Due to distinguishing characteristics of nanoparticles (NPs) in terms of size, shape, chemical composition, transmittal and different applications, nanotechnology is considered as an interesting domain of research. Application of metallic NPs is important because of the diminution of dimensions and thus the unique thermal, optical and electronic properties. This research attempts to explore the synthesis of zinc oxide NPs. Zinc oxide NPs have been synthesized using cherry extract under different pH, temperature and concentration and then optimum conditions for the synthesis of them were determined. For further investigations, UV-Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier infrared transformation spectroscopy (FTIR) were used. The solution containing zinc oxide NPs showed a major absorbance of 378 nm which confirmed the synthesis of zinc oxide NPs, and spherical morphology of NPs was observed in SEM images. Zinc oxide NP sizes were 6.5 and 20.18 nm which are obtained by UV-Vis spectra and XRD spectrum, respectively. Also, based on the FTIR spectra of the extract obtained before and after the synthesis, the existence of the reducing agents in herbal extract was confirmed. According to this study, the biological synthesis of NPs using plant extracts can be considered as a cost-effective and efficient method of biological synthesis of NPs and it could be an appropriate replacement to typical chemical methods for the synthesis of NPs.

Background In Atlantic salmon in the wild, age at maturity is strongly influenced by the vgll3 locus. Under farming conditions, light, temperature and feeding regimes are known significantly advance or delay age at maturity. However, the potential influence of the vgll3 locus on the maturation of salmon reared under farming conditions has been rarely investigated, especially in females. Results Here, we reared domesticated salmon ( mowi strain) with different vgll3 genotypes under standard farming conditions until they matured at either one, two or more than two sea winters. Interestingly, and in contrast to previous findings in the wild, we were not able to identify a link between vgll3 and age at maturity in females when reared under farming conditions. For males however, we found that the probability of delaying maturation from one to two sea winters was significantly lower in fish homozygous for the early allele compared to homozygous fish for the late allele, while the probability for heterozygous fish was intermediate. These data also contrast to previous findings in the wild where the early allele has been reported as dominant. However, we found that the probability of males delaying maturation from two to three sea winters was regulated in the same manner as the wild. Conclusions Collectively, our data suggest that increased growth rates in mowi salmon, caused by high feed intake and artificial light and temperature regimes together with other possible genetic/epigenetic components, may significantly influence the impact that the vgll3 locus has on age at maturity, especially in females. In turn, our results show that the vgll3 locus can only to a large extent be used in selective breeding to control age at maturation in mowi males. In summary, we here show that in contrast to the situation in wild salmon, under farming conditions vgll3 does not seem to influence age at maturity in mowi females whereas in mowi males, maturing as one or two sea winters it alters the early allele effect from dominant to intermediate. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12863-019-0745-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Self-organized iron oxide nanotubes were successfully prepared on the iron foils by a simple electrochemical anodization method in NH 4 F organic electrolyte. The Fe 2 O 3 nanotubes were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, UV-vis absorbance spectra, and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy images show that dependent upon the anodizing time, the pore diameters range from 30 to 45 nm. Crystallization and structural retention of the synthesized structure are achieved upon annealing the initial amorphous sample in oxygen atmosphere at 450°C for 1 h. The crystallized nanoporous film, having a 2.04 eV bandgap, exhibited a maximum photocurrent density of 0.68 mA cm -2 in 1 M NaOH at 0.5 V versus Ag/AgCl. The current potential characteristics showed that the water-splitting photocurrent strongly depends on the anodizing time and its increases with anodization time.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate some virulence factors in Candida albicans isolates from patients with onychomycosis and determine the correlation between these factors and the antifungal resistance profile. Methods: Seventy species of C. albicans were confirmed using polymerase chain reaction amplification of the HWP1 gene. According to the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines, the susceptibility profile of four antifungal agents was investigated, and the production of aspartyl protease, phospholipase, haemolysin, and biofilm was determined. The correlation between these profiles was also investigated. Results: The isolates indicated different levels of resistance and production of virulence factors. Significant correlations were observed between the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of fluconazole/itraconazole and biofilm production, between phospholipase production and fluconazole/ itraconazole MIC, and between fluconazole MIC and hemolytic activity in C. albicans isolates. The results also showed significant correlations between phospholipase activity and biofilm production. Conclusions: Our findings will contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of C. albicans and characterize the relationship between virulence factors and antifungal resistance, which may suggest new therapeutic strategies considering the possible involvement of the virulence mechanism in the effectiveness of treatment.

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Clinically relevant members of the fungal genus, Fusarium, exhibit an extraordinary genetic diversity and cause a wide spectrum of infections in both healthy individuals and immunocompromised patients. Generally, Fusarium species are intrinsically resistant to all systemic antifungals. We investigated whether the presence or absence of the ability to produce biofilms across and within Fusarium species complexes is linked to higher resistance against antifungals. A collection of 41 Fusarium strains, obtained from 38 patients with superficial and systemic infections, and three infected crops, were tested, including 25 species within the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex, 14 from the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC), one Fusarium dimerum species complex, and one Fusarium oxysporum species complex isolate. Of all isolates tested, only seven strains from two species of FSSC, five F. petroliphilum and two F. keratoplasticum strains, recovered from blood, nail scrapings, and nasal biopsy samples, could produce biofilms under the tested conditions. In the liquid culture tested, sessile biofilm-forming Fusarium strains exhibited elevated minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for amphotericin B, voriconazole, and posaconazole, compared to their planktonic counterparts, indicating that the ability to form biofilm may significantly increase resistance. Collectively, this suggests that once a surface adherent biofilm has been established, therapies designed to kill planktonic cells of Fusarium are ineffective.

Background and Purpose:Diabetic patients are more susceptible to oral candidiasis infection than non-diabetics due to the factors promoting oral carriage of Candida. Several factors can increase colonization of Candida species in the oral cavity such as xerostomia, which reduces the salivary flow and is a salivary pH disorder. In the current study, we aimed to identify and compare the colonization level of Candida spp. in the oral cavity of diabetic and non-diabetic groups. Materials and Methods:Swabs were taken from the mouth of 106 participants and were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) medium. Likewise, the saliva samples were collected for salivary glucose and pH measurements. The study was performed during June 2014-September 2015 on two groups of diabetic patients (n=58) and non-diabetics (n=48) as the control group. The Candida spp. were identified with PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) using the restriction enzymes HinfI and MspI and were differentiated by culture on CHROMagar Candida medium. Results:The frequency of Candida spp. was higher in diabetic patients compared to non-diabetics. The most frequent Candida spp. in the diabetic patients were Candida albicans (%36.2), C. Krusei (%10.4), C. Glabrata (%5.1), and C. tropcalis .(%3.4)Likewise, C. albicans was the most frequent species (%27) in the non-diabetic individuals. In this study, the results of both methods for identification of the isolates were consistent with each other.Conclusion:Xerostomia and disturbance of physiological factors including pH and glucose can promote overgrowth of Candida flora in the oral cavity. These factors are considered important predisposing factors for oral candidiasis in diabetic patients. In the present study, it was observed that application of CHROMagar Candida and PCR-RFLP methods at the same time contributes to more accurate identification of isolates.

gWe employed an endpoint genotyping method to update the prevalence rate of positivity for the TR 34 /L98H mutation (a 34-bp tandem repeat mutation in the promoter region of the cyp51A gene in combination with a substitution at codon L98) and the TR 46 A zole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus is a global and evolving public health threat which translates into treatment failure (1). Surveillance studies indicate that the incidence of azole resistance is increasing (2-6), with the TR 34 /L98H mutation (a 34-bp tandem repeat mutation in the promoter region of the cyp51A gene in combination with a substitution at codon L98) emerging in multiple European countries and in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa and with a new resistance mechanism, the TR 46 /Y121F/ T289A mutation (a 46-bp tandem repeat mutation in the promoter region of the cyp51A gene in combination with substitutions at codons Y121 and T289), emerging more recently in Europe and India (2-6). We also previously reported the occurrence of the TR 34 /L98H mutation in 3.2% of clinical Aspergillus fumigatus isolates obtained from patients in Iran to the end of 2009 (5).The trend of increases in the rates of azole resistance among A. fumigatus isolates in different regions and patient groups exemplifies the fact that knowledge of the (local) epidemiology of azoleresistant Aspergillus diseases is important for clinical mycology/ microbiology reference laboratories (7-9). Moreover, rapid and specific molecular methods for the identification of the recently identified azole-resistant A. fumigatus strains can significantly influence a timely decision on patient management (10).In our search for a novel, rapid, sensitive, accurate, and highthroughput method for detection and screening of azole resistance in A. fumigatus, we found that endpoint genotyping targeting a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the cyp51A gene could provide an option. The quantitative analysis of SNPs has been a reliable method in diagnostic microbiology for identification of a single nucleotide in the genomes of humans (11-15), viruses (16-20), and bacteria (18). In this assay, an extension probe can be simply designed to anneal to the template in a posi-