9 research outputs found
Characterization of the Xerophyta humilis desiccation induced-1 (Xhdsi-1voc) gene : a member of the Vicinal Oxygen Chelate (VOC) metalloenzyme superfamily upregulated in X. humilis (BAK) DUR and SCHINZ during desiccation
No full textIncludes abstract.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 172-191).Has accompanying material on CD.The resurrection plant, Xerophyta humilis is used as a model system to identify and characterise genes which play an important role in conferring desiccation tolerance in plants. In this study, the expression of a novel gene named desiccation induced-1 (dsi-1VOC) during desiccation in X. humilis and desiccationsensitive plants is characterised
Understanding physiological responses to pre‐treatment inhibitors in ethanologenic fermentations
No full textRetrieval of Full-Length Functional Genes Using Subtractive Hybridization Magnetic Bead Capture
No full textSupplementary information files for "The triadic impact of hydrogen production, electricity generation, and policies on hydrogen feasibility"
No full textSupplementary filed for article "The triadic impact of hydrogen production, electricity generation, and policies on hydrogen feasibility"Numerical models for hydrogen energy system, and full results.The feasibility of renewable hydrogen is highly debated due to conflicting assessments of cost, scalability, and policy effectiveness. This study applies hydrogen trilism – a framework capturing the interdependencies between hydrogen production, electricity generation, energy demand and poverty, and policy interventions. Conventional post-optimisation ranking tools such as TOPSIS, prioritise cost-efficiency, whereas a data-driven multi-objective strategy (DDMOSSS) yields context-sensitive solutions that align with socio-techno-economic goals. A comparative analysis revealed that while DDMOSSS ranks Pareto solutions similarly to TOPSIS under large-scale configurations, DDMOSSS is better suited for small-scale systems where socio-economic trade-offs are more pronounced. The financial analysis revealed that non-islanded large-scale hydrogen systems using imported electricity can achieve competitive hydrogen selling prices of approximately 1.85/kg to 3/kg production tax credit (PTC) reduces LCOH and NPC by over 113 %. However, PTCs primarily consolidate industry profits rather than benefiting consumers. Furthermore, while Investment Tax Credits provide upfront cost savings, Carbon Credits offer sustained financial benefits by aligning revenue streams with hydrogen consumption. The results also showed that achieving hydrogen market competitiveness requires scaling demand, incorporating policy incentives, and driving technological advancements. For instance, hydrogen must reach around 5/kg to compete with LNG. These findings evidence the necessity of context-specific deployment strategies over purely cost-driven approaches for sustainable hydrogen adoption.©The Author(s), CC BY-NC-ND 4.0</p
Supplementary information files for "Hydrogen for cooking: Mapping multi-level transition outcomes and preemptive policy pathways through stakeholder engagement in Zambia"
No full textSupplementary files for article "Hydrogen for cooking: Mapping multi-level transition outcomes and preemptive policy pathways through stakeholder engagement in Zambia"Clean cooking transitions are context specific due to the challenges and opportunities they present in shifting from traditional biomass and fossil fuels. This study explored hydrogen for cooking in Zambia to understand how stakeholders judge its benefits and risks (n = 14 organisations). A systems-thinking lens was applied to theorize and map interdependencies across social, economic, and technical benefits. Qualitative insights were combined with a transparent scoring approach and non-parametric bootstrapping to show uncertainty around rankings. The findings revealed that stakeholders view hydrogen cooking as a catalyst for socio-economic progress and environmental gains. They also flag major hurdles: livelihood disruption during transition, affordability, cultural acceptance, infrastructure readiness, and fragmented policies. These findings point to early, targeted interventions that anticipate and mitigate potential externalities. Priorities include alternative income support where livelihoods may shift, community engagement to build acceptance, technical training to reduce reliance on external expertise, and supply chain development to ensure reliability. Across options, respondents give more weight to social benefits than to purely technical or economic performance of energy systems. A multi-criteria decision-making approach, informed by stakeholder-derived weights highlights where preferences converge at small scale and diverge at larger scale. The study contributes a context-sensitive approach that integrates stakeholder analysis with systems thinking. It foregrounds interdependencies, explicitly accommodates uncertainty, and places communities at the centre of clean-cooking strategies, offering guidance for implementation in similar settings.© The Author(s), CC BY 4.0</p
Diverse Exopolysaccharide Producing Bacteria Isolated from Milled Sugarcane: Implications for Cane Spoilage and Sucrose Yield.
No full textBacterial deterioration of sugarcane during harvesting and processing is correlated with significant loss of sucrose yield and the accumulation of bacterial polysaccharides. Dextran, a homoglucan produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides, has been cited as the primary polysaccharide associated with sugarcane deterioration. A culture-based approach was used to isolate extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) producing bacterial strains from milled sugarcane stalks. Ribosomal RNA sequencing analysis grouped 25 isolates into 4 genera. This study identified 2 bacterial genera not previously associated with EPS production or sucrose degradation. All isolates produced polysaccharide when grown in the presence of sucrose. Monosaccharide analysis of purified polymers by Gas Chromatography revealed 17 EPSs consisting solely of glucose (homoglucans), while the remainder contained traces of mannose or fructose. Dextranase treatment of polysaccharides yielded full digestion profiles for only 11 extracts. Incomplete hydrolysis profiles of the remaining polysaccharides suggest the release of longer oligosaccharides which may interfere with sucrose crystal formation
Population structure of polymer producing bacterial species.
No full text<p>Condensed neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree of isolates identified in milled sugarcane. Homologies of 1321 bp sequences in the 16S rDNA of <i>Leuconostoc</i>, <i>Weissella</i>, <i>Lactobacillus</i> and <i>Salmonella</i> type strains are displayed along with sugarcane associated isolates.</p
EPS production of the various isolates when grown on glucose, fructose or sucrose supplemented media (upper panels)
No full textThe EPS was purified and subjected to digestion by dextranase enzyme, the product of which was separated by Thin Layer Chromatography. These results are summarised in Table 1.</div
Polysaccharide accumulation and susceptibility to dextranase treatment.
No full text<p>A–Sugar dependent or independent EPS production by bacteria grown on glucose, fructose or sucrose. B—Dextranase treatment of EPS. Full digestion is indicted by motile oligosaccharides in comparison to the undigested control; Partial digestion is indicated by an immobile spot at the origin in addition to motile oligosaccharides; Undigested EPS is indicated by no motile oligosaccharides.</p
