Mechanism and challenges in commercialisation of algal biofuels

Biofuels made from algal biomass are being considered as the most suitable alternative energy in current global and economical scenario. Microalgae are known to produce and accumulate lipids within their cell mass which is similar to those found in many vegetable oils. The efficient lipid producer algae cell mass has been reported to contain more than 30% of their cell weight as lipids. According to US DOE microalgae have the potential to produce 100 times more oil per acre land than any terrestrial plants. This article reviews up to date literature on the composition of algae, mechanism of oil droplets, triacylglycerol (TAG) production in algal biomass, research and development made in the cultivation of algal biomass, harvesting strategies, and recovery of lipids from algal mass. The economical challenges in the production of biofuels from algal biomass have been discussed in view of the future prospects in the commercialisation of algal fuels.     

Nickel(II) adsorption onto biomass based activated carbon obtained from sugarcane bagasse pith

Bioavailability of Nickel in the form of hydrated Nickel(II) attributes to its toxicological effects and hence its removal from aqueous solution is of great concern. Adsorption is used as an efficient technique for the removal of Nickel(II), hereafter Ni(II), from water and wastewaters. Activated carbon obtained from sugarcane bagasse pith (SBP-AC), a waste biomass collected from juice shops in Sarkara Devi Temple, Chirayinkeezhu, Trivandrum, India during annual festival, is used as adsorbent in the study. The process of adsorption is highly dependent on solution pH, and maximum removal occurs in the pH range of 4.0-8.0. Moreover, the amount of Ni(II) adsorbed onto SBP-AC increased with the time increase and reached equilibrium at 4h. Adsorption kinetic and equilibrium data were analyzed for determining the best fit kinetic and isotherm models. The overall study reveals the potential value of steam pyrolysed SBP-AC as a possible commercial adsorbent in wastewater treatment strategies.     

Recycling of organic wastes by employing Eisenia fetida

This paper reports the recycling of nutrients by vermicomposting of cow dung (CD), poultry droppings (PD) and food industry sludge (FIS) employing earthworms (Eisenia fetida). A total of six vermicomposting units were established and dynamics of chemical and biological parameters has been studied for 13 weeks. The waste mixture containing 50% CD+25% PD+25% FIS had better fertilizer value among studied waste combinations. At the end of experiment, vermicomposts showed decrease in pH and organic C, but increase in EC, total Kjeldhal N, total available P and total K contents. The C:N ratio of final vermicomposts also reduced to 10.7-12.7 from 22.8 to 56 in different waste combinations. The earthworms have good biomass gain and cocoon production in all vermicomposting units but CD alone and 50% CD+25% PD+25% FIS were better than other studied combinations.     

Industrial wastes and sludges management by vermicomposting

Vermicomposting has been arising as an innovative ecotechnology for the conversion of various types of wastes into vermicompost. Vermicompost is humus like, finely granulated and stabilized material which can be used as a soil conditioner to reintegrate the organic matter to the agricultural soils. Industrial wastes remain largely unutilized and often cause environmental problems like ground and surface water pollution, foul odours, occupying vast land areas etc. Non-toxic and organic industrial wastes could be potential raw material for vermitechnology. In the last two decades, vermitechnology has been applied for the management of industrial wastes and sludges and to convert them into vermicompost for land restoration practices. The success of the process depends upon several process parameters like quality of raw material, pH, temperature, moisture, aeration etc., type of vermicomposting system and earthworm species used. The review discusses the vermitechnology and the present state of research in the vermicomposting industrial sludges and wastes.     

Threshold haemoglobin levels and the prognosis of stable coronary disease: two new cohorts and a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Low haemoglobin concentration has been associated with adverse prognosis in patients with angina and myocardial infarction (MI), but the strength and shape of the association and the presence of any threshold has not been precisely evaluated.

Methods and findings

A retrospective cohort study was carried out using the UK General Practice Research Database. 20,131 people with a new diagnosis of stable angina and no previous acute coronary syndrome, and 14,171 people with first MI who survived for at least 7 days were followed up for a mean of 3.2 years. Using semi-parametric Cox regression and multiple adjustment, there was evidence of threshold haemoglobin values below which mortality increased in a graded continuous fashion. For men with MI, the threshold value was 13.5 g/dl (95% confidence interval [CI] 13.2–13.9); the 29.5% of patients with haemoglobin below this threshold had an associated hazard ratio for mortality of 2.00 (95% CI 1.76–2.29) compared to those with haemoglobin values in the lowest risk range. Women tended to have lower threshold haemoglobin values (e.g, for MI 12.8 g/dl; 95% CI 12.1–13.5) but the shape and strength of association did not differ between the genders, nor between patients with angina and MI. We did a systematic review and meta-analysis that identified ten previously published studies, reporting a total of only 1,127 endpoints, but none evaluated thresholds of risk.

Conclusions

There is an association between low haemoglobin concentration and increased mortality. A large proportion of patients with coronary disease have haemoglobin concentrations below the thresholds of risk defined here. Intervention trials would clarify whether increasing the haemoglobin concentration reduces mortality. Please see later in the article for the Editors'' Summary     

Slug Is a Predictor of Poor Prognosis in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients

Background

Slug, a regulator of epithelial mesenchymal transition, was identified to be differentially expressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) using cDNA microarrays by our laboratory. This study aimed to determine the clinical significance of Slug overexpression in ESCC and determine its correlation with clinicopathological parameters and disease prognosis for ESCC patients.

Methods

Immunohistochemical analysis of Slug expression was carried out in archived tissue sections from 91 ESCCs, 61 dysplastic and 47 histologically normal esophageal tissues. Slug immunopositivity in epithelial cells was correlated with clinicopathological parameters and disease prognosis over up to 7.5 years for ESCC patients.

Results

Increased expression of Slug was observed in esophageal dysplasia [cytoplasmic, 24/61 (39.3%) cases, p = 0.001, odd’s ratio (OR) = 4.7; nuclear, 11/61 (18%) cases, p < 0.001, OR = 1.36] in comparison with normal esophageal tissues. The Slug expression was further increased in ESCCs [cytoplasmic, 64/91 (70.3%) p < 0.001, OR = 10.0; nuclear, 27/91 (29.7%) p < 0.001, OR = 1.42]. Kaplan Meier survival analysis showed significant association of nuclear Slug accumulation with reduced disease free survival of ESCC patients (median disease free survival (DFS) = 6 months, as compared to those that did not show overexpression, DFS = 18 months; p = 0.006). In multivariate Cox regression analysis nuclear Slug expression [p= 0.005, Hazard’s ratio (HR) = 2.269, 95% CI = 1.289 - 3.996] emerged as the most significant independent predictor of poor prognosis for ESCC patients.

Conclusions

Alterations in Slug expression occur in early stages of development of ESCC and are sustained during disease progression. Slug may serve as a diagnostic biomarker and as a predictor of poor disease prognosis to identify ESCC patients that are likely to show recurrence of the disease.     

Mondays on the Dark Night of the Moon: Himalayan Foothill Folktales

Mondays on the Dark Night of the Moon: Himalayan Foothill Folktales. Kirin Narayan with Urmila Devi Sood. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997. 262 pp.     

Phenotype,Body Composition,and Prediction Equations (Indian Fatty Liver Index) for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Non-Diabetic Asian Indians: A Case-Control Study

Objective

In this study, we have attempted comparison of detailed body composition phenotype of Asian Indians with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) vs. those without, in a case controlled manner. We also aim to analyse prediction equations for NAFLD for non-diabetic Asian Indians, and compare performance of these with published prediction equations researched from other populations.

Methods

In this case-control study, 162 cases and 173 age-and sex-matched controls were recruited. Clinical, anthropometric, metabolic, and body composition profiles, and liver ultrasound were done. Fasting insulin levels, value of homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and serum high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were evaluated. Multivariate logistic and linear regression analyses were used to arrive at prediction equations for fatty liver [Indian fatty liver index (IFLI)].

Results

As compared to those without fatty liver, those with fatty liver exhibited the following; Excess dorsocervical fat (‘Buffalo hump’), skin tags, xanthelasma, ‘double chin’, arcus; excess total, abdominal and subcutaneous adiposity, and high blood pressure, blood glucose, measures of insulin resistance (fasting insulin and HOMA-IR values), lipids and hs-CRP levels. Two prediction equations were developed; Clinical [Indian Fatty Liver Index-Clinical; IFLI-C]: 1(double chin) +15.5 (systolic blood pressure) +13.8 (buffalo hump); and IFLI-Clinical and Biochemical (CB): serum triglycerides+12 (insulin)+1(systolic blood pressure) +18 (buffalo hump). On ROC Curve analysis, IFLI performed better than all published prediction equations, except one.

Conclusion

Non-diabetic Asian Indians with NAFLD researched by us were overweight/obese, had excess abdominal and subcutaneous fat, multiple other phenotypic markers, had higher insulin resistance, glycemia, dyslipidemia and subclinical inflammation than those without. Prediction score developed by us for NAFLD; IFLI-C and IFLI-CB, should be useful for clinicians and researchers.