Methane production potential (B0) of swine and cattle manures--a Canadian perspective

Canada's agricultural emissions accounted for 60 Mt or 8% of national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2007. The estimation of CH4 emission factor (B0) from manure management systems in Canada is prone to uncertainty owing to lack of B0 values for Canadian conditions. Therefore, in this study, manure samples from six Canadian animal farms, two each of swine, beef and dairy cattle, were investigated in order to estimate their methane production potential (B0). The ultimate anaerobic biodegradability was measured with ISO standard batch fermentation. The extent of biodegradation of the manure samples with or without sodium benzoate was always greater than 60% and hence showed no inhibitory effect on methane production by the manure. The impact of use of antibiotics in the animal feed on methane production was also considered; however, no inhibitory effect on methane production could be observed. The plateau of methane production in all cases was achieved by 63 d of anaerobic digestion process and the final pH was within 6-8. The calculated B0 were in the range of 0.47-0.42, 0.21-0.19 and 0.35-0.30 for swine, beef cattle and dairy cattle, respectively. The uncertainties associated with B0 values were +/- 9% for swine, +/- 3% for beef cattle and, +/- 6 and +/- 2% for dairy cows.

A dose range finding study of novel oral insulin (IN-105) under fed conditions in type 2 diabetes mellitus subjects

AIM

The objective of the study was to establish the dose response of IN-105 tablets and explore a possible therapeutic window in type 2 diabetes subjects poorly controlled on metformin.

METHODS

The primary objective was to examine the effect of sequential single ascending doses of IN-105 on the plasma glucose concentration under fed conditions. All subjects received, sequentially, matching placebo, 10, 15, 20 and 30 mg IN-105 tablets in five consecutive periods. Tablets were administered 20 min prior to meal in all the periods. Plasma levels of immunoreactive insulin, C-peptide and glucose were measured up to 180 min from the time of dosing. The changes in postprandial glucose levels at 120 min in response to IN-105 administration were also compared against those of placebo.

RESULTS

Changes in glucose from baseline (mean +/- s.d.) at 140 min (2 h postprandial) were 94.84 +/- 22.3, 79.45 +/- 43.00, 70.68 +/- 35.71, 63.47 +/- 42.75 and 53.06 +/- 47.27 mg/dL, respectively, and exhibited linear dose-response. The insulin C(max) values were found to be 50.8 +/- 26.0 mU/L for placebo, 100.3 +/- 66.7 with 10 mg IN-105, 177.69 +/- 150.3 with 15 mg IN-105, 246.2 +/- 245.2 with 20 mg IN-105 and 352.5 +/- 279.3 mU/L with 30 mg of IN-105.

CONCLUSIONS

IN-105 absorption is proportional to the dose administered. The 2-h postprandial glucose excursion was reduced in a dose proportional manner. Circulating C-peptide levels were found to be suppressed in proportion to the IN-105 exposure. IN-105 reduces glucose excursion despite lower endogenous insulin secretion. IN-105 seems to have a wide therapeutic window as no clinical hypoglycaemia was observed at any of the doses studied.

Proposal of biostimulation for hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)-decontamination and characterization of culturable bacterial community from high-dose point HCH-contaminated soils

AIMS

To locate a high-dose point hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)-contaminated site, to identify HCH-degrading bacteria in it and assay HCH-decontamination by biostimulation.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Bacteria were isolated by serial dilution method from HCH-contaminated soil samples collected from areas near an HCH-manufacturing unit and its dumpsite in North India. After confirming the presence of indigenous HCH-degraders (seven of 24 strains), an ex situ biostimulation experiment was conducted. For this, residue levels in soil were diluted by mixing with pristine garden soil and aeration, moisture and nutrients were provided intermittently. This soil was monitored for reduction in Sigma-HCH (sum of alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-HCH) levels and stimulation of HCH-degraders. Experiments were conducted twice, in March-April (c. 75 microg Sigma-HCH g(-1) soil) and October-November 2006 (c. 280 microg Sigma-HCH g(-1) soil) at 26-30 degrees C. Sigma-HCH levels were reduced to <30% of the original in 24 days and <3% in 240 days in the experimental pits. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis reflected changes in microbial community structure during the course of experiment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show presence of HCH-degrading sphingomonads at a high-dose point HCH-contaminated site and presents biostimulation as an effective approach for its decontamination via aeration, addition of nutrients and moisture, of the indigenous population.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The study demonstrates that biostimulation of indigenous HCH-degrading microbial population can be used for decontamination of chronically HCH-contaminated sites.

Prevalence of dental caries and treatment needs in the rural child population of Nainital District, Uttaranchal

Dental caries is a rapidly emerging oral health problem amongst the children of India. Its incidence in different states varies between 31 and 89%. This study was undertaken with a twin objective of assessing the prevalence of dental caries in parts of Uttaranchal state and designing the interventional strategies with a view to attend the oral health care needs of children. A total of 722 school children in the age range of 7-12 years of Nainital district were examined using WHO (1997) criteria. An overall caries prevalence of 77.7% was recorded, which is 67.26% in the age group of 7-9 years and 80.86% in 10-12 years with DMFT+deft of 1.97 and 2.61, respectively. It was observed that there were greater treatment needs in older age group. Another significant finding of the study was that the 59.96% required restorative treatment out of the various dental treatment needs evaluated.

Entomotoxicity, protease and chitinase activity of Bacillus thuringiensis fermented wastewater sludge with a high solids content

This study investigated the production of biopesticides, protease and chitinase activity by Bacillus thuringiensis grown in raw wastewater sludge at high solids concentration (30 g/L). The rheology of wastewater sludge was modified with addition of Tween-80 (0.2% v/v). This addition resulted in 1.6 and 1.3-fold increase in cell and spore count, respectively. The maximum specific growth rate (micro(max)) augmented from 0.17 to 0.22 h(-1) and entomotoxicity (Tx) increased by 29.7%. Meanwhile, volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k(L)a) showed marked variations during fermentation, and oxygen uptake rate (OUR) increased 2-fold. The proteolytic activity increased while chitinase decreased for Tween amended wastewater sludge, but the entomotoxicity increased. The specific entomotoxicity followed power law when plotted against spore concentration and the relation between Tx and protease activity was linear. The viscosity varied and volume percent of particles increased in Tween-80 amended wastewater sludge and particle size (D(50)) decreased at the end of fermentation. Thus, there was an increase in entomotoxicity at higher suspended solids (30 g/L) as Tween addition improved rheology (viscosity, particle size, surface tension); enhanced maximum growth rate and OUR.

Albright hereditary osteodystrophy: a rare case report

Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO) is a rare hereditary metabolic disorder that may be associated with or without resistant to parathyroid hormone (pseudohypoparathyroidism). It is commonly characterized by a constellation of physical features of short stature, round face, short neck, and small metacarpals and metatarsals, mild mental retardation, osteoporosis, subcutaneous calcification, and sometimes olfactory and hearing functional defect. Hypocalcaemia and hyperphosphatemia are the most important manifestations of the case. We report a clinical case of siblings with AHO with reduced Gs-alpha activity and we discuss their clinical features with oral manifestations, radiographic findings, laboratory tests along with treatment.

High-resolution computed tomography features in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in diagnosing various components of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). The present study was undertaken to evaluate HRCT features in patients with COPD.

METHODS

40 male patients with COPD (age 40 years or older) and with a significant smoking history (20 pack-years or more) were included in the study. They were evaluated for HRCT features including vascular attenuation and distortion, mosaic attenuation pattern, directly visible small airways, low attenuation areas of emphysema and measures of hyperinflation of the lungs: tracheal index, sterno-aortic distance, thoracic cage ratio and thoracic cross-sectional area.

RESULTS

The tracheal index ranged from 0.46 to 0.94; Saber-sheath trachea was found in 14 patients. The mean thoracic cage ratio at two levels, carina and 5 cm below carina, were 0.69 (range 0.61-0.78) and 0.73 (range 0.62-0.83), respectively. Sterno-aortic distance at carinal level ranged from 1.43 to 4.55 cm, with a mean of 3.00 cm. Directly visible small airways was the commonest finding (36 patients), followed by vascular attenuation (25 patients), mosaic attenuation pattern (16 patients) and vascular distortion (8 patients). Among various subtypes of emphysema, centriacinar emphysema was commonest (16 patients), followed by paraseptal (13) and panacinar emphysema (11).

CONCLUSION

There are certain specific HRCT features of emphysema and it is possible on HRCT to identify the subtypes of emphysema, such as centriacinar, panacinar and paraseptal emphysema. Various features of hyperinflation can also be well identified and quantified on HRCT.

Dental lamina cyst of newborn: a case report

Dental lamina cyst, also known as gingival cyst of newborn, is a benign oral mucosal lesion of transient nature. These lesions are usually multiple but do not increase in size. Since the lesions are self-limiting and spontaneously shed a few weeks or months after birth no treatment is required. Clinical diagnoses of these conditions are important in order to avoid unnecessary therapeutic procedure and provide suitable information to parents about the nature of the lesion. In addition, it may be incorrectly diagnosed as natal teeth if present in mandibular anterior region. Here, we present a case of dental lamina cyst of newborn.

Saliva production and surface tension: influences on patency of the passive upper airway

Pharyngeal patency is influenced by the surface tension (gamma) of the upper airway lining liquid (UAL), of which saliva is a major component. We investigated the influences of saliva production on gamma of the UAL, and upper airway re-opening and closing pressures. In 10 supine, male, anaesthetized, tracheostomised, mechanically ventilated New Zealand White rabbits, we measured re-opening and closing of the passive isolated upper airway at baseline and following graded (cumulative) doses of methacholine or atropine. Upper airway liquid volume index (UALVI) was assessed using a standardized suction procedure (secretion weight obtained per second) expressed as the natural logarithm (LnUALVI). The gamma of UAL samples were measured using the 'pull-off' force technique. Across all animals, baseline values were: LnUALVI -6.2 (-8.6 to -5.4) median (interquartile range), gamma of UAL 58.9 (56.6-59.9) mN m(-1), re-opening 8.6 (6.9-11.1) cmH(2)O, and closing pressures 3.2 (1.8-5.7) cmH(2)O. LnUALVI increased by approximately 0.17 per microg kg(-1) methacholine and decreased by approximately 0.14 per 100 microg kg(-1) atropine (both P < 0.03, linear mixed effects modelling). Surface tension was unchanged by methacholine but increased by approximately 0.6 mN m(-1) per 100 microg kg(-1) atropine (P < 0.004). When data were analysed across all animals, both re-opening and closing pressures increased as surface tension increased (by approximately 0.4 cmH(2)O mN(-1) and by approximately 0.7 cmH(2)O mN(-1), respectively; both P < 0.05). We conclude that saliva production influences upper airway mechanical properties partly via alterations in gamma of UAL. We speculate that in obstructive sleep apnoea, altered autonomic activity may reduce saliva production and increase surface tension of the upper airway lining liquid, thus increasing the likelihood of upper airway obstruction.

Induction of mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis by an essential oil from Tanacetum gracile

The essential oil of Tanacetum gracile (Accession no. AT-01 termed AT-01 in the manuscript), a cold desert alpine highly aromatic herb, has 40 constituents including lavendulol (21.5 %), lavendulol acetate (1.7 %), alpha-pinene (11.2 %), 1,8-cineole (15.2 %), CIS-beta-ocimene (6.9 %), borneol (6.1 %), limonene (5.1 %) and chamazulene (3.7 %). AT-01 was evaluated for its anticancer activity. It inhibited HL-60 cell proliferation with an IC (50) of 27 microg/mL. Furthermore, AT-01 induced apoptosis in human leukemia HL-60 cells as measured by several biological end points. AT-01 induced apoptotic body formation, enhanced annexinV-FITC binding of the cells, increased sub-G (0) DNA fraction, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (Deltapsi (mt)) and release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, activated caspase-9 as well as caspase-3, and increased cleavage of PARP in HL-60 cells. Thus, AT-01 induced apoptosis through the mitochondrial dependent pathway in HL-60 cells.

Bacillus thuringiensis fermentation of wastewater and wastewater sludge--presence and characterization of chitinases

This study investigated the presence of chitinases in Bacillus thuringiensis ssp kurstaki HD-1 (Bt) fermented broths of wastewater sludge (non-hydrolyzed and hydrolyzed); starch industry wastewater and soyameal. Chitinase activity was absent in soyameal and present in others. Chitinase demonstrated peaks at pH 4.0 and temperatures 40 and 50 degrees C with higher activity between pH 4-5 and 10-11. The chitinase band on SDS-PAGE was found to be between 36 and 45 kDa for non-hydrolyzed (NH) and hydrolyzed sludge (TH) and starch industry wastewater. The chitinase profile during fermentation showed peaks at 15 and 30 h for non-hydrolyzed and hydrolyzed sludge and 15 and 24 h for starch industry wastewater. Chitinase retained 96-99 % activity after two weeks incubation at room temperature and pH 4. Bioassays with supplementation of Bt chitinases showed 1.2 fold increase in entomotoxicity of wastewater sludge and a small increase in starch industry wastewater. This study sheds light on production of Bt chitinases in alternative media which will have a long term effect on entomotoxicity of these formulations.