Importance of incorporating spatial and temporal variability of biomass yield and quality in bioenergy supply chain.

Biofuels made from biomass and waste residues will largely contribute to United States' 2050 decarbonization goal in the aviation sector. While cellulosic biofuels have the potential fuel performance equivalent to petroleum-based jet fuel, the biofuel industry needs to overcome the supply chain barrier caused by temporal and spatial variability of biomass yield and quality. This study highlights the importance of incorporating spatial and temporal variability during biomass supply chain planning via optimization modeling that incorporates 10 years of drought index data, a primary factor contributing to yield and quality variability.

Atomic Force Microscopy Cantilever-Based Nanoindentation: Mechanical Property Measurements at the Nanoscale in Air and Fluid.

An atomic force microscope (AFM) fundamentally measures the interaction between a nanoscale AFM probe tip and the sample surface. If the force applied by the probe tip and its contact area with the sample can be quantified, it is possible to determine the nanoscale mechanical properties (e.g.

Impacts of Biological Heating and Degradation during Bale Storage on the Surface Properties of Corn Stover.

The variability of chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks has a major impact on the efficiency of biomass processing and conversion to fuels and chemicals. Storage conditions represent a key source of variability that may contribute to biomass quality variations from the time of harvest until delivery to the biorefinery. In some cases, substantial microbial degradation can take place during storage.

Compatibility of High-Moisture Storage for Biochemical Conversion of Corn Stover: Storage Performance at Laboratory and Field Scales.

Wet anaerobic storage of corn stover can provide a year-round supply of feedstock to biorefineries meanwhile serving an active management approach to reduce the risks associated with fire loss and microbial degradation. Wet logistics systems employ particle size reduction early in the supply chain through field-chopping which removes the dependency on drying corn stover prior to baling, expands the harvest window, and diminishes the biorefinery size reduction requirements. Over two harvest years, in-field forage chopping was capable of reducing over 60% of the corn stover to a particle size of 6 mm or less.

Method to Produce Durable Pellets at Lower Energy Consumption Using High Moisture Corn Stover and a Corn Starch Binder in a Flat Die Pellet Mill.

A major challenge in the production of pellets is the high cost associated with drying biomass from 30 to 10% (w.b.) moisture content.

Effect of pelleting process variables on physical properties and sugar yields of ammonia fiber expansion pretreated corn stover.

Pelletization process variables, including grind size (4, 6mm), die speed (40, 50, 60 Hz), and preheating (none, 70°C), were evaluated to understand their effect on pellet quality attributes and sugar yields of ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) pretreated biomass. The bulk density of the pelletized AFEX corn stover was three to six times greater compared to untreated and AFEX-treated corn stover. Also, the durability of the pelletized AFEX corn stover was>97.

PCP effector gene Inturned is an important regulator of cilia formation and embryonic development in mammals.

The PCP effector gene Inturned regulates planar cell polarity (PCP) and wing hair formation in Drosophila wings. In order to understand the roles for Inturned in mammalian embryonic development, we generated a null mutant allele for the mouse homologue of Inturned (Intu) via gene-targeting in ES cells. Mouse Intu null mutants are homozygous lethal at midgestation, exhibiting multiple defects including neural tube closure defects, abnormal dorsal/ventral patterning of the central nervous system and abnormal anterior-posterior patterning of the limbs resulting in severe polydactyly (7-9 digits each limb).

C2cd3 is required for cilia formation and Hedgehog signaling in mouse.

Cilia are essential for mammalian embryonic development as well as for the physiological activity of various adult organ systems. Despite the multiple crucial roles that cilia play, the mechanisms underlying ciliogenesis in mammals remain poorly understood. Taking a forward genetic approach, we have identified Hearty (Hty), a recessive lethal mouse mutant with multiple defects, including neural tube defects, abnormal dorsal-ventral patterning of the spinal cord, a defect in left-right axis determination and severe polydactyly (extra digits).