Evaluation of GABA Production by Alginate-Microencapsulated Fresh and Freeze-Dried Bacteria Enriched with Monosodium Glutamate during Storage in Chocolate Milk.

Two strains of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) producing bacteria, Y1 and LM2, were microencapsulated in sodium alginate with two concentrations (1% and 2%) of monosodium glutamate (MSG) by using vibrating technology. The mix of both species was microencapsulated both in fresh and freeze-dried form. After 0, 1, 2, and 4 weeks of storage at 4 °C in quarter strength Ringer's solution, the microcapsules were subjected to cell viable counting and sub-cultured in MRS at 37° for 24 h.

Exploiting the microbiome associated with normal and abnormal sprouting rice (Oryza sativa L.) seed phenotypes through a metabarcoding approach.

Rice germination and seedlings' growth are crucial stages that influence crop establishment and productivity. These performances depend on several factors, including the abundance and diversity of seed microbial endophytes. Two popular rainfed rice varieties cultivated in Cameroon, NERICA 3 and NERICA 8, were used for investigating the seed-associated microbiome using the Illumina-based 16 S rRNA gene.

Phytochemical investigation and antioxidant properties of unripe tomato cultivars (Solanum lycopersicum L.).

Unripe tomatoes are among the main waste produced during tomato cultivation and processing. In this study, unripe tomatoes from seven different Italian cultivars have been investigated to evaluate their nutraceutical potential. Phytochemical investigation allowed shedding light on the identification of seventy-five bioactive compounds.

Long-term effect of municipal solid waste compost on the recovery of a potentially toxic element (PTE)-contaminated soil: PTE mobility, distribution and bioaccessibility.

Compost from municipal solid waste (MSWC) can represent a resource for the environmental management of soils contaminated with potentially toxic elements (PTEs), since it can reduce their mobility and improve soil fertility. However, the long-term impact of compost on soil recovery has been poorly investigated. To this end, the influence of a MSWC added at different rates (i.

Process based modelling of plants-fungus interactions explains fairy ring types and dynamics.

Many mushroom-forming fungi can develop circular colonies affecting the vegetation in a phenomenon named fairy rings. Since the nineteenth century, several hypotheses have been proposed to explain how fairy ring fungi form ring-like shapes instead of disks and why they produce negative or positive effects on the surrounding vegetation. In this context, we present a novel process-based mathematical model aimed at reproducing the mycelial spatial configuration of fairy rings and test different literature-supported hypotheses explaining the suppressive and stimulating effects of fungi on plants.

Structural analysis and characterization of biosolids. A case study of biosolids from wastewater treatment plants in Western Greece.

The great interest of modern societies in the reuse of wastes opens up new horizons in the field of wastewater, as well. In particular, the treated sludge resulting from a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is dealed with a new perspective in the context of circular economy. The aim of this study is the characterization of its complex matrix, and the evaluation for reuse.

Humic substance/metal-oxide multifunctional nanoparticles as advanced antibacterial-antimycotic agents and photocatalysts for the degradation of PLA microplastics under UVA/solar radiation.

As a result of the accumulation of plastic in the environment, microplastics have become part of the food chain, boosting the resistance of fungi and bacteria which can frequently encounter human beings. Employing photocatalytic degradation is a possible route towards the removal of chemical and biological pollutants, such as plastics and microplastic wastes as well as microorganisms. Using biowaste materials to design hybrid nanoparticles with enhanced photocatalytic and antimicrobial features would uphold the principles of the circular bioeconomy.

Modelling how negative plant-soil feedbacks across life stages affect the spatial patterning of trees.

In this work, we theoretically explore how litter decomposition processes and soil-borne pathogens contribute to negative plant-soil feedbacks, in particular in transient and stable spatial organisation of tropical forest trees and seedlings known as Janzen-Connell distributions. By considering soil-borne pathogens and autotoxicity both separately and in combination in a phenomenological model, we can study how both factors may affect transient dynamics and emerging Janzen-Connell distributions. We also identify parameter regimes associated with different long-term behaviours.

Comparative performance of humans versus GPT-4.0 and GPT-3.5 in the self-assessment program of American Academy of Ophthalmology.

To compare the performance of humans, GPT-4.0 and GPT-3.5 in answering multiple-choice questions from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Basic and Clinical Science Course (BCSC) self-assessment program, available at https://www.

Immobilization of Lipases on Chitosan Hydrogels Improves Their Stability in the Presence of the Products of Triglyceride Oxidation.

A significant bottleneck for the industrial application of lipases stems from their poor stability in the presence of commercial triglycerides. This is mainly due to the inactivating effect of the products of triglyceride oxidation (PTO), which are usually produced when oils and fats, being imported from far countries, are stored for long periods. In this study, the immobilization of a lipase from on chitosan hydrogels has been carried out following two alternative approaches based on the enzyme adsorption and entrapment to increase the lipase stability under the operating conditions that are typical of oleochemical transformations.

Kinetic and structural details of urease inactivation by thiuram disulphides.

This paper reports on the molecular details of the reactivity of urease, a nickel-dependent enzyme that catalyses the last step of organic nitrogen mineralization, with thiuram disulphides, a class of molecules known to inactivate the enzyme with high efficacy but for which the mechanism of action had not been yet established. IC values of tetramethylthiuram disulphide (TMTD or Thiram) and tetraethylthiuram disulphide (TETD or Disulfiram) in the low micromolar range were determined for plant and bacterial ureases. The X-ray crystal structure of Sporosarcina pasteurii urease inactivated by Thiram, determined at 1.

Phosphorus Acquisition Efficiency and Transcriptomic Changes in Maize Plants Treated with Two Lignohumates.

Lignohumates are increasing in popularity in agriculture, but their chemistry and effects on plants vary based on the source and processing. The present study evaluated the ability of two humates (H1 and H2) to boost maize plant performance under different phosphorus (P) availability (25 and 250 μM) conditions in hydroponics, while understanding the underlying mechanisms. Humates differed in chemical composition, as revealed via elemental analysis, phenol and phytohormone content, and thermal and spectroscopic analyses.

Microplastics, a Global Issue: Human Exposure through Environmental and Dietary Sources.

Plastic production has grown dramatically over the years. Microplastics (MPs) are formed from the fragmentation of larger plastic debris by combining chemical, physical, and biological processes and can degrade further to form nanoplastics (NPs). Because of their size, MPs and NPs are bioavailable to many organisms and can reach humans through transport along the food chain.

Equine Respiratory Medicine and Cardiology.

In the last few years, the attention regarding the health of the lungs and heart of equine patients has been continuously growing [...

Rediscovery of a lost semi-aquatic Leaf Beetle in the Hula Valley, Israel (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Donaciinae).

Between 1951-1958, most of the Hula Lake and its surrounding swamps in the Upper Jordan River (Rift) Valley of Israel were drained with the supposed purposes to eliminate malaria and to reclaim land for agriculture; both reasons later proved to be unnecessary decisions. With the paucity of biological knowledge of the Hula region, especially its aquatic invertebrates, accurate assessment of the environmental damage from this drainage is still being realized. Based on natural history museum collection specimen records, the pre-drainage presence of some aquatic insect species has been verified.

Humic Substances Isolated from Recycled Biomass Trigger Jasmonic Acid Biosynthesis and Signalling.

Intensive agriculture maintains high crop yields through chemical inputs, which are well known for their adverse effects on environmental quality and human health. Innovative technologies are required to reduce the risk generated by the extensive and harmful use of pesticides. The plant biostimulants made from humic substances isolated from recyclable biomass offer an alternative approach to address the need for replacing conventional agrochemicals without compromising the crop yield.

The First Genome-Wide Mildew Locus O Genes Characterization in the Plant Family.

Powdery mildew (PM) is a widespread plant disease that causes significant economic losses in thousands crops of temperate climates, including species. Multiple scientific studies describe a peculiar form of PM-resistance associated at the inactivation of specific members of the Mildew Locus O (MLO) gene family, referred to as mlo-resistance. The characterization of MLO genes, at the genomic level, would be a first step toward their potential use in breeding programs.

Ethics and biomedical engineering for well-being: a cocreation study of remote services for monitoring and support.

The well-being of students and staff directly affects their output and efficiency. This study presents the results of two focus groups conducted in 2022 within a two-phase project led by the Applied Biomedical and Signal Processing Intelligent e-Health Lab, School of Engineering at the University of Warwick, and British Telecom within "The Connected Campus: University of Warwick case study" program. The first phase, by involving staff and students at the University of Warwick, aimed at collecting preliminary information for the subsequent second phase, about the feasibility of the use of Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things for well-being support on Campus.

Plant and microbial science and technology as cornerstones to Bioregenerative Life Support Systems in space.

Long-term human space exploration missions require environmental control and closed Life Support Systems (LSS) capable of producing and recycling resources, thus fulfilling all the essential metabolic needs for human survival in harsh space environments, both during travel and on orbital/planetary stations. This will become increasingly necessary as missions reach farther away from Earth, thereby limiting the technical and economic feasibility of resupplying resources from Earth. Further incorporation of biological elements into state-of-the-art (mostly abiotic) LSS, leading to bioregenerative LSS (BLSS), is needed for additional resource recovery, food production, and waste treatment solutions, and to enable more self-sustainable missions to the Moon and Mars.

In-house validation of an LC-MS method for the multiplexed quantitative determination of total allergenic food in chocolate.

Mass spectrometry has been widely accepted as a confirmatory tool for the sensitive detection of undeclared presence of allergenic ingredients. Multiple methods have been developed so far, achieving different levels of sensitivity and robustness, still lacking harmonization of the analytical validation and impairing comparability of results. In this investigation, a quantitative method has been validated in-house for the determination of six allergenic ingredients (cow's milk, hen's egg, peanut, soybean, hazelnut, and almond) in a chocolate-based matrix.

Dysfunctional endocannabinoid CB1 receptor expression and signaling contribute to skeletal muscle cell toxicity induced by simvastatin.

Statins are the most prescribed lipid-lowering agents worldwide. Their use is generally safe, although muscular toxicity occurs in about 1 in 10.000 patients.

Perspectives for plant biology in space and analogue environments.

Advancements in plant space biology are required for the realization of human space exploration missions, where the re-supply of resources from Earth is not feasible. Until a few decades ago, space life science was focused on the impact of the space environment on the human body. More recently, the interest in plant space biology has increased because plants are key organisms in Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSS) for the regeneration of resources and fresh food production.

The Sous Vide Cooking of Mediterranean Mussel (): Safety and Quality Assessment.

This study involves an investigation of the effects of various cooking temperatures, freeze-thaw processes, and food preservatives on the quality and shelf-life of sous vide Mediterranean mussels. Cooking temperatures of 80 °C or above significantly improved the microbiological quality, with bacterial counts remaining within the acceptability range for human consumption even after 21 days of refrigerated storage. Fast freezing followed by slow thawing preserved the highest moisture content, potentially improving texture.

Probiotic bacilli incorporation in foods: is really so easy?

Foods containing probiotic bacilli spores are becoming more and more popular because of their resistance to acidic pH, low water activity, and, most importantly, heat processes. Even though spores may engage in some functions, such as immunomodulation, the majority of the beneficial characteristics are unique to vegetative cells. As matter of fact, the development of foods fortified with spores ought to even ensure the germination of the spores along the gastrointestinal tract.