The Expression of Recombinant Proteins in Crop Plants

1995 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 207-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Kilpatrick ◽  
Bill Cockburn ◽  
Garry Whitelam
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Pathways ◽  
High Specificity ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Plant Phenotype ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
New Applications

Antibodies, produced in and extracted from immunized animals, have enjoyed a wide range of uses as vaccines and therapeutic agents. Because of their high specificity and ability to bind tightly to antigens there are almost limitless potential applications for their exploitation, and therapeutic antibodies alone are worth $1000m a year. Two factors currently limit their use: concern over the use of laboratory animals, and the small scale of production possible by this route. However, it is now possible to produce and extract fully functional recombinant antibodies from plants, and new applications may be envisaged in human healthcare products and industrial scale purification processes. The plant phenotype may also be modified to produce antibodies bringing about resistance to plant pests and diseases, modification of metabolic pathways, or bioremediation of pollutants or polluted land.

Extending the Applicability of the ANI Deep Learning Molecular Potential to Sulfur and Halogens

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Devereux ◽  
Justin Smith ◽  
Kate Davis ◽  
Kipton Barros ◽  
Roman Zubatyuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Development ◽  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Potential Energy Surfaces ◽  
Organic Molecules ◽  
Chemical Elements ◽  
Molecular Potential ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Energy Surfaces ◽  
New Applications ◽  
Physical Phenomena

<p>Machine learning (ML) methods have become powerful, predictive tools in a wide range of applications, such as facial recognition and autonomous vehicles. In the sciences, computational chemists and physicists have been using ML for the prediction of physical phenomena, such as atomistic potential energy surfaces and reaction pathways. Transferable ML potentials, such as ANI-1x, have been developed with the goal of accurately simulating organic molecules containing the chemical elements H, C, N, and O. Here we provide an extension of the ANI-1x model. The new model, dubbed ANI-2x, is trained to three additional chemical elements: S, F, and Cl. Additionally, ANI-2x underwent torsional refinement training to better predict molecular torsion profiles. These new features open a wide range of new applications within organic chemistry and drug development. These seven elements (H, C, N, O, F, Cl, S) make up ~90% of drug like molecules. To show that these additions do not sacrifice accuracy, we have tested this model across a range of organic molecules and applications, including the COMP6 benchmark, dihedral rotations, conformer scoring, and non-bonded interactions. ANI-2x is shown to accurately predict molecular energies compared to DFT with a ~10<sup>6</sup> factor speedup and a negligible slowdown compared to ANI-1x. The resulting model is a valuable tool for drug development that can potentially replace both quantum calculations and classical force fields for myriad applications.</p>

Integrated Design and Multi-Objective Optimization of a Single Stage Heat-Pump Turbocompressor

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Schiffmann
Keyword(s):  
Design Optimization ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Integrated Design ◽  
Heat Pumps ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Multi Objective Optimization ◽  
Design Constraints ◽  
Multi Objective ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Standard Design

Small scale turbomachines in domestic heat pumps reach high efficiency and provide oil-free solutions which improve heat-exchanger performance and offer major advantages in the design of advanced thermodynamic cycles. An appropriate turbocompressor for domestic air based heat pumps requires the ability to operate on a wide range of inlet pressure, pressure ratios and mass flows, confronting the designer with the necessity to compromise between range and efficiency. Further the design of small-scale direct driven turbomachines is a complex and interdisciplinary task. Textbook design procedures propose to split such systems into subcomponents and to design and optimize each element individually. This common procedure, however, tends to neglect the interactions between the different components leading to suboptimal solutions. The authors propose an approach based on the integrated philosophy for designing and optimizing gas bearing supported, direct driven turbocompressors for applications with challenging requirements with regards to operation range and efficiency. Using previously validated reduced order models for the different components an integrated model of the compressor is implemented and the optimum system found via multi-objective optimization. It is shown that compared to standard design procedure the integrated approach yields an increase of the seasonal compressor efficiency of more than 12 points. Further a design optimization based sensitivity analysis allows to investigate the influence of design constraints determined prior to optimization such as impeller surface roughness, rotor material and impeller force. A relaxation of these constrains yields additional room for improvement. Reduced impeller force improves efficiency due to a smaller thrust bearing mainly, whereas a lighter rotor material improves rotordynamic performance. A hydraulically smoother impeller surface improves the overall efficiency considerably by reducing aerodynamic losses. A combination of the relaxation of the 3 design constraints yields an additional improvement of 6 points compared to the original optimization process. The integrated design and optimization procedure implemented in the case of a complex design problem thus clearly shows its advantages compared to traditional design methods by allowing a truly exhaustive search for optimum solutions throughout the complete design space. It can be used for both design optimization and for design analysis.

scholarly journals A Slot-Die Technique for the Preparation of Continuous, High-Area, Chitosan-Based Thin Films

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 1566
Author(s):  
Oliver J. Pemble ◽  
Maria Bardosova ◽  
Ian M. Povey ◽  
Martyn E. Pemble
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
High Volume ◽  
Mechanical Anisotropy ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Direction Parallel ◽  
High Area ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Slot Die ◽  
Potential Applications

Chitosan-based films have a diverse range of potential applications but are currently limited in terms of commercial use due to a lack of methods specifically designed to produce thin films in high volumes. To address this limitation directly, hydrogels prepared from chitosan, chitosan-tetraethoxy silane, also known as tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and chitosan-glutaraldehyde have been used to prepare continuous thin films using a slot-die technique which is described in detail. By way of preliminary analysis of the resulting films for comparison purposes with films made by other methods, the mechanical strength of the films produced was assessed. It was found that as expected, the hybrid films made with TEOS and glutaraldehyde both show a higher yield strength than the films made with chitosan alone. In all cases, the mechanical properties of the films were found to compare very favorably with similar measurements reported in the literature. In order to assess the possible influence of the direction in which the hydrogel passes through the slot-die on the mechanical properties of the films, testing was performed on plain chitosan samples cut in a direction parallel to the direction of travel and perpendicular to this direction. It was found that there was no evidence of any mechanical anisotropy induced by the slot die process. The examples presented here serve to illustrate how the slot-die approach may be used to create high-volume, high-area chitosan-based films cheaply and rapidly. It is suggested that an approach of the type described here may facilitate the use of chitosan-based films for a wide range of important applications.

scholarly journals Health Benefits of Uses and Applications of Moringa oleifera in Bakery Products

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 318
Author(s):  
Paula García Milla ◽  
Rocío Peñalver ◽  
Gema Nieto
Keyword(s):  
Moringa Oleifera ◽  
Essential Amino Acids ◽  
Bakery Products ◽  
Unani Medicine ◽  
Functional Value ◽  
Organoleptic Characteristics ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Medicinal Properties ◽  
Excellent Source

Moringa oleifera belongs to the Moringaceae family and is the best known of the native Moringa oleifera genus. For centuries, it has been used as a system of Ayurvedic and Unani medicine and has a wide range of nutritional and bioactive compounds, including proteins, essential amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, fibre, vitamins, minerals, phenolic compounds, phytosterols and others. These characteristics allow it to have pharmacological properties, including anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, antioxidant, cardioprotective, antimicrobial and hepatoprotective properties. The entire Moringa oleifera plant is edible, including its flowers, however, it is not entirely safe, because of compounds that have been found mainly in the root and bark, so the leaf was identified as the safest. Moringa oleifera is recognised as an excellent source of phytochemicals, with potential applications in functional and medicinal food preparations due to its nutritional and medicinal properties; many authors have experimented with incorporating it mainly in biscuits, cakes, brownies, meats, juices and sandwiches. The results are fascinating, as the products increase their nutritional value; however, the concentrations cannot be high, as this affects the organoleptic characteristics of the supplemented products. The aim of this study is to review the application of Moringa oleifera in bakery products, which will allow the creation of new products that improve their nutritional and functional value.

scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody and neutralization assays reveal the wide range of the humoral immune response to virus

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikail Dogan ◽  
Lina Kozhaya ◽  
Lindsey Placek ◽  
Courtney Gunter ◽  
Mesut Yigit ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Specific Antibody ◽  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
High Specificity ◽  
Spike Protein ◽  
Humoral Immune ◽  
Specificity And Sensitivity ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Specific Igg ◽  
Negative Controls

AbstractDevelopment of antibody protection during SARS-CoV-2 infection is a pressing question for public health and for vaccine development. We developed highly sensitive SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody and neutralization assays. SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein or Nucleocapsid protein specific IgG antibodies at titers more than 1:100,000 were detectable in all PCR+ subjects (n = 115) and were absent in the negative controls. Other isotype antibodies (IgA, IgG1-4) were also detected. SARS-CoV-2 neutralization was determined in COVID-19 and convalescent plasma at up to 10,000-fold dilution, using Spike protein pseudotyped lentiviruses, which were also blocked by neutralizing antibodies (NAbs). Hospitalized patients had up to 3000-fold higher antibody and neutralization titers compared to outpatients or convalescent plasma donors. Interestingly, some COVID-19 patients also possessed NAbs against SARS-CoV Spike protein pseudovirus. Together these results demonstrate the high specificity and sensitivity of our assays, which may impact understanding the quality or duration of the antibody response during COVID-19 and in determining the effectiveness of potential vaccines.

scholarly journals Review of Functional Treatments for Modified Wood

Coatings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 327
Author(s):  
Morwenna J. Spear ◽  
Simon F. Curling ◽  
Athanasios Dimitriou ◽  
Graham A. Ormondroyd
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Wood Modification ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Natural Wood ◽  
Impregnation Modification ◽  
New Applications ◽  
New Generation ◽  
Dimensional Instability ◽  
Modified Wood

Wood modification is now widely recognized as offering enhanced properties of wood and overcoming issues such as dimensional instability and biodegradability which affect natural wood. Typical wood modification systems use chemical modification, impregnation modification or thermal modification, and these vary in the properties achieved. As control and understanding of the wood modification systems has progressed, further opportunities have arisen to add extra functionalities to the modified wood. These include UV stabilisation, fire retardancy, or enhanced suitability for paints and coatings. Thus, wood may become a multi-functional material through a series of modifications, treatments or reactions, to create a high-performance material with previously impossible properties. In this paper we review systems that combine the well-established wood modification procedures with secondary techniques or modifications to deliver emerging technologies with multi-functionality. The new applications targeted using this additional functionality are diverse and range from increased electrical conductivity, creation of sensors or responsive materials, improvement of wellbeing in the built environment, and enhanced fire and flame protection. We identified two parallel and connected themes: (1) the functionalisation of modified timber and (2) the modification of timber to provide (multi)-functionality. A wide range of nanotechnology concepts have been harnessed by this new generation of wood modifications and wood treatments. As this field is rapidly expanding, we also include within the review trends from current research in order to gauge the state of the art, and likely direction of travel of the industry.

scholarly journals A broadbanded pressure differential wave energy converter based on dielectric elastomer generators

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Righi ◽  
Giacomo Moretti ◽  
David Forehand ◽  
Lorenzo Agostini ◽  
Rocco Vertechy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
Large Deformations ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Wave Energy Converter ◽  
Pressure Differential ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Energy Converter ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Waves

AbstractDielectric elastomer generators (DEGs) are a promising option for the implementation of affordable and reliable sea wave energy converters (WECs), as they show considerable promise in replacing expensive and inefficient power take-off systems with cheap direct-drive generators. This paper introduces a concept of a pressure differential wave energy converter, equipped with a DEG power take-off operating in direct contact with sea water. The device consists of a closed submerged air chamber, with a fluid-directing duct and a deformable DEG power take-off mounted on its top surface. The DEG is cyclically deformed by wave-induced pressure, thus acting both as the power take-off and as a deformable interface with the waves. This layout allows the partial balancing of the stiffness due to the DEG’s elasticity with the negative hydrostatic stiffness contribution associated with the displacement of the water column on top of the DEG. This feature makes it possible to design devices in which the DEG exhibits large deformations over a wide range of excitation frequencies, potentially achieving large power capture in a wide range of sea states. We propose a modelling approach for the system that relies on potential-flow theory and electroelasticity theory. This model makes it possible to predict the system dynamic response in different operational conditions and it is computationally efficient to perform iterative and repeated simulations, which are required at the design stage of a new WEC. We performed tests on a small-scale prototype in a wave tank with the aim of investigating the fluid–structure interaction between the DEG membrane and the waves in dynamical conditions and validating the numerical model. The experimental results proved that the device exhibits large deformations of the DEG power take-off over a broad range of monochromatic and panchromatic sea states. The proposed model demonstrates good agreement with the experimental data, hence proving its suitability and effectiveness as a design and prediction tool.

scholarly journals Sporulation in solventogenic and acetogenic clostridia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mamou Diallo ◽  
Servé W. M. Kengen ◽  
Ana M. López-Contreras
Keyword(s):  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Carbon Sources ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Biotechnological Production ◽  
Key Points ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Sporulation Initiation ◽  
Solventogenic Clostridia

AbstractThe Clostridium genus harbors compelling organisms for biotechnological production processes; while acetogenic clostridia can fix C1-compounds to produce acetate and ethanol, solventogenic clostridia can utilize a wide range of carbon sources to produce commercially valuable carboxylic acids, alcohols, and ketones by fermentation. Despite their potential, the conversion by these bacteria of carbohydrates or C1 compounds to alcohols is not cost-effective enough to result in economically viable processes. Engineering solventogenic clostridia by impairing sporulation is one of the investigated approaches to improve solvent productivity. Sporulation is a cell differentiation process triggered in bacteria in response to exposure to environmental stressors. The generated spores are metabolically inactive but resistant to harsh conditions (UV, chemicals, heat, oxygen). In Firmicutes, sporulation has been mainly studied in bacilli and pathogenic clostridia, and our knowledge of sporulation in solvent-producing or acetogenic clostridia is limited. Still, sporulation is an integral part of the cellular physiology of clostridia; thus, understanding the regulation of sporulation and its connection to solvent production may give clues to improve the performance of solventogenic clostridia. This review aims to provide an overview of the triggers, characteristics, and regulatory mechanism of sporulation in solventogenic clostridia. Those are further compared to the current knowledge on sporulation in the industrially relevant acetogenic clostridia. Finally, the potential applications of spores for process improvement are discussed.Key Points• The regulatory network governing sporulation initiation varies in solventogenic clostridia.• Media composition and cell density are the main triggers of sporulation.• Spores can be used to improve the fermentation process.

scholarly journals A Threat of Farmers’ Suicide and the Opportunity in Organic Farming for Sustainable Agricultural Development in India

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karthikeyan Mariappan ◽  
Deyi Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Input Cost

Agriculture is the main sources of income for humans. Likewise, agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy. In India, Tamil Nadu regional state has a wide range of possibilities to produce all varieties of organic products due to its diverse agro-climatic condition. This research aimed to identify the economics and efficiency of organic farming, and the possibilities to reduce farmers’ suicides in the Tamil Nadu region through the organic agriculture concept. The emphasis was on farmers, producers, researchers, and marketers entering the sustainable economy through organic farming by reducing input cost and high profit in cultivation. A survey was conducted to gather data. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) has been used to test the hypothesis regards the cost and profit of rice production. The results showed that there was a significant difference in profitability between organic and conventional farming methods. It is very transparent that organic farming is the leading concept of sustainable agricultural development with better organic manures that can improve soil fertility, better yield, less input cost and better return than conventional farming. The study suggests that by reducing the cost of cultivation and get a marginal return through organic farming method to poor and small scale farmers will reduce socio-economic problems such as farmers’ suicides in the future of Indian agriculture.

scholarly journals Click Chemistry Enabling Covalent and Non-Covalent Modifications of Graphene with (Poly)saccharides

Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 142
Author(s):  
Hu Li ◽  
Raffaello Papadakis
Keyword(s):  
Click Chemistry ◽  
Life Science ◽  
Environmental Applications ◽  
Energy Materials ◽  
Sensors And Actuators ◽  
Polar Solvents ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Covalent Modifications

Graphene is a material with outstanding properties and numerous potential applications in a wide range of research and technology areas, spanning from electronics, energy materials, sensors, and actuators to life-science and many more. However, the insolubility and poor dispersibility of graphene are two major problems hampering its use in certain applications. Tethering mono-, di-, or even poly-saccharides on graphene through click-chemistry is gaining more and more attention as a key modification approach leading to new graphene-based materials (GBM) with improved hydrophilicity and substantial dispersibility in polar solvents, e.g., water. The attachment of (poly)saccharides on graphene further renders the final GBMs biocompatible and could open new routes to novel biomedical and environmental applications. In this review, recent modifications of graphene and other carbon rich materials (CRMs) through click chemistry are reviewed.

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