The ochratoxins, metabolites of certain Aspergillus and Penicillium species are the first group of mycotoxins discovered subsequent to the epoch-making discovery of the aflatoxins. Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a very important mycotoxin owing to its frequent occurrence in nature, its established role in Danish porcine nephropathy and in poultry mycotoxicoses and its implicated role in Balkan endemic nephropathy and urinary system tumors among population groups in North Africa. Chapters 2 and 3 highlight the importance of OTA and the research currently being done on mycotoxins. These efforts are focused on the molecular genetics of toxinogenic fungi; the mechanism of their action; species differences in metabolism and pharmacokinetics; quantification of mycotoxins; risk assessments on the exposure of man and animals to mycotoxins and regulations for the control of mycotoxin contamination. Methods developed to analyse OTA in different matrices by using reversed phase high performance-liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and tandem liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques are described in Chapter 10. Amino propyl solid phase extraction columns were used for the first time in cleanup steps of ochratoxin analysis. These techniques and methods were applied to the first survey on the levels of OTA in coffee on the South African retail market (Chapter 5). The results suggest that the levels of OT A in the coffee on the South African market are somewhat higher than the levels of OTA in coffees on the European market. The possibility to biologically produce different halogen-ochratoxins by supplementing the growth medium of Aspergillus ochraceus with halogen salts was investigated. Bromoochratoxin A was produced for the first time in this way. Supplementation of inoculated wheat with potassium iodide and -fluoride resulted in the poisoning of the yeast and no iodoor fluoro-ochratoxin B was produced. It was found that Aspergillus ochraceus produced OTA in higher yields at elevated levels of potassium chloride. This finding has important commercial applications in the production ofOTA (Chapter 4). The ochratoxins are hydrolyzed in vivo by carboxypeptidase A. The hydrolysis of the ochratoxins and analogues by carboxypeptidase A was measured in vitro in a structurefunction relation study by employing mass spectrometric techniques. The kinetic data of the ochratoxins were compared to the values of a number of synthesized structural analogues. It was found that the halogen containing analogues had lower turnovers than their des-halo analogues. There were no substantial differences in the kinetic data between the different halogen containing analogues (Chapter 8). The toxicokinetics of OTA in vervet monkeys were determined for the first time. The clearance of OTA from the plasma suggested a two-compartment model and the elimination half-life was determined to be 19-21 days. The half-life of OTA in humans was determined by allometric calculations to be 46 days. We came to the conclusion that the long term consumption of OT A contaminated foods will lead to potentially hazardous levels of the toxin in the body (Chapter 9). This hypothesis can be substantiated by the incidence of OTA in the blood of various population groups. Possible ways to decontaminate OT A contaminated foods by degrading the compound biologically with yeast; moulds or lipases to non-toxic compounds were investigated. Eight moulds, 323 yeasts and 23 lipases were screened for ochratoxin degradation. A lipase from Aspergillus niger is the first lipase that was proven to degrade OTA (Chapter 7). Four yeasts were found to degrade OT A of which one, Trichosporon mucoides degraded OTA substantially within 48 hours in a growing culture (Chapter 6). In addition to this first report of yeasts which have the ability to degrade OTA, the fungi Cochliobolus sativus, Penicillium islandicum and Metarhizium anispoliae also proved to degrade OT A. OT A was degraded in all instances to the non-toxic ochratoxin a and the amino acid phenylalanine. / Thesis (PhD (Chemistry))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2000

The ochratoxins, metabolites of certain Aspergillus and Penicillium species are the first group of mycotoxins discovered subsequent to the epoch-making discovery of the aflatoxins. Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a very important mycotoxin owing to its frequent occurrence in nature, its established role in Danish porcine nephropathy and in poultry mycotoxicoses and its implicated role in Balkan endemic nephropathy and urinary system tumors among population groups in North Africa. Chapters 2 and 3 highlight the importance of OTA and the research currently being done on mycotoxins. These efforts are focused on the molecular genetics of toxinogenic fungi; the mechanism of their action; species differences in metabolism and pharmacokinetics; quantification of mycotoxins; risk assessments on the exposure of man and animals to mycotoxins and regulations for the control of mycotoxin contamination. Methods developed to analyse OTA in different matrices by using reversed phase high performance-liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and tandem liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques are described in Chapter 10. Amino propyl solid phase extraction columns were used for the first time in cleanup steps of ochratoxin analysis. These techniques and methods were applied to the first survey on the levels of OTA in coffee on the South African retail market (Chapter 5). The results suggest that the levels of OT A in the coffee on the South African market are somewhat higher than the levels of OTA in coffees on the European market. The possibility to biologically produce different halogen-ochratoxins by supplementing the growth medium of Aspergillus ochraceus with halogen salts was investigated. Bromoochratoxin A was produced for the first time in this way. Supplementation of inoculated wheat with potassium iodide and -fluoride resulted in the poisoning of the yeast and no iodoor fluoro-ochratoxin B was produced. It was found that Aspergillus ochraceus produced OTA in higher yields at elevated levels of potassium chloride. This finding has important commercial applications in the production ofOTA (Chapter 4). The ochratoxins are hydrolyzed in vivo by carboxypeptidase A. The hydrolysis of the ochratoxins and analogues by carboxypeptidase A was measured in vitro in a structurefunction relation study by employing mass spectrometric techniques. The kinetic data of the ochratoxins were compared to the values of a number of synthesized structural analogues. It was found that the halogen containing analogues had lower turnovers than their des-halo analogues. There were no substantial differences in the kinetic data between the different halogen containing analogues (Chapter 8). The toxicokinetics of OTA in vervet monkeys were determined for the first time. The clearance of OTA from the plasma suggested a two-compartment model and the elimination half-life was determined to be 19-21 days. The half-life of OTA in humans was determined by allometric calculations to be 46 days. We came to the conclusion that the long term consumption of OT A contaminated foods will lead to potentially hazardous levels of the toxin in the body (Chapter 9). This hypothesis can be substantiated by the incidence of OTA in the blood of various population groups. Possible ways to decontaminate OT A contaminated foods by degrading the compound biologically with yeast; moulds or lipases to non-toxic compounds were investigated. Eight moulds, 323 yeasts and 23 lipases were screened for ochratoxin degradation. A lipase from Aspergillus niger is the first lipase that was proven to degrade OTA (Chapter 7). Four yeasts were found to degrade OT A of which one, Trichosporon mucoides degraded OTA substantially within 48 hours in a growing culture (Chapter 6). In addition to this first report of yeasts which have the ability to degrade OTA, the fungi Cochliobolus sativus, Penicillium islandicum and Metarhizium anispoliae also proved to degrade OT A. OT A was degraded in all instances to the non-toxic ochratoxin a and the amino acid phenylalanine. / Thesis (PhD (Chemistry))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2000

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

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La gestion de l'infection endodontique est la clé de la réussite de tout traitement endodontique. La reproduction in vitro du biofilm endocanalaire sauvage, qui se compose d'environ 500 espèces bactériennes différentes est à ce jour impossible. Cependant, tester un protocole de désinfection dans des conditions de laboratoire et ce avant toute application clinique reste indispensable. Il ressort que le développement d'un modèle qui ressemblerait structurellement à son type homologue sauvage se montre crucial. Dans le laboratoire MICORALIS (EA 7354) nous nous sommes intéressés à la conception et à la réalisation d'un biofilm polybactérien artificiel. La recherche bibliographique a permis de sélectionner S. salivarius, E. faecalis, F. nucleatum et P. gingivalis qui sont des représentants de différents groupes colonisateurs de l’espace endodontique et qui coexistent. Après une série d'analyse au MEB puis des examens à l'aide de la technique FISH-confocale (sondes ARNr 16S), nous avons pu démontrer que ces bactéries sont présentes dans la composition d’un biofilm mature après 21 jours sur la dentine péricanalaire. Ces investigations nous ont permis de géo-localiser des bactéries dans les tubuli dentinaires jusqu’à 500µm et parmi elles, P. gingivalis était statistiquement prédominante. Afin de répondre aux exigences des objectifs de notre étude, six groupes de 12 échantillons contaminés par le biofilm expérimental ont servi à tester 6 techniques de décontamination endodontique / Management of infection is the key to a successful root canal treatment and development of a study model of endodontic biofilm which resemble structurally to its wild type counterpart seems crucial before any clinical application of different protocols. However, the in vitro reproduction of the root canal biofilm which consists of about 500 different bacterial species is very difficult. In laboratory MICORALIS (EA 7354) we were interested in conception of an artificial polybacterial. The bibliographical research allowed to choose S. salivarius, E. faecalis, F. nucleatum and P. gingivalis which are representatives of different groups of root canal biofilm colonizers. Following a series of periodic Scanning Electron Microscopies of samples and furthermore by help of FISH-Confocal imaging of 16S rRNA, we could prove the presence of these bacteria inside the biofilm structure and illustrate their distribution over the root canal system. In addition, it was possible also to confirm the maturation time needed to obtain the biofilm model, which is resistant enough to be used in vitro for endodontic disinfection investigation. After being characterized, we treated the model biofilm with different endodontic decontamination protocols

Orientador: Gustavo Rocha de Castro / Banca: Raquel Fernandes Pupo Nogueira / Banca: Marcelo Organachi Orlandi / Banca: Katia Jorge Ciuffi / Banca: Silvana Ruella de Oliveira / Resumo: A contaminação de corpos d'água e águas subterrâneas por substâncias tóxicas ocasiona a redução da qualidade da água e até mesmo sua inapropriação para consumo. Atualmente as técnicas convencionais de tratamento de águas e resíduos aquosos não são capazes de descontaminá-los totalmente, pois substâncias recalcitrantes e substâncias parcialmente removidas/degradadas - como alguns clorofenóis (CPs) e substâncias desreguladoras endócrinas (SDEs) - permanecem na água mesmo após submetida aos tratamentos convencionais, reforçando a necessidade do desenvolvimento de procedimentos mais completos, sustentáveis e que também sejam economicamente viáveis. A exemplo, a fotocatálise heterogênea utilizando materiais semicondutores ativados pela radiação UV para produção, principalmente, de radicais hidroxilos pode ser aplicada para se degradar contaminantes em meio aquoso, sendo o óxido de titânio o material mais empregado devido àelevada atividade, baixo custo, estabilidade, disponibilidade e propriedades químicas, físicas e biológicas adequadas. Apesar de diversas vantagens associadas ao seu uso em fotocatálise heterogênea, sua aplicação na forma de suspensões (a fim de fazer melhor proveito da área superficial das partículas) ainda é restrita devido principalmente a dificuldades de separação/remoção destas após o processo de degradação. Neste trabalho, fotocatalisadores híbridos a base de titânia foram produzidos para realizar fotocatálise heterogênea de compostos orgânicos em meio aquo... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The contamination of waters and groundwaters by toxic substances reduces the quality of water and can even make it inadequate for consumption. Currently, the conventional techniques for treatment of waters and wastewaters are not able to completely decontaminate them. This is attributed to the presence of partially removed/degraded andrecalcitrant substances such as chlorophenols (CPs) and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), since they persist in water even after the conventional treatment. This emphasizes the need for the development of more complete and sustainable processes that are also economically viable. For instance, heterogeneous photocatalysis utilizing UV-activated semiconductors for the production, mainly, of hydroxyl radicals is applied in the degradation of contaminants in aqueous medium. In this aspect, titanium oxide is the most used material in virtue of its high activity, low cost, stability, availability and suitable chemical, physical and biological properties. Despite so many advantages for the application of titanium oxide in heterogeneous photocatalysis, its application as slurries (to make better use of the surface area of particles) is still restrained by drawbacks related to separation/extraction steps. In this work, titania-based photocatalist hybrids were produced to perform heterogeneous photocatalysis of organic compounds in aqueous medium.As an alternative to implement particle separation from slurries, titania and mesoporous silica were depo... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Using questionnaire enquiry, this diploma thesis tries to find out the level of knowledge of single members of basic rescue bodies involved in the Integrated Rescue System of the Czech Republic in the area of nerve agents and subsequently compare this knowledge of single basic bodies. Another aim, which is based on literature examination and information available, is to suggest an appropriate procedure for Integrated Rescue System action in case of misuse of nerve agents by terrorists. The suggested procedure of activities of bodies involved in the Integrated Rescue System could serve as an example for establishing a model plan of activities of bodies involved the Integrated Rescue System in case of events with suspicion of terrorist attack performed by nerve agents or other highly toxic chemical agents. A comprehensive overview on nerve agents could be used for deepening and broadening of knowledge of single Integrated Rescue System bodies. Although such a terrorist attack has not happened in the Czech Republic yet, it cannot be excluded that it will occur in the future. Hence it is very important so that the Integrated Rescue System is perfectly equipped both materially and technically, and single Integrated Rescue System bodies are trained and educated systematically. It is better to be theoretically and practically well prepared, and never to use this knowledge and skills than to improvise and rely on decision carried out only on the place of disaster.

The synergistic effect of nitric oxide toward dephosphorylation reactions involving phosphate esters was the subject of investigation in this research. Sodium nitroprusside under UV irradiations at 254nm, 365nm and white light was utilized as nitric oxide donor in solutions. The effects of cobalt trimethylenediamine and nitroprusside towards dephosphorylation of nitrophenylphosphate and pyrophosphate which were modeled as organophosphate ester substrates were also investigated. The activated substrate models showed more rate enhancement than the unactivated models in all cases. The direct interaction of nitric oxide with the phosphorus centre is presumed to be the reason for enhanced hydrolysis. This study demonstrates the possible role of nitric oxide in decontamination reactions of poorly biodegradable phosphate esters in the biosphere. / Chemistry / M. Sc. (Chemistry)

The thesis is focused on the mapping and the appraisal of current processes, using in the field of decontamination and the other manipulation with pets, in the emergency planning area within the possible emergence of radiation accident in nuclear facilities. There are meant animals which are kept like pets, not for farming. For nuclear facilities in our territory, collision plans are made, that contain methods, describing solution processes of radiation accident. The method of pet manipulation is solved only peripherally in these documents. Theoretical part of the thesis is oriented in pet problems in legislation and describes the bases of practical manipulation within the breeding and also the killing. There are described the precautions during the radiation accident, the undesirable effects of ionizing radiation on live organism and the basic techniques of decontamination. Practical part is focused on the data processing from contemporary valid rules and norms in this field and the description of precautions in the emergency planning area of the Nuclear Power Temelín in connection with protection and rescue of pets. The basic document, from which the applied process starts during the radiation accident in the emergency planning area of the Nuclear Power Temelín, is an external emergency plan. This document contains some concrete plans of activities, specifying these problems and that must be solved. These essential documents are important for this thesis ? the plans of iodine prophylaxis, the evacuation plan of individual person rescue, the decontamination and veterinary precautions. In the case of unsatisfactory finding of problems processing of pet handling, the proposal of possible methodology will be made in agreement with other Czech and foreign documents.

Les technologies nanométriques ont réduit la fiabilité des circuits électroniques, notamment en les rendant plus sensible aux phénomènes extérieurs. Cela peut provoquer une modification des composants de stockage, ou la perturbation de fonctions logiques. Ce problème est plus préoccupant pour les mémoires, plus sensibles aux perturbations extérieures. Les codes correcteurs d'erreurs constituent l'une des solutions les plus utilisées, mais les contraintes de fiabilité conduisent à utiliser des codes plus complexes, et qui ont une influence négative sur la bande passante du système. Nous proposons une méthode qui supprime la perte de temps due à ces codes lors de l'écriture des données en mémoire, et la limite aux seuls cas où une erreur est détectée lors de la lecture. Pour cela on procède à la décontamination du circuit après qu'une donnée erronée ait été propagée dans le circuit, ce qui nécessite de restaurer certains des états précédents de quelques composants de stockage par l'ajout de FIFO. Un algorithme identifiant leurs lieux d'implémentation a également été créé. Nous avons ensuite évalué l'impact de cette méthode dans le contexte plus large suivant : la restauration d'un état précédent de l'ensemble du circuit en vue de corriger une erreur transistoire susceptible de se produire n'importe où dans le circuit. / Nanometric technologies led to a decrease of electronic circuit reliability, especially against external phenomena. Those may change the state of storage components, or interfere with logical components. In fact, this issue is more critical for memories, as they are more sensitive to external radiations. The error correcting codes are one of the most used solutions. However, reliability constraints require codes that are more and more complex. These codes have a negative effect on the system bandwidth. We propose a generic methodology that removes the timing penalty of error correcting codes during memory's write operation. Moreover, it limits the speed penalty for read operation only in the rare case an error is detected. To proceed, the circuit is decontaminated after uncorrected data were propagated inside the circuit. This technique may require restoring some past states of few storage components by adding some FIFO. An algorithm that identifies these components was also created. Then we try to evaluate the impact of such a technique for the following issue: the global state restoration of a circuit to erase all kinds of soft errors, everywhere inside the circuit.