Biohydrogen production from diary processing wastewater by anaerobic biofilm reactors

Fermentative hydrogen production was studied in packed bed batch reactors to assess the influence of environmental factors over yield hydrogen production from dairy wastewater. Dried stems of Opuntia imbricata were used as substratum adding a pretreated mixed culture for biofilm formation. Experimental results showed that, yield hydrogen production was significantly affected by initial COD concentration, temperature and dairy wastewater pH. Maximum yield obtained was 12.73 mM H2/g CODc when initial COD concentration was 21.1 g COD, dairy wastewater pH with no adjustment (11.32) and room temperature of 16 ± 3°C. Methane production was completely inhibit at an initial pH of 4 at all temperature studied (final pH 4.06), meanwhile, with an initial pH of 11.32, with exception for 16°C, methanogenic activity was not completely inhibit when final pH was over 5, showing an increase in methane production of 0.35 to 0.75 g CH4/l for 35 to 55°C.Key words: Biofilm, dairy wastewater, hydrogen, Opuntia imbricat

Atopy Can Be an Interfering Factor in Genetic Association Studies of ß-Lactam Allergy

[EN] Genetic and environmental factors are involved in immediate hypersensitivity reactions to ß-lactam antibiotics. Several genes have been associated with immediate hypersensitivity reactions to ß-lactams, including those encoding cytokines and receptors involved in the synthesis of IgE (FCER1), as well as signal transduction proteins and products released by mast cells. Nevertheless, analysis of publications reporting on genetic association studies in patients allergic to ß-lactams reveals that most were performed in 3 main populations and, in most cases, by the same groups of investigators, who progressively increased the population sample in successive studies. Most of the publications reported a series of concerns, namely, the diagnosis was not always based on skin or challenge tests, tolerance to ß-lactams in controls was not proved, and atopy was not taken into account

SELECTIVIDAD DE LAS ISOFORMAS DE 140-180 KDA DE NCAM EN LA PAPILA ÓPTICA DEL EMBRIÓN DE POLLO

During embryonic development of chicken retina and retinotectal proyection, neural cells showed spatiotemporal patterns in the glycosidic residues located in the plasmatic membranes. Those glycidic components are related with adhesion and recognition cellular behaviours during the generation of nervous system cytoarchitecture. Thus those sugars are included both in usual glycoproteins as in a group of molecules called as cell adhesion molecules (CAM). The first isolated molecule in this group was the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM). This glycoprotein has a proteic core with diverse isoforms and it has a variable sialic acids chain. It was able to determine that 120 kDa NCAM isoform shows scarcely sialized chains in intermediate stages by using conventional techniques, lectins and immunohistochemistry. Meanwhile 140-180 kDa NCAM isoforms possess high content in sialic acid and they are present both in early and final stages. Other authors reported that human 120 kDa NCAM isoform was similar to that observed in the Gallus domesticus retina. Our results showed that 140- 180kDa isoforms were only presented in the nerve optic fibers when they were left the optic disc.Durante la embriogénesis de la retina del Gallus domesticus, los neuroblastos muestran variaciones temporales y espaciales de los residuos glucosilados a nivel de sus membranas plasmáticas. Se considera que estos componentes glucídicos están implicados en la organización de estructuras neurales inmaduras, mediante su participación en mecanismos de reconocimiento y adhesión celulares. Los componentes glucosilados van a formar parte de glucoproteínas convencionales, así como de un grupo de moléculas a las que genéricamente se han denominado moléculas de adhesión celular. La primera de estas moléculas aislada fue la neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), glucoproteína compuesta por un armazón proteico con diversas isoformas y una cadena más o menos variable de polímeros de ácidos siálicos. La combinación de técnicas convencionales his- toquímicas, de lectinas e inmunocitoquímicas han permitido determinar que las moléculas de NCAM de 120 kDa presentan cadenas pobremente sializadas en estadíos intermedios del desarrollo, mientras en estadíos tempranos y finales los ácidos siálicos están más abundantemente representados en las isoformas de 140-180 kDa. Algunos autores han determinado que la isoforma de NCAM presente durante el desarrollo de la retina del Gallus domesticus es similar a la humana de 120 kDa. Nuestros resultados indican que las isoformas de 140-180 kDa sólo se presentan en las fibras del nervio óptico una vez que estas abandonan la papila óptica

Predicting the onset and persistence of episodes of depression in primary health care. The predictD-Spain study: Methodology

Background: The effects of putative risk factors on the onset and/or persistence of depression remain unclear. We aim to develop comprehensive models to predict the onset and persistence of episodes of depression in primary care. Here we explain the general methodology of the predictD-Spain study and evaluate the reliability of the questionnaires used. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study. A systematic random sample of general practice attendees aged 18 to 75 has been recruited in seven Spanish provinces. Depression is being measured with the CIDI at baseline, and at 6, 12, 24 and 36 months. A set of individual, environmental, genetic, professional and organizational risk factors are to be assessed at each follow-up point. In a separate reliability study, a proportional random sample of 401 participants completed the test-retest (251 researcher-administered and 150 self-administered) between October 2005 and February 2006. We have also checked 118,398 items for data entry from a random sample of 480 patients stratified by province. Results: All items and questionnaires had good test-retest reliability for both methods of administration, except for the use of recreational drugs over the previous six months. Cronbach's alphas were good and their factorial analyses coherent for the three scales evaluated (social support from family and friends, dissatisfaction with paid work, and dissatisfaction with unpaid work). There were 191 (0.16%) data entry errors. Conclusion: The items and questionnaires were reliable and data quality control was excellent. When we eventually obtain our risk index for the onset and persistence of depression, we will be able to determine the individual risk of each patient evaluated in primary health car

A colorectal cancer susceptibility new variant at 4q26 in the Spanish population identified by genome-wide association analysis

This work was partially supported by the CENIT program from the Centro Tecnológico Industrial (CEN-20091016), grants from the Spanish Institute of Health Carlos III (ADE10/00026, PI09/02444, PI12/00511, Acción Transversal de Cáncer) grants from the Fondo de Investigacion Sanitaria/FEDER (08/1276, 08/0024, PS09/02368, 11/00219, 11/00681), and by COST office through COST action BM1206. SCB is supported by contracts from the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (CP 03-0070). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Centro Tecnológico IndustrialInstituto de Salud Carlos IIIFondo de Investigación Sanitaria / FEDE

Effect of Biodiversity Changes in Disease Risk: Exploring Disease Emergence in a Plant-Virus System

The effect of biodiversity on the ability of parasites to infect their host and cause disease (i.e. disease risk) is a major question in pathology, which is central to understand the emergence of infectious diseases, and to develop strategies for their management. Two hypotheses, which can be considered as extremes of a continuum, relate biodiversity to disease risk: One states that biodiversity is positively correlated with disease risk (Amplification Effect), and the second predicts a negative correlation between biodiversity and disease risk (Dilution Effect). Which of them applies better to different host-parasite systems is still a source of debate, due to limited experimental or empirical data. This is especially the case for viral diseases of plants. To address this subject, we have monitored for three years the prevalence of several viruses, and virus-associated symptoms, in populations of wild pepper (chiltepin) under different levels of human management. For each population, we also measured the habitat species diversity, host plant genetic diversity and host plant density. Results indicate that disease and infection risk increased with the level of human management, which was associated with decreased species diversity and host genetic diversity, and with increased host plant density. Importantly, species diversity of the habitat was the primary predictor of disease risk for wild chiltepin populations. This changed in managed populations where host genetic diversity was the primary predictor. Host density was generally a poorer predictor of disease and infection risk. These results support the dilution effect hypothesis, and underline the relevance of different ecological factors in determining disease/infection risk in host plant populations under different levels of anthropic influence. These results are relevant for managing plant diseases and for establishing conservation policies for endangered plant species

Transcriptome profiling of grapevine seedless segregants during berry development reveals candidate genes associated with berry weight

Indexación: Web of Science; PubMedBackground Berry size is considered as one of the main selection criteria in table grape breeding programs. However, this is a quantitative and polygenic trait, and its genetic determination is still poorly understood. Considering its economic importance, it is relevant to determine its genetic architecture and elucidate the mechanisms involved in its expression. To approach this issue, an RNA-Seq experiment based on Illumina platform was performed (14 libraries), including seedless segregants with contrasting phenotypes for berry weight at fruit setting (FST) and 6–8 mm berries (B68) phenological stages. Results A group of 526 differentially expressed (DE) genes were identified, by comparing seedless segregants with contrasting phenotypes for berry weight: 101 genes from the FST stage and 463 from the B68 stage. Also, we integrated differential expression, principal components analysis (PCA), correlations and network co-expression analyses to characterize the transcriptome profiling observed in segregants with contrasting phenotypes for berry weight. After this, 68 DE genes were selected as candidate genes, and seven candidate genes were validated by real time-PCR, confirming their expression profiles. Conclusions We have carried out the first transcriptome analysis focused on table grape seedless segregants with contrasting phenotypes for berry weight. Our findings contributed to the understanding of the mechanisms involved in berry weight determination. Also, this comparative transcriptome profiling revealed candidate genes for berry weight which could be evaluated as selection tools in table grape breeding programs.http://bmcplantbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12870-016-0789-

Influence of sex, age, pubertal maturation and body mass index on circulating white blood cell counts in healthy European adolescents—the HELENA study

Percentiles 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th are presented for circulating white blood cells (WBC), neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils in healthy European adolescents (12.5–17.5 years, n = 405, 48.9 % boys), considering age, sex, puberty and body mass index (BMI). CD3+ (mature T cells), CD4+ (T helper), CD8+ (T cytotoxic), CD16+56+ (natural killer), CD19+ (B cells), CD3+CD45RA+, CD4+CD45RA+, CD8+CD45RA+ (naïve), CD3+CD45RO+, CD4+CD45RO+ and CD8+CD45RO+ (memory) lymphocytes were also analysed by immunophenotyping. Girls presented higher WBC, neutrophil, CD3+CD45RO+ and CD4+CD45RO+ cell counts and CD3+/CD19+ ratio, and lower CD3+CD45RA+ and CD4+CD45RA+ counts than boys. Age was associated with higher neutrophil counts and CD3+/CD19+, and lower CD19+ counts; in boys, with lower CD3+CD45RA+, CD4+CD45RA+ and CD8+CD45RA+ counts as well; in girls, with higher WBC, CD3+CD45RO+ and CD4+CD45RO+ counts. Pubertal maturation in boys was associated with lower WBC and lymphocyte counts; in girls, with higher basophil, CD3+CD45RO+ and CD4+CD45RO+ values. BMI was associated with higher WBC counts; in boys, also with higher lymphocyte counts; in girls, with higher neutrophil, CD4+, CD3+CD45RO+ and CD4+CD45RO+ counts. Conclusion: Our study provides normative values for circulating immune cells in adolescents, highlighting the importance of considering sex, age, pubertal maturation and BMI when establishing reference ranges for WBC in paediatric populations

Severe Hypercapnia and Outcome of Mechanically Ventilated Patients with Moderate or Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

PURPOSE: To analyze the relationship between hypercapnia developing within the first 48 h after the start of mechanical ventilation and outcome in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of three prospective non-interventional cohort studies focusing on ARDS patients from 927 intensive care units (ICUs) in 40 countries. These patients received mechanical ventilation for more than 12 h during 1-month periods in 1998, 2004, and 2010. We used multivariable logistic regression and a propensity score analysis to examine the association between hypercapnia and ICU mortality. MAIN OUTCOMES: We included 1899 patients with ARDS in this study. The relationship between maximum PaCO2 in the first 48 h and mortality suggests higher mortality at or above PaCO2 of ≥50 mmHg. Patients with severe hypercapnia (PaCO2 ≥50 mmHg) had higher complication rates, more organ failures, and worse outcomes. After adjusting for age, SAPS II score, respiratory rate, positive end-expiratory pressure, PaO2/FiO2 ratio, driving pressure, pressure/volume limitation strategy (PLS), corrected minute ventilation, and presence of acidosis, severe hypercapnia was associated with increased risk of ICU mortality [odds ratio (OR) 1.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32 to 2.81; p = 0.001]. In patients with severe hypercapnia matched for all other variables, ventilation with PLS was associated with higher ICU mortality (OR 1.58, CI 95% 1.04-2.41; p = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: Severe hypercapnia appears to be independently associated with higher ICU mortality in patients with ARDS.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio