scholarly journals Large-scale phenotyping of 1,000 fungal strains for the degradation of non-natural, industrial compounds

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Navarro ◽  
Delphine Chaduli ◽  
Sabine Taussac ◽  
Laurence Lesage-Meessen ◽  
Sacha Grisel ◽  
...  

AbstractFungal biotechnology is set to play a keystone role in the emerging bioeconomy, notably to address pollution issues arising from human activities. Because they preserve biological diversity, Biological Resource Centres are considered as critical infrastructures to support the development of biotechnological solutions. Here, we report the first large-scale phenotyping of more than 1,000 fungal strains with evaluation of their growth and degradation potential towards five industrial, human-designed and recalcitrant compounds, including two synthetic dyes, two lignocellulose-derived compounds and a synthetic plastic polymer. We draw a functional map over the phylogenetic diversity of Basidiomycota and Ascomycota, to guide the selection of fungal taxa to be tested for dedicated biotechnological applications. We evidence a functional diversity at all taxonomic ranks, including between strains of a same species. Beyond demonstrating the tremendous potential of filamentous fungi, our results pave the avenue for further functional exploration to solve the ever-growing issue of ecosystems pollution.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Navarro ◽  
Delphine Chaduli ◽  
Sabine Taussac ◽  
Laurence Lesage-Meessen ◽  
Sacha Grisel ◽  
...  

Abstract Fungal biotechnology is set to play a keystone role in the emerging bioeconomy, notably to address pollution issues arising from human activities. Because they preserve biological diversity, Biological Resource Centres are considered as critical infrastructures to support the development of biotechnological solutions. Here, we report the first large-scale phenotyping of more than 1,000 fungal strains with evaluation of their growth and degradation potential towards five industrial, human-designed and recalcitrant compounds, including two synthetic dyes, two lignocellulose-derived compounds and a synthetic plastic polymer. We draw a functional map over the phylogenetic diversity of Basidiomycota and Ascomycota, to guide the selection of fungal taxa to be tested for dedicated biotechnological applications. We evidence a functional diversity at all taxonomic ranks, including between strains of a same species. Beyond demonstrating the tremendous potential of filamentous fungi, our results pave the avenue for further functional exploration to solve the ever-growing issue of ecosystem pollution.


2020 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 20-24
Author(s):  
Goran Majstorović ◽  
Davor Bajs ◽  
Lucija Krstanović ◽  
Damjan Međimorec ◽  
Danko Blažević ◽  
...  

The southern wing of the Croatian transmission network was constructed for 220 kV in the early 1960’s, with additional 400 kV reinforcement at the end of 1970’s. Its route of more than 200 km is quite demanding due to extreme climate, environmental specifics and related costs. However, operational experience during more than 50 years has been quite positive. Nowadays, at the end of its lifetime it is again extremely important to analyze and select the best option for network revitalization and development to serve the network users for the next 50 years, but in very different conditions of technological development, more restrictive environmental requirements, electricity market conditions and large scale RES integration. Moreover, special attention should be given to the potential opportunity and need to use this revitalization also for new interconnection to the power system of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Five main options have been initially selected as topology candidates for problem resolving. Detailed methodology and criteria for the selection of optimal option (revitalization and development scenario and topology) were developed and approved by all involved stakeholders. For selected option, based on comprehensive analyses and approved methodology , for further detailed analyses ( system reliability, technical design, investment, economics /CBA/ and environmental analyses) have been prepared, including assessment of its impact on transmission tariffs of each country. Sensitivity analyses to the most uncertain variables (investment costs and CO2 prices) were also performed. The environmental and social assessment was very demanding due to the complex governance structure and three legal frameworks to be respected (two countries, along with two entities in BiH). The Project impact was evaluated with respect to: air quality, water quality, waste management, noise, biological diversity, electromagnetic field, social measures and protected areas. This paper presents above mentioned analyses, findings and recommendations, as the most comprehensive analytical approach to the transmission line development that’s ever been applied in this region.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. e316101018925
Author(s):  
Micael Estevão Pereira de Oliveira ◽  
Wildson Max Barbosa da Silva ◽  
Daniela Ribeiro Alves ◽  
João Batista de Andrade Neto ◽  
Selene Maia de Morais ◽  
...  

The food colors are, in many countries, widely used to give food increased visual sensory quality, aiming, thus, the growth of the consumer market. Aware of this, the present work aimed to reevaluate the general properties of synthetic food dyes and natural pigments, the latter being generally used to replace the former. Then, the current analysis was based on the search for the strategy, selection of articles (with inclusion and exclusion criteria), eligibility, and data extraction. Thus, it was observed in studies that synthetic food dyes may cause several harmful effects to human health, among them, genetic damage and carcinogenicity. On the other hand, the use of natural pigments as an alternative to replace food dyes has been increasingly present in studies, presenting qualities that, previously, were not known, as is the case of anthocyanins, which have important physiological and ecological functions. It is also important to point out that the use of natural pigments goes beyond the limits of food, and are also found as sensitizers for solar cells, tissues, and medicines. Selected articles (47) leaded to a total of 72 distinct pieces of information, focused mainly on the biological activities and involving natural dyes and pigments. In short, the gradual replacement of dyes, currently used, still in large scale in some locations, by natural pigments, is already part of our present, allowing the creation of a future perspective with the production of processed foods without the damage that most of synthetic dyes produce to the human body.


1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (06) ◽  
pp. 0939-0943 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Boneu ◽  
G Destelle ◽  

SummaryThe anti-aggregating activity of five rising doses of clopidogrel has been compared to that of ticlopidine in atherosclerotic patients. The aim of this study was to determine the dose of clopidogrel which should be tested in a large scale clinical trial of secondary prevention of ischemic events in patients suffering from vascular manifestations of atherosclerosis [CAPRIE (Clopidogrel vs Aspirin in Patients at Risk of Ischemic Events) trial]. A multicenter study involving 9 haematological laboratories and 29 clinical centers was set up. One hundred and fifty ambulatory patients were randomized into one of the seven following groups: clopidogrel at doses of 10, 25, 50,75 or 100 mg OD, ticlopidine 250 mg BID or placebo. ADP and collagen-induced platelet aggregation tests were performed before starting treatment and after 7 and 28 days. Bleeding time was performed on days 0 and 28. Patients were seen on days 0, 7 and 28 to check the clinical and biological tolerability of the treatment. Clopidogrel exerted a dose-related inhibition of ADP-induced platelet aggregation and bleeding time prolongation. In the presence of ADP (5 \lM) this inhibition ranged between 29% and 44% in comparison to pretreatment values. The bleeding times were prolonged by 1.5 to 1.7 times. These effects were non significantly different from those produced by ticlopidine. The clinical tolerability was good or fair in 97.5% of the patients. No haematological adverse events were recorded. These results allowed the selection of 75 mg once a day to evaluate and compare the antithrombotic activity of clopidogrel to that of aspirin in the CAPRIE trial.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3571
Author(s):  
Bogusz Wiśnicki ◽  
Dorota Dybkowska-Stefek ◽  
Justyna Relisko-Rybak ◽  
Łukasz Kolanda

The paper responds to research problems related to the implementation of large-scale investment projects in waterways in Europe. As part of design and construction works, it is necessary to indicate river ports that play a major role within the European transport network as intermodal nodes. This entails a number of challenges, the cardinal one being the optimal selection of port locations, taking into account the new transport, economic, and geopolitical situation that will be brought about by modernized waterways. The aim of the paper was to present an original methodology for determining port locations for modernized waterways based on non-cost criteria, as an extended multicriteria decision-making method (MCDM) and employing GIS (Geographic Information System)-based tools for spatial analysis. The methodology was designed to be applicable to the varying conditions of a river’s hydroengineering structures (free-flowing river, canalized river, and canals) and adjustable to the requirements posed by intermodal supply chains. The method was applied to study the Odra River Waterway, which allowed the formulation of recommendations regarding the application of the method in the case of different river sections at every stage of the research process.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (15) ◽  
pp. 7773
Author(s):  
Neann Mathai ◽  
Conrad Stork ◽  
Johannes Kirchmair

Experimental screening of large sets of compounds against macromolecular targets is a key strategy to identify novel bioactivities. However, large-scale screening requires substantial experimental resources and is time-consuming and challenging. Therefore, small to medium-sized compound libraries with a high chance of producing genuine hits on an arbitrary protein of interest would be of great value to fields related to early drug discovery, in particular biochemical and cell research. Here, we present a computational approach that incorporates drug-likeness, predicted bioactivities, biological space coverage, and target novelty, to generate optimized compound libraries with maximized chances of producing genuine hits for a wide range of proteins. The computational approach evaluates drug-likeness with a set of established rules, predicts bioactivities with a validated, similarity-based approach, and optimizes the composition of small sets of compounds towards maximum target coverage and novelty. We found that, in comparison to the random selection of compounds for a library, our approach generates substantially improved compound sets. Quantified as the “fitness” of compound libraries, the calculated improvements ranged from +60% (for a library of 15,000 compounds) to +184% (for a library of 1000 compounds). The best of the optimized compound libraries prepared in this work are available for download as a dataset bundle (“BonMOLière”).


Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 295
Author(s):  
Yuan Gao ◽  
Anyu Zhang ◽  
Yaojie Yue ◽  
Jing’ai Wang ◽  
Peng Su

Suitable land is an important prerequisite for crop cultivation and, given the prospect of climate change, it is essential to assess such suitability to minimize crop production risks and to ensure food security. Although a variety of methods to assess the suitability are available, a comprehensive, objective, and large-scale screening of environmental variables that influence the results—and therefore their accuracy—of these methods has rarely been explored. An approach to the selection of such variables is proposed and the criteria established for large-scale assessment of land, based on big data, for its suitability to maize (Zea mays L.) cultivation as a case study. The predicted suitability matched the past distribution of maize with an overall accuracy of 79% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.72. The land suitability for maize is likely to decrease markedly at low latitudes and even at mid latitudes. The total area suitable for maize globally and in most major maize-producing countries will decrease, the decrease being particularly steep in those regions optimally suited for maize at present. Compared with earlier research, the method proposed in the present paper is simple yet objective, comprehensive, and reliable for large-scale assessment. The findings of the study highlight the necessity of adopting relevant strategies to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Franz Kaiser ◽  
Vito Latora ◽  
Dirk Witthaut

AbstractIn our daily lives, we rely on the proper functioning of supply networks, from power grids to water transmission systems. A single failure in these critical infrastructures can lead to a complete collapse through a cascading failure mechanism. Counteracting strategies are thus heavily sought after. In this article, we introduce a general framework to analyse the spreading of failures in complex networks and demostrate that not only decreasing but also increasing the connectivity of the network can be an effective method to contain damages. We rigorously prove the existence of certain subgraphs, called network isolators, that can completely inhibit any failure spreading, and we show how to create such isolators in synthetic and real-world networks. The addition of selected links can thus prevent large scale outages as demonstrated for power transmission grids.


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