Comparison of microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation eligibility using sporosarcina pasteurii and bacillus licheniformis on two different sands

The use of biological means for ground improvement have become popular, which generally works through the process called microbially-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP). Many studies indicate successful application of MICP based improvement with multiple bacteria and on several soils. Given the proven performance of MICP, this study aims to examine the MICP process by comparing the calcium carbonate precipitation ability of widely studied bacteria, i.e., Sporosarcina pasteurii and relatively under-recognized bacteria, i.e., Bacillus licheniformis to outline the formation success. For this purpose, two different sands were tested for observing precipitation behavior using a series of syringe tests. Furthermore, the effect of concentration and inclusion of calcium chloride for nutrition of bacteria, saturation with water, and hybrid use of two bacteria were investigated in some tests for diversification. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used for the interpretation of results. Results indicated that Sporosarcina pasteurii had performed superior over Bacillus licheniformis when achieving calcium carbonate precipitation in tests for both sands. In addition, many intriguing SEM images contributed to the literature of MICP monitoring, highlighting the effects of the variables investigated.     

Platelet sparing effect of COX II inhibition used with pegylated interferon alfa-2a for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C: a short term pilot study

The role of a cyclooxygenase (COX) II inhibitor in reducing microvascular inflammation and the platelet count associated with interferon (IFN) plus ribavirin therapy of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) was assessed. Three plasma mediators (biomarkers) associated with platelet activation, inflammation and fibrosis were measured. Eighteen IFN na?ve patients were studied. Nine were treated with pegylated IFN alfa-2a (PEG-IFN alpha-2a) plus ribavirin and rofecoxib; nine were treated with PEG-IFN alpha-2a plus ribavirin. A complete blood count, liver panel and HCV-RNA were assayed weekly. Human soluble P-selectin (hs-P-selectin), human interleukin-8 (IL-8), human interleukin-13 (IL-13) and human thrombopoietin (TPO) were assayed at 4 week intervals. The COX II inhibitor reduced the platelet reduction experienced with PEG-IFN alpha-2a treatment of HCV despite a reduction in the plasma TPO level. Hs-P-selectin was increased in both groups. In contrast, human IL-8 levels declined to undetectable levels in virologic responders. Similarly, human IL-13 levels declined with therapy (P < 0.001). These data suggest that: (1) a COX II inhibition is associated with an increase in the platelet count despite a reduction in the TPO level; (2) human IL-8 and human IL-13 but not hs-P-selectin levels decline in those who experience an early virologic response.     

The action of ultraviolet radiation on yeast catalase

The effect of prolonged UV irradiation (mostly 2537 A) on the catalase activity of an aqueous yeast suspension was divisible into 4 periods. First, the period during which the cells lost their ability to form colonies, but during which no change in catalase activity was noted. Second, the period during which a considerable rise in catalase activity (Euler effect) occurred. The Euler effect was accompanied by enzyme alteration as shown by the simultaneous decrease in the activation energy of the enzyme-substrate system. However, during the initial phase of this period, as the catalase activity of the suspension began to increase, the activation energy rose to a transient level higher even than that characterizing the unaltered enzyme. Heat accelerated the rate of alteration when applied either during or after the irradiation; the activation energy for the over-all alteration reaction was 24 kcal., a value close to that recorded previously for alteration induced by chemical agents. Nevertheless, the rate-limiting step appeared to be different in the two cases. A model of these events was presented in which the primary photochemical action was on the site at which catalase is located within the cell. Third, a rather long period during which irradiation led to no diminution in the catalase activity of the maximally active suspension. This protection effect was duplicated in intro by a model crystalline catalase-KNA system, or by adding either ribonuclease digestion products of RNA or adenine to a catalase solution prior to irradiation. Evidence was adduced that the protection effect was not a simple screening, but involved some sort of interaction between the enzyme and the nitrogenous components of RNA, an interaction which must likewise occur within the cell. Alteration induced by CHCl₃ did not eliminate the protection effect, but that by butanol did. The onset of photoinactivation was due to modification of protein structure, not of RNA. Fourth, the period of photoinactivation of the intracellular enzyme, which was quite similar to that of the crystalline enzyme in vitro.     

The stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha/CXCR4 ligand-receptor axis is critical for progenitor survival and migration in the pancreas

The SDF-1alpha/CXCR4 ligand/chemokine receptor pair is required for appropriate patterning during ontogeny and stimulates the growth and differentiation of critical cell types. Here, we demonstrate SDF-1alpha and CXCR4 expression in fetal pancreas. We have found that SDF-1alpha and its receptor CXCR4 are expressed in islets, also CXCR4 is expressed in and around the proliferating duct epithelium of the regenerating pancreas of the interferon (IFN) gamma-nonobese diabetic mouse. We show that SDF-1alpha stimulates the phosphorylation of Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and Src in pancreatic duct cells. Furthermore, migration assays indicate a stimulatory effect of SDF-1alpha on ductal cell migration. Importantly, blocking the SDF-1alpha/CXCR4 axis in IFNgamma-nonobese diabetic mice resulted in diminished proliferation and increased apoptosis in the pancreatic ductal cells. Together, these data indicate that the SDF-1alpha-CXCR4 ligand receptor axis is an obligatory component in the maintenance of duct cell survival, proliferation, and migration during pancreatic regeneration.     

Regulation of the Phosphorylation State of the AMPA Receptor GluR1 Subunit in the Postsynaptic Density

1. Changes in the phosphorylation state of AMPA-type glutamate receptors are thought to underlie activity-dependent synaptic modification. It has been established that the GluR1 subunit is phosphorylated on two distinct sites, Ser-831 and Ser-845, by CaMKII and by PKA, respectively, and that phosphorylation by either kinase correlates with an increase in the AMPA receptor-mediated current. GluR1 is concentrated in postsynaptic densities and it is expected that this particular receptor pool is involved in synaptic modification. The present study describes the regulation of the phosphorylation state of GluR1 in isolated postsynaptic densities.2. Addition of Ca²⁺/calmodulin to the postsynaptic density fraction promotes phosphorylation of GluR1, and under these conditions, dephosphorylation is prevented by the inclusion of phosphatase type 1 inhibitors, microcystin-LR and Inhibitor-1. CaMKII and phosphatase type 1 are also found to be enriched in the PSD fraction compared to the parent fractions.3. On the other hand, the addition of cAMP, either by itself or with exogenous PKA, does not change the phosphorylation state of GluR1. Prior incubation of PSDs under dephosphorylating conditions results in only a small PKA-mediated phosphorylation of GluR1.4. These results support the hypothesis that PSDs contain the molecular machinery to promote the phosphorylation as well as the dephosphorylation of GluR1 on Ser-831, while Ser-845, the site phosphorylated by PKA, appears to be mostly occluded. Thus, it is possible that a large pool of PSD-associated GluR1 is regulated through modification of the phosphorylation state of the Ser-831 site only.     

A novel thermophilic anaerobic bacteria producing cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase

A novel thermophilic anaerobic, rod-shaped, non-spore forming, gram positive bacterium was isolated from an oil field in Turkey, that produces cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (CGTase) from starch. According to the some morphological, biochemical and 16S rRNA analysis, the strain belongs to the genus Thermoanaerobacter. The strain mainly utilizes starch and derivatives, glucose and fructose as carbon source between 45 and 75 °C, optimally at 65 °C. Optimum pH for growth is 7.5. 16S RNA studies indicate that the bacterium has a similarity of 98.3% to homoacetogenic Thermoanaerobacter kivui and the main fermentation product is acetic acid as in the case with homoacetogenic bacteria. The main difference between the bacterium and T. kivui concerns the utilization of starch. Based on the phylogenetic and biochemical analysis, it is proposed that the species are a new member of the genus Thermoanaerobacter. The strain has CGTase activity optimum at 80 °C and pH 7.0–8.0.     

Upgrading a Piped Water Supply from Intermittent to Continuous Delivery and Association with Waterborne Illness: A Matched Cohort Study in Urban India

Background

Intermittent delivery of piped water can lead to waterborne illness through contamination in the pipelines or during household storage, use of unsafe water sources during intermittencies, and limited water availability for hygiene. We assessed the association between continuous versus intermittent water supply and waterborne diseases, child mortality, and weight for age in Hubli-Dharwad, India.

Methods and Findings

We conducted a matched cohort study with multivariate matching to identify intermittent and continuous supply areas with comparable characteristics in Hubli-Dharwad. We followed 3,922 households in 16 neighborhoods with children <5 y old, with four longitudinal visits over 15 mo (Nov 2010–Feb 2012) to record caregiver-reported health outcomes (diarrhea, highly credible gastrointestinal illness, bloody diarrhea, typhoid fever, cholera, hepatitis, and deaths of children <2 y old) and, at the final visit, to measure weight for age for children <5 y old. We also collected caregiver-reported data on negative control outcomes (cough/cold and scrapes/bruises) to assess potential bias from residual confounding or differential measurement error.Continuous supply had no significant overall association with diarrhea (prevalence ratio [PR] = 0.93, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.83–1.04, p = 0.19), bloody diarrhea (PR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.60–1.01, p = 0.06), or weight-for-age z-scores (Δz = 0.01, 95% CI: −0.07–0.09, p = 0.79) in children <5 y old. In prespecified subgroup analyses by socioeconomic status, children <5 y old in lower-income continuous supply households had 37% lower prevalence of bloody diarrhea (PR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.46–0.87, p-value for interaction = 0.03) than lower-income intermittent supply households; in higher-income households, there was no significant association between continuous versus intermittent supply and child diarrheal illnesses. Continuous supply areas also had 42% fewer households with ≥1 reported case of typhoid fever (cumulative incidence ratio [CIR] = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.41–0.78, p = 0.001) than intermittent supply areas. There was no significant association with hepatitis, cholera, or mortality of children <2 y old; however, our results were indicative of lower mortality of children <2 y old (CIR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.22–1.07, p = 0.10) in continuous supply areas. The major limitations of our study were the potential for unmeasured confounding given the observational design and measurement bias from differential reporting of health symptoms given the nonblinded treatment. However, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of the negative control outcomes between study groups that would suggest undetected confounding or measurement bias.

Conclusions

Continuous water supply had no significant overall association with diarrheal disease or ponderal growth in children <5 y old in Hubli-Dharwad; this might be due to point-of-use water contamination from continuing household storage and exposure to diarrheagenic pathogens through nonwaterborne routes. Continuous supply was associated with lower prevalence of dysentery in children in low-income households and lower typhoid fever incidence, suggesting that intermittently operated piped water systems are a significant transmission mechanism for Salmonella typhi and dysentery-causing pathogens in this urban population, despite centralized water treatment. Continuous supply was associated with reduced transmission, especially in the poorer higher-risk segments of the population.