Removal of a reactive dye and hexavalent chromium by a reusable bacteria attached electrospun nanofibrous web

A contaminant resistant Lysinibacillus sp. NOSK was isolated from a soil sample and its Reactive Black 5 (RB5) and Cr(VI) removal efficiencies were investigated as a function of changes in the initial pH values, temperature, static/shaking conditions, reactive dye and Cr(VI) concentrations. In this study, an electrospun polysulfone nanofibrous web (PSU-NFW) was found to be effective in attachment of bacterial cells. Bacteria attached PSU-NFWs (bacteria/PSU-NFW) have shown highly efficient removal of RB5, as 99.7 +/- 0.9\% and 35.8 +/- 0.4\% for the pristine PSU-NFW. Moreover, the highest Cr(VI) removal efficiencies measured were 98.2 +/- 0.6\% for bacteria attached PSU-NFW and 32.6 +/- 0.6\% for the pristine PSU-NFW. Simultaneous removal of RB5 and Cr(VI) were also investigated. Reusability test results indicate that, bacteria/PSU-NFW can be reused for at least 7 cycles with 28.1 +/- 0.6\% and 66.7 +/- 0.8\% removal efficiencies for RB5 and Cr(VI), respectively

Production and structural characterization of biosurfactant produced by newly isolated staphylococcus xylosus STF1 from petroleum contaminated soil

Petroleum-contaminated soil was used to isolate and characterize biosurfactant producing bacteria. The strain could produce higher amount of biosurfactant in medium supplemented with motor oil as sole source of carbon and energy. A new biosurfactant producing bacterium, designated as Staphylococcus xylosus STF1 based on morphological, physiological, biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The isolated bacterium was first screened for the ability to produce biosurfactant. Partial sequence of STF1 strain of 16S rDNA gene was highly similar to those of various members of the family Staphylococcaceae. Biochemical characterizations including FT-lR. Raman spectroscopy and Mass spectroscopy studies suggested the biosurfactant to be lipopeptide. Study also confirmed that the cell free supernatant exhibited high emulsifying activity against the different hydrocarbons. Moreover, the partially purified biosurfactant exhibited antimicrobial activity by inhibiting the growth of several bacterial species. The strain could be a potential candidate for the production of polypeptide biosurfactant which could be useful in a variety of biotechnological and industrial processes, particularly in the food and oil industry. (C) 2015 Elsevier By. All rights reserved

Efficacy of sorafenib in advanced differentiated and medullary thyroid cancer: experience in a Turkish population.

Antivascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been used recently in the treatment of advanced differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). Off-label sorafenib is used in Turkey with special permission by the Ministry of Health for this indication

Heparin mimetic peptide nanofiber gel promotes regeneration of full thickness burn injury

Burn injuries are one of the most common types of trauma worldwide, and their unique physiology requires the development of specialized therapeutic materials for their treatment. Here, we report the use of synthetic, functional and biodegradable peptide nanofiber gels for the improved healing of burn wounds to alleviate the progressive loss of tissue function at the post-burn wound site. These bioactive nanofiber gels form scaffolds that recapitulate the structure and function of the native extracellular matrix through signaling peptide epitopes, which can trigger angiogenesis through their affinity to basic growth factors. In this study, the angiogenesis-promoting properties of the bioactive scaffolds were utilized for the treatment of a thermal burn model. Following the excision of necrotic tissue, bioactive gels and control solutions were applied topically onto the wound area. The wound healing process was evaluated at 7, 14 and 21 days following injury through histological observations, immunostaining and marker RNA/protein analysis. Bioactive peptide nanofiber-treated burn wounds formed well-organized and collagen-rich granulation tissue layers, produced a greater density of newly formed blood vessels, and exhibited increased re-epithelialization and skin appendage development with minimal crust formation, while non-bioactive peptide nanofibers and the commercial wound dressing 3M (TM) Tegaderm (TM) did not exhibit significant efficiency over sucrose controls. Overall, the heparin-mimetic peptide nanofiber gels increased the rate of repair of burn injuries and can be used as an effective means of facilitating wound healing. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Interactions between metals accumulated in the narrow-clawed crayfish Astacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823) in Dikilitas Lake, Turkey

The accumulations of Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn in the exoskeleton, gills, hepatopancreas and abdominal muscles of crayfish Astacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823) were determined. The strongest correlation observed was between Cr and Ni in the gills (r = 0.904); moderate to strong correlations between Al, Cr, Fe, Ni and Cu were also observed in gill tissue. Disregarding the gills, the strongest correlation was found between Cu and Zn in the hepatopancreas (r = 0.808); the correlation between these two metals might have been a result of metallothionein activity. The accumulation of Pb was found to correlate with that of Cd in the exoskeleton, Cd and Zn in the gills, Zn and Cu in the hepatopancreas and Cu in the abdominal muscle. None of these correlations were present in lakewater and sediment samples, suggesting that the crayfish metabolism may be responsible for the co-accumulation of metal-metal pairs. As all correlations in non-gill tissues are observed between divalent metals, a shared transporter such as divalent metal transporter 1 might be involved in the accumulation of these metals

Efficacy of sorafenib in advanced differentiated and medullary thyroid cancer: experience in a Turkish population

Background: Antivascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been used recently in the treatment of advanced differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). Off-label sorafenib is used in Turkey with special permission by the Ministry of Health for this indication. Patients and methods: Patients with advanced DTC and MTC were retrospectively identified from the Turkish Ministry of Health database. Data on these patients were prospectively collected before permission is granted to use sorafenib. Results: Thirty patients with complete data were analyzed: 14 DTC (papillary number {[}n] = 10; follicular n=4) and 16 MTC. The median age of the patients was 57 years (range: 28-79 years), and there were 18 males and 12 females. All DTC patients were iodine refractory and had received a median three doses of radioactive iodine (range: 1-7 doses). Sorafenib was used for a median of 12 months (range: 1-49 months). The overall response rate was 20\%, all partial responses, with no complete response. The overall response rate was 14\% in DTC and 25\% in MTC patients. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 17.1 months (95\% confidence interval {[}CI]: 7.3-26.8) and overall survival (OS) was not reached. The 2-year PFS and OS were 39\% and 68\%, respectively. DTC and MTC patients had similar survival outcomes: median PFS of 21.3 months (95\% CI: 5.8-36.7) versus 14.5 months (95\% CI: 3.7-25.2), respectively (P=0.36), with the median OS not reached in either group (P=0.17). Tumor marker levels did not have any prognostic or predictive role. The toxicity profile was similar to that of other sorafenib trials. Conclusion: Sorafenib is an effective and well-tolerated treatment in advanced thyroid cancers