Biosorption of simulated aqueous solution containing acidic dyes by Azolla filliculoides

Biosorption of acidic dyes using the live fern Azolla filliculoides was studied in a discontinuous system. Dye parameters, dye initial concentration and contact time were studied in temperature range of 25-30 ºC and pH=7. It was shown that increasing the 23initial concentration of dye and its contact time resulted in decreasing the dye taking quantity by the absorbent. Also, type of dye has an effective role in the process. The highest dye taking capacity was reported in the concentration of 15 mg/L that was 64.52%, 37.53%, and 32.98% for acidic red 14, blue 25, and yellow 17 dyes respectively. Adsorption isotherm models of Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin- Radushkovich, and Temkin were analyzed in different concentrations. Adsorption kinetic data were considered by kinetic models of pseudo-first-order and pseudo-secondorder

Carbon fibers modified with polypyrrole for headspace solid phase microextraction of trace amounts of 2-pentyl furan from breath samples

This study introduces micrometric carbon strands as a suitable fiber for headspace solid phase microextraction. Compared to previous supports, carbon fibers have mechanical flexibility, wide thermal expansion, and a large surface area, which is an important factor in headspace solid phase microextraction. The electrophoretic technique was applied to modify the surface of stainless steel and carbon fibers with polypyrrole. Modified carbon fibers were used for extraction of 2-pentylfuran (2-PF) as a model analyte from patients� breath and coffee samples. 2-PF belongs to the furan family, which was suggested as a biomarker for Aspergillus fumigatus and was classified as a possible carcinogen. 2-PF can be found in many heat-processed foods and drinks. The separation and detection of the analyte was performed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The effective factors in the extraction performance of the analyte by carbon fiber supports were investigated and optimized. Under optimized extraction conditions (temperature, 20 °C; time, 15 min; desorption temperature, 200 °C; desorption time, 2 min; salt concentration, 10 w/v; and stirring rate, 700 rpm), the limit of detection was calculated as 0.05 ng mL�1, whereas repeatability and fiber-to-fiber reproducibility (RSD ) was found to be in the range of 3.2�4.1. The experimental results showed that the proposed fiber had greater extraction performance for 2-pentylfuran. © 201

Analysis and identification of Iranian shrimp hatcheries challenges

Risk identification and consideration are vital for the development and future planning of shrimp aquaculture. For surveying the production and development characteristics of shrimp hatcheries in Iran, a questionnaire was prepared based on international standards and references, and several stockholders of shrimp hatcheries were consulted. Results indicated feed, foreign technicians, and financial resources as the major challenges of Iranian shrimp hatcheries. The major objective of this research was to obtain the opinions and experiences of stockholders active in shrimp hatcheries in Iran. The identification of the present challenges of Iranian shrimp hatcheries was another objective of the study

Folate deficiency induces neurodegeneration and brain dysfunction in mice lacking uracil DNA glycosylase

Folate deficiency and resultant increased homocysteine levels have been linked experimentally and epidemiologically with neurodegenerative conditions like stroke and dementia. Moreover, folate deficiency has been implicated in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders, most notably depression. We hypothesized that the pathogenic mechanisms include uracil misincorporation and, therefore, analyzed the effects of folate deficiency in mice lacking uracil DNA glycosylase (Ung-/-) versus wild-type controls. Folate depletion increased nuclear mutation rates in Ung-/- embryonic fibroblasts, and conferred death of cultured Ung-/- hippocampal neurons. Feeding animals a folate-deficient diet (FD) for 3 months induced degeneration of CA3 pyramidal neurons in Ung-/- but not Ung+/+ mice along with decreased hippocampal expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein and decreased brain levels of antioxidant glutathione. Furthermore, FD induced cognitive deficits and mood alterations such as anxious and despair-like behaviors that were aggravated in Ung-/- mice. Independent of Ung genotype, FD increased plasma homocysteine levels, altered brain monoamine metabolism, and inhibited adult hippocampal neurogenesis. These results indicate that impaired uracil repair is involved in neurodegeneration and neuropsychiatric dysfunction induced by experimental folate deficiency

Invasive candidiasis in intensive care unit; consensus statement from an Iranian panel of experts, July 2013

Invasive candidiasis (IC) is associated with high mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Timely diagnosis of this potentially fatal condition remains a challenge; on the other hand, the criteria for initiating empirical antifungal therapy in critically ill patients are not well defined in different patient population and ICU settings. Alongside the international guidelines, reaching regional and local consensus on diagnosis and management of IC in ICU setting is essential. This report summarizes our present status of IC management in ICU, considered by a group of Iranian experts in the fields of intensive care and infectious diseases. A round table of 17 experts was held to review the available data and discuss the optimal treatment strategies for IC in critical care setting. Comparative published data on the management of IC were analytically reviewed and the commonly asked questions about the management of IC in ICU were isolated. These questions were interactively discussed by the panel and audience responses were taken to consolidate point-to-point agreement with the panel arriving at consensus in many instances. The responses indicated that patient's risk stratification, clinical discretion, fungal diagnostic techniques and the empirical therapy for IC are likely to save more patients. Treatment options were recommended to be based on the disease severity, prior azole exposure, and the presence of suspected azoleresistant Candida species. This report was reviewed, edited and discussed by all participants to include further evidence-based insights. The panel expects such endorsed recommendations to be soon formulated for implementation across the country. © 2014 The Author(s)

Role of the microbiome in regulating bone metabolism and susceptibility to osteoporosis

The human microbiota functions at the interface between diet, medication-use, lifestyle, host immune development and health. It is therefore closely aligned with many of the recognised modifiable factors that influence bone mass accrual in the young, and bone maintenance and skeletal decline in older populations. While understanding of the relationship between micro-organisms and bone health is still in its infancy, two decades of broader microbiome research and discovery supports a role of the human gut microbiome in the regulation of bone metabolism and pathogenesis of osteoporosis as well as its prevention and treatment. Pre-clinical research has demonstrated biological interactions between the microbiome and bone metabolism. Furthermore, observational studies and randomized clinical trials have indicated that therapeutic manipulation of the microbiota by oral administration of probiotics may influence bone turnover and prevent bone loss in humans. In this paper, we summarize the content, discussion and conclusions of a workshop held by the Osteoporosis and Bone Research Academy of the Royal Osteoporosis Society in October, 2020. We provide a detailed review of the literature examining the relationship between the microbiota and bone health in animal models and in humans, as well as formulating the agenda for key research priorities required to advance this field. We also underscore the potential pitfalls in this research field that should be avoided and provide methodological recommendations to facilitate bridging the gap from promising concept to a potential cause and intervention target for osteoporosis

The study of establishment of rainbow trout culture and hatchery farms on Zayanderood’s River region in Caharmahal and Bakhtiyari Province

The aim of this study was to find the best location for establishment of rainbow trout culture and hatcheries farms on Zayanderood’s river region in Charmahal and Bakhtiyari province. This survey carried out over ten station along Zayanderood’s river. The result of physical and chemical analysis showd that the annual average of air temperature varied from 9.5oC - 10oC where the pH annual average value were between 7.5 and 8.8. the dissolve oxygen concentration in stations except in rainbow trout farm effluent were above 10 mg/l. the other chemical , pollutant as well as pesticides levels were under the limiting concentration for rainbow trout culture and Hatcheries activity. The plankton survey showed that the Bacillurophyta were the dominant group of phytoplankton where protozoa constituted the most abundant group of zooplankton the Benthic organisms sensitive to pollutant in particular Epirus were dominant group in all stations. In regard to fishes presence in river, five species of Ciprinidae, one species from Balitoridae and one species from salmonidae families were identified. The capacity for development of rainbow trout culture for tow phase period in Zayanderood’s river region with respect to self purification potential (self purification potential were determined from the oxidation of the effluent of the only active trout farm of the river region), minimum of 10 L/s water requirement for production of trout in concrete canal and pond system and 1 L/S water need for production in semi circular closed system were estimated to be 5202 metric tons

Mapping child growth failure across low- and middle-income countries

Childhood malnutrition is associated with high morbidity and mortality globally1. Undernourished children are more likely to experience cognitive, physical, and metabolic developmental impairments that can lead to later cardiovascular disease, reduced intellectual ability and school attainment, and reduced economic productivity in adulthood2. Child growth failure (CGF), expressed as stunting, wasting, and underweight in children under five years of age (0�59 months), is a specific subset of undernutrition characterized by insufficient height or weight against age-specific growth reference standards3�5. The prevalence of stunting, wasting, or underweight in children under five is the proportion of children with a height-for-age, weight-for-height, or weight-for-age z-score, respectively, that is more than two standard deviations below the World Health Organization�s median growth reference standards for a healthy population6. Subnational estimates of CGF report substantial heterogeneity within countries, but are available primarily at the first administrative level (for example, states or provinces)7; the uneven geographical distribution of CGF has motivated further calls for assessments that can match the local scale of many public health programmes8. Building from our previous work mapping CGF in Africa9, here we provide the first, to our knowledge, mapped high-spatial-resolution estimates of CGF indicators from 2000 to 2017 across 105 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where 99 of affected children live1, aggregated to policy-relevant first and second (for example, districts or counties) administrative-level units and national levels. Despite remarkable declines over the study period, many LMICs remain far from the ambitious World Health Organization Global Nutrition Targets to reduce stunting by 40 and wasting to less than 5 by 2025. Large disparities in prevalence and progress exist across and within countries; our maps identify high-prevalence areas even within nations otherwise succeeding in reducing overall CGF prevalence. By highlighting where the highest-need populations reside, these geospatial estimates can support policy-makers in planning interventions that are adapted locally and in efficiently directing resources towards reducing CGF and its health implications. © 2020, The Author(s)

Mapping geographical inequalities in childhood diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality in low-income and middle-income countries, 2000–17 : analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background Across low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), one in ten deaths in children younger than 5 years is attributable to diarrhoea. The substantial between-country variation in both diarrhoea incidence and mortality is attributable to interventions that protect children, prevent infection, and treat disease. Identifying subnational regions with the highest burden and mapping associated risk factors can aid in reducing preventable childhood diarrhoea. Methods We used Bayesian model-based geostatistics and a geolocated dataset comprising 15 072 746 children younger than 5 years from 466 surveys in 94 LMICs, in combination with findings of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017, to estimate posterior distributions of diarrhoea prevalence, incidence, and mortality from 2000 to 2017. From these data, we estimated the burden of diarrhoea at varying subnational levels (termed units) by spatially aggregating draws, and we investigated the drivers of subnational patterns by creating aggregated risk factor estimates. Findings The greatest declines in diarrhoeal mortality were seen in south and southeast Asia and South America, where 54·0% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 38·1–65·8), 17·4% (7·7–28·4), and 59·5% (34·2–86·9) of units, respectively, recorded decreases in deaths from diarrhoea greater than 10%. Although children in much of Africa remain at high risk of death due to diarrhoea, regions with the most deaths were outside Africa, with the highest mortality units located in Pakistan. Indonesia showed the greatest within-country geographical inequality; some regions had mortality rates nearly four times the average country rate. Reductions in mortality were correlated to improvements in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) or reductions in child growth failure (CGF). Similarly, most high-risk areas had poor WASH, high CGF, or low oral rehydration therapy coverage. Interpretation By co-analysing geospatial trends in diarrhoeal burden and its key risk factors, we could assess candidate drivers of subnational death reduction. Further, by doing a counterfactual analysis of the remaining disease burden using key risk factors, we identified potential intervention strategies for vulnerable populations. In view of the demands for limited resources in LMICs, accurately quantifying the burden of diarrhoea and its drivers is important for precision public health