Production of β-Glucosidase from a Newly Isolated Aspergillus Species Using Response Surface Methodology

A newly isolated fungus Aspergillus niger SOI017 was shown to be a good producer of β-glucosidase from all isolated fungal strains. Fermentation condition (pH, cellobiose concentration, yeast extract concentration, and ammonium sulfate concentration) was optimized for producing the enzyme in shake flask cultures. Response surface methodology was used to investigate the effects of 4 fermentation parameters (yeast extract concentration, cellobiose concentration, ammonium sulfate concentration, and pH) on β-glucosidase enzyme production. Production of β-glucosidase was most sensitive to the culture medium, especially the nitrogen source yeast extract. The optimized medium for producing maximum β-glucosidase specific activity consisted of 0.275% yeast extract, 1.125% cellobiose, and 2.6% ammonium sulfate at a pH value of 3

Fungal bioconversion of old oil-palm trunks by enzymatic hydrolysis on development of alternate energy source

The progressive depletion of fossil fuels has been causing increasing concern on rising energy consumption and environmental issues, such as greenhouse gas emission (GHG) and global warming. Due to low productivity of oil-palm tree after 20 - 25 years, the trees passed their economic age followed by the cutting-activity for replanting. Consequently, the old oil-palm trunks are one of the most abundantly available renewable resources produced, especially by Indonesia and Malaysia. We found that the felled oil palm trunk contains large quantity of sap with high concentration of free sugar contents. The oil-palm trunk residues which are the residual substances after squeezing sap will be discharged in large quantity. Composition analysis revealed that oil-palm residues mainly consisted of 73.12% holocellulose (cellulose and hemicellulose) and 24.6% of lignin. We tried the screening of filamentous fungus which can produce high-activity enzyme against oil-palm trunk residues as feedstock of bioethanol production.  A filamentous fungus, which is Penicillium rolfsii with strong activity against oil-palm trunk residues was selected for saccharification experimental study. The result showed that higher amount of sugar production was achieved comparing to the commercial enzymes (Celluclast 1.5L and Accellerase®1500) on hydrolysis of oil palm residues, which is 1 to 2-fold of higher activity. Hence, Penicillium rolfsii have attracted a great deal of interest as oil-palm residues degrader due to their superiority activity against commercial enzymes

Transcriptomic responses of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) stem to waterlogging at plantation in relation to precipitation seasonality

Global warming-induced climate change causes significant agricultural problems by increasing the incidence of drought and flooding events. Waterlogging is an inevitable consequence of these changes but its effects on oil palms have received little attention and are poorly understood. Recent waterlogging studies have focused on oil palm seedlings, with particular emphasis on phenology. However, the transcriptomic waterlogging response of mature oil palms remains elusive in real environments. We therefore investigated transcriptomic changes over time in adult oil palms at plantations over a two-year period with pronounced seasonal variation in precipitation. A significant transcriptional waterlogging response was observed in the oil palm stem core but not in leaf samples when gene expression was correlated with cumulative precipitation over two-day periods. Pathways and processes upregulated or enriched in the stem core response included hypoxia, ethylene signaling, and carbon metabolism. Post-waterlogging recovery in oil palms was found to be associated with responses to heat stress and carotenoid biosynthesis. Nineteen transcription factors (TFs) potentially involved in the waterlogging response of mature oil palms were also identified. These data provide new insights into the transcriptomic responses of planted oil palms to waterlogging and offer valuable guidance on the sensitivity of oil palm plantations to future climate changes

Penicillium Rolfsii, the Potential Lignocellulolytic Fungus on Hydrolysis of Oil-palm Residues From Oil Palm Trunk as a Second Generation Biofuel Feedstock

Energy crisis involved the excessive consumption of fuels causing the increased in energy demands, oil price and depletion of fossil fuels. This has resulted in generation of high level of greenhouse gases emission. Therefore, in order to overcome these problems, alternative fuel has to be produced. This study was conducted to isolate potential fungal strains which can hydrolyze oil-palm residues as feedstock for bioethanol production. One hundred and sixty four fungal isolates were isolated from various sources and were screened for reducing sugars and protein production using submerged fermentation system. Out of these, 65 fungal strains were found capable to produce high specific activity relatively on oil-palm residues with the assay condition of temperature at 50oC for incubation time of 24 hours. Fungal isolate namely, Penicillium rolfsii was selected for subsequent study since it showed the highest capability to hydrolyze oil-palm residues comparing to other fungal strains based on time-course profile for 48 hours incubation time. Capability of Penicillium rolfsii on hydrolysis of oil-palm residues was evaluated by comparing to type strain of NBRC7735 and commercial enzymes (Celluclast 1.5L and Accellerase®1500). Conversion of these lignocellulosic oil-palm residues into fermentable sugars by enzymatic hydrolysis for bioethanol production has to be further investigated to move towards on alternative, renewable, sustainable, efficient and cost effective energy sourc

The association of ectopic craniopharyngioma in the fourth ventricle with familial adenomatous polyposis: illustrative case

[BACKGROUND] Craniopharyngioma (CP) often arises in the sellar and suprasellar areas; ectopic CP in the posterior fossa is rare. Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a genetic disorder involving the formation of numerous adenomatous polyps in the gastrointestinal tract, and it is associated with other extraintestinal manifestations. [OBSERVATIONS] The authors reported the case of a 63-year-old woman with FAP who presented with headache and harbored a growing mass in the fourth ventricle. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings revealed a well-circumscribed mass with high intensity on T1-weighted images and low intensity on T2-weighted images and exhibited no contrast enhancement. Gross total resection was performed and histopathology revealed an adamantinomatous CP (aCP). The authors also reviewed the previous reports of ectopic CP in the posterior fossa and found a high percentage of FAP cases among the ectopic CP group, thus suggesting a possible association between the two diseases. [LESSONS] An ectopic CP may be reasonably included in the differential diagnosis in patients with FAP who present with well-circumscribed tumors in the posterior fossa

Development of a novel COMPAssion focused online psyChoTherapy for bereaved informal caregivers: the COMPACT feasibility trial protocol

Introduction An easy-to-access and effective psychotherapy for bereaved informal caregivers has not been established. People with higher self-compassion status tend to have lower bereavement related grief, psychotherapy focused on self-compassion can be promising for this population. This study aimed to examine the feasibility of online self-compassion focused psychotherapy for bereaved informal caregivers.Method and analysis A total of 60 study participants will undergo an intervention programme comprising online sessions of 2 hours per week for five consecutive weeks and undertake postsession work. The intervention personnel will comprise psychologists who have received more than 10 hours of structured training. The primary endpoint will be assessed on the intervention completion rate, with secondary endpoints consisting of the Complicated Grief Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7, Brief Resilience Scale and Self-Compassion Scale. Evaluations will be conducted preintervention, immediately after intervention, and 4 and 12 weeks after intervention.Ethics and dissemination This study has been reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Kyoto University Graduate School and Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University Hospital, Japan (Approved ID: C1565). The results of this study will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal and conference presentations.Trial registration number UMIN000048554

表層海水中溶存酸素の高精度連続観測

大気・海洋間の二酸化炭素や酸素の交換量と，その時空間変動要因や，大気中の温室効果ガスの動態を解明するための一環として，表層海水中溶存酸素の高精度連続観測に取り組んでいる．海洋地球研究船「みらい」では，表層海水連続測定装置により，水温・塩分の測定に加え，世界中で広く利用されているAADI社製OPTODEによる溶存酸素，および，蛍光光度計によるクロロフィルaの測定が行われてきた．OPTODEは時間安定性が優れており，連続観測に適していると考えられているが，応答時間が遅い（カタログによれば67%応答時間は20℃で23秒）という問題があった．そこで，船舶CTDO観測で培った高精度溶存酸素測定技術に基づき，2012年度から表層海水連続測定装置に応答時間が早いJFE Advantech社製RINKOを追加した．溶存酸素検出膜の適切なエイジングと標準ガスを用いたセンサー出力値の線形化，および，時間ドリフト補正用の溶存酸素の分析値を取得することで，溶存酸素の高精度連続観測を実現し，北極海，ベーリング海，西部太平洋，南大洋の広範囲でデータを蓄積した．従来のOPTODEと新たに導入したRINKOの比較から，RINKOに比べてOPTODEは約8分遅れて応答していることや，北極海などでの塩分の短時間での大きな変化に対応してOPTODEが不自然に大きく応答することが明らかになった．さらに，RINKOの技術を応用し，センサーを用いた酸素法による基礎生産量の測定を試みている．これらのデータを総合的に解析し，表層海水中の溶存酸素の時空間変動特性を把握し，変動要因の解明を目指す．BE13-19講演要旨 / ブルーアース2013（2013年3月14日～15日, 東京海洋大学品川キャンパス）http://www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/darwin/cruise/mirai/mr12-e03/

Current Performance and On-Going Improvements of the 8.2 m Subaru Telescope

An overview of the current status of the 8.2 m Subaru Telescope constructed and operated at Mauna Kea, Hawaii, by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan is presented. The basic design concept and the verified performance of the telescope system are described. Also given are the status of the instrument package offered to the astronomical community, the status of operation, and some of the future plans. The status of the telescope reported in a number of SPIE papers as of the summer of 2002 are incorporated with some updates included as of 2004 February. However, readers are encouraged to check the most updated status of the telescope through the home page, http://subarutelescope.org/index.html, and/or the direct contact with the observatory staff.Comment: 18 pages (17 pages in published version), 29 figures (GIF format), This is the version before the galley proo

Spatial distribution of pCO2 and pCH4 in the surface sea water and overlying air in the Arctic Ocean

第3回極域科学シンポジウム/特別セッション「これからの北極研究」11月28日（水） 国立極地研究所 2階大会議