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Biology is a study of living objects and their life processes. It examines all aspects of living organisms such as their occurrence, classification, internal and external structure, nutrition, reproduction, inheritance, etc. The term “biology” is commonly replaced by the terms “life sciences” and “biological sciences.” There are dozens of branches of biology. Some of the major ones include:
Biology and Life Sciences
Abstract
The number of human infections with multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria is increasing worldwide and constitutes a serious threat to human health. Given the lack of novel antibiotic compounds worsening this dilemma, alternative antibiotic-independent treatment and prevention strategies of infectious diseases applying natural compounds appear highly appreciable. Given the long-known health-beneficial and disease-alleviating properties of Cannabis, we performed a literature search summarizing current knowledge regarding the antibacterial effects of extracts from different parts of the Cannabis sativa plant and of defined Cannabis-derived molecules and their potential mode of action. The included studies revealed that various extracts and essential oils of C. sativa as well as major cannabinoids exerted potent activities against a broad spectrum of Gram-positive bacteria and against some Gram-negative bacterial species including MDR strains. Particularly the disruption of the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane by some cannabinoids resulted in potent antibacterial effects against Gram-positive bacteria including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, defined cannabinoids inhibited the formation of and eradicated existing bacterial biofilms. In conclusion, given their antibacterial properties distinct Cannabis-derived molecules expand the repertoire of antibiotics-independent treatment options in the combat of bacterial infectious diseases which should be further addressed in future studies including clinical trials.
Abstract
Background
The exploratory study assessed trends in the abundance of CTX-M-type extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and vancomycin-resistance genes vanA and vanB in the stool samples of German soldiers and police officers returning from predominantly tropical deployments next to the common diarrheagenic Escherichia (E.) coli pathovars enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC)) as well as rarely imported Vibrio spp. between 2006 and 2024.
Methods
Surveillance was performed applying real-time polymerase chain reaction and results were stratified by World Health Organization region of deployment as well as by deployment period. For the latter, the study interval was divided into three pre-COVID-19-pandemic periods, the COVID-19-pandemic period and the post-COVID-19-pandemic period. Averaged prevalences were used as references.
Results
In stool samples of 1817 deployed German soldiers and 117 police officers, averaged prevalences were 47.9% and 24.8% for the ESBL-type beta-lactamase bla CTX-M, 30.2% and 14.5% for vanB, 9.0% and 17.9% for EPEC, 3.4% and 12.8% for ETEC, 4.0% and 3.4% for EAEC as well as 2.0% and 3.4% for Vibrio spp., respectively. While resistance genes peaked during early deployments, maximum prevalences for enteropathogens were seen later.
Conclusions
The assessment suggested time- and region-dependence of the assessed parameters.
Abstract
Milk kefir is gaining popularity due to its high probiotic content. This study focuses on fortifying milk kefir with date syrup to enhance its sensory attributes, with the goal of encouraging consumption among the younger generation. Date syrup was added to milk kefir in specific proportions (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10% per 100 mL of milk). The selection of the most suitable percentage (10%, 74 °Bx) was determined based on sensory preferences indicated by the panellists. The newly developed fermented beverage underwent physicochemical and biochemical analyses over a 14-day fermentation period. Results revealed that the addition of date syrup led to a significant (P ≤ 0.001) decrease in pH and total soluble solids (TSS) content, accompanied by a noteworthy increase in total phenolic, flavonoids, condensed tannins contents and antioxidant activity (almost 2-fold). Liquid chromatography - heated electrospray ionisation - mass spectrometry (LC-HESI-MS/MS) results identified the presence of a newly formed and important antifungal compound, p-hydroxyphenyllactic acid (HPLA), showing a progressive increase in quantity during the fermentation process (13.8-fold on the 14th day of fermentation). Hence, the outcomes of this study offer compelling evidence that a novel category of functional beverage can be developed by employing milk kefir as an appropriate starter with the incorporation of date syrup.
Abstract
The demand for gluten-free food products is expected to grow in the coming years. Quinoa's versatility allows it to replace traditional grains and adds high nutritional value to grain blends and processed food items. The present study was designed to prepare and evaluate gluten-free cookies by substituting rice with quinoa and keeping pearl and foxtail millet constant. A significant increase in protein (8.0–13.2 g/100 g), crude fibre (2.9–6.2%), ash (0.5–1.7%), and hardness (928.9–1736.9 g) was observed with increasing quinoa supplementation. A positive correlation of crude fibre with protein, hardness, and fracturability was observed at P ≤ 5%. Organoleptic evaluation indicated that cookies with 30% quinoa were overall accepted by the consumer. Also, these cookies had lower acid and peroxide values, thus, had longer shelf-lives. This is the first report for the use of quinoa with the mixture of rice and millet, which could be a decent alternative ingredient for gluten-free cookies formulations.
Abstract
Kudzu root (Pueraria lobata), known for its dual role as a medicinal herb and food ingredient, has proven anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This study explored the effects of P. lobata extract (PLE) on D-galactose/lipopolysaccharide (D-GalN/LPS)-induced liver inflammation and oxidative stress in mice, along with its impact on gut microbiota. The in vivo studies indicated that PLE significantly reduced hepatic levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6) and increased the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10. It also lowered serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities, indicating reduced liver damage, and mitigated oxidative stress by decreasing malondialdehyde levels while restoring superoxide dismutase activity. Western blot analysis revealed that PLE inhibited the phosphorylation of NF-κB pathway proteins (p65 and IκB) and suppressed TLR4 expression, highlighting its role in this inflammatory pathway. Additionally, PLE ameliorated D-GalN/LPS-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, reducing Proteobacteria abundance and promoting beneficial genera such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Akkermansia. These findings suggest that PLE protects against liver inflammation and oxidative stress, while improving gut microbiota composition, offering potential therapeutic strategies for liver-related diseases.
Abstract
This study aimed to perform lactose hydrolysis using free and immobilised β-galactosidase in cow and sheep milk with different fat levels, followed by lactulose synthesis through the isomerisation of glucose to fructose using immobilised glucose isomerase. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in lactose hydrolysis (>95%) using the free enzyme in the different types of milk. In contrast, significant differences were observed for the hydrolysis of whole cow milk (WCM) and skimmed cow milk (SCM) with the immobilised enzyme (IE). WCM required a longer hydrolysis time (43 h). Thus, the fat content may have affected the lactose hydrolysis of bovine milk with immobilised β-galactosidase. No difference was observed for whole sheep milk and skimmed sheep milk hydrolysed by IE, possibly due to the presence of smaller fat globules, which did not affect the lactose hydrolysis. No significant differences were observed for lactulose synthesis in whole milk from the different species evaluated. The lactulose synthesis in cow and sheep milk by the enzymatic route may be a promising alternative, though further studies are required to optimise the production of this prebiotic in situ.
Abstract
The relevance of the subject under study is conditioned by numerous technological problems of providing livestock enterprises of the Republic of Kazakhstan with quality equipment for animal feeding and the associated need to develop and implement dosers for the preparation of compound feed mixture. This study introduces an innovative approach through the development and analysis of a novel dosing auger with an active return channel, which distinguishes itself from existing models by enhancing the precision and efficiency of feed preparation processes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the key parameters of the dosing auger with an active return channel for its further use in agricultural enterprises for preparation of compound feed. The findings of this study emphasise the significance of compliance of current trends in the improvement of prepared feed with the established zootechnical requirements from the standpoint of optimising the technological equipment used in this process. The key aspects of feed dosing sequence when using volumetric and mass dosing methods were considered. The main advantages of auger-in-auger dosers that distinguish them from all other types of dosers were described.
Abstract
Paste formulations of Volvariella volvacea (VV) were developed for its shelf-life enhancement. Egg stage fruiting bodies of mushrooms were used for preparation of salted, spiced, and their fermented pastes. Fermented paste formulations were developed using inoculation with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG at 0.5% (w/w) and incubation for 2 days at 35 ± 2 °C. The unfermented VV paste was preserved with sodium benzoate of 0.065%, while fermented formulations were kept devoid of any chemical preservative. All formulations were packed in glass jars and retort bags, and thereafter treated in boiling water bath for one hour. The spiced, fermented VV paste scored highest in sensory evaluation and maximum crude protein and moisture contents, while lowest in contents of ash, fat, crude fibre, and carbohydrates. The fermented (salted and spiced) VV pastes showed variation in pH at 4 °C. Shelf life of 56 days was observed for fermented VV paste stored in glass jars under refrigerated conditions. The antioxidant analysis revealed that DPPH radical scavenging activity of fermented paste formulations increased significantly up to 21 days followed by gradual decrease until the 56th day, while total phenolic content of all paste formulations decreased with storage time. Hence, fermented spiced paste showed enhanced nutritive and antioxidative potential and shelf life up to 56 days.
Abstract
Gallnut honey, a typical Chinese medicinal commodity, is produced from the nectar of Rhus chinensis Mill. Gallnut honey is very popular with consumers because of its health effects and nutritional value, but its specific nutritional composition and medicinal components are not clear. Free amino acids are important nutritional components of honey, and can provide relevant information about the honey, such as geographical and botanical origin, as well as adulterations. The aim of this paper was to explore the free amino acid characteristics of gallnut honeys in different areas. 18 free amino acids from 17 places in China were determined by automatic amino acid analyser analysis, and the geographical characteristics were studied by principal component analysis and cluster analysis. Results showed that gallnut honey is rich in free amino acids. A total of 12 types of free amino acids were detected in all honey-producing areas, and the total amino acid content was 0.132–0.292 g/100 g. Due to its free amino acid content gallnut honey has high nutritional supplement potential, and exhibits good pharmacodynamic activity and special taste characteristics. Flavour-related free amino acids were primarily aromatic free amino acids and umami free amino acids. Pharmacodynamic free amino acids accounted for 61.22–83.85%. Results also showed that free amino acids contribute to the geographical tracing of honey, and samples of gallnut honey at different altitudes can be distinguished by cluster analysis.
Abstract
Penaeus vannamei is an important farm-raised shrimp species in China. However, the shrimp deteriorates quickly and has a short shelf life. The surface colour will change with the increase of spoilage, which can reflect its freshness. Therefore, a method for predicting Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen (TVB-N) content using a combination of a chromatic value and Near-Infrared (NIR) spectra is provided. This study explores which chromatic parameter is most efficient for freshness prediction from a data analysis perspective. The Levenberg–Marquardt Optimized Artificial Neural Network (LM-Optimised ANN), the Quadratic Support Vector Machine (Quadratic SVM), and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) algorithms verified the idea. The combination of spectra and chromatic value b* can achieve a more accurate prediction of TVB-N content with RMSEP of 1.660 in Quadratic SVM, 1.337 in PLSR, and
