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At least 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Biomass Quality Responses to Selection for Increased Biomass Yield in Perennial Energy Grasses

Perennial grasses are candidates for biomass cropping systems that are focused on providing a wide range of ecosystem services in addition to sustainable bioenergy production. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) are two of the dominant grasses of the tallgrass prairie and both are candidates for development of multifunctional diverse production systems. Breeding programs for both species are aimed at increasing biomass yield as a mechanism of improving economic sustainability without increasing production costs. The objective of this study was to determine if long-term selection for increased biomass yield in these two species has had any adverse impacts on biomass quality, or the ability to convert biomass into bioenergy. Check cultivars and improved breeding populations of both species were evaluated for a wide range of biomass quality traits at 13 locations in the North Central and Northeastern USA, and a subset of these populations were also subjected to more intensive and detailed fermentation analyses. In general, lignin and ferulates either remained constant or decreased following selection for increased biomass yield in the various genetic pedigrees. These changes resulted in some increases in predicted ethanol production and in vitro digestibility. Here, the prediction of increased digestibility was confirmed by higher glucose release by pretreatment and deconstruction of an advanced lowland population. However, bioreactor fermentations with two different biofuel-producing microbes showed no differences in ethanol production. Overall, these studies indicated that the improved switchgrass and big bluestem populations had greater biomass yields without significantly reducing biomass quality or conversion efficiency into ethanol, suggesting that selection can achieve increases in biomass productivity while maintaining consistent biomass quality.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Epidermal growth factor receptor mediated proliferation depends on increased lipid droplet density regulated via a negative regulatory loop with FOXO3/Sirtuin6

The proliferation of colon cancer cells is mediated in part by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling and requires sustained levels of cellular energy to meet its high metabolic needs. Intracellular lipid droplets (LDs) are a source of energy used for various cellular functions and they are elevated in density in human cancer, yet their regulation and function are not well understood. Here, in human colon cancer cells, EGF stimulates increases in LD density, which depends on EGFR expression and activation as well as the individual cellular capacity for lipid synthesis. Increases in LDs are blockaded by inhibition of PI3K/mTOR and PGE2 synthesis, supporting their dependency on select upstream pathways. In colon cancer cells, silencing of the FOXO3 transcription factor leads to down regulation of SIRT6, a negative regulator of lipid synthesis, and consequent increases in the LD coat protein PLIN2, revealing that increases in LDs depend on loss of FOXO3/SIRT6. Moreover, EGF stimulates loss of FOXO3/SIRT6, which is blockaded by the inhibition of upstream pathways as well as lipid synthesis, revealing existence of a negative regulatory loop between LDs and FOXO3/SIRT6. Elevated LDs are utilized by EGF treatment and their depletion through the inhibition of lipid synthesis or silencing of PLIN2 significantly attenuates proliferation. This novel mechanism of proliferative EGFR signaling leading to elevated LD density in colon cancer cells could potentially be therapeutically targeted for the treatment of tumor progression. - Highlights: • In colon cancer cells, EGFR activation leads to increases in LD density. • EGFR signaling includes PI3K/mTOR and PGE2 leading to lipid synthesis. • Increases in LDs are controlled by a negative regulatory loop with FOXO3/SIRT6. • EGFR mediated colon cancer cell proliferation depends on increased LD density.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

IFN-γ, IL-17A, or zonulin rapidly increase the permeability of the blood-brain and small intestinal epithelial barriers: Relevance for neuro-inflammatory diseases

Highlights: • Zonulin rapidly (within 60 min) increases the permeability of the IEB and BBB in vitro. • Both IL-17A and IFN-γ enhance the permeability of the BBB and IEB within 1 h. • All three pro-inflammatory mediators rapidly modify IEB TJs, by causing mislocalization of ZO-1, claudin-5, and occludin. • Rapid TJ disassembly by all mediators was accompanied by dramatic depolymerization of the peri-junctional actin cytoskeleton. Breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) precedes lesion formation in the brains of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Since recent data implicate disruption of the small intestinal epithelial barrier (IEB) in the pathogenesis of MS, we hypothesized that the increased permeability of the BBB and IEB are mechanistically linked. Zonulin, a protein produced by small intestine epithelium, can rapidly increase small intestinal permeability. Zonulin blood levels are elevated in MS, but it is unknown whether zonulin can also disrupt the BBB. Increased production of IL-17A and IFN-γ has been implicated in the pathogenesis of MS, epilepsy, and stroke, and these cytokines impact BBB integrity after 24 h. We here report that primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells expressed the EGFR and PAR2 receptors necessary to respond to zonulin, and that zonulin increased BBB permeability to a 40 kDa dextran tracer within 1 h. Moreover, both IL-17A and IFN-γ also rapidly increased BBB and IEB permeability. By using confocal microscopy, we found that exposure of the IEB to zonulin, IFN-γ, or IL-17A in vitro rapidly modified the localization of the TJ proteins, ZO-1, claudin-5, and occludin. TJ disassembly was accompanied by marked depolymerization of the peri-junctional F-actin cytoskeleton. Our data indicate that IFN-γ, IL-17A, or zonulin can increase the permeability of the IEB and BBB rapidly in vitro, by modifying TJs and the underlying actin cytoskeleton. These observations may help clarify how the gut-brain axis mediates the pathogenesis of neuro-inflammatory diseases.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

PM10 exposure is associated with increased hospitalizations for respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis among infants in Lombardy, Italy

Highlights: • Respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis (RSV-B) might be influenced by air pollution. • PM10 was associated with RSV-B hospitalizations among infants in Lombardy, Italy. • The most relevant exposure windows were the 2 weeks preceding hospitalization. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the primary cause of acute lower respiratory infections in children, bronchiolitis in particular. Airborne particulate matter (PM) may influence the children's immune system and foster the spread of RSV infection. We aimed to verify whether PM10 exposure is associated with hospitalization due to RSV bronchiolitis. We selected hospital discharge records (HRD) with ICD-9-CM code 466.11 of infants < 1 year of age, occurring in the epidemic seasons of two years (2012–2013) in Lombardy, Italy. Cases were assigned daily PM10 and apparent temperature levels of the capital city of their residential province. Different exposure windows were considered: single days preceding hospitalization (lag 0 to 30), their average estimates (lag 0–1 to 0–30), and the four weeks preceding hospitalization (week 1 to 4). Negative binomial regression models adjusted for apparent temperature and season were applied to the daily counts of hospitalizations in each province. Results were expressed as incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) per 10 µg/m{sup 3} increase in PM10 concentration. Random effects meta-analyses of province-specific IRR were performed to obtain regional estimates. 2814 HRD met our inclusion criteria; males represented about 55% of the cases. A 6% increased risk of hospitalization (95%CI: 1.03–1.10) was found at lag 0 and an almost overlapping 7% increase at lag 1. IRR ranged from 1.03 to 1.05 between lags 2 and 11. No increased risk was observed from lag 12. When considering averaged daily lags, risk estimates gradually increased in the two weeks preceding hospitalization from 1.08 (1.04–1.12) at lag 0–1 to 1.15 (1.08–1.23) between lags 0–11 and 0–13. Analyses on weekly lags showed a risk increase of 6% (1.01–1.12) during week 1 and of 7% (1.02–1.13) during week 2. Our study found a clear association between short- and medium-term PM10 exposures and increased risk of hospitalization due to RSV bronchiolitis among infants.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Omeprazole increases the efficacy of a soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitor in a PGE{sub 2} induced pain model

Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) are potent endogenous analgesic metabolites produced from arachidonic acid by cytochrome P450s (P450s). Metabolism of EETs by soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) reduces their activity, while their stabilization by sEH inhibition decreases both inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Here, we tested the complementary hypothesis that increasing the level of EETs through induction of P450s by omeprazole (OME), can influence pain related signaling by itself, and potentiate the anti-hyperalgesic effect of sEH inhibitor. Rats were treated with OME (100 mg/kg/day, p.o., 7 days), sEH inhibitor TPPU (3 mg/kg/day, p.o.) and OME (100 mg/kg/day, p.o., 7 days) + TPPU (3 mg/kg/day, p.o., last 3 days of OME dose) dissolved in vehicle PEG400, and their effect on hyperalgesia (increased sensitivity to pain) induced by PGE{sub 2} was monitored. While OME treatment by itself exhibited variable effects on PGE{sub 2} induced hyperalgesia, it strongly potentiated the effect of TPPU in the same assay. The significant decrease in pain with OME + TPPU treatment correlated with the increased levels of EETs in plasma and increased activities of P450 1A1 and P450 1A2 in liver microsomes. The results show that reducing catabolism of EETs with a sEH inhibitor yielded a stronger analgesic effect than increasing generation of EETs by OME, and combination of both yielded the strongest pain reducing effect under the condition of this study. - Highlights: • The soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitor TPPU is anti-hyperalgesic. • Omeprazole potentiates the anti-hyperalgesic actions of TPPU. • This potentiation is associated with increased P450 activity. • The potentiation is associated with an increase in fatty acid epoxide/diol ratio. • Joint use of sEH inhibitors and P450 inducers could result in drug–drug interactions.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

Hypomethylation of inflammatory genes (COX2, EGR1, and SOCS3) and increased urinary 8-nitroguanine in arsenic-exposed newborns and children

Early-life exposure to arsenic increases risk of developing a variety of non-malignant and malignant diseases. Arsenic-induced carcinogenesis may be mediated through epigenetic mechanisms and pathways leading to inflammation. Our previous study reported that prenatal arsenic exposure leads to increased mRNA expression of several genes related to inflammation, including COX2, EGR1, and SOCS3. This study aimed to investigate the effects of arsenic exposure on promoter DNA methylation and mRNA expression of these inflammatory genes (COX2, EGR1, and SOCS3), as well as the generation of 8-nitroguanine, which is a mutagenic DNA lesion involved in inflammation-related carcinogenesis. Prenatally arsenic-exposed newborns had promoter hypomethylation of COX2, EGR1, and SOCS3 in cord blood lymphocytes (p < 0.01). A follow-up study in these prenatally arsenic-exposed children showed a significant hypomethylation of these genes in salivary DNA (p < 0.01). In vitro experiments confirmed that arsenite treatment at short-term high doses (10–100 μM) and long-term low doses (0.5–1 μM) in human lymphoblasts (RPMI 1788) caused promoter hypomethylation of these genes, which was in concordance with an increase in their mRNA expression. Additionally, the level of urinary 8-nitroguanine was significantly higher (p < 0.01) in exposed newborns and children, by 1.4- and 1.8-fold, respectively. Arsenic accumulation in toenails was negatively correlated with hypomethylation of these genes and positively correlated with levels of 8-nitroguanine. These results indicated that early-life exposure to arsenic causes hypomethylation of COX2, EGR1, and SOCS3, increases mRNA expression of these genes, and increases 8-nitroguanine formation. These effects may be linked to mechanisms of arsenic-induced inflammation and cancer development later in life. - Highlight: • Early-life arsenic exposure caused promoter hypomethylation of COX2, EGR1 and SOCS3. • Hypomethylation of these genes is associated with increased mRNA expression. • Arsenite treatment in vitro showed hypomethylation and increased mRNA expression. • Arsenic-exposed newborns and children had higher levels of urinary 8-nitroguanine. • Urinary 8-nitroguanine correlated with hypomethylation and mRNA expression.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

EGLP-1 lowers body weight better than exendin-4 by reducing food intake and increasing basal energy expenditure in diet-induced obese mice

It is well known that GLP-1 activates GLP-1R to reduce body weight by inhibiting eating. GLP-1 is cleaved by the neutral endopeptidase (NEP) 24.11 into a pentapeptide GLP-1 (32–36) amide, which increases basal energy expenditure and inhibits weight gain in obese mice. It is well known that GLP-1 analogs can reduce weight by suppressing eating. However, there are few reports of reducing weight through the dual effects of inhibiting eating and increasing basic energy. Here, we report the peptide EGLP-1, a GLP-1 analogue, which can reduce food intake and increase basal energy expenditure. In C2C12 myotubes, EGLP-1 can increase both phosphorylation of acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) and the ratio between phosphorylation of ACC and the total expression of ACC (pACC/ACC). In diet-induced obese mice, EGLP-1 is more effective than exendin-4 in reducing body weight, reducing fat mass and improving hepatic steatosis. At the same time, EGLP-1 can improve hyperglycemia, reduce food intake, and improve insulin resistance, just like exendin-4. In addition, EGLP-1, not exendin-4, can improve physiological parameters associated with lipid metabolism and increase oxygen consumption by increasing uncoupling proteins 3 (UCP3) expression and pACC/ACC ratio in skeletal muscle. Taken together, this data showed that EGLP-1 is able to reduce body weight by reducing food intake and increasing basal energy expenditure, suggesting it may be more effective in treating diabetic and non-diabetic overweight or obese people than pure GLP-1R agonist exendin-4.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Increasing Photoluminescence Quantum Yield by Nanophotonic Design of Quantum-Confined Halide Perovskite Nanowire Arrays

High-photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) is required to reach optimal performance in solar cells, lasers, and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Typically, PLQY can be increased by improving the material quality to reduce the nonradiative recombination rate. It is in principle equally effective to improve the optical design by nanostructuring a material to increase light out-coupling efficiency (OCE) and introduce quantum confinement, both of which can increase the radiative recombination rate. However, increased surface recombination typically minimizes nanostructure gains in PLQY. Here a template-guided vapor phase growth of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 (MAPbI 3 ) nanowire (NW) arrays with unprecedented control of NW diameter from the bulk (250 nm) to the quantum confined regime (5.7 nm) is demonstrated, while simultaneously providing a low surface recombination velocity of 18 cm s –1 . This enables a 56-fold increase in the internal PLQY, from 0.81% to 45.1%, and a 2.3-fold increase in OCEy to increase the external PLQY by a factor of 130, from 0.33% up to 42.6%, exclusively using nanophotonic design.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Agricultural green revolution as a driver of increasing atmospheric CO2 seasonal amplitude

The atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) record displays a prominent seasonal cycle that arises mainly from changes in vegetation growth and the corresponding CO2 uptake during the boreal spring and summer growing seasons and CO2 release during the autumn and winter seasons. The CO2 seasonal amplitude has increased over the past five decades, suggesting an increase in Northern Hemisphere biospheric activity. It has been proposed that vegetation growth may have been stimulated by higher concentrations of CO2 as well as by warming in recent decades, but such mechanisms have been unable to explain the full range and magnitude of the observed increase in CO2 seasonal amplitude. Here we suggest that the intensification of agriculture (the Green Revolution, in which much greater crop yield per unit area was achieved by hybridization, irrigation and fertilization) during the past five decades is a driver of changes in the seasonal characteristics of the global carbon cycle. Our analysis of CO2 data and atmospheric inversions shows a robust 15 per cent long-term increase in CO2 seasonal amplitude from 1961 to 2010, punctuated by large decadal and interannual variations. Using a terrestrial carbon cycle model that takes into account high-yield cultivars, fertilizer use and irrigation, we find that the long-term increase in CO2 seasonal amplitude arises from two major regions: the mid-latitude cropland between 256N and 606N and the high-latitude natural vegetation between 506N and 706 N. The long-term trend of seasonal amplitude increase is 0.311 ± 0.027 percent per year, of which sensitivity experiments attribute 45, 29 and 26 per cent to land-use change, climate variability and change, and increased productivity due to CO2 fertilization, respectively. Vegetation growth was earlier by one to two weeks, as measured by the mid-point of vegetation carbon uptake, and took up 0.5 petagrams more carbon in July, the height of the growing season, during 2001–2010 than in 1961–1970, suggesting that human land use and management contribute to seasonal changes in the CO2 exchange between the biosphere and the atmosphere.

Zeng, Ning↗
DOE OSTI2014

Light-induced V{sub oc} increase and decrease in high-efficiency amorphous silicon solar cells

High-efficiency amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells were deposited with different thicknesses of the p-type amorphous silicon carbide layer on substrates of varying roughness. We observed a light-induced open-circuit voltage (V{sub oc}) increase upon light soaking for thin p-layers, but a decrease for thick p-layers. Further, the V{sub oc} increase is enhanced with increasing substrate roughness. After correction of the p-layer thickness for the increased surface area of rough substrates, we can exclude varying the effective p-layer thickness as the cause of the substrate roughness dependence. Instead, we explain the observations by an increase of the dangling-bond density in both the p-layer—causing a V{sub oc} increase—and in the intrinsic absorber layer, causing a V{sub oc} decrease. We present a mechanism for the light-induced increase and decrease, justified by the investigation of light-induced changes of the p-layer and supported by Advanced Semiconductor Analysis simulation. We conclude that a shift of the electron quasi-Fermi level towards the conduction band is the reason for the observed V{sub oc} enhancements, and poor amorphous silicon quality on rough substrates enhances this effect.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

High-efficiency acceleration in the laser wakefield by a linearly increasing plasma density

The acceleration length and the peak energy of the electron beam are limited by the dephasing effect in the laser wakefield acceleration with uniform plasma density. Based on 2D-3V particle in cell simulations, the effects of a linearly increasing plasma density on the electron acceleration are investigated broadly. Comparing with the uniform plasma density, because of the prolongation of the acceleration length and the gradually increasing accelerating field due to the increasing plasma density, the electron beam energy is twice higher in moderate nonlinear wakefield regime. Because of the lower plasma density, the linearly increasing plasma density can also avoid the dark current caused by additional injection. At the optimal acceleration length, the electron energy can be increased from 350 MeV (uniform) to 760 MeV (linearly increasing) with the energy spread of 1.8%, the beam duration is 5 fs and the beam waist is 1.25 μm. This linearly increasing plasma density distribution can be achieved by a capillary with special gas-filled structure, and is much more suitable for experiment.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Precursor Reaction Method With High Ga Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)$_{2}$ to Achieve Increased Open-Circuit Voltage

The precursor reaction process for the fabrication of Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 solar cells potentially allows for low-cost fabrication and scalable processing for manufacturing. Additionally, this process has yielded record efficiencies in lab-scale experiments. Thus far, research on the precursor reaction method has been restricted to relatively low Ga compositions with Ga/(In+Ga) ≈ 25%. By increasing the ratio of Ga, it is possible to increase the bandgap, and thus, increase the open-circuit voltage. This work develops and characterizes the precursor reaction process for use with Ga/(In+Ga) ≈ 50%, with the goal of improving the open-circuit voltage and efficiency. It is shown that with an increased Ga ratio, increased V ∞ is achieved, but the rate of conversion from the precursor to absorber phases is decreased. Additionally, increased Ga improves the film adhesion at increased selenization temperatures as well as improving the film morphology.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Wildfire‐induced increases in photosynthesis in boreal forest ecosystems of North America

Abstract Observations of the annual cycle of atmospheric CO 2 in high northern latitudes provide evidence for an increase in terrestrial metabolism in Arctic tundra and boreal forest ecosystems. However, the mechanisms driving these changes are not yet fully understood. One proposed hypothesis is that ecological change from disturbance, such as wildfire, could increase the magnitude and change the phase of net ecosystem exchange through shifts in plant community composition. Yet, little quantitative work has evaluated this potential mechanism at a regional scale. Here we investigate how fire disturbance influences landscape‐level patterns of photosynthesis across western boreal North America. We use Alaska and Canadian large fire databases to identify the perimeters of wildfires, a Landsat‐derived land cover time series to characterize plant functional types (PFTs), and solar‐induced fluorescence (SIF) from the Orbiting Carbon Observatory‐2 (OCO‐2) as a proxy for photosynthesis. We analyze these datasets to characterize post‐fire changes in plant succession and photosynthetic activity using a space‐for‐time approach. We find that increases in herbaceous and sparse vegetation, shrub, and deciduous broadleaf forest PFTs during mid‐succession yield enhancements in SIF by 8–40% during June and July for 2‐ to 59‐year stands relative to pre‐fire controls. From the analysis of post‐fire land cover changes within individual ecoregions and modeling, we identify two mechanisms by which fires contribute to long‐term trends in SIF. First, increases in annual burning are shifting the stand age distribution, leading to increases in the abundance of shrubs and deciduous broadleaf forests that have considerably higher SIF during early‐ and mid‐summer. Second, fire appears to facilitate a long‐term shift from evergreen conifer to broadleaf deciduous forest in the Boreal Plain ecoregion. These findings suggest that increasing fire can contribute substantially to positive trends in seasonal CO 2 exchange without a close coupling to long‐term increases in carbon storage.

Biodiversity & Conservation↗
DOE OSTI2020

Integrating the evidence for a terrestrial carbon sink caused by increasing atmospheric CO 2

Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO 2 ]) is increasing, which increases leaf-scale photosynthesis and intrinsic water-use efficiency. These direct responses have the potential to increase plant growth, vegetation biomass, and soil organic matter; transferring carbon from the atmosphere into terrestrial ecosystems (a carbon sink). A substantial global terrestrial carbon sink would slow the rate of [CO 2 ] increase and thus climate change. However, ecosystem CO 2 -responses are complex or confounded by concurrent changes in multiple agents of global change and evidence for a [CO 2 ]-driven terrestrial carbon sink can appear contradictory. In this work, we synthesise theory and broad, multi-disciplinary evidence for the effects of increasing [CO 2 ] (iCO 2 ) on the global terrestrial carbon sink. Evidence suggests a substantial increase in global photosynthesis since pre-industry. Established theory, supported by experiments, indicates that iCO 2 is likely responsible for about half of the increase. Global carbon budgeting, atmospheric data, and forest inventories indicate a historical carbon sink, and these apparent iCO 2 -responses are high in comparison with experiments and theory. Plant mortality and soil carbon iCO 2 -responses are highly uncertain. In conclusion, a range of evidence supports a positive terrestrial carbon sink in response to iCO 2 , albeit with uncertain magnitude and strong suggestion of a role for additional agents of global change.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Increasing Revenue of Nuclear Power Plants With Thermal Storage

Introducing large amounts of electricity produced from variable renewable energy sources such as wind and solar decreases wholesale electricity price while increasing the volatility of the market. These conditions drive the need for peak-load power generation, while regulation requirements fuel the push for flexible power generation. The increase of variable renewable energy in the market share, along with falling natural gas prices, makes nuclear power plants less competitive. Thermal storage is being considered to increase the nuclear power plant revenue. Thermal storage increases the flexibility of the nuclear plant system without sacrificing its efficiency. There are multiple opportunities to increase the nuclear power plant revenue, including increased capacity payments, arbitrage, and ancillary services. An economic analysis was performed to investigate the revenue increase of the system with thermal storage. The investment cost was assessed, and net present value was evaluated for the considered scenarios. Two system designs were considered in the analysis: a thermal storage system using the existing power conversion infrastructure and an integrated design with thermal storage fully incorporated into the reactor system design. The preliminary analysis showed that introducing a thermal storage system is profitable for some scenarios considered. Profitability depends significantly on the storage size, output flexibility, share of variable renewable energy, and market characteristics.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Toward an understanding of the increase in enzymatic hydrolysis by mechanical refining

Mechanical refining is a low-capital and well-established technology used in pulp and paper industry to improve fiber bonding for product strength. Refining can also be applied in a biorefinery context to overcome the recalcitrance of pretreated biomass by opening up the biomass structure and modifying substrate properties (e.g., morphology, particle size, porosity, crystallinity), which increases enzyme accessibility to substrate and improves carbohydrate conversion. Although several characterization methods have been used to identify the changes in substrate properties, there is no systematic approach to evaluate the extent of fiber cell wall disruption and what physical properties can explain the improvement in enzymatic digestibility when pretreated lignocellulosic biomass is mechanically refined. This is because the fiber cell wall is complex across multiple scales, including the molecular scale, nano- and meso-scale (microfibril), and microscale (tissue level). A combination of advanced characterization tools is used in this study to better understand the effect of mechanical refining on the meso-scale microfibril assembly and the relationship between those meso-scale modifications and enzymatic hydrolysis. Enzymatic conversion of autohydrolysis sugarcane bagasse was improved from 69.6 to 77.2% (11% relative increase) after applying mechanical refining and an increase in enzymatic digestibility is observed with an increase in refining intensity. Based on a combination of advanced characterizations employed in this study, it was found that the refining action caused fiber size reduction, internal delamination, and increase in pores and swellability. A higher level of delamination and higher increase in porosity, analyzed by TEM and DSC, were clearly demonstrated, which explain the faster digestibility rate during the first 72 h of enzymatic hydrolysis for disc-refined samples when compared to the PFI-refined samples. Additionally, an increased inter-fibrillar distance between cellulose microfibrils at the nano-meso-scale was also revealed by SFG analysis, while no evidence was found for a change in crystalline structure by XRD and solid-state NMR analysis.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Increased Arctic NO3− Availability as a Hydrogeomorphic Consequence of Permafrost Degradation and Landscape Drying

Climate-driven permafrost thaw alters the strongly coupled carbon and nitrogen cycles within the Arctic tundra, influencing the availability of limiting nutrients including nitrate (NO3−). Researchers have identified two primary mechanisms that increase nitrogen and NO3− availability within permafrost soils: (1) the ‘frozen feast’, where previously frozen organic material becomes available as it thaws, and (2) ‘shrubification’, where expansion of nitrogen-fixing shrubs promotes increased soil nitrogen. Through the synthesis of original and previously published observational data, and the application of multiple geospatial approaches, this study investigates and highlights a third mechanism that increases NO3− availability: the hydrogeomorphic evolution of polygonal permafrost landscapes. Permafrost thaw drives changes in microtopography, increasing the drainage of topographic highs, thus increasing oxic conditions that promote NO3− production and accumulation. We extrapolate relationships between NO3− and soil moisture in elevated topographic features within our study area and the broader Alaskan Coastal Plain and investigate potential changes in NO3− availability in response to possible hydrogeomorphic evolution scenarios of permafrost landscapes. These approximations indicate that such changes could increase Arctic tundra NO3− availability by ~250–1000%. Thus, hydrogeomorphic changes that accompany continued permafrost degradation in polygonal permafrost landscapes will substantially increase soil pore water NO3− availability and boost future fertilization and productivity in the Arctic.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1944

Use of Internal Coolant as a Means of Permitting Increase in Engine Take-Off Power

Engine tests, together with estimates made at Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, indicate that a 25-percent increase in take-off power can be obtained with present-day aircraft engines without increasing either the knock limit of the fuel or the external cooling requirements of the engine. This increase in power with present fuels and present external cooling is made possible through the use of an internal coolant inducted through the inlet manifold. Estimates on aircraft indicate that this 25-percent increase in power will permit an approximate usable increase of 8.5 percent in the take-off load of existing military airplanes. This increase in load is equivalent to an increase in the weight of gasoline normally carried of between 30 and 65 percent.

FUELS, ANTIKNOCK↗