Effect of COD on mainstream anammox: Evaluation of process performance, granule morphology and nitrous oxide production.

The effect of COD addition into an anammox reactor was assessed during short and long term exposure. The short term exposure was assessed via batch tests and lasted 48 h. Results indicated the presence of a very active denitrifying community able to consume COD using nitrate and nitrite as electron acceptors.

Turn-on optomagnetic bacterial DNA sequence detection using volume-amplified magnetic nanobeads.

Detection of a Vibrio cholerae DNA-sequence using an optomagnetic read-out exploiting the dynamic behavior of magnetic nanobeads along with two turn-on data analysis approaches is demonstrated. The optomagnetic method uses a weak uniaxial AC magnetic field of varying frequency applied perpendicular to the optical path and measures the modulation of laser light passing through a cuvette containing the sample with oligonucleotide-tagged magnetic beads and macromolecular coils of single-stranded DNA. The DNA coils are formed upon a padlock probe ligation followed by rolling circle amplification (RCA).

Quantification of rolling circle amplified DNA using magnetic nanobeads and a Blu-ray optical pick-up unit.

We present the first implementation of a Blu-ray optical pickup unit (OPU) for the high-performance low-cost readout of a homogeneous assay in a multichamber microfluidic disc with a chamber thickness of 600 μm. The assay relies on optical measurements of the dynamics of magnetic nanobeads in an oscillating magnetic field applied along the light propagation direction. The laser light provided by the OPU is transmitted through the sample chamber and reflected back onto the photo detector array of the OPU via a mirror.

Evaluation of the sulfo-succinimidyl-4-(N-maleimidomethyl) cyclohexane-1-carboxylate coupling chemistry for attachment of oligonucleotides to magnetic nanobeads.

The sulfo-SMCC (Succinimidyl-4-(N-maleimidomethyl) cyclohexane-1-carboxylate) coupling chemistry was evaluated for immobilization of oligonucleotides onto 130 nm sized magnetic nanobeads aimed for bio-detection in a magnetic readout assay. The chemistry was found to produce a high surface coverage of approximately 93 +/- 10 oligonucleotides per bead whereas stability tests showed that about 50% of the oligonucleotides detached from the bead surfaces after eight weeks of storage in a buffer solution. It was shown that bead aggregation prior to magnetic readout could be suppressed by incubating the samples at 70 degrees C for 30 min.

Detection of rolling circle amplified DNA molecules using probe-tagged magnetic nanobeads in a portable AC susceptometer.

Here, the volume-amplified magnetic nanobead detection assay (VAM-NDA) is for the first time applied for detection of rolling circle amplified (RCA) DNA molecules in a portable, commercial AC susceptometer that operates at ambient temperatures and with an analysis time of about 20 min. The performance of the assay is investigated using three different magnetic nanobead sizes: 50, 130 and 250nm. The performance of the assay using the AC susceptometer is compared to the performance achieved using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID).

Central venous oxygen saturation and blood lactate levels during cardiopulmonary bypass are associated with outcome after pediatric cardiac surgery.

Introduction: Central venous oxygen saturation and blood lactate are different indices of the adequacy of oxygen delivery to the oxygen needs. In pediatric cardiac surgery, lactate level and kinetics during and after cardiopulmonary bypass are associated with outcome variables. The aim of this study was to explore the hypothesis that the lowest central venous oxygen saturation and the peak lactate value during cardiopulmonary bypass, used alone or in combination, may be predictive of major morbidity and mortality in pediatric cardiac surgery.

Filterability assessment in membrane bioreactors using an in-situ filtration test cell.

A new method for the assessment of the filterability in membrane bioreactors was tested for five months in four MBR units in Berlin. The new method BFM (Berlin Filtration Method) for filterability assessment uses a small membrane filtration test cell which can be submerged directly in the biological tanks to determine the filterability of the activated sludge in-situ. The test cell contains an aerated flat-sheet membrane which operates at similar conditions as in the plant.

Duration of red blood cell storage and outcomes in pediatric cardiac surgery: an association found for pump prime blood.

Introduction: Cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass in newborns, infants and small children often requires intraoperative red blood cell transfusions to prime the circuit and oxygenator and to replace blood lost during surgery. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of red blood cell storage time prior to transfusion on postoperative morbidity in pediatric cardiac operations.

Methods: One hundred ninety-two consecutive children aged five years or less who underwent cardiac operations using cardiopulmonary bypass and who received red blood cells for priming the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit comprised the blood-prime group.

Near-infrared spectroscopy correlates with continuous superior vena cava oxygen saturation in pediatric cardiac surgery patients.

Background: Cerebral regional oxygen saturation (rSO(2)) measured with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has a well-proven clinical utility. A goal-oriented treatment based on the rSO(2) resulted in a significant reduction in major morbidity and in a shortening of postoperative hospital stay in patients undergoing coronary revascularization. In this study, we have compared the values of superior vena cava saturation (ScvO(2)) continuously measured with a Pediasat catheter and the corresponding NIRS rSO(2) values obtained during cardiac operations in pediatric patients.

Continuous monitoring of central venous oxygen saturation (Pediasat) in pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a validation study of a new technology.

Objective: Mixed venous oxygen saturation and central venous oxygen saturation are considered possible indicators of the adequacy of oxygen delivery with respect to the oxygen needs of critically ill adult and pediatric patients. The present study was aimed at validating the accuracy of a new technology (Pediasat central venous catheter) in providing a continuous measurement of the central venous oxygen saturation in pediatric patients.

Design: A prospective observational study.

Adrenomedullin blood concentrations in infants subjected to cardiopulmonary bypass: correlation with monitoring parameters and prediction of poor neurological outcome.

Background: Brain injury is a major adverse event after cardiac surgery, especially when extracorporeal circuits are used. We evaluated whether cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) affects cerebrovascular resistance and plasma concentrations of adrenomedullin (AM), a vasoactive peptide regulating cerebral blood flow.

Methods: We evaluated 50 infants (age <1 year) with congenital heart defects, matched according to a 2-year follow-up; 40 infants had no overt neurological injury, and 10 had brain damage.

Analysis of endogenous LRP6 function reveals a novel feedback mechanism by which Wnt negatively regulates its receptor.

The canonical Wnt pathway plays a crucial role in embryonic development, and its deregulation is involved in human diseases. The LRP6 single-span transmembrane coreceptor is essential for transmission of canonical Wnt signaling. However, due to the lack of immunological reagents, our understanding of LRP6 structure and function has relied on studies involving its overexpression, and regulation of the endogenous receptor by the Wnt ligand has remained unexplored.

Perioperative activin A concentrations as a predictive marker of neurologic abnormalities in children after open heart surgery.

Background: Ischemic-reperfusion injury of the brain is a major adverse event after cardiac surgery, especially when extracorporeal circuits are used. Because brain injury induces local overproduction of activin A, we measured plasma concentrations in children after open heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) to investigate the potential of measuring activin A for early identification of infants at risk for brain damage.

Methods: We evaluated 45 infants (age <1 year) with congenital heart defects: 36 without overt neurologic injury, and 9 with neurologic injury on day 7 after the surgical procedure.

Primary repair of pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and major aortopulmonary collaterals: a useful approach.

Background: The ultimate goal of surgical therapy for pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries is to create unobstructed and separate in series pulmonary and systemic circuits. Our preference has been a 1-stage complete unifocalization technique, avoiding collateral anastomosis with either the native pulmonary arteries or other aortopulmonary collateral vessels.

Methods And Results: Since 1998, 5 patients (median age 29.

Impaired trafficking and activation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha-converting enzyme in cell mutants defective in protein ectodomain shedding.

Protein ectodomain shedding is a specialized type of regulated proteolysis that releases the extracellular domain of transmembrane proteins. The metalloprotease disintegrin tumor necrosis factor-alpha-converting enzyme (TACE) has been convincingly shown to play a central role in ectodomain shedding, but despite its broad interest, very little is known about the mechanisms that regulate its activity. An analysis of the biosynthesis of TACE in mutant cell lines that have a gross defect in ectodomain shedding (M1 and M2) shows a defective removal of the prodomain that keeps TACE in an inactive form.