Novel mathematical models for prediction of microbial growth kinetics and contaminant degradation in bioremediation process

Bioremediation is defined as a process, which involves decomposition of organic pollutant compounds available in soil and water resources into safe and eco-friendly materials, like water and CO2, by the microorganisms.  In the present article, mathematical modeling of the bioremediation process was conducted comprehensively, and new models proposed for the microbial growth kinetics and substrate consumption (contaminant degradation). Accordingly, six kinetic models were suggested for the biomass growth and six models for the substrate consumption. Moreover, two models were considered for specific growth rate constant of the microorganisms. Then, model predictions were compared to and validated by the available experimental data in the literature. According to the obtained results, the microbial growth kinetic model, entitled as “MVKH2”, the substrate (contaminant) consumption model, entitled as “MVKH2s”, and the Aiba specific growth rate constant model had the best performance and the least error value in predicting the bioremediation process. Results achieved from this study are a promising beginning for practical and experimental works

The effect of job-stress on patient-safety in hospitals affiliated to Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Iran

BACKGROUND: Patient-safety is one of the main pillars of healthcare. Given that nurses are the largest group associated with patients, so with safety harms, job-stress among then can reduce patient-safety in hospitals. The aim of this article was to investigate the effects of job-stress on patient-safety in hospitals affiliated to Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, data gathering tools consisted of a reliable researcher-made job-stress questionnaire, and a patient-safety checklist. 320 nurses in hospitals affiliated to Alborz University of Medical Sciences, who were selected using simple randomized sampling method, completed the questionnaire, and the checklist was filled by the researcher. Data were analyzed at two levels of inferential and descriptive statistics.RESULTS: Job-stress and also patient-safety were at average levels in studied hospitals. Among the demographic factors, only the relationship between job-stress and marital status was statistically significant (P < 0.050). There were no significant relationships between different aspects of job-stress among nurses and patient-safety.CONCLUSION: According to average level of job-stress among studied nurses, the quality of offered services would decrease and patient-safety would become undermined, if no action take place to reduce the job-stress among them. Therefore, it is necessary to increase nurses’ physical, psychological, and social health to increase patient-safety

C-Terminal Domain Deletion Enhances the Protective Activity of cpa/cpb Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles against Leishmania major in BALB/c Mice

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common form of leishmaniasis with an annual incidence of approximately 2 million cases and is endemic in 88 countries, including Iran. CL's continued spread, along with rather ineffectual treatments and drug-resistant variants emergence has increased the need for advanced preventive strategies. We studied Type II cysteine proteinase (CPA) and Type I (CPB) with its C-terminal extension (CTE) as cocktail DNA vaccine against murine and canine leishmaniasis. However, adjuvants' success in enhancing immune responses to selected antigens led us to refocus our vaccine development programs. Herein, we discuss cationic solid lipid nanoparticles' (cSLN) ability to improve vaccine-induced protective efficacy against CL and subsequent lesion size and parasite load reduction in BALB/c mice. For this work, we evaluated five different conventional as well as novel parasite detection techniques, i.e., footpad imaging, footpad flowcytometry and lymph node flowcytometry for disease progression assessments. Vaccination with cSLN-cpa/cpb-CTE formulation showed highest parasite inhibition at 3-month post vaccination. Immunized mice showed reduced IL-5 level and significant IFN-ã increase, compared to control groups. We think our study represents a potential future and a major step forward in vaccine development against leishmaniasis

The impact of knowledge management on organizational effectiveness with the mediating role of organizational culture

The present study is aimed to perform an empirical study regarding the impact of knowledge management on the organizational effectiveness with the mediating role of organizational culture and the model of the researcher is used. In this model, the relationship between knowledge management on organizational effectiveness with the mediating role of organizational culture is evaluated. To evaluate the study, a sample of 310 is selected by simple random method in the sport organization of Municipality of Tehran city. The data collection measure is a standard questionnaire with 52 items and its reliability and validity are supported and distributed among the study population. The data analysis is performed by descriptive and inferential statistics. In descriptive statistics, some indices including frequency and frequency percent are used. In inferential statistics, correlation methods, structural equations and path analysis are used by SPSS, LISREL software. The results of analysis showed the relationship between knowledge management, organizational effectiveness and organizational culture. Generally, the ability of sport organization of Tehran Municipality to share knowledge is done via organizational culture among the employees as directly and indirectly (P<0.05)

Antigen-specific IgG1 and IgG2a responses.

<p>Before and at week 9^th after challenge, blood samples were collected and pooled sera (diluted 1∶50) per each group was prepared. Antibody responses stimulated by rCPA (A, C) and rCPB or rCPB^-CTE (B, D) and SLA (E) showed the profile of CP-specific antibodies, induced before (n = 13) and after (n = 10) challenge. The data represent means±SD. Results are representative of two independent experiments, each performed in triplicate.</p

cSLN formulations and their characteristics.

<p>Nanoparticles were formulated from cetyl palmitate, cholesterol and DOTAP hydrochloride. Results represent mean±SD of three independent SLN preparations.</p

Flowcytometry analysis of the footpads.

<p>The bars represent the average percentage of GFP positive footpad cells ± SD of three mice per each group GFP fluorescence expression was significantly lower in the footpads of group 3 (*<i>p</i><0.05).</p

Average parasite inhibition percent (PI%) by different methods.

<p>Average PI% measured in terms of the parasitic load decrease in the footpad (FP) and/or lymph node (LN) of vaccinated animals compared to the control groups via different methods. (“NS” represent as “not significant” and “*” represents significant difference between the mentioned groups).</p

Cytokine production by lymph node (LN) cells from <i>L. major</i>-infected mice.

<p>Single-cell suspensions were prepared from the LN of three mice in the designated groups, before (n = 13) and 9 weeks after infection (n = 10). Cells cultured in triplicate for 5 days in the presence of recombinant antigens (10 µg/ml), soluble <i>Leishmania</i> antigen (SLA, 4 µg/well), Con A (as positive control) and RPMI (as negative control). Culture supernatants were assayed for levels of IFN-γ, before challenge (A), after challenge (B) and IL-5 (C) production by ELISA. There were no difference in Con A-induced cytokine production, among the groups. Each bar represents the mean ± SD for three mice per group (n = 3). Results are representative of two independent experiments, each performed in triplicate.</p