Sodium thiosulphate induced immobilized bacterial disintegration of sludge: An energy efficient and cost effective platform for sludge management and biomethanation

The present study aimed to gain better insights into profitable biomethanation through sodium thiosulphate induced immobilized protease secreting bacterial disintegration (STS-IPBD) of sludge. STS disperse the flocs at 0.08 g/g SS of dosage and assists the subsequent bacterial disintegration. Immobilization of bacteria increases the hydrolytic activity of cells towards effective liquefaction of sludge. A higher liquefaction of 22% was accomplished for STS-IPBD when compared to immobilized protease secreting bacterial disintegration (IPBD alone). The kinetic parameters of Line Weaver Burk plot analysis revealed a maximal specific growth rate (µmax) of 0.320 h^-1 for immobilized cells when compared to suspended free cells showing the benefit of immobilization. Floc dispersion and immobilization of bacteria imparts a major role in biomethanation as the methane generation (0.32 gCOD/g COD) was higher in STS-IPBD sample. The cost analysis showed that STS - IPBD was a feasible process with net profit of 2.6 USD/Ton of sludge.

Effect of deflocculation on photo induced thin layer titanium dioxide disintegration of dairy waste activated sludge for cost and energy efficient methane production

In the present study, the deflocculated sludge was disintegrated through thin layer immobilized titanium dioxide (TiO₂) as photocatalyst under solar irradiation. The deflocculation of sludge was carried out by 0.05g/g SS of sodium citrate aiming to facilitate more surface area for subsequent TiO₂ mediated disintegration. The proposed mode of disintegration was investigated by varying TiO₂ dosage, pH and time. The maximum COD solubilization of 18.4% was obtained in the optimum 0.4g/L of TiO₂ dosage with 5.5 pH and exposure time of 40min. Anaerobic assay of disintegrated samples confirms the role of deflocculation as methane yield was found to be higher in deflocculated (235.6mL/gVS) than the flocculated sludge (146.8mL/gVS). Moreover, the proposed method (Net cost for control - Net cost for deflocculation) saves sludge management cost of about $132 with 53.8% of suspended solids (SS) reduction.

Donor-Derived Exosomes With Lung Self-Antigens in Human Lung Allograft Rejection

The immunological role of exosomes in allograft rejection remains unknown. We sought to determine whether exosomes are induced during lung allograft rejection and to define the antigenic compositions of HLA, lung-associated self-antigens (SAgs) and microRNAs (miRNAs). Exosomes were isolated from sera and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from 30 lung transplant recipients (LTxRs) who were stable or who had acute rejection (AR) or bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). Exosomes were defined by flow cytometry for CD63 and western blotting for annexin V SAgs, collagen V (Col-V) and Kα1 tubulin were examined by electron microscopy; miRNAs were profiled by a miRNA array. Donor HLA and SAgs were detected on exosomes from LTxRs with AR and BOS but not from stable LTxRs. Exosomes expressing Col-V were isolated from sera from LTxRs 3 mo before AR and 6 mo before BOS diagnosis, suggesting that exosomes with SAgs may be a noninvasive rejection biomarker. Exosomes isolated from LTxRs with AR or BOS also contained immunoregulatory miRNAs. We concluded that exosomes expressing donor HLA, SAgs and immunoregulatory miRNAs are present in the circulation and local site after human lung transplantation and play an important role in the immune pathogenesis of acute allograft rejection and BOS.

B Cell-Activating Transcription Factor Plays a Critical Role in the Pathogenesis of Anti-Major Histocompatibility Complex-Induced Obliterative Airway Disease

Antibodies (Abs) against major histocompatibility complex (MHC) results in T helper-17 (Th17)-mediated immunity against lung self-antigens (SAgs), K-α1 tubulin and collagen V and obliterative airway disease (OAD). Because B cell-activating transcription factor (BATF) controls Th17 and autoimmunity, we proposed that BATF may play a critical role in OAD. Anti-H2K(b) was administered intrabronchially into Batf (-/-) and C57BL/6 mice. Histopathology of the lungs on days 30 and 45 after Ab administration to Batf (-/-) mice resulted in decreased cellular infiltration, epithelial metaplasia, fibrosis, and obstruction. There was lack of Abs to SAgs, reduction of Sag-specific interleukin (IL)-17 T cells, IL-6, IL-23, IL-17, IL-1β, fibroblast growth factor-6, and CXCL12 and decreased Janus kinase 2, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and retinoid-related orphan receptor γT. Further, micro-RNA (miR)-301a, a regulator of Th17, was reduced in Batf (-/-) mice in contrast to upregulation of miR-301a and downregulation of protein inhibitor of activated STAT3 (PIAS3) in anti-MHC-induced OAD animals. We also demonstrate an increase in miR-301a in the bronchoalveolar lavage cells from lung transplant recipients with Abs to human leukocyte antigen. This was accompanied by reduction in PIAS3 mRNA. Therefore, we conclude that BATF plays a critical role in the immune responses to SAgs and pathogenesis of anti-MHC-induced rejection. Targeting BATF should be considered for preventing chronic rejection after human lung transplantation.

Single crystal XRD, vibrational and quantum chemical calculation of pharmaceutical drug paracetamol: A new synthesis form

The common house hold pharmaceutical drug, paracetamol (PAR), has been synthesized from 4-chloroaniline as a first ever report. After the synthesis, good quality single crystals were obtained for slow evaporation technique under the room temperature. The crystal and molecular structures were re-determined by the single crystal X-ray diffraction. The vibrational spectral measurements were carried out using FT-IR and FT-Raman spectroscopy in the range of 4000-400 cm(-1). The single crystal X-ray studies shows that the drug crystallized in the monoclinic system polymorph (Form-I). The crystal packing is dominated by N-H⋯O and O-H⋯O classical hydrogen bonds. The ac diagonal of the unit cell features two chain C(7) and C(9) motifs running in the opposite directions. These two chain motifs are cross-linked to each other to form a ring R4(4)(22) motif and a chain C2(2)(6) motif which is running along the a-axis of the unit cell. Along with the classical hydrogen bonds, the methyl group forms a weak C-H⋯O interactions in the crystal packing. It offers the support for molecular assembly especially in the hydrophilic regions. Further, the strength of the hydrogen bonds are studied the shifting of vibrational bands. Geometrical optimizations of the drug molecule were done by the Density Functional Theory (DFT) using the B3LYP function and Hartree-Fock (HF) level with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The optimized molecular geometry and computed vibrational spectra are compared with experimental results which show significant agreement. The factor group analysis of the molecule was carried out by the various molecular symmetry, site and factor group species using the standard correlation method. The Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis was carried out to interpret hyperconjugative interaction and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). The chemical softness, chemical hardness, electro-negativity, chemical potential and electrophilicity index of the molecule were found out first time by HOMO-LUMO plot. The frontier orbitals shows lower band gap values signify the possible biological/pharmaceutical activity of the molecule. The thermodynamical properties are also obtained from the calculated frequencies of the optimized structures.

A strong NH…Br vibrational behaviour studied through X-ray, vibrational spectra and quantum chemical studies in an isomorphous crystal: 2-Nitroanilinium bromide

A needle shaped transparent light brown crystals of 2-nitroanilinium bromide were successfully synthesized and crystallized from an aqueous mixture by slow evaporation technique. Single crystal XRD studies confirm the crystalline phase of this isomorphous compound which contains a positively charge 2-nitroanilinium cation and a negatively charged bromide anion. The solid phase FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of the compound have been recorded in the range of 4000-400cm(-1). The observed modes are correlated by the factor group theory analysis and different IR and Raman active species were identified. Geometrical optimisations were carried out and harmonic vibrational wave numbers were computed for the minimum energy molecular structure at RHF level invoking 6-311++G(d,p) and SDD basis sets. Optimised molecular geometry was compared with the crystallographic data. The calculated wavenumbers were compared with the experimental values. The NH vibrational bands are shifted from its normal range and the shifting is associated with the influence of the intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the crystal. A strong intensity peak in theoretical and corresponding band in experimental confirms the presence of NH…Br interaction as predicted in crystalline state.

Spatial Big Data Analytics of Influenza Epidemic in Vellore, India

The study objective is to develop a big spatial data model to predict the epidemiological impact of influenza in Vellore, India. Large repositories of geospatial and health data provide vital statistics on surveillance and epidemiological metrics, and valuable insight into the spatiotemporal determinants of disease and health. The integration of these big data sources and analytics to assess risk factors and geospatial vulnerability can assist to develop effective prevention and control strategies for influenza epidemics and optimize allocation of limited public health resources. We used the spatial epidemiology data of the HIN1 epidemic collected at the National Informatics Center during 2009-2010 in Vellore. We developed an ecological niche model based on geographically weighted regression for predicting influenza epidemics in Vellore, India during 2013-2014. Data on rainfall, temperature, wind speed, humidity and population are included in the geographically weighted regression analysis. We inferred positive correlations for H1N1 influenza prevalence with rainfall and wind speed, and negative correlations for H1N1 influenza prevalence with temperature and humidity. We evaluated the results of the geographically weighted regression model in predicting the spatial distribution of the influenza epidemic during 2013-2014.

4-Sulfamoylanilinium perchlorate

In the crystal of the title salt, C6H9N2O2S(+)·ClO4 (-), the components are linked by N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network. The cations are connected along a and b axes, leading to linear and zigzag C(3) and C(8) chain motifs, respectively. A cation-anion inter-action along the c axis leads to a C 2 (2)(12) chain motif. R 3 (3)(18) and R 3 (3)(20) ring motifs are observed as cation-anion-type inter-actions. These hydrogen-bonding ring and chain motifs are localized at z = 0 or 1, leading to alternate hydro-philic and hydro-phobic regions along the c axis as a result of the stacking of anions and the aromatic cationic parts.

4-Chloro-anilinium 3-carb-oxy-prop-2-enoate

In the title compound, C(6)H(7)ClN(+)·C(4)H(3)O(4) (-), the cations and anions lie on mirror planes and hence only half of the mol-ecules are present in the asymmeric unit. The 4-chloro-anilinium cation and hydrogen maleate anion in the asymmetric unit are each planar and are oriented at an angle of 15.6 (1)° to one another and perpendicular to the b axis. A characterestic intra-molecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bond, forming an S(7) motif, is observed in the maleate anion. In the crystal, the cations and anions are linked by N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming layers in the ab plane. The aromatic rings of the cations are sandwiched between hydrogen-bonded chains and rings formed through the amine group of the cation and maleate anions, leading to alternate hydro-phobic (z = 0 or 1) and hydro-philic layers (z = 1/2) along the c axis.

2-Nitro-anilinium bromide

The title compound, C₆H₇N₂O₂⁺·Br⁻, is isomorphous with 2-nitro­anilinium chloride and contains an characteristic intra­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bond, forming an S(6) motif. Inter­molecular N—H⋯Br hydrogen bonds occur in the crystal structure. Two zigzag chains of C₂¹(4) motifs extend along the b-axis direction. These primary chain motifs inter­sect like a double helix structure, leading to R₆³(12) ring motifs, which are arranged in tandem along the b axis. Hence, hydro­philic layers are generated at z = 1/4 and 3/4, which are sandwiched between alternate hydro­phobic layers across z = 0 and 1/2.