The enrichment of an alkaliphilic biofilm consortia capable of the anaerobic degradation of isosaccharinic acid from cellulosic materials incubated within an anthropogenic, hyperalkaline environment.

Anthropogenic hyper-alkaline sites provide an environment that is analogous to proposed cementitious geological disposal facilities (GDF) for radioactive waste. Under anoxic, alkaline conditions cellulosic wastes will hydrolyse to a range of cellulose degradation products (CDP) dominated by isosaccharinic acids (ISA). In order to investigate the potential for microbial activity in a cementitious GDF, cellulose samples were incubated in the alkaline (∼pH 12), anaerobic zone of a lime kiln waste site. Following retrieval, these samples had undergone partial alkaline hydrolysis and were colonised by a Clostridia dominated biofilm community, where hydrogenotrophic, alkaliphilic methanogens were also present. When these samples were used to establish an alkaline CDP fed microcosm, the community shifted away from Clostridia, methanogens became undetectable and a flocculate community dominated by Alishewanella sp. established. These flocs were composed of bacteria embedded in polysaccharides and protein stabilised by extracellular DNA. This community was able to degrade all forms of ISA with >60% of the carbon flow being channelled into extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production. This study demonstrated that alkaliphilic microbial communities can degrade the CDP associated with some radioactive waste disposal concepts at pH 11. These communities divert significant amounts of degradable carbon to EPS formation, suggesting that EPS has a central role in the protection of these communities from hyper-alkaline conditions

Membrane-bound β-catenin degradation is enhanced by ETS2-mediated Siah1 induction in Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric cancer cells.

β-catenin has two different cellular functions: intercellular adhesion and transcriptional activity. The E3 ubiquitin ligase Siah1 causes ubiquitin-mediated degradation of the cytosolic β-catenin and therefore, impairs nuclear translocation and oncogenic function of β-catenin. However, the effect of Siah1 on the cell membrane bound β-catenin has not been studied. In this study, we identified that the carcinogenic bacterium H. pylori increased ETS2 transcription factor-mediated Siah1 protein expression in gastric cancer cells (GCCs) MKN45, AGS and Kato III. Siah1 protein level was also noticeably higher in gastric adenocarcinoma biopsy samples as compared to non-cancerous gastric epithelia. Siah1 knockdown significantly decreased invasiveness and migration of H. pylori-infected GCCs. Although, Siah1 could not increase degradation of the cytosolic β-catenin and its nuclear translocation, it enhanced degradation of the membrane-bound β-catenin in the infected GCCs. This loss of membrane-bound pool of β-catenin was not associated with the proteasomal degradation of E-cadherin. Thus, this work delineated the role of Siah1 in increasing invasiveness of H. pylori-infected GCCs

Allelopathic effect of Leucaena leucocephala on Pansy (Viola tricolor L.)

The present study on allelopahtic effect of L. leucocephala on pansy (V. tricolor L.) both laboratory and nursery conditions were undertaken. Leucaena which significantly reduced the seed germination in all treatments at 2% (43%), 3% (42%) and 4% (40%) over Control (Distilled water), except in treatment at 1% (55%) wheregermination was found to be maximum over Control (Distilled water), this result shows the stimulatory effect on germination at 1% concentration of leaf leachate under laboratory condition. Leucaena soil in combination with Field soil showed stimulatory effect on the growth parameters in Pansy. Highest germination percentage (82%), fresh shoot weight (2.82g), fresh root weight (0.22g), dry shoot weight (0.50g), dry root weight (0.05g), vigor index (99.36) were recorded in treatment amended with soil 50% Leucaena soil and 50% Field soil and inhibitory effect was seen in pansy when amended into with 100% Leucaena soil under nursery condition. From this study it appears that Leucaena produces allelopahtic substrates, increase in concentration exhibit adverse effect on germination and growth parameters. Hence it is suggested that pansy could be affected economically but this tree can very well adapt to diversified soil condition

Measurement of the damping of nuclear shell effect in the doubly magic 208^{208}Pb region

The damping of the nuclear shell effect with excitation energy has been measured through an analysis of the neutron spectra following the triton transfer in the $^7$Li induced reaction on $^{205}$Tl. The measured neutron spectra demonstrate the expected large shell correction energy for the nuclei in the vicinity of doubly magic $^{208}$Pb and a small value for $^{184}$W. A quantitative extraction of the allowed values of the damping parameter $\gamma$, along with those for the asymptotic nuclear level density parameter $\tilde{a}$, has been made for the first time.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Role of the cluster structure of 7^7Li in the dynamics of fragment capture

Exclusive measurements of prompt $\gamma$-rays from the heavy-residues with various light charged particles in the $^7$Li + $^{198}$Pt system, at an energy near the Coulomb barrier (E/$V_b$ $\sim$ 1.6) are reported. Recent dynamic classical trajectory calculations, constrained by the measured fusion, $\alpha$ and $t$ capture cross-sections have been used to explain the excitation energy dependence of the residue cross-sections. These calculations distinctly illustrate a two step process, breakup followed by fusion in case of the capture of $t$ and $\alpha$ clusters; whereas for $^{6}$He + $p$ and $^{5}$He + $d$ configurations, massive transfer is inferred to be the dominant mechanism. The present work clearly demonstrates the role played by the cluster structures of $^7$Li in understanding the reaction dynamics at energies around the Coulomb barrier.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, Accepted for publication in Phys. Letts.

Tannery effluent effect on the haematological parameters of freshwater fish, Channa punctatus

The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the tannery effluent toxicity stress symptoms in fish blood during a long term of exposure period. The effect of tannery effluent on various haematological parameters were evaluated exposing fresh water fish, C. punctatus to different concentration i.e., [Control, 5% Tannery effluent (TE), 10% TE and 20% TE] of tannery effluent. Exposed of fish to tannery effluent showed a significant decrease in the haemoglobin (Hb) content (9.16± 0.08), red blood cells (3.32 ± 0.12), packed cell volume (34.66 ± 0.33) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) values, whereas significant increase in the white blood cells (WBC), erythro-cyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and clotting time was recorded with increase in exposure periods as compared to control respectively. Hb, RBC and MCHC values showed fluctuating results. The haematological parameters were decreases from 15th days of exposure periods to 45th days of exposure period. The decrease in haematological parameters clearly indicates that the exposed fishes have become anemic due to tannery effluent exposure

The behavior of manganese in oxygen steelmaking

Manganese serves as an important alloying element in commercial grades of steel and high levels of Mn can improve the mechanical properties of steel. [1] The chemical behavior of Mn in Oxygen Steelmaking is complex because the element is readily oxidised in conditions found in steelmaking but the stability of its oxide is a strong function of temperature and slag chemistry, and the oxide can readily revert back to elemental Mn in steelmaking conditions. In many steel plants, manganese ore has been added to achieve high Mn at the end blow. This approach means that the use of relatively expensive ferromanganese (FeMn) can be reduced in the subsequent secondary steelmaking process. [1] Steel plants can also face the problem of high Mn (>1 wt pct) in the hot metal due to the use of lean iron ores with high MnO in the blast furnace, and this can cause operational issues in the steelmaking process.[2

Microbial Community Evolution Is Significantly Impacted by the Use of Calcium Isosaccharinic Acid as an Analogue for the Products of Alkaline Cellulose Degradation

Diasteriomeric isosaccharinic acid (ISA) is an important consideration within safety assessments for the disposal of the United Kingdoms’ nuclear waste legacy, where it may potentially influence radionuclide migration. Since the intrusion of micro-organisms may occur within a disposal concept, the impact of ISA may be impacted by microbial metabolism. Within the present study we have established two polymicrobial consortia derived from a hyperalkaline soil. Here, α-ISA and a diatereomeric mix of ISAs’ were used as a sole carbon source, reflecting two common substrates appearing within the literature. The metabolism of ISA within these two consortia was similar, where ISA degradation resulted in the acetogenesis and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis. The chemical data obtained confirm that the diastereomeric nature of ISA is likely to have no impact on its metabolism within alkaline environments. High throughput sequencing of the original soil showed a diverse community which, in the presence of ISA allowed for the dominance the Clostridiales associated taxa with Clostridium clariflavum prevalent. Further taxonomic investigation at the genus level showed that there was in fact a significant difference (p = 0.004) between the two community profiles. Our study demonstrates that the selection of carbon substrate is likely to have a significant impact on microbial community composition estimations, which may have implications with respect to a safety assessment of an ILW-GDF