Orchestrating the Impact of KIR/HLA Interactions on Kidney Transplant.

This study examines the interplay between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) compatibility and killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genotypes in influencing kidney transplantation outcomes. Understanding these interactions is crucial for improving graft survival and minimizing rejection risks. We evaluated 84 kidney transplant recipients, dividing them into two groups based on post-transplant outcomes: there were 68 with stable graft function (SGF) and 16 who experienced chronic rejection (CR). Patients were selected based on specific inclusion criteria. HLA mismatches (Class I: HLA-A, -B; Class II: HLA-DR) and KIR genotypes were determined using standard genotyping techniques. Statistical analyses, including logistic regression, were performed to correlate these factors with transplant outcomes. Significant age differences were observed, with younger patients more likely to experience graft rejection, while no significant gender-based differences were noted. A significant correlation was found between Class II mismatches and increased rejection rates, highlighting the importance of HLA-DR compatibility. Further analysis revealed that certain inhibitory KIRs, such as KIR3DL1, were associated with favorable outcomes, suggesting a protective role against graft rejection. These findings were corroborated by evaluating serum creatinine levels over multiple years, serving as a biomarker for renal function post transplant. This study underscores the critical need for meticulous HLA matching and the consideration of KIR genotypes in pre-transplant evaluations to enhance graft survival and minimize rejection risks. Integrating these genetic factors into routine clinical assessments could significantly improve personalized transplant medicine strategies, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes. Further research is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms and validate these findings in larger, diverse populations.

Deciphering contaminants and toxins in fermented food for enhanced human health safeguarding.

Fermented foods have been a component of the human diet since ancient times, including live bacteria employed to restore gut health, contributing to the frontline of functional food progression. Human concern about the harmful consequences of possible contaminants has increased significantly as their toxicity, carcinogenicity, and teratogenicity have become more publicized. In order to take preventive measures, it is essential to correctly identify and define the implications of contaminants and toxins in human health and intestinal microbiota balance for preventing or diagnosing epidemics before they cause damage. The longer food chain that results from urbanization and underreporting of diseases makes it harder to correlate contaminated food to disease, which in turn presents challenges to improving food safety. This research aims to present the potential physical, chemical, and microbiological pollutants and toxins found in fermented products and their effects on human health. The scope tackles various categories of fermented foods, such as dairy products, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, fermented meat products, traditional bakery products, and fermented cereals and vegetables. Furthermore, it examines specific control processes such as rigorous sanitation protocols, advanced packaging technologies, regulatory harmonization, and decontamination methodologies used to prevent the release of contaminants from fermented foods. Future viewpoints and opportunities are briefly mentioned in the conclusion.

Characterization of a Potential Isozyme Laccase from Trametes polyzona MPS1-3 and its Contribution to Palm Oil Mill Effluent Treatment.

The high phenolic content of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) constitutes an environmental concern. In this study, laccase producing microorganisms were isolated from POME samples collected in Côte d'Ivoire for their possible use in POME treatment. Strain showing the highest laccase activity was identified by ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region sequencing as Trametes polyzona. A maximum laccase production (156.3 U/mL) was obtained after 10 days of incubation under shaking condition, at 37 °C, pH 4, with starch (1%), tryptone (0.3%) and 10 mM of guaiacol. The partially purified laccase of 31 kDa exhibited maximum activity at 50 °C and pH 4.5 with a Km for guaiacol and Vmax of 0.7 mM and 0.04 mM/min, respectively. Metals, SDS and EDTA did not inhibit his activity. Used as biotreatment agent, T. polyzona MPS1-3 reduced COD, total suspended solids, total solids and total phenolics by 16.03%, 70.15%, 38.9%, 50.84%, respectively, for sterilized POME and by 13.09%, 58.07%, 36.53%, 42.05% for unsterilized POME. These results showed the promising application of T. polyzona for bioremediation of phenolics compounds in wastewater and it potentially useful in several other biotechnological applications.

An Overview of Gut Microbiota and Colon Diseases with a Focus on Adenomatous Colon Polyps.

It is known and accepted that the gut microbiota composition of an organism has an impact on its health. Many studies deal with this topic, the majority discussing gastrointestinal health. Adenomatous colon polyps have a high prevalence as colon cancer precursors, but in many cases, they are hard to diagnose in their early stages. Gut microbiota composition correlated with the presence of adenomatous colon polyps may be a noninvasive and efficient tool for diagnosis with a high impact on human wellbeing and favorable health care costs. This review is meant to analyze the gut microbiota correlated with the presence of adenomatous colon polyps as the first step for early diagnosis, prophylaxis, and treatment.

Clinical and genetic predictors of diabetes drug's response.

Diabetes is a major health problem worldwide. Glycemic control is the main goal in the management of type 2 diabetes. While many anti-diabetic drugs and guidelines are available, almost half of diabetic patients do not reach their treatment goal and develop complications. The glucose-lowering response to anti-diabetic drug differs significantly between individuals. Relatively little is known about the factors that might underlie this response. The identification of predictors of response to anti-diabetic drugs is essential for treatment personalization. Unfortunately, the evidence on predictors of drugs response in type 2 diabetes is scarce. Only a few trials were designed for specific groups of patients (e.g. patients with renal impairment or older patients), while subgroup analyses of larger trials are frequently unreported. Physicians need help in picking the drug which provides the maximal benefit, with minimal side effects, in the right dose, for a specific patient, using an omics-based approach besides the phenotypic characteristics.

DNA Methylation and Micro-RNAs: The Most Recent and Relevant Biomarkers in the Early Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a frequently encountered cancer type, and its alarming incidence is explained by genetic and epigenetic alterations. Epigenetic changes may represent diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of HCC. In this review we discussed deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) hypomethylation, DNA hypermethylation, and aberrant expression of small non-coding ribonucleic acid (RNA), which could be useful new biomarkers in the early diagnosis of HCC. We selected the articles on human subjects published in English over the past two years involving diagnostic markers detected in body fluids, cancer diagnosis made on histopathological exam, and a control group of those with benign liver disease or without liver disease. These biomarkers need further investigation in clinical trials to develop clinical applications for early diagnosis and management of HCC.

Characterization of a Sea Buckthorn Extract and Its Effect on Free and Encapsulated Lactobacillus casei.

Probiotics are bacteria that can provide health benefits to consumers and are suitable to be added to a variety of foods. In this research, viability of immobilized Lactobacillus casei in alginate with or without sea buckthorn lipid extract were studied during heat treatment and with an in vitro gastrointestinal model. The characterization of the lipid extract was also done using the UV-Vis spectrometry (UV-Vis), high-performance liquid chromatography photodiode array detection method (HPLC-PDA), gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GS-MS) and Cryo scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM). During heat treatment, the entrapped probiotic cells proved high viability (>6 CFU log/g), even at temperatures above 50 °C. The rich in monounsaturated fatty acids sea buckthorn fraction improved the in vitro digestion passage regarding the probiotic viability. The survival of the probiotic cells was 15% higher after 2 h in the acidic medium of the simulated gastric fluid in the sample where L. casei was encapsulated with the sea buckthorn extract compared with the samples where no extract was added. Thus, this approach may be effective for the future development of probiotic-supplemented foods as foods with health welfare for the consumers.

Exploring Technological, Safety and Probiotic Properties of Enterococcus Strains: Impact on Rheological Parameters in Fermented Milk.

Enterococci, known for their resilience, are commonly found in food, the environment, and the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and animals. In recent research, six strains of enterococcus were isolated from bat guano. These include Enterococcus mundtii SRBG1, Enterococcus gallinarum SRBG3, Enterococcus faecium SRBG2, Enterococcus casseliflavus EC1, and Enterococcus devriesei CAU 1344. Identification was done using 16S DNA analysis. Each strain underwent evaluation for its technological properties (such as tolerances to various NaCl concentrations and temperatures, as well as amylolytic, ß-galactosidase, lipolytic, and proteolytic activities, and EPS production) and selected probiotic properties (including safety profile, resistance to 0.3 percent bile salts and gastric juice with a pH of 2.5, lysozyme tolerance, and antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against four foodborne pathogens). The results were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis. This analysis revealed that E. mundtii SRBG1 and E. gallinarum SRBG3, followed by E. faecium SRBG2, were most closely associated with a broad range of technological characteristics and were subsequently used for fermenting skimmed milk. The rheological properties of the samples indicated a shear-thinning or non-Newtonian behavior. Furthermore, during storage of the fermented milk at 4 °C over periods of 1, 7, 14, and 21 days, there were no significant changes in bacterial count (at around 7 log10 CFU/mL) and pH when fermented with the three evaluated strains.

Polyphenol Analysis via LC-MS-ESI and Potent Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antimicrobial Activities of Jatropha multifida L. Extracts Used in Benin Pharmacopoeia.

Jatropha multifida L., a plant from the Euphorbiaceae family, is commonly used in Benin's traditional medicine due to its therapeutic benefits. This study aims to explore the medicinal efficacy of Jatropha multifida L. by evaluating its various biological activities. An initial phytochemical analysis was conducted, following which the polyphenols and flavonoids were quantified and identified using LC-MS-ESI. The antimicrobial efficacy of the extracts was tested using agar diffusion. Their antioxidant capacity was assessed using several methods: DPPH radical reduction, ABTS radical cation reduction, ferric ion (FRAP) reduction, and lipid peroxidation (LPO). Anti-inflammatory activity was determined based on the inhibition of protein (specifically albumin) denaturation. The study identified several phenolic and flavonoid compounds, including 2-Hydroxybenzoic acid, o-Coumaroylquinic acid, Apigenin-apiosyl-glucoside, and luteolin-galactoside. Notably, the extracts of J. multifida demonstrated bactericidal effects against a range of pathogens, with Concentration Minimally Bactericidal (CMB) values ranging from 22.67 mg/mL (for organisms such as S. aureus and C. albicans) to 47.61 mg/mL (for E. coli). Among the extracts, the ethanolic variant displayed the most potent DPPH radical scavenging activity, with an IC50 value of 0.72 ± 0.03 mg/mL. In contrast, the methanolic extract was superior in ferric ion reduction, registering 46.23 ± 1.10 µgEAA/g. Interestingly, the water-ethanolic extract surpassed others in the ABTS reduction method with a score of 0.49 ± 0.11 mol ET/g and also showcased the highest albumin denaturation inhibition rate of 97.31 ± 0.35% at a concentration of 1000 µg/mL. In conclusion, the extracts of Jatropha multifida L. are enriched with bioactive compounds that exhibit significant biological activities, underscoring their therapeutic potential.

Polyphenols-Ensured Accessibility from Food to the Human Metabolism by Chemical and Biotechnological Treatments.

Polyphenols are plant-based compounds famous for their positive impact on both human health and the quality of food products. The benefits of polyphenols are related to reducing cardiovascular diseases, cholesterol management, cancers, and neurological disorders in humans and increasing the shelf life, management of oxidation, and anti-microbial activity in food products. The bioavailability and bio-accessibility of polyphenols are of the highest importance to secure their impact on human and food health. This paper summarizes the current state-of-the-art approaches on how polyphenols can be made more accessible in food products to contribute to human health. For example, by using food processing methods including various technologies, such as chemical and biotechnological treatments. Food matrix design and simulation procedures, in combination with encapsulation of fractionated polyphenols utilizing enzymatic and fermentation methodology, may be the future technologies to tailor specific food products with the ability to ensure polyphenol release and availability in the most suitable parts of the human body (bowl, intestine, etc.). The development of such new procedures for utilizing polyphenols, combining novel methodologies with traditional food processing technologies, has the potential to contribute enormous benefits to the food industry and health sector, not only reducing food waste and food-borne illnesses but also to sustain human health.

Pharmacological Property and Cytotoxic Effect Showing Antiproliferative Potency in Human Melanoma Cell Lines (A375) of Combretum racemosum P. Beauv. Leaf and Root Extracts Used in Benin.

Combretum racemosum, a plant from the Combretaceae family, is traditionally used in Benin for various health problems. However, scientific research on Beninese samples of this plant is limited. The aim of this study was to identify and assess the bioactive compounds in the plant's leaves and roots. Initial screening involved analyzing powders derived from these parts for total polyphenols, flavonoids, and both condensed and hydrolyzable tannins. The polyphenolic compounds were analyzed using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS. To evaluate the plant's antimicrobial properties, the agar diffusion method was employed, while FRAP and DPPH assays were used to determine its antioxidant capacity. For anti-inflammatory activity, the study utilized tests for in vitro protein denaturation inhibition and in vivo acute edema induced by carrageenan. Additionally, an antiproliferative assay was conducted using the human melanoma cell line A375. The analysis revealed the presence of significant polyphenolic compounds in both the leaf and root extracts of C. racemosum. Notably, compounds like Pedunculagin, Vescalagin, Casuarictin, and Digalloyl-glucoside were abundant in the leaves, with Vescalagin being especially predominant in the roots. The study also found that the dichloromethane extracts from the leaves and roots exhibited bactericidal effects on a substantial percentage of meat-isolated strains. Moreover, the antioxidant activities of these extracts were confirmed through FRAP and DPPH methods. Interestingly, the dichloromethane root extract showed strong activity in inhibiting thermal albumin denaturation, while the water-ethanol leaf extract demonstrated significant edema inhibition. Finally, the study observed that C. racemosum extracts reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with leaf extracts showing more pronounced antiproliferative effects than root extracts. These findings highlight the potential of C. racemosum leaves and roots as sources of compounds with diverse and significant biological activities. In conclusion, C. racemosum's leaves and roots exhibit promising biological activities, highlighting their potential medicinal value.

Bioactive Compounds in Moringa oleifera: Mechanisms of Action, Focus on Their Anti-Inflammatory Properties.

Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) is a tropical tree native to Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan; it is cultivated for its nutritious leaves, pods, and seeds. This scientific study was conducted to outline the anti-inflammatory properties and mechanisms of action of bioactive compounds from M. oleifera. The existing research has found that the plant is used in traditional medicine due to its bioactive compounds, including phytochemicals: flavonoids and polyphenols. The compounds are thought to exert their anti-inflammatory effects due to: (1) inhibition of pro-inflammatory enzymes: quercetin and kaempferol inhibit the pro-inflammatory enzymes (cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase); (2) regulation of cytokine production: isothiocyanates modulate signaling pathways involved in inflammation, such as the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) pathway; isothiocyanates inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor α) and IL-1ß (interleukin-1ß); and (3) antioxidant activity: M. oleifera contains flavonoids, polyphenols, known to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. The review includes M. oleifera's effects on cardiovascular protection, anti-hypertensive activities, type 2 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This research could prove valuable for exploring the pharmacological potential of M. oleifera and contributing to the prospects of developing effective medicines for the benefit of human health.

Advancing microbiome research with machine learning: key findings from the ML4Microbiome COST action.

The rapid development of machine learning (ML) techniques has opened up the data-dense field of microbiome research for novel therapeutic, diagnostic, and prognostic applications targeting a wide range of disorders, which could substantially improve healthcare practices in the era of precision medicine. However, several challenges must be addressed to exploit the benefits of ML in this field fully. In particular, there is a need to establish "gold standard" protocols for conducting ML analysis experiments and improve interactions between microbiome researchers and ML experts. The Machine Learning Techniques in Human Microbiome Studies (ML4Microbiome) COST Action CA18131 is a European network established in 2019 to promote collaboration between discovery-oriented microbiome researchers and data-driven ML experts to optimize and standardize ML approaches for microbiome analysis. This perspective paper presents the key achievements of ML4Microbiome, which include identifying predictive and discriminatory 'omics' features, improving repeatability and comparability, developing automation procedures, and defining priority areas for the novel development of ML methods targeting the microbiome. The insights gained from ML4Microbiome will help to maximize the potential of ML in microbiome research and pave the way for new and improved healthcare practices.

Biodetoxification and Protective Properties of Probiotics.

Probiotic consumption is recognized as being generally safe and correlates with multiple and valuable health benefits. However, the mechanism by which it helps detoxify the body and its anti-carcinogenic and antimutagenic potential is less discussed. A widely known fact is that globalization and mass food production/cultivation make it impossible to keep all possible risks under control. Scientists associate the multitude of diseases in the days when we live with these risks that threaten the population's safety in terms of food. This review aims to explore whether the use of probiotics may be a safe, economically viable, and versatile tool in biodetoxification despite the numerous risks associated with food and the limited possibility to evaluate the contaminants. Based on scientific data, this paper focuses on the aspects mentioned above and demonstrates the probiotics' possible risks, as well as their anti-carcinogenic and antimutagenic potential. After reviewing the probiotic capacity to react with pathogens, fungi infection, mycotoxins, acrylamide toxicity, benzopyrene, and heavy metals, we can conclude that the specific probiotic strain and probiotic combinations bring significant health outcomes. Furthermore, the biodetoxification maximization process can be performed using probiotic-bioactive compound association.

Screening, optimization and characterization of exopolysaccharides produced by novel strains isolated from Moroccan raw donkey milk.

Two exopolysaccharides (EPS) producing strains, isolated from raw donkey milk were identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides SL and Enterococcus viikkiensis N5 using 16S rDNA sequencing. The Box Benheken design exhibited the highest yield of EPS-SL (672.342 mg/L) produced by SL and of EPS-N5 (901 mg/L) produced by N5. The molecular weight was 1.68×104 for EPS-SL and 1.55×104 Da for EPS-N5. FTIR, NMR and GC-MS analysis showed that the EPS are heteropolysaccharides. The SEM image showed that the EPS-SL was smooth and represented a lotus leaf shape and EPS-N5 revealed a stiff-like, porous appearance and was more compact than EPS-SL. The TGA analyses showed high thermal stability and degradation temperature. Additionally, the two EPSs possessed antibacterial and antioxidant activity, and the EPS-SL had the stronger antioxidant activity. Consequently, these results suggest that the functional and biological properties of EPS-SL and EPS-N5 imply the potential application in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Beer Safety: New Challenges and Future Trends within Craft and Large-Scale Production.

The presence of physical, chemical, or microbiological contaminants in beer represents a broad and worthy problem with potential implications for human health. The expansion of beer types makes it more and more appreciated for the sensorial properties and health benefits of fermentation and functional ingredients, leading to significant consumed quantities. Contaminant sources are the raw materials, risks that may occur in the production processes (poor sanitation, incorrect pasteurisation), the factory environment (air pollution), or inadequate (ethanol) consumption. We evaluated the presence of these contaminants in different beer types. This review covers publications that discuss the presence of bacteria (Lactobacillus, Pediococcus), yeasts (Saccharomyces, Candida), moulds (Fusarium, Aspergillus), mycotoxins, heavy metals, biogenic amines, and micro- and nano-plastic in beer products, ending with a discussion regarding the identified gaps in current risk reduction or elimination strategies.

Essential oils from Dysphania genus: Traditional uses, chemical composition, toxicology, and health benefits.

The genus Dysphania belongs to the Amaranthaceae family and is known for its many health benefits. Therefore, it is commonly available worldwide and includes more than 47 species, five species have been mainly reported, and D. ambrosioides has been one of the most widely used plants for thousands of years as a remedy for a wide range of ailments. In recent investigations, the essential oils of the genus Dysphania have been examined for their antibacterial, antioxidant, and antiviral properties related to specific components such as terpenoid compounds that exhibit pharmacological activity. Moreover, some of Dysphania's compounds show a toxicological effect. Therefore, the objective of the study was to provide EO chemical composition and pharmacological data of the genus Dysphania.

Optimisation and characterization of α-D-glucan produced by Bacillus velezensis RSDM1 and evaluation of its protective effect on oxidative stress in Tetrahymena thermophila induced by H2O2.

A novel exopolysaccharide was isolated from Bacillus velezensis RSDM1, purified and characterized. The optimization was carried out by Box-Behnken design and the highest yield of EPS-RSDM1 was 1969.53 mg/L. The EPS was composed by glucose with a molecular weight of 1.78 × 104 Da and connected by α-1,6 and α-1,3. The EPS was thermally stable and showed pseudoplastic rheology. The SEM have demonstrated a porous structure. Furthermore, EPS-RSDM1 showed a protective effect against the oxidative stress induced by H2O2 in Tetrahymena thermophila. The exposure of the cells to H2O2 reduced significantly the cell survival and CAT, SOD, GR, SDH and GAPDH activities, and increased the MDA production. However, pretreatment of the cells with EPS-RSDM1 prior to H2O2 exposure elevated the cell survival and enzyme activities, and decreased the level of MDA activity. Our study suggest that EPS-RSDM1 could be useful for preventing cellular oxidation in pharmaceutical and food industries.

Effect of encapsulated probiotic in Inulin-Maltodextrin-Sodium alginate matrix on the viability of Enterococcus mundtii SRBG1 and the rheological parameters of fermented milk.

In the current research, Enterococcus mundtii SRBG1 newly isolated from Bat guano was encapsulated using spray drying technique to create a probiotic powder using six combinations of inulin, maltodextrin and sodium alginate. The encapsulation yield, moisture content, physical characteristics, and shape were investigated. Microcapsules yields ranged from 67 to 85 percent, which is consistent with typical B-290 spray-drier yields. The moisture content showed to increase (4 ± 0.15%) with the addition of sodium alginate to inulin and maltodextrin. In the gastrointestinal conditions (simulated gastric juice and bile salts), it was shown that the viability of probiotic cells in capsules was higher than that of free cells. This demonstrated the effectiveness of combining inulin and maltodextrin to encapsulate substances in surviving in gastro-intestinal conditions. Additionally, we evaluated the non-encapsulated and encapsulated SRBG1 by assessing their impact on the rheological parameters of fermented milk. The results showed that in the absence of sodium alginate the viscosity of milk was lower than with the other protectors, which was confirmed by the quick acidification of the fermented milk by microcapsules containing sodium alginate.

Endothelial Dysfunction, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress in COVID-19-Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic represents an ongoing healthcare emergency responsible for more than 3.4 million deaths worldwide. COVID-19 is the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a virus that targets not only the lungs but also the cardiovascular system. COVID-19 can manifest with a wide range of clinical manifestations, from mild symptoms to severe forms of the disease, characterized by respiratory failure due to severe alveolar damage. Several studies investigated the underlying mechanisms of the severe lung damage associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and revealed that the respiratory failure associated with COVID-19 is the consequence not only of acute respiratory distress syndrome but also of macro- and microvascular involvement. New observations show that COVID-19 is an endothelial disease, and the consequent endotheliopathy is responsible for inflammation, cytokine storm, oxidative stress, and coagulopathy. In this review, we show the central role of endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the COVID-19 pathogenesis and present the therapeutic targets deriving from this endotheliopathy.