Milling and mining metal ores are major sources of heavy metal contamination. The Spring River and its tributaries in southeast Kansas are contaminated with Pb, Zn, and Cd as a result of 120 years of mining activities. Trace metal transformations and cycling in mine waste materials greatly influence their mobility and toxicity and affect plant productivity and human health. It has been hypothesized that under reduced conditions in sulfate-rich environments, these metals can be transformed into their sulfide forms, thus limiting mobility and toxicity. We studied biogeochemical transformations of Pb, Zn and Cd in flooded subsurface mine waste materials, natural or treated with organic carbon (OC) and/or sulfur (S), by combining advanced microbiological and X-ray spectroscopic techniques to determine the effects of treatments on the microbial community structure and identify the dominant functional genes involved in the biogeochemical transformations, especially metal sulfide formation over time. Samples collected from medium-, and long-term submerged columns were used for microarray analysis via functional gene array (GeoChip 4.2). The total number of detected gene abundance decreased under long-term submergence, but major functional genes abundance was enhanced with OC plus S treatment. The microbial community exhibited a substantial change in structure in response to OC and S addition. Sulfur-reducing bacteria genes dsrA/B were identified as key players in metal sulfide formation via dissimilatory sulfate reduction. Uniqueness of this study is that microbial analyses presented here in details are in agreements with molecular-scale synchrotron-based X-ray data supporting that OC-plus-S treatment would be a promising strategy for reducing metal toxicity in mine waste materials.

Porphyromonas spp. are oral anaerobic Gram-negative bacteria that form black-pigmented colonies on blood agar and produce volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methyl mercaptan (CH3SH), and dimethyl sulfide ((CH3)2S), which cause halitosis and the destruction of periodontal tissues. P. gulae is considered the main pathogen involved in periodontal disease in dogs. However, the characteristics of the VSCs produced by P. gulae are unknown. In the present study, VSCs were measured in 26 isolates of P. gulae and some isolates of the other Porphyromonas spp. obtained from the oral cavities of dogs with periodontal disease using an in vitro assay with an Oral ChromaTM gas chromatograph. The results demonstrated that P. gulae was able to produce large amounts of H2S and CH3SH, and the dominant one was CH3SH (CH3SH/H2S was approximately 2.2). Other Porphyromonas spp. that were also obtained from the oral cavities of dogs with periodontal disease indicated the similar levels of production of H2S and CH3SH to those of P. gulae. It is strongly suggested that the high levels of H2S and CH3SH in P. gulae and other Porphyromonas spp. contribute to halitosis and the destruction of periodontal tissues during the progression of periodontal disease in dogs.

This study describes the seasonal course of denitrifying and nitrate reducing bacteria in a dimictic mesotrophic lake (Lake Scharmützelsee, Brandenburg, Germany) within a three-year period from 2011 to 2013. The bacterial cell numbers were quantified by fluorescence microscopy, most probable number (MPN) and PCR dependent quantification of the chromosomal 16S rDNA and of the nirS and nirK gene copy number. The highest seasonal differences (up to three orders of magnitudes) has been measured by MPN in the epilimnion. This variation was not reflected by PCR dependent approaches or direct microscopical enumeration. At adverse conditions (low temperature and/or low nitrate concentrations), the differences between MPN and gene copy numbers increased up to five orders of magnitudes and decreased to one magnitude at favorable environmental conditions. These results can be explained best by an increasing ratio of viable but not cultivable (VBNC) cells or dead cells at impairing conditions. In the hypolimnion, the courses of MPN and nir gene copy numbers were similar. This can be explained by higher feeding pressure and therefore smaller amounts of dormant cells. In the pelagial in general, the total cell numbers enumerated by either microscopical or molecular approaches were similar. In the sediment, more than 99 % of the DNA was obviously not related to viable bacteria but was rather “dead DNA” in dead cells or adsorbed to particle surfaces.

Iron is an essential nutrient and necessary for biological functions from DNA replication and repair to transcriptional regulation, mitochondrial respiration, electron transfer, oxygen transport, photosynthesis, enzymatic catalysis, and nitrogen fixation. However, due to iron’s propensity to generate toxic radicals which can cause damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids, multiple processes regulate uptake and distribution of iron in living systems. Understanding how intracellular iron metabolism is optimized and how iron is utilized to regulate other intracellular processes is important to our overall understanding of a multitude of biological processes. One of the tools that the cell utilizes to regulate a multitude of functions is ligation of the iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster cofactor. Fe-S clusters comprised of iron and inorganic sulfur are ancient components of living matter on earth that are integral for physiological function in all domains of life. Here we will explore the ways in which the cell utilizes Fe-S clusters to sense the intracellular environment and respond to maintain equilibrium.

Statistical denoising techniques have been well studied, however many challenges still remain. This 9 article focuses on determining the least necessary number of significant samples in a statistical pop-10 ulation sampling, while minimizing the impact on the statistical detection of the fiber Bragg grating 11 (FBG) power spectra. This is achieved by using Bayesian decision making, small population statis-12 tics while excluding false detection. First, we investigate the impact of two-sided sliding window 13 technique applied near the cell under the test. The window size varies from 8 to 60 samples. The 14 considered maximum size of population sampling is connected with the number of wavelength 15 samples within the bandwidth of the symmetrical FBG power spectra peaks. Regarding the sym-16 metry of FBG power spectra peaks and the possible reduction of computational demands, we inves-17 tigate the impact of a one-sided sliding window. This enables to achieve less processing latency for 18 real time applications thus brings benefits to FBG-based fiber optical sensing. Both, two- and one-19 sided small population sampling techniques are then experimentally verified. Detection results are 20 analyzed in depth via calculating detection thresholds by using the small size window sliding along-21 side the waveband. From results achieved, it was found that the normality three-sigma rule does 22 not need to be followed while using the small population sampling. Experimental demonstrations 23 and analyses showed that the proposed concept of denoising and statistical threshold detection 24 based on the sliding window does not depend on the prior knowledge of probability distribution 25 functions of the FBG power spectra peaks level and background noise. We have also found that the 26 thresholds’ adaptability mainly depends on the statistical numerical characteristics of the above ad-27 ditive mixture of the FBG power spectra peaks signals and background noise.

The current work aimed to screen the ruminal cyanide-utilizing bacteria and evaluate the influence of fresh cassava root (FCR) and pellets containing high sulfur (PELFUR) on cyanide content, kinetics of gas, in vitro degradability, and ruminal fermentation. The experiment was conducted in a Completely randomized design (CRD) for a screening of cyanide-utilizing bacteria and the dietary treatments were the level of cyanide at 0, 150, 300, and 450 ppm. A 5 × 3 factorial arrangement in a Completely randomized design was used for in vitro study. Factor A was the level of FCR at 0, 260, 350, 440, and 530 g/kg of 0.5 g dry matter (DM) substrate, and factor B was the level of PELFUR at 0, 15, and 30 g/kg DM substrate. Adding different doses of cyanide significantly affected cyanide-utilizing rumen bacterial growth (p < 0.05). Increasing the concentration of cyanide from 0 to 150 and 150 to 300 ppm, resulted in an increase in cyanide-utilizing rumen bacteria of 38.2% and 15.0%, respectively. Increasing the FCR level to more than 260 g/kg of 0.5 g substrate could increase cumulative gas production (p < 0.05), whereas increasing doses of PELFUR from 15 to 30 g/kg increased the cumulative gas production when compared with that of 0 g/kg PELFUR (p < 0.05). Cyanide concentration in rumen fluid decreased with PELFUR (p < 0.05) supplementation. Degradability of in vitro dry matter and organic matter following incubation increased at 12 and 24 h due to PELFUR supplementation with FCR and increased additionally with 15 g/kg PELFUR (p < 0.05) in 440 g/kg FCR. Proportions of the total volatile fatty acids, acetic acid (C2), propionic acid (C3), and butyric acid, as well as the ratio of C2 to C3 among supplementations with FCR (p < 0.05) were significantly different. As the proportion of FCR increased to 530 g/kg of the substrate, the volume of C3 increased by 14.6%. This is the first finding of bacteria in the rumen capable of utilizing cyanide, and cyanide might function as a nitrogen source for bacterial cell synthesis. Inclusion of FCR of 530 g/kg with 30 g/kg PELFUR could increase the cumulative gas production, the bacterial population, the in vitro degradability, the proportion of C3, and the rate of the disappearance of cyanide.

The Covid-19 pandemic was a challenge for the whole world and it had major secondary effects on humans and environmental health. The viral infection induced, in many situations, secondary bacterial infections, especially enteric infections by destabilizing the balance of the gastrointestinal microbiota. The large-scale use of antibiotics and biocides both for curative and preventive purposes has determined an increase in bacterial resistance and at the same time the possibility of pathogenic microorganisms’ multiplication and their dissemination to natural environments. Wastewater is the main vector of faecal microorganisms that favour their dissemination into natural aquatic ecosystems. The present paper aimed to analyze the effect of Covid-19 pandemic on the microbiological quality of wastewater from sewage treatment plants in Romania and its impact on receiving rivers. In order to highlight different and important areas of Romania, 3 cities from the east, center and west were selected for a microbiological evaluation of their WWTPs influent and effluent between ante-Covid-19 and Covid-19 pandemic peak period, when the Covid-19 pandemic had a direct impact on WWTPs microbial composition. Our study showed a higher contamination with fecal bacteria linked to a higher Covid-19 incidence. The increased usage of pharmaceutical compounds, at their turn, increased the number of resistant bacteria reaching the environment via WWTP effluents.

The Food and Drug Administration’s 2011 Process Validation Guidance and International Council for Harmonization Quality Guidelines recommend continued process verification (CPV) as a mandatory requirement for pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and other regulated industries. As a part of product life cycle management, after process characterization in stage 1 and process qualification and validation in stage-2, CPV is performed as stage-3 validation during commercial manufacturing. CPV ensures that the process continues to remain within a validated state. CPV requires the collection and analysis of data related to critical quality attributes, critical material attributes, and critical process parameters on a minimum basis. Data is then used to elucidate process control regarding the capability to meet predefined specifications and stability via statistical process control tools. In statistical process control, control charts and Nelson rules are commonly used throughout the industry to monitor and trend data to ensure that a process remains in control. In the control chart, the mean value is taken as the center line, and 3σ limits are placed on either side of the center line. In CPV, manufactured lots are summarized, trended, and discussed at a cross-functional level at pre-defined intervals (either weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly) based on the batch run rate. A cross-functional team assesses details regarding 1) violation frequency, 2) statistical strength of the signal, 3) violation magnitude and its impact on process or quality, and 4) any potential root causes for out-of-expectation or out-of-trend signals. The cross-functional team must analyze whether any signal identified by the control chart is reliable and must determine whether corrective action should be taken and justify the decision in the CPV meeting minutes based on statistical strength and reliability of the signal. However, basic control charts are susceptible to false alarms and nuisance alarms. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the assumptions behind control charts and the inherent false alarm rates for different Nelson rules. In this article, the authors have detailed the assumptions behind the usage of control charts, the rate of false alarms for different Nelson rules, the impact of skewness and kurtosis of a data distribution on the false alarm rate, and methods for optimizing control chart design by reducing false alarm rates and nuisance signals.

There is no doubt that seagrass beds constitute one of the most productive ecosystems in shallow coastal waters. Despite this, picoplankton in seagrass ecosystems has received relatively little attention. The purpose of this study was to compare picoplankton growth and mortality rates between seagrass and unvegetated habitats using chamber incubations. We tested two main hypotheses: (i) incubation with seagrass would result in higher bacterial growth rates due to increased DOM release from seagrass photosynthesis, and (ii) Synechococcus spp. would be lower in the presence of seagrass due to competition for inorganic nutrients. Our results showed bacterial growth rates of 2.31 and 2.44 d–1 without and with seagrass, respectively. In seagrass chambers, bacterial growth was higher than that in non-seagrass chambers, suggesting that organic carbon coming from the seagrass community may support bacterial production. Furthermore, we observed a negative Synechococcus spp. growth rate (-0.9 d–1) in the seagrass treatment, likely reflecting nutrient competition with the seagrass. Small-scale chambers proved to be a useful tool for studying the factors controlling spatial and temporal patterns of picoplankton across different habitats. Furthermore, future studies should examine picoplankton growth over a wider range of spatial scales in seagrass beds and adjacent unvegetated sediment.

In organisms that use reduced sulfur compounds as alternative or additional electron donors to organic compounds, transcriptional regulation of genes for enzymes involved in sulfur oxidation is needed to adjust metabolic flux to environmental conditions. However, little is known about the sensing and response to inorganic sulfur compounds such as thiosulfate in sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. In the Alphaproteobacterium Hyphomicrobium denitrificans, one strategy is the use of the ArsR-SmtB-type transcriptional regulator SoxR. We show that this homodimeric repressor senses sulfane sulfur and that it is crucial for the expression not only of sox genes encoding the com-ponents of a truncated periplasmic thiosulfate-oxidizing enzyme system but also of several other sets of genes for enzymes of sulfur oxidation. DNA binding and transcriptional regulatory activity of SoxR are controlled by polysulfide-dependent cysteine modification. The repressor uses the formation of a sulfur bridge between two conserved cysteines as a trigger to bind and release DNA and can also form a vicinal disulfide bond to orchestrate a response to oxidizing conditions. The importance of the sulfur bridge forming cysteines was confirmed by site directed mutagen-esis, mass spectrometry and gel shift assays. In vivo, SoxR interacts directly or indirectly with a second closely related repressor, sHdrR.

Hyperlipidemia case was described as a rise of lipid profile or lipoproteins in the blood. This study describe briefly investigate the reducing hyperlipideamia impact of Ginkgo biloba on the level of lipid profile.

The intestinal microbial community of aquatic animals is closely related to the environment and thus affects the health of aquatic animals. Here we investigated annual variation of intestinal bacteria community structures of Ruditapes philippinarum cultured using two different methods, bottom sown and raft hanging. Bacterial diversity of seawater and sediment in different seasons was examined as well. Correlation between R. philippinarum intestinal bacteria community structures and environmental factors was analyzed. The results showed that in the two aquculture areas where R. philippinarum was differentially cultured, bacteria community structure of seawater and sediment both altered with seasons. However, neither seasonal changes nor difference in culture methods could significantly affect the intestinal bacteria community structures of R. philippinarum. Additionally, in terms of the alpha diversity of intestinal bacteria communities, there was no significant difference in R. philippinarum cultured using the two methods. For benthic cultured clams, alpha diversity of the intestinal bacterial communities was often higher than that of the environmental bacterial communities. For raft hanging cultured calms, Alpha diversity of the intestinal bacterial communities was normally comparable with that of the environmental counterparts. Beta diversity analysis showed that the intestinal bacterial community structure of R. philippinarum was mainly determined by both deterministic and stochastic processes. Correlation analysis showed that the intestinal bacterial community structures of R. philippinarum were determined by a variety of environmental factors. For clams collected from the benthic culture area, the intestinal bacterial structure was more correlated with the physicochemical properties of sediment in comparing with those of seawater. For clams collected from the raft-culture area, the intestinal bacterial structure was mainly determined by the phsicochemical characteristics of seawater. This study helps us to better understand the bacterial community structure in complex aquaculture ecosystems, providing a reference for healthy shellfish aquaculture and ecosystem protection in aquaculture area.

The preparation of sulfur-single walled carbon nanohorns active material via a simple and sustainable evaporation method for application as cathode in lithium-sulfur batteries is reported. We show that the synthesis process enables the infiltration of elemental sulfur within the carbon nanohorns thus obtaining a morphology responsible for the ameliorating of the shuttle effect. The sulfur-carbon composite is characterized in terms of structure, morphology, and composition through x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analyses. From the electrochemical point of view, cyclic voltammetry, rate capability, and galvanostatic cycling tests are performed employing a solution of bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide lithium salt and lithium nitrate in a mixture of 1,2-dimethoxyethane and 1,3-dioxolane in order to evaluate the electrode design applicability within lithium-sulfur cells. In this respect, further insights are provided by the estimation of the lithium-ion diffusion coefficient through the Randles-Sevcik equation, and by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The obtained results reveal a remarkable cycle life lasting around 800 cycles with a stable capacity of 520 mA h g-1 for the first 400 cycles at C/4, while reaching a value around 300 mA h g-1 at the 750th cycle. These results suggest sulfur-carbon nanohorns active material as a potential candidate for the next-generation battery technology.

Public restrooms are often a hub of microbial contamination, and the examination of bacterial contamination in these facilities can serve as an important indicator of the transmission of infectious diseases. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of bacterial contamination in public restrooms based on the economic class of the building. Samples were collected from various spots in 32 restrooms found in 10 shopping malls, classifying them into two categories: upper-end restrooms and lower-end restrooms. The findings showed that the level of contamination was higher in the lower-end restrooms, with the seat being the most contaminated area. The most dominant Gram-positive bacteria were coagulase-negative staphylococci species, making up 86% of the identified Gram-positive isolates. The most dominant Gram-negative bacteria identified were Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antibiotic sensitivity test results revealed the presence of multi-drug resistant bacteria among the Gram-positive and negative isolates, including Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus kloosi, Acinetobacter baumanii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In conclusion, the study underscores the significance of monitoring bacterial contamination in public restrooms and the need for measures to reduce the spread of infectious diseases. Further research is crucial to gain a complete understanding of the bacterial contamination in public restrooms and their resistance patterns, to ensure the safety and health of the public. The implementation of improved cleaning practices and hands-free designs in restrooms can help reduce the risk of cross-contamination and prevent the spread of diseases.

When oxidizing reduced sulfur compounds, the phototrophic sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum forms spectacular sulfur globules as obligatory intracellular – but extracytoplasmic – intermediates. The globule envelope consists of three extremely hydrophobic proteins: SgpA and SgpB are very similar and can functionally replace each other. SgpC is involved in the expansion of the sulfur globules. The presence of a fourth protein, SgpD, has been suggested by comparative transcriptomics and proteomics of enriched sulfur globules. Here, we investigated the in vivo function of SgpD by coupling its carboxy-terminus to mCherry. This fluorescent protein requires oxygen for chromophore maturation, but we were able to use it in anaerobically growing A. vinosum provided the cells were exposed to oxygen for one hour prior to imaging. While mCherry lacking a signal peptide resulted in low fluorescence evenly distributed throughout the cell, fusion with SgpD carrying its original Sec-dependent signal peptide targeted mCherry to the periplasm and co-localized it exactly with the highly light-refractive sulfur deposits seen in sulfide-fed A. vinosum cells. Insertional inactivation of the sgpD gene showed that the protein is not essential for the formation and degradation of sulfur globules.

Six bacterial strains with differing abilities to produce varying concentrations of Indole Acetic Acid were tested individually and in consortia for plant growth promoting and fitness related traits of Cicer arietinum. In all experiments the presence of the nitrogen fixer Mesorhizobium ciceri resulted in increased biomass production. In the absence of this strain, IAA Psedomonas putida and Bacillus megaterium hinder plant growth and fitness related traits. The application of mixes of the three strains always resulted in better plant performance when M. ciceri was present. Whereas P. putida has a noticeable plant growth-promoting effect B. megaterium resulted less effective. The low levels of IAA produced by the selected strains had a significantly greater positive effect on plant biomass accumulation, flower, pods and seed production as well as on total plant nitrogen and nitrogen concentration in seed than high IAA producer strains.

Simple Summary: The distribution of typical bacterial redox enzymes such as pyruvate-ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR) in protozoa remains interestingly puzzling. Previous studies have demonstrated diverse cellular localizations of PFOR in some amitochondriate anaerobic protozoa. PFOR is of particular pharmacological importance because it catalyzes the reductive bio-activation of nitro-based prodrugs to cytotoxic radical metabolites. Metronidazole was developed primarily as an antiprotozoal agent against infections caused by Trichomonas vaginalis. However, its antimicrobial spectrum was subsequently expanded to cover anaerobic bacterial infections. It has been shown that mutations in the genes encoding PFOR result in inherent resistance of PFOR-possessing anaerobic protozoa and bacteria to nitro-based prodrugs. Deciphering the evolutionary history of PFOR is crucial in deepening our understanding of the evolution of anaerobic pathogens and unfold new approaches for drug discovery and targeting in pathogen chemotherapy. Abstract: The present frontrunners in the chemotherapy of infections caused by protozoa are nitro-based prodrugs that are selectively activated by PFOR-mediated redox reactions. This study seeks to analyze the distribution of PFOR in selected protozoa and bacteria by applying comparative bioinformatics approaches to test the hypothesis that PFOR was most likely acquired through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from bacteria. Furthermore, to identify other genes that were putatively acquired using proteome-wide and gene expression analyses. A plausible explanation for the patchy occurrence of PFOR in protozoa is based on the hypothesis that bacteria are potential sources of genes that enhance optimal adaptation of protozoa in hostile environments. The exclusively expressed proteins obtained from Entamoeba histolytica and the putative gene donor, Desulfovibrio vulgaris, showed an over-expression of eleven genes involved in intermediary metabolism. If these results can be reproduced in other PFOR-possessing protozoa, it would provide a more validated evidence to support the horizontal transfer of pfor from bacteria.

The biogeography of inflammation in ulcerative colitis (UC) suggests a proximal to distal concentration gradient of a toxin. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has long been considered one such toxin candidate, and dietary sulfur along with the abundance of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) were considered the primary determinants of H2S production and clinical course of UC. The metabolic milieu in the lumen of the colon, however, is the result of a multitude of factors beyond dietary sulfur intake and SRB abundance. Here we present an updated formulation of the H2S toxin hypothesis for UC pathogenesis, which strives to incorporate the interdependency of diet composition and the metabolic activity of the entire colon microbial community. Specifically, we suggest that the increasing severity of inflammation along the proximal-to-distal axis in UC is due to dilution of beneficial factors, concentration of toxic factors, and changing detoxification capacity of the host, all of which are intimately linked to the nutrient flow from the diet.

We report on magnetic studies of inhomogeneous commercial and synthesized amorphous carbon (a-C) and a-C doped with sulfur (a-CS) powders which exhibit (i) peculiar magnetic behavior and (ii) traces of two superconducting (SC) phase ~ Tc=33 and at 65 K. (i) The temperature dependence of zero-field-cooled (ZFC) curves measured up to room temperature show a well distinguish elusive peaks around 50-80 K, their origin is not yet known. These peaks are totally washed-out in the second ZFC sweeps and in the FC branches as well. As a result, in the vicinity of the peaks, the FC curves lie below the ZFC peaks (FC<ZFC), a phenomenon which is rarely observed. These magnetic anomalies are intrinsic properties of a-C and a-CS materials (ii) SC was observed in three different a-C sources: (a) The commercial a-C powder contains 0.21% of sulfur and it is suggested that two different a-CS phases (at 33 and 65 K) are the origin of the two SC states observed. The compositions of these two phases are not yet unknown. The small SC volume fractions of the 33 K phase can be enhanced by a solid reaction with additional sulfur at 250 ºC. (b) The synthesized a-C powder (obtained from decomposition of sucrose) is not SC. However, when mixed with sulfur and heated at 400 ºC under a protective atmosphere, the a-CS powder obtained also show traces of a SC phase at TC= 42 K. (c)The same occurs in a-C thin films. The as-grown films are not SC but a SC phase at Tc = 34 K emerges after the films were reacted with sulfur at elevated temperatures. It is concluded therefore, that all SC phases observed are due to different unknown a-CS phases. Since the a-C and a-CS powders possess SC and magnetic states, we believe that these powders resemble the high TC curates and Fe-As based systems in which the SC and the magnetic states are closed related to each other.

We propose that a dietary reduction of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) could reduce risk and slow the progression of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. LPS is a component of the highly inflammatory cell membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. The highest dietary sources of LPS are processed meat and dairy products, which can sharply raise plasma LPS within one to two hours. The LPS in these foods is packaged into chylomicrons, which enter the bloodstream. Smaller amounts of LPS from colonic microbiota do not account for the sharp postprandial increase of plasma LPS. Once in the bloodstream, LPS can trigger the release of inflammatory cytokines within three hours. LPS can increase cytokines via LPS binding protein and cluster of differentiation-14, triggering toll-like receptor-4, and activating nuclear factor kappa-B. Nuclear factor kappa-B can increase cytokine levels, including interleukin-1-beta, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. LPS and inflammatory cytokines are higher in Alzheimer’s disease, both in plasma and in the central nervous system. These cytokines can enter the brain via active transport and induce microglial activation and inflammatory damage in the brain, including loss of synapses and neurons. Elevated brain inflammation from dietary LPS can contribute to cognitive impairment and increased risk of dementia.

The eutrophication of open water bodies, especially in coastal water area, has received intensive public focuses in recent years. Biological treatment of organic pollutants in industrial and domestic wastewater requires microbial flora to participate. The environmental impact of these microbes, particularly in regard to the spread of antibiotic resistance genes and pathogenicity in coastal water, remains largely unknown. We initiate studies to examine antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in microbial flora and study the mode of antibiotic spread in the coastal waters of Bohai Bay, North China by using high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrum analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The metabolic features of bacteria related to the presence of ARGs in the coastal area showed the enrichment of Pseudomonadale species with triple resistance properties (ampicillin, kanamycin and gentamycin) at the estuary site locating adjacent to a coastal sewage treatment plant where both type I and type II polyketide synthase genes and b-lactam type antibiotics are detected. Pseudomonadale order is phylogenetically belonged to Proteobacteria Phylum, Gamma-proteobacteria Class and contains Pseudomonadaceae family and Pseudomonas genus. QPCR analysis suggests that the percent occupation of Pseudomonadale species to total Proteobacteria in the examined stations is close to several sampling stations close to sewage treatment plants, where consistent release of organic wastes occurred.

In the recent rechargeable battery industry, lithium sulfur batteries (LSBs) have demonstrated promising candidate battery to serve as the next-generation secondary battery owing to its enhanced theoretical specific energy, economy, and environmental friendliness. Its inferior cyclability, however, which is primarily due to electrode deterioration caused by the lithium polysulfide shuttle effect, is still a major problem for the real industrial usage of LSBs. Optimization of the separator and functional barrier layer is an effective strategy for remedying these issues. In this article, the current progress based on classification and modification on functional separator is summarized. We will also describe their working mechanisms as well as the resulting LSB electrochemical properties. In addition, necessary performance for separators also will be mentioned in order to gain optimized LSB performance.

The emergence of various electronic devices and equipment such as electric vehicles and drones requires higher energy density energy storage devices. Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are considered as the most promising new generation energy storage system owing to high theoretical specific capacity and energy density. However, the severe shuttle behaviors of soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and the slow redox kinetics lead to low sulfur utilization and poor cycling stability, which seriously hinder the commercial application of LSBs. Therefore, various catalytic materials have been employed to solve these troublesome problems. High entropy materials (HEMs), as advanced materials, can provide unique surface and electronic structures that expose plentiful catalytic active sites, which opens new ideas for the regulation of LiPSs redox kinetics. Notwithstanding many instructive reviews in the land of LSBs, while this review aims to offer a complete and shrewd summary of the current progresses in HEMs-based LSBs, including in-depth interpretation of design principles and mechanistic electrocatalysis functions as well as pragmatic perspectives.

Sulfur, peroxide and combined sulfur and peroxide curing systems were applied for cross-linking of unfilled and carbon black filled rubber compounds based on ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer rubber. The results revealed that the type of curing system influenced the course and shape of curing isotherms. This resulted in the change of curing kinetics of rubber compounds. The cross-link density of vulcanizates cured with combined vulcanization systems was lower than that for vulcanizates cured only in the presence of sulfur or peroxide system. The results revealed good correlation between the cross-link density as well as the structure of the formed cross-links and physical-mechanical characteristics of the materials. It can be stated that by proper combination of vulcanization systems it is possible to modify tensile behavior of vulcanizates in targeted manner. On the other side, dynamical-mechanical properties were found not be significantly influenced by the composition of curing system.

The vulcanization of rubber compounds is an exothermal process. A carbon black-filled and natural rubber-based (NR) formulation was mixed with different levels of sulfur (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 6.0 phr) and studied with Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) for the determination of the vulcanization enthalpy. It was found that the vulcanization enthalpy is dependent from the amount of sulfur present in the compound and the vulcanization heat released was -18.4 kJ/mol S if referred to the entire rubber compound formulation or -46.0 kJ/mol S if the heat released is referred only to the NR present in the compound. The activation energy for the vulcanization of the rubber compounds was also determined by a DSC study at 49 kJ/mol and found quite independent from the sulfur content of the compounds under study. A simplified thermochemical model is proposed to explain the main reactions occurring during the vulcanization. The model correctly predicts that the vulcanization is an exothermal process although it gives an overestimation of the vulcanization enthalpy which is larger for the EV vulcanization package and smaller for the conventional vulcanization system. If the devulcanization is conducted mechanochemically in order to break selectively the sulfur-based crosslinks, then the natural rubber compounds recovered from used tires can be re-vulcanized again and the exothermicity of such process can be measured satisfactorily with DSC analysis. This paper not only proposes a simplified mechanism of vulcanization and devulcanization but also proposes an analytical method to check the devulcanization status of the recycled rubber compound in order to distinguish truly devulcanized rubber from reclaimed rubber.

The rapid, sensitive, and selective detection of pathogenic bacteria is of utmost importance in ensuring food safety and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Here, we present a novel, reusable, and cost-effective impedimetric sensor based on a dual bacteria-imprinted polymer (DBIP) for the specific detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus. The DBIP sensor stands out with its remarkably short fabrication time of just 20 minutes, achieved through the efficient electro-polymerization of o-phenylenediamine monomer in the presence of dual bacterial templates, followed by in-situ template removal. The key structural feature of the DBIP sensor lies in the cavity-free imprinting sites, indicative of a thin layer of bacterial surface imprinting. This facilitates rapid rebinding of the target bacteria within a mere 15 minutes, while the sensing interface regenerates in just 10 minutes, enhancing the sensor's overall efficiency. A notable advantage of the DBIP sensor is its exceptional selectivity, capable of distinguishing the target bacteria from closely related bacterial strains, including different serotypes. Moreover, the sensor exhibits high sensitivity, showcasing a low detection limit of approximately 9 CFU mL-1. The sensor's reusability further enhances its cost-effectiveness, reducing the need for frequent sensor replacements. The practicality of the DBIP sensor was demonstrated in the analysis of real apple juice samples, yielding good recoveries. The integration of quick fabrication, high selectivity, rapid response, sensitivity, and reusability makes the DBIP sensor a promising solution for monitoring pathogenic bacteria, playing a crucial role in ensuring food safety and safeguarding public health.

Rubber compounds based on styrene-butadiene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer rubber and the combinations of both rubbers were cured with different sulfur and peroxide curing systems. In sulfur curing systems, two type of accelerators, namely N-cyclohexyl-2-benzothiazole sulfenamide, tetramethylthiuram disulfide and combinations of both accelerators were used. In peroxide curing systems, dicumyl peroxide, and combination of dicumyl peroxide with zinc diacrylate or zinc dimethacrylate, respectively were applied. The work was focused on investigation of the curing system composition as well as type of the rubber or rubbers combinations on curing process, cross-link density and physical-mechanical properties of vulcanizates. The dynamic-mechanical properties on the selected vulcanizates were examined, too. The result revealed correlation between the cross-link density and physical-mechanical properties. Similarly, there was recorded certain correlation between cross-linking degree and glass transition temperature. The tensile strength of vulcanizates based on rubbers combinations was higher when compared to that based on pure rubbers, which points out the fact that by rubbers combination, not only the features of both elastomers can be combined, but also improved tensile characteristics can be achieved. When compared to vulcanizates cured with dicumyl peroxide, materials cured with sulfur system exhibited higher tensile strength. By application of co-agents in peroxide vulcanization, the tensile strength overcame the tensile behavior of sulfur cured vulcanizates.

Diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) has been employed in the sulfide ore flotation process, due to its excellent collection performance. Herein, we investigated the interfacial adsorption behavior of DDTC on four mineral phases of high-sulfur residue — sulfur, pyrite, sphalerite and lead sulfate. The adsorption behavior — adsorption structure and energy and electron localization function cross section — of DDTC and H2O were explored using density function theory calculation. The result was helpful to construct a co-adsorption model of DDTC and H2O, which was validated by the pure minerals flotation operation and the characterization of fourier transform infrared spectra. The co-adsorption model indicated that the DDTC adsorption on the sulfur, sphalerite and lead sulfate was weak with physical bonding, while its adsorption on the pyrite was strong with chemical bonding. Practical bench-scale operation of high-sulfur residue flotation was performed, whose result was different from that obtained from the pure mineral flotation. To explain the difference, our developed model predictions and the mineral fugacity pattern analysis on the high-sulfur residue flotation were synergistically used. Overall, this work first proposed the co-adsorption model of DDTC and H2O and provided important insights into the interfacial adsorption in the high-sulfur residue flotation.

Super-Resolution Microscopy enables non-invasive, molecule-specific imaging of the internal structure and dynamics of cells with sub-diffraction limit spatial resolution. One of its major limitations is the requirement for high-intensity illumination, generating considerable cellular phototoxicity. This factor considerably limits the capacity for live-cell observations, particularly for extended periods of time. Here, we overview new developments in hardware, software and probe chemistry aiming to reduce phototoxicity. Additionally, we discuss how the choice of biological model and sample environment impacts the capacity for live-cell observations.

In the current study, the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of this fermented wheat Hamoun were described in detail, as well as the soil properties where this type of wheat was stored. The results showed that the Hamoum had concentrations of the lactic acid of 0.25 g ± 0.03 for the Simeto variety (nine years of storage), as well as 0.13 g ± 0.02 and 0.17 g±0.06 for the Ofanto variety following three and six months, respectively, of storage. The water content varied between 8.3 - 9.7 % for grain and between 10.8- 11.5 % for flour. The ash content of grain and flour of 1.43 ± 0.02 and 1.63 ± 0.26, respectively, was above the normal standards. According to these results, fermented wheat is appropriate for human consumption. The results also showed that the soil where the wheat was stored comprised mainly clay and had an alkaline pH of 8.2. The isolation and identification of fermentable germs showed the presence of lactic acid bacteria belonging to the genera Lactobacillus (59 %), Pediococcus (18 %), Leuconostoc (17 %), and Streptococcus (6 %). The antibacterial activities of isolated acid bacteria against pathogenic germs Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 9027), Bacillus cereus (ATCC 14579), and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 43300) reflected the presence of strong antibacterial activity, with 62.5 % positive interactions and 100 % pathogenic bacteria inhibited by Lactobacillus.

Natural carotenoids are secondary metabolites that exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. These types of compounds are in high demand by pharmaceutical, cosmetic, textile and food industries, leading to the search for new natural sources of carotenoids. In recent years, the production of carotenoids from bacteria has become of great interest for industrial applications. In addition to carotenoids with C40-skeletons, some bacteria have the ability to synthesize characteristic carotenoids with C30-skeletons. In this regard, a great variety of methodologies for the extraction and identification of bacterial carotenoids has been reported and this is the first review that condenses much of this information. To understand the diversity of these carotenoids, we present their biosynthetic origin in order to focus on the methodologies employed in their extraction and characterization. Special emphasis has been made on high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) for the analysis and identification of bacterial carotenoids. We end up this review showing their potential commercial use of bacterial carotenoids. This review is proposed as a guide for the identification of these metabolites, which are frequently reported in new bacteria strains.

Latin binomials, popularised in the eighteenth century by the Swedish naturalist Linnaeus, have stood the test of time in providing a stable, clear and memorable system of nomenclature across biology. However, relentless and ever-deeper exploration and analysis of the microbial world has created an urgent unmet need for huge numbers of new names for Archaea and Bacteria. Manual creation of such names remains difficult and slow and typically relies on expert-driven nomenclatural quality control. Keen to ensure the legacy of Linnaeus lives on in the age of microbial genomics and metagenomics, we propose an automated approach, employing combinatorial concatenation of roots from Latin and Greek to create linguistically correct names for genera and species that can be used off the shelf as needed. As proof of principle, we document over a million new names for Bacteria and Archaea. We are confident that our approach provides a road map for how to create new names for decades to come.

PAHs contaminants have toxic, carcinogenic, and even mutagenic properties. Screening bacteria from different sources capable of carrying out the biodegradation of PAHs is important for mapping and mobilization purposes and applying them to polluted hydrocarbon environments. The study aimed to compare the biodegradation power of two types of bacteria isolated from different sources against PAHs. The method applied is the interaction between bacterial suspen-sion and pyrene contaminated waste for 30 days. Biodegradation products in organic compounds were analyzed using GC/MS and FTIR. The analysis results found several indications of the performance of bacterial biodegradation, namely: the aggressiveness of biodegradation of Bl bacteria against pyrene was relatively more dominant than Sb bacteria. The percentage of to-tal bacterial biodegradation for product type Sb was (39.00 %), and that of the product of bacteri-al degradation type Bl (was 38.29 %). The biodegradation products of the test bacteria (Bl and Sb) were relatively similar to pyrene, in the form of alcohol and carboxylic acid organic com-pounds. It was concluded that there was no significant difference in biodegradation per-formance between Bl and Sb bacteria on for pyrene. Both types of bacterial isolates from differ-ent sources can carry out the function of biodegradation of pyrene.

Elemental sulfur, commonly known for its wide range of biological activity, has a long history of being used to protect all garden and vegetable crops from a range of pests and diseases, including powdery mildew, ascochyta blight, clubroot, plant mites, oidium, anthracnose, and scab. In the present study, a quick and environmentally friendly approach has been developed for the synthesis of sulfur nanoparticles with antibacterial activity. Sulfur nanoparticles (SNPs) were prepared by modifying the surface of elemental sulfur using various polyelectrolyte-surfactant mixtures (PSM) including NaCMC-SDBS and PHMG-CTAB. The SNPs were characterized by UV–visible spectrophotometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), with the SNPs showing an almost spherical shape with an average size in the range of 150-200 nm. The antibacterial activity of the sulfur nanoparticles was tested using against gram-positive S. aureus and E. faecium and gram-negative E. coli and P. aeruginosa bacteria. From this, it could be seen that SNPs exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against gram-positive bacteria, i.e., S. aureus and E. faecium. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the SNPs-1 and SNPs-2 studied to normal (MeT-5A) and tumorous (MCF-7) human cell lines was assessed in the concentration range from 500 μg/ml to 0.12 mg/ml, from which it was determined as being non-cytotoxic. The received products can be considered for potential application in agriculture and medicine.

Genes encoding regulatory RNAs known as short RNAs (sRNAs) or non-coding sRNAs (ncRNAs), modulate physiological responses through different mechanisms, through RNA-RNA interaction or RNA-protein interaction. These molecules transcribed in trans and in cis relative to the target RNA. They are located between the coding regions of proteins, i.e., in the intergenic regions of the genome and show signals of promoters and termini sequences generally Rho-independent. The size of the ncRNAs genes ranges from ~ 50 to ~ 500 nucleotides and several transcripts are processed by RNase with smaller end products, which modulate physiological responses through different mechanisms, by RNA-RNA interaction or RNA-protein interactions and some interactions may be stabilized by the Hfq chaperone. The Riboswitches constitute another class of ncRNAs, located in the 5'UTR region of an mRNA that promote transcriptional regulation through their interaction with a linker molecule. Recently, in prokaryotes, CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) regions have described, which repeats of sequences of palindromic bases are. Each replicate consists of short segments of "spacer DNA" from exposures prior to a bacteriophage virus or exogenous plasmid. The CRISPR system consists of an immune system of resistance to exogenous molecules.

There have been many researches on the surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors for detecting sulfur-containing toxic or harmful gases. This paper aims to give an overview of the current state of the polymer films used in SAW sensors for detecting deleterious gases. By covering most of the important polymer materials, the structures and types of polymers are summarized, and a variety of devices with different frequency, such as delay lines and array sensors for detecting mustard gas, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide are introduced. The preparation method of polymer films, the sensitivity of the SAW gas sensor, the limit of detection, the influence of temperature and humidity, and the anti-interference ability are discussed in detail. The advantages and disadvantages of the films are also analyzed, and the potential application of polymer films in the future is also forecasted.

This preliminary study introduces the incorporation and chemical stabilization of sulfur waste into geopolymers matrix and explores the concept of material production for further environmental and engineering solutions. Geopolymers were synthesized by dissolving sulfur in the alkaline activator of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate in different proportions. The Alkaline solution was then mixed with metakaolin to synthesize the geopolymer matrix. Adding sulfur from 0 wt.% to 5 wt.%, compared with metakaolin, was found to lead to an increase in the compressive strength of the geopolymer from 22.5 MPa to 29.9MPa. When sulfur is between 5 wt.% and 15 wt.%, a decrease in compressive strength was observed to 15.7 MPa, which can be explained by defects and voids in the geopolymer microstructure through the solubility of excess sulfur and thus the formation of defects and voids in the geopolymer microstructure. Because of the incorporation of sulfur into the geo-polymer, a compact and dense microstructure is formed as reported in the SEM analysis. XRD analysis shows that besides quartz and Analcime, a new phase, Al2·H10·O17·S3, is also formed as a result of sulfur dissolution in alkaline activator of geopolymer.

Epidemics are the most common natural phenomena that have occurred throughout the entire history of human society. Depending on the type of disease and the development of the collective immunity that society had acquired by then, the consequences of epidemics were usually very severe. Precisely because of this, the aim of the paper is a scientific description of the way in which the prescribed preventive measures should be applied from the epidemiological, security, economic, legal and other aspects, so that the society, through the mechanisms of the state, can defend and rehabilitate the consequences of an epidemic of an infectious disease. Eliminating the epidemic's impacts is a very difficult issue. In particular, there is an infectious illness epidemic that is spreading uncontrolled throughout society on the one hand. In order to introduce a quarantine that restricts the epidemic's progress and, if the quarantine lasts long enough, to end the epidemic, contact between members of the social group must be broken. On the other side, the cessation of communication between members of a social group also signifies the cessation of all facets of life in that society, including economic ties, education, growth of culture, scientific research, etc.

Preventing the rebound of black and odorous water bodies is critical for improving the ecological environment of water bodies. This study investigated the effect and mechanism of in-situ improvement of sediment microenvironment by nitrate in tailwater of wastewater treatment plants combined with aerobic denitrifying bacteria under low-DO regulation (TailN+CFM+LDO). On the 60th day of remediation, the dissolved oxygen and oxidation-reduction potential in the overlying water increased to 5.6 mg/L and 300 mV, respectively, the acid volatile sulfide in the sediment decreased by 70.4%, and the organic matter in the sediment was reduced by 62.7%, in which the HFOM was degraded from 105 g/kg to 56 g/kg, and the potential risk of water reverting to black and odorous conditions significantly decreased. Amplicon sequencing analysis revealed that the relative abundance of electroactive bacteria Thiobacillus and Pseudomonas with denitrification capacity was found to be significantly higher in the TailN+CFM+LDO group than in the other remediation groups. Functional prediction of 16S sequencing results indicated that both the quantity and activity of critical microbial enzymes involved in nitrification and denitrification processes could enhance in the TailN+CFM+LDO group. These results improved our understanding of the improvement of the sediment microenvironment and could thus facilitate its application.

Some management practices, such as maintaining birds under high group density, used in the poultry industry may cause birds stress, leading to injurious behaviors, such as injurious pecking, aggression, and cannibalism. In addition, some management practices used to prevent severe injuries in birds may cause pain. Beak trimming (BT), removal of 1/3 to 1/2 of a beak, is a routine husbandry procedure practiced in laying hens to prevent or reduce injurious behaviors. However, BT causes tissue damage, which may increase somatosensory sensitization of the damaged nerve tissues, resulting in pain (acute, chronic or both) in the treated birds because the beak is a complex, functional organ with an extensive nerve supply. BT has already been heavily regulated or prohibited in several European countries and, in time, this trend will impact the practice used in the United States poultry industry. With the growing public concern for poultry welfare there is a pressing need to identify and develop alternatives to BT. Probiotics defined “as a source of live (viable) naturally occurring microorganisms (direct-fed microbials)” have been used as dietary supplements or functional foods to target gut microbiota (microbiome) for prevention or therapeutic treatment of mental diseases including social stress-induced psychiatric disorders in humans and various experimental animals. In our studies, chickens were used as an animal model to assess if dietary supplementation of probiotic, Bacillus subtilis, reduces injurious behaviors following social challenge. Hens of Dekalb XL strain, an aggressive line, were used in the studies. Our results indicate that dietary supplementation of the Bacillus subtilis based probiotic reduces aggressive behaviors in chickens. These results suggest dietary probiotics could be a suitable strategy for increasing hosts’ health status and welfare conditions.

This work discussed the advantages of reducing copper in molten copper slag with low S content. FactSage calculated the distribution of copper at equilibrium under different sulfur content. The effect of sulfur content on copper recovery under different oxygen partial pressures was pointed out. The effect of sulfur content on copper recovery in the actual reduction process was explored through experimental research. Under the condition of low sulfur, the Recovery of copper and the stability of the experiment have an ideal results.

EMG analysis is becoming increasingly important in many research and clinical applications, including muscle fatigue detection, control of robotic mechanisms and prostheses, clinical diagnosis of neuromuscular diseases and quantification of force. However, electromyographic signals can be contaminated by various types of noise, interference and artifacts, which can lead to misinterpretation of the data acquired using this method. Even assuming best practices, the collected signal may still be altered by such contaminants. The aim of this paper is to review methods employed to reduce contamination of single channel EMG signals. This review is limited to methods performed directly on the measured EMG signal and those that allow total reconstruction of the EMG signal. Subtraction methods used in the time domain, denoising methods performed after signal decomposition and hybrid methods are assessed. It is defended that individual methods may be more or less suitable for a particular application depending on contaminant(s) present in the signal and on the specific requirements of the application.

An advanced, cost-effective and portable DNA biosensor capable of detecting multiple bacteria simultaneously have been developed. The biosensor consists of a fast and inexpensive potentiostat that controls the applied potential to a screen-printed electrochemical array platform functionalized with MoS2 flakes and bacteria DNA probes, and monitors the current response obtained by the use of à la carte thionine functionalized carbon nanodots (Ty-CDs) as electrochemical indicator of the hybridization event. The design of the potentiostat prioritizes achieving an optimal signal-to-noise ratio and incorporates a user-friendly interface compatible with various devices such as computers, mobile phones and tablets. The device is compact, lightweight, and manufactured at a low cost. The key components of the potentiostat include a data acquisition board capable of analyzing multiple samples simultaneously and a controller board. The results obtained confirm the ability of the developed device to successfully detect specific bacteria DNA sequences, demonstrating the reliability and performance of the developed multiplexing portable biosensor with better sensibility than using a traditional, more complex and laboratory oriented potentiostat.

We propose a model for bacterial Quorum Sensing based on an auxiliary electrostatic-like interaction originating from a fictitious electrical charge that represents bacteria activity. A cooperative mechanism for charge/activity exchange is introduced to implement chemotaxis and replication. The bacteria system is thus represented by means of a complex resistor network where link resistances take into account the allowed activity-flow among individuals. By explicit spatial stochastic simulations, we show that the model exhibits different quasi-realistic behaviors from colony formation to biofilm aggregation. The electrical signal associated with Quorum Sensing is analyzed in space and time and provides useful information about the colony dynamics. In particular, we analyze the transition between the planktonic and the colony phases as the intensity of Quorum Sensing is varied.

Mastitis-causing bacteria can establish persistent infections in the mammary gland of commercially important dairy animals despite the presence of strong specific humoral and cellular immune mechanisms. The aim of this study was to encapsulate vitamin D3 by complex coacervation with sulfur-saturated bovine lactoferrin-alginate using microbial transglutaminase-catalyzed crosslinking and investigate the oral administration of encapsulated vitamin D3 in blood serum biomarkers of the immune response in late-lactating dairy goats. Dairy goats (n = 18) in late lactation were randomly assigned to three experimental groups (n = 6), after balancing weight. Dairy goats were orally administered with 0.35 mg vitamin D3/day in the unencapsulated form and 0.35 mg vitamin D3/day in the encapsulated powder form. Another group received the basal diet. The experimental period lasted 6 weeks. The blood serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25-(OH)-D3], lactoferrin, immunoglobulin A (IgA), and interferon-gamma (INF-γ) were measured. The delivery of vitamin D3 to dairy goats resulted in a marked increase of 25-(OH)-D3 concentration in serum while the serum level of lactoferrin also increased. Alternatively, the serum levels of IgA and the immunomodulatory cytokine INF-γ were elevated following supplementation with the encapsulated vitamin D3. Overall, the capsules in the powder form used in this study kept vitamin D3 highly bioavailable.

The Spiking Neural Network (SNN) has attracted more and more attention recently. It adopts binary spike signals to transmit information. Benefitting from the information passing paradigm of SNNs, the multiplications of activations and weights can be replaced by additions, which are more energy-efficient. However, its ``Hard Reset" mechanism for the firing activity would ignore the difference among membrane potentials when the membrane potential is above the firing threshold, causing information loss. Meanwhile, quantifying the membrane potential to 0/1 spikes at the firing instants will inevitably introduce the quantization error thus bringing about information loss too. To address these problems, we propose to use the ``Soft Reset" mechanism for the supervised training-based SNNs, which will drive the membrane potential to a dynamic reset potential according to its magnitude, and Membrane Potential Rectifier (MPR) to reduce the quantization error via redistributing the membrane potential to a range close to the spikes. Results show that the SNNs with the ``Soft Reset" mechanism and MPR outperform their vanilla counterparts on both static and dynamic datasets.

Development and redevelopment are important drivers of tree removal and canopy loss in urban landscapes. Local ordinances are often used to curtail tree removal, but punitive regulations alone may not be enough to reduce urban tree canopy loss in land development. In Florida (US), efforts to balance trees and development have so far focused on fees and fines, but with a recent backlash against tree regulations and the fast pace of urban growth, we explored the possible role of incentives in urban tree policies. We interviewed 20 land developers across Florida to understand their perspectives on current barriers and potential incentives for tree preservation and planting. We collected data from developers, whose perspectives on tree preservation are often unknown or overlooked, despite their significant role in tree planting, removal, and retention in and around cities. Our results show that major barriers to tree preservation and planting include requirements to grade sites for stormwater management, site constraints, and monetary costs. Most developers did not know of any existing incentives beyond intrinsic motivations but said that financial incentives would be most appealing to them. Top incentive suggestions include increasing building density, reducing impact fees and tax liability, and changing tree mitigation policies. Another promising finding is that developers are willing to work with regulators to find solutions that benefit both parties. Future research should consider evaluating the level of support and viability of different incentives by gathering feedback from policymakers, land developers, and the public.

In this study, the effects of music therapy on anxiety for patients undergoing regional anaesthesia in an operating room was succinctly investigated. This investigation was largely based on the adapted Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS) and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S), of patients undergoing regional anaesthesia in an operating room. A randomized control trial was performed on 90 patients due for surgery. The selected patients for regional anaesthesia were allocated to either the music therapy group who listened to music using headphones for the entire surgery or the no-treatment control group. Based on the findings, it has been conclusively demonstrated that music can decrease the patient's anxiety level. According to the socio-demographic evaluation, elderly patients have the highest stress hormones levels when compared to young patients. Although elderly patients are more likely to choose religious songs to help them relax, cortisol analysis revealed an increase in cortisol levels among the elderly compared with younger patients. As a result, music is especially important to be delivered to elderly patients. Nonetheless, there is no restriction against administering music to elderly patients because evidence from the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) has shown that music helps to shift their attention away from pain and complications and makes them feel tranquil. Similarly, the HADS and modified Spielberger STAI (STAI-S) analyses demonstrate a substantial outcome for both groups, with respondents responding positively. The study found that listening to music during regional anaesthesia might help people feel less worried.

Photocatalytic degradation plays a crucial role in wastewater treatment, and the key to achieving high efficiency is to develop photocatalytic systems that possess excellent light absorption, carrier separation efficiency, and surface-active sites. Among various photocatalytic systems, S-type heterojunctions have shown remarkable potential for efficient degradation. This work delves into construction of S-type heterojunctions of ternary indium metal sulfide and bismuth ferrite nanofibers with introduction of sulfur vacancy defects and morphology modifications to enhance the photocatalytic degradation performance. Through the impregnation method, BiFeO₃/Zn₂S₄ heterojunction materials were synthesized and optimized30% BiFeO₃/Zn₂S₄ heterojunction exhibited superior photocatalytic performance with higher sulfur vacancy concentration than Zn₂S₄. The in-situ XPS results demonstrate that the electrons between Zn₂S₄ and BFO are transferred via S-Scheme, and after modification, Zn₂S₄ has a more favorable surface morphology for electron transport, and its flower-like structure interacts with the nanofibers of BFO, which has a further enhancement of the reaction efficiency for degrading pollutants. This exceptional material demonstrated a remarkable 99% degradation of Evans blue within 45 min and a significant 68% degradation of ciprofloxacin within 90 min. This work provides a feasible idea for developing photocatalysts to deal with the problem of polluted water resources under practical conditions.

Sideroflexins (SLC56 family) are highly conserved multi-spanning transmembrane proteins inserted in the inner mitochondrial membrane in eukaryotes. Few data are available on their molecular function but, since their first description, they were thought to be metabolite transporters probably required for iron utilization inside the mitochondrion. Such as numerous mitochondrial transporters, sideroflexins remain poorly characterized. The prototypic member SFXN1 has been recently identified as the previously unknown mitochondrial transporter of serine. Nevertheless, pending questions on the molecular function of sideroflexins remain unsolved, especially their link with iron metabolism. Here, we review the current knowledge on sideroflexins, their presumed mitochondrial functions and the sparse - but growing - evidence linking sideroflexins to iron homeostasis and iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis. Since an imbalance in iron homeostasis can be detrimental at the cellular and organismal levels, we also investigate the relationship between sideroflexins, iron and physiological disorders. Investigating Sideroflexins’ functions constitutes an emerging research field of great interest and will certainly lead to main discoveries on mitochondrial physiopathology.

Issues presented by the application of monoclonal antibodies in diagnostic assays and as curative agents can make the use of such molecules cost-prohibitive and sometimes even unsafe. This has warranted the development of short single-stranded oligonucleotides known as Aptamers. The structural malleability of these short DNA or RNA nucleotide segments allows them to exist in distinct conformations. SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment) is a multi-step process for synthesis of aptamers. Each step of this procedure is governed by a diverse set of factors that influence production efficiency, binding affinity, and specificity of the oligonucleotides. Headway in aptamer research has been made in recent years by the introduction of newer iterations of the SELEX process. A greater number of studies are now being carried out to incorporate aptamers into existing disease detection tools and therapies. An overview has been given first on the key aptamer properties and the process of their production (with its newer iterations), contrasting each of them with that of monoclonal antibodies. Possible manifold applications afforded due to unique aptamer characteristics are also discussed. A keen review is further provided on the design, development and use of fluorescent aptamers in bioimaging, sequencing or profiling, and treatment of pathogenic bacteria and tumor cells.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global concern; antibiotics and other regular treatment methods have failed to overcome the increasing number of infectious diseases. Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that specifically target/ kill bacterial hosts without affecting other human microbiome. Phage therapy provides optimism in the current global healthcare scenario with a long history of its applications in humans that has now reached various clinical trials. Phages in clinical trials have specific requirements of being exclusively lytic, free from toxic genes with an enhanced host range that adds an advantage to this requisite. This review explains in detail the various phage engineering methods and their potential applications in therapy. To make phages more efficient, engineering has been attempted using techniques like conventional homologous recombination, Bacteriophage Recombineering of Electroporated DNA (BRED), clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas, CRISPY-BRED/Bacteriophage Recombineering with Infectious Particles (BRIP), chemically accelerated viral evolution (CAVE), and phage genome rebooting. Phages are administered in cocktail form in combination with antibiotics, vaccines, and purified proteins, such as endolysins. Thus, phage therapy is proving to be a better alternative for treating life-threatening infections, with more specificity and fewer detrimental consequences.

The relevance of bacteria to subjective experiences or qualia is under-appreciated. Here, I make four proposals. Firstly, living systems traverse sequences of active states that determine their behaviour; these states result from competitive coherence, which depends on a connectivity-based competition between a Next process and a Now process whereby elements in the active state at time n+1 are chosen between the elements in the active state at time n and those elements in the developing n+1 state. Secondly, bacteria should help us link the mental to the physical world given that bacteria were here first, are highly complex, influence animal behaviour and dominate the Earth. Thirdly, the operation of competitive coherence to generate active states in bacteria, brains and other living systems is inseparable from qualia. Fourthly, these qualia become particularly important to the generation of active states in the highest levels of living systems, namely, the ecosystem and planetary levels.

Cholera is an acute enteric infectious disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Vibrio Cholerae. Despite a huge body of research, the precise nature of its transmission dynamics has yet to be fully elucidated. Mathematical models can be useful to better understand how an infectious agent can spread and be properly controlled. We develop a compartmental model describing a Human population, a bacterial population as well as a phage population. We show that there might be eight equilibrium points; one of which is a disease free equilibrium point. We carry out numerical simulations and sensitivity analyses and we show that the presence of phage can reduce the number of infectious individuals. Moreover, we discuss the main implications in terms of public health management and control strategies.

The effect of four soil-applied sulfur [S; 100 mg S kg-1 soil (100S) and 200 mg S kg-1 soil (200S)] in different sources (elemental S, ammonium sulfate, gypsum or magnesium sulfate) in protecting mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern &amp; Coss.) from cadmium effects was studied. Based on the observed reduction in growth and photosynthesis in plants subjected to 100 and 200 mg Cd kg-1 soil, B. juncea cv. Giriraj was selected as the most Cd-tolerant among five cultivars (namely, Giriraj, RH-0749, Pusa Agrani, RH-406, and Pusa Tarak). Sulfur applied to soil mitigated the negative impact of Cd on sulfur assimilation, cell viability and photosynthetic functions, with a lower lipid peroxidation, electrolyte leakage, and contents of reactive oxygen species (ROS: hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, and superoxide anion, O2•−). Generally, added S caused a higher activity of antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase), and contents of ascorbate (AsA) and reduced glutathione (GSH), and increases in the activities of their regenerating enzymes (dehydroascorbate reductase and GSH reductase), as well as rises in S assimilation, biosynthesis of non-protein thiols (NPTs) and phytochelatins (PCs). Compared to the other S-sources tested, elemental S more prominently protected B. juncea cv. Giriraj against Cd-impacts by minimizing Cd-accumulation and its root-to-shoot translocation; decreasing cellular ROS and membrane damage, and improving Cd-chelation (NPTs and PCs), so strengthening the defense machinery against Cd. The results suggest the use of elemental S for favoring the growth and development of cultivated plants also in Cd-contaminated agricultural soils.

In a two-year field trial, the effect of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) fertilization was investigated on grain yield, grain quality parameters, formation of acrylamide (AA), and the precursor free asparagine (Asn) in organically and conventionally produced winter wheat cultivars. In both production systems, different types, amounts, and temporal distributions of N were tested. While the effect of S fertilizer types and amounts on free Asn was only tested in the conventional farming system. Within both cropping systems, grain yield and baking quality were significantly influenced by N treatment while the effect on free Asn was only minor. Especially within the organic farming system, increasing N fertilization levels did not increase free Asn significantly. A slight trend of increasing free Asn levels with an intensified N supply was observed, especially in the presence of crude protein contents of 14% or higher. But only N amounts of 180 kg N ha⁻¹ or higher increased the probability of high free Asn contents considerably, while N supply below that amount led to free Asn values similar to the unfertilized controls. The results indicated that good baking quality can be achieved without significantly increasing free Asn levels. In addition, cultivars affected the levels of free Asn significantly. Compared to cv. “Bussard” and “Naturastar”, cv. “Capo” exhibited the lowest AA formation potential at an N supply of 180 kg N ha⁻¹ while simultaneously reaching a crude protein content > 15% (conventional) and > 12% (organic). Thus, it seems that cultivars differ in their ability to store and incorporate free Asn into proteins. Over all trials, a correlation of free Asn and AA was shown by R² = 0.77, while a relation of free Asn and protein was only R² = 0.36. Thus, lowering free Asn by adjusting N treatments should not necessarily affect baking quality. S nutrition within conventional farming did not change free Asn amount or crude protein significantly, probably due to the fact that soil was not sulfate-deficient. In summary, it was evident that free Asn amounts in wheat varied widely both within cultivars and between cropping systems. In order to clearly unravel genotypic differences and their interaction with environmental factors and especially N fertilization, further research is needed.

Chrysoeriol (CHE) is a flavonoid substance that exists in many plants and has various physiological and pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and protective activity, especially for the cardiovascular system and liver. This study aimed to analyze the results and possible mechanisms of CHE on early porcine embryo development. Adding CHE to the culture media can improve the development quality of early porcine embryos. CHE significantly increased the blastocyst rate and total cell number of embryos in vitro. The apoptosis of blastocyst in CHE-treated culture also decreased significantly compared with untreated culture. Furthermore, CHE downregulated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increased glutathione (GSH) in embryos. CHE was also shown to improve the activity of mitochondria and inhibit the occurrence of autophagy. In addition, antioxidant-related genes (SOD1, SOD2, and CAT) and cell pluripotency-related genes (SOX2, OCT4, and NANOG) were upregulated, while those related to apoptosis (Caspase 3) and autophagy (LC3B) showed a downward trend after supplementation with CHE. These results indicated that CHE improved the development of porcine embryos in vitro by reducing oxidative stress and autophagy levels.

We conducted many model simulations to understand the causes of the damages of coronavirus (COVID-19) to lung tissue and constructed a diagram showing apparent viral reproduction, immune response and damage accumulation curves. We found that lung damages include virus-caused damage, tissue damage caused by immune responses and tissue damage caused by accumulated wastes. The virus-caused damage is proportional to the phase lag between the viral reproduction curve and the delayed adaptive immune response curve, while waste-induced damage is attributed to imbalance in removing viral, cellular and metabolic by-products. We found that treatment strategies should slow down viral reproduction and speed up immune response, and improve blood micro-circulation in the lungs. Consistent with the strategies, measures are taken to void direct lung infection, strengthen innate responses, promote immune responses, dilute viral concentration in lung tissue, maintain waste removal balance, protect heart and kidneys, control other infections, avoid allergic reactions and other inflammation, etc. We show that medical, dietary, emotional, lifestyle, environmental, mechanical factors, etc. may be simultaneously used to mitigate lung damages and prove that multiple factor health optimization method is magnitudes more powerful than a single factor treatment. Such a method does not depend on molecular specificity and can be used in parallel to antiviral drugs.

Between 2011 and 2016 small-scale farm trials were run across three dairy regions of New Zealand (Waikato, Canterbury, Otago) to compare the performance of typical regional farm systems with farm systems implementing a combination of mitigation options most suitable to the region. The trials ran for at least three consecutive years with detailed recording of milk production and input costs. Nitrate leaching per hectare of the milking platform (where lactating cows are kept) was estimated using either measurements (suction cups), models, or soil mineral nitrogen measurements. Post-trial, detailed farm information was used in the New Zealand greenhouse gas inventory methodology to calculate the emissions from all sources; dairy platform, dairy support land used for wintering non-lactating cows (where applicable) and replacement stock, and imported supplements. Nitrate leaching was also estimated for the support land and growing of supplements imported from off-farm using the same methods as for the platform. Operating profit (NZ$/ha/year), nitrate leaching (kg N/ha/year), and greenhouse gas emissions (t CO₂-e/ha/year) were all expressed per hectare of milking platform to enable comparisons across regions. Nitrate leaching mitigations adopted in lower-input (less imported feed and N fertiliser) farm systems reduced leaching by 22 to 30 percent, and greenhouse gas emissions by between nine and 24 percent. The exception was the wintering barn system in Otago where nitrate leaching was reduced by 45 percent but greenhouse gas emissions were unchanged due to greater manure storage and handling. Important drivers of a lower environmental footprint are reducing nitrogen fertiliser and imported feed. Their effect is to reduce nitrogen surplus and feed flow through the herd and drive down both greenhouse gas emissions and nitrate leaching. Emission reductions in the lower-input systems of Waikato and Canterbury came at an average loss of profit of approximately NZ$100/t CO₂-e (three to five percent of industry average profit per hectare).

Findings on diet-health relationships have led many people to include healthier food items (including snacks) in their diets, e.g. those containing probiotic microorganisms. The purpose of this study was to compare two methods to produce probiotic freeze-dried banana slices - one of them consisting of impregnating slices with a suspension of probiotic Bacillus coagulans, the other based on coating the slices with a starch dispersion containing the bacteria. Both processes have resulted in viable cell counts above 7 log ufc.g-1, although the presence of the starch coating has avoided a significant loss of viability on freeze-drying. The coated slices were less crispy than the impregnated ones, according to the shear force test results. However, the sensory panel (with more than 100 panelists) have not perceived significantly texture differences. Both methods have presented good results, in terms of probiotic cell viability and sensory acceptability (the coated slices having been significantly more accepted than the non-probiotic control slices).

Malignant neoplasm is one of the most incurable diseases among inflammatory diseases. Researchers have been studying for decades to win over this lethal disease and provide the light of hope to humankind. The gastrointestinal bacteria of human hold a complex ecosystem and maintain homeostasis. One hundred trillion microbes are residing in the gastrointestinal tract of human. Disturbances in the microbiota of human’s gastrointestinal tract can create immune response against inflammation and also can develop diseases , including cancer. The bacteria of the gastrointestinal tract of human, can secrete a variety of metabolites and bioproducts which aid in the preservation of homeostasis in the host and gut. During pathogenic dysbiosis, on the other hand, numerous microbiota subpopulations may increase and create excessive levels of toxins, which can cause inflammation and cancer. Furthermore, the immune system of host and the epithelium cell can be influenced by gut microbiota. Probiotics, which are bacteria that live in the gut, have been protected against tumor formation. Probiotics are now studied to see if they can help fight dysbiosis in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy because of their capacity to maintain gut homeostasis. Countless numbers of gut bacteria have demonstrated anti-cancer efficiency in cancer treatment, prevention, and boosting the efficiency of immunotherapy. The review article has briefly explained the anti-cancer immunity of gut microbes and their application in treating a variety of cancer. This review paper also highlights the pre-clinical studies of probiotics against cancer and the completed and ongoing clinical trials on cancers with the two most common and highly effective probiotics Lactobacillus and Bacillus spp.

(1) Background: Disinfection of medical devices designed for clinical use associated or not with the growing area of tissue engineering is an urgent need. However, traditional disinfection methods are not always suitable for some biomaterials, especially those sensitive to chemical, thermal, or radiation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the minimal concentration of ozone gas (O3) necessary to control and kill a set of sensitive or multi-resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The cell viability, membrane permeability, and the levels of reactive intracellular oxygen (ROS) species were also investigated; (2) Material and Methods: Four standard strains and a clinical MDR strain were exposed to low doses of ozone at different concentrations and times. Bacterial inactivation (cultivability, membrane damage) was investigated using colony counts, resazurin as a metabolic indicator, and propidium iodide (PI). A fluorescent probe (H2DCFDA) was used for the ROS analyses; (3) Results: No reduction in the count colony was detected after O3 exposure, compared to the control group. However, the cell viability of E. coli (30%), P. aeruginosa (25%), and A. baumannii (15%) was reduced considerably. The bacterial membrane of all strains was not affected by O3 but presented a significant increase of ROS in E. coli (90 ± 14%), P. aeruginosa (62.5 ± 19%), and A. baumanni (52.6 ± 5%); (4) Conclusion: Low doses of ozone were able to interfere in the cell viability of most strains studied, and although it does not cause damage to the bacterial membrane, increased levels of reactive ROS are responsible for causing a detrimental effect in the lipids, proteins, and DNA metabolism.

Enterococci are gastrointestinal commensals whose hardiness allowed them to colonize very diverse environments, including soils, water, food and feed. This ability to overcome adverse conditions makes enterococci problematic once they colonize hospital niches. Together with the malleability of their genomes, the capacity to acquire and disseminate determinants of antibiotic resistance have contributed to convert what was once just another opportunistic pathogen into a first-class clinical problem. This review discusses the dimension of the emergence of enterococcal resistance to key antimicrobial agents, the dissemination of this resistance and its significance in terms of public health, with the aim of raising the awareness to the need to devise and implement monitoring programmes and effective antibiotic usage guidelines.

Currently, the textile industry is among the most rapidly expanding areas of the economy and is an important source of water pollution. There are many efficient chemical and physical methods for treating textile effluent, but they produce secondary pollutants. Therefore, there is a need to manage the textile waste wastewater. The potential EPS-producing and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria Lysinibacillus capsici PB300 (T) bacteria strain has been isolated from the bark borer-affected Peltophorum pterocarpum plant and has been determined to be effective in > 95 decolorizing Reactive Red 120, and other azo dyes such as AB11385%, orange II 94.62%, Congo red 94.62%, phenol red 94.54%, and mixtures of azo dyes 81.66%. Physico-chemical factors were optimized manually, including Taguchi design. EPS production, PGPR strain, and fabric discoloration of L. capsici were qualitatively studied. The FTIR, GC-MS, and UV absorbance studies also confirmed that the dye had been broken into its amines. Research findings using enzyme assays have shown that the bacteria Lysinibacillus capsici PB300 (T) can utilize laccase and manganese peroxidase and are capable of degrading dyes significantly. According to this work, immobilised L. capsici cells and the studied four bacterial consortiums, Lysinibacillus capsici PB300 (T), Alcaligenes faecalis subsp. Phenolicus DSM 16503 (T), Acinetobacterbaumanni ATCC 19606 (T), and Pseudomonasaeruginosa JCM 5962 may be employed to degrade RR120 effectively, and it is concluded that L. capsici PB300 (T) bacteria is significantly efficient in textile effluent treatment.

One of the future challenges of increasing the harnessed solar power is efficiency using of CubeSat sides. One of the approaches is using integrated antenna systems with solar panels or payloads. This study proposes a new approach to the use of integrated antenna systems in remote sensing missions. In this approach, due to the integration of antenna system with payload (in our case, with camera), it is possible to achieve a significant increase in the power generation. Calculations are carried out for cases when the antenna system are integrated with the optical system (α = 0°), which implies that they use one plane, in the second case they are spaced at an angle of α = 90° and in the third case when they are directed to opposite sides (α =180°). In the case of α = 0°, where the camera and antenna module are aligned co-axially, there is no energy expenditure for CubeSat orientation. However, in the other two cases, energy is required for rotation and maintenance of the specified orientation throughout the entire duration of the satellite's flight over the ground station, amounting to 111.99 mW when α = 90° and 44.33 mW when α = 180°.

Musculoskeletal models (MSKMs) are used to estimate the muscle and joint forces involved in human locomotion, often associated with the onset of degenerative musculoskeletal pathologies (e.g. osteoarthritis). Subject-specific MSKMs offer more accurate predictions than their scaled-generic counterparts. This accuracy is achieved through time-consuming personalisation of models and manual tuning procedures that suffers from potential repeatability errors, hence limiting the wider application of this modelling approach. In this work we have developed a methodology for identifying and ranking the muscles that are more important to the determination of the joint forces, thus producing reduced but still accurate representation of the musculoskeletal system in shorter timeframes. The methodology hinges on Sobol's sensitivity analysis (SSA) for ranking the muscle importance. The thousands of data points required for SSA are generated using Gaussian Process emulators, a Bayesian technique to infer the input-output relationship between nonlinear models from a limited number of observations. Results show that there is a pool of muscles whose personalisation has little effects on the model predictions. Furthermore, joint forces in subject generic and subject generic models are influenced by different set of muscles, suggesting the existence of a model specific component of the sensitivity analysis.

There are potentially promising mitigation activities for epidemic and pandemic scenarios that are not currently the subject of significant research effort. Large epidemics and pandemics pose risks that are important to mitigate, even if the likelihood of the events is low and uncertain. While some efforts are the subject of extensive funding and consideration, other approaches are neglected. Here, we consider such neglected interventions which could significantly reduce the impact of such an epidemic or large-scale pandemic. These are identified via a narrative literature review of extant literature reviews and overviews of mitigations in epidemic and pandemic situations, followed by consideration of the economic value of information of further study of heretofore neglected interventions and approaches.Based on that analysis, we considered several classes of mitigations, and conducted more exploratory reviews of each. Those discussed include mitigations for (1) reducing transmission, such as personal protective equipment and encouraging improved hygiene, (2) reducing exposure by changing norms and targeted changes for high-risk or critical professions and activities, (3) reducing impact for those infected, and (4) increasing large scale resilience using disaster and infrastructure continuity planning.Some proposed mitigations are found to be of low marginal value. Other mitigations are likely to be valuable, but the concepts or applications are underdeveloped. In those cases, further research, resources, or preparation are valuable for mitigating both routine and extreme disease outbreak events. Still more areas of research are identified as having uncertain value based on specific but resolvable uncertainties. In both of the latter cases, there is no guarantee that mitigations identified as worthy of further consideration will be valuable, but the argument for further research is clear.

The antimicrobial quantitative structure–activity relationship of plant flavonoids against Gram-positive bacteria was established in our previous works, and the cell membrane was confirmed as a major site of action. To investigate whether plant flavonoids have similar antibacterial effects and mechanisms against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, here, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 37 plant flavonoids against Escherichia coli were determined using the microdilution broth method, and then the correlation between their lipophilic parameter ACD/LogP or LogD_7.40 value and their MIC was analyzed. Simultaneously, the correlation between the ACD/LogP or LogD_7.40 value and the MIC of 46 plant flavonoids reported in literature against E. coli was also analyzed. Both sets of results showed that there is a significant correlation between the LogP value and the MIC of plant flavonoids against Gram-negative bacteria. However, it is difficult to effectively predict the MIC of plant flavonoids against Gram-negative bacteria from their lipophilic parameters. By comparing two regression curves derived from plant flavonoids against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, it was further discovered that the antibacterial activities of most plant flavonoids against Gram-negative bacteria are stronger than those against Gram-positive bacteria when their LogP values are less than about 3.0, but the opposite is true when their LogP values are more than about 3.6. Moreover, this comparison also suggests that unlike mainly acting on the cell membrane of Gram-positive bacteria, plant flavonoids have multiple mechanisms against Gram-negative species, while the cell membrane is also an important action site among them. Combined with the correlation analyses between the enzyme inhibitory activity and the LogP value of the reported flavonoids, it was further suggested that DNA gyrase is another important target of plant flavonoids against Gram-negative bacteria.

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) of the polymerase and histidinol phosphatases (PHP) superfamily with characteristic phosphatase activity dependent on divalent metal ions are found in many gram-positive bacteria. Although members of this family are co-purified with metal ions, they still require the exogenous supply of metal ions for full activation. However, the specific roles these metal ions play during catalysis are yet to be well understood. Here, we report the metal ion requirement for phosphatase activities of S. aureus Cap8C and L. rhamnosus Wzb. AlphaFold-predicted structures of the two PTPs suggest that they are members of the PHP family. Like other PHP phosphatases, the two enzymes have catalytic preference for Mn2+, Co2+, and Ni2+ ions. Cap8C and Wzb show an unusual thermophilic property with optimum activities over 75oC. Pre-incubation experiments show that the two enzymes are not inherently thermostable suggesting that certain catalytic step(s) in the reaction mechanism has a high activation energy. Consistent with this model, the activity-temperature profiles of the two enzymes are dependent on the divalent metal ion activating the enzyme.

Bacteria play a key role in both human health and disease. One of the most prevalent harmful bacteria is E. coli which is responsible for several illnesses ranging from diarrhea, stomach cramp and fever. In this work we explore the application of moderate electric or magnetic fields for treating deionized water that is contaminated with E. coli. We found that moderate alternating electric (AC) fields (10 V/cm to 1kV/cm) and moderate static magnetic fields (10 to 65 mT) can significantly inactivate E. coli by up to 90% or more. This provides the possibilities of developing a low cost and a practical bacteria inactivation technique using electric or magnetic fields.

Copper(I) sulfide (Cu2S) is a low-cost, earth-abundant, and non-toxic thermoelectric material for applications in the middle-high temperature range (&gt;650 K). Although 3D printing these materials can simplify their manufacturing, elevated temperatures observed during sintering impair their crystal structure and energy conversion efficiency. In this study, we demonstrated a novel post-processing methodology to revert the thermoelectric properties of the 3D printed Cu2-xS materials back to the unimpaired state via sulfur infusion. After printing and sintering, sulfur was infused into the specimens under vacuum to optimize their crystal structure and achieve high thermoelectric efficiency. Chemical analysis and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) tests showed that after the sulfur infusion process, the Cu/S ratio was reverted close to the stoichiometric level. 3D printed Cu2-xS showed p-type thermoelectric behavior with electrical conductivity peaking at 143 S-cm-1 at 750 K and Seebeck coefficient of 175 µV-K-1 at 627 K. Figure of merit (ZT) value of 1.0 at 780 K was achieved which is the highest value ever reported for a 3D printed Cu2-xS thermoelectrics at this temperature. Fabrication of environmentally friendly thermoelectric materials with extended dimensional freedom and conversion efficiency has the potential to impact the thermoelectric industry with new energy conversion applications and lowered manufacturing costs.

Bacterial biofilms have become a significant and growing threat to human life, nature, and environmental health. The aim of this study is to isolate amylase-producing bacteria from the terrestrial environment (soil) for investigating their general inhibition of some pathogenic human bacterial biofilm. A total of 75 amylase producing isolates were obtained by serial dilution and streaking method. Amylotic activity of these isolates was screened by a starch agar plate method. Isolates were characterized by morphological and biochemical methods. The isolated Bacillus species were B. megaterium (26.7%), B. subtilis (16%), B. cereus (13.3%), B. thuringiesis (10.7%), B. lentus (10.7%), B. mycoides (5.3%), B. alvei (5.3%), B. polymyxa (4%), B. circulans (4%) and Micrococcus roseus (4%). The optimum conditions for amylase production were monitored. Antagonistic activity of these isolates and purified amylase against multidrug-resistant pathogenic human bacteria by agar disk diffusion method. The sensitivity level of some standard antibiotics served as control. Interestingly, it was found that all isolates exhibited great antagonistic activity against the target pathogens. The greatest activity recoded by B. alevi (48 mm) against Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and the lowest activity recorded by B. polymyxa (12 mm) against E. coli while low inhibition recorded for amylase. Antibiofilm efficacy of isolates supernatant and purified enzyme also monitored by spectrophotometric methods. The results revealed highly significant inhibition with percentages of 93.6 and 78.8% respectively. So, they represent a good tool for biofilm control in clinical and environmental applications.

: This study aimed to validate the effects of self-compassion-based forest healing therapy as an intervention for reducing stress and promoting coping resources. Therefore, we investigated the effects of self-compassion-based forest healing therapy on stress, self-compassion, and connectedness to nature. A total of 30 participants were divided into an experimental and control group. Two sessions of forest healing meditation activities were held at the Forest of Healing every two weeks between October and November 2023. As a repeated measures experiment, data were collected before the intervention, after the first intervention, and after the second intervention. Perceived stress, positive and negative affect, and salivary cortisol were measured to assess physiological and psychological stress in participants. Connectedness to nature and self-compassion were measured to evaluate stress-coping resources. The results showed that the forest healing program had significant positive effects on stress and emotional states in the experimental group after the intervention. Further, there was a significant incremental effect on connectedness to nature and self-compassion in the experimental group. Therefore, self-compassion meditation-based forest healing therapy is a feasible and efficient approach for facilitating stress management and coping resource building.

Ever since the tremendous success of the rapid vaccine development against COVID‑19, its availa-bility, distribution, and deployment have been a significant concern; however, evidence suggests that vaccine hesitancy has become a greater problem. Therefore, trust in vaccines is crucial and critically dependent on regimes' ability to communicate the benefits of immunization. This study investigated ideas on ways to reduce barriers to COVID-19 vaccination uptake. It explores methods to overcome COVID-19 vaccine barriers through qualitative research: interviews and group discussions involving healthcare providers, administration personnel, teachers, and individuals with chronic conditions across urban (Mombasa) and rural (Kilifi) Kenya. Audio-recorded discussions were transcribed and thematically analyzed across locations. Five themes emerged in our results regarding how to reduce barriers to the COVID vaccine in the context of Kenya, including awareness campaigns, engaging diverse stakeholders, using various communication techniques, capacity building to increase vac-cination centers and trained staff, and lastly, revising relevant government health policies and guidelines. These results indicate the importance of adopting multiple approaches, as no single strategy could boost vaccine acceptance. Moreover, this study provides recommendations for con-ceiving actionable interventions to potentially boost vaccine demand and maintain routine immun-ization in Kenya.

The extensive utilization of rebar during the construction of the project generates immense rebar waste, leading to increased construction costs and significant greenhouse gas emissions. Various approaches have been explored focusing on the minimization of rebar-cutting waste, such as optimizing cutting patterns, lap splice position, and special-length rebar utilization. Nonetheless, reducing rebar usage by minimizing the number of splices remains uninvestigated. In response to these issues, a two-stage optimization algorithm was developed, prioritizing special-length rebar to achieve near-zero rebar-cutting waste of less than 1% and concurrently reduce rebar usage, thereby promoting sustainable construction practices. The two-stage algorithm presented in this study involves the optimization of the lap splice position for the continuous rebar with a reduction of splices number. Furthermore, it integrates a special-length minimization algorithm for the additional rebars. Applying the algorithm to beam structures in a small-sized factory building project led to a notable reduction of 29.624 tons of rebar, equivalent to 12.31% of the total purchased quantity. Greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 102.68 tons, and associated costs decreased by USD 30,256. A rebar-cutting waste of 0.99% which is near zero was achieved. These findings highlight the significant potential of the proposed algorithm in reducing rebar waste and facilitating sustainable construction practices. In addition, the application of the proposed algorithm in reinforced concrete construction projects will amplify the associated advantages accordingly.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide (HP) use in the hospital water network disinfection to control Legionella spp. colonization. Methods: Following the detection of high levels of Legionella contamination in a 136-bed general hospital water network, an HP treatment of the hot water (25 mg/L) was adopted. During a period of 34 months, the effectiveness of HP on Legionella colonization was assessed. Legionella was isolated in accordance with ISO-11731 and identification was carried out by sequencing of the mip gene. Results: Before HP treatment L.pneumophila sg 2-15 was isolated in all sites with a mean count of 9950±8279 CFU/L. After one month of HP-treatment, we observed the disappearance of L. pneumophila 2-15, however other Legionella species never cultured before appeared; Legionella pneumophila 1 was isolated in 1 out of 4 sampling sites (2,000 CFU/L) and other non-pneumophila species in all sites (mean load 3,000 ±2887 CFU/L). Starting from September 2013, HP-treatment was modified adding food-grade polyphosphates and in the following months we observed a progressive reduction of the mean load of all species (p<0.05), until to a substantial disappearing of Legionella colonization. Conclusion: Hydrogen peroxide demonstrated a good efficacy in controlling Legionella. Although in the initial phases of treatment it seemed unable to eliminate all the species, by keeping HP levels to 25 mg/L and adding food-grade polyphosphates, a progressive and complete control of colonisation was obtained.

Optical immunosensors are one of the most popular category of immunosensors with applications in many fields including diagnostics, environmental and food analysis. The latter field is of particular interest not only for the scientists but also for the regulatory authorities and the public since food is essential for life but can be also the source of many health problems. In this context, the current review aims to provide an overview of the different types of optical immunosensors focusing onto their application for the determination of pathogenic bacteria in food samples. In particular, after the description of main optical transduction techniques, their implementation for the immunochemical determination of bacteria will be discussed. Finally, a short commentary about the future trends in optical immunosensors for food safety applications will be provided.

The proliferation of bacteria in fresh water-based paints is a concerning issue, as these microorganisms can utilize the organic materials in paint as a source of carbon to stimulate their growth, leading to the deterioration of painted surfaces. This study analyzed the bacterial quality and lead concentration of six paint samples collected from a manufacturing industry in Lagos. The total bacterial population monitored in the paint samples ranged from 1×106 CFU/ml to 7.8×109 CFU/ml, and while the population density decreased in all the samples throughout the 3-month study period, it was not uniform. The observed decrease in population density may be attributed to the biocide present in the paint samples and environmental factors such as heavy metal concentration. Interestingly, Pseudomonas oleovorans, P. luteola, Burkholderia cepacia, Sphingomonas paucimobilis, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were still able to grow in the paint samples from week 0 to week 10. The study highlights the potential for bacterial contamination of water-based paint, and the need for manufacturers to take measures to prevent this. The findings suggest that even fresh paint can serve as a substrate for bacterial growth, which can lead to issues such as loss of viscosity, discoloration, and malodor. Additionally, the presence of bacteria in paint can lead to degradation of painted surfaces, which can have economic and public health implications. The study emphasizes the importance of incorporating effective biocides in paint formulations, as well as communicating proper storage conditions to retailers, to help increase the shelf-life of paint and prevent bacterial contamination. Overall, the study provides important insights into the potential risks associated with bacterial contamination of paint and the need for proactive measures to prevent it.

Abstract: There are a large number of cross-linked chemical bonds such as tight disulfide bonds, hydrogen bonds,and salt bonds in keratin, which makes it difficult to break the structural stability of the protein using conventional methods. The degradation of feather waste using keratinases produced by microorganisms has the advantage of being efficient and environmentally friendly. In this study, 23 strains capable of producing transparent circles were obtained via preliminary screening with skim milk as the sole carbon and nitrogen source, and 9 strains capable of degrading feathers were obtained via rescreening with feathers as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. Finally, through the determination of enzyme activity, the strain CY-A with a high ability to degrade feathers was obtained. The strain was identified as Bacillus tequilensis via morphological observation, physiological and biochemical identification, and 16 S rRNA molecular biology. The keratinase gene (bta) of Bacillus tequila was cloned, and its full-length gene sequence was 1110 bp, containing an open reading frame of 1089, encoding 369 amino acids (GeneBank accession number OR733336). The physicochemical properties, secondary structure, and tertiary structure of the recombinant protein were analyzed using bioinformatics tools such as ProtParm, SOPMA, MEGA, and SWISS-MODELS. It was found that the relative molecular mass was 37.953 kD and that the isoelectric point was 8.48. The protein was a hydrophilic protein. The keratinase bta gene was ligated to the expression vector pET28a(+) using T4 ligase, and the recombination expression plasmid pET28-bta was constructed and transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3) to obtain recombinant engineered bacteria. The expressed keratinase was purified using a Ni2+ affinity chromatography column to obtain recombinant bta keratinase bta with a molecular weight of 37.953 kD. The identification and characterization of this keratinase gene provides some theoretical basis for the further enhancement of keratinase activity by means of genetic engineering.

Sulfur and selenium-containing organic compounds (amino acids and xenobiotics) have received interests as potential medicines, sources of the selenium and antioxidants. The purpose of the study was to comparatively investigate the antioxidant capacity of sulfur- and selenium-containing amino acids, xenobiotics and the study of possible mimetic properties of selenocystine. To evaluate the antioxidant capacity, coulometric oxidation with electrogenerated bromine was used. Methionine, cystine and selenocystine react with bromine quickly and quantitatively. Diacetophenonyl selenide, ebselen and selenopyran are oxidized nonstoichiometrically, but show high antioxidant capacity. We hypothesized that selenium xenobiotcs might be exert prolonged antioxidant effect. Conditions have been optimized to determine antioxidant capacity of selenium and sulfur substances in water and methanol. We proposed theory and reactions schemes for the interaction of bromine with methionine, cystine, selenocystine diacetophenonylselenide, ebselen, thiopyran and selenopyran. Antioxidant capacities in both water and methanol decrease in the following order: L-cystine &gt; L-selenocystine &gt; methionine. Sulfur-containing substances in methanol show higher antioxidant capacity than selenium-containing antioxidants. Among selenium-containing xenobiotics, DAPS shows the highest antioxidant capacity (comparable to cystine). Selenopyran and ebselen are less active as antioxidants. Diselenide bond is a selenocystin chromophore for its UV-assay. For the first time we demonstrated the ability of selenocystine to be actively involved in redox reactions and to act as a mimetic, a low-molecular-weight analogue of glutathione peroxidase.

The present study was conducted to investigate the comparative effects of organic and inorganic forms of sulfur, methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM) and sodium sulfate (SS), on laying performance, egg quality, ileal morphology, ileal volatile fatty acids, and antioxidant and stress markers in various biological samples in aged laying hens. A total of 144, 73-week-old Lohman Brown-Lite laying hens were randomly assigned to one of three experimental diets: basal diet (CONT), CONT + 0.2% MSM (MSM), and CONT + 0.3% SS (SS). The trial lasted for 12 weeks. MSM and SS groups contained 0.07% of sulfur, either organic or inorganic. Dietary MSM did not affect egg production and feed conversion ratio at 12 weeks compared with the CONT group. Dietary sulfur did not affect egg quality except for Haugh unit at 4 weeks which was lowered (P &lt; 0.05) in the SS group. Compared with the CONT group, higher (P &lt; 0.05) villus height and crypt depth ratio was observed in the SS group. None of dietary sulfur affected the percentages of short-chain fatty acids in the ileum. Total antioxidant capacity of liver increased (P &lt; 0.05) in laying hens fed MSM- and SS-added diets compared with the CONT group. The MSM and SS groups lowered (P &lt; 0.05) malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in serum samples compared with the CONT. Finally, dietary MSM had the lowest (P &lt; 0.05) MDA concentrations in yolk samples. Taken together, our study showed that dietary organic and inorganic sulfur have positive effects on ileal morphology and antioxidant capacity in laying hens. However, SS-mediated inhibition in laying performance needs to be clarified.

The study aimed to elucidate the optimum level of elemental sulfur, fresh cassava root (FCR), and urea and their effect on gas production, ruminal fermentation, thiocyanate concentration, and in vitro degradability. A 3×2×4 in a completely randomized design were conducted. Factor A was level of sulfur at 0%, 1%, and 2% of concentrate dry matter (DM), factor B was level of urea at 2% and 4% of concentrate DM, and factor C was level of the FCR at 0, 200, 300, and 400 mg of the total substrate. The study found that elemental sulfur, urea, and FCR had no interaction effect on the kinetics of gas, ruminal fermentation, hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and in vitro degradability. Elemental sulfur supplementation (P<0.05) significantly increased the gas produced from an insoluble fraction (b), in vitro DM degradability and either neutral detergent fiber or acid detergent fiber degradability, and propionate (C3) concentration while decreased the ruminal HCN concentration. Urea levels showed a (P<0.05) significant increase of the potential extent of gas production, ruminal NH3-N, and total volatile fatty acid (VFA). FCR supplementation (P<0.05) significantly increased the gas produced from an immediate soluble fraction (a), gas produced from insoluble fraction, gas production rate constant, total VFA, C3 concentration, and HCN while decreased ruminal pH, acetate, and butyrate concentration. It could be concluded that 2% elemental sulfur, 4% urea, and 300 mg FCR showed a greater effect on gas production, ruminal fermentation, and HCN reduction.

Throughout the evolution of machine learning, the size of models has steadily increased as researchers strive for higher accuracy by adding more layers. This escalation in model complexity necessitates enhanced hardware capabilities. Today, state-of-the-art machine learning models have become so large that effectively training them requires substantial hardware resources, which may be readily available to large companies but not to students or independent researchers. To make the research on machine learning models more accessible, this study introduces a size reduction technique that leverages stages in Pyramid Training and Similarity Comparison. Our results demonstrate that pyramid training can reduce model complexity while maintaining accuracy of conventional full-sized models, offering a scalable and resource-efficient solution for researchers and practitioners in hardware-constrained environments.

This study aims to investigate utilizing Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC), a by-product of sugar beet, as a soil stabilizer for addressing settlement issues beneath pavements. Various tests were conducted to assess the engineering properties of PCC-stabilized subgrades using PCC obtained from Amalgamated Sugar Cooperation in Twin Falls, Idaho. Local loess samples, like those found beneath pavements, were collected for testing purposes. Initial tests involved evaluating the unconfined compressive strength of compacted loess samples, followed by tests on samples mixed with different weight percentages of PCC. The results revealed a significant average increase of 10% to 28% in the strength of loess samples stabilized with 5% PCC compared to the strength of the native soil. The chemical composition and microstructure of PCC were further analyzed through X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer (EDX), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Tests conducted at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). XRD analysis indicates the presence of calcium carbonate and silica. EDX analysis unveiled a carbon content of 9% by weight in PCC, which could contribute to the carbon footprint when it breaks down. Additionally, SEM images displayed an irregular microstructure and particle shape of PCC. Furthermore, the inclusion of PCC improved the resistance of loess to saturation collapse.

In recent years, Lassa fever has been announced as an infectious disease in the world, a few imported cases have been accounted for in various pieces of the world and there are developing worries of the possibilities of Lassa fever Virus as an organic weapon. Regardless of its assaulting impact, no substantial arrangement has been created to reduce the hazard of the ailment, about a large portion of 10 years after identifying it. A Review based on the documents from the literature search on PubMed, Scopus, Goggle Scholar and Science direct. Out of these, the final 16 articles that met the criteria were selected. Relevant information on epidemiology, the burden of management and control were obtained. Timely and effective containment of the Lassa fever disease in Lassa village four decades ago could have minimized the devastating effect and threats posed by this illness in the West African sub-region and indeed the entire globe. That was a hard lesson calling for much more proactive measures towards the eradication of the illness at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of health care. Hence, the paper is aimed at appraising the threats associated with Lassa fever disease; its demands on curtailing the menace of the epidemic, and recommendations on important focal points.

This paper focused on the oxidative leaching process of vanadium from vanadium-chromium reducing residue in alkaline medium with MnO₂. The effect of experimental parameters including reaction time, reaction temperature, dosage of MnO₂, dosage of NaOH, and liquid-to-solid ratio on the leaching efficiency of vanadium had been studied. The results indicated that MnO₂ was an efficient oxidant for leaching out of vanadium. The leaching efficiency of vanadium was up to 97.25% under optimal reaction conditions: reaction temperature of 90 ℃, reaction time of 60 min, dosage of MnO₂ at 50 wt.%, concentration of NaOH at 30 wt.% and liquid-to-solid at 5:1 mL/g.

Cadmium accumulation in rice grain poses a serious threat to people’s health. Understanding the genetic basis on grain cadmium accumulation facilitates efforts to reduce it. Here, we show that OsCd1 is involved in Cd uptake and contributes to grain accumulation in rice. Natural variation in OsCd1 with a missense mutation Val449Asp is responsible for the divergence of rice grain cadmium accumulation between japonica and indica. Notably, near-isogenic line tests confirmed that the indica variety carrying the OsCd1^V449 allele could reduce the grain cadmium accumulation. The favorable allele OsCd1^V449 may be an important genetic resource to reduce grain cadmium accumulation for indica.

Fermented food products are widely consumed for their nutritional and health-promoting properties earning them a central place in diets around the globe. However, these foods can present a paradox, as they have the potential to harbor not only beneficial probiotics but also antibiotic-resistant (AR) microbes and genes. The impact of AR in fermented foods has far-reached implications, such as its potential effects on human health, repercussions in the food industry, and environmental consequences. An in-depth analysis of AR in fermented foods, including dairy products, fermented fruits and vegetables, meat products, and beverages, would provide insights into the extent and ramifications of the issue with these foods. Therefore, this review systematically presents the status of AR in fermented foods, with a particular focus on AR bacteria and genes within this category of food products. The review also highlights the complexities of AR in fermented foods, emphasizing the role of bacterial adaptation during the fermentation process and the dynamics of bacterial gene transfer. Various contributing factors to AR are brought into focus, including intrinsic resistance among bacteria in fermented foods and the potential risk of contamination with pathogenic bacteria. Moreover, this review presents a range of mitigation strategies, from the development of novel antimicrobials to advances in fermentation technology and regulatory control. This comprehensive perspective on the intricate interplay between AR and fermented food will potentially pave the way for more targeted research and mitigation strategies in this critical area.

Antimicrobial resistance has become a significant public health problem globally with multidrug resistant Gram negative (MDR-GN) bacteria being the main representatives. The emergence of these pathogens in neonatal settings threatens the well-being of vulnerable neonatal population given the dearth of safe and effective therapeutic options. Evidence from studies mainly in adults is now available for several novel antimicrobial compounds, such as new β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors (e.g. ceftazidime-avibactam, meropenem-vaborbactam, imipenem/cilastatin-relebactam), although old antibiotics such as colistin, tigecyclin and fosfomycin are also encombassed in the fight against MDR-GN infections that remain challenging. Data in the neonatal population are scarse, with few clinical trials enrolling neonates for the evaluation of efficacy, safety and dosing of new antibiotics, while the majority of old antibiotics are used off-label. In this article we review data about some novel and old antibiotics that are active against MDR-GN bacteria causing sepsis and are of interest to be used in the neonatal population.

The C/N ratio is an extremely important parameter in the composting process, which is directly responsible for the growth of microorganisms. A low C/N ratio contributes to higher emissions of greenhouse gases and odorous substances, such as ammonia (NH3), which is formed by nitrogen mineralization. Due to the highly toxic effects of ammonia, it is a particularly unwanted by-product that can disrupt the composting process because it poisons microorganisms and cause environmental issues. The activity of anammox bacteria, so far analyzed only in wastewater treatment processes, is a particularly efficient method of nitrogen removal, having an advantage over the conventional methods used previously. Our study proofs the presence of anammox bacteria during composting, what gives an opportunity to improve the process and reduce its impact on atmospheric pollution. Despite the aerobic nature of this process, the composted mass of waste presents conditions conducive to the development of these ammonia oxidizing bacteria, as well as other strains of microorganisms cooperating with them. This makes it possible to compost at a low C/N ratio; in addition, there is no need for additional energy supply through aeration, as the processes carried out by anammox bacteria do not require oxygen.

Neuronal lesions in Parkinson’s disease (PD) are commonly associated with α-synuclein (α-Syn)-induced cell damage that are present both in the central and peripheral nervous systems of patients, with the enteric nervous system also being especially vulnerable. Here we bring together evidence that the development and presence of PD depends on specific sets of interlinking factors that include neuro-inflammation, systemic inflammation, α-Syn-induced cell damage, vascular dysfunction, iron dysregulation, gut and periodontal dysbiosis. We argue that there is significant evidence that bacterial inflammagens fuel this systemic inflammation, and might be central to the development of PD. We also discuss the processes whereby lipopolysaccharides may be involved in causing nucleation of proteins, including of α-Syn. Lastly, we review evidence that pre-and probiotics, as well as antibiotics and faecal transplant treatment might be valuable treatments in PD. A most important consideration, however, is that these therapeutic options need to be validated and tested in randomized controlled clinical trials. However, targeting underlying mechanisms of PD, including gut dysbiosis and iron toxicity, have potentially opened up possibilities of a wide variety of novel treatments which may relieve the characteristic non-motor deficits of PD, and may even slow the progression and/or accompanying gut-related conditions of the disease.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by skin lesions. Psoriasis development has been associated both with genetic and environmental factors. Though skin and gut microbiota has been implicated in number of pathologies including atopic dermatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, allergy, obesity, its role has been poorly studied in psoriatic disease, which incorporates both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. This literature review summarizes the most recent and major findings on microbiota features in psoriatic disease as well as gives immune system role in the given condition. Despite conflicting findings, psoriasis patients were frequently found to have distinct microbial composition in both skin and guts especially in the major bacterial phyla, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Akkermansia. Furthermore, bacterial DNA has been found in psoriatic patients both locally and systemically, and altogether suggesting role of bacteria in the chronic disease and future studies in this field.

Viruses rely on host cells to replicate their genomes and assemble new viral particles. Thus, they have evolved intricate mechanisms to exploit host factors. Host cells, in turn, have developed strategies to inhibit viruses, resulting in a nuanced interplay of co-evolution between virus and host. This dynamic often involves competition for resources crucial for both host cell survival and virus replication. Iron and iron-containing cofactors, including iron-sulfur clusters, are known to be a heavily battled resource during bacterial infections where control over iron can tug the war in favor of the pathogen or the host. It is logical to assume that viruses also engage in this competition. Surprisingly, our knowledge about how viruses utilize iron (Fe) and iron-sulfur (FeS) clusters remains limited. The handful of reviews on this topic primarily emphasize the significance of iron in supporting the host immune response against viral infections. The aim of this review, however, is to organize our current understanding of how viral proteins utilize FeS clusters, to give perspectives on what questions to ask next and to propose important avenues for future investigations.

This research was specifically aimed at assessing the influence of sulfur in triple-super phosphate (TSP) on wheat yield. From the results, wheat showed response to sulfur (S) from gypsum (in 67%); and nitrogen (N) from urea in about 100% (of 24 sites). Based on this N was found to be the most limiting element to wheat production followed by sulfur, and then by phosphorus. TSP is tested to contain agronomically up to 2-6% by weight of S. However, wheat didn’t show response to S impurity supplied in the form of TSP. Though, not statistically significant, it is observed that there have always been yield increments by certain percent due to S from TSP in 8 out of 10 target sites, which is depicted in the increasing trends of yield response curves. From this it is learnt that, the benefits of the accidental/incidental application of such high analysis fertilizers can be many-folds in the quality attributes of wheat, if the soils of such investigation at the same time would contain significant amount of organic matter (OM). Indeed, such analysis would be vital in varietal specific nutrient requirement studies in precision-farming and/or in categorizing soils into fertility gradients and fertilizer recommendation domains.

To remove sulfur-containing compounds (SCC) from the diesel fraction 200-360 °C extraction systems have been created based on coordinating organic solvents - dimethylformamide and dimethylsulfoxide and chlorides (CoCl2, CuCl2, CdCl2, MnCl2 and CrCl3) and metal trifluoroacetates (Co (TFA)2, Cu(TFA)2 and Mn(TFA)2). Using PMR spectroscopy the coordination of chloride and metal trifluoroacetate on the oxygen atom in the carbonyl group of DMFA was shown to redistribute electron density in the solvent molecule and to enhance properties of the acceptor center localized on the nitrogen atom. The removal of sulfur-containing compounds from the diesel fraction proceeded under mild conditions - at the temperature of 25 °C and atmospheric pressure. The degree of SCC removal from the diesel fraction in 30 minutes extraction was more than 90%. The interaction of organic solvents with metal salts and sulfur-containing compounds of the diesel fraction was considered within the framework of the concept of "hard and soft acids and bases" (HSAB). The most complete SCC extraction was carried out by "DMFA - Mn(TFA)2, MnCl2 and CrCl3 systems, that was probably connected with the implementation of the" hard base - hard acid "system.

Indium-catalyzed reaction of lactones and a disilathiane leading to thiolactones is described. The direct synthesis of thiolactones from lactones with an appropriate sulfur source is one of the most attractive approaches in organic and pharmaceutical chemistry. In this context, we found an indium-catalyzed direct conversion of lactones into thiolactones in the presence of elemental sulfur and a hydrosilane via formation of the disilathiane in-situ. On the basis of the previous reaction, the application utilizing the disilathiane as a sulfur source was performed herein for the efficient synthesis of a variety of thiolactone derivatives from lactones by an indium-catalyst.

Sulfate, the main dissolved contaminant in acid mine drainage (AMD), is ubiquitous in watersheds affected by coal and metal mining operations worldwide. Engineered passive bioremediation systems (PBS) are low-cost technologies that remediate sulfate contamination by promoting (1) precipitation of sulfate-bearing compounds, such as schwertmannite and gypsum; and (2) microbially-mediated sulfate reduction (BSR) to sulfide with subsequent precipitation of sulfide minerals. In this study, chemical and sulfur isotopic data are used to infer multiple pathways for sulfate sequestration in the Tab-Simco PBS. By simultaneously monitoring sulfate concentrations and δ34SSO4 values at four sampling points across the PBS, we (1) identified that the organic layer within the bioreactor was the primary site of BSR processes contributing to sulfate sequestration; (2) observed seasonal variations of BSR processes; (3) estimated that initially the BSR processes contributed up to 30% to sulfate sequestration in the Tab-Simco bioreactor; and (4) determined that BSR contribution to sulfate sequestration continuously declined over the PBS operational lifetime. Together, our results highlight the utility of combining geochemical and microbial fingerprinting techniques to decipher complementary processes involved in sulfur cycling in a PBS as well as the value of adding the sulfur isotope approach as an essential tool to help understand, predict, prevent and mitigate sulfate contamination in AMD-impacted systems.

Typically, a diesel generator on the merchant ship, composed of a wound rotor synchronous generator and a four-stroke diesel engine, supplies electrical power to various loads. Recently, shaft generators for merchant vessels are increasingly replacing diesel generators to reduce CO2 emissions through fuel efficiency improvement. In particular, permanent magnet generators replace induction generators due to their high-efficiency characteristics at light loads. The surface-mounted permanent magnet can be a suitable rotor topology due to the relatively short constant power range. This generator can also operate as a motor according to the propulsion mode, so minimizing the harmonics of the induced voltage and the torque ripple is necessary. This paper proposes an alternative NdFeB magnet pole topology combined with the modular step-skewed rotor. The step-skewed rotor affects to reduce higher-order harmonics, and the modular pole reduces the permanent magnet assembly process and harmonics in voltage and torque. A 2-D finite element method is used to evaluate the harmonics of induced voltage and torque pulsation for the proposed topology. The topology shows harmonic minimization effect by comparing the characteristics of three flatted-bottom magnets. Compared to the tapered bread-loaf magnet, voltage harmonics to the 100th component are almost the same, and the torque ripple is reduced by more than 12% at the same residual flux density. The analysis method is verified by comparing test and analysis results for prototype machines with similar specifications.

This study compared the use of chip and slash to minimize the loss of sediment on newly constructed forest road slopes and investigated the annual amount of sediment loss on bare forest road slopes. A runoff block (sample field) was established for each of the four designated test sites (two cutslopes and two fillslopes). Each block had three runoff plots. One of the runoff plots was left empty for the control (CNT), while chip (C) and slash (S), respectively, were deposited in the other two. A total of 108 water samples were taken from the test sites and the amount of their suspended sediment calculated in the laboratory. As a result of this study, it was determined that the amount of soil loss in the control plots was about 1.26 times higher than in the slash plots and 2.21 times higher than in the chip plots. According to the results of variance analysis on the amounts of sediment, a statistically significant difference was found between the suspended sediment quantities transported on the road slopes (P <0.05). However, no statistically significant difference between the suspended sediment quantities transported in the plots and the other variables of aspect, gradient or road slope was revealed by the t-test (P >0.05).

Microbial populations involved in forming the distinctive precipitates of the S, Fe, Mn, and Ca cycles in the San Diego River watershed reflect an interplay between mineralogy of the rocks in the watershed, sparse rainfall, ground- and surface-water anoxia, and runoff of high sulfate, treated imported water. In the less developed headwaters, Temescal Creek tributary emerges from pyrite-bearing metamorphic rocks, and thus exhibits both an oxidized Fe and reduced S cycle. In the middle reaches, the river moves through developed land where treated, imported high sulfate Colorado River water enters from urban runoff. Mast Park surrounded by caliche-bearing sedimentary rocks is a site where marl is precipitating. Cobbles in riffles in the river are coated black with Mn oxide. When the river encounters deep-seated volcanic bedrock, it wells up to precipitate both Fe and Mn oxides at Old Mission Dam. Then, directly flowing through caliche-laced sedimentary rocks, Birchcreek tributary precipitates tufa. Further downstream, at a site that periodically receives full sunlight, a sulfuretum sets up during the summer when the river is deoxygenated. Such a rich geochemistry results in activity of iron and manganese oxidizing bacteria, sulfur oxidizers and reducers, and cyanobacteria precipitating calcareous marl and tufa.