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A novel HAP/MIL-101(Fe)/Ag/Fe3O4 magnetic nanocomposite was synthesized and used for the rapid catalytic reduction of nitro compounds and as an antibacterial agent at room temperature.

Background:: One of the most important principles in disease control is the health of livestock and poultry feed. Given the natural growth of Th. eriocalyx in Lorestan province, its essential oil can be added to the livestock and poultry feed and prevent the growth of the dominant filamentous fungi. Objective:: Therefore, this study aimed to identify the dominant moldy fungal agents of livestock and poultry feed, examine phytochemical compounds and analyze antifungal effects, anti-oxidant properties, as well as cytotoxicity against human white blood cells in Th. eriocalyx Methods:: Sixty samples were collected in 2016. The PCR test was used to amplify ITS1 and ASP1 regions. The analysis of essential oil was conducted by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry devices. MIC and MFC were performed using the broth micro-dilution method. For the analysis of DDPH activity, DDPH was used. Cytotoxicity effect on healthy human lymphocytes was carried out by the MTT method. Results:: In this study, A. niger, F. verticilloides and F. circinatum, P. oxalicum, and P. chrysogenum were the most resistant species, and A. oryzae and A. fumigatus, F. prolifratum and F. eqiseti, P. janthnellum were the most susceptible ones. IC50 value of T. daenensis Celak was 41.33 μg/ml, and 100 μl/ml of the essential oil caused slight cell lysis. Conclusion:: Considering our results, compared with drugs and chemical additives, essential oils can be added to livestock and poultry feed to prevent the growth of filamentous fungi in the livestock and poultry feed

Background: Several metabolic pathways are involved in the complications of diabetes like polyol pathway. Aldose reductase (AR) is a key enzyme in the polyol pathway, which catalyzes the conversion of glucose to sorbitol. AR inhibitors are appropriate to prevent and treat the diabetes complications. Objective: This study was designed to investigate the effect of different fractions of Teucrium polium on the AR activity. Methods: Fifty cow’s eye lenses were prepared and AR enzyme was purified according to the Hyman-Kinoshita method. The enzyme activity in the presence of the crude extract and different fractions of Teucrium polium (1, 5, 10, 20 and 100 μg/ml) was measured. In addition, IC50 content of fractions was also measured for the neutralization of DPPH free radical. Since some AR inhibitors are phenolic compounds, the phenolic and flavonoid contents have been investigated. Results: Results showed that the highest phenol and flavonoid content and the lowest IC50 value (3.67 µg/ml) for AR inhibition were related to the ethyl acetate fraction. Line weaver-Burk plot showed that ethyl acetate fraction acts as a non-competitive enzyme inhibition. Conclusion: Thus, T. polium can be proposed as a therapy to prevent or treat chronic complications of diabetes in the future.

The characterization of a new, synthesized Mn(II) Schiff base complex of the [MnL2Cl]Cl type (where L = 2-((pyridine-4-yl)metheleneamino)-3-aminomaleonitrile) was carried out by FT-IR, UV–Vis, DRS, GC–Mass, photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) and elemental analysis. The production of Mn3O4 nanoparticles using thermal decomposition and its spectral properties in the current study is being checked. The nano compounds were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the X-ray energy-dispersive spectrometry analyses. Synthesized manganese oxide nanoparticles have a tetragonal structure with the average size of 25–150 nm. The results of SEM showed that the morphology of [MnL2Cl]Cl was rod-like while the morphology of the Mn3O4 was rod-like as well as spherical. Also, the metal complexes’ antibacterial and antifungal activities were evaluated. The results of the microbiology activities indicated that the metal compounds exhibited stronger microbiology efficiencies than the ligand did.

A novel Fe(III) Schiff base complex of the [FeL2(NO3)2]NO3 type where L = 2-((pyridin-4-yl)methyleneamino)-3-aminomaleonitrile was synthesized using the reflux and sonochemical methods and their antibacterial and antifungal activity were evaluated. The nanoparticles of iron oxide (Fe2O3) were obtained from the iron nano-structure complex as a precursor after calcination at 600 ˚C for 3 h. All the synthesized compounds were characterized by various spectroscopic techniques. The results of SEM showed that the morphology of iron nano-structure complex was rod-like while the morphology of the Fe2O3 nano powder was spherical. The results of the biological studies indicated that the iron nano-structure complex showed a stronger antibacterial and antifungal efficiency than its bulk complex. Finally, the empirical geometrical parameters of complexes revealed a good agreement with calculated ones at DFT-B3LYP level.

Background and Objectives: Infectious diseases are among the most known important causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. The ongoing explosion antibiotic-resistant bacteria and side effects of medications, application of assistive methods including the use of medicinal plants for treatment have become particularly important. Materials and Methods: In this study, the ethanol extract of green tea (Camellia sinensis) and yarrow flower (Achillea millefolium) were prepared by maceration method and its antibacterial effect on four clinical strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria including Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were evaluated with microtiter plate method for determining the MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration). Results: The MICs of green tea extract for Acinetobacter baumannii was 15.6 mg/ml and 31.25 mg/ml for Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. The MIC of Achillea millefolium extract for Acinetobacter baumannii and Escherichia coli was 125 mg/ml and against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 250 mg/ml. Conclusion: Considering the antimicrobial effects of green tea and Achillea on four strains of resistant bacteria, the extract of this plant can be used in control and treatment of infections caused by these infectious agents.

Background Contamination of food and agricultural crops by Fusarium species is a major concern of food spoilage and a potential public health hazard. In the present study, natural contamination of maize and wheat samples from main cultivation areas of Iran by Fusarium species belonging to the Giberella fujikuroi species complex was evaluated, with special attention to the ability of the isolates to produce fumonisin B1 (FB1 ). Results A total of 55 Fusarium isolates were obtained from 27/32 maize samples (84.4%) and 11/15 wheat samples (73.3%). They were identified as F. verticillioides (47.3%), F. proliferatum (47.3%), F. fujikuroi (1.8%), F. nygamai (1.8%) and F. redolens (1.8%) by sequence analysis of translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1-α). Twenty-two of 55 Fusarium isolates belonging to F. proliferatum (23.6%), F. verticillioides (14.5%) and F. fujikuroi (1.8%) produced FB1 in the concentration range 230.4-9565.0 µg mL(-1) . The dendrogram resulting from the TEF1-α profile showed that the genotypes were divided into clusters I, II and III, of which cluster III contained only F. redolens, its first report from Iran. Conclusion On the basis of in vitro FB1 biosynthesis of the analyzed strains, the high degree of contamination of maize and wheat with Fusarium strains reported here should be considered as a potential public health threat, because a meaningful number of the isolates were found to produce hazardous levels of carcinogenic FB1 .