One of the most pressing environmental problems worldwide is sewage sludge (SS) management. Every year, wastewater volume increases and thus, the amount of SS produced increases as well. The disposal of SS in landfills, as practiced in many countries, is not a sustainable solution. Instead, SS, rich in organic matter and other nutrients, can be used as an alternative soil additive or fertilizer. The properties of these materials depend on their chemical composition and the method of treatment. Experience from a number of countries, such as the US and Europe, has shown that SS can be transformed from a waste into a valuable resource, provided that the final product fulfils the relevant regulatory standards. This review examines the sustainable conversion of SS to sustainable fertilizers, the impact on waste minimization, and the potential benefits in agriculture.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are the dominant and advantageous microorganisms of raw and fermented camel milk; these bacteria have the potential to develop functional camel-milk-derived products and can be used in dairy technology. This article presents data on the diversity of LAB, isolated from raw and fermented camel milk. In total, from two samples of raw camel milk and one sample of fermented camel milk, seventeen isolates of LAB were isolated. The data of genetic identification of strains, which was performed through analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence, is presented. According to this data, the prevailing number of LAB belong to the Lactobacillus genus – 53%. Following species of Lactobacillus bacteria were determined – fermentum, casei, curizae, oryzae, brevis, plantarum, rhamnosus, paracasei. The next prevailing number of lactic acid bacteria belong to the Pediococcus genus – 23%, represented by acidilactici and pentosaceus species. Lactic acid bacteria of Weissella and Enterococcus genera comprised 12% each from total abundance. These results can be used for a further selection of potential starter cultures for functional camel-milk-derived products.

Background: The relation of circulating α-Klotho to individual leukocyte populations is uncertain. An exploratory 13-marker hematological screen identified eosinophils as a candidate signal, motivating this focused analysis. Methods: The grant-funded α-Klotho substudy included 504 assayed serum specimens. After excluding one participant aged < 60 years and one with missing age, 502 participants were eligible. α-Klotho was measured with the FineTest Human SAKL ELISA kit (EH4278; calibration range 93.75–6000 pg/mL). Because results above the upper calibrator had been software-extrapolated without repeat dilution, the primary analysis was restricted to 397 participants with reported concentrations ≤ 6000 pg/mL; 388 had an eosinophil count. Spearman’s correlations were corrected across 13 hematological markers using Benjamini–Hochberg adjustment. Ordinary least-squares models used HC3 heteroskedasticity-consistent standard errors. Results: Median α-Klotho in the primary cohort was 1179.67 pg/mL (IQR 920.07–1686.51). Absolute eosinophil count correlated weakly with α-Klotho (ρ = 0.120; p = 0.018), but the association did not survive correction across the screening family (q = 0.146). In the fully adjusted model (n = 376), each 1 SD higher log-eosinophil count was associated with 8.4% higher α-Klotho (95% CI 2.0–15.2%; p = 0.009). The quartile trend was significant (p = 0.019), whereas median regression produced a smaller estimate (5.4%; bootstrap 95% CI −0.6 to 12.5%). Estimates were similar after recruitment-stratum adjustment and after excluding eosinophilia, chronic respiratory disease, or leukocyte counts > 15 × 10⁹/L. Conclusions: Within the assay calibration range, higher eosinophil counts were associated with modestly higher serum α-Klotho after adjustment for measured covariates. The post hoc origin, assay limitations, and cross-sectional design make this a hypothesis-generating immune association rather than evidence of causality, healthy longevity, or a clinical threshold.

Background: Circulating α-Klotho is a longevity-related protein with anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective functions. Evidence on its relationship with individual leukocyte populations is limited, while eosinophils may have both inflammatory and tissue-homeostatic roles. We examined the association of serum α-Klotho with absolute and relative eosinophil measures in older adults. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included 502 community-dwelling adults aged ≥60 years with serum α-Klotho data; 493 also had a complete blood count with differential. α-Klotho was analyzed continuously because no universally accepted clinical reference interval or diagnostic cut-point exists. The primary analysis assessed the Spearman correlation between α-Klotho and absolute eosinophil count; eosinophil percentage and the eosinophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were supportive measures. Robust linear regression estimated the percentage difference in α-Klotho per 1-standard-deviation increase in log-eosinophil count after adjustment for demographic, renal, hematological, smoking, and respiratory factors. Results: The median serum α-Klotho concentration was 1354.99 pg/mL (interquartile range 979.54-4047.59), and the median absolute eosinophil count was 0.14 ×10⁹/L (0.09-0.20). α-Klotho correlated positively with absolute eosinophils (Spearman ρ = 0.175; false-discovery-rate-adjusted q = 0.001), eosinophil percentage (ρ = 0.152; q = 0.004), and the eosinophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (ρ = 0.139; q = 0.008). In the fully adjusted model (n = 479), each 1-standard-deviation increase in log-eosinophils was associated with 22.3% higher α-Klotho (95% confidence interval 9.1-37.0%; p < 0.001). The association persisted after restricting α-Klotho to its 1st-99th percentiles (16.9% higher; 95% confidence interval 4.6-30.7%; p = 0.006) and after adjustment for study centre. Conclusion: Higher circulating α-Klotho was independently associated with higher absolute and relative eosinophil measures in this older Central Asian cohort. The direction differs from some population-based reports and should be considered hypothesis-generating. Prospective studies with eosinophil phenotyping, allergy and parasite assessment, and standardized α-Klotho assays are needed before the finding can be interpreted in relation to healthy longevity.