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Background: Determination of glucose is crucial in chemical, biological, and clinical samples, food processing, and fermentation. Despite 50 years of reports on biosensor technology development, it is still important to research new glucose biosensors. Objective: The main purpose of this study is to design and build a simple and effective glucose bio-sensor based on Citrullus colocynthis and Urtica dioica. Methods: In this study, the carbon paste electrodes of Citrullus colocynthis and Urtica dioica were prepared and connected to the LCR meter by copper wire, and then the glucose was injected into solution in various concentrations, and capacitance changes were recorded in the LCR meter pro-portional to concentration changes of glucose in electrode surface. Also, glucose was detected by other methods such as impedance, optical density reader, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Results: Biosensors with electrodes modified with Citrullus colocynthis and Urtica dioica respond-ed rapidly and with glucose sensitivity in the linear concentration range of 1.2-11.2 μg / ml and 2.5-15 μg / ml, respectively. Conclusions: Citrullus colocynthis and Urtica dioica are good candidates for glucose detection as plant tissue. Also, producing and purifying plant extracts makes it possible to miniaturize the glu-cose biosensor with greater sensitivity.

Abstract: Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Although chemotherapeutic agents have been effectively designed to increase the survival rates of some patients, the designed chemotherapeutic agents necessarily deliver toxic chemotherapeutic drugs to healthy tissues, resulting in serious side effects. Cancer cells can often acquire drug resistance after repeatedly administering current chemotherapeutic agents, restricting their efficacy. Given such obstacles, investigators have attempted to distribute chemotherapeutic agents using targeted drug delivery systems (DDSs), especially nanotechnology-based DDSs. The lipid-based nanoparticles (LBNPs) are a large and complex class of substances utilized to manage various diseases, especially cancers. Liposomes seem to be the most frequently employed LBNPs, owing to their high biocompatibility, bioactivity, stability, and flexibility. Solid lipid NPs and non-structured lipid carriers have lately received a lot of interest. In addition, several reports focused on novel therapies via LBNPs to manage various forms of cancer. In the present research, the latest improvements in applying LBNPs have been shown to deliver different therapeutic agents to cancerous cells and be a quite successful candidate in cancer therapy.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been going on around the world for more than a year and has cost a lot, as well as affected the quality of life of many. The psychological stress like delirium and sleep disturbances caused by the COVID-19 has affected many people in direct or indirect way by the disease. Insomnia and sleep deprivation have a negative effect on the immune system as well as disorders of the hormonal system, including the production and secretion of melatonin, known as the sleep hormone. Melatonin is a known anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent in addition to its role in regulating circadian rhythms. In this review, we investigated the relationship between the effect of psychological stress caused by COVID-19 on patients, their families, health care workers, and occupations as well as how melatonin might act as a prophylactic agent with sedative effects and sleep enhancement potential. Search terms "melatonin" and "COVID-19" were manually searched on PubMed or other electronic database and relevant articles were included. Based on the review of scholarly articles, it can be inferred that melatonin, as an endogenous hormone controlling and regulating sleep and wakefulness in various researches, has a good potential due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory with minimal side effects. These beneficial effects highlight the impact of melatonin as an adjuvant and a potential alternative for the better management of SARS-CoV-2 infection in high-risk populations.

Aim: Cell-free DNA in the plasma is known to be a potential biomarker for noninvasive diagnosis of oncogenic mutations. The authors aimed to design an optimized padlock probe-based hyperbranched rolling circle amplification biosensor to detect the KRAS G12D mutation using fluorescence and colorimetric methods. Methods: Single-factor experiments, Plackett–Burman design and response surface methodology were applied to optimize the padlock probe-based hyperbranched rolling circle amplification reaction. Results: The maximum fluorescence intensity was achieved at a padlock probe concentration of 1.5 pM and target concentration of 9 pM at 38°C ligation temperature. The proposed biosensor has a low detection limit of 60 fM of target DNA and a linear response in the concentration range of 60 fM to 0.2 pM. Conclusion: The results indicated the power of these assays to detect KRAS point mutations in liquid state reactions.

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is an important neuropsychiatric disorder worldwide. Common treatments of OCD include serotonergic antidepressants, which can cause potentially serious side effects. We assessed the effects of Lactobacillus casei (L. casei) Shirota consumption in an animal model of OCD. OCD-like symptoms were induced in rats by the chronic injection of the D2/D3 dopamine agonist quinpirole hydrochloride. Rats were classified into five groups of 6 rats. Four groups were injected chronically with quinpirole (0.5 mg/kg, twice weekly for 5 weeks). They were fed with L. casei Shirota (109 CF/g, daily for 4 weeks) (group 1), fluoxetine (10 mg/kg, daily for 4 weeks) (group 2), combination of L. casei Shirota and fluoxetine (group 3), and normal saline (positive control group). The last group did not receive dopamine agonist and was only injected with saline (negative control group). Expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf), solute carrier family 6 member 4 (Slc6a4), and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor type 2A (Htr2a) were assessed in orbitofrontal cortex tissues of all rats. Behavioral tests showed improvement of OCD signs in rats treated with L. casei Shirota, fluoxetine, and a combination of drugs. Quantitative PCR analysis showed a remarkable decrease in the expression of Bdnf and an increase in the expression of Htr2a in quinpirole-treated rats. After treatment with L. casei Shirota and fluoxetine, the expression level of Bdnf was increased remarkably, whereas Htr2a expression was decreased. The current study showed the effectiveness of L. casei Shirota in the treatment of OCD in a rat model. The beneficial effects of this probiotic are possibly exerted through the modulation of serotonin-related genes expression.

A motile, Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, non-sporing, tolerate up to 5% NaCl, grew at 0–25 °C, designated Exiguobacterium sp. HA2 was isolated from the soil of the Ilam Mountains of Iran during October 2016. The major isoprenoid quinone is MK-7 and in the smaller amount are MK-6 and MK-8. Polar lipids included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylethanolamine. Major fatty acids (>10 %) are isoC13:0, isoC15:0 and C16:0. The bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan layer was lysine-glycine. The 16S rRNA sequence was analyzed at the phylogenetic levels. Also, A supplemental comparison was made between five other genes including csp, gyrB, hsp70, rpoB, and citC. According to the results of genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, the strain was categorized in the genus Exiguobacterium. This bacterium had the closest relation with Exiguobacterium undae, and thus was dubbed Exiguobacterium sp. HA2. The different in the Phenotypic, functional characteristics and phylogenetic indicated Exiguobacterium sp. HA2 can be regarded as representing considered a novel species within the genus Exiguobacterium.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of adjuvant use of melatonin in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: This single-center, double-blind, randomized clinical trial included 74 hospitalized patients with confirmed mild to moderate COVID-19 at Baqiyatallah Hospital in Tehran, Iran, from April 25, 2020 to June 5, 2020. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive standard of care and standard of care plus melatonin at a dose of 3 mg three times daily for 14 days. Clinical characteristics, laboratory, and radiological findings were assessed and compared between two study groups at baseline and post-intervention. Safety and clinical outcomes were followed up for four weeks. Results: A total of 24 patients in the intervention group and 20 patients in the control group completed the treatment. Compared with the control group, the clinical symptoms such as cough, dyspnea, and fatigue, as well as the level of CRP and the pulmonary involvement in the intervention group had significantly improved (P < 0.05). The mean time of hospital discharge of patients and return to baseline health was significantly shorter in the intervention group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). No deaths and adverse events were observed in both groups during this study. Conclusions: Adjuvant use of melatonin has a potential to improve clinical symptoms of COVID-19 patients and contribute to a faster return of patients to baseline health. Keywords: COVID-19, Melatonin, Clinical trial, Adjunctive therapy Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04409522

Aim To describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics along with outcomes of hospitalized Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with and without diabetes. Methods This retrospective, single-center study included 595 consecutive hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 at Baqiyatallah Hospital in Tehran, Iran, from February 26, 2020 to March 26, 2020. Demographic data, clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings were collected and compared between patients based on diabetes status. Complications and clinical outcomes were followed up until April 4, 2020. Results From among the 595 hospitalized patients with COVID-19, the median age was 55 years and 401 (67.4%) were male. The most common symptoms included fever (419 [70.4%]), dry cough (368 [61.8%]) and dyspnea (363 [61%]). A total of 148 patients (24.9%) had diabetes, and compared with patients without diabetes, these patients had more comorbidities (eg, hypertension [48.6% vs. 22.3%; P

Background: Chromosomal breakpoints are the most common cause of hereditary diseases and cancers. Today, many standard clinical methods such as cytogenetic and PCR based techniques are used which have limitation regarding detection resolution. Chromosome conformation capture is a method for detecting gene proximity and chromosomal rearrangements. Materials and Methods: In this study, SKW3 cell line was used for detecting t(8;14)(q24;q11) using a 3Cbased technique. SKW3 cell line was used for 3C library preparation. For Inverse PCR, two regions were selected in upstream and downstream of the viewpoint locus on chromosome 8-MYC gene based on EcoRI restriction sites. The captured sequence with intra-chromosomal interaction between chr8-c-MYC and chr14-TRD was selected for the translocation PCR primer design. Results: The DNA fragment captured in 3C PCR showed a specific TRD sequence translocated downstream of the MYC gene. Translocation PCR demonstrated the existence of (8; 14) (q24; q11) MYC /TRD in both library and genomic DNA. Conclusion: This result demonstrated 3C- based method could be used as a useful low-cost easy operating technique in chromosomal rearrangements detection. In this study, the integration of whole genome library monitoring and PCR method was used as a high- through put method in chromosomal breakpoints detection.

The increasing progress in using nano-biomaterials for medical purposes has opened new horizons toward researchers around the globe. To investigate the presence of these nanomaterials and the impacts they might have, a comparative enhanced-electrochemiluminescence immunosensing study has been designed. The effects of utilizing graphene oxide, silica, and gold nanoparticles in cancer diagnosis were evaluated during the quantification of two major cancer biomarkers (CEA and AFP) in different approaches. In other words, first and second approaches were designed to employ nanomaterials while third and fourth approaches were developed in absence of those. Accordingly, resulted LODs experienced dramatic amplification when nano-biomaterials were included in the immunosensor modification (for AFP: 1st and 3rd approaches: 1.36 fg/ml in comparison with 0.39 ng/ml, and for CEA: 2nd and 4th approaches: 1.90 fg/ml versus 0.46 ng/ml, respectively). Correspondingly, capability of nano-biomaterials for developing highly sensitive and more efficient immunosensors was validated through selectivity, stability, reproducibility, and feasibility examinations.

Oligonucleotide aptamers are short, synthetic and single-stranded DNA or RNA molecules capable of binding to a wide range of molecules, from small molecules to large cells. Nowadays, aptamers are valuable tools in research, clinical diagnosis and treatment. Their small size and high specificity in addition to their lack of immunogenicity make them great alternatives to other diagnosing candidates such as antibodies. In this study, we have introduced a new method based on competitive Enzyme-Linked Aptamer Sorbent Assay (ELASA) using single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) aptamers to measure cystatin-c levels in serum samples. To this aim, through a Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) process a number of aptamers were selected from which an aptamer with a Kd (dissociation constant) value of 65.5 ± 0.007 nM was chosen for further analyses. The limit of detection (LoD) was found to be 216.077 pg/ml. The results of the analytical application of this method in serum samples were comparable to those of commonly used commercial kits.

Objectives: Given the relatively high prevalence and emphasis on the pathogenicity of Blastocystis sp., especially in immunocompromised patients and other at risked populations like military personnel, this study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. in the city of Karaj during 2014 - 2015. Methods: In this descriptive study, 2500 stool samples were screened for Blastocystis sp. using microscopically examinations and iodine-stained, wet-mount preparations and formalin-ether as a sedimentation method. Demographic information such as age, gender, and symptoms of patients, were recorded in the questionnaire. Three stool samples were collected from each patient in disposable plastic containers. Data were analyzed using chi-square, ANOVA, and t-test SPSS V. 24 software. Results: From the total of 2500 cases, 345 (13.8%) cases were positive for Blastocystis sp., 56.5% of patients were male, and 43.5% were female. A total of 33.3% of patients had a clinical symptom and 66.7% of patient had no clinical symptoms. Anorexia was the most common symptom in patients with Blastocystis sp. Conclusions: The use of appropriate diagnostic laboratory procedures in hospitals and medical centers can provide an effective and accurate diagnosis that will play an important role in the promotion of community health; considering some unspecific signs could help the health professionals to have correct diagnose.

PURPOSE: Methylated cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in maternal plasma can potentially be used as a biomarker for accurate noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) of fetal disorders. Recovery and purification of cffDNA are key steps for downstream applications. In this study, we aimed to developed and evaluated different aspects of an optimized method and compared its efficiency with common methods used for extraction of methylated cffDNA. METHODS: Single factor experiments, Plackett-Burman (PB) design, and response surface methodology (RSM) were conducted for conventional Triton/Heat/Phenol (cTHP) method optimization. The total cell-free DNA (cfDNA) was extracted from pooled maternal plasma using the optimized method called the Triton/Heat/Phenol/Glycogen (THPG), cTHP method, a column-based kit, and a magnetic bead-based kit. In the next step, methylated cfDNA from the extracted total cfDNA was enriched using a methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) kit. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed on the RASSF1 gene and hyper region to determine the genomic equivalents per milliliter (GEq/ml) values of the methylated cfDNA and cffDNA, respectively. RESULTS: The optimum values of the significant factors affecting cfDNA extraction from 200 μl of plasma were 3% SDS, 1% Triton X-100, 0.9 μg/μl glycogen, and 0.3 M sodium acetate. The GEq/ml values of methylated cffDNA extracted using the THPG method were significantly higher than for the tested extraction methods (p

The human transcriptome contains many non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which play important roles in gene regulation. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are an important class of ncRNAs with lengths between 200 and 200,000 bases. Unlike mRNA, lncRNA lacks protein-coding features, specifically, open-reading frames, and start and stop codons. LncRNAs have been reported to play a role in the pathogenesis and progression of many cancers, including breast cancer (BC), acting as tumor suppressors or oncogenes. In this review, we systematically mined the literature to identify 65 BC-related lncRNAs. We then perform an integrative bioinformatics analysis to identify 14 lncRNAs with a potential regulatory role in BC. The biological function of these 14 lncRNAs, their regulatory mechanisms, and roles in the initiation and progression of BC are discussed in this review. Additionally, we elaborate on the current and future applications of lncRNAs as diagnostic and/or therapeutic biomarkers in BC.

This study aimed to provide a systematic review regarding anti- Giardia effect of different Iranian plant extracts used in vivo and in vitro on cysts and trophozoites. Many reports indicated that most of plant extracts used as anti- Giardia were obtained from Liliaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, and Myrtaceae. These extracts included different fractions such as aqueous, alcoholic and chloroform extracts as well as Soxhlet extraction of juice or essence. The findings of this review showed that hydroalcoholic extract of asafoetida, Chenopodium botrys , and chloroformic extract of feverfew ( Tanacetum parthenium ) have the maximum effect (100% efficacy) on in vitro application against Giardia . However, the highest in vivo effect of 100% therapeutic significance was recorded for the extract of Allium sativum at 80 mg/mL concentration. Given the plant species richness of Iran in terms of herbal medicines with fewer side effects, it can be a good alternative to chemical drugs used to treat giardiasis.

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BACKGROUND: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is known as an opportunistic pathogen responsible for nosocomial infections. Multidrug (MDR) resistance bacteria are considered as a worldwide issue. The current research goal to investigate the antibiotic susceptibility pattern in Extended Spectrum beta-lactamase and non Extended Spectrum beta-lactamase producing P. aeruginosa clinical isolates. METHODS: A total of 76 P.aeruginosa clinical isolates were collected from Milad hospital in Tehran, Iran, during 8 months period in 2012. P.aeruginosa clinical isolates were subjected for ESBL production by phenotypic methods. The antibiotic susceptibility patterns were identified in ESBL and non-ESBL P. aeruginosa by MIC. RESULTS: our results demonstrated that 76.3 (n =58) isolates were resistant to more than three antibiotics and classified as MDR. The majority of MDR strains were found in ESBL producer P. aeruginosa. ceftazidim as 3rd generation of cephalosporins, ciprofloxacin, Ticarcillin and aztreonam were found as a base for definition of MDR in the current research. The effectiveness antibiotics against ESBL and non-ESBL were meropenem and amikacin, respectively. CONCLUSION: based on our knowledge obtained from results, both ESBL and non-ESBL P. aeruginosa were resistant to extended antibiotics and this is a major health care problem. On the other hand, MDR strains more identified in ESBL producer P .a eruginosa. Also, carabapenem resistance observed in non-ESBL producer strains. Hence, it is recommended that the MDR strains should be following up. the prescription of ceftazidim, ciprofloxacin, Ticarcillin and aztreonam should be limited.