Fungal infection of culture shrimp in Bushehr, southern Iran

In an attempt to assess the shrimp culture management in the south of Iran, we collected samples of the cultured shrimp in two farms during the year 1999, and examined them macroscopically and microscopically. We identified 16 species of fungus infecting the shrimps mostly in outer body layers and the gills and also detected hemolymphatic infection with the fungus in a few cases. In all cases, the Penicillium species was the most abundant fungus and the ponds showed a significant difference in the amount of fungal flora contaminating them (p<0.05). We found that the contaminating fungus species were all opportunistic, appearing as a result of stress occurred to the cultured shrimp, water muddiness, low dissolved oxygen concentration and putrefying food left unused at the bottom of the culture ponds. These were all considered to be related to the pond management

Demographic data of patients with β-thalassemia major recorded in the electronic system in the north of Iran, 2016

Background: Major thalassemia prevention project in Iran began in 1997. Mazandaran Province in northern Iran took effective steps in preventing the birth of patients with thalassemia major in the country. We report on the demographic status of patients with thalassemia major registered in the electronic system of Mazandaran Province in Iran.Methods: The web-based application of the Mazandaran Thalassemia Registry (THRegistry) was designed based on the Net Framework platform in VB.Net and the 2014Sql Server database. The information source included clinical records in 14 thalassemic wards of the Mazandaran province hospitals. Epidemiological data of patients and date of transfusion, blood group, educational status, employment, marital status and having children were recorded.Results: The study population was 1,725 patients including 889 (51.5%) women and 836 (48.5%) men with a mean age of 30±9.6 years. A total of 188 patients born have been identified after the launch of the country's disease prevention plan in 1997. Prenatal diagnosis (PND) services were not used in 99 cases, PND result was mistaken in 6 other cases and in the remaining 5 cases PND was performed. A total of 1,314 patients (76.2%) were blood transfusion dependent thalassemia (TDT). Mean haemoglobin level in male and female patients was 9.4±6.3 and 9.01±5.1/100 g/dl, respectively. The mean age of onset of transfusion was 4±6.3 years. A total of 382 cases (22.1%) of married patients had a child of their own.Conclusions: The system is a good resource to design descriptive and cohort studies, survival studies, therapeutic planning, and observation of the success of the major thalassemia prevention project

Activating Natural Killer Cell Receptors, Selectins, and Inhibitory Siglecs Recognize Ebolavirus Glycoprotein

Expression of the extensively glycosylated Ebolavirus glycoprotein (EBOV-GP) induces physical alterations of surface molecules and plays a crucial role in viral pathogenicity. Here we investigate the interactions of EBOV-GP with host surface molecules using purified EBOV-GP, EBOV-GP-transfected cell lines, and EBOV-GP-pseudotyped lentiviral particles. Subsequently, we wanted to examine which receptors are involved in this recognition by binding studies to cells transfected with the EBOV-GP as well as to recombinant soluble EBOV-GP. As the viral components can also bind to inhibitory receptors of immune cells (e.g., Siglecs, TIM-1), they can even suppress the activity of immune effector cells. Our data show that natural killer (NK) cell receptors NKp44 and NKp46, selectins (CD62E/P/L), the host factors DC-SIGNR/DC-SIGN, and inhibitory Siglecs function as receptors for EBOV-GP. Our results show also moderate to strong avidity of homing receptors (P-, L-, and E-selectin) and DC-SIGNR/DC-SIGN to purified EBOV-GP, to cells transfected with EBOV-GP, as well as to the envelope of a pseudotyped lentiviral vector carrying the EBOV-GP. The concomitant activation and inhibition of the immune system exemplifies the evolutionary antagonism between the immune system and pathogens. Altogether these interactions with activating and inhibitory receptors result in a reduced NK cell-mediated lysis of EBOV-GP-expressing cells. Modulation of these interactions may provide new strategies for treating infections caused by this virus.publishedVersio

Synthesis of Polystyrene/MCM–41 Nanocomposites through AGET ATRP and ARGET ATRP

Polystyrene/MCM–41 nanocomposites were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) at 110°C. Activators generated by electron transfer (AGET) and activators regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET), as two novel initiation techniques, for ATRP were used. Specific structure, surface area, particles size and their distribution and spongy and porous structure of the synthesized MCM–41 nanoparticles were evaluated using X–ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm analysis, scanning and transmission electron microscopy images, respectively. The final monomer conversion was determined using gas chromatography. Number and weight average molecular weights (Mn and Mw) and polydispersity index (PDI) were also evaluated by gel permeationchromatography. According to the results, addition of 3 wt% MCM–41 nanoparticles into the polymerization media resulted in lowering conversion from 81 to 58% in the AGET ATRP system. Moreover, a reduction in the molecular weight of the products from 17116 to 12798 g/mol was also occurred, although, the polydispersity index increased from 1.24 to 1.58. The similar results were also obtained by ARGET ATRP system; lowering conversion from 69 to 43% and molecular weight from 14892 to 9297 g/mol, and an increase of PDI from 1.14 to 1.41. The improvement in thermal stability of the nanocomposites, as a result of higher MCM–41 nanoparticles loading, was confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis. In addition, according to the analytical results of differential scanning calorimetry, a decrease in glass transition temperature, due to the addition of 3 wt% of MCM–41 nanoparticles (from 100.1 to 91.5°C in AGET ATRP system and from 100.3 to 85.8°C in ARGET ATRP), was achieved

Prediction of landslides by machine learning algorithms and statistical methods in Iran

peer reviewedThe present study aims to compare the performance of artificial neural networks (ANN), statistical methods, and machine learning in predicting the location of landslides in Marivan and Sarvabad cities in Kurdistan province of Iran. 16 factors influencing landslide occurrence are first chosen, such as aspect and elevation, plan curvature and profile curvature, slope degree, land use and geology, distance from faults, rivers and roads, rainfall, NDVI, SPI, STI, TRI and TWI. Then, the correlation between the factors affecting landslides and the ANN model was estimated through the FR method with 0.83% accuracy of the variable significance in the modeling, and the landslide sensitive zones were mapped in five classes (very high, high, medium, low, and very low). The results of the modeling analysis indicated that more than 70% of the study areas have high and very high sensitivity to the occurrence of amplitude movements. The accuracy of the prediction performance of the models used on the data (test-data and train-data) has been obtained 0.82, 0.83 and 1 with ANN, KNN and ADTree, respectively. Then, the efficiency of the models for prediction operations were evaluated with the classification matrix algorithm and the variables’ accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. The findings of this stage showed that efficiency of the KNN was %74 and in ADTree algorithm was equal to 1. Therefore, results showed that in the comparison between the models used the ADTree algorithm has high accuracy and capacity to classify and predict the areas sensitive to landslides. Therefore, results showed that in the comparison between the models used the ADTree algorithm has high accuracy and capacity to classify and predict the areas sensitive to landslides. Besides, it can be utilized as the most efficient model in landslide disaster management

Ebselen: A promising therapy protecting cardiomyocytes from excess iron in iron-overloaded thalassemia patients

Iron-overload-associated cardiomyopathy has been one of the primary causes of mortality in thalassemia patients with iron burden. There is growing evidence citing the beneficial effects of ebselen as an antioxidant selectively blocking the divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT-1) to deter iron ingress into cardiomyocytes, raising internets in viewing this component in this population in order to treat and even prevent cardiomyopathy occurring from iron surplus. In this article, we reviewed the potential advantageous effects of ebselen in thalassemia patients who suffer from iron excess, susceptible to cardiomyopathy induced by iron overload. A systematic search in several databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, was conducted to explore the role of ebselen in controlling iron-overload-related cardiomyopathy in thalassemia patients by the keywords of Ebselen AND iron. The inclusion criteria were English-written preclinical and clinical studies investigating the efficacy and side effects of ebselen in an iron-overload context. After searching the databases, 44 articles were found. Next, of 19 published articles, 3 were included in this article. After reviewing the references of the included studies, no articles were added. In conclusion ebselen can be a promising adjuvant therapy in patients with thalassemia alongside the standard treatment with iron chelators, particularly in severe cases with cardiomyopathy, due to falling iron inflow by inhibiting DMT-1 and increasing ferroportin-1 expression and antioxidant properties. However, clinical studies need to be carried out to reach a definite conclusion