New Genetic Determinants for qPCR Identification and the Enumeration of Selected Lactic Acid Bacteria in Raw-Milk Cheese.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) play an important role in the ripening of cheeses and contribute to the development of the desired profile of aroma and flavor compounds. Therefore, it is very important to monitor the dynamics of bacterial proliferation in order to obtain an accurate and reliable number of their cells at each stage of cheese ripening. This work aimed to identify and conduct a quantitative assessment of the selected species of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria from raw cow's milk cheese by the development of primers and probe pairs based on the uniqueness of the genetic determinants with which the target microorganisms can be identified. For that purpose, we applied real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) protocols to quantify Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris cells in cheese directly after production and over three-month and six-month ripening periods. While L. lactis subsp. cremoris shows good acidification ability and the ability to produce antimicrobial compounds, L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus has good proteolytic ability and produces exo-polysaccharides, and S. thermophilus takes part in the formation of the diacetyl flavor compound by metabolizing citrate to develop aroma, they all play an important role in the cheese ripening. The proposed qPCR protocols are very sensitive and reliable methods for a precise enumeration of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, S. thermophilus, and L. lactis subsp. cremoris in cheese samples.

CD44 mediated colon cancer targeting mutlifaceted lignin nanoparticles: Synthesis, in vitro characterization and in vivo efficacy studies.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) coated irinotecan loaded lignin nanoparticles (HDLNPs) were synthesized using ionic interaction method. Optimized nanoparticles were characterized for their active chemotherapeutic targeting potential to CD44 receptors overly-expressed on cancer cells. Blood component interaction studies supported hemocompatible nature of HDLNPs and also demonstrated their sustained plasma residence property. Cell anti-proliferation and mitochondrial depolarization studies on HT-29 cells suggest significantly (p < 0.01) improved chemotherapeutic efficacy of HDLNPs. In vitro cell based studies showed that nanoparticles have retained antioxidant activity of lignin that can prevent cancer relapse. In vivo biodistribution studies in tumor-bearing Balb/c mice confirmed improved drug localization in tumor site for longer duration. Tumor regression and histopathological studies indicated the efficacy ofligand-assisted targeting chemotherapy over the conventional therapy. Hematological and biochemical estimation suggested that irinotecan-associated myelosuppression, liver steatosis and rare kidney failure can be avoided by its encapsulation in HA-coated lignin nanoparticles. HDLNPs were found to be stable over a period of 12 months.

A Review on Polyacrylonitrile as an Effective and Economic Constituent of Adsorbents for Wastewater Treatment.

Water gets polluted due to the dumping of untreated industrial waste into bodies of water, particularly those containing heavy metals and dyes. Industrial water contains both inorganic and organic wastes. Numerous adsorbents that are inexpensive and easily available can be used to address the issue of water deterioration. This review report is focused on polyacrylonitrile as an efficient constituent of adsorbents to extract toxic ions and dyes. It discusses the various formulations of polyacrylonitrile, such as ion exchange resins, chelating resins, fibers, membranes, and hydrogels, synthesized through different polymerization methods, such as suspension polymerization, electrospinning, grafting, redox, and emulsion polymerization. Moreover, regeneration of adsorbent and heavy metal ions makes the adsorption process more cost-effective and efficient. The literature reporting successful regeneration of the adsorbent is included. The factors affecting the performance and outcomes of the adsorption process are also discussed.

Materials Used for the Microencapsulation of Probiotic Bacteria in the Food Industry.

Probiotics and probiotic therapy have been rapidly developing in recent years due to an increasing number of people suffering from digestive system disorders and diseases related to intestinal dysbiosis. Owing to their activity in the intestines, including the production of short-chain fatty acids, probiotic strains of lactic acid bacteria can have a significant therapeutic effect. The activity of probiotic strains is likely reduced by their loss of viability during gastrointestinal transit. To overcome this drawback, researchers have proposed the process of microencapsulation, which increases the resistance of bacterial cells to external conditions. Various types of coatings have been used for microencapsulation, but the most popular ones are carbohydrate and protein microcapsules. Microencapsulating probiotics with vegetable proteins is an innovative approach that can increase the health value of the final product. This review describes the different types of envelope materials that have been used so far for encapsulating bacterial biomass and improving the survival of bacterial cells. The use of a microenvelope has initiated the controlled release of bacterial cells and an increase in their activity in the large intestine, which is the target site of probiotic strains.

Recent Advancements in Lignin Valorization and Biomedical Applications: A Patent Review.

BACKGROUND: Synthetic polymers present disadvantages such as high cost, limited availability, safety concerns, environmental hazards and accumulation in body. Lignin, an aromatic biopolymer, is highly abundant and offers various advantages including cost-effectiveness, biocompatibility and biodegradability. It also possesses various pharmacological activities including antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer and UV protection, thus lignin has become a popular biopolymer in recent years and is no more considered as bio-waste rather extensive research is been carried out on developing it as drug carrier. Lignin also has non-biomedical applications including dispersing agents, surfactants, detergent/ cleaning agents, energy storage, etc. Methods: This review compiles patents granted on production of technical lignin, different lignin therapeutic carriers and its biomedical and non-biomedical applications. The literature is collected from recent years including both articles as well as patents and is carefully analyzed and compiled in an easy to comprehend pattern for guiding future research. RESULTS: The reviewed patents and articles highlighted the advancement made in lignin isolation and valorization. Numerous lignin nanoformulations as drug delivery agents or as standalone entities with various pharmacological actions like antibacterial, antioxidant or UV protectant have been reported. As well as industrial applications of lignin as adhesives, insulators or supercapacitors have also made lignin a biopolymer of choice. CONCLUSION: Lignin being a bio-inspired polymer has huge potential in commercial applications. New methods of lignin isolation from lignocellulosic biomass including physical pretreatments, solvent fraction, and chemical and biological pretreatment have been widely patented. Several micro/nano lignin formulations with improved and controllable reactivity like nanocontainers, nanocapsules, nanoparticles have also been reported recently. Also, various pharmacological properties of lignin have also been explored, thus valorization of lignin is a hot topic of hour.

Properties of Biocomposites Produced with Thermoplastic Starch and Digestate: Physicochemical and Mechanical Characteristics.

This paper presents the results of a study on the influence of the addition of digestate (DG) sludge from an agricultural biogas plant on the mechanical properties of the coating obtained from thermoplastic starch (TPS). The dried, fragmented digestate, some of which had previously undergone ultrasound treatment, is used in the study. Biocomposites are produced by the pouring method using Teflon moulds as matrices. The physicomechanical study included the determination of the basic parameters of the materials obtained. Strength parameters, the contact angle, thermogravimetric properties (TGA), colour and colour difference and moisture absorption are determined. Photographs of the surface of the samples are taken with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) as well. It is found that the addition of the digestate has an advantageous effect on improving the physical and mechanical parameters. In general, samples with digestate also have a higher strength compared to the pure TPS material. The highest tensile strength and Young's modulus are found in samples with the 14 wt% addition of ultrasound-treated digestate. On the basis of this study, it can be concluded that the addition of digestate is a promising approach for the production of TPS biocomposites with superior mechanical properties.

A Review of Adsorbents for Heavy Metal Decontamination: Growing Approach to Wastewater Treatment.

Heavy metal is released from many industries into water. Before the industrial wastewater is discharged, the contamination level should be reduced to meet the recommended level as prescribed by the local laws of a country. They may be poisonous or cancerous in origin. Their presence does not only damage people, but also animals and vegetation because of their mobility, toxicity, and non-biodegradability into aquatic ecosystems. The review comprehensively discusses the progress made by various adsorbents such as natural materials, synthetic, agricultural, biopolymers, and commercial for extraction of the metal ions such as Ni2+, Cu2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, As2+ and Zn2+ along with their adsorption mechanisms. The adsorption isotherm indicates the relation between the amount adsorbed by the adsorbent and the concentration. The Freundlich isotherm explains the effective physical adsorption of the solute particle from the solution on the adsorbent and Langmuir isotherm gives an idea about the effect of various factors on the adsorption process. The adsorption kinetics data provide valuable insights into the reaction pathways, the mechanism of the sorption reaction, and solute uptake. The pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models were applied to describe the sorption kinetics. The presented information can be used for the development of bio-based water treatment strategies.

Methylene Blue Dye Adsorption from Wastewater Using Hydroxyapatite/Gold Nanocomposite: Kinetic and Thermodynamics Studies.

The present work demonstrates the development of hydroxyapatite (HA)/gold (Au) nanocomposites to increase the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) dye from the wastewater. HA nanopowder was prepared via a wet chemical precipitation method by means of Ca(OH)2 and H3PO4 as starting materials. The biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has been reported for the first time by using the plant extract of Acrocarpus fraxinifolius. Finally, the as-prepared HA nanopowder was mixed with an optimized AuNPs solution to produce HA/Au nanocomposite. The prepared HA/Au nanocomposite was studied by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX) analysis. Adsorption studies were executed by batch experiments on the synthesized composite. The effect of the amount of adsorbent, pH, dye concentration and temperature was studied. Pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models were used to fit the kinetic data and the kinetic modeling results reflected that the experimental data is perfectly matched with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The dye adsorbed waste materials have also been investigated against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus luteus, and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria by the agar well diffusion method. The inhibition zones of dye adsorbed samples are more or less the same as compared to as-prepared samples. The results so obtained indicates the suitability of the synthesized sample to be exploited as an adsorbent for effective treatment of MB dye from wastewater and dye adsorbed waste as an effective antibacterial agent from an economic point of view.

Nanocellulose-Based Biomedical Scaffolds in Future Bioeconomy: A Techno-Legal Assessment of the State-of-the-Art.

Nanocellulose is a broader term used for nano-scaled cellulosic crystal and/or fibrils of plant or animal origin. Where bacterial nanocellulose was immediately accepted in biomedicine due to its "cleaner" nature, the plant-based nanocellulose has seen several roadblocks. This manuscript assesses the technological aspects (chemistry of cellulose, nanocellulose producing methods, its purity, and biological properties including toxicity and suggested applications in final drug formulation) along with legal aspects in REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals) regulation by the European Union, EMA (European Medicine Agency). The botanical biomass processing methods leading to the nanoscale impurity (lignin and others) on nanocellulose surface, along with surface modification with harsh acid treatments are found to be two major sources of "impurity" in botanical biomass derived nanocellulose. The status of nanocellulose under the light of REACH regulation along with EMA has been covered. The provided information can be directly used by material and biomedical scientists while developing new nanocellulose production strategies as well as formulation design for European markets.

Lignin for Bioeconomy: The Present and Future Role of Technical Lignin.

Lignin, the term commonly used in literature, represents a group of heterogeneous aromatic compounds of plant origin. Protolignin or lignin in the cell wall is entirely different from the commercially available technical lignin due to changes during the delignification process. In this paper, we assess the status of lignin valorization in terms of commercial products. We start with existing knowledge of the lignin/protolignin structure in its native form and move to the technical lignin from various sources. Special attention is given to the patents and lignin-based commercial products. We observed that the technical lignin-based commercial products utilize coarse properties of the technical lignin in marketed formulations. Additionally, the general principles of polymers chemistry and self-assembly are difficult to apply in lignin-based nanotechnology, and lignin-centric investigations must be carried out. The alternate upcoming approach is to develop lignin-centric or lignin first bio-refineries for high-value applications; however, that brings its own technological challenges. The assessment of the gap between lab-scale applications and lignin-based commercial products delineates the challenges lignin nanoparticles-based technologies must meet to be a commercially viable alternative.

A computer system supporting agricultural machinery and farm tractor purchase decisions.

Operational research, i.e. searching for optimal solutions in a situation of uncertainty and risk, can also be used to support decisions to purchase expensive agricultural machinery. Although Polish farmers receive subsidies from the EU, it does not mean they do not need to make well-thought-out purchases, because wrong purchase decisions will have long-term consequences while using machinery. The article presents the results of the IFOP - the system which has been available on the Internet for several years. It collects data on farming machinery and vehicles based on users' voluntary but subjective opinions. The authors of this article developed an original multi-criteria method of evaluating the quality of these specific products, which enabled them to make relevant rankings of brands. It is an algorithmic-heuristic method, which uses pairwise comparison tools to determine the significance ratios of the criteria. This article presents the results of the 1st and 2nd IFOP edition (Race Ranking), which included several dozen brands of tractors registered in Poland. More than fifty qualitative (Q) and non-qualitative (C) traits of farm tractors were taken into account. According to Polish farmers, Valtra - a Finnish brand of farm tractors, part of the AGCO concern, was the most versatile (Q = 4.39 and Q&C = 4.23). These tractors received the best opinions for their functionality, durability, ergonomics and safety.

Assessing the potential of lignin nanoparticles as drug carrier: Synthesis, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity studies.

Lignin nanoparticles synthesis is among recent developments in lignin valorization especially for biomedical applications. In this study, a new technique where complete self-assembling of lignin was ensured by simultaneous solvent displacement and flash pH change was used to optimize particle size of blank lignin nanoparticles (BLNPs) for suitability in cell uptake along with maximized yield. To establish BLNPs as drug carrier, safety studies including hemocompatibility, cytotoxicity and elaborate genotoxicity studies on Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism were done. Finally, irinotecan loaded lignin nanoparticles (DLNPs) were synthesized to establish their drug carrying potential and thorough in vitro characterization was performed. BLNPs with controllable size (⁓152 nm), low polydispersity (<0.2), maximized yield (>65%), negative surface charge (-22 to -23 mV), spherical shape and smooth surface were obtained with acceptable %hemolysis (<2%). In vitro cytotoxicity studies revealed that BLNPs were significantly toxic (74.38 ± 4.74%) in human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), slightly toxic (38.8 ± 4.70%) in human alveolar epithelial adenocarcinoma (A-549) and insignificantly toxic (15.89 ± 2.84%) to human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) cells. BLNPs showed concentration dependent early neuronal defects in Drosophila, but nuclei fragmentation and gut cell damage were absent. Sustained release DLNPs with high drug loading reduced the IC50 value of irinotecan by almost 3 folds.

Wood-Based Cellulose Nanofibrils: Haemocompatibility and Impact on the Development and Behaviour of Drosophila melanogaster.

Wood-based cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) offer an excellent scaffold for drug-delivery formulation development. However, toxicity and haemocompatibility of the drug carrier is always an important issue. In this study, toxicity-related issues of CNF were addressed. Different doses of CNF were orally administered to Drosophila and different tests like the developmental cycle, trypan blue exclusion assay, larva crawling assay, thermal sensitivity assay, cold sensitivity assay, larval light preference test, climbing behaviour, nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction assay, adult phenotype, and adult weight were conducted to observe the impact on its development and behaviour. A haemocompatibility assay was done on the blood taken from healthy Wistar rats. In Drosophila, the abnormalities in larval development and behaviour were observed in the behavioural assays. However, the cytotoxic effect could not be confirmed by the gut staining and level of reactive oxygen species. The larvae developed into an adult without any abnormality in the phenotype. The CNF did cause loss of weight in the adult flies and did not cause much toxicity within the body since there was no phenotypic defect. Hemolysis data also suggested that CNF was safe at lower doses, as the data was well within acceptable limits. All these results suggest that cellulose nanofibres have no significant cytotoxic effects on Drosophila. However, the developmental and behavioural abnormalities suggest that CNF may act as a behavioural teratogen.

Structure, Genome, Infection Cycle and Clinical Manifestations Associated with Human Papillomavirus.

A small, non-enveloped, obligatory parasite, Human papillomavirus (HPV) is known to be the cause of a range of malignancies. These entail benign infections like genital warts as well as malignant, life-threatening conditions such as cervical cancer. Since a very high mortality rate is associated with HPV caused cancers (cervical cancer is a 2nd leading cause of death caused due to cancer among women globally), there is an escalating need to understand and search for ways to combat such medical conditions. Under the same light, the given article provides an insight into the world of this versatile pathogen. Distinct aspects related to HPV have been discussed here. Emphasis has been laid upon the composition, function and assembly of capsid proteins (structural studies) and various genetic elements and their gene products (genomic studies). The essence of the mechanism behind the development of persistent infection and modes responsible for the transmission of the infectious particles has been briefly covered. Finally, the review outlines various infections and diseases caused by HPV with a major focus on their clinical and histological manifestations.

The Self-Assembly of Lignin and Its Application in Nanoparticle Synthesis: A Short Review.

Lignin serves as a significant contributor to the natural stock of non-fossilized carbon, second only to cellulose in the biosphere. In this review article, we focus on the self-assembly properties of lignin and their contribution to its effective utilization and valorization. Traditionally, investigations on self-assembly properties of lignin have aimed at understanding the lignification process of the cell wall and using it for efficient delignification for commercial purposes. In recent years (mainly the last three years), an increased number of attempts and reports of technical-lignin nanostructure synthesis with controlled particle size and morphology have been published. This has renewed the interests in the self-assembly properties of technical lignins and their possible applications. Based on the sources and processing methods of lignin, there are significant differences between its structure and properties, which is the primary obstacle in the generalized understanding of the lignin structure and the lignification process occurring within cell walls. The reported studies are also specific to source and processing methods. This work has been divided into two parts. In the first part, the aggregation propensity of lignin based on type, source and extraction method, temperature, and pH of solution is discussed. This is followed by a critical overview of non-covalent interactions and their contribution to the self-associative properties of lignin. The role of self-assembly towards the understanding of xylogenesis and nanoparticle synthesis is also discussed. A particular emphasis is placed on the interaction and forces involved that are used to explain the self-association of lignin.

Melanoma treatment: from conventional to nanotechnology.

INTRODUCTION: Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer causing most of the skin cancer-related deaths. The incidence of melanoma has risen so dramatically over past few years that no other solid or blood malignancy comes close to it in terms of increased incidence. The main problem associated with the treatment of melanoma is low response rate to the existing treatment modalities, which in turn is due to the incomplete response by chemotherapeutic agents and inherent resistance of melanoma cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Conventional therapeutic strategies, as well as, recent literature on melanoma have been thoroughly studied. This review summarizes the base of anti-melanoma treatment with conventional chemotherapeutic drugs, followed by an account of recent studies which explored the potential of nanotechnology and newer strategies and agents in melanoma treatment. CONCLUSION: Although melanoma is curable if detected in its early localized form, metastatic melanoma continues to be a therapeutic challenge. Metastatic melanoma has a very poor prognosis and conventional therapies have not improved the outcomes of the treatment so far. For this reason, newer combinations of anti-melanoma drugs and newer strategies utilizing nanotechnology have been constantly explored.

Functionalized nanoliposomes loaded with anti survivin and anti angiogenic agents to enhance the activity of chemotherapy against melanoma by 4-pronged action.

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive cancers which has very low response rate and survival rate. Melanoma cells are known to be inherently resistant to the chemotherapy which results in poor outcomes and even failure of the therapy. For this reason, a better understanding of underlying mechanism of melanoma pathogenesis and resistance is required, so that more efficient and novel therapeutic strategies can be developed. Survivin is a protein which is overexpressed in melanoma cells and is known to impart resistance to them against apoptosis. Also, melanoma cells overexpress Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF) angiogenic growth factors which lead to aggressive angiogenesis in melanoma cells thereby making the treatment more challenging. This hypothesis presents a combinatorial approach against melanoma where an anti-survivin agent and an anti-angiogenic agent are combined with a chemotherapeutic drug and loaded in surface functionalized liposomes in order to target specific mechanisms of melanoma, thus overcoming its resistance. Thus, the study aims to overcome the resistance of melanoma cells by developing a wise combination of drugs and achieve a higher response rate in resistant melanoma model, which is usually not achieved with the existing treatment modalities.

Preferences for groundnut products among urban residents in Ghana.

BACKGROUND: The present study identifies factors influencing preferences for common groundnut products using information about product perceptions from residents in Ghana's cities collected in 2011. In Ghana, domestically produced groundnuts, processed into a variety of groundnut products, are a vital source of protein and other nutrients. RESULTS: Response summaries provide insights about the eating frequency of various products, whereas a bivariate ordered probit model identifies factors influencing preferences for groundnut paste and roasted groundnuts. Attributes such as taste, protein content and healthfulness are important for roasted groundnuts, whereas aroma, taste and protein content are associated with a preference for groundnut paste. Large households prefer paste, whereas the less educated and those from households with children prefer roasted groundnuts. Adding a child (4-12 years old) increases probability of 'liking very much' roasted groundnuts and an additional adult at home changes that probability regarding groundnut paste. College-educated consumers prefer groundnut paste less than those with less education. Consumers from Tamale and Takoradi prefer roasted groundnuts and groundnut paste more than Accra households. CONCLUSIONS: Taste and protein content are attributes of groundnut paste and roasted groundnuts preferred by consumers. Location is a significant factor shaping preference for roasted groundnuts and groundnut paste. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Characterisation of corn extrudates with the addition of brewers' spent grain as a raw material for the production of functional batters.

BACKGROUND: Novel food batters, recommended for various products, are at present manufactured by extru- sion. Thanks to this, it is possible to look for and process new raw materials, if their processing has so far been considered impossible or economically unviable. The purpose of the work was therefore to investigate the extrudates produced from the corn and brewers' spent grain compounds that are subsequently used as raw material for food batter production. METHODS: The work presents the findings of research on extrusion of corn mixes with varying levels of brewers' spent grains, to the maximum amount of 30%. Tests were conducted using a co-rotating double screw extruder, equipped with a single-outlet matrix with a diameter of 2.5mm. The products obtained were subjected to analysis of their parameters (apparent density, strength parameters, abrasiveness index) and the granulation of a single fraction was checked. The sample for which the percentage content was the highest was subjected to a detailed analysis of particle shape using vision software. RESULTS: It was found that an increase in the content of brewers' spent grains resulted in increased hardness of the products obtained. During the tests it was observed that the increasing hardness of the measured sam- ples is opposite to their abrasion resistance. The maximum decrement of the brasion parameters was seen for extrudates with 30% spent grain addition and was 1.4%, while the minimum decrement values for extrudates with brewers' grain content (10%) amounted to 0.85%. It was noted that this may prove the high brittleness of such products, particularly on the outer surface. It was also observed that lower grindability was recorded for samples produced by extrusion at a temperature of 140°C. On the other hand, higher grindability obtained at a temperature of 120°C may facilitate the grinding of such products, which may be particularly important in the production of food batter. CONCLUSIONS: Brewers' spent grains used as an addition to corn groats contribute to substantial changes in the extrudates obtained. It is also possible to produce compact extrudates with a brewers' spent grain content of 30%. After grinding, extrudates with higher brewers' spent grain content are distinguished by more rounded grains. The packing index of the samples indicates the increased accuracy of covering products with such batter, which indicates an advantage of food batters containing brewers' spent grains.