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In clinical treatment, the presence or absence of transudate coverage of exposed tumor tissue may have a significant impact on the therapeutic effect of cold atmospheric plasma. Here, the anticancer effects of a plasma jet on three‐dimensional multicellular tumor spheroids with or without liquid coverage were examined. It was found that cell viability decreased more rapidly without liquid coverage than with liquid coverage. Apoptotic cells and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were mainly distributed in the areas of the spheroids directly irradiated by the plasma jet without liquid coverage. However, with liquid coverage, they were distributed throughout the outermost layers of the whole spheroids. Importantly, liquid can help ROS penetrate into spheroids and prolong the anticancer effects of plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Anti-inflammatory effects of cold atmospheric plasma irradiation on the THP-1 human acute monocytic leukemia cell line" published in PLoS ONE. The correction states that there was an error in Table 1, specifically in the primer sequences for the IL6 gene. The correct sequences for IL6 are provided in the correction notice. The correction was reported by multiple authors. [Extracted from the article]

Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species (RONS) in biological systems display hormetic effects, capable of either promoting cell regenerative effects or inducing cell death. Recently, hydrogels have emerged as a promising delivery platform for RONS generated from Cold Atmospheric Plasmas (CAP), known as Plasma-Treated Hydrogels (PTH). PTH have been proposed as an alternative therapy to conventional cancer treatments, offering reduced side effects through the controlled and localized delivery of plasma-derived RONS. In this work, we have developed alginate-based PTH with dual therapeutic action provided by plasma-derived RONS acting as selective anticancer agents for osteosarcoma treatment, and biomolecules (hyaluronic acid and gelatin) to promote stem cell-mediated bone regeneration. For this purpose, we designed a novel manufacturing process to maximize the load of plasma-derived RONS within the PTH. Then, we assessed the PTH bioactivity on osteosarcoma MG-63 cells, and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). The results showed that the PTH composed of 0.25 % alginate +1 % hyaluronic acid is the most promising formulation in osteosarcoma treatment, showing a dual-action bioactivity as a selective cytotoxic anticancer agent, and as promoter of the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs. These findings provide strong evidence of the significant potential of PTH in the oncological field. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The whey protein isolate (WPI) was modified by dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma (DBD) in order to improve its encapsulation efficiency of rutin. In this work, the effect of DBD treatment on structure and physicochemical properties of WPI and the interaction between DBD-treated WPI and rutin were investigated. The results showed that the structural change of WPI leaded to the exposure of internal hydrophobic groups, increasing the interaction site with rutin. The encapsulation efficiency of DBD-treated WPI (30 kV, 30 s) on rutin was improved by 12.42 % compared with control group. The results of multispectral analysis showed that static quenching occurred in the process of interaction between DBD-treated and rutin, hydrogen bond and van der Waals force were the main forces between them. Therefore, DBD treatment can be used as a method to improve the encapsulation efficiency of WPI on hydrophobic active substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] In this study, we present a novel approach for enhancing the performance of Quercetin-loaded nanofiber drug delivery systems through the modification of Polycaprolactone (PCL) solution using Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) prior to electrospinning. CAP treatment was applied to PCL solutions for varying durations, namely, 0.5, 1, and 3 min. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) collectively demonstrate that CAP application and QU loading induce morphological changes in nanofibers, facilitating the creation of drug delivery systems with modified fiber diameters, devoid of bead formation. CAP treatment duration correlates with varying fiber diameters, with the longest treatment (3 min) producing the largest fibers (1324 ± 387 nm). Concurrently, the incorporation of quercetin (QU) into the PCL nanofibers resulted in reduced fiber diameter. These observations emphasize the pivotal role of CAP modification in tailoring nanofiber size and morphology. Notably, minimal peak shifts indicate no significant molecular structure changes in PCL nanofibers compared to PCL solutions, assuring the absence of unwanted chemical modifications or degradation during electrospinning. Furthermore, specific QU peaks are undetectable in Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, suggesting dispersed or amorphous QU molecules within the nanofibers. Additionally, X-ray diffraction (XRD) results demonstrate that CAP treatment does not alter the crystalline structure of the PCL nanofiber drug delivery system. Crystalline planes of PCL remain unchanged, affirming stability under CAP treatment conditions. Water contact angles indicate that CAP treatment affects nanofiber hydrophobicity, with shorter CAP treatment times rendering more hydrophilic surfaces. Cumulative QU release percentages vary, with PCL/CAP-0.5-QU exhibiting the highest release at 56 ± 2.2 %, surpassing unmodified PCL/QU. Moreover, cell viability remains comparable or slightly increased when QU is incorporated into CAP-treated PCL nanofibers, suggesting potential mitigation of cytotoxic effects induced by CAP treatment. The combination of QU and CAP treatment enhances cancer cell viability reduction, QU release from nanofibers, and drug loading efficiency in a synergistic manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • ACP exposure at 230 V–15 min resulted in complete microbial decontamination. • Water activity reduced significantly to assure stability. • The total phenolic content of all the samples increased at 230 V–15 min. • Essential oil profile of spices was unaffected by ACP treatment at 230 V–15 min. The current study aimed to investigate the influence of pin-to-plate atmospheric cold plasma treatment (ACP) on the microbial decontamination efficacy, physical (water activity, color, texture), and bioactive (total phenolic and anti-oxidant capacity, volatile oil profile) of three major spices cinnamon, black pepper, and fennel at three different voltages (170, 200, 230 V) and exposure time (5, 10, 15 min). The surface etching and oxidative reactions of cold plasma is anticipated to cause microbial decontamination of the spices. In accordance with this, the ACP treatment significantly reduced the yeast and mold count of cinnamon, black pepper, and fennel, resulting in 1.3 Log CFU/g, 1.1 Log CFU/g, and 1.0 Log CFU/g, respectively even at the lowest treatment at 170 V–5 min. While at the highest treatment of 230 V–15 min, complete decontamination in all the samples was observed due to the plasma-induced microbial cell disruption. The water activity of samples reduced post-treatment 0.69 ± 0.02 to 0.51 ± 0.03 for cinnamon, 0.61 ± 0.03 to 0.49 ± 0.01 for pepper, and 0.60 ± 0.02 to 0.43 ± 0.02 for fennel which further reassures better microbial stability. The color and textural properties were significantly unaffected (p > 0.05) preserving the fresh-like attributes. The total phenolic content was increased for cinnamon (2.26 %), black pepper (0.11 %), and fennel (0.33 %) after plasma treatment at 230 V–15 min due to the cold plasma surface etching phenomenon. However, the essential oil composition revealed no significant variation in all three spices' control and treated samples. Thus, the study proves the potential of the atmospheric pressure cold plasma for the complete decontamination of the investigated spices (cinnamon, pepper, fennel) without remarkable changes in the volatile oil profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel model was developed to understand the sterilization kinetics in plasma sterilization. • The model describes the spatial distribution of spores and plasma. • The model distinguishes between short-tailing and long-tailing compositions and their formation mechanisms. • The model shows the resistance of spores could be explained by nonuniform spatial distribution of spores. • The model systematically explains the influence of various parameters on the plasma sterilization kinetics. The tailing phenomenon, where the survival curve of bacteria shows a slow tailing period after a rapid decline, is a ubiquitous inactivation kinetics process in the advanced plasma sterilization field. While classical models suggest that bacterial resistance dispersion causes the tailing phenomenon, experiments suggest that the non-uniform spatial distribution of spores (clustered structure) is the cause. However, no existing inactivation kinetics model can accurately describe spatial heterogeneity. In this paper, we propose a lattice model based on percolation theory to explain the inactivation kinetics by considering the non-uniform spatial distribution of spores and plasma. Our model divides spores into non-clustered and clustered types and distinguishes between short-tailing and long-tailing compositions and their formation mechanisms. By systematically studying the effects of different spore and plasma parameters on the tailing phenomenon, we provide a reasonable explanation for the kinetic law of the plasma sterilization survival curve and the mechanism of the tailing phenomenon in various cases. As an example, our model accurately explains the 80-second kinetics of atmospheric pressure plasma inactivation of spores, a process that previous models struggled to understand due to its multi-stage and long-tail phenomena. Our model predicts that increasing the spatial distribution probability of plasma can shorten the complete killing time under the same total energy, and we validate this prediction through experiments. Our model successfully explains the seemingly irregular plasma sterilization survival curve and deepens our understanding of the tailing phenomenon in plasma sterilization. This study offers valuable insights for the sterilization of food surfaces using plasma technology, and could serve as a guide for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial contamination of bee pollen can pose potential health risks to humans. Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) is a novel non-thermal technology that has shown great potential in sterilization and food quality preservation. However, ACP treatment may induce oxidative damage to food. In this study, a combined treatment technology of drying, ethanol, and ACP was developed for pathogen inactivation of bee pollen. The results showed that at 60 kV for 6 min, the combined 75% ethanol followed by immediate ACP treatment (75%E-ACP) exhibited significantly higher microbial inactivation (1.85 log CFU/g for E. coli , 1.07 log CFU/g for S. aureus) of undried bee pollen compared to ACP treatment alone (1.16 log CFU/g for E. coli , 0.58 log CFU/g for S. aureus). After drying the bee pollen, 75%E-ACP treatment (D+75%E-ACP) still maintained effective decontamination (1.28 log CFU/g for E. coli , 0.66 log CFU/g for S. aureus) compared to ACP treatment alone (0.47 log CFU/g for E. coli , 0.17 log CFU/g for S. aureus). Results of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) indicated that D+75%E-ACP treatment alleviated the lipid oxidation and oxidative stress induced by ACP. Additionally, D+75%E-ACP treatment promoted the release of phenolic compounds in bee pollen and influenced its antioxidant activity. The findings of this study demonstrate the potential application value of D+75%E-ACP treatment for bee pollen. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on alleviating plasma-induced food oxidation by reducing moisture content. • Combined treatment of cold plasma and ethanol (75%E-ACP) was developed. • 75%E-ACP effectively inactivates E. coli and S. aureus in bee pollen. • 75%E-ACP treatment still maintains effective decontamination of dried bee pollen. • Drying the bee pollen before 75%E-ACP treatment alleviates the lipid oxidation. • 75%E-ACP treatment promoted the release of phenolic compounds in bee pollen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This poster presents a paradigm shift in noninvasive pediatric dental treatments for children by exploring the innovative applications of cold atmospheric plasma in pediatric dentistry. Cold atmospheric plasma is a state-of-the-art technology and harnesses ionized gases to create a low-temperature plasma with antimicrobial properties. Focused on its potential in caries management, microbial decontamination, and tissuefriendly treatments for young patients, the poster aims to elucidate the innovative ways in which cold atmospheric plasma can enhance pediatric oral health care. Through a synthesis of current research and practical implications, this also contributes to the evolving landscape of pediatric dentistry showcasing the promising applications of this advanced technology. It also navigates through the unique attributes of cold atmospheric plasma, offering insights into its efficacy, safety, and potential to revolutionize oral health-care practices in pediatric dentistry settings. Furthermore, the poster discusses the safety aspects of utilizing cold atmospheric plasma pediatric dental settings, addressing concerns, and presenting evidence supporting its nontoxic nature. Practical considerations for implementing this technology in clinical practice are covered, emphasizing its user-friendly and minimally invasive attributes. In conclusion, this poster aims to provide a thorough overview of the applications of cold atmospheric plasma in pediatric dentistry, showcasing its transformative potential in enhancing oral health outcomes for children when ensuring a safe and efficient clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eggshell cuticles are first lines of defense against egg-associated pathogens, such as Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE). Infections from eggs contaminated with this strain remain a significant risk. In addition, changes in the cuticle are closely related to changes in egg safety. The emerging non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma technology enables a high rate of microbial inactivation at near-ambient temperatures, making it ideal for food safety applications. This study examines the effects of a cold atmospheric pressure air plasma jet (CAAP-J) on eggshell cuticle and egg quality whilst inactivating SE. Shell eggs inoculated with SE (7 log 10 cfu/egg) were used as the samples to test the decontamination performance of the device. The tests were conducted using an industrial CAAP-J with different power levels (600–800 W), exposure times (60–120 s), at a fixeddistance of 20 mm from the plasma jet and an air flow rate of 3600 L/h. It was found that the best results were obtained after 120 s at maximum plasma power (800 W). Subsequent to the implementation of this plasma procedure, it was determined that no viable cells could be detected. After CAAP-J treatment, the temperature remains below 50.5 °C, thereby minimizing the risk of altering egg quality. All specific measurements (egg white pH, yolk pH, yolk color, HU, and eggshell breaking strength) have shown that CAAP-J treatment has no negative effect on egg quality. No changes in eggshell cuticle quality after CAAP-J treatment was confirmed through scanning electron microscope (SEM). • CAAP-J treatment for 120 s resulted in a maximum SE inactivation of >7 log 10 cfu/egg. • No changes in eggshell cuticle quality after CAAP-J was confirmed through SEM. • The ATR-FTIR technique was used to characterize the quality of the cuticle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food contaminated by mycotoxins has become a worldwide public problem with political and economic implications. Although a variety of traditional methods have been used to eliminate mycotoxins from agri-foods, the results have been somewhat less than satisfactory. As an emerging non-thermal processing technology, atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) has great potential for food decontamination. Herein, this review mainly presents the degradation efficiency of ACP on mycotoxins in vitro and agri-foods as well as its possible degradation mechanisms. Meanwhile, ACP effects on food quality, factors affecting the degradation efficiency and the toxicity of degradation products are also discussed. According to the literatures, ACP could efficiently degrade many mycotoxins (e.g., aflatoxin, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, ochratoxin A, fumonisin, and T-2 toxin) both in vitro and various foods (e.g., hazelnut, peanut, maize, rice, wheat, barley, oat flour, and date palm fruit) with little effects on the nutritional and sensory properties of food. The degradation efficacy was dependent on many factors including ACP treatment parameter, working gas, mycotoxin property, and food substrate. The mycotoxin degradation by ACP was mainly attributed to the reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in ACP, which can damage the chemical bonds of mycotoxins, consequently reducing the toxicity of mycotoxins. • Cold plasma could efficiently degrade various mycotoxins both in vitro and foods. • Cold plasma has minor effects on the nutritional and sensory properties of food. • Plasma treatment parameter, working gas, mycotoxin property and food matrix can affect plasma degradation efficacy. • Plasma-generated reactive species can damage the chemical bonds of mycotoxin and reduce its toxicity. • A large-scale industrial plasma device should be developed to improve its applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs) represent a pharmacological category of targeted therapeutics deployed for the treatment of malignant pathologies. Considering the side effects of this class of drugs for humans, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) becomes important. Here, a novel and specific methodology is introduced for the quantification of two TKIs (dasatinib and erlotinib) in human plasma samples. Furthermore, this study investigates the successful application of 3D printer technology in analytical sample preparation methods. Employing a fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer and polylactic acid (PLA) filament, adsorbent films were designed and produced to be utilized in thin film microextraction. The 3D printed polylactic acid film surface was modified using cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) as a fast, clean and dry surface modification method with low consumption of chemicals and energy. Subsequently, FESEM, AFM, ATR-FTIR, and WCA analysis studies were employed to effectively assess the efficacy of the plasma surface modification method for the 3D printed films. After the optimization of the plasma modification and extraction methods, human plasma samples were studied for the effectiveness of the aforementioned approach. So, the selected 3D printed films with excellent microextraction efficiency have been found to be effective in sample preparation of biological samples. The linear dynamic range (LDR), limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were obtained 0.10–20 μgL-1, 0.03 μgL−1and 0.1 μgL−1 for dasatinib and 1.0–500 μgL-1, 0.3 μgL−1, and 1 μgL−1 for erlotinib. The results obtained indicate that the developed method proves to be successful in the effective separation of anticancer drugs. [Display omitted] • Use of 3D printing technology for fast, repeatable and mass production of the films for analytical applications • Using cold atmospheric plasma for modification of 3D printed films without using chemicals • Application of the proposed 3D printed films for microextraction of anticancer drugs from plasma samples [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various techniques were employed to evaluate freshness, volatile changes, and metabolites in chicken meat treated with plasma-activated lactic-gallic acid. Collectively 96 slices and 216 cubes of chicken breasts and drumsticks were immersed in deionized water (control), a mixture of lactic and gallic acids (0.3% lactic and 0.3% gallic; LGA), plasma-activated deionized water, or PLGA for 10 min. A synergistic effect of plasma was observed with low-concentration LGA in preserving meat quality and color over 8-day aerobic storage (4 °C). On day 8, PLGA-treated breasts and drumsticks exhibited a significant reduction in bacterial spoilage by 0.69 and 0.50 log CFU/g, respectively, compared to control treatment. They also showed the low levels of 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, respectively, as opposed to others. PLGA effectively sanitized and improved meat quality during storage. Multi-analytical techniques revealed strong correlations between anserine and taurine as antioxidants, linking them with freshness and chemical changes in chicken meat. Cold atmospheric plasma is FDA-approved for surgical trials, while its potential in the food industry is currently under evaluation and gaining global attention. The combination of plasma and low-concentration lactic-garlic acid (LGA) holds significant promise for expanding markets by preserving color, and fortifying antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of chicken meat. In this study, PLGA treatment enhances chicken meat quality compared to other treatments, reducing microbial growth by up to 17%, lowering lipid oxidation by up to 12%, and improving volatile changes during storage. Additionally, it establishes a robust foundation for using multi-analytical techniques to correlate chicken meat freshness and chemical changes with direct relevance to the food industry. • Plasma-activated lactic-gallic acid (PLGA) reduced meat b*-value induced by gallic acid. • PLGA-treated breasts and drumsticks degraded bacteria by 0.69 and 0.50 log CFU/g. • Lipid oxidation of 8-day-PLGA-treated breasts decreased by 42% than control. • PLGA-treated breasts contained 124% and 131% higher anserine and taurine compared to the control on day 8, respectively. • Multi-analytical techniques enhanced understanding of the relationship between quality and chemical changes in chicken meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the impact of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma pretreatment (5,10, and 15 min) on morphological characteristics, chemical structure, color, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity of clove. Scanning electron microscopy analysis displayed that cold plasma caused substantial rupturing in the microstructure of the samples, which may facilitate the release of phenolic compounds. FT-IR results showed that cold plasma did not produce new functional groups. 10 min-DBD plasma groups exhibited significantly higher phenolic extraction yields and organic radical scavenging capacity (DPPH) than the untreated sample. The color parameters change after DBD plasma pretreatment is probably related to the oxidation reactions initiated by the reactive species. The results suggest that free radicals and reactive species generated during the plasma process could disrupt the cell wall structure of clove and promote extraction yield. Cold plasma possesses great potential as an effective processing technology for the extraction of bioactive compounds. • DBD plasma pretreatment caused cell wall disintegration of the clove. • FTIR spectra showed no change in the chemical structure of the treated clove samples. • DBD plasma had a significant effect on the antioxidant activities of clove. • The sample pretreated by DBD plasma for 10 min showed higher TPC than the control sample. • Cold plasma is a reliable alternative to conventional extraction methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overexpression of voltage dependent anion channels (VDACs), particularly VDAC1, in cancer cells compared to normal cells, plays a crucial role in cancer cell metabolism, apoptosis regulation, and energy homeostasis. In this study, we used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the effect of a low level of VDAC1 oxidation (induced e.g., by cold atmospheric plasma (CAP)) on the pyruvate (Pyr) uptake by VDAC1. Inhibiting Pyr uptake through VDAC1 can suppress cancer cell proliferation. Our primary target was to study the translocation of Pyr across the native and oxidized forms of hVDAC1, the human VDAC1. Specifically, we employed MD simulations to analyze the hVDAC1 structure by modifying certain cysteine residues to cysteic acids and methionine residues to methionine sulfoxides, which allowed us to investigate the effect of oxidation. Our results showed that the free energy barrier for Pyr translocation through the native and oxidized channel was approximately 4.3 ± 0.7 kJ mol−1 and 10.8 ± 1.8 kJ mol−1, respectively. An increase in barrier results in a decrease in rate of Pyr permeation through the oxidized channel. Thus, our results indicate that low levels of CAP oxidation reduce Pyr translocation, resulting in decreased cancer cell proliferation. Therefore, low levels of oxidation are likely sufficient to treat cancer cells given the inhibition of Pyr uptake. [Display omitted] • Pyruvate. • VDAC1 channel. • Molecular dynamics simulation. • Cysteine and methionine oxidation. • Cold atmospheric plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) is an emerging non-thermal food sterilization technology. This study investigated the effects of ACP on the antioxidant membrane-bound triterpenoid carotenoid pigment (staphyloxanthin, STX) in S. aureus. Results showed that the survival rate of S. aureus in water (1.3 × 107 CFU/mL) after ACP treatment for 5, 10, 15, 20 min significantly decreased to 55.0%, 18.5%, 9.7% and 4.1%, accompanied by a decrease of STX content from 448.8 to 276.7, 80.3, 45.1 and 19.7 μg/mL, respectively. Particularly, 20-min ACP-treated S. aureus became more susceptible (4.79 times) to hydrogen peroxide (0.1 M) attack most probably due to the decrease of STX. ACP also caused a decrease in the cell membrane potential (MP), accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and cell necrosis. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that the survival rate, MP, intracellular ROS, and cell necrosis were all highly correlated to STX content, indicating that STX contributed to ACP-induced physiological alterations in S. aureus. These results demonstrated that STX was an important attack target during ACP inactivation of S. aureus. This study proposes a novel antibacterial mechanism of ACP against S. aureus from the perspective of STX, which would accelerate the development of ACP in food sterilization. Noting that pigmentation is a hallmark of multiple foodborne pathogenic microbes, this work shows the exciting potential of inactivating foodborne pathogens through destroying their intrinsic pigments. [Display omitted] • ACP could reduce staphyloxanthin (STX) content from 448.8 to 19.7 μg/mL and inactivate 95.9% of S. aureus in water. • ACP-pretreated S. aureus became more susceptible (4.79 times) to H 2 O 2 exposure most probably due to the decrease of STX. • STX concentration was highly correlated with survival rate, cell membrane potential, intracellular ROS, and cell necrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspergillus chevalieri is a xerophilic/xerotolerant fungi affecting dried food products. In this study the ability of non-thermal cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) at high power density (NO x) to affect biological process inducing the stress responses of A. chevalieri species exposed for 5 min (5'CAP-NO x) and 30 min (30'CAP-NO x) were analysed at 0, 1, 6, 12 and 48-h post treatment (hpt). At 48 hpt with 30'CAP-NOx, 84% of fungal growth reduction was observed. The membrane integrity estimated by confocal investigation after carboxyfluorescein diacetate/propidium iodide staining showed the dead surface mycelium layers exposed to the treatments. Reverse transcription-quantitative real-time PCR revealed an early downregulation, at 0 hpt, followed by upregulation or recovery starting to 1 hpt, of selected key genes involved in fungal stress responses. The cellular response to stress was confirmed by mycelial glutathione accumulation in the early phase after both CAP-NO x treatments, at 0 and 1 hpt, followed by the strong glutathione reduction at 12 and 48 hpt using 30'CAP-NOx treatment. The ability of A. chevalieri to modulate metabolic profile according to treatments was underlined by volatilome investigation, which mainly involved lipid metabolism. This work highlighted the adaptative response mechanisms of A. chevalieri to overcome the CAP-NOx treatment. The application of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) technology to avoid microbial growth in foods is considered of high interest. Utilization of CAP technology, a nonthermal technique, is encouraged because of its efficiency in maintaining natural aroma and flavor and product shelf-life. Regarding the management of Aspergillus chevalieri , the developments in mechanistic insights indicated that cold plasma affected several targets in fungal cells and was a successful tactic when employed to stop the selection of resistant fungal strains. [Display omitted] • Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) high power density (NOx) reduced Aspergillus chevalieri growth. • CAP-NOx induced fungal stress, triggering cell death and glutathione accumulation. • CAP-NOx induced cell membrane damage on surface mycelium layers. • CAP-NOx induced early downregulation of genes involved in fungal stress response. • CAP-NOx increased fungal ketones and alkenes emitted suggesting change on lipid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasingly popular non-thermal approach for food preservation is atmospheric cold plasma (ACP), which can efficiently inactivate various microorganisms. This study explored the impact of different ACP treatment modes on the preservation of red shrimp in cold chain storage. A novel treatment mode, ACP cyclical, was introduced as an alternative to ACP one-time treatment. The results indicated that the ACP cyclical treatment extended the ozone and shrimp exposure time to 35 min compared to one-time treatment, resulting in a notable enhancement in preservation effectiveness. While ACP treatment significantly reduced the total viable count (TVC) of red shrimp at day 0, it does not affect total volatile basic-nitrogen (TVB-N), pH value, or color. At day 8, the ACP cyclical group showed a 17.38% reduction in TVB-N, 36.90% decrease in TVC, and 32.39% decline in sulfur-producing bacteria compared to the ACP one-time treatment group. Electronic nose analysis indicated improved odor stability in both ACP treatment modes. Moreover, correlation and partial least squares discriminant analysis revealed that ACP cyclical treatment delayed shrimp' color deterioration and TVB-N increase during prolonged storage. This study highlighted the potential of ACP cyclical treatment for enhancing red shrimp preservation in cold chain storage. Hypothesis: The new atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) treatment mode (cyclical treatment) improves the sterilization and preservation effects by prolonging the exposure time of ACP-induced ozone and packaged red shrimp. [Display omitted] • Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) is first applied to red shrimp in cold chain storage. • ACP-induced ozone inhibits an increase in microorganisms and TVB-N value in shrimp. • ACP cyclical treatment enhances protection by prolonging the ozone lifetime. • ACP cyclical treatment delayed color deterioration in shrimp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pepsin and alpha-chymotrypsin (ACT) are two common proteolytic enzymes responsible for the quality degradation in seafood postmortem. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a new non-thermal technology for maintaining and improving food quality. The conformation and structural behavior of pepsin and ACT induced by potentially denaturing CAP were investigated through various spectrofluorometric assays. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra indicated that the secondary structure of pepsin and ACT were significantly changed (p < 0.05), and spectrofluorometric assays on surface hydrophobicity, fluorescence emission, and fluorescence quenching constants indicated remarkable but varied tertiary structure alterations after treatment. The activities of pepsin and ACT decreased by 95.2% and 92.1% after CAP treatment. Phase diagram plots indicated that structural and conformational dynamics of pepsin and ACT were all-or-none processes leading to inactivation, and strongly indicated protein unfolding upon CAP treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of different CAP exposures on the activity of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in phosphate buffer and in model systems with different concentrations of monosaccharides (glucose, fructose) and disaccharides (sucrose, trehalose) to evaluate the potential role of sugars in enzyme inactivation. Spectroscopic analyses (fluorescence, circular dichroism, UV–Vis absorption) were conducted to highlight structural modifications possibly responsible for HRP inactivation. In phosphate buffer, the inactivation of HRP by CAP resulted dependent on both the treatment time (up to 70% after 30 min) and ozone concentration in the chamber. HRP residual activity was fitted with a very good approximation by the Weibull model. Sugars reduced the CAP efficacy, and this effect was concentration-dependent and much higher for disaccharides than monosaccharides. UV and fluorescence spectra showed that sugars differently preserved HRP tertiary structure, hindering heme degradation and quenching of aromatic amino acids. Likewise, sugars differently affected the loss of secondary structures. These findings only partially explained the diverse protective effects of sugars on HRP. Other factors, such as the different sugars' abilities to quench plasma reactive species, reduce the system mobility, and stabilize proteins by preserving their hydration shell, were retained to play a role in the reduction of HRP inactivation. This study deepened the knowledge of the effect of CAP on peroxidase activity and demonstrated that the presence of mono and disaccharides, naturally found in fruits and vegetables and widely employed in food and beverage industries, can mitigate the inactivation and structural alterations induced by CAP on peroxidase enzymes. • Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) can reduce the activity of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). • The inactivation efficiency depends on plasma exposure time and ozone concentration. • Cold atmospheric plasma affected the HRP tertiary and secondary structures. • Sugars reduced the CAP efficacy with a concentration-dependent effect. • Disaccharides protect more than monosaccharides the HRP activity and conformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driveline infections (DLIs) are common adverse events in patients supported with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) and can lead to deep infections, sepsis, and increased mortality if left untreated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of cold atmospheric argon gas plasma (CAP) for the treatment of DLI with two contemporary LVADs. This single center, cohort study included 23 VAD patients (Age: 57.7 ± 9.7 years, female: 8.7%, BMI: 30.3 ± 5.1kg/m2, HM3/HVAD/HM3 BIVAD: n = 17/4/2) implanted between 2014 and 2021, who developed DLI during follow-up and were treated with CAP (SteriPlas, Adtec Healthcare, UK) and concomitant, pathogen specific, antibiotic therapy as outpatients. The primary outcome was the efficiency of CAP treatment for DLI (healing and wound size reduction); secondary outcomes were DESTINE wound staging and bacterial burden before and after CAP treatment. CAP therapy was initiated at a median of 616 (IQR: 1013) days after VAD implantation. A total of 596 CAP treatments were performed with mean ± STD number of 25.9 ± 16.3 sessions/patient for median 4.5 (0.5) min per CAP session. No side effects or pump malfunctions were observed during CAP therapy. DLI was completely healed in 7 patients (30%), n = 14 (61%) experienced wound size reduction without further progression of DLI independent of the pathogen and n = 2 (9%) expired non-infection related. DESTINE wound staging was significantly improved after CAP treatment compared to baseline (before: 2.1 ± 0.9 vs. after CAP: 1.2 ± 0.8; p=0.002), and clinically relevant reduction of pathogens detected in the wound swab (before: 52.4% one, 28.6% two and 19.0% multiple pathogens vs. 3-months after CAP: 43.7% one, 25.0% multiple, and 31.3% no pathogens; p=0.43). CAP is a safe and effective treatment option for DLI in VAD outpatients without further progression of infection to avoid pump exchange. Further studies are needed to evaluate this additional tool compared to usual DLI treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold atmospheric plasmas (CAPs) are being used in applications related to dentistry. Potential benefits include tooth whitening/bleaching, the sterilization of dental cavities, and root canal disinfection. Generated reactive species, such as hydroxyl (OH) radicals, play a critical role in the effectiveness of CAPs in dentistry. In the present work, the mandibular jaw and teeth were modeled. The propagation of CAP plume in ambient air was dynamically tracked using the level set method. The transport and dispersion OH radicals away from the nozzle and towards the teeth under treatment were also tracked. The distributions of concentration of OH radicals over the teeth were obtained for nozzle to tooth distances of 2 and 4 mm. The discharge of the OH radicals out of the nozzle was found to be asymmetrical. Interestingly, depending on the type of tooth treated, the dispersion of OH radicals out of the nozzle could be altered. The present model and obtained results could be useful for advancements towards a fear-free dentistry using CAPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]