The effect of combination of Zingeber and Althea officinalis extracts in acute bronchitis-induced cough

Background and aim: Cough is a normal mechanism of respiratory system that clears the tracheobronchial tree from respiratory secretions and foreign bodies. It sometimes causes discomforts and problems in social activity of the people. One of the reasons of cough is acute bronchitis that causes inflammation of respiratory tract and persists for a few weeks. The aim of this study was to evaluate the combination effect of Zingeber and Althea officinalis to cure cough in acute bronchitis Method: In this double blind clinical trial study, we selected 60 patients who have been suffering from acute bronchitis following respiratory infections. They were divided into two groups by using a simple random sampling method. Beside their routine medications, one group (case group) was given 15 drops of both Zingeber (300 mg) and Althea officinalis (40 mg) hydro-alcoholic extracts, every 6 hours for 10 days. The second group (control group), was given placebo. After 10 days, all patients were evaluated by a questionnaire, designed by the authors, for the number of cough, night cough scores, chest pain, myalgia and retrosternal pain. Data were statistically analyzed by using t-test, χ2 and McNemar's tests. Result: A significant reduction was seen in the number of cough in both case and control groups (80% and 60%, respectively). Chest pain reports were 7.2% in case group, compared to 50% in control group (P0.05). Conclusion: Hydro-alcoholic extracts of Althea offisinalis and Zingeber decrease inflammation in patient with acute bronchitis and decrease cough and acute tracheitis-induced chest pain

Quantitative assessment of the impact of Mnemiopsis leidyi on the southern Caspian zooplankton structure during 1996-2010

After the arrival of the invasive species (Mnemiopsis leidyi) in the Caspian Sea (in 1999) significant changes have been occurred in the ecosystem. In the present study, the data concerning the period 1996 to 2010 (extracted from the relevant research projects) were analyzed. The period was classified into two phases, before and after the species invasion (1996 and 2001-2010). In our study, the impact of the invasive species on the structure of southern Caspian zooplankton communities was assessed during the period 2001-2010, quantitatively. The combination of abundance and distribution range of the species (ADR) during the period 2001-2009 and the year 2010 were evaluated as E (occurrence in high numbers in all localities) and D (occurrence in moderate numbers in all localities), respectively. Considering the obtained results, the year 2001, in which the relative biomass was more than 90 percent, could be considered as the expansion phase and the following years (2002-2010) as the adjustment phase. With regards to the loss of the keystone and some other native species after the invasion of M. leidyi (2001 to 2010), the impact of the invasive species on the structure of southern Caspian zooplankton communities was assessed as massive (C4)

Survey of preservatives on shelf life of silver carp burger

In this research in order to assess the possibility of antioxidant effects in quality protection and increase the shelf alife of fish burgers, ascorbic acid as a antioxidant by natural source used in raw uncoated fish burgers and in order to comparison by vacuum packaging, 3 treatments of uncoated fish burgers produced from cultivated silver carp: 1- burgers by common packaging (control) 2- burgers by vacunm packaging 3- burgers by 500ppm Ascorbic acid. Also in order to comparison BHA+BHT antioxidants (that have synergistic effects to each other) effect by vacuum packaging to prevention of lipid oxidation in semi-fried fish burgers 3 other treatments produced too: 1- burgers by common packaging (control) 2- burgers by vacunm packaging 3-burgers by 200 ppm BHA+BHT antioxidants comparatively to fats of product. All of the burgers after production and freezing conserved in -18°c for 6 months (Raw uncoated burgers) and one year (Semi-fried coated burgers). During the storage period chemical, microbiological, and organoleptic tests were down by three repetition monthly. Although peroxide value in raw uncoated fish burgers were higher than standard range even from first month but it seems this factor is not suitable for quality evaluation of uncoated raw fish burgers. Evaluation of TBA index in raw uncoated fish burgers during storage time showed at the end of storage period TBA index for control, vacuum and ascorbic acid treatments were 6.31, 4.76 and 1.29 mg malonaldehyde/kg respectively and taste scores were 5.11, 5.42 and 6.16 respectively. Results indicate the positive effects of ascorbic acid to prevention of lipid oxidation. By attention to TVN, TBA and organoleptic tests 4 mounths for treatments without ascorbic acid by vacuum packaging preference and 6 months shelf life for ascorbic acid treatment have suggested in -18°c temperature. For semi fried fish burger 28 prevention effect for lipid oxidation but vacuum packaging had 32 (without significantly difference,P>0.05). so we can for %BHA+BHT treatment this property was recommend the use of vacuum packaging instead of antioxidant treatment. By attention to TVN, pH, PV, TBA and microbiological and organoleptic tests we can suggest the 8 months for shelf life time of semi fried fish burgers. In this product TVN was the only limitation factor and exeeded from standard range at 9th month of maintenance

The survey of feeding and reproduction of cetenophora Mnemiopsis leidyi in the southern of Caspian Sea

Menmiopsis leidyi was entered into Caspian Sea from Black Sea and mass population constitutes in the southern Caspian Sea. In this surveys, the relationship between length and wet weight measured and length and weight followed by this equation: n=384, R^2=0.87 w=0.003L^9005 . The relationship of dry and wet weight calculated, in this surveys, the ratio of dry weight to wet weight was equal to 1.615% in 12 salinity. In vitro, the clearance rate at 12 and 27 C were 52.48 and 107.33 ml/h, respectively, daily ration at above temperatures were 1.98 and 16.65 respectively. Mnemiopsis leidyi can feed Acartia in accordance to 16.5 mg/1gbw (body weight) at 27 C in one day. The average digestive time in 12 C and 27 C were 77.50 min and 36 min respectively. The digestive value in 27 C was 2.5 fold than 12 C. The result indicated that clearance rate, daily ration and digest were increased in high temperature. Stomach content of Mnemiopsis leidyi was shown that this organism utilized from Acartia and Balanus, in addition, stomach content of kilka including two species of zooplankton from the southern Caspian Sea. Stomach contents of clupeonella cultiventris contain more than 54 percent of Acartia and its nauplii. This frequency observed in cluponella engrauliformis and clupeonella grimmi. On basis of zooplankton sampling in the sea, over 90 percentage of zooplankton populations contain Acartia

Osteoimmunomodulatory GelMA/liposome coatings to promote bone regeneration of orthopedic implants

Despite being the most widely used biomaterials in orthopedic surgery, metallic implants do not induce new bone growth because they are bioinert. Surface biofunctionalization of implants with immunomodulatory mediators is a recent approach to promote osteogenic factors that facilitate bone regeneration. Liposomes (Lip) can be used as a low-cost, efficient and simple immunomodulator to stimulate immune cells in favor of bone regeneration. Even though liposomal coating systems have been reported previously, their main disadvantage is their limited ability to preserve liposome integrity after drying. In order to address this issue, we developed a hybrid system in which liposomes could be embedded in a polymeric hydrogel namely gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA). Specifically, we have developed a novel versatile coating strategy using electrospray technology to coat implants with GelMA/Liposome without using adhesive intermediate layer. The two differently charged Lip (i.e., anionic and cationic) were blended with GelMA and coated via electrospray technology on the bone-implant surfaces. The results showed that the developed coating withstood mechanical stress during surgical replacement, and Lip inside GelMA coating stayed intact in different storage conditions for a minimum of 4 weeks. Surprisingly, bare Lip, either cationic or anionic, improved the osteogenesis of human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) by inducing pro-inflammatory cytokines, even at a low dosage of Lip released from the GelMA coating. More importantly, we showed that the inflammatory response could be fine-tuned by selecting the Lip concentration, Lip/hydrogel ratio, and coating thickness to determine the timing of the release such that we can accommodate different clinical needs. These promising results pave the way to use these Lip coatings to load different types of therapeutic cargo for bone-implant applications

Osteoimmunomodulatory GelMA/liposome coatings to promote bone regeneration of orthopedic implants

Despite being the most widely used biomaterials in orthopedic surgery, metallic implants do not induce new bone growth because they are bioinert. Surface biofunctionalization of implants with immunomodulatory mediators is a recent approach to promote osteogenic factors that facilitate bone regeneration. Liposomes (Lip) can be used as a low-cost, efficient and simple immunomodulator to stimulate immune cells in favor of bone regeneration. Even though liposomal coating systems have been reported previously, their main disadvantage is their limited ability to preserve liposome integrity after drying. In order to address this issue, we developed a hybrid system in which liposomes could be embedded in a polymeric hydrogel namely gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA). Specifically, we have developed a novel versatile coating strategy using electrospray technology to coat implants with GelMA/Liposome without using adhesive intermediate layer. The two differently charged Lip (i.e., anionic and cationic) were blended with GelMA and coated via electrospray technology on the bone-implant surfaces. The results showed that the developed coating withstood mechanical stress during surgical replacement, and Lip inside GelMA coating stayed intact in different storage conditions for a minimum of 4 weeks. Surprisingly, bare Lip, either cationic or anionic, improved the osteogenesis of human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) by inducing pro-inflammatory cytokines, even at a low dosage of Lip released from the GelMA coating. More importantly, we showed that the inflammatory response could be fine-tuned by selecting the Lip concentration, Lip/hydrogel ratio, and coating thickness to determine the timing of the release such that we can accommodate different clinical needs. These promising results pave the way to use these Lip coatings to load different types of therapeutic cargo for bone-implant applications

Study of parasites occurrence and intensity in fishes of Anzali Lagoon

Tish survey prolonged from summer 2011 trough summer 2012. During this period 574 samples of different fish species were investigated for their parasites. Totally 30 species of parasites isolated of the fishes. Some of the isolated parasites are recorded for the first time in Iran. Rafidascaris acus Orientocreadium siluri, Silurotaenia siluri, Acanthocephalus lucii , Argulus foliaceus has recorded for the first time from European catfish, Silurus glanis, and Dactylogyrus inexpectatus has recorded for the first time from Gibel Carp, Carassius auratus gibelio, in Anzali wetland. Statistical comparison of parasites infections and intensity between the different area of Anzali wetland were done. Infection of Pike, Esox lucius, to Diplostomum spathaceum, Raphidascaris acus and Monogenean in western parts of wetland were significantly different from the Eastern and Central areas (p<0.05). So based on the data have concluded the eastern and central regions of the wetland are more polluted than the western part. Comparing the results of the present study with before ones showed that the composition of parasite species has been changed over time, while the prevalence, intensity and abundance of parasites have been increased. It may be due to changing environmental conditions such as increasing discharge of effluent, eutrophication of the wetland. This results accents to necessity of reconstruction of Anzali wetland with preference of eastern and central regions

Study on abundance and diversity species of phytoplankton with emphasis on potential of algal bloom in the southern part of the Caspian Sea-Mazandaran Providence

This study was conducted to determine of phytoplankton abundance and diversity of water and their spatial and temporal fluctuations in the Mazandaran coastal of Caspian Sea in 6 months, at 4 transects (Tonekabon, Nowshahr, Babolsar, Amirabad) during different season of 2012-2013. 72 samples were collected at surface layer of water in 5, 15 and 30 m depths. The samples were analyzed based on the standard methods. 112 species contributed in phytoplankton community structure which where classified in 9 phyla namly: Bacillariophyta (42 species), Pyrrophyta (18 species), Cyanophyta (14 species), Chlorophyta (15 species), Euglenophyta (11 species), Cryptophyta (2 species), Chrysophyta (3 species), Haptophyta (1 species) and Xantophyta (1 species). Meanwhile small flagellate algae with Maximum Linear Dimension (MLD) <10 µ observed which they classified in small flagellates. Mean annual phytoplankton abundance with standard error obtained 164±32 million Cells/m^3. Seasonal study showed that phytoplankon abndance of summer was 1.5 folds of spring. The value in auttuman was same as spring, however it increased sharply in winter. The mean phytoplankton abundance of winter was 5 folds of the other seasons. Mean phytoplankton abundance of Tonkabon and Nowshahr (west transects) were 1.6 and 2 folds of Amirabad (east transect), respectively. Bacillariophyta with 89 percent of total abundance was the predominant phylum and Pyrrophyta was the second one. The third and fourth of dominant phyla were Cyanophyta and Chlorophyta, respectively. Chrysophyta and small flagellates showed equal percentage of abundance (1.4 percent of total abundance). Monthly study showed that Chaetoceros throndsenii was the first dominant species in Ordibehesht, Tir and Shahrivar. However, the first dominant species in Aban, Day and Esfand were Thalassionema nitzschioides, Skeletonema costatum and Pseudonitzschia seratia respectively. Mean phytoplankton biomass calculated 156.5 ± 18.1 during the study period. The mean of biomass was higher in summer and winter than the two other seasons. Phytoplankton biomass was formed mainly by Bacillariophyta and Pyrrophyta in all seasons. The highest biomass were belonged to Cyclotella meneghiniana and Coscinodiscus jonesianus (Bacillariophyta) in spring and summer respectively.While in fall and winter Prorocentrum proximum was in the first place of dominat species. Small size and flagellates species of different phyla (Chrysophyta, Bacillariophyt...) had importance role for determination of ecological and water quality conditions during spring to autuman. The increasing of phytoplankton abundance within these times indicates to regeneration of nutrients or entrainment of nutrient-rich deep water. Dominant species were observed in single forms, small filament and loose colonies during spring to autuman. However, these form shifted to fair-long chains form in winter which it indicates to nutrient-rich water was brought to the surface by vertical mixing process. It seems that environmental stress and instability of ecosystem was benefit to Chaetoceros throndsenii and Pseudonitzschia seriata which are known as species with bloom potential. Ability of reproduction in sewage environment (Chaetoceros throndsenii) and toxin production (Pseudonitzschia seriata) are the ecological and physiological significant characters of the two species