Optimization of Acid Protease Production by Aspergillus niger I1 on Shrimp Peptone Using Statistical Experimental Design

Medium composition and culture conditions for the acid protease production by Aspergillus niger I1 were optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). A significant influence of temperature, KH2PO4, and initial pH on the protease production was evaluated by Plackett-Burman design (PBD). These factors were further optimized using Box-Behnken design and RSM. Under the proposed optimized conditions, the experimental protease production (183.13 U mL−1) closely matched the yield predicted by the statistical model (172.57 U mL−1) with R2 = 0.914. Compared with the initial M1 medium on which protease production was 43.13 U mL−1, a successful and significant improvement by 4.25 folds was achieved in the optimized medium containing (g/L): hulled grain of wheat (HGW) 5.0; KH2PO4 1.0; NaCl 0.3; MgSO4(7H2O) 0.5; CaCl2 (7H2O) 0.4; ZnSO4 0.1; Na2HPO4 1.6; shrimp peptone (SP) 1.0. The pH was adjusted at 5 and the temperature at 30°C. More interestingly, the optimization was accomplished using two cheap and local fermentation substrates, HGW and SP, which may result in a significant reduction in the cost of medium constituents

The use of an economical medium for the production of alkaline serine proteases by Bacillus licheniformis NH1

The present study is concerned with the selection of new economical media based on agricultural and marine-processing by-products for the production of alkaline proteases by Bacillus licheniformis NH1. Powders from different fish species were prepared and then tested as growth media at a concentration of 10 g/l for proteases production by NH1 strain. Powder prepared from whole Sardinelle was found to be the best substrate for the production of the alkaline protease. The NH1 strain exhibited a slightlygreater protease production (2927 U/ml) in medium containing only whole Sardinelle powder than that obtained in control medium (2800 U/ml). Proteases were produced even when strain NH1 was cultivated in medium containing only powder prepared from combined heads and viscera Sardinelle (CHVSP), about 2117 U/ml. Protease production was also carried out in media containing hulled grain of wheat, a by-product of semolina factories, as carbon source. Maximum activity (2517 U/ml) was achieved when the strain was grown in medium containing hulled grain of wheat (10 g/l), casein peptone (2 g/l), K2HPO4 (0.5 g/l) and KH2PO4 (0.5 g/l). Moreover, protease production was considerably enhanced when thestrain was grown in medium containing both hulled grain of wheat and CHVSP as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, (4771 U/ml). The study shows that hulled grain of wheat and powders from fishery by-products could be utilized as bacterial substrates for the production of alkaline proteases by B. licheniformis NH1

Giant cell reparative granuloma of the hallux following enchondroma

Giant cell reparative granuloma (GCRG) is a rare, benign intra osseous lytic lesion occurring especially in gnathis bone but also seen in feet and hands. It has similar clinical and radiological presentations than giant cell tumor, chondroblastoma, aneurysmal bone cyst, and hyperparathyroidism brown tumors but with specific histological findings We report a case of a GCRG of hallux phalanx in 18 years old patient appearing many years after enchondroma curettage and grafting. Radiographs showed a multiloculated osteolytic lesions involving whole phalanx with cortical thinning and without fluid-fluid levels in CT view. Expected to be an enchondroma recurrence, second biopsy confirmed diagnosis of GCRG with specific histological findings. Although if aetiopathogeny remains unknown, GCRG is reported to be a local non neoplasic reaction to an intraosseous hemorrhage. Our exceptional case claims that this tumor can appear in reaction to cellular disturbance primary or secondary

Acquired erythroderma in adults: a clinical and prognostic study

Abstract Background Erythroderma is a severe syndrome and prognostic studies are rare in the literature

Leydig Cell Tumor Associated with Testicular Adrenal Rest Tumors in a Patient with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia due to 11β-Hydroxylase Deficiency

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) describes a group of inherited autosomal recessive disorders characterized by enzyme defects in the steroidogenic pathways that lead to the biosynthesis of cortisol, aldosterone, and androgens. Chronic excessive adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation may result in hyperplasia of ACTH-sensitive tissues in adrenal glands and other sites such as the testes, causing testicular masses known as testicular adrenal rest tumors (TARTs). Leydig cell tumors (LCTs) are make up a very small number of all testicular tumors and can be difficult to distinguish from TARTs. This distinction is interesting because LCTs and TARTs require different therapeutic approaches. Hereby, we present an unusual case of a 19-year-old patient with CAH due to 11β-hydroxylase deficiency, who presented with TARTs and an epididymal Leydig cell tumor

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Allocation de ressources (optimisation des symboles pilotes et de la voie de retour)

Dans les systèmes de radiocommunications à hauts débits, les canaux de propagationsont dispersifs dans le temps à cause de la présence de la propagation par trajetsmultiples (multipath). Cette dispersion temporelle engendre de l interférence entresymboles (IES) qui dégrade les performances du système en réception. Pour luttercontre l IES, un égaliseur doit être utilisé en réception. Afin de retrouver les symbolesémis à partir des échantillons reçus, l égaliseur doit disposer d une bonne estimationdu canal. Cette estimation est en général effectuée en utilisant une séquence d apprentissageconnue par le récepteur. Augmenter la longueur de la séquence d apprentissageaméliore la qualité de l estimation du canal mais diminue le débit utile de transmission.Une question qui se pose concerne la longueur de la séquence d apprentissage àchoisir afin d avoir une bonne estimation du canal sans diminuer significativement ledébit utile de transmission. Une solution basée sur la maximisation d uneborne inférieure de la capacité du canal a été proposée pour une transmission sur uncanal mono-antenne (SISO : Single-Input Single-Output) sélectif en fréquence [56]et une transmission sur un canal multi-antennes (MIMO : Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) non sélectif en fréquence. Dans [10], Buzzi et al. considèrent une transmissionsur un canal MIMO non sélectif en fréquence et proposent de détecter les données etd estimer le canal de manière itérative. Leur solution consiste à optimiser la longueurde la séquence d apprentissage en minimisant le rapport de l Erreur QuadratiqueMoyenne (EQM) de l estimation du canal sur le débit utile. Toutes ces études nespécifient pas le récepteur utilisé.Dans cette thèse, nous nous intéressons à la détection selon le critère Maximum APosteriori (MAP) et nous proposons d optimiser la séquence d apprentissage selondes critères que nous définirons. Nous considérons le cas d une transmission sur uncanal SISO sélectif en fréquence et le cas d une transmission sur un canal MIMOnon sélectif en fréquence. Notons que dans le cas de la transmission sur un canalMIMO non sélectif en fréquence, une égalisation spatiale est nécessaire pour séparerles trains de données émis par les différentes antennes émettrices. Nous commençonspar considérer le cas où un récepteur non itératif composé d un estimateur du canalet d un détecteur MAP est utilisé. L estimation du canal est réalisée selon le critèredes moindres carrés en utilisant uniquement une séquence d apprentissage. Puis, nousconsidérons le cas où le récepteur est itératif et est composé d un détecteur MAP etd un décodeur MAP. Afin d améliorer les performances du récepteur, le détecteur etle décodeur échangent des informations extrinsèques à chaque itération. Ces informationsseront utilisées comme des informations a priori à l itération suivante. Dans cecas, l estimation du canal est améliorée itérativement en utilisant les décisions duressur les bits codés à la sortie du décodeur. Cette technique est appelée estimationbootstrap du canal. Nous calculons analytiquement un Rapport Signal à Bruit (RSB)utile de transmission qui tient compte de la perte en termes de débit utile due à l utilisationde la séquence d apprentissage. Nous considérons le problème de l optimisationde la séquence d apprentissage afin de maximiser ce RSB utile pour les deux cas detransmission considérés (SISO et MIMO) et pour les deux types de récepteur (nonitératif et itératif).Les interférences entre symboles sont généralement traitées par des techniques d égalisation.Cependant, l égaliseur est d autant plus complexe que la longueur du canalsélectif en fréquence est grande. Afin de contourner ce problème de complexité del égalisation, une modulation OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing)peut être utilisée. Quand l émetteur peut estimer le canal OFDM, comme c est le casdu mode de transmission TDD (Time Division Duplexing), une modulation adaptativeet une allocation de la puissance peuvent être utilisées en émission, ce qui amélioresignificativement les performances du système. Cependant, en mode FDD (FrequencyDivision Duplexing), les canaux sur la voie montante et sur la voie descendante sontindépendants. Le récepteur peut dans ce cas estimer le canal et retourner cette estimationvers l émetteur sur un canal de retour à faible débit . Le récepteur peutégalement effectuer l allocation des puissances et/ou de la modulation et la renvoyerà l émetteur. La voie de retour nécessite alors une réservation de ressources.Quand ces ressources sont importantes, les informations retournées à l émetteur sontfiables. Mais, ceci entraîne une perte en termes de débit utile. Un compromis doit alorsêtre trouvé entre la voie de retour et la qualité de l allocation des puissances et/ou dela modulation. Nous étudions le problème de l optimisation conjointe de l allocationdes puissances et de la voie de retour. Nous proposons aussi des algorithmes d adaptationde la modulation à faibles complexités basés sur la méthode On-Off . Nousdiscutons la manière dont le récepteur informe l émetteur sur les modulations allouées.XCERGY PONTOISE-Bib. electronique (951279901) / SudocSudocFranceF

Planktonic biomass estimation in different ponds of the Sfax saltworks

International audienceThe photosynthetic pigments analysed in different ponds of the Sfax saltworks, an artificial Tunisian lagoon, exhibited very low concentrations (less than 2 µg/l), indicative of the oligotrophic status of the lagoon. The planktonic biomass estimates using the particulate protein analysis in the same ecosystem were also low, but increased with increasing salinity along the saltworks. The protein concentrations in the 30 µm fraction, indicate the important role of hyperhalophile bacteria and ciliated protozoa in the basins with high salinity