The interest in synthesising inorganic nanomaterials for biological applications has increased in recent years, especially for antibacterial purposes. In the present study, spherical and cube-shaped copper nanoparticl...The interest in synthesising inorganic nanomaterials for biological applications has increased in recent years, especially for antibacterial purposes. In the present study, spherical and cube-shaped copper nanoparticles were synthesised by a chemical reduction method and their efficacy as anfimicrobial agents against both Gram-negative （Escherichia coli） and Gram-positive （Enterococcus sp.） organisms investigated. The nanoparticles were characterised using ultraviolet/ visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Copper nanocubes were found to be more antimicrobial when compared with copper nanospheres, and it is postulated that whilst both sets of nanoparticles have similar total surface areas, the different shapes have different active facets and surface energies, which may lead to differing bactericidal behaviour.展开更多
Resistance against commonly used antibiotics is a serious clinical problem in recent medical practice. There exist several bacterial strains in which the possibilities of their inhibition are very limited due to multi...Resistance against commonly used antibiotics is a serious clinical problem in recent medical practice. There exist several bacterial strains in which the possibilities of their inhibition are very limited due to multidrug resistance. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) represents an option how to effectively suppress the growth of resistant pathogens. In this work we have studied interactions of potent photosensitizer hypericin (Hyp) with hospital-related gram positive (Gram+) and gram negative (Gram-) bacterial strains and the effects of photodynamic activated Hyp on bacterial susceptibility and/or resistance of these strains to antibiotics. We demonstrated a significant influence of photoactivated Hyp on growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus sp. We have also shown that it is extremely important to use the effective concentrations of Hyp for aPDT, which completely inhibit the growth of microorganisms. Otherwise, there appears an increase in resistance, probably due to the activation of efflux mechanisms, which are involved in the efflux of Hyp and antibiotics as well.展开更多
Background and Objective: In recent years, control of Enterococcus sp. It has been proven in the local medical environment to be a cause of acquired septicemia in various age groups, and medical instruments are consid...Background and Objective: In recent years, control of Enterococcus sp. It has been proven in the local medical environment to be a cause of acquired septicemia in various age groups, and medical instruments are considered an effective means of transmitting enterococcal septicemia, and catheters are at the forefront in terms of danger. Based on this risk, this study aimed to monitor the spread of Enterococcus sp., which causes blood poisoning acquired from catheters, and to compare its response to antibiotics with that of those isolated from clinical samples in children, as a first study locally. The effectiveness of alkaloids of different types of Papaver sp. In Syrian plants, they were tested against infection with this bacteria. Materials and Methods: The study dealt with two parts: The first part included collecting clinical samples from the University Children’s Hospital in Damascus/bacterial diagnostic laboratories/then isolating and diagnosing the bacteria by following a set of tests to identify the most prevalent genera and species and comparing their prevalence rate with Enterococcus. The second part;It included collecting plant samples, confirming the species taxonomically, then extracting alkaloids from plant parts (fruit, stem, Flowers), then comparing the extent of resistance of bacterial strains to antibiotics compared to the Enterococcus sp., and then confirming the antibacterial activity of the Papaver sp. alkaloids against Enterococcus sp. Result:In its first part, the study confirmed the significant contribution of the Enterococcus sp. to infections acquired from various sources, largely in catheter tip infections (9.09%) and to a lesser extent in other sources (3.7%), The second part was to confirm the effective-ness of the alkaloid extract of the Papaver sp., especially the two species Papaver syriacum, and Papaver dubium, against Enterococcus sp. with areole diameters that ranged between (15 - 26 mm) for the fruit extract and at a minimum inhibitory concentration (3.12 - 6.25 mml) and then the stem (5 - 20 mm). And the effectiveness of the Flowers extract is very weak to almost non-existent. Conclusions: The catheter and medical sources surrounding the patient constitute a dangerous source of multi-resistant Enterococcus sp., which poses a real threat to the lives of children, with new mechanisms represented by colonization of the skin and the ability to form biofilms Surfaces of medical instruments, with are resistant to a wide range of antibiotics. As an alternative and effective modern source to limit its spread in the future, the alkaloid extract of the fruits and stems of the wild Papaver sp. has proven a strong antibiotic effect, especially the two types: Papaver syriacum and Papaver dubium.展开更多
Pretreatment of Low-Density Polyethylene(LDPE)with physicochemical methods before biodegradation has been demonstrated as an effective strategy.The pretreatment of LDPE exhibited alterations in molecular structure,red...Pretreatment of Low-Density Polyethylene(LDPE)with physicochemical methods before biodegradation has been demonstrated as an effective strategy.The pretreatment of LDPE exhibited alterations in molecular structure,reducing hydrophobicity and decreasing tensile strength.Additionally,pretreating LDPE enhanced microbial biodegradability to improve biofilm formation and significantly reduced the physical weight of LDPE film.AS3–8 consortia exhibited a maximum weight loss of 8.0%±0.5%after 45 days of incubation.While Bacillus sp.AS3 and Sphingobacterium sp.AS8 demonstrated LDPE weight loss of 5.03%±1.6%and 1.6%±0.5%,respectively.The structure of LDPE was altered after incubation with the bacterial strains,resulting in a reduction in the intensity of functional groups,including C=O,C=C,N–H,and C–N.The carbonyl index(CI)of LDPE also decreased by 7.17%after the consortia AS3–8 degradation.Consortia AS3–8 significantly impacted the physical properties of LDPE by reducing the water contact angle(WCA),decreasing to 64.21°±3.69°,and tensile strength(TS),decreasing to 17.97±0.3 MPa.Moreover,the esterase activity was measured through 45 days of incubation.SDS-PAGE analysis of the AS3–8 consortia revealed bands at 35,48,and 70 kDa molecular weights,similar to known enzymes like laccase and esterase.Furthermore,SEM observations showed rough,cracked surfaces on pretreated LDPE,with biofilms present after incubation with the bacterial strains.GC–MS analysis revealed that AS3–8 consortia produced depolymerized chemicals,including alkanes,aldehydes,and esters.The LDPE biodegradation pathway was elucidated.This study addresses critical knowledge gaps in improving plastic degradation efficiency.展开更多
Enterococcus faecalis （E. faecalis） is a microorganism that can survive extreme challenges in obturated root canals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma pl...Enterococcus faecalis （E. faecalis） is a microorganism that can survive extreme challenges in obturated root canals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma plume against E. faecalis in vitro. A non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet device which could generate a cold plasma plume carrying a peak current of 300 mA was used. The antibacterial efficacy of this device against E. faecalis and its biofihn un- der different conditions was detected. The antibacterial efficacy of the plasma against E. faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus （S. aureus） was also evaluated. After plasma treatment, the average diameter of inhibition zone on S. aureus and E. faecalis was 2.62±0.26 cm and 1.06±0.30 cm, respectively （P 〈 0.05）. The diameter was increased with prolongation of the treatment dura- tion. The diameters of inhibition zone of the sealed Petri dishes were larger than those of the uncovered Petri dishes. There was significant difference in colony-forming units between plasma group and control group on E. faecalis biofilm （P 〈 0.01）. The transmission electron microscopy revealed that the ultrastructural changes eytoderm of E. faecalis were observed after treatment for 2min. It is concluded that the non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma could serve as an effective adjunct to standard endodontie microbial treatment.展开更多
文摘The interest in synthesising inorganic nanomaterials for biological applications has increased in recent years, especially for antibacterial purposes. In the present study, spherical and cube-shaped copper nanoparticles were synthesised by a chemical reduction method and their efficacy as anfimicrobial agents against both Gram-negative （Escherichia coli） and Gram-positive （Enterococcus sp.） organisms investigated. The nanoparticles were characterised using ultraviolet/ visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Copper nanocubes were found to be more antimicrobial when compared with copper nanospheres, and it is postulated that whilst both sets of nanoparticles have similar total surface areas, the different shapes have different active facets and surface energies, which may lead to differing bactericidal behaviour.
文摘Resistance against commonly used antibiotics is a serious clinical problem in recent medical practice. There exist several bacterial strains in which the possibilities of their inhibition are very limited due to multidrug resistance. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) represents an option how to effectively suppress the growth of resistant pathogens. In this work we have studied interactions of potent photosensitizer hypericin (Hyp) with hospital-related gram positive (Gram+) and gram negative (Gram-) bacterial strains and the effects of photodynamic activated Hyp on bacterial susceptibility and/or resistance of these strains to antibiotics. We demonstrated a significant influence of photoactivated Hyp on growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus sp. We have also shown that it is extremely important to use the effective concentrations of Hyp for aPDT, which completely inhibit the growth of microorganisms. Otherwise, there appears an increase in resistance, probably due to the activation of efflux mechanisms, which are involved in the efflux of Hyp and antibiotics as well.
文摘Background and Objective: In recent years, control of Enterococcus sp. It has been proven in the local medical environment to be a cause of acquired septicemia in various age groups, and medical instruments are considered an effective means of transmitting enterococcal septicemia, and catheters are at the forefront in terms of danger. Based on this risk, this study aimed to monitor the spread of Enterococcus sp., which causes blood poisoning acquired from catheters, and to compare its response to antibiotics with that of those isolated from clinical samples in children, as a first study locally. The effectiveness of alkaloids of different types of Papaver sp. In Syrian plants, they were tested against infection with this bacteria. Materials and Methods: The study dealt with two parts: The first part included collecting clinical samples from the University Children’s Hospital in Damascus/bacterial diagnostic laboratories/then isolating and diagnosing the bacteria by following a set of tests to identify the most prevalent genera and species and comparing their prevalence rate with Enterococcus. The second part;It included collecting plant samples, confirming the species taxonomically, then extracting alkaloids from plant parts (fruit, stem, Flowers), then comparing the extent of resistance of bacterial strains to antibiotics compared to the Enterococcus sp., and then confirming the antibacterial activity of the Papaver sp. alkaloids against Enterococcus sp. Result:In its first part, the study confirmed the significant contribution of the Enterococcus sp. to infections acquired from various sources, largely in catheter tip infections (9.09%) and to a lesser extent in other sources (3.7%), The second part was to confirm the effective-ness of the alkaloid extract of the Papaver sp., especially the two species Papaver syriacum, and Papaver dubium, against Enterococcus sp. with areole diameters that ranged between (15 - 26 mm) for the fruit extract and at a minimum inhibitory concentration (3.12 - 6.25 mml) and then the stem (5 - 20 mm). And the effectiveness of the Flowers extract is very weak to almost non-existent. Conclusions: The catheter and medical sources surrounding the patient constitute a dangerous source of multi-resistant Enterococcus sp., which poses a real threat to the lives of children, with new mechanisms represented by colonization of the skin and the ability to form biofilms Surfaces of medical instruments, with are resistant to a wide range of antibiotics. As an alternative and effective modern source to limit its spread in the future, the alkaloid extract of the fruits and stems of the wild Papaver sp. has proven a strong antibiotic effect, especially the two types: Papaver syriacum and Papaver dubium.
文摘Pretreatment of Low-Density Polyethylene(LDPE)with physicochemical methods before biodegradation has been demonstrated as an effective strategy.The pretreatment of LDPE exhibited alterations in molecular structure,reducing hydrophobicity and decreasing tensile strength.Additionally,pretreating LDPE enhanced microbial biodegradability to improve biofilm formation and significantly reduced the physical weight of LDPE film.AS3–8 consortia exhibited a maximum weight loss of 8.0%±0.5%after 45 days of incubation.While Bacillus sp.AS3 and Sphingobacterium sp.AS8 demonstrated LDPE weight loss of 5.03%±1.6%and 1.6%±0.5%,respectively.The structure of LDPE was altered after incubation with the bacterial strains,resulting in a reduction in the intensity of functional groups,including C=O,C=C,N–H,and C–N.The carbonyl index(CI)of LDPE also decreased by 7.17%after the consortia AS3–8 degradation.Consortia AS3–8 significantly impacted the physical properties of LDPE by reducing the water contact angle(WCA),decreasing to 64.21°±3.69°,and tensile strength(TS),decreasing to 17.97±0.3 MPa.Moreover,the esterase activity was measured through 45 days of incubation.SDS-PAGE analysis of the AS3–8 consortia revealed bands at 35,48,and 70 kDa molecular weights,similar to known enzymes like laccase and esterase.Furthermore,SEM observations showed rough,cracked surfaces on pretreated LDPE,with biofilms present after incubation with the bacterial strains.GC–MS analysis revealed that AS3–8 consortia produced depolymerized chemicals,including alkanes,aldehydes,and esters.The LDPE biodegradation pathway was elucidated.This study addresses critical knowledge gaps in improving plastic degradation efficiency.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 10875048)
文摘Enterococcus faecalis （E. faecalis） is a microorganism that can survive extreme challenges in obturated root canals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma plume against E. faecalis in vitro. A non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet device which could generate a cold plasma plume carrying a peak current of 300 mA was used. The antibacterial efficacy of this device against E. faecalis and its biofihn un- der different conditions was detected. The antibacterial efficacy of the plasma against E. faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus （S. aureus） was also evaluated. After plasma treatment, the average diameter of inhibition zone on S. aureus and E. faecalis was 2.62±0.26 cm and 1.06±0.30 cm, respectively （P 〈 0.05）. The diameter was increased with prolongation of the treatment dura- tion. The diameters of inhibition zone of the sealed Petri dishes were larger than those of the uncovered Petri dishes. There was significant difference in colony-forming units between plasma group and control group on E. faecalis biofilm （P 〈 0.01）. The transmission electron microscopy revealed that the ultrastructural changes eytoderm of E. faecalis were observed after treatment for 2min. It is concluded that the non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma could serve as an effective adjunct to standard endodontie microbial treatment.
