Strain Typing Research Articles

Molecular typing of clinical and non-clinical <i>Escherichia coli</i> from Rivers State, Nigeria using amplification-based RAPD and ERIC-PCR typing methods

Due to the diverse nature of Escherichia coli, typing of these organisms is essential. This can provide key epidemiological information not just on the strains in circulation and their relationship, but also on the development and spread of drug resistant clones. Affordable PCR-based typing techniques have resulted in an increase in typing studies particularly in resource limited settings. But information from Nigeria on strain typing is limited. This study was therefore aimed at typing clinical and non-clinical strains of E. coli from Nigeria using the PCR based Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus-PCR (ERIC-PCR) typing methods. 
 E. coli was isolated from clinical and non-clinical sources using Eosin Methylene Blue agar. Characteristic green metallic sheen colonies associated with E. coli were purified, identities determined using standard biochemical tests and confirmed using molecular methods. Susceptibility testing was carried out using the modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion test and RAPD and ERIC-PCR typing carried out on 48 confirmed E. coli isolates as previously described. ERIC-PCR typing resulted in the generation of 38 unique patterns with a 0.94 diversity. Nine of these were singletons comprised of only a single isolate, while the remaining 29 patterns were grouped to 10 clusters. RAPD gave similar results of 37 patterns, 9 singletons, 0.94 diversity and 13 clusters. For ERIC-PCR, all isolates with identical patterns were from the same source. RAPD, however, had identical patterns present in isolates from different sources. 
 Using the ERIC-PCR typing method, this study was able to identify non-clinical isolates as distinct from the clinical E. coli isolates as evidenced by 100% identical ERIC-PCR profiles of isolates from the same source and a lack of 100% relatedness in isolates from different sources.

First-principle study on the photoelectric properties of monolayer h-BN under different strain types.

Two-dimensional materials are a new and promising research field in materials science. This is mainly attributed to their unique photoelectric and chemical properties. In addition to possessing unique optoelectronic and chemical properties, two-dimensional materials also have important application prospects in the field of field-effect devices. Based on density functional theory, the effects of uniaxial strain and equibiaxial strain on the mechanical properties, electronic structure, and optical properties of monolayer h-BN were studied using first principles. The results indicate that compressive strain has a significant impact on the stability of monolayer h-BN. The band gap width of monolayer h-BN decreases with increasing strain, and the optical properties of monolayer h-BN exhibit a relative trend under tensile and compressive strains. The influence of biaxial strain on the mechanical properties, electronic structure, and optical properties of monolayer h-BN is greater than that of uniaxial strain. All the calculations were done by the VASP software based on density functional theory. The interaction between atomic nuclei and electrons is described by the projected added wave pseudopotential (PAW), using the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) to exchange the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) of the functional. To avoid interlayer interactions, a 15-Å vacuum layer was set up. The Brillouin zone selects the Monkhorst-Pack method to generate 9 × 9 × 1 of k-point grid, the cut off energy is set to 500eV, the energy convergence standard of the system is 1 × 10-5eV, and the interaction force between atoms is 0.01eV/Å.

Designing transparent piezoelectric metasurfaces for adaptive optics

Simultaneously generating various motion modes with high strains in piezoelectric devices is highly desired for high-technology fields to achieve multi-functionalities. However, traditional approach for designing multi-degrees-of-freedom systems is to bond together several multilayer piezoelectric stacks, which generally leads to cumbersome and complicated structures. Here, we proposed a transparent piezo metasurface to achieve various types of strains in a wide frequency range. As an example, we designed a ten-unit piezo metasurface, which can produce high strains (ε3 = 0.76%), and generate linear motions along X-, Y- and Z-axis, rotary motions around X-, Y- and Z-axis as well as coupled modes. An adaptive lens based on the proposed piezo metasurface was demonstrated. It can realize a wide range of focal length (35.82 cm ~ ∞) and effective image stabilization with relatively large displacements (5.05 μm along Y-axis) and tilt angles (44.02′ around Y-axis). This research may benefit the miniaturization and integration of multi-degrees-of-freedom systems.

The fate of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli on alfalfa and fenugreek seeds and sprouts as affected by ascaroside #18 treatments

Alfalfa and fenugreek sprouts are healthy foods, but they are occasionally contaminated with bacterial pathogens and serve as vehicles for transmitting foodborne illnesses. This study examined the efficacy of ascaroside (ascr)#18 treatment for the control of enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) growth on sprouts. Commercial alfalfa and fenugreek seeds were decontaminated with 20,000 ppm of NaClO, and residual chlorine was neutralized with Dey-Engley broth. Decontaminated seeds were treated with 1 mM or 1 μM ascr#18, a plant immunity modulator, before being dried and mixed with sandy soil inoculated with E. coli F4546 or BAA-2326 at 104–105 CFU/g. The inoculated seeds were sprouted on 1 % water agar at 25 °C for 7 days in the dark. Seed or sprout samples were collected on days 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 for enumeration of bacterial populations. Data was fit into the general linear model and analyzed using Fisher's least significant different test of the statistical analysis software. Treatment with ascr#18 significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced the cell population of EHEC on sprouts. The mean EHEC populations in the 1 mM or 1 μM treatment groups were 3.31 or 1.56 log CFU/g lower compared to the control groups. Besides treatment, sprout seed type and sprouting time were also significant independent variables influencing the growth of EHEC, according to the results of type III error analysis. However, EHEC strain type was not a significant independent variable. The study suggests that ascr#18 could be potentially used to control EHEC contamination and improve the microbial safety of sprouts.

Ladder distribution of LAIV reassortment between vero adaption attenuated strain and wide type highly virulent influenza virus strain

It described the ladder distribution of Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) reassortment between Vero cells adaption attenuated strain and wide type high virulent influenza virus strains by the reverse genetics approach. That gene constellation

Microbulbifer bruguierae sp. nov., isolated from sediment of mangrove plant Bruguiera sexangula, and comparative genomic analyses of the genus Microbulbifer.

A Gram-negative, non-motile, strictly aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium, designated as H12T, was isolated from the sediments of mangrove plant Bruguiera sexangula taken from Dapeng district, Shenzhen, PR China. The pairwise 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain H12T shared high identity levels with species of the genus Microbulbifer, with the highest similarity level of 98.5 % to M. pacificus SPO729T, followed by 98.1 % to M. donghaiensis CN85T. Phylogenetic analysis using core-genome sequences showed that strain H12T formed a cluster with type species of M. pacificus SPO729T and M. harenosus HB161719T. The complete genome of strain H12T was 4 481 396 bp in size and its DNA G+C content was 56.7 mol%. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values among strain H12T and type species of genus Microbulbifer were below the cut-off levels of 95-96 and 70 %, respectively. The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain H12T were iso-C15 : 0 (22.5 %) and C18 : 1 ω7c (13.9 %). Ubiquinone-8 was detected as the major respiratory quinone. The polar lipids of strain H12T comprised one phosphatidylglycerol, one phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminoglycophospholipid, one unidentified glycophospholipid, three unidentified glycolipids, two unidentified aminolipids, and one unidentified lipid. Based on polyphasic evidence, strain H12T represents a novel species of the genus Microbulbifer, for which the name Microbulbifer bruguierae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is H12T (=KCTC 92859T=MCCC 1K08451T). Comparative genomic analyses of strain H12T with strains of the genus Microbulbifer reveal its potential in degradation of pectin.

Prevalence and Molecular Typing of Methicillin and Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains Isolated from the Noses of Imam Hassan Hospital Workers in Bojnurd, Iran in the fall of 2021

Introduction: Nosocomial infections are a global problem that has become a challenge in hospitals around the world since the 80s. One of the main sources of hospital infections is personnel. In this regard, the present study aimed to investigate the frequency, colonization rate, antibiotic resistance, and molecular types of Staphylococcus aureus in the personnel of key hospital departments, including emergency, infectious, Coronary Care Unit, and Intensive Care Unit Departments. Method: Nasal swab samples were collected from the personnel of the Emergency, Infectious, Coronary Care Unit, and Intensive Care Units Departments in the fall of 2021 and subsequently cultured. Confirmation of S. aureus strains was performed by biochemical tests, disk diffusion method, and agar screen test. Moreover, polymerase chain reaction for the evaluation of resistance genes was performed. Determination of agr group, determination of SCCmec type, and checking the presence of pvl, tst, and etc genes were also performed. Results: In total, 75 out of 214 staff nasal swab samples contained S. aureus. Prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus was 65.3% confirmed by PCR test results. Based on the study of SCCmec types in MRSA strains, the most common type was SCCmecIII. Among the agr groups, type I was the most common, and in terms of the abundance of pvl, tsst, and etc genes, a relatively high prevalence was observed. Conclusion: Due to the increased level of personal and environmental health in hospitals, s. aureus colonizing the noses of personnel are more pathogenic and resistant due to the natural selection of strains. Therefore, they can cause more severe diseases following transmission to the patients.

Molecular phylogenetic analysis of Echinococcus multilocularis from horses raised in Canada or Japan, using mitochondrial cytochrome b gene–targeted PCR

Alveolar echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by a larval-stage Echinococcus multilocularis infection. Geographical haplotyping targeting the parasite's mitochondrial cytochrome b (cob) gene has been reported for isolates from definitive and intermediate hosts (wild canids and rodents); however, there are limited reports on strain typing for the dead-end host, the horse, which could act as a sentinel for E. multilocularis. Accordingly, we investigated the diversity of E. multilocularis in isolates obtained from slaughtered Japanese and Canadian horses originating from the Iburi and Hidaka regions in Hokkaido and from Alberta, respectively, with PCR and haplogroup analyses targeting cob gene sequences obtained. Seventy horses were diagnosed with alveolar echinococcosis based on histopathology and cob-gene PCR testing. The E. multilocularis detected in these horses was classified as either an Asian (for Hokkaido-raised horses) or a European (for Alberta-raised horses) haplogroup, based on the obtained cob-gene sequence analysis. In addition, haplotype network analysis revealed that E. multilocularis isolated from Hokkaido-raised horses is highly homologous to Kazakhstan isolates, and E. multilocularis isolated from Alberta-raised horses is highly homologous to Austrian isolates. The results of this study suggest that cob-gene-targeted PCR analysis could be useful for the geographical genetic characterization of E. multilocularis isolated from horses.

Comparison of bovine viral diarrhea virus detection methods: Results of an international proficiency trial

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), one of the most important infectious cattle diseases globally, is being combated in multiple countries. The main source for virus transmission within herds and especially to unaffected cattle farms are life-long persistently infected (PI), immunotolerant animals. Therefore, the early identification of PI calves is a major pillar of disease control programs. In addition, rapid and reliable virus identification is necessary to confirm the causative agent in acute clinical cases. Here, we initiated an international interlaboratory proficiency trial in order to evaluate BVDV detection methods.Four ear notch samples and four sera were provided to the participating veterinary diagnostic laboratories (n = 40). Two of the ear notches and two sera contained BVDV and two ear notches and one serum were negative for pestiviruses. The remaining serum was positive for the ovine border disease virus (BDV). The sample panel was analyzed by an ERNS-based ELISA for antigen detection, diverse real-time RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) assays and/or virus isolation. Occasionally, additional typing of the virus strains was performed by sequencing or specific antibody staining of the obtained cell culture isolates. While the antigen ELISA allowed reliable BVDV diagnostics, infectious virus could be isolated only in just under half of the attempts (43.33%). RT-qPCR enabled the sensitive detection of pestiviruses, though an impact of the extraction method on the resulting quantification cycle values was observed. In general, subsequent typing of the detected virus strains is required to differentiate BVDV from BDV infections.In conclusion, for BVDV identification in clinical cases or in the context of disease control, RT-qPCR methods or ERNS antigen ELISAs should be preferentially used.

Overexpression of efflux pump genes is one of the mechanisms causing drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Gene mutations cannot explain all drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and the overexpression of efflux pump genes is considered another important cause of drug resistance. A total of 46 clinical isolates were included in this study to analyze the overexpression of efflux pump genes in different resistant types of strains. The results showed that overexpression of efflux pump genes did not occur in sensitive strains. There was no significant trend in the overexpression of efflux pump genes before and after one-half of MIC drug induction. By adding the efflux pump inhibitor verapamil, we can observe the decrease of MIC of some drug-resistant strains. At the same time, this study ensured the reliability of calculating the relative expression level of efflux pump genes by screening reference genes and using two reference genes for the normalization of quantitative PCR. Therefore, this study confirms that the overexpression of efflux pump genes plays an important role in the drug resistance of clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

A comparative study of the corrosion of Q235 carbon steel in six different strains of marine-isolated sulfate reducing prokaryote

Biocorrosion in marine environments is often associated with biofilms of sulfate reducing prokaryotes. However, the corrosion behaviors of steel differed greatly between the bacterial species. In this study, six strains of sulfate reducing prokaryote including 3 strains of strictly anaerobic bacteria and 3 strains of facultative anaerobic bacteria were isolated from the steel rust immersed in Sanya, China. The corrosion behavior of Q235 carbon steels by isolated six strains was studied by weight loss analysis, electrochemistry measurements, and surface morphology observation. In addition, the relationship between bacterial corrosivity and strain type was investigated. The results indicated that there is no direct relationship between the corrosivity of bacteria and strain type, whether the bacteria were strictly anaerobic or not. The corrosion rates of steel coupons fluctuated with the strain properties and soaking time. Among the strains tested, the strains belonging to Proteobacteria had relatively high corrosion rates on steel coupons, whereas, strain Virgibacillus Dokdonensis of Firmicutes has the lowest corrosion rate. The results provide a guiding basis for exploring the mechanism of microbial corrosion and controlling marine microbial corrosion.

Cytocidal Effect of Irradiation on Gastric Cancer Cells Infected with a Recombinant Mammalian Orthoreovirus Expressing a Membrane-Targeted KillerRed.

The outcomes of unresectable gastric cancer (GC) are unfavorable even with chemotherapy; therefore, a new treatment modality is required. The combination of an oncolytic virus and photodynamic therapy can be one of the promising modalities to overcome this. Mammalian orthoreovirus (MRV) is an oncolytic virus that has been used in clinical trials for several cancers. In this study, we developed and evaluated a recombinant MRV strain type 3 Dearing (T3D) that expresses membrane-targeting KillerRed (KRmem), a phototoxic fluorescent protein that produces cytotoxic reactive oxygen species upon light irradiation. KRmem was fused in-frame to the 3' end of the σ2 viral gene in the S2 segment using a 2A peptide linker, enabling the expression of multiple proteins from a single transcript. RNA electrophoresis, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence analyses confirmed functional insertion of KRmem into the recombinant virus. The growth activity of the recombinant virus was comparable to that of the wild-type MRV in a cultured cell line. The recombinant virus infected two GC cell lines (MKN45P and MKN7), and a significant cytocidal effect was observed in MKN45P cells infected with the recombinant virus after light irradiation. Thus, recombinant MRV-expressing KRmem has the potential to serve as a novel treatment tool for GC.

Bromelain-loaded silver nanoparticles: Formulation, characterization and biological activity

Bromelain (BL), a type of proteolytic enzymes from Ananas comosus (pineapple), has a variety of therapeutic potentials; nevertheless, its low bioavailability has restricted the clinical applications. The main aim of the current research was to develop a green synthesized Ag-BL nanoparticles via a cost-effective route to improve the physicochemical and antimicrobial characteristics as a novel agent for medical applications. In the present study, Bromelain was loaded on the silver nanoparticle surface via covalent bonds through green synthesis method. The physicochemical properties of Ag-BL nanoparticles characterized by following a detailed analysis over scanning electron microscopy, zeta potential, ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction studies. The antifungal and antibacterial activity were investigated by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute methods and the results were compared with Ag NPs and plain bromelain. The cytotoxicity of Ag-BL nanoparticles was investigated by MTT assay. The TEM and XRD techniques revealed the successful biosynthesis of Ag-BL nanoparticles in spherical shape with the mean size of 7 to 24 nm and FTIR analysis pattern proved the attachments of bromelain and Ag nanoparticles in the fabricated nanostructure. The negative zeta value of the Ag-BL nanoparticles (−50 to –32 mV) indicates their high stability in the suspension. The Ag-BL nanoparticles demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against various types of fungi and bacteria strains with a MIC range of 4–32 and 4–64 μg/mL, respectively. The MTT assay analysis determined the acceptable cell safety of Ag-BL nanoparticles. Generally, the results confirmed that Ag-BL nanoparticles could develop a new insight to produce antimicrobial products for biomedical applications.

Analysis of in vitro expression of virulence genes related to antibiotic and disinfectant resistance in Escherichia coli as an emerging periodontal pathogen.

The collective involvement of virulence markers of Escherichia coli as an emerging pathogen associated with periodontitis remains unexplained. This study aimed to implement an in vitro model of infection using a human epithelial cell line to determine the virulome expression related to the antibiotic and disinfectant resistance genotype and pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) type in E. coli strains isolated from patients with periodontal diseases. We studied 100 strains of E. coli isolated from patients with gingivitis (n = 12), moderate periodontitis (n = 59), and chronic periodontitis (n = 29). The identification of E. coli and antibiotic and disinfectant resistance genes was performed through PCR. To promote the expression of virulence genes in the strains, an in vitro infection model was used in the human epithelial cell line A549. RNA was extracted using the QIAcube robotic equipment and reverse transcription to cDNA was performed using the QuantiTect reverse transcription kit (Qiagen). The determination of virulence gene expression was performed through real-time PCR. Overall, the most frequently expressed adhesion genes among the isolated strains of gingivitis, moderate periodontitis, and chronic periodontitis were fimH (48%), iha (37%), and papA (18%); those for toxins were usp (33%); those for iron acquisition were feoB (84%), fyuA (62%), irp-2 (61%), and iroN (35%); those for protectins were traT (50%), KpsMT (35%), and ompT (28%); and those for pathogenicity islands were malX (45%). The most common antibiotic and disinfectant resistance genes among gingivitis, moderate periodontitis, and chronic periodontitis strains were sul-2 (43%), blaSHV (47%), blaTEM (45%), tet(A) (41%), dfrA1 (32%), marR-marO (57%), and qacEA1 (79%). The findings revealed the existence of a wide distribution of virulome expression profiles related to the antibiotic and disinfectant resistance genotype and PFGE type in periodontal strains of E. coli. These findings may contribute toward improving the prevention and treatment measures for periodontal diseases associated with E. coli.

Comparison of toxin gene expression levels and molecular typing of Clostridioides difficile strains isolated from patients with diarrhea.

This study aimed to evaluate the expression of tcdA, tcdB, and binary toxin genes (cdtA and cdtB) by Real-Time PCR and molecular typing of Clostridioides difficile isolated from patient diarrhea samples from Hamadan Hospitals, west of Iran. The concentration of C. difficile toxins (CDTs) is associated with the severity of the disease and the mortality rate. Measuring CDT levels could provide a reliable and objective means of determining the severity of C. difficile infection (CDI). From November 2018 to September 2019, 130 diarrhea samples were collected from hospitalized patients in three hospitals in Hamadan. C. difficle isolates were detected by culture and PCR. The presence of the genes encoding the toxin was identified by PCR, whereas the measurement of toxin expression was conducted using a relative Real-Time PCR technique. Genetic linkage of the isolates was also assessed by Ribotyping and Repetitive Extragenic Palindromic (rep-PCR) methods. Among 130 diarrhea samples, 16 (12.3%) were positive for C. difficile. Genes encoding cdtA and tcdB were detected in all isolates, and 8 (50%) and 6 (37.5%) isolates were positive for the cdtA and cdtB genes. Real-time PCR results showed different expression levels of the toxin genes. A significant increase in the expression of the tcdA gene was observed compared with the control strain (P<0.05). Besides, more expression of cdtA gene was observed in the strains compared with cdtB gene. Ribotyping and rep-PCR results showed high genetic diversity of C. difficile among hospitals investigated. We encountered toxigenic C. difficile strains with various toxin expression levels, ribotypes, and rep types based on the findings of this study. This indicated that various clones from various sources circulate in the hospitals and among patients.

Tackling salmonellosis: A comprehensive exploration of risks factors, impacts, and solutions.

Salmonellosis, caused by Salmonella species, is one of the most common foodborne illnesses worldwide with an estimated 93.8 million cases and about 155,00 fatalities. In both industrialized and developing nations, Salmonellosis has been reported to be one of the most prevalent foodborne zoonoses and is linked with arrays of illness syndromes such as acute and chronic enteritis, and septicaemia. The two major and most common Salmonella species implicated in both warm-blooded and cold-blooded animals are Salmonella bongori and Salmonella enterica. To date, more than 2400 S. enterica serovars which affect both humans and animals have been identified. Salmonella is further classified into serotypes based on three primary antigenic determinants: somatic (O), flagella (H), and capsular (K). The capacity of nearly all Salmonella species to infect, multiply, and survive in human host cells with the aid of their pathogenic and virulence arsenals makes them deadly and important public health pathogens. Primarily, food-producing animals such as poultry, swine, cattle, and their products have been identified as important sources of salmonellosis. Additionally, raw fruits and vegetables are among other food types that have been linked to the spread of Salmonella spp. Based on the clinical manifestation of human salmonellosis, Salmonella strains can be categorized as either non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) and typhoidal Salmonella. The detection of aseptically collected Salmonella in necropsies, environmental samples, feedstuffs, rectal swabs, and food products serves as the basis for diagnosis. In developing nations, typhoid fever due to Salmonella Typhi typically results in the death of 5%-30% of those affected. The World Health Organization (WHO) calculated that there are between 16 and 17 million typhoid cases worldwide each year, with scaring 600,000 deaths as a result. The contagiousness of a Salmonella outbreak depends on the bacterial strain, serovar, growth environment, and host susceptibility. Risk factors for Salmonella infection include a variety of foods; for example, contaminated chicken, beef, and pork. Globally, there is a growing incidence and emergence of life-threatening clinical cases, especially due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella spp, including strains exhibiting resistance to important antimicrobials such as beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones, and third-generation cephalosporins. In extreme cases, especially in situations involving very difficult-to-treat strains, death usually results. The severity of the infections resulting from Salmonella pathogens is dependent on the serovar type, host susceptibility, the type of bacterial strains, and growth environment. This review therefore aims to detail the nomenclature, etiology, history, pathogenesis, reservoir, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, epidemiology, transmission, risk factors, antimicrobial resistance, public health importance, economic impact, treatment, and control of salmonellosis.

Discovery of novel 1,2,4-triazole tethered β-hydroxy sulfides as bacterial tyrosinase inhibitors: synthesis and biophysical evaluation through in vitro and in silico approaches.

In this study, a series of 1,2,4-triazole-tethered β-hydroxy sulfide scaffolds 11a-h was synthesized in good to remarkable yields (69-90%) through the thiolysis of oxiranes by the thiols in aqueous basic catalytic conditions. The synthesized 1,2,4-triazole-tethered β-hydroxy sulfides were screened against bacterial tyrosinase enzyme, and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial cultures i.e., (S. aureus) Staphylococcus aureus & (E. coli) Escherichia coli. Among the synthesized derivatives, the molecules 11a (IC50 = 7.67 ± 1.00 μM), 11c (IC50 = 4.52 ± 0.09 μM), 11d (IC50 = 6.60 ± 1.25 μM), and 11f (IC50 = 5.93 ± 0.50 μM) displayed the better tyrosinase inhibitory activity in comparison to reference drugs ascorbic acid (IC50 = 11.5 ± 1.00 μM) and kojic acid (IC50 = 30.34 ± 0.75 μM). The molecule benzofuran-triazol-propan-2-ol 11c proved to be the most potent bacterial tyrosinase inhibitory agent with a minimum IC50 of 4.52 ± 0.09 μM, as compared to other synthesized counterparts and both standards (kojic acid and ascorbic acid). The compound diphenyl-triazol-propan-2-ol 11a and benzofuran-triazole-propan-2-ol 11c showed comparable anti-bacterial chemotherapeutic efficacy with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC = 2.0 ± 2.25 mg mL-1 and 2.5 ± 0.00 mg mL-1, respectively) against S. aureus bacterial strain in comparison with standard antibiotic penicillin (MIC = 2.2 ± 1.15 mg mL-1). Furthermore, among the synthesized derivatives, only compound 11c demonstrated better anti-bacterial activity (MIC = 10 ± 0.40 mg mL-1) against E. coli, which was slightly less than the standard antibiotic i.e., penicillin (MIC = 2.4 ± 1.00 mg mL-1). The compound 11c demonstrated a better binding score (-7.08 kcal mol-1) than ascorbic acid (-5.59 kcal mol-1) and kojic acid (-5.78 kcal mol-1). Molecular docking studies also validate the in vitro anti-tyrosinase assay results; therefore, the molecule 11c can be the lead bacterial tyrosinase inhibitor as well as the antibacterial agent against both types of bacterial strains after suitable structural modifications.

Detection and molecular typing of epidemic Brucella strains among camels, sheep, and cattle in Xinjiang, China.

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that can result in symptoms including infertility, abortion, testicular inflammation, and arthritis in affected sheep and cattle. The disease can spread through a range of mechanisms, making outbreaks difficult to control such that affected farms often suffer severe economic losses. In addition, humans can be affected by brucellosis, and the number of cases continues to rise annually. As rates of brucellosis in Xinjiang, China have been increasing substantially in recent years, this study was developed to assess brucellosis seroprevalence among herds of cattle, sheep, and camels in Xinjiang through the use of common diagnostic procedures like the Rose Bengal test (RBT) and PCR. A cross-sectional approach was used to analyze the seroprevalence of brucellosis across 720 total farm animals (320 camels, 250 sheep, and 150 cattle). RBT incidence rate for brucellosis was detected in 60 serum samples, 14 (4.38%) from camels, 45 (18%) from sheep, and 1 (0.67%) from cattle. PCR was performed as a confirmatory approach for these RBT-positive samples, with 55 ultimately being confirmed to be positive 13 (4.06%), 41 (16.4%), and 1 (0.67%) samples from camels, sheep, and cattle, respectively. In this survey, sheep exhibited the highest brucellosis seroprevalence using these two analytical techniques, while cattle exhibited the lowest seroprevalence and camels exhibited an intermediate rate. AMOS-PCR analyses identified Brucella melitensis as the unknown bacterium in some of these samples. These results offer new insight regarding brucellosis seroprevalence among farm animals that can be used to formulate more appropriate prevention and control policies, while also improving awareness of epidemic prevention efforts, the need for routine quarantine and disinfection, the benefits of scientific breeding and management, and approaches to improving breeding efficiency for the camel, cattle, and sheep industries.

Exploring Bougainvillea glabra flowers: a promising source of natural antimicrobial and anticancer agents

In response to the challenge posed by antimicrobial resistance and the demand for innovative anticancer drugs, the aim of this study was to examine the potential source of natural antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer compounds from purple flowers of Bougainvillea glabra. The dried purple flower of B. glabra was sequentially extracted with hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water. The extracts were used for investigating antioxidants, antimicrobial activity, anticancer properties, and phytochemical composition. The methanol extraction exhibited the highest total phenolic content and in vitro antioxidant activity. The hexane and ethyl acetate extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity against a broad range of microorganisms in both American type of culture collection (ATCC) and clinical strains, while the methanol extract displayed a narrower antimicrobial profile that implied the promise of B. glabra as a developmental reservoir of specific antimicrobial agents. Notably, the hexane extract demonstrated the most promising anticancer activity against various cancer cell lines, including lung cancer (A549), colon cancer (HT-29), breast cancer (MCF-7), and bile duct cancer (KKU-213A). In conclusion, this study reveals the pharmaceutical potential of crude extracts from B. glabra flowers; thereby, paving the way for future exploration of these compounds within the drug development industry.

Exploring Helicobacter pylori Infection Rates and Associated Risk Factors in Dyspeptic Individuals from Brack Al-Shati, Southern Libya"

Helicobacter pylori, sometimes known as H. pylori, is the most prevalent bacterium worldwide; it colonizes the stomachs of people on the planet, and the incidence of the disease is 85–90% in underdeveloped nations. The pathogenicity of bacteria varies according to the type of strain and the virulence factors it carries, such as the cytotoxin-related gene cagA, in addition to risk factors related to the host and environment. Due to the absence of data about the seroprevalence of antibodies to H. pylori in patients with dyspepsia in Libya in general and in the south in particular, the study aimed to assess the prevalence of H. pylori infection and its risk factors in Brack Al-Shati which is located in the Southwest of Libya. The study included 100 serum samples from dyspeptic patients whose ages varied in age from 18 to 72, with an average of 37.27 ± 1.515. All samples were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) to detect the presence of IgG antibodies against the CagA protein and H. pylori of the bacteria. The findings indicated that the rate of infection with H.pylori was 73% of the total patient samples, and 68.2% of the samples were positive for the CagA protein. Taking into account the frequency of CagA-positive strains and the seroprevalence of H. pylori in dyspeptic patients, we recommend paying attention to eradicating the bacteria through treatment, especially when more than one risk factor is present.