| 1. |
- Razavi, Homie A., et al.
(författare)
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Hepatitis D double reflex testing of all hepatitis B carriers in low-HBV- and high-HBV/HDV-prevalence countries
- 2023
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Ingår i: JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY. - : Elsevier. - 0168-8278 .- 1600-0641. ; 79:2, s. 576-580
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection occurs as a coinfection with hepatitis B and increases the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, decompensated cirrhosis, and mortality compared to hepatitis B virus (HBV) monoinfection. Reliable estimates of the prevalence of HDV infection and disease burden are essential to formulate strategies to find coinfected individuals more effectively and efficiently. The global prevalence of HBV infections was estimated to be 262,240,000 in 2021. Only 1,994,000 of the HBV in-fections were newly diagnosed in 2021, with more than half of the new diagnoses made in China. Our initial estimates indicated a much lower prevalence of HDV antibody (anti-HDV) and HDV RNA positivity than previously reported in published studies. Ac-curate estimates of HDV prevalence are needed. The most effective method to generate estimates of the prevalence of anti-HDV and HDV RNA positivity and to find undiagnosed individuals at the national level is to implement double reflex testing. This re-quires anti-HDV testing of all hepatitis B surface antigen-positive individuals and HDV RNA testing of all anti-HDV-positive in-dividuals. This strategy is manageable for healthcare systems since the number of newly diagnosed HBV cases is low. At the global level, a comprehensive HDV screening strategy would require only 1,994,000 HDV antibody tests and less than 89,000 HDV PCR tests. Double reflex testing is the preferred strategy in countries with a low prevalence of HBV and those with a high prevalence of both HBV and HDV. For example, in the European Union and North America only 35,000 and 22,000 cases, respectively, will require anti-HDV testing annually.
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| 2. |
- Razavi-Shearer, Devin M., et al.
(författare)
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Adjusted estimate of the prevalence of hepatitis delta virus in 25 countries and territories
- 2024
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Ingår i: JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY. - 0168-8278 .- 1600-0641. ; 80:2, s. 232-242
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background & Aims: Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a satellite RNA virus that requires the hepatitis B virus (HBV) for assembly and propagation. Individuals infected with HDV progress to advanced liver disease faster than HBV-monoinfected individuals. Recent studies have estimated the global prevalence of anti-HDV antibodies among the HBV-infected population to be 5-15%. This study aimed to better understand HDV prevalence at the population level in 25 countries/territories. Methods: We conducted a literature review to determine the prevalence of anti-HDV and HDV RNA in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive individuals in 25 countries/territories. Virtual meetings were held with experts from each setting to discuss the findings and collect unpublished data. Data were weighted for patient segments and regional heterogeneity to estimate the prevalence in the HBV-infected population. The findings were then combined with The Polaris Observatory HBV data to estimate the anti-HDV and HDV RNA prevalence in each country/territory at the population level. Results: After adjusting for geographical distribution, disease stage and special populations, the anti-HDV prevalence among the HBsAg+ population changed from the literature estimate in 19 countries. The highest anti-HDV prevalence was 60.1% in Mongolia. Once adjusted for the size of the HBsAg+ population and HDV RNA positivity rate, China had the highest absolute number of HDV RNA+ cases. Conclusions: We found substantially lower HDV prevalence than previously reported, as prior meta-analyses primarily focused on studies conducted in groups/regions that have a higher probability of HBV infection: tertiary care centers, specific risk groups or geographical regions. There is large uncertainty in HDV prevalence estimates. The implementation of reflex testing would improve estimates, while also allowing earlier linkage to care for HDV RNA+ individuals. The logistical and economic burden of reflex testing on the health system would be limited, as only HBsAg+ cases would be screened.
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| 3. |
- Crespo, Carla
(författare)
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Caloramator Boliviensis, a New Thermoanaerobe with Interesting Metabolic Properties
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A novel ethanol-producing thermoanaerobe Caloramator boliviensis 45BT (=DSM 22065T, =CCUG 57396T) was isolated from a hot spring of the Bolivian highlands. C. boliviensis possesses the ability to utilize a wide range of substrates and can efficiently convert hexoses and pentoses into ethanol with concomitant production of acetate, carbon dioxide and hydrogen as by-products of fermentation. However, under different cultivation conditions C. boliviensis yields lactate, butyrate, propanediol, succinate and formate. A branched metabolism and an interesting catabolic flexibility are characteristics of C. boliviensis. An usual mixed acid fermentation could be directed to a glucose-based acetogenic, homolactic or homoethanolic metabolism. In addition, redistribution of end-products led to a lactate-based butyrate formation described for the first time for a member of the Caloramator genus. The flexibility to switch between metabolic pathways in order to balance the electron and carbon flow makes C. boliviensis an interesting candidate for metabolic engineering to maximize ethanol productivity. Based on the interesting characteristics described above, the fermentative metabolism of C. boliviensis was also evaluated at genome level. The draft genome of C. boliviensis (3.2 Mb, G+C 32 mole%) encompasses 2896 predicted protein-coding genes, the larger number of genes match to the transport and metabolism of amino acids and carbohydrates. Although, C. boliviensis displays potential for producing ethanol, before developing a full process, limitations such as substrate and product concentrations, nutrients requirement, reaction rates and metabolic shifts must be overcome. Nevertheless, the genome functional annotation provides a platform for future metabolic engineering strategies to improve ethanol titres and productivities and to increase the understanding of the physiology of C. boliviensis.
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| 4. |
- Crespo, Carla, et al.
(författare)
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Caloramator boliviensis sp. nov., a novel thermophilic, ethanol-producing bacterium isolated from a hot spring
- 2012
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Ingår i: International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. - : Microbiology Society. - 1466-5026 .- 1466-5034. ; 62:7, s. 1679-1686
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A novel moderately thermophilic, anaerobic, ethanol-producing bacterial strain, 45B(T), was isolated from a mixed sediment water sample collected from a hot spring at Potosi, Bolivia. The cells were straight to slightly curved rods, 2.5 μm long and 0.5 μm wide, approximately. The strain was variable to Gram stain, spore-forming and monotrichously flagellated. Growth of the strain was observed at 45-65 °C and at pH 5.5-8.0, at an optimum temperature of 60 °C and pH 6.5. The substrates utilized by the strain 45B(T) were xylose, cellobiose, glucose, arabinose, sucrose, lactose, maltose, fructose, galactose, mannose, glycerol, xylan, carboxy methylcellulose and yeast extract. The main fermentation product from xylose and cellobiose was ethanol (0.70 and 0.45 grams of ethanol per gram of consumed sugar, respectively). Acetate, lactate, propionate, carbon dioxide and hydrogen were also produced in minor quantities. 1,3-propanediol was produced when glycerol-containing medium was supplemented with yeast extract. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C(15:0), C(16:0), iso-C(16:0), C(15:1), iso-C(14:0), C(13:0) and C(14:0). Polar lipids such as DPG, PG, PE, NGL and other 15 unidentified lipids were predominant in the cell. The DNA G+C content of strain 45B(T) was 32.6 mol %. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA gene sequence similarity revealed that strain 45B(T) is located within the Gram-type positive Bacillus-Clostridium branch of the phylogenetic tree. On the basis of morphological, physiological properties and phylogenetic analysis, strain 45B(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Caloramator boliviensis sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is 45B(T) (=DSM 22065(T) =CCUG 57396(T)).
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| 5. |
- Crespo, Carla, et al.
(författare)
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Ethanol production by continuous fermentation of d-(+)-cellobiose, d-(+)-xylose and sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate using the thermoanaerobe Caloramator boliviensis.
- 2012
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Ingår i: Bioresource Technology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-2976 .- 0960-8524. ; 103:1, s. 186-191
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The recently isolated anaerobic bacterium Caloramator boliviensis with an optimum growth temperature of 60°C can efficiently convert hexoses and pentoses into ethanol. When fermentations of pure sugars and a pentose-rich sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate were carried out in a packed bed reactor with immobilized cells of C. boliviensis, more than 98% of substrates were converted. Ethanol yields of 0.40-0.46g/g of sugar were obtained when sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate was fermented. These features reveal interesting properties of C. boliviensis in producing ethanol from a renewable feedstock.
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| 6. |
- Lee, Jenny, et al.
(författare)
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Machine learning algorithm improves the detection of NASH (NAS-based) and at-risk NASH: A development and validation study
- 2023
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Ingår i: Hepatology. - : LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS. - 0270-9139 .- 1527-3350. ; 78:1, s. 258-271
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and Aims: Detecting NASH remains challenging, while at-risk NASH (steatohepatitis and F >= 2) tends to progress and is of interest for drug development and clinical application. We developed prediction models by supervised machine learning techniques, with clinical data and biomarkers to stage and grade patients with NAFLD. Approach and Results: Learning data were collected in the Liver Investigation: Testing Marker Utility in Steatohepatitis metacohort (966 biopsy-proven NAFLD adults), staged and graded according to NASH CRN. Conditions of interest were the clinical trial definition of NASH (NAS >= 4;53%), at-risk NASH (NASH with F >= 2;35%), significant (F >= 2;47%), and advanced fibrosis (F >= 3;28%). Thirty-five predictors were included. Missing data were handled by multiple imputations. Data were randomly split into training/validation (75/25) sets. A gradient boosting machine was applied to develop 2 models for each condition: clinical versus extended (clinical and biomarkers). Two variants of the NASH and at-risk NASH models were constructed: direct and composite models.Clinical gradient boosting machine models for steatosis/inflammation/ballooning had AUCs of 0.94/0.79/0.72. There were no improvements when biomarkers were included. The direct NASH model produced AUCs (clinical/extended) of 0.61/0.65. The composite NASH model performed significantly better (0.71) for both variants. The composite at-risk NASH model had an AUC of 0.83 (clinical and extended), an improvement over the direct model. Significant fibrosis models had AUCs (clinical/extended) of 0.76/0.78. The extended advanced fibrosis model (0.86) performed significantly better than the clinical version (0.82). Conclusions: Detection of NASH and at-risk NASH can be improved by constructing independent machine learning models for each component, using only clinical predictors. Adding biomarkers only improved the accuracy of fibrosis.
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| 7. |
- Monte, Joana, et al.
(författare)
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Biorefinery of Dunaliella salina : Sustainable recovery of carotenoids, polar lipids and glycerol
- 2020
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Ingår i: Bioresource Technology. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 0960-8524 .- 1873-2976. ; 297
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Dunaliella salina is well-known for its high content in carotenoids and glycerol. Nevertheless, Dunaliella salina has also a high content in lipids, including polar lipids, which are suitable for nutraceutical/cosmeceutical applications. This work proposes a sustainable process to maximise the potential of Dunaliella salina for the production of distinct fractions of carotenoids, glycerol, polar lipids and proteins, which may contribute to improve the revenues of the microalgae industry. In this work, extraction with non-hazardous solvents and organic solvent nanofiltration are integrated, in order to obtain added-value products and glycerol. Also, aiming to separate carotenoids from glycerides, a saponification process is proposed. High overall recoveries were obtained for carotenoids (85%), glycerol (86%), polar lipids (94%) and proteins (95%). In order to evaluate the profitability of the proposed biorefinery, an economic assessment was accomplished. Both CAPEX and OPEX (Capital and Operating expenditure) were calculated, likewise the Return of Investment (ROI).
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| 8. |
- Moshi, Anselm, et al.
(författare)
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Characterisation and evaluation of a novel feedstock, Manihot glaziovii, Muell. Arg, for production of bioenergy carriers: Bioethanol and biogas.
- 2014
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Ingår i: Bioresource Technology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-2976 .- 0960-8524. ; 172, s. 58-67
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The objective of this study was to characterise and evaluate a wild inedible cassava species, Manihot glaziovii as feedstock for bioenergy production. Tubers obtained from 3 different areas in Tanzania were characterised and evaluated for bioethanol and biogas production. These bioenergy carriers were produced both separately and sequentially and their energy values evaluated based on these two approaches. Composition analysis demonstrated that M. glaziovii is a suitable feedstock for both bioethanol and biogas production. Starch content ranged from 77% to 81%, structural carbohydrates 3-16%, total crude protein ranged from 2% to 8%. Yeast fermentation achieved ethanol concentration of up to 85g/L at a fermentation efficiency of 89%. The fuel energy of the bioethanol and methane from flour-peels mix ranged from 5 to 13 and 11 to 14MJ/kgVS, respectively. Co-production of bioethanol and biogas in which the peels were added to the fermentation residue prior to anaerobic digestion produced maximum fuel energy yield of (15-23MJ/kgVS).
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| 9. |
- Moshi, Anselm, et al.
(författare)
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High bioethanol titre from Manihot glaziovii through fed-batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation in Automatic Gas Potential Test System.
- 2014
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Ingår i: Bioresource Technology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-2976 .- 0960-8524. ; 156, s. 348-356
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A process for the production of high bioethanol titre was established through fed-batch and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (FB-SSF) of wild, non-edible cassava Manihot glaziovii. FB-SSF allowed fermentation of up to 390g/L of starch-derived glucose achieving high bioethanol concentration of up to 190g/L (24% v/v) with yields of around 94% of the theoretical value. The wild cassava M. glaziovii starch is hydrolysable with a low dosage of amylolytic enzymes (0.1-0.15% v/w, Termamyl® and AMG®). The Automatic Gas Potential Test System (AMPTS) was adapted to yeast ethanol fermentation and demonstrated to be an accurate, reliable and flexible device for studying the kinetics of yeast in SSF and FB-SSF. The bioethanol derived stoichiometrically from the CO2 registered in the AMPTS software correlated positively with samples analysed by HPLC (R(2)=0.99).
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| 10. |
- Teresa Alvarez, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Precipitation of Zn(II), Cu(II) and Pb(II) at bench-scale using biogenic hydrogen sulfide from the utilization of volatile fatty acids
- 2007
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Ingår i: Chemosphere. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-1298 .- 0045-6535. ; 66:9, s. 1677-1683
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Biological production of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) using sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) has important potential within environmental biotechnology. The aim of this work was to study the possibility of using SRB for the treatment of an acid mine drainage (AMD) at bench-scale. This process involved three stages: the optimization of H2S production through the utilization of total volatile fatty acids (TVFAs) by SRB, the establishment of a biofilm reactor for sulfide production, and the precipitation of metals by using the biologically produced H2S. The substrates used for TVFAs production consisted of papaya, apple and banana. The H2S produced from the degradation of TVFAs was utilized for the precipitation of a metal-contaminated effluent collected from Bolivar mine (Oruro, Bolivia). The maximum concentration of H2S obtained was approximately 16 mM. Removal efficiencies of ca. 100% for copper, above 94% for zinc, and above 92% for lead were achieved. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 11. |
- Vali, Yasaman, et al.
(författare)
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Biomarkers for staging fibrosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (the LITMUS project) : a comparative diagnostic accuracy study
- 2023
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Ingår i: The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 2468-1253. ; 8:8, s. 714-725
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The reference standard for detecting non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and staging fibrosis—liver biopsy—is invasive and resource intensive. Non-invasive biomarkers are urgently needed, but few studies have compared these biomarkers in a single cohort. As part of the Liver Investigation: Testing Marker Utility in Steatohepatitis (LITMUS) project, we aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 17 biomarkers and multimarker scores in detecting NASH and clinically significant fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and identify their optimal cutoffs as screening tests in clinical trial recruitment. Methods: This was a comparative diagnostic accuracy study in people with biopsy-confirmed NAFLD from 13 countries across Europe, recruited between Jan 6, 2010, and Dec 29, 2017, from the LITMUS metacohort of the prospective European NAFLD Registry. Adults (aged ≥18 years) with paired liver biopsy and serum samples were eligible; those with excessive alcohol consumption or evidence of other chronic liver diseases were excluded. The diagnostic accuracy of the biomarkers was expressed as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with liver histology as the reference standard and compared with the Fibrosis-4 index for liver fibrosis (FIB-4) in the same subgroup. Target conditions were the presence of NASH with clinically significant fibrosis (ie, at-risk NASH; NAFLD Activity Score ≥4 and F≥2) or the presence of advanced fibrosis (F≥3), analysed in all participants with complete data. We identified thres holds for each biomarker for reducing the number of biopsy-based screen failures when recruiting people with both NASH and clinically significant fibrosis for future trials. Findings: Of 1430 participants with NAFLD in the LITMUS metacohort with serum samples, 966 (403 women and 563 men) were included after all exclusion criteria had been applied. 335 (35%) of 966 participants had biopsy-confirmed NASH and clinically significant fibrosis and 271 (28%) had advanced fibrosis. For people with NASH and clinically significant fibrosis, no single biomarker or multimarker score significantly reached the predefined AUC 0·80 acceptability threshold (AUCs ranging from 0·61 [95% CI 0·54–0·67] for FibroScan controlled attenuation parameter to 0·81 [0·75–0·86] for SomaSignal), with accuracy mostly similar to FIB-4. Regarding detection of advanced fibrosis, SomaSignal (AUC 0·90 [95% CI 0·86–0·94]), ADAPT (0·85 [0·81–0·89]), and FibroScan liver stiffness measurement (0·83 [0·80–0·86]) reached acceptable accuracy. With 11 of 17 markers, histological screen failure rates could be reduced to 33% in trials if only people who were marker positive had a biopsy for evaluating eligibility. The best screening performance for NASH and clinically significant fibrosis was observed for SomaSignal (number needed to test [NNT] to find one true positive was four [95% CI 4–5]), then ADAPT (six [5–7]), MACK-3 (seven [6–8]), and PRO-C3 (nine [7–11]). Interpretation: None of the single markers or multimarker scores achieved the predefined acceptable AUC for replacing biopsy in detecting people with both NASH and clinically significant fibrosis. However, several biomarkers could be applied in a prescreening strategy in clinical trial recruitment. The performance of promising markers will be further evaluated in the ongoing prospective LITMUS study cohort. Funding: The Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license
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