Poly-γ-glutamic acid: production, properties and applications

University of Wolverhampton, U

Biosynthesis and characterization of a novel, biocompatible medium chain length polyhydroxyalkanoate by Pseudomonas mendocina CH50 using coconut oil as the carbon source

This study validated the utilization of triacylglycerides (TAGs) by Pseudomonas mendocina CH50, a wild type strain, resulting in the production of novel mcl-PHAs with unique physical properties. A PHA yield of 58% dcw was obtained using 20g/L of coconut oil. Chemical and structural characterisation confirmed that the mcl-PHA produced was a terpolymer comprising of three different repeating monomer units, 3-hydroxyoctanoate, 3-hydroxydecanoate and 3-hydroxydodecanoate or P(3HO-3HD-3HDD). Bearing in mind the potential of P(3HO-3HD-3HDD) in biomedical research, especially in neural tissue engineering, in vitro biocompatibility studies were carried out using NG108-15 (neuronal) cells. Cell viability data confirmed that P(3HO-3HD-3HDD) supported the attachment and proliferation of NG108-15 and was therefore, confirmed to be biocompatible in nature and suitable for neural regeneration

Economic and Financial Climate Change: A Business Economist's Perspective

Over the past 50 years, one of the key elements of the evolution of the world economy has been the increasing complexity of financial transactions. This complexity is manifested in financial layering and disintermediation that has increased risk in the real as well as the financial sectors. The consequences of an adverse outcome of this risk are obvious in the current economic situation. This paper analyzes the imbalances that have arisen between the real and financial sectors and the consequences of the ballooning of the financial sector without producing positive contributions to the real sector and increasing risk to both. It calls for restraint on excesses of financial innovation and risk taking that cannot be held in check by market forces alone.Business Economics (2009) 44, 17–22. doi:10.1057/be.2008.7

2019 Public Transportation Fact Book

The Public Transportation Fact Book, published annually, contains national aggregate statistical data covering all aspects of the transit industry in the United States and Canada

Financing the Infrastructure to Support Alternative Fuel Vehicles: How Much Investment is Needed and How Will it be Funded?

Countries around the world have implemented regulatory requirements to improve fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. These regulations encourage automakers to sell alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), which use fuels such as natural gas, electricity, hydrogen, and biofuels. Automakers are already making investments in developing and manufacturing AFVs. There are many challenges to increasing AFV market share and providing appropriate support of fueling infrastructure for these unconventional vehicles. The cost of installing new refueling infrastructure is high. The lack of available breadth of the fueling infrastructure is one factor which may reduce consumer acceptance and confidence in this new technology. Private rates of return from investing in such infrastructure can be low or negative for the private sector, and the required infrastructure spending may be in excess of the private sectorâs ability to finance. However, infrastructure for fueling may also have âpublic goodâ attributes, thereby providing a role for government funding. This paper describes several different types of alternative fuels and summarizes the existing infrastructure investments to support AFVs in several countries and one U.S. state (Brazil, China, the European Union, the United States, and California).This research offers a long run projection of what the likely future investment requirements would be, in order to support future AFV volumes. The authors have also included an assessment of the gap between what infrastructure investment is needed for successful growth of AFV sales and what has been built out so far, with particular attention to selected countries. Several examples of public financing programs and public-private partnerships to encourage sales of AFVs, construction of refueling infrastructure, and adoption of other environmental technologies are detailed. This paper will describe the costs and benefits of various funding models (e.g. tax incentives, government loan programs, convertible bonds, and joint ventures) which have been or could be put in place to support AFV infrastructure investment spending