Conversion of no/low value waste frying oils into biodiesel and polyhydroxyalkanoates

A sustainable bioprocess was developed for the valorization of a no/low value substrate, i.e. waste frying oils (WFOs) with high content of free fatty acids (FFAs), otherwise unsuitable for biodiesel production. The bioprocess was verified using both recombinant (Escherichia coli) and native (Pseudomonas resinovorans) polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) producing cell factories. Microbial fermentation of WFOs provided a 2-fold advantage: i) the reduction of FFAs content resulting into an upgrading of the "exhausted waste oils" and ii) the production of a bio-based microbial polymer. Proper strain designing and process optimization allowed to achieve up to 1.5 g L-1 of medium chain length, mcl-PHAs, together with an efficient conversion (80% yield) of the treated WFO into biodiesel

Genetic organization of pha gene locus affects phaC expression, poly(hydroxyalkanoate) composition and granule morphology in Pseudomonas corrugata

The complete sequence of the pha locus responsible for the biosynthesis of poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs) in Pseudomonas corrugata 388 was determined. As with the other known pseudomonad pha gene loci, the one in P. corrugata 388 also consists of phaC1 (1,680 bps; PHA synthase 1), phaZ (858 bp; PHA depolymerase) and phaC2 (1,683 bp; PHA synthase 2) genes. A BLAST search showed that the nucleotide sequences of these genes and the amino-acid sequences of their respective gene products are homologous to those of P. corrugata CFBP5454 and P. mediterranea CFBP5447. A putative intrinsic transcription terminator consisting of a dyad symmetry (24 bp; Delta G = -41.8 kcals) that precedes a stretch of dA residues was located in the phaC1-phaZ intergenic region. P. corrugata mutant-clones XI 32-1 and XI 32-4 were constructed in which this intergenic region was replaced with a selectable kanamycin-resistance gene. These mutant clones when grown on oleic acid for 48 h showed 4.7-to 7.0-fold increases of phaC1 and phaC2 relative expression in comparison to the initial inoculants, whereas the parental strain showed only 1.2- to 1.4-fold increases. Furthermore, in comparison to parental P. corrugata with only a few large PHA inclusion bodies, the mutants grown on oleic acid produce numerous smaller PHA granules that line the periphery of the cells. With glucose as a substrate, XI 32-1 and XI 32-4 clones produce mcl-PHA with a high content (26-31 mol%) of the mono-unsaturated 3-hydroxydodecenoate as a repeat-unit monomer. Our results show for the first time the effects of the phaC1-phaZ intergenic region on the substrate-dependent temporal expression of phaC1 and phaC2 genes, the repeat-unit composition of mcl-PHA, and the morphology of the PHA granules

Biosynthesis of emulsan biopolymers from agro-based feedstocks

Aims: The need for biocompatible, biodegradable, and versatile biopolymers permeates many fields including environmental and food technology. The goal of the study presented here is to establish the utility of agricultural oils as an inexpensive carbon source to produce materials useful for biomedical materials and offer positive attributes in terms of green chemistry. Methods and Results: Structural variants of the complex acylated polysaccha- ride, emulsan, secreted from Acinetobacter venetianus RAG-1, were biosynthe- sized in cultures supplemented with agricultural feedstocks to examine the feasibility of conversion of these substrates into value-added biopolymers. Acinetobacter venetianus produced chemically and biologically distinct emulsan variants in culture on soy molasses and tallow oil. These variants possess signi- ficant biological function, including macrophage activation and adjuvant activ- ity, in similar range to that observed for the standard emulsan formed on ethanol-fed A. venetianus. Conclusions: The results indicate that this novel family of biopolymers can be produced in significant quantities from the readily available renewable agricul- tural feedstocks and the resulting structures and functions can be correlated to the chemistry of these feedstocks. Significance and Impact of the Study: The significant quantities of agricultural oils produced annually represent an untapped source for bioconversion to valuable products. The results of this study confirm that the important polymer emulsan can be synthesized from this inexpensive carbon source.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriale

Histopathological and biochemical findings of congenital copper deficiency: are these similar to those of caprine arthritis-encephalitis?

This study was done after identifying animals with a twisted carpal joint in goat herd. These included a kid goat walking on its articulus carpii and a newborn goat with a stiff leg. Necropsies of the diseased goats revealed swollen carpal joints that were twisted backwards. Arthritis was observed during microscopic examination of the carpal joints. Very low levels of eosinophil, leucocyte, and lymphocyte cell infiltration were found in the central nervous system and meninges. Serum copper levels were significantly decreased in most of the animals. All of these results led us to diagnose the animals with swayback disease

Plant-Mycorrhiza Percent Infection as Evidence of Coupled Metabolism

A common feature of mycorrhizal observation is the growth of the infection on the plant root as a percent of the infected root or root tip length. Often, this is measured as a logistic curve with an eventual, though usually transient, plateau. It is shown in this paper that the periods of stable percent infection in the mycorrhizal growth cycle correspond to periods where both the plant and mycorrhiza growth rates and likely metabolism are tightly coupled.Comment: 11 pages; accepted by the Journal of Theoretical Biology (in press

Development of specific PCR assays for the detection of Cryptocaryon irritans

Cryptocaryon irritans is one of the most important protozoan pathogens of marine fish, causing the “white spot” disease and posing a significant problem to marine aquaculture. In the present study, a C. irritans-specific reverse primer (S15) was designed based on the published sequence of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of C. irritans and used together with the conserved forward primer P1 to develop a specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for direct, rapid, and specific detection of C. irritans. The specificity of these primers was tested with both closely and distantly related ciliates (Pseudokeroronpsis rubra, Pseudokeroronpsis carnae, Euplotes sp. 1, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, Pseudourostyla cristata, and Paramecium caudaium), and only C. irritans was detected and no product was amplified from any other ciliates examined in this study using the specific primer set P1-S15. The specific PCR assay was able to detect as low as 45 pg of C. irritans DNA and a nested PCR assay using two primer sets (P1/NC2, P1/S15) increased the sensitivity, allowing the detection of a single C. irritans. The species-specific PCR assays should provide useful tools for the diagnosis, prevention, and molecular epidemiological investigations of C. irritans infection in marine fish

Increased prevalence of rotavirus among children associated gastroenteritis in Riyadh Saudi Arabia

The aim of this study is to assess the epidemiology along with the molecular structure of rotavirus causing pediatric diarrhea among Saudi patients. However, in this report we sited the epidemiological reflect coming from our project

Cost-utility analysis of LEGO based therapy for school children and young people with autism spectrum disorder: results from a randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: To assess the cost-effectiveness of LEGO-based therapy compared with usual support. Design: Cost-utility analysis alongside randomised control trial. Setting: Mainstream primary and secondary schools in the UK. Participants: 248 children and young people (CYP) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) aged 7–15 years. Intervention: LEGO-based therapy is a group social skills intervention designed specifically for CYP with ASD. Through play, CYP learn to use the skills such as joint attention, sharing, communication and group problem-solving. CYP randomised to the intervention arm received 12 weekly sessions of LEGO-based therapy and usual support, while CYP allocated to control arm received usual support only. Main outcome measures: Average costs based on National Health Service (NHS) and personal social services perspective and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) measured by EQ-5D-Y over time horizon of 1 year were collected during the trial. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated, and non-parametric bootstrapping was conducted. The uncertainty around the ICER estimates was presented using cost-effectiveness acceptability curve (CEAC). A set of sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the primary findings. Results: After adjustment and bootstrapping, on average, CYP in LEGO-based therapy group incurred less costs (incremental cost was −£251 (95% CI −£752 to £268)) and gained marginal improvement in QALYs (QALYs gained 0.009 (95% CI −0.008 to 0.028)). The CEAC shows that the probability of LEGO-based therapy being cost-effective was 94% at the willingness-to-pay threshold of £20 000 per QALY gained. Results of sensitivity analyses were consistent with the primary outcomes. Conclusion: Compared with usual support, LEGO-based therapy produced marginal reduction in costs and improvement in QALYs. Results from both primary and sensitivity analyses suggested that LEGO-based therapy was likely to be cost-effective. Trial registration number: ISRCTN64852382

ELSA in industrial robotics

Purpose of ReviewIndustry is changing; converging technologies allow a fourth Industrial Revolution, where it is envisaged that robots will work alongside humans. We investigate how the research community is responding to the ethical, legal, and social aspects of industrial robots, with a primary focus on manufacturing industry.Recent FindingsThe literature shows considerable interest in the impact of robotics and automation on industry. This interest spans many disciplines, which is to be expected given that the ELS impacts of industrial robotics may be profound in their depth and far-reaching in their scope.SummaryWe suggest that the increasing importance of human-robot interaction (HRI) reduces the differentiation between industrial robotics and other robotic domains and that the main challenges to successful adoption for the benefit of human life are above all political and economic. Emerging standards and legal frameworks may scaffold this success, but it is apparent that getting it wrong might have repercussions that last for generations

I-SOCIALISE: Results from a cluster randomised controlled trial investigating the social competence and isolation of children with autism taking part in LEGO® based therapy (‘Play Brick Therapy’) clubs in school environments

Social learning through friendships is important in child development. Autistic children often initiate and engage in social interactions differently than neurotypical peers. LEGO® based therapy is a group intervention which facilitates social interactions with peers using collaborative LEGO® play. A 1:1 cluster randomised controlled trial with autistic children aged 7–15 comparing 12 weeks’ LEGO® based therapy and usual support to usual support alone in 98 mainstream schools (2017–2019) was carried out. The primary outcome was social skills (Social Skills Improvement System) completed by unblinded teachers (not intervention deliverers) at 20 weeks. Analysis used intention-to-treat. Fifty intervention schools (127 participants) and 48 control schools (123 participants) were allocated. Primary analysis included 45 intervention schools (116 participants) and 42 control schools (101 participants). The between-arms difference was 3.74 (p = 0.06, 95% confidence interval: −0.16, 7.63) and 1.68 (p = 0.43, 95% confidence interval: −2.51, 5.87) at 20 and 52 weeks (0.18 and 0.08 standardised effect sizes). Twenty-week outcomes for those receiving per protocol intervention were 4.23 (95% confidence interval 0.27, 8.19) with a standardised effect size of 0.21. Sensitivity estimates were between 3.10 and 4.37 (0.15–0.21 standardised effect sizes). Three unrelated serious adverse events were reported. LEGO® based therapy has a small positive non-significant benefit for social skills at 20 weeks but not 52 weeks. Lay abstract Autism is characterised by keen interests and differences in social interactions and communication. Activities that help autistic children and young people with social skills are commonly used in UK schools. LEGO® based therapy is a new activity that provides interesting and fun social opportunities for children and young people and involves building LEGO® models together. This study looked at LEGO® based therapy for the social skills of autistic children and young people in schools. It was a randomised controlled trial, meaning each school was randomly chosen (like flipping a coin) to either run LEGO® based therapy groups in school over 12 weeks and have usual support from school or other professionals, or only have usual support from school or other professionals. The effect of the LEGO® based therapy groups was measured by asking children and young people, their parents/guardians, and a teacher at school in both arms of the study to complete some questionnaires. The main objective was to see if the teacher’s questionnaire answers about the children and young people’s social skills changed between their first and second completions. The social skills of participants in the LEGO® based therapy groups were found to have improved in a small way when compared to usual support only. The study also found that LEGO® based therapy was not very costly for schools to run and parents/guardians and teachers said they thought it was good for their children and young people. We suggest further research into different potential benefits of LEGO® based therapy