Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Production from Natural Gas by a Methanotroph Native Bacterium in a Bubble Column Bioreactor

Reducing the total cost of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) production as an attractive substitute for conventional petrochemical plastics still remains an unsolved problem. The aim of this research was the screening of PHB-producing microorganisms and selection of the best suitable medium for microbial growth and PHB production from methane. A new isolated methanotroph for PHB production from natural gas was studied in different media. After selection of the suitable medium, the effect of five process variables (content of nitrogen source, disodium hydrogen phosphate, methane to air ratio, seed age, and pH) on PHB production was investigated in a bubble column bioreactor. Also, hydrodynamic and mass transfer factors (flow regime, mixing time, gas hold up, and kLa) were considered. At optimum operating conditions and engineering parameters in a bubble column, PHB content in the dried biomass reached 25 % w/w. The results showed that pH is the most important variable in the selected conditions

The prevalence of depression and its association with self-management behaviors in chronic disease patients

Background: Co-morbid depression in patients with chronic disease is associated with weak self-care and high complications. Objective: The study aimed to determine the relationship of self-care behaviors and the kind of chronic disease with depression in adults with chronic disease in Isfahan, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in government healthcare centers. A total of 483 eligible consent respondents participated from March 2015 to June 2015. The “Stanford self-management questionnaire” and the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) were used for the assessment of self-management behaviors and depression. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 17 software. Results: The prevalence of depression in participants was 14.7%. There was a significant relationship between self-management behaviors such as physical activity (P 0.001) and skeletal disease patients (OR = 1.70, 95% CI (1.03 - 2.77), P < 0.05) than in other chronic disease patients. Conclusions: We found a negative association between depression and self-care activities in Iranian patients with chronic diseases. Psychological treatment for depression should be considered to improve the prognosis of chronic diseases

The therapeutic potential of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells producing CXCL10 in a mouse melanoma lung metastasis model

Abstract Interferon γ-induced protein 10 kDa (IP-10) is a potent chemoattractant and has been suggested to enhance antitumor activity and mediate tumor regression through multiple mechanisms of action. Multiple lines of evidence have indicated that genetically-modified adult stem cells represent a potential source for cell-based cancer therapy. In the current study, we assessed therapeutic potential of human adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADSC) genetically-modified to express IP-10 for the treatment of lung metastasis in an immunocompetent mouse model of metastatic melanoma. A Piggybac vector encoding IP-10 was employed to transfect hADSC ex vivo. Expression and bioactivity of the transgenic protein from hADSCs expressing IP-10 were confirmed prior to in vivo studies. Our results indicated that hADSCs expressing IP-10 could inhibit the growth of B16F10 melanoma cells and significantly prolonged survival. Immunohistochemistry analysis, TUNEL assay and western blot analysis indicated that hADSCs expressing IP-10 inhibited tumor cell growth, hindered tumor infiltration of Tregs, restricted angiogenesis and significantly prolonged survival. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that targeting metastatic tumor sites by hADSC expressing IP-10 could reduce melanoma tumor growth and lung metastasis. Keywords: Melanoma Metastasis Human adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells CXCL1

Correction to: Isolated Human and Livestock Echinococcus granulosus Genotypes Using Real-Time PCR of cox1 Gene in Northeast Iran (Acta Parasitologica, (2019), 64, 3, (679-685), 10.2478/s11686-019-00117-w)

Unfortunately, the affiliation of Majid Fasihi-Harandi needs to be edited. The correct affiliation is Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

Parasites and immunotherapy: with or against?

Immunotherapy is a sort of therapy in which antibody or antigen administrates to the patient in order to treat or reduce the severity of complications of disease. This kind of treatment practiced in a wide variety of diseases including infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, cancers and allergy. Successful and unsuccessful immunotherapeutic strategies have been practiced in variety of parasitic infections. On the other hand parasites or parasite antigens have also been considered for immunotherapy against other diseases such as cancer, asthma and multiple sclerosis. In this paper immunotherapy against common parasitic infections, and also immunotherapy of cancer, asthma and multiple sclerosis with parasites or parasite antigens have been reviewe

Enzyme production from food wastes using a biorefinery concept

According to Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), one-third of food produced globally for human consumption (nearly 1.3 billion tonnes) is lost along the food supply chain. In many countries food waste is currently landfilled or incinerated together with other combustible municipal wastes for possible recovery of energy. However, these two options are facing more and more economic and environmental stresses. Due to its organic- and nutrient-rich nature, theoretically food waste can be converted to valuable products (e.g. bio-products such as methane, hydrogen, ethanol, enzymes, organic acids, chemicals and fuels) through various fermentation processes. Such conversion of food waste is potentially more profitable than its conversion to animal feed or transportation fuel. Food waste valorisation has therefore gained interest, with value added bio-products such as methane, hydrogen, ethanol, enzymes, organic acids, chemicals, and fuels. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide information on the food waste situation with emphasis on Asia–Pacific countries and the state of the art food waste processing technologies to produce enzymes

When an Irreducible Submodule is Primary

Abstract Let R be a commutative ring, M an R-module and N an irreducible submodule of M . In this paper we provide a necessary and sufficient condition under which N is primary. Mathematics Subject Classification: 13C05, 13C1

Social responsibility data and performance of companies accepted in Tehran Stock Exchange

Our sample includes 133 companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange during the years 2011-2017, which includes 798 years - the company. The required data has been collected by using financial statements and the board's report to the general shareholders' meeting and other notes to the financial statements of the companies