330 research outputs found
Dairy wastewaters to promote mixotrophic metabolism in limnospira (spirulina) platensis: effect on biomass composition, phycocyanin content, and fatty acid methyl ester profile
No full textThis study explores the mixotrophic cultivation of Limnospira platensis using dairy byproducts, specifically scotta whey (SW), buttermilk wastewater (BMW), and dairy wastewater (DWW), to promote biomass production and enhance the composition of bioactive compounds. By assessing various concentrations (1%, 2%, and 4% v v−1) of these byproducts in a modified growth medium, this study aims to evaluate their effect on L. platensis growth, phycocyanin (C-PC) content, and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles. The results show that the optimal biomass production was achieved with 2% scotta and dairy wastewater, reaching maximum concentrations of 3.30 g L−1 and 3.19 g L−1, respectively. Mixotrophic cultivation led to increased C-PC yields, especially in buttermilk and dairy wastewater treatments, highlighting the potential for producing valuable pigments. Additionally, the FAME profiles indicated minimal changes compared to the control, with oleic and γ-linolenic acids being dominant in mixotrophic conditions. These findings support the viability of utilizing dairy byproducts for sustainable L. platensis cultivation, contributing to a circular bioeconomy while producing bioactive compounds of nutritional and commercial interest
Is old stuff back? A fatal case of ethyl chloride sniffing
No full textBackground: Ethyl chloride (EC) or chloroethane is a colourless halogenated hydrocarbon gas regularly employed as a topical anaesthetic spray for pain-related injuries and muscle spasm in athletes. However, EC became also popular as a street drug in the 1980s. Brief inhalations of EC vapour can result in dizziness, euphoria, confusion, incoordination, hallucinosis, impairment of short-term memory and narcosis. Inhalation of higher doses, usually employed to “get high”, may be related to severe depression of the central nervous system. Indeed, toxicity and deaths have been reported so far. Case presentation: A 40-year-old man was found unresponsive after EC inhalation. EC determination was performed by dynamic headspace gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. EC was detected in the peripheral blood (0.156 g/L), central blood concentration (0.203 g/L) and the lung and brain (19 and 25 mg/kg). EC in the vitreous humour showed a sensitively lower respect to blood (0.018 vs 0.203 g/L). Conclusions: Considering the results of toxicological analyses of investigations on the death scene besides the absence of any signs of trauma, death was attributed to inhalation of ethyl chloride
A novel process to grow edible microalgae on Mars by exploiting in situ-available resources: experimental investigation
No full textThe achievement of manned missions on Mars is one of the main challenges the humanity is going to face in the next future. In this context, the possibility of growing Spirulina (Arthrospira Platensis) intended to produce food for crew members on Mars has been investigated in this work. The experiments have been carried out in a novel device capable to simulate microgravity and an inner atmosphere very similar to the Martian one in terms of chemical composition. This device simulates the conditions taking place within a Martian dome hosting the relevant photobioreactors according to a novel technology recently proposed in the patent literature. The growth medium has been obtained using a mixture, called Martian Medium, consisting of a mixture of Mars regolith leachate and astronauts’ urine simulants to verify the possibility of exploiting in-situ available resources and reducing the payload associated to the mission. The obtained results have shown that A. platensis was capable to grow with a good productivity in a medium containing up to 40 %vol of Martian Medium. Moreover, when using this mixture in the developed device the obtained biomass productivity (~0.048 g L 1 day 1) was higher than the one correspondingly gained using optimal growth medium and Earth conditions (~11 g L 1 day 1). Ultimately, the use of Martian Medium in the developed device led to a growth rate much higher than the one achievable on Earth with classical media likely because the CO2 rich atmosphere was capable to avoid carbon starvation phenomena while microgravity conditions reduced settling and aggregation of cells, thus leading to a better diffusion transport of dissolved nutrients to algae. Considered the obtained productivity and astronauts needs it was estimated that by taking advantage of this technology, a culture of about 15 m3 available within pressurized domes would be sufficient to meet the protein needs of a crew of six members
Application of acoustic techniques in the evaluation of heterogeneous building materials
No full textIn this paper, we present the results of an application of in situ non-destructive acoustic techniques to
analyse the state of preservation of a colonnade of an ancient Church in the Central Sardinia (Italy). In
particular, low-frequency ultrasonic tests and seismic longitudinal wave transmission tomography
(SLWTT) techniques were applied on the columns of the Church in order to provide information on their
state of preservation and to detect possible defects, such as zones of weakness, damages and cracks in
its inner parts that cannot be visually examined.
In order to improve the velocity input model for the SLWTT, a new experimental procedure based on
the calculation of the cross-correlation function was proposed and usefully applied.
An estimate of the accuracy of longitudinal wave velocity measurements by SLWTT methods was
carried out by application of a standard error analysis based on the law of propagation of uncertainty.
Based on the results obtained with the ultrasonic and seismic investigations, we located microcores
that confirmed information from the above non-invasive investigations.
& 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserve
Supercritical extraction of volatile and fixed oils from Petroselinum crispum L. seeds: chemical composition and biological activity
No full textThe supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of volatile and fixed oil from milled parsley (Petroselinum crispum L.) seeds, using CO2 as solvent, is presented in this study. Extraction experiments were carried out in two steps: at pressures of (90 or 300) bar and temperature of 40 °C. The first extraction step, performed at 90 bar, produced a volatile fraction mainly formed by apiole (82.1%) and myristicin (11.4%). The volatile oil yield was 2.6% by weight of the charge. The second extraction step, carried out at 300 bar produced a fixed oil at a yield of 0.4% by weight. The most represented fatty acids in P. crispum fixed oil were 18:1 n-12 (49.9%), 18:2 n-6 (18.2%), 18:1 n-9 (11.8%), and 16:0 (7.4%). In particular, the unsaturated fatty acids 18:1 n-12 and 18:1 n-9 averaged 182.2 mg/g and 92.1 mg/g of oil extract, respectively. The quality of the oils extracted by SFE, in terms of its chemical composition, was compared to the oils obtained by hydrodistillation (HD) in a Clevenger apparatus and by solvent extraction (SE) using n-hexane in a Soxhlet apparatus. The antioxidant properties were determined by means of the ABTS assay. The results indicated that the fixed oil possessed low antioxidant activity (EC50 = 0.4 mg/mL) and the volatile oil had no antioxidant activity. The total phenolic content, expressed as concentration of gallic acid (gallic acid equivalent, GAE), of the fixed oil was 1.5 mg/g. The fixed oil found to have inhibitory effects against α-glucosidase, the volatile oil is active on acetylcholinesterase (AChE), tyrosinase, and α-glucosidase. Both samples have weak inhibitory activity on α-amylase and no activity on butyrylcholinesterase (BChE)
Neuroprotective Effects of Myrtle Berry By-Product Extracts on 6-OHDA-Induced Cytotoxicity in PC12 Cells
No full textThe rising global focus on healthy lifestyles and environmental sustainability has prompted interest in repurposing plant-based by-products for health benefits. With increasing life expectancy, the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases-characterized by complex, multifactorial mechanisms such as abnormal protein aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation-continues to grow. Medicinal plants, with their diverse bioactive compounds, offer promising therapeutic avenues for such conditions. Myrtus communis L., a Mediterranean plant primarily used in liquor production, generates significant waste rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study explores the neuroprotective potential of Myrtus berry by-products in a cellular model of neurodegeneration. Using PC12 cells exposed to 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), we assessed cell viability via MTT assay and measured reactive oxygen species (ROS) production using DCFDA fluorescence. Additionally, we analyzed the expression of genes linked to oxidative stress and neuronal function, including AChE, PON2, Grin1, Gabrd, and c-fos, by RT-PCR. Our findings reveal that Myrtus extract significantly protects against 6-OHDA-induced cytotoxicity, reduces ROS levels, and modulates the expression of key stress-related genes, underscoring its potential as a neuroprotective agent. These results highlight the therapeutic promise of Myrtus extracts in mitigating neurodegenerative processes, paving the way for future interventions
Reptiles of Fais Island, Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia.
No full textv. ill. 23 cm.QuarterlyEleven species of reptiles (six skinks, four geckos, one monitor lizard) are recorded from Fais Island, Micronesia, four of them (Gehyra mutilata, Lepidodactylus moestus, L. sp., and Eugongylus albofasciolatus) for the first time. The skinks Emoia caeruleocauda and E. jakati are the most common species; G. mutilate is the most common gecko in edificarian habitats, and L. moestus is the most common outside the areas of human habitation. Nearly all of the species are widespread in the western Pacific region, although Eutropis sp. is at the easternmost limits of its distribution in the Caroline Islands on Fais. The monitor lizard Varanus indicus was introduced during the Japanese administration. The other species may have arrived by natural dispersal, or by human assistance, or a combination of the two
Human embryo: What about relatedness?
No full textMany studies are still ongoing to allow a global comprehension of the complex mechanisms that characterize and regulate human embryo development during the first weeks of his life. In this article, we decided to explore in particular one aspect of human embryo development: relatedness. Using PubMed database, we selected articles related to this particular theme and 56 articles where included in our analysis. We considered three different types of relatedness: from embryo to mother, from mother to embryo and bilateral relatedness. For each article, we indicated what type of relatedness was mainly present either during pre-implantation phase or during implantation phase or during post-implantation phase. The complex interactions between the mother and the embryo have been discussed and represented using, as emerged from literature, a cooperative agents’ mode
Association between the spread of COVID-19 and weather-climatic parameters
No full textObjective: To explore whether the climate has played a role in the COVID-19 outbreak, we compared virus lethality in countries closer to the Equator with others. Lethality in European territories and in territories of some nations with a non-temperate climate was also compared. Materials and Methods: Lethality was calculated as the rate of deaths in a determinate moment from the outbreak of the pandemic out of the total of identified positives for COVID-19 in a given area/nation, based on the COVID John Hopkins University website. Lethality of countries located within the 5th parallels North/ South on 6 April and 6 May 2020, was compared with that of all the other countries. Lethality in the European areas of The Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom was also compared to the territories of the same nations in areas with a non-temperate climate. Results: A lower lethality rate of COVID-19 was found in Equatorial countries both on April 6 (OR=0.72 CI 95% 0.66-0.80) and on May 6 (OR=0.48, CI 95% 0.47-0.51), with a strengthening over time of the protective effect. A trend of higher risk in European vs. non-temperate areas was found on April 6, but a clear difference was evident one month later: France (OR=0.13, CI 95% 0.10-0.18), The Netherlands (OR=0.5, CI 95% 0.3-0.9) and the UK (OR=0.2, CI 95% 0.01- 0.51). This result does not seem to be totally related to the differences in age distribution of different sites. Conclusions: The study does not seem to exclude that the lethality of COVID-19 may be climate sensitive. Future studies will have to confirm these clues, due to potential confounding factors, such as pollution, population age, and exposure to malaria
Association between the spread of COVID-19 and weather-climatic parameters
No full textObjective: To explore whether the climate has played a role in the COVID-19 outbreak, we compared virus lethality in countries closer to the Equator with others. Lethality in European territories and in territories of some nations with a non-temperate climate was also compared. Materials and Methods: Lethality was calculated as the rate of deaths in a determinate moment from the outbreak of the pandemic out of the total of identified positives for COVID-19 in a given area/nation, based on the COVIDJohn Hopkins University website. Lethality of countries located within the 5th parallels North/ South on 6 April and 6 May 2020, was compared with that of all the other countries. Lethality in the European areas of The Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom was also compared to the territories of the same nations in areas with a non-temperate climate. Results: A lower lethality rate of COVID-19 was found in Equatorial countries both on April 6 (OR=0.72 CI 95% 0.66-0.80) and on May 6 (OR=0.48, CI 95% 0.47-0.51), with a strengthening over time of the protective effect. A trend of higher risk in European vs. non-temperate areas was found on April 6, but a clear difference was evident one month later: France (OR=0.13, CI 95% 0.10-0.18), The Netherlands (OR=0.5, CI 95% 0.3-0.9) and the UK (OR=0.2, CI 95% 0.01- 0.51). This result does not seem to be totally related to the differences in age distribution of different sites. Conclusions: The study does not seem to exclude that the lethality of COVID-19 may be climate sensitive. Future studies will have to confirm these clues, due to potential confounding factors, such as pollution, population age, and exposure to malaria
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