BpWOX11 promotes adventitious root formation in Betula pendula.

Adventitious root formation is a key step in vegetative propagation via cuttings. It is crucial for establishing birch plantations and preserve birch varieties. Although previous studies have highlighted role of WOX11 in controlling adventitious root formation, no such study has been conducted in birch.

Effects of irradiation on the aging and sensory quality of navel orange distilled spirits.

Background: Co-γ irradiation can simulate the effects of aging and enhance the flavor of distilled spirits. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 kGy Co-γ irradiation doses on the key aroma components in newly produced navel orange distilled spirits and thus determine the mechanism of their aging distilled spirits.

Results: The identification of aroma compounds demonstrated that ethyl hexanoate, d-limonene, ethyl octanoate, 3-methyl-1-butanol and linalool are the key aroma compounds in navel orange distilled spirits, which were increased except for linalool with irradiation doses of 2-6 kGy.

Chemical and structural changes associated with Cu-catalyzed alkaline-oxidative delignification of hybrid poplar.

Background: Alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment catalyzed by Cu(II) 2,2'-bipyridine complexes has previously been determined to substantially improve the enzymatic hydrolysis of woody plants including hybrid poplar as a consequence of moderate delignification. In the present work, cell wall morphological and lignin structural changes were characterized for this pretreatment approach to gain insights into pretreatment outcomes and, specifically, to identify the extent and nature of lignin modification.

Results: Through TEM imaging, this catalytic oxidation process was shown to disrupt cell wall layers in hybrid poplar.

Rapid and effective oxidative pretreatment of woody biomass at mild reaction conditions and low oxidant loadings.

Background: One route for producing cellulosic biofuels is by the fermentation of lignocellulose-derived sugars generated from a pretreatment that can be effectively coupled with an enzymatic hydrolysis of the plant cell wall. While woody biomass exhibits a number of positive agronomic and logistical attributes, these feedstocks are significantly more recalcitrant to chemical pretreatments than herbaceous feedstocks, requiring higher chemical and energy inputs to achieve high sugar yields from enzymatic hydrolysis. We previously discovered that alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) pretreatment catalyzed by copper(II) 2,2΄-bipyridine complexes significantly improves subsequent enzymatic glucose and xylose release from hybrid poplar heartwood and sapwood relative to uncatalyzed AHP pretreatment at modest reaction conditions (room temperature and atmospheric pressure).

Catalysis with Cu(II) (bpy) improves alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment.

Copper(II) 2,2'-bipyridine (Cu(II) (bpy))-catalyzed alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) pretreatment was performed on three biomass feedstocks including alkali pre-extracted switchgrass, silver birch, and a hybrid poplar cultivar. This catalytic approach was found to improve the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of plant cell wall polysaccharides to monosaccharides for all biomass types at alkaline pH relative to uncatalyzed pretreatment. The hybrid poplar exhibited the most significant improvement in enzymatic hydrolysis with monomeric sugar release and conversions more than doubling from 30% to 61% glucan conversion, while lignin solubilization was increased from 36.

Esmolol protects the myocardium and facilitates direct version intracardiac operation with a beating heart.

In recent years there has been renewed interest in beating heart surgery using the ultra-active and selective beta1-blocker, esmolol. However, there has not been a report of its use in direct version intracardiac surgery with beating heart. Twenty-four patients undergoing elective direct version intracardiac surgery (mitral valve replacement) were divided randomly into 2 groups: control group (normothermia cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) direct version intracardiac beating heart surgery) and esmolol group (normothermia CPB direct version intracardiac beating heart surgery and intravenous esmolol drip during CPB to maintain heart rate at 30-50 beats/min).