Resumo A indústria avícola está se expandindo rapidamente e produzindo milhões de toneladas de resíduos de penas anualmente. A produção massiva de subprodutos queratinosos na forma de resíduos agrícolas e industriais em todo o mundo exige sua utilização justificada. O tratamento químico de resíduos de queratina é proclamado como uma abordagem ecodestrutiva por vários pesquisadores, uma vez que gera poluentes secundários. A queratinase liberada por uma variedade de micróbios (bactérias e fungos) pode ser usada para o tratamento eficaz de resíduos de queratina. A degradação microbiana de resíduos de queratina é uma abordagem emergente e ecológica e oferece benefícios duplos, ou seja, tratamento de poluente recalcitrante (queratina) e obtenção de uma enzima comercialmente importante (queratinase). Este estudo envolve o isolamento, caracterização e utilidade potencial de espécies de fungos para a degradação de resíduos de penas de frango por meio da fermentação submersa e em estado sólido. O fungo isolado foi identificado e caracterizado como Aspergillus (A.) flavus. Em um ensaio de 30 dias, constatou-se que 74% e 8% do peso das penas foram reduzidos por A. flavus, respectivamente, por meio da fermentação submersa e em estado sólido. O pH do meio de crescimento em fermentação submersa foi alterado de 4,8 para 8,35. A aplicação explorada de micróbios queratinolíticos é, portanto, recomendada para o tratamento de resíduos ceratinosos para obter benefícios duplos de remediação.

Abstract Poultry industry is expanding rapidly and producing million tons of feather waste annually. Massive production of keratinaceous byproducts in the form of industrial wastes throughout the world necessitates its justified utilization. Chemical treatment of keratin waste is proclaimed as an eco-destructive approach by various researchers since it generates secondary pollutants. Keratinase released by a variety of microbes (bacteria and fungi) can be used for the effective treatment of keratin waste. Microbial degradation of keratin waste is an emerging and eco-friendly approach and offers dual benefits, i.e., treatment of recalcitrant pollutant (keratin) and procurement of a commercially important enzyme (keratinase). This study involves the isolation, characterization, and potential utility of fungal species for the degradation of chicken-feather waste through submerged and solid-state fermentation. The isolated fungus was identified and characterized as Aspergillus (A.) flavus. In a trial of 30 days, it was appeared that 74 and 8% feather weight was reduced through sub-merged and solid-state fermentation, respectively by A. flavus. The pH of the growth media in submerged fermentation was changed from 4.8 to 8.35. The exploited application of keratinolytic microbes is, therefore, recommended for the treatment of keratinaceous wastes to achieve dual benefits of remediation.

The efficacy of insulin-glucose infusion in reversing myocardial damage, haemodynamic changes, peripheral circulatory failure, and pulmonary oedema was evaluated in 25 victims of venomous scorpion stings from the Rayalaseema region in the south of India. Myocardial damage with peripheral circulatory failure was seen in all scorpion sting victims. Ten of these victims also had pulmonary oedema. All the patients received continuous infusion of regular crystalline insulin at the rate of 0.3 U/g of glucose and glucose at the rate of 0.1 g/kg/h with supplementary potassium as needed, inotropic agents, oxygen, as well as maintenance of fluid, electrolytes and acid-base balance. Insulin-glucose infusion was associated with reversal of cardiovascular and haemodynamic changes, and pulmonary oedema in 24 of the 25 victims. One severely envenomed victim admitted 72 hours after the sting died. The scorpion envenoming syndrome with myocardial damage, cardiovascular disturbances, peripheral circulatory failure, pulmonary oedema, and many other clinical manifestations may cause multi-system organ failure (MSOF). It is characterised by a massive release of catecholamines, angiotensin II, glucagon, cortisol, and inhibition of insulin secretion. Under these altered conditions in the hormonal milieu, scorpion envenoming essentially results in a syndrome of fuel-energy deficits and an inability to use the existing metabolic substrates by vital organs, causing MSOF and death. Administration of insulin-glucose infusion to scorpion sting victims appears to be the physiological basis for the control of the metabolic response when that has become a determinant to survival.