ALBERT

Description: Ti 3+ -doped TiO 2 nanosheets with tunable phase composition (doped TiO 2 (A/R)) were synthesized via a hydrothermal method with high surface area anatase TiO 2 nanosheets TiO 2 (A) as a substrate, structure directing agent, and inhibitor; the activity was evaluated using a probe reaction-photocatalytic CO 2 conversion to methane under visible light irradiation with H 2 as an electron donor and hydrogen source. High-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), field emission scanning electron microscope, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) etc., were used to characterize the photocatalysts. XRD and HRTEM measurements confirmed the existence of anatase-rutile phase junction, while Ti 3+ and single-electron-trapped oxygen vacancy in the doped TiO 2 (A/R) photocatalyst were revealed byelectron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements. Effects of hydrothermal synthesis temperature and the amount of added anatase TiO 2 on the photocatalytic activity were elucidated. Significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity of doped TiO 2 (A/R) was observed; under the optimized synthesis conditions, CH 4 generation rate of doped TiO 2 (A/R) was 2.3 times that of Ti 3+ -doped rutile TiO 2 .

Description: Butanol is a promising biofuel with high energy intensity and can be used as gasoline substitute. It can be produced as a sustainable energy by microorganisms (such as Clostridia) from low-value biomass. However, the low productivity, yield and selectivity in butanol fermentation are still big challenges due to the lack of an efficient butanol-producing host strain. In this article, we systematically review the host cell engineering of Clostridia, focusing on (1) various strategies to rebalance metabolic flux to achieve a high butanol production by regulating the metabolism of carbon, redox or energy, (2) the challenges in pathway manipulation, and (3) the application of proteomics technology to understand the intracellular metabolism. In addition, the process engineering is also briefly described. The objective of this review is to summarize the previous research achievements in the metabolic engineering of Clostridium and provide guidance for future novel strain construction to effectively produce butanol.

Description: This study presents a novel nanostructural electrode made of 20-nm-diameter nanoparticles, which orderly decorated with 2-µm TiO 2 particles, deposited by a new gel process. The decorated electrode (DE) is better than the non-decorated electrode (NE) in both light scattering and light harvesting, as confirmed by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction reveals that both electrodes have a mixture of anatase and rutile phases. The dye-sensitized solar cell based on the decorated electrode shows the highest power conversion efficiency of 7.80% as a result of less recombination demonstrated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. From internal power conversion efficiency measurement, the external quantum efficiency of DE cell at 530 nm is 89%, which is higher than that of NE cell (77%).

Description: Biological application of conjugates derived from oligonucleotides and quinone methides have previously been limited by the slow exchange of their covalent self-adducts and subsequent alkylation of target nucleic acids. To enhance the rates of these processes, a new quinone methide precursor with an electron donating substituent has been prepared. Additionally, this substituent has been placed para to the nascent exo-methylene group of the quinone methide for maximum effect. A conjugate made from this precursor and a 5'-aminohexyloligonucleotide accelerates formation of its reversible self-adduct and alkylation of its complementary DNA as predicted from prior model studies.

Description: Galvanic replacement, co-impregnation and sequential impregnation have been employed to prepare Pd-Cu bimetallic catalysts with less than 1 wt-% Cu and ca. 0.03 wt-% Pd for selective hydrogenation of acetylene in excess ethylene. High angle annular dark field-scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and H 2 chemisorption results confirmed that Pd-Cu singleatom alloy structures were constructed in all three bimetallic catalysts. Catalytic tests indicated that when the conversion of acetylene was above 99%, the selectivity of ethylene of these three single atom alloy catalysts was still more than 73%. Furthermore, the single atom alloy catalyst prepared by sequential incipient wetness impregnation was found to have the best stability among the three procedures used.

Description: β -Glucuronidase from Penicillium purpurogenum Li-3 (PGUS) can efficiently hydrolyze glycyrrhizin into the more valuable glycyrrhetic acid monoglucuronide. However, a low productivity of PGUS and the lack of an effective separation strategy have significantly limited its industrial applications. Therefore, the production of PGUS has been improved by optimizing both the fermentation and purification strategies. A two-stage fermentation strategy was developed where PGUS was first grown with glucose and then PGUS was produced in the presence of glycyrrhizin as an inducer. By using this strategy, the biomass was increased 1.5 times and the PGUS activity increased 5.4 times compared to that when glycyrrhizin was used as the sole carbon source. The amount of PGUS produced was increased another 16.6% when the fermentation was expanded to a 15-L fermenter. An effective protocol was also established to purify the PGUS using a sequential combination of hydrophobic, strong anionexchange and gel filtration chromatography. This protocol had a recovery yield of 6% and gave PGUS that was 39 times purer than the crude PGUS. The purified PGUS had a specific activity of 350 U•mg –1 .

Description: A coupled reaction-solvent extraction process was used to remove HCl from a simulated distiller waste. The extraction performances of various extractants and diluents were compared and the apparent basicity of N235 (a mixture of tertiary amines) in various diluents was determined. The best results were obtained using N235 and isoamyl alcohol as the extractant and diluent, respectively. The yield of HCl from the coupled extraction was 75% with this extraction system. The mechanisms for the removal of HCl in both the direct and coupled extractions were investigated. For the coupled extraction, the formation of an R 3 NHCl ion-pair complex was involved in the HCl removal. For the direct extraction, the mechanism involved the formation of hydrogen bonds at high concentrations of HCl.

Description: Two dimensional (2D) nanocrystals of noble metals (e.g., Au, Ag, Pt) often have unique structural and environmental properties which make them useful for applications in electronics, optics, sensors and biomedicines. In recent years, there has been a focus on discovering the fundamental mechanisms which govern the synthesis of the diverse geometries of these 2D metal nanocrystals (e.g., shapes, thickness, and lateral sizes). This has resulted in being able to better control the properties of these 2D structures for specific applications. In this review, a brief historical survey of the intrinsic anisotropic properties and quantum size effects of 2D noble metal nanocrystals is given and then a summary of synthetic approaches to control their shapes and sizes is presented. The unique properties and fascinating applications of these nanocrystals are also discussed.

Description: Foamable high melt strength polypropylene (HMSPP) was prepared by grafting styrene (St) onto polypropylene (PP) and simultaneously introducing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) through a one-step melt extrusion process. The effect of PDMS viscosity on the foaming behavior of HMSPP was systematically investigated using supercritical CO 2 as the foaming agent. The results show that the addition of PDMS has little effect on the grafting reaction of St and HMSPP exhibits enhanced elastic response and obvious strain hardening effect. Though the CO 2 solubility of HMSPP with PDMS (PDMS-HMSPP) is lower than that of HMSPP without PDMS, especially for PDMS with low viscosity, the PDMS-HMSPP foams exhibit narrow cell size distribution and high cell density. The fracture morphology of PDMS-HMSPP shows that PDMS with low viscosity disperses more easily and uniformly in HMSPP matrix, leading to form small domains during the extrusion process. These small domains act as bubble nucleation sites and thus may be responsible for the improved foaming performance of HMSPP.

Description: Cardanol is a biobased raw material derived from cashew nut shell liquid. In order to extend its utility, new derivatives and additional applications are useful. In this work cardanol was first epoxidized, and a novel aniline derivative prepared from it under mild reaction conditions with the help of an ionic liquid catalyst. The reaction chemistry was studied by using nuclear magnetic resonance. The resulting aminohydrin adduct showed antioxidant property and should also be a useful synthon for further reactions. As an example, the aminohydrin was shown to undergo a condensation reaction with formaldehyde to form a prepolymer, which could be further reacted to form thermosetting resins.

Description: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been synthesized in the presence of polyacrylate through the reduction of silver nitrate by sodium borohydride in aqueous solution. The AgNO3 and polyacrylate carboxylate group concentrations were kept constant at 2.0 × 10 –4 and 1.0 × 10 –2 mol·L –1 , respectively, while the ratio of [NaBH 4 ]/[AgNO 3 ] was varied from 1 to 100. The ultraviolet-visible plasmon resonance spectra of these solutions were found to vary with time prior to stabilizing after 27 d, consistent with changes of AgNP size and distribution within the polyacrylate ensemble occurring. These observations, together with transmission electron microscopic results, show this rearrangement to be greatest among the samples at the lower ratios of [NaBH 4 ]/[AgNO 3 ] used in the preparation, whereas those at the higher ratios showed a more even distribution of smaller AgNP. All ten of the AgNP samples, upon a one thousand-fold dilution, catalyze the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol in the temperature range 283.2–303.2 K with a substantial induction time being observed at the lower temperatures.

Description: While drug resistance appears to be an inevitable problem of an increasing number of anticancer drugs in monotherapy, combination drug therapy has become a prosperous method to reduce the administered total drug dosages as well as overcome the drug resistance of carcinoma cells. Curcumin, considered to possess multifaceted roles in cancer treatment according to its multiple anti-neoplastic mechanisms as a depressor of chemoresistance, can significantly facilitate its anti-cancer functions and improve therapeutic effects via combination usage with a variety of other drugs with different reaction mechanisms. To explore this possibility, four anti-cancer chemotherapeutic agents that all possess a certain degree of drug resistance problems, including three tyrosine kinase inhibitors (erlotinib, sunitinib and sorafenib) that are acting on different cell pathways and a typical anticancer drug doxorubicin, were combined with curcumin individually to examine the synergistic anti-tumor effect both in vitro and in vivo . Results revealed that sunitinib combined with curcumin at the molar ratio of 0.46 yielded the most potent synergistic effect in vitro , and was therefore chosen for further animal evaluation. To further enhance the anticancer effect, bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanoparticles were utilized as a carrier to deliver the selected drug combination in situ . Preliminary in vivo findings confirmed our hypothesis of being able to maintain a similar injected drug ratio for prolonged time periods in tested animals by our approach, thereby maximizing the therapeutic potency yet minimizing the toxicity of these drugs. This work could open up a new avenue on combination drug therapy and realization the clinical utility of such drugs.

Description: Modeling structural and thermodynamic properties of nucleic acids has long been a challenge in the development of force fields. Polarizable force fields are a new generation of potential functions to take charge redistribution and induced dipole into account, and have been proved to be reliable to model small molecules, polypeptides and proteins, but their use on nucleic acids is still rather limited. In this article, the interactions between nucleic acids and a small molecule or ion were modeled by AMOEBAbio09, a modern polarizable force field, and conventional non-polarizable AMBER99sb and CHARMM36 force fields. The resulting intermolecular interaction energies were compared with those calculated by ab initio quantum mechanics methods. Although the test is not sufficient to prove the reliability of the polarizable force field, the results at least validate its capability in modeling energetics of static configurations, which is one basic component in force field parameterization.

Description: A sol-gel technique has been developed for the synthesis of a magnetite-silica-titania (Fe 3 O 4 -SiO 2 -TiO 2 ) tertiary nanocomposite with improved photocatalytic properties based on the use of inexpensive titania and silica precursors. The exceptional photocatalytic activity of the resulting materials was demonstrated by using them to photocatalyze the degradation of methylene blue solution. The best formulation achieved 98% methylene blue degradation. An interesting feature of the present work was the ability to magnetically separate and reuse the catalyst. The efficiency of the catalyst remained high during two reuses. The synthesized nanomaterials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultra-violet-visible spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. XRD analysis revealed the formation of multicrystalline systems of cubic magnetite and anatase titania crystals. SEM and TEM characterization revealed well-developed and homo-geneously dispersed particles of size less than 15 nm. FTIR spectra confirmed the chemical interaction of titania and silica. It was further noticed that the optical properties of the prepared materials were dependent on the relative contents of their constituent metal oxides.

Description: Amphiphilic block copolymers (ABCs) assemble into a spherical nanoscopic supramolecular core/shell nanostructure termed a polymeric micelle that has been widely researched as an injectable nanocarrier for poorly water-soluble anticancer agents. The aim of this review article is to update progress in the field of drug delivery towards clinical trials, highlighting advances in polymeric micelles used for drug solubilization, reduced off-target toxicity and tumor targeting by the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. Polymeric micelles vary in stability in blood and drug release rate, and accordingly play different but key roles in drug delivery. For intravenous (IV) infusion, polymeric micelles that disassemble in blood and rapidly release poorly water-soluble anticancer agent such as paclitaxel have been used for drug solubilization, safety and the distinct possibility of toxicity reduction relative to existing solubilizing agents, e.g., Cremophor EL. Stable polymeric micelles are long-circulating in blood and reduce distribution to non-target tissue, lowering off-target toxicity. Further, they participate in the EPR effect in murine tumor models. In summary, polymeric micelles act as injectable nanocarriers for poorly water-soluble anticancer agents, achieving reduced toxicity and targeting tumors by the EPR effect.

Description: The effect of adding Co, Ni or La on the methanation activity of a Mo-based sulfur-resistant catalyst was investigated. As promoters, Co, Ni and La all improved the methanation activity of a 15% MoO 3 /Al 2 O 3 catalyst but to different extents. Similar improvements were also found when Co, Ni or La was added to a 15% MoO 3 /25%-CeO 2 -Al 2 O 3 catalyst. The promotion effects of Co and Ni were better than that of La. However, the catalytic methanation activity deteriorated the most with time for the Ni-promoted catalyst. The used catalysts were analyzed by nitrogen adsorption measurement, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Description: The catalysts supported on LiAl 5 O 8 (spinel) for vapor phase synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from methyl nitrite (MN) have been studied. Their catalytic activities on supports prepared by different methods were evaluated in a continuous reactor. The samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and temperature-programmed reduction of H 2 . Li/Al molar ratio and calcination temperature greatly influence the structure of crystalline phase of Li-Al-O oxides. Desirable LiAl 5 O 8 (spinel) was formed at 800°C, while LiAl 5 O 8 (primitive cube) formed at 900°C is undesirable for the reaction. A high Li/Al molar ratio, which was related with LiAlO 2 , also slowed the reaction rate. The electron transfer ability and the interaction with active component are the important properties of the spinel-based supports. The CuCl 2 -PdCl 2 /LiAl 5 O 8 (spinel) with better electron transfer ability and low Pd 2+ reduction temperature exhibited a better catalytic ability.

Description: CuCl supported on molecular sieves has attracted increasing attention in catalyzing oxidative carbonylation of ethanol to diethyl carbonate. Mesoporous MCM-41 has been widely used as catalyst support due to its large surface area and well defined mesoporous structure. Considering its intrinsic weak acidity, MCM-41 was modified by a simple impregnation method to incorporate Al. The incorporation of Al components resulted in the high dispersion of Cu species and the increase of acid sites without changing the mesoporous structure of MCM-41, and thus enhanceed the catalytic activity of CuCl/MCM-41 for diethyl carbonate synthesis.

Description: Membrane distillation (MD) is a thermal, vapor-driven transportation process through micro porous hydrophobic membranes that is increasingly being applied to seawater and brine desalination processes. Two types of hydrophobic microporous polyethersulfone flat sheet membranes, namely, annealed polyethersulfone and a polyethersulfone/tetraethoxysilane (PES/TEOS) blend were prepared by a phase inversion process. The membranes were characterized and their performances were investigated using the vacuum membrane distillation of an aqueous NaCl solution. The performances of the prepared membranes were also compared with two commercially available hydrophobic membranes, polytetrafluorethylene and polyvinylidene fluoride. The influence of operational parameters such as feed temperature (25–65 °C), permeate vacuum pressure (200–800 mbar), feed flow rate (8–22 mL/s) and feed salt concentration (3000 to 35000 mg/L) on the MD permeation flux were investigated for the four membranes. The hydrophobic PES/TEOS membrane had the highest salt rejection (99.7%) and permeate flux (86 kg/(m 2 ·h)) at 65 °C, with a feed of 7000 ppm and a pressure of 200 mbar.

Description: A series of unsupported MoS 2 catalysts with or without Al 2 O 3 modification was prepared using a modified thermal decomposition approach. The catalysts were tested for the methanation of carbon monoxide and the optimum one has 25.6 wt-% Al 2 O 3 content. The catalysts were characterized by nitrogen adsorption measurement, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that adding appropriate amount of Al 2 O 3 increases the dispersion of MoS 2 , and the increased interaction force between MoS 2 and Al 2 O 3 can inhibit the sintering of active MoS 2 to some extent.

Description: Heteropoly compounds with the general formula Cs 1 M 0.5 x + H 3‒0.5 x P 1.2 Mo 11 VO 40 (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu or Zn) and Cs 1 Cu y H 3‒2 y P 1.2 Mo 11 VO 40 ( y = 0.1, 0.3 or 0.7) were synthesized and then used as catalysts for the selective oxidation of methacrolein to methacrylic acid. The effects of the transition metals on the structure and activity of the catalysts were investigated. FTIR spectra showed that the transition metal-doped catalysts maintained the Keggin structure of the undoped catalysts. X-ray diffraction results indicated that before calcination, the catalysts doped with Fe and Cu had cubic secondary structures, while the catalysts doped with Co, Ni or Zn had both triclinic and cubic phases and the Co-doped catalyst had the highest content of the triclinic form. Thermal treatment can decrease the content of the triclinic phase. NH 3 temperature-programmed desorption and H 2 temperature- programmed reduction results showed that the transition metals changed the acid and redox properties of the catalysts. The addition of Fe or Cu had positive effects on the activities of the catalyst which is due to the improvement of the electron transfer between the Fe or Cu and the Mo. The effects of the copper content on structure and catalytic activity were also investigated. The Cs 1 Cu 0.3 H 2 P 1.2 Mo 11 VO 40 catalyst had the best performance for the selective oxidation of methacrolein to methacrylic acid.

Description: 〈h3〉Abstract〈/h3〉 〈p〉Controlled growth of Bi〈sub〉2〈/sub〉WO〈sub〉6〈/sub〉 nanorods with exposed [0 0 1] facets and the fabrication of an Fe〈sub〉3〈/sub〉O〈sub〉4〈/sub〉-Bi〈sub〉2〈/sub〉WO〈sub〉6〈/sub〉 magnetic composite by a microwave-assisted polyol process, were achieved in this study. The adsorptivity and photocatalytic performance of the composite toward sunset yellow dye degradation were greatly enhanced by the 〈em〉β〈/em〉-cyclodextrin cavities on its surface, firmly anchored through a cetyltrimethylammonium bromide linkage. A series of examinations and characterizations were carried out to determine the influence of various factors on the morphological modulation-photocatalytic behavior of the pure Bi〈sub〉2〈/sub〉WO〈sub〉6〈/sub〉 prior to final functionalization. Changing the pH of the precursor solution impacted the formation of 0D, 2D, and 3D structures; however, the presence of hexamethylenetetramine surfactant induced the development of 1D nanorod structure. A reasonable crystal growth mechanism was proposed to elucidate the formation process. Conversely, the mechanism of the activity enhancement of 〈em〉β〈/em〉-cyclodextrin functionalized Fe〈sub〉3〈/sub〉O〈sub〉4〈/sub〉-Bi〈sub〉2〈/sub〉WO〈sub〉6〈/sub〉, compared to that of the non-functionalized samples, could be realized with the assistance of chemical trapping experiments on sunset yellow, and was confirmed on the colorless antibiotic (sulfamethoxazole). The high performance and durability of this composite can be attributed to the facet-dependent activity, large adsorption capacity due to inclusion interactions, enhanced visible light absorption, and efficient charge separation.〈/p〉 〈span〉 〈span〉 〈img alt="" src="https://static-content.springer.com/image/MediaObjects/11705_2019_1808_Fig1_HTML.jpg"〉 〈/span〉 〈/span〉

Description: 〈h3〉Abstract〈/h3〉 〈p〉In the production of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and recycling of spent LIBs, a large amount of low-concentration lithium-containing wastewater (LCW) is generated. The recovery of Li from this medium has attracted significant global attention from both the environmental and economic perspectives. To achieve effective Li recycling, the features of impurity removal and the interactions among different ions must be understood. However, it is generally difficult to ensure highly efficient removal of impurity ions while retaining Li in the solution for further recovery. In this study, the removal of typical impurity ions from LCW and the interactions between these species were systematically investigated from the thermodynamic and kinetics aspects. It was found that the main impurities (e.g., Fe〈sup〉3+〈/sup〉, Al〈sup〉3+〈/sup〉, Ca〈sup〉2+〈/sup〉, and Mg〈sup〉2+〈/sup〉) could be efficiently removed with high Li recovery by controlling the ionic strength of the solution. The mechanisms of Fe〈sup〉3+〈/sup〉, Al〈sup〉3+〈/sup〉, Ca〈sup〉2+〈/sup〉, and Mg〈sup〉2+〈/sup〉 removal were investigated to identify the controlling steps and reaction kinetics. It was found that the precipitates are formed by a zero-order reaction, and the activation energies tend to be low with a sequence of fast chemical reactions that reach equilibrium very quickly. Moreover, this study focused on Li loss during removal of the impurities, and the corresponding removal rates of Fe〈sup〉3+〈/sup〉, Al〈sup〉3+〈/sup〉, Ca〈sup〉2+〈/sup〉, and Mg〈sup〉2+〈/sup〉 were found to be 99.8%, 99.5%, 99%, and 99.7%, respectively. Consequently, high-purity Li〈sub〉3〈/sub〉PO〈sub〉4〈/sub〉 was obtained via one-step precipitation. Thus, this research demonstrates a potential route for the effective recovery of Li from low-concentration LCW and for the appropriate treatment of acidic LCW.〈/p〉 〈span〉 〈span〉 〈img alt="" src="https://static-content.springer.com/image/MediaObjects/11705_2019_1806_Fig1_HTML.jpg"〉 〈/span〉 〈/span〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: September 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 37, Issue 9〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): 〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 17 August 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Ronald P.H. de Jongh, Aalt D.J. van Dijk, Mattijs K. Julsing, Peter J. Schaap, Dick de Ridder〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉〈div〉〈p〉Controlling the expression of genes is one of the key challenges of synthetic biology. Until recently fine-tuned control has been out of reach, particularly in eukaryotes owing to their complexity of gene regulation. With advances in machine learning (ML) and in particular with increasing dataset sizes, models predicting gene expression levels from regulatory sequences can now be successfully constructed. Such models form the cornerstone of algorithms that allow users to design regulatory regions to achieve a specific gene expression level. In this review we discuss strategies for data collection, data encoding, ML practices, design algorithm choices, and finally model interpretation. Ultimately, these developments will provide synthetic biologists with highly specific genetic building blocks to rationally engineer complex pathways and circuits.〈/p〉〈/div〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 6 August 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Achim Rosemann, Susan Molyneux-Hodgson〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉〈div〉〈p〉The UK Industrial Biotechnology (IB) Strategy presents a consistent plan to develop the IB sector but fails to endorse an innovation process that allows for input from multiple publics. This could be disadvantageous for the bioeconomy: there are notable cases where negligence to address societal dimensions has caused innovation failure.〈/p〉〈/div〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 6 August 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Anna Toldrà, Ciara K. O’Sullivan, Mònica Campàs〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉〈div〉〈p〉The use of isothermal nucleic acid amplification strategies to detect harmful algal blooms (HABs) is in its infancy. We describe recent advances in these systems and highlight the challenges for the achievement of simple, low-cost, compact, and portable devices for field applications.〈/p〉〈/div〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 20 August 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): James P.K. Armstrong, Molly M. Stevens〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉〈div〉〈p〉Great strides have been taken towards the 〈em〉in vitro〈/em〉 engineering of clinically relevant tissue constructs using the classic triad of cells, materials, and biochemical factors. In this perspective, we highlight ways in which these elements can be manipulated or stimulated using a fourth component: the application of remote fields. This arena has gained great momentum over the last few years, with a recent surge of interest in using magnetic, optical, and acoustic fields to guide the organization of cells, materials, and biochemical factors. We summarize recent developments and trends in this arena and then lay out a series of challenges that we believe, if met, could enable the widespread adoption of remote fields in mainstream tissue engineering.〈/p〉〈/div〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: September 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 37, Issue 9〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): 〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 16 August 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Peter Hraber, Paul E. O’Maille, Andrew Silberfarb, Katie Davis-Anderson, Nicholas Generous, Benjamin H. McMahon, Jeanne M. Fair〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉〈div〉〈p〉Viral proteins evade host immune function by molecular mimicry, often achieved by short linear motifs (SLiMs) of three to ten consecutive amino acids (AAs). Motif mimicry tolerates mutations, evolves quickly to modify interactions with the host, and enables modular interactions with protein complexes. Host cells cannot easily coordinate changes to conserved motif recognition and binding interfaces under selective pressure to maintain critical signaling pathways. SLiMs offer potential for use in synthetic biology, such as better immunogens and therapies, but may also present biosecurity challenges. We survey viral uses of SLiMs to mimic host proteins, and information resources available for motif discovery. As the number of examples continues to grow, knowledge management tools are essential to help organize and compare new findings.〈/p〉〈/div〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 2 November 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Leli Wang, Vinothkannan Ravichandran, Yulong Yin, Jia Yin, Youming Zhang〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉The mammalian gut has a remarkable abundance of microbes. These microbes have strong potential to biosynthesize distinct metabolites that are promising drugs, and many more bioactive compounds have yet to be explored as potential drug candidates. These small bioactive molecules often mediate important host–microbe and microbe–microbe interactions. In this review, we provide perspectives on and challenges associated with three mining strategies – culture-based, (meta)genomics-based, and metabolomics-based mining approaches – for discovering natural products derived from biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in mammalian gut microbiota. In addition, we comprehensively summarize the structures, biological functions, and BGCs of these compounds. Improving these techniques, including by using combinatorial approaches, may accelerate drug discovery from gut microbes.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 37, Issue 1〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Marie-Agnès Doucey, Sandro Carrara〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉In 2006, the group of Dr C.M. Lieber pioneered the field of nanowire sensors by fabricating devices for the ultra-sensitive label-free detection of biological macromolecules. Since then, nanowire sensors have demonstrated their ability to detect cancer-associated analytes in peripheral blood, tumor tissue, and the exhaled breath of cancer patients. These innovative developments have marked a new era with unprecedented detection performance, capable of addressing crucial needs such as cancer diagnosis and monitoring disease progression and patient response to therapy. The ability of nanowire sensors to identify molecular features of patient tumor represents a first step toward precision medicine, and their integration into portable devices has the potential to revolutionize cancer diagnosis and patient monitoring.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: September 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 36, Issue 9〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Antonio Fernandez, Claudia Paoletti〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉Identifying and assessing unintended effects in genetically modified food and feed are considered paramount by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), and Codex Alimentarius, despite heated debate. This paper addresses outstanding needs: building consensus on the history-of-safe-use concept, harmonizing criteria to select appropriate conventional counterparts, and improving endpoint selection to identify unintended effects.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 37, Issue 1〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): António L. Grilo, A. Mantalaris〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉The monoclonal antibody (mAb) market has changed rapidly in the past 5 years: it has doubled in size, becoming dominated by fully human molecules, launched bispecific molecules, and faced competition from biosimilars. We summarize the market in terms of therapeutic applications, type and structure of mAbs, dominant companies, manufacturing locations, and emerging markets.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: November 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 36, Issue 11〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Brahma N. Singh, Braj R. Singh, Vijai K. Gupta, Ravindra N. Kharwar, Lorenzo Pecoraro〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉Microbial hydrophobin (MH)-based surface coating is emerging as a novel protein engineering approach for drug nanoparticles to enhance the solubility and stability of therapeutic agents. These hydrophobins are amphiphilic proteins that can form self-assembled monolayers on hydrophobic materials and can coat nanoparticles for efficient drug delivery.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: November 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 36, Issue 11〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Jun Tang, Yonghong Wu, Sofia Esquivel-Elizondo, Søren J. Sørensen, Bruce E. Rittmann〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉The increasing use and discharge of nanoparticles (NPs) pose risks to microorganisms that maintain the health of aquatic ecosystems. Although NPs are toxic to microorganisms, they tend to form microbial aggregates to protect themselves. Two main mechanisms account for the reduced toxicity: the dense physical structure acts as a barrier to NP exposure in the interior of the aggregate, and aggregation stabilizes a complex microbial ecosystem that enhances the ability of the community to adapt to prolonged NP exposure. We highlight the opportunities and challenges for managing microbial aggregates in wastewater treatment to remove or control NPs. For example, understanding the resistance mechanisms can help to design smart NPs that are less toxic to useful microorganisms or more toxic towards pathogenic microorganisms.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: September 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 36, Issue 9〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Marek Drab〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉Bacteriophages sense alkaline cations in their immediate extracellular environment, which regulates virion–virion interactions. An ion-steerable aggregation–dispersion (A/D) phenomenon among virions is a recently discovered step in group behavior in the phage life cycle. When powered by the octanol-based water-immiscible lipopolysaccharide (LPS) trap (oWILT) purification approach, A/D promises breakthroughs for a plethora of biotechnological applications beyond phage therapy.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: November 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 36, Issue 11〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Yanan Luo, Zhaohui Li, Chengzhou Zhu, Xiaoli Cai, Lingbo Qu, Dan Du, Yuehe Lin〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉The great success of graphene has driven the discovery and development of new 2D nanomaterials with different optical, electrical, and thermal properties. Compared with other graphene-like 2D nanomaterials, metal-free 2D nanomaterials hold great potential in biomedical applications since they exhibit much better biocompatibility and biosafety. We give an overview of some rapidly emerging graphene-like metal-free 2D nanomaterials including black phosphorus, hexagonal boron nitride, and graphitic carbon nitride, as well as 2D organic polymer-based nanomaterials, and highlight their impressive advances for bioimaging and cancer theranostics in recent years. The challenges and some thoughts on future perspectives in this field are also addressed.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 37, Issue 1〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Parisa Norouzitallab, Kartik Baruah, Daisy Vanrompay, Peter Bossier〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉A paradigm shift in our understanding of shrimp immunity offers the potential to develop novel disease-control strategies. We summarize cutting-edge findings on the phenomenon of trained immunity in shrimps and discuss how it may contribute to new avenues for controlling disease in these aquaculturally important animals.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: February 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 37, Issue 2〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Hongyuan Lu, Juan C. Villada, Patrick K.H. Lee〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉Microorganisms can manufacture a wide range of biobased chemicals that are useful for diverse industrial applications. However, the overexpression of heterologous enzymes in recombinant strains often leads to metabolic imbalance, resulting in growth retardation and suboptimal production of the target compounds. Here we discuss the recent development of modular metabolic engineering approaches that enable the global fine-tuning of engineered pathways by modularizing the synthetic pathway in single or multiple hosts. In particular, we highlight applications with microbial consortia. To build a vibrant biobased economy, multivariate modular metabolic engineering (MMME), modular coculture engineering (MCE), and spatiotemporal and integrative genome-scale metabolic modeling can be exploited to expedite strain optimization and improve the production of a broad variety of high-value biobased chemicals.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 29 March 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Yan Jin, Dušan Drabik, Nico Heerink, Justus Wesseler〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉What are the procedures and trends for obtaining approval for imported genetically modified (GM) crops in China, and how do approval dates and length of approval in China compare with those in other countries? The answers are crucial for current food security in China and the future of crops derived by gene editing.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 27 March 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Abhishek Kumar Awasthi, Jinhui Li〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉Global electronic waste management is emerging as a critical issue, especially in developing countries. Collective societal effort and scientific innovation are required along with interdisciplinary approaches to the development of sustainable technologies for recycling precious metals. Bioprospecting of electronic waste is a promising approach to provide economic, environmental, and public health benefits.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 13 November 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Yanfeng Liu, Long Liu, Jianghua Li, Guocheng Du, Jian Chen〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉Based on technical advances in the sequencing and synthesis of genetic components as well as the genome, significant progress has recently been made in developing synthetic biology toolboxes and chassis for the model Gram-positive bacterium 〈em〉Bacillus subtilis〈/em〉. In this review, we discuss recently developed synthetic biology toolboxes, including gene expression toolsets and genome editing tools. Next, advances in the 〈em〉B. subtilis〈/em〉 chassis and its applications are discussed in comparison to those of other model microorganisms. Finally, future directions for the integrative use of 〈em〉B. subtilis〈/em〉 synthetic biology tools and the development of an advanced chassis for efficient biomanufacturing are discussed. These factors are expected to become a major driving force for facilitating biotechnological applications of 〈em〉B. subtilis〈/em〉.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 15 November 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Guipeng Hu, Yin Li, Chao Ye, Liming Liu, Xiulai Chen〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉Microbial CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 sequestration not only provides a green and sustainable approach for ameliorating global warming but also simultaneously produces biofuels and chemicals. However, the efficiency of microbial CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 fixation is still very low. In addition, concomitant microbial CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 emission decreases the carbon yield of desired chemicals. To address these issues, strategies including engineering CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉-fixing pathways and energy-harvesting systems have been developed to improve the efficiency of CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 fixation in autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms. Furthermore, metabolic pathways and energy metabolism can be rewired to reduce microbial CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 emissions and increase the carbon yield of value-added products. This review highlights the potential of biotechnology to promote microbial CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 sequestration and provides guidance for the broader use of microorganisms as attractive carbon sinks.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 14 November 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Lisha Gu, Tiantian Shan, Yu-xuan Ma, Franklin R. Tay, Lina Niu〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉Collagen is one of the most useful biopolymers because of its low immunogenicity and biocompatibility. The biomedical potential of natural collagen is limited by its poor mechanical strength, thermal stability, and enzyme resistance, but exogenous chemical, physical, or biological crosslinks have been used to modify the molecular structure of collagen to minimize degradation and enhance mechanical stability. Although crosslinked collagen-based materials have been widely used in biomedicine, there is no standard crosslinking protocol that can achieve a perfect balance between stability and functional remodeling of collagen. Understanding the role of crosslinking agents in the modification of collagen performance and their potential biomedical applications are crucial for developing novel collagen-based biopolymers for therapeutic gain.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: December 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 36, Issue 12〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): 〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 5 December 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Corjan van den Berg, Michel H.M. Eppink, Rene H. Wijffels〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉Cyanobacteria promise to be an important industrial platform for the production of a variety of biobased products such as fuels, plastics, and isoprenoids. Recent advances in synthetic biology have resulted in various cyanobacterial strain improvements. Nevertheless, these new strains are still hampered by product inhibition, resulting in low volumetric productivities, product concentrations, and yields on light. To circumvent these issues, continuous product recovery will need to be applied, resulting in economically viable industrial processes. Optimal product recovery strategies can be developed by considering biological and separation process constraints as well as photobioreactor design. Integrated product recovery will be indispensable to bring the cyanobacterial cell factory to industrial scale.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 27 November 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Meysam Rezaei, Marnie Winter, Deirdre Zander-Fox, Clare Whitehead, Jan Liebelt, Majid Ebrahimi Warkiani, Tristan Hardy, Benjamin Thierry〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉New tools for higher-resolution fetal genome analysis including microarray and next-generation sequencing have revolutionized prenatal screening. This article provides commentary on this rapidly advancing field and a future perspective emphasizing circulating fetal cell (CFC) utility. Despite the tremendous technological challenges associated with their reliable and cost-effective isolation from maternal blood, CFCs have a strong potential to bridge the gap between the diagnostic sensitivity of invasive procedures and the desirable noninvasive nature of cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA). Considering the rapid advances in both rare cell isolation and low-input DNA analysis, we argue here that CFC-based noninvasive prenatal testing is poised to be implemented clinically in the near future.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 9 January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Vivek Agrahari, Vibhuti Agrahari, Pierre-Alain Burnouf, Chee Ho Chew, Thierry Burnouf〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉Microvesicles (MVs) are subcellular physiological vehicles present in all body fluids that mediate the transfer of intercellular information within biological systems and contribute to healthy conditions. MVs have lipid bilayer membranes decorated with multiple ligands that can interact with receptors on target cells, rendering them as promising candidates for targeted delivery. The biotechnology and cell therapy industries are developing MV-based preparations that use this subcellular therapeutic machinery (in a naïve or modified state) for regenerative medicine, as substitutes for intact cell therapy, and as intelligent targeted drug delivery carriers. However, significant production challenges must be overcome before MVs scale-up development, clinical translation, and routine therapeutic application can be realized. The unique expertise developed in the biotechnology industry should facilitate market access to MV-based therapeutics. In this review, the roles of biotechnology and cell therapy industries to manufacture MVs as inherent therapeutic agents or drug delivery systems are summarized. The manufacturing, development, characterization, and regulatory challenges for successful translation are discussed.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 37, Issue 1〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): 〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 18 December 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Antonino Cattaneo, Michele Chirichella〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉The complexity of the proteome exceeds that of the genome. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) and conformational changes of proteins trigger new molecular interactions whose systematic elucidation is hampered by the lack of specific tools. PTMs are particularly relevant for epigenetic regulation of gene expression; a field of translational interest. However, state-of-the-art inhibitors used in epigenetic studies and therapies target modifier enzymes such as acetylases and deacetylases, rather than a single PTM protein 〈em〉per se〈/em〉. The systematic development of anti-PTM intrabodies, which allow targeting of intracellular proteins in the context of living cells, will help reaching a new level of precision and specificity in the description of epigenetics, paving the way to new therapeutic opportunities.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 4 December 2018〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Baotong Zhu, Yingying Chen, Na Wei〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉The challenges of increasing environmental contamination and scarcity of natural resources require innovative solutions to ensure a sustainable future. Recent breakthroughs in synthetic biology and protein engineering provide promising platform technologies to develop novel engineered biological materials for beneficial applications towards environmental sustainability. In particular, biocatalysis and biosorption are receiving increasing attention as sustainable approaches for environmental remediation and resource recovery from wastes. This review focuses on up-to-date advances in engineering biocatalytic and biosorptive materials that can degrade persistent organic contaminants of emerging concern, remove hazardous metal pollutants, and recover value-added metals. Opportunities and challenges for future research are also discussed.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 13 September 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Kutubuddin A. Molla, Yinong Yang〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉〈div〉〈p〉SpCas9 creates blunt end cuts in the genome and generates random and unpredictable mutations through error-prone repair systems. However, a growing body of recent evidence points instead to Cas9-induced staggered end generation, nonrandomness of mutations, and the predictability of editing outcomes using machine learning models.〈/p〉〈/div〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: October 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 37, Issue 10〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): 〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: October 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 37, Issue 10〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): 〈/p〉

Description: 〈h3〉Abstract〈/h3〉 〈p〉Bis-alkylsulfonic acid and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-substituted BF〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 azadipyrromethenes have been synthesized by an adaptable and versatile route. Only four synthetic stages were required to produce the penultimate fluorophore compounds, containing either two alcohol or two terminal alkyne substituents. The final synthetic step introduced either sulfonic acid or polyethylene glycol groups to impart aqueous solubility. Sulfonic acid groups were introduced by reaction of the bis-alcohol-substituted fluorophore with sulfur trioxide, and a double Cu(I)-catalyzed cycloaddition reaction between the bis-alkyne fluorophore and methoxypolyethylene glycol azide yielded a neutral bis-pegylated derivative. Both fluorophores exhibited excellent near-infrared (NIR) photophysical properties in methanol and aqueous solutions. Live cell microscopy imaging revealed efficient uptake and intracellular labelling of cells for both fluorophores. Their simple synthesis, with potential for last-step structural modifications, makes the present NIR-active azadipyrromethene derivatives potentially useful as NIR fluorescence imaging probes for live cells.〈/p〉 〈span〉 〈span〉 〈img alt="" src="https://static-content.springer.com/image/MediaObjects/11705_2019_1828_Fig1_HTML.jpg"〉 〈/span〉 〈/span〉

Description: 〈h3〉Abstract〈/h3〉 〈p〉This paper compares the techno-economic performances of three technologies for CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 capture from a lignite-based IGCC power plant located in the Czech Republic: (1) Physical absorption with a Rectisol-based process; (2) Polymeric CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉-selective membrane-based capture; (3) Low-temperature capture. The evaluations show that the IGCC plant with CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 capture leads to costs of electricity between 91 and 120 € · MWh〈sup〉−1〈/sup〉, depending on the capture technology employed, compared to 65 € · MWh〈sup〉−1〈/sup〉 for the power plant without capture. This results in CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 avoidance costs ranging from 42 to 84 € · 〈span〉 〈span〉\({\text{t}_{{\text{CO}_2},\text{avoided}}}^{ - 1}\)〈/span〉 〈/span〉, mainly linked to the losses in net power output. From both energy and cost points of view, the low-temperature and Rectisol based CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 capture processes are the most efficient capture technologies. Furthermore, partial CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 capture appears as a good mean to ensure early implementation due to the limited increase in CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 avoidance cost when considering partial capture. To go beyond the two specific CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉-selective membranes considered, a cost/membrane property map for CO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉-selective membranes was developed. This map emphasise the need to develop high performance membrane to compete with solvent technology. Finally, the cost of the whole CCS chain was estimated at 54 € · 〈span〉 〈span〉\({\text{t}_{{\text{CO}_2},\text{avoided}}}^{ - 1}\)〈/span〉 〈/span〉 once pipeline transport and storage are taken into consideration. 〈span〉 〈span〉 〈img alt="" src="https://static-content.springer.com/image/MediaObjects/11705_2019_1870_Fig1_HTML.jpg"〉 〈/span〉 〈/span〉〈/p〉

Description: 〈h3〉Abstract〈/h3〉 〈p〉In traditional ceramic processing techniques, high sintering temperature is necessary to achieve fully dense microstructures. But it can cause various problems including warpage, overfiring, element evaporation, and polymorphic transformation. To overcome these drawbacks, a novel processing technique called “cold sintering process (CSP)” has been explored by Randall et al. CSP enables densification of ceramics at ultra-low temperature (⩽300°C) with the assistance of transient aqueous solution and applied pressure. In CSP, the processing conditions including aqueous solution, pressure, temperature, and sintering duration play critical roles in the densification and properties of ceramics, which will be reviewed. The review will also include the applications of CSP in solid-state rechargeable batteries. Finally, the perspectives about CSP is proposed.〈/p〉 〈span〉 〈span〉 〈img alt="" src="https://static-content.springer.com/image/MediaObjects/11705_2019_1832_Fig1_HTML.jpg"〉 〈/span〉 〈/span〉

Description: 〈h3〉Abstract〈/h3〉 〈p〉Carbon molecular sieve membrane (CMSM)/paper-like stainless steel fibers (PSSF) has been manufactured by pyrolyzing poly (furfuryl alcohol) (PFA) coated on the metal fibers. PFAwas synthesized using oxalic acid dihydrate as a catalyst and coated on microfibers by dip coating method. For the purpose of investigating the effects of final carbonization temperature, the composites were carbonized between 400°C and 800°C under flowing nitrogen. The morphology and microstructure were examined by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, N〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 adsorption and desorption, Raman spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectra. The consequences of characterization showed that the CMSM containing mesopores of 3.9 nm were manufactured. The specific surface area of the CMSM/PSSF fabricated in different pyrolysis temperature varies from 26.5 to 169.1 m〈sup〉2〈/sup〉·g〈sup〉-1〈/sup〉 and pore volume varies from 0.06 to 0.23 cm〈sup〉3〈/sup〉·g〈sup〉-1〈/sup〉. When pyrolysis temperature exceeds 600°C, the specific surface, pore diameter and pore volume decreased as carbonization temperature increased. Besides, the degree of graphitization in carbon matrix increased with rising pyrolysis temperature. Toluene adsorption experiments on different structured fixed bed that was padded by CMSM/PSSF and granular activated carbon (GAC) were conducted. For the sake of comparison, adsorption test was also performed on fixed bed packed with GAC. The experimental results indicated that the rate constant κ’ was dramatically increased as the proportion of CMCM/PSSF composites increased on the basis of Yoon-Nelson model, which suggested that structured fixed bed padded with CMSM/PSSF composite offered higher adsorption rate and mass transfer efficiency. 〈span〉 〈span〉 〈img alt="" src="https://static-content.springer.com/image/MediaObjects/11705_2019_1827_Fig1_HTML.jpg"〉 〈/span〉 〈/span〉〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 1 November 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Ross Kent, Neil Dixon〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉Insights from novel mechanistic paradigms in gene expression control have led to the development of new gene expression systems for bioproduction, control, and sensing applications. Coupled with a greater understanding of synthetic burden and modern creative biodesign approaches, contemporary bacterial gene expression tools and systems are emerging that permit fine-tuning of expression, enabling greater predictability and maximisation of specific productivity, while minimising deleterious effects upon cell viability. These advances have been achieved by using a plethora of regulatory tools, operating at all levels of the so-called ‘central dogma’ of molecular biology. In this review, we discuss these gene regulation tools in the context of their design, prototyping, integration into expression systems, and biotechnological application.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: December 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 37, Issue 12〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Michael V. Arbige, Jay K. Shetty, Gopal K. Chotani〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉This review focuses on recent developments in industrial enzymology, protein engineering, and the design and production of microorganisms. We highlight the latest recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology and tools of protein engineering. These advancements are delivering solutions that address the large unmet needs of customers and markets. To illustrate the progress made over the past three decades, several technological developments and applications are highlighted. High-throughput methods of cell and protein engineering have increased the pace of commercialization. Continuous innovations have impacted many areas of industrial biotechnology and its applications; for example, laundry and dish washing, textile processing, animal health, and human nutrition. The worldwide growth of this bioindustry reflects the potential of biotechnology, which in turn adds a new chapter to the field of industrial enzymology.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 31 October 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Shona Kalkman, Marlous Arentshorst, Jarno Hoekman, Wouter Boon, Esther Uijtendaal, Ghislaine van Thiel, Ellen Moors〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉In-hospital production of affordable medicines holds potential to address problems of drug accessibility. However, expanding the scope of magistral preparation to include high-cost drugs and complex biologicals gives rise to new challenges. We discuss ethical and regulatory complexities faced by Dutch initiatives defying the current pharmaceutical system through magistral preparation.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 31 October 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Stanislav Piletsky, Francesco Canfarotta, Alessandro Poma, Alessandra Maria Bossi, Sergey Piletsky〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉Since their conception 50 years ago, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have seen extensive development both in terms of synthetic routes and applications. Cells are perhaps the most challenging target for molecular imprinting. Although early work was based almost entirely around microprinting methods, recent developments have shifted towards epitope imprinting to generate MIP nanoparticles (NPs). Simultaneously, the development of techniques such as solid phase MIP synthesis has solved many historic issues of MIP production. This review briefly describes various approaches used in cell imprinting with a focus on applications of the created materials in imaging, drug delivery, diagnostics, and tissue engineering.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: December 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology, Volume 37, Issue 12〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Yifan Dai, Ariel Furst, Chung Chiun Liu〈/p〉 〈div〉〈p〉DNA has many unique properties beyond encoding genetic information, one of which is its physicochemical stability based on Watson–Crick base pairing. Differences in sequence complementarity between multiple DNA strands can lead to the strand displacement reaction (SDR). SDRs have been regularly applied in synthetic biology, drug delivery, and, importantly, biosensing. SDR-based biosensors have high controllability, high sensitivity, and low interference, and can be used for multiplexed detection. Such biosensors have been demonstrated to detect nearly every class of biomolecule. As the field continues to mature, such platforms can be used as an integral tool for the manipulation of biomolecular reactions, bringing biosensors one step closer to the ultimate goal of point-of-care systems.〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: Available online 28 December 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Trends in Biotechnology〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Łukasz Huminiecki, Jarosław Horbańczuk〈/p〉

Description: 〈h3〉Abstract〈/h3〉 〈p〉Hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of thiophene, as a gasoline model oil, over an industrial Ni-Mo/Al〈sub〉2〈/sub〉O〈sub〉3〈/sub〉 catalyst was investigated in a continuous system under microwave irradiation. The HDS efficiency was much higher (5%–14%) under microwave irradiation than conventional heating. It was proved that the reaction was enhanced by both microwave thermal and non-thermal effects. Microwave selective heating caused hot spots inside the catalyst, thus improved the reaction rate. From the analysis of the non-thermal effect, the molecular collisions were significantly increased under microwave irradiation. However, instead of being reduced, the apparent activation energy increased. This may be due to the microwave treatment hindering the adsorption though upright S-bind (η〈sup〉1〈/sup〉) and enhancing the parallel adsorption (η〈sup〉5〈/sup〉), both adsorptions were considered to favor to the direct desulfurization route and the hydrogenation route respectively. Therefore, the HDS process was considered to proceed along the hydrogenation route under microwave irradiation. 〈span〉 〈span〉 〈img alt="" src="https://static-content.springer.com/image/MediaObjects/11705_2019_1839_Fig1_HTML.jpg"〉 〈/span〉 〈/span〉〈/p〉

Description: 〈h3〉Abstract〈/h3〉 〈p〉Solar powered steam generation is an emerging area in the field of energy harvest and sustainable technologies. The nano-structured photothermal materials are able to harvest energy from the full solar spectrum and convert it to heat with high efficiency. Moreover, the materials and structures for heat management as well as the mass transportation are also brought to the forefront. Several groups have reported their materials and structures as solutions for high performance devices, a few creatively coupled other physical fields with solar energy to achieve even better results. This paper provides a systematic review on the recent developments in photothermal nanomaterial discovery, material selection, structural design and mass/heat management, as well as their applications in seawater desalination and fresh water production from waste water with free solar energy. It also discusses current technical challenges and likely future developments. This article will help to stimulate novel ideas and new designs for the photothermal materials, towards efficient, low cost practical solar-driven clean water production. 〈span〉 〈span〉 〈img alt="" src="https://static-content.springer.com/image/MediaObjects/11705_2019_1824_Fig1_HTML.jpg"〉 〈/span〉 〈/span〉〈/p〉

Description: 〈h3〉Abstract〈/h3〉 〈p〉The work studied a non-catalytic upgrading of fast pyrolysis bio-oil by blending under supercritical conditions using methanol, ethanol and isopropanol as solvent and hydrogen donor. Characterisation of the bio-oil and the upgraded bio-oils was carried out including moisture content, elemental content, pH, heating value, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS), Fourier transform infrared radiation, 〈sup〉13〈/sup〉C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis to evaluate the effects of blending and supercritical reactions. The GCMS analysis indicated that the supercritical methanol reaction removed the acids in the bio-oil consequently the pH increased from 2.39 in the crude bio-oil to 4.04 after the supercritical methanol reaction. The ester contents increased by 87.49% after the supercritical methanol reaction indicating ester formation could be the major deacidification mechanism for reducing the acidity of the bio-oil and improving its pH value. Simply blending crude bio-oil with isopropanol was effective in increasing the C and H content, reducing the O content and increasing the heating value to 27.55 from 17.51 MJ·kg〈sup〉−1〈/sup〉 in the crude bio-oil. After the supercritical isopropanol reaction, the heating value of the liquid product slightly further increased to 28.85 MJ·kg〈sup〉−1〈/sup〉. 〈span〉 〈span〉 〈img alt="" src="https://static-content.springer.com/image/MediaObjects/11705_2019_1861_Fig1_HTML.jpg"〉 〈/span〉 〈/span〉〈/p〉

Description: 〈h3〉Abstract〈/h3〉 〈p〉The utilization of materials with a hierarchical porous structure as multi-functional additives is highly attractive in the preparation of hybrid membranes. In this study, novel hybrid membranes are designed by embedding hierarchical porous Santa Barbara Amorphous 15 (SBA-15) with a dual-pore architecture (micropores and mesopores) for pervaporation desulfurization. The SBA-15 with cylindrical mesopores provides molecular transport expressways to ensure improved permeability, while micropores on the wall have molecular sieving effects that are essential for the enhancement of permselectivity of thiophene molecules. Considering thiophene/〈em〉n〈/em〉-octane mixture as a model system, the hybrid membrane with embedded 6 wt-% SBA-15 exhibits optimal pervaporation desulfurization performance with a permeation flux of 22.07 kg·m〈sup〉−2〈/sup〉·h〈sup〉−1〈/sup〉 and an enrichment factor of 6.76. Moreover, the detailed structure and properties of hybrid membranes are systematically characterized. This study demonstrates the immense potential of hierarchical porous materials as additives in membranes to simultaneously increase permeability and permselectivity.〈/p〉 〈span〉 〈span〉 〈img alt="" src="https://static-content.springer.com/image/MediaObjects/11705_2019_1830_Fig1_HTML.jpg"〉 〈/span〉 〈/span〉

Description: 〈h3〉Abstract〈/h3〉 〈p〉Despite all major breakthroughs in recent years of research, we are still unsuccessful to effectively diagnose and treat cancer that has express and metastasizes. Thus, the development of a novel approach for cancer detection and treatment is crucial. Recent progress in Glyconanotechnology has allowed the use of glycans and lectins as bio-functional molecules for many biological and biomedical applications. With the known advantages of quantum dots (QDs) and versatility of carbohydrates and lectins, Glyco-functionalised QD is a new prospect in constructing biomedical imaging platform for cancer behaviour study as well as treatment. In this review, we aim to describe the current utilisation of Glyco-functionalised QDs as well as their future prospective to interpret and confront cancer.〈/p〉 〈span〉 〈span〉 〈img alt="" src="https://static-content.springer.com/image/MediaObjects/11705_2019_1863_Fig1_HTML.jpg"〉 〈/span〉 〈/span〉

Description: 〈h3〉Abstract〈/h3〉 〈p〉SSZ-39 zeolite with AEI framework structure is a good catalyst candidate for the methanol-to-olefins (MTO) reaction. However, the diffusion limitation and coke formation often results in fast deactivation of the SSZ-39 zeolite catalyst. One solution for this challenge is to introduce mesoporosity in the SSZ-39 zeolite. Herein, we report the synthesis of mesoporous SSZ-39 zeolite using an organosilane surfactant, 〈em〉N〈/em〉,〈em〉N〈/em〉-dimethyl-〈em〉N〈/em〉-(3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl)octan-1-aminium chloride, as a mesopore template and 〈em〉N〈/em〉,〈em〉N〈/em〉-dimethyl-〈em〉cis〈/em〉-2,6-dimethylpiperidinium as a micropore template. The obtained zeolites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, N〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 sorption, scanning electron microscopy, temperature programmed desorption of ammonia, and magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance of 〈sup〉27〈/sup〉Al. The results show that the mesoporous SSZ-39 zeolite has high crystallinity, meso/microporosity, high surface area, cuboid morphology, and abundant acidic sites. More importantly, this mesoporous SSZ-39 zeolite exhibits enhanced catalyst lifetime in the MTO reaction due to the presence of mesoporosity for fast mass transfer, compared with a conventional SSZ-39 zeolite without mesoporosity.〈/p〉 〈span〉 〈span〉 〈img alt="" src="https://static-content.springer.com/image/MediaObjects/11705_2019_1845_Fig1_HTML.jpg"〉 〈/span〉 〈/span〉