3DEEM spectroscopy analysis to assess the EPS composition in different carriers in HMBR systems.

A hybrid membrane bioreactor (HMBR) with biological band carriers (Reactor A) and an HMBR with suspended honeycomb carriers (Reactor B) were conducted in parallel to investigate the effects of different carriers on extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Composition and concentration of EPS were examined by three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (3DEEM) fluorescence spectra and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). 3DEEM spectra demonstrated that the main organic substances of the EPS in two reactors were protein-like, humic acid-like and fulvic acid-like substances. The fluorescence intensity (FI) indicated that the protein-like composition was dominant in EPS, and its intensity in reactor B was stronger than that in A (392.94 > 250.25). Results of the FI identified from the 3DEEM by PARAFAC showed that the EPS in two reactors included two humic acid-like compositions C1 (230, 320/406 nm), C2 (250, 360/440 nm) and one protein-like C4 (230, 280/340 nm), while C3 was fulvic acid-like (220/429 nm) and protein-like (230/357 nm) in reactor A and B, respectively. The proportion and FI of protein-like substances in reactor B were higher than that in A. Consequently, it was concluded that reactor A could control the membrane fouling effectively, compared with reactor B.

A Phase II/III, Multicenter, Observer-blinded, Randomized, Non-inferiority and Safety, study of typhoid conjugate vaccine (EuTCV) compared to Typbar-TCV® in healthy 6 Months-45 years aged participants.

The typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) ensures a long-lasting protective immune response, requires fewer doses and is fit for children under 2 years of age. From Phase I study, EuTCV displayed considerable immunogenicity and reliable safety, thus endorsing further examination in Phase II/III trials. Therefore, a clinical Phase II/III study (NCT04830371) was conducted to evaluate its efficacy in healthy Filipino participants aged 6 months to 45 years through administration of the test vaccine (Arm A, B, and C) or comparator vaccine Typbar-TCV® (Arm D). Sera samples were collected pre-vaccination (Visit 1) and post-vaccination (Visit 4, Day 28) to assess the immunogenicity of EuTCV and Typbar-TCV®. During the study, participants were regularly monitored through scheduled visits to the clinic to report any adverse events associated with the vaccine. For vaccine safety, the proportion of solicited and unsolicited Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events was all comparable between EuTCV and Typbar-TCV® groups. A single dose of EuTCV produced seroconversion in 99.4% of treated participants, with seroconversion rates non-inferior to that of Typbar-TCV®. Batch-to-batch consistency was concluded based on the 90% Confidence Interval of the geometric mean ratio (EuTCV Arm A, B, and C) at Week 4, lying within the equivalence margin of 0.5 to 2.0 for all batches. Results from this Phase II/III clinical trial of EuTCV in healthy volunteers show comparable safety and considerable immunogenicity, compared to Typbar-TCV®, meeting the objectives of this pivotal study. ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT04830371.

Borage Oil Treated with Immobilized Lipase Inhibits Melanogenesis.

In the present study, we demonstrated that borage (Borago officinalis L.) seed oil subjected to immobilized lipase pretreatment are enriched with linoleic acid (LNA, 18:2n-6), γ-linolenic acid (GLA, 18:3n-6), and oleic acid (OLA, 18:1n-9). We further showed that lipase-treated borage oil (LT-BOL) regulates the activity and degradation of tyrosinase, an important enzyme implicated in the synthesis of melanin in murine melanocytes, B16F10. LT-BOL and its free fatty acid components reduced the levels of melanin and tyrosinase in melanocytes with GLA exerting similar or stronger effects compared with LNA and OLA. The brightening efficacy of LT-BOL on melanin metabolism in humans was tested by an 8-week, double-blind, randomized clinical trial, which enrolled 21 Korean female adults (mean age 48.57 ± 3.28). Visual evaluation showed that cream containing 1% LT-BOL significantly decreased (p < 0.05) melasma on the treated skin area after 6 and 8 weeks. The analysis of the skin brightness using Chromameter CR-400 confirmed that the brightness of the treated area was significantly increased (p < 0.01) after 4, 6, and 8 weeks. Together, our results suggest that LT-BOL may be suitable as a natural skin whitening cosmeceutical product.

Effects of La(III) and Ca(II) on isolated Carassius auratus liver mitochondria: heat production and mitochondrial permeability transition.

The effects of lanthanum and calcium on heat production of mitochondria isolated from Carassius auratus liver were investigated by microcalorimetry, and their effects on mitochondrial swelling and membrane potential (Δψ) were determined by spectroscopic methods. La(3+) showed only inhibitory action on mitochondrial energy turnover with inhibition concentration of 50 % (IC50) being 71.2 µmol L(-1). Similarly, Ca(2+) restrained the heat production of mitochondria, and the IC50 of Ca(2+) was much higher than that of La(3+). In the spectroscopic experiments, La(3+) and Ca(2+) induced fish liver mitochondrial swelling and decreased membrane potential (Δψ), and the induction ability of La(3+) was stronger than that of Ca(2+). It is concluded that the effects of La(3+) and Ca(2+) on fish liver mitochondria differ, and La represents toxic action rather than Ca analogy.