A fed-batch fermentation process for poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) production by Yangia sp. ND199 using molasses as substrate

A locally isolated halophilic bacterium, Yangia sp. ND199 was able to use molasses as substrate for copolymers poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) [P(3HB-co-3HV)] production. Cell dry weight (CDW) of 6.37 g/l, P(3HB-co-3HV) content of 43.1 wt% and P(3HB-co-3HV) concentration of 2.75 g/l were obtained by Yangia sp. after 60 h of cultivation in flask. In a batch cultivation mode in a fermentor, the CDW was increased to 9.1 g/l but P(3HB-co-3HV) content was decreased to 37 wt%. Fed-batch fermentation with two different nutrient feeding strategies was used. High CDW of 54.8 g/l was obtained after 54 h of cultivation but P(3HB-co-3HV) content was still low (39.8 wt%). Two-step fed-batch fermentation with two different nutrient feeding strategies was then designed. High CDW of 50 g/l and P(3HB-co-3HV) content of 52.9 wt% were obtained after 54 h of cultivation. The two-step fed-batch process designed here for the production of P(3HB-co-3HV) by Yangia sp. ND199 can be developed and used for further studies

Evaluating the effect of self-interference on the performance of full-duplex two-way relaying communication with energy harvesting

In this paper, we study the throughput and outage probability (OP) of two-way relaying (TWR) communication system with energy harvesting (EH). The system model consists two source nodes and a relay node which operates in full-duplex (FD) mode. The effect of self-interference (SI) due to the FD operation on the system performance is evaluated for both one-way full duplex (OWFD) and two-way full duplex (TWFD) diagrams where the amplify-and-forward (AF) relay node collects energy harvesting with the time switching (TS) scheme. We first propose an individual OP expression for each specific source. Then, we derive the exact closed-form overall OP expression for the OWFD diagram. For the TWFD diagram, we propose an approximate closed-form expression for the overall OP. The overall OP comparison among hybrid systems (Two-Way Half-Duplex (TWHD), OWFD, TWFD) are also discussed.  Finally, the numerical/simulated results are presented for Rayleigh fading channels to demonstrate the correction of the proposed analysis

Probiotic Strains for Treating and/or Preventing Diarrhea

The present invention relates to a method of selecting or identifying probiotic strains capable of acting on the absorption of water in the colon, and use thereof as medicinal products in the treatment and/or prevention of diarrhea. The invention relates in particular to the strain of Bacillus subtilis CU1 for use in the treatment and/or prevention of diarrhea

CAMELLIA HOAANA (THEACEAE, SECTION CORALLINA), A NEW SPECIES FROM BU GIA MAP NATIONAL PARK IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM

Camellia hoaana, a new species of the Camellia sect. Corallina (Theaceae) from Bu Gia Map National Park, Vietnam, is described and illustrated. Morphological features of this species are young branches pubescent and glabrescent. Leaves elliptic to obovate-elliptic; apex bluntly cuspidate, base wide cuneate; above dark green, shiny and glabrous; below paler green and sparsely pubescent along midrib; petiole sparsely pubescent. Flowers solitary or geminate, axillary or terminal; pedicel pubescent. Bracteole 1 (or none),pubescent on both sides, persistent. Sepals 4–5(–6), pubescent on both sides, persistent. Petals 5–6, white, outermost 1–2 pubescent at the apex on both sides, the rest glabrous on both sides. Androecium numerous, 2–3 whorls, glabrous. Ovary 3-locular, white silky tomentose; styles 3, free to the base, glabrous. Capsule subglobose, sparsely pubescent, furfuraceous. Seeds 1–2 per locule, semiglobose or globose, densely brown villous. This new species is assessed as Data Deficient (DD) according to the IUCN categories and criteria

DIFFERENT FRUCTOSE FEEDING STRATEGIES FOR POLY(3-HYDROXYBUTYRATE) PRODUCTION BY Yangia sp. ND199

Yangia sp. ND199 is a halophilic bacterium isolated from mangrove soil sample. This strain was able to produce polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) from different carbon sources. Only homopolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) was synthesized when fructose was used as carbon source. The bacterium can accumulate high PHB content during exponential phase. Maximum cell dry weight (CDW) of 7.8 g/l and PHB content of 49 wt% were obtained after 27 h of cultivation in batch fermentation. High CDW and PHB content were achieved by using fed-batch fermentation with different fructose feeding strategies. The highest CDW of 78.5 g/l, PHB content of 67.5 wt%, and PHB productivity of 1 g/l/h were obtained by using two-stage fed-batch fermentation, is among the highest reported so far for PHB production by halophilic bacteria.       

SECURITY CAPABILITY ANALYSIS OF COGNITIVE RADIO NETWORK WITH SECONDARY USER CAPABLE OF JAMMING AND SELF-POWERING

This paper investigates a cognitive radio network where a secondary sender assists a primarytransmitter in relaying primary information to a primary receiver and also transmits its own information toa secondary recipient. This sender is capable of jamming to protect secondary and/or primary informationagainst an eavesdropper and self-powering by harvesting radio frequency energy of primary signals.Security capability of both secondary and primary networks are analyzed in terms of secrecy outageprobability. Numerous results corroborate the proposed analysis which serves as a design guidelineto quickly assess and optimize security performance. More importantly, security capability trade-offbetween secondary and primary networks can be totally controlled with appropriate selection of systemparameters

Height and body-mass index trajectories of school-aged children and adolescents from 1985 to 2019 in 200 countries and territories: a pooled analysis of 2181 population-based studies with 65 million participants

Summary Background Comparable global data on health and nutrition of school-aged children and adolescents are scarce. We aimed to estimate age trajectories and time trends in mean height and mean body-mass index (BMI), which measures weight gain beyond what is expected from height gain, for school-aged children and adolescents. Methods For this pooled analysis, we used a database of cardiometabolic risk factors collated by the Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Collaboration. We applied a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends from 1985 to 2019 in mean height and mean BMI in 1-year age groups for ages 5–19 years. The model allowed for non-linear changes over time in mean height and mean BMI and for non-linear changes with age of children and adolescents, including periods of rapid growth during adolescence. Findings We pooled data from 2181 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight in 65 million participants in 200 countries and territories. In 2019, we estimated a difference of 20 cm or higher in mean height of 19-year-old adolescents between countries with the tallest populations (the Netherlands, Montenegro, Estonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina for boys; and the Netherlands, Montenegro, Denmark, and Iceland for girls) and those with the shortest populations (Timor-Leste, Laos, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea for boys; and Guatemala, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Timor-Leste for girls). In the same year, the difference between the highest mean BMI (in Pacific island countries, Kuwait, Bahrain, The Bahamas, Chile, the USA, and New Zealand for both boys and girls and in South Africa for girls) and lowest mean BMI (in India, Bangladesh, Timor-Leste, Ethiopia, and Chad for boys and girls; and in Japan and Romania for girls) was approximately 9–10 kg/m2. In some countries, children aged 5 years started with healthier height or BMI than the global median and, in some cases, as healthy as the best performing countries, but they became progressively less healthy compared with their comparators as they grew older by not growing as tall (eg, boys in Austria and Barbados, and girls in Belgium and Puerto Rico) or gaining too much weight for their height (eg, girls and boys in Kuwait, Bahrain, Fiji, Jamaica, and Mexico; and girls in South Africa and New Zealand). In other countries, growing children overtook the height of their comparators (eg, Latvia, Czech Republic, Morocco, and Iran) or curbed their weight gain (eg, Italy, France, and Croatia) in late childhood and adolescence. When changes in both height and BMI were considered, girls in South Korea, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and some central Asian countries (eg, Armenia and Azerbaijan), and boys in central and western Europe (eg, Portugal, Denmark, Poland, and Montenegro) had the healthiest changes in anthropometric status over the past 3·5 decades because, compared with children and adolescents in other countries, they had a much larger gain in height than they did in BMI. The unhealthiest changes—gaining too little height, too much weight for their height compared with children in other countries, or both—occurred in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, New Zealand, and the USA for boys and girls; in Malaysia and some Pacific island nations for boys; and in Mexico for girls. Interpretation The height and BMI trajectories over age and time of school-aged children and adolescents are highly variable across countries, which indicates heterogeneous nutritional quality and lifelong health advantages and risks

Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population. Methods AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. Findings Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76–1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months. Interpretation Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke

Heterogeneous contributions of change in population distribution of body mass index to change in obesity and underweight NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC)

From 1985 to 2016, the prevalence of underweight decreased, and that of obesity and severe obesity increased, in most regions, with significant variation in the magnitude of these changes across regions. We investigated how much change in mean body mass index (BMI) explains changes in the prevalence of underweight, obesity, and severe obesity in different regions using data from 2896 population-based studies with 187 million participants. Changes in the prevalence of underweight and total obesity, and to a lesser extent severe obesity, are largely driven by shifts in the distribution of BMI, with smaller contributions from changes in the shape of the distribution. In East and Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the underweight tail of the BMI distribution was left behind as the distribution shifted. There is a need for policies that address all forms of malnutrition by making healthy foods accessible and affordable, while restricting unhealthy foods through fiscal and regulatory restrictions