BEAP profiles as rapid test system for status analysis and early detection of process incidents in biogas plants

Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology - A method was developed to quantify the performance of microorganisms involved in different digestion levels in biogas plants. The test...     

Phenotypic changes of human smooth muscle cells during development: late expression of heavy caldesmon and calponin.

Expression of the regulatory contractile proteins, heavy caldesmon (h-caldesmon) and calponin was studied in human aortic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) during development and compared with the expression of alpha-SM-actin and smooth muscle-myosin heavy chain (SM-MHCs). For this study, novel monoclonal antibodies specific to SM-MHCs, h-caldesmon, and calponin were developed and characterized. Aortic SMCs from fetuses of 8-10 and 20-22 weeks of gestation express alpha-SM-actin and SM-MHCs, but neither h-caldesmon nor calponin were expressed as demonstrated by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence techniques. In the adult aortic tunica media, SMCs contain all four markers. Thus, the expression of calponin, similar to the expression of alpha-SM-actin, SM-MHCs, and h-caldesmon, is developmentally regulated in aortic SMCs. In the adult aortic subendothelial (preluminal) part of tunica intima, numerous cells containing SM-MHCs, but lacking h-caldesmon and calponin, were found. These results illustrate the similarity of SMCs from intimal thickenings and immature (fetal) SMCs. Expression of contractile proteins in the developing SMCs is coordinately regulated; however, distinct groups of proteins appear to exist whose expression is regulated differently. Actin and myosin, being major contractile proteins, also play a structural role and appear rather early in development, whereas caldesmon and calponin, being involved in regulation of contraction, can serve as markers of higher SMC differentiation steps. In contrast, h-caldesmon and calponin were already present in visceral SMCs (trachea, esophagus) of the 10-week-old fetus. These results demonstrate that the time course of maturation of visceral SMCs is different from that of vascular SMCs.     

Extreme endurance training: evidence of capillary and mitochondria compartmentalization in human skeletal muscle.

Biopsies from the medial gastrocnemius muscle of three experienced endurance runners who had completed an ultramarathon run (160 km) the previous day were assessed for their oxidative characteristics (fibre types, capillarization and mitochondria content). Also, a regional comparison was made for fibres located centrally (completely surrounded by other fibres) versus fibres located peripherally (next to the interfascicular space) and the capillarization of these peripheral fibres was determined. Subsarcolemmal mitochondria were abundant and 'compartmentalized' close to the capillaries. The number of capillaries around fibres ranged from 5.8 to 8.5 and 5.7 to 8.5, and the number of capillaries.mm-2 ranged from 665 to 810 and 727 to 762, for type I (slow twitch) and type II (fast twitch) fibres, respectively. Central fibres contained a greater number of capillaries and more capillaries.mm-2 than their peripheral counterparts. Peripheral fibres contained more capillaries.micron-1 between fibres than at the interfascicular space. Type I fibres were more distributed (63%-78%) and larger than type II fibres. An abundance of subsarcolemmal mitochondria located close to the capillaries, efficient capillary proliferation between fibres where sharing can occur and greater relative distribution and size of type I fibres are, collectively, efficient characteristics of extreme endurance training.     

Affinity sorbent based on tryptophyl-threonyl-tyrosine for binding of the immunoglobulins G: Sorption characteristics and aspects of practical application

Chromatographic material based on tryptophil-threonyl-tyrosine and efficiently binding human, sheep, goat, and bovine immunoglobulin G was obtained. High selectivity of the sorbent for extraction of immunoglobulins from blood plasma has been demonstrated. Effective sorption capacity is 15–25 mg of immunoglobulin G per 1 ml of the matrix. Optimization of the method of triptophyl-threonyl-tyrosine covalent binding to the polysaccharide matrix allowed the achievement of high sorbent stability in conditions of use and storage. This sorbent may be used in medicine and biotechnology.     

Polyoxyethylene stimulates lignin peroxidase production inPhanerochœte chrysosporium

In shaken cultures ofPhanerochœte chrysosporium, different Tweens gave rise to similar and high lignin peroxidase (LiP) activities. The polyoxyethylene-sorbitan (POE-S) moieties isolated from Tweens gave rise to somewhat lower LiP activities, whereas fatty acids isolated from Tweens gave rise to much lower LiP activities than parent Tweens. LiP activity appeared 3 d after addition of Tween 80 if this was added within the first 4 d after inoculation. Of the three chemical moieties contained in Tweens,i.e., fatty acids, sorbitan, and polyoxyethylene (POE), only the latter one significantly stimulated the LiP activity of the culture. The stimulatory effect of POE on the LiP activity increased till its molar mass of approx. 1 kDa, then it levelled off. The quantity of POE in the culture decreased with time. Tween 80, its POE-S moiety and POEs seem to enhance LiP production and not only their release.     

Colonisation patterns of adult macrobenthos in a polluted north sea estuary

Natural or anthropogenic disturbances, such as those caused by storm events, dredging, or pollution can lead to total or partial defaunation of sediments. Following such events, recovery of the community occurs through an influx of adults and propagules. The numbers and species of individuals arriving in the initial phase might be expected to vary according to natural environmental factors. In this study, adult macrofaunal colonisation was investigated with respect to season and tidal flow. Trays of azoic sediment were placed subtidally in the Tyne estuary, north-east England for 24 h periods, at approximately 4 week intervals between November 1992 and June 1994. Colonisation by the crustacean Parathalestris clausi, the oligochaete Tubificoides benedii and the polychaete Ophryotrocha hartmanni varied significantly with season, but not with tidal range. Colonisation of the sediments by the crustacean Carcinus maenas varied significantly with tidal range, but not with season. Colonisation by the polychaetes Capitella spp., Phyllodoce maculata, Eteone longa, Malacoceros fuliginosus, Nereis diversicolor,andTharyx spp. did not vary significantly according to season or tidal range. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.