Concurrent production of sodium lignosulfonate and ethanol from bagasse spent liquor.

This study was done with the aim of lignosulfonate and ethanol production from different spent liquors of bagasse pulping process. For this purpose, alkali lignin from bagasse alkali liquor was separated and was sulfomethylated to produce soda lignosulfonate (SLig). Furthermore, raw bagasse was directly treated with sodium sulfite in acidic and neutral conditions to produce BLig and NLig bagasse lignosulfonate, respectively. In addition, the pentoses and hexoses impurities in lignosulfonates were fermented to ethanol using Candida guilliermondii. Results showed that the molecular weight of NLig lignosulfonate was considerably high comparing to the SLig and BLig lignosulfonates. A high level of thermal resistance was found in case of SLig regarding to the other samples at 500 °C. Fermentation of the spent liquors with Candida guilliermondii led to a maximum ethanol yield of 7.0, 1.0 and 5.1 g L-1 in NLig, SLig and BLig, respectively.

Effect of ethanol induced mild stress on post-thawed bull sperm quality.

This study was performed to investigate the effect of sub-lethal exposure of bull semen to ethanol on the post-thaw spermatozoa quality. Semen samples (n=24, 6 ejaculates/bull) from 4 Holstein bulls were collected and pooled. Pooled samples were divided into 4 equal parts and each part was frozen after being diluted with Optidyl® extender containing 0 (O-E0), 0.03 (O-E3), 0.09 (O-E9) and 0.15 (O-E15) % (v/v) absolute ethanol. Sperm motility and velocity, plasma membrane integrity and functionality, mitochondrial activity, malondialdehyde concentration, and apoptosis status were evaluated after thawing. A higher percentage of total motility was observed in the O-E9 group as compared to the O-E0, O-E3 and O-E15 groups (p<0.05). Also, plasma membrane integrity was higher (p<0.05) in the O-E9 group compared to the O-E3, and O-E15 groups. However, the difference between the O-E9 and O-E0 groups was not significant (p>0.05). In terms of the proportion of sperm abnormality and plasma membrane functionality no differences (p>0.05) were observed between the groups. Our results revealed that malondialdehyde level was lower in ethanol treated (O-E3, O-E9 and O-E15) groups compared to the O-E0 group (p<0.05). Furthermore, the percentage of live spermatozoa with active mitochondria was higher in the O-E9 and O-E15 groups compared to the O-E0 and O-E3 groups (p<0.05). The O-E3 and O-E9 groups resulted in the highest and lowest percentage of apoptotic spermatozoa, respectively (p<0.05). The results of this study demonstrate that supplementation of semen extender with sub-lethal concentration of ethanol influences post-thawed bull sperm quality in a dose dependent manner.

Left anterior descending coronary artery dissection after blunt chest trauma.

Coronary artery dissection is a well-known albeit unusual complication of blunt chest trauma. It is also an uncommon cause of myocardial infarction. Only a few such cases have been reported, probably due to the high rate of sudden death. We report a case of left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery dissection in a healthy 38-year-old female caused by blunt chest trauma. The patient was referred to our hospital with a complaint of chest pain. Electrocardiography showed T-wave inversion, echocardiography a revealed circumferential pericardial effusion, and the coronary angiogram demonstrated a thrombotic dissection of the LAD.  Troponin I was the only biomarker with elevated level. CT coronary angiography was performed using the subtotal occlusion of the LAD and illustrated a relatively good LAD run-off, and thallium scintigraphy displayed viable myocardium in this territory. Despite the total occlusion of the LAD in our case, myocardial injury was not significant due to the relatively good LAD run-off. She underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery with an excellent result.