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Sequential electron beam-steam explosion (EB-SE) pretreatment was applied to hardwood (Birch) and softwood (Pine) substrates in an effort to enhance their enzymatic saccharification. The effect of these two pretreatments on the structure and composition of the individual cell wall components was examined. The combination of these treatments showed a synergistic effect on the conversion of hemicelluloses into water soluble oligomers, and enhanced the overall enzymatic saccharification of wood substrates. Even after the combined pretreatment Pine was more recalcitrant than Birch, which was attributed to differences in the lignin. Model systems created from cellulose and isolated high molecular weight (HMW) lignin fractions were found to inhibit enzymatic conversion of cellulose by 20% over a control. This inhibition is likely related to the unproductive binding of the cellulose enzymes to the HMW lignin. Additionally, the presence of the HMW lignin reduces the swelling capacity of the wood substrate, and thus its accessibility to enzymes. Conversely, low molecular weight lignin fragments were found to be slightly beneficial for enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose substrates. These results provide insight to the complex interactions between lignin and cellulase enzymes, and highlight the need for pretreatment processes that can effectively cleave lignin into oligomeric fragments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of native wood components by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) is challenging. Isolation, derivatization and solubilization of wood polymers is required prior to the analysis. The present approach allowed the determination of molecular weight distributions of the carbohydrates and of lignin in native and processed woods, without preparative component isolation steps. For the first time a component selective SEC analysis of sawdust preparations was made possible by the combination of two selective derivatization methods, namely; ionic liquid assisted benzoylation of the carbohydrate fraction and acetobromination of the lignin in acetic acid media. These were optimized for wood samples. The developed method was thus used to examine changes in softwood samples after degradative mechanical and/or chemical treatments, such as ball milling, steam explosion, green liquor pulping, and chemical oxidation with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ). The methodology can also be applied to examine changes in molecular weight and lignin-carbohydrate linkages that occur during wood-based biorefinery operations, such as pretreatments, and enzymatic saccharification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinine, chloroquine and mefloquine are commonly used to treat malaria, however, with associated gastrointestinal (GI) side-effects. These drugs act as antagonists at recombinant 5-HT3 receptors and modulate gut peristalsis. These gastrointestinal side effects may be the result of antagonism at intestinal 5-HT3 receptors. Ileum from male C57BL/6 mice and guinea pigs was mounted longitudinally in organ baths. The concentration--response curves for 5-HT and the selective 5-HT3 agonist 2-Me-5-HT were obtained with 5-HT (pEC50=7.57±0.33, 12) more potent (P=0.004) than 2-Me-5-HT (pEC50=5.45±0.58, n=5) in mouse ileum. There was no difference in potency of 5-HT (pEC50=5.42±0.15, n=8) and 2-Me-5-HT (pIC50=5.01±0.55, n=11) in guinea pig ileum (P>0.05). Quinine, chloroquine or mefloquine was applied for 10 min and inhibitions prior to submaximal agonist application. In mouse ileum, quinine, chloroquine and mefloquine antagonised 5-HT-induced contractions (pIC50=4.9±0.17, n=7; 4.76±0.14, n=5; 6.21±0.2, n=4, correspondingly) with mefloquine most potent (P<0.05). Quinine, chloroquine and mefloquine antagonised 2-me-5-HT-induced contractions (pIC50=6.35±0.11, n=8; 4.64±0.2, n=7; 5.11±0.22, n=6, correspondingly) with quinine most potent (P<0.05). In guinea-pig ileum, quinine, chloroquine and mefloquine antagonised 5-HT-induced contractions (pIC50=5.02±0.15, n=6; 4.54±0.1, n=7; 5.32±0.13, n=5) and 2-me-5-HT-induced contractions (pIC50=4.62±0.25, n=5; 4.56±0.14, n=6; 5.67±0.12, n=4) with chloroquine least potent against 5-HT and mefloquine most potent against 2-me-5-HT (P<0.05). These results support previous studies identifying anti-malarial drugs as antagonists at recombinant 5-HT3 receptors and may also demonstrate the ability of these drugs to influence native 5-HT3 receptor-evoked contractile responses which may account for their associated GI side-effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The brain is a complex neural network with interleaving functional connectivity among anatomical regions. However, current functional parcellation algorithms usually emphasize independence or orthogonality between the spatial components, with the interleaving nature underrepresented. This study investigates a method, Connected Iterative Scan (CIS), for identifying functionally overlapped anatomical groups with resting state fMRI. CIS iteratively optimizes a grouping of vertexes in a weighted graph, using a density metric computed based on the input and output weights of a candidate cluster. In this study, CIS is able to detect the overlapped clusters in a simulated dataset. CIS also detects that the default mode network and the task positive network, which were known as two anti-correlated networks, are overlapped at the posterior cingulate cortex and the lateral parietal cortex. CIS also detects the conventional functional clusters in the whole brain neural network (e.g., the visual cluster, the motor cluster, the frontal cluster, etc.), as well as meaningful overlaps, and also revealed the possible existence of an emotional memory functional cluster. CIS was able to identify several hub regions actively participating in many clusters. With the ability to reveal overlapping functional clusters, CIS is potentially useful in revealing the delicate architecture of the brain neural network. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The chemical composition of a variety of agricultural biomass samples was analyzed with near infrared spectroscopy and pyrolysis molecular beam mass spectroscopy. These samples were selected from a wide array of agricultural residue samples and included residues that had been subjected to a variety of different treatments including solvent extractions and chemical modifications. This analysis showed that both spectroscopic tools, coupled with multivariate analytical techniques, could be used to differentiate the samples and accurately predict the chemical composition of this disparate set of agricultural biomass samples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric disorders. Typical medications used to treat patients are benzodiazepines or antidepressants that target serotonin (5-HT) activity. The ionotropic 5-HT3 receptor has emerged as a potential therapeutic target because selective antagonist compounds reduce anxiety in rodents, primates, and humans. 5-HT binds to the extracellular N-terminus of the 5-HT3A receptor subunit, but receptor activation is also enhanced by distinct allosteric sites. It is not known if specific molecular subunits of the 5-HT3 receptor modulate anxiety. To address this issue, we characterized anxiety-like behavior of mice with a targeted deletion of the 5-HT3A receptor subunit gene in the light/dark box, elevated plus maze, and novelty interaction animal models of anxiety. 5-HT3A null mice exhibited an anxiolytic behavioral phenotype that was highly correlated across behavioral measures. This evidence indicates that the 5-HT3A molecular subunit influences anxiety-like behavior. Pharmacotherapy that targets specifically the 5-HT3A receptor subunit may provide a novel treatment for anxiety disorders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Serotonin-3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonists have been shown to attenuate drug-induced increases in mesolimbic dopamine (DA), locomotor activation, and drug self-administration. In the present study, we tested whether the selective 5-HT3 antagonist Y-25130 would attenuate cocaine-induced lowering of intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) reward thresholds. Rats (n=6) were surgically prepared with bipolar stimulation electrodes and trained to self-administer electrical stimulation delivered to the medial forebrain bundle-lateral hypothalamus (MFB-LH). A discrete-trial, rate-free threshold determination procedure was used to detect pharmacologically induced changes from baseline reward thresholds. Four doses of Y-25130 (0.0, 0.03, 0.3, and 3.0 mg/kg ip) were given alone and in combination with cocaine (4.0 mg/kg ip). Y-25130 did not significantly alter reward thresholds or response latencies when given alone as compared to baseline measures. While there were no significant effects at lower doses, the middle and highest doses of Y-25130 (0.3 and 3.0 mg/kg) did attenuate the threshold-lowering effect of cocaine. These findings suggest that the rewarding effects of cocaine are mediated through 5-HT3 receptor activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Barks from four common Mediterranean trees subjected to phenolysis under acidic conditions at moderate temperature (130°C or 150°C) were evaluated with pyrolysis-molecular beam mass spectrometer (py-MBMS). The results indicated that both concentration of acid catalyst and the phenolysis temperature have an impact on the chemical composition of both the isolated oils and the solid residue, with the acid concentration having the greatest influence. The primary phenolysis reaction products included phenolics and furans. As expected, at higher acid concentrations the phenolysis products contained less carbohydrate and included more phenolic fragments. These phenolysis oils should be useful as feedstocks for the production of phenol formaldehyde resins. The py-MBMS method was found to be an effective and convenient method to understand bark phenolysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Functionally equivalent mass timber building designs created larger economic impacts than traditional concrete construction methods. • Mass timber economic impacts are maximized when cross laminated timber is produced locally. • Economic impact results vary by the extent of local material sourcing and product price. Pacific Northwest policy makers are excited about the emergence of mass timber into U.S. construction markets as the product potentially creates local manufacturing jobs while utilizing Douglas fir growing sustainably in the region. This study assessed regional economic impacts generated by mass timber high-rise construction in Oregon. Economic impact estimates were derived using a regionally specific input-output model combined with analysis-by-parts methodology. Financial data from Portland's 12-story Framework building, estimated using RSMeans software, provided purchasing information. The study's economic model made use of regionally specific socioeconomic data from the American Community Survey to determine how economic impacts translated into increased earnings for study area residents. Because building with mass timber represented product substitution over traditional construction practices, this study assessed regional impacts of mass timber construction alongside the opportunity costs associated with a concrete frame alternative. Net impact assessment results indicated that construction of the 12-story building using a mass timber design generated larger economic impacts than traditional concrete frame construction and generated additional earnings for households of all income levels. Panels must be produced locally to realize the full economic benefits of mass timber construction as importing panels from outside the state creates economic leakage that reduces economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental full-cost accounting (FCA) is a novel analytical framework that describes ecological and human health impacts of products and processes using financial measures. These impacts are generally considered to be external to the cost of the product, and are not traditionally reflected in the sales price of the product or service. FCA methodology provides a novel framework to analyze product alternatives from an inclusive perspective considering economic, societal, and environmental impacts. In this work, researchers use the FCA methodology to compare a series of chemically treated wooden and concrete railroad crossties. For all products analyzed in the study, production of the treatment chemicals and the crosstie, use, and disposal stages were included along with mass of emissions, and associated health and environment costs. This FCA allows for a comparison of alternatives products and insight into the implications of final disposal. Two alternative end of life (EOL) scenarios were explored, e.g., energy recovery where the chemically treated wood is burned for energy production, and disposal in a landfill. This work shows that the EOL scenario for treated crossties play a dominate role when defining environmental and social costs. This contrasts with concrete crossties, where the production stage is the main contributor. Wood treatment utilizing copper-chrome-arsenic (CCA) represents a worst case EOL scenario due to high costs associated with atmospheric emissions of arsenic and CO 2. Finally, depending on how biogenic CO 2 is treated, concrete or furfuryl alcohol treated wood had the lowest environmental price. • Full-cost accounting (FCA) and Life Cycle Inventory techniques are combined to establish a single measure of product's environmental cost. • The environmental impacts of wooden railroad ties are heavily influenced by product disposal. • When wooden railroad ties are burned for energy recovery at their end of life, CO 2 and arsenic emissions are the major environmental cost drivers. • When wooden railroad ties are landfilled, potential methane emissions are environmental cost drivers. • Inclusion of the costs of biogenic CO 2 emissions in the FCA calculation heavily influences study results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parthenium argentatum (guayule) is under commercial development as a source of hypoallergenic latex, which is suitable for the manufacture of latex medical devices safe for use by people suffering from Type I latex protein allergy. Improving agronomic practices, post-harvest shrub handling, and optimizing latex extraction and purification protocols during bioprocessing are hampered by the relatively cumbersome latex quantification methods currently employed. Current methods require several hours before analytical results can be obtained.The object of our study was to develop and test a near infrared (NIR) spectroscopic method for rapid quantification of latex in both wet and dried P. argentatum homogenate and purified latex samples. The procedure was tested on latex samples from Ficus elastica (Indian rubber tree), Helianthus annuus (sunflower), Hevea brasiliensis (Brazilian or para rubber tree) and Taraxacum kok-saghyz (Russian dandelion).P. argentatum latex could be accurately quantified, over a wide concentration range of 0 to 25 mg/ml. The correlations between the measured rubber content and the rubber content predicted by NIR were 0.96 and 0.91 for dry and wet samples, respectively. The presence of homogenate components unrelated to the latex fraction did not perturb the correlations obtained. Similar predictive models could be used to measure the rubber content in F. elastica, H. annuus, H. brasilensis and T. kok-saghyz. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper describes the effect of the ash content in biomass on the distribution of pyrolysis products and the miscibility of bio-oil in diesel. Ash content of loblolly pine wood (0.5 wt %, 1.1 wt %, and 1.5 wt %) was systematically varied by impregnating the wood with potassium carbonate solution. Variation in the ash content did not create a significant change in the chemical composition of the impregnated biomass. However, the response to a variety of thermal treatments changed significantly. The volatile matter content decreased from 88.3% to 78.2%, while the bio-oil yield declined from 45.7% to 29.9% as the ash content increased. Although the total organic yield decreased with increased biomass ash content, the total concentration of phenolic monomers increased from 2.8 mg/g to 20.2 mg/g, and bio-oil miscibility with a commercial diesel fuel increased from 6.7% to 13.4% based on wet bio-oil. The miscibility of guaiacol and 4-methyl guaiacol in diesel was higher than that of catechol, due to the lower polar and hydrogen bonding contribution. Test in a diesel engine showed a simultaneous reduction of HC and NOx emissions using diesel extracts. • The ash content reduces the yield and molecular weight of bio-oil. • Phenolic compounds were increased with an increasing amount of ash. • Miscibility of bio-oil in diesel was positively correlated with ash content in feedstock. • A total of 13.4% of wet bio-oil was extracted by commercial diesel. • Simultaneous reduction of HC and NO x emissions was achieved by blending diesel and diesel extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass, as a raw material, has been identified as a crucial component of decarbonization strategies to mitigate climate change. Decisions on which biomass should be targeted for different purposes are dependent on variables such as availability, chemical composition, and sustainability. Consumer perception often positions non-wood sources, such as bamboo, as environmentally preferable feedstocks for fiber-based product production. Yet, this perceived environmental benefit lacks robust scientific substantiation and standardized methodologies. This study addresses this gap by conducting a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) of twelve biomass production systems encompassing tree plantations, dedicated crops, and agricultural residues for energy and bioproducts manufacture. The evaluated feedstocks include southern softwood, wheat straw, rice straw, rice husk, hemp hurd, sugarcane bagasse, switchgrass, biomass sorghum (United States), eucalyptus (Brazil), bamboo (China), and northern softwood (Canada). Incorporating a critical yet often overlooked factor, this LCA integrates the potential soil organic carbon sequestration (SOC) via below-ground biomass for each biomass type. This consideration significantly alters the estimated carbon intensity per ton of feedstock, potentially reshaping sustainability perceptions as certain systems emerge as carbon sinks. From a cradle-to-farm gate perspective, the assessed global warming potential for biomass production spans 12–245 kg CO 2 eq per oven-dry ton (ODt), factoring only anthropogenic emissions. However, when accounting for SOC sequestration, the range shifts to −170 to 228 kg CO 2 eq per ODt, highlighting the potential role of biomass to act as carbon sink systems. By illuminating the dynamic influence of SOC sequestration, this study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of biomass-related carbon emissions, shedding light on pathways to mitigate environmental impact. [Display omitted] • Soil carbon shifts biomass assessment. • Holistic analysis integrates soil carbon, displaying biomass potential. • Diverse biomasses offer net-zero path, fueling sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper investigates the effects of anisole and methyl acetate (as fuel additives) on the performance and emission characteristics of a compression-ignition (i.e., diesel) engine. Anisole and methyl acetate can be obtained from methylation of phenol and acetic acid, respectively. Phenol and acetic acid are compounds which are abundant in bio-oil derived from pyrolysis of wood and is thus renewable in nature. Using methyl acetate as a diesel fuel additive in compression-ignition engines has rarely been reported in the literature. The objective of the current work is to provide testing results of methyl acetate and perform comparisons with anisole as fuel additives for both diesel and biodiesel fuels. The effects of loads, additive type, and base fuels were tested. The tested loads include 0, 1.26, 2.52, and 3.78 bar brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) and the base fuels include No.2 diesel and biodiesel from waste cooking oil. The additive concentrations were kept at 10% by volume. Engine performance, exhaust emissions, and in-cylinder combustion were measured and analyzed. For diesel-anisole (DA) blends, it was seen that the blends were comparable to diesel in terms of performance but with slightly higher fuel consumption rates. HC and CO emissions reduced slightly, however, NOx and soot concentration increased. Diesel-methyl acetate (DM) blends were comparable to diesel in terms of performance with a slight increase in the fuel consumption rates. HC and CO emissions decreased with added methyl acetates. NO x and soot concentration increased. Both anisole and methyl acetate of 10% by volume in biodiesel were tested and it was observed that both blends were slightly better than pure biodiesel in terms of performance. HC and CO emissions reduced for both blends. NO x and soot concentration however increased as compared to pure biodiesel. From the experiments, it is believed that both anisole and methyl acetate can be used as suitable additives to diesel and biodiesel in terms of performance; however, the emissions of NOx and soot can pose a challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bark, which is available in abundance, has recently become a topic of interest when considering alternative materials for the production of pyrolysis bio-oil. Previous studies have revealed that the pyrolysis behavior of bark differs remarkably from that of wood in that bark typically generates a phase-separated bio-oil. In this study, blends of loblolly pine wood and bark were pyrolyzed to investigate the effect of blending ratio on the yield and properties of derived bio-oils. Trends of lower decomposition rate, decreased organic yield, and increased bio-char yield were observed as bark percentage in the feedstock increased, while the amount of levoglucosan in bio-oil increased. Pyrolysis reactivity, which includes yield and physical properties of the bio-oil, was found to have a linear relationship with the blending ratio of pine bark. It was found that blending up to 50% bark in the feedstock still produced a homogeneous bio-oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of gallium nitride (GaN) p-i-n diodes were investigated for use as a betavoltaic device. Dark IV measurements showed a turn on-voltage of approximately 3.2 V, specific-on-resistance of 15.1 mΩ cm 2 and a reverse leakage current of −0.14 mA/cm 2 at −10 V. A clear photo-response was observed when IV curves were measured under a light source at a wavelength of 310 nm (4.0 eV). In addition, GaN p-i-n diodes were tested under an electron-beam in order to simulate common beta radiation sources ranging from that of 3 H (5.6 keV average) to 63 Ni (17 keV average). From this data, we estimated output powers of 53 nW and 750 nW with overall efficiencies of 0.96% and 4.4% for our device at incident electron energies of 5.6 keV and 17 keV corresponding to 3 H and 63 Ni beta sources respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steam torrefaction of Eucalyptus globulus was performed at temperatures between 245 °C and 265 °C in a 100 kg/h pilot plant. Torrefied biomass was then pelletized in a 300 kg/h unit and the pellets were subject to durability, density and combustion tests. The structural changes measured with FTIR were studied along with the combustion behavior of the materials. Compositional analysis showed that increasing the torrefaction temperature reduced both hemicellulose fraction and overall mass yield (MY). Furthermore, there was a linear relationship between the energy yield (EY) and mass yield (EY = [1.04−0.9(1−MY)]) for these samples. The ignition and comprehensive indexes confirmed that the stability of the torrefied biomass in a combustion environment was higher than for untreated biomass. Finally, pellets showed high durability (98%), and had an energy density (13–14 GJ/m 3 ), which is comparable to low-rank coals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to decarbonize and reduce the impact of human activities is opening the window for new bioproducts. The industry of bioplastics has grown exponentially in the past years, and its production is expected to triple by 2026. Different bioplastics are currently produced, but bio-polyethylene constitute an interesting opportunity since its fossil counterpart is one of the most used materials worldwide, and its precursor, ethylene, is one of the highest contributors to GHG emissions in the chemical industry. The true environmental impact of this bio-based plastic remains under controversial discussions due to a wide distribution of environmental indicators values found in the literature for this material. We aim to thoroughly evaluate the environmental impact of bio-polyethylene made from sugarcane across the different production stages through a life cycle analysis. Our goal is also to assess unintended consequences (consequential effects) of producing it. It was determined that land-use change represents the main aspect affecting the environmental sustainability of bio-polyethylene. From an attributional point of view, this bioplastic could present lower carbon footprints than fossil polyethylene if no deforestation occurs. From a consequential standpoint, indirect deforestation as a response to producing more bioplastic could negatively impact the environmental profile of this material. Policies restricting deforestation are required to ensure that bio-polyethylene can constitute an alternative to reduce the carbon footprint of products in both scenarios. We expect this work to provide a robust evaluation to understand the environmental impact of bio-polyethylene, which will help the industry understand the place of this bio-based plastic and increase the offering of more sustainable products. • This study reports environmental impacts related to sugarcane-based polyethylene. • Land-use change highly influences the global warming potential of bio-polyethylene. • Bio-polyethylene can help fight climate change if no deforestation occurs. • Policies protecting forests are required to ensure benefits of bio-polyethylene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cradle-to-grave environmental impacts of thermochemical ethanol from loblolly pine, eucalyptus, unmanaged hardwoods, forest residues, and switchgrass biomass feedstocks were determined and compared to gasoline. The Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Impacts (TRACI) method was implemented in SimaPro 7.3 to calculate midpoint environmental impacts. Two normalization value sets were used and weighting was performed to produce a single environmental score. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions of cellulosic ethanol as compared to gasoline were 65%–77%, depending on the biomass feedstock, qualifying these biofuels as cellulosic ethanol under the Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS2). Effects of direct land-use change were significant (~ 18%) and could increase the GHG emissions for switchgrass derived ethanol above the federal GHG reduction thresholds for cellulosic ethanol. The production and use of cellulosic ethanol reduced fossil fuel consumption by between 95% and 97% and by 81% for forest and switchgrass derived ethanol, respectively. Cellulosic ethanol, however, did not reduce all environmental impact categories (e.g., eutrophication, ozone depletion respiratory effects, acidification, and smog) compared to gasoline. The fuel scenario ranking from lowest impact to highest impact consistently remained the same for GHG emissions, fossil fuel use, and the two single weight score analysis methods and was, in ascending order, forest residues with no forest establishment burdens, forest residues with forest establishment burdens, natural hardwood, pine, switchgrass, and finally gasoline. The GHG emission reductions from the use of cellulosic ethanol at the renewable fuel standards mandated production volume of 16 billion gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year by 2020 would result in 9–10 billion metric tonnes of GHG emissions avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Producing XOS from miscanthus by autohydrolysis and purification. • Assessing the economic viability under varied XOS content and system configurations. • High-value byproduct presents promising opportunity in reducing cost. • Key drivers of economic performance are identified. • Potential improvement pathways of reducing cost are presented. This study assesses the economic performance of a biorefinery producing xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) from miscanthus by autohydrolysis and purification based on a rigorous model developed in ASPEN Plus. Varied biorefinery capacities (50–250 oven dry metric ton (ODMT)/day) and three XOS content levels (80%, 90%, 95%) are analyzed. The XOS minimum selling price (XOS MSP) is varied between $3,430–$7,500, $4,030–$8,970, and $4,840–$10,640 per metric ton (MT) for 80%, 90%, and 95% content, respectively. The results show that increasing biorefinery capacity can significantly reduce the XOS MSP and higher purity leads to higher XOS MSP due to less yield, and higher capital and operating costs. This study also explores another system configuration to produce high-value byproducts, cellulose microfiber, by utilizing the cellulose to produce microfiber instead of combusting for energy recovery. The XOS MSP of cellulose microfiber case is $2,460–$7,040/MT and thus exhibits potential economic benefits over the other cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homomeric 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3A receptors (5-HT3ARS) have a single channel conductance (γ) below the resolution of single channel recording (966 ± 75 fS, estimated by variance analysis). By contrast, heteromeric 5-HT3A/B and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) have picosiemen range y values. In this study, single channel recordings revealed that replacement of cytoplasmic membrane-associated (MA) helix arginine 432 (-4′), 436 (0′), and 440 (4′) residues by 5-HT3B (-4′Gin, 0′Asp, and 4′Ala) residues increases y to 36.5 ± 1.0 pS. The 0′ residue makes the most substantial contribution to y of the 5-HT3AR. Replacement of 0′Arg by aspartate, glutamate (α7 nAChR subunit MA 0′), or glutamine (β2 subunit MA 0′) increases γ to the resolvable range (>6 pS). By contrast, replacement of 0′Arg by phenylalanine (α4 subunit MA 0′) reduced γ to 416 ± 107 fS. In reciprocal experiments with α4β2 nAChRs (γ = 31.3 ± 0.8 pS), replacement of MA 0′ residues by arginine in α4β2(Q443R) and α4(F588R)β2 reduced y slightly. By contrast, the y of double mutant α4(F588R)β2(Q443R) was halved. The MA -4′ and 4′ residues also influenced γ of 5-HT3ARS. Replacement of nAChR α4 or β2 MA 4′ residues by arginine made current density negligible. By contrast, replacement of both -4′ residues by arginine produced functional nAChRs with substantially reduced γ (11.4 ± 0.5 pS). Homology models of the 5-HT3A and α4β2 nAChRs against Torpedo nAChR revealed MA -4′, 0′, and 4′ residues within five intracellular portals. This locus may be a common determinant of ion conduction throughout the Cys loop receptor family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Carbon dioxide (CO2) is considered the largest contributor to the greenhouse gas effect. Most attempts to manage the flow of CO2 or carbon into our environment involve reducing net emissions or sequestering the gas into long-lived sinks. Using CO2 as a chemical feedstock has a long history, but using it on scales that might impact the net emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere has not generally been considered seriously. There is also a growing interest in employing our natural biomes of carbon such as trees, vegetation, and soils as storage media. Some amelioration of the net carbon emissions into the atmosphere could be achieved by concomitant large withdrawals of carbon. This report surveys the potential and limitations in employing carbon as a resource for organic chemicals, fuels, inorganic materials, and in using the biome to manage carbon. The outlook for each of these opportunities is also described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The properties of unbleached CNMs are highly dependent on the pulping process. • Range of lignin structures can create tailored lignin/CNM composites. • Water-dispersible CLPs allow for homogeneous blending with CNMs. • Combinations of CNMs and lignin enable new functionalities and applications. With the increasing demand for greener alternatives to fossil-derived products, research on cellulose nanomaterials (CNMs) has rapidly expanded. The combination of nanoscale properties and sustainable attributes makes CNMs an asset in the quest for a sustainable society. However, challenges such as the hydrophilic nature of CNMs, their low compatibility with non-polar matrices and modest thermal stability, slow the development of end-uses. Combination of CNMs with amphiphilic lignin can improve the thermal stability, enhance the compatibility with non-polar matrices and, additionally, endow CNMs with new functionalities e.g., UV shielding or antioxidative properties. This article comprehensively reviews the different design strategies and their influence on properties and applications of CNMs containing lignin in various forms; either as residual lignin, added technical lignin, or nanoscale particles. The review focuses especially on the synergy created between CNMs and lignin, paving the way for new production routes and use of CNM/lignin materials in high-performance applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]