Necessary Usage of Antibiotics in Animals

Animals could become sick at any time of their lives, just like all people exposed. Many of the antibiotics administered to animals are identical to or closely drugs used in human. All animal species in general and food-producing animals, in particular, are commonly exposed to antibiotics to treat and prevent infectious diseases or to promote growth. Antibiotics would not be necessary if animals were raised differently under good veterinary and husbandry practices that were less crowded and more sanitary. The proper and responsible use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine mandate an active cooperation between all the interested parties involved in livestock production cycles. All parties are invited to act together to ensure the ultimate goals of maintaining the efficacy and safety of veterinary antibiotics and complying the established maximum residue limits (MRLs) of the products of animal origin intended for human consumption. Antibiotics as hazardous substances should be applied and directed during the different steps starting from prescription until ensuring the withdrawal period under the supervision of professionals and veterinarians. Practices indicated that there is a need to improve sensitivity testing services and facilities before prescribing the proper antibiotic

Mortality Among Adults With Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy or Immunotherapy and Infected With COVID-19

Importance: Large cohorts of patients with active cancers and COVID-19 infection are needed to provide evidence of the association of recent cancer treatment and cancer type with COVID-19 mortality. // Objective: To evaluate whether systemic anticancer treatments (SACTs), tumor subtypes, patient demographic characteristics (age and sex), and comorbidities are associated with COVID-19 mortality. // Design, Setting, and Participants: The UK Coronavirus Cancer Monitoring Project (UKCCMP) is a prospective cohort study conducted at 69 UK cancer hospitals among adult patients (≥18 years) with an active cancer and a clinical diagnosis of COVID-19. Patients registered from March 18 to August 1, 2020, were included in this analysis. // Exposures: SACT, tumor subtype, patient demographic characteristics (eg, age, sex, body mass index, race and ethnicity, smoking history), and comorbidities were investigated. // Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was all-cause mortality within the primary hospitalization. // Results: Overall, 2515 of 2786 patients registered during the study period were included; 1464 (58%) were men; and the median (IQR) age was 72 (62-80) years. The mortality rate was 38% (966 patients). The data suggest an association between higher mortality in patients with hematological malignant neoplasms irrespective of recent SACT, particularly in those with acute leukemias or myelodysplastic syndrome (OR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.30-3.60) and myeloma or plasmacytoma (OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.04-2.26). Lung cancer was also significantly associated with higher COVID-19–related mortality (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.11-2.25). No association between higher mortality and receiving chemotherapy in the 4 weeks before COVID-19 diagnosis was observed after correcting for the crucial confounders of age, sex, and comorbidities. An association between lower mortality and receiving immunotherapy in the 4 weeks before COVID-19 diagnosis was observed (immunotherapy vs no cancer therapy: OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.31-0.86). // Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this study of patients with active cancer suggest that recent SACT is not associated with inferior outcomes from COVID-19 infection. This has relevance for the care of patients with cancer requiring treatment, particularly in countries experiencing an increase in COVID-19 case numbers. Important differences in outcomes among patients with hematological and lung cancers were observed

Monitored Variations in Microbial Load of Aquacultured Tilapia Fish in Kafr El-Sheikh and El-Faiyum Governorates, Egypt

The main aim of the Egyptian government is not only to increase tilapia fish production, but also to improve the quality of the fish produced. Contaminated water causes damage to farmed fish and is also considered an important factor affecting the fish quality. To avoid losses in fish farms, it is critical to obtain information on the microbial load. This research aimed to study the microbial load in four fish farms in the governorates of Kafr El-Sheikh and El-Faiyum (two farms in each governorate), in Egypt. Water and fish samples were collected at various locations within each farm pond for two seasons (autumn and spring) to assess the microbiological characteristics. Total coliform count of aquaculture water samples was the highest mean count of 3.93×103±1.81×103 CFU/ml in farm (3) of El-Faiyum. However, Clostridium counts were highest in farm (2) of Kafr El-Sheikh at 1.85×102 ±1.76×102 in autumn of 2021. Total coliform count (1.196×103±8.38×102) was the highest in farm (1) of Kafr El-Sheikh in spring 2022. Also, Salmonella spp. was only detected in farm (2) of Kafr El-Sheikh in autumn 2021, but in spring 2022 it was positive in farm (3) of El-Faiyum. Nevertheless, Listeria spp. was not detected in the aquaculture water samples examined. In addition, Salmonella spp. was detected in farm (1) of Kafr El-Sheikh and in farms (3 and 4) of El-Faiyum in spring 2022. It was concluded that the presence of pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella and Clostridium in fish samples in some farms in Kafr El-Sheikh and El-Faiyum may contribute to foodborne illness. So that, the microbiological criteria are recommended to be applied as guidelines to develop additional control programs in fish farms. This can help in the pollution control of the agricultural drainage water that is used in aquaculture; consequently, prevent the growth and toxin production by pathogen

Synthesis and biological activities of new bis-indole derivatives via microwave irradiation

Halawa AH, Bedair AH, El-Agrody AM, et al. Synthesis and biological activities of new bis-indole derivatives via microwave irradiation. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung B. 2017;72(9):639-646.Three new series of bis-indole derivatives were synthesized based on p-phenylenediamine (2-4, 5 and 6) and 4,4'-ethylenedianiline moieties (7-9) using facile and efficient condensation of three positional isomeric indole-carboxaldehyde derivatives (1a-c) with bifunctional amines upon microwave irradiation. The symmetric dimeric indole derivatives 2-4 as well as non-symmetric analogues 5 and 6 were obtained by in situ condensation of the respective positional 3-, 2- and 5-isomeric indole-carboxaldehydes with p-phenylenediamine, while compounds 7-9 resulted from respective condensation based on 4,4'-ethylenedianiline. Structures of the obtained compounds were deduced by advanced spectroscopic methods (H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR and MS). In agar diffusion assay, derivative 6 showed moderate antibacterial activity against various Gram positive and negative bacteria, while derivative 7 displayed moderate activity against several Gram positive bacteria. However, in Resazurin assay employing the human cervix carcinoma cell line (KB-3-1), derivatives 2-9 turned out to be inactive

Synthesis, biological activity and molecular modeling study of new Schiff bases incorporated with indole moiety

Halawa AH, Abd El-Gilil SM, Bedair AH, et al. Synthesis, biological activity and molecular modeling study of new Schiff bases incorporated with indole moiety. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C. 2017;72(11-12):467-475.A new series of heterocyclic Schiff bases 2-9 containing indole moiety were synthesized by facile and efficient condensation of indole-3/2/5-carboxaldehyde (1a/1b/1c) with different aromatic and heterocyclic primary amines using conventional and/or microwave irradiation methods. The structures of the obtained compounds were assigned by sophisticated spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques (1D-NMR, 2D-NMR and MS). The synthesized compounds were screened for their cytotoxicity and antibacterial activities. In vitro cytotoxicity screening revealed that compound 5 exhibited moderate activity against KB-3-1 cell line (IC50 = 57.7 mu M) while 5-indolylimino derivative 7 indicated close to the activity (IC50 = 19.6 mu M) in comparison with the positive control (+)-Griseofulvin (IC50 = 19.2 mu M), while the tested compounds 5, 6b, 7 and 9 revealed good or moderate antibacterial activity. In addition, molecular docking study of Schiff bases 2-9 was performed by Molecular Operating Environment (MOE 2014.09) program on the matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) (Protein Data Bank (PDB) ID: 1MNC) in an attempt to explore their mode of action as anticancer drugs

Synthesis, in vitro cytotoxicity activity against the human cervix carcinoma cell line and in silico computational predictions of new 4-arylamino-3-nitrocoumarin analogues

Halawa AH, Eliwa EM, Hassan AA, et al. Synthesis, in vitro cytotoxicity activity against the human cervix carcinoma cell line and in silico computational predictions of new 4-arylamino-3-nitrocoumarin analogues. JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR STRUCTURE. 2020;1200: UNSP 127047.A new series of 4-arylamino-3-nitrocoumarin analogues (4-18) have been synthesized and characterized by sophisticated spectroscopic techniques (H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR) and mass spectrometry. All the new synthesized compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activity against the human cervix carcinoma cell line (KB-3-1) using resazurin assay with (+)-griseofulvin as the positive control (IC50 = 19 mu M). Among them, thiazolidinylidene derivative 17a that bearing malononitrile unit displayed the best cytotoxic potency with IC50 value of 21 mu M. Also, in silico docking simulation studies were conducted on human DNA topoisomerase 1 (Top1) (PDB: 1T8I) to explore and interpret the interaction pattern between the selected compounds and target enzyme as well confirm the acquired cytotoxicity results. In addition to the above, in silico predictions of physicochemical properties, ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion) parameters, oral toxicity and indication of toxicity targets were implemented for some title compounds. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier B.V

Synthesis of diverse amide linked bis-indoles and indole derivatives bearing coumarin-based moiety: cytotoxicity and molecular docking investigations

Halawa AH, Abd El-Gilil SM, Bedair AH, et al. Synthesis of diverse amide linked bis-indoles and indole derivatives bearing coumarin-based moiety: cytotoxicity and molecular docking investigations. MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY RESEARCH. 2018;27(3):796-806.New amide linked bis-indoles 10a, b, and 12 have been synthesized by treatment of tryptamine (9) or 5-aminoindole (11) with oxalyl chloride or adipoyl chloride. In addition, a newly indole derivatives 14-16 incorporated or fused with coumarin moieties have been prepared through the reaction of 9 or 11 with 4-chloro-3-formylcoumarin (13a) or 4-chloro-3-nitrocoumarin (13b). Further, 13-(3-nitrophenyl)-6,13-dihydrochromeno[4,3-b]pyrrolo[3,2-f]quinolin-12(3H)-one (20) has been produced via one-pot Mannish reaction of 11, 4-hydroxycoumarin (17), and 3-nitrobenzaldehyde (18) in the presence of N-chlorosuccinimide (NCS) as a catalyst. A mixture of 3-[(3H-indol-3-ylidene)methyl]-4-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-one (24A), and 3-[(1H-indol-3-yl)methylene]chroman-2,4-dione (24B) has been obtained with ratio 1:1 through Knoevenagel condensation reaction of indole-3-carboxaldehyde (21) and 17. Structures of the obtained compounds have been assigned by sophisticated spectroscopic techniques (H-1-NMR, C-13-NMR, and 2D NMR) and mass spectrometry. All the synthesized compounds have been screened for their cytotoxic activity against the human cervix carcinoma cell line (KB-3-1), where compounds 14a, 16, and 20 exhibit the highest potent activity (IC50 = 1.8, 2.2, and 7.9 A mu M, respectively) in comparison with the positive control (+)-Griseofulvin (IC50 = 19.2 A mu M), whereas the tautomeric mixture 24A, B show moderate activity (IC50 = 71.3 A mu M). Moreover, molecular docking study of the synthesized compounds toward the matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) (PDB ID: 1MNC) has also discussed

Potential health risk assessment for heavy metals in Tilapia fish of different spatiotemporal monitoring patterns in Kafr El-Shaikh and El-Faiyum Governorates of Egypt

Heavy metal (HMs) levels were evaluated in aquacultured tilapia fish collected from two highly producing districts in Egypt (Kafr El-Sheikh and El-Faiyum Governorates) during two seasons (autumn 2021 and spring 2022). As well, health risk assessment of exposure to HMs in tilapia fish was studied. The results revealed that six HMs: As, Cu, Fe, Mn, Cr and Zn were predominant in fish samples of the first season (autumn 2021), while most of HMs were existed in samples of the second season. All samples of the two seasons were free of Hg. Notably, autumn season’s fish samples showed higher concentrations of HMs than those of the spring season. As well, Kafr El-Sheikh farms were highly contaminated with HMs than those of El-Faiyum governorate. Risk assessment results indicated that the THQ values of As substantially exceeded 1 either for Kafr El-Shaikh samples (3.15 ± 0.5) or for El-Faiyum samples (2.39 ± 0.8) of autumn season. Meanwhile, THQ values for all HMs, in spring season 2021, were less than one whole. These results indicated a potential health risk arising from the exposure to HMs, As in particular, in fish samples of autumn season as compared to those of spring season. Therefore, there is a need for remedial applications, in such polluted aquacultures in autumn season, which are currently under investigation as an integral part of the research project that funded the current study

New bioactive compounds from the marine-derived actinomycete Nocardiopsis lucentensis sp. ASMR2

Eliwa EM, Abdel-Razek AS, Frese M, et al. New bioactive compounds from the marine-derived actinomycete Nocardiopsis lucentensis sp. ASMR2. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung B. 2017;72(5):351-360