Electrical Double Layer as a Model of Interaction between Cellulose and Solid Acid Catalysts of Hydrolysis.

Solid acid catalysts of cellulose hydrolysis in aqueous media attract considerable research interest because of the ease of their separation from the reaction products. The nature of interaction between the two solids is a relevant topic of ongoing research. One aspect of behavior of solid acids in water was not previously discussed in literature with regard to hydrolysis of cellulose: electrolytic dissociation and formation of electric double layers.

Antifungal activity of P3HB microparticles containing tebuconazole.

In this study, tebuconazole (TEB)-loaded poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P3HB)-based microparticles were developed and comprehensively characterized. TEB-loaded microparticles with the initial loading amounts of the fungicide of 10, 25, and 50% of the polymer mass (TEB 10, TEB 25, and TEB 50%) were prepared using emulsion technique. Encapsulation efficiency of TEB varied from 59 to 86%.

Shining Light on the Secreted Luciferases of Marine Copepods: Current Knowledge and Applications.

Copepod luciferases-a family of small secretory proteins of 18.4-24.3 kDa, including a signal peptide-are responsible for bright secreted bioluminescence of some marine copepods.

Permafrost landslides promote soil CO emission and hinder C accumulation.

Landslides are common in high-latitude forest ecosystems that have developed on permafrost. The most vulnerable areas in the permafrost territories of Siberia occur on the south-facing slopes of northern rivers, where they are observed on about 20% of the total area of river slopes. Landslide disturbances will likely increase with climate change especially due to increasing summer-autumn precipitation.

A small closed ecosystem with an estimated portion of human metabolism.

The study describes a small closed ecosystem used to test technologies to be further employed in full-scale manned closed ecosystems. The experimental ecosystem is designed to use a certain portion of human metabolism, which is included in the gas, water, and organic waste loops of the system. In this experimental ecosystem, gas and water loops are fully closed, and the model enables processing of human waste and plant inedible biomass.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate synthesis based on glycerol and implementation of the process under conditions of pilot production.

The present study addresses the synthesis and properties of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) of different composition synthesized by Cupriavidus eutrophus B-10646 using glycerol as a carbon substrate. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] was effectively synthesized in fed-batch culture in a 30-L fermenter on glycerol of various purification degrees, with 99.5, 99.

Toxic effects of the fungicide tebuconazole on the root system of fusarium-infected wheat plants.

The study investigates toxic effects of the fungicide tebuconazole (TEB) on Fusarium-infected wheat (Triticum aestivum) plants based on the morphological characteristics of root apices and changes in the integrated parameters of redox homeostasis, including the contents of free proline and products of peroxidation of proteins (carbonylated proteins, CP) and lipids (malondialdehyde, MDA) in roots. In two-day-old wheat sprouts infected by Fusarium graminearum, the levels of proline, CP, and border cells of root apices are higher than in roots of uninfected sprouts by a factor of 1.4, 8.

Effects of zooplankton carcasses degradation on freshwater bacterial community composition and implications for carbon cycling.

Non-predatory mortality of zooplankton provides an abundant, yet, little studied source of high quality labile organic matter (LOM) in aquatic ecosystems. Using laboratory microcosms, we followed the decomposition of organic carbon of fresh C-labelled Daphnia carcasses by natural bacterioplankton. The experimental setup comprised blank microcosms, that is, artificial lake water without any organic matter additions (B), and microcosms either amended with natural humic matter (H), fresh Daphnia carcasses (D) or both, that is, humic matter and Daphnia carcasses (HD).

Cytogenetic Effects of γ-Radiation in Onion (Allium cepa L.) Seedlings.

The effect of γ-radiation on the cytogenetic parameters of root meristem cells of onion seedlings was studied in laboratory experiments (Allium-test). An increase in the overall frequency of chromosomal aberrations and micronucleus frequencies in seedling cells at low γ-radiation doses (≤0.1 Gy) was detected for the first time.

Electrochemical degradation of Mordant Blue 13 azo dye using boron-doped diamond and dimensionally stable anodes: influence of experimental parameters and water matrix.

In this work, the electrooxidation as environmentally clean technology has been studied to the degradation of Mordant Blue 13 azo dye (MB13) using boron-doped diamond (p-Si/BDD) and oxide ruthenium titanium (Ti/RuTiO (DSA)) anodes in various water matrices: distilled water (DW), hot tap water (HTW), and simulated wastewaters with (SWS) and without surfactant (SW). The influence of experimental parameters, such as current density, initial dye concentration, electrolysis time/specific charge, and pH on the MB13 degradation rate, current efficiency, and energy consumption, has been determined. The enhanced rate of both color and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal in sulfate aqueous solutions with BDD was observed, which indicates that sulfate (SO) radicals along with OH ones might be responsible for the degradation process.

Feasibility of incorporating all products of human waste processing into material cycling in the BTLSS.

The present study addresses the ways to increase the closure of biotechnical life support systems (BTLSS) for space applications. A promising method of organic waste processing based on "wet combustion" in hydrogen peroxide developed at the IBP SB RAS to produce fertilizers for higher plants is discussed. The method is relatively compact, energy efficient, productive, and eco-friendly.

Bioluminescent SNP genotyping technique: Development and application for detection of melanocortin 1 receptor gene polymorphisms.

SNP genotyping based on the reaction of specific primer extension with the following bioluminescent detection of its products was shown to be potentially applicable for biomedical exploration. The paper describes its elaboration and first application in extensive biomedical research concerning MC1R gene variants' frequency and associations with clinical characteristics in melanoma patients of Eastern Siberia (Krasnoyarsk region, Russia). Polymorphisms rs 1805007 (R151C), rs 1805008 (R160W), and rs 1805009 (D294H) were detected in 174 DNA samples from patients with histologically proved diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma and in 200 samples from healthy individuals.

Combination of phase-solubility method and capillary zone electrophoresis to determine binding constants of cyclodextrins with practically water-insoluble compounds.

The combined method based on phase-solubility technique and capillary zone electrophoresis (PS-CZE) was suggested for the determination of binding (stability) constants of cyclodextrins (CD) complexes with water-insoluble organic compounds that have no or weak UV chromophores. In this method, the insoluble compounds are agitated at the desired temperature in CD solutions with different concentration up to the attainment of equilibrium and then CZE is used to determine the concentration of the compounds that have passed into the solutions. To avoid precipitation and complex dissociation, the background electrolyte (BGE) for CZE should contain ethanol and, if necessary, cyclodextrin.

Disposable luciferase-based microfluidic chip for rapid assay of water pollution.

In the present study, we demonstrate the use of a disposable luciferase-based microfluidic bioassay chip for environmental monitoring and methods for fabrication. The designed microfluidic system includes a chamber with immobilized enzymes of bioluminescent bacteria Photobacterium leiognathi and Vibrio fischeri and their substrates, which dissolve after the introduction of the water sample and thus activate bioluminescent reactions. Limits of detection for copper (II) sulfate, 1,3-dihydroxybenzene and 1,4-benzoquinone for the proposed microfluidic biosensor measured 3 μM, 15 mM, and 2 μM respectively, and these values are higher or close to the level of conventional environmental biosensors based on lyophilized bacteria.

Exploring Bioluminescence Function of the Ca -regulated Photoproteins with Site-directed Mutagenesis.

Site-directed mutagenesis is a powerful tool to investigate the structure-function relationship of proteins and a function of certain amino acid residues in catalytic conversion of substrates during enzymatic reactions. Hence, it is not surprising that this approach was repeatedly applied to elucidate the role of certain amino acid residues in various aspects of photoprotein bioluminescence, mostly for aequorin and obelin, and to design mutant photoproteins with altered properties (modified calcium affinity, faster or slower bioluminescence kinetics, different emission color) which would either allow the development of novel bioluminescent assays or improvement of characteristics of the already existing ones. This information, however, is scattered over different articles.

Bioluminescent and structural features of native folded Gaussia luciferase.

The secreted luciferases responsible for light emission of marine copepods have gained popularity for being used in noninvasive imaging of intracellular events. The secreted luciferase of copepod Gaussia princeps is a one-subunit protein catalyzing coelenterazine oxidation to emit blue light. It consists of the N-terminal variable part that bears a signal peptide for secretion and the C-terminal catalytic domain containing ten highly conserved Cys residues supposing the existence of up to five SS bonds.

Estimating CO gas exchange in mixed age vegetable plant communities grown on soil-like substrates for life support systems.

If soil-like substrate (SLS) is to be used in human life support systems with a high degree of mass closure, the rate of its gas exchange as a compartment for mineralization of plant biomass should be understood. The purpose of this study was to compare variations in CO gas exchange of vegetable plant communities grown on the soil-like substrate using a number of plant age groups, which determined the so-called conveyor interval. Two experimental plant communities were grown as plant conveyors with different conveyor intervals.

Detonation Nanodiamonds as a New Tool for Phenol Detection in Aqueous Medium.

This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of using detonation nanodiamonds (DNDs) for detecting phenol in aqueous medium. The study has shown that the catalytic effect of DNDs in the oxidative azo coupling reaction (phenol-4-aminoantipyrine-hydrogen peroxide) is produced by trace amounts of iron and copper ions adsorbed on the surface of nanoparticles. The effectiveness of DNDs as a catalyst is determined by the amounts of these adsorbates and can be enhanced by a factor of two by additional adsorption of these ions onto the nanoparticles.

Stability constants of adducts of succinate copper(II) complexes with β-cyclodextrin determined by capillary electrophoresis.

Cyclodextrins (CD) form inclusion complexes with different "guests" owing to the fact that the shape of the CD molecule is a truncated cone with a hydrophobic cavity. The adducts of CD with metal complexes remain scantily explored. In this study, the stability constants of the adducts between succinate copper(II) complexes and β-CD was determined using capillary electrophoresis.

Properties of PHA bi-, ter-, and quarter-polymers containing 4-hydroxybutyrate monomer units.

The present study investigates physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) copolymers containing 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB) synthesized in Cupriavidus eutrophus B10646 culture. In poly(3-hydroxybutyrate/4-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB/4HB)] bipolymers, 4HB varied between 10.4 and 75.

Catalytic Oxidation of Lignins into the Aromatic Aldehydes: General Process Trends and Development Prospects.

This review discusses principal patterns that govern the processes of lignins' catalytic oxidation into vanillin (3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde) and syringaldehyde (3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde). It examines the influence of lignin and oxidant nature, temperature, mass transfer, and of other factors on the yield of the aldehydes and the process selectivity. The review reveals that properly organized processes of catalytic oxidation of various lignins are only insignificantly (10-15%) inferior to oxidation by nitrobenzene in terms of yield and selectivity in vanillin and syringaldehyde.

Fluorescence lifetime components reveal kinetic intermediate states upon equilibrium denaturation of carbonic anhydrase II.

In most cases, intermediate states of multistage folding proteins are not 'visible' under equilibrium conditions but are revealed in kinetic experiments. Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy was used in equilibrium denaturation studies. The technique allows for detecting changes in the conformation and environment of tryptophan residues in different structural elements of carbonic anhydrase II which in its turn has made it possible to study the intermediate states of carbonic anhydrase II under equilibrium conditions.

Fungicidal activity of slow-release P(3HB)/TEB formulations in wheat plant communities infected by Fusarium moniliforme.

Fungicidal activity of experimental tebuconazole (TEB) formulations was investigated in laboratory soil ecosystems in wheat plant communities infected by Fusarium moniliforme. TEB was embedded in the matrix of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate, shaped as films and microgranules. These formulations were buried in the soil with wheat plants, and their efficacy was compared with that of commercial formulation Raxil and with the effect of pre-sowing treatment of seeds.

Herbicidal activity of slow-release herbicide formulations in wheat stands infested by weeds.

The present study reports the herbicidal activity of metribuzin and tribenuron-methyl embedded in the degradable matrix of natural poly-3-hydroxybutyrate [P(3HB)/MET and P(3HB)/TBM]. The developed formulations were constructed as films and microgranules, which were tested against the weeds such as white sweet clover Melilotus albus and lamb's quarters Chenopodium album in the presence of soft spring wheat (Triticum aestivum, cv. Altaiskaya 70) as the subject crop for investigation.

Bioluminescent enzyme inhibition-based assay to predict the potential toxicity of carbon nanomaterials.

A bioluminescent enzyme inhibition-based assay was applied to predict the potential toxicity of carbon nanomaterials (CNM) presented by single- and multi-walled nanotubes (SWCNT and MWCNT) and aqueous solutions of hydrated fullerene С (CHyFn). This assay specifically detects the influence of substances on parameters of the soluble or immobilised coupled enzyme system of luminescent bacteria: NAD(P)Н:FMN-oxidoreductase+luciferase (Red+Luc). A protocol based on the optical properties of CNM for correcting the results of the bioluminescent assay was also developed.