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Today, almost all human health problems are related to malnutrition. Algae (macro- and microalgae) are potent to provide the necessary nutrients for our bodies (i.e., starch, lipids, protein, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins). Nevertheless, there are limitations due to the extraction efficiency, size, compatibility, and hydrocolloid nature of some algal compounds of interest to the food industry. As a result, enzyme-assisted extraction of algal biomass under optimal conditions will be a safer and more sustainable approach than using hazardous organic solvents. Also, enzymes can be used to modify molecular structures and introduce new biomolecules that exhibit higher stability of interest to food industries. Throughout this review, we explore the most recent research on enzymes used to process algal biomass for use as food. 

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a prominent infectious bacterium responsible for causing widespread cases of acute gastroenteritis in humans globally. In this regard, Colorimetric detection can be essentially used as a sensitive, rapid, and cost-effective detection method. In our research, we have developed a PCR-based detection platform integrated with HRPzyme and utilizing DNAzyme as a signaling probe which mimics peroxidase activity. The colorimetric signal is detectable at concentrations as low as 101 cfu mL−1 when measured with a spectrophotometer and at 103 cfu mL−1 through visual inspection. Additionally, extending the polyadenine length to 10 nucleotides resulted in a significant reduction in the background signaling of HRPzyme activity, yielding a relative intensity of 3.07 ± 0.23 arbitrary units (a.u.). Notably, even after a 120-min incubation period, there were no further changes observed in the colorimetric signal in positive samples, maintaining a consistent relative intensity of OD 410 = 0.55 ± 0.08. 

Due to the prevalence of plastic pollution in coastal ecosystems, aquatic organisms are at high risk for accumulating microplastics (MPs). Filter-feeding bivalves, such as mussels and oysters, may be exposed to, and subsequently accumulate, MPs due to the high volume of water they pass through their bodies. This study assessed the levels of MPs within Atlantic ribbed mussels (Geukensia demissa), a common filter feeder found along the United States Atlantic Coast, from 12 sites within Rehoboth Bay, Indian River Bay, and Little Assawoman Bay, collectively known as the Delaware Inland Bays. Composited mussels from each site were digested using potassium hydroxide and filtered. Microplastics were physically identified, sorted based on color, and counted using a digital microscope. Microplastics, almost entirely dominated by synthetic microfibers, were found in all mussels well above laboratory blanks. Across all sites, 40% of microfibers were black, and 27% of fibers were clear. The composite concentrations of MPs ranged from 0.25 to 2.06 particles/g wet tissue, with a mean of 0.08 ± 0.06. In general, higher concentrations were found in mussels collected at sites that were adjacent to more urbanized land use versus those from rural sites. At two sites, individual mussels, in addition to composites, were analyzed and had MP concentrations ranging from 11 to 69 particles/mussel. This study represents the first evaluation of MPs in this ecologically important coastal species and suggests its viability as a biomonitoring species for microplastic pollution. 

Declines in commercial crustacean species (such as lobsters, king crab, etc.) have caused an increased interest in the harvest of the red deep-sea crab Chaceon quinquedens. The red deep-sea crab is a federally managed fishery; however, little is known about the species’ general biology, especially the conditions required for larval survival. We aimed to answer two main questions about the life history of the red deep-sea crab. First, is there a common larval hatching pattern between adult female crabs? Specifically, our inquiries are about the duration of the hatching process, daily peak hatching time, and the relationship between female morphometry and the total larvae hatched. Second, which are the factors affecting the survival and development of larval red deep-sea crabs? In order to answer these research questions, we studied the effects of diet (rotifers, Artemia sp., algae, and unfed), temperature (9 °C, 15 °C, and 20 °C), and aquaculture settings. Ovigerous females were obtained from commercial traps and transported to the NOAA James J. Howard Laboratory, NJ. They were placed in the Females Husbandry and Hatching Collection System (FHCS), where the larvae hatched. Hatching of adult females was monitored and measured by volume. A simple linear regression (SLR) was calculated to predict the number of larvae hatched based on the measured volumes, and it was significant (F = 1196; df = 1, 13; R2 = 0.9892, p = 3.498 × 10−14). Duration of hatching period showed an approximate 30 days for adult females red deep-sea crabs, with a common daily maximum hatching time at 22:00 hrs (hatching time seem to follow the sun cycle and the first hours after sunset, Perez, pers. observation). Linear polynomial quadratic regressions were conducted for both years with an interaction term for the two continuous variables (diet and temperature), and were used to model the proportion of larval survival through time. In both years, a highly significant difference was obtained (F = 56.15; df = 4, 2134; R2 = 0.09353; p = < 2.2 × 10−16). There is an effect of diet and temperature in the survival of red deep-sea crabs, but not a combined effect of them. 

The aim of this work was to study the applicability of infrared spectroscopy combined with machine learning techniques to evaluate the uptake and distribution of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in Cicer arietinum L. (chickpea). Obtained spectral data revealed that the uptake of AuNPs and CNTs by the C. arietinum seedlings’ root resulted in the accumulation of AuNPs and CNTs at stem and leaf parts, which consequently led to the heterogeneous distribution of nanoparticles. principal component analysis and support vector machine classification were applied to assess its usefulness for evaluating the results obtained using the attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy method of C. arietinum plant grown at different conditions. Specific wavenumbers that could classify the different nanoparticle constituents of C. arietinum plant extracts according to their ATR-FTIR spectra were identified within three specific regions: 450–503 cm−1, 750–870 cm−1, and 1022–1218 cm−1, based on larger PCA loadings of C. arietinum ATR-FTIR spectra with distinct spectral differences between samples of interest. The current work paves a path to the future fabrication strategies for AuNPs and single-walled CNTs via plant-based routes and highlights the diversity of the applications of these materials in bio-nanotechnology. These results indicate the importance of family-plant selection, choice of methods, and pathways for the efficient biomolecule delivery, drug cargo, and optimal conditions in the wide spectrum of bioapplications. 

ABSTRACT Vibrio spp. and phytoplankton are naturally abundant in marine environments. Recent studies have suggested that the co-occurrence of phytoplankton and the pathogenic bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus is due to shared ecological factors, such as nutrient requirements. We compared these communities at two locations in the Delaware Inland Bays, representing a site with high anthropogenic inputs (Torquay Canal) and a less developed area (Sloan Cove). In 2017 to 2018, using light microscopy, we were able to identify the presence of many bloom-forming algal species, such as Karlodinium veneficum , Dinophysis acuminata , Heterosigma akashiwo , and Chattonella subsalsa . Dinoflagellate biomass was higher at Torquay Canal than that at Sloan Cove. D. acuminata and Chloromorum toxicum were found only at Torquay Canal and were not observed in Sloan Cove. Most probable number real-time PCR revealed V. parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus in environmental samples. The abundance of vibrios and their virulence genes varied between sites, with a significant association between total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), PO 4 − , total dissolved phosphorus (TDP), and pathogenic markers. A generalized linear model revealed that principal component 1 of environmental factors (temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, TDN, PO 4 − , TDP, NO 3 :NO 2 , NO 2 − , and NH 4 + ) was the best at detecting total ( tlh+ ) V. parahaemolyticus , suggesting that they are the prime drivers for the growth and distribution of pathogenic Vibrio spp. IMPORTANCE Vibrio-associated illnesses have been expanding globally over the past several decades (A. Newton, M. Kendall, D. J. Vugia, O. L. Henao, and B. E. Mahon, Clin Infect Dis 54:S391–S395, 2012, https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/cis243 ). Many studies have linked this expansion with an increase in global temperature (J. Martinez-Urtaza, B. C. John, J. Trinanes, and A. DePaola, Food Res Int 43:10, 2010, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2010.04.001 ; L. Vezzulli, R. R. Colwell, and C. Pruzzo, Microb Ecol 65:817–825, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-012-0163-2 ; R. N. Paranjpye, W. B. Nilsson, M. Liermann, and E. D. Hilborn, FEMS Microbiol Ecol 91:fiv121, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiv121 ). Temperature and salinity are the two major factors affecting the distribution of Vibrio spp. (D. Ceccarelli and R. R. Colwell, Front Microbiol 5:256, 2014, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2014.00256 ). However, Vibrio sp. abundance can also be affected by nutrient load and marine plankton blooms (V. J. McKenzie and A. R. Townsend, EcoHealth 4:384–396, 2007; L. Vezzulli, C. Pruzzo, A. Huq, and R. R. Colwell, Environ Microbiol Rep 2:27–33, 2010, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1758-2229.2009.00128.x ; S. Liu, Z. Jiang, Y. Deng, Y. Wu, J. Zhang, et al. Microbiologyopen 7:e00600, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1002/mbo3.600 ). The expansion of Vibrio spp. in marine environments calls for a deeper understanding of the biotic and abiotic factors that play a role in their abundance. We observed that pathogenic Vibrio spp. were most abundant in areas that favor the proliferation of harmful algal bloom (HAB) species. These results can inform managers, researchers, and oyster growers on factors that can influence the growth and distribution of pathogenic Vibrio spp. in the Delaware Inland Bays.