The saline organic-rich sediments: A short overview.

Organic-rich sediments (or ‘sapropels’) are complex organo-mineral matrices that form at the O2-depleted bottom of stagnant water basins. Besides geochemical transformations, slow rate microbially-driven processes underpin the early diagenesis of these sediments. The fossil sapropels found in various marine or lacustrine environments are known as proxies for past climate or hydrological fluctuations. Present-day organic-rich sediments have been described both in fresh (‘gyttja’) and brackish or saline waters mostly in the boreal zones. They are currently used for agricultural or therapeutic purposes. Few saline lakes with significant deposits of modern sapropels are known worldwide. On Romanian territory, saline lakes with substantial organic-rich sediments are found in the Transylvanian Basin (e.g. Ursu Lake, Sovata) and in the South-Eastern part (e.g. the inland, athalassohaline Amara, and the coastal, thalassohaline Techirghiol lakes). The exploration of microbial diversity inhabiting the saline sapropels will improve our current understanding on the processes leading to formation and mineralization of organic-rich sediments of economic value

Investigation into the Role of Tumor-Associated Macrophages in the Antitumor Activity of Doxil

Purpose. Our recent studies show specific localization of long-circulating liposomes (LCL) within the endosomal/lysosomal compartment of tumor-associated macrophages (TAM). Based on this finding, the present study aims to investigate whether clinically applied LCL formulations such as Doxil (LCLencapsulated doxorubicin), have alternative mechanisms of action additionally to direct drug-mediated cytotoxicity towards tumor cells. Methods. The antitumor activity of Doxil was evaluated in B16.F10 melanoma-bearing mice, in the presence and in the absence of TAM. To suppress TAM functions, liposomal clodronate (Lip-CLOD) was injected 24 h before the actual treatment. The effect of Doxil on the levels of angiogenic factors was determined using an angiogenic protein array. As positive control, the same experiments were conducted with LCL-encapsulated prednisolone phosphate (LCL-PLP), a tumor-targeted formulation with known strong anti-angiogenic/anti-inflammatory effects on TAM. Results. Our results show that the antitumor efficacy of Doxil was only partially attributed to the inhibition of TAM-mediated angiogenesis whereas LCL-PLP inhibited tumor growth through strong suppressive effects on pro-angiogenic functions of TAM. As described previously, the main mechanism of Doxil might be a cytotoxic effect on tumor cells. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that the antitumor activity of Doxil does not depend mainly on the presence of functional TAM in tumors

Structure, mineralogy, and microbial diversity of geothermal spring microbialites associated with a deep oil drilling in Romania

© 2015 Coman, Chiriac, Robeson, Ionescu, Dragos, Barbu-Tudoran, Andrei, Banciu, Sicora and Podar. Modern mineral deposits play an important role in evolutionary studies by providing clues to the formation of ancient lithified microbial communities. Here we report the presence of microbialite-forming microbial mats in different microenvironments at 32°C, 49°C, and 65°C around the geothermal spring from an abandoned oil drill in Ciocaia, Romania. The mineralogy and the macro- and microstructure of the microbialites were investigated, together with their microbial diversity based on a 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing approach. The calcium carbonate is deposited mainly in the form of calcite. At 32°C and 49°C, the microbialites show a laminated structure with visible microbial mat-carbonate crystal interactions. At 65°C, the mineral deposit is clotted, without obvious organic residues. Partial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing showed that the relative abundance of the phylum Archaea was low at 32°C (1%. The dominant bacterial groups at 32°C were Cyanobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Thermi, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Defferibacteres. At 49°C, there was a striking dominance of the Gammaproteobacteria, followed by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Armantimonadetes. The 65°C sample was dominated by Betaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, [OP1], Defferibacteres, Thermi, Thermotogae, [EM3], and Nitrospirae. Several groups from Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, together with Halobacteria and Melainabacteria were described for the first time in calcium carbonate deposits. Overall, the spring from Ciocaia emerges as a valuable site to probe microbes-minerals interrelationships along thermal and geochemical gradients

Fabrication Principles and Their Contribution to the Superior In Vivo Therapeutic Efficacy of Nano-Liposomes Remote Loaded with Glucocorticoids

We report here the design, development and performance of a novel formulation of liposome- encapsulated glucocorticoids (GCs). A highly efficient (>90%) and stable GC encapsulation was obtained based on a transmembrane calcium acetate gradient driving the active accumulation of an amphipathic weak acid GC pro-drug into the intraliposome aqueous compartment, where it forms a GC-calcium precipitate. We demonstrate fabrication principles that derive from the physicochemical properties of the GC and the liposomal lipids, which play a crucial role in GC release rate and kinetics. These principles allow fabrication of formulations that exhibit either a fast, second-order (t1/2 ∼1 h), or a slow, zero-order release rate (t1/2 ∼ 50 h) kinetics. A high therapeutic efficacy was found in murine models of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and hematological malignancies

Microbial diversity and biogeochemical cycling in soda lakes

Soda lakes contain high concentrations of sodium carbonates resulting in a stable elevated pH, which provide a unique habitat to a rich diversity of haloalkaliphilic bacteria and archaea. Both cultivation-dependent and -independent methods have aided the identification of key processes and genes in the microbially mediated carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur biogeochemical cycles in soda lakes. In order to survive in this extreme environment, haloalkaliphiles have developed various bioenergetic and structural adaptations to maintain pH homeostasis and intracellular osmotic pressure. The cultivation of a handful of strains has led to the isolation of a number of extremozymes, which allow the cell to perform enzymatic reactions at these extreme conditions. These enzymes potentially contribute to biotechnological applications. In addition, microbial species active in the sulfur cycle can be used for sulfur remediation purposes. Future research should combine both innovative culture methods and state-of-the-art ‘meta-omic’ techniques to gain a comprehensive understanding of the microbes that flourish in these extreme environments and the processes they mediate. Coupling the biogeochemical C, N, and S cycles and identifying where each process takes place on a spatial and temporal scale could unravel the interspecies relationships and thereby reveal more about the ecosystem dynamics of these enigmatic extreme environments

COMPUŞI BIOCHIMICI COMPLECŞI CU POTENŢIAL BIOTEHNOLOGIC DIN GĂLBENUŞUL OUĂLOR DE GĂINĂ

Eggs have been called “nature’s perfect food”. This is because they are one of the few “complete protein foods”, i.e. they contain all the nine essential amino acids which cannot be manufactured from the body but must be obtained from foods. The contents of a shell egg provide all these essential amino acids as well as a significant number of vitamins and minerals. These contents are perfectly and naturally packaged in an egg shell. Despite their previously suspected role in promoting high cholesterol, nutritionists now agree that moderate egg consumption has little or no negative effect on cholesterol levels. Eggs are an excellent, inexpensive and low-calorie source of high quality protein and several important nutrients, including riboflavin, selenium and Vitamin K. They contain protein which is needed for building and repairing the cells in muscles and other body tissues. These proteins are made up of smaller units called amino acids. All of the amino acids which are essential for humans are found in eggs in such ideal proportions that egg protein is used as the standard against which all other protein foods are rated