Acetogenic Fermentation From Oxygen Containing Waste Gas

The microbial production of bulk chemicals from waste gas is becoming a pertinent alternative to industrial strategies that rely on fossil fuels as substrate. Acetogens can use waste gas substrates or syngas (CO, CO$_{2}$, H$_{2}$) to produce chemicals, such as acetate or ethanol, but as the feed gas often contains oxygen, which inhibits acetogen growth and product formation, a cost-prohibitive chemical oxygen removal step is necessary. Here, we have developed a two-phase microbial system to facilitate acetate production using a gas mixture containing CO and O$_{2}$. In the first phase the facultative anaerobic carboxydotroph Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius was used to consume residual O$_{2}$ and produce H$_{2}$ and CO$_{2}$, which was subsequently utilized by the acetogen Clostridium ljungdahlii for the production of acetate. From a starting amount of 3.3 mmol of CO, 0.52 mmol acetate was produced in the second phase by C. ljungdahlii. In this set-up, the yield achieved was 0.16mol acetate/mol CO, a 63% of the theoretical maximum. This system has the potential to be developed for the production of a broad range of bulk chemicals from oxygen-containing waste gas by using P. thermoglucosidasius as an oxygen scrubbing tool

Pathfinder first light: alignment, calibration, and commissioning of the LINC-NIRVANA ground-layer adaptive optics subsystem

We present descriptions of the alignment and calibration tests of the Pathfinder, which achieved first light during our 2013 commissioning campaign at the LBT. The full LINC-NIRVANA instrument is a Fizeau interferometric imager with fringe tracking and 2-layer natural guide star multi-conjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) systems on each eye of the LBT. The MCAO correction for each side is achieved using a ground layer wavefront sensor that drives the LBT adaptive secondary mirror and a mid-high layer wavefront sensor that drives a Xinetics 349 actuator DM conjugated to an altitude of 7.1 km. When the LINC-NIRVANA MCAO system is commissioned, it will be one of only two such systems on an 8-meter telescope and the only such system in the northern hemisphere. In order to mitigate risk, we take a modular approach to commissioning by decoupling and testing the LINC-NIRVANA subsystems individually. The Pathfinder is the ground-layer wavefront sensor for the DX eye of the LBT. It uses 12 pyramid wavefront sensors to optically co-add light from natural guide stars in order to make four pupil images that sense ground layer turbulence. Pathfinder is now the first LINC-NIRVANA subsystem to be fully integrated with the telescope and commissioned on sky. Our 2013 commissioning campaign consisted of 7 runs at the LBT with the tasks of assembly, integration and communication with the LBT telescope control system, alignment to the telescope optical axis, off-sky closed loop AO calibration, and finally closed loop on-sky AO. We present the programmatics of this campaign, along with the novel designs of our alignment scheme and our off-sky calibration test, which lead to the Pathfinder's first on-sky closed loop images

Effects of different operating parameters on hydrogen production by Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius DSM 6285

Hydrogen gas represents a promising alternative energy source to dwindling fossil fuel reserves, as it carries the highest energy per unit mass and its combustion results in the release of water vapour as only byproduct. The facultatively anaerobic thermophile Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius is able to produce hydrogen via the water–gas shift reaction catalyzed by a carbon monoxide dehydrogenase–hydrogenase enzyme complex. Here we have evaluated the effects of several operating parameters on hydrogen production, including different growth temperatures, pre-culture ages and inoculum sizes, as well as different pHs and concentrations of nickel and iron in the fermentation medium. All of the tested parameters were observed to have a substantive effect on both hydrogen yield and (specific) production rates. A final experiment incorporating the best scenario for each tested parameter showed a marked increase in the H2 production rate compared to each individual parameter. The optimised parameters serve as a strong basis for improved hydrogen production with a view of commercialisation of this process

The Effect of Duloxetine on Mechanistic Pain Profiles, Cognitive Factors, and Clinical Pain in Patients with Painful Knee Osteoarthritis – A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study

BACKGROUND: Duloxetine is indicated in the management of pain in osteoarthritis. Evidence suggests that duloxetine modulates central pain mechanisms and cognitive factors, and these factors are assumed contributing to the analgesic effect. This proof‐of‐mechanism, randomized, placebo‐controlled, crossover, double‐blinded trial evaluated the effect of duloxetine on quantitative sensory testing (QST), cognitive factors and clinical pain in patients with osteoarthritis and to predict the analgesic effect. METHODS: Twenty‐five patients completed this cross‐over study with either 18‐week duloxetine (maximum 60 mg/daily) followed by placebo or vice‐versa. Pressure pain thresholds, temporal summation of pain and conditioned pain modulation were assessed using cuff algometry. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale evaluated cognitive factors. Clinical pain was assessed using Brief Pain Inventory and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. Linear regression models were used to predict the analgesic effect of duloxetine. RESULTS: Depending on the clinical pain outcome, 40%–68% of patients were classified as responders to duloxetine. Linear regression models predicted the analgesic effect (predictive value of 45%–75% depending on clinical pain outcome parameter) using a combination of pretreatment QST parameters, cognitive factors and clinical pain. No significant changes were found for QST, cognitive factors or clinical pain on a group level when comparing duloxetine to placebo. CONCLUSION: A combination of pretreatment QST, cognitive factors and clinical pain was able to predict the analgesic response of duloxetine. However, in this relatively small study, duloxetine did not selectively modulate QST, cognitive factors or clinical pain intensity when compared with placebo. SIGNIFICANCE: Duloxetine is proposed as a treatment for chronic pain. Pre‐clinical trials suggest that duloxetine provides analgesia through modulation of descending pain inhibitory pathways or through improvements in cognitive factors. The current study demonstrates that pretreatment mechanistic pain profiling, cognitive factors and clinical pain can predict the analgesic effect of duloxetine and that only a subset of patients might benefit from duloxetine treatment

A mechanism-based proof of concept study on the effects of duloxetine in patients with painful knee osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND: The global burden of osteoarthritis (OA) is steadily increasing due to demographic and lifestyle changes. The nervous system can undergo peripheral and central neuroplastic changes (sensitization) in patients with OA impacting the options to manage the pain adequately. As a result of sensitization, patients with OA show lower pressure pain thresholds (PPTs), facilitated temporal summation of pain (TSP), and impaired conditioned pain modulation (CPM). As traditional analgesics (acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are not recommended for long-term use in OA, more fundamental knowledge related to other possible management regimes are needed. Duloxetine is a serotonin-noradrenalin reuptake inhibitor, and analgesic effects are documented in patients with OA although the underlying fundamental mechanisms remain unclear. The descending pain inhibitory control system is believed to be dependent on serotonin and noradrenalin. We hypothesized that the analgesic effect of duloxetine could act through these pathways and consequently indirectly reduce pain and sensitization. The aim of this mechanistic study is to investigate if PPTs, TSP, CPM, and clinical pain parameters are modulated by duloxetine. METHODS: This proof of concept study is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, crossover trial, which compares PPTs, TSP, and CPM before and after 18 weeks of duloxetine and placebo in forty patients with knee OA. The intervention periods include a titration period (2 weeks), treatment period (60 mg daily for 14 weeks), and a discontinuation period (2 weeks). Intervention periods are separated by 2 weeks. DISCUSSION: Duloxetine is recommended for the treatment of chronic pain, but the underlying mechanisms of the analgesic effects are currently unknown. This study will investigate if duloxetine can modify central pain mechanisms and thereby provide insights into the underlying mechanisms of the analgesic effect. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.govNCT04224584. Registered on January 6, 2020. EudraCT 2019-003437-42. Registered on October 22, 2019. The North Denmark Region Committee on Health Research Ethics N-20190055. Registered on October 31, 2019

Physiological Responses and Physical Performance during Football in the Heat

PURPOSE: To examine the impact of hot ambient conditions on physical performance and physiological responses during football match-play. METHODS: Two experimental games were completed in temperate (∼ 21°C; CON) and hot ambient conditions (∼ 43°C; HOT). Physical performance was assessed by match analysis in 17 male elite players during the games and a repeated sprint test was conducted after the two game trials. Core and muscle temperature were measured and blood samples were obtained, before and after the games. RESULTS: Muscle and core temperatures were ∼ 1°C higher (P<0.05) in HOT (40.3 ± 0.1 and 39.5 ± 0.1°C, respectively) compared to CON (39.2 ± 0.1 and 38.3 ± 0.1°C). Average heart rate, plasma lactate concentration, body weight loss as well as post-game sprint performance were similar between the two conditions. Total game distance declined (P<0.05) by 7% and high intensity running (>14 km ⋅ h(-1)) by 26% in HOT compared to CON), but peak sprint speed was 4% higher (P<0.05) in HOT than in CON, while there were no differences in the quantity or length of sprints (>24 km ⋅ h(-1)) between CON and HOT. In HOT, success rates for passes and crosses were 8 and 9% higher (P<0.05), respectively, compared to CON. Delta increase in core temperature and absolute core temperature in HOT were correlated to total game distance in the heat (r = 0.85 and r = 0.53, respectively; P<0.05), whereas, total and high intensity distance deficit between CON and HOT were not correlated to absolute or delta changes in muscle or core temperature. CONCLUSION: Total game distance and especially high intensity running were lower during a football game in the heat, but these changes were not directly related to the absolute or relative changes in core or muscle temperature. However, peak sprinting speed and execution of successful passes and crosses were improved in the HOT condition