Factors affecting endoglucanase production by Trichoderma reesei RUT C-30 from solid state fermentation of oil palm empty fruit bunches using Plackett-Burman design

A study was conducted to screen parameters affecting the production of endoglucanase by Trichoderma reesei RUT C-30 on solid state fermentation of oil palm empty fruit bunch using the Plackett-Burman design. Factors involved in the screening process were peptone concentration, urea concentration, ammonium sulfate concentration, calcium nitrate concentration, yeast extract concentration, tween 80 concentration, pH, incubation time, initial moisture content, inoculum size and substrate amount. Through analysis of variance (ANOVA), it was found that initial moisture content (p= 0.001), incubation time (p= 0.001), inoculum size (p= 0.032) and ammonium sulfate concentration (p= 0.023) have been recognized as significant factors affecting endoglucanase activity in solid state fermentation (SSF) of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) by T. reesei RUT C-30. The model established from the ANOVA analysis have a significant value of Pmodel>F= 0.0008 and R2 of 0.9132. The preoptimized media showed 2.6 fold increased of endoglucanase activity.Key words: Cellulase, oil palm empty fruit bunches, solid state fermentation, Trichoderma reesei RUT C-30, Plackett-Burman design

CO2 Uptake Model of Biomass Silica Foamed Concrete

The cement industry contributes about 5% to global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. CO2 isemitted from the calcination process of limestone, from combustion of fuels in the kiln, aswell as from power generation. A model of CO2 uptake by biomass silica foamed concrete isproposed as a potential mitigation strategy against CO2-emission. The key parameters in thecement production process are defined and the total CO2 emissions are reviewed. Acomparison between CO2 emission and CO2 uptake by carbonation is made. The forecastingof CO2 uptake by carbonation is modeled with the use of Microsoft Excel. The CO2 emissionmitigation options are discussed based on the modeling on CO2 uptake by biomass silicafoamed concrete. The proposed foamed concrete absorbs CO2 42.7% faster than the normalPortland cement concrete, with a regression accuracy of 0.98. Successful deployment couldcontribute towards sustainable development while benefiting from the carbon credits

Analyses of variability, euclidean clustering and principal components for genetic diversity of eight Tossa Jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) genotypes

An investigation was done to assess the genetic variability, character associations, and genetic diversity of eight jute genotypes for seven morphological traits in a randomised complete block design at Bangladesh Jute Research Institute during 15 March, 2018 to 31 December, 2019. Analyses results revealed significant differences (P<0.01) among all genotypes for studied traits indicating the presence of variability. All the lines performed better than one control (JRO-524), and the line (O-0412-9-4) provided good results for desired traits than all controls. Jute fibre yield showed the highest broad sense heritability (98.54%). The studied jute morphological traits i.e. Plant population, the plant height, green weight, dry fibre yield and dry stick yield gave high heritability along with high genotypic and phenotypic variances, genetic advances in percent of the mean, highly significant and positive correlations. It indicates the possibility of crop improvement through phenotypic selection and maximum genetic gain, simultaneously at the genotypic-phenotypic level. Clustering analysis grouped all genotypes into three distinct clusters. The cluster II showed the highest mean values for all traits followed by cluster I and III. The first two principal components with higher Eigen values (>1.0) accounted for 90.88% of the total variation in the principal component analysis. PCA and cluster analyses indicated that the advanced breeding line O-0412-9-4 made its individual cluster II with higher inter-cluster distance and higher fibre yield (3.12 t ha-1). The investigation was done to select the genotype(s) with good fibre yield and distinct features in respect of developing high yielding Tossa jute variety for cultivation in the farmers’ field. This genotype O-0412-9-4 was selected based on higher plant height, base diameter, fibre yield content. It will be developed as a high yielding variety considering its’ higher genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance, significant associations for desirable characters

Citric Acid-Mediated Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants

Several recent studies have shown that citric acid/citrate (CA) can confer abiotic stress tolerance to plants. Exogenous CA application leads to improved growth and yield in crop plants under various abiotic stress conditions. Improved physiological outcomes are associated with higher photosynthetic rates, reduced reactive oxygen species, and better osmoregulation. Application of CA also induces antioxidant defense systems, promotes increased chlorophyll content, and affects secondary metabolism to limit plant growth restrictions under stress. In particular, CA has a major impact on relieving heavy metal stress by promoting precipitation, chelation, and sequestration of metal ions. This review summarizes the mechanisms that mediate CA-regulated changes in plants, primarily CA's involvement in the control of physiological and molecular processes in plants under abiotic stress conditions. We also review genetic engineering strategies for CA-mediated abiotic stress tolerance. Finally, we propose a model to explain how CA's position in complex metabolic networks involving the biosynthesis of phytohormones, amino acids, signaling molecules, and other secondary metabolites could explain some of its abiotic stress-ameliorating properties. This review summarizes our current understanding of CA-mediated abiotic stress tolerance and highlights areas where additional research is needed

Excessive transcription-replication conflicts are a vulnerability of BRCA1-mutant cancers

BRCA1 mutations are associated with increased breast and ovarian cancer risk. BRCA1-mutant tumors are high-grade, recurrent, and often become resistant to standard therapies. Herein, we performed a targeted CRISPR-Cas9 screen and identified MEPCE, a methylphosphate capping enzyme, as a synthetic lethal interactor of BRCA1. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that depletion of MEPCE in a BRCA1-deficient setting led to dysregulated RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) promoter-proximal pausing, R-loop accumulation, and replication stress, contributing to transcription-replication collisions. These collisions compromise genomic integrity resulting in loss of viability of BRCA1-deficient cells. We also extend these findings to another RNAPII-regulating factor, PAF1. This study identifies a new class of synthetic lethal partners of BRCA1 that exploit the RNAPII pausing regulation and highlight the untapped potential of transcription-replication collision-inducing factors as unique potential therapeutic targets for treating cancers associated with BRCA1 mutations

Regulating global shipping corporations' accountability for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the seas

Up until the recent oil and commodity price crash in 2015, there has been exponential growth in global shipping and trade, and this increase means that prompt action is required to reduce vessel-sourced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Future projections suggest that maritime CO2 emissions will increase substantially by between 50% and 250%. However, there is currently no international instrument holding global shipping corporations accountable for their vessels' performance in emissions reduction. This article critically assesses the current accountability practices and regulations in place for these corporations. It suggests that stakeholders in this industry need to further explore the market based mechanisms (MBMs) that can encourage and even demand that these corporations systematically disclose their vessels' emissions reduction performance in an accurate and timely manner. Developing such mechanisms is vital to assist in the reduction of GHG emissions since a comprehensive international instrument is unlikely to be implemented soon

Cerebral microbleeds and intracranial haemorrhage risk in patients anticoagulated for atrial fibrillation after acute ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack (CROMIS-2):a multicentre observational cohort study

Background: Cerebral microbleeds are a potential neuroimaging biomarker of cerebral small vessel diseases that are prone to intracranial bleeding. We aimed to determine whether presence of cerebral microbleeds can identify patients at high risk of symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage when anticoagulated for atrial fibrillation after recent ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack. Methods: Our observational, multicentre, prospective inception cohort study recruited adults aged 18 years or older from 79 hospitals in the UK and one in the Netherlands with atrial fibrillation and recent acute ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack, treated with a vitamin K antagonist or direct oral anticoagulant, and followed up for 24 months using general practitioner and patient postal questionnaires, telephone interviews, hospital visits, and National Health Service digital data on hospital admissions or death. We excluded patients if they could not undergo MRI, had a definite contraindication to anticoagulation, or had previously received therapeutic anticoagulation. The primary outcome was symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage occurring at any time before the final follow-up at 24 months. The log-rank test was used to compare rates of intracranial haemorrhage between those with and without cerebral microbleeds. We developed two prediction models using Cox regression: first, including all predictors associated with intracranial haemorrhage at the 20% level in univariable analysis; and second, including cerebral microbleed presence and HAS-BLED score. We then compared these with the HAS-BLED score alone. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02513316. Findings: Between Aug 4, 2011, and July 31, 2015, we recruited 1490 participants of whom follow-up data were available for 1447 (97%), over a mean period of 850 days (SD 373; 3366 patient-years). The symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage rate in patients with cerebral microbleeds was 9·8 per 1000 patient-years (95% CI 4·0–20·3) compared with 2·6 per 1000 patient-years (95% CI 1·1–5·4) in those without cerebral microbleeds (adjusted hazard ratio 3·67, 95% CI 1·27–10·60). Compared with the HAS-BLED score alone (C-index 0·41, 95% CI 0·29–0·53), models including cerebral microbleeds and HAS-BLED (0·66, 0·53–0·80) and cerebral microbleeds, diabetes, anticoagulant type, and HAS-BLED (0·74, 0·60–0·88) predicted symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage significantly better (difference in C-index 0·25, 95% CI 0·07–0·43, p=0·0065; and 0·33, 0·14–0·51, p=0·00059, respectively). Interpretation: In patients with atrial fibrillation anticoagulated after recent ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack, cerebral microbleed presence is independently associated with symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage risk and could be used to inform anticoagulation decisions. Large-scale collaborative observational cohort analyses are needed to refine and validate intracranial haemorrhage risk scores incorporating cerebral microbleeds to identify patients at risk of net harm from oral anticoagulation. Funding: The Stroke Association and the British Heart Foundation

Search for heavy resonances decaying to two Higgs bosons in final states containing four b quarks

A search is presented for narrow heavy resonances X decaying into pairs of Higgs bosons (H) in proton-proton collisions collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC at root s = 8 TeV. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb(-1). The search considers HH resonances with masses between 1 and 3 TeV, having final states of two b quark pairs. Each Higgs boson is produced with large momentum, and the hadronization products of the pair of b quarks can usually be reconstructed as single large jets. The background from multijet and t (t) over bar events is significantly reduced by applying requirements related to the flavor of the jet, its mass, and its substructure. The signal would be identified as a peak on top of the dijet invariant mass spectrum of the remaining background events. No evidence is observed for such a signal. Upper limits obtained at 95 confidence level for the product of the production cross section and branching fraction sigma(gg -> X) B(X -> HH -> b (b) over barb (b) over bar) range from 10 to 1.5 fb for the mass of X from 1.15 to 2.0 TeV, significantly extending previous searches. For a warped extra dimension theory with amass scale Lambda(R) = 1 TeV, the data exclude radion scalar masses between 1.15 and 1.55 TeV

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely