Analysis of human B cell response to recombinant Leishmania LPG3

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the capability of recombinant Leishmania LPG3 and its fragments in the activation of B cells.MethodsIn the present study, human B cells were purified from peripheral blood of 10 adult healthy subjects using magnetic-activated cell sorting technique. Subsequently, purified B cells were treated with recombinant LPG3, and its N-terminal and C-terminal fragments at different concentrations (2, 10 and 20 μg/mL). B cell activation was assessed through expression of CD69 molecule by flow cytometry and secretion of IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10 cytokines via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay following treatment with recombinant antigens.ResultsOur results showed that while the recombinant LPG-3 could significantly increase the production of IL-6 and TNF-α (P < 0.05) in B cells, it had no effect on the secretion of IL-10 by B cells.ConclusionsOur study indicated that recombinant LPG-3 and especially its N-terminal fragment could stimulate B cell response as an important immune response component against leishmaniasis. Thus, it seems that it can be considered as an effective adjuvant in vaccine developments against leishmaniasis

Next-generation methods for early disease detection in crops

: Plant pathogens are commonly identified in the field by the typical disease symptoms that they can cause. The efficient early detection and identification of pathogens are essential procedures to adopt effective management practices that reduce or prevent their spread in order to mitigate the negative impacts of the disease. In this review, the traditional and innovative methods for early detection of the plant pathogens highlighting their major advantages and limitations are presented and discussed. Traditional techniques of diagnosis used for plant pathogen identification are focused typically on the DNA, RNA (when molecular methods), and proteins or peptides (when serological methods) of the pathogens. Serological methods based on mainly enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are the most common method used for pathogen detection due to their high-throughput potential and low cost. This technique is not particularly reliable and sufficiently sensitive for many pathogens detection during the asymptomatic stage of infection. For non-cultivable pathogens in the laboratory, nucleic acid-based technology is the best choice for consistent pathogen detection or identification. Lateral flow systems are innovative tools that allow fast and accurate results even in field conditions, but they have sensitivity issues to be overcome. PCR assays performed on last-generation portable thermocyclers may provide rapid detection results in situ. The advent of portable instruments can speed pathogen detection, reduce commercial costs, and potentially revolutionize plant pathology. This review provides information on current methodologies and procedures for the effective detection of different plant pathogens. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley &amp; Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry

Exosomes from Adipose Tissue-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Induce Regulatory T Cells in COVID‐19 Patients

An imbalance between regulatory T (Treg) and T-helper (Th)-17 cells has been implicated in the pathogenesis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exert immunomodulatory properties through secreting exosomes. This study aimed to assess the effect of MSC-derived exosomes (MSC-Exo) on the differentiation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) into  Tregs from patients with COVID-19. Exosomes were isolated from adipose tissue–derived MSCs. PBMCs were separated from the whole blood of COVID-19 patients (n=20). Treg frequency was assessed before and 48 hours after treatment of PBMCs with MSC-Exo using flow cytometry. Expression of FOXP3 and cytokine genes, and the concentration of cytokines associated with Tregs, were assessed before and after treatment with MSC-Exo. The frequency of CD4+CD25+CD127-  Tregs was significantly higher after treating PBMCs with MSC-Exo (6.695±2.528) compared to before treatment (4.981±2.068). The expressions of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, interleukin (IL)-10, and FOXP3 were significantly upregulated in MSC-Exo–treated PBMCs. The concentration of IL‐10 increased significantly after treatment (994.7±543.9 pg/mL) of PBMCs with MSC-Exo compared with before treatment (563.5±408.6 pg/mL). The concentration of TGF-β was significantly higher in the supernatant of PBMCs after treatment with MSC-Exo (477.0±391.1 pg/mL) than PBMCs before treatment (257.7±226.3 pg/mL). MSC-Exo has the potential to raise anti-inflammatory responses by induction of  Tregs, potentiating its therapeutic effects in COVID-19

LEGU-MED: Developing Biodiversity-Based Agriculture with Legume Cropping Systems in the Mediterranean Basin

Environmental degradation and the decrease of ecosystem service provision are currently of major concern, with current agricultural systems being a major driver. To meet our future environmental and sustainability targets a transformation of the agro-food systems and current agricultural value chain are crucial. One approach to redesign farming systems is the concept of biodiversity-based agriculture (BBA) which relies on sustainable diversification of biological components and their natural interactions in farming systems to maximize fertility, productivity, and resilience to external perturbations. Despite minimizing anthropogenic inputs, BBA is not yet able to meet all beneficial environmental objectives. BBA applied in the Mediterranean basin requires urgent innovation in approaches, methodologies, and models for small-holder traditional farming systems to ensure a stable provision of ecosystem services and better resilience to environmental stresses linked to climate change. Legumes are the backbone of the Mediterranean agro-ecosystems from ancient times, but their unique and wide biodiversity was not sufficiently valorized, especially by North-African countries. Here, we present LEGU-MED, a three-year international project funded by PRIMA initiative 2019. An international consortium was established involving five universities, 5 research institutes, and one private company from 8 countries: Italy, Germany, Spain, Algeria, Tunisia, Turkey, Lebanon, and Croatia. The main objective of this project is to put forward an international and well-integrated plan to valorize the legume agrobiodiversity of the Mediterranean in biodiversity-based farming systems and consequently enhance agro-ecosystem functions and services in the Mediterranean basin. The successful completion of LEGU-MED will have the following impacts on Mediterranean legume-based farming systems: (1) improve water use efficiency, (2) reduce the use of anthropogenic inputs through the maintenance of soil fertility, (3) enhance pollination and improve ecological connectivity with flora and fauna, (4) protect close-by wildland ecosystems, (5) enhance other ecosystem services (e.g., pest, disease, and weed suppression), and (6) provide healthier and safer protein-rich food. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Study the Antibacterial Effects of Alcoholic Extract of Pelargonium Sp on the Growth of three Bacteria: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis and Multidrug-Resistant E.coli

Introduction: According to the increasing resistance of pathogenic bacteria against antibiotics, searching to find new alternatives to chemical drugs and antibiotics has recently become popular. Therapeutic and pharmaceutical effects of medicinal plants have been considered for decades. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of alcoholic extract of Geranium plant on the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria that are prevalent in hospitals.   Materials & methods: To investigate the antimicrobial activity of Geranium, clinical and standard strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli bacteria and standard strain of Enterococcus faecalis were treated by 25 and 50 mg/ml concentrations of alcoholic extract of Geranium. For this purpose, disk diffusion method was employed. In order to measure minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), micro broth dilution method was applied.   Findings:  The most sensitive bacterium was Pseudomonas aeruginosa due to showing the highest diameter of the inhibition zone (24 mm). The results showed that the alcoholic extract of Geranium plant at a concentration of 50 mg/ml had a higher antimicrobial effect.   Discussion & conclusions: The results showed that the alcoholic extract of Geranium plant has anti-bacterial properties. According to being indigenous and having therapeutic effects, further are is recommended to identify the therapeutic effects

Energy and GHG emissions management of agricultural systems using multi objective particle swarm optimization algorithm: a case study

In the recent centuries, one of the most important ongoing challenges is energy consumption and its environmental impacts. As far as agriculture is concerned, it has a key role in the world economics and a great amount of energy from different sources is used in this sector. Since researchers have reported a high degree of inefficiency in developing countries, it is necessary for the modern management of cropping systems to have all factors (economics, energy and environment) in the decision-making process simultaneously. Therefore, the aim of this study is to apply Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO) to analyze management system of an agricultural production. As well as MOPSO, two other optimization algorithm were used for comparing the results. Eventually, Taguchi method with metrics analysis was used to tune the algorithms’ parameters and choose the best algorithms. Watermelon production in Kerman province was considered as a case study. On average, the three multi-objective evolutionary algorithms could reduce about 30 % of the average Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in watermelon production although as well as this reduction, output energy and benefit cost ratio were increased about 20 and 30 %, respectively. Also, the metrics comparison analysis determined that MOPSO provided better modeling and optimization results