Efficient recovery of nitrate and phosphate from wastewater by an amine-grafted adsorbent for cyanobacterial biomass production.

Various types of wastewater have been widely utilized in microalgae and cyanobacteria cultivation for environmental and economic reasons. However, the problems of low cell growth and biomass contamination due to direct use of wastewater remain unresolved. In the present study, nitrate and phosphate were separated from wastewater by adsorption and subsequently used for cyanobacterial biomass production.

Dieckol, a SARS-CoV 3CL(pro) inhibitor, isolated from the edible brown algae Ecklonia cava.

SARS-CoV 3CL(pro) plays an important role in viral replication. In this study, we performed a biological evaluation on nine phlorotannins isolated from the edible brown algae Ecklonia cava. The nine isolated phlorotannins (1-9), except phloroglucinol (1), possessed SARS-CoV 3CL(pro) inhibitory activities in a dose-dependently and competitive manner.

Characterization of a vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium outbreak caused by 2 genetically different clones at a neonatal intensive care unit.

In July 2010, we identified an outbreak of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in our 26-bed neonatal intensive care unit. We performed an epidemiological investigation after clinical cultures of 2 neonates were positive for VRE. Identification, susceptibility testing, and molecular characterization were performed.