Assessment of the performance of nonfouling polymer hydrogels utilizing citizen scientists

To facilitate longer duration space travel, flight crew sickness and disease transmission amongst the crew must be eliminated. High contact surfaces within space vehicles provide an opportunity for bacterial adhesion, which can lead to biofilm formation or disease transmission. This study evaluates the performance of several nonfouling polymers using citizen science, to identify the best performing chemistry for future applications as bacteria resistant coatings. The specific polymer chemistries tested were zwitterionic sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA), and polyampholytes composed of [2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride and 2-carboxyethyl acrylate (TMA/CAA), or TMA and 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate (TMA/SA). Each polymer chemistry is known to exhibit bacteria resistance, and this study provides a direct side-by-side comparison between the chemistries using a citizen science approach. Nearly 100 citizen scientists returned results comparing the performance of these polymers over repeat exposure to bacteria and 30 total days of growth. The results demonstrate that TMA/CAA polyampholyte hydrogels show the best long-term resistance to bacteria adhesion.

Comparison of a Biosensor and a Commercial UV-Visible Method for Measuring Hexavalent Chromium in Liquid Medium

The objective of the research was to contrast two methods for the quantification of hexavalent chromium. The first method is the biosensor that from the gene transformation of the cells of Escherichia coli, was incorporated by electroporation the plasmid pTOP Blunt V2, synthesized with luxA genes that provides luminescence through the catalytic activity of the luciferase top and chr genes that give the bacteria resistance to chromium. The second method is the application of the UV-visible colorimetric technique. Chromium was analysed at different concentrations, from 0.05 mg l−1 (maximum allowable limit for human consumption); 0.1 mg l−1; 0.2 mg l−1; 0.4 mg l−1; 0.8 mg l−1 and 1 mg l−1 with 5 replicates, subsequent to this, the two methods of chromium analysis were applied in river samples, thus obtaining that the biosensor in concentrations of 2x106 CFU of E. coli, has a margin of error of 1.4%, a result derived from the coefficient of determination of the absorbance of chromium, unlike the UV-visible method with the colorimetric equipment, which presented a reading error of 3.9%.

Homeopathy: a possible weapon against multidrug-resistant bacteria to antibiotics

Background: The antimicrobial resistance is a genetic phenomenon, related to the existence of the gens restrained in microorganism that codify different biochemical mechanisms that obstruct the drugs actions. Some species present resistance widespread in all over the world, like the case of Staphylococcus aureus. This is one of the main bacteria that, in a period of time, has got multiple resistance against the antibiotics, and it’s also, an important agent causative of the nosocomiais infections. The present report evaluated the action of the different homeopathic medicines about the growth of the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus aureus MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) “in vitro”. Methods: Doses of 150, 250 and 350 µL of the homeopathic medicines Silicea, Hepar sulfor, Belladona, Arnica montana, Mercurio solubilis and nosode of Stafilococcus aureus, in the dynamism 6cH, 12cH e 30cH had been placed in 3mL culture liquid Mueller Hinton. It was added to this blend 10 µL of a diluted bacterial solution 1/10, where of the solution in 0,5 of the Macfarley scale in 37°C, the growth in the tubes was evaluated in Spectrophotometric of 600 nm. Results: The results demonstrated that, for the Staphilococcus aureus, we have got significant bacteria inhibition in about 70 to 90% of the growth “in vitro”, provided by the homeopathic medicines Hepar sulfor in the dynamism of 30cH, Belladona in the dynamisms of 6cH and 30cH, in the Staphilococcus aureus nosode in the dynamisms 6cH and 30cH and Silicea in the dynamism of CH6, with regard to the control with alcohol 30%. The Staphilococcus aureus MRSA presented inhibition from 40% to 20% of the bacteria growth “in vitro” related to the control with alcohol 30%, with the same medicines used before. Conclusion: We can conclude that the homeopathic medicines have an inhibitory action in the bacteria growth, including in bacteria resistance to the antibiotics. This information can suggest that a concerted action of antibiotics and homeopathic medicines, could improve the action of the antibiotics in the bacteria causative of infections in the biological tissues.

Ciprofloxacin-Loaded Gold Nanoparticles against Antimicrobial Resistance: An In Vivo Assessment

Metallic nanoparticles, such as gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), have been extensively studied as drug delivery systems for various therapeutic applications. However, drug-loaded-AuNPs have been rarely explored in vivo for their effect on bacteria residing inside tissues. Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is a second-generation fluoroquinolone with a broad-spectrum of antibiotic properties devoid of developing bacteria resistance. This research is focused on the synthesis and physical characterization of Ciprofloxacin-loaded gold nanoparticles (CIP-AuNPs) and their effect on the colonization of Enterococcus faecalis in the liver and kidneys of mice. The successfully prepared CIP-AuNPs were stable and exerted enhanced in vitro antibacterial activity against E. faecalis compared with free CIP. The optimized CIP-AuNPs were administered (500 µg/Kg) once a day via tail vein to infected mice for eight days and were found to be effective in eradicating E. faecalis from the host tissues. Moreover, unlike CIP, CIP-AuNPs were non-hemolytic. In summary, this study demonstrated that CIP-AuNPs are promising and biocompatible alternative therapeutics for E.-faecalis-induced infections resistant to conventional drugs (e.g., beta-lactams and vancomycin) and should be further investigated.

Isolation of Aeromonas sobria JC18 from milkfish (Chanos chanos) intestine with proteolytic and cellulolytic activities for fish probiotic

Attention on the probiotic application for the improvement of fish resident intestinal microbiota has risen in the last decades. It is demonstrated that probiotics may function not only by direct inhibition of pathogenic bacteria or manipulation of enzymatic digestion of feed but also by modulation of immunity in fish. In the present study, we aimed to isolate the autochthonous microbiota of marine fish intestines as probiotic candidates based on cellulolytic and proteolytic activity. Bacteria were isolated and purified on a cellulose agar with 24h of incubation. A total of 18 bacterial strains were purified and stored in -80°C. Phenotypic screening based on the antibiotic resistance, antagonistic activity against pathogenic bacteria, resistance to an acidic environment, and ability of colonization in fish intestine found a selected strain, namely JC18. Infection test, molecular and phenotypic characterizations revealed that the JC18 isolate was a non-pathogenic Aeromonas sobria. It is hence revealed that the milkfish intestine is a potent source of proteolytic bacteria for fish probiotic screening.

Prospective Study in Children with Complicated Urinary Tract Infection Treated with Autologous Bacterial Lysates

Antimicrobial bacteria resistance is an important problem in children with recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI), thus it is crucial to search for alternative therapies. Autologous bacterial lysates (ABL) may be a potential treatment for rUTI. Twenty-seven children with rUTI were evaluated for one year, urine and stool cultures were performed, 10 colonies of each culture were selected and those identified as Escherichia coli were characterized by serology. For patients who presented ≥105 UFC/mL, an ABL was manufactured and administered orally (1 mL/day) for a month. Twelve children were monitored for ≥1-year, 218 urine and 11 stool samples were analyzed. E. coli (80.5%) was the main bacteria isolated from urine and feces (72%). E. coli of classical urinary serotypes (UPEC), O25:H4, O75:HNM, and O9:HNM were identified in patients with persistent urinary infection (pUTI). In 54% of patients treated with ABL, the absence of bacteria was observed in urine samples after 3 months of treatment, 42% of these remained without UTI between 10–12 months. It was observed that the use of ABL controlled the infection for almost 1 year in more than 60% of the children. We consider it necessary to develop a polyvalent immunogen for the treatment and control of rUTI.

Anti-plasmid activity of Chlorpromazine in types of antibiotics resistant pathogenic bacteria

This study was performed to evaluate the ability of chlorpromazine compound to cure the plasmids and remove the antibiotic resistance character of multidrug resistance Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. The curing experiment was done by incubating bacterial strains in nutrient broth with sub MIC concentration of chlorpromazine, and the disc diffusion method was used before and after curing to evaluate antibiotic resistance pattern of bacteria. Synergetic test of chlorpromazine with antibiotics that the studied bacteria showed resistance toward also done. The results showed the ability of chlorpromazine to remove the plasmids from four bacterial genera out of five genera, where the most plasmid removal cases was with E.cloacae, P.aeruginosa, and P.merabilis, and the loss of antibiotics resistance was observed in the same bacterial genera, but P.merabilis showed the most antibiotics resistance losing by three antibiotics out of nine antibiotics that the bacteria were resistant to them before curing. As for the synergistic effect, the compound showed a synergism with only two antibiotic and with the three aforementioned bacterial genera. From results of this study we concluded the possibility of removing bacteria resistance to antibiotics by eliminating plasmids through using chlorpromazine, and the possibility of using this compound in synergism with antibiotics, this will open the way to find new strategies to treat many diseases caused by resistant bacteria.