Convergent functional genomic studies of omega-3 fatty acids in stress reactivity, bipolar disorder and alcoholism

Omega-3 fatty acids have been proposed as an adjuvant treatment option in psychiatric disorders. Given their other health benefits and their relative lack of toxicity, teratogenicity and side effects, they may be particularly useful in children and in females of child-bearing age, especially during pregnancy and postpartum. A comprehensive mechanistic understanding of their effects is needed. Here we report translational studies demonstrating the phenotypic normalization and gene expression effects of dietary omega-3 fatty acids, specifically docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in a stress-reactive knockout mouse model of bipolar disorder and co-morbid alcoholism, using a bioinformatic convergent functional genomics approach integrating animal model and human data to prioritize disease-relevant genes. Additionally, to validate at a behavioral level the novel observed effects on decreasing alcohol consumption, we also tested the effects of DHA in an independent animal model, alcohol-preferring (P) rats, a well-established animal model of alcoholism. Our studies uncover sex differences, brain region-specific effects and blood biomarkers that may underpin the effects of DHA. Of note, DHA modulates some of the same genes targeted by current psychotropic medications, as well as increases myelin-related gene expression. Myelin-related gene expression decrease is a common, if nonspecific, denominator of neuropsychiatric disorders. In conclusion, our work supports the potential utility of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically DHA, for a spectrum of psychiatric disorders such as stress disorders, bipolar disorder, alcoholism and beyond

Fabrication the emulsion-based edible film containing Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss essential oil using chitosan–gelatin composite for grape preservation

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of novel edible films produced by incorporating Dracocephalum kotschyi (D. kotschyi) essential oil nanoemulsion into a polymeric matrix (chitosan-gelatin) with grape preservative potential during room temperature storage. To achieve this goal, the edible films' mechanical, microstructural, and physical characteristics were examined. Next, an antimicrobial analysis was conducted on five food-borne pathogens, and the results indicated that edible films with 5 % essential oil (ChG4) might be efficiently produced to have antibacterial action against particular pathogens. Additionally, the integration of the nanoemulsion resulted in the creation of microporous structures in edible films, as demonstrated by SEM studies. A positive impact of ChG4 edible film on grape preservation during 15 days’ storage was observed. The findings afford an innovative approach for the expansion of effective herbal antimicrobial formulation for food preservation

A study of the effect of gliding arc non-thermal plasma on almonds decontamination

Escherichia coli is responsible for more than 90% of food poisoning cases and can survive for long periods under adverse conditions and refrigeration temperature. In this study, the effect of gliding arc plasma processing on infected Almond with Escherichia coli was investigated. The optimal conditions during the different applied powers and treatment time were determined. Moreover, the optimum condition was examined on other gram-negative bacteria as Salmonella and Shigella. The viability of almond bacteria was studied using colony-counting analysis and evaluation of active species in plasma was made by the optical emission spectroscopy (OES) method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was carried out to illustrate the morphological change and color measuring analysis was performed to investigate food quality after almond plasma treatment. Finally, it was shown that plasma technique has the capability of food industrialization and potential of method extension

Complications in patients with transfusion dependent thalassemia: A descriptive cross‐sectional study

Abstract Background and Aims One of the most common hemoglobinopathies globally related to blood transfusion and iron overload in the body is thalassemia syndrome. Increasing ferritin levels can cause severe damage to the patient's body organs. This study aims to evaluate the complications of iron overload on vital body organs in patients with transfusion‐dependent beta‐thalassemia. Methods This descriptive cross‐sectional study was performed in Iran University of Medical Sciences Hospitals on patients with a beta‐thalassemia major with frequent blood transfusions. To evaluate the effect of iron overload on vital body organs, hematologic and blood analysis, echocardiography with measurement of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and ejection fraction (EF) tests, bone densitometry, and audiometric tests were performed for all patients. Results Of the 1010 patients participating in this study, 497 (49%) were males, 513 were (51%) females aged 5–74 years, and the majority of participants (85%) were over 20 years old. This study demonstrated that increasing ferritin levels had no notable correlation with sex, cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein, parathyroid hormone, T4, and aspartate aminotransferase. However, elevating ferritin levels had significant correlations with increasing triglyceride, phosphorus, thyroid stimulating hormone, alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, and PAP levels, age, hearing disorders, splenectomy, osteoporosis, and decreasing high‐density lipoprotein, body mass index, calcium, and EF levels. Conclusion Improvement in beta‐thalassemia patients' survival and quality of life can be due to multidisciplinary care in a comprehensive unit through regular follow‐up and early complication detection