Accessory gene regulator types of Staphylococcus aureus isolated in Gorgan, North of Iran

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive bacterium that has remained a persistent pathogen, causing infections such as endocarditis, meningitis, and toxic shock syndrome in humans. The accessory gene regulator (agr) system of Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for controlling the expression of many genes that code for virulence factors. In this study, we assessed the S.aureus agr Group, based on their source of isolation, in Gorgan, North of Iran. Materials and Methods: DNA of 194 S. aureus isolates was extracted by lysozyme-phenol chloroform method, which included 85 clinical samples, 58 samples which were isolated from noses of health care workers and 51 cases which were obtained from food products in Gorgan, northern Iran. PCR-based assays were used to evaluate agr locus nucleotide polymorphism for the identification of agr specificity Group. Distributions of each agr Group were determined and comparison between different sources was assessed by X2. A p-value of <0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The majority of isolates belonged to agr Group I (43.3%), followed by agr Group III (28.87%), agr Group II (22.68%), and agr Group IV (5.15%). In our study, a majority of S. aureus isolates were recovered from health care workers and food product specimens were of agr Group I and isolates which were recovered from patients were of agr Group III. These differences were statistically significant (P=0.005). There was no statistical difference between the source of isolation of clinical samples of S.aureus and agr type. Conclusion: Agr Group I was predominant among health care workers and food product specimens in Gorgan, North of Iran, but in strains which were isolated from patients, agr Group III was predominant. Investigating the possible role of agr Group III in Staphylococcus aureus infection in future studies is recommended

Airborne Fungi Spores in Different Wards of Hospitals Affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Sciences

Abstract: Introduction: The infections resulting from opportunist invasive fungi, such as Aspergillus, are an increasingly developing problem in hospitalized patients especially those suffering from immunosuppressive deficiencies. Method: In this study, air sampling from selected wards of three hospitals affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Sciences was carried out 2 times/day over 7 months (May – October, 2003) by using 500 plates containing saborodextrose-agar. Results: According to the results, 89% of the plates proved to be positive for fungal growth. Of this pool of fungi plates, 1034 fungal colonies containing 16 different fungi were sorted out which in regard to the frequency were Penicillium, Rhizopus, Aspergillus flavus, yeast, and Alternaria respectively. Higher rate of fungi colonies was observed in Bahonar hospital comparing to the two others. The most contaminated settings were ICU wards in Bahonar and Shafa hospitals, respectively. Comparison of the common wards of Bahonar and Afzalipour hospitals, revealed that the emergency room in Bahonar hospital had the highest rate of contamination. Finally, among the isolated Aspergillus and fungi, Aspergillus flavus and yeast species showed the highest frequencies. Conclusion: Considering the results of the present study, control of fungal contamination in hospital wards, especially those in which patients with immunosuppressive deficiency are hospitalized is highly necessary. Keywords: Airborne fungal spores, Hospita

In vitro inhibition of Helicobacter pylori urease with non and semi fermented Camellia sinensis

Purpose: Helicobacter pylori is the etiological agent in duodenal and peptic ulcers. The growing problem of antibiotic resistance by the organism demands the search for novel compounds, especially from natural sources. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Camellia sinensis extracts on the urease enzyme that is a major colonization factor for H. pylori. Methods: Minimum inhibitory concentrations of nonfermented and semifermented C. sinensis methanol: water extracts were assessed by broth dilution method. Examination of the urease function was performed by Mc Laren method, and urease production was detected on 12% SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis from whole cell and membrane bound proteins. Results: Both extracts had inhibitory effects against H. pylori and urease production. At a concentration of 2.5 mg/ml of nonfermented extract and 3.5 mg/ml of semifermented extract the production of Ure A and Ure B subunits of the urease enzyme were inhibited completely. A concentration of 4 mg/ml of nonfermented and 5.5 mg/ml of semifermented extract were bactericidal for H. pylori. Conclusions: C. sinensis extracts, especially the nonfermented, could reduce H. pylori population and inhibit urease production at lower concentrations. The superior effect of nonfermented extract is due to its rich polyphenolic compounds and catechin contents

Immunogenicity evaluation of a DNA vaccine expressing the hepatitis C virus non-structural protein 2 gene in C57BL/6 Mice

Backgrounds: Most of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections elicit poor immune responses and 75% to 85% of cases become chronic; therefore, the development of an effective vaccine against HCV is of paramount importance. In this study, we aimed to evaluate co-administration of HCV non-Structural Protein 2 and IL-12 DNA vaccines in C57BL/6 mice. Methods: A plasmid encoding full-length HCV NS2 protein (non-structural protein 2) was generated and used to vaccinate mice. Negative control (an empty expression vector) was also employed to evaluate the background response. To investigate immune responses against vaccine, C57BL/6 mice received three doses of the vaccine with a two-week interval. Cellular immunity was assessed using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay for lymphocyte proliferation, lactate dehydrogenase release for cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity and cytokine assay. Results: The findings demonstrated that immunization of mice with plasmid expressing HCV NS2 induced CTL response, interferon gamma production, and lymphocyte proliferation compared to negative control. The results also demonstrated that co-administration of IL-12 with the HCV NS2 plasmid induced significantly better immune response in C57BL/6 mice. Conclusion: DNA vaccine encoding HCV NS2 is an effective candidate that can trigger CTL-based immune response against HCV. In addition, the results suggested that combining the DNA vaccine approach with immune stimulatory cytokines may significantly enhance antigen-specific immune responses

Mutations in pre-core and basal-core promoter regions of hepatitis B virus in chronic HBV patients from Golestan, Iran

Objective(s): It has been reported that the mutation of the pre-core (PC) and basal-core promoter (BCP) may play an important role in the development of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study the PC and BCP mutations were investigated in chronic HBV patients. Materials and Methods: In this study, 120 chronic HBV patients from Golestan, Northeast of Iran who were not vaccinated against HBV, were recruited from the year 2008 to 2012. HBV-DNA extraction from plasma and PCR were performed and positive PCR products were subjected to automated sequencing. Results: One hundred out of 120 (83.3%) patients were HBeAg negative. Comparison of our nucleotide sequences with reference sequence showed high rate mutation in BCP and PC region (96.66%). Frame shift mutation was found in 78 (65%) of patients in BCP region, among them 8 (6.6%) patients showed mutation in PC region. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated high rate of mutations in BCP and PC regions among HBV chronic patients in Northeast of Iran

Antimicrobial effects of folk medicinal plants from the North of Iran against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Background: Medicinal plants have been used traditionally in Golestan province (north of Iran), against Mycobacterium tuberculosis or the clinical signs of tuberculosis (TB). Objectives: This study aimed to define the inhibitory effects of ethanolic extracts of six of these medicinal plants against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Materials and Methods: Peganum harmala (seed extract), Punica granatum (peel extract), Digitalis sp. (leaf extract), fruit extract of Citrus lemon, Rosa canina and Berberis vulgaris were extracted in ethanol and their activity against M. tuberculosis isolates were determined by the agar diffusion method. The zone of inhibition (at 200 to 1.6 mg/mL) was measured and the results were compared with isoniazid and rifampin as standard positive controls. Also the concentration of vitamin C of each the extracts was evaluated. Results: The ethanolic extract of Peganum harmala seed and Punica granatum peel exhibited potential activity against all M. tuberculosis isolates with mean inhibitory zone of 18.7 and 18.8 mm, at 200 mg/mL concentration. The mean inhibitory zone around isoniazid and rifampinwere 19.2 and 18.8 mm. Ethanolic extract of Citrus lemon showed moderate inhibitory activity only against sensitive (non MDR; non multi drug resistant) strains of M. tuberculosis, and Digitalis sp. showed inhibitory effects on five isolates. Ascorbic acid content was 43.3 mg/dL in Punica granatum and Digitalis sp. and only 9.1 mg/dL in ethanolic extract of Peganum harmala. Conclusions: The highest content of vitamin C was observed in the extract of Punica granatum, which was observed to be highly active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, while the P. harmala must have contained other phytochemical constituents that contributed to the anti-tuberculosis effects of this plant. Our findings showed that ethanolic extracts of P. granatum and P. harmala had anti-TB effects comparable to isoniazid and rifampin and can be good candidates for novel and safe natural products against tuberculosis. © 2015, Pediatric Infections Research Center

Volatile components of Camellia sinensis inhibit growth and biofilm formation of oral streptococci in vitro

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of semi fermented and non fermented Camellia sinensis extracts (Black and Green tea) and comparison between them against Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175, S. mitis ATCC 9811 and S. sanguis ATCC 10556 that are responsible for dental caries and bacteremias following dental manipulations. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of both tea extracts were assessed by Well diffusion and Broth dilution methods and examination of cell adherence (Biofilm inhibitory concentrations) was observed on glass slides under phase contrast microscope and colony counts from glass beads. Concentration of 1 mg mL-1 of semi fermented tea extract was completely biofilm inhibitor but biofilm formation by these bacteria was seen 7 days after treatment with 1 mg mL-1 of non fermented Camellia sinensis on glass beads and BIC for oral streptococci treated with this extract was 1.5, 2.5 mg mL-1 of semi fermented and 3 mg mL-1 of non fermented extracts had bactericidal effect on these bacteria. Semi fermented and non fermented Camellia sinensis extracts were able to prevent growth of oral streptococci. Therefore dental caries significantly reduce and the efficiency of semi fermented tea was higher due to rich content of volatile components rather than non fermented extracts. © 2008 Asian Network for Scientific Information

Fractional topological phases and broken time reversal symmetry in strained graphene

We show that strained or deformed honeycomb lattices are promising platforms to realize fractional topological quantum states in the absence of any magnetic field. The strained induced pseudo magnetic fields are oppositely oriented in the two valleys [1-3] and can be as large as 60-300 Tesla as reported in recent experiments [4,5]. For strained graphene at neutrality, a spin or a valley polarized state is predicted depending on the value of the onsite Coulomb interaction. At fractional filling, the unscreened Coulomb interaction leads to a valley polarized Fractional Quantum Hall liquid which spontaneously breaks time reversal symmetry. Motivated by artificial graphene systems [5-8], we consider tuning the short range part of interactions, and demonstrate that exotic valley symmetric states, including a valley Fractional Topological Insulator and a spin triplet superconductor, can be stabilized by such interaction engineering.Comment: 5 pages + supplementary, 4 figures. Version accepted to Physical Review Letter

Mutations in the S gene region of hepatitis B virus genotype D in Golestan Province-Iran

Mutations of HBsAg especially within the "a" determinant could alter the antigenicity of the protein causing failure of HBsAg neutralization and escaping from the host's immune system, resulting in active viral replication and liver disease. This project aimed to investigate mutation in the S gene region of HBV infected patients in Golestan Province-Iran. HBV-DNA extractions from plasma and PCR of 100 patients were performed. Direct sequencing and alignment of S gene were applied using reference sequence from Gene Bank database. All isolates were belonged to genotype D, subgenotype D1, subtype ayw2. Overall 92 point mutations occurred. Of them, 40 (43.47%) were missense and 52 (56.52%) were silent. Mutations were detected in 95 cases (95%). Five of 40 mutations (12.5%) occurred in "a" determinant and 13 (32.5%), 17 (42.5%), and 2 (5%) were seen in antigenic epitope regions of B cell, CD4⁺ and CTL, respectively. Frame shift mutations were seen in 22 cases (22%). 14% of mutations occurred at Major Hydrophilic Region(MHR) area which P120T/S and R122K/T substitutions were the most frequent ones (4%). Mutation in G145R of the S gene was observed in one case. A large number of MHR mutants are in association with failure of HBsAg detection, vaccine, and immunotherapy escape. This study showed "a" determinant S gene mutations in HBV infected people with HBsAg positivity in Golestan Province-Iran. The rate of mutation in our study was 95%. Collectively, the results of this project exhibited that most of mutations were clustered in CD4⁺ antigenic epitopes. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012