An improved glycerol biosensor with an Au-FeS-NAD-glycerol-dehydrogenase anode.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahadevan, Aishwarya; Fernando, Sandun

2017-06-15

An improved glycerol biosensor was developed via direct attachment of NAD + -glycerol dehydrogenase coenzyme-apoenzyme complex onto supporting gold electrodes, using novel inorganic iron (II) sulfide (FeS)-based single molecular wires. Sensing performance factors, i.e., sensitivity, a detection limit and response time of the FeS and conventional pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ)-based biosensor were evaluated by dynamic constant potential amperometry at 1.3V under non-buffered conditions. For glycerol concentrations ranging from 1 to 25mM, a 77% increase in sensitivity and a 53% decrease in detection limit were observed for the FeS-based biosensor when compared to the conventional PQQ-based counterpart. The electrochemical behavior of the FeS-based glycerol biosensor was analyzed at different concentrations of glycerol, accompanied by an investigation into the effects of applied potential and scan rate on the current response. Effects of enzyme stimulants ((NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 and MnCl 2 ·4H 2 O) concentrations and buffers/pH (potassium phosphate buffer pH 6-8, Tris buffer pH 8-10) on the current responses generated by the FeS-based glycerol biosensor were also studied. The optimal detection conditions were 0.03M (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 and 0.3µm MnCl 2 ·4H 2 O in non-buffered aqueous electrolyte under stirring whereas under non-stirring, Tris buffer at pH 10 with 0.03M (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 and 30µm MnCl 2 ·4H 2 O were found to be optimal detection conditions. Interference by glucose, fructose, ethanol, and acetic acid in glycerol detection was studied. The observations indicated a promising enhancement in glycerol detection using the novel FeS-based glycerol sensing electrode compared to the conventional PQQ-based one. These findings support the premise that FeS-based bioanodes are capable of biosensing glycerol successfully and may be applicable for other enzymatic biosensors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanodesign of olein vesicles for the topical delivery of the antioxidant resveratrol.

Science.gov (United States)

Pando, Daniel; Caddeo, Carla; Manconi, Maria; Fadda, Anna Maria; Pazos, Carmen

2013-08-01

The ex-vivo percutaneous absorption of the natural antioxidant resveratrol in liposomes and niosomes was investigated. The influence of vesicle composition on their physicochemical properties and stability was evaluated. Liposomes containing resveratrol were formulated using soy phosphatidylcholine (Phospholipon90G). Innovative niosomes were formulated using mono- or diglycerides: glycerol monooleate (Peceol) and polyglyceryl-3 dioleate (Plurol OleiqueCC), respectively, two suitable skin-compatible oleins used in pharmaceutical formulations as penetration enhancers. Small, negatively charged vesicles with a mean size of approximately 200 nm were prepared. The accelerated stability of vesicles was evaluated using Turbiscan Lab Expert, and the bilayer deformability was also assessed. Ex-vivo transdermal experiments were carried out in Franz diffusion cells, on newborn pig skin, to study the influence of the different vesicle formulations on resveratrol skin delivery. Results indicated a high cutaneous accumulation and a low transdermal delivery of resveratrol, especially when Peceol niosomes were used. Overall, niosomes formulated with Plurol oleique or Peceol showed a better behaviour than liposomes in the cutaneous delivery of resveratrol. © 2013 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Highly selective water channel activity measured by voltage clamp: analysis of planar lipid bilayers reconstituted with purified AqpZ.

Science.gov (United States)

Pohl, P; Saparov, S M; Borgnia, M J; Agre, P

2001-08-14

Aquaporins are membrane channels selectively permeated by water or water plus glycerol. Conflicting reports have described ion conductance associated with some water channels, raising the question of whether ion conductance is a general property of the aquaporin family. To clarify this question, a defined system was developed to simultaneously measure water permeability and ion conductance. The Escherichia coli water channel aquaporin-Z (AqpZ) was studied, because it is a highly stable tetramer. Planar lipid bilayers were formed from unilamellar vesicles containing purified AqpZ. The hydraulic conductivity of bilayers made from the total extract of E. coli lipids increased 3-fold if reconstituted with AqpZ, but electric conductance was unchanged. No channel activity was detected under voltage-clamp conditions, indicating that less than one in 10(9) transport events is electrogenic. Microelectrode measurements were simultaneously undertaken adjacent to the membrane. Changes in sodium concentration profiles accompanying transmembrane water flow permitted calculation of the activation energies: 14 kcal/mol for protein-free lipid bilayers and 4 kcal/mol for lipid bilayers containing AqpZ. Neither the water permeability nor the electric conductivity exhibited voltage dependence. This sensitive system demonstrated that AqpZ is permeated by water but not charged ions and should permit direct analyses of putative electrogenic properties of other aquaporins.

Effects of addition glycerol co-product of biodiesel in the thermophysical properties of water-glycerol solution applied as secondary coolant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Medeiros, Pedro Samuel Gomes; Barbosa, Cleiton Rubens Formiga; Fontes, Francisco de Assis Oliveira [Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN (Brazil). Energy Laboratory. Thermal Systems Studies Group], e-mail: cleiton@ufrnet.br

2010-07-01

This paper evaluates the effects of glycerol concentration on thermophysical properties of water-glycerol solution applied as a secondary coolant in refrigeration systems by expansion-indirect. The processing of triglycerides for biodiesel production generates glycerol as co-product and there are concerns of environmental and economic order on the surplus of glycerol. The addition of glycerol in water alters the colligative and thermophysical properties (melting point, mass, specific heat, thermal conductivity and dynamic viscosity). There are studies that prove the feasibility of using glycerol as an additive and this paper has the goal to verify the changes on properties compared with pure water. This comparison was made from data obtained by the software simulation and they analyzed using graphs and tables. It was shown that glycerol increases the density and dynamic viscosity, and reduces the specific heat and thermal conductivity. This behavior of water-glycerol solution is proportional to the mass concentration of glycerol and it is justified because the glycerol has low values of specific heat, thermal conductivity and high viscosity when compared with water. Despite the losses in the thermophysical properties, glycerol shows its potential application, because of the cryoscopic effect and it is a non-toxic substance at low cost. (author)

Rapid monitoring of glycerol in fermentation growth media: Facilitating crude glycerol bioprocess development.

Science.gov (United States)

Abad, Sergi; Pérez, Xavier; Planas, Antoni; Turon, Xavier

2014-04-01

Recently, the need for crude glycerol valorisation from the biodiesel industry has generated many studies for practical and economic applications. Amongst them, fermentations based on glycerol media for the production of high value metabolites are prominent applications. This has generated a need to develop analytical techniques which allow fast and simple glycerol monitoring during fermentation. The methodology should be fast and inexpensive to be adopted in research, as well as in industrial applications. In this study three different methods were analysed and compared: two common methodologies based on liquid chromatography and enzymatic kits, and the new method based on a DotBlot assay coupled with image analysis. The new methodology is faster and cheaper than the other conventional methods, with comparable performance. Good linearity, precision and accuracy were achieved in the lower range (10 or 15 g/L to depletion), the most common range of glycerol concentrations to monitor fermentations in terms of growth kinetics. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and applications of 13C glycerol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stocking, E.; Khalsa, O.; Martinez, R.A.; Silks, L.A. III

1994-01-01

Due in part to the use of labeled glycerol for the 13 C enrichment of biomolecules, we are currently developing new synthetic routes to various isotopomers of glycerol. Judging from our experience, traditional methods of glycerol synthesis are not easily adapted for isotopic enrichment and/or have poor overall yields (12 to 15%). Furthermore, the use of glycerol for enrichment can be prohibitively expensive and its availability is limited by the level of demand. We are presently developing a short de novo synthesis of glycerol from carbon dioxide (∼53% overall yield for four steps) and are examining the feasibility of synthesizing site-specific 13 C-labeled glycerol and dihydroxyacetone (DHA) from labeled methanol and carbon dioxide. One application of 13 C glycerol we have examined is enzymatic conversion of glycerol to glyceraldehyde-3-monophosphate or dihydroxyacetone monophosphate (DHAP) with yields ranging from 25 to 50% (as determined by NMR spectroscopy). We are also pursuing the chemical conversion of 13 C-labeled DHA to DHAP. We are especially interested in 13 C-labeled DHAP because we are investigating its use as a chemo-enzymatic precursor for both labeled 2-deoxyribose and 2-deoxyribonucleic acids

Synthesis and applications of 13C glycerol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stocking, E.; Khalsa, O.; Martinez, R.; Silks, L.A. III

1994-01-01

The authors are currently developing new synthetic routes to the various isotopomers of glycerol. Labeled glycerol is useful for 13 C enrichment of biomolecules. However, traditional methods of glycerol synthesis are not easily adapted for isotopic enrichment or have poor overall yields (12-15%). In addition, the use of glycerol for enrichment can be prohibitively expensive and its availability depends on the level of demand. The authors have developed a short de novo synthesis of [U- 13 C]glycerol from carbon dioxide (∼53% overall yield for four steps) and are currently examining the feasibility of synthesizing site-specific 13 C labeled glycerol and dihydroxyacetone (DHA) from methanol and carbon dioxide. The authors have examined the enzymatic conversion of [U- 13 C]glycerol to glyceraldehyde-3-monophosphate or dihydroxyacetone monophosphate (DHAP) with yields ranging from 25-50% (as determined by NMR spectroscopy). The authors are also pursuing the chemical conversion of 13 C labeled DHA to DHAP and the results are presented. Labeled DHAP is a possible enzymatic precursor for both labeled 2-deoxyribose and 2-deoxyribonucleic acids

Combinations of glycerol percent, glycerol equilibration time, and thawing rate upon freezability of bull spermatozoa in plastic straws.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiggin, H B; Almquist, J O

1975-03-01

Twelve ejaculates were used in a central composite experiment to test 15 combinations of glycerol (7, 9, 11, 13, or 15%), glycerol equilibration times (1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 h) and thawing rates (water at 35 C for 15 s, 50 C for 13 s, 65 C for 11 s, 80 C for 9 s, or 95 C for 7 s). Semen was diluted in heated skim milk-glycerol, packaged in .3-ml. Continental U.S. straws and frozen in liquid nitrogen vapor. Based on post-thaw progressive sperm motility after storage at -196 C for 9 to 11 days, estimated optima from multiple regression were 10.7% for glycerol, 2.0 h for glycerol equilibration time, and 76 C for thawing bath temperature. Only the linear effect for each variable was significant. Much faster thawing rates and shorter glycerol equilibration times than those for freezing bull spermatozoa in glass ampules should be used for maximum post-thaw sperm motility in straws.

Hydrophobic silver nanoparticles trapped in lipid bilayers: Size distribution, bilayer phase behavior, and optical properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bothun Geoffrey D

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Lipid-based dispersion of nanoparticles provides a biologically inspired route to designing therapeutic agents and a means of reducing nanoparticle toxicity. Little is currently known on how the presence of nanoparticles influences lipid vesicle stability and bilayer phase behavior. In this work, the formation of aqueous lipid/nanoparticle assemblies (LNAs consisting of hydrophobic silver-decanethiol particles (5.7 ± 1.8 nm embedded within 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC bilayers is demonstrated as a function of the DPPC/Ag nanoparticle (AgNP ratio. The effect of nanoparticle loading on the size distribution, bilayer phase behavior, and bilayer fluidity is determined. Concomitantly, the effect of bilayer incorporation on the optical properties of the AgNPs is also examined. Results The dispersions were stable at 50°C where the bilayers existed in a liquid crystalline state, but phase separated at 25°C where the bilayers were in a gel state, consistent with vesicle aggregation below the lipid melting temperature. Formation of bilayer-embedded nanoparticles was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry and fluorescence anisotropy, where increasing nanoparticle concentration suppressed the lipid pretransition temperature, reduced the melting temperature, and disrupted gel phase bilayers. The characteristic surface plasmon resonance (SPR wavelength of the embedded nanoparticles was independent of the bilayer phase; however, the SPR absorbance was dependent on vesicle aggregation. Conclusion These results suggest that lipid bilayers can distort to accommodate large hydrophobic nanoparticles, relative to the thickness of the bilayer, and may provide insight into nanoparticle/biomembrane interactions and the design of multifunctional liposomal carriers.

Lipid bilayers and interfaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kik, R.A.

2007-01-01

In biological systems lipid bilayers are subject to many different interactions with other entities. These can range from proteins that are attached to the hydrophilic region of the bilayer or transmembrane proteins that interact with the hydrophobic region of the lipid bilayer. Interaction between

Biohydrogen Production from Glycerol using Thermotoga spp

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maru, B.T.; Bielen, A.A.M.; Kengen, S.W.M.; Constantini, M.; Medina, F.

2012-01-01

Given the highly reduced state of carbon in glycerol and its availability as a substantial byproduct of biodiesel production, glycerol is of special interest for sustainable biofuel production. Glycerol was used as a substrate for biohydrogen production using the hyperthermophilic bacterium,

Seasonal variability of branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) in a temperate lake system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Loomis, S.E.; Russell, J.M.; Heureux, A.M.; D'Andrea, W.J.; Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.

2014-01-01

Quantitative climate reconstructions are crucial for understanding the magnitude of and mechanisms behind natural and anthropogenic climate change, yet there are few proxies that can reliably reconstruct terrestrial temperature. Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) are bacterial

Microbial recycling of glycerol to biodiesel.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Liu; Zhu, Zhi; Wang, Weihua; Lu, Xuefeng

2013-12-01

The sustainable supply of lipids is the bottleneck for current biodiesel production. Here microbial recycling of glycerol, byproduct of biodiesel production to biodiesel in engineered Escherichia coli strains was reported. The KC3 strain with capability of producing fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) from glucose was used as a starting strain to optimize fermentation conditions when using glycerol as sole carbon source. The YL15 strain overexpressing double copies of atfA gene displayed 1.7-fold increase of FAEE productivity compared to the KC3 strain. The titer of FAEE in YL15 strain reached to 813 mg L(-1) in minimum medium using glycerol as sole carbon source under optimized fermentation conditions. The titer of glycerol-based FAEE production can be significantly increased by both genetic modifications and fermentation optimization. Microbial recycling of glycerol to biodiesel expands carbon sources for biodiesel production. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pharmacokinetics and enhanced oral bioavailability in beagle dogs of cyclosporine A encapsulated in glyceryl monooleate/poloxamer 407 cubic nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jie Lai

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Jie Lai1,2, Yi Lu1, Zongning Yin2, Fuqiang Hu3, Wei Wu11School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, 2West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China, 3School of Pharmacy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, ChinaAbstract: Efforts to improve the oral bioavailability of cyclosporine A (CyA remains a challenge in the field of drug delivery. In this study, glyceryl monooleate (GMO/poloxamer 407 cubic nanoparticles were evaluated as potential vehicles to improve the oral bioavailability of CyA. Cubic nanoparticles were prepared via the fragmentation of a bulk GMO/poloxamer 407 cubic phase gel by sonication and homogenization. The cubic inner structure formed was verified using Cryo-TEM. The mean diameters of the nanoparticles were about 180 nm, and the entrapment efficiency of these particles for CyA was over 85%. The in vitro release of CyA from these nanoparticles was less than 5% at 12 h. The results of a pharmacokinetic study in beagle dogs showed improved absorption of CyA from cubic nanoparticles as compared to microemulsion-based Neoral®; higher Cmax (1371.18 ± 37.34 vs 969.68 ± 176.3 ng mL-1, higher AUC0–t (7757.21 ± 1093.64 vs 4739.52 ± 806.30 ng h mL-1 and AUC0–∞ (9004.77 ± 1090.38 vs 5462.31 ± 930.76 ng h mL-1. The relative oral bioavailability of CyA cubic nanoparticles calculated on the basis of AUC0–∞ was about 178% as compared to Neoral®. The enhanced bioavailability of CyA is likely due to facilitated absorption by cubic nanoparticles rather than improved release.Keywords: nanoparticles, cubosomes, cyclosporine A, glyceryl monooleate, oral drug delivery, bioavailability, beagle dogs

Design and analysis of fuel ethanol production from raw glycerol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Posada, J.A.; Cardona, C.A.

2010-01-01

Three configurations for fuel ethanol production from raw glycerol using Escherichia coli were simulated and economically assessed using Aspen Plus and Aspen Icarus, respectively. These assessments considered raw glycerol (60 wt%) purification to both crude glycerol (88 wt%) and pure glycerol (98 wt%). The highest purification cost (PC) was obtained using pure glycerol due to its higher energy consumption in the distillation stage. In addition, the remaining methanol in the raw glycerol stream was recovered and recycled, decreasing the purification costs. The E. coli strain is able to convert crude glycerol (at 10 g/L or 20 g/L), or pure glycerol (at 10 g/L) to ethanol. Among these three glycerol concentrations, the lowest bioconversion cost was obtained when crude glycerol was diluted at 20 g/L. Purification and global production costs were compared with the commercial prices of glycerol and fuel ethanol from corn and sugarcane. Purification costs of raw glycerol were lower than previously reported values due to the methanol recovery. Global production costs for fuel ethanol from glycerol were lower than the reported values for corn-based production and higher than those for cane-based production. (author)

Biological Conversion of Glycerol to Ethanol by Enterobacter aerogenes

Science.gov (United States)

Nwachukwu, Raymond E. S.

In a search to turn the economically and environmentally non-valuable "waste" streams of biodiesel production into a profitable byproduct, a mutant strain of Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC 13048 was developed by six-tube subculturing technique. This technique is based on the principle of adaptive evolution, and involved subculturing the bacterium in a tryptic soy broth without dextrose (TSB) containing specific glycerol and ethanol concentration for six consecutive times. Then, the six consecutive subculturing was repeated in a fresh TSB of higher glycerol and ethanol concentrations. A new mutant strain, E. aerogenes S012, which could withstand a combination of 200 g/l glycerol and 30 g/l ethanol concentrations, was developed. The wild and mutant strains were used for the fermentation of pure (P-) and recovered (R-) glycerol. Taguchi and full factorial methods of design of experiments were used to screen and optimize the important process factors that influence the microbial production of ethanol. A statistically sound regression model was used to establish the mathematical relationship between the process variables and ethanol production. Temperature of 38°C, agitation speed of 200 rpm, pH of 6.3-6.6, and microaerobic condition were the optimum process conditions. Different pretreatment methods to recover glycerol from the crude glycerol and the subsequent fermentation method showed that direct acidification using 85% H3PO4 was the best. The R-glycerol contained 51% pure glycerol and 21% methanol. The wild strain, E. aerogenes ATCC 13048, produced only 12 g/l and 12.8 g/l ethanol from 20 g/l P- and R-glycerol respectively, and could not utilize higher glycerol concentrations. The mutant, E. aerogenes S012, produced ethanol amount and yield of 43 g/l and 1.12 mol/mol-glycerol from P-glycerol, respectively within 96 h. It also produced ethanol amount and yield of 26.8 g/l and 1.07 mol/mol-glycerol, respectively, from R-glycerol within the same duration. In a

Synthesis and applications of {sup 13}C glycerol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stocking, E.; Khalsa, O.; Martinez, R.A.; Silks, L.A. III [Los Alamos National Laboratory, NM (United States)

1994-12-01

Due in part to the use of labeled glycerol for the {sup 13}C enrichment of biomolecules, we are currently developing new synthetic routes to various isotopomers of glycerol. Judging from our experience, traditional methods of glycerol synthesis are not easily adapted for isotopic enrichment and/or have poor overall yields (12 to 15%). Furthermore, the use of glycerol for enrichment can be prohibitively expensive and its availability is limited by the level of demand. We are presently developing a short de novo synthesis of glycerol from carbon dioxide ({approximately}53% overall yield for four steps) and are examining the feasibility of synthesizing site-specific {sup 13}C-labeled glycerol and dihydroxyacetone (DHA) from labeled methanol and carbon dioxide. One application of {sup 13}C glycerol we have examined is enzymatic conversion of glycerol to glyceraldehyde-3-monophosphate or dihydroxyacetone monophosphate (DHAP) with yields ranging from 25 to 50% (as determined by NMR spectroscopy). We are also pursuing the chemical conversion of {sup 13}C-labeled DHA to DHAP. We are especially interested in {sup 13}C-labeled DHAP because we are investigating its use as a chemo-enzymatic precursor for both labeled 2-deoxyribose and 2-deoxyribonucleic acids.

Refined OPLS All-Atom Force Field for Saturated Phosphatidylcholine Bilayers at Full Hydration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maciejewski, A.; Pasenkiewicz-Gierula, M.; Cramariuc, O.

2014-01-01

validation, and it is also one of the highly important and abundant lipid types, e.g., in lung surfactant. Overall, PCs have not been previously parametrized in the OPLS-AA force field; thus, there is a need to derive its bonding and nonbonding parameters for both the polar and nonpolar parts of the molecule....... In the present study, we determined the parameters for torsion angles in the phosphatidylcholine and glycerol moieties and in the acyl chains, as well the partial atomic charges. In these calculations, we used three methods: (1) Hartree-Fock (HF), (2) second order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2), and (3...... one was found to be able to satisfactorily reproduce experimental data for the lipid bilayer. The successful DPPC model was obtained from MP2 calculations in an implicit polar environment (PCM)....

Glycerol from biodiesel production: the new corn for dairy cattle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shawn S Donkin

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Glycerol, also known as glycerin, is a colorless, odorless, hygroscopic, and sweet-tasting viscous liquid. It is a sugar alcohol with high solubility index in water and has a wide range of applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. The use of glycerol in diets for dairy cattle is not novel; however, this interest has been renewed due to the increased availability and favorable pricing of glycerol as a consequence of recent growth in the biofuels industry. Experimental evidence supports the use of glycerol as a transition cow therapy but feeding rates are low, ranging from 5 to 8 % of the diet DM. There is a paucity of research that examines the use of glycerol as a macro-ingredient in rations for lactating dairy cows. Most reports indicate a lack of effect of addition of glycerol to the diet when it replaces corn or corn starch. Recent feeding experiments with lactating dairy cows indicate replacing corn with glycerol to a level of 15% of the ration DM does not adversely effect milk production or composition. Milk production was 37.0, 36.9, 37.3, 36.4 ± 0.6 kg/d and feed intake was 24.0, 24.5, 24.6, 24.1 ± 0.5 kg/d for 0, 5, 10 and 15% glycerol treatments respectively and did not differ (P > 0.05 except for a modest reduction in feed intake during the first 7 days for the 15% glycerol treatment. Glycerol fed to dairy cattle is fermented to volatile fatty acids in the rumen and early reports indicated that glycerol is almost entirely fermented to propionate. In vitro data indicates glycerol fermentation increases the production of propionate and butyrate at the expense of acetate. Rumen microbes appear to adapt to glycerol feeding and consequently, cows fed glycerol also require an adaptation period to glycerol inclusion. Debate exists regarding the fate of glycerol in the rumen and although most reports suggest that glycerol is largely fermented in the rumen, the extent of rumen digestion may depend on level of

Valorization of crude glycerol from biodiesel production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantinović Sandra S.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The increased production of biodiesel as an alternative fuel involves the simultaneous growth in production of crude glycerol as its main by-product. Therefore, the feasibility and sustainability of biodiesel production requires the effective utilization of crude glycerol. This review describes various uses of crude glycerol as a potential green solvent for chemical reactions, a starting raw material for chemical and biochemical conversions into value-added chemicals, a substrate or co-substrate in microbial fermentations for synthesis of valuable chemicals and production of biogas and biohydrogen as well as a feedstuff for animal feed. A special attention is paid to various uses of crude glycerol in biodiesel production. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 45001

Electrochemical Oxidation of Glycerol Using Gold Electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamed Rozali Othman; Amirah Ahmad

2015-01-01

Cyclic voltammetry, potential linear V and chronocuolometry methods were carried out to gain electrochemical behavior of glycerol at a gold electrode. Potassium hydroxide and sulfuric acid were chosen to be the electrolyte for the electro-oxidation of this organic compound. Besides gold plate electrode, gold composite electrode (Au-PVC) was also used as the working electrode. The Au-PVC composite electrode was characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to determine its morphological aspects before and after used in electrochemical oxidation of glycerol. In alkaline solution, the adsorption of hydroxide species onto the surface of both gold plate and composite Au-PVC electrodes occurs at potential around 500 mV vs SCE. However, at gold plate electrode, there was a small, broad peak before the drastic escalation of current densities which indicates the charge transfer of the chemisorbed OH - anion. In acidic media, the gold oxide was formed after potential 1.0 V. From the cyclic voltammogram glycerol undergo oxidation twice in potassium hydroxide at gold plate and Au-PVC composite electrodes, while in sulfuric acid, oxidation reaction happened once for glycerol on the gold plate electrode. Overall, electrochemical oxidation of glycerol was more effective in alkaline media. Tafel graph which plotted from potential linear V method shows that Au-PVC composite electrode is better than gold plate electrode for the electro-oxidation of glycerol in alkaline solution. Electrochemical oxidation of glycerol products as analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) produced several carboxylic acids and phenolic compounds. (author)

Bovine oocytes and early embryos express mRNA encoding glycerol kinase but addition of glycerol to the culture media interferes with oocyte maturation.

Science.gov (United States)

Okawara, Sumika; Hamano, Seizo; Tetsuka, Masafumi

2009-04-01

Glycerol plays multi-functional roles in cellular physiology. Other than forming the backbone molecule for glycerophospholipid and triglyceride (TG), glycerol acts as an energy substrate for glycolysis. Spermatozoa are known to utilize glycerol for energy production, but there are no reports of this in oocytes. In this study, the value of glycerol as an energy substrate for bovine oocyte maturation (Exp. 1) and the gene expression of glycerol kinase (GK), an enzyme crucial for cellular glycerol utilization, in bovine oocytes and early embryos (Exp. 2) were examined. In Exp. 1, in vitro maturation (IVM) was conducted using synthetic oviduct fluid supplemented with/without glucose (1.5 mM) and/or glycerol (1.0 mM), and maturation rate, degree of cumulus expansion, glucose consumption and lactate production by cumulus-oocyte complexes (COC) were examined. In Exp. 2, to examine the developmental expression of GK mRNA, cumulus cells, oocytes and embryos at the 2-, 8- and 16-cell, morula, expanded blastocyst and hatched blastocyst stages were obtained in separate experiments, and the expression of GK mRNA was quantified using a real-time PCR. Glycerol did not support oocyte maturation or cumulus expansion. Addition of glycerol to glucose-supplemented media significantly decreased the maturation rate. Expression of GK mRNA was very low in cumulus cells, whereas an appreciable level of the transcript was observed in the oocytes. GK mRNA was detected in embryos at all the stages examined, and its expression significantly increased at the morula stage. These results indicate that glycerol, at least at the present concentration, is not beneficial as a constituent of the medium for bovine oocyte maturation. However, the appreciable levels of GK mRNA found in the oocyte and embryo imply a physiological role for glycerol in bovine oocyte maturation and embryo development.

A new asymmetric diamide from the seed cake of Jatropha curcas L.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Licheng; Han, Changri; Chen, Guangying; Song, Xiaoping; Chang, Yonghui; Zang, Wenxia

2012-12-01

A new asymmetric diamide (E)-N-(3-acetamidopropyl)-cinnamamide named curcamide (1) has been isolated from the ethanol extract of the seed cake of Jatropha curcas L. along with 7 known compounds identified as isoamericanin (2), isoprincepin (3), caffeoylaldehyde (4), isoferulaldehyde (5), glycerol monooleate (6), syringaldehyde (7), and β-ethyl-d-glucopyranoside (8). The synthesis and antibacterial activity of the new compound have been also studied. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biocompatible and Biomimetic Self-Assembly of Functional Nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-28

evaporation induced self-assembly of aqueous silica precursors with a biologically compatible surfactant, glycerol monooleate ( GMO ) via dip-coating...film is first deposited, it has a relatively low contact angle with water and remains in a semi-solid state. Upon exposure to UV/ozone, the GMO begins...Figure 8. A) Water contact angle of a GMO -templated silica film as a function of UV light and ozone exposure time, B) Localization of fluorescently

Glycerol acetals, kinetic study of the reaction between glycerol and formaldehyde

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agirre, I.; Garcia, I.; Requies, J.; Barrio, V.L.; Gueemez, M.B.; Cambra, J.F.; Arias, P.L.

2011-01-01

The acetalization reaction between glycerol and formaldehyde using Amberlyst 47 acidic ion exchange resin was studied. These acetals can be obtained from renewable sources (bioalcohols and bioalcohol derived aldehydes) and seem to be good candidates for different applications such as oxygenated diesel additives. A preliminary kinetic study was performed in a batch stirred tank reactor studying the influence of different process parameters like temperature, feed composition and the stirring speed. A pseudo homogenous kinetic model able to explain the reaction mechanism was adjusted. Thus, the corresponding order of reaction was determined. Amberlyst 47 acidic ion exchange resin showed a fairly good behavior allowing 100% of selectivity towards acetals formation. However, the studied acetalization reaction showed high thermodynamic limitations achieving glycerol conversions around 50% using a stoichiometric feed ratio at 353 K. The product is a mixture of two isomers (1,3-Dioxan-5-ol and 1,3-dioxolane-4-methanol) and the conversion of 1,3-dioxolane-4-methanol into 1,3-Dioxan-5-ol was also observed. -- Highlights: → The reaction between glycerol and acetaldehyde shows thermodynamic limitations. → Amberlyst 47 ion exchange resins show 100% of selectivity. → A pseudo-homogeneous kinetic model is able to predict the reaction progress. → Isomerization reactions were observed from dioxalanes to dioxanes.

Radiometric assays for glycerol, glucose, and glycogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradley, D.C.; Kaslow, H.R.

1989-01-01

We have developed radiometric assays for small quantities of glycerol, glucose and glycogen, based on a technique described by Thorner and Paulus for the measurement of glycerokinase activity. In the glycerol assay, glycerol is phosphorylated with [32P]ATP and glycerokinase, residual [32P]ATP is hydrolyzed by heating in acid, and free [32P]phosphate is removed by precipitation with ammonium molybdate and triethylamine. Standard dose-response curves were linear from 50 to 3000 pmol glycerol with less than 3% SD in triplicate measurements. Of the substances tested for interference, only dihydroxyacetone gave a slight false positive signal at high concentration. When used to measure glycerol concentrations in serum and in media from incubated adipose tissue, the radiometric glycerol assay correlated well with a commonly used spectrophotometric assay. The radiometric glucose assay is similar to the glycerol assay, except that glucokinase is used instead of glycerokinase. Dose response was linear from 5 to 3000 pmol glucose with less than 3% SD in triplicate measurements. Glucosamine and N-acetylglucosamine gave false positive signals when equimolar to glucose. When glucose concentrations in serum were measured, the radiometric glucose assay agreed well with hexokinase/glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (H/GDH)-based and glucose oxidase/H2O2-based glucose assays. The radiometric method for glycogen measurement incorporates previously described isolation and digestion techniques, followed by the radiometric assay of free glucose. When used to measure glycogen in mouse epididymal fat pads, the radiometric glycogen assay correlated well with the H/GDH-based glycogen assay. All three radiometric assays offer several practical advantages over spectral assays

Alcohol's Effects on Lipid Bilayer Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Ingólfsson, Helgi I.; Andersen, Olaf S.

2011-01-01

Alcohols are known modulators of lipid bilayer properties. Their biological effects have long been attributed to their bilayer-modifying effects, but alcohols can also alter protein function through direct protein interactions. This raises the question: Do alcohol's biological actions result predominantly from direct protein-alcohol interactions or from general changes in the membrane properties? The efficacy of alcohols of various chain lengths tends to exhibit a so-called cutoff effect (i.e., increasing potency with increased chain length, which that eventually levels off). The cutoff varies depending on the assay, and numerous mechanisms have been proposed such as: limited size of the alcohol-protein interaction site, limited alcohol solubility, and a chain-length-dependent lipid bilayer-alcohol interaction. To address these issues, we determined the bilayer-modifying potency of 27 aliphatic alcohols using a gramicidin-based fluorescence assay. All of the alcohols tested (with chain lengths of 1–16 carbons) alter the bilayer properties, as sensed by a bilayer-spanning channel. The bilayer-modifying potency of the short-chain alcohols scales linearly with their bilayer partitioning; the potency tapers off at higher chain lengths, and eventually changes sign for the longest-chain alcohols, demonstrating an alcohol cutoff effect in a system that has no alcohol-binding pocket. PMID:21843475

Determining Atmospheric Pressure with a Eudiometer and Glycerol

Science.gov (United States)

Brody, Jed; Rohald, Kate; Sutton, Atasha

2010-01-01

We consider a volume of air trapped over a glycerol column in a eudiometer. We demonstrate that there is an approximately linear relationship between the volume of trapped air and the height of the glycerol column. Simply by moving the eudiometer up and down, we cause the glycerol-column height and trapped-air volume to vary. The plot of volume…

Design and analysis of biorefineries based on raw glycerol: addressing the glycerol problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Posada, John A; Rincón, Luis E; Cardona, Carlos A

2012-05-01

Glycerol as a low-cost by-product of the biodiesel industry can be considered a renewable building block for biorefineries. In this work, the conversion of raw glycerol to nine added-value products obtained by chemical (syn-gas, acrolein, and 1,2-propanediol) or bio-chemical (ethanol, 1,3-propanediol, d-lactic acid, succinic acid, propionic acid, and poly-3-hydroxybutyrate) routes were considered. The technological schemes for these synthesis routes were designed, simulated, and economically assessed using Aspen Plus and Aspen Icarus Process Evaluator, respectively. The techno-economic potential of a glycerol-based biorefinery system for the production of fuels, chemicals, and plastics was analyzed using the commercial Commercial Sale Price/Production Cost ratio criteria, under different production scenarios. More income can be earned from 1,3-propanediol and 1,2-propanediol production, while less income would be obtained from hydrogen and succinic acid. This analysis may be useful mainly for biodiesel producers since several profitable alternatives are presented and discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Etherification of Glycerol with Propylene or 1-Butene for Fuel Additives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chakrapong Saengarun

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The etherification of glycerol with propylene over acidic heterogeneous catalysts, Amberlyst-15, S100, and S200 resins, produced mono-propyl glycerol ethers (MPGEs, 1,3-di- and 1,2-di-propyl glycerol ethers (DPGEs, and tri-propyl glycerol ether (TPGE. The propylation of glycerol over Amberlyst-15 yielded only TPGE. The glycerol etherification with 1-butene over Amberlyst-15 and S200 resins produced 1-mono-, 2-mono-, 1,2-di-, and 1,3-di-butyl glycerol ethers (1-MBGE, 2-MBGE, 1,2-DBGE, and 1,3-DBGE. The use of Amberlyst-15 resulted in the propylation and butylation of glycerol with higher yields than those obtained from the S100 and S200 resins. The PGEs, TPGE, and BGEs were evaluated as cold flow improvers and octane boosters. These alkyl glycerol ethers can reduce the cloud point of blended palm biodiesels with diesel. They can increase the research octane number and the motor octane number of gasoline.

Tunneling Plasmonics in Bilayer Graphene.

Science.gov (United States)

Fei, Z; Iwinski, E G; Ni, G X; Zhang, L M; Bao, W; Rodin, A S; Lee, Y; Wagner, M; Liu, M K; Dai, S; Goldflam, M D; Thiemens, M; Keilmann, F; Lau, C N; Castro-Neto, A H; Fogler, M M; Basov, D N

2015-08-12

We report experimental signatures of plasmonic effects due to electron tunneling between adjacent graphene layers. At subnanometer separation, such layers can form either a strongly coupled bilayer graphene with a Bernal stacking or a weakly coupled double-layer graphene with a random stacking order. Effects due to interlayer tunneling dominate in the former case but are negligible in the latter. We found through infrared nanoimaging that bilayer graphene supports plasmons with a higher degree of confinement compared to single- and double-layer graphene, a direct consequence of interlayer tunneling. Moreover, we were able to shut off plasmons in bilayer graphene through gating within a wide voltage range. Theoretical modeling indicates that such a plasmon-off region is directly linked to a gapped insulating state of bilayer graphene, yet another implication of interlayer tunneling. Our work uncovers essential plasmonic properties in bilayer graphene and suggests a possibility to achieve novel plasmonic functionalities in graphene few-layers.

Potassium-doped n-type bilayer graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Yamada, Takatoshi; Okigawa, Yuki; Hasegawa, Masataka

2018-01-01

Potassium-doped n-type bilayer graphene was obtained. Chemical vapor deposited bilayer and single layer graphene on copper (Cu) foils were used. After etching of Cu foils, graphene was dipped in potassium hydroxide aqueous solutions to dope potassium. Graphene on silicon oxide was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Raman spectroscopy. Both XPS and EDX spectra indicated potassium incorporation into the bilayer graphene via intercalation between the graphene sheets. The downward shift of the 2D peak position of bilayer graphene after the potassium hydroxide (KOH) treatment was confirmed in Raman spectra, indicating that the KOH-treated bilayer graphene was doped with electrons. Electrical properties were measured using Hall bar structures. The Dirac points of bilayer graphene were shifted from positive to negative by the KOH treatment, indicating that the KOH-treated bilayer graphene was n-type conduction. For single layer graphene after the KOH treatment, although electron doping was confirmed from Raman spectra, the peak of potassium in the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectrum was not detected. The Dirac points of single layer graphene with and without the KOH treatment showed positive.

Intercalation compounds of vanadium(5) phosphates with glycerol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yakovleva, T.N.; Vykhodtseva, K.I.; Tarasova, D.V.; Soderzhinova, M.M.

1997-01-01

Interaction products of glycerol aqueous solutions with vanadium(5) phosphates were investigated by the methods of ESR, X-ray phase and thermal analyses. It is shown that glycerol molecules enter the interlayer space of VOPO 4 · 2H 2 O lattice with formation of disordered intercalated compounds with glycerol on the basis of partially reduced vanadium phosphate form when using α-VOPO 4 . 16 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

Efficient synthetic protocols in glycerol under heterogeneous catalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cravotto, Giancarlo; Orio, Laura; Gaudino, Emanuela Calcio; Martina, Katia; Tavor, Dorith; Wolfson, Adi

2011-08-22

The massive increase in glycerol production from the transesterification of vegetable oils has stimulated a large effort to find novel uses for this compound. Hence, the use of glycerol as a solvent for organic synthesis has drawn particular interest. Drawbacks of this green and renewable solvent are a low solubility of highly hydrophobic molecules and a high viscosity, which often requires the use of a fluidifying co-solvent. These limitations can be easily overcome by performing reactions under high-intensity ultrasound and microwaves in a stand-alone or combined manner. These non-conventional techniques facilitate and widen the use of glycerol as a solvent in organic synthesis. Glycerol allows excellent acoustic cavitation even at high temperatures (70-100 °C), which is otherwise negligible in water. Herein, we describe three different types of applications: 1) the catalytic transfer hydrogenation of benzaldehyde to benzyl alcohol in which glycerol plays the dual role of the solvent and hydrogen donor; 2) the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling; and (3) the Barbier reaction. In all cases glycerol proved to be a greener, less expensive, and safer alternative to the classic volatile organic solvents. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Electronic properties of graphene-based bilayer systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rozhkov, A.V., E-mail: arozhkov@gmail.com [CEMS, RIKEN, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Institute for Theoretical and Applied Electrodynamics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 125412 Moscow (Russian Federation); Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, 141700 (Russian Federation); Sboychakov, A.O. [CEMS, RIKEN, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Institute for Theoretical and Applied Electrodynamics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 125412 Moscow (Russian Federation); Rakhmanov, A.L. [CEMS, RIKEN, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Institute for Theoretical and Applied Electrodynamics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 125412 Moscow (Russian Federation); Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, 141700 (Russian Federation); All-Russia Research Institute of Automatics, Moscow, 127055 (Russian Federation); Nori, Franco, E-mail: fnori@riken.jp [CEMS, RIKEN, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Physics Department, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1040 (United States)

2016-08-23

This article reviews the theoretical and experimental work related to the electronic properties of bilayer graphene systems. Three types of bilayer stackings are discussed: the AA, AB, and twisted bilayer graphene. This review covers single-electron properties, effects of static electric and magnetic fields, bilayer-based mesoscopic systems, spin–orbit coupling, dc transport and optical response, as well as spontaneous symmetry violation and other interaction effects. The selection of the material aims to introduce the reader to the most commonly studied topics of theoretical and experimental research in bilayer graphene.

Dispersion of fullerenes in phospholipid bilayers and the subsequent phase changes in the host bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeng, U-S. [National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30077, Taiwan (China)]. E-mail: usjeng@nsrrc.org.tw; Hsu, C.-H. [National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30077, Taiwan (China); Lin, T.-L. [Department of Engineering and System Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China); Wu, C.-M. [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China); Chen, H.-L. [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China); Tai, L.-A. [Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China); Hwang, K.-C. [Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China)

2005-02-28

We have studied the structure and phase transition characteristics of the fullerenes (C{sub 60})-embedded lipid bilayers. With small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), we have observed a degradation of bilayer ordering and a suppression effect on the phase transitions of the host vesicle bilayers of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), due to the embedment of fullerenes. The fullerene-embedded lipid system with substrate-oriented bilayers is also investigated using X-ray reflectivity and grazing incident small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS). In the depth direction, the multilamellar peaks observed in the X-ray reflectivity profile for the oriented DPPC/C{sub 60} bilayers reveal a larger head-to-head distance D{sub HH} of 50.6 A and a bilayer spacing D of 59.8 A, compared to the D{sub HH}=47.7 A and D=59.5 A for a pure DPPC membrane measured at the same conditions. Furthermore, the lipid head layers and water layers in the extracted electron density profile for the complex system are highly smeared, implying a fluctuating or corrugated structure in this zone. Correspondingly, GISAXS for the oriented DPPC/C{sub 60} membrane reveals stronger diffuse scatterings along the membrane plane than that for the pure DPPC system, indicating a higher in-plane correlation associated with the embedded fullerenes.

Investigation of glycerol assimilation and cofactor metabolism in Lactococcus lactis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Anders Koefoed

of glycerol kinase from L. lactis, introduction of a heterologous glycerol assimilation pathway and construction of a library of NADH oxidase activity. Based on a preliminary analysis of transcription level data, an attempt was made to stimulate glycerol assimilation by overexpressing the glycerol kinase...... already present in L. lactis. The construction and verification of a strain with increased glycerol kinase activity was not fully completed and is still ongoing. Similarly the construction of mutants expressing a heterologous pathway for glycerol dissimilation is also an ongoing task. An artificial...... effects and improve the growth rate, though not completely to the level of the reference strain. The fact that this effect was predominantly observed while utilizing xylose implicates the involvement of the pentose phosphate pathway. A possible mechanism underlying the observed growth characteristics...

Conserved family of glycerol kinase loci in Drosophila melanogaster

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez Agosto, Julian A.; McCabe, Edward R.B.

2009-01-01

Glycerol kinase (GK) is an enzyme that catalyzes the formation of glycerol 3-phosphate from ATP and glycerol, the rate-limiting step in glycerol utilization. We analyzed the genome of the model organism Drosophila melanogaster and identified five GK orthologs, including two loci with sequence homology to the mammalian Xp21 GK protein. Using a combination of sequence analysis and evolutionary comparisons of orthologs between species, we characterized functional domains in the protein required for GK activity. Our findings include additional conserved domains that suggest novel nuclear and mitochondrial functions for glycerol kinase in apoptosis and transcriptional regulation. Investigation of GK function in Drosophila will inform us about the role of this enzyme in development and will provide us with a tool to examine genetic modifiers of human metabolic disorders. PMID:16545593

Catalytic glycerol steam reforming for hydrogen production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dan, Monica; Mihet, Maria; Lazar, Mihaela D.

2015-01-01

Hydrogen production from glycerol by steam reforming combine two major advantages: (i) using glycerol as raw material add value to this by product of bio-diesel production which is obtained in large quantities around the world and have a very limited utilization now, and (ii) by implication of water molecules in the reaction the efficiency of hydrogen generation is increased as each mol of glycerol produces 7 mol of H 2 . In this work we present the results obtained in the process of steam reforming of glycerol on Ni/Al 2 O 3 . The catalyst was prepared by wet impregnation method and characterized through different methods: N 2 adsorption-desorption, XRD, TPR. The catalytic study was performed in a stainless steel tubular reactor at atmospheric pressure by varying the reaction conditions: steam/carbon ratio (1-9), gas flow (35 ml/min -133 ml/min), temperature (450-650°C). The gaseous fraction of the reaction products contain: H 2 , CH 4 , CO, CO 2 . The optimum reaction conditions as resulted from this study are: temperature 550°C, Gly:H 2 O ratio 9:1 and Ar flow 133 ml/min. In these conditions the glycerol conversion to gaseous products was 43% and the hydrogen yield was 30%

Physico-chemical studies on the interaction of dendrimers with lipid bilayers. 1. Effect of dendrimer generation and liposome surface charge.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Biplab; Panda, Amiya Kumar; Parimi, Srinivas; Ametov, Igor; Barnes, Timothy; Prestidge, Clive A

2014-01-01

Studies on the interaction of different generation poly (amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimers (2G, 4G and 6G) and liposomes of different compositions were carried out by a combined turbidity, dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopic measurements. Liposomes comprising soy lecithin (SLC, negative surface charge), 1, 2-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC, mildly positive surface charge), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1'-rac-glycerol (DPPG, negatively charged) and a biologically simulated mixture of DPPC + DPPG (7:3, M/M, negatively charged) were used as model bilayers. 30 wt% cholesterol was used in each combination as it is known to control the fluidity of membrane bilayers. Silica was used as a negatively charged hard sphere model with an aim to compare the results. Both the turbidity and hydrodynamic diameter values of all the liposomes, except DPPC, passed through maxima upon the progressive addition of PAMAM; the effect was insignificant in case of DPPC. Formation of dendriosome, a complex formed between dendrimer and liposome, resulted in the charge reversal of the negatively charged liposomes. Interaction between PAMAM and liposome was found to be governed by electrostatic as well as hydrogen bonding. Generation dependent PAMAM activity followed the order: 6G >4G>2G in terms of overall dendrimer concentration. However, interestingly, the order was reverse when PAMAM activity was considered in terms of total end group concentrations. AFM studies reveal the rupture of bilayer structure upon addition of dendrimer.

Crystallization and transformation of polymorphic forms of trioleoyl glycerol and 1,2-dioleoyl-3-rac-linoleoyl glycerol.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayés-García, Laura; Calvet, Teresa; Cuevas-Diarte, Miquel Àngel; Ueno, Satoru; Sato, Kiyotaka

2013-08-08

This study examined the influence of different thermal treatments on the crystallization and transformation of trioleoyl glycerol (OOO) and 1,2-dioleoyl-3-rac-linoleoyl glycerol (OOL). Two triacylglycerol (TAG) samples were cooled at 0.5-15 °C·min(-1) and heated at 2 and 15 °C·min(-1). The polymorphic characteristics of the two TAGs were analyzed in situ using differential scanning calorimetry, Raman spectroscopy, and synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction. Multiple polymorphic forms were identified in OOO (α, β'2, β'1, β2, and β1) and OOL (α, β'2, and β'1). Larger quantities of more stable forms (e.g., β2 and β1 of OOO and β'1 of OOL) were obtained when the samples were slowly cooled and heated. In contrast, less stable polymorphs were obtained with increased cooling and heating rates. Polymorphic transformations occurred in either solid-state or melt-mediation and were influenced by heating rates. The results were analyzed by considering the activation energies for crystallization and transformation of stable and less stable polymorphic forms in comparison with previous studies on 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycerol and 1, 3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl-glycerol.

The Lubricity of Glycerol and its Solutions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sivebæk, Ion Marius; Jakobsen, J.

2016-01-01

Glycerol has been recognised as an excellent diesel fuel and lubricant. It is a liquid that can originate from the transesterification of plant oil that also results in plant oil metyl (or ethyl) ester (biodiesel). Machine elements lubricated by glycerol show very low friction, in fact lower than...

New recombinant bacterium comprises a heterologous gene encoding glycerol dehydrogenase and/or an up-regulated native gene encoding glycerol dehydrogenase, useful for producing ethanol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2010-01-01

dehydrogenase encoding region of the bacterium, or is inserted into a phosphotransacetylase encoding region of the bacterium, or is inserted into an acetate kinase encoding region of the bacterium. It is operably linked to an inducible, a regulated or a constitutive promoter. The up-regulated glycerol......TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - BIOTECHNOLOGY - Preparation (claimed): Producing recombinant bacterium having enhanced ethanol production characteristics when cultivated in growth medium comprising glycerol comprises: (a) transforming a parental bacterium by (i) the insertion of a heterologous gene encoding...... glycerol dehydrogenase; and/or (ii) up-regulating a native gene encoding glycerol dehydrogenase; and (b) obtaining the recombinant bacterium. Preferred Bacterium: In the recombinant bacterium above, the inserted heterologous gene and/or the up-regulated native gene is encoding a glycerol dehydrogenase...

Assessment of pseudo-bilayer structures in the heterogate germanium electron-hole bilayer tunnel field-effect transistor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padilla, J. L.; Alper, C.; Ionescu, A. M.; Medina-Bailón, C.; Gámiz, F.

2015-01-01

We investigate the effect of pseudo-bilayer configurations at low operating voltages (≤0.5 V) in the heterogate germanium electron-hole bilayer tunnel field-effect transistor (HG-EHBTFET) compared to the traditional bilayer structures of EHBTFETs arising from semiclassical simulations where the inversion layers for electrons and holes featured very symmetric profiles with similar concentration levels at the ON-state. Pseudo-bilayer layouts are attained by inducing a certain asymmetry between the top and the bottom gates so that even though the hole inversion layer is formed at the bottom of the channel, the top gate voltage remains below the required value to trigger the formation of the inversion layer for electrons. Resulting benefits from this setup are improved electrostatic control on the channel, enhanced gate-to-gate efficiency, and higher I ON levels. Furthermore, pseudo-bilayer configurations alleviate the difficulties derived from confining very high opposite carrier concentrations in very thin structures

Assessment of pseudo-bilayer structures in the heterogate germanium electron-hole bilayer tunnel field-effect transistor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Padilla, J. L., E-mail: jose.padilladelatorre@epfl.ch; Alper, C.; Ionescu, A. M. [Nanoelectronic Devices Laboratory, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015 (Switzerland); Medina-Bailón, C.; Gámiz, F. [Departamento de Electrónica y Tecnología de los Computadores, Universidad de Granada, Avda. Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada (Spain)

2015-06-29

We investigate the effect of pseudo-bilayer configurations at low operating voltages (≤0.5 V) in the heterogate germanium electron-hole bilayer tunnel field-effect transistor (HG-EHBTFET) compared to the traditional bilayer structures of EHBTFETs arising from semiclassical simulations where the inversion layers for electrons and holes featured very symmetric profiles with similar concentration levels at the ON-state. Pseudo-bilayer layouts are attained by inducing a certain asymmetry between the top and the bottom gates so that even though the hole inversion layer is formed at the bottom of the channel, the top gate voltage remains below the required value to trigger the formation of the inversion layer for electrons. Resulting benefits from this setup are improved electrostatic control on the channel, enhanced gate-to-gate efficiency, and higher I{sub ON} levels. Furthermore, pseudo-bilayer configurations alleviate the difficulties derived from confining very high opposite carrier concentrations in very thin structures.

Catalytic glycerol steam reforming for hydrogen production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dan, Monica, E-mail: monica.dan@itim-cj.ro; Mihet, Maria, E-mail: maria.mihet@itim-cj.ro; Lazar, Mihaela D., E-mail: diana.lazar@itim-cj.ro [National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 67-103 Donat Street, 400293 Cluj Napoca (Romania)

2015-12-23

Hydrogen production from glycerol by steam reforming combine two major advantages: (i) using glycerol as raw material add value to this by product of bio-diesel production which is obtained in large quantities around the world and have a very limited utilization now, and (ii) by implication of water molecules in the reaction the efficiency of hydrogen generation is increased as each mol of glycerol produces 7 mol of H{sub 2}. In this work we present the results obtained in the process of steam reforming of glycerol on Ni/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. The catalyst was prepared by wet impregnation method and characterized through different methods: N{sub 2} adsorption-desorption, XRD, TPR. The catalytic study was performed in a stainless steel tubular reactor at atmospheric pressure by varying the reaction conditions: steam/carbon ratio (1-9), gas flow (35 ml/min -133 ml/min), temperature (450-650°C). The gaseous fraction of the reaction products contain: H{sub 2}, CH{sub 4}, CO, CO{sub 2}. The optimum reaction conditions as resulted from this study are: temperature 550°C, Gly:H{sub 2}O ratio 9:1 and Ar flow 133 ml/min. In these conditions the glycerol conversion to gaseous products was 43% and the hydrogen yield was 30%.

Palatability, digestibility, and metabolizable energy of dietary glycerol in adult cats.

Science.gov (United States)

Machado, G S; Pezzali, J G; Marx, F R; Kessler, A M; Trevizan, L

2017-02-01

Glycerol is a humectant, which reduces water activity when added to the diet. This property seems to offer dietary benefits, specifically in high-moisture diets for cats, where some humectants cannot be used. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, glycerol is generally recognized as sustenance safe (GRAS). It is suggested that cats are able to metabolize glycerol and use it as an energy source without compromising health. Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the following characteristics of glycerol in the diet for cats: 1) a preference test, 2) digestibility, ME, and fecal and urinary characteristics, and 3) postprandial plasma glycemia. Twelve healthy adult female cats were randomly distributed among 4 treatments consisting of a basal diet (4,090 kcal ME/kg DM, 32% CP, 11% fat, 2.3% crude fiber, and 7.0% ash) and 3 diets with varying percentages of glycerol, made by replacing the basal diet with 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0% purified glycerol (99.5%). The inclusion of glycerol proportionally reduced ( Cats did not show a preference for any diet in particular ( > 0.05). The digestibility assays showed that increasing dietary glycerol levels did not affect food intake or the apparent total tract digestibility of macronutrients and energy ( > 0.05). The inclusion of glycerol in the diets did not alter the stool moisture, fecal score, or urine volume. However, glycerol was detected in urine when it was incorporated into the diet at 10%. Glycemia increased up to 900 min following the first meal after the fasting period with no difference between treatments, even when the means were adjusted for food intake. The blood glucose area under the curve also showed no significant difference between treatments ( > 0.05). Cats accepted glycerol under the conditions of the study, and its nutritional value was determined as it has been done for other species. The ME of glycerol for adult cats was estimated to be 3,185 kcal/kg DM. Supplementing the diets of the cats

Rheological properties of purified illite clays in glycerol/water suspensions

Science.gov (United States)

Dusenkova, I.; Malers, J.; Berzina-Cimdina, L.

2015-04-01

There are many studies about rheological properties of clay-water suspensions, but no published investigations about clay-glycerol suspensions. In this work apparent viscosity of previously purified illite containing clay fraction clay minerals were almost totally removed by centrifugation. All obtained suspensions behaved as shear-thinning fluids with multiple times higher viscosity than pure glycerol/water solutions. Reduction of clay fraction concentration by 5% decreased the apparent viscosity of 50% glycerol/water suspensions approximately 5 times. There was basically no difference in apparent viscosity between all four 50% glycerol/water suspensions, but in 90% glycerol/water suspensions samples from Iecava deposit showed slightly higher apparent viscosity, which could be affected by the particle size distribution.

Glycerol monooleate/solvents systems for progesterone transdermal delivery: In vitro permeation and microscopic studies Sistemas monoleína/solventes para a liberação transdérmica da progesterona: estudos de permeação cutânea e microscópicos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gislaine R Pereira

2002-03-01

Full Text Available Transdermal delivery of most drugs is precluded by the barrier characteristics of the stratum corneum (SC. Chemical penetration enhancers are capable of interacting with SC constituents, inducing a temporary reversible increase in the skin permeability. The aim of this work was to assess the influence of glycerol monooleate (GMO/solvents systems on percutaneous absorption across hairless mouse SC of a lipophilic drug, progesterone (PG, as well as its effect on the SC structural characteristics, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM. The morphological changes observed in the hairless mouse SC suggest a GMO effect on the skin barrier. In addition, the increase in the In vitro PG flux and in vivo penetration of a fluorescent label point towards GMO as a potential absorption enhancer. The results obtained showed that GMO/solvents systems provoked changes in the SC that could be causing increased permeation of PG across hairless mouse skin, optimising in this way the transdermal delivery of this drug.A liberação transdérmica de muitos fármacos é dificultada pelas características de barreira do estrato córneo. Promotores químicos de absorção cutânea são capazes de interagir com os constituintes do estrato córneo, induzindo aumento temporário e reversível na permeabilidade da pele. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência de sistemas monoleína (monoleato de glicerol/solventes na absorção percutânea de um fármaco lipofílico (a progesterona, através do estrato córneo de camundongos sem pelo, bem como o efeito da monoleína nas características estruturais do estrato córneo, por meio de microscopia eletrônica de varredura (SEM e microscopia de varredura confocal a laser (CLSM. As alterações morfológicas observadas no estrato córneo de camundongos sem pelo sugerem efeito da monoleína na barreira da pele. E, ainda, o aumento no fluxo In vitro da progesterona, bem como na

Effect of vesicle size on the prodan fluorescence in diheptadecanoylphosphatidylcholine bilayer membrane under atmospheric and high pressures.

Science.gov (United States)

Goto, Masaki; Sawaguchi, Hiroshi; Tamai, Nobutake; Matsuki, Hitoshi; Kaneshina, Shoji

2010-08-17

The bilayer phase behavior of diheptadecanoylphosphatidylcholine (C17PC) with different vesicle sizes (large multilamellar vesicle (LMV) and giant multilamellar vesicle (GMV)) was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy using a polarity-sensitive fluorescent probe Prodan under atmospheric and high pressures. The difference in phase transitions and thermodynamic quantities of the transition was hardly observed between LMV and GMV used here. On the contrary, the Prodan fluorescence in the bilayer membranes changed depending on the size of vesicles as well as on the phase states. From the second derivative of fluorescence spectra, the three-dimensional image plots in which we can see the location of Prodan in the bilayer membrane as blue valleys were constructed for LMV and GMV under atmospheric pressure. The following characteristic behavior was found: (1) the Prodan molecules in GMV can be distributed to not only adjacent glycerol backbone region, but also near bulk-water region in the lamellar gel or ripple gel phase; (2) the blue valleys of GMV became deeper than those of LMV because of the greater surface density of the Prodan molecules per unit area of GMV than LMV; (3) the liquid crystalline phase of the bilayer excludes the Prodan molecules to a more hydrophilic region at the membrane surface with an increase in vesicle size; (4) the accurate information as to the phase transitions is gradually lost with increasing vesicle size. Under the high-pressure condition, the difference in Prodan fluorescence between LMV and GMV was essentially the same as the difference under atmospheric pressure except for the existence of the pressure-induced interdigitated gel phase. Further, we found that Prodan fluorescence spectra in the interdigitated gel phase were especially affected by the size of vesicles. This study revealed that the Prodan molecules can move around the headgroup region by responding not only to the phase state but also to the vesicle size, and they

Glycerol extracting dealcoholization for the biodiesel separation process.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Jianchu; Sha, Yong; Zhang, Yun; Yuan, Yunlong; Wu, Housheng

2011-04-01

By means of utilizing sunflower oil and Jatropha oil as raw oil respectively, the biodiesel transesterification production and the multi-stage extracting separation were carried out experimentally. Results indicate that dealcoholized crude glycerol can be utilized as the extracting agent to achieve effective separation of methanol from the methyl ester phase, and the glycerol content in the dealcoholized methyl esters is as low as 0.02 wt.%. For the biodiesel separation process utilizing glycerol extracting dealcoholization, its technical and equipment information were acquired through the rigorous process simulation in contrast to the traditional biodiesel distillation separation process, and results show that its energy consumption decrease about 35% in contrast to that of the distillation separation process. The glycerol extracting dealcoholization has sufficient feasibility and superiority for the biodiesel separation process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Asymmetrical Glycerol Diether Bolalipid with Protonable Phosphodimethylethanolamine Headgroup: The Impact of pH on Aggregation Behavior and Miscibility with DPPC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Markowski

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Investigations regarding the self-assembly of (bolaphospholipids in aqueous media are crucial to understand the complex relationship between chemical structure of lipids and the shape and size of their aggregates in water. Here, we introduce a new asymmetrical glycerol diether bolaphospholipid, the compound Me2PE-Gly(2C16C32-OH. This bolalipid contains a long (C32 ω-hydroxy alkyl chain bond to glycerol in the sn-3 position, a C16 alkyl chain at the sn-2 position, and a protonable phosphodimethylethanolamine (Me2PE headgroup at the sn-1 position of the glycerol. The aggregation behavior of this bolalipid was studied as a function of temperature and pH using transmission electron microscopy (TEM, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy. We show that this bolalipid aggregates into condensed lamellar sheets in acidic milieu and in large sheet-like aggregates at neutral pH-value. By contrast, at a pH-value of 10, where the Me2PE headgroup is only partially protonated, small lipid disks with diameter 50–100 nm were additionally found. Moreover, the miscibility of this asymmetrical bolalipid with the bilayer-forming phosphatidylcholine DPPC was investigated by means of DSC and TEM. The incorporation of bolalipids into phospholipid membranes could result in stabilized liposomes applicable for drug delivery purposes. We show that mixtures of DPPC and Me2PE-Gly(2C16C32-OH form large lamellar aggregates at pH of 5, 7, and 10. However, closed lipid vesicles (liposomes with an increased thermal stability were not found.

Production of polyhydroxybutyrate and alginate from glycerol by Azotobacter vinelandii under nitrogen-free conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoneyama, Fuminori; Yamamoto, Mayumi; Hashimoto, Wataru; Murata, Kousaku

2015-01-01

Glycerol is an interesting feedstock for biomaterials such as biofuels and bioplastics because of its abundance as a by-product during biodiesel production. Here we demonstrate glycerol metabolism in the nitrogen-fixing species Azotobacter vinelandii through metabolomics and nitrogen-free bacterial production of biopolymers, such as poly-d-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and alginate, from glycerol. Glycerol-3-phosphate was accumulated in A. vinelandii cells grown on glycerol to the exponential phase, and its level drastically decreased in the cells grown to the stationary growth phase. A. vinelandii also overexpressed the glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene when it was grown on glycerol. These results indicate that glycerol was first converted to glycerol-3-phosphate by glycerol kinase. Other molecules with industrial interests, such as lactic acid and amino acids including γ-aminobutyric acid, have also been accumulated in the bacterial cells grown on glycerol. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that glycerol-grown A. vinelandii stored PHB within the cells. The PHB production level reached 33% per dry cell weight in nitrogen-free glycerol medium. When grown on glycerol, alginate-overproducing mutants generated through chemical mutagenesis produced 2-fold the amount of alginate from glycerol than the parental wild-type strain. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on bacterial production of biopolymers from glycerol without addition of any nitrogen source.

Molecular packing and area compressibility of lipid bilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, S.H.; King, G.I.

1985-01-01

Knowledge of the molecular packing of lipids and water in lipid bilayers is important for understanding bilayer mechanics and thermodynamics. Information on packing is most often obtained from x-ray or neutron diffraction measurements. Given the d spacing, composition, and partial specific volumes of the lipid and water, it is a simple matter to calculate the area per lipid molecule, bilayer thickness, and bilayer mass density. The partial specific volumes are commonly assumed to be those of bulk water and of lipid in excess water regardless of the degree of bilayer hydration. The authors present evidence here that these assumptions should be seriously questioned. At low hydrations, they find the head groups of egg and dioleoyl lecithin to be much less tightly packed than previously thought and the partial specific volume of water to be considerably smaller than 1 ml/g. Because the molecular packing affects the mechanical properties of bilayers, they use the results to reevaluate published experiments concerning the elastic area compressibility modulus of egg lecithin bilayers and the repulsive hydration force between bilayers

Novel high dielectric constant hybrid elastomers based on glycerol-insilicone emulsions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mazurek, Piotr Stanislaw; Skov, Anne Ladegaard

2016-01-01

Novel hybrid elastomers were prepared by speedmixing of two virtually immiscible liquids – glycerol and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) prepolymer. Upon crosslinking ofthe PDMS phase of the resulting glycerol-in-silicone emulsion freestanding films were obtained. In this way glycerol became uniformly...... elastomeractuators. Conductivities of samples based on various PDMS compositions with different loadings of embedded glycerol were thoroughly investigated providing useful information about the dielectric behavior....

Effects of visceral adiposity on glycerol pathways in gluconeogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Neeland, Ian J; Hughes, Connor; Ayers, Colby R; Malloy, Craig R; Jin, Eunsook S

2017-02-01

To determine the feasibility of using oral 13 C labeled glycerol to assess effects of visceral adiposity on gluconeogenic pathways in obese humans. Obese (BMI ≥30kg/m 2 ) participants without type 2 diabetes underwent visceral adipose tissue (VAT) assessment and stratification by median VAT into high VAT-fasting (n=3), low VAT-fasting (n=4), and high VAT-refed (n=2) groups. Participants ingested [U- 13 C 3 ] glycerol and blood samples were subsequently analyzed at multiple time points over 3h by NMR spectroscopy. The fractions of plasma glucose (enrichment) derived from [U- 13 C 3 ] glycerol via hepatic gluconeogenesis, pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle were assessed using 13 C NMR analysis of glucose. Mixed linear models were used to compare 13 C enrichment in glucose between groups. Mean age, BMI, and baseline glucose were 49years, 40.1kg/m 2 , and 98mg/dl, respectively. Up to 20% of glycerol was metabolized in the TCA cycle prior to gluconeogenesis and PPP activity was minor (gluconeogenesis from glycerol in obese humans. Our findings provide preliminary evidence that excess visceral fat disrupts multiple pathways in hepatic gluconeogenesis from glycerol. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Co-digestion of sewage sludge with glycerol to boost biogas production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fountoulakis, M.S.; Petousi, I.; Manios, T.

2010-01-01

The feasibility of adding crude glycerol from the biodiesel industry to the anaerobic digesters treating sewage sludge in wastewater treatment plants was studied in both batch and continuous experiments at 35 o C. Glycerol addition can boost biogas yields, if it does not exceed a limiting 1% (v/v) concentration in the feed. Any further increase of glycerol causes a high imbalance in the anaerobic digestion process. The reactor treating the sewage sludge produced 1106 ± 36 ml CH 4 /d before the addition of glycerol and 2353 ± 94 ml CH 4 /d after the addition of glycerol (1% v/v in the feed). The extra glycerol-COD added to the feed did not have a negative effect on reactor performance, but seemed to increase the active biomass (volatile solids) concentration in the system. Batch kinetic experiments showed that the maximum specific utilization rate (μ max ) and the saturation constant (K S ) of glycerol were 0.149 ± 0.015 h -1 and 0.276 ± 0.095 g/l, respectively. Comparing the estimated values with the kinetics constants for propionate reported in the literature, it can be concluded that glycerol uptake is not the rate-limiting step during the process.

From Symmetric Glycerol Derivatives to Dissymmetric Chlorohydrins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gemma Villorbina

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The anticipated worldwide increase in biodiesel production will result in an accumulation of glycerol for which there are insufficient conventional uses. The surplus of this by-product has increased rapidly during the last decade, prompting a search for new glycerol applications. We describe here the synthesis of dissymmetric chlorohydrin esters from symmetric 1,3-dichloro-2-propyl esters obtained from glycerol. We studied the influence of two solvents: 1,4-dioxane and 1-butanol and two bases: sodium carbonate and 1-butylimidazole, on the synthesis of dissymmetric chlorohydrin esters. In addition, we studied the influence of other bases (potassium and lithium carbonates in the reaction using 1,4-dioxane as the solvent. The highest yield was obtained using 1,4-dioxane and sodium carbonate.

Glycerol (byproduct of biodiesel production) as a source of fuels and chemicals : mini review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, X.; Burton, R. [Piedmont Biofuels Industrial, Pittsboro, NC (United States); Zhou, Y. [Yonezawa Hamari Chemical, Ltd., Yonezawa, Yamagata (Japan)

2010-07-01

Glycerol, a byproduct of biodiesel production, is a potential renewable feedstock for the production of functional chemicals. This paper reviewed recent developments in the conversion of glycerol into value-added products, including citric acid, lactic acid, 1,3-dihydroxyacetone (DHA), 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD), dichloro-2-propanol (DCP), acrolein, hydrogen, and ethanol. The new applications of glycerol will improve the economic viability of the biodiesel industry and capitalize on the oversupply of crude glycerol that the biodiesel industry has produced. Increasing abundance and attractive pricing make glycerol an attractive feedstock for deriving value-added chemical compounds. The processes turn glycerol into chemicals, materials, and fuels and fuel additives. Whereas glycerol from first-generation biodiesel production has low purity, glycerol from second-generation biodiesel production, which uses non-edible oil as a feedstock, produces a higher purity glycerol, minimizing the related impurity problem and potentially increasing the applications of glycerol. Glycerol is also being looked at as a carbon source for algal biomass fermentation. 36 refs.

Glycerol reforming in supercritical water : a short review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Markocic, Elena; Kramberger, Boris; van Bennekom, Joost G.; Heeres, Hero Jan; Vos, John; Knez, Zeljko; Markočič, Elena; Knez, Željko

Due to the rise in global biodiesel production, the amount of crude glycerol, the main byproduct, has increased steadily. Identification of high value added outlets for crude glycerol has been explored in detail to increase the overall economics of the biodiesel process. Examples are the use of

Edge states in gated bilayer-monolayer graphene ribbons and bilayer domain walls

Science.gov (United States)

Mirzakhani, M.; Zarenia, M.; Peeters, F. M.

2018-05-01

Using the effective continuum model, the electron energy spectrum of gated bilayer graphene with a step-like region of decoupled graphene layers at the edge of the sample is studied. Different types of coupled-decoupled interfaces are considered, i.e., zigzag (ZZ) and armchair junctions, which result in significant different propagating states. Two non-valley-polarized conducting edge states are observed for ZZ type, which are mainly located around the ZZ-ended graphene layers. Additionally, we investigated both BA-BA and BA-AB domain walls in the gated bilayer graphene within the continuum approximation. Unlike the BA-BA domain wall, which exhibits gapped insulating behaviour, the domain walls surrounded by different stackings of bilayer regions feature valley-polarized edge states. Our findings are consistent with other theoretical calculations, such as from the tight-binding model and first-principles calculations, and agree with experimental observations.

Metabolic engineering for high glycerol production by the anaerobic cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Semkiv, Marta V; Dmytruk, Kostyantyn V; Abbas, Charles A; Sibirny, Andriy A

2017-06-01

Glycerol is used by the cosmetic, paint, automotive, food, and pharmaceutical industries and for production of explosives. Currently, glycerol is available in commercial quantities as a by-product from biodiesel production, but the purity and the cost of its purification are prohibitive. The industrial production of glycerol by glucose aerobic fermentation using osmotolerant strains of the yeasts Candida sp. and Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been described. A major drawback of the aerobic process is the high cost of production. For this reason, the development of yeast strains that effectively convert glucose to glycerol anaerobically is of great importance. Due to its ability to grow under anaerobic conditions, the yeast S. cerevisiae is an ideal system for the development of this new biotechnological platform. To increase glycerol production and accumulation from glucose, we lowered the expression of TPI1 gene coding for triose phosphate isomerase; overexpressed the fused gene consisting the GPD1 and GPP2 parts coding for glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and glycerol-3-phosphate phosphatase, respectively; overexpressed the engineered FPS1 gene that codes for aquaglyceroporin; and overexpressed the truncated gene ILV2 that codes for acetolactate synthase. The best constructed strain produced more than 20 g of glycerol/L from glucose under micro-aerobic conditions and 16 g of glycerol/L under anaerobic conditions. The increase in glycerol production led to a drop in ethanol and biomass accumulation.

Fermentative utilization of glycerol residue for the production of acetic acid

Science.gov (United States)

Irvan; Trisakti, B.; Hasibuan, R.; Joli, M.

2018-02-01

Glycerol residue, frequently known as pitch, is a waste produced from the downstream product of crude glycerine distillation. With the increasing need of pure glycerine in the world, the glycerol residue produced is also increasing. Glycerol residue is a solid waste at room temperature, highly alkaline (pH > 13), corrosive, and categorized as hazardous and poisonous waste. In this research, acetic acid was produced from glycerol residue through the anaerobic fermentation process by using purple non-sulphur photosynthetic bacteria. The purpose of this study was to find out the influence of concentration change of glycerol residue on time and to find out the possibility of glycerol residue to be utilized as acetic acid. In this research, at first 400 g of glycerol residue was diluted with 200 ml of distilled water to change the glycerine phase, from solid to liquid at room temperature, acidified by using hydrochloric acid until pH 2. The top layer formed was fatty acid and triglycerides that should be removed. Meanwhile, the bottom layer was diluted glycerol residue which was then neutralized with caustic soda. To produce acetic acid, glycerol residue with various concentrations, salt, and purple non-sulphur photosynthetic bacteria were put together into a 100 ml bottle which had been previously sterilized, then incubated for four weeks under the light of 40-watt bulb. The result showed that on the 28th day of fermentation, the produced acetic acid were 0.28, 1.85, and 0.2% (w/w) by using glycerine with the concentration of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% (w/w), respectively.

Reactions of radicals with lecithin bilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barber, D.J.W.; Thomas, J.K.

1978-01-01

The kinetics of reaction of .OH and e/sub aq/ - with lecithin bilayers have been measured. The rate for .OH + lecithin is 5.1 +- 0.9 x 10 8 M -1 sec -1 while the e/sub aq/ - + lecithin rate is very slow. When a solute such as pyrene is solubilized in the bilayer, .OH and e/sub aq/ - may react with the solute; rates of 1.65 +- 0.12 x 10 9 M -1 sec -1 and 7 x 10 7 M -1 sec -1 have been measured for reaction of .OH and e/sub aq/ - , respectively, with pyrene in lecithin. These rates are lower than those observed for similar reactions in homogeneous systems. This is explained in terms of (a) the protective effect of the bilayer, this being especially true for e/sub aq/ - which does not readily leave the aqueous phase, and (b) in terms of the restricted diffusion imposed on the reactive species by the bilayer. The kinetics in these model systems are relevant to reactions of radicals with membranes. Long-term alteration in the model membrane following .OH attack is manifested in terms of damage to the head group, increasing water penetration of the bilayer, and of cross-linking with the membrane, thereby restricting motion in the interior of the bilayer. Increased rigidity and leakiness of membranes is an expected consequence of radiation damage

Provenance of tetraether membrane lipids in a large temperate lake (Loch Lomond, UK): implications for glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT)-based palaeothermometry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buckles, L.K.; Weijers, J.W.H.; Tran, X.-M.; Waldron, S.; Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.

2014-01-01

The application of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT)-based palaeoenvironmental proxies, such as the branched vs. isoprenoidal tetratether (BIT) index, TEX86 and the MBT–CBT palaeothermometer, has lately been expanded to lacustrine sediments. Given recent research identifying the production

Provenance of tetraether membrane lipids in a large temperate lake (Loch Lomond, UK) : Implications for glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT)-based palaeothermometry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buckles, L. K.; Weijers, J. W H; Tran, X.-M.; Waldron, S.; Sinninghe Damsté, J. S.

2014-01-01

The application of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT)-based palaeoenvironmental proxies, such as the branched vs. isoprenoidal tetratether (BIT) index, TEX86 and the MBT-CBT palaeothermometer, has lately been expanded to lacustrine sediments. Given recent research identifying the production

Bioconversion of crude glycerol feedstocks into ethanol by Pachysolen tannophilus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Xiaoying; Jensen, Peter Ruhdal; Workman, Mhairi

2012-01-01

Glycerol, the by-product of biodiesel production, is considered as a waste by biodiesel producers. This study demonstrated the potential of utilising the glycerol surplus through conversion to ethanol by the yeast Pachysolen tannophilus (CBS4044). This study demonstrates a robust bioprocess which...... was not sensitive to the batch variability in crude glycerol dependent on raw materials used for biodiesel production. The oxygen transfer rate (OTR) was a key factor for ethanol production, with lower OTR having a positive effect on ethanol production. The highest ethanol production was 17.5 g/L on 5% (v/v) crude...... glycerol, corresponding to 56% of the theoretical yield. A staged batch process achieved 28.1 g/L ethanol, the maximum achieved so far for conversion of glycerol to ethanol in a microbial bioprocess. The fermentation physiology has been investigated as a means to designing a competitive bioethanol...

Dimethylformamide is not better than glycerol for cryopreservation of boar semen.

Science.gov (United States)

Malo, C; Gil, L; Cano, R; Martínez, F; García, A; Jerez, R A

2012-05-01

To improve the boar sperm cryopreservation process, the influence of the sugar (lactose, trehalose) source and the cryoprotectant [glycerol, dimethylformamide (DMF)] on the success of freezing was investigated. Sperm samples were frozen in one of six extenders: lactose plus 3% glycerol (LG); lactose plus 1.5% glycerol and 1.5% DMF (LGD); lactose plus 3% DMF (LD); trehalose plus 3% glycerol (TG); trehalose plus 1.5% glycerol and 1.5% DMF (TGD); trehalose plus 3% DMF (TD). Effects on motility, viability, acrosome integrity and hypoosmotic test (HOST) were measured. The results showed that extender containing 3% glycerol retained the highest motility percentages. In regard to viability and acrosome integrity, all extenders yielded similar rates except for the decreasing values of TD. Endosmosis was diminished in TD and LD at 2 h (P = 0.0018), as compared with the others. The results of the study demonstrated that the use of DMF as a cryoprotectant adversely affected boar sperm quality after cryopreservation. © 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Ethanol production from biodiesel-derived crude glycerol by newly isolated Kluyvera cryocrescens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Won Jae; Hartono, Maria Regina; Chan, Weng Heng; Yeo, Suan Siong [Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Jurong Island (Singapore). Inst. of Chemical and Engineering Sciences

2011-02-15

The rapidly expanding market for biodiesel has increased the supply and reduced the cost of glycerol, making it an attractive sustainable feed stock for the fuel and chemical industry. Glycerol-based biorefinery is the microbial fermentation of crude glycerol to produce fuels and chemicals. A major challenge is to obtain microbes tolerant to inhibitors such as salts and organic solvents present in crude glycerol. Microbial screening was attempted to isolate novel strain capable of growing on crude glycerol as a sole carbon source. The newly isolated bacteria, identified as nonpathogenic Kluyvera cryocrescens S26 could convert biodiesel-derived crude glycerol to ethanol with high yield and productivity. The supplementation of nutrients such as yeast extract resulted in distinguished enhancement in cell growth as well as ethanol productivity under anaerobic condition. When glycerol fermentation is performed under microaerobic condition, there is also a remarkable improvement in cell growth, ethanol productivity and yield, compared with those under strict anaerobic condition. In batch fermentation under microaerobic condition, K. cryocrescens S26 produced 27 g/l of ethanol from crude glycerol with high molar yield of 80% and productivity of 0.61 g/l/h. (orig.)

Effect of Glycerol Pretreatment on Levoglucosan Production from Corncobs by Fast Pyrolysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liqun Jiang

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this manuscript, glycerol was used in corncobs’ pretreatment to promote levoglucosan production by fast pyrolysis first and then was further utilized as raw material for chemicals production by microbial fermentation. The effects of glycerol pretreatment temperatures (220–240 °C, time (0.5–3 h and solid-to-liquid ratios (5–20% were investigated. Due to the accumulation of crystalline cellulose and the removal of minerals, the levoglucosan yield was as high as 35.8% from corncobs pretreated by glycerol at 240 for 3 h with a 5% solid-to-liquid ratio, which was obviously higher than that of the control (2.2%. After glycerol pretreatment, the fermentability of the recovered glycerol remaining in the liquid stream from glycerol pretreatment was evaluated by Klebsiella pneumoniae. The results showed that the recovered glycerol had no inhibitory effect on the growth and metabolism of the microbe, which was a promising substrate for fermentation. The value-added applications of glycerol could reduce the cost of biomass pretreatment. Correspondingly, this manuscript offers a green, sustainable, efficient and economic strategy for an integrated biorefinery process.

In situ crystallization and transformation kinetics of polymorphic forms of saturated-unsaturated-unsaturated triacylglycerols: 1-palmitoyl-2,3-dioleoyl glycerol, 1-stearoyl-2,3-dioleoyl glycerol, and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-3-linoleoyl glycerol.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayés-García, L; Calvet, T; Cuevas-Diarte, M A; Ueno, S

2016-07-01

We examined the influence of dynamic thermal treatment (variation of cooling/heating rates) on the polymorphic crystallization and transformation pathways of 1-palmitoyl-2,3-dioleoyl glycerol (POO), 1-stearoyl-2,3-dioleoyl glycerol (SOO), and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-3-linoleoyl glycerol (POL), which are major saturated-unsaturated-unsaturated (SUU) triacylglycerols (TAGs) of vegetable oils and animal fats (e.g., palm oil, olive oil, and Iberian ham fat). Using mainly a combination of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction (SR-XRD), we analyzed the polymorphic behavior of TAGs when high (15°Cmin -1 ), intermediate (2°Cmin -1 ), and low (0.5°Cmin -1 ) cooling and heating rates were applied. Multiple polymorphic forms were detected in POO, SOO, and POL (sub-α, α, β' 2 , and β' 1 ). Transient disordered phases, defined as kinetic liquid crystal (KLC) phases, were determined in POO and SOO for the first time. The results demonstrated that more stable forms were directly obtained from the melt by decreasing the cooling rates, whereas less stable forms predominated at high cooling rates, as confirmed in our previous work. Regarding heating rate variation, we confirmed that the nature of the polymorphic transformations observed (solid-state, transformation through KLC phase, or melt-mediation) depended largely on the heating rate. These results were discussed considering the activation energies involved in each process and compared with previous studies on TAGs with different saturated-unsaturated structures (1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol, 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycerol, trioleoyl glycerol, and 1,2-dioleoyl-3-linoleoyl glycerol). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Suppression of NaNO3 crystal nucleation by glycerol: micro-Raman observation on the efflorescence process of mixed glycerol/NaNO3/water droplets.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Jun-Ying; Zhang, Yun; Zeng, Guang; Zheng, Chuan-Ming; Liu, Yong; Zhang, Yun-Hong

2012-02-09

Although the hygroscopicity of a NaNO(3)/water microdroplet and a polyalcohol/water microdroplet, two of the most important aerosols in atmosphere, has been widely studied, little is known about the relationship between the hygroscopic behavior of mixed NaNO(3)/polyalcohol/water droplets and their structures on the molecular level. In this study, the hygroscopicity of mixed glycerol/NaNO(3)/water droplets deposited on a hydrophobic substrate was studied by micro-Raman spectroscopy with organic-to-inorganic molar ratios (OIRs) of 0.5, 1, and 2. In the mixed glycerol/NaNO(3)/water droplets, glycerol molecules tended to combine with Na(+) and NO(3)(-) ions by electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding, respectively. On the basis of the analyses of the changes of symmetric stretching (v(s)-CH(2)), asymmetric stretching (v(a)-CH(2)), their area ratio (Av(a)-CH(2)/Av(s)-CH(2)) of glycerol, and symmetric stretching band of NO(3)(-) (ν(1)-NO(3)(-)) with relative humidity (RH), it was found that the conformation of glycerol was transformed from αα mainly to γγ and partly to αγ with a decreasing RH in the mixed droplets, contrary to the case in the glycerol/water droplet. In addition, the glycerol with γγ and αγ conformation had strong interaction with Na(+) and NO(3)(-) respectively, which suppressed the formation of contact of ions and delayed the efflorescence relative humidity (ERH) for the mixed droplets compared to the NaNO(3)/water droplet. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Quantitative analysis of glycerol accumulation, glycolysis and growth under hyper osmotic stress.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elzbieta Petelenz-Kurdziel

Full Text Available We provide an integrated dynamic view on a eukaryotic osmolyte system, linking signaling with regulation of gene expression, metabolic control and growth. Adaptation to osmotic changes enables cells to adjust cellular activity and turgor pressure to an altered environment. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae adapts to hyperosmotic stress by activating the HOG signaling cascade, which controls glycerol accumulation. The Hog1 kinase stimulates transcription of genes encoding enzymes required for glycerol production (Gpd1, Gpp2 and glycerol import (Stl1 and activates a regulatory enzyme in glycolysis (Pfk26/27. In addition, glycerol outflow is prevented by closure of the Fps1 glycerol facilitator. In order to better understand the contributions to glycerol accumulation of these different mechanisms and how redox and energy metabolism as well as biomass production are maintained under such conditions we collected an extensive dataset. Over a period of 180 min after hyperosmotic shock we monitored in wild type and different mutant cells the concentrations of key metabolites and proteins relevant for osmoadaptation. The dataset was used to parameterize an ODE model that reproduces the generated data very well. A detailed computational analysis using time-dependent response coefficients showed that Pfk26/27 contributes to rerouting glycolytic flux towards lower glycolysis. The transient growth arrest following hyperosmotic shock further adds to redirecting almost all glycolytic flux from biomass towards glycerol production. Osmoadaptation is robust to loss of individual adaptation pathways because of the existence and upregulation of alternative routes of glycerol accumulation. For instance, the Stl1 glycerol importer contributes to glycerol accumulation in a mutant with diminished glycerol production capacity. In addition, our observations suggest a role for trehalose accumulation in osmoadaptation and that Hog1 probably directly contributes to the

Glycerol Salicylate-based Pulp-Capping Material Containing Portland Cement.

Science.gov (United States)

Portella, Fernando Freitas; Collares, Fabrício Mezzomo; Santos, Paula Dapper; Sartori, Cláudia; Wegner, Everton; Leitune, Vicente Castelo Branco; Samuel, Susana Maria Werner

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the water sorption, solubility, pH and ability to diffuse into dentin of a glycerol salicylate-based, pulp-capping cement in comparison to a conventional calcium hydroxide-based pulp capping material (Hydcal). An experimental cement was developed containing 60% glycerol salicylate resin, 10% methyl salicylate, 25% calcium hydroxide and 5% Portland cement. Water sorption and solubility were determined based on mass changes in the samples before and after the immersion in distilled water for 7 days. Material discs were stored in distilled water for 24 h, 7 days and 28 days, and a digital pHmeter was used to measure the pH of water. The cement's ability to diffuse into bovine dentin was assessed by Raman spectroscopy. The glycerol salicylate-based cement presented higher water sorption and lower solubility than Hydcal. The pH of water used to store the samples increased for both cements, reaching 12.59 ± 0.06 and 12.54 ± 0.05 after 7 days, for Hydcal and glycerol salicylate-based cements, respectively. Both cements were able to turn alkaline the medium at 24 h and sustain its alkalinity after 28 days. Hydcal exhibited an intense diffusion into dentin up to 40 µm deep, and the glycerol salicylate-based cement penetrated 20 µm. The experimental glycerol salicylate-based cement presents good sorption, solubility, ability to alkalize the surrounding tissues and diffusion into dentin to be used as pulp capping material.

Digestible energy of crude glycerol for pacu and silver catfish

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Ernesto Balen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The increase in global biodiesel production is originating a glycerol surplus, which has no defined destination. An alternative to overcome this problem is its use as energy source in animal feeding. In Brazil, Pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus is one of the most farmed native fish species, whereas Silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen is suitable for production in subtropical region. Considering little knowledge about crude glycerol utilization in feeds for Neotropical fish species, it was evaluated the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs for energy of crude glycerol for P. mesopotamicus and R. quelen. The digestibility and digestible energy content of crude glycerol can be considered excellent even when compared to energy of common ingredients such as maize and wheat, presenting 0.97 and 0.89 of energy ADCs, and 15.2 and 13.95MJ kg-1 of digestible energy for Pacu and Silver catfish, respectively. In conclusion, crude glycerol is an energetic ingredient with good potential in Brazilian native fish diets.

Recent Advances in Glycerol Polymers: Chemistry and Biomedical Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Heng

2015-01-01

Glycerol polymers are attracting increased attention due to the diversity of polymer compositions and architectures available. This article provides a brief chronological review on the current status of these polymers along with representative examples of their use for biomedical applications. First, we describe the underlying chemistry of glycerol, which provides access to a range of monomers for subsequent polymerizations. We then review the various synthetic methodologies to prepare glycerol-based polymers including polyethers, polycarbonates, polyesters, and so forth. Next, we describe several biomedical applications where glycerol polymers are being investigated including carriers for drug delivery, sealants or coatings for tissue repair, and agents possessing antibacterial activity. Fourth, we describe the growing market opportunity for the use of polymers in medicine. Finally we conclude and summarize the findings, as well as discuss potential opportunities for continued research efforts. PMID:25308354

Mixed Mechanism of Lubrication by Lipid Bilayer Stacks.

Science.gov (United States)

Boţan, Alexandru; Joly, Laurent; Fillot, Nicolas; Loison, Claire

2015-11-10

Although the key role of lipid bilayer stacks in biological lubrication is generally accepted, the mechanisms underlying their extreme efficiency remain elusive. In this article, we report molecular dynamics simulations of lipid bilayer stacks undergoing load and shear. When the hydration level is reduced, the velocity accommodation mechanism changes from viscous shear in hydration water to interlayer sliding in the bilayers. This enables stacks of hydrated lipid bilayers to act as efficient boundary lubricants for various hydration conditions, structures, and mechanical loads. We also propose an estimation for the friction coefficient; thanks to the strong hydration forces between lipid bilayers, the high local viscosity is not in contradiction with low friction coefficients.

Peierls instability and optical properties of bilayer polyacene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Longlong, E-mail: zhanglonglong@tyut.edu.cn [The College of Physics and Optoelectronics, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024 (China); Xie, Shijie [School of Physics, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China)

2017-05-03

Highlights: • The Peierls instability of bilayer polyacene is discussed. • The external electric field effect on bilayer polyacene is discussed. • The pressure effect on bilayer polyacene is discussed. • The optical properties of bilayer polyacene are discussed. - Abstract: We reveal that bilayer polyacene can be the gapped state due to the intralayer Peierls instability. There are six topologically inequivalent Peierls-distorted structures and they are degenerate in energy. The external electric field can tune the Peierls gap and induce the semiconductor-to-metallic phase transitions. The optical conductivity spectra are calculated in an attempt to categorize the Peierls-distorted structures. The strength of the interlayer coupling essentially affects the electronic properties and the optical selection rules.

Infrared spectroscopy of fluid lipid bilayers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hull, Marshall C; Cambrea, Lee R; Hovis, Jennifer S

2005-09-15

Infrared spectroscopy is a powerful technique for examining lipid bilayers; however, it says little about the fluidity of the bilayer-a key physical aspect. It is shown here that it is possible to both acquire spectroscopic data of supported lipid bilayer samples and make measurements of the membrane fluidity. Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FT-IR) is used to obtain the spectroscopic information and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is used to determine the fluidity of the samples. In the infrared spectra of lipid bilayers composed of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, the following major peaks were observed; nu(as)(CH3) 2954 cm(-1), nu(s)(CH3) 2870 cm(-1), nu(as)(CH2) 2924 cm(-1), nu(s)(CH2) 2852 cm(-1), nu(C=O) 1734 cm(-1), delta(CH2) 1463-1473 cm(-1), nu(as)(PO2-) 1226 cm(-1), nu(s)(PO2-) 1084 cm(-1), and nu(as)(N+(CH3)3) 973 cm(-1). The diffusion coefficient of the same lipid bilayer was measured to be 3.5 +/- 0.5 micom(2)/s with visual recovery also noted through use of epifluorescence microscopy. FRAP and visual data confirm the formation of a uniform, mobile supported lipid bilayer. The combination of ATR-FT-IR and FRAP provides complementary data giving a more complete picture of fully hydrated model membrane systems.

Methanol-dependent production of dihydroxyacetone and glycerol by mutants of the methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha blocked in dihydroxyacetone kinase and glycerol kinase

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koning, W. de; Weusthuis, R.A.; Harder, W.; Dijkhuizen, L.

Various factors controlling dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and glycerol production from methanol by resting cell suspensions of a mutant of Hansenula polymorpha, blocked in DHA kinase and glycerol kinase, were investigated. The presence of methanol (250 mM) and an additional substrate (0.5%, w/v) to

Viscoelastic deformation of lipid bilayer vesicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Shao-Hua; Sankhagowit, Shalene; Biswas, Roshni; Wu, Shuyang; Povinelli, Michelle L; Malmstadt, Noah

2015-10-07

Lipid bilayers form the boundaries of the cell and its organelles. Many physiological processes, such as cell movement and division, involve bending and folding of the bilayer at high curvatures. Currently, bending of the bilayer is treated as an elastic deformation, such that its stress-strain response is independent of the rate at which bending strain is applied. We present here the first direct measurement of viscoelastic response in a lipid bilayer vesicle. We used a dual-beam optical trap (DBOT) to stretch 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). Upon application of a step optical force, the vesicle membrane deforms in two regimes: a fast, instantaneous area increase, followed by a much slower stretching to an eventual plateau deformation. From measurements of dozens of GUVs, the average time constant of the slower stretching response was 0.225 ± 0.033 s (standard deviation, SD). Increasing the fluid viscosity did not affect the observed time constant. We performed a set of experiments to rule out heating by laser absorption as a cause of the transient behavior. Thus, we demonstrate here that the bending deformation of lipid bilayer membranes should be treated as viscoelastic.

Glass polymorphism in glycerol-water mixtures: I. A computer simulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Jahn, David A; Wong, Jessina; Bachler, Johannes; Loerting, Thomas; Giovambattista, Nicolas

2016-04-28

We perform out-of-equilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of water-glycerol mixtures in the glass state. Specifically, we study the transformations between low-density (LDA) and high-density amorphous (HDA) forms of these mixtures induced by compression/decompression at constant temperature. Our MD simulations reproduce qualitatively the density changes observed in experiments. Specifically, the LDA-HDA transformation becomes (i) smoother and (ii) the hysteresis in a compression/decompression cycle decreases as T and/or glycerol content increase. This is surprising given the fast compression/decompression rates (relative to experiments) accessible in MD simulations. We study mixtures with glycerol molar concentration χ(g) = 0-13% and find that, for the present mixture models and rates, the LDA-HDA transformation is detectable up to χ(g) ≈ 5%. As the concentration increases, the density of the starting glass (i.e., LDA at approximately χ(g) ≤ 5%) rapidly increases while, instead, the density of HDA remains practically constant. Accordingly, the LDA state and hence glass polymorphism become inaccessible for glassy mixtures with approximately χ(g) > 5%. We present an analysis of the molecular-level changes underlying the LDA-HDA transformation. As observed in pure glassy water, during the LDA-to-HDA transformation, water molecules within the mixture approach each other, moving from the second to the first hydration shell and filling the first interstitial shell of water molecules. Interestingly, similar changes also occur around glycerol OH groups. It follows that glycerol OH groups contribute to the density increase during the LDA-HDA transformation. An analysis of the hydrogen bond (HB)-network of the mixtures shows that the LDA-HDA transformation is accompanied by minor changes in the number of HBs of water and glycerol. Instead, large changes in glycerol and water coordination numbers occur. We also perform a detailed analysis of the effects that

Influence of hyperosmotic agent (glycerol) in contrast enhancement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moriyama, Takashi; Suzuki, Shigeharu; Nakaoka, Tsutomu

1981-01-01

For getting a better contrast enhancement (CE) of computed tomography (CT) in brain tumors, we tried to increase the extravascular iodine concentration. A vailing ourselves of the period of returning water following intravenously administered glycerol, a drip injection of the contrast medium gave a better CE effect than the usual CE. In two benign gliomas, CE with glycerol was much better than CE without glycerol, and in two malignant gliomas and two metastatic tumors, CE with glycerol was better, but not so much better as with the benign tumors. In general, the CE effect in primary brain tumors showed a decreasing pattern, whereas in metastatic brain tumors the best time was 60 minutes after the injection of the contrast material (increasing and decreasing pattern), suggesting an increase in the extravascular iodine and a severe failure of the blood brain barrier. Two cystic malignant gliomas allowed the intravenously injected contrast medium to enter the cysts. It appears that the contrast medium passes through and/or is secreted from the wall of the cyst. (author)

Glycerol reforming and methanol synthesis for the production of renewable methanol

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Bennekom, Joost Gerardus

2013-01-01

De productie van biodiesel is flink toegenomen in het eerste decennium van de 21ste eeuw. Bij de productie van 100 kg biodiesel komt ongeveer 10 kg aan glycerol vrij, wat heeft geleid tot een sterk gestegen glycerol aanbod. Een mogelijkheid om wat met de glycerol te doen, is het omzetten van

Bio-Propane from glycerol for biogas addition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brandin, Jan; Hulteberg, Christian; Liljegren Nilsson, Andreas (Biofuel-Solution AB, Malmoe (Sweden))

2008-11-15

In this report, the technical and economical feasibility to produce higher alkanes from bioglycerol has been investigated. The main purpose of producing this kind of chemicals would be to replace the fossil LPG used in upgraded biogas production. When producing biogas and exporting it to the natural gas grid, the Wobbe index and heating value does not match the existing natural gas. Therefore, the upgraded biogas that is put into the natural gas grid in Sweden today contains 8-10 vol-% of LPG. The experimental work performed in association to this report has shown that it is possible to produce propane from glycerol. However, the production of ethane from glycerol may be even more advantageous. The experimental work has included developing and testing catalysts for several intermediate reactions. The work was performed using different micro-scale reactors with a liquid feed rate of 18 g/h. The first reaction, independent on if propane or ethane is to be produced, is dehydration of glycerol to acrolein. This was showed during 60 h on an acidic catalyst with a yield of 90%. The production of propanol, the second intermediate to producing propane, was shown as well. Propanol was produced both using acrolein as the starting material as well as glycerol (combining the first and second step) with yields of 70-80% in the first case and 65-70% in the second case. The propanol produced was investigated for its dehydration to propene, with a yield of 70-75%. By using a proprietary, purposely developed catalyst the propene was hydrogenated to propane, with a yield of 85% from propanol. The formation of propane from glycerol was finally investigated, with an overall yield of 55%. The second part of the experimental work performed investigated the possibilities of decarbonylating acrolein to form ethane. This was made possible by the development of a proprietary catalyst which combines decarbonylation and water-gas shift functionality. By combining these two functionalities, no

Metabolic engineering of a glycerol-oxidative pathway in Lactobacillus panis PM1 for utilization of bioethanol thin stillage: potential to produce platform chemicals from glycerol.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Tae Sun; Korber, Darren R; Tanaka, Takuji

2014-12-01

Lactobacillus panis PM1 has the ability to produce 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) from thin stillage (TS), which is the major waste material after bioethanol production, and is therefore of significance. However, the fact that L. panis PM1 cannot use glycerol as a sole carbon source presents a considerable problem in terms of utilization of this strain in a wide range of industrial applications. Accordingly, L. panis PM1 was genetically engineered to directly utilize TS as a fermentable substrate for the production of valuable platform chemicals without the need for exogenous nutrient supplementation (e.g., sugars and nitrogen sources). An artificial glycerol-oxidative pathway, comprised of glycerol facilitator, glycerol kinase, glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, triosephosphate isomerase, and NADPH-dependent aldehyde reductase genes of Escherichia coli, was introduced into L. panis PM1 in order to directly utilize glycerol for the production of energy for growth and value-added chemicals. A pH 6.5 culture converted glycerol to mainly lactic acid (85.43 mM), whereas a significant amount of 1,3-propanediol (59.96 mM) was formed at pH 7.5. Regardless of the pH, ethanol (82.16 to 83.22 mM) was produced from TS fermentations, confirming that the artificial pathway metabolized glycerol for energy production and converted it into lactic acid or 1,3-PDO and ethanol in a pH-dependent manner. This study demonstrates the cost-effective conversion of TS to value-added chemicals by the engineered PM1 strain cultured under industrial conditions. Thus, application of this strain or these research findings can contribute to reduced costs of bioethanol production. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Glycerol positive promoters for tailored metabolic engineering of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Ping-Wei; Klein, Mathias; Futschik, Matthias; Nevoigt, Elke

2018-05-01

Glycerol offers several advantages as a substrate for biotechnological applications. An important step toward using the popular production host Saccharomyces cerevisiae for glycerol-based bioprocesses has been the fact that in recent studies commonly used S. cerevisiae strains were engineered to grow in synthetic medium containing glycerol as the sole carbon source. For metabolic engineering projects of S. cerevisiae growing on glycerol, characterized promoters are missing. In the current study, we used transcriptome analysis and a yECitrine-based fluorescence reporter assay to select and characterize 25 useful promoters. The promoters of the genes ALD4 and ADH2 showed 4.2-fold and 3-fold higher activities compared to the well-known strong TEF1 promoter. Moreover, the collection contains promoters with graded activities in synthetic glycerol medium and different degrees of glucose repression. To demonstrate the general applicability of the promoter collection, we successfully used a subset of the characterized promoters with graded activities in order to optimize growth on glycerol in an engineered derivative of CEN.PK, in which glycerol catabolism exclusively occurs via a non-native DHA pathway.

Bioconversion of glycerol for bioethanol production using isolated Escherichia coli SS1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheril Norliana Suhaimi

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Bioconverting glycerol into various valuable products is one of glycerol's promising applications due to its high availability at low cost and the existence of many glycerol-utilizing microorganisms. Bioethanol and biohydrogen, which are types of renewable fuels, are two examples of bioconverted products. The objectives of this study were to evaluate ethanol production from different media by local microorganism isolates and compare the ethanol fermentation profile of the selected strains to use of glucose or glycerol as sole carbon sources. The ethanol fermentations by six isolates were evaluated after a preliminary screening process. Strain named SS1 produced the highest ethanol yield of 1.0 mol: 1.0 mol glycerol and was identified as Escherichia coli SS1 Also, this isolated strain showed a higher affinity to glycerol than glucose for bioethanol production.

Effective Removal of Heavy Metal Ions Using Glycerol and Starch Xanthate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aliyu Mohammed

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Glycerol and insoluble starch xanthates were synthesised and effectively used in the removal of Pb, Cd and Cu from aqueous solutions. The insoluble metal complex formed between the sulphur atoms in the xanthates and the heavy metals were easily separated. Lower dosage of glycerol xanthate was required in each case, with the optimum molar ratio (M2+/GX of 2. Moreover, the use of glycerol xanthate required no pH adjustments to give a 100 % heavy metal removal within the range of the detection limit. As for the ISX, there was a remarkable metal scavenging activity when the ISX contained high amount of Sulphur per molecule (10.12% S and when the pH was adjusted to 6. Butyl xanthate was also synthesised to make a good comparison with the glycerol and insoluble starch xanthate. The xanthates from these two sustainable materials (Starch and glycerol are proven to be more effective in metal scavenging activity. FTIR and CHNS elemental analyses were used to prove the evidence of xanthation, in addition, 13C NMR was used to characterise the glycerol xanthate.

Engineering plant membranes using droplet interface bilayers.

Science.gov (United States)

Barlow, N E; Smpokou, E; Friddin, M S; Macey, R; Gould, I R; Turnbull, C; Flemming, A J; Brooks, N J; Ces, O; Barter, L M C

2017-03-01

Droplet interface bilayers (DIBs) have become widely recognised as a robust platform for constructing model membranes and are emerging as a key technology for the bottom-up assembly of synthetic cell-like and tissue-like structures. DIBs are formed when lipid-monolayer coated water droplets are brought together inside a well of oil, which is excluded from the interface as the DIB forms. The unique features of the system, compared to traditional approaches (e.g., supported lipid bilayers, black lipid membranes, and liposomes), is the ability to engineer multi-layered bilayer networks by connecting multiple droplets together in 3D, and the capability to impart bilayer asymmetry freely within these droplet architectures by supplying droplets with different lipids. Yet despite these achievements, one potential limitation of the technology is that DIBs formed from biologically relevant components have not been well studied. This could limit the reach of the platform to biological systems where bilayer composition and asymmetry are understood to play a key role. Herein, we address this issue by reporting the assembly of asymmetric DIBs designed to replicate the plasma membrane compositions of three different plant species; Arabidopsis thaliana , tobacco, and oats, by engineering vesicles with different amounts of plant phospholipids, sterols and cerebrosides for the first time. We show that vesicles made from our plant lipid formulations are stable and can be used to assemble asymmetric plant DIBs. We verify this using a bilayer permeation assay, from which we extract values for absolute effective bilayer permeation and bilayer stability. Our results confirm that stable DIBs can be assembled from our plant membrane mimics and could lead to new approaches for assembling model systems to study membrane translocation and to screen new agrochemicals in plants.

Molecular dynamics modelling of EGCG clusters on ceramide bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yeo, Jingjie; Cheng, Yuan; Li, Weifeng; Zhang, Yong-Wei [Institute of High Performance Computing, A*STAR, 138632 (Singapore)

2015-12-31

A novel method of atomistic modelling and characterization of both pure ceramide and mixed lipid bilayers is being developed, using only the General Amber ForceField. Lipid bilayers modelled as pure ceramides adopt hexagonal packing after equilibration, and the area per lipid and bilayer thickness are consistent with previously reported theoretical results. Mixed lipid bilayers are modelled as a combination of ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids. This model is shown to be stable after equilibration. Green tea extract, also known as epigallocatechin-3-gallate, is introduced as a spherical cluster on the surface of the mixed lipid bilayer. It is demonstrated that the cluster is able to bind to the bilayers as a cluster without diffusing into the surrounding water.

Bioadhesive drug delivery system using glyceryl monooleate for the intravesical administration of paclitaxel.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seung-Ju; Kim, Sae Woong; Chung, Hesson; Park, Yeong Taek; Choi, Young Wook; Cho, Yong-Hyun; Yoon, Moon Soo

2005-10-01

Many reports have shown that the efficacy of intravesical therapy for bladder cancer is in part limited by the poor penetration of drugs into the urothelium. The present study evaluated the effect of glyceryl monooleate (GMO) on the absorption of intravesically administered paclitaxel in a rabbit model of bladder cancer. Urine, plasma, and tissue pharmacokinetics were determined in rabbits treated for 120 min with paclitaxel (500 microg/20 ml) by intravesical instillation. Two formulations of GMO/paclitaxel were evaluated using different proportions of water, 15 and 30%, and Taxol was used as a control. Animals were observed for clinical signs of toxicity and necropsy was performed. 120 min after instillation, the bladder was emptied and excised. In the urine, paclitaxel concentration was decreased by 39.6 and 41.2% in the two experimental groups and by 25.2% in the control group. The paclitaxel concentrations in the urothelium were 53 and 56% of the urine concentration in both experimental groups, but 11% in the control group. The concentration then declined exponentially in the underlying capillary-perfused tissues, reaching equilibrium at a depth of 1,400-1,700 microm. The plasma concentrations were extremely low compared with concentrations in urine and bladder tissues and were not associated with clinical toxicity. We conclude that GMO has a significantly increased bioadhesiveness to bladder mucosa. Therefore, intravesical administration of GMO/paclitaxel/water provides a significant advantage for drugs targeting the bladder tissue, and paclitaxel represents a viable option for intravesical bladder cancer therapy. Copyright 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Vanadium-Catalyzed Deoxydehydration of Glycerol Without an External Reductant

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Allan Robertson; Nielsen, Lasse Bo; Dethlefsen, Johannes Rytter

2018-01-01

A vanadium‐catalysed deoxydehydration (DODH) of neat glycerol has been developed. Cheap and readily available ammonium metavanadate (NH4VO3) affords higher yields of allyl alcohol than the well‐established catalyst methyltrioxorhenium. A study in which deuterium‐labelled glycerol was used...

Interaction of elaiophylin with model bilayer membrane

Science.gov (United States)

Genova, J.; Dencheva-Zarkova, M.

2017-01-01

Elaiophylin is a new macrodiolide antibiotic, which is produced by the Streptomyces strains [1]. It displays biological activities against Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. The mode of action of this antibiotic has been attributed to an alteration of the membrane permeability. When this antibiotic is inserted into the bilayer membranes destabilization of the membrane and formation of ion-penetrable channels is observed. The macrodiolide antibiotic forms stable cation selective ion channels in synthetic lipid bilayer membranes. The aim of this work was to study the interactions of Elaiophylin with model bilayer membranes and to get information on the mechanical properties of lipid bilayers in presence of this antibiotic. Patch-clamp technique [2] were used in the study

Pair interaction of bilayer-coated nanoscopic particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qi-Yi, Zhang

2009-01-01

The pair interaction between bilayer membrane-coated nanosized particles has been explored by using the self-consistent field (SCF) theory. The bilayer membranes are composed of amphiphilic polymers. For different system parameters, the pair-interaction free energies are obtained. Particular emphasis is placed on the analysis of a sequence of structural transformations of bilayers on spherical particles, which occur during their approaching processes. For different head fractions of amphiphiles, the asymmetrical morphologies between bilayers on two particles and the inverted micellar intermediates have been found in the membrane fusion pathway. These results can benefit the fabrication of vesicles as encapsulation vectors for drug and gene delivery. (condensed matter: structure, thermal and mechanical properties)

Enhanced hydrogen and 1,3-propanediol production from glycerol by fermentation using mixed cultures

KAUST Repository

Selembo, Priscilla A.

2009-12-15

The conversion of glycerol into high value products, such as hydrogen gas and 1,3-propanediol (PD), was examined using anaerobic fermentation with heat-treated mixed cultures. Glycerol fermentation produced 0.28 mol-H 2/mol-glycerol (72 mL-H2/g-COD) and 0.69 mol-PD/mol-glycerol. Glucose fermentation using the same mixed cultures produced more hydrogen gas (1.06 mol-H2/mol-glucose) but no PD. Changing the source of inoculum affected gas production likely due to prior acclimation of bacteria to this type of substrate. Fermentation of the glycerol produced from biodiesel fuel production (70% glycerol content) produced 0.31 mol-H 2/mol-glycerol (43 mL H2/g-COD) and 0.59 mol-PD/mol-glycerol. These are the highest yields yet reported for both hydrogen and 1,3-propanediol production from pure glycerol and the glycerol byproduct from biodiesel fuel production by fermentation using mixed cultures. These results demonstrate that production of biodiesel can be combined with production of hydrogen and 1,3-propanediol for maximum utilization of resources and minimization of waste. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Possible mechanism of adhesion in a mica supported phospholipid bilayer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pertsin, Alexander; Grunze, Michael

2014-01-01

Phospholipid bilayers supported on hydrophilic solids like silica and mica play a substantial role in fundamental studies and technological applications of phospholipid membranes. In both cases the molecular mechanism of adhesion between the bilayer and the support is of primary interest. Since the possibilities of experimental methods in this specific area are rather limited, the methods of computer simulation acquire great importance. In this paper we use the grand canonical Monte Carlo technique and an atomistic force field to simulate the behavior of a mica supported phospholipid bilayer in pure water as a function of the distance between the bilayer and the support. The simulation reveals a possible adhesion mechanism, where the adhesion is due to individual lipid molecules that protrude from the bilayer and form widely spaced links with the support. Simultaneously, the bilayer remains separated from the bilayer by a thin water interlayer which maintains the bilayer fluidity

Bio-hydrogen production from glycerol by a strain of Enterobacter aerogenes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marques, P.A.S.S; Bartolomeu, M.L.; Tome, M.M.; Rosa, M.F. [INETI, Unit of Biomass/Renewable Energy Department, Estrada do Paco do Lumiar, 22, 1649-038 Lisboa (Portugal)

2008-07-01

The goal of this work was to evaluate the H2 production from glycerol-containing byproducts obtained from biodiesel industrial production, using Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC 13048 Sputum. H2 production using as substrate pure glycerol and glycerol-containing biodiesel byproducts was compared. The effect of parameters such as initial substrate concentration and sodium chloride addition on the bio-hydrogen production efficiency was also investigated. The results showed that using 10 g/L of pure glycerol or biodiesel residues, containing the same concentration of glycerol as substrate, lead to similar bio-hydrogen productions (3.46 LH2/L and 3.28 LH2/L fermentation medium, respectively). This indicates that the performance of the E. aerogenes strain used was not influenced by the presence of other components than glycerol in biodiesel residues, at least for the tested waste concentration range. When sodium chloride was added to the fermentation medium with pure 10 g/L glycerol, H2 production was not affected (3.34 LH2/L fermentation medium), showing that metabolism of the E. aerogenes strain was not inhibited by this biodiesel waste component up to 4 g/L chloride concentration. Biodiesel residues used without sterilization provided a higher H2 production (1.03 L) than the ones submitted to previous sterilization in autoclave (0.89 L).

Viscoelastic deformation of lipid bilayer vesicles†

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Shao-Hua; Sankhagowit, Shalene; Biswas, Roshni; Wu, Shuyang; Povinelli, Michelle L.

2015-01-01

Lipid bilayers form the boundaries of the cell and its organelles. Many physiological processes, such as cell movement and division, involve bending and folding of the bilayer at high curvatures. Currently, bending of the bilayer is treated as an elastic deformation, such that its stress-strain response is independent of the rate at which bending strain is applied. We present here the first direct measurement of viscoelastic response in a lipid bilayer vesicle. We used a dual-beam optical trap (DBOT) to stretch 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). Upon application of a step optical force, the vesicle membrane deforms in two regimes: a fast, instantaneous area increase, followed by a much slower stretching to an eventual plateau deformation. From measurements of dozens of GUVs, the average time constant of the slower stretching response was 0.225 ± 0.033 s (standard deviation, SD). Increasing the fluid viscosity did not affect the observed time constant. We performed a set of experiments to rule out heating by laser absorption as a cause of the transient behavior. Thus, we demonstrate here that the bending deformation of lipid bilayer membranes should be treated as viscoelastic. PMID:26268612

Production of polyhydroxybutyrate and alginate from glycerol by Azotobacter vinelandii under nitrogen-free conditions

OpenAIRE

Yoneyama, Fuminori; Yamamoto, Mayumi; Hashimoto, Wataru; Murata, Kousaku

2015-01-01

Glycerol is an interesting feedstock for biomaterials such as biofuels and bioplastics because of its abundance as a by-product during biodiesel production. Here we demonstrate glycerol metabolism in the nitrogen-fixing species Azotobacter vinelandii through metabolomics and nitrogen-free bacterial production of biopolymers, such as poly-d-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and alginate, from glycerol. Glycerol-3-phosphate was accumulated in A. vinelandii cells grown on glycerol to the exponential phase...

Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Nanoparticles of Amphotericin B: Implication of Phytantriol and Glyceryl Monooleate on Bioavailability Enhancement.

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, Sanyog; Yadav, Pooja; Swami, Rajan; Swarnakar, Nitin Kumar; Kushwah, Varun; Katiyar, Sameer S

2018-05-01

Implication of different dietary specific lipids such as phytantriol (PT) and glyceryl monooleate (GMO) on enhancing the oral bioavailability of amphotericin B (AmB) was examined. Liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNPs) were prepared using hydrotrope method, followed by in vitro characterization, Caco-2 cell monolayer uptake, and in vivo pharmacokinetic and toxicity evaluation. Optimized AmB-LCNPs displayed small particle size (< 210 nm) with a narrow distribution (~ 0.2), sustained drug release and high gastrointestinal stability, and reduced hemolytic toxicity. PLCNPs presented slower release, i.e., ~ 80% as compared to ~ 90% release in case of GLCNPs after 120 h. Significantly higher uptake in Caco-2 monolayer substantiated the role of LCNPs in increasing the intestinal permeability followed by increased drug titer in plasma. Pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated potential of PT in enhancing the bioavailability (approximately sixfold) w.r.t. of its native counterpart with reduced nephrotoxicity as presented by reduced nephrotoxicity biomarkers and histology studies. These studies established usefulness of PLCNPs over GLCNPs and plain drug. It can be concluded that acid-resistant lipid, PT, can be utilized efficiently as an alternate lipid for the preparation of LCNPs to enhance bioavailability and to reduce nephrotoxicity of the drug as compared to other frequently used lipid, i.e., GMO.

Systematic Engineering of Escherichia coli for d-Lactate Production from Crude Glycerol.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zei Wen; Saini, Mukesh; Lin, Li-Jen; Chiang, Chung-Jen; Chao, Yun-Peng

2015-11-04

Crude glycerol resulting from biodiesel production is an abundant and renewable resource. However, the impurities in crude glycerol usually make microbial fermentation problematic. This issue was addressed by systematic engineering of Escherichia coli for the production of d-lactate from crude glycerol. First, mgsA and the synthetic pathways of undesired products were eliminated in E. coli, rendering the strain capable of homofermentative production of optically pure d-lactate. To direct carbon flux toward d-lactate, the resulting strain was endowed with an enhanced expression of glpD-glpK in the glycerol catabolism and of a heterologous gene encoding d-lactate dehydrogenase. Moreover, the strain was evolved to improve its utilization of cruder glycerol and subsequently equipped with the FocA channel to export intracellular d-lactate. Finally, the fed-batch fermentation with two-phase culturing was carried out with a bioreactor. As a result, the engineered strain enabled production of 105 g/L d-lactate (99.9% optical purity) from 121 g/L crude glycerol at 40 h. The result indicates the feasibility of our approach to engineering E. coli for the crude glycerol-based fermentation.

Influence of lake water pH and alkalinity on the distribution of coreand intact polar branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) in lakes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schoon, P.L.; de Kluijver, A.; Middelburg, J.J.; Downing, J.A.; Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.; Schouten, S.

2013-01-01

Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) are bacterial membrane lipids, ubiquitously present in soils and peat bogs, as well as in rivers, lakes and lake sediments. Their distribution in soil is controlled mainly by pH and mean annual air temperature, but the controls on their

Enhancement of glycerol production by zygosaccharomyces ruxii using strawberry wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meleigy, S.A; Taha, S.M.A.

2010-01-01

Glycerol is important industrial product that can be produced using osmophilic yeasts. In this study a local isolate of osmophilic yeast, zygosaccharomyces ruxii, was used for glycerol production from strawberry waste. The effects of some important parameters including glucose and urea concentrations, incubation temperature, initial ph and gamma irradiation were investigated. The optimum conditions for maximum glycerol production (126.8 g/l)by z. ruxii were occurred at 31 degree C and initial ph 5 in the presence of 250 g/l glucose and 3 g/l urea in the production medium . Under these optimizing fermentation parameters, enhancement of glycerol production (130 g/l) were recorded when the inoculum of z. ruxii was exposed to 0.25 kGy. also, the present results showed reduction in BOD 5 levels of fermented strawberry waste.

Cholesterol Protects the Oxidized Lipid Bilayer from Water Injury

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Owen, Michael C; Kulig, Waldemar; Rog, Tomasz

2018-01-01

In an effort to delineate how cholesterol protects membrane structure under oxidative stress conditions, we monitored the changes to the structure of lipid bilayers comprising 30 mol% cholesterol and an increasing concentration of Class B oxidized 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC...... in a characteristic reduction in bilayer thickness and increase in area per lipid, thereby increasing the exposure of the membrane hydrophobic region to water. However, cholesterol was observed to help reduce water injury by moving into the bilayer core and forming more hydrogen bonds with the oxPLs. Cholesterol also...... resists altering its tilt angle, helping to maintain membrane integrity. Water that enters the 1-nm-thick core region remains part of the bulk water on either side of the bilayer, with relatively few water molecules able to traverse through the bilayer. In cholesterol-rich membranes, the bilayer does...

Thermotropic and Barotropic Phase Behavior of Phosphatidylcholine Bilayers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nobutake Tamai

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Bilayers formed by phospholipids are frequently used as model biological membranes in various life science studies. A characteristic feature of phospholipid bilayers is to undergo a structural change called a phase transition in response to environmental changes of their surroundings. In this review, we focus our attention on phase transitions of some major phospholipids contained in biological membranes, phosphatidylcholines (PCs, depending on temperature and pressure. Bilayers of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC, which is the most representative lipid in model membrane studies, will first be explained. Then, the bilayer phase behavior of various kinds of PCs with different molecular structures is revealed from the temperature–pressure phase diagrams, and the difference in phase stability among these PC bilayers is discussed in connection with the molecular structure of the PC molecules. Furthermore, the solvent effect on the phase behavior is also described briefly.

Aquaglyceroporin-null trypanosomes display glycerol transport defects and respiratory-inhibitor sensitivity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Jeacock

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Aquaglyceroporins (AQPs transport water and glycerol and play important roles in drug-uptake in pathogenic trypanosomatids. For example, AQP2 in the human-infectious African trypanosome, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, is responsible for melarsoprol and pentamidine-uptake, and melarsoprol treatment-failure has been found to be due to AQP2-defects in these parasites. To further probe the roles of these transporters, we assembled a T. b. brucei strain lacking all three AQP-genes. Triple-null aqp1-2-3 T. b. brucei displayed only a very moderate growth defect in vitro, established infections in mice and recovered effectively from hypotonic-shock. The aqp1-2-3 trypanosomes did, however, display glycerol uptake and efflux defects. They failed to accumulate glycerol or to utilise glycerol as a carbon-source and displayed increased sensitivity to salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM, octyl gallate or propyl gallate; these inhibitors of trypanosome alternative oxidase (TAO can increase intracellular glycerol to toxic levels. Notably, disruption of AQP2 alone generated cells with glycerol transport defects. Consistent with these findings, AQP2-defective, melarsoprol-resistant clinical isolates were sensitive to the TAO inhibitors, SHAM, propyl gallate and ascofuranone, relative to melarsoprol-sensitive reference strains. We conclude that African trypanosome AQPs are dispensable for viability and osmoregulation but they make important contributions to drug-uptake, glycerol-transport and respiratory-inhibitor sensitivity. We also discuss how the AQP-dependent inverse sensitivity to melarsoprol and respiratory inhibitors described here might be exploited.

The fate of 14C-glycerol in the rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis Walker (Lepidoptera : Pyralidae)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsumuki, Hisaaki; Kanehisa, Katsuo

1981-01-01

The interconversion between glycogen and glycerol was examined during diapausing and post-diapausing stages by injecting 14 C-glycerol. Radioactive glycerol injected was rapidly incorporated into glycogen in diapausing larvae at 25 0 C even during increase of glycerol, showing that the interconversion between glycogen and glycerol may easily occur on warmer days in winter. However, this interconversion proceeded in the direction of glycerol synthesis at such low temperature as 4 0 C. The isotope injected was incorporated into various tissues to varying degrees, especially it was found predominantly in fat body glycogen. The degradation rate of 14 C-glycerol in diapausing larvae was lower than in post-diapausing larvae. On the other hand, in non-diapausing larvae which were shown to contain no glycerol, 14 C-glycerol was rapidly degraded in comparison with hibernating larvae. A cause of no glycerol accumulation in non-diapausing larvae may be attributed to such high activity of glycerol degradation. (author)

Glycerol metabolism induces Listeria monocytogenes biofilm formation at the air-liquid interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Crespo Tapia, Natalia; den Besten, Heidy M W; Abee, Tjakko

2018-05-20

Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen that can grow as a biofilm on surfaces. Biofilm formation in food-processing environments is a big concern for food safety, as it can cause product contamination through the food-processing line. Although motile aerobic bacteria have been described to form biofilms at the air-liquid interface of cell cultures, to our knowledge, this type of biofilm has not been described in L. monocytogenes before. In this study we report L. monocytogenes biofilm formation at the air-liquid interface of aerobically grown cultures, and that this phenotype is specifically induced when the media is supplemented with glycerol as a carbon and energy source. Planktonic growth, metabolic activity assays and HPLC measurements of glycerol consumption over time showed that glycerol utilization in L. monocytogenes is restricted to growth under aerobic conditions. Gene expression analysis showed that genes encoding the glycerol transporter GlpF, the glycerol kinase GlpK and the glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase GlpD were upregulated in the presence of oxygen, and downregulated in absence of oxygen. Additionally, motility assays revealed the induction of aerotaxis in the presence of glycerol. Our results demonstrate that the formation of biofilms at the air-liquid interface is dependent on glycerol-induced aerotaxis towards the surface of the culture, where L. monocytogenes has access to higher concentrations of oxygen, and is therefore able to utilize this compound as a carbon source. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conformational Preferences of Glycerol in the Gas Phase and in Water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Keun Hong [Korea Military Academy, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Byun, Byung Jin; Kang, Young Kee [Chungbuk National University, Cheongju (Korea, Republic of)

2012-03-15

The conformational study of glycerol has been carried out using the M06-2X/cc-pVTZ level of theory in the gas phase and the SMD M06-2X/cc-pVTZ level of theory in water in order to understand its conformational preferences and solvation effects. Most of the preferred conformers of glycerol have two C{sub 5} hydrogen bonds in the gas phase, as found by the analysis of calorimetric data. It has been known that the solvation drove the hydrogen bonds of glycerol to be weaker and its potential surface to be fatter and that glycerol exists as an ensemble of many feasible local minima in water. The calculated populations of glycerol in the gas phase and in water are consistent with the observed values, which are better than the previously calculated ones at the G2(MP2), CBS-QB3, and SM5.42 HF/6-31G(d) levels of theory

Dietary Tools To Modulate Glycogen Storage in Gilthead Seabream Muscle: Glycerol Supplementation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Silva, Tomé S.; Matos, Elisabete; Cordeiro, Odete D.

2012-01-01

The quality and shelf life of fish meat products depend on the skeletal muscle’s energetic state at slaughter, as meat decomposition processes can be exacerbated by energy depletion. In this study, we tested dietary glycerol as a way of replenishing muscle glycogen reserves of farmed gilthead......, and organoleptic properties (aroma and color). Proteomic analysis showed a low impact of glycerol-supplementation on muscle metabolism, with most changes probably reflecting increased stress coping capacity in glycerol-fed fish. This suggests inclusion of crude glycerol in gilthead seabream diets (particularly...

Glycerol, trehalose and glycerol–trehalose mixture effects on thermal stabilization of OCT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barreca, D., E-mail: dbarreca@unime.it [Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina (Italy); Laganà, G. [Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina (Italy); Magazù, S.; Migliardo, F. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina (Italy); Bellocco, E. [Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina (Italy)

2013-10-16

Highlights: • Trehalose influences both enzymatic activity and conformational changes of enzyme. • The results obtained by INS and QENS show a switching-off of the fast dynamics at very low glycerol content. • The diffusive dynamics is slowing down at very low glycerol concentration. • The mixtures of trehalose/glycerol lose the thermal stabilizing effects of pure compounds. - Abstract: The stabilization effects of trehalose, glycerol and their mixtures on ornithine carbamoyltransferase catalytic activity has been studied as a function of temperature by complementary techniques. The obtained results show that the kinematic viscosities of trehalose (1.0 M) and protein mixture are higher than the one of glycerol plus protein. Changing the trehalose/glycerol ratio, we notice a decrease of the kinematic viscosity values at almost all the analyzed ratio. In particular, the solution composed of 95% trehalose-5% glycerol shows a peculiar behavior. Moreover the trehalose (1.0 M) solution shows the higher OCT thermal stabilization at 343 K, while all the other solutions show minor effects. The smallest stabilizing effect is revealed for the solution that shows the maximum kinematic viscosity. These results support Inelastic Neutron Scattering (INS) and Quasi Elastic Neutron Scattering (QENS) findings, which pointed out a slowing down of the relaxation and diffusive dynamics in some investigated samples.

Interface-mediation of lipid bilayer organization and dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Mize, Hannah E; Blanchard, G J

2016-06-22

We report on the morphology and dynamics of planar supported lipid bilayer structures as a function of pH and ionic strength of the aqueous overlayer. Supported lipid bilayers composed of three components (phosphocholine, sphingomyelin and cholesterol) are known to exhibit phase segregation, with the characteristic domain sizes dependent on the amount and identity of each constituent, and the composition of the aqueous overlayer in contact with the bilayer. We report on fluorescence anisotropy decay imaging measurements of a rhodamine chromophore tethered to the headgroup of a phosphoethanolamine, where anisotropy decay images were acquired as a function of solution overlayer pH and ionic strength. The data reveal a two-component anisotropy decay under all conditions, with the faster time constant being largely independent of pH and ionic strength and the slower component depending on pH and ionic strength in different manners. For liposomes of the same composition, a single exponential anisotropy decay was seen. We interpret this difference in terms of bilayer curvature and support surface-bilayer interactions, and the pH and ionic strength dependencies in terms of ionic screening and protonation in the bilayer headgroup region.

Reaction pathways for catalytic gas-phase oxidation of glycerol over mixed metal oxides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suprun, W.; Glaeser, R.; Papp, H. [Leipzig Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Chemical Technology

2011-07-01

Glycerol as a main by-product from bio-diesel manufacture is a cheap raw material with large potential for chemical or biochemical transformations to value-added C3-chemicals. One possible way of glycerol utilization involves its catalytic oxidation to acrylic acid as an alternative to petrochemical routes. However, this catalytic conversion exhibits various problems such as harsh reaction conditions, severe catalyst coking and large amounts of undesired by-products. In this study, the reaction pathways for gas-phase conversion of glycerol over transition metal oxides (Mo, V und W) supported on TiO{sub 2} and SiO{sub 2} were investigated by two methods: (i) steady state experiments of glycerol oxidation and possible reactions intermediates, i.e., acrolein, 3-hydroxy propionaldehyde and acetaldehyde, and (ii) temperature-programmed surface reaction (TPSR) studies of glycerol conversion in the presence and in the absence of gas-phase oxygen. It is shown that the supported W-, V and Mo-oxides possess an ability to catalyze the oxidation of glycerol to acrylic acid. These investigations allowed us to gain a deeper insight into the reaction mechanism. Thus, based on the obtained results, three possible reactions pathways for the selective oxidation of glycerol to acrylic acid on the transition metal-containing catalysts are proposed. The major pathways in presence of molecular oxygen are a fast successive destructive oxidation of glycerol to CO{sub x} and the dehydration of glycerol to acrolein which is a rate-limiting step. (orig.)

Influence of crude glycerol on the biomass and lipid content of microalgae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Hee-Jeong; Yu, Sung-Whan

2015-01-01

The growth of the algae Chlorella vulgaris, Botryococcus braunii and Scenedesmus sp. under mixotrophic conditions in the presence of different concentrations of crude glycerol was evaluated with the objective of increasing the biomass growth and algal oil content. A high biomass concentration was characteristic of these strains when grown on crude glycerol compared to autotrophic growth, and 5 g/L glycerol yielded the highest biomass concentration for these strains. Mixotrophic conditions improved both the growth of the microalgae and the accumulation of triacylglycerols (TAGs). The maximum amount of TAGs in the algae biomass was obtained in the 5 g/L glycerol growth medium. The fatty acid profiles of the oil for the cultures met the necessary requirements and the strains are promising resources for biofuel production. Keywords: biomass; glycerol; microalgae; mixotrophic; oil content

A thermodynamic study of 1-propanol-glycerol-H2O at 25 degrees C: Effect of glycerol on molecular organization of H2O

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Parsons, M.T.; Westh, Peter; Davies, J.V.

2001-01-01

The excess chemical potential, partial molar enthalpy, and volume of 1-propanol were determined in ternary mixtures of 1-propanol-glycerol-H2O at 25degreesC. The mole fraction dependence of all these thermodynamic functions was used to elucidate the effect of glycerol on the molecular organization...... probability and, hence, the percolation nature of the hydrogen bond network is reduced. In addition, the degree of fluctuation inherent in liquid H2O is reduced by glycerol perhaps by participating in the hydrogen bond network via OH groups. At infinite dilution, the pair interaction coefficients in enthalpy...

Impact of impurities in biodiesel-derived crude glycerol on the fermentation by Clostridium pasteurianum ATCC 6013

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Venkataramanan, Keerthi P.; Boatman, Judy J.; Taconi, Katherine A. [Alabama Univ., Huntsville, AL (United States). Dept. of Chemical and Materials Engineering; Kurniawan, Yogi; Bothun, Geoffrey D. [Rhode Island Univ., Kingston, RI (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering; Scholz, Carmen [Alabama Univ., Huntsville, AL (United States). Dept. of Chemistry

2012-02-15

During the production of biodiesel, crude glycerol is produced as a byproduct at 10% (w/w). Clostridium pasteurianum has the inherent potential to grow on glycerol and produce 1,3-propanediol and butanol as the major products. Growth and product yields on crude glycerol were reported to be slower and lower, respectively, in comparison to the results obtained from pure glycerol. In this study, we analyzed the effect of each impurity present in the biodiesel-derived crude glycerol on the growth and metabolism of glycerol by C. pasteurianum. The crude glycerol contains methanol, salts (in the form of potassium chloride or sulfate), and fatty acids that were not transesterified. Salt and methanol were found to have no negative effects on the growth and metabolism of the bacteria on glycerol. The fatty acid with a higher degree of unsaturation, linoleic acid, was found to have strong inhibitory effect on the utilization of glycerol by the bacteria. The fatty acid with lower or no degrees of unsaturation such as stearic and oleic acid were found to be less detrimental to substrate utilization. The removal of fatty acids from crude glycerol by acid precipitation resulted in a fermentation behavior that is comparable to the one on pure glycerol. These results show that the fatty acids in the crude glycerol have a negative effect by directly affecting the utilization of glycerol as the carbon source, and hence their removal from crude glycerol is an essential step towards the utilization of crude glycerol. (orig.)

Probing Lipid Bilayers under Ionic Imbalance.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jiaqi; Alexander-Katz, Alfredo

2016-12-06

Biological membranes are normally under a resting transmembrane potential (TMP), which originates from the ionic imbalance between extracellular fluids and cytosols, and serves as electric power storage for cells. In cell electroporation, the ionic imbalance builds up a high TMP, resulting in the poration of cell membranes. However, the relationship between ionic imbalance and TMP is not clearly understood, and little is known about the effect of ionic imbalance on the structure and dynamics of biological membranes. In this study, we used coarse-grained molecular dynamics to characterize a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine bilayer system under ionic imbalances ranging from 0 to ∼0.06 e charges per lipid (e/Lip). We found that the TMP displayed three distinct regimes: 1) a linear regime between 0 and 0.045 e/Lip, where the TMP increased linearly with ionic imbalance; 2) a yielding regime between ∼0.045 and 0.060 e/Lip, where the TMP displayed a plateau; and 3) a poration regime above ∼0.060 e/Lip, where we observed pore formation within the sampling time (80 ns). We found no structural changes in the linear regime, apart from a nonlinear increase in the area per lipid, whereas in the yielding regime the bilayer exhibited substantial thinning, leading to an excess of water and Na + within the bilayer, as well as significant misalignment of the lipid tails. In the poration regime, lipid molecules diffused slightly faster. We also found that the fluid-to-gel phase transition temperature of the bilayer dropped below the normal value with increased ionic imbalances. Our results show that a high ionic imbalance can substantially alter the essential properties of the bilayer, making the bilayer more fluid like, or conversely, depolarization of a cell could in principle lead to membrane stiffening. Copyright © 2016 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of High-Molecular-Weight Multifunctional Glycerol Polyhydroxyurethanes PHUs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bassam Nohra

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Glycerol carbonate acrylate is a 5-membered cyclic carbonate synthesized from glycerol that is used as a chemical coupling agent and has proven highly suitable for use in the synthesis of multifunctional polyhydroxyurethanes (PHUs. The multifunctionality of the structure of PHUs is determined by the density of the carbon-amine groups generated by the Aza-Michael reaction and that of the urethane groups and adjacent primary and secondary hydroxyl groups generated by aminolysis. Glycerol carbonate acrylate is polymerized with polyfunctional mono-, di-, tri, and tetra-amines, by type-AB polyaddition, either in bulk or in solution, through stepwise or one-pot reaction strategies in the absence of added catalysts. These approaches result in the generation of linear, interchain, and crosslinked structures, through the polyaddition of linear and branched amines to the ethylene and cyclic carbonate sites of glycerol carbonate acrylate. The resulting collection of organic molecules gives rise to polyethylene amino ester PHUs with a high molar mass, exceeding 20,000 g·mol−1, with uniform dispersity.

Bilayer graphene: gap tunability and edge properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castro, Eduardo V; Santos, J M B Lopes dos; Peres, N M R; Guinea, F; Castro Neto, A H

2008-01-01

Bilayer graphene - two coupled single graphene layers stacked as in graphite - provides the only known semiconductor with a gap that can be tuned externally through electric field effect. Here we use a tight binding approach to study how the gap changes with the applied electric field. Within a parallel plate capacitor model and taking into account screening of the external field, we describe real back gated and/or chemically doped bilayer devices. We show that a gap between zero and midinfrared energies can be induced and externally tuned in these devices, making bilayer graphene very appealing from the point of view of applications. However, applications to nanotechnology require careful treatment of the effect of sample boundaries. This being particularly true in graphene, where the presence of edge states at zero energy - the Fermi level of the undoped system - has been extensively reported. Here we show that also bilayer graphene supports surface states localized at zigzag edges. The presence of two layers, however, allows for a new type of edge state which shows an enhanced penetration into the bulk and gives rise to band crossing phenomenon inside the gap of the biased bilayer system.

EFFECT OF GLYCEROL SEPARATION ON PALM OIL TRANSESTERIFICATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Budy Rahmat

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This research was aimed to study the effect of glycerol separation on palm oil transesterification. Objectives of this study were to suppress the use of excess methanol and shorten the processing time. This research consisted of: design-build reactor, the effect of the glycerol separation on the transesterification reaction, characterization of biodiesel, and mass balance analysis. The reactor was designed by integrating circulate stirrer pump, static mixer, and sprayer that will bring out the intense reaction in the outer tank reactor. The experiment in this research was the treatment of decreasing the quantity of methanol to 5:1 molar ratio and reducing of processing time to 20 min, which was arranged in a completely randomized factorial design. The result showed that, (i the stirring system was effectively worked outside the reactor tank, and in its reactor tank occurred glycerol separation during the process; (ii the rate of glycerol during the process followed the inverse regression equation of Ŷ = 66.44-351.17 X-1; (iii the decrease in the level of methanol to 5:1 molar ratio and the reduction of processing time to 20 min in this engineering did not influence the biodiesel yield and quality that met the SNI 04-7182-2006 standard.

Effects of Lateral and Terminal Chains of X-Shaped Bolapolyphiles with Oligo(phenylene ethynylene Cores on Self-Assembly Behavior. Part 2: Domain Formation by Self-Assembly in Lipid Bilayer Membranes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan Werner

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Supramolecular self-assembly of membrane constituents within a phospholipid bilayer creates complex functional platforms in biological cells that operate in intracellular signaling, trafficking and membrane remodeling. Synthetic polyphilic compounds of macromolecular or small size can be incorporated into artificial phospholipid bilayers. Featuring three or four moieties of different philicities, they reach beyond ordinary amphiphilicity and open up avenues to new functions and interaction concepts. Here, we have incorporated a series of X-shaped bolapolyphiles into DPPC (1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine bilayers of giant unilamellar vesicles. The bolapolyphiles consist of a rod-like oligo(phenylene ethynylene (OPE core, hydrophilic glycerol-based headgroups with or without oligo(ethylene oxide expansions at both ends and two lateral alkyl chains attached near the center of the OPE core. In the absence of DPPC and water, the compounds showed thermotropic liquid-crystalline behavior with a transition between polyphilic and amphiphilic assembly (see part 1 in this issue. In DPPC membranes, various trends in the domain morphologies were observed upon structure variations, which entailed branched alkyl chains of various sizes, alkyl chain semiperfluorination and size expansion of the headgroups. Observed effects on domain morphology are interpreted in the context of the bulk behavior (part 1 and of a model that was previously developed based on spectroscopic and physicochemical data.

Effects of carotenoids on lipid bilayers.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Quentin R; Mostofian, Barmak; Fuente Gomez, Gabriel; Smith, Jeremy C; Cheng, Xiaolin

2018-01-31

Carotenoids have been found to be important in improving the integrity of biomembranes in eukaryotes. However, the molecular details of how carotenoids modulate the physical properties of biomembranes are unknown. To this end, we have conducted a series of molecular dynamics simulations of different biologically-relevant membranes in the presence of carotenoids. The carotenoid effect on the membrane was found to be specific to the identity of the carotenoid and the composition of the membrane itself. Therefore, different classes of carotenoids produce a different effect on the membrane, and different membrane phases are affected differently by carotenoids. It is apparent from our data that carotenoids do trigger the bilayer to become thinner. The mechanism by which this occurs depends on two competing factors, the ability of the lipid tails of opposing monolayers to either (1) compress or (2) interdigitate as the bilayer condenses. Indeed, carotenoids directly influence the physical properties via these two mechanisms, thus compacting the bilayer. However, the degree to which these competing mechanisms are utilized depends on the bilayer phase and the carotenoid identity.

Computer Simulations of Lipid Bilayers and Proteins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonne, Jacob

2006-01-01

The importance of computer simulations in lipid bilayer research has become more prominent for the last couple of decades and as computers get even faster, simulations will play an increasingly important part of understanding the processes that take place in and across cell membranes. This thesis...... entitled Computer simulations of lipid bilayers and proteins describes two molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies of pure lipid bilayers as well as a study of a transmembrane protein embedded in a lipid bilayer matrix. Below follows a brief overview of the thesis. Chapter 1. This chapter is a short...... in the succeeding chapters is presented. Details on system setups, simulation parameters and other technicalities can be found in the relevant chapters. Chapter 3, DPPC lipid parameters: The quality of MD simulations is intimately dependent on the empirical potential energy function and its parameters, i...

Influence of lake water pH and alkalinity on the distribution of core and intact polar branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) in lakes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schoon, P.L.; de Kluijver, A.; Middelburg, J.J.; Downing, J.A.; Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.; Schouten, S.

2013-01-01

Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) are bacterial membrane lipids, ubiquitously present in soils and peat bogs, as well as in rivers, lakes and lake sediments. Their distribution in soil is controlled mainly by pH and mean annual air temperature, but the controls on their

A review on the performance of glycerol carbonate production via catalytic transesterification: Effects of influencing parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teng, Wai Keng; Ngoh, Gek Cheng; Yusoff, Rozita; Aroua, Mohamed Kheireddine

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Utilization of glycerol to synthesize glycerol carbonate through various routes. • Different types of carbonates and catalysts used for glycerol carbonate production via transesterification are elucidated. • Important factors influencing glycerol carbonate production performances are detailed. • Future research needs of glycerol carbonate production are proposed. - Abstract: Driven by high energy demand and environmental concerns, biodiesel as a substitute for fossil fuels is recognized to be promising renewable and clean energy. The increase in the biodiesel plant dramatically leads to the oversupply of its by-product glycerol in the biodiesel industries. Developing new industrial uses for glycerol is essential to increase the net energy and sustainability of biodiesel. Moreover, glycerol has great potential to be converted into marketable and valuable chemicals. The conversion of glycerol to glycerol carbonate (GC) has been extensively studied and transesterification of glycerol to GC has been proven to be the most promising route. Aimed to reveal the underlying mechanism of this successful conversion path, this paper reviews the chemo- and biocatalytic transesterification of glycerol with different carbonates sources. Also, a detail elucidation of the influence of the catalysts and operating conditions on the GC yield is included to provide an insight into the process. In addition, the future direction of glycerol carbonate production via catalytic transesterification is provided in this review

A specific glycerol kinase induces rapid cold hardening of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Youngjin; Kim, Yonggyun

2014-08-01

Insects in temperate zones survive low temperatures by migrating or tolerating the cold. The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, is a serious insect pest on cabbage and other cruciferous crops worldwide. We showed that P. xylostella became cold-tolerant by expressing rapid cold hardiness (RCH) in response to a brief exposure to moderately low temperature (4°C) for 7h along with glycerol accumulation in hemolymph. Glycerol played a crucial role in the cold-hardening process because exogenously supplying glycerol significantly increased the cold tolerance of P. xylostella larvae without cold acclimation. To determine the genetic factor(s) responsible for RCH and the increase of glycerol, four glycerol kinases (GKs), and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (PxGPDH) were predicted from the whole P. xylostella genome and analyzed for their function associated with glycerol biosynthesis. All predicted genes were expressed, but differed in their expression during different developmental stages and in different tissues. Expression of the predicted genes was individually suppressed by RNA interference (RNAi) using double-stranded RNAs specific to target genes. RNAi of PxGPDH expression significantly suppressed RCH and glycerol accumulation. Only PxGK1 among the four GKs was responsible for RCH and glycerol accumulation. Furthermore, PxGK1 expression was significantly enhanced during RCH. These results indicate that a specific GK, the terminal enzyme to produce glycerol, is specifically inducible during RCH to accumulate the main cryoprotectant. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human skeletal muscle fatty acid and glycerol metabolism during rest, exercise and recovery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Van Hall, Gerrit; Sacchetti, M; Rådegran, G

2002-01-01

glycerol uptake was observed, which was substantially higher during exercise. Total body skeletal muscle FA and glycerol uptake/release was estimated to account for 18-25 % of whole body R(d) or R(a). In conclusion: (1) skeletal muscle FA and glycerol metabolism, using the leg arterial-venous difference......This study was conducted to investigate skeletal muscle fatty acid (FA) and glycerol kinetics and to determine the contribution of skeletal muscle to whole body FA and glycerol turnover during rest, 2 h of one-leg knee-extensor exercise at 65 % of maximal leg power output, and 3 h of recovery....... To this aim, the leg femoral arterial-venous difference technique was used in combination with a continuous infusion of [U-(13)C]palmitate and [(2)H(5)]glycerol in five post-absorptive healthy volunteers (22 +/- 3 years). The influence of contamination from non-skeletal muscle tissues, skin and subcutaneous...

Synthesis and characterization of poly(glycerol citrate/sebacate)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brioude, Michel M.; Guimaraes, Danilo H.; Fiuza, Raigenis P.; Boaventura, Jaime S.; Jose, Nadia M.

2011-01-01

In this work were prepared and characterized the poly(glycerol citrate/sebacate) in three different ratios between acids. The polymers were prepared by a polycondensation reaction between glycerol and citric/sebacic acids and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning differential calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the polymers are polyesters and its crystallinity, thermal and morphological properties were modified by sebacic acid adding. (author)

Penggunaan H-Zeolit dan Tawas dalam Pemurnian Crude Glycerol dengan Proses Adsorpsi dan Koagulasi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isalmi Aziz, M.T

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Production of biodiesel from used cooking oil byproducts such as crude glycerol with low purity. The crude glycerol containing compounds impurities such as free fatty acids, alcohol, soap, catalyst and water. Compound adsorption of impurities can be done with the H-zeolite as adsorbent, but the resulting quality is still not good. To improve its quality, this research was added alum (coagulation process so that the adsorption of colloidal-sized compound impurities which can be separated from the glycerol. The purpose of this research is determine optimal condition of adsorption and coagulation impurity compounds of crude glycerol by using H-zeolite and  alum and  also determine quality of glycerol  was obtained. First, crude glycerol acidified by phosphoric acid 85% (pure analysis until desired pH ±2.5. It was obtained purity of glycerol 72.797%. The next process is adsorption with activated H-zeolite and it obtained purity of glycerol 77.079%. The last process in this research is adsorption and coagulation by using H-zeolite and alum. The highest purity glycerol 93.803% was obtained from condition of adsorption and coagulation for 75 minutes; alum’s concentration 80 ppm; and temperature 60 ºC. The glycerol discharged from adsorption and coagulation process by using H-zeolite and alum is qualify Indonesia National Standard number 06-1564-1995 with 3.512% water content; 2.438% ash content; 0.247% MONG content; has no sugar; 1.259 g/mL density of glycerol; 0.2356% potassium content and 0.0410% aluminium content; and brighter color.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15408/jkv.v0i0.5143

Utilization of Crude Glycerol as a Substrate for the Production of Rhamnolipid by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

OpenAIRE

Eraqi, Walaa A.; Yassin, Aymen S.; Ali, Amal E.; Amin, Magdy A.

2016-01-01

Biosurfactants are produced by bacteria or yeast utilizing different substrates as sugars, glycerol, or oils. They have important applications in the detergent, oil, and pharmaceutical industries. Glycerol is the product of biodiesel industry and the existing glycerol market cannot accommodate the excess amounts generated; consequently, new markets for refined glycerol need to be developed. The aim of present work is to optimize the production of microbial rhamnolipid using waste glycerol. We...

An experimental and kinetic modeling study of glycerol pyrolysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fantozzi, F.; Frassoldati, A.; Bartocci, P.; Cinti, G.; Quagliarini, F.; Bidini, G.; Ranzi, E.M.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Glycerol pyrolysis can produce about 44–48%v hydrogen at 750–800 °C. • A simplified 452 reactions kinetic model of glycerol pyrolysis has been developed. • The model has good agreement with experimental data. • Non condensable gas yields can reach 70%. - Abstract: Pyrolysis of glycerol, a by-product of the biodiesel industry, is an important potential source of hydrogen. The obtained high calorific value gas can be used either as a fuel for combined heat and power (CHP) generation or as a transportation fuel (for example hydrogen to be used in fuel cells). Optimal process conditions can improve glycerol pyrolysis by increasing gas yield and hydrogen concentration. A detailed kinetic mechanism of glycerol pyrolysis, which involves 137 species and more than 4500 reactions, was drastically simplified and reduced to a new skeletal kinetic scheme of 44 species, involved in 452 reactions. An experimental campaign with a batch pyrolysis reactor was properly designed to further validate the original and the skeletal mechanisms. The comparisons between model predictions and experimental data strongly suggest the presence of a catalytic process promoting steam reforming of methane. High pyrolysis temperatures (750–800 °C) improve process performances and non-condensable gas yields of 70%w can be achieved. Hydrogen mole fraction in pyrolysis gas is about 44–48%v. The skeletal mechanism developed can be easily used in Computational Fluid Dynamic software, reducing the simulation time.

Observation of undulation motion of lipid bilayers by neutron spin echo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Norifumi L.; Seto, Hideki; Hishida, Mafumi

2010-01-01

Aqueous solutions of synthesized phospholipids have been well investigated as model biomembranes. These lipids usually self-assemble into regular stacks of bilayers with a characteristic repeat distance on the order of nm, whereas real biomembrane exist as single bilayers. The key phenomenon in understanding the formation of single isolated bilayers in 'unbinding' of lipid bilayers, in which the inter-bilayer distance of lipid bilayers diverges by the steric interaction due to the membrane undulation. In this paper, we show some results of neutron spin-echo (NSE) experiments to investigate the effect of the steric interaction on unbinding and related phenomena. (author)

Chitosan and glyceryl monooleate nanostructures containing gemcitabine: potential delivery system for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Trickler, William J; Khurana, Jatin; Nagvekar, Ankita A; Dash, Alekha K

2010-03-01

The objectives of this study are to enhance cellular accumulation of gemcitabine with chitosan/glyceryl monooleate (GMO) nanostructures, and to provide significant increase in cell death of human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. The delivery system was prepared by a multiple emulsion solvent evaporation method. The nanostructure topography, size, and surface charge were determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and a zetameter. The cellular accumulation, cellular internalization and cytotoxicity of the nanostructures were evaluated by HPLC, confocal microscopy, or MTT assay in Mia PaCa-2 and BxPC-3 cells. The average particle diameter for 2% and 4% (w/w) drug loaded delivery system were 382.3 +/- 28.6 nm, and 385.2 +/- 16.1 nm, respectively with a surface charge of +21.94 +/- 4.37 and +21.23 +/- 1.46 mV. The MTT cytotoxicity dose-response studies revealed the placebo at/or below 1 mg/ml has no effect on MIA PaCa-2 or BxPC-3 cells. The delivery system demonstrated a significant decrease in the IC50 (3 to 4 log unit shift) in cell survival for gemcitabine nanostructures at 72 and 96 h post-treatment when compared with a solution of gemcitabine alone. The nanostructure reported here can be resuspended in an aqueous medium that demonstrate increased effective treatment compared with gemcitabine treatment alone in an in vitro model of human pancreatic cancer. The drug delivery system demonstrates capability to entrap both hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds to potentially provide an effective treatment option in human pancreatic cancer.

Simulation studies of protein-induced bilayer deformations, and lipid-induced protein tilting, on a mesoscopic model for lipid bilayers with embedded proteins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Venturoli, M.; Smit, B.; Sperotto, Maria Maddalena

2005-01-01

membranes. Here we present a mesoscopic model for lipid bilayers with embedded proteins, which we have studied with the help of the dissipative particle dynamics simulation technique. Because hydrophobic matching is believed to be one of the main physical mechanisms regulating lipid-protein interactions......-induced protein tilt, with the hydrophobic mismatch ( positive and negative) between the protein hydrophobic length and the pure lipid bilayer hydrophobic thickness. The protein-induced bilayer perturbation was quantified in terms of a coherence length, xi(P), of the lipid bilayer hydrophobic thickness pro. le...... for positive values of mismatch; a dependence on the protein size appears as well. In the case of large model proteins experiencing extreme mismatch conditions, in the region next to the so-called lipid annulus, there appears an undershooting ( or overshooting) region where the bilayer hydrophobic thickness...

Enhancing Effect of Glycerol on the Tensile Properties of Bombyx mori Cocoon Sericin Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liangjun Zhu

2011-05-01

Full Text Available An environmental physical method described herein was developed to improve the tensile properties of Bombyx mori cocoon sericin films, by using the plasticizer of glycerol, which has a nontoxic effect compared with other chemical crosslinkers. The changes in the tensile characteristics and the structure of glycerolated (0–40 wt% of glycerol sericin films were investigated. Sericin films, both in dry and wet states, showed enhanced tensile properties, which might be regulated by the addition of different concentrations of glycerol. The introduction of glycerol results in the higher amorphous structure in sericin films as evidenced by analysis of attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR spectra, thermogravimetry (TGA and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC curves. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM observation revealed that glycerol was homogeneously blended with sericin molecules when its content was 10 wt%, while a small amount of redundant glycerol emerged on the surface of sericin films when its content was increased to 20 wt% or higher. Our results suggest that the introduction of glycerol is a novel nontoxic strategy which can improve the mechanical features of sericin-based materials and subsequently promote the feasibility of its application in tissue engineering.

Engineering an Obligate Photoautotrophic Cyanobacterium to Utilize Glycerol for Growth and Chemical Production.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanno, Masahiro; Atsumi, Shota

2017-01-20

Cyanobacteria have attracted much attention as a means to directly recycle carbon dioxide into valuable chemicals that are currently produced from petroleum. However, the titers and productivities achieved are still far below the level required in industry. To make a more industrially applicable production scheme, glycerol, a byproduct of biodiesel production, can be used as an additional carbon source for photomixotrophic chemical production. Glycerol is an ideal candidate due to its availability and low cost. In this study, we found that a heterologous glycerol respiratory pathway enabled Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 to utilize extracellular glycerol. The engineered strain produced 761 mg/L of 2,3-butanediol in 48 h with a 290% increase over the control strain under continuous light conditions. Glycerol supplementation also allowed for continuous cell growth and 2,3-butanediol production in diurnal light conditions. These results highlight the potential of glycerol as an additional carbon source for photomixotrophic chemical production in cyanobacteria.

Glycerol production by fermenting yeast cells is essential for optimal bread dough fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Aslankoohi, Elham; Rezaei, Mohammad Naser; Vervoort, Yannick; Courtin, Christophe M; Verstrepen, Kevin J

2015-01-01

Glycerol is the main compatible solute in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When faced with osmotic stress, for example during semi-solid state bread dough fermentation, yeast cells produce and accumulate glycerol in order to prevent dehydration by balancing the intracellular osmolarity with that of the environment. However, increased glycerol production also results in decreased CO2 production, which may reduce dough leavening. We investigated the effect of yeast glycerol production level on bread dough fermentation capacity of a commercial bakery strain and a laboratory strain. We find that Δgpd1 mutants that show decreased glycerol production show impaired dough fermentation. In contrast, overexpression of GPD1 in the laboratory strain results in increased fermentation rates in high-sugar dough and improved gas retention in the fermenting bread dough. Together, our results reveal the crucial role of glycerol production level by fermenting yeast cells in dough fermentation efficiency as well as gas retention in dough, thereby opening up new routes for the selection of improved commercial bakery yeasts.

Ammonia control and neurocognitive outcome among urea cycle disorder patients treated with glycerol phenylbutyrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Diaz, George A; Krivitzky, Lauren S; Mokhtarani, Masoud; Rhead, William; Bartley, James; Feigenbaum, Annette; Longo, Nicola; Berquist, William; Berry, Susan A; Gallagher, Renata; Lichter-Konecki, Uta; Bartholomew, Dennis; Harding, Cary O; Cederbaum, Stephen; McCandless, Shawn E; Smith, Wendy; Vockley, Gerald; Bart, Stephen A; Korson, Mark S; Kronn, David; Zori, Roberto; Merritt, J Lawrence; C S Nagamani, Sandesh; Mauney, Joseph; Lemons, Cynthia; Dickinson, Klara; Moors, Tristen L; Coakley, Dion F; Scharschmidt, Bruce F; Lee, Brendan

2013-06-01

Glycerol phenylbutyrate is under development for treatment of urea cycle disorders (UCDs), rare inherited metabolic disorders manifested by hyperammonemia and neurological impairment. We report the results of a pivotal Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, crossover trial comparing ammonia control, assessed as 24-hour area under the curve (NH3 -AUC0-24hr ), and pharmacokinetics during treatment with glycerol phenylbutyrate versus sodium phenylbutyrate (NaPBA) in adult UCD patients and the combined results of four studies involving short- and long-term glycerol phenylbutyrate treatment of UCD patients ages 6 and above. Glycerol phenylbutyrate was noninferior to NaPBA with respect to ammonia control in the pivotal study, with mean (standard deviation, SD) NH3 -AUC0-24hr of 866 (661) versus 977 (865) μmol·h/L for glycerol phenylbutyrate and NaPBA, respectively. Among 65 adult and pediatric patients completing three similarly designed short-term comparisons of glycerol phenylbutyrate versus NaPBA, NH3 -AUC0-24hr was directionally lower on glycerol phenylbutyrate in each study, similar among all subgroups, and significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the pooled analysis, as was plasma glutamine. The 24-hour ammonia profiles were consistent with the slow-release behavior of glycerol phenylbutyrate and better overnight ammonia control. During 12 months of open-label glycerol phenylbutyrate treatment, average ammonia was normal in adult and pediatric patients and executive function among pediatric patients, including behavioral regulation, goal setting, planning, and self-monitoring, was significantly improved. Glycerol phenylbutyrate exhibits favorable pharmacokinetics and ammonia control relative to NaPBA in UCD patients, and long-term glycerol phenylbutyrate treatment in pediatric UCD patients was associated with improved executive function (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00551200, NCT00947544, NCT00992459, NCT00947297). (HEPATOLOGY 2012). Copyright © 2012 American Association for the

Swelling and tensile properties of starch glycerol system with various crosslinking agents

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed, R.; Mohd, N.; Nurazzi, N.; Siti Aisyah, M. I.; Fauzi, F. Mohd

2017-07-01

Brittle properties of starch had been overcome by the modification process. In this work, sago starch is being modified with variable amount of plasticiser, namely glycerol at 20 and 40% and crosslinking agent had been added to the system. The film of the modification and characterizations of the starch glycerol system with various crosslinking systems were produced by casting method. The film properties of the starch glycerol system were then characterized by tensile strength (mechanical properties) and swelling (physical properties). The modification of the starch glycerol had improved that system by increasing the tensile strength, modulus however lowering its elongation. The increasing in percentage of the water absorption and also swelling are due to the intrinsic hydroxyl groups presence from the starch and glycerol itself that can attract more water to the system. Upon crosslinking, films casted with chemicals namely, glyoxal, malonic acid, borax, PEG were characterised. It was found that, all the film of sago starch crosslinked and undergoing easy film formation. From this modification, borax and malonic acid crosslinking agent had been determined as the best crosslinking agent to the starch glycerol system.

Fragmented state of lipid bilayers in water

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helfrich, W.; Thimmel, J.; Klösgen, Beate Maria

1999-01-01

The bilayers of some typical biological membrane lipids such as PC and DGDG disintegrate in a large excess of water to form an optically invisible dispersive bilayer phase. `Dark bodies' can be reversibly precipitated from it by raising the temperature. The dispersive phase probably consists...

Valorization of glycerol through the production of biopolymers: the PHB case using Bacillus megaterium.

Science.gov (United States)

Naranjo, Javier M; Posada, John A; Higuita, Juan C; Cardona, Carlos A

2013-04-01

In this work technical and economic analyses were performed to evaluate the glycerol transformation into Polyhydroxybutyrate using Bacillus megaterium. The production of PHB was compared using glycerol or glucose as substrates and similar yields were obtained. The total production costs for PHB generation with both substrates were estimated at an industrial scale. Compared to glucose, glycerol showed a 10% and 20% decrease in the PHB production costs using two different separation schemes respectively. Moreover, a 20% profit margin in the PHB sales price using glycerol as substrate resulted in a 166% valorization of crude glycerol. In this work, the feasibility of glycerol as feedstock for the production of PHB at laboratory (up to 60% PHB accumulation) and industrial (2.6US$/kgPHB) scales is demonstrated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sodahvede og glycerol til malkekøer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvelplund, Torben; Weisbjerg, Martin Riis

2011-01-01

Et fodringsforsøg på Kvægbrugets Forsøgscenter har vist, at glycerol kan anvendes som et alternativt fodermiddel til højtydende malkekøer. De anvendte mængder gav dog en lavere EKM ydelse end sodahvede, men øgede samtidigt mælkens proteinindhold.......Et fodringsforsøg på Kvægbrugets Forsøgscenter har vist, at glycerol kan anvendes som et alternativt fodermiddel til højtydende malkekøer. De anvendte mængder gav dog en lavere EKM ydelse end sodahvede, men øgede samtidigt mælkens proteinindhold....

Self-folding graphene-polymer bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deng, Tao [Institute of Microelectronics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 (United States); Yoon, ChangKyu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 (United States); Jin, Qianru [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 (United States); Li, Mingen [Department of Physics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 (United States); Liu, Zewen [Institute of Microelectronics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Gracias, David H., E-mail: dgracias@jhu.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 (United States); Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 (United States)

2015-05-18

In order to incorporate the extraordinary intrinsic thermal, electrical, mechanical, and optical properties of graphene with three dimensional (3D) flexible substrates, we introduce a solvent-driven self-folding approach using graphene-polymer bilayers. A polymer (SU-8) film was spin coated atop chemically vapor deposited graphene films on wafer substrates and graphene-polymer bilayers were patterned with or without metal electrodes using photolithography, thin film deposition, and etching. After patterning, the bilayers were released from the substrates and they self-folded to form fully integrated, curved, and folded structures. In contrast to planar graphene sensors on rigid substrates, we assembled curved and folded sensors that are flexible and they feature smaller form factors due to their 3D geometry and large surface areas due to their multiple rolled architectures. We believe that this approach could be used to assemble a range of high performance 3D electronic and optical devices of relevance to sensing, diagnostics, wearables, and energy harvesting.

Application of Glycerol for Induced Powdery Mildew Resistance in Triticum aestivum L.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yinghui; Song, Na; Zhao, Chuanzhi; Li, Feng; Geng, Miaomiao; Wang, Yuhui; Liu, Wanhui; Xie, Chaojie; Sun, Qixin

2016-01-01

Previous work has demonstrated that glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) and oleic acid (18:1) are two important signal molecules associated with plant resistance to fungi. In this article, we provide evidence that a 3% glycerol spray application 1-2 days before powdery mildew infection and subsequent applications once every 4 days was sufficient to stimulate the plant defense responses without causing any significant damage to wheat leaves. We found that G3P and oleic acid levels were markedly induced by powdery mildew infection. In addition, TaGLI1 (encoding a glycerol kinase) and TaSSI2 (encoding a stearoylacyl carrier protein fatty acid desaturase), two genes associated with the glycerol and fatty acid (FA) pathways, respectively, were induced by powdery mildew infection, and their promoter regions contain some fungal response elements. Moreover, exogenous application of glycerol increased the G3P level and decreased the level of oleic acid (18:1). Glycerol application induced the expression of pathogenesis-related ( PR ) genes ( TaPR-1, TaPR-2, TaPR-3, TaPR-4 , and TaPR-5 ), induced the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) before powdery mildew infection, and induced salicylic acid (SA) accumulation in wheat leaves. Further, we sprayed glycerol in a wheat field and found that it significantly ( p powdery mildew disease and lessened disease-associated kernel weight loss, all without causing any noticeable degradation in wheat seed quality.

Characterization of the transverse relaxation rates in lipid bilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watnick, P.I.; Dea, P.; Chan, S.I.

1990-01-01

The 2H NMR transverse relaxation rates of a deuterated phospholipid bilayer reflect slow motions in the bilayer membrane. A study of dimyristoyl lecithin specifically deuterated at several positions of the hydrocarbon chains indicates that these motions are cooperative and are confined to the hydrocarbon chains of the lipid bilayer. However, lipid head group interactions do play an important role in modulating the properties of the cooperative fluctuations of the hydrocarbon chains (director fluctuations), as evidenced by the effects of various lipid additives on the 2H NMR transverse relaxation rates of the dimyristoyl lecithin bilayer

DNA nanotechnology: Bringing lipid bilayers into shape

Science.gov (United States)

Howorka, Stefan

2017-07-01

Lipid bilayers form the thin and floppy membranes that define the boundary of compartments such as cells. Now, a method to control the shape and size of bilayers using DNA nanoscaffolds has been developed. Such designer materials advance synthetic biology and could find use in membrane research.

Synthesis and characterization of polyesters derived from glycerol and phthalic acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danilo Hansen Guimarães

2007-09-01

Full Text Available The production of polyester via polycondensation between glycerol and phthalic acid using dibutyltin dilaurate is reported. Three glycerol:phthalic acid molar ratio used for the bulk polymerization were: 2:2; 2:3 and 2:4. FTIR confirmed the esterification of glycerol by the acid for all the polymers. DSC indicated no crystallinity, although the XRD plots indicate a very incipient crystallinity for the polymers containing higher amounts of phthalic anhydride. Scanning electron microscopy results indicates high homogeneity for all the polymers prepared.

Regulation of membrane protein function by lipid bilayer elasticity-a single molecule technology to measure the bilayer properties experienced by an embedded protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lundbaek, Jens August

2006-01-01

Membrane protein function is generally regulated by the molecular composition of the host lipid bilayer. The underlying mechanisms have long remained enigmatic. Some cases involve specific molecular interactions, but very often lipids and other amphiphiles, which are adsorbed to lipid bilayers, regulate a number of structurally unrelated proteins in an apparently non-specific manner. It is well known that changes in the physical properties of a lipid bilayer (e.g., thickness or monolayer spontaneous curvature) can affect the function of an embedded protein. However, the role of such changes, in the general regulation of membrane protein function, is unclear. This is to a large extent due to lack of a generally accepted framework in which to understand the many observations. The present review summarizes studies which have demonstrated that the hydrophobic interactions between a membrane protein and the host lipid bilayer provide an energetic coupling, whereby protein function can be regulated by the bilayer elasticity. The feasibility of this 'hydrophobic coupling mechanism' has been demonstrated using the gramicidin channel, a model membrane protein, in planar lipid bilayers. Using voltage-dependent sodium channels, N-type calcium channels and GABA A receptors, it has been shown that membrane protein function in living cells can be regulated by amphiphile induced changes in bilayer elasticity. Using the gramicidin channel as a molecular force transducer, a nanotechnology to measure the elastic properties experienced by an embedded protein has been developed. A theoretical and technological framework, to study the regulation of membrane protein function by lipid bilayer elasticity, has been established

Inhibitory Effect Evaluation of Glycerol-Iron Oxide Thin Films on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. L. Popa

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of glycerol- iron oxide thin films on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA. Our results suggest that glycerol-iron oxide thin films could be used in the future for various biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. The glycerol-iron oxide thin films have been deposited by spin coating method on a silicon (111 substrate. The structural properties have been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD and scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM. The XRD investigations of the prepared thin films demonstrate that the crystal structure of glycerol-iron oxide nanoparticles was not changed after spin coating deposition. On the other hand, the SEM micrographs suggest that the size of the glycerol-iron oxide microspheres increased with the increase of glycerol exhibiting narrow size distributions. The qualitative depth profile of glycerol-iron oxide thin films was identified by glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES. The GDOES spectra revealed the presence of the main elements: Fe, O, C, H, and Si. The antimicrobial activity of glycerol-iron oxide thin films was evaluated by measuring the zone of inhibition. After 18 hours of incubation at 37°C, the diameters of the zones of complete inhibition have been measured obtaining values around 25 mm.

Reliable Piezoelectricity in Bilayer WSe2 for Piezoelectric Nanogenerators.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ju-Hyuck; Park, Jae Young; Cho, Eun Bi; Kim, Tae Yun; Han, Sang A; Kim, Tae-Ho; Liu, Yanan; Kim, Sung Kyun; Roh, Chang Jae; Yoon, Hong-Joon; Ryu, Hanjun; Seung, Wanchul; Lee, Jong Seok; Lee, Jaichan; Kim, Sang-Woo

2017-08-01

Recently, piezoelectricity has been observed in 2D atomically thin materials, such as hexagonal-boron nitride, graphene, and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). Specifically, exfoliated monolayer MoS 2 exhibits a high piezoelectricity that is comparable to that of traditional piezoelectric materials. However, monolayer TMD materials are not regarded as suitable for actual piezoelectric devices due to their insufficient mechanical durability for sustained operation while Bernal-stacked bilayer TMD materials lose noncentrosymmetry and consequently piezoelectricity. Here, it is shown that WSe 2 bilayers fabricated via turbostratic stacking have reliable piezoelectric properties that cannot be obtained from a mechanically exfoliated WSe 2 bilayer with Bernal stacking. Turbostratic stacking refers to the transfer of each chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown WSe 2 monolayer to allow for an increase in degrees of freedom in the bilayer symmetry, leading to noncentrosymmetry in the bilayers. In contrast, CVD-grown WSe 2 bilayers exhibit very weak piezoelectricity because of the energetics and crystallographic orientation. The flexible piezoelectric WSe 2 bilayers exhibit a prominent mechanical durability of up to 0.95% of strain as well as reliable energy harvesting performance, which is adequate to drive a small liquid crystal display without external energy sources, in contrast to monolayer WSe 2 for which the device performance becomes degraded above a strain of 0.63%. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A population study of urine glycerol concentrations in elite athletes competing in North America.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Brian N; Madsen, Myke; Sharpe, Ken; Nair, Vinod; Eichner, Daniel

2013-01-01

Glycerol is an endogenous substance that is on the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of prohibited threshold substances due to its potential use as a plasma volume expansion agent. The WADA has set the threshold for urine glycerol, including measurement uncertainty, at 1.3 mg/mL. Glycerol in circulation largely comes from metabolism of triglycerides in order to meet energy requirements and when the renal threshold is eclipsed, glycerol is excreted into urine. In part due to ethnic differences in postprandial triglyceride concentrations, we investigated urine glycerol concentrations in a population of elite athletes competing in North America and compared the results to those of athletes competing in Europe. 959 urine samples from elite athletes competing in North America collected for anti-doping purposes were analyzed for urine glycerol concentrations by a gas chromatography mass-spectrometry method. Samples were divided into groups according to: Timing (in- or out-of-competition), Class (strength, game, or endurance sports) and Gender. 333 (34.7%) samples had undetectable amounts of glycerol (sport classes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Potential of Diverse Prokaryotic Organisms for Glycerol-based Polyhydroxyalkanoate Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Koller

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The potential and performance of various Gram-negative, Gram-positive and archaeal wild type microorganisms, and bacterial mixed cultures, as well as the application of genetically engineered strains as whole-cell biocatalysts for glycerol-based polyhydroxyalkanoate production are analyzed and assessed. This encompasses the comparison of growth and polyhydroxyalkanoate accumulation kinetics, thermo-mechanical properties of isolated glycerol-based polyhydroxyalkanoate of different composition on the monomeric level, and the presentation of mathematical models developed to describe glycerol-based polyhydroxyalkanoate production processes. For all these aspects, the article provides a detailed compilation of the contemporary state of knowledge, and gives an outlook to expected future developments.

Glycerol as source of energy in broiler chicken fattening

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leo Kroupa

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to verify the possibility of replacing soybean oil in a diet with glycerol, and investigate the effect of glycerol on performance indicators and health in broiler chickens. The experiment was performed on 122 one-day-old chickens that were divided based on sex into two control groups (30 females and 31 males and two experimental groups (30 females and 31 males. Half (50% of the soybean oil in diets used in the experimental groups was replaced with glycerol at a ratio of 1:2. On 15, 32 and 38 day of age chickens of both sexes in the experimental group that were fed with diets containing glycerol showed significantly higher (p ≤ 0.01 mean body weight compared to the control group. At the end of the experiment, the mean weight of chickens in the control group was 2.078 kg, whereas the mean weight of chickens in the experimental group was 2.341 kg. In females, the overall consumption of diets within 38 days of fattening was 3.588 kg in the control group and 4.011 kg in the experimental group, in males, it was 3.915 kg in the control group and 4.366 kg in the experimental group, i.e. it was higher in experimental chickens. Feed conversion in chickens in experimental groups was better, being 1.84 kg in the control group and 1.81 kg in the experimental group in females, and 1.73 kg in the control group and 1.72 kg in the experimental group in males. It follows from our results that the optimum amount of glycerol in feed for poultry is 5%.This study presents an original solution to optimize feed formula by replacing plant oil with glycerol. The results of the study can improve production indicators and economy in broiler fattening.

Integrated multienzyme electrochemical biosensors for the determination of glycerol in wines.

Science.gov (United States)

Gamella, M; Campuzano, S; Reviejo, A J; Pingarrón, J M

2008-02-25

The construction and performance of integrated amperometric biosensors for the determination of glycerol are reported. Two different biosensor configurations have been evaluated: one based on the glycerol dehydrogenase/diaphorase (GDH/DP) bienzyme system, and another using glycerol kinase/glycerol-3-phosphate oxidase/peroxidase (GK/GPOx/HRP). Both enzyme systems were immobilized together with the mediator tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) on a 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-modified gold electrode by using a dialysis membrane. The electrochemical oxidation of TTF at +150mV (vs. Ag/AgCl), and the reduction of TTF(+) at 0mV were used for the monitoring of the enzyme reactions for the bienzyme and trienzyme configurations, respectively. Experimental variables concerning both the biosensors composition and the working conditions were optimized for each configuration. A good repeatability of the measurements with no need of cleaning or pretreatment of the biosensors was obtained in both cases. After 51 days of use, the GDH/DP biosensor still exhibited 87% of the original sensitivity, while the GK/GPOx/HRP biosensor yielded a 46% of the original response after 8 days. Calibration graphs for glycerol with linear ranges of 1.0x10(-6) to 2.0x10(-5) or 1.0x10(-6) to 1.0x10(-5)M glycerol and sensitivities of 1214+/-21 or 1460+/-34microAM(-1) were obtained with GDH/DP and GK/GPOx/HRP biosensors, respectively. The calculated detection limits were 4.0x10(-7) and 3.1x10(-7)M, respectively. The biosensors exhibited a great sensitivity with no significant interferences in the analysis of wines. The biosensors were applied to the determination of glycerol in 12 different wines and the results advantageously compared with those provided by a commercial enzyme kit.

Fabrication of Li-intercalated bilayer graphene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Sugawara

2011-06-01

Full Text Available We have succeeded in fabricating Li-intercalated bilayer graphene on silicon carbide. The low-energy electron diffraction from Li-deposited bilayer graphene shows a sharp 3×3R30° pattern in contrast to Li-deposited monolayer graphene. This indicates that Li atoms are intercalated between two adjacent graphene layers and take the same well-ordered superstructure as in bulk C6Li. The angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy has revealed that Li atoms are fully ionized and the π bands of graphene are systematically folded by the superstructure of intercalated Li atoms, producing a snowflake-like Fermi surface centered at the Γ point. The present result suggests a high potential of Li-intercalated bilayer graphene for application to a nano-scale Li-ion battery.

Glycerol production by fermenting yeast cells is essential for optimal bread dough fermentation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elham Aslankoohi

Full Text Available Glycerol is the main compatible solute in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When faced with osmotic stress, for example during semi-solid state bread dough fermentation, yeast cells produce and accumulate glycerol in order to prevent dehydration by balancing the intracellular osmolarity with that of the environment. However, increased glycerol production also results in decreased CO2 production, which may reduce dough leavening. We investigated the effect of yeast glycerol production level on bread dough fermentation capacity of a commercial bakery strain and a laboratory strain. We find that Δgpd1 mutants that show decreased glycerol production show impaired dough fermentation. In contrast, overexpression of GPD1 in the laboratory strain results in increased fermentation rates in high-sugar dough and improved gas retention in the fermenting bread dough. Together, our results reveal the crucial role of glycerol production level by fermenting yeast cells in dough fermentation efficiency as well as gas retention in dough, thereby opening up new routes for the selection of improved commercial bakery yeasts.

Enhanced hydrogen and 1,3-propanediol production from glycerol by fermentation using mixed cultures

KAUST Repository

Selembo, Priscilla A.; Perez, Joe M.; Lloyd, Wallis A.; Logan, Bruce E.

2009-01-01

The conversion of glycerol into high value products, such as hydrogen gas and 1,3-propanediol (PD), was examined using anaerobic fermentation with heat-treated mixed cultures. Glycerol fermentation produced 0.28 mol-H 2/mol-glycerol (72 mL-H2/g

Electronic transport of bilayer graphene with asymmetry line defects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Xiao-Ming; Chen Chan; Liang Ying; Kou Su-Peng; Wu Ya-Jie

2016-01-01

In this paper, we study the quantum properties of a bilayer graphene with (asymmetry) line defects. The localized states are found around the line defects. Thus, the line defects on one certain layer of the bilayer graphene can lead to an electric transport channel. By adding a bias potential along the direction of the line defects, we calculate the electric conductivity of bilayer graphene with line defects using the Landauer–Büttiker theory, and show that the channel affects the electric conductivity remarkably by comparing the results with those in a perfect bilayer graphene. This one-dimensional line electric channel has the potential to be applied in nanotechnology engineering. (paper)

Lipid Bilayer Formation on Organic Electronic Materials

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Yi

2018-04-23

The lipid bilayer is the elemental structure of cell membrane, forming a stable barrier between the interior and exterior of the cell while hosting membrane proteins that enable selective transport of biologically important compounds and cellular recognition. Monitoring the quality and function of lipid bilayers is thus essential and can be performed using electrically active substrates that allow for transduction of signals. Such a promising electronic transducer material is the conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) which has provided a plethora of novel bio transducing architectures. The challenge is however in assembling a bilayer on the conducting polymer surface, which is defect-free and has high mobility. Herein, we investigate the fusion of zwitterionic vesicles on a variety of PEDOT:PSS films, but also on an electron transporting, negatively charged organic semiconductor, in order to understand the surface properties that trigger vesicle fusion. The PEDOT:PSS films are prepared from dispersions containing different concentrations of ethylene glycol included as a formulation additive, which gives a handle to modulate surface physicochemical properties without a compromise on the chemical composition. The strong correlation between the polarity of the surface, the fusion of vesicles and the mobility of the resulting bilayer aides extracting design principles for the development of future conducting polymers that will enable the formation of lipid bilayers.

Performance of a direct glycerol fuel cell using KOH doped polybenzimidazole as electrolyte

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nascimento, Ana P.; Linares, Jose J.

2014-01-01

This paper studies the influence of the operating variables (glycerol concentration, temperature and feed rate) for a direct glycerol fuel cell fed with glycerol using polybenzimidazole (PBI) impregnated with KOH as electrolyte and Pt/C as catalyst. Temperature displays a beneficial effect up to 75 °C due to the enhanced conductivity and kinetics of the electrochemical reactions. The optimum cell feed corresponds to 1 mol L -1 glycerol and 4 mol L -1 KOH, supplying sufficient quantities of fuel and electrolyte without massive crossover nor mass transfer limitations. The feed rate increases the performance up to a limit of 2 mL min -1 , high enough to guarantee the access of the glycerol and the exit of the products. Finally, the use of binary catalysts (PtRu/C and Pt 3 Sn/C) is beneficial for increasing the cell performance. (author)

Modeling, Simulation and Optimization of Hydrogen Production Process from Glycerol using Steam Reforming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jeongpil; Cho, Sunghyun; Kim, Tae-Ok; Shin, Dongil; Lee, Seunghwan; Moon, Dong Ju

2014-01-01

For improved sustainability of the biorefinery industry, biorefinery-byproduct glycerol is being investigated as an alternate source for hydrogen production. This research designs and optimizes a hydrogen-production process for small hydrogen stations using steam reforming of purified glycerol as the main reaction, replacing existing processes relying on steam methane reforming. Modeling, simulation and optimization using a commercial process simulator are performed for the proposed hydrogen production process from glycerol. The mixture of glycerol and steam are used for making syngas in the reforming process. Then hydrogen are produced from carbon monoxide and steam through the water-gas shift reaction. Finally, hydrogen is separated from carbon dioxide using PSA. This study shows higher yield than former U.S.. DOE and Linde studies. Economic evaluations are performed for optimal planning of constructing domestic hydrogen energy infrastructure based on the proposed glycerol-based hydrogen station

Modifying the properties of whey protein isolate edible film by incorporating palm oil and glycerol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vachiraya Liaotrakoon

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to improve the properties of whey protein isolate (WPI films by incorporating palm oil (6, 7, and 8% w/w and glycerol (40, 50 and 60% w/w. The lightness of the films increased as glycerol levels increased, but the redness increased with the increased amount of oil content. Increasing the amounts of palm oil and glycerol improved flexibility (P<0.05, but reduced the strength of the film (P<0.05. Films with higher levels of palm oil and lower amounts of glycerol were less permeable to water vapor and oxygen, but more thermally stable. The size of particles and air bubbles in the films reduced with increased palm oil content, regardless of glycerol level. Among all formulae, the film prepared with 8% palm oil and 40% glycerol showed the best overall results. Modifying WPI films with palm oil and glycerol offers a simple technique for producing packaging with better environmental barrier properties.

Toxicity of palmitoyl glycerol to mice: depression of thyroid function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trumbo, P.R.; Meuten, D.J.; King, M.W.; Tove, S.B.

1987-01-01

Mice given propylthiouracil, a thyroid inhibitor, and fed a diet containing a nontoxic level of rac-1(3)-palmitoyl glycerol showed the hypothermia and mortality expected for a toxic dose, but did not show these signs when linoleate or oleate was added to the diet. Loss of radioiodine from the whole animal and thyroid gland was slower when mice were fed the toxic palmitoyl glycerol diet than when fed the same diet containing 4% safflower oil. However, mice fed the two diets did not differ in the extent of the incorporation of radioiodine, and essentially all was bound to protein in each case. Follicular thyroid cells from mice fed the potentially toxic diet that contained unsaturated fat were normal in appearance. Conversely, cells from mice fed the toxic diet were smaller and more densely stained, showing evidence of glycoprotein inside the cell. These findings show that the thyroid gland is affected by the palmitoyl glycerol diet. However, the thyroid is not the only organ affected, because giving either thyroxine or triiodothyronine had no effect on the toxicity of palmitoyl glycerol

In situ atomic force microscope imaging of supported lipid bilayers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaasgaard, Thomas; Leidy, Chad; Ipsen, John Hjorth

2001-01-01

In situ AFM images of phospholipase A/sub 2/ (PLA/sub 2/) hydrolysis of mica-supported one- and two-component lipid bilayers are presented. For one-component DPPC bilayers an enhanced enzymatic activity is observed towards preexisting defects in the bilayer. Phase separation is observed in two-co...

Effect of laser peening with glycerol as plasma confinement layer

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuyama, Miho; Ehara, Naoya; Yamashita, Kazuma; Heya, Manabu; Nakano, Hitoshi

2018-03-01

The effects of controlling the plasma confinement layer on laser peening were investigated by measuring the hardness and residual stress of laser-peened stainless steels. The plasma confinement layer contributes to increasing the pressure of shock waves by suppressing the expansion of the laser-produced plasma. Most previous studies on laser peening have employed water as the plasma confinement layer. In this study, a glycerol solution is used in the context of a large acoustic impedance. It is found that this glycerol solution is superior to water in its ability to confine plasma and that suitable conditions exist for the glycerol solution to act as a plasma confinement layer to achieve efficient laser peening.

Continuous production of glycerol by catalytic high pressure hydrogenolysis of sucrose

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Ling, Gerrit; Driessen, Alfons J.; Piet, Arie C.; Vlugter, Jozef C.

1970-01-01

Several continuous reactor systems have been discussed for the catalytic high pressure hydrogenolysis of sucrose to glycerol. Theoretically and actually, continuous reactors lead to lower glycerol yields than in a batch process. Two continuous stirred tank reactors in cascade constitute a reasonable

Anomalous conductivity noise in gapped bilayer graphene heterostructure

Science.gov (United States)

Aamir, Mohammed Ali; Karnatak, Paritosh; Sai, T. Phanindra; Ghosh, Arindam

Bilayer graphene has unique electronic properties - it has a tunable band gap and also, valley symmetry and pseudospin degree of freedom like its single layer counterpart. In this work, we present a study of conductance fluctuations in dual gated bilayer graphene heterostructures by varying the Fermi energy and the band gap independently. At a fixed band gap, we find that the conductance fluctuations obtained by Fermi energy ensemble sampling increase rapidly as the Fermi energy is tuned to charge neutrality point (CNP) whereas the time-dependent conductance fluctuations diminish rapidly. This discrepancy is completely absent at higher number densities, where the transport is expected to be through the 2D bulk of the bilayer system. This observation indicates that near the CNP, electrical transport is highly sensitive to Fermi energy, but becomes progressively immune to time-varying disorder. A possible explanation may involve transport via edge states which becomes the dominant conduction mechanism when the bilayer graphene is gapped and Fermi energy is situated close to the CNP, thereby causing a dimensional crossover from 2D to 1D transport. Our experiment outlines a possible experimental protocol to probe intrinsic topological states in gapped bilayer graphene.

Bifurcation of self-folded polygonal bilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Abdullah, Arif M.; Braun, Paul V.; Hsia, K. Jimmy

2017-09-01

Motivated by the self-assembly of natural systems, researchers have investigated the stimulus-responsive curving of thin-shell structures, which is also known as self-folding. Self-folding strategies not only offer possibilities to realize complicated shapes but also promise actuation at small length scales. Biaxial mismatch strain driven self-folding bilayers demonstrate bifurcation of equilibrium shapes (from quasi-axisymmetric doubly curved to approximately singly curved) during their stimulus-responsive morphing behavior. Being a structurally instable, bifurcation could be used to tune the self-folding behavior, and hence, a detailed understanding of this phenomenon is appealing from both fundamental and practical perspectives. In this work, we investigated the bifurcation behavior of self-folding bilayer polygons. For the mechanistic understanding, we developed finite element models of planar bilayers (consisting of a stimulus-responsive and a passive layer of material) that transform into 3D curved configurations. Our experiments with cross-linked Polydimethylsiloxane samples that change shapes in organic solvents confirmed our model predictions. Finally, we explored a design scheme to generate gripper-like architectures by avoiding the bifurcation of stimulus-responsive bilayers. Our research contributes to the broad field of self-assembly as the findings could motivate functional devices across multiple disciplines such as robotics, artificial muscles, therapeutic cargos, and reconfigurable biomedical devices.

Synthesis of high purity monoglycerides from crude glycerol and palm stearin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pakamas Chetpattananondh

2008-07-01

Full Text Available The optimum conditions for the glycerolysis of palm stearin and crude glycerol derived from biodiesel process werefound to be a reaction temperature of 200oC with a molar ratio of crude glycerol to palm stearin of 2.5:1, and a reaction timeof 20 minutes. The yield and purity of monoglycerides obtained under these conditions was satisfactory as compared withthe glycerolysis of pure glycerol. To increase the purity of monoglycerides a two-step process, removal of residual glyceroland crystallization, was proposed instead of either vacuum or molecular distillation. Residual glycerol was removed byadding hydrochloric acid followed by washing with hot water. Optimum conditions for crystallization were achieved byusing isooctane as a solvent and a turbine impeller speed of 200 rpm at a crystallization temperature of 35oC. A purity notexceeding 99 percent of monoglycerides was obtained with monopalmitin as the major product.

Magnetic flux distributions in chiral helimagnet/superconductor bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kato, Masaru, E-mail: kato@ms.osakafu-u.ac.jp [Department of Mathematical Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1, Gakuencho, Nakaku, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531 (Japan); Fukui, Saoto [Department of Mathematical Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1, Gakuencho, Nakaku, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531 (Japan); Sato, Osamu [Osaka Prefecture University College of Technology, 26-12, Saiwaicho, Neyagawa, Osaka 572-8572 (Japan); Togawa, Yoshihiko [Department of Physics and Electronics, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1, Gakuencho, Nakaku, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531 (Japan)

2017-02-15

Highlights: • Vortex states in a chiral helimagnet/superconductor bilayer are investigated. • Vortex and anti-vortex appears depending on strength of helimagnet. • Vortex is elongated under a gradient field. • Vortices form a undulated triangular lattice. - Abstarct: Vortex states in a chiral helimagnet/superconductor bilayer are investigated numerically, using the Ginzburg–Landau equations with the finite element method. In this bilayer, effect of the chiral helimagnet on the superconductor is taken as an external field. Magnetic field distribution can be controlled by an applied field to the bilayer. It is shown that a single vortex in a gradient field is elongated along the field gradient. In zero applied field, there are up- and down vortices which are parallel or antiparallel to the z-axis, respectively. But increasing the applied field, down-vortices disappear and up-vortices form undulated triangular lattices.

Interfacial exciplex formation in bilayers of conjugated polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Nobuyasu, R. S.; Araujo, K. A. S.; Cury, L. A.; Jarrosson, T.; Serein-Spirau, F.; Lère-Porte, J.-P.; Dias, F. B.; Monkman, A. P.

2013-10-01

The donor-acceptor interactions in sequential bilayer and blend films are investigated. Steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) were measured to characterize the samples at different geometries of photoluminescence collection. At standard excitation, with the laser incidence at 45° of the normal direction of the sample surface, a band related to the aggregate states of donor molecules appears for both blend and bilayer at around 540 nm. For the PL spectra acquired from the edge of the bilayer, with the laser incidence made at normal direction of the sample surface (90° geometry), a new featureless band emission, red-shifted from donor and acceptor emission regions was observed and assigned as the emission from interfacial exciplex states. The conformational complexity coming from donor/acceptor interactions at the heterojunction interface of the bilayer is at the origin of this interfacial exciplex emission.

Transport properties in monolayer-bilayer-monolayer graphene planar junctions

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Kai-Long Chu; Zi-Bo Wang; Jiao-Jiao Zhou; Hua Jiang

2017-01-01

The transport study of graphene based junctions has become one of the focuses in graphene research.There are two stacking configurations for monolayer-bilayer-monolayer graphene planar junctions.One is the two monolayer graphene contacting the same side of the bilayer graphene,and the other is the two-monolayer graphene contacting the different layers of the bilayer graphene.In this paper,according to the Landauer-Büttiker formula,we study the transport properties of these two configurations.The influences of the local gate potential in each part,the bias potential in bilayer graphene,the disorder and external magnetic field on conductance are obtained.We find the conductances of the two configurations can be manipulated by all of these effects.Especially,one can distinguish the two stacking configurations by introducing the bias potential into the bilayer graphene.The strong disorder and the external magnetic field will make the two stacking configurations indistinguishable in the transport experiment.

Spin Hall magnetoresistance in antiferromagnet/normal metal bilayers

KAUST Repository

Manchon, Aurelien

2017-01-01

We investigate the emergence of spin Hall magnetoresistance in a magnetic bilayer composed of a normal metal adjacent to an antiferromagnet. Based on a recently derived drift diffusion equation, we show that the resistance of the bilayer depends on the relative angle between the direction transverse to the current flow and the Néel order parameter. While this effect presents striking similarities with the spin Hall magnetoresistance recently reported in ferromagnetic bilayers, its physical origin is attributed to the anisotropic spin relaxation of itinerant spins in the antiferromagnet.

Electrostatic double-layer interaction between stacked charged bilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Hishida, Mafumi; Nomura, Yoko; Akiyama, Ryo; Yamamura, Yasuhisa; Saito, Kazuya

2017-10-01

The inapplicability of the DLVO theory to multilayered anionic bilayers is found in terms of the co-ion-valence dependence of the lamellar repeat distance. Most of the added salt is expelled from the interlamellar space to the bulk due to the Gibbs-Donnan effect on multiple bilayers with the bulk. The electrostatic double-layer interaction is well expressed by the formula recently proposed by Trefalt. The osmotic pressure due to the expelled ions, rather than the van der Waals interaction, is the main origin of the attractive force between the bilayers.

Characterization of starch-based bioplastics from jackfruit seed plasticized with glycerol.

Science.gov (United States)

Santana, Renata Ferreira; Bonomo, Renata Cristina Ferreira; Gandolfi, Olga Reinert Ramos; Rodrigues, Luciano Brito; Santos, Leandro Soares; Dos Santos Pires, Ana Clarissa; de Oliveira, Cristiane Patrícia; da Costa Ilhéu Fontan, Rafael; Veloso, Cristiane Martins

2018-01-01

Biodegradable films based on starches from different botanical sources exhibited physicochemical and functional properties which were related with the starch characteristics. However, had inadequate mechanical properties and were hard and brittle. In this research, jackfruit seed starch plasticized with glycerol were developed and characterized. The starch and glycerol concentrations ranged from 2 to 6% w/w and 20 to 60 g/100 g starch, respectively. Bioplastics were obtained by the casting method and characterized in terms of color, mechanical properties, solubility, water vapor permeability ( WVP ), morphology and free energy of the hydrophobic interaction. Electronic micrographics showed the presence of some intact starch granules. The bioplastics were hydrophilic and those of 6% starch and 40% glycerol were the most hydrophilic ([Formula: see text] = 41.35 mJ m -1 ). The solubility of the films presented a direct relationship with the starch concentration ranging from 16.42 to 23.26%. Increased opacity and color difference were observed with increasing starch concentration. The WVP ranged from 1.374 × 10 -3 to 3.07 × 10 -4  g m/day m 2 which was positively related with the concentration of starch and glycerol. Tensile strength, percent elongation and Young's Modulus indicated that the jackfruit starch and glycerol provided a film with good mechanical properties. The results replaced that jackfruit starch can be used to develop films, with low opacity, moderate WVP and relatively high mechanical stability, by using glycerol in the gelatinized starch dispersions.

Stable Low-Voltage Operation Top-Gate Organic Field-Effect Transistors on Cellulose Nanocrystal Substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng-Yin Wang; Canek Fuentes-Hernandez; Jen-Chieh Liu; Amir Dindar; Sangmoo Choi; Jeffrey P. Youngblood; Robert J. Moon; Bernard Kippelen

2015-01-01

We report on the performance and the characterization of top-gate organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), comprising a bilayer gate dielectric of CYTOP/ Al2O3 and a solution-processed semiconductor layer made of a blend of TIPS-pentacene:PTAA, fabricated on recyclable cellulose nanocrystal−glycerol (CNC/glycerol...

Biodegradable Composites Based on Starch/EVOH/Glycerol Blends and Coconut Fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Unripe coconut fibers were used as fillers in a biodegradable polymer matrix of starch/Ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH)/glycerol. The effects of fiber content on the mechanical, thermal and structural properties were evaluated. The addition of coconut fiber into starch/EVOH/glycerol blends reduced the ...

Magnetically assisted bilayer composites for soft bending actuators

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jang, S.H.; Na, Seon Hong; Park, Yong Lae

2017-01-01

This article presents a soft pneumatic bending actuator using a magnetically assisted bilayer composite composed of silicone polymer and ferromagnetic particles. Bilayer composites were fabricated by mixing ferromagnetic particles to a prepolymer state of silicone in a mold and asymmetrically

High hydrogen production from glycerol or glucose by electrohydrogenesis using microbial electrolysis cells

KAUST Repository

Selembo, Priscilla A.

2009-07-01

The use of glycerol for hydrogen gas production was examined via electrohydrogenesis using microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). A hydrogen yield of 3.9 mol-H2/mol was obtained using glycerol, which is higher than that possible by fermentation, at relatively high rates of 2.0 ± 0.4 m3/m3 d (Eap = 0.9 V). Under the same conditions, hydrogen was produced from glucose at a yield of 7.2 mol-H2/mol and a rate of 1.9 ± 0.3 m3/m3 d. Glycerol was completely removed within 6 h, with 56% of the electrons in intermediates (primarily 1,3-propanediol), with the balance converted to current, intracellular storage products or biomass. Glucose was removed within 5 h, but intermediates (mainly propionate) accounted for only 19% of the electrons. Hydrogen was also produced using the glycerol byproduct of biodiesel fuel production at a rate of 0.41 ± 0.1 m3/m3 d. These results demonstrate that electrohydrogenesis is an effective method for producing hydrogen from either pure glycerol or glycerol byproducts of biodiesel fuel production. © 2009 International Association for Hydrogen Energy.

Performance of a direct glycerol fuel cell using KOH doped polybenzimidazole as electrolyte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nascimento, Ana P.; Linares, Jose J., E-mail: joselinares@unb.br [Universidade de Brasilia (UnB), Brasilia, DF (Brazil). Instituto de Quimica

2014-03-15

This paper studies the influence of the operating variables (glycerol concentration, temperature and feed rate) for a direct glycerol fuel cell fed with glycerol using polybenzimidazole (PBI) impregnated with KOH as electrolyte and Pt/C as catalyst. Temperature displays a beneficial effect up to 75 °C due to the enhanced conductivity and kinetics of the electrochemical reactions. The optimum cell feed corresponds to 1 mol L{sup -1} glycerol and 4 mol L{sup -1} KOH, supplying sufficient quantities of fuel and electrolyte without massive crossover nor mass transfer limitations. The feed rate increases the performance up to a limit of 2 mL min{sup -1}, high enough to guarantee the access of the glycerol and the exit of the products. Finally, the use of binary catalysts (PtRu/C and Pt{sub 3}Sn/C) is beneficial for increasing the cell performance. (author)

Predicting proton titration in cationic micelle and bilayer environments

Science.gov (United States)

Morrow, Brian H.; Eike, David M.; Murch, Bruce P.; Koenig, Peter H.; Shen, Jana K.

2014-08-01

Knowledge of the protonation behavior of pH-sensitive molecules in micelles and bilayers has significant implications in consumer product development and biomedical applications. However, the calculation of pKa's in such environments proves challenging using traditional structure-based calculations. Here we apply all-atom constant pH molecular dynamics with explicit ions and titratable water to calculate the pKa of a fatty acid molecule in a micelle of dodecyl trimethylammonium chloride and liquid as well as gel-phase bilayers of diethyl ester dimethylammonium chloride. Interestingly, the pKa of the fatty acid in the gel bilayer is 5.4, 0.4 units lower than that in the analogous liquid bilayer or micelle, despite the fact that the protonated carboxylic group is significantly more desolvated in the gel bilayer. This work illustrates the capability of all-atom constant pH molecular dynamics in capturing the delicate balance in the free energies of desolvation and Coulombic interactions. It also shows the importance of the explicit treatment of ions in sampling the protonation states. The ability to model dynamics of pH-responsive substrates in a bilayer environment is useful for improving fabric care products as well as our understanding of the side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Predicting proton titration in cationic micelle and bilayer environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morrow, Brian H.; Shen, Jana K. [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201 (United States); Eike, David M.; Murch, Bruce P.; Koenig, Peter H. [Computational Chemistry, Modeling and Simulation GCO, Procter and Gamble, Cincinnati, Ohio 45201 (United States)

2014-08-28

Knowledge of the protonation behavior of pH-sensitive molecules in micelles and bilayers has significant implications in consumer product development and biomedical applications. However, the calculation of pK{sub a}’s in such environments proves challenging using traditional structure-based calculations. Here we apply all-atom constant pH molecular dynamics with explicit ions and titratable water to calculate the pK{sub a} of a fatty acid molecule in a micelle of dodecyl trimethylammonium chloride and liquid as well as gel-phase bilayers of diethyl ester dimethylammonium chloride. Interestingly, the pK{sub a} of the fatty acid in the gel bilayer is 5.4, 0.4 units lower than that in the analogous liquid bilayer or micelle, despite the fact that the protonated carboxylic group is significantly more desolvated in the gel bilayer. This work illustrates the capability of all-atom constant pH molecular dynamics in capturing the delicate balance in the free energies of desolvation and Coulombic interactions. It also shows the importance of the explicit treatment of ions in sampling the protonation states. The ability to model dynamics of pH-responsive substrates in a bilayer environment is useful for improving fabric care products as well as our understanding of the side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Green silicone elastomer obtained from a counterintuitively stable mixture of glycerol and PDMS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mazurek, P.; Hvilsted, S.; Skov, A. L.

2016-01-01

A green and cheap silicone-based elastomer has been developed. Through the simple mixing-in of biodiesel-originating glycerol into commercially available polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) pre-polymer, a glycerol-in-PDMS emulsion was produced. This counterintuitively stable mixture became a basis...... for obtaining elastomeric composites with uniformly distributed glycerol droplets. Various compositions, containing from 0 to 140 parts of glycerol per 100 parts of PDMS by weight, were prepared and investigated in terms of ATR-FTIR, broadband dielectric spectroscopy, mechanical properties as well as optical......, even in the presence of very high loadings. The conducted experiments highlight the great potential of this new type of elastomer and reveal some possible applications....

Poly(amidoamine) dendrimers on lipid bilayers II: Effects of bilayer phase and dendrimer termination.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Christopher V; Leroueil, Pascale R; Orr, Bradford G; Banaszak Holl, Mark M; Andricioaei, Ioan

2008-08-07

The molecular structures and enthalpy release of poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers binding to 1,2-dimyristoyl- sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) bilayers were explored through atomistic molecular dynamics. Three PAMAM dendrimer terminations were examined: protonated primary amine, neutral acetamide, and deprotonated carboxylic acid. Fluid and gel lipid phases were examined to extract the effects of lipid tail mobility on the binding of generation-3 dendrimers, which are directly relevant to the nanoparticle interactions involving lipid rafts, endocytosis, lipid removal, and/or membrane pores. Upon binding to gel phase lipids, dendrimers remained spherical, had a constant radius of gyration, and approximately one-quarter of the terminal groups were in close proximity to the lipids. In contrast, upon binding to fluid phase bilayers, dendrimers flattened out with a large increase in their asphericity and radii of gyration. Although over twice as many dendrimer-lipid contacts were formed on fluid versus gel phase lipids, the dendrimer-lipid interaction energy was only 20% stronger. The greatest enthalpy release upon binding was between the charged dendrimers and the lipid bilayer. However, the stronger binding to fluid versus gel phase lipids was driven by the hydrophobic interactions between the inner dendrimer and lipid tails.

SFG studies on interactions between antimicrobial peptides and supported lipid bilayers.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiaoyun; Chen, Zhan

2006-09-01

The mode of action of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in disrupting cell membrane bilayers is of fundamental importance in understanding the efficiency of different AMPs, which is crucial to design antibiotics with improved properties. Recent developments in the field of sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy have made it a powerful and unique biophysical technique in investigating the interactions between AMPs and a single substrate supported planar lipid bilayer. We will review some of the recent progress in applying SFG to study membrane lipid bilayers and discuss how SFG can provide novel information such as real-time bilayer structure change and AMP orientation during AMP-lipid bilayer interactions in a very biologically relevant manner. Several examples of applying SFG to monitor such interactions between AMPs and a dipalmitoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DPPG) bilayer are presented. Different modes of actions are observed for melittin, tachyplesin I, d-magainin 2, MSI-843, and a synthetic antibacterial oligomer, demonstrating that SFG is very effective in the study of AMPs and AMP-lipid bilayer interactions.

Alpha-tocopherol inhibits pore formation in oxidized bilayers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boonnoy, P.; Karttunen, M.; Wong-Ekkabut, J.

2017-01-01

In biological membranes, alpha-tocopherols (α-toc; vitamin E) protect polyunsaturated lipids from free radicals. Although the interactions of α-toc with non-oxidized lipid bilayers have been studied, their effects on oxidized bilayers remain unknown. In this study, atomistic molecular dynamics (MD)

Construction of an alternative glycerol-utilization pathway for improved β-carotene production in Escherichia coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Jin-Ying; Hu, Kun-Le; Bi, Chang-Hao; Li, Qing-Yan; Zhang, Xue-Li

2018-05-11

Glycerol, which is an inevitable by-product of biodiesel production, is an ideal carbon source for the production of carotenoids due to its low price, good availability and chemically reduced status, which results in a low requirement for additional reducing equivalents. In this study, an alternative carbon-utilization pathway was constructed in Escherichia coli to enable more efficient β-carotene production from glycerol. An aldehyde reductase gene (alrd) and an aldehyde dehydrogenase gene (aldH) from Ralstonia eutropha H16 were integrated into the E. coli chromosome to form a novel glycerol-utilization pathway. The β-carotene specific production value was increased by 50% after the introduction of alrd and aldH. It was found that the glycerol kinase gene (garK), alrd and aldH were the bottleneck of the alternative glycerol metabolic pathway, and modulation of garK gene with an mRS library further increased the β-carotene specific production value by 13%. Finally, co-modulation of genes in the introduced aldH-alrd operon led to 86% more of β-carotene specific production value than that of the strain without the alternative glycerol-utilization pathway and the glycerol-utilization rate was also increased. In this work, β-carotene production of E. coli was significantly improved by constructing and optimizing an alternative glycerol-utilization pathway. This strategy can potentially be used to improve the production of other isoprenoids using glycerol as a cheap and abundant substrate, and therefore has industrial relevance.

Trehalose in glycerol-free freezing extender enhances post-thaw survival of boar spermatozoa

Science.gov (United States)

ATHURUPANA, Rukmali; TAKAHASHI, Daisen; IOKI, Sumire; FUNAHASHI, Hiroaki

2015-01-01

Cryopreservation of boar semen is still considered suboptimal due to lower fertility as compared with fresh samples when glycerol, a permeating cryoprotectant, is used. Trehalose is a non-permeable cryoprotectant and nonreducing disaccharide known to stabilize proteins and biologic membranes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cryosurvival and in vitro penetrability of boar spermatozoa when glycerol was replaced with trehalose in a freezing extender. Ejaculated Berkshire semen samples were diluted in egg yolk-based freezing extender containing glycerol (100 mM) or trehalose (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 mM) and cryopreserved using a straw freezing procedure. Thawed samples were analyzed for motility, viability, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and acrosome integrity. In experiment 2, penetrability of spermatozoa cryopreserved with 100 mM glycerol or trehalose was examined. Replacement of cryoprotectant glycerol (100 mM) with trehalose had no effect on sperm viability, but replacing it with 100 mM trehalose improved motility, MMP and acrosome integrity significantly. Sperm motility and MMP were considerably higher in 100 mM trehalose, whereas the acrosome integrity was substantially higher in 100–250 mM trehalose. The in vitro penetration rate was also significantly higher in spermatozoa cryopreserved with trehalose (61.3%) than in those cryopreserved with glycerol (43.6%). In conclusion, 100 mM non-permeable trehalose can be used to replace glycerol, a permeating cryoprotectant, for maintenance of better post-thaw quality of boar spermatozoa. PMID:25754239

Utilization of Crude Glycerol as a Substrate for the Production of Rhamnolipid by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Eraqi, Walaa A; Yassin, Aymen S; Ali, Amal E; Amin, Magdy A

2016-01-01

Biosurfactants are produced by bacteria or yeast utilizing different substrates as sugars, glycerol, or oils. They have important applications in the detergent, oil, and pharmaceutical industries. Glycerol is the product of biodiesel industry and the existing glycerol market cannot accommodate the excess amounts generated; consequently, new markets for refined glycerol need to be developed. The aim of present work is to optimize the production of microbial rhamnolipid using waste glycerol. We have developed a process for the production of rhamnolipid biosurfactants using glycerol as the sole carbon source by a local Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate that was obtained from an extensive screening program. A factorial design was applied with the goal of optimizing the rhamnolipid production. The highest production yield was obtained after 2 days when cells were grown in minimal salt media at pH 6, containing 1% (v/v) glycerol and 2% (w/v) sodium nitrate as nitrogen source, at 37°C and at 180 rpm, and reached 2.164 g/L after 54 hours (0.04 g/L h). Analysis of the produced rhamnolipids by TLC, HPLC, and FTIR confirmed the nature of the biosurfactant as monorhamnolipid. Glycerol can serve as a source for the production of rhamnolipid from microbial isolates providing a cheap and reliable substrate.

Slaved diffusion in phospholipid bilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Liangfang; Granick, Steve

2005-01-01

The translational diffusion of phospholipids in supported fluid bilayers splits into two populations when polyelectrolytes adsorb at incomplete surface coverage. Spatially resolved measurements using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy show that a slow mode, whose magnitude scales inversely with the degree of polymerization of the adsorbate, coexists with a fast mode characteristic of naked lipid diffusion. Inner and outer leaflets of the bilayer are affected nearly equally. Mobility may vary from spot to spot on the membrane surface, despite the lipid composition being the same. This work offers a mechanism to explain how nanosized domains with reduced mobility arise in lipid membranes. PMID:15967988

Chiral Tunnelling in Twisted Graphene Bilayer

OpenAIRE

He, Wen-Yu; Chu, Zhao-Dong; He, Lin

2013-01-01

The perfect transmission in graphene monolayer and the perfect reflection in Bernal graphene bilayer for electrons incident in the normal direction of a potential barrier are viewed as two incarnations of the Klein paradox. Here we show a new and unique incarnation of the Klein paradox. Owing to the different chiralities of the quasiparticles involved, the chiral fermions in twisted graphene bilayer shows adjustable probability of chiral tunnelling for normal incidence: they can be changed fr...

Engineering of the glycerol decomposition pathway and cofactor regulation in an industrial yeast improves ethanol production.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Liang; Tang, Yan; Guo, Zhongpeng; Shi, Guiyang

2013-10-01

Glycerol is a major by-product of industrial ethanol production and its formation consumes up to 4 % of the sugar substrate. This study modified the glycerol decomposition pathway of an industrial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to optimize the consumption of substrate and yield of ethanol. This study is the first to couple glycerol degradation with ethanol formation, to the best of our knowledge. The recombinant strain overexpressing GCY1 and DAK1, encoding glycerol dehydrogenase and dihydroxyacetone kinase, respectively, in glycerol degradation pathway, exhibited a moderate increase in ethanol yield (2.9 %) and decrease in glycerol yield (24.9 %) compared to the wild type with the initial glucose concentration of 15 % under anaerobic conditions. However, when the mhpF gene, encoding acetylating NAD⁺-dependent acetaldehyde dehydrogenase from Escherichia coli, was co-expressed in the aforementioned recombinant strain, a further increase in ethanol yield by 5.5 % and decrease in glycerol yield by 48 % were observed for the resultant recombinant strain GDMS1 when acetic acid was added into the medium prior to inoculation compared to the wild type. The process outlined in this study which enhances glycerol consumption and cofactor regulation in an industrial yeast is a promising metabolic engineering strategy to increase ethanol production by reducing the formation of glycerol.

Towards the sustainable production of acrolein by glycerol dehydration.

Science.gov (United States)

Katryniok, Benjamin; Paul, Sébastien; Capron, Mickaël; Dumeignil, Franck

2009-01-01

The massive increase in biodiesel production by transesterification of vegatable oils goes hand-in-hand with the availability of a large volume of glycerol, which must be valorized. Glycerol dehydration to acrolein over acid catalysts is one of the most promising ways of valorization, because this compound is an important chemical intermediate used in, for example, the DL-methionine synthesis. In this Minireview, we give a detailed critical view of the state-of-the-art of this dehydration reaction. The processes developed in both the liquid and the gas phases are detailed and the best catalytic results obtained so far are reported as a benchmark for future developments. The advances on the understanding of the reaction mechanism are also discussed and we further focus particularly on the main obstacles for an immediate industrial application of this technology, namely catalyst coking and crude glycerol direct-use issues.

Model studies on acrylamide generation from glucose/asparagine in aqueous glycerol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hedegaard, Rikke Susanne Vingborg; Frandsen, Henrik Lauritz; Granby, Kit

2007-01-01

Acrylamide formation from asparagine and glucose in different ratios in neutral glycerol/water mixtures was found to increase with decreasing water activity (0.33......Acrylamide formation from asparagine and glucose in different ratios in neutral glycerol/water mixtures was found to increase with decreasing water activity (0.33...

GABA_A receptor function is regulated by lipid bilayer elasticity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søgaard, Rikke; Werge, Thomas; Berthelsen, Camilla

2006-01-01

( s) underlying these effects are poorly understood. DHA and Triton X-100, at concentrations that affect GABAA receptor function, increase the elasticity of lipid bilayers measured as decreased bilayer stiffness using gramicidin channels as molecular force transducers. We have previously shown...... reduced the peak amplitude of the GABA-induced currents and increased the rate of receptor desensitization. The effects of the amphiphiles did not correlate with the expected changes in monolayer spontaneous curvature. We conclude that GABAA receptor function is regulated by lipid bilayer elasticity....... PUFAs may generally regulate membrane protein function by affecting the elasticity of the host lipid bilayer....

Enhanced enzymatic activity of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from the cryophilic Saccharomyces kudriavzevii.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Bruno M; Barrio, Eladio; Querol, Amparo; Pérez-Torrado, Roberto

2014-01-01

During the evolution of the different species classified within the Saccharomyces genus, each one has adapted to live in different environments. One of the most important parameters that have influenced the evolution of Saccharomyces species is the temperature. Here we have focused on the study of the ability of certain species as Saccharomyces kudriavzevii to grow at low temperatures, in contrast to Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We observed that S. kudriavzevii strains isolated from several regions are able to synthesize higher amounts of glycerol, a molecule that has been shown to accumulate in response to freeze and cold stress. To explain this observation at the molecular level we studied the expression of glycerol biosynthetic pathway genes and we observed a higher expression of GPD1 gene in S. kudriavzevii compared to S. cerevisiae in micro-vinification conditions. We observed higher enzymatic activity of Gpd1p in S. kudriavzevii in response to osmotic and cold stress. Also, we determined that S. kudriavzevii Gpd1p enzyme presents increased catalytic properties that will contribute to increase glycerol production. Finally, we evaluated the glycerol production with S. cerevisiae, S. kudriavzevii or a recombinant Gpd1p variant in the same background and observed that the S. kudriavzevii enzyme produced increased glycerol levels at 12 or 28°C. This suggests that glycerol is increased in S. kudriavzevii mainly due to increased V max of the Gpd1p enzyme. All these differences indicate that S. kudriavzevii has changed the metabolism to promote the branch of the glycolytic pathway involved in glycerol production to adapt to low temperature environments and maintain the NAD(+)/NADH ratio in alcoholic fermentations. This knowledge is industrially relevant due to the potential use, for example, of S. cerevisiae-S. kudriavzevii hybrids in the wine industry where glycerol content is an important quality parameter.

Lipid peroxidation and water penetration in lipid bilayers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Conte, Elena; Megli, Francesco Maria; Khandelia, Himanshu

2012-01-01

to the hydroperoxide groups to interact with the nitroxide at the methyl-terminal, confirming that the H-bonds experimentally observed are due to increased water penetration in the bilayer. The EPR and MD data on model membranes demonstrate that cell membrane damage by oxidative stress cause alteration of water......(zz) parameters revealed that OHPLPC, but mostly HpPLPC, induced a measurable increase in polarity and H-bonding propensity in the central region of the bilayer. Molecular dynamics simulation performed on 16-DSA in the PLPC-HpPLPC bilayer revealed that water molecules are statistically favored with respect...

Malic acid production by chemically induced Aspergillus niger MTCC 281 mutant from crude glycerol.

Science.gov (United States)

Iyyappan, J; Bharathiraja, B; Baskar, G; Jayamuthunagai, J; Barathkumar, S; Anna Shiny, R

2018-03-01

In the present investigation, crude glycerol derived from transesterification process was utilized to produce the commercially-valuable malic acid. A combined resistant on methanol and malic acid strain of Aspergillus niger MTCC 281 mutant was generated in solid medium containing methanol (1-5%) and malic acid (40-80 g/L) by the adaptation process for 22 weeks. The ability of induced Aspergillus niger MTCC 281 mutant to utilize crude glycerol and pure glycerol to produce malic acid was studied. The yield of malic acid was increased with 4.45 folds compared with that of parent strain from crude glycerol. The highest concentration of malic acid from crude glycerol by using beneficial mutant was found to be 77.38 ± 0.51 g/L after 192 h at 25 °C. This present study specified that crude glycerol by-product from biodiesel production could be used for producing high amount of malic acid without any pretreatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strain, stabilities and electronic properties of hexagonal BN bilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Fujimoto, Yoshitaka; Saito, Susumu

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) atomic layers have been regarded as fascinating materials both scientifically and technologically due to the sizable band gap. This sizable band-gap nature of the h-BN atomic layers would provide not only new physical properties but also novel nano- and/or opto-electronics applications. Here, we study the first-principles density-functional study that clarifies the biaxial strain effects on the energetics and the electronic properties of h-BN bilayers. We show that the band gaps of the h-BN bilayers are tunable by applying strains. Furthermore, we show that the biaxial strains can produce a transition from indirect to direct band gaps of the h-BN bilayer. We also discuss that both AA and AB stacking patterns of h-BN bilayer become feasible structures because h-BN bilayers possess two different directions in the stacking patterns. Supported by MEXT Elements Strategy Initiative to Form Core Research Center through Tokodai Institute for Element Strategy, JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers JP26390062 and JP25107005.

Biohydrogen production by dark fermentation of glycerol using Enterobacter and Citrobacter Sp.

Science.gov (United States)

Maru, Biniam T; Constanti, Magda; Stchigel, Alberto M; Medina, Francesc; Sueiras, Jesus E

2013-01-01

Glycerol is an attractive substrate for biohydrogen production because, in theory, it can produce 3 mol of hydrogen per mol of glycerol. Moreover, glycerol is produced in substantial amounts as a byproduct of producing biodiesel, the demand for which has increased in recent years. Therefore, hydrogen production from glycerol was studied by dark fermentation using three strains of bacteria: namely, Enterobacter spH1, Enterobacter spH2, and Citrobacter freundii H3 and a mixture thereof (1:1:1). It was found that, when an initial concentration of 20 g/L of glycerol was used, all three strains and their mixture produced substantial amounts of hydrogen ranging from 2400 to 3500 mL/L, being highest for C. freundii H3 (3547 mL/L) and Enterobacter spH1 (3506 mL/L). The main nongaseous fermentation products were ethanol and acetate, albeit in different ratios. For Enterobacter spH1, Enterobacter spH2, C. freundii H3, and the mixture (1:1:1), the ethanol yields (in mol EtOH/mol glycerol consumed) were 0.96, 0.67, 0.31, and 0.66, respectively. Compared to the individual strains, the mixture (1:1:1) did not show a significantly higher hydrogen level, indicating that there was no synergistic effect. Enterobacter spH1 was selected for further investigation because of its higher yield of hydrogen and ethanol. Copyright © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

Boar spermatozoa cryopreservation in low glycerol/trehalose enriched freezing media improves cellular integrity.

Science.gov (United States)

Gutiérrez-Pérez, Oscar; Juárez-Mosqueda, María de Lourdes; Carvajal, Salvador Uribe; Ortega, María Elena Trujillo

2009-06-01

The use of glycerol for boar semen cryopreservation results in low fertility, possibly due to toxicity. This has led to recommend the use of solutions with less than 4% glycerol. Trehalose is a disaccharide known to stabilize proteins and biologic membranes during processes such as cryopreservation. Thus, it was decided to evaluate the cryoprotective effect of glycerol/trehalose mixtures. Effects on motility (M), viability (Vb) and acrosomal integrity (nA) were evaluated. Sperm samples were frozen in three different extenders: G4 contained 4% glycerol; T1 contained 1% glycerol plus 250 mM trehalose and T0.5 was constituted by 0.5% glycerol plus 250 mM trehalose. All extenders yielded similar post-freezing/thawing motility rates. Viability was diminished in T0.5 as compared to the others. In regard to acrosome integrity, it was twice as high (Pextender. Thus, T1 twice as many spermatozoa were alive, motile and intact, than in either T0.5 or G4, i.e. during freeze/thawing the use of T1 resulted in twice as many fertile cells as when using the other extenders. During our study, we noted that there were wide individual variations both in sperm viability and in motility.

Determination of steady state and nonsteady-state glycerol kinetics in humans using deuterium-labeled tracer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beylot, M.; Martin, C.; Beaufrere, B.; Riou, J.P.; Mornex, R.

1987-01-01

Using deuterium-labeled glycerol as tracer and gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques for the determination of isotopic enrichment, we have developed a simple and ethically acceptable method of determining glycerol appearance rate in humans under steady-state and nonsteady-state conditions. In normal subjects, the appearance rate of glycerol in the post-absorptive state was 2.22 +/- 0.20 mumol X kg-1 X min-1, a value in agreement with those reported in studies with radioactively labeled tracers. The ratio nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) appearance rate/glycerol appearance rate ranged from 1.95 to 3.40. In insulin-dependent diabetic patients with a mild degree of metabolic control, the appearance rate of glycerol was 2.48 +/- 0.29 mumol X kg-1 X min-1. The volume of distribution of glycerol, determined by the bolus injection technique, was (mean) 0.306 l X kg-1 in normal subjects and 0.308 l X kg-1 in insulin-independent diabetic patients. To evaluate the usefulness of the method for determination of glycerol kinetics in nonsteady-state conditions, we infused six normal subjects with natural glycerol and calculated the isotopically determined glycerol appearance rate using a single compartment model (volume of distribution 0.31 l X kg-1). During these tests, the expected glycerol appearance rates were successively 5.03 +/- 0.33, 7.48 +/- 0.39, 9.94 +/- 0.34, 7.48 +/- 0.39, and 5.03 +/- 0.33 mumol +/- kg-1 X min-1, whereas the corresponding isotopically determined appearance rates were 4.62 +/- 0.45, 6.95 +/- 0.56, 10.85 +/- 0.51, 7.35 +/- 0.34, and 5.28 +/- 0.12 mumol X kg-1 X min-1

Preliminary Evaluation of Glyceric Acid-producing Ability of Acidomonas methanolica NBRC104435 from Glycerol Containing Methanol.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Shun; Kitamoto, Dai; Habe, Hiroshi

2017-06-01

Some acetic acid bacteria produce large amounts of glyceric acid (GA) from glycerol in culture broth. However, methanol, which is a major contaminant of raw glycerol derived from the biodiesel fuel industry, sharply decreases cell growth and GA production [AMB Express, 3, 20, 2013]. Thus, we evaluated the methylotrophic acetic acid bacterium Acidomonas methanolica NBRC104435 for its ability to produce GA from glycerol containing methanol. This strain accumulated GA in its culture broth when 1-3 wt% glycerol was available as a carbon source. We observed improved cell growth and GA accumulation when 1 vol% methanol was added to the 3-5 wt% glycerol medium. The maximum concentration of GA was 12.8 g/L in medium containing 3 wt% glycerol plus 1 vol% methanol. In addition, the enantiomeric excess (ee) of the GA produced was revealed to be 44%, indicating that this strain converted glycerol to d-GA with a lower enantioselectivity than other acetic acid bacteria, which had 70-99% ee.

Crude glycerol combustion: Particulate, acrolein, and other volatile organic emissions

KAUST Repository

Steinmetz, Scott

2013-01-01

Crude glycerol is an abundant by-product of biodiesel production. As volumes of this potential waste grow, there is increasing interest in developing new value added uses. One possible use, as a boiler fuel for process heating, offers added advantages of energy integration and fossil fuel substitution. However, challenges to the use of crude glycerol as a boiler fuel include its low energy density, high viscosity, and high autoignition temperature. We have previously shown that a refractory-lined, high swirl burner can overcome challenges related to flame ignition and stability. However, critical issues related to ash behavior and the possible formation of acrolein remained. The work presented here indicates that the presence of dissolved catalysts used during the esterification and transesterification processes results in extremely large amounts of inorganic species in the crude glycerol. For the fuels examined here, the result is a submicron fly ash comprised primarily of sodium carbonates, phosphates, and sulfates. These particles report to a well-developed accumulation mode (0.3-0.7 μm diameter), indicating extensive ash vaporization and particle formation via nucleation, condensation, and coagulation. Particle mass emissions were between 2 and 4 g/m3. These results indicate that glycerol containing soluble catalyst is not suitable as a boiler fuel. Fortunately, process improvements are currently addressing this issue. Additionally, acrolein is of concern due to its toxicity, and is known to be formed from the low temperature thermal decomposition of glycerol. Currently, there is no known reliable method for measuring acrolein in sources. Acrolein and emissions of other volatile organic compounds were characterized through the use of a SUMMA canister-based sampling method followed by GC-MS analysis designed for ambient measurements. Results indicate crude glycerol combustion produces relatively small amounts of acrolein (∼15 ppbv) and other volatile organic

Electronic properties of a biased graphene bilayer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castro, Eduardo V; Lopes dos Santos, J M B; Novoselov, K S; Morozov, S V; Geim, A K; Peres, N M R; Nilsson, Johan; Castro Neto, A H; Guinea, F

2010-01-01

We study, within the tight-binding approximation, the electronic properties of a graphene bilayer in the presence of an external electric field applied perpendicular to the system-a biased bilayer. The effect of the perpendicular electric field is included through a parallel plate capacitor model, with screening correction at the Hartree level. The full tight-binding description is compared with its four-band and two-band continuum approximations, and the four-band model is shown to always be a suitable approximation for the conditions realized in experiments. The model is applied to real biased bilayer devices, made out of either SiC or exfoliated graphene, and good agreement with experimental results is found, indicating that the model is capturing the key ingredients, and that a finite gap is effectively being controlled externally. Analysis of experimental results regarding the electrical noise and cyclotron resonance further suggests that the model can be seen as a good starting point for understanding the electronic properties of graphene bilayer. Also, we study the effect of electron-hole asymmetry terms, such as the second-nearest-neighbour hopping energies t' (in-plane) and γ 4 (inter-layer), and the on-site energy Δ.

On the pressure dependence of the fragility of glycerol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pawlus, S; Paluch, M; Ziolo, J [Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Uniwersytecka 4, 40-007 Katowice (Poland); Roland, C M [Naval Research Laboratory, Chemistry Division, Code 6120, Washington, DC 20375-5342 (United States)

2009-08-19

This work was motivated by ostensibly contradictory results from different groups regarding the effect of pressure on the fragility of glycerol. We present new experimental data for an intermediate pressure regime showing that the fragility increases with pressure up to about 1.8 GPa, becoming invariant at higher pressures. There is no discrepancy among the various literature data taken in toto. The behavior of glycerol is quite distinct from that of normal liquids, a result of its substantial hydrogen bonding. (fast track communication)

Sequential spectrofluorimetric determination of free and total glycerol in biodiesel in a multicommuted flow system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Sidnei G. [Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Quimica, Sao Paulo (Brazil); Morales-Rubio, Angel; Guardia, Miguel de la [Universidad de Valencia, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Burjassot, Valencia (Spain); Rocha, Fabio R.P. [Universidade de Sao Paulo, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Piracicaba (Brazil)

2011-07-15

A new procedure for spectrofluorimetric determination of free and total glycerol in biodiesel samples is presented. It is based on the oxidation of glycerol by periodate, forming formaldehyde, which reacts with acetylacetone, producing the luminescent 3,5-diacetyl-1,4-dihydrolutidine. A flow system with solenoid micro-pumps is proposed for solution handling. Free glycerol was extracted off-line from biodiesel samples with water, and total glycerol was converted to free glycerol by saponification with sodium ethylate under sonication. For free glycerol, a linear response was observed from 5 to 70 mg L{sup -1} with a detection limit of 0.5 mg L{sup -1}, which corresponds to 2 mg kg{sup -1} in biodiesel. The coefficient of variation was 0.9% (20 mg L{sup -1}, n = 10). For total glycerol, samples were diluted on-line, and the linear response range was 25 to 300 mg L{sup -1}. The detection limit was 1.4 mg L{sup -1} (2.8 mg kg{sup -1} in biodiesel) with a coefficient of variation of 1.4% (200 mg L{sup -1}, n = 10). The sampling rate was ca. 35 samples h{sup -1} and the procedure was applied to determination of free and total glycerol in biodiesel samples from soybean, cottonseed, and castor beans. (orig.)

Surface modification of thin film composite reverse osmosis membrane by glycerol assisted oxidation with sodium hypochlorite

Science.gov (United States)

Raval, Hiren D.; Samnani, Mohit D.; Gauswami, Maulik V.

2018-01-01

Need for improvement in water flux of thin film composite (TFC) RO membrane has been appreciated by researchers world over and surface modification approach is found promising to achieve higher water flux and solute rejection. Thin film composite RO membrane was exposed to 2000 mg/l sodium hypochlorite solution with varying concentrations of glycerol ranging from 1 to 10%. It was found that there was a drop in concentration of sodium hypochlorite after the addition of glycerol because of a new compound resulted from the oxidation of glycerol with sodium hypochlorite. The water flux of the membrane treated with 1% glycerol with 2000 mg/l sodium hypochlorite for 1 h was about 22% more and salt rejection was 1.36% greater than that of only sodium hypochlorite treated membrane for the same concentration and time. There was an increase in salt rejection of membrane with increase in concentration of glycerol from 1% to 5%, however, increasing glycerol concentration further up to 10%, the salt rejection declined. The water flux was found declining from 1% glycerol solution to 10% glycerol solution. The membrane samples were characterized to understand the change in chemical structure and morphology of the membrane.

Synthesis of bio-additives: transesterification of ethyl acetate with glycerol using homogeneous or heterogeneous acid catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meireles, Bruno A.; Pereira, Vera Lucia P., E-mail: patrocinio@nppn.ufrj.br [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Centro de Ciencias da Saude. Nucleo de Pesquisas de Produtos Naturais

2013-01-15

A new catalytic route with potential practical interest to sustainable production of bioadditives from glycerol is described. Ethyl acetate was transesterified with glycerol, in the ratio glycerol:EtOAc 1:10, at 25 or 90 deg C using 0.1 equiv.of H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} or TsOH, as homogeneous catalysts. H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} led to the total glycerol consumption in 2 h. In the equilibrium, attained in 9 h, 100% yield of a diacetin:triacetin (55:45) mixture was formed. Using Amberlyst Registered-Sign 15 dry and Amberlyst Registered-Sign 16 wet in 1:30 glycerol:EtOAc ratio and reflux at 90 Degree-Sign C the total glycerol consumption was achieved in 2 and 10h, respectively. The lower reactivity of Amberlyst-16 wet was explained in terms of deactivation of acid sites and decrease in glycerol diffusion to the inner resin pores, both factors caused by adsorbed water. The kinetics of glycerol transformation and product distribution in the equilibrium in relation to the H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}, Amberlyst-15 (dry) and Amberlyst-16 (wet) catalyzed reactions were measured. (author)

Ion beam mixing isotopic metal bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fell, C.J. [Newcastle Univ., NSW (Australia). Dept. of Physics; Kenny, M.J. [CSIRO, Lindfield, NSW (Australia). Div. of Applied Physics

1993-12-31

In order to obtain an insight into the mechanisms of ion-solid interactions, bilayer targets can be prepared from two different isotopes. A mixing study SIMS is to be carried out using specially grown monocrystalline bilayers of {sup 58}Ni / {sup 60}Ni. An important aspect of the work is the preparation of high quality single-crystal thin films. The Ni layers will be grown on the (110) surface of pure Ni and verified for crystallinity using Reflection High-Energy Electron Diffraction and Rutherford Backscattering channelling analysis. The Pd bilayers will be grown on a Pd (100) surface. RHEED will be used to confirm the two-dimensional crystallinity of the surface before and after deposition of each layer, and channelling used to confirm bulk film crystallinity. Single crystal substrates are currently being prepared. Analysis of the Ni (110) surface using RHEED at 9 kV shows a streak spacing which corresponds to a lattice spacing of 2.47 {+-} 0.09 Angstroms. 9 refs., 1 fig.

Ion beam mixing isotopic metal bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fell, C J [Newcastle Univ., NSW (Australia). Dept. of Physics; Kenny, M J [CSIRO, Lindfield, NSW (Australia). Div. of Applied Physics

1994-12-31

In order to obtain an insight into the mechanisms of ion-solid interactions, bilayer targets can be prepared from two different isotopes. A mixing study SIMS is to be carried out using specially grown monocrystalline bilayers of {sup 58}Ni / {sup 60}Ni. An important aspect of the work is the preparation of high quality single-crystal thin films. The Ni layers will be grown on the (110) surface of pure Ni and verified for crystallinity using Reflection High-Energy Electron Diffraction and Rutherford Backscattering channelling analysis. The Pd bilayers will be grown on a Pd (100) surface. RHEED will be used to confirm the two-dimensional crystallinity of the surface before and after deposition of each layer, and channelling used to confirm bulk film crystallinity. Single crystal substrates are currently being prepared. Analysis of the Ni (110) surface using RHEED at 9 kV shows a streak spacing which corresponds to a lattice spacing of 2.47 {+-} 0.09 Angstroms. 9 refs., 1 fig.

Upgrading of glycerol from biodiesel synthesis with dimethyl carbonate on reusable Sr–Al mixed oxide catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Algoufi, Y.T.; Akpan, U.G.; Kabir, G.; Asif, M.; Hameed, B.H.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Catalytic transesterification with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) converts glycerol into glycerol carbonate (GLC). • DMC and Sr_x–Al catalysts affect the reaction mechanisms that convert glycerol into GLC. • The morphology and textural structure of Sr_x–Al catalysts perpetuate catalytic activity. • The atomic ratio of Sr/Al has a unique effect on Sr–Al catalytic activity. • Sr_0_._5–Al catalyst exhibits limited leaching after five reaction cycles. - Abstract: The high demand for renewable energy has led to the upsurge of methanol-assisted biodiesel synthesis. Therefore, glycerol as a byproduct entered the waste stream given the oversupply of biodiesel to the market. The dimethyl carbonate (DMC)-assisted transesterification of glycerol on a catalyst has been a popular approach for converting glycerol into valuable glycerol carbonate (GLC). The synthesis of GLC from the DMC-assisted transesterification of glycerol on mixed oxide catalysts (Sr_x–Al) with different Sr/Al ratios was examined in this study. A glycerol conversion of 99.4% and a GLC yield of 100% were achieved in a catalyst with Sr/Al = 0.5 (Sr_0_._5–Al). Both values are higher than those in catalysts synthesized with Sr/Al = 0.25 and 0.75. The Sr_0_._5–Al catalyst withstood five transesterification reaction cycles without a serious deactivation induced by the leaching of active SrO. Therefore, the Sr_0_._5–Al catalyst is suitable for consecutive uses in the DMC-assisted transesterification of glycerol with DMC into GLC.

Intercalation of small hydrophobic molecules in lipid bilayers containing cholesterol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Worcester, D.L.; Hamacher, K.; Kaiser, H.; Kulasekere, R.; Torbet, J. [Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States)

1994-12-31

Partitioning of small hydrophobic molecules into lipid bilayers containing cholesterol has been studied using the 2XC diffractometer at the University of Missouri Research Reactor. Locations of the compounds were determined by Fourier difference methods with data from both deuterated and undeuterated compounds introduced into the bilayers from the vapor phase. Data fitting procedures were developed for determining how well the compounds were localized. The compounds were found to be localized in a narrow region at the center of the hydrophobic layer, between the two halves of the bilayer. The structures are therefore intercalated structures with the long axis of the molecules in the plane of the bilayer.

Intercalation of small hydrophobic molecules in lipid bilayers containing cholesterol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Worcester, D.L.; Hamacher, K.; Kaiser, H.; Kulasekere, R.; Torbet, J.

1994-01-01

Partitioning of small hydrophobic molecules into lipid bilayers containing cholesterol has been studied using the 2XC diffractometer at the University of Missouri Research Reactor. Locations of the compounds were determined by Fourier difference methods with data from both deuterated and undeuterated compounds introduced into the bilayers from the vapor phase. Data fitting procedures were developed for determining how well the compounds were localized. The compounds were found to be localized in a narrow region at the center of the hydrophobic layer, between the two halves of the bilayer. The structures are therefore intercalated structures with the long axis of the molecules in the plane of the bilayer

Ionic motion in PEDOT and PPy conducting polymer bilayers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zainudeen, Umer L.; Careem, M.A.; Skaarup, Steen

2006-01-01

Conducting polymer bilayers with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and polypyrrole (PPy), each containing dodecyl benzenesulfonate (DBS) as immobile dopant species, were synthesized galvanostatically. The electrochemical behaviour of the bilayers was investigated using cyclic voltammetry...

Biomimetic Cationic Nanoparticles Based on Silica: Optimizing Bilayer Deposition from Lipid Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo T. Ribeiro

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The optimization of bilayer coverage on particles is important for a variety of biomedical applications, such as drug, vaccine, and genetic material delivery. This work aims at optimizing the deposition of cationic bilayers on silica over a range of experimental conditions for the intervening medium and two different assemblies for the cationic lipid, namely, lipid films or pre-formed lipid bilayer fragments. The lipid adsorption on silica in situ over a range of added lipid concentrations was determined from elemental analysis of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen and related to the colloidal stability, sizing, zeta potential, and polydispersity of the silica/lipid nanoparticles. Superior bilayer deposition took place from lipid films, whereas adsorption from pre-formed bilayer fragments yielded limiting adsorption below the levels expected for bilayer adsorption.

Navigating Glycerol Conversion Roadmap and Heterogeneous Catalyst Selection Aided by Density Functional Theory: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bin Liu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Glycerol has been utilized in an extremely diversified manner throughout human civilization—ranging from food, to various consumer products, to pharmaceuticals, and even explosives. Large surplus in glycerol supply thanks to biodiesel production and biomass processing has created a demand to further boost its utility. One growing area is to expand the use of glycerol as an alternative feedstock to supplement fuels and chemicals production. Various catalytic processes have been developed. This review summarizes catalytic materials for glycerol reforming, hydrodeoxygenation, and oxidation. In particular, rationale for catalyst selection and new catalyst design will be discussed aided by the knowledge of reaction mechanisms. The role of theoretical density functional theory (DFT in elucidating complex glycerol conversion chemistries is particularly emphasized.

Distribution of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers in Tibetan hot springs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu He

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Isoprenoidal glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (iGDGTs from the Gulu hot springs (23–83.6 °C, pH > 7 and Yangbajing hot springs (80–128 °C, pH > 7 were analyzed in order to investigate the distribution of archaeal lipids among different hot springs in Tibet. A soil sample from Gulu was incubated at different temperatures and analyzed for changes in iGDGTs to help evaluate whether surrounding soil may contribute to the iGDGTs in hot springs. The sources of bacterial GDGTs (bGDGTs in these hot springs were also investigated. The results revealed different profiles of iGDGTs between Gulu and Yangbajing hot springs. Core iGDGTs and polar iGDGTs also presented different patterns in each hot spring. The PCA analysis showed that the structure of polar iGDGTs can be explained by three factors and suggested multiple sources of these compounds. Bivariate correlation analysis showed significant positive correlations between polar and core bGDGTs, suggesting the in situ production of bGDGTs in the hot springs. Furthermore, in the soil incubation experiment, temperature had the most significant influence on concentration of bGDGTs rather than iGDGTs, and polar bGDGTs had greater variability than core bGDGTs with changing temperature. Our results indicated that soil input had little influence on the composition of GDGTs in Tibetan hot springs. On the other hand, ring index and TEX86 values were both positively correlated with incubation temperature, suggesting that the structure of archaeal lipids changed in response to varying temperature during incubation.

Biotechnological conversion of glycerol from biofuels to 1,3-propanediol using Escherichia coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Przystałowska, Hanna; Lipiński, Daniel; Słomski, Ryszard

2015-01-01

In the face of shortage of fossil fuel supplies and climate warming triggered by excessive carbon dioxide emission, alternative resources for chemical industry have gained considerable attention. Renewable resources and their derivatives are of particular interest. Glycerol, which constitutes one of the by-products during biodiesel production, is such a substrate. Thus, generated excess glycerol may become an environmental problem, since it cannot be disposed of in the environment. The most promising products obtained from glycerol are polyols, including 1,3-propanediol, an important substrate in the production of synthetic materials, e.g. polyurethanes, unsaturated polyesters, and epoxy resins. Glycerol can be used as a carbon and energy source for microbial growth in industrial microbiology to produce 1,3-propanediol. This paper is a review of metabolic pathways of native producers and E. coli with the acquired ability to produce the diol via genetic manipulations. Culture conditions during 1,3-PDO production and genetic modifications of E. coli used in order to increase efficiency of glycerol bioconversion are also described in this paper.

Pathway Construction in Corynebacterium glutamicum and Strain Engineering To Produce Rare Sugars from Glycerol.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jiangang; Zhu, Yueming; Men, Yan; Sun, Shangshang; Zeng, Yan; Zhang, Ying; Sun, Yuanxia; Ma, Yanhe

2016-12-21

Rare sugars are valuable natural products widely used in pharmaceutical and food industries. In this study, we expected to synthesize rare ketoses from abundant glycerol using dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP)-dependent aldolases. First, a new glycerol assimilation pathway was constructed to synthesize DHAP. The enzymes which convert glycerol to 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde and l-glyceraldehyde were selected, and their corresponding aldehyde synthesis pathways were constructed in vivo. Four aldol pathways based on different aldolases and phosphorylase were gathered. Next, three pathways were assembled and the resulting strains synthesized 5-deoxypsicose, 5-deoxysorbose, and 5-deoxyfructose from glucose and glycerol and produce l-fructose, l-tagatose, l-sorbose, and l-psicose with glycerol as the only carbon source. To achieve higher product titer and yield, the recombinant strains were further engineered and fermentation conditions were optimized. Fed-batch culture of engineered strains obtained 38.1 g/L 5-deoxypsicose with a yield of 0.91 ± 0.04 mol product per mol of glycerol and synthesized 20.8 g/L l-fructose, 10.3 g/L l-tagatose, 1.2 g/L l-sorbose, and 0.95 g/L l-psicose.

Multi-Stacked Supported Lipid Bilayer Micropatterning through Polymer Stencil Lift-Off

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yujie Zhu

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Complex multi-lamellar structures play a critical role in biological systems, where they are present as lamellar bodies, and as part of biological assemblies that control energy transduction processes. Multi-lamellar lipid layers not only provide interesting systems for fundamental research on membrane structure and bilayer-associated polypeptides, but can also serve as components in bioinspired materials or devices. Although the ability to pattern stacked lipid bilayers at the micron scale is of importance for these purposes, limited work has been done in developing such patterning techniques. Here, we present a simple and direct approach to pattern stacked supported lipid bilayers (SLBs using polymer stencil lift-off and the electrostatic interactions between cationic and anionic lipids. Both homogeneous and phase-segregated stacked SLB patterns were produced, demonstrating that the stacked lipid bilayers retain lateral diffusivity. We demonstrate patterned SLB stacks of up to four bilayers, where fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET and quenching was used to probe the interactions between lipid bilayers. Furthermore, the study of lipid phase behaviour showed that gel phase domains align between adjacent layers. The proposed stacked SLB pattern platform provides a robust model for studying lipid behaviour with a controlled number of bilayers, and an attractive means towards building functional bioinspired materials or devices.

Direct esterification of olive-pomace oil using mesoporous silica supported sulfonic acids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Alrouh

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Mesoporous silica MCM-41 and SBA-15 containing propyl sulfonic acid groups were synthesized according to the literature and were characterized by X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption and the H+ exchange capacities of the sulfonic acid groups were titrated. The esterification reaction of glycerol with olive-pomace oil has been carried out by using prepared functionalized mesoporous silica (MCM-41 and SBA-15 as catalysts. It has been monitored by GC two fatty acids (palmitic and oleic acids as reactants in olive-pomace oil and their related monoacylglycerols (Glycerol monopalmitate GMP and monooleate GMO as reaction product. The catalytic activities of the functionalized mesoporous silica were compared with commercial catalysts, these included homogeneous catalysts (p-toluenesulfonic acid and heterogeneous catalysts (Amberlyst-15. The total yield of monoacylglycerols (GMO + GMP was nearly 40%. Remarkably, we found that MCM-41-SO3H was recycled at least 3 times without any loss of activity.

Design and Control of Glycerol-tert-Butyl Alcohol Etherification Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Vlad

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Design, economics, and plantwide control of a glycerol-tert-butyl alcohol (TBA etherification plant are presented. The reaction takes place in liquid phase, in a plug flow reactor, using Amberlyst 15 as a catalyst. The products' separation is achieved by two distillation columns where high-purity ethers are obtained and a section involving extractive distillation with 1,4-butanediol as solvent, which separates TBA from the TBA/water azeotrope. Details of design performed in AspenPlus and an economic evaluation of the process are given. Three plantwide control structures are examined using a mass balance model of the plant. The preferred control structure fixes the fresh glycerol flow rate and the ratio glycerol + monoether : TBA at reactor-inlet. The stability and robustness in the operation are checked by rigorous dynamic simulation in AspenDynamics.

Development Of An Efficient Glycerol Utilizing Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Strain Via Adaptive Laboratory Evolution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Strucko, Tomas; Zirngibl, Katharina; Tharwat Tolba Mohamed, Elsayed

2015-01-01

that popular wild-type laboratory yeast strains, commonly applied in metabolic engineering studies, did not grow or grew very slowly in glycerol medium.In this work, an adaptive laboratory evolution approach to obtain S. cerevisiae strains with an improved ability to grow on glycerol was applied. A broad array...... of evolved strains, which exhibited a significant increase in the specific growth rate and a higher glycerol consumption rate, were isolated. The best performing strains were further analyzed by classical genetics and whole genome re-sequencing in order to understand the molecular basis of glycerol...

Physical-chemical basis of the protection of slowly frozen human erythrocytes by glycerol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rall, W.F.; Mazur, P.; Souzu, H.

1978-07-01

One theory of freezing damage suggests that slowly cooled cells are killed by being exposed to increasing concentrations of electrolytes as the suspending medium freezes. A corollary to this view is that protective additives such as glycerol protect cells by acting colligatively to reduce the electrolyte concentration at any subzero temperature. Recently published phase-diagram data for the ternary system glycerol-NaCl-water by M.L. Shepard et al. (Cryobiology, 13: 9-23, 1976), in combination with the data on human red cell survival vs. subzero temperature presented here and in the companion study of Souzu and Mazur (Biophys. J., 23: 89-100), permit a precise test of this theory. Appropriate liquidus phase-diagram information for the solutions used in the red cell freezing experiments was obtained by interpolation of liquidus data of Shepard and his co-workers. The results of phase-diagram analysis of red cell survival indicate that the correlation between the temperature that yields 50% hemolysis (LT/sub 50/) and the electrolyte concentration attained at that temperature in various concentrations of glycerol is poor. With increasing concentrations of glycerol, the cells were killed at progressively lower concentrations of NaCl. For example, the LT/sub 50/ for cells frozen in the absence of glycerol corresponds to a NaCl concentration of 12 weight percent (2.4 molal), while for cells frozen in 1.75 M glycerol in buffered saline the LT/sub 50/ corresponds to 3.0 weight percent NaCl (1.3 molal). The data, in combination with other findings, lead to two conclusions: (a) The protection from glycerol is due to its colligative ability to reduce the concentration of sodium chloride in the external medium, but (b) the protection is less than that expected from colligative effects; apparently glycerol itself can also be a source of damage, probably because it renders the red cells susceptible to osmotic shock during thawing.

Robustly Engineering Thermal Conductivity of Bilayer Graphene by Interlayer Bonding

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaoliang; Gao, Yufei; Chen, Yuli; Hu, Ming

2016-01-01

Graphene and its bilayer structure are the two-dimensional crystalline form of carbon, whose extraordinary electron mobility and other unique features hold great promise for nanoscale electronics and photonics. Their realistic applications in emerging nanoelectronics usually call for thermal transport manipulation in a controllable and precise manner. In this paper we systematically studied the effect of interlayer covalent bonding, in particular different interlay bonding arrangement, on the thermal conductivity of bilayer graphene using equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. It is revealed that, the thermal conductivity of randomly bonded bilayer graphene decreases monotonically with the increase of interlayer bonding density, however, for the regularly bonded bilayer graphene structure the thermal conductivity possesses unexpectedly non-monotonic dependence on the interlayer bonding density. The results suggest that the thermal conductivity of bilayer graphene depends not only on the interlayer bonding density, but also on the detailed topological configuration of the interlayer bonding. The underlying mechanism for this abnormal phenomenon is identified by means of phonon spectral energy density, participation ratio and mode weight factor analysis. The large tunability of thermal conductivity of bilayer graphene through rational interlayer bonding arrangement paves the way to achieve other desired properties for potential nanoelectronics applications involving graphene layers. PMID:26911859

An electrochemical investigation on the dissolution of bilayered porous anodic alumina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao, Jinfu; Ling, Zhiyuan; Li, Yi; Hu, Xing

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Pulse polarization was introduced to investigate the dissolution of PAA. • Electric field within the bilayers was estimated. • The formation of the barrier layer involves mainly solid-state processes. • The structure should be the determining factor in the dissolution of the bilayers. - Abstract: Anodic alumina attracts much research interest in many disciplines for its versatility. Meanwhile, some aspects regarding its growth are still not well-understood, such as the formation and properties of its bilayer structure. In this paper, along with capacitance measurement, pulse polarization is introduced to study the dissolution of bilayered porous anodic alumina (PAA). Combined with electron microscope observation, the electric field in the outer layer is estimated to be slightly higher than that in the inner layer. By comparing with (oxy-)hydroxide layers, the electric field distribution within barrier layer of PAA confirms that the bilayers are compact and are formed mainly by solid-state ionic migration. The changes of dissolution rates after annealing and application of electric pulses suggest that structure may be a determining factor for the dissolution behaviors of the bilayers.

Proton permeation of lipid bilayers.

Science.gov (United States)

Deamer, D W

1987-10-01

Proton permeation of the lipid bilayer barrier has two unique features. First, permeability coefficients measured at neutral pH ranges are six to seven orders of magnitude greater than expected from knowledge of other monovalent cations. Second, proton conductance across planar lipid bilayers varies at most by a factor of 10 when pH is varied from near 1 to near 11. Two mechanisms have been proposed to account for this anomalous behavior: proton conductance related to contaminants of lipid bilayers, and proton translocation along transient hydrogen-bonded chains (tHBC) of associated water molecules in the membrane. The weight of evidence suggests that trace contaminants may contribute to proton conductance across planar lipid membranes at certain pH ranges, but cannot account for the anomalous proton flux in liposome systems. Two new results will be reported here which were designed to test the tHBC model. These include measurements of relative proton/potassium permeability in the gramicidin channel, and plots of proton flux against the magnitude of pH gradients. (1) The relative permeabilities of protons and potassium through the gramicidin channel, which contains a single strand of hydrogen-bonded water molecules, were found to differ by at least four orders of magnitude when measured at neutral pH ranges. This result demonstrates that a hydrogen-bonded chain of water molecules can provide substantial discrimination between protons and other cations. It was also possible to calculate that if approximately 7% of bilayer water was present in a transient configuration similar to that of the gramicidin channel, it could account for the measured proton flux. (2) The plot of proton conductance against pH gradient across liposome membranes was superlinear, a result that is consistent with one of three alternative tHBC models for proton conductance described by Nagle elsewhere in this volume.

The Integrin Receptor in Biologically Relevant Bilayers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kalli, Antreas C.; Róg, Tomasz; Vattulainen, Ilpo

2017-01-01

/talin complex was inserted in biologically relevant bilayers that resemble the cell plasma membrane containing zwitterionic and charged phospholipids, cholesterol and sphingolipids to study the dynamics of the integrin receptor and its effect on bilayer structure and dynamics. The results of this study...... demonstrate the dynamic nature of the integrin receptor and suggest that the presence of the integrin receptor alters the lipid organization between the two leaflets of the bilayer. In particular, our results suggest elevated density of cholesterol and of phosphatidylserine lipids around the integrin....../talin complex and a slowing down of lipids in an annulus of ~30 Å around the protein due to interactions between the lipids and the integrin/talin F2–F3 complex. This may in part regulate the interactions of integrins with other related proteins or integrin clustering thus facilitating signal transduction...

Chiral tunneling in a twisted graphene bilayer.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Wen-Yu; Chu, Zhao-Dong; He, Lin

2013-08-09

The perfect transmission in a graphene monolayer and the perfect reflection in a Bernal graphene bilayer for electrons incident in the normal direction of a potential barrier are viewed as two incarnations of the Klein paradox. Here we show a new and unique incarnation of the Klein paradox. Owing to the different chiralities of the quasiparticles involved, the chiral fermions in a twisted graphene bilayer show an adjustable probability of chiral tunneling for normal incidence: they can be changed from perfect tunneling to partial or perfect reflection, or vice versa, by controlling either the height of the barrier or the incident energy. As well as addressing basic physics about how the chiral fermions with different chiralities tunnel through a barrier, our results provide a facile route to tune the electronic properties of the twisted graphene bilayer.

Comparison of glycerol, lactamide, acetamide and dimethylsulfoxide as cryoprotectants of Japanese white rabbit spermatozoa.

Science.gov (United States)

Kashiwazaki, Naomi; Okuda, Yasushi; Seita, Yasunari; Hisamatsu, Shin; Sonoki, Shigenori; Shino, Masao; Masaoka, Toshio; Inomata, Tomo

2006-08-01

The rabbit is considered to be a valuable laboratory animal. We compared glycerol, lactamide, acetamide, and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) as cryoprotectants in egg-yolk diluent of ejaculated Japanese white rabbit spermatozoa for improvement of sperm cryopreservation methods. Rabbit semen was frozen with 1.0 M glycerol, lactamide, acetamide, or DMSO in plastic straws. Forward progressive motility and plasma membrane integrity of the post-thaw spermatozoa were examined. The rate of forward progressive motile spermatozoa in lactamide (37.8 +/- 3.0%) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than in glycerol (17.0 +/- 3.3%). In addition, the rates of sperm plasma membrane integrity in lactamide and acetamide (35.9 +/- 3.3% and 30.2 +/- 3.0%, respectively) were significantly (P<0.05) higher than in glycerol (17.0 +/- 2.6%). The results indicate that 1.0 M lactamide and acetamide have higher cryoprotective effects than 1.0 M glycerol for cryopreservation of Japanese white rabbit spermatozoa.

Efficient utilization of crude glycerol as fermentation substrate in the synthesis of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) biopolymers

Science.gov (United States)

One refined and 2 crude glycerol samples were utilized to produce poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) by Pseudomonas oleovorans NRRL B-14682. Fermentation conditions were determined to efficiently utilize glycerol while maintaining PHB yields. A batch culture protocol including 1% glycerol and an aerati...

Cyclotron resonance in bilayer graphene.

Science.gov (United States)

Henriksen, E A; Jiang, Z; Tung, L-C; Schwartz, M E; Takita, M; Wang, Y-J; Kim, P; Stormer, H L

2008-02-29

We present the first measurements of cyclotron resonance of electrons and holes in bilayer graphene. In magnetic fields up to B=18 T, we observe four distinct intraband transitions in both the conduction and valence bands. The transition energies are roughly linear in B between the lowest Landau levels, whereas they follow square root[B] for the higher transitions. This highly unusual behavior represents a change from a parabolic to a linear energy dispersion. The density of states derived from our data generally agrees with the existing lowest order tight binding calculation for bilayer graphene. However, in comparing data to theory, a single set of fitting parameters fails to describe the experimental results.

Electronic and Optical Properties of Twisted Bilayer Graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Shengqiang

The ability to isolate single atomic layers of van der Waals materials has led to renewed interest in the electronic and optical properties of these materials as they can be fundamentally different at the monolayer limit. Moreover, these 2D crystals can be assembled together layer by layer, with controllable sequence and orientation, to form artificial materials that exhibit new features that are not found in monolayers nor bulk. Twisted bilayer graphene is one such prototype system formed by two monolayer graphene layers placed on top of each other with a twist angle between their lattices, whose electronic band structure depends on the twist angle. This thesis presents the efforts to explore the electronic and optical properties of twisted bilayer graphene by Raman spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy measurements. We first synthesize twisted bilayer graphene with various twist angles via chemical vapor deposition. Using a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, the twist angles are determined. The strength of the Raman G peak is sensitive to the electronic band structure of twisted bilayer graphene and therefore we use this peak to monitor changes upon doping. Our results demonstrate the ability to modify the electronic and optical properties of twisted bilayer graphene with doping. We also fabricate twisted bilayer graphene by controllable stacking of two graphene monolayers with a dry transfer technique. For twist angles smaller than one degree, many body interactions play an important role. It requires eight electrons per moire unit cell to fill up each band instead of four electrons in the case of a larger twist angle. For twist angles smaller than 0.4 degree, a network of domain walls separating AB and BA stacking regions forms, which are predicted to host topologically protected helical states. Using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, these states are confirmed to appear on the domain walls when inversion

Tungsten Trioxide/Zinc Tungstate Bilayers: Electrochromic Behaviors, Energy Storage and Electron Transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Huige; Ding, Daowei; Yan, Xingru; Guo, Jiang; Shao, Lu; Chen, Haoran; Sun, Luyi; Colorado, Henry A.; Wei, Suying; Guo, Zhanhu

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Tungsten oxide and zinc tungstate bilayers have been prepared via a facile sol-gel method for integrated applications of electrochromic behaviors and energy storage;. • Electron transfer behaviors between the semiconductor bilayer films have been found dependent on the bilayer assembly sequence;. • Methylene blue (MB) has been employed for the first time as an indicator to study the electron transfer phenomenon in the bilayer films. - Abstract: Pair-sequentially spin-coated tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) and zinc tungstate (ZnWO 4 ) bilayer films onto indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass slides have been prepared via sol-gel methods followed by annealing. The bilayers (ZnWO 4 /WO 3 denoting the bilayer film with the inner layer of ZnWO 4 and the outer layer of WO 3 on the ITO while WO 3 /ZnWO 4 standing for the bilayer film with the inner layer of WO 3 and the outer layer of ZnWO 4 on the ITO) exhibit integrated functions of electrochromic and energy storage behaviors as indicated by the in situ spectroelectrochemistry and cyclic voltammetry (CV) results. Accordingly, blue color was observed for the bilayer films at -1 V in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 solution. An areal capacitance of 140 and 230 μF/cm 2 was obtained for the ZnWO 4 /WO 3 , and WO 3 /ZnWO 4 film, respectively, at a scan rate of 0.05 V/s in the CV measurements. The CV results also unveiled the electron transfer behavior between the semiconductor films in the oxidation process, suggesting a sequence-dependent electrochemical response in the bilayer films. Meanwhile, methylene blue (MB) was used as an indicator to study the electron transfer phenomenon during the reduction process at negative potentials of -0.4 and -0.8 V, in 0.5 M Na 2 SO 4 . The results indicated that the electrons transfer across the bilayers was enhanced at more negative potentials

A simple method to tune graphene growth between monolayer and bilayer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaozhi Xu

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Selective growth of either monolayer or bilayer graphene is of great importance. We developed a method to readily tune large area graphene growth from complete monolayer to complete bilayer. In an ambient pressure chemical vapor deposition process, we used the sample temperature at which to start the H2 flow as the control parameter and realized the change from monolayer to bilayer growth of graphene on Cu foil. When the H2 starting temperature was above 700°C, continuous monolayer graphene films were obtained. When the H2 starting temperature was below 350°C, continuous bilayer films were obtained. Detailed characterization of the samples treated under various conditions revealed that heating without the H2 flow caused Cu oxidation. The more the Cu substrate oxidized, the less graphene bilayer could form.

Influence of ester-modified lipids on bilayer structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Villanueva, Diana Y; Lim, Joseph B; Klauda, Jeffery B

2013-11-19

Lipid membranes function as barriers for cells to prevent unwanted chemicals from entering the cell and wanted chemicals from leaving. Because of their hydrophobic interior, membranes do not allow water to penetrate beyond the headgroup region. We performed molecular simulations to examine the effects of ester-modified lipids, which contain ester groups along their hydrocarbon chains, on bilayer structure. We chose two lipids from those presented in Menger et al. [J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 14034] with ester groups in (1) the upper half of the lipid chain (MEPC) and (2) the middle and end of the lipid chain (MGPC). MGPC (30%)/POPC bilayers formed stable water pores of diameter 5-7 Å, but MGPC (22%)/POPC and MEPC (30%)/POPC bilayers did not form these defects. These pores were similar to those formed during electroporation; i.e., the head groups lined the pore and allowed water and ions to transport across the bilayer. However, we found that lateral organization of the MGPC lipids into clusters, instead of an electric field or charge disparity as in electroporation, was essential for pore formation. On the basis of this, we propose an overall mechanism for pore formation. The similarities between the ester-modified lipids and byproducts of lipid peroxidation with multiple hydrophilic groups in the middle of the chain suggest that free radical reactions with unsaturated lipids and sterols result in fundamental changes that may be similar to what is seen in bilayers with ester-modified lipids.

Tethered and Polymer Supported Bilayer Lipid Membranes: Structure and Function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jakob Andersson

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Solid supported bilayer lipid membranes are model systems to mimic natural cell membranes in order to understand structural and functional properties of such systems. The use of a model system allows for the use of a wide variety of analytical tools including atomic force microscopy, impedance spectroscopy, neutron reflectometry, and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. Among the large number of different types of model membranes polymer-supported and tethered lipid bilayers have been shown to be versatile and useful systems. Both systems consist of a lipid bilayer, which is de-coupled from an underlying support by a spacer cushion. Both systems will be reviewed, with an emphasis on the effect that the spacer moiety has on the bilayer properties.

Ultrafast lithium diffusion in bilayer graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Kühne, Matthias; Paolucci, Federico; Popovic, Jelena; Ostrovsky, Pavel M.; Maier, Joachim; Smet, Jurgen H.

2017-09-01

Solids that simultaneously conduct electrons and ions are key elements for the mass transfer and storage required in battery electrodes. Single-phase materials with a high electronic and high ionic conductivity at room temperature are hard to come by, and therefore multiphase systems with separate ion and electron channels have been put forward instead. Here we report on bilayer graphene as a single-phase mixed conductor that demonstrates Li diffusion faster than in graphite and even surpassing the diffusion of sodium chloride in liquid water. To measure Li diffusion, we have developed an on-chip electrochemical cell architecture in which the redox reaction that forces Li intercalation is localized only at a protrusion of the device so that the graphene bilayer remains unperturbed from the electrolyte during operation. We performed time-dependent Hall measurements across spatially displaced Hall probes to monitor the in-plane Li diffusion kinetics within the graphene bilayer and measured a diffusion coefficient as high as 7 × 10-5 cm2 s-1.

Lack of Aquaporin 3 in bovine erythrocyte membranes correlates with low glycerol permeation.

Science.gov (United States)

Campos, Elisa; Moura, Teresa F; Oliva, Abel; Leandro, Paula; Soveral, Graça

2011-05-13

In general, erythrocytes are highly permeable to water, urea and glycerol. However, expression of aquaporin isoforms in erythrocytes appears to be species characteristic. In the present study, human (hRBC) and bovine (bRBC) erythrocytes were chosen for comparative studies due to their significant difference in membrane glycerol permeability. Osmotic water permeability (P(f)) at 23°C was (2.89 ± 0.37) × 10(-2) and (5.12 ± 0.61) × 10(-2)cms(-1) for human and bovine cells, respectively, with similar activation energies for water transport. Glycerol permeability (P(gly)) for human ((1.37 ± 0.26) × 10(-5)cms(-1)) differed in three orders of magnitude from bovine erythrocytes ((5.82 ± 0.37) × 10(-8)cms(-1)) that also showed higher activation energy for glycerol transport. When compared to human, bovine erythrocytes showed a similar expression pattern of AQP1 glycosylated forms on immunoblot analysis, though in slight higher levels, which could be correlated with the 1.5-fold larger P(f) found. However, AQP3 expression was not detectable. Immunofluorescence analysis confirmed the absence of AQP3 expression in bovine erythrocyte membranes. In conclusion, lack of AQP3 in bovine erythrocytes points to the lipid pathway as responsible for glycerol permeation and explains the low glycerol permeability and high E(a) for transport observed in ruminants. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the performance characteristics of bilayer tablets: Part II. Impact of environmental conditions on the strength of bilayer tablets.

Science.gov (United States)

Kottala, Niranjan; Abebe, Admassu; Sprockel, Omar; Bergum, James; Nikfar, Faranak; Cuitiño, Alberto M

2012-12-01

Ambient air humidity and temperature are known to influence the mechanical strength of tablets. The objective of this work is to understand the influence of processing parameters and environmental conditions (humidity and temperature) on the strength of bilayer tablets. As part of this study, bilayer tablets were compressed with different layer ratios, dwell times, layer sequences, material properties (plastic and brittle), first and second layer forces, and lubricant concentrations. Compressed tablets were stored in stability chambers controlled at predetermined conditions (40C/45%RH, 40C/75%RH) for 1, 3, and 5 days. The axial strength of the stored tablets was measured and a statistical model was developed to determine the effects of the aforementioned factors on the strength of bilayer tablets. As part of this endeavor, a full 3 × 2(4) factorial design was executed. Responses of the experiments were analyzed using PROC GLM of SAS (SAS Institute Inc, Cary, North Carolina, USA). A model was fit using all the responses to determine the significant interactions (p < 0.05). Results of this study indicated that storage conditions and storage time have significant impact on the strength of bilayer tablets. For Avicel-lactose and lactose-Avicel tablets, tablet strength decreased with the increasing humidity and storage time. But for lactose-lactose tablets, due to the formation of solid bridges upon storage, an increase in tablet strength was observed. Significant interactions were observed between processing parameters and storage conditions on the strength of bilayer tablets.

Microbial Conversion of Waste Glycerol from Biodiesel Production into Value-Added Products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong Liu

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Biodiesel has gained a significant amount of attention over the past decade as an environmentally friendly fuel that is capable of being utilized by a conventional diesel engine. However, the biodiesel production process generates glycerol-containing waste streams which have become a disposal issue for biodiesel plants and generated a surplus of glycerol. A value-added opportunity is needed in order to compensate for disposal-associated costs. Microbial conversions from glycerol to valuable chemicals performed by various bacteria, yeast, fungi, and microalgae are discussed in this review paper, as well as the possibility of extending these conversions to microbial electrochemical technologies.

Synthesis of substituted 1,3-diesters of glycerol using wittig chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Lowe, Henry I C; Toyang, Ngeh J; Watson, Charah T; Bryant, Joseph

2014-05-01

1,3-di-O-Cinnamoyl-glycerol is a natural compound isolated from a Jamaican medicinal plant commonly referred to as Ball moss (Tillandsia recurvata). The synthesis of this compound was achieved via a Wittig chemistry process. The synthetic approach started with acylation of a di-protected glycerol with cinnamoyl chloride, deprotection of the glycerol moiety, reaction of the primary alcohol with bromo acetylbromide followed by treatment with triphenyl phosphine to give the corresponding phosphonium bromide. The phosphonium bromide was then converted in situ to the Wittig reagent which is the basis for a novel route to 1,3-di-O-cinnamoyl glycerol. Four analogs were also synthesized, three of which are new and are being reported in this article for the first time. The new compounds include 3-(3,4-diemthoxy-phenyl)-acrylic acid 2-hydroxy-3-(3-ptolyl-acryloyloxy)-propyl ester (3), 2-acetoxy-5-((E)-3-(3-((E)-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)acryloyloxy)-2-hydropropoxy)-3-oxoprop- 1-enyl)benzoic acid (4) and 4-((E)-3-(3-((E)-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)acryloyloxy)-2-hydropropoxy)-3-oxoprop-1-enyl)benzoic acid (5). The compounds showed no activity in our anticancer assay.

Lipids, lipid bilayers and vesicles as seen by neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seto, Hideki

2011-01-01

Lipid molecules self-assemble into bilayers in water with their hydrocarbon chains facing inward due to their amphiphilic nature. The structural and dynamical properties of lipids and lipid bilayers have been studied by neutron scattering intensively. In this article, 3 topics are shown as typical examples. 1) a time-resolved small-angle neutron scattering on uni-lamellar vesicles composed of deuterated and protonated lipids to determine lipid kinetics, 2) small-angle neutron scattering to investigate spontaneous formation of nanopores on uni-lamellar vesicles, and 3) neutron spin echo study to determine bending modulus of lipid bilayers. (author)

Selective Hydrogenolysis of Glycerol and Crude Glycerol (a By-Product or Waste Stream from the Biodiesel Industry to 1,2-Propanediol over B2O3 Promoted Cu/Al2O3 Catalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malaya R. Nanda

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The performance of boron oxide (B2O3-promoted Cu/Al2O3 catalyst in the selective hydrogenolysis of glycerol and crude glycerol (a by-product or waste stream from the biodiesel industry to produce 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PDO was investigated. The catalysts were characterized using N2-adsorption-desorption isotherm, Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES, X-ray diffraction (XRD, ammonia temperature programmed desorption (NH3-TPD, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, temperature programmed reduction (TPR, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM. Incorporation of B2O3 to Cu/Al2O3 was found to enhance the catalytic activity. At the optimum condition (250 °C, 6 MPa H2 pressure, 0.1 h−1 WHSV (weight hourly space velocity, and 5Cu-B/Al2O3 catalyst, 10 wt% aqueous solution of glycerol was converted into 1,2-PDO at 98 ± 2% glycerol conversion and 98 ± 2% selectivity. The effects of temperature, pressure, boron addition amount, and liquid hourly space velocity were studied. Different grades of glycerol (pharmaceutical, technical, or crude glycerol were used in the process to investigate the stability and resistance to deactivation of the selected 5Cu-B/Al2O3 catalyst.

Bi-layer plate-type acoustic metamaterials with Willis coupling

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Fuyin; Huang, Meng; Xu, Yicai; Wu, Jiu Hui

2018-01-01

Dynamic effective negative parameters are principal to the representation of the physical properties of metamaterials. In this paper, a bi-layer plate-type unit was proposed with both a negative mass density and a negative bulk modulus; moreover, through analysis of these bi-layer structures, some important problems about acoustic metamaterials were studied. First, dynamic effective mass densities and the bulk modulus of the bi-layer plate-type acoustic structure were clarified through both the direct and the retrieval methods, and, in addition, the intrinsic relationship between the sound transmission (absorption) characteristics and the effective parameters was analyzed. Furthermore, the properties of dynamic effective parameters for an asymmetric bi-layer acoustic structure were further considered through an analysis of experimental data, and the modified effective parameters were then obtained through consideration of the Willis coupling in the asymmetric passive system. In addition, by taking both the clamped and the periodic boundary conditions into consideration in the bi-layer plate-type acoustic system, new perspectives were presented for study on the effective parameters and sound insulation properties in the range below the cut-off frequency. The special acoustic properties established by these effective parameters could enrich our knowledge and provide guidance for the design and installation of acoustic metamaterial structures in future sound engineering practice.

Acrolein Production by Gas-Phase Glycerol Dehydration Using PO₄/Nb₂O5 Catalysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Kyu Am; Ryoo, HeeKyoung; Ma, Byung Chol; Kim, Youngchul

2018-02-01

In this study, modified niobium oxide were prepared to study the addictive effects on the catalytic performance for gas-phase glycerol dehydration. The catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption/desorption, XRD, NH3-TPD, FT-IR. The amount of phosphoric acid was up to 50 wt% in niobium. As a result, the highest glycerol conversion was achieved over 20 wt% PO4/Nb2O5. It indicates that the optimal amount of phosphoric acid leads the catalyst to have appropriate acidity which is an important factor for gas-phase glycerol dehydration.

High hydrogen production from glycerol or glucose by electrohydrogenesis using microbial electrolysis cells

KAUST Repository

Selembo, Priscilla A.; Perez, Joe M.; Lloyd, Wallis A.; Logan, Bruce E.

2009-01-01

The use of glycerol for hydrogen gas production was examined via electrohydrogenesis using microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). A hydrogen yield of 3.9 mol-H2/mol was obtained using glycerol, which is higher than that possible by fermentation

Enhancing Biodiesel Production Using Green Glycerol-Enriched Calcium Oxide Catalyst : An Optimization Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Avhad, Mangesh R.; Gangurde, L.S.; Sánchez, Marcos; Bouaid, Abderrahim; Aracil, José; Martínez, Mercedes; Marchetti, Jorge M.

2018-01-01

The present article demonstrates a superior catalytic performance of glycerol-enriched calcium oxide for biodiesel production than other calcium-based counterparts. The proficiency of glycerol-enriched calcium oxide in catalyzing the methanolysis of crude Jatropha curcas oil containing high free

Microstructure and molecular interaction in glycerol plasticized chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) blending films

Science.gov (United States)

Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/chitosan (CS) blended films plasticized by glycerol were investigated using mechanical testing, atomic force microscopy (AFM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and FTIR spectroscopy, with primary emphasis on the effects of the glycerol content and the molecular weig...

Synthesis of Acrolein From Glycerol Using FePO4 Catalyst in Liquid Phase Dehydration

OpenAIRE

Abidin, Akhmad Zainal; Afandi, Rani Guslianti; Graha, Hafis Pratama Rendra

2016-01-01

Acrolein is currently produced using propylene from crude oil while its price and scarcity are increasing. A renewable material such as glycerol is an attractive alternative for acrolein production. It can be obtained from crude palm oil (CPO) and is a byproduct of biodiesel production. Besides being able to compete economically, glycerol is an environmentally friendly material. The purpose of this study is to synthesize acrolein from glycerol using FePO4 catalyst in liquid phase dehydration....

Quantitative Raman microspectroscopy for water permeability parameters at a droplet interface bilayer.

Science.gov (United States)

Braziel, S; Sullivan, K; Lee, S

2018-01-29

Using confocal Raman microspectroscopy, we derive parameters for bilayer water transport across an isolated nanoliter aqueous droplet pair. For a bilayer formed with two osmotically imbalanced and adherent nanoliter aqueous droplets in a surrounding oil solvent, a droplet interface bilayer (DIB), the water permeability coefficient across the lipid bilayer was determined from monitoring the Raman scattering from the C[triple bond, length as m-dash]N stretching mode of K 3 Fe(CN) 6 as a measure of water uptake into the swelling droplet of a DIB pair. We also derive passive diffusional permeability coefficient for D 2 O transport across a droplet bilayer using O-D Raman signal. This method provides a significant methodological advance in determining water permeability coefficients in a convenient and reliable way.

Pairing of cholesterol with oxidized phospholipid species in lipid bilayers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khandelia, Himanshu; Loubet, Bastien; Olzynska, Agnieszka

2014-01-01

We claim that (1) cholesterol protects bilayers from disruption caused by lipid oxidation by sequestering conical shaped oxidized lipid species such as 1-palmitoyl-2-azelaoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PZPC) away from phospholipid, because cholesterol and the oxidized lipid have complementary...... shapes and (2) mixtures of cholesterol and oxidized lipids can self-assemble into bilayers much like lysolipid–cholesterol mixtures. The evidence for bilayer protection comes from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. Unimodal size distributions of extruded...... vesicles (LUVETs) made up of a mixture of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) and PZPC containing high amounts of PZPC are only obtained when cholesterol is present in high concentrations. In simulations, bilayers containing high amounts of PZPC become porous, unless cholesterol is also present...

Effect of fermentation parameters on bio-alcohols production from glycerol using immobilized Clostridium pasteurianum: an optimization study.

Science.gov (United States)

Khanna, Swati; Goyal, Arun; Moholkar, Vijayanand S

2013-01-01

This article addresses the issue of effect of fermentation parameters for conversion of glycerol (in both pure and crude form) into three value-added products, namely, ethanol, butanol, and 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO), by immobilized Clostridium pasteurianum and thereby addresses the statistical optimization of this process. The analysis of effect of different process parameters such as agitation rate, fermentation temperature, medium pH, and initial glycerol concentration indicated that medium pH was the most critical factor for total alcohols production in case of pure glycerol as fermentation substrate. On the other hand, initial glycerol concentration was the most significant factor for fermentation with crude glycerol. An interesting observation was that the optimized set of fermentation parameters was found to be independent of the type of glycerol (either pure or crude) used. At optimum conditions of agitation rate (200 rpm), initial glycerol concentration (25 g/L), fermentation temperature (30°C), and medium pH (7.0), the total alcohols production was almost equal in anaerobic shake flasks and 2-L bioreactor. This essentially means that at optimum process parameters, the scale of operation does not affect the output of the process. The immobilized cells could be reused for multiple cycles for both pure and crude glycerol fermentation.

A new continuous-flow process for catalytic conversion of glycerol to oxygenated fuel additive: Catalyst screening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nanda, Malaya R.; Yuan, Zhongshun; Qin, Wensheng; Ghaziaskar, Hassan S.; Poirier, Marc-Andre; Xu, Chunbao

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A continuous-flow process for catalytic synthesis of solketal from glycerol. • Six different heterogeneous acid catalysts were studied in the process. • Glycerol conversion and solketal yield of 90% and 88% respectively were achieved. • The process has the potential to be scaled-up for industrial applications. - Abstract: A new continuous-flow reactor was designed for the conversion of glycerol to solketal, an oxygenated fuel additive, through ketalization with acetone. Six heterogeneous catalysts were investigated with respect to their catalytic activity and stability in a flow reactor. The acidity of the catalysts positively influences the catalyst’s activity. Among all the solid acid catalysts tested, the maximum solketal yield from experiments at 40 °C, 600 psi and WHSV of 4 h −1 attained 73% and 88% at the acetone/glycerol molar ratio of 2.0 and 6.0, respectively, with Amberlyst Wet. Based on the solketal yield and glycerol conversion results, the activity of all catalysts tested follows the following order of sequence: Amberlyst Wet ≈ Zeolite ≈ Amberlyst Dry > Zirconium Sulfate > Montmorillonite > Polymax. An increase in acetone/glycerol molar ratio or a decrease in WHSV enhanced the glycerol conversion as expected. This process offers an attractive route for converting glycerol, the main by-product of biodiesel, to solketal – a value-added green product with potential industrial applications as a valuable fuel additive or combustion promoter for gasoline engines

Anaerobic and aerobic batch cultivations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants impaired in glycerol synthesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nissen, Torben Lauesgaard; Hamann, Claus Wendelboe; Kielland-Brandt, M. C.

2000-01-01

Glycerol is formed as a by-product in production of ethanol and baker's yeast during fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae under anaerobic and aerobic growth conditions, respectively. One physiological role of glycerol formation by yeast is to reoxidize NADH, formed in synthesis of biomass...

Layer configurations comparison of bilayer-films for EGFET pH sensor application

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, R. A.; Zulkefle, M. A.; Yusof, K. A.; Abdullah, W. F. H.; Rusop, M.; Herman, S. H.

2018-05-01

The comparison between bilayer configurations were presented in this paper. TiO2 and ZnO layer configurations were manipulated in order to investigate which configuration produce highest sensing performance to be applied as EGFET pH sensor. Both of the materials were deposited together as the bilayer film. The configurations were manipulated between TiO2/ZnO and ZnO/TiO2. ITO was used as the substrate in this study and both of the materials were deposited by using sol-gel spin coating technique. After deposition process, these bilayer film then undergone for EGFET pH sensor measurement and physical characterization. The EGFET pH sensor measurement was done by dipping the fabricated bilayer film into three different pH values, which is pH4, pH7 and pH10. Bilayer film act as the pH-sensitive membrane, which connected to the commercial metal-oxide semiconductor FET (MOSFET). This MOSFET was connected to the interfacing circuit. Voltage output obtained were recorded and the graph was plotted by using the data recorded. Based on the EGFET pH sensor measurement, TiO2/ZnO bilayer film exhibit higher sensing performance, compared with ZnO/TiO2. TiO2/ZnO bilayer film produced 53.10 mV/pH with the linearity value of 0.9913. Afterwards, fabricated bilayer films then were characterized with AFM to explore their surface roughness and surface topography behavior.

Bias induced modulation of electrical and thermal conductivity and heat capacity of BN and BN/graphene bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chegel, Raad, E-mail: Raad.chegel@gmail.com

2017-04-15

By using the tight binding approximation and Green function method, the electronic structure, density of state, electrical conductivity, heat capacity of BN and BN/graphene bilayers are investigated. The AA-, AB{sub 1}- and AB{sub 2}- BN/graphene bilayers have small gap unlike to BN bilayers which are wide band gap semiconductors. Unlike to BN bilayer, the energy gap of graphene/BN bilayers increases with external field. The magnitude of the change in the band gap of BN bilayers is much higher than the graphene/BN bilayers. Near absolute zero, the σ(T) is zero for BN bilayers and it increases with temperature until reaches maximum value then decreases. The BN/graphene bilayers have larger electrical conductivity larger than BN bilayers. For both bilayers, the specific heat capacity has a Schottky anomaly.

Modelling of pyrolysis and combustion of gluten-glycerol-based bioplastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-Martínez, D; Barneto, A G; Martínez, I; Partal, P

2011-05-01

Non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis, under nitrogen and air atmospheres, has been applied to study the thermal degradation of wheat gluten and gluten-glycerol-based bioplastics. In order to explain experimental data, thermal degradation has been simulated using the so-called pseudo-components, which are related to protein fraction (mainly gliadin and glutenin), residual starch and plasticiser. Thus, the proposed models have been used to shed some light on the thermal decomposition of these materials, which have been found affected by their compositions and microstructures. Modelling confirms the experimental bioplastic and gluten isolate compositions, e.g. bioplastic moisture content, starch concentration and the expected gliadin/glutenin ratio. According to the simulation, the glycerol volatilisation is affected by bioplastic moisture content and hindered by the protein matrix. A fact pointing out that glycerol/water blend plays relevant plasticizing roles in the protein matrix through diverse physicochemical interactions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improvement in solvent tolerance by exogenous glycerol in Pseudomonas sp. BCNU 106.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, H J; Lim, B R; Park, Y J; Joo, W H

2017-08-01

Solvent hypertolerant Pseudomonas sp. BCNU 106 still has some underlying growth limitation in solvents. Therefore, efficient mass cultivation methods are needed to pursue its applications in biotechnology. Pseudomonas sp. BCNU 106 was cultured in a medium supplemented with 0·05 mol l -1 glycerol and cell survival was monitored during its cultivation in the presence of 1% (v/v) toluene. Exogenously supplemented glycerol provided more protection against damage caused by toluene stress and conferred higher solvent tolerance of Pseudomonas sp. BCNU 106 to toluene compared to control Pseudomonas sp. BCNU 106 without the supplementation of glycerol. This low-cost mass cultivation method can be used to efficiently apply solvent-tolerant bacteria in biotransformation and biodegradation. Protection against toluene and improvement in bacterial cell growth by supplementation of glycerol in the presence of toluene are demonstrated in this study. This result can be used to solve growth-related hindrances of solvent-tolerant bacteria and establish their low-cost mass cultivation, thereby broadening their industrial and environmental applications. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Bilayer graphene quantum dot defined by topgates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Müller, André; Kaestner, Bernd; Hohls, Frank; Weimann, Thomas; Pierz, Klaus; Schumacher, Hans W., E-mail: hans.w.schumacher@ptb.de [Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Bundesallee 100, 38116 Braunschweig (Germany)

2014-06-21

We investigate the application of nanoscale topgates on exfoliated bilayer graphene to define quantum dot devices. At temperatures below 500 mK, the conductance underneath the grounded gates is suppressed, which we attribute to nearest neighbour hopping and strain-induced piezoelectric fields. The gate-layout can thus be used to define resistive regions by tuning into the corresponding temperature range. We use this method to define a quantum dot structure in bilayer graphene showing Coulomb blockade oscillations consistent with the gate layout.

Corrugation of Phase-Separated Lipid Bilayers Supported by Nanoporous Silica Xerogel Surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goksu, E I; Nellis, B A; Lin, W; Satcher Jr., J H; Groves, J T; Risbud, S H; Longo, M L

2008-10-30

Lipid bilayers supported by substrates with nanometer-scale surface corrugations holds interest in understanding both nanoparticle-membrane interactions and the challenges of constructing models of cell membranes on surfaces with desirable properties, e.g. porosity. Here, we successfully form a two-phase (gel-fluid) lipid bilayer supported by nanoporous silica xerogel. Surface topology, diffusion, and lipid density in comparison to mica-supported lipid bilayers were characterized by AFM, FRAP, FCS, and quantitative fluorescence microscopy, respectively. We found that the two-phase lipid bilayer follows the xerogel surface contours. The corrugation imparted on the lipid bilayer results in a lipid density that is twice that on a flat mica surface. In direct agreement with the doubling of actual bilayer area in a projected area, we find that the lateral diffusion coefficient (D) of lipids on xerogel ({approx}1.7 {micro}m{sup 2}/s) is predictably lower than on mica ({approx}4.1 {micro}m{sup 2}/s) by both FRAP and FCS techniques. Furthermore, the gel-phase domains on xerogel compared to mica were larger and less numerous. Overall, our results suggest the presence of a relatively defect-free continuous two-phase bilayer that penetrates approximately midway into the first layer of {approx}50 nm xerogel beads.

Porous Materials to Support Bilayer Lipid Membranes for Ion Channel Biosensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thai Phung

2011-01-01

Full Text Available To identify materials suitable as membrane supports for ion channel biosensors, six filter materials of varying hydrophobicity, tortuosity, and thickness were examined for their ability to support bilayer lipid membranes as determined by electrical impedance spectroscopy. Bilayers supported by hydrophobic materials (PTFE, polycarbonate, nylon, and silanised silver had optimal resistance (14–19 GΩ and capacitance (0.8–1.6 μF values whereas those with low hydrophobicity did not form BLMs (PVDF or were short-lived (unsilanised silver. The ability of ion channels to function in BLMs was assessed using a method recently reported to improve the efficiency of proteoliposome incorporation into PTFE-supported bilayers. Voltage-gated sodium channel activation by veratridine and inhibition by saxitoxin showed activity for PTFE, nylon, and silanised silver, but not polycarbonate. Bilayers on thicker, more tortuous, and hydrophobic materials produced higher current levels. Bilayers that self-assembled on PTFE filters were the longest lived and produced the most channel activity using this method.

Filament networks attached to membranes: cytoskeletal pressure and local bilayer deformation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auth, Thorsten; Safran, S A; Gov, Nir S

2007-01-01

Several cell types, among them red blood cells, have a cortical, two-dimensional (2D) network of filaments sparsely attached to their lipid bilayer. In many mammalian cells, this 2D polymer network is connected to an underlying 3D, more rigid cytoskeleton. In this paper, we consider the pressure exerted by the thermally fluctuating, cortical network of filaments on the bilayer and predict the bilayer deformations that are induced by this pressure. We treat the filaments as flexible polymers and calculate the pressure that a network of such linear chains exerts on the bilayer; we then minimize the bilayer shape in order to predict the resulting local deformations. We compare our predictions with membrane deformations observed in electron micrographs of red blood cells. The polymer pressure along with the resulting membrane deformation can lead to compartmentalization, regulate in-plane diffusion and may influence protein sorting as well as transmit signals to the polymerization of the underlying 3D cytoskeleton

Assessment of bilayer silicene to probe as quantum spin and valley Hall effect

Science.gov (United States)

Rehman, Majeed Ur; Qiao, Zhenhua

2018-02-01

Silicene takes precedence over graphene due to its buckling type structure and strong spin orbit coupling. Motivated by these properties, we study the silicene bilayer in the presence of applied perpendicular electric field and intrinsic spin orbit coupling to probe as quantum spin/valley Hall effect. Using analytical approach, we calculate the spin Chern-number of bilayer silicene and then compare it with monolayer silicene. We reveal that bilayer silicene hosts double spin Chern-number as compared to single layer silicene and therefore accordingly has twice as many edge states in contrast to single layer silicene. In addition, we investigate the combined effect of intrinsic spin orbit coupling and the external electric field, we find that bilayer silicene, likewise single layer silicene, goes through a phase transitions from a quantum spin Hall state to a quantum valley Hall state when the strength of the applied electric field exceeds the intrinsic spin orbit coupling strength. We believe that the results and outcomes obtained for bilayer silicene are experimentally more accessible as compared to bilayer graphene, because of strong SO coupling in bilayer silicene.

Platinum–Rhenium synergy on reducible oxide supports in aqueous-phase glycerol reforming

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ciftci, A.; Eren, S.; Ligthart, D.A.J.M.; Hensen, E.J.M.

2014-01-01

A significant support effect was observed for the aqueous-phase reforming (APR) of glycerol over a series of Pt- and PtRe-loaded ceria-, ceria–zirconia-, zirconia-, and titania-supported catalysts. Glycerol conversion rates decreased in the order Pt/TiO2>Pt/ZrO2>Pt/CeZrO2>Pt/CeO2. Upon addition of

Step-wise potential development across the lipid bilayer under external electric fields

Science.gov (United States)

Majhi, Amit Kumar

2018-04-01

Pore formation across the bilayers under external electric field is an important phenomenon, which has numerous applications in biology and bio-engineering fields. However, it is not a ubiquitous event under all field applications. To initiate a pore in the bilayer a particular threshold electric field is required. The electric field alters the intrinsic potential distribution across the bilayer as we as it enhances total potential drop across the bilayer, which causes the pore formation. The intrinsic potential profile has a maximum peak value, which is 0.8 V and it gets enhanced under application of external field, 0.43 V/nm. The peak value becomes 1.4 V when a pore appears in the bilayer and it continues to evolve as along as the external electric field remains switched on.

Non-bilayer structures in mitochondrial membranes regulate ATP synthase activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Gasanov, Sardar E; Kim, Aleksandr A; Yaguzhinsky, Lev S; Dagda, Ruben K

2018-02-01

Cardiolipin (CL) is an anionic phospholipid at the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) that facilitates the formation of transient non-bilayer (non-lamellar) structures to maintain mitochondrial integrity. CL modulates mitochondrial functions including ATP synthesis. However, the biophysical mechanisms by which CL generates non-lamellar structures and the extent to which these structures contribute to ATP synthesis remain unknown. We hypothesized that CL and ATP synthase facilitate the formation of non-bilayer structures at the IMM to stimulate ATP synthesis. By using 1 H NMR and 31 P NMR techniques, we observed that increasing the temperature (8°C to 37°C), lowering the pH (3.0), or incubating intact mitochondria with CTII - an IMM-targeted toxin that increases the formation of immobilized non-bilayer structures - elevated the formation of non-bilayer structures to stimulate ATP synthesis. The F 0 sector of the ATP synthase complex can facilitate the formation of non-bilayer structures as incubating model membranes enriched with IMM-specific phospholipids with exogenous DCCD-binding protein of the F 0 sector (DCCD-BPF) elevated the formation of immobilized non-bilayer structures to a similar manner as CTII. Native PAGE assays revealed that CL, but not other anionic phospholipids, specifically binds to DCCD-BPF to promote the formation of stable lipid-protein complexes. Mechanistically, molecular docking studies identified two lipid binding sites for CL in DCCD-BPF. We propose a new model of ATP synthase regulation in which CL mediates the formation of non-bilayer structures that serve to cluster protons and ATP synthase complexes as a mechanism to enhance proton translocation to the F 0 sector, and thereby increase ATP synthesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Computational Design of Multi-component Bio-Inspired Bilayer Membranes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evan Koufos

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Our investigation is motivated by the need to design bilayer membranes with tunable interfacial and mechanical properties for use in a range of applications, such as targeted drug delivery, sensing and imaging. We draw inspiration from biological cell membranes and focus on their principal constituents. In this paper, we present our results on the role of molecular architecture on the interfacial, structural and dynamical properties of bio-inspired membranes. We focus on four lipid architectures with variations in the head group shape and the hydrocarbon tail length. Each lipid species is composed of a hydrophilic head group and two hydrophobic tails. In addition, we study a model of the Cholesterol molecule to understand the interfacial properties of a bilayer membrane composed of rigid, single-tail molecular species. We demonstrate the properties of the bilayer membranes to be determined by the molecular architecture and rigidity of the constituent species. Finally, we demonstrate the formation of a stable mixed bilayer membrane composed of Cholesterol and one of the phospholipid species. Our approach can be adopted to design multi-component bilayer membranes with tunable interfacial and mechanical properties. We use a Molecular Dynamics-based mesoscopic simulation technique called Dissipative Particle Dynamics that resolves the molecular details of the components through soft-sphere coarse-grained models and reproduces the hydrodynamic behavior of the system over extended time scales.

Prevention of intra-abdominal adhesion by bi-layer electrospun membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Shichao; Wang, Wei; Yan, Hede; Fan, Cunyi

2013-06-04

The aim of this study was to compare the anti-adhesion efficacy of a bi-layer electrospun fibrous membrane consisting of hyaluronic acid-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) fibrous membrane as the inner layer and PCL fibrous membrane as the outer layer with a single-layer PCL electrospun fibrous membrane in a rat cecum abrasion model. The rat model utilized a cecal abrasion and abdominal wall insult surgical protocol. The bi-layer and PCL membranes were applied between the cecum and the abdominal wall, respectively. Control animals did not receive any treatment. After postoperative day 14, a visual semiquantitative grading scale was used to grade the extent of adhesion. Histological analysis was performed to reveal the features of adhesion tissues. Bi-layer membrane treated animals showed significantly lower adhesion scores than control animals (p compared with the PCL membrane. Histological analysis of the bi-layer membrane treated rat rarely demonstrated tissue adhesion while that of the PCL membrane treated rat and control rat showed loose and dense adhesion tissues, respectively. Bi-layer membrane can efficiently prevent adhesion formation in abdominal cavity and showed a significantly decreased adhesion tissue formation compared with the control.

Tensile and shear methods for measuring strength of bilayer tablets.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Shao-Yu; Li, Jian-Xin; Sun, Changquan Calvin

2017-05-15

Both shear and tensile measurement methods have been used to quantify interfacial bonding strength of bilayer tablets. The shear method is more convenient to perform, but reproducible strength data requires careful control of the placement of tablet and contact point for shear force application. Moreover, data obtained from the shear method depend on the orientation of the bilayer tablet. Although more time-consuming to perform, the tensile method yields data that are straightforward to interpret. Thus, the tensile method is preferred in fundamental bilayer tableting research to minimize ambiguity in data interpretation. Using both shear and tensile methods, we measured the mechanical strength of bilayer tablets made of several different layer combinations of lactose and microcrystalline cellulose. We observed a good correlation between strength obtained by the tensile method and carefully conducted shear method. This suggests that the shear method may be used for routine quality test of bilayer tablets during manufacturing because of its speed and convenience, provided a protocol for careful control of the placement of the tablet interface, tablet orientation, and blade is implemented. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Buckling-dependent switching behaviours in shifted bilayer germanene nanoribbons: A computational study

Science.gov (United States)

Arjmand, T.; Tagani, M. Bagheri; Soleimani, H. Rahimpour

2018-01-01

Bilayer germanene nanoribbons are investigated in different stacks like buckled and flat armchair and buckled zigzag germanene nanoribbons by performing theoretical calculations using the nonequilibrium Greens function method combined with density functional theory. In these bilayer types, the current oscillates with change of interlayer distances or intra-layer overlaps and is dependent on the type of the bilayer. Band gap of AA-stacked of shifted flat bilayer armchair germanene nanoribbon oscillates by change of interlayer distance which is in contrast to buckled bilayer armchair germanene nanoribbon. So, results show the buckling makes system tend to be a semiconductor with wide band gap. Therefore, AA-stacked of shifted flat bilayer armchair germanene nanoribbon has properties between zigzag and armchair edges, the higher current under bias voltages similar to zigzag edge and also oscillations in current like buckled armchair edges. Also, it is found that HOMO-LUMO band gap strongly affects oscillation in currents and their I-V characteristic. This kind of junction improves the switching properties at low voltages around the band gap.

Effect of free cholesterol on incorporation of triolein in phospholipid bilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spooner, P.J.R.; Small, D.M.

1987-01-01

Triacylglycerols are the major substrates for lipolytic enzymes that act at the surface of emulsion-like particles such as triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, chylomicrons, and intracellular lipid droplets. This study examines the effect of cholesterol on the solubility of a triacylglycerol, triolein, in phospholipid surfaces. Solubilities of [carbonyl- 13 C] triolein in phospholipid bilayer vesicles containing between 0 and 50 mol % free cholesterol, prepared by cosonication, were measured by 13 C NMR. The carbonyl resonances from bilayer-incorporated triglyceride were shifted downfield in the 13 C NMR spectra from those corresponding to excess, nonincorporated material. This enabled solubilities to be determined directly from carbonyl peak intensities at most cholesterol concentration. The bilayer solubility of triolein was inversely proportional to the cholesterol/phospholipid mole ratio. In pure phospholipid vesicles the triolein solubility was 2.2 mol %. The triglyceride incorporation decreased to 1.1 mol % at a cholesterol/phospholipid mole ratio of 0.5, and at a mole ratio of 1.0 for the bilayer lipids, the triolein solubility was reduced to just 0.15 mol %. The effects of free cholesterol were more pronounced and progressive than observed previously on the bilayer solubility of cholestery oleate. As with cholesteryl oleate, they suggest that cholesterol also displaces solubilized triglyceride to deeper regions of the bilayer

Composition Dependence of Water Permeation Across Multicomponent Gel-Phase Bilayers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartkamp, R.M.; Moore, Timothy C.; Iacovella, Christopher R.; Thompson, Michael A.; Bulsara, Pallav A.; Moore, David J.; McCabe, Clare

2018-01-01

The permeability of multicomponent phospholipid bilayers in the gel phase is investigated via molecular dynamics simulation. The physical role of the different molecules is probed by comparing multiple mixed-component bilayers containing distearylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC) with varying amounts of

Effect of pressure on the α relaxation in glycerol and xylitol

Science.gov (United States)

Paluch, M.; Casalini, R.; Hensel-Bielowka, S.; Roland, C. M.

2002-06-01

The effect of pressure on the dielectric relaxation of two polyhydroxy alcohols is examined by analysis of existing data on glycerol, together with new measurements on xylitol. The fragility, or Tg-normalized temperature dependence, changes with pressure for low pressures, but becomes invariant above 1 GPa. When compared at temperatures for which the α-relaxation times are equal, there is no effect of pressure (xylitol show an excess intensity at higher frequencies. For xylitol, unlike for glycerol, at lower temperatures this wing disjoins to form a separate peak. For both glass formers, elevated pressure causes the excess wing to become more separated from the peak maximum; that is, the properties of the primary and excess intensities are not correlated. This implies that the excess wing in glycerol is also a distinct secondary process, although it cannot be resolved from the primary peak.

Antibacterial effect of glycerol as preservative on donor skin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Baare, J.; Ligtvoet, E.E.J.; Middelkoop, E.

1999-01-01

Glycerolised cadavetic allografts have been used widely since 1984 in the treatment of bum wounds. Rejections reaction to glycerolised skin were reported to be attenuated. Structural integrity of the skin was maintained and antiviral and antibacterial effects were noted. The Euro Skin Bank has gathered approximately 2000 data since 1987 concerning bacteriology cultures of glycerolised skin. These data are presented. Bacteriological data from skin donors were examined from 1987 till 1995 (1927 data). Donor skin sent to the laboratory and found to be positive for bacteria was quarantined and another container with skin samples was sent to the laboratory at a later time point. This was repeated until all cultures were negative. In 1987, 25 donors were processed without using antibiotics. These results were compared with donor skin treated with antibiotics. The average day for first culture was 19.7 ? 17.2. The average percentage of contaminated skin was 10.1? 3.7%. Antibiotics reduced contamination of glycerolised skin from 80% to 10.1%. Glycerol treatment also showed an antibacterial effect as all contaminated skin eventually became negative. Of the contaminated skin Staphylococcus epidermidis was found most frequently: in 70.7 ? 10.8% of the cases. Not all bacteria are equally sensitive to glycerol: Staphylococcus epidennidis contaminated skin became sterile after 48?24 days, whereas for Bacillus species it took 195? 1 37.9 days. We show that glycerol preservation of donor skin has important advantages over conservative methods such as cryopreservation. Initial contamination of the skin is no longer a reason to discard the material. Prolonged storage in glycerol will eliminate bacterial contamination. This allows an increase in yield of at least 10%

Production of Transglutaminase by Streptoverticillium ladakanum NRRL-3191 Using Glycerol as Carbon Source

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simón J. Téllez-Luis

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The enzyme transglutaminase (TG catalyses the formation of covalent bonds between adjacent proteins, thereby improving the gel structure of proteins and has important applications for the food industry. The aims of this work were: (i to elucidate the effect of agitation speed during the biotechnological production of TG by Streptoverticillium ladakanum NRRL-3191 using glycerol as carbon source; and (ii to improve TG production by optimising the composition of media based on glycerol, xylose and casein. An agitation speed of 250 rpm and a fermentation time of 72 h resulted in the optimal enzymatic activity (0.628 U/mL with a productivity of 0.087 U/(mL·h. The composition of media with glycerol, xylose and casein were optimised using an experimental design to improve TG production. The model predicts that the maximum TG activity (0.725 U/mL can be obtained using glycerol 50.5 g/L and casein 20 g/L without the addition of xylose.

Wet oxidation of glycerol into fine organic acids: catalyst selection and kinetic evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. E. N. Brainer

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The liquid phase oxidation of glycerol was performed producing fine organic acids. Catalysts based on Pt, Pd and Bi supported on activated carbon were employed to perform the conversion of glycerol into organic acids at 313 K, 323 K and 333 K, under atmospheric pressure (1.0 bar, in a mechanically agitated slurry reactor (MASR. The experimental results indicated glycerol conversions of 98% with production of glyceric, tartronic and glycolic acids, and dihydroxyacetone. A yield of glyceric acid of 69.8%, and a selectivity of this compound of 70.6% were reached after 4 h of operation. Surface mechanisms were proposed and rate equations were formulated to represent the kinetic behavior of the process. Selective formation of glyceric acid was observed, and the kinetic parameter values indicated the lowest activation energy (38.5 kJ/mol for its production reaction step, and the highest value of the adsorption equilibrium constant of the reactant glycerol (10-4 dm³/mol.

Coupling of glycerol processing with Fischer-Tropsch synthesis for production of liquid fuels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Simonetti, D.A.; Rass-Hansen, Jeppe; Kunkes, E.L.

2007-01-01

Liquid alkanes can be produced directly from glycerol by an integrated process involving catalytic conversion to H-2/CO gas mixtures (synthesis gas) combined with Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Synthesis gas can be produced at high rates and selectivities suitable for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (H-2/CO...... between 1.0 and 1.6) from concentrated glycerol feed solutions at low temperatures (548 K) and high pressures (1-17 bar) over a 10 wt% Pt-Re/C catalyst with an atomic Pt : Re ratio of 1 : 1. The primary oxygenated hydrocarbon intermediates formed during conversion of glycerol to synthesis gas are ethanol...... in the liquid organic effluent stream and increasing the selectivity to C5+ alkanes by a factor of 2 ( from 0.30 to 0.60). Catalytic conversion of glycerol and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis were coupled in a two-bed reactor system consisting of a Pt-Re/C catalyst bed followed by a Ru/TiO2 catalyst bed...

Modeling constrained sintering of bi-layered tubular structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tadesse Molla, Tesfaye; Kothanda Ramachandran, Dhavanesan; Ni, De Wei

2015-01-01

Constrained sintering of tubular bi-layered structures is being used in the development of various technologies. Densification mismatch between the layers making the tubular bi-layer can generate stresses, which may create processing defects. An analytical model is presented to describe the densi...... and thermo-mechanical analysis. Results from the analytical model are found to agree well with finite element simulations as well as measurements from sintering experiment....

Crude Glycerol as Cost-Effective Fuel for Combined Heat and Power to Replace Fossil Fuels, Final Technical Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roberts, William L

2012-10-31

The primary objectives of this work can be summed into two major categories. Firstly, the fundamentals of the combustion of glycerol (in both a refined and unrefined form) were to be investigated, with emphasis of the development of a system capable of reliably and repeatedly combusting glycerol as well as an analysis of the emissions produced during glycerol combustion. Focus was placed on quantifying common emissions in comparison to more traditional fuels and this work showed that the burner developed was able to completely combust glycerol within a relatively wide range of operating conditions. Additionally, focus was placed on examining specific emissions in more detail, namely interesting NOx emissions observed in initial trials, acrolein and other volatile organic emissions, and particulate and ash emissions. This work showed that the combustion of crude glycerol could result in significantly reduced NOx emissions as a function of the high fuel bound oxygen content within the glycerol fuel. It also showed that when burned properly, the combustion of crude glycerol did not result in excessive emissions of acrolein or any other VOC compared to the combustion from more traditional fuels. Lastly however, this work has shown that in any practical application in which glycerol is being burned, it will be necessary to explore ash mitigation techniques due to the very high particulate matter concentrations produced during glycerol combustion. These emissions are comparable to unfiltered coal combustion and are directly tied to the biodiesel production method. The second focus of this work was directed to developing a commercialization strategy for the use of glycerol as a fuel replacement. This strategy has identified a 30 month plan for the scaling up of the laboratory scale burner into a pre-pilot scale system. Additionally, financing options were explored and an assessment was made of the economics of replacing a traditional fuel (namely natural gas) with crude

Synthesis of biodiesel fuel additives from glycerol using green chemistry and supercritical fluids

Science.gov (United States)

For every 3 moles of fatty acid esters produced, 1 mole of glycerol remains, ~11% of the biodiesel volume. One new method of glycerol use could be as a biodiesel fuel additive/extender using eco-friendly heterogeneous catalysts and supercritical fluids (SFs). SFs have advantages such as greater diff...

Chemoselective Oxidation of Bio-Glycerol with Nano-Sized Metal Catalysts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Hu; Kotni, Ramakrishna; Zhang, Qiuyun

2015-01-01

to selectively oxidize glycerol and yield products with good selectivity is the use of nano-sized metal particles as heterogeneous catalysts. In this short review, recent developments in chemoselective oxidation of glycerol to specific products over nano-sized metal catalysts are described. Attention is drawn...... to various reaction parameters such as the type of the support, the size of the metal particles, and the acid/base properties of the reaction medium which were illustrated to largely influence the activity of the nanocatalyst and selectivity to the target product. - See more at: http...

Non-Catalytic and MgSO4 - Catalyst based Degradation of Glycerol in Subcritical and Supercritical Water Media

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahfud Mahfud

2011-02-01

Full Text Available This research aims to study the glycerol degradation reaction in subcritical and supercritical water media. The degradation of glycerol into other products was performed both with sulphate salt catalysts and without catalyst. The reactant was made from glycerol and water with the mass ratio of 1:10. The experiments were carried out using a batch reactor at a constant pressure of 250 kgf/cm2, with the temperature range of 200-400oC, reaction time of 30 minutes, and catalyst mol ratio in glycerol of 1:10 and 1:8. The products of the non-catalytic glycerol degradation were acetaldehyde, methanol, and ethanol. The use of sulphate salt as catalyst has high selectivity to acetaldehyde and still allows the formation alcohol product in small quantities. The mechanism of ionic reaction and free radical reaction can occur at lower temperature in hydrothermal area or subcritical water. Conversion of glycerol on catalytic reaction showed a higher yield when compared with the reaction performed without catalyst

Controlled release from bilayer-decorated magnetoliposomes via electromagnetic heating.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yanjing; Bose, Arijit; Bothun, Geoffrey D

2010-06-22

Nanoscale assemblies that can be activated and controlled through external stimuli represent a next stage in multifunctional therapeutics. We report the formation, characterization, and release properties of bilayer-decorated magnetoliposomes (dMLs) that were prepared by embedding small hydrophobic SPIO nanoparticles at different lipid molecule to nanoparticle ratios within dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayers. The dML structure was examined by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry, and release was examined by carboxyfluorescein leakage. Nanoparticle heating using alternating current electromagnetic fields (EMFs) operating at radio frequencies provided selective release of the encapsulated molecule at low nanoparticle concentrations and under physiologically acceptable EMF conditions. Without radio frequency heating, spontaneous leakage from the dMLs decreased with increasing nanoparticle loading, consistent with greater bilayer stability and a decrease in the effective dML surface area due to aggregation. With radio frequency heating, the initial rate and extent of leakage increased significantly as a function of nanoparticle loading and electromagnetic field strength. The mechanism of release is attributed to a combination of bilayer permeabilization and partial dML rupture.

Synthetic Klebsiella pneumoniae-Shewanella oneidensis Consortium Enables Glycerol-Fed High-Performance Microbial Fuel Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Feng; Yin, Changji; Sun, Liming; Li, Yuanxiu; Guo, Xuewu; Song, Hao

2018-05-01

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an eco-friendly bio-electrochemical sys-tem that uses microorganism as biocatalyst to convert biomass into electricity. Glycerol, as a waste in the biodiesel refinery processes, is an appealing substrate for MFC. Nevertheless, glycerol cannot be utilized as carbon source by well-known exoelectrogens such as Shewanella oneidensis. Herein, to generate electricity by rapidly harnessing glycerol, the authors rationally constructed a Klebsiella pneumoniae-Shewanella oneidensis microbial consortium to efficiently harvest electricity from glyc-erol, in which K. pneumoniae converted glycerol into lactate, fed to S. oneidensis as carbon source and electron donor. To improve electricity output, the authors systematically engineered the consortium in terms of carbon flux distribution and efficiency of extracellular electron transfer (EET). To direct more carbon flux to lactate biosynthesis in K. pneumoniae, the authors eliminated the ethanol pathway by knocking out the alcohol dehydrogenase gene (adhE), and enhanced lactate biosynthesis by heterologously expressing a lactate dehydrogen-ase gene (ldhD) from Lactobacillus bulgaricus and a lactate transporter gene (lldP) from Escherichia coli. To facilitate EET between S. oneidensis and anode surfaces, a biosynthetic flavins pathway from Bacillus subtilis is introduced into S. oneidensis. The author further optimized the glycerol concentration, thus S. oneidensis could be continuously fed with lactate synthesized from K. pneumoniae at a constant rate. Our glycerol-fed MFC generated a maximum power density of 19.9 mW/m 2 , significantly higher than that of the wild-type consor-tium. This work suggested that engineering microbial consortia is an effi-cient strategy to expand the spectrum of usable carbon sources and promote electricity power production in MFCs. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Anchor-dependent lipofection with non-glycerol based cytofectins containing single 2-hydroxyethyl head groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Venkata Srilakshmi, Gollapudi; Sen, Joyeeta; Chaudhuri, Arabinda; Ramadas, Yerramsetti; Madhusudhana Rao, Nalam

2002-02-15

Detailed structure-activity investigations aimed at probing the anchor chain length dependency for glycerol-based lipofectins have been reported previously. Herein, we report on the first detailed investigation on the anchor-dependent transfection biology of non-glycerol based simple monocationic cytofectins containing single 2-hydroxyethyl head group functionality using 11 new structural analogs of our previously published first generation of non-glycerol based transfection lipids (lipids 1-11). The C-14 and C-16 analogs of DOMHAC (lipids 4 and 5, respectively) were found to be remarkably efficient in transfecting COS-1 cells. In addition, the present anchor-dependency investigation also revealed that the C-14 analog of DOHEMAB (lipid 10) is significantly efficient in transfecting both COS-1 and NIH3T3 cells. Our results also indicate that too strong lipid-DNA interactions might result in weaker transfection for non-glycerol based cationic lipids. In summary, the anchor-dependence investigations presented here convincingly demonstrate that non-glycerol based cationic lipids containing a single hydroxyethyl head group and hydrophobic C-14 or C-16 anchors are promising non-toxic cationic transfection lipids for future use in liposomal gene delivery.

Fabrication of oriented wrinkles on polydopamine/polystyrene bilayer films.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Rong; Long, Yuhua; Zhu, Tang; Guo, Jing; Cai, Chao; Zhao, Ning; Xu, Jian

2017-07-15

Wrinkles exist widely in nature and our life. In this paper, wrinkles on polydopamine (PDA)/polystyrene (PS) bilayer films were formed by thermal annealing due to the different thermal coefficients of expansion of each layer. The factors that influenced the dimensions of wrinkles were studied. We found that oriented wrinkles could be formed if the bilayer films were patterned with micro-grooves, and the degree of the orientation depended on the thickness of the PDA and the dimensions of the grooves. Combined with the strong adhesion, biocompatibility and reactivity of PDA, the oriented wrinkles on PDA/PS patterned bilayers may find potential application in diffraction gratings, optical sensors and microfluidic devices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modulated phases of phospholipid bilayers induced by tocopherols.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamal, Md Arif; Raghunathan, V A

2012-11-01

The influence of α-, γ- and δ-tocopherols on the structure and phase behavior of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayers has been determined from X-ray diffraction studies on oriented multilayers. In all the three cases the main-transition temperature (T(m)) of DPPC was found to decrease with increasing tocopherol concentration up to around 25 mol%. Beyond this the main transition is suppressed in the case of γ-tocopherol, whereas T(m) becomes insensitive to composition in the other two cases. The pre-transition is found to be suppressed over a narrow tocopherol concentration range between 7.5 and 10 mol% in DPPC-γ-tocopherol and DPPC-δ-tocopherol bilayers, and the ripple phase occurs down to the lowest temperature studied. In all the three cases a modulated phase is observed above a tocopherol concentration of about 10 mol%, which is similar to the P(β) phase reported in DPPC-cholesterol bilayers. This phase is found to occur even in excess water conditions at lower tocopherol concentrations, and consists of bilayers with periodic height modulation. These results indicate the ability of tocopherols to induce local curvature in membranes, which could be important for some of their biological functions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Twisted Bilayer Graphene. Interlayer configuration and magnetotransport signatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rode, Johannes C.; Smirnov, Dmitri; Belke, Christopher; Schmidt, Hennrik; Haug, Rolf J. [Institut fuer Festkoerperphysik, Hannover (Germany)

2017-11-15

Twisted Bilayer Graphene may be viewed as very first representative of the now booming class of artificially layered 2D materials. Consisting of two sheets from the same structure and atomic composition, its decisive degree of freedom lies in the rotation between crystallographic axes in the individual graphene monolayers. Geometrical consideration finds angle-dependent Moire patterns as well as commensurate superlattices of opposite sublattice exchange symmetry. Beyond the approach of rigidly interposed lattices, this review takes focus on the evolving topic of lattice corrugation and distortion in response to spatially varying lattice registry. The experimental approach to twisted bilayers requires a basic control over preparation techniques; important methods are summarized and extended on in the case of bilayers folded from monolayer graphene via AFM nanomachining. Central morphological parameters to the twisted bilayer, rotational mismatch and interlayer separation are studied in a broader base of samples. Finally, experimental evidence for a number of theoretically predicted, controversial electronic scenarios are reviewed; magnetotransport signatures are discussed in terms of Fermi velocity, van Hove singularities and Berry phase and assessed with respect to the underlying experimental conditions, thereby referring back to the initially considered variations in relaxed lattice structure. (copyright 2017 by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Examining the origins of the hydration force between lipid bilayers using all-atom simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Gentilcore, Anastasia N; Michaud-Agrawal, Naveen; Crozier, Paul S; Stevens, Mark J; Woolf, Thomas B

2010-05-01

Using 237 all-atom double bilayer simulations, we examined the thermodynamic and structural changes that occur as a phosphatidylcholine lipid bilayer stack is dehydrated. The simulated system represents a micropatch of lipid multilayer systems that are studied experimentally using surface force apparatus, atomic force microscopy and osmotic pressure studies. In these experiments, the hydration level of the system is varied, changing the separation between the bilayers, in order to understand the forces that the bilayers feel as they are brought together. These studies have found a curious, strongly repulsive force when the bilayers are very close to each other, which has been termed the "hydration force," though the origins of this force are not clearly understood. We computationally reproduce this repulsive, relatively free energy change as bilayers come together and make qualitative conclusions as to the enthalpic and entropic origins of the free energy change. This analysis is supported by data showing structural changes in the waters, lipids and salts that have also been seen in experimental work. Increases in solvent ordering as the bilayers are dehydrated are found to be essential in causing the repulsion as the bilayers come together.

Performance Enhancement of Small Molecular Solar Cells by Bilayer Cathode Buffer.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Qinjun; Zhao, Huanbin; Zhou, Miao; Gao, Liyan; Hao, Yuying

2016-04-01

An effective composite bilayer cathode buffer structure is proposed for use in small molecular solar cells. CsF was doped in Alq3 to form the first cathode buffer, leading to small serial resistances. BCP was used as the second cathode buffer to block the holes to the electrode. The optimized bilayer cathode buffer significantly increased the short circuit and fill factor of devices. By integrating this bilayer cathode buffer, the CuPc/C60 small molecular heterojunction cell exhibited a power conversion efficiency of up to 0.8%, which was an improvement of 56% compared to a device with only the Alq3 cathode buffer. Meanwhile, the bilayer cathode buffer still has a good protective effect on the performance of the device.

Optimization for microwave-assisted direct liquefaction of bamboo residue in glycerol/methanol mixtures

Science.gov (United States)

Jiulong Xie; Jinqiu Qi; Chungyun Hse; Todd F. Shupe

2015-01-01

Bamboo residues were liquefied in a mixture of glycerol and methanol in the presence of sulfuric acid using microwave energy. We investigated the effects of liquefaction conditions, including glycerol/methanol ratio, liquefaction temperature, and reaction time on the conversion yield. The optimal liquefaction conditions were under the temperature of 120

Wavepacket revivals in monolayer and bilayer graphene rings.

Science.gov (United States)

García, Trinidad; Rodríguez-Bolívar, Salvador; Cordero, Nicolás A; Romera, Elvira

2013-06-12

We have studied the existence of quantum revivals in graphene quantum rings within a simplified model. The time evolution of a Gaussian-populated wavepacket shows revivals in monolayer and bilayer graphene rings. We have also studied this behavior for quantum rings in a perpendicular magnetic field. We have found that revival time is an observable that shows different values for monolayer and bilayer graphene quantum rings. In addition, the revival time shows valley degeneracy breaking.

Magnetically Assisted Bilayer Composites for Soft Bending Actuators

OpenAIRE

Jang, Sung-Hwan; Na, Seon-Hong; Park, Yong-Lae

2017-01-01

This article presents a soft pneumatic bending actuator using a magnetically assisted bilayer composite composed of silicone polymer and ferromagnetic particles. Bilayer composites were fabricated by mixing ferromagnetic particles to a prepolymer state of silicone in a mold and asymmetrically distributed them by applying a strong non-uniform magnetic field to one side of the mold during the curing process. The biased magnetic field induces sedimentation of the ferromagnetic particles toward o...

Conversion of Crude Glycerol to 1, 3-Propanediol by Newly Isolated Kluyvera Cryocrescens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loh, S.K.; Stasha Eleanor Rosland Abel

2016-01-01

Bio diesel, an environmental-friendly and renewable fuel, has gained market share and popularity as an alternative to fossil fuel. While expanding its production globally to meet the demand, the production of its principal co-product, crude glycerol which is surplus and under utilised, has affected both the economic and environment. Crude glycerol has limited usage due to the impurities present. It cannot be disposed naturally in the environment and its storage and processing are very costly. Glycerol with its triglyceride backbone serves as a natural metabolite susceptible to microbial degradation into high value-added compounds. In this study, a novel 1,3-PD producing bacterial strain isolated from palm oil mill effluent was used in microbial fermentation of crude glycerol. The strain, identified as Kluyvera cryocrescens NBRC 102467 based on its 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid sequences, was capable of producing 1,3-PD (5.28 g litre -1 ) along with by-products, butanol (0.34 g litre -1 ) and acetone (0.31 g litre -1 ) after an optimum 48 hour of incubation at 30 degree Celsius in agitated medium enriched with crude glycerol at 150 revolutions per minute. Interestingly, its productivity peaked at the 6 hour reaching 0.28 g litre -1 hour -1 and declined thereafter. In future, this strain has potential to be used in the bioprocess of interest. (author)

Pharmacological investigations of Punica granatum in glycerol-induced acute renal failure in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Amrit Pal; Singh, Amteshwar Jaggi; Singh, Nirmal

2011-09-01

The present study was designed to investigate the ameliorative potential and possible mechanism of hydroalcoholic extract of flowers of P. granatum in glycerol-induced acute renal failure (ARF) in rats. The rats were subjected to rhabdomyolytic ARF by single intramuscular injection of hypertonic glycerol (50% v/v; 8 ml/kg) and the animals were sacrificed after 24 hours of glycerol injection. The plasma creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine clearance, and histopathological studies were performed to assess the degree of renal injury. Pretreatment with hydroalcoholic extract of flowers of P. granatum (125 and 250 mg/kg p.o. twice daily for 3 days) significantly attenuated hypertonic glycerol-induced renal dysfunction in a dose-dependent manner. BADGE (Bisphenol-A-diglycidyl ether) (30 mg/kg), a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ antagonist, and N(omega)-nitro-l-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME) (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg), nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, were employed to explore the mechanism of renoprotective effects of Punica granatum. Administration of BADGE (30 mg/kg) and L-NAME (40 mg/kg) abolished the beneficial effects of P. granatum in glycerol-induced renal dysfunction. Hydroalcoholic extract of flowers of P. granatum has ameliorative potential in attenuating myoglobinuric renal failure and its renoprotective effects involve activation of PPAR-γ and nitric oxide-dependent signaling pathway.

Biodiesel Reactor Design with Glycerol Separation to Increase Biodiesel Production Yield

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Budy Rahmat

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The study consisted of reactor design used for transesterification process, effect of glycerol separation ontransesterification reaction, determination of biodiesel quality, and mass balance analysis. The reactor was designed byintegrating circulated pump/stirrer, static mixer, and sprayer that intensify the reaction in the outer tank reactor. The objective was to reduce the use of methanol in excess and to shorten the processing time. The results showed that thereactor that applied the glycerol separation was able to compensate for the decreased use of the reactant methanol from 6:1 to 5:1 molar ratio, and changed the mass balance in the product, including: (i the increase of biodiesel productionfrom 42.37% to 49.34%, and (ii the reduction of methanol in excess from 42.37% to 32.89%. The results suggested that the efficiency of biodiesel production could be increased with the glycerol separation engineering.

Effects of sorbitol and glycerol on the structure, dynamics, and stability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis pyrazinamidase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehrnoosh Khajehzadeh

2016-01-01

Conclusion: It can be concluded that the native conformation of the enzyme was stabilized in the sorbitol and glycerol and tend to exclude from the PZase surface, forcing the enzyme to keep it in the compactly folded conformation. The glycerol molecules stabilized PZase by decreasing the loops flexibility and then compacting the enzyme structure. It appears that more stability of PZase in glycerol solution correlates with its amphiphilic orientation, which decreases the unfavorable interactions of hydrophobic regions.

Gas Separation through Bilayer Silica, the Thinnest Possible Silica Membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Bowen; Mandrà, Salvatore; Curry, John O; Shaikhutdinov, Shamil; Freund, Hans-Joachim; Schrier, Joshua

2017-12-13

Membrane-based gas separation processes can address key challenges in energy and environment, but for many applications the permeance and selectivity of bulk membranes is insufficient for economical use. Theory and experiment indicate that permeance and selectivity can be increased by using two-dimensional materials with subnanometer pores as membranes. Motivated by experiments showing selective permeation of H 2 /CO mixtures through amorphous silica bilayers, here we perform a theoretical study of gas separation through silica bilayers. Using density functional theory calculations, we obtain geometries of crystalline free-standing silica bilayers (comprised of six-membered rings), as well as the seven-, eight-, and nine-membered rings that are observed in glassy silica bilayers, which arise due to Stone-Wales defects and vacancies. We then compute the potential energy barriers for gas passage through these various pore types for He, Ne, Ar, Kr, H 2 , N 2 , CO, and CO 2 gases, and use the data to assess their capability for selective gas separation. Our calculations indicate that crystalline bilayer silica, which is less than a nanometer thick, can be a high-selectivity and high-permeance membrane material for 3 He/ 4 He, He/natural gas, and H 2 /CO separations.

Calculations of the electrostatic potential adjacent to model phospholipid bilayers.

Science.gov (United States)

Peitzsch, R M; Eisenberg, M; Sharp, K A; McLaughlin, S

1995-03-01

We used the nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann equation to calculate electrostatic potentials in the aqueous phase adjacent to model phospholipid bilayers containing mixtures of zwitterionic lipids (phosphatidylcholine) and acidic lipids (phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylglycerol). The aqueous phase (relative permittivity, epsilon r = 80) contains 0.1 M monovalent salt. When the bilayers contain equipotential surfaces are discrete domes centered over the negatively charged lipids and are approximately twice the value calculated using Debye-Hückel theory. When the bilayers contain > 25% acidic lipid, the -25 mV equipotential profiles are essentially flat and agree well with the values calculated using Gouy-Chapman theory. When the bilayers contain 100% acidic lipid, all of the equipotential surfaces are flat and agree with Gouy-Chapman predictions (including the -100 mV surface, which is located only 1 A from the outermost atoms). Even our model bilayers are not simple systems: the charge on each lipid is distributed over several atoms, these partial charges are non-coplanar, there is a 2 A ion-exclusion region (epsilon r = 80) adjacent to the polar headgroups, and the molecular surface is rough. We investigated the effect of these four factors using smooth (or bumpy) epsilon r = 2 slabs with embedded point charges: these factors had only minor effects on the potential in the aqueous phase.

Landau levels in biased graphene structures with monolayer-bilayer interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Mirzakhani, M.; Zarenia, M.; Vasilopoulos, P.; Ketabi, S. A.; Peeters, F. M.

2017-09-01

The electron energy spectrum in monolayer-bilayer-monolayer and in bilayer-monolayer-bilayer graphene structures is investigated and the effects of a perpendicular magnetic field and electric bias are studied. Different types of monolayer-bilayer interfaces are considered as zigzag (ZZ) or armchair (AC) junctions which modify considerably the bulk Landau levels (LLs) when the spectra are plotted as a function of the center coordinate of the cyclotron orbit. Far away from the two interfaces, one obtains the well-known LLs for extended monolayer or bilayer graphene. The LL structure changes significantly at the two interfaces or junctions where the valley degeneracy is lifted for both types of junctions, especially when the distance between them is approximately equal to the magnetic length. Varying the nonuniform bias and the width of this junction-to-junction region in either structure strongly influence the resulting spectra. Significant differences exist between ZZ and AC junctions in both structures. The densities of states (DOSs) for unbiased structures are symmetric in energy whereas those for biased structures are asymmetric. An external bias creates interface LLs in the gaps between the LLs of the unbiased system in which the DOS can be quite small. Such a pattern of LLs can be probed by scanning tunneling microscopy.

Aqueous-phase reforming of crude glycerol : effect of impurities on hydrogen production

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boga, Dilek A.; Liu, Fang; Bruijnincx, Pieter C. A.; Weckhuysen, Bert M.

2016-01-01

The aqueous-phase reforming (APR) of a crude glycerol that originates from an industrial process and the effect of the individual components of crude glycerol on APR activity have been studied over 1 wt% Pt/Mg-Al) O, 1 wt% Pt/Al2O3, 5 wt% Pt/Al2O3 and 5 wt% Pt/C catalysts at 29 bar and 225 degrees

Changes in rat respiratory system produced by exposure to exhaust gases of combustion of glycerol.

Science.gov (United States)

Serra, Daniel Silveira; Evangelista, Janaína Serra Azul Monteiro; Zin, Walter Araujo; Leal-Cardoso, José Henrique; Cavalcante, Francisco Sales Ávila

2017-08-01

The combustion of residual glycerol to generate heat in industrial processes has been suggested as a cost-effective solution for disposal of this environmental liability. Thus, we investigated the effects of exposure to the exhaust gases of glycerol combustion in the rat respiratory system. We used 2 rats groups, one exposed to the exhaust gases from glycerol combustion (Glycerol), and the other exposed to ambient air (Control). Exposure occurred 5h a day, 5days a week for 13 weeks. We observed statistically changes in all parameters of respiratory system mechanics in vivo. This results was supported by histological analysis and morphometric data, confirming narrower airways and lung parenchimal changes. Variables related to airway resistance (ΔR N ) and elastic properties of the tissue (ΔH), increased after challenge with methacholine. Finally, analysis of lung tissue micromechanics showed statistically increases in all parameters (R, E and hysteresivity). In conclusion, exhaust gases from glycerol combustion were harmful to the respiratory system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biohydrogen and Bioethanol Production from Biodiesel-Based Glycerol by Enterobacter aerogenes in a Continuous Stir Tank Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rujira Jitrwung

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Crude glycerol from the biodiesel manufacturing process is being produced in increasing quantities due to the expanding number of biodiesel plants. It has been previously shown that, in batch mode, semi-anaerobic fermentation of crude glycerol by Enterobacter aerogenes can produce biohydrogen and bioethanol simultaneously. The present study demonstrated the possible scaling-up of this process from small batches performed in small bottles to a 3.6-L continuous stir tank reactor (CSTR. Fresh feed rate, liquid recycling, pH, mixing speed, glycerol concentration, and waste recycling were optimized for biohydrogen and bioethanol production. Results confirmed that E. aerogenes uses small amounts of oxygen under semi-anaerobic conditions for growth before using oxygen from decomposable salts, mainly NH4NO3, under anaerobic condition to produce hydrogen and ethanol. The optimal conditions were determined to be 500 rpm, pH 6.4, 18.5 g/L crude glycerol (15 g/L glycerol and 33% liquid recycling for a fresh feed rate of 0.44 mL/min. Using these optimized conditions, the process ran at a lower media cost than previous studies, was stable after 7 days without further inoculation and resulted in yields of 0.86 mol H2/mol glycerol and 0.75 mol ethanol/mole glycerol.

Biohydrogen and Bioethanol Production from Biodiesel-Based Glycerol by Enterobacter aerogenes in a Continuous Stir Tank Reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Jitrwung, Rujira; Yargeau, Viviane

2015-01-01

Crude glycerol from the biodiesel manufacturing process is being produced in increasing quantities due to the expanding number of biodiesel plants. It has been previously shown that, in batch mode, semi-anaerobic fermentation of crude glycerol by Enterobacter aerogenes can produce biohydrogen and bioethanol simultaneously. The present study demonstrated the possible scaling-up of this process from small batches performed in small bottles to a 3.6-L continuous stir tank reactor (CSTR). Fresh feed rate, liquid recycling, pH, mixing speed, glycerol concentration, and waste recycling were optimized for biohydrogen and bioethanol production. Results confirmed that E. aerogenes uses small amounts of oxygen under semi-anaerobic conditions for growth before using oxygen from decomposable salts, mainly NH4NO3, under anaerobic condition to produce hydrogen and ethanol. The optimal conditions were determined to be 500 rpm, pH 6.4, 18.5 g/L crude glycerol (15 g/L glycerol) and 33% liquid recycling for a fresh feed rate of 0.44 mL/min. Using these optimized conditions, the process ran at a lower media cost than previous studies, was stable after 7 days without further inoculation and resulted in yields of 0.86 mol H2/mol glycerol and 0.75 mol ethanol/mole glycerol. PMID:25970750

Upgrading Fast Pyrolysis Oil via Hydrodeoxygenation and Thermal Treatment: Effects of Catalytic Glycerol Pretreatment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reyhanitash, Ehsan; Tymchyshyn, M.; Yuan, Zhongshun; Albion, K.; van Rossum, G.; Xu, C.

2014-01-01

The effects of stabilizing fast pyrolysis oil (PO) with glycerol via catalytic glycerol pretreatment on upgrading via hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) or thermal treatment (TT) were studied. Nonstabilized (original) fast pyrolysis oil was also upgraded via HDO or TT to obtain benchmarks. Generally, HDO

Integral process of obtaining glycerol as a by-product of biodiesel production from castor oil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonel Romero

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The biodiesel is obtained from about 10 years ago in Europe, and now that it has taken hold as fuel for diesel engines, it is expected a clear increase in the production of this class of fuels in a the near future. The biodiesel is derived from the transesterification reaction of castor oil with methanol, which is the main by-product the glycerol with an approximate content of 10%. Besides catalyst residuals, soaps, methanol traces, mono and diglycerides in small percentages are presented. This study proposes the separation, purification and characterization of the glycerol obtained from the transesterificación reaction of the castor oil, in order to be able to market it in the national or international market, so that it fulfills the standards of quality, which means getting a pure glycerol and the appropriate physico-chemical characteristics and techniques. The glycerin-methyl esters separation is carried out by decantation being obtained a percentage of around 70% glycerol. This percentage is subsequently increased through the purification process, using hydrochloric acid. Glycerol characterization was carried out by physicochemical and organoleptic tests. The purification process allowed us to obtain a glycerol with a percentage of purity close to 98%. It was also tested by comparison with theoretical data that remnants influenced in the physiochemical properties

Synthesis and characterization of unsatured polyesters from the reaction of glycerol with fumaric acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medeiros, Marina A.O.; Brioude, Michel M.; Agrela, Sara P.; Rosa, Leandro O.S.; Jose, Nadia M.; Prado, Luis A.S.A.

2009-01-01

The biodiesel production from vegetable oils has been encouraged by the Brazilian Federal Government, since biodiesel is a renewable fuel. The utilization of glycerol (by-product of biodiesel production) has gained importance, since it corresponds to 30 wt-% of the produced biodiesel. In this context, the present work aims at preparing and characterizing polymers based on glycerol, which could have an application. In this way, the production of biodiesel could be further stimulated. Unsaturated polyesters were preparing by esterification of glycerol with fumaric acid. The reaction mixture was heated up to 240 deg C. After the polymerization was complete, the material was cast onto Teflon molds. The materials were characterized by Infrared Spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction. The thermal stability was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The materials showed thermal stability comparable to alkyd thermoset derived from maleic anhydride and glycerol. (author)

Phase separation in lipid bilayers triggered by low pH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suresh, Swetha; Edwardson, J. Michael

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → Lipid bilayers have been imaged by atomic force microscopy (AFM). → At pH 5 phase separation occurs in lipid bilayers containing mixed acyl chains. → Phase separation does not occur when lipids have only unsaturated chains. → Phase separation might drive protein clustering during endocytosis. -- Abstract: Endocytosis involves the capture of membrane from the cell surface in the form of vesicles, which become rapidly acidified to about pH 5. Here we show using atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging that this degree of acidification triggers phase separation in lipid bilayers containing mixed acyl chains (e.g. palmitoyl/oleoyl) or complex mixtures (e.g. total brain extract) but not in bilayers containing only lipids with unsaturated chains (e.g. dioleoyl). Since mixed-chain lipids are major constituents of the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane, the type of phase separation reported here might support protein clustering and signaling during endocytosis.

CHANGES OF GLYCEROL CONTENT IN DIAPAUSE LARVAEOF THE ORANGE WHEAT BLOSSOM MIDGE, SITODIPLOSIS MOSELLANA （GEHIN） IN VARIOUS SEASONS

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Jun-xiangWu; FengYuan

2004-01-01

The glycerol contents in diapause larvae of the orange wheat blossom midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Gehin), collected from various seasons, were measured. The results showed that there was less glycerol content in larvae during living on the wheat head. Content of glycerol began to increase significantly when the larvae left the wheat head and entered the soil. A change trend of upper- lower- upper- lower in larvae glycerol contents during diapause in soil was observed from June to April of next year. More glycerol could be examined in larvae collected in summer and winter than in spring and autumn. There was not more glycerol in cocooned larvae than that in non-cocooned larvae during various seasons from the point of statistics. Comparing the glycerol content of larvae being diapause in the first year with that of larvae in the second year, there was yet no obvious difference when larvae were collected in the same season belonged to different years. Therefore, it is shown that the content of glycerol in larvae of the wheat midge in diapause is affected mainly by the seasons or diapause intensity.

Tunneling Spectroscopy of Quantum Hall States in Bilayer Graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ke; Harzheim, Achim; Watanabe, Kenji; Taniguchi, Takashi; Kim, Philip

In the quantum Hall (QH) regime, ballistic conducting paths along the physical edges of a sample appear, leading to quantized Hall conductance and vanishing longitudinal magnetoconductance. These QH edge states are often described as ballistic compressible strips separated by insulating incompressible strips, the spatial profiles of which can be crucial in understanding the stability and emergence of interaction driven QH states. In this work, we present tunneling transport between two QH edge states in bilayer graphene. Employing locally gated device structure, we guide and control the separation between the QH edge states in bilayer graphene. Using resonant Landau level tunneling as a spectroscopy tool, we measure the energy gap in bilayer graphene as a function of displacement field and probe the emergence and evolution of incompressible strips.

Flexural phonon limited phonon drag thermopower in bilayer graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Ansari, Mohd Meenhaz; Ashraf, SSZ

2018-05-01

We investigate the phonon drag thermopower from flexural phonons as a function of electron temperature and carrier concentration in the Bloch-Gruneisen regime in non-strained bilayer graphene using Boltzmann transport equation approach. The flexural phonons are expected to be the major source of intrinsic scattering mechanism in unstrained bilayer graphene due to their large density. The flexural phonon modes dispersion relation is quadratic so these low energy flexural phonons abound at room temperature and as a result deform the bilayer graphene sheet in the out of plane direction and affects the transport properties. We also produce analytical result for phonon-drag thermopower from flexural phonons and find that phonon-drag thermopower depicts T2 dependence on temperature and n-1 on carrier concentration.

Partition and metabolic fate of dietary glycerol in muscles and liver of juvenile tilapia.

Science.gov (United States)

da Costa, Diego Vicente; Dias, Jorge; Colen, Rita; Rosa, Priscila Vieira; Engrola, Sofia

2017-04-01

This study investigated the effect of dietary glycerol on the metabolism of juvenile tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and to determine its metabolic fate. The experimental diets contained 0% (Group CON), 5% (Group G5) and 15% glycerol (Group G15) and were fed for 40 d to apparent satiation, three times a day. For the metabolism trials, six fish from each treatment were randomly chosen and tube-fed with five pellets labelled with 14 C-glycerol [ 14 C(U)] in order to evaluate the absorption, catabolism, retention and partition of glycerol in muscle and liver. Group G5 presented the highest 14 C-glycerol retention and the lowest catabolism, with no significant differences between Groups CON and G15. In Group CON, the highest percentage of 14 C was incorporated in muscle lipids; with no significant differences between Groups G5 and G15. Furthermore, no treatment effects were found for hepatic 14 C-lipid and for 14 C in hepatic and muscle non-lipid extract. In the non-lipid and non-protein fraction, the highest radioactivity was measured in livers of Group G5, however no significant differences were found for this fraction between Groups CON and G15 in liver and for all treatments in muscle. The results of the present study can have practical implications in diet formulations for tilapia and for other aquaculture species with similar feeding pattern since juvenile tilapia are able to metabolise dietary glycerol into lipids, protein and/or carbohydrates and to use it as energy source.

Dynamics, Surface Electrostatics and Phase Properties of Nanoscale Curved Lipid Bilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Koolivand, Amir

Surface electrostatic potential of a lipid bilayer governs many vital functions of living cells. Several classes of proteins are known of exhibiting strong binding preferences to curved lipid bilayer surfaces. In this project we employed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) of a recently introduced phospholipid (IMTSL-PTE) bearing a pH-sensitive nitroxide covalently attached to the lipid head group to measure the surface electrostatics of the lipid membrane and nanopore-confined lipid bilayers as a function of the bilayer curvature. The pKa of the ionizable group of this lipid-based spin probe is reporting on the bilayer surface electrostatics potential by changes in the EPR spectra. Specifically, both rotational dynamics and magnetic parameters of the nitroxide are affected by the probe protonation. Effect of curvature on the surface electrostatic potential and dynamics of lipid bilayer was studied for POPG and DMPG unilamellar vesicles (ULVs). It was found that the magnitude of the negative surface electrostatic potential increased upon decrease in the vesicle diameter for the bilayers in the fluid phase; however, no significant changes were observed for DMPG ULVs in a gel phase. We speculate that biologically relevant fluid bilayer phase allows for a larger variability in the lipid packing density in the lipid polar head group region than a more ordered gel phase and it is likely that the lipid flip-flop is responsible for pH equilibration of IMTSL-PTE. The kinetic EPR study of nitroxide reduction showed that the rate of flip-flop is in the order of 10-5 s-1. The flip-flop rate constant increases when vesicle size deceases. Oxygen permeability measured by X-ban EPR decreases in higher curved vesicles---an observation that is consistent with a tighter packing in smaller vesicles. Partitioning of a small nitroxide molecule TEMPO into ULVs was measured by X-band (9 GHz) and W-band (95 GHz) EPR spectroscopy. The partitioning coefficient of this probe in the lipid

Wavepacket revivals in monolayer and bilayer graphene rings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

García, Trinidad; Rodríguez-Bolívar, Salvador; Cordero, Nicolás A; Romera, Elvira

2013-01-01

We have studied the existence of quantum revivals in graphene quantum rings within a simplified model. The time evolution of a Gaussian-populated wavepacket shows revivals in monolayer and bilayer graphene rings. We have also studied this behavior for quantum rings in a perpendicular magnetic field. We have found that revival time is an observable that shows different values for monolayer and bilayer graphene quantum rings. In addition, the revival time shows valley degeneracy breaking. (paper)

Halophilic biohydrogen and 1,3-propanediol production from raw glycerol: A genomic perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kivisto, A.

2013-11-01

Glycerol is produced in large amounts as a by-product in biodiesel industry (10 kg per 100 kg biodiesel). By-products and waste materials are typically economical substrates for bioprocesses. Furthermore, microorganisms are able to combine the degradation of organic material with production of a wide range of metabolites and other cellular products. The current biotechnological interest of industrial glycerol lies on bioprocesses yielding environmentally friendly energy carrier molecules (hydrogen, methane, ethanol, butanol) and reduced chemicals (1,3-propanediol, dihydroxyacetone). Industrial glycerol also called as raw or crude glycerol, however, is a challenging substrate for microorganisms due to its impurities including alcohol, soaps, salts and metals. Halophiles (the salt-loving microorganisms) require salt for growth and heavy metal resistances have been characterized for numerous halophiles. Therefore, halophiles are potentially useful for the utilization of raw glycerol from biodiesel waste streams without pre-processing. Another challenge for large-scale microbial bioprocesses is a potential contamination with unfavorable microorganisms. For example, H{sub 2}-producing systems tend to get contaminated with H{sub 2}-consuming microorganisms. Extremophiles are organisms that have been adapted for life under extreme conditions, such as high salinity, high or low temperature, asidic or basic pH, dryness or high pressure. For extremophilic pure cultures contamination and thus the need to ensure a sterile environment might not be a problem due to the extreme process conditions that efficiently prevent the growth of most other bacteria. In addition, hypersaline environments (above 12 % NaCl) do not support the growth of H{sub 2} utilizing methanogens due to bioenergetic reasons. Halophilic fermentative H{sub 2} producers, on the other hand, have been shown to be active up to near salt saturation. The aims of the present study can be divided into two categories

Model for the structure of the lipid bilayer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pastor, R.W.; Venable, R.M.; Karplus, M.

1991-01-01

A detailed model for the structure and dynamics of the interior of the lipid bilayer in the liquid crystal phase is presented. The model includes two classes of motion: (i) the internal dynamics of the chains, determined from Brownian dynamics simulations with a continuous version of the Marcelja mean-field potential, and (ii) noncollective reorientation (axial rotation and wobble) of the entire molecule, introduced by a cone model. The basic unit of the model is a single lipid chain with field parameters adjusted to fit the 2H order parameters and the frequency-dependent 13C NMR T1 relaxation times of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine bilayers. The chain configurations obtained from the trajectory are used to construct a representation of the bilayer. The resulting lipid assembly is consistent with NMR, neutron diffraction, surface area, and density data. It indicates that a high degree of chain disorder and entanglement exists in biological membranes

Conversion of the biodiesel by-product glycerol by the non-conventional yeast Pachysolen tannophilus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Xiaoying

production process. Since the volume of the glycerol by-product has exceeded the current market need, biodiesel producers are looking for new methods for sustainable glycerol management and improving the competitiveness of the biodiesel industries. The EU Commission funded GLYFINERY project is one initiative...

Preliminary assessment of synthesis gas production via hybrid steam reforming of methane and glycerol

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Balegedde Ramachandran, P.; van Rossum, G.; Kersten, Sascha R.A.; van Swaaij, Willibrordus Petrus Maria

2012-01-01

In this article, hybrid steam reforming (HSR) of desulphurized methane, together with crude glycerol, in existing commercial steam reformers to produce synthesis gas is proposed. The proposed concept consists of a gasifier to produce vapors, gases, and char from crude glycerol, which is coupled with

Propylene from renewable resources: catalytic conversion of glycerol into propylene.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Lei; Yuan, Jing; Zhang, Qi; Liu, Yong-Mei; He, He-Yong; Fan, Kang-Nian; Cao, Yong

2014-03-01

Propylene, one of the most demanded commodity chemicals, is obtained overwhelmingly from fossil resources. In view of the diminishing fossil resources and the ongoing climate change, the identification of new efficient and alternative routes for the large-scale production of propylene from biorenewable resources has become essential. Herein, a new selective route for the synthesis of propylene from bio-derived glycerol is demonstrated. The route consists of the formation of 1-propanol (a versatile bulk chemical) as intermediate through hydrogenolysis of glycerol at a high selectivity. A subsequent dehydration produces propylene. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Extension of the Mott-Gurney Law for a Bilayer Gap

Science.gov (United States)

Dubinov, A. E.; Kitayev, I. N.

2018-04-01

Steady drift states of an electron flow in a planar gap filled with a bilayer dielectric have been considered. Exact mathematical formulas have been derived that describe the distributions of the electrostatic potential and space charge limited electron flow current (extended Mott-Gurney law for a bilayer diode).

Application of glycerol as a foliar spray activates the defence response and enhances disease resistance of Theobroma cacao.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yufan; Smith, Philip; Maximova, Siela N; Guiltinan, Mark J

2015-01-01

Previous work has implicated glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) as a mobile inducer of systemic immunity in plants. We tested the hypothesis that the exogenous application of glycerol as a foliar spray might enhance the disease resistance of Theobroma cacao through the modulation of endogenous G3P levels. We found that exogenous application of glycerol to cacao leaves over a period of 4 days increased the endogenous level of G3P and decreased the level of oleic acid (18:1). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were produced (a marker of defence activation) and the expression of many pathogenesis-related genes was induced. Notably, the effects of glycerol application on G3P and 18:1 fatty acid content, and gene expression levels, in cacao leaves were dosage dependent. A 100 mm glycerol spray application was sufficient to stimulate the defence response without causing any observable damage, and resulted in a significantly decreased lesion formation by the cacao pathogen Phytophthora capsici; however, a 500 mm glycerol treatment led to chlorosis and cell death. The effects of glycerol treatment on the level of 18:1 and ROS were constrained to the locally treated leaves without affecting distal tissues. The mechanism of the glycerol-mediated defence response in cacao and its potential use as part of a sustainable farming system are discussed. © 2014 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

Mechanical suitability of glycerol-preserved human dura mater for construction of prosthetic cardiac valves.

Science.gov (United States)

McGarvey, K A; Lee, J M; Boughner, D R

1984-03-01

We have examined the tensile viscoelastic properties of fresh and glycerol-preserved human dura mater, and correlated the results with structural information from the scanning electron microscope. The interwoven laminar structure of dura produces rather high flexural stiffness, while the crossed-fibrillar laminae produce planar mechanical isotropy. Glycerol storage shifts the stress-strain curve to lower strain, reduces stress relaxation and creep, and lowers the ultimate tensile strength and strain at fracture. These changes may be due to glyceraldehyde crosslinking, or to increased interfibrillar friction. The latter hypothesis suggests that glycerol storage may reduce the fatigue lifetime of the tissue.

The role of genotype in protection against gamma-radiation of E. coli cells by glycerol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amirtaev, K.G.; Krasavin, E.A.; Kozubek, S.; Tokarova, B.; Nyamsambuu, A.

1984-01-01

The protective effect of glycerol and anoxia on the survival of γ-irradiated E.coli cells of wild type, recA - , polA - mutants has been investigated. The protection by glycerol increases from recA - mutant to wild type and polA - mutant with dose modifying factors (DMF) being 2.03+-0.12, 2.52+-0.25, and 2.80+-0.26. Analogically the protection by hypoxia is genetically determined, too. The value of oxygen effect increases from 1.77+-0.23 for recA - mutant to 3.38+-0.29 for wild type cells and 4.66+-0.41 for polA - -mutant. The oxygen independent component of glycerol protection is geltically independent (DMF=2). Possible mechanisms of genetic determination of the protection by glycerol and anoxia are discussed

Intrinsic magnetism and spontaneous band gap opening in bilayer silicene and germanene.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xinquan; Wu, Zhigang

2017-01-18

It has been long sought to create magnetism out of simple non-magnetic materials, such as silicon and germanium. Here we show that intrinsic magnetism exists in bilayer silicene and germanene with no need to cut, etch, or dope. Unlike bilayer graphene, strong covalent interlayer bonding formed in bilayer silicene and germanene breaks the original π-bonding network of each layer, leaving the unbonded electrons unpaired and localized to carry magnetic moments. These magnetic moments then couple ferromagnetically within each layer while antiferromagnetically across two layers, giving rise to an infinite magnetic sheet with structural integrity and magnetic homogeneity. Furthermore, this unique magnetic ordering results in fundamental band gaps of 0.55 eV and 0.32 eV for bilayer silicene and germanene, respectively. The integration of intrinsic magnetism and spontaneous band gap opening makes bilayer silicene and germanene attractive for future nanoelectronics as well as spin-based computation and data storage.

Efficient production of succinic acid in immobilized fermentation with crude glycerol from Escherichia coli

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nik Nor Aziati, A.A.

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The increase in the price of commercial succinic acid has necessitated the need for its synthesis from waste materials such as glycerol. Glycerol residue is a waste product of Oleochemical production which is cheaply available and a very good source of carbon. The use of immobilized cells can further reduce the overall cost of the production process. This study primarily aims to produce succinic acid from glycerol residue through the use of immobilized Escherichia coli in a batch fermentation process. The parameters which affect bacterial fermentation process such as the mass substrate, temperature, inoculum size and duration of fermentation were screened using One-Factor-At-a-Time (OFAT method. The result of the screening process shows that a substrate (glycerol concentration of 30 g, inoculum size 20% v/v, and time 4 h produced the maximum succinic acid concentration of 117.99 g/L. The immobilized cells were found to be stable as well as retain their fermentative ability up to the 6th cycle of recycling, thereby presenting as an advantage over the free cell system. Therefore, conclude that using immobilized cells can contribute immensely to the cost-effective production of succinic acid from glycerol residue.

Glycerol-plasticised silk membranes made using formic acid are ductile, transparent and degradation-resistant.

Science.gov (United States)

Allardyce, Benjamin J; Rajkhowa, Rangam; Dilley, Rodney J; Redmond, Sharon L; Atlas, Marcus D; Wang, Xungai

2017-11-01

Regenerated silk fibroin membranes tend to be brittle when dry. The use of plasticisers such as glycerol improve membrane ductility, but, when combined with aqueous processing, can lead to a higher degradation rate than solvent-annealed membranes. This study investigated the use of formic acid as the solvent with glycerol to make deformable yet degradation-resistant silk membranes. Here we show that membranes cast using formic acid had low light scattering, with a diffuse transmittance of less than 5% over the visible wavelengths, significantly lower than the 20% transmittance of aqueous derived silk/glycerol membranes. They had 64% β-sheet content and lost just 30% of the initial silk weight over 6h when tested with an accelerated enzymatic degradation assay, in comparison the aqueous membranes completely degraded within this timeframe. The addition of glycerol also improved the maximum elongation of formic acid derived membranes from under 3% to over 100%. They also showed good cytocompatibility and supported the adhesion and migration of human tympanic membrane keratinocytes. Formic acid based, silk/glycerol membranes may be of great use in medical applications such as repair of tympanic membrane perforation or ocular applications where transparency and resistance to enzymatic degradation are important. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Regulation of membrane protein function by lipid bilayer elasticity—a single molecule technology to measure the bilayer properties experienced by an embedded protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundbæk, Jens August

2008-01-01

, regulate a number of structurally unrelated proteins in an apparently non-specific manner. It is well known that changes in the physical properties of a lipid bilayer (e.g., thickness or monolayer spontaneous curvature) can affect the function of an embedded protein. However, the role of such changes......-dependent sodium channels, N-type calcium channels and GABAA receptors, it has been shown that membrane protein function in living cells can be regulated by amphiphile induced changes in bilayer elasticity. Using the gramicidin channel as a molecular force transducer, a nanotechnology to measure the elastic...... properties experienced by an embedded protein has been developed. A theoretical and technological framework, to study the regulation of membrane protein function by lipid bilayer elasticity, has been established....

High Yield Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth of High Quality Large-Area AB Stacked Bilayer Graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Lixin; Zhou, Hailong; Cheng, Rui; Yu, Woo Jong; Liu, Yuan; Chen, Yu; Shaw, Jonathan; Zhong, Xing; Huang, Yu; Duan, Xiangfeng

2012-01-01

Bernal stacked (AB stacked) bilayer graphene is of significant interest for functional electronic and photonic devices due to the feasibility to continuously tune its band gap with a vertical electrical field. Mechanical exfoliation can be used to produce AB stacked bilayer graphene flakes but typically with the sizes limited to a few micrometers. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has been recently explored for the synthesis of bilayer graphene but usually with limited coverage and a mixture of AB and randomly stacked structures. Herein we report a rational approach to produce large-area high quality AB stacked bilayer graphene. We show that the self-limiting effect of graphene growth on Cu foil can be broken by using a high H2/CH4 ratio in a low pressure CVD process to enable the continued growth of bilayer graphene. A high temperature and low pressure nucleation step is found to be critical for the formation of bilayer graphene nuclei with high AB stacking ratio. A rational design of a two-step CVD process is developed for the growth of bilayer graphene with high AB stacking ratio (up to 90 %) and high coverage (up to 99 %). The electrical transport studies demonstrated that devices made of the as-grown bilayer graphene exhibit typical characteristics of AB stacked bilayer graphene with the highest carrier mobility exceeding 4,000 cm2/V·s at room temperature, comparable to that of the exfoliated bilayer graphene. PMID:22906199

Electronic transport of bilayer graphene with asymmetry line defects

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xiao-Ming; Wu, Ya-Jie; Chen, Chan; Liang, Ying; Kou, Su-Peng

2016-11-01

In this paper, we study the quantum properties of a bilayer graphene with (asymmetry) line defects. The localized states are found around the line defects. Thus, the line defects on one certain layer of the bilayer graphene can lead to an electric transport channel. By adding a bias potential along the direction of the line defects, we calculate the electric conductivity of bilayer graphene with line defects using the Landauer-Büttiker theory, and show that the channel affects the electric conductivity remarkably by comparing the results with those in a perfect bilayer graphene. This one-dimensional line electric channel has the potential to be applied in nanotechnology engineering. Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant Nos. 2011CB921803 and 2012CB921704), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11174035, 11474025, 11504285, and 11404090), the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education, China, the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China, the Scientific Research Program Fund of the Shaanxi Provincial Education Department, China (Grant No. 15JK1363), and the Young Talent Fund of University Association for Science and Technology in Shaanxi Province, China.

Anomalous Hall effect in Fe/Gd bilayers

KAUST Repository

Xu, W. J.; Zhang, Bei; Liu, Z. X.; Wang, Z.; Li, W.; Wu, Z. B.; Yu, R. H.; Zhang, Xixiang

2010-01-01

Non-monotonic dependence of anomalous Hall resistivity on temperature and magnetization, including a sign change, was observed in Fe/Gd bilayers. To understand the intriguing observations, we fabricated the Fe/Gd bilayers and single layers of Fe and Gd simultaneously. The temperature and field dependences of longitudinal resistivity, Hall resistivity and magnetization in these films have also been carefully measured. The analysis of these data reveals that these intriguing features are due to the opposite signs of Hall resistivity/or spin polarization and different Curie temperatures of Fe and Gd single-layer films. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2010

Anomalous Hall effect in Fe/Gd bilayers

KAUST Repository

Xu, W. J.

2010-04-01

Non-monotonic dependence of anomalous Hall resistivity on temperature and magnetization, including a sign change, was observed in Fe/Gd bilayers. To understand the intriguing observations, we fabricated the Fe/Gd bilayers and single layers of Fe and Gd simultaneously. The temperature and field dependences of longitudinal resistivity, Hall resistivity and magnetization in these films have also been carefully measured. The analysis of these data reveals that these intriguing features are due to the opposite signs of Hall resistivity/or spin polarization and different Curie temperatures of Fe and Gd single-layer films. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2010

Unconventional fractional quantum Hall effect in monolayer and bilayer graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Jacak, Janusz; Jacak, Lucjan

2016-01-01

The commensurability condition is applied to determine the hierarchy of fractional fillings of Landau levels in monolayer and in bilayer graphene. The filling rates for fractional quantum Hall effect (FQHE) in graphene are found in the first three Landau levels in one-to-one agreement with the experimental data. The presence of even denominator filling fractions in the hierarchy for FQHE in bilayer graphene is explained. Experimentally observed hierarchy of FQHE in the first and second Landau levels in monolayer graphene and in the zeroth Landau level in bilayer graphene is beyond the conventional composite fermion interpretation but fits to the presented nonlocal topology commensurability condition. PMID:27877866

Green synthesis of noble nanometals (Au, Pt, Pd) using glycerol under microwave irradiation conditions

Science.gov (United States)

A newer application of glycerol in the field of nanomaterials synthesis has been developed from both the economic and environmental points of view. Glycerol can act as a reducing agent for the fabrication of noble nanometals, such as Au, Pt, and Pd, under microwave irradiation. T...

Flow cytometric viability assessment and transmission electron microscopic morphological study of Bacteria in Glycerol

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Saegeman, V.S.M.; Vos, de R.; Tebaldi, N.D.; Wolf, van der J.M.; Bergervoet, J.H.W.; Verhaegen, J.; Lismont, D.; Verduyckt, B.; Ectors, N.L.

2007-01-01

Human cadaveric skin allografts are used in the treatment of burns and can be preserved in glycerol at high concentrations. Previously, glycerol has been attributed some antimicrobial effect. In an experimental set-up, we aimed at investigating this effect of prolonged incubation of bacteria in 85%

The electronic transport properties of defected bilayer sliding armchair graphene nanoribbons

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammadi, Amin; Haji-Nasiri, Saeed

2018-04-01

By applying non-equilibrium Green's functions (NEGF) in combination with tight-binding (TB) model, we investigate and compare the electronic transport properties of perfect and defected bilayer armchair graphene nanoribbons (BAGNRs) under finite bias. Two typical defects which are placed in the middle of top layer (i.e. single vacancy (SV) and stone wale (SW) defects) are examined. The results reveal that in both perfect and defected bilayers, the maximum current refers to β-AB, AA and α-AB stacking orders, respectively, since the intermolecular interactions are stronger in them. Moreover it is observed that a SV decreases the current in all stacking orders, but the effects of a SW defect is nearly unpredictable. Besides, we introduced a sequential switching behavior and the effects of defects on the switching performance is studied as well. We found that a SW defect can significantly improve the switching behavior of a bilayer system. Transmission spectrum, band structure, molecular energy spectrum and molecular projected self-consistent Hamiltonian (MPSH) are analyzed subsequently to understand the electronic transport properties of these bilayer devices which can be used in developing nano-scale bilayer systems.

Ultrafine ferromagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles: Facile synthesis by low temperature decomposition of iron glycerolate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bartůněk, Vilém, E-mail: vilem.bartunek@vscht.cz [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6 (Czech Republic); Průcha, David [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6 (Czech Republic); Švecová, Marie [Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6 (Czech Republic); Ulbrich, Pavel [Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 3, 166 28 Prague 6 (Czech Republic); Huber, Štěpán; Sedmidubský, David; Jankovský, Ondřej [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6 (Czech Republic)

2016-09-01

We synthesized dark colored ultrafine – sub 10 nm iron oxide nanoparticles by a facile and low temperature process based on thermal decomposition of an affordable precursor – iron glycerolate. Simultaneous thermal analysis (STA) was used to study the thermal behaviour during the decomposition. The iron glycerolate was thoroughly analysed by various methods. The size of the iron nanoparticles was determined from XRD patterns and by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and their composition has been confirmed by XPS. Magnetic properties of the nanoparticles were studied by vibrating sample magnetometry. The prepared single phase material exhibiting ferromagnetic properties is usable in a wide range of applications and may be suitable even for large scale industrial applications. - Highlights: • Iron glycerolate prepared and characterised. • Iron oxide nanoparticles prepared by thermal decomposition of iron glycerolate. • STA used to study the decomposition. • Products characterised by XRD, XPS, FT-IR, SEM and TEM. • Magnetic behaviour of monophasic samples determined.

Glycerol as a carbon source for xantan production by Xanthomonas campestris isolates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bajić Bojana Ž.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The success of xanthan biosynthesis depends on several factors, most importantly the genetic potential of the production microorganism and cultivation media composition. Cultivation media composition affects the yield and quality of the desired product as well as production costs. This is why many studies focus on finding cheap alternative raw materials, especially carbon sources, to replace commercially used glucose and sucrose. In addition to the Xanthomonas campestris ATCC 13951 which is the primary industrial production microorganism, other Xanthomonas strains can produce xanthan as well. Under the same conditions, different strains produce different amounts of the biopolymer of varying quality. The aim of this paper is to compare producibility of phytopathogenic X. campestris strains, isolated from the environment with the reference X. campestris ATCC 13951 strain and to estimate the possibility of xanthan production using alternative glycerol-based media than the synthetic glucose-based media. Submerged cultivation on the medium based on glucose or glycerol (2.0 %w/v was performed using the reference strain and eight isolated X. campestris strains. In order to assess the success of biosynthesis, xanthan yield and rheological properties were determined. Strains isolated from the environment produced yields between 2.98 g/L and 12.17 g/L on the glucose-based medium and 1.68 g/L and 6.31 g/L on the glycerol-based medium. Additionally, X. campestris ATCC 13951 provided the highest yield when using glucose (13.24 g/L, as well as glycerol-based medium (7.44 g/L. The obtained results indicate that in the applied experimental conditions and using all tested strains, glycerol is viable as a carbon source for the production of xanthan.

Design and development of low cost polyurethane biopolymer based on castor oil and glycerol for biomedical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, A C W; Polo-Cambronell, B J; Provaggi, E; Ardila-Suárez, C; Ramirez-Caballero, G E; Baldovino-Medrano, V G; Kalaskar, D M

2018-02-01

In the current study, we present the synthesis of novel low cost bio-polyurethane compositions with variable mechanical properties based on castor oil and glycerol for biomedical applications. A detailed investigation of the physicochemical properties of the polymer was carried out by using mechanical testing, ATR-FTIR, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Polymers were also tested in short term in-vitro cell culture with human mesenchymal stem cells to evaluate their biocompatibility for potential applications as biomaterial. FTIR analysis confirmed the synthesis of castor oil and glycerol based PU polymers. FTIR also showed that the addition of glycerol as co-polyol increases crosslinking within the polymer backbone hence enhancing the bulk mechanical properties of the polymer. XPS data showed that glycerol incorporation leads to an enrichment of oxidized organic species on the surface of the polymers. Preliminary investigation into in vitro biocompatibility showed that serum protein adsorption can be controlled by varying the glycerol content with polymer backbone. An alamar blue assay looking at the metabolic activity of the cells indicated that castor oil based PU and its variants containing glycerol are non-toxic to the cells. This study opens an avenue for using low cost bio-polyurethane based on castor oil and glycerol for biomedical applications. © 2017 The Authors Biopolymers Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Studies on distribution and excretion of 14C-glycerol in rats, rabbits and mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takanashi, Shigeru; Kamiyama, Hiroshi; Suzuki, Hidetaka; Tohira, Yasuo; Ogawa, Machiko

1978-01-01

Tissue distribution and excretion of uniformly labeled 14 C-glycerol were investigated using rats, rabbits and mice. Blood disappearance half life of 14 W/V% 14 C-glycerol in mice (1 ml/head), rats (1 ml/head) and rabbits (2 ml/head) given intravenously was 0.4, 1.8 and 2.4 hours, respectively. When 14 W/V% 14 C-glycerol was injected in rats (1 ml/head) and rabbits (2 ml/head), 65% of administered radioactivity was excreted in to expired air within 48 hrs. This suggests that glycerol is mostly metabolised via the Embden-Meyehof pathway and the TCA cycle, and finally converted to CO 2 and H 2 O. At a low dose, the conversion ratio to CO 2 was greater than the case of a high dose, and a inverse relationship was observed between the CO 2 -conversion ratio and the dose. At levels above 1 ml of 56 W/V% glycerol, an approximately constant portion of the administered dose appeared to be oxidized. The results of the whole body autoradiogram showed the distribution of the radioactivity throughout the body. Disappearance of radioactivity from liver and blood was rapid, but transport to brain, excretion to the salivary gland, and secretion to Harder's gland were slow. The distribution in tissues showed that the highest distribution of 14 C-glycerol was found in the carcass; liver showed the next highest distribution; high distribution was also found initially in the kidneys; brain, heart, lung and spleen showed low distribution, but they decreased with time elapsed. Disappearance of radioactivity from the brain was relatively slower than the liver. Besides, another result indicated that in pregnant mice 14 C-glycerol did not cross the placenta very quickly. The fact that the apparent disappearance rate from the foetuses does not seem to parallel that of the placenta is suggestive of selective accumulation in foetal tissues. (auth.)

Differences in [14C]glycerol utilization in normal and familial hypercholesterolemic fibroblasts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shireman, R.B.; Durieux, J.

1991-01-01

It is known that cultured fibroblasts from familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) patients lack the normal cell receptor for low density lipoprotein (LDL) and that the absence of receptor-mediated transport of LDL cholesterol into these cells results in increased cellular synthesis of cholesterol. After 20 h perincubation in lipid-free medium, cultured FH fibroblasts incorporated significantly greater amounts of [ 14 C]glycerol into cellular lipids than did normal fibroblasts. Relative to the control medium which contained only bovine serum albumin (BSA), preincubation with 5% fetal bovine serum or 50 micrograms LDL/ml decreased [ 14 C]glycerol incorporation by both cell types. FH cells utilized more [ 14 C]glycerol for phospholipid synthesis and less for triglyceride synthesis than normal cells. This study indicates that LDL may be important in the transport of glycerides, as well as cholesterol, to cells

Cationic Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine and Dioleoyloxytrimethylammonium Propane Lipid Bilayers: Atomistic Insight for Structure and Dynamics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhao, W.; Gurtovenko, A. A.; Vattulainen, I.

2012-01-01

We performed atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of lipid bilayers consisting of a mixture of cationic dioleoyloxytrimethylammonium propane (DOTAP) and zwitterionic dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) lipids at different DOTAP fractions. Our primary focus was the specific effects...... of unsaturated lipid chains on structural and dynamic properties of mixed cationic bilayers. The bilayer area, as well as the ordering of lipid tails, shows a pronounced nonmonotonic behavior when TAP lipid fraction increases. The minimum in area (maximum in ordering) was observed for a bilayer with TAP fraction...... lipids, which were found to form PC-PC and PC-TAP pairs, and the formation of lipid clusters....

Biodiesel biorefinery: opportunities and challenges for microbial production of fuels and chemicals from glycerol waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, João R M; Fávaro, Léia C L; Quirino, Betania F

2012-07-18

The considerable increase in biodiesel production worldwide in the last 5 years resulted in a stoichiometric increased coproduction of crude glycerol. As an excess of crude glycerol has been produced, its value on market was reduced and it is becoming a "waste-stream" instead of a valuable "coproduct". The development of biorefineries, i.e. production of chemicals and power integrated with conversion processes of biomass into biofuels, has been singled out as a way to achieve economically viable production chains, valorize residues and coproducts, and reduce industrial waste disposal. In this sense, several alternatives aimed at the use of crude glycerol to produce fuels and chemicals by microbial fermentation have been evaluated. This review summarizes different strategies employed to produce biofuels and chemicals (1,3-propanediol, 2,3-butanediol, ethanol, n-butanol, organic acids, polyols and others) by microbial fermentation of glycerol. Initially, the industrial use of each chemical is briefly presented; then we systematically summarize and discuss the different strategies to produce each chemical, including selection and genetic engineering of producers, and optimization of process conditions to improve yield and productivity. Finally, the impact of the developments obtained until now are placed in perspective and opportunities and challenges for using crude glycerol to the development of biodiesel-based biorefineries are considered. In conclusion, the microbial fermentation of glycerol represents a remarkable alternative to add value to the biodiesel production chain helping the development of biorefineries, which will allow this biofuel to be more competitive.

Glycerol transesterification with ethyl acetate to synthesize acetins using ethyl acetate as reactant and entrainer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amin Shafiei

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Transesterification of glycerol with ethyl acetate was performed over acidic catalysts in the batch and semi-batch systems. Ethyl acetate was used as reactant and entrainer to remove the produced ethanol during the reaction, through azeotrope formation. Since the azeotrope of ethyl acetate and ethanol forms at 70 oC, all the experiments were performed at this temperature. Para-toluene sulfonic acid, sulfuric acid, and Amberlyst 36 were used as catalyst. The effect of process parameters including ethyl acetate to glycerol molar ratio (6-12, reaction time (3-9 h, and the catalyst to glycerol weight (2.5-9.0%, on the conversion and products selectivities were investigated. Under reflux conditions, 100% glycerol conversion was obtained with 45%, 44%, and 11% selectivity to monoacetin, diacetin, and triacetin, respectively. Azeotropic reactive distillation led to 100% conversion of glycerol with selectivities of 3%, 48% and 49% for monoacetin, diacetin, and triacetin. During the azeotropic reactive distillation, it was possible to remove ethanol to shift the equilibrium towards diacetin and triacetin. Therefore, the total selectivity to diacetin and triacetin was increased from 55% to 97% through azeotropic distillation.

Electronic transport in bilayer graphene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koshino, Mikito

2009-01-01

We present theoretical studies on the transport properties and localization effects of bilayer graphene. We calculate the conductivity by using the effective mass model with the self-consistent Born approximation, in the presence and absence of an energy gap opened by the interlayer asymmetry. We find that, in the absence of the gap, the minimum conductivity approaches the universal value by increasing the disorder potential, and the value is robust in the strong disorder regime where mixing with high-energy states is considerable. The gap-opening suppresses the conductivity over a wide energy range, even in the region away from the gap.We also study the localization effects in the vicinity of zero energy in bilayer graphene. We find that the states are all localized in the absence of the gap, while the gap-opening causes a phase transition analogous to the quantum Hall transition, which is accompanied by electron delocalization.

A Neutron View of Proteins in Lipid Bilayers

Science.gov (United States)

White, Stephen

2012-02-01

Despite the growing number of atomic-resolution membrane protein structures, direct structural information about proteins in their native membrane environment is scarce. This problem is particularly relevant in the case of the highly-charged S1-S4 voltage- sensing domains responsible for nerve impulses, where interactions with the lipid bilayer are critical for the function of voltage-activated potassium channels. We have used neutron diffraction, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the structure and hydration of bilayer membranes containing S1-S4 voltage-sensing domains. Our results show that voltage sensors adopt transmembrane orientations, cause a modest reshaping of the surrounding lipid bilayer, and that water molecules intimately interact with the protein within the membrane. These structural findings reveal that voltage sensors have evolved to interact with the lipid membrane while keeping the energetic and structural perturbations to a minimum, and that water penetrates into the membrane to hydrate charged residues and shape the transmembrane electric field.

Magnetically Assisted Bilayer Composites for Soft Bending Actuators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sung-Hwan Jang

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This article presents a soft pneumatic bending actuator using a magnetically assisted bilayer composite composed of silicone polymer and ferromagnetic particles. Bilayer composites were fabricated by mixing ferromagnetic particles to a prepolymer state of silicone in a mold and asymmetrically distributed them by applying a strong non-uniform magnetic field to one side of the mold during the curing process. The biased magnetic field induces sedimentation of the ferromagnetic particles toward one side of the structure. The nonhomogeneous distribution of the particles induces bending of the structure when inflated, as a result of asymmetric stiffness of the composite. The bilayer composites were then characterized with a scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The bending performance and the axial expansion of the actuator were discussed for manipulation applications in soft robotics and bioengineering. The magnetically assisted manufacturing process for the soft bending actuator is a promising technique for various applications in soft robotics.

Magnetically Assisted Bilayer Composites for Soft Bending Actuators.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Sung-Hwan; Na, Seon-Hong; Park, Yong-Lae

2017-06-12

This article presents a soft pneumatic bending actuator using a magnetically assisted bilayer composite composed of silicone polymer and ferromagnetic particles. Bilayer composites were fabricated by mixing ferromagnetic particles to a prepolymer state of silicone in a mold and asymmetrically distributed them by applying a strong non-uniform magnetic field to one side of the mold during the curing process. The biased magnetic field induces sedimentation of the ferromagnetic particles toward one side of the structure. The nonhomogeneous distribution of the particles induces bending of the structure when inflated, as a result of asymmetric stiffness of the composite. The bilayer composites were then characterized with a scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The bending performance and the axial expansion of the actuator were discussed for manipulation applications in soft robotics and bioengineering. The magnetically assisted manufacturing process for the soft bending actuator is a promising technique for various applications in soft robotics.

Effects of 2-deoxy-D-glucose, oligomycin and theophylline on in vitro glycerol metabolism in rat adipose tissue: response to insulin and epinephrine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dominguez, M C; Herrera, E [Barcelona Univ. (Spain). Catedra de Fisiologia General

1976-01-01

The effects of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG), oligomycin and theophylline on the in vitro production and metabolism of glycerol and its response to insulin and epinephrine were studied in epididymal fat pads from fed rats. 2-DG failed to affect basic or epinephrine-stimulated glycerol production but decreased the uptake of 1-/sup 14/C-glycerol by the tissue and its conversion to glyceride-glycerol. Oligomycin also failed to affect the basic production of glycerol, but it inhibited the affect of epinephrine on this parameter as well as the uptake and utilization of 1-/sup 14/C-glycerol. Theophylline enhanced the production of glycerol by the tissue, and this effect was not further augmented by epinephrine. Theophylline also inhibited the uptake and utilization of 1-/sup 14/C-glycerol; the most pronounced effect of theophylline was observed in the formation of /sup 14/C-fatty acids from 1-/sup 14/C-glycerol in the presence of glucose. Insulin, but not epinephrine, decreased the inhibitory effect of theophylline on glycerol utilization. It is concluded that these compounds affect the ability of adipose tissue to metabolize glycerol more intensely than the ability to release it through lipolysis. The pathway for glycerol utilization in adipose tissue appears to be more sensitive to changes in the availability of ATP than the mechanisms for the release of glycerol from the tissue.

Preparation of polymer blends from glycerol, fumaric acid and of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) recycled

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medeiros, Marina A.O.; Guimaraes, Danilo H.; Brioude, Michel M.; Jose, Nadia M.; Prado, Luis A.S. de A.

2011-01-01

Polymer blends based on recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(glycerol fumarate) polyesters were prepared in different PET concentrations. The PET powder was dispersed during the poly(glycerol fumarate) synthesis at 260 deg C. The resulting blends were characterized by X-ray diffraction. The thermal stability of the materials was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The morphology was studies by scanning electron microscopy. The blends were clearly immiscible. The possibility of (interfacial) compatibilization of the PET domains, caused by transesterification reactions between PET and glycerol were discussed. (author)

Ice Recrystallization Inhibiting Polymers Enable Glycerol-Free Cryopreservation of Micro-organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan, Muhammad; Fayter, Alice E R; Gibson, Matthew I

2018-06-22

All modern molecular biology and microbiology is underpinned not only by the tools to handle and manipulate microorganisms, but also those to store, bank and transport them. Glycerol is the current gold-standard cryoprotectant but it is intrinsically toxic to most micro-organisms: only a fraction of cells survive freezing and the presence of glycerol can impact down-stream applications and assays. Extremophile organisms survive repeated freeze/thaw cycles by producing antifreeze proteins which are potent ice recrystallization inhibitors. Here we introduce a new concept for the storage/transport of micro-organisms by using ice recrystallization inhibiting poly(vinyl alcohol) in tandem with poly(ethylene glycol). This cryopreserving formulation is shown to result in a 4-fold increase in E. coli yield post-thaw, compared to glycerol, utilizing lower concentrations, with successful cryopreservation at just 1.1 weight percent of additive. The mechanism of protection is demonstrated to be linked to inhibiting ice recrystallization (by comparison to a recombinant antifreeze protein) but also to the significantly lower toxicity of the polymers compared to glycerol. Optimized formulations are presented and shown to be broadly applicable to the cryopreservation of a panel of Gram negative, Gram positive and Mycobacteria strains. This represents a step-change in how micro-organisms will be stored by the design of new macromolecular ice growth inhibitors; it should enable a transition from traditional solvent-based to macromolecular microbiology storage methods.

Poly(glycerol adipate)-fatty acid esters as versatile nanocarriers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weiss, Verena M; Naolou, Toufik; Hause, Gerd

2012-01-01

Poly(glycerol adipate) (PGA) is a biodegradable polymer with promising features for nanoparticulate drug carrier systems. By acylation of PGA with fatty acids, composite systems with amphiphilic properties can be obtained. Variation of the fatty acid (laurate, stearate and behenate) and their sub...... and the nanoparticles. With their diverse particle shapes and internal structures as well as their different thermal behavior, aggregate states and polarities, the systems offer promising possibilities as delivery systems for lipophilic, amphiphilic and water soluble drugs.......Poly(glycerol adipate) (PGA) is a biodegradable polymer with promising features for nanoparticulate drug carrier systems. By acylation of PGA with fatty acids, composite systems with amphiphilic properties can be obtained. Variation of the fatty acid (laurate, stearate and behenate...

Enhanced sensitivity of a microfabricated resonator using a graphene-polystyrene bilayer membrane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yun, Minhyuk; Lee, Eunho; Cho, Kilwon; Jeon, Sangmin, E-mail: jeons@postech.ac.kr [Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang (Korea, Republic of)

2014-08-18

A graphene layer was synthesized using chemical vapor deposition methods and a polystyrene solution was spin-cast onto the graphene film. The graphene-polystyrene bilayer membrane was attached between the two tines of a microfabricated quartz tuning fork (QTF). The modulus of the graphene-polystyrene bilayer was measured to be twice that of a pristine polystyrene membrane. Exposure of the membrane-coated QTF to ethanol vapor decreased the resonance frequency of the microresonator. The bilayer membrane-coated QTF produced a frequency change that was three times the change obtained using a polystyrene membrane-coated QTF, with a lower degree of degradation in the Q factor. The limit of detection of the bilayer membrane-coated QTF to ethanol vapor was determined to be 20 ppm.

High power density thin film SOFCs with YSZ/GDC bilayer electrolyte

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Sungmee; Kim, YoungNam; Kim, Jung-Hyun; Manthiram, Arumugam; Wang Haiyan

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: . A: Cross-sectional TEM images show a GDC single layer and YSZ/GDC bilayer electrolyte structures. As clearly observed from TEM images, the YSZ interlayer thickness varies from ∼330 nm to ∼1 μm. B: The cell with the bilayer electrolyte (YSZ ∼330 nm) doubles the overall power output at 750 deg. C compared to that achieved in the GDC single layer cell. Display Omitted Highlights: → YSZ/ GDC bilayer thin film electrolytes were deposited by a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. → Thin YSZ film as a blocking layer effectively suppresses the cell voltage drop without reducing the ionic conductivity of the electrolyte layer. → The YSZ/ GDC bilayer structure presents a feasible architecture for enhancing the overall power density and enabling chemical, mechanical, and structural stability in the cells. - Abstract: Bilayer electrolytes composed of a gadolinium-doped CeO 2 (GDC) layer (∼6 μm thickness) and an yttria-stabilized ZrO 2 (YSZ) layer with various thicknesses (∼330 nm, ∼440 nm, and ∼1 μm) were deposited by a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique for thin film solid oxide fuel cells (TFSOFCs). The bilayer electrolytes were prepared between a NiO-YSZ (60:40 wt.% with 7.5 wt.% carbon) anode and La 0.5 Sr 0.5 CoO 3 -Ce 0.9 Gd 0.1 O 1.95 (50:50 wt.%) composite cathode for anode-supported single cells. Significantly enhanced maximum power density was achieved, i.e., a maximum power density of 188, 430, and 587 mW cm -2 was measured in a bilayer electrolyte single cell with ∼330 nm thin YSZ at 650, 700, and 750 deg. C, respectively. The cell with the bilayer electrolyte (YSZ ∼330 nm) doubles the overall power output at 750 deg. C compared to that achieved in the GDC single layer cell. This signifies that the YSZ thin film serves as a blocking layer for preventing electrical current leakage in the GDC layer and also provides chemical, mechanical, and structural integrity in the cell, which leads to the overall enhanced

A Molecular Dynamics Study of the Structural and Dynamical Properties of Putative Arsenic Substituted Lipid Bilayers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ratna Juwita

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Cell membranes are composed mainly of phospholipids which are in turn, composed of five major chemical elements: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorus. Recent studies have suggested the possibility of sustaining life if the phosphorus is substituted by arsenic. Although this issue is still controversial, it is of interest to investigate the properties of arsenated-lipid bilayers to evaluate this possibility. In this study, we simulated arsenated-lipid, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-arsenocholine (POAC, lipid bilayers using all-atom molecular dynamics to understand basic structural and dynamical properties, in particular, the differences from analogous 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, (POPC lipid bilayers. Our simulations showed that POAC lipid bilayers have distinct structural and dynamical properties from those of native POPC lipid bilayers. Relative to POPC lipid bilayers, POAC lipid bilayers have a more compact structure with smaller lateral areas and greater order. The compact structure of POAC lipid bilayers is due to the fact that more inter-lipid salt bridges are formed with arsenate-choline compared to the phosphate-choline of POPC lipid bilayers. These inter-lipid salt bridges bind POAC lipids together and also slow down the head group rotation and lateral diffusion of POAC lipids. Thus, it would be anticipated that POAC and POPC lipid bilayers would have different biological implications.

Using crude glycerol and thin stillage for the production of microbial lipids through the cultivation of Rhodotorula glutinis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yen, Hong-Wei; Yang, Ya-Chun; Yu, Yi-Huan

2012-10-01

Single cell oils (SCO) produced from oleaginous microorganisms are a potential alternative oil feedstock for biodiesel production. The worldwide production of glycerol, a 10% (w/w) byproduct produced in the transesterfication process of oils converted to biodiesel, is increasing as more biodiesel is being produced. For the purposes of cost reduction, crude glycerol was regarded as a suitable carbon source for the cultivation of Rhodotorula glutinis. In addition to using renewable crude glycerol, waste solution collected from the brewing company (called thin stillage) was adopted as a substitute to replace a costly nitrogen source used in the medium. The results of using mixture of crude glycerol and thin stillage indicated about a 27% increase in total biomass as compared to that of using crude glycerol with a standard medium. Using glycerol instead of glucose as the carbon source could also alter the lipid profile, resulting in an increase in linolenic acid (C18:2) to comprise over 20% of the total lipid. Successfully using renewable crude glycerol and thin stillage for the cultivation of oleaginous microorganisms could greatly enhance the economic competition of biodiesel produced from SCO. Copyright © 2012 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inducing morphological changes in lipid bilayer membranes with microfabricated substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Fangjie; Collins, Liam F.; Ashkar, Rana; Heberle, Frederick A.; Srijanto, Bernadeta R.; Collier, C. Patrick

2016-11-01

Lateral organization of lipids and proteins into distinct domains and anchoring to a cytoskeleton are two important strategies employed by biological membranes to carry out many cellular functions. However, these interactions are difficult to emulate with model systems. Here we use the physical architecture of substrates consisting of arrays of micropillars to systematically control the behavior of supported lipid bilayers - an important step in engineering model lipid membrane systems with well-defined functionalities. Competition between attractive interactions of supported lipid bilayers with the underlying substrate versus the energy cost associated with membrane bending at pillar edges can be systematically investigated as functions of pillar height and pitch, chemical functionalization of the microstructured substrate, and the type of unilamellar vesicles used for assembling the supported bilayer. Confocal fluorescent imaging and AFM measurements highlight correlations that exist between topological and mechanical properties of lipid bilayers and lateral lipid mobility in these confined environments. This study provides a baseline for future investigations into lipid domain reorganization on structured solid surfaces and scaffolds for cell growth.

Energy spectrums of bilayer triangular phosphorene quantum dots and antidots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. T. Jiang

2017-04-01

Full Text Available We theoretically investigate the confined states of the bilayer triangular phosphorene dots and antidots by means of the tight-binding approach. The dependence of the energy levels on the size, the type of the boundary edges, and the orientation of the dots and antidots, and the influences of the electric and magnetic fields on the energy levels, are all completely analyzed. It is found that the energy level numbers of the bilayer dots and antidots are determined by the energy levels in two layers. The external electric field can effectively tune the energy levels of the edge states in both layers to move in opposite directions. With the increase of the magnetic field, the magnetic energy levels can approach the Landau levels of the phosphorene monolayer, the phosphorene bilayer, or both, depending on the specific geometry of the monolayer-bilayer hybrid phosphorene quantum dots. This research should be helpful for the overall understanding of the electronic properties of the multilayer hybrid phosphorene nanostructures and designing the corresponding phosphorene devices.

Magnetic properties of epitaxial bismuth ferrite-garnet mono- and bilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Semuk, E.Yu.; Berzhansky, V.N.; Prokopov, A.R.; Shaposhnikov, A.N.; Karavainikov, A.V.; Salyuk, O.Yu.; Golub, V.O.

2015-01-01

Magnetic properties of Bi 1.5 Gd 1.5 Fe 4.5 Al 0.5 O 12 (84 nm) and Bi 2.8 Y 0.2 Fe 5 O 12 (180 nm) films epitaxially grown on gallium-gadolinium garnet (GGG) single crystal (111) substrate as well as Bi 1.5 Gd 1.5 Fe 4.5 Al 0.5 O 12 /Bi 2.8 Y 0.2 Fe 5 O 12 bilayer were investigated using ferromagnetic resonance technique. The mismatch of the lattice parameters of substrate and magnetic layers leads to formation of adaptive layers which affect on the high order anisotropy constant of the films but practically do not affect on uniaxial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy The magnetic properties of the bilayer film were explained in supposition of strong exchange coupling between magnetic layers taking into account film-film and film-substrate elastic interaction. - Highlights: • Magnetic parameters of epitaxial Bi-YIG films and bilayers on GGG substrate. • Adaptive layers affect on high order magnetic anisotropy. • Magnetic properties of bilayers are result of strong exchange interaction

Bilayer lift-off process for aluminum metallization

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Thomas E.; Korolev, Konstantin A.; Crow, Nathaniel A.

2015-01-01

Recently published reports in the literature for bilayer lift-off processes have described recipes for the patterning of metals that have recommended metal-ion-free developers, which do etch aluminum. We report the first measurement of the dissolution rate of a commercial lift-off resist (LOR) in a sodium-based buffered commercial developer that does not etch aluminum. We describe a reliable lift-off recipe that is safe for multiple process steps in patterning thin (recipe consists of an acid cleaning of the substrate, the bilayer (positive photoresist/LOR) deposition and development, the sputtering of the aluminum film along with a palladium capping layer and finally, the lift-off of the metal film by immersion in the LOR solvent. The insertion into the recipe of postexposure and sequential develop-bake-develop process steps are necessary for an acceptable undercut. Our recipe also eliminates any need for accompanying sonication during lift-off that could lead to delamination of the metal pattern from the substrate. Fine patterns were achieved for both 100-nm-thick granular aluminum/palladium bilayer bolometers and 500-nm-thick aluminum gratings with 6-μm lines and 4-μm spaces.

Biosynthesis of Citric Acid from Glycerol by Acetate Mutants of Yarrowia lipolytica in Fed-Batch Fermentation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anita Rywińska

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Pure and crude glycerol from biodiesel production have been used as substrates for citric acid production by acetate-negative mutants of Yarrowia lipolytica in fed-batch fermentation. Both the final concentration and the yield of the product were the highest when Y. lipolytica Wratislavia AWG7 strain was used in the culture with pure or crude glycerol. With a medium containing 200 g/L of glycerol, production reached a maximum of citric acid of 139 g/L after 120 h. This high yield of the product (up to 0.69 g of citric acid per gram of glycerol consumed was achieved with both pure and crude glycerol. Lower yield of citric acid in the culture with Y. lipolytica Wratislavia K1 strain (about 0.45 g/g resulted from increased erythritol concentrations (up to 40 g/L, accumulated simultaneously with the citric acid. The concentration of isocitric acid, a by-product in this fermentation, was very low, in the range from 2.6 to 4.6 g/L.

Lipid bilayers suspended on microfabricated supports

Science.gov (United States)

Ogier, Simon D.; Bushby, Richard J.; Cheng, Yaling; Cox, Tim I.; Evans, Stephen D.; Knowles, Peter F.; Miles, Robert E.; Pattison, Ian

2001-03-01

The plasma membrane, that exists as part of many animal and plant cells, is a regulator for the transport of ions and small molecules across cell boundaries. Two main components involved are the phospholipid bilayer and the transport proteins. This paper details the construction of a micromachined support for bilayers (MSB) as a first step towards the development of highly selective and highly sensitive ion-channel based biosensors. The device consists of a ~100 micrometer hole in a polymeric support above a cavity that can hold ~25 nL of electrolyte. Electrodes attached to the structure allow the resistance of the membranes to be measured using d.c. conductivity. The MSB is made in two halves, using SU8 ultra-thick resist, which are subsequently bonded together to make the final structure. A layer of gold, surrounding the aperture, enables self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiols to be used to make the polymeric structure biocompatible. Lipid membranes have been formed over these holes with resistances comparable with those of natural membranes >10 MOhmcm^2. The ion-channel gramicidin has successfully been incorporated into the bilayer and its activity monitored. It is proposed that this type of device could be used not only for studying membrane transport phenomena but also as part of an ion-channel based biosensor.

Development of ethanol production from cooking oil glycerol waste ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Tuoyo Aghomotsegin

2016-10-12

Oct 12, 2016 ... glycerol waste by mutant Enterobacter aerogenes ... wild type strain was altered for enhancing ethanol production using UV irradiation and chemical method. .... microbial medium analytical methods were of laboratory and.

Lipid bilayer regulation of membrane protein function: gramicidin channels as molecular force probes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundbæk, Jens August; Collingwood, S.A.; Ingolfsson, H.I.

2010-01-01

with collective physical properties (e.g. thickness, intrinsic monolayer curvature or elastic moduli). Studies in physico-chemical model systems have demonstrated that changes in bilayer physical properties can regulate membrane protein function by altering the energetic cost of the bilayer deformation associated...... with a protein conformational change. This type of regulation is well characterized, and its mechanistic elucidation is an interdisciplinary field bordering on physics, chemistry and biology. Changes in lipid composition that alter bilayer physical properties (including cholesterol, polyunsaturated fatty acids...... channels as molecular force probes for studying this mechanism, with a unique ability to discriminate between consequences of changes in monolayer curvature and bilayer elastic moduli....

Investigation of the kinetics and mechanism of the glycerol chlorination reaction using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JUN WANG

2010-01-01

Full Text Available As a primary by-product in biodiesel production, glycerol can be used to prepare an important fine chemical, epichlorohydrin, by the glycerol chlorination reaction. Although this process has been applied in industrial production, unfortunately, less attention has been paid to the analysis and separation of the compounds in the glycerol chlorination products. In this study, a convenient and accurate method to determine the products in glycerol chlorination reaction was established and based on the results the kinetic mechanism of the reaction was investigated. The structure of main products, including 1,3--dichloropropan-2-ol, 2,3-dichloropropan-1-ol, 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol, 2-chloro-1,3-propanediol and glycerol was ascertained by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and the isomers of the products were distinguished. Apidic acid was considered as the best catalyst because of its excellent catalytic effect and high boiling point. The mechanism of the glycerol chlorination reaction was proposed and a new kinetic model was developed. Kinetic equations of the process in the experimental range were obtained by data fitting and the activation energies of each tandem reaction were 30.7, 41.8, 29.4 and 49.5 kJ mol-1, respectively. This study revealed the process and mechanism of the kinetics and provides the theoretical basis for engineering problems.

Probing spatial heterogeneity in supercooled glycerol and temporal heterogeneity with single-molecule FRET in polyprolines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Xia, Ted

2010-01-01

This thesis presents two lines of research. On the one hand, we investigate heterogeneity in supercooled glycerol by means of rheometry, small-angle neutron scattering, and fluorescence imaging. We find from the rheological experiments that supercooled glycerol can behave like weak solids at

Comparison of chromatographic methods for the determination of bound glycerol in biodiesel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Foglia, T.A.; Jones, K.C.; Nunez, A.; Phillips, J.G. [U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, Wyndmoor, PA (United States); Mittelbach, M. [Inst. for Chemistry, Univ. of Graz, Graz (Austria)

2004-09-01

An important fuel criterion for biodiesel is bound glycerol, which is a function of the residual amount of triglycerides and partial glycerides in the biodiesel. Either high-temperature gas chromatography or high performance liquid chromatography can be used for determining these minor but important components in biodiesel. In this paper we have conducted a statistical study on the accuracy of the two methods for ascertaining the bound glycerol in biodiesel fuels obtained from different feedstocks. Analysis of variance showed that with one exception, namely diacylglycerols in some soy oil based biodiesel, there was no statistical difference in bound glycerol for the biodiesel samples analyzed or a difference between methods. Operationally, the high performance liquid chromatographic method is superior to the high temperature gas chromatographic method in that it requires no sample derivatization, has shorter analysis times, and is directly applicable to most biodiesel fuels. (orig.)

Scattering Studies of Hydrophobic Monomers in Liposomal Bilayers: An Expanding Shell Model of Monomer Distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richter, Andrew; Dergunov, Sergey; Ganus, Bill; Thomas, Zachary; Pingali, Sai Venkatesh; Urban, Volker S.; Liu, Yun; Porcar, Lionel; Pinkhassik, Eugene

2011-01-01

Hydrophobic monomers partially phase separate from saturated lipids when loaded into lipid bilayers in amounts exceeding a 1:1 monomer/lipid molar ratio. This conclusion is based on the agreement between two independent methods of examining the structure of monomer-loaded bilayers. Complete phase separation of monomers from lipids would result in an increase in bilayer thickness and a slight increase in the diameter of liposomes. A homogeneous distribution of monomers within the bilayer would not change the bilayer thickness and would lead to an increase in the liposome diameter. The increase in bilayer thickness, measured by the combination of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), was approximately half of what was predicted for complete phase separation. The increase in liposome diameter, measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS), was intermediate between values predicted for a homogeneous distribution and complete phase separation. Combined SANS, SAXS, and DLS data suggest that at a 1.2 monomer/lipid ratio approximately half of the monomers are located in an interstitial layer sandwiched between lipid sheets. These results expand our understanding of using self-assembled bilayers as scaffolds for the directed covalent assembly of organic nanomaterials. In particular, the partial phase separation of monomers from lipids corroborates the successful creation of nanothin polymer materials with uniform imprinted nanopores. Pore-forming templates do not need to span the lipid bilayer to create a pore in the bilayer-templated films.

Comparing cellular performance of Yarrowia lipolytica during growth on glucose and glycerol in submerged cultivations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Workman, Mhairi; Holt, Philippe; Thykær, Jette

2013-01-01

. Growth on glycerol proceeded at approximately 0.30 h-1, and the substrate uptake rate was 0.02 mol L-1 h-1 regardless of the starting glycerol concentration (10, 20 or 45 g L-1). Utilisation of glycerol was accompanied by higher oxygen uptake rates compared to glucose growth, indicating import......Yarrowia lipolytica is an attractive host for sustainable bioprocesses due to its ability to utilize a variety of carbon substrates and convert them to a range of different product types (including lipids, organic acids and polyols) under specific conditions. Despite an increasing number...... of applications for this yeast, relatively few studies have focused on uptake and metabolism of carbon sources, and the metabolic basis for carbon flow to the different products. The focus of this work was quantification of the cellular performance of Y. lipolytica during growth on glycerol, glucose or a mixture...

Glycerol Production from Glucose and Fructose by 3T3-L1 Cells: A Mechanism of Adipocyte Defense from Excess Substrate.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María del Mar Romero

Full Text Available Cultured adipocytes (3T3-L1 produce large amounts of 3C fragments; largely lactate, depending on medium glucose levels. Increased glycolysis has been observed also in vivo in different sites of rat white adipose tissue. We investigated whether fructose can substitute glucose as source of lactate, and, especially whether the glycerol released to the medium was of lipolytic or glycolytic origin. Fructose conversion to lactate and glycerol was lower than that of glucose. The fast exhaustion of medium glucose was unrelated to significant changes in lipid storage. Fructose inhibited to a higher degree than glucose the expression of lipogenic enzymes. When both hexoses were present, the effects of fructose on gene expression prevailed over those of glucose. Adipocytes expressed fructokinase, but not aldolase b. Substantive release of glycerol accompanied lactate when fructose was the substrate. The mass of cell triacylglycerol (and its lack of change could not justify the comparatively higher amount of glycerol released. Consequently, most of this glycerol should be derived from the glycolytic pathway, since its lipolytic origin could not be (quantitatively sustained. Proportionally (with respect to lactate plus glycerol, more glycerol was produced from fructose than from glucose, which suggests that part of fructose was catabolized by the alternate (hepatic fructose pathway. Earlier described adipose glycerophophatase activity may help explain the glycolytic origin of most of the glycerol. However, no gene is known for this enzyme in mammals, which suggests that this function may be carried out by one of the known phosphatases in the tissue. Break up of glycerol-3P to yield glycerol, may be a limiting factor for the synthesis of triacylglycerols through control of glycerol-3P availability. A phosphatase pathway such as that described may have a potential regulatory function, and explain the production of glycerol by adipocytes in the absence of

Improved 1,3-Propanediol Synthesis from Glycerol by the Robust Lactobacillus reuteri Strain DSM 20016.

Science.gov (United States)

Ricci, Maria Antonietta; Russo, Annamaria; Pisano, Isabella; Palmieri, Luigi; de Angelis, Maria; Agrimi, Gennaro

2015-06-01

Various Lactobacillus reuteri strains were screened for the ability to convert glycerol to 1,3- propanediol (1,3-PDO) in a glycerol-glucose co-fermentation. Only L. reuteri DSM 20016, a well-known probiotic, was able to efficiently carry out this bioconversion. Several process strategies were employed to improve this process. CO(2+) addition to the fermentation medium, led to a high product titer (46 g/l) of 1,3-PDO and to improved biomass synthesis. L. reuteri DSM 20016 produced also ca. 3 μg/g of cell dry weight of vitamin B12, conferring an economic value to the biomass produced in the process. Incidentally, we found that L. reuteri displays the highest resistance to CO(2+) ions ever reported for a microorganism. Two waste materials (crude glycerol from biodiesel industry and spruce hydrolysate from paper industry) alone or in combination were used as feedstocks for the production of 1,3-PDO by L. reuteri DSM 20016. Crude glycerol was efficiently converted into 1,3-PDO although with a lower titer than pure glycerol (-18%). Compared with the fermentation carried out with pure substrates, the 1,3- PDO produced was significantly lower (40.7 vs. 24.2 g/l) using cellulosic hydrolysate and crude glycerol, but strong increases of the maximal biomass produced (+27%) and of the glucose consumption rate (+46%) were found. The results of this study lay the foundation for further investigations to exploit the biotechnological potential of L. reuteri DSM 20016 to produce 1,3-PDO and vitamin B12 using industry byproducts.

Biodiesel biorefinery: opportunities and challenges for microbial production of fuels and chemicals from glycerol waste

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Almeida João R M

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract The considerable increase in biodiesel production worldwide in the last 5 years resulted in a stoichiometric increased coproduction of crude glycerol. As an excess of crude glycerol has been produced, its value on market was reduced and it is becoming a “waste-stream” instead of a valuable “coproduct”. The development of biorefineries, i.e. production of chemicals and power integrated with conversion processes of biomass into biofuels, has been singled out as a way to achieve economically viable production chains, valorize residues and coproducts, and reduce industrial waste disposal. In this sense, several alternatives aimed at the use of crude glycerol to produce fuels and chemicals by microbial fermentation have been evaluated. This review summarizes different strategies employed to produce biofuels and chemicals (1,3-propanediol, 2,3-butanediol, ethanol, n-butanol, organic acids, polyols and others by microbial fermentation of glycerol. Initially, the industrial use of each chemical is briefly presented; then we systematically summarize and discuss the different strategies to produce each chemical, including selection and genetic engineering of producers, and optimization of process conditions to improve yield and productivity. Finally, the impact of the developments obtained until now are placed in perspective and opportunities and challenges for using crude glycerol to the development of biodiesel-based biorefineries are considered. In conclusion, the microbial fermentation of glycerol represents a remarkable alternative to add value to the biodiesel production chain helping the development of biorefineries, which will allow this biofuel to be more competitive.

Temperature-Dependent Alkyl Glycerol Ether Lipid Composition of Mesophilic and Thermophilic Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arnauld Vinçon-Laugier

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The occurrence of non-isoprenoid alkyl glycerol ether lipids in Bacteria and natural environments is increasingly being reported and the specificity and diagenetic stability of these lipids make them powerful biomarkers for biogeochemical and environmental studies. Yet the environmental controls on the biosynthesis of these peculiar membrane lipids remain poorly documented. Here, the lipid content of two mesophilic (Desulfatibacillum aliphaticivorans and Desulfatibacillum alkenivorans and one thermophilic (Thermodesulfobacterium commune sulfate-reducing bacteria—whose membranes are mostly composed of ether lipids—was investigated as a function of growth temperature (20–40°C and 54–84°C, respectively. For all strains, the cellular lipid content was lower at sub- or supra-optimal growth temperature, but the relative proportions of dialkyl glycerols, monoalkyl glycerols and fatty acids remained remarkably stable whatever the growth temperature. Rather than changing the proportions of the different lipid classes, the three strains responded to temperature changes by modifying the average structural composition of the alkyl and acyl chains constitutive of their membrane lipids. Major adaptive mechanisms concerned modifications of the level of branching and of the proportions of the different methyl branched lipids. Specifically, an increase in temperature induced mesophilic strains to produce less dimethyl branched dialkyl glycerols and 10-methyl branched lipids relative to linear structures, and the thermophilic strain to decrease the proportion of anteiso relative to iso methyl branched compounds. These modifications were in agreement with a regulation of the membrane fluidity. In one mesophilic and the thermophilic strains, a modification of the growth temperature further induced changes in the relative proportions of sn-2 vs sn-1 monoalkyl glycerols, suggesting an unprecedented mechanism of homeoviscous adaptation in Bacteria. Strong

Blood-retinal barrier glycerol permeability in diabetic macular edema and healthy eyes: estimations from macular volume changes after peroral glycerol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thornit, Dorte Nellemann; Vinten, Carl Martin; Sander, Birgit

2010-01-01

PURPOSE: To compare the changes in macular volume (MV) between healthy subjects and patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) after an osmotic load and to determine the glycerol permeability (P(gly)) of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB). METHODS: In this unmasked study, 13 patients with DME and 5...

Producing fuel alcohol by extractive distillation: Simulating the process with glycerol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana María Uyazán

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Downstream separation processes in biotechnology form part of the stages having most impact on a product’s final cost. The tendency throughout the world today is to replace fossil fuels with those having a renewable origin such as ethanol; this, in turn, produces a demand for the same and the need for optimising fermentation, treating vinazas and dehydration processes. The present work approaches the problem of dehydration through simulating azeotropic ethanol extractive distillation using glycerol as separation agent. Simulations were done on an Aspen Plus process simulator (Aspen Tech version 11.1. The simulated process involves two distillation columns, a dehydrator and a glycerol recuperation column. Simulation restrictions were ethanol’s molar composition in dehydrator column distillate and the process’s energy consumption. The effect of molar reflux ratio, solvent-feed ratio, solvent entry and feed stage and solvent entry temperature were evaluated on the chosen restrictions. The results showed that the ethanol-water mixture dehydration with glycerol as separation agent is efficient from the energy point of view.

Biopolymer production using fungus Mucor racemosus Fresenius and glycerol as substrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thaíssa Rodrigues Araújo

Full Text Available Abstract This study evaluated extracellular production of biopolymer using fungus Mucor racemosus Fresenius and glycerol as a carbon source. Initially employing conical flasks of 500 mL containing 100 mL of cultive medium with 0.18 ± 0.03 g.L–1 of microorganisms, the results showed that the best conditions of the variables studied were: initial concentration of glycerol 50 g.L–1, fermentation time of 96 h, inoculum cultivation time of 120 h, and aeration in two stages–the first 24 hours without aeration and 72 hours fermentation with aeration of 2 vvm and 2 g.L–1 of yeast extract. The experiments conducted in a Biostat B fermenter with a 2.0 L capacity that contained 1.0 L of medium showed production of 16.35 g.L–1 gum formed and 75% glycerol consumption. These conditions produced a biopolymer with the molecular weight and total sugar content of 4.607×106 g.mol–1 (Da and 89.5%, respectively.

Supply Chain Optimization of Integrated Glycerol Biorefinery: GlyThink Model Development and Application

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Loureiro da Costa Lira Gargalo, Carina; Carvalho, Ana; Gernaey, Krist

2017-01-01

To further advance the development and implementation of glycerol-based biorefinery concepts, it is critical to analyze the glycerol conversion into high value-added products in a holistic manner, considering both production as well as the logistics aspects related to the supply chain structure...... is able to identify operational decisions, including locations, capacity levels, technologies, and product portfolio, as well as strategic decisions such as inventory levels, production amounts, and transportation to the final markets. Several technologies are considered for the glycerol valorization...... to high value-added products. Existing countries with major production and consumption of biodiesel in Europe are considered as candidates for the facility sites and demand markets, and their spatial distribution is also carefully studied. The results showed that (i) the optimal solution that provides...

Cholesterol enhances surface water diffusion of phospholipid bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, Chi-Yuan; Kausik, Ravinath; Han, Songi, E-mail: songi@chem.ucsb.edu [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106 (United States); Olijve, Luuk L. C. [Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic Chemistry and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven (Netherlands)

2014-12-14

Elucidating the physical effect of cholesterol (Chol) on biological membranes is necessary towards rationalizing their structural and functional role in cell membranes. One of the debated questions is the role of hydration water in Chol-embedding lipid membranes, for which only little direct experimental data are available. Here, we study the hydration dynamics in a series of Chol-rich and depleted bilayer systems using an approach termed {sup 1}H Overhauser dynamic nuclear polarization (ODNP) NMR relaxometry that enables the sensitive and selective determination of water diffusion within 5–10 Å of a nitroxide-based spin label, positioned off the surface of the polar headgroups or within the nonpolar core of lipid membranes. The Chol-rich membrane systems were prepared from mixtures of Chol, dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine and/or dioctadecyl phosphatidylcholine lipid that are known to form liquid-ordered, raft-like, domains. Our data reveal that the translational diffusion of local water on the surface and within the hydrocarbon volume of the bilayer is significantly altered, but in opposite directions: accelerated on the membrane surface and dramatically slowed in the bilayer interior with increasing Chol content. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) lineshape analysis shows looser packing of lipid headgroups and concurrently tighter packing in the bilayer core with increasing Chol content, with the effects peaking at lipid compositions reported to form lipid rafts. The complementary capability of ODNP and EPR to site-specifically probe the hydration dynamics and lipid ordering in lipid membrane systems extends the current understanding of how Chol may regulate biological processes. One possible role of Chol is the facilitation of interactions between biological constituents and the lipid membrane through the weakening or disruption of strong hydrogen-bond networks of the surface hydration layers that otherwise exert stronger repulsive forces, as reflected in

Structural and electro-optical properties of bilayer graphyne like BN sheet

Science.gov (United States)

Behzad, Somayeh

2016-12-01

The structural, electronic and optical properties of bilayer graphyne like BN sheet (BNyne) with different stacking manners have been explored by the first-principles calculations. The stabilities of α-BNyne bilayers with different stacking manners are compared. The α-BNyne Bilayers have wide band gaps. Compared to the single α-BNyne, the numbers of energy bands are doubled due to the interlayer interactions and the band gap is reduced. The AB-I configuration has a direct band gap while the band gap becomes indirect for AA-II. The calculated ε2 (ω) of bilayer α-BNyne for (Eǁx) is similar to that of the monolayer α-BNyne, except for the small changes of peak positions and increasing of peak intensities. For (Eǁz), the first absorption peak occures at 3.86 eV, and the prominant peak of monolayer at 9.17 eV becomes broadened. These changes are related to the new transitions resulting from the band splitting.

Gut Microbial Glycerol Metabolism as an Endogenous Acrolein Source

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianbo Zhang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Acrolein is a highly reactive electrophile causing toxic effects, such as DNA and protein adduction, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, immune dysfunction, and membrane damage. This Opinion/Hypothesis provides an overview of endogenous and exogenous acrolein sources, acrolein’s mode of action, and its metabolic fate. Recent reports underpin the finding that gut microbial glycerol metabolism leading to the formation of reuterin is an additional source of endogenous acrolein. Reuterin is an antimicrobial multicomponent system consisting of 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde, its dimer and hydrate, and also acrolein. The major conclusion is that gut microbes can metabolize glycerol to reuterin and that this transformation occurs in vivo. Given the known toxicity of acrolein, the observation that acrolein is formed in the gut necessitates further investigations on functional relevance for gut microbiota and the host.

Temperature-controlled structure and kinetics of ripple phases in one- and two-component supported lipid bilayers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaasgaard, Thomas; Leidy, Chad; Crowe, J.H.

2003-01-01

Temperature-controlled atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to visualize and study the structure and kinetics of ripple phases in one-component dipalmitoylphosphaticlylcholine (DPPC) and two-component dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine-distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC-DSPC) lipid bilayers....... The lipid bilayers are mica-supported double bilayers in which ripple-phase formation occurs in the top bilayer. In one-component DPPC lipid bilayers, the stable and metastable ripple phases were observed. In addition, a third ripple structure with approximately twice the wavelength of the metastable...... ripples was seen. From height profiles of the AFM images, estimates of the amplitudes of the different ripple phases are reported. To elucidate the processes of ripple formation and disappearance, a ripple-phase DPPC lipid bilayer was taken through the pretransition in the cooling and the heating...

Small-angle neutron scattering from multilamellar lipid bilayers: Theory, model, and experiment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lemmich, Jesper; Mortensen, Kell; Ipsen, John Hjorth

1996-01-01

Small-angle neutron scattering data obtained from fully hydrated, multilamellar phospholipid bilayers with deuterated acyl chains of different length are presented and analyzed within a paracrystalline theory and a geometric model that permit the bilayer structure to be determined under conditions...... of temperature for the lamellar repeat distance, the hydrophobic bilayer thickness, as well as the thickness of the aqueous and polar head group region. In addition to these geometric parameters the analysis permits determination of molecular cross-sectional area, number of interlamellar water molecules, as well...

Monitoring the process of purification of crude glycerol derived from biodiesel production: a method based on fluorescence spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Magalhaes, Keurison F.; Caires, Anderson R.L. [Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, MS (Brazil). Grupo de Optica Aplicada; Oliveira, Samuel L. [Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), MS (Brazil). Grupo de Optica e Fotonica

2011-07-01

Full text. The use of biodiesel has increased worldwide. The biodiesel production on an industrial scale has been based on the transesterification of vegetable oils and fats with methanol in the presence of an alkaline catalyst. During the transesterification, one molecule of triglyceride reacts with three molecules of alcohol to produce glycerol and molecules of alkyl esters (biodiesel). As a result, an increase in biodiesel production also enhances the availability of glycerol on the market. However, crude glycerin has about 30% of impurities which are inherent to biodiesel production such as catalyst, alcohol and fatty acids. The present study evaluated the usefulness of the fluorescence spectroscopy as a tool to monitor the glycerol purification process. Glycerol samples were obtained from transesterification of soybean, canola, and sunflower oils in the presence of NaOH. After stirring time, the solutions were let to stand in separating funnels, then two phases were observed: one containing mainly biodiesel and other consisting of glycol. Then, the respective glycerol samples were collected, henceforth called G1. After that, it was added H2SO4 (20%) in the crude glycerol samples to reduce their pH to 4 in order to remove fatty acids. The solutions were stored for 24 hours in separating funnels. The glycerol (heavy phase), hereafter named G2, was then separated and filtered. To remove other impurities from G2 samples by means of ionic exchange columns, the samples were neutralized and diluted using Milli-Q water (G3 samples). Aliquots of 20 mL were then passed through cationic and anionic resins (G4 and G5 samples, respectively). Emission and excitation spectra of the G1-G5 samples as well as of the glycerol PA-ACS (reference) were recorded at room temperature using a spectrofluorimeter. The emission spectra were obtained setting the excitation at 325nm and monitoring the emission in the 330-800nm range. Fluorimetric maps were also achieved by pumping the

Morphological evolution in dewetting polystyrene/polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane thin film bilayers.

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, Rituparna; Karabiyik, Ufuk; Swift, Michael C; Hottle, John R; Esker, Alan R

2008-05-06

Morphological evolution in dewetting thin film bilayers of polystyrene (PS) and a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), trisilanolphenyl-POSS (TPP), was studied as a function of annealing temperature and annealing time. The results demonstrate unique dewetting morphologies in PS/TPP bilayers at elevated temperatures that are significantly different from those typically observed in dewetting polymer/polymer bilayers. During temperature ramp studies by optical microscopy (OM) in the reflection mode, PS/TPP bilayers form cracks with a weak optical contrast at approximately 130 degrees C. The crack formation is attributed to tensile stresses within the upper TPP layer. The weak optical contrast of the cracks observed in the bilayers for annealing temperatures below approximately 160 degrees C is consistent with the cracking and dewetting of only the upper TPP layer from the underlying PS layer. The optical contrast of the morphological features is significantly enhanced at annealing temperatures of >160 degrees C. This observation suggests dewetting of both the upper TPP and the lower PS layers that results in the exposure of the silicon substrate. Upon annealing the PS/TPP bilayers at 200 degrees C in a temperature jump experiment, the upper TPP layer undergoes instantaneous cracking as observed by OM. These cracks in the upper TPP layer serve as nucleation sites for rapid dewetting and aggregation of the TPP layer, as revealed by OM and atomic force microscopy (AFM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results indicated that dewetting of the lower PS layer ensued for annealing times >5 min and progressed up to 90 min. For annealing times >90 min, OM, AFM, and XPS results revealed complete dewetting of both the layers with the formation of TPP encapsulated PS droplets.

Growth and characterization of the ZnO/ZnS bilayer obtained by chemical spray pyrolysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, M.C.; Espinos, J.P.; Leinen, D.; Martin, F.; Centeno, S.P.; Romero, R.; Ramos-Barrado, J.R.

2008-01-01

ZnO/ZnS bilayer antireflection coatings have been prepared by spray pyrolysis using aqueous solutions of zinc acetate and thiourea or zinc chloride and thiourea. The structure, surface morphology, chemical composition and optical transmittance of the bilayer have been examined as a function of the composition of the initial solution. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis and Ar ion-beam sputter etching was carried out to obtain a depth profile of bilayer. Neither carbon nor other by-products, which could alter the optical transmittance of the bilayer were found in either the interface or bulk. The differences between the bilayers arise from the annealing of the ZnS underlayer, as well as the precursor used to prepare it.

Recovery of Glycerol from Spent Soap LyeBy - Product of Soap Manufacture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. U. Israel

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Three samples of spent lye from soap manufacturing companies namely Paterson Zochonis Industries (PZ, International Equitable Association (IEA, Kitchen Soap Industries (KSI all in Aba, Abia State of Nigeria and one laboratory simulated sample (SSL were analyzed for the amount of glycerol and residual salts. The amount of glycerol in all the samples increases in the order bleached glycerin > crude glycerin > semi-crude glycerin > treated lye > spent soap lye while the reverse is the order for the amount of residual salts. For the SSL, PZ, IEA and KSL samples, the percentage of recovered glycerol were 91.00, 83.20, 82.80 and 81.40 while the residual salt content (% were 9.80, 6.00, 7.08 and 8.03 respectively. These values compare well with international standards. The results show that the amount of the recovered glycerin and residual salts depend on the quality of the spent lye and the technology employed in the recovery treatment used.

Glycerol and urea can be used to increase skin permeability in reduced hydration conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Björklund, Sebastian; Engblom, Johan; Thuresson, Krister; Sparr, Emma

2013-12-18

The natural moisturizing factor (NMF) is a group of hygroscopic molecules that is naturally present in skin and protects from severe drying. Glycerol and urea are two examples of NMF components that are also used in skin care applications. In the present study, we investigate the influence of glycerol and urea on the permeability of a model drug (metronidazole, Mz) across excised pig skin membranes at different hydrating conditions. The degree of skin hydration is regulated by the gradient in water activity across the membrane, which in turn depends on the water activity of the formulation in contact with the skin membrane. Here, we determine the water activity of all formulations employed using an isothermal calorimetric method. Thus, the gradient in water activity is controlled by a novel experimental set-up with well-defined boundary conditions on both sides of the skin membrane. The results demonstrate that glycerol and urea can retain high steady state flux of Mz across skin membranes at dehydrating conditions, which otherwise would decrease the permeability due to dehydration. X-ray diffraction measurements are performed to give insight into the effects of glycerol and urea on SC molecular organization. The novel steady state flux results can be related to the observation that water, glycerol, and urea all affect the structural features of the SC molecular components in a similar manner. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Membrane Tension on the Electric Field and Dipole Potential of Lipid Bilayer Membrane

Science.gov (United States)

Warshaviak, Dora Toledo; Muellner, Michael J.; Chachisvilis, Mirianas

2011-01-01

The dipole potential of lipid bilayer membrane controls the difference in permeability of the membrane to oppositely charged ions. We have combined molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and experimental studies to determine changes in electric field and electrostatic potential of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) lipid bilayer in response to applied membrane tension. MD simulations based on CHARMM36 force field showed that electrostatic potential of DOPC bilayer decreases by ~45 mV in the physiologically relevant range of membrane tension values (0 to 15 dyn/cm). The electrostatic field exhibits a peak (~0.8×109 V/m) near the water/lipid interface which shifts by 0.9 Å towards the bilayer center at 15 dyn/cm. Maximum membrane tension of 15 dyn/cm caused 6.4% increase in area per lipid, 4.7% decrease in bilayer thickness and 1.4% increase in the volume of the bilayer. Dipole-potential sensitive fluorescent probes were used to detect membrane tension induced changes in DOPC vesicles exposed to osmotic stress. Experiments confirmed that dipole potential of DOPC bilayer decreases at higher membrane tensions. These results are suggestive of a potentially new mechanosensing mechanism by which mechanically induced structural changes in the lipid bilayer membrane could modulate the function of membrane proteins by altering electrostatic interactions and energetics of protein conformational states. PMID:21722624

Neutron diffraction studies of amphipathic helices in phospholipid bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bradshaw, J.P.; Gilchrist, P.J. [Univ. of Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Duff, K.C. [Univ. of Edinburgh Medical School (United Kingdom); Saxena, A.M. [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY (United States)

1994-12-31

The structural feature which is thought to facilitate the interaction of many peptides with phospholipid bilayers is the ability to fold into an amphipathic helix. In most cases the exact location and orientation of this helix with respect to the membrane is not known, and may vary with factors such as pH and phospholipid content of the bilayer. The growing interest in this area is stimulated by indications that similar interactions can contribute to the binding of certain hormones to their cell-surface receptors. We have been using the techniques of neutron diffraction from stacked phospholipid bilayers in an attempt to investigate this phenomenon with a number of membrane-active peptides. Here we report some of our findings with three of these: the bee venom melittin; the hormone calcitonin; and a synthetic peptide representing the ion channel fragment of influenza A M2 protein.

Neutron diffraction studies of amphipathic helices in phospholipid bilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradshaw, J.P.; Gilchrist, P.J.; Duff, K.C.; Saxena, A.M.

1994-01-01

The structural feature which is thought to facilitate the interaction of many peptides with phospholipid bilayers is the ability to fold into an amphipathic helix. In most cases the exact location and orientation of this helix with respect to the membrane is not known, and may vary with factors such as pH and phospholipid content of the bilayer. The growing interest in this area is stimulated by indications that similar interactions can contribute to the binding of certain hormones to their cell-surface receptors. We have been using the techniques of neutron diffraction from stacked phospholipid bilayers in an attempt to investigate this phenomenon with a number of membrane-active peptides. Here we report some of our findings with three of these: the bee venom melittin; the hormone calcitonin; and a synthetic peptide representing the ion channel fragment of influenza A M2 protein

Supramolecular protein immobilization on lipid bilayers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bosmans, R.P.G.; Hendriksen, W.E.; Verheijden, Mark Lloyd; Eelkema, R.; Jonkheijm, Pascal; van Esch, J.H.; Brunsveld, Luc

2015-01-01

Protein immobilization on surfaces, and on lipid bilayers specifically, has great potential in biomolecular and biotechnological research. Of current special interest is the immobilization of proteins using supramolecular noncovalent interactions. This allows for a reversible immobilization and

Purification of crude glycerol from transesterification reaction of palm oil using direct method and multistep method

Science.gov (United States)

Nasir, N. F.; Mirus, M. F.; Ismail, M.

2017-09-01

Crude glycerol which produced from transesterification reaction has limited usage if it does not undergo purification process. It also contains excess methanol, catalyst and soap. Conventionally, purification method of the crude glycerol involves high cost and complex processes. This study aimed to determine the effects of using different purification methods which are direct method (comprises of ion exchange and methanol removal steps) and multistep method (comprises of neutralization, filtration, ion exchange and methanol removal steps). Two crude glycerol samples were investigated; the self-produced sample through the transesterification process of palm oil and the sample obtained from biodiesel plant. Samples were analysed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Gas Chromatography and High Performance Liquid Chromatography. The results of this study for both samples after purification have showed that the pure glycerol was successfully produced and fatty acid salts were eliminated. Also, the results indicated the absence of methanol in both samples after purification process. In short, the combination of 4 purification steps has contributed to a higher quality of glycerol. Multistep purification method gave a better result compared to the direct method as neutralization and filtration steps helped in removing most excess salt, fatty acid and catalyst.

Effect of Glycerol, as Cryoprotectant in the Encapsulation and Freeze Drying of Microspheres Containing Probiotic Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oana Lelia Pop

2015-05-01

Full Text Available It is reported that probiotics provide several health benefits as they help in maintaining a good balance and composition of intestinal flora, and increase the resistance against invasion of pathogens. Ensuring adequate dosages of probiotics at the time of consumption is a challenge, because several factors during processing and storage affect the viability of probiotic organisms. Major emphasis has been given to protect the microorganisms with the help of encapsulation technique, by addition of different protectants. In this study, probiotic cells (Bifidobacterium lactis 300B were entrapped in alginate/pullulan microspheres. In the encapsulation formula glycerol was used as cryoprotectant in the freeze drying process for long time storage. It was observed that the survival of Bifidobacterium lactis 300B when encapsulated without cryoprotectant was higher than the formula with glycerol in the fresh obtained microspheres. The addition of glycerol was in order to reduce the deep freezing and freeze drying damages. In the chosen formulations, glycerol did not proved protection for the entrapped probiotic cells in the freeze drying process, for which the use of glycerol as cryoprotectant for alginate/pullulan Bifidobacterium lactis 300B entrapment is not recommended.

Tunable resistive switching behaviour in ferroelectric–ZnO bilayer films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Mingxiu; Li Ziwei; Chen Bo; Wan Jianguo; Liu Junming

2013-01-01

Pb(Zr 0.52 Ti 0.48 )O 3 /ZnO bilayer films with various ZnO-layer thicknesses were prepared by a sol–gel process, and their phase structures, electric conduction and polarization behaviour were measured. The results showed that the preferential crystal orientation of the ZnO layer changed with a change in its thickness. The strong dependence of both asymmetric current–voltage and polarization–voltage characteristics on the ZnO-layer thickness was observed. The resistance ratio of the high-resistance state (HRS) to the low-resistance state (LRS) increased with increasing ZnO-layer thickness, and a high rectification ratio was obtained in the bilayer film with an optimized ZnO-layer thickness. The combined effects of interface polarization coupling and energy band structure on the resistive switching behaviour of the bilayer films were revealed, and the electric conduction mechanisms of the bilayer films at both HRS and LRS were analysed in detail. This work presents an effective method to modulate the resistive switching behaviour of ferroelectric–ZnO heterostructures, which is significant in designing high-performance ferroelectric–semiconductor heterostructures for actual applications. (paper)

Magnetic properties of epitaxial bismuth ferrite-garnet mono- and bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Semuk, E.Yu.; Berzhansky, V.N.; Prokopov, A.R.; Shaposhnikov, A.N.; Karavainikov, A.V. [Taurida National V.I. Vernadsky University, Vernadsky Avenue, 4, 95007 Simferopol (Ukraine); Salyuk, O.Yu. [Institute of Magnetism NASU and MESU, 36-B Vernadsky Blvd., 03142 Kiev (Ukraine); Golub, V.O., E-mail: golub@imag.kiev.ua [Institute of Magnetism NASU and MESU, 36-B Vernadsky Blvd., 03142 Kiev (Ukraine)

2015-11-15

Magnetic properties of Bi{sub 1.5}Gd{sub 1.5}Fe{sub 4.5}Al{sub 0.5}O{sub 12} (84 nm) and Bi{sub 2.8}Y{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 5}O{sub 12} (180 nm) films epitaxially grown on gallium-gadolinium garnet (GGG) single crystal (111) substrate as well as Bi{sub 1.5}Gd{sub 1.5}Fe{sub 4.5}Al{sub 0.5}O{sub 12}/Bi{sub 2.8}Y{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 5}O{sub 12} bilayer were investigated using ferromagnetic resonance technique. The mismatch of the lattice parameters of substrate and magnetic layers leads to formation of adaptive layers which affect on the high order anisotropy constant of the films but practically do not affect on uniaxial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy The magnetic properties of the bilayer film were explained in supposition of strong exchange coupling between magnetic layers taking into account film-film and film-substrate elastic interaction. - Highlights: • Magnetic parameters of epitaxial Bi-YIG films and bilayers on GGG substrate. • Adaptive layers affect on high order magnetic anisotropy. • Magnetic properties of bilayers are result of strong exchange interaction.

Microstructure and mechanical behavior of a shape memory Ni-Ti bi-layer thin film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohri, Maryam [School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Nanotechnology, 76021 Karlsruhe (Germany); Nili-Ahmadabadi, Mahmoud, E-mail: nili@ut.ac.ir [School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Center of Excellence for High Performance Materials, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ivanisenko, Julia [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Nanotechnology, 76021 Karlsruhe (Germany); Schwaiger, Ruth [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Applied Materials, 76021 Karlsruhe (Germany); Hahn, Horst; Chakravadhanula, Venkata Sai Kiran [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Nanotechnology, 76021 Karlsruhe (Germany)

2015-05-29

Two different single-layers and a bi-layer Ni-Ti thin films with chemical compositions of Ni{sub 45}Ti{sub 50}Cu{sub 5}, Ni{sub 50.8}Ti{sub 49.2} and Ni{sub 50.8}Ti{sub 49.2}/Ni{sub 45}Ti{sub 50}Cu{sub 5} (numbers indicate at.%) determined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were deposited on Si (111) substrates using DC magnetron sputtering. The structures, surface morphology and transformation temperatures of annealed thin films at 500 °C for 15 min and 1 h were studied using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. Nanoindentation was used to characterize the mechanical properties. The DSC and X-ray diffraction results indicated the austenitic structure of the Ni{sub 50.8}Ti{sub 49.2} and martensitic structure of the Ni{sub 45}Ti{sub 50}Cu{sub 5} thin films while the bi-layer was composed of austenitic and martensitic thin films. TEM study revealed that copper encourages crystallization in the bi-layer such that crystal structure containing nano-precipitates in the Ni{sub 45}Ti{sub 50}Cu{sub 5} layer was detected after 15 min annealing while the Ni{sub 50.8}Ti{sub 49.2} layer crystallized after 60 min at 500 °C. Furthermore, after annealing at 500 °C for 15 min, a precipitate free zone and thin layer amorphous were observed closely to the interface in the top layer. The bi-layer was completely crystallized at 500 °C for 1 h and the orientation of the Ni-rich precipitates indicated a stress gradient in the bi-layer. The bi-layer thin film showed different transformation temperatures and mechanical behavior from the single-layers. The developed bi-layer has different phase transformation temperatures, the higher temperatures of shape memory effect and lower temperature of pseudo-elastic behavior compared to the single-layers. Also, the bi-layer thin film exhibited a combined pseudo-elastic behavior and shape memory effect with a reduced

Electrostatically confined quantum rings in bilayer graphene.

Science.gov (United States)

Zarenia, M; Pereira, J M; Peeters, F M; Farias, G A

2009-12-01

We propose a new system where electron and hole states are electrostatically confined into a quantum ring in bilayer graphene. These structures can be created by tuning the gap of the graphene bilayer using nanostructured gates or by position-dependent doping. The energy levels have a magnetic field (B(0)) dependence that is strikingly distinct from that of usual semiconductor quantum rings. In particular, the eigenvalues are not invariant under a B(0) --> -B(0) transformation and, for a fixed total angular momentum index m, their field dependence is not parabolic, but displays two minima separated by a saddle point. The spectra also display several anticrossings, which arise due to the overlap of gate-confined and magnetically confined states.

Bilayer expurgated LDPC codes with uncoded relaying

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md. Noor-A-Rahim

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Bilayer low-density parity-check (LDPC codes are an effective coding technique for decode-and-forward relaying, where the relay forwards extra parity bits to help the destination to decode the source bits correctly. In the existing bilayer coding scheme, these parity bits are protected by an error correcting code and assumed reliably available at the receiver. We propose an uncoded relaying scheme, where the extra parity bits are forwarded to the destination without any protection. Through density evolution analysis and simulation results, we show that our proposed scheme achieves better performance in terms of bit erasure probability than the existing relaying scheme. In addition, our proposed scheme results in lower complexity at the relay.

Exchange bias in diluted-antiferromagnet/antiferromagnet bilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao, Zhongquan; Zhan, Xiaozhi; Chen, Xi

2015-01-01

The hysteresis-loop properties of a diluted-antiferromagnetic (DAF) layer exchange coupling to an antiferromagnetic (AF) layer are investigated by means of numerical simulations. Remarkable loop shift and coercivity enhancement are observed in such DAF/AF bilayers, while they are absent in the uncoupled DAF single layer. The influences of pinned domains, dilution, cooling field and DAF layer thickness on the loop shift are investigated systematically. The result unambiguously confirms an exchange bias (EB) effect in the DAF/AF bilayers. It also reveals that the EB effect originates from the pinned AF domains within the DAF layer. In contrast to conventional EB systems, frozen uncompensated spins are not found at the interface of the AF pinning layer. (paper)

Doping efficiency of single and randomly stacked bilayer graphene by iodine adsorption

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, HoKwon; Renault, Olivier; Rouchon, Denis; Mariolle, Denis; Chevalier, Nicolas [Univ. Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble, France and CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, F-38054 Grenoble (France); Tyurnina, Anastasia; Simonato, Jean-Pierre; Dijon, Jean [Univ. Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble, France and CEA, LITEN, Minatec Campus, F-38054 Grenoble (France)

2014-07-07

We report on the efficiency and thermal stability of p-doping by iodine on single and randomly stacked, weakly coupled bilayer polycrystalline graphene, as directly measured by photoelectron emission microscopy. The doping results in work function value increase of 0.4–0.5 eV, with a higher degree of iodine uptake by the bilayer (2%) as compared to the single layer (1%) suggesting iodine intercalation in the bilayer. The chemistry of iodine is identified accordingly as I{sub 3}{sup −} and I{sub 5}{sup −} poly iodide anionic complexes with slightly higher concentration of I{sub 5}{sup −} in bilayer than monolayer graphene, likely attributed to differences in doping mechanisms. Temperature dependent in-situ annealing of the doped films demonstrated that the doping remains efficient up to 200 °C.

Production of Microbial Transglutaminase on Media Made from Sugar Cane Molasses and Glycerol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Vázquez

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Transglutaminase is an enzyme that catalyses an acyl transfer reaction between γ-carboxamide groups of glutaminyl residues and lysine residues in proteins. Due to this property, this enzyme is used for enhancing textural properties of protein-rich food. The transglutaminase used as food additive is obtained by microorganisms, mainly by Streptoverticillium ladakanum. On the other hand, sugar cane molasses is a viscous liquid rich in noncrystallized carbohydrates (saccharose, glucose and fructose. In this work, the feasibility of using sugar cane molasses as a carbon source for the production of microbial transglutaminase by Streptoverticillium ladakanum NRRL 3191 has been studied. Carbon sources including sugar cane molasses (60 g of total sugars per L, glycerol (60 g/L and their mixture in a ratio of 1:1 (30 g/L of each were evaluated. Time course of microbial growth, transglutaminase activity and carbon source consumption were determined every 24 h during 120 h of fermentations at three agitation speeds (200, 300 or 400 rpm. The results showed that with the increase in agitation speed, the biomass concentration increased up to 8.39 g/L in the medium containing sugar cane molasses alone or the mixture of molasses and glycerol. The highest transglutaminase activity was obtained at 400 rpm in the medium containing a mixture of molasses and glycerol, reaching 0.460 U/mL, while in the medium containing sugar cane molasses alone, the activity was 0.240 U/mL, and using glycerol alone it was 0.250 U/mL. These results show that sugar cane molasses is a suitable medium for transglutaminase production when it is combined with glycerol.

13C-NMR reveals glycerol as an unexpected major metabolite of the protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, A.; Lloyd, D.; Linstead, D.J.; Williams, J.

1985-01-01

13 C-NMR has been used to study the kinetics of the formation of metabolites from [l- 13 C]glucose in intact cells of Trichomonas vaginalis during anaerobic incubation. As well as the expected metabolites lactate and acetate, this technique revealed glycerol as an additional major product, present in amounts equimolar with acetate. The formation of glycerol is readily explained in terms of the need to maintain redox balance. This protozoan now joins the small group of organisms which are known to produce glycerol as a result of normal metabolic activities. (Auth.)

Coexistence of a two-states organization for a cell-penetrating peptide in lipid bilayer.

Science.gov (United States)

Plénat, Thomas; Boichot, Sylvie; Dosset, Patrice; Milhiet, Pierre-Emmanuel; Le Grimellec, Christian

2005-12-01

Primary amphipathic cell-penetrating peptides transport cargoes across cell membranes with high efficiency and low lytic activity. These primary amphipathic peptides were previously shown to form aggregates or supramolecular structures in mixed lipid-peptide monolayers, but their behavior in lipid bilayers remains to be characterized. Using atomic force microscopy, we have examined the interactions of P(alpha), a primary amphipathic cell-penetrating peptide which remains alpha-helical whatever the environment, with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayers. Addition of P(alpha) at concentrations up to 5 mol % markedly modified the supported bilayers topography. Long and thin filaments lying flat at the membrane surface coexisted with deeply embedded peptides which induced a local thinning of the bilayer. On the other hand, addition of P(alpha) only exerted very limited effects on the corresponding liposome's bilayer physical state, as estimated from differential scanning calorimetry and diphenylhexatriene fluorescence anisotropy experiments. The use of a gel-fluid phase separated supported bilayers made of a dioleoylphosphatidylcholine/dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine mixture confirmed both the existence of long filaments, which at low peptide concentration were preferentially localized in the fluid phase domains and the membrane disorganizing effects of 5 mol % P(alpha). The simultaneous two-states organization of P(alpha), at the membrane surface and deeply embedded in the bilayer, may be involved in the transmembrane carrier function of this primary amphipathic peptide.

Subterahertz Longitudinal Phonon Modes Propagating in a Lipid Bilayer Immersed in an Aqueous Medium

Science.gov (United States)

Zakhvataev, V. E.

2018-04-01

The properties of subterahertz longitudinal acoustic phonon modes in the hydrophobic region of a lipid bilayer immersed in a compressible viscous aqueous medium are investigated theoretically. An approximate expression is obtained for the Mandelstam-Brillouin components of the dynamic structure factor of a bilayer. The analysis is based on a generalized hydrodynamic model of the "two-dimensional lipid bilayer + three-dimensional fluid medium" system, as well as on known sharp estimates for the frequencies and lifetimes of long-wavelength longitudinal acoustic phonons in a free hydrated lipid bilayer and in water, obtained from inelastic X-ray scattering experiments and molecular dynamics simulations. It is shown that, for characteristic values of the parameters of the membrane system, subterahertz longitudinal phonon-like excitations in the hydrophobic part of the bilayer are underdamped. In this case, the contribution of the viscous flow of the aqueous medium to the damping of a longitudinal membrane mode is small compared with the contribution of the lipid bilayer. Quantitative estimates of the damping ratio agree well with the experimental results for the vibration mode of the enzyme lysozyme in aqueous solution [1]. It is also shown that a coupling between longitudinal phonon modes of the bilayer and relaxation processes in its fluid environment gives rise to an additional peak in the scattering spectrum, which corresponds to a non-propagating mode.

Lepromatous leprosy patients produce antibodies that recognise non-bilayer lipid arrangements containing mycolic acids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabel Baeza

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Non-bilayer phospholipid arrangements are three-dimensional structures that form when anionic phospholipids with an intermediate structure of the tubular hexagonal phase II are present in a bilayer of lipids. Antibodies that recognise these arrangements have been described in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome and/or systemic lupus erythematosus and in those with preeclampsia; these antibodies have also been documented in an experimental murine model of lupus, in which they are associated with immunopathology. Here, we demonstrate the presence of antibodies against non-bilayer phospholipid arrangements containing mycolic acids in the sera of lepromatous leprosy (LL patients, but not those of healthy volunteers. The presence of antibodies that recognise these non-bilayer lipid arrangements may contribute to the hypergammaglobulinaemia observed in LL patients. We also found IgM and IgG anti-cardiolipin antibodies in 77% of the patients. This positive correlation between the anti-mycolic-non-bilayer arrangements and anti-cardiolipin antibodies suggests that both types of antibodies are produced by a common mechanism, as was demonstrated in the experimental murine model of lupus, in which there was a correlation between the anti-non-bilayer phospholipid arrangements and anti-cardiolipin antibodies. Antibodies to non-bilayer lipid arrangements may represent a previously unrecognised pathogenic mechanism in LL and the detection of these antibodies may be a tool for the early diagnosis of LL patients.

Surface and grain boundary interdiffusion in nanometer-scale LSMO/BFO bilayer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Virendra [Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra 136119 (India); Gaur, Anurag, E-mail: anuragdph@gmail.com [Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra 136119 (India); Choudhary, R.J.; Gupta, Mukul [UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, Indore 452 001 (India)

2016-05-01

Epitaxial 150 nm thick LSMO/BFO bilayer is deposited on STO (100) substrate by pulsed laser deposition, to study magnetoelectric effect. Unexpected low value of room temperature magnetization in bilayer indicates towards the possibility of interdiffusion. Further, sharp fall in the value of T{sub C} (53 K) also added our anxiety towards possible interdiffusion in BFO/LSMO system. Low-angle x-ray diffraction technique is used to investigate interdiffusion phenomena, and the temperature-dependent interdiffusivity is obtained by accurately monitoring the decay of the first-order modulation peak as a function of annealing time. It has been found that the diffusivity at different temperatures follows Arrhenius-type behavior. X-ray reflection (XRR) pattern obtained for the bilayer could not be fitted in the Parratt’s formalism, which confirms the interdiffusion in it. Depth profiles of {sup 209}Bi, {sup 56}Fe ions measured by secondary ion mass spectroscope (SIMS) further substantiate the diffusion of these ions from upper BFO layer into lower LSMO layer. - Highlights: • The LSMO/BFO bilayer is deposited by PLD method. • Structural, magnetic and interfacial properties of deposited films were studied. • In this article, we have raised the problem of interdiffusion in this bilayer, which can hinder its application in devices. Therefore, we feel that our article presents important finding in the area of ceramics research.

Controlling the alloy composition of PtNi nanocrystals using solid-state dewetting of bilayer films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Okkyun; Oh, Se An; Lee, Ji Yeon; Ha, Sung Soo; Kim, Jae Myung; Choi, Jung Won; Kim, Jin-Woo [Department of Physics and Photon Science & School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Hyon Chol [Department of Materials and Science Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju 61542 (Korea, Republic of); Noh, Do Young, E-mail: dynoh@gist.ac.kr [Department of Physics and Photon Science & School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

We demonstrate that solid-state dewetting of bilayer films is an effective way for obtaining bimetallic alloy nanocrystals of controlled composition. When a Pt–Ni bilayer film were annealed near 700 °C, Pt and Ni atoms inter-diffused to form a PtNi bimetallic alloy film. Upon annealing at higher temperatures, the bilayer films transformed into <111> oriented PtNi alloy nanocrystals in small-rhombicuboctahedron shape through solid-state dewetting process. The Pt content of the nanocrystals and the alloy films, estimated by applying the Vegard's law to the relaxed lattice constant, was closely related to the thickness of each layer in the as-grown bilayer films which can be readily controlled during bilayer deposition. - Highlights: • Composition control of PtNi nanoparticles using solid state dewetting is proposed. • PtNi alloy composition was controlled by thickness ratio of Pt–Ni bilayer films. • PtNi alloy nanocrystals were obtained in small-rhombicuboctahedron shape.

Super-Sensitive and Robust Biosensors from Supported Polymer Bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paxton, Walter F. [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2015-09-01

Biological organisms are potentially the most sensitive and selective biological detection systems known, yet we are currently severely limited in our ability to exploit biological interactions in sensory devices, due in part to the limited stability of biological systems and derived materials. This proposal addresses an important aspect of integrating biological sensory materials in a solid state device. If successful, such technology could enable entirely new classes of robust biosensors that could be miniaturized and deployed in the field. The critical aims of the proposed work were 1) the calibration of a more versatile approach to measuring pH, 2) the use of this method to monitor pH changes caused by the light-induced pumping of protons across vesicles with bacteriorhodopsin integrated into the membranes (either polymer or lipid); 3) the preparation of bilayer assemblies on platinum surfaces; 4) the enhanced detection of lightinduced pH changes driven by bR-loaded supported bilayers. I have developed a methodology that may enable that at interfaces and developed a methodology to characterize the functionality of bilayer membranes with reconstituted membrane proteins. The integrity of the supported bilayer films however must be optimized prior to the full realization of the work originally envisioned in the original proposal. Nevertheless, the work performed on this project and the encouraging results it has produced has demonstrated that these goals are challenging yet within reach.

Device model investigation of bilayer organic light emitting diodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crone, B. K.; Davids, P. S.; Campbell, I. H.; Smith, D. L.

2000-01-01

Organic materials that have desirable luminescence properties, such as a favorable emission spectrum and high luminescence efficiency, are not necessarily suitable for single layer organic light-emitting diodes (LEDs) because the material may have unequal carrier mobilities or contact limited injection properties. As a result, single layer LEDs made from such organic materials are inefficient. In this article, we present device model calculations of single layer and bilayer organic LED characteristics that demonstrate the improvements in device performance that can occur in bilayer devices. We first consider an organic material where the mobilities of the electrons and holes are significantly different. The role of the bilayer structure in this case is to move the recombination away from the electrode that injects the low mobility carrier. We then consider an organic material with equal electron and hole mobilities but where it is not possible to make a good contact for one carrier type, say electrons. The role of a bilayer structure in this case is to prevent the holes from traversing the device without recombining. In both cases, single layer device limitations can be overcome by employing a two organic layer structure. The results are discussed using the calculated spatial variation of the carrier densities, electric field, and recombination rate density in the structures. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics

Atomic Force Microscope Image Contrast Mechanisms on Supported Lipid Bilayers

OpenAIRE

Schneider, James; Dufrêne, Yves F.; Barger Jr., William R.; Lee, Gil U.

2000-01-01

This work presents a methodology to measure and quantitatively interpret force curves on supported lipid bilayers in water. We then use this method to correlate topographic imaging contrast in atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of phase-separated Langmuir-Blodgett bilayers with imaging load. Force curves collected on pure monolayers of both distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE) and monogalactosylethanolamine (MGDG) and dioleoylethanolamine (DOPE) deposited at similar surface pressures o...

Ion dynamics in cationic lipid bilayer systems in saline solutions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Miettinen, Markus S; Gurtovenko, Andrey A; Vattulainen, Ilpo

2009-01-01

Positively charged lipid bilayer systems are a promising class of nonviral vectors for safe and efficient gene and drug delivery. Detailed understanding of these systems is therefore not only of fundamental but also of practical biomedical interest. Here, we study bilayers comprising a binary...... are concluded to be interesting for the physics of the whole membrane, especially considering its interaction dynamics with charged macromolecular surfaces....

Nanoscale Cross-Point Resistive Switching Memory Comprising p-Type SnO Bilayers

KAUST Repository

Hota, Mrinal Kanti; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Wang, Qingxiao; Melnikov, Vasily; Mohammed, Omar F.; Alshareef, Husam N.

2015-01-01

Reproducible low-voltage bipolar resistive switching is reported in bilayer structures of p-type SnO films. Specifically, a bilayer homojunction comprising SnOx (oxygen-rich) and SnOy (oxygen-deficient) in nanoscale cross-point (300 × 300 nm2

Room temperature synthesis of glycerol carbonate catalyzed by spray dried sodium aluminate microspheres

OpenAIRE

Sreerangappa, Ramesh; Debecker, Damien P.; 13th European Congress on Catalysis – EuropaCat 2017

2017-01-01

Nanostructured NaAlO2 microspheres are produced by one-pot spray dried route, and are characterized by various physico-chemical methods. The obtained solids are composed of spherical aggregates of sodium aluminate with small crystallite size and strong surface basicity. This makes them highly active catalysts in the base-catalyzed synthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycerol and dimethyl carbonate. The catalyst does not leach and showed good reusability up to three cycles.

Magnetic properties of a doped graphene-like bilayer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, An-Bang [School of Science, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang 110870 (China); Jiang, Wei, E-mail: weijiang.sut.edu@gmail.com [School of Science, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang 110870 (China); Zhang, Na [Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang 110034 (China)

2017-05-15

A doped graphene-like bilayer is described using a four-sublattice Heisenberg model both ferromagnetic and antiferrimagnetic couplings. The magnetic properties of the bilayer system are studied using the Heisenberg model, retarded Green's function and the linear spin-wave approximation. The spin-wave spectra, energy gap, and the magnetization and quantum fluctuation of the system at the ground state are calculated with various intra- and interlayer couplings. The results indicate that the effect of antiferromagnetic exchange coupling on the magnetic properties of the system is significant. Magnetizations at low temperature show intersection points due to the quantum effects.

Electronic band structure of magnetic bilayer graphene superlattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pham, C. Huy; Nguyen, T. Thuong; Nguyen, V. Lien

2014-01-01

Electronic band structure of the bilayer graphene superlattices with δ-function magnetic barriers and zero average magnetic flux is studied within the four-band continuum model, using the transfer matrix method. The periodic magnetic potential effects on the zero-energy touching point between the lowest conduction and the highest valence minibands of pristine bilayer graphene are exactly analyzed. Magnetic potential is shown also to generate the finite-energy touching points between higher minibands at the edges of Brillouin zone. The positions of these points and the related dispersions are determined in the case of symmetric potentials.

Theory of passive proton conductance in lipid bilayers.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagle, J F

1987-10-01

The large permeability of lipid bilayers to protons compared to other small ions calls for a special proton transport mechanism. At the present time, only mechanisms involving transient hydrogen-bonded chains of water can account for the experimental result that the conductance is nearly independent of pH. Three models involving transient hydrogen-bonded chains are discussed, including an outline of the kinetic calculations that lead to predictions of current versus voltage drop and current versus pH differences. These calculations can be compared to experiment to determine which, if any, of these models pertains to lipid bilayers.

Lamellar-lamellar phase separation of phospholipid bilayers induced by salting-in/-out effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hishida, Mafumi [Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501 (Japan); Seto, Hideki, E-mail: hideki.seto@kek.jp [KENS and CMRC, Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Tsukuba 305-0801 (Japan)

2011-01-01

The multilamellar structure of phospholipid bilayers is stabilized by the interactions between bilayers. Although the lamellar repeat distance is uniquely determined at the balance point of interactions between bilayers, a lamellar-lamellar phase separation, where the two phases with different lamellar repeat distance coexist, has been reported in a case of adding a salt to the aqueous solution of lipids. In order to understand the physical mechanism of the lamellar-lamellar phase separation, the effects of adding monovalent salt on the lamellar structure are studied by visual observation and by small-angle X-ray scattering. Further, a theoretical model based on the mean field theory is introduced and it is concluded that the salting-in and -out effects of lipid bilayers trigger the lamellar-lamellar phase separation.

Transfer matrix theory of monolayer graphene/bilayer graphene heterostructure superlattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yu

2014-01-01

We have formulated a transfer matrix method to investigate electronic properties of graphene heterostructure consisting of monolayer graphene and bilayer counterpart. By evaluating transmission, conductance, and band dispersion, we show that, irrespective of the different carrier chiralities in monolayer graphene and bilayer graphene, superlattice consisting of biased bilayer graphene barrier and monolayer graphene well can mimic the electronic properties of conventional semiconductor superlattice, displaying the extended subbands in the quantum tunneling regime and producing anisotropic minigaps for the classically allowed transport. Due to the lateral confinement, the lowest mode has shifted away from the charge neutral point of monolayer graphene component, opening a sizeable gap in concerned structure. Following the gate-field and geometry modulation, all electronic states and gaps between them can be externally engineered in an electric-controllable strategy.

Neutron scattering investigations of the lipid bilayer structure pressure dependence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solovjov, D.V.; Gordelyij, V.Yi.; Gorshkova, Yu.Je.; Yivan'kov, O.Yi.; Koval'ov, Yu.S.; Kuklyin, A.Yi.; Solovjov, D.V.; Bulavyin, L.A.; Yivan'kov, O.Yi.; Nyikolajenko, T.Yu.; Kuklyin, A.Yi.; Gordelyij, V.Yi.; Gordelyij, V.Yi.

2012-01-01

Lipid bilayer structure investigation results obtained with small angle neutron scattering method at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research IBR-2M nuclear reactor (Dubna, Russia) are presented. Experiment has been performed with small angle neutron scattering spectrometer YuMO, upgraded with the apparatus for performing PV-T measurements on the substance under investigation. D 2 O-1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) liquid system, presenting the model of natural live membrane, has been taken as the sample for investigations. The lipid bilayer spatial period was measured in experiment along with isothermal compressibility simultaneously at different pressures. It has been shown, that the bilayer structural transition from ripple (wavelike gel-phase) phase to liquid-crystal phase is accompanied with anomalous rise of isothermal compressibility, indicating occurrence of the phase transition.

Effect of sorbitol and glycerol on the stability of trypsin and difference between their stabilization effects in the various solvents.

Science.gov (United States)

Pazhang, Mohammad; Mehrnejad, Faramarz; Pazhang, Yaghub; Falahati, Hanieh; Chaparzadeh, Nader

2016-01-01

The effect of glycerol and sorbitol on the stability of porcine pancreas trypsin was investigated in this work. Molecular dynamics simulation and thermostability results showed that trypsin has two flexible regions, and polyols (sorbitol and glycerol) stabilize the enzyme by decreasing the flexibility of these regions. Radial distribution function results exhibited that sorbitol and glycerol were excluded from the first water layer of the enzyme, therefore decrease the flexibility of the regions by preferential exclusion. Also, results showed that the stabilization effect of sorbitol is more than glycerol. This observation could be because of the larger decrease in the fluctuations of trypsin in the presence of sorbitol. We also examined the role of solvent's hydrophobicity in enzyme stabilization by sorbitol and glycerol. To do so, the thermostability of trypsin was evaluated in the presence of solvents with different hydrophobicity (methanol, ethanol, isopropanol and n-propanol) in addition to the polyols. Our results depicted that glycerol is a better stabilizer than sorbitol in the presence of hydrophobic solvents (n-propanol), whereas sorbitol is a better stabilizer than glycerol in the presence of hydrophilic solvents (methanol). © 2015 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

CONDENSED MATTER: STRUCTURE, THERMAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES: Pair interaction of bilayer-coated nanoscopic particles

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qi-Yi

2009-02-01

The pair interaction between bilayer membrane-coated nanosized particles has been explored by using the self-consistent field (SCF) theory. The bilayer membranes are composed of amphiphilic polymers. For different system parameters, the pair-interaction free energies are obtained. Particular emphasis is placed on the analysis of a sequence of structural transformations of bilayers on spherical particles, which occur during their approaching processes. For different head fractions of amphiphiles, the asymmetrical morphologies between bilayers on two particles and the inverted micellar intermediates have been found in the membrane fusion pathway. These results can benefit the fabrication of vesicles as encapsulation vectors for drug and gene delivery.

The effect of glycerol on regional cerebral blood flow, blood volume and oxygen metabolism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishikawa, Masatsune; Kikuchi, Haruhiko; Nagata, Izumi; Yamagata, Sen; Taki, Waro; Kobayashi, Akira; Yonekura, Yoshiharu; Nishizawa, Sadahiko.

1989-01-01

Using positron emission tomography with 15 O-labelled CO 2 , O 2 and CO gases, the effects of glycerol on regional cerebral blood flow (CBF), blood volume (CBV) and oxygen metabolism (CMRO 2 ) were investigated in 6 patients with meningioma accompanying peritumoral brain edema. The same study was done in 5 normal volunteers. The changes of blood gases, hematocrit and hemoglobin were also examined. After a drip infusion of glycerol, the regional CBF increased not only in the peritumoral cortex and white matter but also in the intact cortex and white matter on the contralateral side. The increase of CBF was extensive and substantially there were no regional differences. In contrast, the changes of CMRO 2 were not significant. This was derived from the increase in oxygen extraction fraction throughout extensive areas including the peritumoral area. There were no changes in CBV. Hematocrit and hemoglobin decreased to a small degree. In the normal volunteers, the same findings were noted. Thus, glycerol increases the functional reserve for cerebral oxygen metabolism, not only in the peritumoral regions but also in the intact regions. The effects of glycerol on hemodynamics and metabolism were discussed with reference to some differences from mannitol. (author)

Tensile and Water Absorption Properties of Biodegradable Composites Derived from Cassava Skin/ Polyvinyl Alcohol with Glycerol as Plasticizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dayangku Intan Munthoub; Wan Aizan Wan Abdul Rahman

2011-01-01

Natural organic and abundant resources biopolymers received more attention due to their low cost, availability and degradability after usage. Cassava skin was used as natural fillers to the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Cassava skin/ poly vinyl alcohol blends were compounded using melt extrusion twin screw extruder and test samples were prepared using the compression method. Various ratios of cassava skin and glycerol were investigated to identify suitable composition based on the water absorption and tensile properties. The water absorption of the cassava skins/ PVA samples increased at higher composition of cassava skin due to their hydrophilic properties but decrease with glycerol content. The strength of the cassava skins/ PVA samples increased with the higher composition of cassava skin up to 70 wt % while gradually decreased with the increasing composition of glycerol. The Young modulus increased with glycerol content but decreased with fibre loading up to 70 wt %. Elongation at break decreased with fibre loading and glycerol up to 70 wt % and 30 phr, respectively. (author)

Improvement of Metal-Graphene Ohmic Contact Resistance in Bilayer Epitaxial Graphene Devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Ze-Zhao; Yang Ke-Wu; Yu Cui; Li Jia; Liu Qing-Bin; Lu Wei-Li; Feng Zhi-Hong; Cai Shu-Jun

2015-01-01

We report on an improved metal-graphene ohmic contact in bilayer epitaxial graphene on a SiC substrate with contact resistance below 0.1 ω·mm. Monolayer and bilayer epitaxial graphenes are prepared on a 4H-SiC substrate in this work. Their contact resistances are measured by a transfer length method. An improved photoresist-free device fabrication method is used and is compared with the conventional device fabrication method. Compared with the monolayer graphene, the contact resistance R c of bilayer graphene improves from an average of 0.24 ω·mm to 0.1 ω·mm. Ohmic contact formation mechanism analysis by Landauer's approach reveals that the obtained low ohmic contact resistance in bilayer epitaxial graphene is due to their high carrier density, high carrier transmission probability, and p-type doping introduced by contact metal Au. (paper)

Tartronate semialdehyde reductase defines a novel rate-limiting step in assimilation and bioconversion of glycerol in Ustilago maydis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanbin Liu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Glycerol is a by-product of biodiesel production. Currently, it has limited applications with low bioconversion efficiency to most metabolites reported. This is partly attributed to the poor knowledge on the glycerol metabolic pathway in bacteria and fungi. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have established a fast screening method for identification of genes that improve glycerol utilization in Ustilago maydis. This was done by comparing the growth rates of T-DNA tagged mutant colonies on solid medium using glycerol as the sole carbon source. We present a detailed characterization of one of the mutants, GUM1, which contains a T-DNA element inserted into the promoter region of UM02592 locus (MIPS Ustilago maydis database, MUMDB, leading to enhanced and constitutive expression of its mRNA. We have demonstrated that um02592 encodes a functional tartronate semialdehyde reductase (Tsr1, which showed dual specificity to cofactors NAD(+ and NADP(+ and strong substrate specificity and enantioselectivity for D-glycerate. Improved glycerol assimilation in GUM1 was associated with elevated expression of tsr1 mRNA and this could be phenocopied by over-expression of the gene. Glycolipid accumulation was reduced by 45.2% in the knockout mutant whereas introduction of an extra copy of tsr1 driven by the glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase promoter increased it by 40.4%. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results demonstrate that tartronate semialdehyde reductase (TSR plays an important role in glycerol assimilation in U. maydis and defines a novel target in genetic engineering for improved conversion of glycerol to higher value products. Our results add significant depth to the understanding of the glycerol metabolic pathway in fungi. We have demonstrated, for the first time, a biological role of a eukaryotic TSR.

Silicon-zinc-glycerol hydrogel, a potential immunotropic agent for topical application.

Science.gov (United States)

Khonina, Tat'yana G; Ivanenko, Maria V; Chupakhin, Oleg N; Safronov, Alexander P; Bogdanova, Ekaterina A; Karabanalov, Maxim S; Permikin, Vasily V; Larionov, Leonid P; Drozdova, Lyudmila I

2017-09-30

Nanoparticles synthesized using sol-gel method are promising agents for biomedical applications, in particular for the therapy and diagnosis of various diseases. Using silicon and zinc glycerolates as biocompatible precursors we synthesized by the sol-gel method a new bioactive silicon-zinc-containing glycerohydrogel combining the positive pharmacological properties of the precursors. In the present work the structural features of silicon-zinc-containing glycerohydrogel and its immunotropic properties were studied. The advanced physical methods, including XRD, TEM, dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering, were used for studying the structural features of the gel. Hydrolysis of zinc monoglycerolate was investigated under gelation conditions. Evaluation of the efficiency of silicon-zinc-containing glycerohydrogel in providing immune functions was carried out using a model of the complicated wound process behind immunosuppression induced by hydrocortisone administration in the Wistar rats. It has been shown that zinc monoglycerolate exists in the state of amorphous nanoparticles in the cells of 3D-network formed due to incomplete hydrolysis of silicon glycerolates and subsequent silanol condensation. Zinc monoglycerolate is not hydrolyzed and does not enter 3D-network of the gel with the formation of Zn-O-Si groups, but it forms a separate phase. Immunotropic action of silicon-zinc-containing glycerohydrogel was revealed by the histology and immunohistochemistry methods. Amorphous nanoparticles of zinc monoglycerolate, water-soluble silicon glycerolates, and products of their hydrolytic transformations, which are present in a aqueous-glycerol medium, are in the first place responsible for the pharmacological activity of hydrogel. The results obtained allow us to consider silicon-zinc-containing glycerohydrogel as a promising immunotropic agent for topical application. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hematite/silver nanoparticle bilayers on mica--AFM, SEM and streaming potential studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Morga, Maria; Adamczyk, Zbigniew; Oćwieja, Magdalena; Bielańska, Elżbieta

2014-06-15

Bilayers of hematite/silver nanoparticles were obtained in the self-assembly process and thoroughly characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and in situ streaming potential measurements. The hematite nanoparticles, forming a supporting layer, were 22 nm in diameter, exhibiting an isoelectric point at pH 8.9. The silver nanoparticles, used to obtain an external layer, were 29 nm in diameter, and remained negative within the pH range 3 to 11. In order to investigate the particle deposition, mica sheets were used as a model solid substrate. The coverage of the supporting layer was adjusted by changing the bulk concentration of the hematite suspension and the deposition time. Afterward, silver nanoparticle monolayers of controlled coverage were deposited under the diffusion-controlled transport. The coverage of bilayers was determined by a direct enumeration of deposited particles from SEM micrographs and AFM images. Additionally, the formation of the hematite/silver bilayers was investigated by streaming potential measurements carried out under in situ conditions. The effect of the mica substrate and the coverage of a supporting layer on the zeta potential of bilayers was systematically studied. It was established that for the coverage exceeding 0.20, the zeta potential of bilayers was independent on the substrate and the supporting layer coverage. This behavior was theoretically interpreted in terms of the 3D electrokinetic model. Beside significance for basic sciences, these measurements allowed to develop a robust method of preparing nanoparticle bilayers of controlled properties, having potential applications in catalytic processes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spin-1 and -2 bilayer Bethe lattice: A Monte Carlo study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masrour, R.; Jabar, A.; Benyoussef, A.; Hamedoun, M.

2016-01-01

The magnetic behaviors of bilayer with spin-1 and 2 Ising model on the Bethe lattice are investigated using the Monte Carlo simulations. The thermal magnetizations, the magnetic susceptibilities and the transition temperature of the bilayer spin-1 and 2 on the Bethe lattice are studied for different values of crystal field and intralayer coupling constants of the two layers and interlayer coupling constant between the layers. The thermal and magnetic hysteresis cycles are given for different values of the crystal field, for different temperatures and for different exchange interactions. - Highlights: • The magnetic properties of bilayer on the Bethe lattice have been investigated. • The transition temperature has been deduced. • The magnetic coercive filed has been established.

Spin-1 and -2 bilayer Bethe lattice: A Monte Carlo study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Masrour, R., E-mail: rachidmasrour@hotmail.com [Laboratory of Materials, Processes, Environment and Quality, Cady Ayyed University, National School of Applied Sciences, 63 46000 Safi (Morocco); Laboratoire de Magnétisme et Physique des Hautes Energies L.M.P.H.E.URAC 12, Université Mohammed V, Faculté des Sciences, B.P. 1014 Rabat (Morocco); Jabar, A. [Laboratoire de Magnétisme et Physique des Hautes Energies L.M.P.H.E.URAC 12, Université Mohammed V, Faculté des Sciences, B.P. 1014 Rabat (Morocco); Benyoussef, A. [Laboratoire de Magnétisme et Physique des Hautes Energies L.M.P.H.E.URAC 12, Université Mohammed V, Faculté des Sciences, B.P. 1014 Rabat (Morocco); Institute of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies, MAScIR, Rabat (Morocco); Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology, Rabat (Morocco); Hamedoun, M. [Institute of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies, MAScIR, Rabat (Morocco)

2016-03-01

The magnetic behaviors of bilayer with spin-1 and 2 Ising model on the Bethe lattice are investigated using the Monte Carlo simulations. The thermal magnetizations, the magnetic susceptibilities and the transition temperature of the bilayer spin-1 and 2 on the Bethe lattice are studied for different values of crystal field and intralayer coupling constants of the two layers and interlayer coupling constant between the layers. The thermal and magnetic hysteresis cycles are given for different values of the crystal field, for different temperatures and for different exchange interactions. - Highlights: • The magnetic properties of bilayer on the Bethe lattice have been investigated. • The transition temperature has been deduced. • The magnetic coercive filed has been established.

Vesicle fusion observed by content transfer across a tethered lipid bilayer.

Science.gov (United States)

Rawle, Robert J; van Lengerich, Bettina; Chung, Minsub; Bendix, Poul Martin; Boxer, Steven G

2011-10-19

Synaptic transmission is achieved by exocytosis of small, synaptic vesicles containing neurotransmitters across the plasma membrane. Here, we use a DNA-tethered freestanding bilayer as a target architecture that allows observation of content transfer of individual vesicles across the tethered planar bilayer. Tethering and fusion are mediated by hybridization of complementary DNA-lipid conjugates inserted into the two membranes, and content transfer is monitored by the dequenching of an aqueous content dye. By analyzing the diffusion profile of the aqueous dye after vesicle fusion, we are able to distinguish content transfer across the tethered bilayer patch from vesicle leakage above the patch. Copyright © 2011 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Theory for electric dipole superconductivity with an application for bilayer excitons.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Qing-Dong; Bao, Zhi-qiang; Sun, Qing-Feng; Xie, X C

2015-07-08

Exciton superfluid is a macroscopic quantum phenomenon in which large quantities of excitons undergo the Bose-Einstein condensation. Recently, exciton superfluid has been widely studied in various bilayer systems. However, experimental measurements only provide indirect evidence for the existence of exciton superfluid. In this article, by viewing the exciton in a bilayer system as an electric dipole, we derive the London-type and Ginzburg-Landau-type equations for the electric dipole superconductors. By using these equations, we discover the Meissner-type effect and the electric dipole current Josephson effect. These effects can provide direct evidence for the formation of the exciton superfluid state in bilayer systems and pave new ways to drive an electric dipole current.

Life cycle assessment of hydrogen and power production by supercritical water reforming of glycerol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galera, S.; Gutiérrez Ortiz, F.J.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The environmental performance of the supercritical water reforming (SCWR) of glycerol was assessed. • Biogenic CO 2 emissions allowed quantifying a realistic GHG inventory of 3.8 kg CO 2 -eq/kg H 2 . • The environmental profile of SCWR process was compared to those of other technologies. • A good environmental performance of H 2 and power production by SCWR of glycerol was obtained. - Abstract: The environmental performance of hydrogen and electricity production by supercritical water reforming (SCWR) of glycerol was evaluated following a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. The heat-integrated process was designed to be energy self-sufficient. Mass and energy balances needed for the study were performed using Aspen Plus 8.4, and the environmental assessment was carried out through SimaPro 8.0. CML 2000 was selected as the life cycle impact assessment method, considering as impact categories the global warming, ozone layer depletion, abiotic depletion, photochemical oxidant formation, eutrophication, acidification, and cumulative energy demand. A distinction between biogenic and fossil CO 2 emissions was done to quantify a more realistic GHG inventory of 3.77 kg CO 2 -eq per kg H 2 produced. Additionally, the environmental profile of SCWR process was compared to other H 2 production technologies such as steam methane reforming, carbon gasification, water electrolysis and dark fermentation among others. This way, it is shown that SCWR of glycerol allows reducing greenhouse gas emissions and obtaining a favorable positive life cycle energy balance, achieving a good environmental performance of H 2 and power production by SCWR of glycerol

Influence of palm oil and glycerol on properties of fish skin gelatin-based films.

Science.gov (United States)

Nilsuwan, Krisana; Benjakul, Soottawat; Prodpran, Thummanoon

2016-06-01

Properties of fish skin gelatin film incorporated with palm oil at 50 and 75 % (w/w) as affected by glycerol at 0-30 % (w/w) were investigated. Increases in water vapour permeability and elongation at break along with decrease in tensile strength were noticed when levels of glycerol were increased (p fish skin gelatin films without drastic alteration of mechanical properties.

Effects of feeding dry glycerol on milk production, nutrients digestibility and blood components in primiparous Holstein dairy cows during the early postpartum period

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kafilzadeh, F.; Piri, V.; Karami-Shabankareh, H.

2015-07-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the glucogenic property of glycerol supplementation in the dairy cow’s diet. Sixty primiparous cows (control, n=30, and glycerol supplemented, n=30) were used to measure milk yield and components, blood hormone and metabolite profiles, and body condition score. Feed intake and apparent total-tract digestibility were also measured using 10 primiparous cows (control, n=5, and glycerol supplemented, n=5). Dry glycerol was top dressed at 250 g/day/cow from parturition to 21 days postpartum. Average feed intake, milk yield and components were not affected by glycerol supplementation. Apparent total–tract digestibility of organic matter and neutral detergent fibre were not influenced by dry glycerol supplementation, but lipid digestibility was greater (p=0.01) in cows fed glycerol. The serum concentration of glucose and insulin tended to be higher in dry glycerol-supplemented cows (p=0.1; p=0.06, respectively). While, serum concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids and β-hydroxybutyrate were not affected. Supplemented cows had lower body condition loss during weeks 1 to 5 after calving (p=0.09). The glucogenic effect of glycerol did not affect milk yield during the first 3 weeks of lactation. However, daily milk yield during the 13 weeks recording period was higher in the glycerol-supplemented cows (28.5 vs. 30.3 kg, p<0.001). Percentages of cows cycling at the planned breeding date was greater (p=0.01) for cows fed dry glycerol. The results demonstrated that feeding dry glycerol as a glucogenic supply could be useful in saving body reserves and improving energy balance of primiparous Holstein dairy cows during the early postpartum period. (Author)

Effects of feeding dry glycerol on milk production, nutrients digestibility and blood components in primiparous Holstein dairy cows during the early postpartum period

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farokh Kafilzadeh

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the glucogenic property of glycerol supplementation in the dairy cow’s diet. Sixty primiparous cows (control, n=30, and glycerol supplemented, n=30 were used to measure milk yield and components, blood hormone and metabolite profiles, and body condition score. Feed intake and apparent total-tract digestibility were also measured using 10 primiparous cows (control, n=5, and glycerol supplemented, n=5. Dry glycerol was top dressed at 250 g/day/cow from parturition to 21 days postpartum. Average feed intake, milk yield and components were not affected by glycerol supplementation. Apparent total–tract digestibility of organic matter and neutral detergent fibre were not influenced by dry glycerol supplementation, but lipid digestibility was greater (p=0.01 in cows fed glycerol. The serum concentration of glucose and insulin tended to be higher in dry glycerol-supplemented cows (p=0.1; p=0.06, respectively. While, serum concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids and β-hydroxybutyrate were not affected. Supplemented cows had lower body condition loss during weeks 1 to 5 after calving (p=0.09. The glucogenic effect of glycerol did not affect milk yield during the first 3 weeks of lactation. However, daily milk yield during the 13 weeks recording period was higher in the glycerol-supplemented cows (28.5 vs. 30.3 kg, p<0.001. Percentages of cows cycling at the planned breeding date was greater (p=0.01 for cows fed dry glycerol. The results demonstrated that feeding dry glycerol as a glucogenic supply could be useful in saving body reserves and improving energy balance of primiparous Holstein dairy cows during the early postpartum period.

Camber Evolution and Stress Development of Porous Ceramic Bilayers During Co-Firing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ni, De Wei; Esposito, Vincenzo; Schmidt, Cristine Grings

2013-01-01

sintering mismatch stress in co-fired CGO-LSM/CGO bilayer laminates was significantly lower than general sintering stresses expected for free sintering conditions. As a result, no co-firing defects were observed in the bilayer laminates, illustrating an acceptable sintering compatibility of the ceramic...

Surface functionalization of a polymeric lipid bilayer for coupling a model biological membrane with molecules, cells, and microstructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Morigaki, Kenichi; Mizutani, Kazuyuki; Saito, Makoto; Okazaki, Takashi; Nakajima, Yoshihiro; Tatsu, Yoshiro; Imaishi, Hiromasa

2013-02-26

We describe a stable and functional model biological membrane based on a polymerized lipid bilayer with a chemically modified surface. A polymerized lipid bilayer was formed from a mixture of two diacetylene-containing phospholipids, 1,2-bis(10,12-tricosadiynoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DiynePC) and 1,2-bis(10,12-tricosadiynoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DiynePE). DiynePC formed a stable bilayer structure, whereas the ethanolamine headgroup of DiynePE enabled functional molecules to be grafted onto the membrane surface. Copolymerization of DiynePC and DiynePE resulted in a robust bilayer. Functionalization of the polymeric bilayer provided a route to a robust and biomimetic surface that can be linked with biomolecules, cells, and three-dimensional (3D) microstructures. Biotin and peptides were grafted onto the polymeric bilayer for attaching streptavidin and cultured mammalian cells by molecular recognition, respectively. Nonspecific adsorption of proteins and cells on polymeric bilayers was minimum. DiynePE was also used to attach a microstructure made of an elastomer (polydimethylsiloxan: PDMS) onto the membrane, forming a confined aqueous solution between the two surfaces. The microcompartment enabled us to assay the activity of a membrane-bound enzyme (cyochrome P450). Natural (fluid) lipid bilayers were incorporated together with membrane-bound proteins by lithographically polymerizing DiynePC/DiynePE bilayers. The hybrid membrane of functionalized polymeric bilayers and fluid bilayers offers a novel platform for a wide range of biomedical applications including biosensor, bioassay, cell culture, and cell-based assay.

"Nanocrystal bilayer for tandem catalysis"

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamada, Yusuke; Tsung, Chia Kuang; Huang, Wenyu; Huo, Ziyang; E.Habas, Susan E; Soejima, Tetsuro; Aliaga, Cesar E; Samorjai, Gabor A; Yang, Peidong

2011-01-24

Supported catalysts are widely used in industry and can be optimized by tuning the composition and interface of the metal nanoparticles and oxide supports. Rational design of metal-metal oxide interfaces in nanostructured catalysts is critical to achieve better reaction activities and selectivities. We introduce here a new class of nanocrystal tandem catalysts that have multiple metal-metal oxide interfaces for the catalysis of sequential reactions. We utilized a nanocrystal bilayer structure formed by assembling platinum and cerium oxide nanocube monolayers of less than 10 nm on a silica substrate. The two distinct metal-metal oxide interfaces, CeO2-Pt and Pt-SiO2, can be used to catalyse two distinct sequential reactions. The CeO2-Pt interface catalysed methanol decomposition to produce CO and H2, which were subsequently used for ethylene hydroformylation catalysed by the nearby Pt-SiO2 interface. Consequently, propanal was produced selectively from methanol and ethylene on the nanocrystal bilayer tandem catalyst. This new concept of nanocrystal tandem catalysis represents a powerful approach towards designing high-performance, multifunctional nanostructured catalysts

Hydrogen Production via Glycerol Dry Reforming over La-Ni/Al2O3 Catalyst

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kah Weng Siew

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Glycerol (a bio-waste generated from biodiesel production has been touted as a promising bio-syngas precursor via reforming route. Previous studies have indicated that carbon deposition is the major performance-limiting factor for nickel (Ni catalyst during glycerol steam reforming. In the current paper, dry (CO2-reforming of glycerol, a new reforming route was carried out over alumina (Al2O3-supported non-promoted and lanthanum-promoted Ni catalysts. Both sets of catalysts were synthesized via wet co-impregnation procedure. The physicochemical characterization of the catalyst showed that the promoted catalyst possessed smaller metal crystallite size, hence higher metal dispersion compared to the virgin Ni/Al2O3 catalyst. This was also corroborated by the surface images captured by the FESEM analysis. In addition, BET surface area measurement gave 92.05m²/g for non-promoted Ni catalyst whilst promoted catalysts showed an average of 1 to 6% improvement depending on the La loading. Reaction studies at 873 K showed that glycerol dry reforming successfully produced H2 with glycerol conversion and H2 yield that peaked at 9.7% and 25% respectively over 2wt% La content. The optimum catalytic performance by 2%La-Ni/Al2O3 can be attributed to the larger BET surface area and smaller crystallite size that ensured accessibility of active catalytic sites.  © 2013 BCREC UNDIP. All rights reservedReceived: 12nd May 2013; Revised: 7th October 2013; Accepted: 16th October 2013[How to Cite: Siew, K.W., Lee, H.C., Gimbun, J., Cheng, C.K. (2013. Hydrogen Production via Glycerol Dry Reforming over La-Ni/Al2O3 Catalyst. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis, 8 (2: 160-166. (doi:10.9767/bcrec.8.2.4874.160-166][Permalink/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.8.2.4874.160-166

Ultraviolet stimulated melanogenesis by human melanocytes is augmented by di-acyl glycerol but not TPA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Friedmann, P.S.; Wren, F.E.; Matthews, J.N.

1990-01-01

Epidermal melanocytes (MC) synthesize melanin in response to ultraviolet radiation (UVR). The mechanisms mediating the UV-induced activation of melanogenesis are unknown but since UVR induces turnover of membrane phospholipids generating prostaglandins (PGs) and other products, it is possible that one of these might provide the activating signal. We have examined the effects of prostaglandins (PGs) E1, E2, D2, F2 alpha, and di-acyl glycerol upon the UV-induced responses of cultured human MC and the Cloudman S91 melanoma cell line. The PGs had little effect on unirradiated cells and did not alter the response to UVR in either human MC or S91 melanoma cells. However, a synthetic analogue of di-acyl glycerol, 1-oleyl 2-acetyl glycerol (OAG), caused a significant (P less than 0.0001), dose-related augmentation of melanin content both in human MC (seven-fold) and S91 cells (three-fold). UVR caused a significant augmentation of the OAG-induced melanogenesis of both human MC and S91 cells. Since OAG is known to activate protein kinase C, it was possible that the observed modulation of the UVR signal could be via that pathway. Di-octanoyl glycerol, another di-acyl glycerol, which activates kinase C, caused a small (70%) increase in melanogenesis in MC which was not altered by UVR. However, 12-0 tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA), a potent activator of protein kinase C, had no significant effect on either basal or UV-induced melanin synthesis in either cell type. These data suggest that the UV-induced signal activating melanogenesis could be mediated by di-acyl glycerol. Furthermore, they imply that the signal is transduced via an alternative, pathway that might be independent of protein kinase C

A comparative evaluation of plasma glycerol and free fatty acids in patients with ischaemic heart disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Singh V

1979-01-01

Full Text Available Plasma glycerol concentration was determined in 158 patients admitted to the hospital with acute chest pain. The patients were retrospectively divided into five groups according to their diagnosis, taking into account the presence or absence of myocardial infarc-tion and complicating arrythmias, The plasma glycerol concentra-tion was significantly higher in the group with complicating arrhythmias, irrespective of whether infarction was present or not. Therefore it is proposed that elevation of plasma glycerol may provide an important clue to determine those myocardial ischaemia cases who may develop cardiac arrythmias at a later stage.

Mathematical modeling and experimental validation of Phaeodactylum tricornutum microalgae growth rate with glycerol addition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morais, Keli Cristiane Correia; Ribeiro, Robert Luis Lara; Santos, Kassiana Ribeiro dos; Mariano, Andre Bellin [Mariano Center for Research and Development of Sustainable Energy (NPDEAS), Curitiba, PR (Brazil); Vargas, Jose Viriato Coelho [Departament of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Parana (UFPR) Curitiba, PR (Brazil)

2010-07-01

The Brazilian National Program for Bio fuel Production has been encouraging diversification of feedstock for biofuel production. One of the most promising alternatives is the use of microalgae biomass for biofuel production. The cultivation of microalgae is conducted in aquatic systems, therefore microalgae oil production does not compete with agricultural land. Microalgae have greater photosynthetic efficiency than higher plants and are efficient fixing CO{sub 2}. The challenge is to reduce production costs, which can be minimized by increasing productivity and oil biomass. Aiming to increase the production of microalgae biomass, mixotrophic cultivation, with the addition of glycerol has been shown to be very promising. During the production of biodiesel from microalgae there is availability of glycerol as a side product of the transesterification reaction, which could be used as organic carbon source for microalgae mixotrophic growth, resulting in increased biomass productivity. In this paper, to study the effect of glycerol in experimental conditions, the batch culture of the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum was performed in a 2-liter flask in a temperature and light intensity controlled room. During 16 days of cultivation, the number of cells per ml was counted periodically in a Neubauer chamber. The calculation of dry biomass in the control experiment (without glycerol) was performed every two days by vacuum filtration. In the dry biomass mixotrophic experiment with glycerol concentration of 1.5 M, the number of cells was assessed similarly in the 10{sup th} and 14{sup th} days of cultivation. Through a volume element methodology, a mathematical model was written to calculate the microalgae growth rate. It was used an equation that describes the influence of irradiation and concentration of nutrients in the growth of microalgae. A simulation time of 16 days was used in the computations, with initial concentration of 0.1 g l{sup -1}. In order to compare

Self-assembled PCBM bilayers on graphene and HOPG examined by AFM and STM

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yanlong; Chen, Chuanhui; Burton, John; Park, Kyungwha; Heflin, James R.; Tao, Chenggang

2018-05-01

In this work we report fabrication and characterization of phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) bilayer structures on graphene and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). Through careful control of the PCBM solution concentration (from 0.1 to 2 mg ml-1) and the deposition conditions, we demonstrate that PCBM molecules self-assemble into bilayer structures on graphene and HOPG substrates. Interestingly, the PCBM bilayers are formed with two distinct heights on HOPG, but only one unique representative height on graphene. At elevated annealing temperatures, edge diffusion allows neighboring vacancies to merge into a more ordered structure. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first experimental realization of PCBM bilayer structures on graphene. This work could provide valuable insight into fabrication of new hybrid, ordered structures for applications to organic solar cells.

Agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix fabricated by simple thermo-responsive sol-gel transition method.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yifeng; Dong, Meng; Guo, Mengmeng; Wang, Xia; Zhou, Jing; Lei, Jian; Guo, Chuanhang; Qin, Chaoran

2017-08-01

We present a simple and environmentally-friendly method to generate an agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix for further biomedical applications. In this method, the thermally responsive sol-gel transitions of agar and gelatin combined with the different transition temperatures are exquisitely employed to fabricate the agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix and achieve separate loading for various materials (e.g., drugs, fluorescent materials, and nanoparticles). Importantly, the resulting bilayer gel matrix provides two different biopolymer environments (a polysaccharide environment vs a protein environment) with a well-defined border, which allows the loaded materials in different layers to retain their original properties (e.g., magnetism and fluorescence) and reduce mutual interference. In addition, the loaded materials in the bilayer gel matrix exhibit an interesting release behavior under the control of thermal stimuli. Consequently, the resulting agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix is a promising candidate for biomedical applications in drug delivery, controlled release, fluorescence labeling, and bio-imaging. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neutron scattering investigations of the lipid bilayer structure pressure dependence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. V. Soloviov

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Lipid bilayer structure investigation results obtained with small angle neutron scattering method at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research IBR-2M nuclear reactor (Dubna, Russia are presented. Experiment has been per-formed with small angle neutron scattering spectrometer YuMO, upgraded with the apparatus for performing P-V-T measurements on the substance under investigation. D2O-1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC liquid system, presenting the model of natural live membrane, has been taken as the sample for investiga-tions. The lipid bilayer spatial period was measured in experiment along with isothermal compressibility simulta-neously at different pressures. It has been shown, that the bilayer structural transition from ripple (wavelike gel-phase phase to liquid-crystal phase is accompanied with anomalous rise of isothermal compressibility, indicat-ing occurrence of the phase transition.

Kinetic analysis of dihydroxyacetone production from crude glycerol by immobilized cells of Gluconobacter oxydans MTCC 904.

Science.gov (United States)

Dikshit, Pritam Kumar; Moholkar, Vijayanand S

2016-09-01

The present study has investigated kinetic features of bioconversion of biodiesel-derived crude glycerol to dihydroxyacetone with immobilized Gluconobacter oxydans cells using modified Haldane substrate-inhibition model. The results have been compared against free cells and pure glycerol. Relative variations in the kinetic parameters KS, KI, Vmax, n and X reveal that immobilized G. oxydans cells (on PU foam substrate) with crude glycerol as substrate give higher order of inhibition (n) and lower maximum reaction velocities (Vmax). These results are essentially implications of substrate transport restrictions across immobilization matrix, which causes retention of substrate in the matrix and reduction in fractional available substrate (X) for the cells. This causes reduction in both KS (substrate concentration at Vmax/2) and KI (inhibition constant) as compared to free cells. For immobilized cells, substrate concentration (Smax) corresponding to Vmax is practically same for both pure and crude glycerol as substrate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isolation and partial characterization of a new strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae capable of high 1,3 propanediol production from glycerol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Sen

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Glycerol is a promising feedstock for microbial cultivation and production of 1,3 propanediol (1,3 PDO. Here we report a newly isolated bacterial strain BA11 from soil, capable of fermenting glycerol to 1,3 PDO, and has been identified to be a strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Strain BA11 was fast growing showing peak 1,3 PDO production in 6 h of cultivation with productivity of 1.2 g/L-h without the addition of Vitamin B12. Based on the optimum glycerol utilization (75% and 1,3 PDO production (8.3 g/L and yield (0.56 mol/mol glycerol utilized, the most appropriate glycerol concentration for cultivation was 20 g/L. The strain BA11 could tolerate the pH range of 6 to 8.5 as no inhibitory effects were seen on growth as well as 1,3 PDO production. Strain BA11 was most active and could produce high 1,3 PDO in the incubation temperature range of 25 to 40 oC. The production of 1,3 PDO was maximum (9.3 g/L under aerobic condition with 95.8% glycerol utilization. Addition of glucose to the glycerol fermentation led to increased cell mass but no improvement in the 1,3 PDO production.

Prediction of superconductivity in Li-intercalated bilayer phosphorene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, G. Q.; Xing, Z. W.; Xing, D. Y.

2015-01-01

It is shown that bilayer phosphorene can be transformed from a direct-gap semiconductor to a BCS superconductor by intercalating Li atoms. For the Li-intercalated bilayer phosphorene, we find that the electron occupation of Li-derived band is small and superconductivity is intrinsic. With increasing the intercalation of Li atoms, both increased metallicity and strong electron-phonon coupling are favorable for the enhancement of superconductivity. The obtained electron-phonon coupling λ can be larger than 1 and the superconducting temperature T c can be increased up to 16.5 K, suggesting that phosphorene may be a good candidate for a nanoscale superconductor