Microfluidic tools toward industrial biotechnology

Microfluidics is a technology that operates with small amounts of fluids and makes possible the investigation of cells, enzymes, and biomolecules and encapsulation of biocatalysts in a greater variety of conditions than permitted using conventional methods. This review discusses technological possibilities that can be applied in the field of industrial biotechnology, presenting the principal definitions and fundamental aspects of microfluidic parameters to better understand advanced approaches. Specifically, concentration gradient generators, droplet‐based microfluidics, and microbioreactors are explored as useful tools that can contribute to industrial biotechnology. These tools present potential applications, inclusive as commercial platforms to optimizing in bioprocesses development as screening cells, encapsulating biocatalysts, and determining critical kinetic parameters. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:1372–1389, 2016     

Renal Proteome in Mice with Different Susceptibilities to Fluorosis

A/J and 129P3/J mouse strains have different susceptibilities to dental fluorosis due to their genetic backgrounds. They also differ with respect to several features of fluoride (F) metabolism and metabolic handling of water. This study was done to determine whether differences in F metabolism could be explained by diversities in the profile of protein expression in kidneys. Weanling, male A/J mice (susceptible to dental fluorosis, n = 18) and 129P3/J mice (resistant, n = 18) were housed in pairs and assigned to three groups given low-F food and drinking water containing 0, 10 or 50 ppm [F] for 7 weeks. Renal proteome profiles were examined using 2D-PAGE and LC-MS/MS. Quantitative intensity analysis detected between A/J and 129P3/J strains 122, 126 and 134 spots differentially expressed in the groups receiving 0, 10 and 50 ppmF, respectively. From these, 25, 30 and 32, respectively, were successfully identified. Most of the proteins were related to metabolic and cellular processes, followed by response to stimuli, development and regulation of cellular processes. In F-treated groups, PDZK-1, a protein involved in the regulation of renal tubular reabsorption capacity was down-modulated in the kidney of 129P3/J mice. A/J and 129P3/J mice exhibited 11 and 3 exclusive proteins, respectively, regardless of F exposure. In conclusion, proteomic analysis was able to identify proteins potentially involved in metabolic handling of F and water that are differentially expressed or even not expressed in the strains evaluated. This can contribute to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying genetic susceptibility to dental fluorosis, by indicating key-proteins that should be better addressed in future studies.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Psychotria kupensis</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rubiaceae</Emphasis>) a new dwarf,litter-gathering species from western Cameroon

Summary   Psychotria kupensis Cheek is described as a new species in Psychotria sect. Confertiflorae Hiern. Attention is drawn to its monopodial, dwarf, litter-gathering and adventitious root-forming habit and to its anomalous stipules. The species appears to be endemic to the submontane evergeen forest of Mt Kupe in Cameroon. Its conservation status is assessed.     

Metal Distribution and Characterization of Cultivable Lead-Resistant Bacteria in Shooting Range Soils

Shooting ranges represent about 10% of polluted sites in Switzerland. This pollution, mainly consisting of lead (Pb) and antimony (Sb), can spread into the local groundwater, wildlife and plants. In this study, shooting range stop butt soils (elevated soil mount behind the target) of three sites (Versoix, Cartigny and Nyon, Western Switzerland) were investigated for metal contamination and culturable lead-resistant bacteria in contaminated soils. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis of surface stop butt soils (0–5 cm) indicated high metal concentrations especially for Pb and Sb, e.g., the Pb concentration ranging from 61,135 to 395,651, 23,821 to 201,268 and 120 to 27,517 mg kg^?1 in the soil from the sites of Versoix, Cartigny and Nyon, respectively. Molecular analysis of 16S rRNA gene demonstrates the presence of bacteria from diverse classes: Flavobacteriia, α-Proteobacteria, γ-Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacilli that exhibited high Pb minimum inhibitory concentration value from 1,036 to 2,694 mg kg^?1. The isolated strains could be the subject of further studies to evaluate their role in bioremediation of lead-contaminated soil.     

Low-level laser therapy attenuates the acute inflammatory response induced by muscle traumatic injury

The purpose of this work was to investigate the effect of early and long-term low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers after acute-traumatic muscle injury in Wistar rats. Animals were randomly divided into the following four groups: control group (CG), muscle injury group (IG), CG?+?LLLT, and IG?+?LLLT: laser treatment with doses of 3 and 5 J/cm². Muscle traumatic injury was induced by a single-impact blunt trauma in the rat gastrocnemius. Irradiation for 3 or 5 J/cm² was initiated 2, 12, and 24?h after muscle trauma induction, and the treatment was continued for five consecutive days. All the oxidant markers investigated. namely thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance, carbonyl, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase, were increased as soon as 2?h after muscle injury and remained increased up to 24?h. These alterations were prevented by LLLT at a 3 J/cm² dose given 2?h after the trauma. Similarly, LLLT prevented the trauma-induced proinflammatory state characterized by IL-6 and IL-10. In parallel, trauma-induced reduction in BDNF and VEGF, vascular remodeling and fiber-proliferating markers, was prevented by laser irradiation. In order to test whether the preventive effect of LLLT was also reflected in muscle functionality, we tested the locomotor activity, by measuring distance traveled and the number of rearings in the open field test. LLLT was effective in recovering the normal locomotion, indicating that the irradiation induced biostimulatory effects that accelerated or resolved the acute inflammatory response as well as the oxidant state elicited by the muscle trauma.     

Recombinant disintegrin targets α(v) β(3) integrin and leads to mediator production

Integrin αvβ3 is most likely the foremost modulator of angiogenesis among all known integrins. Recombinant disintegrin DisBa-01, originally obtained from snake venom glands, binds to αvβ3, thereby significantly inhibiting adhesion and generating in vivo anti-metastatic ability. However, its function in mediator production is not clear. Here, we observed that the mediators VEGF-A, IL-8, and TGF-β are not produced by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC cell line) or monocyte/macrophage cells (SC cell line) when cells adhered to vitronectin. However, when exposed to DisBa-01, HUVECs produced higher levels of TGF-β, and SC cells produced higher levels of VEGF-A. Nonetheless, HUVECs also showed an enhancement of apoptosis after losing adherence when exposed to disintegrin, which is a characteristic of anoikis. We propose that disintegrin DisBa-01 could be used to modulate integrin αvβ3 functions.