Springer最新文献

In the context of the circular economy, managing sewage sludge (SS) is vital for resource valorization and sustainability. This study aims to compare the impact of different application methods (two phase mulch, single phase mulch, incorporation) and doses (10, 25, 40 and 50 t/ha) of residual sewage sludge on the quality of sandy-silty soils and the morpho-physiological characteristics of durum wheat (Triticum durum) plants, specifically the Oued El Bared G4 variety. The field experiment was conducted in a hot arid region in northeastern Algeria. Results demonstrated that SS significantly improved soil fertility and wheat performance (p < 0.001). Soil organic matter (OM) and Phosphorus peaked at 1.92% (T2D3) and 258.46 ppm (T1D4) respectively, representing a substantial enrichment compared to lower doses. Regarding crop yield, the 1000 grain weight (WTG) reached a maximum of 54.88 g with single phase mulch (T2D1), which is 33.8% higher than the two phase application method. Similarly, plant height and leaf surface area (LSA) were maximized under the T2 method (91 cm and 37.41 cm², respectively). While soil pH remained stable, electrical conductivity (EC) increased with dosage, peaking at 1.87 µS/cm (T2D4). This finding suggest that sludge biorecycling in single phase mulch application (T2) at moderate doses optimizes both soil quality and durum wheat yield component in arid region. Future research should focus on the long term cumulative effects of repeated sludge application on soil heavy metal dynamics and groundwater quality in arid environment.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition characterized by memory deficits, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation. Plumbagin (PB), a bioactive naphthoquinone derived from Nepenthes khasiana, possesses therapeutic potential but is limited by poor solubility and bioavailability. To overcome these challenges, PB was encapsulated into hyaluronic acid nanogels (PB-NGs) and systematically evaluated for anti-Alzheimer's efficacy. The study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties of PB-NGs by in vitro and in vivo analyses. PB-NGs were synthesized and characterized using FT-IR, NMR, and TEM, confirming successful encapsulation. In silico docking demonstrated strong binding affinities of PB to β-amyloid and tau proteins, suggesting potential inhibition of AD-related pathological processes. In vitro, PB-NGs significantly decreased ROS production, mitigated pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α), and improved cell viability in LPS-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells relative to free PB. In vivo, administration of PB-NGs to AD-induced mice significantly improved behavioral outcomes, including enhanced spatial memory and exploratory activity in Y-maze, open field, and Morris's water maze tests. Biochemical assays further revealed reduced oxidative stress (decreased MDA, increased SOD, CAT, GST) and modulation of cholinergic dysfunction (reduced AChE, increased ChAT). Histopathological analysis supported neuronal protection with diminished amyloid burden. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that PB-NGs effectively enhance bioavailability and exert significant neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects, supporting their potential as a promising nanotherapeutic approach for mitigating cognitive deficits in AD.

The misuse of antibiotics has led to the rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, posing a significant threat to global health. The shortcoming of new antibiotics with novel mode of action augments this challenge. Nanoparticles, particularly synthesized through green synthesis methods, have emerged as promising agents to combat the growing issue of MDR. The current study focuses on the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using seed extract from the traditional medicinal herbaceous plant Phyllanthus maderaspatensis (PM). AgNPs were synthesized by mixing the PM seed extract (PMSE) with 3 mM silver nitrate at 80 °C for 15 min, followed by precipitation using acetone and drying at 70 °C. Characterization of the derived AgNPs with UV spectroscopy resulted absorption maximum at 430 nm. FTIR analysis revealed the capping of functional moieties such as alcohol, amine, aldehyde, alkene and halo to their surfaces. SEM and TEM analysis disclosed the spherical and quasi-spherical shaped nanoparticles, with smooth surface and notable lattice fringes appearance. The size of AgNPs ranges from ~ 5 nm to ~ 78 nm in diameter. The synthesised nanoparticles happen to be highly stable as deduced via mean zeta potential of -37.9 mV. XRD and energy dispersive X-ray spectrum of the synthesized AgNPs conforms the presence of silver in the synthesised nanoparticles. The antimicrobial potential of the synthesized AgNPs against different bacterial strains provides minimum inhibitory concentration values as low as 150 to 225 µg/mL. Additionally, the AgNPs also exhibited outstanding anti-biofilm capabilities. Crystal violet uptake assay and light microscopy studies indicates that membrane disruption contributes to their bactericidal effect. Altogether, the utilization of PMSE as a reducing agent holds promise as a cost-effective, scalable, and eco-friendly alternative to traditional AgNP synthesis methods. This PMSE derived AgNPs demonstrate strong potential for broad applications namely in agriculture for management of PM seeds and across medicine such as development of anti-bacterial coating or as an active ingredient in wound dressing.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) addition on biogas and biomethane production in the anaerobic treatment of chicken manure (CM) and municipal organic solid waste (MOSW). Batch experiments were conducted under mesophilic conditions using different substrate-to-inoculum (S/I) ratios (0, 1, 2, and 4 g VS-S/g VS-I) and magnetite concentrations (50, 100, 200, 400, and 600 mg L⁻¹). The highest biogas and biomethane production was obtained in the S/I = 1 gVS-S/gVS-I, 2:1 (CM: MOSW) reactor and were 2910.5 ± 199.4 mL CH₄/gVS and 1718.03 ± 117.73 mL CH₄/gVS, respectively. At different magnetite concentrations, the highest biogas and biomethane production occurred at 200 mgL^-1 magnetite loading rate, 1842.7 ± 112.0 mL CH₄/gVS and 1081.99 ± 65.78 mL CH₄/gVS, respectively. The highest total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations were determined at S/I = 4, 2:1 (CM: MOSW) gVS-S/gVS-I loading ratio, while the highest TS and VS removal efficiency was determined at S/I = 1 gVS-S/gVS-I, 2:1 (CM: MOSW) ratio and 100 mgL^-1 magnetite loading ratio. When the microbial distribution was examined, the first five dominant species (W5, S1, Coprothermobacter, Treponema and Fervidobacterium) did not change after the addition of magnetite. The findings demonstrate the positive effects of magnetite addition on biogas and biomethane production, providing significant insights for the development of new strategies to enhance anaerobic digestion processes.

An aptamer-gated metal-organic framework-based biosensing platform for highly sensitive detection of multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB) has been developed. This biosensing platform utilizes aptamers as specific "gated" switches, which are integrated with the UiO-66-NH₂ MOFs to construct a "gated" sensing system loaded with 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). The entry of target bacteria induces specific dissociation of sDNA/Apt, forming an aptamer-bacteria complex on the UiO-66-NH₂ surface while releasing TMB into the solution. Subsequently, the PCN-224-Mn nanozyme catalyzes the oxidation of TMB, generating a colorimetric signal. This biosensing platform demonstrates a broad linear range for detecting New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 Klebsiella pneumoniae (NDM-1 KP) and multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-AB), achieving ultra-high sensitivity with detection limits of 5 CFU/mL and 7 CFU/mL, respectively. The practical performance of this biosensing platform was evaluated through spiked recovery experiments. Its excellent recovery demonstrates that the method maintains high reliability and stability even when applied to complex real-world samples, providing an effective technical solution for addressing challenges in microbial detection in practical scenarios.

Bile salts are conjugated steroids with digestive functions in vertebrates that reach the ecosystem upon excretion. Their environmental degradation by bacteria resembles the steroid nucleus catabolism that uses the 9,10-seco pathway, although there are two variants depending on whether the hydroxyl group at C-7 is eliminated (variant Δ^4,6) or not (variant Δ^1,4). Caenibius tardaugens, formerly known as Novosphingobium tardaugens, is a steroid-degrading bacterium used as a model to study the genetic and metabolic traits of steroidal sex-hormones catabolism. In this work, we investigated the bacterium ability to grow on bile salts such as cholate and deoxycholate and we performed directed mutagenesis along with transcriptomic analysis to shed light on the genes involved in bile salt metabolism. The mutation of the igr-like operon (EGO55_03105-EGO55_03125), similar to the cholesterol-degrading operon igr from Rhodococcus jostii RHA1, did not affect the ability to grow on bile salts. The transcriptomic analysis in the presence of cholate showed the induction of two gene clusters named bsd I (bile-salts degradation) (EGO55_16295 to EGO55_16335) and bsd II (EGO55_11460-EGO55_11480), containing genes that, according to their sequence identity to other bile salt-degrading bacteria, might participate in the side chain degradation and the HIP pathway of cholate catabolism, respectively. Moreover, the presence of other proteins homologous to the 7α-hydroxy steroid dehydratase Hsh2, such as EGO55_02245, EGO55_12965, or EGO55_06935, indicates that C. tardaugens cholate metabolism proceeds via the Δ^4,6 variant, as it is conserved in several bacteria from the genera Sphingobium, Novosphingobium, and Sphingomonas.