Anaerobic co-digestion of linen, sugar beet pulp, and wheat straw with cow manure: effects of mixing ratio and transient change of co-substrate

This study concerns the improvement and sustainability of producing methane (CH4) from the co-digestion of cow manure (CM), sugar beet pulp (SBP), linen (Ln), and wheat straw (WS). The first step involved co-digesting CM, Ln, and WS at various mixing ratios (CM/Ln/WS) in batch reactors to ascertain the best gas production. Biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests were carried out under mesophilic conditions using sludge from a wastewater treatment plant as an inoculum. The highest CH4 production (351 mL/g VSadd) and volatile solids removal rate (72.87%) were observed at the mixing ratio 50/25/25 and the lowest CH4 production (187 mL/g VSadd) was recorded at the ratio 25/25/50. A kinetic analysis was carried out to suggest the best strategy for methane production based on the ratio of substrates in the mix. The second step involved co-digesting CM, SBP, Ln, and WS in a semi-continuous stirred tank reactor to study the influence of a transient change in co-substrate on gas production and reactor performance. The rate of biogas production doubled with the transient change of co-substrate from WS to SBP, which may be due to the SBP being more easily biodegradable than WS.

Mating can initiate stable RNA silencing that overcomes epigenetic recovery

Stable epigenetic changes appear uncommon, suggesting that changes typically dissipate or are repaired. Changes that stably alter gene expression across generations presumably require particular conditions that are currently unknown. Here we report that a minimal combination of cis-regulatory sequences can support permanent RNA silencing of a single-copy transgene and its derivatives in C. elegans simply upon mating. Mating disrupts competing RNA-based mechanisms to initiate silencing that can last for >300 generations. This stable silencing requires components of the small RNA pathway and can silence homologous sequences in trans. While animals do not recover from mating-induced silencing, they often recover from and become resistant to trans silencing. Recovery is also observed in most cases when double-stranded RNA is used to silence the same coding sequence in different regulatory contexts that drive germline expression. Therefore, we propose that regulatory features can evolve to oppose permanent and potentially maladaptive responses to transient change.

Cardiac Manifestations in Dengue Patients in a Rural Tertiary Care Centre in Coastal Kerala

Background: Dengue epidemic is a major health problem in India. Kerala has reported the highest number of dengue related deaths in the country in 2017 as per the reports of the directorate of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP). The aim of the present study is to find out the cardiac manifestations of patients admitted with dengue fever during the epidemic in 2017 in a rural tertiary care centre in coastal Kerala. Method: 341 patients who were admitted in the medicine department of a rural tertiary care Centre in Kerala with Dengue were included in the study. W.H.O case definitions were used for the diagnosis. Complete blood counts, RBS, serum creatinine and liver function tests and E.C.G were carried out in all patients. Echocardiogram and cardiac biomarkers were done when indicated. Results: Males predominated. 317 were diagnosed as dengue fever, 12 as dengue hemorrhagic fever and 12 had dengue shock syndrome. Only four patients succumbed to death. Head ache and myalgia were the common symptoms at the time of presentation. 72 patients had abnormal ECG, but all had normal ECG at the time of discharge, indicating a transient change during the episode. Conclusion: This retrospective observational study included 341 patients admitted in a rural tertiary care Centre in Kerala. Patients were diagnosed as per W.H.O. case definition for dengue. 317 were diagnosed as dengue fever, 12 as dengue hemorrhagic fever and 12 had dengue shock syndrome. Study population was predominantly males. 72 patients had abnormal ECG, but all had normal ECG at the time of discharge, indicating a transient change during the episode.