Bioremediation of Cr(VI) polluted wastewaters by sorption on heat inactivated Saccharomyces cerevisiae biomass

The potential of heat inactivated Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the bioremoval and reduction of Cr (VI) ions from wastewaters was evaluated in terms of metal uptake in time and at equilibrium, and biosorption efficiency, by varying pH, biosorbent doses, contact time and temperature, in batch mode. During the sorption process, the heat inactivated biomass of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is capable of reducing Cr(VI) to Cr(III). Different kinetic models based on adsorption and reduction are used to represent the kinetic data of Cr(VI) bioremoval by S. cerevisiae, in explaining the biosorption mechanism of heavy metals and potential rate-controlling steps, in the perspective of full-scale process design. The results indicated some potential differences in the Cr(VI) removal mechanism at different experimental conditions. FTIR and SEM analysis were performed as well as to elucidate the mechanism of metal bioremoval by S. cerevisiae. FTIR spectra indicate that heavy metal bioremoval process doesn’t imply in this case the formation of stable covalent bonds, but it is predominantly based on chemical interactions, ion-exchange type. The SEM micrographs of Cr-loaded yeast, indicates that the surface morphology doesn’t change much after chromium ions were uptaken. This leads to the conclusion that Cr(VI) reduction occurs at the interface of the adsorbent.This paper was elaborated with the support of BRAIN project Doctoral scholarships as an investment in intelligence - ID 6681, financed by the European Social Found and Romanian Government and with the support of a grant of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, CNCS - UEFISCDI, project number PN-II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0559", Contract 265/2011

Reconstructive possibilities in the treatmeant of malign bone tumors in children: clinical cases

Universitatea de Medicină și Farmacie ,,Grigore T. Popa”, Clinica de Ortopedie Pediatrică a Spitalului Clinic de Urgență pentru Copii ,,Sfânta Maria”, Iași, Al XIII-lea Congres al Asociației Chirurgilor „Nicolae Anestiadi” și al III-lea Congres al Societății de Endoscopie, Chirurgie miniminvazivă și Ultrasonografie ”V.M.Guțu” din Republica MoldovaIntroducere: Osteosarcomul reprezintă cea mai frecventă tumoră primară malignă a osului ce afectează copiii și tinerii adulți în a doua decadă de viață. Chimioterapia adjuvantă a îmbunătățit rata de supraviețuire la 5 ani a osteosarcomului nemetastatic la aproximativ 70%. Avansurile ulterioare în imagistica radiografică tridimensională, cât și îmbunătățirea tehnologiei în domeniul reconstrucției au facilitat intervenția chirurgicală reconstructivă pentru prezervarea membrelor. Prezentare de caz: Scopul acestei lucrări este de a descrie managementul chirurgical, rezultatul funcțional și oncologic la 1-5 ani al pacienților, raportând experiența clinicii de Ortopedie Pediatrică din cadrul Spitalului Clinic de Urgență pentru Copii Sf. Maria Iași, prin cazul a 3 pacienti diagnosticați cu osteosarcom la nivelul humerusului proximal, respectiv os coxal, os iliac, descoperite incidental. Pacienții au fost evaluați radiografic în alte centre, obiectivandu-se aspectul de zone de condensare, neomogene cu întreruperea corticalei, ceea ce a dus la redirecționarea în urgență a acestora. După o reevaluare radiografică, efectuarea unei biopsii locale, obtinerea unei stadializări și finalizarea tratamentului neoadjuvant oncologic, a fost propusa intervenția chirurgicală reconstructivă pentru prezervarea membrului. Concluzii: Rata succesului terapeutic pe termen lung în momentul de față este precara în ciuda posibilităților de reconstrucție totală sau parțiala la populația pediatrică datorită recurenței tumorale.Introduction: Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor affecting children and young adults in the second decade of life. Adjuvant chemotherapy improved the 5-year survival rate of non-metastatic osteosarcoma to approximately 70%. Further advances in three-dimensional radiographic imaging and improved reconstruction technology have facilitated reconstructive surgery for limb preservation. Case presentation: The purpose of this paper is to describe the surgical management, functional and oncological outcome at 1-5 years of patients, reporting the experience of the Pediatric Orthopedics Clinic at the St. Mary Iasi Children's Emergency Clinical Hospital, in the case of 3 patients diagnosed with osteosarcomas in the proximal humerus, respectively coxal bone, iliac bone, incidentally discovered. Patients were radiographically evaluated in other centers, looking at the appearance of condensation zones, inhomogeneous with cortical discontinuation, which led to emergency redirection. After a radiographic re-evaluation, performing a local biopsy, obtaining a staging, and completing neoadjuvant oncologic treatment, reconstructive surgery for member preservation was proposed. Conclusions: The rate of long-term therapeutic success is currently poor despite the possibility of total or partial reconstruction in the pediatric population due to tumor recurrence

Biological decolorization of xanthene dyes by anaerobic granular biomass

Biodegradation of a xanthene dyes was investigated for the first time using anaerobic granular sludge. On a first screening, biomass was able to decolorize, at different extents, six azo dye solutions: acid orange 7, direct black 19, direct blue 71, mordant yellow 10, reactive red 2 and reactive red 120 and two xanthene dyes—Erythrosine B and Eosin Y. Biomass concentration, type of electron donor, induction of biomass with dye and mediation with activated carbon (AC) were variables studied for Erythrosine B (Ery) as model dye. Maximum color removal efficiency was achieved with 4.71 g VSS L−1, while the process rates were independent of the biomass concentration above 1.89 g VSS L−1. No considerable effects were observed when different substrates were used as electron donors (VFA, glucose or lactose). Addition of Ery in the incubation period of biomass led to a fivefold increase of the decolorization rate. The rate of Ery decolorization almost duplicated in the presence of commercial AC (0.1 g L−1 AC0). Using different modified AC samples (from the treatment of AC0), a threefold higher rate was obtained with the most basic one, \textAC\textH2ACH2, as compared with non-mediated reaction. Higher rates were obtained at pH 6.0. Chemical reduction using Na2S confirmed the recalcitrant nature of this dye. The results attest that decolorization of Ery is essentially due to enzymatic and adsorption phenomena.This work was supported by the PTDC/AMB/69335/2006 project grants (Fundacao para a Ciencia e Technologia, FCT, Portugal), BRAIN project (ID 6681, European Social Found and Romanian Government and the grant of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, CNCS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0559, Contract 265/2011

Stable U(IV) Complexes Form at High-Affinity Mineral Surface Sites

Uranium (U) poses a significant contamination hazard to soils, sediments, and groundwater due to its extensive use for energy production. Despite advances in modeling the risks of this toxic and radioactive element, lack of information about the mechanisms controlling U transport hinders further improvements, particularly in reducing environments where UIV predominates. Here we establish that mineral surfaces can stabilize the majority of U as adsorbed UIV species following reduction of UVI. Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and electron imaging analysis, we find that at low surface loading, UIV forms inner-sphere complexes with two metal oxides, TiO2 (rutile) and Fe3O4 (magnetite) (at <1.3 U nm–2 and <0.037 U nm–2, respectively). The uraninite (UO2) form of UIV predominates only at higher surface loading. UIV–TiO2 complexes remain stable for at least 12 months, and UIV–Fe3O4 complexes remain stable for at least 4 months, under anoxic conditions. Adsorbed UIV results from UVI reduction by FeII or by the reduced electron shuttle AH2QDS, suggesting that both abiotic and biotic reduction pathways can produce stable UIV–mineral complexes in the subsurface. The observed control of high-affinity mineral surface sites on UIV speciation helps explain the presence of nonuraninite UIV in sediments and has important implications for U transport modeling

Role of the hyporheic heterotrophic biofilm on transformation and toxicity of pesticides

The role of heterotrophic biofilm of water–sediment interface in detoxification processes was tested in abiotic and biotic conditions under laboratory conditions. Three toxicants, a herbicide (Diuron), a fungicide (Dimethomorph) and an insecticide (Chlorpyrifos-ethyl) have been tested in water percolating into columns reproducing hyporheic sediment. The detoxification processes were tested by comparing the water quality after 18 days of percolation with and without heterotrophic biofilm. Tested concentrations were 30 mg.Lx1 of Diuron diluted in 0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), 2 mg.Lx1 of Dimethomorph and 0.1 mg.Lx1 of Chlorpyrifos-ethyl. To characterise the detoxification efficiency of the system, we performed genotoxicity bioassays in amphibian larvae and rotifers and measured the respiration and denitrification of sediments. Although the presence of biofilm increased the production of N-(3,4 dichlorophenyl)-N-(methyl)-urea, a metabolite of diuron, the toxicity did not decrease irrespective of the bioassay. In the presence of biofilm, Dimethomorph concentrations decreased compared with abiotic conditions, from 2 mg.Lx1 to 0.4 mg.Lx1 after 18 days of percolation. For both Dimethomorph and Chlorpyrifos-ethyl additions, assessment of detoxification level by the biofilm depended on the test used: detoxification effect was found with amphibian larvae bioassay and no detoxification was observed with the rotifer test. Heterotrophic biofilm exerts a major influence in the biochemical transformation of contaminants such as pesticides, suggesting that the interface between running water and sediment plays a role in self-purification of stream reaches

The experience of pediatric surgery clinic in the treatment of hemangiomas and vascular malformations

Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie “Grigore T. Popa”, Clinica de Chirurgie şi Ortopedie Pediatrică a Spitalului Clinic de Urgenţă pentru Copii "Sfânta Maria", Iaşi, Al XIII-lea Congres al Asociației Chirurgilor „Nicolae Anestiadi” și al III-lea Congres al Societății de Endoscopie, Chirurgie miniminvazivă și Ultrasonografie ”V.M.Guțu” din Republica MoldovaIntroducere: Afecţiunile congenitale vasculare includ tumorile vasculare (hemangioamele infantile, hemangioendoteliomul caposiform, hemangioame non-involutive, hemangioame rapid-involutive) şi malformaţii vasculare (capilare, venoase, limfatice, arteriovenoase şi mixte). Hemangioamele sunt cele mai frecvente tumori benigne vasculare în populaţia pediatrică iar localizarea lor poate fi unică – extremitate cefalică (60%), trunchi (25%) sau multiplă, impunând extinderea investigaţiilor pentru interesarea viscerală (hemangioame hepatice, intestinale, splenice, intracraniene, renale). Malformaţiile capilare apar ca leziuni singulare sau în asociere în cadrul altor afecţiuni – sindrom Struge-Weber, sindrom Klippel-Trenaunay. Cunoscute în trecut ca limfangioame, malformaţiile limfatice sunt clasificate acum ca fiind microcistice, macrocistice (localizate mai frecvent la nivelul capului şi gâtului) sau mixte. Material și metode: Lucrarea prezintă cazuri de hemangioame din colecţia clinicii, aspectul lor clinic şi evoluţia sub terapie cu un beta-blocant. Experienţa Clinicii de Chirurgie Pediatrică Iaşi privind utilizarea Propranololului datează din 2011 şi se datorează participării într+un studiu internaţional multicentric dublu-orb randomizat privind eficienţa şi siguranţa utilizării mai multor scheme de betablocant în tratamentul hemangioamelor infantile. Acest studiu a condus la aprobarea produsului Hemangiol de către Agenţia Europeană a Medicamentelor (EMA). Rezultate și concluzii: Hemangioamele au un prognostic bun, cu 98% rata de răspuns la administrarea de Propranolol.Introduction: The vascular congenital disorders include vascular tumor (hemangioma, kaposiform hemangioendothelioma, tufted hemangioma, non-involuting congenital hemangioma, rapidly-involuting congenital hemangioma) and vascular malformation (capillary, venous, lymphatic, arteriovenous and mixed malformations). Hemangiomas are the most common benign vascular tumors in the pediatric age and their localization may be unique – head (60%) and trunk (25%) or multiple, requiring extensive investigations for visceral involvement (hepatic, intestinal, splenic, intracranial, renal). Capillary malformations occur as isolated lesions or in association with other disorders – Struge-Weber syndrome, Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome. Lymphatic malformations, previously known as lymphangiomas are classified as microcystic, macrocystic (often present on the head and neck) or mixed. Material and methods: The paper presents cases of hemagiomas on the clinic’s collection, their clinical aspects and evolution under the pharmacotherapy with a beta-blocker. The experience of the Pediatric Surgery Clinic in Iasi regarding the use of Propranolol dates back to 2011 and is due to participation in a randomized, double-blind, multi-center international study on the safety and efficiency of betablockers in the treatment of infantile hemangiomas. The study led to the approval of Hemangiol by EMA (European Medicines Agency). Results and conclusions: Hemangiomas have a good prognosis with a 98% response to Propranolol administration

Post-traumatic humerus non-union treatment using fibular bone graft in a pediatric patient – case report

Clinica de Chirurgie și Ortopedie Pediatrică, Spitalul Clinic de Urgență pentru Copii ”Sfânta Maria”, Iași, România, Al XIII-lea Congres al Asociației Chirurgilor „Nicolae Anestiadi” și al III-lea Congres al Societății de Endoscopie, Chirurgie miniminvazivă și Ultrasonografie ”V.M.Guțu” din Republica MoldovaIntroducere: Pseudartroza de humerus prezintă o incidență de 8-12% în rândul populației pediatrice. Există o varietate largă de opțiuni terapeutice, principiile de tratament bazându-se pe reducere deschisă și osteosinteză sau utilizare de grefon osos, în funcție de caz. Material și metode: Pacientă în vârstă de 15 ani,victimă a unui accident rutier, s-a internat în urgență pentru traumatisme multiple, printre diagnosticele stabilite fiind fractura diafizei humerale stângi, pentru care s-a practicat reducere deschisă și osteosinteză cu placă și șuruburi. La un an postoperator s-a constatat pseudartroză la nivelul focarului de fractură. Rezultate obținute: S-au utilizat numeroase metode de tratament pentru cura pseudartrozei: montarea de fixator extern, injectare perilezională cu factori de creștere, o nouă osteosinteză cu placă și șuruburi și plombajul defectului osos cu ceramică bifazică. Întrucât pseudartroza a persistat, s-a optat pentru o nouă intervenție cu utilizarea grefonului osos peronier fixat centromedular la nivelul humerusului, evoluția postoperatorie fiind favorabilă. Concluzie: Pseudartroza de humerus rămâne una dintre cele mai dificile complicații ale fracturii de humerus din cauza frecvenței sale și a dificultăților de management terapeutic. În cazul de față, tratamentul chirurgical utilizând grefon osos autolog a avut rezultate optime, cu o rată bună de vindecare din punct de vedere anatomo-funcțional.Introduction: Humerus fracture non-union presents 8-12% of all the pediatric population. Treatment options are numerus and is generally based on open reduction with internal fixation or using bone graft depending on each case individually. Material and methods: 15 years old female patient, presented with road traffic crash, was admitted with multiple trauma. Left humerus shaft fracture was one of the established diagnosis, open reduction with internal fixation was performed using a plate and screws. 1 year postoperatively non-union was noticed on the check X-rays at the fracture site. Results: Multiple methods were used for non-union treatment: external fixator, growth factor hormone injection at fracture site, second open reduction with internal fixation attempt and biomaterial usage for bone loss. Fracture non-union persisted despite the usage of the mentioned methods. Decision was taken to use fibular bone graft as an intramedullary fixation of the humerus. Postoperative result and follow up were satisfactory. Conclusion: Humeral fracture non-union is one of the worse complications due to its frequency and difficult therapeutic management. In this presented case, surgical treatment using autologous bone graft reflected in optimal results, high anatomo-functional healing results

Triple primary malignancies in a patient with breast cancer: a rare occurrence

Scop. Stadializarea loco-regională și la distanță a tumorilor maligne poate evidenția prezența neoplaziilor sincrone în același organ sau la distanță. Neoplasmele primare sincrone prezente în trei sisteme de organ diferite sunt raportate în literatură cu o incidență de 2.4% -17%. Mirajul primei leziuni poate conduce frecvent spre erori de management terapeutic. Materiale și metode. O pacientă în vârstă de 66 ani, cunoscută cu importantă patologie cardiovasculară și tiroidiană, se prezintă în IRO Iași în urma decelării la palpare a unei formațiuni tumorale mamare stângi în cadranul infero-extern. La examenul clinic, se observă la nivel cutanat în zona sânului stâng o suprafață cu contur neregulat, alcătuită din zone de hipopigmentare și hiperpigmentare. Pacienta este stadializată imagistic pentru afecțiunea mamară – neoplasm ductal invaziv cT2N1 (triplu negativ) și un nodul solid neregulat în segmentul anterior al lobului stâng pulmonar. Decizia Comisiei Multidisciplinare Oncologice este de evaluare PET-CT a nodulului pulmonar, ocazie cu care se infirmă supoziția de metastază pulmonară, dar se evidențiază hipercaptare la nivelul glandei tiroide. Se decide inițierea chimioterapiei neoadjuvante pentru afecțiunea mamară, urmată de intervenție chirurgicală, secvențială, a sânului în bloc cu afecțiunea cutanată și a glandei tiroide. Rezultate. Buletinul histopatologic final a constat în răspuns complet anatomo-patologic al neoplaziei mamare și diagnosticul de microcarcinom tiroidian papilar, respectiv melanom malign cutanat tip Clark II. Pacienta a primit radioterapie adjuvantă pentru cancerul mamar, fiind supravegheată imagistic pentru cancerul tiroidian și cel cutanat. Concluzii. Tumorile maligne sunt definite ca neoplazii primare multiple dacă apar în locuri diferite și/sau aparțin unui grup histologic diferit. Astfel, este evitată clasificarea eronată a tumorilor multiple ca determinări secundare. Cazul prezentat subliniază importanța investigațiilor paraclinice efectuate meticulos pentru stadializarea preterapeutică, detecția cancerelor sincrone având un rol semnificativ în prevenția, diagnosticul și stabilirea tratamentului pacientului, în vederea obținerii celor mai bune rezultate terapeutice.Aim of study. Loco-regional and distant staging of malignant tumors can highlight the presence of synchronous neoplasias in the same organ or at distance. Synchronous primary neoplasms present in three different organ systems are reported in the literature with an incidence of 2.4%-17%. The mirage of the first lesion can often lead to therapeutic management errors. Materials and methods. A 66-year-old female patient, known to have important cardiovascular and thyroid pathology, presented to the IRO Iasi Hospital following palpation of a left mammary tumor in the infero-external quadrant. During the clinical examination, a surface with an irregular outline, made up of an area in which both hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation are present, is observed at the skin level in the area of the left breast. The patient is staged by imaging for the breast condition – invasive ductal neoplasia cT2N1 (triple negative) and an irregular solid nodule in the anterior segment of the left lung lobe. The decision of the Multidisciplinary Oncological Team is to evaluate the PET-CT of the lung nodule, which refutes the position of lung metastasis, but shows hyper-uptake at the level of the thyroid gland. It is decided to initiate neoadjuvant chemotherapy for the breast disease, followed by sequential surgery of the breast en bloc with the skin disease and, after 3 weeks, total thyroidectomy. Results. The final histopathological report consisted of the complete pathological response of the breast cancer and the diagnosis of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma, respectively Clark II type malignant cutaneous melanoma. The patient received adjuvant radiotherapy for breast cancer, being monitored by imaging for thyroid and skin cancer. Conclusions. Malignant tumors are defined as multiple primary neoplasms if they occur in different sites and/or belong to a different histological group. Thus, the wrong classification of multiple tumors as secondary determinations is avoided. The presented case emphasizes the importance of meticulously performed paraclinical investigations for pre-therapeutic staging, the detection of synchronous cancers having a significant role in the prevention, diagnosis and stability of the patient's treatment, in order to obtain the best therapeutic results

Disrupted Functional Connectivity with Dopaminergic Midbrain in Cocaine Abusers

Background: Chronic cocaine use is associated with disrupted dopaminergic neurotransmission but how this disruption affects overall brain function (other than reward/motivation) is yet to be fully investigated. Here we test the hypothesis that cocaine addicted subjects will have disrupted functional connectivity between the midbrain (where dopamine neurons are located) and cortical and subcortical brain regions during the performance of a sustained attention task. Methodology/Principal Findings: We measured brain activation and functional connectivity with fMRI in 20 cocaine abusers and 20 matched controls. When compared to controls, cocaine abusers had lower positive functional connectivity of midbrain with thalamus, cerebellum, and rostral cingulate, and this was associated with decreased activation in thalamus and cerebellum and enhanced deactivation in rostral cingulate. Conclusions/Significance: These findings suggest that decreased functional connectivity of the midbrain interferes with the activation and deactivation signals associated with sustained attention in cocaine addicts