Influence of growth and high mould concentration on the pressure drop in solid state fermentations

#Aspergillus niger$ was grown on Amberlite IRA-900 imbibed with a solution containing high concentrations of sucrose (Si = 100, 200, 300 and 400 g/litre) in static aerated fermentors. Growth was followed in dry biomass, biomass protein, CO2 production and pressure drop (DP). The DP allowed the monitoring of germination, vegetative growth, militation and the onset of sporulation for the four concentrations of sucrose studied. Concentrations up to 103 mg dry biomass/g dry support were obtained with Si = 400 g/litre and these reduced the relative intrinsic permeability to 0.0125. Under this condition the mould occupies 34 % of the free space. DP increase was related to CO2 production. (Résumé d'auteur

The Nimbus 4 Infrared Spectroscopy Experiment, IRIS-D. Part 1: Calibrated Thermal Emission Spectra

Calibrated infrared emission spectra of earth and atmosphere using high resolution interferometer spectrophotometer on Nimbus 4 satellit

Effects of inoculum type, packing material and operating conditions on pentane biofiltration

Biofilters are an interesting alternative to treat airstreams polluted with gaseous alkanes from industrial activities. These hydrophobic compounds are difficult to treat by bacterial communities which are generally used in biofiltration. In this work, four fungal populations (3 consortia and Fusarium solani) were used as inocula in biofilters for treating pentane and hexane. The biofilters were packed with inorganic and organic materials (perlite and peat) and operated with the periodic addition of mineral medium at pH 4 supplemented with antibacterial agents to favor the development of fungi. To reduce the lag phase, the biofilters were inoculated with active mycelia. Lower performance was obtained with the peat biofilters. Sustained 100 % removal efficiencies were obtained with biofilters at an operation pentane load of = 32.9 ± 8.1 g m-3 h-1. Maximum elimination capacity of Cmax = 100 g m-3 h-1 was obtained with one of the fungal consortia; this value is higher than those usually reported for pentane degrading bacterial biofilters

Are there any risk factors for developing complications with the use of retrievable vena cava filters in orthopaedic surgery?

Background: In high-risk patients, common prophylaxis may be insufficient to prevent thromboembolic events after orthopaedic procedures. In this scenario, a retrievable vena cava filter (VCF) could be considered as an alternative, although it's use remains controversial. Therefore, we asked: (1) what is the overall mechanical complication rate associated with the use of retrievable VCFs in orthopaedic surgery?, (2) what is the association with thromboembolic disease (TED) recurrence, post-thrombotic syndrome and/or major bleeding according to different surgical characteristics?, (3) What is the overall mortality rate attributed to VCF use?Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 68 patients who underwent orthopaedic surgery with a previous diagnosis of TED, in whom a retrievable VCF was placed. Permanent filters were excluded. We studied the filter’s mechanical complications and considered as possible outcomes death and 3 hematologic complications: TED recurrence, post-thrombotic syndrome and major bleeding. To estimate association with risk factors, we subclassified surgeries into 5 groups: 1, arthroplasty/non-arthroplasty; 2, primary/revision; 3, elective/urgent; 4, oncologic/non-oncologic; 5, preoperative/postoperative filter.Results: Mechanical complications were 16% and required a filter revision. Sixty-four percent of the revised VCFs developed a mechanical failure and could not be retrieved. Overall prevalence of TED recurrence, post-thrombotic syndrome and hemorrhage was 33%, 15% and 4.5%, respectively. Spinal surgeries were a risk factor for developing TED recurrences.  Only 4% of patients died of a TED recurrence.Conclusions: Orthopaedic procedures had a high risk of mechanical and hematologic complications after using a retrievable VCF. However, mortality was low due to these complications.</p

Mutations in TOP3A Cause a Bloom Syndrome-like Disorder

Bloom syndrome, caused by biallelic mutations in BLM, is characterized by prenatal-onset growth deficiency, short stature, an erythematous photosensitive malar rash, and increased cancer predisposition. Diagnostically, a hallmark feature is the presence of increased sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) on cytogenetic testing. Here, we describe biallelic mutations in TOP3A in ten individuals with prenatal-onset growth restriction and microcephaly. TOP3A encodes topoisomerase III alpha (TopIIIα), which binds to BLM as part of the BTRR complex, and promotes dissolution of double Holliday junctions arising during homologous recombination. We also identify a homozygous truncating variant in RMI1, which encodes another component of the BTRR complex, in two individuals with microcephalic dwarfism. The TOP3A mutations substantially reduce cellular levels of TopIIIα, and consequently subjects’ cells demonstrate elevated rates of SCE. Unresolved DNA recombination and/or replication intermediates persist into mitosis, leading to chromosome segregation defects and genome instability that most likely explain the growth restriction seen in these subjects and in Bloom syndrome. Clinical features of mitochondrial dysfunction are evident in several individuals with biallelic TOP3A mutations, consistent with the recently reported additional function of TopIIIα in mitochondrial DNA decatenation. In summary, our findings establish TOP3A mutations as an additional cause of prenatal-onset short stature with increased cytogenetic SCEs and implicate the decatenation activity of the BTRR complex in their pathogenesis

Anandamide Induces Sperm Release from Oviductal Epithelia through Nitric Oxide Pathway in Bovines

Mammalian spermatozoa are not able to fertilize an egg immediately upon ejaculation. They acquire this ability during their transit through the female genital tract in a process known as capacitation. The mammalian oviduct acts as a functional sperm reservoir providing a suitable environment that allows the maintenance of sperm fertilization competence until ovulation occurs. After ovulation, spermatozoa are gradually released from the oviductal reservoir in the caudal isthmus and ascend to the site of fertilization. Capacitating-related changes in sperm plasma membrane seem to be responsible for sperm release from oviductal epithelium. Anandamide is a lipid mediator that participates in the regulation of several female and male reproductive functions. Previously we have demonstrated that anandamide was capable to release spermatozoa from oviductal epithelia by induction of sperm capacitation in bovines. In the present work we studied whether anandamide might exert its effect by activating the nitric oxide (NO) pathway since this molecule has been described as a capacitating agent in spermatozoa from different species. First, we demonstrated that 1 µM NOC-18, a NO donor, and 10 mM L-Arginine, NO synthase substrate, induced the release of spermatozoa from the oviductal epithelia. Then, we observed that the anandamide effect on sperm oviduct interaction was reversed by the addition of 1 µM L-NAME, a NO synthase inhibitor, or 30 µg/ml Hemoglobin, a NO scavenger. We also demonstrated that the induction of bull sperm capacitation by nanomolar concentrations of R(+)-methanandamide or anandamide was inhibited by adding L-NAME or Hemoglobin. To study whether anandamide is able to produce NO, we measured this compound in both sperm and oviductal cells. We observed that anandamide increased the levels of NO in spermatozoa, but not in oviductal cells. These findings suggest that anandamide regulates the sperm release from oviductal epithelia probably by activating the NO pathway during sperm capacitation

DLG4-related synaptopathy: a new rare brain disorder

PURPOSE: Postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95), encoded by DLG4, regulates excitatory synaptic function in the brain. Here we present the clinical and genetic features of 53 patients (42 previously unpublished) with DLG4 variants.METHODS: The clinical and genetic information were collected through GeneMatcher collaboration. All the individuals were investigated by local clinicians and the gene variants were identified by clinical exome/genome sequencing.RESULTS: The clinical picture was predominated by early onset global developmental delay, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, all of which point to a brain disorder. Marfanoid habitus, which was previously suggested to be a characteristic feature of DLG4-related phenotypes, was found in only nine individuals and despite some overlapping features, a distinct facial dysmorphism could not be established. Of the 45 different DLG4 variants, 39 were predicted to lead to loss of protein function and the majority occurred de novo (four with unknown origin). The six missense variants identified were suggested to lead to structural or functional changes by protein modeling studies.CONCLUSION: The present study shows that clinical manifestations associated with DLG4 overlap with those found in other neurodevelopmental disorders of synaptic dysfunction; thus, we designate this group of disorders as DLG4-related synaptopathy.Genetics of disease, diagnosis and treatmen