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At least 433 records · Page 24Linked to original sources

The economic implications of bioengineered mastitis control.

This paper estimates the cost of mastitis for the New York dairy sector. The average cost is found to be $125 per cow from reduced milk production, treatment, and increased culling. At the 1988 cow inventory, this translates to approximately $100 million annually for the entire dairy farm sector. When quality and production losses for the processing sector are added, the cost to the New York industry alone is nearly $150 million annually. Two promising new treatments, a bacteriocin and a vaccine, are evaluated. Both have shown effectiveness in preliminary trials against Staphylococcus aureus. Assuming that further development will allow the treatments to be effective against the major bacterial sources of mastitis infections, the treatments are projected to increase the annual income of the New York dairy industry by $18.8 to $39.7 million. The bacteriocin could replace antibiotic usage, a desirable goal in the opinion of many, and the vaccine promises to immunize cows against mastitis very effectively.

Animals↗

Allogeneic versus xenogeneic immune reaction to bioengineered skin grafts.

There are conflicting reports on the survival and immune reaction to allografts and xenografts of cultured skin substitutes (CSS). In this study, we investigated the allogeneic and xenogeneic responses to CSS of human keratinocytes and genetically engineered CSS expressing keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) that forms a hyperproliferative epidermis. CSS (control and KGF modified) and neonatal human foreskins were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for the expression of MHC class I and II. To study allograft rejection, grafts were transplanted to human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (huPBMC)-reconstituted SCID mice. To study xenograft rejection, grafts were transplanted to immunocompetent mice. Graft survival and immune reaction were assessed visually and microscopically. After transplantation, control CSS formed a normal differentiated epidermis, whereas KGF CSS formed a hyperproliferative epidermis. Control and KGF CSS expressed class I similar to neonatal foreskin, but did not express class II. In the allograft model, rejection of neonatal foreskins was between 5 and 9 days. In contrast, neither control nor KGF CSS was rejected by huPBMC-SCID mice. Histology showed dense mononuclear cell infiltration in human foreskins, with few, if any, mononuclear cells in control or KGF CSS. In contrast to the allogeneic reaction, CSS (control and KGF) were rejected in the xenograft model, but rejection was delayed (9-21 days) compared with neonatal skin (5-8 days). Humanized SCID mice rejected allografts of human neonatal foreskins, but did not reject control CSS or KGF CSS, even though the KGF CSS formed a hyperproliferative epidermis. Rejection of control and KGF CSS by immunocompetent mice in a xenograft model was comparable and their survival was significantly prolonged compared with neonatal skin. These results demonstrate that control CSS and hyperproliferative KGF CSS are less immunogenic than normal human skin and that sustained hyperproliferation of the epidermis does not accelerate rejection.

Animals↗

Analysis of flour and food samples for cry9C from bioengineered corn.

StarLink corn is a variety of yellow corn that has been genetically modified by the insertion of an altered cry9C gene into the plant genome. resulting in expression of the insecticidal Cry9C protein. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved StarLink corn for use in animal feed but not in food intended for human consumption. Therefore, under the U.S. Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, any food intended for human consumption in which the presence of StarLink corn is indicated by the presence of either the Cry9C protein or the cry9C gene would be considered adulterated. Extraction and PCR-based methods were used to detect the presence of the cry9C DNA initially in corn flour and corn meal, and then these methods were extended to the analysis of processed corn products, including taco shells, cereals, baby foods, party snacks, and chips, for the presence of this modified genetic material. In a survey of 63 products, the cry9C transgene was detected in 4 taco shells.

Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins↗

Prospects for microtechnology and nanotechnology in bioengineering of replacement microvessels.

CONTEXT: Due to its anticipated curative potential, therapeutic angiogenesis recently became a major preoccupation for the biomedical research community. Most of the related work reported to date employs either biochemical or genetic tools. OBJECTIVE: To identify opportunities for application of the current developments in microtechnology and nanotechnology to the field of therapeutic angiogenesis. DATA SOURCES: Survey of recent English-language literature on microvascular tissue engineering in the context of therapeutic angiogenesis. We include our results regarding the role played by microtopographical cues in the progression of angiogenesis, such as those produced during processing of the extracellular matrix by chronic inflammatory cells. CONCLUSION: While notable accomplishments have been identified in the field of tissue engineering of larger vessels, reports on purposeful assembly of microvascular structures with the ability to be transferred in vivo by implantation are still scarce. Under these circumstances, we suggest the development of a new class of implantable biomedical microdevices, that is, "angiogenesis assist devices" (or "angiochips"), and we indicate some of their conceivable applications.

Bioartificial Organs↗

Steam sterilizable probes for dissolved oxygen measurement. Reprinted from Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Vol. VI, Issue 4, Pages 457-468 (1964).

Steam-sterilizable membrane probes for monitoring the dissolved oxygen level in fermentors, or the oxygen content of gas streams, are described. The probes have a silver cathode, a lead anode, and an acetate buffer as an electrolyte. The membrane is Teflon. The current output of the probes in the absence of oxygen is negligible.

Equipment Design↗

The cultivation of animal cells at controlled dissolved oxygen partial pressure. Reprinted from Biotechnology and Bioengineering Vol. X, Issue 6, Pages 801-814 (1968).

A 3-liter culture vessel has been developed for the growth of animal cells in suspension at controlled pH and dissolved oxygen partial pressure (pO(2)). The culture technique allows metabolically produced CO(2) to be measured; provision can be made to control the dissolved CO(2) partial pressure. In cultures containing a low serum concentration, gas sparging to control pO(2) was found to cause cell damage. This could be prevented by increasing the serum concentration to 10%, or by adding 0.02% of the surface-active polymer Pluronic F68. The growth of mouse LS cells in batch culture without pO(2) control was found to be limited by the availability of oxygen. Maximum viable cell populations were obtained when dissolved pO(2) was controlled at values within the range 40-100 mm Hg.

Animals↗

The enzymatic transformation of water-insoluble reactants in nonaqueous solvents. Conversion of cholesterol to cholest-4-ene-3-one by a Nocardia sp. Reprinted from Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Vol. XVII, Pages 815-826 (1975).

The rapid conversion of cholesterol to cholestenone by Nocardia in the presence of high proportions of water-immiscible solvent has been demonstrated. At high agitator speeds, the reaction rate was not limited by the rates of transfer of oxygen or cholesterol to the microorganisms. Using 100 g of thawed cells in 200 ml of carbon tetrachloride containing 16% (w/v) cholesterol, at 20 degrees C cholestenone was formed at 7 g/hr. Cells could be separated easily from the organic solvent and reused. After 7 runs (69 hr) the reaction rate had fallen only to half the value for the first run.

Cholesterol↗

A new approach to preparative enzymatic synthesis. Reprinted from Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Vol. XIX, No. 9, Pages 1351-1361.

A new approach to preparative organic synthesis in aqueous-organic systems is suggested. It is based on the idea that the enzymatic process is carried out in a biphasic system "water-water-immiscible organic solvent." Thereby the enzyme is localized in the aqueous phase-this eliminates the traditional problem of stabilizing the enzymes against inactivation by a nonaqueous solvent. Hence, in contrast to the commonly used combinations "water-water-miscible organic solvent," in the suggested system the content of water may be infinitely low. This allows one to dramatically shift the equilibrium of the reactions forming water as a reaction product (synthesis of esters and amides, polymerization of amino acids, sugars and nucleotides, dehydration reactions, etc.) toward the products. The fact that the system consists of two phases provides another very important sources for an equilibrium shift, i.e., free energies of the transfer of a reagent from one phase to the other. Equations are derived describing the dependence of the equilibrium constant in a biphasic system on the ratio of the volumes of the aqueous and nonaqueous phases and the partition coefficients of the reagents between the phases. The approach has been experimentally verified with the synthesis of N-acetyl-L-tryptophan ethyl ester from the respective alcohol and acid. Porous glass was impregnated with aqueous buffer solution of chymotrypsin and suspended in chloroform containing N-acetyl-L-tryptophan and ethanol. In water (no organic phase) the yield of the ester is about 0.01%, whereas in this biphasic system it is practically 100%. The idea is applicable to a great number of preparative enzymatic reactions.

Animals↗

Application of mass and energy balance regularities in fermentation. Reprinted from Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Vol. XX, No. 10, Pages 1595-1621 (1978).

Material and energy balances for fermentation processes are developed based on the facts that the heat of reaction per electron transferred to oxygen for a wide variety of organic molecules, the number of available electrons per carbon atom in biomass, and the weight fraction carbon in biomass are relatively constant. Mass-energy balance equations are developed which relate the biomass energetic yield coefficient to sets of variables which may be determined experimentally. Organic substrate consumption, biomass production, oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, heat evolution, and nitrogen consumption are considered as measured variables. Application of the balances using direct and indirect methods of yield coefficient estimation is illustrated using experimental results from the literature. Product formation is included in the balance equations and the effect of product formation on biomass yield estimates is examined. Application of mass-energy balances in the optimal operation of continuous single-cell protein production facilities is examined, and the variation of optimal operating conditions with changes in yield are illustrated for methanol as organic substrate.

Electrons↗

Technological problems in cultivation of plant cells at high density. Reprinted from Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Vol. XXII, No. 6, Pages 1203-1218 (1981).

Using Cudrania tricuspidata cells as model plant cells which have high sensitivity to hydrodynamic stress, technological problems in the cultivation of the plant cells at high density were investigated. Using "shake" flasks on a reciprocal shaker and Erlenmeyer flasks on a rotary shaker and with a high supply of oxygen in order to obtain high cell densities in shaken cultures, particle breakdown and damage to the largest cell aggregate group (above 1981 microm in diameter) occurred and normal cell growth became impeded. The mass-transfer coefficient (K) for a model solid-liquid system (beta-naphthol particles and water) in place of a system of plant cells and a liquid medium was proposed as an intensity index of hydrodynamic stress effects on plant cells in suspension cultures under various conditions in the bioreactor systems. Normal cell growth was obtained under culture conditions for K values less than about 4.4 x 10(-3) cm/sec. The characteristics of various bioreactors used until now were investigated by considering the three main technological factors (capacity of oxygen supply, intensity of hydrodynamic stress effects on plant cells, and intensity of culture broth mixing and air-bubble dispersion). The most suitable bioreactor for culturing plant cells at high density was a jar fermentor with a modified paddle-type impeller (J-M). The yield of cell mass in the 10-liter J-M (working volume 5 liter) was about 30 g dry weight per liter of medium.

Bioreactors↗

Equations and calculations for fermentations of butyric acid bacteria. Reprinted from Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Vol. XXVI, Pp 174-187 (1984).

A stoichiometric equation has been derived which describes the interrelations among the various products and biomass in fermentations of butyric acid bacteria. The derivation of the equation is based on an assumed ATP yield, two biological regularities, and the biochemistry of product formation of the fermentations. The equation obeys the constraints imposed on growth and product formation by thermodynamics and the biochemical topology. The validity of the equation is tested using a variety of fermentation data from the literature. The uses, improvements, limitations, and extensions of the equation are also discussed in detail. For example, the fermentation equation is used to calculate the maximal possible yields of the main fermentation products.

Bacteria↗