EU Agro Biogas Project

EU-AGRO-BIOGAS is a European Biogas initiative to improve the yield of agricultural biogas plants in Europe, to optimise biogas technology and processes and to improve the efficiency in all parts of the production chain from feedstock to biogas utilisation. Leading European research institutions and universities are cooperating with key industry partners in order to work towards a sustainable Europe. Fourteen partners from eight European countries are involved. EU-AGRO-BIOGAS aims at the development and optimisation of the entire value chain – to range from the production of raw materials, the production and refining of biogas to the utilisation of heat and electricity

Improved heart function follows enhanced inflammatory cell recruitment and angiogenesis in 11 beta HSD1-deficient mice post-MI

AIMS: Mice unable to locally regenerate corticosterone due to deficiency of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1) have enhanced angiogenesis during acute myocardial infarct healing. The present study investigates the hypotheses that in these mice (i) inflammation and angiogenic signalling are promoted and (ii) longer-term remodelling and function are improved. METHODS AND RESULTS: Myocardial infarction (MI) was induced by coronary artery ligation in 11βHSD1(−/−) and wild-type (C57BL/6) mice. Studies were terminated 2, 4, 7, and 28 days post-surgery. Increased vessel density (CD31 immunoreactivity) on the infarct border was confirmed 7 days after MI in 11βHSD1(−/−) hearts (P < 0.05) and was accompanied by improved ejection fraction (ultrasound) compared with C57BL/6. During wound healing, recruitment of neutrophils (at 2 days after MI) and macrophages (from 4 days after MI) and expression of monocyte-chemoattractant protein-1 was increased in 11βHSD1(−/−) compared with C57BL/6 hearts (P < 0.05). Recruitment of alternatively activated YM1-positive macrophages was particularly enhanced in the period preceding increased vessel density and was accompanied by increased expression of pro-angiogenic IL-8. By 28 days post-MI, when the infarct scar had matured, higher vessel density was maintained in 11βHSD1(−/−) hearts and vessels were smooth-muscle coated. Infarct scars were thicker (P < 0.001) in 11βHSD1(−/−) compared with C57BL/6 hearts and ejection fraction was higher (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Increased vessel density in healing infarcts of mice deficient in 11(−/−)HSD1 follows recruitment of pro-reparative macrophages and increased pro-angiogenic signalling. Mature infarcts show less thinning and cardiac function is improved relative to wild-type mice, suggesting that 11βHSD1 may be a novel therapeutic target after MI

Frontal assessment battery in Parkinson’s disease: Validity and morphological correlates

Objectives: Executive dysfunction is a common feature in Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, there is a lack of brief validated instruments for executive dysfunction in PD. Methods: The aim of the present study was to assess the relation of Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) scores to age and education, to verify the utility of FAB in the evaluation of executive dysfunction in PD and to differentiate between controls (n=41), PD patients with normal cognition (PD-NC; n=41; Hoehn and Yahr stages 2–3) and PD with mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI; n=32; Hoehn and Yahr stages 2–3). In addition, we studied the relation between voxel-based morphometric (VBM) data and FAB results in PD. Results: We found that FAB scores are significantly related to age and education. The FAB has shown discriminative validity for the differentiation of PD-MCI from PD-NC and controls (area under the curve >.80). Also, the VBM analysis revealed lower FAB scores are specifically related to lower gray matter density in the right ventromedial prefrontal areas and precuneus. Conclusions: The FAB can be recommended as a valid instrument for PD-MCI Level I screening. FAB is sensitive to frontal lobe involvement in PD as reflected by lower gray matter density in prefrontal areas