Effect of carboxymethyl cellulose-based coatings incorporated with Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil and grape seed extract on the shelf life of rainbow trout fillets

To prolong the shelf life of seafood products, lipid oxidation and growth of microorganisms should be retarded. The objective of the current study was evaluating the potential application of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) coatings incorporated with Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil (ZMEO) and grape seed extract (GSE) on chemical (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N)), microbial (total viable count, lactic acid bacteria and Pseudomonas spp.) and organoleptic attributes of rainbow trout fillets during refrigerated storage for twenty days. GCeMS analysis showed that ZMEO is rich in monoterpene phenols such as thymol and carvacrol. The following results were obtained after 20 days of storage: The minimum level of TVB-N was measured in the fillets coated with CMC + 2 v/v ZMEO + 0.5 v/v GSE. The minimum number of total viable bacteria, lactic acid bacteria and Pseudomonas spp. were determined in the fillets coated with CMC + 2 v/v ZMEO + 1 v/v GSE. The fillets coated with CMC + 1 v/v ZMEO + 1 v/v GSE showed the best organoleptic properties. Our results revealed that CMC-based coatings incorporated with ZMEO and GSE could improve chemical, microbial and sensorial characteristics of rainbow trout fillets during cold storage. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd

Mejora del rendimiento del biodiesel a partir de aceite de oliva no comestible pre-esterificado mediante transesterificación asistida por microondas

In the present research, biodiesel production from olive oils with different initial free fatty acid concentrations (2.5, 5.0, and 10.0%) was evaluated. A two-stage acid-catalyzed esterification and alkaline-catalyzed transesterification (ACT) process using the microwave heating method was compared with the traditional heating method. Free fatty acid was reduced to less than 2.0% in the first stage. Although no significant difference was observed between microwave and traditional esterification methods in terms of fatty acid reduction, the microwave treatment significantly decreased reaction time by 92.5%. Comparing microwave ACT results with those of the traditional heating method showed that the microwave can significantly increase methyl ester yield and purity, and simultaneously decrease reaction time. Physical constants of methyl esters were also improved using the microwave heating method. Therefore, the microwave heating method can be regarded as an efficient method instead of the two-stage method for biodiesel production. This method is capable of using inedible olive oil with high concentrations of free fatty acids.En la presente investigación, se evaluó la producción de biodiesel a partir de aceites de oliva con diferentes concentraciones iniciales de ácidos grasos libres (2,5, 5,0 y 10,0%). Se comparó un proceso de esterificación en dos etapas catalizada con ácido y transesterificación catalizada alcalina (ACT) usando microondas con el método de calentamiento tradicional. Los ácidos grasos libres se redujeron a menos del 2,0% en la primera etapa. Aunque no se observaron diferencias significativas entre los métodos de esterificación, por microondas y tradicional, en términos de reducción de ácidos grasos, sin embargo, el microondas disminuyó significativamente el tiempo de reacción en un 92,5%. La comparación de los resultados de ACT de microondas con los del método de calentamiento tradicional mostró que el microondas puede aumentar significativamente el rendimiento y la pureza del éster metílico, y simultáneamente disminuir el tiempo de reacción. Las constantes físicas de los ésteres metílicos también se mejoraron usando el método de calentamiento por microondas. Por lo tanto, el método de calentamiento por microondas puede considerarse como un método eficiente en lugar de la producción de biodiésel en dos etapas. Este método es capaz de usar aceite de oliva no comestible con altas concentraciones de ácidos grasos libres

Numerical investigation of a curved micromixer using different arrangements of cylindrical obstacles

Curved micromixers are one of the most widely used types of passive micromixers that perform better than straight micromixers. Yet the main disadvantage of these micromixers is low mixing efficiency at low Reynolds numbers. To overcome this drawback implementing obstacles with different configurations can be a solution to change the flow pattern and consequently boosting the mixing efficiency of system. To this purpose, in the present study, four curved passive micromixers with different arrangements of cylindrical obstacles alongside with simple curved channel are considered and assessed. Simulations are carried out at eight different Reynolds numbers ranging from 0.1 to 80 in steady state, with water as a working fluid. In this regard, geometrical parameters such as channel cross-section, channel length, number of pitches, dimensions of obstacles and number of obstacles are considered constant in all cases. The results showed that the special arrangement of the obstacles placed in the channels led to the deviation of the flow path of the fluid and as a result the contact surface between the two fluids increased at low Reynolds numbers, which resulted an increase in the efficiency of mixing between the two species. Namely Case-B and Case-E with uniform distribution of obstacles along the channel have 26% and 23.6% higher mixing efficiency at Reynolds 5 compared to simple unobstructed channel. This is because the arrangement of obstacles in these cases associates with layered mixing of species and better mixing on the corners. Also, among different cases, the Case-B shows the highest mixing index. At Reynolds 40, the mixing efficiency of Case-A, B, C, D and E are 95.54%, 91.52%, 89.96%, 76.39% and 89.7%, respectively. By comparing the introduced channels, considering the mixing efficiency and pressure drop, it can be said that the Case-B model, although its mixing efficiency is 1.8% higher than the Case-E model, but due to 14.5% higher pressure drop, Case-E has the best performance among the introduced channels

The oncogenic role of both lncRNA PANDA and BCL2 gene in glioblastoma

Glioblastoma multiform (GBM) is the most prevalent primary tumor of the brain with aggressive behavior. This type of cancer accounts for 60 of all brain tumors in humans. More recently, the participation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the regulation of many biological processes in tumors has been evidenced. In the present study, we measured expression levels of lncRNA PANDA (P21 associated non-coding RNA DNA damage activated, hereafter termed PANDA) and anti-apoptotic gene B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) in tissue samples of 50 GBM patients and 50 healthy-matched subjects. According to our data, both lncRNA PANDA and BCl2 mRNA were significantly overexpressed in tumor tissues of patients with GBM in comparison to healthy control specimens. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between the expression of lncRNA PANDA and BCL2 transcripts in the patients group. Additionally, the results of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and the area under the curve (AUC) unraveled that PANDA had a significant value in the diagnosis of GBM. The present data uncovered the up-regulated expressions of PANDA and BCL2 transcripts in patients with GBM, which are positively correlated with tumor grade. This may suggest the oncogenic function for these two markers and propose them for the interpretation of prognostic and diagnostic data as well as the promising potential treatment target in GBM patients. © 202

Efficacy of Momiai in Tibia Fracture Repair: A Randomized Double-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Objectives: Momiai ( shilajit, mummy, mumie, or mineral pitch) has been used traditionally in different medical systems for the treatment of a variety of ailments since hundreds of years ago. It is a natural substance found in different rocky parts of the world, formed by plants, mineral, and animal remains gradually. There is also worthwhile evidence supporting its oral use for bone repair in Persian medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of momiai in tibia fracture healing. Design: This study is a randomized double-blinded controlled trial. Settings/Location: Three different hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Subjects: Patients with age range of 18-60 years admitted due to new tibia fracture were enrolled after meeting the inclusion criteria. Interventions: The patients were divided into two groups randomly and received two 500 mg capsules of momiai or placebo for 28 days. Outcome measures: The process of bone healing was assessed by frequent X-ray radiographies and adverse effects were recorded. Results: Totally, 160 patients participated in the study either in two equal intervention or placebo groups. There was no significant difference between groups in terms of demographic and descriptive data. At the end of the study, the mean time of tibial bone union was 129 days in the experimental group, while it was 153 days in the placebo group (p < 0.049). There was no significant difference in the reported adverse effects between the two groups (p = 0.839). Conclusions: The current study showed that oral consumption of momiai after tibial shaft fracture surgery could be a promising option to reduce the healing time. © 2020, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers