The potential application of biosurfactant produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa TGC01 using crude glycerol on the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic material.

The production of biosurfactant by Pseudomonas aeruginosa TGC01 using crude glycerol and sodium nitrate as the sole substrate and nitrogen source, respectively, was investigated using two mineral culture media. Two inoculum sizes (5 and 10% v/v) and two volumes of the culture medium (50 and 100 mL) in 500 mL Erlenmeyer flask also were used. Enzymatic hydrolyses of waste office paper (WOP), newspaper (NP) and eucalyptus wood chips (EWC) were carried out using the biosurfactant from P. aeruginosa TGC01. The decrease in volume of the culture medium increased the production of rhamnolipid by 500% in relation to concentration obtained when higher volume of culture medium was used. High quantity biosurfactant was recovered (11 g/L) with desired surface active properties after extraction using chloroform:methanol (v/v). The biosurfactant was able to reduce the water surface tension from 72 to 27 mN/m with a critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 100 mg/L and a stable emulsion index (above 60%) in the enzymatic hydrolysis (pH 4.8 and 50 °C for 4 h). Biosurfactant increased the glucose released in the enzymatic hydrolysis in relation to control (without tensoactive) when WOP (19% increase) and NP (113% increase) were used. The process for NP (18% lignin) was economical, given that the biosurfactant present made a delignification process unnecessary.

[Fostering of health economics in Germany]. / Entwicklung der Gesundheitsökonomie in Deutschland.

Health economics is now well established in Germany with the aim to apply economic tools to answer problems in health and health care. After a short review of the international development of health economics and the development in Germany in particular, the article looks at selected recent topics of health economic analysis in Germany (economic evaluation, industrial economics, health and education).

Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from Iowa and Minnesota using four serologic tests.

The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is considered one of the most important wildlife reservoirs of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii in the US. Sera from white-tailed deer from Minnesota and Iowa were tested for antibodies to N. caninum by four serologic tests including the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test (cut-off 1:25), Neospora caninum agglutination test (cut-off 1:25), an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay, and Western blot (WB). Sera were also tested for antibodies to T. gondii using the modified agglutination test (cut-off 1:25). Of 62 adult deer from Minnesota antibodies to T. gondii were found in 20 (32.2%), N. caninum in 44 (71%), with dual infections in 18 deer. Of 170 (73 fawns, 9 yearlings, 88 adults) deer from Iowa, T. gondii antibodies were present in 91 (53.5%) with 37.0, 55.6 and 67.0% seropositivity in fawns, yearlings, and adults, respectively. Antibodies to N. caninum were found in 150 of 170 (88.2%) by any of the 3 tests (99 by Western blots, 135 by ELISA, 106 by IFA, and 118 by NAT). Dual infections with T. gondii and N. caninum were detected in 47 deer. Very high (84.9%) seropositivity of N. caninum in fawns suggests high rate of congenital transmission of the parasite. Seropositivity in each test at different titers is discussed.

Field Angle Tuned Metamagnetism and Lifschitz Transitions in UPt3.

Strongly correlated electronic systems can harbor a rich variety of quantum spin states. Understanding and controlling such spin states in quantum materials is of great current interest. Focusing on the simple binary system UPt3 with ultrasound (US) as a probe we identify clear signatures in field sweeps demarkating new high field spin phases. Magnetostriction (MS) measurements performed up to 65 T also show signatures at the same fields confirming these phase transitions. At the very lowest temperatures (<200 mK) we also observe magneto-acoustic quantum oscillations which for θ = 90° (B||c-axis) and vicinity abruptly become very strong in the 24.8-30 T range. High resolution magnetization measurements for this same angle reveal a continuous variation of the magnetization implying the subtle nature of the implied transitions. With B rotated away from the c-axis, the US signatures occur at nearly the same field. These transitions merge with the separate sequence of the well known metamagnetic transition which commences at 20 T for θ = 0° but moves to higher fields as 1/cosθ. This merge, suggesting a tricritical behavior, occurs at θ ≈ 51° from the ab-plane. This is an unique off-symmetry angle where the length change along the c-axis is precisely zero due to the anisotropic nature of MS in UPt3 for all magnetic field values.

Transplacental toxoplasmosis in naturally-infected white-tailed deer: Isolation and genetic characterisation of Toxoplasma gondii from foetuses of different gestational ages.

Clinical toxoplasmosis is most severe in congenitally-infected hosts. In humans, transmission of Toxoplasma gondii from the mother to the foetus is considered to be most efficient during the last trimester of pregnancy but clinical congenital toxoplasmosis is more severe if transmission occurs during the first trimester. However, there are no data on the rate of congenital transmission of T. gondii with respect to gestational age in any host during natural infection. In the present study, attempts were made to isolate T. gondii by bioassay in mice inoculated with tissues from foetuses of 88 naturally-exposed white-tailed deer from Iowa and Minnesota. Viable T. gondii was isolated from foetuses of six of 61 deer in early pregnancy (45-85 days of gestation) from Iowa and foetuses of nine of 27 deer from Minnesota in mid-gestation (130-150 days) of a gestational period of 7 months. The 15 T. gondii isolates obtained from foetal deer were PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism genotyped using polymorphisms at 10 nuclear markers including SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1 and an apicoplast marker, Apico. Five genotypes were revealed, including the clonal Type II and III lineages, and three non-clonal genotypes. DNA sequencing analysis of representative isolates at loci SAG2, c22-8, L358 and PK1 revealed that the three non-clonal genotypes are closely related to the clonal Type I, II and III lineages. It is very likely that these non-clonal genotypes were derived from genetic crosses among the three clonal Type I, II and III lineages. The most common genotype was Type II, commonly found in humans in North America and Europe, suggesting the possible link of transmission from game animals to humans.

A fetal sheep liver extract containing immunostimulatory substances including LPS acts as leukocyte activator in cells of LPS responder and non responder mice.

Purified fractions from a fetal sheep liver extract (FSLE) were investigated, in a murine model, for induction of leukocyte stimulating activities. The fractions FSLE-1 and FSLE-2 induced splenocyte proliferation in vitro in C57Bl/10ScSn (LPS responder) mice comparable to LPS, and in C57Bl/10ScCr (LPS non responder) mice. They also stimulated the release of nitrogen radicals in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) from several mouse inbred strains including both C57Bl/10ScSn and C57Bl/10ScCr mice. Stimulation of NO production could be blocked by L-NMMA, an inhibitor of iNOS, and enhanced by the simultaneous addition of IFN-gamma. Moreover, stimulation of macrophages by FSLE-1 and FSLE-2 induced a cytostatic effect of the activated macrophages for Abelson 8-1 tumor cells. The stimulatory activity of the purified fractions is partially due to trace amounts of LPS derived from the fetal liver extract which was enriched during purification. Our results may help to explain the beneficial effect of the extract in patients which has been observed clinically.

Probability of cortical infarction predicted by flumazenil binding and diffusion-weighted imaging signal intensity: a comparative positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging study in early ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The differentiation of reversible from irreversible ischemic damage is essential for identifying patients with acute ischemic deficits who may benefit from therapeutic interventions. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has become the method of choice to detect ischemic lesions. Positron emission tomography (PET) of the central benzodiazepine receptor ligand 11C flumazenil (FMZ) has been shown to be a reliable marker of neuronal integrity. These 2 imaging parameters were compared with respect to the probability to predict cortical infarction in early ischemic stroke. METHODS: In 12 patients with acute stroke, results from DWI (median, 6.5 hours after symptom onset) and FMZ-PET (interval, 85 minutes between DWI and PET) were compared with infarct extension 24 to 48 hours after onset of stroke on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (T2-MRI). Probability curves predictive of eventual infarction were computed using respective DWI, FMZ, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values for voxels of interest (VOI) later classified as representing infarcted or noninfarcted tissue. RESULTS: Ninety-five percent limits predictive of cortical infarction were determined for relative FMZ binding (< or =3.2), DWI signal intensity (> or =1.18), and ADC values (< or =0.83). Cortical regions with values beyond these 95% limits did not necessarily overlap with nor were fully congruous with final cortical infarct volumes. The respective median volumes for these regions were FMZ median 10.9, range 0 to 99.7 cm3; DWI median 15.2, range 0 to 116.0 cm3; ADC median 12.4, range 0 to 112.7 cm3; and final infarct median 14.9, range 0 to 114.7 cm(3). Overall, 83.5% of the final infarct, on average, was predicted by decreased FMZ binding, 84.7% by increased DWI signal intensity, and 70.9% by a decreased ADC value. The portions of the final infarct not predicted in the early investigation (false-negatives) were 4.8 cm3 (median) for FMZ, 3.7 cm3 for DWI, and 6.0 cm3 for ADC. The false-positive volumes not included in the final infarct were 0 cm3 (median) for FMZ, 5.1 cm3 for DWI, and 3.6 cm3 for ADC. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that FMZ-PET and DWI are comparable in the prediction of probability of ischemic cortical infarction, but FMZ-PET carries a lower probability of false-positive prediction. The final infarcts include tissue not identified by these imaging modalities; at the time of the study, these tissue compartments are viable and could benefit from treatment. The discrepancy in predictive probability could be related to the fundamental difference of the measured variables: benzodiazepine receptor activity is a reliable marker of neuronal integrity in the cortex, and movement of water molecules in the extracellular space might be a more variable indicator of tissue damage.

The relative role of genetic and environmental factors in migraine without aura.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the relative role of genetic and environmental factors in the etiology of migraine without aura (MO). METHODS: The study population consisted of 5,360 twins, 1,013 monozygotic (MZ) and 1,667 same-gender dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs, from the population-based Danish Twin Registry. A total of 87% completed a simple validated questionnaire screening for migraine. All twin pairs, in whom at least one twin had self-reported migraine or severe headache with accompanying symptoms, were interviewed via telephone by a physician. Ninety percent of the eligible twins were interviewed. Probandwise concordance rates and correlations in liability were calculated, and structural equation model-fitting analyses were applied to quantitate the relative role of genetic and environmental factors in the etiology of MO. RESULTS: The probandwise concordance rate was higher in MZ than DZ twin pairs (0.43 versus 0.31; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.49 versus 0.26 to 0.36). The correlation in liability was higher in MZ than in DZ twin pairs (0.62 versus 0.41; 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.74 versus 0.29 to 0.53). Structural equation model fitting indicated a highly significant genetic component, because a model with both genetic and environmental components fitted significantly better than a model with only environmental components. The best fitting model implied that the liability to MO resulted from additive genetic effects (61%; 95% CI, 49 to 71%)) and individual-specific environmental effects (39%; 95% CI, 29 to 51%). CONCLUSION: This study indicates that genetic factors play a role in the etiology of migraine without aura. The genetic variability is additive, with a negligible contribution of nonadditive genetic effects. The genetic contributions were similar in men and women despite a higher prevalence in women. Environmental factors are equally important and these factors are individual to the migraineurs.

A comparison of tension-type headache in migraineurs and in non-migraineurs: a population-based study.

The prevalence, sex-ratio and clinical characteristics of tension-type headache were analyzed in 4000 people from the general population. The one-year-period prevalence of tension-type headache was not significantly different in people with migraine without aura (83%), in people with migraine with aura (75%) and in people who had never had migraine (76%). The male/female ratio varied from 1:1.19 to 1:1.23 and was not significantly different in the three subgroups. Tension-type headache was significantly more frequent within the last year and lasted longer in migraineurs than in people who had never had migraine. The pain characteristics and accompanying symptoms were very similar in the three subgroups. Tension-type headache was often precipitated by stress, mental tension and tiredness. Only migraineurs had episodes of tension-type headache precipitated by alcohol, over-matured cheese, chocolate and physical activity. We conclude that tension-type headache and migraine are separate disorders and not part of a continuum of headache disorders. However, migraine may aggravate and precipitate tension-type headache possibly due to convergence of various noxious peripheral input into the trigeminal nucleus.

Analysis of 31 families with an apparently autosomal-dominant transmission of migraine with aura in the nuclear family.

We analyzed 31 families selected for an apparently autosomal-dominant mode of inheritance of migraine with aura (MA) in the nuclear family. The nuclear families were expanded with first- and second-degree relatives. All interviews were made by physicians experienced in headache diagnoses. The criteria of the International Headache Society were used. The population relative risk among children in nuclear families was similar to the estimated population relative risk of MA assuming an autosomal-dominant mode of inheritance. The population relative risk tended to decrease among first-degree relatives outside nuclear families and further among second-degree relatives. Both first- and second-degree relatives outside the nuclear families had a statistically significant lower risk of MA than expected. Thus, autosomal-dominant inheritance with or without reduced penetrance was unlikely. Autosomal-recessive inheritance was unlikely because of the unequal sex distribution. Other modes of inheritance were considered as well. Mitochondrial and X-linked inheritance were excluded because of paternal transmission. The female preponderance was too low to explain sex-influenced inheritance. We conclude that MA most likely has a multifactorial inheritance even in high-risk families with MA.

Triacyl-lipopentapeptide adjuvants: TLR2-dependent activation of macrophages and modulation of receptor-mediated cell activation by altering acyl-moieties.

Synthetic lipopeptides derived from bacterial lipoprotein are efficient immunoadjuvants. In vitro they activate antigen presenting cells (APCs) to induce the translocation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) and the activation of further transcription factors. This results in the expression of genes encoding cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alpha and in the release of reactive oxygen/nitrogen intermediates. The molecular structure of microbial products determines TLR specificity and thus their activatory potential and immunoadjuvanticity. In the present study, we investigated the lipopeptide-induced activation of leukocytes at different cellular levels by applying derivatives of a synthetic lipopentapeptide-fatty acid library. Our results show that TLR2 plays a key role for the activation of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) by lipopentapeptide derivatives and that the fatty acid composition of the lipopeptides determines their activation potential and TLR specificity.

The prevalence and characteristics of migraine in twins from the general population.

We examined whether prevalence, age at onset, and cessation of migraine without aura and migraine with aura are different among twins and singletons. The study population was recruited from the population-based New Danish Twin Register and comprised 2026 monozygotic and 3334 same-sex dizygotic twins born during 1953 to 1960. A simple questionnaire was used to screen for migraine. Twin pairs with at least one twin with possible migraine were interviewed by telephone by two physicians. A total of 1136 twin pairs were included in the telephone interviews. The criteria of the International Headache Society were used for diagnosis. The questionnaire response rate was 87%, and the telephone interview participation rate was 90%. Of the 715 migraineurs, 498 had migraine without aura, 264 had migraine with aura, and 47 had both migraine with and without aura. The lifetime prevalence, age at onset, and cessation of migraine with and without aura did not differ in monozygotic and dizygotic twins. Males and females had a lifetime prevalence of migraine without aura of 7% and 19%, respectively. The female preponderance of migraine without aura was first apparent after aged 14 years; this may be related to an influence of female hormones. The lifetime prevalence of migraine with aura was 7% in males and 8% in females. The observed and expected number of those with both migraine with and without aura was not significantly different, suggesting that migraine without aura and migraine with aura are distinct types of migraine. Males with migraine without aura had a significantly lower mean age at onset than females with migraine without aura (16.5 years versus 21.5 years), while males and females with migraine with aura had similar ages at onset (20.8 years versus 21.8 years). About 20% of the twins had ceased having attacks of migraine with or without aura. More males than females with onset of migraine without aura before aged 15 years had ceased having attacks. The prevalence of migraine without aura and migraine with aura in twins was similar to the prevalence in the general population. Being a twin did not affect age at onset or cessation of migraine. Previous observations on differences of migraine without aura and migraine with aura regarding gender was confirmed.

Healthcare reform and expenditure on drugs. The German situation.

Germany is in a period of transition with regard to healthcare reform. The number and intensity of cost control interventions increased during the last decade in an attempt to contain healthcare expenditure. The German legislature has implemented long term macroeconomic measures such as contribution rate stability and global budgeting. The mid-term goal is to reduce the structural deficits of the current system. This paper argues that reference prices, introduced in the 1989 Healthcare Reform Act, did not produce the expected savings. An analysis of the effects of the 1993 Healthcare Structure Act on pharmaceutical expenditure is also presented. Compared with the implementation of the reference price system, the introduction of global budgeting in 1993 has had a more effective and lasting cost-containment impact. The paper concludes with a review of the main aspects of the current reform discussion.

The mechanism of the reductive dehalogenation of polyhalogenated compounds by microsomal cytochrome P450.

Polyhalogenated ethanes are metabolized by reductive dehalogenation under anaerobic and also hypoxic conditions in vitro in the presence of NADPH and hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450. The cytochrome P450 dependence was shown by induction and inhibition experiments using microsomal fractions from livers of rats receiving various pretreatments. The main products of the in vitro metabolism of hexa- and pentachloroethane were tetra- and trichloroethene, respectively. Minor products were penta- (0.5%) and 1.1.2.2.-tetrachloroethane (4%). The stoichiometry of NADPH-oxidation and product formation was 1:1. From these results and earlier investigations on polyhalogenated methanes, a reaction scheme is proposed. The reductive dehalogenation probably proceeds by two sequential one electron reductions forming first a radical and then a carbanion. The carbanion may undergo protonation, alpha-, or beta-elimination forming a monodehalogenated haloalkane, an olefin or a carbene, respectively.

[The significance of genetic and environmental factors for migraine with aura. A genetic epidemiologic study of Danish twins]. / Betydningen af arv og miljø for migraene med aura. En genetisk epidemiologisk undersøgelse af danske tvillingpar.

We studied the genetic and environmental influence on migraine with aura (MA) by analysing a twin population. The twin sample consisted of 2,026 monozygotic (MZ) pairs and 3,334 same-gender dizygotic (DZ) pairs recruited from the population-based Danish Twin Register. A total of 211 pairs were identified, of whom 77 were MZ and 134 were DZ. The pairwise concordance rate was significantly higher in MZ-than in DZ-pairs, i.e. 34% and 12%, respectively, emphasizing the importance of genetic factors in MA. However, environmental factors are also important, as the pair wise concordance rate was less than 100% in MZ-pairs. Similarly, the recurrence risk of MA was 50% in MZ- and 21% in DZ-pairs which was a significant difference. In non-twin siblings, the recurrence risk of MA is 27%, which is similar to the recurrence risk in DZ-pairs. This indicates that MA is not developed due to specific environmental factors shared by the twins.

Separating the vibrationally resolved Auger decay channels for a CO core hole state.

The K-VV Auger spectrum of carbon monoxide (CO) excited by C 1s photoionization has been investigated with a novel electron-electron coincidence setup. The energy resolution is sufficiently high to resolve the vibrational energy levels of the core-ionized intermediate state and of most dicationic final states in the two-dimensional electron energy map. We demonstrate how the influence of vibrational states on a molecular Auger spectrum can be accessed experimentally without the constraint of averaging over all intermediate state energies.

Pre- and postnatal imaging of a girl with a cloacal variant.

We describe the prenatal MR findings in a 29-week fetus with a cloacal variant (urogenital sinus and anterior placed anus) in combination with an enlarged clitoris and urethral duplication and correlate them with postnatal imaging. Fetal MR imaging permits the diagnosis and characterization of cloacal and urogenital sinus malformations in utero. This information may guide pre-, peri- and postnatal management.

Observation of resonant interatomic coulombic decay in Ne clusters.

We have measured the electron spectra of Ne clusters after excitation with photon energies around the 2s inner valence threshold. At two photon energies below threshold, a resonantly enhanced surplus of low kinetic-energy electrons is observed. The kinetic energy of the peak does not vary with the photon energy and is slightly larger than the transition energy of Interatomic Coulombic Decay (ICD) above threshold. This leads us to assume that an ICD-like process is present. In analogy to the Auger and the resonant Auger decay this new phenomenon is termed resonant ICD.

Health, health care, and the environment. Econometric evidence from German micro data.

The paper develops and applies a Grossman-style health production model set up in discrete time to explain the impact of environmental pollution on the demand for both health and health care. In order to introduce the environment, our analysis takes changes in environmental conditions to influence the rate at which an individual's stock of health depreciates. While the theoretical part of our paper also contains a discussion of the full model, we restrict our empirical analysis to a submodel which is known as the pure investment model. This is because the other submodel, the pure consumption model, implies a rather implausible case of satiation with respect to the individual's preferences. Our empirical findings are based on data taken from the German Socio-economic Panel. The stock of health capital and environmental pollution are treated as latent variables and estimated using a Linear Covariance Structures model. The quality of the environment turns out to be an important determinant of health capital. From the point of view of health economics, improvements in environmental conditions can be interpreted as preventive measures. In terms of prevention, public policies designed to protect the environment also yield significant health effects. As regards health care demand the influence is not clearcut, i.e., one cannot necessarily expect a reduction in resource use.