A study to monitor the composting process, to evaluate the effectiveness of bioindicators for the quality and maturity of cured compost obtained by a mixture of winery residues, sludges from dairies and solid residues from food processing (grape-stalks, grape-dregs, rice husks), was conducted. Composting process lasting five months was monitored by chemico-physical, spectroscopic (FTIR, DTG and DSC), microbiological and enzymatic analyses. Biological activities (ATP, DHA contents and several enzymatic activities), impedance variations (DT) of mixed cultures during growth and potential pathogens (E. coli and Salmonella sp.), were determined. The phytotoxicity tests gave a germination index higher than 90% and no significant genotoxic differences between controls and the compost samples were evidenced. Pathogens were not found on the cured compost that can therefore be satisfactorily used as amendment for agricultural crops. However, no single measurement of a composting process factor, biological, chemical or physical, gave a comprehensive view of the quality of a specific composting. We proposed a tool of bioindicators of potential activity and markers in combination for integrated evaluation of monitoring of composting process and compost quality. The responses of several enzymatic activities were positive and indicative of their favorable use capable to reveal even very small changes within microbial population and activity in test and monitoring of compost programmes.
Multinuclear ((1)H, (13)C, and (31)P) magnetic resonance spectroscopy are applied to the biochemical characterization of the total lipid fraction of healthy and neoplastic human brain tissues. Lipid extracts from normal brains, glioblastomas, anaplastic oligodendrogliomas, oligodendrogliomas, and meningiomas are examined. Moreover, the unknown liquid content of a cyst adjacent to a meningioma is analyzed. Two biopsies from glioblastomas are directly studied by (1)H-NMR without any treatment (ex vivo NMR). The (1)H- and (13)C-NMR analysis allows full characterization of the lipid component of the cerebral tissues. In particular, the presence of cholesteryl esters and triglycerides in the extracts of high grade tumors is correlated to the vascular proliferation degree, which is different from normal brain tissue and low grade neoplasms. The (31)P spectra show that phosphatidylcholine is the prominent phospholipid and its relative amount, which is higher in gliomas, is correlated to the low grade of differentiation of tumor cells and an altered membrane turnover. The ex vivo (1)H-NMR data on the glioblastoma samples show the presence of mobile lipids that are correlated to cell necrotic phenomena. Our data allow a direct correlation between biochemical results obtained by NMR and the histopathological factors (vascular and cell proliferations, differentiation, and necrosis) that are prominent in determining brain tumor grading.
Lipids from human renal tissues are studied by means of (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectroscopy. The total lipid fractions obtained from healthy kidneys, malignant renal cell carcinomas, and benign oncocytomas are characterized and analyzed to elucidate the main differences between the functional and neoplastic tissues. In all cases the lipid components are well identified. The healthy kidney is characterized by high amounts of triglycerides and the presence of cholesterol in its free form. On the contrary, renal cell carcinomas contain high amounts of cholesterol that are almost completely esterified as oleate, suggesting an intracellular localization of the cholesteryl esters synthesis. Cholesteryl esters are considered markers of renal cell carcinomas, thus supporting recent theories that these compounds play a leading role in cell proliferation. Oncocytomas are particularly rich in phosphatidylcholine and, analogous to the healthy kidney, are completely lacking in cholesteryl esters. Healthy kidneys and oncocytomas appear to have other similarities if compared with renal cell carcinomas: a very high fatty acyl/cholesterol ratio, the presence of dolichols, and a higher grade of unsaturation. The (13)C data suggest a new method for the direct evaluation of the saturated/unsaturated fatty acyl ratio.
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