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Antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation are becoming more common in uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). Hence, the study aims to determine the antibiogram of commonly prescribed antibiotics and assess prodigiosin's antibacterial activity against UPEC. During the study, 175 UPEC isolates were identified biochemically, and their antibiogram was studied by the VITEK 2 system. Prodigiosin was extracted from Serratia marcescens MTCC 97. The MIC of prodigiosin against UPEC strains was detected by the microbroth dilution method. The majority of the UPEC strains (n = 135) had MIC between 15 and 30 mg/mL. No significant association was observed between the MIC of prodigiosin and the antibiogram. Biofilm assay was performed by the microtiter plate method using media with and without added prodigiosin. In media without prodigiosin, most UPEC isolates were nonbiofilm formers (NBF-55.42%), followed by weak (21.14%), moderate (MBF-13.71%) and strong biofilm formers (SBF-9.7%). When the same test was performed in media with added prodigiosin, NBF decreased to 30.28%, while SBF, MBF and WBF increased to 20%, 26.85% and 22.85%, respectively. This change in biofilm production was statistically significant (p < 0.05, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). The effect of prodigiosin on fimH virulence gene was evaluated using PCR. The fimH gene was present in 159 (90.85%) isolates cultured in medium devoid of prodigiosin, whereas in prodigiosin-containing media, 132 (83.01%) isolates were positive for the fimH gene and 27 (16.98%) were negative (p < 0.05, McNemar's test), suggesting that the fimH-negative isolates had either considerable suppression of the gene's transcription or gene expression pathways. Further, biofilm production increased when prodigiosin inhibited the fimH gene, suggesting a gene-dependent reaction that may have compelled UPEC to adopt a stress-response phenotype that favours nonspecific surface attachment to form biofilm for survival. Therefore, the effect of prodigiosin on biofilms seems to be associated with the expression of fimH, indicating a gene-dependent response.

We conducted this study to evaluate the protective effects of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) against epilepsy in rats, with a specific focus on its potential to mitigate oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Epilepsy was induced in rats using pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), followed by treatment with 20 mg/kg of EGCG. The effects of EGCG were assessed on seizure severity and frequency, as well as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. Brain sections were stained with cresyl violet and immune-stained with anti-Nrf2 antibody. Furthermore, expressions and concentrations of B-Cell Lymphoma 2 (BCL2), Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor-2 (Nrf2), nuclear factor κB (NFκB), BCL2-associated X (BAX), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and Interleukin-1 β (IL-1β) in brain tissues were analyzed. Rats showed significant behavioral improvement following EGCG treatment. Analysis of the dentate gyrus sections demonstrated a modest increase in the staining intensity of Nissl granules after EGCG. Additionally, EGCG was observed to increase the expression levels of BCL2, Nrf2, and Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1), while concurrently reducing the expression of BAX, NF-κB, TNF-α, and IL-1β. In conclusion, EGCG demonstrates protective effects against epilepsy. The underlying mechanisms may be attributed to its capacity to increase antioxidant activity by the upregulation of Nrf2 and HO-1. EGCG appears to mitigate inflammation by downregulating NF-κB, TNF-α, and IL-1β, thereby decreasing cellular apoptosis through the downregulation of BAX and upregulation of BCL-2.

Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) is an exotic pest from the American continent that has invaded agricultural lands in Indonesia, particularly affecting maize crops. This study aimed to investigate the biological and morphometric characteristics of S. frugiperda larvae fed with baby corn under controlled laboratory conditions. Several biological parameters were observed, including the preoviposition, oviposition, and postoviposition periods, egg production and frequency, and the number of larval instars. The study also monitored the duration of the prepupal and pupal stages, mortality rates, sex ratios, adult lifespan, and body size. Results indicated that S. frugiperda exhibits high reproductive capacity, with females laying an average of 133.25 eggs that hatch within 1-2 days. Larvae underwent six instars over 14-16 days, and the pupal stage lasted 9-11 days before emerging as adults. Male adults lived for 6-8 days, while females survived longer, between 9 and 13 days. The total lifespan from egg to adult death averaged 30 days for males and 35 days for females. High mortality was observed in the pupal stage and the first larval instar. Morphometric data revealed gradual increases in larval length from the first instar (2.25 mm) to the sixth instar (32 mm), with pupae reaching 16 mm in length, and adults measuring 14 and 13 mm for males and females, respectively. The relatively small body size of S. frugiperda contributes to its ability to disperse and invade agricultural areas in Indonesia. This study provides valuable insights into the biology and morphometrics of S. frugiperda, which may serve as a foundation for developing sustainable pest management strategies in the region.

Polypharmacy, commonly defined as the concurrent use of five or more medications, is a pressing public health concern among older adults with cardiovascular disease, given its strong association with adverse drug-drug interactions, medication errors, and increased hospitalization rates. Despite its clinical significance, evidence from low- and middle-income countries, including Iran, remains limited. This study sought to determine the prevalence of polypharmacy and identify its key determinants among elderly cardiovascular patients in Kermanshah, Iran. In this cross-sectional survey of 426 participants, eligible participants were recruited using convenience sampling, and demographic, clinical, and medication-related data were collected using structured questionnaires. Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression, were employed to examine associations. The findings revealed that 60.1% of participants were taking five to nine medications daily. Polypharmacy was significantly associated with lower educational attainment and income, prolonged treatment duration, hospitalization history, multimorbidity, insufficient pharmacist counseling, and limited knowledge of medications and their potential adverse effects. Multivariate analysis identified the number of chronic conditions (AOR: 5.05, p < 0.001), hospitalization history (AOR: 5.15, p < 0.001), and poor medication knowledge (AOR: 6.48, p = 0.017), as independent predictors. These results highlight the urgent need for targeted, evidence-based interventions, particularly pharmacist-led counseling and patient education programs, to mitigate the burden and adverse clinical outcomes of polypharmacy, especially in resource-constrained healthcare settings.

Plant invasion modifies the aboveground and belowground biota directly or indirectly via allelopathic effect. This study aimed to ascertain if the invasive species Alternanthera philoxeroides impacts plant diversity, plant composition, and soil microbes or not. The soil microbial activity (CO₂ release) and soil pH were also recorded. The plant communities invaded and uninvaded with Alternanthera philoxeroides were examined using the quadrat method. Soil samples were collected from 0 to 10 cm depth, and the culture method was used for soil microbial analysis. The plant species richness and soil fungi were found to be reduced at A. philoxeroides invaded plots than at uninvaded plots. The IVI of all common species such as Cynodon dactylon, Bidens pilosa, and Trifolium repens was highly suppressed in the invaded zone. The parameters like plant diversity indices, colony count of soil microbes, soil microbial activity (CO₂ release), and soil pH were found to be reduced at invaded sites than at uninvaded sites. The results indicated that the invasive A. philoxeroides modifies the plant community composition, and the underlying mechanism for the change is possibly by altering the soil microbiota, microbial respiration, and soil pH with their successful invasion.

Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing.) have been widely recognized for their bioactive properties, including antimicrobial activity. This study aimed to investigate the antibacterial potential and chemical composition of shiitake mushroom extracts prepared using different solvents (95% ethanol, ethyl acetate, and chloroform). The highest extraction yield (31.16%) was obtained with 95% ethanol. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was evaluated using the paper disc diffusion method against nine pathogenic bacterial isolates, including Gram-positive (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and S. aureus DMST20654) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, E. coli ATCC25922, Enterobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi ATCC16122) bacteria. Plates were incubated at 37°C for 24 h. All experiments were performed in triplicate. The ethyl acetate extract exhibited the strongest antibacterial activity, with the largest inhibition zone observed for E. coli ATCC25922 (30.00 ± 0.00 mm), followed by S. enterica serovar Typhi ATCC16122 (28.33 ± 2.00 mm). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assays confirmed the superior antibacterial potential of the ethyl acetate extract, particularly against S. aureus DMST20654 (MIC = 1.95 mg/mL, MBC = 31.25 mg/mL). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis identified key bioactive compounds, including ergosterol (62.38%, %Prob 62.6 in the chloroform extract) and linoleic acid (28.65%, %Prob 56.5 in the ethyl acetate extract), which are known for their antimicrobial properties. The findings highlight the potential of ethyl acetate-extracted shiitake mushroom compounds as natural antibacterial agents, with applications for food preservation, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals.

The study determined the cytotoxicity and teratogenicity of 28 species of medicinal plants. The phytochemical properties and antioxidant activity were also evaluated. Plant materials were extracted using ethanol as solvent. Brine shrimp assay was performed for cytotoxicity test and zebra fish embryo-based teratogenicity testing. The phytochemical constituents were detected using thin-layer chromatography, while the total phenolics and antioxidant activity were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method and DPPH free radical scavenging assay, respectively. Results of phytochemical screening revealed the presence of 12 phytochemicals in the selected medicinal plants, which include essential oils, triterpenes, phenols, fatty acids, sugar, anthraquinones, coumarins, anthrone, tannins, flavonoids, steroids, and alkaloids. Total phenolic content which ranges from 125.45 to 568.99 GAE/g and antioxidant activity of 40.25%-82.56% were recorded from M. calabura and Z. americana, respectively. For the cytotoxicity test, M. paniculata registered the least LC₅₀ of 1157.42 ppm, while C. asiatica has the highest LC₅₀ at 33,252.69 ppm. Meanwhile, for the teratogenicity testing, various morphological abnormalities and teratogenic effects were observed in different developmental stages of zebrafish, which are lethal and sublethal, such as coagulation, yolk sac, and pericardial edema, and malformations (head, spines, and tail), growth retardation, restricted movement, and pigmentation. The LC₅₀ values for teratogenicity suggest low to nonteratogenicity of the plant extracts with values ranging from 324 ppm in A. brasiliana to 11,933 ppm in P. cablin.

Substantial amounts of waste and by-products are generated annually from the fruit processing industry - an issue with detrimental environmental, socioeconomic and health impacts. Concerted efforts are currently geared towards curtailing this canker, particularly waste valorisation into eco-friendly, economical and sustainable biopolymers such as pectin. This study focused on the extraction and comparative analysis of the physicochemical properties of pectin from four fruit wastes: Mangifera indica L. (Keitt variety), Carica papaya (Solo variety), Ananas comosus (MD2 variety) and Citrus limon (Eureka variety). Pectin was extracted using the conventional citric acid and NaOH processes. Subsequently, the yield, proximate contents and physicochemical properties of the extracted pectins were analysed and compared. The orthogonal data transformation tool, principal component analysis (PCA), was used to highlight relationships between the extracted pectins. Rapid-setting high methoxyl (DE > 72%) and pharmaceutical-grade pectins were extracted (yield ranging from 6.72% to 26.60%) irrespective of the extraction method. All the pectins conformed to high-quality standards (anhydrouronic acid content > 60%, ash content < 2% and moisture content < 5%). FT-IR analysis revealed that the primary structure of pectin was maintained in all samples. Moreover, all the pectins were sparingly soluble in water (25°C) and exhibited statistically significant (p < 0.0001) variations in the swelling and water-holding properties. PCA demonstrated the clustering of pectins from the same sources despite extraction techniques, highlighting that despite the variations, pectins from the same source exhibit some degree of similarity. The present study presents alternative high-quality pectins with good physicochemical properties that can be utilised in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

Alternative medicine is pursued as a preference to conventional medicine due to growing resistance to antimicrobial medications. The primary purpose of this study is to assess the antifungal activity and phytochemical content of Aloe vera growing in the Palestinian region, with a particular emphasis on the bioactive potentials of this plant against Candida albicans. Extracts from whole leaves and gel were evaluated against C. albicans using MIC and broth microdilution methods. Findings revealed that the whole leaf extract demonstrated superior antifungal activity compared to the gel, with maximum efficiencies of 35.17% and 8.57%, respectively. Notably, the MIC50 values for whole leaf and gel extracts were approximately 75.42 mg/mL and 184.93 mg/mL, respectively. Phytochemical analysis exhibited considerable levels of bioactive proteins, sugars, and starch in whole leaf extracts, regardless of the extraction method, whereas gel extracts displayed lower quantities of these substances. The total phenol content was 1.278% in the entire leaf extract and 1.015% in the gel, while total flavonoid content was measured at 0.238% in the whole leaf extract compared to 0.1875% in the gel. The presence of phenols effective against C. albicans indicates its potential utility in alternative medicine for treating diseases caused by this fungus. Our study demonstrated that A. vera grown in the Palestinian region has significant levels of bioactive content, highlighting the importance of investigating distinct parts of A. vera for their antifungal therapeutic attributes. While many of these plants have been studied globally, a localized inquiry is necessary due to their unique qualities and potential differences within the Palestinian context. Climate, soil, and ecological conditions can influence a plant's extract chemical composition and potency, leading to various therapeutic or pharmacological effects.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Thai plant extracts (PEs) and essential oils (EOs) against reference and clinical isolate strains of Candida albicans, focusing on their ability to inhibit biofilm formation, cell adhesion to denture acrylic, and germ tube formation. The minimum biofilm inhibition concentration (MBIC) and the minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) were determined. The impact on adhesion to denture acrylic was determined by XTT assay, and germ tube inhibition was evaluated using the counting chamber. The results revealed that cinnamon bark oil exhibited the lowest MBIC₉₀ and MBEC₉₀ values (0.156 mg/mL and 0.313 mg/mL, respectively) against both C. albicans strains, followed by lemongrass oil, clove bud oil, Alpinia galanga extract, and Piper betle extract. A similar inhibitory trend was observed for cell adhesion to denture acrylic and germ tube formation. In particular, A. galanga extract (2.50 mg/mL) significantly reduced C. albicans adhesion to denture acrylic by over 80%. Additionally, cinnamon bark oil, lemongrass oil, and A. galanga extract could inhibit the germination of C. albicans at 0.5×MIC. In conclusion, this study indicates that all tested agents possessed anti-C. albicans biofilm activity through decreasing adhesion and yeast-hyphae transition of C. albicans cells. Therefore, these EO and PE could serve as alternative antifungals for treating oral candidiasis.