Microbial Degradation of Citric Acid in Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal: Impact on Biomineralization Reactions.

Organic complexants are present in some radioactive wastes and can challenge waste disposal as they may enhance subsurface mobility of radionuclides and contaminant species via chelation. The principal sources of organic complexing agents in low level radioactive wastes (LLW) originate from chemical decontamination activities. Polycarboxylic organic decontaminants such as citric and oxalic acid are of interest as currently there is a paucity of data on their biodegradation at high pH and under disposal conditions.

Horizontal gene transfer potentiates adaptation by reducing selective constraints on the spread of genetic variation.

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) confers the rapid acquisition of novel traits and is pervasive throughout microbial evolution. Despite the central role of HGT, the evolutionary forces that drive the dynamics of HGT alleles in evolving populations are poorly understood. Here, we show that HGT alters the evolutionary dynamics of genetic variation, so that deleterious genetic variants, including antibiotic resistance genes, can establish in populations without selection.

Scale-up of ethanol production from winter barley by the EDGE (enhanced dry grind enzymatic) process in fermentors up to 300 l.

A fermentation process, which was designated the enhanced dry grind enzymatic (EDGE) process, has recently been developed for barley ethanol production. In the EDGE process, in addition to the enzymes normally required for starch hydrolysis, commercial β-glucanases were used to hydrolyze (1,3)(1,4)-β-D: -glucans to smaller molecules, thus reducing the viscosity of the mash to levels sufficiently low to allow transport and mixing in commercial equipment. Another enzyme, a developmental β-glucosidase, then was used to hydrolyze the resulting oligomers to glucose, which subsequently was fermented to produce additional ethanol.

Consolidated conversion of hulled barley into fermentable sugars using chemical, thermal, and enzymatic (CTE) treatment.

A novel process using chemical, thermal, and enzymatic treatment for conversion of hulled barley into fermentable sugars was developed. The purpose of this process is to convert both lignocellulosic polysaccharides and starch in hulled barley grains into fermentable sugars simultaneously without a need for grinding and hull separation. In this study, hulled barley grains were treated with 0.

Continuous high-solids corn liquefaction and fermentation with stripping of ethanol.

Removal of ethanol from the fermentor during fermentation can increase productivity and reduce the costs for dewatering the product and coproduct. One approach is to recycle the fermentor contents through a stripping column, where a non-condensable gas removes ethanol to a condenser. Previous research showed that this approach is feasible.

Liquefaction, saccharification, and fermentation of ammoniated corn to ethanol.

Treatment of whole corn kernels with anhydrous ammonia gas has been proposed as a way to facilitate the separation of nonfermentable coproducts before fermentation of the starch to ethanol, but the fermentability of ammoniated corn has not been thoroughly investigated. Also, it is intended that the added ammonia nitrogen in ammonia treated corn (approximately 1 g per kg corn) may satisfy the yeast nutritional requirement for free amino nitrogen (FAN). In this study, procedures for ammoniation, liquefaction, saccharification, and fermentation at two scales (12-L and 50-mL) were used to determine the fermentation rate, final ethanol concentration, and ethanol yield from starch in ammoniated or nonammoniated corn.

Bioethanol production from barley hull using SAA (soaking in aqueous ammonia) pretreatment.

Barley hull, a lignocellulosic biomass, was pretreated using aqueous ammonia, to be converted into ethanol. Barley hull was soaked in 15 and 30 wt.% aqueous ammonia at 30, 60, and 75 degrees C for between 12 h and 11 weeks.

A complete enzymatic recovery of ferulic acid from corn residues with extracellular enzymes from Neosartorya spinosa NRRL185.

An economic ferulic acid recovery from biomass via biological methods is of interest for a number of reasons. Ferulic acid is a precursor to vanillin synthesis. It is also a known antioxidant with potential food and medical applications.

Littoral cell angiomatosis with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lung.

We report on a 64-year-old male United States Navy Veteran of World War II, one of two identical twins, diagnosed with littoral cell angiomatosis of the spleen, liver, and lymph nodes, later found to have a massive poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma involving the mediastinum, adjoining lung, and sternum with widespread metastases. Herein we include our findings at autopsy, pertinent immunohistochemical studies, and a review of the literature pertaining to littoral cell angiomatosis with comment on its association with visceral malignancies.

Corn-milling pretreatment with anhydrous ammonia.

Exposure to anhydrous ammonia has been suggested as a pretreatment for corn milling. Batches of corn were exposed to ammonia under controlled conditions. The amounts of ammonia absorbed and reacted with the corn were measured.

Bacterial contamination of the anterior chamber during phacoemulsification cataract surgery.

Purpose: To determine the incidence of bacterial contamination of the anterior chamber after phacoemulsification cataract surgery with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.

Methods: Ninety-eight consecutive eyes of 96 patients having phacoemulsification cataract surgery with IOL implantation were included in this prospective study.