Exploring the enzymatic ability of strains isolated from plastic-polluted environments for enhancing synthetic and natural biopolymers’ biodegradation

Background: Renowned oil-based polymers represent an environmental nuisance, due to their well-known permanency in nature, known to disrupt ecosystems. In response, bio-based polymers have emerged as an alternative, providing a sustainable blueprint for plastic circularity1. However, despite being classified as biodegradable, these polymers can still show resistance to biodegradation when not presented with optimal environmental conditions such as specific temperature and pH, amongst other key factors in their breakdown. Due to this, microbial degradation results in an interesting path to promote biodegradation of such polymers.2 Objective: This study aims to evaluate the ability of selected strains isolated from polluted environments to improve the rate of biopolymers’ biodegradation such as Polyhydroxy butyrate (PHB), Polylactic acid (PLA), and Bacterial cellulose (BC) when exposed to strains with specific enzymatic tools to aid in its degradation. Methods: Selected strains were previously isolated from plastic-polluted soil samples. Strains were transferred to Mineral Salt media (MSM) biopolymersupplemented plates (7d, 30℃) (MSM (15 g/l Agar, 9 g/l Na2HPO4 x 12H2O, 1.5 g/l KH2PO4, 1 g/l NH4Cl, 0.2 g/l MgSO4 x 7H2O, 0.2 g/l CaCl2 x 2H2O, Fe(III)NH4-citrate 0.0012 g/l), (1-3%) biopolymers (PHB, BC, and PLA) growth and clear-zone method were used to determine strains’ possible enzymatic activity. Selected strains were transferred to flasks containing PHB, PLA, and BC films, respectively, in MSM and incubated for 20 days at 30℃, 120 rpm. Samples were washed and dried and their level of degradation was assessed by FTIR, weight loss, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The ability of the best performer strain to degrade PHB was additionally assessed using Respirometer (Echo Instruments) to determine the biodegradability of said films under a controlled temperature (25°C) with a flow rate of 500ml/min. Results: Significant weight loss was observed in samples exposed to strains, meaning biodegradability was achieved in an important percentage, proving their capability to degrade the proposed biopolymers, compared to samples lacking microbial presence.10th International Conference of MIKROBIOKOSMOS, Larissa from 30 Novewmber to 2 December 2023

Effect of AGTR1 and BDKRB2 gene polymorphisms on atorvastatin metabolism in a Mexican population

Abstract. Discrepancies in the response to drugs are partially due to polymorphisms in genes involved in drug metabolism and transport. The frequency, pattern and impact of these polymorphisms vary among populations. In the present study, the pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetics of atorvastatin (ATV) in a Mexican population were investigated. The study cohort exhibited differing ATV metabolizing phenotypes, and in subsequent allelic discrimination assays, single nucleotide polymorphisms in the angiotensinogen, angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AGTR1) and bradykinin B2 receptor (BDKRB2) genes were genotyped and their effects on the pharmacokinetic parameters of ATV were assessed. Additionally, association studies were performed to test for a correlation between metabolizing phenotypes and genetic variants. It was observed that carriers of the genotypes A/C and C/T in AGTR1 and BDKRB2 had higher area under the plasma concentration-time curve values from time 0 to the time of the last measurement and from time 0 extrapolated to infinity, and lower values of clearance of the fraction dose absorbed compared with homozygous carriers (P<0.05). Only the C/C genotype of BDKRB2 was associated with the fast metabolizer phenotype. These data suggest that AGTR1 and BDKRB2 are involved in ATV pharmacokinetics; a novel finding that requires confirmation in further studies

Gaseous time projection chambers for rare event detection: Results from the T-REX project. II. Dark matter

As part of the T-REX project, a number of R&D and prototyping activities have been carried out during the last years to explore the applicability of Micromegas-read gaseous TPCs in rare event searches like double beta decay (DBD), axion research and low-mass WIMP searches. While in the companion paper we focus on DBD, in this paper we focus on the results regarding the search for dark matter candidates, both axions and WIMPs. Small ultra-low background Micromegas detectors are used to image the x-ray signal expected in axion helioscopes like CAST at CERN. Background levels as low as $0.8\times 10^{-6}$ c keV$^{-1}$cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$ have already been achieved in CAST while values down to $\sim10^{-7}$ c keV$^{-1}$cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$ have been obtained in a test bench placed underground in the Laboratorio Subterr\'aneo de Canfranc. Prospects to consolidate and further reduce these values down to $\sim10^{-8}$ c keV$^{-1}$cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$will be described. Such detectors, placed at the focal point of x-ray telescopes in the future IAXO experiment, would allow for 10$^5$ better signal-to-noise ratio than CAST, and search for solar axions with $g_{a\gamma}$ down to few 10$^{12}$ GeV$^{-1}$, well into unexplored axion parameter space. In addition, a scaled-up version of these TPCs, properly shielded and placed underground, can be competitive in the search for low-mass WIMPs. The TREX-DM prototype, with $\sim$0.300 kg of Ar at 10 bar, or alternatively $\sim$0.160 kg of Ne at 10 bar, and energy threshold well below 1 keV, has been built to test this concept. We will describe the main technical solutions developed, as well as the results from the commissioning phase on surface. The anticipated sensitivity of this technique might reach $\sim10^{-44}$ cm$^2$ for low mass ($<10$ GeV) WIMPs, well beyond current experimental limits in this mass range.Comment: Published in JCAP. New version with erratum incorporated (new figure 14

Importancia de las levaduras no-Saccharomyces durante la fermentacion de bebidas alcoholicas

Durante la fermentación de bebidas alcohólicas intervienen principalmente levaduras del genero Saccharomyces. Sin embargo, existen otros géneros de levaduras que también participan en los procesos fermentativos, y rara vez son tomados en cuenta, estas son las levaduras denominadas no-Saccharomyces, entre las que destacan: Kloeckera apiculata, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Rhodotorula glutinis, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, entre otras; las cuales mediante la producción de congenéricos, enzimas y proteínas pueden enriquecer organoléptica y nutricionalmente las bebidas alcohólicas, lo que ayudaría a satisfacer el paladar de los consumidores más exigentes. (Résumé d'auteur

Psychoactive substances consumers among high school students: Detection and Intervention

Purpose: Identify and treat psychoactive substances consumers (PSC) among high school students at Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL); México. Description: A two-phase program (detection and intervention) was designed. Phase one included urine drug testing (UDT) either from direct aleatory sampling or referrals from within university departments under informed consent. Phase two for positive PSC, included an interview for psychological needs identification and cognitive behavioral intervention planning. Between 2017 and 2019, 490 UDT were performed. Results showed 235 PSC (47.9%), 86.4% were males (203) and 13.6% females (32). Most detected substance was cannabis: 218 students (92.7%); less frequent substances detected were cocaine, benzodiazepine, amphetamine and methamphetamine. A mean of 8 intervention sessions per student performed equaled more than 1800 sessions. Tight collaboration in between diverse University Departments was a key. An early PSC detection and intervention offers socioemotional tools to improve academic performance and life project

Lessons from the operation of the "Penning-Fluorescent" TPC and prospects

We have recently reported the development of a new type of high-pressure Xenon time projection chamber operated with an ultra-low diffusion mixture and that simultaneously displays Penning effect and fluorescence in the near-visible region (300 nm). The concept, dubbed `Penning-Fluorescent' TPC, allows the simultaneous reconstruction of primary charge and scintillation with high topological and calorimetric fidelity