Due to the current environmental situation and human health, a green manufacturing system is very essential in the manufacturing world. Several researchers have developed various types of green manufacturing models by considering green products, green investments, carbon emission taxes, etc. Motivated by this topic, a green production model is formulated by considering selling price, time, warranty period and green level dependent demand with a carbon emission tax policy. Also, the production rate of the system is an unknown function of time. Per unit production cost of the products is taken as increasing function of production rate and green level of the products. In our proposed model, carbon emission rate is taken as linear function of time. Then, an optimization problem of the production model is constructed. To validate of our proposed model, a numerical example is considered and solved it by AHA. Further, other five metaheuristics algorithms (AEFA, FA, GWOA, WOA and EOA) are taken to compare the results obtained from AHA. Also, concavity of the average profit function and convergence graph of different metaheuristics algorithms are presented. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is carried out to investigate the impact of different system parameters on our optimal policy and reach a fruitful conclusion from this study.
Aim: This study is done to investigate the hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects of corn silk extract in nicotine-administered male mice. Background: Nicotine can induce pathophysiological effects in the liver tissue through oxidative stress and damage cells. Corn silk can improve liver function with its antioxidant effects. Methods: In this experimental study, 30 male NMRI mice (25-30 gr) were divided into 5 groups: controls, sham, nicotine 2.5 mg/kg, nicotine+aqueous extract of corn silk 400 mg/kg, and nicotine+methanolic extract of corn silk 400 mg/kg for 1 month. One day after the last nicotine and extracts consumption, the serum samples were performed for biochemical measurement, and the supernatant of the homogenized liver was administered for antioxidant variables assessment. Results: There was no significant difference in the body weight of different groups. Liver weight and GSH decreased in the nicotine group compared to the control group (P<0.05). Triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, liver enzymes, and MDA increased in the nicotine group compared to the control group (P<0.05). Also, the expansion of sinusoids, the presence of inflammatory cells, and necrosis of liver cells were observed in the nicotine group compared to the control group. Using aqueous and methanolic extracts of corn silk in mice receiving nicotine led to the improvement of the mentioned variables (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the use of nicotine can lead to the induction of hepatotoxicity. The use of aqueous and methanolic extracts of corn silk improved them through its antioxidant activity.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The oral first-pass metabolism is a crucial factor that plays a key role in a drug's pharmacokinetic profile. Prediction of the oral first-pass metabolism based on chemical structural parameters can be useful in the drug-design process. Developing an orally administered drug with an acceptable pharmacokinetic profile is necessary to reduce the cost and time associated with evaluating the extent of the first-pass metabolism of a candidate compound in preclinical studies. The aim of this study is to estimate the first-pass metabolism of an orally administered drug. METHODS: A set of compounds with reported first-pass metabolism data were collected. Moreover, human intestinal absorption percentage and oral bioavailability data were extracted from the literature to propose a classification system that split the drugs up based on their first-pass metabolism extents. Various structural parameters were calculated for each compound. The relations of the structural and physicochemical values of each compound to the class the compound belongs to were obtained using logistic regression. RESULTS: Initial analysis showed that compounds with logD7.4 > 1 or a rugosity factor of > 1.5 are more likely to have high first-pass metabolism. Four different models that can predict the oral first-pass metabolism with acceptable error were introduced. The overall accuracies of the models were in the range of 72% (for models with simple descriptors) to 78% (for models with complex descriptors). Although the models with simple descriptors have lower accuracies compared to complex models, they are more interpretable and easier for researchers to utilize. CONCLUSION: A novel classification of drugs based on the extent of the oral first-pass metabolism was introduced, and mechanistic models were developed to assign candidate compounds to the appropriate proposed classes.
In this study, magnetic CoFe2O4-PAC nanocatalysts were synthesized through facile hydrothermal and coâprecipitation approaches with ultrasonic irradiation, which were used for the treatment of hypersaline petrochemical wastewater (HPCW). When an ultrasoundâinduced synthesis process (US@CoFe2O4âPAC) was used, a more efficient and stable magnetic spinel CoFe2O4âPAC nanocatalyst was developed. The application of this nanocatalyst as a PMS activator, not only caused eradication of 90.4% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) of a HPCW after 90â¯min reaction time under the optimum conditions (pH 5-6, catalyst dose 1.0â¯g/L and 1.0â¯mM PMS), but also led to marginal leaching of iron (314⯵g/L) and cobalt (95⯵g/L) from the nanocatalyst. Recycling experiments over five consecutive runs showed a negligible decrease (7.2%) in COD removal efficiency which proved the stability and reusability of magnetic US@CoFe2O4-PAC. Two main mechanisms of adsorption and catalytic oxidation processes (homogeneous and heterogeneous PMS) are involved simultaneously in the PMS/US@CoFe2O4-PAC system, which are responsible for the destruction of refractory contaminants of HPCW through the generation of SO4â¢â and OH⢠radicals. COD of HPCW was mainly removed through SO4â¢- radical attack (73.6%) and the biodegradability of HPCW was enhanced dramatically after 90â¯min reaction time. The germination index (GI) of raw HPCW was increased 17.1⯱â¯4.2% and 24.3⯱â¯8.8% after 15 and 90â¯min reaction time, respectively, even PMS/US@CoFe2O4-PAC system showed less impact on phytotoxicity mitigation. Hence, it can be recommended to dilute the effluent before using for irrigational purpose. The findings of this study present practical significance of spinel US@CoFe2O4-PAC, which is an environmentâfriendly catalyst, easy to handle and can sustain longâterm operation for the treatment of recalcitrant hypersaline wastewater and the other potential practical applications.
Copy number variations (CNVs) are large-scale changes in the DNA sequence that can affect the genetic structure and phenotype of an organism. The purpose of this study was to investigate the existing CNVs and their associations with the shank diameter (ShD) and shank length (ShL) traits using data from an F2 crossbred chicken population. To carry out the study, 312 chickens were genotyped using the Illumina 60k SNP Beadchip. The shank traits of the birds were measured from day 1 to 12 weeks of age. penncnv and cnvruler tools were used to find copy numbers and regions with copy number changes (CNVR), respectively. The CNVRanger package was used to perform a genome-wide association study between shank traits and CNVs. Gene ontology research in CNVRs was carried out using the david database. In this investigation, 966 CNVs and 606 regions with copy number changes were discovered. The copy number states and variations were randomly distributed along the length of the autosomal chromosomes. Weeks 1-4, 9 and 12 of growth revealed a significant association of copy number variations with shank traits, false discovery rate (FDR-corrected p-value < 0.01), and the majority of CNVs that were statistically significant were found on chromosomes 1-3. These CNV segments are nearby genes such as KCNJ12, FGF6 and MYF5, which are fundamental to growth and development. In addition, gene set analyses revealed terms related to muscle physiology, regulation of cellular processes and potassium channels.
BACKGROUND: Obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic disorders are common problems among participants with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the association between these problems and the healthy eating index-2015 (HEI-2015) remains unknown. Although the HEI-2015 originated from American dietary guidelines, its comprehensive evaluation of diet quality provides valuable insights for various populations, including Iranians. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the association between anthropometric, hepatic, and cardio-metabolic indices with HEI-2015 scores in participants with NAFLD. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Hoveyzeh Cohort Study, which included adults aged 35 to 70 years between 2016 and 2018. A total of 664 participant with NAFLD (452 females and 212 males) were included in the analysis. The HEI-2015 was assessed using the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Various indices, including the body shape index (ABSI), atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), visceral adiposity index (VAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), cardiometabolic index (CMI), lipoprotein combine index (LCI), AST/ALT ratio, ALD/NAFLD index, and hepatic steatosis index (HSI), were calculated. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in anthropometric, cardio-metabolic, and hepatic indices across the quartiles of HEI-2015. However, among participants with NAFLD, men had significantly higher AIP and LCI levels, while women had significantly higher BMI, ABSI, VAI, LAP, and CMI levels. Additionally, women with NAFLD exhibited higher AST/ALT and HSI levels but lower ALD/NAFLD levels compared to men with NAFLD. Linear regression analysis among men with NAFLD revealed a significant negative correlation between HEI-2015 score and HSI in both the unadjusted model (ß=-0.131, SE = 0.058, p = 0.024) and the adjusted model for energy intake (ß=-0.129, SE = 0.058, p = 0.028). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated a correlation between lower HEI-2015 scores and an increased risk of steatosis in men with NAFLD. Moreover, our findings highlighted gender-related differences in NAFLD and cardio-metabolic disorders.
Anthropometry , Diet, Healthy , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease , Humans , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/blood , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Cross-Sectional Studies , Adult , Aged , Cardiometabolic Risk Factors , Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology , Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology , Liver/metabolism , Liver/pathology , Iran
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble steroid hormone that was initially known only for regulating calcium and phosphorus levels and maintaining bone health. However, it was later discovered that many organs express vitamin D metabolizing enzymes and have a ligand for vitamin D, which regulates the expression of an extensive assortment of genes. As a result, vitamin D is indispensable for the proper function of organs, and its deficiency is believed to be a critical factor in symptoms and disorders such as cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancers. The significance of vitamin D in reproductive tissues was recognized later, and studies have revealed its crucial role in male and female fertility, as well as proper reproductive function during pregnancy. Vitamin D deficiency has been identified as a risk factor for infertility, gonadal cancers, pregnancy complications, polycystic ovary syndrome, and endometriosis. However, data investigating the association between vitamin D levels and reproductive disorders, including endometriosis, have encountered inconsistencies. Therefore, the present study aims to review existing research on the effect of vitamin D on proper reproductive function, and the role of deficiency in reproductive diseases and specifically focuses on endometriosis.
Endometriosis , Vitamin D Deficiency , Vitamin D , Humans , Endometriosis/metabolism , Female , Vitamin D/blood , Vitamin D/metabolism , Vitamin D Deficiency/complications , Pregnancy , Reproduction/physiology , Infertility, Female/etiology
BACKGROUND: The overexpression of efflux pumps (Eps) was reported to contribute to multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Increases in Eps that expel structurally unrelated drugs contribute to reduced susceptibility by decreasing the intracellular concentration of antibiotics. In the present study, an association of mycobacterial membrane protein (MmpS5-MmpL5) Ep and its gene regulator (Rv0678) was investigated in MDR-tuberculosis isolates. METHODS: MTB strains were isolated from patients at two different intervals, i.e., once when they had persistent symptoms despite 3-15 ≥ months of treatment and once when they had started new combination therapy ≥2-3 months. Sputum specimens were subjected to Xpert MTB/rifampicin test and then further susceptibility testing using proportional method and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were performed on them. The isolates were characterized using both 16S-23S RNA and hsp65 genes spacer (PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism). Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was investigated on two isolates from culture-positive specimen per patient. The protein structure was simulated using the SWISS-MODEL. The input format used for this web server was FASTA (amino acid sequence). Protein structure was also analysis using Ramachandran plot. RESULTS: WGS documented deletion, insertion, and substitution in transmembrane transport protein MmpL5 (Rv0676) of Eps. Majority of the studied isolates (n = 12; 92.3%) showed a unique deletion mutation at three positions: (a) from amino acid number 771 (isoleucine) to 776 (valine), (b) from amino acid number 785 (valine) to 793 (histidine), and (c) from amino acid number 798 (leucine) to 806 (glycine)." One isolate (7.6%) had no deletion mutation. In all isolates (n = 13; 100%), a large insertion mutation consisting of 94 amino acid was observed "from amino acid number 846 (isoleucine) to amino acid number 939 (leucine)". Thirty-eight substitutions in Rv0676 were detected, of which 92.3% were identical in the studied isolates. WGS of mycobacterial membrane proteins (MmpS5; Rv0677) and its gene regulator (Rv0678) documented no deletion, insertion, and substitution. No differences were observed between MmpS5-MmpL5 and its gene regulator in isolates that were collected at different intervals. CONCLUSIONS: Significant genetic mutation like insertion, deletion, and substitution within transmembrane transport protein MmpL5 (Rv0676) can change the functional balance of Eps and cause a reduction in drug susceptibility. This is the first report documenting a unique amino acid mutation (insertion and deletion ≥4-94) in Rv0676 among drug-resistant MTB. We suggest the changes in Mmpl5 (Rv0676) might occurred due to in-vivo sub-therapeutic drug stress within the host cell. Changes in MmpL5 are stable and detected through subsequent culture-positive specimens.
Antitubercular Agents , Bacterial Proteins , Membrane Transport Proteins , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Mycobacterium tuberculosis , Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant , Humans , Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant/microbiology , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/genetics , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/drug effects , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Bacterial Proteins/metabolism , Membrane Transport Proteins/genetics , Membrane Transport Proteins/metabolism , Antitubercular Agents/pharmacology , Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial/genetics , Whole Genome Sequencing , Sputum/microbiology
The cryopreservation process induces alterations in cellular parameters and epigenetic patterns in bull sperm, which can be prevented by adding cryoprotectants in the freezing extenders. The purpose of this study was to compare the protective effects of two extenders based on soybean lecithin (SLE) and egg yolk (EYE) on epigenetic patterns and quality parameters of sperm such as motility parameters, mitochondrial membrane integrity, DNA fragmentation, viability, and apoptotic-like changes of bull sperm after cryopreservation. Results demonstrated that cryopreservation significantly (p < .05) reduced the level of DNA global methylation, H3K9 histone acetylation, and H3K4 histone methylation in both frozen groups compared to the fresh sperm. Also, the level of H3K9 acetylation was lower in the frozen SLE group (21.2 ± 1.86) compared to EYE group (15.2 ± 1.86). In addition, the SLE frozen group had a higher percentage of viability, progressive motility, and linearity (LIN) in SLE frozen group compared to EYE frozen group. However, no difference was observed in mitochondrial membrane integrity and DNA fragmentation between SLE and EYE frozen groups. While soybean-lecithin-based extender showed some initial positive impacts of epigenetics and semen parameters, further investigations can provide useful information for better freezing.
Cryopreservation , Cryoprotective Agents , DNA Fragmentation , DNA Methylation , Epigenesis, Genetic , Semen Preservation , Sperm Motility , Spermatozoa , Male , Cryopreservation/veterinary , Animals , Cattle , Spermatozoa/drug effects , Spermatozoa/physiology , Semen Preservation/veterinary , Semen Preservation/methods , Sperm Motility/drug effects , Cryoprotective Agents/pharmacology , DNA Methylation/drug effects , Egg Yolk/chemistry , Lecithins/pharmacology , Histones/metabolism , Histones/genetics , Glycine max/chemistry , Semen Analysis/veterinary , Acetylation
BACKGROUND: HIV partner notification services can help people living with HIV (PLHIV) to identify, locate, and inform their sexual and injecting partners who are exposed to HIV and refer them for proper and timely counseling and testing. To what extent these services were used by PLHIV and what are the related barriers and facilitators in southeast Iran are not known. So, this study aimed to explore HIV notification and its barriers and facilitators among PLHIV in Iran. METHODS: In this qualitative study, the number of 23 participants were recruited from November 2022 to February 2023 including PLHIV (N = 12), sexual partners of PLHIV (N = 5), and staff members (N = 6) of a Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) center in Kerman located in the southeast of Iran. Our data collection included purposive sampling to increase variation. The content analysis was conducted using the Graneheim and Lundman approach. The analysis yielded 221 (out of 322) related codes related to HIV notification, its barriers, and its facilitators. These codes were further categorized into one main category with three categories and nine sub-categories. RESULTS: The main category was HIV notification approaches, HIV notification barriers, and facilitators. HIV notification approaches were notification through clear, and direct conversation, notification through gradual preparation and reassurance, notification due to being with PLHIV, notification through suspicious talking of the physician, and notification due to the behavior of others. Also, the barriers were classified into individual, social, and environmental, and healthcare system barriers and the facilitators were at PLHIV, healthcare staff, and community levels. Stigma was a barrier mentioned by most participants. Also, the main facilitator of HIV notification was social support, especially from the family side. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlighted the multidimensionality of HIV notification emphasizing the importance of tailored support and education to enhance the notification process for PLHIV and their networks. Also, our results show that despite all the efforts to reduce stigma and discrimination in recent years, stigma still exists as a main obstacle to disclosing HIV status and other barriers are the product of stigma. It seems that all programs should be directed towards destigmatization.
Contact Tracing , HIV Infections , Qualitative Research , Humans , Iran/epidemiology , HIV Infections/epidemiology , HIV Infections/psychology , Male , Contact Tracing/methods , Female , Adult , Sexual Partners/psychology , Middle Aged , Social Stigma , Counseling
Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and its associated factors among diabetic patients in Fasa, a city in southern Iran. Methods: Data were collected from diabetic patients who visited the endocrinology clinics at Fasa University of Medical Sciences. A structured questionnaire was administered to gather information on CAM use, including the types of CAM modalities used, and reasons for use. The patient's demographic and clinical characteristics, such as age, gender, duration of diabetes, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, and quality of life (QoL) were also recorded. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the prevalence of CAM use, while logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with CAM use. Results: A total of 376 diabetic patients participated in the study, with more than 89% reporting CAM use within the past year. Herbal preparations were the most commonly used type of CAM, with a prevalence rate of 99.4%. Factors associated with CAM use included patients' psychological health, attitude towards the safety of CAM, belief in the synergistic effects of combining routine medications with CAM, and previous positive experiences with CAM. Conclusion: The high prevalence of CAM use highlights the importance of considering it in diabetes management and the need for healthcare professionals' engagement in open discussions with patients about their CAM practices. Understanding the factors influencing CAM use can inform healthcare providers and policymakers in developing appropriate strategies for integrating CAM approaches into conventional diabetes care.
Introduction and objective: Pulmonary mucormycosis is a rare but rapidly progressive fatal disease. Limited data exist on the outcomes and factors associated with poor prognosis of pulmonary mucormycosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate clinical characteristics, factors associated with mortality, and outcomes of pulmonary mucormycosis at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Medical records of hospitalized patients diagnosed with proven or probable pulmonary mucormycosis between January 2018 and December 2022 were reviewed. Univariate and regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with mortality. Results: Fifty-three pulmonary mucormycosis patients (69.8% male) were included, with mean age of 51.19 ± 21.65 years. Diabetes mellitus was the most common comorbidity [n = 26 (49.1%)]. Chronic lung diseases were present in [n = 5 (9.4%)], and [n = 16 (30.2%)] had concurrent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. The predominant isolated Mucorales were Rhizopus [n = 32 (60.3%)] and Mucor species [n = 9 (17%)]. Main radiological findings included consolidation [n = 39 (73.6%)] and nodules [n = 14 (26.4%)]. Amphotericin B deoxycholate was prescribed in [n = 38 (71.7%)], and [n = 14 (26.4%)] of patients received combined medical and surgical treatment. The median [interquartile range (IQR)] hospital stay was 15.0 (10.0-21.5) days. Intensive care unit (ICU) care was required in [n = 30 (56.6%)] patients, with 26 (49.1%) needing mechanical ventilation. Overall mortality was seen in 29 (54.7%) patients. Significantly higher mortality was found among patients requiring mechanical ventilation 20/29 (69%, p = 0.002). Immunosuppression (p = 0.042), thrombocytopenia (p = 0.004), and mechanical ventilation (p = 0.018) were identified as risk factors for mortality on multivariable analysis. Conclusion: This study provides essential insights into the clinical characteristics, outcomes, and mortality factors associated with pulmonary mucormycosis. The mortality rate was high (54.7%), particularly in patients with immunosuppression, thrombocytopenia, and those who required mechanical ventilation.
Permeability modelling is considered a complex task in reservoir characterization and a key component of reservoir simulation. A common method for permeability modelling involves performing static rock typing (SRT) using routine core analysis data and developing simple fitting-based mathematical relations that link permeability to reservoir rock porosity. In the case of carbonate reservoirs, which are associated with high heterogeneities, fitting-based approaches may fail due to porosity-permeability data scattering. Accurate modelling of permeability using petrophysical well log data seems more promising since they comprise a vast array of information about the intrinsic properties of the geological formations. Furthermore, well log data exhibit continuity throughout the entire reservoir interval, whereas core data are discrete and limited in availability and coverage. In this research work, porosity, permeability and log data of two oil wells from a tight carbonate reservoir were used to predict permeability at un-cored intervals. Machine learning (ML) and fitting models were used to develop predictive models. Then, the developed ML models were compared to exponential and statistical fitting modelling approaches. The integrated ML permeability model based on Random Forest method performed significantly superior to exponential and statistical fitting-based methods. Accordingly, for horizontal and vertical permeability of test samples, the Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) values were 3.7 and 4.5 for well 2, and 1.7 and 0.86 for well 4, respectively. Hence, using log data, permeability modelling was improved as it incorporates more comprehensive reservoir rock physics. The outcomes of this reach work can be used to improve the distribution of both horizontal and vertical permeability in the 3D model for future dynamic reservoir simulations in such a complex and heterogeneous reservoir system.
The abnormal deposition of tau protein is one of the critical causes of tauopathies including Alzheimer's disease (AD). In recent years, there has been great interest in the use of essential oils and volatile compounds in aromatherapy for treating AD, since volatile compounds can directly reach the brain through intranasal administration. The volatile compounds α-asarone (ASA) and ß-caryophyllene (BCP) have revealed various important neuroprotective properties, useful in treating AD. In this study, the volatile compounds ASA and BCP were assessed for their effectiveness in preventing tau fibrillation, disassembly of pre-formed tau fibrils, and disaggregation of tau aggregates. SDS-PAGE and AFM analyses revealed that ASA and BCP inhibited tau fibrillation/aggregation and decreased the mean size of tau oligomers. Tau samples treated with ASA and BCP, showed a reduction in ThT and ANS fluorescence intensities, and a decrease in the ß-sheet content. Additionally, ASA and BCP disassembled the pre-formed tau fibrils to the granular and linear oligomeric intermediates. Treatment of neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells with tau samples treated with ASA and BCP, revealed protective effects as shown by reduced toxicity of the cells, due to the inhibition of tau fibrillation/aggregation. Overall, ASA and BCP appeared to be promising therapeutic candidates for AD.
Urban development often results in compacted soils, impairing soil structure and reducing the infiltration and retention of stormwater runoff from impervious features. Biochar is a promising organic soil amendment to improve infiltration and retention of stormwater runoff. Soil at the disconnection between impervious and pervious surfaces represents a critical biochar application point for stormwater management from urban impervious features. This study tested the hypothesis that biochar would significantly improve water retention and transmission at four sites, where varying percentages (0%, 2%, and 4% w/w) of biochar were amended to soils between impervious pavement, and pervious grassed slopes. Field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) and easily drainable water storage capacity were monitored at these sites for five months (two sites) and 15 months (two sites). At the end of the monitoring periods, the physical, chemical, and biological properties of each site's soil were assessed to understand the impact of biochar on soil aggregation, which is critical for improved soil structure and water infiltration. Results indicated that the field Ksat, drainable water storage capacity, and plant available water content (AWC) were 7.1 ± 3.6 SE, 2.0 ± 0.3 SE, and 2.1 ± 0.3 SE times higher in soils amended with 4% biochar, respectively, compared to the undisturbed soil. Factor analysis elucidated that biochar amendment increased the organic matter content, aggregate mean weight diameter, organo-mineral content, and fungal hyphal length while decreasing the bulk density. Across the 12 biochar/soil combinations, the multiple linear regression models derived from factor analysis described the changes in Ksat and AWC reasonably well with R2 values of 0.51 and 0.71, respectively. Using soil and biochar properties measured before biochar addition, two recent models, developed from laboratory investigations, were found helpful as screening tools to predict biochar's effect on Ksat and AWC at the four field sites. Overall, the findings illustrate that biochar amendment to compacted urban soils can significantly improve soil structure and hydraulic function at impervious/pervious surface disconnections, and screening models help to predict biochar's effectiveness in this context.
OBJECTIVES: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease affecting the central nervous system. Immune cell subsets, notably T helper (Th) 17 and Th1, exert important roles in MS pathogenesis. Whereas, Treg cells modulate the disease process. Calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D, and curcumin, a bioactive compound derived from turmeric, play immunomodulatory effects relevant to autoimmune disorders, including MS. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of calcitriol and Curcumin on Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of individuals with MS. METHODS: PBMCs from twenty MS patients were isolated, cultured, and exposed to 0.004 µg/mL of calcitriol and 10 µg/mL of curcumin. The cells underwent treatment with singular or combined doses of these components to assess potential cumulative or synergistic immunomod-ulatory effects. Following treatment, the expression levels of genes and the cellular population of Treg, Th1 and Th17 were evaluated using Real-time PCR and flow cytometry. RESULTS: Treatment with curcumin and calcitriol led to a significant reduction in the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines and transcription factors related to Th1 and Th17 cells, includ-ing IFN-γ, T-bet, IL-17, and RORC. Furthermore, the frequency of these cells decreased follow-ing treatment. Additionally, curcumin and calcitriol treatment resulted in a significant upregu-lation of the FOXP3 gene expression and an increase in the frequency of Treg cells. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that curcumin and calcitriol can effectively modulate the inflammatory processes intrinsic to MS by mitigating the expression of inflammatory cytokines by Th1 and Th17 cells while concurrently enhancing the regulatory role of Treg cells. Moreover, the combined treatment of curcumin and calcitriol did not yield superior outcomes compared to single-dosing strategies.
The majority of Iranian fig production is exported, making it one of the world's most well-known healthy crops. Therefore, the main objective of the current experiment was to investigate the effects of various types of organic fertilizers, such as animal manure (cow and sheep), bird manure (partridge, turkey, quail, and chicken), and vermicompost, on the nutritional status of trees, vegetative and reproductive tree characteristics, fruit yield, and fruit quality traits in dried fig cultivar ("Sabz"). According to the findings, applying organic fertilizers, particularly turkey and quail, significantly improves vegetative and reproductive characteristics. However, other manures such as sheep, chicken, and vermicompost had a similar effect on the growth parameters of fig trees. Additionally, the findings indicated that except for potassium, use of all organic fertilizers had an impact on macro and microelements such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and sodium amount in fig tree leaves. Also, based on fruit color analysis in dried figs, the use of all organic fertilizers improved fruit color. Moreover, the analyses fruit biochemical showed that the use of some organic fertilizers improved that TSS and polyphenol compounds such as coumarin, vanillin, hesperidin gallic acid and trans frolic acid. In general, the results indicated that the addition of organic fertilizers, especially turkey manure, led to increased vegetative productivity and improvement in the fruit quality of the rain-fed fig orchard.
Ficus , Fruit , Sheep , Animals , Soil/chemistry , Ficus/chemistry , Iran , Fertilizers/analysis , Manure/analysis , Nutritional Status , Nitrogen/analysis
Cardiovascular (CVD) + Respiratory diseases are recognized as the main cause of death worldwide. Fluctuations in temperature and air pollution have been reported as one of the most important causes of cardiovascular & respiratory diseases. Therefore, in the current study, we assessed the relationship between ambient air temperature and pollution on the number of total emergency hospital admission due to cardiovascular and respiratory conditions in the City of Bojnord, northeastern Iran. The meteorological data, including daily temperature, relative humidity and concentrations of five air pollutants CO, NO2, NOX SO2, and PM10 were obtained from online electronic sensors at the Bojnurd meteorological station from 21th March 2018 to 20th March 2020. Statistical analysis, penalized distributed lag non-linear method was applied using R Software. Also, sensitivity analysis test was calculated by using appropriate application. The results of the study revealed that the effect of higher and lower temperatures was observed immediately from the first day and the second week, respectively. Also result showed with increase and decrease temperature, significantly increased the risk of hospitalization by 36% (RR, 1.36; 95% CI (1), 0.95 to 1.95) and 17% (RR, 1.17; 95% CI (1), 0.88 to 1.55) until the lag 25th day, respectively. Based on the results, increasing temperature significantly increased the hospitalization rate of cardiopulmonary patients, but the effect of cold was not significant on the population as well as age and gender subgroups. Study have also proved that there is no significance correlation between air pollutant and Cardiovascular & respiratory diseases.
Purpose: Hepatic ischemic post-conditioning (IPOC) is shown to protect the liver from injury induced by ischemia/reperfusion (IR). However, the mechanism underlying this protection has remained elusive. The present study aimed to investigate the role of the interleukin 6-Janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription (IL-6-JAK-STAT) pathway in the protective effect of hepatic IPOC against the IR-induced injury in the liver. Methods: Twenty-five rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of (1) sham-operated, (2) IR, (3) IR+hepatic IPOC, (4) IR+tofacitinib (TOFA), and (5) IR+TOFA+hepatic IPOC. The changes induced by IR and the effects of different treatments were assessed by enzyme release, histopathological observations, the serum level of IL-6, and the occurrence of apoptosis detected via the expression of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Results: The hepatic IPOC improved the liver injury induced by IR as shown by histological changes, reduction of IL-6 level, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) compared to the IR group (P<0.001, P<0.05, P<0.05, respectively). There was also downregulation of the Bax/Bcl2 ratio in the rats exposed to IR+hepatic IPOC compared with those in the IR group (P<0.05). However, TOFA, an inhibitor of JAK-STAT activity, inhibited the protective effect of hepatic IPOC. Conclusion: It suggests that the protective effect of hepatic IPOC against IR-induced injury may be mediated by activating the IL-6-JAK-STAT pathway.
Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 was first reported in December 2019 and it has spread globally ever since. The HLA system is crucial in directing anti-viral immunity and recent studies are investigating the possible involvement of the HLA genes on the severity of immune inflammation in different phases of COVID-19. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, peripheral blood-extracted genomic DNAs of 109 COVID-19 patients and 70 healthy controls were genotyped for different alleles of HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DRB1 loci using sequence-specific primer PCR method. Results: The results indicated that frequencies of HLA-DRB1*11:01 and HLA-DRB1*04:03 were significantly higher in severe patients rather than moderates (p: <0.001 and 0.004, respectively). Also, it was observed that HLA-DRB1*04:01 was more frequent in moderate patients and healthy controls (p:0.002). In addition, HLA-B*07:35, and HLA-DRB1*07:01 showed higher frequencies in patients compared with controls (p: 0.031 and 0.003 respectively). Inversely, due to the higher frequencies of HLA-B*51:01 (p:0.027), HLA-DRB1*11:05 (p:0.003), HLA-DRB1*13:05 (p:0.022), and HLA-DRB1*14:01 (p:0.006) in healthy individuals rather than patients, they may be associated with COVID-19 resistance. Conclusion: The results show that, based on the population differences, the type of alleles related to the severity of COVID-19 is different, which should be clarified by designing large-scale studies in order to develop HLA-based treatments and vaccines.
