Infrastructure for Personalized Medicine at Partners HealthCare

Partners HealthCare Personalized Medicine (PPM) is a center within the Partners HealthCare system (founded by Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital) whose mission is to utilize genetics and genomics to improve the care of patients in a cost effective manner. PPM consists of five interconnected components: (1) Laboratory for Molecular Medicine (LMM), a CLIA laboratory performing genetic testing for patients world-wide; (2) Translational Genomics Core (TGC), a core laboratory providing genomic platforms for Partners investigators; (3) Partners Biobank, a biobank of samples (DNA, plasma and serum) for 50,000 Consented Partners patients; (4) Biobank Portal, an IT infrastructure and viewer to bring together genotypes, samples, phenotypes (validated diagnoses, radiology, and clinical chemistry) from the electronic medical record to Partners investigators. These components are united by (5) a common IT system that brings researchers, clinicians, and patients together for optimal research and patient care

Production of grape pomace extracts with enhanced antioxidant and prebiotic activities through solid-state fermentation by Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus oryzae

Grape pomace is a winery by-product that accumulates in high amounts in winemaking industry, which usually found difficulties regarding its disposal. Nonetheless, it has a great proportion of polyphenols which can be recovered to valorise this biomass. Filamentous fungi produce hydrolytic enzymes, which can assist in the liberation of polyphenols. Grape pomace was fermented in solid-state by Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus oryzae with the aim of facilitating the aqueous extraction of polyphenols with antioxidant activity by on-site enzyme production. Both fungi increased the antioxidant activity of the extracts, reaching maximum values of 73.7 ± 0.8 (A. niger) and 109.2 ± 0.5 (A. oryzae) mmol of Trolox equivalents/100 g of grape pomace. During fermentations, relevant enzymes were produced at high yields, A. niger produced a balanced profile of enzymes (cellulase, tannase, and pectinase), while A. oryzae switches to cellulase or tannase selective induction according to the fermentation conditions. Positive correlations were found between enzyme production, polyphenols recovery, and antioxidant activity. The extracts obtained after fermentation promoted the growth of Lactobacillus casei cultures. Therefore, the solid-state fermentation was effective for the simultaneous production of relevant industrial enzymes and grape pomace extracts with antioxidant and prebiotic properties, which have potential as functional food additives.Fil: Meini, María Rocío. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Procesos Biotecnológicos y Químicos Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Procesos Biotecnológicos y Químicos Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Cabezudo, Ignacio. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Galetto, Cecilia Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Procesos Biotecnológicos y Químicos Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Procesos Biotecnológicos y Químicos Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Romanini, Diana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Procesos Biotecnológicos y Químicos Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Procesos Biotecnológicos y Químicos Rosario; Argentin

Optimized Bicompartment Two Solution Cells for Effective and Stable Operation of Li-O 2

Lithium-oxygen batteries are in fact the only rechargeable batteries that can rival internal combustion engines, in terms of high energy density. However, they are still under development due to low-efficiency and short lifetime issues. There are problems of side reactions on the cathode side, high reactivity of the Li anode with solution species, and consumption of redox mediators via reactions with metallic lithium. Therefore, efforts are made to protect/block the lithium metal anode in these cells, in order to mitigate side reactions. However, new approach is required in order to solve the problems mentioned above, especially the irreversible reactions of the redox mediators which are mandatory to these systems with the Li anode. Here, optimized bicompartment two solution cells are proposed, in which detrimental crossover between the cathode and anode is completely avoided. The Li metal anode is cycled in electrolyte solution containing fluorinated ethylene carbonate, in which its cycling efficiency is excellent. The cathode compartment contains ethereal solution with redox mediator that enables oxidation of Li2O2 at low potentials. The electrodes are separated by a solid electrolyte membrane, allowing free transport of Li ions. This approach increases cycle life of lithium oxygen cells and their energy efficiency