Recent Patents on Biotechnology - Current Issue

Here, we will review different bacterial causes of respiratory tract infections and discuss the available diagnostic methods. Moreover, we will provide some recently published patents and newer techniques, such as respiratory panels and omics approaches, and express the challenges in this path.

Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) include those infections that can lead to the involvement of different respiratory parts, including the sinuses, throat, airways, and lungs. Acute respiratory tract infection is the leading cause of death from infectious illnesses worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, 1.6 to 2.2 million deaths have occurred due to acute respiratory infections in children under five years of age. About 4 million people die annually from respiratory infections, 98% of which are caused by lower respiratory infections.

Depending on the type of pathogen, the severity of the infection can vary from mild to severe and even cause death. The most important pathogens involved in respiratory tract infections include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. The symptoms are often similar, but the treatment can vary greatly. Therefore, correct diagnosis is so important. There are several methods for diagnosing respiratory infections. Traditional tests include the culture of respiratory samples, considered the primary tool for diagnosing respiratory infections in laboratories, and less common standard tests include rapid and antigenic tests. It is essential to think that the culture method is reliable. In the original method of diagnosing respiratory infections, some bacteria were challenging to grow successfully, and many clinical laboratories needed to be equipped for viral cultures. Another issue is the time to get the results, which may take up to 7 days. Rapid and antigenic tests are faster but need to be more accurate.

The clinical laboratories are trying to be equipped with molecular methods for detecting respiratory pathogens and identifying the genetic material of the infectious agent in these new methods as the primary method in their agenda.

In nature, orchid plants are obligate myco-heterotrophs, and rely on mycorrhizal nutrient resources to grow and sustain in the wild, until they become physiologically active photosynthetic plants. Their seeds lack nutrient reserves and receive the necessary carbon from symbiotic fungi during germination. A mycorrhizal fungus provides nutrients, especially sugars, as well as water to the corresponding host plant. The range and distribution of orchid mycorrhizal fungi influence the survivability of orchid populations in their natural habitats. Mycorrhizae form symbiotic connections with the parenchymatous tissues of the roots of orchid plants. That the symbiotic orchid mycorrhiza can invade through roots of orchid seedling, raised in vitro, has been patented.

The objective of this study was to examine the presence of mycorrhiza in the roots of Aerides multiflora during the vegetative phase.

Fresh roots were hand-sectioned, and thin sections were observed under the microscope to locate the presence of mycorrhiza. Simultaneously, to observe the expansion of mycorrhiza in the cortical region.

During the vegetative phase of plant growth, a peloton-like structure forms within the cortical region of the orchid roots. Mycorrhizae was observed to be distributed throughout the cortical layer of the root.

This communication reviews the role of mycorrhiza in orchid plants.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a complication of diabetes that occurs in 40 - 60 million individuals worldwide and is associated with other chronic diseases. However, there are no review studies that present the state-of- the- art and technologies developed to circumvent this important health problem.

This review was conducted based on scientific papers and patents. The papers were retrieved from Lilacs, PubMed, and Web of Science databases, and the patents from INPI, ESPACENET, WIPO, and GOOGLE PATENTS. Thus, a sample consisting of 14 scientific articles and 667 patents was analyzed.

From the analysis of the data, we drew an overview of the development of biomedical technologies for DPN and detected the pioneering spirit of China, the USA, and Japan in the area, with a focus on the treatment of DPN. Based on this, we carried out a SWOT analysis to help direct future efforts in the area, which should focus primarily on developing technologies for prevention, early diagnosis, and, above all, cure of the disease to reduce the important impact of this disease in various sectors of society.

This study finds a concentration of diabetic peripheral neuropathy products, especially therapeutic drugs, in high-income countries. It highlights the need for global collaboration and strategic focus on therapeutic adherence and preventive strategies to effectively manage DPN.

This study aimed to focus on the identification, rearing, and exploration of developmental variants of the predatory ladybird, Coccinella septempunctata L., renowned for its efficacy as a biological control agent and its predation on agricultural pests. However, comprehensive knowledge concerning the occurrence and characteristics of developmental variants in this species remains limited.

In this study, through meticulous monitoring and exploration, we identified developmental variants exhibiting distinct sexual attributes, as well as survival rates.

The research outcomes enhance our understanding of the developmental variations within an egg batch of C. septempunctata.

Moreover, the findings hold practical implications for the implementation of biological control strategies in agriculture, as specific variants may possess unique characteristics that enhance their effectiveness as natural enemies against pests. Furthermore, the increasing competitiveness in the artificial diet space for scientific models raises questions about intellectual property rights (IPR), patents, and strategies. This overview looks at recent developments and advanced protection strategies in this field to help understand the present state of IPR and patents in an artificial food for insects.

Parthenium hysterophorous and Lantana camara are notable for their significant phytochemical and antimicrobial properties. Advancements in phytochemical research have led to the development of novel formulations and products derived from P. hysterophorus and L. camara. For instance, patent extracts from these plants have been utilized in the formulation of pharmaceutical drugs, herbal supplements, cosmeceuticals, and agricultural products. P. hysterophorous, commonly known as Santa Maria feverfew or Congress grass, contains various bioactive compounds like terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolics, and alkaloids.These compounds are the key to its medicinal properties, particularly its antimicrobial activity. On the other hand, L. camara, often referred to as wild sage, is rich in phytochemicals such as terpenoids, flavonoids, and alkaloid glycosides.

P. hysterophorous and L. camara plants selected and checking their antimicrobial activity by agar well diffusion method.

In our study, we found that the leaf extract of P. hysterophorous exhibited the most potent antibacterial activity against E. coli. P. hysterophorous exhibited the most potent antifungal activity against A. niger and T. viride, with a diameter of inhibition zone measuring 12 mm, followed by A. flavus and A. parasiticus. In case of L. camara, the inhibitory zone ranging from 14 to 18 mm was detected against S. abony, P. aeruginosa, E. coli, and K. pneumonia. The leaf extract of the maximum zone of inhibition in case of L. camara was shown by A. flavus (12 mm).

The present study suggests that these two weeds could be useful in the development of bactericides and fungicides