اکبر حسین نژاد

Candida species are one of the most common causes of otomycosis. Antifungal drugs commonly used in treatment often have a variety of side effects, including toxicity, cross-reactivity, and drug resistance. In recent years, along with the advances in nanotechnology and the motivation to find new antifungal drugs, there has been a growing interest in the use of nanoparticles such as nano-curcumin in the treatment of fungal infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal sensitivity of nano-curcumin on Candida species isolated from otomycosis.

  In this experimental study, 100 isolated Candida samples from patients with otomycosis were included. Synthesis of nano-curcumin using chitosan (CS) nanoparticles was performed by ionic gelation method. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed using broth microdilution method according to CLSI-M27-S4 guidelines on all Candida isolates to miconazole, clotrimazole and nanocurcumin. Data were analyzed in SPSS 27 software with independent t-test and chi-squared tests.

Curcumin nanoparticles showed antifungal activity against all Candida species. However, the mean MIC of miconazole and clotrimazole for different Candida species was significantly lower than curcumin nanoparticles, indicating the lower antifungal effect of nano-curcumin than these two antifungals. Also, the mean MIC of nano-curcumin was not significantly different among Candida species (P < 0.05), whereas it was significantly different for miconazole and clotrimazole (P < 0.05).

 The results of the present study showed that nano-curcumin had a lower antifungal effect than miconazole and clotrimazole, but due to nano-curcumin's safety, it can be used as a potential antifungal drug for the treatment of otomycosis after further investigation.

Denture stomatitis is the most prevalent oral mucosal lesion among denture wearers. Because there have been multiple reports of resistance of Candida species to antifungal drugs in the last two decades, if the antifungal properties of Achillea millefolium and Trachyspermum ammi are validated, these compounds may be a suitable adjuvant drug along with the use of common antifungal drugs. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess the antifungal activity of alcoholic extracts of Achillea millefolium and Trachyspermum ammi against Candida albicans isolated from denture stomatitis.

Antifungal sensitivity of 50 isolates of C. albicans with the origin of denture stomatitis to the alcoholic extracts of Achillea millefolium and Trachyspermum ammi plants as well as the antifungal drugs miconazole and nystatin was determined by broth microdilution method and according to CLSI-M27S4 guidelines. The range of dilution for all compounds was 0.016-16 μg/ml. A concentration of compounds that showed at least 50% growth inhibition as compared to the positive control group was considered MIC (minimum growth inhibitory concentration). Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software and the significance level was considered as P<0.05.

The MIC ranges in microbroth dilution method for the antifungal drugs miconazole, nystatin, as well as the alcoholic extracts of Achillea millefolium and Trachyspermum ammi plants on C. albicans, were close to each other, indicating that their effectiveness against C. albicans species does not differ significantly (P<0.05). The Achillea millefolium methanolic extract had the highest and lowest MIC values, with an average of 2.67±2.55 μg/ml and 0.067±0.057 μg/ml, respectively. A significant difference (P<0.001) was observed when the MICs outcomes the herbal alcoholic extracts and antifungal drugs were compared.

Based on the obtained MICs, Achillea millefolium and Trachyspermum ammi alcoholic plant extracts have a lesser efficacy than the antifungal drugs, but even though they may have a lower MIC and more effectiveness than other chemical drugs.

There is an increasing rate of drug resistance to azole among Candida species, so, finding new compounds that are effective in laboratory conditions, such as 3,4-dihydropyrimidine derivatives are important. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antifungal sensitivity of 3,4-di-hydropyrimidine-1- (H2) -L- H1-pyrrole derivatives in Candida isolates.

Antifungal sensitivity of 102 Candida isolates with the origin of otomycosis to dihydropyrimidine derivatives and itraconazole were evaluated by broth microdilution according to CLSI-M27S4 guidelines. The serial dilution range of compounds and antifungal drug was 0.016-16 μg/ml. A concentration of compounds that showed at least 50% growth inhibition compared to the positive control group was considered as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS V16. 

Findings showed that 3,4-di-hydropyrimidine-1-(H2)-L-H1-pyrrole derivatives have higher MIC than itraconazole against Candida species. Also, comparing the MIC values of 3,4-di- hydropyrimidine with each other (P1-P4), P1 derivatives were found with lower MIC values than the other three derivatives and almost all compounds showed more efficacy against Candida albicans than other Candida species.

Although the antifungal effects of 3,4-dihydropyrimidine-1-(H2)-L-H1-pyrrole derivatives against Candida species were lower than itraconazole, but, making structural changes in these compounds can increase their antifungal effects.

The global warming of the Earth due greenhouse gases diffusion (GHGs) is undeniable now; over the past century, atmospheric CO2 concentrations have increased significantly and caused an increase in global temperature of 0.44 ° C compared to Pre-industrial era. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) shows that there is a positive correlation between the amount of CO2 and global temperature rise. Today, climate change has attracted many scientists and researchers. The reason for this is the huge impact this phenomenon has on life on Earth. Potentially, climate change can endanger drinking water supplies, food production, and sustainable development in many parts of the world, For this reason, the International Committee of Climate Change (IPCC) calls for studies on climate change at the regional and local scale. Studies have shown that the mean temperature of the Earth has increased by about 0.18 ± 0.74 °C during the twentieth century And an increase in the temperature of the 21st century is estimated to be 1.8 to 4 degrees centigrade.

In this study, the three-hour temperature data of the synoptic station of Tabriz for the statistical period of 67 years (2017-1951) was prepared. Using Matlab's coding, seasonal and annual time series were prepared for each synoptic. Then, in order to provide the seasonal and annual time SYNOPs for the daily and night temperatures, the data are divided into two groups of nightly temperatures (including mean SYNOPs temperatures from 00:00, 03:00, 18:00 and 21:00) and daily temperature (including average SYNOPs temperatures at 06:00, 09:00, 12:00 and 15:00).

Temperature is one of the most important elements in climatic zonation and classification, and it plays an important role in the distribution of other climatic elements. Accordingly, fluctuations and temperature changes are very important. In recent decades, the applied results of temperature analysis have led to a study of its long-run fluctuations, especially in the global arena. Therefore, in this study, the temperature fluctuations of three hours (SYNOPs), night temperature and daily temperature of the synoptic station of Tabriz during the statistical period of 1951-2017 and the seasonal and annual time scale were studied.The results of the study show that SYNOPs, (3:00 pm local time), have more severe changes than other SYNOPs, which in summer increases at 0/66 °C per decade. Most annual changes are related to SYNOP 00:00 (an increase of 0.47 °C). Seasonal variations in daily and nightly temperatures also indicate that the highest changes in the night temperature were observed in summer (an increase of 0/62 °C), and the highest daily temperature changes were observed in spring and summer (an increase of 0.3 °C) Is.the findings of this study are largely consistent with the findings of other studies in the study area. For example, Dinpajoh et al. (1394) obtained the same results by analyzing the process of weather parameters in Tabriz, indicating an increase in the minimum, maximum and average temperature in Tabriz. The results of the study, Sari Sarraf et al. (1394), also show that in the Urmia Lake basin, the minimum, maximum and average temperature has experienced an increasing trend in the annual and seasonal scale. Jahanbakhsh Asl et al. (1396) also studied the trend of variations in the average monthly cold-year average temperature in the northwest of Iran, with the result that the average minimum temperature in most parts of the northwest is increasing. Therefore, the results of this research and previous studies indicate that the temperature in the study area is increasing. The important thing about this research and its difference with previous studies is the use and application of temperature data. So, using daily temperature data (SYNOPs), the temperature changes were dealt with, while in other studies, the average temperature or minimum and maximum temperature parameters were used, so the results of this study could be information It will provide a more accurate description of the process of temperature variation in the Tabriz Synoptic Station.

According to the results, it can be said that the signs of climate change in Tabriz city, especially in terms of temperature, are visible. Considering the role of temperature in increasing evapotranspiration and urban energy consumption, over the next decade, there should be solutions to better manage water and energy resources, especially heat energy during the warm season.

Background and

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with decreased immune status. Aspergillus flavus is the second most common species causing invasive aspergillosis after A. fumigatus. According to limited information on the antifungal susceptibility test against A. flavus in Iran, in this study we aimed at evaluating the antifungal susceptibility of two antifungal agents including itraconazole and voriconazole against clinical and environmental isolates of A. flavus.

Four hundred clinical and environmental samples were collected from Mazandaran, Tehran and Khorasan Razavi provinces. The identification of A. flavus isolates were confirmed by sequencing of β-tubulin gene. The MICs of itraconazole and voriconazole for all isolates of A. flavus were determined by the guidelines proposed by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) M38-A2 for filamentous fungi.

Ninety isolates of A. flavus were identified from clinical (n=30) and environmental (n=60) samples. MIC results of all A. flavus isolates showed susceptibility to antifungal agents, except for two environmental isolates that demonstrated MIC= 2 μg/ml for itraconazole. MIC50, MIC90 and Geometric mean of itraconazole for A. flavus isolates were 0.25, 0.5, and 0.21 μg/ml, respectively. The MIC50, MIC90 and Geometric mean of voriconazole were 0.25, 0.5 and 0.27 μg/ml, respectively.

In comparison to determined epidemiological cutoff value of A. flavus, our data have shown a probable resistance in two isolates of A. flavus against itraconazole which draws attention on emergence of full resistance A. flavus isolates from Iran.