Isolation of phosphorus-hyperaccumulating microalgae from revolving algal biofilm (RAB) wastewater treatment systems.

Excess phosphorus (P) in wastewater effluent poses a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems and can spur harmful algal blooms. Revolving algal biofilm (RAB) systems are an emerging technology to recover P from wastewater before discharge into aquatic ecosystems. In RAB systems, a community of microalgae take up and store wastewater P as polyphosphate as they grow in a partially submerged revolving biofilm, which may then be harvested and dried for use as fertilizer in lieu of mined phosphate rock.

Acetogenic production of 3-Hydroxybutyrate using a native 3-Hydroxybutyryl-CoA Dehydrogenase.

3-Hydroxybutyrate (3HB) is a product of interest as it is a precursor to the commercially produced bioplastic polyhydroxybutyrate. It can also serve as a platform for fine chemicals, medicines, and biofuels, making it a value-added product and feedstock. Acetogens non-photosynthetically fix CO into acetyl-CoA and have been previously engineered to convert acetyl-CoA into 3HB.

Establishing as a Platform Organism for the Production of Biocommodities from Liquid C Metabolites.

Using the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, acetogens can nonphotosynthetically fix gaseous C molecules, preventing them from entering the atmosphere. Many acetogens can also grow on liquid C compounds such as formate and methanol, which avoid the storage and mass transfer issues associated with gaseous C compounds. Substrate redox state also plays an important role in acetogen metabolism and can modulate products formed by these organisms.

The Metabolism of in Phosphotransacetylase Negative Strains and Development of an Ethanologenic Strain.

The sustainable production of chemicals from non-petrochemical sources is one of the greatest challenges of our time. CO release from industrial activity is not environmentally friendly yet provides an inexpensive feedstock for chemical production. One means of addressing this problem is using acetogenic bacteria to produce chemicals from CO, waste streams, or renewable resources.

Observer variability in assessing lumbar spinal stenosis severity on magnetic resonance imaging and its relation to cross-sectional spinal canal area.

Study Design: Magnetic resonance image grading of lumbar spinal stenosis severity was analyzed retrospectively using a common clinical format.

Objective: To assess the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of magnetic resonance image used to grade patients with lumbar spinal stenosis, as compared with cross-sectional spinal canal area.

Summary Of Background Data: Physicians currently classify the degree of lumbar spinal stenosis on magnetic resonance imaging as mild, moderate, or severe.