WAYS OF RATIONAL USE OF WATER RESOURCES IN THE OIL INDUSTRY

This article talks about promising ways of development of petrochemical and oil refining industry and efficient use of water resources. Water affects most segments of the petroleum industry, and therefore efficient water management plays a key role in oil and gas exploitation. In most process industries, water is vital to many operations and is used for a variety of purposes such as product preparation, cooling, high purity water makeup water systems, general plant service water, waste handling/conveyance, potable/sanitary service, and fire protection, The water to be managed is produced together with hydrocarbons, formed as a by-product during oil and gas processing. Water has been identified as one of the top four challenges facing the exploitation of one of the largest crude oil fields (oil sands extraction). Large volumes stored in tailings ponds from oil-sand separation must be managed with a long-term view, as dike failure can cause a major environmental disaster

Comparison of muscular tissue composition of rainbow trout in brackish and different salinity waters

In this research, controlled changes of rainbow trout muscular composition cultured in brackish water (14.1ppt) and freshwater (4.3ppt) was compared. Some 180 juvenile rainbow trout with a weight of 47.2±0.1g each were released in 6 polyethylene tanks with a capacity of 1.5m³. During the experiment, water temperature was kept constant. Feeding fish was conducted using common Faradaneh food and considering water temperature and fish biomass. After 126 days, fishes attained around 320±20g of weight, were sampled and taken to laboratory and the amount of protein, fat, ash, minerals and moisture in their muscle tissue were measured. Results showed amount of fat and dry matter in brackish water cultured fishes is less than those cultured in freshwater. The average percentage of protein and minerals in brackish freshwater cultured fishes were significantly different and the average percentage of moisture in brackish water cultured fish was higher than those of the freshwater fish

Effect of synthetic and algal astaxanthin levels on egg astaxanthin content of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

This research was done in a trout farm in Kohkiloyeh and Boyer- Ahmad province. The main object of this study was comparing of two sources of astaxanthin (synthetic or algae) in feed on astaxanthin content of egg in rainbow trout. It was considered seven groups consisting six treatments (T1-T6) in two different astaxanthin sources and a control (C) (without astaxanthin). So, algal astaxanthin (haematococcus pluvialis) in the three levels of 2.67, 3.55 and 8gr/kg food (T1,T2, T3); and synthetic astaxanthin in three levels of 40, 80 and 120mg/kg food in diet (T4, T5, T6) examined on 140 trout broods (3-4 years) for 4 months, before the spawning season. Astaxanthin content of obtained eggs from all treatments in spawning season was measured by HPLC apparatus. The highest and the lowest amount of egg astaxanthin were observed in T3 and C respectively. In each astaxanthin group, a significant difference was obtained between averages in treatments (P <0.05), as T3 was the highest between them. No significant difference was observed between synthetic astaxanthin treatments (T4, T5 and T6) and T1 (the lowest level of algal astaxanthin). Treatments T2 and T6 also had the same function in term of saving astaxanthin in eggs. It also concluded that natural astaxanthin (Haematococcus pluvialis) for the reason that contains supplementary nutritious, is extraordinary preferable than synthetic astaxanthin to improve astaxanthin content of egg in rainbow trout

Thermodynamic and Heat Transfer Evaluation of Pocket Drying Section in the Multi-Cylinder Dryers of Paper Machine

In this study a developed model has been used t

Neural Differentiation of Whartonś Jelly Stem Cells in Three-Dimensional Chitosan Based Culture Environment

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Wharton Jelly Stem Cells (WJSCs) can be a good option for differentiating and regeneration of nervous system damage. Three dimensional (3D) cell cultures by providing a body-like environment have more advantages than the two dimensional (2D) cell cultures. The aim of this study was to investigate the neural differentiation of these cells in a 3D chitosan based culture environment. METHODS: This experimental study was performed in 4 groups of 2&3D with and without differentiation media on WJSCs. First, to construct the hydrogel, hydroxyl ethyl cellulose was added to chitosan-beta-glycerophosphate solution (8.4: 0.8) (HEC: CH-β-GF). Human WJSCs after isolation by enzymatic method from wartons' jelly of born infant in Imam Khomeini hospital in Tehran and characterization with flow cytometry, were cultured 510 5 cell in each well of 24-well plate in a 2D and 3D environment using the hydrogel in neural differentiation media for 4 days. Then, the neural differentiation of WJSCs was evaluated by quantitative analysis of β-Tubulin III, Nestin and β-actin (internal control) genes expression by Real Time PCR (RT-PCR). FINDINGS: The results of RT-PCR showed that expression of β-Tubulin III and Nestin genes in WJSCs was significantly increased by the influence of the neural differentiation media in both 2D (more than 4 folds)and 3D (more than 2 folds) culture conditions (p <0.005). But the expression of β-Tubulin III and Nestin in 3D cell culture condition (more than 1.5 folds) was greater than that in the 2D cell culture condition under the influence of the neural differentiation media (p <0.01). CONCLUSION: The results showed that neural differentiation of WJSCs in a chitosan based 3D environment is higher than 2D

Inhibitory Effect of Carvacrol on the Expression of Candida (albicans Hyphae-Specific Gene (HWP1

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Candida albicans infection is a problem of growing clinical importance, particularly in immunocompromised populations. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of carvacrol on the hyphae formation and expression of C. albicans HWP1. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was done over a 6-month period in 2016-2017. Vaginal, mouth and skin surface swabs were obtained from immunocompromised patients. Colonizing clinical isolates of C. albicans were identified and drug susceptible isolates detected using WHONET software. The susceptibility test for carvacrol (range 6.25–300 μg/ml) were carried out with a broth microdilution according to the CLSI guidelines against drug susceptible C. albicans. The time kill assay of carvacrol (range 2 × MIC to ¼ × MIC) was determined. Hyphae inhibition was evaluated by light microscopy. We determined the expression levels of HWP1 implicated in hyphae formation of C. albicans ATCC 14053 cells by quantitative RT-PCR. FINDINGS: Ten colonizing clinical isolates of drug susceptible C. albicans were identified. Carvacrol was inhibited the growth of all drugs susceptible isolates of C. albicans (MIC range, 25-200 µg/ml). Time kill curve assay demonstrated that carvacrol could significantly inhibit the growth of C. albicans (p≤0.05). Carvacrol efficiently prevented hyphae formation in drug susceptible C. albicans. The expression levels of HWP1 gene were down-regulated by 1.82- and 1.62-fold at concentrations of 2 × MIC and 1×MIC of carvacrol, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that carvacrol could provide an improved and safe clinical approach in treating Candida infections by prevention of hyphae formatio

The effect of endurance training on the level of tissue IL-6 and VEGF in mice with breast cancer

زمینه و هدف: تمرینات ورزش پتانسیلی در جهت پیشگیری از سرطان پستان دارد. هدف پژوهش حاضر بررسی اثرات پیشگیری و کمک درمانی تمرینات ورزشی بر سایتوکاین های درگیر در رگ زایی تومور سرطان پستان وابسته به گیرنده استروژن می باشد. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه مداخله ای 50 سر موش بالب سی ماده به طور تصادفی در چهار گروه قرار گرفتند. پس از آشناسازی با محیط دو گروه از موش ها به مدت 8 هفته تمرین استقامتی تداومی را انجام دادند و سپس سلول های سرطانی وابسته به استروژن (MC4-L2) به همه موش ها تزریق گردید. پس از آن یک گروه از موش های تمرین کرده و یک گروه از موش های تمرین نکرده به مدت 6 هفته، 5 روز در هفته تمرینات استقامتی را انجام دادند. حجم تومور به صورت هفتگی با کولیس دیجیتالی اندازه گیری شد. در پایان موش ها قربانی شدند و بافت تومور برداشته و سطوح سایتوکاین های اینترلوکین 6 (IL-6) و فاکتور رشد اپی تلیال عروق (VEGF) با روش الایزا اندازه گیری شد. یافته ها: بین گروه ها در میزان مقادیر IL-6 و VEGF و میزان رشد تومور تفاوت معناداری وجود داشت (001/0PP). نتیجه گیری: با توجه به افت مقادیر IL-6 و VEGF در گروه هایی که قبل از سرطانی شدن و پس از سرطانی شدن تمرینات ورزشی را انجام دادند؛ می توان گفت که تمرینات ورزشی علاوه بر نقش پیشگیرانه بسیار موثر، دارای نقش درمانی در تومورهای وابسته به گیرنده استروژن نیز می باشند

The Risk Factors for Ectopic Pregnancy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Ectopic pregnancy is a common complication and one of the causes of pregnancy-related deaths. Considering the increased prevalence of ectopic pregnancy in recent years and the increased risk factors such as assisted reproductive treatment, the present study was conducted to investigate the risk factors for ectopic pregnancy in Babol, northern Iran. METHODS: This case-control study was performed on pregnant women who were admitted with suspicion for ectopic pregnancy or acute abdomen within a 6-year period. Patients diagnosed with ectopic pregnancy were selected in the case group and the control group was selected from among the pregnant women's medical record during the same years. Patients were examined in terms of age, parity, history of abortion, type of contraception, history of ectopic pregnancy, history of pelvic infections, history of cesarean section, infertility treatment, history of smoking, marriages within the family, medical history and underlying disease. FINDINGS: In this study, 201 patients were examined in each group. The mean age for the case group was 29.75±5.6 and for the control group was 28.62±6.4 years. Among the risk factors, assisted reproductive treatment (OR=10.24, p≤0.001), abdominal and pelvic surgery (OR=2.35, p=0.002), infertility (p=6.76, p<0.001), contraceptive pills (OR=0.61, p<0.001) and nulliparity (OR = 1.61, p=0.019) were associated with increased risk of ectopic pregnancy. CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, the most important risk factors for ectopic pregnancy are the use of hormonal pills to prevent pregnancy and nulliparity, respectively

Improving the Antioxidant Activities of Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) under the Influence of Different Species of Mycorrhiza under Water Stress

Introduction  Medicinal plants have long had a special role in the traditional ‎agricultural system of Iran and the use of these plants as medicine to prevent and treat diseases has been considered by ‎traditional medicine experts since ancient times. Medicinal plants with rich sources of secondary metabolites provide the ‎basic active ingredients of many medicines. Although the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites is genetically controlled, ‎but their construction is strongly influenced by environmental factors. One of the important climatic factors that affect the ‎distribution of plants around the world and can cause morphological, physiological and biochemical changes in the plant is ‎the lack of available water. Basil seems to show little resistance to water stress. For this reason, there is a need for protective mechanisms for the ‎basil plant against stress due to water shortage. Plants are able to reduce or eliminate the effects of water shortage ‎stress by coexisting with a number of soil microorganisms. Inoculation of the plants with Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) has been exploited as an applicable strategy for reducing detrimental effects of water deficit stress. Present study was performed to evaluate the effects of three AMF on some physiological responses of Ocimum basilicum under water deficit stress.   Materials and Methods  The pot experiments were conducted as factorial based on completely randomized design blocks with three replications. The experimental factors were three AMF namely Glomus etunicatum, Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradices and various soil moisture including severe stress, moderate stress, mild stress. Water stress was applied from the beginning to the end of flowering stage. After flowering stage, plants ‎were harvested and traits such as total phenols and flavonoids, antioxidant ‎capacity (DPPH), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase and peroxidase enzymes were measured. To analyze the data, first the test of data normality and uniformity of variance within the treatment was performed and confirmed. The mean of treatments was compared by Duncan test at the level of 5% probability. SAS software (Ver. 9.3) was used to analyze the data and Excel software was used to draw the graphs.   Results and Discussion  The results of analysis of variance of the effect of mycorrhiza fungus and soil moisture on the studied parameters show that the effect of different levels of soil moisture on all traits was significant. The results of analysis of variance also showed that the effect of mycorrhiza on phenol and total flavonoids, antioxidant activity, catalase and peroxidase and malondialdehyde was significant at the level of one percent probability. According to the results of analysis of variance, the interaction effect of mycorrhiza on soil moisture on antioxidant activity was significant at 5% probability level and on total phenols and flavonoids, malondialdehyde, catalase and peroxidase at 1% probability level. Results showed that AMFs improve activity of catalase and peroxidase, antioxidant capacity and total phenols which led to decrease malondialdehyde content. Antioxidants as physiologically active compounds play an important role in plant resistance to stress. Increased oxygen species due to dehydration stress are a warning sign for plants and increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes. The plant's defense system increases the production of antioxidant enzymes to neutralize toxic oxygen forms, and fungi improve the intensity of this increase, which may be due to the chemical structure of the metal isoenzymes copper, zinc, and manganese. Factors sent to make antioxidant enzymes also contain the elements zinc and calcium. Mycorrhizal fungi increase the absorption of nutrients by sending more hormonal factors and increasing the activity of enzymes, all of which can be effective in increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes.   Conclusion  When plants are exposed to dehydration stress, reactive oxygen species in them increase. The expression of antioxidant genes and the activity of antioxidants to eliminate reactive oxygen species are increased and the antioxidant defense system is improved and the tolerance to dehydration stress in the plant is increased. Scientists believe that peroxidase is involved in metabolic processes such as hormone catabolism, defense against pathogens, phenol oxidation, binding to cell structural proteins and cell wall polysaccharides. Present study revealed that application of AMFs can be good strategy for reducing harmful effects of water deficit stress in plants. Research has also shown that impregnating seeds with mycorrhiza increases antioxidants and reduces the amount of reactive oxygen species, a characteristic of resistance induction that occurs by this antagonist.   ‎