Inactive cells of Rhizopus arrhizus have been documented to exhibit a high thorium biosorptive uptake (170 mg/g) from aqueous solutions. The mechanism of thorium sequestering by this biomass type was investigated following the same method as for the uranium biosorption mechanism. The thorium sequestering mechanism appeared somewhat different from that of uranium. Experimental evidence is presen...

A 2-h indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using homogenate antigens of Rhizopus arrhizus and Rhizomucor pusillus was developed and compared with the existing immunodiffusion (ID) test for zygomycosis, using homogenate antigens of R. arrhizus. Utilizing 1:400 as a minimally positive ELISA titer, 33 of 43 proven cases of zygomycosis were diagnosed. The sensitivity of the ELISA was ...

This study investigated the potential of Rhizopus arrhizus UCP 402 for producing chitosan using corn steep liquor and honey as agroindustrial nitrogen and carbon sources. A complete factorial design was used to assess the improved biomass and chitosan production. The results were evaluated using Pareto charts (Statistica 7.0 software). The chitosan obtained was characterized by X-ray diffractio...

Mucormycosis is an emerging angioinvasive infection caused by the ubiquitous filamentous fungi of the Order Mucorales and class of Mucormycetes. We conducted a prospective study of 38 patients who were diagnosed as having mucormycosis in a tertiary care hospital during January 2010 to June 2011. The cases were analyzed regarding the site of involvement, underlying disease and species of fungi i...

L(+)-LACTIC ACID is a commonly occurring organic acid. It is widely used in the food and food-related industries, and has the potential to be used for the production of biodegradable polymers, solvents and oxygenated chemicals. Lactic acid can be produced by both bacteria and fungi, however it is currently produced from sugar-containing materials by bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Lactococcu...

The study involved an examination of the antifungal activity on red peppers of pullulan coating (P) and pullulan coating containing either water-ethanol (P + eEMF) or ethanol extract of meadowsweet flowers (P + eEMF). Pullulan was obtained from a culture of Aureobasidium pullulans B-1 mutant. Both non-inoculated peppers and those artificially inoculated with Rhizopus arrhizus were coated and in...

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) not only increases neutrophil (polymorphonuclear leukocyte, PMNL) production but also modulates PMNL biologic function. To assess the ability of G-CSF administered in vivo to enhance PMNL activity against opportunistic fungal pathogens, the antifungal activity of PMNL obtained from normal human volunteers before and after G-CSF administration was co...