Isolation and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Bacteria from Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media Patients in Kerman, Iran

Background: Chronic supportive otitis media (CSOM) is one of the commonest illnesses in ENT practice. This study was conducted to find out the various aerobic microorganisms associated with CSOM and their current antimicrobial susceptibility patterns to commonly used antimicrobials. Methods: samples were collected from 117 clinically diagnosed cases of CSOM and processed according to standard protocols. Results: Out of 117 CSOM cases, 105 (86) showed positive bacterial culture. The Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest aerobic isolate in CSOM. The sensitivity of Staphylococci spp. to commonly used antimicrobials varied from 27.2 for cefixime to 95.5 for gentamicin and coagulase positive. Pseudomonas isolates showed complete (100) resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanate (co-amoxiclave), cloxacillin and cefixime, and high sensitivity to ciprofloxacin (95) and cephalexin (90). Conclusion: An appropriate knowledge of antibacterial susceptibility of microorganisms would contribute to a rational antibiotic use and the success of treatment for chronic supportive otitis media. © Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal

Improving the growth rate of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in alginate/gelatin versus alginate hydrogels

Background: Expansion and differentiation of stem cells relies on the soluble materials as well as the physical conditions of their microenvironment. Several methods have been studied in attempt to enhance the growth and differentiation rates of different adult stem cells extracted from different sources. Objectives: The purpose was to improve the three-dimensional (3D) culture condition of the semi-permeable polymeric beads for encapsulation of the human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADSCs) by modifying the ratio of the alginate-gelatin composition. Materials and Methods: Following isolation and characterization of hADSCs by flow cytometry and their functional differentiation, encapsulation in the alginate and alginate/gelatin compositions were performed. Moreover, the stability, swelling, size frequency, growth kinetics, and cytotoxicity of the beads were measured to meet proper condition in the designed experimental and control culture conditions. Finally, the growth rates of the cells in different experimental groups and control were measured and analyzed statistically. Results: Viability decreased in 2 and 3 percent alginate once compared to 1 alginate in beads (p�0.05). Moreover swelling of the beads in the alginate/gelatin compositions (50:50 and 70:30) were higher than the pure alginate beads (p� 0.05). Finally, the cell growth rate in alginate/gelatin (50:50) beads was significantly higher than alginate and alginate/gelatin (70:30) beads (p�0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggested for the first time that the composite of alginate/gelatin beads with the ratio of 50:50 might provide a suitable culture condition for the encapsulation and in vitro expansion of the hADSCs. © 2016, Kowsar Medical Publishing Company. All Rights Reserved

Umbelliprenin-coated Fe3O4 magnetite nanoparticles: Antiproliferation evaluation on human Fibrosarcoma cell line (HT-1080)

The potential applications of Fe3O4 magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) in nanomedicine as drug delivery systems are well known. In this study we prepared umbelliprenin-coated Fe3O4 MNPs and evaluated the antiproliferative effect of combination in vitro. After synthesis of Fe3O4 MNPs, particles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy techniques. The natural candidate compound — umbelliprenin— was isolated and identified and umbelliprenin-coated Fe3O4 MNPs were prepared, using precipitation method. The surface chemistry of umbelliprenin-coated Fe3O4 MNPs as well as their thermal decomposition characteristics was examined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Thermogravimetric Analyzer equipment, respectively. HT-1080 cells were cultured until the logarithmic phase of growth, and MTT assay was successfully carried out to evaluate the possible cytotoxic effects of umbelliprenin-coated Fe3O4 MNPs in viable cells in vitro. The results demonstrated that umbelliprenin has moderate antiproliferative effects with IC50 value of 50 μg/mL. However, the combination of umbelliprenin and Fe3O4 MNPs showed the IC50 value of 9 μg/mL. In other words, cell proliferation decreased to the remarkably-low proportion of 45% after treating cells with umbelliprenin-coated Fe3O4 MNPs. This suggests that with the aid of nanoparticles as carriers, natural products may have even broader range of medical applications in future

Production of selenium nanoparticles in Pseudomonas putida KT2440

Selenium (Se) is an essential element for the cell that has multiple applications in medicine and technology; microorganisms play an important role in Se transformations in the environment. Here we report the previously unidentified ability of the soil bacterium Pseudomonas putida KT2440 to synthesize nanoparticles of elemental selenium (nano-Se) from selenite. Our results show that P. putida is able to reduce selenite aerobically, but not selenate, to nano-Se. Kinetic analysis indicates that, in LB medium supplemented with selenite (1 mM), reduction to nano-Se occurs at a rate of 0.444 mmol L−1 h−1 beginning in the middle-exponential phase and with a final conversion yield of 89%. Measurements with a transmission electron microscope (TEM) show that nano-Se particles synthesized by P. putida have a size range of 100 to 500 nm and that they are located in the surrounding medium or bound to the cell membrane. Experiments involving dynamic light scattering (DLS) show that, in aqueous solution, recovered nano-Se particles have a size range of 70 to 360 nm. The rapid kinetics of conversion, easy retrieval of nano-Se and the metabolic versatility of P. putida offer the opportunity to use this model organism as a microbial factory for production of selenium nanoparticles.Universidad de Costa Rica/[809-B5-A68]/UCR/Costa RicaCentro Nacional de Innovaciones Biotecnológicas/[]/CENIBiot/Costa RicaBio-SEA/[]//FranciaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas (CIEMIC)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Ciencias Básicas::Facultad de Ciencias::Escuela de QuímicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Electroquímica y Energía Química (CELEQ)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigaciones en Productos Naturales (CIPRONA

Detection of Mutations in Exons 5 and 8 of Tumor Suppressor Tp53 Gene in Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Lung Hospitalized in Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman, Iran

Abstract: Introduction: Despite improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in the past two decades, it has remained the most common cause of death from cancer worldwide. Among all genes that are mutated in lung cancer, TP53 located on chromosome 17P13/1 has a significant diagnostic and prognostic value. TP53 mutations have been extensively studied in lung cancer and TP53 mutational spectra have been used for finding the origin(s) and mechanisms of these mutations in lung cancer development. The present study was conducted to investigate the TP53 mutations in patients with Non- small cell lung cancer hospitalized during 1997-2005 in Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman, Iran. Method: Formalin- fixed, Paraffin- embedded tissues from lung cancer patients undergone surgery between 1997 to 2005 were evaluated. The mutational status of the TP53 gene (exons 5 & 8) was screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis followed by sequencing. Results: Of all cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 73 mutations were found in Exon 5 (in 18 cases) and 47 mutations in Exon 8 of TP53 gene (in 15 cases). we identified mutation hot spot at codons 6, 14, 25 of exon 5 and codons 2, 27, 35 of exon 8 of TP53 gene. Tansversions (G to T, A to T and G to C) and deletion mutations were the most in both exons 5 and 8. The incidence of G to T transversion mutations did not significantly differ between Exons 5 and 8. Conclusion: Higher prevalence of mutations in TP53 gene in the present study comparing to previous studies may be due to genetic, environmental and some epidemiological factors such as diet and life style of studied subjects. Keywords: TP53Gene, Squamous cell carcinoma, Mutatio

Detection of Mutations in Exons 5 and 8 of Tumor Suppressor Tp53 Gene in Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Lung Hospitalized in Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman, Iran

Abstract: Introduction: Despite improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in the past two decades, it has remained the most common cause of death from cancer worldwide. Among all genes that are mutated in lung cancer, TP53 located on chromosome 17P13/1 has a significant diagnostic and prognostic value. TP53 mutations have been extensively studied in lung cancer and TP53 mutational spectra have been used for finding the origin(s) and mechanisms of these mutations in lung cancer development. The present study was conducted to investigate the TP53 mutations in patients with Non- small cell lung cancer hospitalized during 1997-2005 in Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman, Iran. Method: Formalin- fixed, Paraffin- embedded tissues from lung cancer patients undergone surgery between 1997 to 2005 were evaluated. The mutational status of the TP53 gene (exons 5 & 8) was screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis followed by sequencing. Results: Of all cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 73 mutations were found in Exon 5 (in 18 cases) and 47 mutations in Exon 8 of TP53 gene (in 15 cases). we identified mutation hot spot at codons 6, 14, 25 of exon 5 and codons 2, 27, 35 of exon 8 of TP53 gene. Tansversions (G to T, A to T and G to C) and deletion mutations were the most in both exons 5 and 8. The incidence of G to T transversion mutations did not significantly differ between Exons 5 and 8. Conclusion: Higher prevalence of mutations in TP53 gene in the present study comparing to previous studies may be due to genetic, environmental and some epidemiological factors such as diet and life style of studied subjects. Keywords: TP53Gene, Squamous cell carcinoma, Mutatio