Advances in the co-production of biosurfactant and other biomolecules: statistical approaches for process optimization.

An efficient microbial conversion for simultaneous synthesis of multiple high-value compounds, such as biosurfactants and enzymes, is one of the most promising aspects for an economical bioprocess leading to a marked reduction in production cost. Although biosurfactant and enzyme production separately have been much explored, there are limited reports on the predictions and optimization studies on simultaneous production of biosurfactants and other industrially important enzymes, including lipase, protease, and amylase. Enzymes are suited for an integrated production process with biosurfactants as multiple common industrial processes and applications are catalysed by these molecules. However, the complexity in microbial metabolism complicates the production process. This study details the work done on biosurfactant and enzyme co-production and explores the application and scope of various statistical tools and methodologies in this area of research. The use of advanced computational tools is yet to be explored for the optimization of downstream strategies in the co-production process. Given the complexity of the co-production process and with various new methodologies based on artificial intelligence (AI) being invented, the scope of AI in shaping the biosurfactant-enzyme co-production process is immense and would lead to not only efficient and rapid optimization, but economical extraction of multiple biomolecules as well.

A Case of Eosinophilic Angiocentric Fibrosis With Palatal Fistulas.

Eosinophilic angiocentric fibrosis (EAF) is a rare, but benign, tumefactive lesion of the head and neck regions. It was initially discovered in 1983 but has recently been connected to the spectrum of immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD). It commonly presents with symptoms of nasal obstruction, structural deformities of the external nose, and involvement of the nasal septum and lateral nasal wall. Our patient presented with a saddle nose deformity, a septal perforation, and palatal fistulas. Laboratory testing for EAF is often negative for the presence of antinuclear cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA). A definitive diagnosis of EAF can be made through histopathological analysis of the lesion. The appearance of "onion-skin" fibrosis with perivascular infiltration of primary eosinophils is pathognomonic for EAF. While there is a presence of ulceration tissue, EAF does not have any histological signs of necrosis. EAF is a very uncommon etiology of nasal obstructive symptoms; therefore, it is necessary to rule out more conventional pathologies. Even though it appears as a malignant process, it has an excellent prognosis. The common treatment modalities for an active lesion of EAF involve either surgical resection of margins alone or a combination of corticosteroids and resection. Rituximab has also shown benefits in the management of IgG4-RD as a corticosteroid-sparing treatment. Rituximab was chosen for treatment in our patient because surgical resection was not possible due to the absence of an active lesion. In this article, we provide a brief review of EAF and provide a unique case of EAF presenting with oronasal palatal fistulas.

Isolation and development of a microbial consortium for the treatment of automobile service station wastewater.

AIM: This work aims to investigate the nature of waste being generated by automobile service stations (ASS) and to devise a microbial-based formulation for the treatment of ASS wastewater. METHODS AND RESULTS: Analysis of soil and water samples from the vicinity of different ASS in and around the Pune city region (India) revealed the presence of significant amounts of many heavy metals including zinc (Zn) 13.8-175.44 mg kg-1 , nickel (Ni) 0.6-5.5 mg kg-1 and copper (Cu) 8.07-179.2 mg kg-1 as well as oil and grease (O&G). A consortium, consisting of selected members from the ASS soil bacterial isolates, was formulated. The selection of consortium members was based on their ability to degrade hydrocarbons, tolerate heavy metals, and produce biosurfactant and lipase. The developed microbial consortium was capable of reducing the concentration of Ni, manganese (Mn) and chromium (Cr) by 69.25%, 14.63% and 84.93%, respectively, and O&G by 71.8% in the aqueous medium under laboratory conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Wastewater and soil analysis confirmed the presence of a high amount of O&G and metals in and around ASS. The developed microbial consortium holds potential for the treatment of wastewater rich in O&G and heavy metals. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: There is a dearth of scientific studies in India on the wastewater and polluted soils associated with ASS. This work reveals and confirms the hazardous nature of ASS and the need for the development and feasibility of microbial-based technology for the sustainable bioremediation of such sites.