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Microalgae are a promising biofuels feedstock, theoretically yielding concentrations of triacylglycerides (TAGs) per unit area that are far higher than traditional feedstocks due to their rapid growth. Dunaliella is particularly advantageous as a feedstock because it is currently commercially mass cultured, thrives in salt water, and has no cell wall. Fourteen strains of Dunaliella have been investigated for growth rates and lipid production in mass culture and tested for enhanced lipid production under a range of environmental stressors including salinity, pH, nitrogen and phosphorus limitation, and light regime. The nuclear genome has been sequenced for four of these strains, with the objective of increasing carbon flux through genetic engineering. Electroflocculation followed by osmotic membrane rupturing may be a very energy and cost efficient means of harvesting the lipid bodies from Dunaliella. A technically feasible and scalable thermo-catalytic process to convert the lipids into replacements for liquid transportation fuels has been developed. The lipids were converted into long-chain alkanes through continuous thermal hydrolysis followed by fed-batch thermo-catalytic decarboxylation. These alkanes can be reformed into renewable diesel via conventional catalytic hydrocarbon isomerization reactions to improve cold flow properties, if desired. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 32: 916-925, 2013 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As probiotics in the gut, Lactobacilli are believed to play important roles in the development and maintenance of both the mucosal and systemic immune system of the host. This study was aimed to investigate the immuno-modulatory function of candiate lactobacilli on T cells. Lactobacilli were isolated from healthy human feces and the microbiological characteristics were identified by API 50 CHL and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assays. Anti-CD3 antibody activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were treated by viable, heat-killed lactobacilli and genomic DNA of lactobacilli, and cytokine profiles were tested by ELISA. Isolated lactobacilli C44 and C48 were identified as L. acidophilus and L. paracacei, which have properties of acid and bile tolerance and inhibitor effects on pathogens. Viable and heat-killed C44 and C48 induced low levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8) and high levels of IFN-γ and IL-12p70 in PBMCs. In anti-CD3 antibody activated PBMCs, viable and heat-killed C44 increased Th2 cytokine levels (IL-5, IL-6 and IL-10), and simultaneously enhanced Th1 responses by inducing IFN-γ and IL-12p70 production. Different from that of lactabacillus strains, their genomic DNA induced low levels of IL-12p70, IFN-γ and proinflammatory cytokines in PBMCs with or without anti-CD3 antibody activation. These results provided in vitro evidence that the genomic DNA of strains of C44 and C48, especially C44, induced weaker inflammation, and may be potentially applied for treating allergic diseases.