Bioethanol potential from miscanthus with low ILUC risk in the province of Lublin,Poland

Increasing production of biofuels has led to concerns about indirect land‐use change (ILUC). So far, significant efforts have been made to assess potential ILUC effects. But limited attention has been paid to strategies for reducing the extent of ILUC and controlling the type of LUC. This case study assesses five key ILUC mitigation measures to quantify the low‐ILUC‐risk production potential of miscanthus‐based bioethanol in Lublin province (Poland) in 2020. In 2020, a total area of 196 to 818 thousand hectare of agricultural land could be made available for biomass production by realizing above‐baseline yield developments (95–413 thousand ha), increased food chain efficiencies (9–30 thousand ha) and biofuel feedstock production on underutilized lands (92–375 thousand ha). However, a maximum 203–269 thousand hectare is considered legally available (not protected) and biophysically suitable for miscanthus production. The resulting low‐ILUC‐risk bioethanol production potential ranges from 12 to 35 PJ per year. The potential from this region alone is higher than the national Polish target for second‐generation bioethanol consumption of 9 PJ in 2020. Although the sustainable implementation potential may be lower, the province of Lublin could play a key role in achieving this target. This study shows that the mitigation or prevention of ILUC from bioenergy is only possible when an integrated perspective is adopted on the agricultural and bioenergy sectors. Governance and policies on planning and implementing ILUC mitigation are considered vital for realizing a significant bioenergy potential with low ILUC risk. One important aspect in this regard is monitoring the risk of ILUC and the implementation of ILUC mitigation measures. Key parameters for monitoring are land use, land cover and crop yields.     

Comparison of Chemical Composition in Tuber aestivum Vittad. of Different Geographical Origin

Truffles are prized and nutrition‐rich edible hypogeous fungi. The aim of this study was a comprehensive investigation of chemical composition of Burgundy truffle (Tuber aestivum Vittad .). We tried to answer the question: what is the impact of the environment on the truffle quality. To know the nutritional value of Burgundy truffle we compared lipids, proteins, saccharides, polyphenolics, flavonoids, total sterols, ergosterol, volatile flavour and aroma compounds content in fruit bodies of the fungus collected in three different geographical regions, i.e., Poland, Slovakia, and Italy. A comparison of the above mentioned compounds is especially interesting due to environmental and climatic differences among the studied geographical regions. Results revealed that fruit bodies of T. aestivum from Poland and Slovakia possessed nearly similar content of proteins, total sterols, and saccharides. The fruiting bodies from Italy contained significantly larger amounts of most of the investigated compounds. In turn, Polish specimens had higher content of lipids and polyphenolics than Slovak and Italian ones. We have found higher similarity of volatile compounds composition between Polish and Italian specimens than those of Polish and Slovak origin.     

Effect of Conidiobolus coronatus on the Cuticular and Internal Lipid Composition of Tettigonia viridissima Males

Conidiobolus coronatus is an entomopathogenic fungus which has a potential as a biological control agent of insects. The cuticular and internal lipid composition of infected and noninfected Tettigonia viridissima males were analyzed by GC/MS. A total of 49 compounds were identified in the infected and noninfected males, including fatty acids, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), n‐alkanes, alcohols, sterols, and other organic compounds. The most abundant components of the cuticular and internal lipids of the insects were fatty acids. After exposure to C. coronatus, the cuticular lipids of the T. viridissima males contained 17 free fatty acids from C(8) to C(22), while the cuticular lipids of the noninfected insects contained only 15 fatty acids from C(12) to C(24). The cuticular and internal lipids of both the infected and the noninfected males also contained five FAMEs from C(15) to C(19), seven n‐alkanes from C(25) to C(34), five alcohols from C(16) to C(25), five sterols, and the following six other organic compounds: azelaic acid, phenylacetic acid, glutaric acid, benzoic acid, sebacic acid, and glycerol. The compounds which were present only in the cuticular lipids of the infected males could be due to fungal infection.     

Tuberculosis Disease during Pregnancy and Treatment Outcomes in HIV-Infected and Uninfected Women at a Referral Hospital in Cape Town

BackgroundTuberculosis during pregnancy and treatment outcomes are poorly defined in high prevalence tuberculosis and HIV settings.MethodsA prospective cohort study of pregnant and postpartum women identified to be routinely on antituberculosis treatment was conducted at Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa, from January 2011 through December 2011. Maternal tuberculosis disease spectrum and tuberculosis-exposed newborns were characterized by maternal HIV status. Maternal tuberculosis treatment outcomes were documented and a multivariable regression model identified predictors of unfavourable tuberculosis treatment outcomes. Infant outcomes were also described.ResultsSeventy-four women with tuberculosis, 53 (72%) HIV-infected, were consecutively enrolled; 35 (47%) were diagnosed at delivery or postpartum and 22 (30%) of women reported previous antituberculosis treatment. HIV-infected women were 5.67 times more likely to have extrapulmonary tuberculosis (95% CI 1.18–27.25, p = 0.03). All 5 maternal deaths were amongst HIV-infected women. Birth outcomes were available for 75 newborns (2 sets of twins, missing data for 1 stillbirth). Of the 75 newborns, 49 (65%) were premature and 44 (59%) were low birth weight (LBW; <2500 grams). All 6 infants who died and the 4 stillbirths were born to HIV-infected women. Unfavourable tuberculosis treatment outcomes were documented in 33/74 (45%) women. Unfavourable maternal tuberculosis outcome was associated with delivery of LBW infants (OR 3.83; 95% CI 1.40–10.53, p = 0.009).ConclusionsA large number of pregnant women with tuberculosis presented at a provincial referral hospital. All maternal and infant deaths occurred in HIV-infected women and their newborns. Maternal tuberculosis treatment outcomes were poor.     

Objectively Measured Physical Activity in European Adults: Cross-Sectional Findings from the Food4Me Study

Background

Comparisons of objectively measured physical activity (PA) between residents of European countries measured concurrently with the same protocol are lacking. We aimed to compare PA between the seven European countries involved in the Food4Me Study, using accelerometer data collected remotely via the Internet.

Methods

Of the 1607 participants recruited, 1287 (539 men and 748 women) provided at least 3 weekdays and 2 weekend days of valid accelerometer data (TracmorD) at baseline and were included in the present analyses.

Results

Men were significantly more active than women (physical activity level = 1.74 vs. 1.70, p < 0.001). Time spent in light PA and moderate PA differed significantly between countries but only for women. Adherence to the World Health Organization recommendation to accumulate at least 150 min of moderate-equivalent PA weekly was similar between countries for men (range: 54–65%) but differed significantly between countries for women (range: 26–49%). Prevalence estimates decreased substantially for men and women in all seven countries when PA guidelines were defined as achieving 30 min of moderate and vigorous PA per day.

Conclusions

We were able to obtain valid accelerometer data in real time via the Internet from 80% of participants. Although our estimates are higher compared with data from Sweden, Norway, Portugal and the US, there is room for improvement in PA for all countries involved in the Food4Me Study.     

Observation of a Flowing Duct in the Abdominal Wall by Using Nanoparticles

The primo vascular system (PVS) is being established as a circulatory system that corresponds to acupuncture meridians. There have been two critical questions in making the PVS accepted as a novel liquid flowing system. The first one was directly to show the flow of liquid in PVS and the second one was to explain why it was not observed in the conventional histological study of animal tissues. Flow in the PVS in the abdominal cavity was previously verified by injecting Alcian blue into a primo node. However, the tracing of the dye to other subsystems of the PVS has not been done. In the current work we injected fluorescent nanoparticles (FNPs) into a primo node and traced them along a primo vessel which was inside a fat tissue in the abdominal wall. Linea alba is a white middle line in the abdominal skin of a mammal and a band of fat tissue is located in parallel to the linea alba in the parietal side of the abdominal wall of a rat. In this fat band a primo vessel runs parallel to the prominent blood vessels in the fat band and is located just inside the parietal peritoneum. About the second question on the reason why the PVS was not in conventional histological study the current work provided the answer. Histological analysis with hematoxyline and eosine, Masson’s trichrome, and Toluidine blue could not discriminate the primo vessel even when we knew the location of the PVS by the trace of the FNPs. This clearly explains why the PVS is hard to observe in conventional histology: it is not a matter of resolution but the contrast. The PVS has very similar structure to the connective tissues that surround the PVS. In the current work we propose a method to find the PVS: Observation of mast cell distribution with toluidine blue staining and the PN has a high density of mast cells, while the lymph node has low density.     

The Genetics of Bene Israel from India Reveals Both Substantial Jewish and Indian Ancestry

The Bene Israel Jewish community from West India is a unique population whose history before the 18^th century remains largely unknown. Bene Israel members consider themselves as descendants of Jews, yet the identity of Jewish ancestors and their arrival time to India are unknown, with speculations on arrival time varying between the 8th century BCE and the 6th century CE. Here, we characterize the genetic history of Bene Israel by collecting and genotyping 18 Bene Israel individuals. Combining with 486 individuals from 41 other Jewish, Indian and Pakistani populations, and additional individuals from worldwide populations, we conducted comprehensive genome-wide analyses based on F_ST, principal component analysis, ADMIXTURE, identity-by-descent sharing, admixture linkage disequilibrium decay, haplotype sharing and allele sharing autocorrelation decay, as well as contrasted patterns between the X chromosome and the autosomes. The genetics of Bene Israel individuals resemble local Indian populations, while at the same time constituting a clearly separated and unique population in India. They are unique among Indian and Pakistani populations we analyzed in sharing considerable genetic ancestry with other Jewish populations. Putting together the results from all analyses point to Bene Israel being an admixed population with both Jewish and Indian ancestry, with the genetic contribution of each of these ancestral populations being substantial. The admixture took place in the last millennium, about 19–33 generations ago. It involved Middle-Eastern Jews and was sex-biased, with more male Jewish and local female contribution. It was followed by a population bottleneck and high endogamy, which can lead to increased prevalence of recessive diseases in this population. This study provides an example of how genetic analysis advances our knowledge of human history in cases where other disciplines lack the relevant data to do so.     

Comparative proteomic analysis of growth hormone secretagogue A233 treatment of murine macrophage cells J774A.2 indicates it has a role in antiviral innate response

BackgroundGrowth hormone secretagogues (GHS), among other factors, regulate the release of GH. The biological activity of the secretagogue peptide A233 as a promoter of growth and innate immunity in teleost fish has previously been demonstrated, but its role in the immune system of mammals is not well understood.MethodsThe effect of the peptide was investigated in J774A.2 macrophage cells using a comparative proteomics approach after 6 and 12 h of peptide stimulation.ResultsThe functional analysis of differentially modulated proteins showed that A233 peptide treatment appears to promote activation and ROS-dependent cytotoxic functions in macrophages and enhanced expression of antiviral protein complexes such as MAVS. In accordance with this hypothesis, we found that A233 treatment enhanced superoxide anion production and the IFN-γ level in J774A.2 cells and mouse splenocytes, respectively, and reduced viral load in a dengue virus mouse model of infection.ConclusionsThe growth hormone secretagogue A233 peptide promotes activation of ROS-dependent cytotoxic functions and exerts immunomodulatory effects that enable an antiviral state in a dengue virus mouse model.General SignificanceThe increase of IFN-γ level and the differential modulation of antiviral proteins by the A233 peptide suggest that the molecule could activate an innate immune response with a possible further impact in the treatment of acute and chronic diseases.