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This study investigated the relationship between redeeming a voucher at hospital-based Medical Food Pantry (MFP) and hospital readmissions in Greenville, NC. Admitted patients at Vidant Medical Center identified as food insecure were given a voucher to the MFP. A retrospective chart review identified demographic information, type of insurance, voucher provision, and redemption dates, food bag type and number of subsequent hospital readmissions for all patients issued a voucher (n = 542) between June 21, 2018 and July 1, 2019. Negative binomial regression analysis assessed the relationship between readmissions and voucher redemption. Sixty percent of patients receiving a voucher were minority (African American) with an average age of 55. Nearly half (48 percent) had Medicare. Thirty-eight percent of those vouchers that were issued were redeemed, usually within five days. Regression results indicate that the number of readmissions was higher among women and non-whites in the sample relative to men and whites. Those patients who redeemed a food voucher had a seven percent lower likelihood of being readmitted (CI, 0.05-0.27). Food insecure patients who redeemed MFP vouchers had a comparatively lower likelihood of subsequent readmissions. These findings suggest that programs targeting modifiable social determinants of health like food insecurity could improve health outcomes and reduce utilization of the healthcare system.In recent times, there is increased public interest and indeed strong movement against the use of Bisphenol A (4,4'-(propane-2,2,-diphenol)) due to its endocrine disrupting properties. In the present study, biotransformation of Bisphenol A (BPA) was accomplished using Trametes versicolor laccase (E.C. 1.10.3.2) enzyme. The enzyme was entrapped in reverse micelles comprising of bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate sodium salt (AOT) and 2,2,4-trimethylpentane (isooctane) for non-aqueous catalysis considering hydrophobicity of BPA. Screening of various parameters that may affect micellar system was carried out using Plackett-Burman experimental design and central composite design (Design Expert 11). According to Design Expert actual concentration of different variables was 0.55, 150 (Wo 30), 0.0035 mM and 175 µg/ml for Mg+2ions, Hydration ratio (Wo), 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (2,6 DMP, substrate) and laccase, respectively, at 40 °C and pH 4.5. Under these conditions laccase activity in reverse micelles was increased two folds as compared to unoptimized micellar system. It was evident that the reverse micelles diameter was linearly proportionated to the amount of laccase enzyme incorporated. BPA bioremediation mediated by laccase in non-aqueous environment was found to be 84% in 8 h of treatment. Biotransformation of BPA was monitored using GC-MS. BPA degraded products, such as BPA-O-catechol and 4,4 (Ethane 2-oxy 2-ol) diphenol were identified indicating transformation by oxidation.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-02842-4.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-02842-4.Algae have gained substantial importance as the most promising potential green fuel source across the globe and is on growing demand due to their antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral, antihypertensive, cholesterol reducing and thickening properties. Therefore, it has vast range of application in medicines, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, paper and nutraceutical industries. In this work, the remarkable ability of algae to convert CO2 and other toxic compounds in atmosphere to potential biofuels, foods, feeds and high-value bioactive compounds is reviewed. Algae produce approximately 50% of the earth's oxygen using its photosynthetic activity, thus acting as a potent tool to mitigate the effects of air pollution. Further, the applicability of algae as a desirable energy source has also been discussed, as they have the potential to serve as an effective alternative to intermittent renewable energy; and also, to combustion-based fossil fuel energy, making them effective for advanced biofuel conversions. This work also evaluates the current applications of algae and the implications of it as a potential substrate for bioplastic, natural alternative to inks and for making paper besides high-value products. In addition, the scope for integrated biorefinery approach is also briefly explored in terms of economic aspects at the industrial scale, as such energy conversion mechanisms are directly linked with sustainability, thus providing a positive overall energy outlook.D-pantothenic acid (D-PA), as a crucial vitamin, is widely used in food, animal feed, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. In our previous work, recombinant Escherichia coli W3110 for production of D-PA was constructed through metabolic pathway modification. In this study, to enhance D-PA production, statistical optimization techniques including Plackett-Burman (PB) design and Box-Behnken design (BBD) first were adopted to optimize the culture condition. The results showed that the glucose, β-alanine and (NH4)2SO4 have the most significant effects on D-PA biosynthesis. The response surface model based on BBD predicted that the optimal concentration is glucose 56.0 g/L, β-alanine 2.25 g/L and (NH4)2SO4 11.8 g/L, the D-PA titer increases from 3.2 g/L to 6.73 g/L shake flask fermentation. For the fed-batch fermentation in 5 L fermenter, the isoleucine feeding strategy greatly increased the titer and productivity of D-PA. As a result, titer (31.6 g/L) and productivity (13.2 g/L·d) of D-PA were achieved, they increased by 4.66 times and 2.65 times, respectively, compared with batch culture. At the same time, the accumulation of acetate reduced from 29.79 g/L to 8.55 g/L in the fed-batch fermentation. These results demonstrated that the optimization of medium composition and the cell growth rate are important to increase the concentration of D-PA for microbial fermentation. This work laid the foundation for further research on the application of D-PA microbial synthesis.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-02773-0.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-02773-0.Cyst nematodes of the species Globodera rostochiensis and G. PF-543 chemical structure pallida are devastating parasites of the potato crop. Early detection of cyst nematodes in the field is critical for adopting an appropriate management strategy. A specific and sensitive loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay using four oligonucleotide primers has been developed to amplify the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of ribosomal DNA of potato cyst nematode G. rostochiensis. The PCN-LAMP reaction could be completed within 75 min at 68 °C followed by termination at 85 °C for 7 min. link2 The primers exhibited specificity for G. rostochiensis and did not detect any other tested genera of plant parasitic or entomopathogenic nematodes. LAMP reaction was highly sensitive, suitable for crude genomic DNA and could successfully detect G. link3 rostochiensis DNA up to femtogram quantity. This assay is rapid, cost effective and requires minimal instrumentation. It will facilitate the detection of G. rostochiensis at field and point-of-care labs and help in the interception of infested plant material/soil samples at quarantine stations independent of a professional nematologist.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-02830-8.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-02830-8.Conventional agricultural practices based on the application of synthetic fertilizers are increasingly considered as unsustainable. Under a forecasted scenario of drought for the next decades, there is a global demand for innovative and sustainable approaches to ameliorate plant performance. Here, encapsulating beneficial microbes (BMs) to promote plant growth is gaining attention. This study evaluates bacterial encapsulation using polymeric beads of alginate, testing the survival of Pseudomonas libanensis TR1 stored up to 90 days. Produced beads were subjected to different treatments (fresh, air-dried and pulverized), which resulted in a variable size range (1200-860 µm). After storage, bacterial viability was maintained, and air-dried beads displayed a higher number of colony-forming units (2 × 107). Then, a glasshouse experiment investigated the drought resistance (plant growth, biomass, and photosynthetic responses) of Vigna unguiculata plants inoculated with these alginate beads. After 10 days of complete water restriction, turgidity and relative water content of V. unguiculata were still high under drought stress (> 80%). Leaf and root growth and biomass did not evidence significant changes after water restriction even after P. libanensis inoculation. Plant photosynthetic parameters (stomatal conductance, net photosynthetic rate, leaf CO2 concentration, or F v'/F m') were slightly affected due to inoculation but the level of stress-induced minimal plant responses. In our experiment, water restriction might have been insufficient to downregulate photosynthetic efficiency and reduce plant growth, limiting our understanding of the role of P. libanensis inoculation in alleviating drought stress in V. unguiculata, but highlighting the important relationship between the stress level and agricultural benefits of using encapsulated BMs.Bacterial transcriptome profiling in the presence of plant fluids or extracts during microbial growth may provide relevant information on plant-bacteria interactions. Here, RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was used to determine the transcriptomic profile of Herbaspirillum seropedicae strain HRC54 at the early stages of response to sugarcane apoplastic fluid. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis was performed using the DESeq2 and edgeR packages, followed by functional annotation using Blast2GO and gene ontology enrichment analysis using the COG and KEGG databases. After 2 h of sugarcane apoplastic fluid addition to the H. seropedicae HRC54 culture, respectively, 44 and 45 genes were upregulated and downregulated. These genes were enriched in bacterial metabolism (e.g., oxidoreductase and transferase), ABC transporters, motility, secretion systems, and signal transduction. RNA-Seq expression profiles of 12 genes identified in data analyses were verified by RT-qPCR. The results suggested that H. seropedicae HRC54 recognized sugarcane apoplastic fluid as the host signal, and some DEGs were closely involved at the early stages of the establishment of plant-bacteria interactions.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-02848-y.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-02848-y.Cerium oxide nanoparticles, so-called nanoceria, are engineered nanomaterials prepared by many methods that result in products with varying physicochemical properties and applications. Those used industrially are often calcined, an example is NM-212. Other nanoceria have beneficial pharmaceutical properties and are often prepared by solvothermal synthesis. Solvothermally synthesized nanoceria dissolve in acidic environments, accelerated by carboxylic acids. NM-212 dissolution has been reported to be minimal. To gain insight into the role of high-temperature exposure on nanoceria dissolution, product susceptibility to carboxylic acid-accelerated dissolution, and its effect on biological and catalytic properties of nanoceria, the dissolution of NM-212, a solvothermally synthesized nanoceria material, and a calcined form of the solvothermally synthesized nanoceria material (ca. 40, 4, and 40 nm diameter, respectively) was investigated. Two dissolution methods were employed. Dissolution of NM-212 and the calcined nanoceria was much slower than that of the non-calcined form.