Properties of an alkali-thermo stable xylanase from Geobacillus thermodenitrificans A333 and applicability in xylooligosaccharides generation

An extracellular thermo-alkali-stable and cellulase-free xylanase from Geobacillus thermodenitrificans A333 was purified to homogeneity by ion exchange and size exclusion chromatography. Its molecular mass was 44 kDa as estimated in native and denaturing conditions by gel filtration and SDS-PAGE analysis, respectively. The xylanase (GtXyn) exhibited maximum activity at 70 °C and pH 7.5. It was stable over broad ranges of temperature and pH retaining 88 % of activity at 60 °C and up to 97 % in the pH range 7.5–10.0 after 24 h. Moreover, the enzyme was active up to 3.0 M sodium chloride concentration, exhibiting at that value 70 % residual activity after 1 h. The presence of other metal ions did not affect the activity with the sole exceptions of K+ that showed a stimulating effect, and Fe2+, Co2+ and Hg2+, which inhibited the enzyme. The xylanase was activated by non-ionic surfactants and was stable in organic solvents remaining fully active over 24 h of incubation in 40 % ethanol at 25 °C. Furthermore, the enzyme was resistant to most of the neutral and alkaline proteases tested. The enzyme was active only on xylan, showing no marked preference towards xylans from different origins. The hydrolysis of beechwood xylan and agriculture-based biomass materials yielded xylooligosaccharides with a polymerization degree ranging from 2 to 6 units and xylobiose and xylotriose as main products. These properties indicate G. thermodenitrificans A333 xylanase as a promising candidate for several biotechnological applications, such as xylooligosaccharides preparation

Physiological and cell ultrastructure disturbances in wheat seedlings generated by Chenopodium murale hairy root exudate.

Chenopodium murale L. is an invasive weed species significantly interfering with wheat crop. However, the complete nature of its allelopathic influence on crops is not yet fully understood. In the present study, the focus is made on establishing the relation between plant morphophysiological changes and oxidative stress, induced by allelopathic extract. Phytotoxic medium of C. murale hairy root clone R5 reduced the germination rate (24% less than control value) of wheat cv. Nataša seeds, as well as seedling growth, diminishing shoot and root length significantly, decreased total chlorophyll content, and induced abnormal root gravitropism. The R5 treatment caused cellular structural abnormalities, reflecting on the root and leaf cell shape and organization. These abnormalities mostly included the increased number of mitochondria and reorganization of the vacuolar compartment, changes in nucleus shape, and chloroplast organization and distribution. The most significant structural changes were observed in cell wall in the form of amoeboid protrusions and folds leading to its irregular shape. These structural alterations were accompanied by an oxidative stress in tissues of treated wheat seedlings, reflected as increased level of H2O2 and other ROS molecules, an increase of radical scavenging capacity and total phenolic content. Accordingly, the retardation of wheat seedling growth by C. murale allelochemicals may represent a consequence of complex activity involving both cell structure alteration and physiological processes.This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Protoplasma. The final authenticated version is available online at: [http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00709-018-1250-0

Many Labs 5:Testing pre-data collection peer review as an intervention to increase replicability

Replication studies in psychological science sometimes fail to reproduce prior findings. If these studies use methods that are unfaithful to the original study or ineffective in eliciting the phenomenon of interest, then a failure to replicate may be a failure of the protocol rather than a challenge to the original finding. Formal pre-data-collection peer review by experts may address shortcomings and increase replicability rates. We selected 10 replication studies from the Reproducibility Project: Psychology (RP:P; Open Science Collaboration, 2015) for which the original authors had expressed concerns about the replication designs before data collection; only one of these studies had yielded a statistically significant effect (p < .05). Commenters suggested that lack of adherence to expert review and low-powered tests were the reasons that most of these RP:P studies failed to replicate the original effects. We revised the replication protocols and received formal peer review prior to conducting new replication studies. We administered the RP:P and revised protocols in multiple laboratories (median number of laboratories per original study = 6.5, range = 3?9; median total sample = 1,279.5, range = 276?3,512) for high-powered tests of each original finding with both protocols. Overall, following the preregistered analysis plan, we found that the revised protocols produced effect sizes similar to those of the RP:P protocols (?r = .002 or .014, depending on analytic approach). The median effect size for the revised protocols (r = .05) was similar to that of the RP:P protocols (r = .04) and the original RP:P replications (r = .11), and smaller than that of the original studies (r = .37). Analysis of the cumulative evidence across the original studies and the corresponding three replication attempts provided very precise estimates of the 10 tested effects and indicated that their effect sizes (median r = .07, range = .00?.15) were 78% smaller, on average, than the original effect sizes (median r = .37, range = .19?.50)

Bateria zbiorników wyrównawczych na wodę pitną w Arłamowie - pięciogwiazdkowa technologia

Nagrodzona Grand Prix na konferencji INFRAEKO 2012 bateria zbiorników wyrównawczych Weho produkcji KWH Pipe Poland Sp. z o.o. już w przyszłym roku będzie służyła gościom nowo budowanego Wschodnioeuropejskiego Centrum Kongresowo-Sportowego w Arłamowie

„Żelazny Most” with PEHD pipeline systems

Od ponad 15 lat KWh Pipe Poland Sp. z o.o. wspiera polskiego giganta przemysłu wydobywczego, KGHM Polska Miedź S.A., w modernizacji największego w Europie zbiornika odpadów poflotacyjnych.For over 15 years KWH Pipe Poland Sp. z o.o. has been supporting the Polish mining giant KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. in the modernization efforts of the largest reservoir for flotation tailings in Europe

Sensory quality and con ten t of plan t sterols in dairy products

W przeprowadzonych badaniach poddano ocenie sensorycznej wybrane przetwory mleczarskie różniące się poziomem tłuszczu i określono wpływ zawartości w nich steroli świadczących o obecności tłuszczu roślinnego na ich jakość sensoryczną. W badaniach sensorycznych zastosowano metodę skalowania oraz profilową, natomiast do oznaczenia zawartości steroli roślinnych wykorzystano technikę chromatografii gazowej. Wykazano, że w większości przetwory charakteryzowały się bardzo dobrą lub dobrą jakością sensoryczną. Intensywność kluczowych atrybutów zapachu, smaku/smakowitości i konsystencji warunkowała ich optymalny wizerunek sensoryczny. Stwierdzono obecność steroli roślinnych w niektórych badanych produktach bez wpływu na ich właściwości sensoryczne.The objective of the study was sensory characteristics of selected dairy products with different fat level and instrumental analysis of the sterol content in them which provide for the presence of vegetable fat in order to find their effect on the sensory quality of the samples. The method of scaling and profiling was used in sensory evaluations. The technique of gas chromatography was applied to determine the amount of plant sterols. It has been shown that most of dairy products represented very good or good sensory quality. The intensity of the key attributes of aroma, taste/flavor and consistency influenced their optimal sensory image. The plant sterols were presented in some dairy products, but did not affect their sensory properties

Potential land availability for energy crops production in Europe

The European Union (EU) has set quite an ambitious goal for biofuels contribution to the makeup of the renewable energy mix in the next decades. While substantial efforts have been made to develop the technologies for the transformation of biomass into biofuels, it is still uncertain to what extent the EU will be able to generate the biomass needed to meet its targets without compromising domestic food security. Using a bottom-up approach, this review addresses one of the key elements the potential availability of land for non-food crops in the EU. The assessment is based on a land allocation model, which calculates surplus land that would be available for non-food crops after satisfying food and feed demands. Projections of future agriculture productivity and changes in population are the most important parameters of the modeling applied for two future scenarios established for the years 2020 and 2030. The total area potentially available for non-food crops in the EU-27 (excluding Cyprus and Malta) is estimated to be 13.2 million ha in the current situation, with fallow land the largest contributor. In scenarios 2020 and 2030, additional land would be released from food and fodder crops, resulting in total land potential of 20.5 million ha in 2020 and 26.2 million ha in 2030. Results presented on a regional basis indicate potential locations for biomass transformation plants in terms of feedstock production. A set of non-food crops can be recommended for the diverse climate and agronomic conditions of the entire EU area. © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Beverage osmolality as a marker for maintaining appropriate body hydration

Background. Osmolalities can be useful markers for determining whether given beverages are suited for maintaining an adequate hydration of the body. Losing 2% of body water relative to body mass reduces the efficiency of body function when undertaking physical effort by around 20%. Deficiencies in water intakes approaching 5-8% of body mass, double the impairment to the body’s physical and mental functioning, whereas at a level of 10% the body becomes incapable of performing any sort of physical effort. For such reasons the body’s hydration status is vital to its functioning. Objectives. To asses osmolalities as measured in various types of commercially available mineral waters and non-alcoholic beverages containing different amounts of extracts. Materials and Methods. Test materials were commercially available mineral waters (of low, medium and high mineral content) along with juices, nectars and drinks that are isotonic, energising and those described as being ‘light’ and sparkling. Osmolality was measured by the 800CL Osmometer instrument from TridentMed whilst the RL-type refractometer was used for determining extract values. Results. Isotonic drinks were found to have the same osmotic pressures as bodily fluids at 275 – 295 mOsm/kg water. The osmotic pressure in mineral waters depended on the extent of mineralisation and ranged from 13 mOsm / kg water (low mineral content) to 119 mOsm/kg water (high mineral content). Low osmolalities were also found in ‘light’ drinks (from 29.3 to 34 mOsm/kg water). Juices, nectars, energising drinks and colas typically have high sugar contents and have high osmolalities ranging 492 – 784 mOsm / kg water. Statistical analysis demonstrated significant associations (p < 0.05) between osmolalities and extract content in beverages as well as between osmolalities and mineral content in mineral waters. Upon factor analysis, it was possible to group the tested drinks according to similar osmolalities and extract content. Conclusions. Osmolalities measured in beverages are a marker that permits drinks to be classified into groups according to their tonicity and their ability to ensure that the body is properly hydrated; this becoming vital in cases when the body requires rapid body fluid replenishment.Wprowadzenie. Wartość osmolalności napojów może być wykorzystana jako wskaźnik ich przydatności do właściwego nawadniania organizmu. Utrata wody w wysokości 2% w stosunku do masy ciała obniża wydolność fizyczną o około 20%. Niedobór wody sięgający 5-8% masy ciała powoduje dalsze zaburzenia wydolności fizycznej i psychicznej, a przy stracie wody do 10% masy ciała człowiek jest niezdolny do wykonywania jakiegokolwiek wysiłku fizycznego. Dlatego też kontrola stanu nawodnienia organizmu jest bardzo istotna. Cel. Celem badań była ocena zmierzonej osmolalności różnych wód mineralnych (nisko, średnio i wysoko zmineralizowanych) oraz soków, nektarów, napojów izotonicznych, energetyzujących, „light” i gazowanych zawierających różne zawartości ekstraktu ogółem (oBx). Materiał i metody. Materiał do badań stanowiły komercyjnie dostępne wody mineralne (nisko, średnio i wysoko zmineralizowane) oraz soki, nektary, napoje izotoniczne, energetyzujące i „light” oraz gazowane o różnej zawartości ekstraktu. Osmolalność oznaczono przy wykorzystaniu osmometru 800 CL firmy Trident Med., natomiast zawartość cukrów mierzono refraktometrem typu RL. Wyniki poddano analizie statystycznej wykorzystując program Statistica v. 12. Wyniki. Stwierdzono, że napoje izotoniczne charakteryzowały się typowym dla płynów ustrojowych ciśnieniem osmolalnym (275-295 mOsm/kg H2O). Ciśnienie osmolalne wód mineralnych zależało od stopnia ich mineralizacji i wahało się od 13 mOsm/kg H2O (nisko zmineralizowane) do 119 mOsm/kg H2O (wysoko zmineralizowane). Niską osmolalność wykazywały także napoje typu „light” (od 29,3 do 34 mOsm/kg H2O). Soki, nektary, napoje energetyzujące oraz napoje typu „cola” charakteryzujące się wysokim udziałem cukrów wykazywały wysoką osmolalność wynoszącą od 492 do 784 mOsm/kg H2O. Analiza statystyczna wyników wykazała, że istnieje istotna zależność (p < 0,05) pomiędzy osmolalnością a zawartością ekstraktu ogółem w napojach, a w wodach mineralnych pomiędzy osmolalnością a zawartością składników mineralnych. Analiza czynnikowa pozwoliła na pogrupowanie badanych napojów produkowanych przemysłowo wg podobnej osmolalności i zawartości ekstraktu ogółem na grupy o podobnej osmolalności i zawartości ekstraktu ogółem. Wnioski.. Osmolalności zmierzone w napojach są markerami, które pozwalają klasyfikować napoje według grup w zależności od ich toniczności i ich zdolności do zapewnienia, że organizm jest odpowiednio nawodniony. Staje się to niezbędne w przypadkach, gdy organizm wymaga szybkiego uzupełnienia płynu ustrojowego