In Vitro Probiotic Characterization of Yeasts with their Postbiotics' Antioxidant Activity and Biofilm Inhibition Capacity.

This study evaluated the in vitro probiotic potential and postbiotic properties of yeast strains isolated from traditional fermented foods, emphasizing antioxidant activity (AOA) and biofilm inhibition capacity (BIC). The yeasts were molecularly confirmed using start codon targeted polymorphisms as Kluyveromyces lactis (n = 17), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (n = 9), Pichia kudriavzevii (n = 6), P. fermentans (n = 4), Wickerhamomyces anomalus (n = 2), and Torulaspora delbrueckii (n = 1). The probiotic assessment of live cells included viability in simulated gastric and pancreatic juices, autoaggregation, hydrophobicity, and AOA, using S. boulardii MYA-796 as reference. Additionally, cell-free supernatants (CFS) were tested for AOA and BIC against Cronobacter sakazakii, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. Several strains exhibited significantly higher in vitro probiotic characteristics compared to S. boulardii MYA-796 (P < 0.05), particularly in gastric and pancreatic survival, hydrophobicity, and AOA. Notably, CFS exhibited greater AOA than live cells and strong BIC, especially against L. monocytogenes and S. aureus. Multivariate analysis identified K. lactis TC11, S. cerevisiae M33T1-2, P. kudriavzevii S96, W. anomalus OB7Y1, and T. delbrueckii KY31 as having superior probiotic properties, attributed to enhanced gastric survival, autoaggregation, and AOA. CFS of S. cerevisiae M33T1-2 and T. delbrueckii KY31 demonstrated significant BIC, with over 60% inhibition across all tested pathogens.

Acute Localized Exanthematous Pustulosis in a 5-Year-Old Boy With Zosteriform Distrubiton.

Acute localized exanthematous pustulosis (ALEP) is typically a benign drug reaction that occurs shortly after drug intake. We report a five-year-old male who developed a localized, zosteriform pustular rash on his back 10 days after treatment with oseltamivir and ceftriaxone for an upper respiratory tract infection. The lesions, which appeared three days prior to presentation, were mildly itchy and resolved completely without scarring within two days of treatment with topical betamethasone valerate and fusidic acid. No bacterial growth was detected in the pustular culture. This case highlights the rare occurrence of ALEP in a pediatric patient and suggests variations from the EuroSCAR diagnostic criteria, which usually indicate a 72-hour onset post-drug intake, noting instead a 7-14 day onset in atypical cases.To best of our knowledge, This is the first report of ALEP presenting with a zosteriform distribution.

Molecular characterization and multifunctional evaluation of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional sourdough.

The primary objective of this study was to characterize lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains derived from sourdough for possible utilization as functional starters to produce sourdough and various cereal-based fermented foods. A total of 350 autochthonous LAB strains were isolated from 65 Type I sourdough samples and characterized using six random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers at intra- and interspecific levels. Species identification of selected strains representing distinct clusters from RAPD analysis was performed based on the 16S rRNA region. The LAB strains were identified as Companilactobacillus crustorum (n = 135), Levilactobacillus brevis (n = 125), Latilactobacillus curvatus (n = 40), Companilactobacillus paralimentarius (n = 32), and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (n = 18). A total of 66 LAB strains were selected for technological characterization along with two commercial strains. The characterization involved acidity development, EPS production potential, leavening activity, and growth abilities under harsh conditions. Principle component analysis (PCA) identified 2 Lp. plantarum and 14 Lev. brevis strains as the most relevant technologically. Among them, Lp. plantarum L35.1 and Lev. brevis L37.1 were resistant to tetracycline. Evaluation of probiotic characteristics (survival in pH 2.5 and bile presence, auto aggregation capacity, hydrophobic activity, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity) by PCA identified four strains with relevance to Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), which were further selected for in vitro digestion assays. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum L7.8, Lev. brevis L55.1, and L62.2 demonstrated similar viability indices to LGG, along with increased auto aggregation capacity and antioxidant activity. These strains are promising as candidate starters for producing sourdough and sourdough-related fermented food products.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Despite advances in cancer treatment, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer, remains a major public health problem worldwide. The immune microenvironment plays a critical role in regulating tumor progression and resistance to therapy, and in HCC, the tumor microenvironment (TME) is characterized by an abundance of immunosuppressive cells and signals that facilitate immune evasion and metastasis. Recently, anti-cancer immunotherapies, therapeutic interventions designed to modulate the immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer, have become an important cornerstone of cancer therapy. Immunotherapy has demonstrated the ability to improve survival and provide durable cancer control in certain groups of HCC patients, while reducing adverse side effects. These findings represent a significant step toward improving cancer treatment outcomes. As demonstrated in clinical trials, the administration of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), particularly in combination with anti-angiogenic agents and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, has prolonged survival in a subset of patients with HCC, providing an alternative for patients who progress on first-line therapy. In this review, we aimed to provide an overview of HCC and the role of the immune system in its development, and to summarize the findings of clinical trials involving ICIs, either as monotherapies or in combination with other agents in the treatment of the disease. Challenges and considerations regarding the administration of ICIs in the treatment of HCC are also outlined.

Surface defects due to bacterial residue on shrimp shell.

The changes in the surface chemistry and morphological structure of chitin forms obtained from shrimp shells (ShpS) with and without microorganisms were evaluated. Total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (TMAB), estimated Pseudomonas spp. and Enterococcus spp. were counted in Shp-S by classical cultural counting on agar medium, where the counts were 6.56 ± 0.09, 6.30 ± 0.12, and 3.15 ± 0.03 CFU/g, respectively. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)/Energy dispersed X-ray (EDX) were used to assess the surface chemistry/functional groups and morphological structure for ChTfree (non-microorganism), and ChTmo (with microorganisms). ChTfree FTIR spectra presented a detailed chitin structure by OH, NH, and CO stretching vibrations, whereas specific peaks of chitin could not be detected in ChTmo. Major differences were also found in SEM analysis for ChTfree and ChTmo. ChTfree had a flat, prominent micropore, partially homogeneous structure, while ChTmo had a layered, heterogeneous, complex dense fibrous, and lost pores form. The degree of deacetylation was calculated for ChTfree and ChTmo according to FTIR and EDX data. The results suggest that the degree of deacetylation decreases in the presence of microorganisms, affecting the production of beneficial components negatively. The findings were also supported by the molecular docking model.

Genetic diversity and population structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from Turkish sourdough by iPBS-retrotransposons markers.

Molecular DNA markers are valuable tools for analyzing genetic variation among yeast from different populations to reveal the genetically different autochthonous strains. In this study, we employed inter-primer binding site (iPBS) retrotransposon polymorphism to assess the genetic variation and population structure of 96 Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolates from four different regions in Turkey. The nine selected iPBS primers amplified 102 reproducible and scorable bands, of which 95.10% were polymorphic with an average of 10.78 polymorphic fragments per primer. The average polymorphism information content and the resolving power were 0.26-3.58, respectively. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed significant (P < 0.001) genetic differences within populations (88%) and between populations (12%). The unweighted pair group mean with arithmetic (UPGMA) dendrogram grouped 96 S. cerevisiae strains into two main clusters, where the highest probability of the data elucidating the population structure was obtained at ΔK = 2. There was not an obvious genetic discrimination of the populations according to geographical regions on UPGMA, supported by principal coordinate analysis. However, the individuals of the closer provinces in each population were more likely to group together or closely. The results indicate that iPBS polymorphism is a useful tool to reveal the genetically diverse autochthonous S. cerevisiae strains that may be important for the production of sourdough or baked goods.

Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) markers for the assessment of genetic diversity in yeast isolated from Turkish sourdough.

Molecular markers are valuable tools for assessing the genetic variation in yeast. Here, we investigated the utility of SCoT markers for the genetic characterization of yeast strains at inter and intraspecies levels. A total of 345 endogenous yeast strains were isolated from 65 Type I sourdough samples collected from six different regions of Turkey. The seven SCoT primers produced 221 bands, of which 95.47% were polymorphic. Each primer could successfully differentiate species, supported by PIC and RP values. The ITS sequencing of isolates selected from the UPGMA dendrogram revealed that Saccharomyces cerevisiae predominated the microflora, followed by Kazachstania servazzii, K. humilis, Wickerhamomyces anomalus, Torulaspora delbrueckii, and Pichia kudriavzevii, respectively. The AMOVA revealed a high genetic variation between (49%) and within populations (51%) for S. cerevisiae. The high gene flow observed among S. cerevisiae populations suggests that it may have contributed to the geographical evolution of S. cerevisiae via the transportation of the sourdough samples. The different geographical origins were most likely to group separately on the UPGMA and PCoA. Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains from more distant populations generally displayed more significant genetic variation. SCoT markers can successfully be used alone or with the other existing DNA markers for DNA fingerprinting and analyzing the genetic variation between and within species.

The utility of iPBS retrotransposons markers to analyze genetic variation in yeast.

Yeasts are one of the main organisms in the food industry and effective components of many ecosystems. The method for identifying and detecting certain yeast species or strains is a crucial step for the food industry and should be simple, reliable, fast, and inexpensive. In our study, inter-priming binding sites (iPBS) retrotransposon marker system was employed to elucidate the genetic variability at intraspecies and interspecies levels among 112 yeast strains belonging to eight species previously obtained from fermented foods. The molecular identification of yeast strains was firstly confirmed by sequencing the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rRNA. The eight selected retrotransposon-based primers produced 278 bands, all of which were polymorphic with an average of 34.75 polymorphic fragments per primer. The averages of polymorphism information contents and the resolving power values for the iPBS marker system were 0.23 and 10.11, respectively. The genetic parameters within each yeast species obtained from iPBS markers were observed as; the percentage of polymorphic loci for each species ranging from 19.23% to 71.21%, Nei's gene diversity from 0.085 to 0.228, while Shannon's information index values ranging from 0.125 to 0.349. The value of gene flow (0.09) and genetic variation among the populations (0.85) showed higher genetic variation among the species. UPGMA analyses demonstrated considerable genetic variability in the yeast strains, clustered them according to their species, and revealed the intraspecific variation. Each of the selected iPBS primer provided enough species-discrimination. Present evaluations suggest the utility of iPBS marker system to estimate the genetic variation of yeast strains. This study is a preliminary point for further studies on the identification methodology, and population genetics of yeast species having importance in the food industry with iPBS markers.