Aromatic amino acids play a harmonizing role in prostate cancer: A metabolomics-based cross-sectional study

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common health problem worldwide. The rate of this disease is likely to grow by 2021. PCa is a heterogeneous disorder, and various biochemical factors contribute to the development of this disease. The metabolome is the complete set of metabolites in a cell or biological sample and represents the downstream end product of the omics. Hence, to model PCa by computational systems biology, a preliminary metabolomics-based study was used to compare the metabolome profile pattern between healthy and PCa men. Objective: This study was carried out to highlight energy metabolism modification and assist the prognosis and treatment of disease with unique biomarkers. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional research, 26 men diagnosed with stage-III PCa and 26 healthy men with normal PSA levels were enrolled. Urine was analyzed with proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy, accompanied by the MetaboAnalyst web-based platform tool for metabolomics data analysis. Partial least squares regression discriminant analysis was applied to clarify the separation between the two groups. Outliers were documented and metabolites determined, followed by identifying biochemical pathways. Results: Our findings reveal that modifications in aromatic amino acid metabolism and some of their metabolites have a high potential for use as urinary PCa biomarkers. Tryptophan metabolism (p < 0.001), tyrosine metabolism (p < 0.001), phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis (p < 0.001), phenylalanine metabolism (p = 0.01), ubiquinone and other terpenoid-quinone biosynthesis (p = 0.19), nitrogen metabolism (p = 0.21), and thiamine metabolism (p = 0.41) with Q2 (0.198) and R2 (0.583) were significantly altered. Conclusion: The discriminated metabolites and their pathways play an essential role in PCa causes and harmony. Key words: Metabolomics, Prostate cancer, Aromatic amino acids, 1H-NMR spectroscopy

A Study on Effect of different culture media on amylase enzyme production by a native strain of Bacillus subtilis

Introduction: Amylases are among the most important enzymes and have great significance in present-day biotechnology. Amylase with commercial applications is mainly derived from the genus Bacillus. The main purpose of this study is identification and isolatation amylase enzyme producer Bacillus, determining the amylase enzyme activity and affecting a number of culture medium on amylase enzyme production. Materials and methods: Soil, water and wastewater samples were collected from agricultural area, choghakhor lake in chahar mahal e bakhtiari province and from food factory in Esfahan. Bacillus isolates were screened for amylolytic properties by starch hydrolysis test on starch agar plate. Amylase producing Bacillus were identified biochemical tests and molecular experiments. Amylase enzyme activity of isolates was measured using di-nitro salicylic acid (DNS) method. Enzyme production was studied in variose medium culture TSB, NB, Yeast extract, molases and milk medium. Results: The enzyme amylase-producing strains, one sample showed was the highest amylase activity. The Bacillus has been detected as a member of Bacillus subtilis according to Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology and molecular recognition. The enzyme activity of Bacillus subtilis was measured 7/21 (U/ml) in production media. Trough medium culture maximum amylase production for Bacillus subtilis was achieved in molases medium. Discussion and conclusion: In this study, Bacillus subtilis strains isolated from wastewater of a significant amount of enzyme producing 7/21 (U/ml) as indicated. Among the medium-amylase from Bacillus subtilis highest enzyme activity was observed in beet molasses. According to this study, the use of Bacillus strains is an efficient way to achieve the amylase enzyme

Comparison of the effecacy of compassion-based therapy and behavioral activation therapy on adherence to treatment and quality of life in women with breast cancer

Background: Today, the survival of women with breast cancer after diagnosis has increased, but for this category of patients, not only survival is important, but adherence to treatment after the occurrence and diagnosis of the disease and increased concern about the quality of life are also important. The effectiveness of various psychological treatments on adherence to treatment and quality of life of these patients has been investigated, but there is a gap in research regarding the comparison of the effectiveness of compassion-based therapy and behavioral activation therapy on the studied variables. Aims: The purpose of this research was to compare of the effecacy of compassion-based therapy and behavioral activation therapy on adherence to treatment and quality of life in women with breast cancer. Method: The design of the current research was semi-experimental, of pre-test-post-test type with a control group and a two-month follow-up. 45 women with breast cancer in Gorgan during the years 2021 and 2022 were placed in three groups of compassion-based therapy, behavioral activation therapy and control group by simple random sampling method. To collect data, were used for Medication Adherence Scale (Morisky et al., 2008) and Quality of Life Questionnaire for cancer patients (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer). participants in the experimental groups underwent the interventions of compassion-based therapy (Gilbert, 2006) and behavioral activation therapy (Dimidchian et al. et al., 2008) were included in 8 sessions of 90 minutes. Also, the data were analyzed by repeated measurement variance analysis and LSD follow-up test with the help of SPSS19 software. Results: The findings of the research showed that both compassion-based therapy and behavioral activation therapy were effective on the adherence to treatment and quality of life of women with breast cancer (p<0.05). Also, the results showed that behavioral activation therapy was more effective than compassion-based therapy, and this significant level was stable in the follow-up phase (p<0.05). Conclusion: According to the obtained results, it seems that interventions based on compassion and behavioral activation can improve the quality of life of this group of patients, while increasing adherence to treatment in women with breast cancer. The findings of this study can help doctors, psychologists and policy makers in the field of health and mental health

Evaluation of Effects of Resveratrol Consumption on Serum Metabolic Profiles of Diabetes Type 1 Patients, by Using H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Technique

Background & Objective: Diabetes mellitus type 1 is an autoimmune disease in which the B-cells of the pancreas are damaged, leading to insulin deficiency and finally hyperglycemia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of resveratrol consumption on cellular metabolic pathways in type 1 diabetic patients using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.  Materials & Methods: Thirteen individuals with type 1 diabetes participated in this clinical trial designed as before and after exploratory investigation. All the participants received 500mg capsules of resveratrol twice daily for 60 days. Blood collection was done before resveratrol supplementation, after 30 days, and at the end of 60 days. The data were obtained at three different timings, compared with applying the HNMR spectroscopy. Spectra were processed, and PLS-DA analysis methods were applied to data. Outliers were taken, and the HMDB metabolites databank specified the metabolites and its pathways.  Results: The main variations identified in this investigation were as follows: short and long-chain fatty acid metabolism, the metabolic pathway of triacylglycerol, 1-propanol, and ethanoic acid, leading to an increase in butyraldehyde and 1-butanol metabolites. Conclusion: The results of this research showed a reduction in palmitic acid biosynthesis. This finding suggests that resveratrol may cause significant changes in adipocyte metabolism by inducing adipogenesis and apoptosis in the adipocyte. It may also play a role in improving the production of insulin, leading to low blood glucose levels

1H NMR- based metabolomics approaches as non- invasive tools for diagnosis of endometriosis

Background: So far, non-invasive diagnostic approaches such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, or blood tests do not have sufficient diagnostic power for endometriosis disease. Lack of a non-invasive diagnostic test contributes to the long delay between onset of symptoms and diagnosis of endometriosis. Objective: The present study focuses on the identification of predictive biomarkers in serum by pattern recognition techniques and uses partial least square discriminant analysis, multi-layer feed forward artificial neural networks (ANNs) and quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA) modeling tools for the early diagnosis of endometriosis in a minimally invasive manner by 1H- NMR based metabolomics. Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study was done in Pasteur Institute, Iran in June 2013. Serum samples of 31 infertile women with endometriosis (stage II and III) who confirmed by diagnostic laparoscopy and 15 normal women were collected and analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The model was built by using partial least square discriminant analysis, QDA, and ANNs to determine classifier metabolites for early prediction risk of disease. Results: The levels of 2- methoxyestron, 2-methoxy estradiol, dehydroepiandrostion androstendione, aldosterone, and deoxy corticosterone were enhanced significantly in infertile group. While cholesterol and primary bile acids levels were decreased. QDA model showed significant difference between two study groups. Positive and negative predict value levels obtained about 71% and 78%, respectively. ANNs provided also criteria for detection of endometriosis. Conclusion: The QDA and ANNs modeling can be used as computational tools in noninvasive diagnose of endometriosis. However, the model designed by QDA methods is more efficient compared to ANNs in diagnosis of endometriosis patients

Evaluation of Pulse Oximetry in the Early Diagnosis of Cardiac and NonCardiac Diseases in Healthy Newborns

Background: Critical congenital heart diseases (CCHDs) are among the most common birth malformations. This study aimed to determine the cardiac and noncardiac diseases in the Iranian healthy newborns using pulse oximetry (POX) as a suggested screening method.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, healthy term and near term neonates who were born from October 2017 to March 2018 were evaluated. Preductal and postductal POX was performed in all asymptomatic healthy newborns after 24 hours of life or at any time before discharge from the nursery. Oxygen saturation (SPO2) was considered normal if SPO2 was 95%, and the difference between preductal O2 saturation and postductal POX was obtained at ≤ 3%. The POX was repeated after 2 hours for abnormal patients. In the case of the same results in both repeated measures, echocardiography, chest X-ray, sepsis screening, and blood glucose were conducted.Results: A total of 413 asymptomatic healthy term and near term neonates underwent the pulse oximetry screening (POX). The mean birth weight and gestational age of the neonates were 3256.31±509.62 gr and 38.2 weeks, respectively. The POX was performed averagely 19.5 hours after birth. Finally, a total of 10 cases were detected with abnormal POX. Among these 10 patients, three cases had cardiac diseases (i.e., transposition of the great arteries, ventricular septal defect/pulmonary atresia, and ventricular septal defect/pulmonary hypertension), three cases had noncardiac diseases (i.e., esophageal stenosis, hypoglycemia, and persistent pulmonary hypertension/sepsis), and four subjects were healthy.Conclusion: The obtained findings showed that routine pox, along with clinical examinations could be applied, especially in developing countries for the early detection of cardiac and noncardiac diseases in asymptomatic newborns