Infrastructure and the state in science and technology studies

Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively

Characterization of a Be(p,xn) neutron source for fission yields measurements

We report on measurements performed at The Svedberg Laboratory (TSL) to characterize a proton-neutron converter for independent fission yield studies at the IGISOL-JYFLTRAP facility (Jyv\"askyl\"a, Finland). A 30 MeV proton beam impinged on a 5 mm water-cooled Beryllium target. Two independent experimental techniques have been used to measure the neutron spectrum: a Time of Flight (TOF) system used to estimate the high-energy contribution, and a Bonner Sphere Spectrometer able to provide precise results from thermal energies up to 20 MeV. An overlap between the energy regions covered by the two systems will permit a cross-check of the results from the different techniques. In this paper, the measurement and analysis techniques will be presented together with some preliminary results.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, also submitted as proceedings of the International Conference on Nuclear Data for Science and Technology 201

Mushrooms for enhanced agriculture sustainability –the MUSAconcept

El proyecto MUSA–MUshrooms for Sustainable Agriculture [Setas para una Agricultura Sostenible] es un esfuerzo para utilizar procesos basados en setas comestibles con el fin de mejorar la sostenibilidad de la agricultura en los países nórdicos y bálticos. El proyecto abarca tanto la producción de esporocarpos de hongos comestibles como el aprovechamiento del sustrato agotado resultante del cultivo de dichos hongos. Se investiga el uso de residuos de la agricultura nórdica y flujos subutilizados del manejo forestal, así como subproductos del procesamiento de la madera como sustrato para la producción de los hongos comestibles shiitake (Lentinula edodes) y pleuroto ostra (Pleurotusspp.). El proyecto explora el potencial del sustrato agotado de setas (SMS por sus siglas en inglés) para su uso en apoyo a la producción de alimentos. Se evalúa el potencial del SMS como fuente de compuestos bioactivos y de azúcares. Además, MUSAinvestiga el uso de los hidrolizados de SMS como fuente de carbono para la producción de aceite microbiano de calidad alimentaria cultivando levaduras oleaginosas. También se evalúa el uso del SMS para sustituir fertilizantes minerales y proporcionar soluciones de biorremediación de aguas residuales.The project MUSA–MUshrooms for Sustainable Agriculture is an effort to use mushroom-based processes to enhance agriculture sustainability in Nordic and Baltic countries. The project covers both the production of fruitbodies of edible fungi and the upgrading of the exhausted substrate from mushroom cultivation. The suitability of residues generated locally for producing edible mushrooms is investigated. Residues from Nordic agriculture and sub-utilized streams from forestry management, as well as wood processing by-products, are evaluated as the substrate base for producing shiitake (Lentinula edodes) and oyster (Pleurotusspp.) mushrooms. The project explores the potential of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) to support food production. SMS prospective as source of bioactive compounds and sugars is evaluated. MUSAinvestigates the suitability of SMS hydrolysates as carbon sources for cultivating oleaginous yeast to produce microbial oil suitable for human consumption. Using SMS for substituting mineral fertilizers and providing wastewater bioremediation solutions is also assessed

Mobilizing the emergence of Phronetic TechnoScienceSocieties:low-carbon e-mobility in China

TechnoScienceSociety (TSS) spells the wholesale reorganization of the constellation of related concepts that together make up the very common-sense meaning of ‘politics’ and ‘government’, not least of which today are knowledge, science, technology and society, all of which are currently founded on essentially literal, dualistic not pragmatic, processual grounds. We argue that grappling with TSS and a politics of TSS demands a shift broadly from a universalist (if possibly critical) epistemo-politics of critique or criticism to an onto-politics of situated practical wisdom (phronesis). Important pointers in this direction come from existing work in actor network theory (ANT)-inspired STS. But while useful starting points, this work is also insufficient in some key regards, to the point that we must now move beyond it. In particular, the need for a shift to a situated, processual and practically engaged perspective applies no less to discussions such as this in STS. We here trace out some of the argument for, and consequences of, that move. The argument proceeds as follows. First we consider the after-ANT argument of ontological politics and how this demands a break with the familiar epistemological and ‘one world’ politics still dominating contemporary discourse, mainstream and critical. Then we consider some of the key problems with this conception of ontological politics vis-à-vis the predicament of an emerging TSS. This includes a brief discussion of an alternative perspective, of complex power/knowledge systems (CP/KS) within a phronetic onto-politics. Finally, we illustrate the arguments by analysing, using this CP/KS and onto-political perspective, a key case study of contemporary TSS: the ongoing attempts of innovation towards a transition in urban mobility system in China

The Alcohol Dehydrogenase System in the Xylose-Fermenting Yeast Candida maltosa

The alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) system plays a critical role in sugar metabolism involving in not only ethanol formation and consumption but also the general "cofactor balance" mechanism. Candida maltosa is able to ferment glucose as well as xylose to produce a significant amount of ethanol. Here we report the ADH system in C. maltosa composed of three microbial group I ADH genes (CmADH1, CmADH2A and CmADH2B), mainly focusing on its metabolic regulation and physiological function.Genetic analysis indicated that CmADH2A and CmADH2B tandemly located on the chromosome could be derived from tandem gene duplication. In vitro characterization of enzymatic properties revealed that all the three CmADHs had broad substrate specificities. Homo- and heterotetramers of CmADH1 and CmADH2A were demonstrated by zymogram analysis, and their expression profiles and physiological functions were different with respect to carbon sources and growth phases. Fermentation studies of ADH2A-deficient mutant showed that CmADH2A was directly related to NAD regeneration during xylose metabolism since CmADH2A deficiency resulted in a significant accumulation of glycerol.Our results revealed that CmADH1 was responsible for ethanol formation during glucose metabolism, whereas CmADH2A was glucose-repressed and functioned to convert the accumulated ethanol to acetaldehyde. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of function separation and glucose repression of ADH genes in xylose-fermenting yeasts. On the other hand, CmADH1 and CmADH2A were both involved in ethanol formation with NAD regeneration to maintain NADH/NAD ratio in favor of producing xylitol from xylose. In contrast, CmADH2B was expressed at a much lower level than the other two CmADH genes, and its function is to be further confirmed

Selection of yeast strains for bioethanol production from UK seaweeds

Macroalgae (seaweeds) are a promising feedstock for the production of third generation bioethanol, since they have high carbohydrate contents, contain little or no lignin and are available in abundance. However, seaweeds typically contain a more diverse array of monomeric sugars than are commonly present in feedstocks derived from lignocellulosic material which are currently used for bioethanol production. Hence, identification of a suitable fermentative microorganism that can utilise the principal sugars released from the hydrolysis of macroalgae remains a major objective. The present study used a phenotypic microarray technique to screen 24 different yeast strains for their ability to metabolise individual monosaccharides commonly found in seaweeds, as well as hydrolysates following an acid pre-treatment of five native UK seaweed species (Laminaria digitata, Fucus serratus, Chondrus crispus, Palmaria palmata and Ulva lactuca). Five strains of yeast (three Saccharomyces spp, one Pichia sp and one Candida sp) were selected and subsequently evaluated for bioethanol production during fermentation of the hydrolysates. Four out of the five selected strains converted these monomeric sugars into bioethanol, with the highest ethanol yield (13 g L−1) resulting from a fermentation using C. crispus hydrolysate with Saccharomyces cerevisiae YPS128. This study demonstrated the novel application of a phenotypic microarray technique to screen for yeast capable of metabolising sugars present in seaweed hydrolysates; however, metabolic activity did not always imply fermentative production of ethanol

Yeast diversity in relation to the production of fuels and chemicals

In addition to ethanol, yeasts have the potential to produce many other industrially-relevant chemicals from numerous different carbon sources. However there remains a paucity of information about overall capability across the yeast family tree. Here, 11 diverse species of yeasts with genetic backgrounds representative of different branches of the family tree were investigated. They were compared for their abilities to grow on a range of sugar carbon sources, to produce potential platform chemicals from such substrates and to ferment hydrothermally pretreated rice straw under simultaneous saccharification and fermentation conditions. The yeasts differed considerably in their metabolic capabilities and production of ethanol. A number could produce significant amounts of ethyl acetate, arabinitol, glycerol and acetate in addition to ethanol, including from hitherto unreported carbon sources. They also demonstrated widely differing efficiencies in the fermentation of sugars derived from pre-treated rice straw biomass and differential sensitivities to fermentation inhibitors. A new catabolic property of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa (NCYC 65) was discovered in which sugar substrate is cleaved but the products are not metabolised. We propose that engineering this and some of the other properties discovered in this study and transferring such properties to conventional industrial yeast strains could greatly expand their biotechnological utility

(n,xn) cross section measurements for Y-89 foils used as detectors for high energy neutron measurements in the deeply subcritical assembly “QUINTA”

Study of the deep subcritical systems (QUINTA) using relativistic beams is performed within the project “Energy and Transmutation of Radioactive Wastes” (E&T – RAW). The experiment assembly was irradiated by deuteron/proton beam (Dubna NUCLOTRON). We calculated the neutron energy spectrum inside the whole assembly by using threshold energy (n,xn) reactions in yttrium (Y-89) foils. There are almost no experimental cross section data for those reactions. New Y-89(n,xn) cross section measurements were carried out at The Svedberg laboratory (TSL) in Uppsala, Sweden in 2015. In this paper we present preliminary results of those experiments

Draft genome sequence of Wickerhamomyces anomalus LBCM1105, isolated from cachaça fermentation

Wickerhamomyces anomalus LBCM1105 is a yeast isolated from cachaça distillery fermentation vats, notable for exceptional glycerol consumption ability. We report its draft genome with 20.5x in-depth coverage and around 90% extension and completeness. It harbors the sequences of proteins involved in glycerol transport and metabolism.The authors gratefully acknowledge Laboratorio Nacional de Ciencia e Tecnologia do Bioetanol (CTBE) and the Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM) for support with the sequencing of LBCM1105. This work was supported by CAPES/Brazil (PNPD 2755/2011; PCF-PVE 021/2012), by CNPq (Brazil), processes 304815/2012 (research grant) and 305135/2015-5, and by AUXPE-PVES 1801/2012 (Process 23038.015294/2016-18) from Brazilian Government and by UFOP. C.L. is supported by the strategic program UID/BIA/04050/2013 [POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007569] funded by national funds through the FCT I.P. and by the ERDF through the COMPETE2020 - Programa Operacional de Competitividade e Internacionalizacao (POCI). DMRP is a fellow from the CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico) - Brazil (310080/2018-5)