Influence of Temperature on Hydrolysis Acidification of Food Waste

AbstractFor two-phase anaerobic digestion process of food waste, degree of hydrolysis and products by acidification during hydrolysis and acidification phase directly affect the performance of methanogenesis phase. Temperature has great impact on hydrolysis and acidification of food waste. This paper monitored the dynamic change of biogas production, biogas composition, pH, soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) during hydrolysis and acidification stage so as to investigate specific influence of temperature on food waste. With the same inoculum and 9 days’ fermentation, three different temperatures (35, 55 and 70°C) were taken into consideration. The results showed that cumulative gas production was 4860mL at 70°C, which was 129.79% and 37.87% higher than that at 35 and 55°C. Besides, hydrogen content at 70°C was 45.34%, which was the highest among the three temperatures. Hydrolysis rate was proportional to the increase of temperature. Meanwhile, total VFAs yield and composition widely differed at three different temperatures. The hydrolysis and acidification products at 35°C were mainly ethanol and acetic acids and the highest concentrations of ethanol at 35°C were 3.28 and 3.65 times of that at 55 and 70°C, but more acetic, isobutyric and butyric acids were generated at 55 and 70°C. Among three temperatures, 70°C had the highest acetic acids concentration while 55°C had the highest isobutyric and butyric acids concentration

Growth and characterization of BaZnGa

We report the growth, structure and characterization of BaZnGa, identifying it as the sole known ternary compound in the Ba-Zn-Ga system. Single crystals of BaZnGa can be grown out of excess Ba-Zn and adopt a tI36 structure type. There are three unique Ba sites and three M\,=\,Zn/Ga sites. Using DFT calculations we can argue that whereas one of these three M sites is probably solely occupied by Ga, the other two M sites, most likely, have mixed Zn/Ga occupancy. Temperature dependent resistivity and magnetization measurements suggest that BaZnGa is a poor metal with no electronic or magnetic phase transitions between 2\,K and 300\,K

Thermoelectric Properties of Solution-Processed n-Doped Ladder-Type Conducting Polymers

Ladder-type “torsion-free” conducting polymers (e.g., polybenzimidazobenzophenanthroline (BBL)) can outperform “structurally distorted” donor–acceptor polymers (e.g., P(NDI2OD-T2)), in terms of conductivity and thermoelectric power factor. The polaron delocalization length is larger in BBL than in P(NDI2OD-T2), resulting in a higher measured polaron mobility. Structure–function relationships are drawn, setting material-design guidelines for the next generation of conducting thermoelectric polymers. Funded by:Knut and Alice Wallenberg FoundationSwedish Foundation for Strategic ResearchSwedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems - VINNOVA. Grant Number: 2015-04859Advanced Functional Materials Center at Linköping University. Grant Number: 2009-00971Alexander von Humboldt Foundation</p

VEGFR2 pY949 signalling regulates adherens junction integrity and metastatic spread

The specific role of VEGFA-induced permeability and vascular leakage in physiology and pathology has remained unclear. Here we show that VEGFA-induced vascular leakage depends on signalling initiated via the VEGFR2 phosphosite Y949, regulating dynamic c-Src and VE-cadherin phosphorylation. Abolished Y949 signalling in the mouse mutant Vegfr2Y949F/Y949F leads to VEGFA-resistant endothelial adherens junctions and a block in molecular extravasation. Vessels in Vegfr2Y949F/Y949F mice remain sensitive to inflammatory cytokines, and vascular morphology, blood pressure and flow parameters are normal. Tumour-bearing Vegfr2Y949F/Y949F mice display reduced vascular leakage and oedema, improved response to chemotherapy and, importantly, reduced metastatic spread. The inflammatory infiltration in the tumour micro-environment is unaffected. Blocking VEGFAinduced disassembly of endothelial junctions, thereby suppressing tumour oedema and metastatic spread, may be preferable to full vascular suppression in the treatment of certain cancer forms

Th Inducing POZ-Kruppel Factor (ThPOK) Is a Key Regulator of the Immune Response since the Early Steps of Colorectal Carcinogenesis

We purposed to evaluate the role of Th inducing POZ-Kruppel Factor (ThPOK), a transcriptional regulator of T cell fate, in tumour-induced immune system plasticity in colorectal carcinogenesis. The amounts of CD4+, CD8+ and CD56+ and ThPOK+ cells infiltrate in normal colorectal mucosa (NM), in dysplastic aberrant crypt foci (microadenomas, MA), the earliest detectable lesions in colorectal carcinogenesis, and in colorectal carcinomas (CRC), were measured, and the colocalization of ThPOK with the above-mentioned markers of immune cells was evaluated using confocal microscopy. Interestingly, ThPOK showed a prominent increase since MA. A strong colocalization of ThPOK with CD4 both in NM and in MA was observed, weaker in carcinomas. Surprisingly, there was a peak in the colocalization levels of ThPOK with CD8 in MA, which was evident, although to a lesser extent, in carcinomas, too. In conclusion, according to the data of the present study, ThPOK may be considered a central regulator of the earliest events in the immune system during colorectal cancer development, decreasing the immune response against cancer cells

The use of plants in the traditional management of diabetes in Nigeria: Pharmacological and toxicological considerations

Ethnopharmacological relevance: The prevalence of diabetes is on a steady increase worldwide and it is now identified as one of the main threats to human health in the 21st century. In Nigeria, the use of herbal medicine alone or alongside prescription drugs for its management is quite common. We hereby carry out a review of medicinal plants traditionally used for diabetes management in Nigeria. Based on the available evidence on the species׳ pharmacology and safety, we highlight ways in which their therapeutic potential can be properly harnessed for possible integration into the country׳s healthcare system. Materials and methods: Ethnobotanical information was obtained from a literature search of electronic databases such as Google Scholar, Pubmed and Scopus up to 2013 for publications on medicinal plants used in diabetes management, in which the place of use and/or sample collection was identified as Nigeria. ‘Diabetes’ and ‘Nigeria’ were used as keywords for the primary searches; and then ‘Plant name – accepted or synonyms’, ‘Constituents’, ‘Drug interaction’ and/or ‘Toxicity’ for the secondary searches. Results: The hypoglycemic effect of over a hundred out of the 115 plants reviewed in this paper is backed by preclinical experimental evidence, either in vivo or in vitro. One-third of the plants have been studied for their mechanism of action, while isolation of the bioactive constituent(s) has been accomplished for twenty three plants. Some plants showed specific organ toxicity, mostly nephrotoxic or hepatotoxic, with direct effects on the levels of some liver function enzymes. Twenty eight plants have been identified as in vitro modulators of P-glycoprotein and/or one or more of the cytochrome P450 enzymes, while eleven plants altered the levels of phase 2 metabolic enzymes, chiefly glutathione, with the potential to alter the pharmacokinetics of co-administered drugs. Conclusion: This review, therefore, provides a useful resource to enable a thorough assessment of the profile of plants used in diabetes management so as to ensure a more rational use. By anticipating potential toxicities or possible herb–drug interactions, significant risks which would otherwise represent a burden on the country׳s healthcare system can be avoided