BioTextQuest v2.0: An evolved tool for biomedical literature mining and concept discovery.

The process of navigating through the landscape of biomedical literature and performing searches or combining them with bioinformatics analyses can be daunting, considering the exponential growth of scientific corpora and the plethora of tools designed to mine PubMed(®) and related repositories. Herein, we present BioTextQuest v2.0, a tool for biomedical literature mining.

Contribution of Microbiota to Bioactivity Exerted by Bee Bread.

Bee-collected pollen (BCP) and bee bread (BB) are honey bee products known for their beneficial biological properties. The main goal of this study was to investigate BB microbiota and its contribution to bioactivity exerted by BB. The microbiota of BB samples collected at different maturation stages was investigated via culture-independent (Next Generation Sequencing, NGS) and culture-dependent methods.

HPLC- and NMR-Based Chemical Profiling, Wound-Healing Potential, Anti-Inflammatory and Antibacterial Activities of (Lamiaceae), a Neglected Medicinal-Aromatic Herb.

Velen. (Lamiaceae) is a perennial and melliferous aromatic-medicinal subshrub which is range-restricted in adjacent parts of Greece and Bulgaria and locally in Italy, known in Northern Greece as wild oregano ("agriorigani") and traditionally collected from the wild for culinary purposes. Since the ethnopharmacological data and modern biological activities of spp.

Impact of Mt. Olympus Honeys on Virulence Factors Implicated in Pathogenesis Exerted by .

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of twenty honey samples, harvested in Mt. Olympus (Greece), on the virulence factors implicated in pathogenesis. Six key virulence factors (protease and elastase activity, pyocyanin and pyoverdine concentration, biofilm formation, and swimming motility) were selected in order to assess the effect of the tested honeys compared with Manuka honey.

Antiviral Activity of Beebread, Bee-Collected Pollen and Artificially Fermented Follen against Influenza A Virus.

Bee-collected pollen (BCP) and the naturally fermented BCP product known as bee bread (BB) are functional foods renowned for their nutritious, antioxidant, antibacterial and other therapeutic properties. This is the first study employed to assess the antiviral activity of BCP and BB against influenza A virus (IAV) H1N1 along with their proteinaceous, aqueous and -butanol fractions. Additionally, artificially fermented BCP has been evaluated against IAV (H1N1).

Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties of a Functional Sports Beverage Formulation.

Athletes often consume functional beverages in order to improve performance and reduce oxidative stress caused by high-intensity exercise. The present study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of a functional sports beverage formulation. The beverage's antioxidant effects were assessed on human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by determining thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS; TBARS levels decreased significantly by 52.

Extensive analysis of the cultivated medicinal herbal drug Origanum dictamnus L. and antimicrobial activity of its constituents.

Phytochemical investigations of the methanol extract from Origanum dictamnus L. (Lamiaceae) resulted in the isolation of forty compounds belonging to the classes of terpenes, resorcinol derivatives, flavonoids, depsides, neolignans and jasmonates. Chromatographic isolations were targeted by using two analytical platforms, NMR and HPLC-PDA-MS.

Antiviral Activity of Bee Products.

Honey bees provide many products exerting a wide range of benefits to humans. Honey, propolis, royal jelly, beeswax, bee venom, bee pollen and bee bread have been used as natural medicines since ancient times because of their therapeutic effects. These products have demonstrated healing properties against wounds, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, cancer, asthma, neurological diseases, bacterial and viral infections.

A Comparative Analysis of the Core Proteomes within and among the and Evolutionary Groups Reveals the Patterns of Lineage- and Species-Specific Adaptations.

By integrating phylogenomic and comparative analyses of 1104 high-quality genome sequences, we identify the core proteins and the lineage-specific fingerprint proteins of the various evolutionary clusters (clades/groups/species) of the genus. As fingerprints, we denote those core proteins of a certain lineage that are present only in that particular lineage and absent in any other lineage. Thus, these lineage-specific fingerprints are expected to be involved in particular adaptations of that lineage.

Investigation of Serotype Prevalence of Strains Isolated from Layer Poultry in Greece and Interactions with Other Infectious Agents.

Colibacillosis is the most common bacterial disease in poultry and it is caused by avian pathogenic (APEC), which is assigned to various O-serogroups. Previous studies have shown that APEC strains are more often related to certain O-serogroups such asO78, O2 and O1. has been reported to act either as a primary or secondary agent in complicating other infections.

Physicochemical Characterization and Biological Properties of Pine Honey Produced across Greece.

Pine honey is a honeydew honey produced in the East Mediterranean region (Greece and Turkey) from the secretions of the plant sucking insect (Gennadius) (Coccoidea: Marchalini-dae) feeding on living parts of species. Nowadays, honeydew honey has attracted great attention due to its biological activities. The aim of this study was to study unifloral pine honey samples produced in Greece regarding their physicochemical parameters and antioxidant and antibacterial activity against five nosocomial and foodborne pathogens.

Medical-Grade Honey Outperforms Conventional Treatments for Healing Cold Sores-A Clinical Study.

Cold sores are nasolabial blisters caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections. Novel therapies demonstrating simultaneously antiviral activity and improved wound healing are warranted. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of medical-grade honey (MGH) for treating HSV-induced cold sores.

Biological Properties of Bee Bread Collected from Apiaries Located across Greece.

Bee bread is the only fermented product of the beehive. It constitutes the main source of proteins, lipids, vitamins, and macro- and microelements in honeybee nutrition and it exerts antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, though research on these aspects has been limited so far. In this study 18 samples of Greek bee bread, two of which were monofloral, were collected during different seasons from diverse locations such as Crete and Mount Athos and were tested for their bioactivity.

Transcriptomic Analysis of Response to Pine Honey via RNA Sequencing Indicates Multiple Mechanisms of Antibacterial Activity.

Pine honey is a unique type of honeydew honey produced exclusively in Eastern Mediterranean countries like Greece and Turkey. Although the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of pine honey are well documented, few studies have investigated so far its antibacterial activity. This study investigates the antibacterial effects of pine honey against .

A colorimetric IsoPCR for the rapid and sensitive visual detection of high-risk HPV16 in clinical samples with hydroxynaphthol blue.

HPV16 infection is found in more than 50 % of cervical cancer cases worldwide, triggering the development of numerous molecular techniques for viral diagnosis. The present study focuses on the development of a colorimetric IsoPCR for HPV16 DNA detection. The methodology combines the advantages of PCR and LAMP, while the most significant aspect of the new established methodology is the visual detection of amplification products through hydroxynapthol blue dye, thus minimizing the time and labor needed.

Synergistic Antimicrobial Activity of Supplemented Medical-Grade Honey against Biofilm Formation and Eradication.

Biofilms hinder wound healing. Medical-grade honey (MGH) is a promising therapy because of its broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and the lack of risk for resistance. This study investigated the inhibitory and eradicative activity against multidrug-resistant biofilms by different established MGH-based wound care formulations.

Antimicrobial Activity of Bee-Collected Pollen and Beebread: State of the Art and Future Perspectives.

Bee-collected pollen (BCP) is a well-known functional food. Honey bees process the collected pollen and store it in the hive, inside the comb cells. The processed pollen is called bee- bread or ambrosia and it is the main source of proteins, lipids, vitamins, macro-and micro-elements in honey bee nutrition.

Antibiotic Resistance Patterns and Detection in Avian Pathogenic Isolates from Commercial Layer and Layer Breeder Flocks Demonstrating Colibacillosis in Greece.

The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns of strains isolated from poultry flocks suffering from colibacillosis in Greece and to detect the presence of the gene in isolates being phenotypically resistant to colistin. A total of 150 strains were isolated from commercial layers and layer breeder flocks in Greece and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. A high level of susceptibility was revealed for cephalosporins, neomycin, and colistin.

WarmStart colorimetric RT-LAMP for the rapid, sensitive and specific detection of Enteroviruses A-D targeting the 5'UTR region.

Aims: The aim of the present study was to develop a colorimetric LAMP assay for the detection of enteroviruses belonging to species A-D targeting the 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) of enteroviruses genome.

Methods And Results: The RNA was converted to cDNA by the reverse transcriptase and then amplified via LAMP by the WarmStart®Bst DNA polymerase, simultaneously in a single reaction tube, so we shortened the reaction time to 50 min. The sensitivity of the assay regarding Enterovirus B, C and D was determined to be 0·30 CCID assay while the sensitivity for Enterovirus A was 3·00 CCID assay .

Development of a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay (RT-LAMP) that detects enteroviruses by targeting the highly conserved 5'-UTR region.

Enteroviruses are positive sense single-stranded RNA viruses. Most infections from enteroviruses are asymptomatic and can circulate "silently", increasing the risk of an outbreak. For preventing such outbreaks, a rapid, cost-effective, and simple assay for the detection of enteroviruses is of great importance.

Low complexity regions in the proteins of prokaryotes perform important functional roles and are highly conserved.

We provide the first high-throughput analysis of the properties and functional role of Low Complexity Regions (LCRs) in more than 1500 prokaryotic and phage proteomes. We observe that, contrary to a widespread belief based on older and sparse data, LCRs actually have a significant, persistent and highly conserved presence and role in many and diverse prokaryotes. Their specific amino acid content is linked to proteins with certain molecular functions, such as the binding of RNA, DNA, metal-ions and polysaccharides.

WarmStart colorimetric LAMP for the specific and rapid detection of HPV16 and HPV18 DNA.

Background And Objectives: Persistent infection with High-Risk HPV genotypes is the principal cause for the development of cervical cancer with HPV16 and HPV18 to be the most frequently identified HPV genotypes observed in approximately 70% of cervical cancer cases worldwide. The present study focused on the development of a simple molecular methodology based on WarmStart colorimetric LAMP for the specific identification of HPV16 and HPV18.

Methods: The method was developed by designing LAMP type-specific primer sets that target the E6 gene.

Α 2-stage, nested-like nucleic acid amplification method (IsoPCR) for the highly sensitive detection of HPV16 and HPV18 DNA.

Molecular detection of HPV DNA is considered as the gold standard for the diagnosis of cervical disease. Although the molecular assays for the identification of HPV16 and HPV18 have helped identify cervical cancer incidents, they are restricted to specialized laboratories. Thus, we developed a novel 2-stage, nested-like nucleic acid amplification method, named IsoPCR, to amplify the E6 gene of HPV16 and HPV18 with high analytical sensitivity and specificity.