Settleability assessment protocol for anaerobic granular sludge and its application

A simple method for settleability assessment of anaerobic granular sludge was proposed and its applicability as an opera parameter was evaluated in a lab-scale UASB reactor treating brewery wastewater. Based on the settleability protocol, the O was increased up to 28 kg COD.m-3.d-1 (67 kg COD.m-3 of granular bed volume.d-1) which corresponds to an HRT of 1 h. The re revealed that the protocol was sufficiently sensitive to define the settleability of the sludge samples and to accurately determ their allowable upflow velocities, resultant organic loading rates, and recycling ratios according to the settleability of the gran bed. Also, a series of graphical procedures with settling tests which are very easy to apply for settleability monitoring improvised, capable of direct use as an operational and monitoring parameter of the granular bed with laboratory and full-scale reactors, without need for additional sludge bed control such as dosing of chemicals. In addition, this method was also found to be applicable to improve and monitor system performance according to high or low-strength wastewater characteristics. Image analysis of the granular biomass supported the suitability of this graphical method. WaterSA Vol.29(4) 2003: 419-42

Attitude after a mild aortic valve lesion during rheumatic mitral valve surgery

ObjectiveWe evaluated whether rheumatic aortic valve disease of mild degree should be treated in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery.MethodsFrom 1992 to 2010, 197 patients (aged 52 [19-82] years, male:female = 60:137) who had rheumatic mitral valve disease and mild aortic valve disease were enrolled. The aortic valve was untreated in 114 patients (no treatment group), repaired in 40 patients (aortic valvuloplasty group), and replaced in 43 patients (aortic valve replacement group).ResultsOperative mortality occurred in 4 patients (2.0%). There were no differences in early mortality and postoperative complications among the 3 groups. Overall survival at 5, 10, and 15 years was 96.3%, 92.1%, and 85.7%, respectively. In the no treatment group, progression-free survival in significant aortic valve disease at 5, 10, and 15 years was 98.7%, 91.3%, and 81.1%, respectively. This was not superior in the aortic valvuloplasty group (85.9%, 77.6%, and 69.8%, respectively) than in the no treatment group. Freedom from aortic valve disease was lower in patients with aortic stenosis than in those with aortic regurgitation in univariate and multivariable analyses (P < .001). Reoperation was performed in 19 patients, including 2 aortic valve reoperations. Aortic valve–related event-free survival was similar among the 3 groups.ConclusionsMild aortic valve disease in patients undergoing rheumatic mitral valve surgery could be left untreated, because preventive aortic valve operation does not result in better clinical and echocardiographic outcomes

Investigation of the SH3BP2 Gene Mutation in Cherubism

Cherubism is a rare developmental lesion of the jaw that is generally inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Recent studies have revealed point mutations in the SH3BP2 gene in cherubism patients. In this study, we examined a 6-year-old Korean boy and his family. We found a Pro418Arg mutation in the SH3BP2 gene of the patient and his mother. A father and his 30-month-old younger brother had no mutations. Immunohistochemically, the multinucleated giant cells proved positive for CD68 and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP). Numerous spindle-shaped stromal cells expressed a ligand for receptor activator of nuclear factor kB (RANKL), but not in multinucleated giant cells. These results provide evidence that RANKL plays a critical role in the differentiation of osteoclast precursor cells to multinucleated giant cells in cherubism. Additionally, genetic analysis may be a useful method for differentiation of cherubism.</p

Origin of multi-level switching and telegraphic noise in organic nanocomposite memory devices.

The origin of negative differential resistance (NDR) and its derivative intermediate resistive states (IRSs) of nanocomposite memory systems have not been clearly analyzed for the past decade. To address this issue, we investigate the current fluctuations of organic nanocomposite memory devices with NDR and the IRSs under various temperature conditions. The 1/f noise scaling behaviors at various temperature conditions in the IRSs and telegraphic noise in NDR indicate the localized current pathways in the organic nanocomposite layers for each IRS. The clearly observed telegraphic noise with a long characteristic time in NDR at low temperature indicates that the localized current pathways for the IRSs are attributed to trapping/de-trapping at the deep trap levels in NDR. This study will be useful for the development and tuning of multi-bit storable organic nanocomposite memory device systems

The First Report of Fetal Alcohol Effect in a 12 Year-Old Child in Korea

We present the first report of fetal alcohol effect in a 12 year-old child in Korea. The mother had consumed 162 g of alcohol per week continuously during pregnancy. His first febrile seizure occurred before he was 1 year old, and became more frequent 2 years later. He started showing signs of right paraplegia when he was 3.5 years old and brain MRI revealed periventricular leucomalacia near the left ventricle. He was microcephalic and his growth was retarded. He was irritable, impatient, impulsive, and inattentive, and showed disinterest in school activities and aggressive and dangerous behavior. After the diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder was made, psychopharmacological treatment and family support was initiated. After 10 months, he still had intermittent ideas of reference, although the aggressive behavior, inattentiveness, and impulsivity had improved. Using this case study, we stress the importance of maternal alcohol history in patients with these characteristics

Role of Transcription Factor Modifications in the Pathogenesis of Insulin Resistance

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by fat accumulation in the liver not due to alcohol abuse. NAFLD is accompanied by variety of symptoms related to metabolic syndrome. Although the metabolic link between NAFLD and insulin resistance is not fully understood, it is clear that NAFLD is one of the main cause of insulin resistance. NAFLD is shown to affect the functions of other organs, including pancreas, adipose tissue, muscle and inflammatory systems. Currently efforts are being made to understand molecular mechanism of interrelationship between NAFLD and insulin resistance at the transcriptional level with specific focus on post-translational modification (PTM) of transcription factors. PTM of transcription factors plays a key role in controlling numerous biological events, including cellular energy metabolism, cell-cycle progression, and organ development. Cell type- and tissue-specific reversible modifications include lysine acetylation, methylation, ubiquitination, and SUMOylation. Moreover, phosphorylation and O-GlcNAcylation on serine and threonine residues have been shown to affect protein stability, subcellular distribution, DNA-binding affinity, and transcriptional activity. PTMs of transcription factors involved in insulin-sensitive tissues confer specific adaptive mechanisms in response to internal or external stimuli. Our understanding of the interplay between these modifications and their effects on transcriptional regulation is growing. Here, we summarize the diverse roles of PTMs in insulin-sensitive tissues and their involvement in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance