Intra-erythrocyte Magnesium Is Associated with Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase in Obese Children and Adolescents

This study aims at determining the association between markers of hepatic injury and serum, urinary, and intra-erythrocyte magnesium concentrations and dietary magnesium intake in obese children and adolescents. In a case–control study, 42 obese children and adolescents (8–18 years) and 42 sex- and puberty-matched controls were studied. Serum, urinary, and intra-erythrocyte magnesium levels, indices of insulin sensitivity, and liver enzymes were measured. Dietary magnesium intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Obese children and adolescents exhibited insulin resistance as determined by a higher fasting insulin and the HOMA-IR (p < 0.001) and lower QUICKI indices (p = 0.001); in addition these subjects had significantly higher intra-erythrocyte magnesium (IEM) concentrations, than non-obese ones (3.99 ± 1.05 vs. 3.35 ± 1.26 mg/dL of packed cell; p = 0.015). Among liver enzymes, only gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) was significantly higher in obese than in non-obese subjects (22.7 ± 9.4 vs. 17.1 ± 7.9 U/l; p = 0.002). A positive association was found between GGT and IEM in both groups; however in multivariate analysis, in obese subjects, only GGT (p = 0.026) and, in non-obese subjects, only age (p = 0.006) remained as significant predictors of IEM. In conclusion, increased IEM concentration was seen in insulin-resistant obese children and adolescents; furthermore, serum GGT was associated with IEM, independently of body mass index and HOMA-IR.     

Investigations on possible roles of C-terminal propeptide of a Ca-independent α-amylase from bacillus

Previously, an extracellular α-amylase (BKA) had been purified from the culture of Bacillus sp. KR8104. Subsequently, the crystal structure of the active enzyme revealed a 422 amino acids polypeptide. In this study, the bka was cloned into E. coli, which encoded a polypeptide of 659 amino acids including two additional fragments: one 44 residues N-terminal fragment and another 193 residues C-terminal fragment. In order to investigate the role of the C-terminal fragment, two constructs with and without this region [BKAΔ(N44) and BKAΔ(N44C193)] were designed and expressed in E. coli BL21. The optimum pH, thermal stability, and the end-products of starch hydrolysis were found to be similar in both constructs. The Km and V(max) values for BKAΔ(N44) were lower than BKAΔ(N44C193), using either starch or ethylidene-blocked 4-nitrophenylmaltoheptaoside as a substrate.     

Characterization of glycopeptides, aminoglycosides and macrolide resistance among Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolates from hospitals in Tehran

The prevalence of glycopeptides, aminoglycosides and erythromycin resistance among Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium was investigated. The susceptibility of 326 enterococcal hospital isolates to amikacin, kanamycin, netilmicin and tobramycin were determined using disk diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of vancomycin, teicoplanin, gentamicin, streptomycin, and erythromycin were determined by microbroth dilution method. The genes encoding aminoglycoside modifying enzymes described as AMEs genes, erythromycin-resistant methylase (erm) and vancomycin-resistant were targeted by multiplex-PCR reaction. High level resistance (HLR) to gentamicin and streptomycin among enterococci isolates were 52% and 72% respectively. The most prevalent of AMEs genes were aac (6')-Ie aph (2") (63%) followed by aph (3')-IIIa (37%). The erythromycin resistance was 45% and 41% of isolates were positive for ermB gene. The ermA gene was found in 5% of isolates whereas the ermC gene was not detected in any isolates. The prevalence of vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) was 12% consisting of E. faecalis (6%) and E. faecium (22%) and all of them were VanA Phenotype. The results demonstrated that AMEs, erm and van genes are common in enterococci isolated in Tehran. Furthermore our results show an increase in the rate of vancomycin resistance among enterococci isolates in Iran.     

Salicylic acid affects growth,essential oil and chemical compositions of thyme (Thymus daenensis Celak.) under reduced irrigation

Salicylic acid (SA) may reduce the negative impact of water deficit on growth and metabolite yield of Thymus daenensis Celak subsp. daenensis Celak. The effect of foliar application of SA and reduced irrigation on growth, oil yield, chemical components, and antibacterial and antioxidant activities of T. daenensis in field condition were investigated. Treatments comprised 0.0, 1.5 and 3.0 M SA applied to plants under normal irrigation and stressed conditions. Results indicated that irrigation regime had a significant effect on growing degree days (GDD) required to reach early and full flowering. Foliar application of SA influenced GDD from early growing stage to 50 % and full flowering, minimum radius and canopy diameter. The highest values of oil content (3.2 % v/w) and yield (14.9 g m^?2) were obtained from application of 3.0 M SA. Percentage of some chemical constituents in the essential oil extracted from the plants under stress was higher than non-stressed plants. Thymol content was significantly reduced under stressed conditions. Foliar application of SA significantly improved carvacrol, α-thujene, α-pinene and p-cymene contents in the oils, but reduced thymol and, β-caryophyllene amounts. Our results showed that foliar application of SA reduced the negative effect of water deficit on thymol content in the essential oil of T. daenensis. The essential oils of T. daenensis exhibited antioxidant and antibacterial activities when plants were sprayed with 1.5 and 3.0 M SA, respectively.     

Effect of starvation and refeeding on digestive enzyme activities in juvenile roach, Rutilus rutilus caspicus

We evaluated the effects of starvation and refeeding on digestive enzyme activities in juvenile roach, Rutilus rutilus caspicus. Fish were divided into four feeding groups (mean mass 1.68 ± 0.12 g). The control group was fed to satiation twice a day throughout the experiment with formulated diet (SFK). The other three groups were deprived of feed for 1(S1), 2(S2), and 3(S3) weeks, respectively, and then fed to satiation during the refeeding period. The results showed that trypsin specific activity was not affected significantly either by starvation or refeeding, in all experimental groups. Chymotrypsin specific activity did not change significantly in S1 fish during the experimental period. In S2 and S3 fish no significant changes were observed during the starvation period. Upon refeeding, the activity increased in S2 fish, while it decreased in S3 fish. Amylase specific activity decreased significantly during the starvation period in all experimental groups. Upon refeeding, the activity increased. Alkaline phosphatase specific activity did not change significantly during the experiment period in S3 fish, while it showed significant changes during the starvation and refeeding period in the S1 and S2 fish. Starvation also had a significant effect on the structure of the intestine.     

Structure–activity relationship studies of 3-dodecanoylindole-2-carboxylic acid inhibitors of cytosolic phospholipase A2α-mediated arachidonic acid release in intact platelets: variation of the keto moiety

Recently we found that 1-methyldodecanoylindole-2-carboxylic acid (1) and 1-[2-(4-carboxyphenoxy)ethyl]-3-dodecanoylindole-2-carboxylic acid (4) were inhibitors of the cytosolic phospholipase A₂α (cPLA₂α)-mediated arachidonic acid release in calcium ionophore A23187-stimulated human platelets with IC₅₀-values of 4.8 μM (1) and 0.86 μM (4). We have now replaced the 3-acyl residue of these compounds by alkylated sulfinyl-, sulfony-, sulfinamoyl-, sulfamoyl-, carbonylamino-, or carbonylaminomethyl-substituents. Structure–activity relationship studies revealed that the pronounced cellular activity of 4 strongly depends on the presence of the 3-acyl moiety. Surprisingly, when testing 4 and its derivatives in an assay with the isolated cPLA₂, none of these compounds showed an inhibitory potency at 10 μM indicating that they do not inhibit cPLA₂α in the cells by a direct interaction with the active site of the enzyme.     

Hepatitis C virus genotypes in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection in southern Iran from 2016 to 2019

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The treatment of HCV infection has become more complicated due to various genotypes and subtypes of HCV. The treatment of HCV has made significant advances with direct-acting antivirals. However, for the choice of medicine or the combination of drugs for hepatitis C, it is imperative to detect and discriminate the crucial HCV genotypes. The main objective of this study was to determine the pattern of circulating HCV genotypes in southern Iran, from 2016 until 2019. The other aim of the study was to determine possible associations of patients’ risk factors with HCV genotypes. A total of 803 serum samples were collected in 4 years (2016–2019) from patients with HCV antibody positive results. A total of 728 serum samples were HCV-RNA positive. The prevalence of HCV genotypes was detected using the genotype-specific RT-PCR test for serum samples obtained from 615 patients. The HCV genotype 1 (G1) was the most prevalent (48.8%) genotype in the area, with G1a, G1b, and mixed G1a/b representing 38.4%, 10.1%, and 0.3%, respectively. Genotype 3a was the next most prevalent (47.2%). Mixed genotypes 1a/3a were detected in 22 (3.6%) and finally G4 was found in 3 (0.5%) patients. The other HCV genotypes were not detected in any patient. Genotype 1 (1a and 1b alone, 1a/1b and 1a/3a coinfections) is the most prevalent HCV genotype in southern Iran. HCV G1 shows a significantly higher rate in people under 40 years old.     

Collophora hispanica,a New Pathogen and Potential Threat to the Almond Industry in Iran

Trunk diseases are potential threats for almond productivity and longevity worldwide, including Iran. In a recent survey on fungal species associated with trunk diseases of almonds in north‐western Iran, Collophora isolates (tentatively identified as Collophora hispanica) were recovered with high frequency from wood samples with internal necrosis and brown to black vascular streaking of almond trees showing symptoms of decline. However, the pathogenic potential of Collophora isolates on almond trees in Iran remains unproven. In this study, the identity of the isolates was further confirmed as C. hispanica based on a combination of morphological data and sequence data of ITS‐rDNA region, and pathogenicity of C. hispanica isolates on almond was evaluated using excised shoot method and in greenhouse experiments. Collophora hispanica isolates induced lesions statistically different from the control, in both excised shoot method and greenhouse assays. Significant differences were observed among the isolates in the length of the lesion induced on wood. Collophora hispanica should be considered as the main trunk pathogens of almond trees in north‐western region of Iran. The distribution and host range of this new pathogen on almond remains to be studied.