mojtaba ranjbar

Cancer is one of the life-threatening diseases worldwide. The conventional treatments of cancer include chemotherapy and radiotherapy; both have serious side effects. Plant cyclic peptides have been suggested to act as potent anticancer agents with high biological activity and structural stability.

This present study conducted some bioinformatics analyses on plant cyclic peptides' physicochemical, structural, and evolutionary properties. Data were extracted from the NCBI database and analyzed using the bioinformatics tools ProtParam, Psipred, and Mega6.

The analyses indicated that the studied cyclic peptides were highly stable structurally, as the instability indices were below 40. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the cyclic peptide identified from the Clitoria ternatea species, due to its desirable biological activity, is likely the best candidate for use

It follows that, because of their stability and other characteristics, cyclic peptides are a great candidate for the development of anti-cancer drugs. Therefore, genetic engineering should give priority to AEK26412.1 as one suitable option for the production of recombinant peptides, taking into consideration all the favorable physicochemical and structural properties of this peptide.

Plants are one of the sources of bioactive cysteine-rich proteins that defend against pathogens. Hevein-Like is a family of antimicrobial and defensive peptides in plants. They bind to the surface of pathogens and disrupt the cell membrane, leading to their death. To identify and produce the best Hevein-Like with biological properties in genetic engineering, the product of the gene encoding Hevein-Like must be examined in terms of various structural, evolutionary, and physicochemical parameters. Based on evolutionary relationships, plant Hevein-Like is divided into two main groups with little genetic distance. All Hevein-Like in this study are classified as stable proteins. Therefore, the most suitable plant and Hevein-Like must be selected and examined based on the mentioned parameters before starting cloning and expression to produce peptides with high biological activity.

This study assessed the scolicidal activity of Lythrum salicaria and Lycopus europaeus methanolic extracts on the protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus using ultrasound-assisted extraction. Protoscoleces were obtained from sheep livers and lungs and were exposed to extracts at concentrations of 125, 250, and 500 mg/mL for 1, 10, 20, and 30 minutes. Over the exposure period, both plant extracts demonstrated progressively stronger scolicidal activity at all tested doses. At the lower concentrations of 125 and 250 mg/mL, L. salicaria generally exhibited a higher protoscolicidal effect compared to L. europaeus. However, the difference in efficacy was more pronounced at 125 mg/mL. On the other hand, at the 500 mg/mL concentration, the L. europaeus extract showed considerably greater scolicidal activity than the L. salicaria extract. Statistical analysis revealed that concentration had the biggest impact on mortality, followed by plant species and exposure time. The interaction between concentration and plant type impacted mortality the most, indicating that both factors influenced the overall effectiveness. In conclusion, both L. salicaria and L. europaeus methanolic extracts showed promise as potential candidates for future studies aimed at developing natural agents to control E. granulosus.

Ginkgo biloba is a plant with many therapeutic characteristics because it’s rich in polyphenolic contents. This study was done to evaluate the antibacterial activities of Ginkgo and to compare the antibacterial potential of ethanolic, methanolic and aqueous leaf extracts of Ginkgo biloba.

The antibacterial activity of Ginkgo extracts was evaluated using a disc diffusion method against four strains of bacteria: Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus. The Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the extracts were assessed.

The results indicated that all extracts of Ginkgo possess distinguished antibacterial activity. Among them the methanolic extract exhibited maximum antibacterial activity and the aqueous extract showed minimum antibacterial activity. The highest MIC and MBC were determined at 3.13 and 6.25 µg/mL of aqueous extract against Bacillus subtilis, respectively.

Regarding the acquired results from this study, the leaves of Ginkgo biloba possess a considerable amount of antibacterial activity that can make them one of the most valuable antibacterial resources that could be used in food and therapeutic industries. Therefore, more studies should be conducted on this plant.

Reactive oxygen species cause disease by damaging the chemical compounds in our body. On the other hand, drug resistance is becoming a serious issue in infection treatment, globally. Ginkgo biloba has many therapeutically features. The objective of this study was to evaluate antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Iranian Ginkgo’s leaf extracts.

In this experimental study, aqueous, ethanolic (%70) and methanolic (%80) extracts were made using Ginkgo. Total Phenolic and Flavonoids Content were measured by folin– ciocalteu reagent and Chloride Aluminum color assays. The extracts’ antioxidant activity was assessed by their potential in scavenging DPPH free radicals. Disc Diffusion assay was carried out to test antibacterial potency against two strains of bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis, Listeria monocytogenes). Data analysis was performed using factorial experiment within a completely randomized design. SPSS version 16 software and Duncan's multiple range tests were used to compare the means.

Based on results, all three extracts contained extensive amount of phenolic and especially flavonoid compounds with methanolic extract being the richest in phenolic and flavonoids while aqueous extract having the least of these compounds. The most antioxidant activity was found in methanolic extract of 300 mg/mL concentration with %84.73 (P<0.05) and the least was in aqueous extract of 40 mg/mL with %18.17 (P<0.05) ROS scavenging rate, this result was proportional to the measured bioactive components of the extracts. Antibacterial activity in 200 mg/mL concentration of methanolic extract was maximum against Enterococcus faecalis while it was minimum at 50 mg/µl concentration of aqueous extract against Listeria monocytogenes strain. Antibacterial activity of all three extracts was found out to be concentration dependent.

The results indicated that Ginkgo leaves are rich in phenolic and flavonoids contents that may be reason behind their notable antioxidant and antibacterial activity. Thus, Ginkgo could be a treasure trove of antioxidants and therapeutic compounds. However, more studies are required in regard to Ginkgo’s various characteristics.

Nowadays, due to the toxic effects of synthetic compounds, we are witnessing a marked increase in the use of natural types, such as plant extracts. The present study aimed to assess the total phenolic and flavonoid content and in vitro comparative study of the biological activities of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Cuminum cyminum, Carum carvi, and Nigella sativa.

This study measured the total phenolic and flavonoid contents. Thereafter, antioxidant capacity was measured by the DPPH free radical scavenging and reducing power methods. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were evaluated using the broth microdilution method.

Based on the results, total phenol and flavonoid contents varied from 6.1 to 37.7 mg GAE/g dw and 6.2 to 56.2 mg QE /g dw in the studied species. The species showed high antioxidant capacities. The extracts from the studied species exhibited significant antioxidant activity, with the highest percentage of DPPH free radical inhibition being attributed to the methanolic extract of Carum carvi at a concentration of 400 μg/mL (74.67%) and the highest iron-reducing capacity being attributed to the methanolic extract of Carum carvi at a concentration of 1000 μg/mL (54.0%). The results also pointed out that the methanolic extracts of all three plants, Cuminum cyminum, Carum carvi, and Nigella sativa, have antibacterial activity against four bacterial species: Escherichia coli (PTCC1399), clinical Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus cereus (PTCC1015), and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC25923). The lowest inhibitory concentration (25.6 mg/ml) and the lowest bactericidal concentration (5.12 mg/ml) were observed for the methanolic extract of Nigella sativa against E. coli, while among the aqueous extracts, only the aqueous extracts of Cuminum cyminum and Nigella sativa exhibited antibacterial effects against the four studied species.

As evidenced by the results of this study, methanolic extract of three Cuminum cyminum, Carum carvi, and Nigella sativa had significant antioxidant and antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, these extracts can be considered natural herbal products for the management of bacterial infections.

Due to the increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics and the presence of antibacterial compounds in plants, in this study, the effect of hydro-alcoholic and aqueous extracts of Physalis alkekengi on some pathogenic bacteria was investigated.

In this experimental study, the dried fruits of the Physalis alkekengi were purchased from a medicinal plant shop and after extraction, the antibacterial effect of the aqueous, ethanolic, and methanolic extracts of the plant against standard strains of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus were evaluated. Antibacterial activity, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of the extracts were determined using serial dilution and disk diffusion methods.

In the disk diffusion method, all concentrations of the methanolic extract of Physalis alkekengi had an inhibitory effect on Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. However, the inhibitory effect of the methanolic extract was considerably higher than the aqueous extract. The lowest inhibitory concentration of the methanolic extract was 12.5 mg/ml, and the minimum lethal concentration was 25 mg/ml. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the plant had the minimal effect on the standard strain of Staphylococcus aureus.

Aqueous, ethanolic, and methanolic extracts showed different levels of antibacterial properties in a concentration-dependent method. Therefore, the inhibitory effects against each bacterium can probably be attributed to the activity of the active ingredients of the plant, the extraction method, and the properties of the solvent used.

Hesperetin (Hst) has shown several pharmacological effects. The efficacy of Hst is highly restricted in vivo due mainly to poor bioavailability. This investigation was intended to compare the influence of Hst and nano-Hst treatment on 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced behavioral deficits and oxidative stress in rats. Forty-two Wistar male rats were equally assigned to 6 groups: control, 6-OHDA, Hst5, Hst10, nano-Hst5, and nano-Hst10. Treatment with Hst and nano-Hst was initiated 1 day after the intrastriatal injection of 6-OHDA and continued for 28 days. Behavioral deficits were evaluated using apomorphine-induced rotation test (AIRT), narrow beam test (NBT) and novel object recognition test (NORT), and the hippocampus and striatum were used to evaluate oxidative stress-related parameters. The rats injected only with 6-OHDA showed learning and memory deficits but Hst and nano-Hst treatments improved it (p<0.001). Compared to the control group, a marked promotion in Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels along with a marked reduction in activities and gene expression of antioxidant enzymes and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in the hippocampus and striatum were observed in the 6-OHDA group (p<0.01). However, administration of Hst and nano-Hst remarkably diminished MDA levels (p<0.01), and significantly increased the activities (p<0.01) and gene expression of antioxidant enzymes (p<0.05) and GSH levels (p<0.01) compared to the 6-OHDA group. In most parameters, nano-Hst has shown better therapeutic effects than Hst. Our findings reveal that Hst can be considered as a potential candidate for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and that nano-Hst may have better bioavailability.

Medicinal plants contain a high level of antioxidant compounds such as flavonoids, phenolic, carotenoids, and tannins, which can be used to eliminate excess free radicals in the body. This study aimed to determine the total phenolic and flavonoid content and to investigate the antioxidant and antibacterial effects of Berberis integerrima and Graminifolius tragopogon methanolic extracts on some Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms.

In this descriptive-analytical study, methanolic extracts of B. integerrima and G. tragopogon were prepared using 80% methanol. Total phenol and flavonoid contents were determined by Folin–Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods, respectively. The antioxidant capacity was assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and reducing power methods. The antibacterial activity of the extracts of B. integerrima and G. tragopogon on Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhimurium were determined by the disk diffusion method. Butylated hydroxytoluene and ciprofloxacin were used as positive controls for antioxidant activity and bacterial strains, respectively.

Total phenol and flavonoid compounds in the extracts of B. integerrima and G. tragopogon were 46.90±0.70 and 22.63±0.59 mg gallic acid per gram of extract and 5.61±0.01 and 46.74±0.81 mg quercetin per gram of extract, respectively. The extracts of B. integerrima and G. tragopogon showed significant antibacterial activity. B. subtilis and S. typhimurium showed the highest sensitivity and resistance to the extracts, respectively. Moreover, the extract of B. integerrima had the most potent inhibitory effect on the examined microorganisms.

B. integerrima extract exhibits higher phenolic content, antioxidant properties, and antimicrobial activity than G. tragopogon extract.

Trametes versicolor is important for its medicinal rather than nutritional value. Given the various pharmacological activities of this plant, this study aimed to investigate the antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of the aqueous extract of T. versicolor.

In this descriptive-analytical study, an aqueous extract of T. versicolor was prepared. Antioxidant activity, flavonoid content and total phenol were measured by diphenyl picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and reducing power (RP) methods, aluminum chloride (AlCl3), and Folin-Ciocalteu assays. The antibacterial and antifungal activity of the aqueous extract of T. versicolor on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Fusarium thapsinum was determined by the disk diffusion method. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), ciprofloxacin and amphotericin-B were used as positive controls for antioxidant activity and bacterial and fungal strains, respectively.

Total phenolic content was 27.6±0.38 (mg GAE/g), and total flavonoid content was 4.2±0.04 (mg QE/g). Based on DPPH radical scavenging activity, the extract of T. versicolor showed strong scavenging activity (93.8±1.2 %) with IC50 of 103.9±0.8 μg/mL when compared with the standard BHT (IC50 of 30.0±0.6 μg/mL). In addition, it was observed that increasing the concentration of aqueous extract of turkey tail increased the reducing power of iron. The zone of inhibition around the extract ranged from 13.0±0.65 mm (in F. thapsinum at 75 mg/ml) to 21±0.73 mm (in S. aureus at 300 mg/ml) (P<0.05).

The aqueous extract of  T. versicolor contains a significant amount of phenolic compounds and also has strong antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.

Medicinal plants are valuable sources of different antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds. In this study, the effects of different extraction methods with aqueous and methanolic solvents were investigated on the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Teucrium hyrcanicum L.

In this basic experimental study, aqueous and methanolic extraction was carried out using three methods, including a magnetic stirrer, a Bain-Marie bath, and Shaker. The antioxidant effects were then determined using DPPH and RP methods along with the determination of total phenol and total flavonoid. The antibacterial effect of aqueous and methanolic extracts against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Escherichia coli was determined through the disk diffusion method.
(Ethic code: IR.ausmt.rec.1398.11.34)

The evaluation of antioxidant properties showed that methanolic extract had a stronger effect than aqueous extract. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the magnetic stirrer method was superior to the other two extraction methods. The same results were obtained for total phenol and total flavonoid as well. Evaluation of antibacterial properties revealed that methanolic extract had antibacterial activity, while aqueous extract did not show antibacterial activity.

The results of this study showed that Teucrium hyrcanicum L. was more effectively extracted through the magnetic stirrer method than other extraction methods. Both aqueous and methanolic extracts had antioxidant properties, while only methanol extracts showed antibacterial properties. Therefore, this plant can have good therapeutic application in the treatment of diseases due to its antioxidant properties.

In this article, we use the collocation method based on the radial basis functions with symmetric variable shape parameter (SVSP) to obtain numerical solutions of neutral-type functional-differential equations with proportional delays. In this method, we control the absolute errors and the condition number of the system matrix through the program prepared with Maple 18.0 by increasing the number of collocation points that have a direct effect on the defined shape parameter. Also, we present the tables of the rate of the convergence (ROC) to investigate and show the convergence rate of this method compared to the RBF method with constant shape parameter. Several examples are given to illustrate the efficiency and accuracy of the introduced method in comparison with the same method with the constant shape parameter (CSP) as well as other analytical and numerical methods. Comparison of the obtained numerical results shows the considerable superiority of the collocation method based on RBFs with SVSP in accuracy and convergence over the collocation method based on the RBFs with CSP and other analytical and numerical methods for delay differential equations (DDEs).

In this work, we employ a combination of variational iteration method (VIM) and Pad´e approximation method, called the VIM-Pad´e technique, to solve some nonlinear initial value problems and a delay differential equation (DDE). Some examples are provided to illustrate the capability and reliability of the technique. The obtained results by using the VIM are compared to the results of this technique. This comparison shows that VIM-Pad´e technique is more effective than VIM and yields faster convergence compared to the VIM.

 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an advanced neurological disorder characterized by symptoms such as deficits in social interaction, communication, and cognition. Although sumac fruit contains compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, its effectiveness is limited due to its low bioavailability. 

 This study aims to investigate the neuroprotective effect of sumac extract and sumac nano-phytosome on memory and oxidative stress in the hippocampal area of ASD rats.

 In this experimental study, pregnant female rats were first divided into healthy and patient groups. In the patient group, 500 mg/kg body weight valproic acid was injected intraperitoneally on day 12.5 of pregnancy. Male rats born in the healthy group were further divided into two healthy control and positive control groups, and those in the patient group were divided into two treatment groups of Sumac Extract (n=6) and Sumac Nano-Phytosome (n=6) 21 days after birth. The control groups received only saline, while treatment groups received SE and SNP (40 mg/kg/PO) for 4 weeks. Novel object recognition test was performed to assess recongnition memory of rats on day 49 after birth. Finally, Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), Glutathione Reductase (GRx) and Catalase (CAT) were measured in the hippocampus of rats.

 Valproic acid significantly decreased the discrimination index in novel object recognition test as well as GPx, GRx and CAT, and TAC levels in the hippocampus (P<0.001). Treatment with sumac nano-phytosome significantly improved the memory and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (GPx, GRx and CAT) and TAC (P<0.001).

 Sumac nano-phytosome can improve memory deficits and oxidative stress more compared to sumac extract in ASD rats due to increased bioavailability.

In this paper‎, ‎the polynomial differential quadrature method (PDQM) is implemented to find the numerical solution of the generalized Black-Scholes partial differential equation‎. ‎The PDQM reduces the problem into a system of first order non-linear differential equations and then‎, ‎the obtained system is solved by optimal four-stage‎, ‎order three strong stability-preserving time-stepping Runge-Kutta (SSP-RK43) scheme‎. ‎Numerical examples are given to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed method‎.

The spread of drug-resistant pathogenic strains and the increase of free radicals in food sources are major health problems worldwide. The side effects of chemical drugs have led the researchers to use natural products. In this study, the antimicrobial and antioxidant effects of leaf extract of Lythrum Salicaria have been investigated.

This research was a basic experimental study. The aqueous extract of Lythrum Salicaria leaf was prepared by maceration method. Antimicrobial effects of the extract were evaluated by disk diffusion method. The antioxidant properties of extract were determined by DPPH and iron reducing power methods. In addition, the amounts of phenol, flavonoid and flavonol were assayed by Folin-ciocalteu and Aluminum chloride methods, respectively. Data were compared by analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SPSS version 16 software.

All of the studied strains were sensitive to the aqueous extract of Lythrum Salicaria leaf except E. coli. The mean zones of inhibition were due to the extracts on the tested bacteria obtained in ranging from 12.67 to 24.67 mm. Statistical analysis showed a significant relationship between the mean diameters of growth inhibition zone and increased extract concentrations (P < 0.001). The total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and total flavonol content values of extract were determined as 36.53 ± 1.27 mg gallic acid per gram extract, 5.2 ± 0.4 mg quercetin per gram extract and 20.8 ± 0.95 quercetin per gram extract, respectively.

Extract of Lythrum Salicaria can be a good alternative to common antibiotics resistant. The acceptable antioxidant effects of the Lythrum Salicaria extract can be introduced it as an inhibitor of diabetes and cancer.

The green nanoparticle synthesis method using plants due to a cost effective and environmental compatibility has been extensively noticed. In this study, the biosynthesis of Ag/Fe3O4 nanocomposite by using extract of Eryngium caucasicum and its antifungal properties has been reported.

Synthesized Ag/Fe3O4 nanocomposite was characterized by using UV-Visible spectroscopy, XRD, and FESEM analyses. The antifungal potential of Ag/Fe3O4 nanocomposite was evaluated using Disc diffusion assay.

The formation of Ag/Fe3O4 nanocomposite has confirmed through UV–visible spectroscopy (at 425 nm). XRD results revealed the crystalline nature of Ag/Fe3O4 nanocomposite and FESEM analysis exhibited spherical shape with size 26-42 nm. It was also detected that the Ag/Fe3O4 nanocomposite at a concentration of 150μg/ml had the highest inhibition on Cryptococcus neoformans compared to Fusarium thapsinum, Candida albicans, Pyricularia oryzae, Fusarium semitectum and Candida glabrata.

The results of this study showed that the Green synthesis of Ag/Fe3O4 nanocomposite by aqueous extract of Eryngium caucasicum, which is a new, non-toxic, simple, cost-effective, fast and environmentally friendly technique, have high antifungal activity.

The purpose of this paper is to present a numerical scheme for solving time-fractional partial differential equation based on cubic B-spline quasi-interpolation. For this purpose, first we will approximate the time-fractional derivative by Laplace transform method and then by using of cubic B-spline quasi-interpolation, the spatial derivatives are approximated. Moreover, the stability of this method is studied. Finally, European call and put options are priced and we will show that the results are good agreement with the other methods. The main advantage of the resulting scheme is that the algorithm is very simple, so it is very easy to implement.

Cumin, Cuminum cyminum L., is the king of spices with a plethora of natural compounds with pharmacological features. Drought stress is a well-known factor that influences the production of some metabolites. We studied the impact of drought stress on gene expression and metabolite content in flower and leaf tissue organs of two ecotypes, Taybad and Ardakan populations. Plants were imposed into three water level conditions, control, moderate, and severe water deficit. Concerning the results, the expression of Limonene synthase in flower organ of the Ardakan genotype increased 2.2 times under 50% of field capacity, whereas, the expression of Flavone synthase in leaf tissue of the Ardakan ecotype, was the highest in this level of stress. Moreover, the majority of detected terpenoids were β-Acoradiene and γ-Terpinene in leaf and flower organs, respectively. Altogether, the monoterpenes content was decreased in both ecotypes, but sesquiterpenes increased only in the Ardakan population. Knowing the expression of key genes involved in the pathway of major metabolites in cumin under water stress conditions is important in the pharmaceutical industry and molecular researches.

There is a growing interest of industry to replace synthetic chemicals by natural products with bioactive properties from plant origin. The present study reported the antioxidant activity and scolicidal effects of the crude extracts from Mentha spicata, M. aquatica, M. longifolia, and M. × piperita var. citrata growing in Iran.

Total phenolic, flavonoid and flavonol contents of the four Mentha taxa were examined. Two antioxidant assays i.e. free radical scavenging activity (DPPH assay) and reducing power assay were used for determining the antioxidant capacity of the alcoholic extracts. Scolicidal activity of serial dilutions (15–200 mg/mL) of Mentha extracts was evaluated after 1, 5, 10, 20 and 30 minutes of exposure time.

Methanol was the solvent yielding the highest values of total phenolic (TPC), flavonoid (TFC) and flavonol contents (TFvC). On the other hand, the extracts from M. × piperita var. citrata gave the highest total phenolic content (191.6 mg gallic acid equivalent per g; GAE/g), total flavonoid content (57.0 mg quercetin per g; QE/g) and total flavonol content (15.3 mg QE/g) values. The methanol extracts of M. × piperita var. citrata also gave the strongest DPPH radical scavenging activity (83.2%), whereas the reducing power yielded absorbance values between 0.189 in M. spicata and 1.16 in M. × piperita var. citrata. The highest scolicidal activity (99.54%) was observed in 200 mg/mL methanol extract of M. aquatica after 30 minutes of application.

Overall, M. × piperita var. citrata and M. aquatica could be the taxa of choice for future supplementary studies.

One of the greatest accomplishments in modern financial theory, in terms of both approach and applicability has been the BlackScholes option pricing model. It is widely recognized that the value of a European option can be obtained by solving the Black-Scholes equation. In this paper we use functional perturbation method (FPM) for solving Black-Scholes equation to price a European call option. The FPM is a tool based on considering the differential operator as a functional. The equation is expanded functionally by Frechet series. Then a number of successive partial differential equations (PDEs) are obtained that have constant coefficients and differ only in their right hand side part. Therefore we do not need to resolve the different equations for each step. In contrast to methods that have implicit solutions, the FPM yields a closed form explicit solution.

We aimed to examine the expression levels of the VASA gene and protein in testis sections of neonate and adult mice as well as testicular cell cultures.

In this experimental study, in order to investigate the expression of this germ cell marker gene in more detail, we analyzed the expression of VASA by immunocytochemistry, immunohistochemistry and fluidigm reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

The immunohistochemical assays showed that the VASA protein was exclusively expressed in germ cells in the seminiferous tubules of the neonate and adult testis and not in somatic cells. VASA was not detectable in PLZF positive spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), was weakly expressed in proliferating spermatogonia, and became abundant in spermatocytes and round spermatozoa. Counting VASA-positive cells in the seminiferous tubules of the neonate and adult testis depicted significant higher expression (P<0.05) of VASA in the adult testis in comparison to its neonate counterpart. SSC colonies were established in vitro after digestion of the testis and characterized by immunocytochemistry for CD90 and stage-specific embryonic antigens 3 (SSEA3). Immunocytochemistry confirmed that in contrast to the not detectable signal in vivo, VASA protein was strongly localized in the cytoplasm of both neonate and adult mouse SSCs under in vitro conditions. The results of Fluidigm RT-PCR revealed a significant higher expression of the germ cell gene VASA in adult SSCs in comparison to neonate SSCs in cell culture (P<0.05).

The VASA protein is, therefore, an extremely specific marker of testicular germ cell differentiation in vivo and mostly expressed in the adult testis in spermatocytes and round spermatids. The immunohistochemical signal in spermatogonia is very low. So, PLZF positive SSCs are negative for VASA in vivo, while in contrast, once isolated from the testicular niche VASA is also strongly expressed in SSCs under in vitro conditions.

Scutellaria pekinensis is one of the most valuable Medicinal species of the Lamiaceae family. The present study aimed to investigate the antibacterial and the antioxidant effects of Scutellaria pekinensis.
 

In this study, after extracting the aqueous and methanol extracts, the antioxidant effect of the extract was measure-using DPPH and FRAP methods. Disk diffusion method was use to investigate the antibacterial effect against three types of bacteria.In addition, the study examined phenolic and flavonoidal.
 

The results showed that the highest amount of phenol and flavonoid were obtained by methanol extract and shaker extraction method. The highest amount of free radical scavenging (DPPH) and FRAP were related to aqueous extract and shaker extraction method. The highest inhibition zone diameter for Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli in the concentration of 600 mg/ml were 15.67±0.58, and 25.33±3.15 respectively, and for Staphylococcus aureus, the concentration of 900 mg / ml was 26±2.
 

The results showed that the solvent type and extraction method had a great impact on the amount of antioxidant compounds and antibacterial effects. Considering the few studies performed about this plant, the results of this study can be a good report for further research.

The nonlinear Black-Scholes equation has been increasingly attracting interest over the last two decades, because it provides more accurate values by considering transaction costs as a viable assumption. In this paper we review the fully nonlinear Black-Scholes equation with an adjusted volatility which is a function of the second derivative of the price and then we prove two new theorems in this realistic model.

Ocimum basilicum L. (2n=48) is a medicinal plant that belongs to Lamiaceae family. Eugenol is one of the most important compounds of basil essential oil which is applied against bacteria, fungi and nematodes in various industries. Phenylpropanoids such as methyl eugenol possess anti-oxidant properties against free radicals and act as protective compounds in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Methyl eugenol O-methyl transferase (EOMTs), as a key enzyme of phenylpropanoids biosynthesis pathway, converts eugenol into methyl eugenol by methylation. In this study, we isolated, characterized and function analyzed the EOMTs gene promoter from basil plant with the aim of investigating the gene expression regulation of this gene under different environmental conditions and recognition its regulatory motifs. Analysis of EOMTs gene promoter indicated that this sequence was included some important regulatory elements which responded to high temperature and drought stress such as MYB, MYC, HSE, and WRKY. It is expected that this gene indicates expression changes under biotic and abiotic stresses because there are stress-responsive regulatory sites in ObEOMTs gene promoter. Function verification of ObEMOTs promoter in Nicotiana tabacum leaves showed that this promoter including core elements is able to direct the expression of GUS gene.