Reduction of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid iron(III) by Klebsiella sp. FD-3 immobilized on iron(II, III) oxide poly (styrene-glycidyl methacrylate) magnetic porous microspheres: effects of inorganic compounds and kinetic study of effective diffusion in porous media.

Fe3O4 poly (styrene-glycidyl methacrylate) magnetic porous microspheres (MPPMs) were introduced to immobilize Klebsiella sp. FD-3, an iron-reducing bacterium applied to reduce Fe(III)EDTA. The effects of potential inhibitors (S(2-), SO3(2-), NO3(-), NO2(-) and Fe(II)EDTA-NO) on Fe(III)EDTA reduction were investigated. S(2-) reacted with Fe(III)EDTA as an electron-shuttling compound and enhanced the reduction. But Fe(III)EDTA reduction was inhibited by SO3(2-) and Fe(II)EDTA-NO due to their toxic to microorganisms. Low concentrations of NO3(-) and NO2(-) accelerated Fe(III)EDTA reduction, but high concentrations inhibited the reduction, whether by free or immobilized FD-3. The immobilized FD-3 performed better than freely-suspended style. The substrate mass transfer and diffusion kinetics in the porous microspheres were calculated. The value of Thiele modulus and effectiveness factors showed that the intraparticle diffusion was fairly small and neglected in this carrier. Fe(III)EDTA reduction fitted first-order model at low Fe(III)EDTA concentration, and changed to zero-order model at high concentrations.

Microsurgical anatomy of the abducens nerve.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the oriented classification, relationships, and variations of the abducens nerve and provide a detailed description of its microsurgical anatomic features. METHODS: A microsurgical anatomic dissection of the abducens nerve was performed in 100 specimens obtained from 50 adult cadaveric heads fixed in formalin and two adult cadaveric heads stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histological examination. Important neurovascular and structural relationships of the abducens nerve were observed. RESULTS: The abducens nerve was divided into five segments (cisternal, petroclival, internal carotid artery, fissural, and intraconal). It coursed in the petroclival venous confluence and there was a complex anatomic relationship. Two new types of abducens nerve variations were found. In one type, the duplicated nerve is split into two branches for a limited length in the cavernous sinus (CS). The other is a complex type, which has a complex course and pattern. This type of duplicated abducens nerve has a communicating branch in the cistern and numerous fasciculi in the CS. In addition, the two branches do not accompany each other for the entire course in the CS. CONCLUSION: The vulnerability of the abducens nerve results from diverse factors. The inferolateral trunk, which arises from the intracavernous segment of carotid artery (also called the artery of the inferior CS), is an important landmark for finding the abducens nerve and sympathetic nerve. Variations of the abducens nerve are not rare. Keeping variations of the nerve in mind is important during skull base operations and transvenous endovascular interventions. Understanding the relationship of the abducens nerve with adjacent structures will help us in preparing for safe surgery.

Microsurgical anatomy of the ocular motor nerves.

This study was designed to provide anatomic data to help surgeons avoid damage to the ocular motor nerves during intraorbital operations. The microsurgical anatomy of the ocular motor nerves was studied in 50 adult cadaveric heads (100 orbits). Dissections were performed with a microscope. The nerves were exposed and the neural and muscular relationships of each portion of the nerve were examined and measured. The superior division of the oculomotor nerve coursed between the optic nerve and the superior rectus muscle after it left the annular tendon, and its branches entered into the superior rectus muscle and levator muscle. A mean of five fibers (range 3-7) innervated the superior rectus muscle, and a mean of one fiber (range 1-2) followed a medial direction (84%) or went straight through the superior rectus muscle (16%). The inferior division of the oculomotor nerve branched into the medial rectus, inferior rectus and inferior oblique muscles. The trochlear nerve ended on the orbital side of the posterior one-third of the superior oblique muscle in 76 specimens. The abducens nerve ended on the posterior one-third of the lateral rectus muscle in 86 specimens. If the belly of the lateral rectus muscle was divided into three superior-inferior parts, the nerve commonly entered into the middle one-third in 74 specimens. Based on the observed data, microanatomical relationships of the orbital contents were revised.

[Microbial reduction of Fe(III) (EDTA) in the system of nitric oxide removal by metal chelate absorption].

Reduction of Fe(III) (EDTA) with cultivated microorganisms in the system of nitric oxide removal by metal chelate absorption was investigated. Supplemental glucose stimulates the formation of Fe(II) (EDTA) more than ethanol and methanol as the carbon sources. Ammonium salt was used to be as the nitric source instead of nitrate, which inhibits the reduction of Fe(III) (EDTA) due to the competition between the two electron acceptors. The optimal pH value was from 6 to 7. The reduction percentage of Fe(III) (EDTA) varied little with the range of 30 degrees C - 40 degrees C and decreased quickly with a temperature higher than 40 degrees C. The bio-reduction could be achieved efficiently with enough carbon source and cell inoculation. The reduction rate did not increase with adding more amount of carbon source or cell inoculation. The bio-reduction rate could be described by Michaelis-Menten equation and fitted to the first order reaction kinetics. The maximum reaction rates gamma max and the Michaelis constant k(m) were 1.3 mmol x (L x h)(-1) and 53.5 mmol x L(-1)respectively.

[Properties of Pesudomonas sp. DN-1 in reduction of nitric oxide chelate absorption solution].

Metal chelate absorption is deemed as a promising method of NO removal in FGD system, but the difficulty in the regeneration of the absorption solution hinders its further development. An original method with microbial reduction is proposed in this paper. With the adding of Psudomonas sp. DN-1, which was newly isolated from wastewater treatment plant, FeII (EDTA) NO will be reduced to the environmentally benign gaseous product of N2, and thus FeII (EDTA) was regenerated simultaneously. The effects of the types and amount of carbon source, FeII (EDTA) NO concentration, pH, temperature and the biomass inoculation on bio-reduction efficiency were investigated. The results showed that the microorganism exhibited good performance on bio-reduction of FeII (EDTA) NO with the carbon sources of glucose. 250 mg x L(-1) glucose was enough for microorganism to reduce 6.50 mmol x L(-1) FeII (EDTA) NO completely. The rate of FeII (EDTA) NO reduction did not increase with adding a larger amount of carbon source. The bio-reduction could be achieved efficiently among the temperature range of 40 - 45 degrees C and a pH range of 6.9 - 7.2. The bio-reduction rate increased with the increasing of biomass inoculation. When FeII (EDTA) NO concentration is less than 11.8 mmol x L(-1), the reduction rate increased as the concentration increases, while the concentration is over 11.8 mmol x L(-1), the reduction rate keeps constant.

Dissimilatory reduction of FeIII (EDTA) with microorganisms in the system of nitric oxide removal from the flue gas by metal chelate absorption.

In the system of nitric oxide removal from the flue gas by metal chelate absorption, it is an obstacle that ferrous absorbents are easily oxidized by oxygen in the flue gas to ferric counterparts, which are not capable of binding NO. By adding iron metal or electrochemical method, FeIII(EDTA) can be reduced to FeII(EDTA). However, there are various drawbacks associated with these techniques. The dissimilatory reduction of FeIII(EDTA) with microorganisms in the system of nitric oxide removal by metal chelate absorption was investigated. Ammonium salt instead of nitrate was used as the nitrogen source, as nitrates inhibited the reduction of FeIII due to the competition between the two electron acceptors. Supplemental glucose and lactate stimulated the formation of FeII more than ethanol as the carbon sources. The microorganisms cultured at 50 degrees C were not very sensitive to the other experimental temperature, the reduction percentage of FeIII varied little with the temperature range of 30-50 degrees C. Concentrated Na2CO3 solution was added to adjust the solution pH to an optimal pH range of 6-7. The overall results revealed that the dissimilatory ferric reducing microorganisms present in the mix-culture are probably neutrophilic, moderately thermophilic FeIII reducers.

Regeneration of nitric oxide chelate absorption solution by two heterotrophic bacterial strains.

Ferrous chelate absorption is deemed a promising method for NO removal from flue gas, but the key problem is the difficulty to regenerate the absorption solution, i.e. the complexes of Fe(II)(EDTA)NO and Fe(III)(EDTA) in the solution. Two bacterial strains isolated recently from the sludge of the denitrification step of a municipal wastewater treatment plant could be applied effectively to regenerate the absorbent were Pseudomonas sp. and klebsiella trevisan sp. Pseudomonas sp. exhibited high reduction ability on Fe(II)(EDTA)NO and the klebsiella trevisan sp. was more suitable for Fe(III)(EDTA) re-duction.