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Introduction In young adults Stroke is a challenging condition and various tests are needed to diagnose and manage its underlying problems. Free floating thrombosis of internal carotid artery (FFT-ICA) is one of the rare problems among carotid artery diseases which can lead to stroke in adults. Owing to limited cases of FFT-ICA there is not a worldwide accepted consensus on management of FFT-ICA, but some recurrences after medical management have been reported in the literature. Presentation of case A-25-year old woman was referred to hospital with sudden onset aphasia and right sided hemiparesis. Carotid duplex ultrasonography showed an iso-echogenic thrombus ranged about 5 × 10 mm partially attached to arterial wall of the right internal carotid artery. It was floating in accordance with the heartbeat. Anticoagulation therapy was initiated and subsequently she underwent an urgent operation. To explore the etiology of her problem, various lab tests were carried out; the results showed markedly elevated levels of lupus anticoagulant. She was discharged from hospital after an uneventful recovery showing gradual improvement of symptoms in follow-up visits. Discussion FFT-ICA is one of the scarce disorders of carotid artery. Less than 150 cases have been reported in the literature indicating its common occurrence in old men. Hence the etiology of this case (FFT in a young patient with high levels of lupus anticoagulant antibody) may be the first of its type. Conclusion In this case we chose surgical treatment resulting in complete resolution of symptoms and non-recurrence within 6 month follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Cinnamon essential oil encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles. • Physical and antibacterial aspects of nanoencapsulated Cinnamon evidenced. • The most inhibition effect confirmed on Pseudomonas fluorescens. • The release of essential oil from chitosan nanoparticles exhibited Fickian behavior. • Lower release of Cinnamon compared to Zataria essential oil established. Widespread consumption of essential oils as green and efficient preservative is limited due to high instability and volatility of bioactive components. This work aimed to improve the antibacterial impact of Cinnamomum zeylanicum essential oil (CE) by encapsulating into chitosan nanoparticles (CHNPs) using an ionic gelation method against Escherichia coli , Erwinia carotovora, and Pseudomonas fluorescens. The success of CE encapsulation was confirmed by ultraviolet and visible spectroscopy. The size of the obtained nanoparticles was 100−200 nm in diameter. Nanoparticles yield was around 55–72 % w/w. In vitro release analysis also indicated a controlled and sustained release of CE, an initial explosion impact and pursued by a slow-core release. The measure of freed CE was 21.4, 26.8, and 31.65 % in buffer media at a pH of 7, 5, and 3 after 40 days respectively. Further, experimental results showed the superior performance of CE-loaded CHNPs in comparison with CHNPs and CE alone against tested bacteria. The CE when encapsulated by CHNPs, offered the highest antibacterial activity. Such nanoparticles may represent a delivery system that could enhance the antibacterial impact of CE. It was verified that P. fluorescens show more sensitivity than E. carotovora and E. coli to CE-loaded CHNPs. However, the maximum antibacterial activity of CHNPs was recorded against E. coli. In brief, chitosan nanoparticles-based delivery system could be introduced as a practical approach to improve the use of natural antimicrobial agents in the health and food industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of postharvest treatment with chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs = T1) and Zataria multiflora essential oil (ZEO) incorporated in (ZEO@CSNPs = T2), on the shelf-life extension and antioxidant activities of whole cucumbers during storage were evaluated. Coated and control cucumbers were stored at 10 ± 1 °C with 90-95% RH for 21 days. Measurements of physicochemical and microbial growth were accomplished every 3 days. After 15 days, the fruit decay in the T2 coating was 2% vs. 12 and 97.7% in the T1 coated and uncoated fruit, respectively. Significant differences were obtained for weight loss, firmness, respiration rate, DPPH-radical scavenging activity, reducing power and microbial counts ( P < 0.05) during storage. There were significantly higher levels of DPPH-radical scavenging activity and reducing power in T2-treated cucumbers compared with that in the T1-treated followed by the control fruit. In conclusion the ZEO loaded CSNPs coating could improve the quality of cucumber and protect the bioactive components during storage. Industrial relevance Cucumber as a good source of antioxidants is one of the most popular and widely grown vegetable crops in the world. However, it has a short shelf-life (< 14 days) that is mainly related to firmness loss, discoloration, desiccation and fungal rot. The reduction of losses is a major objective of postharvest technology for cucumbers, which tries to utilize safe and efficacious methods to control contamination and the growth of spoiling fungi. On the other hand, the nano-/micro-encapsulation of EOs allows protection of their sensitive bioactive compounds from unfavorable environmental conditions and enhances their bioactivity during food processing and storage. So, in this study a new edible coating, consisting of Zataria multiflora essential oil (ZEO) incorporated into chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs), was introduced to extend the shelf-life of cucumber as well as protect the bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to improve the antimicrobial activity and stability of Cinnamomum zeylanicum essential oil (CEO) against Phytophthora drechsleri , the causal agent of cucumber ( Cucumis sativus ) fruit rot in laboratory media and when applied as a coating on cucumbers. Additionally, the influence of chitosan nanoparticles (CSN)-based coatings on several physicochemical characteristics of the fruit during storage was assessed. CEO was encapsulated by an ionic gelation technique into CSN with an average size of 100–190 nm. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) and loading capacity (LC) of CEO-loaded CSNs (CEO-CSN) were about 2–17% and 3–4%, respectively, with the initial CEO content of 0.25–1 kg/kg chitosan. In vitro release studies showed a controlled and sustained release of CEO for 40 d. The superior performance of CEO when encapsulated by CSNs under both in vitro and in vivo conditions in comparison with unmodified CEO against P. drechsleri was studied. The in vivo experiment also showed that the encapsulated oils at 1.5 g/L concentration significantly decreased both disease severity and incidence of Phytophthora -inoculated cucumbers during 7 d of storage at 4 °C followed by 2–3 more days at 20 °C. Furthermore, the CEO-CSN coating extended the shelf life of cucumbers up to 21 d at 10 ± 1 °C while uncoated fruit were unmarketable in less than 15 d. CEO-CSN coating improved the microbiological and physicochemical quality of cucumbers. Coated fruit were firmer, maintained color, water content, and showed lower microbial counts ( P < 0.05) throughout storage. According to these results, CEO-CSN coatings can be an effective method to extend cucumber shelf life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was undertaken to investigate the nanoencapsulation of Zataria multiflora essential oil (ZEO) in chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) in order to enhance antifungal activity and stability of the oils against one isolate of Botrytis cinerea Pers., the causal agent of gray mould disease. ZEO was encapsulated by an ionic gelation technique into CSNPs with an average size of 125–175 nm as observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). From UV-vis spectrophotometry results, the drug encapsulation and loading efficiency of ZEO decreased from 45.24% to 3.26% and from 9.05% to 5.22%, respectively, upon increasing initial ZEO content from 0.25 to 1 g/g chitosan. In vitro release studies also demonstrated a controlled and sustained release of ZEO for 40 days. The superior performance of ZEO when encapsulated by CSNPs under both in vitro and in vivo conditions in comparison with unmodified ZEO against B. cinerea was revealed. The in vivo experiment also showed that the encapsulated oils at 1500 ppm concentration significantly decreased both disease severity and incidence of Botrytis -inoculated strawberries during 7 days of storage at 4 °C followed by 2–3 more days at 20 °C. These findings revealed the promising role of CSNPs as a controlled release system for EOs in order to enhance antifungal activities. Industrial relevance: Application of plant essential oil (EOs) treatment at pre- or postharvest stage has been considered as an alternative treatment to the use of synthetic fungicides to prevent fruit postharvest decay and to extend the storage life while retaining the overall quality of different fresh commodities. Although EOs have proved to be good antimicrobial agents, their use for maintaining fruit quality and reducing fungal decay is often limited due to their volatile compounds which can easily suffer degradation under the action of heat, pressure, light and oxygen. Furthermore, they are insoluble in water, and for certain applications a controlled release is required. In this regard, nano-size carriers provide more surface area and can possibly upgrade solubility, enhance bioavailability and improve controlled release and targeting of the encapsulated food ingredients, in comparison to micro-size carriers. These findings revealed the promising role of CSNPs as a controlled release system for EOs in order to enhance their antimicrobial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The role of lncRNAs in the progression of hepatic cirrhosis remains largely unknown. • Further understanding of the molecular variation associated with liver cirrhosis is critically needed to develop novel strategies for the diagnosis and treatment. • Circulating lncRNA-ATB has good specificity for diagnosing HBV-related cirrhosis and good sensitivity for diagnosis of non-cirrhotic CHB patients. • Circulating lncRNA-ATB may be a good candidate for use in diagnostic biomarker panels for HBV-related cirrhosis and non-cirrhotic CHB patients. Long non-coding RNA-ATB (LncRNA-ATB) which is activated by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), is a key regulator of TGF-β signaling pathway. TGF-β plays an important role in various pathogenic processes, from inflammation and fibrosis to cirrhosis and cancer. In this study, we evaluated the plasma levels of lncRNA-ATB in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhosis and non-cirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and investigated the clinical values. Plasma samples were collected from 44 HBV-related cirrhosis patients, 45 non-cirrhotic CHB and 75 healthy controls. Briefly, after total RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was performed to detect plasma lncRNA-ATB levels. Results show the plasma levels of lncRNA-ATB in HBV-related cirrhosis patients were significantly higher in comparison to healthy controls (Fold change=2.60, p value=0.04). Also, we determined plasma levels of lncRNA-ATB as a specific biomarker of HBV-related cirrhosis (AUC=0.65, p value=0.03, Sensitivity 61.36%; Specificity 70.00%). In addition to, we investigated the plasma levels of lncRNA-ATB in non-cirrhotic CHB patients were significantly lower than healthy controls (Fold change= 0.33, p value=0.01). We also indicated plasma lncRNA-ATB levels were as a sensitive biomarker for diagnosis of non-cirrhotic CHB patients compared with healthy (AUC=0.66, p value=0.00, Sensitivity 71.11%; Specificity 57.78%). According to our results, circulating lncRNA-ATB has good specificity for diagnosing hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhosis and good sensitivity for diagnosis of non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Au(III) complexes, [Au(4,4′-dmbipy)X 2 ] + Y − where X = Cl, Br and Y = [AuCl 4 ], [AuCl 2 ], [ClO 4 ], [AuBr 4 ], were prepared from the reactions of HAuCl 4 ·3H 2 O/AuBr 3 with 4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine (4,4′-dmbipy) in a mixture of alcohol/CH 3 CN. These complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV–Vis, 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy and their structures were studied by the single-crystal diffraction method. The electrochemical behavior of the title complexes were also studied in CH 3 CN and DMSO using cyclic voltammetry. The cationic parts of the complexes are similar, with a bidentate nitrogenous 4,4′-dmbipy ligand and two halide anions attached to a gold(III) center in a square-planar geometry. However, the effect of the anionic parts of the complexes on the cytotoxic properties was evaluated in four cultures, Vero, A431, HeLa and HT-29 by means of an MTT assay. The results illustrate that the anion part plays an important role in the cytotoxicity of relevant compounds in different cell lines. Complexes 1 and 4, with the similar anion part of [AuX 4 ] − (X = Cl and Br), displayed good agreement in their anticancer activities toward human cancer cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]