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BACKGROUND In the present study, an extraction method affected by sonication intensity (40%, 70% and 100%), sonication time (5, 10 and 15 min) and different solvents (ethanol, methanol and a combination of ethanol/methanol) was optimized to extract the white tea with the greatest polyphenolic compounds using a response surface methodology. To prepare the nano‐liposomal vesicles, phospholipids and cholesterol in various proportions (60:0, 40:20, 30:30 and 20:40) were applied based on thin‐film hydration and ultrasound method. The nano‐capsules enriched in bioactive compounds were examined through particle characteristics, encapsulation efficiency, morphological analysis, thermal properties and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. RESULTS: The observations showed that the extraction yield highly depended on the type of solvent with varying permeability, sonication time and power. The highest total phenolic content (68.38 mg GA g–1) and free radical scavenging activity (77.65%) were observed for the following optimal conditions: 70% for sonication intensity, 15 min for sonication time and methanol as solvent. Characteristics of nanoliposomes within a compositional ratio of lecithin/cholesterol (40:20) and with a zeta potential of −56 ± 0.01 mV, as well as white tea extract (WTE) samples with an average particle diameter of 82.20 ± 0.08, microencapsulation efficiency of 76.5% ± 0.081, polydispersity index of 0.06 ± 0.02 and span value of 0.69 ± 0.03. are used as the optimal formulation for microencapsulation of antioxidant WTE. The results demonstrated an increment in thermal stability of liposomal WTE samples compared to other samples. CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study indicated that nano‐liposomes comprise an effective technology for coating the WTE, as well as to increasing its stability and thermal properties. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Equine salmonellosis is an important infection with a wide variety of consequences including development of acute salmonellosis in the cases of predisposing factors, nosocomial infections, public health risk, and environmental contaminations. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the fecal shedders of Salmonella spp. in the horses of Kurdistan province of Iran using phenotypic and molecular approach. METHODS: A total of 130 fresh feces were randomly collected from horses in four age groups and both sexes in four seasons from all over Kurdistan province. The samples were analyzed for the isolation of Salmonella spp. with culture and biochemical method. An invA-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was also carried out for detection of Salmonella spp. in pooled fecal samples, simultaneously. The isolates were further serotyped and the antimicrobial profile of the isolates was determined using Kirby-Bauer method. RESULTS: The results showed 1.53% (n=2) and 7.69% (n=10) by bacteriological methods and PCR method, respectively. There was no significant relation between the frequencies of Salmonella shedders and age, sex and season (P≥0.05). The two isolates were recognized as Salmonella Typhimurium, showing 100% resistance against ampicillin, tetracycline, streptomycin, sulphamethoxazole, and chloramphenicol, and 50% resistance against gentamycin. CONCLUSIONS: Rapidity and accuracy of PCR versus phenotypic method makes it an appropriate procedure for the surveillance programs regarding Salmonella detection in feces. Approximately high prevalence of subclinical form in equine salmonellosis or Salmonella fecal carriers in the studied region is instigated to seriously apply strategies to manage and control the distribution of infection to susceptible hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the probable public health hazard imposed by bovine milk in relation to aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and Coxiella burnetii in the West of Iran. The assessment of AFM1, using an ELISA test, indicated 62.22% and 21.11% of 45 samples of raw and pasteurised milk were above the permissible content of Codex and Iranian standard levels, respectively. Further, anti‐C. burnetii antibody was detected in 63.04% of bulk tank milk samples, with six samples harbouring the bacterial genome. High AFM1 contamination levels and an endemic pattern of Q fever warrant continuous surveillance programmes in the studied region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Metabolic dysregulation is an early event in carcinogenesis. Here, we examined the expression of enzymes involved in de novo lipogenesis (ATP - citrate lyase: ACLY), glucose uptake (Glucose Transporter 1: GLUT1), and folate - glutamate metabolism (Prostate - Specific Membrane Antigen: PSMA) as potential biomarkers of risk for early prostate cancer progression. Methods: Patients who were managed initially on active surveillance with a Gleason score of 6 or a low - volume Gleason score of 7 (3 + 4) were accrued from a prostate cancer diagnostic assessment program. Patients were asked to donate their baseline diagnostic biopsy tissues and permit access to their clinical data. PSMA, GLUT1, and ACLY expression were examined with immunohistochemistry (IHC) in baseline biopsies, quantitated by Histologic Score for expression in benign and malignant glands, and compared with patient time remaining on active surveillance (time - on - AS). Results: All three markers showed trends for elevated expression in malignant compared to benign glands, which was statistically significant for ACLY. On univariate analysis, increased PSMA and GLUT1 expression in malignant glands was associated with shorter time - on - AS (HR: 5.06, [CI 95%: 1.83 - 13.94] and HR: 2.44, [CI 95%: 1.10 - 5.44], respectively). Malignant ACLY and benign gland PSMA and GLUT1 expression showed non - significant trends for such association. On multivariate analysis, overexpression of PSMA in malignant glands was an independent predictor of early PC progression (p = 0.006). Conclusions: This work suggests that the expression of metabolic enzymes determined by IHC on baseline diagnostic prostate biopsies may have value as biomarkers of risk for rapid PC progression. PSMA may be an independent predictor of risk for progression and should be investigated further in systematic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) - positron emission tomography (PET) guides metastasis - directed radiotherapy (MDRT) in prostate cancer (PrCa). However, its value as a treatment response assessment tool after MDRT remains unclear. Importantly, there is limited understanding of the potential of radiotherapy (RT) to alter PSMA gene (folate hydrolase 1; FOLH1) expression. Methods: We reviewed a series of 11 men with oligo - metastatic PrCa (25 metastasis sites) treated with MDRT before re - staging with 18F - DCFPyL (PSMA) PET upon secondary recurrence. Acute effects of RT on PSMA protein and mRNA levels were examined with qPCR and immunoblotting in human wild - type androgen - sensitive (LNCap), castrate - resistant (22RV1) and castrate - resistant neuroendocrine (PC3 and DU145) PrCa cell lines. Xenograft tumors were analyzed with immunohistochemistry. Further, we examined PSMA expression in untreated and irradiated radio - resistant (RR) 22RV1 (22RV1 - RR) and DU145 (DU145 - RR) cells and xenografts selected for survival after high - dose R. Results: The majority of MDRT - treated lesions showed lack of PSMA - PET/CT avidity, suggesting treatment response even after low biological effective dose (BED) MDRT. We observed similar high degree of heterogeneity of PSMA expression in both human specimens and in xenograft tumors. PSMA was highly expressed in LNCap and 22RV1 cells and tumors but not in the neuroendocrine PC3 and DU145 models. Single fraction RT caused detectable reduction in PSMA protein but not in mRNA levels in LNCap cells and did not significantly alter PSMA protein or mRNA levels in tissue culture or xenografts of the other cell lines. However, radio - resistant 22RV1 - RR cells and tumors demonstrated marked decrease of PSMA transcript and protein expression over their parental counterparts. Conclusions: PSMA - PET may be a promising tool to assess RT response in oligo - metastatic PrCa. However, future systematic investigation of this concept should recognize the high degree of heterogeneity of PSMA expression within prostate tumors and the risk for loss of PSMA expression in tumor surviving curative courses of RT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Group ARotaviruses are the main viral cause of acute gastroenteritis, leading to 870,000 deaths annually in the developing world and representing a major health problem. Therefore, diagnosis and treatment of this disease are crucial. Gene rearrangement within segmented viruses as well as rotavirus is seen throughout chronic rotavirus infection in immunodeficient young children and through serial passage of rotavirus in cell culture at a high multiplicity of infection. Detailed knowledge of rotavirus biology allows design of a vaccine against rotavirus by engineered antigens. The aim of this study was to develop Poly (A) -Tailed Universal Reverse Transcription PCR method and compare the efficacy of this procedure with specific multiplex PCR protocol for detecting normal and rearranged segments. Methods: Virus was propagated on confluent monolayer of MA-104 cells and aliquots of each passage were kept frozen for further RNA genomic profiles analysis by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Purified Rota virus RNA was polyadenylated and used forthe amplification and detection of normal and rearranged segments of rotavirus using RT-PCR. Results: The generation of gene rearrangement through multiple serial passages of rotavirus was shown using MOI 2 1 . The rearranged RNA segments of NSP1 and NSP3 genes with different migration pattern in PAGE were detected by poly(A)RT-PCR . Conclusion: In the current research, a novel Poly(A) -Tailed Universal Reverse Transcription PCR method was introduced forthe high throughput amplification and analysis of the informative untranslated regions of the Rotavirus genome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]