International Biological and Biomedical Journal
Volume:1 Issue: 3, Summer 2015

Toll like receptors (TLRs) with a myeloid differentiation antigen (CD14) recognize and bind various structures from invading microbes and then trigger cell activation. They initiate a variety of effector's functions, including cytokine secretion, proliferation, co-stimulation or phagocyte maturation. The aim of this study was to evaluate Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and CD14 expression in children with acute lower respiratory tract infections and their relation to severity. The study was carried on 50 children under 3 years of age; 25 of them with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) with mean age 11.9± 6.7 months, the other 25 children were healthy controls, age and sex matched. TLR4 and CD14 expression were assessed in both case and control groups. There was no statistical significant difference between cases and controls regarding the mean TLR4 level. mCD14 level among cases was significantly higher than that of the control group with more increase in bacterial LRTI. There was a positive correlation between CD14 with TLC and ESR in bacterial group. There was a positive correlation between respiratory distress severity with CD14, TLC, and ESR levels in patients group. TLR4 was not involved in the development of lower respiratory tract infection in the studied cases. mCD14 might be involved in the development of LRTI, and changes in mCD14 expression are parallel with the levels of TLC and acute phase reactants including CRP, ESR and with respiratory distress severity.

Congenital heart disorders (CHDs) are an important health issue due to heavy costs and emotional effects they impose to families and society. In general, the prevalence of CHDs is approximately 8 in 1000 newborn, with a multifactorial origin. On the other hand, previous studies have shown that the prevalence of CHDs is high among the children of parents with consanguineous marriage. The aim of this investigation was to determine the frequency of CHDs among the children of parents with consanguineous marriage in comparison with non-consanguineous parents. 605 medical records of children with CHD admitted at Imam Reza’s hospital, Mashhad, Iran during the years 2001 to 2005 were examined and questionnaires were completed and data were analyzed using a statistical software. The mean age of affected children was 1.25± 4 years. The average age of left obstructive acyanotic group was significantly higher than others (P

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme which catalyses the hydrolysis of choline esters, such as acetylcholine, is very important in nerve function. Previous structural studies showed the possible amyloid fibril formation on the AChE. Therefore it is important to understand interaction of ligands to prevent the formation of amyloid fibrils. The purpose of the present study was to characterize AChE structure using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), fluorescent probe and docking methods. Immobilization of AChE was carried out on porous silica matrix. Fluorescence of free and immobilized form of AChE was measured by a spectrofluorometer at 435 nm excitation wavelength .Calorimetric measurements were carried out on a differential scanning calorimeter. AChE–ligand docking Version Lig plot was used for docking studies. Based on our data, thioflavin T (Th-T) binding to the peripheral site of AChE, increased its fluorescence in a dose-dependent manner. DSC showed that immobilized AChE form is probably more stable structurally than its free form. Protein docking study revealed that AChE interacts through different regions with matrix, and each of these interactions have its own binding energy. A comparison between DSC, fluorescence spectroscopy and docking results revealed excellent agreement between them.

The present study was intended to standardize the protocol for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous extract of Dictyota bartayresiana J.V. Lamouroux and evaluate cytotoxic potentials using brine shrimp bio-assay activity and trypan blue dye exclusion method. The reduction of pure Ag ions was monitored by measuring the UV-Vis spectrum of the solution at 200-900 nm and the characteristic peaks were detected. FTIR analysis was used to detect the characteristic peaks and their functional groups. The powder method of diffraction was employed for structural characterisation of AgNPs . The cytotoxic and anticancer potentials were evaluated by, the brine shrimp bio-assay and trypan blue dye exclusion method against DLA cell lines, repectively . When the D. bartayresiana aqueous extract was mixed with 1 mM AgNO3 solution, the colour of the solution changed from pale yellow to yellowish brown colour. The AgNPs synthesized from aqueous extract of D. bartayresiana showed an absorption of 0.639 at 410 nm. The broadening of peaks indicated that the particles are polydispersed. The capping was confirmed by the existence of bands at 1019.19, 1642.09, 1643.05 and 3401.82 cm–1. The D. bartayresiana AgNPs illustrated nine peaks at 2θ values were 26.661°, 28.388°, 29.947°, 32.244°, 40.553°, 46.223°, 50.19°, 54.78°, 57.448° and 76.67° corresponding to 208, 509, 149, 1681, 257, 833, 178, 275, 272 and 256 planes of silver, respectively. The AgNPs of D. bartayresiana revealed 50% mortality (LC50) of brine shrimp nauplii at 196.5 µl/l. Concentration needed for 50% inhibition of growth of DLA cells was found to be 296.14 µl/l of D. bartayresiana AgNPs. The results of the present study demonstrated a simple, rapid and economically cheap route to synthesize AgNPs using aqueous extract of Dictyota bartayresiana thallus. Cytotoxic studies against Artemia salina confirmed that AgNPs are capable of rendering high cytotoxic activity and hence has a great potential in the preparation of anti-cancer drugs. The synthesized AgNPs may improve the therapeutic and medicinal values of Dictyota bartayresiana.

Breast cancer is the second main cause of death among women. The use of medicinal plants has been common in many countries since ancient times. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-proliferative potential of Achillea millefolium L. The antioxidant activity of the aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of Achillea millefolium L. leaf and flower was measured by DPPH and FRAP method while its anti-proliferative activity on MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line was evaluated using MTT assay. The ethanolic extract of the leaf and the methanolic extract of the flower had the highest radical scavenging and ferric ion reducing activities. Time and dose-dependent cytotoxic effects of different extracts were observed on MCF-7 cells. The difference in cell viability between hydroalcholic (methanol and ethanol) and aqueous extracts of leaf and flower was significant (P

In 1889, the famous German Pathologist, Julius Cohnheim, postulated that the findings from tumor autopsy are explicable on natural principles. Within the next decade, members of the Johns Hopkins Hospital Medical Society with Dr. Flexner in the Chair dealt with a case that demonstrated the above dictum of Cohnheim. It is proposed here to appreciate historically what happened at the Meeting of February 3, 1896. It covers the early knowledge of metastatic melanoma.