Synthesis of films based on chitosan and protic ionic liquids to be used as wound dressing on the oral mucosa.

Oral mucosal ulcerations expose connective tissue to different pathogens and this can progress to systemic infection. This study aimed to synthesize environmentally-friendly films with chitosan and protic ionic liquids, possessing mucoadhesive properties, activity against opportunistic microorganisms, enhanced malleability and mechanical resistance to be used as a wound dressing on the oral mucosa. Therefore, films with chitosan and 10, 35, and 50 % (wt/wt) of 2-hydroxy diethylammonium lactate, salicylate, and maleate protic ionic liquids were synthesized.

One-pot strategy for on-site enzyme production, biomass hydrolysis, and ethanol production using the whole solid-state fermentation medium of mixed filamentous fungi.

The efficient use of renewable lignocellulosic feedstocks to obtain biofuels and other bioproducts is a key requirement for a sustainable biobased economy. This requires novel and effective strategies to reduce the cost contribution of the cellulolytic enzymatic cocktails needed to convert the carbohydrates into simple sugars, in order to make large-scale commercial processes economically competitive. Here, we propose the use of the whole solid-state fermentation (SSF) medium of mixed filamentous fungi as an integrated one-pot strategy for on-site enzyme production, biomass hydrolysis, and ethanol production.

Monitoring of the cellulosic ethanol fermentation process by near-infrared spectroscopy.

Rapid, efficient, and low-cost technologies for monitoring the fermentation process during second generation (2G) or cellulosic ethanol production are essential for the successful implementation of this process at the commercial scale. Here, the use of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy associated with partial least squares (PLS) regression was investigated as a tool for monitoring the production of 2G ethanol from lignocellulosic sugarcane residues including bagasse, straw, and tops. The spectral data was based on a set of 103 alcoholic fermentation samples.

2G ethanol from the whole sugarcane lignocellulosic biomass.

Background: In the sugarcane industry, large amounts of lignocellulosic residues are generated, which includes bagasse, straw, and tops. The use of the whole sugarcane lignocellulosic biomass for the production of second-generation (2G) ethanol can be a potential alternative to contribute to the economic viability of this process. Here, we conducted a systematic comparative study of the use of the lignocellulosic residues from the whole sugarcane lignocellulosic biomass (bagasse, straw, and tops) from commercial sugarcane varieties for the production of 2G ethanol.

Deficiency in silicon uptake affects cytological, physiological, and biochemical events in the rice--Bipolaris oryzae interaction.

This study investigated how a defect in the active uptake of silicon (Si) affects rice resistance to brown spot. Plants from a rice mutant (low silicon 1 [lsi1]) and its wild-type counterpart (cv. Oochikara), growing in hydroponic culture with (+Si; 2 mM) or without (-Si) Si, were inoculated with Bipolaris oryzae.