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Designing scaffolds to fit with essential requirements for wound dressings is still a challenge. A material with high antibacterial activity and biocompatibility is targeted. In this case, the electrospinning technique is used to fabricate a nanofiber scaffold of polylactic acid (PLA) embedded with ginger and/or molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) and cupric oxide (CuO). The nanofiber scaffolds were examined using SEM, TEM, Raman, XRD, FTIR, and EDX. In addition, the surface topography of the nanofiber scaffold of MoO3/ginger@PLA showed that the nanofiber diameters differ from 0.085 to 0.34 µm. Furthermore, the contact angle of the water drop on the surface of the pure PLA and MoO3/CuO/GO/ginger@PLA is remarkably changed from 32.3° to 18.9°. Moreover, the cell viability test of the composition MoO3/CuO/GO/ginger@PLA is above the IC50 at all concentrations. Meanwhile, the antibacterial test exhibited antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus for the scaffolds, with an inhibition zone of 23 ± 0.816 mm and 16.33 ± 0.942 mm for MoO3/CuO/ginger@PLA and 20.3 ± 0.471 mm and 15.33 ± 0.943 mm for MoO3/CuO/GO/ginger@PLA. The obtained results are appropriate to aid the cells to grow and proliferate. As a result of that, the fabricated scaffolds could be utilized in biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study is aimed to investigate the fungal contaminants in fish feed. Isolation of fungi was conducted on modified Dichloran 18% glycerol agar (DG18) and potato dextrose agar (PDA). Feed samples were assayed for aflatoxins using HPLC. A total of 43 species belonging to 19 fungal genera recovered from 45 fish feed samples. Aspergillus and Penicillium were the most predominant genera with isolation frequency values indicated the retrieval capability of DG18 over PDA medium. For instance, Aspergillus spp. recorded 60%, 53.3% while Penicillium spp. were 33.3%, 17.8% on DG18 and PDA respectively via direct plating. 41.4% of the tested isolates were mycotoxin producers. Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 were detected by 6 out of 10 screened Aspergillus isolates. Fumitremorgins, Gliotoxin, Ochratoxin A and B, and Zearalenone were also detected. The feed samples of zero total count percentages (TC%) of A. flavus recorded the highest incidence of aflatoxins B2, G1 and G2 (2.3, 35.3 and 7.8 ng/g respectively). Meanwhile, the highest B1 concentration (3.7 ng/g) was recorded for the highest TC% interval studied (1:9 cfu/g). Thus, it is important to monitor the fungal load and mycotoxins in fish feed periodically using proper practical approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to isolate and characterize sulfur reducing bacteria from industrial wastewater and soil to remove sulfate. A total of 14 sulfate reducing bacterial (SRB) isolates were recovered from industrial wastewater and contaminated soil. Interestingly, bacterial isolate emr69 was selected as the highest sulfate reducer. Correspondingly, emr69 was characterized phenotypically and identified genotypically based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Enterobacter cloacae and deposited in Gen Bank database under accession number OR472728. The maximum sulfate reduction by E. cloacae emr69 against 2000 ppm (SO4-2) was 95% which obtained by adjusting the medium at pH 7 and growing the bacterium at 37°C under anaerobic conditions. The study suggests using of E. cloacae mr69 as a promising SRB for bioreduction of sulfate in industrial wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Batch anaerobic digestion (AD) using food waste (FW) as a substrate with mono trace element (TE) supplementation of Fe, Co, and Ni was simultaneously carried out under mesophilic conditions. The AD of food waste without TE, was severely inhibited by volatile fatty acid (VFA) accumulation. TE supplementation improved VFA conversion and methane production, with Ni and Co groups showing better enhancements to the AD process. The optimal group received 5 mg/L Ni supplementation, increasing methane production from the 211.3 to 489.22 mL g−1 VS. The fermentative microbes in TE groups are strengthened by improving the abundance of Firmicutes while decreasing Proteobacteria. Methanosarcina replaced Methanobrevibacter as the dominant methanogen in the TE supplementation groups. The genera Thermovirga and norank_f_Synergistaceae, which could be syntrophic co-culture with hydrogenotrophic methanogens, were distinctly improved in the Ni and Co groups. This study could shed more lights on understanding the TE supplementation effects in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Egyptian Journal of Microbiology is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) 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.)

This study was conducted to assess the antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial potential of extracts from Ephedra sinica. Plant extract activity was screened for four bacterial, three fungal and one viral pathogen including: Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Serrattia marcescens, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus ochraceus, Aspergillus niger and Coxsackie B3 virus. The findings disclosed promising inhibitory impacts against all pathogens. Ethanol-water extract showed that the greatest inhibition zones (mm) against bacterial and fungal species ranged from 20.7 to 25.0 and 29.0 to 35.0 at a concentration of 150 Îl/ml respectively, similar to methanol-water extract inhibition zones against the same pathogens. Interesting outcomes against Coxsackie B3 virus was observed. For ethanol-water extract (51.6%), followed by ethanol extract (46.6%) and methanol extract (41%) during zero-time infection, the greatest viral inhibition activity was documented. During virucidal process, a limited action of inhibition was observed for ethanol extract (39.4%), methanol extract (36.8%), and ethanol-water extract (31%). No viral inhibition action was notarized in both pre- and post- infection processes. The findings of this study indicated that Ephedra sinica is an excellent source of bioactive substances against a wide range of various microbial pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Egyptian Journal of Botany is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) 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.)

Copyright of Egyptian Journal of Microbiology is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) 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.)

Copyright of Egyptian Journal of Microbiology is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) 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.)

Copyright of Egyptian Journal of Microbiology is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) 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.)