Metabolic Profiling of VOCs Emitted by Bacteria Isolated from Pressure Ulcers and Treated with Different Concentrations of Bio-AgNPs

Considering the advent of antibiotic resistance, the study of bacterial metabolic behavior stimulated by novel antimicrobial agents becomes a relevant tool to elucidate involved adaptive pathways. Profiling of volatile metabolites was performed to monitor alterations of bacterial metabolism induced by biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (bio-AgNPs). Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis were isolated from pressure ulcers, and their cultures were prepared in the presence/absence of bio-AgNPs at 12.5, 25 and 50 µg mL⁻¹. Headspace solid phase microextraction associated to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was the employed analytical platform. At the lower concentration level, the agent promoted positive modulation of products of fermentation routes and bioactive volatiles, indicating an attempt of bacteria to adapt to an ongoing suppression of cellular respiration. Augmented response of aldehydes and other possible products of lipid oxidative cleavage was noticed for increasing levels of bio-AgNPs. The greatest concentration of agent caused a reduction of 44 to 80% in the variety of compounds found in the control samples. Pathway analysis indicated overall inhibition of amino acids and fatty acids routes. The present assessment may provide a deeper understanding of molecular mechanisms of bio-AgNPs and how the metabolic response of bacteria is untangled.     

Effects of choline chloride on the ruminal microbiome at 2 dietary neutral detergent fiber concentrations in continuous culture

Our objective was to evaluate the effects of unprotected choline chloride (Cho) on the ruminal microbiome at 2 dietary neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentrations. We hypothesized that the effects of Cho on ruminal bacterial populations would depend on NDF. Eight dual-flow continuous-culture fermentors were arranged in a duplicated 4 × 4 Latin square as a 2 × 2 factorial with the following treatments: (1) 30% NDF-control (30% NDF diet, no supplemental choline); (2) 30% NDF-Cho (30% NDF diet plus 1.9 g of choline ion per kg of dry matter); (3) 40% NDF-control (40% NDF diet, no supplemental choline); and (4) 40% NDF-Cho (40% NDF diet plus 1.9 g of choline ion per kg of dry matter). We did 4 fermentation periods of 10 d each and used the last 3 d for collection of samples of solid and liquid digesta effluents for DNA extraction. Overall, 32 solid and 32 liquid samples were analyzed by amplification of the V4 variable region of bacterial 16S rRNA. Data were analyzed with R (R Project for Statistical Computing) and SAS (SAS Institute Inc.) to determine effects of Cho, NDF, and NDF × Cho on taxa relative abundance. The correlation of propionate molar proportion with taxa relative abundance was also analyzed. At the phylum level, relative abundance of Firmicutes in the liquid fraction tended to be greater when Cho was supplemented with a 30% NDF diet. At the order level, Cho increased Coriobacteriales in solid fraction and decreased Fibrobacterales in liquid fraction. Moreover, Cho decreased abundance of Clostridiales and increased Selenomonadales in the solid fraction, only with the 30% NDF diet. For genera, lower abundance of Pseudobutyrivibrio resulted from Cho in solid and liquid fractions. Greater abundance of Succinivibrio in solid and Selenomonas and Selenomonas 1 in liquid resulted from Cho with the 30% NDF diet. Propionate molar proportion was positively correlated with relative abundance of order Selenomonadales in solid and liquid fractions, and with genus Succinivibrio in solid and genera Selenomonas and Selenomonas 1 in liquid. Our results indicate that Cho primarily decreases abundance of bacteria involved in fiber degradation and increases abundance of bacteria mainly involved in nonstructural carbohydrate degradation and synthesis of propionate, particularly when a diet with 30% NDF is provided.     

细菌技术在水泥基材料中的研究现状及展望

介绍了细菌技术胶凝复合材料的研究进展，例如细菌诱导碳酸钙沉淀的机理，细菌在水泥基复合材料中的应用方法，细菌对水泥基材料机械性能、耐久性的影响，以及成本效益分析等。概述了在建筑中应用细菌技术的水泥基复合材料的机遇和挑战。     

菌酶协同改善花生粕的饲用品质

花生粕是重要的蛋白饲料原料，但由于其氨基酸不平衡，特别是精氨酸与赖氨酸比例严重失衡（精氨酸与赖氨酸含量比值在3~4，理想的精氨酸与赖氨酸含量比值为1.0），限制了其在动物养殖中的应用。研究了复合酶预处理结合乳酸菌发酵花生粕对其品质的改善。结果表明：经菌酶协同处理后，花生粕粗蛋白质含量由46.4%提高至506%，大分子蛋白明显降解为小分子蛋白，酸溶蛋白质含量由2.3%提高至17.8%，多肽含量由1.6%提高至15.7%，蛋氨酸和赖氨酸含量分别提高了77.1%和42.0%，精氨酸降解率为18.7%，精氨酸与赖氨酸含量比值从3.7降低至2.1，总酸含量由06%提高到4.7%，其中乳酸含量由0.64 mg/g提高至14.63 mg/g。菌酶协同处理后的花生粕抗氧化性明显增强，其中每克菌酶协同处理后的花生粕对羟自由基的清除能力与171.6 mg VC相当，比花生粕（与47.6 mg VC相当）提高了2.6倍。     

混菌矿化增强再生粗骨料的物理力学性能

为克服单一微生物培养成本高且矿化鲁棒性不足的缺陷，提出了一种混菌矿化增强再生粗骨料物理力学性能的方法.通过筛选矿化效率较高的好氧嗜碱混菌，考察了混菌矿化对再生粗骨料物理力学性能和混凝土抗压强度的影响.结果表明：相同增强时间下，混菌比纯菌呈现出更优异的矿化增强效果；随着混菌矿化增强时间的延长，再生粗骨料吸水率和压碎指标呈现出先减小后增大的趋势，最优增强时间为15 d；采用矿化增强再生粗骨料制备的再生混凝土抗压强度提高幅度达到22.1%.     

Evaluation of the potential use of discard species for fish silage and assessment of its oils for human consumption

Waste or by-products contains a substantial amount of nutrients. Fish silage is an alternative way for assessment of fish discards and waste generated in the fish processing industries. The aim of the study was to evaluate the potential use of discard species (Equulites klunzingeri, marine fish and Carassius gibelio, freshwater fish) for fish silage and chemical quality of fish oil extracted from fish silages prepared with acid and fermented methods. Lipid quality of fish oils extracted from fish silages with LAB strains was evaluated in terms of thiobarbituric acid (TBA), peroxide value (PV), p-Anisidine (AV), totox values and fatty acid composition. The results showed that PV, TBA, AV and totox values of all extracted fish oils were within the acceptable limits for edible oils. Recovered fish oils from silage contained high level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), serving as a source of good quality fish oil for human consumption.     

Modification of narrow‐spectrum peptidomimetic polyurethanes with fatty acid chains confers broad‐spectrum antibacterial activity

Each year, thousands of patients die from antimicrobial‐resistant bacterial infections that fail to respond to conventional antibiotic treatment. Antimicrobial polymers are a promising new method of combating antibiotic‐resistant bacterial infections. We have previously reported the synthesis of a series of narrow‐spectrum peptidomimetic antimicrobial polyurethanes that are effective against Gram‐negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli; however, these polymers are not effective against Gram‐positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus. With the aim of understanding the correlation between chemical structure and antibacterial activity, we have subsequently developed three structural variants of these antimicrobial polyurethanes using post‐polymerization modification with decanoic acid and oleic acid. Our results show that such modifications converted the narrow‐spectrum antibacterial activity of these polymers into broad‐spectrum activity against Gram‐positive species such as S. aureus, however, also increasing their toxicity to mammalian cells. Mechanistic studies of bacterial membrane disruption illustrate the differences in antibacterial action between the various polymers. The results demonstrate the challenge of balancing antimicrobial activity and mammalian cell compatibility in the design of antimicrobial polymer compositions. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry