Showing papers by "Farzad Kobarfard published in 2020"

Novel Application of Near-infrared Spectroscopy and Chemometrics Approach for Detection of Lime Juice Adulteration.

Abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate the novel application of a ‎handheld near infra-red spectrophotometer coupled with classification methodologies as a screening approach in detection of adulterated lime juices. For this purpose, a miniaturized near infra-red spectrophotometer (Tellspec®) in the spectral range of 900–1700 nm was used. Three diffuse reflectance spectra of 31 pure lime juices were collected from Jahrom, Iran and 25 adulterated juices were acquired. Principal component analysis was almost able to generate two clusters. Partial least square discriminant analysis and k-nearest neighbors algorithms with different spectral preprocessing techniques were applied as predictive models. In the partial least squares discriminant analysis, the most accurate prediction was obtained with SNV transforming. The generated model was able to classify juices with an accuracy of 88% and the Matthew’s correlation ‎coefficient ‎value of 0.75 in the external validation set. In the k-NN model, the highest accuracy and Matthew’s correlation ‎coefficient in the test set (88% and 0.76, respectively) was obtained with multiplicative signal correction followed by 2nd-order derivative and 5th nearest neighbor. The results of this preliminary study provided promising evidence of the potential of the handheld near infra-red spectrometer and machine learning methods for rapid detection of lime juice adulteration. Since a limited number of the samples were used in the current study, more lime juice samples from a wider range of variability need to be analyzed in order to increase the robustness of the generated models and to confirm the promising results achieved in this study.

Multivesicular Liposome (Depofoam) in Human Diseases

Abstract: Drug development is a key point in the research of new therapeutic treatments for increasing maximum drug loading and prolonged drug effect. Encapsulation of drugs into multivesicular liposomes (DepoFoam) is a nanotechnology that allow delivery of the active constituent at a sufficient concentration during the entire treatment period. This guarantees the reduction of drug administration frequency, a very important factor in a prolonged treatment. Currently, diverse DepoFoam drugs are approved for clinical use against neurological diseases and for post-surgical pain management while other are under development for reducing surgical bleeding and for post-surgical analgesia. Also, on pre-clinical trials on cancer DepoFoam can improve bioavailability and stability of the drug molecules minimizing side effects by site-specific targeted delivery. In the current work, available literature on structure, preparation and pharmacokinetics of DepoFoam are reviewed. Moreover, we investigated approved DepoFoam formulations and preclinical studies with this nanotechnology.

Mycosynthesis and characterization of selenium nanoparticles using standard penicillium chrysogenum PTCC 5031 and their antibacterial activity: A novel approach in microbial nanotechnology

Abstract: Objective(s): This study deals with mycosynthesis and characterization of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) using the Penicillium chrysogenum PTCC 5031 and evaluating their antibacterial activity. Materials and Methods: The formation of SeNPs was confirmed with the color change from pale yellow to orange. Tyndall effect also confirmed the formation of colloidal systems through the samples. The SeNPs were characterized using different analytical techniques including photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) analysis.Results: Our findings revealed that SeNPs were fairly uniformed with good monodispersity and the lesser aggregation of particles in pH value of 7 with the average hydrodynamic size of 24.65 nm, polydispersity index (PdI) of 0.392 and zeta potential of -34 mV. The SeNPs revealed antibacterial activity against gram positive bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes with the zone of inhibition (ZOI) of 10 and 13 mm, respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study provided a potential solution to the growing need for the development of cost-effective and eco-friendly ways of nanoparticle synthesis to overcome the microbial resistance and control the infectious diseases. However, further investigations are required to demonstrate the efficacy of SeNPs through in vivo models.

Development of a Sensitive and Rapid Method for Determination of Acrylamide in Bread by LC-MS/MS and Analysis of Real Samples in Iran IR.

Abstract: A new sample preparation procedure and a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method were developed for the quantitative analysis of acrylamide in bread. The method is based on sample extraction in methanol, purification with Carrez solutions and clean- up with Primary Secondary Amine (PSA).The developed method offers an efficient, inexpensive, easy sample preparation and very sensitive procedure for determination of acrylamide in bread. The use of spiked calibration curves for constructing the calibration curve substantially reduced adverse matrix-related effects. Recoveries were between 96 and 105.3%. Good results were obtained with respect to repeatability (RSDs <11%). The limit of detection and quantification of the method was 0.3 and 1 ng/g, respectively, which shows the method is very sensitive. The developed method was used for the determination of acrylamide in 26 traditional bread samples (Sangak) collected from Shiraz. The results showed that about 96% of Sangak bread samples were contaminated with acrylamide that 64.3 and 33.3 of semi-industrial and traditional Sangak bread were higher than benchmark levels (50 µg/kg), respectively. There are a few reports concerning contamination of Sangak bread samples with acrylamide in Iran. Therefore, this method could be used for a comprehensive survey of acrylamide in Sangak bread samples in the country.

Bioactive characteristics of a semi-hard non-starter culture cheese made from raw or pasteurized sheep's milk.

Abstract: In this study, the effect of pasteurization and use of starter cultures on physicochemical, microbiological and functional properties of a traditional Iranian semi-hard cheese (Lighvan cheese) was evaluated during stages of ripening (1, 60, 120 days). Profiles of polar metabolites were analyzed by gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry (GC–MS). Considerable free amino acids such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were found in samples that have higher microbial communities i.e. raw sheep's milk without use of starter cultures and pasteurized sheep's milk cheese with co-culture. However, GABA was not found in pasteurized sheep's milk cheese without starter culture during ripening. Conclusively, the application of the starter culture could reduce the ripening time of sheep's milk cheese and could be an appropriate approach to increase the functionality of the sheep's milk cheese.

Conformational change and GTPase activity of human tubulin: A comparative study on Alzheimer's disease and healthy brain.

Abstract: In Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, microtubules (MTs) play a pivotal role through their highly dynamic structure and instability. They mediate axonal transport that is crucial to synaptic viability. MT assembly, dynamic instability and stabilization are modulated by tau proteins, whose detachment initiates MT disintegration. Albeit extensive research, the role of GTPase activity in molecular mechanism of stability remains controversial. We hypothesized that GTPase activity is altered in AD leading to microtubule dynamic dysfunction and ultimately to neuronal death. In this paper, fresh tubulin was purified by chromatography from normal young adult, normal aged, and Alzheimer's brain tissues. Polymerization pattern, assembly kinetics and dynamics, critical concentration, GTPase activity, interaction with tau, intermolecular geometry, and conformational changes were explored via Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) and various spectroscopy methods. Results showed slower MT assembly process in samples from the brains of people with AD compared with normal young and aged brains. This observation was characterized by prolonged lag phase and increased critical and inactive concentration of tubulin. In addition, the GTPase activity in samples from AD brains was significantly higher than in both normal young and normal aged samples, concurrent with profound conformational changes and contracted intermolecular MT-tau distances as revealed by FRET. These alterations were partially restored in the presence of a microtubule stabilizer, paclitaxel. We proposed that alterations of both tubulin function and GTPase activity may be involved in the molecular neuropathogenesis of AD, thus providing new avenues for therapeutic approaches.

Profiling of bioactive metabolites during the ripening of a semi-hard non-starter culture cheese to detect functional dietary neurotransmitters

Abstract: In the present study, the profile of bioactive metabolites in Lighvan cheese, a traditional Iranian semi-hard cheese produced with non-pasteurized ewes' milk and non-starter culture, was investigated during the ripening period to characterize the potential neurotransmitters. Lighvan cheese was prepared according to the local recipe and sampling was done at four stages of ripening (1, 60, 120 and 180 days). The metabolomics was monitored using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method and the obtained data were elaborated by principal component analysis (PCA). The results revealed that the content of gamma amino-butyric acid (GABA), glutamate, dopamine, and tyramine known as dietary neurotransmitters were elevated during the ripening process in Lighvan cheese mainly produced by Enterococci and Lactobacilli. Thus, the profile of metabolites of Lighvan cheese exhibited that Lighvan cheese could be a considerable source of dietary neurotransmitters. These compounds may indirectly affect human mood and health through the enteric neuron system.

High-performance thin-layer chromatography fingerprinting, total phenolic and total flavonoid contents and anti-platelet-aggregation activities of Prosopis farcta extracts

Abstract: Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of worldwide death and excessive platelet is closely related with their pathogenesis Different plants and natural compounds have demonstrated anti-platelet effects The aim of this study was to report the high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) fingerprinting and anti-platelet-aggregation activities of different leaf extracts (n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and aqueous) of Prosopis farcta (Syrian mesquite) plant The results showed a 100% inhibition of aggregation activity after plasmatic adenosine diphosphate (ADP) aggregation activation of ethyl acetate, ethanolic, methanolic and aqueous extracts, at 60 mg/mL concentration The IC50 ADP value of these extracts ranged between 407 and 1139 mg/mL Moreover, these extracts reported the highest amounts of phenolic and flavonoid contents In conclusion, phytochemicals present in P farcta leaves have anti-platelet-aggregation activities Future studies are needed to identify the compounds with anti-platelet potential present in P farcta

Synthesis and antithrombotic activity of 1-benzyl-N'-benzylidenepiperidine-3-carbohydrazide derivatives.

Abstract: Platelet aggregation inhibition and interfering with clot formation are essential tools for antithrombotic therapy and there is a need for discovering new antithrombotic agents. In this study, we synthesized a series of benzylidenepiperidine-3-carbohydrazide derivatives (1f-11f), bearing various selected substituents on both the piperidine ring nitrogen and the hydrazide nitrogen. The synthesized compounds were characterized by FTIR, HNMR spectroscopic techniques, CHN/O elemental analysis and electrospray ionization mass spectra. All new 1-benzyl-N'-benzylidenepiperidine-3-carbohydrazides were evaluated for their antiplatelet aggregation activities (against platelet aggregation induced by AA, ADP and collagen separately) and anticoagulant activities [protrombin time (PT) and partial thromboplastin time (PTT)]. Antiplatelet aggregation activity of the new derivatives was measured using human plasma on an APACT 4004 aggregometer. All the compounds were mainly effective on ADP pathway of platelet aggregation compared with collagen and AA pathways. The most potent compound on platelet aggregation induced by ADP is compound 2f with 87% aggregation inhibition activity at 0.5 mmol/l concentration. The synthesized compounds were further investigated for their anticoagulant action via the two PT and PTT models. They all showed higher PT and PTT values compared with the blank control sample. The most potent compounds are 5f, 6f, 7f and 1f. All compounds were obtained in good yield and further evaluated for their antiplatelet and anticoagulant activity.