Effects of Probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii Supernatant on Viability, Nano-Mechanical Properties of Cytoplasmic Membrane and Pro-Inflammatory Gene Expression in Human Gastric Cancer AGS Cells

Abstract: Background: Gastric cancer has been recognized as the second most probable cause of death in humans from cancer diseases around the world. Postbiotics, supernatant, and metabolites from probiotic microorganisms have recently been used widely to prevent and treat cancer diseases in humans, without any undesirable side effects. This study explores the antiproliferative and antitumor activities of the probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii supernatant (SBS) against AGS cancer cells, a human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line. Methods: We evaluated cell growth inhibitory and mechanical properties of the cytoplasmic membrane and the downregulation of survivin and proinflammatory genes in AGS cells treated with SBS after 24 and 48 h. Results: SBS significantly inhibits the AGS cell growth, and the concentrations with IC50 values after 24 and 48 h treatments are measured as 2266 and 1956 µg/mL, respectively. Regarding the AFM images and Young‘s modulus analysis, SBS significantly induces morphological changes in the cytoplasmic membrane of the treated AGS cells. Expression of survivin, NFÎB, and IL-8 genes is significantly suppressed in AGS cells treated with SBS. Conclusions: Considering the antitumor activities of SBS on AGS cell line, it can be regarded as a prospective therapeutic and preventive strategy against human stomach cancer disease. Keywords: Saccharomyces boulardii; postbiotic; anticancer properties; AGS cell lin

Evaluation of Authenticity in Honey Samples from Qazvin, Iran

ABSTRACT: Adulteration of honey is a major problem in the world, due to its high nutritional value and the expensive cost of honey. Thus, the quality of honey produced in different regions must be assessed to protect the rights of consumers. The study aims to investigate the physicochemical (hydroxymethylfurfural: HMF, moisture, ash, electrical conductivity, pH, total acidity, diastase activity, and reduction sugar), and microbiological (clostridium perfringens, molds, and osmotolerant yeasts) parameters of 43 honey samples. All the honey samples were collected from Qazvin province, Iran. Our results demonstrate that pH and acidity values in all of the honey samples were in the accepted limit and other physicochemical parameters include HMF (44.18%), reduction sugar (9.30%), moisture (2.32%), sucrose (53.48%), diastase activity (58.13%), fructose/glucose ratio (25.58%), electrical conductivity (9.30%) and ash (4.65%) were below the acceptable quality level. All the honey samples were in the acceptable range in terms of microbial quality (yeast, fungi and, Clostridia). All the honey samples are within expected microbial levels but in non-standard physicochemical conditions. Our results indicate that you can use fast, inexpensive and safe tests for identifying the adulteration in a variety of honeys (commercial and non-commercial). These measurements should be widely practiced by governmental organizations determine a fair and reasonable price for each product

Forensic Gender Determination by Using Mandibular Morphometric Indices an Iranian Population: A Panoramic Radiographic Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract: Gender determination is the first step in forensic identification, followed by age and height determination, which are both affected by gender. This study assessed the accuracy of gender estimation using mandibular morphometric indices on panoramic radiographs of an Iranian population. This retrospective study evaluated 290 panoramic radiographs (145 males and 145 females). The maximum and minimum ramus width, coronoid height, condylar height, antegonial angle, antegonial depth, gonial angle, and the superior border of mental foramen were bilaterally measured as well as bicondylar and bigonial breadths using Scanora Lite. Correlation of parameters with gender was analyzed by univariate, multiple, and best models. All indices except for gonial angle were significantly different between males and females and can be used for gender determination according to univariate model. Condylar height, coronoid height, and superior border of mental foramen and ramus were still significantly greater in males than in females after controlling for the effect of confounders (p < 0.05). Based on the best model, a formula including five indices of bicondylar breadth, condylar height, coronoid height, minimum ramus width, and superior border of mental foramen was used for gender determination. Values higher than 56% indicate male gender, while lower values indicate female gender, with 81.38% specificity for correct detection of females and 88.97% sensitivity for correct detection of males. Despite the satisfactory results, future research should focus on larger populations to verify the accuracy of the present findings

بررسی اثر سمیت نانوذره پروپولیس بر روی تکثیر و بیان ژن‌های BAX و BCL-2 در رده سلولی A-375 ملانوما

پیش زمینه: سرطان ملانوما امروزه مسئول 80 درصد مرگ و میر های ناشی از سرطان پوست است. رایج ترین و موثرترین درمان های موجود برای این بیماری، جراحی ، شیمی درمانی و رادیو تراپی است که به علت محدودیت ها و عوارض جانبی ناشی از این درمان ها، محققان امروزه درمان با ترکیبات طبیعی را هدف قرار داده اند. مطالعات اخیر، پتانسیل ضدسرطاني پروپولیس را به عنوان مکملی جهت درمان انواع سرطان ها نشان داده است. اين ترکیب با اثر بر رشد و تکثیر سلول‌های سرطانی، مسیرهای مولكولي و پروتئین های چرخه ی سلولي منجر به مهار پیشرفت سرطان شده و همچنین با اثر بر پروتئین های مرتبط با چسبندگي و مهاجرت سلولي از متاستاز سلول‌های سرطاني نیز جلوگیری ميکند. با اين حال به دلیل حلالیت کم، جذب کم و همچنین رهاسازی غیر هدفمنو استفاده از آن با محدوديت هايي روبه رو است. هدف اين مطالعه بررسی اثر سمیت نانوذره پروپولیس بر روی تکثیر و بیان ژن های BAX و BCL-2 برروی رده سلولی A-375 سرطان ملانوما است. روش کار: پروپولیس قزوین بعد از عصاره گیری اتانولی، به فرم نانو به روش سونیکاسیون آماده شد. اندازه ذرات و بار سطحی آن ها با DLS و پتانسیل زتا تعیین شد. سنجش MTT برای مقايسه ی اثرات عصاره پروپولیس و نانوپروپولیس در غلظت های (10تا 100 میكروگرم برمیلي لیتر) جهت ارزيابي زنده ماني سلول های A-375 ملانوما و تعیین IC50 در 24 و 48 ساعت انجام شد. ارزیابی اثر عصاره پروپولیس و نانوپروپولیس توسط تست های مختلفی شامل : بررسی میزان آپوپتوز (سنجش رنگ آمیزی دو گانهPI/V-Annexin در فلوسايتومتری )، بررسی متاستاز ( سنجش ترمیم زخم (خراش) )، ارزیابی تغییرات فیزیکوشیمیایی سلول‌های سرطانی ( میکروسکوپ نیروی اتمی (AFM))، بررسی میزان تکثیر سلول های ( با بررسی چرخه سلولی( ، بررسی بیان ژن های مرتبط با آپوپتوز(BAX, BCL-2و Caspase-3 )، ارزیابی اثرحساسیت پرتویی و محافظت پرتویی ( سنجش Comet ، در سلول های سرطانی A-375 و سلول‌های نرمال Vero ) انجام شد. در نهایت برهمکنش پروتیین های بررسی شده در بیان ژن با استفاده از نرم افزار String تعیین شدند. نتایج: نتایج DLS و پتانسیل زتا اندازه نانوذرات را بین 100-1 نانومتر تایید کرد و بارسطحی را با 33- پایدار گزارش کرد. مقادیر تخمینی IC50 برای عصاره پروپولیس و نانوپروپولیس در بازه 24 و 48 ساعت نشان دهنده اثر سمیت ترکیبات بر روی سلول‌های A-375 بود که نانوپروپولیس در بازه 48 ساعت بهترین عملکرد را نشان داد. اين ترکیبات سمیت معناداری برروی سلول‌های نرمال نداشتند. نتایج نشان داد که نانوپروپولیس نسبت به عصاره پروپولیس در غلظت IC50 باعث آپوپتوز، تغییرات مورفولوژیکی، ضد متاستازی و همچنین مهار رشد و تکثیر بیشتری شد. نتایج بیان ژن نشان داد نانوپروپولیس باعث افزایش بیان ژن‌های BAX و Caspase-3 و کاهش بیان Bcl-2 شد. سنجش Comet، اثر حساسیت پرتویی ترکیبات را در سلول‌های سرطانی A-375 و اثر محافظت پرتویی آن‌ها را در سلول‌های نرمال Vero تایید کرد. نتیجه‌گیری: با توجه به مزایای نانوپروپولیس و نتایج مثبت حاصل شده این ترکیب می‌تواند یک کاندید مناسب به عنوان یک مکمل درمانی در کنار شیمی درمانی و رادیوتراپی در جهت درمان سرطان باشد که نیازمند مطالعات تکمیلی در این زمینه می‌باشد. کلمات کلیدی: سرطان ملانوما، عصاره پروپولیس، نانوپروپولیس، A-375، BAX، Bcl-2، Caspase-

KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutation rates, clinicopathological association, and their prognostic value in Iranian colorectal cancer patients

Aim: Mutations in KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA genes are critical factors in clinical evaluation of colorectal cancer (CRC) development and progression. In Iran, however, the data regarding genetic profile of CRC patients is limited except for KRAS exon2 and BRAF V600F mutations. This study aimed to investigate the mutational spectrum and prognostic effects of these genes and explore the relationship between these mutations and clinicopathological features of CRC. Method: To achieve these objectives, mutations in KRAS (exons 2, 3, and 4), NRAS (exons 2, 3, and 4), PIK3CA (exons 9 and 20), and BRAF (exon 15) was determined using PCR and pyrosequencing in a total of 151 patients with colorectal cancer. Results: KRAS, BRAF, NRAS, and PIK3CA mutations were identified in 41%, 5.96%, 3.97%, and 13.24% of the cases, respectively. There were some significant correlations between clinicopathological features and KRAS, PIK3CA, BRAF, and NRAS mutations. Mutations in KRAS and PIK3CA were shown to be independent risk factors for poor survival of the patients at stage I-IV (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.001, respectively). No significant impact on prognosis was observed in patients with BRAF mutations. Conclusion: Our study revealed the prevalence of CRC biomarkers mutations in Iranian patients and emphasized the role of KRAS and PIK3CA on shorter overall survival rates in this population

Gastrointestinal Parasites of Domestic Mammalian Hosts in Southeastern Iran

Abstract: Gastrointestinal parasites (GIP) are a major cause of disease and production loss in livestock. Some have zoonotic potential, so production animals can be a source of human infections. We describe the prevalence of GIP in domestic mammals in Southeastern Iran. Fresh fecal samples (n = 200) collected from cattle (n = 88), sheep (n = 50), goats (n = 23), camels (n = 30), donkeys (n = 5), horse (n = 1), and dogs (n = 3) were subjected to conventional coprological examination for the detection of protozoan (oo)cysts and helminth ova. Overall, 83% (166/200) of the samples were positive for one or more GIP. Helminths were found in dogs, donkeys, sheep (42%), camels (37%), goats (30%), and cattle (19%), but not in the horse. Protozoa were found in cattle (82%), goats (78%), sheep (60%), and camels (13%), but not in donkeys, dogs, or the horse. Lambs were 3.5 times more likely to be infected by protozoa than sheep (OR = 3.5, 95% CI: 1.05–11.66), whereas sheep were at higher odds of being infected by helminths than lambs (OR = 4.09, 95% CI: 1.06–16.59). This is the first study assessing the prevalence of GIP in domestic mammals in Southeastern Iran

Global prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasites among food handlers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Food handlers with improper personal hygiene practices have a significant role in transmitting foodborne parasites, including intestinal protozoa. The current systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the global prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasites among food handlers. Multiple databases (PubMed, Scopus, Pro-Quest, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Google Scholar) were explored for relevant literature published from 1988 to April 2022. Pooled prevalence was estimated using the meta-package in R (version 3.6.1). One hundred thirty-eight papers, including 259,364 individuals, were considered in this study. The global pooled prevalence (95% confidence interval) was 0.143% (0.118–0.170%). The highest pooled prevalence was observed in the Western Pacific WHO Region (0.318%, 0–1.000%). The most prevalent protozoa was Blastocystis hominis (0.077%, 0.046–0.115%). Moreover, among different countries, Gambia had the highest pooled prevalence (0.501%, 0.459–0.544%). The prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasites estimated in the present study revealed that food handlers highly impact the global population. Periodic stool screening is necessary for food handlers to prevent intestinal protozoan infection. Additionally, a health education programme to raise awareness regarding food hygiene is recommended

Isolation of new Klebsiella pneumoniae phage PSKP16

Background and Objectives: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a clinically relevant opportunistic pathogen belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family. It is in the top three bacteria associated with antimicrobial resistance deaths globally, and one of the most dangerous bacteria causing nosocomial infections. Phage therapy offers a potential option for the treatment of drug-resistant bacterial infections. Materials and Methods: Phage PSKP16 was isolated against K. pneumoniae, capsular type K2 (isolated from a wound infection). PSKP16 is a new lytic phage with a Siphovirus-like morphology. Results: PSKP16 is a linear double stranded DNA phage with a GC content of 50% and genome size of 46,712 bp, for which we predicted 67 ORFs. PSKP16 belongs to the genus Webervirus and shows high evolutionary proximity to Klebsiella phages JY917, Sushi, and B1. Conclusion: Phage isolation is fast, cheap and efficient, but it requires time and characterization (which adds expense) to ensure that the isolated phages do not pose a health risk, which is essential to safely use phage therapy to treat life-threatening bacterial infections