Endogenous neural stem/progenitor cells stabilize the cortical microenvironment after traumatic brain injury.

Although a myriad of pathological responses contribute to traumatic brain injury (TBI), cerebral dysfunction has been closely linked to cell death mechanisms. A number of therapeutic strategies have been studied in an attempt to minimize or ameliorate tissue damage; however, few studies have evaluated the inherent protective capacity of the brain. Endogenous neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) reside in distinct brain regions and have been shown to respond to tissue damage by migrating to regions of injury.

EphrinB3 blocks EphB3 dependence receptor functions to prevent cell death following traumatic brain injury.

Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and their membrane-bound ligands, ephrins, have a variety of roles in the developing and adult central nervous system that require direct cell-cell interactions; including regulating axon path finding, cell proliferation, migration and synaptic plasticity. Recently, we identified a novel pro-survival role for ephrins in the adult subventricular zone, where ephrinB3 blocks Eph-mediated cell death during adult neurogenesis. Here, we examined whether EphB3 mediates cell death in the adult forebrain following traumatic brain injury and whether ephrinB3 infusion could limit this effect.

Pronounced hypoxia in the subventricular zone following traumatic brain injury and the neural stem/progenitor cell response.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) elicits identifiable changes within the adult subventricular zone (SVZ). Previously, we demonstrated that EphB3/ephrinB3 interaction inhibits neural stem/progenitor cell (NSPC) proliferation and downregulating this pathway following TBI plays a pivotal role in the expansion of the SVZ neurogenic compartment. It remains unclear, however, what early initiating factors may precede these changes.

Assessment of a microalgae pond for post-treatment of the effluent from an anaerobic fixed bed reactor treating distillery wastewater.

An evaluation of the performance of a laboratory-scale microalgae pond treating effluent from an anaerobic fixed bed reactor digesting distillery wastewater was carried out. The microalgae pond operated with an effluent recycling (R) of 10:1 with respect to the influent and at surface organic loading rates of 418 kg COD ha(-1) day(-1) and 92 kg BOD5 ha(-1) day(-1). During the experiment total chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), total solids (TS), total suspended solids (TSS), volatile suspended solids (VSS), total nitrogen, ammonia, total phosphorus, orthophosphate, total chlorophyll (CT) and chlorophyll a (Ca) concentrations were monitored.

Anaerobic fluidized bed reactor application to tropical fruit wine effluent.

The influence of the organic loading rate (OLR), the fluidization level (FL) and the particle diameter of natural zeolite used as support (D(p)), was evaluated at a laboratory scale anaerobic fluidized bed reactor (AFBR), treating tropical fruit wine effluent (vinasse). The experiment was carried out at an OLR from 2-5 kg COD/m3 d, FL of 20 and 40% and D(p) from 0.25 to 0.