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Topic Review
Biodegradation of Polyethylene Terephthalate
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a widely used plastic that is polymerized by terephthalic acid (TPA) and ethylene glycol (EG).
  • 3.0K
  • 30 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Cardiac Glycosides
Cardiac glycosides (CG’s) are naturally occurring biologically active small molecules, used to diagnose a diversity of heart diseases such as congestive heart failure and cardiac arrhythmia. The story of CG’s started over 100 years ago when Sir William Withering reported the use of foxglove plant for treating “dropsy” associated with congestive heart failure and the foxglove plant (Digitalis purpurea) was still in the use for the extraction of Digoxin, a cardiac glycoside used to treat congestive heart failures (Johnson., 2012). The core structure of CGs comprises a steroid nucleus attached to a five-membered lactone ring (cardenolide) or six-membered lactone rings (bufadienolides) along with sugar moieties. Major plant-derived CGs were obtained from plant families of Apocynaceae, Scrophulariaceae, and Asparagaceae (Thevitia neriifolia, Neerium oleander, Digitalis purpurea, Digitalis lanata, Urginea maritime, and Strophanthus kombe). Structurally, all these contain a core steroid nucleus connected with sugar moiety at C3 position and lactone moiety at C17 position (Figure 1.3). The pharmacological significance of all the CG’s lies in the core steroid confirmation that contains A/B and C/D cis- portions and the properties such as pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics lie between the confined sugars molecules (Pongrakhananon., 2013). Apart from the plant sources, CG’s were also isolated from several animal species such as bufadienolide was isolated from frogs, and also mammalian tissues contain a cardiac glycoside which is similar to endogenous digitalis (Melero et al., 2000). Quite a few studies have conveyed that the human body does contain a lot more CG’s in different parts. For example, the plasma membrane contains Ouabain and Proscillaridin A and human urine contains digoxin and marinobufagenin whereas human lenses consist of 19-norbufalin (Schoner and Scheiner-Bobis., 2007). In the year 1785, William Withering was the first person to use a digitalis compound from Digitalis purpurea to treat congestive heart failures. Currently, Digoxin is used for treating congestive heart failures. The mechanism of action of Digoxin is that it can inhibit the sodium-potassium pump (Na+/K+-ATPase). Living organisms maintain more percentage of K+ within the cell and less percentage of Na+. However, the scenario at the outside of the cell is quite opposite to the intracellular conditions where a high percentage of Na+ and less percentage of K+ will be maintained. Hence, there is a concentration incline that exists between the outside and inside cellular environments, which will be maintained by sodium-potassium pump. The Na+/K+-ATPase is recognized as a transmembrane protein whose functions are to maintain ionic balance in the heart tissue. Na+/K+-ATPase utilizes ATP as the whole energy source, to exchange two K+ ions inside the cell and pushes three Na+ ions outside to maintain intra cellular homeostasis. Also, Na+/K+-ATPase transports glucose and amino acids by keeping less concentration of Na+ within the cell and helps in the maintenance of electrochemical incline. The increment of the Na+ level inside the cell retort to CGs fortifies the ion exchange mechanism. This leads to the expansion of intracellular Ca2+ percentage which therefore promotes organelle instances such as myocardial contractibility, and generates optimistic inotropic effects in the heart cell with CGs (Kaplan., 2002).  
  • 3.0K
  • 12 Aug 2020
Topic Review
Nanotechnology in Horticultural Crops
Nanotechnology shows high potential in the improvement of agricultural productivity thus aiding future food security. In horticulture, maintaining quality as well as limiting the spoilage of harvested fruit and vegetables is a very challenging task. Various kinds of nanomaterials have shown high potential for increasing productivity, enhancing shelf-life, reducing post-harvest damage and improving the quality of horticultural crops. Antimicrobial nanomaterials as nanofilm on harvested products and/or on packaging materials are suitable for the storage and transportation of vegetables and fruits. Nanomaterials also increase the vitality of the cut flower. Nanofertilizers are target-specific, slow releasing and highly efficient in increasing vegetative growth, pollination and fertility in flowers, resulting in increased yield and improved product quality for fruit trees and vegetables. Formulated nanopesticides are target-specific, eco-friendly and highly efficient. Nanosensors facilitate up-to-date monitoring of growth, plant disease, and pest attack in crop plants under field conditions. These novel sensors are used to precisely identify the soil moisture, humidity, population of crop pests, pesticide residues and figure out nutrient requirements.  
  • 3.0K
  • 08 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Sensory Characterization Techniques
Sensory science provides objective information about the consumer understanding of a product, the acceptance or rejection of stimuli, and the description of the emotions evoked. It is possible to answer how consumers perceive a product through discriminative and descriptive techniques. 
  • 3.0K
  • 11 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Filamentous Bacteriophage Delivery System
Bacteriophages are a powerful platform with outstanding potential in the biomedical and chemical engineering field that have been exploited for diverse applications including theranostics, batteries, drug delivery, and vaccine development. Filamentous bacteriophages are single-strand DNA virions belonging to the Inoviridae family, a sub-group of non-lytic, rod-like shaped Escherichia coli viruses with a repeated and ordered capsid structure, and that includes phages f1, fd, and M13. Fd filamentous bacteriophage is a bio nano-fiber with a modifiable surface that is a promising vehicle for antigen expression.
  • 3.0K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Anthocyanins and Vibrant Color Pigments
Anthocyanins are water-soluble vacuolar pigments that occur ubiquitously in the plant kingdom, and they are widely distributed in fruits and vegetables as glycosides, having different sugars, such as glucose, rhamnose, xylose or arabinose, attached to an aglycon nucleus. Till now have been shown to have antioxidant properties in vitro and in vivo.  This work aim to provide an up-to-date overview regarding anthocyanins as functional molecules and their chemopreventive effects on melanoma in vitro and in vivo as well as a comprehensive description of major sources of anthocyanins. Until today, numerous studies evaluated the topic of anthocyanins and various types of cancer, regarding the anthocyanins’ preventative and inhibitory effects, underlying molecular mechanisms, and such. However, there is no targeted review available regarding the anticarcinogenic effects of dietary anthocyanins on skin cancers. If diagnosed at the early stages, the survival rate of skin cancer is quite high. Nevertheless, the metastatic form has a short prognosis. In fact, the incidence of melanoma skin cancer, the type with high mortality, has increased exponentially over the last 30 years, causing the majority of skin cancer deaths. Malignant melanoma is considered a highly destructive type of skin cancer due to its particular capacity to grow and spread faster than any other type of cancers. Plants, in general, have been used in disease treatment for a long time, and medicinal plants are commonly a part of anticancer drugs on the market.
  • 3.0K
  • 23 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Ammonia Classification and Biological Ammonia Production
Ammonia, a compound with the chemical formula NH3, is composed of two of the most ubiquitous elements on Earth—nitrogen and hydrogen. Ammonia is colorless and characterized by its pungent odor. Ammonia has a wide range of industrial and agricultural applications due to its unique properties
  • 3.0K
  • 31 May 2023
Topic Review
Cyanobacteria: Model Microorganisms and Beyond
Cyanobacteria, also formerly called “blue-green algae”, are photosynthetic prokaryotes with ~3500 million years of existence on the planet earth. They live in a diverse range of environments, from freshwater and marine to terrestrial ecosystems. Cyanobacteria can tolerate and live in the most extreme habitats including geothermal habitats, frozen systems, and hypersaline environments.
  • 2.9K
  • 14 Apr 2022
Topic Review
L-Asparaginase
l-Asparaginase (ASNase, EC 3.5.1.1) is a tetrameric aminohydrolase enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of the amino acid L-Asparagine into ammonia and L-aspartic acid. ASNase is present in different organisms such as bacteria, fungi, plant tissues and algae. ASNase is used in the pharmaceutical field as an anticancer drug for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and other malignant diseases such as Hodgkin’s disease. In the food sector, ASNase is used to prevent the formation of acrylamide, a toxic compound formed when starch-rich foods are cooked at temperatures above 100 °C. ASNase can also be used as a biosensor for the detection of L-asparagine levels.
  • 2.9K
  • 21 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Microalgae
Recently, microalgal biotechnology has received increasing interests in producing valuable, sustainable and environmentally friendly bioproducts. The development of economically viable production processes entails resolving certain limitations of microalgal biotechnology, and fast evolving genetic engineering technologies have emerged as new tools to overcome these limitations. 
  • 2.9K
  • 05 May 2022
Topic Review
Applications and Action Mechanisms of Probiotic-Based Multi-Components
Probiotic-based multi-component preparations refer to a mixture of bioactive agents, containing probiotics or postbiotics as main functional ingredients, and prebiotics, protectants, stabilizers, encapsulating agents, and other compounds as additional constituents.
  • 2.9K
  • 13 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Non-Enzymatic Electrochemical Sensing
Simultaneous detection of analytes that together exist in biological organisms necessitates the development of effective and efficient non enzymatic electrodes in sensing. In this regard, development of sensing elements for detecting glucose and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is significant. The non-enzymatic sensing is more economical and has longer lifetime than enzymatic electrochemical sensing, but it has several drawbacks such as high working potential, slow electrode kinetics, poisoning from intermediate species and weak sensing parameters. Here is a comprehensive overview of the recent developments in non-enzymatic glucose and H2O2 (NEGH) sensing, by focusing mainly on sensing performance, electro catalytic mechanism, morphology and design of electrode materials. A comparison of glucose and H2O2 sensing parameters using same electrode materials is outlined to predict the efficient sensing performances of advanced nanomaterials with metal/metal oxides and hybrid metallic nanocomposites.
  • 2.9K
  • 24 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Resveratrol Production in Yeast Hosts
Resveratrol is a plant secondary metabolite known for its therapeutic applications as an antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, cardio-protective, and neuroprotective agent. Topical formulas of resveratrol are also used for skin disease management and in cosmetic industries. Due to its importance, high resveratrol production is urgently required. Yeasts were proven to be excellent host candidates for resveratrol production.
  • 2.8K
  • 30 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizers on Rhizobium
Nitrogen fixation has the potential to address the global protein shortage by increasing nitrogen supply in agriculture. However, the excessive use of synthetic fertilizers has led to environmental consequences and high energy consumption. To promote sustainable agriculture, alternative approaches such as biofertilizers that utilize biological nitrogen fixation have been introduced to minimize ecological impact. Understanding the process of biological nitrogen fixation, where certain bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, is crucial for sustainable agriculture. This knowledge helps reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers and maintain soil fertility. The symbiotic relationship between Rhizobium bacteria and leguminous plants plays a vital role in sustainable agriculture by facilitating access to atmospheric nitrogen, improving soil fertility, and reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.
  • 2.8K
  • 19 Dec 2023
Topic Review
History of Biotechnology
Biotechnology is the application of scientific and engineering principles to the processing of materials by biological agents to provide goods and services. From its inception, biotechnology has maintained a close relationship with society. Although now most often associated with the development of drugs, historically biotechnology has been principally associated with food, addressing such issues as malnutrition and famine. The history of biotechnology begins with zymotechnology, which commenced with a focus on brewing techniques for beer. By World War I, however, zymotechnology would expand to tackle larger industrial issues, and the potential of industrial fermentation gave rise to biotechnology. However, both the single-cell protein and gasohol projects failed to progress due to varying issues including public resistance, a changing economic scene, and shifts in political power. Yet the formation of a new field, genetic engineering, would soon bring biotechnology to the forefront of science in society, and the intimate relationship between the scientific community, the public, and the government would ensue. These debates gained exposure in 1975 at the Asilomar Conference, where Joshua Lederberg was the most outspoken supporter for this emerging field in biotechnology. By as early as 1978, with the development of synthetic human insulin, Lederberg's claims would prove valid, and the biotechnology industry grew rapidly. Each new scientific advance became a media event designed to capture public support, and by the 1980s, biotechnology grew into a promising real industry. In 1988, only five proteins from genetically engineered cells had been approved as drugs by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but this number would skyrocket to over 125 by the end of the 1990s. The field of genetic engineering remains a heated topic of discussion in today's society with the advent of gene therapy, stem cell research, cloning, and genetically modified food. While it seems only natural nowadays to link pharmaceutical drugs as solutions to health and societal problems, this relationship of biotechnology serving social needs began centuries ago.
  • 2.8K
  • 21 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Bioremediation of Heavy Metals by Microorganisms
Heavy metal pollution is a major environmental problem because metal ions persist in the environment due to their non-degradable nature. The toxicity and bioaccumulation tendency of heavy metals in the environment is a serious threat to the health of living organisms. Unlike organic contaminants, chemical or biological processes cannot break down heavy metals. Hence, they can only be transformed into less toxic species.
  • 2.8K
  • 10 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Methanogens in industrial wastewater treatment
Anaerobic biotechnology is commonly used for treating high-strength wastewaters from different industries. Properties of wastewater vary across industries and significantly affect microbiome composition in the anaerobic reactor. Methanogenic archaea play a crucial role during anaerobic wastewater treatment.
  • 2.7K
  • 22 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Metschnikowia pulcherrima
Yeasts affiliated with the Metschnikowia pulcherrima clade (subclade) of the large ascomycetous genus Metschnikowia frequently turn out to produce the characteristic maroon-red pulcherrimin when tested for pigment production and prove to exert antagonistic effects on many types of microorganisms. The determination of the exact taxonomic position of the strains is hampered by the shortage of distinctive morphological and physiological properties of the species of the clade and the lack of rDNA barcode gaps. The rDNA repeats of the type strains of the species are not homogenized and are assumed to evolve by a birth-and-death mechanism combined with reticulation. The taxonomic division is further hampered by the incomplete biological (reproductive) isolation of the species: certain type strains can be hybridized and genome sequencing revealed chimeric genome structures in certain strains that might have evolved from interspecies hybrids (alloploid genome duplication). Various mechanisms have been proposed for the antimicrobial antagonism. One is related to pulcherrimin production. The diffusible precursor of pulcherrimin, the pulcherriminic acid is secreted by the cells into the environment where it forms the insoluble pulcherrimin with the ferric ions. The lack of free iron caused by the immobilization of ferric ions inhibits the growth of many microorganisms.
  • 2.7K
  • 15 Jul 2020
Topic Review
CAR-T Cells in Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer has the worst prognosis and lowest survival rate among all types of cancers and thus, there exists a strong need for novel therapeutic strategies. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells present a new potential option after successful FDA-approval in hematologic malignancies, however, current CAR T cell clinical trials in pancreatic cancer failed to improve survival and were unable to demonstrate any significant response. The physical and environmental barriers created by the distinct tumor microenvironment (TME) as a result of the desmoplastic reaction in pancreatic cancer present major hurdles for CAR T cells as a viable therapeutic option in this tumor entity. Cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts express extracellular matrix molecules, enzymes, and growth factors, which can attenuate CAR T cell infiltration and efficacy. Recent efforts demonstrate a niche shift where targeting the TME along CAR T cell therapy is believed or hoped to provide a substantial clinical added value to improve overall survival.
  • 2.7K
  • 16 Oct 2020
Topic Review
High-Throughput Sequencing in Aptamer selection
Aptamers, short single-stranded DNA or RNA molecules capable of specific binding to a target of interest, are gaining in research interest due to their versatile application potential as analytical, diagnostic, and therapeutics agents.
  • 2.7K
  • 05 Feb 2021
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