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The Role of Renewable Resources for Ecology and Human Health:...
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The Role of Renewable Resources for Ecology and Human Health: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Diversity and Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 October 2024) | Viewed by 8417

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Milka Mileva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Virology, The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 26, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Interests: antioxidant activity; oxidative stress; free radicals; virus; antioxidants; biotechnology; biostatistics; cancer research; reactive oxygen species; biomarkers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recently, numerous studies have focused their attention on natural bioactive compounds, having been proven to play a potentially beneficial role in the fight against a wide range of human diseases, from "modern" metabolic disorders, chronic diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases to resistant pathogens, bacteria, viruses, and fungi, whose higher resistance to conventional drugs is a very serious problem for human health.

It turns out that the source of valuable molecules is often products considered to be waste in technological production or agricultural byproducts, which are discarded without being recovered. Thus, a large number of these natural functional ingredients still remain unused, and a clear understanding of the mechanisms of their beneficial properties requires innovative and original research.

Potential topics in this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Useful and original approaches for the utilization of residual and waste products from technological productions and agricultural activity;
  • The preparation, isolation, identification, and examination of natural extracts or synthetic drugs that are modified analogs of natural biomolecules with valuable biological properties;
  • The formulation and delivery of anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antifungal compounds with high stability and good bioavailability in order to potentiate their activity;
  • The exploration of the putative activity in the cascade of events controlling the development of diseases;
  • In vivo and in vitro screening involving specific compounds to identify as new, leading compounds, with the potential to relieve symptoms and influence the progression of diseases.

We kindly invite you to send your latest research results or review articles to this Special Issue, which aims to clarify the biological effects of your researched waste products and natural compounds. It also hopes to demonstrate the mechanisms underlying their biological activity using various experimental models related to the extraction and purification of natural functional components and their applications, the presence of hazardous substances, and useful properties of these extracts or compounds in various diseases. Please note that in the studies of complex mixtures of natural products or newly synthesized substances, the characterization of chemicals using analytical methodologies such as HPLC, MS, LC-MS, and HPLC-MS must be included.

Dr. Milka Mileva
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • residual products
  • waste products
  • multidrug resistance
  • cancer
  • natural compounds and antioxidants
  • anti-inflammatory effect
  • antiviral properties
  • antifungal activity

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 922 KiB  
Article
Pathogenic Potential of Opportunistic Gram-Negative Bacteria Isolated from the Cloacal Microbiota of Free-Living Reptile Hosts Originating from Bulgaria
by Irina Lazarkevich, Stephan Engibarov, Simona Mitova, Steliyana Popova, Emiliya Vacheva, Nikola Stanchev, Rumyana Eneva, Yana Gocheva, Iva Lalovska, Tsvetelina Paunova-Krasteva, Yana Ilieva and Hristo Najdenski
Life 2024, 14(5), 566; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14050566 - 27 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1159
Abstract
Reptiles are known to be asymptomatic carriers of various zoonotic pathogens. A number of Gram-negative opportunistic commensals are causative agents of bacterial infections in immunocompromised or stressed hosts and are disseminated by reptiles, whose epidemiological role should not be neglected. Since most studies [...] Read more.
Reptiles are known to be asymptomatic carriers of various zoonotic pathogens. A number of Gram-negative opportunistic commensals are causative agents of bacterial infections in immunocompromised or stressed hosts and are disseminated by reptiles, whose epidemiological role should not be neglected. Since most studies have focused on exotic species, in captivity or as pet animals, the role of wild populations as a potential source of pathogens still remains understudied. In the present study, we isolated a variety of Gram-negative bacteria from the cloacal microbiota of free-living lizard and tortoise hosts (Reptilia: Sauria and Testudines) from the Bulgarian herpetofauna. We evaluated their pathogenic potential according to their antibiotic susceptibility patterns, biofilm-forming capacity, and extracellular production of some enzymes considered to play roles as virulence factors. To our knowledge, the phenotypic manifestation of virulence factors/enzymatic activity and biofilm formation in wild reptile microbiota has not yet been widely investigated. All isolates were found to be capable of forming biofilms to some extent and 29.6% of them could be categorized as strong producers. Two strains proved to be excellent producers. The majority of the isolated strains showed extracellular production of at least one exoenzyme. The most pronounced pathogenicity could be attributed to the newly isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain due to its multiresistance, excellent biofilm formation, and expression of exoenzymes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Renewable Resources for Ecology and Human Health: 2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 3210 KiB  
Article
Impact of Waste Cooking Oils Addition on Thermophilic Dry Co-Digestion of Wheat Straw and Horse Manure for Renewable Energy Production in Two Stages
by Venelin Hubenov, Iva Varbacheva and Lyudmila Kabaivanova
Life 2024, 14(3), 312; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14030312 - 27 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1106
Abstract
Anaerobic co-digestion of waste wheat straw and horse manure in two steps was revealed as a promising option for renewable energy production in the form of hydrogen and methane. Addition of waste cooking oils, disposal of which could cause damage to health or [...] Read more.
Anaerobic co-digestion of waste wheat straw and horse manure in two steps was revealed as a promising option for renewable energy production in the form of hydrogen and methane. Addition of waste cooking oils, disposal of which could cause damage to health or the environment, as a third substrate for digestion, is suggested as an approach not only to help handle the increasing volume of food waste worldwide but also to improve process performance. In the present study, waste cooking oil, in a concentration of 5%, appeared to be a positive modulator of anaerobic digestion with the production of hydrogen and did not lead to inhibition of the hydrolysis phase. The overall efficiency of the two-stage anaerobic digestion of the mixture, which contains mainly lignocellulose waste, is positively dependent on thermochemical pretreatment with the alkali reagent (Ca(OH)2), but elevated temperature (55 °C) and cooking oil addition revealed the opportunity to omit the pre-treatment step. Nevertheless, the overall energy production was lower due to the methane production step. However, the addition of waste cooking oils to the process in which lig-nocellulose is not pretreated (V3) led to an increase in the methane production and energy yield compared to V1. The anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic waste is a complex process and comprises successive degradation pathways and syntrophic microbial associations’ activities, so the division in two reactors ensured suitable conditions for the microorganisms residing in each of them. In this study, along with the production of hydrogen and methane and the separation of the hydrolysis and methanogenesis stages, utilization of agriculture- and kitchen-generated wastes was realized in the context of waste-to-energy sustainable production methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Renewable Resources for Ecology and Human Health: 2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 3091 KiB  
Article
Cytogenetic Studies on Genoprotective Effect of Rosa damascena Mill. Hydrosol in Plant and Lymphocyte Test Systems
by Svetla Gateva, Gabriele Jovtchev, Tsveta Angelova, Tsvetelina Gerasimova, Ana Dobreva and Milka Mileva
Life 2023, 13(8), 1753; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13081753 - 16 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1109
Abstract
Bulgarian Rosa damascena Mill. is has been known since ancient times for its high-quality oil, hydrosol, and other aromatic products. Rose hydrosol has various biological activities, but no research on its anticytotoxic/antigenotoxic effects exists. This study aimed to assess its defense potential against [...] Read more.
Bulgarian Rosa damascena Mill. is has been known since ancient times for its high-quality oil, hydrosol, and other aromatic products. Rose hydrosol has various biological activities, but no research on its anticytotoxic/antigenotoxic effects exists. This study aimed to assess its defense potential against the genotoxin N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and to test its cytotoxic/genotoxic activity in plant and human lymphocyte test systems. Endpoints for cytotoxicity (mitotic index and nuclear division index) and genotoxicity (chromosome aberration and micronuclei) were used. Hydrosol was applied as a single treatment in concentrations ranging from 3% to 20% (4 h) to assess its cytotoxic and genotoxic effects. Its protective potential against MNNG was tested by applying an experimental scheme involving (i) conditioning treatment with non-toxic or slightly toxic concentrations of hydrosol, followed by genotoxin challenge (50 μg/mL) with a 4 h intertreatment time and (ii) treatment with hydrosol and mutagen with no time between the treatments. Hydrosol induces low cytotoxicity and clastogenicity, demonstrating cytoprotective/genoprotective effects against the mutagen in both applied test systems. The hydrosol defense potential was expressed by a more than twofold reduction in both chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei and by enhancing the mitotic activity compared with that of the mutagen, regardless of the experimental conditions. The results are promising for further hydrosol applications in pharmaceutical and medical practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Renewable Resources for Ecology and Human Health: 2nd Edition)
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21 pages, 2037 KiB  
Article
Waste By-Product of Grape Seed Oil Production: Chemical Characterization for Use as a Food and Feed Supplement
by Veronica D’Eusanio, Daniele Malferrari, Andrea Marchetti, Fabrizio Roncaglia and Lorenzo Tassi
Life 2023, 13(2), 326; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13020326 - 24 Jan 2023
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4054
Abstract
Among the waste materials of wine production, grape seeds constitute an important fraction of the pomace, from which the precious edible oil is extracted. The residual mass from oil extraction, the defatted grape seeds (DGS), can be destined for composting or valorized according [...] Read more.
Among the waste materials of wine production, grape seeds constitute an important fraction of the pomace, from which the precious edible oil is extracted. The residual mass from oil extraction, the defatted grape seeds (DGS), can be destined for composting or valorized according to the circular economy rules to produce pyrolytic biochar by gasification or pellets for integral energy recovery. Only a small quantity is used for subsequent extraction of polyphenols and tannins. In this study, we performed a chemical characterization of the DGS, by applying spectroscopic techniques (ICP-OES) to determine the metal content, separation techniques (HS-SPME-GC-MS) to evaluate the volatile fraction, and thermal methods of analysis (TGA-MS-EGA) to identify different matrix constituents. Our main goal is to obtain information about the composition of DGS and identify some bioactive compounds constituting the matrix in view of possible future applications. The results suggest that DGS can be further exploited as a dietary supplement, or as an enriching ingredient in foods, for example, in baked goods. Defatted grape seed flour can be used for both human and animal consumption, as it is a source of functional macro- and micronutrients that help in maintaining optimal health and well-being conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Renewable Resources for Ecology and Human Health: 2nd Edition)
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