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Consumption of naturally fermented milk (NFM) products is the dietary culture in India. The mountainous people of Arunachal Pradesh in India prepare the assorted artisanal home-made NFM products from cow and yak milk. Previously, we isolated and identified 76 strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from NFM products of Arunachal Pradesh, viz. mar, chhurpi and churkam. We hypothesized that some of these LAB strains may possess probiotic potentials; hence, we investigated the probiotic potentials of these strains. On the basis of in vitro and genetic screening for probiotic attributes including haemolytic ability, 20 LAB strains were selected out of 76 strains, for further analysis. Using in silico analysis, viz. multivariate heatmap and PCA (principal component analysis) biplot, Levilactobacillus brevis AcCh91 was selected as the most promising probiotic strain, which was further characterized by the whole-genome analysis. Lev. brevis AcCh91 showed the highest survival rate of 93.38% in low pH and 86.68 ± 2.69% in low bile and the highest hydrophobicity average of 86.34 ± 5.53%. This strain also showed auto-aggregation and co-aggregation with antimicrobial properties against the pathogens, showed ability to produce beta-galactosidase and cholesterol reduction property and, most importantly, produced GABA, an important psychobiotic element. Genomic analysis of Lev. brevis AcCh91 showed the presence of genes corresponding to GABA, vitamins, amino acids, cholesterol reduction, immunomodulation, bioactive peptides and antioxidant activity. The absence of antimicrobial-resistant genes and virulence factors was observed. Hence, genome analysis supports the probiotic potentials of Lev. brevis AcCh91, which may be further investigated to understand its health-promoting properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isotropic three-dimensional (3-D) inversion has become a standard tool in the interpretation of magnetotelluric (MT) data. 3-D anisotropic inversion codes are under development, yet the number of unknowns increases by a factor of 6 rendering the problem extremely ill-posed. The presence of anisotropy is usually inferred from (i) spurious sequences of conductive and resistive bodies or (ii) comparison with two-dimensional anisotropic modelling approaches. Here, we investigate the 3-D structure of the Gawler Craton down to ∼250 km depth using 282 sites of the AusLAMP array located in the southern half of South Australia. Inversions of the MT impedance as phase tensors and real and imaginary parts result in diverging structures at depths > 70 km. We demonstrate that a unifying model that explains all data types similarly well is suggestive of an anisotropic resistivity structure at the base of the Gawler Craton lithosphere at depths of 120–210 km. Depth location and orientation of the anisotropy agree well with results from the analysis of seismic receiver functions. We suggest that electric anisotropy in the Gawler Craton is a result of lattice-preferred orientation of olivine crystals and metasomatic processes with macroscopic preferential orientation. Our results illustrate that inversion of phase tensor data is superior for the direct imaging of anisotropic resistivity contrasts in otherwise isotropic resistivity models; inversion models obtained with impedances may miss such structures. "Comparable" overall RMS misfits are often meaningless when comparing inversion results for various data types since sensitivities differ between data types. Reliable inversion results consistent with the entire data set can only be recovered if data fits are assessed systematically for all data representations. We also discuss the influence of error settings for phase tensors on the inversion. Our study also revealed that, if persistent across large areas, (i) parallel orientation of phase tensor major axes, (ii) constantly high phase tensor maximum phases or (iii) diverging directions of phase tensor major axes and induction arrows are suggestive of anisotropic structures and corresponding hypotheses should be evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This whitepaper examines the prevalent challenges and negative implications of using disposable absorbent product swabs for urine collection in cognitively impaired and/or frequent to fully incontinent individuals. Despite the growing use of this method in healthcare settings, it needs to be revised and or eliminated due to the high risk of contamination, leading to misdiagnoses, inappropriate antibiotic prescribing, patient discomfort, and wasteful healthcare spending. Through an analysis of the current practices, this paper highlights the need for innovative solutions prioritizing patient dignity, diagnostics accuracy, and care efficiency. The objective is to focus on scientifically researching and developing validated urine collection methods that reduce the risk of contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tempeh is a fermented soybean food with high nutritional value, culinary versatility, and palatability. Its popularity is rising because it aligns with the trend towards sustainable and healthy plant-based diets. However, consumers have exhibited a strong preference for local ingredients over soy. Faba bean is a promising raw material in Scandinavia due to its high protein, dietary fiber, and phytochemical content. In this study, we evaluated the effects of soaking media (vinegar, water and sodium bicarbonate with or without lactic acid bacteria (LAB)) on boiling time and physicochemical properties of faba bean-based tempeh. We demonstrated that sodium bicarbonate, with and without LAB, significantly reduces the boiling time of faba beans (7–8 min), while beans soaked in vinegar and water with and without LAB require longer boiling times for tempeh production (>16 min). Texture analysis has revealed notable variations among the samples, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) observed across the majority of the measured attributes. Our study has demonstrated that faba beans are suitable for tempeh production and expand the sources of possible raw materials. However, further studies are needed to investigate consumers' preferences and expectations towards faba bean-based tempeh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For some decades now, Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been an important raw resource in the food and pharmaceutical industries to produce variety of dairy based products including but not limited to cheese, yoghurt, lactic acid. drugs and cosmetics. The LAB strains include the genera of Lactobacillus and Streptococcus. The importation of raw materials such as lactic acid, which can be obtained from indigenous sources, however, affects the foreign exchange of Nigeria's economy greatly. This study was designed to screen, characterize and identify LAB for industrial applications. A total of eighty (80) Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) strains were isolated from samples of nunu (a locally fermented milk product) using basic microbiological procedures such as morphological/phenotypic, gram staining, and other biochemical tests. All the isolates were tested for their acidification, curd formation and aroma production abilities. After forty-eight (48) hours of incubation at 420C, twenty-three (23) isolates which satisfied established phenotypic and biochemical criteria were selected for further functional tests. Out of the twenty-three (23) isolates obtained, two (2) strains L53 and L12 had additionally high exopolysaccharide production ability and correspondingly produced yoghurt with high viscosity and very low residual content. Based on the remarkable characteristics obtained from these two species, they are therefore recommended for optimization and proposed for large scale utilization as starter cultures in the dairy industries.

This paper reports on the Cangkuak from the fermentation of meat and bones using bamboo shoots, added rice and salt stored in a container (anaerobic conditions). The cangkuak was obtained from the Riau (Indonesia). The cangkuak may contain lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which are essential in the fermentation process. Most LAB is gram-positive bacteria with some health benefits, such as antibacterial. This study investigated the isolate and characterized LAB from cangkuak by an antibacterial activity test. The bacteria used Bacillus Cereus, S. Aureus, E. Colli, and Salmonella sp. Bacterial isolates were grown on MRS agar media, to which 0,5% CaCO3 was added and then purified using the streak method. The results obtained were pure isolates. The results of the cangkuak isolation showed 8 LAB isolates. The eight isolates were characterized by standard Bergey's manual of systemic bacteriology (genus Lactobacillus sp). Furthermore, an antibacterial test revealed differences in ineffectiveness against the inhibition zone. Cangkuak (CK) 3.1 isolate was most effective in inhibiting bacterial growth. The size of the inhibition zone for Aureus, E. Colli, and Salmonella sp. were 10.82 mm, 12.65 mm, and 12.29 mm, respectively. This result could indicate the presence of LAB isolates from fermented foods that have the potential to be antibacterial.

There is a growing demand for vegan products and plant-based food when dealing with the impact of livestock on the climate crisis. The aim of this study was to develop a formulation for a plant-based analogue of mold-ripened cheese. Were investigated the following plant materials: cashews, pistachios, soy flour, chickpea flour, pea protein, pumpkin protein, hemp protein, and spirulina powder. Plant matrices were fermented with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) starter cultures and cheese starter cultures of mold species Geotrichum candidum and Penicillium camemberti. All microorganisms' growth were tested in a vegan-type culture medium. Calcium supplementation was applied and followed by an in-depth analysis of the elemental composition of selected analogues with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. The physicochemical and organoleptic analyses of plant-based alternatives of Camembert were conducted. This is the first paper describing novel formulations for plant-based alternatives for Camembert cheese prepared with techniques mimicking the original milk product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-light images are challenging for both human observation and computer vision algorithms due to low visibility. To address this issue, various image enhancement techniques such as dehazing, histogram equalization, and neural network-based methods have been proposed. However, most existing methods often suffer from the problems of insufficient contrast and over-enhancement while enhancing the brightness, which not only affects the visual quality of images but also adversely impacts their subsequent analysis and processing. To tackle these problems, this paper proposes a low-light image enhancement method called LEFB. Specifically, the low-light image is first transformed into the LAB color space, and the L channel controlling brightness is enhanced using a local contrast enhancement algorithm. Then, the enhanced image is further enhanced using an exposure fusion-based contrast enhancement algorithm, and finally, a bilateral filtering function is applied to reduce image edge blurriness. Experimental evaluations are conducted on real datasets with four comparison algorithms. The results demonstrate that the proposed method has superior performance in enhancing low-light images, effectively addressing problems of insufficient contrast and over-enhancement, while preserving fine details and texture information, resulting in more natural and realistic enhanced images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND RESULTS CONCLUSION The present study aimed to evaluate the anti‐hypertensive and anti‐diabetic activities from biologically active peptides produced by fermented sheep milk with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei M11 (MG027695), as well as to purify and characterize the angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory and anti‐diabetic peptides produced from fermented sheep milk.After 48 h of fermentation at 37 °C, sheep milk demonstrated significant changes in anti‐diabetic effects and ACE‐I effects, with inhibition percentages observed for ACE inhibition (76.32%), α‐amylase (70.13%), α‐glucosidase (70.11%) and lipase inhibition (68.22%). The highest level of peptides (9.77 mg mL–1) was produced by optimizing the growth conditions, which included an inoculation rate of 2.5% and a 48 h of incubation period. The comparison of molecular weight distributions among protein fractions was conducted through sodium dodecyl‐sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis, whereas spots were separated using 2D gel electrophoresis according to both the molecular weight and pH. Peptide characterization with ultra‐filtration membranes at 3 and 10 kDa allowed the study to assess molecular weight‐based separation. Nitric oxide generated by lipopolysaccharide and the secretion of pro‐inflammatory cytokines in RAW 264.7 immune cells were both inhibited by sheep milk fermented with M11. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy was employed to assess changes in functional groups after fermentation, providing insights into the structural changes occurring during fermentation.The present study demonstrates that fermentation with L. paracasei (M11) led to significant changes in fermented sheep milk, enhancing its bioactive properties, notably in terms of ACE inhibition and anti‐diabetic activities, and the generation of peptides with bioactive properties has potential health benefits. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the oldest biotechnological processes used in bread manufacture is sourdough production which relies on wild yeast and lactobacillus cultures naturally present in flour. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the influence of selected flours of different cereal grains (ancient wheat, corn, and rye), different dough variations, and temperature of fermentation on the quality of spontaneous sourdough. Two values of fermentation temperatures were tested (25 °C and 35 °C), and for each temperature analyzed, three backslopping steps were carried out to obtain mature doughs according to the traditional type I sourdough scheme. In total, 14 different sourdoughs were produced, and microbiology, pH, and total titration acidity for 96 h were determined. Optimal pH values for the samples determined that the optimal fermentation period was 48 h. The acidification rate of the dough was faster at 35 °C than at 25 °C. This fact became evident via the pH values obtained in the first 24 h. However, from this point, the pH values were lower in the samples kept at 25 °C, showing that a cooler fermentation temperature allows the acidification activity of the microorganisms to be prolonged for a longer time. In the study carried out, the ideal fermentation time for the population of LAB and yeasts is 72 h at a temperature of 25 °C, and the most productive sourdoughs were the dough with 100% Einkorn wheat flour and the dough obtained from the 1:1 combination of flour rye and corn flours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was planned to explore the AFM1‐reducing potential of various heat and acid‐killed lactic acid bacteria (LAB), activated carbon and bentonite (BENT) in milk contaminated with 0.5 μg/L AFM1 and their impact on milk composition. A negligible impact was observed on milk composition with AC while exhibiting a higher AFM1 removal (78.2%) than bentonite (35.8%). Their combination with LAB cells increased AFM1 decontamination for most of the treatments, with highest AFM1 removal (97.6%) exhibited by a treatment involving 0.1% AC and acid‐killed cells of L. cremoris. The results of this study indicate that LAB cells associated with the adsorbents tested are highly effective in reducing milk AFM1 content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The required processes and steps for making bread include technological and innovative concepts. The current trend is the use of less toxic compounds and green methods. Besides lactic acid bacteria and yeast, other microorganisms with unique properties, such as enzymes, new aromas and flavors, exopolysaccharides, and vitamins, among other compounds with beneficial properties, could be added to bread manufacture, improving bread quality and health effects for the consumers. The preservation of microbial cultures and starters is crucial in bread-making. New encapsulation methods, cryoprotectants, spray-drying, fluidized bed drying, and vacuum drying are employed for microorganism cultures that will be used as starters or biological additives in fermentation. A development is observed in the antimicrobial methods used as bread preservatives, and studies with plant extracts and essential oils have been proposed and introduced, replacing chemical agents, such as propionate, within the clean-label bread formulations concept. Baking science is a growing research line that incorporates innovative methods, biological additives, new methods, and processes focusing on microbiological protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are commonly consumed as probiotics to improve gut barrier function and boost the immune system. This study aimed to screen LAB with high immunomodulatory activity using RAW264.7 macrophages. According to the results, Limosilactobacillus reuteri AUc2301 was selected from 84 screened strains that can stimulate RAW264.7 cell proliferation. Limosilactobacillus reuteri AUc2301 significantly enhanced the phagocytosis activity of RAW264.7 cells. In the ELISA test, Limosilactobacillus reuteri AUc2301 significantly promoted the release of interleukin-6, IL-1β, the tumor necrosis factor, and nitric oxide in RAW264.7 macrophages. In addition, Limosilactobacillus reuteri AUc2301 significantly inhibited the excessive release of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, prostaglandin E2 as well as NO and the high expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in RAW264.7 macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide. In further mechanism studies, Limosilactobacillus reuteri AUc2301 could regulate the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway in RAW264.7 macrophages. Collectively, the screened Limosilactobacillus reuteri AUc2301 showed good immunomodulatory activity in vitro, and it has the potential to be developed as a novel probiotic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment, involving chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and pharmacotherapy (antibiotics, antineoplastics) perturbs the gut microbiota in pediatric patients, with enduring effects post-treatment. ALL treatments diminish microbial richness and diversity, favoring pathogenic bacteria. Probiotics may offer promise in mitigating these disruptions and associated side effects. This mini-review explores the impact of ALL treatment on the gut microbiota and the potential benefits of probiotics in pediatric oncology. Probiotics have shown promise in restoring gut microbial balance, reducing treatment-associated side effects, and potentially improving quality of life. However, potential adverse effects, particularly in immunocompromised patients, warrant caution. Notably, there's emerging interest in probiotics’ role in bone health and mineral bioaccessibility. Further research is needed to elucidate probiotics’ mechanisms and their broader impact on pediatric health. Integration of probiotics into ALL treatment and post-treatment regimens offers significant potential for improving patient outcomes and reducing treatment-related complications and long-lasting disruptions, although careful monitoring is essential.

Background Long coronavirus disease is an incapacitating disease that occurs in at least 10% of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections. At least 65 million persons global are estimated to have long COVID, with situations increasing daily. Patients and methods This is a prospective cohort study done on COVID-19 survivors’ proved by computed tomography (CT) or RCR testing who registered for follow-up at post-COVID Clinic at Family Medicine Department in Zagazig University Hospital through systematic random sampling technique. Survivors followed-up for 6 months by three visits. Results Total 137 adult patients with COVID-19 were included in this study. Mean age of the studied group 42.01 ± 8.28 years where most of them were females (78.1%). As regards inflammatory marker C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and D-dimer were slightly elevated and improving in the subsequent visits but complete blood picture, liver functions, kidney function, cardiac enzymes result through follow-up visits were in normal range. As regards CT change (72.3%) demonstrated abnormal CT in first visit and became (20.5%) at follow-up visit. As regards serology results, 100% demonstrated positive serology in first measurement and 12.5% turned negative in follow-up measurement after 3 months. Conclusion Small percent of COVID-19 patients present with some abnormalities, but after follow-up period we observed overall improvement in all parameters.

Abstract Background Numerous previous reports have demonstrated the efficacy of Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in promoting growth and preventing disease in animals. In this study, Enterococcus faecium ZJUIDS-R1 and Ligilactobaciiius animalis ZJUIDS-R2 were isolated from the feces of healthy rabbits, and both strains showed good probiotic properties in vitro. Two strains (108CFU/ml/kg/day) were fed to weaned rabbits for 21 days, after which specific bacterial infection was induced to investigate the effects of the strains on bacterial diarrhea in the rabbits. Results Our data showed that Enterococcus faecium ZJUIDS-R1 and Ligilactobaciiius animalis ZJUIDS-R2 interventions reduced the incidence of diarrhea and systemic inflammatory response, alleviated intestinal damage and increased antibody levels in animals. In addition, Enterococcus faecium ZJUIDS-R1 restored the flora abundance of Ruminococcaceae1. Ligilactobaciiius animalis ZJUIDS-R2 up-regulated the flora abundance of Adlercreutzia and Candidatus Saccharimonas. Both down-regulated the flora abundance of Shuttleworthia and Barnesiella to restore intestinal flora balance, thereby increasing intestinal short-chain fatty acid content. Conclusions These findings suggest that Enterococcus faecium ZJUIDS-R1 and Ligilactobaciiius animalis ZJUIDS-R2 were able to improve intestinal immunity, produce organic acids and regulate the balance of intestinal flora to enhance disease resistance and alleviate diarrhea-related diseases in weanling rabbits.

Probiotics have attained significant interest in recent years as a result of their gut microbiome modulation and gastrointestinal health benefits. Numerous fermented foods contain LAB with GRAS grade and probiotic bacteria. The most promising isolates with high potentiality were selected for 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, L. fermentum, L. pentosus and Lactiplantibacillus sp. The present study was conducted to determine the gastrointestinal symptoms after the consumption of milk and dairy products, lactose intolerance status using mice model. Post-weaning Balb/c mice were orally administered with probiotic bacteria to assess their efficiency in reducing lactose intolerance symptoms. They exhibited significantly reduced total feces weight and slower intestinal motility and they efficiently alleviated diarrhea symptoms within 6 h of lactose challenge in lactose intolerance-induced mice. Next generation sequence analysis was performed using intestinal content of model treated with L. plantarum GV54 and GV64, the intestinal bacterial diversity was studied using Illumina NGS analysis (16S rRNA hypervariable regions [V3 and V4]). NGS report confirmed the existence of the dominant phyla of the gut microbiome in mice are Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. Due to the influence of the probiotic bacteria in the model group (GV54 and GV64), maximum abundance of phylum Firmicutes were observed when compared to the control group, whereas control group showed more abundance of phylum Bacteriodetes. However, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes in the model group was decreased and Firmicutes abundance was increased. This indicates the genus abundance of Lactobacillus (Lactiplantibacillus) species or Lactiplantibacillus plantarum GV54 and GV64 bacteria. After treatment with probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus (Lactiplantibacillus) species, the probiotic bacterial abundance was increased consequently genera Helicobacter, Clostridiales unclassified and Desulfovibrio were decreased in the model groups. Probiotic bacteria has a positive impact on the regulation of intestinal microbial diversity in the tested mice system and it reflects that the intestinal microbiota of mice is dynamic and has positive impact on gut health. Considering this point, it is possible to promote Lactiplantibacillus spp. as probiotics and therapeutic food development at industrial scale.

Background: Numerous previous reports have demonstrated the efficacy of Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in promoting growth and preventing disease in animals. In this study, Enterococcus faecium ZJUIDS-R1 and Ligilactobaciiius animalis ZJUIDS-R2 were isolated from the feces of healthy rabbits, and both strains showed good probiotic properties in vitro. Two strains (108CFU/ml/kg/day) were fed to weaned rabbits for 21 days, after which specific bacterial infection was induced to investigate the effects of the strains on bacterial diarrhea in the rabbits. Results: Our data showed that Enterococcus faecium ZJUIDS-R1 and Ligilactobaciiius animalis ZJUIDS-R2 interventions reduced the incidence of diarrhea and systemic inflammatory response, alleviated intestinal damage and increased antibody levels in animals. In addition, Enterococcus faecium ZJUIDS-R1 restored the flora abundance of Ruminococcaceae1. Ligilactobaciiius animalis ZJUIDS-R2 up-regulated the flora abundance of Adlercreutzia and Candidatus Saccharimonas. Both down-regulated the flora abundance of Shuttleworthia and Barnesiella to restore intestinal flora balance, thereby increasing intestinal short-chain fatty acid content. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Enterococcus faecium ZJUIDS-R1 and Ligilactobaciiius animalis ZJUIDS-R2 were able to improve intestinal immunity, produce organic acids and regulate the balance of intestinal flora to enhance disease resistance and alleviate diarrhea-related diseases in weanling rabbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main tenets of the sustainable food production model are to reduce the adverse environmental impacts of production and to use available resources more efficiently. The sustainable food production model allows companies to adapt their strategies to current challenges and requirements while maintaining long-term production stability and competitiveness. To ensure that sustainable food chain participants implement appropriate practices, research is being conducted to develop new solutions. Among the important issues that are of great interest to researchers is the use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). These bacteria play a pivotal role in sustainable food production, encompassing environmental, economic, and social aspects. The following article highlights recent innovations and advancements in LAB applications, contributing to enhanced efficiency and sustainable development of food products. By fermenting food, LAB effectively enhances food safety, prolong shelf life, and augment nutritional values, while simultaneously eliminating or outcompeting foodborne pathogens, thus preventing food poisoning. This article underscores these often-overlooked aspects of LAB, such as the critical role of fermented food in sustaining humanity during challenging times, by providing essential nutrients, and supporting health through its unique preservative and probiotic properties. It also points out the lesser-known applications of these microorganisms, including the degradation of organic waste or biogas and bioplastics production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isolation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from cheese, pickles, palm wine and yoghurt (fermented foods) were carried out. The LAB were cultivated on De Man Rogosa Sharpe agar and were identified based on their colony and cell morphology, Gram's staining and biochemical tests. The LAB were screened for potential to produce crude bacteriocins in De Man Rogosa Sharpe (MRS) broth using standard techniques. The efficacy of the crude bacteriocins produced by the LAB were tested against Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus pyogenes. Cheese had the highest LAB counts (3.12×107CFU/g) than other fermented foods analysed. The lactic acid bacteria isolates were probably identified as Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Pediococcus halophilus. Out of the twelve (12) LAB screened for bacteriocin production in MRS broth (in test tubes), six (6) tubes revealed the produced bacteriocins. The result of the efficacy of the crude bacteriocins on the test bacteria showed that Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pyogenes had clear zones of inhibition ranging from 9 to 17mm for Escherichia coli and 9 to 16mm for Streptococcus pyogenes while Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were completely resistant to the test bacteriocins. The presence LAB in fermented food products and other food products will enhance preservation (shelf life extension) of the products and still maintain their keeping quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates microbial biodiversity, with a specific focus on yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB), within Sinjai's local minas drinks. The primary goal is to characterize the microbial composition of minas and assess the potential of these microorganisms as starters for porang flour fermentation. This fermentation is carried out to improve the quantity and quality of porang flour, especially for enhancing glucomannan. The identification results from five isolates revealed the presence of two distinct LAB species, Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Weissella cibaria, with a percent identity falling within the 98-99% range, hence indicating a close genetic relationship within each species. Molecular identification further identified two yeast types, Candida tropicalis and Pichia kudriavzevii, thereby demonstrating a high degree of similarity with a percent identity ranging between 98-99%. Analysis of the fermentation treatment indicated a glucomannan production range of 80-91%. Notably, the Pichia kudriavzevii + Leuconostoc mesenteroides + amylase treatment stood out, hence producing the highest glucomannan levels at 91.5%. Calcium oxalate levels in the fermentation treatment ranged from 0.03-0.08%, with the Pichia kudriavzevii + Leuconostoc mesenteroides + amylase treatment proving to be the most effective in reducing calcium oxalate levels to 0.32%. These findings offer valuable insights into optimizing porang flour fermentation processes, thereby emphasizing the significance of specific microbial combinations for enhanced glucomannan production and reduced calcium oxalate content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Long coronavirus disease is an incapacitating disease that occurs in at least 10% of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections. At least 65 million persons global are estimated to have long COVID, with situations increasing daily. Patients and methods This is a prospective cohort study done on COVID-19 survivors’ proved by computed tomography (CT) or RCR testing who registered for follow-up at postCOVID Clinic at Family Medicine Department in Zagazig University Hospital through systematic random sampling technique. Survivors followed-up for 6 months by three visits. Results Total 137 adult patients with COVID-19 were included in this study. Mean age of the studied group 42.01±8.28 years where most of them were females (78.1%). As regards inflammatory marker C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and D-dimer were slightly elevated and improving in the subsequent visits but complete blood picture, liver functions, kidney function, cardiac enzymes result through follow-up visits were in normal range. As regards CT change (72.3%) demonstrated abnormal CT in first visit and became (20.5%) at follow-up visit. As regards serology results, 100% demonstrated positive serology in first measurement and 12.5% turned negative in follow-up measurement after 3 months. Conclusion Small percent of COVID-19 patients present with some abnormalities, but after follow-up period we observed overall improvement in all parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are widely applied for fermentation purposes in dairy and non-dairy food matrices with beneficial technological and health-promoting properties. This study describes the effect of two lactic acid bacteria, namely, Lactiplantibacillus paracasei SP5 and Pediococcus pentosaceus SP2, on the phenolic profiles, antioxidant activities, total phenolic content (TPC), carotenoid content, and sensorial profile of two different mixed fruit juices. After 48 h of fermentation, both LABs retained viability over 9 Log CFU/mL in both juices. The TPC, zeaxanthin + lutein, β-carotene content, and antioxidant activity (AA) were elevated for both LABs and mixed juices after 48 h of fermentation compared to control samples. Regarding the phenolic profile, both juices exhibited a significant decrease in chlorogenic acid levels, while quinic acid and tyrosol concentrations showed notable increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxalate degradation is one of lactic acid bacteria's desirable activities. It is achieved by two enzymes, formyl coenzyme A transferase (frc) and oxalyl coenzyme A decarboxylase (oxc). The current study aimed to screen 15 locally isolated lactic acid bacteria to select those with the highest oxalate degradation ability. It also aimed to amplify the genes involved in degradation. MRS broth supplemented with 20 mM sodium oxalate was used to culture the tested isolates for 72 h. This was followed by an enzymatic assay to detect remaining oxalate. All isolates showed oxalate degradation activity to variable degrees. Five isolates demonstrated high oxalate degradation, 78 to 88%. To investigate the oxalate-degradation potential of the selected isolates, they have been further tested for the presence of genes that encode for enzymes involved in oxalate catabolism, formyl coenzyme A transferase (frc) and oxalyl coenzyme A decarboxylase (oxc). Three strains showed bands with the specific OXC and FRC forward and reverse primers designated as (SA-5, 9 and 37). Species-level identification revealed Loigolactobacillus bifermentans, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. Preliminary results revealed that the tested probiotic strains harbored both oxc and frc whose products are putatively involved in oxalate catabolism. The probiotic potential of the selected strains was evaluated, and they showed high survival rates to both simulated gastric and intestinal fluids and variable degrees of antagonism against the tested Gram-positive and negative pathogens and were sensitive to clarithromycin but resistant to both metronidazole and ceftazidime. Finally, these strains could be exploited as an innovative approach to establish oxalate homeostasis in humans and prevent kidney stone formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant condition characterized by the development of blast cells in the bone marrow and their quick dissemination into the bloodstream. It primarily affects children and individuals over the age of 60. Manual blood testing, which has been around for a long time, may be slow. The likelihood of recognizing ALL in its early stages was increased by automating the diagnosis. This research developed an improved criterion for classifying ALL microscopic images into two categories: normal images and blast images. First, to save processing time, innovative image preprocessing techniques were employed to gather data for data augmentation, enhancement, and conversion. The K‐means clustering technique was also utilized to effectively segment the relevant nuclei from the background. Furthermore, the most salient features were extracted using an empirical mode decomposition (EMD) based on the Hilbert‐Huang transform. MATLAB functions such as principal component analysis, gray level co‐occurrence matrix, local binary pattern, shape features, discrete cosine transform, discrete Fourier transform, discrete wavelet transform, and independent component analysis have been used and compared with EMD. The Bayesian regularization (BR) method has been implemented in the neural networks (NNs) classifier. Along with NNs, other classifiers such as support vector machine, K‐nearest neighbors, random forest, naive Bayes, logistic regression, and decision tree have been used, evaluated, and contrasted with NNs. According to experimental findings, the ALL‐IDB2 (Image Database 2) dataset's NNs‐based‐EMD model classified objects with an accuracy of 98.7%, sensitivity of 99.3%, and specificity of 98.1%. Research Highlights: Implement a robust method for classifying normal and blast ALL images in the state of the art using the combination of the BR algorithm and the neural networks classifier.Perform robust data processing via data augmentation and conversion from RGB (Red, Green, and Blue) image LAB (Luminosity, A: color space, B: color space) image.Extract the nuclei correctly from the background image using k‐means clustering.Extract the most salient features from the segmented images using EMD in the state of the art of HHT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACTTraditional fermentation using natural microorganisms often results in uncontrolled and inconsistent product quality. Identifying dominant LAB and yeast species through morphological, physiological, and biochemical characterization, this study aimed to optimize the traditional fermentation process of injera dough fermentation. Ersho and dough were prepared in the laboratory, and LAB and yeast were identified and enumerated by smearing on a petri dish at 24-hour intervals from 0 to 96 hours of fermentation. The growth kinetics of both LAB and yeast in fermented teff dough significantly increased (p < 0.05) from 8.91 to 9.97 log CFU/gm and 5.98 to 7.62 log CFU/gm as fermentation time increased. Five dominant LAB species (Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus Brevis, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Bacillus subtilis, and Enterococcus casseliflavus) and three dominant yeast strains (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida krusei, and Pichia kudriavzevii) were identified. Based on the physicochemical analysis and sensory acceptability result, application of a single starter culture in teff dough fermentation improved fermentation time and acid production.

Tempeh is a fermented soybean food with high nutritional value, culinary versatility, and palatability. Its popularity is rising because it aligns with the trend towards sustainable and healthy plant-based diets. However, consumers have exhibited a strong preference for local ingredients over soy. Faba bean is a promising raw material in Scandinavia due to its high protein, dietary fiber, and phytochemical content. In this study, we evaluated the effects of soaking media (vinegar, water and sodium bicarbonate with or without lactic acid bacteria (LAB)) on boiling time and physicochemical properties of faba bean-based tempeh. We demonstrated that sodium bicarbonate, with and without LAB, significantly reduces the boiling time of faba beans (7–8 min), while beans soaked in vinegar and water with and without LAB require longer boiling times for tempeh production (>16 min). Texture analysis has revealed notable variations among the samples, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) observed across the majority of the measured attributes. Our study has demonstrated that faba beans are suitable for tempeh production and expand the sources of possible raw materials. However, further studies are needed to investigate consumers’ preferences and expectations towards faba bean-based tempeh.

Enzymatic hydrolysis is more efficient compared to other types of protein hydrolysis methods due to the fact that enzymes function as specific catalysts that can produce peptides in a less complex form and avoid non-hydrolytic changes. Extracellular protease from lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis (LAC3) has the potential as an agent for enzymatic hydrolysis of marine products, especially for non-fibrillar and non-collagen protein types. Extracellular protease from LAC3 was successfully isolated and was able to hydrolyze sea cucumber and lorjuk shellfish. Hydrolyzed products appear to have molecular weights of 4.6 and 15 kDa. The hydrolysates from the enzymatic hydrolysis of the two marine samples have significant antioxidant activities based on the DPPH inhibition assay. The best 3D protein structure modeling was done using the AlphaFold web server. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron presents an important role in chemistry, biology, and materials science. Diatomic transition-metal borides (MBs) are the building blocks of many complexes and materials, and they present unique electronic structures with interesting and peculiar properties and a variety of bonding schemes which are analyzed here. In the first part of this paper, we present a review on the available experimental and theoretical studies on the first-row-transition-metal borides, i.e., ScB, TiB, VB, CrB, MnB, FeB, CoB, NiB, CuB, and ZnB; the second-row-transition-metal borides, i.e., YB, ZrB, NbB, MoB, TcB, RuB, RhB, PdB, AgB, and CdB; and the third-row-transition-metal borides, i.e., LaB, HfB, TaB, WB, ReB, OsB, IrB, PtB, AuB, and HgB. Consequently, in the second part, the second- and third-row MBs are studied via DFT calculations using the B3LYP, TPSSh, and MN15 functionals and, in some cases, via multi-reference methods, MRCISD+Q, in conjunction with the aug-cc-pVQZ-PPM/aug-cc-pVQZB basis sets. Specifically, bond distances, dissociation energies, frequencies, dipole moments, and natural NPA charges are reported. Comparisons between MB molecules along the three rows are presented, and their differences and similarities are analyzed. The bonding of the diatomic borides is also described; it is found that, apart from RhB(X1Σ+), which was just recently found to form quadruple bonds, RuB(X2Δ) and TcB(X3Σ−) also form quadruple σ2σ2π2π2 bonds in their X states. Moreover, to fill the gap existing in the current literature, here, we calculate the TcB molecule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are cosmopolitan in distribution with multiple ecological niches. LAB shows diverse applications in improvement of health by biochemical interference or imuno modulation to overcome several clinical circumstances. Lactose intolerance (LI) is one such situation, where individual show lactose maldigestion after the consumption of dairy products. It is necessary to overcome such a condition by employing indigenous beneficial bacteria or their products. Therefore, in this study we have isolated and characterized LAB from fermented milk samples, from remote villages of districts of south India. Traditionally fermented milk samples (68) were collected, cultivated on MRS medium, identified by biochemical and carbohydrate metabolic activity and correlated with Bergey's manual of systematic bacteriology. When matched with other LAB, Lactiplantibacillus isolates were able to reduced pH of medium significantly and reached pH of 4.6 in 48 hours. On MRS agar, 450 different bacterial isolates were isolated, recognized as presumptive LAB and classified up to the level of genera as Lactiplantibacillus (285), Lactococcus (70), Pediococcus (19), Streptococcus (20), and Enterococcus (16). Later, β-galactosidase screening was carried out using MRS/X-gal agar medium. Out of 450 LAB isolates only Lactiplantibacillus isolates were potential β-galactosidase producers. GRAS organisms such as LAB are multifaceted diverse group of bacteria localized in varieties of fermented foods/in the intestine and recognized as probiotics. Distinct contribution of LAB in health care and disorder management made this organism as a choice for alternate therapy; hence functionality of LAB can be promoted for LI management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various bacteria known as lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are crucial for food fermentation and producing probiotic products. Most of the lactic acid produced by the LAB, a genus of Gram-positive, non-spore-forming cocci or rods, is responsible for the fermentation of carbohydrates. In anaerobic fermentation, yeast and bacteria break food components into other products. Fermented foods and beverages are described as having carefully controlled microbial development. Some nutrients include proteins, soluble fibre, minerals, vitamins, essential fatty acids, and some essential amino acids found in fermented foods and beverages. There are many different types of fermented foods, so it's essential to describe each one's role in terms of its nature. The bacteria employed in fermentation are typically probiotic, meaning they are good for human health. These bacteria may help us to enhance the nutrient content of food, gastrointestinal infection prevention, improve lactose digestion and cancer prevention, and lower serum cholesterol levels. Indian fermented foods are classified according to the raw materials they contain, like cereal-based, meat-based, pulse-based, vegetable and fruit-based, sweets and snacks-based fermented foods widely used in the Indian Scenario. This review article brings a complete view of traditional fermented foods of different raw materials that are significant and naturally beneficial for human health, with special mention of significant LABs in various fermented foods from India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are excellent anaerobic fermenters that produce highly valuable grass-based animal feed containing essential nutrients. In the present study, an ensiling process was used to improve anaerobic fermentation in triticale silage under different moisture conditions with LAB. The triticale was treated with either a single bacterium or combined LAB and then vacuum-sealed. After 180 and 360 days of storage, the silage's fermentation characteristics, microbial changes and nutrient contents were analyzed. The pH of the silage was significantly lower than the control silage. There was a significant difference in the pH values between the silages treated with single or mixed LAB. The LAB treatment led to a substantial increase in lactic acid (LA), a decrease in butyric acid (BA), and marginal levels of acetic acid (AA). The LA content after the mixed LAB treatment was significantly higher than that after the single culture LAB treatment. After single or combined inoculant treatments, the LAB population in the silage increased, while the yeast and mold levels decreased. These findings suggest that the addition of LAB to silage during ensiling could enhance the nutritional quality and reduce unwanted microbial growth. The mixed LAB treatments produced silage with a significantly higher nutritional value than the single LAB treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the comparative characteristics of the antimicrobial activity of selected lactic acid bacteria strains and antibiotics. The metabiotics of probiotic lactic acid bacteria inhibited the growth of pathogenic, conditionally pathogenic bacteria, different etiology antibiotic resistant bacteria such as Salmonella sp., E. coli, Proteus mirabilis Pasteurella spp., Clostridium sp., Streptococcus sp., Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella sp., Yersinia enterocolitica, Bacillus cereus with different efficiency depending on pathogens isolation sources. It was shown that bacteriocins of lactic acid bacteria in the same concentration did not affect growth of the commensal microbiota strains, belonging to different genera and species. Lactobacillus and Enterococcus genera showed high sensitivity to investigated antibiotics (about 70%). Among all studied LAB strains of Enterococcus genus, some strains were shown to synthesize polysaccharides. The antimicrobial activity of isolated polysaccharides from Enterococcus faecium К Э-14, Enterococcus faecium К Э-5, Enterococcus lactic acid bacteria. Sp. К Э-9, Enterococcus lactic acid bacteria sp. К Э-6 strains was investigated. It was found that only polysaccharides isolated from Enterococcus faecium К Э-14 and Enterococcus faecium К Э-5 strains show an antimicrobial effect. The Enterococcus faecium КЭ-5 (MDC 9662) lactic acid bacteria strain was selected which produce protein-like substances and disaccharide polymers with antimicrobial activity, consist of glucose and galactose. The growth suppression of different Kl. pneumonia and St. pneumonia strains causing pneumonia by antimicrobial preparations of lactic acid bacteria was shown. The highest antimicrobial activity (100%) was observed when the antimicrobial preparations obtained after cultivation of lactic acid bacteria strains of the Enterococcus genus. The activity depends on the source of isolation of pathogens from a patient. The selected strains can be recommended for the creation of probiotic preparations with targeted purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Typically, images captured in adverse weather conditions such as haze or smog exhibit light gray or white color on screen; therefore, existing hazy image restoration studies have performed dehazing under the same assumption. However, hazy images captured under actual weather conditions tend to change color because of various environmental factors such as dust, chemical substances, sea, and lighting. Color-shifted hazy images have hindered accurate color perception of the images, and due to the dark haze color, they have worsened visibility compared to conventional hazy images. Therefore, various color correction-based dehazing algorithms have recently been implemented to restore colorcast images. However, existing color restoration studies are limited in that they struggle to distinguish between haze and objects, particularly when haze veils and images have a similar color or when objects with a high saturation value occupy a significant portion of the scene, resulting in overly grayish images and distorted colors. Therefore, we propose a saturation-based dehazing method that extracts only the hue of the cast airlight and preserves the information of the object. First, the proposed color correction method uses a dominant color extraction method for the clustering of CIELAB(LAB) color images and then assigns area scores to the classified clusters. Sorting of the airlight areas is performed using the area score, and gray world-based white balance is performed by extracting the hue of the area. Finally, the saturation of the restored image is used to separate and process the distant objects and airlight, and dehazing is performed by applying a weighting value to the depth map based on the average luminance. Our color restoration method prevents excessive gray tone and color distortion. In particular, the proposed dehazing method improves upon existing issues where near-field information is lost and noise is introduced in the far field as visibility improves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the use of the Jupyter platform for teaching C++ programming in higher education. The researchers conducted a study with 50 students and found that while many students appreciated the interactive learning and ease of report writing offered by Jupyter, some encountered difficulties with the platform. The researchers recommend further research and evaluation to improve and adapt this teaching strategy, including integrating Visual Studio with Jupyter. The study provides insights into the potential advantages and limitations of using Jupyter for C++ programming education. [Extracted from the article]

Camel milk and dairy products based on camel milk are consumed by people in various countries, particularly Asia and Africa. Traditionally, products based on camel milk products have been an essential source of protein for people living in arid countries of the world. Here, we have discussed the chemical composition of camel milk and the technological features and limitations in the production of dairy products from camel milk. Moreover, different species or strains of LAB such as Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus casei, Enterococcus faecium, Streptococcus thermophilus, Weissella confusa were detected as the prevalent bacteria in camel milk and camel milk products. Although camel milk has been subjected to numerous studies, technical analyses on an industrial scale remain scarce, especially for processed camel milk products. Further comprehensive research is needed to improve the quality of camel milk dairy products so that they can compete with milk from other livestock.

There is a growing demand for vegan products and plant-based food when dealing with the impact of livestock on the climate crisis. The aim of this study was to develop a formulation for a plant-based analogue of mold-ripened cheese. Were investigated the following plant materials: cashews, pistachios, soy flour, chickpea flour, pea protein, pumpkin protein, hemp protein, and spirulina powder. Plant matrices were fermented with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) starter cultures and cheese starter cultures of mold species Geotrichum candidum and Penicillium camemberti. All microorganisms’ growth were tested in a vegan-type culture medium. Calcium supplementation was applied and followed by an in-depth analysis of the elemental composition of selected analogues with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. The physicochemical and organoleptic analyses of plant-based alternatives of Camembert were conducted. This is the first paper describing novel formulations for plant-based alternatives for Camembert cheese prepared with techniques mimicking the original milk product.

One of the oldest biotechnological processes used in bread manufacture is sourdough production which relies on wild yeast and lactobacillus cultures naturally present in flour. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the influence of selected flours of different cereal grains (ancient wheat, corn, and rye), different dough variations, and temperature of fermentation on the quality of spontaneous sourdough. Two values of fermentation temperatures were tested (25 °C and 35 °C), and for each temperature analyzed, three backslopping steps were carried out to obtain mature doughs according to the traditional type I sourdough scheme. In total, 14 different sourdoughs were produced, and microbiology, pH, and total titration acidity for 96 h were determined. Optimal pH values for the samples determined that the optimal fermentation period was 48 h. The acidification rate of the dough was faster at 35 °C than at 25 °C. This fact became evident via the pH values obtained in the first 24 h. However, from this point, the pH values were lower in the samples kept at 25 °C, showing that a cooler fermentation temperature allows the acidification activity of the microorganisms to be prolonged for a longer time. In the study carried out, the ideal fermentation time for the population of LAB and yeasts is 72 h at a temperature of 25 °C, and the most productive sourdoughs were the dough with 100% Einkorn wheat flour and the dough obtained from the 1:1 combination of flour rye and corn flours.