Bacteriological follow-up of pulmonary tuberculosis treatment: a study with a simple colorimetric assay

The viability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in serial sputum specimens from persistently smear positive patients was evaluated. The assay was based on oxidation-reduction of Alamar Blue and Malachite Green dyes that change their color in response to MTB growth. A total of 280 sputum specimens from 40 persistently smear positive TB patients and 40 sputa from non-tuberculosis patients were digested, decontaminated and examined microscopically. To check the MTB viability, the sediments from decontaminated samples were inoculated into three culture media: Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) slants, Alamar Blue and Malachite Green culture tubes. We found that out of 280 smear positive specimens, the LJ culture was positive in 124 (44%). The numbers of correctly identified S+/C+ cases by Alamar Blue and Malachite Green were 118 (95%) and 116 (93%), respectively. The mean time required for reporting the positive signal in Alamar Blue culture tubes was 9 versus 11 days by Malachite Green culture tubes. In the standard LJ culture media the average detection time was 27 days (P < 0.05). The sensitivity of LJ was 99%, Alamar Blue 95% and Malachite Green 93%. The specificity was 100%, 92% and 93%, respectively. The oxidation-reduction method is rapid, sensitive and inexpensive in monitoring the treatment response of patients with pulmonary TB. Thus, using this method can be of paramount importance, particularly in resource-constrained areas.     

Survivin as a Target for Anti-cancer Phytochemicals According to the Molecular Docking Analysis

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - Survivin is a unique member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family. Research has approved Survivin’s ability to interact...     

Morphological plasticity of Parrotia persica leaves in eastern Hyrcanian forests (Iran) is related to altitude

Variation in leaf characters of Parrotia persica in relation to their position in the canopy along an altitudinal gradient were studied. Genetic and phenotypic characters make P. persica one of the most noteworthy plants in the five floristic regions of Iran. It is an endemic species of the Hyrcanian forests, and occurs naturally from sea level to over 900 m a.s.l. on the north side of the Mountain Ranges of Alborz, northern Iran. There was a significant effect of altitude only on few leaf features [width of lamina, base angle (internal angle of lamina), number of pair vein (number of principal veins of lamina) of leaf, top and end of leaf figure]. Among different geographical sides of the crown, there was no significant difference in the plasticity of leaf features, but leaf figure (both top of leaf figure and end of leaf figure) showed the lowest plasticity among the different leaf characters. Of all characters measured, the lowest plasticity among the three populations was found for base angle and number of vein pairs. A PCA analysis showed that leaf petiole and maximum width of lamina in 0.9 of its length, together with leaf figure and width of lamina, accounted for the greatest variation in difference of populations.     

Role of agrochemical-based nanomaterials in plants: biotic and abiotic stress with germination improvement of seeds

Plant Growth Regulation - Nanotechnology has provided advancement opportunities in different fields of sciences related to plants such as agriculture. Plants are one of the most critical components...     

Genotypic diversity of Iranian Cryptococcus neoformans using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and susceptibility to antifungals

Molecular Biology Reports - Cryptococcus species is an opportunistic yeast pathogen and classified into different molecular types according to typing techniques including multilocus sequence typing...     

Biodegradation of diesel fuel hydrocarbons by mangrove fungi from Red Sea Coast of Saudi Arabia

Mangrove sediments were collected from major mangrove stands on the Red Sea Coast of Saudi Arabia. Forty five isolates belonging to 12 genera were purified and five isolates as well as their consortium were found to be able to grow in association with petroleum oil as sole carbon source under in vitro conditions. The isolated strains were identified based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA sequence analysis. The fungal strains with the greatest potentiality to degrade diesel oil, without developing antagonistic activity, were identified as Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus terreus, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, Eupenicillium hirayamae and Paecilomyces variotii. As compared to the controls, these fungi accumulated significantly higher biomass, produced extracellular enzymes and liberated larger volumes of CO₂. These observations with GC–MS data confirm that these isolates displayed rapid diesel oil bioremoval and when used together as a consortium, there was no antagonistic activity.     

Fifty years of struggle to control cutaneous leishmaniasis in the highest endemic county in Iran: A longitudinal observation inferred with interrupted time series model

Negligible data are available following major social activities and environmental changes on leishmaniasis. Therefore, how interactions between these events influence cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) risk is not well-known. This longitudinal study was undertaken to explore the impact of interventions conducted between 1971 and 2020 in Bam county, which has had the highest disease burden in Iran. Only confirmed CL cases during this period were taken into account. Data were analyzed by SPSS 22 using the X² test to assess the significance of the difference between proportions. Moreover, we used interrupted time series (ITS) to assess the impact of three environmental events during this period. Overall, 40,164 cases of CL occurred in the past five decades. Multiple complex factors were among the leading causes that synergistically induced the emergence/re-emergence of CL outbreaks in Bam. The main factors attributed negatively to CL control were cessation of malaria spraying activity, expansion of the city spaces, and a massive earthquake creating new breeding potentials for the vectors. The highest impact on CL incidence during these years was related to the earthquake [coefficient = 17.8 (95% CI: 11.3, 22.7); p-value < 0.001]. Many factors can contribute to CL outbreaks in endemic foci. They also can cause new foci in new areas. Since humans are the single reservoir for CL in this area, early detection and effective management significantly contribute to controlling CL to reduce the disease burden. However, essential evidence gaps remain, and new tools are crucial before the disease can ultimately be controlled. Nevertheless, sustained funding and more trained task forces are essential to strengthen surveillance and case management and monitor the interventions’ impact.     

Horizontal gene and chromosome transfer in plant pathogenic fungi affecting host range

Plant pathogenic fungi adapt quickly to changing environments including overcoming plant disease resistance genes. This is usually achieved by mutations in single effector genes of the pathogens, enabling them to avoid recognition by the host plant. In addition, horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and horizontal chromosome transfer (HCT) provide a means for pathogens to broaden their host range. Recently, several reports have appeared in the literature on HGT, HCT and hybridization between plant pathogenic fungi that affect their host range, including species of Stagonospora/Pyrenophora, Fusarium and Alternaria. Evidence is given that HGT of the ToxA gene from Stagonospora nodorum to Pyrenophora tritici-repentis enabled the latter fungus to cause a serious disease in wheat. A nonpathogenic Fusarium species can become pathogenic on tomato by HCT of a pathogenicity chromosome from Fusarium oxysporum f.sp lycopersici, a well-known pathogen of tomato. Similarly, Alternaria species can broaden their host range by HCT of a single chromosome carrying a cluster of genes encoding host-specific toxins that enabled them to become pathogenic on new hosts such as apple, Japanese pear, strawberry and tomato, respectively. The mechanisms HGT and HCT and their impact on potential emergence of fungal plant pathogens adapted to new host plants will be discussed.