Improvement of biodiesel production from palm oil by co-immobilization of Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase and Candida antarctica lipase B: Optimization using response surface methodology.

Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) and Thermomyces lanuginose lipase (TLL) were co-immobilized on epoxy functionalized silica gel via an isocyanide-based multicomponent reaction. The immobilization process was carried out in water (pH 7) at 25 °C, rapidly (3 h) resulting in high immobilization yields (100%) with a loading of 10 mg enzyme/g support. The immobilized preparations were used to produce biodiesel by transesterification of palm oil. In an optimization study, response surface methodology (RSM) and central composite rotatable design (CCRD) methods were used to study the effect of five independent factors including temperature, methanol to oil ratio, t-butanol concentration and CALB:TLL ratio on the yield of biodiesel production. The optimum combinations for the reaction were CALB:TLL ratio (2.1:1), t-butanol (45 wt%), temperature (47 °C), methanol: oil ratio (2.3). This resulted in a FAME yield of 94%, very close to the predicted value of 98%.

Clinical Follow-Up of Patients with Neurocutaneous Melanosis in a Tertiary Center; Proposed Modification in Diagnostic Criteria.

INTRODUCTION: Neurocutaneous melanosis (NCM) is a rare congenital syndrome. Except for some retrospective studies, information on clinical follow-up and management of these patients are limited. This study aimed to review our experience on diagnostic protocol and clinical follow-up of patients with NCM in a referral children's hospital in Iran. METHODS: Between 2012 and 2019, eight patients with NCM were consecutively managed in our center. Brain magnetic resonance imaging and cutaneous biopsy were done in all patients at diagnosis. Follow-up surveillance and characteristics of the disease are described. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 25.75 ± 13.81 months, and 75% of patients were male. Most magnetic resonance imaging findings were hypersignal lesions in the temporal lobe (75%), cerebellum (62.5%), brainstem (50%), and thalamus (12.5%). Dandy-Walker syndrome was found in 4 patients (50%), and shunt-dependent hydrocephalus was found in 3 patients (37.5%). Cutaneous malignant melanoma and malignant involvement of the central nervous system were found in 2 (25%) and 3 cases (37.5%), respectively. The mortality rate was 37.5%. CONCLUSIONS: There are no specific guidelines for management of NCM due to the rarity of the disease. This study proposed modifications in diagnostic criteria, as well as recommendations for follow-up surveillance.

Risk factors associated with lipomyelomeningocele: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: In general, it seems that both genetic and environmental factors play important roles in the induction of neural tube defects. Lipomyelomeningocele (LipoMMC) is a rather common type of closed neural tube defect, but only limited studies have investigated the potential risk factors of this anomaly. Therefore, the purpose of this case-control study was to investigate the risk factors involved in LipoMMC formation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Various risk factors were evaluated in 35 children between 1 month and 10 years of age with LipoMMC in a hospital-based case-control study. The 2 control arms consisted of 35 children with myelomeningocele (MMC group) and 35 children with congenital anomalies other than central nervous system problems (control group). All groups were matched for age and visited the same hospital. A structured questionnaire was used for the collection of all data, including the mothers' weight and height during pregnancy, education, reproductive history, previous abortions, and socioeconomic status, as well as the parents' consanguinity and family history of the same anomalies. RESULTS: Univariate analysis of the children with LipoMMC compared to the control group showed that the use of periconceptional folic acid supplementation was significantly lower in the MMC and LipoMMC groups compared to the control group. In addition, comparison of the MMC and control groups revealed statistically significant differences regarding the use of folic acid and maternal obesity. In multivariate analysis, use of folic acid in the periconceptional period and during the first trimester was an independent risk factor for LipoMMC and MMC. Furthermore, maternal obesity was a significantly positive risk factor for MMC. CONCLUSION: The probable risk factors for LipoMMC were investigated in this case-control study. Consumption of folic acid in the periconceptional period and during the first trimester is an independent protective factor against LipoMMC. It seems that larger studies are needed to examine other possible risk factors.

Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the volatile oil from seeds of Artemisia annua L. from Iran.

The composition of essential oil of the seeds of Artemisia annua L. was analysed by GC-MS. Overall, 16 volatile components were identified on the basis of their mass spectra characteristics and retention indices representing 95.5% of the total oil. Trans-3(10)-caren-4-ol (22.3%), artemisia ketone (18.6%), 1,8-cineole (14.9%), δ-selinene (13.0%) and α-pinene (8.2%) were the major compounds. Oxygenated monoterpenes were the main compounds with 51.6% followed by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (13.3%), monoterpene hydrocarbons (9.9%) and other compounds (8.3%). The essential oil was highly active against Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis.

Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the essential oil of aerial parts of Petasites albus from Iran: a good natural source of euparin.

The chemical composition of the essential oil of Petasites albus (known as 'Baba Adam' in Iran) was investigated by capillary gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the first time. Twenty components were identified, accounting for 99.7% of the oil composition. The major compounds were euparin (73%), α-eudesmol (13.2%) and ß-selinene (4.5%). Euparin, the main component of the essential oil, was isolated and characterised by spectroscopic techniques. The antioxidant activities of the essential oil and euparin were evaluated by using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay and are shown to exhibit a moderate antioxidant activity.

Disulphides in the volatile oil of Ferula behboudiana Rech. f. & Esfand.

A study on the volatile oil of Ferula behboudiana by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed the presence of 27 compounds. Two disulphide derivatives, 1-sec-butyl-2-[(E)-3-(methylthio) prop-1-enyl] disulphane (1) and 1-sec-butyl-2-[(Z)-3-(methylthio)prop-1-enyl] disulphane (2) (59.4%), were isolated from the oil by thin layer chromatography and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques. Glubolol (12.5%), α-pinene (8.8%), α-bisabolol (6.1%) and ß-pinene (3.9%) were the other major compounds.

New polysulphanes from aerial parts of Ferula behboudiana Rech. f. & Esfand.

The chloroformic extract of the aerial parts of Ferula behboudiana (Umbelliferae) afforded four new polysulphane derivatives: 1-sec-butyl-2-[(E)-3-(methylthio)prop-1-enyl]disulphane (1), 1-sec-butyl-2-[(Z)-3-(methylthio)prop-1-enyl]disulphane (2), 1-[(E)-3-(methylthio)prop-1-enyl)-2-(1-(methylthio)propyl]disulphane (3) and 1-[(Z)-3-(methylthio)prop-1-enyl)-2-(1-(methylthio)propyl]disulphane (4). Structural elucidation of diastereomers was carried out easily due to completely resolved signals in (1)H NMR spectra and with 2D-NMR techniques.

Essential oils from stem and leaves of Angelica urumiensis (Mozaffarian) from Iran.

The composition of essential oils of the leaves and stem of Angelica urumiensis were analysed by chromatography-mass spectrometry. Overall, 58 volatile components were identified on the basis of their mass spectra characteristics and retention indices. Twenty-seven compounds were identified in the oil of the leaves, comprising 94.69% of the total oil, in which alpha-cadinol (20.2%), palmitic acid (14.14%), hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (10.03%), 1-dodecanol (7.55%), linoleic acid (6.37%) and oleic acid (5.34%) were the major constituents. Oxygenated sesquiterpenes and fatty acids were the main groups of compounds with 30.7% and 25.85%, respectively. Fifty compounds, representing 96.35% of the total oil, were identified in the stem oil. Palmitic acid (13.37), alpha-cadinol (9.24%), (epi)-alpha-cadinol (5.76%) and delta-cadenine (6.11%) were the major compounds. Sesquiterpenes and oxygenated sesquiterpenes dominated in the oil, comprising 28.03% and 20.9%, respectively. The chemical compounds of the essential oils showed that there are only 22 common compounds between two parts.

Anti-Helicobacter pylori activities of six Iranian plants.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori is the major worldwide cause of bacterial gastrointestinal infections in adults and children. Antibiotic therapy and a combination of two or three drugs have been widely used to eradicate these infections. However, development of drug resistance in bacteria calls for new sources of drugs, and plants seem to be a logical source of new antibacterial compounds. METHODS: The anti-H. pylori activities of six native Iranian plants (Glycyrrhiza aspera, Juglans regia, Ligustrum vulgare, Thymus kotschyanus, Trachyspermum copticum and Xanthium brasilicum) and seven antibiotics were determined against 70 clinical isolates from children using the disk susceptibility assay. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were also measured for the biologically active extracts. One extract with the best anti-H. pylori activity was fractionated by silica gel and thin layer chromatography and the active compounds were identified by hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)HNMR) spectroscopy. RESULTS: All plant extracts showed anti-H. pylori activity by the disk sensitivity method, but the most active extracts were those from X. brasilicum and T. copticum. In fact, the anti-H. pylori activities of the two extracts were superior to the disk antibiotic susceptibility profile. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were within the range of 31.25-250 micro g/ml. Fractionation and chemical identification of the extract from X. brasilicum showed the presence of two substances, a flavonoid and a xanthanolide. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the rise in antibiotic resistance, new sources of anti-H. pylori drugs are needed. The use of medicinal plants and/or their chemical components may have potential benefit in eradicating such problems.