Enzyme production from food wastes using a biorefinery concept

According to Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), one-third of food produced globally for human consumption (nearly 1.3 billion tonnes) is lost along the food supply chain. In many countries food waste is currently landfilled or incinerated together with other combustible municipal wastes for possible recovery of energy. However, these two options are facing more and more economic and environmental stresses. Due to its organic- and nutrient-rich nature, theoretically food waste can be converted to valuable products (e.g. bio-products such as methane, hydrogen, ethanol, enzymes, organic acids, chemicals and fuels) through various fermentation processes. Such conversion of food waste is potentially more profitable than its conversion to animal feed or transportation fuel. Food waste valorisation has therefore gained interest, with value added bio-products such as methane, hydrogen, ethanol, enzymes, organic acids, chemicals, and fuels. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide information on the food waste situation with emphasis on Asia–Pacific countries and the state of the art food waste processing technologies to produce enzymes

The effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) combined with a bone allograft on human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells

The prominent purpose of the study was the evaluation of the in vitro mitogenic effect of three different homologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) preparations (PRPa, PRPb, PRPc) on three different lines of periodontal ligament (PDL) cells (PDL 1,2,3), cultured alone or in combination with a demineralized freeze-dried allograft (DFBA). PDL cell cultures were derived from the mid root of three maxillary caries-free premolars extracted for orthodontic reasons. Cells were grown and reached confluence. To evaluate the mitogenic effect of all exogenous factors (PRPa, PRPb, PRPc and DFBA) on PDL cells, specific number of cells (10.000/well) was cultured in the presence or absence of the above factors. Each PRP preparation (5% v/v) was added in all cell lines, in the absence or presence of 10 mg/ml of DFBA. The cells were also treated with 25 ng/ml bFGF (positive control). The mitogenic effect was evaluated 24 h after incubation, using the Trypan blue exclusion assay. The results revealed that all PRP preparations act as potent mitogens as they significantly induced cell proliferation on PDL 1,2,3 lines. All PRP preparations when added alone in the PDL cell cultures, exhibited a significant advantage over the positive control (bFGF). The addition of DFBA to PRP did not influence significantly cell proliferation in all cell lines, comparatively to PRP alone, at the time -period studied. The findings of this study demonstrate the beneficial role of PRP alone or combined with the bone graft on periodontal ligament cells in vitro, suggesting that it may be considered as a potential biological approach in periodontal regeneration. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V

The use of platelet-rich plasma combined with demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft in the treatment of periodontal endosseous defects: A report of two clinical cases

Background. On the basis of systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials, the authors provide reports of two cases in which platelet-rich plasma (PRP) combined with demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft (DFDBA) was used to treat periodontal endosseous defects. Case Pescriptions. Clinicians treated two circumferential endosseous defects with a probing pocket depth of 5 and 8 millimeters, respectively (case 1), and a combined 1-2-3-wall endosseous defect with a probing pocket depth of 6 mm (case 2) by using the combination of PRP and DFDBA. At six months, complete periodontal pocket resolution occurred in all defects, and clinical attachment level and radiographic defect fill in all defects exhibited significant improvement compared with presurgical values. Clinical Implications. The combination of PRP and DFDBA may be clinically and radiographically efficacious in the treatment of periodontal endosseous defects

Macro- to nanoscale study of the effect of aqueous sulphate on calcite growth

Calcite growth rates were measured in the presence of sulphate using mixed-flow reactors and in situ Atomic Force Microscopy. Preliminary observations reveal that the kinetics and mechanism of the calcite growth was altered by the presence of sulphate. Calcite growth rates in the presence of sulphate (= 5 mM) were decreased and two-dimensional nuclei tend to grow on top of existing nuclei, rather than spreading. The height of new nuclei was ~4 Å, 1 Å greater than that of pure calcite growth. This difference reflects the incorporation of tetrahedral SO42- anions into the calcite lattice. © 2008 The Mineralogical Society

Experimental study of the effect of autologous platelet-rich plasma on the early phases of osteoinduction by allogenic demineralized bone matrix

PURPOSE:: To evaluate the effect of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on the early phases of osteoinduction by allogenic demineralized bone matrix (DBM) in rabbit intramuscular positions. MATERIALS AND METHODS:: Allogenic DBM was produced from bones of 3 healthy rabbits. In each of 6 experimental animals, 0.3 mL autologous PRP was prepared and 2 muscle pouches were created, where 250 mg DBM + PRP (experimental sites) and 250 mg DBM without PRP (control sites) were randomly implanted. Animals were euthanized 3 weeks postoperatively. RESULTS:: Histologic examination revealed uneventful healing in all cases, whereas remineralization of the periphery of the bone graft particles was a constant finding. In both control and experimental sites, fibroblasts and other mesenchymal cells (probably osteoprogenitor cells and preosteoblasts) were observed. The main histological difference was the recolonization of the empty lacunae of the bone graft particles by osteocytes at the control sites. The degradation of the graft at the control sites was statistically significantly quicker, although a statistically significant difference regarding the amount of the newly formed fibrous connective tissue was not observed. CONCLUSION:: The present study demonstrated that in this experimental model, the addition of PRP to DBM had a negative effect on the early phases of osteoinduction at 3 weeks of observation. Copyright © 2012 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Intrinsic kinetics of gypsum and calcium sulfate anhydrite dissolution : surface selective studies under hydrodynamic control and the effect of additives

The intrinsic dissolution activity of the basal (010) and edge (001) surfaces of gypsum and polycrystalline calcium sulfate anhydrite crystals has been investigated, under far from equilibrium conditions, via the channel flow cell (CFC) method with off-line inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the measurement of dissolved Ca(2+) from the crystal surface. This approach allows measurements to be made over a wide range of flow rates so that the importance of mass transport versus surface kinetics can be elucidated. Complementary quantitative modeling of the dissolution process was carried out by formulating convective diffusive equations that describe mass transport in the CFC, coupled to a boundary condition for dissolution of the crystal surface. We found that a linear rate law applied, and intrinsic dissolution fluxes were deduced. The following dissolution fluxes, J(o) = k(diss) x c(eq) were measured, where k(diss) is the dissolution rate constant and c(eq) the calcium sulfate concentration in saturated solution: 5.7 (+/- 1.4) x 10(-9) mol cm(-2) s(-1) for basal plane gypsum and 4.1 (+/- 0.7) x 10(-9) mol cm(-2) s(-1) for calcium sulfate anhydrite. Edge plane gypsum, under the experimental conditions applied, was found to dissolve at a mass transport-controlled rate. The effects of t-tartaric acid, d-tartaric acid, and sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP) as important potential additives of the dissolution process of basal plane gypsum were investigated. It was found that the tartaric acids had little effect but that STMP significantly retarded gypsum dissolution with J(o) = 1.6 (+/- 0.6) x 10(-9) mol cm(-2) s(-1) (5 mM STMP solution). The mode of action of STMP was further elucidated via etch pit morphology studies