Inhibition of Acinetobacter baumannii Biofilm Formation Using Different Treatments of Silica Nanoparticles.

There exists a multitude of pathogens that pose a threat to human and public healthcare, collectively referred to as ESKAPE pathogens. These pathogens are capable of producing biofilm, which proves to be quite resistant to elimination. Strains of A. baumannii, identified by the "A" in the acronym ESKAPE, exhibit significant resistance to amoxicillin in vivo due to their ability to form biofilm. This study aims to inhibit bacterial biofilm formation, evaluate novel silica nanoparticles' effectiveness in inhibiting biofilm, and compare their effectiveness. Amoxicillin was utilized as a positive control, with a concentration exceeding twice that when combined with silica NPs. Treatments included pure silica NPs, silica NPs modified with copper oxide (CuO.SiO2), sodium hydroxide (NaOH.SiO2), and phosphoric acid (H3PO4.SiO2). The characterization of NPs was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while safety testing against normal fibroblast cells was employed by MTT assay. The microtiter plate biofilm formation assay was utilized to construct biofilm, with evaluations conducted using three broth media types: brain heart infusion (BHI) with 2% glucose and 2% sucrose, Loria broth (LB) with and without glucose and sucrose, and Dulbecco's modified eagle medium/nutrient (DMEN/M). Concentrations ranging from 1.0 mg/mL to 0.06 µg/mL were tested using a microdilution assay. Results from SEM showed that pure silica NPs were mesoporous, but in the amorphous shape of the CuO and NaOH treatments, these pores were disrupted, while H3PO4 was composed of sheets. Silica NPs were able to target Acinetobacter biofilms without harming normal cells, with viability rates ranging from 61-73%. The best biofilm formation was achieved using a BHI medium with sugar supplementation, with an absorbance value of 0.35. Biofilms treated with 5.0 mg/mL of amoxicillin as a positive control alongside 1.0 mg/mL of each of the four silica treatments in isolation, resulting in the inhibition of absorbance values of 0.04, 0.13, 0.07, 0.09, and 0.08, for SiO2, CuO.SiO2, NaOH.SiO2 and H3PO4.SiO2, respectively. When amoxicillin was combined, inhibition increased from 0.3 to 0.04; NaOH with amoxicillin resulted in the lowest minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC), 0.25 µg/mL, compared to all treatments and amoxicillin, whereas pure silica and composite had the highest MBIC, even when combined with amoxicillin, compared to all treatments, but performed better than that of the amoxicillin alone which gave the MBIC at 625 µg/mL. The absorbance values of MBIC of each treatment showed no significant differences in relation to amoxicillin absorbance value and relation to each other. Our study showed that smaller amoxicillin doses combined with the novel silica nanoparticles may reduce toxic side effects and inhibit biofilm formation, making them viable alternatives to high-concentration dosages. Further investigation is needed to evaluate in vivo activity.

Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAPs) among Jordanian Elderly-A Cross-Sectional Study.

Nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and good practices are essential for preventing malnutrition, ensuring good health, and maintaining life quality. However, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have been published on the nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) of Jordanian older people. For this reason, our study aimed to assess the KAPs in the Jordanian elderly. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1200 people aged 60 and over. The results revealed that 52.8% of participants had poor knowledge, 52.7% had negative attitude scores, and 72.6% had poor practices. Significant differences were found between the three regions in the KAP prevalence (p < 0.001). The northern region had a higher prevalence of nutritionally poor knowledge (65.6%) compared to 52.5% and 40.4% for the central and southern regions, respectively. Participants from the central region had a higher prevalence of a positive attitude (55.4%), whereas the northern and the southern participants had a higher prevalence of a negative attitude (65.6% and 54.4%, respectively). All regions reported poor practices, yet, significantly, the northern regions had the highest prevalence of poor practices. Participants with a low educational level reported a significantly higher prevalence of poor knowledge, negative attitudes, and poor practices compared to participants with a high educational level. The results obtained underline the importance of taking into account the lack of nutrition-related KAPs among the elderly in Jordan. It is crucial to raise awareness on this issue and to implement the national nutrition strategy, with particular attention paid to the elderly. Concrete measures must be taken to ensure that the nutritional needs of older people are met and to improve their quality of life.

Fruit and vegetable consumption and cardiovascular diseases among Jordanians: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: Fruit and vegetable intake has been reported as one of the significant protective factors against the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). This study aimed to assess the possible preventive effect of fruit and vegetable consumption on developing CVD. METHODS: A total of 398 participants (205 cases and 193 controls) referred for elective coronary angiography with clinical suspicion of coronary artery disease to Prince Hamza Hospital in Amman were enrolled in this case-control study. Dietary data were collected separately from each patient using interview-based food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: The findings of the present study revealed that a total consumption of 3 servings of vegetable per day decreased significantly the risk of CVD to about 54% (OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.22-0.97, p = 0.033). Consumption of banana was found to reduce the risk of CVD to about 44% and 62% when consuming 1-2 and 3-6 servings/week, respectively, with p-value for trend 0.004. For the vegetables, the consumption of grape leaves and stuffed vegetables in general was significantly associated with lower risk of CVD. Increasing cauliflower consumption of 1-2 servings per week decreased CVD risk to about 37% (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.38-0.98). Consuming up to 3-6 servings per week of mixed vegetables (OR = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.01-0.83) and onion (OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.22-0.80) revealed an inverse association with CVD development. CONCLUSIONS: Adding to the present evidence, consumption of some fruits and vegetables could be considered as preventive factor against developing CVD. However, the association of consuming vegetables with preventing CVD was higher than the fruit consumption.

Contamination level and exposure assessment to Aflatoxin M1 in Jordanian infant milk formulas.

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is a principal hydroxylated-aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) metabolite, and has been classified as possible human carcinogen (group 2B). The aim of this study was to survey the contamination level, estimated daily intake (EDI) and tolerable daily intake % (TDI%) of AFM1 in Jordanian infant milk formulas. A total of 120 samples, 48 starter and 72 follow-on formula samples were collected and analyzed using ELISA technique. Of the 120 surveyed samples, 58 (48.33%) were AFM1-positive and exceeded the EU maximum limit for AFM1 in IMF (25 ng/kg). The average AFM1 concentration was 69.93 and 84.78 ng AFM1/kg, with range of <5 - 89.25 and <5 - 213.84 ng AFM1/kg in starter and follow-on formula, respectively. It is also noteworthy the high EDI of AFM1 by infants (1.557 and 1.551 ng AFM1/kg b.w./day), and the high TDI% values (786.9 and 775.9%). In addition, current study indicated high-extrapolated AFB1 content in the feed; accordingly, raised the need to implement good agricultural and hygienic practices as preventive and controlling measures to decrease AFM1 in milk and IMF through controlling AFB1 in feed at the farm level. Finally, it is obvious that the contamination of IMF by AFM1 is an international problem, and the protection of infants and young children against AFM1 in Jordan requires a fundamental setup of clear legal limits of AFM1 in Jordanian standards and strict monitoring and continual analysis of IMF traded and consumed in Jordan.

Accumulation of Palmitoylcarnitine and Its Effect on Pro-Inflammatory Pathways and Calcium Influx in Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Acylcarnitines are intermediates of fatty acid oxidation and accumulate as a consequence of the metabolic dysfunction resulting from the insufficient integration between ß-oxidation and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. The aim of this study was to investigate whether acylcarnitines accumulate in prostate cancer tissue, and whether their biological actions could be similar to those of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a structurally related compound associated with cancer development. METHODS: Levels of palmitoylcarnitine (palcar), a C16:00 acylcarnitine, were measured in prostate tissue using LC-MS/MS. The effect of palcar on inflammatory cytokines and calcium (Ca(2+) ) influx was investigated in in vitro models of prostate cancer. RESULTS: We observed a significantly higher level of palcar in prostate cancerous tissue compared to benign tissue. High levels of palcar have been associated with increased gene expression and secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 in cancerous PC3 cells, compared to normal PNT1A cells. Furthermore, we found that high levels of palcar induced a rapid Ca(2+) influx in PC3 cells, but not in DU145, BPH-1, or PNT1A cells. This pattern of Ca(2+) influx was also observed in response to DHT. Through the use of whole genome arrays we demonstrated that PNT1A cells exposed to palcar or DHT have a similar biological response. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that palcar might act as a potential mediator for prostate cancer progression through its effect on (i) pro-inflammatory pathways, (ii) Ca(2+) influx, and (iii) DHT-like effects. Further studies need to be undertaken to explore whether this class of compounds has different biological functions at physiological and pathological levels. Prostate 76:1326-1337, 2016. © 2016 The Authors. The Prostate published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Suppression of LPS-induced transcription and cytokine secretion by the dietary isothiocyanate sulforaphane.

SCOPE: Diets rich in cruciferous vegetables are associated with lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which may contribute to potential health-promoting properties of these vegetables. We investigate whether sulforaphane (SF), an isothiocyanate (ITC) obtained from broccoli, could suppress LPS-induced transcription and subsequent pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion at a physiologically relevant concentration using in vitro models of chronic inflammation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We find that exposure of the LPS receptor Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) to physiologically appropriate concentrations of SF under non-reducing conditions results in covalent modification of cysteine residues 246 and 609. We further demonstrate that the changes in expression of 1210 genes (p ≤ 0.01) in THP-1 monocytes and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines in both human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and THP-1 monocytes induced by LPS exposure can be completely suppressed through exposure with physiologically appropriate concentrations of SF. Finally, we show that in vivo exposure of human PBMCs to ITCs within human circulation reduces secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines following subsequent ex vivo LPS challenge (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Covalent modification of TLR4 by ITCs and resultant suppression of LPS-induced cell signalling could lead to reductions in levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in people with chronic diseases who consume diets rich in cruciferous vegetables.

Iron bioavailability of rats fed liver, lentil, spinach and their mixtures.

To study the effects of dietary iron source (basal diet-FeSO4 x 7H2O, liver, lentil, spinach, liver + lentil, liver+spinach and lentil+spinach) on iron bioavailability, fifty-six Albino Sprague Dawley derived male 21 days old rats were fed on iron-deficient diet (7.8 mg Fe kg(-1) diet) and the mentioned seven iron containing diets (40 mg Fe kg(-1) diet) for 10 days. Rats fed liver diet showed higher iron apparent absorption (52.1%), hemoglobin (Hb) gain (0.94 g/100 mL), Hb-iron gain (1.2 mg), Hb-regeneration efficiency (HRE%) (50.8%), relative efficiency of HRE% (106.5%), packed cell volume gain (2.22%) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (0.64 g dL(-1)). Liver resulted in an increase in these parameters when mixed with lentil and spinach diets. However, rats fed iron free diet showed the higher dry matter absorption.