Antibacterial Mechanisms of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle against Bacterial Food Pathogens Resistant to Beta-Lactam Antibiotics

The increase in β-lactam-resistant Gram-negative bacteria is a severe recurrent problem in the food industry for both producers and consumers. The development of nanotechnology and nanomaterial applications has transformed many features in food science. The antibacterial activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and their mechanism of action on β-lactam-resistant Gram-negative food pathogens, such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Serratia marcescens, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis, are investigated in the present paper. The study results demonstrate that ZnO NPs possesses broad-spectrum action against these β-lactamase-producing strains. The minimal inhibitory and minimal bactericidal concentrations vary from 0.04 to 0.08 and 0.12 to 0.24 mg/mL, respectively. The ZnO NPs elevate the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde in the bacterial cells as membrane lipid peroxidation. It has been confirmed from the transmission electron microscopy image of the treated bacterial cells that ZnO NPs diminish the permeable membrane, denature the intracellular proteins, cause DNA damage, and cause membrane leakage. Based on these findings, the action of ZnO NPs has been attributed to the fact that broad-spectrum antibacterial action against β-lactam-resistant Gram-negative food pathogens is mediated by Zn²⁺ ion-induced oxidative stress, actions via lipid peroxidation and membrane damage, subsequently resulting in depletion, leading to β-lactamase enzyme inhibition, intracellular protein inactivation, DNA damage, and eventually cell death. Based on the findings of the present study, ZnO NPs can be recommended as potent broad-spectrum antibacterial agents against β-lactam-resistant Gram-negative pathogenic strains.     

Antibacterial Activity of a Novel Oligosaccharide from Streptomyces californics against Erwinia carotovora subsp. Carotovora

The present study aims to characterize and predict models for antibacterial activity of a novel oligosaccharide from Streptomyces californics against Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora using an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system and an artificial neural network. The mathematical predication models were used to determine the optimal conditions to produce oligosaccharide and determine the relationship between the factors (pH, temperature, and time). The characteristics of the purified antibacterial agent were determined using ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV/Vis), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H- and ¹³C-NMR), and mass spectrometry (MS). The best performances for the model were 39.45 and 35.16 recorded at epoch 1 for E. carotovora Erw₅ and E. carotovora EMCC 1687, respectively. The coefficient (R²) of the training was more than 0.90. The highest antimicrobial production was recorded after 9 days at 25 °C and a pH of 6.2, at which more than 17 mm of the inhibition zone was obtained. The mass spectrum of antimicrobial agent (peak at R.T. = 3.433 of fraction 6) recorded two molecular ion peaks at m/z = 703.70 and m/z = 338.30, corresponding to molecular weights of 703.70 and 338.30 g/mol, respectively. The two molecular ion peaks matched well with the molecular formulas C₂₉H₅₃NO₁₈ and C₁₄H₂₆O₉, respectively, which were obtained from the elemental analysis result. A novel oligosaccharide from Streptomyces californics with potential activity against E. carotovora EMCC 1687 and E. carotovora Erw₅ was successfully isolated, purified, and characterized.     

Improved general correlation for critical heat flux during upflow in uniformly heated vertical tubes

An improved version of the author's earlier correlation for CHF in vertical tubes is presented. It is compared with data that include 23 fluids (water, refrigerants, cryogens, chemicals, and liquid metals), tube diameters 0.315 to 37.5 mm, tube length 1.3 to 940 times diameter, mass flux 4 to 29051 kg/m²s, reduced pressures 0.0014 to 0.96, inlet quality −4 to +0.85, and critical quality −2.6 to +1. These data, from 62 independent sources, are also compared with Katto's general correlation and those of Bowring for water and Subbotin for helium. The present correlation shows much better agreement with data.     

Promoting Effect of Soluble Polysaccharides Extracted from Ulva spp. on Zea mays L. Growth

Seaweeds can play a vital role in plant growth promotion. Two concentrations (5 and 10 mg/mL) of soluble polysaccharides extracted from the green macroalgae Ulva fasciata and Ulva lactuca were tested on Zea mays L. The carbohydrate and protein contents, and antioxidant activities (phenols, ascorbic, peroxidase, and catalase) were measured, as well as the protein banding patterns. The soluble polysaccharides at 5 mg/mL had the greatest effect on the base of all of the parameters. The highest effects of soluble polysaccharides on the Zea mays were 38.453, 96.76, 4, 835, 1.658, 7.462, and 38615.19, mg/mL for carbohydrates, proteins, phenol, µg ascorbic/mL, mg peroxidase/g dry tissue, and units/g tissue of catalase, respectively. The total number of protein bands (as determined by SDS PAGE) was not changed, but the density of the bands was correlated to the treatments. The highest band density and promoting effect were correlated to 5 mg/mL soluble polysaccharide treatments extracted from Ulva fasciata in Zea mays, which can be used as a biofertilizer.     

The Field-Dependent Magnetization of d5–d7 Metal β−Diketonate Complexes and Their Macromolecular Polymers

A vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) has been used to study the field-dependent magnetization, M(H), of the d⁵?d⁷ metal acetates [M(OAc)₂.nH₂O], metal β?diketonate complexes [M(tba)₂(H₂O)₂] and the macromolecular polymers [M(tba)₂(4,4-bipy)]_n (where, M = Mn(II), Fe(II), and Co(II), OAc = O₂CCH₃, tba = deprotonated 3-benzoyl-1.1.1-trifluoroacetone, and 4,4-bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine). The magnetic field strength (H) was applied in the range of 0?10⁴ O_e at ambient temperature (ca. 23°C). The experimental results showed that the d⁵?d⁷ metal acetate, complexes and polymers exhibit low paramagnetic properties excepting [Fe(tba)₂(4,4-bipy)]_n polymer, which had negative magnetization M(emu/g) showing diamagnetic properties in the range 0?10⁴ O_e. The magnetization was almost equal to zero without an applied magnetic field (H(O_e)) for each d⁵?d⁷ metal acetate, complex, and polymer. The linear M(H) curve had a magnetic saturation for iron and manganese acetate species at the magnetic field strengths of 3.1 × 10³ and 4.7 × 10³ Oe, respectively. The external magnetic field reached 9.0 × 10³ O_e without any saturation magnetization for the cobalt compounds. The coordination effect of 3-benzoyl-1.1.1-trifluoroacetone (H-tba) and 4,4′-bipyridine (4,4′-bipy) ligands on the field-dependent magnetization M(H) and paramagnetic behavior of d⁵?d⁷ metal atoms is discussed. The field-dependent magnetization M(H) curves of metal β?diketonate complexes and the polymers including d⁵?d⁷ metal acetates showed a weak field octahedral geometry.     

Investigation of novel composites to be used as backfill materials in radioactive waste disposal facilities

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - The current work aims at the preparation and characterization of novel composite materials of acrylic acid/charcoal/montmorillonite (MMT) (PAACM...     

The Kinetics of Tenoxicam Photodegradation in Solution

Photodegradation of tenoxicam was investigated under different reaction conditions. After 60 min of exposure to UV light, the photodegradation was extensive, and the maximum and minimum in the UV-visible spectrum were shifted to shorter and longer wavelengths, respectively. Ethanol exerted a photostabilizing effect on tenoxicam. Tenoxicam is more stable in acidic and basic media than in neutral solution. Increasing light intensity or temperature causes an increase in the rate of photodegradation. The photodegradation of tenoxicam was found to follow first-order kinetics under all these conditions.     

The gas-phase on-line production of vanadium oxytrihalides, VOX3 and their identification by infrared spectroscopy

A new route has been devised, leading to the production of VOX₃ molecules where X=F, Br and I by an on-line process using vanadium oxytrichloride, VOCl₃ as a starting compound passed over the following heated salts NaF, KBr and KI at 375, 700 and 550°C, respectively. The products have been characterized by the IR spectra of their vapors. The low resolution gas phase on-line Fourier transform infrared spectra reported for the first time show strong bands with PQR type structure, centered at 1058, 1035, 1030 and 1025 cm⁻¹ assigned to the ν₁(a₁), the O=V stretching fundamental mode of VOF₃, VOCl₃, VOBr₃ and VOI₃, respectively.     

Influence of Process Parameters on the Reaction Kinetics of the Chromium‐Catalyzed Trimerization of Ethylene

In this paper we report the results of an extensive experimental kinetic study carried out on the novel ethylene trimerization catalyst system, comprising the chromium source [CrCl₃(thf)₃] (thf=tetrahydrofuran), a Ph₂P‐N(iPr)‐P(Ph)‐N(iPr)H (PNPNH) ligand (Ph=phenyl, iPr=isopropyl), and triethylaluminum (AlEt₃) as activator. It could be shown that the initial activity shows a first‐order dependency on the ethylene concentration. Also, a first‐order dependency was found for the catalyst concentration. The initial activity follows a typical Arrhenius behavior with an experimentally determined activation energy of 52.6 kJ mol^?1. At elevated temperatures (ca. 80 °C), a significant deactivation was observed, which can be tentatively traced back to a ligand rearrangement in the presence of AlEt₃. After a fast initial phase, a pronounced ‘kink’ in the ethylene‐uptake curve is observed, followed by a slow, almost linear, further increase of the total ethylene consumption. The catalyst composition, in particular the ligand/chromium and the cocatalyst/chromium molar ratio, has a strong impact on the catalytic performance of the trimerization of ethylene.     

Effect of tri-potassium phosphate on volumetric,acoustic, and transport behaviour of aqueous solutions of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide at T = (298.15 to 318.15) K

Density, sound velocity, and viscosity of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide, [Emim][Br], in aqueous solutions of tri-potassium phosphate with salt weight fractions (w_s = 0.00, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20) have been measured as a function of concentration of [Emim][Br] at atmospheric pressure and T = (298.15, 303.15, 308.15, 313.15, and 318.15) K. The apparent molar volume, isentropic compressibility, apparent isentropic compressibility, and relative viscosity values have been evaluated from the experimental data. The partial molar volume and isentropic compressibility at infinite dilution, and viscosity B-coefficient obtained from these data have been used to calculate the corresponding transfer parameters for the studied IL from water to the aqueous tri-potassium phosphate solutions. Also, an empirical equation was satisfactorily used to correlate the experimental viscosity data.