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Herein we describe the antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibiofilm, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing potential of aqueous and polysaccharide extracts from three widely appreciated mushrooms: Agrocybe aegerita, Laetiporus sulphureus and Agaricus bisporus. Moreover, we present their detailed phenolic, polysaccharide and protein profiles and ATR-FTIR spectra. The study found that polysaccharide extracts (PEs) from mushrooms had higher total and β-glucan levels than aqueous extracts (AEs), with A. aegerita showing the highest content. L. sulphureus had a higher total protein content, and A. aegerita AE had the highest phenolic content. Our results indicate that all the tested extracts have high potential regarding their bioactive properties, with A. aegerita being the most promising one. Namely, the antibacterial activity assay showed that the development of the skin-infection-causing agent, Staphylococcus aureus, was inhibited with a minimal inhibitory concentration of 4.00 mg/mL and minimal bactericidal concentration of 8.00 mg/mL, while the results regarding wound healing showed that, over the course of 24 h, the A. aegerita extract actively promoted wound closure in the HaCaT keratinocyte cell line model. The anti-inflammatory activity results clearly showed that when we used S. aureus as an inflammation-inducing agent and the A. aegerita aqueous extract in treatment, IL-6 levels reduced to the level of 4.56 pg/mL. The obtained data suggest that the tested mushroom extracts may serve as a source of bioactive compounds, with potential applications in the cosmeceutical, pharmaceutical and food industries. Furthermore, potential skin preparations carefully crafted with mushroom extract may help restore the skin’s barrier function, decrease the probability of staph infections and minimize skin irritation.

The emergence of drug resistance genes and the detrimental health effects caused by the overuse of antibiotics are increasingly prominent problems. There is an urgent need for effective strategies to antibiotics or antimicrobial resistance in the fields of biomedicine and therapeutics. The pathogen-killing ability of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is linked to their structure and physicochemical properties, including their conformation, electrical charges, hydrophilicity, and hydrophobicity. AMPs are a form of innate immune protection found in all life forms. A key aspect of the application of AMPs involves their potential to combat emerging antibiotic resistance; certain AMPs are effective against resistant microbial strains and can be modified through peptide engineering. This review summarizes the various strategies used to tackle antibiotic resistance, with a particular focus on the role of AMPs as effective antibiotic agents that enhance the host’s immunological functions. Most of the recent studies on the properties and impregnation methods of AMPs, along with their biomedical applications, are discussed. This review provides researchers with insights into the latest advancements in AMP research, highlighting compelling evidence for the effectiveness of AMPs as antimicrobial agents.

Biofilm-associated infections account for a large proportion of chronic diseases and pose a major health challenge. Metal nanoparticles offer a new way to address this problem, by impairing microbial growth and biofilm formation and by causing degradation of existing biofilms. This review of metal nanoparticles with antimicrobial actions included an analysis of 20 years of journal papers and patent applications, highlighting the progress over that time. A network analysis of relevant publications showed a major focus on the eradication of single-species biofilms formed under laboratory conditions, while a bibliometric analysis showed growing interest in combining different types of metal nanoparticles with one another or with antibiotics. The analysis of patent applications showed considerable growth over time, but with relatively few patents progressing to be granted. Overall, this profile shows that intense interest in metal nanoparticles as anti-biofilm agents is progressing beyond the confines of simple laboratory biofilm models and coming closer to clinical application. Looking to the future, metal nanoparticles may provide a sustainable approach to combatting biofilms of drug-resistant bacteria.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global problem and an important consequence of inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents (AMAs). Studies have observed that a lack of awareness of AMR among healthcare professionals as well as consumers results in the irrational use of AMAs, a significant driver of AMR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This educational intervention study was undertaken to assess community awareness regarding AMAs and AMR and to educate them. Ten volunteer students from II MBBS were made aware of AMR, its impact and measures to reduce resistance through a lecture by Pharmacology faculty. Students interacted with 220 family representatives in the community to assess their knowledge about AMAs and AMR using a 15-item pre-validated questionnaire. Charts, videos, and role-play were used to impart knowledge about the rational use of AMAs, AMR, and its consequences. Participants’ understanding was ensured with feedback taken on Lickert scale. RESULTS: Students interacted with the study participants and found that most were aware of the term ‘antibiotic’ (90.8%), but 67% were clueless regarding antibiotic resistance. The purpose of AMA use was not adequately known to 43% as they mentioned using these for diarrhea, viral fever, cough, cold, and sore throat. AMAs were purchased by 40% of participants as OTC medicine, whereas Azithromycin and Amoxicillin were the AMAs they could remember by name. The reasons for buying OTC antibiotics were the inconvenience of doctors’ clinic timings, unaffordable consultation charges, and easy antibiotic availability. Students also learned about communication etiquette during this community interaction. This educational intervention proved helpful as the participants agreed that the unnecessary use of AMAs makes them ineffective and AMR is preventable by simple measures. CONCLUSION: A multifactorial approach involving prescribers, regulatory Government authorities and general public is needed to control irrational use of antimicrobials. Timely interventions are necessary to increase the awareness of AMR in the community.

Microbial infections pose a significant global health threat, affecting millions of individuals and leading to substantial mortality rates. The increasing resistance of microorganisms to conventional treatments requires the development of novel antimicrobial agents. Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), a natural medicinal drug involved in various cellular processes, holds promise as a potential antimicrobial agent. In the present study, our aim was, for the first time, to explore the antimicrobial activity of PQQ against 29 pathogenic microbes, including 13 fungal strains, 8 Gram-positive bacteria, and 8 Gram-negative bacteria. Our findings revealed potent antifungal properties of PQQ, particularly against Syncephalastrum racemosum, Talaromyces marneffei, Candida lipolytica, and Trichophyton rubrum. The MIC values varied between fungal strains, and T. marneffei exhibited a lower MIC, indicating a greater susceptibility to PQQ. In addition, PQQ exhibited notable antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria, with a prominent inhibition observed against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Proteus vulgaris, and MRSA strains. Remarkably, PQQ demonstrated considerable biofilm inhibition against the MRSA, S. epidermidis, and P. vulgaris strains. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies revealed that PQQ caused structural damage and disrupted cell metabolism in bacterial cells, leading to aberrant morphology, compromised cell membrane integrity, and leakage of cytoplasmic contents. These findings were further affirmed by shotgun proteomic analysis, which revealed that PQQ targets several important cellular processes in bacteria, including membrane proteins, ATP metabolic processes, DNA repair processes, metal-binding proteins, and stress response. Finally, detailed molecular modeling investigations indicated that PQQ exhibits a substantial binding affinity score for key microbial targets, including the mannoprotein Mp1P, the transcriptional regulator TcaR, and the endonuclease PvuRTs1I. Taken together, our study underscores the effectiveness of PQQ as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent capable of combating pathogenic fungi and bacteria, while also inhibiting biofilm formation and targeting several critical biological processes, making it a promising therapeutic option for biofilm-related infections.

Despite the urgent need for new antibiotics, very few innovative antibiotics have recently entered clinics or clinical trials. To provide a constant supply of new drug candidates optimized in terms of their potential to select for resistance in natural settings, in vitro resistance-predicting studies need to be improved and scaled up. In this review, the following in vitro parameters are presented: frequency of spontaneous mutant selection (FSMS), mutant prevention concentration (MPC), dominant mutant prevention concentration (MPC-D), inferior-mutant prevention concentration (MPC-F), and minimal selective concentration (MSC). The utility of various adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) approaches (serial transfer, continuous culture, and evolution in spatiotemporal microenvironments) for comparing hits in terms of the level and time required for multistep resistance to emerge is discussed. We also consider how the hit-to-lead stage can benefit from high-throughput ALE setups based on robotic workstations, do-it-yourself (DIY) continuous cultivation systems, microbial evolution and growth arena (MEGA) plates, soft agar gradient evolution (SAGE) plates, microfluidic chips, or microdroplet technology. Finally, approaches for evaluating the fitness of in vitro-generated resistant mutants are presented. This review aims to draw attention to newly emerged ideas on how to improve the in vitro forecasting of the potential of compounds to select for resistance in natural settings.

The food industry is increasingly focused on maintaining the quality and safety of food products as consumers are becoming more health conscious and seeking fresh, minimally processed foods. However, deterioration and spoilage caused by foodborne pathogens continue to pose significant challenges, leading to decreased shelf life and quality. To overcome this issue, the food industry and researchers are exploring new approaches to prevent microbial growth in food, while preserving its nutritional value and safety. Active packaging, including antimicrobial packaging, has gained considerable attention among current food packaging methods owing to the wide range of materials used, application methods, and their ability to protect various food products. Both direct and indirect methods can be used to improve food safety and quality by incorporating antimicrobial compounds into the food packaging materials. This comprehensive review focuses on natural and synthetic antimicrobial substances and polymer-based films, and their mechanisms and applications in packaging systems. The properties of these materials are compared, and the persistent challenges in the field of active packaging are emphasized. Specifically, there is a need to achieve the controlled release of antimicrobial agents and develop active packaging materials that possess the necessary mechanical and barrier properties, as well as other characteristics essential for ensuring food protection and safety, particularly bio-based packaging materials.

Global public health is facing a major issue with emerging resistance to antimicrobial agents. Antimicrobial agents that are currently on the market are strong and efficient, but it has not been ruled out that these medications will eventually cause resistance to bacteria. Exploring novel bioactive compounds derived from natural sources is therefore, crucial to meet future demands. The present study evaluated the mode of action of the antimicrobial potential protease enzyme SH21. Protease SH21 exhibited antimicrobial activity, strong heat stability (up to 100 °C), and pH stability (pH 3.0 to 9.0). In terms of mode of action, we found that protease SH21 was able to disrupt the bacterial cell membrane as the results of the nucleotide leakage and cell membrane permeability assay. In addition, we also checked inner membrane permeability by PI uptake assay which suggested that protease SH21 has the ability to enter the bacterial cell membrane. Our results revealed that the antimicrobial protease SH21 might be a promising candidate for treating microbial infections.

With respect to other fields, bone tissue engineering has significantly expanded in recent years, leading not only to relevant advances in biomedical applications but also to innovative perspectives. Polycaprolactone (PCL), produced in the beginning of the 1930s, is a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer. Due to its mechanical and physicochemical features, as well as being easily shapeable, PCL-based constructs can be produced with different shapes and degradation kinetics. Moreover, due to various development processes, PCL can be made as 3D scaffolds or fibres for bone tissue regeneration applications. This outstanding biopolymer is versatile because it can be modified by adding agents with antimicrobial properties, not only antibiotics/antifungals, but also metal ions or natural compounds. In addition, to ameliorate its osteoproliferative features, it can be blended with calcium phosphates. This review is an overview of the current state of our recent investigation into PCL modifications designed to impair microbial adhesive capability and, in parallel, to allow eukaryotic cell viability and integration, in comparison with previous reviews and excellent research papers. Our recent results demonstrated that the developed 3D constructs had a high interconnected porosity, and the addition of biphasic calcium phosphate improved human cell attachment and proliferation. The incorporation of alternative antimicrobials—for instance, silver and essential oils—at tuneable concentrations counteracted microbial growth and biofilm formation, without affecting eukaryotic cells’ viability. Notably, this challenging research area needs the multidisciplinary work of material scientists, biologists, and orthopaedic surgeons to determine the most suitable modifications on biomaterials to design favourable 3D scaffolds based on PCL for the targeted healing of damaged bone tissue.

Dried fruits are popular ready-to-eat snacks. However, due to cross-contamination or contact with infected persons, Escherichia coli could be present, of which some strains are pathogenic, thus, the consumption of contaminated dried fruits could pose a public health risk. Microbial cells subjected to stress factors such as osmotic shock, radiation and antimicrobials could induce complex stress response systems and adaptation. Radiation and antimicrobials have been shown to cause an SOS response in E. coli, which affects cellular metabolism, such as the enhanced ability to repair DNA and mutagenesis. Studies have shown that glucose plays a critical role in the down- or upregulation of locus for enterocyte effacement (LEE)-encoded virulence of E. coli. Gamma radiation could also cause the formation of viable but nonculturable (VBNC) cells. If these cells are present in a sample, the number of viable cells will be underestimated by the plate count method leading to the false conclusion that the product is germ-free. We have reviewed in this article how stressors such as high sugar content, gamma radiation, and antimicrobials affect the survival of E. coli in dried fruits.

Du Wei,1,&ast; Yue Chang,1,2,&ast; Qi Chen,3,&ast; Qin Wang,4 Hanni Zhou,1,2 Shengyan Wu,1,2 Xiaomin Xian,5 Zhezhe Cui6 1School of Medicine and Health Management, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Center of Medicine Economics and Management Research, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Pharmacy Department, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Health Education, Tongren Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Tongren, Guizhou, People’s Republic of China; 5School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, People’s Republic of China; 6Guangxi Key Laboratory of Major Infectious Disease Prevention and Control and Biosafety Emergency Response, Guangxi Key Discipline platform of Tuberculosis Control, Guangxi Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Zhezhe Cui, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Major Infectious Disease Prevention and Control and Biosafety Emergency Response, Guangxi key discipline platform of tuberculosis control, Guangxi Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +86-0771-2518785, Email czz6997@163.com Yue Chang, School of Medicine and Health Management, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +86-0851-88308118, Email changyue@gmc.edu.cnPurpose: To establish a concise and easy-to-understand reference manual for outpatient primary care providers, promoting correct diagnosis of digestive system diseases and rational antimicrobial use.Methods: The establishment of the manual encompassed two processes: the development of a draft manual and the validation of the manual. The development process was based on a literature review and expert discussion. The manual comprises portions for disease diagnosis and rationality of antimicrobial use. The validation process employed a two-round Delphi technique, collecting consensus through paper-based or mail-based communications. The response of the Delphi group was assessed by the level of authority and commitment of the panelists and the degree of agreement among them. Furthermore, the manual was preliminarily applied among primary care physicians.Results: A total of 29 panelists completed the Delphi working process. They were authoritative in their professional fields with authority coefficients of 0.813 and 0.818 for the two portions of the manual, respectively. The level of commitment of the panelists was measured by response rates, which were 100.00% and 96.67% for Round 1 and 2. After two rounds, a consensus was achieved with the consensus rates for the two portions of the manual being greater than 65% and 70%, respectively. Kendall W-tests had P-values < 0.001 in both rounds. This reference manual provides 200 diagnostic indicators for 29 common digestive diseases and recommendations for the rational use of antimicrobial agents for 13 categories of digestive diseases. The primary care physicians who used the reference manual reported high satisfaction and frequent usage.Conclusion: Based on a collective consensus of professionals, a reference manual has been established, to provide a concise and easy-to-understand guide specifically for physicians and pharmacists in outpatient primary care. It could facilitate rapid learning to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment for digestive disorders.Keywords: primary health care, digestive system, diagnosis, antimicrobial agents, rational drug use, Delphi technique

Background. Neisseria gonorrhoeae can rapidly develop resistance to antimicrobial agents due to innate mechanisms for the acquisition of antimicrobial resistance genes. Because of the rapid formation of resistance mechanisms of N. gonorrhoeae to the antimicrobial agents used in gonococcal therapy, the risk of incurable forms of the disease is high. The purpose of the study is to to summarize the results of RU-GASP over a 16-year period and assess the trends of N. gonorrhoeae resistance to antimicrobials used in the regimens of antibiotic therapy of gonococcal infection in Russia. Materials and methods. Study Objective. The study included 5356 isolates of N. gonorrhoeae received from January 2005 to December 2021 in State Scientific Center of Dermatovenerology and Cosmetology, Moscow of the Ministry of Health of Russia under the RU-GASP program from specialized medical organizations of dermatovenerological profile of 37 subjects of the Russian Federation. Primary identification of N. gonorrhoeae was performed using bacterioscopic and bacteriological methods. The cultures identified as N. gonorrhoeae were frozen in a cryogenic medium and transported to SSCDC. Received cultures were verified by biochemical criteria on a VITEK 2 Compact analyzer. For cultures identified as N. gonorrhoeae with less than 99% probability, a time-of-flight ionization mass spectrometer MALDI Microflex (Bruker Daltonics GmbH, Germany) was used for mass spectrometric analysis. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Sensitivity testing of N. gonorrhoeae to six antimicrobials penicillin, spectinomycin, ceftriaxone, tetracycline, azithromycin and ciprofloxacin was performed by serial dilution in agar with determination of minimum suppressive concentrations (MSC, mg/L). N. gonorrhoeae sensitivity to antibacterial agents was evaluated according to EUCAST criteria (The European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing, 2022, http://www.eucast.org). Results. The study showed the absence of significant changes in the ratio of sensitive and resistant to the action of antimicrobial drugs strains of N. gonorrhoeae that is a consequence of the effectiveness of the RU-GASP program, which allowed to exclude in time from therapeutic use the drugs for which a high proportion of the identified resistant strains was observed. Conclusion. Analysis of RU-GASP results over a 16-year period confirms the use of third-generation cephalosporins (Ceftriaxone, Cefixime) as the drugs of choice for therapy of gonococcal infection, and the aminocyclic antibiotic spectinomycin as an alternative drug. The continued evolution of the molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance of N. gonorrhoeae dictates the need to continue the RU-GASP program.

Seventeen water samples were collected from four different thermal springs in Saudi Arabia. Microbiological assays were used to assess the antibacterial activities of bacterial colonies against antibiotic-resistant and susceptible-bacterial strains, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to identify the genus and species of these antibiotic-producing bacteria. Chromatography and spectroscopy were used to separate the active compounds and help figuring out what their structures were. Four compounds were isolated using bacteria: N-acetyltryptamine (1), isovaleric acid (2), ethyl-4-ethoxybenzoate (3) and phenylacetic acid (4). Compounds 1, 2 and 4 were produced from Bacillus pumilus and 3 was from Bacillus licheniformis (AH-E1). The outcomes of the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) showed that all pure compounds produced in this work had antibacterial activities against Gram-positive pathogens (between 128 mg/L and 512 mg/L compared to the control) and compound 2 had activity against E. coli.

ABSTRACT Importance Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common infections encountered in infancy and childhood. Despite the emerging problem of antibiotic resistance in recent years, the use of antibiotics for better management of UTIs is inevitable. Objective This study aims to explore the efficacy and adverse effects of the available antimicrobial agents that are used in pediatric UTIs in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). Methods Five electronic databases were searched to identify relevant articles. Two reviewers independently performed screening, data extraction, and quality assessment of the available literature. Randomized controlled trials providing antimicrobial interventions in both male and female participants within the age range of 3 months to 17 years in LMICs were included. Results Six randomized controlled trials from 13 LMICs were included in this review (four trials explored the efficacy). Due to high heterogeneity across the studies, a meta‐analysis was not performed. Other than attrition and reporting bias, the risk of bias was moderate to high due to poor study designs. The differences in the efficacy and adverse events of different antimicrobials were not found to be statistically significant. Interpretation This review indicates the necessity for additional clinical trials on children from LMICs with more significant sample numbers, adequate intervention periods, and study design.

Root canal treatment addresses infectious processes that require control. Occasionally, the radicular pulp is vital and inflamed, presenting a superficial infection. To preserve pulpal remnants, conservative procedures have gained favor, employing anti-inflammatory medications. This study investigated the effects of propolis (PRO), and copaiba oil-resin (COR) associated with hydrocortisone (H) and compared their impact to that of Otosporin® concerning cytotoxic and genotoxic activity, cytokine detection, and toxicity in the Galleria mellonella model. Human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLFs) were exposed to drug concentrations and evaluated by the MTT assay. Associations were tested from concentrations that did not compromise cell density. Genotoxicity was evaluated through micronucleus counting, while cytokines IL-6 and TGF-β1 were detected in the cell supernatant using ELISA. Molecular docking simulations were conducted, considering the major compounds identified in PRO, COR, and H. Increasing concentrations of PRO and COR were assessed for acute toxicity in Galleria mellonella model. Cellular assays were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey tests, while larval survivals were evaluated using the Log-rank (Mantel-Cox) test (α = 0.05). PRO and COR promoted PDLFs proliferation, even in conjunction with H. No changes in cell metabolism were observed concerning cytokine levels. The tested materials induce the release of AT1R, proliferating the PDFLs through interactions. PRO and COR had low toxicity in larvae, suggesting safety at tested levels. These findings endorse the potential of PRO and COR in endodontics and present promising applications across medical domains, such as preventive strategies in inflammation, shedding light on their potential development into commercially available drugs.

ABSTRACT Biofilm formation is an important characteristic of many Staphylococcus aureus infections because it limits the efficacy of host defenses and conventional antibiotic therapy. There are many literature reports that describe small molecule inhibitors of S. aureus biofilm formation, but the lack of direct comparisons and differences in the methods used to assess inhibition make it impossible to assess the efficacy of these compounds relative to each other. To address this, we compared 19 compounds reported in the literature to be inhibitors of S. aureus biofilm formation. We used the methicillin-susceptible clinical osteomyelitis isolate UAMS-1 in a microtiter plate biofilm assay shown to maximize biofilm formation and provide results consistent with those observed in vivo. Under these conditions, telithromycin (Ketek) showed the greatest inhibitory activity, limiting biofilm formation to a degree comparable to a UAMS-1 sarA mutant at a concentration of 0.49 µM (0.40 µg/mL). Similar results were obtained for the methicillin-resistant USA300 strain LAC. Telithromycin is a bacteriostatic ketolide antibiotic that is not currently approved in the United States for use as an antibiotic due to its concerning safety profile. However, the concentration required to limit growth in vitro was higher than the concentration required to limit biofilm formation, suggesting that low-dose telithromycin might be useful to limit biofilm formation and increase the efficacy of other antibiotics in biofilm-associated infections. Irrespective of whether telithromycin is ultimately proven clinically useful in this regard, these results emphasize the need for widespread use of a standardized in vitro approach to evaluate prospective inhibitors. IMPORTANCE Because biofilm formation is such a problematic feature of Staphylococcus aureus infections, much effort has been put into identifying biofilm inhibitors. However, the results observed with these compounds are often reported in isolation, and the methods used to assess biofilm formation vary between labs, making it impossible to assess relative efficacy and prioritize among these putative inhibitors for further study. The studies we report address this issue by directly comparing putative biofilm inhibitors using a consistent in vitro assay. This assay was previously shown to maximize biofilm formation, and the results observed with this assay have been proven to be relevant in vivo. Of the 19 compounds compared using this method, many had no impact on biofilm formation under these conditions. Indeed, only one proved effective at limiting biofilm formation without also inhibiting growth.

Manganese dioxide nanoparticles (MnO2 NPs) were synthesized via a typical green synthesis method involving Tridax procumbens (TP) leaf extract extraction and utilization. The as-prepared material was further characterized using various physio-chemical methods to comprehend its structural, morphological, and optical properties. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) reveals a tetragonal system with a space group of I 41/a m d, clearly indicating the presence of phytochemicals (impurity peaks at 25.46° and 54.92° diffraction angles). The calculated crystalline size of the sample was found to be 43 nm. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) results confirm the precursors of the as-prepared sample, also revealing the agglomerated structure. Furthermore, deeper morphology and crystallinity of the as-prepared MnO2 NPs have been studied through High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HR-TEM) images, which affirms the information about calculated d-spacing value (0.328 nm) and confirming crystallinity through Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) image. Absorption studies were conducted on as-prepared samples, which show a characteristic band at 257 nm, affirming the formation of MnO2 NPs. The same was utilized to evaluate the band gap energy (4.46 eV) through the Kubelka-Munk function. To further confirm the calculated particle size and stability of the as-prepared MnO2 NPs, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) analysis was conducted, and the results revealed that the particles’ size was 58.72 nm. The prepared samples were subjected to study antimicrobial studies against gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacterial species. The inhibition zone of the antibacterial disc soaked with as-prepared MnO2 NPs showed a significant increase compared to the TP leaf extract and commercially available MnO2 NPs. Also, the degradation of the Titan Yellow dye solution was conducted employing UV irradiation, and it was found that the maximum degradation percentage was attained after 120 min of irradiation. Furthermore, the pH effect on %degradation and reusability test were also conducted. The obtained results showed a pinnacle pH point of 4 where the degradation was maximum and found a decent decrement in %degradation after 4th usage. All the acquired results were utilized to study the degradation reaction kinetics, which was found that the present degradation holds good for both 0th and 1st order kinetic equations. Henceforth, the acquired results suggest that the green synthesized MnO2 NPs are potent candidates for antimicrobial and degrading activities.

ABSTRACT Developing software tools that leverage biological data sets to accelerate drug discovery is an important aspect of bioinformatic research. Here, we present a novel example: a web application called Rocket-miR that applies an existing bioinformatic algorithm (IntaRNA) to predict cross-species miRNA-mRNA interactions and identify human miRNAs with potential antimicrobial activity against antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Rocket-miR is the logical extension of our prior finding that human miRNA let-7b-5p impairs the ability of the ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa to form biofilms and resist the bactericidal effect of β-lactam antibiotics. Rocket-miR’s point and click interface enables researchers without programming expertise to predict additional human-miRNA-pathogen interactions. Identified miRNAs can be developed into novel antimicrobials effective against the 24 clinically relevant pathogens, implicated in diseases of the lung, gut, and other organs, that are included in the application. The paper incorporates three case studies contributed by microbiologists that study human pathogens to demonstrate the usefulness and usability of the application. Rocket-miR is accessible at the following link: http://scangeo.dartmouth.edu/RocketmiR/.IMPORTANCEAntimicrobial-resistant infections contribute to millions of deaths worldwide every year. In particular, the group of bacteria collectively known as ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter sp.) pathogens are of considerable medical concern due to their virulence and exceptional ability to develop antibiotic resistance. New kinds of antimicrobial therapies are urgently needed to treat patients for whom existing antibiotics are ineffective. The Rocket-miR application predicts targets of human miRNAs in bacterial and fungal pathogens, rapidly identifying candidate miRNA-based antimicrobials. The application’s target audience are microbiologists that have the laboratory resources to test the application’s predictions. The Rocket-miR application currently supports 24 recognized human pathogens that are relevant to numerous diseases including cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), urinary tract infections, and pneumonia. Furthermore, the application code was designed to be easily extendible to other human pathogens that commonly cause hospital-acquired infections.

ABSTRACT The Lyme disease bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi is extremely host dependent, with a small genome and correspondingly limited metabolism. As such, it is an excellent candidate for the development of targeted, narrow-spectrum antimicrobials. To accelerate drug discovery in this fastidious bacterium, in silico genome-scale metabolic modeling was used to construct a map of B. burgdorferi’s metabolism. This map was used to predict essential genes and enzymes; experimental data validated these predicted hits as viable drug targets. Repurposing existing small-molecule inhibitors, it is shown that inhibition of two predicted essential enzymes (pyridoxal kinase and serine hydroxymethyltransferase) selectively kills B. burgdorferi in culture. Thus, the essential processes identified here represent targets for the development of narrow-spectrum antimicrobials. This pipeline, pairing in silico discovery with validation in culture, may be useful for other genetically intractable pathogens.IMPORTANCELyme disease is often treated using long courses of antibiotics, which can cause side effects for patients and risks the evolution of antimicrobial resistance. Narrow-spectrum antimicrobials would reduce these risks, but their development has been slow because the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, is difficult to work with in the laboratory. To accelerate the drug discovery pipeline, we developed a computational model of B. burgdorferi’s metabolism and used it to predict essential enzymatic reactions whose inhibition prevented growth in silico. These predictions were validated using small-molecule enzyme inhibitors, several of which were shown to have specific activity against B. burgdorferi. Although the specific compounds used are not suitable for clinical use, we aim to use them as lead compounds to develop optimized drugs targeting the pathways discovered here.

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen that often leads to hospital-acquired and community-acquired infections. The appearance of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) has made the treatment extremely challenging. There is an urgent need to develop new antimicrobial agents to combat MRSA infections. In this study, through high-throughput screening, we found that tafenoquine (TAF), an antimalarial agent, exhibited antimicrobial efficacy against MRSA and its highly resistant phenotypes of biofilm and persister cells. No resistant mutation emerged by consecutive sub-minimal inhibitory concentration of TAF induction. Mechanistic studies by fluorescent probes of SYTOX Green/DiSC3(5), molecular dynamic simulations, electron microscopy, and proteomic analysis revealed that TAF exerts antimicrobial activity mainly through selective bacterial cell membrane disruption. In addition, TAF exhibited an effective antimicrobial effect in a subcutaneous abscess model in vivo with a good toxicity profile. In conclusion, TAF may have the potential to be developed as a new antimicrobial agent to treat refractory MRSA infections.IMPORTANCEThis study represents the first investigation into the antimicrobial effect of TAF against S. aureus and its potential mechanisms. Our data highlighted the effects of TAF against MRSA planktonic cells, biofilms, and persister cells, which is conducive to broadening the application of TAF. Through mechanistic studies, we revealed that TAF targets bacterial cell membranes. In addition, the in vivo experiments in mice demonstrated the safety and antimicrobial efficacy of TAF, suggesting that TAF could be a potential antibacterial drug candidate for the treatment of infections caused by multiple drug-resistant S. aureus.

Ticks are important ectoparasites that transmit various pathogens causing morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. Saudi Arabia faces several challenges that can contribute to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) bacteria. These challenges require collaborative efforts to successfully achieve significant control of AMR in the country. The present study aims to isolate bacteria from camels' tick Hyalomma dromedarii in Al-Jouf province to identify and determine these isolates' antimicrobial susceptibilities. Forty-nine ticks were collected from dromedary camels and morphologically classified as H. dromedarii. Ticks were then homogenized and plated individually, which resulted in the isolation of 55 bacteria. The results showed that the bacterial isolates belong to 20 different species. About 71% (n = 39) of the total isolates were identified as Gram-positive bacteria comprised of 11 different species, while 29% (n = 16) of the total isolates were Gram-negative bacteria comprised of 9 different species. The most prevalent isolate within the total samples was Staphylococcus lentus (22.45%, 11/49), followed by Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (18.37%, 9/49) and Sphingomonas paucimobilis (16.33% 8/49). The antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Gram-positive bacteria showed that 100% (n = 31) were resistant to benzylpenicillin; 90.3% (n = 28) were resistant to oxacillin; 58.1% (n = 18) were resistant to clindamycin; 48.4% (n = 15) were resistant to vancomycin. In addition, 32.3% (n = 10) were resistant to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and rifampicin; 25.8% (n = 8) were resistant to erythromycin; 16.1% (n = 5) were resistant to teicoplanin; 6.5% (n = 2) were resistant to tetracycline. All Gram-positive bacteria were 100% susceptible to linezolid, gentamicin, tobramycin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, tigecycline, and nitrofurantoin. In antimicrobial susceptibility tests for the Gram-negative bacteria, 57.14% (n = 8) of the identified bacteria were resistant to ampicillin, whereas 50% (n = 7) were resistant to cefoxitin and ceftazidime. About 28.57% (n = 4) of the Gram-negative bacteria were resistant to ceftriaxone, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. In addition, 21.43% (n = 3) were resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and cephalothin; 14.29% (n = 2) were resistant to cefepime and nitrofurantoin; 7.14% (n = 1) were resistant to piperacillin/tazobactam and tigecycline. However, all Gram-negative bacteria were susceptible to other examined antimicrobials. This is the first study that investigates the role of the hard tick as a potential reservoir for AMR pathogens within our region.

Background and objectives: The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of electrolyzed water and chitosan coating incorporated with thymol and carvacrol, on the inoculation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Listeria monocytogenes in rainbow trout fillets. This assessment was conducted during cold storage on days 0, 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12. Furthermore, the antimicrobial effectiveness of thymol and carvacrol was assessed against the designated bacteria through the determination of their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC). Results: The MIC and MBCvalues for both thymol and carvacrol exhibited uniformity among all strains. Relative to the control samples, the chitosan coatings produced using electrolyzed water containing either thymol or carvacrol (EW/CH/THY and EW/CH/CAR) exhibited the most significant reduction in Listeria monocytogenes (approximately 3 log10 CFU/g), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (around 3 log10 CFU/g), and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (about 2 log10 CFU/g). Furthermore, when chitosan or electrolyzed water was used individually, a decrease of approximately 1 log10 CFU/g in bacterial growth was observed compared to the control samples. Additionally, on day 0, a reduction rate of 1–3 log10 CFU/g in bacterial growth was recorded when compared to the control. Conclusions: The study suggests that a combination of chitosan, electrolyzed water, and essential oils can provide protection against pathogenic bacteria in food products. The findings highlight the possibility of utilizing chitosan coating as a feasible and secure substitute for artificial preservatives.

Protein‐polymer conjugates have significant potential in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. To enable their widespread use, robust conjugation techniques are crucial. This study introduces a photo‐initiated reversible addition‐fragmentation chain‐transfer (Photo‐RAFT) polymerization system that exhibits excellent oxygen tolerance. This system allows for the synthesis of protein‐polymer conjugates with high bioactivity under mild and aerobic conditions. Three photocatalytic systems utilizing Eosin Y (EY) as the photocatalyst with two different cocatalysts (ascorbic acid and triethanolamine) were investigated, each generating distinct reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as singlet oxygen, superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radicals. The impact of these ROS on three model proteins (lysozyme, albumin, and myoglobin) was evaluated, demonstrating varying bioactivities based on the ROS produced. The EY/TEOA system was identified as the optimal photo‐RAFT initiating system, enabling the preparation of protein‐polymer conjugates under aerobic conditions while maintaining high protein enzymatic activity. To showcase the potential of this approach, lysozyme‐poly(dimethylaminoethyl acrylate) conjugates were successfully prepared and exhibited enhanced antimicrobial property against Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) present substantial challenges to clinical intervention, necessitating the formulation of novel antimicrobial strategies to counteract them. Nanomaterials offer a distinctive avenue for eradicating bacteria by employing mechanisms divergent from traditional antibiotic resistance pathways and exhibiting reduced susceptibility to drug resistance development. Non-caloric artificial sweeteners, commonly utilized in the food sector, such as saccharin, sucralose, acesulfame, and aspartame, possess structures amenable to nanomaterial formation. In this investigation, we synthesized gold nanoparticles decorated with non-caloric artificial sweeteners and evaluated their antimicrobial efficacy against clinical CRE strains. Results: Among these, gold nanoparticles decorated with aspartame (ASP_Au NPs) exhibited the most potent antimicrobial effect, displaying minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 4 to 16 µg/mL. As a result, ASP_Au NPs were chosen for further experimentation. Elucidation of the antimicrobial mechanism unveiled that ASP_Au NPs substantially elevated bacterial reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, which dissipated upon ROS scavenger treatment, indicating ROS accumulation within bacteria as the fundamental antimicrobial modality. Furthermore, findings from membrane permeability assessments suggested that ASP_Au NPs may represent a secondary antimicrobial modality via enhancing inner membrane permeability. In addition, experiments involving crystal violet and confocal live/dead staining demonstrated effective suppression of bacterial biofilm formation by ASP_Au NPs. Moreover, ASP_Au NPs demonstrated notable efficacy in the treatment of Galleria mellonella bacterial infection and acute abdominal infection in mice, concurrently mitigating the organism's inflammatory response. Crucially, evaluation of in vivo safety and biocompatibility established that ASP_Au NPs exhibited negligible toxicity at bactericidal concentrations. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that ASP_Au NPs exhibit promise as innovative antimicrobial agents against clinical CRE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radix Paeoniae Alba (RPA) has been used extensively in Chinese traditional medicine to treat gastrointestinal disorders, immune-modulating diseases, cancers, and numerous other conditions. A few of its active components include paeoniflorin, albiflorin, lactiflorin, and catechin. However, their therapeutic effectiveness is compromised by poor pharmacokinetic profiles, low oral bioavailability, short half-lives, and poor aqueous solubility. In this study, hydroxyethyl cellulose-grafted-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (HEC-g-AMPS) hydrogels were successfully prepared for the controlled release of Radix Paeonia Alba-solid dispersion (RPA-SD). A total of 43 compounds were identified in RPA-SD using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis. The hydrogel network formation was confirmed by FTIR, TGA, DSC, XRD, and SEM. Hydrogels' swelling and drug release were slightly higher at pH 1.2 (43.31% swelling, 81.70% drug release) than at pH 7.4 (27.73% swelling, 72.46% drug release) after 48 h. The gel fraction, drug release time and mechanical strength of the hydrogels increased with increased polymer and monomer concentration. Furthermore, the hydrogels were porous (84.15% porosity) and biodegradable (8.9% weight loss per week). Moreover, the synthesized hydrogels exhibited excellent antimicrobial and antioxidative properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review highlights the therapeutic properties of monoterpenes, particularly γ-terpinene, p-cymene, and p-cymenene, found in essential oils derived from various plants. These compounds are known for their analgesic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. γ-Terpinene is recognized for its potent antioxidant properties and is a constituent of oils from plants such as cumin and thyme. p-cymene, found in over 100 plant species, is noted for its antiviral and antibacterial properties and is considered safe by IFRA standards. p-Cymenene, with its distinct aroma, is detected in parsley and turmeric oils and is known for its antibacterial and antioxidant activities. The antimicrobial properties of γ-terpinene and p-cymene are highlighted, demonstrating their effectiveness in treating various skin conditions and reducing airborne microbes. Their selective antimicrobial activity preserves the integrity of the microbiome, offering a balanced approach to infection control. The anti-inflammatory properties of γ-terpinene are emphasized, with studies indicating its role in modulating cytokine production, underscoring its potential in the treatment of inflammation. Additionally, its antinociceptive effects suggest it is a safe analgesic. In cancer treatment, the antiproliferative effects of γ-terpinene and p-cymene are being explored, highlighting their potential for targeted cancer therapy. This review aimed to consolidate knowledge about these monoterpenes and promote a deeper understanding of their medical applications and safety. The knowledge gained is expected to stimulate further research, potentially leading to innovative applications in pharmaceutical and medical fields and harnessing the potential of -terpinene, p-cymene, and p-cymenene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research focuses on Wayanad District within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve of the Western Ghats, a renowned hotspot for lichen diversity. A thorough investigation documented 10 distinct Parmotrema species, with one newly identified species (Parmotrema clavuliferum). Each species was comprehensively described, encompassing their morphological, chemical, and biogeographical characteristics. The core objective of this study revolves around conservation and sustainable utilization of this valuable bioresource. This research contributes to our understanding of lichen ecosystems, particularly in regions facing diverse threats, and underscores the importance of the Wayanad District within the broader context of biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arquivos de Ciências da Saúde da UNIPAR is the property of Associacao Paranaense de Ensino e Cultura and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Oral biofilm formation is the main reason for both caries progression and soft tissue diseases. Preventing the formation and promotion of biofilm has been known as the first attempt to prevent the development of caries and soft tissue problems in the oral cavity. The present study aimed to assess the effect of ozone and its combined use with chlorhexidine (CHX) and fluoride on the complex biofilm formation of pediatric patients under in situ conditions. Extracted bovine teeth were sterilized and cut into 2 × 3 mm² sections. The samples were placed in removable maxillary plates and 10 healthy individuals (6 boys, 4 girls; aged 7–14 years) were asked to wear these plates for 6, 24 and 48 hours. Afterwards, the tooth samples were removed, and anti-plaque agents were applied to the time-related plaque formation. Plaque thickness and viable bacterial percentages were detected by confocal laser scanning microscopy. All materials used in the study decreased the plaque formation and the percentage of viable microorganisms compared with the control group (physiological saline). In 6- and 24-hour biofilm evaluations, ozone-CHX was the most effective group in decreasing the plaque thickness (P > 0.05). Ozone-CHX and Ozone-Fluoride groups were found to be better in 48-hour biofilm assessments in caries-free group (P > 0.05). Ozone-CHX group showed a better inhibitory effect on the viability of microorganisms in 6-, 24- and 48-hour biofilm formations (P < 0.05). Although CHX has been known as the gold standard for inhibiting the oral biofilm formation, according to the results of the study, gaseous ozone and its combined use with CHX have shown better results in reducing the biofilm thickness and viable bacterial percentages of in situ formed time-related biofilm formation in pediatric patients. The use of gaseous ozone can be preferred in clinical conditions in pediatric patients instead of the CHX agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial biofilms are widespread in the environment, and bacteria in the biofilm are highly resistant to antibiotics and possess host immune defense mechanisms, which can lead to serious clinical and environmental health problems. The increasing problem of bacterial resistance caused by the irrational use of traditional antimicrobial drugs has prompted the search for better and novel antimicrobial substances. In this paper, we review the effects of phage endolysins, modified phage endolysins, and their combination with other substances on bacterial biofilms and provide an outlook on their practical applications. Phage endolysins can specifically and efficiently hydrolyze the cell walls of bacteria, causing bacterial lysis and death. Phage endolysins have shown superior bactericidal effects in vitro and in vivo, and no direct toxicity in humans has been reported to date. The properties of phage endolysins make them promising for the prevention and treatment of bacterial infections. Meanwhile, endolysins have been genetically engineered to exert a stronger scavenging effect on biological membranes when used in combination with antibiotics and drugs. Phage endolysins are powerful weapons for controlling bacterial biofilms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fact that bacteria are one of the most important contributors to the genesis of dental disease raises the question of how to eradicate or decrease them to acceptable levels. There are several medications and procedures for preserving oral health. New scientific and technological advancements in the field of prevention equip us with a plethora of new items to improve oral health and care. Some of them are intended for use at home, while others are intended for professional use. Modern mechanical and chemotherapeutical oral hygiene treatments seek to change the oral microbiota and contribute to healthy dental and periodontal tissue. The literature has several categories of anti-microbial agents. One of these is the grouping into groups based on chemical properties, and it is this classification that this study will adhere to. This categorization divides anti-microbial agents into cationic, anionic, non-ionic agents, enzymes, and sugar alcohols. The purpose of this research is to provide a full and comprehensive assessment of antimicrobial agents for oral hygiene, their mode of action on the bacterial cell, and the relevance and value of their use in oral prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human Lyme borreliosis (LB) represents a multisystem disorder that can progress in stages. The causative agents are transmitted by hard ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex that have been infected with the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Today, LB is considered the most important human tick-borne illness in the Northern Hemisphere. The causative agent was identified and successfully isolated in 1982 and, shortly thereafter, antibiotic treatment was found to be safe and efficacious. Since then, various in vitro studies have been conducted in order to improve our knowledge of the activity of antimicrobial agents against B. burgdorferi s. l. The full spectrum of in vitro antibiotic susceptibility has still not been defined for some of the more recently developed compounds. Moreover, our current understanding of the in vitro interactions between B. burgdorferi s. l. and antimicrobial agents, and their possible mechanisms of resistance remains very limited and is largely based on in vitro susceptibility experiments on only a few isolates of Borrelia. Even less is known about the possible mechanisms of the in vitro persistence of spirochetes exposed to antimicrobial agents in the presence of human and animal cell lines. Only a relatively small number of laboratory studies and cell culture experiments have been conducted. This review summarizes what is and what is not known about the in vitro susceptibility of B. burgdorferi s. l. It aims to shed light on the known unknowns that continue to fuel current debates on possible treatment resistance and mechanisms of persistence of Lyme disease spirochetes in the presence of antimicrobial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the prudent and reasonable use of veterinary antimicrobial agents in food-producing animals is necessary, researchers over the decades have shown that these antimicrobial agents can spread into the environment through livestock manure and wastewater. The analysis of the occurrence of antimicrobial compounds in soil samples is of a great importance to determine potential impacts on human and animal health and the environment. In this study, an affordable, rugged and simple analytical method has been developed for the determination of twenty-nine antimicrobial compounds from five different classes (tetracyclines, fluoro(quinolones), macrolides, sulfonamides and diaminopirimidines). Liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) with extract filtration combined with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was the best strategy for the simultaneous determination of all analytes. The developed method was validated according to the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/808. The limit of detections (LODs) ranged from 0.5 to 2.0 µg/kg, while the limit of quantitation (LOQ) was established at 1.0 to 20.0 µg/kg. The developed method was successfully applied for the determination of antimicrobial residues in one hundred and eighteen soil samples obtained from four European countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia and Portugal). Doxycycline in the concentration levels of 9.07 µg/kg–20.6 µg/kg was detected in eight of the analysed samples. Samples were collected from areas where natural fertilizers (swine or cow manure) were applied. Our method can be efficiently used to monitor anti-microbial compounds in soil samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent attention to the risk of potential permanent eye damage triggered by ocular infections has been leading to a deeper investigation of the current antimicrobials. An antimicrobial agent used in ophthalmology should possess the following characteristics: a broad antimicrobial spectrum, prompt action even in the presence of organic matter, and nontoxicity. The objective of this study is to compare the antimicrobial efficacy of widely used ophthalmic antiseptics containing povidone-iodine, chlorhexidine, and liposomes containing ozonated sunflower oil. We determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) on various microbial strains: Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 33591), Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 9027), and Escherichia coli (ATCC 873). Furthermore, we assessed its efficacy in controlling antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, and bacterial adhesion. All three antiseptic ophthalmic preparations showed significant anti-microbicidal and anti-biofilm activity, with the liposomes containing ozonated sunflower oil with the highest ability to control antibiotic resistance and bacteria adhesion to human corneal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Isepamicin is a 1-N-S-a-hydroxy-b-aminopropionyl derivative of gentamicin B and the spectrum of pathogenic microorganisms covered by it and its effectiveness is similar to that of amikacin except the action of aminoglycoside inhibitor enzymes is ineffectual on it. Material and Methods We performed a prospective study in the Bacteriology section of the Department of Microbiology at a 1,600-bedded hospital in Northern India from Jan 2022 to March 2022. Isepamicin was tested for susceptibility against gram-negative bacteria, identified by routine biochemicals and matrix-assisted-desorption/ionization –time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) assay. The antibiotic susceptibility testing for each of the isolates was performed by Kirby Bauer's disc diffusion method, according to the CLSI 2019 guidelines. Results The majority of isolates were obtained from blood samples (50, 39.1%). Among the non-inducible Enterobacteriaceae , Escherichia coli was least susceptible to amikacin (8/27, 29.63%) and most susceptible to isepamicin (18/27, 66.67%). Klebsiella pneumoniae followed the same pattern of susceptibility as E. coli and was least susceptible to Amikacin (20/46, 43.48%) and most susceptible to isepamicin (24/46, 52.17%). Enterobacter cloacae (6/7, 85.71%) was most susceptible to both amikacin and isepamicin, followed by 71.43% (5/7, 71.43%) susceptibility to gentamicin and tobramycin each. Enterobacter aerogenes was equally 53.33% (8/15) susceptible to all antibiotics. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most susceptible isolate to all antibiotics (18/21, 85.71%). Conclusion Isepamicin is a potential antimicrobial agent for treating an array of gram-negative bacteria-associated infections and shows better in vitro activity than older aminoglycoside agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Antimicrobial resistance is an infectious disease threat to public health globally, and antimicrobial stewardship among healthcare professionals is one key way to address this potential problem. Registered nurse designated prescribers are the newest group of health professionals to gain prescribing authority in Aotearoa New Zealand, yet little is known about their understanding of their antimicrobial stewardship role. Aim. The aim of this study was to explore registered nurse designated prescribers’ understanding of their antimicrobial stewardship role through their prescribing practices and approaches to clinical reasoning. Methods. This exploratory descriptive qualitative study used individual semi-structured interviews with six registered nurse designated prescribers. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interviews. Results. Four themes were identified: antibiotic prescribing practices and antimicrobial resistance; clinical indicators for prescribing antibiotics, with the sub-themes of history taking, presence of infection and bacterial versus viral infection; patient education; and safety and monitoring. These themes provide insight into registered nurse designated prescribers’ understanding of their antimicrobial stewardship role and prescribing of antibiotics. Discussion. This research found that the registered nurse designated prescribers had an awareness of the importance of their antimicrobial stewardship role in relation to antibiotic prescribing and reducing antimicrobial resistance. Education about antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship for this professional group can be effective, but further research is needed to understand their ongoing educational needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathogenic microbes are a major concern in hospitals and other healthcare facilities because they affect the proper performance of medical devices, surgical devices, etc. Due to the antimicrobial resistance or multidrug resistance, combatting these microbial infections has grown to be a significant research area in science and medicine as well as a critical health concern. Antibiotic resistance is where microbes acquire and innately exhibit resistance to antimicrobial agents. Therefore, the development of materials with promising antimicrobial strategy is a necessity. Amongst other available antimicrobial agents, metal oxide and chalcogenide-based materials have shown to be promising antimicrobial agents due to their inherent antimicrobial activity as well as their ability to kill and inhibit the growth of microbes effectively. Moreover, other features including the superior efficacy, low toxicity, tunable structure, and band gap energy has makes metal oxides (i.e. TiO2, ZnO, SnO2 and CeO2 in particular) and chalcogenides (Ag2S, MoS2, and CuS) promising candidates for antimicrobial applications as illustrated by examples discussed in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review examines the use of antimicrobial agents in food animals and their impact on human health, particularly the emergence and spread of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). While antimicrobial agents are commonly used in food animal production to prevent and treat bacterial infections, overuse has been linked to AMR. Various strategies to reduce antimicrobial use in food animals, including vaccines, improved animal husbandry practices, and alternative therapies, are discussed. However, the review acknowledges the limitations of these strategies, such as cost-effectiveness and potential unintended consequences. Information on the percentage of antimicrobial use and resistance in food animals is provided for different classes of antibiotics. The percentages of use and resistance vary among these classes, with tetracyclines having the highest percentage of use and erythromycin and tylosin having the highest percentage of resistance. The review cites studies on the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in food animals, including Escherichia coli isolates from broiler chickens in the UK and Egypt. The review highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to reducing antimicrobial use in food animals and controlling the spread of AMR, including implementing more effective regulatory policies, promoting responsible use of antimicrobial agents, and developing alternative therapies and management practices. Overall, the review emphasizes the importance of addressing the issue of AMR in food animals to preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents for both animal and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Research in Agricultural Sciences is the property of Ataturk University Coordinatorship of Scientific Journals and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Green synthesis of NPs has gained extensive acceptance as they are reliable, eco-friendly, sustainable, and stable. Chemically synthesized NPs cause lung inflammation, heart problems, liver dysfunction, immune suppression, organ accumulation, and altered metabolism, leading to organ-specific toxicity. NPs synthesized from plants and microbes are biologically safe and cost-effective. These microbes and plant sources can consume and accumulate inorganic metal ions from their adjacent niches, thus synthesizing extracellular and intracellular NPs. These inherent characteristics of biological cells to process and modify inorganic metal ions into NPs have helped explore an area of biochemical analysis. Biological entities or their extracts used in NPs include algae, bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, viruses, yeasts, and plants, with varying capabilities through the bioreduction of metallic NPs. These biosynthesized NPs have a wide range of pharmaceutical applications, such as tissue engineering, detection of pathogens or proteins, antimicrobial agents, anticancer mediators, vehicles for drug delivery, formulations for functional foods, and identification of pathogens, which can contribute to translational research in medical applications. NPs have various applications in the food and drug packaging industry, agriculture, and environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yueyan Li,1 Chen Zhang,2 Xuan Huang,1 Jing Tang1 1Department of Pharmacy, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Institute of Reproduction and Development, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Jing Tang, Department of Pharmacy, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 21 33180593, Fax +86 21 33180593, Email 1817@fckyy.org.cnPurpose: Antimicrobial agents are frequently prescribed during pregnancy. This study aims to explore the association between antimicrobial exposure and pregnancy outcomes.Patients and Methods: A multi-center retrospective cohort study of pregnant patients (n=370) was conducted in 22 tertiary hospitals in China. Adverse pregnancy outcomes and admission of neonate to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were considered as outcomes. The effect of antimicrobial exposure on pregnancy outcomes was assessed using a multivariate logistic regression model.Results: Use of first-generation cephalosporins during pregnancy was associated with a significantly higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes (odds ratio [OR]: 3.64 [95% confidence interval, CI: 1.43– 9.24], P = 0.007) and admission of neonate to the NICU (OR: 3.41, 95% CI: 1.37– 8.53, P=0.009) compared with use of third-generation cephalosporins, after adjusting for gestational age of exposure to antimicrobial agents, cesarean section, and antimicrobial dose. Similarly, a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes (OR: 14.76, 95% CI: 4.43– 49.11) and neonatal NICU admission (OR: 11.74, 95% CI: 3.59– 38.35) were observed among women with first-generation cephalosporins use compared with mothers with no antimicrobial use.Conclusion: Both first- and third-generation cephalosporins use was associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. In addition, first-generation cephalosporins were associated with an increased risk of those pregnant and neonatal outcomes, when compared with third-generation cephalosporins. We should require to determine the indications and contraindications for use of cephalosporins during pregnancy.Keywords: maternal infections, antimicrobial agents, adverse pregnancy outcomes, NICU, cephalosporin