Impact of carotenoids on gut microbiome: Implications in human health and disease

Carotenoids are the colored compounds that prominently occur in fruits, vegetables, flowers, algae, fungi, yeast, and marine organisms. The coloration of carotenoids is mainly due to varieties of conjugated double bonds, which act as a light-absorbing chromophores. β-Carotene, α-Carotene, Lycopene, Astaxanthin, Lutein, Zeaxanthin, β-Cryptoxanthin, α-Cryptoxanthin, γ-Carotene and Fucoxanthin are the common carotenoids of the human diet. This review aimed at providing scientific evidence supporting the benefits of nutritional carotenoid intake on gut microbiota modulation in different disease models. Carotenoids have some beneficial effects on human health, and it is due to the activity of pro-vitamin A and antioxidant function. Although mechanisms are under investigation, studies suggest that carotenoid intake may reduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, eye disease, haematological disease, immune stimulants, and improve cognitive function. Recent studies have shown that carotenoids can modulate gut microbiota composition associated with host health. The human gut harbors a complex community of over 100 trillion microbial cells, influencing human physiology, metabolism, nutrition, and immune function. The combination of extrinsic (lifestyle and medication) and intrinsic (host genetics, immune and metabolic regulations) factors shapes the gut microbiota. Diet is a crucial modifiable factor influencing gut microbiota composition, indicating the potential for therapeutic dietary strategies to manipulate microbial diversity, design, and stability

Transport and infrared photoresponse properties of InN nanorods/Si heterojunction

The present work explores the electrical transport and infrared (IR) photoresponse properties of InN nanorods (NRs)/n-Si heterojunction grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Single-crystalline wurtzite structure of InN NRs is verified by the X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Raman measurements show that these wurtzite InN NRs have sharp peaks E2(high) at 490.2 cm-1 and A1(LO) at 591 cm-1. The current transport mechanism of the NRs is limited by three types of mechanisms depending on applied bias voltages. The electrical transport properties of the device were studied in the range of 80 to 450 K. The faster rise and decay time indicate that the InN NRs/n-Si heterojunction is highly sensitive to IR light

Droplet epitaxy of InN quantum dots on Si(111) by RF plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

InN quantum dots (QDs) were fabricated on Si(111) substrate by droplet epitaxy using an RF plasma-assisted MBE system. Variation of the growth parameters, such as growth temperature and deposition time, allowed us to control the characteristic size and density of the QDs. As the growth temperature was increased from 100 °C to 300 °C, an enlargement of QD size and a drop in dot density were observed, which was led by the limitation of surface diffusion of adatoms with the limited thermal energy. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to assess the QDs size and density. The chemical bonding configurations of InN QDs were examined by X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum of the deposited InN QDs shows the presence of In-N bond. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) measurements showed that the emission peak energies of the InN QDs are sensitive to temperature and show a strong peak emission at 0.79 eV

Anti pathogenic studies of new mixed ligand metal chelates

189-196Drug discovery aimed at the methodical extermination of life-threatening bacterial infection, especially considering the emergence of multi-drug resistance of pathogenic bacteria has remained a challenge for medicinal inorganic chemistry. In this article, the mixed ligand complexes of Cu (II), Co (II), and Ni (II) containing heterocyclic ligands were synthesized and characterized by IR, LC-MS, UV, and TG-DTA. Complexes are screened for Anti-microbial activity against human pathogenic bacteria

Decolorization of synthetic melanoidins-containing wastewater by a bacterial consortium

The presence of melanoidins in molasses wastewater leads to water pollution both due to its dark brown color and its COD contents. In this study, a bacterial consortium isolated from waterfall sediment was tested for its decolorization. The identification of culturable bacteria by 16S rDNA based approach showed that the consortium composed of Klebsiella oxytoca, Serratia mercescens, Citrobacter sp. and unknown bacterium. In the context of academic study, prevention on the difficulties of providing effluent as well as its variations in compositions, several synthetic media prepared with respect to color and COD contents based on analysis of molasses wastewater, i.e., Viandox sauce (13.5% v/v), caramel (30% w/v), beet molasses wastewater (41.5% v/v) and sugarcane molasses wastewater (20% v/v) were used for decolorization using consortium with color removal 9.5, 1.13, 8.02 and 17.5%, respectively, within 2 days. However, Viandox sauce was retained for further study. The effect of initial pH and Viandox concentration on decolorization and growth of bacterial consortium were further determined. The highest decolorization of 18.3% was achieved at pH 4 after 2 day of incubation. Experiments on fresh or used medium and used or fresh bacterial cells, led to conclusion that the limitation of decolorization was due to nutritional deficiency. The effect of aeration on decolorization was also carried out in 2 L laboratory-scale suspended cell bioreactor. The maximum decolorization was 19.3% with aeration at KLa = 2.5836 h-1 (0.1 vvm)

Corrosion inhibition efficiency and adsorption characteristics of some Schiff bases at mild steel/hydrochloric acid interface

The corrosion inhibition efficiency of newly synthesized Schiff bases was investigated for mild steel (MS) corrosion in 0.5. M HCl medium using mass loss and electrochemical techniques. The potentiodynamic polarization results indicated that all the studied inhibitors act as mixed type. The adsorption process on MS surface obeyed Langmuir isotherm. The associated activation parameters and thermodynamic data of adsorption were evaluated and discussed. The adsorbed film formed on the metal surface was characterized by SEM and IR-spectroscopy. Further, antioxidant activity of the Schiff bases was determined and correlated the results obtained with inhibition efficiency