Therapeutic Value of CD73 as a Biomarker in Human Cancer

Context: Over the past several years, biomarkers have emerged as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool for cancer therapy. CD73 (ecto-5'-nucleotidase) which is a cell surface ectonucleotidase, mediates the conversion of extracellular Adenosine monophosphate (AMP) into adenosine through the purinergic signaling pathway. In this study the role of CD73 in different human cancers was investigated. Evidence Acquisition: The present study reviewed the articles related to the importance of CD73 as a therapeutic tool in human cancers which were published from 1990 to 2019. The publications were found by searching the valid databases for instance PubMed, Google Scholar, ProQuest, Scopus and Science Direct using keywords CD73, ectonucleotidase, therapy, cancer, etc. During the review process 90 articles were selected. Results: Different studies about the effect of CD73 on human malignancies show that CD73 is overexpressed in various types of cancer. Recent findings demonstrate that the extracellular adenosine can promote tumor growth and invasion. The significant regulatory role of CD73 has made it a suitable biomarker for cancer treatment. Conclusion: This study outlines the impact of CD73 on tumor growth, metastasis and angiogenesis. The findings are promising and can highlight the efficacy of this protein as a therapeutic tool in the context of anti-CD73 cancer therapy

Predictors of Medication Adherence in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the predictors of medication adherence behavior and the role of self-efficacy in the medication adherence of people with diabetes. Materials and methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study. One hundred forty-eight samples were selected through the formula of difference of means. Measure tools consisted of a demographic questionnaire, Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, and psychological constructs questionnaires. SPSS20 software was used for descriptive statistics tests and calculation of correlation coefficients between variables. Amos 8.80 was used to implement the structural equation modeling method. Results: The mean age of participants was 54.1 ± 8.2 and mean of body mass index (BMI) was 28.3 ± 4.5. Correlation coefficients between medication compliance behavior and the constructs of knowledge (r = 0.382, p < 0.01), attitude (r = 0.422, p < 0.01), subjective norms (r = 0.312, 05 p < 0.05), self-efficacy (r = 0.481, p < 0.05) and fear (r = 0.305, p < 0.05) were positive and significant. In general, the strongest correlation coefficient was reported between attitude and self-efficacy (r = 0.516, p < 0.01). The fit indices generally showed that the data fitted well with the assumed model. Self-efficacy was the most important construct that directly influenced medication adherence (β = 0.585, p < 0.05), followed by attitude (β = 0.328, p < 0.05) and fear (β = 0.265, p < 0.05). Conclusions: According to the findings of this study, it was shown that various factors affect medication adherence behavior, among which self-efficacy is the most important reason, and subjective norms, attitude and norms and awareness of factors affecting medication adherence behavior

The Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Symptoms and Related Hormones Improvement in Women with Morbid Obesity

Background: Obesity is associated with developing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The present study investigated whether weight loss after bariatric surgery could improve symptoms and related hormones in women with morbid obesity.Methods: In a retrospective observational study, 50 women aged 18-40 years with body mass index (BMI)=42.3 kg/m2 who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) were enrolled. Evaluation of anthropometric data, serum testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL), fasting plasmaglucose (FPG), and lipid profile were measured preoperatively and at 1-year follow-upResults: Of 50 women, 32 (64%) women were diagnosed to have PCOS. The mean BMI at 1-year follow-up was 27.05 kg/m2. Hirsutism and irregular menstruation resolved entirely among 68.8% (11/16) and 100% (18/18) at 1-year follow-up. There was a significant decrease in total serum testosterone (2.1±0.2 to 0.9±0.1 ng/mL) and LH (8.5±3.36 to 5.02±2.4 mIU/mL) at 1-year follow-up, whether changes in levels of serum FSH, PRL were not significant.Conclusion: Bariatric surgery was effective in weight loss and improvement of PCOS symptoms and related hormones in women with morbid obesity. Thus, women with PCOS and morbid obesity should be eligible for bariatric surgery

Breast cancer and dietary fat quality indices in Iranian women: A case–control study

BackgroundThe association between breast cancer (BC) and different indices of dietary fats has not been well-studied. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the association between BC and dietary fat quality (DFQ) indices in Iranian women.MethodsThis case–control study was conducted on 120 women with breast cancer and 240 healthy women in Tehran, Iran. Food Frequency Questionnaire and nutritionist IV software were used to assess the intake of dietary fats and to calculate the DFQ indices.ResultsThe patients with BC had a higher total fat (TF) (P < 0.01) and a lower ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) omega-3 to PUFAs omega-6 (ω-3/ω-6) compared with the controls (P < 0.001). TF had a significant association with BC risk (OR: 1.16; 95% CI: 1.01–1.33, P < 0.001). No significant association was found between BC and PUFA/saturated fatty acid ratio or the ω-3/ω-6 ratio.ConclusionThe patients with BC had a lower ω-3/ω-6 ratio and a higher total dietary fat intake than the healthy women. Total dietary fat intake was also directly associated with the risk of BC. Thus, low-fat diets may have beneficial effects for BC prevention. Further longitudinal studies are warranted

Effect of silt content on cyclic and post-cyclic behavior of saturated loose sand

Since most natural deposits are a combination of sand and fine grains and as man-made geotechnical structures like tailing dams have a high percentage of cohesive and cohesionless fine grains, the study of cyclic and post cyclic behavior of these soils is essential. For saturated sands, the effect of non-plastic fine grains (silts) on their monotonic and cyclic behavior has been investigated. A majority of studies are related to monotonic and cyclic loading and post-cyclic loading has received less attention. In this paper, the effects of silt content and different Cyclic Stress Ratios on the cyclic and post-cyclic behavior of saturated loose sand are investigated. The sand used in this study is Firuzkuh silty crushing sand, which is abbreviated to sand . All samples were prepared so that their relative density was about after consolidating. The experiments were performed using the saturated cyclic triaxial apparatus. Suitable preparation of specimens was one of the most important factors in the accurate performance of triaxial tests. The cyclic and post cyclic tests on mixtures made of sand with silt were undertaken following the recommendation of D4254. Changes in pore pressure coefficient, liquefaction resistance, stress-strain curves, and stress path in clean and silty sand ( silt) were recorded. Results show that the tested samples become liquefied in a smaller number of cycles by increasing the until they show softening behavior at larger when effective stress rapidly drops to zero. In lower , the stress-strain curve is collapsible while in larger , loops expand and they indicate more damping of materials

Determining the amount of Acrylamide in Potato Chips Using Xanthydrol as a Derivative Representative with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Background and Objectives: In the production process of foods rich in carbohydrates and some other foods containing precursors of acrylamide formation, there is the possibility of acrylamide creation, which is a mutagen and carcinogen material. This study aims to introduce and optimize a new method for determining acrylamide in potato chips using xanthydrol as a derivative representative with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Materials and Methods: Important factors in the derivatization and measurement processes were optimized using the one-factor-at-a-time method. The peak areas were assumed as the GC-MS response to evaluate the extraction efficiency of acrylamide, and optimization for all tests was performed two times. Figures of merit of the proposed method were evaluated. The amount of acrylamide in four potato chips samples, obtained from the market in Tehran city, was determined using the proposed method. Results: The optimum amounts of effective parameters, including derivatization temperature at 25oC, derivatization time (40 min), xanthydrol volume (40 µL), extracted solvent volume (500 µL) and pH=7 were determined. The figures of merit for the proposed method were at the ideal range. The maximum and minimum amounts of acrylamide in the chip samples were also measured. Conclusions: The performance and reliability of proposed method as a simple, efficient and rapid method for determining acrylamide in potato chip samples were demonstrated

Probiotic properties and antimicrobial evaluation of silymarin-enriched Lactobacillus bacteria isolated from traditional curd

Abstract Nowadays, the increasing use of medicinal plants in the treatment and prevention of diseases has attracted the attention of researchers. The aim of this work was to investigate the probiotic properties and antibacterial and antifungal activity of silymarin-enriched Lactobacillus bacteria against several important pathogenic bacteria and also Aspergillus flavus as one of the harmful molds in the food and health industries. For this purpose, 52 g-positive and catalase-negative bacteria were isolated from 60 traditional curd samples from Ilam province. Five of the 52 bacterial strains had more than 90% viability in high bile salt and acidic conditions and were selected for further investigation. The five strains with positive results showed good hydrophobicity (≥ 50.30%), auto-aggregation (≥ 53.70%), coaggregation (≥ 28.20%), and high cholesterol removal ability (from 09.20 to 67.20%) and therefore can be considered potential probiotics. The tested strains displayed acceptable antibacterial and antifungal activity against all 12 pathogenic bacteria and A. flavus. Also, the results of the simultaneous antifungal activity of probiotic strains and silymarin showed that the combination of silymarin and probiotics has a significantly better (P < 0.05) antifungal effect than the control group or the probiotic groups alone. Interestingly, in addition to the Limosilactobacillus fermentum C3 strain, the Limosilactobacillus fermentum C18 and Lactiplantibacillus pentosus C20 strains also had significant inhibitory effects against A. flavus when used with silymarin extract in methanol. Meanwhile, silymarin extract in DMSO and PEG increased the antagonistic activity of all five potential probiotic strains

The effectiveness of hot-air, infrared and hybrid drying techniques for lemongrass: appearance acceptability, essential oil yield, and volatile compound preservation

Abstract Lemongrass is a fragrant herb with lengthy, thin leaves that contains myrcene (an aromatic compound) as well as citral and geraniol (antimicrobial compounds). Therefore, identifying an appropriate drying method for this plant is crucial for maintaining aromatic and antimicrobial compounds and enhancing the shelf life of the product. This investigation seeks to assess the influence of various drying tactics involving hot air at temperatures of 40, 50, and 60 °C, infrared radiation at intensities of 0.5, 0.6, and 0.8  $$\mathrm{W}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$$ W / cm 2 , sequential hot-air/infrared, as well as simultaneous hot air-infrared, on the drying mechanism, color, appearance, yield, and essential oil constituents of lemongrass leaves, with the objective of enhancing the marketability of the product. The essential oils of lemongrass were extracted through the process of hydro-distillation, and subsequently, the volatile compounds present were analyzed using Gas Chromatography—Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). The findings indicated: (a) The most appropriate technique for preserving optimal color quality of lemongrass leaves was through the application of hot air drying solely at a temperature of 60 °C; (b) To optimize the retention and amplification of the essential oil content in lemongrass, our study recommends the employment of a simultaneous hybrid drying technique involving hot air drying at a temperature of 50 °C in conjunction with infrared drying set at a radiation intensity level of 0.6  $$\mathrm{W}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$$ W / cm 2 ; and (c) The data analysis demonstrated that in order to achieve elevated levels of volatile compounds, specifically neral and geranial, infrared drying with a radiation intensity of 0.6 and 0.8  $$\mathrm{W}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$$ W / cm 2 , respectively, was found to be optimal

Identification of Single-Base Mismatches in Pneumocystis jirovecii Isolated from Iranian TB positive Patients by CSGE Heteroduplex

Pneumocystis jirovecii is an opportunistic fungus, which causes Pneumocystis pneumonia (PJP) in immunocompromised, COPD and TB positive patients with a high rate of colonization, morbidity and mortality. Dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) gene mutations are well-reported in PJP. Although sulfa prophylaxis generally is associated with DHPS mutant infection, Multiple molecular techniques applied for detect sulfa resistance single-base mutation. Conformation sensitive gel electrophoresis (CSGE) is a rapid screening method for detection of DNA sequence variation, specifically single-base changes or small insertions and deletions. The current study is investigate on the DHPS sequence single-base dislocation among strains isolated from Iranian TB positive co-infected with PJP in association to increased levels of serum Lactate Dehydrogenase. Through high serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels have been associated with established Pneumocystis pneumonia. We investigated the DHPS mismatches in five P. jirovecii isolated of TB infected patients. For genetic identification of Pneumocystis isolates and detection of intraspecific variation, we developed a method for heteroduplex analysis. Our utilizing fragments was the DHPS gene regions, amplified by PCR method with specific primers. Serum LDH indicator was analysed for lung acute damages. In our results, at least 4 suspected isolates show more slowly migrating bands containing single heteroduplexes, reveal single-base mislocation in studied sequences. LDH level Peak was higher (p<0.05) in patients with PCP (445± 155 U/L) in comparison patients with chronic TB (310±50 U/L). CSGE is a simple manual method, based on heteroduplex analysis, and compares well in terms of sensitivity with other screening technologies. Manual CSGE remains a low-cost, accessible, and effective approach for mutation screening, which can be carried out with ­minimal specialist equipment

The efficacy of topical Royal Jelly on diabetic foot ulcers healing: A case series*

Background: Foot ulcers and infections are the major sources of morbidity in individuals with diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of topical Royal Jelly (a worker honey bee product) on healing diabetic foot ulcers. Methods: Diabetic patients with foot ulcers that were referred to our clinic at Khorshid Hospital, Isfahan, Iran; were evaluated three times a week and treated according to standard treatments consisted of offloading, infection control, vascular improvement and debridement if required. In addition, all ulcers were measured and then topical sterile 5% Royal Jelly was applied on the total surface area of the wounds. Eventually, they were covered with sterile dressings. Each patient was followed for a period of three months or until the complete healing. Results: A total of eight patients were enrolled in this study. Of these, two had two ulcers and, therefore, ten ulcers were evaluated. Two ulcers were excluded. Seven of the remained eight ulcers healed. Mean duration of complete healing was 41 days. One ulcer did not completely heal but improved to 40% smaller in length, 32% in width and 28% in depth. The mean length, width and depth reduction rates were 0.35 mm/day, 0.28 mm/day and 0.11 mm/day, respectively. Conclusions: Royal Jelly dressing may be an effective method for treating diabetic foot ulcers besides standard treatments