Improving biomass production and saccharification in Brachypodium distachyon through overexpression of a sucrose-phosphate synthase from sugarcane

The substitution of fossil by renewable energy sources is a major strategy in reducing CO2 emission and mitigating climate change. In the transport sector, which is still mainly dependent on liquid fuels, the production of second generation ethanol from lignocellulosic feedstock is a promising strategy to substitute fossil fuels. The main prerequisites on designated crops for increased biomass production are high biomass yield and optimized saccharification for subsequent use in fermentation processes. We tried to address these traits by the overexpression of a sucrose-phosphate synthase gene (SoSPS) from sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) in the model grass Brachypodium distachyon. The resulting transgenic B. distachyon lines not only revealed increased plant height at early growth stages but also higher biomass yield from fully senesced plants, which was increased up to 52 % compared to wild-type. Additionally, we determined higher sucrose content in senesced leaf biomass from the transgenic lines, which correlated with improved biomass saccharification after conventional thermo-chemical pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. Combining increased biomass production and saccharification efficiency in the generated B. distachyon SoSPS overexpression lines, we obtained a maximum of 74 % increase in glucose release per plant compared to wild-type. Therefore, we consider SoSPS overexpression as a promising approach in molecular breeding of energy crops for optimizing yields of biomass and its utilization in second generation biofuel production

The critical parameters in in-situ MgB2 wires and tapes with ex-situ MgB2 barrier after hot isostatic pressure, cold drawing, cold rolling and doping

MgB precursor wires were prepared using powder in tube technique by Institute of High Pressure PAS in Warsaw. All samples were annealed under isostatic pressure generated by liquid Argon in the range from 0.3 GPa to 1 GPa. In this paper, we show the effects of different processing routes, namely, cold drawing (CD), cold rolling (CR), hot isostatic pressure (HIP) and doping on critical current density (J), pinning force (F), irreversible magnetic-field (B), critical temperature (T), n value, and dominant pinning mechanism in MgB/Fe wires with ex situ MgB barrier. The results show that medium pressures (∼0.35 GPa) lead to high J in low and medium magnetic fields (0 T - 9 T). On the other hand, higher pressures (∼1 GPa) lead to enhanced J in high magnetic fields (above 9 T). Transport measurements show that CD, CR, and HIP have small effects on B and T, but CD, CR, HIP, and doping enhance J and F in in situ MgB wires with ex situ MgB barrier. Transport measurements on in situ undoped MgB wire with ex situ MgB barrier yield a J of about 100 A/mm at 4.2 K in 6 T, at 10 K in 4 T and at 20 K in 2 T. The results also show that cold drawing causes increase of n value

Particulate Fillers in Thermoplastics

The characteristics of particulate filled thermoplastics are determined by four factors: component properties, composition, structure and interfacial interactions. The most important filler characteristics are particle size, size distribution, specific surface area and particle shape, while the main matrix property is stiffness. Segregation, aggregation and the orientation of anisotropic particles determine structure. Interfacial interactions lead to the formation of a stiff interphase considerably influencing properties. Interactions are changed by surface modification, which must be always system specific and selected according to its goal. Under the effect of external load inhomogeneous stress distribution develops around heterogeneities, which initiate local micromechanical deformation processes determining the macroscopic properties of the composites

Apuleius' Love Poems

The article discusses Apuleius' amatory poems as quoted by Apuleius himself in his 'Apology' and by Gellius in the 'Attic Nights', as well as his verses preserved in a medieval manuscript according to which they are a translation of a monologue by Menander