environment, in a wide range of situations from microgravity in space to hypergravity. Plants thus develop a tough body to resist the gravitational force via an increase in cell wall rigidity and the modification of growth anisotropy. The development of gravity resistance mechanisms has played an important role in the acquisition of responses to various mechanical stresses and the evolution of land plants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unraveling the response of plant cells to cytotoxic saponins

Science.gov (United States)

Balestrazzi, Alma; Macovei, Anca; Tava, Aldo; Avato, Pinarosa; Raimondi, Elena

2011-01-01

A wide range of pharmacological properties are ascribed to natural saponins, in addition to their biological activities against herbivores, plant soil-borne pathogens and pests. As for animal cells, the cytotoxicity and the chemopreventive role of saponins are mediated by a complex network of signal transduction pathways which include reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO). The involvement of other relevant components of the saponin-related signaling routes, such as the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)α, the interleukin (IL)-6 and the Nuclear Transcription FactorκB (NFκB), has been highlighted in animal cells. By contrast, information concerning the response of plant cells to saponins and the related signal transduction pathways is almost missing. To date, there are only a few common features which link plant and animal cells in their response to saponins, such as the early burst in ROS and NO production and the induction of metallothioneins (MTs), small cysteine-rich, metal-binding proteins. This aspect is discussed in the present paper in view of the recent hypothesis that MTs and NO are part of a novel signal transduction pathway participating in the cell response to oxidative stress. PMID:21673512

Plant cell walls throughout evolution: towards a molecular understanding of their design principles.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Purbasha; Bosneaga, Elena; Auer, Manfred

2009-01-01

Throughout their life, plants typically remain in one location utilizing sunlight for the synthesis of carbohydrates, which serve as their sole source of energy as well as building blocks of a protective extracellular matrix, called the cell wall. During the course of evolution, plants have repeatedly adapted to their respective niche, which is reflected in the changes of their body plan and the specific design of cell walls. Cell walls not only changed throughout evolution but also are constantly remodelled and reconstructed during the development of an individual plant, and in response to environmental stress or pathogen attacks. Carbohydrate-rich cell walls display complex designs, which together with the presence of phenolic polymers constitutes a barrier for microbes, fungi, and animals. Throughout evolution microbes have co-evolved strategies for efficient breakdown of cell walls. Our current understanding of cell walls and their evolutionary changes are limited as our knowledge is mainly derived from biochemical and genetic studies, complemented by a few targeted yet very informative imaging studies. Comprehensive plant cell wall models will aid in the re-design of plant cell walls for the purpose of commercially viable lignocellulosic biofuel production as well as for the timber, textile, and paper industries. Such knowledge will also be of great interest in the context of agriculture and to plant biologists in general. It is expected that detailed plant cell wall models will require integrated correlative multimodal, multiscale imaging and modelling approaches, which are currently underway.

Plant cell walls throughout evolution: towards a molecular understanding of their design principles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarkar, Purbasha; Bosneaga, Elena; Auer, Manfred

2009-02-16

Throughout their life, plants typically remain in one location utilizing sunlight for the synthesis of carbohydrates, which serve as their sole source of energy as well as building blocks of a protective extracellular matrix, called the cell wall. During the course of evolution, plants have repeatedly adapted to their respective niche,which is reflected in the changes of their body plan and the specific design of cell walls. Cell walls not only changed throughout evolution but also are constantly remodelled and reconstructed during the development of an individual plant, and in response to environmental stress or pathogen attacks. Carbohydrate-rich cell walls display complex designs, which together with the presence of phenolic polymers constitutes a barrier for microbes, fungi, and animals. Throughout evolution microbes have co-evolved strategies for efficient breakdown of cell walls. Our current understanding of cell walls and their evolutionary changes are limited as our knowledge is mainly derived from biochemical and genetic studies, complemented by a few targeted yet very informative imaging studies. Comprehensive plant cell wall models will aid in the re-design of plant cell walls for the purpose of commercially viable lignocellulosic biofuel production as well as for the timber, textile, and paper industries. Such knowledge will also be of great interest in the context of agriculture and to plant biologists in general. It is expected that detailed plant cell wall models will require integrated correlative multimodal, multiscale imaging and modelling approaches, which are currently underway.

The study of accumulation of Sr 90 by plant cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matusov, G.D.; Kudryashova, N.N.

2002-01-01

In this work the absorption and desorption of ions Sr 90 by plant cells and influence of different physical and chemical factors of environment on that processes were investigated. The kinetics of strontium accumulation have been obtained and the factors of accumulation of Sr 90 have been determined for a plant cell itself and its separate compartments

An in vivo root hair assay for determining rates of apoptotic-like programmed cell death in plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hogg Bridget V

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract In Arabidopsis thaliana we demonstrate that dying root hairs provide an easy and rapid in vivo model for the morphological identification of apoptotic-like programmed cell death (AL-PCD in plants. The model described here is transferable between species, can be used to investigate rates of AL-PCD in response to various treatments and to identify modulation of AL-PCD rates in mutant/transgenic plant lines facilitating rapid screening of mutant populations in order to identify genes involved in AL-PCD regulation.

Phenotype-Based Screening of Small Molecules to Modify Plant Cell Walls Using BY-2 Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Okubo-Kurihara, Emiko; Matsui, Minami

2018-01-01

The plant cell wall is an important and abundant biomass with great potential for use as a modern recyclable resource. For effective utilization of this cellulosic biomass, its ability to degrade efficiently is key point. With the aim of modifying the cell wall to allow easy decomposition, we used chemical biological technology to alter its structure. As a first step toward evaluating the chemicals in the cell wall we employed a phenotype-based approach using high-throughput screening. As the plant cell wall is essential in determining cell morphology, phenotype-based screening is particularly effective in identifying compounds that bring about alterations in the cell wall. For rapid and reproducible screening, tobacco BY-2 cell is an excellent system in which to observe cell morphology. In this chapter, we provide a detailed chemical biological methodology for studying cell morphology using tobacco BY-2 cells.

Osmotic Pressure, Bacterial Cell Walls, and Penicillin: A Demonstration.

Science.gov (United States)

Lennox, John E.

1984-01-01

An easily constructed apparatus that models the effect of penicillin on the structure of bacterial cells is described. Background information and procedures for using the apparatus during a classroom demonstration are included. (JN)

SRC-I demonstration plant analytical laboratory methods manual. Final technical report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klusaritz, M.L.; Tewari, K.C.; Tiedge, W.F.; Skinner, R.W.; Znaimer, S.

1983-03-01

This manual is a compilation of analytical procedures required for operation of a Solvent-Refined Coal (SRC-I) demonstration or commercial plant. Each method reproduced in full includes a detailed procedure, a list of equipment and reagents, safety precautions, and, where possible, a precision statement. Procedures for the laboratory's environmental and industrial hygiene modules are not included. Required American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) methods are cited, and ICRC's suggested modifications to these methods for handling coal-derived products are provided.

Plant cell transformation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens under simulated microgravity

Science.gov (United States)

Sarnatska, Veresa; Gladun, Hanna; Padalko, Svetlana

To investigate simulated microgravity (clinorotation) effect on plant cell transformation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens and crown gall formation, the culture of primary explants of potato and Jerusalem artichoke tubers was used. It is found that the efficiency of tumor formation and development in clinorotated explants are considerably reduced. When using the explants isolated from potato tubers clinorotated for 3, 5 and 19 days, drastic reduction of formation and development of crown gall tumors was observed. Conversely, the tumor number and their development increased when potato tubers were clinorotated for one day. As was estimated by us previously, cells of Jerusalem artichoke explants are the most sensitive to agrobacteria on 4-5 h of in vitro culturing and this time corresponds to the certain period of G1-stage of the cell cycle. We have also estimated that this period is characterized by the increase of binding of acridine orange by nuclear chromatin and increase in activity of RNA-polymerase I and II. Inoculation of explants with agrobacteria in this period was the most optimal for transformation and crown gall induction. We estimated that at four - hour clinorotation of explants the intensity of acridine orange binding to nuclei was considerably lower than on 4h in the control. At one-day clinorotation of potato tubers, a considerable increase in template accessibility of chromatin and in activity of RNA-polymerase I and II occurred. These results may serve as an evidence for the ability of plant dormant tissues to respond to microgravity. Another demonstration of dormant tissue response to changed gravity we obtained when investigating pathogenesis-related proteins (PR-proteins). PR-proteins were subjected to nondenaturing PAGE.and we have not found any effect of microgravity on PR-proteins of potato explants with normal or tumorous growth. We may suggest that such response derives from the common effects of two stress factors - wounding and changed

Safety demonstration tests on thermal decomposition of nitrated solvent with nitric acid in nuclear fuel reprocessing plants. Contract research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsukamoto, Michio; Takada, Junichi; Koike, Tadao; Watanabe, Koji; Uchiyama, Gunzou; Nishio, Gunji; Murata, Mikio

2001-03-01

The demonstration tests were conducted to investigate the safety of the ventilation system and integrity of the HEPA filters under the design basis accident (DBA) of the evaporator in the reprocessing plants. The tests were carried out by heating organic solvent (TBP/n- dodecane) mixed with nitric acid in a sealed vessel. It was possible to cause an explosive decomposition of TBP-complex formed by nitration of the solvent with nitric acid. The following was obtained by the analysis of the experimental results of the tests. From derivation by the experimental method, data on the maximum mass release rate and the maximum energy release rate in the explosion, as the solvent of 1 [kg] spouted out by the thermal decomposition, were obtained. They were 0.59 [kg/s] and 3240.3 [kJ/kg·s] respectively. The influence given on the cell ventilation system by this explosion was small and it was demonstrated that the safety of the HEPA filters could be secured. (author)

Demonstration of a 1 MWe biomass power plant at USMC Base Camp Lejeune

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cleland, J.; Purvis, C.R.

1997-01-01

A biomass energy conversion project is being sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to demonstrate an environmentally and economically sound electrical power option for government installations, industrial sites, rural cooperatives, small municipalities, and developing countries. Under a cooperative agreement with EPA, Research Triangle Institute is initiating operation of the Camp Lejeune Energy from Wood (CLEW) biomass plant. Wood gasification combined with internal combustion engines was chosen because of (1) recent improvements in gas cleaning, (2) simple, economical operation for units less than 10 MW, and (3) the option of a clean, cheap fuel for the many existing facilities generating expensive electricity from petroleum fuels with reciprocating engines. The plant incorporates a downdraft, moving bed gasifier utilizing hogged waste wood from the Marine Corps Base at Camp Lejeune, NC. A moving bed bulk wood dryer and both spark ignition and diesel engines are included. Unique process design features are briefly described relative to the gasifier, wood drying, tar separation, and process control. A test plan for process optimization and demonstration of reliability, economics, and environmental impact is outlined. (author)

UNEP Demonstrations of Mercury Emission Reduction at Two Coal-fired Power Plants in Russia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jozewicz W.

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP partnership area “Mercury releases from coal combustion” (The UNEP Coal Partnership has initiated demonstrations of mercury air emission reduction at two coal-fired power plants in Russia. The first project has modified the wet particulate matter (PM scrubber installed in Toliatti thermal plant to allow for addition of chemical reagents (oxidants into the closedloop liquid spray system. The addition of oxidant resulted in significant improvement of mercury capture from 20% total mercury removal (without the additive up to 60% removal (with the additive. It demonstrates the effectiveness of sorbent injection technologies in conjunction with an electrostatic precipitator (ESP. ESPs are installed at 60%, while wet PM scrubbers are installed at 30% of total coal-fired capacity in Russia. Thus, the two UNEP Coal Partnership projects address the majority of PM emission control configurations occurring in Russia.

Fuel Cell Handbook, Fifth Edition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Energy and Environmental Solutions

2000-10-31

Progress continues in fuel cell technology since the previous edition of the Fuel Cell Handbook was published in November 1998. Uppermost, polymer electrolyte fuel cells, molten carbonate fuel cells, and solid oxide fuel cells have been demonstrated at commercial size in power plants. The previously demonstrated phosphoric acid fuel cells have entered the marketplace with more than 220 power plants delivered. Highlighting this commercial entry, the phosphoric acid power plant fleet has demonstrated 95+% availability and several units have passed 40,000 hours of operation. One unit has operated over 49,000 hours. Early expectations of very low emissions and relatively high efficiencies have been met in power plants with each type of fuel cell. Fuel flexibility has been demonstrated using natural gas, propane, landfill gas, anaerobic digester gas, military logistic fuels, and coal gas, greatly expanding market opportunities. Transportation markets worldwide have shown remarkable interest in fuel cells; nearly every major vehicle manufacturer in the U.S., Europe, and the Far East is supporting development. This Handbook provides a foundation in fuel cells for persons wanting a better understanding of the technology, its benefits, and the systems issues that influence its application. Trends in technology are discussed, including next-generation concepts that promise ultrahigh efficiency and low cost, while providing exceptionally clean power plant systems. Section 1 summarizes fuel cell progress since the last edition and includes existing power plant nameplate data. Section 2 addresses the thermodynamics of fuel cells to provide an understanding of fuel cell operation at two levels (basic and advanced). Sections 3 through 8 describe the six major fuel cell types and their performance based on cell operating conditions. Alkaline and intermediate solid state fuel cells were added to this edition of the Handbook. New information indicates that manufacturers have stayed

Catalysts of plant cell wall loosening [version 1; referees: 2 approved

OpenAIRE

Daniel J. Cosgrove

2016-01-01

The growing cell wall in plants has conflicting requirements to be strong enough to withstand the high tensile forces generated by cell turgor pressure while selectively yielding to those forces to induce wall stress relaxation, leading to water uptake and polymer movements underlying cell wall expansion. In this article, I review emerging concepts of plant primary cell wall structure, the nature of wall extensibility and the action of expansins, family-9 and -12 endoglucanases, family-16 xyl...

Hydrogen fueling stations in Japan hydrogen and fuel cell demonstration project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koseki, K.; Tomuro, J.; Sato, H.; Maruyama, S.

2004-01-01

A new national demonstration project of fuel cell vehicles, which is called Japan Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Demonstration Project (JHFC Project), has started in FY2002 on a four-year plan. In this new project, ten hydrogen fueling stations have been constructed in Tokyo and Kanagawa area in FY2002-2003. The ten stations adopt the following different types of fuel and fueling methods: LPG reforming, methanol reforming, naphtha reforming, desulfurized-gasoline reforming, kerosene reforming, natural gas reforming, water electrolysis, liquid hydrogen, by-product hydrogen, and commercially available cylinder hydrogen. Approximately fifty fuel cell passenger cars and a fuel cell bus are running on public roads using these stations. In addition, two hydrogen stations will be constructed in FY2004 in Aichi prefecture where The 2005 World Exposition (EXPO 2005) will be held. The stations will service eight fuel cell buses used as pick-up buses for visitors. We, Engineering Advancement Association of Japan (ENAA), are commissioned to construct and operate a total of twelve stations by Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry (METI). We are executing to demonstrate or identify the energy-saving effect, reduction of the environmental footprint, and issues for facilitating the acceptance of hydrogen stations on the basis of the data obtained from the operation of the stations. (author)

Plant cells : immobilization and oxygen transfer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hulst, A.C.

1987-01-01

The study described in this thesis is part of the integrated project 'Biotechnological production of non-persistent bioinsecticides by means of plant cells invitro ' and was done in close cooperation with the research Institute Ital within the framework

Light microscopical demonstration and zonal distribution of parasinusoidal cells (Ito cells) in normal human liver

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Horn, T; Junge, Jette; Nielsen, O

1988-01-01

The parasinusoidal cells of the liver (Ito cells) were demonstrated light microscopically in autopsy specimens fixed in formalin and stained with Oil red O after dichromate treatment. The method allows examination of large samples containing numerous acini. Quantitative assessment showed a zonal ...

Light microscopical demonstration and zonal distribution of parasinusoidal cells (Ito cells) in normal human liver

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Horn, T; Junge, Jette; Nielsen, O

1988-01-01

The parasinusoidal cells of the liver (Ito cells) were demonstrated light microscopically in autopsy specimens fixed in formalin and stained with Oil red O after dichromate treatment. The method allows examination of large samples containing numerous acini. Quantitative assessment showed a zonal...

Proceedings of the 1978 symposium on instrumentation and control for fossil demonstration plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1978-01-01

The 1978 symposium on instrumentation and control for fossil demonstration plants was held at Newport Beach, California, June 19--21, 1978. It was sponsored by Argonne National Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Energy - Fossil Energy, and the Instrument Society of America - Orange County Section. Thirty-nine papers have been entered individually into the data base. (LTN)

Nanosecond electric pulses trigger actin responses in plant cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berghoefer, Thomas; Eing, Christian; Flickinger, Bianca; Hohenberger, Petra; Wegner, Lars H.; Frey, Wolfgang; Nick, Peter

2009-01-01

We have analyzed the cellular effects of nanosecond pulsed electrical fields on plant cells using fluorescently tagged marker lines in the tobacco cell line BY-2 and confocal laser scanning microscopy. We observe a disintegration of the cytoskeleton in the cell cortex, followed by contraction of actin filaments towards the nucleus, and disintegration of the nuclear envelope. These responses are accompanied by irreversible permeabilization of the plasma membrane manifest as uptake of Trypan Blue. By pretreatment with the actin-stabilizing drug phalloidin, the detachment of transvacuolar actin from the cell periphery can be suppressed, and this treatment can also suppress the irreversible perforation of the plasma membrane. We discuss these findings in terms of a model, where nanosecond pulsed electric fields trigger actin responses that are key events in the plant-specific form of programmed cell death.

2009 Plant Cell Walls Gordon Research Conference-August 2-7,2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohnen, Debra [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)

2009-08-07

Plant cell walls are a complex cellular compartment essential for plant growth, development and response to biotic and abiotic stress and a major biological resource for meeting our future bioenergy and natural product needs. The goal of the 2009 Plant Cell Walls Gordon Research Conference is to summarize and critically evaluate the current level of understanding of the structure, synthesis and function of the whole plant extracellular matrix, including the polysaccharides, proteins, lignin and waxes that comprise the wall, and the enzymes and regulatory proteins that drive wall synthesis and modification. Innovative techniques to study how both primary and secondary wall polymers are formed and modified throughout plant growth will be emphasized, including rapid advances taking place in the use of anti-wall antibodies and carbohydrate binding proteins, comparative and evolutionary wall genomics, and the use of mutants and natural variants to understand and identify wall structure-function relationships. Discussions of essential research advances needed to push the field forward toward a systems biology approach will be highlighted. The meeting will include a commemorative lecture in honor of the career and accomplishments of the late Emeritus Professor Bruce A. Stone, a pioneer in wall research who contributed over 40 years of outstanding studies on plant cell wall structure, function, synthesis and remodeling including emphasis on plant cell wall beta-glucans and arabinogalactans. The dwindling supply of fossil fuels will not suffice to meet our future energy and industrial product needs. Plant biomass is the renewable resource that will fill a large part of the void left by vanishing fossil fuels. It is therefore critical that basic research scientists interact closely with industrial researchers to critically evaluate the current state of knowledge regarding how plant biomass, which is largely plant cell walls, is synthesized and utilized by the plant. A final

The fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol can inhibit plant apoptosis-like programmed cell death.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark Diamond

Full Text Available The Fusarium genus of fungi is responsible for commercially devastating crop diseases and the contamination of cereals with harmful mycotoxins. Fusarium mycotoxins aid infection, establishment, and spread of the fungus within the host plant. We investigated the effects of the Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON on the viability of Arabidopsis cells. Although it is known to trigger apoptosis in animal cells, DON treatment at low concentrations surprisingly did not kill these cells. On the contrary, we found that DON inhibited apoptosis-like programmed cell death (PCD in Arabidopsis cells subjected to abiotic stress treatment in a manner independent of mitochondrial cytochrome c release. This suggested that Fusarium may utilise mycotoxins to suppress plant apoptosis-like PCD. To test this, we infected Arabidopsis cells with a wild type and a DON-minus mutant strain of F. graminearum and found that only the DON producing strain could inhibit death induced by heat treatment. These results indicate that mycotoxins may be capable of disarming plant apoptosis-like PCD and thereby suggest a novel way that some fungi can influence plant cell fate.

Preparation of labelled lipids by the use of plant cell cultures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mangold, H.K.

1978-01-01

The preparation of some radioacitvely labelled lipids by the use of plant cell cultures is discussed and further applications of the new method are suggested. Cell suspension cultures of rape (Brassica napus) and soya (Glycine max) have been used for the preparation of lipids labelled with radioisotopes. Radioactive acetic acid as well as various long-chain fatty acids are readily incorporated into the neutral and ionic lipids of plant cell cultures. In addition, 14 C-labelled glycerol, ethanolamine and choline are well utilized by the cells. Randomly labelled lipids have been obtained by incubating cell suspension cultures of rape and soya with [1- 14 C] acetic acid, and uniformly labelled lipids have been isolated from cultures that had been incubated with a mixture of [1- 14 C] acetic acid plus [2- 14 C] acetic acid. The use of techniques of plant cell cultures for the preparation of lipds labelled with stable or radioactive isotopesappears particularly rewarding because the uptake of precursors by the cells and their incorporation into various lipid compounds proceeds rapidly and often quanitatively.This new approach should be useful also for the biosynthesis of lipids whose acyl moieties contain a spn radical, a fluorescent group, or a light-sensitive label. Thus, plant cell cultures constitute valuable new tools for the biosynthetic preparation of a great variety of labelled lipids. (A.G.)

Handbook of plant cell culture. Volume 2. Crop species

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharp, W.R.; Evans, D.A.; Ammirato, P.V.; Yamada, Y. (eds.)

1984-01-01

In this volume the state-of-the-art plant cell culture techniques described in the first volume are applied to several agricultural and horticultural crops. In 21 chapters, they include maize, oats, wheat, beans, red clover and other forage legumes, asparagus, celery, cassava, sweet potato, banana, pawpaw, apple, grapes, conifers, date palm, rubber, sugarcane and tobacco. Each chapter contains (1) detailed protocols to serve as the foundation for current research, (2) a critical review of the literature, and (3) in-depth evaluations of the potential shown by plant cell culture for crop improvement. The history and economic importance of each crop are discussed. This volume also includes an essay, ''Oil from plants'', by M. Calvin.

The endoplasmic reticulum in plant immunity and cell death.

Science.gov (United States)

Eichmann, Ruth; Schäfer, Patrick

2012-01-01

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a highly dynamic organelle in eukaryotic cells and a major production site of proteins destined for vacuoles, the plasma membrane, or apoplast in plants. At the ER, these secreted proteins undergo multiple processing steps, which are supervised and conducted by the ER quality control system. Notably, processing of secreted proteins can considerably elevate under stress conditions and exceed ER folding capacities. The resulting accumulation of unfolded proteins is defined as ER stress. The efficiency of cells to re-establish proper ER function is crucial for stress adaptation. Besides delivering proteins directly antagonizing and resolving stress conditions, the ER monitors synthesis of immune receptors. This indicates the significance of the ER for the establishment and function of the plant immune system. Recent studies point out the fragility of the entire system and highlight the ER as initiator of programed cell death (PCD) in plants as was reported for vertebrates. This review summarizes current knowledge on the impact of the ER on immune and PCD signaling. Understanding the integration of stress signals by the ER bears a considerable potential to optimize development and to enhance stress resistance of plants.

The endoplasmic reticulum in plant immunity and cell death

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick eSchäfer

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The endoplasmic reticulum (ER is a highly dynamic organelle in eukaryotic cells and a major production site of proteins destined for vacuoles, the plasma membrane or apoplast in plants. At the ER, these secreted proteins undergo multiple processing steps, which are supervised and conducted by the ER quality control system. Notably, processing of secreted proteins can considerably elevate under stress conditions and exceed ER folding capacities. The resulting accumulation of unfolded proteins is defined as ER stress. The efficiency of cells to re-establish proper ER function is crucial for stress adaptation. Besides delivering proteins directly antagonizing and resolving stress conditions, the ER monitors synthesis of immune receptors. This indicates the significance of the ER for the establishment and function of the plant immune system. Recent studies point out the fragility of the entire system and highlight the ER as initiator of programmed cell death (PCD in plants as was reported for vertebrates. This review summarizes current knowledge on the impact of the ER on immune and PCD signalling. Understanding the integration of stress signals by the ER bears a considerable potential to optimize development and to enhance stress resistance of plants.

Industrial Fuel Gas Demonstration Plant Program. Conceptual design and evaluation of commercial plant. Volume III. Economic analyses (Deliverable Nos. 15 and 16)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1978-01-01

This report presents the results of Task I of Phase I in the form of a Conceptual Design and Evaluation of Commercial Plant report. The report is presented in four volumes as follows: I - Executive Summary, II - Commercial Plant Design, III - Economic Analyses, IV - Demonstration Plant Recommendations. Volume III presents the economic analyses for the commercial plant and the supporting data. General cost and financing factors used in the analyses are tabulated. Three financing modes are considered. The product gas cost calculation procedure is identified and appendices present computer inputs and sample computer outputs for the MLGW, Utility, and Industry Base Cases. The results of the base case cost analyses for plant fenceline gas costs are as follows: Municipal Utility, (e.g. MLGW), $3.76/MM Btu; Investor Owned Utility, (25% equity), $4.48/MM Btu; and Investor Case, (100% equity), $5.21/MM Btu. The results of 47 IFG product cost sensitivity cases involving a dozen sensitivity variables are presented. Plant half size, coal cost, plant investment, and return on equity (industrial) are the most important sensitivity variables. Volume III also presents a summary discussion of the socioeconomic impact of the plant and a discussion of possible commercial incentives for development of IFG plants.

A novel approach for studying programmed cell death in living plant tissues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mark, Christina

to traditional approaches. Future applications of this type of setup could be used for other types of plant tissues such as leaves or germinating embryos for studying the effects of e.g. biotic and abiotic stresses or for screening of compounds for biological effects. Due to the ease of use and many......Programmed cell death (PCD) is a highly regulated process in which cells are killed as part of developmental programmes or as defence mechanisms against pathogens, but the process is less well understood in plant cells compared to animal cells. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in PCD...... in plants, but the relationship between and mechanisms behind ROS and PCDhas not yet been fully elucidated due to the involvement of complex signalling networks. Elucidation of these mechanisms and signalling pathways will allow manipulation of cell death in plants, which could help to improve yield...

Crossing kingdoms: Using decellularized plants as perfusable tissue engineering scaffolds.

Science.gov (United States)

Gershlak, Joshua R; Hernandez, Sarah; Fontana, Gianluca; Perreault, Luke R; Hansen, Katrina J; Larson, Sara A; Binder, Bernard Y K; Dolivo, David M; Yang, Tianhong; Dominko, Tanja; Rolle, Marsha W; Weathers, Pamela J; Medina-Bolivar, Fabricio; Cramer, Carole L; Murphy, William L; Gaudette, Glenn R

2017-05-01

Despite significant advances in the fabrication of bioengineered scaffolds for tissue engineering, delivery of nutrients in complex engineered human tissues remains a challenge. By taking advantage of the similarities in the vascular structure of plant and animal tissues, we developed decellularized plant tissue as a prevascularized scaffold for tissue engineering applications. Perfusion-based decellularization was modified for different plant species, providing different geometries of scaffolding. After decellularization, plant scaffolds remained patent and able to transport microparticles. Plant scaffolds were recellularized with human endothelial cells that colonized the inner surfaces of plant vasculature. Human mesenchymal stem cells and human pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes adhered to the outer surfaces of plant scaffolds. Cardiomyocytes demonstrated contractile function and calcium handling capabilities over the course of 21 days. These data demonstrate the potential of decellularized plants as scaffolds for tissue engineering, which could ultimately provide a cost-efficient, "green" technology for regenerating large volume vascularized tissue mass. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Transverse mechanical properties of cell walls of single living plant cells probed by laser-generated acoustic waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Gadalla, Atef; Dehoux, Thomas; Audoin, Bertrand

2014-05-01

Probing the mechanical properties of plant cell wall is crucial to understand tissue dynamics. However, the exact symmetry of the mechanical properties of this anisotropic fiber-reinforced composite remains uncertain. For this reason, biologically relevant measurements of the stiffness coefficients on individual living cells are a challenge. For this purpose, we have developed the single-cell optoacoustic nanoprobe (SCOPE) technique, which uses laser-generated acoustic waves to probe the stiffness, thickness and viscosity of live single-cell subcompartments. This all-optical technique offers a sub-micrometer lateral resolution, nanometer in-depth resolution, and allows the non-contact measurement of the mechanical properties of live turgid tissues without any assumption of mechanical symmetry. SCOPE experiments reveal that single-cell wall transverse stiffness in the direction perpendicular to the epidermis layer of onion cells is close to that of cellulose. This observation demonstrates that cellulose microfibrils are the main load-bearing structure in this direction, and suggests strong bonding of microfibrils by hemicelluloses. Altogether our measurement of the viscosity at high frequencies suggests that the rheology of the wall is dominated by glass-like dynamics. From a comparison with literature, we attribute this behavior to the influence of the pectin matrix. SCOPE's ability to unravel cell rheology and cell anisotropy defines a new class of experiments to enlighten cell nano-mechanics.

Cysteine-rich peptides (CRPs) mediate diverse aspects of cell-cell communication in plant reproduction and development.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Eleanor; Costa, Liliana M; Gutierrez-Marcos, Jose

2011-03-01

Cell-cell communication in plants is essential for the correct co-ordination of reproduction, growth, and development. Studies to dissect this mode of communication have previously focussed primarily on the action of plant hormones as mediators of intercellular signalling. In animals, peptide signalling is a well-documented intercellular communication system, however, relatively little is known about this system in plants. In recent years, numerous reports have emerged about small, secreted peptides controlling different aspects of plant reproduction. Interestingly, most of these peptides are cysteine-rich, and there is convincing evidence suggesting multiple roles for related cysteine-rich peptides (CRPs) as signalling factors in developmental patterning as well as during plant pathogen responses and symbiosis. In this review, we discuss how CRPs are emerging as key signalling factors in regulating multiple aspects of vegetative growth and reproductive development in plants.

Navigating the plant cell: intracellular transport logistics in the green kingdom.

Science.gov (United States)

Geitmann, Anja; Nebenführ, Andreas

2015-10-01

Intracellular transport in plant cells occurs on microtubular and actin arrays. Cytoplasmic streaming, the rapid motion of plant cell organelles, is mostly driven by an actin-myosin mechanism, whereas specialized functions, such as the transport of large cargo or the assembly of a new cell wall during cell division, are performed by the microtubules. Different modes of transport are used, fast and slow, to either haul cargo over long distances or ascertain high-precision targeting, respectively. Various forms of the actin-specific motor protein myosin XI exist in plant cells and might be involved in different cellular functions. © 2015 Geitmann and Nebenführ. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Gene Delivery into Plant Cells for Recombinant Protein Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiang Chen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Recombinant proteins are primarily produced from cultures of mammalian, insect, and bacteria cells. In recent years, the development of deconstructed virus-based vectors has allowed plants to become a viable platform for recombinant protein production, with advantages in versatility, speed, cost, scalability, and safety over the current production paradigms. In this paper, we review the recent progress in the methodology of agroinfiltration, a solution to overcome the challenge of transgene delivery into plant cells for large-scale manufacturing of recombinant proteins. General gene delivery methodologies in plants are first summarized, followed by extensive discussion on the application and scalability of each agroinfiltration method. New development of a spray-based agroinfiltration and its application on field-grown plants is highlighted. The discussion of agroinfiltration vectors focuses on their applications for producing complex and heteromultimeric proteins and is updated with the development of bridge vectors. Progress on agroinfiltration in Nicotiana and non-Nicotiana plant hosts is subsequently showcased in context of their applications for producing high-value human biologics and low-cost and high-volume industrial enzymes. These new advancements in agroinfiltration greatly enhance the robustness and scalability of transgene delivery in plants, facilitating the adoption of plant transient expression systems for manufacturing recombinant proteins with a broad range of applications.

RIMAP demonstration project. Pat. 1: Risk based life management of piping system in power plant Heilbronn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bareiss, J.; Puck, P.; Matschecko, B.; Jovanovic, A.; Balos, D.; Perunicic

2003-01-01

In the framework of EU project RIMAP [1] a new European Guideline for optimized risk based maintenance and inspection planning of industrial plants (RBLM - Risk Based Life Management) is being developed. The RIMAP project consists of the three clustered projects: development (RTD), demonstration (DEMO) and thematic network (TN). Current work and future, planned work in RIMAP demonstration project on applications of the RIMAP methodology in power plants are presented briefly in the first part of the paper. Also presented in the paper are the results of a preliminary analysis of piping system in power plant Heilbronn using the concept of risk-based monitoring as part of overall concept of risk-based life management. Shortly the following issues are discussed in the paper: identification of critical components, application of a multilevel risk analysis (..from ''screening'' to ''detailed analysis''), determination of PoF - Probability of Failure, determination of COF - Consequence of Failure and optimation of inspection and maintenance plan. (orig.)

RIMAP demonstration project. Risk-based life management of piping system in power plant Heilbronn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bareiss, J.; Buck, P.; Matschecko, B.; Jovanovic, A.; Balos, D.; Perunicic, M.

2004-01-01

In the framework of EU project RIMAP [Risk Based Inspection and Maintenance Procedures for European Industry (2000)] a new European Guideline for optimized risk based maintenance and inspection planning of industrial plants (RBLM, Risk Based Life Management) is being developed. The RIMAP project consists of the three clustered projects: - development (RTD); - demonstration (DEMO): - thematic network (TN). Current work and future, planned work in RIMAP demonstration project on applications of the RIMAP methodology in power plants are presented briefly in the first part of the paper. Also presented in the paper are the results of a preliminary analysis of piping system in power plant Heilbronn using the concept of risk-based monitoring as part of overall concept of risk-based life management. Shortly the following issues are discussed in the paper: - identification of critical components; - application of a multilevel risk analysis (...from 'screening' to 'detailed analysis'); - determination of PoF (Probability of Failure); - determination of CoF (Consequence of Failure); - optimation of inspection and maintenance plan. From our experience with the application of the RIMAP methodology the following conclusions can be drawn: The use of risk-based methods in inspection and maintenance of piping systems in power plants gives transparency to the decision making process and gives an optimized maintenance policy based on current state of the components. The results of the work clearly show the power of the proposed method for concentration on critical items: out of 64 monitored components 5 were selected for intermediate analysis and only 1 for the detailed analysis (probabilistic high temperature fracture mechanics)

A Gravity-Responsive Time-Keeping Protein of the Plant and Animal Cell Surface

Science.gov (United States)

Morre, D. James

2003-01-01

The hypothesis under investigation was that a ubiquinol (NADH) oxidase protein of the cell surface with protein disulfide-thiol interchange activity (= NOX protein) is a plant and animal time-keeping ultradian (period of less than 24 h) driver of both cell enlargement and the biological clock that responds to gravity. Despite considerable work in a large number of laboratories spanning several decades, this is, to my knowledge, our work is the first demonstration of a time-keeping biochemical reaction that is both gravity-responsive and growth-related and that has been shown to determine circadian periodicity. As such, the NOX protein may represent both the long-sought biological gravity receptor and the core oscillator of the cellular biological clock. Completed studies have resulted in 12 publications and two issued NASA-owned patents of the clock activity. The gravity response and autoentrainment were characterized in cultured mammalian cells and in two plant systems together with entrainment by light and small molecules (melatonin). The molecular basis of the oscillatory behavior was investigated using spectroscopic methods (Fourier transform infrared and circular dichroism) and high resolution electron microscopy. We have also applied these findings to an understanding of the response to hypergravity. Statistical methods for analysis of time series phenomena were developed (Foster et al., 2003).

Induction and selection of mutants from in vitro cultured plant cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Yung Il; Kim, Jae Sung; Shin, In Chul; Lee, Sang Jae [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1994-07-01

Mutant cell lines are useful for biochemical, physiological and genetical material for marker in various genetic manipulation experiments and for the direct use in crop plant improvement. Mutant selection may lead to the production of plants showing resistance or tolerance to specific environmental stress, such as solinity, drought, toxed metals, herbicides, pathogens and low temperature. In this review, these included the production of the somatic variation, the selection process itself and stability of the selected characters in cell culture and regenerated plant. Which would seem to be useful for improving plants and securring genetic resources. 45 refs. (Author).

Induction and selection of mutants from in vitro cultured plant cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yung Il; Kim, Jae Sung; Shin, In Chul; Lee, Sang Jae

1994-07-01

Mutant cell lines are useful for biochemical, physiological and genetical material for marker in various genetic manipulation experiments and for the direct use in crop plant improvement. Mutant selection may lead to the production of plants showing resistance or tolerance to specific environmental stress, such as solinity, drought, toxed metals, herbicides, pathogens and low temperature. In this review, these included the production of the somatic variation, the selection process itself and stability of the selected characters in cell culture and regenerated plant. Which would seem to be useful for improving plants and securring genetic resources. 45 refs. (Author)

Zero Emission Bay Area (ZEBA) Fuel Cell Bus Demonstration Results. Fourth Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eudy, Leslie [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Post, Matthew [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2015-07-02

This report presents results of a demonstration of fuel cell electric buses (FCEB) operating in Oakland, California. Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) leads the Zero Emission Bay Area (ZEBA) demonstration, which includes 12 advanced-design fuel cell buses and two hydrogen fueling stations. The FCEBs in service at AC Transit are 40-foot, low-floor buses built by Van Hool with a hybrid electric propulsion system that includes a US Hybrid fuel cell power system and EnerDel lithium-based energy storage system. The buses began revenue service in May 2010.

Plant Cell Culture Initiation: practical tips

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hall, R.D.

2001-01-01

The use of cultured plant cells in either organized or unorganized form has increased vey considerably in the last 10-15 yr. Many new technologies have been developed and applications in both fundamental and applied research have led to the development of some powerful tools for improving our

The Arabidopsis synaptotagmin SYTA regulates the cell-to-cell movement of diverse plant viruses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asako eUchiyama

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Synaptotagmins are a large gene family in animals that have been extensively characterized due to their role as calcium sensors to regulate synaptic vesicle exocytosis and endocytosis in neurons, and dense core vesicle exocytosis for hormone secretion from neuroendocrine cells. Thought to be exclusive to animals, synaptotagmins have recently been characterized in Arabidopsis thaliana, in which they comprise a five gene family. Using infectivity and leaf-based functional assays, we have shown that Arabidopsis SYTA regulates endocytosis and marks an endosomal vesicle recycling pathway to regulate movement protein-mediated trafficking of the Begomovirus Cabbage leaf curl virus (CaLCuV and the Tobamovirus Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV through plasmodesmata (Lewis and Lazarowitz, 2010. To determine whether SYTA has a central role in regulating the cell-to-cell trafficking of a wider range of diverse plant viruses, we extended our studies here to examine the role of SYTA in the cell-to-cell movement of additional plant viruses that employ different modes of movement, namely the Potyvirus Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV, the Caulimovirus Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV and the Tobamovirus Turnip vein clearing virus (TVCV, which in contrast to TMV does efficiently infect Arabidopsis. We found that both TuMV and TVCV systemic infection, and the cell-to-cell trafficking of the their movement proteins, were delayed in the Arabidopsis Col-0 syta-1 knockdown mutant. In contrast, CaMV systemic infection was not inhibited in syta-1. Our studies show that SYTA is a key regulator of plant virus intercellular movement, being necessary for the ability of diverse cell-to-cell movement proteins encoded by Begomoviruses (CaLCuV MP, Tobamoviruses (TVCV and TMV 30K protein and Potyviruses (TuMV P3N-PIPO to alter PD and thereby mediate virus cell-to-cell spread.

Wall extensibility: its nature, measurement and relationship to plant cell growth

Science.gov (United States)

Cosgrove, D. J.

1993-01-01

Expansive growth of plant cells is controlled principally by processes that loosen the wall and enable it to expand irreversibly. The central role of wall relaxation for cell expansion is reviewed. The most common methods for assessing the extension properties of plant cell walls ( wall extensibility') are described, categorized and assessed critically. What emerges are three fundamentally different approaches which test growing cells for their ability (a) to enlarge at different values of turgor, (b) to induce wall relaxation, and (c) to deform elastically or plastically in response to an applied tensile force. Analogous methods with isolated walls are similarly reviewed. The results of these different assays are related to the nature of plant cell growth and pertinent biophysical theory. I argue that the extensibilities' measured by these assays are fundamentally different from one another and that some are more pertinent to growth than others.

Plant cell engineering: current research, application and future prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Xunqing; Liu Luxiang

2008-01-01

This paper reviewed the current status of basic research in plant cell engineering, highlighted the application of embryo culture, double haploid (DH) technology, protoplast culture and somatic hybridization, somaclonal variation, rapid propagation, and bio-products production of plant-origin, and t he prospects. (authors)

A quantitative and dynamic model for plant stem cell regulation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florian Geier

Full Text Available Plants maintain pools of totipotent stem cells throughout their entire life. These stem cells are embedded within specialized tissues called meristems, which form the growing points of the organism. The shoot apical meristem of the reference plant Arabidopsis thaliana is subdivided into several distinct domains, which execute diverse biological functions, such as tissue organization, cell-proliferation and differentiation. The number of cells required for growth and organ formation changes over the course of a plants life, while the structure of the meristem remains remarkably constant. Thus, regulatory systems must be in place, which allow for an adaptation of cell proliferation within the shoot apical meristem, while maintaining the organization at the tissue level. To advance our understanding of this dynamic tissue behavior, we measured domain sizes as well as cell division rates of the shoot apical meristem under various environmental conditions, which cause adaptations in meristem size. Based on our results we developed a mathematical model to explain the observed changes by a cell pool size dependent regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation, which is able to correctly predict CLV3 and WUS over-expression phenotypes. While the model shows stem cell homeostasis under constant growth conditions, it predicts a variation in stem cell number under changing conditions. Consistent with our experimental data this behavior is correlated with variations in cell proliferation. Therefore, we investigate different signaling mechanisms, which could stabilize stem cell number despite variations in cell proliferation. Our results shed light onto the dynamic constraints of stem cell pool maintenance in the shoot apical meristem of Arabidopsis in different environmental conditions and developmental states.

Pectinous cell wall thickenings formation - A common defense strategy of plants to cope with Pb.

Science.gov (United States)

Krzesłowska, Magdalena; Rabęda, Irena; Basińska, Aneta; Lewandowski, Michał; Mellerowicz, Ewa J; Napieralska, Anna; Samardakiewicz, Sławomir; Woźny, Adam

2016-07-01

Lead, one of the most abundant and hazardous trace metals affecting living organisms, has been commonly detected in plant cell walls including some tolerant plants, mining ecotypes and hyperaccumulators. We have previously shown that in tip growing Funaria sp. protonemata cell wall is remodeled in response to lead by formation of thickenings rich in low-methylesterified pectins (pectin epitope JIM5 - JIM5-P) able to bind metal ions, which accumulate large amounts of Pb. Hence, it leads to the increase of cell wall capacity for Pb compartmentalization. Here we show that diverse plant species belonging to different phyla (Arabidopsis, hybrid aspen, star duckweed), form similar cell wall thickenings in response to Pb. These thickenings are formed in tip growing cells such as the root hairs, and in diffuse growing cells such as meristematic and root cap columella cells of root apices in hybrid aspen and Arabidopsis and in mesophyll cells in star duckweed fronds. Notably, all analyzed cell wall thickenings were abundant in JIM5-P and accumulated high amounts of Pb. In addition, the co-localization of JIM5-P and Pb commonly occurred in these cells. Hence, cell wall thickenings formed the extra compartment for Pb accumulation. In this way plant cells increased cell wall capacity for compartmentalization of this toxic metal, protecting protoplast from its toxicity. As cell wall thickenings occurred in diverse plant species and cell types differing in the type of growth we may conclude that pectinous cell wall thickenings formation is a widespread defense strategy of plants to cope with Pb. Moreover, detection of natural defense strategy, increasing plant cell walls capacity for metal accumulation, reveals a promising direction for enhancing plant efficiency in phytoremediation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Hidden Habit of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Beauveria bassiana: First Demonstration of Vertical Plant Transmission

Science.gov (United States)

Quesada-Moraga, Enrique; López-Díaz, Cristina; Landa, Blanca Beatriz

2014-01-01

Beauveria bassiana strain 04/01-Tip, obtained from a larva of the opium poppy stem gall wasp Iraella luteipes (Hymenoptera; Cynipidae), endophytically colonizes opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) plants and protects them against this pest. The goal of this study was to monitor the dynamics of endophytic colonization of opium poppy by B. bassiana after the fungus was applied to the seed and to ascertain whether the fungus is transmitted vertically via seeds. Using a species-specific nested PCR protocol and DNA extracted from surface-sterilised leaf pieces or seeds of B. bassiana-inoculated opium poppy plants, the fungus was detected within the plant beginning at the growth stage of rosette building and them throughout the entire plant growth cycle (about 120–140 days after sowing). The fungus was also detected in seeds from 50% of the capsules sampled. Seeds that showed positive amplification for B. bassiana were planted in sterile soil and the endophyte was again detected in more than 42% of the plants sampled during all plant growth stages. Beauveria bassiana was transmitted to seeds in 25% of the plants from the second generation that formed a mature capsule. These results demonstrate for the first time the vertical transmission of an entomopathogenic fungus from endophytically colonised maternal plants. This information is crucial to better understand the ecological role of entomopathogenic fungi as plant endophytes and may allow development of a sustainable and cost effective strategy for I. luteipes management in P. somniferum. PMID:24551242

The hidden habit of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana: first demonstration of vertical plant transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Quesada-Moraga, Enrique; López-Díaz, Cristina; Landa, Blanca Beatriz

2014-01-01

Beauveria bassiana strain 04/01-Tip, obtained from a larva of the opium poppy stem gall wasp Iraella luteipes (Hymenoptera; Cynipidae), endophytically colonizes opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) plants and protects them against this pest. The goal of this study was to monitor the dynamics of endophytic colonization of opium poppy by B. bassiana after the fungus was applied to the seed and to ascertain whether the fungus is transmitted vertically via seeds. Using a species-specific nested PCR protocol and DNA extracted from surface-sterilised leaf pieces or seeds of B. bassiana-inoculated opium poppy plants, the fungus was detected within the plant beginning at the growth stage of rosette building and them throughout the entire plant growth cycle (about 120-140 days after sowing). The fungus was also detected in seeds from 50% of the capsules sampled. Seeds that showed positive amplification for B. bassiana were planted in sterile soil and the endophyte was again detected in more than 42% of the plants sampled during all plant growth stages. Beauveria bassiana was transmitted to seeds in 25% of the plants from the second generation that formed a mature capsule. These results demonstrate for the first time the vertical transmission of an entomopathogenic fungus from endophytically colonised maternal plants. This information is crucial to better understand the ecological role of entomopathogenic fungi as plant endophytes and may allow development of a sustainable and cost effective strategy for I. luteipes management in P. somniferum.

Cell-specific vacuolar calcium storage mediated by CAX1 regulates apoplastic calcium concentration, gas exchange, and plant productivity in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Conn, Simon J; Gilliham, Matthew; Athman, Asmini; Schreiber, Andreas W; Baumann, Ute; Moller, Isabel; Cheng, Ning-Hui; Stancombe, Matthew A; Hirschi, Kendal D; Webb, Alex A R; Burton, Rachel; Kaiser, Brent N; Tyerman, Stephen D; Leigh, Roger A

2011-01-01

The physiological role and mechanism of nutrient storage within vacuoles of specific cell types is poorly understood. Transcript profiles from Arabidopsis thaliana leaf cells differing in calcium concentration ([Ca], epidermis 60 mM) were compared using a microarray screen and single-cell quantitative PCR. Three tonoplast-localized Ca(2+) transporters, CAX1 (Ca(2+)/H(+)-antiporter), ACA4, and ACA11 (Ca(2+)-ATPases), were identified as preferentially expressed in Ca-rich mesophyll. Analysis of respective loss-of-function mutants demonstrated that only a mutant that lacked expression of both CAX1 and CAX3, a gene ectopically expressed in leaves upon knockout of CAX1, had reduced mesophyll [Ca]. Reduced capacity for mesophyll Ca accumulation resulted in reduced cell wall extensibility, stomatal aperture, transpiration, CO(2) assimilation, and leaf growth rate; increased transcript abundance of other Ca(2+) transporter genes; altered expression of cell wall-modifying proteins, including members of the pectinmethylesterase, expansin, cellulose synthase, and polygalacturonase families; and higher pectin concentrations and thicker cell walls. We demonstrate that these phenotypes result from altered apoplastic free [Ca(2+)], which is threefold greater in cax1/cax3 than in wild-type plants. We establish CAX1 as a key regulator of apoplastic [Ca(2+)] through compartmentation into mesophyll vacuoles, a mechanism essential for optimal plant function and productivity.

Molecular regulation of plant cell wall extensibility

Science.gov (United States)

Cosgrove, D. J.

1998-01-01

Gravity responses in plants often involve spatial and temporal changes in cell growth, which is regulated primarily by controlling the ability of the cell wall to extend. The wall is thought to be a cellulose-hemicellulose network embedded in a hydrated matrix of complex polysaccharides and a small amount of structural protein. The wall extends by a form of polymer creep, which is mediated by expansins, a novel group of wall-loosening proteins. Expansins were discovered during a molecular dissection of the "acid growth" behavior of cell walls. Expansin alters the rheology of plant walls in profound ways, yet its molecular mechanism of action is still uncertain. It lacks detectable hydrolytic activity against the major components of the wall, but it is able to disrupt noncovalent adhesion between wall polysaccharides. The discovery of a second family of expansins (beta-expansins) sheds light on the biological role of a major group of pollen allergens and implies that expansins have evolved for diverse developmental functions. Finally, the contribution of other processes to wall extensibility is briefly summarized.

Unleashing the potential of the root hair cell as a single plant cell type model in root systems biology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhenzhen eQiao

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Plant root is an organ composed of multiple cell types with different functions. This multicellular complexity limits our understanding of root biology because –omics studies performed at the level of the entire root reflect the average responses of all cells composing the organ. To overcome this difficulty and allow a more comprehensive understanding of root cell biology, an approach is needed that would focus on one single cell type in the plant root. Because of its biological functions (i.e. uptake of water and various nutrients; primary site of infection by nitrogen-fixing bacteria in legumes, the root hair cell is an attractive single cell model to study root cell response to various stresses and treatments. To fully study their biology, we have recently optimized procedures in obtaining root hair cell samples. We culture the plants using an ultrasound aeroponic system maximizing root hair cell density on the entire root systems and allowing the homogeneous treatment of the root system. We then isolate the root hair cells in liquid nitrogen. Isolated root hair yields could be up to 800 to 1000 mg of plant cells from 60 root systems. Using soybean as a model, the purity of the root hair was assessed by comparing the expression level of genes previously identified as soybean root hair specific between preparations of isolated root hair cells and stripped roots, roots devoid in root hairs. Enlarging our tests to include other plant species, our results support the isolation of large quantities of highly purified root hair cells which is compatible with a systems biology approach.

2003 Plant Cell Walls Gordon Conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daniel J. Cosgrove

2004-09-21

This conference will address recent progress in many aspects of cell wall biology. Molecular, genetic, and genomic approaches are yielding major advances in our understanding of the composition, synthesis, and architecture of plant cell walls and their dynamics during growth, and are identifying the genes that encode the machinery needed to make their biogenesis possible. This meeting will bring together international scientists from academia, industry and government labs to share the latest breakthroughs and perspectives on polysaccharide biosynthesis, wood formation, wall modification, expansion and interaction with other organisms, and genomic & evolutionary analyses of wall-related genes, as well as to discuss recent ''nanotechnological'' advances that take wall analysis to the level of a single cell.

Micrasterias as a model system in plant cell biology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ursula Luetz-Meindl

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The unicellular freshwater alga Micrasterias denticulata is an exceptional organism due to its extraordinary star-shaped, highly symmetric morphology and has thus attracted the interest of researchers for many decades. As a member of the Streptophyta, Micrasterias is not only genetically closely related to higher land plants but shares common features with them in many physiological and cell biological aspects. These facts, together with its considerable cell size of about 200 µm, its modest cultivation conditions and the uncomplicated accessibility particularly to any microscopic techniques, make Micrasterias a very well suited cell biological plant model system. The review focuses particularly on cell wall formation and composition, dictyosomal structure and function, cytoskeleton control of growth and morphogenesis as well as on ionic regulation and signal transduction. It has been also shown in the recent years that Micrasterias is a highly sensitive indicator for environmental stress impact such as heavy metals, high salinity, oxidative stress or starvation. Stress induced organelle degradation, autophagy, adaption and detoxification mechanisms have moved in the center of interest and have been investigated with modern microscopic techniques such as 3-D- and analytical electron microscopy as well as with biochemical, physiological and molecular approaches. This review is intended to summarize and discuss the most important results obtained in Micrasterias in the last 20 years and to compare the results to similar processes in higher plant cells.

Over facility design description for the CPDF [Centrifuge Plant Demonstration Facility]: SDD-1 [System Design Description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-04-01

The Centrifuge Plant Demonstration Facility (CPDF) is an essential part of the continuing development of first-production-plant centrifuge technology that will integrate centrifuge machines into a process and enrichment plant design. The CPDF will provide facilities for testing and continued development of a unit cascade in direct support of the commercial Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant (GCEP). The basic cascade-oriented equipment, feed, withdrawal, drive system, process piping, utility piping, and other auxiliary and support equipment will be tested in an operating configuration that represents, to the extent possible, GCEP arrangement and operating conditions. The objective will be to demonstrate procedures for production cascade installation, start-up, operation, and maintenance, and to provide proof of overall cascade and associated system design, construction, and operating and maintenance concepts. To the maximum possible extent, all equipment for the CPDF will be procured from commercial sources. Centrifuges will be procured from industry using government-supplied specifications and drawings. The existing Component Preparation Laboratory (CPL) located near the CPDF site will be used for centrifuge component receiving, inspection, assembly, and qualification testing of pre-production test machines. Later in the test program, samples of production machines planned for use in the GCEP will be tested in the CPDF

Plasmid-dependent attachment of Agrobacterium tumefaciens to plant tissue culture cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthysse, A G; Wyman, P M; Holmes, K V

1978-11-01

Kinetic, microscopic, and biochemical studies show that virulent Ti (tumor inducing)-plasmid-containing strains of Agrobacterium attach to normal tobacco and carrot tissue culture cells. Kinetic studies showed that virulent strains of A. tumefaciens attach to the plant tissue culture cells in increasing numbers during the first 1 to 2 h of incubation of the bacteria with the plant cells. Five Ti-plasmid-containing virulent Agrobacterium strains showed greater attachment to tobacco cells than did five avirulent strains. Light and scanning electron microscopic observations confirmed that virulent strains showed little attachment. Bacterial attachment was blocked by prior incubation of the plant cells with lipopolysaccharide extracted from A. tumefaciens, but not from A. radiobacter, suggesting that bacterial lipopolysaccharide is one of the components involved in the attachment process. At least one other bacterial product may be required for attachment in tissue culture because the virulent A. tumefaciens NT1, which lacks the Ti plasmid, does not itself attach to tobacco cells, but its lipopolysaccharide does inhibit the attachment of virulent strains.

Evolution of plant cell wall: Arabinogalactan-proteins from three moss genera show structural differences compared to seed plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartels, Desirée; Baumann, Alexander; Maeder, Malte; Geske, Thomas; Heise, Esther Marie; von Schwartzenberg, Klaus; Classen, Birgit

2017-05-01

Arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs) are important proteoglycans of plant cell walls. They seem to be present in most, if not all seed plants, but their occurrence and structure in bryophytes is widely unknown and actually the focus of AGP research. With regard to evolution of plant cell wall, we isolated AGPs from the three mosses Sphagnum sp., Physcomitrella patens and Polytrichastrum formosum. The moss AGPs show structural characteristics common for AGPs of seed plants, but also unique features, especially 3-O-methyl-rhamnose (trivial name acofriose) as terminal monosaccharide not found in arabinogalactan-proteins of angiosperms and 1,2,3-linked galactose as branching point never found in arabinogalactan-proteins before. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Effective productions of plant secondary metabolites having antitumor activity by plant cell and tissue cultures].

Science.gov (United States)

Taniguchi, Shoko

2005-06-01

Methods for the effective production of plant secondary metabolites with antitumor activity using plant cell and tissue cultures were developed. The factors in tannin productivity were investigated using culture strains producing different types of hydrolyzable tannins, i.e., gallotannins (mixture of galloylglucoses), ellagi-, and dehydroellagitannins. Production of ellagi- and dehydroellagitannins was affected by the concentrations and ratio of nitrogen sources in the medium. The formation of oligomeric ellagitannins in shoots of Oenothera tetraptera was correlated with the differentiation of tissues. Cultured cells of Eriobotrya japonica producing ursane- and oleanane-type triterpenes with antitumor activities were also established.

Protein diffusion in plant cell plasma membranes: the cell-wall corral.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinière, Alexandre; Runions, John

2013-01-01

Studying protein diffusion informs us about how proteins interact with their environment. Work on protein diffusion over the last several decades has illustrated the complex nature of biological lipid bilayers. The plasma membrane contains an array of membrane-spanning proteins or proteins with peripheral membrane associations. Maintenance of plasma membrane microstructure can be via physical features that provide intrinsic ordering such as lipid microdomains, or from membrane-associated structures such as the cytoskeleton. Recent evidence indicates, that in the case of plant cells, the cell wall seems to be a major player in maintaining plasma membrane microstructure. This interconnection / interaction between cell-wall and plasma membrane proteins most likely plays an important role in signal transduction, cell growth, and cell physiological responses to the environment.

Vacuolar processing enzyme in plant programmed cell death

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noriyuki eHatsugai

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Vacuolar processing enzyme (VPE is a cysteine proteinase originally identified as the proteinase responsible for the maturation and activation of vacuolar proteins in plants, and it is known to be an orthologue of animal asparaginyl endopeptidase (AEP/VPE/legumain. VPE has been shown to exhibit enzymatic properties similar to that of caspase 1, which is a cysteine protease that mediates the programmed cell death (PCD pathway in animals. Although there is limited sequence identity between VPE and caspase 1, their predicted three-dimensional structures revealed that the essential amino-acid residues for these enzymes form similar pockets for the substrate peptide YVAD. In contrast to the cytosolic localization of caspases, VPE is localized in vacuoles. VPE provokes vacuolar rupture, initiating the proteolytic cascade leading to PCD in the plant immune response. It has become apparent that the VPE-dependent PCD pathway is involved not only in the immune response, but also in the responses to a variety of stress inducers and in the development of various tissues. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the contribution of VPE to plant PCD and its role in vacuole-mediated cell death, and it also compares VPE with the animal cell death executor caspase 1.

Non-Flow-Through Fuel Cell System Test Results and Demonstration on the SCARAB Rover

Science.gov (United States)

Scheidegger, Brianne, T.; Burke, Kenneth A.; Jakupca, Ian J.

2012-01-01

This paper describes the results of the demonstration of a non-flow-through PEM fuel cell as part of a power system on the SCARAB rover. A 16-cell non-flow-through fuel cell stack from Infinity Fuel Cell and Hydrogen, Inc. was incorporated into a power system designed to act as a range extender by providing power to the rover s hotel loads. This work represents the first attempt at a ground demonstration of this new technology aboard a mobile test platform. Development and demonstration were supported by the Office of the Chief Technologist s Space Power Systems Project and the Advanced Exploration System Modular Power Systems Project.

Single guard cell recordings in intact plants : light-induced hyperpolarization of the plasma membrane

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roelfsema, MRG; Steinmeyer, R; Staal, M; Hedrich, R

Guard cells are electrically isolated from other plant cells and therefore offer the unique possibility to conduct current- and voltage-clamp recordings on single cells in an intact plant. Guard cells in their natural environment were impaled with double-barreled electrodes and found to exhibit

Microbial community structure elucidates performance of Glyceria maxima plant microbial fuel cell

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Timmers, R.A.; Rothballer, M.; Strik, D.P.B.T.B.; Engel, M.; Schulz, M.; Hartmann, A.; Hamelers, H.V.M.; Buisman, C.J.N.

2012-01-01

The plant microbial fuel cell (PMFC) is a technology in which living plant roots provide electron donor, via rhizodeposition, to a mixed microbial community to generate electricity in a microbial fuel cell. Analysis and localisation of the microbial community is necessary for gaining insight into

Inhibitory effects of crude extracts from some edible Thai plants against replication of hepatitis B virus and human liver cancer cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Waiyaput Wanwisa

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Edible plants such as Cratoxylum formosum (Jack Dyer, Curcumin longa Lin, Momordica charantia Lin and Moringa oleifera Lam have long been believed in Thai culture to relieve ulcers and the symptoms of liver disease. However, little is known about their anti-liver cancer properties and antiviral activity against hepatitis B virus (HBV. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-liver cancer and anti-HBV activities of crude extracts from these edible plants on human liver cancer cells. Methods Plant samples were prepared and extracted using buffer and hydro-alcoholic solvents. The MTT assay was performed to investigate the effects of the plant extracts on the cell viability of HepG2 cells. The inhibitory effect on replication of HBV was analysed by determining the level of HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA in transiently transfected HepG2 cells with the DNA expression plasmid of the HBV genome using a quantitative real-time PCR. Results Buffer and hydroalcoholic extracts from C. formosum (leaf reduced cell viability of HepG2 cells and they also inhibited HBV cccDNA. Crude extracts from C. longa (bulb in both solvents did not have any cytotoxic effects on the HepG2 cells, but they significantly decreased the level of HBV cccDNA. Buffer extracts from the leaves of M. charantia and the fruits of M. oleifera showed to have anti-HBV activity and also a mild cytotoxicity effect on the HepG2 cells. In addition, leaves of M. Oleifera extracted by hydroalcoholic solvent drastically decreased the level of cccDNA in transiently transfected HepG2 cells. Conclusion Some crude extracts of edible plants contain compounds that demonstrate anti-liver cancer and anti-HBV activities.

Ceratopteris richardii (C-fern: A model for investigating adaptive modification of vascular plant cell walls

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Olivier eLeroux

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Plant cell walls are essential for most aspects of plant growth, development, and survival, including cell division, expansive cell growth, cell-cell communication, biomechanical properties, and stress responses. Therefore, characterising cell wall diversity contributes to our overall understanding of plant evolution and development. Recent biochemical analyses, concomitantly with whole genome sequencing of plants located at pivotal points in plant phylogeny, have helped distinguish between homologous characters and those which might be more derived. Most plant lineages now have at least one fully sequenced representative and although genome sequences for fern species are in progress they not yet available this group. Ferns offer key advantages for the study of developmental processes leading to vascularisation and complex organs as well as the specific differences between diploid sporophyte tissues and haploid gametophyte tissues and the interplay between them. Ceratopteris richardii has been well investigated building a body of knowledge which combined with the genomic and biochemical information available for other plants will progress our understanding of wall diversity and its impact on evolution and development.

Modulation of the degree and pattern of methyl-esterification of pectic homogalacturonan in plant cell walls. Implications for pectin methyl esterase action, matrix properties, and cell adhesion.

Science.gov (United States)

Willats, W G; Orfila, C; Limberg, G; Buchholt, H C; van Alebeek, G J; Voragen, A G; Marcus, S E; Christensen, T M; Mikkelsen, J D; Murray, B S; Knox, J P

2001-06-01

Homogalacturonan (HG) is a multifunctional pectic polysaccharide of the primary cell wall matrix of all land plants. HG is thought to be deposited in cell walls in a highly methyl-esterified form but can be subsequently de-esterified by wall-based pectin methyl esterases (PMEs) that have the capacity to remove methyl ester groups from HG. Plant PMEs typically occur in multigene families/isoforms, but the precise details of the functions of PMEs are far from clear. Most are thought to act in a processive or blockwise fashion resulting in domains of contiguous de-esterified galacturonic acid residues. Such de-esterified blocks of HG can be cross-linked by calcium resulting in gel formation and can contribute to intercellular adhesion. We demonstrate that, in addition to blockwise de-esterification, HG with a non-blockwise distribution of methyl esters is also an abundant feature of HG in primary plant cell walls. A partially methyl-esterified epitope of HG that is generated in greatest abundance by non-blockwise de-esterification is spatially regulated within the cell wall matrix and occurs at points of cell separation at intercellular spaces in parenchymatous tissues of pea and other angiosperms. Analysis of the properties of calcium-mediated gels formed from pectins containing HG domains with differing degrees and patterns of methyl-esterification indicated that HG with a non-blockwise pattern of methyl ester group distribution is likely to contribute distinct mechanical and porosity properties to the cell wall matrix. These findings have important implications for our understanding of both the action of pectin methyl esterases on matrix properties and mechanisms of intercellular adhesion and its loss in plants.

Evidence for land plant cell wall biosynthetic mechanisms in charophyte green algae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikkelsen, Maria Dalgaard; Harholt, Jesper; Ulvskov, Peter

2014-01-01

in CGA is currently unknown, as no genomes are available, so this study sought to give insight into the evolution of the biosynthetic machinery of CGA through an analysis of available transcriptomes. METHODS: Available CGA transcriptomes were mined for cell wall biosynthesis GTs and compared with GTs...... to colonize land. These cell walls provide support and protection, are a source of signalling molecules, and provide developmental cues for cell differentiation and elongation. The cell wall of land plants is a highly complex fibre composite, characterized by cellulose cross-linked by non......-cellulosic polysaccharides, such as xyloglucan, embedded in a matrix of pectic polysaccharides. How the land plant cell wall evolved is currently unknown: early-divergent chlorophyte and prasinophyte algae genomes contain a low number of glycosyl transferases (GTs), while land plants contain hundreds. The number of GTs...

The Complex Cell Wall Composition of Syncytia Induced by Plant Parasitic Cyst Nematodes Reflects Both Function and Host Plant.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Li; Lilley, Catherine J; Imren, Mustafa; Knox, J Paul; Urwin, Peter E

2017-01-01

Plant-parasitic cyst nematodes induce the formation of specialized feeding structures, syncytia, within their host roots. These unique plant organs serve as the sole nutrient resource for development and reproduction throughout the biotrophic interaction. The multinucleate syncytium, which arises through local dissolution of cell walls and protoplast fusion of multiple adjacent cells, has dense cytoplasm containing numerous organelles, surrounded by thickened outer cell walls that must withstand high turgor pressure. However, little is known about how the constituents of the syncytial cell wall and their conformation support its role during nematode parasitism. We used a set of monoclonal antibodies, targeted to a range of plant cell wall components, to reveal the microstructures of syncytial cell walls induced by four of the most economically important cyst nematode species, Globodera pallida , Heterodera glycines , Heterodera avenae and Heterodera filipjevi , in their respective potato, soybean, and spring wheat host roots. In situ fluorescence analysis revealed highly similar cell wall composition of syncytia induced by G. pallida and H. glycines . Both consisted of abundant xyloglucan, methyl-esterified homogalacturonan and pectic arabinan. In contrast, the walls of syncytia induced in wheat roots by H. avenae and H. filipjevi contain little xyloglucan but are rich in feruloylated xylan and arabinan residues, with variable levels of mixed-linkage glucan. The overall chemical composition of syncytial cell walls reflected the general features of root cell walls of the different host plants. We relate specific components of syncytial cell walls, such as abundant arabinan, methyl-esterification status of pectic homogalacturonan and feruloylation of xylan, to their potential roles in forming a network to support both the strength and flexibility required for syncytium function.

Development of analytical cell support for vitrification at the West Valley Demonstration Project. Topical report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barber, F.H.; Borek, T.T.; Christopher, J.Z. [and others

1997-12-01

Analytical and Process Chemistry (A&PC) support is essential to the high-level waste vitrification campaign at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP). A&PC characterizes the waste, providing information necessary to formulate the recipe for the target radioactive glass product. High-level waste (HLW) samples are prepared and analyzed in the analytical cells (ACs) and Sample Storage Cell (SSC) on the third floor of the main plant. The high levels of radioactivity in the samples require handling them in the shielded cells with remote manipulators. The analytical hot cells and third floor laboratories were refurbished to ensure optimal uninterrupted operation during the vitrification campaign. New and modified instrumentation, tools, sample preparation and analysis techniques, and equipment and training were required for A&PC to support vitrification. Analytical Cell Mockup Units (ACMUs) were designed to facilitate method development, scientist and technician training, and planning for analytical process flow. The ACMUs were fabricated and installed to simulate the analytical cell environment and dimensions. New techniques, equipment, and tools could be evaluated m in the ACMUs without the consequences of generating or handling radioactive waste. Tools were fabricated, handling and disposal of wastes was addressed, and spatial arrangements for equipment were refined. As a result of the work at the ACMUs the remote preparation and analysis methods and the equipment and tools were ready for installation into the ACs and SSC m in July 1995. Before use m in the hot cells, all remote methods had been validated and four to eight technicians were trained on each. Fine tuning of the procedures has been ongoing at the ACs based on input from A&PC technicians. Working at the ACs presents greater challenges than had development at the ACMUs. The ACMU work and further refinements m in the ACs have resulted m in a reduction m in analysis turnaround time (TAT).

GCFR demonstration plant: conceptual design and status report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-12-01

Helium Breeder Associates (HBA), a non-profit corporation, has been the program manager and technical integrator of the Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor (GCFR) development effort since 1977. When DOE discontinued support of the GCFR in 1980, the HBA members undertook the task of providing for an orderly termination and documentation of the program. HBA does not agree with the government's rational for withdrawing support for this promising technology and has directed its termination and documentation toward preserving the current state of its development. Toward that end, HBA has compiled the following report which is a summary of the conceptual design of the demonstration plant and status of the program as of the end of 1980. It includes summaries of tasks that have not evolved to a final conclusion. Although the report has not been subjected to formal review and approval by the designers, it is intended to provide the reader with the design considerations that were current at the time of program termination. It is hoped that the report will be useful in restarting the program in the future by establishing the basis of the completed conceptual design and indicating a logical path for new design and development

Altered Cell Wall Plasticity Can Restrict Plant Growth under Ammonium Nutrition.

Science.gov (United States)

Podgórska, Anna; Burian, Maria; Gieczewska, Katarzyna; Ostaszewska-Bugajska, Monika; Zebrowski, Jacek; Solecka, Danuta; Szal, Bożena

2017-01-01

Plants mainly utilize inorganic forms of nitrogen (N), such as nitrate (NO 3 - ) and ammonium (NH 4 + ). However, the composition of the N source is important, because excess of NH 4 + promotes morphological disorders. Plants cultured on NH 4 + as the sole N source exhibit serious growth inhibition, commonly referred to as "ammonium toxicity syndrome." NH 4 + -mediated suppression of growth may be attributable to both repression of cell elongation and reduction of cell division. The precondition for cell enlargement is the expansion of the cell wall, which requires the loosening of the cell wall polymers. Therefore, to understand how NH 4 + nutrition may trigger growth retardation in plants, properties of their cell walls were analyzed. We found that Arabidopsis thaliana using NH 4 + as the sole N source has smaller cells with relatively thicker cell walls. Moreover, cellulose, which is the main load-bearing polysaccharide revealed a denser assembly of microfibrils. Consequently, the leaf blade tissue showed elevated tensile strength and indicated higher cell wall stiffness. These changes might be related to changes in polysaccharide and ion content of cell walls. Further, NH 4 + toxicity was associated with altered activities of cell wall modifying proteins. The lower activity and/or expression of pectin hydrolyzing enzymes and expansins might limit cell wall expansion. Additionally, the higher activity of cell wall peroxidases can lead to higher cross-linking of cell wall polymers. Overall, the NH 4 + -mediated inhibition of growth is related to a more rigid cell wall structure, which limits expansion of cells. The changes in cell wall composition were also indicated by decreased expression of Feronia , a receptor-like kinase involved in the control of cell wall extension.

Texas Native Plants Yield Compounds with Cytotoxic Activities against Prostate Cancer Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaffer, Corena V; Cai, Shengxin; Peng, Jiangnan; Robles, Andrew J; Hartley, Rachel M; Powell, Douglas R; Du, Lin; Cichewicz, Robert H; Mooberry, Susan L

2016-03-25

There remains a critical need for more effective therapies for the treatment of late-stage and metastatic prostate cancers. Three Texas native plants yielded three new and three known compounds with antiproliferative and cytotoxic activities against prostate cancer cells with IC50 values in the range of 1.7-35.0 μM. A new sesquiterpene named espadalide (1), isolated from Gochnatia hypoleuca, had low micromolar potency and was highly effective in clonogenic assays. Two known bioactive germacranolides (2 and 3) were additionally isolated from G. hypoleuca. Dalea frutescens yielded two new isoprenylated chalcones, named sanjuanolide (4) and sanjoseolide (5), and the known sesquiterpenediol verbesindiol (6) was isolated from Verbesina virginica. Mechanistic studies showed that 1-4 caused G2/M accumulation and the formation of abnormal mitotic spindles. Tubulin polymerization assays revealed that 4 increased the initial rate of tubulin polymerization, but did not change total tubulin polymer levels, and 1-3 had no effects on tubulin polymerization. Despite its cytotoxic activity, compound 6 did not initiate changes in cell cycle distribution and has a mechanism of action different from the other compounds. This study demonstrates that new compounds with significant biological activities germane to unmet oncological needs can be isolated from Texas native plants.

The stem cell state in plant development and in response to stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gideon eGrafi

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Stem cells are commonly defined by their developmental capabilities, namely, self-renewal and multitype differentiation, yet the biology of stem cells and their inherent features both in plants and animals are only beginning to be elucidated. In this review article we highlight the stem cell state in plants (with reference to animals and the plastic nature of plant somatic cells (often referred to as totipotency as well as the essence of cellular dedifferentiation. Based on recent published data, we illustrate the picture of stem cells with emphasis on their open chromatin conformation. We discuss the process of dedifferentiation and highlight its transient nature, its distinction from reentry into the cell cycle and its activation following exposure to stress. We also discuss the potential hazard that can be brought about by stress-induced dedifferentiation and its major impact on the genome, which can undergo stochastic, abnormal reorganization leading to genetic variation by means of DNA transposition and/or DNA recombination.

Protein diffusion in plant cell plasma membranes: The cell-wall corral

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandre eMartinière

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Studying protein diffusion informs us about how proteins interact with their environment. Work on protein diffusion over the last several decades has illustrated the complex nature of biological lipid bilayers. The plasma membrane contains an array of membrane-spanning proteins or proteins with peripheral membrane associations. Maintenance of plasma membrane microstructure can be via physical features that provide intrinsic ordering such as lipid microdomains, or from membrane-associated structures such as the cytoskeleton. Recent evidence indicates, that in the case of plant cells, the cell wall seems to be a major player in maintaining plasma membrane microstructure. This interconnection / interaction between cell-wall and plasma membrane proteins most likely plays an important role in signal transduction, cell growth, and cell physiological responses to the environment.

Dry spent-fuel consolidation demonstration at the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant (BNFP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Townes, G.A.

1982-08-01

Equipment for disassembling and canning (or encapsulating) spent fuel to allow more efficient storage is being developed and demonstrated at the BNFP. The program is aimed at dry disassembly of fuel to allow storage and shipment of fuel pins rather than full fuel assemblies. Results indicate that doubling the existing storage capacity or tripling the carrying capacity of existing transportation equipment is achievable. Disassembly has been demonstrated in the BNFP hot cells at rates of approx. 10 to 12 assemblies per day. 3 figures

Plant glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchored proteins at the plasma membrane-cell wall nexus.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeats, Trevor H; Bacic, Antony; Johnson, Kim L

2018-04-18

Approximately 1% of plant proteins are predicted to be post-translationally modified with a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor that tethers the polypeptide to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. While the synthesis and structure of GPI anchors is largely conserved across eukaryotes, the repertoire of functional domains present in the GPI-anchored proteome has diverged substantially. In plants, this includes a large fraction of the GPI-anchored proteome being further modified with plant-specific arabinogalactan (AG) O-glycans. The importance of the GPI-anchored proteome to plant development is underscored by the fact that GPI biosynthetic null mutants exhibit embryo lethality. Mutations in genes encoding specific GPI-anchored proteins (GAPs) further supports their contribution to diverse biological processes occurring at the interface of the plasma membrane and cell wall, including signaling, cell wall metabolism, cell wall polymer cross-linking, and plasmodesmatal transport. Here, we review the literature concerning plant GPI-anchored proteins in the context of their potential to act as molecular hubs that mediate interactions between the plasma membrane and the cell wall and their potential to transduce the signal into the protoplast and thereby activate signal transduction pathways. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The plant cell wall in the feeding sites of cyst nematodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bohlmann, Holger; Sobczak, Miroslaw

2014-01-01

Plant parasitic cyst nematodes (genera Heterodera and Globodera) are serious pests for many crops. They enter the host roots as migratory second stage juveniles (J2) and migrate intracellularly toward the vascular cylinder using their stylet and a set of cell wall degrading enzymes produced in the pharyngeal glands. They select an initial syncytial cell (ISC) within the vascular cylinder or inner cortex layers to induce the formation of a multicellular feeding site called a syncytium, which is the only source of nutrients for the parasite during its entire life. A syncytium can consist of more than hundred cells whose protoplasts are fused together through local cell wall dissolutions. While the nematode produces a cocktail of cell wall degrading and modifying enzymes during migration through the root, the cell wall degradations occurring during syncytium development are due to the plants own cell wall modifying and degrading proteins. The outer syncytial cell wall thickens to withstand the increasing osmotic pressure inside the syncytium. Furthermore, pronounced cell wall ingrowths can be formed on the outer syncytial wall at the interface with xylem vessels. They increase the surface of the symplast-apoplast interface, thus enhancing nutrient uptake into the syncytium. Processes of cell wall degradation, synthesis and modification in the syncytium are facilitated by a variety of plant proteins and enzymes including expansins, glucanases, pectate lyases and cellulose synthases, which are produced inside the syncytium or in cells surrounding the syncytium.

The plant cell wall in the feeding sites of cyst nematodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Holger eBohlmann

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Plant parasitic cyst nematodes (genera Heterodera and Globodera are serious pests for many crops. They enter the host roots as migratory second stage juveniles (J2 and migrate intracellularly towards the vascular cylinder using their stylet and a set of cell wall degrading enzymes produced in the pharyngeal glands. They select an initial syncytial cell (ISC within the vascular cylinder or inner cortex layers to induce the formation of a multicellular feeding site called a syncytium, which is the only source of nutrients for the parasite during its entire life. A syncytium can consist of more than hundred cells whose protoplasts are fused together through local cell wall dissolutions. While the nematode produces a cocktail of cell wall degrading and modifying enzymes during migration through the root, the cell wall degradations occurring during syncytium development are due to the plants own cell wall modifying and degrading proteins. The outer syncytial cell wall thickens to withstand the increasing osmotic pressure inside the syncytium. Furthermore, pronounced cell wall ingrowths can be formed on the outer syncytial wall at the interface with xylem vessels. They increase the surface of the symplast-apoplast interface, thus enhancing nutrient uptake into the syncytium. Processes of cell wall degradation, synthesis and modification in the syncytium are facilitated by a variety of plant proteins and enzymes including expansins, glucanases, pectate lyases and cellulose synthases, which are produced inside the syncytium or in cells surrounding the syncytium.

The Role of Plant Cell Wall Proteins in Response to Salt Stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lyuben Zagorchev

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Contemporary agriculture is facing new challenges with the increasing population and demand for food on Earth and the decrease in crop productivity due to abiotic stresses such as water deficit, high salinity, and extreme fluctuations of temperatures. The knowledge of plant stress responses, though widely extended in recent years, is still unable to provide efficient strategies for improvement of agriculture. The focus of study has been shifted to the plant cell wall as a dynamic and crucial component of the plant cell that could immediately respond to changes in the environment. The investigation of plant cell wall proteins, especially in commercially important monocot crops revealed the high involvement of this compartment in plants stress responses, but there is still much more to be comprehended. The aim of this review is to summarize the available data on this issue and to point out the future areas of interest that should be studied in detail.

Melatonin redirects carbohydrates metabolism during sugar starvation in plant cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobylińska, Agnieszka; Borek, Sławomir; Posmyk, Małgorzata M

2018-05-01

Recent studies have shown that melatonin is an important molecule in plant physiology. It seems that the most important is that melatonin efficacy eliminates oxidative stress (direct and indirect antioxidant) and moreover induce plant stress reaction and switch on different defence strategies (preventively and interventively actions). In this report, the impact of exogenous melatonin on carbohydrate metabolism in Nicotiana tabacum L. line Bright Yellow 2 (BY-2) suspension cells during sugar starvation was examined. We analysed starch concentration, α-amylase and PEPCK activity as well as proteolytic activity in culture media. It has been shown that BY-2 cell treatment with 200 nM of melatonin improved viability of sugar-starved cells. It was correlated with higher starch content and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) activity. The obtained results revealed that exogenous melatonin under specific conditions (stress) can play regulatory role in sugar metabolism, and it may modulate carbohydrate concentration in etiolated BY-2 cells. Moreover, our results confirmed the hypothesis that if the starch is synthesised even in sugar-starved cells, it is highly probable that melatonin shifts the BY-2 cell metabolism on gluconeogenesis pathway and allows for synthesis of carbohydrates from nonsugar precursors, that is amino acids. These points to another defence strategy that was induced by exogenous melatonin applied in plants to overcome adverse environmental conditions. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Ultrasound-microbubble mediated cavitation of plant cells: effects on morphology and viability.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Peng; Xu, Lin; Zhong, Wenjing; Yu, Alfred C H

2012-06-01

The interaction between ultrasound pulses and microbubbles is known to generate acoustic cavitation that may puncture biological cells. This work presents new experimental findings on the bioeffects of ultrasound-microbubble mediated cavitation in plant cells with emphasis on direct observations of morphological impact and analysis of viability trends in tobacco BY-2 cells that are widely studied in higher plant physiology. The tobacco cell suspensions were exposed to 1 MHz ultrasound pulses in the presence of 1% v/v microbubbles (10% duty cycle; 1 kHz pulse repetition frequency; 70 mm between probe and cells; 1-min exposure time). Few bioeffects were observed at low peak negative pressures (cavitation presumably occurred. In contrast, at 0.9 MPa peak negative pressure (with more inertial cavitation activities according to our passive cavitation detection results), random pores were found on tobacco cell wall (observed via scanning electron microscopy) and enhanced exogenous uptake into the cytoplasm was evident (noted in our fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran uptake analysis). Also, instant lysis was observed in 23.4% of cells (found using trypan blue staining) and programmed cell death was seen in 23.3% of population after 12 h (determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling [TUNEL]). These bioeffects generally correspond in trend with those for mammalian cells. This raises the possibility of developing ultrasound-microbubble mediated cavitation into a targeted gene transfection paradigm for plant cells and, conversely, adopting plant cells as experimental test-beds for sonoporation-based gene therapy in mammalian cells. Copyright © 2012 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Distinct regions of the Phytophthora essential effector Avh238 determine its function in cell death activation and plant immunity suppression.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Bo; Wang, Qunqing; Jing, Maofeng; Guo, Baodian; Wu, Jiawei; Wang, Haonan; Wang, Yang; Lin, Long; Wang, Yan; Ye, Wenwu; Dong, Suomeng; Wang, Yuanchao

2017-04-01

Phytophthora pathogens secrete effectors to manipulate host innate immunity, thus facilitating infection. Among the RXLR effectors highly induced during Phytophthora sojae infection, Avh238 not only contributes to pathogen virulence but also triggers plant cell death. However, the detailed molecular basis of Avh238 functions remains largely unknown. We mapped the regions responsible for Avh238 functions in pathogen virulence and plant cell death induction using a strategy that combines investigation of natural variation and large-scale mutagenesis assays. The correlation between cellular localization and Avh238 functions was also evaluated. We found that the 79 th residue (histidine or leucine) of Avh238 determined its cell death-inducing activity, and that the 53 amino acids in its C-terminal region are responsible for promoting Phytophthora infection. Transient expression of Avh238 in Nicotiana benthamiana revealed that nuclear localization is essential for triggering cell death, while Avh238-mediated suppression of INF1-triggered cell death requires cytoplasmic localization. Our results demonstrate that a representative example of an essential Phytophthora RXLR effector can evolve to escape recognition by the host by mutating one nucleotide site, and can also retain plant immunosuppressive activity to enhance pathogen virulence in planta. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

Plant response to heavy metals and organic pollutants in cell culture and at whole plant level

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Golan-Goldhirsh, A.; Barazani, O. [Ben-Gurion Univ. of The Negev, The Jacob Blaustein Inst. for Desert Research, Albert Katz Dept. of Dryland Biotechnologies, Desert Plant Biotechnology Lab., Sede Boqer Campus (Israel); Nepovim, A.; Soudek, P.; Vanek, T. [Inst. of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry (Czech Republic); Smrcek, S.; Dufkova, L.; Krenkova, S. [Faculty of Natural Sciences, Charles Univ. (Czech Republic); Yrjala, K. [Univ. of Helsinki, Dept. of Biosciences, Div. of General Microbiology, Helsinki (Finland); Schroeder, P. [Inst. for Soil Ecology, GSF National Research Center for Environment and Health, Neuherberg, Oberschleissheim (Germany)

2004-07-01

Background. Increasing awareness in the last decade concerning environmental quality had prompted research into 'green solutions' for soil and water remediation, progressing from laboratory in vitro experiments to pot and field trials. In vitro cell culture experiments provide a convenient system to study basic biological processes, by which biochemical pathways, enzymatic activity and metabolites can be specifically studied. However, it is difficult to relate cell cultures, calli or even hydroponic experiments to the whole plant response to pollutant stress. In the field, plants are exposed to additional a-biotic and biotic factors, which complicate further plant response. Hence, we often see that in vitro selected species perform poorly under soil and field conditions. Soil physical and chemical properties, plant-mycorrhizal association and soil-microbial activity affect the process of contaminant degradation by plants and/or microorganisms, pointing to the importance of pot and field experiments. Objective. This paper is a joint effort of a group of scientists in COST action 837. It represents experimental work and an overview on plant response to environmental stress from in vitro tissue culture to whole plant experiments in soil. Results. Results obtained from in vitro plant tissue cultures and whole plant hydroponic experiments indicate the phytoremediation potential of different plant species and the biochemical mechanisms involved in plant tolerance. In pot experiments, several selected desert plant species, which accumulated heavy metal in hydroponic systems, succeeded in accumulating the heavy metal in soil conditions as well. Conclusions and recommendations. In vitro plant tissue cultures provide a useful experimental system for the study of the mechanisms involved in the detoxification of organic and heavy metal pollutants. However, whole plant experimental systems, as well as hydroponics followed by pot and field trials, are essential when

Plant parasitic nematode effectors target host defence and nuclear functions to establish feeding cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michaël eQuentin

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Plant parasitic nematodes are microscopic worms, the most damaging species of which have adopted a sedentary lifestyle within their hosts. These obligate endoparasites have a biotrophic relationship with plants, in which they induce the differentiation of root cells into hypertrophied, multinucleate feeding cells. Effectors synthesised in the oesophageal glands of the nematode are injected into the plant cells via the syringe-like stylet and play a key role in manipulating the host machinery. The establishment of specialized feeding cells requires these effectors to modulate many aspects of plant cell morphogenesis and physiology, including defence responses. This cell reprogramming requires changes to host nuclear processes. Some proteins encoded by parasitism genes target host nuclei. Several of these proteins were immunolocalised within feeding cell nuclei or shown to interact with host nuclear proteins. Comparative genomics and functional analyses are gradually revealing the roles of nematode effectors. We describe here these effectors and their hypothesised roles in the unique feeding behaviour of these pests.

Cloning higher plants from aseptically cultured tissues and cells

Science.gov (United States)

Krikorian, A. D.

1982-01-01

A review of aseptic culture methods for higher plants is presented, which focuses on the existing problems that limit or prevent the full realization of cloning plants from free cells. It is shown that substantial progress in clonal multiplication has been made with explanted stem tips or lateral buds which can be stimulated to produce numerous precocious axillary branches. These branches can then be separated or subdivided and induced to root in order to yield populations of genetically and phenotypically uniorm plantlets. Similarly, undifferentiated calluses can sometimes be induced to form shoots and/or roots adventitiously. Although the cell culture techniques required to produce somatic embryos are presently rudimentary, steady advances are being made in learning how to stimulate formation of somatic or adventive embryos from totipotent cells grown in suspension cultures. It is concluded that many problems exist in the producing and growing of totipotent or morphogenetically competent cell suspensions, but the potential benefits are great.

Opportunities for PEM fuel cell commercialization : fuel cell electric vehicle demonstration in Shanghai

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Z.F. [Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ., Shanghai (China). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

2006-07-01

The research and development activities devoted to the development of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) were discussed with reference to its application in the fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). In the past decade, PEMFC technology has been successfully applied in both the automobile and residential sector worldwide. In China, more than one billion RMB yuan has been granted by the Chinese government to develop PEM fuel cell technology over the past 5 years, particularly for commercialization of the fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). The City of Shanghai has played a significant role in the FCEV demonstration with involvement by Shanghai Auto Industrial Company (SAIC), Tongji University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, and Shanghai Shenli High Tech Co. Ltd. These participants were involved in the development and integration of the following components into the FCEV: fuel cell engines, batteries, FCEV electric control systems, and primary materials for the fuel cell stack. During the course of the next five year-plan (2006-2010), Shanghai will promote the commercialization of FCEV. More than one thousand FCEVs will be manufactured and an FCEV fleet will be in operation throughout Shanghai City by 2010.

Induction of murine embryonic stem cell differentiation by medicinal plant extracts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reynertson, Kurt A. [Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065 (United States); Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065 (United States); Charlson, Mary E. [Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065 (United States); Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065 (United States); Gudas, Lorraine J., E-mail: ljgudas@med.cornell.edu [Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065 (United States); Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065 (United States); Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065 (United States)

2011-01-01

Epidemiological evidence indicates that diets high in fruits and vegetables provide a measure of cancer chemoprevention due to phytochemical constituents. Natural products are a rich source of cancer chemotherapy drugs, and primarily target rapidly cycling tumor cells. Increasing evidence indicates that many cancers contain small populations of resistant, stem-like cells that have the capacity to regenerate tumors following chemotherapy and radiation, and have been linked to the initiation of metastases. Our goal is to discover natural product-based clinical or dietary interventions that selectively target cancer stem cells, inducing differentiation. We adapted an alkaline phosphatase (AP) stain to assay plant extracts for the capacity to induce differentiation in embryonic stem (ES) cells. AP is a characteristic marker of undifferentiated ES cells, and this represents a novel approach to screening medicinal plant extracts. Following a survey of approximately 100 fractions obtained from 12 species of ethnomedically utilized plants, we found fractions from 3 species that induced differentiation, decreasing AP and transcript levels of pluripotency markers (Nanog, Oct-4, Rex-1). These fractions affected proliferation of murine ES, and human embryonal, prostate, and breast carcinoma cells in a dose-dependent manner. Several phytochemical constituents were isolated; the antioxidant phytochemicals ellagic acid and gallic acid were shown to affect viability of cultured breast carcinoma cells.

Inhibiting Cadmium Transport Process in Root Cells of Plants: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ZHAO Yan-ling

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Cadmium(Cd is the most common element found in the heavy-metal contaminated soils in China. Roots of rice and vegetables can concentrate Cd from acid soils, and then transport Cd to above-ground parts. Cd in edible part of plants directly influences the food safety. Cellwall, plasma membrane and organells of root cells in plant can discriminate Cd from other elements. A lot of Cd can be fixed in root cells by precipitation, complexation, compartmentation, and so on, to inhibit its transport from roots to shoot and guarantee the physiological activities in above-ground parts carrying out normally. This paper summarized recent advance on inhibiting Cd transport process in subcellular fractions of root cells of plants, which is in advantage of exploring excellent germplasms and gene resources in the future.

Zero Emission Bay Area (ZEBA) Fuel Cell Bus Demonstration Results: Sixth Report

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-01

This report presents results of a demonstration of fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs) operating in Oakland, California. Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) leads the Zero Emission Bay Area (ZEBA) demonstration that includes 13 advanced-d...

Application of the comet assay in studies of programmed cell death (PCD in plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Charzyńska

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Programmed cell death (PCD in plants is an intensively investigated process. One of the main characteristics of PCD in both animal and plant organisms is the non-random, internucleosomal fragmentation of nuclear DNA, usually analysed using total DNA gel electrophoresis or TUNEL method. In this paper we present application of the "comet assay" (Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis for detection of nDNA degradation in studies of PCD during plant life cycle. We analyzed three types of tissue: anther tapetum, endosperm and mesophyll which were prepared in different ways to obtain a suspension of viable cells (without cell walls. The comet assay gives a possibility of examination of the nDNA degradation in individual cell. This method is significant for studies of the plant tissue differentiation and senescence especially in the cases when it is not possible to isolate large number of cells at the same developmental stage.

Extracellular Trapping of Soil Contaminants by Root Border Cells: New Insights into Plant Defense

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martha C. Hawes

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Soil and water pollution by metals and other toxic chemicals is difficult to measure and control, and, as such, presents an ongoing global threat to sustainable agriculture and human health. Efforts to remove contaminants by plant-mediated pathways, or “phytoremediation”, though widely studied, have failed to yield consistent, predictable removal of biological and chemical contaminants. Emerging research has revealed that one major limitation to using plants to clean up the environment is that plants are programmed to protect themselves: Like white blood cells in animals, border cells released from plant root tips carry out an extracellular trapping process to neutralize threats and prevent injury to the host. Variability in border cell trapping has been found to be correlated with variation in sensitivity of roots to aluminum, and removal of border cell results in increased Al uptake into the root tip. Studies now have implicated border cells in responses of diverse plant roots to a range of heavy metals, including arsenic, copper, cadmium, lead, mercury, iron, and zinc. A better understanding of border cell extracellular traps and their role in preventing toxin uptake may facilitate efforts to use plants as a nondestructive approach to neutralize environmental threats.

Demonstration of NK cell-mediated lysis of varicella-zoster virus (VZV)-infected cells: characterization of the effector cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tilden, A.B.; Cauda, R.; Grossi, C.E.; Balch, C.M.; Lakeman, A.D.; Whitley, R.J.

1986-06-01

Infection with varicella-zoster virus (VZV) rendered RAJI cells more susceptible to lysis by non-adherent blood lymphocytes. At an effector to target ratio of 80:1 the mean percentage of /sup 51/Cr release of VZV-infected RAJI cells was 41 +/- 12%, whereas that of uninfected RAJI cells was 15 +/- 6%. The increased susceptibility to lysis was associated with increased effector to target conjugate formation in immunofluorescence binding assays. The effector cells cytotoxic for VZV-infected RAJI cells were predominantly Leu-11a/sup +/ Leu-4/sup -/ granular lymphocytes as demonstrated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. The effector cell active against VZV-infected RAJI cells appeared similar to those active against herpes simplex virus (HSV)-infected cells, because in cold target competition experiments the lysis of /sup 51/Cr-labeled VZV-infected RAJI cells was efficiently inhibited by either unlabeled VZV-infected RAJI cells (mean 71% inhibition, 2:1 ratio unlabeled to labeled target) or HSV-infected RAJI cells (mean 69% inhibition) but not by uninfected RAJI cells (mean 10% inhibition). In contrast, competition experiments revealed donor heterogeneity in the overlap between effector cells for VZV- or HSV-infected RAJI vs K-562 cells.

Enhancement of electricity production by graphene oxide in soil microbial fuel cells and plant microbial fuel cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuko eGoto

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The effects of graphene oxide (GO on electricity generation in soil microbial fuel cells (SMFCs and plant microbial fuel cell (PMFCs were investigated. GO at concentrations ranging from 0 to 1.9 g•kg-1 was added to soil and reduced for 10 days under anaerobic incubation. All SMFCs (GO-SMFCs utilizing the soils incubated with GO produced electricity at a greater rate and in higher quantities than the SMFCs which did not contain GO. In fed-batch operations, the overall average electricity generation in GO-SMFCs containing 1.0 g•kg-1 of GO was 40 ± 19 mW•m-2, which was significantly higher than the value of 6.6 ± 8.9 mW•m-2 generated from GO-free SMFCs (p -2 of electricity after 27 days of operation. Collectively, this study demonstrates that GO added to soil can be microbially reduced in soil, and facilitates electron transfer to the anode in both SMFCs and PMFCs.

The plant secretory pathway seen through the lens of the cell wall.

Science.gov (United States)

van de Meene, A M L; Doblin, M S; Bacic, Antony

2017-01-01

Secretion in plant cells is often studied by looking at well-characterised, evolutionarily conserved membrane proteins associated with particular endomembrane compartments. Studies using live cell microscopy and fluorescent proteins have illuminated the highly dynamic nature of trafficking, and electron microscopy studies have resolved the ultrastructure of many compartments. Biochemical and molecular analyses have further informed about the function of particular proteins and endomembrane compartments. In plants, there are over 40 cell types, each with highly specialised functions, and hence potential variations in cell biological processes and cell wall structure. As the primary function of secretion in plant cells is for the biosynthesis of cell wall polysaccharides and apoplastic transport complexes, it follows that utilising our knowledge of cell wall glycosyltransferases (GTs) and their polysaccharide products will inform us about secretion. Indeed, this knowledge has led to novel insights into the secretory pathway, including previously unseen post-TGN secretory compartments. Conversely, our knowledge of trafficking routes of secretion will inform us about polarised and localised deposition of cell walls and their constituent polysaccharides/glycoproteins. In this review, we look at what is known about cell wall biosynthesis and the secretory pathway and how the different approaches can be used in a complementary manner to study secretion and provide novel insights into these processes.

Fiscal 1995 achievement report. Development of entrained bed coal gasification power plant (Part 5 - Surveys and studies of demonstration plant); 1995 nendo seika hokokusho. Funryusho sekitan gaska hatsuden plant kaihatsu - Sono 5. Jissho plant ni kansuru chosa kenkyu hen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

Surveys and studies were conducted concerning a demonstration plant for establishing the technology of integrated coal gasification combined cycle, and the fiscal 1995 results are compiled. In this fiscal year, a demonstration plant conceptual design was prepared for assuring smooth transition from a pilot plant to a commercial plant. The design followed the system employed at the Nakoso pilot plant for its gasification power generation. It was decided that the gasification furnace be of the air-blown (oxygen enriched) 2-stage entrained bed type, that the desulfurization system be of the dry type 2-stage fluidized bed type, the dedusting system be of the dry type granular bed type (moving bed type), that the combined cycle power facility be derived from the commercialized gas turbine, and that the cycle of the steam system agree with the integrated coal gasification combined cycle system now under discussion. Studies were made, which covered heat efficiency (generating end/sending end), heat/matter balance, process flow, gas turbine/steam system optimization, comparison in performance with a pilot plant with its dimensions increased, estimation of the performance of each of the facilities, estimation of the construction cost, calculation of the generation cost, environmental friendliness, operating characteristics, acceptable coal types, and the like. (NEDO)

Characterization of Cellulose Synthesis in Plant Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Maleki, Samaneh Sadat; Mohammadi, Kourosh; Ji, Kong-shu

2016-01-01

Cellulose is the most significant structural component of plant cell wall. Cellulose, polysaccharide containing repeated unbranched β (1-4) D-glucose units, is synthesized at the plasma membrane by the cellulose synthase complex (CSC) from bacteria to plants. The CSC is involved in biosynthesis of cellulose microfibrils containing 18 cellulose synthase (CesA) proteins. Macrofibrils can be formed with side by side arrangement of microfibrils. In addition, beside CesA, various proteins like the KORRIGAN, sucrose synthase, cytoskeletal components, and COBRA-like proteins have been involved in cellulose biosynthesis. Understanding the mechanisms of cellulose biosynthesis is of great importance not only for improving wood production in economically important forest trees to mankind but also for plant development. This review article covers the current knowledge about the cellulose biosynthesis-related gene family. PMID:27314060

Characterization of Cellulose Synthesis in Plant Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samaneh Sadat Maleki

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Cellulose is the most significant structural component of plant cell wall. Cellulose, polysaccharide containing repeated unbranched β (1-4 D-glucose units, is synthesized at the plasma membrane by the cellulose synthase complex (CSC from bacteria to plants. The CSC is involved in biosynthesis of cellulose microfibrils containing 18 cellulose synthase (CesA proteins. Macrofibrils can be formed with side by side arrangement of microfibrils. In addition, beside CesA, various proteins like the KORRIGAN, sucrose synthase, cytoskeletal components, and COBRA-like proteins have been involved in cellulose biosynthesis. Understanding the mechanisms of cellulose biosynthesis is of great importance not only for improving wood production in economically important forest trees to mankind but also for plant development. This review article covers the current knowledge about the cellulose biosynthesis-related gene family.

Demonstration test for reliability of valves for atomic power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hosaka, Shiro

1978-01-01

The demonstration test on the reliability of valves for atomic power plants being carried out by the Nuclear Engineering Test Center is reported. This test series is conducted as six-year project from FY 1976 to FY 1981 at the Isogo Test Center. The demonstration test consists of (1) environmental test, (2) reaction force test, (3) vibration test, (4) stress measurement test, (5) operational characteristic test, (6) flow resistance coefficient measuring test, (7) leakage test and (8) safety valve and relief valve test. These contents are explained about the special requirements for nuclear use, for example, the enviornmental condition after the design base accident of PWRs and BWRs, the environmental test sequence for isolation valves of containment vessels under the emergency condition, the seismic test condition for valves of nuclear use, the various stress measurements under thermal transient conditions, the leak test after 500 cycles between the normal operating conditions for PWRs and BWRs and the start up conditions and so on. As for the testing facilities, the whole flow diagram is shown, in which the environmental test section, the vibration test section, the steam test section, the hot water test section, the safety valve test section and main components are included. The specifications of each test section and main components are presented. (Nakai, Y.)

Cytotoxicity of South-African medicinal plants towards sensitive and multidrug-resistant cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Saeed, Mohamed E M; Meyer, Marion; Hussein, Ahmed; Efferth, Thomas

2016-06-20

Traditional medicine plays a major role for primary health care worldwide. Cancer belongs to the leading disease burden in industrialized and developing countries. Successful cancer therapy is hampered by the development of resistance towards established anticancer drugs. In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxicity of 29 extracts from 26 medicinal plants of South-Africa against leukemia cell lines, most of which are used traditionally to treat cancer and related symptoms. We have investigated the plant extracts for their cytotoxic activity towards drug-sensitive parental CCRF-CEM leukemia cells and their multidrug-resistant P-glycoprotein-overexpressing subline, CEM/ADR5000 by means of the resazurin assay. A panel of 60 NCI tumor cell lines have been investigated for correlations between selected phytochemicals from medicinal plants and the expression of resistance-conferring genes (ABC-transporters, oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes). Seven extracts inhibited both cell lines (Acokanthera oppositifolia, Hypoestes aristata, Laurus nobilis, Leonotis leonurus, Plectranthus barbatus, Plectranthus ciliates, Salvia apiana). CEM/ADR5000 cells exhibited a low degree of cross-resistance (3.35-fold) towards the L. leonurus extract, while no cross-resistance was observed to other plant extracts, although CEM/ADR5000 cells were highly resistant to clinically established drugs. The log10IC50 values for two out of 14 selected phytochemicals from these plants (acovenoside A and ouabain) of 60 tumor cell lines were correlated to the expression of ABC-transporters (ABCB1, ABCB5, ABCC1, ABCG2), oncogenes (EGFR, RAS) and tumor suppressors (TP53). Sensitivity or resistance of the cell lines were not statistically associated with the expression of these genes, indicating that multidrug-resistant, refractory tumors expressing these genes may still respond to acovenoside A and ouabain. The bioactivity of South African medicinal plants may represent a basis for the development

AM fungal exudates activate MAP kinases in plant cells in dependence from cytosolic Ca(2+) increase.

Science.gov (United States)

Francia, Doriana; Chiltz, Annick; Lo Schiavo, Fiorella; Pugin, Alain; Bonfante, Paola; Cardinale, Francesca

2011-09-01

The molecular dialogue occurring prior to direct contact between the fungal and plant partners of arbuscular-mycorrhizal (AM) symbioses begins with the release of fungal elicitors, so far only partially identified chemically, which can activate specific signaling pathways in the host plant. We show here that the activation of MAPK is also induced by exudates of germinating spores of Gigaspora margarita in cultured cells of the non-leguminous species tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), as well as in those of the model legume Lotus japonicus. MAPK activity peaked about 15 min after the exposure of the host cells to the fungal exudates (FE). FE were also responsible for a rapid and transient increase in free cytosolic Ca(2+) in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and tobacco cells, and pre-treatment with a Ca(2+)-channel blocker (La(3+)) showed that in these cells, MAPK activation was dependent on the cytosolic Ca(2+) increase. A partial dependence of MAPK activity on the common Sym pathway could be demonstrated for a cell line of L. japonicus defective for LjSym4 and hence unable to establish an AM symbiosis. Our results show that MAPK activation is triggered by an FE-induced cytosolic Ca(2+) transient, and that a Sym genetic determinant acts to modulate the intensity and duration of this activity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The development of in-cell remote inspection system in Tokai reprocessing plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishibashi, Yuzo

1985-01-01

In the Tokai fuel reprocessing plant, the containment is triple, i.e. the vessel containing radioactive material, then the concrete cell structure and finally the housing building. The fuel reprocessing plant is now proceeding with the development of an in-cell remote inspection system. The inspection system is for inspection of the cell itself and the equipment etc. in the cell, concerning the integrity. Described are the following: the course taken and problems in development of the remote inspection system; development of the floor rambling type remote inspection equipment and the multiple armed type, both for inspection of in-cell ''drip trays''; in-cell equipment inspection devices in specifications etc.; problems in its future development. (Mori, K.)

Demonstration of near-real-time accounting at the AGNS Barnwell Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cobb, D.D.; Dayem, H.A.; Baker, A.L.

1981-01-01

Near-real-time nuclear materials accounting is being demonstrated in a series of experiments at the Allied-General Nuclear Services Barnwell Nuclear Fuels Plant. Each experiment consists of operating the second and third plutonium cycles continuously for 1 week using uranium solutions. Process data are collected in near-real time by the AGNS computerized nuclear materials control and accounting system, and the data are analyzed for diversion using decision analysis techniques developed and implemented by Los Alamos. Although the measurement system primarily consists of process control measurements that have not been optimized for near-real-time accounting, the results of a series of diversion tests show that diversion and unexpected losses from the process area can be detected

Demonstration of a 100-kWth high-temperature solar thermochemical reactor pilot plant for ZnO dissociation

Science.gov (United States)

Koepf, E.; Villasmil, W.; Meier, A.

2016-05-01

Solar thermochemical H2O and CO2 splitting is a viable pathway towards sustainable and large-scale production of synthetic fuels. A reactor pilot plant for the solar-driven thermal dissociation of ZnO into metallic Zn has been successfully developed at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). Promising experimental results from the 100-kWth ZnO pilot plant were obtained in 2014 during two prolonged experimental campaigns in a high flux solar simulator at PSI and a 1-MW solar furnace in Odeillo, France. Between March and June the pilot plant was mounted in the solar simulator and in-situ flow-visualization experiments were conducted in order to prevent particle-laden fluid flows near the window from attenuating transparency by blocking incoming radiation. Window flow patterns were successfully characterized, and it was demonstrated that particle transport could be controlled and suppressed completely. These results enabled the successful operation of the reactor between August and October when on-sun experiments were conducted in the solar furnace in order to demonstrate the pilot plant technology and characterize its performance. The reactor was operated for over 97 hours at temperatures as high as 2064 K; over 28 kg of ZnO was dissociated at reaction rates as high as 28 g/min.

Cell-autonomous defense, re-organization and trafficking of membranes in plant-microbe interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Dörmann, Peter; Kim, Hyeran; Ott, Thomas; Schulze-Lefert, Paul; Trujillo, Marco; Wewer, Vera; Hückelhoven, Ralph

2014-12-01

Plant cells dynamically change their architecture and molecular composition following encounters with beneficial or parasitic microbes, a process referred to as host cell reprogramming. Cell-autonomous defense reactions are typically polarized to the plant cell periphery underneath microbial contact sites, including de novo cell wall biosynthesis. Alternatively, host cell reprogramming converges in the biogenesis of membrane-enveloped compartments for accommodation of beneficial bacteria or invasive infection structures of filamentous microbes. Recent advances have revealed that, in response to microbial encounters, plasma membrane symmetry is broken, membrane tethering and SNARE complexes are recruited, lipid composition changes and plasma membrane-to-cytoskeleton signaling is activated, either for pre-invasive defense or for microbial entry. We provide a critical appraisal on recent studies with a focus on how plant cells re-structure membranes and the associated cytoskeleton in interactions with microbial pathogens, nitrogen-fixing rhizobia and mycorrhiza fungi. © 2014 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

Characterization of the head end cells at the West Valley Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vance, R.F.

1986-11-01

The head-end cells at the West Valley Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Plant are characterized in this report. These cells consist of the Process Mechanical Cell (PMC) where irradiated nuclear fuel was trimmed of excess hardware and sheared into short segments; and the General Purpose Cell (GPC) where the segments were collected and stored prior to dissolution, and leached hulls were packaged for disposal. Between 1966 and 1972, while Nuclear Fuels Services operated the plant, these cells became highly contaminated with radioactive materials. The purpose of this characterization work was to develop technical information as a basis of decontamination and decommissioning planning and engineering. It was accomplished by performing remote in-cell visual examinations, radiation surveys, and sampling. Supplementary information was obtained from available written records, out-of-cell inspections, and interviews with plant personnel

Prospects for the use of plant cell cultures in food biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Kevin M; Deroles, Simon C

2014-04-01

Plant cell cultures can offer continuous production systems for high-value food and health ingredients, independent of geographical or environmental variations and constraints. Yet despite many improvements in culture technologies, cell line selection, and bioreactor design, there are few commercial successes. This is principally due to the culture yield and market price of food products not being sufficient to cover the plant cell culture production costs. A better understanding of the underpinning biological mechanisms that control the target metabolite biosynthetic pathways may allow the metabolic engineering of cell lines to provide for economically competitive product yields. However, uncertainty around the regulatory and public acceptance of products derived from engineered cell cultures presents a barrier to the uptake of the technology by food product companies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

IGCC technology and demonstration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palonen, J [A. Ahlstrom Corporation, Karhula (Finland). Hans Ahlstrom Lab.; Lundqvist, R G [A. Ahlstrom Corporation, Helsinki (Finland); Staahl, K [Sydkraft AB, Malmoe (Sweden)

1997-12-31

Future energy production will be performed by advanced technologies that are more efficient, more environmentally friendly and less expensive than current technologies. Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plants have been proposed as one of these systems. Utilising biofuels in future energy production will also be emphasised since this lowers substantially carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere due to the fact that biomass is a renewable form of energy. Combining advanced technology and biomass utilisation is for this reason something that should and will be encouraged. A. Ahlstrom Corporation of Finland and Sydkraft AB of Sweden have as one part of company strategies adopted this approach for the future. The companies have joined their resources in developing a biomass-based IGCC system with the gasification part based on pressurised circulating fluidized-bed technology. With this kind of technology electrical efficiency can be substantially increased compared to conventional power plants. As a first concrete step, a decision has been made to build a demonstration plant. This plant, located in Vaernamo, Sweden, has already been built and is now in commissioning and demonstration stage. The system comprises a fuel drying plant, a pressurised CFB gasifier with gas cooling and cleaning, a gas turbine, a waste heat recovery unit and a steam turbine. The plant is the first in the world where the integration of a pressurised gasifier with a gas turbine will be realised utilising a low calorific gas produced from biomass. The capacity of the Vaernamo plant is 6 MW of electricity and 9 MW of district heating. Technology development is in progress for design of plants of sizes from 20 to 120 MWe. The paper describes the Bioflow IGCC system, the Vaernamo demonstration plant and experiences from the commissioning and demonstration stages. (orig.)

IGCC technology and demonstration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palonen, J. [A. Ahlstrom Corporation, Karhula (Finland). Hans Ahlstrom Lab.; Lundqvist, R.G. [A. Ahlstrom Corporation, Helsinki (Finland); Staahl, K. [Sydkraft AB, Malmoe (Sweden)

1996-12-31

Future energy production will be performed by advanced technologies that are more efficient, more environmentally friendly and less expensive than current technologies. Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plants have been proposed as one of these systems. Utilising biofuels in future energy production will also be emphasised since this lowers substantially carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere due to the fact that biomass is a renewable form of energy. Combining advanced technology and biomass utilisation is for this reason something that should and will be encouraged. A. Ahlstrom Corporation of Finland and Sydkraft AB of Sweden have as one part of company strategies adopted this approach for the future. The companies have joined their resources in developing a biomass-based IGCC system with the gasification part based on pressurised circulating fluidized-bed technology. With this kind of technology electrical efficiency can be substantially increased compared to conventional power plants. As a first concrete step, a decision has been made to build a demonstration plant. This plant, located in Vaernamo, Sweden, has already been built and is now in commissioning and demonstration stage. The system comprises a fuel drying plant, a pressurised CFB gasifier with gas cooling and cleaning, a gas turbine, a waste heat recovery unit and a steam turbine. The plant is the first in the world where the integration of a pressurised gasifier with a gas turbine will be realised utilising a low calorific gas produced from biomass. The capacity of the Vaernamo plant is 6 MW of electricity and 9 MW of district heating. Technology development is in progress for design of plants of sizes from 20 to 120 MWe. The paper describes the Bioflow IGCC system, the Vaernamo demonstration plant and experiences from the commissioning and demonstration stages. (orig.)

Induction of murine embryonic stem cell differentiation by medicinal plant extracts.

Science.gov (United States)

Reynertson, Kurt A; Charlson, Mary E; Gudas, Lorraine J

2011-01-01

Epidemiological evidence indicates that diets high in fruits and vegetables provide a measure of cancer chemoprevention due to phytochemical constituents. Natural products are a rich source of cancer chemotherapy drugs, and primarily target rapidly cycling tumor cells. Increasing evidence indicates that many cancers contain small populations of resistant, stem-like cells that have the capacity to regenerate tumors following chemotherapy and radiation, and have been linked to the initiation of metastases. Our goal is to discover natural product-based clinical or dietary interventions that selectively target cancer stem cells, inducing differentiation. We adapted an alkaline phosphatase (AP) stain to assay plant extracts for the capacity to induce differentiation in embryonic stem (ES) cells. AP is a characteristic marker of undifferentiated ES cells, and this represents a novel approach to screening medicinal plant extracts. Following a survey of approximately 100 fractions obtained from 12 species of ethnomedically utilized plants, we found fractions from 3 species that induced differentiation, decreasing AP and transcript levels of pluripotency markers (Nanog, Oct-4, Rex-1). These fractions affected proliferation of murine ES, and human embryonal, prostate, and breast carcinoma cells in a dose-dependent manner. Several phytochemical constituents were isolated; the antioxidant phytochemicals ellagic acid and gallic acid were shown to affect viability of cultured breast carcinoma cells. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hot Cell Installation and Demonstration of the Severe Accident Test Station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Linton, Kory D. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Burns, Zachary M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Terrani, Kurt A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Yan, Yong [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-08-01

A Severe Accident Test Station (SATS) capable of examining the oxidation kinetics and accident response of irradiated fuel and cladding materials for design basis accident (DBA) and beyond design basis accident (BDBA) scenarios has been successfully installed and demonstrated in the Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory (IFEL), a hot cell facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The two test station modules provide various temperature profiles, steam, and the thermal shock conditions necessary for integral loss of coolant accident (LOCA) testing, defueled oxidation quench testing and high temperature BDBA testing. The installation of the SATS system restores the domestic capability to examine postulated and extended LOCA conditions on spent fuel and cladding and provides a platform for evaluation of advanced fuel and accident tolerant fuel (ATF) cladding concepts. This document reports on the successful in-cell demonstration testing of unirradiated Zircaloy-4. It also contains descriptions of the integral test facility capabilities, installation activities, and out-of-cell benchmark testing to calibrate and optimize the system.

A pilot plant demonstration of the vitrification of radioactive solutions using microwave power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morrell, M.S.; Hardwick, W.H.; Murphy, V.; Wace, P.F.

1986-01-01

A process has been developed that exploits the characteristics of microwave heating for the vitrification of high-level radioactive liquid waste. This process, microwave vitrification, has been successfully operated at pilot plant scale in an active cell using simulated liquid waste containing several curies of radioactivity. Excellent decontamination factors have been achieved for both volatiles and nonvolatiles with an average ruthenium decontamination factor of 490 and a gross alpha emitter decontamination factor of 100,000. Almost all the radioactivity is incorporated in a glass block

A Comparative Study of Sample Preparation for Staining and Immunodetection of Plant Cell Walls by Light Microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Verhertbruggen, Yves; Walker, Jesse L.; Guillon, Fabienne; Scheller, Henrik V.

2017-01-01

Staining and immunodetection by light microscopy are methods widely used to investigate plant cell walls. The two techniques have been crucial to study the cell wall architecture in planta, its deconstruction by chemicals or cell wall-degrading enzymes. They have been instrumental in detecting the presence of cell types, in deciphering plant cell wall evolution and in characterizing plant mutants and transformants. The success of immunolabeling relies on how plant materials are embedded and sectioned. Agarose coating, wax and resin embedding are, respectively, associated with vibratome, microtome and ultramicrotome sectioning. Here, we have systematically carried out a comparative analysis of these three methods of sample preparation when they are applied for cell wall staining and cell wall immunomicroscopy. In order to help the plant community in understanding and selecting adequate methods of embedding and sectioning for cell wall immunodetection, we review in this article the advantages and limitations of these three methods. Moreover, we offer detailed protocols of embedding for studying plant materials through microscopy. PMID:28900439

Cell wall integrity signaling in plants: "To grow or not to grow that's the question".

Science.gov (United States)

Voxeur, Aline; Höfte, Herman

2016-09-01

Plants, like yeast, have the ability to monitor alterations in the cell wall architecture that occur during normal growth or in changing environments and to trigger compensatory changes in the cell wall. We discuss how recent advances in our understanding of the cell wall architecture provide new insights into the role of cell wall integrity sensing in growth control. Next we review the properties of membrane receptor-like kinases that have roles in pH control, mechano-sensing and reactive oxygen species accumulation in growing cells and which may be the plant equivalents of the yeast cell wall integrity (CWI) sensors. Finally, we discuss recent findings showing an increasing role for CWI signaling in plant immunity and the adaptation to changes in the ionic environment of plant cells. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Follow-up study of the MASSAHAKE-demonstration plant; MASSAHAKE-demonstraatiolaitoksen seuranta

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hartikainen, T [Pohjois-Satakunnan Massahake Oy, Kankaanpaeae (Finland)

1997-12-31

First thinnings of high harvesting costs and low timber accumulation have often remained unharvested in Northern Satakunta due to unprofitability of harvesting. One possible solution for the problem is a harvesting chain based on partial-tree harvesting combined with the MASSAHAKE method. The pulpwood-chipping plant owned by Pohjois-Satakunnan MASSAHAKE Oy started operation in May 1995. The objective of this research is to clear-up the technical operability and profitability of the Kankaanpaeae demonstration plant, and the suitability of the products for industrial purposes. The second aim is to develop a delivery method, based on partial-tree harvesting, and the delivery organisation suitable for the conditions in Pohjois-Satakunta. The wood delivery of the MASSAHAKE is concentrated to first thinning forests. The first thinning area, given in the felling plan, located at the delivery area of MASSAHAKE, is 8870 ha/a. This corresponds to 283 000 m{sup 3} pulpwood, the total amount of biomass being 360 000 m{sup 3}. Felling is mainly carried out as labour input using conveyance-felling method. The biomass yield in typical birch first-thinning cut as partial-trees with top diameter of 4 cm is about 40 % higher than in harvesting with short-wood method. The unit costs of harvesting are about a third lower

Follow-up study of the MASSAHAKE-demonstration plant; MASSAHAKE-demonstraatiolaitoksen seuranta

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hartikainen, T. [Pohjois-Satakunnan Massahake Oy, Kankaanpaeae (Finland)

1996-12-31

First thinnings of high harvesting costs and low timber accumulation have often remained unharvested in Northern Satakunta due to unprofitability of harvesting. One possible solution for the problem is a harvesting chain based on partial-tree harvesting combined with the MASSAHAKE method. The pulpwood-chipping plant owned by Pohjois-Satakunnan MASSAHAKE Oy started operation in May 1995. The objective of this research is to clear-up the technical operability and profitability of the Kankaanpaeae demonstration plant, and the suitability of the products for industrial purposes. The second aim is to develop a delivery method, based on partial-tree harvesting, and the delivery organisation suitable for the conditions in Pohjois-Satakunta. The wood delivery of the MASSAHAKE is concentrated to first thinning forests. The first thinning area, given in the felling plan, located at the delivery area of MASSAHAKE, is 8870 ha/a. This corresponds to 283 000 m{sup 3} pulpwood, the total amount of biomass being 360 000 m{sup 3}. Felling is mainly carried out as labour input using conveyance-felling method. The biomass yield in typical birch first-thinning cut as partial-trees with top diameter of 4 cm is about 40 % higher than in harvesting with short-wood method. The unit costs of harvesting are about a third lower

Only in dying, life: programmed cell death during plant development.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Hautegem, Tom; Waters, Andrew J; Goodrich, Justin; Nowack, Moritz K

2015-02-01

Programmed cell death (PCD) is a fundamental process of life. During the evolution of multicellular organisms, the actively controlled demise of cells has been recruited to fulfil a multitude of functions in development, differentiation, tissue homeostasis, and immune systems. In this review we discuss some of the multiple cases of PCD that occur as integral parts of plant development in a remarkable variety of cell types, tissues, and organs. Although research in the last decade has discovered a number of PCD regulators, mediators, and executers, we are still only beginning to understand the mechanistic complexity that tightly controls preparation, initiation, and execution of PCD as a process that is indispensable for successful vegetative and reproductive development of plants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring the Role of Cell Wall-Related Genes and Polysaccharides during Plant Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Matthew R; Lou, Haoyu; Aubert, Matthew K; Wilkinson, Laura G; Little, Alan; Houston, Kelly; Pinto, Sara C; Shirley, Neil J

2018-05-31

The majority of organs in plants are not established until after germination, when pluripotent stem cells in the growing apices give rise to daughter cells that proliferate and subsequently differentiate into new tissues and organ primordia. This remarkable capacity is not only restricted to the meristem, since maturing cells in many organs can also rapidly alter their identity depending on the cues they receive. One general feature of plant cell differentiation is a change in cell wall composition at the cell surface. Historically, this has been viewed as a downstream response to primary cues controlling differentiation, but a closer inspection of the wall suggests that it may play a much more active role. Specific polymers within the wall can act as substrates for modifications that impact receptor binding, signal mobility, and cell flexibility. Therefore, far from being a static barrier, the cell wall and its constituent polysaccharides can dictate signal transmission and perception, and directly contribute to a cell's capacity to differentiate. In this review, we re-visit the role of plant cell wall-related genes and polysaccharides during various stages of development, with a particular focus on how changes in cell wall machinery accompany the exit of cells from the stem cell niche.

Oral delivery of human biopharmaceuticals, autoantigens and vaccine antigens bioencapsulated in plant cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Kwang-Chul; Verma, Dheeraj; Singh, Nameirakpam D; Herzog, Roland; Daniell, Henry

2013-06-15

Among 12billion injections administered annually, unsafe delivery leads to >20million infections and >100million reactions. In an emerging new concept, freeze-dried plant cells (lettuce) expressing vaccine antigens/biopharmaceuticals are protected in the stomach from acids/enzymes but are released to the immune or blood circulatory system when plant cell walls are digested by microbes that colonize the gut. Vaccine antigens bioencapsulated in plant cells upon oral delivery after priming, conferred both mucosal and systemic immunity and protection against bacterial, viral or protozoan pathogens or toxin challenge. Oral delivery of autoantigens was effective against complications of type 1 diabetes and hemophilia, by developing tolerance. Oral delivery of proinsulin or exendin-4 expressed in plant cells regulated blood glucose levels similar to injections. Therefore, this new platform offers a low cost alternative to deliver different therapeutic proteins to combat infectious or inherited diseases by eliminating inactivated pathogens, expensive purification, cold storage/transportation and sterile injections. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Massachusetts Fuel Cell Bus Project: Demonstrating a Total Transit Solution for Fuel Cell Electric Buses in Boston

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2017-05-22

The Federal Transit Administration's National Fuel Cell Bus Program focuses on developing commercially viable fuel cell bus technologies. Nuvera is leading the Massachusetts Fuel Cell Bus project to demonstrate a complete transit solution for fuel cell electric buses that includes one bus and an on-site hydrogen generation station for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). A team consisting of ElDorado National, BAE Systems, and Ballard Power Systems built the fuel cell electric bus, and Nuvera is providing its PowerTap on-site hydrogen generator to provide fuel for the bus.

Calpain-Mediated positional information directs cell wall orientation to sustain plant stem cell activity, growth and development

Science.gov (United States)

Eukaryotic development and stem cell control depend on the integration of cell positional sensing with cell cycle control and cell wall positioning, yet few factors that directly link these events are known. The DEFECTIVE KERNEL1 (DEK1) gene encoding the unique plant calpain protein is fundamental f...

Coal-fired CCS demonstration plants, 2012

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2012-10-15

The present report reviews activities taking place focused on the eventual large-scale deployment of carbon capture systems on coal-fired power plants. With this aim in mind, there are three main CO2 capture technology streams currently being developed and tested; these comprise pre-combustion capture, post-combustion capture, and systems based on oxyfuel technology. Although numerous other capture systems have been proposed, these three are currently the focus of most RD&D efforts and this report concentrates on these. More speculative technologies still at early stages in their development are not addressed. The overall aims of this report are to provide an update of recent technological developments in each of the main categories of CO2 capture, and to review the current state of development of each, primarily through an examination of larger-scale development activities taking place or proposed. However, where appropriate, data generated by smaller-scale testing is noted, especially where this is feeding directly into ongoing programmes aimed at developing further, or scaling-up the particular technology. Each is reviewed and the status of individual coal-based projects and proposals described. These are limited mainly to what are generally described as pilot and/or demonstration scale. Where available, learning experiences and operational data being generated by these projects is noted. Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) of individual projects have been used to provide an indication of technology scale and maturity. For pre-combustion capture, post-combustion capture and oxyfuel systems, an attempt has been made to identify the technological challenges and gaps in the knowledge that remain, and to determine what technology developers are doing in terms of RD&D to address these. However, issues of commercial confidentiality have meant that in some cases, information in the public domain is limited, hence it has only been possible to identify overarching

Plant-derived SAC domain of PAR-4 (Prostate Apoptosis Response 4 exhibits growth inhibitory effects in prostate cancer cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shayan eSarkar

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The gene Par-4 (Prostate Apoptosis Response 4 was originally identified in prostate cancer cells undergoing apoptosis and its product Par-4 showed cancer specific pro-apoptotic activity. Particularly, the SAC domain of Par-4 (SAC-Par-4 selectively kills cancer cells leaving normal cells unaffected. The therapeutic significance of bioactive SAC-Par-4 is enormous in cancer biology; however, its large scale production is still a matter of concern. Here we report the production of SAC-Par-4-GFP fusion protein coupled to translational enhancer sequence (5′ AMV and apoplast signal peptide (aTP in transgenic Nicotiana tabacum cv. Samsun NN plants under the control of a unique recombinant promoter M24. Transgene integration was confirmed by genomic DNA PCR, Southern and Northern blotting, Real-time PCR and Nuclear run-on assays. Results of Western blot analysis and ELISA confirmed expression of recombinant SAC-Par-4-GFP protein and it was as high as 0.15% of total soluble protein. In addition, we found that targeting of plant recombinant SAC-Par-4-GFP to the apoplast and endoplasmic reticulum (ER was essential for the stability of plant recombinant protein in comparison to the bacterial derived SAC-Par-4. Deglycosylation analysis demonstrated that ER-targeted SAC-Par-4-GFP-SEKDEL undergoes O-linked glycosylation unlike apoplast-targeted SAC-Par-4-GFP. Furthermore, various in vitro studies like mammalian cells proliferation assay (MTT, apoptosis induction assays, and NF-κB suppression suggested the cytotoxic and apoptotic properties of plant-derived SAC-Par-4-GFP against multiple prostate cancer cell lines. Additionally, pre-treatment of MAT-LyLu prostate cancer cells with purified SAC-Par-4-GFP significantly delayed the onset of tumor in a syngeneic rat prostate cancer model. Taken altogether, we proclaim that plant made SAC-Par-4 may become a useful alternate therapy for effectively alleviating cancer in the new era.

The nucleus of differentiated root plant cells: modifications induced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G Lingua

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The nuclei of plant cells show marked differences in chromatin organisation, related to their DNA content, which ranges from the type with large strands of condensed chromatin (reticulate or chromonematic nuclei to one with mostly decondensed chromatin (chromocentric or diffuse nuclei. A loosening of the chromatin structure generally occurs in actively metabolising cells, such as differentiating and secretory cells, in relation to their high transcriptional activity. Endoreduplication may occur, especially in plants with a small genome, which increases the availability of nuclear templates, the synthesis of DNA, and probably regulates gene expression. Here we describe structural and quantitative changes of the chromatin and their relationship with transcription that occur in differentiated cells following an increase of their metabolism. The nuclei of root cortical cells of three plants with different 2C DNA content (Allium porrum, Pisum sativum and Lycopersicon esculentm and their modifications induced by arbuscular mycorrhization, which strongly increase the metabolic activity of colonised cells, are taken as examples.

An Automated and Continuous Plant Weight Measurement System for Plant Factory.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Wei-Tai; Yeh, Yu-Hui F; Liu, Ting-Yu; Lin, Ta-Te

2016-01-01

In plant factories, plants are usually cultivated in nutrient solution under a controllable environment. Plant quality and growth are closely monitored and precisely controlled. For plant growth evaluation, plant weight is an important and commonly used indicator. Traditional plant weight measurements are destructive and laborious. In order to measure and record the plant weight during plant growth, an automated measurement system was designed and developed herein. The weight measurement system comprises a weight measurement device and an imaging system. The weight measurement device consists of a top disk, a bottom disk, a plant holder and a load cell. The load cell with a resolution of 0.1 g converts the plant weight on the plant holder disk to an analog electrical signal for a precise measurement. The top disk and bottom disk are designed to be durable for different plant sizes, so plant weight can be measured continuously throughout the whole growth period, without hindering plant growth. The results show that plant weights measured by the weight measurement device are highly correlated with the weights estimated by the stereo-vision imaging system; hence, plant weight can be measured by either method. The weight growth of selected vegetables growing in the National Taiwan University plant factory were monitored and measured using our automated plant growth weight measurement system. The experimental results demonstrate the functionality, stability and durability of this system. The information gathered by this weight system can be valuable and beneficial for hydroponic plants monitoring research and agricultural research applications.

An Automated and Continuous Plant Weight Measurement System for Plant Factory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei-Tai eChen

2016-03-01

Full Text Available In plant factories, plants are usually cultivated in nutrient solution under a controllable environment. Plant quality and growth are closely monitored and precisely controlled. For plant growth evaluation, plant weight is an important and commonly used indicator. Traditional plant weight measurements are destructive and laborious. In order to measure and record the plant weight during plant growth, an automated measurement system was designed and developed herein. The weight measurement system comprises a weight measurement device and an imaging system. The weight measurement device consists of a top disk, a bottom disk, a plant holder and a load cell. The load cell with a resolution of 0.1 g converts the plant weight on the plant holder disk to an analogue electrical signal for a precise measurement. The top disk and bottom disk are designed to be durable for different plant sizes, so plant weight can be measured continuously throughout the whole growth period, without hindering plant growth. The results show that plant weights measured by the weight measurement device are highly correlated with the weights estimated by the stereo-vision imaging system; hence, plant weight can be measured by either method. The weight growth of selected vegetables growing in the National Taiwan University plant factory were monitored and measured using our automated plant growth weight measurement system. The experimental results demonstrate the functionality, stability and durability of this system. The information gathered by this weight system can be valuable and beneficial for hydroponic plants monitoring research and agricultural research applications.

Zinc tolerance and accumulation in stable cell suspension cultures and in vitro regenerated plants of the emerging model plant Arabidopsis halleri (Brassicaceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Vera-Estrella, Rosario; Miranda-Vergara, Maria Cristina; Barkla, Bronwyn J

2009-03-01

Arabidopsis halleri is increasingly employed as a model plant for studying heavy metal hyperaccumulation. With the aim of providing valuable tools for studies on cellular physiology and molecular biology of metal tolerance and transport, this study reports the development of successful and highly efficient methods for the in vitro regeneration of A. halleri plants and production of stable cell suspension lines. Plants were regenerated from leaf explants of A. halleri via a three-step procedure: callus induction, somatic embryogenesis and shoot development. Efficiency of callus proliferation and regeneration depended on the initial callus induction media and was optimal in the presence of 1 mg L(-1) 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and 0.05 mg L(-1) benzylaminopurine. Subsequent shoot and root regeneration from callus initiated under these conditions reached levels of 100% efficiency. High friability of the callus supported the development of cell suspension cultures with minimal cellular aggregates. Characterization of regenerated plants and cell cultures determined that they maintained not only the zinc tolerance and requirement of the whole plant but also the ability to accumulate zinc; with plants accumulating up to 50.0 micromoles zinc g(-1) FW, and cell suspension cultures 30.9 micromoles zinc g(-1) DW. Together this work will provide the experimental basis for furthering our knowledge of A. halleri as a model heavy metal hyperaccumulating plant.

Zero Emission Bay Area (ZEBA) Fuel Cell Bus Demonstration Results: Fifth Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eudy, Leslie [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Post, Matthew [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Jeffers, Matthew [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2016-06-01

This report presents results of a demonstration of fuel cell electric buses (FCEB) operating in Oakland, California. Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) leads the Zero Emission Bay Area (ZEBA) demonstration, which includes 13 advanced-design fuel cell buses and two hydrogen fueling stations. The ZEBA partners are collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to evaluate the buses in revenue service. NREL has published four previous reports describing operation of these buses. This report presents new and updated results covering data from January 2015 through December 2015.

Zero Emission Bay Area (ZEBA) Fuel Cell Bus Demonstration Results: Sixth Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eudy, Leslie [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Post, Matthew B. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Jeffers, Matthew A. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-09-11

This report presents results of a demonstration of fuel cell electric buses (FCEB) operating in Oakland, California. Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) leads the Zero Emission Bay Area (ZEBA) demonstration, which includes 13 advanced-design fuel cell buses and two hydrogen fueling stations. The ZEBA partners are collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to evaluate the buses in revenue service. NREL has published five previous reports describing operation of these buses. This report presents new and updated results covering data from January 2016 through December 2016.

Comparative analysis of species-based specificity in Sr 90 and Cs 137 accumulation demonstrated by ligneous plant forest communities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinovich, B.S.; Vlasov, V.K.; Sak, M.M.; Golushko, R.M.; Afmogenov, A.M.; Kirykhin, O.V.

2004-01-01

The authors provided field-proven study of Sr 90 and Cs 137 absorption activity demonstrated by Pinus silvestris L.; Piceae abies (L.) Roth.; Quercus rubra L.; Acer platanoides L.; Betula pendula Roth.; Tilia cordata Mill, under identical habitat conditions. The above plants were examined after 5-year growth period on radionuclide-contaminated soil. To a great extent, such parameters as radionuclide accumulation in experimental plants and accumulation activity were determined by the plants' bio-ecological properties. (Authors)

Demonstration of IGCC features - plant integration and syngas combustion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hannemann, F.; Huth, M.; Karg, J.; Schiffers, U. [Siemens AG Power Generation (KWU), Erlanger/Muelheim (Germany)

2000-07-01

Siemens is involved in three IGCC plants in Europe that are currently in operation. Against the background of the Puertollano and Buggenum plants, some of the specific new features of fully integrated IGCC power plants are discussed, including: requirements and design features of the gas turbine syngas supply system; gas turbine operating experience with air extraction for the air separation unit from the gas turbine air compressor; and design requirements and operational features of the combustion system. 7 refs., 17 figs., 1 tab.

Demonstration of reliability centered maintenance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwan, C.A.; Morgan, T.A.

1991-04-01

Reliability centered maintenance (RCM) is an approach to preventive maintenance planning and evaluation that has been used successfully by other industries, most notably the airlines and military. Now EPRI is demonstrating RCM in the commercial nuclear power industry. Just completed are large-scale, two-year demonstrations at Rochester Gas ampersand Electric (Ginna Nuclear Power Station) and Southern California Edison (San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station). Both demonstrations were begun in the spring of 1988. At each plant, RCM was performed on 12 to 21 major systems. Both demonstrations determined that RCM is an appropriate means to optimize a PM program and improve nuclear plant preventive maintenance on a large scale. Such favorable results had been suggested by three earlier EPRI pilot studies at Florida Power ampersand Light, Duke Power, and Southern California Edison. EPRI selected the Ginna and San Onofre sites because, together, they represent a broad range of utility and plant size, plant organization, plant age, and histories of availability and reliability. Significant steps in each demonstration included: selecting and prioritizing plant systems for RCM evaluation; performing the RCM evaluation steps on selected systems; evaluating the RCM recommendations by a multi-disciplinary task force; implementing the RCM recommendations; establishing a system to track and verify the RCM benefits; and establishing procedures to update the RCM bases and recommendations with time (a living program). 7 refs., 1 tab

DOE's annealing prototype demonstration projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warren, J.; Nakos, J.; Rochau, G.

1997-01-01

One of the challenges U.S. utilities face in addressing technical issues associated with the aging of nuclear power plants is the long-term effect of plant operation on reactor pressure vessels (RPVs). As a nuclear plant operates, its RPV is exposed to neutrons. For certain plants, this neutron exposure can cause embrittlement of some of the RPV welds which can shorten the useful life of the RPV. This RPV embrittlement issue has the potential to affect the continued operation of a number of operating U.S. pressurized water reactor (PWR) plants. However, RPV material properties affected by long-term irradiation are recoverable through a thermal annealing treatment of the RPV. Although a dozen Russian-designed RPVs and several U.S. military vessels have been successfully annealed, U.S. utilities have stated that a successful annealing demonstration of a U.S. RPV is a prerequisite for annealing a licensed U.S. nuclear power plant. In May 1995, the Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories awarded two cost-shared contracts to evaluate the feasibility of annealing U.S. licensed plants by conducting an anneal of an installed RPV using two different heating technologies. The contracts were awarded to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Center for Research and Technology Development (CRTD) and MPR Associates (MPR). The ASME team completed its annealing prototype demonstration in July 1996, using an indirect gas furnace at the uncompleted Public Service of Indiana's Marble Hill nuclear power plant. The MPR team's annealing prototype demonstration was scheduled to be completed in early 1997, using a direct heat electrical furnace at the uncompleted Consumers Power Company's nuclear power plant at Midland, Michigan. This paper describes the Department's annealing prototype demonstration goals and objectives; the tasks, deliverables, and results to date for each annealing prototype demonstration; and the remaining annealing technology challenges

Operating experience with a 250 kW el molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) power plant

Science.gov (United States)

Bischoff, Manfred; Huppmann, Gerhard

The MTU MCFC program is carried out by a European consortium comprising the German companies MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH, Ruhrgas AG and RWE Energie AG as well as the Danish company Energi E2 S/A. MTU acts as consortium leader. The company shares a license and technology exchange agreement with Fuel Cell Energy Inc., Danbury, CT, USA (formerly Energy Research Corp., ERC). The program was started in 1990 and covers a period of about 10 years. The highlights of this program to date are: Considerable improvements regarding component stability have been demonstrated on laboratory scale. Manufacturing technology has been developed to a point which enables the consortium to fabricate the porous components on a 250 cm 2 scale. Several large area stacks with 5000-7660 cm 2 cell area and a power range of 3-10 kW have been tested at the facilities in Munich (Germany) and Kyndby (Denmark). These stacks have been supplied by FCE. As far as the system design is concerned it was soon realized that conventional systems do not hold the promise for competitive power plants. A system analysis led to the conclusion that a new innovative design approach is required. As a result the "Hot Module" system was developed by the consortium. A Hot Module combines all the components of a MCFC system operating at the similar temperatures and pressures into a common thermally insulated vessel. In August 1997 the consortium started its first full size Hot Module MCFC test plant at the facilities of Ruhrgas AG in Dorsten, Germany. The stack was assembled in Munich using 292 cell packages purchased from FCE. The plant is based on the consortium's unique and proprietary "Hot Module" concept. It operates on pipeline natural gas and was grid connected on 16 August 1997. After a total of 1500 h of operation, the plant was intentionally shut down in a controlled manner in April 1998 for post-test analysis. The Hot Module system concept has demonstrated its functionality. The safety concept has been

The B cell death function of obinutuzumab-HDEL produced in plant (Nicotiana benthamiana L. is equivalent to obinutuzumab produced in CHO cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Won Lee

Full Text Available Plants have attracted attention as bio-drug production platforms because of their economical and safety benefits. The preliminary efficacy of ZMapp, a cocktail of antibodies produced in N. benthamiana (Nicotiana benthamiana L., suggested plants may serve as a platform for antibody production. However, because the amino acid sequences of the Fab fragment are diverse and differences in post-transcriptional processes between animals and plants remain to be elucidated, it is necessary to confirm functional equivalence of plant-produced antibodies to the original antibody. In this study, Obinutuzumab, a third generation anti-CD20 antibody, was produced in N. benthamiana leaves (plant-obinutuzumab and compared to the original antibody produced in glyco-engineered Chinese hamster ovary (CHO cells (CHO-obinutuzumab. Two forms (with or without an HDEL tag were generated and antibody yields were compared. The HDEL-tagged form was more highly expressed than the non-HDEL-tagged form which was cleaved in the N-terminus. To determine the equivalence in functions of the Fab region between the two forms, we compared the CD20 binding affinities and direct binding induced cell death of a CD20-positive B cells. Both forms showed similar CD20 binding affinities and direct cell death of B cell. The results suggested that plant-obinutuzumab was equivalent to CHO-obinutuzumab in CD20 binding, cell aggregation, and direct cell death via binding. Therefore, our findings suggest that Obinutuzumab is a promising biosimilar candidate that can be produced efficiently in plants.

Mechanistic Framework for Establishment, Maintenance, and Alteration of Cell Polarity in Plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pankaj Dhonukshe

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Cell polarity establishment, maintenance, and alteration are central to the developmental and response programs of nearly all organisms and are often implicated in abnormalities ranging from patterning defects to cancer. By residing at the distinct plasma membrane domains polar cargoes mark the identities of those domains, and execute localized functions. Polar cargoes are recruited to the specialized membrane domains by directional secretion and/or directional endocytic recycling. In plants, auxin efflux carrier PIN proteins display polar localizations in various cell types and play major roles in directional cell-to-cell transport of signaling molecule auxin that is vital for plant patterning and response programs. Recent advanced microscopy studies applied to single cells in intact plants reveal subcellular PIN dynamics. They uncover the PIN polarity generation mechanism and identified important roles of AGC kinases for polar PIN localization. AGC kinase family members PINOID, WAG1, and WAG2, belonging to the AGC-3 subclass predominantly influence the polar localization of PINs. The emerging mechanism for AGC-3 kinases action suggests that kinases phosphorylate PINs mainly at the plasma membrane after initial symmetric PIN secretion for eventual PIN internalization and PIN sorting into distinct ARF-GEF-regulated polar recycling pathways. Thus phosphorylation status directs PIN translocation to different cell sides. Based on these findings a mechanistic framework evolves that suggests existence of cell side-specific recycling pathways in plants and implicates AGC3 kinases for differential PIN recruitment among them for eventual PIN polarity establishment, maintenance, and alteration.

Directly Transforming PCR-Amplified DNA Fragments into Plant Cells Is a Versatile System That Facilitates the Transient Expression Assay

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Yuming; Chen, Xi; Wu, Yuxuan; Wang, Yanping; He, Yuqing; Wu, Yan

2013-01-01

A circular plasmid containing a gene coding sequence has been broadly used for studying gene regulation in cells. However, to accommodate a quick screen plasmid construction and preparation can be time consuming. Here we report a PCR amplified dsDNA fragments (PCR-fragments) based transient expression system (PCR-TES) for suiting in the study of gene regulation in plant cells. Instead of transforming plasmids into plant cells, transient expression of PCR-fragments can be applicable. The transformation efficiency and expression property of PCR-fragments are comparable to transformation using plasmids. We analyzed the transformation efficiency in PCR-TES at transcription and protein levels. Our results indicate that the PCR-TES is as versatile as the conventional transformation system using plasmid DNA. Through reconstituting PYR1-mediated ABA signaling pathway in Arabidopsis mesophyll protoplasts, we were not only validating the practicality of PCR-TES but also screening potential candidates of CDPK family members which might be involved in the ABA signaling. Moreover, we determined that phosphorylation of ABF2 by CPK4 could be mediated by ABA-induced PYR1 and ABI1, demonstrating a crucial role of CDPKs in the ABA signaling. In summary, PCR-TES can be applicable to facilitate analyzing gene regulation and for the screen of putative regulatory molecules at the high throughput level in plant cells. PMID:23468926

Directly transforming PCR-amplified DNA fragments into plant cells is a versatile system that facilitates the transient expression assay.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuming Lu

Full Text Available A circular plasmid containing a gene coding sequence has been broadly used for studying gene regulation in cells. However, to accommodate a quick screen plasmid construction and preparation can be time consuming. Here we report a PCR amplified dsDNA fragments (PCR-fragments based transient expression system (PCR-TES for suiting in the study of gene regulation in plant cells. Instead of transforming plasmids into plant cells, transient expression of PCR-fragments can be applicable. The transformation efficiency and expression property of PCR-fragments are comparable to transformation using plasmids. We analyzed the transformation efficiency in PCR-TES at transcription and protein levels. Our results indicate that the PCR-TES is as versatile as the conventional transformation system using plasmid DNA. Through reconstituting PYR1-mediated ABA signaling pathway in Arabidopsis mesophyll protoplasts, we were not only validating the practicality of PCR-TES but also screening potential candidates of CDPK family members which might be involved in the ABA signaling. Moreover, we determined that phosphorylation of ABF2 by CPK4 could be mediated by ABA-induced PYR1 and ABI1, demonstrating a crucial role of CDPKs in the ABA signaling. In summary, PCR-TES can be applicable to facilitate analyzing gene regulation and for the screen of putative regulatory molecules at the high throughput level in plant cells.

Bleomycin resistance : a new dominant selectable marker for plant cell transformation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hille, Jacques; Verheggen, Frank; Roelvink, Peter; Franssen, Henk; Kammen, Ab van; Zabel, Pim

1986-01-01

Plant cells are sensitive to the antibiotic bleomycin, a DNA damaging glycopeptide. A bleomycin resistance determinant, located on transposon Tn5 and functional in bacteria, has been cloned in a plant expression vector and introduced into Nicotiana plumbaginifolia using Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Dismantling of an alpha contaminated hot cell at the Marcoule Pilot Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tachon, M.

1988-01-01

For the remodeling of Marcoule Pilot Plant, the cell 82: old unit for plutonium solution purification by extraction, was dismantled. About 42 tons of wastes were evacuated. Some wastes wen decontaminated by mechanical means other wastes with higher residual activity were stored for subsequent processing. The operation shows that dismantling of a hot cell is possible even if incorporated in an operating plant [fr

Raman Imaging of Plant Cell Walls in Sections of Cucumis sativus.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeise, Ingrid; Heiner, Zsuzsanna; Holz, Sabine; Joester, Maike; Büttner, Carmen; Kneipp, Janina

2018-01-25

Raman microspectra combine information on chemical composition of plant tissues with spatial information. The contributions from the building blocks of the cell walls in the Raman spectra of plant tissues can vary in the microscopic sub-structures of the tissue. Here, we discuss the analysis of 55 Raman maps of root, stem, and leaf tissues of Cucumis sativus , using different spectral contributions from cellulose and lignin in both univariate and multivariate imaging methods. Imaging based on hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) indicates different substructures in the xylem cell walls of the different tissues. Using specific signals from the cell wall spectra, analysis of the whole set of different tissue sections based on the Raman images reveals differences in xylem tissue morphology. Due to the specifics of excitation of the Raman spectra in the visible wavelength range (532 nm), which is, e.g., in resonance with carotenoid species, effects of photobleaching and the possibility of exploiting depletion difference spectra for molecular characterization in Raman imaging of plants are discussed. The reported results provide both, specific information on the molecular composition of cucumber tissue Raman spectra, and general directions for future imaging studies in plant tissues.

Development of analytical cell support for vitrification at the West Valley Demonstration Project. Topical report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barber, F.H.; Borek, T.T.; Christopher, J.Z.

1997-12-01

Analytical and Process Chemistry (A ampersand PC) support is essential to the high-level waste vitrification campaign at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP). A ampersand PC characterizes the waste, providing information necessary to formulate the recipe for the target radioactive glass product. High-level waste (HLW) samples are prepared and analyzed in the analytical cells (ACs) and Sample Storage Cell (SSC) on the third floor of the main plant. The high levels of radioactivity in the samples require handling them in the shielded cells with remote manipulators. The analytical hot cells and third floor laboratories were refurbished to ensure optimal uninterrupted operation during the vitrification campaign. New and modified instrumentation, tools, sample preparation and analysis techniques, and equipment and training were required for A ampersand PC to support vitrification. Analytical Cell Mockup Units (ACMUs) were designed to facilitate method development, scientist and technician training, and planning for analytical process flow. The ACMUs were fabricated and installed to simulate the analytical cell environment and dimensions. New techniques, equipment, and tools could be evaluated m in the ACMUs without the consequences of generating or handling radioactive waste. Tools were fabricated, handling and disposal of wastes was addressed, and spatial arrangements for equipment were refined. As a result of the work at the ACMUs the remote preparation and analysis methods and the equipment and tools were ready for installation into the ACs and SSC m in July 1995. Before use m in the hot cells, all remote methods had been validated and four to eight technicians were trained on each. Fine tuning of the procedures has been ongoing at the ACs based on input from A ampersand PC technicians. Working at the ACs presents greater challenges than had development at the ACMUs. The ACMU work and further refinements m in the ACs have resulted m in a reduction m in

Plant-derived vaccine protects target animals against a viral disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dalsgaard, Kristian; Uttenthal, Åse; Jones, T.D.

1997-01-01

The successful expression of animal or human virus epitopes on the surface of plant viruses has recently been demonstrated. These chimeric virus particles (CVPs) could represent a cost-effective and safe alternative to conventional animal cell-based vaccines. We report the insertion of oligonucle......The successful expression of animal or human virus epitopes on the surface of plant viruses has recently been demonstrated. These chimeric virus particles (CVPs) could represent a cost-effective and safe alternative to conventional animal cell-based vaccines. We report the insertion...

Development of schizogenous intercellular spaces in plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kimitsune eIshizaki

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Gas exchange is essential for multicellular organisms. In contrast to the circulatory systems of animals, land plants have tissues with intercellular spaces (ICSs, called aerenchyma, that are critical for efficient gas exchange. Plants form ICSs by two different mechanisms: schizogeny, where localized cell separation creates spaces; and lysogeny, where cells die to create intercellular spaces. In schizogenous ICS formation, specific molecular mechanisms regulate the sites of cell separation and coordinate extensive reorganization of cell walls. Emerging evidence suggests the involvement of extracellular signaling, mediated by peptide ligands and leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases, in the regulation of cell wall remodeling during cell separation. Recent work on the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha has demonstrated a critical role for a plasma membrane-associated plant U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase in ICS formation. In this review, I discuss the mechanism of schizogenous ICS formation, focusing on the potential role of extracellular signaling in the regulation of cell separation.

Two endogenous proteins that induce cell wall extension in plants

Science.gov (United States)

McQueen-Mason, S.; Durachko, D. M.; Cosgrove, D. J.

1992-01-01

Plant cell enlargement is regulated by wall relaxation and yielding, which is thought to be catalyzed by elusive "wall-loosening" enzymes. By employing a reconstitution approach, we found that a crude protein extract from the cell walls of growing cucumber seedlings possessed the ability to induce the extension of isolated cell walls. This activity was restricted to the growing region of the stem and could induce the extension of isolated cell walls from various dicot stems and the leaves of amaryllidaceous monocots, but was less effective on grass coleoptile walls. Endogenous and reconstituted wall extension activities showed similar sensitivities to pH, metal ions, thiol reducing agents, proteases, and boiling in methanol or water. Sequential HPLC fractionation of the active wall extract revealed two proteins with molecular masses of 29 and 30 kD associated with the activity. Each protein, by itself, could induce wall extension without detectable hydrolytic breakdown of the wall. These proteins appear to mediate "acid growth" responses of isolated walls and may catalyze plant cell wall extension by a novel biochemical mechanism.

Hydrodynamic flow in the cytoplasm of plant cells.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Esseling-Ozdoba, A.; Houtman, D.; Lammeren, A.A. van; Eiser, E.; Emons, A.M.C.

2008-01-01

Plant cells show myosin-driven organelle movement, called cytoplasmic streaming. Soluble molecules, such as metabolites do not move with motor proteins but by diffusion. However, is all of this streaming active motor-driven organelle transport? Our recent simulation study (Houtman et al., 2007)

Hydrodynamic flow in the cytoplasm of plant cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Esseling-Ozdoba, A.; Houtman, D.; van Lammeren, A.A.M.; Eiser, E.; Emons, A.M.C.

2008-01-01

Plant cells show myosin-driven organelle movement, called cytoplasmic streaming. Soluble molecules, such as metabolites do not move with motor proteins but by diffusion. However, is all of this streaming active motor-driven organelle transport? Our recent simulation study (Houtman et al., 2007)

Hydrodynamic flow in the cytoplasm of plant cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Esseling-Ozdoba, A.; Houtman, D.; Lammeren, van A.A.M.; Eiser, E.; Emons, A.M.C.

2008-01-01

Plant cells show myosin-driven organelle movement, called cytoplasmic streaming. Soluble molecules, such as metabolites do not move with motor proteins but by diffusion. However, is all of this streaming active motor-driven organelle transport? Our recent simulation study ( Houtman et al., 2007 )

Cytotoxicity of selected Cameroonian medicinal plants and Nauclea pobeguinii towards multi-factorial drug-resistant cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuete, Victor; Sandjo, Louis P; Mbaveng, Armelle T; Seukep, Jackson A; Ngadjui, Bonaventure T; Efferth, Thomas

2015-09-04

bark extract of N. pobeguinii, as well as in MDA-MB-231-BCRP cells and HCT116 (p53 (+/+) ) cells and U87MG.ΔEGFR cells (0.86-fold) to compound 5. The results of this study demonstrate the cytotoxicity of six Cameroonian medicinal plants, Canarium schweinfurthii, Dischistocalyx grandifolius, Tragia benthamii, Fagara macrophylla, Myrianthus arboreus and Nauclea pobeguinii. We also demonstrated the antiproliferative potential of Nauclea pobeguinii against drug-resistant cancer cell lines. Resveratrol and its glucoside are the major cytotoxic constituents in the bark of Nauclea pobeguinii.

Biochemistry, proteomics, and phosphoproteomics of plant mitochondria from non-photosynthetic cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Havelund, Jesper; Thelen, Jay J.; Møller, Ian Max

2013-01-01

of mitochondria and general biochemical properties such as oxidative phosphorylation. We will then mention a few adaptive properties in response to water stress, seed maturation and germination and the ability to function under hypoxic conditions. The discussion will mainly focus on Arabidopsis cell cultures......Mitochondria fulfill some basic roles in all plant cells. They supply the cell with energy in the form of ATP and reducing equivalents (NAD(P)H) and they provide the cell with intermediates for a range of biosynthetic pathways. In addition to this, mitochondria contribute to a number of specialized......, etiolated germinating rice seedlings and potato tubers as model plants. It will cover the general proteome as well as the posttranslational modification protein phosphorylation. To date 64 phosphorylated mitochondrial proteins with a total of 103 phosphorylation sites have been identified....

Functions of tocopherols in the cells of plants and other photosynthetic organisms.

Science.gov (United States)