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As an energy source, solar cells can be central to peak load control in different power companies. Hydrogen production can be cost-effective if the generated electricity is unusable. Shades reduce solar cell current and fundamentally alter panel function, making it necessary to restore panels to optimum power generation. Owing to the issues outlined in this paper, the energy-economic-environmental effect of a shade detection algorithm was examined for different shade scenarios, and domestic-scale solar hydrogen production was evaluated. As the effect of the partial shade detection algorithm on the amount of solar hydrogen production has not been investigated quantitatively so far, this issue was discussed in this study. The algorithm and laboratory equipment developed by the authors were used to detect the partial shadow. Thanks to the respected reviewer, the following sentence was added to the abstract. The analyses in HOMER V2.81 software used 20-year average data for a residential building in the city of Tehran obtained from the NASA website. The results recommended that the designed algorithm increases hydrogen production in different scenarios between 5.8% and 32.9%. The results also revealed that the designed algorithm significantly lessen the pollutants between 100 kg/year and 240 kg/year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out with a purpose to compare the species composition and diversity of the Gargoor's trapped aquatics in different depths and soak times in the winter season. This study was done in the port of Bushehr from February to March 2017. The using Gargoors had mesh size of 3.5-4 cm, cross section 150 cm, height 87-92 cm, outer span size 70-79 cm and internal span size 35-36 cm. Comparisons of species composition and diversity were based on weight furthermore number and the Shannon index, respectively. The species composition of the Gargoor's trapped aquatics included 12 species of bony fishes belonging to 7 families, one species of crustaceans, and one species of mollusks (Pharaoh Cuttlefish); While there was a significant difference in different depths as well as soak times (p <0.05). Gargoor's Shannon index for depths of 25-40 meters and 10-25 meters was 1.421 (±0.362 S.D.) and 1.229 (±0.345 S.D.), respectively. This index for soak times of 8-14 days and 2-8 days was 1.441 (±0.302 S.D.) and 1.228 (±0.393 S.D.), respectively. The Shannon index represented the more biodiversity of Gargoors between depths of 25-40 meters compared to 10-25 meters, as well as the soak times of 8-14 days compared to 2-8 days (p >0.05). In winter, with the arrival of Pharaoh Cuttlefish in the Gargoor's fishing grounds in Bushehr port is evident, this has high effect on the species composition of Gargoors and it was responsible for the most dissimilarity in the species composition of different depths and soak times as well. Also, if the interaction between depth and soak time taking into account, the highest values of the Shannon index observed in the depths between 10-25 meters, with 8-14 days of soak time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study provides length–weight relationships (LWRs) for three flatfish species: Cynoglossus bilineatus (Lacepède, 1802), Solea elongata (Day, 1877), and Pseudorhombus elevatus (Ogilby, 1912) from Motaf fishing grounds (latitude 27°00′ to 28°03′N; longitude 51°41′ to 52°11′E), Bushehr province, Iran. A total of 103 fish specimens were collected using shrimp trawler with 40 mm (stretched mesh size) at depths of 10–30 m between August and September 2017. The LWRs for fish species were W = 0.0019L3.353 for C. bilineatus: W = 0.0093L3.174 for S. elongata, and W = 0.006L3.181 for P. elevatus, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we compute the multi-time Kosambi-Cartan- Chern (KCC) invariants associated with some remarkable PDE systems produced, for example, by sine-Gordon, Tzitzeica or Monge-Ampere equations. These multi-time KCC-invariants naturally characterize the given PDE systems from geometrical point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presents and describes the first length-weight relationships for five fish species: Lagocephalus inermis (Temminck and Schlegel, 1850); Chelonodon patoca (Hamilton, 1822); Ilisha megaloptera (Swainson, 1839); Pseudosynanceia melanostigma Day, 1875; and Chirocentrus nudus Swainson, 1839) from the coastal waters of Hormozgan in the northeastern Persian Gulf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Spinal anesthesia is caused by the injection of anesthetic in the subarachnoid space. The major reason patients refuse to apply this method is the back pain after operation and the main reason is the lack of satisfaction after spinal anesthesia. This study was conducted with the aim of increase patient satisfaction after spinal anesthesia. Materials and Methods: This clinical trial study was conducted on 283 patients operated through spinal anesthesia. These patients were categorized into two groups of control and experimental by block randomization. The subjects in the experimental group were instructed by the experts equally by pre-prepared plans in the case of this anesthetic technique; a video clip was presented to them regarding patient satisfaction already recorded. Demographic characteristics, spinal anesthesia, and surgery were collected by experts who were unaware of the sort of the experimental and control groups. Then, the rate of patients' satisfaction after spinal anesthesia and the incidence and severity back pain was recorded in the forms 24 and 48 hours and seven days later based on VAS scale. Results: Regarding back pain incidence in three times, a significant decrease was observed in the experimental group (the first 24 h P= 0.007, 48 h and 7 days later P= 0.001, respectively). A significant decrease in back pain severity in three levels was observed (the first 24 and 48 h P<0.001 and 7 days later P= 0.003 respectively). Satisfaction rate in the experimental group than in the control group had a significant increase in three times(In all three time P<0.001). Conclusion: It seems that education and positive empathy effective on reduce the incidence and severity of back pain which leads to increased satisfaction from spinal anesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus canker is a bacterial disease caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc) that affects the citrus industry worldwide. Hrp pili subunits (HrpE), an essential component of Type III secretion system (T3SS) bacteria, play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Xcc by transporting effector proteins into the host cell and causing canker symptoms. Therefore, development of antibodies that block HrpE can suppress disease progression. In this study, a specific scFv detecting HrpE was developed using phage display technique and characterized using sequencing, ELISA, Western blotting, and molecular docking. In addition, a plant expression vector of pCAMBIA-scFvH6 was constructed and agroinfiltrated into Nicotiana tabacum cv. Samson leaves. The hypersensitive response (HR) in the leaves of transformed and non-transformed plants was evaluated by inoculating leaves with Xcc. After three rounds of biopanning of the phage library, a specific human scFv antibody, named scFvH6, was identified that showed high binding activity against HrpE in ELISA and Western blotting. Molecular docking results showed that five intermolecular hydrogen bonds are involved in HrpE-scFvH6 interaction, confirming the specificity and high binding activity of scFvH6. Successful transient expression of pCAMBIA-scFvH6 in tobacco leaves was verified using immunoassay tests. The binding activity of plant-produced scFvH6 to detect HrpE in Western blotting and ELISA was similar to that of bacterial-produced scFvH6 antibody. Interestingly, tobacco plants expressing scFvH6 showed a remarkable reduction in HR induced by Xcc compared with control plants, so that incidence of necrotic lesions was significantly higher in non-transformed controls (≥ 1.5 lesions/cm 2 ) than in the plants producing scFvH6 (≤ 0.5 lesions/cm 2 ) after infiltration with Xcc inoculum. Our results revealed that the expression of scFvH6 in tobacco leaves can confer resistance to Xcc, indicating that this approach could be considered to provide resistance to citrus bacterial canker disease., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The gut microbiota has become one of the main risk factors for the formation and development of colorectal cancer (CRC). CRC intensification may be due to the microbial pathogens' colonization and their released metabolites. Here, we analyzed Bacteroidetes and Clostridia bacteria in CRC patients and studied bacterial metabolome in cancerous tissues compared to their adjacent normal tissues., Methods and Results: The population of selected bacteria in biopsy specimens of 30 patients with CRC was studied by RT-qPCR. The mutagenicity and cytotoxicity effects of microbiota metabolites were evaluated by Ames test and MTT Assay, respectively. Moreover, gene expression in carcinogenic pathways was studied by RT-qPCR, and genes with different expressions in tumor and non-tumor tissues were diagnosed. Based on microbiota analysis, the relative abundance of Clostridia and C. difficile was significantly higher in CRC tissue, whereas C. perfringens showed higher relative abundance in normal tissue. AIMES test confirmed the proliferation and mutagenicity effects of the bacterial metabolites in CRC patients. Significant upregulation of C-Myc, GRB2, IL-8, EGFR, PI3K, and AKT and downregulation of ATM were observed in CRC samples compared to the control., Conclusions: The influence of bacterial metabolites on inflammation and altered expression of genes in the cell signaling pathways was observed. The findings confirm the role gut microbiota composition and bacterial metabolites as key players in CRC onset and development., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

This research was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of a spiritual care program (SCP), on the body image and resilience of second-degree burn patients in Iran. In this semi-experimental study, 60 patients with second-degree burns were selected in the Tehran Mottahari Burns Hospital, Iran in 2022. These patients were divided through random allocation into two intervention and control groups. The patients of both groups filled out Beck's self-esteem Test (BSCT) and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) before, immediately, and 3 months after the intervention. In the intervention group, SCP was performed for eight sessions over two weeks. Firstly, the 4D Model of Spiritual Health and Well-Being was examined, then two one-hour sessions were held with each patient about each dimension, with a total of four dimensions including eight sessions, in which these dimensions were examined and discussed. There was no difference in the score of body image (P = 0.326) and resilience (P = 0.597) before intervention in the control and intervention groups. However, the mean of body image score in the intervention group immediately (109.56 ± 4.86) and 3 months after (109.16 ± 6.06) the intervention was significant, respectively. Also, the mean of resilience score in the intervention group was significant immediately (85.86 ± 6.78) and 3 months after the intervention (85.73 ± 6.27). It is suggested for healthcare providers to use the SCP s to reduce the recovery time of burned patients and reduce complications and treatment costs., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is one of the most common health care-acquired infections. The dramatic increase in antimicrobial resistance of C. difficile isolates has led to growing demand to seek new alternative medicines against CDI. Achillea millefolium L. extracts exhibit strong biological activity to be considered as potential therapeutic agents. In this work, the inhibitory effects of A. millefolium, its decoction (DEC) and ethanol (ETOH) extracts, were investigated on the growth of C. difficile RT001 and its toxigenic cell-free supernatant (Tox-S) induced inflammation and apoptosis., Methods: Phytochemical analysis of extracts was performed by HPLC and GC analysis. The antimicrobial properties of extracts were evaluated against C. difficile RT001. Cell viability and cytotoxicity of Caco-2 and Vero cells treated with various concentrations of extracts and Tox-S were examined by MTT assay and microscopy, respectively. Anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects of extracts were assessed in Tox-S stimulated Caco-2 cells by RT-qPCR., Results: Analysis of the phytochemical profile of extracts revealed that the main component identified in both extracts was chlorogenic acid. Both extracts displayed significant antimicrobial activity against C. difficile RT001. Moreover, both extracts at concentration 50 µg/mL had no significant effect on cell viability compared to untreated cells. Pre-treatment of cells with extracts (50 µg/mL) significantly reduced the percentage of Vero cells rounding induced by Tox-S. Also, both pre-treatment and co-treatment of Tox-S stimulated Caco-2 cells with extracts significantly downregulated the gene expression level of IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α, TGF-β, iNOS, Bax, caspase-9 and caspase-3 and upregulated the expression level of Bcl-2., Conclusion: The results of the present study for the first time demonstrate the antimicrobial activity and protective effects of A. millefolium extracts on inflammatory response and apoptosis induced by Tox-S from C. difficile RT001 clinical strain in vitro. Further research is needed to evaluate the potential application of A. millefolium extracts as supplementary medicine for CDI prevention and treatment in clinical setting., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: The dramatic increase in multidrug-resistance of Clostridioides difficile isolates has led to the search for new complementary medicines against C. difficile infection (CDI). In this study, we aimed to examine the inhibitory effects of hydroethanolic extract of Mentha longifolia L. (ETOH-ML) on the growth of C. difficile RT001 and its toxigenic cell-free supernatant (Tox-S)-induced inflammation and apoptosis., Methods: The active phytochemical components of ETOH-ML were detected using GC and HPLC. The antimicrobial properties of the extract were examined against C. difficile RT001. Furthermore, cell viability and cytotoxicity of Caco-2 and Vero cells treated with various concentrations of ETOH-ML, Tox-S of C. difficile RT001, and their combination were assessed. Anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic activities of ETOH-ML were explored in Tox-S stimulated Caco-2 cells using RT-qPCR., Results: Based on our results, rosmarinic acid was the main phytochemical component of ETOH-ML. The extract showed significant antimicrobial activity against C. difficile RT001 by agar dilution and broth microdilution methods. Moreover, ETOH-ML at concentrations of <25 μg/ml had no significant effect on cell viability compared to untreated cells. Treatment cells with the extract (10 or 25 μg/ml) significantly increased the cell viability and reduced the percentage of cell rounding in Caco-2 and Vero cells treated by Tox-S, respectively ( P < 0.0001). Co-treatment of Tox-S stimulated Caco-2 cells with ETOH-ML showed significant anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic activities by downregulating the gene expression level of IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α, iNOS, TGF-β, NF-κB, Bax, and caspase-3, while upregulating the expression level of Bcl-2., Discussion: Our results demonstrated for the first time the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects of M. longifolia extract on C. difficile RT001 and its Tox-S. However, further research is needed to evaluate the potential application of M. longifolia extract on CDI treatment in clinical setting., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Raeisi, Azimirad, Abdemohamadi, Pezzani, Zali and Yadegar.)

TcdA and TcdB are known as the major virulence attributes of Clostridioides difficile . Hence, neutralizing the TcdA and TcdB activities can be considered as an efficient therapeutic approach against C. difficile infection (CDI). In this work, we utilized phage display technique to select single-chain fragment variable (scFv) fragments as recombinant antibodies displayed on the surface of phages, which specifically target native TcdA, or TcdB (nTcdA and nTcdB), and their recombinant C-terminal combined repetitive oligopeptide (CROP) domains (rTcdA and rTcdB). After three rounds of biopanning, abundance of phage clones displaying high reactivity with TcdA or TcdB was quantified through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Furthermore, selected scFvs were characterized by cell viability and neutralization assays. The gene expression of immunological markers, IL-8 and TNF-α, was examined in treated Caco-2 cells by RT-qPCR. The epitopes of neutralizing scFvs were also identified by molecular docking. Totally, 18 scFv antibodies (seven for TcdA and 11 for TcdB) were identified by ELISA. Among selected scFvs, two clones for TcdA (rA-C2, A-C9) and three clones for TcdB (rB-B4, B-F5, B-F11) exhibited the highest neutralizing activity in Caco-2 and Vero cells. Moreover, the cocktail of anti-TcdA and anti-TcdB antibodies notably decreased the mRNA expression of TNF-α and IL-8 in Caco-2 cells. Molecular docking revealed that the interaction between scFv and toxin was mostly restricted to CROP domain of TcdA or TcdB. Our results collectively provided more insights for the development of neutralizing scFvs against C. difficile toxins using phage display. Further research is needed to meticulously evaluate the potential of scFvs as an alternative treatment for CDI using animal models and clinical trials.IMPORTANCETargeting the major toxins of Clostridioides difficile by neutralizing antibodies is a novel therapeutic approach for CDI. Here, we report a panel of new anti-TcdA (rA-C2, A-C9) and anti-TcdB (rB-B4, B-F5, and B-F11) recombinant antibody fragments (scFvs) isolated from Tomlinson I and J libraries using phage display technique. These scFv antibodies were capable of neutralizing their respective toxin and showed promise as potential therapeutics against TcdA and TcdB of C. difficile in different in vitro models. In addition, in silico analysis showed that at least two neutralization mechanisms, including inhibiting cell surface binding of toxins and inhibiting toxin internalization can be proposed for the isolated scFvs in this work. These findings provide more insights for the applicability of specific scFvs toward C. difficile toxins at in vitro level. However, further research is required to evaluate the potential application of these scFvs as therapeutic agents for CDI treatment in clinical setting.

The concentrations of heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Ni, and Pb) were investigated in sediment and cyprinid fish (Capoeta razii) from Telar River, Iran in spring, summer, and autumn. Mean concentration of metals in fish and sediment over the seasonal sampling was as follows: Cr > Ni > Pb > Cd. Metal deposition in sediment was higher than their bioaccumulation in fish tissue. Unlike sedimentary metals, the tissue-content of Pb and Cr varied seasonally. Enrichment Factor (EF) values of Cr and Ni showed partial enrichment, implicating the role of anthropogenic inputs, while Pb was derived from natural weathering. When considering Pollution Load Index (PLI), an uneven temporal and spatial distribution of contamination was observed in sediment with moderate contamination level in spring and summer and no pollution in autumn. Tissue-contents of Pb, Cr, and Cd were below permissible limits while a higher risk level of Ni was noted for human consumption., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Clostridioides difficile, which causes life-threatening diarrheal disease, is considered an urgent threat to healthcare setting worldwide. The current standards of care solely rely on conventional antibiotic treatment, however, there is a risk of promoting recurrent C. difficile infection (rCDI) because of the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains. Globally, the alarming spread of antibiotic-resistant strains of C. difficile has resulted in a quest for alternative therapeutics. The use of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), which involves direct infusion of fecal suspension from a healthy donor into a diseased recipient, has been approved as a highly efficient therapeutic option for patients with rCDI. Bacteriophages or phages are a group of viruses that can infect and destroy bacterial hosts, and are recognized as the dominant viral component of the human gut microbiome. Accumulating data has demonstrated that phages play a vital role in microbial balance of the human gut microbiome. Recently, phage therapy and fecal virome transplantation (FVT) have been introduced as promising alternatives for the treatment of C. difficile -related infections, in particular drug-resistant CDI. Herein, we review the latest updates on C. difficile- specific phages, and phage-mediated treatments, and highlight the current and future prospects of phage therapy in the management of CDI., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Clostridioides difficile , the most common cause of nosocomial diarrhea, has been continuously reported as a worldwide problem in healthcare settings. Additionally, the emergence of hypervirulent strains of C. difficile has always been a critical concern and led to continuous efforts to develop more accurate diagnostic methods for detection of this recalcitrant pathogen. Currently, the diagnosis of C. difficile infection (CDI) is based on clinical manifestations and laboratory tests for detecting the bacterium and/or its toxins, which exhibit varied sensitivity and specificity. In this regard, development of rapid diagnostic techniques based on antibodies has demonstrated promising results in both research and clinical environments. Recently, application of recombinant antibody (rAb) technologies like phage display has provided a faster and more cost-effective approach for antibody production. The application of rAbs for developing ultrasensitive diagnostic tools ranging from immunoassays to immunosensors, has allowed the researchers to introduce new platforms with high sensitivity and specificity. Additionally, DNA encoding antibodies are directly accessible in these approaches, which enables the application of antibody engineering to increase their sensitivity and specificity. Here, we review the latest studies about the antibody-based ultrasensitive diagnostic platforms for detection of C. difficile bacteria, with an emphasis on rAb technologies., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Raeisi, Azimirad, Asadzadeh Aghdaei, Yadegar and Zali.)

Clostridioides difficile ( C. difficile ), known as the major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, is regarded as one of the most common healthcare-associated bacterial infections worldwide. Due to the emergence of hypervirulent strains, development of new therapeutic methods for C. difficile infection (CDI) has become crucially important. In this context, antibodies have been introduced as valuable tools in the research and clinical environments, as far as the effectiveness of antibody therapy for CDI was reported in several clinical investigations. Hence, production of high-performance antibodies for treatment of CDI would be precious. Traditional approaches of antibody generation are based on hybridoma technology. Today, application of in vitro technologies for generating recombinant antibodies, like phage display, is considered as an appropriate alternative to hybridoma technology. These techniques can circumvent the limitations of the immune system and they can be exploited for production of antibodies against different types of biomolecules in particular active toxins. Additionally, DNA encoding antibodies is directly accessible in in vitro technologies, which enables the application of antibody engineering in order to increase their sensitivity and specificity. Here, we review the application of antibodies for CDI treatment with an emphasis on recombinant fragment antibodies. Also, this review highlights the current and future prospects of the aforementioned approaches for antibody-mediated therapy of CDI., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Raeisi, Azimirad, Nabavi-Rad, Asadzadeh Aghdaei, Yadegar and Zali.)

Ovarian cancer is the seventh most common form of cancer among women worldwide. The aim of the study was to determine the accuracy of a frozen section and the factors affecting the accuracy of frozen diagnosis of ovarian neoplasms. This retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted on 401 patients with ovarian masses with frozen section diagnosis in Shahid Faghihi Hospital affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences between 2014 and 2018. Each ovarian tumor sample was evaluated for histopathologic diagnosis using frozen and paraffin-embedded sections, which were reviewed by an expert gynecologic pathologist. Accuracy and diagnostic values were estimated by comparing the results of the 2 techniques, using the paraffin section as the gold standard. The overall accuracy of the frozen section was 94.5%. Its sensitivity was 85.3% for malignant, 88.2% for borderline, and 99.6% for benign tumors. Its specificity was also 99.7% for malignant, 98.0% for borderline, and 90.9% for benign tumors. The positive predictive value was 98.9% for malignant, 86.5% for borderline, and 94.6% for benign tumors. Most false negatives occurred in mucinous and borderline tumors. The sensitivity of malignant tumors of germ cell and sex cord-stromal cell types were 64.3% and 95.5%, respectively. The specificity of germ cell and sex-cord stromal tumors were 100% and 93.8%, respectively. Frozen section seems to be a precise technique for histopathologic diagnosis of ovarian tumors. However, borderline and mucinous tumors are the most problematic issues during frozen section diagnosis and malignant germ cell tumors have the lowest sensitivity., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 by the International Society of Gynecological Pathologists.)

Citrus bacterial canker, caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc), is a major disease of citrus plants, causing a significant loss in the citrus industry. The pthA is a bacterial effector protein mediates protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions and modulates host transcription. Injection of pthA effector protein into the host cell induces the expression of the susceptibility gene CsLOB1 which is required for citrus canker disease development. In this study, we described in planta expression of a specific anti-pthA single-chain variable fragment (scFv) recombinant antibody, scFvG8, and assessed its function using molecular docking, immunoblotting, and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Based on the results, homology-based molecular docking suggested that at least eight intermolecular hydrogen bonds are involved in pthA-scFvG8 interactions. Immunoblotting and indirect ELISA results reconfirmed specific binding of scFvG8 to pthA protein. Moreover, gene fragment encoding scFvG8 was cloned into plant expression vector and transiently expressed in leaves of Nicotiana tabacum cv. Samson by agroinfiltration method. Transient expression of scFvG8 (at the expected size of 35 kDa) in N. tabacum leaves was confirmed by western blotting. Also, immunoblotting and indirect ELISA showed that the plant-derived scFvG8 had similar activity to purified scFvG8 antibody in detecting pthA. Additionally, in scFvG8-expressing tobacco leaves challenged with Xcc, a reduction (for up to 70%) of hypersensitive response (HR) possibly via direct interaction with pthA, was observed in the necrotic leaf area compared to control plants infected with empty vector. The results obtained in this study confirm that scFvG8 can suppress the function of pthA effector protein within plant cells, thus the induction of stable expression of scFvG8 in lime trees can be considered as an appropriate approach to confer resistance to Xcc., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) is the most economically important virus disease of citrus worldwide. To develop a specific serological assay for CTV, a Tomlinson phage display antibody library of single chain variable fragments (scFv) was screened with a recombinant CTV coat protein (CTV-CP) heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. The phage clones were checked by ELISA to identify clones with high specificity for CTV-CP. Eight clones were strongly reactive with CTV-CP. Nucleotide sequencing of these clones revealed that all of them contained the same sequence. Thus, the phage-displayed scFv antibody was termed scFvF10. Evaluation of scFvF10 binding to CTV-CP by plate-trapped antigen ELISA (PTA-ELISA) and immunoblotting, showed that it was specific and allowed sensitive detection of CTV-CP. Homology-based molecular modeling and docking analysis confirmed that the interaction between CTV-CP and scFvF10, with a binding energy of -738 kj mol-1, occurred mainly by 12 intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Moreover, triple-antibody sandwich (TAS)-ELISA using scFvF10 as second antibody showed high sensitivity in the detection of CTV infected samples. The CTV detection limit of scFvF10 by PTA-ELISA and TAS-ELISA were 0.05 and 0.01 μg CP/mL, respectively. Our results with different diagnostic assays demonstrated that scFvF10 has the potential to be used as an efficient tool for CTV-infected plant diagnosis., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread all over the world with a very high rate of mortality. Different symptoms developed by COVID-19 infection and its impacts on various organs of the human body have highlighted the importance of both coinfections and superinfections with other pathogens. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is vulnerable to infection with COVID-19 and can be exploited as an alternative transmission route and target for virus entry and pathogenesis. The GI manifestations of COVID-19 disease are associated with severe disease outcomes and death in all age groups, in particular, elderly patients. Empiric antibiotic treatments for microbial infections in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in addition to experimental antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs may increase the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) and Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). Alterations of gut microbiota are associated with depletion of beneficial commensals and enrichment of opportunistic pathogens such as C. difficile . Hence, the main purpose of this review is to explain the likely risk factors contributing to higher incidence of CDI in patients with COVID-19. In addition to lung involvement, common symptoms observed in COVID-19 and CDI such as diarrhea, highlight the significance of bacterial infections in COVID-19 patients. In particular, hospitalized elderly patients who are receiving antibiotics might be more prone to CDI. Indeed, widespread use of broad-spectrum antibiotics such as clindamycin, cephalosporins, penicillin, and fluoroquinolones can affect the composition and function of the gut microbiota of patients with COVID-19, leading to reduced colonization resistance capacity against opportunistic pathogens such as C. difficile , and subsequently develop CDI. Moreover, patients with CDI possibly may have facilitated the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 viral particles in their feces for approximately one month, even though the nasopharyngeal test turned negative. This coinfection may increase the potential transmissibility of both SARS-CoV-2 and C. difficile by fecal materials. Also, CDI can complicate the outcome of COVID-19 patients, especially in the presence of comorbidities or for those patients with prior exposure to the healthcare setting. Finally, physicians should remain vigilant for possible SARS-CoV-2 and CDI coinfection during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the excessive use of antimicrobials and biocides., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Azimirad, Noori, Raeisi, Yadegar, Shahrokh, Asadzadeh Aghdaei, Bentivegna, Martelletti, Petrosillo and Zali.)

This investigation aimed to determine the contents of biogenic SiO 2 and different phosphorus forms (P) and to evaluate phosphorus ecological risk in surface sediment of Anzali wetland. According to the results, biogenic SiO 2 ranged from 0.29 to 3.04%. Also, the average biogenic SiO 2 at all studied stations was 1.36 ± 0.83%. Results indicated that total P (TP) was between 493 and 771 ppm, averaged 637.20 ± 79.41 ppm. Moreover, inorganic P (INTP) ranged from 256.63 to 376.89 ppm and composed 51.46 ± 4.68% of total P. The percentage of P-forms was in descending order: residual-P > Fe-P > Ca-P > Al-P > labile-P. Phosphorus pollution index (PPI) ranged from 0.82 to 1.29, with an average of 1.06 in the sediment of the Anzali wetland. The Sediment P saturation (SPS) values varied considerably from 40.96 to 83.57, with an average SPS value of 49.1. Based on the eutrophication risk index, all stations except one had a low eutrophication risk index., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Chickpea chlorotic dwarf virus (CpCDV, genus Mastrevirus), has a wide host range and geographic distribution in many parts of the world, and it is one of the most important legume-infecting viruses. Detection of CpCDV-infected plants in the field and evaluation of viral resistance of plant cultivars are possible by conducting serological assays. Here, development and characterization of a specific recombinant monoclonal antibody for CpCDV as a diagnostic tool are described. For this purpose, the coat protein of CpCDV was expressed in Escherichia coli strain Rosetta (DE3) and used to screen a Tomlinson phage display antibody library to select a specific single-chain variable fragment (scFv). In each round of biopanning, the affinity of the phage for CpCDV-CP was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that the specificity of the eluted phages increased after each round of panning. Testing of individual clones by ELISA showed that five clones of the monoclonal phage were more strongly reactive against CpCDV than the other clones. All selected positive clones contained the same sequence. The phage-displayed scFv antibody, which was named CpCDV-scFvB9, did not bind to other tested plant pathogens and showed high sensitivity in the detection of CpCDV. A Western blot assay demonstrated that CpCDV-scFvB9 reacted with the recombinant coat protein of CpCDV. Finally, the interaction CpCDV-scFvB9 and CpCDV-CP was analyzed in a molecular docking experiment. This is the first report on production of an scFv antibody against CpCDV, which could be useful for immunological detection of the virus.

BACKGROUND Gastric outlet obstructions (GOO) is a disabling complication of peptic ulcer disease (PUD). The introduction of endoscopic through the scope balloon dilatation (EBD) has eased the management but there are few reports on the long term results of this modality of treatment on patients' symptoms. METHODS Over a period of 4 years from January 2012 to December 2015 in two major referral hospitals affiliated to Shiraz university, medical endoscopy reports were reviewed retrospectively to identify those who received EBD for the treatment of GOO due to PUD .All of these patients were recalled and their current status were evaluated. RESULTS 22 consecutive patients with symptomatic GOO secondary to benign stricture underwent endoscopic balloon dilatation by a single operator. Of them, 14 had balloon dilatation twice and 6 had ballooning three times. The interval between the first referral and the last follow-up was 25.2 ± 10.3 (min: 4.8 max:43.4) months. The averages of maximum balloon size were 14.4 ± 5 mm in the first session, 14.3 ± 3.1mm in the second session, and 16 ± 2.4 mm in the third session. 73% of the patients had a significant improvement in clinical symptom with two sessions of EBD and did not require repeat dilatation. CONCLUSION EBD is a safe and efficient method in the management of GOO with good long term results., (© 2019 The Author(s).)

A theoretical analysis for describing the dimeric assemblies of high-valent manganese(v)-oxo meso -tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) ([(TPP)Mn V O] 2 2+ ) and meso -tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (TPFPP) ([(TPFPP)Mn V O] 2 2+ ) in the presence of axial N-donor ligands is presented. Our theoretical results revealed two types interactions in dimers: a sandwich-like interaction between phenyl rings of porphyrin molecules, and a non-bonded T-shape interaction between nitrogen donors attached to Mn centers. The curvature in the geometry of porphyrin in the [(TPP)Mn V O] 2 2+ /N-donor system is significantly smaller than that of [(TPFPP)Mn V O] 2 2+ /N-donor system. Moreover, the Mn-N (ax) distances in [(TPFPP)Mn V O] 2 2+ /N-donor system are shorter than those of [(TPP)Mn V O] 2 2+ /N-donor system. Also, the donor-acceptor interaction between the imidazoles and the Mn centers are stronger than those of the other ligands in both porphyrins. These results are supported by atoms in molecules (AIM) and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The purpose of this study was to quantify phosphorus bioavailability and various forms of this element in surface sediments of the southern Caspian Sea. To do, sediment samples were collected from different depths in autumn 2015 using a Van Veen Grab. Phosphorus forms were recognized by a sequential extraction procedure (SEDEX). Results revealed that the range of total phosphorus (TP) was between 431ppm and 594ppm with a mean value of 535.25±45.05ppm. Organic phosphorus (OP) ranged from 62 to 99ppm and contributed 14.85±2.21% of total phosphorus in average. The contents of loosely phosphorus, iron-bound phosphorus, authigenic phosphorus and detrital phosphorus varied 35-55ppm, 50-94ppm, 125-189ppm and 152-217ppm, respectively. Generally, inorganic phosphorus (IP) was between 365 and 522ppm which comprised 81.9-88.53% of total phosphorus. Findings showed levels of different phosphorus forms in a descending order: detrital P>Authigenic P>Organic P>Fe-P>Loosely P. Bioavailable phosphorus concentration was between 153ppm and 240ppm and consisted 37.21±3% of total phosphorus. Based on molar ratio of TOC/OP, organic matter obtained from the studied stations suggested a terrestrial origin., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)