Emerging technologies for the integration and intensification of downstream bioprocesses

Downstream processing is currently the major bottleneck for bioproduct generation. In contrast to the advances in fermentation processes, the tools used for downstream processes have struggled to keep pace in the last 20 years. Purification bottlenecks are quite serious, as these processes can account for up to 80% of the total production cost. Coupled with the emergence of new classes of bioproducts, for example, virus-like particles or plasmidic DNA, this has created a great need for superior alternatives. In this review, improved downstream technologies, including aqueous two-phase systems, expanded bed adsorption chromatography, convective flow systems, and fibre-based adsorbent systems, have been discussed. These adaptive methods are more suited to the burgeoning downstream processing needs of the future, enabling the cost-efficient production of new classes biomaterials with a high degree of purity, and thereby hold the promise to become indispensable tools in the pharmaceutical and food industries.Fil: D’Souza, Roy N.. Universitat Bremen; AlemaniaFil: Azevedo, Ana M.. Universidad de Lisboa; PortugalFil: Aires Barros, M. Raquel. Universidad de Lisboa; PortugalFil: Krajnc, Nika Lendero. BIA Separations; EsloveniaFil: Kramberger, Petra. BIA Separations; EsloveniaFil: Carbajal, Maria Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celular. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celular. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celular; ArgentinaFil: Grasselli, Mariano. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celular. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celular. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celular; ArgentinaFil: Meyer, Ronald. Universitat Bremen; AlemaniaFil: Fernandez Lahore, Marcelo. Universitat Bremen; Alemani

Simulation of heat transport in low-dimensional oscillator lattices

The study of heat transport in low-dimensional oscillator lattices presents a formidable challenge. Theoretical efforts have been made trying to reveal the underlying mechanism of diversified heat transport behaviors. In lack of a unified rigorous treatment, approximate theories often may embody controversial predictions. It is therefore of ultimate importance that one can rely on numerical simulations in the investigation of heat transfer processes in low-dimensional lattices. The simulation of heat transport using the non-equilibrium heat bath method and the Green-Kubo method will be introduced. It is found that one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) momentum-conserving nonlinear lattices display power-law divergent, logarithmic divergent and constant thermal conductivities, respectively. Next, a novel diffusion method is also introduced. The heat diffusion theory connects the energy diffusion and heat conduction in a straightforward manner. This enables one to use the diffusion method to investigate the objective of heat transport. In addition, it contains fundamental information about the heat transport process which cannot readily be gathered otherwise.Comment: Article published in: Thermal transport in low dimensions: From statistical physics to nanoscale heat transfer, S. Lepri, ed. Lecture Notes in Physics, vol. 921, pp. 239 - 274, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York (2016

Thermal Properties of Graphene, Carbon Nanotubes and Nanostructured Carbon Materials

Recent years witnessed a rapid growth of interest of scientific and engineering communities to thermal properties of materials. Carbon allotropes and derivatives occupy a unique place in terms of their ability to conduct heat. The room-temperature thermal conductivity of carbon materials span an extraordinary large range - of over five orders of magnitude - from the lowest in amorphous carbons to the highest in graphene and carbon nanotubes. I review thermal and thermoelectric properties of carbon materials focusing on recent results for graphene, carbon nanotubes and nanostructured carbon materials with different degrees of disorder. A special attention is given to the unusual size dependence of heat conduction in two-dimensional crystals and, specifically, in graphene. I also describe prospects of applications of graphene and carbon materials for thermal management of electronics.Comment: Review Paper; 37 manuscript pages; 4 figures and 2 boxe

Anomalous Heat Conduction and Anomalous Diffusion in Low Dimensional Nanoscale Systems

Thermal transport is an important energy transfer process in nature. Phonon is the major energy carrier for heat in semiconductor and dielectric materials. In analogy to Ohm's law for electrical conductivity, Fourier's law is a fundamental rule of heat transfer in solids. It states that the thermal conductivity is independent of sample scale and geometry. Although Fourier's law has received great success in describing macroscopic thermal transport in the past two hundreds years, its validity in low dimensional systems is still an open question. Here we give a brief review of the recent developments in experimental, theoretical and numerical studies of heat transport in low dimensional systems, include lattice models, nanowires, nanotubes and graphenes. We will demonstrate that the phonon transports in low dimensional systems super-diffusively, which leads to a size dependent thermal conductivity. In other words, Fourier's law is breakdown in low dimensional structures

BAD modulates counterregulatory responses to hypoglycemia and protective glucoprivic feeding.

Hypoglycemia or glucoprivation triggers protective hormonal counterregulatory and feeding responses to aid the restoration of normoglycemia. Increasing evidence suggests pertinent roles for the brain in sensing glucoprivation and mediating counterregulation, however, the precise nature of the metabolic signals and molecular mediators linking central glucose sensing to effector functions are not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that protective hormonal and feeding responses to hypoglycemia are regulated by BAD, a BCL-2 family protein with dual functions in apoptosis and metabolism. BAD-deficient mice display impaired glycemic and hormonal counterregulatory responses to systemic glucoprivation induced by 2-deoxy-D-glucose. BAD is also required for proper counterregulatory responses to insulin-induced hypoglycemia as evident from significantly higher glucose infusion rates and lower plasma epinephrine levels during hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemic clamps. Importantly, RNA interference-mediated acute knockdown of Bad in the brain provided independent genetic evidence for its relevance in central glucose sensing and proper neurohumoral responses to glucoprivation. Moreover, BAD deficiency is associated with impaired glucoprivic feeding, suggesting that its role in adaptive responses to hypoglycemia extends beyond hormonal responses to regulation of feeding behavior. Together, these data indicate a previously unappreciated role for BAD in the control of central glucose sensing

How Does the Ketogenic Diet Work? Four Potential Mechanisms

The ketogenic diet and its newer variants are clinically useful in treating epilepsy. They can also have antiepileptogenic properties and can eventually have a role in treating other neurologic and nonneurologic conditions. Despite being nearly a century old, identifying the molecular underpinnings of the ketogenic diet has been challenging. However, recent studies provide experimental evidence for 4 distinct mechanisms that could contribute to the antiseizure and other beneficial effects of these diets. These mechanisms include carbohydrate reduction, activation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)–sensitive potassium channels by mitochondrial metabolism, inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway, and inhibition of glutamatergic excitatory synaptic transmission. </jats:p

Molecular Evolution of Broadly Neutralizing Llama Antibodies to the CD4-Binding Site of HIV-1

To date, no immunization of humans or animals has elicited broadly neutralizing sera able to prevent HIV-1 transmission; however, elicitation of broad and potent heavy chain only antibodies (HCAb) has previously been reported in llamas. In this study, the anti-HIV immune responses in immunized llamas were studied via deep sequencing analysis using broadly neutralizing monoclonal HCAbs as a guides. Distinct neutralizing antibody lineages were identified in each animal, including two defined by novel antibodies (as variable regions called VHH) identified by robotic screening of over 6000 clones. The combined application of five VHH against viruses from clades A, B, C and CRF_AG resulted in neutralization as potent as any of the VHH individually and a predicted 100% coverage with a median IC50 of 0.17 µg/ml for the panel of 60 viruses tested. Molecular analysis of the VHH repertoires of two sets of immunized animals showed that each neutralizing lineage was only observed following immunization, demonstrating that they were elicited de novo. Our results show that immunization can induce potent and broadly neutralizing antibodies in llamas with features similar to human antibodies and provide a framework to analyze the effectiveness of immunization protocols

Анализ образов персонажей романа Ф.М. Достоевского «Идиот» на основе классификации психологических типов по Юнгу

The article is devoted to analysing the characters of Dostoievsky's novel "The Idiot" and considers them from the point of view of Jung's typology. The article outlines the principles of Jungian classification of psychological types, based on the dominant, auxiliary and suppressed functions, considering the relationships of the characters from the point of view of complementarity of psychological functions. Analysing their conscious and unconscious attitudes allows us to consider the plot of the novel in a new light. Dostoievsky's female characters are projections of the Anima, that is, the female side of every man's soul. At the same time, the Anima is a collective female image for each person. The destructive actions of the main female characters (Nastasia Filippovna and Aglaia) reflect not only the writer's unconscious distrust of the feminine, but also his perception of modern reality as a situation of enmity, disunity of individuals and the fall of Anima, in other words, the soul of the world, Sophia. The tragic ending of the narrative is the victory (albeit temporary) of irrational forces of the dark aspect of Anima over reason and goodness. It reflects the philosophy of Dostoievsky, who dreamed of universal unity and tragically perceived its impossibility in the modern world.El artículo está dedicado al análisis de los personajes de la novela de Dostoievski "El idiota" y los considera a base de la tipología de Jung. Se exponen los principios de la clasificación yunguiana de los tipos psicológicos, basada en las funciones mentales dominantes, auxiliares y suprimidas. Muchos misterios de la novela se hacen comprensibles al considerar las relaciones de los personajes como complementariedad de las funciones psíquicas. El analizar sus actitudes conscientes e inconscientes nos permite considerar la trama de la novela bajo una nueva luz. Los personajes femeninos de Dostoievski son proyecciones del Anima, es decir, el lado femenino del alma de todo hombre. Las acciones destructivas de los personajes femeninos (Nastasia Filippovna y Aglaia) reflejan no sólo la desconfianza inconsciente del escritor hacia lo femenino, sino también la percepción de la realidad moderna como una situación de enemistad, desunión de los individuos y caída del Anima, es decir, del alma del mundo, Sofía. El trágico final de la narración es la victoria (aunque temporal) de las fuerzas irracionales, encarnadas en el aspecto oscuro de Anima, sobre la razón y la bondad. Refleja la filosofía de Dostoevski, con su sueño sobre la hermandad humana y la trágica comprensión de su imposibilidad en el mundo contemporáneo.　　Статья посвящена анализу образов персонажей романа Ф.М.Достоевского «Идиот» и рассматривает их с точки зрения типологии Юнга. Для удобства понимания в статье кратко и схематично изложены основные принципы юнгианской классификации психологических типов, исходя из главенствующих, вспомогательных и подавленных психических функций. С нашей точки зрения, многие загадки романа становятся отчасти понятными при рассмотрении взаимоотношений персонажей с точки зрения взаимодополняемости психологических функций. Рассмотрение персонажей как психологических типов согласно типологии Юнга, анализ их осознанных и неосознанных установок позволяет рассмотреть сюжет романа в новом свете, а также проанализировать взаимоотношения героев с точки зрения неосознанных установок, отражающих их персональное, а также коллективное бессознательное. Женские образы Достоевского в той или иной мере являются проекциями Анимы, то есть женской стороны души каждого мужчины. При этом Анима является для каждого человека собирательным женским образом. Деструктивные действия основных женских персонажей (Настасьи Филипповны и Аглаи), с нашей точки зрения, отражают не только неосознанное недоверие писателя к женскому началу, но и восприятие современной действительности как ситуации вражды, разобщённости индивидов и падения Анимы, иными словами, души мира, Софии. Трагический финал повествования — победа (хотя и временная) иррациональных сил, воплощённых в тёмном аспекте Анимы, над разумом и добром. Он отражает философию Достоевского, мечтавшего об общечеловеческом единстве и трагически воспринимавшего его невозможность в современном мире