Profiling and Role of Bioactive Molecules from Puntius sophore (Freshwater/Brackish Fish) Skin Mucus with Its Potent Antibacterial, Antiadhesion, and Antibiofilm Activities

Epidermal fish mucus comprises of diverse bioactive metabolites which plays an immense role in defense mechanisms and other important cellular activities. Primarily, this study aims to screen the unexplored mucus extract of Puntius sophore (P. sophore) for its antagonistic potential against common pathogens, which are commonly implicated in foodborne and healthcare associated infections, with effects on their adhesion and biofilm formation. Profiling of the skin mucus was carried out by High Resolution-Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HR-LCMS), followed by antibacterial activity and assessment of antibiofilm potency and efficacy on the development, formation, and texture of biofilms. Furthermore, bacterial cell damage, viability within the biofilm, checkerboard test, and cytotoxicity were also evaluated. As a result, P. sophore mucus extract was found to be effective against all tested strains. It also impedes the architecture of biofilm matrix by affecting the viability and integrity of bacterial cells within biofilms and reducing the total exopolysaccharide content. A synergy was observed between P. sophore mucus extract and gentamicin for Escherichia coli (E. coli), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), whereas, an additive effect for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Thus, our findings represent the potent bioactivities of P. sophore mucus extract for the first time, which could be explored further as an alternative to antibiotics or chemically synthesized antibiofilm agents

Cordycepin for Health and Wellbeing: A Potent Bioactive Metabolite of an Entomopathogenic Medicinal Fungus Cordyceps with Its Nutraceutical and Therapeutic Potential

Cordyceps is a rare naturally occurring entomopathogenic fungus usually found at high altitudes on the Himalayan plateau and a well-known medicinal mushroom in traditional Chinese medicine. Cordyceps contains various bioactive components, out of which, cordycepin is considered most vital, due to its utmost therapeutic as well as nutraceutical potential. Moreover, the structure similarity of cordycepin with adenosine makes it an important bioactive component, with difference of only hydroxyl group, lacking in the 3′ position of its ribose moiety. Cordycepin is known for various nutraceutical and therapeutic potential, such as anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemia, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-aging, anticancer, antiviral, hepato-protective, hypo-sexuality, cardiovascular diseases, antimalarial, anti-osteoporotic, anti-arthritic, cosmeceutical etc. which makes it a most valuable medicinal mushroom for helping in maintaining good health. In this review, effort has been made to bring altogether the possible wide range of cordycepin’s nutraceutical potential along with its pharmacological actions and possible mechanism. Additionally, it also summarizes the details of cordycepin based nutraceuticals predominantly available in the market with expected global value. Moreover, this review will attract the attention of food scientists, nutritionists, pharmaceutical and food industries to improve the use of bioactive molecule cordycepin for nutraceutical purposes with commercialization to aid and promote healthy lifestyle, wellness and wellbeing

Fish-based Bioactives as Potent Nutraceuticals: Exploring the Therapeutic Perspective of Sustainable Food from the Sea

Recent developments in nutraceuticals and functional foods have confirmed that bioactive components present in our diet play a major therapeutic role against human diseases. Moreover, there is a huge emphasis on food scientists for identifying and producing foods with better bioactive activity, which can ultimately provide wellness and well-being to human health. Among the several well-known foods with bioactive constituents, fish has always been considered important, due to its rich nutritional values and by-product application in food industries. Nutritionists, food scientists, and other scientific communities have been working jointly to uncover new bioactive molecules that could increase the potential and therapeutic benefits of these bioactive components. Despite the innumerable benefits of fish and known fish bioactive molecules, its use by food or pharmaceutical industries is scarce, and even research on fish-based nutraceuticals is not promising. Therefore, this review focuses on the current information/data available regarding fish bioactive components, its application as nutraceuticals for therapeutic purposes in the treatment of chronic diseases, ethnic issues related to consumption of fish or its by-products. Especial emphasis is given on the utilization of fish wastes and its by-products to fulfill the world demand for cheap dietary supplements specifically for underdeveloped/least developed countries

Deciphering the Molecular Mechanism Responsible for Efficiently Inhibiting Metastasis of Human Non-Small Cell Lung and Colorectal Cancer Cells Targeting the Matrix Metalloproteinases by Selaginella repanda

Selaginella species are known to have antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic as well as anticancer effects. However, no study has examined the cytotoxic and anti-metastatic efficacy of Selaginella repanda (S. repanda) to date. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the potential anti-metastatic properties of ethanol crude extract of S. repanda in human non-small-cell lung (A-549) and colorectal cancer (HCT-116) cells with possible mechanisms. Effect of S. repanda crude extract on the growth, adhesion, migration and invasion of the A-549 and HCT-116 were investigated. We demonstrated that S. repanda crude extract inhibited cell growth of metastatic cells in a dose and time dependent manner. Incubation of A-549 and HCT-116 cells with 100–500 µg/mL of S. repanda crude extract significantly inhibited cell adhesion to gelatin coated surface. In the migration and invasion assay, S. repanda crude extract also significantly inhibited cellular migration and invasion in both A-549 and HCT-116 cells. Moreover, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) analysis revealed that the activity and mRNA level of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) were inhibited. While the activity of tissue inhibitor matrix metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1); an inhibitor of MMPs was stimulated by S. repanda crude extract in a concentration-dependent manner. Therefore, the present study not only indicated the inhibition of motility and invasion of malignant cells by S. repanda, but also revealed that such effects were likely associated with the decrease in MMP-2/-9 expression of both A-549 and HCT-116 cells. This further suggests that S. repanda could be used as a potential source of anti-metastasis agent in pharmaceutical development for cancer therapy

Effects of salinity and drought on growth, ionic relations, compatible solutes and activation of antioxidant systems in oleander (Nerium oleander L.)

[EN] Nerium oleander is an ornamental species of high aesthetic value, grown in arid and semi- arid regions because of its drought tolerance, which is also considered as relatively resistant to salt; yet the biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying oleander¿s stress toler- ance remain largely unknown. To investigate these mechanisms, one-year-old oleander seedlings were exposed to 15 and 30 days of treatment with increasing salt concentratio ns, up to 800 mM NaCl, and to complete withholding of irrigation; growth parameters and bio- chemical markers characteristic of conserved stress-response pathways were then deter- mined in stressed and control plants. Strong water deficit and salt stress both caused inhibition of growth, degradation of photosynthetic pigments, a slight (but statistically signifi- cant) increase in the leaf levels of specific osmolytes, and induction of oxidative stress¿as indicated by the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA), a reliable oxidative stress marker ¿accompanied by increases in the levels of total phenolic compounds and antioxidant fla- vonoids and in the specific activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reduc- tase (GR). High salinity, in addition, induced accumulation of Na + and Cl - in roots and leaves and the activation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities. Apart from anatomical adaptations that protect oleander from leaf dehydration at moderate levels of stress, our results indicate that tolerance of this species to salinity and water deficit is based on the constitutive accumulation in leaves of high concentratio ns of soluble carbohydrates and, to a lesser extent, of glycine betaine, and in the activation of the aforementioned antiox- idant systems. Moreover, regarding specifically salt stress, mechanisms efficiently blocking transport of toxic ions from the roots to the aerial parts of the plant appear to contribute to a large extent to tolerance in Nerium oleanderThis work was financed by internal funds of the Polytechnic University of Valencia to Monica Boscaiu and Oscar Vicente. Dinesh Kumar’s stay in Valencia was financed by a NAMASTE fellowship from the European Union, and Mohamad Al Hassan was a recipient of an Erasmus Mundus pre-doctoral scholarship financed by the European Commission (Welcome Consortium).Kumar, D.; Al Hassan, M.; Naranjo Olivero, MA.; Agrawal, V.; Boscaiu, M.; Vicente, O. (2017). Effects of salinity and drought on growth, ionic relations, compatible solutes and activation of antioxidant systems in oleander (Nerium oleander L.). PLoS ONE. 12(9). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0185017Se018501712

Batch and continuous removal of heavy metals from industrial effluents using microbial consortia

Bio-removal of heavy metals, using microbial biomass, increasingly attracting scientific attention due to their significant role in purification of different types of wastewaters making it reusable. Heavy metals were reported to have a significant hazardous effect on human health, and while the conventional methods of removal were found to be insufficient; microbial biosorption was found to be the most suitable alternative. In this work, an immobilized microbial consortium was generated using Statistical Design of Experiment (DOE) as a robust method to screen the efficiency of the microbial isolates in heavy metal removal process. This is the first report of applying Statistical DOE to screen the efficacy of microbial isolates to remove heavy metals instead of screening normal variables. A mixture of bacterial biomass and fungal spores was used both in batch and continuous modes to remove Chromium and Iron ions from industrial effluents. Bakery yeast was applied as a positive control, and all the obtained biosorbent isolates showed more significant efficiency in heavy metal removal. In batch mode, the immobilized biomass was enclosed in a hanged tea bag-like cellulose membrane to facilitate the separation of the biosorbent from the treated solutions, which is one of the main challenges in applying microbial biosorption at large scale. The continuous flow removal was performed using fixed bed mini-bioreactor, and the process was optimized in terms of pH (6) and flow rates (1 ml/min) using Response Surface Methodology. The most potential biosorbent microbes were identified and characterized. The generated microbial consortia and process succeeded in the total removal of Chromium ions and more than half of Iron ions both from standard solutions and industrial effluents

The impact of laxative use upon symptoms in patients with proven slow transit constipation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Constipation severity is often defined by symptoms including feelings of complete evacuation, straining, stool frequency and consistency. These descriptors are mostly obtained in the absence of laxative use. For many constipated patients laxative usage is ubiquitous and long standing. Our aim was to determine the impact of laxative use upon the stereotypic constipation descriptors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Patients with confirmed slow transit constipation completed 3-week stool diaries, detailing stool frequency and form, straining, laxative use and pain and bloating scores. Each diary day was classified as being under laxative affect (laxative affected days) or not (laxative unaffected days). Unconditional logistic regression was used to assess the affects of laxatives on constipation symptoms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ninety four patients with scintigraphically confirmed slow transit constipation were enrolled in the study. These patients reported a stool frequency of 5.6 ± 4.3 bowel motions/week, only 21 patients reported <3 bowel motions/week. Similarly, 21 patients reported a predominant hard stool at defecation. The majority (90%) of patients reported regular straining. A regular feeling of complete evacuation was reported in just 7 patients. Daily pain and/or bloating were reported by 92% of patients. When compared with laxative unaffected days, on the laxative affected days patients had a higher stool frequency (OR 2.23; <it>P </it><0.001) and were more likely to report loose stools (OR 1.64; <it>P </it><0.009). Laxatives did not increase the number of bowel actions associated with a feeling of complete evacuation. Laxative use had no affect upon straining, pain or bloating scores</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The reporting of frequent and loose stools with abdominal pain and/or bloating is common in patients with slow transit constipation. While laxative use is a significant contributor to altering stool frequency and form, laxatives have no apparent affect on pain or bloating or upon a patients feeling of complete evacuation. These factors need to be taken into account when using constipation symptoms to define this population.</p

Evaluation of code criteria for bridges with unequal pier heights

One of the challenges associated with Eurocode 8 and AASHTO-LRFD is predicting the failure of irregular bridges supported by piers of unequal heights. EC8 currently uses “moment demand-to-moment capacity” ratios to somewhat guarantee simultaneous failure of piers on bridges, while AASHTO-LRFD relies on the relative effective stiffness of the piers. These conditions are not entirely valid, in particular for piers with a relative height of 0.5 or less, where a possible combination of flexure and shear failure mode may occur. In this case, the shorter piers often result in brittle shear failure, while the longer piers are most likely to fail due to flexure, creating a combination of different failure modes experienced by the bridge. To evaluate the adequacy of EC8 design procedures for regular seismic behavior, various irregular bridges are simulated through a non-linear pushover analysis using shear-critical fiber-based beam-column elements. The paper investigates the behavior of irregular monolithic and bearing-type bridges experiencing different failure modes, and proposes different methods for regularizing the bridge performance to balance damage. The ultimate aim is to obtain a simultaneous or near-simultaneous failure of all piers irrespective of the different heights and failure mode experienced

In vitro activity of ivermectin against Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates

Background Ivermectin is an endectocide against many parasites. Though being a macrocyclic lactone, its activity against bacteria has been less known, possibly due to the fact that micromolar concentrations at tissue levels are required to achieve a therapeutic effect. Among pathogenic bacteria of major medical significance, Staphylococcus aureus cause a number of diseases in a wide variety of hosts including humans and animals. It has been attributed as one of the most pathogenic organisms. The emergence of methicillin resistance has made the treatment of S. aureus even more difficult as it is now resistant to most of the available antibiotics. Thus, search for alternate anti-staphylococcal agents requires immediate attention. Methods Twenty-one clinical isolates of S. aureus were isolated from bovine milk collected from Lahore and Faisalabad Pakistan. Different anthelmintics including levamisole, albendazole and ivermectin were tested against S. aureus to determine their minimum inhibitory concentrations. This was followed-up by growth curve analysis, spot assay and time-kill kinetics. Results The results showed that ivermectin but not levamisole or albendazole exhibited a potent anti-staphylococcal activity at the concentrations of 6.25 and 12.5 μg/ml against two isolates. Interestingly, one of the isolate was sensitive while the other was resistant to methicillin/cefoxitin. Conclusions Our novel findings indicate that ivermectin has an anti-bacterial effect against certain S. aureus isolates. However, to comprehend why ivermectin did not inhibit the growth of all Staphylococci needs further investigation. Nevertheless, we have extended the broad range of known pharmacological effects of ivermectin. As pharmacology and toxicology of ivermectin are well known, its further development as an anti-staphylococcal agent is potentially appealing