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Microbial Ecology Jun 2024The primary purpose of the study, as part of the planned conservation work, was to uncover all aspects of autochthonous biofilm pertaining to the formation of numerous...
The primary purpose of the study, as part of the planned conservation work, was to uncover all aspects of autochthonous biofilm pertaining to the formation of numerous deterioration symptoms occurring on the limestone Rožanec Mithraeum monument in Slovenia. Using state-of-the-art sequencing technologies combining mycobiome data with observations made via numerous light and spectroscopic (FTIR and Raman) microscopy analyses pointed out to epilithic lichen Gyalecta jenensis and its photobiont, carotenoid-rich Trentepohlia aurea, as the origin of salmon-hued pigmented alterations of limestone surface. Furthermore, the development of the main deterioration symptom on the monument, i.e., biopitting, was instigated by the formation of typical endolithic thalli and ascomata of representative Verrucariaceae family (Verrucaria sp.) in conjunction with the oxalic acid-mediated dissolution of limestone. The domination of lichenized fungi, as the main deterioration agents, both on the relief and surrounding limestone, was additionally supported by the high relative abundance of lichenized and symbiotroph groups in FUNGuild analysis. Obtained results not only upgraded knowledge of this frequently occurring but often overlooked group of extremophilic stone heritage deteriogens but also provided a necessary groundwork for the development of efficient biocontrol formulation applicable in situ for the preservation of similarly affected limestone monuments.
Topics: Biofilms; Lichens; Calcium Carbonate; Slovenia; Ascomycota; Mycobiome
PubMed: 38940862
DOI: 10.1007/s00248-024-02404-0 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024This study investigates using magnesium foliar spray to enhance mint plants' growth and physiological performance under cadmium toxicity. It examines the effects of...
This study investigates using magnesium foliar spray to enhance mint plants' growth and physiological performance under cadmium toxicity. It examines the effects of foliar application of magnesium oxide (40 mg L), in both nano and bulk forms, on mint plants exposed to cadmium stress (60 mg kg soil). Cadmium stress reduced root growth and activity, plant biomass (32%), leaf hydration (19%), chlorophyll levels (27%), magnesium content (51%), and essential oil yield (35%), while increasing oxidative and osmotic stress in leaf tissues. Foliar application of magnesium increased root growth (32%), plant biomass, essential oil production (17%), leaf area (24%), chlorophyll content (10%), soluble sugar synthesis (33%), and antioxidant enzyme activity, and reduced lipid peroxidation and osmotic stress. Although the nano form of magnesium enhanced magnesium absorption, its impact on growth and physiological performance was not significantly different from the bulk form. Therefore, foliar application of both forms improves plants' ability to withstand cadmium toxicity. However, the study is limited by its focus on a single plant species and specific environmental conditions, which may affect the generalizability of the results. The long-term sustainability of such treatments could provide a more comprehensive understanding of magnesium's role in mitigating heavy metal stress in plants.
Topics: Magnesium Oxide; Cadmium; Mentha; Plant Leaves; Stress, Physiological; Chlorophyll; Lipid Peroxidation; Plant Roots; Oxidative Stress; Antioxidants; Magnesium; Biomass
PubMed: 38937645
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65853-0 -
Cureus Jun 2024Background Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a global gastrointestinal disorder, and obesity is a particular risk factor. Symptoms of GERD, such as heartburn and...
Background Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a global gastrointestinal disorder, and obesity is a particular risk factor. Symptoms of GERD, such as heartburn and acid reflux, are caused by abnormal relaxation in the lower esophagus, causing gastric acid reflux. Persistent symptoms can affect the patient's quality of life (QOL) and can cause complications, such as esophageal adenocarcinoma. Management of GERD includes lifestyle changes, antacids, and anti-reflux surgery. Even though GERD is a common disease, few research has been carried out on it in Saudi Arabia. Aim This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of GERD and its associated risk factors among obese individuals in the Al-Baha region population and the effect of GERD on their QOL. Methods A cross-sectional study included 314 obese participants from the Al-Baha region. A questionnaire was filled out to measure the prevalence of GERD, risk factors, and effects on the QOL of the participants. Data were analyzed by the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 26.0 (released 2019, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Descriptive statistics and the chi-squared test were applied. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with the incidence of GERD. A -value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results A total of 314 patients who met our inclusion criteria completed the survey; 42% of them were women, the mean age of all patients was 35.3 ± 12.9 years, and 38.2% of the patients were diagnosed with GERD. Epigastric pain and burning sensation were the most common symptoms (44.9%). Five out of six domains in the QOL questionnaire showed more effects among GERD participants than non-GERD participants, and the results were statistically significant ( = 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that men are 1.8 times more likely than women to be diagnosed with GERD, and smokers have 2.6 times the risk of being diagnosed with GERD than non-smokers. Conclusion The present study showed a high prevalence of GERD among obese patients in the Al-Baha region, negatively affecting their QOL. Major risk factors included gender, smoking, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Public health programs to raise awareness of these risk factors and lifestyle habits are necessary to improve QOL and prevent complications.
PubMed: 38933342
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.63073 -
Pharmaceutics May 2024Gastric acid secretion is closely associated with the development and treatment of chronic gastritis, gastric ulcers, and reflux esophagitis. However, gastric acid...
Gastric acid secretion is closely associated with the development and treatment of chronic gastritis, gastric ulcers, and reflux esophagitis. However, gastric acid secretion is affected by complex physiological and pathological factors, and real-time detection and control are complicated and expensive. A gastric delivery system for antacids and therapeutics in response to low pH in the stomach holds promise for smart and personalized treatment of stomach diseases. In this study, pH-responsive modular units were used to assemble various modular devices for self-regulation of pH and drug delivery to the stomach. The modular unit with a release window of 50 mm could respond to pH and self-regulate within 10 min, which is related to its downward floatation and internal gas production. The assembled devices could stably float downward in the medium and detach sequentially at specific times. The assembled devices loaded with antacids exhibited smart pH self-regulation under complex physiological and pathological conditions. In addition, the assembled devices loaded with antacids and acid suppressors could multi-pulse or prolong drug release after rapid neutralization of gastric acid. Compared with traditional coating technology, 3D printing can print the shell layer by layer, flexibly adjust the internal and external structure and composition, and assemble it into a multi-level drug release system. Compared with traditional coating, 3D-printed shells have the advantage of the flexible adjustment of internal and external structure and composition, and are easy to assemble into a complex drug delivery system. This provides a universal and flexible strategy for the personalized treatment of diseases with abnormal gastric acid secretion, especially for delivering acid-unstable drugs.
PubMed: 38931841
DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16060717 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024In environmental chemistry, photocatalysts for eliminating organic contaminants in water have gained significant interest. Our study introduces a unique heterostructure...
In environmental chemistry, photocatalysts for eliminating organic contaminants in water have gained significant interest. Our study introduces a unique heterostructure combining MIL-101(Cr) and bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI). We evaluated this nanostructure's efficiency in adsorbing and degrading tetracycline (TC) under visible light. The BiOI@MIL-101(Cr) composite, with a surface area of 637 m/g, prevents self-aggregation seen in its components, enhancing visible light absorption. Its photocatalytic efficiency surpassed BiOI and MIL-101(Cr) by 33.4 and 9.2 times, respectively. Comprehensive analyses, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confirmed the successful formation of the heterostructure with defined morphological characteristics. BET analysis demonstrated its high surface area, while X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed its crystallinity. Electron spin resonance (ESR) tests showed significant generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) like h and·•O under light, crucial for TC degradation. The material maintained exceptional durability over five cycles. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations and empirical investigations revealed a type I heterojunction between BiOI and MIL-101(Cr), facilitating efficient electron-hole pair separation. This study underscores the superior photocatalytic activity and stability of BiOI@MIL-101(Cr), offering insights into designing innovative photocatalysts for water purification.
Topics: Metal-Organic Frameworks; Bismuth; Catalysis; Tetracycline; Light; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water Purification; Reactive Oxygen Species; Adsorption; Photochemical Processes
PubMed: 38928465
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126759 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Polyurethane/silk protein-bismuth halide oxide composite films were fabricated using a blending-wet phase transformationin situsynthesis method. The crystal structure,...
Polyurethane/silk protein-bismuth halide oxide composite films were fabricated using a blending-wet phase transformationin situsynthesis method. The crystal structure, micromorphology, and optical properties were conducted using XRD, SEM, and UV-Vis DRS characterize techniques. The results indicated that loaded silk protein enhanced the hydrophilicity and pore structure of the polyurethane composite films. The active species BiOX were observed to grow as nanosheets with high dispersion on the internal skeleton and silk protein surface of the polyurethane-silk protein film. The photocatalytic efficiency of BiOX/PU-SF composite films was assessed through the degradation of Rhodamine B under visible light irradiation. Among the tested films, the BiOBr/PU-SF composite exhibited the highest removal rate of RhB at 98.9%, surpassing the removal rates of 93.7% for the BiOCl/PU-SF composite and 85.6% for the BiOI/PU-SF composite. Furthermore, an active species capture test indicated that superoxide radical (•O) and hole (h) species played a predominant role in the photodegradation process.
Topics: Polyurethanes; Photolysis; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Bismuth; Catalysis; Silk; Rhodamines; Coloring Agents; Oxides; Porosity; Light
PubMed: 38928359
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126653 -
Biosensors Jun 2024Heavy metals constitute pollutants that are particularly common in air, water, and soil. They are present in both urban and rural environments, on land, and in marine...
Heavy metals constitute pollutants that are particularly common in air, water, and soil. They are present in both urban and rural environments, on land, and in marine ecosystems, where they cause serious environmental problems since they do not degrade easily, remain almost unchanged for long periods, and bioaccumulate. The detection and especially the quantification of metals require a systematic process. Regular monitoring is necessary because of seasonal variations in metal levels. Consequently, there is a significant need for rapid and low-cost metal determination methods. In this study, we compare and analytically validate absorption spectrometry with a sensitive voltammetric method, which uses a bismuth film-plated electrode surface and applies stripping voltammetry. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) represents a well-established analytical technique, while the applicability of anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) in complicated sample matrices such as soil samples is currently unknown. This sample-handling challenge is investigated in the present study. The results show that the AAS and ASV methods were satisfactorily correlated and showed that the metal concentration in soils was lower than the limit values but with an increasing trend. Therefore, continuous monitoring of metal levels in the urban complex of a city is necessary and a matter of great importance. The limits of detection of cadmium (Cd) were lower when using the stripping voltammetry (SWASV) graphite furnace technique compared with those obtained with AAS when using the graphite furnace. However, when using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (flame-AAS), the measurements tended to overestimate the concentration of Cd compared with the values found using SWASV. This highlights the differences in sensitivity and accuracy between these analytical methods for detecting Cd. The SWASV method has the advantage of being cheaper and faster, enabling the simultaneous determination of heavy elements across the range of concentrations that these elements can occur in Mediterranean soils. Additionally, a dsDNA biosensor is suggested for the discrimination of Cu(I) along with Cu(II) based on the oxidation peak of guanine, and adenine residues can be applied in the redox speciation analysis of copper in soil, which represents an issue of great importance.
Topics: Bismuth; Metals, Heavy; Electrodes; Soil; DNA; Biosensing Techniques; Soil Pollutants; Electrochemical Techniques; Spectrophotometry, Atomic; Cadmium
PubMed: 38920614
DOI: 10.3390/bios14060310 -
Environmental Geochemistry and Health Jun 2024A simple sol-gel combustion process was employed for the creation of MFeO (M=Ni, Co) nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles, acting as both photocatalysts and gas...
A simple sol-gel combustion process was employed for the creation of MFeO (M=Ni, Co) nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles, acting as both photocatalysts and gas sensors, were analyzed using various analytical techniques. MFeO (M=Ni, Co) material improved the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV-light irradiation, serving as an enhanced electron transport medium. UV-vis studies demonstrated that NiFeO achieved a 60% degradation, while CoFeO nanostructure exhibited a 76% degradation efficacy in the MB dye removal process. Furthermore, MFeO (M=Ni, Co) demonstrated chemosensitive-type sensor capabilities at ambient temperature. The sensor response and recovery times for CoFeO at a concentration of 100 ppm were 15 and 20, respectively. Overall, the synthesis of MFeO (M=Ni, Co) holds the potential to significantly improve the photocatalytic and gas sensing properties, particularly enhancing the performance of CoFeO. The observed enhancements make honey MFeO (M=Ni, Co) a preferable choice for environmental remediation applications.
Topics: Cobalt; Nickel; Ferric Compounds; Methylene Blue; Metal Nanoparticles; Gases; Catalysis; Ultraviolet Rays; Environmental Restoration and Remediation; Nanoparticles; Aluminum Oxide; Magnesium Oxide
PubMed: 38916678
DOI: 10.1007/s10653-024-01966-9 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Simultaneous dual-contrast imaging of iodine and bismuth has shown promise in prior phantom and animal studies utilizing spectral CT. However, it is noted that in...
Simultaneous dual-contrast imaging of iodine and bismuth has shown promise in prior phantom and animal studies utilizing spectral CT. However, it is noted that in previous studies, Pepto-Bismol has frequently been employed as the source of bismuth, exceeding the recommended levels for human subjects. This investigation sought to assess the feasibility of visually differentiating and precisely quantifying low-concentration bismuth using clinical dual-source photon-counting CT (PCCT) in a scenario involving both iodinated and bismuth-based contrast materials. Four bismuth samples (0.6, 1.3, 2.5, and 5.1 mg/mL) were prepared using Pepto-Bismol, alongside three iodine rods (1, 2, and 5 mg/mL), inserted into multi-energy CT phantoms with three different sizes, and scanned on a PCCT system at three tube potentials (120, 140, and Sn140 kV). A generic image-based three-material decomposition method generated iodine and bismuth maps, with mean mass concentrations and noise levels measured. The root-mean-square errors for iodine and bismuth determined the optimal tube potential. The tube potential of 140 kV demonstrated optimal quantification performance when both iodine and bismuth were considered. Distinct differentiation of iodine rods with all three concentrations and bismuth samples with mass concentrations ≥ 1.3 mg/mL was observed across all phantom sizes at the optimal kV setting.
Topics: Bismuth; Iodine; Phantoms, Imaging; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Contrast Media; Humans; Photons
PubMed: 38894358
DOI: 10.3390/s24113567 -
Journal of Hazardous Materials Aug 2024This study investigates the co-precipitation of calcium and barium ions in hypersaline wastewater under the action of Bacillus licheniformis using microbially induced...
Co-removal and recycling of Ba and Ca in hypersaline wastewater based on the microbially induced carbonate precipitation technique: Overlooked Ba in extracellular and intracellular vaterite.
This study investigates the co-precipitation of calcium and barium ions in hypersaline wastewater under the action of Bacillus licheniformis using microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology, as well as the bactericidal properties of the biomineralized product vaterite. The changes in carbonic anhydrase activity, pH, carbonate and bicarbonate concentrations in different biomineralization systems were negatively correlated with variations in metal ion concentrations, while the changes in polysaccharides and protein contents in bacterial extracellular polymers were positively correlated with variations in barium concentrations. In the mixed calcium and barium systems, the harvested minerals were vaterite containing barium. The increasing concentrations of calcium promoted the incorporation and adsorption of barium onto vaterite. The presence of barium significantly increased the contents of O-CO, N-CO, and Ba-O in vaterite. Calcium promoted barium precipitation, but barium inhibited calcium precipitation. After being treated by immobilized bacteria, the concentrations of calcium and barium ions decreased from 400 and 274 to 1.72 and 0 mg/L (GB/T15454-2009 and GB8978-1996). Intracellular minerals were also vaterite containing barium. Extracellular vaterite exhibited bactericidal properties. This research presents a promising technique for simultaneously removing and recycling hazardous heavy metals and calcium in hypersaline wastewater.
Topics: Wastewater; Barium; Calcium; Chemical Precipitation; Bacillus; Calcium Carbonate; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Recycling; Carbonates; Carbonic Anhydrases; Water Purification
PubMed: 38889469
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134923