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In the current study, ten avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) isolates of the most predominant APEC serogroups isolated from broiler chickens in Egypt were screened for their virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes pattern using PCR. Five selected virulence gene patterns were further investigated for their in-vivo pathogenicity test. Results showed a 100% prevalence of the β-lactams and tetracyclines resistance genes. However, aminoglycoside and quinolone resistance genes were not detected. Also, 80% of the tested isolates harbored mcr-1 gene, colistin resistance gene. In-vivo pathogenic strains consistently harbored the virulence gene pattern of fimH, fimA, papC, iutA, and tsh. Additionally, the tsh gene was consistently detected with lethal APEC isolates in day-old chicks. These results highlighted the high prevalence of antimicrobial and virulence genes in APEC that potentially represent a public health concern. In this study, the virulence genes fimH, fimA, papC, iutA, and tsh were the most common virulence gene patterns associated with pathogenicity in day-old chicks.

Aim: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of a trivalent-inactivated oil-emulsion vaccine against challenge by different clades highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses including HPAI-H5N8 and the virulent genotype VII Newcastle disease virus (NDV) (vNDV). Materials and Methods: The vaccine studied herein is composed of reassortant AI viruses rgA/Chicken/Egypt/ ME1010/2016 (clade 2.2.1.1), H5N1 rgA/Chicken/Egypt/RG-173CAL/2017 (clade 2.2.1.2), and "NDV" (LaSota NDV/ CK/Egypt/11478AF/11); all used at a concentration of 108 EID50/bird and mixed with Montanide-ISA70 oil adjuvant. Two-week-old specific pathogen free (SPF) chickens were immunized subcutaneously with 0.5 ml of the vaccine, and hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titers were monitored weekly. The intranasal challenge was conducted 4 weeks post-vaccination (PV) using 106 EID50/0.1 ml of the different virulent HPAI-H5N1 viruses representing clades 2.2.1, 2.2.1.1, 2.2.1.2, 2.3.4.4b-H5N8, and the vNDV. Results: The vaccine induced HI antibody titers of >6log2 against both H5N1 and NDV viruses at 2 weeks PV. Clinical protection against all HPAI H5N1 viruses and vNDV was 100%, except for HPAI H5N1 clade-2.2.1 and HPAI H5N8 clade- 2.3.4.4b viruses that showed 93.3% protection. Challenged SPF chickens showed significant decreases in the virus shedding titers up to

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile strain, SYSUP0003T, was isolated from tubers of Gastrodia elata Blume. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain SYSUP0003T belonged to the genus Paracoccus , with the highest sequence similarity to the type strain of Paracoccus sediminis (97.5 %). Strain SYSUP0003T grew at pH 6.0–8.0 and 4–30 °C with optimum growth at pH 7.0 and 28 °C. Strain SYSUP0003T could tolerate up to 1 % (w/v) NaCl and grew optimally in the absence of NaCl. The isoprenoid quinone of strain SYSUP0003T was Q-10. The major fatty acids were C18 : 0, C16 : 0, C10 : 0 3-OH and summed feature 7. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), aminophospholipids (AL), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylcholine (PC) and four unidentified polar lipids (L). The genome size was 3 204 685 bp, with a DNA G+C content of 69.7 mol%. The average nucleotide identity values between strain SYSUP0003T and P. sediminis DSM 26170T (ANIm 84.2 %, ANIb 75.6 %), Paracoccus solventivorans DSM 6637T (ANIm 84.5 %, ANIb 76.9 %) and Paracoccus alkenifer DSM 11593T (ANIm 84.3 %, ANIb 77.3 %) were below the cut-off level (95–96 %) for species delineation. Based on phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular characterizations, strain SYSUP0003T represents a novel species of the genus Paracoccus , for which the name Paracoccus endophyticus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SYSUP0003T (=KCTC 62180T=CGMCC 1.16545T).

The marine sponge Amphimedon sp., collected from Hurghada (Egypt) was investigated for its sponge-derived actinomycetes diversity. Nineteen actinomycetes were cultivated and phylogenetically identified using 16S rDNA gene sequencing were carried out. The strains belong to genera Kocuria, Dietzia, Micrococcus, Microbacterium and Streptomyces. Many silent biosynthetic genes clusters were investigated using genome sequencing of actinomycete strains and has revealed in particular the genus Streptomyces that has indicated their exceptional capacity for the secondary metabolites production that not observed under classical cultivation conditions. In this study, the effect of N-acetylglucosamine on the metabolome of Streptomyces sp. RM66 was investigated using three actinomycetes media (ISP2, M1 and MA). In total, twelve extracts were produced using solid and liquid fermentation approaches. Liquid chromatography-high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS) data were analysed using metabolomics tools to compare natural product production across all crude extracts. Our study highlighted the elicitation effect of N-acetylglucosamine on the secondary metabolite profiles of Streptomyces sp. RM66. These results highlight the of N-acetylglucosamine application as an elicitor to induce the cryptic metabolites and for increasing the chemical diversity. All the twelve extracts were tested for their antibacterial activity was tested against Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 8325, antifungal activity against Candida albicans 5314 (ATCC 90028) and anti-trypanosomal activity against Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Extract St1 showed the most potent one with activities 2.3, 3.2 and 4.7 ug/ml as antibacterial, antifungal and anti-trypanosomal, respectively.

Scientific reports 11, 2770 (2021). doi:10.1038/s41598-021-82201-8, Published by Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature, [London]

Paracetamol is extensively consumed as an analgesic and antipyretic drug, but at a high dose level, it leads to deleterious side effects, such as hepatic and nephrotoxicity. This research aimed to estimate the prophylactic efficacy of Chlorella vulgaris and/or thiamine against paracetamol (P) induced hepatorenal and cardiac toxicity. Forty-eight female Wistar rats were randomly divided into eight equal groups (n = 6 rats). Group 1, normal control group. Group 2, Paracetamol group. Groups 3, 4 and 5 were treated with Silymarin drug, Chlorella vulgaris alga, Chlorella vulgaris alga supplemented with thiamine, respectively daily for 7 successive days, then all were administered Paracetamol (2gm/kg. bwt.). While, Groups 6, 7 and 8 were treated by Silymarin, Chlorella vulgaris alga, Chlorella vulgaris supplemented with thiamine, respectively daily for 7 successive days without paracetamol administration. Our results clarified that Paracetamol toxicity caused significant adverse effects on hematological, serum biochemical parameters, and oxidant -antioxidant status as well as histopathological picture of heart, liver, and kidney. However, in the Paracetamol intoxicated groups pretreatment either with Chlorella vulgaris alone or plus thiamine successfully improved the undesirable deleterious effects of paracetamol, and restored almost all variables to near their control levels. This study has finished to that oxidative stress participates in the pathogenesis of paracetamol-induced toxicity in rats and using Chlorella vulgaris alga either alone or plus thiamine alongside their health benefits can protect against oxidative harmful effects induced by paracetamol through their free radical scavenging and powerful antioxidant effects, and they can be used as propylactic agents against paracetamol-induced toxicity.

This study aims at exploiting salinity stress as an innovative, simple, and cheap method to enhance the production of antioxidant metabolites and enzymes from bacteria for potential application as functional additives to foods and pharmaceuticals. We investigated the physiological and biochemical responses of four bacterial isolates, which exhibited high tolerance to 20% NaCl (wt/vol), out of 27 bacterial strains isolated from Aushazia Lake, Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. The phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA genes of these four isolates indicated that strains ST1 and ST2 belong to genusBacillus, whereas strains ST3 and ST4 belong to genusPlanococcus. Salinity stress differentially induced oxidative damage, where strains ST3 and ST4 showed increased lipid peroxidation, lipoxygenase, and xanthine oxidase levels. Consequently, high antioxidant contents were produced to control oxidative stress, particularly in ST3 and ST4. These twoPlanococcusstrains showed increased glutathione cycle, phenols, flavonoids, antioxidant capacity, catalase, and/or superoxide dismutase (SOD). Interestingly, the production of glutathione byPlanococcusstrains was some thousand folds greater than by higher plants. On the other hand, the induction of antioxidants in ST1 and ST2 was restricted to phenols, flavonoids, peroxidase, glutaredoxin, and/or SOD. The hierarchical analysis also supported strain-specific responses. This is the first report that exploited salinity stress for promoting the production of antioxidants from bacterial isolates, which can be utilized as postbiotics for promising applications in foods and pharmaceuticals.

It is well known that the quality and quantity of bioactive metabolites in plants and microorganisms are affected by environmental factors. We applied heat stress as a promising approach to stimulate the production of antioxidants in four heat-tolerant bacterial strains (HT1 to HT4) isolated from Aushazia Lake, Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia. The phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA sequences indicated that HT1, HT3 and HT4 belong to genus Bacillus. While HT2 is closely related to Pseudooceanicola marinus with 96.78% similarity. Heat stress differentially induced oxidative damage i.e., high lipid peroxidation, lipoxygenase and xanthine oxidase levels in HT strains. Subsequently, heat stress induced the levels of flavonoids and polyphenols in all strains and glutathione (GSH) in HT2. Heat stress also improved the antioxidant enzyme activities, namely, CAT, SOD and POX in all strains and thioredoxin activity in HT3 and HT4. While GSH cycle (GSH level and GPX, GR, Grx and GST activities) was only detectable and enhanced by heat stress in HT2. The hierarchical cluster analysis of the antioxidants also supported the strain-specific responses. In conclusion, heat stress is a promising approach to enhance antioxidant production in bacteria with potential applications in food quality improvement and health promotion.

A gene encoding a β-xylosidase (designated as Thxyl43A) was cloned from strain Thermobifida halotolerans YIM 90462T. The open reading frame of this gene encodes 550 amino acid residues. The gene was over-expressed in Escherichia coli and the recombinant protein was purified. The monomeric Thxyl43A protein presented a molecular mass of 61.5 kDa. When p-nitrophenyl-β-d-xylopyranoside was used as the substrate, recombinant Thxyl43A exhibited optimal activity at 55 °C and pH 4.0 to 7.0, being thermostable by maintaining 47% of its activity after 30 h incubation at 55 °C. The recombinant enzyme retained more than 80% residual activity after incubation at pH range of 4.0 to 12.0 for 24 h, respectively, which indicated notable thermostability and pH stability of Thxyl43A. Moreover, Thxyl43A displayed high catalytic activity (> 60%) in presence of 5–35% NaCl (w/v) or 1–20% ionic liquid (w/v) or 1–50 mM xylose. These properties suggest that Thxyl43A has potential for promoting hemicellulose degradation and other industrial applications.

A Streptomyces isolate, designated strain SYSU D8023T, was isolated from a desert sand sample collected from Gurbantunggut desert, China. The characterisation of the isolate was achieved using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The isolate was found to be Gram-positive and aerobic. The strain was found to be able to grow at 14–50 °C, pH 6.0–9.0 and in the presence of up to 7% (w/v) NaCl. Strain SYSU D8023T contains LL-diaminopimelic acid as a cell wall diamino acid. The polar lipids were identified as diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside, an unidentified glycolipid and an unidentified phospholipid. MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H8) were detected as the respiratory quinones, and anteiso-C15:0, iso-C16:0 and anteiso-C17:0 as the predominant fatty acids. Pairwise comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain SYSU D8023T has a sequence identity of 97.9% to Streptomyces barkulensis RC 1831T. The DNA G + C content of strain SYSU D8023T was determined to be 70.1 mol%. Based on the analyses of the phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, strain SYSU D8023T was concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces desertarenae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the species is SYSU D8023T (= CGMCC 4.7455T = KCTC 49023T).

Strain SYSU D8008T was isolated from a desert sand sample collected from Saudi Arabia. The strain was observed to be Gram-stain positive, non-motile and aerobic. It can grow at 15–37 °C, pH 6.0–10.0 and can tolerant up to 7% (w/v) NaCl. Pairwise comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain SYSU D8008T shares high sequence similarities with Georgenia deserti SYSU D8004T (96.8%) and Georgenia halophila YIM 93316T (96.8%). Menaquinone MK-8(H4) was detected as the respiratory isoprenologue. The polar lipid profile of strain SYSU D8008T was found to consist of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, two phosphatidylinositol mannosides, an unidentified glycolipid and an unidentified phospholipid. Strain SYSU D8008T was found to contain anteiso-C15:0 and iso-C15:0 as the predominant fatty acids. Galactose, glucose and rhamnose were detected as the whole cell sugars. Based on the phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, strain SYSU D8008T can be differentiated from other closely related members of the genus Georgenia. The strain SYSU D8008T, therefore, is concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Georgenia, for which the name Georgenia alba sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SYSU D8008T (= CGMCC 1.15800T = KCTC 39988T).

A novel endophytic actinobacterium, designated strain EGI 6500139T, was isolated from the surface-sterilized roots of Anabasis aphylla L., collected from Xinjiang, northwest PR China, and subjected to polyphasic taxonomic characterization. Strain EGI 6500139T formed sparse aerial mycelium with rod-like spores. Whole-cell hydrolysates of the isolate contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the cell-wall diamino acid, glucose as major sugar, and mannose, galactose, xylose and ribose as minor sugars. The polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside, one unidentified glycolipid, one unidentified phospholipid and four unidentified polar lipids. The major fatty acids identified were anteiso-C17 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The predominant menaquinones detected were MK-11 and MK-11(H2). The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain EGI 6500139T was 70.4 mol%. Strain EGI 6500139T showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Glycomyces lacisalsi XHU 5089T (96.3 %). Phylogenetic analysis showed that strain EGI 6500139T fell within the clade of the genus Glycomyces , and formed a clade with G. lacisalsi XHU 5089T and G. albus CCTCC AA 2013004T. Based on phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data, strain EGI 6500139T represents a novel species of the genus Glycomyces , for which the name Glycomyces anabasis sp. nov. (type strain EGI 6500139T=JCM 30088T=KCTC 29495T) is proposed.

Antiepileptic drugs are the backbone for epilepsy management. Epilepsy may be accompanied by decreased pain threshold. Thus, anticonvulsant agents with antinociceptive properties are of great importance. This study investigated the possible anticonvulsant and antinociceptive effects of calcitonin in combination with either valproic acid or pregabalin and whether these effects might occur through γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) modulation. Eighty-four male Balb/C mice were divided into 7 groups: control-naïve, pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures, PTZ-calcitonin, PTZ-valproic acid, PTZ-pregabalin, PTZ-calcitonin-valproic acid (PCV) combination, and PTZ-calcitonin-pregabalin (PCP) combination. PTZ was used in a sub-convulsive dosage, every other day for 11 injections. Drugs were given i.p. 30min before PTZ. After each PTZ injection, mice were put under observation and PTZ-provoked seizures were assessed. After the last dose of PTZ, the hot plate test was used to assess antinociceptive properties. Also, brain GABA neurotransmitter was evaluated by immunoassay. Repeated injection of PTZ induced chemical kindling. Calcitonin was found to have significant antinociceptive property as shown by hot plate latency. The beneficial effects of PCV and PCP combination were statistically significant in epilepsy and pain models as compared to valproic acid and pregabalin. The antiepileptic and antinociceptive activity of calcitonin may not relate to the GABAergic system. Calcitonin enhanced the anticonvulsant and antinociceptive effects of either valproic acid or pregabalin. This new treatment "calcitonin add-on" may provide an improved range of options for patients with refractory epilepsy which is still an important risk factor for sudden death.

A draft genome sequence of Jiangella alba YIM 61503T revealed a genome size of 7,664,864 bp arranged in 33 scaffolds. The genome was predicted to contain 7196 predicted genes, including 51 coding for RNA. Phylogenetic and comparative analyses of the draft genome of J. alba YIM 61503T with the available genomes of other Jiangella species suggested a proximal similarity between strains J. alba YIM 61503T and J. muralis DSM 45357T, while indicating a high divergence between J. gansuensis YIM 002T and other Jiangella species. The genome of J. alba YIM 61503T also revealed genes involved in indole-3-acetic acid biosynthesis and an alkylresorcinols gene cluster. Further, detection of phosphotransferase genes in the genome of all Jiangella species indicated that they can uptake and phosphorylate sugars. The presences of TreX-Z, TreS and OtsA-OtsB genes in some of the Jiangella strains also indicated a possible mechanism for their tolerance of high salinity. Besides providing new insights into its genetic features, our results suggested that J. alba YIM 61503T could be a potential strain for further genome mining studies. The release of this genome may, therefore, provide a better prospect for understanding "evolutionary taxonomy" about this genus in future.

The aim of this study was to report the incidence, severity, outcome and risk factors of acute kidney injury (AKI) following percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) in solitary kidneys.The study included consecutive adult patients who underwent PNL for treatment of calculi in a solitary kidney between May 2012 and July 2015. Patients with congenital renal anomalies or with stages 4 and 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) were excluded. Serum creatinine levels were measured the day before PNL, daily after PNL for 2-5 days and after 3 months. AKI was depicted according to changes in early postoperative serum creatinine levels and its severity was determined based on the Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) classification. The outcome of AKI was evaluated after 3 months by changes in the stage of CKD. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were conducted to determine risk factors for developing AKI.The study included 100 patients (62 males) with a mean ± SD age of 50 ± 11.7 years. Complications were reported for 27 patients. AKI developed in 25 patients; at the 3 month follow-up, 23 of them (92%) had completely recovered from AKI and two (8%) had developed stage 4 CKD. Independent risk factors for developing AKI were multiple PNL tracts and postoperative ureteric obstruction (relative risks were 14 and 22, respectively).The incidence of AKI was 25% after PNL for a solitary kidney. The likelihood of renal function recovery was 92%. Multiple PNL tracts and postoperative ureteric obstruction were risk factors for developing AKI.

Two extreme halophilic archaeal strains, SYSUA9-0T and SYSUA9-1, were isolated from Ebi lake of Xinjiang, China. The colonies were Gram-negative, coccoid, and non-motile. Strains were aerobic and grew at 25–50 °C (optimum at 37 °C), in the presence of 10–35% (w/v) NaCl (optimum at 20–22%), and pH 6.0–8.0 (optimum at 7.0). The 16S rRNA gene sequence result revealed that the two strains were closely related to Haloprofundus marisrubri SB9T (92.7% similarity). The DNA–DNA hybridization value (97% ± 1%) suggested that SYSUA9-0T and SYSUA9-1 were similar; however, their sequence similarities with other archaeal members suggested that they were novel candidates. The genomic G + C content of SYSUA9-0T was 66.9%. The average nucleotide identity value between SYSU A9-0T and Haloprofundus marisrubri SB9T was 69.1%, which was far below the cutoff value (95–96%) proposed to define the species boundary. The polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylglycerolphosphate methylester (PGP-Me), sulfated mannosyl glucosyl diether, mannosyl glucosyldiether, and four unidentified glycolipids. Phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and comparative genome analysis suggested that SYSU A9-0T and SYSU A9-1 represent a novel species of a new genus within the family Haloferacaceae, for which the name Halegenticoccus soli gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is SYAUA9-0T (= KCTC4241T = CGMCC 1.15765T).

We report here the draft genome sequence of Sphingomonas ginsengisoli KCTC 12630T. The draft genome has a size of 3,045,889 bp and a G+C content of 67.1%., We report here the draft genome sequence of Sphingomonas ginsengisoli KCTC 12630T. The draft genome has a size of 3,045,889 bp and a G+C content of 67.1%. The availability of the genome sequence will provide a better understanding of strain KCTC 12630T and the genus Sphingomonas.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain C8-1T, was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of Nicotiana tabacum L. collected from Kunming, south-west China. The cells showed oxidase-positive and catalase-positive reactions. Growth was observed at 10–40 °C, at pH 6.0–8.0 and in the presence of up to 1 % (w/v) NaCl, with optimal growth at 30 °C and pH 7.0. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was Q-8. The major fatty acids were identified as iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 and iso-C17 : 1ω9c. The cellular polar lipids contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, five unidentified phospholipids and two unidentified aminophospholipids. The genomic DNA G+C content was 70.7 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain C8-1T should be assigned to the genus Lysobacter . 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity analysis showed that strain C8-1T was closely related to Lysobacter cavernae YIM C01544T (98.6 %), Lysobacter soli DCY21T (97.6 %), Lysobacter panacisoli CJ29T (97.3 %), Lysobacter firmicutimachus PB-6250T (97.3 %), Lysobacter niastensis GH41-7T (97.3 %) and Lysobacter gummosus KCTC 12132T (97.1 %). DNA–DNA hybridization data indicated that the isolate may represent a novel genomic species belonging to the genus Lysobacter . Polyphasic taxonomic characteristics indicated that strain C8-1T represents a novel species of the genus Lysobacter , for which the name Lysobacter tabacisoli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is C8-1T (=KCTC 62034T=CGMCC 1.16271T) .

In this study, respiratory viral pathogens were screened using real-time RT-PCR in 86 broiler chicken flocks suffering from respiratory diseases problems in 4 Egyptian governorates between January 2012 and February 2014. The mortality rates in the investigated flocks ranged from 1 to 47%. Results showed that mixed infection represented 66.3% of the examined flocks. Mixed infectious bronchitis (IBV) and avian influenza (AI)-H9N2 viruses were the most common infection (41.7%). Lack of AI-H9N2 vaccination and high rates of mixed infections in which AI-H9N2 is involved indicate an early AI-H9N2 infection with a potential immunosuppressive effect that predisposes for other viral infections. High pathogenic AI-H5N1 and virulent Newcastle disease virus (vNDV) infections were also detected (26.7% and 8.1%, respectively). Interestingly, co-infection of AI-H9N2 with either AIV-H5N1 or vNDV rarely resulted in high mortality. Partial cell-mediated immunity against similar internal AI genes, as well as virus interference between AI and vNDV, could be an explanation for this. Highly prevalent IBV and AI-H9N2 were isolated and were molecularly characterized based on S1 gene hypervariable region 3 (HVR3) and hemagglutinin gene (HA) sequences, respectively. IBV strains were related to the variant group of IBV with multiple mutations in HVR3. Though AI-H9N2 viruses showed low rate of evolution in comparison to recent strains, few amino acid substitutions indicative of antibody selection pressure were observed in the HA gene. In conclusion, mixed viral infections, especially with IBV and AI-H9N2 viruses, are the predominant etiology of respiratory disease problems in broiler chickens in Egypt. Further investigations of the role of AI, IBV, and ND viruses’ co-infections and interference in terms of altering the severity of clinical signs and lesions and/or generating novel reassortants within each virus are needed.

The diversity of actinomycetes associated with the marine sponge Coscinoderma mathewsi collected from Hurghada (Egypt) was studied. Twenty-three actinomycetes were separated and identified based on the 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. Out of them, three isolates were classified as novel species of the genera Micromonospora, Nocardia, and Gordonia. Genome sequencing of actinomycete strains has revealed many silent biosynthetic gene clusters and has shown their exceptional capacity for the production of secondary metabolites, not observed under classical cultivation conditions. Therefore, the effect of mycolic-acid-containing bacteria or mycolic acid on the biosynthesis of cryptic natural products was investigated. Sponge-derived actinomycete Micromonospora sp. UA17 was co-cultured using liquid fermentation with two mycolic acid-containing actinomycetes (Gordonia sp. UA19 and Nocardia sp. UA 23), or supplemented with pure mycolic acid. LC-HRESIMS data were analyzed to compare natural production across all crude extracts. Micromonospora sp. UA17 was rich with isotetracenone, indolocarbazole, and anthracycline analogs. Some co-culture extracts showed metabolites such as a chlorocardicin, neocopiamycin A, and chicamycin B that were not found in the respective monocultures, suggesting a mycolic acid effect on the induction of cryptic natural product biosynthetic pathways. The antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic activities for the different cultures extracts were also tested.

In this study, the protective efficacy of an E. coli live attenuated vaccine was compared to the preventive administration of lectin preparation before the challenge. Two hundred broiler chicks were divided into eight equal groups. The first group was used as a negative control group. Three groups were vaccinated at day 1 with the avian colibacillosis live vaccine of which one group served as a vaccinated nonchallenged group. Another two groups were treated with lectin product (0.5 mL/L drinking water) for three days before the challenge. The last two groups served as challenge control for either E. coli O78 or O125 strains. The challenge was conducted at three weeks of age with either homologous O78 or heterologous O125 E. coli strains, using 0.5 mL/bird of each avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) strain (~108 colony forming units “CFU”/mL)/subcutaneously. The bodyweight and feed conversion ratios (FCR) were calculated for four weeks. Clinical signs and gross and histopathological lesions were scored at two and seven days post inoculation (dpi). The heart and liver of euthanized chickens at 2 dpi were removed aseptically and homogenized to evaluate pathogenic E. coli colonization. Results showed that live avian colibacillosis vaccine reduced mortalities and APEC colonization in the homologous challenge group but not in the heterologous challenge group. Lectin-treated groups showed 20% and 16% mortality after challenge with E. coli O78 and O125, respectively, and both groups showed performance parameters, clinical signs, and histopathological lesion scores comparable to the negative control group, with variable E. coli colonization of heart and liver. The study demonstrated the efficacy of live attenuated avian colibacillosis vaccine against homologous but not heterologous APEC challenge in broiler chickens. The lectin-containing products can be used as a preventive medication to reduce the clinical impacts of colibacillosis regardless of the challenge strain. Standardization of the evaluation parameters for APEC vaccines is recommended.

Background Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria normally live in the intestines of people and animals. Most E. coli are harmless and the treatment of the infection could be achieved by using antibiotics, however the effectiveness is still debatable and needs more investigation. Objective Researching the inhibition resonance frequency of square amplitude modulating waves (QAMW) that can inhibit the growth activity of E. coli and its ability to make division. Methods A range of different extremely low frequencies of square amplitude modulated waves (QAMW) from 0.1 to 1.0 Hz from two generators with a constant carrier frequency of 10 MHz, amplitude of 10 Vpp, modulating depth ± 2 Vpp and constant field strength 200 V/m were used to treat E. coli cells at 37 °C. Results The exposure of E. coli to 0.3 Hz QAMW for 90 min was the most inhibited frequency where the bacterial growth inhibited by 42.3%. Furthermore, a significant increase in antibiotic susceptibility to protein and cell wall inhibitors was investigated. Also, results of the chromosomal DNA sequences, dielectric relaxation and TEM indicated highly significant molecular and morphological changes after the exposure. Conclusions We concluded that the exposure of E. coli to QAMW at the inhibiting frequency interfered with the bioelectric signals generated from the bacteria during the cell division and changed the cellular activity and DNA sequences, and these changes lead to a significant inhibition of the bacterial growth. This is a new promising technique that aids to avoid the repetitive use of antibiotics against the bacterial pathogens.

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated SYSU K12189T, was isolated from a soil sample collected from a Karst cave in Xingyi county, Guizhou province, south-western China. The taxonomic position of the strain was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Cells of the strain were observed to be aerobic and Gram-stain positive. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities and phylogenetic analysis, strain SYSU K12189T is closely related to the type strains of the genus Microlunatus, Microlunatus parietis 12-Be-011T (98.5% sequence similarity), Microlunatus nigridraconis CPCC 203993T (98.4%) and Microlunatus cavernae YIM C01117T (96.6%), and is therefore considered to represent a member of the genus Microlunatus. DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain SYSU K12189T and related type strains of the genus Microlunatus were 10%) were found to be anteiso-C15:0, iso-C15:0, iso-C16:0 and iso-C14:0. The polar lipids were found to contain diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, three glycolipids and two unidentified lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain SYSU K12189T was determined to be 69.4 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic data, strain SYSU K12189T is concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Microlunatus, for which the name Microlunatus speluncae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SYSU K12189T (= KCTC 39847T = DSM 103947T).

A Gram-positive and non-motile actinobacterium, designated strain EGI 60016T, was isolated from healthy roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis F. collected from Xinyuan County, Xinjiang Province, China. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain EGI 60016T was found to show 97.5 and 97.3 % sequence similarities to Nesterenkonia rhizosphaerae EGI 80099T and Nesternkonia massiliensis NP1T, respectively. The neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain EGI 60016T formed a distinct clade with N. rhizosphaerae EGI 80099T and N. massiliensis NP1T. The polar lipids detected for strain EGI 60016T were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, an unidentified glycolipid, an unidentified lipid and an unidentified phospholipid. The DNA G+C content was determined to be 64.1 mol%. Other chemotaxonomic features of strain EGI 60016T included MK-7, MK-8 and MK-9 as the respiratory quinones, and anteiso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0 as the major fatty acids. Based on the results of the phylogenetic analysis supported by morphological, physiological, chemotaxonomic and other differentiating phenotypic characteristics, strain EGI 60016T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Nesterenkonia , for which the name Nesterenkonia endophytica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is EGI 60016T (=CCTCC AB 2017176T=NBRC 112398T).

A Gram-positive and aerobic actinobacterium, strain SYSU D8006T, was isolated from a desert sand sample collected from Gurbantunggut desert, China. Phenotypically, the strain was found to grow at 14–50 °C, pH 6.0–9.0 and in the presence of up to 4% (w/v) NaCl. The chemotaxonomic features of strain SYSU D8006T included menaquinone MK-9(H4) as the respiratory quinone, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside as known polar lipids, iso-C15:0, iso-C16:0, C17:1ω8c and C18:1ω9c as the predominant fatty acids, and arabinose, galactose and glucose as the whole cell sugars. Strain SYSU D8006T shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence identity with Blastococcus jejuensis DSM 19597T (98.2%). Based on the analyses of the phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, strain SYSU D8006T is characterized to represent a novel species of the genus Blastococcus, for which the name Blastococcus deserti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SYSU D8006T (= CGMCC 1.15935T = KCTC 49026T = CPCC 204618T).

Background: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a major cause of mortality, yet its epidemiological and outcome data in hospitals from Saudi Arabia are limited. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, risk factors and outcomes of SCA in a teaching hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This retrospective study included all patients aged ≥18 years with SCA who were resuscitated at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between January 1 and December 31, 2016. Data were retrieved from the hospital medical records as flow sheets designed in accordance with the Utstein-style recommendations. Factors relating to mortality were analyzed using descriptive analyses and chi-square test. Results: A total of 429 cases of SCA met the inclusion criteria, and its prevalence was 7.76 cases/1000 adult hospital admission. Of these, 61.3% were male, and the mean age was 58.4 years, with 36.6% aged >65 years. Only 3.5% were outside-hospital cardiac arrests. The most common initial rhythm was pulseless electrical activity/asystole (93.2%), while ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation was documented in only 29 cases (6.8%). The overall rate of return to spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was 56.2%, and 56.8% in cases of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). Patients with SCA due to sepsis had significantly increased mortality (P < 0.000; odds ratio [OR] = 0.24 [0.12–0.47 95% confidence interval [CI]]), while those with SCA due to respiratory causes had significantly better survival outcomes (P = 0.001; OR = 2.3 [1.5–3.8 95% CI]). No significant differences in outcomes were found between other risk factors, including cardiac causes. Conclusion: In this population, the prevalence of SCA in adults was higher than reported in many similar studies. Further, sepsis was found to affect the survival rate. Although the rate of ROSC for IHCA patients was favorable compared with other studies, it is relatively poor. This finding signifies the need to identify and control risk factors for SCA to improve survival.

This study aims to investigate the bioaccumulation Tissues. The experiment was carried on for 28 days, meanwhile sampling fish weekly. With continued exposure, the accumulations were increased and fish progressively lost their ability to respond to this increase in exposure period. The control group displayed normal behavior during the test period. The lowest concentrations (10 and 15 mg/L Cr6+) had similar behavior to that of the control group. From the dose 20 mg/ L Cr6+, the fish started to show behavioral disorders. 25 mg/L Cr6+ and at the highest concentration (30 mg/L Cr6+) onwards, there was shivering, rather high respiratory disorder and swimming in capsized position in the following order the concentrations of Cr in gills were almost twice, three and four times as high as in the muscle at 20, 25 and 30 ug/L Cr6+ mediums, respectively. The Cr accumulation on the skin of Tilapia for all experimental concentrations was nearly twice as much as in the muscle of samples at the end of experiment.