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Abstract Seaweed Sargassum wightii is one of the most important marine resources as they have biological activity. Numerous researchers have reported on brilliant green dye decolourization using various seaweed. Despite its impact on after treatment, little information is available on the effect of seaweed-treated dye toxicity against plants and microorganisms. The present investigation was carried out to assess the microbial toxicity of S. wightii-treated and untreated dye using various microorganisms and cytotoxicity effect on Allium cepa L. In this study, untreated dye which has substantial amount of the colour in it exhibited significant toxic effect against major gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The clear zone of inhibition exhibited by the untreated dye around bacterial and fungal colonies reflects its extent of microbial toxicity and infers that the untreated dye has antibacterial and antifungal activity. No inhibition zones were observed with treated dye when compared with the untreated dye. Consequently, treated dye does not exhibit microbial toxicity due to the complete absence of the dye in it. Cytotoxicity study on A. cepa grown in untreated dye solution showed decrease in root growth, increase in the mitotic index and chromosomal damage, whereas A. cepa bulbs grown in seaweed-treated dye showed betterment in root growth, increase in the mitotic index and decrease in chromosomal damage. Results of the cytotoxicity study indicated the untreated dye solution exerts toxic effect on A. cepa, whereas treated dye solution did not pose any toxic effect. This indirectly proves the efficiency of marine algae in complete removal of the dye from the present study. Thus, worldwide awareness of dye removal from aqueous solution and its management could be provoked.

The comprehensive study of smoke deposited nano sized MgO as a catalyst for biodiesel production was investigated. The transesterification reaction was studied under constant ultrasonic mixing for different parameters like catalyst quantity, methanol oil molar ratio, reaction temperature and reaction time. An excellent result of conversion was obtained at 1.5 wt% catalyst; 5:1 methanol oil molar ratio at 55°C, a conversion of 98.7% was achieved after 45 min. The conversion was three to five times higher than those are reported for laboratory MgO in literature. This was mainly due to the enhancement of surface area of the catalyst and the activity of ultrasonic waves. Catalyst is easily recovered and reused up to eight times with easy regeneration steps. © 2013 BCREC UNDIP. All rights reservedReceived: 18th March 2013; Revised: 20th August 2013; Accepted: 9th September 2013[How to Cite: Sivakumar, P., Sankaranarayanan, S., Renganathan, S., Sivakumar, P. (2013). Studies on Sono-Chemical Biodiesel Production Using Smoke Deposited Nano MgO Catalyst. Bulletin of Chemical Re-action Engineering & Catalysis, 8 (2): 89-96.(doi:10.9767/bcrec.8.2.4628.89-96)][Permalink/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.8.2.4628.89-96]

Metapenaeus monoceros shell used for the removal of reactive red 2 from an aqueous solution was studied by batch biosorption system. The maximum dye uptake capacity was examined at biosorbent dosage, different pH, contact time and initial dye concentration. From the study the maximum dye uptake capacity was obtained as 166 mg/g at an optimal condition of 0.1 g/L of biosorbent dosage, pH value of 2 and initial dye concentration of 100 mg/L. When compared to the Langmuir isotherm model, the equilibrium data were fitted well with the Freundlich isotherm model. The kinetic data were fitted well with the pseudo second order rate equation when compared to the pseudo first order rate equation. The biosorbent characteristics were observed by SEM and FTIR analyses.

Introduction: The Erector Spinae Plane Block (ESPB) is a novel procedure that has shown benefits in postoperative pain management for various surgeries. It involves the systemic infiltration of anaesthesia into the surrounding tissues, which helps to suppress local pain responses. Aim: To compare the efficacy of Ultrasound-guided (USG) ESPB with local anaesthetic infiltration in postoperative pain management for patients undergoing Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL). The comparison was based on the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) score and the time taken for the first rescue analgesic requirement, along with its total consumption within 24 hours. Materials and Methods: A randomised clinical study was conducted in the Department of Anaesthesia at Velammal Medical College and Hospital, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. The duration of the study was two months, from September 2022 to October 2022. A total of 70 patients were randomly assigned to either group L (n=35) (local anaesthetic infiltration) or group E (n=35) (USG-guided ESPB). Demographic details, NRS pain scores, time taken for the first rescue analgaesia, and total consumption within 24 hours were noted and analysed. Descriptive analysis was performed, and a comparison between the groups was made using the Mann-Whitney U test or Chisquare test. Analysis was conducted using coGuide V1.0.3. Results: The mean age (mean±SD) of the study participants in group L and group E was found to be 49.31±13.96 years and 46.37±13.72 years, respectively. A total of 35 patients were included in each group, consisting of 16 (45.71%) females and 19 (54.29%) males in both groups. The difference in NRS scores was significant at 30 minutes, one hour (p-value

Background: Central venous catheterization is a commonly used method of administering drugs and measuring central venous pressure during major surgery. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and obstructive sleep apnea are among the respiratory disorders that can be treated with positive airway pressure (PAP). While PAP therapy benefits patients with respiratory disorders, its impact on central venous catheterization must be more adequately studied, particularly in the right internal jugular vein (RTIJV). Aims and Objectives: The study aimed to predict the most applicable PAP for RTIJV catheterization and to evaluate the complications with different airway pressures. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted using a comparative prospective randomized control trial study design in a tertiary care hospital. One hundred participants were selected from subjects who came for gastrointestinal tract surgery and urological surgery, and they were randomized through a computer-generated random number table. Results: Participants were divided into four different groups (A, B, C, and D), and they were subjected to four pressures 0 cmH2O, 10 cmH2O, 15 cmH2O, and 20 cmH2O, respectively. The cross-sectional area of RTIJV is significantly increased in Groups C and D compared to Groups A and B. The number of completed catheterizations was higher in Groups C and D. The number of first-pass punctures was also higher in Groups C and D. Depth of needle insertion is significantly reduced with increased pressure. Conclusion: Moderate-to-high PAPs, specifically around 15 cmH2O to 20 cmH2O, boost catheterization success. This is achieved through improved vein dilation, enhanced accuracy, and decreased needle insertion depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modern food sector demands versatile nanocomposites of polymers for food to wrappers to inactivate germs linked to foods in order to ensure quality throughout the packaging process. Recently, it has become quite appealing to use zinc oxide nanocomposite with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) assistance for food storage containers. Variable combinations of zinc acetate and Capparis zeylanica leaf extract (3:1, 1:7, 1:3, and 1:1) were used to create nanostructured ZnO at the desired pH (10.5). ZnO/PVA nanocomposites films were created with different weight % of (16, 13, 9 and 5%) ZnO nanoparticles by using solution casting method. The generated ZnO and ZnO/PVA nanocomposites (NCs) were characterized using analytical techniques like X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), ultraviolet spectroscopic analysis (UV-Vis), Fourier-transform infrared analysis (FT-IR), and field emission scanning electron microscopic study (FE-SEM). The generated ZnO and ZnO/PVA NCs were tested for their efficacy as antibacterial agents against Gram + ve (Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram -ve (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and E. coli) bacteria. Under UV-visible irradiation, the methylene blue (MB) breakdown caused by the fabricated undoped ZnO and ZnO/PVA nanomixture was investigated. The FE-SEM investigation for synthesized ZnO from a 1:1 ratio exhibited spherical shaped appearance. However, the nanocomposite made with 5% ZnO showed equally scattered nanoflake particles in the matrix of PVA film as well as on the surface. The XRD results showed that ZnO synthesized with a higher proportion of plant extract produced smaller crystallites, whereas ZnO synthesized with a lower percentage of plant extract produced bigger crystallite sizes. The optimum concentration for the breakdown of methylene blue (MB) among the various concentrations examined was 5% ZnO/PVA. Furthermore, a study of the biomedical efficiency of undoped ZnO and ZnO/PVA revealed that 5% ZnO/PVA had the potential antibacterial efficacies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) are becoming more and more renowned as biocompatible nanomaterials with diverse biological functions. In the present study, the aqueous extract of tea residue (tea filtered waste powder) was used to synthesize the TiO 2 NPs and treated for effluent bioremediations. Maximum absorption in the UV-Vis spectrum of the TiO 2 NPs was seen at 358 nm, and the XRD pattern reveals peaks at 2 h values of 25.78, 38.24, 47.98, 54.76, 55.32, 62.64, 69.05, 70.15, 75.24, and 83.59 that may be indexed to the (101), (004), (200), (105), (211), (204), (116), (220), (215) and (303). The FT-IR spectra of TiO 2 NPs showed a peak at 3420, 2925, 1621, 1382, 1098, and 687 cm-1. The spherical form and size were disclosed by FE-SEM analyses, and the EDAX pattern verified the purity of the TiO 2 NPs. The average particles size of the TiO 2 NPs was 32 nm. The photodegradation of paper mill waste water is significantly deteriorated up to 99.08% for 600 min, but textile waste water is degraded up to 98.06% for the same duration. Furthermore, we reported that TiO 2 NPs may rapidly breakdown industrially hazardous effluents when exposed to sunshine. Overall, this new, straightforward, and environmentally beneficial strategy may be of interest to the management of efficient degradation of dye solutions in the polluted regions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The ongoing global outbreak of new corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) has been recognized as global public health concern since it causes high morbidity and mortality every day. Due to the rapid spreading and re-emerging, we need to find a potent drug against SARS-CoV-2. Synthetic drugs, such as hydroxychloroquine, remdisivir have paid more attention and the effects of these drugs are still under investigation, due to their severe side effects. Therefore, the aim of the present study was performed to identify the potential inhibitor against main protease SARS-CoV-2 6LU7., Objective: In this study, RO5, ADME properties, molecular dynamic simulations and free binding energy prediction were mainly investigated., Results: The molecular docking study findings revealed that andrographolide had higher binding affinity among the selected natural diterpenoids compared to co-crystal native ligand inhibitor N3. The persistent inhibition of Ki for diterpenoids was analogous. Furthermore, the simulations of molecular dynamics and free binding energy findings have shown that andrographolide possesses a large amount of dynamic properties such as stability, flexibility and binding energy., Conclusion: In conclusion, findings of the current study suggest that selected diterpenoids were predicted to be the significant phytonutrient-based inhibitor against SARS-CoV-2 6LU7 (M pro ). However, preclinical and clinical trials are needed for the further scientific validation before use., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

The biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has a wide range of applications in the pharmaceutical industry. Here, we synthesized AgNPs using the aqueous flower extract of Bauhinia tomentosa Linn. Formation of AgNPs was observed using ultraviolet-visible light spectrophotometry at different time intervals. Maximum absorption was observed after 4 h at 420 nm due to the reduction of Ag + to Ag 0 . The stabilizing activity of functional groups was identified by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Size and surface morphology were also analyzed using scanning electron microscopy. The present study revealed the AgNPs were spherical in form with a diameter of 32 nm. The face-centered cubic structure of AgNPs was indexed using X-ray powder diffraction with peaks at 2θ = 37°, 49°, 63°, and 76° (corresponding to the planes of silver 111, 200, 220, 311), respectively. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed that pure reduced silver (Ag 0 ) was the major constituent (59.08%). Antimicrobial analyses showed that the biosynthesized AgNPs possess increased antibacterial activity (against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative), with larger zone formation against S. aureus (9.25 mm) compared with that of E. coli (6.75 mm)) and antifungal activity (against Aspergillus flavus and Candida albican (with superior inhibition against A. flavus (zone of inhibition: 7 mm) compared with C. albicans (zone of inhibition: 5.75 mm)). Inhibition of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity was found to be dose-dependent with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) values of 56.77 μg/mL and 43.03 μg/mL for AgNPs and ascorbic acid (control), respectively, thus confirming that silver nanoparticles have greater antioxidant activity than ascorbic acid. Molecular docking was used to determine the mode of antimicrobial interaction of our biosynthesized B. tomentosa Linn flower-powder extract-derived AgNPs. The biogenic AgNPs preferred hydrophobic contacts to inhibit bacterial and fungal sustainability with reducing antioxidant properties, suggesting that biogenic AgNPs can serve as effective medicinal agents.

Family with sequence similarity 72 A (FAM72A) is a pivotal mitosis-promoting factor that is highly expressed in various types of cancer. FAM72A interacts with the uracil-DNA glycosylase UNG2 to prevent mutagenesis by eliminating uracil from DNA molecules through cleaving the N-glycosylic bond and initiating the base excision repair pathway, thus maintaining genome integrity. In the present study, we determined a specific FAM72A-UNG2 heterodimer protein interaction using molecular docking and dynamics. In addition, through in silico screening, we identified withaferin B as a molecule that can specifically prevent the FAM72A-UNG2 interaction by blocking its cell signaling pathways. Our results provide an excellent basis for possible therapeutic approaches in the clinical treatment of cancer.

Bioactive constituents from natural sources are of great interest as alternatives to synthetic compounds for the treatment of various diseases, including diabetes mellitus. In the present study, phytochemicals present in Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit leaves were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and further examined by qualitative and quantitative methods. α-Amylase enzyme activity assays were performed and revealed that L. leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit leaf extract inhibited enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner, with efficacy similar to that of the standard α-amylase inhibitor acarbose. To determine which phytochemicals were involved in α-amylase enzyme inhibition, in silico virtual screening of the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity properties was performed and pharmacophore dynamics were assessed. We identified hexadecenoic acid and oleic acid ((Z)-octadec-9-enoic acid) as α-amylase inhibitors. The binding stability of α-amylase to those two fatty acids was confirmed in silico by molecular docking and a molecular dynamics simulation performed for 100 ns. Together, our findings indicate that L. leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit-derived hexadecanoic acid and oleic acid are natural product-based antidiabetic compounds that can potentially be used to manage diabetes mellitus., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Purpose: Phytochemicals of ethno medicines are being developed as effective drugs with minimum or no toxic side effects. Dhanwantaram Kashayam (DK) is a polyherbal formulation used as a potent general health tonic and is found to have antioxidant activities, but there are no proper scientific studies on its possible benefits. In this study we investigated the antioxidant and antidiabetic properties of DK and trying to explore the possibility of employing DK for the treatment of diseases like diabetes mellitus caused by the imbalance in Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)., Methods: We investigated the effect of DK on normal and rat model of diabetes. Rats were fed with DK for 21 days. Fasting blood glucose level, haemoglobin, glycosylated hemoglobin, non enzymatic antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, reduced glutathione, and MDA were evaluated., Results: DK was found to ameliorate the disease symptoms of diabetes. A significant decrease in non enzymatic antioxidants - vitamin C, vitamin E, reduced glutathione and an increase in MDA and fasting blood glucose level was observed in diabetic rats. Administration of DK resulted significant increase in non enzymatic antioxidant levels both in diabetic and normal rats and a decrease in MDA, fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin and HOMA-IR index was observed., Conclusion: This study reveals the protective role of DK in diabetic condition through its antioxidant and antihyperglycemic activity. Our results strongly indicate the possibility of DK being developed as a potent antidiabetic drug. DK could be an alternative in the treatment of diseases with ROS imbalance to expensive and toxic synthetic 'medicines'., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestAuthors report no conflict of interest., (© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020.)

Background: Hyperglycemia and hyper oxidative stress are indicators of diabetes mellitus which is also accompanied with decreased levels of antioxidant enzymes. While oxidative stress is important in increasing insulin secretion and controlling blood sugar level at the same time excess oxidative stress leads to the destruction of beta cells of pancreas resulting in to low insulin production and hyperglycemia. A balance between the levels of oxidative radicals and insulin production is needed, but is not defined yet. Hyperglycemia also leads to hyperlipidemia which can contribute to various health conditions like cardiovascular diseases., Objectives: This study was designed to study the oxidative stress and lipid levels in diabetic rats. This also was designed to elucidate the effect of Dhanwantaram Kashayam, an Ayurvedic polyphenolic derived from plants on lipid metabolism and oxidative radical scavenging in diabetic rats., Methods: Rats were made diabetic by injecting streptozotocin. Different enzymes involved in oxidative radical scavenging and lipid profiles including triglycerides, total cholesterol, free fatty acids and phospholipids were estimated using standard methods reported elsewhere., Results: Level of antioxidant enzymes were lower in diabetic rats compared to normal controls. Administration of Dhanwantaram Kashayam restored the enzyme activity as well as reduced levels of different lipids in diabetic rats., Conclusions: Administration of Dhanwantaram Kashayam increased the activity levels of antioxidant enzymes and reduced the levels of total cholesterol, phospholipids and triglycerides. The results of this study point to the possibility of developing Dhanwantaram Kashayam as a dietary supplement which can alleviate the complications associated with diabetes or prevent them altogether., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest, financial or otherwise., (© 2020 The Authors.)

The utmost aim of this present study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and proapoptotic potential of Asiatic acid (AA) on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colon carcinogenesis in experimental rats. Rats were divided into six groups and received modified pellet diet for 32 weeks. Group 1 served as control rats. Group 2 received AA (4 mg/kg b.w. p.o.). Group 3-6 rats received 15 DMH (20 mg/kg b.w., s.c.) injections once a week starting from the 4th week. Besides DMH, rats received AA (4 mg/kg b.w. p.o.) in group 4 starting 2 weeks before carcinogen treatment till the end of the last DMH; group 5 starting 2 days after last DMH till the end of the experiment; and group 6 throughout the experiment. Pre-neoplastic lesions, xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes, inflammation, cell proliferation and apoptotic markers were analysed in our study. Our results ascertained AA supplementation to DMH-exposed rats significantly decreased the incidence of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and phase I xenobiotic enzymes; and increased the phase II xenobiotic enzymes and mucin content as compared to DMH-alone-exposed rats. Moreover the increased expressions of mast cells, argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cyclin D1 observed in the DMH-alone-exposed rats were reverted and were comparable with those of the control rats, when treated with AA. Concordantly AA also induced apoptosis by downregulating the expression of Bcl-2 and upregulating Bax, cytochrome c, caspase-3 and -9 in the DMH-alone-exposed rats. Thus AA was able to inhibit DMH-induced colon carcinogenesis by detoxifying the carcinogen, decreasing the preneoplastic lesions by virtue of its anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects. Therefore our findings suggest that AA could be used as an effective chemopreventive agent against DMH induced colon carcinogenesis., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Coumaric acid (CA) is a phenolic acid of the hydroxycinnamic acid family, and it has many biological functions such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, anti-ulcer, anti-platelet, anti-cancer activities, etc. In the present study, we planned to analyse the potential molecular function of CA on skeletal muscle and preadipocytes differentiation using PCR and Western blot techniques. First, we analysed the impact of CA on C2C12 skeletal muscle differentiation. It revealed that CA treatment inhibited horse serum-induced skeletal muscle differentiation as evidenced by the decreased expression of early myogenic differentiation markers such as Myogenin and myoD via the AMP activated protein kinase- alpha AMPK-α mediated pathway. Furthermore, the level of lipid accumulation and changes in genes and protein expressions that are associated with lipogenesis and lipolysis were analyzed in 3T3-L1 cells. The Oil Red O staining evidenced that CA treatment inhibited lipid accumulation at the concentration of 0.1 and 0.2 mM. Furthermore, coumaric acid treatment decreased the expression of main transcriptional factors such as CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-alpha (C/EBP-α) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma-2 (PPAR-γ2). Subsequently, CA treatment decreased the expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1), fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) and adiponectin. Finally, we identified conformational changes induced by CA in PPAR-γ2 using computational biology tools. It revealed that CA might downregulate the PPAR-γ2 expression by directly binding with amino acids of PPAR-γ2 by hydrogen at 3.26 distance and hydrophobic interactions at 3.90 contact distances. These data indicated that CA suppressed skeletal muscle and preadipocytes differentiation through downregulation of the main transcriptional factors and their downstream targets.

Background: Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) is one of the major static medial stabilising structures of the patella. MPFL is most often damaged in patients with patellar instability. Reconstruction of MPFL is becoming a common surgical procedure in treating patellar instability. We hypothesised that MPFL reconstruction was adequate to treat patients with patellar instability if the tibial tubercle and the centre of the trochlear groove (TT-TG) value was less than 20 mm and without a dysplastic trochlea., Materials and Methods: 30 patients matching our inclusion criteria and operated between April 2009 and May 2011 were included in the study. MPFL reconstruction was performed using gracilis tendon fixed with endobutton on the patellar side and bio absorbable interference screw or staple on the femoral side. Patients were followed up with subjective criteria, Kujala score and Lysholm score., Results: The mean duration of followup was 25 months (range 14-38 months). The mean preoperative Kujala score was 47.5 and Lysholm score was 44.7. The mean postoperative Kujala score was 87 and Lysholm score was 88.06. None of the patients had redislocation., Conclusion: MPFL reconstruction using gracilis tendon gives excellent results in patients with patellar instability with no redislocations. Some patients may have persistence of apprehension.

Spatial arrangement of carbon in protein structure is analyzed here. Particularly, the carbon fractions around individual atoms are compared. It is hoped that it follows the principle of 31.45% carbon around individual atoms. The results reveal that globular protein's atoms follow this principle. A comparative study on monomer versus dimer reveal that carbon is better distributed in dimeric form than in its monomeric form. Similar study on solid versus liquid structures reveals that the liquid (NMR) structure has better carbon distribution over the corresponding solid (X-Ray) structure. The carbon fraction distributions in fiber and toxin protein are compared. Fiber proteins follow the principle of carbon fraction distribution. At the same time it has another broad spectrum of carbon distribution than in globular proteins. The toxin protein follows an abnormal carbon fraction distribution. The carbon fraction distribution plays an important role in deciding the structure and shape of proteins. It is hoped to help in understanding the protein folding and function.

A new Streptomyces sp. IF 5 was isolated from the feather dumped soil and found to have a tremendous keratinase activity. The strain enabled the degradation of the chicken feathers very effectively in 60 h. The 16S rRNA sequence of 1474 bp long was submitted to the National centre for Biotechnological information. The keratinolytic activity in the culture medium was 1181 U/ml. The release and analyses of sulphydryl groups in the culture medium evident the degradation activity by the Streptomyces sp. IF 5. The idea of the present study was to use the degraded chicken feathers as the substrate for the growth and cultivation of microorganisms. We have designed a very economical culture medium that includes the usage of some basal salts alone and degraded chicken feathers (10 g/l). The results of the specific growth rate of the tested microbes confirm the usage of the new designed medium for microbial culturing.