Extracting bioactive compounds and proteins from Bacopa monnieri using natural deep eutectic solvents.

This study employed novel extraction methods with natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) to extract bioactive compounds and proteins from Bacopa monnieri leaves. The conditional influence of ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), and enzymatic-assisted extraction (EAE) on the recovery efficiency of phenolics, proteins, flavonoids, and terpenoids was evaluated. The conditions of UAE were 50 mL/g LSR, 600W of ultrasonic power, and 30% water content with 40°C for 1 min to obtain the highest bioactive compounds and protein contents. The conditions of MAE were 40 mL/g LSR, 400W of microwave power with 30% water content for 3 min to reach the highest contents of biological compounds. The conditions of EAE were 30 mL/g of LSR, 20 U/g of enzyme concentration with L-Gly-Na molar ratio at 2:4:1, and 40% water content for 60 min to acquire the highest bioactive compound contents. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is employed to analyze the surface of Bacopa monnieri leaves before and after extraction. Comparing seven extraction methods was conducted to find the most favorable ones. The result showed that the UMEAE method was the most effective way to exploit the compounds. The study suggested that UMEAE effectively extracts phenolics, flavonoids, terpenoids, and protein from DBMP.

Multilayer immobilizing of denitrifying Bacillus sp. and TiO2-AgNPs on floating expanded clay carrier for co-treatment of nitrite and pathogens in aquaculture.

Nitrite contamination and the spread of pathogens can seriously degrade water quality. To simultaneously control these factors, an innovative approach of fabricating a remediation agent that contained denitrifying bacteria and TiO2-AgNPs co-immobilized on floating expanded clay (EC) was proposed in this study. The EC was fabricated from a mixture of clay and rice husk through pyrolysis at a high temperature of 1200 °C, followed by a rapid cooling step to create a porous structure for the material. TiO2NPs were modified with Ag to shift the absorbance threshold of TiO2-AgNPs into the visible region of 700-800 nm. The experimental results showed that the stirring speed of 250 rpm was suitable for immobilizing TiO2-AgNPs on EC and achieved the highest Ti and Ag content of 639.38 ± 3.04 and 200.51 ± 3.71 ppm, respectively. Coating TiO2-Ag/EC with chitosan (0.5%) significantly reduced the detachment level of immobilized TiO2-AgNPs compared to that of the material with no coating. In particular, this functionalized material inhibited 99.93 ± 0.1% of Vibrio parahaemolyticus pathogen but did not adversely affect the denitrifying bacteria after 2 h of visible light irradiation. Based on the electrostatic bond between oppositely charged polymers, the denitrifying bacteria, Bacillus sp., in alginate solution was successfully immobilized on the chitosan-coated TiO2-Ag/EC with a bacteria density of (76.67 ± 9.43) × 107 CFU g-1, retaining its nitrite removal efficiency at 99.0 ± 0.27% through six treatment cycles. These findings provide solid evidence for further investigating the combination of biodegradation and photodegradation in wastewater treatment.

Electrochemical water splitting of 3D binder-free hydrothermally synthesized Co3O4/unidirectional carbon cloth.

The development of hydrogen energy sources based on electrochemical water splitting is of increasing interest due to its advantages in energy and environmental fields. In this study, Co3O4 was decorated on carbon cloth (CC) by a hydrothermal method and was used as an electrode for water splitting. The structural and morphological properties of the materials are assessed using a range of reliable techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with EDX mapping, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Results indicate that the Co3O4/CC material was synthesized at 140 °C for 9 h and calcined at 350 °C achieving a superior overall water-splitting activity in the direction of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) reaction than that of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In detail, HER characteristics with an overpotential at -0.234 V and a current density at 10 mA cm-2. In addition, the Co3O4/CC material also gives overpotential at 0.54 V for OER process. Furthermore, the electrochemical surface area of Co3O4/CC material is 7.6 times higher than CC electrode. Moreover, the CC fabric is destroyed when the annealing temperature is higher than 350 °C, leading to a significant decrease in the activity of Co3O4/CC. The as-prepared Co3O4 shows good adhesion and stability based on CC substrate without binder substance or further treatment of CC.

Injectable thermogel incorporating reactive oxygen species scavenger and nitric oxide donor to accelerate the healing process of diabetic wounds.

The healing of diabetic wounds is challenging due to redox imbalances. Herein, the thermogelling system AR-ACP hydrogel, with encapsulated biosafe nitric oxide (NO) donor L-arginine and resveratrol as an ROS scavenger, is established for sustainable wound therapy in the diabetic state. The innovated AR-ACP hydrogel dressings shows the sol-gel transition at 34 °C, allowing the hydrogel to fully cover wounds. The combination of L-arginine and resveratrol showed a prominent effect on anti-oxidative activity. The elimination of superoxide anions from the activated immune cells/oxidative cells by resveratrol maintained the NO-proangiogenic factors generated from L-arginine. Furthermore, the AR-ACP hydrogel endowed outstanding features such as haemocompatibility, non-skin irradiation as well as antibacterial activity. In the in vivo diabetic mice model, complete epidermal regeneration comparable to undamaged skin was observed with AR-ACP hydrogel. The synergy between L-arginine and resveratrol in the ACP hydrogel facilitated neovascularisation in the early stage, resulting in the higher balance in cellularity growth and collagen deposition in the dermal layer compared to control groups. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the use of a customised ACP-based hydrogel, with the additional L-arginine and resveratrol, resulted in significant skin regeneration in the diabetic state.

Extraction and Emulsification of Carotenoids from Carrot Pomaces Using Oleic Acid.

This study aimed to use oleic acid-based ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) to recover carotenoids from carrot pomace and emulsify the enriched-carotenoid oleic acid using spontaneous and ultrasonic-assisted emulsification. The extraction performance of oleic acid was compared with traditional organic solvents, including hexane, acetone, and ethyl acetate. The one-factor experiments were employed to examine the impact of UAE conditions, including liquid-to-solid ratios, temperature, ultrasonic power, and time, on the extraction yield of carotenoids and to find the conditional ranges for the optimization process. The response surface methodology was employed to optimize the UAE process. The second-order extraction kinetic model was used to find the mechanism of oleic acid-based UAE. After that, the enriched-carotenoid oleic acid obtained at the optimal conditions of UAE was used to fabricate nanoemulsions using spontaneous emulsification (SE), ultrasonic-assisted emulsification (UE), and SE-UE. The effect of SE and UE conditions on the turbidity of nanoemulsion was determined. Then, the physiochemical attributes of the nanoemulsion from SE, UE, and spontaneous ultrasonic-assisted emulsification (SE-UE) were determined using the dynamic light scattering method. The extraction yield of carotenoids from carrot pomace by using sonication was the highest. The adjusted optimal conditions were 39 mL/g of LSR, 50 °C, 12.5 min, and 350 W of ultrasonic power. Under optimal conditions, the carotenoid content attained was approximately 163.43 ± 1.83 µg/g, with the anticipated value (166 µg/g). The particle sizes of nanoemulsion fabricated at the proper conditions of SE, UE, and SE-UE were 31.2 ± 0.83, 33.8 ± 0.52, and 109.7 ± 8.24 nm, respectively. The results showed that SE and UE are suitable methods for fabricating nanoemulsions. The research provided a green approach for extracting and emulsifying carotenoids from carrot pomace.

High Biocompatibility, MRI Enhancement, and Dual Chemo- and Thermal-Therapy of Curcumin-Encapsulated Alginate/Fe3O4 Nanoparticles.

(1) Background: Magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles have great potential for biomedical applications, including hyperthermia and magnetic resonance imaging. In this study, we aimed to identify the biological activity of nanoconjugates composed of superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles coated with alginate and curcumin (Fe3O4/Cur@ALG) in cancer cells. (2) Methods: The nanoparticles were evaluated for the biocompatibility and toxicity on mice. The MRI enhancement and hyperthermia capacities of Fe3O4/Cur@ALG were determined in both in vitro and in vivo sarcoma models. (3) Results: The results show that the magnetite nanoparticles exhibit high biocompatibility and low toxicity in mice at Fe3O4 concentrations up to 120 mg/kg when administered via intravenous injection. The Fe3O4/Cur@ALG nanoparticles enhance the magnetic resonance imaging contrast in cell cultures and tumor-bearing Swiss mice. The autofluorescence of curcumin also allowed us to observe the penetration of the nanoparticles into sarcoma 180 cells. In particular, the nanoconjugates synergistically inhibit the growth of sarcoma 180 tumors via magnetic heating and the anticancer effects of curcumin, both in vitro and in vivo. (4) Conclusions: Our study reveals that Fe3O4/Cur@ALG has a high potential for medicinal applications and should be further developed for cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Cinchonain Ia Shows Promising Antitumor Effects in Combination with L-Asparaginase-Loaded Nanoliposomes.

Cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide, with no effective and safe treatment to date. This study is the first to co-conjugate the natural compound cinchonain Ia, which has promising anti-inflammatory activity, and L-asparaginase (ASNase), which has anticancer potential, to manufacture nanoliposomal particles (CALs). The CAL nanoliposomal complex had a mean size of approximately 118.7 nm, a zeta potential of -47.00 mV, and a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.120. ASNase and cinchonain Ia were encapsulated into liposomes with approximately 93.75% and 98.53% efficiency, respectively. The CAL complex presented strong synergistic anticancer potency, with a combination index (CI) < 0.32 in two-dimensional culture and 0.44 in a three-dimensional model, as tested on NTERA-2 cancer stem cells. Importantly, the CAL nanoparticles demonstrated outstanding antiproliferative efficiency on cell growth in NTERA-2 cell spheroids, with greater than 30- and 2.5-fold increases in cytotoxic activity compared to either cinchonain Ia or ASNase liposomes, respectively. CALs also presented extremely enhanced antitumor effects, reaching approximately 62.49% tumor growth inhibition. Tumorized mice under CALs treatment showed a survival rate of 100%, compared to 31.2% in the untreated control group (p < 0.01), after 28 days of the experiment. Thus, CALs may represent an effective material for anticancer drug development.

Fe2O3/diatomite materials as efficient photo-Fenton catalysts for ciprofloxacin removal.

In this study, we used Fe2O3/diatomite material system toward ciprofloxacin (CIP) photo-Fenton removal in water under visible light (vis) excitation. The characterization of Fe2O3/diatomite catalysts was determined by X-ray diffraction patterns, Fourier-transform infrared analysis, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and scanning electron microscopy. The photo-Fenton catalytic activity of the Fe2O3/diatomite was appraised by the removal efficiency of the CIP throughout the effect of the H2O2 with various parameters such as initial pH, catalyst amount, and H2O2 amount. The results indicate that 0.2 gL-1 Fe2O3/diatomite catalysts achieved the highest performance at approximately 90.03% with a 50 µL H2O2 concentration. Furthermore, the Fe2O3/diatomite catalysts have high stability, with over 80% CIP removed after five cycles. This study is inspired to develop a potential material for photo-Fenton degradation of antibiotics in wastewater.

Allium sativum@AgNPs and Phyllanthus urinaria@AgNPs: a comparative analysis for antibacterial application.

Although medicinal herbs contain many biologically active ingredients that can act as antibiotic agents, most of them are difficult to dissolve in lipids and absorb through biofilms in the gastrointestinal tract. Besides, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been widely used as a potential antibacterial agent, however, to achieve a bactericidal effect, high concentrations are required. In this work, AgNPs were combined into plant-based antibiotic nanoemulsions using biocompatible alginate/carboxyl methylcellulose scaffolds. The silver nanoparticles were prepared by a green method with an aqueous extract of Allium sativum or Phyllanthus urinaria extract. The botanical antibiotic components in the alcoholic extract of these plants were encapsulated with emulsifier poloxamer 407 to reduce the particle size, and make the active ingredients both water-soluble and lipid-soluble. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis showed that the prepared nanosystems were spherical with a size of about 20 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the interaction of the extracts and the alginate/carboxyl methylcellulose carrier. In vitro drug release kinetics of allicin and phyllanthin from the nanosystems exhibited a retarded release under different biological pH conditions. The antimicrobial activity of the synthesized nanoformulations were tested against Escherichia coli. The results showed that the nanosystem based on Allium sativum possesses a significantly higher antimicrobial activity against the tested organisms. Therefore, the combination of AgNPs with active compounds from Allium sativum extract is a good candidate for in vivo infection treatment application.

No sex differences in evoked contractile properties after fatiguing isometric and isotonic exercise for the plantar flexors.

OBJECTIVES: Females tend to fatigue less than males after isometric exercise, but less is clear for isotonic exercise. Further, there have been relatively few sex comparisons for fatigability of the plantar flexors (PFs). We sought to investigate potential sex differences in contractile properties after a sustained maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) and isotonic contractions. METHODS: Twenty-seven physically active males (n=14; 22±2 yrs) and females (n=13; 21±2 yrs) randomly performed a 2 min MVIC and 120 concentric isotonic (30% MVIC) contractions for the PFs on separate visits. Before and after each fatiguing task, muscle activation was obtained from brief MVICs, which was followed (~2 sec) by tibial nerve stimulation at rest. Contractile properties including peak twitch, absolute and normalized time to peak twitch, and half relaxation time were calculated. RESULTS: No sex differences existed for fatigue-induced changes in muscle activation (p=0.09-0.41; d=0.33-0.69) or contractile properties (p=0.19-0.96; d=0.06-0.94). CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral fatigue, as indicated by contractile parameters, did not differ between sexes after isometric or isotonic exercise. The PFs similar fiber type proportions between sexes or greater fiber type heterogeneity may explain why sex differences in fatigability, though common in other muscle groups (e.g., knee extensors), were not expressed in this muscle group.

Applications of Single-Molecule Vibrational Spectroscopic Techniques for the Structural Investigation of Amyloid Oligomers.

Amyloid oligomeric species, formed during misfolding processes, are believed to play a major role in neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases. Deepening the knowledge about the structure of amyloid intermediates and their aggregation pathways is essential in understanding the underlying mechanisms of misfolding and cytotoxicity. However, structural investigations are challenging due to the low abundance and heterogeneity of those metastable intermediate species. Single-molecule techniques have the potential to overcome these difficulties. This review aims to report some of the recent advances and applications of vibrational spectroscopic techniques for the structural analysis of amyloid oligomers, with special focus on single-molecule studies.

Characterization of Isolated Aerobic Denitrifying Bacteria and Their Potential Use in the Treatment of Nitrogen-Polluted Aquaculture Water.

Ammonia and nitrite treatments are the critical steps that must be done to ensure the healthy growth of aquatic animals. The nitrification process is often used for nitrogen removal purposes due to its efficiency and environmentally friendly properties. However, the varied growth rate between ammonia and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria can cause nitrite accumulation, leading to the massive mortality of aquatic animals at high concentrations. Therefore, this study aimed to integrate the fast-growing heterotrophic nitrite-reducing bacteria with nitrifying bacteria to achieve a quicker nitrite removal activity. The two denitrifying Bacillus sp. ST20 and Bacillus sp. ST26 were screened from shrimp ponds in Bac Lieu province, Vietnam. Obtained results showed that under anoxic conditions, the nitrite removal efficiency of these two strains reached 68.5-82% at nitrite initial concentration of 20 mgN-NO2/L after 72 h. Higher efficiency of over 95% was gained under oxic conditions. Hence, it enabled the use of denitrifying and nitrifying bacteria-co-immobilized carriers for ammonia oxidation and nitrite reduction simultaneously in a single-aerated bioreactor. A total of over 96% nitrogen content was removed during the bioreactor operation, despite the increase of inputting nitrogen concentration from 40 to 200 mgN/L. Moreover, the suitable conditions for bacterial growth and nitrite conversion activity of the ST20 and ST26 were detected as 15‰ salinity and 35 °C. The isolates also utilized various C-sources for growth, hence widening their applicability. The present study suggested that the isolated aerobic denitrifying bacteria are potentially used for the complete removal of nitrogen compounds from aquaculture wastewater.

Modification of expanded clay carrier for enhancing the immobilization and nitrogen removal capacity of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria in the aquaculture system.

In aquaculture systems, the treatment of nitrogen pollution has always been a center of attention due to its impact on productiveness. The bioremediation method based on simultaneous nitrification and denitrification was often used to effectively remove ammonium, nitrite, and nitrate compounds. In addition, the attachment and biofilm formation of the nitrogen-converting bacteria on carriers had superior removal efficiency over the suspended bacteria. Thus, this study focused on the fabrication of a porosity floatable expanded clay (EC) carrier that provided the basic structure for the immobilization of the nitrifiers Nitrosomonas sp., Nitrobacter sp., and the denitrifier Bacillus sp. The EC was also coated with alginate and essential nutrient to support the cohesion and growth of bacteria. Especially, the selected Bacillus sp. previously proved was able to reduce nitrite/nitrate in aerobic conditions. The co-immobilization of these three aerobic bacteria on the prepared carrier would simply the treatment process in practical use. Initial results showed that the integration of essential nutrients (N, P, K) on alginate coated EC (EC_Alg_N) increased bacterial density to (57 ± 3) × 107 - (430 ± 30) × 108 CFU/g, which then led to the enhancement of removal efficiency up to 91.62 ± 0.67% in the medium containing initial nitrogen content of 60 mg-N/L. The nitrogen removal efficacy of bacterial immobilized EC_Alg_N remained at 83.95 ± 0.15% after being reused for 6 cycles. In conclusion, the bacterial immobilized EC_Alg_N could be a potential material for nitrogen polluted wastewater treatment in aquaculture systems.

Age-related reduction in peak power and increased postural displacement variability are related to enhanced vestibular-evoked balance responses in females.

Adult aging is associated with reductions in muscle function and standing balance control. However, whether sensorimotor function adapts to maintain upright posture in the presence of age-related muscle weakness is unclear. The purpose was to determine whether vestibular control of balance is altered in older compared to younger females and whether vestibular-evoked balance responses are related to muscle power. Eight young (22.6 ± 1.8 years) and eight older (69.7 ± 6.7 years) females stood quietly on a force plate, while subjected to random, continuous electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS; 0-20 Hz, root mean square amplitude: 1.13 mA). Medial gastrocnemius (MG) and tibialis anterior (TA) surface electromyography (EMG) and force plate anterior-posterior (AP) forces were sampled and associated with the EVS signal in the frequency and time domains. Knee extensor function was evaluated using a Biodex multi-joint dynamometer. The weaker, less powerful older females exhibited a 99 and 42% greater medium-latency peak amplitude for the TA and AP force (p < 0.05), respectively, but no other differences were detected for short- and medium-latency peak amplitudes. The TA (<10 Hz) and MG (<4 Hz) EVS-EMG coherence and EVS-AP force coherence (<2 Hz) was greater in older females than young. A strong correlation was detected for AP force medium-latency peak amplitude with center of pressure displacement variability (r = 0.75; p < 0.05) and TA medium-latency peak amplitude (r = 0.86; p < 0.05). Power was negatively correlated with AP force medium-latency peak amplitude (r = -0.47; p < 0.05). Taken together, an increased vestibular control of balance may compensate for an age-related reduction in power and accompanies greater postural instability in older females than young.

Multifunctional nanocarriers of Fe3O4@PLA-PEG/curcumin for MRI, magnetic hyperthermia and drug delivery.

Background: Despite medicinal advances, cancer is still a big problem requiring better diagnostic and treatment tools. Magnetic nanoparticle (MNP)-based nanosystems for multiple-purpose applications were developed for these unmet needs. Methods: This study fabricated novel trifunctional MNPs of Fe3O4@PLA-PEG for drug release, MRI and magnetic fluid hyperthermia. Result: The MNPs provided a significant loading of curcumin (∼11%) with controllable release ability, a high specific absorption rate of 82.2 W/g and significantly increased transverse relaxivity (r2 = 364.75 mM-1 s-1). The in vivo study confirmed that the MNPs enhanced MRI contrast in tumor observation and low-field magnetic fluid hyperthermia could effectively reduce the tumor size in mice bearing sarcoma 180. Conclusion: The nanocarrier has potential for drug release, cancer treatment monitoring and therapy.

In this study, the authors designed and fabricated novel magnetic trifunctional nanoparticles of Fe₃O₄@PLA-PEG. The 8.5 nm Fe₃O₄ core was covered with the polymeric matrix of PLA-PEG to encapsulate an anticancer agent of curcumin at a content of about 11%. Curcumin release from the nanoparticles (NPs) could be controlled by applying a remote alternating magnetic field. The NPs enhanced MRI contrast, which allowed the authors to better distinguish the tumor and surroundings in MR images, which would help monitor treatment. The heat that NPs generated when applied to a field at low intensity could effectively reduce the tumor size in mice bearing sarcoma 180. The nanocarrier, therefore, has potential for cancer treatment monitoring and drug release conjuvant with magnetic hyperthermia therapy.

Dual Loading of Doxorubicin and Magnetic Iron Oxide into PLA-TPGS Nanoparticles: Design, in vitro Drug Release Kinetics, and Biological Effects on Cancer Cells.

The multifunctional nano drug delivery system (MNDDS) has much revolutionized in cancer treatment, aiming to eliminate many disadvantages of conventional formulations. This paper herein proposes and demonstrates MNDDS inspired by poly(lactide)-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (PLA-TPGS) copolymer co-loaded Doxorubicin and magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs) with a 1 : 1 (w/w) optimal ratio. In vitro drug release kinetics of Doxorubicin from this nanosystem fitted best to the Weibull kinetic model and can be described by the classical Fickian diffusion mechanism under acidic pH conditions. The combination of MIONs and Doxorubicin in the PLA-TPGS copolymer has maintained the fluorescence properties of Doxorubicin and good cell penetration, especially inside the nucleus and its vicinity. Moreover, different cell cycle profiles were observed in HeLa cell lines treated with MNDDSs.

Characterizations and Antibacterial Efficacy of Chitosan Oligomers Synthesized by Microwave-Assisted Hydrogen Peroxide Oxidative Depolymerization Method for Infectious Wound Applications.

The use of naturally occurring materials with antibacterial properties has gained a great interest in infected wound management. Despite being an abundant resource in Vietnam, chitosan and its derivatives have not yet been intensively explored for their potential in such application. Here, we utilized a local chitosan source to synthesize chitosan oligomers (OCS) using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) oxidation under the microwave irradiation method. The effects of H2O2 concentration on the physicochemical properties of OCS were investigated through molecular weight, degree of deacetylation, and heavy metal contamination for optimization of OCS formulation. Then, the antibacterial inhibition was examined; the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration (MIC and MBC) of OCS-based materials were determined against common skin-inhabitant pathogens. The results show that the local Vietnamese chitosan and its derivative OCS possessed high-yield purification while the molecular weight of OCS was inversely proportional and proportional to the concentration of H2O2, respectively. Further, the MIC and MBC of OCS ranged from 3.75 to less than 15 mg/mL and 7.5-15 mg/mL, respectively. Thus, OCS-based materials induce excellent antimicrobial properties and can be attractive for wound dressings and require further investigation.

Impacts of effluent from different livestock farm types (pig, cow, and poultry) on surrounding water quality: a comprehensive assessment using individual parameter evaluation method and water quality indices.

Water pollution within and nearby different livestock farm types was assessed comprehensively for the first time in Vietnam. The samples of wastewater, ground water, and surface water were collected from 130 pig farms, 80 poultry farms, and 40 cow farms. Water quality was first assessed by individual parameter evaluation method in which measured values of water quality parameters were compared with the permissible limits in the national technical regulations on livestock's effluent (QCVN 62), surface water quality, and ground water quality. Subsequently, the overall quality of surface and ground water samples was evaluated by mean of water quality index (WQI). The results showed the large variations in effluent's quality, implying the considerable differences in wastewater treatment efficiency within and among farm types. Effluent from livestock farms was highly polluted by organic matters (expressed as BOD5 and COD) and especially by microorganisms (expressed as total coliform-CF). Almost all wastewater samples contained higher number of CF than QCVN 62 (3900 MPN/100ml), with mean concentration of CF in effluent from cow farms, pig farms, and poultry farms were 1.2e+07 ± 5.0e+07 MPN/100ml, 8.8e+04 ± 7.1e+04 MPN/100ml, 1.5e+06 ± 4.2e+06 MPN/100ml, respectively. Improperly treated livestock's waste was likely to have impacts on quality of ground water and receiving surface water bodies. High CF contamination in effluent leads to 70% of the ground water samples in cow farms and poultry farms classified as unsuitable for drinking water supply by WQI values. Although effluent from poultry farms had smaller quantity and better quality, their receiving surface water bodies exhibited the worst quality, with average WQI of 37.5 ± 16.2 compared to 49.9 ± 12 of pig farms and 50.3 ± 20.8 of cow farms. This result suggests that livestock's effluent was not only pollution source of surface water bodies nearby livestock farms.

Isometric versus isotonic contractions: Sex differences in the fatigability and recovery of isometric strength and high-velocity contractile parameters.

The purpose of this study was to investigate potential sex differences in the fatigue- and recovery-induced responses of isometric strength and power, as well as select dynamic contractile parameters after isometric and isotonic plantar flexor (PF) contractions. Healthy males (n = 12; age = 21.8 ± 2.2 years) and females (n = 14; age = 21.4 ± 2.5 years) performed a 2-min maximal voluntary isometric contraction and 120 concentric isotonic (30% peak isometric torque) contractions of the PFs on separate visits. Isometric strength, isotonic power, as well as torque- and velocity-related parameters were recorded before, immediately after, and throughout 10 min of recovery. Rate of EMG rise (RER) for the medial gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus was also obtained. All measures responded similarly between sexes after both fatiguing modalities (p > 0.05), except RER of the MG which, in males demonstrated both, a greater decrease during isotonic contractions (p = 0.038, ηp2  = 0.174) and more rapid recovery after isometric exercise (p = 0.043, ηp2  = 0.166). Although not significant, a nearly large effect size was demonstrated for the fatigue-induced decrease in isometric strength (p = 0.061; d = 0.77) due to relative decreases tending to be greater in males (-29% vs. -17%). Regardless of fatiguing modality, sex differences were minimal for fatigue and recovery-related responses in muscle function for the PFs, although the difference for RER may indicate a unique origin of fatigue. Further support for the disassociation between the response in isometric strength and power after fatiguing exercise was also demonstrated.