AMB Express最新文献

The oleaginous fungus, Aspergillus terreus when subjected to random chemical mutagenesis led to isolation of TB21 variant with improved lipid content (78.1%) as compared to wild type (49.8%). The fungal wet biomass grown on sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate (SCBH) was subjected to one-step in-situ (direct) acid transesterification to optimize its conversion to biodiesel using a 2-level factorial statistical design of experiments. The process optimization revealed that wet biomass and methanol were the most significant factors and in a short reaction time period of 5 min with low methanol: wet biomass ratio (10:1) influenced FAME production Statistical optimization studies showed that TB21 exhibited a higher FAME content of 76.5 and 38.1% (w/w) from wet and dry biomass, respectively when compared to wild type (48.1 and 24.5%). FAME productivity (0.55^-1 h^-1) and a yield (66 gL^-1) were achieved when TB21 was grown on SCBH for 120 h at 30 °C. The FAME profile from the wet biomass of TB21 grown on SCBH had desirable amounts of saturated (77.7%), monounsaturated (7.2%), and polyunsaturated (2.4%) methyl esters. Physico-chemical properties of TB21-derived biodiesel were determined, namely, density(0.88 g cm^-3), kinematic viscosity (4.1 mm s^-2), iodine value (96.82), cetane number (55.31), free fatty acid content (0.15%), total acid number (0.3 NaOH mg g^-1), meeting international (ASTM D6751, EN 14214) and Indian (IS 15607) standards. Thus, the direct one-pot in situ transesterification reaction using wet biomass of variant TB21 strain showed improved production and quality of biodiesel with potential large scale application using the low-cost substrate (SCBH).

Brucellosis is a significant zoonotic disease caused by intracellular, gram-negative bacteria from the genus Brucella. Although camels are classified as secondary hosts for Brucella species, they are among the most susceptible and vulnerable animals to brucellosis, particularly Brucella abortus (B. abortus) and Brucella melitensis (B. melitensis). The present study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of camel brucellosis as a zoonotic disease by determining the seroprevalence of brucellosis in both camels and humans, assessing potential risk factors (e.g., age, size, and location), and conducting molecular characterization of Brucella spp. associated with abortion in camels. The Rose Bengal Test (RBT), Antigen Rapid Brucella Antibody Test (ARBT), indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA), and complement fixation test (CFT) were used to detect brucellosis in both camels and humans. Additionally, a molecular method using polymerase chain reaction was used as a confirmatory technique. A total of 625 camel serum samples and 100 human serum samples were collected in sterile vacuum tubes from various camel farms and individuals across different localities in the Al Qassim region. Additionally, samples from 10 confirmed Brucella-infected camels (including the uterus and supramammary lymph nodes) were analyzed. The results indicated that the overall prevalence of brucellosis in camel sera was 9.72%, as determined by RBT, and 8.16%, as determined by ARBT. In contrast, the overall prevalence of brucellosis in human sera from febrile patients was found to be 17% via RBT. Notably, 57.98% of camel sera that tested positive for Brucella antibodies via RBT were also positive according to I-ELISA and CFT. Furthermore, 42.1%, 70.58%, and 47.05% of human sera that were positive for Brucella antibodies as determined by RBT were also positive according to I-ELISA and CFT, respectively. The highest seropositivity for camel brucellosis was observed in female camels, particularly in the Unaizah area of the Qassim region and among the Homr breed. The prevalence of human brucellosis was highest among females and individuals who consumed raw milk. At the molecular level, B. melitensis biovar 3 was detected in the examined tissues. In conclusion, intervention measures are vital for reducing brucellosis in humans and camels. Public awareness campaigns should highlight the importance of protective clothing when handling aborted she-camels and the need to boil or pasteurize milk. Additionally, studies should differentiate between vaccinated and nonvaccinated camels, and standardizing serological tests for diagnosing brucellosis should be prioritized.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae and influenza A virus are common pathogens that cause respiratory tract infection in children. Both pathogens present with similar clinical symptoms, and their epidemic periods often overlap. Consequently, it is challenging for clinicians to make a rapid preliminary diagnosis. However, common blood tests is simple and efficient, Therefore, the purpose of this study is to preliminarily distinguish Mycoplasma pneumoniae and influenza A virus infection in children by analyzing the results of common blood tests, thereby guiding clinical diagnosis and treatment.The results showed that, compared with children in the influenza A virus-positive group, children in the Mycoplasma pneumoniae-positive group had higher white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), haemoglobin (HGB), platelet (PLT) counts, lymphocyte (LYM) and eosinophil (EOS) counts and ratios, as well as higher concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA), while neutrophil (NEU) and monocyte (MONO) counts and ratios, Neutrophil to Lymphocyte ratio( NLR) were lower, in addition, LYM, EOS counts and ratios, and NLR were all more effective in differentiating between the two pathogen infections, A combined analysis of these indicators further improved the differentiation efficacy. Therefore, LYM and EOS counts and ratios, along with NLR, can serve as effective blood parameters for differentiating Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections from influenza A virus infections in children.

Process and culture medium composition in bioreactor could be optimized in order to find the best conditions that improve survival of probiotic microorganism under exposure to gastric conditions such low pH and bile salts. Therefore, this study aimed to optimize agitation, yeast extract, and di-sodium phosphate (Na₂HPO₄) concentration to improve the survival under gastric conditions of a multistrain consortium produced in a laboratory bioreactor. Viability, survival low pH (3.00), bile salt tolerance, and antagonistic activity against the pathogen Streptococcus agalactiae were evaluated. As the main result, a high concentration of di-sodium phosphate (2.63% w/v) increased the viability of L. lactis A12 (9.05 to 9.46 Log₁₀ CFU/mL) and Priestia species (0.00 to 6.88 Log₁₀ CFU/mL), survival to pH 3.00 (60 to 93%), survival of bile salts (58- 93%) antagonistic activity (8.74 to 15.56 mm), and final pH of culture medium (4.34 to 6.95). Optimal conditions that improved probiotics characteristics were 150 RPM, 0.83% w/v yeast extract, and 2.63% w/v Na₂HPO₄. Co-culture of L. lactis A12 with Priestia species improved significantly (p < 0.05) the antagonistic activity (10.41 mm) against S. agalactiae compared to mono-culture (7.70 mm). Our results suggested that was possible to produce a potential multistrain preparation in a lab bioreactor with high viability of L. lactis A12 (9.33 Log₁₀ CFU/mL), high survival to gastric conditions (> 85%), and with antagonistic activity against fish pathogen. This preparation could be used as a feed additive intended for fish nutrition.

Cryptococcal pneumonia is a severe fungal infection of the respiratory system, predominantly caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. Its incidence is increasing, driven by evolving pathogen dynamics and heightened susceptibility among patient populations. This investigation aimed to assess the combined therapeutic efficacy of Fluconazole and Amphotericin B for cryptococcal pneumonia and to explore the roles of miR-15b and TGF-β1 in modulating treatment response. Twenty-eight patients diagnosed with cryptococcal pneumonia were randomly allocated to receive either Amphotericin B monotherapy (control group) or a combination of Amphotericin B and Fluconazole (observation group) over a 14-day period. Key respiratory function indices-forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC ratios-were measured pre- and post-treatment, alongside levels of procalcitonin (PCT), soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1), miR-15b, and TGF-β1. Results demonstrated marked improvements in pulmonary function within the observation group, with significantly higher FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC values than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Additionally, the observation group exhibited greater reductions in PCT and sTREM-1, coupled with notable elevations in miR-15b and TGF-β1 levels. The combination therapy achieved a total response rate of 92.86%, significantly surpassing the control's 57.14% efficacy (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that Fluconazole combined with Amphotericin B not only enhances clinical efficacy by mitigating inflammation but also supports lung function recovery with a favourable safety profile, highlighting its utility in managing cryptococcal pneumonia effectively.

Candida albicans is a commensal fungus that naturally inhabits the vagina. However, overgrowth of C. albicans can result in vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), one of the most prevalent fungal infections affecting women. The rapid emergence of azole resistance in C. albicans, in addition to the limited available antifungal agents, complicates the treatment and emphasizes the urgent need for novel therapeutic options. Efflux-mediated azole resistance is a common resistance mechanism in fluconazole (FLZ)-resistant C. albicans. Combination therapy using natural compounds is a potential approach that can restore fluconazole's antifungal activity in azole-resistant isolates via efflux pump inhibition. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of celastrol, a natural triterpene, to retrieve FLZ antifungal activity against azole-resistant C. albicans in vitro and in vivo. Celastrol did not exhibit antifungal activity against the tested clinical isolates; however, the sub-MIC of celastrol inhibited rhodamine 6G (R6G) efflux and increased R6G accumulation inside celastrol-treated C. albicans cells. Synergy was spotted between celastrol and FLZ via a checkerboard assay. Quantification of m-RNA levels of efflux-mediated azole resistance genes within azole-resistant C. albicans demonstrated CDR1 overexpression. Upon celastrol treatment, a significant decline in ABC transporters transcript levels were detected. Moreover, molecular docking demonstrated that celastrol is a potential ABC efflux transporters blocker that successfully fits into target binding pockets. A negligible hemolytic effect of celastrol against human erythrocytes was observed. In the in vivo model of VVC, the combination of FLZ and celastrol in vaginal gel revealed a drastic reduction in the fungal burden with apparently normal vaginal tissue. Celastrol promising in vitro and in vivo findings strengthen its future use for the treatment of azole-resistant C. albicans.

The urgent need to address the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance in multidrug-resistant bacteria requires the development of pioneering approaches to treatment. The present study aims to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of the essential oils (EOs) of Moringa oleifera (moringa), Cinnamomum verum (cinnamon), and Nigella sativa (black seed) and the synergistic effect of the mixture of these oils against Staphylococcus aureus MCC 1351. Statistical modeling revealed cinnamon oil had the highest individual antimicrobial potency, followed by black seed oil. The combination of the three EOs exhibited significant synergistic effects compared to the individual oils, with a Fractional Inhibitory Concentration (∑FIC) index of 0.27. L-Optimal mixture design of response surface methodology (RSM) identified the optimal mixture as moringa: cinnamon: black seed oils by the ratio of (1:1:1) in run 15 (0.338:0.307:0.355 mL) (v/v). This mixture exhibited significant antibacterial efficacy, outperforming individual oils and conventional antibiotics like tetracycline. Specifically, the combination reduced the MIC values from 3.12, 0.78, and 6.25 to 0.25, 0.06, and 0.78 μg/mL for moringa, cinnamon, and black seed oil, respectively. Synergistic interactions between oils further boosted efficacy, with moringa-cinnamon and cinnamon-black seed pairings exhibiting the strongest synergies. The developed predictive models for IZD and MIC showed excellent fit, with R² values of 0.9843 and 0.9958, respectively. Pareto chart analysis highlighted the predominant individual and synergistic effects, with the Moringa-Cinnamon interaction exhibiting the highest positive synergy. Notably, the oil mixture of run 15 demonstrated excellent biocompatibility, maintaining 97.6% viability of normal human skin fibroblasts (HSF) after 24 h exposure to 200 μL EOs of the mixture per mL. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) identified abundant bioactive phytochemicals like cinnamaldehyde, linoleic acid, and palmitic acid methyl esters underlying the observed antimicrobial effects. This rationally designed, synergistic phytochemical combination presents a promising natural therapeutic against antibiotic-resistant S. aureus while exhibiting minimal cytotoxicity. The results underscore how combining essential oils could help address the issue of antibiotic resistance in S. aureus.

The increasing demand for natural alternatives to synthetic fungicides has prompted research into natural products like essential oils for postharvest disease management. This study investigated the antifungal, antioxidant, cytotoxic, and genotoxic potential of essential oil mixtures derived from oregano, rosemary, and mint against Penicillium digitatum, the predominant fungal pathogen causing green mold in orange fruits. P. digitatum NPAGRASU 2024 was isolated and identified as the most abundant species (60.2%) from infected oranges. It was deposited in GenBank with gene accession number PP930644 and deposited in MIRCEN culture collection as EMCC 358874. The antimicrobial activity of individual essential oils was evaluated, with oregano exhibiting the highest antifungal activity (inhibition zone diameter of 4.2 cm) against P. digitatum. L-optimal mixture design of response surface methodology (RSM) optimization revealed a highly effective mixture (Run 8) comprising 46.26% oregano and 53.74% rosemary, with a 99.65% actual growth reduction. The oregano oil demonstrated potent antioxidant activity, reaching approximately 75% DPPH radical scavenging at 3.125 mg/mL. Cytotoxicity assessment using the MTT assay showed morphological changes and reduced cell viability in liver cells treated with the PEOs mixture at 300 µg/mL. However, the optimized mixture did not induce significant chromosomal aberrations compared to the control, suggesting minimal genotoxic effects. In vivo, evaluation on oranges revealed 60% inhibition of green mold by the 1% (v/v) optimized mixture for 7 days. Histological analysis indicated low toxicity to the liver at the highest tested concentration (1% mixture). GC-MS analysis identified major compounds like cavarcol, caryophyllene, eucalyptol, phenols and levomenthol in oregano oil, contributing to its bioactivities. This study demonstrates the potential of optimized essential oil mixtures as effective and eco-friendly alternatives for postharvest disease control.