رمضانعلی طاهری

Methamphetamine abuse has been a global concern in the last few decades. An estimated 3.5 million people have been affected by methamphetamine abuse. Methamphetamine induces apoptosis in most cell lines. Pentoxyphilline, as a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, can reduce methamphetamine-induced cell death by inflammation reduction.

PC12 cells were grown in a DMEM culture medium. Assays used in this study are listed below: MTT test for cell viability detection, LDH test for cytotoxicity measurement, caspase activity colorimetric assay kit (Bio-techne) for caspase- 3 activity diagnosis, Rhodamine 123 for detection of mitochondrial membrane potential, fluorescence microscope for measurement of antioxidant enzyme activities.

Pentoxyphilline increased cell viability and the Rhodamine-123 absorbance. Besides, it reduced cell cytotoxicity, caspase-3 activity, and (OH) generation in all concentrations of 1 nM to 100 μM (P<0.05) by an optimal concentration of 100 μM.

In conclusion, Pentoxyphilline, as a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, can significantly reduce methamphetamineinduced cell death through its anti-inflammatory effects.

Brucellosis is one of the most common diseases between humans and animals. Therefore, the need for prevention and production of an efficient vaccine is necessary. The aim of the present study is to prepare a niosomal nanostructure containing trivalent immunogen (TF, Bp26 and Omp31) of Brucella as a nanovaccine candidate.

In this study, after designing the immunogen structure by bioinformatics databases and software, in order to evaluate the immunogenicity of the designed recombinant protein, clone and gene expression were carried out in E.coli BL21. The protein extracted from the culture of said cells was purified by Ni-NTA column. Thin layer coating method was used to prepare niosomes carrying trivalent immunogen and were evaluated using DLS and Zetasizer characterization tests. Then, the amount of trivalent immunogen loading and release was calculated.

The results of the characterization confirmed the successful fabrication of niosomal nanosystem containing trivalent immunogen. The results showed that the produced niosomes are in a suitable range of size (100 nm). Trivalent immunogen with high efficiency (81.96%) is encapsulated in the system. The release of trivalent immunogen from Niosomal nanosystem was reported to be 97% after 96 hours. In addition, the trivalent immunogen release pattern of the coated system was more controlled and slower. This confirms the positive effect of the niosome nanosystem.

The use of nisome as a nanovaccine agent has an effective role in controlling antigen release and can be considered as a vaccine candidate and increase the protective immune response against Brucella.

As a potential biological weapon, Escherichia coli (E. coli) is one of the most dangerous types of bacteria used in bioterrorism, which is responsible for many foodborne illnesses. In this study, a surface plasmon resonance biosensor (SPR) was designed to detect E. coli using oriented immobilization of T4 bacteriophage.

The surface of the gold disc was first modified with streptavidin. Then, the T4 bacteriophage was biotinylated. Optimization of biotin levels was performed using bacteriophage activity. After confirmation of bacteriophage biotinylation using the dynamic light scattering (DLS) method, T4 bacteriophage was oriented immobilized on the gold disk through the interactions between streptavidin and biotin.

The equilibrium dissociation constant (KD) was found to be 10-17, which showed the great affinity of bacteriophage to interact with E. coli. Using the designed biosensor, E. coli was detected in the concentration range of 101 to 109 bacteria per ml.

Label-free and fast detection of E. coli are the advantages of the proposed biosensor.

In this research, manganese ferrite (Mn), calcium ferrite (Ca), and zinc ferrite (Zn) nanoparticles were synthesized by thermal treatment method. Curcumin (CUR) loading and release rate of Mn, Ca, and Zn nanocarriers were investigated at different pHs. The drug loading percentage in Mn nanocarriers were higher than Ca and Zn, which is the result of neutral manganese ferrite in the loading medium. Strong π-π interaction between CUR and manganese ferrite nanocarriers increases drug loading percentage. By changing the pH from 7.4 to 5.5, the release of curcumin from Mn, Ca and Zn nanocarriers increased from 41, 24.7, and 44% to 92, 58.7, and 53%, respectively. The biocompatibility of Mn, Ca and Zn nanocarriers were determined using the MTT method, hemolysis test, and lethal dose test. Studies have shown that although a high percentage of MCF-7 cancer cells are destroyed in the presence of Zn nanocarriers, these nanocarriers have a destructive effect on normal HEK-293 cells.

The present study aimed to prepare Fe3O4 nanocarriers (NCs) by a thermal treatment method. After the Fe3O4 (Fe) NCs was prepared, zinc oxide and silica nanoparticles were added to it as Photosensitizer. The structure, morphology, and magnetic properties of Fe3O4@ZnO (Fe@Zn) and Fe3O4@SiO2 (Fe@Si) NCs were determined by XRD, FT-IR, FESEM, and VSM. Then, the loading and drug release of Fe, Fe@Zn, and Fe@Si NCs were investigated. The curcumin (CUR) release of Fe@Zn+CUR and Fe@Si+CUR increased from 30% and 26% at pH 7.4 to 53% and 57% at pH 5.5, respectively. The cytotoxicity of Fe@Zn and Fe@Si NCs were determined by MTT assay, hemolysis test, acute toxicity, and lethal dose test. The results showed that Fe@Zn and Fe@Si were appropriate for Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) and in the next step, the effect of Fe@Zn, Fe@Si, Fe@Zn+CUR, and Fe@Si+CUR NCs on MCF-7 cells under  visible light were studied. Finally, the ranking of the destruction of cancerous cells of MCF-7 using NCs under  visible light was: Fe@Zn+CUR>Fe@Zn>Fe@Si+CUR>Fe@Si.

 Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are resistant to antimicrobial agents and produce toxic virulence factors such as exotoxin A. Studies have shown that some nanoparticle compounds and antibiotics have a synergistic effect. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the synergistic effect of silver nanoparticles and erythromycin on antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa.

 In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 40 cultured samples of burn wound secretions were taken from Imam Musa Kazem (PBUH) Burns Hospital in Isfahan, Iran. Diagnostic and differential tests were performed. Antibiogram was performed to obtain the bacterial resistance pattern and the exotoxin A gene was detected by PCR. The bacterial minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was then applied to the silver nanoparticles (shape and mean size) and erythromycin separately and a common mixture of both in 10 dilutions to investigate the synergistic effect.

   A number of 26 bacteria were strains of P. aeruginosa. Of samples, 25 (96.15%) had exotoxin A gene. All samples were sensitive to all erythromycin concentrations. The mean MIC of nanoparticles against bacteria was reported to be 2 μg/mL. A solution of 40 μg/mL erythromycin and 2 μg/mL nanoparticles was also considered as MIC solution. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is sensitive to erythromycin to very low concentrations of silver particles. But no synergistic effect between silver nanoparticles and erythromycin was reported for this bacterium. Based on PCR results and antibiotic resistance pattern, a significant number of the samples contained the exotoxin A gene and the use of erythromycin alone was not appropriate for treatment.

In times gone by, militaries have pursued to increase the lethality of weapons to better achieve military success and political objectives. In the current political environment, this approach may not be the most effective means to achieve stability. Political, societal, and operational factors have limited the effective use of traditional military response. Emerging non-lethal weapon technologies may offer the means to meet today’s security problems. Definition of non-lethal weapons provided by NATO are: Non-Lethal Weapons are weapons, which are explicitly designed and developed to incapacitate or repel personnel, with a low probability of fatality or permanent injury, or to disable equipment, with minimal undesired damage or impact on the environment. Unlike conventional lethal weapons that destroy their targets principally through blast, penetration and fragmentation, non-lethal weapons employ means other than gross physical destruction to prevent the target from functioning. Non-lethal weapons are intended to have one or both of the following characteristics: 1) they have relatively reversible effects on personnel or material, 2) they affect objects differently within their area of influence. Some expressions used for these capabilities are: Non-injurious, disabling measures, system disabiling, immobilizers, discriminate force, less letal, less-than-lethal, minimum force, strategic immobilizers, mission kill, new age weapons, soft kill, stabilizing technology, denial of services concepts, limited effects technology, neutralizing technology, reduced lethality weapn, low collateral damage, weapons which do not cross the death barrier, and pre-lethel. Non-lethal technologies cover a broad, diverse range of capabilities. The technology ranges from biological, chemical, information warfare, crowd control measures, to the latest offerings of exotic weapons. The paper will review and introduce all kinds of non-lethal weapons, including anti-personnel and anti-material weapons and the ways of defending them.

Organophosphorus compounds are widely used in pesticides, insecticides in agriculture and as nervous chemical agents. These chemicals inhibit the acetylcholinesterase enzyme activity that is responsible for the nervous impulse in organisms. This effect leads to an increase in acetylcholine level and finally neuronal complications.
Many methods are used to degrade and decontaminate these compounds, such as: the use of chemicals, burial of toxins, burning and biodegradation. The chemical and physical methods are often toxic, allergic, corrosive and nonspecific and harmful for the environment and are not usable in war spaces. Biodegradation is an effective and safe method that is performed under controlled conditions for the decomposition of various constituents, including organophosphorus compounds, by biological agents. Biodegradation is performed using microbes to detoxify and decompose contaminants. These strains contain broad substrate-degrading enzymes.
Although the use of natural strains as vital catalysts is an interesting method for the treatment of organophosphorus compounds, the inability of organophosphorus compounds to cross the membrane width reduces the total catalytic power, so the use of recombinant enzymes for the decomposition of organophosphorus compounds can be of great help in removing contaminants, especially in war environments. Many enzymes have been identified and used for this purpose, but most notably include: Diisopropyl-fluorophosphatase (DFPasae), Organophosphorus acid anhydrolase (OPAA) and Organophosphorus Hydrolase (OPH).
In this review, in addition to describing the organophosphorus compounds and their effects, biodegradation especially by use of enzymes was considered. The understanding and mastering of this knowledge could help researchers in the use of chemical degrading enzymes, especially organophosphates, in spray and enzymatic ointments in military environments.

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) as a causative agent of toxoplasmosis, is an obligate intracellular parasite which is excreted by the cat's feces. Efforts have been made for the development of toxoplasmosis vaccine, but none led to developing a vaccine with protective immune response to the parasite. Adjuvants are essential for vaccine formulation to create strong immune responses. As an adjuvant, nanomaterials such as nano-alum, can stimulate both humoral and cellular immune responses. The present report aimed to investigate the protective effects of the alum-based nano-adjuvant formulated in killed T. gondii. In this experimental study, the vaccine candidates were separately formulated in alum, complete Freund, and nano-alum adjuvants. The BALB/c mice were immunized three times with two-week intervals. To investigate the type of induced immune response, sera were analyzed by ELISA for total IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a isotypes and also IL-4, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2 cytokines. To evaluate lymphocyte proliferation, BrdU method was performed. Immunization of mice with killed Toxoplasma vaccine formulated with nano-alum adjuvant increased lymphocyte proliferation, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-2, and IFN-γ cytokine responses, total antibodies, as well as IgG1 and IgG2a subtypes compared with those of other experimental groups. Compared with alum-based killed Toxoplasma vaccine, the nano-alum adjuvant could strongly induce cellular and humoral immune responses.

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors are an optical platform capable of highly sensitive and specific measuring of biomolecular interactions in real-time. This label-free technology can quantify the kinetics, affinity and concentration of surface interactions. SPRsensors have been used to detect bacterial pathogens in clinical and food-related samples. SPR-based immunosensors that coupled with a specific antigen-antibody reaction, have become a promising tool for the quantification of bacteria as it offers sensitive, specific, rapid, and label-free detection. In this paper, we evaluated application of a SPRbased immunosensor for detection of Vibrio cholera causative agent of cholera by a dual channel Surface plasmon resonance device. At first a Self Assembled Monolayer (SAM) of 11-Mercaptoundecanoic acid was formed on sensor chip and after that antibody againstVibrio cholera was immobilized on chip covalently. Then different dilutions of Vibrio cholera cultures was passed on immobilized antibody and the response of SPR was recorded. The specificity of this nanobiosensor was studied by interaction of some non Vibrio cholera bacteria.