Probiotics: A Comprehensive Review of Their Classification, Mode of Action and Role in Human Nutrition

Probiotics are live microorganisms that live in gastrointestinal (GI) tract and are beneficial for their hosts and prevent certain diseases. In this chapter, after a complete introduction to probiotics, definition, mechanism of action, and their classification, currently used organisms will be discussed in detail. Moreover, different kinds of nutritional synthetic products of probiotics along with their safety and drug interaction will be noticed. This chapter mentions all clinical trial studies that have been done to evaluate probiotic efficacy with a focus on gastrointestinal diseases

Transcription of adaptive-immune genes upon challenge with infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) in DNA vaccinated rainbow trout

In the present study, rainbow trout weighting 3±0.3 g were vaccinated with an oral DNA vaccine encoding VP2 gene of a prevalent isolate of IPNV in Iranian trout farms encapsulated in sodium alginate microspheres and Chitosan tripolyphosphate (CS/TPP) nanoparticles. The vaccinated fish were then challenged with a virulent isolate of IPNV at 30 days post-vaccination. The transcriptional changes of adaptive- immune genes (IgM and IgT), as well as the  VP4 gene of IPNV, as an indicators of viral replication were studied 45 days post-challenge. Analysis of RT-qPCR data showed lower levels of VP4 gene expression in the oral DNA vaccinated trout after IPNV challenge compared with the control one. Moreover, the constructed DNA vaccine did not enhance the expression of IgM and IgT genes above the levels observed in the carrier control group but it showed a mimic of viral activity and contributes to maintaining them at appreciable levels in vaccinated group

The Effect of Animal Manure and Humic Acid on Some Physiological Traits of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Under Irrigation Water Salinity Conditions

Introduction Salinity stress is an important abiotic stress threatening the production of cotton in arid and semi-arid regions of the country and the world, which can be reduced by the proper use of organic materials. Cotton is the most important fiber product, which is widely cultivated for agricultural and industrial purposes in temperate and hot regions of more than 15 countries of the world. Although cotton is known as a salinity-tolerant plant, not only is the resistance to salinity limited in this plant, but different stages of development also show different reactions to salinity. One of the effects of stress is disturbing the nutritional balance in the plant. Proper nutrition during times of stress can partially help the plant deal with various environmental stresses. In this regard, by using fertilizers containing micronutrient elements, firstly, plant yield increases, secondly, increasing the concentration of these elements in agricultural products plays an important role in improving the quality of food consumption. Using organic fertilizers, especially organic and animal manure such as humic acid, can improve the performance and performance components of different products under stress conditions.  Materials and Methods To study the effect of manure and humic acid on some of the physiological qualities of cotton under salt water salinity stress, an experiment was conducted as factorial split plots (factorial split plot) in which different levels of irrigation water salinity at three levels (2.5, 5.5 and 8.5 ds.m-1) as the main factor and two treatments of manure at two levels (0 and 20 t/h) and humic acid at two levels (0 and 200 gr/100 kg of seeds) as sub-factor in 4 replications in a farm located in Boshrouyeh city in 1398 years. The software SAS (V9.1) and Excel were used to analyze the data and draw the figures. Means were compared using the FLSD test at a 5% probability level. Results and Discussion Analysis of variance results showed that the simple effects of three experimental factors (salinity stress, manure, and humic acid) were significant on all studied traits (on the relative water content, Electrical conductivity and membrane stability, chlorophyll a and b contents, and proline content). With increasing salinity level, increased proline content (286.5%), membrane Electrical conductivity (4.2%) and carotenoids (88.79%) and decreased chlorophyll a (20.7 1 %) and b content (39.38%), relative water content (23.16%) and membrane stability (13.54%). The application of animal manure and humic acid increased the relative water content, membrane stability and chlorophyll content under stress conditions, which indicates the modifying effect of these fertilizers in reducing the adverse effects of salinity stress. The interaction effects were significant, too. Conclusion The results of this research showed that the use of water with high salinity, such as salinity of 8 ds.m-1, caused significant changes in the physiological traits of the plant, including relative leaf water content, membrane stability, membrane electrolyte leakage, chlorophylls, and proline. With increasing salinity levels, the amount of proline, membrane electrolyte leakage, and carotenoid increased, and the content of chlorophyll a and b, relative water content, and membrane stability decreased. The application of animal manure and humic acid increased the relative water content, membrane stability, and chlorophyll content under stress conditions, which indicates the moderating effect of these fertilizers in reducing the adverse effects of salinity stress. Considering the positive effects of using organic fertilizers in this experiment, it is recommended to test and investigate the use of humic acid during the growing season in addition to the use of animal manure before planting and the use of humic acid in bulk Thus, it is suggested to use humic acid and animal manure in cotton cultivation to adjust the salinity levels

Effect of citalopram and sertraline on the expression of miRNA- 124, 132, and 16 and their protein targets in patients with depression

Objective(s): This study aimed to evaluate the effect of SSRIs on the expression of miRNAs and their protein targets.Materials and Methods: In a 100 day open-label study of citalopram (n=25) and sertraline (n=25), levels of miRNA 16, 132, and 124 and glucocorticoid receptor (GR), Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and serotonin transporter (SERT) protein expression were measured by QRT-PCR and western blot in healthy control (n=20), patients with depression at the baseline, and same patients after 100 days of treatment.Results: Expression levels of GR and BDNF proteins were lower in the depressed group before treatment as compared with the healthy group (P<0.0001). The SERT level was higher among the depressed group before treatment in comparison with the healthy group (P<0.0001). The level of GR and BDNF significantly increased, and SERT expression decreased after receiving sertraline (P<0.05). When the depressed group received citalopram, only SERT and GR were altered (P<0.05). Among the microRNAs’ expression investigated, mir-124 and mir-132 were higher, and mir-16 was lower among the depressed compared with the healthy group (P<0.0001). Individuals receiving citalopram only showed an increase in the expression of mir-16 while administration of sertraline led to a significant increase in the expression of mir-16 and a decrease in mir-124 and mir-132 (P<0.05).Conclusion: This elucidated the relationship between antidepressant treatment and the expression of different microRNA that control gene expression in various pathways involved in depressed patients.  Receiving SSRI can affect the level of these proteins and their relevant microRNAs

Feasibility study for size optimisation of a geothermal/PV/wind/diesel hybrid power plant using the harmony search algorithm

Using hybrid renewable energy systems is a smart choice for reducing the carbon emitted by power plants. It also helps climate change mitigation and global warming, leading to universal health for humans and the environment. The efficiency of these systems depends on choosing the right combination of renewable sources, their sizes, and proper scheduling of the generating units. This paper suggests an optimisation method for sizing a geothermal/PV/wind/diesel system, both in off-grid and grid-connected configurations. In the grid-connected mode, the possibility of selling surplus energy generated by renewable resources to the network is considered. Investigations reveal that without accurate control of geothermal reservoirs, they may become depleted. In this study, a strategy is suggested for unit commitment; moreover, the harmony search algorithm is used to find the optimal size of the hybrid system in both configurations. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is represented by simulating an HRES for Ferdows/Iran

Relationship between trust in God and self – efficacy With mental health in type II diabetics

Background and Aim: Diabetes mellitus is a prevalent chronic disease in the world, which threatens mental health. Various factors, including improvement of religious faith and increasing self-care efficacy, are effective in the treatment and control of the complications of the disease. The present study aimed at studying of the role of trust in God and self– efficacy in the mental health of type П diabetics. Materials and Methods: The present descriptive– analytical and correlational study was done on 204 type П diabetics selected through systematic randomized method. The patients' trust in God, self– efficacy, and mental health were assessed by means of "trust in God" questionnaires DMSES and GHQ-28. The obtained data was analysed by means of SPSS software (version 13), Pearson's correlation coefficient, t-test, and multiple regression analysis at the significant level α=0.05. Results: It was found that there was no significant difference between the two genders regarding trust in God, self-efficacy, and mental health at the level P<0.05. Besides, according to Pearson's coefficient correlation the relationship between trust in God and self-efficacy (P<0.001, r=0.45), between mental health and self-efficacy (P<0.001, r=0.44) was significant. Regression analysis revealed that trust in God and self-Efficacy justifies 35% of mental health variance in diabetics and are powerful prognosticators of the illness. Conclusion: Regarding the increase in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus, the disease is one of the notorious health problems in the world. Thus, intervention aimed at increasing religious faith and self-efficacy in order to do self-care activities will be useful in decreasing diabetic complications

Effects of Ergonomic Interventions on Health Indicators in a Rubber Industry

Background: This study aimed to determine the impact of engineering, organizational, and individual ergonomic interventions on the percentage of workers complaining Musculoskeletal disorders, inappropriate work environment, exposure to manual handling, and the rate of sick-leave in workers of rubber industry. Methods: This was a descriptive-analytical and retrospective study conducted in the production department of a rubber manufacturing industry. Ergonomic interventions, which have been fully implemented and have been stable in the industry, were included in the study. Health indicators were determined by reviewing completed Nordic questionnaires, insurance documents, and the documents about different methods of ergonomic risk assessment before and after each intervention. Before and after comparing the indicators, paired t and Wilcoxon tests were done. Results: Ergonomic interventions included 114 engineering, 20 organizational, and 7 individual interventions. Engineering interventions had a significant effect on all the indicators such as reducing total MSDs) 66%). Organizational interventions led to the improvement of the index of MSDs (60%), inappropriate posture (55%) and pain intensity (30%). Individual interventions had a significant effect on MSDs (85.71%) and sick-leaves (100%) (P<0.05). Conclusion: All the types of ergonomic interventions in the production sector of the rubber industry have been effective in reducing MSDs. Engineering interventions have had a significant impact on all the health indicators considered in this study; they are highly effective in the rubber industry, and it is better to implement them together with organizational or individual interventions for better results