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Plants employ various defense mechanisms to protect themselves from invaders such as microorganisms and herbivores. By recognizing these threats, plants can trigger a cascade of responses throughout their tissues, effectively priming their defenses and enhancing their resistance to future attacks. In this study, we examined the indirect effects of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana strain GHA and Metarhizium anisopliae strain F01 on tomato growth, expression of selected plant genes, production of secondary metabolites, and preference and performance of the tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta). Both B. bassiana and M. anisopliae colonized tomato endophytically. Plants treated with B. bassiana had greater biomass than the untreated control and M. anisopliae treated plants. Oviposition was lower on plants treated with B. bassiana and M. anisopliae than on untreated controls in both choice and no-choice studies, and both endophytic EPF also affected the development of leafminer larvae. Gene expression analysis of tomato leaves inoculated with endophytic EPF provided evidence of triggering plant immune response genes, and of priming genes for herbivore attack, making plants more resistant to herbivory. These findings provide important insights into the mechanisms by which B. bassiana and M. anisopliae promote tomato plant growth and rapidly respond to T. absoluta infestation by priming the immune system. This knowledge could improve the development of entomopathogenic fungi for use in plant-protection strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Multigene, genus-wide phylogenetic studies have uncovered the limited taxonomic resolution power of commonly used gene markers, particularly of rRNA genes, to discriminate closely related species of the nematode genus Heterorhabditis. In addition, conflicting tree topologies are often obtained using the different gene markers, which limits our understanding of the phylo- and co-phylogenetic relationships and biogeography of the entomopathogenic nematode genus Heterorhabditis. Here we carried out phylogenomic reconstructions using whole nuclear and mitochondrial genomes, and whole ribosomal operon sequences, as well as multiple phylogenetic reconstructions using various single nuclear and mitochondrial genes. Using the inferred phylogenies, we then investigated co-phylogenetic relationships between Heterorhabditis and their Photorhabdus bacterial symbionts and biogeographical patterns. Robust, well-resolved, and highly congruent phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed using both whole nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. Similarly, whole ribosomal operon sequences proved valuable for phylogenomic reconstructions, though they have limited value to discriminate closely related species. In addition, two mitochondrial genes, the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox-1) and the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 (nad-4), and two housekeeping genes, the fanconi-associated nuclease 1 (fan-1) and the serine/threonine-protein phosphatase 4 regulatory subunit 1 (ppfr-1), provided the most robust phylogenetic reconstructions compared to other individual genes. According to our findings, whole nuclear and/or mitochondrial genomes are strongly recommended for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships of the genus Heterorhabditis. If whole nuclear and/or mitochondrial genomes are unavailable, a combination of nuclear and mitochondrial genes can be used as an alternative. Under these circumstances, sequences of multiple conspecific isolates in a genus-wide phylogenetic context should be analyzed to avoid artefactual species over-splitting driven by the high intraspecific sequence divergence of mitochondrial genes and to avoid artefactual species lumping driven by the low interspecific sequence divergence of some nuclear genes. On the other hand, we observed that the genera Heterorhabditis and Photorhabdus exhibit diverse biogeographic patterns, ranging from cosmopolitan species to potentially endemic species, and show high phylogenetic congruence, although host switches have also occurred. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the biodiversity and phylo- and co-phylogenetic relationships of an important group of biological control agents and advances our efforts to develop more tools that are compatible with sustainable and eco-friendly agricultural practices., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) significantly contributes to global fatalities. Recent studies have demonstrated the crucial roles of sortilin1 (SORT1) and sestrin1 (SESN1) in lipid metabolism, as well as their involvement in the development of CAD. The aberrant expression or activity of SORT1 can consequently lead to metabolic and vascular diseases. Sestrins, including SESN1, play a crucial role in helping cells survive by maintaining metabolic balance while also reducing oxidative stress (OS). OS contributes to the progression of atherosclerosis-related diseases, such as CAD. The study aimed to compare the gene expression of SORT1 and SESN1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), alongside serum OS markers, in CAD patients and controls., Materials: The case-control study included 49 CAD patients and 40 controls. The expression of the SORT1 and SESN1 genes was quantified using qRT-PCR, and the expression of the SORT1 protein was evaluated by western blotting. OS markers, including total oxidation status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and malondialdehyde (MDA), were measured using spectrophotometric and fluorometric methods., Results: SORT1 gene and protein expressions were similar between groups. CAD patients had a non-significant decrease in SESN1 gene expression. MDA levels were significantly higher in CAD patients, whereas TOS and TAC levels did not differ significantly., Conclusion: For atherosclerosis-related disorders like CAD, MDA shows potential as a non-invasive, easy-to-use, affordable, and stable biomarker. Further research is needed to elucidate the precise roles of SORT1 and SESN1 in CAD pathogenesis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The global population and economic development surge has substantially increased water demand, resulting in heightened sewage and pollutant generation, posing environmental hazards. Addressing this challenge necessitates the implementation of efficient and cost-effective water reclamation methods. Non-thermal plasma technology (NTP) has emerged as a promising solution, garnering attention for its superior efficiency compared to alternatives. While existing studies have predominantly focused on energy efficiency and pollutant removal, limited research has delved into the biological removal aspect, particularly concerning algae. This study utilized a dielectric barrier plasma diffuser to eliminate Spirulina microalgae (Spirulina platensis) from wastewater solutions, demonstrating higher algae removal and superior mass transfer compared to alternative plasma methods. The effect of sample volume, input voltage and power, flow rate, and initial solution concentration on the algae removal was investigated. Investigation of operational parameters revealed the best condition resulting in a 98 % removal rate and 20 g/kWh energy efficiency. The best conditions for the removal of Spirulina microalgae were considered in a sample volume of 50 mL, a voltage of 7.6 kV, a flow rate of 700 mL/min, and an initial solution concentration of 1280 mg/liter. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images illustrated the impact of active species on cell structure, leading to the destruction of spiral form and loss of reproductive ability. The study underscores the potential of NTP for efficient algae removal and identifies key active species involved in the process. The removal of Spirulina microalgae was attributed to a combination of singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ), hydroxyl radicals, and ozone., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Javad Karimi reports financial support was provided by Shiraz University. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: COVID-19 is one of the worst pandemics worldwide, and its diagnosis and treatment are of great importance. Recent evidence has shown that circular RNA (circRNA deregulation is involved in different infectious diseases. In the present study, we tried to investigate the expression of cirRNAs RasGEF1B (hsa_circ_0127052), HIPK3 (hsa_circ_100783), and GATAD2A (hsa_circ_0050236) in COVID-19 patients. Methods: Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, the expression profiles of candidate circRNAs were detected in 57 COVID-19 patients and 51 healthy controls. As part of the process of identifying a candidate circRNA that is sensitive and specific, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were also utilized. Results: Our results showed higher expression levels of circRasGEF1B and circHIPK3 in COVID-19 patients, however, circGATAD2A showed no statistical difference between patients and controls. ROC curves showed that circRasGEF1B (hsa_circ_0127052), and HIPK3 (hsa_circ_100783) had favorable specificity and sensitivity, whereas GATAD2A (hsa_circ_0050236) did not. Conclusion: In summary, our study highlights the potential of CircRasGEF1B (hsa_circ_0127052) and HIPK3 (hsa_circ_100783) as biomarkers for COVID-19 diagnosis due to their high expression levels and demonstrated diagnostic accuracy. These findings suggest that circRNAs could play a crucial role in the development of diagnostic tools for COVID-19, providing a new avenue for early detection and management of the disease.

The cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae L. (Aphididae: Hemiptera) a destructive aphid, is native to Europe and is now found in many other parts of the world. Currently, one of the main problems of Iranian cabbage growers is the significant damage caused by this pest. Also, due to the fresh eating of cabbage, it is necessary to use non-chemical methods to control the pests. Our bioassay tests showed that Melia azedarach L. (Meliaceae) fruit extract showed high toxicity to cabbage aphid. In this study, sublethal effects of M. azedarach extract was investigated on some demographic and biochemical properties of B. brassicae. The results showed that the sublethal concentrations (LC 10 and LC 20 ) and LC 50  values were 0.68, 1.16, and 3.42 μg/ml, respectively. Compared to the control, sublethal concentrations of insecticide significantly decreased the gross reproductive rate (GRR), net reproductive rate (R 0 ), intrinsic rate of increase (r m ), finite rate of increase (λ), intrinsic rate of birth (b), intrinsic rate of death (d), weekly growth rate (r w ), reproductive rate and adult longevity of the pest. Meanwhile, the mean generation time (T) and population doubling time (DT) of this aphid increased significantly. Additionally, sublethal doses of insecticide reduced the energy reserves of the pest such as carbohydrate, protein and lipid content compared to the controls. In addition to modify the pH, this extract also changed the distribution and concentration of sodium and potassium ions in haemolymph. Therefore, sublethal concentrations of M. Azedarach fruit extract can be used in the management program of B. brassicae., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Introduction: Antibody mediated rejection (AMR) is a major challenge in kidney transplantation and adversely affects allograft survival. Oxidative stress (OS) is implicated in AMR pathogenesis by triggering inflammation, apoptosis and fibrosis in the graft tissue. However, the status of OS and antioxidant defense in AMR patients remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the levels of OS markers and antioxidant enzymes in AMR patients.  Methods. We conducted a case-control study involving 22 biopsy-proven AMR patients (test group) and 14 kidney recipients with stable graft function (control group). Serum total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total thiol groups, nitric oxide (NO), 8-isoprostane (8-IP) were determined and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured by spectrophotometric methods., Results: Data analysis showed significant increases in TOS, TAC and 8-IP levels together with marked reductions in NO and total thiol groups in AMR patients. CAT and GPx activities did not differ between groups, however SOD activity was significantly lower in AMR patients., Conclusion: Our study showed increased OS and impaired antioxidant defense in AMR patients. NO level may serve as a potential biomarker of OS severity and immune response in AMR. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms and consequences of OS in AMR and to explore the therapeutic potential of antioxidants.

Nanoplastics, as emerging pollutants, have harmful effects on living organisms and the environment, the mechanisms and extent of which remain unclear. Microalgae, as one of the most important biological groups in the food chain and sensitive environmental indicators to various pollutants, are considered a suitable option for investigating the effects of nanoplastics. In this study, the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on the growth rate, dry weight, chlorophyll a and carotenoid levels, proline, and lipid peroxidation in the Spirulina platensis were examined. Three concentrations of 0.1, 1, and 10 mg L -1 of PSNPs were used alongside a control sample with zero concentration, with four repetitions in one-liter containers for 20 days under optimal temperature and light conditions. Various analyses, including growth rate, dry weight, proline, chlorophyll a and carotenoid levels, and lipid peroxidation, were performed. The results indicated that exposure to PSNP stress led to a significant decrease in growth rate, dry weight, and chlorophyll a and carotenoid levels compared to the control sample. Furthermore, this stress increased the levels of proline and lipid peroxidation in Spirulina platensis. Morphological analysis via microscopy supported these findings, indicating considerable environmental risks associated with PSNPs., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the common psychiatric disorders that is characterized by abnormal neurobiological responses. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9) is important in cholesterol homeostasis., Methods: This study aimed to investigate PCSK9 levels and oxidative stress with MDD disease. The study included 30 patients with MDD and 30 healthy controls. Their blood samples were collected in sterile tubes, and the serum PCSK9 concentration, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity were determined by ELISA kits. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and copper concentration were determined manually. There was a significant increase in PCSK9 levels in the patient group (P<0.05)., Results: The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve with a sensitivity of 57% and specificity of 52% was 0.928 (95% CI, 0.86-0.996) for PCSK9 in the patient group (P<0.001). It was found that MDA (P=0.036) level was higher in the MDD group, but TAC (P=0.445) level, SOD (P=0.148), GPx (P=0.019) activities, and copper concentration were lower in the patient group compared with the control group., Conclusion: The study results confirm the relationship between oxidative stress and MDD and also suggest a link between PCSK9 and MDD disease., (Copyright© 2024 Iranian Neuroscience Society.)

Background: Notwithstanding the encouraging results of previous studies reporting on the efficiency of deep learning (DL) in COVID-19 prognostication, clinical adoption of the developed methodology still needs to be improved. To overcome this limitation, we set out to predict the prognosis of a large multi-institutional cohort of patients with COVID-19 using a DL-based model., Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of deep privacy-preserving federated learning (DPFL) in predicting COVID-19 outcomes using chest CT images., Methods: After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 3055 patients from 19 centers, including 1599 alive and 1456 deceased, were enrolled in this study. Data from all centers were split (randomly with stratification respective to each center and class) into a training/validation set (70%/10%) and a hold-out test set (20%). For the DL model, feature extraction was performed on 2D slices, and averaging was performed at the final layer to construct a 3D model for each scan. The DensNet model was used for feature extraction. The model was developed using centralized and FL approaches. For FL, we employed DPFL approaches. Membership inference attack was also evaluated in the FL strategy. For model evaluation, different metrics were reported in the hold-out test sets. In addition, models trained in two scenarios, centralized and FL, were compared using the DeLong test for statistical differences., Results: The centralized model achieved an accuracy of 0.76, while the DPFL model had an accuracy of 0.75. Both the centralized and DPFL models achieved a specificity of 0.77. The centralized model achieved a sensitivity of 0.74, while the DPFL model had a sensitivity of 0.73. A mean AUC of 0.82 and 0.81 with 95% confidence intervals of (95% CI: 0.79-0.85) and (95% CI: 0.77-0.84) were achieved by the centralized model and the DPFL model, respectively. The DeLong test did not prove statistically significant differences between the two models (p-value = 0.98). The AUC values for the inference attacks fluctuate between 0.49 and 0.51, with an average of 0.50 ± 0.003 and 95% CI for the mean AUC of 0.500 to 0.501., Conclusion: The performance of the proposed model was comparable to centralized models while operating on large and heterogeneous multi-institutional datasets. In addition, the model was resistant to inference attacks, ensuring the privacy of shared data during the training process., (© 2024 The Authors. Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.)

In spite of the decrease in breast cancer (BC) death rates, it has remained a significant public health concern. Dysregulation of the Hippo pathway contributes to breast cancer development and progression by enhancing cancerous cell proliferation, survival, invasion, and migration. Investigating the connection between specific lncRNAs (SNHG15, HCP5, and LINC01433) and YAP and WWTR1, and the impact of these lncRNAs on the expression of YAP and WWTR1 proteins in the Hippo pathway, may offer valuable understanding for BC diagnosis and treatment. Forty BC tissue samples were acquired from the Tumor Bank and utilized for RNA and protein extraction. Real-time PCR and western blotting techniques were performed to assess the gene and protein expressions, respectively. Correlations between variables and their associations with clinicopathological features in BC were evaluated using Mann-Whitney U or Student's t-test. Additionally, the analysis of the GEO database was utilized to validate the findings. In cancerous tissue, the up-regulation of YAP, WWTR1, HCP5, SNHG15, and Linc01433 at both the mRNA and protein levels corresponds to the findings in GEO datasets. A significant association was found between YAP and histological grade, while WWTR1 showed a correlation with family history and HER-2. The distinct and notable expression of YAP, WWTR1, SNHG15, HCP5, and Linc01433 in BC tissues, together with the results of combined ROC curve analysis derived from our finding and GEO database suggest that a combined panel of these 5 RNAs may have great potential in predicting of BC and its management., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Following pathogen infection in a host, extensive changes occur in the host's gene expression pattern to suppress infection and increase the chance of host survival. Likewise, many pathogens have evolved to evade/suppress host immunity and increase their survival within the host. In this study, we assessed the NF-κB (Imd and Toll) essential gene expression response of Helicoverpa armigera to an entomopathogenic Serratia marcescens and non-pathogenic Escherichia coli. Bacterial cells of S. marcescens or E. coli were injected into the haemocoel of fifth-instar larvae of H. armigera, whereas distilled water was injected into control insects. Our results showed that the expression levels of the Imd and Toll pathway genes (i.e., Relish, imd, spätzle and dif) and the antimicrobial peptides (i.e., gloverin, transferin, gallerimycin, and galiomicin) were differentially expressed following the bacterial injections while control larvae showed no differences. The E. coli injection induced higher and longer-lasted gene expression than the S. marcescens injected larvae, in which the gene expressions were diminished from 24 h post injection. Transcript Knockdown of Relish increased the replication rates of S. marcescens and E. coli, and lowered the infected larvae survival rates. These results showed that H. armigera NF-κB immunity pathways (particularly Imd pathway) play a vital role in immunity against bacterial infections, and S. marcescens might modulate these pathways to survive and replicate in the host., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

(NPs) can be produced by various methods such as physical and chemical processes. However, environmentally friendly ways are increasingly requested. In this research, (Ag-NPs) were produced by Fusarium oxysporum, and its antifungal effect on Aspergillus and Fusarium was investigated. Nanoparticles were produced by silver nitrate salt and Fusarium oxysporum native to Isfahan city. In order to optimize the synthesis conditions, optimization of some factors such as volume, concentration, time, temperature, and pH of the extract was performed. The structural and physical properties of NPs were determined by spectrophotometer, XRD, FTIR FESEM, SEM, and TEM microscopy. For the study of the inhibitory effect of NPs on Fusarium and Aspergillus growth, the fungi were cultured in media containing various concentrations of NPs from 50 to 1500 ppm. Then, the colony diameter was measured for over 10 days and the growth inhibition percentage was estimated. For statistical analysis, the 600 Mann-Whitney tests have been applied.The NPs were produced after mixing the powdered fungal mass and silver nitrate salt in optimum conditions which were 2 mM of salt, triple fungal mass volume proportion relative to the salt, pH of 9, and temperature of 28 °C. The existence of a peak at 420 nm in FTIR was due to nanoparticle production. Based on the XRD, the synthesized NPs had suitable properties similar to the standard NPs reported in the studies. Images from TEM, SEM, and FESEM microscopes displayed uniform NPs in variable sizes between 25 and 100 nm. According to the results, the maximum growth inhibition percentage of Ag-NPs on Fusarium was approximately 60% at 1500 ppm, and 88% on Aspergillus at 800 ppm. Biosynthesized Ag-NPs with Fusarium oxysporum have desirable structural traits and can inhibit the growth of Fusarium and Aspergillus at significant levels., (© Association of Microbiologists of India 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Background and Aims: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a worldwide pandemic, activates signaling cascades and leads to innate immune responses and secretion of multiple chemokines and cytokines. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have a crucial role in inflammatory pathways. Through our search on the PubMed database, we discovered that existing research has primarily focused on examining the regulatory impacts of five lncRNAs in the context of viral infections. However, their role in regulating other conditions, including SARS-CoV-2, has not been explored. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the expression pattern of lncRNAs in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and their potential roles in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Potentially significant competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks of these five lncRNAs were found using online in-silico techniques., Methods: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) blood samples of the control group consisted of 45 healthy people, and a total of 53 COVID-19-infected patients in case group, with a written informed consent, was collected. PBMCs were extracted, and then, the RNA extraction and complementary DNA (cDNA) synthesis was performed. The expression of five lncRNAs (lnc ISR, lnc ATV, lnc PAAN, lnc SG20, and lnc HEAL) was assessed by real-time PCR. In order to evaluate the biomarker roles of genes, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn., Results: Twenty-four (53.3%) and 29 (54.7%) of healthy and COVID-19-infected participants were male, respectively. The most prevalent symptoms were as follows: cough, general weakness, contusion, headache, and sore throat. The results showed that three lncRNAs, including lnc ISR, lnc ATV, and lnc HEAL, were expressed dramatically higher in the case group compared to healthy controls. According to ROC curve analysis, lnc ATV has a higher AUC and is a better biomarker to differentiate COVID-19 patients from the healthy controls. Then, using bioinformatics methods, the ceRNA network of these lncRNAs enabled the identification of mRNAs and miRNAs with crucial functions in COVID-19., Conclusion: The considerable higher expression of ISR, ATV, and HEAL lncRNAs and the significant area under curve (AUC) in ROC curve demonstrate that these RNAs probably have a potential role in controlling the host innate immune responses and regulate the viral replication of SARS-CoV-2. However, these assumptions need further in vitro and in vivo investigations to be confirmed., Competing Interests: These authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Zahra Firoozi et al.)

Lysine Specific Demethylase 1 (LSD1) has been identified as a chromatin-modifying enzyme implicated in various cancer pathogeneses, highlighting the potential for novel epigenetic cancer treatments through the development of effective inhibitors. We employed 3D-QSAR pharmacophore modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations to identify a promising drug candidate for LSD1 inhibition. RMSD, RMSF, H-bond, and DSSP analysis demonstrated that ZINC02599970 (Arformoterol) and ZINC13453966 exhibited the highest LSD1 inhibitory potential. Experimental validation using MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines revealed that Arformoterol displayed potent antiproliferative activity with IC 50 values of 12.30 ± 1.48 μM and 19.69 ± 1.15 μM respectively. In contrast, the IC 50 values obtained for the control (tranylcypromine) in exposure to MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were 104.6 ± 1.69 μM and 77 ± 0.67 μM, respectively. Arformoterol demonstrated greater LSD1 inhibitory potency in MCF-7 cells compared to MDA-MB-231 cells. Also, the expression of genes involved in chromatin rearrangement (LSD1), angiogenesis (VEGF1), cell migration (RORα), signal transduction (S100A8), apoptosis, and cell cycle (p53) were investigated. Arformoterol enhanced apoptosis and induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase, both in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells. Based on our findings, we propose that Arformoterol represents a promising candidate for breast cancer treatment, owing to its potent LSD1 inhibitory activity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

It is widely accepted that endosymbiont interactions with their hosts have significant effects on the fitness of both pests and beneficial species. A particular type of endosymbiosis is that of beneficial associations. Facultative endosymbiotic bacteria are associated with elements that provide aphids with protection from parasitoids. Arsenophonus (Enterobacterales: Morganellaceae) is one such endosymbiont bacterium, with infections being most commonly found among the Hemiptera species. Here, black cowpea aphids (BCAs), Aphis craccivora Koch (Hemiptera: Aphididae), naturally infected with Arsenophonus, were evaluated to determine the defensive role of this bacterium in BCAs against two parasitoid wasp species, Binodoxys angelicae and Lysiphlebus fabarum (both in Braconidae: Aphidiinae). Individuals of the black cowpea aphids infected with Arsenophonus were treated with a blend of ampicillin, cefotaxime, and gentamicin ( Arsenophonus -reduced infection, AR) and subsequently subjected to parasitism assays. The results showed that the presence of Arsenophonus does not prevent BCAs from being parasitized by either B. angelicae or L. fabarum . Nonetheless, in BCA colonies parasitized by B. angelicae , the endosymbiont delayed both the larval maturation period and the emergence of the adult parasitoid wasps. In brief, Arsenophonus indirectly limits the effectiveness of B . angelicae parasitism by decreasing the number of emerged adult wasps. Therefore, other members of the BCA colony can survive. Arsenophonus acts as a double-edged sword, capturing the complex dynamic between A. craccivora and its parasitoids.

Background: Epidemics caused by emerging respiratory viruses are challenging for the health system of most societies, and preparedness of the health system in responding to such epidemics is important. Therefore, the aim of this study was identifying different fields and key issues of the senior managers' experiences preparedness to respond to the COVID-19 epidemic from the Iranian senior managers' point of view., Methods: This is a qualitative descriptive study. Eighteen in-depth and semi-structured individual interviews were conducted for data collection. For this purpose, 18 senior managers with work experience in managing the COVID-19 crisis were enrolled in the study using purposive sampling. The collected data were analyzed according to Graneheim and Lundman's approach., Results: Analysis of the data resulted in the emergence of five themes and twelve sub-themes. The main themes and sub-themes included: (1) capacity improvement consisting of performance improvement and logistic improvement; (2) resource and infrastructure management including supply and support of human resources, infrastructure improvement, and supply of equipment; (3) an increase in epidemiology capacity including epidemiology improvement and emerging disease surveillance; (4) application of the principles of disaster and emergency management including intra- and extra-organizational interaction management, disaster risk management, and data management; and (5) society resilience increase including improving adaptation skill and maintaining health and social participation., Conclusion: The results of this study present the key issues for the management of future emergency situations. Health system managers and policymakers in Iran and other countries should be aware of these key issues and apply them in practice to prepare the health systems to respond to next outbreaks. Indeed, the study results can help policymakers and health system managers to plan to achieve acceptable preparedness for the management of such outbreaks., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: This study aims to evaluate Ki67 cut-off points for differentiating low and high-risk patients based on survival and recurrence and find the best Ki67 cut-off points in breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy using machine learning methods., Patients and Methods: Patients with breast cancer treated at 2 referral hospitals between December 2000 and March 2021 who had invasive breast cancer entered this study. There were 257 patients in the neoadjuvant group and 2139 in the adjuvant group. A decision tree method was used to predict the likelihood of survival and recurrence. The 2-ensemble technique of RUSboost and bagged tree were imposed on the decision tree method to increase the accuracy of the determination. 80 percent of the data was used to train and validate the model, and 20% was used as a test., Results: In adjuvant therapy breast cancer patients with Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) the cutoff points for survival were 20 and 10, respectively. For luminal A, luminal B, Her2 neu, and triple-negative adjuvant therapy patients' the cutoff points for survival were 25, 15, 20, and 20, respectively. For neoadjuvant therapy luminal A and luminal B group, survival cutoff points were 25 and 20, respectively., Conclusion: Despite variability in measurement and cut-off points, the Ki-67 proliferation index is still helpful in the clinic. Further investigation is needed to determine the best cut-off points for different patients. The sensitivity and specificity of Ki-67 cutoff point prediction models in this study could further prove its significance as a prognostic factor., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have stated that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Microalgae play a critical role in the food web and biogeochemical cycling and produce compounds that are commercially exploited. However, their reactions and responses to microplastic contamination are not well understood. In this study, the widely distributed and commercially important cyanobacterium, Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis), was exposed to different concentrations (1-100 mg L -1 ) of low-density polyethylene microplastics (<5 μm) over a 20-d period. Various end-points were combined with different microscopic techniques in order to examine physiological and biochemical effects and interactions between the plastic and microalga. Growth rate and photosynthetic activity decreased with increasing microplastic concentration, and a maximum inhibition ratio of about 9% was calculated from optical density measurements. Plastic concentrations above 10 mg L -1 resulted in oxidative stress and the intracellular production of proline. Fragmentation and swelling of trichomes and attachment of microplastics was observed in the exposures, and microplastics appeared to adhere or aggregate around fragmented or fragmenting regions. The latter effect may indicate trichome weakening by microplastics or their concentration around cytosolic debris; nevertheless, it provides a potential mechanism for internalisation of small particles. Although unrealistically high concentrations of well-defined microplastics have been employed, relatively small disruptions at the population level incurred by lower concentrations could have more serious implications for ecosystem services and functioning., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Baculoviruses are successful microbial control agents used in the biological control of agricultural pest species, especially in the order Lepidoptera. The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua is a popular agricultural pest in the world. S exigua larvae, which are active in the all-summer period, cause economic losses by damaging many crops in agricultural production areas. This article aims to analyze the full genome of Spodoptera exigua multiple nucleopolyhedroviruses from Iran (SeMNPV-IR) and to determine the geographical difference between the strains at the genomic level. The full genome of SeMNPV-IR is 135.764 base pairs in length that contained 136 open reading frames (ORFs), and 43.92% G + C content. The seven homologous repeated ( hr ) regions were identified. In the results of genome-wide phylogenetic analysis, it was determined that the SeMNPV-IR genome isolated from Iran was interestingly close to the genome of the US and Korea isolates. However, there are significant differences in the two hypothetical ( Orf 83 and Orf 104) genes. The SeMNPV-IR has a unique homolog repeat region (hr1, 96 bp) that is not found in other SeMNPV genomes, and it also differs in terms of the hr2 region. In silico restriction endonuclease analysis by Stu I and Sac II enzymes show that there were significant differences between all geographic isolates of SeMNPV., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11756-023-01399-2., Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestAll authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS), Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS), Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS) 2023, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Purpose: We hypothesized that immature oocytes are associated with impaired energy production in surrounding granulosa cells (GCs) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Thus, this study investigated mitochondrial function, determined expression of glycolytic regulatory enzymes, and measured ATP levels in GCs of PCOS patients., Methods: GCs were isolated from forty-five PCOS patients and 45 control women. Intracellular concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ m ), the rate of glycolysis, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and ATP level were measured in GCs. The gene expression and protein levels of glycolytic enzymes (hexokinase, muscular phosphofructokinase, platelet derived phosphofructokinase, and muscular pyruvate kinase) were determined. Association of GC energy level with oocyte maturation was further validated by measuring glycolysis rate and ATP level in GCs isolated from mature and immature follicles from new set of fifteen PCOS patients and 15 controls., Results: PCOS patients showed higher ROS level, decreased TAC, reduced CAT and SOD activities, and lower Δψ m together with reduced expression of key glycolytic enzymes. ATP concentration and biochemical pregnancy were lower in PCOS compared with control group. ATP levels were found to be significantly correlated with ROS and Δψ m (r = - 0.624 and r = 0.487, respectively). GCs isolated from immature follicles had significantly lower ATP levels and rate of glycolysis compared with the GCs separated from mature follicles in both PCOS patients and control., Conclusion: Declined energy due to the mitochondrial dysfunction and restrained glycolysis in GCs is associated with the immature oocytes and lower biochemical pregnancy in PCOS., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The purpose of the present article is to study the bending strength of glulam prepared by plane tree (Platanus Orientalis-L) wood layers adhered by UF resin with different formaldehyde to urea molar ratios containing the modified starch adhesive with different NaOCl concentrations. Artificial neural network (ANN) as a modern tool was used to predict this response, too. The multilayer perceptron (MLP) models were used to predict the modulus of rapture (MOR) and the statistics, including the determination coefficient (R 2 ), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) were used to validate the prediction. Combining the ANN and the genetic algorithm by using the multiple objective and nonlinear constraint functions, the optimum point was determined based on the experimental and estimated data, respectively. The characterization analysis, performed by FTIR and XRD, was used to describe the effect of the inputs on the output. The results indicated that the statistics obtained show excellent MOR predictions by the feed-forward neural network using Levenberg-Marquardt algorithms. The comparison of the optimal output of the actual values obtained by the genetic algorithm resulting from the multi-objective function and the optimal output of the values estimated by the nonlinear constraint function indicates a minimum difference between both functions.

A new species of the genus Oscheius , Oscheius cyrus n. sp., collected in the moist soils taken from forest heights in the north of Iran, is recorded. A comprehensive description, comprising molecular (internal transcribed spacer (ITS), 18S, and 28S rDNA genes) information, morphometrics data, light microscope and scanning electron microscope images, is supplied. The species resembles Oscheius myriophilus . However, the highest ranges for female body length, female tail, infective juvenile tail length, median bulb, absence of epiptygma and lateral field incisures number vary. The new species was distinguished from Oscheius insectivorus by the general lip region. The male was not found. Molecular analysis showed that the new species has the most similarity to O . myriophilus both in the ITS and 18S regions. Morphological and molecular data confirmed its belonging to the Insectivora-group. Furthermore, the species of Ochrobactrum pseudogrignonense was reported as a dominant associated bacterium of the new Oscheius species. Finally, the mortality of the host after seven days varied from 20% to 82.5%, depending on nematodes' concentration.

Infertility is one of the disorders that worries many couples around the world, although novel and molecular methods can be used to cure this disease in different stages. One of the factors that causes infertility in men and women is the increased oxidative stress within the cells, which can lead to damage in zygote formation. ROMO1 is one of the most important proteins in the production of reactive oxygen species. This protein can enhance oxidative stress in the cells and body through cellular pathways, such as TNF-α and NF-κB routes, which will eventually lead to many diseases, especially infertility. We engage several international databases by using keywords; ROMO1, Infertility, and Reactive Oxygen Species, and gained a great quantity of information about ROMO1, Infertility, and Oxidative Stress. Although not proven, it is hypothesized that ROMO1 might elevate oxidative stress by activating NF-κB pathway in the cells, furthermore, TNF-α can arouse ROMO1 that can end up with apoptosis and cell death, which consequently can have a lot of disturbing effects on the body, especially the reproductive system. To sum up, revealing the exact cellular and molecular mechanisms of ROMO1-dependent TNF-α and NF-κB pathways in the pathogenesis of infertility might find interesting therapeutic and management strategies for this disorder., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT: None declared., (© Chonnam Medical Journal, 2022.)

Background: Public health emergencies can disrupt the provision of and access to essential health-care services, exacerbating health crises. We aimed to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on essential health-care services in Kenya., Methods: Using county-level data routinely collected from the health information system from health facilities across the country, we used a robust mixed-effect model to examine changes in 17 indicators of essential health services across four periods: the pre-pandemic period (from January, 2018 to February, 2020), two pandemic periods (from March to November 2020, and February to October, 2021), and the period during the COVID-19-associated health-care workers' strike (from December, 2020 to January, 2021)., Findings: In the pre-pandemic period, we observed a positive trend for multiple indicators. The onset of the pandemic was associated with statistically significant decreases in multiple indicators, including outpatient visits (28·7%; 95% CI 16·0-43·5%), cervical cancer screening (49·8%; 20·6-57·9%), number of HIV tests conducted (45·3%; 23·9-63·0%), patients tested for malaria (31·9%; 16·7-46·7%), number of notified tuberculosis cases (26·6%; 14·7-45·1%), hypertension cases (10·4%; 6·0-39·4%), vitamin A supplements (8·7%; 7·9-10·5%), and three doses of the diphtheria, tetanus toxoid, and pertussis vaccine administered (0·9%; 0·5-1·3%). Pneumonia cases reduced by 50·6% (31·3-67·3%), diarrhoea by 39·7% (24·8-62·7%), and children attending welfare clinics by 39·6% (23·5-47·1%). Cases of sexual violence increased by 8·0% (4·3-25·0%). Skilled deliveries, antenatal care, people with HIV infection newly started on antiretroviral therapy, confirmed cases of malaria, and diabetes cases detected were not significantly affected negatively. Although most of the health indicators began to recover during the pandemic, the health-care workers' strike resulted in nearly all indicators falling to numbers lower than those observed at the onset or during the pre-strike pandemic period., Interpretation: The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated health-care workers' strike in Kenya have been associated with a substantial disruption of essential health services, with the use of outpatient visits, screening and diagnostic services, and child immunisation adversely affected. Efforts to maintain the provision of these essential health services during a health-care crisis should target the susceptible services to prevent the exacerbation of associated disease burdens during such health crises., Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Granulosa cells (GCs) play key roles in oocyte maturation by providing required estradiol (E2). Since the presence of immature oocytes has been reported in cases with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), in this study, the levels of mitochondrial membrane transporter proteins involved in E2 synthesis were determined. E2 concentration and parameters of oxidative status were also measured in follicular fluids of PCOS women., Methods: Forty-three women with PCOS and 43 healthy women who were candidates for IVF procedure due to their husbands' infertility were enrolled in this case-control study. The gene expression and protein levels of mitochondrial translocator protein (TSPO) and voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) were determined in GCs using RT-qPCR and immunocytochemistry assay, respectively. E2 level was measured with electrochemiluminescence, whereas total cholesterol, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined using colorimetric methods in follicular fluids. Data were analyzed using unpaired t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman's correlation coefficient., Results: VDAC1 and TSPO were significantly lower in mRNA (p<0.05) and protein levels (p<0.001) of PCOS patients. PCOS patients had lower cholesterol, estradiol, and TAC levels, and higher TOS and MDA contents. E2 level had direct correlation with VDAC1, TSPO, and TAC while it was negatively correlated with TOS, oxidative stress index (OSI), and MDA (p<0.001). Higher E2 levels were associated with higher numbers of high-quality oocytes and conceived embryos (p<0.001)., Conclusion: Decreased E2 levels and increased oxidative stress in the follicular fluid may be the cause of immature oocytes in PCOS cases., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright© 2022, Avicenna Research Institute.)

Background: We aimed to analyze the prognostic power of CT-based radiomics models using data of 14,339 COVID-19 patients., Methods: Whole lung segmentations were performed automatically using a deep learning-based model to extract 107 intensity and texture radiomics features. We used four feature selection algorithms and seven classifiers. We evaluated the models using ten different splitting and cross-validation strategies, including non-harmonized and ComBat-harmonized datasets. The sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were reported., Results: In the test dataset (4,301) consisting of CT and/or RT-PCR positive cases, AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.83 ± 0.01 (CI95%: 0.81-0.85), 0.81, and 0.72, respectively, were obtained by ANOVA feature selector + Random Forest (RF) classifier. Similar results were achieved in RT-PCR-only positive test sets (3,644). In ComBat harmonized dataset, Relief feature selector + RF classifier resulted in the highest performance of AUC, reaching 0.83 ± 0.01 (CI95%: 0.81-0.85), with a sensitivity and specificity of 0.77 and 0.74, respectively. ComBat harmonization did not depict statistically significant improvement compared to a non-harmonized dataset. In leave-one-center-out, the combination of ANOVA feature selector and RF classifier resulted in the highest performance., Conclusion: Lung CT radiomics features can be used for robust prognostic modeling of COVID-19. The predictive power of the proposed CT radiomics model is more reliable when using a large multicentric heterogeneous dataset, and may be used prospectively in clinical setting to manage COVID-19 patients., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: There are concerns about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the continuation of essential health services in sub-Saharan Africa. Through the Countdown to 2030 for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health country collaborations, analysts from country and global public health institutions and ministries of health assessed the trends in selected services for maternal, newborn and child health, general service utilisation., Methods: Monthly routine health facility data by district for the period 2017-2020 were compiled by 12 country teams and adjusted after extensive quality assessments. Mixed effects linear regressions were used to estimate the size of any change in service utilisation for each month from March to December 2020 and for the whole COVID-19 period in 2020., Results: The completeness of reporting of health facilities was high in 2020 (median of 12 countries, 96% national and 91% of districts ≥90%), higher than in the preceding years and extreme outliers were few. The country median reduction in utilisation of nine health services for the whole period March-December 2020 was 3.9% (range: -8.2 to 2.4). The greatest reductions were observed for inpatient admissions (median=-17.0%) and outpatient admissions (median=-7.1%), while antenatal, delivery care and immunisation services generally had smaller reductions (median from -2% to -6%). Eastern African countries had greater reductions than those in West Africa, and rural districts were slightly more affected than urban districts. The greatest drop in services was observed for March-June 2020 for general services, when the response was strongest as measured by a stringency index., Conclusion: The district health facility reports provide a solid basis for trend assessment after extensive data quality assessment and adjustment. Even the modest negative impact on service utilisation observed in most countries will require major efforts, supported by the international partners, to maintain progress towards the SDG health targets by 2030., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a major regulator of immune response and chronic inflammatory conditions acting through regulation of B cells, T-helper 17 (Th17) cells, and IL-17 production. Previous studies have demonstrated that dysregulation of STAT3 is crucial for SLE pathogenesis and disease severity. It is believed that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located at the 3'-UTR sequence of the target genes could dysregulate their expression by disrupting the binding site of miRNAs. In the present study, we assessed the possible association between rs1053005 and rs1053023 SNPs at miRNA binding sites in the STAT3 gene and the risk of SLE in the Iranian population for the first time., Methods: 112 SLE cases and 120 healthy controls were genotyped for rs1053005 (A>G) and rs1053023 (A>G) polymorphisms in STAT3 using real-time PCR high resolution melting method (HRM)., Results: Our results revealed substantial associations between GG genotype and G allele of rs1053023 with enhanced risk of SLE (OR for GG genotype= 3.13; 95%CI [1.61-6.1], OR for G allele = 2.22; 95%CI [1.51-3.25]). However, no important correlations have been found between rs1053005 polymorphism and SLE susceptibility in this population ( p >0.05). Moreover, stratification analysis showed that these polymorphisms are correlated with parameters indicating disease activity and more severe course of the disease. These factors include some laboratory test results and clinical manifestations such as renal involvements., Conclusion: The current study suggests a significant association between STAT3 polymorphisms and augmented risk of SLE, clinical symptoms, disease activity, and severity.

Background: The combination of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir has shown preliminary efficacy for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in four open-label studies with small sample sizes. This larger trial aimed to assess if the addition of sofosbuvir/daclatasvir to standard care improved clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with COVID-19., Methods: This was a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial in adults hospitalized with COVID-19 at 19 hospitals in Iran. Patients were randomized to oral sofosbuvir/daclatasvir 400/60 mg once-daily or placebo in addition to standard of care. Patients were included if they had positive PCR or diagnostic chest CT, O2 saturation <95% and compatible symptoms. The primary outcome was hospital discharge within 10 days of randomization. Secondary outcomes included mortality and time to clinical events. The trial is registered on the Iran Registry of Clinical Trials under IRCT20200624047908N1., Results: Between July and October 2020, 1083 patients were randomized to either the sofosbuvir/daclatasvir arm (n = 541) or the placebo arm (n = 542). No significant difference was observed in the primary outcome of hospital discharge within 10 days, which was achieved by 415/541 (77%) in the sofosbuvir/daclatasvir arm and 411/542 (76%) in the placebo arm [risk ratio (RR) 1.01, 95% CI 0.95-1.08, P = 0.734]. In-hospital mortality was 60/541 (11%) in the sofosbuvir/daclatasvir arm versus 55/542 (10%) in the placebo arm (RR 1.09, 95% CI 0.77-1.54, P = 0.615). No differences were observed in time to hospital discharge or time to in-hospital mortality., Conclusions: We observed no significant effect of sofosbuvir/daclatasvir versus placebo on hospital discharge or survival in hospitalized COVID-19 patients., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Introduction: Hyperglycemia enhances oxidative stress and apoptosis and induces damages in heart tissue. Based on antioxidant properties of curcumin and metformin, we hypothesized that these agents may exhibit cardioprotective effects by attenuating oxidative stress and modulating expression of the genes involved in apoptosis in type-1 diabetes. Methods: Thirty-six male rats were randomly divided into six groups; (N): control; (D): streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats; (D+Cur50) and (D+Cur150): diabetic rats treated with 50 and 150 milligram of curcumin per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg.bw), respectively; (D+Met300) and (D+Met500): diabetic rats received 300 and 500 mg/kg.bw of metformin, respectively. Heart tissues were dissected and gene expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3 were analyzed. Total anti-oxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured. Results: Enhancement in TOS, OSI, and MDA levels as well as increased in the activity of CAT and reduction in SOD and GPx activities were observed in diabetic group (D) compared with control rats. Treatment of diabetic animals with either curcumin or metformin normalized TOS, OSI, and MDA levels and restored CAT, SOD, and GPx activities. Diabetes caused extensive damages in heart tissue of rats (group D) and increased expression of caspase-3 and Bax genes and enhanced ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 expression compared with controls. Treatment with curcumin or metformin mitigated histopathological changes and dampened apoptosis by normalizing Bax and caspase-3 expression. Conclusion: Curcumin and metformin modulated diabetes-induced cardiac damage probably by reducing oxidative stress., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Antagonistic interactions among different functional guilds of nematodes have been recognized for quite some time, but the underlying explanatory mechanisms are unclear. We investigated responses of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) to two functional guilds of nematodes-plant parasite (Meloidogyne javanica) and entomopathogens (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, Steinernema feltiae below-ground, and S. carpocapsae)-as well as a leaf mining insect (Tuta absoluta) above-ground. Our results indicate that entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs): (1) reduced root knot nematode (RKN) infestation below-ground, (2) reduced herbivore (T. absoluta) host preference and performance above-ground, and (3) induced overlapping plant defence responses by rapidly activating polyphenol oxidase and guaiacol peroxidase activity in roots, but simultaneously suppressing this activity in above-ground tissues. Concurrently, we investigated potential plant signalling mechanisms underlying these interactions using transcriptome analyses. We found that both entomopathogens and plant parasites triggered immune responses in plant roots with shared gene expression. Secondary metabolite transcripts induced in response to the two nematode functional guilds were generally overlapping and showed an analogous profile of regulation. Likewise, we show that EPNs modulate plant defence against RKN invasion, in part, by suppressing active expression of antioxidant enzymes. Inoculations of roots with EPN triggered an immune response in tomato via upregulated phenylpropanoid metabolism and synthesis of protease inhibitors in plant tissues, which may explain decreased egg laying and developmental performance exhibited by herbivores on EPN-inoculated plants. Furthermore, changes induced in the volatile organic compound-related transcriptome indicated that M. javanica and/or S. carpocapsae inoculation of plants triggered both direct and indirect defences. Our results support the hypothesis that plants "mistake" subterranean EPNs for parasites, and these otherwise beneficial worms activate a battery of plant defences associated with systemic acquired resistance and/or induced systemic resistance with concomitant antagonistic effects on temporally co-occurring subterranean plant pathogenic nematodes and terrestrial herbivores., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

There is no denying that the massive spread of COVID-19 around the world has worried everyone. The virus can cause mild to severe symptoms in various organs, especially the lungs. The virus affects oxidative stress in the cells. Reactive Oxygen Species modulator 1 (ROMO1) is one of the most important mitochondrial proteins that plays a critical regulatory role in the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). According to the studies, COVID-19 can promote oxidative stress through some important pathways, for instance, TNF-α and NF-κB routes. Furthermore, ROMO1 is closely related to these pathways and its dysfunction may affect these routes, then promote oxidative stress, and ultimately cause tissue damage, especially in the lungs. Another factor to consider is that the TNF-α and NF-κB pathways are associated with ROMO1, COVID-19, and oxidative stress. To summarize, it is hypothesized that COVID-19 may increase oxidative stress by affecting ROMO1. Understanding the exact molecular mechanisms of ROMO1 in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 can pave the way to find better therapeutic strategies., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT: None declared., (© Chonnam Medical Journal, 2022.)

Background: Cirrhosis is often an asymptomatic disease. Its early diagnosis before the development of life-threatening complications is an important step to prevent the progression of the disease. The aim of the present study was the identification of parameters that are significantly changed in cirrhosis, are not affected by the cause of cirrhosis, and are associated with fatal complications of cirrhosis., Methods: Demographic and pre-transplant ultrasound and laboratory findings were reviewed in patients with viral- (n = 27), autoimmune hepatitis- (n = 27), alcohol- (n = 18), primary sclerosing cholangitis- (PSC) (n = 36), and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-related cirrhosis (n = 42)., Results: Among laboratory findings, only the aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) value in cirrhotic patients was significantly higher than that of healthy individuals (p < 0.001) and, meanwhile, its value was not different among cirrhotic patients with various etiologies (p = 0.240) but was associated with the ascites, as a cirrhosis life-threatening complication (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: The APRI has acceptable potential to predict prognosis in cirrhosis. So, it can be a possible parameter to the prediction of the lethal complications of cirrhosis.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Corona pandemic as a public health emergency. This pandemic affects the main pillars of food security. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between food insecurity and the probability of hospitalization and the length of the recovery period after getting COVID-19. The cross-sectional study was performed through the census on COVID-19 patients diagnosed in Fasa, Iran. Informed consent, demographic, and food security questionnaire were completed over the phone. Then, all patients were followed up until recovery. Data were analyzed using SPSS26 and Chi-square test, t-test, and logistic regression (P < 0.05). In this study, 219 COVID-19 patients [100 (54.7%) male and 119 (54.3%) female] with a mean age of 40.05 ± 15.54 years old were examined. Possibility of hospitalization and the length of the recovery period of more than one month was significantly longer in the food-insecure group (P = 0.001) and (P = 0.37), respectively, but the mean length of hospital stay in the two groups was not significantly different (P = 0.76). After adjusting for all confounding variables, people with food insecurity were 3.9 times more likely to be hospitalized than those with food security. Overall, we observed that food-insecure people were significantly more likely to be hospitalized than the secure group., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: The current recommendation for treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) in HIV patients includes the combination of sofosbuvir (SOF) and daclatasvir (DCV). DCV should be used at different doses to compensate for interactions with antiretroviral therapy (ART). Up to three pills a day might be required which will significantly add to the pill burden of these patients. In this study, we have used a single-tablet approach to treating HCV-HIV coinfection., Methods: Patients coinfected with HIV and HCV were prospectively enrolled from 10 centers throughout the country. Patients received a single once-daily fixed dose combination (FDC) pill containing 400 mg SOF and 30, 60 or 90 mg DCV depending on the type of ART they were receiving for 12 or 24 weeks. (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03369327)., Results: Two hundred thirty-three patients were enrolled from 10 centers. Twenty-three patients were lost to follow-up and two patients died from causes unrelated to treatment. Two hundred eight patients completed the treatment course of which 201 achieved SVR (96.6%)., Conclusion: Single-tablet combination of DCV and SOF is an effective and safe treatment for patients coinfected with HIV and HCV. The combination works well in patients on ART in which dose adjustment is required. Patients with cirrhosis, previous treatment failure and various genotypes respond identically. The expenses of genotyping can be saved., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Although antibody mediated rejection (AMR) accounts for 20-30% of all acute renal allograft rejections, introducing biomarkers for a timely detection of allograft rejection has been remained challenging. This study investigated novel diagnostic biomarkers of AMR by examining of urine proteome in renal transplant patients. Thirty-six patients with kidney transplantation including 22 AMR patients and 14 patients with stable renal function (control group) were enrolled in this study. Urinary samples were collected and Label free quantification (LFQ) proteomics technique was applied on urine samples and data was subjected to Random Forest (RF) algorithm to predict main candidate proteins contributing in AMR. Finally, applicability of candidate diagnostic biomarkers was evaluated in new sets of AMR subjects, stable patients and healthy volunteers. A total of 1020 proteins were detected in urine proteome. RF algorithm predicted 20 differentially expressed proteins with the highest sensitivity and specificity and combination of EGF, COL6A, and NID-1 was identified as possible panel for early diagnosis of AMR. Applicability of EGF as diagnostic biomarker was validated in urine samples of independent set of AMR subjects. This is the first urinary proteomics study in AMR patients demonstrating that urinary EGF might be used as early diagnostic biomarker for AMR. SIGNIFICANCE: Renal antibody mediated rejection (AMR) accounts for 20-30% of all acute rejections of allografted kidneys. Although several possible biomarkers have been proposed to predict AMR, ineffectiveness of current urinary biomarkers in early diagnosing of AMR patients and in distinguishing AMR subjects from patients with stable kidney function casts doubts on their applicability in clinic. Here for the first time and based on the analysis of urinary proteome we showed that uEGF and uEGF/Cr might be candidate biomarkers to predict AMR with high diagnostic power., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cells translate the mechanosensing of extracellular matrix component dysregulation and stiffness into the signal transduction including Osteopontin (OPN) through the Hippo pathway. But how extracellular matrix (ECM) component dysregulation and stiffness are ultimately linked to transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) development remains poorly understood. This study was aimed to evaluate the possible links between ECM component alteration after cancer surgery and OPN and Yes-associated protein (YAP) expression in TCC and adjacent tissues. In this study, we used 50 TCC (25 newly diagnosed and 25 recurrent) and 50 adjacent tissues to determine the tissue stiffness using atomic force microscopy. The mRNA expression of SPP1, Indian hedgehog (IHH), and YAP was also determined using qRT-PCR. Western blotting and ELISA were performed to assess the tissue and serum levels of OPN, respectively. To assess the glycoproteins and elastic fibers content, Periodic Acid Schiff, and Verhoeff-Van Gieson Staining were performed, respectively. Matrix stiffness was markedly higher in TCCs than adjacent tissues (p < 0.05). Gene expression analysis showed that YAP, SPP1, and IHH genes were upregulated in TCC tissues (p < 0.05). Additionally, the OPN protein overexpression was observed in the tissue and the serum of TCC patients (p < 0.05). We also found that glycoproteins, elastic fibers content of recurrent TCC tissues was remarkably higher as compared to adjacent tissues (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that glycoproteins and elastic fibers content modulation and ECM stiffness may upregulates the expression of YAP, SPP1 and IHH genes, and possibly contribute to the TCC development and relapse.

Objectives: Since activation of NLRP3 inflammasome results in the production of interleukin-1β (IL 1β) and initiation of inflammation as the key players in development of cancer, this study investigated possible activation of NLRP3 inflammasome during the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) and evaluated the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process., Materials and Methods: Tissue samples were collected from cancerous (test) and adjacent normal tissues (control) of forty-three male CRC patients (18 grade I and 25 grade III). The gene expression and protein levels were determined by qRT PCR and Western blotting, respectively, and tissue morphological was examined by histopathology., Results: The gene and protein expression levels of transforming growth factor-β (TGF β), IL 1β, nuclear factor κB (NF κB), NLRP3, and caspase-1, as well as the enzyme activity of caspase-1, were significantly increased in CRC. mRNA and protein levels of TGF-β, mature IL 1β, NF κB, and NLRP3 were higher in patients with grade III. EMT markers N cadherin, vimentin, and MMP 9 markedly increased in CRC, and were higher in grade III than grade I, whereas expression of E-cadherin declined by the progression of CRC. NLRP3 protein level was inversely correlated with E-cadherin whereas it positively was correlated with IL 1β, active NF κB, N cadherin, vimentin, and MMP 9., Conclusion: This study for the first time showed that activation of NLRP3 inflammasome contributed to the progression of CRC and is correlated with the EMT process. Although the present study showed that EMT markers are positively correlated with tumor grade, further investigations are required to strongly link the EMT markers to the progression of CRC.

Objectives: Hypercholesterolemia is correlated with brain amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition and impaired cognitive functions and contributes to Alzheimer's disease. Effects of cholesterol-lowering dill tablets and aqueous extract of Ocimum basilicum L . (basil) on learning and memory and hippocampus fatty acid composition were examined. mRNA levels of the genes involved in cholesterol homeostasis were also determined in high-cholesterol diet (HCD) fed rats., Materials and Methods: Forty male Wistar rats were allocated to 4 groups: rats fed chow diet (C); rats fed high-cholesterol (2%) diet (HCD); rats treated with HCD+300 mg/kg dill tablets (HCD+Dill); and finally, rats fed HCD and treated with 400 mg/kg basil aqueous extract (HCD+basil). Treatment was carried out for 16 weeks. Hippocampus Aβ(1-42) level was determined. Spatial and passive avoidance tests were used to examine cognitive functions. Hippocampal FA composition was assessed by gas chromatography. Basil aqueous extract was analyzed by GC-double mass spectroscopy (GC-MS/MS) and expression of LXR-α, LXR-β, and ABCA1 genes was assessed by qRT-PCR., Results: Dill tablets and basil extract remarkably ameliorated serum cholesterol ( P <0.001), retarded hippocampal accumulation of Aβ, and attenuated HCD-induced memory impairment. Hippocampus FA composition did not change but serum cholesterol was found positively correlated with hippocampus Aβ(1-42) ( P <0.001), total n 6 PUFA ( P =0.013), and Aβ(1-42) showed correlation with the ratio of n6 to n3 PUFA. At least 70 components were identified in basil aqueous extract., Conclusion: Dill tablets and aqueous extract of basil attenuated the hypercholesterolemia-induced memory impairment by lowering serum cholesterol and hippocampus amyloid deposits, and probably beneficial in AD adjuvant therapy.

Several soil samples from different habitats in Badakhshan province of Afghanistan were collected to isolate and characterize bacteria feeding nematodes. The Galleria mellonella-baiting method was used for the isolation of the Afghan insect-associated nematodes. The nematodes were studied using morphological and morphometric data. The Oscheius specimen was characterized by a longer body (630-820 µm) and shorter pharynx (125-145 µm), whereas other morphological characters were not unusual. The Diploscapter specimen had an annulated cuticle, with lip region width 1.5 times shorter than the stoma, and had separated pharyngeal corpus from the isthmus and vulva located in the middle of the body. The molecular data were derived using three loci; 18S, 28S (D2/D3 segment), and ITS rRNA region, which were utilized to measure the genetic distance. The phylogenetic analysis was conducted to reconstruct the relationship tree. Both morphological and molecular approaches confirmed the identity of nematode isolates as Oscheius tipulae and Diploscapter coronatus. This is the first report of insect-associated nematodes from the soil of Afghanistan. Both species were capable of infecting and killing G. mellonella larvae in less than 96 h.

Background: Adolescence is a critical period with respect to mental and psychological issues. The role of nutrients is well known in health condition in adolescents, but little emphasis is placed on total diet quality. Dietary diversity score (DDS) is often used to assess diet quality. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between DDS and general health in girl students., Methods: The present research is a cross-sectional study which used descriptive-analytical approach. A total of 384 high-school female students selected using proportional stratified sampling. Physical activity level, diet and general health information collected using International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Dietary Diversity Questionnaire (FAO-2013) and 28-item self-reported general health questionnaire (GHQ-28), respectively. In addition, weight, height and waist circumference (WC) measured. Data analyzed using Chi-Square test, one-way ANOVA and Multinomial Logistic Regression., Results: Mean DDS was 4.43±1.09. After adjustment for confounders of age, body mass index, physical activity, socioeconomic status and nutritional supplement intake, students with higher DDS were less prone to general health disorders (P≤0.05)., Conclusions: These finding implicate higher DDS in adolescents may associate with better general health.

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death worldwide and has in part an inflammatory basis. Since epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is in close contact with coronary arteries we hypothesized that an imbalance in thioredoxin-1 (TRX-1) and thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP) in EAT, activates NLRP3 inflammasome and promotes production of IL-1β, leading to the development of atherosclerosis. Thirty-eight patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and thirty patients with no clinical signs of atherosclerosis who underwent open-heart surgery for valve replacement were classified as CAD and control groups, respectively. Biopsy samples from EAT were collected and expression of TXNIP, TRX-1, NLRP3 and IL-1β genes were assessed using qRT-PCR. Tissue protein levels of TXNIP and TRX-1 were determined by Western blotting while ELISA was applied to measure IL-1β. Haematoxylin and eosin staining was used for histological examination. mRNA and protein levels of TXNIP in EAT were significantly higher in patients with CAD compared with control group, whereas CAD patients showed lower TRX-1 gene and protein expression. In addition, in CAD patients the NLRP3 gene expression was almost doubled and IL-1β significantly increased at the both mRNA and protein levels. Enhancment in NLRP3 gene expression and TXNIP protein levels were accompanied with the increase in IL-1β protein level whereas TRX-1 protein content showed a negative correlation with IL-1β level. Concurrent increase in TXNIP, NLRP3, and IL-1β suggests possible involvement of thioredoxin system in the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, production of IL-1β, and the presence of inflammation in CAD patients.

Purpose: COVID-19 is a novel, severely contagious and progressive infection occurring worldwide. The diagnosis of the disease is based on real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and computed tomography (CT) scan, even though they are still controversial methods., Material and Methods: We studied 54 patients with suspected COVID-19 and the two mentioned methods were compared with each other., Results: Sensitivity and specificity of the abnormal chest CT scan, ground-glass opacity (GGO), consolidation opacity, and both of GGO and consolidation were also surveyed based on RT-PCR. The results showed that RT-PCR assay was negative in 23 (42.6%) patients and positive in 31 (57.4%) cases. Also, the patients with an abnormal chest CT scan comprised 37 (68.5%). The sensitivity and specificity of abnormal CT scan were 78.6% and 42.3%, respectively, based on the RT-PCR method., Conclusions: Other techniques alongside CT scan and RT-PCR are advocated for accuracy of the COVID-19 diagnosis., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © Polish Medical Society of Radiology 2021.)

High-cholesterol diet (HCD) is correlated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and impairment of memory. This study investigated beneficial therapeutic effects of Dill tablet and Ocimum basilicum (Basil) aqueous extract on hypercholesterolemia-induced cognitive deficits and oxidative stress in hippocampus tissues of rats. Hippocampal Aβ(1-42) level was measured. The gene expression levels of superoxide dismutase and inducible-nitric oxide synthase were determined in hippocampus. Cognitive functions were examined and oxidative status was evaluated in serum and hippocampus. Phytochemical properties and in vitro antioxidant activity of Basil extract were assessed. HCD significantly increased serum cholesterol, induced deposition of Aβ plaque, altered hippocampus morphology, and impaired memory function, whereas receiving Basil extract or Dill tablet increased antioxidant potency in serum and hippocampus and normalized HCD-induced deleterious effects. Basil extract and Dill tablet may exhibit their beneficial effects in AD by lowering serum cholesterol and evoking antioxidant system in the brain. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Dill tablet and Basil aqueous extract lowered serum cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic animal models, therefore, they can be used as hypocholesterolemic agents. These edible herbs significantly retarded deposition of Aβ plaque and normalized hippocampal morphology, thus, they favorably protected hippocampus tissue from deleterious effects-induced by hypercholesterolemia. Dill tablet and Basil aqueous extract also corrected oxide-redox balance and normalized HCD-induced oxidative stress to some extent and significantly improved impairments in learning and memory suggesting that these medicinal plants can be considered as surrogate therapeutic agents for the synthetic medicines in the treatment of AD and in postponement of its complications., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Although microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous contaminants in different ecosystems, their interactions with other pollutants including heavy metals remain relatively unknown. Wheat is an important grain that makes the basis of human food in many parts of the world. Thus, pollutants that affect its production are important subjects of study. This research focuses on the possible effects of the transport of the adsorbed heavy metals onto MPs to the roots of growing wheat. The adsorption of three heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and Zn) onto PET particles was examined. Pb and Cd were selected because they are known to be toxic, while Zn is an essential nutrient for plants. Adsorption experiments were performed using 1 g of PET-MP particles in 20 ml of five different concentrations of each individual element (Pb, Cd, and Zn) (denoted as S-elements). To investigate the antagonistic and synergistic effects of these elements on each other, they were studied collectively with all 3 elements present (denoted as C-elements). Desorption experiments were then performed for three scenarios in which the wheat rhizosphere zone was simulated. Generally, the concentration of the investigated heavy metals adsorption on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) decreased in the order: S-Cd > S-Zn > S-Pb and C-Zn > T-Cd > C-Pb. PET particles exposed to Zn, Cd, and Pb solution adsorbed from 7.2 to 8.5%, 5.3 to 9.8%, and 29.8 to 68.5% of the initial heavy metals concentration, respectively. 11.3 to 15.2%, 12.5 to 23.35%, and 5.5 to 33.6% of the initially adsorbed Zn, Cd, and Pb were desorbed in the wheat rhizosphere zone in the three defined scenarios, respectively. The results show that PET particles can act as a vector in transferring heavy metals to the rhizosphere zone., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper entitled “PET-microplastics as a vector for heavy metals in a simulated plant rhizosphere zone”., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The higher expression level of p53 in epithelial adipose tissue (EAT) has previously been reported in atherosclerosis. Since we hypothesized that the expression of p53 is modulated by Sirt1, the aim of this study was to determine the expression levels of Sirt1 and p53 and to investigate their correlation to apoptosis in EAT of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Thirty-five patients with more than 50 % stenosis in at least one of the main coronary arteries were considered as CAD group while 29 patients with no clinical signs of atherosclerosis who underwent open-heart surgery for valve replacement were classified as control group. EAT biopsy samples were collected from all participants during surgery. Sirt1, p53, Bax, and Bcl-2 gene expression levels were determined in EAT by qRT-PCR and Western blotting was carried out to assess Sirt1 and p53 protein levels. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used for histopathological analysis. mRNA and protein levels of Sirt1 in EAT were significantly lower in patients with CAD compared with control group, whereas CAD patients showed greater p53 gene and protein expressions. In addition, inverse correlations were observed between Sirt1 and p53 at both mRNA and protein levels. The Bax and ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 gene expressions were higher in CAD group, but no difference was observed in Bcl-2 expression. Histopathological analysis showed apoptotic bodies and infiltrated immune cells in EAT of CAD group. Our results suggest that the Sirt1-p53 axis may involve in atherosclerosis by promotion of apoptosis., (Copyright © 2020 Khanahmadi et al.)

In the current study, we aimed to investigate the effect of carvacrol on the suppression of liver fibrosis progression through targeting lysyl oxidase (LOX) expression. The rats received carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) intraperitoneally and carvacrol orally for 10 weeks. Liver damage was evaluated by measuring the serum level of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase and hepatic oxidative stress parameters including total antioxidant capacity, total thiol group and total oxidant status spectrophotometry and malondialdehyde fluorometrically. Extracellular deposition of collagen was detected using Masson's trichrome standing. Furthermore the gene expression of lysyl oxidase homolog 2 (Loxl2) was analyzed using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. And then the protein level of LOX was detected in liver tissue by western blot method. Carvacrol administration normalized serum biochemical parameters and improved oxidative stress status in liver homogenate of CCl 4 treated rats. Collagen fiber bundles in interlobular spaces were decreased remarkably by carvacrol treatment. Also, carvacrol downregulated hepatic gene expression of Loxl2 and protein level of LOX. Our data clearly revealed that carvacrol suppresses progression of liver fibrosis development via attenuating of liver damage and oxidative stress status as well as via downregulation of hepatic gene expression of Loxl2 and protein level of LOX., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© Association of Clinical Biochemists of India 2019.)