Differentiation of microfluidic-encapsulated trabecular meshwork mesenchymal stem cells into insulin producing cells and their impact on diabetic rats

Tissue and stem cell encapsulation andtransplantation were considered as promising tools in the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of microfluidic encapsulation on the differentiation of trabecular meshwork mesenchymal stem cells (TM-MSC), into insulin-producing cells (IPCs) both in vitro and in vivo. The presence of differentiated cells in microfibers (three dimensional [3D]) and tissue culture plates (TCPS; two dimensional [2D]) culture was evaluated by detecting mRNA and protein expression of pancreatic islet-specific markers as well as measuring insulin release of cells in response to glucose challenges. Finally, semi-differentiated cells in microfibers (3D) and 2D cultures were used to control the glucose level in diabetic rats. The results of this study showed that MSCs differentiated in alginate microfibers (fabricated by microfluidic device) express more Pdx-1 mRNA (1.938-fold, p-value: 0.0425) and Insulin mRNA (2.841-fold, p-value: 0.0001) compared with those cultured on TCPS. Furthermore, cell encapsulation in microfluidic derived microfibers decreased the level of blood glucose in diabetic rats. The approach used in this study showed the possibility of alginate microfibers as a matrix for differentiation of TM-MSCs (as a new source) into IPCs. In addition, it could minimize different steps in stem cell differentiation, handling, and encapsulation, which lead to loss of an unlimited number of cells.     

Role of endogenous cyclo(His-Pro) in cold-induced hypothermia in the desert rat (Mastomys natalensis)

Central administration of exogenous cyclo(His-Pro) (CHP) is known to produce hypothermia in rodents. In the present study, we examined the role of endogenous CHP in cold-induced hypothermia in the desert rat, Mastomys natalensis. The results of these studies show that a rise in hypothalamic CHP content accompanied a decrease in rectal temperature during cold exposure. Immunoneutralization of endogenous CHP resulted in a significant decline in cold-induced hypothermia. In addition, central administration of cyclo(Ala-Gly), a structural analogue of CHP, also led to a decrease in cold-induced hypothermia. The results of these studies show that changes in endogenous CHP levels may affect body temperature regulation.     

Heterogeneous Determinants of Quality of Life in Different Phenotypes of Parkinson’s Disease

Objectives

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is considered a very important outcome indicator in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). A broad list of motor and non-motor features have been shown to affect HRQoL in PD, however, there is a dearth of information about the complexity of interrelationships between determinants of HRQoL in different PD phenotypes. We aimed to find independent determinates and the best structural model for HRQoL, also to investigate the heterogeneity in HRQoL between PD patients with different phenotypes regarding onset-age, progression rate and dominant symptom.

Methods

A broad spectrum of demographic, motor and non-motor characteristics were collected in 157 idiopathic PD patients, namely comorbidity profile, nutritional status, UPDRS (total items), psychiatric symptoms (depression, anxiety), fatigue and psychosocial functioning through physical examination, validated questionnaires and scales. Structural equation model (SEM) and multivariate regressions were applied to find determinants of Parkinson’s disease summary index (PDSI) and different domains of HRQoL (PDQ-39).

Results

Female sex, anxiety, depression and UPDRS-part II scores were the significant independent determinants of PDSI. A structural model consisting of global motor, global non-motor and co-morbidity indicator as three main components was able to predict 89% of the variance in HRQoL. In older-onset and slow-progression phenotypes, the motor domain showed smaller contribution on HRQoL and the majority of its effects were mediated through non-motor features. Comorbidity component was a significant determinant of HRQoL only among older-onset and non-tremor-dominant PD patients. Fatigue was not a significant indicator of non-motor component to affect HRQoL in rapid-progression PD.

Conclusions

Our findings showed outstanding heterogeneities in the pattern and determinants of HRQoL among PD phenotypes. These factors should be considered during the assessments and developing personalized interventions to improve HRQOL in PD patients with different phenotypes or prominent feature.     

Harnessing an Integrative In Silico Approach to Engage Highly Immunogenic Peptides in an Antigen Design Against Epsilon Toxin (ETX) of Clostridium perfringens

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - Epsilon toxin (ETX) is one of four lethal toxins of Clostridium perfringens produced by types B and D of the pathogen. This pore-forming...     

Effect of Akkermansia muciniphila,Faecalibacterium prausnitzii,and Their Extracellular Vesicles on the Serotonin System in Intestinal Epithelial Cells

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is an essential reservoir of serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), which possesses a set of bacterial species communities....     

Inhibitory effect of Trichoderma isolates on growth of Alternaria alternata,the causal agent of leaf spot disease on sunflower,under laboratory conditions

Several species of the genus Alternaria are involved in leaf spot disease of sunflower, with Alternaria alternata being the dominant species responsible for this disease in Iran and many other sunflower-producing areas, worldwide. The disease causes a progressive destruction of the photosynthetic apparatus, resulting in annual yield loss. The routine disease management strategies are not effective for disease control; hence, alternative measures for disease management are of great interest. In the present study, the efficacy of Trichoderma harzianum T22 and Trichoderma sp. on biological control of the causal agent was evaluated under laboratory conditions. The effect of Trichoderma isolates on dry weight (DW) and radial growth (RG) rate of A. alternata was evaluated using dual culture, volatile and non-volatile cellular metabolites. The results obtained in this study revealed that in both Trichoderma isolates, non-volatile cellular metabolites had the highest inhibitory effect on DW and RG rate of the causal agent. Owing to explicit inhibitory effect of non-volatile cellular metabolites on A. alternata, the inhibitory effects of different concentrations of non-volatile cellular metabolites were evaluated on DW and RG rate of the A. alternata. The obtained results showed that non-autoclaved 75 and 50% concentrations and undiluted (100%) autoclaved non-volatile cellular metabolites from Trichoderma sp. had the highest inhibitory effect on DW and RG rate of the causal agent. The overall results of this study reveal that Trichoderma spp. have excellent efficacy on biological control of A. alternata under laboratory condition; such that, further studies on the potential of Trichoderma spp. in biological control of Alternaria leaf spot disease of sunflower under green house and field conditions are necessary.     

Genetic Relatedness of Clinical and Environmental Vibrio cholerae Isolates Based on Triple Housekeeping Gene Analysis

Sequence analysis of dnaE, hlyA, and asd housekeeping genes were used to determine the genetic relatedness of our collection of Vibrio cholerae isolated from patients and surface waters over a 5-year period in Iran. The results showed 41, 17, and 9 variable sites throughout the sequenced fragments of dnaE (837 bp), hlyA (495 bp), and asd (295 bp), respectively. The results from sequence typing showed that all our clinical isolates were grouped in the same cluster. Eleven genotypes were identified among the environmental isolates. One environmental isolate was found to be in close genetic relatedness with our clinical isolates. One V. cholerae isolate showed a single-locus variant in the dnaE. For each of the studied genetic loci 10, 7, and 7 sequence types were observed for dnaE, hlyA, and asd, respectively. Only asd sequence analysis could make the distinction between the classical and El Tor isolates which emphasizes on selection of housekeeping locus with better discrimination power for analysis of different groups of isolates. Overall, the results indicated that surface waters in Tehran are a pool of non-toxigenic V. cholerae strains which are rarely related to clinical toxigenic isolates. In addition, our results verified that housekeeping gene sequence analysis could be a suitable approach for determination of the relatedness between clinical and environmental V. cholerae isolates.     

Growth,Physiological and Biochemical Traits of Sage under the Exogenous Stimulating and Stress Factors

Russian Journal of Plant Physiology - Sage (Salvia officinalis L.) belonging to the Lamiaceae family, as the main herb in the world is cultivated in many countries for extraction of essential oil...     

Growth-promoting bacteria and natural regulators mitigate salt toxicity and improve rapeseed plant performance

Salinity is a major environmental stress that limits plant production and portraits a critical challenge to food security in the world. In this research, the impacts of plant growth–promoting bacteria (Pseudomonas RS-198 and Azospirillum brasilense RS-SP7) and foliar application of plant hormones (salicylic acid 1 mM and jasmonic acid 0.5 mM) on alleviating the harmful effects of salt stress in rapeseed plants (Brassica napus cv. okapi) were examined under greenhouse condition. Salt stress diminished rapeseed biomass, leaf area, water content, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chlorophyll content, while it increased sodium content, endogenous salicylic and jasmonic acids, osmolyte production, H₂O₂ and O₂^•− generations, TBARS content, and antioxidant enzyme activities. Plant growth, nutrient content, leaf expansion, osmolyte production, and antioxidant enzyme activities were increased, but oxidative and osmotic stress indicators were decreased by bacteria inoculation + salicylic acid under salt stress. Antioxidant enzyme activities were amplified by jasmonic acid treatments under salt stress, although rapeseed growth was not generally affected by jasmonic acid. Bacterial + hormonal treatments were superior to individual treatments in reducing detrimental effects of salt stress. The best treatment in rectifying rapeseed growth under salt stress was combination of Pseudomonas and salicylic acid. This combination attenuated destructive salinity properties and subsequently amended rapeseed growth via enhancing endogenous salicylic acid content and some essential nutrients such as potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium.