Sub- and Supercritical Water Liquefaction of Kraft Lignin and Black Liquor Derived Lignin

To mitigate global warming, humankind has been forced to develop new efficient energy solutions based on renewable energy sources. Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is a promising technology that can efficiently produce bio-oil from several biomass sources. The HTL process uses sub- or supercritical water for producing bio-oil, water-soluble organics, gaseous products and char. Black liquor mainly contains cooking chemicals (mainly alkali salts) lignin and the hemicellulose parts of the wood chips used for cellulose digestion. This review explores the effects of different process parameters, solvents and catalysts for the HTL of black liquor or black liquor-derived lignin. Using short residence times under near- or supercritical water conditions may improve both the quality and the quantity of the bio-oil yield. The quality and yield of bio-oil can be further improved by using solvents (e.g., phenol) and catalysts (e.g., alkali salts, zirconia). However, the solubility of alkali salts present in black liquor can lead to clogging problem in the HTL reactor and process tubes when approaching supercritical water conditions

Hybrid Targeted/Untargeted Screening Method for the Determination of Wildfire and Water-Soluble Organic Tracers in Ice Cores and Snow.

Wildfires can influence the earth's radiative forcing through the emission of biomass-burning aerosols. To better constrain the impacts of wildfires on climate and understand their evolution under future climate scenarios, reconstructing their chemical nature, assessing their past variability, and evaluating their influence on the atmospheric composition are essential. Ice cores are unique to perform such reconstructions representing archives not only of past biomass-burning events but also of concurrent climate and environmental changes. Here, we present a novel methodology for the quantification of five biomass-burning proxies (syringic acid, vanillic acid, vanillin, syringaldehyde, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid) and one biogenic emission proxy (pinic acid) using solid phase extraction (SPE) and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. This method was also optimized for untargeted screening analysis to gain a broader knowledge about the chemical composition of organic aerosols in ice and snow samples. The method provides low detection limits (0.003-0.012 ng g-1), high recoveries (74 ± 10%), and excellent reproducibility, allowing the quantification of the six proxies and the identification of 313 different molecules, mainly constituted by carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. The effectiveness of two different sample storage strategies, i.e., re-freezing of previously molten ice samples and freezing of previously loaded SPE cartridges, was also assessed, showing that the latter approach provides more reproducible results

SLAIN2 links microtubule plus end–tracking proteins and controls microtubule growth in interphase

SLAIN2’s interactions with multiple different microtubule plus end–tracking proteins stimulate processive microtubule polymerization and ensure proper microtubule organization

Probing the energetic and kinetic impact of topologically conserved interactions in the SIV gp41 six-helix bundle

In this study we used an engineered six-helix bundle construct corresponding to the fusogenic core of the SIV gp41 protein as a model system to investigate the folding of a trimeric protein, which acquires a compact structure upon association of largely unstructured monomeric peptides. Thirteen mutants were generated in order to gain information about the thermodynamic and kinetic roles of topologically conserved tertiary interactions to folding and stability. The effect of the mutations was assessed by circular dichroism spectroscopy from urea-induced equilibrium unfolding experiments and in time-resolved mode to follow the kinetics of refolding and unfolding. While individual experiments can be interpreted in terms of a simple monomer-trimer refolding/unfolding reaction mechanism, comparison of equilibrium and kinetic data reveals that some variants clearly deviate from this two-state behavior and that most proteins cannot be classified as two-state folders without some reservations. Nevertheless, following "quasi-φ-value" and "quasi-β(T)-value" analyses, we propose that the highest-energy barrier along the folding pathway is passed in the trimeric state, after the C-terminal half of each monomer chain is "fixed" in anti-parallel orientation to the surface of the central, still nascent N-terminal coiled-coil

Investigations of eugenol efficacy in treatment of mange in swine

The acaricide efficacy, tolerability and safety of the active ingredient of the etheric oil of cloves eugenol was investigated in the treatment of mange in swine, and the obtained results were compared with the results of acaricide efficacy of the synthetic acaricide permethrin, which has been in use for quite a some time. A single application of permethrin in the form of a 1% solution showed maximum efficacy of 62.5%, and after three applications of 75.0% in the treatment of sarcoptes in swine mange. A single application of eugenol in the form of a 10% solution had maximum efficacy of 75.0%, and applied three times an efficacy of 100% in curbing Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis. A single administration of 20% eugenol solution showed maximum efficacy of 87.5%, and applied three times it was 100% efficient in curbing Sarcoptes scabeiei var. suis. The best efficacy in the treatment of sarcoptes mange in swine was achieved with three applications of eugenol in a concentration of 20%. This maximum effect (100%) was obtained already after the second treatment. Eugenol in a concentration of 10% was safe for local application on skin because it does not cause any undesired reactions, while a 20% concentration caused irritation followed by a passing redness and disquiet in a smaller number of treated animals. The results of comparative investigations of acaricide efficacy of permethrin and eugenol demonstrate that there is resistence in Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis to permethrin. The biocide eugenol can safely be recommended for the treatment of sarcoptes mange in swine

Efikasnost eugenola u lečenju šuge svinja

The acaricide efficacy, tolerability and safety of the active ingredient of the etheric oil of cloves eugenol was investigated in the treatment of mange in swine, and the obtained results were compared with the results of acaricide efficacy of the synthetic acaricide permethrin, which has been in use for quite a some time. A single application of permethrin in the form of a 1% solution showed maximum efficacy of 62.5%, and after three applications of 75.0% in the treatment of sarcoptes in swine mange. A single application of eugenol in the form of a 10% solution had maximum efficacy of 75.0%, and applied three times an efficacy of 100% in curbing Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis. A single administration of 20% eugenol solution showed maximum efficacy of 87.5%, and applied three times it was 100% efficient in curbing Sarcoptes scabeiei var. suis. The best efficacy in the treatment of sarcoptes mange in swine was achieved with three applications of eugenol in a concentration of 20%. This maximum effect (100%) was obtained already after the second treatment. Eugenol in a concentration of 10% was safe for local application on skin because it does not cause any undesired reactions, while a 20% concentration caused irritation followed by a passing redness and disquiet in a smaller number of treated animals. The results of comparative investigations of acaricide efficacy of permethrin and eugenol demonstrate that there is resistence in Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis to permethrin. The biocide eugenol can safely be recommended for the treatment of sarcoptes mange in swine.Ispitivana je akaricidna efikasnost, podnošljivost i bezbednost aktivnog sastojka eteričnog ulja karanfilića, eugenola, u lečenju šuge svinja i dobijeni rezultati su upoređeni sa rezultatima akaricidne efikasnosti, već duže vreme korišćenog sintetskog akaricida permetrina. Jednokratno primenjen permetrin u obliku rastvora koncentracije od 1% pokazao je maksimalnu efikasnost od 62,5%, a posle trokratne aplikacije od 75,0% u lečenju sarkoptes šuge svinja. Jednokratno primenjen eugenol u obliku rastvora koncentracije od 10% imao je maksimalnu efikasnost od 75,0%, a trokratno primenjen od 100,0% u suzbijanju Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis. Jednokratno primenjen rastvor eugenola u koncentraciji od 20% pokazao je najveću efikasnost od 87,5%, a trokratno primenjen od 100,0% u suzbijanju sa Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis. Najbolja efikasnost u lečenju sarkoptes šuge svinja je postignuta trokratnom primenom eugenola u koncentraciji od 20%. Ovaj maksimalni efekat (100,0%) dobijen je već posle drugog tretmana. Eugenol u koncentraciji od 10% bio je bezbedan za lokalnu primenu na koži, jer ne prouzrokuje bilo kakve neželjene reakcije, dok u koncentraciji od 20% kod manjeg broja tretiranih životinja izazivao je iritaciju praćenu prolaznim crvenilom i uznemirenošću. Rezultati uporednih ispitivanja akaricidne efikasnosti permetrina i eugenola ukazuju da postoji rezistencija Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis na permetrin. Biocid eugenol sa sigurnošću može da se preporuči u lečenju sarkoptes šuge svinja

Investigations of eugenol efficacy in treatment of mange in swine

The acaricide efficacy, tolerability and safety of the active ingredient of the etheric oil of cloves eugenol was investigated in the treatment of mange in swine, and the obtained results were compared with the results of acaricide efficacy of the synthetic acaricide permethrin, which has been in use for quite a some time. A single application of permethrin in the form of a 1% solution showed maximum efficacy of 62.5%, and after three applications of 75.0% in the treatment of sarcoptes in swine mange. A single application of eugenol in the form of a 10% solution had maximum efficacy of 75.0%, and applied three times an efficacy of 100% in curbing Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis. A single administration of 20% eugenol solution showed maximum efficacy of 87.5%, and applied three times it was 100% efficient in curbing Sarcoptes scabeiei var. suis. The best efficacy in the treatment of sarcoptes mange in swine was achieved with three applications of eugenol in a concentration of 20%. This maximum effect (100%) was obtained already after the second treatment. Eugenol in a concentration of 10% was safe for local application on skin because it does not cause any undesired reactions, while a 20% concentration caused irritation followed by a passing redness and disquiet in a smaller number of treated animals. The results of comparative investigations of acaricide efficacy of permethrin and eugenol demonstrate that there is resistence in Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis to permethrin. The biocide eugenol can safely be recommended for the treatment of sarcoptes mange in swine.Ispitivana je akaricidna efikasnost, podnošljivost i bezbednost aktivnog sastojka eteričnog ulja karanfilića, eugenola, u lečenju šuge svinja i dobijeni rezultati su upoređeni sa rezultatima akaricidne efikasnosti, već duže vreme korišćenog sintetskog akaricida permetrina. Jednokratno primenjen permetrin u obliku rastvora koncentracije od 1% pokazao je maksimalnu efikasnost od 62,5%, a posle trokratne aplikacije od 75,0% u lečenju sarkoptes šuge svinja. Jednokratno primenjen eugenol u obliku rastvora koncentracije od 10% imao je maksimalnu efikasnost od 75,0%, a trokratno primenjen od 100,0% u suzbijanju Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis. Jednokratno primenjen rastvor eugenola u koncentraciji od 20% pokazao je najveću efikasnost od 87,5%, a trokratno primenjen od 100,0% u suzbijanju sa Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis. Najbolja efikasnost u lečenju sarkoptes šuge svinja je postignuta trokratnom primenom eugenola u koncentraciji od 20%. Ovaj maksimalni efekat (100,0%) dobijen je već posle drugog tretmana. Eugenol u koncentraciji od 10% bio je bezbedan za lokalnu primenu na koži, jer ne prouzrokuje bilo kakve neželjene reakcije, dok u koncentraciji od 20% kod manjeg broja tretiranih životinja izazivao je iritaciju praćenu prolaznim crvenilom i uznemirenošću. Rezultati uporednih ispitivanja akaricidne efikasnosti permetrina i eugenola ukazuju da postoji rezistencija Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis na permetrin. Biocid eugenol sa sigurnošću može da se preporuči u lečenju sarkoptes šuge svinja