Potential use of algae for heavy metal bioremediation, a critical review

Algae have several industrial applications that can lower the cost of biofuel co24 production. Among these co-production applications, environmental and wastewater bioremediation are increasingly important. Heavy metal pollution and its implications for public health and the environment have led to increased interest in developing environmental biotechnology approaches. We review the potential for algal biosorption and/or neutralization of the toxic effects of heavy metal ions, primarily focusing on their cellular structure, pretreatment, modification, as well as potential application of genetic engineering in biosorption performance. We evaluate pretreatment, immobilization, and factors affecting biosorption capacity, such as initial metal ion concentration, biomass concentration, initial pH, time, temperature, and interference of multi metal ions and introduce molecular tools to develop engineered algal strains with higher biosorption capacity and selectivity. We conclude that consideration of these parameters can lead to the development of low-cost micro and macroalgae cultivation with high bioremediation potential

Closed total talus dislocation without fracture: a case report

Total dislocation of the talus from all of its joints is a rare injury specially when the talus and malleoli are not fractured and frequently it is as a result of a high-energy trauma. It usually leads to degenerative changes in neighboring joints and frequently avascular necrosis is a predictable outcome. We present a case of total talus dislocation because of a high-energy trauma in association with other major fractures resulting from a fall from height, but no fracture could be detected in the talus and any of malleols. Closed reduction was unsuccessful and we performed open reduction. At 6 month post operation follow-up, the talus didn't show subluxation and avascular necrosis could not be detected

Safety and efficacy of PDpoetin for management of anemia in patients with end stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis: Results from a phase IV clinical trial

Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) is available for correcting anemia. PDpoetin, a new brand of rHuEPO, has been certified by Food and Drug Department of Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran for clinical use in patients with chronic kidney disease. We conducted this post-marketing survey to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of PDpoetin for management of anemia in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Patients from 4 centers in Iran were enrolled for this multicenter, open-label, uncontrolled phase IV clinical trial. Changes in blood chemistry, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, renal function, and other characteristics of the patients were recorded for 4 months; 501 of the patients recruited, completed this study. Mean age of the patients was 50.9 (±16.2) years. 48.7 of patients were female. Mean of the hemoglobin value in all of the 4 centers was 9.29 (±1.43) g/dL at beginning of the study and reached 10.96 (±2.23) g/dL after 4 months and showed significant increase overall (P<0.001). PDpoetin dose was stable at 50-100 U/kg thrice weekly. Hemorheologic disturbancesand changes in blood electrolytes was not observed. No case of immunological reactions to PDpoetin was observed. Our study, therefore, showed that PDpoetin has significantly raised the level of hemoglobin in the hemodialysis patients (about 1.7±0.6 g/dL). Anemia were successfully corrected in 49 of patients under study. Use of this biosimilar was shown to be safe and effective for the maintenance of hemoglobin in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. © A.N. Javidan et al., 2014

Pathologic dislocation of the shoulder secondary to septic arthritis: a case report

Septic arthritis of the shoulder is uncommon in adults, and complete dislocation of the glenohumeral joint following septic arthritis is extremely rare. We report a case of pathologic shoulder dislocation secondary to septic arthritis in an intravenous drug abuser

The productivity and its barriers in public hospitals: Case study of Iran

Background: Due to the increasing health care costs, the issue of productivity in hospitals must be taken into great consideration in order to provide, preserve and promote public health services. Thus, increasing the level of productivity must become the main aim of any hospital. Objective of this study is to determine the total factor productivity and its components over the period under the study. Methods: In this cross sectional study, total factor productivity changes of hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences were measured according to Malmquist index over the period 2009-2014. To estimate total productivity changes using Data Envelopment Analysis method, inputoriented and variable return to scale assumptions were applied and Deap2.1 software was used. Results: The mean value of total productivity changes was 1.013. It means that during the study period the productivity experienced a 1.3 decrease. Technological efficiency changes have the greatest influence on productivity decrease than the other factors. Scale efficiency, managerial efficiency and technical efficiency changes were ranked. Conclusion: Lack of knowledge of hospital personnel on proper application of technology in patient treatment is the main factor leading to productivity decrease resulting from technological changes in the studied hospitals. Therefore, holding courses for personnel in order to teach them the proper use of technology in diagnosis and patient care can be helpful

Relativistic three-particle scattering equations

We derive a set of relativistic three-particle scattering equations in the three-particle c.m. frame employing a relativistic three-particle propagator suggested long ago by Ahmadzadeh and Tjon in the c.m. frame of a two-particle subsystem. We make the coordinate transformation of this propagator from the c.m. frame of the two-particle subsystem to the three-particle c.m. frame. We also point out that some numerical applications of the Ahmadzadeh and Tjon propagator to the three-nucleon problem use unnecessary nonrelativistic approximations which do not simplify the computational task, but violate constraints of relativistic unitarity and/or covariance.Comment: 5pages, text and one ps figure (in revtex) include

Preparation of immunotoxin herceptin-botulinum and killing effects on two breast cancer cell lines

Background: Worldwide, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among women and a leading cause of cancer deaths. The age of onset in Iran has become reduced by a decade for unknown reasons. Herceptin, a humanized monoclonal antibody, is a target therapy for breast cancer cells with over expression of HER2-neu receptors, but it is an expensive drug with only 20 beneficial rate of survival. This study introduces a novel approach to enhance the efficacy of this drug through immunoconjugation of the antibody to botulinum toxin. Decreasing the cost and adverse effects of the antibody were secondary goals of this study. Materials and Methods: Botulinum toxin was conjugated with Herceptin using heterobifunctional cross linkers, succinimidyl acetylthiopropionate (SATP) and sulfo-succinimidyl-4-(N-maleimidomethyl) cyclohexane-1-carboxylate (SMCC) according to the supplier's guidelines and tested on two breast cancer cell lines: SK-BR-3 and BT-474. Toxin and Herceptin were also used separately as controls. The cytotoxicity assay was also performed using the new bioconjugate on cultured cells with Alamar blue and a fluorescence plate reader. Results: Herceptin-Toxin bioconjugation significantly improved Herceptin efficacy on both breast cancer cell lines when compared to the control group. Conclusions: Toxin-Herceptin bioconjugation can be a potential candidate with increased efficiency for treating breast cancer patients with over expression of the HER2 receptor

Socioeconomic status and risk for child psychopathology: exploring gene–environment interaction in the presence of gene–environment correlation using extended families in the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Birth Cohort Study

Background Low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with increased risk for emotional and behavioural problems among children. Evidence from twin studies has shown that family SES moderates genetic and environmental influences on child mental health. However, it is also known that SES is itself under genetic influence and previous gene–environment interaction (G×E) studies have not incorporated the potential genetic overlap between child mental health and family SES into G×E analyses. We applied a novel approach using extended family data to investigate the moderation of aetiological influences on child emotional and behavioural problems by parental socioeconomic status in the presence of modelled gene–environment correlation. Methods The sample comprised &gt;28,100 children in extended‐family units drawn from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Mothers reported children's emotional and behavioural symptoms. Parents' income and educational attainment were obtained through linkage to administrative register data. Bivariate moderation Multiple‐Children‐of‐Twins‐and‐Siblings (MCoTS) models were used to analyse relationships between offspring outcomes (emotional and behavioural symptom scores) and parental socioeconomic moderators (income rank and educational attainment). Results The aetiology of child emotional symptoms was moderated by maternal and paternal educational attainment. Shared environmental influences on child emotional symptoms were greater at lower levels of parents' education. The aetiology of child behavioural symptoms was moderated by maternal, but not paternal, socioeconomic factors. Genetic factors shared between maternal income and child behavioural symptoms were greater in families with lower levels maternal income. Nonshared environmental influences on child behavioural symptoms were greater in families with higher maternal income and education. Conclusions Parental socioeconomic indicators moderated familial influences and nonshared environmental influences on child emotional and behavioural outcomes. Maternal SES and child mental health share aetiological overlap such that shared genetic influence was greater at the lower end of the socioeconomic distribution. Our findings collectively highlight the role that family socioeconomic factors play in shaping the origins of child emotional and behavioural problems

Relativistic Effect on Low-Energy Nucleon-Deuteron Scattering

The relativistic effect on differential cross sections, nucleon-to-nucleon and nucleon-to-deuteron polarization transfer coefficients, and the spin correlation function, of nucleon-deuteron elastic scattering is investigated employing several three-dimensional relativistic three-body equations and several nucleon-nucleon potentials. The polarization transfer coefficients are found to be sensitive to the details of the nucleon-nucleon potentials and the relativistic dynamics employed, and prefer trinucleon models with the correct triton binding energy. (To appear in Phys. Rev. C)Comment: pages: 21, LaTex text + 7 ps-figures at the en

What Are the Predictors of Work Impairment in Iranian Patients with Depressive Disorders?

Abstract The purpose of this study is to estimate the predictors of working ability in depressed patients. Two hundred and twenty-six patients with depression consecutively admitted on outpatient basis fro