Heavy Metal Biosorption on Microorganisms

A bioszorpciós folyamatok vizsgálata során különböző baktérium- és algasejtek (Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, Pseudomonas fluorescens BME, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Escherichia coli D31 m3, Chlorella vulgaris, Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis-maxima) adszorpciós képességét hasonlítottam össze nehézfémionokra. A legnagyobb adszorpciós kapacitással rendelkező Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis-maxima sejtek immobilizálásával oszloptölteteket készítettem, amelyek jó hatékonysággal, kis előállítási költséggel és regenerálhatóan működtethetők. A vizsgálatok első lépéseként meghatároztam azokat az optimális körülményeket, amelyek között az adszorpció nagy hatékonysággal játszódik le. Az 1 g/dm3 bioszorbens koncentráció és a pH 5-6 tartomány több nehézfém (Pb-, Cd-, Cu- és Zn-ionok) eltávolításában minden vizsgált bioszorbens esetében nagy hatékonyságot biztosít. A bioszorpció szobahőmérsékleten is gyorsan lejátszódik, a hőmérséklet emelése nem kedvező, csökkenti az adszorbeált mennyiséget. A bioszorbensként kiválasztott - környezeti tényezők változásával szembeni ? nagy tűrőképességgel rendelkező mikroorganizmusok közül a Spirulina platensis-maxima kékalgák rendelkeznek a legkiemelkedőbb adszorpciós kapacitással. A Chlorella vulgaris zöldalgasejtek adszorpciós kapacitása nehézfémekre nézve kisebb. A baktériumtörzsek közül a Pseudomonas sejtek képesek nagyobb nehézfémmennyiségek megkötésére, az Escherichia törzsek adszorpciós kapacitása elmarad a többi vizsgált mikroorganizmus mögött. Gélgyöngyökből oszloptölteteket készítettem alginátban és kitozánban immobilizált Spirulina platensis-maxima sejtek felhasználásával. Kitozánból stabil, ellenálló gélgyöngyöket készítettem. Áramlásos körülmények között összehasonlítottam az optimális összetételű gélgyöngyök és az immobilizáló ágensből készített gyöngyök adszorpciós kapacitását. Az eredmények szárazanyag tartalomra vonatkoztatott elemzése szerint az alginát gélgyöngyök rendelkeznek a legnagyobb Pb2+, Cd2+ és Cu2+ adszorpciós hatékonysággal. A Zn2+-ionokat a kitozánban immobilizált S. platensis-maxima sejteket tartalmazó gélgyöngyök a kitozánnál nagyobb, a szabad algasejteknél kisebb hatékonysággal kötik meg. A gélgyöngyök legalább 5 szorpciós cikluson keresztül híg ásványi savakkal regenerálhatók.Heavy Metal Biosorption on Microorganisms9

MODELLING OF SUGAR TRANSFER DURING OSMOTIC DEHYDRATION OF CARROTS

Mass transfer was quantitatively investigated during osmotic dehydration of carrot slices and layers. The distribution of water and sugar was determined in longitudinal and radial directions of root samples. Using the solution of Fick´s I. and II. laws the effective diffusion coefficients of sugar depending on geometric parameters in radial layers and longitudinal slices were estimated according to cylindrical and rectangular coordinate systems. The observed dependency of Dr,s and Dl,s was found to be in line with the absence of alteration in longitudinal and the existing difference in radial directions of the tissue structure in carrot root

Caesarean delivery and the use of antidepressants

Background The high ratio of caesarean sections (C-sections) is a major public health issue in the developed world; but its implications on maternal mental health are not well understood. Methods We use individual-level administrative panel data from Hungary between 2010 and 2016 to analyze the relationship between caesarean delivery and antidepressant consumption, an objective indicator of mental health. We focus on low-risk deliveries of mothers without subsequent birth in 3 years, and include around 135 000 observations. Results After controlling for medical and socio-economic variables, antidepressant use before delivery is associated with an elevated risk of C-section (adjusted OR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.05–1.14) and C-section is associated with a higher probability of antidepressant use within 1–3 years after delivery (e.g. adjusted OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.12–1.30, within 3 years after delivery, among mothers without pre-delivery antidepressant consumption). Our data restriction ensures that the results are not driven by a mechanical impact of decreasing fertility on the continuation of antidepressant use after a C-section. Conclusions The results suggest that C-section is associated with worse mental health over the 1- to 3-year horizon after birth. This relationship is particularly important if a caesarean delivery is not necessary due to medical reasons, and physicians as well as expectant mothers should be made aware of the potential mental health implications of the mode of delivery

Autonomic and sensory nerve dysfunction in primary biliary cirrhosis

AIM: Cardiovascular autonomic and peripheral sensory neuropathy is a known complication of chronic alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver diseases. We aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors for peripheral sensory nerve and autonomic dysfunction using sensitive methods in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). METHODS: Twenty-four AMA M2 positive female patients with clinical, biochemical and histological evidence of PBC and 20 age matched healthy female subjects were studied. Five standard cardiovascular reflex tests and 24-h heart rate variability (HRV) analysis were performed to define autonomic function. Peripheral sensory nerve function on median and peroneal nerves was characterized by current perception threshold (CPT), measured by a neuroselective diagnostic stimulator (Neurotron, Baltimore, MD). RESULTS: Fourteen of 24 patients (58%) had at least one abnormal cardiovascular reflex test and thirteen (54%) had peripheral sensory neuropathy. Lower heart rate response to deep breathing (P = 0.001), standing (P = 0.03) and Valsalva manoeuvre (P = 0.01), and more profound decrease of blood pressure after standing (P = 0.03) was found in PBC patients than in controls. As a novel finding we proved that both time domain and frequency domain parameters of 24-h HRV were significantly reduced in PBC patients compared to controls. Each patient had at least one abnormal parameter of HRV. Lower CPT values indicated hyperaesthesia as a characteristic feature at peroneal nerve testing at three frequencies (2000 Hz: P = 0.005; 250 Hz: P = 0.002; 5 Hz: P = 0.004) in PBC compared to controls. Correlation of autonomic dysfunction with the severity and duration of the disease was observed. Lower total power of HRV correlated with lower CPT values at median nerve testing at 250 Hz (P = 0.0001) and at 5 Hz (P = 0.002), as well as with those at peroneal nerve testing at 2000 Hz (P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Autonomic and sensory nerve dysfunctions are frequent in PBC. Twenty-four-hour HRV analysis is more sensitive than standard cardiovascular tests for detecting of both parasympathetic and sympathetic impairments. Our novel data suggest that hyperaesthesia is a characteristic feature of peripheral sensory neuropathy and might contribute to itching in PBC. Autonomic dysfunction is related to the duration and severity of PBC

Myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury and cardioprotection in the presence of sensory neuropathy: therapeutic options

During the last decades, mortality of acute myocardial infarction has been dramatically improved, however, the incidence of post-infarction heart failure is still increasing. Cardioprotection by ischemic conditioning have been discovered more than 3 decades ago, however, its clinical translation is still an unmet need, mainly due to the disrupted cardioprotective signalling pathways in the presence of different cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities and their medications. Sensory neuropathy is one of the comorbidities that has been shown to interfere with cardioprotection. In the present review we summarize the diverse aetiology of sensory neuropathies and the mechanisms by which neuropathies may interfere with ischemic heart disease and cardioprotective signalling. Moreover, we suggest future therapeutic options targeting ischemic heart and sensory neuropathy simultaneously