In MS patients there was a significantly positive relationship between membrane AA and TGF-ß1 indicating that it is the individual long chain (LC) PUFA, i.e. AA that regulate the levels of TGF-ß1. Investigation of the effects of n-6 and n-3 PUFAs on normal healthy PBMC production of TGF-ß1 in vitro showed that PBMC in the presence of phytohaemaglutinin (PHA) supplemented with LA, dihyomo-?-linolenic (DGLA) and arachidonic acid (AA) significantly increase TGF-ß1 compared with non-supplemented PHA-stimulated PBMCs. In contrast, TGF-ß1 levels from PHA-stimulated PBMCs supplemented with a-linolenic (ALA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were significantly decreased suggesting that n-6 fatty acids (LA, DGLA and AA) increase in vitro TGF-ß1 production by PHA-stimulated PBMCs and, in contrast, n-3 fatty acids (ALA, EPA and DHA) decrease TGF-ß1 production. GLA-rich borage oil supplementation resulted in significantly decreased ex vivo monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), macrophage inflammatory protein-1a (MIP-1a) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) production from PHA-or LPS-stimulated PBMC compared with baseline. It also significantly decreased cell surface expression of CD36+, CD54+ and CD62L+ on monocytes. In contrast, there was no association between LA-rich corn oil and these adhesion molecules and chemokines suggesting that GLA and/or its metabolites are affecting the chemokines and adhesion molecules studied. Overall, results of this study indicate that n-6 long chain PUFAs may have anti-inflammatory properties and might therefore be beneficial in multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis and other inflammatory diseases.

No description available.

The concept of a particular atom, compound or group of compounds being transformed by geochemical, anthropogenic and biological processes on a global scale is not new: the cycling of water and carbon and nitrogen have been recognised in biology and geography. A similar cycle can be constructed for sulphur, which at the most basic level is much like that of carbon. The primary difference is that unlike carbon dioxide (C02) and photosynthesis, biological agents do not play as great a part in the removal of sulphur compounds from the atmosphere to a terrestrial form.

No description available.

The optimisation of biogas digesters is crucial for further development of sustainable energy sources. In this research, an integrative approach was taken to understanding how this problem can be addressed including: seeking a better understanding of protein – surface interactions on the molecular level; larger scale experiments to screen the best materials for use in laboratory scale anaerobic digesters to influence microbial growth and biofilm development as well as analysis of farm-scale data using the ADM1 multiparameter model. The laboratory-scale experiments were undertaken to develop surfaces suitable for studying microbial immobilization. This work, currently using tertiary amines, amine oxides and comparator oligoethylene glycol studies the adsorption of two classic model proteins: lysozyme and fibrinogen using quartz crystal microbalance methods and represents important steps for selecting and exploring surface – protein interactions. The data showed that tertiary amine oxides are more resistant to nonspecific protein adsorption than the corresponding tertiary amines. Heat modified polyurethane foam was used to explore biofilm and planktonic phase microbial populations in a fixed film biogas reactor. After four weeks the foam was analysed by ‘next generation’ 454-sequencing to identify the influence of the supporting materials on microbial population residing in anaerobic digesters. The results revealed that Spirochaetes, Methanobacterium and Methanocorpusculum associated themselves with heat modified polyurethane foams. Finally, data from a farm-scale anaerobic digester (volatile fatty acid concentration, temperature and pH) have been gathered and entered into the ADM1 model, developed by the mathematical modelling group from Lund University, to mimic the behaviour of a laboratory scale 1.5 l reactor and identify improved conditions for methanogens stability. The combination of approaches described above will allow the identification of which parameters will enhance the operation of anaerobic digesters and has identified surfaces that promote adhesion of particular Bacteria and Archaea in order to increase biogas production.

Phytoremediation is a plant-based remediation process for treating contaminated soils. The overall aim of this thesis was to determine whether phytoremediation could be applied to co-contaminated soils. Copper (Cu) and pyrene, and Chromium (Cr) and Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) were used as contaminants. The first study involved the joint effect of Cu and pyrene or Cr and B[a]P on the early seedling growth of Lolium perenne. Results suggest that co-contamination showed several types of interactions for seedling growth with different combinations of the pollutants. The second study involved the role Brassica juncea and Zea mays during the remediation of Cu and/or pyrene, and Cr and/or B[a]P co-contaminated soils respectively. Brassica juncea and Z. mays showed contrasting results for metal and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) remediation. The third study compared freshly spiked soils and aged soils. Ageing affected the plant biomass, metal phytoextraction and PAH dissipation in different ways when compared to fresh soils. Finally, the efficiency of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-EDTA and/or citric acid as chelators in co-contaminated soils was studied. The combined application of EDTA and citric acid was more effective in co-contaminated soils. The overall findings from the four studies suggest that phytoremediation could be applied to co-contaminated soils.