Application of Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy for Inactivation of Acinetobacter baumannii Biofilms

Acinetobacter baumannii is a dangerous hospital pathogen primarily due to its ability to form biofilms on different abiotic and biotic surfaces. The present study investigated the effect of riboflavin- and chlorophyllin-based antimicrobial photodynamic therapy, performed with near-ultraviolet or blue light on the viability of bacterial cells in biofilms and their structural stability, also determining the extent of photoinduced generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species as well as the ability of A. baumannii to form biofilms after the treatment. The efficacy of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy was compared with that of light alone and the role of the photosensitizer type on the photosensitization mechanism was demonstrated. We found that the antibacterial effect of riboflavin-based antimicrobial photodynamic therapy depends on the ability of photoactivated riboflavin to generate intracellular reactive oxygen species but does not depend on the concentration of riboflavin and pre-incubation time before irradiation. Moreover, our results suggest a clear interconnection between the inactivation efficiency of chlorophyllin-based antimicrobial photodynamic therapy and the sensitivity of A. baumannii biofilms to used light. In summary, all the analyzed results suggest that riboflavin-based antimicrobial photodynamic therapy and chlorophyllin-based antimicrobial photodynamic therapy have the potential to be applied as an antibacterial treatment against A. baumannii biofilms or as a preventive measure against biofilm formation.     

Sustainable consumption and production: how to make it possible

Consumer demand and consumption, if shifted to a sustainable pattern, in theory, should influence producers to meet that demand with sustainable production processes, greater choice of green products, and different consumption options, for instance, services instead of products. At the same time, increased choice and expanded consumption options should drive down relative prices, make green goods and services more affordable and accessible, and create a closed cycle leading to sustainable consumption and production (SCP) system. The paper reviews different cases of resource efficient and cleaner production as well as sustainable products and services developed in Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, and Spain. These research cases were selected from the presentations at the second international conference “Sustainable consumption and production: how to make it possible,” held on September 28–30 in Kaunas, Lithuania. An overwhelming message of the review is that the best results could be achieved when all stakeholders work together for a common vision of SCP for current and future generations. Multistakeholder cooperation together with new economics approach is challenging, but essential for the planet currently imperiled by overpopulation and over-consumption and, for the first time in human history, facing the situation of breaching the planetary boundaries.     

Enzymatic polymerization of polythiophene by immobilized glucose oxidase

In this study ‘green’, environmentally friendly enzymatic reaction-based synthesis of conducting polymer polythiophene (PTP) is proposed. Glucose oxidase (GO_x) was shown as an effective catalyst, which, in the presence of glucose, produces hydrogen peroxide suitable for the oxidative polymerization of PTP under ambient conditions at neutral pH. Enzymatically induced formation of the PTP layer over GO_x-modified graphite rod electrode (GRE) was demonstrated and evaluated amperometrically and by attenuated total reflectance – Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Surface morphology of GO_x- and PTP-modified GR electrodes was characterized by atomic force microscopy. It was clearly shown that the apparent kinetic Michaelis constant (K_M(app.)) of GO_x/PTP-modified GRE increased by increasing the duration of polymerization reaction. Therefore, enzymatic polymerization could be applied in adjustment and/or tuning of K_M(app.) and other kinetic parameters of GO_x-based electrodes used in biosensor design.     

Responsibility and the elderly: Applications to psychotherapy.

Based on the analysis of P. Brickman et al (see record 1982-30315-001), 4 models of psychotherapy are proposed. It is argued that a key element in clinical interventions with the elderly is the extent to which the intervention affects the elderly clients' perceived responsibility for the cause of and solution to their presenting complaints. The dangers of a medical model psychotherapeutic orientation that strips clients' feelings of control are discussed. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Industrial ecology in university curriculum: new M.Sc. Programme in Environmental Management and Cleaner Production

To ensure long-term capacity building in the area of industrial ecology, a new M.Sc. Programme in Environmental Management and Cleaner Production has been developed in the framework of the BALTECH consortium, which consists of technical universities in the Baltic Sea region. The programme was started at Kaunas University of Technology in September 2002. This paper presents prerequisites for the establishment of the new M.Sc. programme , its aims, goals and structure as well as the relation of different subjects of the programme to the concept of industrial ecology.     

Integrating resource criticality assessment into evaluation of cleaner production possibilities for increasing resource efficiency

A stable and secure source of raw materials is the key to any successful industrial activity. Resource criticality is often discussed in the context of the impact on the economies of certain geographic regions. However, the availability of required resources first of all concerns the competitiveness of industrial companies, especially in those countries which do not possess abundant natural resources. The Lithuanian economy relies heavily on imports since the country does not have abundant natural resources. The paper introduces resource criticality as an additional dimension for evaluating and prioritizing resource efficiency improvement options. Evaluation of resource criticality was integrated into the methodology for evaluation of Cleaner Production. Simple additive weighting (SAW) was used to solve the multi-criteria decision-making problem. The previous study on the natural resources that are imported to Lithuania revealed that metals are among the most important raw materials in terms of economic importance, supply, and environmental risks. Therefore, a typical metal processing company in Lithuania was selected for the detailed investigation of technological processes and Cleaner Production possibilities. The selected company processes about 3000 tons of various metals per year. The results of Process Material Flow Analysis show that most of the metal waste is generated during the metal plate cutting process (about 30.3 % of total metal consumption). Three resource efficiency improvement alternatives were evaluated and compared. The suggested decision support system was tested in order to decide on a definitive solution. The results reveal that evaluation of resource criticality in terms of geostrategic supply risk and economic importance can be used as an advantageous criterion to support the prioritization of Cleaner Production alternatives.     

Student progress assessment with the help of an intelligent pupil analysis system

Students and lecturers would like to know how well students have learned the study materials being taught. A formal test or exam would cause needless stress for students. To resolve this problem, the authors of this article have developed an Intelligent Pupil Analysis (IPA) System. A sufficient amount of studies worldwide prove an interrelation between pupil size and a person's cognitive load. The obtained research results are comparable with the results from other similar studies. The original contribution of this article, compared to the research results published earlier, is as follows: the IPA System developed by the authors is superior to the traditional pupil analysis research due to the integration of pupil analysis with subsystems of decision support, recommender and intelligent tutoring systems and innovative Models of the Model-base, which permit a more detailed analysis of the knowledge attained by a student. This article ends with a case study to demonstrate the practical operation of the IPA System.     

Automation and robotics in construction: International research and achievements

An overview of the results of the 25th anniversary International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC-2008), held for first time in Lithuania, is presented in this article. Also, for the first time, the Symposium was organized in joint with the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB). This article is a survey of the plenary session presentations. Further it surveys the articles in the now-published Special Issue based on the proceedings papers from ISARC-2008 as well as the ones published in different scientific journals.     

Cleaner production financing: possibilities and barriers

There are several players who could facilitate the promotion of cleaner production (CP) by establishing an effective financing mechanism; for instance, government, international assistance bodies, banks and other financing organizations. In a few developing countries in South East Africa and Latin America and in Vietnam several international organizations, development banks and donors have initiated and implemented projects to facilitate the introduction of CP investments. Most projects have been in the form of technical assistance grants and training to industries and/or loans at below market rates from dedicated trust funds. Yet the present level of lending through such projects is far from sufficient to trigger widespread adoption of CP. Therefore, experts from The Institute of Environmental Engineering, Lithuania performed an investigation to create a CP development scheme for developing countries.