Search

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus coagulans on serum lipid profile and lowering potential of probiotic in hypercholesterolemic rats. Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into four groups as follows: (1) control group, fed standard commercial diet; (2) HC group, fed high-cholesterol diet; (3) HC + LP group, fed high-cholesterol diet and gavaging of L. plantarum; and (4) HC + BC group fed high-cholesterol diet and gavaging of B. coagulans. After 28 and 50 days, serum lipid profile; serum ALT and AST; the body and organ weights; fecal total count; Enterobacteriaceae, L. plantarum, and B. coagulans counts; and blood glucose tolerance were measured. We observed that levels of triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, and atherogenic index in serum were significantly lower in the HC + probiotic groups. Also, serum ALT and AST were significantly decreased in probiotic-treated groups. In addition, we found that feeding of a high-cholesterol diet for 50 days produced significant increases in the body weight, in addition to the fact that the administration of L. plantarum and B. coagulans has considerably reduced the body weight gain. B. coagulans and L. plantarum can survive passing through the upper-gastrointestinal tract after oral feeding to the rats and colonized in their colon. These bacteria could be exploited as a potential biotherapeutic remedy to reduce TC, TG, LDL, VLDL, and atherogenic index in hypercholesterolemic condition.

The degradation of micropollutants (MPs), including pesticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds, by ozone-based advanced oxidation techniques (AOP) was investigated in this study. The effect of different factors, such as ozone concentration, hydrogen peroxide concentration and initial pH, on the removal rate was studied in detail. The combination of UV with ozone/ H 2 O 2 increased the MPs degradation. For example, atrazine removal increased from 12.6% to 66.9%. Increasing the concentration of ozone and H 2 O 2 can enhance the degradation efficiency of MPs, while excess H 2 O 2 plays a role as a scavenger for • OH. In addition, the optimizing conditions of degradation of MPs by an ozone-based AOP were investigated in this study. The optimal dosages of ozone for atrazine (ATZ), alachlor (ALA), carbamazepine (CBZ), 17-α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) and pentachlorophenol (PCP), were in the range of 0.6-0.75, while for ATZ a much higher dosage (5.4 mg/l) is needed. The optimal dosages of H 2 O 2 concentration were at 0.75, 0.2, 0.47, 0.75 and 0.63 mM, and pH were at 10, 10, 7, 10 and 10, and reaction time at 38.5, 33.5 43, 6 and 6 min, respectively. Ozone-based AOP and in particular combination of UV with ozone and H 2 O 2 is efficient to degrade atrazine, alachlor, carbamazepine, 17-α-ethinylestradiol and pentachlorophenol, and is attractive for future application of real wastewater treatment.

Heavy metals naturally occur in the environment and are causing great concern all around the world. Accumulation of heavy metals in fish tissues can lead to serious adverse effects in humans when consumed in the amounts exceeding the safe consumption levels. In this study, Lactobacillus fermentum 1744 (ATCC 14931) and lactulose were used in the fish diet in order to investigate their effects on growth performance, intestinal villous morphology, and heavy metals residues. Fishes were randomly allocated into three replicates of five different treatments. The control group received the basal diet, while the experimental groups were fed on the basal diet supplemented with encapsulated and lyophillized probiotic, lactulose (prebiotic) and L. fermentum, and lactulose as synbiotic. All the groups were fed three times daily for a period of 56 days. At the end of growth period, 10 fish per replicate were randomly collected in order to take the samples of the fillet, gills, and liver. Results showed that the encapsulated L. fermentum plus lactulose improve growth performance and exclude absorption and accumulation of heavy metals in rainbow trout liver and gills. The villous height were increased in all the samples except the group 2 fed on the lactulose (p < 0.05).

Endophytes are fungi or bacteria living in the intracellular parts of the plants. In this study, 12 medicinal plants were examined for the presence of endophytic bacteria. Antifungal activities of the isolates were determined against Aspergillus flavus PTCC 5006, Penicillium citrinum PTCC 5304, Aspergillus fumigatus PTCC 5006, Fusarium oxysporum MTCC 284, and Rhizopus stolonifer . In order to determine the metabolites characteristics of these isolates, catalase and proteolytic enzyme treatments were assessed. Moreover, approximate molecular weights of the antifungal substance were measured by fractionation method and the volatile compounds were determined by using GC-mass spectroscopy. Finally, 16s rRNA gene sequencing confirmed the strain of the bacteria. Twenty-one endophytic bacteria, out of a total of 82 isolates, showed antifungal activities against all five spoilage fungi. The results of the PCR assay revealed two species: Bacillus pumilus and B. safensis . Proteolytic enzyme activities and the fractionation of the supernatants proved that more than one compound was responsible for the antifungal activities. This compound could be proteins, peptides, and other low-molecular compounds, such as Butanal, 3-methyl-, Propene, 2-butene, 2-heptanone, 6-methyl-5-methylene-, and 6-oxabicyclo[3.1.0] hexane, which all were identified in the headspace of the GC-mass spectroscopy., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India) 2019.)

Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors have shown great promise in gene delivery as evidenced by recent FDA approvals. Despite efforts to optimize manufacturing for good manufacturing practice (GMP) productions, few academic laboratories have the resources to assess vector composition. One critical component of vector quality is packaged genome fidelity. Errors in viral genome replication and packaging can result in the incorporation of faulty genomes with mutations, truncations, or rearrangements, compromising vector potency. Thus, sequence validation of packaged genome composition is an important quality control (QC), even in academic settings. We developed Fast-Seq, an end-to-end method for extraction, purification, sequencing, and data analysis of packaged single-stranded AAV (ssAAV) genomes intended for non-GMP preclinical environments. We validated Fast-Seq on ssAAV vectors with three different genome compositions (CAG-GFP, CAG-tdTomato, EF1α-FLuc), three different genome sizes (2.9, 3.6, 4.4 kb), packaged in four different capsid serotypes (AAV1, AAV2, AAV5, and AAV8), and produced using the two most common production methods (Baculovirus- Sf9 and human HEK293), from both common commercial vendors and academic core facilities supplying academic laboratories. We achieved an average genome coverage of >1,400 × and an average inverted terminal repeat coverage of >280 × , despite the many differences in composition of each ssAAV sample. When compared with other ssAAV next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods for GMP settings, Fast-Seq has several unique advantages: Tn5 transposase-based fragmentation rather than sonication, 125 × less input DNA, simpler adapter ligation, compatibility with commonly available inexpensive sequencing instruments, and free open-source data analysis code in a preassembled customizable Docker container designed for novices. Fast-Seq can be completed in 18 h, is more cost-effective than other NGS methods, and is more accurate than Sanger sequencing, which is generally only applied at 1-2 × sequencing depth. Fast-Seq is a rapid, simple, and inexpensive methodology to validate packaged ssAAV genomes in academic settings.

Metal-organic framework (MOF) based graphene oxide (GO) recently merits of attention because of the relative correspondence of GO with metal ions and organic binding linkers. Furthermore, introducing the GO to the Co-MOF to make a new nanoporous hybrid have are improved the selectivity and stability of the Co-MOF. Here the graphene oxide/cobalt metal organic framework (GO/Co-MOF) was synthesized by a solvothermal process using cobalt salt and terephthalic acid and used for biocidal activity, against the growth of the Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were confirmed the successful synthesize of metal organic framework and incorporation of Co-MOF in to GO sheets. Scanning electron microscopy was showed the cornflower structure of GO/Co-MOF, and transmission electron microscopy was confirmed, the Co-MOF are decorated on GO. Cytotoxicity study of GO/Co-MOF using 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell viability assay showed the biocompatibility to human fibroblasts cell over 72 h. The growth inhibition of the Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria are reached over 99% for bacteria concentration of 100 μg/mL. The excellent antibacterial activity of GO based Co-MOF is linked to synergistic effect of sharp edges of the GO sheets and the toxic effect of cobalt ions (Co 2+ ) which are released from their surfaces. The GO/Co-MOF radical scavenging assay was measured using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) antioxidant assay for samples incubated with cells which confirmed the minimum radicals' toxicity on bacteria. This novel graphene oxide based MOF with its intrinsic superior porous structure, highly active metal coordination, and commercial linker, is an excellent promising candidate to use in biological and pharmaceutical applications as high potential sustained bactericidal materials., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Qualitative screening of reused nutrient solution (RNS) displays the presence of several organic acids. In this study, the degradation by UV/H 2 O 2 of three of those organic acids (benzoic (BA), phthalic acid (PhA) and succinic acid (SA)) present in RNS was investigated. The results indicated that (i) the degradation rate of BA was faster than that of PhA and SA and (ii) by increasing the contact time the degradation of all acids was improved. For example, the removal of BA increased from 83% and 91% when increasing the contact time from 90 min to 270 min in the presence of 50 mg L -1 and UV. A maximum COD (30%) and UV 254 (68%) removal were obtained when 200 mg L -1 H 2 O 2 was applied for 90 min. No significant change was observed in terms of parameters such as PO 4 3- and NO 3 - while electrical conductivity (EC) and pH were slightly changed during the oxidation process. Pseudo- first -order represented well the experimental data for the degradation of the selected organic acids in RNS (particularly for BA and PhA), exhibiting high linear correlation coefficients (R 2  ≥ 0.96). Moreover, the results showed that the decomposition of organic acids was significantly influenced in the presence of inorganic ions in RNS. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of several intermediate products during the oxidation process and the primary reaction pathway of benzoic acid was accordingly proposed. Finally, a bench scale cost investigation showed that low concentration H 2 O 2 (50 mg L -1 ) in longer time (270 min) is more cost effective than high concentration H 2 O 2 (200 mg L -1 ) in a shorter time (90 min)., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Esophageal cancer is one of the most lethal gastrointestinal cancers that has a complex and diverse etiology, with several genetic and nutritional factors involved in its etiology. The purpose of this study was to investigate the type of haptoglobin genotype and its relationship with some nutritional and biochemical risk factors affecting the prevalence of esophageal cancer in patients with early stage esophageal cancer., Materials and Methods: In this study, 44 patients (20 males and 24 females) with early stage esophageal cancer and 44 healthy subjects, classified as control group, (19 males and 25 females) were selected. Haptoglobin (HP) genotype was determined employing PCR technique. Nutritional data were analyzed using standard food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) method. Serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitrate and nitrite were measured employing the colorimetric method. Serum levels of p53 protein were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique., Results: The results of our study showed for the first time that HP1-1 genotype was the most prevalent genotype in esophageal cancer patients in Golestan province, Iran. HP2-2 genotype was the most frequent in the control group. Serum levels of MDA were significantly higher in the patients' group compared to the control group (P˂0.001). Weight and body mass index (BMI) were significantly lower in the patients' group than the control group (P<0.01). Food frequency analysis revealed that the consumption of fruits and vegetables in the patients' group was lower than that of the control group (P<0.05)., Conclusion: The results of our study showed for the first time that HP1-1 genotype is the dominant genotype in patients with esophageal cancer in Golestan province. As well, modification of nutritional pattern and consumption of high level of antioxidant compounds can be effective in reducing the prevalence of esophageal cancer in this region.

Around the world, Clostridium perfringens type A is known to be a common foodborne pathogen. Therefore, the control and treatment of food poisoning caused by this pathogen are important. This study investigated, in vitro, the effects of Bacillus coagulans and its culture extracts on alpha toxin gene expression, growth inhibition, cytotoxicity, and apoptosis induced by C. perfringens spore, germinated spore and its enterotoxin. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the apoptosis rate, and MTT test was used to evaluate cytotoxicity. Minimum inhibitory concentration was also used to measure the percentage of inhibition in the broth medium. Finally, RT-qPCR was used to evaluate alpha toxin gene expression. The results showed that the B. coagulans culture extract was able to inhibit the growth of the germinated spore of C. perfringens. Moreover, treating the extract with pepsin can reduce growth in the broth medium. MTT and flow cytometry showed that both B. coagulans and its extract can significantly reduce the cytotoxicity and apoptosis rate induced by C. perfringens type A. In addition, it was shown that the co-culture of B. coagulans and C. perfringens decreases alpha toxin gene expression. The findings of this study indicate that B. coagulans, with growth inhibition and reduced expression of alpha toxin in C. perfringens, can reduce the cytotoxicity and apoptosis rate induced on HT-29 cells., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Electrospun composite scaffolds show high ability to be used in regenerative medicine and drug delivery, due to the nanofibrous structure and high surface area to volume ratio. In this study, we used nanofibrous scaffolds fabricated by chitosan (CS), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), carbopol, and polycaprolactone using a dual electrospinning technique while curcumin (Cur) incorporated inside of the CS/PVA fibers. Scaffolds were fully characterized via scanning electron microscopy, water contact angle, tensile measurement, hydration, protein adsorption, and wrinkled tests. Furthermore, viability of the buccal fat pad-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BFP-MSCs) was also investigated using MTT assay for up to 14 days while cultured on these scaffolds. Cell cycle assay was also performed to more detailed evaluation of the stem cells growth when grown on scaffolds (with and without Cur) compared with the culture plate. Results demonstrated that Cur loaded nanofibrous scaffold had more suitable capability for water absorption and mechanical properties compared with the scaffold without Cur and it could also support the stem cells viability and proliferation. Cur release profile showed a decreasing effect on BFP-MSCs viability in the initial stage, but it showed a positive effect on stem cell viability in a long-term manner. In general, the results indicated that this nanofibrous scaffold has great potential as a delivery of the Cur and BFP-MSCs simultaneously, and so holds the promising potential for use in various regenerative medicine applications., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Matrix metalloproteinase-9 ( MMP-9 ) polymorphisms, C-1562 T and -90 (CA) n repeats, which influence transcriptional activity of this gene, are proposed to play a role in MS susceptibility and its development. In the present study, the possible association of MMP-9 polymorphisms in Iranian MS patients is studied., Methods: Association of MMP-9 mentioned gene polymorphisms with MS susceptibility was evaluated in unrelated Iranian subjects referred to Al-Zahra Hospital, Isfahan, Iran during 2014 to 2017., Results: -1562 T allele of MMP-9 was associated with increased MS risk. However, we found no overall significant effect of -90 (CA)n repeat on MS susceptibility., Conclusion: For as much as MMP-9 molecule is a potential target for MS therapy, to determine whether any of MMP-9 polymorphisms influence MS susceptibility in Iranian MS patients or not, concerning the significant influence of T allele on MS susceptibility and the non-significant association regarding CA repeats, further research is needed before proposing any definite conclusion., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None to declare., (Copyright© Iranian Public Health Association & Tehran University of Medical Sciences.)

In this work, a novel functionalized graphene oxide (GO) was used as an effective and selective adsorbent for removal of mercury (Hg 2+ ). The magnetic nanocomposite adsorbent (MNA) based on GO was prepared through surface reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer copolymerization of acrylic monomers and then the formation of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. The structure of MNAs was characterized by using FTIR, SEM, TEM, VSM, XRD, and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms. The results of ion adsorption of MNAs demonstrated high selectivity and adsorption efficiency for Hg 2+ in the presence of competing ions. Furthermore, the removal of Hg 2+ obeyed a pseudo-second-order model and fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm model with the maximum Hg 2+ uptake of 389 mg g -1 . The MNA was also confirmed as good materials for re-use and maintained 86% of its initial adsorption capacity for mercury after the fifth regeneration cycles. Finally, the experimental results demonstrated that the solution pH, ion concentration, and temperature had a major impact on Hg(II) adsorption capacity. The results indicate that the MNAs with high adsorption abilities could be very promising adsorbents for the selective recovery of ions in wastewater treatment process. Graphical abstract.

While the differentiation factors have been widely used to differentiate mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into various cell types, they can cause harm at the same time. Therefore, it is beneficial to propose methods to differentiate MSCs without factors. Herein, magnetoelectric (ME) nanofibers were synthesized as the scaffold for the growth of MSCs and their differentiation into neural cells without factors. This nanocomposite takes the advantage of the synergies of the magnetostrictive filler, CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles (CFO), and piezoelectric polymer, polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF). Graphene oxide nanosheets were decorated with CFO nanoparticles for a proper dispersion in the polymer through a hydrothermal process. After that, the piezoelectric PVDF polymer, which contained the magnetic nanoparticles, underwent the electrospun process to form ME nanofibers, the ME property of which has the potential to be used in areas such as tissue engineering, biosensors, and actuators., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background and Objectives: Human epithelial cells have been widely used to study the interaction between intestinal cells and pathogens, in vitro . In this study, the effect of probiotic bacteria Bacillus coagulans and its supernatant on the growth inhibition, cytotoxicity and induction of apoptosis caused by Salmonella Typhimurium and its adhesion to HT-29 cells were investigated., Materials and Methods: B. coagulans supernatant was used to obtain the minimum inhibitory concentration. To evaluate the cytotoxicity and percent of apoptotic cells, B. coagulans and its supernatant (2, 4, 6 and 8% concentrations) with S. Typhimurium was added to HT-29 cells. The MTT assay was used in order to evaluate the cytotoxicity. Percent of apoptotic cells was reported using a fluorescence staining method. Additionally, the adhesion of S. Typhimurium to HT-29 cells was investigated. The effect of B. coagulans on the level of adhesion was also studied., Results: The most inhibitory effect was shown at the concentration of 80000 μg/ml supernatant of B. coagulans (54.77% ± 1.43). The simultaneous culture of S. Typhimurium with B. coagulans had the lowest amount of cytotoxicity and induced apoptosis among the all co-culture groups of S. Typhimurium with B. coagulans or its supernatant. The determined cytotoxicity and induced apoptosis were 26.06 % ± 3.79 and 17.63 % ± 2.14 respectively. In the adhesion test, it was observed that B. coagulans can significantly prevent adhesion of S. Typhimurium to HT-29 cell., Conclusion: B. coagulans can reduce the adhesion, cytotoxicity and induction of apoptosis caused by S. Typhimurium in HT-29 cells in vitro., (Copyright© 2019 Iranian Neuroscience Society.)

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are a well-explored class of nanomaterials known for their high magnetization and biocompatibility. They have been used in various biomedical applications such as drug delivery, biosensors, hyperthermia, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent. It is necessary to surface modify the nanoparticles with a biocompatible moiety to prevent their agglomeration and enable them to target to the defined area. Dendrimers have attracted considerable attention due to their small size, monodispersed, well-defined globular shape, and a relative ease incorporation of targeting ligands. In this study, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized via a coprecipitation method. The magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) had been modified with (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane, and then polyamidoamine functionalized MNPs had been synthesized cycling. Various characterization techniques had been used to reveal the morphology, size, and structure of the nanoparticles such as scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction analysis, and vibrating sample magnetometer, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and zeta potential measurements. In addition, the cytotoxicity property of G3-dendrimer functionalized MNPs were evaluated using 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay which confirmed the biocompatibility of the nanocomposites. Dendrimer functionalized MNPs are able to act as contrast agents for MRI and magnetic fluid hyperthermia mediators. A superior heat generation was achieved for the given concentration according to the hyperthermia results. MRI results show that the synthesized nanocomposites are a favorable option for MRI contrast agent. We believe that these dendrimer functionalized MNPs have the potential of integrating therapeutic and diagnostic functions in a single carrier., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The function of fibroblast cells in wounded areas results in reconstruction of the extra cellular matrix and consequently resolution of granulation tissue. It is suggested that the use of platelet-rich plasma can accelerate the healing process in nonhealing or slow-healing wounds. In this study, a simple and novel method has been used to fabricate an electrospun three-layered scaffold containing plasma rich in growth factor with the aim of increasing the proliferation and migration of fibroblast cells in vitro. First, plasma rich in growth factor was derived from platelet rich plasma, and then a three-layered scaffold was fabricated using PLLA nanofibers as the outer layers and plasma rich in growth factor-containing gelatin fibers as the internal layer. The growth morphology of cells seeded on this scaffold was compared to those seeded on one layered PLLA scaffold. The study of the cell growth rate on different substrates and the migration of cells in response to the drug release of multilayered scaffold was investigated by the cell quantification assay and a modified under agarose assay. Scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence images showed that cells seeded on multilayered scaffold were completely oriented 72 hours after seeding compared to those seeded on PLLA scaffold. The cell quantification assay also indicated significant increase in proliferation rate of cells seeded on three-layered scaffold compared to those seeded on PLLA scaffold and finally, monitoring cell migration proved that cells migrate significantly toward the three-layered scaffold up to 48 to 72 hours and afterwards start to show a diminished migration rate toward this scaffold., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, is an economic insect pest in most citrus-growing regions and the vector of 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' (CLas), one of at least three known bacteria associated with Huanglongbing (HLB or citrus greening disease). D. citri harbors bacterial endosymbionts, including Wolbachia pipientis (strain Wolbachia wDi), 'Candidatus Carsonella ruddii,' and 'Candidatus Profftella armatura.' Many important functions of these bacteria can be inferred from their genome sequences, but their interactions with each other, CLas, and their D. citri host are poorly understood. In the present study, the titers of the endosymbionts in different tissues, in each sex, and in insects reared on healthy citrus (referred to as unexposed) and CLas-infected citrus (referred to as CLas-exposed) D. citri were investigated using real-time, quantitative PCR (qPCR) using two different quantitative approaches. Wolbachia and CLas were detected in all insect tissues. The titer of Wolbachia was higher in heads of CLas-exposed males as compared to unexposed males. In males and females, Wolbachia titer was highest in the Malpighian tubules. The highest titer of CLas was observed in the gut. Profftella and Carsonella titers were significantly reduced in the bacteriome of CLas-exposed males compared with that of unexposed males, but this effect was not observed in females. In ovaries of CLas-exposed females, the Profftella and Carsonella titers were increased as compared to non-exposed females. CLas appeared to influence the overall levels of the symbionts but did not drastically perturb the overall microbial community structure. In all the assessed tissues, CLas titer in males was significantly higher than that of females using absolute quantification. These data provide a better understanding of multi-trophic interactions regulating symbiont dynamics in the HLB pathosystem.

Curved microchannels allow controllable microparticle focusing, but a full understanding of particle behavior has been limited-even for simple rectangular and trapezoidal shapes. At present, most microfluidic particle separation literature is dedicated to adding "internal" complexity (via sheath flow or obstructions) to relatively simple cross-sectional channel shapes. We propose that, with sufficient understanding of particle behavior, an equally viable pathway for microparticle focusing could utilize complex "external" cross-sectional shapes. By investigating three novel, complex spiral microchannels, we have found that it is possible to passively focus (6, 10, and 13  μ m) microparticles in the middle of a convex channel. Also, we found that in concave and jagged channel designs, it is possible to create multiple, tight focusing bands. In addition to these performance benefits, we report an "additive rule" herein, which states that complex channels can be considered as multiple, independent, simple cross-sectional shapes. We show with experimental and numerical analysis that this new additive rule can accurately predict particle behavior in complex cross-sectional shaped channels and that it can help to extract general inertial focusing tendencies for suspended particles in curved channels. Overall, this work provides simple, yet reliable, guidelines for the design of advanced curved microchannel cross sections.

Inertial microfluidics represents a powerful new tool for accurately positioning cells and microparticles within fluids for a variety of biomedical, clinical, and industrial applications. In spite of enormous advancements in the science and design of these devices, particularly in curved microfluidic channels, contradictory experimental results have confounded researchers and limited progress. Thus, at present, a complete theory which describes the underlying physics is lacking. We propose that this bottleneck is due to one simple mistaken assumption-the locations of inflection points of the Dean velocity profile in curved microchannels are not fixed, but can actually shift with the flow rate. Herein, we propose that the dynamic distance ( δ ) between the real equilibrium positions and their nearest inflection points can clearly explain several (previously) unexplained phenomena in inertial microfluidic systems. More interestingly, we found that this parameter, δ , is a function of several geometric and operational parameters, all of which are investigated (in detail) here with a series of experiments and simulations of different spiral microchannels. This key piece of understanding is expected to open the door for researchers to develop new and more effective inertial microfluidic designs.

Secreted aspartyl proteinases (Saps), are gene products that have been shown to directly contribute to Candida albicans pathogenicity. Despite the clear difficulties of systemic C. albicans infections control, Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are regarded as one of the most promising alternatives in this regard. Recently, drug-loaded electrospun nanofibers have attracted a great deal of attention. In this study we have established the nanofibrous scaffold of new synthetic peptide/Poly (Vinyl Alcohol)/Poly l-Lactic Acid on expression of Secretory aspartyl proteinases 4 to 6 genes of C. albicans in comparison with free peptide. We designed new synthetic Antimicrobial peptide (AMPs) used bioinformatics tools to predict structure and stabilities. The electrospinning method was used to produce the polymeric nanofibers. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to measure the nanofibers diameters and morphology. To analyze the expression of SAP4, SAP5 and SAP6 genes, RNA was extracted from clinical isolates of C. albicans before and after treatment with subinhibitory concentrations of new synthetic peptide on nanofibrous scaffold of new synthetic peptide/PVA/PLLA and then the cDNA was synthesized and used for Real-time PCR assay. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the morphology, the diameter, are affected from peptide. Reletive quantitative Real-time PCR results revealed that the mRNA levels of SAP4, SAP5 and SAP6 genes significantly decreased after treatment with nanofibrous scaffold of new synthetic peptide/PVA/PLLA (P < .05). Electrospun nanofibrous of new Synthetic Peptide/PVA/PLLA is effective in downregulating of expression SAP4, SAP5 and SAP6 genes of C. albicans strains., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Bicyclic peptides form one of the most promising platforms for drug development owing to their biocompatibility, similarity and chemical diversity to proteins, and they are considered as a possible practical tool in various therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Bicyclic peptides are known to have the capability of being employed as an effective alternative to complex molecules, such as antibodies, or small molecules. This review provides a summary of the recent progress on the types, synthesis and applications of bicyclic peptides. More specifically, natural and synthetic bicyclic peptides are introduced with their different production methods and relevant applications, including drug targeting, imaging and diagnosis. Their uses as antimicrobial agents, as well as the therapeutic functions of different bicyclic peptides, are also discussed., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Diaphorina citri is a vector of 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus,' (CLas), associated with Huanglongbing, (HLB, or citrus greening) disease in citrus. D. citri exhibits three different color morph variants, blue, gray and yellow. Blue morphs have a greater capacity for long-distance flight as compared to non-blue morphs, but little else is known about how color morphology influences vector characteristics. In this study, we show that the color morphology of the insect is derived from pigmented cells of the fat body. Blue morphs acquire a lower level of CLas in their bodies from infected trees as compared to their gray and yellow conspecifics, referred to in this paper collectively as non-blue morphs. Accordingly, CLas titer in citrus leaves inoculated by non-blue insects was 6-fold higher than in leaves inoculated by blue insects. Blue color morphs harbored lower titers of Wolbachia and 'Candidatus Profftella armatura,' two of the D. citri bacterial endosymbionts. Expression of hemocyanin, a copper-binding oxygen transport protein responsible for the blue coloration of hemolymph of other arthropods and mollusks, was previously correlated with blue color morphology and is highly up-regulated in insects continuously reared on CLas infected citrus trees. Based on our results, we hypothesized that a reduction of hemocyanin expression would reduce the D. citri immune response and an increase in the titer of CLas would be observed. Surprisingly, a specific 3-fold reduction of hemocyanin-1 transcript levels using RNA silencing in blue adult D. citri morphs had an approximately 2-fold reduction on the titer of CLas. These results suggest that hemocyanin signaling from the fat body may have multiple functions in the regulation of bacterial titers in D. citri, and that hemocyanin is one of multiple psyllid genes involved in regulating CLas titer., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Due to the several limitations that surgeons are faced during bone tissue implantation there are daily increases in introducing new cell-co-polymer composites for use in bone tissue engineering approaches. In this study tried to develop a suitable nanostructured bio-composite for enhancing osteogenic differentiation of the human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Polyvinylidene fluoride-Graphene oxide (PVDF-GO) nanofibers was fabricated by electrospinning and then characterized using scanning electron microscope, tensile and viability assays. After that osteogenic differentiation of the iPSCs was investigated in three groups, including PVDF, PVDF-GO and tissue culture plate as a control group. Alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium content of the iPSCs cultured on PVDF-GO were significantly higher than those cultured on other groups. In addition, Runx2, osteocalcin and osteonectin genes were up regulated in iPSCs cultured on PVDF-GO significantly higher than those cells cultured on PVDF and control. Finally, osteocalcin and osteopontin proteins expression evaluated and the results confirmed higher osteoinductivity of the PVDF-GO nanofibers in comparison with the PVDF nanofibers. According to the results, it was demonstrated that PVDF-GO nanofibers have a great osteoinductive potential and taking together iPSCs-PVDF-GO nanofibrous construct can be an appropriate bio-implant to use for bone tissue engineering applications., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Bacteriocins have attracted great attention as potential alternatives to antibiotics and chemical food additives. In the present study, 243 Staphylococcus isolates from milk samples (n = 110) of goat and sheep herds located in Fars province, Iran, were screened for antimicrobial substance production. Twenty-eight isolates showed an antagonistic activity against the indicator strain Micrococcus luteus ATCC 4698. The susceptibility of all antimicrobial substances to proteolytic enzymes allowed us to consider them as bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances (BLIS). The term BLIS is applied to uncharacterized proteinaceous antimicrobials produced by gram-positive bacteria. Based on molecular identification methods, the isolates belonged to the species Staphylococcus chromogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus agnetis. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed a high level of genotype diversity among the Staph. chromogenes isolates. All of the isolates harbored nukA or bsaA2 genes, suggesting that their BLIS were related to nukacin or Bsa. The antimicrobial compounds from test strains were not effective against gram-negative pathogens, including Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Klebsiella pneumonia as well as the indicator mold Aspergillus fumigatus. All the gram-positive targets, including Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecalis Ef37 (a tyramine-producer strain), Lactobacillus saerimneri 30a (a histamine-producer strain), and methicillin-resistant Staph. epidermidis, were inhibited by the Staph. chromogenes isolates. Staphylococcus haemolyticus 4S12 was able to inhibit the majority of gram-positive bacteria. Listeria monocytogenes strains were the only indicators sensitive to the antimicrobial agents produced by Staph. agnetis 4S97B. The other Staphylococcus strains were ineffective on all the organisms tested. Based on their inhibitory capacities, the BLIS produced by the Staph. chromogenes isolates seem to be interesting candidates for developing novel antimicrobial agents., (Copyright © 2019 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Gambling disorder (GD) and substance use disorder (SUD) have mutual impact and each could aggravate the effects of the other. This is the first study on GD among Iranian substance users to develop and validate a GD Screening Questionnaire-Persian (GDSQ-P)., Methods: Iranian male adults (n = 503) with SUDs were recruited via clustered sampling. Problem gambling screening instruments and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 th Edition (DSM-5) criteria for GD were used to develop the tool which was sequentially assessed for face validity, content validity index (CVI), content validity ratio (CVR), and reliability (Kuder-Richardson coefficient). To establish construct validity, interviews based on DSM-5 as a gold standard method were used. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was conducted to determine sensitivity and specificity., Findings: After removing items with low CVI values, 27 final items remained in GDSQ-P with impact score greater than 1.5. Card games (33.8%), dice gambling methods (26.6%), betting on sports teams and players (24.1%), and betting on horseback, rooster, pigeon, dog, or other animals (16.7%) were common gambling methods among participants. Overall Kuder-Richardson coefficient was 0.95. Cut-off threshold for GDSQ-P was calculated as 4.5 with 98.9% sensitivity and 98.3% specificity. The interviewers confirmed GD for participants based on DSM-5 as the gold standard. The prevalence of GD among participants was 17.9% based on GDSQ-P and 19.1% based on DSM-5 criteria., Conclusion: GDSQ-P is a valid and reliable tool to screen for GD in SUD treatment centers and probably in the general population.

Among different tissues, endothelial/cardiac types require specific factors to promote myocardial regeneration after occurred injuries. Herein, cardiac stem cells (CSCs) as the major cell population that involved in cardiovascular repair were selected to study the role of polyethyleneimine (PEI) agent on endothelial differentiation. After preparation of electrospun network of PEI with polyacrylonitrile, the related characterizations were carried out including scanning electron microscope (SEM), field-emission SEM, water contact angle, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and mechanical properties. Also, the release kinetic of the corresponding agent was studied up to 7 days. The cell differentiation studies were done in the following with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay, Real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunostaining method. The whole obtained results approved the higher differentiation of CSCs into endothelial/cardiac cells. Finally, it is recommended that the PEI delivering increases the healing potency of CSCs and accordingly the regeneration speed of damaged cardiovascular tissue would be improved., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: According to the epidemiological studies, consuming olive products can decrease the incidence of the different types of cancers mostly due to the high anti-oxidant properties of their polyphenolic compounds., Objectives: To evaluate the anti-oxidant and anti-proliferative potentials of the olive fruits total polyphenols on the gastric adenocarcinoma MKN45 cells in comparison to the normal Hu02 cells., Materials and Methods: The total phenolic content of the olive fruits and radical scavenging activity were determined by Folin and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) tests respectively. MTT assay was performed for the evaluation of the cell viability. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was measured using DCFH-DA. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 16 statistical software., Results: Treatment of the MKN45 cells with the phenolic compounds extracted from olive fruits decreased growth and viability of the cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In addition, treatment of the MKN45 cells with a combination of the phenolic compounds extracts and cytarabine further decreased cell compared to monotherapy of the cells with each compound alone. Mechanistically, we showed that the anti-cancer effects of the olive polyphenols in the MKN45 cells are mediated through depletion of ROS. Similarly, polyphenolic extracts were found to decrease ROS level in the normal cells at the concentrations of 500 and 1000 μg.mL -1 and short treatment times (6 h), but the viability of these cells did not significantly change. At high concentrations (2000 μg.mL -1 ) of the phenolic extracts or at longer times of incubation (12 h), however, both ROS levels and the viability of the cells were significantly decreased in the normal cells., Conclusions: The olive fruits polyphenolic extract modulates ROS levels and selectively targets cancerous cells at low concentrations. Also, the effects of cytarabine could be potentiated by the olive fruits polyphenols. Thus, for a combined protocol of cancer cell therapy, olive fruit polyphenolic compound could be proposed as a proper candidate.

In the present study, we tried to evaluate the relationship between Fascin molecule expression and other histopathologic parameters, especially tumor grade and hormone profile. Sixty-one malignant breast tumors were enrolled in this study. Fascin marker staining was performed on paraffin blocks of breast samples using immunohistochemistry (IHC) method. The age range of patients was 26-87 years, with an average of 48.41 ±1.68. Our results showed that fascin expression was significantly higher in tumors with high grade histology, lymph node involvement and larger tumor size (p = 0.04, 0.04, 0.04, respectively). Also fascin expression in triple negative tumors was significantly higher than other molecular subtypes (p = 0.001). fascin can be used as an important marker in evaluating breast cancer especially in triple negative tumors.

Macrophages promote both injury and repair after myocardial infarction, but discriminating functions within mixed populations remains challenging. Here we used fate mapping, parabiosis and single-cell transcriptomics to demonstrate that at steady state, TIMD4 + LYVE1 + MHC-II lo CCR2 - resident cardiac macrophages self-renew with negligible blood monocyte input. Monocytes partially replaced resident TIMD4 - LYVE1 - MHC-II hi CCR2 - macrophages and fully replaced TIMD4 - LYVE1 - MHC-II hi CCR2 + macrophages, revealing a hierarchy of monocyte contribution to functionally distinct macrophage subsets. Ischemic injury reduced TIMD4 + and TIMD4 - resident macrophage abundance, whereas CCR2 + monocyte-derived macrophages adopted multiple cell fates within infarcted tissue, including those nearly indistinguishable from resident macrophages. Recruited macrophages did not express TIMD4, highlighting the ability of TIMD4 to track a subset of resident macrophages in the absence of fate mapping. Despite this similarity, inducible depletion of resident macrophages using a Cx3cr1-based system led to impaired cardiac function and promoted adverse remodeling primarily within the peri-infarct zone, revealing a nonredundant, cardioprotective role of resident cardiac macrophages.

In this study, a unique stimuli-responsive hydrogel nanocomposite was prepared via surface reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) copolymerization of acrylic acid and N‑isopropyl acrylamide onto chitosan and subsequent in situ synthesis of magnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. In the next age, the structure and morphology of synthetic magnetic nanocomposite were characterized by FTIR, XRD, VSM, SEM, and TEM techniques. The modified hydrogel nanocomposite was employed as an excellent carrier for controlled releasing of anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX). The results indicated that the maximum of DOX loading efficiency of nanocomposite was 89%. Notably, in vitro drug release studies showed that DOX was released in a sustained-release manner for the nanocomposites. From the results of in vitro release studies, dual temperature and pH responsiveness of the nanocomposite was demonstrated, and 82% of total DOX was released from the hydrogel within 2 days. Due to the unique structures and properties, the chitosan-based nanocomposite may be utilized as a promising drug carrier for controlled and sustained release of anticancer drugs., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Application of stem cells in combination with nanofibrous substrates is an interesting biomimetic approach for enhanced regeneration of damaged tissues such as bone and cartilage. The investigation of the complex interplay between nanotopographical cues of niche and noncoding RNAs in stem cells fate is an effective tool to find a new strategy for enhancing the induction of osteogenesis. In this study, we investigated the effects of aligned and random orientations of nanofibers as a natural ECM-mimicking environment on the network of noncoding RNA in mesenchymal stem cells. Aligned and randomly oriented Ploy (L-lactide) PLLA scaffolds were fabricated via electrospinning. Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hASCs) were isolated from adipose tissue and were cultured on surfaces of these scaffolds. Their capacity to support hMSCs proliferation was also investigated by MTT assay and the expression of c-Myc gene. Then, after 7, 14 and 21 days, the osteogenic commitment of hMSCs and the miRNA regulatory network in BMP signaling pathway were evaluated by measuring alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, extracellular calcium deposition, and bone-related gene activation by Real-Time PCR. Furthermore, osteogenic differentiation was evaluated with regard to their noncoding RNA network. Our results for the first time showed an interaction between nanotopographical cues and miRNA activity in hMSCs. We found that the nanotopographical cues could be used to influence the osteogenic differentiation process of hMSCs through the modulation of lncRNAs and miR-125b as negative regulators of osteogenesis as well as the H19 modulator BMP signaling pathway that acts as a miRNA sponge. Moreover, we also demonstrated for the first time that MEG3 as a long noncoding RNA is controlled by miR-125b and microRNA-triggered lncRNA decay mechanism. This strategy seems to be an important tool for controlling stem cell fate in engineered tissues and provide new insights into most biocompatible scaffolds for bone-graft substitutes., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We designed and ran an empowerment-oriented social group work intervention to assess whether the intervention could improve the quality of life of older Iranians. The intervention consisted of nine group sessions that focused on capacity building and increasing individual competences, environmental resources and opportunities. Using a randomised controlled trial (RCT), 60 elderly people (30 men and 30 women in the intervention and control groups) from Social Services Centres in Tehran Municipality participated in this study. The WHOQOL-BREF instrument was used to measure quality of life, comparing before, after and follow-up measures between the groups and within each group. ANOVA and GEE tests were applied to analyse the data. The results showed significant progress in overall quality of life of the participants, particularly in the domains of physical health, psychological health, social relationships and environmental health. In pretest, there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of quality of life and its domains, but there were significant differences in the post- and follow-up tests. This study provides support for the empowerment-oriented social group work intervention with Iranian elderly people. This kind of intervention can be a useful model for empowering older people, especially in countries where social support and health services for seniors are not yet freely available., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In the present work, polymer-coated multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) was prepared via RAFT method. First, a novel trithiocarbonate-based RAFT agent was prepared attached chemically into the surface of MWCNT. In addition, the RAFT co-polymerization of acrylic acid and acrylamide monomers was conducted through the prepared RAFT agent. In the next age, the surface morphology and chemical properties of the prepared components were fully examined by using FTIR, 1 HNMR, SEM, TEM, XRD and TGA/DTG techniques. Finally, the modified MWCNT composite was employed as an excellent adsorbent for the adsorption of copper (II) ions. The results indicated that ion adsorption basically relies on adsorbing time, solution pH, initial copper concentration, and adsorbent dosage. Further, the adsorption kinetics and isotherm analysis demonstrated that the adsorption mode was fitted with the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir isotherm models, respectively. Based on the results of thermodynamic study, the ion adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous. Finally, based on the experimental results, the surface functionalized MWCNT with hydrophilic groups could be successfully used as a promising selective adsorbent material in wastewater treatment., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this study, magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotube (MMWCNT) composites were prepared via surface reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) co-polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) and N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAM) in the presence of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. First, a novel RAFT agent (RA) was prepared and then immobilized onto the surface of MWCNT to fabricate RA-g-MWCNT. Then, Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles were attached onto the surface of RA-g-MWCNT. Finally, RAFT co-polymerization of AA and NIPAM monomers was carried out via Fe 3 O 4 -g-RA-g-MWCNT RAFT agent. The structure and morphology of the prepared polymer-coated MWCNT was examined by FTIR, SEM, TEM, XRD, VSM, and TGA. The adsorption behaviours of the cationic dyes were studied. The equilibrium isotherm and kinetics of cationic dyes were investigated. Thermodynamics investigations also depicted that the adsorptions of cationic dyes were spontaneous and endothermic in nature. The synthesized dye adsorbent with high adsorption capacities, reusability, and easy recovery makes it as a good candidate for wastewater treatment., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

There are a number of reports indicating correlation between outbreaks of campylobacteriosis and the consumption of raw vegetables. This study is a meta-analysis on the prevalence of Campylobacter in fresh vegetables and fruits without any location limitation, which was performed through a documented review of the available resources. Relevant literature was reviewed by trained reviewers, who examined the results for the inclusion of articles in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of Campylobacter in raw vegetables, the sample source, the Campylobacter species, and the method of detection were extracted. The prevalence of Campylobacter in vegetables, fruits, and fresh produce were estimated to be 0.53%. Analysis of the various sample groups initially showed that the bean and sprouts group was the vegetable with the highest prevalence of Campylobacter (11.08%). The rate of contamination was higher when both the molecular and conventional methods were employed. The highest prevalence of Campylobacter was found in Asia (33.4%). Despite the low prevalence, consumption of raw vegetables is inherently risky because no treatment is used to inactivate the pathogens. Therefore, proper sanitation methods are recommended to treat the raw products.

Background and Objectives: Q fever is a worldwide disease which is common between humans and livestock. This disease is created by an obligate intracellular Rickettsia called Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of C. burnetii in unpasteurized dairy products in Shiraz., Materials and Methods: In this study (from summer 2016 to winter 2016), 238 non-pasteurized dairy products, (48 raw milk, 48 yogurt, 46 cheese, 48 dough and 48 ice cream samples) were collected from the retail market and analyzed using a nested PCR assay., Results: This study showed that 20 samples (8.4%), out of the 238 unpasteurized dairy products, were positive for C. burnetii as follows: 13 out of 48 (27.08%) raw milk, 3 out of 48 (6.25%) yogurt, 2 out of 46 (4.35%) cheese, 2 out of 48 (4.16%) dough, and 0 out of 48 ice cream samples., Conclusion: The present study suggests that unpasteurized dairy products are the main sources of C. burnetii in Shiraz, Southern Iran; thus, the consumption of pasteurized milk and dairy products is a valuable method to prevent the disease in humans.

Despite important advances in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, still, wound healing remains a challenging clinical problem. Cell therapy has opened a new viewpoint in medicine as well as wound management, although it has some limitations. On the other hand, there are some hopes for the eliminated of cellular therapies limitations by "exosomes." The term "exosome" has been frequently used to describe all vesicles released by different cells into the extracellular environment and can influence tissue responses to injury, infection, immune system, and healing. Exosomes contain cytokines and growth factors, signaling lipids, mRNAs, and regulatory miRNAs that have been found in some body fluids and can be transferred between cells to mediating cell-to-cell communication and interactions. Recently, several studies have demonstrated that exosomes are one of the key secretory products of various cell type especially mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to regulate many biological processes such wound healing. Hence, understanding these exosomes effects may help to improve wound management and highlight a new therapeutic model for cell-free therapies with decreased side effects for the wound repair., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Methamphetamine (Meth), a neurotoxin, induces inflammation, oxidative stress, and triggers endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disease which is the second cause of death among individuals with Meth-use disorder. Oxidative stress and inflammation trigger the microparticle (MP) release. These are extracellular vesicles extracted from cell surface and identified in biological fluids. MP levels alter during pathological conditions, suggesting its potential biomarker role. In this respect, we designed the present experiment to investigate the effects of Meth on the plasma level of the endothelial-derived microparticle (EMP)., Methods: Animals received Meth (4 mg/kg i.p.) for 1, 7 and 14 days and then, the plasma level of EMPs was evaluated, using cell surface markers, including AnnexinV, CD144, CD31, CD41a antigens with the flow cytometry method. The biochemical indices and locomotor activity were also assessed in a rat model., Results: Meth increased locomotor activity (Meth-1, 277.12 ± 20.17; Meth-7, 262.25 ± 11.95; Meth-14, 265.75 ± 14.75), inflammatory and oxidative indices as evidenced by rising of the C-reactive protein (Meth-7, 39.4 ± 1.24; Meth-14, 38.58 ± 2.19, vs 8.65 ± 0.45, mg/L) and malondialdehyde (Meth-7, 9.74 ± 1.38; Meth-14, 14.6 ± 1.45, vs 4.43 ± 0.32 nmol/L) plasma levels. We also found that Meth triggered endothelial injury, as demonstrated by elevated levels of EMP (Meth-7, 4.77 ± 0.22; Meth-14, 5.91 ± 0.34, % total events/mL) compared with control group., Conclusion: Our data showed that Meth exposure stimulates inflammatory and oxidative pathways and facilitates the EMPs shedding. Measuring the level of EMPs might be applied as a potential diagnostic index to monitor the endothelial dysfunction in substance-use disorders., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Genetic variability in insect vectors is valuable to study vector competence determinants and to select non-vector populations that may help reduce the spread of vector-borne pathogens. We collected and tested vector competency of 15 isofemale lines of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, vector of 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' (CLas). CLas is associated with huanglongbing (citrus greening), the most serious citrus disease worldwide. D. citri adults were collected from orange jasmine (Murraya paniculata) hedges in Florida, and individual pairs (females and males) were caged on healthy Murraya plants for egg laying. The progeny from each pair that tested CLas-negative by qPCR were maintained on Murraya plants and considered an isofemale line. Six acquisition tests on D. citri adults that were reared as nymphs on CLas-infected citrus, from various generations of each line, were conducted to assess their acquisition rates (percentage of qPCR-positive adults). Three lines with mean acquisition rates of 28 to 32%, were classified as 'good' acquirers and three other lines were classified as 'poor' acquirers, with only 5 to 8% acquisition rates. All lines were further tested for their ability to inoculate CLas by confining CLas-exposed psyllids for one week onto healthy citrus leaves (6-10 adults/leaf/week), and testing the leaves for CLas by qPCR. Mean inoculation rates were 19 to 28% for the three good acquirer lines and 0 to 3% for the three poor acquirer lines. Statistical analyses indicated positive correlations between CLas acquisition and inoculation rates, as well as between CLas titer in the psyllids and CLas acquisition or inoculation rates. Phenotypic and molecular characterization of one of the good and one of the poor acquirer lines revealed differences between them in color morphs and hemocyanin expression, but not the composition of bacterial endosymbionts. Understanding the genetic architecture of CLas transmission will enable the development of new tools for combating this devastating citrus disease.

Question: What are the effects of patellar taping on pain, functional disability and patellar alignments in Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS)?, Design: Double-blind randomized clinical trial., Participants: Thirty PFPS Patients were randomly divided into two groups, intervention and control., Intervention: Patients in control group received only the routine physiotherapy. In addition to routine physiotherapy, patellar taping was used in the intervention group. Each patient was treated for 12 sessions over a period of 4 weeks., Outcome Measures: The KOOS and VAS questionnaires were used to assess the quality of life (QOL) and pain intensity, respectively. Three components of patellar alignment including Patellofemoral Congruence Angle (PFCA), Lateral Patellofemoral Angle (LPFA) and Lateral Patellar Displacement (LPD) were evaluated using the skyline radiography method., Results: The results indicated that there was no significant difference between the control and intervention groups for LPD (P = 0.586), PFCA (P = 0.704) and LPFA (P = 0.176) variables. No significant difference was found between the two groups in all items of the KOOS questionnaire. The knee pain intensity was significantly reduced in both the intervention (P < 0.001) and control (P = 0.001) groups at the end of the 4th week., Conclusion: The results of the present study indicated that patellar taping compared to routine physiotherapy treatments had no beneficial effects on pain reduction, QOL improvement and correction of patellar alignment in PSPS patients., Trial Registration: IRCT201111012851N2., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Since ancient times, some herbal medicines have been extensively used for burn and wound treatments, showing preference to the common synthetic medications by virtue of having less side effects and faster healing rate. In this study, hybrid nanofibrous scaffolds of poly-l-lactic-acid (PLLA) and gelatin incorporated L. inermis were fabricated via electrospinning technique. Morphology and characteristics of the scaffolds were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), respectively. The release profile of the L. inermis from the nanofibers was also assessed in vitro. Moreover, the structural stability of the released L. inermis from the nanofibers was evaluated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The nanofibers showed a gradual release of L. inermis up to two days while the intact structure was preserved. Furthermore, antibacterial assay demonstrated that L. inermis-loaded nanofibrous scaffolds could effectively kill E. coli and S. aureus within 2 h. Finally, biocompatibility of the nanofibers was proven on 3T3 fibroblasts. Therefore, the L. inermis loaded PLLA-Gelatin nanofibers showed a potential application as a wound dressing in order to control wound infections., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

In this study, 28 bacteriocinogenic Staphylococcus strains isolated from goat and sheep milk were subjected to the PCR detection of enterotoxin genes (sea-see), enterotoxin-like toxin Q gene (selq), toxic shock syndrome toxin gene (tst1), and antibiotic resistance genes. They were also evaluated for phenotypic resistance against 10 antibiotics and hemolytic activity. The tyramine and histamine production was investigated using the agar plate assay and capillary zone electrophoretic analysis (CZE). Twenty-five isolates harbored at least one enterotoxin gene. The gene sec was the most frequent (89%). The gene tst1 was found in 84% of sec-positive isolates. The occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes was in the order of blaZ/tetK (100%), mecA/ermB (86%), ermC (50%), and tetM (18%). The genes ermA, aac(6')Ie-aph(2″)Ia, vanA, and vanB were absent in all the isolates. Nineteen isolates were phenotypically susceptible to all the antibiotics. The only isolate with phenotypic resistance to penicillin G and oxacillin was S. epidermidis 4S93 which had a different SmaI-PFGE profile from those of the other S. epidermidis strains. All the S. haemolyticus and S. pseudintermedius isolates were not susceptible to trimethoprim. Twenty-five isolates showed complete or partial hemolytic activity. None of the isolates was able to decarboxylate tyrosine, while CZE analysis revealed histamine formation activity in S. haemolyticus 4S12. The occurrence of safety risks in the isolates reinforces the need for regular monitoring of food-producing animals to mitigate the risks of multidrug resistant and zoonotic pathogens. Moreover, none of the isolates fulfilled the safety criteria to be used as starter cultures or biopreservatives., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

In more than one decade, cell transplantation has created an important strategy to treat a wide variety of diseases characterized by tissue and cell dysfunctions. In this course of action, cell delivery to target site has been always one of the most important constraints and complications, as only a small proportion of the cells are housed in the target sites. Nanotechnology and nanoscale biomaterials have been helpful for cell transplantation in various fields of regenerative medicine including diagnosis, delivery systems for the cell, drug or gene, and cells protection system. In this study, the basic concepts and recently studied aspects of cell delivery systems based on nanoscale biomaterials for transplantation and clinical applications are highlighted. Nanomaterials may be used in combination with cell therapy to control the release of drugs or special factors of engineered cells after transplantation.

Natural compounds containing polysaccharide ingredients have been employed as candidates for treatment of skin tissue. Herein, for the first time, electrospinning setup was proposed to fabricate an efficient composite nanofibrous structure of Beta vulgaris (obtained from Beet [Chenopodiaceae or Amaranthaceae]) belonged to polysaccharides and an elastic polymer named nylon 66 for skin tissue engineering. Both prepared scaffolds including noncomposite and composite types were studied by Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, mechanical assay, and contact angle. Scanning electron microscope examinations have approved the uniform and homogeneous structure of composite nanofibers containing nylon polymer and B. vulgaris extract. FTIR spectroscopy was endorsed the presence of B. vulgaris extract within the interwoven mat of nanofibers. Also, measurement of mechanical property with cell-laden composite scaffolds approved the desirable similarity between corresponding scaffold and native skin tissue. To our surprise, it was found that compared with nylon nanofibrous scaffold, composite sample containing B. vulgaris extract has lower contact angle indicating a higher hydrophilic surface. After cell seeding process of keratinocyte cells on composite and noncomposite scaffolds, SEM and 3[4,5-dimethylthiazoyl-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays approved higher number of attached cells onto the corresponding composite electrospun membrane. Epidermal gene expression such as involucrin, cytokeratin 10, and cytokeratin 14 was observed through real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Furthermore, immunocytochemistry results (cytokeratin 10 and loricrin) approved that the original property of keratinocytes was strongly preserved using composite scaffold. The corresponding study tries to introduce a new type of natural-based scaffolds for dermal tissue engineering that exhibits an elastic behavior similar to native skin tissue.

Stem cells' fate during in vitro differentiation is influenced by biophysicochemical cues. Osmotic stress has proved to enhance chondrocyte marker expression, however its potent negative impacts had never been surveyed. We questioned whether specific osmotic conditions, regarding the osmolyte agent, could benefit chondrogenesis while dampening undesired concomitant hypertrophy and inflammatory responses. To examine the potential side effects of hypertonicity, we assessed cell proliferation as well as chondrogenic and hypertrophic marker expression of human Adipose Derived-MSC after a two week induction in chondrogenic media with either NaCl or Sorbitol, as the osmolyte agent to reach a +100 mOsm hypertonic condition. Calcium deposition and TNF-α secretion as markers associated with hypertrophy and inflammation were then assayed. While both hyperosmotic conditions upregulated chondrogenic markers, sorbitol had a nearly three times higher chondro-promotive effect and a lesser hypertrophic effect compared to NaCl. Also, a significantly lesser calcium deposition was observed in sorbitol hypertonic group. NaCl showed an anti-proinflammatory effect while sorbitol had no effect on inflammatory markers. The ossification potential and cartilage associated pathologic markers were affected differentially by the type of the osmolyte. Thus, a vigilant application of the osmotic agent is inevitable in order to avoid or reduce undesired hypertrophic and inflammatory phenotype acquisition by MSC during chondrogenic differentiation. Our findings are a step towards developing a more reliable chondrogenic regimen using external hypertonic cues for MSC chondrogenesis with potential applications in chondral lesions cell therapy.

Cerebrovascular lesions, a potent stimulus for endothelial cell activation, trigger cognitive and degenerative changes and contribute to pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Circulating microparticles (MPs) are actively involved in the pathogenesis of AD and cerebrovascular diseases, which share common vascular risk factors. We examined the plasma changes of endothelial MPs (EMPs) and platelet MPs (PMPs) in AD patients with vascular risk factors. The plasma Annexin V + CD 41a - CD144 + EMPs and Annexin V + CD41a + CD144 - PMPs of 37 patients with AD, with or without vascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, stroke, coronary artery disease, and smoking), and 10 age-matched controls were quantified by flow cytometry. Pearson correlation analysis used to evaluate the linear relationship between variables. Significantly higher plasma levels of EMPs were observed in AD patients with vascular risk factors as compared to the patients without vascular risk factors [Mean Difference (MD): 2587.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 770.30-4404.80], and control subjects (MD: 4990.60, 95% CI, 3054.40-6926.79). Significant correlations were found between circulating EMPs, total MPs, and PMPs. There were no significant correlations between plasma levels of EMPs/ PMPs, and cognitive decline indices. Circulating EMP levels are influenced by AD disease status, and plasma levels of MPs and PMPs are associated with vascular risk factors in patients with AD. EMP phenotyping, as cellular biomarkers of vascular injury/dysfunction, and their effects on cerebral perfusion, and cognitive decline should be further investigated. Graphical abstract Vascular endothelial cell activation results in release of endothelial-derived microparticles (EMPs), which contributing to vascular dysfunction and cognitive decline.

Background and Objectives: Salmonellosis due to multi-drug resistant Salmonella Typhimurium with biofilm formation ability is a serious public health threat worldwide. Studies have shown that medicinal plants inhibit the growth of bacterial species. The present study aimed at determining antibiotic resistance pattern and biofilm formation ability of S. Typhimurium isolated from poultry flocks. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of Licochalcone A (LAA) and Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) against the studied isolates were investigated in this study., Materials and Methods: Antibiotic susceptibility testing of S . Typhimurium RITCC1730 and 23 clinical isolates of S. Typhimurium against 8 antibiotics was performed using standard Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. The extent of biofilm formation was measured by Microtiter dish biofilm formation assay. Antimicrobials activities of LAA and EGCG were determined by MIC and MBC assays using microdilution method., Results: The highest antimicrobial resistance was detected against chloramphenicol (52.17%), followed by furazolidone (26.08%), and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (21.73%). All isolates were sensitive to ciprofloxacin (100%), followed by gentamicin, imipenem (95.65%), and cefixime (91.30%). Most of the isolates (78.26%) were able to produce weak biofilm. LAA and EGCG inhibited the growth of S. Typhimurium at the MIC levels of 62.5∼1000 and 1.56∼400 μg/mL, respectively. The MBC value of LAA was >1000 μg/mL, while the corresponding value of EGCG varied from 100 to 800 μg/mL., Conclusion: S. Typhimurium isolates revealed a multiple antibiotic resistance with biofilm production ability. As a result, EGCG, and to a lesser extent, LAA displayed potential antibacterial activity against S . Typhimurium and could be considered as useful compounds for the development of antibacterial agents against salmonellosis.

Microscale hydrogels can be synthesized within microfluidic systems and subsequently assembled to make tissues composed of units such as myofibers in muscle tissue. Importantly, the nanofibrous surface of hydrogels is essential for tissue engineering aims due to inducing beneficial cell-surface interactions. In this study, a new microfluidic platform, embedded with a hydrogel, was introduced that allowed for performing multiple non-parallel steps for the synthetic approaches. Satellite cells, isolated from skeletal tissues of 10-day Naval Medical Research Institute-murine were cultured on the prepared hydrogel within the microfluidic system. The normal proliferation of satellite cells occurred after the employment of continuous perfusion cell culture. Interestingly, the positive results of the immuno-staining assay along with the cellular bridge formation between hydrogel fragments confirmed the muscle differentiation of seeded satellite cells. Further on, COMSOl simulations anticipated that the thermodynamic conditions of the microfluidic system during hydrogel synthesis had to be kept steady while a shear stress value of 15 × 10 -6 Pa was calculated, exhibiting a cell culture condition free of environmental stress.

Piperine has been shown to have antioxidant activity and a cognitive-enhancing effect following long-term oral administration. In a comparative study of memantine, the current investigation threw light on the cognitive benefits of piperine. Lipid peroxidation and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and hippocampus in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced experimental dementia of the Alzheimer's type was measured. After reaching a criterion in a memory test, STZ-induced rats received piperine [2.5, 5, and 10mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.)], vehicle, and memantine (10mg/kg, i.p.) for two weeks after the first STZ administration, or two weeks before and one week after, as a preventive approach. After the behavioral studies, samples were taken for biochemical and histological assays. An appropriate concentration of piperine (2.5mg/kg), on a daily basis, effectively increased the number of correct (non-repeated) arm entries and repressed reentry to a previously visited arm, in terms of reference errors as well as memantine (10mg/kg, i.p.), irrespective of the dose administered. The cognitive-enhancing effect induced by piperine at a relevant dose was simultaneous with CSF and hippocampal malonaldehyde decrement, and the redox balance was established to some extent by maintaining the FRAP levels of CSF near to those of the control. Similarly, the neuroprotective properties of piperine are in accordance with histopathological outcomes, which have shown an increased number of live cresyl violet (CV)-positive neurons in a dentate gyrus (DG) subregion. Therefore, the effects of piperine on the redox balance of CSF and hippocampal neurons may certainly contribute to the cognitive-enhancing activity of the drug., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)