Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Citrate Mediated Europium-Based Detection of Oxytetracycline in Citrus Tissues

Oxytetracycline (OTC) and streptomycin have been used for the control of several plant diseases and were recently permitted for the control of citrus greening disease, Huanglongbing. Consequently, sensitive and reliable methods are highly needed for the detection of OTC in citrus tissues. Herein, we studied the replacement of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) by citrate (Cit) as a sensitizing agent for the analysis of OTC in citrus tissues using the recently established europium (Eu) method. In addition, we determined the optimal conditions for the formation of the Eu-OTC-Cit ternary complex in tris buffer. Our results showed that the plant matrix significantly decreased the fluorescence intensity of the Eu-OTC-Cit complex even after the replacement of CTAC. Our investigations showed that phenols such as gallic acid degrade slowly at high pH and their degradation was enhanced in the presence of the (Eu+3) cation. To reduce the plant matrix interference, the sample extract was cleaned using solid-phase extraction (SPE). The OTC recoveries from spiked healthy and Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas)-infected trees were 91.4 ± 7.8% and 82.4 ± 3.9%, respectively. We also used the citrate method to determine the level of OTC in trunk-injected trees. The level of OTC as measured using the Eu-OTC-Cit complex (117.5 ± 20.3 µg g−1 fresh weight “FWT”) was similar to that measured using Eu-OTC-CTAC complex (97.5 ± 14 µg g−1 FWT). In addition, we were able to visualize the OTC in citrus leaf extract, under ultraviolet light (400 nm), after it was cleaned with the SPE. Our study showed that the citrate can be successfully used to replace the harmful CTAC surfactant, which could also react with phenols.
Highly Correlated Recurrence Prognosis in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer by Synergistic Consideration of Circulating Tumor Cells/Microemboli and Tumor Markers CEA/CA19-9

Circulation tumor cells (CTCs) play an important role in metastasis and highly correlate with cancer progression; thus, CTCs could be considered as a powerful diagnosis tool. Our previous studies showed that the number of CTCs could be utilized for recurrence prediction in colorectal cancer (CRC); however, the odds ratio was still lower than five. To improve prognosis in CRC patients, we analyzed CTC clusters/microemboli, CTC numbers, and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)/carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels using a self-assembled cell array (SACA) chip system for recurrence prediction. In CRC patients, the presence of CTC clusters/microemboli may have higher correlation in metastasis when compared to the high number of CTCs. Additionally, when both the number of CTCs and serum CEA levels are high, very high odds ratios of 24.4 and 17.1 are observed in patients at all stages and stage III of CRC, respectively. The high number of CTCs and CTC clusters/microemboli simultaneously suggests the high chance of relapse (odds ratio 8.4). Overall, the characteristic of CTC clusters/microemboli, CEA level, and CTC number have a clinical potential to enhance CRC prognosis.
Theoretical and numerical study of swirling flow separation devices for oil-water mixtures

THEORETICAL AND NUMERICAL STUDY OF SWIRLING FLOW SEPARATION DEVICES FOR OIL-WATER MIXTURES By Abdul Motin Oil-water separation is a critical aspect of produced water treatment, oil spill cleanup, and refining of petroleum products. Hydrocyclones are commonly used in these operations. A hydrocyclone is a device that separates two phases based on centrifugal forces acting on the two phases. Conventional hydrocyclones possess a finite turndown ratio and are effective for removing droplets greater than approximately ten microns. The understanding of hydrodynamic phenomena that limit the turndown ratio is crucial for improving hydrocyclone performance and finding a device that is reliable, efficient, and that has the potential to decrease the environmental footprint of oil and gas production. In this work, a quantitative understanding of the turndown ratio of an individual class hydrocyclone has been developed. A computational search is applied for redesigning the geometry of different modules of hydrocyclone. In addition, the desirable attributes of a crossflow filter and a vortex separator are combined into one unit to develop a crossflow filtration hydrocyclone (CFFH) for enhancing separation. The hydrodynamic characteristics of single and multiphase flows encountered in hydrocyclones, the trajectories of dispersed droplets, interaction of phases that involve breakup and coalescence of dispersed droplets, and the geometry and operating principles that characterize the performances of a hydrocyclone are investigated based on computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations using the Eulerian-Lagrangian, the Eulerian-Eulerian, and a coupled CFD-PBM (Population balance method) approaches. Results show that the finite turndown ratio in conventional hydrocyclones is a hydrodynamic effect that depends on the length of reverse flow core. Tailoring of hydrocyclone geometry with hyperbolic swirl chamber and new underflow outlet geometry significantly increases the separation efficiency and improves the turndown. Based on a parametric study, a novel hydrocyclone design is proposed that is able to achieve desired separation efficiency by a unit operation and possesses a large turndown. CFD studies were also performed on CFFH devices and showed that the swirl can aid in removing droplets from the membrane/filter surface. The novel hydrocyclone identified provides a stable reverse flow core for an increased range of feed Reynolds numbers and yields less energy loss. With increasing the feed Reynolds number, the novel hydrocyclone gradually decreases the cut size (a size of droplet having 50% separation efficiency); this does not appear in a conventional hydrocyclone. For the feed Reynolds number of 60,000, the cut size in the novel hydrocyclone is less than 10 microns whereas the conventional hydrocyclone has a cut size of 65 microns and is ineffective for droplet less than 10 microns. Copyright by ABDUL MOTIN 2015
Thrombin Generation in Chronic Liver Diseases—A Pilot Study

The knowledge about coagulation disorders in patients with chronic liver disease changed in the last decade. The aim of this study was to analyze the parameters of thrombin generation in patients with chronic liver disease, as they are the most appropriate biomarkers to explore coagulation. (1) Background: The knowledge about coagulation disorders in patients with chronic liver disease changed in the last decade. The study of thrombin generation in patients with chronic liver disease provides a much more accurate assessment of the coagulation cascade; (2) Methods: This study is a prospective observational pilot study on hospitalized patients with chronic liver diseases that analyzed thrombin generation performed from their platelet-poor plasma versus that of control subjects. We analyzed a group of 59 patients with chronic liver disease and 62 control subjects; (3) Results: Thrombin generation was lower in hepatitis and cirrhosis patients compared to controls and decreases as the disease progressed. Lag time was higher in ethanolic etiology compared to the control group. Peak thrombin and endogenous thrombin potential were shorter in all etiologies when compared to the control group. The velocity index was significantly lower in HCV hepatopathies, ethanolic, and mixed etiology when compared with normal individuals; (4) Conclusions: Given the variability of thrombin generation in patients with chronic liver disease, its assay could serve to identify patients with high thrombotic and hemorrhagic risk and establish personalized conduct toward them.
Optimization and Scale-Up for Polymer Extrusion

A review paper is presented on optimization and scale-up for polymer extrusion, both single screw and twin screw extrusion. Optimization consists in obtaining a multidimensional space of process output variables (response surface) on the basis of an appropriate set of input data and searching for extreme values in this space. Scaling consists in changing the scale of the process according to specific criteria, that is, changing the process while maintaining the scaling parameters at a level that is as close to the reference process parameters as possible. It consists in minimizing the differences between the parameters characterizing the reference process and the resulting process. This may be obtained by using optimization techniques leading to the minimization of discrepancies between the parameters of scaled processes. In the paper, it was stated that optimization and scale-up based on process simulation are more effective than those based on experimentation which is time consuming and expensive. The state-of-the-art on extrusion process modeling which is the basis of optimization and scale-up has been presented. Various optimization techniques have been discussed, and the Genetic Algorithms have been identified as powerful and very efficient. Optimization and scale-up based on the process simulation using Genetic Algorithms have been broadly reviewed and discussed. It was concluded that, up to date, there is a lack of optimization studies on the counter-rotating twin screw extrusion, although the global models of this process are known. There is also a lack of process simulation-based scaling-up studies, both on the counter-rotating twin screw extrusion and on the starve fed single screw extrusion. Finally, development perspectives in this field have been discussed.
Excessive Iron Induces Oxidative Stress Promoting Cellular Perturbations and Insulin Secretory Dysfunction in MIN6 Beta Cells

Exposure to high levels of glucose and iron are co-related to reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and dysregulation of insulin synthesis and secretion, although the precise mechanisms are not well clarified. The focus of this study was to examine the consequences of exposure to high iron levels on MIN6 β-cells. MIN6 pseudoislets were exposed to 20 µM (control) or 100 µM (high) iron at predefined glucose levels (5.5 mM and 11 mM) at various time points (3, 24, 48, and 72 h). Total iron content was estimated by a colourimetric FerroZine™ assay in presence or absence of transferrin-bound iron. Cell viability was assessed by a resazurin dye-based assay, and ROS-mediated cellular oxidative stress was assessed by estimating malondialdehyde levels. β-cell iron absorption was determined by a ferritin immunoassay. Cellular insulin release and content was measured by an insulin immunoassay. Expression of SNAP-25, a key protein in the core SNARE complex that modulates vesicle exocytosis, was measured by immunoblotting. Our results demonstrate that exposure to high iron levels resulted in a 15-fold (48 h) and 4-fold (72 h) increase in cellular iron accumulation. These observations were consistent with data from oxidative stress analysis which demonstrated 2.7-fold higher levels of lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, exposure to supraphysiological (11 mM) levels of glucose and high iron (100 µM) at 72 h exerted the most detrimental effect on the MIN6 β-cell viability. The effect of high iron exposure on total cellular iron content was identical in the presence or absence of transferrin. High iron exposure (100 µM) resulted in a decrease of MIN6 insulin secretion (64% reduction) as well as cellular insulin content (10% reduction). Finally, a significant reduction in MIN6 β-cell SNAP-25 protein expression was evident at 48 h upon exposure to 100 µM iron. Our data suggest that exposure to high iron and glucose concentrations results in cellular oxidative damage and may initiate insulin secretory dysfunction in pancreatic β-cells by modulation of the exocytotic machinery.
Mitochondrial Bioenergetics and Dynamism in the Failing Heart

The heart is responsible for pumping blood, nutrients, and oxygen from its cavities to the whole body through rhythmic and vigorous contractions. Heart function relies on a delicate balance between continuous energy consumption and generation that changes from birth to adulthood and depends on a very efficient oxidative metabolism and the ability to adapt to different conditions. In recent years, mitochondrial dysfunctions were recognized as the hallmark of the onset and development of manifold heart diseases (HDs), including heart failure (HF). HF is a severe condition for which there is currently no cure. In this condition, the failing heart is characterized by a disequilibrium in mitochondrial bioenergetics, which compromises the basal functions and includes the loss of oxygen and substrate availability, an altered metabolism, and inefficient energy production and utilization. This review concisely summarizes the bioenergetics and some other mitochondrial features in the heart with a focus on the features that become impaired in the failing heart.
Potential Use of Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanotube Sponges as Payload Carriers Against Malignant Glioma

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive brain tumor with a low median survival of 14 months. The only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatment for topical delivery of the cancer drug carmustine is Gliadel. However, its use has been associated with several side-effects, mainly provoked by a mass effect. Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube sponges (N-CNSs) are a new type of nanomaterial exhibiting high biocompatibility, and they are able to load large amounts of hydrophobic drugs, reducing the amount of carriers. This study evaluated the use of N-CNSs as potential carmustine carriers using malignant glioma cell lines. N-CNSs were characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis and transmission electron microscopy. The biocompatibility of N-CNSs was determined in glioma cell lines and in primary astrocytes. Afterward, N-CNSs were loaded with carmustine (1:10 w/w), and the drug and liberation efficiency, as well as cytotoxicity induction, were determined. N-CNSs presented a homogeneous size distribution formed by round nanotubes, without induced cytotoxicity, at concentrations below 40 µg/mL. The N-CNSs loaded with carmustine exhibited a continuous kinetic release of carmustine with a maximum release after 72 h. The cytotoxic effect of N-CNSs loaded with carmustine was similar to that of carmustine alone. The results demonstrated that N-CNSs are a biocompatible nanostructure that could be used as carriers for the tumoral load of large amounts of chemotherapeutic agents.
Urinary Extracellular Vesicles for Diabetic Kidney Disease Diagnosis

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of end stage renal disease (ESRD) in developed countries, affecting more than 40% of diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. DKD pathogenesis is multifactorial leading to a clinical presentation characterized by proteinuria, hypertension, and a gradual reduction in kidney function, accompanied by a high incidence of cardiovascular (CV) events and mortality. Unlike other diabetes-related complications, DKD prevalence has failed to decline over the past 30 years, becoming a growing socioeconomic burden. Treatments controlling glucose levels, albuminuria and blood pressure may slow down DKD evolution and reduce CV events, but are not able to completely halt its progression. Moreover, one in five patients with diabetes develop DKD in the absence of albuminuria, and in others nephropathy goes unrecognized at the time of diagnosis, urging to find novel noninvasive and more precise early diagnosis and prognosis biomarkers and therapeutic targets for these patient subgroups. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), especially urinary (u)EVs, have emerged as an alternative for this purpose, as changes in their numbers and composition have been reported in clinical conditions involving DM and renal diseases. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge on the role of (u)EVs in DKD.
Investigation of the Potential of Nebivolol Hydrochloride-Loaded Chitosomal Systems for Tissue Regeneration: In Vitro Characterization and In Vivo Assessment

In this study, we evaluated the synergistic effect of nebivolol hydrochloride (NVH), a third-generation beta-blocker and NO donor drug, and chitosan on the tissue regeneration. Ionic gelation method was selected for the preparation of NVH-loaded chitosomes using chitosan lactate and sodium tripolyphosphate. The effect of different formulation variables was studied using a full factorial design, and NVH entrapment efficiency percentages and particle size were selected as the responses. The chosen system demonstrated high entrapment efficiency (73.68 ± 3.61%), small particle size (404.05 ± 11.2 nm), and good zeta potential value (35.6 ± 0.25 mV). The best-achieved formula demonstrated spherical morphology in transmission electron microscopy and amorphization of the crystalline drug in differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. Cell culture studies revealed a significantly higher proliferation of the fibroblasts in comparison with the drug suspensions and the blank formula. An in vivo study was conducted to compare the efficacy of the proposed formula on wound healing. The histopathological examination showed the superiority of NVH-loaded chitosomes on the wound proliferation and the non-significant difference in the collagen deposition after 15 days of the injury to that of intact skin. In conclusion, NVH-loaded chitosomes exhibited promising results in enhancing skin healing and tissue regeneration.
Statistical Based Bioprocess Design for Improved Production of Amylase from Halophilic Bacillus sp. H7 Isolated from Marine Water

Amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) enzyme has gained tremendous demand in various industries, including wastewater treatment, bioremediation and nano-biotechnology. This compels the availability of enzyme in greater yields that can be achieved by employing potential amylase-producing cultures and statistical optimization. The use of Plackett–Burman design (PBD) that evaluates various medium components and having two-level factorial designs help to determine the factor and its level to increase the yield of product. In the present work, we are reporting the screening of amylase-producing marine bacterial strain identified as Bacillus sp. H7 by 16S rRNA. The use of two-stage statistical optimization, i.e., PBD and response surface methodology (RSM), using central composite design (CCD) further improved the production of amylase. A 1.31-fold increase in amylase production was evident using a 5.0 L laboratory-scale bioreactor. Statistical optimization gives the exact idea of variables that influence the production of enzymes, and hence, the statistical approach offers the best way to optimize the bioprocess. The high catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of amylase from Bacillus sp. H7 on soluble starch was estimated to be 13.73 mL/s/mg.
Dietary Fibre Modulates the Gut Microbiota

Dietary fibre has long been established as a nutritionally important, health-promoting food ingredient. Modern dietary practices have seen a significant reduction in fibre consumption compared with ancestral habits. This is related to the emergence of low-fibre “Western diets” associated with industrialised nations, and is linked to an increased prevalence of gut diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, type II diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome. The characteristic metabolic parameters of these individuals include insulin resistance, high fasting and postprandial glucose, as well as high plasma cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Gut microbial signatures are also altered significantly in these cohorts, suggesting a causative link between diet, microbes and disease. Dietary fibre consumption has been hypothesised to reverse these changes through microbial fermentation and the subsequent production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), which improves glucose and lipid parameters in individuals who harbour diseases associated with dysfunctional metabolism. This review article examines how different types of dietary fibre can differentially alter glucose and lipid metabolism through changes in gut microbiota composition and function.
Blinded Oral Challenges with Lactose and Placebo Accurately Diagnose Lactose Intolerance: A Real-Life Study

Lactose intolerance (LI) is characterized by diarrhea, abdominal pain, or bloating occurring after lactose consumption in patients with lactose malabsorption. The National Institute of Health (NIH) proposed a double-blind placebo testing to identify LI individuals correctly. However, until now, no study used this approach in a real-life setting. We aimed to assess double-blind placebo challenge accuracy in diagnosing LI in patients with self-reported symptoms of LI. 148 patients with self-reported LI were consecutively enrolled and blindly underwent hydrogen breath test (HBT) after 25 g lactose or 1 g glucose (placebo) load. One week later, the subjects were challenged with the alternative substrate. Each subject completed a validated questionnaire, including five symptoms (diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, bowel sounds, and bloating) scored on a 10-cm visual analog scale. Home questionnaire (HQ) referred to symptoms associated with the consumption of dairy products at home, while lactose questionnaire (LQ) and placebo questionnaire (PQ) referred to symptoms perceived throughout the 4-h after the administration of the substrates, respectively. After lactose load, HBT was positive in 81 patients (55%), of whom 60 (74%) reported relevant symptoms at LQ (lactose malabsorbers, LM). After placebo challenge, 45 out of 60 with a positive lactose challenge did not complain of symptoms and therefore were diagnosed as lactose intolerant, according to NIH definition. The blinded oral challenges with lactose and placebo accurately diagnose LI and identify patients who will likely benefit from a lactose-free diet.
Unveiling the Impact of Antibiotics and Alternative Methods for Animal Husbandry: A Review

Since the 1950s, antibiotics have been used in the field of animal husbandry for growth promotion, therapy and disease prophylaxis. It is estimated that up to 80% of the antibiotics produced by the pharmaceutical industries are used in food production. Most of the antibiotics are used as feed additives at sub-therapeutic levels to promote growth. However, studies show the indiscriminate use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens that threaten both animal health and human health, including vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). This scenario is further complicated by the slow progress in achieving scientific breakthroughs in uncovering novel antibiotics following the 1960s. Most of the pharmaceutical industries have long diverted research funds away from the field of antibiotic discovery to more lucrative areas of drug development. If this situation is allowed to continue, humans will return to the pre-antibiotics era and potentially succumb to huge health and economic consequences. Fortunately, studies investigating various alternatives to antibiotics use in livestock show promising results. These alternatives include the application of bacteriophages and phage derived peptidoglycan degrading enzymes, engineered peptides, egg yolk antibodies, probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics, as well as quorum quenching molecules. Therefore, this review aims to discuss the use of growth-promoting antibiotics and their impact on livestock and provide insights on the alternative approaches for animal husbandry.