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Food fraud and profiteering are becoming increasingly common in the meat industry. Therefore, it is essential to identify such practices to prevent consumer deception and maintain food safety. This study aimed to determine the contents of minced meat samples labeled as beef and mutton in retail stores across Tehran province, Iran, to identify instances of meat adulteration. To this end, this study randomly collected 300 minced meat samples labeled as beef and mutton from Tehran stores over 4 years (2018–2022) and analyzed them using duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results revealed that more than 95% of the samples only contained beef, while only 5% of the samples matched the label and contained a mixture of beef and mutton. This discrepancy between the label and actual contents could be attributed to the price difference between beef and mutton, providing a financial incentive for producers to maximize profits. Given the potential for meat adulteration, increased monitoring of meat products is necessary, including detailed tests such as PCR, which is a fast, easy, sensitive, specific, and highly effective method for detecting meat adulteration. The findings of this study can assist in developing effective strategies to prevent meat adulteration and maintain consumer confidence in the meat industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The emergence of fluoroquinolone resistance in clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae is a growing concern. To investigate the mechanisms behind this resistance, we studied a total of 215 K. pneumoniae isolates from hospitals in Bushehr province, Iran, collected between 2017 and 2019. Antimicrobial susceptibility test for fluoroquinolones was determined. The presence of plasmid mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) and mutations in quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of gyrA and parC genes in ciprofloxacin-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates were identified by PCR and sequencing. Results: Out of 215 K. pneumoniae isolates, 40 were resistant to ciprofloxacin as determined by E-test method. PCR analysis revealed that among these ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates, 13 (32.5%), 7 (17.5%), 40 (100%), and 25 (62.5%) isolates harbored qnrB, qnrS, oqxA and aac(6')-Ib-cr genes, respectively. Mutation analysis of gyrA and parC genes showed that 35 (87.5%) and 34 (85%) of the ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates had mutations in these genes, respectively. The most frequent mutations were observed in codon 83 of gyrA and codon 80 of parC gene. Single gyrA substitution, Ser83→ Ile and Asp87→Gly, and double substitutions, Ser83→Phe plus Asp87→Ala, Ser83→Tyr plus Asp87→Ala, Ser83→Ile plus Asp87→Tyr, Ser83→Phe plus Asp87→Asn and Ser83→Ile plus Asp87→Gly were detected. In addition, Ser80→Ile and Glu84→Lys single substitution were found in parC gene. Conclusions: Our results indicated that 90% of isolates have at least one mutation in QRDR of gyrA orparC genes, thus the frequency of mutations was very significant and alarming in our region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for causing nosocomial and community-acquired infections. Its pathogenicity is associated with a variety of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance. The aim of the present study was to compare virulence attributes between ESBL and non-ESBL producing isolates. Materials and Methods: A total of 113 K. pneumoniae including 56 ESBL and 57 non ESBL-producers were collected in Bushehr province, Iran, from November 2017 to February 2019. Enzymatic profile, hypermucoviscosity and biofilm formation were investigated phenotypically. In addition, the presence of rmpA, aerobactin, kfu, allS, mrkD, ybtS, entB, iutA, fimH, wabG, wcaG, K1 and K2 genes were detected by PCR and sequencing. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in enzymatic profile between ESBL and non-ESBL producers. The prevalence of the hypermocoviscosity was lower among ESBL compared to non-ESBL producers but the intensity of biofilm was higher in the ESBL producers. Among the virulence genes, K1, rmpA, iutA, and aero were observed only in non-ESBLs. Moreover, the carriage of allS, K, K2, rmpA, iutA and aero genes was higher in hypermucoviscous in comparison with non hypermucoviscous isolates. Conclusion: The identification of potentially pathogenic isolates plays an important role in preventing their spread as well as the success of their treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tehran province as a diverse habitat for different animal species, has the potential to support many land molluscs species. However, a little glimpse of the research on malacology shows that Tehran province is probably the least well-studied area for land snails in Iran. Herein, the very first comprehensive study about the land snails collected from Tehran province in addition to the previous scientific document is presented. The data included here are based on the field investigations and the published records by different authors from 2008 to 2023 This checklist is collectively composed of 22 species belonging to 16 genera under nine families from different parts of Tehran province. However, some areas of Tehran province have not been investigated in terms of the diversity of snail species. The outcome of this report shows that more research is needed on the species diversity of terrestrial snails in Tehran province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): Production of metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) is an important mechanism of resistance to carbapenems. This study aimed to detect the MBL-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates and to investigate the presence of blaVIM, blaIMP, blaSPM, blaNDM, blaGIM, blaAIM, and blaSIM genes in these isolates in Bushehr, Iran. Materials and Methods: A total of 169 P. aeruginosa clinical isolates were collected from three hospitals in Bushehr. The modified carbapenem inactivation method (mCIM) was used for the phenotypic detection of carbapenemase production. A combination disk test (CDT) was performed for the phenotypic detection of MBL production. To investigate the presence of blaVIM, blaIMP, blaSPM, blaNDM, blaGIM, blaAIM, and blaSIM genes, PCR and sequencing was carried out. Results: Based on the results of mCIM, 40 (23.7%) of 169 isolates were carbapenemase producers. CDT revealed that 26 (15.4%) isolates were MBL producers. blaIMP, blaNDM, and blaVIM genes were found in 18 (69.2%), 8 (30.8%), and 1 (3.8%) of the MBL-producing isolates, respectively. Coexistence of blaIMP and blaNDM was observed in 2 (7.7%) MBL-producing isolates. Among all 169 P. aeruginosa isolates, 23 (13.6%) harbored blaNDM, 18 (10.6%) carried blaIMP, and 1 (0.6%) carried the blaVIM gene. blaSPM, blaGIM, blaAIM, and blaSIM were not found in the present study. Conclusion: blaNDM, blaIMP, and blaVIM genes were detected in this study, which could be a warning sign about the prevalence of these genes among P. aeruginosa clinical isolates in our region. Proper monitoring and detection of MBL-producing isolates are essential steps to prevent the spread of these isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has attempted to direct superantigens towards tumors by means of tumor-targeted superantigen (TTS) strategy. In this study, we explored the antitumor property of TTS by fusing the third loop of transforming growth factor α (TGFαL3) to staphylococcal enterotoxin type B (SEB) and investigated the possibility of the therapeutic application of TGFαL3-SEB as a novel antitumor candidate in mice bearing breast cancer. Treatment was performed through intratumoral and intravenous injection of TGFαL3-SEB. Tumor size/volume, long-term survival, and cytokine secretion were assessed. In addition, the toxicity of each treatment on liver and kidneys was examined. Our results indicated that the relative tumor volume significantly increased in the mice receiving intratumoral TGFaL3-SEB ( p < 0.05). Surprisingly, 5 out of the 14 mice were cleared from the tumor thoroughly in 10-25 days after intratumoral administration of TGFaL3-SEB. Quantification of cytokines clearly showed that the mice receiving intratumoral SEB significantly secreted higher interferon γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) compared with the other groups ( p < 0.05). The antitumor effect was followed by inhibition of cell proliferation (Ki-67) and micro vascularization (CD31). The highest and lowest levels of tumor necrosis were observed in the intratumoral administration of TGFαL3-SEB (85 %) and PBS (14 %), respectively. Intratumoral injection of TGFαL3-SEB increased the lifespan of the mice so 37.5 % of them could survive for more than 6 months ( p < 0.05). Overall, our findings indicated that intratumoral administration of TGFαL3-SEB effectively inhibited the growth of breast tumors through induction of necrosis and suppressing proliferation and angiogenesis without systemic toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bacterial superantigen Staphylococcal Enterotoxins (SEs), has stimulated polyclonal T cells irrespective of their antigen specificity, resulted a massive release of cytokines, and suggested that they could be assigned as a candidate of new antitumor agents. Recent attempts have done to specifically target superantigens towards tumors, subsequently Monoclonal antibodies and tumor-related ligands have employed as targeting molecules of superantigen for the preclinical treatment of different tumors. Here, we have evaluated TGFαL3-SEB fusion protein as a new antitumor candidate by genetically fusing the third loop of transforming growth factor alpha (TGFαL3) to Staphylococcal Enterotoxin type B. Methods: An in silico techniques have launched to characterize the properties and structure of the protein, before initiating the experimental study, we have predicted physicochemical properties, structures, stability, MHC binding properties and ligand-receptor interaction of this chimeric protein by means of computational bioinformatics tools and servers. Results: Our results have indicated codon adaptation index of tgfαl3-seb fusion gene has increased from 0.5 in the wild type sequences to 0.85 in the chimeric optimized gene. The mfold data has shown the tgfαl3-seb mRNA was stable enough for efficient translation in the new host. Based on Ramachandran plot TGFαL3-SEB has classified as a stable fusion protein. Our result has shown fusing of TGFaL3 in N-terminal of the TGFαL3-SEB construct, had no effects on MHC binding and subsequently superantigenic activity of SEB. Finally based on ligand-receptor docking the binding ability of TGFaL3 was strong enough to its receptor, so TGFαL3-SEB could be assigned as a new antitumor candidate in cancer immunotherapy. Conclusion: Our results have proposed that TGFαL3-SEB was a stable fusion protein with proper affinity to its receptor that overexpressed in various human carcinomas, so it could generate potent immune response towards tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has attempted to direct superantigens towards tumors by means of tumor-targeted superantigen (TTS) strategy. In this study, we explored the antitumor property of TTS by fusing the third loop of transforming growth factor α (TGFαL3) to staphylococcal enterotoxin type B (SEB) and investigated the possibility of the therapeutic application of TGFαL3-SEB as a novel antitumor candidate in mice bearing breast cancer. Treatment was performed through intratumoral and intravenous injection of TGFαL3-SEB. Tumor size/volume, long-term survival, and cytokine secretion were assessed. In addition, the toxicity of each treatment on liver and kidneys was examined. Our results indicated that the relative tumor volume significantly increased in the mice receiving intratumoral TGFaL3-SEB (p < 0.05). Surprisingly, 5 out of the 14 mice were cleared from the tumor thoroughly in 10-25 days after intratumoral administration of TGFaL3-SEB. Quantification of cytokines clearly showed that the mice receiving intratumoral SEB significantly secreted higher interferon γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) compared with the other groups (p < 0.05). The antitumor effect was followed by inhibition of cell proliferation (Ki-67) and micro vascularization (CD31). The highest and lowest levels of tumor necrosis were observed in the intratumoral administration of TGFαL3-SEB (85 %) and PBS (14 %), respectively. Intratumoral injection of TGFαL3-SEB increased the lifespan of the mice so 37.5 % of them could survive for more than 6 months (p < 0.05). Overall, our findings indicated that intratumoral administration of TGFαL3-SEB effectively inhibited the growth of breast tumors through induction of necrosis and suppressing proliferation and angiogenesis without systemic toxicity.

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), as a new member of polyomaviruses, has recently been discovered as a possible etiologic factor for human cancer. It was first detected in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a malignant lung tumor which shares histopathological and genetic features with MCC, as both are of neuroendocrine origin. In this study, we investigated the presence of MCPyV DNA in SCLC specimens by real-time PCR. Our null hypothesis was that MCPyV is an etiologic factor in SCLC, as previously seen in MCC. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens were obtained from 50 patients, who underwent bronchoscopic biopsy and were diagnosed with SCLC between March 2010 and March 2012. Similarly, we obtained bronchoscopic biopsy specimens from 29 patients, who were diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). All samples were obtained at a single center (Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran). Real-time PCR was done to detect the presence of MCPyV DNA. After excluding one specimen from the SCLC group due to loss of tumor tissue, we did not detect MCPyV DNA in samples from patients with either SCLC (the mean age 58.9 years, male/female ratio: 7.3/1) or NSCLC. Our results suggest that MCPyV does not play a role in the pathogenesis of SCLC, which is in accord with the results from other prior investigations., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

This study was conducted at a 900+ bed general teaching hospital, from May to September 2007, in Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae and their antimicrobial pattern. The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method and the phenotypic disk confirmatory test were performed for each isolate. The total of 206 isolates including 106 E. coli and 100 K. pneumoniae were collected of which 122 isolates (59.2%) were ESBL positive. The prevalence of ESBL-producing strains was 59.2% (122/206). All the isolates were susceptible to imipenem. Among the ESBL-producing isolates, the sensitivity was from 3.3% to 61.5% for ampicillin to aztreonam. From female isolates (136), 59.5% and from male isolates (70), 58.6% were ESBL-producers. Ratios of isolates from hospitalized patients to out-patients were 94/28 in the ESBL-producing group. The number of ESBL-producing isolates according to the isolation sites showed a significant difference between ESBL-producers and non-producers in blood samples (P < 0.05). This study shows that the prevalence of ESBL strains in Iran is high. It seems necessary for clinicians and medical community personnel to be fully aware of ESBL-producing microorganisms.