Development of curcumin-loaded nanoemulsion stabilized with texturized whey protein concentrate: Characterization, stability and in vitro digestibility.

The impacts of pH (2.8, 4.5, and 7.2) and extrusion cooking temperature (60°C, 85°C, and 110°C) on properties of native whey protein concentrate (NWPC) were evaluated, followed by delivering of curcumin through a nanoemulsion system stabilized with extruded WPC (EWPC). Protein solubility, surface hydrophobicity, and emulsion properties such as emulsion activity index (at 1% [w/w] protein concentration), stability index (at 0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 4% [w/w] protein concentration) and creaming index (evaluated at different protein concentrations [0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 4% w/w] and oil levels [20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%]) were improved as a function of the extrusion process. It was found that both covalent and non-covalent interactions contributed to the stabilization of the extrudates. The rheological investigation of the emulsions stabilized with EWPC (at different oil levels [20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%]) revealed high viscosity and shear thinning behavior as well as much higher G' and G″ values. Encapsulation efficiency was increased from 90.8% to 95.7% when NWPC and EWPC were used, respectively. The curcumin-loaded nanoemulsion containing EWPC presented high stability in confronting with ionic strength (NaCl salt with a concentration of 0.1-1 M), pH (3, 5, and 7), thermal treatments (pasteurization at 63°C for 30 min and sterilization at 95°C for 10 min) and storage time (1 month at 4°C and 25°C). In vitro release behavior revealed that samples stabilized with EWPC showed burst release in simulated intestine conditions. However, it was more stable in stomach conditions.

Health Risk Assessment of Lead, Cadmium, and Arsenic in Leafy Vegetables in Tehran, Iran: the Concentration Data Study.

Absorption of heavy and toxic metals causes their accumulation in the edible parts of vegetables. Pollutants such as heavy metals have directly affected the health of society and contributed to emerging diseases in recent years. The current study aimed to detect heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As) in highly consumed leafy vegetables provided from the Tehran market. Four types of vegetables, including dill, parsley, cress, and coriander were selected and 64 samples were randomly collected from fruit and vegetable markets in different regions of Tehran in August and September 2022. Then, samples were analyzed by the ICP-OES system, and health risk assessment was conducted using non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic approach. The range of Pb concentration was 54-314, < LOQ-289, < LOQ-230, and < LOQ-183 µg/kg for dill, cress, parsley, and coriander, respectively. The high mean concentrations of Pb belong to the dill (161.43 ± 77.3 µg/kg) and cress (154.75 ± 72.9 µg/kg). In some samples of dill (37.5% of samples), cress (18.75% of samples), and parsley (12.5% of samples), the Pb content was above the national allowable limit (200 µg/kg). The range of Cd concentration was < LOQ-42, < LOQ-41, < LOQ-30, and < LOQ-38 µg/kg for dill, cress, parsley, and coriander, respectively. In none of the samples, the concentration of Cd was higher than the Iranian national limit (50 µg/kg). The As occurrence was observed in all cress samples with a mean of 165.19 ± 64.83 µg/kg. The range of As concentration was < LOQ-71, < LOQ-256, 58-273, and < LOQ-75 µg/kg for parsley, dill, cress, and coriander, respectively. The THQ and HI values were higher than 1, and either ILCR value was higher than 10-4 for all tested heavy metals, it can be concluded that higher levels of heavy metals than the standard limits in some samples may raise the warning alarm and should come to the attention of the authorities.

Relationship between diet quality and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease predictor indices in Iranian patients with metabolic syndrome: A cross-sectional study.

The present study aimed to assess the association between diet quality and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) predictor indices in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS). This cross-sectional study was carried out among 344 adult patients with MetS. The diet quality of patients was calculated by Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015). NAFLD predictor indices (Hepatic Steatosis Index [HSI], Triglyceride-Glucose Index [TyG], and Fatty Liver Index [FLI]) were calculated and compared according to the HEI-2015 quartiles. The relationship between the HEI-2015 score and HSI, FLI, and TyG Index was estimated using multiple linear regression analysis. The findings of the present study revealed that patients with the highest HEI score had the lowest FLI score (p = .003) and HSI score (p = .05). There was an inverse relationship between the HEI-2015 score and FLI (ß = -0.49; p < .001), HSI (ß = -0.05; p = .25), and TyG Index (ß = -0.002; p = .34). According to our result, after adjusting for possible confounding factors, there was a statistically significant inverse association between HEI-2015 and FLI.

Modulation of toxicity effects of CuSO4 by sulfated polysaccharides extracted from brown algae (Sargassum tenerrimum) in Danio rerio as a model.

Copper is widely used in agriculture and aquaculture due to its high disinfection properties and relatively low cost. However, the increase in copper concentration due to evaporation can lead to water reservoir pollution, which can harm the health of consumers. The present study aimed to determine the role of sulfated polysaccharides (SPs) extracted from Sargassum tenerimum algae in reducing lesions caused by the heavy metal copper. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) were used as a human model in five treatments. The negative and positive control groups were fed a diet containing zero percent of SPs, while the experimental groups were fed 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% of SPs in three treatments for 56 days, finally CuSO4 was exposed only to the positive control group and the groups fed with SPs. Results showed a significant decrease in the activity level of ALT enzymes (39-16 U/mL), AST (67-46 U/mL), and ALP (485-237 U/mL), confirming the results obtained from histopathological studies in CuSO4 exposed groups. The addition of SPs to the diet resulted in a significant reduction (sig < 0.05) of mortalities due to the decrease of tissue damage. Additionally, due to the anti-inflammatory properties and the protective effect of SPs, a significant decrease (sig < 0.05) was observed in the relative expression of Il-1ß and Tnf-α genes.

Dietary Effects of Probiotic Lactobacillus casei on Some Immunity Indices of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) Exposed to Cadmium.

The present study investigated the effect of feeding common carp with Lactobacillus probiotic supplement on growth, blood indices, and immunity of serum and mucus exposed to cadmium. A total of 250 common carp with an average weight of 15 ± 0.62 were divided into three groups: fish without probiotics, and fish with two levels of probiotic. At the end of a 42-day feeding period, 50% of the lethal concentrations of cadmium were exposed for 14 days and blood and immune indices of serum and mucus were measured. The results showed that growth indices, blood indices, and serum and mucus immunity were significantly different from the control group (P < 0.05). Finally, this study showed probiotics could improve the decreasing effect of cadmium in BWI and PBWI indices and the additive effect of cadmium in FCR and ALT. Probiotic was also able to completely improve the decreasing effect of cadmium on lymphocyte indices and the additive effect of cadmium on ALP and AST and monocyte.

Potential roles of ellagic acid on metabolic variables in diabetes mellitus: A systematic review.

Diabetes mellitus is a widespread endocrine disorder globally. Due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, ellagic acid has the potential to improve the metabolic effects of chronic non-communicable diseases. This systematic review summarizes current evidence about the potential effects of ellagic acid on metabolic variables in diabetes mellitus. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted in databases such as PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, ProQuest and Google Scholar from inception until March 2022. All animal studies and clinical trials were eligible for inclusion. Studies using in vitro models or published in a non-English language were excluded. Of 1320 articles, 23 were selected for assessment, including 21 animal studies and two randomized controlled trial studies. Following ellagic acid administration, findings reported improvement in FBS, HbA1c, insulin (20, 8 and 12 studies, respectively), TG, TC, HDL-C (13, 10 and 5 studies, respectively), MDA, GSH, CAT, SOD (11, 6, 3 and 4 studies, respectively), and TNF-α and IL-6 (6 and 3 studies, respectively). In conclusion, ellagic acid may improve glycaemic indicators, dyslipidaemia, oxidative stress and inflammation in diabetes mellitus. However, further clinical trials are needed to explore the mechanisms more precisely and to observe the applied consequences.

Efficacy of Syzygium aromaticum essential oil on the growth and enzymatic activity of pathogenic Candida albicans strains.

Background and Purpose: Candida albicans (C. albicans) is the most common human pathogen owing to the most virulence factors. It seems that extracellular hydrolytic enzymes play a key role in C. albicans pathogenicity. The present study aimed to assess the susceptibility and enzymatic activity of pathogenic C. albicans isolates exposed to the Syzygium aromaticum (S. aromaticum) essential oil. Materials and Methods: S. aromaticum oil was characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The broth microdilution technique (CLSI, M27-A3) was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of test compounds. Furthermore, before and after treatment with S. aromaticum essential oil, the yeasts were analyzed regarding the proteinase (Prz), hemolysin (Hz), and phospholipase (Phz) production/activity. Results: ß-caryophyllene (12.76%) was found to be the major constituent in the essential oil after eugenol (84.64%). Only one isolate of C. albicans showed the antifungal resistance to fluconazole. All isolates were susceptible to S. aromaticum essential oil with MIC of 625-1250 µg/ml. S. aromaticum oil represented the best antifungal effect against C. albicans at MIC 1000 µg/ml. The mean±SD enzyme activity of C. albicans not exposed to S. aromaticum essential oil was obtained at 0.55±0.03, 0.73±0.04, and 0.61±0.05 for proteinase, hemolysin, and phospholipase, respectively. The activities of these enzymes were reduced significantly (P<0.05) to 0.33±0.06, 0.40±0.04, and 0.16±0.03 for phospholipase, proteinase, and hemolysin, respectively, after the yeasts were subjected to S. aromaticum essential oil. Conclusion: The present study aimed to determine the ability of S. aromaticum essential oil to prevent the growth of C. albicans and decrease their enzymatic activity. As a natural antifungal agent, S. aromaticum can be utilized in pharmaceutical systems.

Toxicity and Anti-feeding effect of Aesculushippocastanum, Thymus daenensis, Artemisia abrotanum, and Chrozophora tinctoria on Sitophillus oryzae.

Background and aim: The approach of food storage, especially cereals and basic human food sources, has long been considered as a problem to combat storage pests. the use of plant compounds has been suggested by researchers as an alternative to phosphine in the fight against pests.In this study, four plants such as Aesculushippocastanum, Thymus daenensis, Artemisia abrotanum and Chrozophoratinctoria were evaluated based on their deadly and repellent properties of pests and insectsconsidering Iranian medicine sources. Materials and methods: First, plant extracts were prepared by ethanol solvent method and then, their lethal and Anti-feeding experiments were performed on rice insects (Sitophylusoryzae) in standard laboratory conditions. Results: Extracts of Thymus daenensis, Aesculushippocastanum, Artemisia abrotanum and Chrozophoratinctoria were estimated to be 553.2, 753.6, 878.3 and 987.3 mg / ml effective dose, respectively.The results showed that Thymus daenensis extract with 90.33% with lower concentration compared to Aesculushippocastanum, Artemisia abrotanum and Chrozophoratinctoria extracts has the highest lethal effect against S. oryzae. Also in Anti-feedingtest, Thymus daenensis extract showed the highest Anti-feedingeffect in comparison with Aesculushippocastanum, Artemisia abrotanum and Chrozophoratinctoria extracts, respectively. Conclusions: The use of plants in the control against storage pests such as rice weevils will have favorable environmental results, human health and less storage is dangerous.

Understanding the Relationship between Microstructure and Physicochemical Properties of Ultrafiltered Feta-Type Cheese Containing Saturea bachtiarica Leaf Extract.

Microwave-assisted extraction was optimized to prepare Satureja bachtiarica leaf (SBL) extract based on antimicrobial (IZD) and antioxidant activities (DPPH) and extraction yield (EY). At optimum condition, i.e., 800 W power and 8 min, the best extraction results with EY = 16%, IZD = 73.56 mm, and DPPH = 24.2% were obtained. To develop a novel Feta-cheese, the influence of SBL extract, rennet, and starter concentrations were evaluated in terms of rheological, textural, and sensorial properties. At the optimized condition, the acceptance, taste, the strength of the network (A), and the distance between sequential cross-linking points (ξ) were 8.13, 8.07, 34,036.12 Pa·s1/z, and 5.41 nm, respectively. At the 60th day of storage time, the lowest z value (the network extensity parameter) of the cheese samples was observed. SEM image texture indices showed a good correlation with the studied instrumental texture parameters during 60 days of storage. The mold and yeast counts and their growth rate in the SBL extract-added cheese were lower than those for control one; whereas, the former cheese showed a greater LAB population between the 80th and 120th days. The antimicrobial and antioxidant qualities of SBL extract showed a significant influence on cheese properties.

Risk assessment of probable human errors in the scaffold erection and dismantling procedure: a fuzzy approach.

Objectives. Despite widespread use of scaffolds on construction sites, they are the most common causes of accidents, injuries and fatalities in this sector. About 80-90% of all occupational accidents occur as a result of human factors. On construction sites, proper erection/dismantling of scaffold is possibly the most essential factor in preventing accidents as it is one of the factors reported to be highly statistically significant in correlation to a high overall scaffold safety rating. Therefore, analysis of human errors (HEs) caused by scaffolders is important to be implemented. The main objective of this study was to evaluate possible HEs during scaffold erection and dismantling (SE&D). Methods. Stages involved were identified using hierarchical task analysis (HTA). Risk values of HEs were then evaluated using the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP). Results. Our findings indicate that the highest and lowest risk values were related to the errors of 'failure to reattach braces and connections prior to dismantling scaffolds' and 'insufficient preparation of the firm foundation', respectively. Conclusion. This study formulates a method to estimate the risk of potential HEs in SE&D.

LncRNAs Roles in Chemoresistance of Cancer Cells.

Cancer is an important health issue worldwide. Cancer therapy is multifaceted, and drug resistance is still the major limiting factor in the treatment of patients with this disease. Although the mechanisms of anticancer drug resistance have been broadly investigated, a massive biological signal pathway of Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) involved in this process has not been completely understood. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a kind of transcripts with a minimum length of 200 nucleotides in size, which have a limited potential for coding proteins. The roles of these RNA molecules have been evaluated in relation to several pathological processes, including tumor formation and progression. Increasing evidence has recently reported that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), particularly long non-coding RNAs, have significant roles in many cellular and genomic processes, and because of their potential in regulation specific genes, they are also involved in drug resistance. In this review, we review the literature on the features of lncRNA, their regulation roles in the gene expression related to chemo resistance, and the potential of these RNAs as targeted therapies for personalized treatment in cancers.

In-syringe ionic liquid-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with HPLC for the determination of trans,trans-muconic acid in human urine sample.

trans,trans-Muconic acid has been widely used as a biomarker in biological monitoring of benzene-exposed workers during routine occupational health services. In the present study, a novel microextraction technique, in-syringe ionic liquid-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction, was implemented for preconcentration of trans,trans-muconic acid followed by analytical determination by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Moreover, the important variables affecting the performance of applied microextraction technique including needle diameter, volume of the spiked sample, volume of the ionic liquid, salt addition, rotation speed of centrifugation, centrifuge time, and ultrasonic time were optimized by experimental design. A good linear relationship was observed at the range of 0.032-10 µg/mL between the peak area and the concentration levels (R2  = 0.9997). The limit of detection and extraction recovery for trans,trans-muconic acid were 0.011 µg/mL and >96.2%, respectively. This method provided easy and rapid analysis of low amounts of trans,trans-muconic acid in human urine with simple equipment.

Vitamin D3 protects against lead-induced testicular toxicity by modulating Nrf2 and NF-κB genes expression in rat.

Lead (Pb) is an environmental toxin that has the ability to alter biological processes by inducing oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) are two transcriptional factors that participate in the regulation of cellular responses against OS and inflammation. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of vitamin D3 (VD) on the prevention of testicular damages of Pb and its association with Nrf2 and NF-κB gene expression levels and their downstream molecules. Forty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups and treatments were performed as following for four weeks: control group received no treatment, VD group were injected intramuscularly with 1000 IU of VD/Kg every other day, Pb group received 1000 mg of Pb/L of drinking water, and Pb + VD group were exposed to Pb and VD simultaneously. The results demonstrated significant decrease in the levels of tissue antioxidants, and increase in inflammatory cytokines in the Pb-intoxicated group, with increased Nrf2 and NF-κB mRNA levels. A remarkable reduction in sperm criteria and a significant disruption in serum hormones were also observed. Anyhow, VD supplementation during exposure to Pb showed a significant protective effect against all pathophysiologic alterations caused by Pb. Furthermore, VD affected the expression of Nrf2 and NF-κB and mitigated the harsh effects of Pb. In conclusion, our findings indicate that VD attenuated the toxic impacts of Pb on testis through modulation of Nrf2 and NF-κB gene expression levels which further regulated the OS and inflammatory responses.

In vitro activity of encapsulated lactic acid bacteria on aflatoxin production and growth of Aspergillus Spp.

This study aimed to investigate the potential ability of simultaneously used L. acidophilus(LA-5), L.rhamnosus(LGG), and L.casei(LC-01) in encapsulated (E) and nonencapsulated (NE) forms in mycelial growth of Aspergillus spp and aflatoxin production by A. flavus. In order to assess the zone of fungal growth inhibition by E and NE lactic acid bacteria, the agar well diffusion method was applied. Quantification of aflatoxin was performed using a high-performance liquid chromatography technique. Lactic acid bacteria exhibited high antifungal activity and significantly reduced AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2 production in both E and NE forms compared to the control group. The percentage of reduction in total AFs production in treated samples with E and NE lactic acid bacteria was 94.1% and 95.5%, respectively. These results suggested that simultaneously used lactic acid bacteria in E and NE forms can prevent growth and decrease aflatoxin production of toxigenic aspergilla.

Association between parity and obesity: a cross sectional study on 6,447 Iranian females.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between parity and obesity in Iranian women. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, a total of 6447 urban women aged 40-65 were studied. Parity(number of full-term births), age at menarche, menopausal status, age, height, weight, marital status, education level and occupation were gathered by a checklist. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated. Statistical associations between parity and obesity using multiple logistic regression model were examined. RESULTS: The mean age of the enrolled women was 48.40 ± 6.13 years. The mean BMI was 27.55 ± 4.47 kg/m2. Of the total participants enrolled, 3517 (54.55%) had < 3 parities, while 2930 (45.44%) had ≥ 3 parities. The prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and overweight (30 > BMI ≥ 25) was 27.50 % (95% CI 26.85-28.15) and 43.70% (95% CI 42.98-44.42), respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, women with ≥ 3 parities were at higher risk of being obese (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.05-1.35). CONCLUSION: There was a statistically significant positive association between higher parity and obesity. It is recommended that health policymakers plan appropriate weight loss programs for postpartum.

Epidemiological characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients in IRAN: A single center study.

BACKGROUND: An outbreak of COVID-19 in Iran has spread throughout the country. Identifying the epidemiological characteristics of this disease will help to make appropriate decisions and thus control the epidemic. The aim of this study was characterization of the epidemiological features of COVID-19 in Iran. METHODS: In this retrospective study, data related to the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 patients admitted to Baqiyatallah Hospital in Tehran, Iran, from 19 February 2020 to 15 April 2020 have been analyzed and reported. Patient characteristics including age, gender and underlying diseases were investigated. Data were collected through patient records. Sex ratio, Case Fatality Rate (CFR) and daily trend of cases were also determined. A multiple logistic regression analysis was also performed to assess affecting factors on mortality. RESULTS: From February 19, 2020 to April 15, 2020, 12870 patients referred to the hospital emergency department, of which 2968 were hospitalized with COVID-19 diagnosis. The majority of cases were in the age group of 50 to 60 years of old. The male-to-female ratio was 1.93:1. A total of 239 deaths occurred among all cases for an overall CFR of 1.85% based on the total number of patients (both outpatient and inpatient) and 8.06% among hospitalized patients. Out of all patients 10.89% had comorbidity. Diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, chronic Kidney diseases and cancer were the most common comorbidities with 3.81, 2.02 , 1.99 , 1.25, 0.60 and 0.57 %, respectively. Male gender (OR=1.45, 95% CI: 1.08-1.96), older age (OR=1.05, 95% CI: 1.04-1.06) and having underlying diseases (OR=1.53, 95% CI: 1.04-2.24) were significantly associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showed that Male gender, older age and having comorbidities were significantly associated with the risk of death among COVID-19 patients. It is important to pay special attention to male elderly patients with underlying diseases.

Application of nanomaterials in treatment, anti-infection and detection of coronaviruses.

Nanotechnology and nanomedicine have excellent potential in dealing with a range of different health problems, including viruses, which are considered to be a serious challenge in the medical field. Application of nanobiotechnology could represent a new avenue for the treatment or disinfection of viruses. There is increasing concern regarding the control of coronaviruses, among these, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 are well known and dangerous examples. This article aims to provide an overview of recent studies on the effectiveness of nanoparticles as diagnostic or antiviral tools against coronaviruses. The possibilities of effectively using nanomaterials as vaccines and nanosensors in this field are also presented.

Application an edible active coating based on chitosan- Ferulago angulata essential oil nanoemulsion to shelf life extension of Rainbow trout fillets stored at 4 °C.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of nanoemulsification for improving the efficiency of chitosan- Ferulago angulata essential oil coating (CH + EO) on extending the shelf life of Rainbow trout fillets during 16 days storage at 4 °C. The average droplet size of coarse emulsions was dramatically reduced after nanoemulsification which was accompanied by a significantly more positive ζ-potential and lower polydispersity index. In vitro antibacterial potential of CH + EO against two fish specific spoilage organisms, Shewanella putrefaciens and Pseudomonas fluorescens, and its antioxidant activity improved significantly (p < 0.05) when nanoemulsions were fabricated. The CH + EO nanoemulsion (3% EO) treatment exhibited a significantly better inhibitory effect on bacterial growth of refrigeration stored Rainbow trout fillets. Moreover, nanoemulsification potentiated the efficacy of CH + EO in retarding the increase of TVB-N and lipid peroxidation in fish fillets. Texture, colour, and overall acceptability of CH + EO nanoemulsion treated samples were significantly (p < 0.05) better than those of other samples. Results suggest nanoemulsification as a potential approach to enhance the efficacy of the active coating.