Selection and Characterization of Two Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains to be used as Starter and Protective Cultures for Food Fermentations

This study focused on selection and characterization of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains to be used as starter and protective culture for food fermentations. Thirty LAB isolates were isolated from different fermented foods onto MRS agar medium. Two LAB isolates only CK21 and PP17 showed the highest medium acidification values pH 3.2 and 3.6 respectively and inhibited many Gram positive and Gram negative pathogenic bacteria. CK21 and PP17 isolates were selected due to their desired properties to be used as starter cultures. Based on biochemical properties as well as sequences of 16S rRNA genes, CK21 and PP17 isolates were identified as belonging to Entercoccus faecium CK21 (E.faecium) and Lactobacillus fermentum PP17 (L.fermentum) . Both strains tolerated NaCl up to 10%, bile salt up to 3% and pancreatin up to 2%. Also, these strains have the ability to grow at wide pH range (2-9) and temperature range (20-50°C). These strains inhibited many pathogenic bacteria such as Bacillus cereus (B.cereus), Streptococcus pyogens (S.pyogens), Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus), Escherichia coli (E.coli), Listeria monocytogens (L.moncytogens), Acinetobacter baumanii (A.baumanii) and Salmonela typhimurium (S.typh). The antibacterial compound from culture supernatants of both strains was found to be proteinacious in nature, heat stable at 100ºC for 30min, and active over a wide pH ranges (2-8). All this characters coupled with the definitions of bacteriocins, so the antibacterial compound could be classified as bacteriocin. Both cell free supernatants (CFS) and neutralized CFS (NCFS) of lactic acid bacterial strains CK21 and PP17 inhibited E.coli and S.pyogenes distinctively in vitro

Detoxification and Bioremediation of Sulfa Drugs and Synthetic Dyes by Streptomyces mutabilis A17 Laccase Produced in Solid State Fermentation

Laccase enzyme has many important applications as bioremediation and removal of environmental wastes and also in industrial processes. Therefore, large-scale of novel producers of laccase is demanded to use cheap and low cost substrates. Hence, solid state fermentation is the best strategy to achieve this proposes. The present study is designed to optimize laccase production by Streptomyces mutabilis A17 using agro-wastes including rice bran, castor seed cake, wheat bran, wheat straw, soybeans cake, peanut cake, cotton seed cake and chicken feathers. Cotton seed cake significantly enhanced S. mutabilis A17 laccase production when it was incubated for 6 days at 37°C and 70% moisture content in presence of yeast extract and glucose as the best nitrogen and carbon sources, respectively. After purification steps, the purified laccase showed maximum activity at 40°C and pH 8.0 within stability pH range of 7.0 to 9.0. Laccase activity was highly increased to 195, 180 and 166% by the addition of Ba+2, Cu+2 and Mn+2, respectively. Sulfa drugs and synthetic dyes cause various pollutants due to their toxic effects in different environments. Therefore, a purified laccase was utilized for removal of sulfa drugs as sulfadiazine (SDZ) and sulfathiazole (STZ) and also synthetic dyes. The results showed that the maximal enzymatic removal of SDZ and STZ was attained at 50°C and pH 6.0 for 1 h at presence of 1mM HBT(1-hydroxybenzotriazole) as a laccase mediator by removal percentage of 73% and 90%, respectively. Detoxification effects of laccase-treated sulfa drugs and two synthetic dyes; congo red and malachite green solutions, were investigated using microbial toxicity test. Our results indicated that the toxicity of these laccase-treated samples against tested bacterial strains were significantly decreased. It was concluded from this study that SSF laccase is playing an important role for decreasing the toxic effects of pharmaceutical wastes and organic pollutants

Abstract WMP4: Predictors of Functional Recovery After Thrombectomy in Posterior Circulation Stroke - Insights From the STAR Collaboration

Introduction: Endovascular thrombectomy (ET) for treating acute stroke in the real-world has expanded beyond the selection criteria used in major trials, and currently includes posterior circulation strokes. Posterior circulation stroke is believed to have worse outcomes than anterior circulation stroke, and its outcomes following ET are still being studied. We explored the major determinants of functional recovery after ET for posterior circulation stroke in a large cohort of patients from the Stroke Thrombectomy and Aneurysm Registry (STAR). Methods: STAR includes patients undergoing ET for acute ischemic stroke at 12 comprehensive stroke centers in the US and globally. Data on patient demographics, technical and clinical outcomes was reviewed retrospectively from patient charts and procedure notes. Primary outcomes was the modified Ranking Score (mRS) at 90 days dichotomized into favorable (mRS 0-2) and poor outcome (mRS 3-6). Results: A total of 3850 patients were reviewed, of which 345 patients (mean age 60±14) were treated for posterior circulation stroke with predominantly basilar artery occlusion (80%). Patients were treated using aspiration thrombectomy (ADAPT, 39%), stent retriever thrombectomy (31%), combined approach (19%) or intracranial stenting (7%). The overall rate of favorable outcome was 33%. Patients with diabetes, high NIHSS on admission, and proximal occlusions had significantly higher odds of poor functional outcomes on multivariate analysis (p<0.05). Compared to ADAPT thrombectomy, significantly higher odds for poor outcomes were observed with the use of stent retriever (aOR=0.84, p<0.01) or primary combined approach (aOR=2.85, p=0.05). The advantage of ADAPT on functional recovery compared to stent retrievers persisted when regression models were limited to patients with successful recanalization, or with basilar artery occlusions. No differences in complication and hemorrhage rates were observed. Conclusions: Despite similar rates of functional recovery after ET for anterior circulation stroke between stent retriever and ADAPT, our analysis demonstrates that in posterior circulation stroke, ADAPT may lead to better functional outcomes compared to stent retriever without differences in safety profiles