Treatment of mixed domestic–industrial wastewater using cyanobacteria

Alexandria Sanitary Drainage Company (ASDCO), Alexandria, Egypt has two primary treatment plants, the eastern and the western wastewater treatment plants (EWTP and WWTP) that receive mixed domestic–industrial influents and discharge into L. Mariut. The lake is subjected therefore to severe levels of pollution and dominated by members of cyanobacteria that can cope with the high pollution load in the lake water. Isolation and utilization of the locally generated cyanobacterial biomass for remediation processes of highly toxic pollutants offers a very efficient and cheap tool for governmental or private industrial activities in Alexandria and will generate a source of revenue in Egyptian localities. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the biodegradation and biosorption capacity of some potential cyanobacterial species dominating the lake ecosystem toward organic and inorganic contaminants polluting the primary-treated effluents of the EWTP and WWTP. The primary effluents were subjected to biological treatment using three axenic cyanobacterial strains (Anabaena oryzae, Anabaena variabilis and Tolypothrix ceytonica) as batch system for 7 days. Removal efficiencies (RE) of the different contaminants were evaluated and compared. Results confirmed the high efficiencies of the investigated species for the removal of the target contaminants which were species and contaminant-dependent. BOD₅ and COD recorded 89.29 and 73.68% as maximum RE(s) achieved by Anabaena variabilis and Anabaena oryzae, respectively. The highest RE of the TSS recorded 64.37% achieved by Tolypothrix ceytonica, while 38.84% was recorded as the highest TSD RE achieved by Anabaena variabilis. Tolypothrix ceytonica also exhibited the highest RE for FOG recorded 93.75%. Concerning the contaminant metals, Tolypothrix ceytonica showed the highest biosorption capacity where 86.12 and 94.63% RE were achieved for Zn and Cu, respectively. In conclusion, results of the present study confirmed the advantageous potential of using the tested cyanobacterial species for the treatment of contaminated wastewater. Results also clearly showed the quality improvement of the discharged wastewater which in turn will eliminate or at least minimize the expected deterioration of the receiving environment.     

Histochemical detection of the α-D-arabinopyranoside configuration using fluorescent-labelled concanavalin A

Summary A technique is described in which carbohydrates present in sections of animal tissues are stained with fluorescein-labelled concanavalin A. Evidence is presented which suggests that the fluorescent staining is due to the presence of hexose residues containing the -D-arabinopyranoside configuration.Possible extensions of the application of this type of histochemical method are discussed.     

Effects of body configuration on pelvic injury in backward fall simulation using 3D finite element models of pelvis–femur–soft tissue complex

Injuries due to backward fall apart from sideways fall are a major health problem, particularly among the aged populations. The objectives of this study was to evaluate the responses to changing body configurations (angle between the trunk and impacting floor as 0°, 15°, 45° and 80°) during backward fall, based on a previously developed CT-scan-derived 3D non-linear and non-homogeneous finite element (FE) model of pelvis–femur–soft tissue complex with simplified biomechanical representation of the whole body. Under constant impact energy, these FE models evaluated the pelvic injury situations on the basis of peak impact force (7.64–16.74 kN) and peak principal compressive strain (more than 1.5%), consistent with the clinically observed injuries (sacral insufficiency, coccydynia). Also the change in location of peak strain and increase in peak impact force for changing configurations from 0° to 80° indicated the effect of whole body inertia during backward fall. It was also concluded that the inclusion of sacro-iliac and acetabular cartilages in the above FE models will further reduce above findings marginally (9.2% for 15° fall). These quantifications would also be helpful for a better design and development of safety structures such as safety floor for the nursing home or home for the aged persons.     

Box–Behnken design for the optimization of the removal of Cr(VI) in soil leachate using nZVI/Ni bimetallic particles

Abstract

Soil leachate containing Cr(VI) was remediated in this investigation using nano zero valent iron/nickel bimetallic particles (nZVI/Ni) prepared by borohydride reduction method. To validate and optimize interactions among different parameters (reaction time, temperature, and the initial pH value) for the reduction of Cr(VI) in soil leachate, the Box–Behnken design (BBD) model of response surface methodology was employed. Seventeen experiments were carried out with three center points. F- and P-values obtained from this model suggested that the BBD model was suitable for analyzing the interaction among different parameters. Correlation coefficients of 0.9865 and 0.9692 were obtained for R² and adjusted R², respectively. Results showed that the interaction between initial pH value and temperature had an significant effect on the removal rate of Cr(VI) in soil leachate by nZVI/Ni. The optimum condition was when pH was 5, temperature was 313 K, and reaction time was 20 min, the removal rate could reach 99.36%. This study provided a reference for the further research and practical application of nZVI/Ni to remediate Cr(VI) from soil leachate.     

Effects of habitat configuration on host–parasitoid food web structure

The dispersal of organisms among patches affects community structure in spatially heterogeneous habitats. The enhancement of dispersal frequency among patches can be expected to increase potential interaction between organisms in food webs. However, it has been difficult to fairly evaluate the effects of dispersal on the food web structure because the quantification of actual dispersal is difficult. In this study, in order to manipulate the dispersal frequency, two oak plantations (each with 100 oak trees) were established as high-patch connectivity (1-m interval) and low-patch connectivity (3-m interval) plots. Quantitative food webs of herbivores and their parasitoids were constructed for the high- and low-connectivity plots, and quantitative measures of food web metrics as indices of structure were calculated for both webs to examine dispersal effects on food web complexity. In the entire web, 86 herbivore species (Lepidoptera and Coleoptera) were attacked by 50 parasitoid species (Hymenoptera and Diptera). As a result, although we found no significant difference in herbivore abundance between high- and low-connectivity plots, a higher parasitism rate and greater complexity in web structure were observed in many food web metrics for the high-connectivity plot. Furthermore, the parasitoid overlap diagram showed a higher potential for indirect interactions among herbivore species in the high-connectivity plot. These results imply that the increase in dispersal frequency among habitat patches facilitates food web complexity, and the role of dispersal as a determinant of food web structure should be considered in food web ecology.     

Inhibition of benzene,toluene, phenol and benzoate in single and combination on Anammox activity: implication to the denitrification–Anammox synergy

A previous study demonstrated that denitrification synergized with Anammox could accelerate the anaerobic degradation of benzene. The inhibitory effects of benzene, toluene, phenol and benzoate in single and combination on Anammox activity were investigated by short-term batch tests. The results indicated that the inhibition of single compounds on Anammox could be well fitted with the extended non-competitive and Luong inhibition kinetic models. The inhibitions of the individual compound were in order as follows: benzene?>?toluene?>?phenol?>?benzoate. The joint inhibitions of bi-component mixtures of benzene with toluene, benzene with phenol and benzene with benzoate on Anammox activity were additive; the joint inhibition of a tri-component mixture (benzene, toluene and phenol) was partly additive; and the joint inhibition of a multicomponent mixture (benzene, toluene, phenol and benzoate) was synergistic. The effect of benzoate on the denitrification–Anammox synergy for benzene degradation was evaluated using a long-term test. Although the average rate of benzene degradation decreased by 13% with the addition of 10 mg L^?1 benzoate, the average rate of NO₃^? and NH₄⁺ increased by approximately 1- and 0.56-fold, respectively, suggesting that benzoate favors the stability of the denitrification–Anammox synergy. The carboxylation of benzene would be a more favorable pathway for the anaerobic degradation of benzene under denitrification synergized with Anammox.     

Effects of Olanzapine–Fluoxetine Combination Treatment of Major Depressive Disorders on the Quality of Life During Acute Treatment Period

The objective of the study was to explore the effects of olanzapine–fluoxetine combination (OFC) treatment of major depressive disorders on the quality of life in the acute treatment period. Methods were prospective and observational design. One hundred and three patients of major depressive disorders were observed. One group of 53 patients received OFC treatment (OFC group); the other group of 50 patients received the treatment of duloxetine (duloxetine group). Two groups were needed to be observed 8 weeks. Observed indicators were Hamilton Depression Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-24) and four factor scores: the slow, sleep disorders, anxiety/somatization, and hopelessness, Clinical Global Impression-Severity of Illness (CGI-S), WHO quality of life scale (WHOQOL-BREF), and sub-rate measurements. HAMD-24 and four factor scores observation time were assessed before and after treatment; 1, 2, 4, 8 weeks, WHOQOL-BREF score, and sub-time measurements were assessed before treatment and 8 weeks after treatment. HAMD-24 scores of OFC patients in the first week were significantly lower than those of the duloxetine group. The sleep factor scores of OFC patients were significantly lower than those of the duloxetine group in 4 and 8 weeks. By the end of 8 weeks, OFC group was rated significantly lower than the duloxetine group in the physical area. In the acute treatment period, OFC treatment effected faster than the single duloxetine in patients with major depressive disorders. OFC effected within 1 week and was better than the single duloxetine in improving the sleep and physical conditions.     

Confirmation of quinolone-induced formation of gyrase–DNA conjugates using AFM

It was demonstrated in our studies that norfloxacin, a representative member of quinolone antibiotics, can indeed stabilize the gyrase–DNA complex formed during enzymatic cycle. In addition, the formation of the drug-induced complex has been firstly visualized through our atomic force microscopic examination.     

Recognition of HIV-TAR RNA using neomycin–benzimidazole conjugates

Synthesis of a novel class of compounds and their biophysical studies with TAR-RNA are presented. The synthesis of these compounds was achieved by conjugating neomycin, an aminoglycoside, with benzimidazoles modeled from a B-DNA minor groove binder, Hoechst 33258. The neomycin–benzimidazole conjugates have varying linkers that connect the benzimidazole and neomycin units. The linkers of varying length (5–23 atoms) in these conjugates contain one to three triazole units. The UV thermal denaturation experiments showed that the conjugates resulted in greater stabilization of the TAR-RNA than either neomycin or benzimidazole used in the synthesis of conjugates. These results were corroborated by the FID displacement and tat-TAR inhibition assays. The binding of ligands to the TAR-RNA is affected by the length and composition of the linker. Our results show that increasing the number of triazole groups and the linker length in these compounds have diminishing effect on the binding to TAR-RNA. Compounds that have shorter linker length and fewer triazole units in the linker displayed increased affinity towards the TAR RNA.     

Biodegradation of ketoprofen using a microalgal–bacterial consortium

Objective

To test the toxicity of ketoprofen (a commonly-used NSAIDs) using two microalgal strains and Artemia sp. following the isolation of bacterial and microalgal strains and testing their ability to biodegrade and tolerate ketoprofen.

Results

Chlorella sp. was the most resistant to ketoprofen. A defined bacterial consortium (K₂) degraded 5 mM ketoprofen as a sole carbon source both in the dark or continuous illumination. Ketoprofen did not undergo photodegradation. In the dark, biodegradation was faster with a lag phase of 10 h, 41% COD removal and 82 % reduction in toxicity. The consortium degraded up to 16 mM ketoprofen. The consortium was composed of four bacterial isolates that were identified. MS/MS analysis suggested a ketoprofen biodegradation pathway that has not been previously reported. Combining Chlorella sp. and the K₂ consortium, ketoprofen was degraded within 7 days under a diurnal cycle of 12 h light/12 h dark.

Conclusion

The feasibility of using a microalgal–bacterial system to treat pharmaceutical wastewater is promising for the reduction of the process cost and providing a safer technology for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment.

     

Efficacy of Nimotuzumab Combined with Docetaxel–Cisplatin–Fluorouracil Regimen in Treatment of Advanced Oral Carcinoma

The present study aimed to evaluate efficacy and adverse effects of Nimotuzumab combined with docetaxel–cisplatin–fluorouracil regimen in the treatment of advanced oral carcinoma. Nine patients with advanced oral carcinoma were treated with Nimotuzumab combined with docetaxel–cisplatin–fluorouracil regimen (test group). The treatment was given as follows: Nimotuzumab 200 mg, given as intravenous infusion once a week for 6 weeks; docetaxel and cisplatin, 75 mg/m² each, on day 1 only; 5-fluorouracil, 750 mg/m² infused continually for 8 h, used from day 1 to 5; the total cycle was for 21 days. Another eight patients comprised control group (docetaxel–cisplatin–fluorouracil regimen alone). Study patients from both groups were evaluated for objective response. The response rate was significantly (p = 0.044) higher in test group (88.9 vs. 37.5 % in control group). The disease control rate also tended to be higher in test group (100 vs. 62.5 % in control group; p = 0.083). The major adverse effects were bone marrow suppression, nausea, vomiting, and alopecia. The incidence of adverse effects was similar between both study groups. In conclusion, Nimotuzumab combined with docetaxel–cisplatin–fluorouracil regimen is effective and safe in the treatment of advanced oral carcinoma.     

Prediction of leachate concentrations in petroleum‐contaminated soils

The efficacy of cleanup methods in reducing gasoline contamination at spill sites is typically determined by measuring benzene, toluene, xylene (BTX), and total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentrations in soil samples. Although these values may provide a direct measurement of soil contamination, they may not be indicative of what is transferred to percolating water. This study addresses this issue by measuring TPH, toluene, m‐ and p‐xylene, and naphthalene levels in gasoline‐contaminated soil columns before and after forced‐air venting and relating these values to the aqueous‐phase concentrations measured when water is percolated through the same columns.

Sandy soils with and without organic matter were packed into glass columns. The soils were brought to residual water and residual gasoline saturations by applying a vacuum to a ceramic pressure plate at the column bottom. Venting was performed by passing clean, moist air through the columns. The columns were subsequently leached under unsaturated conditions.

Soil samples were taken from the bottom of the columns upon completion of the venting or leaching phases of the experiments. Toluene, m‐ and p‐xylene, naphthalene, and TPH values were measured in soil samples extracted with either freon or methanol. Aqueous phase concentrations of these compounds were predicted using measured soil concentrations and either Raoult's law or organic matter‐water and fuel‐water partitioning theory (Boyd and Sun, 1990). The predicted results were compared with measured leachate concentrations from the same columns.

Mole fractions estimated from soil concentrations and TPH values used in Raoult's law gave good predictions of aqueous phase concentrations for compounds that had a high mole fraction in the residual nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL). For compounds at low concentrations in the residual NAPL, an approach using a distribution coefficient that accounted for both the organic matter and residual NAPL in the soil provided better estimates than those based on Raoult's law.     

Interpreting outputs of agent-based models using abundance–occupancy relationships

Reliable assessments of how human activities affect wild populations are essential for effective natural resource management. Agent-based models provide a powerful tool for integration of multiple drivers of ecological systems, but selecting and interpreting their output is often challenging. Here, we develop an indicator (the AOR-index) based on the abundance–occupancy relationship to facilitate the interpretation of agent-based model outputs. The AOR-index is based on the distribution of individuals in the landscape translated into the number of individuals in each cell of a regular grid. The proportion of grid cells with at least one individual is used to quantify occupancy and the mean number of individuals in occupied cells is used to quantify abundance. The AOR-index is a two-dimensional index giving the relative change in abundance and occupancy in response to a scenario (e.g. a change in land use or climate). We systematically modify a digital version of a real landscape to produce a set of artificial landscapes differing only in the degree of landscape fragmentation. We test how these different landscapes affect the AOR-index of six model animal species in four different land use scenarios using an agent-based model framework (ALMaSS). Our results suggest that the AOR-index is a sensitive tool to demonstrate how different species respond to particular land-use scenarios. The bird and mammal species generally showed larger responses than the invertebrates and changes in abundance and occupancy were often of different magnitude. The different responses are caused by species-specific habitat requirements and dispersal abilities, but the importance of such life history traits depend on landscape structure. Hence, predictions of species-specific responses to land-use changes in terms of abundance and occupancy are greatly improved by incorporation in a model framework taking spatial and temporal dynamics into account. The AOR-index facilitates the evaluation of multiple scenarios and allows for multi-species assessments. Its use, however, still requires identified management goals in order to evaluate scenario responses.     

Production of membrane proteins using cell–free expression systems

Different overexpression systems are widely used in the laboratory to produce proteins in a reasonable amount for functional and structural studies. However, to optimize these systems without modifying the cellular functions of the living organism remains a challenging task. Cell-free expression systems have become a convenient method for the high-throughput expression of recombinant proteins, and great effort has been focused on generating high yields of proteins. Furthermore, these systems represent an attractive alternative for producing difficult-to-express proteins, such as membrane proteins. In this review, we highlight the recent improvements of these cell-free expression systems and their direct applications in the fields of membrane proteins production, protein therapy and modern proteomics.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Polysialic Acid–Uricase Conjugates for the Treatment of Hyperuricemia

Uricase, an enzyme used for the treatment of hyperuricemia, is conjugated with polysialic acid (PSA) of average molecular weight of 10 kDa by reductive amination in presence of NaCNBH3 in order to improve its pharmacological properties. Polysialylation with 50-,100-,150- and 200-fold molar excess of PSA increased the percentage substitution of the free amino groups on enzyme surface (46, 66, 78 and 80 % respectively). The SDS-PAGE is used to visualize the conjugates with increased molecular weight and it retained almost 65 % of their initial specific activity after conjugation. The stability studies at physiological condition reveals improved stability and activity than the native enzyme. The apparent KM of the enzyme has increased slightly from 4.18 × 10^?5 M to 5.46 × 10^?5 M suggesting that the affinity of the substrate to the enzyme has not been altered to a higher extent. The conjugates, when probed against anti-uricase antibodies generated in rabbit, showed a clean decline in the affinity by 35 % and also have retained double the catalytic activity than that of the native enzyme after exposure to antiserum. The results suggest that uricase-PSA conjugates can be used as an alternative to the conventional synthetic polymer-enzyme conjugates.     

On the absolute configuration of 19′-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin

The esterifying C₆-acid in 19′-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin has been identified as n-hexanoic acid by GLC of the methyl ester. Ozonolysis of 19′-n-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin 3-benzoate provided the n-hexanoyloxy derivative of the allenic ketone produced from fucoxanthin 3-benzoate. NMR and CD correlation of the ozonolysis products and NMR of the native carotenoids provided the basis for assignment of the same absolute configuration of the 19′-n-hexanoyloxy derivative (3S, 5R, 6S, 3′S, 5′R, 6′S) as for fucoxanthin. Biosynthetic implications are considered. CD data for 19′-n-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin, fucoxanthin and some derivatives thereof are reported. Previously unreported minor carotenoids in Coccolithus huxleyi were diadinoxanthin and 3′-desacetyl 19′-n-hexanoyloxy-fucoxanthin.     

Assignment of allelic configuration in polyploids using the MAC-PR (microsatellite DNA allele counting—peak ratios) method

Polysomic inheritance frequently results in the simultaneous occurrence of several microsatellite DNA alleles on a single locus. The MAC-PR (microsatellite DNA allele counting—peak ratios) method was recently developed for the analysis of polyploid plants and makes use of the quantitative values for microsatellite allele peak areas. To date, this approach has only been used in plants with known genetic relationships. We report here the application of MAC-PR for the first time to random samples of unknown pedigrees. We analysed six microsatellite loci using a set of tetraploid ornamental rose (Rosa × hybrida L.) varieties. For each locus, all alleles were analysed in pairwise combinations in order to determine their copy number in the individual samples. This was accomplished by calculating the ratios between the peak areas for two alleles in all of the samples where these two alleles occurred together. The allele peak ratios observed were plotted in a histogram, and those histograms that produced at least two well-separated groups were selected for further analysis. Mean allelic peak ratio values for these groups were compared to the relationships expected between alleles in hypothetical configurations of the locus investigated. Using this approach, we were able to assign precise allelic configurations (the actual genotype) to almost all of the varieties analysed for five of the six loci investigated. MAC-PR also appears to be a very effective tool for detecting null alleles in polyploid species.Communicated by C. Möllers