Isolation and characterization of marine-derived actinomycetes with cytotoxic activity from the Red Sea coast

Objective: To isolate and evaluate the cytotoxic activity of different actinomycetes species isolated from the Red Sea coast in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Methods: Forty actinomycetes strains were isolated from different sediments and seawater samples collected from the Red Sea coast in Egypt. Actinomycetes were recognized by morphological and microscopic examinations. Cell viability and cytotoxicity induced by the crude extracts on breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 were assessed using methylene blue assay. The strains with promising cytotoxic activity were identified by sequencing and amplifying the 16S rRNA genes. The antibacterial activities of the crude extracts were performed using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Results: The results indicated that five ethyl acetate extracts exhibited cytotoxicity towards breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231. The highest cytotoxic activity was found for the ethyl acetate extracts of EGY2 and EGY39. The isolate EGY3 was identified as a new Streptomyces species, while the actinomycete EGY22 was found to be a member of the genus Nocardiopsis sp. The crude extract of the isolate EGY8 showed slightly high antimicrobial activity against different test microorganisms. Conclusions: The results of the present study reveal that marine sediments of the Red Sea are a potent source of novel species of actinomycetes. The isolates may be useful in discovery of novel bioactive compounds and an important step in the development of microbial natural product research.

Progressive ischemic cerebrovascular stroke: frequency and predictive factors

To determine the frequency of progression in patients with ischemic stroke and to identify clinical, laboratory and radiological factors that could lead its to early prediction. Two hundred patients with ischemic stroke presented within 24 hours from onset of symptoms were included in the study. They were 121 males and 79 females with mean age [60.5 +/- 11.2] years. The following predictors were assessed: clinical predictors: age, sex, TIA, cardiac disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cigarette smoking, time to admission, Glasgow coma scale, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and body temperature. Laboratory predictors: random and fasting blood sugar, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, liver enzymes, serum creatinine, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum cholesterol, high and low density lipoprotein, C-reactive protein and serum ferritin. Radiological predictors: early focal hypodensity and initial mass effect in admission CT brain scan and site and size of infarction, mass effect and hemorrhagic infarction in follow up CT scan [7days]. Neurological deficits were assessed by Scandinavian Stroke Scale on admission, 24 hours and 7 days after admission to diagnose progressive stroke. Early progressive stroke was considered when progression occurred within 24 hours after admission. Late progressive stroke was considered when progression occurred between 24 hours and 7 days. The frequency of progressive stroke was 20% [13% early progression and 7% late progression]. History of hypertension, high systolic and diastolic blood pressure, low Glasgow coma scale, short time to admission, elevated serum glucose, cholesterol, C-reactive protein and ferritin, early focal hypodensity in the initial CT and cortico-subcortical and medium size infarction in follow up CT were significantly frequent in patients with progressive stroke. Admission hyperglycemia and high ferritin level were significantly frequent in early progressive stroke patients, while high serum C-reactive protein and cholesterol levels and were significantly frequent in late progressive stroke patients

comparative study of anxiety and depression symptoms among sewermen

This comparative study was done on a group of sewermen, and a control group of municipal of the same socio-demographic characteristics. The aim was to test hypothesis that they were different in the frequency, and or intensity of anxiety and depression symptoms. These were measured through using Zung scale. The results show that sewermen had lower anxiety scores than control group, and the different was statistically significant. No significant differences were observed in relation to depression symptoms