Anaerobic degradation of papermill sludge in a two-phase digester containing rumen microorganisms and colonized polyurethane foam

Summary The use of reticulated polyurethane foam as a support material for the immobilization of methanogenic associations and its application to the anaerobic treatment of fine particulate solid wastes was investigated. The colonization of polyurethane support particles in a continuous upflow reactor fed on a mixture of acetate, propionate and butyrate, was both rapid and dense. The combination of rumen microorganisms and colonized support particles in a two-phase digester resulted in an efficient anaerobic decomposition of papermill sludge.     

Protective Efficacy of a Human Endogenous Retrovirus Envelope-Coated,Nonreplicable, Baculovirus-Based Hemagglutin Vaccine against Pandemic Influenza H1N1 2009

Despite the advantages of DNA vaccines, overcoming their lower efficacy relative to that of conventional vaccines remains a challenge. Here, we constructed a human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) envelope-coated, nonreplicable, baculovirus-based HA vaccine against swine influenza A/California/04/2009(H1N1) hemagglutin (HA) (AcHERV-sH1N1-HA) as an alternative to conventional vaccines and evaluated its efficacy in two strains of mice, BALB/c and C57BL/6. A commercially available, killed virus vaccine was used as a positive control. Mice were intramuscularly administered AcHERV-sH1N1-HA or the commercial vaccine and subsequently given two booster injections. Compared with the commercial vaccine, AcHERV-sH1N1-HA induced significantly higher levels of cellular immune responses in both BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. Unlike cellular immune responses, humoral immune responses depended on the strain of mice. Following immunization with AcHERV-sH1N1-HA, C57BL/6 mice showed HA-specific IgG titers 10- to 100-fold lower than those of BALB/c mice. In line with the different levels of humoral immune responses, the survival of immunized mice after intranasal challenge with sH1N1 virus (A/California/04/2009) depended on the strain. After challenge with 10-times the median lethal dose (MLD₅₀) of sH1N1 virus, 100% of BALB/c mice immunized with the commercial vaccine or AcHERV-sH1N1-HA survived. In contrast, C57BL/6 mice immunized with AcHERV-sH1N1-HA or the commercial vaccine showed 60% and 70% survival respectively, after challenge with sH1N1 virus. In all mice, virus titers and results of histological analyses of lung tissues were consistent with the survival data. Our results indicate the importance of humoral immune response as a major defense system against influenza viral infection. Moreover, the complete survival of BALB/c mice immunized with AcHERV-sH1N1-HA after challenge with sH1N1 virus suggests the potential of baculoviral vector-based vaccines to achieve an efficacy comparable to that of killed virus vaccines.     

A Novel High‐Energy Hybrid Supercapacitor with an Anatase TiO2–Reduced Graphene Oxide Anode and an Activated Carbon Cathode

A hybrid supercapacitor with high energy and power densities is reported. It comprises a composite anode of anatase TiO₂ and reduced graphene oxide and an activated carbon cathode in a non‐aqueous electrolyte. While intercalation compounds can provide high energy typically at the expense of power, the anatase TiO₂ nanoparticles are able to sustain both high energy and power in the hybrid supercapacitor. At a voltage range from 1.0 to 3.0 V, 42 W h kg^?1 of energy is achieved at 800 W kg^?1. Even at a 4‐s charge/discharge rate, an energy density as high as 8.9 W h kg^?1 can be retained. The high energy and power of this hybrid supercapacitor bridges the gap between conventional batteries with high energy and low power and supercapacitors with high power and low energy.     

The effect of genomic information on optimal contribution selection in livestock breeding programs

Background

Long-term benefits in animal breeding programs require that increases in genetic merit be balanced with the need to maintain diversity (lost due to inbreeding). This can be achieved by using optimal contribution selection. The availability of high-density DNA marker information enables the incorporation of genomic data into optimal contribution selection but this raises the question about how this information affects the balance between genetic merit and diversity.

Methods

The effect of using genomic information in optimal contribution selection was examined based on simulated and real data on dairy bulls. We compared the genetic merit of selected animals at various levels of co-ancestry restrictions when using estimated breeding values based on parent average, genomic or progeny test information. Furthermore, we estimated the proportion of variation in estimated breeding values that is due to within-family differences.

Results

Optimal selection on genomic estimated breeding values increased genetic gain. Genetic merit was further increased using genomic rather than pedigree-based measures of co-ancestry under an inbreeding restriction policy. Using genomic instead of pedigree relationships to restrict inbreeding had a significant effect only when the population consisted of many large full-sib families; with a half-sib family structure, no difference was observed. In real data from dairy bulls, optimal contribution selection based on genomic estimated breeding values allowed for additional improvements in genetic merit at low to moderate inbreeding levels. Genomic estimated breeding values were more accurate and showed more within-family variation than parent average breeding values; for genomic estimated breeding values, 30 to 40% of the variation was due to within-family differences. Finally, there was no difference between constraining inbreeding via pedigree or genomic relationships in the real data.

Conclusions

The use of genomic estimated breeding values increased genetic gain in optimal contribution selection. Genomic estimated breeding values were more accurate and showed more within-family variation, which led to higher genetic gains for the same restriction on inbreeding. Using genomic relationships to restrict inbreeding provided no additional gain, except in the case of very large full-sib families.     

ATP‐dependent DNA binding,unwinding, and resection by the Mre11/Rad50 complex

ATP‐dependent DNA end recognition and nucleolytic processing are central functions of the Mre11/Rad50 (MR) complex in DNA double‐strand break repair. However, it is still unclear how ATP binding and hydrolysis primes the MR function and regulates repair pathway choice in cells. Here, Methanococcus jannaschii MR‐ATPγS‐DNA structure reveals that the partly deformed DNA runs symmetrically across central groove between two ATPγS‐bound Rad50 nucleotide‐binding domains. Duplex DNA cannot access the Mre11 active site in the ATP‐free full‐length MR complex. ATP hydrolysis drives rotation of the nucleotide‐binding domain and induces the DNA melting so that the substrate DNA can access Mre11. Our findings suggest that the ATP hydrolysis‐driven conformational changes in both DNA and the MR complex coordinate the melting and endonuclease activity.     

Bioaugmented sulfur-oxidizing denitrification system with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alcaligenes defragrans</Emphasis> B21 for high nitrate containing wastewater treatment

The performance of enriched sludge augmented with the B21 strain of Alcaligenes defragrans was compared with that of enriched sludge, as well as with pure Alcaligenes defragrans B21, in the context of a sulfur-oxidizing denitrification (SOD) process. In synthetic wastewater treatment containing 100–1,000 mg NO₃⁻-N/L, the single strain-seeded system exhibited superior performance, featuring higher efficiency and a shorter startup period, provided nitrate loading rate was less than 0.2 kg NO₃⁻-N/m³ per day. At nitrate loading rate of more than 0.5 kg NO₃⁻-N/m³ per day, the bioaugmented sludge system showed higher resistance to shock loading than two other systems. However, no advantage of the bioaugmented system over the enriched sludge system without B21 strain was observed in overall efficiency of denitrification. Both the bioaugmented sludge and enriched sludge systems obtained stable denitrification performance of more than 80% at nitrate loading rate of up to 2 kg NO₃⁻-N/m³ per day.     

Comparative Study for Efficacy and Safety of Adenoidectomy according to the Surgical Method: A Prospective Multicenter Study

Background/Objective

There have been several operative techniques for adenoidectomy and their efficacy and morbidity are different according to the technique. This prospective multicenter study was aimed to compare the efficacy and morbidity of coblation adenoidectomy (CA) with those of power-assisted adenoidectomy.

Study Design

Prospective multi-institutional study.

Methods

Children who underwent CA, power-assisted adenoidectomy with cauterization (PAA+C) or without cauterization (PAA-C) due to adenoid hypertrophy were enrolled from 13 hospitals between July 2013 and June 2014. Mean operation time, degree of intraoperative bleeding and postoperative bleeding rate were evaluated.

Results

A total of 388 children (mean age ± standard deviation = 6.6 ± 2.5 years; 245 males and 143 females) were included. According to the adenoidectomy technique, the children were classified into 3 groups: (1) CA (n = 116); (2) PAA+C (n = 153); and (3) PAA-C (n = 119). Significant differences were not found in age and sex among three groups. In the CA group, mean operation time was significantly shorter (P < 0.001) and degree of intraoperative bleeding was significantly less (P < 0.001) compared to PAA+C or PAA-C group. Delayed postoperative bleeding rate of PAA-C group was significantly higher than that of CA or PAA+C group (P = 0.016).

Conclusions

This prospective multicenter study showed that CA was superior to PAA in terms of mean operation time and degree of intraoperative bleeding.     

New route for synthesizing poly(ethylene glycol)-acrylic acid hydrogels using γ-irradiation for drug delivery carriers

Biocompatible and pH-responsive poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-acrylic acid (AAc) hydrogels were prepared by new technique using γ-irradiation for controlled oral drug delivery. The gel fraction was over 80% and the equal amounts of PEG and AAc blended hydrogel had efficient insulin loading using equilibrium swelling. These hydrogels exhibited unique pH-responsive characteristics in which interpolymer complexes were formed in acidic media and dissociated in neutral or basic environments. The insulin release from the gel was significantly retarded in acidic media while rapid release occurred under neutral/basic conditions. At the high pH solution, the gels swelled rapidly and over 70% of the insulin loaded was released over a period of 10 h. Within 2 h of administration of the insulin-containing gels, significant blood glucose reduction effects were observed in diabetic rats. The blood glucose reduction lasted for up to 10 h following administration.     

A novel mode of chromosomal evolution peculiar to filamentous Ascomycete fungi

Background  

Gene loss, inversions, translocations, and other chromosomal rearrangements vary among species, resulting in different rates of structural genome evolution. Major chromosomal rearrangements are rare in most eukaryotes, giving large regions with the same genes in the same order and orientation across species. These regions of macrosynteny have been very useful for locating homologous genes in different species and to guide the assembly of genome sequences. Previous analyses in the fungi have indicated that macrosynteny is rare; instead, comparisons across species show no synteny or only microsyntenic regions encompassing usually five or fewer genes. To test the hypothesis that chromosomal evolution is different in the fungi compared to other eukaryotes, synteny was compared between species of the major fungal taxa.