Ultrafiltration Method Research Articles

Preparation of purified vaccine from local isolate of foot and mouth disease virus and its immune response in bovine calves

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is globally pandemic which badly affect the economics of livestock based countries like Pakistan. There are different types of Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) among these types O is most prevalent in Pakistan. Recently Pakistan is producing approximately fifteen million doses of non-purified FMD vaccine against the demand of 160 million doses annually. More over the Pakistan is still striving for the development and optimization of concentration as well as purification of FMDV. The present project was designed to develop the technology for the purification of FMDV indigenously. The locally isolated and adapted FMDV type O virus was propagated on adherent culture of BHK-21cells to get final volume of virus one liter. This virus suspension was concentrated by peggylation as well as ultra-filtration method. The purification and quantification of concentrated virus was done by size exclusion chromatography. The results showed that peggylation is better method of concentration up to 603.75 µg/ml with 82.80 % recovery rate than ultra-filtration with 43.90 % followed by chromatography for purification. The PD50 was calculated in bovines at 24, 12, 6, 3 and 1.5 µg of FMDV Ag/dose and it revealed that antigen load of 1.98 µg is the dose, where the 50 % of inoculated animals showed the protective antibody level based upon percent inhibition through antibody detecting ELISA. According to the British pharmacopeia, the vaccine should contain 3PD50 which found equivalent to our findings about 6 µg/dose. The group of animal injected with 6/dose (3.23PD50) showed protective titer up to 20th week post priming.

Functional properties and essential amino acid composition of proteins extracted from black soldier fly larvae reared on canteen leftovers

This study investigated the functional properties and essential amino acid composition of proteins extracted from black soldier fly larvae which represent a good source of proteins (30.12% dry matter). The proteins extracted in alkaline conditions (pH 11) were then isolated using two different recovery methods, (i) ultrafiltration, and (ii) isoelectric precipitation. Ultrafiltration provided higher purity of proteins (96.42%) but a lower extraction yield (24.30%) compared to isoelectric precipitation which provided a protein purity of 76.02% and higher extraction yield (37.22%). All essential amino acids were present in adequate quantities for human requirements. The fraction of proteins obtained by ultrafiltration had significantly higher oil holding capacity and foaming capacity than isoelectrically precipitated proteins. The protein fractions obtained by ultrafiltration and isoelectric precipitation had oil holding capacity of 125.8% and 81.6%, while the foaming capacity was 141.9% and 114.3%, respectively. These technological functionalities can be used to improve human food characteristics, thus resulting in enhanced consumer acceptance. Industrial relevanceThe food industry seeks alternative and sustainable sources of proteins, such as insect proteins, to reduce the environmental impact (i.e., greenhouse gas emissions). Consumers' acceptance is the main barrier to adopting edible insects in commercial applications. The acceptance increases when the insect proteins are incorporated in food products as ingredients rather than consuming the whole insect. Hence, this study focuses not only on extraction of proteins but also on functional properties of those proteins making it easier to target specific food formulations (i.e., whipped toppings), which require specific functionalities (i.e., foaming capacity and stability). The protein purity was increased by including an ultrafiltration step. The proteins obtained through the ultrafiltration method showed better oil holding capacity and foaming stability compared to proteins obtained by isoelectric precipitation. The strategies assessed in the present study help enhance the purity of larval proteins and improve their functional properties, thereby opening up new opportunities to incorporate this ingredient into targeted food formulations and improve consumer acceptance.

Pilot Study on the Deep Treatment of Sulfuric-Acid–Titanium-Dioxide Wastewater Using an Ultrafiltration/Reverse Osmosis Process

The production of titanium dioxide via the sulfuric acid process generates large amounts of acidic wastewater. Investigating the possibility of reusing this wastewater after deep treatment can reduce pollutant discharge and conserve water resources. In a pilot study, a dual-membrane method of ultrafiltration (UF) and reverse osmosis (RO) was employed to perform deep treatments of sulfuric-acid–titanium-dioxide wastewater. The findings showed that the multimedia and precision filters reduced the turbidity of water from an external drainage to as low as 0.18 NTU, with a turbidity removal rate of approximately 50%, reaching a maximum of 68%. When the UF effluent had a membrane flux of 70–100 L/m2 h and a water production rate of 85–90%, the SDI15 was <5.0 and the turbidity was <1.0, meeting RO water supply requirements. Additionally, RO achieved a TDS removal rate of >95%, a CODCr removal rate of 85%, and a desalination rate of >98.5%. At a smooth operation system water recovery rate of 50%, the highest system recovery rate obtained was 64%. The water produced via RO adhered to reuse water standards. UF/RO deep treatment of sulfuric-acid–titanium-dioxide production wastewater and its reuse can realize comprehensive wastewater use and conserve water resources.

Effects of Temperature on Plasma Protein Binding Ratios (PPBRs) of Enrofloxacin and Ciprofloxacin in Yellow Catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco), Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), and Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides).

The objective of this study was to investigate the PPBRs of EF and CF in the plasma of yellow catfish, grass carp, and largemouth bass at different temperatures with different concentrations. A fast and simple ultrafiltration method was used to determine the PPBRs of EF and CF. Results showed that PPBRs of EF decreased from 37.71% to 9.66%, from 46.10% to 13.52%, and from 43.90% to 4.36% in the plasma of yellow catfish with the increase of concentration from 15 to 25 °C. The same trends of PPBRs of EF were presented in the plasma of grass carp and largemouth bass. In comparison to the data at the same concentration of EF at disparate temperatures, the PPBRs of EF at a concentration of 1 µg/mL increased from 37.71% to 46.10% and then decreased to 43.90% in the plasma of yellow catfish with elevated temperature from 15 to 25 °C. There is no obvious regularity with the rise of temperature, and the same phenomenon also were found in other concentrations and species. Meanwhile, the PPBRs of CF also decreased in the three species with the rise in concentration. Under the consistent concentration, the temperature-dependent regularities were not found in the PPBRs of CF. Overall, the increased concentration reduced the PPBRs of EF and CF in the plasma of three fish species, and the alteration in temperature only has a certain effect on the PPBRs of EF and CF.

Establishing environmental DNA and RNA protocols for the simultaneous detection of fish viruses from seawater

AbstractAquatic viruses are major threats to global aquacultural productivity. While conventional diagnostic methods for disease investigation are laborious, time‐consuming, and often involve the sacrifice of animals, environmental DNA and RNA (eDNA/eRNA) tools have the potential in being non‐invasive alternatives for the effective and early detection of various pathogens simultaneously. In this study, three seawater filtration methods—Sterivex syringe filtration, centrifugal ultrafiltration, and vacuum pump filtration with iron flocculation—were assessed for the recovery rates in co‐detecting fish virus eDNA/eRNA from natural seawater that was spiked with fish red seabream iridovirus (RSIV, DNA virus) and nervous necrosis virus (NNV, RNA virus). The centrifugal ultrafiltration method was the most effective for the capture of small‐sized viruses like NNV with a recovery rate of 63.23%, while the method of vacuum pump filtration with iron flocculation and chloroform disintegration of filter membranes had the highest RSIV recovery rate of 32.61%. We also optimized both automated and manual nucleic acid extraction methods and found comparable eDNA/eRNA extraction efficiencies. Our findings from the systematic comparison of seawater filtration and extraction methods suggest that each seawater filtration/nucleic acid extraction method can cater to different aquatic animal virus surveillance and disease investigation scenarios. These highlight the potential of virus eDNA/eRNA approaches for advancing the field of disease ecology and safeguarding aquatic animal health.

Hemodialysis access flow measurement: Comparison of ultrasound dilution and ultrafiltration method on NIKKISO DBB-EXA™ dialysis machine.

The methods of estimating vascular access (VA) flow rates are usually based on the indicator dilution theory by measuring recirculation during dialysis sessions. This is an observational study comparing the VA flow rates measured by NIKKISO DBB-EXA™ and Transonic®. Sixty-five patients (38 M/27 F, mean age 72 ± 10 years) participated in the study. We measured the VA flow rates during dialysis twice with each method and repeated the procedure 7 days later. In 130 double measurements for each method on the same day, mean flow with Transonic® was 1413±715 ml/min and with DBB-EXA™ 1297 ± 664 ml/min. In Bland-Altman analysis, the mean difference between the two methods was 159 ± 211 ml/min (limits of agreement: -274 and 572 ml/min). Eighty-one out of the 130 DBB-EXA™ measurements were within 25% of the Transonic® measurements (62% accuracy). Regarding reproducibility of each method on different days, mean difference in the Bland-Altman analysis was 29 ± 620 ml/min (limits of agreement: -1186 and 1244 ml/min) for the Transonic® measurements and 132 ± 625 ml/min (limits of agreement: -1092 and 1356 ml/min) for the DBB-EXA™ measurements. The measurements on two different days were within 25% of each other for 52 of the 65 patients (80%) with the Transonic® method, and for 35 of the 65 patients (54%) with the DBB-EXA™ method. In conclusion, the DBB-EXA™ method underestimates VA flow rates compared to the Transonic® technique, resulting in a limited accuracy of 62%. There was poor reproducibility for both methods in different day measurements with better performance of the Transonic® technique. The DBB-EXA™ method could be used as a simple tool for a rough estimate of VA flow rates but cannot replace the Transonic® reference method.

Concentration of Virus Particles from Environmental Water and Wastewater Samples Using Skimmed Milk Flocculation and Ultrafiltration.

Water and wastewater-based epidemiology have emerged as alternative methods to monitor and predict the course of outbreaks in communities.The recovery of microbial fractions, including viruses, bacteria, and microeukaryotes from wastewater and environmental water samplesis one of the challenging steps in these approaches. In this study, we focused on the recovery efficiency of sequential ultrafiltration and skimmed milk flocculation (SMF) methods using Armored RNA as a test virus, which is also used as a control by some other studies. Prefiltration with 0.45 µm and 0.2 µm membrane disc filters were applied to eliminate solid particles before ultrafiltration to prevent the clogging of ultrafiltration devices. Test samples, processed with the sequential ultrafiltration method, were centrifuged at two different speeds. An increased speed resulted in lower recovery and positivity rates of Armored RNA.On the other hand, SMF resulted in relatively consistent recovery and positivity rates of Armored RNA. Additional tests conducted with environmental water samples demonstrated the utility of SMF to concentrate other microbial fractions. The partitioning of viruses into solid particles might have an impact on the overall recovery rates, considering the prefiltration step applied before the ultrafiltration of wastewater samples. SMF with prefiltration performed better when applied to environmental water samplesdue to lower solid concentrations in the samples and thus lower partitioning rates to solids. In the present study, the idea of using a sequential ultrafiltration method arose from the necessity to decrease the final volume of the viral concentrates during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the supply of the commonly used ultrafiltration devices was limited, and there was a need for the development of alternative viral concentration methods.

Clinical outcome of intraoperative hemodialysis using a hemoconcentrator during cardiopulmonary bypass for dialysis-dependent patients.

The basic materials and structure of a hemoconcentrator incorporated into cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuits are similar to those of hemodialyzers. Gravity drainage hemodiafiltration (GHDF) is an easy-to-use intraoperative renal replacement therapy (RRT) that utilizes a hemoconcentrator. This study aimed to verify whether GHDF can correct electrolyte imbalance and remove uremic toxins in dialysis-dependent patients and to evaluate the clinical outcomes of GHDF by comparing it with a conventional method of dilutional ultrafiltration (DUF). This study retrospectively compared perioperative clinical values of 41 dialysis-dependent patients (21 patients with GHDF and 20 patients with DUF) who underwent open-heart surgery. Changes in serum parameters before and after passing through the hemoconcentrator were also compared. Compared to DUF, GHDF significantly lowered potassium, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine levels at the outflow of the hemoconcentrator. Less catecholamine was needed to wean CPB in GHDF than in DUF. The P/F ratio (arterial blood oxygen pressure/inhaled oxygen concentration) at the end of surgery was significantly higher in GHDF than in DUF (450.8 ± 149.7 vs. 279.3 ± 153.5; p < 0.001). Postoperative intubation time was shorter in GHDF than in DUF (8.3 ± 5.9 vs. 18.7 ± 16.1h; p = 0.006). The major morbidity and mortality rates were comparable in both groups. GHDF removed both potassium and uremic toxins more efficiently than DUF in dialysis-dependent patients. Less catecholamine was needed to wean CPB using GHDF. It improved the immediate postoperative respiratory function and enabled earlier extubation. GHDF is a novel and effective option for intraoperative RRT in dialysis-dependent patients undergoing open-heart surgery.

Eighteen Novel Bioactive Peptides from Monkfish (Lophius litulon) Swim Bladders: Production, Identification, Antioxidant Activity, and Stability.

In the study, papain was chosen from five proteases to hydrolyze proteins of monkfish swim bladders for effectively utilizing monkfish (Lophius litulon) processing byproducts, and the hydrolysis conditions of papain were optimized as hydrolysis temperature of 65 °C, pH 7.5, enzyme dose 2.5% and time 5 h using single-factor and orthogonal experiments. Eighteen peptides were purified from the swim bladder hydrolysate of monkfish by ultrafiltration and gel permeation chromatography methods and identified as YDYD, QDYD, AGPAS, GPGPHGPSGP, GPK, HRE, GRW, ARW, GPTE, DDGGK, IGPAS, AKPAT, YPAGP, DPT, FPGPT, GPGPT, GPT and DPAGP, respectively. Among eighteen peptides, GRW and ARW showed significant DPPH· scavenging activities with EC50 values of 1.053 ± 0.003 and 0.773 ± 0.003 mg/mL, respectively; YDYD, QDYD, GRW, ARW and YPAGP revealed significantly HO· scavenging activities with EC50 values of 0.150 ± 0.060, 0.177 ± 0.035, 0.201 ± 0.013, 0.183 ± 0.0016 and 0.190 ± 0.010 mg/mL, respectively; YDYD, QDYD, ARW, DDGGK and YPAGP have significantly O2-· scavenging capability with EC50 values of 0.126 ± 0.0005, 0.112 ± 0.0028, 0.127 ± 0.0002, 0.128 ± 0.0018 and 0.107 ± 0.0002 mg/mL, respectively; and YDYD, QDYD and YPAGP showed strong ABTS+· scavenging ability with EC50 values of 3.197 ± 0.036, 2.337 ± 0.016 and 3.839 ± 0.102 mg/mL, respectively. YDYD, ARW and DDGGK displayed the remarkable ability of lipid peroxidation inhibition and Ferric-reducing antioxidant properties. Moreover, YDYD and ARW can protect Plasmid DNA and HepG2 cells against H2O2-induced oxidative stress. Furthermore, eighteen isolated peptides had high stability under temperatures ranging from 25-100 °C; YDYD, QDYD, GRW and ARW were more sensitive to alkali treatment, but DDGGK and YPAGP were more sensitive to acid treatment; and YDYD showed strong stability treated with simulated GI digestion. Therefore, the prepared antioxidant peptides, especially YDYD, QDYD, GRW, ARW, DDGGK and YPAGP from monkfish swim bladders could serve as functional components applied in health-promoting products because of their high-antioxidant functions.

Study on characteristic and mechanism involved in the formation of N-nitrosodimethylamine precursors during microbial metabolism of amino acids

Amino acid metabolism by microorganisms is a new but important pathway for the formation of NDMA precursors in water. We investigated the properties of nitrosamine precursors produced through microbial metabolism of amino acids by polarity rapid assessment method and molecular weight fractionation by ultrafiltration method. The PRAM results showed that the positively charged fraction and the non-polar fraction accounted for most (45 %–79 % and 6 %–82 %, respectively) of the NDMA precursors. The MW fractionation results also indicate the dominant precursors had MWs <1 kDa or over 10 kDa. NDMA precursors produced through amino acid metabolism were identified and quantified. Dimethylamine, N-methyl-alanine and alanine methyl ester were produced during the metabolism of alanine and peptone. Together, N-methyl-alanine and dimethylamine averagely contributed 24 % (12 %–44 %) of the NDMA precursors in the alanine medium. The NDMA precursor formation pathway during alanine metabolism involves the methylation of alanine to form N-methyl-alanine and the decomposition of alanine anabolism products to form dimethylamine. Nitrosamine precursors are generally formed through anabolism or methylation, but biogenic amines or NH3 can be produced through catabolism before nitrosamine precursor synthesis. Microbial community analysis was performed and Ralstonia was found to be a likely key genus contributing to NDMA precursor formation during alanine metabolism.

Diagnostic Performance of Dengue NS1 and Antibodies by Serum Concentration Technique

Dengue infection has been a public health problem worldwide, especially in tropical areas. A lack of sensitive diagnostic methods in the early phase of the illness is one of the challenging problems in clinical practices. We, herein, analyzed 86 sera of acute febrile patients, from both dengue and non-dengue febrile illness, to study the diagnostic performance of dengue diagnostics. When compared with detection by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), dengue NS1 detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) had the highest sensitivity of 82.4% (with 94.3% specificity), while NS1 by rapid diagnostic test (RDT) had 76.5% sensitivity. IgM detection by ELISA and RDT showed only 27.5% and 17.9% sensitivity, respectively. The combination of NS1 and IgM in RDT yielded a sensitivity of 78.4%, with 97.1% specificity. One of the essential steps in making a diagnosis from patient samples is the preparation process. At present, a variety of techniques have been used to increase the number of analytes in clinical samples. In this study, we focused on the sample concentration method. The sera were concentrated three times with the ultrafiltration method using a 10 kDa molecular weight cut-off membrane. The results showed an increase in the sensitivity of RDT-NS1 detection at 80.4%, with 100% specificity. When combining NS1 and IgM detection, the concentration method granted RDT an 82.4% sensitivity, with 100% specificity. In conclusion, serum concentration by the ultrafiltration method is a simple and applicable technique. It could increase the diagnostic performance of point-of-care dengue diagnostics.

Evaluation of three viral concentration methods for detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater.

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) could be useful as an early warning system for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic spread. Viruses are highly diluted in wastewater. Therefore, a virus concentration step is needed for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater detection. We tested the efficiency of three wastewater viral concentration methods: ultrafiltration (UF), electronegative membrane filtration and aluminum hydroxide adsorption-elution. We spiked wastewater with inactivated SARS-CoV-2 and we collected 20 other wastewater samples from five sites in Tunisia. Samples were concentrated by the three methods and SARS-CoV-2 was quantified by reverse transcription digital PCR (RT-dPCR). The most efficient method was UF with a mean SARS-CoV-2 recovery of 54.03 ± 8.25. Moreover, this method provided significantly greater mean concentration and virus detection ability (95%) than the two other methods. The second-most efficient method used electronegative membrane filtration with a mean SARS-CoV-2 recovery of 25.59 ± 5.04% and the least efficient method was aluminum hydroxide adsorption-elution. This study suggests that the UF method provides rapid and straightforward recovery of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater.

Establishment of quantitative and recovery method for detection of dengue virus in wastewater with noncognate spike control

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) represents an efficient approach for public pathogen surveillance as it provides early warning of disease outbreaks; however, it has not yet been applied to dengue virus (DENV), which might cause endemics via mosquito spread. In this study, a working platform was established to provide direct virus recovery and qPCR quantification from wastewater samples that were artificially loaded with target DENV serotypes I to IV and noncognate spike control viral particles. The results showed qPCR efficiencies of 91.2 %, 94.8 %, 92.6 % and 88.7 % for DENV I, II, III, and IV, respectively, and a broad working range over 6 orders of magnitude using the preferred primer sets. Next, the results revealed that the ultrafiltration method was superior to the skimmed milk flocculation method for recovering either DENV or control viral particles from wastewater. Finally, DENV-2 was loaded simultaneously with the noncognate spike control and could be recovered at comparable levels either in PBS or in wastewater, indicating the applicability of noncognate spike control particles to reflect the efficiency of experimental steps. In conclusion, our data suggest that DENV particles in wastewater could be recovered and quantitatively detected in absolute amounts, indicating the feasibility of DENV surveillance using the WBE approach.

Accurately quantified plasma free glycine concentration as a biomarker in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

We developed a hollow fiber centrifugal ultrafiltration (HFCF-UF) method to study the change of plasma levels of free glycine (Gly) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Twenty-four patients with AIS confirmed by diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) were enrolled. During the study period, the patients did not receive any supplemental amino acids therapy that could affect the obtained results. Our results showed that although AIS patients adopted different methods of treatment (thrombolytic and non-thrombolytic), the clinical NIHSS score of AIS showed a downward trend whereas Gly concentration showed increased trend. Moreover, plasma free Gly concentration was positively correlated with ASPECTS score. The correlation between Gly levels and infarct volume showed a statistical significance. That is to say, higher Gly level predicted smaller infarct size. Thus, the change of free Gly level in plasma could be considered as a potential biomarker of AIS.

Developmental changes in the extent of drug binding to rat plasma proteins

Binding of therapeutics to proteins in blood plasma is important in influencing their distribution as it is their free (unbound) form that is able to cross cellular membranes to enter tissues and exert their actions. The concentration and composition of plasma proteins vary during pregnancy and development, resulting in potential changes to drug protein binding. Here, we describe an ultrafiltration method to investigate the extent of protein binding of six drugs (digoxin, paracetamol, olanzapine, ivacaftor, valproate and lamotrigine) and two water soluble inert markers (sucrose and glycerol) to plasma proteins from pregnant and developing rats. Results showed that the free fraction of most drugs was lower in the non-pregnant adult plasma where protein concentration is the highest. However, plasma of equivalent protein concentration to younger pups obtained by diluting adult plasma did not always exhibit the same extent of drug binding, reinforcing the likelihood that both concentration and composition of proteins in plasma influence drug binding. Comparison between protein binding and brain drug accumulation in vivo revealed a correlation for some drugs, but not others. Results suggests that plasma protein concentration should be considered when using medications in pregnant and paediatric patients to minimise potential for fetal and neonatal drug exposure.

Synthesis and preclinical evaluation of novel 99mTc-labeled PSMA ligands for radioguided surgery of prostate cancer

BackgroundRadioguided surgery (RGS) has recently emerged as a valuable new tool in the management of recurrent prostate cancer (PCa). After preoperative injection of a 99mTc-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) inhibitor, radioguided intraoperative identification and resection of lesions is facilitated by means of suitable γ-probes. First clinical experiences show the feasibility of RGS and suggest superiority over conventional lymph node dissection in recurrent PCa. However, commonly used [99mTc]Tc-PSMA-I&S exhibits slow whole-body clearance, thus hampering optimal tumor-to-background ratios (TBR) during surgery. We therefore aimed to develop novel 99mTc-labeled, PSMA-targeted radioligands with optimized pharmacokinetic profile to increase TBR at the time of surgery.MethodsThree 99mTc-labeled N4-PSMA ligands were preclinically evaluated and compared to [99mTc]Tc-PSMA-I&S. PSMA affinity (IC50) and internalization were determined on LNCaP cells. Lipophilicity was assessed by means of the distribution coefficient logD7.4 and an ultrafiltration method was used to determine binding to human plasma proteins. Biodistribution studies and static µSPECT/CT-imaging were performed at 6 h p.i. on LNCaP tumor-bearing CB17-SCID mice.ResultsThe novel N4-PSMA tracers were readily labeled with [99mTc]TcO4− with RCP > 95%. Comparable and high PSMA affinity was observed for all [99mTc]Tc-N4-PSMA-ligands. The ligands showed variable binding to human plasma and medium to low lipophilicity (logD7.4 − 2.6 to − 3.4), both consistently decreased compared to [99mTc]Tc-PSMA-I&S. Biodistribution studies revealed comparable tumor uptake among all [99mTc]Tc-N4-PSMA-ligands and [99mTc]Tc-PSMA-I&S, while clearance from most organs was superior for the novel tracers. Accordingly, increased TBR were achieved. [99mTc]Tc-N4-PSMA-12 showed higher TBR than [99mTc]Tc-PSMA-I&S for blood and all evaluated tissue. In addition, a procedure suitable for routine clinical production of [99mTc]Tc-N4-PSMA-12 was established. Labeling with 553 ± 187 MBq was achieved with RCP of 98.5 ± 0.6% (n = 10).ConclusionHigh tumor accumulation and favorable clearance from blood and non-target tissue make [99mTc]Tc-N4-PSMA-12 an attractive tracer for RGS, possibly superior to currently established [99mTc]Tc-PSMA-I&S. Its GMP-production according to a method presented here and first clinical investigations with this novel radioligand is highly recommended.

Surfactant Treatment for Efficient Gene Detection of Enteric Viruses and Indicators in Surface Water Concentrated by Ultrafiltration.

The hollow fiber ultrafiltration (HFUF)-based microbial concentration method is widely applied for monitoring pathogenic viruses and microbial indicators in environmental water samples. However, the HFUF-based method can co-concentrate substances that interfere with downstream molecular processes-nucleic acid extraction, reverse transcription (RT), and PCR. These inhibitory substances are assumed to be hydrophobic and, therefore, expected to be excluded by a simple surfactant treatment before the silica membrane-based RNA extraction process. In this study, the efficacy and limitations of the sodium deoxycholate (SD) treatment were assessed by quantifying a process control and indigenous viruses using 42 surface water samples concentrated with HFUF. With some exceptions, which tended to be seen in samples with high turbidity (> 4.0 NTU), virus recovery by the ultrafiltration method was sufficiently high (> 10%). RNA extraction-RT-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) efficiency of the process control was insufficient (10%) for 30 of the 42 HFUF concentrates without any pretreatments, but it was markedly improved for 21 of the 30 inhibitory concentrates by the SD treatment. Detection rates of indigenous viruses were also improved and no substantial loss of viral RNA was observed. The SD treatment was particularly effective in mitigating RT-qPCR inhibition, although it was not effective in improving RNA extraction efficiency. The methodology is simple and easily applied. These findings indicate that SD treatment can be a good alternative to sample dilution, which is widely applied to mitigate the effect of RT-qPCR inhibition, and can be compatible with other countermeasures.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OF IMPROVING THE VITAL ACTIVITY STANDARDS FOR THE POPULATION WITH APPLICATION OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES OF WATER RESOURCES PURIFICATION BASED ON WATER-SOLUBLE SORBENTS OBTAINED FROM UKRAINIAN BROWN COAL

Current environmental and socio-economic problems related to unsatisfactory quality of sewage treatment have been investigated in the paper. It is noted that the search for optimal ways of neutralization of negative consequences of economic activity is an integral component of the strategy of life support development. The characteristic of the current state of the wastewater of Ukraine and Kharkiv region is given. The economic feasibility of using water-soluble environmentally friendly sorbent at the physical-chemical purification of sewage from ions of heavy metals is calculated. It has been proved that it is possible to receive a complexing agent with a much lower cost in comparison to synthetic analogueues on the basis of brown coal the significant reserves of which Ukraine obtains. It is demonstrated that application of the combined method of ultrafiltration with complexation combining when using complexing agents based on humic substances of lignite allows to increase the degree of purification from heavy metal ions significantly. It has been established that the level of coordinated innovations in industry, as well as the volume of capital investments for the extraction of brown coal of Ukraine and the development of water protection activities is insufficient. The importance of its increase is justified. The economic efficiency of the humic substances obtained from the lignite of the Oleksandriiske deposit usage for the binding of heavy metal ions using the complexation-ultrafiltration method was determined. It was noted that organization of a new modern production of effective reagents based on brown coal will lead to creation of additional jobs and will ensure compliance with drinking water quality standards, as well as to improve the ecological state of natural water sources. A new production will have a beneficial effect on development of brown coal mining regions infrastructure.

Combination of paper membrane-based filtration and ultrafiltration to enhance the detection of MNV, HAV, and HCoV from soil-rich post-washing water.

Risk-assessing and controlling virus transmission from soil-rich post-washing water (PWW) are crucial during harvesting raw vegetables. However, viruses are normally difficult to concentrate because of their low concentrations andcomplex backgrounds. Here, ultrafiltration (UF), virus adsorption-elution (VIRADEL), and optimized paper filtration-coupled ultrafiltration (PFC-UF) methods were employed to evaluate the recovery of non-enveloped murine norovirus (MNV-1), hepatitis A virus (HAV), and enveloped human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E) from soil-rich PWW. Among the three methods, PFC-UF outperformed the other methods in the recovery of viruses from PWW with soil content. Under the highest soil condition with virus seeded at a titer of 102 plaque-forming unit (PFU) or TCID50, the PFC-UF method exhibited an exceedingly consistent recovery rate of 78.8± 13.3 (MNV-1) and 44.4± 25.2% (HAV). However, the recovery of enveloped HCoV-229E was inferior to non-enveloped viruses. Overall, PFC-UF provided a reliable method for recovering viruses in soil-rich PWW.

Removal of heavy metals and dyes from its aqueous solution utilizing metal organic Frameworks (MOFs): Review

Because of their negative impacts on human health and environment, effective and substantial treatment of organicpollutants, particularly heavy metals from water, remains a significant issue from both an environmental and biological standpoint. Adsorption, co-precipitation, ion-exchange, ultrafiltration, chemical reduction, and other methods for removing heavy metal ions and dyesfrom water have all been documented. Adsorption, on the other hand, has become popular due to its simplicity and ease of usage. Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs), a new category of nano adsorbents with unique properties such as increased surface area, excellent chemical stability, green and reusable material, and so on, have been used for wastewater treatment. This paper puts forth a meticulous analysis of the latest happenings in the use of MOFs to remove hazardous metals like mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), chromium(VI), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As), besides organic dyes for instance Methyl red, Rhodamine B, Congo red, Reactive black, Methylene blue, Methyl orange etc.