Recombinant λ-phage nanobioparticles for tumor therapy in mice models

Lambda phages have considerable potential as gene delivery vehicles due to their genetic tractability, low cost, safety and physical characteristics in comparison to other nanocarriers and gene porters. Little is known concerning lambda phage-mediated gene transfer and expression in mammalian hosts. We therefore performed experiments to evaluate lambda-ZAP bacteriophage-mediated gene transfer and expression in vitro. For this purpose, we constructed recombinant λ-phage nanobioparticles containing a mammalian expression cassette encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and E7 gene of human papillomavirus type 16 (λ-HPV-16 E7) using Lambda ZAP- CMV XR vector. Four cell lines (COS-7, CHO, TC-1 and HEK-239) were transduced with the nanobioparticles. We also characterized the therapeutic anti-tumor effects of the recombinant λ-HPV-16 E7 phage in C57BL/6 tumor mice model as a cancer vaccine. Obtained results showed that delivery and expression of these genes in fibroblastic cells (COS-7 and CHO) are more efficient than epithelial cells (TC-1 and HEK-239) using these nanobioparticles. Despite the same phage M.O.I entry, the internalizing titers of COS-7 and CHO cells were more than TC-1 and HEK-293 cells, respectively. Mice vaccinated with λ-HPV-16 E7 are able to generate potent therapeutic antitumor effects against challenge with E7- expressing tumor cell line, TC-1 compared to group treated with the wild phage. The results demonstrated that the recombinant λ-phages, due to their capabilities in transducing mammalian cells, can also be considered in design and construction of novel and safe phage-based nanomedicines

Is it safe for Multiple Sclerosis patients to fast?

Ramadan fasting predispose multiple sclerosis (MS) patients to a great challenge. Clinicians should have practical knowledge about the effects of fasting on MS. A mini-symposium was held in 2013 to answer the common questions about fasting in MS patients. In current review we present a summary of the mentioned mini-symposium.Generally, fasting is possible for most stable MS patients. Thorough monitoring of symptoms, proper adjustment of drug regimens, as well as, providing patients with evidences on MS and fasting are inevitable parts of management. Data from experimental studies proposed that calorie restriction prior to disease induction ameliorated disease severity by reducing inflammation and demyelination. According to the results of the mini-symposium, fasting doesn’t have adverse effects on disease course in patients with mild disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score ≤3). There was a general consensus that during fasting (especially in summer), some MS symptoms (such as dizziness, fatigue, fatigue perception, cognitive problems, spasticity, vision, weakness, gait, and balance) may exacerbate. However, they return to normal levels during feasting period. A majority of experts did not recommend fasting to patients: with EDSS score of 7 or more, during attacks, with active disease or coagulopathy; on high doses of anti-spastics, corticosteroids, and anti-convulsants

The association between depression, obesity and body composition in Iranian women

Summary: Objective: Depression and obesity are two serious health problems influencing both physical and mental health. Regarding the high prevalence of these two conditions and their high morbidity and mortality rates associated to both, investigation the association between them seems necessary. Method: This cross sectional study was conducted on 174 women with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 who referred to the obesity clinic of Sina hospital, through convenience sampling. Data from anthropometric measurements, Beck Depression inventory-II and body composition were collected and SPSS was used to statistical analysis. Results: Mean age of participants was 36.6 ± 8.8 year. The prevalence of dysthymic disorders in obese women was higher than in those with overweight. In women with obesity, the prevalence of severe depression, was higher than mild and moderate depression (P < 0.001). According to the linear regression analysis, increasing each score in depression score, increases the fat mass by 0.44 kg, significantly (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Depression and obesity follows a dose response association. According to the association between depression and obesity, focusing on interdisciplinary studies is suggested for the future researches

Investigating the association between dairy intake and migraine odds among pediatrics and adolescents: A case-control study

Abstract Objective Migraine is recognized as a disease with unknown etiology andvarious pathophysiologic pathways which are not fully understood. Due to the relation between dairy intake and various chronic conditions in children and also the paucity of data on the probable role of dairy intake on pediatrics’ odds of having migraine, this studywas designed. Materials &amp; Methods The present study was a population-based case-control design that was accomplished in a tertiary headache clinic.290 child (aged from7 to 14 years old) was included in this study. A definite diagnosis of migraine was performed by a neurologist; concerning the 2018 international classification of headache disorder 3 (ICHD3) criteria. Also, demographic and anthropometric characteristics were obtained. In addition, the usual dietary intake of participants was evaluated using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Results Those children in the case group significantly had higher age and BMI means (P.value:0.000). In the second regression model, odds of migraine were 48% (OR: 0.52; 95%CI:0.27-1.00) diminished in the second tertile and 53% (OR:0.47;95%CI:0.24-0.92) in the third tertile of low-fat dairy intake (P-trend:0.03). In the fully adjustedmodel, the achieved migraine ORs were as followings:0.48 (95% CI:0.240.95) in the second tertile and 0.46 (95% CI:0.21-0.96) in the third tertile (P-trend:0.04), respectively. Children with more high fat dairy intake also consumed higher amounts of energy, pastries, simple sugar, unhealthy snacks, and hydrogenated oil (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion This study results proposed that a greater amount of lowfat dairy intake may attenuate the odds of having migraine attacks in pediatrics and adolescents who might be at risk of headache, which can be attributed to the micronutrient and also to the bioactive content of these dietary components