Intracellular Compounds Research Articles

Antibacterial peptides from black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae: mode of action and characterization

Antibacterial peptides from black soldier fly larvae extract were prepared using Flash column chromatography. Three out of five fractions (F2, F3 and F4) showed antibacterial activity against Listeria monocytogenes DMST 17303 with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1 mM, followed by Salmonella enterica Enteritidis DMST 15679 and Escherichia coli O157:H7 DMST 12743 with a MIC ranging from 4 to 8 mM. Due to the higher yield, F2 and F3 were further analyzed on their mode of action against L. monocytogenes DMST 17303. Both fractions, particularly F2, exerted antibacterial activity through inducing bacterial cell membrane disintegration and interaction with intracellular compounds including fatty acids, proteins, and nucleic acids. The F3 did not show significant hemolytic activity up to 4 mM, while F2 showed lower than 5% hemolysis up to 8 mM. Time-to-kill analysis revealed that F2 was more effective and exerted a sustainable killing effect after 2 and 4 h, depending on the concentration of 1 and 2×MIC, respectively, while the F3 at 2×MIC could completely kill the test bacteria within 24 h. Among the identified peptides in the fractions, those with charged, either positively or negatively, and moderate hydrophobicity of ranging 6.68–15.70, namely CGPPRQGPFPR, HLEEELK, LEEAEERAD, TEELEEAKKK, and KGNSELEEAKKK, are potential antimicrobial peptides.

Antibacterial and antioxidant properties of sumac extract on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

The research aimed to evaluate the antioxidative and antibacterial characteristics of aqueous sumac extract on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus through in-vitro and in-vivo study. Sumac extract has been obtained through the soaking method, and its antioxidant properties were gauged using the DPPH free radical scavenging method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of sumac extract was determined on S. aureus obtained from hospitalized patients, as well as an assessment of biofilm-formation and the release of bacterial intracellular compounds. in vivo experimentation involved injecting bacteria (108 cfu/ml) into mice, which subsequently manifested indicators of symptoms of infection, and the number of bacteria within their bloodstream was quantified. The Sumac extract demonstrated strong antioxidant properties at concentrations of 1000 mg/ml. Furthermore, the agar tests for the gram staining, mannitol, coagulase, and DNase revealed that 190 cultured bacteria samples were identified as Staphylococcus aureus. These bacteria were resistant to clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, and methicillin antibiotics, but sensitive to erythromycin and penicillin antibiotics. Additionally, the bacteria displayed significant methicillin resistance and formed a strong biofilm (65.78%). The sumac extract showed a MIC range of 125–1000 µg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus. Treatment with concentrations above the MIC was found to prevent the formation of biofilm and increase the release of bacterial intracellular compounds. Sumac extract led to a decrease in bacterial count in the blood of mice and reduced signs of infection. Sumac extract demonstrated powerful antioxidant and antibacterial effects against resistant microorganisms, suggesting its potential as a promising compound for the treatment of resistant infections in future research.

Flash vacuum expansion process promotes increased viability of Limosilactobacillus fermentum J24 in papaya-based beverages under simulated digestion

The processing of papaya generates large amounts of agro-industrial waste, which have become a pollution problem due to the lack of proper management systems. Agro-industrial papaya waste, such as unused peel and pulp, still serves as a reservoir of bioactive compounds, vitamins, and fiber. Therefore, it is important to assess sustainable ways to utilize these waste products. The consumption of antioxidant compounds, fiber and probiotics improves consumer health by preventing or reducing the incidence of diseases. Flash vacuum expansion (FVE) process has been shown to efficiently release antioxidant compounds from vegetable matrices, allowing the use of peel and fruit pulp. This study evaluated the ability of Limosilactobacillus fermentum J24 (isolated from cheese) to ferment a beverage based on papaya puree generated through FVE. It was found that the bacteria exhibited better growth in traditionally generated purees (control), reaching values of 8.5 Log CFU/mL. Before fermentation phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity was higher in flash-generated puree beverages with values above 20 mg GAE/100 g fresh weight for total phenols and 50 m moles TE/100 g fresh weight for antioxidant capacity. After fermentation, phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity was higher in control puree beverages. After simulated digestion, higher cell viability was observed in flash puree beverages. FVE process released more intracellular compounds, challenging the bacteria to take metabolic pathways to adapt to a more complex environment, promoting a greater adaptation to the digestive phase, and preserving probiotic potential

Physical Cell Disruption Technologies for Intracellular Compound Extraction from Microorganisms

This review focuses on the physical disruption techniques in extracting intracellular compounds, a critical step that significantly impacts yield and purity. Traditional chemical extraction methods, though long-established, face challenges related to cost and environmental sustainability. In response to these limitations, this paper highlights the growing shift towards physical disruption methods—high-pressure homogenization, ultrasonication, milling, and pulsed electric fields—as promising alternatives. These methods are applicable across various cell types, including bacteria, yeast, and algae. Physical disruption techniques achieve relatively high yields without degrading the bioactivity of the compounds. These techniques, utilizing physical forces to break cell membranes, offer promising extraction efficiency, with reduced environmental impacts, making them attractive options for sustainable and effective intracellular compound extraction. High-pressure homogenization is particularly effective for large-scale extracting of bioactive compounds from cultivated microbial cells. Ultrasonication is well-suited for small to medium-scale applications, especially for extracting heat-sensitive compounds. Milling is advantageous for tough-walled cells, while pulsed electric field offers gentle, non-thermal, and highly selective extraction. This review compares the advantages and limitations of each method, emphasizing its potential for recovering various intracellular compounds. Additionally, it identifies key research challenges that need to be addressed to advance the field of physical extractions.

Numerical-experimental estimation of the deformability of human red blood cells from rheometrical data

The deformability of human red blood cells (RBCs), which comprise almost 99% of the cells in whole blood, is largely related not only to pathophysiological blood flow but also to the levels of intracellular compounds. Therefore, statistical estimates of the deformability of individual RBCs are of paramount importance in the clinical diagnosis of blood diseases. Although the microscale hydrodynamic interactions of individual RBCs lead to non-Newtonian blood rheology, there is no established method to estimate individual RBC deformability from the rheological data of RBC suspensions, and the possibility of this estimation has not been proven. To address this issue, we conducted an integrated analysis of a model of the rheology of RBC suspensions, coupled with macrorheological data of human RBCs suspended in plasma. Assuming a nonlinear curve of the relative viscosity of the suspensions as a function of the cell volume fraction, the statistical average of the membrane shear elasticity was estimated for individual intact RBCs or hardened RBCs. Both estimated values reproduced well the experimentally observed shear-thinning non-Newtonian behavior in these suspensions. We hereby conclude that our complementary approach makes it possible to estimate the statistical average of individual RBC deformability from macrorheological data obtained with usual rheometric tests.

Identification of competing endogenous RNA networks associated with circRNA and lncRNA in TCDD-induced cleft palate development

2,3,7,8 -tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a teratogen that can induce cleft palate formation, a common birth defect. Competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), including circular RNAs (circRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), indirectly regulate gene expression via sharing microRNAs (miRNAs). Nevertheless, the mechanism by which they act as ceRNAs to regulate palatal development remains to be explored in greater detail. Here, the cleft palate model of C57BL/6 N pregnant mice was constructed by gavage of TCDD (64 ug/kg) on gestation day (GD) 10.5, and the palatal shelves were taken on gestation day (GD) 14.5 for whole-transcriptome sequencing to investigate the underlying mechanisms of the roles of circRNAs and lncRNAs as ceRNAs in cleft palate. Sequencing results revealed that 293 lncRNA, 589 circRNA, 47 miRNA, and 138 messenger RNA (mRNA) were significantly dysregulated, and the cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway play key roles in the induction of cleft palate upon exposure to TCDD. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis revealed the function of TCDD function was mainly related to the metabolic processes of intracellular compounds, including the metabolic processes of cellular aromatic compounds and the metabolism of exogenous drugs by cytochrome P450, etc. Furthermore, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) indicated that the circRNA_1781/miR-30c-1–3p/PKIB and XR_380026.2/miR-1249–3p/DNAH10 ceRNA networks were hypothesized to be a hub involved in palatal development suggesting that the circRNA_1781/miR-30c-1–3p/PKIB and XR_380026.2/miR-1249–3p/DNAH10 ceRNA networks may be critical for palatogenesis, setting the foundation for the investigation of cleft palate.

Improving the accessibility of phytonutrients in Chlorella vulgaris through ohmic heating

The application of electric fields, coupled with its attendant ohmic heating effect, might represent a novel approach to process microalgae biomass. When exposed to temperatures above 70 °C, depending on the duration of exposure, significant effects were observed in the release of intracellular compounds from Chlorella vulgaris cells. The most significant effects were observed when they were treated at 90 °C with a constant electric field of 225 V.cm−1, resulting in a protein concentration of 108.52 ± 9.18 mg.L−1. This technology offers the advantage of achieving an extremely rapid heating rate, minimizing the risk of compound degradation due to thermal effects. Additionally, some effects on the cellular structure of microalgae were identified, which can enhance the extraction of biomolecules and metabolites, thereby promoting their digestibility as a food product.

Effect of ohmic heating on the extraction of biocompounds from aqueous and ethanolic suspensions of Pavlova gyrans

Electric field technology has been highlighted as a promising strategy in the permeabilization of cell membranes and the corresponding bioactive release. In this work, aqueous and ethanolic suspensions of Pavlova gyrans were subjected to moderate electric fields (MEF) to promote rapid heating due to Ohmic Heating (OH) effect. Two approaches were tested: i) OH assisted extraction in a temperature range between 25 ºC and 85 ºC, and ii) OH pretreatment at 25 ºC and 55 ºC followed by solvent extraction. OH treatment at 55 ºC (performed in less than 10 s) in aqueous suspensions promoted a marked increase in the release of organic matter (2.1-fold), chlorophyll a (41.1-fold) and total carotenoids (56.6-fold) when compared to the freeze-thaw cycles (FTC ≈ 3 hours). OH-pretreated biomass subjected to a two-step passive extraction improved the release of proteins and chlorophylls over incubation (p < 0.05) when compared to untreated biomass. This procedure increased 2.2-, 3.9- and 31.9-fold the content of organic matter, protein and chlorophyll a, respectively, in comparison to the FTC procedure. This work presented the OH effect as a promising strategy for enhanced disruption and release of intracellular microalgae compounds.

Interplay between photosynthetic electron flux and organic carbon sinks in sucrose-excreting Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 revealed by omics approaches

BackgroundAdvancing the engineering of photosynthesis-based prokaryotic cell factories is important for sustainable chemical production and requires a deep understanding of the interplay between bioenergetic and metabolic pathways. Rearrangements in photosynthetic electron flow to increase the efficient use of the light energy for carbon fixation must be balanced with a strong carbon sink to avoid photoinhibition. In the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, the flavodiiron protein Flv3 functions as an alternative electron acceptor of photosystem I and represents an interesting engineering target for reorganizing electron flow in attempts to enhance photosynthetic CO2 fixation and increase production yield.ResultsWe have shown that inactivation of Flv3 in engineered sucrose-excreting Synechocystis (S02:Δflv3) induces a transition from photoautotrophic sucrose production to mixotrophic growth sustained by sucrose re-uptake and the formation of intracellular carbon sinks such as glycogen and polyhydroxybutyrate. The growth of S02:Δflv3 exceeds that of the sucrose-producing strain (S02) and demonstrates unforeseen proteomic and metabolomic changes over the course of the nine-day cultivation. In the absence of Flv3, a down-regulation of proteins related to photosynthetic light reactions and CO2 assimilation occurred concomitantly with up-regulation of those related to glycolytic pathways, before any differences in sucrose production between S02 and S02:Δflv3 strains were observed. Over time, increased sucrose degradation in S02:Δflv3 led to the upregulation of respiratory pathway components, such as the plastoquinone reductase complexes NDH-11 and NDH-2 and the terminal respiratory oxidases Cyd and Cox, which transfer electrons to O2. While glycolytic metabolism is significantly up-regulated in S02:Δflv3 to provide energy for the cell, the accumulation of intracellular storage compounds and the increase in respiration serve as indirect sinks for photosynthetic electrons.ConclusionsOur results show that the presence of strong carbon sink in the engineered sucrose-producing Synechocystis S02 strain, operating under high light, high CO2 and salt stress, cannot compensate for the lack of Flv3 by directly balancing the light transducing source and carbon fixing sink reactions. Instead, the cells immediately sense the imbalance, leading to extensive reprogramming of cellular bioenergetic, metabolic and ion transport pathways that favor mixotrophic growth rather than enhancing photoautotrophic sucrose production.

Multiple pathways of vanadate reduction and denitrification mediated by denitrifying bacterium Acidovorax sp. strain BoFeN1

Contamination of aquifers by a combination of vanadate [V(V)] and nitrate (NO3−) is widespread nowadays. Although bioremediation of V(V)- and nitrate-contaminated environments is possible, only a limited number of functional species have been identified to date. The present study demonstrates the effectiveness of V(V) reduction and denitrification by a denitrifying bacterium Acidovorax sp. strain BoFeN1. The V(V) removal efficiency was 76.5 ± 5.41 % during 120 h incubation, with complete removal of NO3− within 48 h. Inhibitor experiments confirmed the involvement of electron transport substances and denitrifying enzymes in the bioreduction of V(V) and NO3−. Cyt c and riboflavin were important for extracellular V(V) reduction, with quinone and EPS more significant for NO3− removal. Intracellular reductive compounds including glutathione and NADH directly reduce V(V) and NO3−. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR confirmed the important roles of nirK and napA genes in regulating V(V) reduction and denitrification. Bioaugmentation by strain BoFeN1 increased V(V) and NO3− removal efficiency by 55.3 % ± 2.78 % and 42.1 % ± 1.04 % for samples from a contaminated aquifer. This study proposes new microbial resources for the bioremediation of V(V) and NO3−contaminated aquifers, and contributes to our understanding of coupled vanadium, nitrogen, and carbon biogeochemical processes.

Sustainable Valorization of Industrial Cherry Pomace: A Novel Cascade Approach Using Pulsed Electric Fields and Ultrasound Assisted-Extraction.

In this study, a two-stage cascade extraction process utilizing pulsed electric fields (PEF) (3 kV/cm, 10 kJ/kg) for initial extraction, followed by ultrasound (US) (200 W, 20 min)-assisted extraction (UAE) in a 50% (v/v) ethanol-water mixture (T = 50 °C, t = 60 min), was designed for the efficient release of valuable intracellular compounds from industrial cherry pomace. The extracted compounds were evaluated for total phenolic content (TPC), flavonoid content (FC), total anthocyanin content (TAC), and antioxidant activity (FRAP), and were compared with conventional solid-liquid extraction (SLE). Results showed that the highest release of bioactive compounds occurred in the first stage, which was attributed to the impact of PEF pre-treatment, resulting in significant increases in TPC (79%), FC (79%), TAC (83%), and FRAP values (80%) of the total content observed in the post-cascade PEF-UAE process. The integration of UAE into the cascade process further augmented the extraction efficiency, yielding 21%, 49%, 56%, and 26% increases for TPC, FC, TAC, and FRAP, respectively, as compared to extracts obtained through a second-stage conventional SLE. HPLC analysis identified neochlorogenic acid, 4-p-coumaroylquinic, and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside as the predominant phenolic compounds in both untreated and cascade-treated cherry pomace extracts, and no degradation of the specific compounds occurred upon PEF and US application. SEM analysis revealed microstructural changes in cherry pomace induced by PEF and UAE treatments, enhancing the porosity and facilitating the extraction process. The study suggests the efficiency of the proposed cascade PEF-UAE extraction approach for phenolic compounds from industrial cherry pomace with potential applications to other plant-based biomasses.

Antibacterial activity and mechanism of X33 antimicrobial oligopeptide against Acinetobacter baumannii

Acinetobacter baumannii is a pathogenic bacterium widespread in human environments, especially in intensive care units, and is associated with high morbidity and infection rates. Multiple drug resistance in A. baumannii frequently leads to the death of patients, making the development of multi-effect antibacterial agents against this bacterium a research hotspot. We have previously found that the X33 antimicrobial oligopeptide can effectively inhibit the growth of Penicillium digitatum and Candida albicans. Herein, we evaluated the antibacterial activity of X33 antimicrobial oligopeptide against A. baumannii by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration, inhibition zone, and growth curve. The increase in extracellular alkaline phosphatase and the leakage of intracellular compounds confirmed the effect of X33 antimicrobial oligopeptide on the cell wall and membrane. Changes in reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, ATP, reducing sugar, soluble protein, and pyruvate content demonstrated that the incubation with X33 antimicrobial oligopeptide affected energy metabolism and oxidative stress. Consistent with the physiological characteristics, transcriptomics analysis indicated that incubation with X33 antimicrobial oligopeptide significantly induced changes in the expression of 2339 genes, including 1262 upregulated and 1077 downregulated genes, which participate in oxidative phosphorylation, ribosome, quorum sensing, fatty acid degradation, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and citrate cycle pathways. These results provide a fundamental basis for investigating the mechanism of X33 antimicrobial oligopeptide as a potential drug against A. baumannii.

Review on Pulsed Electric Fields: A New Horizon in Food Processing Health Techniques

Pulsed electric fields (PEF) are a novel, non-thermal, promising, and energy-efficient method of food preservation that utilizes short electrical pulses for microbial inactivation by causing minimal impacts on the quality attributes of food. In the PEF method, high-voltage pulses are generated between two electrodes immersed in fluid or paste-like foods to sterilize them by passing electricity through the food. PEF technology is predominantly applied in processing dairy, eggs, meat, fish, and liquid foods like juices and milk to inhibit microbial growth. As a non-thermal food preservation technique, PEF effectively manages biological hazards. Current research extends beyond microbial inactivation, demonstrating PEF's capability to enhance juice extraction from plant materials and to improve the efficiency of food drying and dehydration processes. Moreover, this technique targets the cytoplasmic membrane to enhance the selective release of intracellular compounds without the adverse effects of heat on extract quality and characteristics. Its low-energy pretreatment process also facilitates high yields in extraction. In addition, this process can improve the antioxidant activity, immunomodulatory activity, and inhibitory activity of ACE and can degrade pesticide residue as well. While much research focuses on PEF's microbial reduction, fewer studies examine its effects on the quality and consumer acceptance of treated foods. However, recent studies are highlighting the potential of PEF technology in achieving higher yields and preserving the quality of nutrients in food products.

Massive components in renewable hydrothermal liquid trigger ultra-high differentially expressed genes and diverse pathways for pathogen control

Hydrothermal liquefaction aqueous phase (HTL-AP) greatly hindered the sustainable development of HTL technology due to its high output and diverse compound distribution. Herein, the antimicrobial behavior, application scenario and acton mechanism of HTL-AP were clarified since an emerging pathogen reduction approach by HTL-AP attracts increasing attention. We studied the molecular cognition and underlying mechanism for phytopathogen control provoked by HTL-AP via multiscale analysis including mycelial morphology, intracellular metabolites and transcriptome. HTL-AP in a very low concentration (only 1.5%) completely inhibited the growth of Botrytis cinerea (B. cinerea) and showed promising potential for seed-borne fungi control. Biochemical analysis revealed that the morphology was significantly changed, the contents of four intracellular compounds were all largely disordered, and activities of six enzymes simultaneously decreased in mycelium after uptake of HTL-AP. Further, the transcriptome analysis revealed the disturbance of the gene expression of B. cinerea in response to HTL-AP stress. Ultra-high differentially expressed genes were enriched, which was significantly distinguished from the reported fungicide agent. HTL-AP mainly acted on metabolic processes of B. cinerea while disruption of genetic information processes and cellular processes were also performed. All four main antimicrobial modes were observed in HTL-AP action, and multiple action pathways of HTL-AP exhibited a synergistic interaction in growth inhibition. The multiscale analysis in this study refreshed the knowledge and cognition of HTL-AP functioned for pathogen control, which was speculated due to the multiple active compounds. HTL-AP showed a high potential for seed-borne fungi control, contributing to the novel renewable and suatainable fungicide agent development and new antimicroial target discovery.

Antimicrobial Activity of Different Collections of Medicinal Polypore Fungus Fomitopsis pinicola (Agaricomycetes)

The study of antimicrobial activity (AMA) of 14 genetically identified dikaryotic strains of red belted medicinal polypore &lt;i&gt;Fomitopsis pinicola&lt;/i&gt; isolated from &lt;i&gt;Betula sp.&lt;/i&gt; and other deciduous trees, as well as conifers &lt;i&gt;Picea&lt;/i&gt; sp. and &lt;i&gt;Abies alba&lt;/i&gt; in Russia, France and Italy against test fungi and bacteria is discussed. The results of this study have shown that &lt;i&gt;F. pinicola&lt;/i&gt; strains possess significant antimicrobial potential against dermatophytes (&lt;i&gt;Chrysosporium keratinophilum, Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton terrestre&lt;/i&gt;) and &lt;i&gt;Penicillium species&lt;/i&gt; (&lt;i&gt;P. griseofulvum, P.&lt;/i&gt; sp.) isolated from soil samples in Armenia, as well as Gram-negative (&lt;i&gt;Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium&lt;/i&gt;) and Gram-positive (&lt;i&gt;Staphylococcus aureus&lt;/i&gt;) bacteria received from different culture collections. In dual culture experiments, &lt;i&gt;F. pinicola&lt;/i&gt; showed high antagonistic/antifungal activity toward test fungi by suppressing their average growth rate (GR&lt;sub&gt;avr&lt;/sub&gt;) and sporulation causing morphological changes of colonies. The cultural broth (CB) samples obtained from 21-d static culture of &lt;i&gt;F. pinicola&lt;/i&gt; demonstrated higher antifungal activity (AFA) with fungicidic (FC) and fungistatic (FS) effects against dermatophytes and more than 50&amp;#37; GR&lt;sub&gt;avr&lt;/sub&gt; inhibitory effect for &lt;i&gt;Penicillium&lt;/i&gt; spp. compared with mycelial extracts (ME) samples. Tested CB and ME samples of &lt;i&gt;F. pinicola&lt;/i&gt; showed also antibacterial activity (ABA) against test bacteria. The AMA of CB samples was higher than the activity of ME samples. The mycelium of &lt;i&gt;F. pinicola&lt;/i&gt; may be considered a potential source of extra- and intracellular antimicrobial compounds. Further studies to elucidate the mechanism of antimicrobial effect of &lt;i&gt;F. pinicola&lt;/i&gt; for developing mushroom-derived biotech products are warranted.

Diffusion kurtosis imaging and standard diffusion imaging in the magnetic resonance imaging assessment of prostate cancer.

In recent years, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has shown excellent results in the study of the prostate gland. MRI has indeed shown to be advantageous in the prostate cancer (PCa) detection, as in guiding targeting biopsy, improving its diagnostic yield. Although current acquisition protocols provide for multiparametric acquisition, recent evidence has shown that biparametric protocols can be non-inferior in PCa detection. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequence, in particular, plays a key role, particularly in the peripheral zone which accounts for the larger part of the prostate. High b-values are generally recommended, although with the possibility of obtaining non-Gaussian diffusion effects, which requires a more sophisticated model for the analysis, namely through the diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI). Purpose of this narrative review was to analyze the current applications and clinical evidence regarding the use of DKI with a main focus on PCa detection, also in comparison with DWI. This narrative review synthesized the findings of literature retrieved from main researches, narrative and systematic reviews, and meta-analyses obtained from PubMed. DKI analyses the non-Gaussian water diffusivity and describe the effect of signal intensity decay related to high b-value through two main metrics (Dapp and Kapp). Differently from DWI-apparent diffusion coefficient (DWI-ADC) which reflects only water restriction outside of cells, DKI metrics are supposed to represent also the direct interaction of water molecules with cell membranes and intracellular compounds. This review describes current evidence on ADC and DKI metrics in clinical imaging, and finally collect the results derived from the main articles focused on DWI and DKI models in detecting PCa. DKI advantages, compared to conventional ADC analysis, still remain controversial. Wider application and greater technical knowledge of DKI, however, may help in proving its intrinsic validity in the field of oncology and therefore in the study of clinically significant PCa. Finally, a deep understanding of DKI is important for radiologists to better understand what Kapp and Dapp mean in the context of different cancer and how these metrics may vary specifically in PCa imaging.

Bioconversion of glycerol into polyhydroxyalkanoates through an atypical metabolism shift using Priestia megaterium during fermentation processes: A statistical analysis of carbon and nitrogen source concentrations

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are bioplastics which are well known as intracellular energy storage compounds and are produced in a large number of prokaryotic species. These bio-based inclusions are biodegradable, biocompatible and environmental friendly. Industrial production of, short chain and medium chain length PHA, involves the use of microorganisms and their enzymes. Priestia megaterium previously known as Bacillus megaterium is a well-recognized bacterium for producing short chain length PHA. This study focuses to characterize this bacterium for the production of medium chain length PHA, and a novel blend of both types of monomers having enhanced properties and versatile applications. Statistical analyses and simulations were used to demonstrate that cell dry weight can be derived as a function of OD600 and PHA content. Optimization of growth conditions resulted in the maximum PHA production as: 0. 05 g. g-x. H−1, where the rate of PHA production was 0.28 g L−1. H−1 and PHA concentration was 4.94 g. L−1. This study also demonstrated FTIR to be a semi quantitative tool for PHA production. Moreover, conversion of scl-PHA to mcl-PHA with reference to time intermissions using GC-FID are shown.

Antimicrobial activity of extracellular compounds from endophytic fungus BAR1.5 cultivated with different media

Endophytic fungi are microorganisms that live inside the plants that are known to be able to produce the same bioactive compounds as their host plants. Endophytic fungus BAR1.5 was isolated from Rhizophora stylosa leaves collected from the mangrove area of Barru, South Sulawesi. The extracellular components of fungal endophytes are known to have higher antimicrobial activity than the intracellular compounds. Furthermore, the growth of endophytic fungi is strongly influenced by nutrients in the culture media, so that it may affect the production of its secondary metabolites. The aim of this study was to compare the production of extracellular compounds and its antimicrobial activity of the fungus BAR 1.5 cultured with different media (Potato Dextrose Broth, PDB and Hagem medium). The results showed that the endophytic fungus cultured on PDB media grew faster, produced more yield of extracts and showed stronger antimicrobial activity. Its extracellular compounds inhibited the growth of the tested bacteria which were Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida maltosa, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. The strongest antibacterial activity was against B. subtilis with the inhibition zone was 12.5±0.3 mm. The extracellular compounds of the endophytic fungus BAR 1.5 contained terpenoids, polyphenols, and flavonoids.

Control of cyanobacterial bloom and purification of bloom-laden water by sequential electro-oxidation and electro-oxidation-coagulation

The outbreaks of cyanobacterial blooms have caused severe threat to aquatic ecosystem and public health. In this work, electrochemical technology with RuO2/IrO2/Ti (RIT) or/and Al as anode for cyanobacterial bloom control and simultaneous water purification were studied. Compared with RIT-Al and Al electrodes, RIT exhibited the highest effects on bloom algae inactivation and inhibition of algae regrowth. Live/dead analysis, SEM, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant system activities revealed that RIT could disintegrate bloom flocs and damage embedded algal cells due to high intensity of oxidation. With the lysis of cyanobacterial bloom, high content of intracellular compounds containing organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus released, necessitating water quality restoration. In the subsequent water purification process, RIT-Al overtook RIT and Al in removal of organic and nutrient pollutants due to the complex effects of electro-oxidation, coagulation, co-precipitation, electro-nitrification and electro-denitrification. Therefore, sequential electro-oxidation and electro-oxidation-coagulation process was an effective method for control cyanobacteria bloom and simultaneous removal of DOM, microcystin-LR (MC-LR), nitrogen and phosphorus, which is a promising technology.

Enhancing organic matter productivity in microalgal-bacterial biofilm using novel bio-coating

Research on renewable energy from microalgae has led to a growing interest in porous substrate photobioreactors, but their widespread adoption is currently limited to pure microalgal biofilm cultures. The behavior of microalgal-bacterial biofilms immobilized on microporous substrates remains as a research challenge, particularly in uncovering their mutualistic interactions in environment enriched with dissolved organic matter. Therefore, this study established a novel culture platform by introducing microalgal-derived bio-coating that preconditioned hydrophilic polyvinylidene fluoride membranes for the microalgal-bacterial biofilm growth of freshwater microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris ESP 31 and marine microalgae, Cylindrotheca fusiformis with bacteria, Escherichia coli. In the attached co-culture mode, the bio-coating we proposed demonstrated the ability to enhance microalgal growth for both studied species by a range of 2.5 % to 19 % starting from day 10 onwards. Additionally, when compared to co-culture on uncoated membranes, the bio-coating exhibited a significant bacterial growth promotion effect, increasing bacterial growth by at least 2.35 times for the C. vulgaris-E. coli co-culture after an initial adaptation phase. A significant increase of at least 72 % in intracellular biochemical compounds (including chlorophyll, polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids) was observed within just five days, primarily due to the high concentration of pre-coated organic matter, mainly sourced from the internal organic matter (IOM) of C. fusiformis. Higher accumulation of organic compounds in the bio-coating indirectly triggers a competition between microalgae and bacteria which potentially stimulate the production of additional intra−/extra-organic substances as a defensive response. In short, insight gained from this study may represent a paradigm shift in the ways that symbiotic interactions are promoted to increase the yield of specific bio-compounds with the presence of bio-coating.