The effects of water temperature on weight and length growth in Bester

Hybrid Bester sturgeon (female Beluga x male Sterlet) was produced for the first time in Iran using sperm from a male Acipenser ruthenus and eggs of a female Huso huso in Shahid Marjani Sturgeon Porpagation Center (Agh Ghala, Golestan province). Bester fries and those of Beluga as control treatment weighed 490mg and 377mg respectively after about one month and were transported to International Sturgeon Research Institute (Rasht). All fishes were fed by artificial concentrated food (48-50% protein and 1547% fat) after a period of feeding on Artemia and Daphnia. Sorting was carried out according to weight increase for both fishes. Results showed that the weight increase in warmer months (water temperature 18-28°C) was higher than the colder months and ceased at 6-12°C. The trend in weight increase was of the same pattern for both fishes. There were no significant differences between fish length up to 5 months of rearing but afterwards, Bester showed a higher rate of length increase compared to that of the Beluga. The length increase rate for both fishes was sharper during the first year than the second year. Fish length increase was ceased at 6.841.4°C which coincided with the increase in fish weight

Scientific, sustainability and regulatory challenges of cultured meat

Producing meat without the drawbacks of conventional animal agriculture would greatly contribute to future food and nutrition security. This Review Article covers biological, technological, regulatory and consumer acceptance challenges in this developing field of biotechnology. Cellular agriculture is an emerging branch of biotechnology that aims to address issues associated with the environmental impact, animal welfare and sustainability challenges of conventional animal farming for meat production. Cultured meat can be produced by applying current cell culture practices and biomanufacturing methods and utilizing mammalian cell lines and cell and gene therapy products to generate tissue or nutritional proteins for human consumption. However, significant improvements and modifications are needed for the process to be cost efficient and robust enough to be brought to production at scale for food supply. Here, we review the scientific and social challenges in transforming cultured meat into a viable commercial option, covering aspects from cell selection and medium optimization to biomaterials, tissue engineering, regulation and consumer acceptance

Survey on health status in aquaculture sturgeons centers (Mazandaran, Guilan And Golestan Provinces)

Study of survey health management and diseases in hatcheries and fish farms can help us to knowledge and application control methods such as: prevention, treatment and increase high levels of production in hatchery and farms, finally. This survey carried out from 2005 to 2008 for 4 years in sturgeon hatcheries and farms of Golestan province. Sturgeon fishes include Huso Huso, Ship sturgeon, Acipenser persicus collected and for virology, bacteriology, fungius and hematology examined. Also, physicochemical parameters measured and recorded in different stages of culture. Results of this study showed that all of samples in virology was negative and did not observe any doubetful causes. In bacteriology CFU was variation from 3/9 ×105 to 6/9×10. The most parasites that detected in this survey was Cocolanus espherolanus, Sceria binopsulus semiarmatus and Amphilina fuliacea that separates from Acipenser Percicus, especially. The results about hematology parameters some important hematological indices of ship sturgeon include: The total RBC for female and mail specimens measured as 5.3±1.5 ×10^5, 4.8±0.5×10^5 per mm^3 respectively. The amount of haematocrit and hemoglobin for female and mail determined: 34.3±2.8, 35±1.4 percent and 10.3±0.9, 8.9±0.8 gr/dl .The MCV: 216.3± 96.2, 736.5± 102.5, MCH: 720.2±309.5, 186±0.7 and MCHC: 30±0.8, 25.5±3.4 percent respectively.The total WBC were (female, male): 21320±1054, 20580±777 per mm^3 and neutrophil: 16.4±2.5, 17±1.4 percent and lymphocyte: 74.4±2.4, 73.5± 0.7 percent and eosinophil: 6±1.4, 6.4±0.5 percent, monocyte: 2.8±0.8, 3.5±0.7 percent. There was not any significant differences (p>0.05) between mentioned parameters in male and female (students t-test). Also evaluation of hematological parameters in bluga ( Huso huso) include: total RBC were (male , female) 5±0.3 ×105 , 4.9±0.6 ×105 per mm^3 ,respectively and hematocrit: 33.2±6.7 , 35.4±3.4 percent and hemoglobin: 11.2±1.5 , 12.2±1gr/dl and MCV: 669.9±172.2, 723.9±982.4 and MCH: 226.2±42.5, 249.5±35.4 and MCHC: 34.1±2.4, 34.6±3.6 percent respectively. The totals WBC were (male, female): 24800±707.1, 23042±1375.4 per mm^3 and neutrophil: 18.5±0.7, 21.4±1.1 percent and lymphocyte: 73.5±1.4, 68.4±1.1 percent and eosinophil: 5±2.8, 7±1.2 percent and monocyte: 3.5±3.5, 3.2±0.8 percent. According to statistically study the count of lymphocyte had significant difference between male and female fish and this count in male was higher than female. (p≥0.05)

Electrochemical recovery of rare earth metals in molten salts

Electrochemical metal extraction in molten salts is the dominant industrial method for production of Rare Earth (RE) metals from their oxides. Two major challenges pertaining to RE metals extraction using this technology are a) low solubility of RE oxides in molten salts and b) carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide generation and possibility of fluorocarbon gas generation. The primary objective of this thesis is to find new methods to overcome the problem of low solubility of RE oxides in molten fluorides in order to increase the RE metal extraction yield from RE oxides. Another objective is to study novel routes in order to prevent CO, CO2 and halogen gas generation in the RE metal production from RE oxide and RE magnet scrap in molten salt electrolysis process. In view of this, a treatment route is suggested for the conversion of RE oxide to RE chloride/fluoride using strong chemical agents. Chapters 2, 3 and 4 investigate the conversion routes for RE oxides as well as RE magnet scrap in both chlorides and fluorides molten salts. Chapter 5 investigates the electrolysis step in which iron as a reactive anode is used, preventing generation of fluorocarbon, CO and CO2 gas in the extraction process. In Chapter 6 a thermodynamic modelling of the fluoride salt using CALPHAD approach is carried out. The phase equilibria and thermodynamics of molten fluorides system can be used for optimal design of RE extraction processes.(OLD) MSE-

Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis in Pregnant Iranian Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Several studies have been conducted regarding the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma hominis, and Ureaplasma urealyticum in pregnant Iranian women. However, it is necessary to combine the previous results to present a general assessment. We conducted the present study based on systematic review and meta-analysis studies according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). We searched the national and international online databases of MagIran, IranMedex, SID, MedLib, IranDoc, Scopus, PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Google Scholar search engine for certain MeSH keywords until June 16, 2017. In addition, heterogeneity, sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis, and publication bias were performed. The data were analyzed using random-effects model and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 2 and P value was considered lower than 0.05. The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis in 11 surveyed articles that assessed 2864 pregnant Iranian women was 8.74 95% confidence interval (CI): 5.40-13.84. The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis was estimated 5.73% (95% CI: 2.09-14.73) and 13.55% (95% CI: 11.23-16.25) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively which the difference was not significant (P= 0.082). The lowest and highest prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis was estimated in Tehran province 4.96% (95% CI: 2.45-9.810) and Ardabil province 28.60% (95% CI: 20.61-38.20), respectively. This difference was statistically significant (P< 0.001). Meta-regression for the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis based on year of the studies was significant with increasing slope (P= 0.017). According to the systematic review, the prevalence of Mycoplasma hominis and Urea plasma urealyticum indicated 2 to 22.8% (from 4 articles) and 9.1 to 19.8% (from 3 articles), respectively. There was no evidence of publication bias (P value for Begg and Eggers' tests was 0.161 and 0.173, respectively). The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis is high among pregnant Iranian women. Screening pregnant women as part of preventive measures seem necessary considering the potential for maternal and fetal complications

The relation of maternal hypothyroidism and hypothyroxinemia during pregnancy on preterm birth: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The clinical consequences of hypothyroidism and hypothyroxinemia during pregnancy such as preterm birth are not still clear. Objective: The aim of this meta-analysis was to estimate the relation of clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism and hypothyroxinemia during pregnancy and preterm birth. Materials and Methods: In this meta-analysis, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis were utilized. Searching the cohort studies were done by two researchers independently without any restrictions on Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane, EBSCO and Google Scholar databases up to 2017. The heterogeneity of the studies was checked by the Cochran's Q test and I-2 index. Both random and fixed-effects models were used for combining the relative risk and 95 confidence intervals. Data were analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software version 2. Results: Twenty-three studies were included in the meta-analysis. The relative risks of the clinical hypothyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism and hypothyroxinemia during pregnancy on preterm birth was estimated 1.30 (95 CI: 1.05-1.61, p=0.013, involving 20079 cases and 2452817 controls), 1.36 (95 CI: 1.09-1.68, p=0.005, involving 3580 cases and 64885 controls) and 1.31 (95 CI: 1.04-1.66, p=0.020, involving 1078 cases and 44377 controls), respectively. Conclusion: The incidence of preterm birth was higher among mothers with clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism or hypothyroxinemia during pregnancy compared to euthyroid mothers, and these relations were significant. Therefore, gynecologists and endocrinologists should manage these patients to control the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth

Prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis B infection in pregnant women of Iran: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: Perinatal transmission is one of the most common routes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission in the worldwide. In Iran, more than 50 of HBV carriers have received the infection in this route. Therefore, this review study was performed with aim to determine the prevalence and risk factors of HBV infection in pregnant women of Iran. Methods: Current study was conducted based on PRISMA checklist for systematic review and meta-analysis studies. To access to the English and Persian documents, two independent authors searched Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane, Web of Science (ISI), Springer, Online Library Wiley, Magiran, Iranmedex, SID, Medlib, IranDoc and Google Scholar search engine up to January 2016 by using Mesh keywords including: Prevalence, Hepatitis B, Pregnant women, Pregnancy, Risk Factors, HBsAg and Iran. Data was analyzed using the random-effects model for HBV prevalence and fixed-effects model for risk factors of HBV via Stata software (Version 11.2). Results: A total of 36 eligible studies with sample size of 64,195 pregnant women in Iran, HBV prevalence was estimated 0.5. Minimum and maximum of this range were related to the North (0.4) and East (1.6) of the Iran. HBV prevalence in urban and rural pregnant women was estimated 1.1 and 1.2, respectively. HBV prevalence among housewife pregnant women was 1.7 and employee pregnant women was 0.1. The frequency of HBsAb>10 mIU/ml in Iranian pregnant women were calculated 40. Among the risk factors, illiteracy, occupation, blood transfusion, abortion and husband addiction were significant related with prevalence of HBV (P0.05). Conclusion: The lowest prevalence of HBV in Iran was related to pregnant women and less than the general population. History of blood transfusions, husband addiction, illiteracy, occupation and abortion are associated with HBV in Iranian pregnant women. © 2016, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved