Association analysis of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase2 gene polymorphisms with COPD in Egyptians

AbstractProteinase/antiproteinase imbalance is recognized to play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A relative increase in the activities of matrix metalloproteinases might be caused by mutations of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase2 (TIMP2). Recently, two polymorphisms of the TIMP2 gene, +853 G/A and −418 G/C (+551 and −720 from the translation initiation site), have been shown to be associated with the development of COPD in the Japanese population. In this study, a case-control association analysis for these polymorphisms was conducted in the Egyptian population using 106 COPD patients and 72 healthy controls. The genotype frequency of +853 G/A was significantly different between the patient and the control groups (P=0.029), although no significant difference was detected in the allele frequency between the two groups. These results suggest that the +853 G/A polymorphism of the TIMP2 gene might be associated with COPD across ethnicities. In contrast, neither the distributions of genotype nor allele frequencies of –418 G/C were significantly different between the two groups, raising the possibility that a combination of different genetic factors contributes to the development of COPD in different ethnic groups

Applications of graphene in microbial fuel cells: the gap between promise and reality

Since the initial emergence of two-dimensional graphene (Gr) nano-material, there has been a great interest in its potential applications due to its excellent conductivity, enormous surface area and good mechanical strength. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are one of these important promising applications. The limited productivity of MFCs compared to other fuel cell technologies along with the high cost of their components are the two major obstacles to commercialization. Gr is proposed to help overcome such challenges by integrating with biocatalysts for the construction of Gr based MFCs, either as an anode to increase the electron transfer efficiency, or as a cathode to effectively catalyze the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). This integration is relevant only if the favorable environment for bacterial biofilm adherence to Gr modified surfaces is available. Unfortunately, there is insufficient understanding of the interaction mechanism of bacterial cells with such modified surfaces. Despite this challenge, along with the complexity of the Gr modified electrode fabrication, Gr-based electrodes remain a promising option for developing MFCs to achieve sustainable wastewater treatment and bioelectricity generation. As a reflection on these facts, the aim of this review is to provide critical overview and to evaluate the recent advances for the applications of Gr in MFCs, focusing on electrode fabrication and power generation. Within that context, the concerns about microbial compatibility of Gr will be addressed.Ahmed ElMekawy, Hanaa M.Hegab, Dusan Losic, Christopher P.Saint, Deepak Pan

Food and agricultural wastes as substrates for bioelectrochemical system (BES) : The synchronized recovery of sustainable energy and waste treatment

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) are one of the recent promising technologies developed for their multi-faceted applications such as bioenergy generation, wastewater treatment and synthesis of value added chemicals. Among these applications, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for wastewater treatment with simultaneous power generation are being widely studied, while the other applications are gaining prominence very recently. A wide range of wastewaters, ranging from domestic to industrial origin, were studied for their potential of power generation in MFCs with their simultaneous treatment. Though, some reviews have been published in the direction of consolidating the data of different wastewaters used as substrates in MFC, detailed review pertaining to the food and agriculture based wastewater was not yet reported. Considering the hidden potential of food and agricultural wastewater, this review article provides a comprehensive view on the MFC research related to these types wastewater. Major bottlenecks in enhancing the power output and treatment efficiencies along with the future directions were also discussed