A mathematical model was developed and tested to simulate the generation and transfer of heat in solid substrate fermentation (SSF). The experimental studies were realized in a 1-L static bioreactor packed with cassava wet meal and inoculated with Aspergillus niger. A simplified pseudohomogeneous monodimensional dynamic model was used for the energy balance. Kinetic equations taking into account biomass formation (logistic), sugar consumption (with maintenance), and carbon dioxide formation were used. Model verification was achieved by comparison of calculated and experimental temperatures. Heat transfer was evaluated by the estimation of Biot and Peclet heat dimensionless numbers 5-10 and 2550-2750, respectively. It was shown that conduction through the fermentation fixed bed was the main heat transfer resistance. This model intends to reach a better understanding of transport phenomena in SSF, a fact which could be used to evaluate various alternatives for temperature control of SSF, i.e., changing air flow rates and increasing water content. Dimensionless numbers could be used as scale-up criteria of large fermentors, since in those ratios are described the operating conditions, geometry, and size of the bioreactor. It could lead to improved solid reactor systems. The model can be used as a basis for automatic control of SSF for the production of valuable metabolites in static fermentors.

Non‐natural born killers: The addition of phosphorus‐containing dendrimers capped with phosphonate end groups to cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (white blood cells) strongly stimulates the selective multiplication of functional natural killer (NK) cells (see picture), which play a key role in anticancer immunity. Both the generation of the dendrimer and the type of end groups are important criteria for the activity.

The syntheses of a series of phosphonic acid-capped dendrimers is described. This collection is based on a unique set of dendritic structural parameters-cyclo(triphosphazene) core, benzylhydrazone branches and phosphonic acid surface-and was designed to study the influence of phosphonate (phosphonic acid) surface loading towards the activation of human monocytes ex vivo. Starting from the versatile hexachloro-cyclo(triphosphazene) N(3)P(3)Cl(6), six first-generation dendrimers were obtained, bearing one to six full branches, that lead to 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 phosphonate termini, respectively. The surface loading was also explored at the limit of dense packing by means of a first-generation dendrimer having a cyclo(tetraphosphazene) core and bearing 32 termini, and with a first-generation dendrimer based on a AB(2)/CD(5) growing pattern and bearing 60 termini. Human monocyte activation by these dendrimers confirms the requirement of the whole dendritic structure for bioactivity and identifies the dendrimer bearing four branches, thus 16 phosphonate termini, as the most bioactive.

An optical-pumping technique is used to measure the spin-relaxation time of photogenerated conduction electrons in several p-type GaAs single crystals doped with various amounts of acceptors in the 1.7-300 K temperature range. Our experimental results are compared with those of the literature and with the predictions of the existing theoretical calculations. From about 10 K, the Sir-Aronov-Pikus {BAP) mechanism is found to be relevant for moderately doped (10"-10" cm '}, up to about 150 K, or degenerate (up to 300 K) semiconductors, using the electronic temperature, deduced from the luminescence spectra, rather than the sample temperature. The D'yakonov-Perel' (DP} process was found to be active above 200 K for moderately doped samples and from about 80 K to room temperature for samples doped in the (1.6-6))&10' -cm ' acceptor-concentration range. Our original results obtained at liquid-helium temperatures at whatever the doping level cannot be explained either by the DP mechanism or by the BAP process.