Alternative antimicrobial compounds to control potential Lactobacillus contamination in bioethanol fermentations

Antibiotics are commonly used to control microbial contaminants in yeast-based bioethanol fermentation. Given the increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria, alternative natural antimicrobials were evaluated against the potential contaminant, Lactobacillus. The effects of nisin, ?-polylysine, chitosan (CS) and lysozyme were screened against 5 Lactobacillus strains. A standard broth- microdilution method was used in 96-well plates to assess the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). L. delbrueckii subsp lactis ATCC479 exhibited maximal MICs with CS, ?-polylysine and nisin (1.87, 0.3125 and 0.05 mg/mL, respectively). Nisin reduced most Lactobacillus strains by 6 log CFU/mL after 48 hours with the exception of L. casei. Synergism occurred when ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was added with nisin. An MIC of 0.4 mg/mL of nisin combined with the EDTA at an MIC of 1 mg/ml markedly suppressed L .casei by 6 log CFU/mL. In conclusion, alternative antimicrobials proved to be a potential candidate for controlling bacterial contamination in the fermentation process. Synergistic effect of nisin with EDTA successfully inhibited the nisin-resistant contaminant, L. casei.     

Profiling the spatial concentration of allethrin and piperonyl butoxide using passive sorptive sampling and thermal desorption capillary GC-MS

Spatial concentration distribution of a chemical in an indoor environment is an important factor in the evaluation of chemical nuisances. However, straightforward techniques for the determination of this distribution are not very common and usually limited in their application. Sorptive sampling using polydimethylsiloxane-coated stir bars and the combination of active and diffusive sampling were shown to allow uncomplicated spatial concentration profiling of multiple compounds in an indoor environment. The validity of the approach was demonstrated in the analysis of the spatial concentration distribution of a pyrethroid insecticide in a common bedroom. The relative concentrations of allethrin and piperonyl butoxide were profiled throughout the room upon the application of an insecticide vaporizer.     

Ethics in the Societal Debate on Genetically Modified Organisms: A (Re)Quest for Sense and Sensibility

Via a historical reconstruction, this paper primarily demonstrates how the societal debate on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) gradually extended in terms of actors involved and concerns reflected. It is argued that the implementation of recombinant DNA technology out of the laboratory and into civil society entailed a “complex of concerns.” In this complex, distinctions between environmental, agricultural, socio-economic, and ethical issues proved to be blurred. This fueled the confusion between the wider debate on genetic modification and the risk assessment of transgenic crops in the European Union. In this paper, the lasting skeptical and/or ambivalent attitude of Europeans towards agro-food biotechnology is interpreted as signaling an ongoing social request – and even a quest – for an evaluation of biotechnology with Sense and Sensibility. In this (re)quest, a broader-than-scientific dimension is sought for that allows addressing the GMO debate in a more “sensible” way, whilst making “sense” of the different stances taken in it. Here, the restyling of the European regulatory frame on transgenic agro-food products and of science communication models are discussed and taken to be indicative of the (re)quest to move from a merely scientific evaluation and risk-based policy towards a socially more robust evaluation that takes the “non-scientific” concerns at stake in the GMO debate seriously.     

Semilobar holoprosencephaly in a 46,XY female fetus

We report the prenatal echographic diagnosis of holoprosencephaly (HPE) at 11 weeks' gestation. Fetopathological examination revealed an unusual variant of semilobar HPE with middle interhemispheric fusion associated with sex-reversal: 46,XY normal male karyotype, normal external and internal female genitalia and streak gonads. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial surrogates for the disaggregation of CORINAIR emission inventories

CORINAIR atmospheric emission inventories are frequently used input data for air quality models with a domain situated in Europe. In CORINAIR emission inventories, sources are broken down over 11 major source categories. This paper presents spatial surrogates for the disaggregation of CORINAIR atmospheric emission inventories for input of air pollutants and particulate matter to grid or polygon based air quality model domains inside Europe. The basis for the disaggregation model was the CLC2000 land cover data to which statistical weights were added. Weights were population census data for residential emissions, employment statistics for agricultural and industrial area emissions, livestock statistics for ammonia emissions and annual aircraft movements for emissions realized by air transport. Additional road and off-road network information was used to disaggregate emissions realized by traffic. A comparison of top down produced emission estimates with spatially resolved national emission data for The Netherlands and the United Kingdom gave confidence in the present spatial surrogates as a tool for the top down production of atmospheric emission maps. Explained variance at a spatial resolution of 5 km was >70% for CO, NMVOC and NO_x, >60% for PM10 and almost 50% for SO₂.     

Digital technology and the conservation of nature

Digital technology is changing nature conservation in increasingly profound ways. We describe this impact and its significance through the concept of ‘digital conservation’, which we found to comprise five pivotal dimensions: data on nature, data on people, data integration and analysis, communication and experience, and participatory governance. Examining digital innovation in nature conservation and addressing how its development, implementation and diffusion may be steered, we warn against hypes, techno-fix thinking, good news narratives and unverified assumptions. We identify a need for rigorous evaluation, more comprehensive consideration of social exclusion, frameworks for regulation and increased multi-sector as well as multi-discipline awareness and cooperation. Along the way, digital technology may best be reconceptualised by conservationists from something that is either good or bad, to a dual-faced force in need of guidance.     

Ecotoxicity of nickel to Eisenia fetida, Enchytraeus albidus and Folsomia candida

Despite growing concern about the potential adverse effects of elevated nickel concentrations in the environment, only a few toxicity data are available for terrestrial invertebrates. Therefore, chronic toxicity of nickel was assessed for Eisenia fetida, Enchytraeus albidus and Folsomia candida, the three invertebrates for which standard test protocols are available. The 21 d EC50 for the cocoon production of E. fetida was 362 (241-508) mg Ni/kg dry wt. For the reproduction of E. albidus, a 42 d EC50 of 275 (217-346) mg Ni/kg dry wt was observed. The 28 d EC50 for the reproduction of F. candida was 476 (347-671) mg Ni/kg dry wt. The obtained toxicity data were very similar to those of related species reported in literature. Although the presented data can be considered as a step forward in the assessment of the potential risks of nickel in terrestrial environments, further research is needed to evaluate the influence of soil parameters on the toxicity of nickel and to quantify the effect of ageing on bioavailability.     

In vivo distribution and fractionation of indium in rats after subcutaneous and oral administration of [(114m)In]InAs

Two in vivo experiments were carried out in this study. In the first experiment five rats were given two subcutaneous injections of [(114m)In]InAs. Major sites of accumulation were spleen, liver and kidney. The intracellular distribution of indium was examined by differential centrifugation. The cytoplasmic fraction contained most of the indium activity followed by the mitochondrial fraction. Both outcomes are in close agreement with the results obtained in previous studies. Chromatographic separations on a preparative size exclusion column were carried out. It was shown that indium was mostly bound to high molecular mass compounds in serum and in the cytoplasmic fraction of spleen, liver and kidney. In a second experiment five rats were given four oral doses of [(114m)In]InAs over a short period. Prior to this experiment the in vitro solubility of cold InAs in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) was determined using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy. In the case of the SGF only 1.3% of an InAs suspension dissolved after 48 hours incubation at 37 degrees C. InAs was not soluble in SIF. Uptake of InAs after oral administration was minimal (<1%). Due to incomplete removal of traces of [(114m)In]InAs from the gastrointestinal tract, it was impossible to calculate accurately the in vivo distribution over the different organs. As the uptake and consequently the activity in the organs were very low, no further chromatographic separations could be carried out. Considering this very low uptake, it can be concluded that InAs will not accumulate in the body after oral exposure.     

Data model for the collaboration between land administration systems and agricultural land parcel identification systems

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union (EU) has dramatically changed after 1992, and from then on the CAP focused on the management of direct income subsidies instead of production-based subsidies. For this focus, Member States (MS) are expected to establish Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS), including a Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) as the spatial part of IACS. Different MS have chosen different solutions for their LPIS. Currently, some MS based their IACS/LPIS on data from their Land Administration Systems (LAS), and many others use purpose built special systems for their IACS/LPIS. The issue with these different IACS/LPIS is that they do not have standardized structures; rather, each represents a unique design in each MS, both in the case of LAS based or special systems. In this study, we aim at designing a core data model for those IACS/LPIS based on LAS. For this purpose, we make use of the ongoing standardization initiatives for LAS (Land Administration Domain Model: LADM) and IACS/LPIS (LPIS Core Model: LCM). The data model we propose in this study implies the collaboration between LADM and LCM and includes some extensions. Some basic issues with the collaboration model are discussed within this study: registration of farmers, land use rights and farming limitations, geometry/topology, temporal data management etc. For further explanation of the model structure, sample instance level diagrams illustrating some typical situations are also included.