Aims: This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the synthesised carvacrol loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CLCNPs) on the growing and pre-formed biofilms of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from slaughterhouses.
Methodology and results: The swab samples were collected from knives, hocks and cutting tables representing slaughterhouses meat contact surfaces (MCS), while those samples from walls and floors represent slaughterhouses meat non-contact surfaces (MNCS). The bacteriological analysis revealed the existence of L. monocytogenes with a prevalence rate of 3.3, 10 and 6.7% for knives, hocks and cutting tables, respectively and 2.2 and 6.6% for walls and floors, respectively. The isolates L. monocytogenes were assayed for biofilm production by the crystal violet binding assay method. Among the 10 L. monocytogenes isolates, 10%, 50% and 30% of the isolates were found to be strong, moderate and weak biofilm producers, respectively. The activities of carvacrol, chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) and CLCNPs against the only strong biofilm producer strain of L. monocytogenes were tested by microtiter plate assay. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) values were 3.75 mg/mL for CAR, 5 mg/mL for chitosan NPs and 0.62 mg/mL for CLCNPs. CLCNPs inhibit the produced biofilm by 35.79, 73.37 and 77.76%, when 0.5 MIC, 1 MIC and 2 MIC were used, respectively. Furthermore, the pre-formed L. monocytogenes biofilms were significantly reduced from 1.01 (control) OD570 to 0.40 and 0.29 OD570 by applying 2 MIC and 4 MIC doses, respectively.
Conclusion, significance and impact of study: The data generated is promising to develop bio-green disinfectants to inhibit biofilm formation by L. monocytogenes in the food processing environment and control its adverse effects for consumers.

Highly simple, sensitive and selective method is developed for the spectrophotometric determination of Metronidazole (MDZ) antibacterial drug either in pure form or in pharmaceutical formulations. This method is based on reduction of potassium permanganate by Metronidazole drug in sodium hydroxide solution to give green manganate ion which recorded at 610 nm. The method produced linear responses in the concentration range 4.28 – 59.91 µg mL⁻¹ with limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) 0.21 and 0.69 µg mL⁻¹ for Metronidazole drug respectively. The apparent molar absorptivity is 0.865 × 10⁴ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹, Sandell sensitivity is 0.019 µg cm⁻² and correlation coefficient is 0.951. The method is highly reproducible and has been applied to a wide variety of pharmaceutical formulations and the results compare favourably with those of official methods.

Estrogen metabolites (EMs) can work independently from their parent hormones. We hypothesize that in endometriosis, estrogen is metabolized preferentially along hormonally active pathways. We recruited 62 women with endometriosis (proven laparoscopically and histologically) and 52 control women (normal findings with laparoscopy) among patients undergoing surgery for pelvic pain and/or infertility during the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle. Urinary samples were collected preoperatively. Biopsies from eutopic endometrium of control women and women with endometriosis were collected during surgery. EMs in urine and endometrial tissues were extracted and determined using Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). These included: 2-hydroxyestrone (2OHE1), 16-α hydroxyestrone (16α-OHE1), 2OHE1/16α-OHE1 ratio, 4-hydroxyestrone (4OHE1), 2-hydroxyestradiol (2OHE2), and 4-hydroxyestradiol (4OHE2). Eutopic endometrium of endometriosis patients, as compared to control endometrium, contained significantly higher level of 4OHE1 (0.03 (IQR: 0.03–0.265) versus 0.03 (IQR: 0.03–0.03) μg/g, respectively, P = 0.005), 2-OHE2 (0.241 (IQR: 0.1–0.960) versus 0.1 (IQR: 0.1–0.1) μg/g, respectively, P < 0.001), and 4-OHE2 (0.225 (IQR: 0.22–1.29) versus 0.0.2 (IQR: 0.2–0.2) μg/g, respectively, P < 0.001). Only 2OHE1 showed higher concentration in urine of women with endometriosis than controls (9.9 (IQR: 3.64–14.88) versus 4.5 (IQR: 1.37–17.00) μg/mg creatinine, respectively, P = 0.042). Eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis metabolizes estrogen preferentially to the biologically active 2OHE2, and potentially genotoxic 4OHE1 and 4OHE2 metabolites. This contributes to further understanding of endometriosis etiology, its link to ovarian cancer, and could help identifying an endometrial biomarker of the disease.

5-Acetyl-3-cyano-6-methyl-4-(2-phenylethenyl)pyridine-2(1H)-thione (2) was synthesized by interaction of cinnamylidene-2-cyanothioacetamide 1 and acetylacetone or via one-pot reaction of E-cinnamaldehyde, 2-cyanothioacetamide, and acetylacetone. Reaction of 2 with ethyl iodide (3a) or N-chloroacetyl derivative of aromatic amines 3b–e in boiling ethanol containing sodium ethoxide gave the corresponding thioether 4a and 5-acetyl-3-amino-2-(N-arylcarbamoyl)-6-methyl-4-(2-phenylethenyl)thieno[2,3-b]pyridines 5b–e, respectively. Compound 5e was reacted with 2,5-dimethoxytetrahydrofuran or triethyl orthoformate to furnish pyrrolylthienopyyridine 6 or pyrdiothienopyrimidinone 7, respectively. The photophysical properties of 5b, 5c, 5e, and 7 were fully studied and the obtained results included herein. The fluorescence data confirmed that compounds 5b, 5c, 5e, and 7 exhibit aggregation-induced emission behavior with high absolute quantum yields.

The endophytic fungus Paecilomyces sp. (AUMC 15510) was isolated from healthy stem samples of the
Egyptian medicinal plant Cornulaca monacantha. We used GC–MS and HPLC analysis to identify the
bioactive constituents of ethyl acetate crude extract of Paecilomyces sp. (PsEAE). Six human microbial
pathogens have been selected to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of PsEAE. Our data showed
that the extract has significant antimicrobial activity against all tested pathogens. However, the
best inhibitory effect was observed against Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
ATCC 90274 with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 3.9 μg/ml and minimum bactericidal
concentration (MBC) of 15.6 μg/ml, for both pathogens. Also, PsEAE exerts a significant inhibition on
the biofilm formation of the previously mentioned pathogenic strains. In addition, we evaluated the
wound healing efficiency of PsEAE on earthworms (Lumbricus castaneus) as a feasible and plausible
model that mimics human skin. Interestingly, PsEAE exhibited a promising wound healing activity and
enhanced wound closure. In conclusion, Paecilomyces sp. (AUMC 15510) could be a sustainable source
of antimicrobial agents and a potential therapeutic target for wound management.