A Response Surface Methodological Approach for Large-Scale Production of Antibacterials from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum with Potential Utility against Foodborne and Orthopedic Infections.

A variety of bacteria, including beneficial probiotic lactobacilli, produce antibacterials to kill competing bacteria. Lactobacilli secrete antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) called bacteriocins and organic acids. In the food industry, bacteriocins, but even whole cell-free supernatants, are becoming more and more important as bio-preservatives, while, in orthopedics, bacteriocins are introducing new perspectives in biomaterials technologies for anti-infective surfaces. Studies are focusing on Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (previously known as Lactobacillus plantarum). L. plantarum exhibits great phenotypic versatility, which enhances the chances for its industrial exploitation. Importantly, more than other lactobacilli, it relies on AMPs for its antibacterial activity. In this study, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) through a Box-Behnken experimental design was used to estimate the optimal conditions for the production of antibacterials by L. plantarum. A temperature of 35 °C, pH 6.5, and an incubation time of 48 h provided the highest concentration of antibacterials. The initial pH was the main factor influencing the production of antibacterials, at 95% confidence level. Thanks to RSM, the titer of antibacterials increased more than 10-fold, this result being markedly higher than those obtained in the very few studies that have so far used similar statistical methodologies. The Box-Behnken design turned out to be a valid model to satisfactorily plan a large-scale production of antibacterials from L. plantarum.

Protective role of Pleurotus florida against streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia in rats: A preclinical study.

Pleurotus florida (Mont.) Singer is a mushroom species known to be an antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and diuretic agent, reducing blood pressure and cholesterol. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo potency of P. florida's anti-diabetic properties in rats affected by hyperglycemia induced by Streptozotocin (STZ) at 55 mg/kg (i.p.), characterized by oxidative stress impairment, and changes in insulin levels and lipid profile. After inducing hyperglycemia in the rats, they were treated with P. florida acetone and methanol extracts, orally administered for 28 days at doses of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight. The hyperglycemic control (DC) group showed significant increases (P < 0.05) in mean blood sugar, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood urea nitrogen, lipid hydroperoxides, and malondialdehyde, compared to the normal control (NC) group The high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, serum insulin, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione disulfide, glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione, guaiacol peroxidase, and vitamin E and C levels showed a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in DC group, compared to the NC group. Blood glucose levels, lipid profiles, and insulin levels improved significantly after 28 days of treatment, in the group treated with glibenclamide (an oral hypoglycemic drug, used as positive control), and in the groups treated with P. florida extracts. In DC group, the treatment with P. florida was found to prevent diabetes, according to histopathological studies of the kidneys, pancreas, and liver of rats. In conclusion, this study has shown that the treatment with P. florida decreased oxidative stress and glucose levels in the blood, as well as restoring changes in lipid profiles.

Combining Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Wharton's Jelly and Amniotic Biomaterial Scaffolds for Cell Delivery.

Therapies based on mesenchymal stem cells have incredible potential for tissue regeneration. Tracking cells and keeping them at the injury site are creating challenges. The cells can be sown into a biocompatible scaffold as a possible remedy. Tissue engineering construction is a difficult, multistep process that requires many variables to be optimized, including the stem cell source, molecular components, scaffold architecture, and a suitable in vivo animal model. In order to locate a suitable regenerative scaffold for delivering stromal cells to regions with greater healing potential, we assessed whether human Wharton's Jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJMSCs) responded on biological membranes. WJMSCs were isolated, characterized, and seeded onto an amniotic membrane-based scaffold. Results obtained in vitro revealed that the seeded scaffolds had a significant impact on a number of critical variables, including seeding effectiveness, cellular dispersion, adhesion, survival, and metabolic activity. The research sheds light on a fresh facet of material behavior and paves the way for the creation of scaffold materials that support tissue regeneration and repair. Furthermore, the methods used herein can be utilized to test other scaffold materials to increase their healing potential with WJMSCs.

Impact of particulate pollution on aquatic invertebrates.

A serious global problem, air pollution poses a risk to both human and environmental health. It contains hazardous material like heavy metals, nanoparticles, and others that can create an impact on both land and marine environments. Particulate pollutants, which can enter water systems through a variety of ways, including precipitation and industrial runoff, can have a particularly adverse influence on aquatic invertebrates. Once in the water, these particles can harm aquatic invertebrates physically, physiologically, and molecularly, resulting in developmental problems and multi-organ toxicity. Further research at the cellular and molecular levels in numerous locations of the world is necessary to completely understand the impacts of particle pollution on aquatic invertebrates. Understanding how particle pollution affects aquatic invertebrates is vital as the significance of ecotoxicological studies on particulate contaminants increases. This review gives a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of how particle pollution affects aquatic invertebrates.

Evaluating antimicrobial activities of Acanthus ilicifolius L. and Heliotropium curassavicum L against bacterial pathogens: an in-vitro study.

BACKGROUND: Biomedical research, recently, focus more on searching for biomasses that contain extractable biologically active components for formulating new drugs. Halophytes growing in hyper saline conditions are expected to produce stress alleviating bioactive compounds. These phytochemicals could be the better raw materials for formulating new drugs. METHODS: The purpose of this work was to describe physiologically active compounds from Acanthus ilicifolius and Heliotropium curassavicum that had antimicrobial, antioxidant and nutraceutical properties utilizing a variety of solvents. Analysis of bioactive compounds included the application of common phytochemical screening assays, proximate analysis, FTIR analysis and antioxidant assays. The disc diffusion technique was used to determine the antibacterial activity of the plant extracts. RESULTS: Highest extraction yield was observed with methanol. A. ilicifolius methanolic extracts included a variety of bioactive components, including alkaloids, saponins, phenolics, flavonoids, steroids, cardiac glycosides, tannins, and terpenoids. H. curassavicum extracts showed the presence of all the phytochemicals except cardiac glycosides. The overall phenolic concentration and antioxidant capacity of A. ilicifolius were substantially greater. The antimicrobial assays explored that among the tested bacterial pathogens viz., Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, significant level of control was observed in E. coli, K. pneumoniae and B. subtilis, which were significantly susceptible to both the plant extracts at a concentration of 50 µg/ml. CONCLUSION: The reports from the current investigation explored the possibility of utilizing these halophytes in nutraceutical formulations. The current study sheds light on the possibility of halophytes as natural secondary metabolites and bioactive chemicals with potential for antimicrobials.