Pneumococcal Extracellular Vesicles Mediate Horizontal Gene Transfer via the Transformation Machinery

Bacterial cells secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs), the function of which is a matter of intense investigation. Here, we show that the EVs secreted by the human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) are associated with bacterial DNA on their surface and can deliver this DNA to the transformation machinery of competent cells. These findings suggest that EVs contribute to gene transfer in Gram-positive bacteria, and in doing so, may promote the spread of drug resistance genes in the population.

A review on biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) production from fermentative food waste - Its applications and degradation

Due to its low carbon footprint and environmental friendliness, polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the most widely produced bioplastics in the world. Manufacturing attempts to partially replace petrochemical plastics with PLA are growing year over year. Although this polymer is typically used in high-end applications, its use will increase only if it can be produced at the lowest cost. As a result, food wastes rich in carbohydrates can be used as the primary raw material for the production of PLA. Lactic acid (LA) is typically produced through biological fermentation, but a suitable downstream separation process with low production costs and high product purity is also essential. The global PLA market has been steadily expanding with the increased demand, and PLA has now become the most widely used biopolymer across a range of industries, including packaging, agriculture, and transportation. Therefore, the necessity for an efficient manufacturing method with reduced production costs and a vital separation method is paramount. The primary goal of this study is to examine the various methods of lactic acid synthesis, together with their characteristics and the metabolic processes involved in producing lactic acid from food waste. In addition, the synthesis of PLA, possible difficulties in its biodegradation, and its application in diverse industries have also been discussed.

A comprehensive review on polylactic acid (PLA) - Synthesis, processing and application in food packaging

Plastics play an essential role in food packaging; their primary function is to preserve the nature of the food, ensure adequate shelf life and ensure food safety. Plastics are being produced on a global scale in excess of 320 million tonnes annually, with demand rising to reflect the material in wide range of applications. Nowadays, the packaging industry is a significant consumer of synthetic plastic made from fossil fuels. Petrochemical-based plastics are regarded as the preferred material for packaging. Nonetheless, using these plastics in large quantities results in a long-standing environment. Environmental pollution and the depletion of fossil fuels have prompted researchers and manufacturers to develop eco-friendly biodegradable polymers to replace petrochemical-based polymers. As a result, the production of eco-friendly food packaging material has sparked increased interest as a viable alternative to petrochemical-based polymers. Polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the compostable thermoplastic biopolymers that is biodegradable and renewable in nature. High-molecular-weight PLA can be used to produce fibres, flexible, non-wovens, hard and durable materials (100,000 Da or even higher).The chapter focuses on food packaging techniques, food industry waste, biopolymers, their classification, PLA synthesis, the importance of PLA properties for food packaging, and technologies used to process PLA in food packaging.

A crucial review on polycyclic aromatic Hydrocarbons - Environmental occurrence and strategies for microbial degradation

Over the last century, contamination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has risen tremendously due to the intensified industrial activities like petrochemical, pharmaceutical, insecticides and fertilizers applications. PAHs are a group of organic pollutants with adverse effects on both humans and the environment. These PAHs are widely distributed in various ecosystems including air, soil, marine water and sediments. Degradation of PAHs generally occurs through processes like photolysis, adsorption, volatilization, chemical degradation and microbial degradation. Microbial degradation of PAHs is done by the utilization of diverse microorganisms like algae, bacteria, fungi which are readily compatible with biodegrading/bio transforming PAHs into H₂O, CO₂ under aerobic, or CH₄ under anaerobic environment. The rate of PAHs degradation using microbes is mainly governed by various cultivation conditions like temperature, pH, nutrients availability, microbial population, chemical nature of PAHs, oxygen and degree of acclimation. Several microbial species including Selenastrum capricornutum, Ralstonia basilensis, Acinetobacter haemolyticus, Pseudomonas migulae, Sphingomonas yanoikuyae and Chlorella sorokiniana are known to degrade PAHs via biosorption and enzyme-mediated degradation. Numerous bacterial mediated PAHs degradation methods are studied globally. Among them, PAHs degradation by bacterial species like Pseudomonas fluorescence, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Rhodococcus spp., Paenibacillus spp., Mycobacterium spp., and Haemophilus spp., by various degradation modes like biosurfactant, bioaugmentation, biostimulation and biofilms mediated are also investigated. In contrarily, PAHs degradation by fungal species such as Pleurotus ostreatus, Polyporus sulphureus, Fusarium oxysporum occurs using the activity of its ligninolytic enzymes such as lignin peroxidase, laccase, and manganese peroxidase. The present review highlighted on the PAHs degradation activity by the algal, fungal, bacterial species and also focused on their mode of degradation.

A critical review on different harvesting techniques for algal based biodiesel production

The fuels retrieved from renewable sources which are usually employed as both carbon and energy sources are termed as neutral based biofuels. The most promising feedstock from renewable sources with great potentiality in contributing to the inclining energy demand is microalgae. These microalgae can be harnessed readily in terms of obtaining qualitative biodiesel with greater energy consumption under limited operational cost. The process of harvesting or dewatering microalgae could be carried under single or sequential combinations of operations. The major drawback of harvesting such as huge operational cost could be lowered by increasing the level of automation than cost of investments. The present review concentrates and explores on the techno-economic analysis of the microalgal harvesting and dewatering processes on a large scale. Along with these advanced techniques enclosing the utilization of nanoparticles for harvesting has also been explored. And it also adds with the impacts of concerning facts on energy consumption, processing cost and recovery of resources during harvesting.

Production and characterization of biodegradable polyhydroxybutyrate by Micrococcus luteus isolated from marine environment

Marine microorganisms are reported to produce polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) that has wide range of medical and industrial applications with the advantage of biodegradability. PHBs are synthesized as an energy and carbon storage element under metabolic pressure. The scope of this work is enhancing PHB production using marine microbial isolate, Micrococcus luteus by selectively optimizing various growth conditions such as different media components and growth parameters that influence the cell growth and PHB production were sampled. Micrococcus luteus produced 7.54 g/L of PHB utilizing glucose as a carbon source and ammonium sulphate as a nitrogen source with maximum efficiency. The same optimized operational conditions were further employed in batch fermentation over a time span of 72 h. Interestingly higher cell dry weight of 21.52 g/L with PHB yield of 12.18 g/L and 56.59% polymer content was observed in batch fermentation studies at 64 h. The chemical nature of the extracted polymer was validated with physio-chemical experiments and was at par with the commercially available PHB. This study will spotlight M. luteus as a potential source for large-scale industrial production of PHB with reducing environmental pollutions.

Effect of C/N substrates for enhanced extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production and Poly Cyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) degradation

Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) influenced Poly Cyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) degrading Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated from the marine environment. To increase the EPS production by Klebsiella pneumoniae, several physicochemical parameters were tweaked such as different carbon sources (arabinose, glucose, glycerol, lactose, lactic acid, mannitol, sodium acetate, starch, and sucrose at 20 g/L), nitrogen sources (ammonium chloride, ammonium sulphate, glycine, potassium nitrate, protease peptone and urea at 2 g/L), different pH, carbon/nitrogen ratio, temperature, and salt concentration were examined. Maximum EPS growth and biodegradation of Anthracene (74.31%), Acenaphthene (67.28%), Fluorene (62.48%), Naphthalene (57.84%), and mixed PAHs (55.85%) were obtained using optimized conditions such as glucose (10 g/L) as carbon source, potassium nitrate (2 g/L) as the nitrogen source at pH 8, growth temperature of 37 °C, 3% NaCl concentration and 72 h incubation period. The Klebsiella pneumoniae biofilm architecture was studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The present study demonstrates the EPS influenced PAHs degradation of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Extraction of microplastics from commonly used sea salts in India and their toxicological evaluation

Microplastics (MPs) are one of the marine debris, accumulated in the ocean as a result of the successive breakdown of a large piece of plastics over several years. MPs are about less than 5 mM, have a detrimental impact on marine organisms/products (seafood/sea salts) and therefore they are considered as a global environmental pollutant. The occurrence and impact of MPs in commercial sea salts that are consumed by humans are not well studied so far. In the present study, we attempted to characterize and evaluate the in vitro toxicity of isolated MPs. Here, we have used ten brands of commercial sea salts of different origins for the identification and characterization of MPs. The average abundance of MPs in all commercial brands is < 700 MP/kg and the particle size range between 5.2 mM and 3.8 μM. The most common types of MPs were identified as fragments, fibers, and pellets. By Fourier-Transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), it was found that the MPs in abundance were made of cellophane (CP), polystyrene (PR), polyamide (PA) and polyarylether (PAR). Further, in vitro toxicity assessment revealed that HEK-293 cells get detached upon treatment with MPs (MIC-75 μg mL^-1) Consequently, the AO/EB dual staining confirmed that the induction and rate of apoptosis were comparatively higher in microplastic treated HEK-293 cells. Taken together, the MPs identified are the origin of anthropogenic derivatives and they exert a lethal effect on human cells, which might be associated with health risk complications in human beings.

Evaluation of push-out bond strength of BioRoot RCS and AH Plus after using different irrigants: An in vitro study

Aim:

The aim of this study was to compare push-out bond strength of root canal spaces filled with AH-Plus and BioRoot RCS after using different irrigants.

Materials and Methods:

Eighty single-rooted teeth were decoronated and endodontically treated by crown-down technique using ProTaper Universal rotary files progressively till F4 (40/0.06). Samples were divided into two groups according to the sealer (n = 40): Group A = BioRoot RCS, Group B = AH Plus, further subdivided into four subgroups according to irrigation protocol (n = 10): Group 1A, 1B – 0.9% saline, Group 2A, 2B – 5.25% NaOCl + 17% EDTA, Group 3A, 3B– 17% EDTA +2% chlorhexidine, and Group 4A, 4B – 17% EDTA + 3% green tea extract. Samples were obturated with sealers and prepared for push-out test with root slices of 2 mm thickness using universal testing machine. Data were statistically analyzed using two-way ANOVA, Bonferroni's post hoc analysis, and independent Student's t-test.

Results:

BioRoot RCS exhibited significantly higher push-out bond strength (n < 0.001). The interaction between irrigants and sealer showed higher bond strength for BioRoot RCS when 17% EDTA+ green tea was used.

Conclusion:

Within the limitation of the study, it was concluded that bond strength of a sealer was influenced by the irrigants used.

Autosomal Clonal Monoallelic Expression: Natural or Artifactual?

The prevalence of mitotically heritable clonal random monoallelic expression of autosomal genes (aRME) remains controversial. Specifically, presence of clonal aRME is well supported in vitro but remains elusive in vivo. Here, we provide critical insights into this matter and discuss whether prevalent clonal aRME is natural or artifactual.

Synthesis, characterization of acrylate polymer having chalcone moiety: evaluation of antimicrobial, anticancer and drug release study

This article describes synthesis, characterization, antimicrobial, drug-releasing and anti-cancer activity of acrylate monomer and its polymer containing chalcone moiety. The synthesized polymers were characterized through IR, ¹H NMR and UV-visible spectroscopy techniques. The molecular weight of the obtained polymer is found to be around 4000 g/mol. The synthesized polymers are thermally stable up to 260 °C. The monomer and its polymer show higher activity against gram-negative bacteria and these compounds show remarkable activity over breast cancer cells. The synthesized monomer and polymers showed higher anticancer activity. The inhibitory potential of monomers and polymers premeditated using optimized in vitro evaluation MTT assay and live cell images. The drug release potential was controlled through co-monomer, pH and temperature.

European dermatology forum - updated guidelines on the use of extracorporeal photopheresis 2020 - part 1

Background

Following the first investigational study on the use of extracorporeal photopheresis for the treatment of cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma published in 1983, this technology has received continued use and further recognition for additional earlier as well as refractory forms. After the publication of the first guidelines for this technology in the JEADV in 2014, this technology has maintained additional promise in the treatment of other severe and refractory conditions in a multi‐disciplinary setting. It has confirmed recognition in well‐known documented conditions such as graft‐versus‐host disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, systemic sclerosis, solid organ transplant rejection including lung, heart and liver and to a lesser extent inflammatory bowel disease.

Materials and methods

In order to further provide recognized expert practical guidelines for the use of this technology for all indications, the European Dermatology Forum (EDF) again proceeded to address these questions in the hands of the recognized experts within and outside the field of dermatology. This was done using the recognized and approved guidelines of EDF for this task. All authors had the opportunity to review each contribution as it was added.

Results and conclusion

These updated 2020 guidelines provide at present the most comprehensive available expert recommendations for the use of extracorporeal photopheresis based on the available published literature and expert consensus opinion. The guidelines are divided in two parts: PART I covers cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma, chronic graft‐versus‐host disease and acute graft‐versus‐host disease while PART II will cover scleroderma, solid organ transplantation, Crohn's disease, use of ECP in paediatrics practice, atopic dermatitis, type 1 diabetes, pemphigus, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita and erosive oral lichen planus.

European dermatology forum: Updated guidelines on the use of extracorporeal photopheresis 2020 - Part 2

Background

Following the first investigational study on the use of extracorporeal photopheresis for the treatment of cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma published in 1983, this technology has received continued use and further recognition for additional earlier as well as refractory forms. After the publication of the first guidelines for this technology in the JEADV in 2014, this technology has maintained additional promise in the treatment of other severe and refractory conditions in a multidisciplinary setting. It has confirmed recognition in well‐known documented conditions such as graft‐vs.‐host disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, systemic sclerosis, solid organ transplant rejection including lung, heart and liver and to a lesser extent inflammatory bowel disease.

Materials and methods

In order to further provide recognized expert practical guidelines for the use of this technology for all indications, the European Dermatology Forum (EDF) again proceeded to address these questions in the hands of the recognized experts within and outside the field of dermatology. This was done using the recognized and approved guidelines of EDF for this task. All authors had the opportunity to review each contribution as it was added.

Results and conclusion

These updated 2020 guidelines provide at present the most comprehensive available expert recommendations for the use of extracorporeal photopheresis based on the available published literature and expert consensus opinion. The guidelines were divided into two parts: PART I covers Cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma, chronic graft‐vs.‐host disease and acute graft‐vs.‐host disease, while PART II will cover scleroderma, solid organ transplantation, Crohn’s disease, use of ECP in paediatric patients, atopic dermatitis, type 1 diabetes, pemphigus, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita and erosive oral lichen planus.

Evaluation of antidiabetic activity of Pleurotus pulmonarius against streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced diabetic wistar albino rats

The current research aims to evaluate the antidiabetic properties of Pleurotus pulmonarius, an edible basidiomycetes mushroom fungi in diabetic induced wistar albino rats. Mycelial Hot Water Extracts (HWE) and Acetone Extracts (AE) of Pleurotus pulmonarius was orally administrated to STZ-NA induced (55 mg/kilogram body weight) diabetic wistar albino rats at a concentration of 200 and 400 mg/kg for 4 weeks. The outcomes revealed that the HWE of Pleurotus pulmonarius resulted in a significant (p < 0.001) reduction in blood glucose level. A noteworthy (p < 0.001) reduction in serum lipid profile and elevation in High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) after administration with HWE, also demonstrating the protective effects of HWE in diabetes-related complications. Besides all antidiabetic parameters, pathological morphology of the pancreas, liver and kidney are regularised. This observation indicated that HWE of Pleurotus pulmonarius possessed higher antidiabetic activity than AE. Besides, HWE also promoted a significant control of alpha amylase enzyme in a concentration-dependent manner with a maximum activity of 99.23% inhibition at 1000 µg/ml. The outcomes of the present study indicated that the HWE possesses a potential antidiabetic activity both in vitro and in vivo. Thus, it can be used as a nontoxic complementary drug in the controlling of diabetes and related complications, thus providing scientific authentication of its use as an antidiabetic agent.

New piperidine derivative DTPEP acts as dual-acting anti-breast cancer agent by targeting ERα and downregulating PI3K/Akt-PKCα leading to caspase-dependent apoptosis

OBJECTIVES

In our ongoing studies to develop ER targeting agents, we screened for dual-acting molecules with a hypothesis that a single molecule can also target both ER positive and negative groups of breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

1-(2-(4-(Dibenzo[b,f]thiepin-10-yl)phenoxy)ethyl)piperidine (DTPEP) was synthesized and screened in both MCF-7 (ER+ve) and MDA-MB-231 (ER-ve) cells. Assays for analysis of cell cycle, ROS, apoptosis and MMP loss were carried out using flow cytometry. Its target was investigated using western blot, transactivation assay and RT-PCR. In vivo efficacy of DTPEP was validated in LA-7 syngeneic rat mammary tumour model.

RESULTS

Here, we report identification of dual-acting molecule DTPEP that downregualtes PI3K/Akt and PKCα expression, induces ROS and ROS-dependent apoptosis, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, induces expression of caspase indicative of both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. In MCF-7 cells, DTPEP downregulates ERα expression and activation. In MDA-MB-231 cells, primary cellular target of DTPEP is not clearly known, but it downregualtes PI3K/Akt and PKCα expression. In vivo study showed regression of LA-7 syngeneic mammary tumour in SD rat.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified a new dual-acting anti-breast cancer molecules as a proof of concept which is capable of targeting both ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer.

Comparison of integrated sustainable biodiesel and antibacterial nano silver production by microalgal and yeast isolates

Microalgal isolates (Chlorella sp. and Spirulina sp.) and yeast isolates (Candida albicans and Saccharomyces sp.) were employed as the resources of biodiesel production and silver nanoparticle synthesis. The prominent peaks of the FTIR spectrum accustomed the efficient lipid property. The developed profile containing fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) displayed the elevated amount of both saturated (C15:0, C17:0, C21:0) and unsaturated (C17:1, C18:2, C20:4) fatty acids. The physicochemical properties analyzed by using Biodiesel analyzer V1.1.software, confirmed the competency of the isolates for sustainable biodiesel production. Biosynthesis of silvernanoparticles (AgNPs) were accomplished extracellularly by using supernatant of microalgal and yeast culture. The maximum absorbance at 420 and 421 nm under UV-visible spectra showed the presence of nanoparticles. The purity of the synthesized AgNPs were analyzed by XRD analysis. The elemental silver presence was affirmed by EDAX, SEM and AFM, the results revealed spherical crystalline shaped nanoparticles of size ranging from 2.0 to 7.3 nm. The antimicrobial efficacy of the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against various clinical pathogens which includes Bacillus sp., E. coli, Klebsiella sp., Proteus sp. and Staphylococcus aureus were observed. However, enhanced antimicrobial activity was displayed by the AgNPs, produced by Candida albicans (12 mm) against Bacillus sp., and E.coli, the nanoparticle produced by Chlorella sp. showed the least antagonistic activity (07 mm).

2-Fluoro-5-nitroaniline

In the title compound, C6H5FN2O2, the dihedral angle between the nitro group and the benzene ring is 3.68 (2)°, and an intramolecular N—H...F hydrogen bond is observed. The crystal packing is consolidated by C—H...O and N—H...O hydrogen bonds; together, these generate [110] double chains.

Mercury based drug in ancient India: The red sulfide of mercury in nanoscale

Mercury is one of the elements which had attracted the attention of the chemists and physicians of ancient India and China. Among the various metal based drugs which utilize mercury, we became interested in the red sulfide of mercury which is known in ancient Indian literature as rasasindur (alias rasasindura, rasasindoor, rasasinduram, sindur, or sindoor) and is used extensively in various ailments and diseases. Following various physico-chemical characterizations it is concluded that rasasindur is chemically pure α-HgS with Hg:S ratio as 1:1. Analysis of rasasindur vide Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) showed that the particles are in nanoscale. Bio-chemical studies of rasasindur were also demonstrated. It interacts with Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) with an association constant of (9.76 ± 0.56) × 10³ M⁻¹ and behaves as a protease inhibitor by inhibiting the proteolysis of BSA by trypsin. It also showed mild antioxidant properties.

Polymeric Drug for Antimicrobial Activity Studies: Synthesis and Characterization

In this study, 2′,4-dichloro-5′-fluoro-1-ene-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)phenone (EHP) was synthesized using 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 2, 4-dichloro-5-fluoro acetophenone (DFA); 4-[3-(2,4-dichloro-5-fluorophenyl)-3-oxoprop-1-en-1-yl]phenyl acrylate (EAP) was prepared by reacting EHP with acryloyl chloride. Poly(EAP) was prepared by solution polymerization and was characterized by IR, 1H and 13C NMR. The molecular weights of the polymer (EAP) (Mw: 3900 and Mn: 3600) were characterized by gel permeation chromatographic. Thermal stability of the polymer was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis method. Antimicrobial activity of the DFA, EHP, EAP and poly(EAP) were tested on three microorganisms; Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Salmonella typhi ATCC 6539. The minimum concentration of the drug needed to inhibit the growth of the bacteria was estimated using a photometry assay.

Investigating structural aspects to understand the putative/claimed non-toxicity of the Hg-based Ayurvedic drug Rasasindura using XAFS

XANES- and EXAFS-based analysis of the Ayurvedic Hg-based nano-drug Rasasindura has been performed to seek evidence of its non-toxicity. Rasasindura is determined to be composed of single-phase α-HgS nanoparticles (size ∼24 nm), free of Hg(0) or organic molecules; its structure is determined to be robust (<3% defects). The non-existence of Hg(0) implies the absence of Hg-based toxicity and establishes that chemical form, rather than content of heavy metals, is the correct parameter for evaluating the toxicity in these drugs. The stable α-HgS form (strong Hg-S covalent bond and robust particle character) ensures the integrity of the drug during delivery and prevention of its reduction to Hg(0) within the human body. Further, these comparative studies establish that structural parameters (size dispersion, coordination configuration) are better controlled in Rasasindura. This places the Ayurvedic synthesis method on par with contemporary techniques of nanoparticle synthesis.

Electrochemical characterization of Pt–Ru–Ni/C anode electrocatalyst for methanol electrooxidation in membraneless fuel cells

In the present work, carbon-supported Pt–Ru, Pt–Ni and Pt–Ru–Ni electrocatalysts with different atomic ratios were synthesized by NaBH₄ reduction method.