Influence of using synbiotics by various routes on Mandarah male chicks: intestinal bacterial counts, gut morphology and histological status.

This experiment investigated the influence of different synbiotic processing methods on the intestinal bacterial count, morphology and histological status of developed male Mandarah chicks. Two hundred and ten male Mandarah line chicks aged 1 d were randomized to receive one of 7 chicks. The method and dose for 1-time synbiotics administration to the day-old chicks were as follows: G1: chicks on basal diet received no treatment (control); G2: 0.25 mL synbiotics sprayed; G3: 0.50 mL synbiotics sprayed; G4: 0.25 mL of synbiotics are added to drinking water; G5: 0.50 mL of synbiotics are added to drinking water; G6: 0.25 mL of synbiotics dripped into the mouth; and G7: 0.50 mL of synbiotics dripped into mouth drops. Lactic acid bacteria(LAB) were significantly increased (P<0.0001) compared to the control group and other treated groups and had the maximum values after the use of synbiotics via drinking water (0.25 or 0.50 mL). Furthermore, when comparing the treated birds (G4, G5) with the control birds, the Escherichia coli concentration in the drinking water containing synbiotics was significantly lower. In addition, treated chickens at (G7) showed a higher duodenum, ileum villus height (VH), and VH. - Ileum crypt depth (CD) ratio compared to other groups. In addition, birds treated with 0.50 mL of synbiotics in drinking water (G5) performed better in duodenum, ileum, CD and VH. - CD ratio than the other groups. Meanwhile, intestinal tract length and visceral pH did not differ significantly between groups. It can be concluded that the use of 0.25 mL of synbiotics in drinking water can improve the overall health of birds.

Green Synthesis of Chitosan-Capped Gold Nanoparticles Using Salvia officinalis Extract: Biochemical Characterization and Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activities.

Increasing antimicrobial resistance to the action of existing antibiotics has prompted researchers to identify new natural molecules with antimicrobial potential. In this study, a green system was developed for biosynthesizing gold nanoparticles (BAuNPs) using sage (Salvia officinalis L.) leaf extract bioconjugated with non-toxic, eco-friendly, and biodegradable chitosan, forming chitosan/gold bioconjugates (Chi/BAuNPs). Characterization of the BAuNPs and Chi/BAuNPs conjugates takes place using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray spectra, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and zeta potential (Z-potential). The chemical composition of S. officinalis extract was evaluated via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). This study evaluated the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of human pathogenic multidrug-resistant (MDR) and multisensitive (MS) bacterial isolates using the agar diffusion method. Chi/BAuNPs showed inhibition of the MDR strains more effectively than BAuNPs alone as compared with a positive standard antibiotic. The cytotoxicity assay revealed that the human breast adenocarcinoma cancer cells (MCF7) were more sensitive toward the toxicity of 5-Fu + BAuNPs and 5-Fu + Chi/BAuNPs composites compared to non-malignant human fibroblast cells (HFs). The study shows that BAuNPs and Chi/BAuNPs, combined with 5-FU NPs, can effectively treat cancer at concentrations where the free chemical drug (5-Fu) is ineffective, with a noted reduction in the required dosage for noticeable antitumor action.

Levels and predictors of fear and health anxiety during the current outbreak of COVID-19 in immunocompromised and chronic disease patients in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional correlational study.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has become a clinical threat to healthy people as well as immunocompromised patients and those with pre-existing chronic diseases around the world. This study, which used a cross-sectional correlational design, aimed to assess the levels of fear and health anxiety and to investigate their predictors during the current outbreak of COVID-19 in immunocompromised and chronic disease patients in Saudi Arabia. Sociodemographic and clinical data, fear of COVID-19, and health anxiety measurements were collected by online surveys from June 15 to July 15, 2020. Univariate and multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify predictors. A total of 1,030 patients in 13 provinces in Saudi Arabia completed the questionnaire. A significant number of patients with chronic diseases experienced considerable levels of fear and anxiety during the COVID-19 outbreak. It was found that 21.44% of participants met the criteria for anxiety cases, and 19.4% were considered borderline anxiety cases. In regression analysis, significant predictors of fear and health anxiety were female gender, lower education, middle-aged, divorced or widowed, receiving immunosuppressants, type of chronic disease (Crohn's disease, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases), and media use as a source of knowledge about COVID-19. Immunocompromised and chronic disease patients are vulnerable to fear and anxiety during epidemic infectious diseases such as COVID-19. Optimizing this population's compliance with appropriate infection prevention and control strategies is crucial during the infectious outbreaks to ensure their safety, to decrease the risk of infection and serious complications, and reduce their fear and health anxiety. Effective positive psychological interventions and support strategies also need to be immediately implemented to increase psychological resilience and improve the mental health of these patients. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, chronic disease patients in Saudi Arabia need special attention from health authorities, policymakers, and healthcare professionals to manage maladaptive forms of health anxiety and fear.

Revisiting unexploited antibiotics in search of new antibacterial drug candidates: the case of γ-actinorhodin.

Of the thousands of natural product antibiotics discovered to date, only a handful have been developed for the treatment of bacterial infection. The clinically unexploited majority likely include compounds with untapped potential as antibacterial drugs, and in view of the ever-growing unmet medical need for such agents, warrant systematic re-evaluation. Here we revisit the actinorhodins, a class that was first reported 70 years ago, but which remains poorly characterized. We show that γ-actinorhodin possesses many of the requisite properties of an antibacterial drug, displaying potent and selective bactericidal activity against key Gram-positive pathogens (including Staphylococcus aureus and enterococci), a mode of action distinct from that of other agents in clinical use, an extremely low potential for the development of resistance, and a degree of in vivo efficacy in an invertebrate model of infection. Our findings underscore the utility of revisiting unexploited antibiotics as a source of novel antibacterial drug candidates.