Bioaugmentation with methanogenic culture to improve methane production from chicken manure in batch anaerobic digestion.

This study sought to investigate the effect of bioaugmentation on batch anaerobic digestion of chicken manure. The digestion performance with and without bioaugmentation and bioaugmented efficiency under different dosages were compared. The results demonstrated that bioaugmentation increased the methane yield and shortened the methane production time in batch reactors. Compared to the un-bioaugmented control, the methane yield of bioaugmented digesters was increased by 1.2-, 1.7-, 2.2-, 3.4-, and 3.6-fold at addition ratios of 0.07, 0.14, 0.21, 0.27, and 0.34 g VS bioaugmentation seed (BS)/g VSCM, respectively. However, higher bioaugmentation doses (0.34 g VSBS/g VSCM) did not exhibit significantly improved bioaugmentation efficiency, thus, the recommended dose is 0.27 g VSBS/g VSCM for biomethane conversion of CM. Moreover, whole genome pyrosequencing revealed that Methanoculleus and Methanobrevibacter predominated the non-bioaugmentation digesters, whereas Methanothrix, Methanobacterium, and Methanomassiliicoccus were the dominant methanogens in bioaugmentation digesters. The increased methane may be explained by an increase in the Methanothrix population, which accelerated acetic acid degradation. With bioaugmentation the mainly methanogenic pathways have become more diverse. From gene function perspective, bioaugmentation enhanced metabolic activities in digestor which function better in metabolism.

Anaerobic co-digestion of Pennisetum hybrid and pig manure: A comparative study of performance and microbial community at different mixture ratio and organic loading rate.

To investigate how the changes in performance and the microbial community of the co-digestion system of Pennisetum hybrid and pig manure, two co-digestion systems in a semi-continuous mode were established at different grass:manure mixture ratios (50:50 and 75:25), and at variable organic loading rates (OLRs). The two reactors were in a steady-state at the OLRs of 2.0-5.0 g VS/(L·d), with the specific and volumetric biogas yields of 383.86 ± 65.13 to 574.28 ± 72.04 mL/g VS and 0.87 ± 0.07 to 2.36 ± 0.13 m3/(m3·d), respectively. The co-digestion system with a mixture ratio of 75:25 failed at an OLR of 5.5 g VS/(L⋅d). This failure could be attributed to the accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) owing to the imbalance between acid-production and -oxidation bacteria. By contrast, the co-digestion system with mixture ratio of 50:50 failed at an OLR of 7.0 g VS/(L⋅d), which was likely due to mechanical issues or improper reactor configuration. The genus Proteiniphilum contributed to the increase in total ammonia nitrogen. These findings provide useful guidance for optimizing co-digestion system, enhancing reactor performance and improving the wastes treatment.

Effect of bioaugmentation on the microbial community and mono-digestion performance of Pennisetum hybrid.

In this study, bioaugmentation with methanogenic propionate-utilizing enrichment was investigated as a method to improve the mono-digestion performance of Pennisetum hybrid in a semi-continuous mode. The effect of bioaugmentation on the microbial community was analyzed as well. The results demonstrate that the steady-state organic loading rate (OLR) of the bioaugmented reactor increased to 4.0 g VS/(L·d) with a volumetric biogas production of 1.95 ±â€¯0.17 m3/(m3·d). In contrast, the non-bioaugmented reactor failed at an OLR of 2.0 g VS/(L·d) accompanied with the accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). The results of whole genome pyrosequencing analysis suggest that the decrease in relative abundance of syntrophic butyrate and propionate oxidizers, such as Syntrophomonas, Syntrophobacter, and Syntrophorhabdus, reduced the conversion efficiency of butyrate and propionate which leads to the accumulation of butyrate and propionate, influencing the performance of the mono-digestion reactor. Conversely, in the bioaugmented reactor, the higher density of protein- and amino acid-utilizing bacteria, such as Proteiniphilum, Thermovirga, and Lutaonella, as well as the syntrophic association of Syntrophomonas spp. coupled with the methanogens Methanosarcina and Methanocella has a positive effect on system stability and performance.

Expression and clinical significance of serum microRNA-663 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients / 国际肿瘤学杂志

Objective To investigate the expression level of serum microRNA-663 (miR-663) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients and its relationships with clinicopathological features and prognosis.Methods The serums of 60 NPC patients (NPC group),40 patients with nasopharyngeal chronic inflammation (nasopharyngitis group) and 30 healthy subjects (health control group) were collected from June 2014 to April 2017 in our hospital.The relative expression levels of serum miR-663 were detected by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).The relationships between the expression of miR-663 and clinicopathological features were analyzed.The diagnostic value of serum miR-663 in patients with NPC was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.According to the optimal cut-off value determined by the ROC curve,the patients were divided into miR-663 ≥ optimal cut-off value group and miR-663 ＜ optimal cut-off value group,and prognosis analysis was performed for the two groups.Results The relative expression levels of miR-663 among NPC group (6.38 ± 2.05),nasopharyngitis group (3.11 ± 0.97) and health control group (1.74 ±0.75) were significantly different (F =107.722,P =0.001).Serum miR-663 level in NPC group was significantly higher than that in nasopharyngitis group and healthy control group,with significant differences (both P ＜0.001).The relative expression level of miR-663 in nasopharyngitis group was significantly higher than that in health control group,with a significant difference (P ＜ 0.001).The relative expression of serum miR-663 in patients with NPC was not related to patient's age,sex and differentiation (t =1.832,P =0.072;t =0.578,P =0.565;F =0.132,P =0.877).The relative expression of miR-663 in stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ (5.24 ±1.98) was significantly lower than that in stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ (6.99 ± 1.84) of NPC patients,with a significant difference (t =3.417,P ＜ 0.001).The relative expression of serum miR-663 in patients with lymph node metastasis (7.55 ± 1.38) was significantly higher than that in patients without lymph node metastasis (4.62 ± 1.60),with a significant difference (t =7.572,P =0.001).The analysis of the diagnostic value of serum miR-663 in patients with NPC using the ROC curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of miR-663 was 0.939.When the optimal cut-off value of miR-663 was 3.190,the sensitivity was 80.0％ and the specificity was 89.0％.The median survival time in miR-663 ≥3.190 group (21.7 months) was significantly shorter than that in miR-663 ＜3.190 group (33.4 months),with a significant difference (x2 =4.332,P =0.037).Conclusion The relative expression level of serum miR-663 in patients with NPC is increased,and the expression level of miR-663 is related to lymph node metastasis and clinical stage.High expression of miR-663 predicts poor clinical outcomes,and miR-663 may be a potential predictor of prognosis in patients with NPC.

Effect of simple PKP treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression on serum leptin and bone mineral density in patients with fracture / 实用医学杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of percutaneous vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty (PKP) on bone density and serum leptin in patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures. Methods One hundred and two patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures and 100 cases of healthy control were treated with PKP surgery. The serum leptin and adiponectin, and the bone mineral density of the lumbar spine were determined. Results patients Levels of the serum leptin and adiponectin in patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression fracture were significantly higher than those with non osteoporotic fracture patients (P < 0.05). One month post-PVP, the levels of serum leptin and adiponectin in the two groups were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). postoperative group of The lumbar bone density at 1 month post-operation was is significantly higher than that before operation in each group (P < 0.05, respectively), with no significant difference between the two groups. The levels of serum leptin and adiponectin were negatively correlated with the bone mineral density (BMD) (P < 0.05). Conclusions tLevels of serum adiponectin and leptin were both increased in osteoporotic or non bone osteoporosis thoracolumbar vertebral compressor fractures. The percutaneous vertebroplasty forming operation could effectively reduce the serum level of leptin and adiponectin, and improve the bone mineral density of the lumbar vertebrae.

Correlation of short and medium-term efficacy and refracture rate with osteoporosis severity following percutaneous kyphoplasty of thoracolumbar fracture / 中华创伤杂志

Objective To examine the short-and middle-term efficacy and refracture rate in patients with thoracolumbar fracture having percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) and determine their correlation with the severity of osteoporosis.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 247 patients with thoracolumbar fracture undergone PKP from January 2008 to February 2014.Mean age of the patients (94 males and 153 females) was 63.2 years (range,50-81 years).Ground-level falls occurred in 119 patients,traffic injuries in 72 patients and high falls in 56 patients.The patients were assigned to osteopenia group and osteoporosis group based on the preoperative bone mineral density.Visual analogue score (VAS),Roland-Morris disability survey scale (RDQ),vertebral compression rate,kyphotic Cobb angle and refracture rate were recorded before and after operation.Efficacy in correlation with the severity of osteoporosis was evaluated.Results Mean duration of follow-up was 24.3 months (range,18-36 months).Three days after operation,VAS descended from (7.7 ± 2.1) points to (4.3 ± 1.1) points in osteopenia group and from (7.7 ± 2.0) points to (4.2 ± 1.5) points in osteoporosis group (P ＜ 0.05);RDQ descended from (21.2 ± 1.5) points to (10.4 ± 2.5) points in osteopenia group and from (20.8 ± 1.9) points to (11.2 ± 1.7) points in osteoporosis group (P ＜ 0.05);rate of vertebral body compression descended from (42.2 ± 10.5) ％ to (3.2 ± 0.5) ％ in osteopenia group and from (46.2 ± 12.7) ％ to (2.9 ± 0.8) ％ in osteoporosis group (P ＜ 0.05);kyphotic Cobb angle descended from (21.2 ± 9.5) ° to (7.2 ±2.4) °in osteopenia group and from (23.1 ± 8.9) ° to (7.1 ± 2.6) ° in osteoporosis group (P ＜ 0.05).Three years after operation,all the parameters remained better than these before operation,with the value higher in osteoporosis group than in osteopenia group (P ＜ 0.05).Rate of refracture was higher in osteoporosis group after operation,compared to that in osteopenia group (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The clinical short-term result is satisfactory,but refracture rate is increased with the osteoporosis aggravation.Targeting osteoporosis therapy is important to obtain a better mid-term results.

Low-cost additive improved silage quality and anaerobic digestion performance of napiergrass.

Effects of molasses-alcoholic wastewater on the ensiling quality of napiergrass were investigated at ambient temperature, and its anaerobic digestion performance was assessed at mesophilic temperature. Results showed that the molasses-alcoholic wastewater had positive effect on silage quality and anaerobic digestion performance. Lower pH values of 5.20-5.28, lower NH3-N contents of 32.65-36.60 g/kg and higher lactic acid contents of 56-61 mg/kg FM were obtained for the silage samples with molasses-alcoholic wastewater addition. Higher specific biogas yield of 273 mL/g VS was obtained for the sample with 11% molasses-alcoholic wastewater added. Therefore 11% molasses-alcoholic wastewater addition was recommended.

Semi-dry mesophilic anaerobic digestion of water sorted organic fraction of municipal solid waste (WS-OFMSW).

An innovative municipal solid waste separation technology - water separation was developed in China recently. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of anaerobic digestion from water sorted organic fraction of municipal solid waste (WS-OFMSW) to methane. A group of bench-scale (35 L) mesophilic (30 + or - 2 degrees Celsius) batch anaerobic digestions were carried out with three total solids in reactor (TSr = 16.0%, 13.5% and 11.0%). The biodegradability of WS-OFMSW with VS/TS of 61.6% was better than that of mechanically sorted OFMSW but still poor than that of source sorted OFMSW. No inhibitions of metal ions, volatile fatty acids and ammonia on anaerobic digestion were found. The reactors with TSr 16.0%, 13.5% and 11.0% achieved methane yield of 273, 283 and 314 L/kgVS and VS removal rate of 26.1%, 35.8% and 41.8%, respectively. The average methane content in biogas was about 66% for all reactors.

Hyperbaric oxygen and lipid peroxidation after spinal cord injury / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective To investigate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy following spinal cord injury (SCI) and its mechanisms. Methods Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups after inducing SCI models using a modified version of Allen's method. The HBO group received HBO treatment 2 h after the procedure and were then treated 100 min every day for 5 consecutive days. All the rats were evaluated 1 h before the operation, and 1 h, 10 d and 20 d afterward using BBB scores and inclined plane experiments. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured. At twenty days, all the rats were sacrificed and their spinal cords were examined pathologically using HE staining. Results Average BBB scores and climbing ability in the HBO group were better than in the control group at the 10th and 20th day after the operation. Compared to the control group, SOD increased significantly and MDA decreased significantly in the HBO group at the 2nd and 5th day after the operation. There was less cystic degeneration of the spinal cord in the HBO group. Conclusions HBO demonstrated a positive effect after SCI. Oxygen free radicals might be one of the mechanisms for the better recovery.

Progress in Research of Electrigens in Microbial Fuel Cell / 微生物学通报

Electricigens play an important role in microbial fuel cell(MFC) . This review provides an introduction of different electricigens on theirs taxonomical group,biochemical,physiological and morphological characteristics. The ability of electricity production of electricigens and electron transfer mechanisms in microbial fuel cells are also concluded. The prospect of waste water treatment and bio-electricity production is underlined,it is point out in this review that the future research of microorganism for MFC should be focused on enrichment,adaptation,modification and optimization by multi-strains application to improve the performances of MFC.