Effects of gold nanoparticles synthesized using water extract of brown seaweed; Sargassum glaucescens

Based on data published in April 2011 by WHO about Deaths in worldwide, cancer is the third leading cause of death (after heart disease and stroke) in most of developed countries and the second leading cause of death (after heart disease) in Malaysia . Therefore, one of the challenges for Malaysia and the whole world is carrying out research on cancer in order to find its causes and method for therapy and prevention of this disease. Metal nanoparticle synthesis using seaweed extract shows rapid and non-toxic process which resulted to nano sizes having the greatest potential for biomedical applications. The current study was aimed to investigate the anticancer properties of gold nanoparticles synthesized using water extract of brown seaweed; Sargassum glaucescens(Au/S.G-NPs). The effect of 3.65±1.69 nm Au/S.G-NPs were studied on HeLa (cervical cancer) and 3T3 (mouse fibroblast) using tetrazolium dye MTT assay. Later on, in vitro apoptosis effect was evaluated using fluorescent microscopy, flow cytometry, and protease caspase activities. After 72 h treatment , MTT assay revealed highest and significant cytotoxic effect of Au/S.G-NPs dose and time-dependently against cervical cancer cells with IC50 of 4.75 ± 1.23 μg/mL. On the other hand, Au/S.G-NPs showed no cytotoxic effect toward mouse fibroblast cells. Moreover, Au/S.G-NPs significantly (P < 0.05) arrests HeLa cells at G2/M phase and significantly (P < 0.05) activated caspases-3 and -9. The results revealed that Au/S.G-NPs can be further developed as chemotherapeutic compound for the treatment of cancers especially cervical cancer

Nutrients interaction investigation to improve Monascus purpureus FTC5391 growth rate using response surface methodology and artificial neural network

Aims: Two vital factors, certain environmental conditions and nutrients as a source of energy are entailed for successful growth and reproduction of microorganisms. Manipulation of nutritional requirement is the simplest and most effectual strategy to stimulate and enhance the activity of microorganisms. Methodology and Results: In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) were employed to optimize the carbon and nitrogen sources in order to improve growth rate of Monascus purpureus FTC5391, a new local isolate. The best models for optimization of growth rate were a multilayer full feed-forward incremental back propagation network, and a modified response surface model using backward elimination. The optimum condition for cell mass production was: sucrose 2.5%, yeast extract 0.045%, casamino acid 0.275%, sodium nitrate 0.48%, potato starch 0.045%, dextrose 1%, potassium nitrate 0.57%. The experimental cell mass production using this optimal condition was 21 mg/plate/12days, which was 2.2-fold higher than the standard condition (sucrose 5%, yeast extract 0.15%, casamino acid 0.25%, sodium nitrate 0.3%, potato starch 0.2%, dextrose 1%, potassium nitrate 0.3%). Conclusion, significance and impact of study: The results of RSM and ANN showed that all carbon and nitrogen sources tested had significant effect on growth rate (P-value < 0.05). In addition the use of RSM and ANN alongside each other provided a proper growth prediction model

Study and relocation of corals in developing area of Shahid Beheshty port, Chabahar

The conservation of coral colonies is very vital for marine organisms and human. In Chabahar Bay, the coral reefs are in danger of destruction due to the development program of Shahid Beheshti Port. In this project, over 30,000 hard corals were transported to coast of Hotel Lipar an area at a distance of 3.5-4 kms far from Shahid Beheshti Port. Also, the new techniques were used for coral reattachment and transportation. The operation has done within expert divers and consultancy of Prof. Dr. Maikle Risk. Four methods performance as pailots. Since the corals are very sensitive to turbidity and suspended sediments from land reclamation and dredging projects, therefore appropriate measures should be conducted for conservation and recovery of them.37 patches in size 5×10 meters has built with concerete. Diffent sizes of corals were separated by mechanical tools and transported to new sites and reattachment on artificial sea bottom.Three monthes after the last reattachments monitored showed that %96.93 of corals were in good health. This success was the important achievement because of innovating coral carrier and mass coral relocation. At present, the coral relocation is suggested as a good method for recovery of coral reefs after a disturbance in condition of their native habitats

Monitoring of Cochlodinium sp for shrimp farms in Hormozgan Province

The Blooming due to the some species of phytoplanktons especially Dynoflagellates has made some problems for water ecosystems and aquaculture. In this study, the density of phytoplanktons specially Cochlodinium sp. and also environmental factors such as temperature, pH, dissolved Oxygen, and transparency were recorded two weekly in 18 stations of Hormozgan province, Iran in order to monitoring of the possibility of phytoplankton blooming. During six months monitoring, the target phytoplankton, Cochlodinium sp was not observed in shrimp farms. But, other phytoplanktons and zooplanktons were observed as follow: 13 genus of phytoplankton and six genuses of zooplanktons has found in ponds, main water channel and sea. The diatoms with 10 genuses had the highest abundance and Dynoflagellates with 3 genuses had the lowest abundance and blue-green phytoplankton with one genus was in lowest group. Totally, diatoms with 77%, Dynoflagellate with 15% and blue-green alga with 8% abundance were the main populations of planktons in the studied area

Monitoring of fisheries resources in artificial reefs in east of Kish Island waters

Artificial reefs are manmade materials deployed under water in order to improve environment and increase the exploitation of fishing area. Usage of artificial technic has developed due to increase of world population and need to supply of protein, aim to restoring of natural specially rehabilitation of demersal fishes. It has effected to increase the production in order sustainable exploitation. Coasts and Islands have destruction due to over harvesting from ecosystems and other activities by humans and natural, these caused many aquatic as demersal fishes has endangered in Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. The artificial reef is one way or method that can improve the environment and restore the aquatic. Iranian fisheries has established an artificial reefs area in west of Kish Island. This area has studied during one year, Data of assembled fishes and physical sampling were collected in seasonal during spring, summer, autumn and wintered. There were tow treatment for sampling as artificial reefs site and a control site. Collected data has analyzed and evaluated by SPSS and Exel. The results showed that there was significant difference between the sites and assembled fishes in artificial reefs were more than control site. Consequently the artificial reefs can be a tool and technic to improve the marine environment and increase the production of fishes, especially the demersal fishes

Novel gold nanoparticles reduced by sargassum glaucescens: preparation, characterization and anticancer activity

The current study investigated the anticancer properties of gold nanoparticles (SG-stabilized AuNPs) synthesized using water extracts of the brown seaweed Sargassum glaucescens (SG). SG-stabilized AuNPs were characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The SG-stabilized AuNPs were stable and small at 3.65 ± 1.69 nm in size. The in vitro anticancer effect of SG-stabilized AuNPs was determined on cervical (HeLa), liver (HepG2), breast (MDA-MB-231) and leukemia (CEM-ss) cell lines using fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, caspase activity determination, and MTT assays. After 72 h treatment, SG-stabilized AuNPs was shown to be significant (p < 0.05) cytotoxic to the cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The IC50 values of SG-stabilized AuNPs on the HeLa, HepG2, CEM-ss, MDA-MB-231 cell lines were 4.75 ± 1.23, 7.14 ± 1.45, 10.32 ± 1.5, and 11.82 ± 0.9 µg/mL, respectively. On the other hand, SG-stabilized AuNPs showed no cytotoxic effect towards the normal human mammary epithelial cells (MCF-10A). SG-stabilized AuNPs significantly (p < 0.05) arrest HeLa cell cycle at G2/M phase and significantly (p < 0.05) activated caspases-3 and -9 activities. The anticancer effect of SG-stabilized AuNPs is via the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. The study showed that SG-stabilized AuNPs is a good candidate to be developed into a chemotherapeutic compound for the treatment of cancers especially cervical cancer

Hypocholesterolemic activity of Monascus fermented product in the absence of monacolins with partial purification for functional food applications

Hypercholesterolemia is one of the most common chronic diseases in human. Along with chemical therapy traditional medication is used as hypocholesterolemic remedy, however, with unfavorable side effects. Recently, Monascus fermented product (MFP) has become a popular hypocholesterolemic natural supplement. In the present study, the hypocholesterolemic activity of Monascus purpureus FTC5391 fermented product ethanolic extract (MFPe) was investigated in hypercholesterolemic rats. Results showed that MFPe not only reduced the serum total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, TG concentration, and TC/HDL-C ratio but also increased the HDL-C. Further, solid phase extraction (SPE) was carried out to obtain the hypocholesterolemic bioactive fraction. The high polar fraction of SPE increased the HDL-C (42%) and decreased the TC (53.3%), LDL-C (47%), and TG (50.7%) levels as well as TC/HDL-C ratio (69.1%) in serum. The GC-MS results of the active fraction revealed two main compounds, isosorbide and erythritol, which act as coronary vasodilator compounds