Given the growing interest among residents of large agglomerations in inhalation treatments in urban graduation towers, as well as the lack of research on the microbiological safety of brine, an attempt was made to provide new and unique information on the potential epidemiological risks that may occur in such places. The study covered one of Krakow’s brine graduation towers, opened in 2020, attracting crowds of city residents and tourists every spring/summer season. Based on a two-year microbiological study of brine, which included analysis of the presence of mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria in it, as well as indicators of microbiological water quality, i.e., Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus spp., and Salmonella spp., it was concluded that contamination increased periodically. According to standards for inhalation waters, acceptable counts of selected microorganisms were exceeded, especially during the holiday season. It was, undoub... [more]

UV-C irradiation and high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) successfully reduce the number of bacteria and their growth but can also affect phenolic and sugar content, as well as other physicochemical properties. Therefore, in this work, the effect of UV-C irradiation, HHP, and their combination, UV-C/HHP, on total aerobic mesophilic bacteria count (TAMBC), chlorogenic acid and sugar content, and other physicochemical properties of raw FCP were examined. Acrylamide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were also monitored in treated FCP after frying. Vacuum-packed potato slices pretreated with an antibrowning agent were irradiated with UV-C (2.70 kJ m−2), treated with HHP (400 MPa/3 min) and combined UV-C/HHP, and stored for 15 days. The greatest reduction in TAMBC was achieved in the UV-C/HHP-treated samples, followed by the HHP treatment, and they both resulted in the slowest bacterial growth during storage. All treatments decreased the contents of chlorogenic acid, but the greatest re... [more]

As a follow-up to previous studies, the effects of Thymus vulgaris essential oil on selected virulence factors (growth, sessile cell survival, swimming, swarming, and exopolysaccharide production) were evaluated in phytopathogenic Pseudomonas syringae strains isolated from soybean fields in Argentina; reference strains Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. glycinea B076 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. P. syringae are responsible for bacterial blight, a disease that affects crops worldwide. Plant bacterioses are usually treated with antibiotics and copper compounds, which may contribute to the development of resistance in pathogens and damage the environment. For these reasons, eco-friendly alternatives are necessary. Although aromatic plants are a natural source of antimicrobial substances, the effects of these substances on phytopathogenic bacteria remain largely unexplored. Subinhibitory concentrations of the oil significantly reduced the slope and rate of bacterial growth. In addition, biofil... [more]

Vitamin D (VitD) is essential for health and preventing diseases. This study aimed to investigate the possible association between VitD status and health status in 306 Libyan male and female young adults (18−25 Y) and adults (26−65 Y). There were 89.54% of subjects that had VitD levels below normal (<30 ng/mL), of which 45.42% were VitD deficient (<10 ng/mL) and 44.12% were VitD insufficient (10−29.9 ng/mL). VitD deficiency was associated with higher fasting blood sugar (FBS), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triacylglycerol (TAG) levels. Young adults had lower VitD levels than adults, which was associated with some health conditions. VitD insufficiency was associated with higher body mass index (BMI) values in adults, especially females, with higher FBS levels in adult males and higher hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in adult females. VitD deficiency in young adults was associated with higher TAG levels (more likely in adults) and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) values. Fur... [more]

Annually, 221 million tons of agro-food by-products are generated worldwide, causing diverse environmental issues due to incorrect discharge. Hot trub, spent hops, brewer’s spent grains, and brewer’s spent yeast are the by-products produced in the beer manufacturing chain. These by-products contain fibers, proteins, polyphenols, essential oils, and taste compounds, presenting high possibilities of use as alternative raw materials. In this review, we compiled the knowledge gaps of brewing by-product reuse, from phytochemical compound extractions to concentration approaches, mainly concerning bitter acids and polyphenols. Moreover, we assessed and discussed the emerging technologies and alternative solvents that have allowed for higher extraction yields. We illustrated the importance of purification and concentration steps of non-destructive methods for added value in products from reuse approaches. Finally, we showed the relevance of scale-up and economic feasibility studies in order to... [more]

(1) Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves the selective killing of tumor cells by the generation of reactive oxygen species using a photosensitizer (PS) activated by irradiation. In melanoma, PDT efficiency is altered by several mechanisms, such as the presence of melanin and melanosomes and pro-survival pathways mediated by transcription factors such as: AP-1 (activator protein), MITF (microphthalmia inducible transcription factor), HIF1α (hypoxia inducible factor), and NF-kB (nuclear factor kappa B). The study aimed to investigate the anti-melanoma effects of PDT mediated by meso-5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-porphyrin (THPP) as a photosensitizer. (2) Methods: Cocultures of melanoma, two human, WM35 and M1−15, and murine B16-F10, with endothelial cells, were used. Cytotoxicity, oxidative damage, angiogenesis markers, and melanogenesis were assessed using colorimetry, flowcytometry, confocal microscopy, spectrophotometry, ELISA, and Western blotting. (3) Results: The... [more]

For decades, the benefits of utilizing hollow fiber bioreactors for continuous cell culture to produce monoclonal antibodies have been widely recognized. However, the suitability of this technology for laboratories or centers with limited resources and expertise seeking to expand their production capacity is uncertain, mainly due to unknown cost-effectiveness. In this study, a hollow fiber bioreactor with a 4.7-mL culture volume was used to culture a hybridoma clone producing immunoglobulin G antibody specific to hemoglobin F (HbF). The antibody reached a maximum concentration of 1.22 g/L and totaled 21 mg over a 44-day culture period. This preliminary production data was used to estimate the cost of consumables required for using the hollow fiber bioreactor to produce 130 mg of monoclonal antibodies, which was found to be THB35.8k (£880). The cost was slightly more expensive than batch cultivation in typical culture dishes, which ranged from THB27.8 to 30.2k (£680 to 740). Despite the... [more]

Diabetes is one of the main health issues worldwide because of its lifetime duration. To overcome this health problem, the current study was conducted. This investigation aims to explore the α-glucosidase and β-secretase potential of extract/fractions and pure isolated compounds of Syzygium cumini bark. The chloroform extract of Syzygium cumini bark was subjected to chromatographic analysis to yield compound 1. The structure of isolated phytochemical (1) was conducted using advanced spectroscopic analysis. Among test extracts, the chloroform fraction exhibited a significant effect against α-glucosidase with a % activity of 86.20% and an IC50 of 77.09 µM, while the isolated compound exhibited a promising effect with a % activity of 91.54 and an IC50 value of 17.54 μM. The extract/fractions and isolated compound 1 also showed promising effects against the β-secretase enzyme, having % effects of 83.21 and 91.54% with IC50 values of 318.76 and 17.54 μM, respectively. The extract/fractions... [more]

The strategy of the nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen (SNH) was first applied for the metal-free C-H/C-H coupling reactions of 4H-imidazole 3-oxides with indoles. As a result, a series of novel bifunctional azaheterocyclic derivatives were obtained in yields up to 95%. In silico experiments on the molecular docking were performed to evaluate the binding possibility of the synthesized small azaheterocyclic molecules to the selected biotargets (BACE1, BChE, CK1δ, AChE) associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. To assess the cytotoxicity for the synthesized compounds, a series of in vitro experiments were also carried out on healthy human embryo kidney cells (HEK-293). The leading compound bearing both 5-phenyl-4H-imidazole and 1-methyl-1H-indole moieties was defined as the prospective molecule possessing the lowest cytotoxicity (IC50 > 300 µM on HEK-293) and the highest binding energy in the protein−ligand complex (AChE, −13.57 kcal/mol). The developed compounds... [more]

Probiotic strains such as Lactobacillus spp. are already known for their beneficial effect on human health and new research supports their role in colon cancer prevention and treatment. The current study reports the effect of different concentrations of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (LGG, 106−109 CFU/mL), alone or in association with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, 10 μM), tested against normal HaCaT cells, HT-29 colorectal adenocarcinoma and HCT-116 colorectal carcinoma cell lines. The underlying cytotoxic effect was further investigated. LGG treatment of HT-29 and HCT-116 cells caused a variety of apoptotic-related nuclear morphological changes, as revealed by DAPI staining. ELISA studies showed that LGG treatment increased caspase-3 activity and pro-apoptotic BAX protein levels while decreasing anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein levels and the proto-oncogene Cyclin D1. A more detailed examination of the mitochondrial function revealed that high concentrations of LGG can impair mitochondrial function... [more]

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the major greenhouse gases that has been shown to cause global warming. Decreasing CO2 emissions plays an important role to minimize the impact of climate change. The utilization of CO2 gas as a cheap and sustainable source to produce higher value-added chemicals such as formic acid, methanol, methane, and acetic acid has been attracting much attention. The electrochemical reduction of CO2 catalyzed by whole-cell biocatalysts is a promising process for the production of value-added chemicals because it does not require costly enzyme purification steps and the supply of exogenous cofactors such as NADH. This study covered the recent applications of the diversity of microorganisms (pure cultures such as Shewanella oneidensis MR1, Sporomusa species, and Clostridium species and mixed cultures) as whole-cell biocatalysts to produce a wide range of value-added chemicals including methane, carboxylates (e.g., formate, acetate, butyrate, caproate), alcohols (e.g.... [more]

In recent years, interest in the consumption of dried goji berries has increased due to its high bioactive properties. Alternative drying methods that provide faster drying and better preservation of bioactive properties should be developed. This study aims to investigate the effect of different drying methods on the drying time and quality characteristics of the goji berry; namely, hot-air drying (HAD), ultrasound-assisted vacuum drying (USVD), vacuum drying (VD), freeze-drying (FD), and ultrasound-pretreated freeze-drying (USFD). The drying kinetic, total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, phenolic profile, carotenoid profile, and color change of the goji berry fruit were determined. The drying times for VD, USVD, and HAD varied between 275−1330 min. USVD treatment showed faster drying behavior than the other two drying methods. The total phenolic content (TPC) value of dry samples varied between 1002.53−1238.59 mg GAE/g DM. USVD treatments exhibited a higher total phenolic cont... [more]

The formation of charge transfer (CT) complexes between bioactive molecules and/or organic molecules is an important aspect in order to understand ‘molecule-receptor’ interactions. Here, we have synthesized two new CT complexes, procainamide-chloranilic acid (PA-ChA) and procainamide-2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (PA-DDQ), from electron donor procainamide (PA), electron acceptor chloranilic acid (ChA), and 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ). The structures of these two CT complexes were elucidated/characterized using FTIR, NMR, and many other spectroscopic methods. A stability study of each complex was conducted for the first time using various spectroscopic parameters (e.g., formation constant, molar extinction coefficient, ionization potential oscillator strength, dipole moment, and standard free energy). The formation of CT complexes in solution was confirmed by spectrophotometric determination. The molecular composition of each complex was determined using... [more]

Lactic acid (LA) has broad applications in the food, chemical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. LA production demand rises due to the increasing demand for polylactic acid since LA is a precursor for polylactic acid production. Fermentative LA production using renewable resources, such as lignocellulosic materials, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and offers a cheaper alternative feedstock than refined sugars. Suitable pretreatment methods must be selected to minimize LA cost production, as the successful hydrolysis of lignocellulose results in sugar-rich feedstocks for fermentation. This review broadly focused on fermentative LA production from lignocellulose. Aspects discussed include (i). low-cost materials for fermentative LA production, (ii). pretreatment methods, (iii). enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose and hemicellulose, (iv). lactic acid-producing microorganisms, including fungi, bacteria, genetically modified microorganisms, and their fermentative pathways, and (v). f... [more]

The influence of biostimulants (B) and nitrogen (N) fertilization on the yield and quality of onions were investigated. Experiments in the field with directly seeded (DS) onions and those from sets (FS) were carried out in 2021 in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina (Serbia). HumiBlack® (B1), Tifi® (B2), and Agasi® (B3) were used as B, and there was a control without B. Four N doses were used: 64, 100, 150 (standard dose), and 200 kg N/ha. The highest yields of DS onions (63.9 t/ha) and FS onions (52, 1 t/ha) were measured on treatment B2 × 150 kg N/ha. The highest total sugar content (80.6 g/100 g DM) was measured in FS onions under treatment B2 × 100 kg N/ha. Total nitrogen and protein content were the highest in DS onions treated with B2 × 200 kg N/ha, where total nitrogen was 2.3 g/100 g DM and protein content was 14.5 g/100 g DM. Depending on B and N, titratable acidity ranged from 1.7 to 3.6 g/100 g DM. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) w... [more]

Wireless capsule endoscope (WCE) is a promising technology for noninvasive and painless imaging detection on gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. On the other hand, conventional endoscopes with wires could discomfort patients and cause them to vomit and aerosolize coronavirus if the patients are infected with COVID-19. However, there stands a technical bottleneck on power supply for the WCE. With the help of wireless power transmission technology, a hollow receiving coil (RC) is proposed to supply sufficient power and also minimize the size of WCE. A model on mutual inductance between transmitting and receiving coils is proposed to evaluate receiving power when the RC is in a different position and direction of patient’s GI tract. Based on the model, an optimal RC is built to obtain sufficient and stable power. Measurement of mutual inductance with the optimal RC validates high accuracy of the proposed model. The standard deviation of receiving power is very low. WCE with optimum RC gets su... [more]

When driven by sunlight, molten catalytic methane cracking can produce clean hydrogen fuel from natural gas without greenhouse emissions. To design solar methane crackers, a canonical plug flow reactor model was developed that spanned industrially relevant temperatures and pressures (1150−1350 Kelvin and 2−200 atmospheres). This model was then validated against published methane cracking data and used to screen power tower and beam-down reactor designs based on “Solar Two,” a renewables technology demonstrator from the 1990s. Overall, catalytic molten methane cracking is likely feasible in commercial beam-down solar reactors, but not power towers. The best beam-down reactor design was 9% efficient in the capture of sunlight as fungible hydrogen fuel, which approaches photovoltaic efficiencies. Conversely, the best discovered tower methane cracker was only 1.7% efficient. Thus, a beam-down reactor is likely tractable for solar methane cracking, whereas power tower configurations appear... [more]

In this study, several purge and ventilation methods are proposed to reduce and remove condensation in a heat recovery ventilator for commercial and household buildings. The effects of the airflow rate, duration of ventilation, purge interval, and return air temperature on the quantities of condensation and condensation removal in the heat recovery ventilator are analyzed. The increase in the air flow rate and return air temperature increases the condensation removal rate owing to the enhanced evaporation of the condensate. Furthermore, the reductions in the duration of ventilation and purge interval decreased the accumulation of condensate on the heat exchanger element. Based on the experimental results, optimum ventilation and purge strategies are proposed according to the outdoor temperature. The operation of the heat recovery ventilator with the proposed ventilation and purge strategies shows at least a 33% and up to an 80% reduction in the quantity of condensate compared with a gi... [more]

Solar radiation exposure at work is a relevant heath risk in the construction sector. Our objective was to monitor for a full month the individual solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure of a group of three construction workers active in Siena (latitude = 43°19′ N), a town in Tuscany (Italy). We used personal electronic dosimeters “X-2012-10” (Gigahertz, Turkenfeld, Germany) to register the UV irradiance in the UVA and UVB/C regions separately and we consulted a specific database to retrieve the corresponding ambient erythemal UVR dose (cloud-free conditions). In spring, construction workers from central Italy received a quite variable UVR dose, between 0.9 standard erythemal doses (SED) and 15.6 SED/day, 5.7 on average. Considering the proportion with respect to the potential environmental exposure, personal exposure resulted between 2.7% and 31.2% of the ambient erythemal dose, with a mean value of 12.5%. Cumulatively, the three construction workers received in one working month a... [more]

Microalgae are a practical source of biological compounds for biodiesel production. This study examined the influence of three different light-emitting diode (LED) systems on the biomass production of green algae Chlorella vulgaris BA0002a. The cultivation was carried out in a photobioreactor illuminated from the bottom with a single side light jacket (PBR I), in a photobioreactor illuminated from the bottom with a double side light jacket (PBR II) and in a photobioreactor illuminated only from the top (PBR III). Research has shown that the intensification of algae cell production and growth depends on the light distribution and exposure time of a single cell to radiation. In the experiment, the highest growth of algae cells was obtained in the photobioreactor with double jacket and lower light panel. The lowest cell growth was observed in the photobioreactor illuminated only from above. For cultures raised in the PBR I and PBR II photobioreactors, increased oxygen production was obser... [more]

The study aims to explore microbial lipid production using an abundant and low-cost lignocellulosic biomass derived from forestry residues. Sugar-rich undetoxified hydrolysate was prepared using hardwood and softwood sawdust and used for lipid production as a carbon source from an oleaginous yeast, Rhodosporidium toruloides-1588. The maximum biomass obtained was 17.09 and 19.56 g/L in hardwood and softwood hydrolysate, respectively. Sugar consumption in both hydrolysates was >95%, with a maximum lipid accumulation of 36.68% at 104 h and 35.24% at 96 h. Moreover, R. toruloides-1588 exhibited tolerance to several toxic compounds such as phenols, organic acids and furans present in hydrolysates. The lipid characterization showed several monosaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, making it a potential feedstock for biofuels and oleochemicals production. This study confirms the credibility of R. toruloides-1588 as a suitable lipid producer using hydrolysates from forestry residues as a... [more]

This study compares the effects of pure kraft lignin and the kraft lignin/silica system (1:4 by weight). The comparative analysis of the physicochemical properties of both carriers showed that the kraft lignin/silica system was characterised by better properties. The experiment conducted in the study involved continuous anaerobic digestion under mesophilic conditions. Three samples were degraded in the following order: (i) sewage sludge (SS), (ii) SS with the addition of kraft lignin, and (iii) SS with the addition of the kraft lignin/silica system. A quantitative analysis of the digestate samples was carried out by means of in situ fluorescence. It showed more intense proliferation of microorganisms in the SS + kraft lignin/silica variant than in the sample with pure kraft lignin. The highest amount of biogas was obtained in the SS + kraft lignin/silica variant (689 m3 Mg−1 VS, including 413 m3 Mg−1 VS of methane; VS—volatile solids). There were comparable amounts of biogas in the SS... [more]

There is a growing need of substrate flexibility for biobased production of energy and value-added products that allows the application of variable biodegradable residues within a circular economy. It can be used to balance fluctuating energy provision of other renewable sources. Hydrolysis presents one of the biggest limitations during anaerobic digestion. Methods to improve it will result in broader process applicability and improved integration into regional material cycles. Recently, one focus of anaerobic digestion research has been directed to systems with a separate hydrolysis−acidogenesis stage as it might be promised to improve process performance. Conditions can be adjusted to each class of microorganisms individually without harming methanogenic microorganisms. Extensive research of separate biomass pretreatment via biological, chemical, physical or mixed methods has been conducted. Nevertheless, several methods lack economic efficiency, have a high environmental impact or f... [more]

A Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) is a process in which a microorganism respires and captures the electrons that normally passes through the electron transport system of the organism and produces electricity. This work intends to present the different operating parameters affecting the efficiency of a Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) process. To study the performance of the process, various materials for the cathode and anode rods with similar size and chape including, copper, aluminum, carbon cloth, steel and brass were considered to determine the combination that leads to the best results. Moreover, different oxidizing agents such as Copper Sulphate and Potassium Hexacyanoferrate were considered. Furthermore, the effects of shapes, sizes and distance between electrodes on the current and voltage were investigated. The power outputs between electrochemical and microbial cells were recorded. In addition, the power, whether expressed as voltage or current, was measured at different conditions and di... [more]

This work dealt with the study of growth parameters, pigments production, and bioenergetic aspects of the microalga Dunaliella tertiolecta in different culture media. For this purpose, cultures were carried out in Erlenmeyer flasks containing F/2 medium, Bold’s Basal medium, or an alternative medium made up of the same constituents of the Bold’s Basal medium dissolved in natural seawater instead of distilled water. D. tertiolecta reached the highest dry cell concentration (Xmax = 1223 mgDM·L−1), specific growth rate (µmax = 0.535 d−1), cell productivity (PX = 102 mgDM·L−1·d−1), and photosynthetic efficiency (PE = 14.54%) in the alternative medium, while the highest contents of carotenoids (52.0 mg·g−1) and chlorophyll (108.0 mg·g−1) in the biomass were obtained in Bold’s Basal medium. As for the bioenergetic parameters, the biomass yield on Gibbs energy dissipation was higher and comparable in both seawater-based media. However, the F/2 medium led to the highest values of moles of phot... [more]