Concentration and composition of bioaerosol emissions from intensive farms: Pig and poultry livestock.

Intensive farming is widespread throughout the UK and yet the health effects of bioaerosols which may be generated by these sites are currently not well researched. A scoping study was established to measure bioaerosols emitted from intensive pig (n = 3) and poultry farms (n = 3) during the period 2014-2015. The concentration of culturable mesophilic bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, Staphylococcus spp.

Achieving drinking water compliance levels for metaldehyde with an acclimated sand bioreactor.

Metaldehyde removal was delivered to below the 0.1 μg L regulatory concentration in a laboratory scale continuous upflow fluidised sand bioreactor that had undergone acclimation through selective enrichment for metaldehyde degradation. This is the first reported case of successful continuous flow biological treatment of metaldehyde from real drinking water sources treating environmentally realistic metaldehyde concentrations.

From full-scale biofilters to bioreactors: Engineering biological metaldehyde removal.

Polar, low molecular weight pesticides such as metaldehyde are challenging and costly to remove from drinking water using conventional treatment methods. Although biological treatments can be effective at treating micropollutants, through biodegradation and sorption processes, only some operational biofilters have shown the ability to remove metaldehyde. As sorption plays a minor role for such polar organic micropollutants, biodegradation is therefore likely to be the main removal pathway.

Scoping studies to establish the capability and utility of a real-time bioaerosol sensor to characterise emissions from environmental sources.

A novel dual excitation wavelength based bioaerosol sensor with multiple fluorescence bands called Spectral Intensity Bioaerosol Sensor (SIBS) has been assessed across five contrasting outdoor environments. The mean concentrations of total and fluorescent particles across the sites were highly variable being the highest at the agricultural farm (2.6 cm and 0.

Synthesis and evaluation of the anti-proliferative activity of diaryl-3-pyrrolin-2-ones and fused analogs.

Analogs containing a central 3-pyrrolin-2-one core with different methoxyphenyl and/or indole substituents were prepared and tested for anti-proliferative activity in U-937 cells. The most efficacious analogs were non-rigid, (non-fused) contained methoxyaryl groups located at the 4-position, and contained either methoxyaryl or indole groups located at the 3-position. Both the number of methoxy groups contained in the substituents and the particular location of the indole rings with respect to the lactam carbonyl had significant affects on anti-proliferative activity.

Preparation of dibenzo[e,g]isoindol-1-ones via Scholl-type oxidative cyclization reactions.

A flexible synthesis of dibenzo[e,g]isoindol-1-ones has been developed. Dibenzo[e,g]isoindol-1-ones represent simplified benzenoid analogues of biological indolo[2,3-a]pyrrolo[3,4-c]carbazol-5-ones (indolocarbazoles), compounds that have demonstrated a wide range of biological activity. The synthesis of the title compounds involved tetramic acid sulfonates.

The effects of limb posture on relationships between in vitro radial hoof strain, load and joint angles.

Reasons For Performing Study: Radial strain in normal hooves has been found to vary with strain gauge location, limb posture and sample limb but reported magnitudes were considered to be low. More accurate measurement of radial strain may enhance the understanding of hoof function.

Objectives: To explore in vitro radial hoof strain in relation other kinetic and kinematic variables that may be related.

In vitro measurement of internal hoof strain.

Reasons For Performing Study: Strains during stance on the hoof wall surface have been measured by a number of authors in vitro and in vivo. Histological structure and mechanical properties vary through the wall thickness (radially); radial strain measurements may therefore aid the understanding of mechanical function of the capsule and adjacent tissues.

Objectives: To develop instrumentation capable of measuring internal hoof strain, and to carry out a preliminary comparison of normal and laminitic hooves.

Effects of ageing on morphology, amylase release, cytosolic Ca2+ signals and acyl lipids in isolated rat parotid gland tissue.

Xerostomia (oral dryness sensation) is due to dryness of the oral cavity and it is more prevalent in the elderly. This study investigated the effect of ageing on parotid gland structure and function of control (2-6 months) and aged (12, 16-18 and 22-24 months) rats employing light microscopic, colorimetric, gas chromatographic and microspectrofluorimetric methods to investigate the morphological changes of the parotid glands, amylase release, endogenous lipid distribution and cytosolic free calcium levels, respectively. When compared to controls, age-related changes were apparent in glands obtained from rats aged 16-18 and 22-24 months, which included reduced acinar cell distribution, enlarged parotid ducts with fatty and connective tissue and mast cell infiltrations.

Streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus alters the morphology, secretory function and acyl lipid contents in the isolated rat parotid salivary gland.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with numerous conditions including hypo-secretion of digestive enzymes. This study investigated the morphology, secretory function (alpha-amylase release) and acyl lipid contents in the isolated parotid gland of STZ-induced diabetic and age-matched control rats in order to provide insights into diabetes-induced salivary insufficiency. The techniques employed included light microscopy, colourimetric and gas chromatography (GC) analysis, respectively.

Epithelial invasion and cell lysis by virulent strains of Streptococcus suis is enhanced by the presence of suilysin.

Streptococcus suis is an important pathogen of pigs causing arthritis, pneumonia and meningitis and is an occupational disease of farmers and those in the meat industry. As with other streptococci, both virulent and avirulent strains of S. suis are frequently carried asymptomatically in the tonsillar crypts and nasal cavities.

Modulation of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis in celery by exogenous fatty acids.

The effects of C16 and C18 fatty acids on the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine were studied in Apium graveolens cell suspension cultures and postmitochondrial supernatants. When cells were exposed to exogenous oleic acid, the rate of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis increased 1.4-fold within 5 min of the addition of the fatty acid to the culture medium.

Development of a bacterial model for studying anthracycline-membrane interactions.

Growth of wild-type Escherichia coli strain MRE600 was severely affected up to 9 h following treatment with the anthracycline doxorubicin (15 microM), however, after 9 h, the cells became resistant. The onset of resistance coincided with some changes in the relative proportions of total saturated, monounsaturated and cyclopropane fatty acids. The anionic lipid content in E.

Identification and Preliminary Characterization of a Ca2+- Dependent High-Affinity Binding Site for Inositol-1,4,5-Trisphosphate from Chenopodium rubrum.

Using a radioligand-binding assay we have identified a Ca2+- dependent high-affinity D-myo-inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) binding site in a membrane vesicle preparation from Chenopodium rubrum. Millimolar concentrations of Ca2+ were required to observe specific binding of [3H]InsP3. A stable equilibrium between bound and free ligand was established within 5 min and bound [3H]InsP3 could be completely displaced by InsP3 in a time- and concentration-dependent manner.

Effects of unsaturated fatty acid supplementation on phospholipid and triacylglycerol biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A fatty acid desaturase mutant was used to study the regulatory effects of unsaturated fatty acids on glycerolipid biosynthesis in yeast. Cells grown on palmitoleic acid (16:1) contain approximately twice the amount of phospholipids and triacylglycerols (per mg. dry weight) compared to those grown on oleic acid (18:1).

The pH dependence of the hydrolysis of chromogenic substrates of the type, Lys-Pro-Xaa-Yaa-Phe-(NO2)Phe-Arg-Leu, by selected aspartic proteinases: evidence for specific interactions in subsites S3 and S2.

Variation in the kinetic parameters, kcat and Km, with pH has been used to obtain evidence for significant acid-dissociation processes in the hydrolysis of octapeptide substrates by three aspartic proteinases. These substrates are all cleaved at the peptide bond between a Phe (P1) and a p-nitroPhe (P1') residue resulting in a shift in absorbance at 300 nm that facilitates kinetic measurements. The substrates differ in the amino-acid residues present in the P3 and the P2 positions.