Antiviral and antimicrobial assessment of some selected flavonoids

In the current study, the results of antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activity tests of four flavonoid derivatives, scandenone (1), tiliroside (2), quercetin-3,7-O-alpha-L-dirhamnoside (3), and kaempferol-3,7-O-alpha-L-dirhamnoside (4), are presented. Antibacterial and antifungal activities of these compounds were tested against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Enterococcus faecalis, as well as the fungus Candida albicans by a micro-dilution method. On the other hand, both DNA virus Herpes simplex (HSV) and RNA virus Parainfluenza-3 (PI-3) were employed for antiviral assessment of the compounds using Madin-Darby bovine kidney and Vero cell lines. According to our data, all of the compounds tested were found to be quite active against S. aureus and E. faecalis with MIC values of 0.5 microg/ml, followed by E. coli (2 microg/ml), K. pneumoniae (4 microg/ml), A. baumannii (8 micro/g/ml), and B. subtilis (8 microg/ml), while they inhibited C. albicans at 1 microg/ml as potent as ketoconazole. However, only compound 3 displayed an antiviral effect towards PI-3 in the range of 8-32 microg/ml of inhibitory concentration for cytopathogenic effect (CPE).     

Application of next-generation sequencing methods for microbial monitoring of anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic biomass

The anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic wastes is considered an efficient method for managing the world’s energy shortages and resolving contemporary environmental problems. However, the recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass represents a barrier to maximizing biogas production. The purpose of this review is to examine the extent to which sequencing methods can be employed to monitor such biofuel conversion processes. From a microbial perspective, we present a detailed insight into anaerobic digesters that utilize lignocellulosic biomass and discuss some benefits and disadvantages associated with the microbial sequencing techniques that are typically applied. We further evaluate the extent to which a hybrid approach incorporating a variation of existing methods can be utilized to develop a more in-depth understanding of microbial communities. It is hoped that this deeper knowledge will enhance the reliability and extent of research findings with the end objective of improving the stability of anaerobic digesters that manage lignocellulosic biomass.     

Integrative analysis of mRNA and microRNA expression profiles in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Larynx cancer is a therapeutically challenging disease. Rapidly evolving experimentally validated data have significantly improved our understanding of the complex role of numerous RNA, DNA, and proteins that play a role in the development and progression of cancer. Based on the insights from approximately two decades of research, it seems clear that microRNAs (miRNAs) have revolutionized our concepts related to the main role of noncoding RNAs in different cancers’ progression, development, and metastasis. Mechanistically, miRNAs have been reported to regulate different RNAs and finally protein-coding genes. The expression profiling of miRNAs and messenger RNA (mRNAs) was conducted for a deeper analysis of the miRNAs and mRNAs which play an essential role in larynx cancer. Downregulation or upregulation over twofolds in the miRNAs was considered to be significant, and that of sixfolds or below was considered to be significant for the mRNAs. In accordance with this approach, the expression levels of 43 miRNAs were increased in this study, whereas the expression levels of 129 were decreased. Accordingly, all the genomic expression studies provided evidence of upregulation of 97 genes, whereas 128 genes were found to be downregulated. Among these miRNAs, hsa-miR-20a-3p and hsa-miR-1972 were noted to be important in the etiology of larynx cancer.     

Oxidative protein damage in plasma of type 2 diabetic patients.

In this study, we evaluated protein oxidation in 84 patients with Type 2 diabetes with no complications and in 61 healthy volunteers who formed the control group, whose ages matched those of the patients. We determined plasma carbonyl and plasma thiol levels as markers of oxidative protein damage and erythrocyte glutathione, plasma ceruloplasmin and transferrin as markers of free radical scavengers. The concentrations (mean +/- SD) of both of plasma carbonyl (1.24 +/- 0.46 vs. 0.72 +/- 0.17 nmole/mg protein; p < 0.0001) and lipid hydroperoxides (1.8 +/- 0.63 vs. 1.3 +/- 0.21 micromole/l; p < 0.0001) were increased, and the concentration of plasma transferrin (3.85 +/- 0.65 vs. 4.59 +/- 0.79 g/l; p < 0.05) was decreased, respectively, in Type 2 diabetic patients compared with those of the controls. There were no significant differences in the concentrations of plasma thiol (0.0064 +/- 0.001 vs. 0.0068 +/- 0.001 micromole/mg protein), erythrocyte glutathione (2.54 +/- 0.57 vs. 2.65 +/- 0.56 mg/g Hb), plasma ceruloplasmin (548 +/- 107.30 vs. 609 +/- 93.34 mg/l) between the patients and the controls. These changes observed in diabetic patients contribute to the imbalance in the redox status of the plasma. We attribute this imbalance to oxidative protein damage in Type 2 diabetic patients clinically free of complications.     

Comparison of ITO and ZnO ternary glassy composites in terms of radiation shielding properties by Monte Carlo N-particle transport code and BXCOM

In the present study, radiation shielding properties of two glassy composite materials that are widely used in electronics, photovoltaic applications, and sensor technology, were investigated in the photon energy range from 15 keV to 15 MeV. The materials chosen were (ITO)/V2O5/B2O3 and ZnO/V2O5/B2O3 including various concentrations of B2O3. Radiation interaction was simulated and shielding parameters calculated by means of the MCNP and BXCOM codes. More specifically, buildup factors, effective electron density ($$N_{text{eff}}$$) and effective atomic number ($$Z_{text{eff}}$$) were calculated with BXCOM, while mass attenuation coefficients ($$mu /rho$$), half-value layer (HVL) and tenth-value layer (TVL) values were calculated with MCNP. The results were compared with those obtained with the WinXCOM code, for validation. Acceptable and preferable results were obtained for both composites as alternative to other glassy shielding materials. The composite including ITO showed better shielding properties than the composite including ZnO. In terms of radiation shielding, both composites turned out to be better than concrete and close to lead.     

Simultaneous determination of tyrosine, phenylalanine and deoxyguanosine oxidation products by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry as non-invasive biomarkers for oxidative damage

We developed an isotope dilution HPLC-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous determination of p-tyrosine, phenylalanine, o,o'-dityrosine, m-tyrosine, o-tyrosine, 3-chlorotyrosine and 3-nitrotyrosine and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) that requires no extensive sample pre-treatment. p-[(2)H(4)]Tyrosine and o,o'-[(2)H(6)]dityrosine were used as internal standards. Calibration curves of the method were linear (r(2)=0.990-0.999) over a concentration range of 0.03-10 microM for o-tyrosine; 0.04-10 microM for 3-nitrotyrosine and 3-chlorotyrosine; 0.05-10 microM for o,o'-dityrosine; and for m-tyrosine; 1.0-100 microM for p-tyrosine and for phenylalanine; and 0.01-10 microM for 8-OHdG. The detection limits were from 0.025 to 0.05 microM for the tyrosine derivatives; 0.01 microM for 8-OHdG; and 0.5 microM for p-tyrosine and for phenylalanine, respectively. Within-day coefficients of variation (CV) for spiked human urine samples ranged from 2.7 to 7.0%, except for 8-OHdG (13.7%). Between-day variations ranged from 7.9 to 13.0%, except for o-tyrosine (CV = 18.2%), and for 8-OHdG (CV = 24.7%).The background levels of p-tyrosine, phenylalanine, o,o'-dityrosine, and o-tyrosine in morning urine of eight healthy volunteers were 3890+/-590, 3420+/-730, 5.8+/-0.3, and 9.2+/-1.5 micromol/mol creatinine, respectively. Using the present HPLC-APCI-MS/MS method, the urinary background levels of m-tyrosine, 3-chlorotyrosine, 3-nitrotyrosine and 8-OHdG were below the limit of detection.     

Immunodetection of surfactant proteins in human organ of Corti, Eustachian tube and kidney

The presence of surfactant proteins was investigated in the human organ of Corti, Eustachian tube and kidney tissues. It has previously been shown that lamellar bodies are present in hairy cells of organ of Corti, in the cytoplasm of secretory and lumen of tubal glands of Eustachian tube and kidney renal basement membrane. No evidence for the presence of surfactant proteins in the organ of Corti and kidney has been presented until now. The aim of this study was to find out if surfactant proteins were expressed in other epithelia such as organ of Corti, Eustachian tube and kidney. Surfactant proteins were identified using one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting. On one-dimensional Western blots, bands for surfactant protein A in human Eustachian tube (SP-A, 34 kDa) and in kidney extracts, and for surfactant protein D (SP-D, 43 kDa) in Eustachian tube and in kidney extracts (SP-D, 86 kDa), and for surfactant protein B (SP-B, 8 kDa) in human Eustachian tube and organ of Corti extracts were detected. Bands corresponded to monomeric forms of lung surfactant proteins. These results indicate the presence of SP-A and SP-D in kidney epithelium, SP-A, SP-B and SP-D in Eustachian tube and SP-B in the organ of Corti.