Natural Polymer-Based Graphene Oxide Bio-nanocomposite Hydrogel Beads: Superstructures with Advanced Potentials for Drug Delivery.

The current study sought to create graphene oxide-based superstructures for gastrointestinal drug delivery. Graphene oxide has a large surface area that can be used to load anti-cancer drugs via non-covalent methods such as surface adsorption and hydrogen bonding. To enhance the bio-applicability of graphene oxide, nano-hybrids were synthesized by encapsulating the graphene oxide into calcium alginate hydrogel beads through the dripping-extrusion technique. These newly developed bio-nanocomposite hybrid hydrogel beads were evaluated in structural analysis, swelling study, drug release parameters, haemolytic assay, and antibacterial activity. Doxorubicin served as a model drug. The drug entrapment efficiency was determined by UV-spectroscopy analysis and was found to be high at ⁓89% in graphene oxide hybrid hydrogel beads. These fabricated hydrogel beads ensure the drug release from a hybrid polymeric matrix in a more controlled and sustained pattern avoiding the problems associated with a non-hybrid polymeric system. The drug release study of 12 h shows about 83% release at pH 6.8. In vitro drug release kinetics proved that drug release was a Fickian mechanism. The cytotoxic effect of graphene oxide hybrid alginate beads was also determined by evaluating the morphology of bacterial cells and red blood cells after incubation. Additionally, it was determined that the sequential encapsulation of graphene oxide in alginate hydrogel beads hides its uneven edges and lessens the graphene oxide's negative impacts. Also, the antibacterial study and biocompatibility of fabricated hydrogel beads made them potential candidates for gastrointestinal delivery.

Antibiograms of Gut Flora of Poultry Farms Workers Reveal Higher Resistance Levels as Compared to Non-Workers.

Introduction: Antibiotics are being used in humans and animals for treatment and control of bacterial infections. Excessive use of antibiotics in the production of poultry is a popular practice, but it poses serious health issues by transferring resistance from farm to humans via food or direct exposure. Study Objective: The objective of this study was to carry out a comparison of the resistance and sensitivity profile of isolated isolates from sewage of toilets that were in use of workers inside the farm and from sewage of household toilets. Methodology: In this study, a total of 320 sewage samples were collected. The antibiotic susceptibility profile was checked by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, and the statistical analysis was carried out by MS excel. Chi-square test was performed to determine whether the antibiograms from two sample types were statistically different from each other or not. Results: From 320 sewage samples, a total of 296 bacterial isolates were isolated among which the leading bacterium was E. coli. The proportion of resistance, ESBL production and MDR was significantly higher in bacteria isolated from sewage of toilets under use of poultry farm workers as compared to the sewage from domestic use toilets. Conclusion: Resistance significantly increased in the bacteria isolated from toilets under use of poultry farm workers as compared to the ones isolated from control sewage samples.