Antimicrobial effects of three plants (rubia tinctorum, carthamus tinctorius and juglans regia) on some airborne microorganisms

In our study we have detected the antimicrobial effects of the aqueous, methanolic and chloroformic extracts of Rubia tinctorum, Carthamus tinctorius and Juglans regia on some airborne microorganisms; using the usual methods which are used routinely for this purpose in microbiology. Previous investigations have shown that extracts of these plants have antimicrobial effects on some bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus mycoides, and also on some fungi specially Aspergillus niger, Penicillium expansum and Geotrichum candidum.The antimicrobial effects we have detected are 'microbicidal'. The aqueous and the chloroformic extracts had the most and the least microbicidal effects, respectively. The aqueous extracts of Carthamus tintorious and Juglans regia had the most and the least microbicidal effects respectively. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Principal Component Analysis of Time-Related Changes of Some Essential Mineral Contents of Canned Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) in Different Filling Media

Biological Trace Element Research - The kinetic reaction for changes in some essential mineral contents (iron, zinc, calcium, sodium, and copper) of silver carp canned in sunflower oil, soybean...     

ROS-Mediated Antitumor Activity,Apoptosis, and Molecular Docking Studies of Platinum(II) Coordination Complexes Bearing 2-(Diphenylphosphino)pyridine Ligands

Platinum-based drugs have been widely used in cancer treatment. However, their severe side effects have limited their use. So, researchers have been striving to find compounds with fewer side effects and greater efficacy, to overcome these drawbacks. Here, the cytotoxicity of platinum(II) complexes containing 2-(diphenylphosphino)pyridine ligands have been studied on human lung (A549), ovarian (SKOV3), breast (MCF-7) cancer, and normal breast (MCF-10A) cell lines. The most potent compound exhibits a marked cell growth-inhibitory effect against ovarian and lung cancer cells with IC₅₀ values of 9.41 and 5.58 μM, respectively, which were significantly better than that observed for cisplatin (19.02, and 8.64 μM). Additionally, all complexes achieved significantly lower cytotoxicity towards MCF-10A. To investigate the interaction of complexes with DNA, an electrophoresis mobility shift assay was conducted, which indicated that complexes bind to DNA and affect its electrophoretic mobility. An analysis of apoptosis in A549 cells supported the conclusion that they inhibits cell proliferation via induction of apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. Molecular docking was also used to investigate the interactions of compounds with different DNA structures. These compounds have the ability to be a suitable pharmaceutical compound with further investigations in the field of cancer research.     

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma in a human immunodeficiency virus-positive patient with cytologic findings in bladder wash: a case report

BACKGROUND: Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) (Ki-1/CD-30 positive) is an uncommon lymphoproliferative disorder that may be of T cell or null cell type. ALCL has been reported in fine needle aspirations of lymph nodes and pleural or peritoneal fluid cytology. In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients, ALCL appears to be more common and run a more aggressive course. CASE: A 39-year-old black man, seropositive for HIV, presented with acute renal failure secondary to bilateral ureteral obstruction by a pelvic mass involving the urinary bladder. Bladder wash cytology and subsequent biopsy of the mass were diagnostic of ALCL. The ALCL was CD30+ and null cell type, with negative CD2, CD3, CD4, CD5, CD7, CD8, CD20, CD45, CD79a, ALK-1, granzyme B, cytokeratin (AE1/AE3), placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) and S-100. The patient expired 9 months after the diagnosis, despite aggressive therapy. CONCLUSION: This is a rare occurrence of ALCL (CD 30 positive, null cell type) in the urinary bladder in an HIV+ patient. Presumptive diagnosis was made by bladder wash cytology and subsequently confirmed by biopsy. Urinary cytologic examination is a useful diagnostic tool. In HIV+/immunosuppressed patients with urinary symptoms and an obstructive mass, ALCL should be considered in the differential diagnosis.     

Plasmodium falciparum: sequence analysis of the gene encoding the C-terminus region of the merozoite surface protein-1, a potential malaria vaccine antigen, in Iranian clinical isolates

C-terminal region of merozoite surface protein-1 of Plasmodium falciparum (PfMSP-1) isolated from different parts of the world revealed sequence variability, however no data exist on sequence heterogeneity of this region from Iran. To address this question, DNA encoding the carboxyl (C)-terminal region of PfMSP-1 was amplified in 144 Iranian P. falciparum clinical isolates, using allele type-specific primers. In this study both MAD20 (88.2%) and K1 (7.6%) types were detected. Sequence analysis of 33 and 92 fragments corresponding to pfmsp-1(42) and pfmsp-1(19) revealed eight (15MAD1-15MAD7 and 15KCH) and five [A1 (E/TSR/L), A2 (Q/KNG/F), A3 (E/KNG/F), A4 (E/TSG/L), and A5 (Q/KNG/L)] distinct haplotypes, respectively. E/TSG/L variant type was the predominant haplotype, and reported only from Thailand and India, but E/KNG/L is widespread in Africa, Asia, and Latin America; but not found among Iranian isolates. In summary, result of this study indicates limited antigenic diversity, and thus support the potential utility of the C-terminal region of PfMSP-1 in designing polyvalent vaccine constructs.     

Isolation and characterisation of the Photosystem two reaction centre complex from a double mutant of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

A rapid procedure has been developed for the isolation of the photosystem two reaction centre complex (PS II RC) from a double mutant of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, F54-14, which lacks the Photosystem one complex and the chloroplast ATPase. Thylakoid membranes are solubilised with 1.5% (w/v) Triton X-100 and the PS II RC purified by anion-exchange chromatography using TSK DEAE-650(S) (Merck). The complex has a pigment stoichiometry of approximately six chlorophyll a: two pheophytin a: one cytochrome b-559: one to two -carotene. It photoaccumulates reduced pheophytin and oxidised P680 in the presence of sodium dithionite and silicomolybdate, respectively. Immunoblotting experiments have confirmed the presence of the D1 and D2 polypeptides in this complex. The -subunit of cytochrome b-559 was identified by N-terminal sequencing. Comparison of the complex with the PS II RC from pea using SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that their polypeptide compositions were similar. However, the -subunit of cytochrome b-559 from C. reinhardtii has a lower apparent molecular weight than the pea counterpart whereas the -subunit is larger.Abbreviations DM n-dodecyl -d-maltoside - RC reaction centre - SiMo silicomolybdate, SiMo₁₂O₄₀ ^4– - TAP Tris-acetate-phosphate     

Studies on the Refolding Process of Recombinant Horseradish Peroxidase

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is an important heme-containing glyco-enzyme that has been used in many biotechnological fields. Valuable proteins like HRP can be obtained in sufficient amounts using Escherichia coli as an expression system. However, frequently, the expression of recombinant enzyme results in inclusion bodies, and the refolding yield is generally low for proteins such as plant peroxidases. In this study, a recombinant HRP was cloned and expressed in the form of inclusion bodies. Initially, the influence of few additives on HRP refolding was assessed by the one factor at a time method. Subsequently, factors with significant effects including glycerol, GSSG/DTT, and the enzyme concentration were selected for further optimization by means of the central composite design of response surface methodology (RSM). Under the obtained optimal condition, refolding increased about twofold. The refolding process was then monitored by the intrinsic fluorescence intensity under optimal conditions (0.35 mM GSSG, 0.044 mM DTT, 7 % glycerol, 1.7 M urea, and 2 mM CaCl₂ in 20 mM Tris, pH 8.5) and the reconstitution of heme to the refolded peroxidase was detected by the Soret absorbance. Additionally, samples under unfolding and refolding conditions were analyzed by Zetasizer to determine size distribution in different media.     

Interaction of methylxanthines and gentamicin against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa: role of phosphodiesterase inhibition

Previous studies showed that methylxanthines increased the antimicrobial activity of gentamicin against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this study, the effect of non-selective phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors (methylxanthines: aminophylline and caffeine) and partially selective PDE inhibitors, dipyridamole and sildenafil, was evaluated on the antimicrobial activity of gentamicin using checkerboard method. Aminophylline at concentrations of 0.5 and 1 mg/ml reduced the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of gentamicin (2 μg/ml) 2 and 4 times against S. aureus, and at concentrations of 0.5 and 2 mg/ml reduced the MIC of gentamicin (4 μg/ml) 2 and 4 times, respectively, against P. aeruginosa. Caffeine at concentrations of 1 and 2 mg/ml reduced the MIC of gentamicin (2 μg/ml) 4 and 32 times against S. aureus, and at concentrations of 0.12 and 2 mg/ml reduced the MIC of gentamicin (4 μg/ml) 2 and 4 times, respectively, against P. aeruginosa. However, dipyridamole and sildenafil (32 μg/ml) did not show any effect on MIC of gentamicin against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. These results suggest that methylxanthines could increase gentamicin effects against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa but this effect is not mediated by inhibition of PDE 5, 6, 8, 10 and 11.     

Evolutionary analyses of the major variant surface antigen-encoding genes reveal population structure of Plasmodium falciparum within and between continents

Malaria remains a major public health problem in many countries. Unlike influenza and HIV, where diversity in immunodominant surface antigens is understood geographically to inform disease surveillance, relatively little is known about the global population structure of PfEMP1, the major variant surface antigen of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The complexity of the var multigene family that encodes PfEMP1 and that diversifies by recombination, has so far precluded its use in malaria surveillance. Recent studies have demonstrated that cost-effective deep sequencing of the region of var genes encoding the PfEMP1 DBLα domain and subsequent classification of within host sequences at 96% identity to define unique DBLα types, can reveal structure and strain dynamics within countries. However, to date there has not been a comprehensive comparison of these DBLα types between countries. By leveraging a bioinformatic approach (jumping hidden Markov model) designed specifically for the analysis of recombination within var genes and applying it to a dataset of DBLα types from 10 countries, we are able to describe population structure of DBLα types at the global scale. The sensitivity of the approach allows for the comparison of the global dataset to ape samples of Plasmodium Laverania species. Our analyses show that the evolution of the parasite population emerging out of Africa underlies current patterns of DBLα type diversity. Most importantly, we can distinguish geographic population structure within Africa between Gabon and Ghana in West Africa and Uganda in East Africa. Our evolutionary findings have translational implications in the context of globalization. Firstly, DBLα type diversity can provide a simple diagnostic framework for geographic surveillance of the rapidly evolving transmission dynamics of P. falciparum. It can also inform efforts to understand the presence or absence of global, regional and local population immunity to major surface antigen variants. Additionally, we identify a number of highly conserved DBLα types that are present globally that may be of biological significance and warrant further characterization.     

Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Inhibition of Initial Adhesion and ALS1 and ALS3 Gene Expression in Candida albicans Strains from Urinary Tract Infections

Mycopathologia - The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-np) on initiation adhesion and agglutinin-like sequence (ALS) 1 and ALS3 gene expression, which is...