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The present research examines different techniques for isolating proteins from Cordyceps militaris fruiting body powder (COR), namely ammonium sulfate precipitation (ASP), organic solvent precipitation (OSP), and isoelectric precipitation (IEP). ASP yielded the highest protein content (78.90 %), effectively concentrating proteins, while OSP and IEP also produced substantial yields (57.41 % and 69.06 %, respectively). Color analysis revealed differences among isolates, with ASP resulting in a darker hue. ASP and IEP showed higher red and yellow components, respectively. Essential amino acid content was significantly higher in ASP isolate compared to COR, indicating effective amino acid concentration. Thermal analysis revealed different decomposition temperatures and enthalpy values among isolates. OSP displayed the highest phenolic content, while IEP exhibited the highest flavonoid content. Antioxidant assays showed ASP to have the highest DPPH-RSA and ABTS-RSA, while IEP showed the highest FRAP value. ASP demonstrated anticancer activity against HT-29 colon cancer cells inducing cell death apoptosis and inhibiting cell migration, with an IC 50 of 360.63 µg/mL, comparable to Paclitaxel. These findings suggest that Cordyceps militaris protein isolate, particularly from ASP, has significant antioxidant and anticancer potential, supporting its potential as a natural alternative to synthetic drugs with fewer side effects. [Display omitted] • ASP yields a higher protein (78.90 %) than OSP (57.41 %), and IEP (69.06 %). • ASP has a higher dark colour and essential amino acid content. • OSP has the highest total phenolic content, but IEP has the highest flavonoids. • ASP shows superior antioxidant and anticancer effects on HT-29 cells. • ASP emerges as a promising natural extract for health applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intercellular communication is an important mechanism for the development and maintenance of normal biological processes in all organs, including the female reproductive system. Extracellular vesicles, as important carriers of intercellular communication, contain a variety of biologically active molecules, such as mRNAs, miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, which are involved in cell-to-cell exchanges as well as in many physiological and pathological processes in the body. Compared with biomarkers found in tissues or body fluids, extracellular vesicles show better stability due to the presence of their envelope membrane which prevents the degradation of the RNA message in their vesicles. Therefore, the genomic and proteomic information contained in extracellular vesicles can serve as important markers and potential therapeutic targets for female reproductive system-related diseases or placental function. Moreover, changes in the expression of non-coding RNAs (mainly miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs) in maternal extracellular vesicles can accurately and promptly reflect the progress of female reproductive system diseases. The aim of this review is to collect information on different types of non-coding RNAs with key molecular carriers in female pathologic pregnancies (preeclampsia and recurrent spontaneous abortion), so as to explore the relevant molecular mechanisms in female pathologic pregnancies and provide a theoretical basis for clinical research on the pathogenesis and therapeutic approaches of reproductive system diseases. The current state of the art of exosome isolation and extraction is also summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the sealing efficacy of three dam seal materials. Methods: Ninety participants were enrolled after obtaining consent. After the placement of rubber dam (RD), a stream of air was applied at the interface area and visualized at ××6 magnification to identify sealing ability. Dam seal materials were divided into Group A: Liquid Dam, Group B: Kool-Dam, and Group C: OraSeal caulking putty substance. Leakage was assessed using self-designed criteria such as sealing ability, retention, ease of adaptability, and removal. The data were tabulated and analyzed using IBM SPSS 20 software. Results: Kool-Dam (Group B) demonstrated superior effectiveness in controlling saliva seepage around the clamp and teeth (P = 0.039) compared to other groups. In addition, it was evident that Kool-Dam (Group B) had greater effectiveness as compared to Liquid Dam and OraSeal (Group C) with relation to the retention of dam seal material (P = 0.039). There was no statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) in the ease of adaptation or removal of dam seal material. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of dam seal materials as an adjunct material to establish a tight seal over a RD placement. From the present study, it was evident that Kool-Dam exhibited superior performance over Liquid Dam and OraSeal dam seal material in terms of better sealing ability and retention of the dam seal materials.

Extremophiles, organisms thriving in extreme environments such as hot springs, deep-sea hydrothermal vents, and hypersaline ecosystems, have garnered significant attention due to their remarkable adaptability and biotechnological potential. This review presents recent advancements in isolating and characterizing extremophiles, highlighting their applications in enzyme production, bioplastics, environmental management, and space exploration. The unique biological mechanisms of extremophiles offer valuable insights into life's resilience and potential uses in industry and astrobiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractRecent decades have witnessed substantial interest in extracellular vesicles (EVs) due to their crucial role in intercellular communication across various biological processes. Among these, plant-derived exosome-like Nanoparticles (ELNs) have rapidly gained recognition as highly promising candidates. ELNs, characterized by diverse sources, cost-effective production, and straightforward isolation, present a viable option for preventing and treating numerous diseases. Furthermore, ELNs hold significant potential as carriers for natural or engineered drugs, enhancing their attractiveness and drawing considerable attention in science and medicine. However, translating ELNs into clinical applications poses several challenges. This study explores these challenges and offers critical insights into potential research directions. Additionally, it provides a forward-looking analysis of the industrial prospects for ELNs. With their broad applications and remarkable potential, ELNs stand at the forefront of biomedical innovation, poised to revolutionize disease management and drug delivery paradigms in the coming years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exosomes are lipid-bilayered vesicles, originating from early endosomes that capture cellular proteins and genetic materials to form multi-vesicular bodies. These exosomes are secreted into extracellular fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid, blood, urine, and cell culture supernatants. They play a key role in intercellular communication by carrying active molecules like lipids, cytokines, growth factors, metabolites, proteins, and RNAs. Recently, the potential of exosomal delivery for therapeutic purposes has been explored due to their low immunogenicity, nano-scale size, and ability to cross cellular barriers. This review comprehensively examines the biogenesis of exosomes, their isolation techniques, and their diverse applications in theranostics. We delve into the mechanisms and methods for loading exosomes with mRNA, miRNA, proteins, and drugs, highlighting their transformative role in delivering therapeutic payloads. Additionally, the utility of exosomes in stem cell therapy is discussed, showcasing their potential in regenerative medicine. Insights into exosome cargo using pre- or post-loading techniques are critical for exosome theranostics. We review exosome databases such as ExoCarta, Expedia, and ExoBCD, which document exosome cargo. From these databases, we identified 25 proteins common to both exosomes and P-bodies, known for mutations in the COSMIC database. Exosome databases do not integrate with mutation analysis programs; hence, we performed mutation analysis using additional databases. Accounting for the mutation status of parental cells and exosomal cargo is crucial in exosome theranostics. This review provides a comprehensive report on exosome databases, proteins common to exosomes and P-bodies, and their mutation analysis, along with the latest studies on exosome-engineered theranostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exosomes are the smallest extracellular vesicles (30–150 nm) secreted by all cell types, including synovial fluid. However, because biological fluids are complex, heterogeneous, and contain contaminants, their isolation is difficult and time-consuming. Furthermore, the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis (OA) involves exosomes carrying complex components that cause macrophages to release chemokines and proinflammatory cytokines. This narrative review aims to provide in-depth insights into exosome biology, isolation techniques, role in OA pathophysiology, and potential role in future OA therapeutics. Methods: A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for studies involving exosomes in the osteoarthritis using keywords "Exosomes" and "Osteoarthritis". Relevant articles in the last 15 years involving both human and animal models were included. Studies involving exosomes in other inflammatory diseases were excluded. Results: Despite some progress, conventional techniques for isolating exosomes remain laborious and difficult, requiring intricate and time-consuming procedures across various body fluids and sample origins. Moreover, exosomes are involved in various physiological processes associated with OA, like cartilage calcification, degradation of osteoarthritic joints, and inflammation. Conclusion: The process of achieving standardization, integration, and high throughput of exosome isolation equipment is challenging and time-consuming. The integration of various methodologies can be employed to effectively address specific issues by leveraging their complementary benefits. Exosomes have the potential to effectively repair damaged cartilage OA, reduce inflammation, and maintain a balance between the formation and breakdown of cartilage matrix, therefore showing promise as a therapeutic option for OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the sealing efficacy of three dam seal materials. Methods: Ninety participants were enrolled after obtaining consent. After the placement of rubber dam (RD), a stream of air was applied at the interface area and visualized at ××6 magnification to identify sealing ability. Dam seal materials were divided into Group A: Liquid Dam, Group B: Kool-Dam, and Group C: OraSeal caulking putty substance. Leakage was assessed using self-designed criteria such as sealing ability, retention, ease of adaptability, and removal. The data were tabulated and analyzed using IBM SPSS 20 software. Results: Kool-Dam (Group B) demonstrated superior effectiveness in controlling saliva seepage around the clamp and teeth (P = 0.039) compared to other groups. In addition, it was evident that Kool-Dam (Group B) had greater effectiveness as compared to Liquid Dam and OraSeal (Group C) with relation to the retention of dam seal material (P = 0.039). There was no statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) in the ease of adaptation or removal of dam seal material. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of dam seal materials as an adjunct material to establish a tight seal over a RD placement. From the present study, it was evident that Kool-Dam exhibited superior performance over Liquid Dam and OraSeal dam seal material in terms of better sealing ability and retention of the dam seal materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, due to the fast development in multimedia applications of wireless communication systems and demands of increasing the capacity and data rates to meet the requirements of 5G mobile communication systems, new transmission techniques are needed. One of the powerful enabling tools of the 5G communication systems is the multi-input multi-output (MIMO) antenna system employing multiple antennas and utilizing the multipath fading mobile environment to increase the channel capacity without any additional bandwidth and/or transmitted power. However, because of the limited space of mobile devices, the distances between antennas are decreasing. The mutual coupling between antennas severely affects the overall performance of the MIMO system. So, isolation improvement methods are applied to reduce these influences. In this review, different isolation techniques and their features and drawbacks are presented, and the techniques for applying them in modern MIMO antenna systems are illustrated. Besides, the performance characteristics of these MIMO systems are compared. The review also contains basic concepts of the MIMO antenna system and its performance metrics. Finally, the future directions and trends for the MIMO antenna system design are discussed briefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural products (NPs) have played a vital role in human survival for millennia, particularly for their medicinal properties. Many traditional medicine practices continue to utilise crude plants and animal products for treating various diseases, including inflammation. In contrast, contemporary medicine focuses more on isolating drug-lead compounds from NPs to develop new and better treatment drugs for treating inflammatory disorders such as inflammatory bowel diseases. There is an ongoing search for new drug leads as there is still no cure for many inflammatory conditions. Various approaches and technologies are used in drug discoveries from NPs. This review comprehensively focuses on anti-inflammatory small molecules and describes the key strategies in identifying, extracting, fractionating and isolating small-molecule drug leads. This review also discusses the (i) most used approaches and recently available techniques, including artificial intelligence (AI), (ii) machine learning, and computational approaches in drug discovery; (iii) provides various animal models and cell lines used in in-vitro and in-vivo assessment of the anti-inflammatory potential of NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extremophiles, organisms thriving in extreme environments such as hot springs, deep-sea hydrothermal vents, and hypersaline ecosystems, have garnered significant attention due to their remarkable adaptability and biotechnological potential. This review presents recent advancements in isolating and characterizing extremophiles, highlighting their applications in enzyme production, bioplastics, environmental management, and space exploration. The unique biological mechanisms of extremophiles offer valuable insights into life’s resilience and potential uses in industry and astrobiology.

The fusion of male and female gametes is a fundamental process in the perpetuation and diversification of species. During the last 50 years, significant efforts have been made to isolate and characterize sperm cells from flowering plants, and to identify how these cells interact with female gametes to achieve double fertilization. The first techniques and analytical approaches not only provided structural and biochemical characterizations of plant sperm cells but also paved the way for in vitro fertilization studies. Further technological advances then led to unique insights into sperm biology at the transcriptomic, proteomic, and epigenetic level. Starting with a historical overview of sperm cell isolation techniques, we provide examples of how these contributed to create our current knowledge of sperm cell biology, and point out remaining challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, due to the fast development in multimedia applications of wireless communication systems and demands of increasing the capacity and data rates to meet the requirements of 5G mobile communication systems, new transmission techniques are needed. One of the powerful enabling tools of the 5G communication systems is the multi-input multi-output (MIMO) antenna system employing multiple antennas and utilizing the multipath fading mobile environment to increase the channel capacity without any additional bandwidth and/or transmitted power. However, because of the limited space of mobile devices, the distances between antennas are decreasing. The mutual coupling between antennas severely affects the overall performance of the MIMO system. So, isolation improvement methods are applied to reduce these influences. In this review, different isolation techniques and their features and drawbacks are presented, and the techniques for applying them in modern MIMO antenna systems are illustrated. Besides, the performance characteristics of these MIMO systems are compared. The review also contains basic concepts of the MIMO antenna system and its performance metrics. Finally, the future directions and trends for the MIMO antenna system design are discussed briefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The etiology of shisham (Dalbergia sissoo) die-back has been a subject of considerable scientific debate for hundred years. No single pathogen species is responsible for die-back outbreaks, making shisham die-back challenging to study. Symptoms of the disease include yellowing, the water-soaked appearance of leaves, thinning of leaves and crown, branch die-back (single or whole), bark splitting, gummosis, and lesion development. Symptomatic shisham were sampled from 117 sites across Pakistan. One hundred and ninety-two fungal isolations were made from 1170 shisham samples and were identified as Ceratocystis sp. and Fusarium sp. based on cultural morphology. Koch's postulates were completed using 23 isolates of Ceratocystis sp. and four isolates of Fusarium sp. on three shisham age groups a) 6-12-month-old nursery seedlings growing under greenhouse conditions, b) 1-3-year-old plants growing under natural field conditions, and c) 10-15-year-old tree growing under natural field conditions. Inoculation with Ceratocystis isolates resulted in typical shisham die-back symptoms. Inoculation with Fusarium sp. did not produce any symptoms alone or in combination with Ceratocystis sp. Four fungicides were evaluated for efficacy against Ceratocystis sp. using in vitro tests and field trials. In in vitro test, propiconazole resulted in the highest level of inhibition (88.88%) at day seven, followed by difenoconazole (84.75%), hexaconazole (81.11%), while benzimidazole (77.73%) was least effective against the tested fungus. The efficacy of these fungicides has declined throughout greenhouse trials conducted in this study. Additionally, these fungicides could not prevent tree loss in trees inoculated with Ceratocystis sp. in the field trials. Thus, shisham die-back continues to be of concern in shisham-growing areas in Indo-Pakistan. However, chemical management and continuing research on the epidemiology of this disease may provide a solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural products (NPs) have played a vital role in human survival for millennia, particularly for their medicinal properties. Many traditional medicine practices continue to utilise crude plants and animal products for treating various diseases, including inflammation. In contrast, contemporary medicine focuses more on isolating drug-lead compounds from NPs to develop new and better treatment drugs for treating inflammatory disorders such as inflammatory bowel diseases. There is an ongoing search for new drug leads as there is still no cure for many inflammatory conditions. Various approaches and technologies are used in drug discoveries from NPs. This review comprehensively focuses on anti-inflammatory small molecules and describes the key strategies in identifying, extracting, fractionating and isolating small-molecule drug leads. This review also discusses the (i) most used approaches and recently available techniques, including artificial intelligence (AI), (ii) machine learning, and computational approaches in drug discovery; (iii) provides various animal models and cell lines used in in-vitro and in-vivo assessment of the anti-inflammatory potential of NPs.

Here, we introduce a new method for efficiently sampling Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and closely related species using a colony PCR‐based screen with novel primer sets designed to specifically detect these important model microalgae. To demonstrate the utility of our new method, we collected 130 soil samples from a wide range of habitats in Ontario, Canada and identified 33 candidate algae, which were barcoded by sequencing a region of the rbcL plastid gene. For select isolates, 18S rRNA gene and YPT4 nuclear markers were also sequenced. Based on phylogenetic and haplotype network analyses of these three loci, seven novel isolates were identified as C. reinhardtii, and one additional isolate appeared to be more closely related to C. reinhardtii than any other known species. All seven new C. reinhardtii strains were interfertile with previously collected C. reinhardtii field isolates, validating the effectiveness of our molecular screen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. The high mortality from CRC is mainly related to metastasis affecting distant organs and their function. Dissemination of tumor cells from the primary tumor and hematogeneous spread are considered crucial in the formation of tumor metastases. The analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and CTC clusters in the blood can be used for the early detection of invasive cancer. Moreover, CTCs have a prognostic significance in the monitoring of a malignant disease or the response to chemotherapy. This work presents an overview of the research conducted on CTCs with the aim of finding suitable detection systems and assessing the possibility of clinical applications in patients with CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excessive use of digital platforms with rapidly increasing users in the wireless domain enforces communication systems to provide information with high data rates, high reliability and strong transmission connection quality. Wireless systems with single antenna elements are not able to accomplish the desired needs. Therefore, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antennas are getting more attention in modern high-speed communication systems and play an essential part in the current generation of wireless technology. However, along with their ability to significantly increase channel capacity, it is a challenge to achieve an optimal isolation in a compact size for fifth-generation (5G) terminals. Portable devices, automobiles, handheld gadgets, smart phones, wireless sensors, radio frequency identification and other applications use MIMO antenna systems. In this review paper, the fundamentals of MIMO antennas, the performance parameters of MIMO antennas, and different design approaches and methodologies are discussed to realize the three most commonly used MIMO antennas, i.e., ultra-wideband (UWB), dual-band and circularly polarized antennas. The recent MIMO antenna design approaches with UWB, dual band and circularly polarized characteristics are compared in terms of their isolation techniques, gain, efficiency, envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) and channel capacity loss (CCL). This paper is very helpful to design suitable MIMO antennas applicable in UWB systems, satellite communication systems, GSM, Bluetooth, WiMAX, WLAN and many more. The issues with MIMO antenna systems in the indoor environment along with possible solutions to improve their performance are discussed. The paper also focuses on the applications of MIMO characteristics for future sixth-generation (6G) technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compact self-isolated Multi Input Multi Output (MIMO) antenna array is presented for 5G mobile phone devices. The proposed antenna system is operating at the 3.5 GHz band (3400-3600 MHz) and consists of eight antenna elements placed along two side edges of a mobile device, which meets the current trend requirements of full-screen smartphone devices. Each antenna element is divided into two parts, a front part and back part. The front part consists of an I-shaped feeding line and a modified Hilbert fractal monopole antenna, whereas the back part is an L-shaped element shorted to the system ground by a 0.5 mm short stub. A desirable compactness can be obtained by utilizing the Hilbert space-filling property where the antenna element's overall planar size printed on the side-edge frame is just (9.57 mm × 5.99 mm). The proposed MIMO antenna system has been simulated, analyzed, fabricated and tested. Based on the selfisolated property, good isolation (better than 15 dB) is attained without employing additional decoupling elements and/or isolation techniques, which increases system complexity and reduces the antenna efficiency. The scattering parameters, antenna efficiencies, antenna gains, and antenna radiation characteristics are investigated to assess the proposed antenna performance. For evaluating the proposed antenna array system performance, the Envelope Correlation Coefficients (ECCs), Mean Effective Gains (MEGs) and channel capacity are calculated. Desirable antenna and MIMO performances are evaluated to confirm the suitability of the proposed MIMO antenna system for 5G mobile terminals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excessive use of digital platforms with rapidly increasing users in the wireless domain enforces communication systems to provide information with high data rates, high reliability and strong transmission connection quality. Wireless systems with single antenna elements are not able to accomplish the desired needs. Therefore, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antennas are getting more attention in modern high-speed communication systems and play an essential part in the current generation of wireless technology. However, along with their ability to significantly increase channel capacity, it is a challenge to achieve an optimal isolation in a compact size for fifth-generation (5G) terminals. Portable devices, automobiles, handheld gadgets, smart phones, wireless sensors, radio frequency identification and other applications use MIMO antenna systems. In this review paper, the fundamentals of MIMO antennas, the performance parameters of MIMO antennas, and different design approaches and methodologies are discussed to realize the three most commonly used MIMO antennas, i.e., ultra-wideband (UWB), dual-band and circularly polarized antennas. The recent MIMO antenna design approaches with UWB, dual band and circularly polarized characteristics are compared in terms of their isolation techniques, gain, efficiency, envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) and channel capacity loss (CCL). This paper is very helpful to design suitable MIMO antennas applicable in UWB systems, satellite communication systems, GSM, Bluetooth, WiMAX, WLAN and many more. The issues with MIMO antenna systems in the indoor environment along with possible solutions to improve their performance are discussed. The paper also focuses on the applications of MIMO characteristics for future sixth-generation (6G) technology.

Massive phytoplankton blooms develop at the Arctic ice edge, sometimes extending far under the pack ice. An extensive culturing effort was conducted before and during a phytoplankton bloom in Baffin Bay between April and July 2016. Different isolation strategies were applied, including flow cytometry cell sorting, manual single cell pipetting, and serial dilution. Although all three techniques yielded the most common organisms, each technique retrieved specific taxa, highlighting the importance of using several methods to maximize the number and diversity of isolated strains. More than 1,000 cultures were obtained, characterized by 18S rRNA sequencing and optical microscopy, and de-replicated to a subset of 276 strains presented in this work. Strains grouped into 57 phylotypes defined by 100% 18S rRNA sequence similarity. These phylotypes spread across five divisions: Heterokontophyta, Chlorophyta, Cryptophyta, Haptophyta and Dinophyta. Diatoms were the most abundant group (193 strains), mostly represented by the genera 'Chaetoceros and Attheya'. The genera 'Baffinella and Pyramimonas' were the most abundant non-diatom nanoplankton strains, while 'Micromonas polaris' dominated the picoplankton. Diversity at the class level was higher during the peak of the bloom. Potentially new species were isolated, in particular within the genera 'Navicula, Nitzschia, Coscinodiscus, Thalassiosira, Pyramimonas, Mantoniella and Isochrysis'. Culturing efforts such as this one highlight the unexplored eukaryotic plankton diversity in the Arctic and provide a large number of strains for analyzing physiological and metabolic impacts in this changing environment.

Herbal medicines have been used for the treatment of various disorders in the world since very early age. A large number of phytochemicals have been derived from the natural sources in the form of food supplement, neutraceuticals, oils and colour pigments. Flavonoids are a widely distributed group of phytochemicals having benzo-pyrone nucleus. Till so far more than 4000 different types of flavonoids have been described and categorized into different groups like flavonols, flavones, flavanones, isoflavones, catechins and anthocyanidins. Flavonoids have an attractive candidate in the food industry as natural colorants due to its health beneficial effect and safety issue. Hyperin, an important flvonoid were found in the different plants have various pharmacological activities like antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial, antiparasitic, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective and antispasmodic. The aim of this review is to collect all the valuable scientific information of hyperin regarding its medicinal importance, pharmacological activities, isolation and analytical techniques. From the presented data’s in this review it will be beneficial to the scientific person, pharmaceutical manufacturer and consumers in order to it health beneficial effect of hyperin. Thus this valuable information will be helpful to the researchers for developing alternative methods of treatment for different diseases.

Abstract Nowadays, food, cosmetic, environmental and pharmaceutical fields are searching for alternative processes to obtain their major products in a more sustainable way. This fact is related to the increasing demand from the consumer market for natural products to substitute synthetic additives. Industrial biotechnology appears as a promising area for this purpose; however, the success of its application is highly dependent of the availability of a suitable microorganism. To overcome this drawback, the isolation of microorganisms from diverse sources, including fermented food, adverse environments, contaminated samples or agro-industrial wastes is an important approach that can provide a more adaptable strain able to be used as biocatalyst and that exhibit resistance to industrial conditions and high yields/productivities in biotechnological production of natural compounds. The aim of this review is to provide a solid set of information on the state of the art of isolation and screening studies for obtaining novel biocatalysts able to produce natural compounds, focusing in aromas, biosurfactants, polysaccharides and microbial oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent drop in the price of natural gas has rekindled the interests in methanotrophs, the organisms capable of utilizing methane as the sole electron donor and carbon source, as biocatalysts for various industrial applications. As heterologous expression of the methane monooxygenases in more amenable hosts has been proven to be nearly impossible, future success in methanotroph biotechnology largely depends on securing phylogenetically and phenotypically diverse methanotrophs with relatively high growth rates. For long, isolation of methanotrophs have relied on repeated single colony picking after initial batch enrichment with methane, which is a very rigorous and time-consuming process. In this review, three unconventional isolation methods devised for facilitation of the isolation process, diversification of targeted methanotrophs, and/or screening of rapid growers are summarized. The soil substrate membrane method allowed for isolation of previously elusive methanotrophs and application of high-throughput extinction plating technique facilitated the isolation procedure. Use of a chemostat with gradually increased dilution rates proved effective in screening for the fastest-growing methanotrophs from environmental samples. Development of new isolation technologies incorporating microfluidics and single-cell techniques may lead to discovery of previously unculturable methanotrophs with unexpected metabolic potentials and thus, certainly warrant future investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of having a technique that allows an efficient expression of symptoms of anthracnose is based on the early differentiation of cultivars and the optimization of genetic, material and financial resources. The objective of this research was to generate an alternative inoculation technique for Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on mango for early anthracnose tolerance screening. On this technique was optimized some of the most relevant components such as isolate virulence, conidial density, the inoculum deposition on leaves and using of surfactants. The study was carried in Iguala, Mexico, during the production cycles 2015-2016. C. gloeosporioides was biologically and culturally characterized. Gro and Sin monosporic strains were isolated from leaves, flowers, fruits and branches with anthracnose symptoms from commercial mango orchards located in Guerrero and Sinaloa states, Mexico. These strains show mycelial growth at 2.2 and 2.1 cm of diameter per day, spore density of 4.3×106, 3.9×106 conidia/ml, germination of 27 and 26%, virulence, with incubation period 4.5 and 4.1 days after inoculation, incidence of 90 and 92% and severity of 3.2 and 3.5 cm of diameter. The highest incidence and severity values with the lowest incubation period, was obtained using Gro isolate (1×105 conidia/ml) and polyoxyethylene-20-sorbitan monolaurate as spreader-sticker inoculated on the abaxial surface on detached young leaves, 15-20 days old, with a soft brush and incubated under dark condition. This inoculation technique allowed the optimal expression of C. gloeosporioides virulence in mango leaves and could be incorporated as a tool in the early differentiation of tolerance and susceptibility among cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, the effect of different isolation techniques on the isolated proteins from pigeon pea was investigated. Water, methanol, ammonium sulfate, and acetone were used for the precipitation of proteins from pigeon pea. Proximate composition, and antinutritional and functional properties of the pigeon pea flour and the isolated proteins were measured. Data generated were statistically analyzed. The proximate composition of the water‐extracted protein isolate was moisture 8.30%, protein 91.83%, fat 0.25%, ash 0.05%, and crude fiber 0.05%. The methanol‐extracted protein isolate composition was moisture 7.87%, protein 91.83%, fat 0.17%, and ash 0.13%, while crude fiber and carbohydrates were not detected. The composition of the ammonium sulfate‐extracted protein isolate was moisture 7.73%, protein 91.73%, fat 0.36, ash 0.13%, and crude fiber 0.67%. The acetone‐extracted protein isolate composition was moisture 8.03%, protein 91.50%, ash 0.67%, and fat 0.30%, but crude fiber and carbohydrates were not detected. The isolate precipitated with ammonium sulfate displayed the highest foaming capacity (37.63%) and foaming stability (55.75%). Isolates precipitated with methanol and acetone had the highest water absorption capacity (160%). Pigeon pea protein isolates extracted with methanol and ammonium sulfate had the highest oil absorption capacity of 145%. Protein isolates recovered through acetone and methanol had the highest emulsifying capacity of 2.23% and emulsifying stability of 91.47%, respectively. The proximate composition of the recovered protein isolates were of high purity. This shows the efficiency of the extraction techniques. The isolates had desirable solubility index. All the isolation techniques brought significant impact on the characteristics of the isolated pigeon pea protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations in the yield, chemical composition and biological (antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, biofilm inhibition and hemolytic) attributes of hydro-distilled and supercritical fluid extracted essential oil (SCFEEO) from common basil (Ocimum basilicumL.) were appraised. The yield of hydro-distilled essential oil (HEO) (0.82%) significantly (p<0.05) exceeded than the SCFEEO yield (0.45%). Physical parameters such as color, solubility, density and refractive index of the tested oils revealed insignificant variation. GC-MS analysis established linalool (21.80%, 36.06%) and estragole (17.87%, 12.80%) as the major chemical compounds in the SCFEEO and HEO, respectively. The DPPH free radical scavenging capacity and reducing power for the SCFEEO were greater than those of HEO. Meanwhile, SCFEEO exhibited better antibacterial activity againstP. multocidawhereas HEO displayed effective antifungal action againstA. flavusas as well as showed superior biofilm inhibition and hemolytic activities. The significant (p<0.05) variations observed in the biological activities of the tested essential oils can be linked to the varying concentration of bioactive constituents isolated depending upon the technique employed. Based upon the present data, SCFEE basil oil can be considered as a promising candidate for potential antioxidant/antimicrobial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we evaluated several techniques for the detection of the yeast form of Cryptococcus in decaying wood and measured the viability of these fungi in environmental samples stored in the laboratory. Samples were collected from a tree known to be positive for Cryptococcus and were each inoculated on 10 Niger seed agar (NSA) plates. The conventional technique (CT) yielded a greater number of positive samples and indicated a higher fungal density [in colony forming units per gram of wood (CFU.g-1)] compared to the humid swab technique (ST). However, the difference in positive and false negative results between the CT-ST was not significant. The threshold of detection for the CT was 0.05.10³ CFU.g-1, while the threshold for the ST was greater than 0.1.10³ CFU-1. No colonies were recovered using the dry swab technique. We also determined the viability of Cryptococcus in wood samples stored for 45 days at 25ºC using the CT and ST and found that samples not only continued to yield a positive response, but also exhibited an increase in CFU.g-1, suggesting that Cryptococcus is able to grow in stored environmental samples. The ST.1, in which samples collected with swabs were immediately plated on NSA medium, was more efficient and less laborious than either the CT or ST and required approximately 10 min to perform; however, additional studies are needed to validate this technique.