Enhancement of the bioproduction potential of an amylaceous effluent

9 páginas, 12 figuras, 4 tablasThe treatment of starchy effluents could provide the basis for a series of simultaneous or alternative bioproductions easily integrable into a system of greater economic attraction that the simple production of SCP. In order to define some of the possible options, this study uses an amylaceous effluent for simultaneous production of SCP and an amylolytic preparation which is partially consumed in the saccharification of a parallel flow of the same effluent concentrated by ultrafiltration with cutoff at 100 kD. With regard to the development of the above system, this paper describes the problems associated with ultrafiltration, the conditions that optimize saccharification of the concentrate and the requirements of various possible bioproductions that couM be obtained from the saccharified concentrate.CICYT (project ALl 789- 9O).Peer reviewe

A renewed rise in global HCFC-141b emissions between 2017???2021

Global emissions of the ozone-depleting gas HCFC-141b (1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane, CH3CCl2F) derived from measurements of atmospheric mole fractions increased between 2017 and 2021 despite a fall in reported production and consumption of HCFC-141b for dispersive uses. HCFC-141b is a controlled substance under the Montreal Protocol, and its phase-out is currently underway, after a peak in reported consumption and production in developing (Article 5) countries in 2013. If reported production and consumption are correct, our study suggests that the 2017–2021 rise is due to an increase in emissions from the bank when appliances containing HCFC-141b reach the end of their life, or from production of HCFC-141b not reported for dispersive uses. Regional emissions have been estimated between 2017–2020 for all regions where measurements have sufficient sensitivity to emissions. This includes the regions of northwestern Europe, east Asia, the United States and Australia, where emissions decreased by a total of 2.3 ± 4.6 Gg yr−1, compared to a mean global increase of 3.0 ± 1.2 Gg yr−1 over the same period. Collectively these regions only account for around 30 % of global emissions in 2020. We are not able to pinpoint the source regions or specific activities responsible for the recent global emission rise

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Evidence in Sheep for Pre-Natal Transmission of Scrapie to Lambs from Infected Mothers

Natural scrapie transmission from infected ewes to their lambs is thought to occur by the oral route around the time of birth. However the hypothesis that scrapie transmission can also occur before birth (in utero) is not currently favoured by most researchers. As scrapie is an opportunistic infection with multiple infection routes likely to be functional in sheep, definitive evidence for or against transmission from ewe to her developing fetus has been difficult to achieve. In addition the very early literature on maternal transmission of scrapie in sheep was compromised by lack of knowledge of the role of the PRNP (prion protein) gene in control of susceptibility to scrapie. In this study we experimentally infected pregnant ewes of known PRNP genotype with a distinctive scrapie strain (SSBP/1) and looked for evidence of transmission of SSBP/1 to the offspring. The sheep were from the NPU Cheviot flock, which has endemic natural scrapie from which SSBP/1 can be differentiated on the basis of histology, genetics of disease incidence and strain typing bioassay in mice. We used embryo transfer techniques to allow sheep fetuses of scrapie-susceptible PRNP genotypes to develop in a range of scrapie-resistant and susceptible recipient mothers and challenged the recipients with SSBP/1. Scrapie clinical disease, caused by both natural scrapie and SSBP/1, occurred in the progeny but evidence (including mouse strain typing) of SSBP/1 infection was found only in lambs born to fully susceptible recipient mothers. Progeny were not protected from transmission of natural scrapie or SSBP/1 by washing of embryos to International Embryo Transfer Society standards or by caesarean derivation and complete separation from their birth mothers. Our results strongly suggest that pre-natal (in utero) transmission of scrapie may have occurred in these sheep

Depuration and valuation of mussel-processing wastes. Characterization of amylolytic postincubates from different species grown on an effluent

8 páginas, 8 figuras, 1 tablaMussel-processing wastes, which contain glycogen (~ 10 g/litre) as their main component, can be used as a culture medium for several species of amylolytic yeasts and microfungi useful as single cell protein (SCP) sources. In addition, cell-free media from these cultures (with COD reduced to -~ 10% of its initial vahte) could, in principle, be used for the hydrolysis of greater volumes of the same effluent, which could then be concentrated, converting it into a more versatile microbial substrate. With this objective in mind, the optimal reaction conditions, stability and kinetics of postincubates from several amylolytic species with distinct growth features when cultured on the effluent, were examined. Some of the mechanisms involved in the regulation of amylolytic activity are also discussed, as well as some of the methodological problems often associated with this kind of study.To CICYT for its financial support (project ALl 90-0789).Peer reviewe

Characterization of microbial biomasses and amylolytic preparations obtained from mussel processing waste treatment

9 páginas, 9 figuras, 9 tablasThis work describes a treatment of glycogen-rich wastes from industrial mussel processing, involving the production of a protein fraction and a medium suitable for the culture of amylolytic microfungi. A strain of Aspergillus oryzae was chosen which allows the simultaneous production of single cell protein and a highly stable amylolytic preparation. The characteristics of the biomass obtained (proportion and in vitro digestibility of the proteins, levels of essential amino acids and nucleic acids, types of fatty acids present) were shown to be suitable, in principle, for animal feeds. The amylolytic preparation, obtained by ultrafiltration (with cut-off at 30 kD) of the cell-free medium, was very similar to commercial a-amylase preparations, containing mainly a-amylase, together with a small proportion of glucoamylase.CICYT (project ALl 789-90).Peer reviewe

A simple form of immobilisation and its effects on morphologic trends and metabolic activity of pellet-forming microfungi

7 páginas, 8 figuras, 2 tablasA simple form of immobilisation (support) of two pellet-form mycelial microorganisms on powdered core of maize cob is described. At a constant weight of support, the pellet number and size and, therefore, the pellet's surface to volume ratio were highly conditioned by the mean diameter of the support particles. Independently of the chemical nature of the support, an increase in surface to volume ratio produced an enhancement of the microbial metabolic activity, up to a point at which the small pellet size approximated the organisms in the culture to the filamentous form and reversed the tendency. Optimisation of the metabolic activity, with an important increase in the production of extracellular amylases, could be obtained by varying support diameter and amount per unit volume of culture.CICYT project ALI 90-0789Peer reviewe

Microfungus-yeast mixed cultures in the degradation of amylaceous wastes. II: An experimental design for optimization of yeast production

6 páginas, 1 figura, 3 tablasBy means of an experimental factorial design the role of several culture conditions is described and its values determined for the maximum yeast production in mixed cultures ofAspergillus oryzae andRhodotorula glutinis.CAICYT (project ID 87060).Peer reviewe