MOSP - Macao Scientific Publishers

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The viability of the Lactobacillus paracasei IL2 and Lactobacillus plantarum IL3 strains in simulated gastrointestinal conditions

Emanuel Vamanu*, Adrian Vamanu, Sultana Nita and Nicoleta Rusu

Abstract: The viability maintenance of Lactobacillus paracasei IL2 and Lactobacillus plantarum IL3 strains in gastrointestinal conditions represents one of the most important characteristics regarding their use for obtaining probiotic products. The tests were performed with a cell suspension kept in 0.5% NaCl. The influences of pepsin (3 g/l) at pH values of 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3.0, as well as of pancreatin (1 g/l) in the presence of bile salts (1.5, 2, 3 and 5 mg/ml) were determined. The influence of casein and mucin, in a concentration of 1 g/l, were also established in the aforementioned conditions. It was observed that casein presented a longer viability maintenance; a fact also confirmed by the calculation of the mathematical parameters of viability and mortality, when mucin was either used or not, especially in the case of gastric transit. The results proved that the tested strains maintained their viability even at pH between 1.8 and 2.0 and at an even higher concentration, of 2 mg/ml, of bile salts, but up to two hours as of the exposure to the conditions of the simulated small intestinal juice. Such results were also confirmed by the cumulated effect of the simulated gastric and small intestinal juice, the strains thus increasing their viability with an average of 15% in the presence of casein.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Mucin, casein, ColonyQuant, pepsin, pancreatin.

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Antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic activities of some plant extracts

Al-Rahmah N., Mostafa A., and Abdel-Megeed A.,

Abstract: The efficiency of five methanolic plant extracts obtained from Euclayptus globolus, Olea europaea, Salvadora persica, Thymus vulgaris and Ziziphus spina-christi were investigated for their inhibitory effect on the growth and aflatoxin B1 production of the toxigenic Aspergillus flavus strain isolated from wheat seeds. Extract of T. vulgaris showed the highest antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic activities as aflatoxin B1 production was absolutely arrested at 5 mg/ml, while the mycelial growth of A. flavus was completely inhibited at 15 mg/ml. E. globolus and O. europaea extracts showed a moderate antifungal activities and exhibited a significant antiaflatoxigenic efficiency as they inhibited aflatoxin B1 production at 15 mg/ml. On the other hand, S. persica showed weak antifungal activities while no effect was detected with Z. spina-christi extract. The analysis of plant extracts by GC/MS revealed that T. vulgaris extract was mainly composed by thymol (38.73%), carvacrol (19.31%) and ρ-cimene (10.13%), O. europaea extract was composed by anthracenedione (20.63%), terbutaline (13.96%) and propiolic acid (12.02%) while eucalyptol (30.62%), globulol (18.94%) and silane (9.13%) were the principal components of E. globolus extract. These extracts of T. vulgaris, E. globolus and O. europaea which are effective and environmentally safe are promising for protecting wheat seeds against aflatoxigenic strain of A. flavus.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Aflatoxins, wheat, antiaflatoxigenic, methanolic extracts, Euclayptus globolus, Olea europaea, Salvadora persica, Thymus vulgaris.

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Bacteriuria in patients with indwelling urethral catheter in Owerri municipality, Nigeria

Chukwuocha, U. M.*, Dozie, U. W. and Nwawume, I. C.

Abstract: Bacteriuria in patients with indwelling urethral catheter in Owerri Municipality of Imo State, Nigeria was studied. A total of 500 early mornings mid stream urine samples from patients admitted in different hospitals within the Municipality. The samples were microbiologically analyzed using cultural methods on different isolation media. A total of 220 isolates were identified. Identification tests showed the presence of Escherichia coli (10%), Staphylococcus aureus (9.0%), Klebsiella sp. (7.0%), Proteus sp. (5.8%), Streptococcus faecalis (4.0%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3.8%), Citrobacter sp. (2.8%) and Enterobacter sp. (1.6%). Samples obtained from patients aged 71 to 80 years had the highest incidence of bacteria. A total of 120 (48.0%) of the isolates were obtained from female patients. Out of these, 12.0% were identified as E. coli. Result further show that, long duration catherized patients of up to 29 days and above have more bacteriuria infection than short term indwelling catheter. These findings have greatly implicated indwelling catheter as a major cause of bacteriuria in catheterized patients.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Bacteuria, urethral, cathether, isolates.

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Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) inhibit growth of yeast pathogens

Desmond M. Ncango, Carolina H. Pohl, Pieter W. J. van Wyk and Johan L. F. Kock*

Abstract: Studies on yeasts exposed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) as potential anti-mitochondrial antifungals. In this study, various NSAIDs were tested for antifungal activity on the human yeast pathogens Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. Our results suggest a dual action for these drugs, that is, antifungal as well as anti-inflammatory. These results could be useful in the treatment of fungal infections.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Acetylsalicylic acid, antifungal, anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-mitochondrial, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Eremothecium ashbyi.

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In vivo evaluation on Malaysian coastal isolates of Gracilaria changii and Stichopus badionotus through heat-burn methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection animal model

Mariana N. S., Nik K. A. N. I.,*, Neela V. K., Norfarrah M. A. and Zamberi S.

Abstract: Staphylococcus aureus commonly causes bacterial infections such as boils, carbuncles, infections wounds, deep abscesses and bloodstream infections (or bacteraemia). Nowadays, it becomes more difficult to treat such infections due to the appearance of resistant strain known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The objective of this study was to screen on methanolic extracts of seaweed (Gracilaria changii) and local sea cucumber (Stichopus badionotus) for their anti-MRSA activities in vitro and in vivo; by a heat-burn, wound-healing model in rats. Both extracts demonstrated in vitro anti-MRSA activity. The sea cucumber extract demonstrated the same extent of wound healing as did vancomycin at P[...] Read More.

Keywords: Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), heat-burn injury, seaweed, sea cucumber, Malaysia.

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Anti-tuberculosis activities of medicinal plants used in the treatment of tuberculosis in HIV patients in Nigeria

Anochie, P. I., Onyejepu, N., Ogu A. C., Adetunji, M. A. , Efere, L. O. , Onyeozirila, A. C., Onyeneke, E. C., Onyeneke, C. N., Obinna, J. U., Srikanth, A. and Bueno, J.

Abstract: Local herbalists in Nigeria claimed that extracts of certain parts, that is, stem and seeds obtained from Crinum glaucum,Treculia africana, Erythrina mildbaedi, Ficus thonningii and Xylopis aethiopica are used to treat tuberculosis patients. We conducted a laboratory-based study of this claim scientifically using the procedures employed by the local herbalists. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain used in this study was obtained locally and characterized based on cultural and biochemical tests on isolates of bacteriologically proven tuberculosis positive patients. The M. tuberculosis strains were found resistant to all the extracts. There was no growth on the isoniazid drug containing medium which was used as control. There was growth on all the LJ medium containing the extracts. The results of these findings shows that the extracts of these plants exhibited no significant anti-microbial activity against M. tuberculosis and therefore not recommendable for clinical use as an anti-tuberculosis drug.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Anti-tuberculosis, activity, medicinal plants, treatment, HIV patients, Nigeria.

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Isolation and characterization of a cold-active amylase from marine Wangia sp. C52

Jianguo Liu*, Zhiqiang Zhang, Hongyue Dang, Jianren Lu and Zhanfeng Cui

Abstract: Amylase activity was detected in the culture medium of marine Wangia sp. C52, which was isolated from the Southern Okinawa Trough deep-sea sediment. In the present study, a cold-active amylase was purified to homogeneity from the culture broth by ammonium sulfate precipitation and gel filtration chromatography. The molecular mass of the amyalse was 58 kDa, and its isoelectric point was close to 5.6. The optimal pH and temperature were 30°C and 6.0, respectively. In the presence of Ca2+ and Co2+, the enzyme activity was stimulated while Cu2+, Hg2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Fe3+, Al3+, EDTA, EGTA and SDS reduced the activity. Km and Vmax values of the purified enzyme for soluble starch were 2.08 ± 0.3 mg/ml and 1.26 ± 0.02 mg/ml/min, respectively. The final purified enzyme had -helix of 25%, -sheet of 26% and random coil of 49%, consistent with the theoretical values. This showed that the purified amylase folded with a reasonable secondary structure.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Cold-active amylase, Wangia sp., purification, enzyme characterization.

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Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) as an epidemiological marker for typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus recovered from KSA

Moussa, I. M.*, Al-Qahtani, A. A., Gassem, M. A., Ashgan, M. H., Dalia Kadry Ismail, Ghazy, A. I. and Shibl, A. M.

Abstract: In this study, pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used for genomic DNA finger printings of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates. Thirty strains of S. aureus collected from major hospital laboratories and public health centers, Riyadh, King Saudi Arabia were tested phenotypically by conventional methods and genotypically by multiplex-PCR for direct detection of S. aureus 16S rRNA and mecA genes. The chromosomal DNA of the isolates was examined by using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) using SmaI. SmaI cut the chromosomal DNA of the examined MRSA into 9 to 13 fragments, moreover, 16 chromosomal digestion patterns were observed out of the 30 examined isolates. The first pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE1) contains 9 strains recovered from soft tissue infections and surgical wound infections. The second one (PFGE 2) contains 4 MRSA isolates, 3 of which were recovered from skin and soft tissue infections, while one was recovered from wound infection. Moreover, there are 3 chromosomal digestion patterns (PFGE 3, 4 and 5), each pattern involved two strains of MRSA which were recovered from surgical wound infections. A dendrogram of percent similarity, revealed three major clusters, the first cluster containing four groups (17 strains). The second cluster contains one group (12 strains), while the third cluster contains only one strain recovered from deep abscess.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Fingerprinting, Staphylococcus aureus, pulsed field gel electrophoresis, nosocomial infection, multiplex-PCR.

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Biodegradation of di-n-butyl phthalate by a newly isolated Diaphorobacter sp. strain QH-6

Decai Jin, Ping Wang, Zhihui Bai*, Bo Jin, Zuopeng Lv, Dongbin Wei and Guoqiang Zhuang

Abstract: Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), one of the most popular phthalic acid esters (PAEs), is commonly found in wastewater treatment plant. In this study, a bacterial strain capable of using DBP as sole carbon and energy source was isolated from activated sludge. This strain was identified as Diaphorobacter sp., designated as QH-6, based on the 16S rRNA and gyrB gene sequence analysis. For the first time, we studied the biodegradation ability of PAEs by genus Diaphorobacter. The high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed that the optimum conditions for DBP degradation were pH 7.0 to 8.0, temperature 30 to 35°C, and agitation rate 150 to 225 r/min. Under these conditions, 500 mg/L of DBP could be completely degraded with a half-life of 5.20 h. We investigated the effects of heavy metals (Cr6+ and Cu2+) on the DBP degradation. The results demonstrated that the heavy metals at a wide concentration range of 5 to 30 mg/L can restrain the DBP degradation. Furthermore, substrate utilization tests showed QH-6 can also utilize other PAEs and the degradation intermediates.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Diaphorobacter sp., dibutyl phthalate, biodegradation, heavy metal.

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Screening of higher yield of ethyl acetate yeast and researching of ester-producing conditions

MaoBin Chen, Ruili Li, Nan Peng, Da Zhen and Shangling Fang*

Abstract: A higher yield of ethyl acetate yeast Y1 was selected from Daqu and Xiaoqu, and the production volume of ethyl acetate was 2.152 g/l when cultured in corn saccharification mash. The strain is identified as Hansenula anomala. Then, through the single factor test to study the effects of diffident culture mediums and diffident culture methods on ester-producing, the results showed that the best ester-producing culture medium for Y1 yeast was the wheat saccharification mash. The ester yield of static culture was 40% higher when compared with shaking culture. several factors were selected to carry on the orthogonal test once more, the result indicated that the optimization plan were as follows: brix was 8°, pH was 5, temperature was 25°C, culture time was 4 days, and ethyl alcohol was 2%, total ester production of Y1 was 4.812 g/l in this condition.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Ester–production yeast, culture method, ester production condition, orthogonal test.

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