Advances in the production of biosurfactants as green ingredients in home and personal care products.

Home and personal care industry is currently witnessing a growing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic surfactants. This increase is fueled by concerns over the delayed degradation and environmental impact of the latter. To this, biosurfactants possess important properties such as biodegradability, low toxicity, and renewable sourcing. These qualities position them as compelling replacements of traditional synthetic surfactants. Their diverse attributes including emulsification, antimicrobial efficacy, surface tension reduction, and foaming capability, make them well-suited choices for home and personal care products. Biosurfactants can be produced through several inexpensive and renewable sources which contributes to their commercialization potential. This article discusses various microbial derived biosurfactants including rhamnolipids, sophorolipids, mannosyl-erythritol lipids, trehalolipids and lipopeptides, unraveling and comparing their distinctive roles and advantages in the home and personal care industry. It also focuses on the recent patent innovations in the production of biosurfactants which have aimed at improving their economic viability and performance attributes. Finally, the article sheds light on the challenges and future trajectories for better integration of these sustainable biosurfactants into mainstream consumer products.

Sustainable biosurfactant production from secondary feedstock-recent advances, process optimization and perspectives.

Biosurfactants have garnered increased attention lately due to their superiority of their properties over fossil-derived counterparts. While the cost of production remains a significant hurdle to surpass synthetic surfactants, biosurfactants have been anticipated to gain a larger market share in the coming decades. Among these, glycolipids, a type of low-molecular-weight biosurfactant, stand out for their efficacy in reducing surface and interfacial tension, which made them highly sought-after for various surfactant-related applications. Glycolipids are composed of hydrophilic carbohydrate moieties linked to hydrophobic fatty acid chains through ester bonds that mainly include rhamnolipids, trehalose lipids, sophorolipids, and mannosylerythritol lipids. This review highlights the current landscape of glycolipids and covers specific glycolipid productivity and the diverse range of products found in the global market. Applications such as bioremediation, food processing, petroleum refining, biomedical uses, and increasing agriculture output have been discussed. Additionally, the latest advancements in production cost reduction for glycolipid and the challenges of utilizing second-generation feedstocks for sustainable production are also thoroughly examined. Overall, this review proposes a balance between environmental advantages, economic viability, and societal benefits through the optimized integration of secondary feedstocks in biosurfactant production.

Comparative Effectiveness of Second-line Antihyperglycemic Agents for Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Large-scale, Multinational, Federated Analysis of the LEGEND-T2DM Study.

Background: SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) and GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP1-RAs) reduce major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, their effectiveness relative to each other and other second-line antihyperglycemic agents is unknown, without any major ongoing head-to-head trials. Methods: Across the LEGEND-T2DM network, we included ten federated international data sources, spanning 1992-2021. We identified 1,492,855 patients with T2DM and established cardiovascular disease (CVD) on metformin monotherapy who initiated one of four second-line agents (SGLT2is, GLP1-RAs, dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor [DPP4is], sulfonylureas [SUs]). We used large-scale propensity score models to conduct an active comparator, target trial emulation for pairwise comparisons. After evaluating empirical equipoise and population generalizability, we fit on-treatment Cox proportional hazard models for 3-point MACE (myocardial infarction, stroke, death) and 4-point MACE (3-point MACE + heart failure hospitalization) risk, and combined hazard ratio (HR) estimates in a random-effects meta-analysis. Findings: Across cohorts, 16·4%, 8·3%, 27·7%, and 47·6% of individuals with T2DM initiated SGLT2is, GLP1-RAs, DPP4is, and SUs, respectively. Over 5·2 million patient-years of follow-up and 489 million patient-days of time at-risk, there were 25,982 3-point MACE and 41,447 4-point MACE events. SGLT2is and GLP1-RAs were associated with a lower risk for 3-point MACE compared with DPP4is (HR 0·89 [95% CI, 0·79-1·00] and 0·83 [0·70-0·98]), and SUs (HR 0·76 [0·65-0·89] and 0·71 [0·59-0·86]). DPP4is were associated with a lower 3-point MACE risk versus SUs (HR 0·87 [0·79-0·95]). The pattern was consistent for 4-point MACE for the comparisons above. There were no significant differences between SGLT2is and GLP1-RAs for 3-point or 4-point MACE (HR 1·06 [0·96-1·17] and 1·05 [0·97-1·13]). Interpretation: In patients with T2DM and established CVD, we found comparable cardiovascular risk reduction with SGLT2is and GLP1-RAs, with both agents more effective than DPP4is, which in turn were more effective than SUs. These findings suggest that the use of GLP1-RAs and SGLT2is should be prioritized as second-line agents in those with established CVD. Funding: National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Role of Gut Microbiota and Associated Compounds in Cardiovascular Health and its Therapeutic Implications.

It is possible that gut bacteria may have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health in humans. It may play a major role in the progression of a variety of cardiovascular diseases, including Heart Failure (HF), Atherosclerosis, Coronary Arterial Disease (CAD), Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD), and Others. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota, along with its direct and indirect impact on gut health, may induce cardiovascular disorders. Although advanced studies have demonstrated the relationship of various metabolites to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in animals, translating their functional capacity to humans remains a significant area of research. This paper simplifies the demonstration of some compounds, pathways, and components like Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and butyrate production. It demonstrates how a change in eating habits causes TMAO and how the impact of different drugs on gut microbiota species and high consumption of Westernized food causes several heartrelated problems, such as atherosclerosis and inflammation that can even become the cause of heart failure. Modulation of the gut microbiome, on the other hand, is a novel therapeutic measure because it can be easily altered through diet and other lifestyle changes. It could then be used to lower the risk of several CVDs.

Zika virus E protein modulates functions of human brain microvascular endothelial cells and astrocytes: implications on blood-brain barrier properties.

Neurotropic viruses can cross the otherwise dynamically regulated blood-brain barrier (BBB) and affect the brain cells. Zika virus (ZIKV) is an enveloped neurotropic Flavivirus known to cause severe neurological complications, such as encephalitis and fetal microcephaly. In the present study, we employed human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMECs) and astrocytes derived from human progenitors to establish a physiologically relevant BBB model. We used this model to investigate the effects of ZIKV envelope (E) protein on properties of cells comprising the BBB. E protein is the principal viral protein involved in interaction with host cell surface receptors, facilitating the viral entry. Our findings show that the presence of ZIKV E protein leads to activation of both hBMECs and astrocytes. In hBMECs, we observed a decrease in the expression of crucial endothelial junction proteins such as ZO-1, Occludin and VE-Cadherin, which are vital in establishment and maintenance of the BBB. Consequently, the ZIKV E protein induced changes in BBB integrity and permeability. We also found upregulation of genes involved in leukocyte recruitment along with increased proinflammatory chemokines and cytokines upon exposure to E protein. Additionally, the E protein also led to astrogliosis, evident from the elevated expression of GFAP and Vimentin. Both cell types comprising the BBB exhibited inflammatory response upon exposure to E protein which may influence viral access into the central nervous system (CNS) and subsequent infection of other CNS cells. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into the transient changes that occur at the site of BBB upon ZIKV infection.

Optimal preparation of food waste to increase its utility for sophorolipid production by Starmerella bombicola.

Secondary feedstocks, such as food waste (FW), have been used for yeasts (e.g. Starmerella bombicola) to produce sophorolipids (SLs), which are commercially available biosurfactants. However, the quality of FW varies by location and season and may contains chemicals that inhibit SLs production. Therefore, it is crucial to identify such inhibitors and, if possible, remove them, to ensure efficient utilization. In this study, large scale FW was first analysed to determine the concentration of potential inhibitors. Lacticacid, acetic acid and ethanol were identified and found to be inhibitors of the growth of S. bombicola and its SLs production. Various methods were then evaluated for their ability to remove these inhibitors. Finally, a simple and effective strategy for removing inhibitors from FW was developed that complied with the 12 principles of green chemistry and could be adopted by industry for high SLs production.

"A patient should not have to ask": Women's experiences of patient education about preconception care for type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize perspectives and experiences regarding preconception care (PCC) patient education among women with type 2 diabetes. METHOD: Descriptive, qualitative research design. Thirty-two English-speaking women with type 2 diabetes identifying as Black and/or Latina, ages 18-40 years old, participated. We conducted semi-structured interviews about PCC perspectives and experiences which we analyzed with conventional content analysis. To enhance rigor, we collected freelisting data from which we calculated salience scores. We triangulated our qualitative findings with salience scores. RESULTS: We identified three themes. Our first theme concerned mismatch between women's desires for PCC counseling to be frequent in contrast with their experiences of its infrequency. Our second theme captured how women felt responsible for initiating care in the clinical encounter but uncertain about what they "should" be asking for. Our third theme characterized women's perspectives on receiving information about PCC and pregnancy planning. CONCLUSIONS: Young adult women with type 2 diabetes who are Black and/or Latina welcome more education about how PCC can prevent obstetrical complications associated with diabetes, which disproportionately affect their communities. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Our findings provide actionable suggestions for improving acceptability and accessibility of PCC patient education in the United States where PCC awareness and uptake are low.

Sustainable rhamnolipids production in the next decade - Advancing with Burkholderia thailandensis as a potent biocatalytic strain.

Rhamnolipids are one of the most promising eco-friendly green glycolipids for bio-replacements of commercially available fossil fuel-based surfactants. However, the current industrial biotechnology practices cannot meet the required standards due to the low production yields, expensive biomass feedstocks, complicated processing, and opportunistic pathogenic nature of the conventional rhamnolipid producer strains. To overcome these problems, it has become important to realize non-pathogenic producer substitutes and high-yielding strategies supporting biomass-based production. We hereby review the inherent characteristics of Burkholderia thailandensis E264 which favor its competence towards such sustainable rhamnolipid biosynthesis. The underlying biosynthetic networks of this species have unveiled unique substrate specificity, carbon flux control and rhamnolipid congener profile. Acknowledging such desirable traits, the present review provides critical insights towards metabolism, regulation, upscaling, and applications of B. thailandensis rhamnolipids. Identification of their unique and naturally inducible physiology has proved to be beneficial for achieving previously unmet redox balance and metabolic flux requirements in rhamnolipids production. These developments in part are targeted by the strategic optimization of B. thailandensis valorizing low-cost substrates ranging from agro-industrial byproducts to next generation (waste) fractions. Accordingly, safer bioconversions can propel the industrial rhamnolipids in advanced biorefinery domains to promote circular economy, reduce carbon footprint and increased applicability as both social and environment friendly bioproducts.

'We tend to prioritise others and forget ourselves': How women's caregiving responsibilities can facilitate or impede diabetes self-management.

AIM: The objective of the parent study was to examine attitudes and experiences regarding counselling about preconception care among Black and/or Latina women in the United States with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Here, we present emergent findings from a secondary analysis of caregiving. METHODS: In this qualitative descriptive study, we used conventional content analysis to identify themes from semi-structured interviews with 32 Black and/or Latina women ages 18-40 who have T2DM in the United States recruited from online platforms and snowball sampling. RESULTS: Caregiving responsibilities both motivate and disrupt diabetes self-management behaviours. Caregiving largely meant taking care of children, but women also had responsibilities to adult family members and romantic partners. Women were motivated to manage their diabetes in order to prevent negative health effects on their children and to stay healthy so they could fulfil caregiving responsibilities. However, caregiving competed for time, energy and money with self-management. Struggling to balance caregiving and self-management caused stress that women felt was intrinsically unhealthy and undermined self-management. CONCLUSIONS: Young adult women with T2DM identified different ways that the roles and responsibilities in the family could affect their diabetes self-management. Providers and policymakers should develop health-promoting interventions that accommodate caregiving responsibilities.

Clinical validation of the Varian Truebeam intra-fraction motion review (IMR) system for prostate treatment guidance.

This study quantified the performance of Intra-fraction Motion Review (IMR) during prostate Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) treatments. IMR was evaluated using prostate motion data from patients treated in an SBRT clinical trial (PROMETHEUS, NCT00587990).IMR measured prostate displacements were compared to those of two 3D motion management methods: Kilovoltage Intra-fraction Motion management (KIM) and MV/kV triangulation. A planning study assessing the impact of a defined prostate motion (2-5 mm) on the PTV coverage with and without IMR was performed. A clinically relevant IMR search region for prostate cancer SBRT treatments was determined using a customised anthropomorphic pelvis phantom with implanted gold seeds and a motion platform. IMR showed submillimeter agreement with corresponding 2D projections from both KIM and MV/kV triangulation. However, IMR detected actual displacements consistently in considerably fewer frames than KIM (3D), with the actual numbers depending on the settings. The Default Search Region (DSR) method employing a circular search region proved superior to user-contoured structures in detecting clinically relevant prostate motion. Reducing the DSR search region radius can reduce the impact of the 2D nature of IMR and improve the detectability of actual motion (by 10% per 0.5 mm reduction) but must be balanced against increased beam interruptions from minor, clinically irrelevant motion. The use of IMR for SBRT prostate treatments has the potential to improve target dose coverage (minimum dose to 98% of the PTV, D98%) by > 20% compared to treatment without IMR. Calculated D98% of IMR monitored treatments with motion was within 1.5% of plans without motion.

Plakoglobin and High-Mobility Group Box 1 Mediate Intestinal Epithelial Cell Apoptosis Induced by Clostridioides difficile TcdB.

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of antibiotic-associated intestinal disease, resulting in severe diarrhea and fatal pseudomembranous colitis. TcdB, one of the essential virulence factors secreted by this bacterium, induces host cell apoptosis through a poorly understood mechanism. Here, we performed an RNA interference (RNAi) screen customized to Caco-2 cells, a cell line model of the intestinal epithelium, to discover host factors involved in TcdB-induced apoptosis. We identified plakoglobin, also known as junction plakoglobin (JUP) or γ-catenin, a member of the catenin family, as a novel host factor and a previously known cell death-related chromatin factor, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). Disruption of those host factors by RNAi and CRISPR resulted in resistance of cells to TcdB-mediated and mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis. JUP was redistributed from adherens junctions to the mitochondria and colocalized with the antiapoptotic factor Bcl-XL. JUP proteins could permeabilize the mitochondrial membrane, resulting in the release of cytochrome c. Our results reveal a novel role of JUP in targeting the mitochondria to promote the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Treatment with glycyrrhizin, an HMGB1 inhibitor, resulted in significantly increased resistance to TcdB-induced epithelial damage in cultured cells and a mouse ligated colon loop model. These findings demonstrate the critical roles of JUP and HMGB1 in TcdB-induced epithelial cell apoptosis. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea. Toxins, especially TcdB, cause epithelial cell apoptosis, but the underlying cell death mechanism is less clear. Through an apoptosis-focused RNAi screen using a bacterium-made small interfering (siRNA) library customized to a human colonic epithelial cell model, we found a novel host factor, plakoglobin (γ-catenin), as a key factor required for cell apoptosis induced by TcdB. Plakoglobin targets and permeabilizes mitochondria after stimulation by TcdB, demonstrating a hitherto underappreciated role of this catenin family member in the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells. We also found a previously known cell death-related chromatin factor, HMGB1, and explored the inhibition of HMGB1 for CDI therapy in vivo.

Impact of total solids content on biochar amended co-digestion of food waste and sludge: Microbial community dynamics, methane production and digestate quality assessment.

This study evaluates the impact of biochar addition on the performance of anaerobic co-digestion of food waste (FW) and sewage sludge at different total solids (TS) contents (2.5 %, 5.0 %, and 7.5 %). Biochar co-digestion improved hydrolysis and acidogenesis by neutralizing volatile fatty acids (VFAs) reducing its inhibitions (2.6-fold removal), which elevated the soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) degradation by 2.5 folds leading to a higher cumulative methane production compared to the control. This increase corresponded to an improvement of methane yields by ∼21 %-33 % (242-340 mL/gVSadd) at different TS contents. The biochar surface area offered substantial support for direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) activity, and biofilm-mediated growth of methanogens i.e., Methanosarcina, Methanosata, and Methanobrevibacter. The biochar-enriched digestate improved the seed germination index, and bioavailability of plant nutrients such as N, P, K, and NH4+-N. This study reports an improved biochar-mediated anaerobic co-digestion for efficient and sustainable FW valorization.

Bioreactor-scale production of rhamnolipids from food waste digestate and its recirculation into anaerobic digestion for enhanced process performance: Creating closed-loop integrated biorefinery framework.

Reaching industrially relevant productivities in bioprocesses and their efficient integration in the existing industrial infrastructure remain as important challenges in the circular economy to create closed loop sustainability framework. Using anaerobic digestion (AD) biorefinery as a model, the present work addressed these problems via integration of next-generation rhamnolipids production with AD. A high rhamnolipids concentration of 10.25 ± 1.34 g/L was obtained by fed-batch fermentation using food waste digestate as medium. Digestate-derived rhamnolipids contained Rha-C10-C10 and Rha-Rha-C10-C10 as the predominant congeners. These were used back in single-phase AD to demonstrate their effect on sludge solubilization and digestion efficiency. A dosage of 0.02 g rhamnolipids/g total suspended solids was found to be optimal which enhanced the hydrolysis-acidogenesis reactions to up to 27% over control. It however retarded methane production which could be overcome by the prolongation of digestion time. Finally, the value chain appreciation by the proposed process was demonstrated by a feasibility analysis.

Methodology of thermal drift measurements for surface guided radiation therapy systems and clinical impact assessment illustrated on the C-Rad Catalyst+ HD system.

Thermal drift of optical systems employed for surface guided radiation therapy (SGRT) adds uncertainty to patient setup and monitoring. This work describes methods to measure the drift of individual camera pods as well as the drift of the combined clinical signal. It presents results for four clinical C-Rad Catalyst+ HD systems. Based on the measured clinical drift, recipes are provided on how to calculate relevant uncertainties in patient setup and patient position monitoring with SGRT. Strategies to reduce the impact of drift are explained. While the results are specific to the systems investigated, the methodology is transferable and the clinical recipes are universally applicable.

Next-generation -omics approaches to drive carboxylate production by acidogenic fermentation of food waste: a review.

Acidogenic fermentation of food waste using mixed microbial cultures can produce carboxylates [or volatile fatty acids (VFA)] as high-valued bioproducts via a complex interplay of microorganisms during different stages of this process. However, the present fermentation systems are incapable of reaching the industrially relevant VFA production yields of ≥50 g/L primarly due to the complex process operation, competitive metabolic pathways, and limited understanding of microbial interplays. Recent reports have demonstrated the significant roles played by microbial communities from different phyla, which work together to control the process kinetics of various stages underlying acidogenic fermentation. In order to fully delineate the abundance, structure, and functionality of these microbial communities, next-generation high-throughput meta-omics technologies are required. In this article, we review the potential of metagenomics and metatranscriptomics approaches to enable microbial community engineering. Specifically, a deeper analysis of taxonomic relationships, shifts in microbial communities, and differences in the genetic expression of key pathway enzymes under varying operational and environmental parameters of acidogenic fermentation could lead to the identification of species-level functionalities for both cultivable and non-cultivable microbial fractions. Furthermore, it could also be used for successful gene sequence-guided microbial isolation and consortium development for bioaugmentation to allow VFA production with high concentrations and purity. Such highly controlled and engineered microbial systems could pave the way for tailored and high-yielding VFA synthesis, thereby creating a petrochemically competitive waste-to-value chain and promoting the circular bioeconomy.Research HighlightsMixed microbial mediated acidogenic fermentation of food waste.Metagenomics and metatranscriptomics based microbial community analysis.Omics derived function-associated microbial isolation and consortium engineering.High-valued sustainable carboxylate bio-products, i.e. volatile fatty acids.

Community Narrative as a Borderlands Praxis: Anzaldúa's Mestiza Consciousness as Explored in Cortez's Sexile.

I apply Gloria Anzaldúa's "borderlands theory" to Jamie Cortez's Sexile, an HIV/AIDS prevention publication created as a first-person narrative of the journey of queer, trans activist Adela Vasquez who fled to the US from Cuba in 1980. I argue that Sexile is a borderlands text and operationalizes Anzaldúa's mestiza consciousness at various levels- ranging from the essence of the text and what its existence represents to the literary techniques used in the telling of Adela's narrative. In the first half of this paper, I explore Anzaldúa's borderlands theory and the ethos of Sexile as a text, including Vázquez's story as inherently a borderland narrative; as a product of democratized knowledge; the praxis of the text's creation; and the technology of the graphic novel. Throughout the second half, I look more closely at the content of the text using close reading to explore notions of the "borderland" represented throughout Adela's narrative. Through both its content and the praxis of creation, Sexile represents the power of graphic medicine in illustrating the nuances of narratives at the interstices of marginalized identities and captures the multitudes and ambiguities of trauma, loss, rebirth, kinship, and joy at the margins.

Community-Informed Mobile COVID-19 Testing Model to Addressing Health Inequities.

CONTEXT: The New York City (NYC) Test & Trace Corps (Test & Trace), under New York City Health + Hospitals (NYC H+H), set out to provide universal access to COVID-19 testing. Test & Trace partnered with numerous organizations to direct mobile COVID-19 testing from concept through implementation to reduce COVID-19-related health inequities. PROGRAM: Test & Trace employs a community-informed mobile COVID-19 testing model to deliver testing to the hardest-hit, underserved communities. Community partners, uniquely knowledgeable of the residents they serve, are engaged as decision makers and operational partners in mobile COVID-19 testing delivery. IMPLEMENTATION: Through several mobile testing methods, community partners choose testing locations and tailor outreach to their community. Test & Trace assumes logistical responsibility for mobile testing but defers critical programmatic decisions and community engagement to partners. Integral to the success of this program is responsive, bidirectional communication. EVALUATION: During the reporting period of December 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021, Test & Trace's community-informed mobile COVID-19 testing model provided testing to 150351 unique patients and processed 274083 tests in total. The available outcomes data and qualitative feedback provided by community partners illustrate that this intervention, combined with robust governmental investment, successfully ensured that NYC-identified, low-resource neighborhoods had greater access to COVID-19 testing. DISCUSSION: Making community partners decision makers reduced inequities in access to testing for communities of color. In addition, the model has served as the framework for Test & Trace's community-informed mobile COVID-19 vaccination program, operated in concert with NYC's Vaccine Command Center, and is a foundation for addressing health inequities at scale, including during public health crises.

Rhamnolipids from non-pathogenic Acinetobacter calcoaceticus: Bioreactor-scale production, characterization and wound healing potency.

Rhamnolipids are predominantly produced from the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which restricts their scaled-up production and biomedical applications. Moreover, the wound healing property of rhamnolipids is mainly focused on either mono- or di-rhamnolipid congeners, which are obtained after extensive and costly purification procedures. Here, crude rhamnolipids from non-pathogenic Acinetobacter calcoaceticus BU-03 have been prepared and characterized and their wound healing potency evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Rhamnolipid extract was produced in a bioreactor by batch fermentation at a concentration of 12.7 ± 1.4 g/L. Characterization of the extract by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry revealed characteristic rhamnolipid peaks. Rha-C10-C10 and Rha-Rha-C10-C10 appeared as the predominant congeners along with minor quantities of six more congeners. The rhamnolipid extract obtained from A. calcoaceticus had no toxicity against mouse fibroblast L929 cells and accelerated their migration. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1) has been shown to promote fibroblast migration by activating Smad3. It was found that the rhamnolipid extract enhanced Smad3 phosphorylation in L929 cells. In vivo studies showed that it promoted wound healing in mice with excisional wounds. The protein levels of TGF-ß1 and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a highly contractile protein, were significantly increased by 2.56- and 1.51-fold, respectively, in extract-treated compared with vehicle control-treated wounds, indicating that the activation of TGF-ß1 signaling is possibly involved in the wound healing effect. These results suggest that a rhamnolipid extract obtained from A. calcoaceticus has potential as a wound healing material for topical application in cutaneous wound treatment.

Zika virus E protein dysregulate mir-204/WNT2 signalling in human fetal neural stem cells.

Zika Virus (ZIKV) belongs to the family of flaviviruses, and is neurotrophic. It has been known to cause severe congenital disabilities including microcephaly in neonates. The virus has a specific preference towards neural stem cells (NSCs). ZIKV impairs proliferation and differentiation of NSCs during in-utero brain development of the fetus. However, molecular pathways involved in ZIKV induced alteration in NSCs are yet to be explored. In our previous study, we have described that ZIKV E protein dysregulates microRNA circuitry in NSCs and also impairs their proliferative and differentiation abilities. WNT signalling was found to be the target of differentially expressed miRNAs as suggested by PANTHER PATHWAY analysis of differentially expressed miRNA targets. In our current follow-up study, we investigate that WNT2 is downregulated in response to ZIKV E protein in human fetal NSCs and WNT2 is the molecular target of microRNA miR-204-5p. We provide pieces of evidences that miR-204-5p/WNT2 axis is involved in ZIKV induced impairment in the proliferation and immature differentiation of neural stem cells.

A year into the COVID-19 pandemic: Rethinking of wastewater monitoring as a preemptive approach.

Under the current pandemic situation caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, wastewater monitoring has been increasingly investigated as a surveillance tool for community-wide disease prevalence. After a year into the pandemic, this review critically discusses the real progress made in the detection of SARS-CoV-2 using wastewater monitoring. The limitations and the key challenges faced in improving the detection methods are highlighted. As per the literature, the complex nature of the wastewater matrix poses problems in processing the samples and achieving high sensitivity at low loads of viral RNA using the current detection methods. Furthermore, in the absence of a gold standard analytical method for wastewater, the validation of the generated data for use in wastewater-based epidemiological modeling of the disease becomes practically difficult. However, research is advancing in adopting clinical methods to the wastewater by using appropriate processing controls, and recovery methods. Besides, the technological advances made by the industry including the development of PCR kits with improved detection limits, easy-to-use viral RNA concentration methods, ability to detect the coronavirus variants, and artificial intelligence and advanced data modeling for continuous and remote monitoring greatly help to debottleneck some of these problems. Currently, these technologies are limited to healthcare systems, however, their use for wastewater monitoring is expected to provide opportunities for wide-scale applications of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). Moreover, the data from wastewater monitoring act as the initial checkpoint for human health even before the appearance of symptoms, hence WBE needs more attention to manage current and future infectious transmissions.