Light Intensity and Nitrogen Concentration Impact on the Biomass and Phycoerythrin Production by Porphyridium purpureum.

Several factors have the potential to influence microalgae growth. In the present study, nitrogen concentration and light intensity were evaluated in order to obtain high biomass production and high phycoerythrin accumulation from Porphyridium purpureum. The range of nitrogen concentrations evaluated in the culture medium was 0.075-0.450 g L-1 and light intensities ranged between 30 and 100 µmol m-2 s-1. Surprisingly, low nitrogen concentration and high light intensity resulted in high biomass yield and phycoerythrin accumulation. Thus, the best biomass productivity (0.386 g L-1 d-1) and biomass yield (5.403 g L-1) were achieved with NaNO3 at 0.075 g L-1 and 100 µmol m-2 s-1. In addition, phycoerythrin production was improved to obtain a concentration of 14.66 mg L-1 (2.71 mg g-1 of phycoerythrin over dry weight). The results of the present study indicate that it is possible to significantly improve biomass and pigment production in Porphyridium purpureum by limiting nitrogen concentration and light intensity.

Efecto de las diferentes fuentes de polifenoles sobre la eficiencia de liberación de ácido elágico por Aspergillus niger / Effect of different polyphenol sources on the efficiency of ellagic acid release by Aspergillus niger

Fungal hydrolysis of ellagitannins produces hexahydroxydiphenic acid, which is considered an intermediate molecule in ellagic acid release. Ellagic acid has important and desirable beneficial health properties. The aim of this work was to identify the effect of different sources of ellagitannins on the efficiency of ellagic acid release by Aspergillus niger. Three strains of A. niger (GH1, PSH and HT4) were assessed for ellagic acid release from different polyphenol sources: cranberry, creosote bush, and pomegranate used as substrate. Polyurethane foam was used as support for solid-state culture in column reactors. Ellagitannase activity was measured for each of the treatments. Ellagic acid was quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. When pomegranate polyphenols were used, a maximum value of ellagic acid (350.21 mg/g) was reached with A. niger HT4 in solid-state culture. The highest amount of ellagitannase (5176.81 U/l) was obtained at 8 h of culture when cranberry polyphenols and strain A. niger PSH were used. Results demonstrated the effect of different polyphenol sources and A. niger strains on ellagic acid release. It was observed that the best source for releasing ellagic acid was pomegranate polyphenols and A. niger HT4 strain, which has the ability to degrade these compounds for obtaining a potent bioactive molecule such as ellagic acid.

La hidrólisis fúngica de los elagitaninos produce ácido hexahidroxidifénico, considerado como una molécula intermedia en la liberación de ácido elágico. El ácido elágico tiene importantes y deseables propiedades benéficas para la salud humana. El objetivo de este trabajo fue identificar el efecto de la fuente de elagitaninos sobre la eficiente liberación de ácido elágico por Aspergillus niger. La liberación de ácido elágico se realizó con tres cepas de A. niger (GH1, PSH y HT4) en presencia de diferentes fuentes de polifenoles (arándano, gobernadora y granada), usadas como sustrato. Se empleó espuma de poliuretano como soporte para el cultivo en estado sólido en reactores en columna. Se midió la actividad elagitanasa a cada uno de los tratamientos. El ácido elágico liberado se cuantificó por cromatografía líquida de alta resolución. Cuando se utilizaron los polifenoles de granada, se alcanzó un valor máximo de 350,21 mg/g de ácido elágico con A. niger HT4 en cultivo en estado sólido. La mayor actividad elagitanasa (5176.81 U/l) se obtuvo a 8 h de cultivo cuando se usaron los polifenoles de arándano como sustrato y A. niger PSH. Los resultados demostraron el efecto que tiene la fuente de polifenoles y la cepa de A. niger en la liberación de ácido elágico. Se observó que la mejor fuente para la liberación de ácido elágico fueron los polifenoles de granada y que la cepa A. niger HT4 posee la habilidad de degradar estos compuestos para la obtención de potentes moléculas bioactivas, como el ácido elágico.

Effect of different polyphenol sources on the efficiency of ellagic acid release by Aspergillus niger.

Fungal hydrolysis of ellagitannins produces hexahydroxydiphenic acid, which is considered an intermediate molecule in ellagic acid release. Ellagic acid has important and desirable beneficial health properties. The aim of this work was to identify the effect of different sources of ellagitannins on the efficiency of ellagic acid release by Aspergillus niger. Three strains of A. niger (GH1, PSH and HT4) were assessed for ellagic acid release from different polyphenol sources: cranberry, creosote bush, and pomegranate used as substrate. Polyurethane foam was used as support for solid-state culture in column reactors. Ellagitannase activity was measured for each of the treatments. Ellagic acid was quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. When pomegranate polyphenols were used, a maximum value of ellagic acid (350.21 mg/g) was reached with A. niger HT4 in solid-state culture. The highest amount of ellagitannase (5176.81 U/l) was obtained at 8h of culture when cranberry polyphenols and strain A. niger PSH were used. Results demonstrated the effect of different polyphenol sources and A. niger strains on ellagic acid release. It was observed that the best source for releasing ellagic acid was pomegranate polyphenols and A. niger HT4 strain, which has the ability to degrade these compounds for obtaining a potent bioactive molecule such as ellagic acid.

Optimization of ellagitannase production by Aspergillus niger GH1 by solid-state fermentation.

Ellagic acid is one of the most bioactive antioxidants with important applications in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. However, there are few biotechnological processes developed for its production, because it requires precursors (ellagitannins) and the corresponding biocatalyst (ellagitannase). The aim of this study was to optimize the culture conditions for ellagitannase production by Aspergillus niger in solid-state fermentation (SSF). The bioprocess was carried out into a column bioreactor packed with polyurethane foam impregnated with an ellagitannins solution as carbon source. Four strains of Aspergillus niger (PSH, GH1, HT4, and HC2) were evaluated for ellagitannase production. The study was performed in two experimental steps. A Plackett-Burman design was used to determine the influencing parameters on ellagitannase production. Ellagitannins concentration, KCl, and MgSO4 were determined to be the most significant parameters. Box-Behnken design was used to define the interaction of the selected parameters. The highest enzyme value was obtained by A. niger PSH at concentrations of 7.5 g/L ellagitannins, 3.04 g/L KCl, and 0.76 g/L MgSO4. The methodology followed here allowed increasing the ellagitannase activity 10 times over other researcher results (938.8 U/g ellagitannins). These results are significantly higher than those reported previously and represent an important contribution for the establishment of a new bioprocess for ellagic acid and ellagitannase production.

Fungal biodegradation of pomegranate ellagitannins.

Ellagitannins (ETs) are phytochemicals derived from secondary metabolism associated to defense system, with complex chemical structures, which have high participation during all stages of protection against microbial infection. In this study, we report the fungal biodegradation of a bioactive ET, named punicaline which was recovered and purified from pomegranate peels and used as carbon source in solid-state culture (SSC) using polyurethane as solid support. SSC was kinetically monitored during 36 h of incubation time. ETs and glycosides consumption were spectrophotometrically determined. Ellagic acid (EA) accumulation was analyzed by HPLC. Several enzymatic activities were assayed (cellulase, xylanase, ß-glucosydase, polyphenoloxidase, tannase, and ET hydrolyzing activities). The consumption levels of ETs and glycosides were 66 and 40%, while EA accumulation reached 42.02 mg g(-1). A differential pattern of enzymatic activities was found; evidence from our studies suggests that the ET hydrolyzing activity is directly associated to EA accumulation, and production of this enzyme may represent the most critical step to successfully develop a bioprocess for production of an important bioactive compound, the EA.

Detection of bladder cancer using nuclear matrix protein proteomic marker NMP22

OBJECTIVE: To determine the validity of NMP-22 (Bladder Check Protein Test Pack Kit) in the diagnosis of bladder cancer. MATERIALS: From May 1, 2009 to October 31, 2009 all patients with bladder mass by ultrasound, IVP or CT scan from three different urology training institutions were enrolled in this prospective study. These patients underwent urine cytology and NMP-22 qualitative assay. The diagnosis determined from the cytoscopic and histopathologic findings from CTURBT was accepted as the gold standard. RESULTS: Thirty nine subjects were enrolled in this study, whom of 31 patients were diagnosed of malignancy and 8 were benign in pathology. The sensitivity of urine cytology, NMP-22 assay and cytoscopy was 34.6%, 96.8% and 92.3% respectively and the specificity was 37.5% for NMP-22 and 66.1% for the cytoscopy. CONCLUSION: The result of this study suggests that NMP-22 is a very sensitive test, however is less specific in identifying bladder cancer.

Are prophylactic antibiotics really necessary in donor nephrectomy patients?

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether prophylactic antibiotics are necessary in preventing possible postoperative infectious complications in healthy living kidney donorsMATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five living kidney donors were divided into two groups: Group A - received intravenous normal saline solution (placebo) and Group B - received prophylactic broad-spectrum antibiotics. Both of these were administered one hour prior to donor nephrectomy and in two doses within 24 hours postoperatively. Signs of postoperative infection were evaluated with fever, pyuria, wound changes and bacteriologic studies as clinical parameters. Data were analyzed using the chi-square testRESULTS: Five patients (30.7 percent) in the placebo group and two patients (16 percent) in the prophylaxis group developed postoperative fever. The differences in these two groups were however not statistically significant. "Significant pyuria" was noted in two patients belonging to group A while none was seen in group B. The presence of urinary tract infection was documented in both cases by culture studies. No patient in Group B developed urinary tract infection. This difference however, was not statistically significant. No documented wound infection occurred in both placebo and prophylaxis groups. However, one patient in the placebo group developed serous wound discharge, which healed with intake of antibiotics, and daily wound careCONCLUSIONS: No statistically significant differences were observed in donor nephrectomies who received either placebo or broad-spectrum prophylaxis in terms of postoperative fever, significant pyuria and wound infection. The use of prophylactic antibiotics in these otherwise healthy individuals may not really be necessary in preventing postoperative infectious complications. (Author)