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Infectious urolithiasis is a type of urolithiasis, that is caused by infections of the urinary tract by bacteria producing urease such as Proteus mirabilis. Lactobacillus spp. have an antagonistic effect against many pathogens by secreting molecules, including organic acids. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of Lactobacillus strains isolated from human urine on crystallization of urine components caused by P. mirabilis by measuring bacterial viability (CFU/mL), pH, ammonia release, concentration of crystallized salts and by observing crystals by phase contrast microscopy. Moreover, the effect of lactic acid on the activity of urease was examined by the kinetic method and in silico study. In the presence of selected Lactobacillus strains, the crystallization process was inhibited. The results indicate that one of the mechanisms of this action was the antibacterial effect of Lactobacillus, especially in the presence of L. gasseri, where ten times less P. mirabilis bacteria was observed, compared to the control. It was also demonstrated that lactic acid inhibited urease activity by a competitive mechanism and had a higher binding affinity to the enzyme than urea. These results demonstrate that Lactobacillus and lactic acid have a great impact on the urinary stones development, which in the future may help to support the treatment of this health problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrophilic lubricant coatings with antifouling properties are commercially applied to urological devices, such as ureteral stents (USs), to inhibit biofilm formation and reduce the likelihood of infectious encrustation. However, their long‐term effectiveness is limited due to the lack of active and precise antibacterial activity. Herein, this work reports a hydrophilic lubricant (defined as SA‐PU/PVP) coating with smart urease‐responsive antibiotic release functionality, achieved by incorporating the antibiotic sulfanilamide‐conjugated polyurethane (SA‐PU) polymers into a commercial lubricant coating agent containing hydrophilic polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). During the initial implantation period, the hydrophilic PVP chains rapidly absorb urine on the coating interface, forming a lubricating layer with the desired antifouling activities that reduce the attachment of host proteins, bacteria, and urate crystals by over 90%. As time progresses and the bacteria proliferates and produces urease, the urease enzymatically degrades the urea linkages in the SA‐PU/PVP coating, actively releasing SA antibiotics on demand to prevent biofilm formation and encrustation. Benefiting from this synergistic antifouling and smart antibacterial activities, the SA‐PU/PVP‐coated US exhibits superior performance in preventing infectious encrustation in a porcine model over a 7‐week period, surpassing the effectiveness of a commercial hydrophilic lubricant US. This coating strategy offers a practical solution for inhibiting urological device‐associated complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minerals such as calcium carbonate, which is prevalent in marble and limestone, are present naturally in rocks. Both physicochemical processes and microbial processes can result in the creation of calcium carbonate in nature, as is well documented. In this study, microbiologically induced calcite precipitation potential of three different Travertine-type water sources (Pamukkale Travertine Spring (PTS), Pamukkale Travertine Terraces (PTT), and Red Travertine of Karahayit (RTK)) using three different incubation media (NB, NB3, and ATCC1832) were investigated. After enrichment with ATCC1832 media, urease assays were positive for all of the microbial sources. The PTS and PTT were cultured with ATCC1832 medium for 48 h, which showed the best results for urease activity and microbial growth among other samples. Metagenome analyses indicated that PTT enriched with ATCC1832 media contains > 99% Firmicutes, while PTS enriched with ATCC1832 contains > 99% Proteobacteria at the Phylum level. Results from SEM–EDX and XRD analysis revealed that calcite and/or vaterite were the minerals that emerged from the mineralization of the PTS and PTT during incubation. The type of calcium carbonate crystals tended to change from one form to another when the incubation period extends from 72 to 120 h. Both the PTS and the PTT were able to precipitate calcite within the sand column. However, the bacteria from the PTT (26% CaCO3) outperformed those from the PTS (18% CaCO3) in terms of calcium carbonate deposition on the 21st day of incubation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-time fertilization with controlled-release urea (CRU) is a research hotspot for its lower labor cost and stability of nitrogen (N) supply for rice growth. Yet the fertilizer formulation needs to be further improved to better adjust the N supplement to meet the demand of rice plants and obtain a higher grain yield. Therefore, the effects of novel fertilizer formulations composed of CRU, urease inhibitor (UI) and nitrification inhibitor (NI) on the rice growth and photosynthetic characteristics as well as high-yield formation were tested through a two-year field experiment. The result indicated that the combined use of CRU and UI treatment can achieve higher yields than with CRU at the same N application level. Meanwhile, with a 20% reduction of N use, one-time application of CRU + UI can obtain the same high yield as the conventional split application of urea. Compared with conventional fertilization and CRU treatment, the CRU + UI treatment had suitable leaf area and biomass accumulation at the vegetative growth stage and high effective stem tiller rate. More post-anthesis dry matter accumulation, higher net photosynthesis rate and low senescence rate were guaranteed for its high yield and nitrogen agronomic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amino acid L-arginine (Arg), usually presented in food products and biological liquids, can serve both as a useful indicator of food quality and an important biomarker in medicine. The biosensors based on Arg-selective enzymes are the most promising devices for Arg assay. In this research, three types of amperometric biosensors have been fabricated. They exploit arginine oxidase (ArgO), recombinant arginase I (ARG)/urease, and arginine deiminase (ADI) coupled with the ammonium-chelating redox-active nanoparticles. Cadmium-copper nanoparticles (nCdCu) as the most effective nanochelators were used for the development of ammonium chemosensors and enzyme-coupled Arg biosensors. The fabricated enzyme/nCdCu-containing bioelectrodes show wide linear ranges (up to 200 µM), satisfactory storage stabilities (14 days), and high sensitivities (A⋅M−1⋅m−2) to Arg: 1650, 1700, and 4500 for ADI-, ArgO- and ARG/urease-based sensors, respectively. All biosensors have been exploited to estimate Arg content in commercial juices. The obtained data correlate well with the values obtained by the reference method. A hypothetic scheme for mechanism of action of ammonium nanochelators in electron transfer reaction on the arginine-sensing electrodes has been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyacrylamide-allyl glycidyl ether [poly(AAm-AGE)] cryogel monolith was prepared for covalent immobilization of urease enzyme and aimed for usage of urea depletion from human serum by immobilized urease. Immobilization was succeeded via epoxy groups of allyl glycidyl ether with an immobilization yield of 71.9 ± 2.65%. Characterization was performed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) analysis and swelling analysis to reveal functionalities and morphological, elemental and macroporous structure of the cryogel. Effects of pH, temperature and urea concentration on catalytic activity profiles of free and immobilized urease were investigated. Thermal and storage stabilities of free urease were enhanced upon immobilization. Additionally, urea removal from artificial human serum was achieved by 92% and immobilized urease was reusable up to ten reuses. [Display omitted] • Urease was attached covalently onto poly(AAm-AGE) cryogel. • Immobilization improved catalytic properties and stability of urease. • Immobilized urease removed 92% of urea from artificial human serum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biocalcification process in soil via urea hydrolysis is mediated by bacterial urease enzyme (microbially induced carbonate precipitation, MICP) or free urease (enzyme induced carbonate precipitation, EICP). MICP and EICP are nascent and potentially sustainable soil improvement techniques that can possibly be more environment friendly than conventional chemical and mechanical methods. It is felt that the guidelines for employing either of these techniques for a target application are not fully explored in the literature. Keeping this in view, a comprehensive review of various parameters influencing the carbonate precipitation reaction and improvement in strength via MICP and EICP has been presented. Further, an attempt has been made to enable the reader to choose between MICP and EICP for the target application based on biological, environmental, chemical, and geotechnical constraints that need to be adhered to in their study. It is felt that such a review would be handy in selecting the process and thereby improve the viability of the mechanism to head to large-scale field applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to enable undergraduate students majoring in chemistry and related fields to understand the basic characteristics of hydrogel materials and their applications in macroscopic non-equilibrium supramolecular selfassembly, we have introduced a comprehensive research-oriented experiment titled "Macroscopic Non-equilibrium Supramolecular Self-Assembly Experiment". This experiment mainly includes the preparation method of polyelectrolyte hydrogels based on homogeneous free radical polymerization, the construction method of macroscopic non-equilibrium supramolecular self-assembly system based on urea-urease timing reaction, characterization of assembly performance, and exploration of the mechanisms of non-equilibrium assembly and disassembly. Through the practice of this experiment, students can deepen their understanding of supramolecular interactions, master the preparation and characterization methods of relevant polymer hydrogels, as well as consolidate the use of some commonly used instruments. By combining teaching and practice, we establish a bridge between teaching and scientific research to broaden students' scientific perspectives, stimulate their research interests, and cultivate students' innovative abilities and scientific thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Reduction of the nitrogen (N) footprint of agroecosystems is currently a hot topic in various research disciplines and fields. However, the effect of machine-planted rice with side-deep fertilization (MRSF) on N loss and footprint of double-cropping rice fields in Hunan is still unclear. Methods: We established a field experiment in which we applied various N compositions (N 135/148.5–90/99 kg ha-1) to early-season rice (ESR) and late-season rice (LSR). The loss of different N forms during the whole growth period of double cropping rice was measured. The N footprint of double cropping rice in the red soil region of Dongting Lake area was calculated using the life cycle assessment method. Results: Compared with the conventional fertilizer, with a N level of 150/160 kg ha-1, the MRSF treatments significantly decreased both NH4+-N and NO3−-N runoff by 26.2–40.9% and 9.0–36.5%, respectively, for ESR, and by 54.4–79.0% and 6.6–40.7%, respectively, for LSR. Moreover, relative to the conventional fertilization (CF) treatment, the MRSF treatments significantly reduced leaching loss by 21.8–41.2% and 20.5%–42.1%, respectively, for ESR, and 26.7–41.8% and 20.9%–51.0%, respectively, for LSR. While urease activity decreased with increasing soil depth, MRSF treatments increased relative soil urease activity in the later rice growth stages. Compared with the CF treatment, they also decreased the total N footprint by 42.3–53.5% and 45.1–57.1% for ESR and LSR, respectively. Correlation analysis further showed that mineral N loss and total N footprint increased exponentially with the N-application rate under the MRSF strategy. Conclusions: Overall, MRSF reduced environmental risks associated with N loss caused by paddy field leaching and runoff while maintaining the topsoil N content. In this manner, MRSF can attenuate the total N footprint of double-cropping rice systems in the Dongting Lake area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six new thiosemicarbazones were prepared and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, NMR and IR spectra and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The compounds were evaluated for their Jack bean urease inhibitory activities. Among the compounds, those with hydroxyl and chloro substituent groups have effective activity with IC50 values of 1.8-12.7 µmol L-1. Docking simulations were performed to insert the molecules of the compounds into the active urease site determined by the crystal structure to determine their probable binding modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

L-asparaginase (L-asnase) is a versatile enzyme with uses in food industry and medicine. Current study aimed to isolate L-asnase producing microorganism/s without urease and glutaminase and optimize L-asnase production. First, screening and isolation of L-asnase-producing bacterial strains that did not produce glutaminase and urease from chicken gizzards were performed. For this purpose, the enzyme producing bacteria were screened on the agar medium supplied with substrate and phenol red indicator dye. Among the isolated bacteria, 1 isolate showed L-asnase free of glutaminase and urease. The selected strain was identified by biochemical, morphological and 16s rRNA sequencing. The selected strain was identified as Bacillus atrophaeus by 16S rRNA sequencing. The effects of incubation temperature (30°C) and time (72 hours), medium pH (8.0) and nutritional sources (glucose and NaNO3) on L-asnase production were determined. L-asnase was purified with acetone, and its molecular weight was determined to be 42 kDa by SDS-Page. Enzyme kinetics were also calculated, and it was determined that Vmax was 43 μmol/mL/min and Km was 2.7 mM. L-asnase activity was highest at 40 ℃ and the optimal pH was 8.0. L-asnase activity was stimulated by Mn2+, Mg2+, and Ca2+ but inhibited by Co2+, Na+, Zn2+, and Hg2+. L-asnase was utilized to treat potato chips before they were fried in order to assess its capacity to mitigate acrylamide. The result was an 80% reduction in acrylamide concentration when compared to the untreated control. Based on these findings, it appears that L-asnase could have potential use in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia Volatilization (AV) in rice growing soils is one of the major pathways to lower the use efficiency of added nitrogen (N) fertilizers. Direct broadcasting of urea facilitates AV by increasing the substrate availability. Urea intercalated biochar (BC_U) can be a novel approach that could improve N use efficiency and reduce AV in paddy cultivation. Therefore, a laboratory experiment was conducted to quantify the effect of BC_U pellets on AV losses and N dynamics in a rice growing Entisol. We determined the changes in soil urease activity (UA) and pH buffer capacity (pHBC) after application of BC_U to soil under flooded or saturated conditions. Treatments were zero application of N (control), urea (U) and BC_U pellets added at a rate of 23 mg N kg soil-1. Under saturated conditions, significantly higher NH4 + concentration in soil solution was observed in urea added soils and the highest NO3 - was observed in U. Under flooded conditions, a significantly higher NH4 + was in U and NO3 - was not affected by urea application. In general, AV losses were very small under the investigated experimental conditions and it varied from 0 to 2.72 % of added urea. Under saturated conditions, AV was significantly (p<0.05) higher in U (2.72 %) and BC_U (1.21 %) than in the Control (0 %). Under flooded conditions, only U showed a significant AV (2.42 %; p<0.05). The pH buffer capacity (11-12 mmols kg-1 pH-1) and urease activity (6.3 - 8.5 µg NH4 +-N g-1 hr-1) did not significantly changed (p>0.05) by N treatments. Although there was a small AV loss (<3 %) after N application, it could be further reduced by application of urea as BC_U and/or maintaining a flood water layer for few days after N application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an attempt to isolate new probiotic bacteria, two Gram-variable, spore-forming, rod-shaped aerobic bacteria designated as strain A4 and A15 were isolated from the feces of Canada geese (Branta canadensis). Strain A4 was able to grow in high salt levels and exhibited lipase activity, while A15 did not propagate under these conditions. Both were positive for starch hydrolysis, and they inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. The strains of the 16S rRNA sequence shared only 94% similarity to previously identified Sporosarcina spp. The ANI (78.08%) and AAI (82.35%) between the two strains were less than the species threshold. Searches for the most similar genomes using the Mash/Minhash algorithm showed the nearest genome to strain A4 and A15 as Sporosarcina sp. P13 (distance of 21%) and S. newyorkensis (distance of 17%), respectively. Sporosarcina spp. strains A4 and A15 contain urease genes, and a fibronectin-binding protein gene indicates that these bacteria may bind to eukaryotic cells in host gastrointestinal tracts. Phenotypic and phylogenetic data, along with low dDDH, ANI, and AAI values for strains A4 and A15, indicate these bacteria are two novel isolates of the Sporosarcina genus: Sporosarcina sp. A4 sp. nov., type strain as Sporosarcina cascadiensis and Sporosarcina sp. A15 sp. nov., type strain Sporosarcina obsidiansis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two years field experiment was conducted at the Agronomy field unit, Zonal Agricultural Research Station, UAS-B, GKVK, Bengaluru during summer, 2022 and 2023 to assess the efficacy of urease and nitrification inhibitors on productivity and profitability of aerobic rice. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with nine treatments (Urea, Urea + HQ @ 4000 mg kg-1 urea, Urea + HQ @ 8000 mg kg-1 urea, Urea + HQ @ 12000 mg kg-1 urea, Urea + DCD @ 4000 mg kg-1 urea, Urea + DCD @ 8000 mg kg-1 urea, Urea + DCD @ 12000 mg kg-1 urea, Neem coated urea and Absolute control), each replicated thrice. Significantly higher plant height (72.27 cm), number of tillers plant-1 (22.83), dry matter production (53.70 g plant-1), number of green leaves plant-1 (85.03) and leaf area (2108 cm² plant-1) at 90 DAS and panicle length (22.14 cm), grain weight (2.93 g), grain yield (4717 kg ha-1), straw yield (5796 kg ha-1) and gross returns (Rs.106845 ha-1) were recorded with application of Urea + HQ @ 12000 mg kg-1 urea compared to other treatments on pooled basis. However, application of neem coated urea found to be more economical with significantly higher net returns (Rs.55662 ha-1) and B:C (2.28) compared to other treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Roasted soybeans are a complete source of indigestible protein in the rumen, have high sanitary and hygienic indicators, are devoid of non-nutritional substances of ordinary raw soybeans. The SoyPass and RaPass technology provides all the advantages of roasting soybeans and creates prerequisites for prolonged storage of beans for up to two years without prior drying. The introduction of full-fat flattened soybeans roasted by the Roast-A-Matic roaster into the diet of dairy cows leads to an increase in their milk productivity. Certified results of chemical research show that after frying, the percentage of crude protein significantly increased (by 2.92 points, P < 0.05) and the content of total digestible nutrients (by 8.1 %, P < 0.05), urease activity decreased to 0.06 ± 0.007 units of pH. The biological value of soy protein after frying corresponds to the indicators of the reference protein. Two groups of cows were involved in the study: № 1 – high-yielding cows with a daily milk yield of 30.69–35.96 L (n = 307) and № 2 – medium- and lowyielding cows with a yield of 19.05–28.88 L (n = 377). Group № 1 was given 300 g of roasted soybeans (111 g of protein) daily in their diet instead of 250 g of a high-protein supplement (200 g of protein); group No. 2 – gradually replaced 230 g of the supplement (184 g of protein) and 1500 g of 51 % meal (765 g of protein) with 1700 g of roasted soybeans (629 g of protein). In both groups, the 65-day observation period should be divided into 2 periods: 1) a 30-day period of intensive growth with a rapid increase in milk yield (up to +24.2–25.0 %); 2) the period of stabilization (from the 31st to the 65th day), characterized by some fluctuations in the % increase in milk, but in general by reliable maximum values (up to +25.0–36.7 %). The maximum daily volume in group № 1 reached 41.83 ± 1.04 and 41.83 ± 0.3 L (Р < 0.01) on the 32nd and 38th days, respectively. At the same time, the range of the indicators of the individual yield in the group ranged from 10.7 to 11.7 L. Similar indicators for group № 2 were: 32.56 ± 2.74 L (Р < 0.025) on the 58th day and 10.4–23.8 L. So, in the first 30 days of feeding full-fat fried soybeans, there is a rapid but unstable (with fluctuating peaks) increase in milk productivity of cows. During the 2nd month of soy consumption, the maximum milk yield is reached, when the increase in added milk is not rapid, but stable. Thus, it is advisable to introduce 1.5–2.0 kg/day of roasted soybeans (equivalent to 0.3–0.4 kg of fat/day) into the diet of dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opportunities exist to reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from nitrogen (N) fertilizers using enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) and managing application timing. This study examined (1) application timing (fall/spring) and (2) fertilizer N source on N2O emissions, yield, and N uptake of Canadian hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Southern Manitoba. Fertilizer N sources included granular urea and four EEF products: (1) polymer‐coated urea (environmentally smart nitrogen [ESN]); (2) urea plus nitrification inhibitor (eNtrench); (3) urea plus urease inhibitor (Limus); and (4) urea plus nitrification and urease inhibitor (SuperU). Nitrification‐inhibited products most consistently reduced N2O emissions while maintaining productivity. Compared to urea alone, urea + eNtrench was most effective in reducing cumulative N2O emissions by 47%–64% at four of six site‐years. SuperU reduced N2O emissions by 37%–57% at three of six site‐years. ESN and urea + Limus did not affect emissions in most years. Wheat yield, protein, and N uptake were unaffected by N source in five of six site‐years. Compared to spring, fall application gave greater N2O emissions by 33%–67% at three of six site‐years due to spring‐thaw emissions. Fall was inferior to spring application in wetter site years with lower yield, protein, and N uptake. Overall, nitrification‐inhibited products—either alone or with a urease inhibitor—are a promising tool to reduce N2O emissions while maintaining wheat productivity in Manitoba. However, given that there were few consistent increases in yield or protein, the additional cost of the inhibitors will be a barrier to adoption. Core Ideas: EEF products with nitrification and nitrification/urease inhibitors consistently reduced N2O emissions.Controlled release urea and urease‐inhibited urea did not reduce N2O emissions.Fall application of urea increased N2O emissions in three site‐years compared to spring application.The nitrification inhibitors applied with urea in fall or spring were effective to reduce N2O emissions.Overall, fall application decreased yield, grain protein, and N uptake in relatively wet years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori urease is an effective method in the treatment of several gastrointestinal diseases in humans. This bacterium plays an important role in the pathogenesis of gastritis and peptic ulceration. Considering the presence of cysteine and N-arylacetamide derivatives in potent urease inhibitors, here, we designed hybrid derivatives of these pharmacophores. Therefore, cysteine-N-arylacetamide derivatives 5a-l were synthesized through simple nucleophilic reactions with good yield. In vitro urease inhibitory activity assay of these compounds demonstrated that all newly synthesized compounds exhibited high inhibitory activity (IC50 values = 0.35–5.83 μM) when compared with standard drugs (thiourea: IC50 = 21.1 ± 0.11 μM and hydroxyurea: IC50 = 100.0 ± 0.01 μM). Representatively, compound 5e with IC50 = 0.35 μM was 60 times more potent than strong urease inhibitor thiourea. Enzyme kinetic study of this compound revealed that compound 5e is a competitive urease inhibitor. Moreover, a docking study of compound 5e was performed to explore crucial interactions at the urease active site. This study revealed that compound 5e is capable to inhibit urease by interactions with two crucial residues at the active site: Ni and CME592. Furthermore, a molecular dynamics study confirmed the stability of the 5e-urease complex and Ni chelating properties of this compound. It should be considered that, in the following study, the focus was placed on jack bean urease instead of H. pylori urease, and this was acknowledged as a limitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report on an ultra‐sensitive colorimetric sensing platform that takes advantage of both the strong amplification power of rolling circle amplification (RCA) and the high efficiency of a simple urease‐mediated litmus test. The presence of a target triggers the RCA reaction, and urease‐labelled DNA can hybridize to the biotinylated RCA products and be immobilized onto streptavidin‐coated magnetic beads. The urease‐laden beads are then used to hydrolyze urea, leading to an increase in pH that can be detected by a simple litmus test. We show this sensing platform can be easily integrated with aptamers for sensing diverse targets via the detection of human thrombin and platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) utilizing structure‐switching aptamers as well as SARS‐CoV‐2 in human saliva using a spike‐binding trimeric DNA aptamer. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this colorimetric sensing platform can be integrated into a simple paper‐based device for sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alginate is a biomaterial that is considered suitable for enzyme immobilization. The biocompatibility and characteristics of the immobilized system can be improved by combining alginate with magnetite Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Therefore, the current study investigated the effect of magnetite Fe3O4 NPs on urease immobilization using different concentrations of magnetite Fe3O4 NPs. The morphological features for alginate/magnetite Fe3O4 NPs before and after immobilization were studied using an SEM, TGA, and FTIR. The reusability, half-life, enzymatic kinetics, and storage stability of the enzyme were all enhanced. The immobilization efficiency was determined to be 91% at optimal conditions. The immobilized urease was reused 20 times and a recovery of 59% of the initial activity. The soluble and immobilized urease was stored at 4 °C for 12 weeks and preserved 13% and 49% of the initial activities, respectively. The optimum pH for soluble and immobilized urease activity was estimated to be 7. The optimum temperature for soluble and immobilized urease activity was found to be 35 °C and 40 °C, respectively. The kinetics parameters showed the Vmax of 4.4 and 3.1 μmol/ml·min and the Km of 49.5 and 54.6 mM for the soluble and immobilized urease, respectively. Immobilized urease had a half-life of 11–20 min. The activation energy (Ea) of immobilized urease was determined to be 32 kJ K−1 mol−1, indicating that a small quantity of energy is required to produce the activated complex of substrate hydrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-efficient regulation and management of nitrogen fertilizers based on their transformation characteristics in soil is one of the most important measures to enhance fertilizer utilization efficiency for less pollution. In this study, two incubation experiments (with soil moisture content at 60% of field water holding capacity and temperature at 25 °C) were conducted to explore the transformation of different nitrogen fertilizers in the calcareous-fluvo-aquic soil and the effects of ammonium thiosulfate (ATS) as a regulator on urea-N transformation. Four types of nitrogen fertilizers (namely urea, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, and ammonium thiosulfate (ATS)) were used as nitrogen sources. Soil samples were collected at regular intervals to determine the contents of soil NH4 + -N, NO2 − -N and NO3 − -N. At the same time, five treatments were set to investigate the regulatory effect of ATS on urea-N transformation: 1) CK (no nitrogen fertilizer applied); 2) U (urea only); 3) U+ATS1 (ATS added at 30 mg/kg sulfur content): 4) U+ATS2 (ATS added at 60 mg/kg sulfur content); 5) U+ATS3 (ATS added at 90 mg/kg sulfur content). Finally, an analysis was performed on the dynamic changes of NH4 + -N, NO2 − -N and NO3 − - N. The results showed that there were significant differences in the transformation process among different types of nitrogen fertilizers in calcareous-fluvo-aquic soil . Among them, urea performed the highest hydrolysis rate and nitrification intensity, followed by ammonium sulfate. The soil treated with ammonium chloride shared a lower apparent nitrification rate than that of urea and ammonium sulfate ( P <0.05) from 7 to 21 days, due to the inhibitory effect of Clon soil nitrification. However, the ATS treatment showed the lowest NH4 + -N content within the first 7 days of incubation, which should be beneficial to reduce ammonia volatilization in the initial period of fertilizer application. While the opposite result was found after 7 days of incubation. Soil NH4 + -N content in the treatment with ATS was higher by 7.4 to 21.8 times than that of urea, 4.7 to 13.5 times than that of ammonium sulfate, and 0.9 to 10.9 times than that of ammonium chloride during 10 to 21 days, which was equivalent to CK value until to 24 days of incubation. The peak time of NO3 − -N content was delayed by 14, 10, and 7 days, compared with the urea, ammonium sulfate, and ammonium chloride, respectively. Soil NO3 − -N content and the apparent nitrification intensity were reduced by 21.5% to 47.7% and 7.5% to 36.0%, respectively, during the 24 days of incubation, compared with the urea. When ATS was used in combination with urea as a nitrogen regulator at a dosage above 60 mg/kg (calculated using sulfur content), there were inhibitory effects on urea hydrolysis and nitrification, which increased with the ATS amount increasing. There were positive implications to reduce the nitrogen loss for the high fertilizer utilization efficiency. However, nitrite accumulation occurred after all four nitrogen fertilizers were applied into soil. The ATS treatments demonstrated a significantly higher accumulation and longer duration than urea, ammonium sulfate, and ammonium chloride. Similar trends were observed when ATS was used as a nitrogen regulator. The increasing ATS dosages resulted in the longer nitrite retention time, higher content and peak values in soil, as well as the delayed peak occurrence. The field application effects of ATS and scientific application methods, as well as its environmental effects are need to further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From Rinorea oblongifolia fruits, 3-Nor-4b-friedelan-24-ol (1) and 3-decyl-6,7,8-trimethoxy-2H,5H-furo[4,3,2-de]isochromene-2,5-dione (4), new derivatives alongside, 28-hydroxyfriedelan-3-one (2), friedelin (3), 3,3',4,4',5'-pentamethylcoruleoellagic acid (5), hexamethylcoruleoellagic acid (6), 3',4,4',5,5'-pentamethylcoruleoellagic acid (7), and fatty compounds 8-11 were isolated and characterized using HRESIMS, EIMS, 1D and 2D NMR. In vitro enzyme inhibition of compounds 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 were evaluated on acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), a-glucosidase, urease and tyrosinase. Against AChE and BChE, the phenolic compounds 4, 5, 6, and 7 had good activity probably due to the phenolic nature and methoxy substituents. Compounds 4, 5, 6 and 7 exhibited good a-glucosidase inhibition especially compound 4 whose IC50 = 42.45 ± 0.46 mg/mL was close that of acarbose (IC50 = 20.52 ± 0.84 mg/mL) standard drug. Urease and tyrosinase were appreciably inhibited by the compounds. Overall results of enzyme inhibitory assays indicate Rinorea oblongifolia, fruits and its constituents as potential remedy for enzymatic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the index and physico-chemical characteristics of lateritic soil classified as A-2-6 (1) in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) system and SC in the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) treated with stepped Bacillus sphaericus (Bs) suspension densities (i.e., 0, 1.5 × 108, 6.0 × 108, 1.2 × 109, 1.8 × 109, 2.4 × 109 cells/mL) for varying cementation reagent (Cr) concentrations (i.e., 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 M), using 25 Bs:75 Cr, 50 Bs:50 Cr, and 75 Bs:25 Cr mix ratios, respectively. The results obtained show that the optimum calcium carbonate contents were 9.0%, 8.7%, and 6.5% for the mix ratios stated above, respectively, for Bs (1.2 × 109 cells/mL) and Cr (0.5 M) with urease activity of 80.8 ms/cm and an optimum pH of 8.99. The bio-treatment of soil with 25% bacteria (1.2 × 109 cells/mL) and 75% Cr (0.5 M) mix ratio reduced the liquid limit (LL) of the natural soil from 36.5 to 34.2%, and the plasticity index (PI) from 16.4 to 11.6%. A microanalysis of specimens showed that the treated soil appeared more uniform and aggregated. The findings of the study show that bio-treatment with 25 Bs (1.2 × 109 cells/mL):75 Cr (0.5 M) mix ratio improved the index and physico-chemical properties of the lateritic soil considered in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori (HP) is among the most common pathogens causing infection in humans worldwide. Oxidative stress and gastric inflammation are involved in the progression of HP-related gastric diseases, and they can be targeted by integrating conventional antibiotic treatment with polyphenol-enriched natural products. In this work, we characterised three different propolis extracts and evaluated their stability under in vitro simulated gastric digestion, compared to their main constituents alone. The extract with the highest stability to digestion (namely, the dark propolis extract, DPE) showed a minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) lower than 1 mg/mL on HP strains with different virulence factors. Finally, since urease is one of the virulence factors contributing to the establishment of a microenvironment that promotes HP infection, we evaluated the possible inhibition of this enzyme by using molecular docking simulations and in vitro colorimetric assay, showing that galangin and pinocembrin may be involved in this activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fresh cones of Pinus halepensis Mill., collected from Constantine (sample 1) and Jijel provinces (sample 2) in northeastern Algeria, were extracted by conventional hydrodistillation (HD) and by solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME). GC and GC/MS analyses showed that the HD essential oils of the two samples were characterized by the presence of respective higher contents of β-pinene (40.3%, 28.2%,), β-pinene (4.5%, 2.5%), β-myrcene (16.8%, 31.5%) and caryophyllene oxide (3.2%, 7.0%) than the SFME essential oils in respective percentages of β-pinene (27.4%, 12.1%), β-pinene (2.6%, 1.0%), β-myrcene (16.4%, 14.8%) and caryophyllene oxide (0.6%, 2.2.2). (E)-Caryophyllene (35.5%, 51.2%) and α-humulene (6.4%, 10.7%) were found in higher percentages in SFME than in HD essential oils where they occurred with the respective percentages of 18.1%, 20.1%, and 3.5%, 4.2%. Exclusively, HD and SFME essential oils of sample 1 were characterized by the main presence of limonene (5.3%, 2.6%, respectively). These oils were tested against acetyl- and butyrylcholisterase, a-amylase and urease. HD essential oil exhibited a higher acetylcholinesterase (97.46 ± 2.04%) and butyrylcholinesterase (85.39 ± 4.01%) inhibition than the SFME essential oil (77.24 ± 0.90% and 68.01 ± 5.04%, respectively) at a concentration of 200 mg/mL. Moreover, the inhibition of α-amylase by both HD and SFME essential oils (32.63 ± 2.75 and 33.76 ± 0.34%, respectively) at a concentration of 2000 μg/mL, was nearly close to Acarbose (37.21 ± 3.44%), used as a standard. However, HD and SFME essential oils showed a weak urease inhibition (17.78 ± 1.79 and 45.73 ± 0.04%, respectively), at a concentration of 400 mg/mL, compared to the standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate prevalence and some virulence factors among hyper virulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (HVKP) and classic Klebsiella pneumoniae (CKP) isolated from urinary tract infections.Three hundred urine samples collected from patients with urinary tract infections were cultured on MacConkey agar for primary isolation of K. pneumoniae isolates. Vitek 2 Compact System was used for identification of K. pneumoniae. HVKP and CKP were detected by string test. Some virulence factors (biofilm formation, haemolysin, and urease production) possessed by the bacterial isolates were investigated phenotypically. Sixty bacterial isolates belonged to K. Pneumoniae where 15 (25%) isolates belonged to HVKP as viscous string measuring >5 mm in length and 45 (75%) isolates belonged to CKP where viscous string measuring <5 mm in length. The results of haemolysis test showed that 60% of HVKP isolates gave β-haemolysis, while 51.1% of CKP isolates gave β-haemolysis. All bacterial isolates (100%) of HVKP and CKP showed the ability to produce urease. Phenotypically, all HVKP and CKP isolates showed the ability to form biofilm while only 33.3% and 11.1% isolates showed high ability to form biofilm respectively by Tissue Culture Plates methods (TCP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability of K.Pneumonia isolates to form biofilm was tested using the calibration plate method. The results showed that all isolates of which 50 (100%) have the ability to form biofilm, as 40 isolates (80%) were strong for biofilm formation, while 8 isolates (16%) were medium and 2 (4%) were weak for biofilm formation. The antibiotic effect of zinc nanoparticles on biofilm formation showed that out of 50 K. Pneumoniae isolates, the biofilm of 14 isolates was inhibited by (28%), and the highest inhibition rate of biofilm was at a concentration of 64 μg /ml. The antibiotic showed that the effect of zinc nanoparticles, ZnFe2O4 on the production of urease enzyme for 50 isolates of K. Pneumoniae (10 isolates) was inhibited by 20% on the production of urease enzyme, and 40 isolates by 80% were urease-producing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the effect of the urease enrichment degree of high-purity commercial urease and plant-derived crude ureases from sword bean (SWCU), soybean (SCU), and pigeon pea (PCU) on bio-cementation efficacy via enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation. The urease enrichment degree is defined as the urease activity per gram of organic matter in the urease solution. Bio-cementation efficacy was evaluated by the distribution and morphology of the precipitates and unconfined compressive strength. The results show that the urease enrichment degrees of the high-purity commercial urease, SWCU, PCU, and SCU are 1.08, 1.05, 0.57, and 0.31 mmol/min/g, respectively. The urease enrichment degree is the dominant factor influencing the pattern of CaCO3 distribution by affecting the organic matter distribution. The high-purity commercial urease-treated sand has the smallest calcite crystals (13–23 µm) and the lowest strength (172 kPa). For the plant-derived crude urease, with the decrease of the urease enrichment degree, the generated crystals become smaller, the CaCO3 distribution becomes less uniform, and the soil strength decreases. The SWCU-treated sand exhibits the best bio-cementation efficacy and is recommended to enhance soil strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, a concise library of benzothiazole-derived pyrazoline-based thiazole (1–17) was designed and synthesized by employing a multistep reaction strategy. The newly synthesized compounds were screened for their α-glucosidase and urease inhibitory activities. The scaffolds (1–17) were characterized using a combination of several spectroscopic techniques, including FT-IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and EI-MS. The majority of the synthesized compounds demonstrated a notable potency against α-glucosidase and urease enzymes. These analogues disclosed varying degrees of α-glucosidase and urease inhibitory activities, with their IC50 values ranging from 2.50 to 17.50 μM (α-glucosidase) and 14.30 to 41.50 (urease). Compounds 6, 7, 14, and 12, with IC50 values of 2.50, 3.20, 3.40, and 3.50 μM as compared to standard acarbose (IC50 = 5.30 µM), while the same compounds showed 14.30, 19.20, 21.80, and 22.30 comparable with thiourea (IC50 = 31.40 μM), respectively, showed excellent inhibitory activity. The structure−activity relationship revealed that the size and electron-donating or electron-withdrawing effects of substituents influenced the enzymatic activities such as α-glucosidase and urease. Compound 6 was a dual potent inhibitor against α-glucosidase and urease due to the presence of -CF3 electron-withdrawing functionality on the phenyl ring. To the best of our knowledge, these synthetic compounds were found to be the most potent dual inhibitors of α-glucosidase and urease with minimum IC50 values. Moreover, in silico studies on most active compounds, i.e., 6, 7, 14, and 12, were also performed to understand the binding interaction of most active compounds with active sites of α-glucosidase and urease enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important oil and nitrogen (N) fixing crop. Urease inhibitors (UIs) and nitrification inhibitors (Nis) can mitigate the release of N and reduce the harmful effects of excessive N concentrations. However, the effect of these inhibitors on the soil nutrient-microbial activity-plant growth system is unknown in peanut. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanism of N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT), 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) and sulfur-coated urea (SCU) on peanut. The results showed that comparing with urea alone, adding NBPT + DMPP inhibited the urea hydrolysis better and decreased the concentration of NH4+-N + NO3−-N by 20.8% in soil. Therefore, it increased the net photosynthetic rate, promoted the development of roots even the absorption of N by peanut, with N use efficiency (NUE) up to 20.8%. The effect of NBPT + DMPP on microorganism was better than that of NBPT alone, which considerably impacted the structure and abundances of aonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) but not ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). Specifically, g_Nitrosospira and g_Nitrosomonas decreased by 46.9% and 2.2% respectively, and g(c) Betaproteobacteria increased. Furthermore, when combined with SCU on this basis, the overall effect was clearer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatilization is a process by which nitrogen (N) is lost. Identifying the main factors determining this process is essential for a more economically and environmentally sustainable agriculture. The objectives of this work were to: a) integrate existing information about volatilization losses and their effect on maize yield (Zea mays L.), b) identify the main factors that control such losses in Argentina, and c) evaluate the effect of urease inhibitor on ammonia volatilization, yield and nitrogen agronomic efficiency (NAE). A systematic review, including a total of 21 experiments carried out between 1997 and 2021, was performed. A path analysis was used to examine the causal pathway of the factors that determine N volatilization rates, and a meta-analysis was carried out to evaluate the magnitude of the effect of management and edaphoclimatic variables on N volatilization. The main variable presenting a direct effect on ammonia losses was the N rate (r= 0.66), while clay content (r= -0.59) was the most relevant edaphoclimatic variable. An indirect and negative effect of organic matter (OM) was determined through the clay percentage (r= -0.39), while the direct effect of OM presented a low magnitude (r= -0.01). The highest N losses by volatilization occurred with N rates =100 kg N ha-1, OM <20 g kg-1 and clay content <200 g kg-1, temperature >20°C and <10 days of precipitations greater than 10 mm. The use of urease inhibitors reduced losses by 73%, without increasing yield or EAN. These results bring a solid foundation on which are the main determinants of volatilization losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to reports, the bioactive thiourea derivative was prepared from the ethanol solutions of thiourea and chloro acetic acid in a 1:1 M ratio. DFT calculations of 2-Imino-4-oxo-1,3-thiazolidine hydrochloride (IOTH) were performed with the use of B3LYP and the 6-311+G(2d,p) basis set. Frontier molecular orbitals, mapped electrostatic potential (MEP) map, and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of the IOTH were all assessed. The compound was tested for drug-likeness using Swiss ADME. Using B. pasteurii (PDB ID: 4UBP), calculations for molecular docking were then performed on the geometry-optimized structure. In order to determine the complex's stability and the interactions between ligands and the receptor, the complex was subjected to molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. According to the results, the first hyperpolarizability value (β0) was 7.459 × 10−24 esu. The large first hyper polarization rate theoretically supported its use in the design of NLO materials. The calculated HOMO–LUMO energy gap value of the IOTH was found to be 2.87 eV. The small HOMO–LUMO energy gap suggested that IOTH is a soft molecule with a high degree of chemical reactivity but poor kinetic stability. The molecular docking study showed that the best ligand pose energy for the IOTH was −101.35 kcal/mol whereas the standard drug (acetohydroxamic acid) was −64.29 kcal/mol. The results demonstrated that the ligand–receptor complex remained stable during the MD simulations due to high binding affinity to Bacillus pasteurii urease. The Lipinski Rule of Five was not violated in any way in the studied compound. This demonstrated that it is bioavailable. During clinical trials, the compound attrition rates would be lower, and the drug would have a better chance of being commercialized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) is a ground improvement technique used in bio-geotechnical engineering, which utilizes environmental-friendly and favorable components such as urea, calcium chloride, and activator enzyme for soil modification. Utilization of such combined treatment techniques is site specific. In this regard, research was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of varied concentrations of EICP cementing solution on locally collected natural soil, with a special emphasis on the protocol of modification. The effect of curing time on strength development of soils stabilized with varying proportions of urea, calcium chloride, and urease enzyme was investigated, subjected to three cycles of treatment process. The protocol followed for soil-less experiments undertaken with varying proportions of cementing solution helped to determine the maximum carbonate (CaCO3) precipitation in the cemented soils. A combination of 0.5 M urea, 1 M CaCl2, and 6 g/L of urease enzyme is proposed as the cementing media to investigate the increase in unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of the treated soils. The ratio of CaCO3 precipitation as a function of the number of treatment cycles is also investigated. The results highlighted that treatment cycles are a responsible parameter for increased precipitation and higher UCS (~ up to 76 kPa and 90.62 kPa) in the natural soils. The qualitative assessment of the precipitates done by FE-SEM micrographs XRD analysis and, revealed heterogeneity in the distribution of Ca in the cemented soil microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grazing impacts soil enzyme activities by changing soil conditions and microbial functions. Yet, the specific effects of grazing on soil enzymes in different northeastern China forest-steppe vegetation types remain poorly understood. To examine this, catalase (CA), urease (UA), and cellulase (CEA) activities were measured in different vegetation types (NS, MF, CP, GL) under both grazing and non-grazing conditions. Soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen (MBC and MBN) and other soil factors were also studied to gauge their impact on enzyme activities. The results indicated that enzyme activities were influenced by grazing, soil nutrient levels, mineralization, and microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen content. Grazing exerted the most significant influence on UA. CEA was predominantly affected by the content of biomass nitrogen and soil mineralization. CA, on the other hand, was primarily influenced by soil nutrient levels. Grazing influenced enzyme activities differently based on vegetation type. Under grazing, CA showed higher values in NS, MF, CP, and GL (4.09, 2.42, 3.26, and 3.90 mL 0.1 mol L−1 KMnO4 g−1 soil 20 min−1, respectively) with increases ranging from 32.52% to 505.00% (p < 0.05). Additionally, UA values were significantly higher in MF and CP (0.24 and 0.59 mg NH4+-N g−1 soil d−1, respectively) with increases of 66.67% and 156.00%, while UA and CEA were lower in GL, showing reductions of 78.79% and 166.67% (p < 0.05) (0.33 NH4+-N g−1 soil d−1 and 0.06 mg glucose g−1 soil 72 h−1, respectively) under grazing conditions. These findings underscore the importance of vegetation types in the grazing effects on soil enzymes at the forest-steppe ecotone and suggest that further efforts should be made to strengthen grassland grazing management to mitigate negative impacts on soil environmental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urease is a kind of nickel-dependent metalloenzyme, which exists in the biological world widely, and can catalyse the hydrolysis of urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide to provide a nitrogen source for organisms. Urease has important uses in agriculture and medicine because it can catalyse the production of ammonia. Therefore, in this review, metal-based inhibitors of urease will be summarised according to different transition metal ions. Including the urease inhibition, structure–activity relationship, and molecular docking. Importantly, among these reviewed effective urease inhibitors, most of copper metal complexes exhibited stronger urease inhibition with IC50 values ranging from 0.46 μM to 41.1 μM. Significantly, the collected comprehensive information looks forward to providing rational guidance and effective strategies for the development of novel, potent, and safe metal-based urease inhibitors, which are better for practical applications in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the use of environmental friendly methods such as application of biological elicitors and fertilizer in sustainable and organic agriculture has received considerable attention because of their bioactivity and safety for the environment and especially for humans. This study evaluated the effect of Funneliformis mosseae and Piriformospora indica along with foliar application of the yeast extract on some agronomic traits and activity of soil enzymes in sweet corn was investigated in the field in 2019 and 2020. The experiment was designed as factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications in two years. Funneliformis mosseae and Piriformospora indica were applied in soil individually and in combination and while the foliar application of the yeast extract at four levels (0, 2, 4 and 8 g/l) was used. The results showed that fungi and foliar spray of the yeast extract increase plant height, 100-seed weight, leaf area index (LAI), plant dry weight and seed yield in both years. The symbiotic relation between fungi and plants increased the protein content and phosphorus in sweet corn seeds. In addition, upon fungi application, soil available phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and urease enzymes in the rhizosphere of the inoculated plant increased significantly. Moreover, the combined use of F. mosseae and P. indica increased available soil phosphorus by 62% and 85% in 2019 and 2020 respectively and alkaline phosphatase was increased by 74.2% (2019) and 80.5% (2020). This research concluded that mycorrhiza and mycorrhizal-like fungi and foliar application of the yeast extract increased the activities of the soil enzymes leading to maintain the soil quality. A promising strategy was introduced to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and consequently increase the quality and quantity of crops with organic and environmentally friendly materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Application of organic manures, along with fertilizers, is important to maintain soil fertility to achieve higher productivity. In reality, the farmers apply organic manures and fertilizers in different proportions and quantities depending on their availability and purchasing power of farmers. Organic manures also help to enhance soil carbon stocks and soil biological activities. Hence, this study aimed to assess the role of organic manures on soil carbon stocks and soil enzymes in intensively managed ginger production systems.Method: Farmers’ fields based study was conducted in Shivamogga district coming under Hilly Zone of Karnataka, India. The information on use of organic manures and fertilizers for ginger production were collected from 60 growers and they were grouped into three categories using the K-factorization statistical tool. Soil samples were collected after crop harvest and analysed for soil carbon stocks and soil enzyme activities. The mean values of 3 categories of farmers were compared using suitable statistical tools.Results: Added organic manure and the soil organic carbon (SOC) varied significantly among high and low organic manure applications. Incremental variations were observed in the order of Category 3 > Category 2 > Category 1 ginger fields. Enzyme activities were found higher in fields applied with high organic manures. Both soil carbon stocks and soil enzyme activities exhibited strong and positive correlations with organic manures.Conclusion: The study revealed that application of organic manures in intensively managed ginger production systems helps to enhance soil carbon stocks and maintain soil biological activities.

We present the construction of an organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) based on poly(3,4-ethylendioxythiophene, PEDOT) and polyallylamine (PAH) and its evaluation as a bioelectronic platform for urease integration and urea sensing. The OECT channel was fabricated in a one-step procedure using chemical polymerization. Then, urease was immobilized on the surface by electrostatic interaction of the negatively charged enzyme at neutral pH with the positively charged surface of PEDOH-PAH channels. The real-time monitoring of the urease adsorption process was achieved by registering the changes on the drain–source current of the OECT upon continuous scan of the gate potential during enzyme deposition with high sensitivity. On the other hand, integrating urease enabled urea sensing through the transistor response changes resulting from local pH variation as a consequence of enzymatic catalysis. The response of direct enzyme adsorption is compared with layer-by-layer integration using polyethylenimine. Integrating a polyelectrolyte over the adsorbed enzyme resulted in a more stable response, allowing for the sensing of urine even from diluted urine samples. These results demonstrate the potential of integrating enzymes into the active channels of OECTs for the development of biosensors based on local pH changes.

Our study aimed to assess the impact of sprinkler irrigation on the activity of selected soil enzymes in terms of nitrogen metabolism and oxidation–reduction processes in soil with different doses of inorganic nitrogen fertilizers. An Alfisol was sampled from an experimental field of spring barley within the University Research Center in the central part of Poland, namely the village of Mochełek with a moderate transitory climate, during the growing seasons of 2015–2017. The soil resistance (RS) was derived to recognize the resistance enzymes during drought. In the maturity phase, nitrate reductase activity was 18% higher in irrigated soil and the activities of other enzymes were higher than in the non-irrigated plots by 25% for dehydrogenase, 22% for peroxidase, 33% for catalase, and 17% for urease. The development phase in the barley influenced nitrate reductase activity. Enzymatic activities changed throughout the research years. During the maturity stage, a lower ammonium nitrogen content in the soil resulted from a higher spring barley uptake due to drought stress. Irrigation probably contributed to increased leaching of nitrate in the soil. The highest index of resilience was found in the soil catalase activity.