Optimization of cultural conditions for thermostable β-1,3-1,4-glucanase production by Bacillus subtilis ZJF-IA5

The optimization of cultural conditions for β-glucanase production by Bacillus subtilis ZJF-1A5 was investigated in flask trials. Temperature had great effect on β-glucanasc production which maximized atoptimal temperature of 37℃ and decreased significantly when temperature was over 37℃ . Charge quantity affected β-glucanasc production significantly. Adding oxygen vector N-dodecanc or acetic ether benefited β-glucanasc production, but it depended on the concentration and charge quantity. The results of fractional factorialdesign showed that age and size of inoculum and shaking speed were the key factors affecting β-glueanase production and the cultivation time span to reach the highest β-glucanasc activity. The optimal cultural conditionsfor p-glucanase production obtained with CCD were as follows: inoculum age and size (16 h, 3.82% (v/v)),shaking speed 210 r/rain, charge quantity of 30 mL in 250 mL flask and initial pH 7.0, cultured at 37℃ for 50 h. Repeated experimental results accorded with those predicted by a second-order polynomial model. The amount of p-glucanase, a-amylase and neutral protease produced by B subtills ZJF-1A5 was associated partially with cell growth. Those three enzymes‘ activities increased following the cell growth and increased signifi-cantly when cells entered the stationary phase.     

Influence of medium components on elastase production using crude sources by Bacillus sp. EL31410

A newly isolated strain EL31410,producing elastase(E.C3.4.4.7) with high elastolytic activity was identified as Bacillus sp.In the medium optimization,it was found that wheat bran and soybean flour hydrosate were the best crude carbon ad nitrogen source for enzyme production,respectively.Addition of com steep flour can affect the bacterium growth and elastase production.A fractional factorial design was ap-plied to study the main factors that affect the enzyme production,and central composite experimental design and response surface methodology were adopted to derive a statistical model for the effect of wheat bran and soybean flour hydrosate on elastase production.The experimental results showed that wheat bran had positive cffect but soybean flour hydrosate had negative effect,on enzyme production.An initial concentration of 3.4%(w/v) wheat bran and 9.4%（v/v) soybean flour hydrosate were found to be optimal for enzyme produc-tion in batch culture.The time course of elastase production in the optimized medium composition was also de-scribed.     

Molecular Fundaments of Mechanical Properties of Spider Silk

Dragline, framework and cocoon silk fibers of Araneus Ventricosus were used for this study. To investigate the microstructure mechanisms of stress-strain behavior of spider silk, firstly, amino acid compositions were analyzed and molecular conformations and crystallinity were measured with Raman spectra and X-ray diffraction respectively. The results showed that there were more amino acids with large side groups and polar ones in spider silk than those of Bombyx silk, and the amino acid distribution varied with different spider silk. The molecular structures were mainlyα-helix and β-sheet, and random coil andβ-turn existed as well. The proportions and arrangement of these conformations of dragline silk were different from framework and cocoon silk fibers. Microstructure was one of important factors of excellent mechanical properties of spider silk. Crystallinity of spider silk was very low, which implied that the roles of crystal on spider silk were not as great as other protein fibers.     

Improved production of spiramycin by mutant Streptomyces ambofaciens

Strain improvement and medium optimization to increase the productivity of spiramycin were carried out. Of oil tolerant mutant strains screened, one mutant, Streptomyces ambofaciens XC 2-37, produced 9% more spiramycin than the parent strain S. ambofaciens XC 1-29. The effects of soybean oil and propyl alcohol on spiramycin production with S.ambofaciens XC 2-37 were studied. The potency orS. ambofaciens XC 2-37 was improved by 61.8% with addition of 2% soybean oil in the fermentation medium and 0.4% propyl alcohol at 24 hours after incubation. The suitable time for feeding propyl alcohol is at 24 hours after incubation in flask fermentation and at 20 hours after incubation in fermentor fermentation The new process with S. ambofaciens XC 2-37 was scaled up for industrial scale production of spiramycin in a 60 m^3 fermentor in Xinchang Pharmaceutical Factory, Zhejiang Medicine Company, Ltd., China, and the potency and productivity of fermentation were improved by 42.9%.     

Constitutive behavior and processing maps of low-expansion GH909 superalloy

The hot deformation behavior of GH909 superalloy was studied systematically using isothermal hot compression tests in a temperature range of 960 to 1040℃ and at strain rates from 0.02 to 10 s-1 with a height reduction as large as 70%. The relations considering flow stress, temperature, and strain rate were evaluated via power-law, hyperbolic sine, and exponential constitutive equations under different strain conditions. An exponential equation was found to be the most appropriate for process modeling. The processing maps for the superalloy were constructed for strains of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 on the basis of the dynamic material model, and a total processing map that includes all the investigated strains was proposed. Metallurgical instabilities in the instability domain mainly located at higher strain rates manifested as adiabatic shear bands and cracking. The stability domain occurred at 960-1040℃ and at strain rates less than 0.2 s-1; these conditions are recommended for optimum hot working of GH909 superalloy.     

Effect of temperature on batch elastase production by Bacillus sp. EL31410

The production of elastase by Bacillus sp. EL31410 at various temperatures was investigated. In order to study the effect of temperature on elastase fermentation, different cultivation temperatures, ranging from 39℃ to 28℃, were evaluated in shake flask. The result indicated that 37℃ was best for cell growth at earlier stage; while maximum elastase activity was obtained when the cells were cultivated at 30℃. This result was verified by batch fermentation in 5-L bioreactor under 37 ℃ and 30 ℃ temperature, respectively. The specific cell growth rate at 37 ~C was higher than that at 30 ℃ during earlier stage of cultivation. The maximum value [5.5 U/(h-g DCW)] of elastase formation rate occurred at 24 h at 30℃ compared to 4.6 U/(h-g DCW) at 30 h at 37℃. Based on these results, two-stage temperature shift strategy and oscillatory temperature cultivation mode were evaluated in the next study. When compared to single temperature of 37 ℃ or 30℃, both two-stage temperature shift strategy and oscillatory temperature strategy improved biomass but did not yield the same result as expected for elastase production. The maximum biomass (both 8.6 g/L) was achieved at 30 h at 37℃, but at 42 h using two-stage temperature cultivation strategy. The highest elastase production (652 U/ml) was observed at 30℃ in batch process. It was concluded that cultivation at constant temperature of 30℃ was appropriate for elastase production by Bacillus sp. EL31410.     

Enhancement and selective production of avermectin B by recombinants of Streptomyces avermitilis via intraspecific protoplast fusion

Among eight components of avermectin, B1 fractions have the most effective antiparasitic activities and the lowest level of toxic side-effects and are used widely in veterinary and agricultural fields. In-traspecific protoplast fusion between two strains of Streptomyces avermitilis, one an avermectin high producer (strain 76-05) and the other a genetically engineered strain containing the mutations aveDˉ and olmAˉ (strain 73-12) was performed for enhancement and selective production of avermectin B in the absence of oligomycin. Two recombinant strains (F23 and F29) were isolated and characterized with regards to the parental merits. F23 and F29 produced only the four avermectin B components with high yield and produced no oligomycin. The avermectin production of F23 and F29 was about 84.20% and 103.45% of the parental strain 76-05, respectively, and increased about 2.66-fold and 3.50-fold, re-spectively, compared to that of parental strain 73-12. F23 and F29 were genetically stable prototrophic recombinants and F29 was quite tolerant of fermentation conditions compared to avermectin high producer parental strain 76-05. The ability to produce avermectin B with high yield without the produc-tion of other avermectin components and oligomycin will make F23 and F29 useful strains for aver-mectin production. Strain F29's tolerance of fermentation conditions will also make it suitable for in-dustrial applications.     

Performance of a Pectinase from Bacillus Subtilis WSHB04 - 02 Used in Bioscouring of Cotton Fabrics

A pectinase produced by Bacillus subtilis WSHB04-02 isolated from soil with lyase activity operating at alkaline pH was studied. The MichaelisMenten kinetic parameters of this newly isolated pectinase on different substrates, such as citrus pectin and polygalacturonic acid （PGA）, were determined, and pectin proved to be the most suitable substrate. The effects of temperature and pH on pectinase activity and stability were also investigated. The optimal temperature for pectinase was 55℃ with a stable range of 45℃- 55℃. In general, pectinase was pH insensitive and the stable pH ranged from 8.6 to 10.0. Ultimately the bioscouring effects of cotton fabrics using this pectinase were evaluated and some promising results were obtained.     

Dyeing Behavior of Yak Hair Fiber Treated with Microwave Low Temperature Plasma

The scales on the surface of yak hair fiber act as barriers during the dyeing process. In order to solve the scale problem and to improve the dyeability of yak hair, yak hair fiber was treated by microwave low temperature plasma （MLTP） in this study. The weight loss and the dyeing properties of the yak hair fiber modified by MLTP were investigated. Scanning Electron Microscopy （SEM） photographs were taken to observe the changes in the surface shape of yak hair fiber before and after treatment. Results showed that after MLTP treatment, the scale structure of yak hair was weakened and damaged greatly and the noticeable changes on the surface shape took place. At the same time, a significant improvement in dyeing properties of yak hair fiber was exhibited.     

Raoultella terrigena RtZG1 Electrical P erformance Appraisal and System Optimization

The aims of this study are to provide a strain and its optimal application in electro-producting performance for revealing the electrical generating mechanism in the future. We constructed microbial fuel cells(MFCs) device that was a bipolar chamber MFC, using metal ion media(MIM) and water as anode and cathode reaction substation fluid, respectively. In this study, we identified an isolate as Raoultella terrigena, named RtZG1, which could produce electron. Also, we optimized the conditions of electrical energy generation. The continuous output current could reach about 200 μA within 3 h when the ratio of electro-bacterial fluid to matrix fluid was 1∶4, the temperature was 37 ℃, the carbon-nitrogen ratio of the inorganic salt medium was 10∶1, as well as the concentration of MIM was 1. Based on the optimization, it is clear that the most suitable conditions of electricity production for this strain lay the foundation for the application of this strain.     

Dehydration melting of UHP eclogite and paragneiss in the Dabie orogen: Evidence from laboratory experiment to natural observation

Dehydration melting of subducted continental crust is significant during exhumation, and its study from both experimental and petrological observations is of great importance to our understanding of continental geodynamics. Dehydration melting experi- ments were carried out on ultrahigh-pressure （UHP） eclogite from Bixiling in the Dabie orogen using a piston cylinder at 1.5-3.0 GPa and 800-950℃ to investigate partial melting of eclogite induced by phengite breakdown. The phengite-bearing eclogite started to melt at T≤800-850℃ and P=1.5-2.0 GPa and produced about 3% granitic melt. The products of dehydration melting vary with temperature and pressure. Such results provide valuable constraints on the micro-texture related to partial melting of UHP rocks in the Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt. Three types of polyphase inclusions were identified in garnet from the Shuanghe UHP eclogite. K-feldspar and quartz inclusions are interpreted to represent the products of segregation and crystallization of minor amounts of melt that formed during dehydration melting of phengite by the inferred reaction Phengite＋Omphacite＋Quartz Amphibole_＋Garnet＋Melt （K-feldspar＋Quartz＋Plagioclase）. Polyphase inclusions of phengite and K-feldspar＋Quartz inclusions were also found in zoisite/clinozoisite and garnet from the Shuanghe garnet-bearing paragneiss. These polyphase inclusions pro- vide evidence for a continuous process from sub-solidus dehydration to partial melting within the UHP gneissic rocks. The com- positional variation of garnets demonstrates that breakdown of epidote-group minerals may have played a crucial role during de- hydration melting reaction of phengite. The Ti-in-zircon thermometry and Si content of phengite in zircon suggest that partial melting would occur at 783-839℃ and 2.0-2.5 GPa. Therefore, both experimental results and petrological observations indicate that dehydration melting and fluid activity within the Dabie UHP rocks at micro-scale are controlled by the breakdown of phengite.     

A novel portable transmitter with 8dBm output power for wireless communication equipments

In this paper,a portable 2.42 GHz transmitter for wireless communication systems,with 8dBm output power and small size is proposed.Several novel features exist in this transmitter.First,power consumption and output are balanced by introducing a differential oscillator with input signal controlled biasing,which acts as both a carrier generator and an OOK modulator.Then,power consumption of the transmitter is reduced by the OOK modulated signal via switching the oscillator and the power amplifier at the same time.Furthermore,the area size is also reduced by a class-AB power amplifier,which uses the PCB antenna as the resonance inductance.With these features,the total chip area is reduced to 670μm×740μm(In a 0.18μm CMOS process).     

Phytate: impact on environment and human nutrition. A challenge for molecular breeding

Phytic acid （PA） is the primary storage compound of phosphorus in seeds accounting for up to 80% of the total seed phosphorus and contributing as much as 1.5% to the seed dry weight. The negatively charged phosphate in PA strongly binds to metallic cations of Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn and Zn making them insoluble and thus unavailable as nutritional factors. Phytate mainly accumulates in protein storage vacuoles as globoids, predominantly located in the aleurone layer （wheat, barley and rice） or in the embryo （maize）. During germination, phytate is hydrolysed by endogenous phytase（s） and other phosphatases to release phosphate, inositol and micronutrients to support the emerging seedling. PA and its derivatives are also implicated in RNA export, DNA repair, signalling, endocytosis and cell vesicular trafficking. Our recent studies on purification of phytate globoids, their mineral composition and dephytinization by wheat phytase will be discussed. Biochemical data for purified and characterized phytases isolated from more than 23 plant species are presented, the dephosphorylation pathways of phytic acid by different classes of phytases are compared, and the application of phytase in food and feed is discussed.     

A preliminary study on the teratogenesis of dexamethasone and the preventive effect of vitamin B12 on murine embryonic palatal shelf fusion in vitro

Excessive dexamethasone （Dex） administrated into pregnant mice during critical periods of palatal development can produce a high incidence of cleft palate. Its mechanisms remain unknown. Vitamin B12 has been shown to antagonize the teratogenic effects of Dex, which, however, remains controversial. In this study, we investigated the effects of Dex and vitamin B12 on murine embryonic palatal shelf fusion using organ culture of murine embryonic shelves. The explanted palatal shelves on embryonic day 14 （E14） were cultured for 24, 48, 72 or 96 h in different concentrations of Dex and/or vitamin B 12. The palatal shelves were examined histologically for the morphological alterations on the medial edge epithelium （MEE） and fusion rates among different groups. It was found that the palatal shelves were not fused at 72 h or less of culture in Dex group, while they were completely fused in the control and vitamin B 12-treated groups at 72 and 96 h, respectively. The MEE still existed and proliferated. In Dex＋vitamin B12 group the palatal shelves were fused at each time point in a similar rate to controls. These results may suggest that Dex causes teratogenesis of murine embryonic palatal shelves and vitamin B12 prevents the teratogenic effect of Dex on palatogenesis on murine embryos in vitro.     

Weak interaction between CH3SO and HOCl: Hydrogen bond, chlorine bond and oxygen bond

B3lyp/6-311＋＋g＊＊ and mp2/6-311＋＋g＊＊ calculations were used to analyze the interaction between CH3SO and HOCl. Nine （complex A： S1A-S9A） and five （complex B： S4B-S7B and S10B） minima were localized on the potential energy surface of CH3SO…HOCl complexes at b3lyp/6-311＋＋g＊＊ and mp2/ 6-311＋＋g＊＊ computational levels, respectively. The AIM and NBO theories were also applied to explain the nature of the complexes. Bonding energy of complexes A and B corrected with BSSE falls in the ranges of -0.4―-41.4 kJ·mol-1 and -6.9―-35.8 kJ·mol-1 at mp2/6-311＋＋g＊＊ level, respectively. The re- sults show that a novel oxygen bond complex （S6） exists in the system, besides hydrogen bond and chlorine bond. Especially, S6B-F, S6B-Br and S7B are blue shifted complexes compared with red shifted S6A, because the electron transfer occurs between LP1（S8） and σ＊（O5-Cl7）, resulting in the increase of O5-Cl7 and the decrease of vibrational frequency. The complex of S10B has characteristics of both red shift and blue shift.     

Effects of different types of palatal lateral excisions on growth and development of maxilla and dental arch

Objective： This study aimed to explore the effects of different types of palatal lateral excisions on the growth and development of the maxilla and dental arch, and to investigate the underlying mechanisms. Methods： A total of 112 3-week-old Sprague-Dawley （SD） male rats were randomly divided into a control and 3 experimental groups： the mucoperiosteal denudation group, the mucosal flap excision group, and the periosteum excision group. In the experimental groups, bilateral mucoperiosteal, mucosal flap and periosteum were excised respectively in the lateral one half of the palate. Four rats in each group were randomly chosen for sacrifice every two weeks. The maxilla was dissected following the excision. The widths of the maxilla and dental arch were measured and the histological phenomena were investigated at different phases. At the same time, 12 animals in each group were sequentially injected with calcein every two weeks. Three animals in each group, whose fluorescent labeling was used, were sacrificed for investigating bone formation at Week 8 following injection. Results： （1） Each experimental group presented the constriction of the maxilla and dental arch. The upper first molars in the experimental groups inclined medially. The mucoperiosteal denudation group showed the largest degree of effect followed by the periosteum excision group. The indices of the mucosal flap excision group, which retained the structures of the periosteum layer, had the most approximate values to the control group; （2） Different histological changes among the experimental groups were detected. The fibers penetrated into the palatal bone as Sharpey＇s fibers in the mucoperiosteal denudation group. The pattern of bone deposition was the bundle type. Sharpey＇s fibers were not found in the mucosal flap and periosteum excision groups and the depositions of palatal bone were the lamellar type as those in the control group; （3） The rates of bone deposition in the experimental groups decreased compared with the     

Drainage after total thyroidectomy or lobectomy for benign thyroidal disorders

Objective： This prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the necessity of drainage after total thyroidectomy or lobectomy for benign thyroidal disorders. Methods： A total of 116 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy or lobectomy for benign thyroidal disorders were randomly allocated to be drained or not. Operative and postoperative outcomes including operating time, postoperative pain assessed by visual analogue scale （VAS）, total amount of intramuscular analgesic administration, hospital stay, complications, necessity for re-operation and satisfaction of patients were all assessed. Results： The mean operating time was similar between two groups （the drained and non-drained groups）. The mean VAS score was found to be significantly low in the non-drained group patients in postoperative day （POD） 0 and POD 1. The mean amount of intramuscular analgesic requirement was significantly less in the non-drained group. One case of hematoma, two cases ofseroma and three cases of transient hypoparathyroidism occurred in the non-drained group, whereas one case of hematoma, two cases of seroma, two cases of wound infections and two cases of transient hypoparathyroidism occurred in the drained group. No patient needed re-operation for any complication. The mean hospital stay was significantly shorter and the satisfaction of patients was superior in the non-drained group. Conclusion： These findings suggest that postoperative complications cannot be prevented by using drains after total thyroidectomy or lobectomy for benign thyroid disorders. Furthermore, the use of drains may increase postoperative pain and the analgesic requirement, and prolong the hospital stay. In the light of these findings, the routine use of drains might not be necessary after thyroid surgery for benign disorders.     

A polynomial smooth epsilon-support vector regression based on cubic spline interpolation

Regression analysis is often formulated as an optimization problem with squared loss functions.Facing the challenge of the selection of the proper function class with polynomial smooth techniques applied to support vector regression models,this study takes cubic spline interpolation to generate a new polynomial smooth function |x|_ε~2 in ε-insensitive support vector regression.Theoretical analysis shows that S_ε~2-function is better than p_ε~2-function in properties,and the approximation accuracy of the proposed smoothing function is two order higher than that of classical p_ε~2-function.The experimental data shows the efficiency of the new approach.