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The effects of brucite (BR; magnesium hydroxide) and sodium bicarbonate (SB) on ruminal fermentation characteristics were evaluated following a ruminal glucose challenge.

Direct‐acting antivirals have proved to be highly efficacious and safe in monoinfected liver transplant (LT) recipients who experience recurrence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, there is a lack of data on effectiveness and tolerability of these regimens in HCV/HIV‐coinfected patients who experience recurrence of HCV infection after LT. In this prospective, multicenter cohort study, the outcomes of 47 HCV/HIV‐coinfected LT patients who received DAA therapy (with or without ribavirin [RBV]) were compared with those of a matched cohort of 148 HCV‐monoinfected LT recipients who received similar treatment. Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. HCV/HIV‐coinfected patients had a median (IQR) CD4 T‐cell count of 366 (256‐467) cells/µL. HIV‐RNA was <50 copies/mL in 96% of patients. The DAA regimens administered were SOF + LDV ± RBV (34%), SOF + SMV ± RBV (31%), SOF + DCV ± RBV (27%), SMV + DCV ± RBV (5%), and 3D (3%), with no differences between the groups. Treatment was well tolerated in both groups. Rates of SVR (negative serum HCV‐RNA at 12 weeks after the end of treatment) were high and similar for coinfected and monoinfected patients (95% and 94%, respectively; P= .239). Albeit not significant, a trend toward lower SVR rates among patients with advanced fibrosis (P= .093) and genotype 4 (P= .088) was observed. In conclusion, interferon‐free regimens with DAAs for post‐LT recurrence of HCV infection in HIV‐infected individuals were highly effective and well tolerated, with results comparable to those of HCV‐monoinfected patients. Direct‐acting antivirals against HCV offer a very high and similar efficacy and safety in HIV‐positive and HIV‐negative liver transplant recipients.

Numerous genetic and functional studies implicate variants of Neuregulin-1 (NRG1) and its neuronal receptor ErbB4 in schizophrenia and many of its endophenotypes. Although the neurophysiological and behavioral phenotypes of NRG1 mutant mice have been investigated extensively, practically nothing is known about the function of NRG2, the closest NRG1 homolog. We found that NRG2 expression in the adult rodent brain does not overlap with NRG1 and is more extensive than originally reported, including expression in the striatum and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and therefore generated NRG2 knockout mice (KO) to study its function. NRG2 KOs have higher extracellular dopamine levels in the dorsal striatum but lower levels in the mPFC; a pattern with similarities to dopamine dysbalance in schizophrenia. Like ErbB4 KO mice, NRG2 KOs performed abnormally in a battery of behavioral tasks relevant to psychiatric disorders. NRG2 KOs exhibit hyperactivity in a novelty-induced open field, deficits in prepulse inhibition, hypersensitivity to amphetamine, antisocial behaviors, reduced anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze and deficits in the T-maze alteration reward test—a task dependent on hippocampal and mPFC function. Acute administration of clozapine rapidly increased extracellular dopamine levels in the mPFC and improved alternation T-maze performance. Similar to mice treated chronically with N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists, we demonstrate that NMDAR synaptic currents in NRG2 KOs are augmented at hippocampal glutamatergic synapses and are more sensitive to ifenprodil, indicating an increased contribution of GluN2B-containing NMDARs. Our findings reveal a novel role for NRG2 in the modulation of behaviors with relevance to psychiatric disorders.

Thromboelastomeric studies demonstrate that all potential Maastricht category II unexpected DCDD donors suffer hyperfibrinolysis by the time death is declared, indicating that there is no role for additional fibrinolytic therapy in this setting.

It has been suggested that vascular stasis during cardio-circulatory arrest leads to the formation of microvascular thrombi and the viability of organs arising from donation after circulatory determination of death (DCDD) donors may be improved through the application of fibrinolytic therapy. Our aim was to comprehensively study the coagulation profiles of Maastricht category II DCDD donors in order to determine the presence of coagulation abnormalities that could benefit from fibrinolytic therapy. Whole blood from potential DCDD donors suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest was sampled after declaration of death in the emergency department, and rotational thromboelastomeric analysis was performed. Between July 2012 and December 2013, samples from 33 potential DCDD donors were analyzed. All patients demonstrated hyperfibrinolysis (HF), as reflected by maximum clot lysis of 98–100% in all cases, indicating that there is no role for additional fibrinolytic therapy in this setting. As well, we observed correlations between thromboelastomeric lysis parameters and maximum hepatic transaminase levels measured in potential donors and renal artery flows measured during ex situhypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion, indicating that further studies on the utility of thromboelastometry to evaluate organ injury and perhaps even viability in unexpected DCDD may be warranted.

Maastricht type 2 donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors suffer sudden and unexpected cardiac arrest, typically outside the hospital; they have significant potential to expand the donor pool. Herein, we analyze the results of transplanted livers and all potential donors treated under our type 2 DCD protocol. Cardiac arrest was witnessed; potential donors arrived at the hospital after attempts at resuscitation had failed. Death was declared based on the absence of cardiorespiratory activity during a 5-min no-touch period. Femoral vessels were cannulated to establish normothermic extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, which was maintained until organ recovery. From April 2002 to December 2010, there were 400 potential donors; 34 liver transplants were performed (9%). Among recipients, median age, model for end-stage liver disease and cold and reperfusion warm ischemic times were 55 years (49–60), 19 (14–21) and 380 (325–430) and 30 min (26–35), respectively. Overall, 236 (59%) and 130 (32%) livers were turned down due to absolute and relative contraindications to donate, respectively. One-year recipient and graft survivals were 82% and 70%, respectively (median follow-up 24 months). The applicability of type 2 DCD liver transplant was <10%; however, with better preservation technology and expanded transplant criteria, we may be able to improve this figure significantly.

Maastricht type 2 donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors suffer sudden and unexpected cardiac arrest, typically outside the hospital; they have significant potential to expand the donor pool. Herein, we analyze the results of transplanted livers and all potential donors treated under our type 2 DCD protocol. Cardiac arrest was witnessed; potential donors arrived at the hospital after attempts at resuscitation had failed. Death was declared based on the absence of cardiorespiratory activity during a 5‐min no‐touch period. Femoral vessels were cannulated to establish normothermic extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, which was maintained until organ recovery. From April 2002 to December 2010, there were 400 potential donors; 34 liver transplants were performed (9%). Among recipients, median age, model for end‐stage liver disease and cold and reperfusion warm ischemic times were 55 years (49–60), 19 (14–21) and 380 (325–430) and 30 min (26–35), respectively. Overall, 236 (59%) and 130 (32%) livers were turned down due to absolute and relative contraindications to donate, respectively. One‐year recipient and graft survivals were 82% and 70%, respectively (median follow‐up 24 months). The applicability of type 2 DCD liver transplant was <10%; however, with better preservation technology and expanded transplant criteria, we may be able to improve this figure significantly.

Pflanzenkläranlagen vom Abwasser durch bzw. überströmte bepflanzte Bodenfilter werden seit einigen Jahrzehnten erfolgreich zur Abwasserreinigung eingesetzt. Design und Anwendung der Anlagen basieren im Wesentlichen auf Erfahrungswerten. Der Kenntnisstand zu den Reinigungsprozessen innerhalb der Rhizosphäre ist als lückenhaft einzuschätzen. Intensive Grundlagenforschung ist notwendig, um die involvierten Prozesse und deren Wechselwirkungen zu verstehen und letztlich effiziente und erweiterte Anwendungen zu ermöglichen. Dabei können neue Erkenntnisse aus Forschung und Praxis vor allem auch die Möglichkeiten der Nutzung von Pflanzenklärsystemen zur Reinigung von Industrieabwässern maßgeblich erweitern. Insbesondere besteht die Chance der Entwicklung neuer Lösungsansätze zur Kombination von Abwasserreinigung und WertstoffEnergiegewinnung.

Anaerobic oxidation of ammonium has become an alternative for the treatment of wastewater with high ammonium loads, and it was also suggested to be involved in the nitrogen removal process in constructed wetlands. Nonetheless, its role has not been well evaluated as yet. In this paper, results of a lab‐scale study are presented focusing on the evaluation of the role of Anammox bacteria, plants, applied ammonia, nitrite nitrogen loads, and the presence of organic matter in nitrogen transformation processes in subsurface‐flow constructed wetlands. The inoculation of the experimental model wetlands with active Anammox biomass increased the total nitrogen and ammonium removal rates to values up to 5.7 g N/m2d, which is almost 10 times higher than those values reported for subsurface flow constructed wetlands. Although the presence of plants caused a higher removal rate, the role of the plants became less important with high nitrite influent concentration. Because the unplanted experimental system without the addition of any organic carbon source showed also high nitrogen removal rates, it can be concluded that beside the potential for “conventional” denitrification in the planted systems the main mechanism for explaining the high nitrogen removal rates obtained during the experiments was the anaerobic ammonia oxidation. The assay of the formation of hydrazine from hydroxylamine and the findings of the molecular biology tests fitted with the positive results for potential Anammox activity obtained in the bottle test. The addition of organic carbon, specifically acetate, apparently had no great influence on Anammox activity, which is in agreement with the findings reported by other authors. Nevertheless, the addition influenced the redox potential. Some questions are still left open, which are mainly associated with the scaling up of these results and the inoculation of Anammox biomass in full‐scale systems.

Over the past few years, new technologies for nitrogen removal have been developed mainly because of the increasing financial costs of the traditional wastewater treatment technologies. Newly discovered pathways, like the anaerobic oxidation of ammonium (ANAMMOX), and uses for nitrogen removal technologies are under discussion. Processes and technologies such as: Partial nitrification; Single reactor systems for High Ammonium Removal Over Nitrite (SHARON); Anammox; Aerobic/anoxic deammonification; Oxygen Limited Autotrophic Nitrification‐Denitrification (OLAND); Completely Autotrophic Nitrogen Removal Over Nitrite (CANON); wetland based systems, all have a high potential for nitrogen removal. However, the pathways of nitrogen transformation processes are very complex. An understanding of how various environmental factors affect these processes and a sound knowledge of existing, worldwide experience pertaining to these novel technologies are the key if the nitrogen removal rates are to be improved and success is to be realized in full‐scale applications. This review describes the present knowledge of the new treatment technologies for wastewater with high nitrogen loads. Special emphasis is given to the influence of environmental factors and the reactor configuration on the nitrogen transformation process and microbial activity.

Microbial quality and safety are a function of the cumulative effect of the temperature of raw materials, production processes, storage and transportation. Improving quality and safety increases the demand for refrigerated meat products. This study focuses on alternatives to improve the cold chain including sector studies to determine temperature profiles and thus identify critical improvements to the cold chain. Information from temperature recorders attached to product shipments can be used to identify the frequency and severity of temperature abuses. Although, similar information is obtained by time-temperature indicators (TTI), these devices respond to the package temperature and can result in the reprocessing, rejection or destruction of acceptable products. Finally, databases and software available for the implementation of predictive microbiology, i.e., mathematical models relating substrate composition and temperature with microbial growth in foods, can be used to evaluate alternatives to eliminate microbial risks and extend microbial shelf life. © 2005 Altaga. All rights reserved.La demanda de productos carnicos refrigerados aumenta al mejorar su calidad y seguridad microbiologica que son funcion del efecto acumulativo de la temperatura de materias primas, procesos productivos, almacenamiento y transporte. En este trabajo se presentan estrategias operacionales empezando con estudios sectoriales para decidir que puntos mejorar de la cadena de frio. Importantes son tambien los registradores de temperatura incorporados a envios de productos para analizar la magnitud y frecuencia de los abusos de temperatura. Los indicadores tiempo-temperatura (TTI por sus siglas en ingles) proporcionan informacion similar pero responden a la temperatura del empaque y no del producto en su interior. Ello puede generar informacion falsa y sugerir la destruccion, rechazo o reprocesamiento de productos en buenas condiciones sanitarias. Por ultimo, las bases de datos y software de microbiologia predictiva, modelos matematicos que relacionan la composicion y temperatura del sustrato con la cinetica de crecimiento en un alimento, permiten evaluar alternativas para reducir el riesgo microbiologico y extender la vida de aquel. © 2005 Altaga. Todos los derechos reservados.Palabras clave: Productos carnicos refrigerados, deterioro microbiologico, cadena de frio, abusos de temperatura.A demanda de productos carnicos refrixerados aumenta o mellora-la sua calidade e seguridade microbioloxica que son funcion do efecto acumulativo da temperatura de materias primas, procesos productivos, almacenamento e transporte. Neste traballo presentanse estratexias operacionais empezando con estudios sectoriais para decidir que puntos mellorar da cadea de frio. Importantes son tamen os rexistradores de temperatura incorporados a envios de productos para analizala magnitude e frecuencia dos abusos de temperatura. Os indicadores tempo-temperatura (TTI polas suas siglas en ingles) proporcionan informacion similar pero responden a temperatura do empaque e non do producto no seu interior. Esto pode xerar informacion falsa e suxeri-la destruccion, rexeitamento ou reprocesamento de productos en boas condicions sanitarias. Por ultimo, as bases de datos e software de microbioloxia predictiva, modelos matematicos que relacionan a composicion e temperatura do sustrato ca cinetica de crecemento nun alimento, permiten evaluar alternativas para reduci-lo risco microbioloxico e extende-la vida de aquel. © 2005 Altaga. Todolos dereitos reservados.Palabras chave: Productos carnicos refrixerados, deterioro microbioloxico, cadea de frio, abusos de temperatura.

Valorar la repercusión de una dieta fundamentada en hidratos de carbono en el estado nutricional de la población infantil según un estudio realizado en una zona rural de laprovincia de Los Ríos (Ecuador).

With the aim of offsetting the reduction in donors of kidneys for transplantation, we extended the acceptance criteria, considering donors over 60 years old.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality postoperatively. The use of pharmacologic prophylaxis is effective in reducing the incidence of VTE. However, the prophylaxis is often discontinued at hospital discharge, especially for those with benign disease. The implications of this practice are not known. We assessed the data from a large, ongoing registry regarding the time course of VTE and outcomes after noncancer surgery.