New Thermophilic α/β Class Epoxide Hydrolases Found in Metagenomes From Hot Environments

This is the final version. Available from Frontiers Media via the DOI in this record.Two novel epoxide hydrolases (EHs), Sibe-EH and CH65-EH, were identified in the metagenomes of samples collected in hot springs in Russia and China, respectively. The two α/β hydrolase superfamily fold enzymes were cloned, over-expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and characterized. The new EHs were active toward a broad range of substrates, and in particular, Sibe-EH was excellent in the desymmetrization of cis-2,3-epoxybutane producing the (2R,3R)-diol product with ee exceeding 99%. Interestingly these enzymes also hydrolyse (4R)-limonene-1,2-epoxide with Sibe-EH being specific for the trans isomer. The Sibe-EH is a monomer in solution whereas the CH65-EH is a dimer. Both enzymes showed high melting temperatures with the CH65-EH being the highest at 85°C retaining 80% of its initial activity after 3 h thermal treatment at 70°C making it the most thermal tolerant wild type epoxide hydrolase described. The Sibe-EH and CH65-EH have been crystallized and their structures determined to high resolution, 1.6 and 1.4 Å, respectively. The CH65-EH enzyme forms a dimer via its cap domains with different relative orientation of the monomers compared to previously described EHs. The entrance to the active site cavity is located in a different position in CH65-EH and Sibe-EH in relation to other known bacterial and mammalian EHs

The Relationship Between Serum Levels of Interleukins 6, 8, 10 and Clinical Outcome in Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Background: Clinical outcome in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) depends on both primary and secondary brain injuries. Neuroinflammation is an important secondary mechanism, which occurs by releasing interleukins (ILs). Increased levels of ILs may affect clinical outcome following TBI. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the relationship between the serum levels of interleukins 6, 8 and 10 and clinical outcome in patients with severe TBI 6 months after injury. Patients and Methods: In a descriptive-analytical study, 44 patients with GCS ≤ 8 (Glasgow coma scale) and age ≥ 14 years were included. Their blood samples were collected at first 6 hours after injury. Clinical outcome was determined based on GOS (Glasgow Outcome Scale) at 6 months after head injury. Serum levels of interleukins 6, 8 and 10 were measured using the ELISA method. Spearman's rho, independent T-Test, and Mann-Whitney Test were used for data analysis. Results: Comparing the serum levels of interleukins in two groups with favorable and unfavorable clinical outcomes showed that the mean serum levels of interleukins 6 and 8 in group with favorable outcome was 85.2 ± 51.6 and 52.2 ± 31.9, respectively lower than those of group with unfavorable outcome with 162.3 ± 141.1 and 173.6 ± 257.3 (P < 0.03) and (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Increased serum levels of interleukins 6 and 8 as a predictive marker might be associated with unfavorable clinical outcome in patients with severe TBI

Isolation of probiotic bacteria from raw camel's milk and their antagonistic effects on two bacteria causing food poisoning

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is one of the main classes of acid-producing organisms in the food industry, and they play a vital part in many food and feed fermentations. We isolated and performed molecular identification of LAB from raw camel's milk and assessed their protective effects against pathogenicity induced by Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Fourteen samples of camel's milk were obtained from several districts under aseptic conditions. Bacteria isolation was performed by plating the samples on selective media. Isolates were identified by amplification of the 16S ribosomal RNA by PCR and sequencing. A total of 32 isolates were randomly picked, eight of which were analysed in this study. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic methods, isolated LAB was included Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus plantarum, Weissella paramesenteroides and Weissella confuse. Antagonistic activity of isolated LAB against two pathogenic bacteria showed that they had more inhibitory activity against S. aureus subsp. aureus PTCC 1431 than E. coli ATCC 25922. This study discovered that raw camel's milk obtained from three districts of Kerman province contain LAB bacteria that have antagonistic properties on S. aureus. © 2018 The Author

Sex differences in cardiovascular complications and mortality in hospital patients with covid-19: registry based observational study

Objective To assess whether the risk of cardiovascular complications of covid-19 differ between the sexes and to determine whether any sex differences in risk are reduced in individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Design Registry based observational study. Setting 74 hospitals across 13 countries (eight European) participating in CAPACITY-COVID (Cardiac complicAtions in Patients With SARS Corona vIrus 2 regisTrY), from March 2020 to May 2021 Participants All adults (aged ≥18 years), predominantly European, admitted to hospital with highly suspected covid-19 disease or covid-19 disease confirmed by positive laboratory test results (n=11 167 patients). Main outcome measures Any cardiovascular complication during admission to hospital. Secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and individual cardiovascular complications with ≥20 events for each sex. Logistic regression was used to examine sex differences in the risk of cardiovascular outcomes, overall and grouped by pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Results Of 11 167 adults (median age 68 years, 40% female participants) included, 3423 (36% of whom were female participants) had pre-existing cardiovascular disease. In both sexes, the most common cardiovascular complications were supraventricular tachycardias (4% of female participants, 6% of male participants), pulmonary embolism (3% and 5%), and heart failure (decompensated or de novo) (2% in both sexes). After adjusting for age, ethnic group, pre-existing cardiovascular disease, and risk factors for cardiovascular disease, female individuals were less likely than male individuals to have a cardiovascular complication (odds ratio 0.72, 95% confidence interval 0.64 to 0.80) or die (0.65, 0.59 to 0.72). Differences between the sexes were not modified by pre-existing cardiovascular disease; for the primary outcome, the female-to-male ratio of the odds ratio in those without, compared with those with, pre-existing cardiovascular disease was 0.84 (0.67 to 1.07). Conclusions In patients admitted to hospital for covid-19, female participants were less likely than male participants to have a cardiovascular complication. The differences between the sexes could not be attributed to the lower prevalence of pre-existing cardiovascular disease in female individuals. The reasons for this advantage in female individuals requires further research

Healthy dietary indices and risk of depressive outcomes : a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

With depression being the psychiatric disorder incurring the largest societal costs in developed countries, there is a need to gather evidence on the role of nutrition in depression, to help develop recommendations and guide future psychiatric health care. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the link between diet quality, measured using a range of predefined indices, and depressive outcomes. Medline, Embase and PsychInfo were searched up to 31st May 2018 for studies that examined adherence to a healthy diet in relation to depressive symptoms or clinical depression. Where possible, estimates were pooled using random effect meta-analysis with stratification by observational study design and dietary score. A total of 20 longitudinal and 21 cross-sectional studies were included. These studies utilized an array of dietary measures, including: different measures of adherence to the Mediterranean diet, the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) and Alternative HEI (AHEI), the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, and the Dietary Inflammatory Index. The most compelling evidence was found for the Mediterranean diet and incident depression, with a combined relative risk estimate of highest vs. lowest adherence category from four longitudinal studies of 0.67 (95% CI 0.55-0.82). A lower Dietary Inflammatory Index was also associated with lower depression incidence in four longitudinal studies (relative risk 0.76; 95% CI: 0.63-0.92). There were fewer longitudinal studies using other indices, but they and cross-sectional evidence also suggest an inverse association between healthy diet and depression (e.g., relative risk 0.65; 95% CI 0.50-0.84 for HEI/AHEI). To conclude, adhering to a healthy diet, in particular a traditional Mediterranean diet, or avoiding a pro-inflammatory diet appears to confer some protection against depression in observational studies. This provides a reasonable evidence base to assess the role of dietary interventions to prevent depression.Peer reviewe

Isolation of probiotic bacteria from raw camel's milk and their antagonistic effects on two bacteria causing food poisoning

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is one of the main classes of acid-producing organisms in the food industry, and they play a vital part in many food and feed fermentations. We isolated and performed molecular identification of LAB from raw camel's milk and assessed their protective effects against pathogenicity induced by Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Fourteen samples of camel's milk were obtained from several districts under aseptic conditions. Bacteria isolation was performed by plating the samples on selective media. Isolates were identified by amplification of the 16S ribosomal RNA by PCR and sequencing. A total of 32 isolates were randomly picked, eight of which were analysed in this study. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic methods, isolated LAB was included Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus plantarum, Weissella paramesenteroides and Weissella confuse. Antagonistic activity of isolated LAB against two pathogenic bacteria showed that they had more inhibitory activity against S. aureus subsp. aureus PTCC 1431 than E. coli ATCC 25922. This study discovered that raw camel's milk obtained from three districts of Kerman province contain LAB bacteria that have antagonistic properties on S. aureus. Keywords: Camel, lactic acid bacteria, milk, probioti

Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam leaves aqueous extract mediated synthesis of zinc nanoparticles and their antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxicity, antioxidant, and cutaneous wound healing properties under in vitro and in vivo conditions

LamZiziphora clinopodioides Biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles using plant medicine is under exploration is due to wide biomedica applications and research interest in nanotechnology, the recent study was assessing green synthesis of zinc nanoparticle using ), the use of plant material Ziziphoraleaves extract (ZnNPs@ not only makes the process eco-friendly but also the abundance makes it more economical. Also, in this study, Vis. and- were characterized using different techniques including UVZiziphora were synthesized in aqueous medium using the plant extract as stabilizing and reducing agents. The synthesized ZnNPs@Ziziphora conditions. ZnNPs@in vivo and in vitro under Ziziphorawe investigated the therapeutical properties of ZnNPs@ FT-IR spectroscopy, . SEM images exhibited a uniform spherical morphology in size of 32.34 Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA)ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS), and-X Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium part of this study, these nanoparticles indicated excellent antibacterial properties against Gram-negative bacteria (in vitronm for the biosynthesized nanoparticles. In the biological , andCandida krusei, Candida albicans, Candida glabrata), antifungal potentials against Bacillus subtilis, andStaphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniaO157:H7) and Gram-positive bacteria ( leaves aqueous extract can be used to yield zinc nanoparticles with a significant amount of antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and cutaneous wound healing properties without any cytotoxicity.Z. clinopodioides ointment ameliorated the cutaneous wounds with increasing the levels of wound contracture, vessel, hydroxyl proline, hexosamine, hexuronic acid, fibrocyte, and fibrocytes/fibroblast rate and decreeing the wound area, total cells, and lymphocyte compared to other groups in rats. The results of UV, FT-IR, XRD, FE-SEM, EDS, and TGA confirm that the Ziziphora part of our experiment, ZnNPs@in vivo, non-cytotoxicity effect against human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and antioxidant activity against DPPH. In the biological Candida guilliermondi