Vacuum stripping of ethanol during high solids fermentation of corn.

In corn-ethanol industry, yeast stress inducing glucose concentrations produced during liquefaction and subsequent high ethanol concentrations produced during fermentation restrict slurry solids to 32 % w/w. These limits were circumvented by combining two novel technologies: (1) granular starch hydrolyzing enzyme (GSHE) to break down starch simultaneously with fermentation and (2) vacuum stripping to remove ethanol. A vacuum stripping system was constructed and applied to fermentations at 30, 40, and 45 % solids.

Use of formalin-fixed tissues to determine fumonisin B1-induced sphingolipid alterations in swine.

Fumonisin B1 is a mycotoxin that causes lethal pulmonary edema in swine. Sphinganine, sphingosine, and the sphinganine to sphingosine ratio are important biomarkers for fumonisin B1 exposure. Currently, tissues selected for sphinganine and sphingosine analyses are frozen at -80 degrees C until analyses take place.

Microbial diversity and dynamics in multi- and single-compartment anaerobic bioreactors processing sulfate-rich waste streams.

We investigated bacterial and archaeal community structures and population dynamics in two anaerobic bioreactors processing a carbohydrate- and sulfate-rich synthetic wastewater. A five-compartment anaerobic migrating blanket reactor (AMBR) was designed to promote biomass and substrate staging, which partially separates the processes of methanogenesis and sulfidogenesis in the middle and outer compartment(s) respectively. The second reactor was a conventional, single-compartment upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor.

Neurologic abnormalities and cerebrospinal fluid changes in horses administered fumonisin B1 intravenously.

The objective of this experiment was to characterize a dose-dependent toxic effect of fumonisin B1 (FB1) and to document initial neurologic signs, clinical progression, and terminal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) changes in horses administered FB1 IV. Seventeen healthy horses were administered 0.00 (n = 4), 0.

Fumonisin-induced blockade of ceramide synthase in sphingolipid biosynthetic pathway alters aortic input impedance spectrum of pigs.

The sphingolipid signaling pathway appears to play an important role in regulating vascular tone. We examined the effect of fumonisin B(1), a fungal toxin in corn that blocks ceramide synthase in the sphingolipid signaling pathway, on the ascending aortic impedance spectrum of pigs. Sixteen pigs were fed culture material containing fumonisin B(1) (20 mg/kg body wt) (n = 7) or a control diet (n = 9) daily for 3 days and then instrumented under alpha-chloralose anesthesia for measurement of ascending aortic pressure and flow.

Cardiovascular changes associated with intravenous administration of fumonisin B1 in horses.

Objective: To determine whether cardiovascular dysfunction is evident in horses with leukoencephalomalacia experimentally induced by administration of fumonisin B1.

Animals: 11 healthy horses of various breeds (body weight, 252 to 367 kg).

Procedure: Horses were randomly assigned to 3 groups and administered fumonisin B1 daily.