Improvement of Biogas Production by Bioaugmentation

Biogas production technologies commonly involve the use of natural anaerobic consortia of microbes. The objective of this study was to elucidate the importance of hydrogen in this complex microbial food chain. Novel laboratory biogas reactor prototypes were designed and constructed. The fates of pure hydrogen-producing cultures of Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus and Enterobacter cloacae were followed in time in thermophilic and mesophilic natural biogas-producing communities, respectively. Molecular biological techniques were applied to study the altered ecosystems. A systematic study in 5-litre CSTR digesters revealed that a key fermentation parameter in the maintenance of an altered population balance is the loading rate of total organic solids. Intensification of the biogas production was observed and the results corroborate that the enhanced biogas productivity is associated with the increased abundance of the hydrogen producers. Fermentation parameters did not indicate signs of failure in the biogas production process. Rational construction of more efficient and sustainable biogas-producing microbial consortia is proposed

Bioaugmentation of biogas production by a hydrogen-producing bacterium

The rate-limiting nature of the hydrogen concentration prevailing in the anaerobic digester has been recognized, but the associated alterations in the microbial community are unknown. In response to the addition of Enterobacter cloacae cells in laboratory anaerobic digesters, the level of biogas production was augmented. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-Time PCR) were used to study the survival of mesophilic hydrogen-producing bacteria and the effects of their presence on the composition of the other members of the bacterial community. E. cloacae proved to maintain a stable cell number and to influence the microbial composition of the system. Bioaugmentation by a single strain added to the natural biogas-producing microbial community was demonstrated. The community underwent pronounced changes as a result of the relatively slight initial shift in the microbiological system, responding sensitively to the alterations in local hydrogen concentration. © 2015 The Authors

Levodopa/carbidopa intestinalis gél kezelés hatása az életminőségre

Background - The levodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) therapy can improve the severe fluctuations associated with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Our aim was to assess the improvement in the health related quality of life of PD patients treated with LCIG at University of Pécs. Methods - Eight PD patients were evaluated (age: 68.1±4.4 years, disease duration: 14,5±6,2 years, duration of fluctuations: 8.9±3.1 years). Before the initiation of LCIG treatment and 6 and 12 months later, the health-related quality of life (PDQ-39 and EQ-5D-5L), severity of PD-related symptoms (MDS-UPDRS, Hoehn-Yahr Scale, Clinical Global Improvement - Severity) and major non-motor symptoms (PD Sleep Scale 2nd version: PDSS-2, Epworth Scale and Beck Depression Inventory: BDI) were assessed. Results - Health-related quality life improved after LCIG treatment measured by both EQ-5D-5L (from 0.257 to 0.662, p=0.009) and PDQ-39 (from 34 to 26 points, p=0.038). Meanwhile PD-related symptoms (MDS-UPDRS total score: from 105 points to 68 points, p<0.05) sleep quality (PDSS-2: from 25 to 22 points, p<0.05), daytime sleepiness (Epworth: from 12 to 7 points, p<0.05) and depression (BDI: from 20 to 15 points, p<0.05) also improved. Median ON time improved form 4.5 hours to 10.0 hours; whereas, the OFF time decreased from 4.5 to 0.5 hours (p<0.05). Conclusion - Both the quality of life and the clinical features of PD can be improved by LCIG treatment in advanced PD