Correction: Naomi et al. Elateriospermum tapos Yogurt Supplement in Maternal Obese Dams during Pregnancy Modulates the Body Composition of F1 Generation. Nutrients 2023, 15, 1258.

After a careful and comprehensive review of our data and the figures in our manuscript, we have identified an area where we believe a correction is warranted in order to enhance the clarity and precision of our findings [...].

Correction: Naomi et al. E. tapos Yoghurt-A View from Nutritional Composition and Toxicological Evaluation. Foods 2022, 11, 1903.

(1) In the original publication [...].

A multicentre study to determine the in vitro efficacy of flomoxef against extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli in Malaysia.

Background: The high burden of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales worldwide, especially in the densely populated South East Asia poses a significant threat to the global transmission of antibiotic resistance. Molecular surveillance of ESBL-producing pathogens in this region is vital for understanding the local epidemiology, informing treatment choices, and addressing the regional and global implications of antibiotic resistance. Methods: Therefore, an inventory surveillance of the ESBL-Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) isolates responsible for infections in Malaysian hospitals was conducted. Additionally, the in vitro efficacy of flomoxef and other established antibiotics against ESBL-EC was evaluated. Results: A total of 127 non-repetitive ESBL-EC strains isolated from clinical samples were collected during a multicentre study performed in five representative Malaysian hospitals. Of all the isolates, 33.9% were isolated from surgical site infections and 85.8% were hospital-acquired infections. High rates of resistance to cefotaxime (100%), cefepime (100%), aztreonam (100%) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (100%) were observed based on the broth microdilution test. Carbapenems remained the most effective antibiotics against the ESBL-EC, followed by flomoxef. Antibiotic resistance genes were identified by PCR. The blaCTX-M-1 was the most prevalent ESBL gene, with 28 isolates (22%) harbouring blaCTX-M-1 only, 27 isolates (21.3%) co-harbouring blaCTX-M-1 and blaTEM, and ten isolates (7.9%) co-harbouring blaCTX-M-1, blaTEM and blaSHV. A generalised linear model showed significant antibacterial activity of imipenem against different types of infection. Besides carbapenems, this study also demonstrated a satisfactory antibacterial activity of flomoxef (81.9%) on ESBL-EC, regardless of the types of ESBL genes.

Hidden bugs in a newly opened hospital: the distribution of skin microbiota among healthcare workers in a newly opened teaching hospital.

Background. Skin is a reservoir for millions of micro-organisms, all of which make up the skin microbiota. Hospitals have been identified as a favourable environment for transmitting micro-organisms and thus, it is important to know the distribution of skin microbiota among healthcare workers (HCWs), as such findings may provide baseline information for the distribution of skin microbiota in hospitals.Hypothesis. There is no significant association between the factors (age, gender, type of skin microenvironment, hand hygiene practices, usage of skin care products, current healthcare practices and previous workplace) and the distribution of the skin microbiota among HCWs.Aim. The study aims to identify type of skin microbiota and associated factors (age, gender, type of skin microenvironment, hand hygiene practices, use of skincare products, current healthcare practice, and previous workplace) that influence the growth of skin microbiota.Method. About 102 bacterial isolates were obtained from the skin of 63 healthcare workers in a newly opened teaching hospital, namely Hospital Pengajar Universiti Putra Malaysia (HPUPM). All isolated bacteria were subjected to phenotypic identification according to standard microbiological procedures.Results. The most common isolated skin microbiota were Gram-positive bacteria (84.3%), followed by Gram-negative bacteria (15.7%). A Chi-square test of independence was used to analyse the above factors and there was a significant association between the type of skin microenvironment and the distribution of skin microbiota (P=0.03) (type of skin microenvironment influences the distribution of skin microbiota).Conclusion. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. was the most common bacteria isolated from the skin of the healthcare workers. Even though coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are low pathogenic bacteria, but it may cause serious infection in high risk group of patients. Therefore, it is important to emphasize on the good hand hygiene practices and implement strict infection control measures to minimize the risk of HAI in newly opened hospitals.

The role of Elateriospermum tapos yoghurt in mitigating high-fat dietary cause of maternal obesity-an experimental study.

Maternal obesity is the key predictor for childhood obesity and neurodevelopmental delay in the offspring. Medicinal plants are considered to be the safe and best option, and at the same time, probiotic consumption during pregnancy provides beneficial effects for both the mother and the child. Current research has shown that Elateriospermum tapos (E. tapos) yoghurt is safe to consume and consists of many bioactive compounds that can exert an anti-obesity effect. Thus, this study has been designed to study the role of E. tapos yoghurt in mitigating maternal obesity. In this study, a total of 48 female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were assigned to six groups, with eight rats per group, and obesity was induced over 16 weeks with a high-fat diet (HFD) pellet. On the 17th week, the rats were allowed to mate and pregnancy was confirmed through vaginal smear. The obese induced group was further divided into negative and positive control groups, followed by E. tapos yoghurt treatment groups with three different concentrations (5, 50, and 500 mg/kg). The changes in body weight, calorie intake, lipid profile, liver profile, renal profile, and histopathological analysis were measured on postnatal day (PND) 21. The results show that the group with the highest concentration of E. tapos yoghurt (HYT500) supplementation shows gradual reduction in body weight and calorie intake on PND 21 and modulates the lipid level, liver, and renal enzymes to a normal level similar to the normal group. In histological analysis, HYT500 reverses the damage caused by HFD in liver and colon, and reverses the adipocytes' hypertrophy in retroperitoneal white adipose tissue and visceral fat. In conclusion, supplementation of E. tapos yoghurt during the gestational period up to weaning is effective in the gradual weight loss of maternal obese dams from the 500-mg/kg-supplemented group in this study.

Elateriospermum tapos Yogurt Supplement in Maternal Obese Dams during Pregnancy Modulates the Body Composition of F1 Generation.

Maternal obesity is a key predictor of childhood obesity and a determining factor for a child's body composition. Thus, any form of maternal nutrition during the gestational period plays a vital role in influencing the growth of the fetus. Elateriospermum tapos (E. tapos) yogurt has been found to comprise many bioactive compounds such as tannins, saponins, α-linolenic acid, and 5'-methoxy-bilobate with apocynoside I that could cross the placenta and exhibit an anti-obesity effect. As such, this study aimed to investigate the role of maternal E. tapos yogurt supplementation on offspring body composition. In this study, 48 female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were induced with obesity using a high-fat diet (HFD) and were allowed to breed. Upon confirmation of pregnancy, treatment was initiated with E. tapos yogurt on the obese dams up to postnatal day 21. The weaning offspring were then designated into six groups according to their dam's group (n = 8) as follows; normal food and saline (NS), HFD and saline (HS), HFD and yogurt (HY), HFD and 5 mg/kg of E. tapos yogurt (HYT5), HFD and 50 mg/kg of E. tapos yogurt (HYT50), and HFD and 500 mg/kg of E. tapos yogurt (HYT500). The body weight of the offspring was accessed every 3 days up to PND 21. All the offspring were euthanized on PND 21 for tissue harvesting and blood sample collection. The results showed that both male and female offspring of obese dams treated with E. tapos yogurt showed growth patterns similar to NS and reduced levels of triglycerides (TG), cholesterol, LDL, non-HDL, and leptin. Liver enzymes such as ALT, ALP, AST, GGT, and globulin, and renal markers such as sodium, potassium, chloride, urea, and creatinine levels significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in the offspring of E. tapos yogurt-treated obese dams with the normal histological architecture of the liver, kidney, colon, RpWAT, and visceral tissue that is comparable to NS. In toto, E. tapos yogurt supplementation of obese dams exerted an anti-obesity effect by preventing intergenerational obesity by reversing HFD-induced damage in the fat tissue of the offspring.

Phytochemical Analysis and Toxicity Assessment of Bouea Macrophylla Yoghurt.

The Bouea macrophylla fruit is native to Malaysia and is known for its many beneficial effects on one's health. Probiotics are well-known for their roles as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumour properties due to their widespread use. As a result, the purpose of this study was to incorporate the ethanolic extract of Bouea macrophylla into yoghurt and then assess the rodents for any toxicological effects. According to the findings of the nutritional analysis, each 100 mL serving of the newly formulated yoghurt contains 3.29 g of fat, 5.79 g of carbohydrates, 2.92 g of total protein, and 2.72 g of sugar. The ability of the newly developed yoghurt to stimulate the growth of Lactobacilli was demonstrated by the fact that the peak intensity of Lactobacillus species was measured at 1.2 × 106 CFU/g while the titratable acidity of the lactic acid was measured at 0.599 CFU/g. In order to carry out the toxicological evaluation, forty-eight male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were utilized. Oral administration of single doses of 2000 mg/kg over the course of 14 days was used for the study of acute toxicity. Subacute toxicity was studied by giving animals Bouea macrophylla yoghurt (BMY) at repeated doses of 50, 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg/day over a period of 28 days, while the control group was given normal saline. The results of the acute toxicity test revealed that rats treated with increasing doses up to a maximum of 2000 mg/kg exhibited no signs of toxicity. After an additional 14 days without treatment, acute toxicity of a single dose (2000 mg/kg) of BMY did not show any treatment-related toxicity in any of the rats that were observed. According to the data from the subacute toxicity study, there were no differences between the treated groups and the control groups in terms of food and water intake, body weight, plasma biochemistry (AST, ALT, ALP, and creatinine), haematological products, or organ weights. The architecture of the liver, heart, and kidney were all found to be normal upon histological examination. This indicates that oral consumption of BMY did not result in any negative effects being manifested in the rodents.

E. tapos Yoghurt-A View from Nutritional Composition and Toxicological Evaluation.

Elateriospermum tapos (E. tapos) is a natural tropical plant that possess a wide range of health benefits. Recent discovery proves that E. tapos extract is able to reduce weight, increase cognitive performance, and ameliorate anxiety and stress hormone. However, this extraction has not been incorporated into yoghurt, and no toxicity studies have been done previously to prove its safety. Thus, this study was aimed to formulate the ethanolic extracted E. tapos into yoghurt and access the toxicological effects on rodents. Forty female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were used in this study and force fed with either one of the following doses of 250, 500, 1000, or 2000 mg/kg, while the control group received normal saline. The nutritional analysis result showed that the newly formulated yoghurt comprised 328 kJ of energy per 100 mL of servings, 3.6 g of fats, 8.2 g of carbohydrates, 2.7 g of total protein, and 1.2 g of fibre. The peak intensity of Lactobacillus species was observed at 1.6 × 105 CFU/g with a titratable acidity as lactic acid of 0.432 CFU/g, indicating the ability of the formulated yoghurt in stimulating the growth of Lactobacilli. In the experimental study, the E. tapos yoghurt in a single dose (2000 mg/kg) did not show any treatment related to toxicity in any of the rats observed in an additional 14 days. There were no changes in body weight, food and water intake, plasma biochemistry (ALT, AST, ALP, and creatinine), haematological products, and organ weights of the treated groups compared to the subacute control groups. Histological examination of all organs including liver, heart, and kidney were comparable to the control groups. In toto, oral consumptions of E. tapos yoghurt did not induce any adverse effects on rodents.

Protective effect of Elateriospermum tapos in maternal obesity-induced deficit cognitive function of the offspring.

OBJECTIVES: Pre-pregnancy obesity is a serious epidemics concern that negatively affects the neurodevelopmental of the offspring. Elateriospermum tapos (E. tapos) commonly used to enhance weight loss in obesity treatment. This study was aimed to investigate the influence of E. tapos supplement in obese maternal prior pregnancy on the offspring's bodyweight, lipid metabolism and memory function. METHODS: Thirty female Sprague Dawley rats were used. Six rats were assigned to the normal diet group (DND). The remaining rats were fed with a high-fat and cafeteria diet (HFCD) to generate obesity for 5 weeks. Obese rats were further divided into four groups: Negative Control (DNC; HFCD), Positive Control (DPC; Orlistat 200 mg/kg), treatment 1 (DTX1; E. tapos seed 200 mg/kg) and treatment 2 (DTX2, E. tapos shell 200 mg/kg) were given daily, for 6 weeks prior to mating. At weaning, offspring of both genders were designated into six groups according to their dam's group (n=6/group). All groups were fed with a cafeteria diet except for the control group. Memory tasks for object and place recognition were conducted on offspring at eighth weeks of age. The offspring were cull at the 12th week of age for their blood sample. RESULTS: Both offspring genders from DTX2 significantly reduce bodyweight, calorie intake and triglyceride level. In memory tasks, offspring from DTX2 showed a significant increase in exploration rate in place test as compared to offspring from the DNC group. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights E. tapos shell as an anti-obesity agent and protecting memory deficit in obese dam's offspring.

High Level Aminoglycoside Resistance And Distribution Of The Resistance Genes In Enterococcus faecalis And Enterococcus faecium From Teaching Hospital In Malaysia.

BACKGROUND: Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis are among the predominant species causing hospital-acquired infections. Currently, enterococcal infections are treated using combination therapy of an aminoglycoside with cell-wall active agents, which led to high level aminoglycoside resistance (HLAR) and vancomycin resistance (VRE) among enterococci. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HLAR and the distribution of the resistance genes among clinical E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates in Malaysia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five enterococci isolates recovered from different clinical sources were re-identified by subculturing on selective medium, Gram staining, biochemical profiling (API 20 Strep), and 16s rRNA sequencing. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was performed using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion, E-test, and broth microdilution methods. PCR amplification was used to detect the presence of aminoglycoside modifying enzyme (AME) genes [aac(6')-Ie-aph(2")-Ia, aph(2")-Ib, aph(2")-Ic, aph(2")-Id, aph(3')-IIIa]. Descriptive data analysis was used to analyze the antibiotic susceptibility profiles and the distribution of HLAR genes. RESULTS: The majority of the isolates recovered from the clinical samples are E. faecalis (66.7%), with the highest recovery from the pus. The prevalence of HLGR (51%) is higher when compared to HLSR (45-49%). Analysis of the resistance genes showed that bifunctional genes aac(6')-Ie-aph(2")-Ia and aph(3')-IIIa contributed to the HLAR E. faecalis and E. faecium. The other AME genes [aph(2")-Ib, aph(2")-Ic, aph(2")-Id] were not detected in this study. CONCLUSION: This study provides the first prevalence data on HLAR and the distribution of the AME genes among E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates from Malaysia. These highlight the need for continued antibiotic surveillance to minimize its emergence and further dissemination.

Impact of signal peptide and transmembrane segments on expression and biochemical properties of a lipase from Bacillus sphaericus 205y.

A total of 97 amino acids, considered as the signal peptide and transmembrane segments were removed from 205y lipase gene using polymerase chain reaction technique that abolished the low activity of this enzyme. The mature enzyme was expressed in Escherichia coli using pBAD expression vector, which gave up to a 13-fold increase in lipase activity. The mature 205y lipase (without signal peptide and transmembrane; -SP/TM) was purified to homogeneity using the isoelectric focusing technique with 53% recovery. Removing of the signal peptide and transmembrane segments had resulted in the shift of optimal pH, an increase in optimal temperature and tolerance towards more water-miscible organic solvents as compared to the characteristics of open reading frame (ORF) of 205y lipase. Also, in the presence of 1mM inhibitors, less decrease in the activity of mature 205y lipase was observed compared to the ORF of the enzyme. Protein structure modeling showed that 205y lipase consisted of an α/ß hydrolase fold without lid domain. However, the transmembrane segment could effect on the enzyme activity by covering the active site or aggregation the protein.

A Review of Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec (SCCmec) Types in Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci (CoNS) Species.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are considered low pathogenic organisms. However, they are progressively causing more serious infections with time because they have adapted well to various antibiotics owing to their ability to form biofilms. Few studies have been conducted on CoNS in both, hospital and community-acquired settings, especially in Malaysia. Thus, it is important to study their species and gene distributions. A mobile genetic element, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec), plays an important role in staphylococci pathogenesis. Among CoNS, SCCmec has been studied less frequently than Staphylococcus aureus (coagulase-positive staphylococci). A recent study (8) conducted in Malaysia successfully detected SCCmec type I to VIII as well as several new combination patterns in CoNS species, particularly Staphylococcus epidermidis. However, data are still limited, and further research is warranted. This paper provides a review on SCCmec types among CoNS species.