Toxicological effects of nanoselenium in animals

The productivity and sustainability of livestock production systems are heavily influenced by animal nutrition. To maintain homeostatic balance in the body of the animal at different phases of life, the percentage of organically active minerals in livestock feed must be optimized. Selenium (Se) is a crucial trace mineral that is required for the maintenance of many functions of the body. Se nanoparticles (SeNPs) attracted considerable interest from researchers for a variety of applications a decade ago, owing to their extraordinary properties. SeNPs offer significant advantages over larger-sized materials, by having a comparatively wider surface area, increased surface energy, and high volume. Despite its benefits, SeNP also has toxic effects, therefore safety concerns must be taken for a successful application. The toxicological effects of SeNPs in animals are characterized by weight loss, and increased mortality rate. A safe-by-strategy to certify animal, human and environmental safety will contribute to an early diagnosis of all risks associated with SeNPs. This review is aimed at describing the beneficial uses and potential toxicity of SeNPs in various animals. It will also serve as a summary of different levels of SeNPs which should be added in the feed of animals for better performance.O

The gut microbiota–brain axis in neurological disorder

The gut microbiota (GM) plays an important role in the physiology and pathology of the host. Microbiota communicate with different organs of the organism by synthesizing hormones and regulating body activity. The interaction of the central nervous system (CNS) and gut signaling pathways includes chemical, neural immune and endocrine routes. Alteration or dysbiosis in the gut microbiota leads to different gastrointestinal tract disorders that ultimately impact host physiology because of the abnormal microbial metabolites that stimulate and trigger different physiologic reactions in the host body. Intestinal dysbiosis leads to a change in the bidirectional relationship between the CNS and GM, which is linked to the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders. Increasing preclinical and clinical studies/evidence indicate that gut microbes are a possible susceptibility factor for the progression of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this review, we discuss the crucial connection between the gut microbiota and the central nervous system, the signaling pathways of multiple biological systems and the contribution of gut microbiota-related neurological disorders

Potential application of nanotechnology in the treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases that affect millions of people worldwide. Globally, it affects economically poor countries, typically due to a lack of proper sanitation systems, and poor hygiene conditions. Currently, no vaccine is available against schistosomiasis, and the preferred treatment is chemotherapy with the use of praziquantel. It is a common anti-schistosomal drug used against all known species of Schistosoma. To date, current treatment primarily the drug praziquantel has not been effective in treating Schistosoma species in their early stages. The drug of choice offers low bioavailability, water solubility, and fast metabolism. Globally drug resistance has been documented due to overuse of praziquantel, Parasite mutations, poor treatment compliance, co-infection with other strains of parasites, and overall parasitic load. The existing diagnostic methods have very little acceptability and are not readily applied for quick diagnosis. This review aims to summarize the use of nanotechnology in the treatment, diagnosis, and prevention. It also explored safe and effective substitute approaches against parasitosis. At this stage, various nanomaterials are being used in drug delivery systems, diagnostic kits, and vaccine production. Nanotechnology is one of the modern and innovative methods to treat and diagnose several human diseases, particularly those caused by parasite infections. Herein we highlight the current advancement and application of nanotechnological approaches regarding the treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of schistosomiasis

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Multidrug-Resistant <i>Escherichia coli</i> Isolate of Chinese Bovine Origin Carrying the <i>bla</i>_CTX-M-55 Gene Located in IS<i>26</i>-Mediated Composite Translocatable Units

Elevated detection rates of the blaCTX-M-55 gene in animals have been reported as a result of antibiotic misuse in clinics. To investigate the horizontal transfer mechanism of blaCTX-M-55 and its associated mobile genetic elements (MGEs), we isolated 318 nonrepetitive strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli) from bovine samples in Xinjiang and Gansu provinces, China. All E. coli strains were screened for the CTX-M-55 gene using PCR. The complete genomic data were sequenced using the PacBio triplet sequencing platform and corrected using the Illumina data platform. The genetic environment of the plasmids carrying the resistance blaCTX-M-55 gene was mapped using the software Easyfig2.2.3 for comparison. The results showed that all blaCTX-M-55-positive strains were resistant to multiple antibiotics. Five strains of Escherichia coli carry the blaCTX-M-55 gene, which is adjacent to other resistance genes and is located on the IncHI2-type plasmid. Four of the five blaCTX-M-55-harbor strains carried translocatable units (TUs). All the donor bacteria carrying the blaCTX-M-55 genes could transfer horizontally to the recipient (E. coli J53 Azr). This study demonstrates that the transmission of blaCTX-M-55 is localized on IS26-flanked composite transposons. The cotransmission and prevalence of blaCTX-M-55 with other MDR resistance genes on epidemic plasmids require enhanced monitoring and control

Evaluation of in vitro antibacterial effect of essential oil and some herbal plant extract used against mastitis pathogens

Abstract Background Mastitis in dairy cattle is a highly prevalent infectious disease, caused by various pathogens, mainly Staphylococcu aureus and Escherichia Coli, considerable economic loss worldwide. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro activity of Herbal plants used against S. aureus and E. coli bacteria which are the causative agents of mastitis. Methods Therefore, in this study we investigate the antimicrobial effect of plant to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial activity of squaw mint (Mentha pulegium L., Lamiaceae family), catnip (Nepeta cataria L., Lamiaceae), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L., Lamiaceae), for mastitis treatment. Solutions prepared in fixed oils, against S. aureus and E. coli bacteria which are the main agents of mastitis. Isolation and antibiotic susceptibility analyses of milk samples taken from 100 subclinical mastitis dairy cows were performed. The antibacterial properties of the solutions were analysed by a disk diffusion method. Results In the bacterial isolation, S. aureus was determined 97.7% and E. coli 53.5% positive of cows with mastitis. Antibacterial susceptibility test of the Lemon balm extract and essential oil showed maximum zone of inhibition against S. aureus 30 µl (23 mm), followed by 20 µl (19 mm), E. coli (19 mm) and 10 µl (5–7 mm), of the same extract against the Gram‐positive bacteria. The ethanol extracts show the similar activity against the Gram‐negative bacteria at 30, 20, and 10 µl (18–20 mm). Followed by S. aureus, when the zone areas for the susceptible solutions (Lemon balm, and essential oil) and the control group were compared, determined that there was little difference between for S. aureus and E. coli. Conclusions This study hence indicated that in vitro cultured plantlets of lemon balm and peppermint oil can be used as the alternative method for production of mastitis and cheap source its precursor with antimicrobial activities

Tn3-like structures co-harboring of bla CTX-M-65 , bla TEM-1 and bla OXA-10 in the plasmids of two Escherichia coli ST1508 strains originating from dairy cattle in China

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the level of horizontal transmission of the bla CTX-M-65 gene and the role of its associated mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in the bovine-derived Escherichia coli. After PCR identification, two plasmids carrying bla CTX-M-65 were successfully transferred to the recipient E. coli J53 Azr through conjugation assays and subsequently selected for Whole-Genome sequencing (WGS) analysis. The resistance profiles of these two positive strains and their transconjugants were also determined through antimicrobial susceptibility tests. Whole genome data were acquired using both the PacBio sequencing platform and the Illumina data platform. The annotated results were then submitted to the Genbank database for accession number recording. For comparison, the genetic environment of plasmids carrying the resistance gene bla CTX-M-65 was mapped using the Easyfig software. WGS analysis revealed Tn3-like composite transposons bearing bla CTX-M-65 , bla TEM-1 , and bla OXA-10 in the IncHI2-type plasmids of these two E. coli ST1508 strains. A phylogenetic tree was generated from all 48 assembled E. coli isolates bla CTX-M-65 , bla TEM-1 , and bla OXA-10 from the NCBI Pathogen Detection database with our two isolates, showing the relationships and the contribution of SNPs to the diversity between genetic samples. This study suggests that the transmissibility of bla CTX-M-65 on Tn3-like composite transposons contributes to an increased risk of its transmission in E. coli derived from dairy cattle