Evaluating the possibility of using acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation wastewater for bacterial cellulose production by Gluconacetobacter xylinus

To reduce the cost of bacterial cellulose (BC) production, the possibility of using acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation wastewater with high COD value (18 050 mg l(-1) ) for BC production by Gluconacetobacter xylinus was evaluated. After 7 days of fermentation, the highest BC yield (1·34 g l(-1) ) was obtained. The carbon sources including sugars (glucose and xylose), organic acids (acetic acid and butyric acid) and alcohol compounds (ethanol and butanol) were utilized by G. xylinus simultaneously during fermentation. Although the COD decrease ratio (about 14·7%) was low, the highest BC yield on COD consumption (56·2%, g g(-1) ) was relatively high and the remaining wastewater could be used for further BC fermentation. Besides, the environment of ABE fermentation wastewater showed small influence on the BC structure by comparison with the BC products obtained in traditional HS medium using field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Overall, ABE fermentation wastewater is one promising substrate for BC production.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The possibility of using acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation wastewater for bacterial cellulose (BC) production by Gluconacetobacter xylinus was evaluated in this study. This is the first time that ABE fermentation wastewater was used as substrate for BC fermentation. The results provide detail information of metabolism of G. xylinus in ABE fermentation wastewater and the influence of wastewater environment on the structure of BC samples. Overall, this bioconversion could reduce the cost of BC production greatly.

Utilization of corncob acid hydrolysate for bacterial cellulose production by Gluconacetobacter xylinus

In this study, corncob acid hydrolysate was used as a substrate for bacterial cellulose (BC) production by Gluconacetobacter xylinus. After 2 weeks' static fermentation, a BC yield of 4 g/L could be obtained. Both effects of medium composition and fermentation condition on the BC production were evaluated. Most extra substrates (carbon and nitrogen sources) except mannitol, butyric acid, and levulinic acid showed no effect on the improvement of BC yield. Fermentation condition including fermentation mode, inoculation concentration, and initial pH showed certain influence on the BC yield and thus should be well controlled. The analysis by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the BC sample had obvious nano-network structure, clear functional groups that were found in cellulose, and relatively high crystallinity and crystallinity index value. Moreover, the BC sample had great water-holding capacity. Overall, corncob acid hydrolysate could be one promising substrate for BC production.

Topical intrawound application of vancomycin powder in addition to intravenous administration of antibiotics: A meta-analysis on the deep infection after spinal surgeries

BACKGROUND

The intrawound application of vancomycin powder in addition to intravenous administration of antibiotics has been reported to be an easy and cost-efficient technique for reducing the deep infection, which is a serious complication of spinal surgeries. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to derive a preliminary estimation on the clinical performance of this technique.

HYPOTHESIS

The intrawound application of vancomycin powder in addition to intravenous administration of antibiotics may significantly reduce the risk of deep infection after spinal surgeries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Studies were identified from PubMed and EMBASE searches. After comprehensive review, data were extracted from eligible studies. A meta-analysis was performed to generate pooled odds ratio (OR) of this technique.

RESULTS

Eight studies (4592 patients) were included. The pooled OR (95% CI) was 0.22 (0.07-0.63). I(2) value was 65.2% (P=0.005). The pooled ORs were stable in sensitivity analyses. No analysis of subgroup, meta-regression or publication bias was performed because of inadequate included studies.

DISCUSSION

The intrawound application of vancomycin powder in addition to intravenous administration of antibiotics may significantly reduce the risk of deep infection after spinal surgeries. Further studies with large sample size and high quality are needed to provide more evidences.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

II.

Correction of aortic coarctation in a girl with severe PHACE syndrome

A 12-year-old Chinese girl was demonstrated multivessel distortion and malformation: aortic coarctation with the narrowest lumen diameter measuring of 4 mm located between the left common carotid artery and the left subclavian artery, a huge and thin-walled aneurysm is connected to the coarctation, and the descending aorta was distorted. Cerebrovascular revealed distorted arteries and a completely aberrant brain blood supply. She underwent correction of the aortic coarctation by establishing a bypass between the ascending aorta and the descending aorta using a 13-mm Gore-tex tube. Postoperative recovery was uneventful, at 6-month follow-up, the cervical vascular pulsatility was relieved and she is in good condition.

Sevoflurane preconditioning-induced neuroprotection is associated with Akt activation via carboxy-terminal modulator protein inhibition

BACKGROUND

Sevoflurane preconditioning has a neuroprotective effect, but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate whether sevoflurane-induced cerebral preconditioning involves inhibition of carboxy-terminal modulator protein (CTMP), an endogenous inhibitor of Akt, in a rat model of focal cerebral ischaemia.

METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 2.7% sevoflurane for 45 min. One hour later, rats were subjected to 60 min of focal cerebral ischaemia. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002 were administered 10 min before preconditioning. Rats in the lentiviral transduction group received an intracerebroventricular injection of lentiviral vector Ubi-MCS-CTMP 3 days before ischaemia. Neurological deficits and infarct volumes were evaluated 24 h and 7 days after reperfusion. Phosphorylation of Akt, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β), and expression of CTMP were determined at 1, 3, 12, and 24 h after reperfusion. Akt activity was measured at 3 h after reperfusion.

RESULTS

Sevoflurane preconditioning improved neurological score and reduced infarct size at 24 h of reperfusion. Pretreatment with wortmannin or LY294002 attenuated these neuroprotective effects. Expression of CTMP correlated with reduced Akt activity after ischaemia, while sevoflurane preconditioning preserved Akt activity and increased phosphorylation of GSK3β. CTMP over-expression diminished the beneficial effects of sevoflurane preconditioning.

CONCLUSIONS

Activation of Akt signalling via inhibition of CTMP is involved in the mechanism of neuroprotection provided by sevoflurane preconditioning.

Echocardiographic Assessment and Guidance in Minimally Invasive Surgical Device Closure of Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defects

<p><b>Background:</b> The primary aim of this study was to explore the safety and feasibility of minimally invasive surgical device closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects (PMVSDs) in children using echocardiography for preoperative assessment and intraoperative guidance.</p><p><b>Methods:</b> We enrolled 942 children diagnosed with PMVSDs from April 2010 to October 2013. All children underwent full evaluation by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and multiplane transesophageal echocardiography (MTEE) to determine the sizes, types and spatial positions of defects and their proximity to the adjacent tissues. The PMVSDs were surgically occluded using MTEE for guidance.</p><p><b>Results:</b> Eight hundred eighty-nine (94.37%) of 942 children underwent successful closure of PMVSDs. Symmetric devices were used in 741 children (including 38 A₄B₂ occluders) and asymmetric devices were used in the other 148. All patients received follow-ups at regular intervals after successful occlusion. The occluders remained firmly in place. No noticeable residual shunt or valvular regurgitation was discovered, with the exception of one child whose original mild aortic regurgitation progressed to moderate by the 18 month follow-up. Overall there were no significant arrhythmias with the exception of 3 children, all of whom experienced postsurgical acute attacks of Adams-Stokes syndrome.</p><p><b>Conclusions:</b> Minimally invasive surgical device closure of PMVSDs is safe and feasible. TTE and MTEE play vital roles in all stages of treatment of PMVSDs.</p>

In vivo delivery of bovine viral diahorrea virus, E2 protein using hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles

Our work focuses on the application of mesoporous silica nanoparticles as a combined delivery vehicle and adjuvant for vaccine applications. Here we present results using the viral protein, E2, from bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV). BVDV infection occurs in the target species of cattle and sheep herds worldwide and is therefore of economic importance. E2 is a major immunogenic determinant of BVDV and is an ideal candidate for the development of a subunit based nanovaccine using mesoporous silica nanoparticles. Hollow type mesoporous silica nanoparticles with surface amino functionalisation (termed HMSA) were characterised and assessed for adsorption and desorption of E2. A codon-optimised version of the E2 protein (termed Opti-E2) was produced in Escherichia coli. HMSA (120 nm) had an adsorption capacity of 80 μg Opti-E2 per mg HMSA and once bound E2 did not dissociate from the HMSA. Immunisation studies in mice with a 20 μg dose of E2 adsorbed to 250 μg HMSA was compared to immunisation with Opti-E2 (50 μg) together with the traditional adjuvant Quillaja saponaria Molina tree saponins (QuilA, 10 μg). The humoral responses with the Opti-E2/HMSA nanovaccine although slightly lower than those obtained for the Opti-E2 + QuilA group demonstrated that HMSA particles are an effective adjuvant that stimulated E2-specific antibody responses. Importantly the cell-mediated immune responses were consistently high in all mice immunised with Opti-E2/HMSA nanovaccine formulation. Therefore we have shown the Opti-E2/HMSA nanoformulation acts as an excellent adjuvant that gives both T-helper 1 and T-helper 2 mediated responses in a small animal model. This study has provided proof-of-concept towards the development of an E2 subunit nanoparticle based vaccine.

The effect of pre-treatment with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on the quality of recovery after ambulatory breast surgery: a prospective, randomised controlled trial

Electroacupuncture has been demonstrated to be effective at alleviating pain and postoperative side-effects. Our aim was to investigate whether transcutaneous electric acupoint stimulation, a low-skill alternative to needle-based electroacupuncture, could improve the quality of recovery after ambulatory surgery. Seventy-two women scheduled for cosmetic breast surgery were randomly allocated to transcutaneous electric acupoint stimulation or sham groups. Patients in the transcutaneous electric acupoint stimulation group received 30 min of electrical stimulation at three acupoints located on the hand and forearm before the induction of general anaesthesia. We found significant mean (SD) differences between the transcutaneous electric acupoint stimulation and sham groups in the mean (SD) length of recovery room stay (35.6 (12.9) min vs 48.3 (16.3) min, p = 0.01), time to removal of the laryngeal mask airway (10.2 (2.5) min vs 17.8 (4.4) min, p = 0.01), and time to reorientation of the patient (14.6 (3.2) min vs 26.5 (5.0) min, p = 0.01). Further, postoperative pain scores and the incidence of side-effects were all lower in the transcutaneous electric acupoint stimulation group. In conclusion, transcutaneous electric acupoint stimulation can significantly improve the quality of recovery and decrease the incidence of anaesthesia-related side-effects for patients undergoing ambulatory surgery.

The pleiotropic roles of sphingolipid signaling in autophagy

The autophagic process involves encompassing damaged proteins and organelles within double- or multi-membraned structures and delivering these molecules to the lytic compartments of vacuoles. Sphingolipids (SLs), which are ubiquitous membrane lipids in eukaryotes, participate in the generation of various membrane structures, including rafts, caveolae, and cytosolic vesicles. SLs are a complex family of molecules that have a growing number of members, including ceramide, sphingosine-1-phosphate, and dihydroceramide, which have been associated with the essential cellular process of autophagy. This review highlights recent studies focusing on the regulation and function of SL-associated autophagy and its role in cell fate, diseases, and therapeutic interventions.

Transcutaneous electric acupoint stimulation reduces intra-operative remifentanil consumption and alleviates postoperative side-effects in patients undergoing sinusotomy: a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Although opioids are widely used as analgesics in general anaesthesia, they have unpleasant side-effects and can delay postoperative recovery. Acupuncture and related techniques are effective for acute and chronic pain, and reduces some side-effects. We assessed the effect of transcutaneous electric acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on intra-operative remifentanil consumption and the incidences of anaesthesia-related side-effects.

METHODS

Sixty patients undergoing sinusotomy were randomly assigned to TEAS or control group. TEAS consisted of 30 min of stimulation (6-9 mA, 2/10 Hz) on the Hegu (LI4), Neiguan (PC6), and Zusanli (ST36) before anaesthesia. The patients in the control group had the electrodes applied, but received no stimulation. Bispectral index was used to monitor the depth of anaesthesia. Perioperative haemodynamics were recorded, and peripheral blood samples were collected to measure the levels of mediators of surgical stress. The primary end point was intraoperative remifentanil consumption and the secondary endpoints were recovery quality and anaesthesia-related side-effects.

RESULTS

Patients in the TEAS group required 39% less remifentanil during surgery than controls [0.0907 (SD 0.026) μg kg(-1) min(-1) vs 0.051 (0.018) μg kg(-1) min(-1)]. There were no differences in intra-operative haemodynamics or surgical stress between groups. However, the time to extubation and recall in the control group was 16.8 (6.8) min and 23.0 (5.0) min, respectively, significantly longer than that in the TEAS group (P<0.01). TEAS also decreased the incidence of dizziness and pruritus within the first 24 h after surgery (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

The use of TEAS significantly reduced intra-operative remifentanil consumption and alleviated postoperative side-effects in patients undergoing sinusotomy.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01700855).

Beneficial Effect of Acetic Acid on the Xylose Utilization and Bacterial Cellulose Production by Gluconacetobacter xylinus

In this work, acetic acid was found as one promising substrate to improve xylose utilization by Gluconacetobacter xylinus CH001. Also, with the help of adding acetic acid into medium, the bacterial cellulose (BC) production by G. xylinus was increased significantly. In the medium containing 3 g l(-1) acetic acid, the optimal xylose concentration for BC production was 20 g l(-1). In the medium containing 20 g l(-1) xylose, the xylose utilization and BC production by G. xylinus were stimulated by acetic acid within certain concentration. The highest BC yield (1.35 ± 0.06 g l(-1)) was obtained in the medium containing 20 g l(-1) xylose and 3 g l(-1) acetic acid after 14 days. This value was 6.17-fold higher than the yield (0.21 ± 0.01 g l(-1)) in the medium only containing 20 g l(-1) xylose. The results analyzed by FE-SEM, FTIR, and XRD showed that acetic acid affected little on the microscopic morphology and physicochemical characteristics of BC. Base on the phenomenon observed, lignocellulosic acid hydrolysates (xylose and acetic acid are main carbon sources present in it) could be considered as one potential substrate for BC production.

Post-traumatic left ventricular outflow tract pseudoaneurysm

Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm forms when cardiac rupture is contained by adherent or scar tissue. It occurs because of a complication of myocardial infarction, cardiac surgery, and, rarely due to thoracic trauma or infective pericarditis. The locations of a pseudoaneurysm include posterior, lateral, apical, inferior, anterior, and basal, but left ventricular outflow tract is quite rare. We present a case of a left ventricular outflow tract pseudoaneurysm after a blunt chest injury. The patient underwent successful aneurysmorrhaphy.

Effects of energy controllable steep pulses on intracellular calcium concentration and cell membrane potential

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Our previous experiments showed that steep pulses could kill tumor cells, but the mechanism is unclear yet. This study was to probe the effects of different dosages of energy controllable steep pulses on intracellular concentration of dissociative calcium ion ([Ca2+]i) and cell membrane potential.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The mammary carcinoma cells MDA-MB-231 were divided into control group and 5 different dosages of Energy Controllable Steep Pulses (ECSP) treatment groups. The calcium ion in each group was labeled by Fluo-3/AM individually and the cell membrane potential was labeled by DiBAC4 (3). The mean fluorescence intensity of fluorescent probe in mammary carcinoma cells was observed in quiet state by laser confocal microscopy after ECSP treatment The changes of calcium concentration and cell membrane potential in cells after ECSP treatment were analyzed. The changes of intracellular [Ca2+]i after ECSP treatment were also observed with and without calcium ion outside of the cells.

RESULTS

The calcium ion outside of cells influx with lower dosage of pulse in quiet state. With the dosage increase, the intracellular calcium ion outflow. In real time kinetic detection, the mean fluorescence intensity of intracellular calcium ion was increased with the pulse electric field intensity raised in the lower ECSP. When the voltage was 285V, frequency was 100Hz, the [Ca2+]i decreased. The increase of intracellular calcium ion concentration was decreased without calcium ion than with calcium ion outside of cells, but still raised gradually. The lower dosage of ECSP could induce the fluorescence intensity of DiBAC4 (3) in cells increase, which showed that the lower dosage of ECSP could induce the depolarization of cells. With the dosage raised, the fluorescence intensity of DiBAC4 (3) in cells attenuated. This dosage of ECSP could induce the superpolarization of cell membrane.

CONCLUSIONS

The lower dosage of ECSP can induce the depolarization of cell membrane and induce the inter flow of calcium ion outside of cell membrane. The higher dosage of ECSP can directly destroy the cell membrane and induce the superpolarization of cell membrane, then induce the outflow of intracellular calcium ion which causes the necrosis of tumor cells.