Number Of Colonies Research Articles

Rhizosphere Fungi Abundance on Acid Dry and Tidal Soils in Borneo Prima Citrus Fields, East Kalimantan

Acid dry and Tidal land in East Kalimantan is one of the suboptimal land ecosystems, that needs to increase the quality of its fertility to support the production of citrus of the Borneo Prima variety. One of them with rhizosphere microbes can increase fertility, decomposition process and and as biological control agents to plant diseases. The aim of the study was to determine the abundance of rhizosphere fungi on citrus trees on dry acid and tidal soils and their relationship with soil physico-chemical factors. Rhizosphere fungi was isolated from the soil around citrus plant roots, East Kalimantan were analysed for their abundance and their correlation with soil physio-chemical factors. The results showed that found 29 rhizosphere fungi. The highest importance value index was found TR25 rhizosphere fungi isolates in the acid dry land block A and TR 17 in block B. The highest importance value index is at TR1 in block A tidal land, and TR23 in block B. Principal Component Analysis results showed that there is a strong relationship between the abundance of rhizosphere fungi and soil physicochemical. The highest number of rhizosphere fungal colonies was on tidal land B. The number of colonies was directly proportional to humidity.

Diurnal variation of salivary anaerobes correlates severe dental caries in children

Salivary secretion has diurnal fluctuations and the saliva amount affects oral bacterial activity. In this study, the time dependence of number of anaerobic bacteria in saliva such as Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) was investigated and examined its impact on caries severity. This study was conducted at university hospital in Japan. Twenty subjects (2–10 years old) with the primary dentition were asked to collect whole saliva every 1 hour after the supper while awake at home. Eighteen subjects delivered the collected saliva, which was cultured for S. mutans and total anaerobes in trypticase-yeast extract-cysteine sucrose-bacitracin (TYCSB) medium and the Gifu anaerobic medium (GAM), respectively. The numbers of severe dental caries were also analyzed from medical records. A positive correlation was found between the number of colonies in GAM medium and the saliva collection time of the day. No significant correlation was observed between the number of colonies in TYCSB medium and the collection time. The patients were grouped based on whether or not they had experienced pulp treatment. The number of colonies of S. mutans and anaerobic bacteria were increased in the later hours of only the experienced group. The number of oral anaerobic bacteria of children fluctuated in time-dependent manner after dinner to bedtime, and was higher late in the night. Children with severe dental caries had increased S. mutans as the night progressed, whereas children without them did not.

Pharmaceutical activity of sappan wood extract (Caesalpinia sappan L.) for treating Escherichia coli infection in piglets.

Escherichia coli infection is one of the major diarrheal diseases resulting in the loss of pigs at a young age. This research investigated the antimicrobial activity of Caesalpinia sappan wood extract against E. coli infection as an antibiotic replacement. E. coli was cultured from diarrheal piglets and then used to find the minimal inhibition concentration (MIC). Caesalpinia sappan wood extract (500 mg/kg) was used for the treatment of diarrheal piglets compared to antibiotics (enrofloxacin 5 mg/kg) by oral administration. Another three groups of diarrheal piglets were used supplemented feed with 1% and 2% extract compared with commercial feed. Subsequently, E. coli enumeration, fecal shape, fecal color, and growth rate were recorded from day 1 to 7. Based on the results, C. sappan wood extract could inhibit E. coli growth at a MIC of 16-34 mg/ml. The number of colonies did not significantly differ between C. sappan wood extract and enrofloxacin treatment groups. A supplemented feed with 1% and 2% C. sappan wood extract could improve the fecal shape and fecal score compared to the control group, albeit only in suckling pigs. There were significant differences from the control group on days 4, 5, 6, and 7 (p < 0.05). However, the average daily gain did not significantly differ among the three groups. The results indicate that C. sappan wood extract could improve diarrheal signs in suckling pigs and can be used as a replacement for antibiotics for organic pig production.

Thermo-photobiomodulation of stem cells

The most important task of cell transplantology is to activate the proliferative potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) before receiving bone marrow cells from a donor. This is necessary to increase a sufficient number of MSCs in early passages, when the probability of chromosomal mutations is still low. The proliferative activity of cells can be activated using photobiomodulation (PBM) by exposure to lowintensity laser radiation in the visible and near-infrared ranges. Recently, it was shown in vitro that the combination of PBM and moderate laserinduced heating can lead to a significant increase in the efficiency of MSC colony formation. The main objectives of the study are to find the optimal parameters for such a combined effect and answer the question about the possibility of a synergistic effect of thermal heating and laser radiation. MSCs isolated from rat bone marrow were used for the experiments. MSCs were exposed to short-term laser radiation of moderate power with a wavelength of 980 nm and an energy density of 68-340 J/cm2, accompanied by moderate heating of the cell suspension. Vials with grown colonies were photographed, then their number, size and number of cells in individual colonies were determined using special digital image processing methods. It was found that under optimal parameters, exposure to laser radiation of moderate power leads to an increase in the number of colonies by 4.1±0.5 times, and the total number of cells by 3.3±0.4 times compared to the control. It has been shown that this increase in cell number occurs as a result of the synergistic effect of photobiomodulation and moderate heating. Activation of colony formation after laser stimulation of MSCs occurs due to the migration of cells from the initially formed colonies with the subsequent formation of additional colonies by separated cells.

Tithonia diversifolia: beneficial companion plant to control Yellow Aphids on sugarcane fields in Tanzania

To find sustainable ways to protect its sugarcane areas from the key pest Sipha flava (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in north Tanzania, the local company TPC Limited funded a 6 months project in coordination with the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) to assess different agroecological practices, such as the use of companion plants around sugarcane fields. In this study, the influence of the flowering species Tithonia diversifolia located at the field edges as a potential banker plant for conservation biological control of the yellow sugarcane aphid was evaluated. Predatory species were identified by direct capture and/or regular observations and the intensity of aphid damage was evaluated through number of colonies. Twenty-four aphid predator species were identified being hosted by T. diversifolia, and the vicinity of this plant reduced by 86% the number of S. flava colonies in the sugarcane edges. These species belonged mostly to family Coccinellidae (ladybugs), Syrphidae (hoverflies), Chrysopidae (green lacewings), Dolichopodidae (long legged flies). This is the first paper evaluating T. diversifolia’s potential as a banker plant in sugarcane crops for pest control.

Synthesis and mutagenic risk of avanafil's potential genotoxic impurities.

In the technical route for the synthesis of avanafil, 1-ethyl-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbamyldiimide hydrochloride (EDCI) and 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBT) are used as reactive acid-amine binding agents. HOBT contains trace amounts of hydrazine residue, and there is a risk of introducing potentially mutagenic impurities with hydrazide-containing structures. The potentially genotoxic impurities E (Imp-E) and F (Imp-F) of avanafil with altering hydrazide-structure were synthesized by chemical method; subsequently, the impurities were evaluated and classified according to ICH M7 guidelines. Two complementary quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) evaluation systems (Derek and Sarah) based on expert rules and statistics were used to preliminarily predict the genotoxicity of Imp-E and Imp-F, and the prediction result of E was suspected to be positive. In the Ames test of Imp-E and Imp-F, in the dose range of 62.5-1000 μg per plate, with or without the presence of metabolic activation system S9, the number of revertant colonies did not exceed 2 times the number of colonies in the solvent control group and did not show a dose-response relationship, and the test results were negative. Imp-E and Imp-F were determined to be negative for genotoxicity, which could be controlled as class 5 in ICH M7, that is, non mutagenic impurity.

Sterilization efficacy of a homemade UV lamp system on ceramic and porcelain tiles.

Ultraviolet (UV) sterilization of Bacillus atrophaeus spores attached to eight types of tiles, consisting of combinations of ceramic and porcelain, white and black, and matte and glossy surfaces, was investigated using a homemade UV lamp system with different irradiation times (10 s, 30 s, and 60 s) and UV lamp-to-tile distances (32 mm, 76 mm, and 120 mm). The results demonstrated a reduction in colony numbers with increasing irradiation time and decreasing lamp-to-tile distance, with nearly complete sterilization observed for a 120 mm lamp-to-tile distance with 60 s UV irradiation and for a 32 mm lamp-to-tile distance with 10 s UV irradiation. Specifically, superior UV sterilization efficacy was observed on porcelain compared to ceramic tiles, on white compared to black tiles, and on matte compared to glossy tiles, consistent with the reflectance trend. In conclusion, among the tested tile surfaces, the white matte porcelain tile exhibited the most efficient UV sterilization, attributed to its highest UV reflectance.

Application of Wickerhamomyces anomalus and Pichia fermentans to improve the aroma of fermented sour fish

Novel yeasts have been developed in recent years to help reinforce and improve food aroma. This study aimed to investigate the possibilities for aroma improvement using two non-Saccharomyces strains with strong aroma production in sour fish fermentation. Two yeasts, Wickerhamomyces anomalus (Wa) and Pichia fermentans (Pf), screened by growth and environmental tolerance, were used to replace Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the mixed starter for sour fish fermentation. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry and electronic nose were used to analyze the aroma of sour fish inoculated with different starter cultures. Moisture, pH, colony numbers, and content of free amino acids, organic acids and free fatty acids were monitored during the fermentation. Compared with the Sc group, the Wa group and Pf group had no significant effect on microbial composition, moisture content and free amino acids (P > 0.05) at the end of fermentation, while the Pf group had higher levels of organic acids, free fatty acids and alcohol acyltransferases (P < 0.05). Sensory evaluation revealed that the aroma of the Wa group was more similar to that of the Sc group, with a strong flowery and fruity aroma. Generally, W. anomalus was found to be capable of boosting the blossom-like aroma of sour fish.

EVALUATION OF THE CYTOTOXICITY AND GENOTOXICOLOGICAL SAFETY PROFILE OF BIOACTIVE SILVER(I) COMPLEXES WITH AMINOADAMANTANE LIGANDS

Silver(I) complexes of amantadine (atdH), memantine (mtnH) and rimantadine (rtdH), named Ag-atd, Ag-mtn and Ag-rtd, respectively, were recently synthesized and described in the literature as promising antibacterial agents. In the present study, the cytotoxicity of such complexes was evaluated against cultures of primary epidermal keratinocytes (HaCaT) and murine melanoma tumor cells (B16-F10), and mutagenicity was studied by the Ames test to investigate their abilities to induce gene mutations. The Ames test was performed using Salmonella Typhimurium strains (TA98, TA100, TA102 and TA97a) capable of detecting frameshift and base pair substitution gene mutations, in experiments with and without metabolic activation (microsomal fraction S9). This study revealed significant cytotoxic activity against tumor cells and selectivity of Ag-atd and Ag-rtd complexes when compared to non-tumor human keratinocyte cells. Moreover, the Ag(I) complexes did not induce a significant growth in the number of revertant colonies when comparing with the negative control, both in the experiments without and with metabolic activation, indicating absence of mutagenic activity. The results are encouraging and collaborate in the genotoxicological investigations necessary for understanding the interaction and ability of the silver complexes to induce mutations and contribute to ensure their uses as future antibacterial or antitumor agents.

Hitchhiking bryozoans (Gymnolaemata) on sea turtles (Cheloniidae) from southeastern United States to Honduras

To understand the symbiosis between epizoic bryozoans and sea turtles, we examined 52 sea turtles whose range spanned from Georgia, United States to Honduras, from three host species: Caretta caretta (loggerhead), Chelonia mydas (green), and Eretmochelys imbricata (hawksbill). Of these, 13% were adults and 87% were juveniles. We found 18 bryozoan colonies belonging to seven different gymnolaemate bryozoan species. Five were cheilostomes (Biflustra arborescens, Biflustra cf. conjunctiva, Bugula neritina, Schizoporella errata, and Aetea sp.) and two were ctenostomes (Alcyonidium hauffi and Anguinella palmata). Biflustra cf. conjunctiva and Aetea sp. are reported here for the first time on sea turtles. Biflustra cf. conjunctiva is an invasive species from the South China Sea and reported here for the first time in the southeastern United States. Of the 52 sea turtles examined, 15% were fouled by bryozoans: 88% of the loggerheads, 3% of the greens, and none of the hawksbills. Combining all host species, 86% of adult sea turtles were fouled by bryozoans compared to 4% of juveniles. Fouled hosts were significantly larger than unfouled hosts. We attribute this to the target area hypothesis, as the juvenile sea turtles were significantly smaller targets for bryozoan larval settlement than the adult hosts. The bryozoans were all found on the hosts’ dorsal carapace, and the number of bryozoan colonies increased significantly in a posterior direction across the carapace. Of the 18 bryozoan colonies, 89% were encrusting and 11% were erect, yet flexible. We describe this non-obligate/facultative commensal symbiotic relationship as phoretic (i.e., hitchhiking).

Oral Findings, Salivary Copper, Magnesium, and Leptin in Type II Diabetic Patients in Relation to Oral Candida Species.

Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the body becomes resistant to the effects of insulin, leading to reduced insulin production in the pancreas. It has genetic- and family-related risk factors that cannot be changed, along with modifiable lifestyle factors. The precise genetic causes of type 2 diabetes are still unknown. However, individuals can potentially slow or stop the progression of the condition by making dietary adjustments and increasing physical activity levels. Material and Methods. Forty-five type II diabetic patients in the study included participants between 40 and 60 years old, with a minimum duration of one year, as well as 45 healthy control subjects who were matched in terms of age and sex, and had no underlying systemic diseases. Oral examination is done for the symptoms including burning sensation, candidiasis, and a reduction in the production of saliva. The rate of saliva flow (in milliliters per minute) was measured in samples of saliva that were not stimulated. The salivary trace elements and levels of adipocytokines were evaluated using colorimetric and Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (ELISA) testing. The quantification of Candida colony numbers, an enrichment and culture approach, was used to achieve a concentration of 100,000 colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/ml). The ShowNovo WG1 halimeter was used to measure volatile sulfur compounds in breath. The salivary glucose oxidase assay was conducted using a colorimetric technique, while the determination of trace elements was also performed using a colorimetric assay method. The diabetic group exhibited a significant increase in the number of Candida spp colonies due to elevated levels of glucose in the saliva (p > 0.05). However, the variables being examined, such as body mass index (BMI), burning mouth syndrome (BMS), salivary flow rate (SFR), salivary leptin, salivary copper, and salivary magnesium, did not exhibit any significant variations in quantities between the diabetic and healthy groups (p > 0.05). The data collected in this research aid in the creation of a preventative program for oral fungal infections in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The program utilizes saliva and its constituents.

Biomaterials augmented with filtered bone marrow aspirate for the treatment of talar osteochondral lesions. A comparison of clinical and cellular parameters.

Biomaterials augmented with Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) are becoming increasingly utilized in the cartilage treatment. However, the potential role of cellular parameters in the intraoperatively applied BMAC have yet to be elucidated. (A) To evaluate clinical outcomes and safety of a combined single-step approach with scaffolds (fibrin glues, collagen gels, collagen-hydroxyapatite membrane) and filtered Bone Marrow Aspirate (fBMA) for the treatment of osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLTs). (B) To identify significant factors for postoperative improvements, considering cellular parameters as potential predictors. All the patients operated on due to OLTs by the combination above were selected from the hospital registry database (35 pts, years 16-55, and minimally 1year follow-up). Treatment outcomes were followed clinically with Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), and by pursuing serious adverse events (SAE) and graft failures (GF). Cellular parameters of the injected fBMA were determined. Pre- and postoperative PROMs values were compared to evaluate postoperative improvements. Multivariable regression models were applied to identify potential factors (demographics, medical history, joint and lesion characteristics, scaffold type, surgical and cellular parameters) that predict the treatment outcomes. At the mean follow-up of 32.2 (12.5) months, all Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) and European Quality of Life in Five Dimensions Three-Level (EQ-5D-3L) values improved significantly. 4 (11%) SAE (3 arthrofibrosis, one hardware removal), and 3 (9%) GF occurred. Female gender and concomitant procedures were the main negative predictors for postoperative outcomes. The number of fibroblast colony forming units (CFU-F) or their proportion among total nucleated cells (CFU-F/TNC) were positively correlated with the improvements of some PROMs. Scaffolds augmented with fBMA proved as an adequate and safe approach for OLTs treatment. Cellular parameters seem to influence the treatment outcomes, thus further attention should be given to the intraoperatively applied products. Level IV.

HDAC1-Mediated Downregulation of NEU1 Exacerbates the Aggressiveness of Cervical Cancer.

HDAC1 functions as an oncogene in multi-type cancers. This study aimed to investigate the roles of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) in cervical cancer (CC). mRNA expression was determined using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The protein-protein complexes was analyzed using co-immunoprecipitation assay. The binding sites between NRF2 and NEU1 were confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Cell viability was detected by CCK-8. Cell proliferation was measured using CCK-8 and colony formation assays. Cell migrative and invasive ability were determined using transwell assay. We found that HDAC1 was upregulated in CC patients and cells. Trichostatin A (TSA) treatment decreased the number of colonies and migrated and invaded cells. Moreover, HDAC1 interacted with NRF2 to downregulate NEU1 expression. NEU1 knockdown attenuated the effects of TSA and enhanced the aggressiveness of CC cells. In conclusion, HDAC1 functions as an oncogene in CC. Targeting HDAC1 may be an alternative strategy for CC.

Design and synthesis of novel chloropyridazine hybrids as promising anticancer agents acting by apoptosis induction and PARP-1 inhibition through a molecular hybridization strategy.

Guided by the molecular hybridization principle, a novel series of 4-chloropyridazinoxyphenyl conjugates (3a-h, 4a-e, and 5) was designed and synthesized as proposed apoptotic inducers and PARP-1 inhibitors. The growth inhibition % of the designed hybrids was investigated in eleven cancer cell lines, where the anticancer activities were found to be in the following order: 4-chloropyridazinoxyphenyl-aromatic ketones hybrids (3a-h) > 4-chloropyridazinoxyphenyl-benzyloxyphenylethan-1-one hybrids (4a-e) > 4-chloropyridazinoxyphenyl-thiazolidine-2,4-dione hybrid (5). Further, the most sensitive three cancer cell lines (HNO97, FaDu, and MDA-MB-468) were selected to measure the IC50 values of the new hybrids. Moreover, the frontier three members (3c, 3e, and 4b) were selected for the measurements of apoptotic protein markers (p53, BAX, caspase 3, caspase 6, BCL-2, and CK 18). Besides, the impact of compounds 3a-e and 4b on the activity of PARP-1 was investigated, where 3c, 3d, and 3e demonstrated comparable efficiencies to olaparib. Furthermore, γ-H2Ax, a well-established marker for double-strand DNA breaks, was examined and the occurrence of DNA damage was observed. In addition, a significant inhibition of cell proliferation and a remarkable 15 to 50-fold reduction in the number of colonies compared to the control group were recorded. Finally, the PARP-1 inhibitory potential of the novel hybrids was compared to the co-crystal of the target receptor (PDB ID: 6NTU) using molecular docking.

Evaluation of the efficacy of hydroxyl radical (OH˙) release for disinfection of the air and surfaces in the dental clinic: an in vitro study.

Concerning about the quality of room air has increased exponentially. Specially in dental clinics where diary practice is characterized by the important generation of aerosols. An in vitro model was used in which samples were collected from the surfaces and room air of a dental clinic before and after the use of an OH˙ radical generator. A total of 1260 samples were collected for bacteriological analysis and 14 samples for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. Following OH˙ treatment, the tested surface samples showed a decrease in the number of colony forming units (CFUs) of 76.9% in TSA culture medium. The circulating room air samples in turn showed a decrease in CFUs of 66.7% in Sabouraud medium and 71.4% in Mannitol agar medium. No presence of SARS-CoV-2 was observed on the surface of the face shield. The disinfectant technology based on the use of hydroxyl radicals (OH˙) is effective in reducing the presence of moulds and yeasts and Staphylococcus in the air, and in reducing total aerobic bacteria on the tested surfaces.

Evaluation of surface roughness, wettability and adhesion of multispecies biofilm on 3D-printed resins for the base and teeth of complete dentures.

This study evaluated the surface roughness, wettability and adhesion of multispecies biofilms (Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans) on 3D-printed resins for complete denture bases and teeth compared to conventional resins (heat-polymerized acrylic resin; artificial pre-fabricated teeth). Circular specimens (n=39; 6.0 mm Ø × 2.0 mm) of each group were subjected to roughness (n=30), wettability (n=30) and biofilm adhesion (n=9) tests. Three roughness measurements were taken by laser confocal microscopy and a mean value was calculated. Wettability was evaluated by the contact angle of sessile drop method, considering the mean of the three evaluations per specimen. In parallel, microorganism adhesion to resin surfaces was evaluated using a multispecies biofilm model. Microbial load was evaluated by determining the number of Colony Forming Units (CFU/mL) and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Data were subjected to the Wald test in a generalized linear model with multiple comparisons and Bonferroni adjustment, as well as two-way ANOVA (α=5%). The roughness of the conventional base resin (0.01±0.04) was lower than that of the conventional tooth (0.14±0.04) (p=0.023) and 3D-printed base (0.18±0.08) (p<0.001). For wettability, conventional resin (84.20±5.57) showed a higher contact angle than the 3D-printed resin (60.58±6.18) (p<0.001). Higher microbial loads of S. mutans (p=0.023) and S. aureus (p=0.010) were observed on the surface of the conventional resin (S. mutans: 5.48±1.55; S. aureus: 7.01±0.57) compared to the 3D-printed resin (S. mutans: 4.11±1.96; S. aureus: 6.42±0.78). The adhesion of C. albicans was not affected by surface characteristics. The conventional base resin showed less roughness than the conventional dental resin and the printed base resin. The 3D-printed resins for base and tooth showed less hydrophobicity and less adhesion of S. mutans and S. aureus than conventional resins.

Kinetics of sterilization of atomized slightly acidic electrolyzed water on tableware

The aim of this study was to elucidate the kinetics of atomization of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) for use in sterilization of secondary contaminated tableware surfaces. The sterilization efficacy of SAEW was assessed on the basis of the change in the total number of colonies with different contamination levels (101 CFU/mL and 102 CFU/mL), atomization time (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 s), atomizing distance (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 cm), and available chlorine concentration (ACC; 25.2, 30.2, 34.9, 40.5, 44.8, and 53.3 mg/L) as the main influencing factors. According to the relationship among flux, atomization area, and time, a kinetic model of SAEW atomization for the sterilization of tableware surfaces was established. The results indicated that the sterilization efficacy of SAEW gradually improved with decreased contamination levels (12.69 %–15.74 %), extended atomization time (13.68 %–46.58 %), and increased ACC (36.89 %–95.14 %). Based on the kinetics analysis, the change law of the kinetic model of SAEW atomization and sterilization of tableware surfaces with secondary pollution was found to be consistent with the change law of sterilization (r2 > 0.8). The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for SAEW atomization for sterilization of secondary contaminated tableware surfaces and also contributes to the improvement of technological theory of SAEW sterilization.

Characterization of the effects of thymol derivatives on colorectal cancer spheroids.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies with a high mortality rate. In the last few years, attention has been focused on substances of natural origin with anticancer activity. One such substance is thymol and its derivatives, which have been shown to have an antitumor effect also against CRC cells. In our study, we focused on determining the biological and antibacterial effects of thymol and thymol derivatives. Analyses were performed on a 3D model of human colon carcinoma cell lines (HCT-116 and HT-29) - spheroids. The cytotoxic (MTT assay) and genotoxic effect (comet assay) of thymol and derivatives: acetic acid thymol ester and thymol ß-D-glucoside were determined. ROS levels (ROS-Glo™ H2O2 Assay) and total antioxidant status (Randox TAS Assay) were also monitored. Last but not least, we also detected the effect of the derivatives using a disk diffusion assay and determined the number of colonies on the plates on selected bacteria such as Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus pentosus and Weizmannia coagulans. The derivatives did not show a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of LAB bacteria (lactic acid bacteria) in contrast to thymol. Overall, thymol derivatives are cytotoxic, genotoxic and increase ROS levels. Among the derivatives tested, acetic acid thymol ester (IC50 ~ 0.2 μg/ml) was more effective. The second derivative tested (thymol β-D-glucoside) was effective at higher concentrations than thymol. Our research confirmed that thymol derivatives have a toxic effect on the 3D model of intestinal tumor cells, while they do not have a toxic effect on selected intestinal bacteria. Thus, they could bring new significance to the prevention or treatment of CRC.

Effect of High BMI on Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) are attractive candidates in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Growing evidence has suggested that a high body mass index (BMI) can affect the properties of BMSCs, resulting in a reduced quality of the cells. However, the results are not consistent. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the influences of high BMI on human BMSCs (hBMSCs). To avoid gender bias, BMSCs from females and males were studied independently. Finally, hBMSCs from 89 females and 152 males were separately divided into the normal BMI group (18.5 kg/m2 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m2) and the high BMI group (BMI > 25 kg/m2). The cells were analyzed for the colony-forming potential; proliferation capacity; in vitro adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation potentials; and the expression of 32 common surface antigens. The results showed that high BMI did not change the number of colonies at passage 1 in females and males. In contrast, significantly reduced colony numbers at passage 4 (P4) were found in both female and male donors with high BMI. The doubling time of hBMSCs was comparable between the normal and the high BMI groups of females and males. Furthermore, the results of trilineage differentiation did not differ between the different BMI groups of males. In females, the high and the normal BMI groups also showed similar adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation, while osteogenic differentiation was significantly enhanced in the high-BMI group. Regarding the expression of surface antigens, the expressions of CD200 and SSEA4 on hBMSCs were reduced in the high-BMI group of females and males, respectively. In conclusion, high BMI suppressed the clonogenicity of female and male hBMSCs at P4, improved the in vitro osteogenesis of female hBMSCs, and decreased the expressions of CD200 on hBMSCs in females and SSEA4 in males.

The composition of Tibetan kefir grain TKG-Y and the antibacterial potential and milk fermentation ability of S. warneri KYS-164 screened from TKG-Y.

This study utilized high-throughput sequencing and SEM observation to elucidate the microbial composition of a Tibetan herder's homemade kefir grain named TKG-Y. Subsequently, S. warneri KYS-164 was isolated from TKG-Y, which can produce mixed protein substances with antibacterial activity, namely bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances (BLIS). BLIS can significantly reduce the growth rate of Escherichia coli 366-a, Staphylococcus aureus CICC 10384 and mixed strains at low concentrations (1 × MIC). The presence of the warnericin-centered gene cluster in KYS-164 may explain the antibacterial properties of the BLIS. Pepsin and an acidic environment can reduce the number of colonies of KYS-164 by 2.5 Log10 CFU mL-1 within 1 h, and reduce the antibacterial activity of BLIS by 21.48%. S. warneri KYS-164 showed no antibiotic resistance and biological toxicity after 80 subcultures, while BLIS produced by 40 generations of the strain retained their inhibitory efficacy against pathogenic bacteria. After 48-hour fermentation of milk with KYS-164, volatile compounds such as aldehydes, phenols, esters, and alcohols, giving it a floral, fruity, milky, oily, and nutty aroma, were released, enriching the sensory characteristics of dairy products. This study not only revealed the bacterial colony composition information of home-made kefir grain TKG-Y but also discovered and proved that S. warneri KYS-164 has the potential to inhibit bacteria and ferment dairy products. This will provide a basis for subsequent applied research on KYS-164.