Evaluation of Microencapsulated Essential Oils in Broilers Challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis: A Focus on the Body's Antioxidant Status, Gut Microbiology, and Morphology.

Restrictions on antibiotic use encourage researchers to seek natural substitutes with the same effects without adverse end effects resulting from antibiotic use. Savory and black pepper have been challenged against Salmonella enteritidis (S. enteritidis) bacterium using the spray dryer method to evaluate growth performance, antioxidant status, immune response, and intestinal health parameters in broilers. In this study, thyme essential oil (50%), savory (25%), peppermint (12.5%), and black pepper seeds (12.5%) were mixed to form essential oil-loaded spherical microcapsules with the particle size of 323 nm and encapsulation efficiency of 96.2%. The main bioactive compounds used in the core of microcapsules included thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, γ-terpinene, and menthol. Moreover, modified starch (25%) and maltodextrin (55%) were used for the preparation of spherical microcapsules for the enclosed wall with 20% whey protein concentrate. The dietary addition of microcapsules containing essential oil significantly reduced the S. enteritidis population in both ileum and cecum (P<0.05). The results revealed that the dietary inclusion of essential oil-loaded microcapsules significantly (P<0.05) increased the villus height, villus width, V: C ratio, and the number of goblet cells and decreased the crypt depth. Microcapsules have antioxidant and antibacterial activity and their dietary use as feed additive at 0.5, 1, and 2 kg/t concentrations in broilers has been challenged and showed that the final weight, total feed intake, and FCR improved the body's antioxidant status, structure, and inflammation in the ileum tissue.

Type 1 diabetes genetic risk score discriminates between monogenic and Type 1 diabetes in children diagnosed at the age of <5 years in the Iranian population.

AIM: To examine the extent to which discriminatory testing using antibodies and Type 1 diabetes genetic risk score, validated in European populations, is applicable in a non-European population. METHODS: We recruited 127 unrelated children with diabetes diagnosed between 9 months and 5 years from two centres in Iran. All children underwent targeted next-generation sequencing of 35 monogenic diabetes genes. We measured three islet autoantibodies (islet antigen 2, glutamic acid decarboxylase and zinc transporter 8) and generated a Type 1 diabetes genetic risk score in all children. RESULTS: We identified six children with monogenic diabetes, including four novel mutations: homozygous mutations in WFS1 (n=3), SLC19A2 and SLC29A3, and a heterozygous mutation in GCK. All clinical features were similar in children with monogenic diabetes (n=6) and in the rest of the cohort (n=121). The Type 1 diabetes genetic risk score discriminated children with monogenic from Type 1 diabetes [area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve 0.90 (95% CI 0.83-0.97)]. All children with monogenic diabetes were autoantibody-negative. In children with no mutation, 59 were positive to glutamic acid decarboxylase, 39 to islet antigen 2 and 31 to zinc transporter 8. Measuring zinc transporter 8 increased the number of autoantibody-positive individuals by eight. CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides the first evidence that Type 1 diabetes genetic risk score can be used to distinguish monogenic from Type 1 diabetes in an Iranian population with a large number of consanguineous unions. This test can be used to identify children with a higher probability of having monogenic diabetes who could then undergo genetic testing. Identification of these individuals would reduce the cost of treatment and improve the management of their clinical course.

The Genetic Spectrum of Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) in the Iranian Population.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant disorder associated with premature cardiovascular disease (CVD). Mutations in the LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9 genes are known to cause FH. In this study, we analysed the genetic spectrum of the disease in subjects from the Iranian population with a clinical diagnosis of FH. Samples were collected from 16 children and family members from five different cities of Iran. Probands were screened for mutations in the LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9 genes using next generation sequencing, with results confirmed by Sanger sequencing. The likely pathology of identified variants was examined using in silico tools. Of the probands, 14 had a clinical diagnosis of homozygous FH and two of heterozygous FH. No mutations were found in either APOB or PCSK9, but nine probands were homozygous for seven different LDLR mutations, with p.(Trp577Arg) occurring in three and p.Val806Glyfs*11 occurring in two patients. Two mutations were novel: p.(Leu479Gln) and p.(Glu668*). Seven probands with a clinical diagnosis of FH were mutation negative. This pilot study, integrating clinical and molecular-based techniques, begins to elucidate the FH heterogeneity and the mutation spectrum in the Iranian population. Such information is important for future disease management and cost savings.

Comparative measurement of ghrelin, leptin, adiponectin, EGF and IGF-1 in breast milk of mothers with overweight/obese and normal-weight infants.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obese infants are more susceptible to develop adulthood obesity and its related comorbidities. Previous studies have shown the presence of hormones and growth factors in maternal breast milk that may influence infant adiposity. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in concentrations of three hormones and two growth factors in the breast milk of mothers with obese and non-obese infants. SUBJECTS/METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 40 mothers with overweight or obese infants (weight for length percentile >97) and 40 age-matched mothers with normal-weight infant (-10 < weight for length percentile < 85) who were between 2 and 5 months of age were enrolled. Anthropometric indices of infants and mothers were measured by routine methods. Breast milk concentrations of ghrelin and adiponectin, leptin, epithelial growth factor (EGF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods. RESULTS: The mean breast milk concentration of ghrelin was higher in mothers with normal-weight infants, 137.50 pg/ml, than in mothers with obese infants, 132.00 pg/ml (P=0.001). This was also true regarding the concentration of EGF in mothers with (0/04 ng/ml) and without (0/038 ng/ml) normal-weight infants (P=0.01). No significant differences were observed in concentrations of leptin, adiponectin and IGF-1 between two groups (P > 0.05). There was also a significant positive correlation between EGF and ghrelin in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that there was a correlation between ghrelin and EGF level in breast milk of mothers with obese and non-obese infants, suggesting a possible regulatory effect of these two hormones on weight in infants.

Mutation spectrum of the PAH gene in the PKU patients from Khorasan Razavi province of Iran.

BACKGROUND: Characterization of the molecular basis of phenylketonuria (PKU) in North-east of Iran has been accomplished through the analysis of 62 unrelated chromosomes from 31 Iranian PKU patients. METHODS: Phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene mutations have been analyzed by direct DNA sequencing exons 6, 7, 10 and 11. RESULTS: A mutation detection rate of 74% was achieved. Eleven different mutations were found, with the most frequent mutation, IVS10-11G>A, accounting for 19% of Khorasan-Razavi PKU alleles. Ten mutations (R176X, E280K, IVS11+1G>C, S231P, Q383X, R243X, I224T, E390G, R252W and P281L) represent the rest PKU chromosomes. One novel mutation, Q383X in the homozygote form was identified which is located in the catalytic domain (residues143-410). CONCLUSION: With this high detection rate of mutations in North-east of Iran, new strategy for carrier testing could be DNA sequencing of these four exons. The other exons and boundaries will be studied only when either one or no mutations are detected in the initial screen.

Antihypertensive and antihyperlipidemic effects of Achillea wilhelmsii.

Achillea wilhelmsii C. Koch (Asteraceae) is widely found in different parts of Iran. This plant is full of flavonoids and sesquiterpene lactones, which have been shown to be effective in lowering blood lipids and hypertension. We conducted a double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial to study the antihyperlipidemic and antihypertensive effects of Achillea drops. We randomly selected 120 men and women, aged 40-60 years, and divided them in two distinct groups of moderate hyperlipidemic and primary hypertensive subjects. They were treated either with hydroalcoholic extract or with placebo in the form of 15-20 drops twice daily for more than 6 months. Blood pressure and serum lipids (total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol) were measured in the groups for 3 periods of 2 months each. The mean and standard deviation of alternations in these variables between the group taking placebo and that taking drugs was calculated by Student's t-test. The results showed a significant decrease in triglycerides after of 2 months while decreases in triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were significant after 4 months. Levels of HDL-cholesterol were significantly increased after 6 months' treatment. A significant decrease was observed in diastolic and systolic blood pressure after 2 and 6 months, respectively (p < 0.05).