Investigating the Relationship between Carotid Intima Media Thickness (CIMT), Opium Addiction, and Components of the Metabolic Syndrome

Background: Atherosclerosis has an essential role in causing cardiovascular diseases. Various factors affect the risk of coronary artery atherosclerosis, and the increase in the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a primary marker for detecting atherosclerotic changes in the artery wall. Since opioid use is one of the leading social and health problems in many countries, this study aimed to detect the factors influencing the increase in CIMT in opium consumers. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 350 participants of the phase 2 of the KERCADRS cohort study who visited Besat clinic in Kerman and were divided into addicted and non-addicted groups. The participants in both groups underwent carotid artery ultrasound, and the Philips IU22 ultrasound machine was used to measure the CIMT. Findings: The mean age of the participants was 42.28±12.58 in the addicted group and 35.99±15.38 in the non-addicted group (P=0.001). CIMT was similar in the two groups (P=0.170). Moreover, CIMT had a significant positive correlation with age, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure (SBP), body mass index (BMI), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and triglyceride in both addicted and non-addicted groups. Age, weight, waist circumference, SBP, and BMI in the multivariate model were significant determinants of CIMT in the addicted group. Conclusion: The results revealed that age, weight, waist circumference, SBP, and BMI were the factors influencing intima thickness in opium consumers, and no significant relationship was observed between addiction to opium and CIMT

Molecular Epidemiology of Fonsecaea Species

These fungi disperse slowly, leading to changes in structure at different geographic locations

Corrigendum: Comparison of 21-Plex PCR and API 20C AUX, MALDI-TOF MS, and rDNA Sequencing for a Wide Range of Clinically Isolated Yeast Species: Improved Identification by Combining 21-Plex PCR and API 20C AUX as an Alternative Strategy for Developing Countries

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00021.]

The Amsterdam Declaration on Fungal Nomenclature

The Amsterdam Declaration on Fungal Nomenclature was agreed at an international symposium convened in Amsterdam on 19–20 April 2011 under the auspices of the International Commission on the Taxonomy of Fungi (ICTF). The purpose of the symposium was to address the issue of whether or how the current system of naming pleomorphic fungi should be maintained or changed now that molecular data are routinely available. The issue is urgent as mycologists currently follow different practices, and no consensus was achieved by a Special Committee appointed in 2005 by the International Botanical Congress to advise on the problem. The Declaration recognizes the need for an orderly transitition to a single-name nomenclatural system for all fungi, and to provide mechanisms to protect names that otherwise then become endangered. That is, meaning that priority should be given to the first described name, except where that is a younger name in general use when the first author to select a name of a pleomorphic monophyletic genus is to be followed, and suggests controversial cases are referred to a body, such as the ICTF, which will report to the Committee for Fungi. If appropriate, the ICTF could be mandated to promote the implementation of the Declaration. In addition, but not forming part of the Declaration, are reports of discussions held during the symposium on the governance of the nomenclature of fungi, and the naming of fungi known only from an environmental nucleic acid sequence in particular. Possible amendments to the Draft BioCode (2011) to allow for the needs of mycologists are suggested for further consideration, and a possible example of how a fungus only known from the environment might be described is presented

Investigation of antifungal activity of methanol and aqueous extracts of walnut (Juglans regia) leaves and peel against candida species

Background and Aim: The occurrence of fungal species resistant to antifungal drugs and also their numerous side-effects have persuaded researchers to work on new therapeutic methods. The aim of the present study was to assess anticandidal activities of aqueous and methanol. extracts of walnut fruit, peel, and leaves on different Candida species. Materials and Methods: In the current study, antifungal effects of aqueous and methanolic extracts of fruit peel and leaves of walnut (Juglans regia) against four Candida species (Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis and Candida krusei) were examined using broth microdilution method. The tested fungal species were associated with different concentrations of the plant extracts , and then, the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) of these extracts were obtained for tested Candida species. Results: Both aqueous and methanol extracts of fruit peel .and leaves of walnut showed antifungal effects against candida species. The MICS of fluconazole, clotimazole, nystatin and aqueous and methanol extracts of fruit peel and leaves of walnut for different Candida species were 6.25-50, 3.125-25, 12.5-50 and 3.125- 25 mg/ml, respectively.  MFCs of methanol extracts of fruit peel and leaves of walnut were 6.25-25 mg/ml. The aqueous extracts of fruit peel and leaves of walnut were without fungicidal effects only through inhibiting fungal growth. Conclusion: It was found that methanol extracts of walnut leaves and peels contain compounds with thrapeutic potential against candida species and it looks promising that some effective antifungal agents with minimal side effects from walnut leaves and pills extract can be obtained in the future

Molecular detection of Pneumocystis jirovecii using polymerase chain reaction in immunocompromised patients with pulmonary disorders in northeast of Iran

Background and Purpose: Pneumocystis pneumonia, caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii, is a fatal disease threatening patients with AIDS or immunosuppression. Assessment of colonization in these patients is of great significance, since it can lead to severe pulmonary disorders. Considering the scarcity of published reports on Pneumocystis jirovecii isolates from patients in Mashhad, Iran, we aimed to evaluate pneumocystis colonization in individuals with different pulmonary disorders. Materials and Methods: We used nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to amplify mitochondrial large subunit-ribosomal ribonucleic acid (mtLSU-rRNA) gene in 60 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples, obtained from patients, referring to the Department of Internal Medicine (Pulmonary Diseases Section) at Imam Reza Hospital, affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Results: DNA of Pneumocystis jirovecii was detected in 10 out of 60 BAL samples (16.66%) via nested PCR method. Conclusion: According to the present findings, the colonization rate of Pneumocystis jirovecii was similar to the rates reported in other similar studies in Iran

Investigation of Interleukin-27 in the Sera of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Patients

IL-27 has been shown to have both tumor promoting and suppressing functions. IL-27, with its diverse influences on immune responses, has not been studied extensively in nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC), including Squamous and Basal Cell Carcinomas (SCC and BCC), and its roles in tumor initiation, progression, and its probable use in NMSC treatment have yet to be unveiled. A cross-sectional analytical study was designed to investigate the serum levels of IL-27 in NMSC patients in comparison to normal individuals. Levels of IL-27 in the sera of 60 NMSC patients along with 28 healthy controls were measured by means of quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In this study we observed that IL-27 serum levels were significantly higher in NMSC patients in comparison to healthy individuals (0.0134 versus 0.0008 ng/ml; P<0.001). Furthermore, when subcategorized based on pathological diagnosis, both BCC and SCC patients had higher levels of IL-27 in their sera compared to controls (P=0.002 and P=0.033; respectively). However, these levels were not different among SCC and BCC patients. According to our results, it seems that IL-27 is involved in antitumor immune responses in NMSCs. On the other hand, these observations might be indicative of this cytokine involvement in NMSC tumorigenesis and progression. Therefore, administration of this cytokine for therapeutic purposes in patients with such conditions should be erred on the side of caution

Rapid identification of emerging human-pathogenic Sporothrix species with rolling circle amplification

Sporothrix infections are emerging as an important human and animal threat among otherwise healthy patients, especially in Brazil and China. Correct identification of sporotrichosis agents is beneficial for epidemiological surveillance, enabling implementation of adequate public-health policies and guiding antifungal therapy. In areas of limited resources where sporotrichosis is endemic, high-throughput detection methods that are specific and sensitive are preferred over phenotypic methods that usually result in misidentification of closely related Sporothrix species. We sought to establish rolling circle amplification (RCA) as a low-cost screening tool for species-specific identification of human-pathogenic Sporothrix. We developed six species-specific padlock probes targeting polymorphisms in the gene encoding calmodulin. BLAST-searches revealed candidate probes that were conserved intraspecifically; no significant homology with sequences from humans, mice, plants or microorganisms outside members of Sporothrix were found. The accuracy of our RCA-based assay was demonstrated through the specificity of probe-template binding to 25 S. brasiliensis, 58 S. schenckii, 5 S. globosa, 1 S. luriei, 4 S. mexicana, and 3 S. pallida samples. No cross reactivity between closely related species was evident in vitro, and padlock probes yielded 100% specificity and sensitivity down to 3 x 10 6 copies of the target sequence. RCA-based speciation matched identifications via phylogenetic analysis of the gene encoding calmodulin and the rDNA operon (kappa 1.0; 95% confidence interval 1.0-1.0), supporting its use as a reliable alternative to DNA sequencing. This method is a powerful tool for rapid identification and specific detection of medically relevant Sporothrix, and due to its robustness has potential for ecological studies

Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Biosynthesis, Magnetic Behavior, Cytotoxic Effect

Abstract Iron oxide nanoparticles have attracted much attention because of their superparamagnetic properties and their potential applications in many fields such as magnetic storage devices, catalysis, sensors, superparamagnetic relaxometry (SPMR), and high‐sensitivity biomolecule magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for medical diagnosis and therapeutics. In this study, iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3 NPs) have been synthesized using a taranjabin (camelthorn or persian manna) aqueous solution. The synthesized Fe2O3 NPs were identified through powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), field energy scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy‐dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), vibrating‐sample magnetometer (VSM) and Raman technics. The results show that the nanoparticles have a hexagonal structure with 20 to 60 nm in size. The cytotoxic effect of the synthesized nanoparticles has been tested upon application against lung cancer cell (A549) lines. It was found that there is no cytotoxic activity at lower concentrations of 200 μg/mL. The ability of the synthesized nanoparticles for lead removal in wastewaters was tested. Results show that highest concentration of adsorbent (50 mg/L) has maximum removal efficiency (96.73 %). So, synthesized Fe2O3 NPs can be a good candidate to use as heavy metals cleaner from contaminated waters