Prevention of aflatoxin B1 toxicity by pomegranate peel extract and its effects on growth, blood biochemical changes, oxidative stress and histopathological alterations.

Contamination of animal feeds with mycotoxins is one of the most serious issues in the world of animal nutrition. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) versus oxytetracycline (OXY) in reducing aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) toxicity in rabbits fed contaminated diets. This experiment was done on 48 weaned NZW, four groups (n = 12). The first (AF) served as the control group feed on an infected diet by AFB1 between 0.02 and 0.03 mg/kg BW; second (AF + OXY) received an infected diet by AFB1 and was treated with OXY 200 mg/kg BW/day; third (AF + PPE) received an infected diet by AFB1 and treated with PPE 130 mg/kg BW/day; fourth (AF + OXY + PPE) received an infected diet by AFB1 and treated with a daily oral dose of 100 mg/kg BW/day of OXY + PPE (65 mg/kg BW/day), the experiment lasted for 8 weeks experiment. The treated group with PPE and its combination with OXY concurrent with AF showed amelioration markedly for liver and kidney function. To summarise, adding PPE and combining it with OXY at a half dose to an AFB1-contaminated diet can help minimise the harmful effects of AFB1 on rabbit performance.

Characterizations of highly efficient moderately halophilic toluene degrading exiguobacterium mexicanum M7 strain isolated from Egyptian saline sediments.

Toluene and other monoaromatic compounds are released into the environment particularly saline habitats due to the inappropriate disposal methods of petroleum products. Studying the bio-removal strategy is required to clean up these hazardous hydrocarbons that threaten all ecosystem life using halophilic bacteria with higher biodegradation efficiency of monoaromatic compounds as a sole carbon and energy source. Therefore, sixteen pure halophilic bacterial isolates were obtained from saline soil of Wadi An Natrun, Egypt, which have the ability to degrade toluene and consume it as the only source of carbon and energy. Amongst these isolates, isolate M7 exhibited the best growth with considerable properties. This isolate was selected as the most potent strain and identified based on phenotypic and genotypic characterizations. The strain M7 was belonging to Exiguobacterium genus and founded to be closely matched to the Exiguobacterium mexicanum with a similarity of 99%. Using toluene as sole carbon source, strain M7 showed good growth at a wide range temperature degree (20-40ºC), pH (5-9), and salt concentrations (2.5-10%, w/v) with optimal growth conditions at 35ºC, pH 8, and 5%, respectively. The biodegradation ratio of toluene was estimated at above optimal conditions and analyzed using Purge-Trap GC-MS. The results showed that strain M7 has the potentiality to degraded 88.32% of toluene within greatly short time (48 h). The current study findings support the potential ability to use strain M7 as a biotechnological tool in many applications such as effluent treatment and toluene waste management.

Biogenic synthesis of CuO-NPs as nanotherapeutics approaches to overcome multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MDRSA).

Due to the misuse of antibiotics, the multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MDRSA) has caused serious infections and become more difficult to deal with. Here we propose to synthesise copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) using a cell-free filter of Streptomyces rochei to enhance antibiotics activity against (MDRSA) and kill them. Characterisation of CuO-NPs using ultraviolet, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, transmission electron microscopic (TEM), and X-ray diffraction, were investigated. The antibacterial action of the CuO-NPs was tested against standard strain and clinical isolates using the agar well diffusion method and the microdilution assay. The results showed the monodispersed spherical shape CuO-NPs with a mean diameter of 10.7 nm and were found to be active against (MDRSA). By a combination of CuO-NPs with different antibiotics, the highest synergistic effect was observed with cefoxitin, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was reduced to 6.5 for CuO-NPs, and 19.5 for cefoxitin. Time-kill assay showed the highest reduction in log10 colony-forming unit (CFU)/ml of initial inoculum of MRSA after 24 h. The HFB-4 cells cultured in the presence of CuO-NPs showed normal morphology with 100% viability at 8 µg/ml. TEM showed that combination (1/4 MIC cefoxitin +1/16 MIC CuO-NPs) highly damages bacterial cells' shape. The biosynthesis CuO-NPs showed antibacterial activity against S. aureus suggesting a promising alternative in clinical.

Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system versus systemic progestins in management of endometrial hyperplasia: A systemic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Endometrial hyperplasia is associated with varying risk of endometrial cancer. The aim of this review is to assess effectiveness of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS), compared to systemic progestins, in management of endometrial hyperplasia MATERIALS AND METHODS: A search on studies comparing LNG-IUS to systemic progestins was conducted on Scopus, Web of science, Cochrane, PubMed and Embase databases, from the date of inception to September 20th, 2020. Studies were excluded if they were non-comparative, animal studies, review articles, case reports, case series, and conference papers. Primary outcomes include resolution/regression rate, failure rate, and hysterectomy rate. Analysis was pooled using random effect model and was expressed as pooled odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Quality assessment was performed using Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) assessment tool. MOGGE Meta-analysis Matrix was used to illustrate multiple subgroup analyses. RESULTS: Out of 341 studies retrieved from literature search, 12 were eligible. LNG-IUS yielded significantly higher resolution/regression rate (91.3% vs 68.6%, OR 3.42, 95% CI 1.86-6.30). Failure and hysterectomy rates were significantly lower in LNG-IUS group compared to systemic progestins' group (19.2% vs. 32.3%, OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.20-0.57 and 9.3% vs. 24.1%, OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.29-0.57, respectively). Subgroup analysis of studies including complex hyperplasia only did not show significant difference in resolution/regression rate was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: LNG-IUS is associated with high success rate in management of women with endometrial hyperplasia. However, specific effectiveness of LNG-IUS on more advanced histologic subtypes is less studied.

Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Cytotoxic Activities and Phytochemical Analysis of Fungal Endophytes Isolated from Ocimum Basilicum.

Fungal endophytes are living inside plants without any harmful effects; the prospecting about them is increased day by day because they can produce bioactive compounds which can be used in different applications. Herein, the current study was aimed to isolate the endophytic fungi from the Ocimum basilicum plant as safe microorganisms and evaluate their biological activities. The results illustrated that three endophytic fungal strains were isolated and identified morphologically and genetically as Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Aspergillus flavus and deposited in gene bank under accession numbers MZ045561, MZ045562, and MZ045563 respectively. Moreover, cell-free filtrates of endophytic fungal strains were extracted using ethyl acetate, where these crude extracts exhibited promising antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Candida albicans at a concentration of 1000 µg/mL. Furthermore, these endophytic strains exhibited a potential antioxidant activity where IC50 of the crude extract of A. nidulans, A. fumigatus, and A. flavus were (166.3, 68.4, and 347.1 µg/mL) and (151.2, 77.9, and 246.3 µg/mL) using DPPH and ABTS methods, respectively. Furthermore, the ethyl acetate crude extracts of these endophytic fungi did not exhibit any cytotoxic effect against Vero and Wi 38 normal cells. GC-MS analysis of the crude extract of A. nidulans, A. fumigatus, and A. flavus indicated the presence of 22, 22, and 20 active compounds, respectively. The major compounds in the fungal extracts are belonging to fatty acids, fatty acid esters, tetrahydrofurans, and sterols. In conclusion, the isolated endophytic A. nidulans, A. fumigatus, and A. flavus from Ocimum basilicum are promising sources for bioactive compounds.

A combined treatment of Proteinase K and biosynthesized ZnO-NPs for eradication of dairy biofilm of sporeformers.

Biofilms of sporeformers found in the dairy industry are the major contaminants during processing, as they withstand heat and chemical treatment that are used to control microbes. The present work is aimed to remove these resistant forms of bacterial community (biofilm) present in dairy production lines using ecofriendly agents based on proteinase K (Prot-K) coupled with Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs). Some metal/metal oxide (Ag, CuO and ZnO) NPs were prepared microbially, and ZnO-NPs were characterized as the most effective ones among them. The produced ZnO-NPs were 15-25 nm in size with spherical shape, and FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of proteins and alkanes surrounding particles as capping agents. Application of Prot-K for eradication (removal) of a model biofilm of mixed sporeformers on food-grade stainless steel resulted in an 83% reduction in the absorbance of crystal violet-stained biofilm. When Prot-K was mixed with the biosynthesized NPs ZnO_G240, the reduction increased to 99.19%. This finding could contribute to an efficient cleaning approach combined with CIP to remove the recalcitrant biofilms in dairy production lines.

Green Synthesized ZnO Nanoparticles Mediated by Streptomyces plicatus: Characterizations, Antimicrobial and Nematicidal Activities and Cytogenetic Effects.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are regarded as one of the most promising kinds of materials in a variety of fields, including agriculture. Therefore, this study aimed to biosynthesize and characterize ZnO-NPs and evaluate their different biological activities. Seven isolates of actinomycetes were obtained and screened for ZnO-NPs synthesis. The isolate MK-104 was chosen and identified as the Streptomyces plicatus MK-104 strain. The biosynthesized ZnO-NPs exhibited an absorbance peak at 350 nm and were spherical in shape with an average size of 21.72 ± 4.27 nm under TEM. XRD and DLS methods confirmed these results. The biosynthesized ZnO-NPs demonstrated activity against plant pathogenic microbes such as Erwinia amylovora, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium moniliform and Alternaria alternata, with MIC values ranging from 15.6 to 500 µg/mL. Furthermore, ZnO-NPs had a significant effect on Meloidogyne incognita, with death percentages of 88.2, 93.4 and 96.72% after 24, 48 and 72 h of exposure, respectively. Vicia faba seeds were treated with five concentrations of ZnO-NPs (12.5, 25, 50, 100 and 200 µg/mL). Low-moderate ZnO-NP concentrations (12.5-50 µg/mL) were shown to promote seed germination and seedling development, while the mitotic index (MI) decreased as the dosage of ZnO-NPs increased. Micronuclei (MNs) and the chromosomal abnormality index increased as well.

Evaluate the Toxicity of Pyrethroid Insecticide Cypermethrin before and after Biodegradation by Lysinibacillus cresolivuorans Strain HIS7.

Herein, bacterial isolate HIS7 was obtained from contaminated soil and exhibited high efficacy to degrade pyrethroid insecticide cypermethrin. The HIS7 isolate was identified as Lysinibacillus cresolivuorans based on its morphology and physiology characteristics as well as sequencing of 16S rRNA. The biodegradation percentages of 2500 ppm cypermethrin increased from 57.7% to 86.9% after optimizing the environmental factors at incubation condition (static), incubation period (8-days), temperature (35 °C), pH (7), inoculum volume (3%), and the addition of extra-carbon (glucose) and nitrogen source (NH4Cl2). In soil, L. cresolivuorans HIS7 exhibited a high potential to degrade cypermethrin, where the degradation percentage increased from 54.7 to 93.1% after 7 to 42 days, respectively. The qualitative analysis showed that the bacterial degradation of cypermethrin in the soil was time-dependent. The High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis of the soil extract showed one peak for control at retention time (R.T.) of 3.460 min and appeared three peaks after bacterial degradation at retention time (R.T.) of 2.510, 2.878, and 3.230 min. The Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis confirmed the successful degradation of cypermethrin by L. cresolivuorans in the soil. The toxicity of biodegraded products was assessed on the growth performance of Zea mays using seed germination and greenhouse experiment and in vitro cytotoxic effect against normal Vero cells. Data showed the toxicity of biodegraded products was noticeably decreased as compared with that of cypermethrin before degradation.

The protective potential of selected lactic acid bacteria against the most common contaminants in various types of cheese in Egypt.

Dairy products, especially cheeses have a great nutritional value and a high consumption level around the world. Considering a widespread consumption of cheeses, there is a growing concern regarding safety and microbiological quality. The current study was designed to conduct a recent evaluation of cheeses microbiological quality. Sixty cheese samples from retailing Egyptian markets were analyzed on different selective microbiological media and 64 bacteria, 35 yeasts and 8 molds were isolated. Out of 60 samples; 26.6% were contaminated with Escherichia coli, 73.3% with Staphylococcus scuiri, 3.33% with Bacillus cereus, 1.66% with Salmonella enterica, and 1.66% with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The presence of such microorganisms in cheeses referred to the wrong management in cheese manufacturing. These organisms are significant from public health view as they have been associated with the base of human food poisoning. Promising antagonistic behavior was observed using the tested lactic acid bacteria (LAB) either single or in combinations toward the undesired isolates. Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ 32 (Lb. helveticus) was the most potent culture; recording ≥95% reduction in undesired microbial counts.

Endophytic actinomycetes Streptomyces spp mediated biosynthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles as a promising tool for biotechnological applications.

In this study, two endophytic actinomycetes isolates Oc-5 and Acv-11, were isolated from healthy leaves of medicinal plant Oxalis corniculata L. These isolates were identified as Streptomyces zaomyceticus Oc-5 and Streptomyces pseudogriseolus Acv-11 using 16S rRNA gene sequence. Biomass extract of these strains were used as a greener attempt for synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs). The synthesized NPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD)' transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Green synthesized NPs showed surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption band at 400 nm, crystalline nature, spherical-shaped with an average size of 78 nm and 80.0 nm for CuO-NPs synthesized using strain Oc-5 and Acv-11, respectively. The bioactivities of CuO-NPs were evaluated. Results revealed that CuO-NPs exhibited promising antimicrobial activity against prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial cells (Gram positive bacteria, Gram negative bacteria, unicellular and multicellular fungi). In addition, it showed antimicrobial potential against phyto-pathogenic fungal strains Fusarium oxysporum, Pythium ultimum, Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternata. We further explored the in vitro antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity for biosynthesized CuO-NPs. The results revealed that' scavenging and total antioxidant activity for NPs synthesized using Streptomyces pseudogriseolus Acv-11 was better than those synthesized by Streptomyces zaomyceticus Oc-5. Also, the morphological changes and cell viability for Vero and Caco-2 cell line due to NPs treatments were assessed using MTT assay method. Furthermore, Larvicidal efficacy against Musca domestica and Culex pipiens was evaluated. The results obtained in this study clearly showed that biosynthesized CuO-NPs exhibited effective bioactivity and, therefore, provide a base for the development of versatile biotechnological applications soon.