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.     

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.     

Clinical utility of plasma miR‐371a‐3p in germ cell tumors

Germ cell tumours predominantly of the testis ((T)GCTs) are remarkably chemotherapy sensitive. However, a small proportion of patients fail to be cured with cisplatin‐based combination chemotherapy. miR‐371a‐3p is a new liquid biopsy biomarker for (T)GCTs. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical utility of plasma miR‐371a‐3p level in patients starting systemic chemotherapy. Patients were included before the first cycle (N = 180) and second cycle (N = 101) of systemic first line chemotherapy, treated between July 2010 and May 2017. Plasma miR‐371a‐3p levels were measured with the ampTSmiR test and compared to disease characteristics and outcome. Pretreatment plasma miR‐371a‐3p levels were increased in 51.7% of cases and associated with number of metastatic sites, presence of lung, retroperitoneal, and mediastinal lymph node metastases, S – stage, IGCCCG risk group, and response to therapy. Patients with a negative pretreatment plasma level had better progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared to patients being positive for miR‐371a‐3p (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09‐0.71, P = 0.02 for PFS and HR = 0.21, 95% CI 0.07‐0.67, P = 0.03 for OS, respectively). Patients negative for miR‐371a‐3p in both samples had a superior PFS (HR = 0.10, 95% CI 0.01‐21.49, P = 0.02) and OS (HR = 0.08, 95% CI 0.01‐27.81, P = 0.008) compared to patients with miR‐371a‐3p positive in both samples (multivariate analyses were non‐significant). In total 68% of the patients were S0. This study demonstrates clinical value of plasma miR‐371a‐3p level in chemotherapy naïve (T)GCT patients starting first line of chemotherapy to predict prognosis.     

Polar targeting of DivIVA in Bacillus subtilis is not directly dependent on FtsZ or PBP 2B

DivIVA is involved in Bacillus subtilis cell division and is located at the cell poles. Previous experiments suggested that the cell division proteins FtsZ and PBP 2B are required for polar targeting of DivIVA. By using outgrowing spores, we show that DivIVA accumulates at the cell poles independent of the presence of FtsZ or PBP 2B.     

Rheumatoid arthritis–associated autoantibodies in non–rheumatoid arthritis patients with mucosal inflammation: a case–control study

IntroductionRheumatoid arthritis–associated autoantibodies (RA-AAB) can be present in serum years before clinical onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It has been hypothesized that initiation of RA-AAB generation occurs at inflamed mucosal surfaces, such as in the oral cavity or lungs. The aim of this study was to assess systemic presence of RA-AAB in patients without RA who had oral or lung mucosal inflammation.MethodsThe presence of RA-AAB (immunoglobulin A [IgA] and IgG anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide 2 antibodies (anti-CCP2), IgM and IgA rheumatoid factor (RF), IgG anti-carbamylated protein antibodies and IgG and IgA anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies against fibrinogen, vimentin and enolase) were determined in sera of non-RA patients with periodontitis (PD, n = 114), bronchiectasis (BR, n = 80) or cystic fibrosis (CF, n = 41). Serum RA-AAB levels were compared with those of periodontally healthy controls (n = 36). Patients with established RA (n = 86) served as a reference group. Association of the diseases with RA-AAB seropositivity was assessed with a logistic regression model, adjusted for age, sex and smoking.ResultsLogistic regression analysis revealed that IgG anti-CCP seropositivity was associated with BR and RA, whereas the association with PD was borderline significant. IgA anti-CCP seropositivity was associated with CF and RA. IgM RF seropositivity was associated with RA, whereas the association with BR was borderline significant. IgA RF seropositivity was associated with CF and RA. Apart from an influence of smoking on IgA RF in patients with RA, there was no influence of age, sex or smoking on the association of RA-AAB seropositivity with the diseases. Anti-CarP levels were increased only in patients with RA. The same held for IgG reactivity against all investigated citrullinated peptides.ConclusionAlthough overall levels were low, RA-AAB seropositivity was associated with lung mucosal inflammation (BR and CF) and may be associated with oral mucosal inflammation (PD). To further determine whether mucosal inflammation functions as a site for induction of RA-AAB and precedes RA, longitudinal studies are necessary in which RA-AAB of specifically the IgA isotype should be assessed in inflamed mucosal tissues and/or in their inflammatory exudates.