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Frontiers in Microbiology 2024To investigate the effects of kinds of additives on silage quality, the mixture of king grass and rice straw was ensiled with addition of sucrose, citric acid and malic...
To investigate the effects of kinds of additives on silage quality, the mixture of king grass and rice straw was ensiled with addition of sucrose, citric acid and malic acid at the levels of 0, 1 and 2%, being blank control (CK), citric acid groups (CA1, CA2), malic acid groups (MA1, MA2), citric acid + malic acid groups (CM1, CM2), sucrose groups (SU1, SU2), mainly focusing on fermentation quality, nutrient content, aerobic stability and microbial community of the silages. The results showed that the addition of sucrose decreased ( < 0.05) pH and increased the content of water soluble carbohydrate ( < 0.05). The sucrose groups and mixed acid groups also had a lower ( < 0.01) neutral detergent fiber content. The addition of citric acid and the mixed acid increased ( < 0.01) the aerobic stability of the silage, reduced the abundance of , and the addition of citric acid also increased the abundance of . It is inferred that citric acid and malic acid could influence fermentation quality by inhibiting harmful bacteria and improve aerobic stability, while sucrose influenced fermentation quality by by promoting the generation of lactic acid. It is suggested that the application of citric acid, malic acid and sucrose would achieve an improvement effect on fermentation quality of the mixed silage.
PubMed: 38933036
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1420022 -
Microorganisms May 2024Species belonging to the genus produce many advantageous extracellular enzymes that have tremendous applications on a commercial scale for the textile, detergent, feed,...
Species belonging to the genus produce many advantageous extracellular enzymes that have tremendous applications on a commercial scale for the textile, detergent, feed, food, and beverage industries. This study aimed to isolate potent thermo-tolerant amylolytic and cellulolytic bacterium from the local environment. Using the Box-Behnken design of response surface methodology, we further optimized the amylase and cellulase activity. The isolate was identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as QY4. This study utilized potato peel waste (PPW) as the biomaterial, which is excessively being dumped in an open environment. Nutritional status of the dried PPW was determined by proximate analysis. All experimental runs were carried out in 250 mL Erlenmeyer flasks containing acid treated PPW as a substrate by the thermos-tolerant QY4 incubated at 37 °C for 72 h of submerged fermentation. Results revealed that the dilute HSO assisted autoclaved treatment favored more amylase production (0.601 IU/mL/min) compared to the acid treatment whereas high cellulase production (1.269 IU/mL/min) was observed in the dilute acid treatment and was found to be very effective compared to the acid assisted autoclaved treatment. The -value, F-value, and coefficient of determination proved the significance of the model. These results suggest that PPW could be sustainably used to produce enzymes, which offer tremendous applications in various industrial arrays, particularly in biofuel production.
PubMed: 38930488
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061106 -
Life (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024The production of citric acid, a vital agricultural commodity utilized across various industries such as food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, detergents, and...
The production of citric acid, a vital agricultural commodity utilized across various industries such as food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, detergents, and cosmetics, predominantly relies on microbial fermentation, with accounting for approximately 90% of global production. In this study, we aimed to optimize the key factors influencing citric acid production, with a focus on strains, fermentation techniques, and carbon sources, particularly sugarcane molasses. , sourced from the Botany department/Biotechnology laboratories at Govt. College of Science, Lahore, was employed for citric acid production. The process involved inoculum preparation through spore collection from 3 to 5 days of cultured PDA slants. The fermentation medium, comprising cane molasses with a 15% sugar concentration, was meticulously prepared and optimized for various factors, including magnesium sulfate, potassium ferrocyanide, time of addition of potassium ferrocyanide, ammonium oxalate, and calcium chloride. Our optimization results shed light on the significant impact of different factors on citric acid production. For instance, the addition of 0.4 g/L magnesium sulfate led to a maximum yield of 75%, while 2 g/L potassium ferrocyanide, added at 24 h, achieved a yield of 78%. Remarkably, ammonium oxalate, at a concentration of 10 g/L, resulted in a notable 77% yield. Conversely, the addition of calcium chloride exhibited negligible effects on citric acid production, with the control group yielding more at 78%. Our study underscores the potential for optimizing factors to enhance citric acid production by in submerged fermentation. These findings highlight the pivotal role of magnesium sulfate, potassium ferrocyanide, and ammonium oxalate in augmenting citric acid yields while emphasizing the minimal impact of calcium chloride. Ultimately, these insights contribute to advancing our understanding of microbial citric acid biosynthesis, providing valuable implications for industrial applications and future research endeavors.
PubMed: 38929739
DOI: 10.3390/life14060756 -
International Journal of Environmental... May 2024Healthcare-acquired infections are a major problem in healthcare facility settings around the world. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has over 2 million... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Program on Handwashing with a Cleansing Agent among Diarrhea Patients and Attendants in Healthcare Facilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Randomized Pilot of the PICHA7 Program.
Healthcare-acquired infections are a major problem in healthcare facility settings around the world. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has over 2 million diarrhea patients hospitalized each year. These healthcare settings become high-risk environments for spreading diarrheal illnesses such as cholera. The objective of the Preventative Intervention for Cholera for 7 Days (PICHA7) program is to develop evidence-based water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions to reduce cholera and other severe diarrheal diseases in the DRC. The study objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of PICHA7 program delivery in increasing handwashing with a cleansing agent at stool/vomit- and food-related events in a healthcare facility setting among diarrhea patients and patient attendants. A pilot of the PICHA7 program was conducted among 284 participants in 27 healthcare facilities from March 2020 to November 2021 in urban Bukavu in the South Kivu Province of the DRC. The standard arm received the standard message provided in the DRC to diarrhea patients on the use of oral rehydration solution and a basic WASH message at healthcare facility discharge. The PICHA7 arm received the PICHA7 WASH pictorial module delivered by a health promoter focused on handwashing with a cleansing agent at the bedside of the diarrhea patient in the healthcare facility and provision of a soapy water bottle (water and detergent powder). Within 24 h of intervention delivery, a three-hour structured observation of handwashing practices at stool/vomit- and food-related events (key events) was conducted in healthcare facilities of diarrhea patients and their attendants. Compared to the standard arm, there was significantly more handwashing with a cleansing agent at key events in the PICHA7 arm (40% vs. 15%) (odds ratio: 5.04; (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.01, 12.7)). These findings demonstrate that delivery of the PICHA7 WASH pictorial module and provision of a soapy water bottle to diarrhea patients and their attendants presents a promising approach to increase handwashing with a cleansing agent among this high-risk population in healthcare facilities in the eastern DRC.
Topics: Humans; Diarrhea; Hand Disinfection; Male; Adult; Hygiene; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Female; Pilot Projects; Health Facilities; Sanitation; Middle Aged; Young Adult; Adolescent; Cholera
PubMed: 38928906
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21060659 -
Toxins Jun 2024Cytotoxins (CTs) are three-finger membrane-active toxins present mainly in cobra venom. Our analysis of the available CT amino acid sequences, literature data on their... (Review)
Review
Cytotoxins (CTs) are three-finger membrane-active toxins present mainly in cobra venom. Our analysis of the available CT amino acid sequences, literature data on their membrane activity, and conformational equilibria in aqueous solution and detergent micelles allowed us to identify specific amino acid residues which interfere with CT incorporation into membranes. They include Pro9, Ser28, and Asn/Asp45 within the N-terminal, central, and C-terminal loops, respectively. There is a hierarchy in the effect of these residues on membrane activity: Pro9 > Ser28 > Asn/Asp45. Taking into account all the possible combinations of special residues, we propose to divide CTs into eight groups. Group 1 includes toxins containing all of the above residues. Their representatives demonstrated the lowest membrane activity. Group 8 combines CTs that lack these residues. For the toxins from this group, the greatest membrane activity was observed. We predict that when solely membrane activity determines the cytotoxic effects, the activity of CTs from a group with a higher number should exceed that of CTs from a group with a lower number. This classification is supported by the available data on the cytotoxicity and membranotropic properties of CTs. We hypothesize that the special amino acid residues within the loops of the CT molecule may indicate their involvement in the interaction with non-lipid targets.
Topics: Cell Membrane; Animals; Cytotoxins; Elapid Venoms; Amino Acids; Amino Acid Sequence; Humans
PubMed: 38922156
DOI: 10.3390/toxins16060262 -
Frontiers in Dentistry 2024This study assessed the effect of chlorhexidine (CHX) and isopropyl alcohol (IA) on immediate and late pushout bond strength (PBS) of fiber posts to dentin. In this in...
This study assessed the effect of chlorhexidine (CHX) and isopropyl alcohol (IA) on immediate and late pushout bond strength (PBS) of fiber posts to dentin. In this in vitro study, 54 single-canal premolars were endodontically treated, and randomly assigned to 3 groups (N=18) for root dentin conditioning with distilled water (control), 2% CHX, and 70% IA after post space preparation. Fiber posts were cemented with TheraCem self-adhesive cement, and each group was subdivided into two subgroups (N=9) for PBS measurement immediately after bonding, and after 5000 thermal cycles (5-55°C). The roots were then sectioned, and their PBS was measured. The mode of failure was evaluated under a stereomicroscope at ×40 magnification. Data were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA and Tukey's test (alpha=0.05). The highest PBS was noted in the IA group (21.12 MPa) after 24 hours and the lowest PBS belonged to the control group after thermocycling (7.48 MPa). The immediate and post-thermocycling PBS were significantly lower in the control group than the CHX group (P<0.05). The PBS in both the control and CHX groups was lower than that in the IA group (P<0.001). Regardless of the type of detergent, a significant reduction in PBS was observed after thermocycling (P<0.003). The PBS significantly decreased from the cervical towards the apical region in all groups (P<0.001). According to the results, application of IA before the self-adhesive cement effectively improved the immediate and late PBS, and was significantly more effective than CHX
PubMed: 38919768
DOI: 10.18502/fid.v21i13.15374 -
Poultry Science May 2024This study determined metabolizable energy (ME) and developed ME prediction equations for broilers based on chemical composition of soybean meal (SBM) and rapeseed meal...
This study determined metabolizable energy (ME) and developed ME prediction equations for broilers based on chemical composition of soybean meal (SBM) and rapeseed meal (RSM) using a 2 × 10 factorial arrangement of age (11 to 14 or 25 to 28 d of age) and 10 sources of each ingredient. Each treatment contained 6 replicates of 8 broilers. The ME values were determined by total collection of feces and urine. Principal components analysis (PCA) of the chemical composition clearly revealed distinct differences in SBM and RSM based on a principal components (PC) score plot. The nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) of SBM was higher in broilers from 25 to 28 than 11 to 14 d of age (P = 0.013). Interactions between broiler age and ingredient source affected apparent metabolizable energy (AME) of SBM and ME of RSM (P < 0.05). The ME of SBM in 11 to 14 and 25 to 28-day-old broilers were estimated by crude protein (CP) content (R≥ 0.782; SEP ≤ 83 kcal/kg DM; P < 0.001). The AME and AMEn of RSM in 11 to 14-day-old broilers were estimated by ether extract (EE), ash and acid detergent fiber (ADF) (R = 0.897, SEP = 106 kcal/kg DM; P = 0.002), and by EE and ash (R = 0.885, SEP = 98 kcal/kg DM; P = 0.001), respectively. The AME and AMEn of RSM in 25 to 28-day-old broilers were estimated by ash and ADF (R = 0.925, SEP = 104 kcal/kg DM; P < 0.001) and by ash and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (R = 0.921, SEP = 91 kcal/kg DM; P < 0.001), respectively. These results indicate that ME of these 2 plant protein ingredients are affected interactively by chemical composition and age of broilers. This study developed robust, age-specific prediction equations of ME for broilers based on chemical composition for SBM and RSM. Overall, ME values can be predicted from CP content for SBM, or EE, ash, ADF, and NDF for RSM.
PubMed: 38917611
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.103915 -
ACS Omega Jun 2024This study investigates the commercial viability of repurposing fruit waste for enzyme production, specifically focusing on the invertase enzyme derived from . By...
This study investigates the commercial viability of repurposing fruit waste for enzyme production, specifically focusing on the invertase enzyme derived from . By utilizing fruit pulp that incorporates mulberry, carob, Figure, and grape pulp as a nutrient source, it is observed that the culture medium containing carob pulp exhibits the highest invertase activity. Specifically, the invertase activity in this medium is approximately 2.5 times greater (12.90 U/mg protein) than that observed in the peptone medium (5.98 U/mg protein). The extract undergoes several purification steps, including ultrafiltration, ammonium sulfate precipitation, dialysis, and ion-exchange chromatography (purification ratio: 12.11 times, yield: 26.93%). The purified enzyme is immobilized using alginate beads, improving pH and thermal stability. The immobilized enzyme exhibits optimal activity between pH 3.50 and pH 7.00, thereby broadening the enzyme's high-activity pH range. The thermal stability of the immobilized invertase enzyme is significantly improved, especially at 65 °C. Activity studies in the presence of metal ions and certain chemicals have been conducted. The immobilized enzyme's activity increases by approximately 40% in the presence of Ca and Mg, and the immobilized enzyme maintains its activity in the presence of detergents such as SDS, Tween-20, and organic solvents like ethanol and methanol. The potential for the reuse of immobilized invertase was investigated under standard assay conditions. After 20 cycles, the immobilized enzyme was found to retain 80% of its initial activity. Overall, the study establishes the commercial potential of fruit pulp, typically discarded in fruit juice production, as a valuable source for obtaining an invertase enzyme. Furthermore, this study also aims to develop a suitable purification process for invertase in the fruit juice industry. By harnessing fruit waste and implementing innovative enzyme production strategies, industries can enhance their efficiency, reduce their environmental footprint, and optimize resource utilization.
PubMed: 38911758
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c01732 -
Biophysical Journal Jun 2024The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a multidrug efflux pump that is overexpressed in a variety of cancers and associated with the drug...
The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a multidrug efflux pump that is overexpressed in a variety of cancers and associated with the drug resistance phenomenon. P-gp structures were previously determined in detergent and in nanodiscs, in which different transmembrane helix conformations were found, "straight" and "kinked", respectively, indicating a possible role of the lipid environment on the P-gp structural ensemble. Here, we investigate the dynamic conformational ensembles and protein-lipid interactions of two human P-gp inward-open conformers, straight and kinked, employing all-atom molecular dynamics simulations in asymmetric multicomponent lipid bilayers that mimic the highly specialized hepatocyte membrane in which P-gp is expressed. The two conformers are found to differ in terms of the accessibility of the substrate cavity. The MD simulations show how cholesterol and different lipid species wedge, snorkel, and partially enter within the cavity of the straight P-gp conformer solved in detergent. However, the access to the cavity of kinked P-gp conformer solved in nanodiscs is restricted. Furthermore, the volume and dynamic fluctuations of the substrate cavity largely differ between the two P-gp structures, and are modulated by the presence (or absence) of cholesterol in the membrane and/or of ATP. From the mechanistic perspective, the findings indicate that the straight conformer likely precedes the kinked conformer in the functional working cycle of P-gp, with the latter conformation representing a post substrate-bound state. The inaccessibility of the main transmembrane cavity in the kinked conformer might be crucial in preventing substrate disengagement and transport withdrawal. Remarkably, in our unbiased MD simulations, one transmembrane helix (TM10) of the straight conformer underwent a spontaneous conformational transition to a kinked conformation, underlining the relevance of both conformations in a native phospholipid environment and revealing structural descriptors defining the transition between two P-gp conformers.
PubMed: 38909280
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.06.020 -
Biotechnology For Biofuels and... Jun 2024Lignocellulosic biomass is currently underutilized, but it offers promise as a resource for the generation of commercial end-products, such as biofuels, detergents, and...
Lignocellulosic biomass is currently underutilized, but it offers promise as a resource for the generation of commercial end-products, such as biofuels, detergents, and other oleochemicals. Rhodococcus opacus PD630 is an oleaginous, Gram-positive bacterium with an exceptional ability to utilize recalcitrant aromatic lignin breakdown products to produce lipid molecules such as triacylglycerols (TAGs), which are an important biofuel precursor. Lipid carbon storage molecules accumulate only under growth-limiting low nitrogen conditions, representing a significant challenge toward using bacterial biorefineries for fuel precursor production. In this work, we screened overexpression of 27 native transcriptional regulators for their abilities to improve lipid accumulation under nitrogen-rich conditions, resulting in three strains that accumulate increased lipids, unconstrained by nitrogen availability when grown in phenol or glucose. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that the best strain (#13) enhanced FA production via activation of the β-ketoadipate pathway. Gene deletion experiments confirm that lipid accumulation in nitrogen-replete conditions requires reprogramming of phenylalanine metabolism. By generating mutants decoupling carbon storage from low nitrogen environments, we move closer toward optimizing R. opacus for efficient bioproduction on lignocellulosic biomass.
PubMed: 38898475
DOI: 10.1186/s13068-024-02523-3