Research gaps and future needs for allergen prediction in food safety.

The allergenicity and protein risk assessments in food safety are facing new challenges. Demands for healthier and more sustainable food systems have led to significant advances in biotechnology, the development of more complex foods, and the search for alternative protein sources. All this has increased the pressure on the safety assessment prediction approaches anchored into requirements defined in the late 90's. In 2022, the EFSA's Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms published a scientific opinion focusing on the developments needed for allergenicity and protein safety assessments of new products derived from biotechnology. Here, we further elaborate on the main elements described in this scientific opinion and prioritize those development needs requiring critical attention. The starting point of any new recommendation would require a focus on clinical relevance and the development of a fit-for-purpose database targeted for specific risk assessment goals. Furthermore, it is imperative to review and clarify the main purpose of the allergenicity risk assessment. An internationally agreed consensus on the overall purpose of allergenicity risk assessment will accelerate the development of fit-for-purpose methodologies, where the role of exposure should be better clarified. Considering the experience gained over the last 25 years and recent scientific developments in the fields of biotechnology, allergy, and risk assessment, it is time to revise and improve the allergenicity safety assessment to ensure the reliability of allergenicity assessments for food of the future.

Comparison of Parametric and Non-parametric EEG Feature Extraction Methods in Detection of Pediatric Migraine without Aura.

BACKGROUND: Migraine headache without aura is the most common type of migraine especially among pediatric patients. It has always been a great challenge of migraine diagnosis using quantitative electroencephalography measurements through feature classification. It has been proven that different feature extraction and classification methods vary in terms of performance regarding detection and diagnostic accuracy. Previous work on the subject was controversial, hence a comparison of these methods seems necessary. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research is to compare two parametric and non-parametric feature extraction methods and also two classification methods in order to obtain optimal combinations of diagnostic accuracy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Having recorded background EEG from 24 pediatric migraineurs and 19 control subjects, data was processed by Welch's and Yule-Walker's methods. Features were selected using genetic algorithm, and then given to a support vector machine and the linear discriminant analysis for the classification. Accuracy was calculated for all combinations having the dominant frequency and the correlated absolute power of each EEG wave band (theta, alpha, and beta) and for all wave bands combined. RESULTS: The highest migraine detection accuracy of 93% was obtained utilizing Welch's method for EEG feature extraction alongside support vector machine for a classifier. Besides, Yule-Walker autoregressive method showed better performance than Welch's, when only power bands (and not the dominant frequency) were used as classification input. CONCLUSION: The superiority of Welch's method over Yule-Walker's and the support vector machine over linear discriminant analysis can be great help for further researches on computer aided EEG-based diagnosis of migraine.

Evaluation the Anti-Cancer Effect of PEGylated Nano-Niosomal Gingerol, on Breast Cancer Cell lines (T47D), In-Vitro

Background: Cancer is a significant problem in modern medicine, also is the most common cause of death after cardiovascular diseases, and in need of targeted drug release. Although, chemotherapy is an important candidate in cancer treatment, but it has many side effects on healthy tissues of the body. Therefore, Nano technology is used for specific function, by the least side effects and damage to normal cells. Materials and method: In this study, the pharmacological properties of PEGylated Nano-niosomal Gingerol was examined. Noisome were prepared using reverse phase evaporation method, which contains specific proportion of cholesterol, span60 and polyethylene glycol. Then, PEGylated the prepared formulation by PEG6600. The amount of release and encapsulation of the drug was investigated. The percentage of remains of cancer cell line T47D treated with PEGylated niosomal Gingerol. Results: The average diameter of the nanoparticles, size distribution and zeta potential were reported for PEGylated niosomal sample 35.65 nm, 0.17 and 21 mv, and for PEGylated niosomal drug sample 256.9 nm, 0.23 and 28 mv, respectively. The amount of OD for encapsulated drug was 0.198, also the amount of concentration of the drug which is not encapsulated, was 0.77947 µl of the drug per ml. This value of encapsulated drug was 76.38 percent. Conclusion: The results showed that IC50 of the formulation of PEGylated nanoniosomal Gingerol is less than the standard drug. It seems, the cause of this phenomenon is due to the effect of Polyethylene glycol, in more stability and slower drug release, in the formulation of PEGylated niosome. Also, Polyethylene glycol makes increase in the drug dealing and its greater influence with the target cell. In this study, more than 76% of the Gingerol drug in PEGylated nanoniosomal formulation were enclose. Also, we could reduce the amount of drug release, as much as possible.

Genetic Population Diversity of Aedes caspius in Southern Provinces of Iran.

Aedes caspius has a wide distribution throughout the world and can transmit Chikungunya virus, West Nile Virus (WNV), Tahyna virus and the bacterium Francisella tularensis. Sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome C-oxidase subunit 1 (COI) and cytochrome C-oxidase subunit 2 (COII) genes have been widely used to estimate phylogenetic relationships at different taxonomic levels among this species. Adult collections were carried out by human bait, Center for Deseases Control Light Traps (CDC-LT) and aspirator during February/April, June and October/December 2013-2015 from different southern provinces of Iran and then identified morphologically with reliable keys. A total of 3,570 adult mosquitoes were collected and identified as belonging to three genera, including five species of Culex, six species of Aedes and one species of Culiseta. In this study, 1,796 specimens of Aedes caspius were identified from four provinces. Based on the COI and COII sequences obtained for Ae. caspius population, 12 and 11 haplotypes were identified, respectively. The present study evidenced a high degree of intraspecific variation among these populations of Ae. caspius.

Aedes caspius largement distribué dans le monde est le vecteur du virus du chikungunya, du virus West Nile, du virus Tahyna et de la bactérie Francisella tularensis. Les séquences des gènes mitochondriaux COI et COII sont généralement utilisées pour estimer les relations phylogénétiques entre les différents niveaux taxonomiques de cette espèce. Des moustiques adultes ont été collectés sur appâts humains, à l'aide de pièges lumineux de type « CDC/light-trap ¼ et d'aspirateurs en février/avril, juin et octobre/décembre 2013­2015 dans les provinces au sud de l'Iran. Les moustiques ont ensuite été identifiés d'un point de vue morphologique. Trois mille cinq cent soixante-dix moustiques adultes ont été collectés et identifiés comme appartenant à trois genres, dont cinq espèces de Culex, six espèces d'Aedes et une espèce de Culiseta. Dans cette étude, 1 796 spécimens d'Aedes caspius ont été identifiés dans quatre provinces. Les séquences COI et COII des populations d'Ae. caspius ont permis d'identifier respectivement 12 et 11 haplotypes. Les résultats de cette étude ont démontré qu'il existe une forte variation intraspécifique dans ces populations d'Ae. caspius.

Determination of helix orientations in a flexible DNA by multi-frequency EPR spectroscopy.

Distance measurements are performed between a pair of spin labels attached to nucleic acids using Pulsed Electron-Electron Double Resonance (PELDOR, also called DEER) spectroscopy which is a complementary tool to other structure determination methods in structural biology. The rigid spin label Ç, when incorporated pairwise into two helical parts of a nucleic acid molecule, allows the determination of both the mutual orientation and the distance between those labels, since Ç moves rigidly with the helix to which it is attached. We have developed a two-step protocol to investigate the conformational flexibility of flexible nucleic acid molecules by multi-frequency PELDOR. In the first step, a library with a broad collection of conformers, which are in agreement with topological constraints, NMR restraints and distances derived from PELDOR, was created. In the second step, a weighted structural ensemble of these conformers was chosen, such that it fits the multi-frequency PELDOR time traces of all doubly Ç-labelled samples simultaneously. This ensemble reflects the global structure and the conformational flexibility of the two-way DNA junction. We demonstrate this approach on a flexible bent DNA molecule, consisting of two short helical parts with a five adenine bulge at the center. The kink and twist motions between both helical parts were quantitatively determined and showed high flexibility, in agreement with a Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) study on a similar bent DNA motif. The approach presented here should be useful to describe the relative orientation of helical motifs and the conformational flexibility of nucleic acid structures, both alone and in complexes with proteins and other molecules.

Toxicity of Cisplatin-Loaded Poly Butyl Cyanoacrylate Nanoparticles in a Brain Cancer Cell Line: Anionic Polymerization Results

Cancer is one of the most important issues in modern medicine and the most common cause of death after cardiovascular diseases in many countries. Brain cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer death among men and women, ranking third. Chemotherapeutic drugs that aim to prevent uncontrolled proliferation of cells in tissues of the body and induce apoptosis of tumor cells are prominent candidates for development. Since cisplatin has an apoptosisinducing role, it is widely used as an anticancer agent. In this research, toxicity of cisplatin was studied with the C6 rat glioma cell lined using the MTT method. In addition, nanoparticles underwent SEM microscopic imaging. Particle average size, size distribution, polydispersity index (PDI) and zeta potential of poly butyl cyanoacrylate nanoparticles were found to be 222 nm, 0.470 ± 0.04 and 5.1 ± 0.2 mV, respectively. The results showed that nanoconjugates of cisplatin have more cytotoxic effects on C6 cells than the free drug (P<0.05), pointing to an enhanced potential of the synthesized nano-particles as a new nanocarrier for chemotherapy.

Enhancing Effects of Curcumin on Cytotoxicity of Paclitaxel, Methotrexate and Vincristine in Gastric Cancer Cells

Curcumin (Diferuloylmethane), a polyphenolic compound with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties, has been found to increase chemotherapeutic agents-induced cytotoxicity in some resistant cancer cell lines. This investigation aimed to study the effects of curcumin on efficacy of some common anticancer agents in gastric cancer cells. AGS cells were cultured in RPMI-1640 medium under standard culture conditions (5% CO2 and 95% humidified air at 37°C). Curcumin was used at concentrations of 5, 15, 30 and 50 µM. Cells were treated with a combination of curcumin and paclitaxel (300 nm) or methotrexate (100 µm) or vincristine (5 nm). Cell viability, the percentage of live cells in the whole population, was evaluated by MTT assay after 48 hours. The results showed that cell viability was significantly decreased after incubation of AGS cells with curcumin. Combination with curcumin (15-50 µm) significantly increased cytotoxicity of all three agents (P<0.001). Regarding high anticancer potential and enhancement of chemotherapeutic agent-induced cytotoxicity, the combined use of curcumin with standard chemotherapy of gastric cancer is suggested as a strategy for better management of this fatal cancer.

General Characteristics and Cytotoxic Effects of Nano-Poly (Butyl Cyanoacrylate) Containing Carboplatin on Ovarian Cancer Cells

The initial response to treatment and subsequent development of resistance to carboplatin are very important challenges. Use of nano drug delivery is a new method to replace standard chemotherapy. In this research, both non-PEGylated and PEGylated nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by mini-emulsion polymerization of poly (butyl cyanoacrylate) (PBCA) NPs. Characteristics such as size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, drug release, and stability were examined. In addition, infrared spectroscopy was used for description of the produced NPs. Then, cytotoxicity effects of both formulations were studied on the A2780CIS ovarian cancer cell line with incubation for 24, 48, and 72h. Examination of characteristics of loaded carboplatin on the PBCA NPs under suitable laboratory conditions showed a positive effect of PEG on their properties. Cytotoxicity studies demonstrated greater toxicity with both formulations of nano-drugs than the free drug. The results indicated that PBCA NPs can be considered as suitable candidates for nano-drugs in chemotherapy.

Morphological studies on adult mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) and first report of the potential Zika virus vector Aedes (Stegomyia) unilineatus (Theobald, 1906) in Iran.

Beside numerous extensive studies on Anophelinae mosquitoes of Iran, little is known on Aedes species in the country and existing reports are dispersed. The objective of this study was to identify adults of Culicinae species occurring in the Sistan and Baluchestan Province, southeast of Iran, during 2012-2014. Mosquito collections were carried out three times (May-June, September, October-November) in four counties by Centers for Diseases Control (CDC) light traps and human landing catches outdoors and under bed nets baited with carbon dioxide. These trapping were carried out two consecutive nights during the field studies. Several mosquito collections were also conducted with aspirator and pyrethrum spray space catches during the day. A total of 1885 mosquitoes were collected, belonging to 10 species of genus Culex including Cx. pipiens Complex, Cx. laticinctus, Cx. sinaiticus, and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, one species of the genus Culiseta, Cs. longiareolata, and five species of the genus Aedes, Ae. caspius, Ae. vexans, Ae. detritus, Ae. albopictus, and Ae. unilineatus. Ae. vexans was the dominant species in the area (77.7%). During the study, seven Ae. unilineatus were collected in two villages near the city of Chabahar located in a coastal area; this is the first record for Iran and identification was confirmed by Cytochrome oxidase (COI) sequences analysis. Confirmation of the presence of Ae. unilineatus in the country raises the number of species of the genus Aedes to 12. The detection of this species reveals its probable establishment in the southeast of the country, which has implications for public health such as dengue and Zika infections and requires active entomological surveillance and implementation of adapted vector control measures in the area.

Nanocomposite of p-type conductive polymer/functionalized graphene oxide nanosheets as novel and hybrid electrodes for highly capacitive pseudocapacitors.

An effective approach for increasing the life cycle of poly ortho aminophenol (POAP) as a p-type conductive polymers is combining conventional conductive polymers and nanomaterials to fabricate hybrid electrodes. In this paper, functionalized graphene oxide (FGO) has first been synthesized using a chemical approach. Hybrid POAP/FGO films have then been fabricated by POAP electropolymerization in the presence of FGO nanoparticles as active electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitors. Based on the atomic scale study results, it seems that H3PO4(-) oxygen atoms and terminal pyridine ring nitrogen atoms play a crucial role in the intramolecular charge and energy transfer in the FGO molecular systems. Theoretical studies, surface and electrochemical analyses have been used for characterization of POAP/FGO composite films. Different electrochemical methods including galvanostatic charge discharge experiments, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy have been applied to study the system performance. This work introduces new nanocomposite materials for electrochemical redox capacitors with such advantages as the ease of synthesis, high active surface area and stability in an aqueous electrolyte.

Anatomical Flow Pattern of Contrast in Lumbar Epidural Space: A Human Study with a Midline vs. Parasagittal Interlaminar Approach under Fluoroscopy.

BACKGROUND: Epidural injections for managing chronic back pain are one of the most commonly performed interventions; however, controversy continues regarding the most effective method of epidural injections. A ventral distribution of epidural injected drug plays a significant role in its effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: To determine the distribution of a drug in the epidural space after parasagital and midline epidural injection. SETTING: Academic hospital. STUDY DESIGN: In randomized double-blind clinical trial, patients with a diagnosis of low back pain (LBP) and unilateral lumbosacral radicular pains were randomized to receive drug through either parasagital or midline approach. METHODS: Patients were assessed for anterior epidural spread of contrast under fluoroscopy in anteroposterior and lateral views. After epidural space confirmation, triamcinolone (80 mg) plus bupivacain was injected and patients were followed up for 2 weeks. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients enrolled in the study. Successful infiltration of the drug into the ventral epidural space was successfully achieved in 75% of cases in the parasagital group but in only 25% of the cases in using a midline approach. Effective pain relief (numeric rating scale [NRS] < 3) was observed in 76.5% of patients in the parasagital group and 24.5% of patients in the midline group (P = 0.001) at 2 weeks. Number of patients with improved disability (measured by Oswestry Disability Index [ODI] < 20%) was significantly higher in the parasagital group (78%) compared to the midline group (26%) at 2 weeks (P = 0.002). LIMITATIONS: The results of the current study should be interpreted in relation to the study design and future studies should include larger patient numbers and longer follow-up time. However, the results are consistent with previous studies. CONCLUSION: Parasagital epidural injection showed higher infiltration of the drug to the ventral epidural space compared to the midline approach. The higher infiltration of the ventral epidural space provides better improvement of clinical disability and pain in the parasagital group.

Biodiversity of culicid mosquitoes in rural Neka township of Mazandaran province, northern Iran.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: This paper presents the results of a study on ecological parameters including diversity indices applied on populations of Culicidae mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from three rural areas (Darvishan, Chalmardi and Khairabad) of Neka township in Mazandaran province, northern Iran. METHODS: Adult and larval stages of mosquitoes were systematically sampled to obtain data required for measuring diversity of mosquitoes in these areas. Alfa and beta indices were analyzed to compare mosquito diversity. A total of 5270 specimens belonging to four genera and 14 different species were collected and identified. RESULTS: Evaluation of dominance structure of species showed that culicid mosquitoes of Neka rangelands include one eudominant species, two dominant species, two subdominant species, two rare species and eight subrare species when Heydemann classification was used. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Data analysis revealed a higher diversity of mosquitoes in Khairabad with a low degree of interspecific dominance, while Darvishan and Chalmardi recorded the lowest observed diversity and a high degree of interspecific dominance. The cluster analysis based on Jaccard's index indicated the relationship between the categories and indicates that Darvishan and Khairabad are the closest categories in their specific composition.

Synthesis and Pharmacological Evaluation of New Chemical Entities from Ibuprofen as Novel Analgesic Candidates.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the first choice of drugs that are normally used for the treatment of pain and inflammation. Ibuprofen (I) and its analogues as the most widely used NSAIDs have been synthesized in recent years. In an effort to establish new candidates with improved analgesic properties, derivatives (II-VII) with substituted aromatic as well as aliphatic moieties were synthesized in this experiment and evaluated in formalin test with rats. The results were compared to ibuprofen and control groups. Findings indicated that derivatives with new alkylphenyl rings (VI and VII) had some similar or more analgesic activities relative to the control and ibuprofen groups, respectively; which could be justified as to more alkyl and phenyl groups instead of p-isobutylphenyl moiety in I.

The molecular and morphological variations of Culex pipiens complex (Diptera: Culicidae) in Iran.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Taxonomic status of Culex pipiens is well-known as many years with such a wide variety of morphological and biological characteristics. These changes have been the subject of extensive investigation by many researchers. There are a little information about the morphology and molecular data of Cx. pipiens complex in Iran. The taxonomic status of the complex is very important because of medical and veterinary importance and wide distribution in the country. METHODS: This study was carried out in 11 areas in Iran using dipping technique from April 2009 to October 2010. Molecular study was carried out using primers F1457 as forward and B1256 as reverse, which amplified Ace.2 gene and performed PCR-RFLP using ScaI restriction enzyme. RESULTS: Culex quinquefasciatus found in south to central areas of Iran and reported as sympatric with Cx. pipiens in the central regions. Culex pipiens distributed in many areas of the country. Sequencing alignment of Ace.2 gene of Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. pipiens showed 6.5% variation in 46bp, especially in intron locus of gene. Culex pipiens complex from Iran are located in two separate clades with sister branches using phylogenetic sequencing tree. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: The male genitalia found as the most reliable diagnostic characters for identification of Cx. pipiens complex in Iran that confirmed by amplify the Ace.2 gene in the samples but we recommended the use of sequencing PCR products of microsatellite loci and COI gene in future study.

The effects of Nigella sativa hydro-alcoholic extract and thymoquinone on lipopolysaccharide - induced depression like behavior in rats.

BACKGROUND: Neuroimmune factors have been proposed as contributors to the pathogenesis of depression. Beside other therapeutic effects including neuroprotective, antioxidant, anticonvulsant and analgesic effects, Nigella sativa and its main ingredient, thymoquinone (TQ), have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. In the present study, the effects of Nigella sativa hydro-alcoholic extract and thymoquinone was investigated on lipopolysaccharide- induced depression like behavior in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 50 male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups: Group 1 (control group) received saline instead of NS extract, thymoquinone or lipopolysaccharide. The animals in group 2 (lipopolysaccharide (LPS)) were treated by saline instead of NS extract and were injected LPS (100µg/kg, ip) 2 hours before conducting each forced swimming test. Groups 3 (LPS + NS 200) and 4 (LPS + NS 400) were treated by 200 and 400 mg/kg of NS (ip), respectively, from the day before starting the experiments and before each forced swimming test. These animals were also injected LPS 2hours before conducting each swimming test. The animals in group 5 received TQ instead of NS extract. Forced swimming test was performed 3 times for all groups (in alternative days), and immobility time was recorded. Finally, the animals were placed in an open- field apparatus, and the crossing number on peripheral and central areas was observed. RESULTS: The immobility time in the LPS group was higher than that in the control group in all 3 times (P<0.001). The animals in LPS + NS 200, LPS + NS 400 and LPS + TQ had lower immobility times in comparison with LPS groups (P<0.01, and P<0.01). In the open- field test, the crossing number of peripheral in the LPS group was higher than that of the control one (P<0.01) while the animals of LPS + NS 200, LPS + NS 400 and LPS + TQ groups had lower crossing number of peripheral compared with the LPS group (P <0.05, and P<0.001). Furthermore, in the LPS group, the central crossing number was lower than that of the control group (P<0.01). In the animals treated by NS or TQ, the central crossing number was higher than that of the LPS group (P<0.05, and P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study showed that hydro-alcoholic extract of Nigella sativa can prevent LPS-induced depression like behavior in rats. These results support the traditional belief on the beneficial effects of Nigella sativa in the nervous system. Moreover, further investigations are required in order to better understand this protective effect.

Laboratory colonization of Lucilia sericata Meigen (Diptera: Caliphoridae) strain from Hashtgerd, Iran.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The treatment of wounds with live green bottle fly larvae is receiving considerable attention in many countries. Laboratory rearing of Lucilia sericata is crucially important for the treatment of wounds. STUDY DESIGN: The study was carried out for mass rearing of green bottle flies from April to November 2010. Hand catch and net trap baited with beef and cattle liver were used to collect adult flies from the field. The collected samples were placed in appropriately labeled tubes and sent to the laboratory. Adult stage flies reared in the insectary were used for species identification using specific keys. RESULTS: A total of 89 flies (55 females and 34 males) were collected from Hashtgerd area. In the first generation, 299 flies were produced in the laboratory including 105 (35.12%) males, and 194 (64.88%) females. The female/male sex ratio was 1.61 for parents, whereas it was 1.84, 1.30 for F1 and F2 generations respectively. In total, 432 flies were reared in F3 generation including 173 (40.04%) males, and 259 (59.96%) females, and the sex ratio was 1.49. CONCLUSION: Setting up the mass rearing of sheep blowfly at the School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences is an important step in producing candidate flies for the treatment of myiasis by maggot therapy in future.

Adhesion to Er:YAG laser and bur prepared root and crown dentine.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bond strengths between dentine and resin composite obtained after Er:YAG laser treatment of crown or root dentine used together with self-etch and total-etch adhesive systems. METHODS: One etch-and-rinse adhesive (Single Bond, 3M, USA) and one self-etch system (Clearfil SE Bond, Kuraray, Japan) were applied to root and crown dentine prepared with a regular bur in a turbine or with an Er:YAG laser. The shear bond strength was determined after thermocycling and statistically analysed using independent t-tests. RESULTS: Crown sites bonded using Clearfil SE Bond and Single Bond adhesives yielded bond strengths similar to that of root dentine sites (p > 0.05). Clearfil SE Bond was stronger in both the lased and non-lased groups (p < 0.05). The lowest bond strength was obtained when Single Bond without acid etching was used on Er:YAG ablated dentine. When total-etch adhesive was used, there were significant differences (p < 0.05) between the laser-ablated and laser-ablated/acid-etched and bur-cut/acid-etched groups. CONCLUSIONS: Er:YAG laser irradiation of root and crown dentine conducted prior to the adhesive protocol adversely affected adhesion and decreased bond strength compared with traditional preparation.

DNA immobilization on a polypyrrole nanofiber modified electrode and its interaction with salicylic acid/aspirin.

A double-stranded calf thymus DNA (dsDNA) was physisorbed onto a polypyrrole (PPy) nanofiber film that had been electrochemically deposited onto a Pt electrode. The surface morphology of the polymeric film was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrochemical characteristics of the PPy film and the DNA deposited onto the PPy modified electrode were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Then the interaction of DNA with salicylic acid (SA) and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), or aspirin, was studied on the electrode surface with DPV. An increase in the DPV current was observed due to the oxidation of guanine, which decreased with the increasing concentrations of the ligands. The interactions of SA and ASA with the DNA follow the saturation isotherm behavior. The binding constants of these interactions were 1.15×10(4)M for SA and 7.46×10(5)M for ASA. The numbers of binding sites of SA and ASA on DNA were approximately 0.8 and 0.6, respectively. The linear dynamic ranges of the sensors were 0.1-2µM (r(2)=0.996) and 0.05-1mM (r(2)=0.996) with limits of detection of 8.62×10(-1) and 5.24×10(-6)µM for SA and ASA, respectively.

Culicinae mosquitoes in Sanandaj county, Kurdistan province, western Iran.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: This study aims at studying mosquito-borne diseases as the major public health threat in Iran. Sanandaj outskirts are considered suitable habitats for mosquito larvae. In view of scanty reports on mosquito-borne disease implementation in this area, a study was undertaken to determine the mosquito fauna and frequency of mosquito larvae at Sanandaj City. METHODS: In order to study the mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) fauna, the samples were collected from May to July 2009 using dipping and night catch methods in Sanandaj district, Kurdistan province, western Iran. RESULTS: Three genera and 11 species of the Culicinae subfamily were identified--Aedes vexans Meigen, Ochlerotatus caspius s.l. Pallas (indicating new occurrence records for the province), Culex hortensis Ficalbi, Cx. pipiens Linnaeus, Cx. mimeticus Noe, Cx. theileri Theobald, Culiseta longiareolata Macquart, and Cs. subochrea Edwards. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Present study revealed that Ae. vexans and Ochlerotatus caspius s.l caught had not been previously recorded in Kurdistan province, highlighting the deficient knowledge of the fauna and distribution of Culicinae mosquitoes of this part of Iran.

Electrochemical DNA nano-biosensor for the study of spermidine-DNA interaction.

An electrochemical DNA nano-biosensor is prepared by immobilization of double stranded DNA (dsDNA) onto a mixed self-assembled monolayer (SAM) composed of azide- and hydroxyl-terminated thiols. The SAMs- and dsDNA-modified gold electrodes were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The interaction of spermidine with DNA was studied by differential pulse voltammetry at the DNA-modified electrode. The decrease in the guanine oxidation peak current was used to study the interaction. The binding constant (K), obtained by differential pulse voltammetry, was 1.85 x 10(5)M(-1). A linear dependence of the guanine peak currents was observed in the range of 1.6-70.4 microM spermidine, with a detection limit of 0.72 microM and r=0.994 by using differential pulse voltammetry.