Agaricus subrufescens: substratum nitrogen concentration and mycelial extraction method on antitumor activity.

Antitumor activity of Agaricus subrufescens has been shown on vegetative mycelium and basidiocarp. However, few studies have assessed the effect of A. subrufescens cultivation conditions and extraction methods on antitumor activity. This study evaluated the effect of nitrogen concentration on the cultivation medium of A. subrufescens and the extraction method of mycelial antineoplastic actives against sarcoma 180 cells implanted in mice. Two nitrogen sources (isolated soybean protein and NaNO3) and 10 nitrogen concentrations (0.25 to 8.0 g/L) were used. Dried mycelium extract was obtained by hot water infusion (1:10 mass:volume; 90 °C) or by aqueous mixture (1:10 mass:volume, ambient temperature) in ultrapure water. The doses were administered daily by gavage to mice implanted with sarcoma 180 cells. Isolated soy protein is more efficient to mycelial biomass production than NaNO3. The mycelial biomass production increases when the cultivation medium is added with high nitrogen concentrations as well as the splenic index and the antitumor activity of the moistened mycelial powder. Hot water extract is more effective than the moistened mycelial powder to reduce tumor. The antitumor activity of hot water mycelial extract is similar to the one of basidiocarps, presenting lower metabolic demand on the spleen, keeping blood parameters normal and promoting animal wellness.

Removal of industrial cutting oil from oil emulsions by polymeric ultra- and microfiltration membranes.

The utilization of micro- and ultrafiltration with polymeric membranes for treatment of industrial cutting oil emulsion was investigated. The performance of 14 different membranes with pore sizes in the range of 1-800 nm, representing 8 different materials and varying hydrophobicity, was determined experimentally. Membrane permeances between 1.6 and 939 L m 2 h(-1) bar(-1) have been observed for the different samples as well as oil rejections between 3.42% and 99.99%. Membrane pore size and contact angle showed little influence on both values, while an interesting correlation is displayed to the individual membranes' capillary pressures. A possible explanation for this phenomenon is suggested based on the formation of oil films on the membrane surface. From the investigated membranes, the best-suited one for cutting oil treatment was selected and subjected to further experiments. The effect of process temperatures between 22 and 43 degrees C and of feed oil concentrations between 0 and 20 vol % on the removal performance was determined. The results correspond to the explanation suggested previously.