Potential of Pyrolysis for valuable products obtaining from wheat straw lignin produced by CIMV technology

Two configurations of fast pyrolysis realized in flowing (inert gas flow) and ablative-type reactors were used for phenolic fraction obtaining. The maximum yield of phenolic compounds was achieved at 450 degrees of Celsius in the case of ablative reactor usage (7,6%). Application of catalysts (Na+ and K+) allowed to increase the yield of phenolic compounds up to 8,5%

Use of Lignosilicon to Improve the Harvest and Quality Parameters Of Potato

Lignosilicon (LSi), a plant growth activator, was synthesized at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LS IWC) on the basis of the wood lignocellulosic complex. It is shown that LSi, used for treatment of potato tubers before sowing at low application rates of 20-40 kg/ha, has a favourable action on the yield and quality of the tubers. In comparison with the control, the additional yield achieved on the background of LSi (20-40 kg/ha) was 18-20%. The best biochemical composition was for the tubers wetted with water and LSi-treated before the sowing, i.e., the content of dry matter and starch increased by 16% and 18%, respectively, but the content of nitrates in the tubers decreased 1.6 times. LSi can be recommended for potato cultivation under conditions of conventional and organic agriculture

A model of estrogen-related gene expression reveals non-linear effects in transcriptional response to tamoxifen

SynthSys is a Centre for Integrative Systems Biology (CISB) funded by BBSRC and EPSRC, reference BB/D019621/1.Background: Estrogen receptors alpha (ER) are implicated in many types of female cancers, and are the common target for anti-cancer therapy using selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs, such as tamoxifen). However, cell-type specific and patient-to-patient variability in response to SERMs (from suppression to stimulation of cancer growth), as well as frequent emergence of drug resistance, represents a serious problem. The molecular processes behind mixed effects of SERMs remain poorly understood, and this strongly motivates application of systems approaches. In this work, we aimed to establish a mathematical model of ER-dependent gene expression to explore potential mechanisms underlying the variable actions of SERMs. Results: We developed an equilibrium model of ER binding with 17 beta-estradiol, tamoxifen and DNA, and linked it to a simple ODE model of ER-induced gene expression. The model was parameterised on the broad range of literature available experimental data, and provided a plausible mechanistic explanation for the dual agonism/antagonism action of tamoxifen in the reference cell line used for model calibration. To extend our conclusions to other cell types we ran global sensitivity analysis and explored model behaviour in the wide range of biologically plausible parameter values, including those found in cancer cells. Our findings suggest that transcriptional response to tamoxifen is controlled in a complex non-linear way by several key parameters, including ER expression level, hormone concentration, amount of ER-responsive genes and the capacity of ER-tamoxifen complexes to stimulate transcription (e. g. by recruiting co-regulators of transcription). The model revealed non-monotonic dependence of ER-induced transcriptional response on the expression level of ER, that was confirmed experimentally in four variants of the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Conclusions: We established a minimal mechanistic model of ER-dependent gene expression, that predicts complex non-linear effects in transcriptional response to tamoxifen in the broad range of biologically plausible parameter values. Our findings suggest that the outcome of a SERM's action is defined by several key components of cellular micro-environment, that may contribute to cell-type-specific effects of SERMs and justify the need for the development of combinatorial biomarkers for more accurate prediction of the efficacy of SERMs in specific cell types.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

In Silico screening of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and their combined action on Prostaglandin H Synthase-1

The detailed kinetic model of Prostaglandin H Synthase-1 (PGHS-1) was applied to in silico screening of dose-dependencies for the different types of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as: reversible/irreversible, nonselective/selective to PGHS-1/PGHS-2 and time dependent/independent inhibitors (aspirin, ibuprofen, celecoxib, etc.) The computational screening has shown a significant variability in the IC50s of the same drug, depending on different in vitro and in vivo experimental conditions. To study this high heterogeneity in the inhibitory effects of NSAIDs, we have developed an in silico approach to evaluate NSAID action on targets under different PGHS-1 microenvironmental conditions, such as arachidonic acid, reducing cofactor, and peroxide concentrations. The designed technique permits translating the drug IC50, obtained in one experimental setting to another, and predicts in vivo inhibitory effects based on the relevant in vitro data. For the aspirin case, we elucidated the mechanism underlying the enhancement and reduction (aspirin resistance) of its efficacy, depending on PGHS-1 microenvironment in in vitro/in vivo experimental settings. We also present the results of the in silico screening of the combined action of sets of two NSAIDs (aspirin with ibuprofen, aspirin with celecoxib), and study the mechanism of the experimentally observed effect of the suppression of aspirin-mediated PGHS-1 inhibition by selective and nonselective NSAIDs. Furthermore, we discuss the applications of the obtained results to the problems of standardization of NSAID test assay, dependence of the NSAID efficacy on cellular environment of PGHS-1, drug resistance, and NSAID combination therapy

The problems of using alcohol biofuel mixtures in the Lithuanian transport system

The article presents the technological aspects of the problems aimed at using alcohol biofuel mixtures in diesel engines kept in operation in Lithuania concerning a gradual replacement of fuel oils with biofuels. It is shown that three‐component fuels such as D‐RME‐E possess the motor characteristics close to mineral diesel fuel. The use of the EC standardized rapeseed oil methyl esters RME as a solvent allows compensating the unfavorable motor characteristics of ethanol E and increasing the number of biocomponents in the fuel at the same time. The key aspects of research on the indicator process and the operating characteristics of diesel engines running on alcohol biofuel mixtures are substantiated. First published online: 27 Oct 201

Research of characteristics of working cycle of high-speed diesel engine operating on biofuels RME–E and D–RME–E. Part 1. Indicators of fuel injection system and indicative process

The article provides the results of an analyses of the characteristics of fuel injection system as well as the processes indicated in diesel engines 1A41 and F2L511, transferred from working with mineral diesel to working with rapeseed methyl ester–ethanol (RME–E) and mineral diesel fuel–rapeseed methyl ester–ethanol (D–RME–E). In biofuel, ethanol takes a part of 10÷40%. It was found that the E part in the fuel causes a lag of fuel injection of 2÷6 CA (greater values of fuel injection lag are common for partial engine loads and greater amount of E in fuel) that does not occur with mineral diesel fuel or RME. The analysis shows how a lag of fuel ignition limits the dynamic parameters (P max, (d p/d ϕ)max) of the cycle and specific emission of nitric oxides (eNOx) in exhaust gas. It is possible to convert diesel engines, operating on D to ethanol-containing biofuels without adjusting the fuel injection system parameters. At the same time, it is necessary to increase residual pressure in high-pressure fuel line of diesel engines with fuel injection pressure of 60÷70 MPa

М. А. Гуковский: страницы из биографии

The article is dedicated to unknown pages of the biography of Matthew Alexandrovich Gukovsky (1898–1971), who was the professor of the Leningrad state university. The authors publish a review of academician Sergey I. Vavilov on M. A. Gukovsky’s thesis for a doctor’s degree «Mechanics of Leonardo da Vinci», and investigate also the history of appearance of this archive document.The article is dedicated to unknown pages of the biography of Matthew Alexandrovich Gukovsky (1898–1971), who was the professor of the Leningrad state university. The authors publish a review of academician Sergey I. Vavilov on M. A. Gukovsky’s thesis for a doctor’s degree «Mechanics of Leonardo da Vinci», and investigate also the history of appearance of this archive document

Analysis of the ecological parameters of the diesel engine powered with biodiesel fuel containing methyl esters from Camelina sativa Oil

The article explores the possibilities of using fatty acid methyl esters derived from the oil of a new species of oily plant Camelina sativa not demanding on soil. The performed research on the physical and chemical properties of pure methyl esters from Camelina sativa show that biofuels do not meet requirements for the biodiesel fuel standard (LST EN 14214:2009) of a high iodine value and high content of linoleic acid methyl ester, so they must be mixed with methyl esters produced from pork lard the content of which in the mixture must be not less than 32%. This article presents the results of tests on combustion emission obtained when three‐cylinder diesel engine VALMET 320 DMG was fuelled with a mixture containing 30% of this new kind of fuel with fossil diesel fuel comparing with emissions obtained when the engine was fuelled with a fuel mixture containing 30% of conventional biodiesel fuel (rapeseed oil methyl esters) with fossil diesel fuel. The obtained results show that using both types of fuel, no significant differences in CO and NOx concentrations were observed throughout the tested load range. When operating on fuels containing methyl esters from Camelina sativa, HC emissions decreased by 10 to 12% and the smokeness of exhaust gas by 12 to 25%. First published online: 27 Oct 201

Research of characteristics of working cycle of high-speed diesel engine operating on biofuels RME–E and D–RME–E. Part 2. Indicators and characteristics of heat release in diesel cylinder

This paper presents material about using two-component RME–E and three-component D–RME–E biodiesels in high-speed diesel engines. The results of the analysis of fuel injection parameters described in Part I of this scientific paper – Research of characteristics of working cycle of high-speed diesel engine operating on biofuels RME–E and D–RME–E. Part 1. Indicators of fuel injection system and indicative process – allow conducting a coherent research of heat release in the cylinder of diesel engines transferred from operation on mineral diesel D to mixed biodiesels containing E. Effects of increased ethanol E in the biodiesel of 1A41 diesel engine have been analysed in a wide range of loads, ranging from 0.25 to 1.0 Penom. It was found that the result of the transfer from two-phase heat release to one-phase heat release is an increase in the fuel's economy of the engine for every 10% increase of E in the fuel (increase of indicative process efficiency makes up 0.4÷0.5%). Dependency of heat release and nitrogen oxide emissions in the exhaust gases remains the same for mineral diesel, RME–E and D–RME–E. Indicators of cyclic stability of the diesel engine, operating on biodiesels containing E ≤ 30%, did not exceed those that are common for diesel engines operating on mineral diesel