Application of a high density adsorbent in expanded bed adsorption of lipase from Burkholderia pseudomallei

The application of STREAMLINE Direct HST adsorbent in expanded bed adsorption of lipase from Burkholderia pseudomallei was explored in this study. Scouting of optimum binding and elution condition was performed in batch binding mode. The addition of 0.2 M salt in acetate buffer (pH 5)during adsorption has increased the specificity and quantity of lipase binding onto the adsorbent. The addition of 0.4 M salt in phosphate buffer (pH 7) achieved the highest purification fold (2.5) in elution. The high density of the adsorbent allowed the EBA to be operated at linear velocity as high as 657 cm/h with feedstock containing 4.5% (w/v) wet biomass. The Richardson-Zaki correlation obtained for this EBA system at the presence of 4.5% (w/v) wet biomass is 5.14, a value closed to the laminar flow regime of 4.8, demonstrated that a stable bed is achieved under this operating condition. Meanwhile, a flow velocity of 343 cm/h with bed expansion of 3.2 gave highest dynamic binding capacity (4979.28 U/ml)and productivity (61.52 U/ml.min) for this EBA operation. It also demonstrated that biomass concentration up to 4.5% (w/v) wet weight showed slightly drop of sorption efficiency (0.82) compared to lower biomass concentration (0.94). Further increase of biomass concentration above 4.5% (w/v) wet weight has greatly decreased the equilibrium and dynamic capacity. Application of high density adsorbent tolerated to high density and biomass has reduced the processing time and increased theproductivity

Associations between nut consumption and health vary between omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans

Regular nut consumption is associated with reduced risk factors for chronic disease; however, most population-based studies lack consideration of effect modification by dietary pattern. The UK Women’s Cohort Study (UKWCS) provides an ideal opportunity to examine relationships between nut consumption and chronic disease risk factors in a large sample with diverse dietary patterns. Nut and nutrient intake from 34,831 women was estimated using a food frequency questionnaire among self-identified omnivores, vegetarians and vegans. In this cross-sectional analysis, higher nut consumption was associated with lower body weight (difference between highest and lowest consumption categories from adjusted model: 6.1kg; 95%CI: 4.7, 7.6) body mass index (BMI, 2.4 units difference; 95%CI: 1.9, 2.9), and waist circumference (2.6cm difference; 95%CI: 1.4, 3.8) (all P for linear trend < 0.001). Higher nut consumption was also associated with reduced prevalence of high cholesterol and high blood pressure; having a history of heart attack, diabetes and gallstones; and markers of diet quality (all adjusted P for linear trend ≤0.011). Higher nut consumption appeared overall to be associated with greater benefits amongst omnivores compared to vegetarians and vegans. Findings support existing literature around beneficial effects of nut consumption and suggest that benefits may be larger among omnivores. Nut promotion strategies may have the highest population impact by specifically targeting this group

Entanglement-enhanced probing of a delicate material system

Quantum metrology uses entanglement and other quantum effects to improve the sensitivity of demanding measurements. Probing of delicate systems demands high sensitivity from limited probe energy and has motivated the field's key benchmark-the standard quantum limit. Here we report the first entanglement-enhanced measurement of a delicate material system. We non-destructively probe an atomic spin ensemble by means of near-resonant Faraday rotation, a measurement that is limited by probe-induced scattering in quantum-memory and spin-squeezing applications. We use narrowband, atom-resonant NOON states to beat the standard quantum limit of sensitivity by more than five standard deviations, both on a per-photon and per-damage basis. This demonstrates quantum enhancement with fully realistic loss and noise, including variable-loss effects. The experiment opens the way to ultra-gentle probing of single atoms, single molecules, quantum gases and living cells.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures; Nature Photonics, advance online publication, 16 December 201

Human cytomegalovirus latency-associated proteins elicit immune-suppressive IL-10 producing CD4⁺ T cells.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a widely prevalent human herpesvirus, which, after primary infection, persists in the host for life. In healthy individuals, the virus is well controlled by the HCMV-specific T cell response. A key feature of this persistence, in the face of a normally robust host immune response, is the establishment of viral latency. In contrast to lytic infection, which is characterised by extensive viral gene expression and virus production, long-term latency in cells of the myeloid lineage is characterised by highly restricted expression of viral genes, including UL138 and LUNA. Here we report that both UL138 and LUNA-specific T cells were detectable directly ex vivo in healthy HCMV seropositive subjects and that this response is principally CD4⁺ T cell mediated. These UL138-specific CD4⁺ T cells are able to mediate MHC class II restricted cytotoxicity and, importantly, show IFNγ effector function in the context of both lytic and latent infection. Furthermore, in contrast to CDCD4⁺ T cells specific to antigens expressed solely during lytic infection, both the UL138 and LUNA-specific CD4⁺ T cell responses included CD4⁺ T cells that secreted the immunosuppressive cytokine cIL-10. We also show that cIL-10 expressing CD4⁺ T-cells are directed against latently expressed US28 and UL111A. Taken together, our data show that latency-associated gene products of HCMV generate CD4⁺ T cell responses in vivo, which are able to elicit effector function in response to both lytic and latently infected cells. Importantly and in contrast to CD4⁺ T cell populations, which recognise antigens solely expressed during lytic infection, include a subset of cells that secrete the immunosuppressive cytokine cIL-10. This suggests that HCMV skews the T cell responses to latency-associated antigens to one that is overall suppressive in order to sustain latent carriage in vivo

Perspective: Is it Time to Expand Research on ‘Nuts’ to Include ‘Seeds’? Justifications and Key Considerations

Abstract The health benefits of nuts reported throughout the literature are extensive and well established for reducing the risk of, and managing several chronic conditions including, but not limited to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and cognition. Despite their comparable nutritional profile, seeds are often not assessed in clinical and epidemiological studies. Interestingly dietary guidelines and recommendations often refer to &lsquo;nuts and seeds&rsquo; collectively, even though they are not consistently examined together in nutrition research when determining associated health benefits. The purpose of this review is to call for future nutrition research to consider combining nuts and seeds. This review provides the justification for this proposal by summarising current definitions for nuts and seeds and highlighting the similarities or dissimilarities in their nutrient compositions. Following this, we summarise current evidence on the health benefits of nuts and seeds, research gaps that should be addressed, and considerations for future research using both epidemiological and interventional study designs.</jats:p

Women with gestational diabetes mellitus in the ACHOIS trial: Risk factors for shoulder dystocia

The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.comBackground: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with increased risk of fetal macrosomia and shoulder dystocia. However, not all women with GDM and fetal macrosomia have shoulder dystocia. Aims: To identify the risk factors for shoulder dystocia in women with gestational diabetes using data from women recruited into the routine care group of the ACHOIS trial. Methods: A secondary analysis was performed on data collected from women enrolled in the ACHOIS trial. Bivariate analyses were performed using the Fisher exact test. Variables found to be significantly associated with shoulder dystocia and previously identified risk factors were used as explanatory variables in multivariate analyses. Results: A positive relationship was found between the severity of maternal fasting hyperglycaemia and the risk of shoulder dystocia, with a 1 mmol increase in fasting oral glucose-tolerance test leading to a relative risk (RR) of 2.09 (95% CI 1.03–4.25). Shoulder dystocia occurred more often in births requiring operative vaginal delivery (RR 9.58, 95% CI 3.70–24.81, P < 0.001). Macrosomic and large-for-gestational-age infants were more likely to have births complicated by shoulder dystocia (RR 6.27, 95% CI 2.33–16.88, P < 0.001 and RR 4.57, 95% CI 1.74–12.01, P < 0.005, respectively). Fetal macrosomia was the only variable to maintain its significance in all multivariate analyses. Conclusions: Fetal macrosomia is the strongest independent risk factor for shoulder dystocia. Effective preventative strategies are needed.Chaturica Athukorala, Caroline A. Crowther, Kristyn Willson and Australian Carbohydrate Intolerance Study in Pregnant Women (ACHOIS) Trial Grou