Tetrahydrocannabinols: potential cannabimimetic agents for cancer therapy.

Tetrahydrocannabinols (THCs) antagonize the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors, whose signaling to the endocannabinoid system is essential for controlling cell survival and proliferation as well as psychoactive effects. Most tumor cells express a much higher level of CB1 and CB2; THCs have been investigated as potential cancer therapeutic due to their cannabimimetic properties. To date, THCs have been prescribed as palliative medicine to cancer patients but not as an anticancer modality. Growing evidence of preclinical research demonstrates that THCs reduce tumor progression by stimulating apoptosis and autophagy and inhibiting two significant hallmarks of cancer pathogenesis: metastasis and angiogenesis. However, the degree of their anticancer effects depends on the origin of the tumor site, the expression of cannabinoid receptors on tumor cells, and the dosages and types of THC. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on the molecular processes that THCs target for their anticancer effects. It also emphasizes the substantial knowledge gaps that should be of concern in future studies. We also discuss the therapeutic effects of THCs and the problems that will need to be addressed in the future. Clarifying unanswered queries is a prerequisite to translating the THCs into an effective anticancer regime.

Valorization of dragon fruit waste to value-added bioproducts and formulations: A review.

Owing to the increasing worldwide population explosion, managing waste generated from the food sector has become a cross-cutting issue globally, leading to environmental, economic, and social issues. Circular economy-inspired waste valorization approaches have been increasing steadily, generating new business opportunities developing valuable bioproducts using food waste, especially fruit wastes, that may have several applications in energy-food-pharma sectors. Dragon fruit waste is one such waste resource, which is rich in several value-added chemicals and oils, and can be a renewable resource to produce several value-added compounds of potential applications in different industries. Pretreatment and extraction processes in biorefineries are important strategies for recovering value-added biomolecules. There are different methods of valorization, including green extractions and biological conversion approaches. However, microbe-based conversion is one of the advanced technologies for valorizing dragon fruit waste into bioethanol, bioactive products, pharmaceuticals, and other valued products by reusing or recycling them. This state-of-the-art review briefly overviews the dragon fruit waste management strategies and advanced eco-friendly and cost-effective valorization technologies. Furthermore, various applications of different valuable bioactive components obtained from dragon fruit waste have been critically discussed concerning various industrial sectors. Several industrial sectors, such as food, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels, have been critically reviewed in detail.

A cross-sectional study of 502 patients found a diffuse hyperechoic kidney medulla pattern in patients with severe gout.

We have previously shown that ultrasonography can detect hyperechogenic crystal deposits in the kidney medulla of patients with gout. In this cross-sectional study we investigated the frequency and clinical correlates of hyperechogenic kidney medulla in 502 consecutive primary consultants for gout (ACR/EULAR criteria) at the Vien Gut medical center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. None of these patients received urate-lowering drugs. Kidney medulla echogenicity on B-mode ultrasonography was compared to that of the kidney cortex. Overall, 36% patients showed a hyperechoic pattern of Malpighi pyramids. On univariate analysis, the pattern was significantly associated with age, estimated gout duration, steroid-dependency, clinical tophi, urate arthropathy, double contour thickness at the scanned joints, coronary heart disease, arterial hypertension, hyperuricemia, proteinuria, leukocyturia, and decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate. On multivariable analysis, the hyperechoic pattern was associated with estimated disease duration, clinical tophi, urate arthropathy, double contour thickness and decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate. No hyperechoic pattern was observed in 515 consecutive consultants without gout. Thus, hyperechoic kidney medulla was frequently demonstrated in Vietnamese patients with tophaceous gout and associated with features of tubulointerstitial nephritis. This finding revives the hypothesis of microcrystalline nephropathy of gout, predominantly seen in untreated gouty patients, which could be an important target for urate-lowering therapy.

Protein-polysaccharide nanoconjugates: Potential tools for delivery of plant-derived nutraceuticals.

Protein-polysaccharide nanoconjugates are covalently interactive networks that are currently the subject of intense research owing to their emerging applications in the food nanotechnology field. Due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability properties, they have played a significant role as wall materials for the formation of various nanostructures to encapsulate nutraceuticals. The food-grade protein-polysaccharide nanoconjugates would be employed to enhance the delivery and stability of nutraceuticals for their real use in the food industry. The most common edible polysaccharides (cellulose, chitosan, pectin, starch, carrageenan, fucoidan, mannan, glucomannan, and arabic gum) and proteins (silk fibroin, collagen, gelatin, soy protein, corn zein, and wheat gluten) have been used as potential building blocks in nano-encapsulation systems because of their excellent physicochemical properties. This article broadens the discussion of food-grade proteins and polysaccharides as nano-encapsulation biomaterials and their fabrication methods, along with a review of the applications of protein-polysaccharide nanoconjugates in the delivery of plant-derived nutraceuticals.

Microencapsulation and Application of Probiotic Bacteria Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v Strain.

Microencapsulation is an up-and-coming technology for maintaining the viability of probiotics. However, the effect of core-to-wall ratios and ratios of polysaccharides on the protection of the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v strain has not been deeply discussed. Lyophilization of the Lp. plantarum 299v strain was conducted, and different core-to-wall ratios and ratios of maltodextrin (MD) and resistant starch (RS) were applied. Results demonstrated that the content of MD and RS had an influence on the yield and bulk density in both core-to-wall ratios (1:1 and 1:1.5). In addition, samples coated with a core-to-wall ratio of 1:1.5 had significantly higher viability than those coated with a core-to-wall ratio of 1:1. Moreover, samples coated with core-to-wall ratios of 1:1 and MD:RS 1:1, as well as core-to-wall ratios of 1:1.5 and MD:RS 3:1, had the highest cell number after simulated gastric fluid and simulated intestinal fluid testing, respectively. Furthermore, the optimal formulation for the application of microencapsulated Lp. plantarum 299v in apple juice (serving as a functional beverage) is listed as follows: core-to-wall ratios of 1:1 and MD:RS 1:1, with the fortification method, and stored at 4 °C. After 11 weeks of storage, the cell count was 8.28 log (CFU/mL). This study provided a strategy for Lp. plantarum 299v to achieve high viability in long-term storage and provides an application in functional apple beverages.

A global perspective on a new paradigm shift in bio-based meat alternatives for healthy diet.

A meat analogue is a casserole in which the primary ingredient is something other than meat. It goes by various other names, such as meat substitute, fake meat, alternative meat, and imitation meat. Consumers growing interest in improving their diets and the future of the planet have contributed to the move towards meat substitutes. This change is due to the growing popularity of low-fat and low-calorie diets, the rise of flexitarians, the spread of animal diseases, the loss of natural resources, and the need to cut down on carbon emissions, which lead to greenhouse effects. Plant-based meat, cultured meat, algal protein-based meat, and insect-based meat substitutes are available on the market with qualities like appearance and flavor similar to those of traditional meat. Novel ingredients like mycoprotein and soybean leg haemoglobin are mixed in with the more traditional soy proteins, cereals, green peas, etc. Plant-based meat is currently more popular in the West, but the growing interest in this product in Asian markets indicates the industry in this region will expand rapidly in the near future. Future growth in the food sector can be anticipated from technologies like lab-grown meat and its equivalents that do not require livestock breeding. Insect-based products also hold great potential as a new source of protein for human consumption. However, product safety and quality should be considered along with other factors such as marketability and affordability.

Enhancement of the enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency of wheat bran using the Bacillus strains and their consortium.

In the downstream process, the bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass can be improved by applying a biological pretreatment procedure using microorganisms to produce hydrolytic enzymes to modify the recalcitrant structure of lignocellulose. In this study, various Bacillus strains (B. subtilis B.01162 and B.01212, B. coagulans B.01123 and B.01139, B. cereus B.00076 and B.01718, B. licheniformis B.01223 and B.01231) were evaluated for the degrading capacity of wheat bran in the submerged medium using enzymatic activities, reducing sugars and weight loss as indicators. The obtained results revealed that the B. subtilis B.01162, B. coagulans B.01123 and B. cereus B.00076 could be promising degraders for the wheat bran pretreatment. Besides, the application of their consortium (the combination of 2-3 Bacillus species) showed the positive effects on cellulose bioconversion compared with monocultures. Among them, the mixture of B. subtilis B.01162 and B. coagulans B.01123 increased significantly the cellulase, endo-glucanase, and xylanase enzyme activity resulting in accelerating the lignocellulose degradation. Our results served a very good base for the development of microbial consortium for biological pretreatment of lignocellulosic raw materials.

Chemical and volatile composition of Pálinka produced using different commercial yeast strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Pálinka is Hungarian traditional alcoholic drink, and its quality is strongly depending on applied yeast strain. Unfortunately, all commercial yeast strains used the production of pálinka are selected for oenological purpose, and thus the efficacy and aroma releasing capacity are vary depending on the type and quality of fruit used. In this study, the fermentation efficacy of nine commercial yeast strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was focused. All strains were able to do alcoholic fermentation of apple juice quite efficiently, and the simple sugars (fructose, glucose and sucrose) were almost exhausted at the end of fermentation. Meanwhile, the alcohol production capacity and yield were no significant differences (around 9.17 v/v %-9.43 v/v %), whereas the ability of sugar consumption of strains Uvaferm Danstil A and Fermicru AR2 was stronger than others. The differences in the concentration and composition of volatile compounds were recorded. The highest levels of total volatile compounds were observed in samples fermented with Uvaferm Danstil A, Fermiblanc Arom, Vin-O-Ferm Roses, and Fermicru AR2. Meanwhile total volatile compounds, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, total higher alcohols, ethyl acetate, and total esters were considered as key parameters for describing the profile of fermented apple juices, whereas total fusel alcohols, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, and total volatile compounds were characteristic indicators of samples fermented with Uvaferm Danstil A. This work provides very good information of commercial yeast strains for industrial pálinka production.

Synthesis of oligosaccharides with prebiotic potential by crude enzyme preparation from Bifidobacterium.

Oligosaccharides especially prebiotics take high attention in the development of foods because of their physiological properties in human health. They are generally synthetized enzymatically via transferases or hydrolases from mold or bacteria. The fact is that such oligosaccharides synthetized by probiotic bacteria, should be utilized by these microorganisms. This study focused on the production of oligosaccharides with prebiotic potential by crude enzyme preparation from bifidobacteria. Both monosubstrates and bisubstrates systems together with TLC and HPLC techniques, were applied. The crude enzyme preparation has different hydrolase activities such as α-glucosidase (2U/mL), ß-glucosidase (0.3 U/mL), α-galactosidase (1.2 U/mL), ß-galactosidase (0.4 U/mL), ß-fructosidase (11.5 U/mL). Additionally, it also has transglycosylation activities on lactose, lactulose, maltose and sucrose substrates. Two or three types of oligosaccharides were detected. The glycosyltransferase activity peaked at 45 °C, pH 6.6 and 30 g/100 mL substrate concentration. Significant high amount of oligosaccharides were formed in the case of lactose:sucrose combination than others. Both glucooligosaccharides and galactooligosaccharides are detected in the reaction mixtures of bisubstrate. When the lactose is present, the galactosyltransferation is predominated. One-one new types of oligosaccharides were detected in the reaction mixture of bioconversion. Among newly synthetized oligosaccharides, the fraction namely OS4 was utilized by probiotic bifidobacteria only. In conclusion, new types of galacto- and glucooligosaccharides with high prebiotic potentials were synthetized by the crude enzyme from probiotic Bifidobacterium strains.

The shrinking toe sign in gout.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the frequency, clinical presentation and understand the pathophysiology of toe shortenings during urate-lowering treatment (ULT) of gout, a feature we called the shrinking toe sign. METHODS: Sequential foot photographs and radiographs of 1141 consecutive gouty patients followed-up for at least 6 months under ULT were retrospectively scrutinized. Features from patients with toe shortenings were extracted from anonymized files. Tophi adjacent to the shortening sites were semi quantified on foot photographs and toe shortenings were measured on radiographs with the Corel draw software (Corel corporation, Canada). Measurement concordance was assessed by concordance correlation coefficients (CCC) and correlation between tophus scores and toe shortenings was analyzed by using linear model with a patient random effect. 97 patients who did not develop toe shortening during ULT were analyzed as controls. RESULTS: Shrinking toes were observed in 10 patients (0.9%) with tophaceous gout at joints with baseline destructive arthropathy. The first and second toes and metatarsophalangeal joints were predominantly involved. The sign was observed after serum urate had been lowered below the 300 and 360 µmol/l targets, in 8 and 2 patients, respectively. Measured shortenings (CCC: 0.99) correlated (p < 10-4) with decreases in tophus score (CCC: 0.91). Sequential radiograph analysis revealed that toe shortening was mainly due to lytic bone collapse during articular tophus dissolution. Comparison with controls showed that the sign developed in severe gout and in joints with more severe erosion score at baseline. CONCLUSION: The shrinking toe appears as rare feature of severe tophaceous gout, triggered by dissolution of bone-replacing tophi. Our findings reinforce the need to treat gout early, before destruction of bone scaffold by extensive tophi, as MSU crystal dissolution by ULT may further weaken these areas and induce their collapse.

Development and assessment of a community-based screening tool for mental health disorders among people who inject drugs.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of mental health disorders among people who use drugs is high and well documented. This hard-to-reach population faces a very low awareness and access to mental health care, especially in developing countries. The objectives of this study were to design and assess a quick screening tool (QST) that community-based organisations (CBO) could routinely apply to a Vietnamese population of people who inject drugs (PWID), in order to refer them appropriately to mental health specialists. METHODS: We devised a tool that included nine questions covering anxiety, depression, suicide risk and psychotic symptomatology. Its use required no specific background and 2 h training. Specificity and sensitivity of the QST were assessed in a population of 418 PWID recruited via respondent driven sampling, using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview questionnaire plus clinical evaluation as a reference standard. Acceptability was assessed using a self-administered anonymous questionnaire submitted to all CBO members who used the QST. RESULTS: CBO members considered the QST easy to use, relevant and helpful to deal with mental health issues. Area under the curve for detection of any symptom using the QST was 0.770. The maximum sensitivity and specificity were reached with a cut-off of 2 [sensitivity was 71.1% (95% confidence interval 62.4, 78.8), specificity was 75.9% (70.5, 80.7)]. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The QST appeared to be both efficient and well accepted. Given the burden of mental health problems among hard-to-reach PWID in developing countries, community-based screenings such as this one could be a particularly appropriate response.

Laser Thermochemical High-Contrast Recording on Thin Metal Films.

Laser-induced thermochemical recording of nano- and microsized structures on thin films has attracted intense interest over the last few decades due to essential applications in the photonics industry. Nevertheless, the relationship between the laser parameters and the properties of the formed oxide structures, both geometrical and optical, is still implicit. In this work, direct laser interference patterning of the titanium (Ti) film in the oxidative regime was applied to form submicron periodical structures. Depending on the number of laser pulses, the regime of high contrast structures recording was observed with the maximum achievable thickness of the oxide layer. The investigation revealed high transmittance of the formed oxide layers, i.e., the contrast of recorded structures reached up to 90% in the visible range. To analyze the experimental results obtained, a theoretical model was developed based on calculations of the oxide formation dynamics. The model operates on Wagner oxidation law and the corresponding optical properties of the oxide-metal-glass substrate system changing nonlinearly after each pulse. A good agreement of the experimental results with the modeling estimations allowed us to extend the model application to other metals, specifically to those with optically transparent oxides, such as zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), vanadium (V), niobium (Nb), and tantalum (Ta). The performed analysis highlighted the importance of choosing the correct laser parameters due to the complexity and nonlinearity of optical, thermal, and chemical processes in the metal film during its laser-induced oxidation in the air. The developed model allowed selecting the suitable temporal-energetic regimes and predicting the optical characteristics of the structures formed with an accuracy of 10%. The results are promising in terms of their implementation in the photonics industry for the production of optical converters.

Artificial intelligence for teleophthalmology-based diabetic retinopathy screening in a national programme: an economic analysis modelling study.

BACKGROUND: Deep learning is a novel machine learning technique that has been shown to be as effective as human graders in detecting diabetic retinopathy from fundus photographs. We used a cost-minimisation analysis to evaluate the potential savings of two deep learning approaches as compared with the current human assessment: a semi-automated deep learning model as a triage filter before secondary human assessment; and a fully automated deep learning model without human assessment. METHODS: In this economic analysis modelling study, using 39 006 consecutive patients with diabetes in a national diabetic retinopathy screening programme in Singapore in 2015, we used a decision tree model and TreeAge Pro to compare the actual cost of screening this cohort with human graders against the simulated cost for semi-automated and fully automated screening models. Model parameters included diabetic retinopathy prevalence rates, diabetic retinopathy screening costs under each screening model, cost of medical consultation, and diagnostic performance (ie, sensitivity and specificity). The primary outcome was total cost for each screening model. Deterministic sensitivity analyses were done to gauge the sensitivity of the results to key model assumptions. FINDINGS: From the health system perspective, the semi-automated screening model was the least expensive of the three models, at US$62 per patient per year. The fully automated model was $66 per patient per year, and the human assessment model was $77 per patient per year. The savings to the Singapore health system associated with switching to the semi-automated model are estimated to be $489 000, which is roughly 20% of the current annual screening cost. By 2050, Singapore is projected to have 1 million people with diabetes; at this time, the estimated annual savings would be $15 million. INTERPRETATION: This study provides a strong economic rationale for using deep learning systems as an assistive tool to screen for diabetic retinopathy. FUNDING: Ministry of Health, Singapore.

Technical and imaging factors influencing performance of deep learning systems for diabetic retinopathy.

Deep learning (DL) has been shown to be effective in developing diabetic retinopathy (DR) algorithms, possibly tackling financial and manpower challenges hindering implementation of DR screening. However, our systematic review of the literature reveals few studies studied the impact of different factors on these DL algorithms, that are important for clinical deployment in real-world settings. Using 455,491 retinal images, we evaluated two technical and three image-related factors in detection of referable DR. For technical factors, the performances of four DL models (VGGNet, ResNet, DenseNet, Ensemble) and two computational frameworks (Caffe, TensorFlow) were evaluated while for image-related factors, we evaluated image compression levels (reducing image size, 350, 300, 250, 200, 150 KB), number of fields (7-field, 2-field, 1-field) and media clarity (pseudophakic vs phakic). In detection of referable DR, four DL models showed comparable diagnostic performance (AUC 0.936-0.944). To develop the VGGNet model, two computational frameworks had similar AUC (0.936). The DL performance dropped when image size decreased below 250 KB (AUC 0.936, 0.900, p < 0.001). The DL performance performed better when there were increased number of fields (dataset 1: 2-field vs 1-field-AUC 0.936 vs 0.908, p < 0.001; dataset 2: 7-field vs 2-field vs 1-field, AUC 0.949 vs 0.911 vs 0.895). DL performed better in the pseudophakic than phakic eyes (AUC 0.918 vs 0.833, p < 0.001). Various image-related factors play more significant roles than technical factors in determining the diagnostic performance, suggesting the importance of having robust training and testing datasets for DL training and deployment in the real-world settings.

Probiotic Beverage From Pineapple Juice Fermented With Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium Strains.

Pineapple is an economically significant plant and the third most important fruit crop in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. In this study, fermentation of pineapple juice with probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains as well as changes of some properties in the beverage during storage were investigated. All tested strains exhibited good growth properties on pineapple juice without supplementation of any nutrient compounds. After 24 h fermentation, the cell counts of lactobacilli passed the level of 5*109 cfu/ml, while the cell number of bifidobacteria reached a level of 109 cfu/ml. The highest volumetric productivity (3.5*108 cfu/ml*h) was observed in L. plantarum 299V. The ratios of lactic acids to acetic acids in the cases of L. plantarum 299V and L. acidophilus La5 were 5.37 and 9.91, respectively. In the case of B. lactis Bb-12, the concentrations of lactic acid and acetic acid were 6 mM and 23 mM in natural juices, and 15 and 21 mM in the case of supplementation with prebiotics at the 16th h of fermentation, respectively. Additionally, supplementation with prebiotics at the initiation of fermentation resulted 7 mM lactic acid and 23 mM acetic acid at the end of fermentation. Fructose was the most preferred sugar for both lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. Both total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity increased slightly during fermentation and dropped during the storage period. The microbial population did not change significantly during the first month of storage. After the storage period (2 months), the probiotic bacteria lost about 0.11 log cfu/ml viability after treatment with 0.3% pepsin for 135 min, and a further 0.1 log cfu/ml after treatment with 0.6% bile salts. These values were 10 times higher than data from the fresh fermented pineapple juice. Our results are very promising and may serve as a good base for developing probiotic pineapple juice.

Artificial intelligence using deep learning to screen for referable and vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy in Africa: a clinical validation study.

BACKGROUND: Radical measures are required to identify and reduce blindness due to diabetes to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Therefore, we evaluated the accuracy of an artificial intelligence (AI) model using deep learning in a population-based diabetic retinopathy screening programme in Zambia, a lower-middle-income country. METHODS: We adopted an ensemble AI model consisting of a combination of two convolutional neural networks (an adapted VGGNet architecture and a residual neural network architecture) for classifying retinal colour fundus images. We trained our model on 76 370 retinal fundus images from 13 099 patients with diabetes who had participated in the Singapore Integrated Diabetic Retinopathy Program, between 2010 and 2013, which has been published previously. In this clinical validation study, we included all patients with a diagnosis of diabetes that attended a mobile screening unit in five urban centres in the Copperbelt province of Zambia from Feb 1 to June 31, 2012. In our model, referable diabetic retinopathy was defined as moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy or worse, diabetic macular oedema, and ungradable images. Vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy comprised severe non-proliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. We calculated the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity for referable diabetic retinopathy, and sensitivities of vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema compared with the grading by retinal specialists. We did a multivariate analysis for systemic risk factors and referable diabetic retinopathy between AI and human graders. FINDINGS: A total of 4504 retinal fundus images from 3093 eyes of 1574 Zambians with diabetes were prospectively recruited. Referable diabetic retinopathy was found in 697 (22·5%) eyes, vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy in 171 (5·5%) eyes, and diabetic macular oedema in 249 (8·1%) eyes. The AUC of the AI system for referable diabetic retinopathy was 0·973 (95% CI 0·969-0·978), with corresponding sensitivity of 92·25% (90·10-94·12) and specificity of 89·04% (87·85-90·28). Vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy sensitivity was 99·42% (99·15-99·68) and diabetic macular oedema sensitivity was 97·19% (96·61-97·77). The AI model and human graders showed similar outcomes in referable diabetic retinopathy prevalence detection and systemic risk factors associations. Both the AI model and human graders identified longer duration of diabetes, higher level of glycated haemoglobin, and increased systolic blood pressure as risk factors associated with referable diabetic retinopathy. INTERPRETATION: An AI system shows clinically acceptable performance in detecting referable diabetic retinopathy, vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic macular oedema in population-based diabetic retinopathy screening. This shows the potential application and adoption of such AI technology in an under-resourced African population to reduce the incidence of preventable blindness, even when the model is trained in a different population. FUNDING: National Medical Research Council Health Service Research Grant, Large Collaborative Grant, Ministry of Health, Singapore; the SingHealth Foundation; and the Tanoto Foundation.

A novel thermostable alpha-galactosidase from the thermophilic fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus CBS 395.62/b: purification and characterization.

High levels of an extracellular alpha-galactosidase are produced by the thermophilic fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus CBS 395.62/b when grown in submerse culture and induced by sucrose. The enzyme was purified 114-fold from the culture supernatant by (NH(4))(2)SO(4) fractionation, and by chromatographical steps including Sepharose CL-6B gel filtration, DEAE-Sepharose FF anion-exchange, Q-Sepharose FF anion-exchange and Superose 12 gel filtration. The purified enzyme exhibits apparent homogeneity as judged by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and iso-electric focusing (IEF). The native molecular weight of the monomeric alpha-galactosidase is 93 kDa with an isoelectric point of 3.9. The enzyme displays a pH and temperature optimum of 5-5.5 and 65 degrees C, respectively. The purified enzyme retains more than 90% of its activity at 45 degrees C in a pH range from 5.5 to 9.0. The enzyme proves to be a glycoprotein and its carbohydrate content is 5.3%. Kinetic parameters were determined for the substrates p-nitrophenyl-alpha-galactopyranoside, raffinose and stachyose and very similar K(m) values of 1.13 mM, 1.61 mM and 1.17 mM were found. Mn(++) ions activates enzyme activity, whereas inhibitory effects can be observed with Ca(++), Zn(++) and Hg(++). Five min incubation at 65 degrees with 10 mM Ag(+) results in complete inactivation of the purified alpha-galactosidase. Amino acid sequence alignment of N-terminal sequence data allows the alpha-galactosidase from Thermomyces lanuginosus to be classified in glycosyl hydrolase family 36.

Nanotechnology in Sustainable Agriculture: Recent Developments, Challenges, and Perspectives.

Nanotechnology monitors a leading agricultural controlling process, especially by its miniature dimension. Additionally, many potential benefits such as enhancement of food quality and safety, reduction of agricultural inputs, enrichment of absorbing nanoscale nutrients from the soil, etc. allow the application of nanotechnology to be resonant encumbrance. Agriculture, food, and natural resources are a part of those challenges like sustainability, susceptibility, human health, and healthy life. The ambition of nanomaterials in agriculture is to reduce the amount of spread chemicals, minimize nutrient losses in fertilization and increased yield through pest and nutrient management. Nanotechnology has the prospective to improve the agriculture and food industry with novel nanotools for the controlling of rapid disease diagnostic, enhancing the capacity of plants to absorb nutrients among others. The significant interests of using nanotechnology in agriculture includes specific applications like nanofertilizers and nanopesticides to trail products and nutrients levels to increase the productivity without decontamination of soils, waters, and protection against several insect pest and microbial diseases. Nanotechnology may act as sensors for monitoring soil quality of agricultural field and thus it maintain the health of agricultural plants. This review covers the current challenges of sustainability, food security and climate change that are exploring by the researchers in the area of nanotechnology in the improvement of agriculture.

Formation of novel hydrogel bio-anode by immobilization of biocatalyst in alginate/polyaniline/titanium-dioxide/graphite composites and its electrical performance.

A new bio-anode containing gel-entrapped bacteria in alginate/polyaniline/TiO2/graphite composites was constructed and electrically investigated. Alginate as dopant and template as well as entrapped gel was used for immobilization of microorganism cells. Increase of polyaniline concentration resulted an increase in the conductivity in gels. Addition of 0.01 and 0.02 g/mL polyaniline caused 6-fold and 10-fold higher conductivity, respectively. Furthermore, addition of 0.05 g/mL graphite powder caused 10-fold higher conductivity and 4-fold higher power density, respectively. The combination of polyaniline and graphite resulted 105-fold higher conductivity and 7-fold higher power-density output. Optimized concentrations of polyaniline and graphite powder were determined to be 0.02 g/mL and 0.05 g/mL, respectively. Modified hydrogel anode was successfully used in microbial fuel cell systems both in semi- and continuous operations modes. In semi-continuous mode, about 7.88 W/m3 power density was obtained after 13 h of fermentation. The glucose consumption rate was calculated to be about 7 mg glucose/h/1.2·107 CFU immobilized cells. Similar power density was observed in the continuous operation mode of the microbial fuel cell, and it was operated stably for more than 7 days. Our results are very promising for development of an improved microbial fuel cell with new type of bio-anode that have higher power density and can operate for long term.