Biotechnology, Biotechnological Equipment

The biological air treatment method is based on the biological destruction of organic compounds using certain cultures of microorganisms. This method is simple and may be applied in many branches of industry. The main element of biological air treatment devices is a filter charge. Tests were carried out using a new-generation laboratory air purifier with a plate structure. This purifier is called biofilter. The biofilter has a special system for packing material humidification which does not require additional energy inputs...

The aim of this study was to facilitate gene discovery for functional genome studies and to identify simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers for molecular-assisted selection in Phellinus linteus. The transcriptome of Phellinus linteus was sequenced using а high-throughput RNA sequencing system - the Illumina Hiseq 2000. A total of 16,383,818 clean sequencing reads, 35,532 contigs and 25,811 unigenes were postulated. Based on similarity searches with known proteins, 19,350 genes (74.97% of the unigenes) were annotated...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible implementation of hydrophilic polymers as recovery agents in air-damaged corneal cells. The sessile bubble technique was implemented to measure the wetting properties of four selected polymers: hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), sodium chondroitin sulphate (SCS), hydroxypropyl-methylcellulose (HPMC) and poloxamer F127 (PO12), at equilibrium conditions and in the case of advancing and receding contact angle. For testing the wetting properties of the polymers, glass slides covered with a confluent monolayer of Statens Seruminstitut rabbit cornea (SIRC) cells were used...

Surfactin, one of the most effective biosurfactants, has great potential in commercial applications. Studies on effective methods to reduce surfactin's production cost are always a hotspot in the research field of biosurfactants. The aim of this study was to reveal the role of Mn(2+) in promoting the biosynthesis of surfactin by Bacillus subtilis ATCC 21332, which could arise more targeted suggestions on surfactin yield promotion. In this study, B. subtilis was cultivated in media containing different Mn(2+) concentrations...

Fed-batch cultivations of L-isoleucine-producing Escherichia coli TRFP (SG(r), α-ABA(r), with a pTHR101 plasmid containing a thr operon and ilvA) were carried out on different carbon sources: glucose, sucrose, fructose, maltose and glycerol. The results indicated that sucrose was the best initial carbon source for L-isoleucine production and then sucrose concentration of 30 g·L(-1) was determined in the production medium. The results of different carbon sources feeding showed that the glucose solution was the most suitable feeding media...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the presence of dentinal defects after root canal preparation with hand instruments and two different reciprocating instruments. Sixty freshly extracted mandibular incisor teeth were selected for this in vitro study. On the basis of root length, mesiodistal and buccolingual dimensions, the teeth were allocated into three identical experimental groups ( n = 15) and one control group ( n = 15). The teeth in the control group were left unprepared. The other groups were: stainless steel hand instruments, WaveOne® Primary instruments and RECIPROC® R25 instruments...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of sandblasting and different chemical bonding agents on shear bond strength of zirconia and conventional resin cement. In this study, 35 zirconia specimens were treated as follows: Group I: control; Group II: sandblasting; Group III: sandblasting + Monobond S; Group IV: sandblasting + Monobond Plus; Group V: sandblasting + Z-Prime Plus. The specimens in each group were bonded with conventional composite resin cement Variolink II. After cementation, specimens were stored in distilled water (at 37 °C) for 24 h and shear test was performed...

Enterocytes are unique cells governing an array of processes. They are covered by the gut glycocalyx, which is an extraneous carbohydrate-rich coat and an integral part of the plasma membrane. The intestinal glycocalyx and secreted mucins constitute a glycosylated milieu which has a number of physiological and protective functions. One of the important functions of the glycocalyx is its barrier function against microbial adherence to different membrane glycolipids. Thus, the glycocalyx is an important part of the mucosal immune system in newborns...

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of highly homologous extracellular Zn(2+)-dependent endopeptidases, also known as matrixins. MMP-2 (gelatinase A) and MMP-9 (gelatinase B) are considered to play a key role in a variety of physiological processes as well as in the development and progression of a vast majority of pathological conditions. Most of the genes encoding MMPs, including MMP-2, are highly polymorphic. One of the single nucleotide polymorphisms with functional activity in the promoter region of MMP2 is the transition MMP2 -1306C>T (rs243865)...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphometric and immunohistochemistry in umbilical cords from patients with severe pre-eclampsia with and without haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome. The patient and control groups were similar according to baseline obstetric characteristics. White blood cell count in patients with HELLP syndrome and the control group was significantly increased among patients with HELLP syndrome (p < 0.001). Morphometric examination and endothelial core length were significantly different between the groups...

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of bone morphogenetic protein-6 (BMP-6) on the growth and maturation of mouse follicles in vitro. Preantral follicles isolated from mice were incubated with recombinant human BMP-6 (rhBMP-6) before analysis. BMP-6 expression was detected by immunofluorescence and western blot. Maturation of oocytes was observed microscopically. Estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expression of steroidogenesis-related genes was detected by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction...

There is a growing body of evidence for the protective role of vitamin D in diabetes mellitus (DM), infection, cancer, cardiovascular disease, immune disorders and kidney function. Considering the reported high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency among kidney transplant recipients (KTRs), the aim of this study was to assess the influence of immunosuppressive therapy and other factors on vitamin D status in such patients. The study included 289 KTRs (189 males and 100 females) who consented to participate...

Infesting Fusarium species isolated from banana fruit samples were identified and quantified by morphological, mycotoxicological and molecular tools. A total of 19 Fusarium isolates were obtained: F. semitectum was most predominant (26%), followed by F. proliferatum (16%), F. circinatum (16%), F. chlamydosporum (10.5%), F. solani (10.5%), F. oxysporum (10.5%) and F. thapsinum (5%). Fumonisin B1, deoxynivalenol and zearalenone contents were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Seventeen isolates, belonging to F...

An alkaliphilic-thermotolerant Bacillus cereus N1 isolated from Bani Salama Lake, Wadi El-Natron, Egypt, was proved to produce mannanase enzyme. Optimization of the fermentation medium components using Plackett-Burman design was applied. Glucose and inoculum size were found to be the most significant factors enhancing the production of the enzyme. On applying optimized medium in the fermentation process, an enzyme productivity of 42.2 UmL(-1) was achieved with 6.4 fold increase compared to the basal one. Mannanase was also extracted and purified using chromatography such as ion-exchange chromatographic and gel filtration methods...

Aconitum is a medicinal treasure trove that grows extensively on fertile pastures in Xinjiang Province (China); however, its molecular genetic characteristics are still poorly studied. We studied Aconitum kusnezoffii Reichb., Aconitum soongaricum Stapf., Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. and Aconitum leucostomum Worosch, using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) techniques, to evaluate their genetic relationship and potential medicinal value. Our results showed that A. kusnezoffii Reichb...

In recent years, LED (light-emitting diode) has been the subject of research within the field of plant growth and development. However, there has been little discussion about using LED in vitro cultures of Panax vietnamensis, one of the important medicinal plants belonging to the Panax genus. This study examines the influence of various LED lamps on callus growth and plant formation of P. vietnamensis. Results show significant differences in growth and development, as various light conditions were suitable for different stages...

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the composite photosynthetic bacterial inoculant PS21 alleviate the damage inflicted on wheat seedlings by tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). The biochemical characteristics of wheat seedlings were analysed through laboratory simulation after co-treating seedlings with PS21 and 0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80 and 100 mg kg(-1) TBBPA, respectively. The results showed that TBBPA reduced the total chlorophyll content and increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content. TBBPA increased the soluble sugar content, soluble protein content and activate superoxide dismutase (SOD; EC: 1...

The antibacterial activity of ethanolic and aqueous crude extracts from 36 plants in Turkey, including seven endemic species, against fish pathogens was studied using the disc diffusion assay. The extract that was most active against all microbial strains, except Aeromonas salmonicida, was that of Dorycnium pentaphyllum. Some of the extracts also showed a very broad spectrum of potent antimicrobial activity. The extract of Anemone nemorosa showed the highest antimicrobial activity against Vibrio anguillarum...

The aim of the present study was to carry out a preliminary assessment for the occurrence of bacterial strains resistant to frequently used antibiotics in the sediments beneath the sturgeon cage farm in Kardzhali Dam (Bulgaria). Samples were taken from the top 2 cm of sediments under a fish farm and from a control station in the aquatory of the reservoir in the period July-October 2011. Surveillance of bacterial susceptibility to 16 antimicrobial agents was performed for 160 Gram-negative strains (Pseudomonas mandelii - 100 strains; Hafnia alvei - 30 strains; and Raoultella ornithinolytica - 30 strains)...

Fusarium graminearum and F. culmorum are phytopathogenic species causing scab and root rot diseases in all small grain cereals worldwide including Turkey. In this study, resistance levels to geneticin (G418) of 14 F. graminearum and 24 F. culmorum isolates collected from cereals were determined. Fungal cultures were grown on potato dextrose agar medium supplemented with 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 µg/mL of G418. Minimum inhibitory concentration was determined as 25 µg/mL. As a result, it was concluded that all isolates were highly sensitive to G418...