Desalination of the power plant salty wastewater by use of an algae-based photosynthetic microbial desalination cell.

In this research the possibility of using a photosynthetic microbial desalination cell (PhMDC) is investigated for desalination of power plant salty wastewater (PPSWW), along with power generation and organic load removal. The PhMDC was operated with anaerobic sludge in the anode chamber, microalgae in the cathode chamber, and different conductivities of PPSWW (10, 20, 40, and 55 mS cm-1) in the desalination chamber under different illumination modes (continuous light mode and light/dark mode). The highest power density (285.5 mW m-2), desalination efficiency (60.9%), and COD removal (74.8%) was achieved at conductivity of 55 mS cm-1 under continuous light mode. The highest algal growth (900 mg. L-1) was also observed at this conductivity. The applied system demonstrated effective removal of different presented cations and anions in PPSWW with removal efficiencies of more than 58%. Dynamic shift of microbial community in the anode chamber showed notable increase in sulfate-reducing bacteria and some specific genera such as Desulfovibrio, Pseudomonas, Rhodobacter, Rhodopseudomonas, and Desulfuromonas due to their potential for electricity generation and adaptation to saline and acidic conditions.

Nanomaterial strategies in wound healing: A comprehensive review of nanoparticles, nanofibres and nanosheets.

Wound healing is a complex process that orchestrates the coordinated action of various cells, cytokines and growth factors. Nanotechnology offers exciting new possibilities for enhancing the healing process by providing novel materials and approaches to deliver bioactive molecules to the wound site. This article elucidates recent advancements in utilizing nanoparticles, nanofibres and nanosheets for wound healing. It comprehensively discusses the advantages and limitations of each of these materials, as well as their potential applications in various types of wounds. Each of these materials, despite sharing common properties, can exhibit distinct practical characteristics that render them particularly valuable for healing various types of wounds. In this review, our primary focus is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art in applying nanoparticles, nanofibres, nanosheets and their combinations to wound healing, serving as a valuable resource to guide researchers in their appropriate utilization of these nanomaterials in wound-healing research. Further studies are necessary to gain insight into the application of this type of nanomaterials in clinical settings.

Cadmium Sulfide Nanoparticles: Preparation, Characterization, and Biomedical Applications.

Cadmium sulfide nanoparticles (CdS NPs) have been employed in various fields of nanobiotechnology due to their proven biomedical properties. They are unique in their properties due to their size and shape, and they are popular in the area of biosensors, bioimaging, and antibacterial and anticancer applications. Most CdS NPs are generally synthesized through chemical, physical, or biological methods. Among these methods, biogenic synthesis has attracted more attention due to its high efficiency, environmental friendliness, and biocompatibility features. The green approach was found to be superior to other methods in terms of maintaining the structural characteristics needed for optimal biomedical applications. The size and coating components of CdS NPs play a crucial role in their biomedical activities, such as anticancer, antibacterial, bioimaging, and biosensing applications. CdS NPs have gained significant interest in bioimaging due to their desirable properties, including good dispersion, cell integrity preservation, and efficient light scattering. Despite these, further studies are necessary, particularly in vivo studies to reduce NPs' toxicity. This review discusses the different methods of synthesis, how CdS NPs are characterized, and their applications in the biomedical field.

Cometabolic degradation of ethyl mercaptan by phenol-utilizing Ralstonia eutropha in suspended growth and gas-recycling trickle-bed reactor.

The degradability of ethyl mercaptan (EM), by phenol-utilizing cells of Ralstonia eutropha, in both suspended and immobilized culture systems, was investigated in the present study. Free-cells experiments conducted at EM concentrations ranging from 1.25 to 14.42 mg/l, showed almost complete removal of EM at concentrations below 10.08 mg/l, which is much higher than the maximum biodegradable EM concentration obtained in experiments that did not utilize phenol as the primary substrate, i.e. 2.5 mg/l. The first-order kinetic rate constant (kSKS) for EM biodegradation by the phenol-utilizing cells (1.7 l/g biomass/h) was about 10 times higher than by cells without phenol utilization. Immobilized-cells experiments performed in a gas recycling trickle-bed reactor packed with kissiris particles at EM concentrations ranging from 1.6 to 36.9 mg/l, showed complete removal at all tested concentrations in a much shorter time, compared with free cells. The first-order kinetic rate constant (rmaxKs) for EM utilization was 0.04 l/h for the immobilized system compared to 0.06 for the suspended-growth culture, due to external mass transfer diffusion. Diffusion limitation was decreased by increasing the recycling-liquid flow rate from 25 to 65 ml/min. The removed EM was almost completely mineralized according to TOC and sulfate measurements. Shut down and starvation experiments revealed that the reactor could effectively handle the starving conditions and was reliable for full-scale application.

Evaluation of fig-milk dessert bioactive properties as a potential functional food.

The fig-milk dessert, a traditional and nutritionally rich treat infused with bioactive compounds, was subjected to a comprehensive analysis in this study. The novelty of this research lies in the investigation of the in vitro antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial potential of the fig-milk dessert. This was accomplished through the utilization of the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, Annexin/propidium iodide staining, microtiter plate-based assay and agar well diffusion, respectively, for the first time. Additionally, the study assessed the total phenols and flavonoid content of the extract using the Folin-Ciocalteu assay and the aluminum chloride method, respectively. The findings revealed that the cooking method exerted a significant influence on the bioactive properties and nutritional composition of the dessert. Among the samples analyzed, CM1, consisting of figs steamed for 2 min and milk heated to 70°C, exhibited remarkable characteristics. This sample demonstrated the highest peptide concentration (1290 mg/L), superior antioxidant and anticancer activities, and favorable sensory attributes. Specifically, CM1 induced apoptosis in 84% of AGS cells and inhibited 68% of free radicals in the DPPH assay. It is noteworthy that the fig-milk dessert did not exhibit any antibacterial properties. These discerning results carry substantial implications for the development of functional dairy products endowed with both nutritional and potential therapeutic properties.

An update on the therapeutic role of RNAi in NAFLD/NASH.

Unhealthy lifestyles have given rise to a growing epidemic of metabolic liver diseases, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NAFLD often occurs as a consequence of obesity, and currently, there is no FDA-approved drug for its treatment. However, therapeutic oligonucleotides, such as RNA interference (RNAi), represent a promising class of pharmacotherapy that can target previously untreatable conditions. The potential significance of RNAi in maintaining physiological homeostasis, understanding pathogenesis, and improving metabolic liver diseases, including NAFLD, is discussed in this article. We explore why NAFLD/NASH is an ideal target for therapeutic oligonucleotides and provide insights into the delivery platforms of RNAi and its therapeutic role in addressing NAFLD/NASH.

Nanostructured multifunctional stimuli-responsive glycopolypeptide-based copolymers for biomedical applications.

Inspired by natural resources, such as peptides and carbohydrates, glycopolypeptide biopolymer has recently emerged as a new form of biopolymer being recruited in various biomedical applications. Glycopolypeptides with well-defined secondary structures and pendant glycosides on the polypeptide backbone have sparked lots of research interest and they have an innate ability to self-assemble in diverse structures. The nanostructures of glycopolypeptides have also opened up new perspectives in biomedical applications due to their stable three-dimensional structures, high drug loading efficiency, excellent biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Although the development of glycopolypeptide-based nanocarriers is well-studied, their clinical translation is still limited. The present review highlights the preparation and characterization strategies related to glycopolypeptides-based copolymers, followed by a comprehensive discussion on their biomedical applications with a specific focus on drug delivery by various stimuli-responsive (e.g., pH, redox, conduction, and sugar) nanostructures, as well as their beneficial usage in diagnosis and regenerative medicine.

Multifunctional Self-Assembled Peptide Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications.

Self-assembly is a growth mechanism in nature to apply local interactions forming a minimum energy structure. Currently, self-assembled materials are considered for biomedical applications due to their pleasant features, including scalability, versatility, simplicity, and inexpensiveness. Self-assembled peptides can be applied to design and fabricate different structures, such as micelles, hydrogels, and vesicles, by diverse physical interactions between specific building blocks. Among them, bioactivity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability of peptide hydrogels have introduced them as versatile platforms in biomedical applications, such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, biosensing, and treating different diseases. Moreover, peptides are capable of mimicking the microenvironment of natural tissues and responding to internal and external stimuli for triggered drug release. In the current review, the unique characteristics of peptide hydrogels and recent advances in their design, fabrication, as well as chemical, physical, and biological properties are presented. Additionally, recent developments of these biomaterials are discussed with a particular focus on their biomedical applications in targeted drug delivery and gene delivery, stem cell therapy, cancer therapy and immune regulation, bioimaging, and regenerative medicine.

Degradation of phenol in the bio-cathode of a microbial desalination cell with power generation and salt removal.

In this study, the performance of a three-chamber microbial desalination cell (MDC) was assessed to simultaneously remove salt (35 g.L-1) from water and degrade phenol as a hazardous compound. Two parallel MDCs with the same configurations were run using glucose as the chemical oxygen demand (COD) at an initial concentration of 1.5 g.L-1 as the anolyte. MDC#1 operated with 10 mM phosphate buffer solution (PBS), while MDC#2 operated with bio-cathode as the catholyte for the degradation of 100 mg.L-1 of phenol. The use of MDC#1 resulted in a power density, desalination efficiency, and COD removal of 366.2 mW.m-2, 50.3 ± 4.0 %, and 79.3 ± 2.2 %, respectively. All performance parameters were improved in MDC#2 with bio-cathode so that power density, desalination efficiency, and COD removal reached 660.1 mW.m-2, 72.1 ± 3.0 %, and 92.6 ± 2.4 %, respectively. Also, more than 96 % of phenol was degraded using bio-cathode within 7 h of operation. Bio-cathode could enhance the performance of the MDC reactor through catalyzing the final reactions of electron acceptors compared to MDC#1 with a chemical cathode. In general, the results indicated that heterotrophic microorganisms, able to grow alongside autotrophic bacteria, could effectively extend the applications of MDC reactors to degrade hazardous compounds in cathode chambers.

Carrageenans for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications: A review.

Biomaterials are considered a substantial building block for tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery. Despite using both organic and inorganic biomaterials in these fields, polymeric biomaterials are the most promising candidates because of their versatility in their characteristics (i.e., physical, chemical, and biological). Mainly, naturally-derived polymers are of great interest due to their inherent bioactivity. Derived from red seaweeds, carrageenan (CG) is a naturally-occurring polysaccharide that has shown promise as a biopolymer for various biomedical applications. CG possesses unique characteristics, including antiviral, immunomodulatory, anticoagulant, antioxidant, and anticancer properties, making it an appealing candidate for tissue engineering and drug delivery research. This review summarizes the versatile properties of CG and the chemical modifications applied to it. In addition, it highlights some of the most promising research that takes advantage of CG to formulate and fabricate scaffolds and/or drug delivery systems with high potential for tissue repair and disease curing.

Effect of mixed culture of yeast and microalgae on acetyl-CoA carboxylase and Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase expression.

In recent years, some studies have reported that co-culturing green algae and yeast improve lipid and biomass concentration. In this study, a co-culture of the oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula glutinis and the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris was consequently conducted with inoculation of microalga and yeast in growth and stationary phases, respectively. For the first time, the expression of two pivotal enzymes in fatty acids synthetic pathway, acetyl-CoA carboxylase and Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, was evaluated. To evaluate the synergistic impacts of the mixed culture on the enzymes expression, several co-culture models were designed, including the use of different ratio of microalgae to yeast or the use of residual cell-free medium of yeast; a positive impact on enzymes overexpression was shown in the case of the co-culture of the two microorganisms, and when the remaining cell-free medium of yeast was added to the microalgal culture. The results of in vitro co-culture demonstrated increased 6- and 5-fold of nervonic acid (C24:1) and behenic acid (C22:0) concentrations, respectively, in 2:1 microalgae to yeast co-culture as compared to the monoculture batches. Addition of yeast residual cell-free medium in the 2:1 ratio to the microalgal culture enhanced 9 and 6 times nervonic acid (C24:1) and behenic acid (C22:0) amounts, respectively.

Controlled Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Delivery to Liver Cancer Cells by Gate-Capped Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of primary malignancy in the liver and one of the most common types of cancer worldwide. Its readily increasing mortality rate highlights the urgent need for the development of efficient therapeutic strategies. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as sorafenib and sunitinib are used as efficient angiogenesis inhibitors for this purpose. However, despite their pharmacological effects, their transfer into clinical practice is characterized by their poor aqueous solubility and accumulation in off-target tissues, resulting in unfavorable side effects. Here, we report a nanocomposite made of amine-functionalized mesoporous silica nanocomposites (MSNs) that are surface-coated with cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs) for the controlled delivery and release of TKIs. Amine-functionalized MSNs were prepared using a sol-gel method and loaded with TKIs. To trap drug molecules into the mesoporous structure, CNPs were covalently conjugated to the surface of MSNs. The synthesis and functionalization steps were controlled using different characterization methods, confirming the desired morphology and structure, the identity of functional groups on the surface, successful coating, and appropriate loading efficiency. Under physiological conditions, CNP-capped MSNs demonstrated a sustained drug release over time as a result of CNPs' gatekeeping effect on the payloads. Strong cellular interactions with different liver cancer cells and enhanced cellular uptake were also observed in vitro for the gate-capped MSNs. Internalization of nanocomposites induced cell death via the production of reactive oxygen species, and subsequent activation of apoptosis pathways. This study demonstrates that gate-capped MSNs are promising chemotherapeutic vehicles characterized by a sustained drug release profile and high cellular internalization.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of microalgae proteins using serine proteases: A study to characterize kinetic parameters.

Protein composition and molecular weight play an important role in the digestibility of microalgae proteins. In this study for the first time, proteinous materials of Dunaliella salina and Spirulina platensis were extracted and purified by fast protein liquid chromatography. Then, they are affected by trypsin and chymotrypsin as indicator intestinal enzymes. The results showed that the extracted protein from S. plantesis (ProS) was more rapidly hydrolysed than proteins from D. salina (ProD) because of their lower molecular weight and likely their greater flexibility and open structure. Also, the extent of hydrolysis by trypsin and chymotrypsin of ProS were higher and faster than ProD due to the more number of hydrolytic sites in ProS for both enzymes. The catalytic efficiency and kcat displayed that ProS were more suitable substrate than ProD for intestinal enzymes. The results exhibited that chymotrypsin can act better and faster than trypsin on peptide bonds of proteins.

Rapid optimization of liposome characteristics using a combined microfluidics and design-of-experiment approach.

Liposomes have attracted much attention as the first nanoformulations entering the clinic. The optimization of physicochemical properties of liposomes during nanomedicine development however is time-consuming and challenging despite great advances in formulation development. Here, we present a systematic approach for the rapid size optimization of liposomes. The combination of microfluidics with a design-of-experiment (DoE) approach offers a strategy to rapidly screen and optimize various liposome formulations, i.e., up to 30 liposome formulations in 1 day. Five representative liposome formulations based on clinically approved lipid compositions were formulated using systematic variations in microfluidics flow rate settings, i.e., flow rate ratio (FRR) and total flow rate (TFR). Interestingly, flow rate-dependent DoE models for the prediction of liposome characteristics could be grouped according to lipid-phase transition temperature and surface characteristics. For all formulations, the FRR had a significant impact (p < 0.001) on hydrodynamic diameter and size distribution of liposomes, while the TFR mainly affected the production rate. Liposome characteristics remained constant for TFRs above 8 mL/min. The stability study revealed an influence of lipid:cholesterol ratio (1:1 and 2:1 ratio) and presence of PEG on liposome characteristics during storage. To validate our DoE models, we formulated liposomes incorporating hydrophobic dodecanethiol-coated gold nanoparticles. This proof-of-concept step showed that flow rate settings predicted by DoE models successfully determined the size of resulting empty liposomes (109.3 ± 15.3 nm) or nanocomposites (111 ± 17.3 nm). This study indicates that a microfluidics-based formulation approach combined with DoE is suitable for the routine development of monodisperse and size-specific liposomes in a reproducible and rapid manner.

Correction to "Targeted Reinforcement of Macrophage Reprogramming Toward M2 Polarization by IL-4-Loaded Hyaluronic Acid Particles".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b03182.].

Targeted Reinforcement of Macrophage Reprogramming Toward M2 Polarization by IL-4-Loaded Hyaluronic Acid Particles.

Alteration of macrophage polarization from inflammatory (M1) to anti-inflammatory (M2) phenotype can have striking implications for the regeneration of injured tissues, treatment of inflammatory diseases, and relief of autoimmune disorders. Although certain cytokines like interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 are capable of inducing M2 macrophage polarization, their therapeutic potential in vivo is suffering from low efficacy due to their instability and poor access to target cells. Here, we report the synthesis of IL-4-loaded hyaluronic acid (HA) particle for the targeted delivery of cytokines through the high affinity of HA to CD44 receptors of macrophages. HA carriers composed of low, middle, and high molecular weight (MW) polymers were synthesized using divinyl sulfone (DVS) cross-linking. The MW of HA had a negligible effect on the physicochemical properties and biocompatibility of the macrophages, but as an indicative of M2 polarization, a significant change in the arginase-1 (Arg-1) activity, TNF-α release, and IL-10 secretion was observed for the HA particles prepared with high MW polymers. Therefore, these particles were loaded with IL-4 for simultaneous macrophage targeting and M1 to M2 reprogramming, evidenced by a remarkable increase in the Arg-1 to iNOS ratio, as well as CD163 and CD206 upregulation in the M1 macrophages, which were initially triggered by lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ.

An Outcome Study of Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion among Iranian Population.

Background and Aim. First-line treatment strategy for managing cervical disc herniation is conservative measures. In some cases, surgery is indicated either due to signs/symptoms of severe/progressive neurological deficits, or because of persistence of radicular pain despite 12 weeks of conservative treatment. Success for treatment of cervical disc herniation using ACDF has been successfully reported in the literature. We aim to determine the outcome of ACDF in treatment of cervical disc herniation among Iranians. Methods and Materials/Patients. In a retrospective cohort study, we evaluated 68 patients who had undergone ACDF for cervical disc herniation from March 2006 to March 2011. Outcome tools were as follows: (1) study-designed questionnaire that addressed residual and/or new complaints and subjective satisfaction with the operation; (2) recent (one week prior to the interview) postoperative VAS for neck and upper extremity radicular pain; (3) Japanese Orthopaedic Association Myelopathy Evaluation Questionnaire (JOACMEQ) (standard Persian version); and (4) follow-up cervical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and lateral X-ray. Results. With mean follow-up time of 52.93 (months) ± 31.89 SD (range: 13-131 months), we had success rates with regard to ΔVAS for neck and radicular pain of 88.2% and 89.7%, respectively. Except QOL functional score of JOAMEQ, 100% success rate for the other 4 functional scores of JOAMEQ was achieved. Conclusion. ACDF is a successful surgical technique for the management of cervical disc herniation among Iranian population.

Anterior Reconstruction of C2-C3 Bodies in a 6-Year-Old Patient with a Huge Osteoblastoma: A Novel Technique.

Study Design Case report. Objective We report the youngest child diagnosed with upper cervical osteoblastoma and the first case operated on with our novel surgical approach. Methods Our patient underwent a two-stage surgery. During the first operation via a posterior approach, a subtotal resection of a C2 bony mass was performed. C3 was also subtotally resected due to tumor extension. Posterior fixation of C1-C5 was performed by C1 sublaminar hooks and C4 and C5 lateral mass screws. Ten days later, a total resection of the residual bony mass was performed through an anterior approach (between the sternocleidomastoid muscle and carotid sheath). Reconstruction of C1-C3 was performed with C1 anterior sublaminar wiring and an expandable titanium cage. Results Successful reconstruction of C2-C3 vertebral bodies was achieved. At 2-year follow-up, the child was symptom-free. Imaging studies revealed no recurrence of tumor or instability. Conclusion A novel technique for reconstruction of C2-C3 vertebral bodies is demonstrated for the youngest case (a 6-year-old boy) of osteoblastoma in the literature. We recommend this approach for cervical spine reconstruction in patients who have an intact C1 arc and resected lower bodies.

Cervical Ligamentum Flavum Hematoma: A Case Report.

Study Design Case report. Objective To report the first case of ligamentum flavum hematoma after cervical spine instrumentation 11 years after the index surgery. Methods After performing bilateral C3 and C4 laminectomy, we observed a dark greenish discoloration over the ligamentum flavum, which was opened. We evacuated 15 mL of subacute hematoma. Results The first ligamentum flavum hematoma of the cervical spine that occurred after spinal instrumentation with sublaminar hooks. Conclusion Ligamentum flavum hematoma might happen even after a long delay (in our case, 11 years) from spinal instrumentation (sublaminar hooks). In symptomatic patients, evacuation is the treatment of choice. In cases of instrument adhesion to the surrounding intracanal tissues, removal should be done meticulously after performing a complete release.

Piriformis muscle syndrome: a recurrent case after surgical release.

We report a recurrent Piriformisc muscle syndrome after surgical release. After the primary neurolysis, a second operation was performed to release adhesions. This case shows a different type of sciatic nerve entrapment by an abnormal thin muscle slip. Results of the revision surgery guide us to the point that revision surgery for Piriformis muscle syndrome should be meticulously selected, and after considering medical and interventional therapies.