Highly Heterogeneous Probiotic Lactobacillus Species in Healthy Iranians with Low Functional Activities

Background

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been considered as potentially probiotic organisms due to their potential human health properties. This study aimed to evaluate both in vitro and in vivo, the potential probiotic properties of Lactobacillus species isolated from fecal samples of healthy humans in Iran.

Methods and Results

A total of 470 LAB were initially isolated from 53 healthy individual and characterized to species level. Of these, 88 (86%) were Lactobacillus species. Biochemical and genetic fingerprinting with Phene-Plate system (PhP-LB) and RAPD-PCR showed that the isolates were highly diverse consisted of 67(76.1%) and 75 (85.2%) single types (STs) and a diversity indices of 0.994 and 0.997, respectively. These strains were tested for production of adhesion to Caco-2 cells, antibacterial activity, production of B12, anti-proliferative effect and interleukin-8 induction on gut epithelial cell lines and antibiotic resistance against 9 commonly used antibiotics. Strains showing the characteristics consistent with probiotic strains, were further tested for their anti-inflammatory effect in mouse colitis model. Only one L. brevis; one L. rhamnosus and two L. plantarum were shown to have significant probiotic properties. These strains showed shortening the length of colon compared to dextran sulfate sodium and disease activity index (DAI) was also significantly reduced in mouse.

Conclusion

Low number of LAB with potential probiotic activity as well as high diversity of lactobacilli species was evident in Iranian population. It also suggest that specific strains of L. plantarum, L. brevis and L. rhamnosus with anti-inflammatory effect in mouse model of colitis could be used as a potential probiotic candidate in inflammatory bowel disease to decrease the disease activity index.     

CentiServer: A Comprehensive Resource,Web-Based Application and R Package for Centrality Analysis

Various disciplines are trying to solve one of the most noteworthy queries and broadly used concepts in biology, essentiality. Centrality is a primary index and a promising method for identifying essential nodes, particularly in biological networks. The newly created CentiServer is a comprehensive online resource that provides over 110 definitions of different centrality indices, their computational methods, and algorithms in the form of an encyclopedia. In addition, CentiServer allows users to calculate 55 centralities with the help of an interactive web-based application tool and provides a numerical result as a comma separated value (csv) file format or a mapped graphical format as a graph modeling language (GML) file. The standalone version of this application has been developed in the form of an R package. The web-based application (CentiServer) and R package (centiserve) are freely available at http://www.centiserver.org/     

A Monte Carlo study on dose distribution evaluation of Flexisource 192Ir brachytherapy source

Aim

The aim of this study is to evaluate the dose distribution of the Flexisource ¹⁹²Ir source.

Background

Dosimetric evaluation of brachytherapy sources is recommended by task group number 43 (TG. 43) of American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM).

Materials and methods

MCNPX code was used to simulate Flexisource ¹⁹²Ir source. Dose rate constant and radial dose function were obtained for water and soft tissue phantoms and compared with previous data on this source. Furthermore, dose rate along the transverse axis was obtained by simulation of the Flexisource and a point source and the obtained data were compared with those from Flexiplan treatment planning system (TPS).

Results

The values of dose rate constant obtained for water and soft tissue phantoms were equal to 1.108 and 1.106, respectively. The values of the radial dose function are listed in the form of tabulated data. The values of dose rate (cGy/s) obtained are shown in the form of tabulated data and figures. The maximum difference between TPS and Monte Carlo (MC) dose rate values was 11% in a water phantom at 6.0 cm from the source.

Conclusion

Based on dosimetric parameter comparisons with values previously published, the accuracy of our simulation of Flexisource ¹⁹²Ir was verified. The results of dose rate constant and radial dose function in water and soft tissue phantoms were the same for Flexisource and point sources. For Flexisource ¹⁹²Ir source, the results of TPS calculations in a water phantom were in agreement with the simulations within the calculation uncertainties. Furthermore, the results from the TPS calculation for Flexisource and MC calculation for a point source were practically equal within the calculation uncertainties.     

siRNA-mediated silencing of CD44 delivered by Jet Pei enhanced Doxorubicin chemo sensitivity and altered miRNA expression in human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB468)

Molecular Biology Reports - CD44, as a superficial cellular glycoprotein, is an essential factor in cell–cell and cell–matrix interaction. The CD44 expression level has been...     

Effect of Silver Diamine Fluoride on Reducing Candida albicans Adhesion on Dentine

Background

Candida albicans is the most frequent pathogenic fungus in oral cavities. It adheres to dental tissues as part of dental plaques and contributes to caries formation.

Objectives

To evaluate the effect of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) on reducing C. albicans adhesion on dentine surfaces.

Methods

Flat dentine surfaces were prepared from bovine dental disks, and samples were divided into three groups. The first and second groups were pretreated for 3 min with 299 mM or 2.99 M SDF, respectively, and the third group (control) did not undergo any SDF pretreatment. All samples were washed, inoculated with C. albicans suspension onto their dentine surface, incubated at 30 °C for 6 h, and washed again to remove any nonadherent cells. The abundance of adherent cells was investigated using colorimetric and real-time polymerase chain reaction approaches. Subsequently, the morphological changes in C. albicans by pretreatment with SDF were observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Results

SDF inhibited candidal growth at concentrations as low as 2.99 µM. Dentine disks pretreated with 299 mM or 2.99 M SDF displayed significantly fewer adhered cells as compared with the control group. Upon pretreatment with SDF, SEM images showed severe morphological changes in the cellular walls, in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting a fungicidal effect of SDF against the yeast.

Conclusion

SDF should be considered for clinical applications aimed at inhibiting dental plaque caused by C. albicans, particularly in children and elderly individuals.

     

Potential role of miR-214 in β-catenin gene expression within hepatocellular carcinoma

Molecular Biology Reports - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important gene regulators whose dysregulations can be involved in tumorigenesis. β-catenin, the main agent in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway,...     

Antifungal Activity of a Novel Triazole,Efinaconazole and Nine Comparators against 354 Molecularly Identified Aspergillus Isolates

Mycopathologia - Management of superficial aspergillosis is a major challenge owing to the frequent relapses and treatment failure, which may pose a potential risk, thereby gradually developing...     

A comparison of symmetry and flatness measurements in small electron fields by different dosimeters in electron beam radiotherapy

BackgroundSymmetry and flatness are two quantities which should be evaluated in the commissioning and quality control of an electron beam in electron beam radiotherapy. The aim of this study is to compare symmetry and flatness obtained using three different dosimeters for various small and large fields in electron beam radiotherapy with linac.Materials and methodsBeam profile measurements were performed in a PTW water phantom for 10, 15 and 18 MeV electron beams of an Elekta Precise linac for small and large beams (1.5 × 1.5 cm² to 20 × 20 cm² field sizes). A Diode E detector and Semiflex-3D and Advanced Markus ionization chambers were used for dosimetry.ResultsBased on the obtained results, there are minor differences between the responses from different dosimeters (Diode E detector and Semiflex-3D and Advanced Markus ionization chambers) in measurement of symmetry and flatness for the electron beams. The symmetry and flatness values increase with increasing field size and electron beam energy for small and large field sizes, while the increases are minor in some cases.ConclusionsThe results indicate that the differences between the symmetry and flatness values obtained from the three dosimeter types are not practically important.