Purification, characterization and application of laccase from Trametes versicolor for colour and phenolic removal of olive mill wastewater in the presence of 1- hydroxybenzotriazole

Laccase forms (L1 and L2) from Trametes versicolor CCT 4521 showed a molecular mass of 66 kDa and optimum temperature around 40oC. The optimum pH (4.0 and 5.0) and Km (28.6 and 5 ìM) values usingsyringaldazine as substrate were found for L1 and L2, respectively. The enzymes were able to oxidize several compounds and were strongly inhibited by sodium azide, L-cysteine and dithiothreitol. The 75%of the N-terminal sequences were identical in both forms and similarities around 40 - 60% of laccases from wood-degrading fungi were observed. The use of 1-hydroxybenzotriazole as a mediator increased the compounds oxidized by laccases in olive mill wastewater

Purification, characterization and application of laccase from Trametes versicolor for colour and phenolic removal of olive mill wastewater in the presence of 1-hydroxybenzotriazole

Laccase forms ( L1 and L2) from Trametes versicolor CCT 4521 showed a molecular mass of 66 kDa and optimum temperature around 40 degrees C. The optimum pH ( 4.0 and 5.0) and K-m ( 28.6 and 5 mu M) values using syringaldazine as substrate were found for L1 and L2, respectively. The enzymes were able to oxidize several compounds and were strongly inhibited by sodium azide, L-cysteine and dithiothreitol. The 75% of the N-terminal sequences were identical in both forms and similarities around 40-60% of laccases from wood-degrading fungi were observed. The use of 1-hydroxybenzotriazole as a mediator increased the compounds oxidized by laccases in olive mill wastewater.6101248125

Longitudinal in vivo MRI in a Huntington’s disease mouse model: global atrophy in the absence of white matter microstructural damage

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a genetically-determined neurodegenerative disease. Characterising neuropathology in mouse models of HD is commonly restricted to cross-sectional ex vivo analyses, beset by tissue fixation issues. In vivo longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows for disease progression to be probed non-invasively. In the HdhQ150 mouse model of HD, in vivo MRI was employed at two time points, before and after the onset of motor signs, to assess brain macrostructure and white matter microstructure. Ex vivo MRI, immunohistochemistry, transmission electron microscopy and behavioural testing were also conducted. Global brain atrophy was found in HdhQ150 mice at both time points, with no neuropathological progression across time and an elective sparing of the cerebellum. In contrast, no white matter abnormalities were detected from the MRI images or electron microscopy images alike. The relationship between motor function and MR-based structural measurements was different for the HdhQ150 and wild-type mice, although there was no relationship between motor deficits and histopathology. Widespread neuropathology prior to symptom onset is consistent with patient studies, whereas the absence of white matter abnormalities conflicts with patient data. The myriad reasons for this inconsistency require further attention to improve the translatability from mouse models of disease

Does an extensive diagnostic workup for upfront resectable pancreatic cancer result in a delay which affects survival? Results from an international multicentre study

Backgrounds/Aims: Pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) is recommended in fit patients with a carcinoma (PDAC) of the pancreatic head, and a delayed resection may affect survival. This study aimed to correlate the time from staging to PD with long-term survival, and study the impact of preoperative investigations (if any) on the timing of surgery. // Methods: Data were extracted from the Recurrence After Whipple’s (RAW) study, a multicentre retrospective study of PD outcomes. Only PDAC patients who underwent an upfront resection were included. Patients who received neoadjuvant chemo-/radiotherapy were excluded. Group A (PD within 28 days of most recent preoperative computed tomography [CT]) was compared to group B (> 28 days). // Results: A total of 595 patents were included. Compared to group A (median CT-PD time: 12.5 days, interquartile range: 6–21), group B (49 days, 39–64.5) had similar one-year survival (73% vs. 75%, p = 0.6), five-year survival (23% vs. 21%, p = 0.6) and median time-todeath (17 vs. 18 months, p = 0.8). Staging laparoscopy (43 vs. 29.5 days, p = 0.009) and preoperative biliary stenting (39 vs. 20 days, p 0.99) and endoscopic ultrasonography (28 vs. 32 days, p > 0.99) were not. // Conclusions: Although a treatment delay may give rise to patient anxiety, our findings would suggest this does not correlate with worse survival. A delay may be necessary to obtain further information and minimize the number of PD patients diagnosed with early disease recurrence

Optimization of growth media components for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production from organic acids by Ralstonia eutropha

We employed systematic mixture analysis to determine optimal levels of acetate, propionate, and butyrate for cell growth and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production by Ralstonia eutropha H16. Butyrate was the preferred acid for robust cell growth and high PHA production. The 3-hydroxyvalerate content in the resulting PHA depended on the proportion of propionate initially present in the growth medium. The proportion of acetate dramatically affected the final pH of the growth medium. A model was constructed using our data that predicts the effects of these acids, individually and in combination, on cell dry weight (CDW), PHA content (%CDW), PHA production, 3HV in the polymer, and final culture pH. Cell growth and PHA production improved approximately 1.5-fold over initial conditions when the proportion of butyrate was increased. Optimization of the phosphate buffer content in medium containing higher amounts of butyrate improved cell growth and PHA production more than 4-fold. The validated organic acid mixture analysis model can be used to optimize R. eutropha culture conditions, in order to meet targets for PHA production and/or polymer HV content. By modifying the growth medium made from treated industrial waste, such as palm oil mill effluent, more PHA can be produced.Malaysia. Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI

Co-expression of CD147 (EMMPRIN), CD44v3-10, MDR1 and monocarboxylate transporters is associated with prostate cancer drug resistance and progression

Background: The aim of this study is to seek an association between markers of metastatic potential, drug resistance-related protein and monocarboxylate transporters in prostate cancer (CaP). Methods: We evaluated the expression of invasive markers (CD147, CD44v3-10), drug-resistance protein (MDR1) and monocarboxylate transporters (MCT1 and MCT4) in CaP metastatic cell lines and CaP tissue microarrays (n=140) by immunostaining. The co-expression of CD147 and CD44v3-10 with that of MDR1, MCT1 and MCT4 in CaP cell lines was evaluated using confocal microscopy. The relationship between the expression of CD147 and CD44v3-10 and the sensitivity (IC50) to docetaxel in CaP cell lines was assessed using MTT assay. The relationship between expression of CD44v3-10, MDR1 and MCT4 and various clinicopathological CaP progression parameters was examined. Results: CD147 and CD44v3-10 were co-expressed with MDR1, MCT1 and MCT4 in primary and metastatic CaP cells. Both CD147 and CD44v3-10 expression levels were inversely related to docetaxel sensitivity (IC50) in metastatic CaP cell lines. Overexpression of CD44v3-10, MDR1 and MCT4 was found in most primary CaP tissues, and was significantly associated with CaP progression. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the overexpression of CD147, CD44v3-10, MDR1 and MCT4 is associated with CaP progression. Expression of both CD147 and CD44v3-10 is correlated with drug resistance during CaP metastasis and could be a useful potential therapeutic target in advanced disease

Natural Giesekus fluids: Shear and extensional behavior of food gum solutions in the semidilute regime

The shear and extensional behaviour of two aqueous gum solutions, namely (i) 1-20 g/L guar gum and (ii) κ/ι-hybrid carrageenan solutions (5-20 g/L), are shown to exhibit Giesekus-fluid behaviour when in the semi-dilute regime. In this regime a common set of Giesekus fluid parameters described both shear and extensional behaviour. A new analytical result describing the extension of a Giesekus fluid in the filament stretching geometry is presented. This also gave reasonable predictions of the Trouton ratio. Higher concentration guar solutions, in the entangled regime, yielded different Giesekus fluid parameters for extension to those for simple shear. The extensional data for all concentrations of both gums collapsed to a common functional form, similar to that reported for cake batters; the limits of the new filament thinning expression provide insight into this behaviour.The authors acknowledge financial support (POS-A/2012/116) for MDT from Xunta de Galicia’s Consellería de Cultura, Educación e OrdenaciónUniversitaria of Spain and the European Union’s European Social Fund. Helpful and insightful comments from the reviewers are also gratefully acknowledged.This is the accepted manuscript version. It will become accessible 12 months after publication. The final version is available from Wiley at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aic.14611

Microwave Energy Increases Fatty Acid Methyl Ester Yield in Human Whole Blood Due to Increased Sphingomyelin Transesterification

Dried blood spots (DBS) by fingertip prick collection for fatty acid profiling are becoming increasingly popular due to ease of collection, minimal invasiveness and its amenability to high-throughput analyses. Herein, we assess a microwave-assisted direct transesterification method for the production of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) from DBS. Technical replicates of human whole blood were collected and 25-μL aliquots were applied to chromatography strips prior to analysis by a standard 3-h transesterification method or microwave-assisted direct transesterification method under various power (variable vs constant), time (1-5 min) and reagent (1-10% H2SO4 in methanol) conditions. In addition, a standard method was compared to a 5-min, 30-W power microwave in 1% H2SO4 method for FAME yield from whole blood sphingomyelin, and sphingomyelin standards alone and spiked in whole blood. Microwave-assisted direct transesterification yielded no significant differences in both quantitative (nmol/100 µL) and qualitative (mol%) fatty acid assessments after as little as 1.5- and 1-min reaction times, respectively, using the variable power method and 5% H2SO4 in methanol. However, 30-W power for 5 min increased total FAME yield of the technical replicates by 14%. This increase appears largely due to higher sphingomyelin-derived FAME yield of up to 109 and 399% compared to the standard method when determined from whole blood or pure standards, respectively. In conclusion, microwave-assisted direct transesterification of DBS achieved in as little as 1-min, and 5-min reaction times increase total fatty acids primarily by significantly improving sphingomyelin-derived fatty acid yield