Effect of mixing on biogas production during mesophilic anaerobic digestion of screened dairy manure in a pilot plant

The effect of mixing on biogas production of a 1.5‐m³ pilot continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) processing screened dairy manure was evaluated. Mixing was carried out by recirculation of reactor content with a mono pump. The experiment was conducted at a controlled temperature of 37±1°C and hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 20 and 10 days. The effect of continuous and intermittent operation of the recirculation pump on biogas production was studied. At 10 days of HRT, the results showed a minimal influence of recirculation rate on biogas production and that continuous recirculation did not improve reactor performance. At 20 days of HRT, the recirculation rate did not affect reactor performance. Combination of low solid content in feed animal slurry and long HRTs results in minimal mixing requirements for anaerobic digestion.     

DNA damage in patients who underwent minimally invasive surgery under inhalation or intravenous anesthesia

Recent studies have demonstrated the genotoxicity of anesthetics in patients who have undergone surgery and in personnel who are occupationally exposed to anesthetics. However, these findings are controversial. Herein, we used the comet assay (single-cell gel electrophoresis) to investigate the genotoxic effects of two volatile compounds [isoflurane (ISF) and sevoflurane (SVF)] that are used in inhalation anesthesia, and of one intravenous (iv) anesthetic compound [propofol (PF)]. The groups consisted of 45 patients who underwent minimally invasive surgery that lasted at least 2h. Patients were classified as physical status I using the criteria of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and were randomly allocated to receive ISF, SVF or PF anesthesia. Venous blood samples were collected at three time points as follows: before the premedication and the induction of anesthesia (T(0)); 2h after the beginning of anesthesia (T(1)); and on the day following surgery (T(2)). DNA damage (strand breaks and alkali-labile sites) was evaluated in peripheral blood lymphocytes. For each patient, one hundred nucleoids were analyzed per time point using a semi-automated image system. Patients did not differ with respect to their demographic characteristics, the duration of surgery, or the total doses of intraoperative drugs. The amount of DNA damage was not different among the three groups before anesthesia (T(0)). No statistically significant (p>0.05) increase in DNA damage was detected during (T(1)) or after anesthesia (T(2)) using three different protocols (ISF, SVF or PF). In conclusion, general anesthesia with inhaled ISF and SVF or iv PF did not induce DNA strand breaks or alkali-labile sites in peripheral lymphocytes. Therefore, our results show that the genotoxic risk of these anesthetics, for healthy patients undergoing minimally invasive otorhinological surgery, is low or even absent.     

A phenomenological computational model of the evoked action potential fitted to human cochlear implant responses

There is a growing interest in biomedical engineering in developing procedures that provide accurate simulations of the neural response to electrical stimulus produced by implants. Moreover, recent research focuses on models that take into account individual patient characteristics.We present a phenomenological computational model that is customized with the patient’s data provided by the electrically evoked compound action potential (ECAP) for simulating the neural response to electrical stimulus produced by the electrodes of cochlear implants (CIs). The model links the input currents of the electrodes to the simulated ECAP.Potentials and currents are calculated by solving the quasi-static approximation of the Maxwell equations with the finite element method (FEM). In ECAPs recording, an active electrode generates a current that elicits action potentials in the surrounding auditory nerve fibers (ANFs). The sum of these action potentials is registered by other nearby electrode. Our computational model emulates this phenomenon introducing a set of line current sources replacing the ANFs by a set of virtual neurons (VNs). To fit the ECAP amplitudes we assign a suitable weight to each VN related with the probability of an ANF to be excited. This probability is expressed by a cumulative beta distribution parameterized by two shape parameters that are calculated by means of a differential evolution algorithm (DE). Being the weights function of the current density, any change in the design of the CI affecting the current density produces changes in the weights and, therefore, in the simulated ECAP, which confers to our model a predictive capacity.The results of the validation with ECAP data from two patients are presented, achieving a satisfactory fit of the experimental data with those provided by the proposed computational model.     

Human recombinant stem cell factor promotes spermatogonial proliferation,but not meiosis initiation in organ culture of newt testis fragments

We previously showed that mammalian FSH stimulates the proliferation of newt spermatogonia and induces their differentiation into primary spermatocytes in vitro. In the current study, to examine a possibility that stem cell factor (SCF) is involved in the proliferation of newt spermatogonia and/or their differentiation into primary spermatocytes, human recombinant SCF (rhSCF) was added to organ culture of testicular fragments. rhSCF was found to stimulate the spermatogonial proliferation and the spermatogonia progressed to the seventh generation that is the penultimate stage before primary spermatocyte stage. However, the spermatogonia did not differentiate into primary spermatocytes, but instead died of apoptosis. These results indicate that rhSCF promotes the proliferation of newt spermatogonia, but not the initiation of meiosis.     

Characterization and physical mapping of the porcine CDS1 and CDS2 genes

CDP-diacylglycerol synthase (CDS) catalyzes the conversion of phosphatidic acid to CDP-diacylglycerol, an important precursor for the synthesis of phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol, and cardiolipin. We amplified and sequenced 2,053 bp of the pig CDS1 mRNA. The structure of the pig CDS1 gene was determined, being very similar to that of the human, rat, and mouse genes with respect size and organization of the 13 exons. In addition, we identified three polymorphic positions in exons 10 and 11. One of them, the A/C1006, was genotyped in samples belonging to Iberian, Landrace, Large White, Pietrain, and Meishan pig breeds. Expression of this gene was also analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in different tissues showing a high CDS1 expression in testis. Moreover, a 1240-bp fragment of the pig CDS2 mRNA was amplified and sequenced. Finally, the CDS1 and CDS2 genes were physically mapped to porcine chromosomes 8 and 17, respectively, by using the INRA, University of Minnesota porcine Radiation Hybrid panel (IMpRH).     

Stress-Induced Chloroplast Degradation in Arabidopsis Is Regulated via a Process Independent of Autophagy and Senescence-Associated Vacuoles

Two well-known pathways for the degradation of chloroplast proteins are via autophagy and senescence-associated vacuoles. Here, we describe a third pathway that was activated by senescence- and abiotic stress-induced expression of Arabidopsis thaliana CV (for chloroplast vesiculation). After targeting to the chloroplast, CV destabilized the chloroplast, inducing the formation of vesicles. CV-containing vesicles carrying stromal proteins, envelope membrane proteins, and thylakoid membrane proteins were released from the chloroplasts and mobilized to the vacuole for proteolysis. Overexpression of CV caused chloroplast degradation and premature leaf senescence, whereas silencing CV delayed chloroplast turnover and senescence induced by abiotic stress. Transgenic CV-silenced plants displayed enhanced tolerance to drought, salinity, and oxidative stress. Immunoprecipitation and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays demonstrated that CV interacted with photosystem II subunit PsbO1 in vivo through a C-terminal domain that is highly conserved in the plant kingdom. Collectively, our work indicated that CV plays a crucial role in stress-induced chloroplast disruption and mediates a third pathway for chloroplast degradation. From a biotechnological perspective, silencing of CV offers a suitable strategy for the generation of transgenic crops with increased tolerance to abiotic stress.     

Oviposition pattern of the predator Podisus nigrispinus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) under different temperatures

The daily reproductive rate of Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) fed with Alabama argillacea (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae was studied at constant temperatures of 20, 23, 25, 28, 30 and 33±0.2°C, relative humidity of 60±10% and photoperiod of L:D 14:10. Daily reproductive rate of P. nigripinus was affected by age of this predator. Each P. nigrispinus female laid 5.3 (20°C) to 19.9 eggs/day (28°C) which developed into 4.3–16.5 nymphs, respectively. Highest daily reproductive rate of P. nigrispinus was recorded at 28 and 30°C for 5–30-day-old females. This predator showed higher daily reproductive rate than its prey A. argillacea at 25°C. It was also able to reproduce at temperatures from 20 to 33°C with maximum daily reproductive rate between 25 and 30°C. These results are important for optimizing mass rearing of P. nigrispinus in the laboratory.