Modified artificial diet for rearing of tobacco budworm, Helicoverpa armigera using the Taguchi method and Derringer’s desirability function

With the aim to improve the mass rearing feasibility of tobacco budworm, Helicoverpa armigera Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), design of experimental methodology using Taguchi orthogonal array was applied. To do so, the effect of 16 ingredients of an artificial diet including bean, wheat germ powder, Nipagin, ascorbic acid, formaldehyde, oil, agar, distilled water, ascorbate, yeast, chloramphenicol, benomyl, penicillin, temperature, humidity, and container size on some biological characteristics of H. armigera was evaluated. The selected 16 factors were considered at two levels (32 experiments) in the experimental design. Among the selected factors, penicillin, container size, formaldehyde, chloramphenicol, wheat germ powder, and agar showed significant effect on the mass rearing performance. Derringer's desirability function was used for simultaneous optimization of mass rearing of tobacco budworm, H. armigera, on a modified artificial diet. Derived optimum operating conditions obtained by Derringer's desirability function and Taguchi methodology decreased larval period from 19 to 15.5 days (18.42 % improvement), decreased the pupal period from 12.29 to 11 days (10.49 % improvement), increased the longevity of adults from 14.51 to 21 days (44.72 % improvement), increased the number of eggs/female from 211.21 to 260, and increased egg hatchability from 54.2% to 72% (32.84 % improvement). The proposed method facilitated a systematic mathematical approach with a few well-defined experimental sets

A Comparison between Recombinant Activated Factor VII (Aryoseven) and Novoseven in Patients with Congenital Factor VII Deficiency

In order to establish the efficacy and biosimilar nature of AryoSeven to NovoSeven in the treatment of congenital factor VII (FVII) deficiency, patients received either agent at 30 1/4g/kg, intravenously per week for 4 weeks, in a randomized fashion. The primary aim was to compare FVII:coagulation activity (FVII:C), 20 minutes after recombinant activated FVII (rFVIIa) injection, in the 2 groups. A secondary measure was self-reported bleeding. The median interquartile baseline range of the plasma level of activated FVII (FVIIa) activity in the 2 groups was 1.6 (1.1-14.0) IU/dL and 5.0 (1.1-25.5) IU/dL. All patients achieved levels of FVIIa (FVII:C) >30 IU/dL, 20 minutes after the injection of rFVIIa. Bleeding was similar between the 2 groups, with a comparable decrease in severity and frequency compared to the last month prior to treatment. AryoSeven is similar to NovoSeven in increasing postinjection FVIIa activity as well as in clinical safety and efficacy. © The Author(s) 2014

Quantitative Optical Imaging of Metabolic and Structural Biomarkers in Rodent Injury Models

The assessment of organ metabolic function using optical imaging techniques is an overgrowing field of disease diagnosis. The broad research objective of my PhD thesis is to detect quantitative biomarkers by developing and applying optical imaging and image processing tools to animal models of human diseases. To achieve this goal, I have designed and implemented an optical imaging instrument called in vivo fluorescence imager to study wound healing progress. I have also developed a 3-dimensional (3D) vascular segmentation technique that uses intrinsic fluorescence images of whole organs. Intrinsic fluorophores (autofluorescence signals) provide information about the status of cellular bioenergetics in different tissue types. Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and oxidized flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) are two key Krebs cycle coenzymes in mitochondria, which are autofluorescent. The ratio of these two fluorophores (NADH/FAD) is used as an optical biomarker for mitochondrial redox state of the tissues. The custom-designed optical tools have enabled me to probe the metabolic state of diseases as well as structural information of the organs at different regimes (in vivo, at cryogenic temperature, and in vitro). Here are the main projects that I have conducted and significantly contributed to: 1) Fluorescent metabolic imaging. I have designed and implemented an in vivo fluorescence imaging device to study diabetic wounds in small animals. This device can monitor the dynamics of the metabolism of the skin by capturing the images of the surface fluorescence of NADH and FAD. The area of the wounds can also be monitored simultaneously. The spatiotemporal mitochondrial redox ratio changes can give information on the status of wound healing online. This device was utilized to study diabetic wounds and the effect of photo-biomodulation on the wound healing progress. I have also utilized the optical cryo-imaging system to study the three-dimensional (3D) mitochondrial redox state of kidneys, hearts, livers, and wound biopsies of the small animal models of various injuries. For example, cryo-imaging was conducted on irradiated rat hearts during ischemia-reperfusion (IR) to investigate the role of mitochondrial metabolism in the differential susceptibility to IR injury. Also, I developed a 3D image processing tool that can segment and quantify the medullary versus the cortical redox state in the kidneys of animal injury models. 2) 3D Vascular-Metabolic Imaging (VMI). I have designed VMI, an image processing algorithm that segments vascular networks from intrinsic fluorescence. VMI allows the simultaneous acquisition of vasculature and metabolism in multiple organs. I demonstrate that this technique provides the vascular network of the whole organ without the need for a contrast agent. A proof validation has performed using TdTomato fluorescence expressing endothelium. The VMI also showed convincing evidence for the “minimum work” hypothesis in the vascular network by following Murray’s law. For a proof-of-concept, I have also utilized a partial body irradiation model that VMI can provide information on radiation-induced vascular regression. 3) Time-lapse fluorescence microscopy. I have utilized fluorescence microscopy to quantify the dynamics of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration. ROS is imaged and quantified under oxygen or metabolic stress conditions in cells in vitro. This approach enabled me to study the sensitivity of retinal endothelial cells and pericytes to stress under high glucose conditions. In short, I developed and utilized optical bio-instrumentation and image processing tools to be able to detect metabolic and vascular information about different diseases

Slaughterhouse Wastewater: Treatment, Management and Resource Recovery

The meat processing industry is one of the largest consumers of total freshwater used in the agricultural and livestock industry worldwide. Meat processing plants (MPPs) produce large amounts of slaughterhouse wastewater (SWW) because of the slaughtering process and cleaning of facilities. SWWs need significant treatment for a sustainable and safe discharge to the environment due to the high content of organics and nutrients. Therefore, the treatment and final disposal of SWW are a public health necessity. In this chapter, the regulatory frameworks relevant to the SWW management, environmental impacts, health effects, and treatment methods are discussed. Although physical, chemical, and biological treatment can be used for SWW degradation, each treatment process has different advantages and drawbacks depending on the SWW characteristics, best available technology, jurisdictions, and regulations. SWWs are typically assessed using bulk parameters because of the various pollutant loads derived from the type and the number of animals slaughtered that fluctuate amid the meat industry. Thus, an on-site treatment using combined processes would be the best option to treat and disinfect the slaughterhouse effluents to be safely discharged into receiving waters

Clinicopathological Characteristics of Gastric Cancer in Iranian Patients Referred to Imam Reza Hospital During 2008 to 2017

Background and Aim: There are a limited number of studies regarding the clinicopathological features of gastric cancer. Here, the clinicopathological features of gastric cancer including tumor type and size, degree of differentiation, tumor operability, and immunohistochemically results of E-cadherin and P53 expression was investigated in Iranian patients. Methods: This retrospective study was performed on patients who were admitted at Imam Reza Hospital in Tehran-Iran from 2008 to 2017 with a diagnosis of gastric cancer. Required information including age, sex, type of cancer, pathology, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) results and treatment were extracted from the hospital archive. Results: Out of 264 enrolled patients (with the mean age of 70.03±14.01 years), 180 cases were men. The frequency of intestinal-type, Diffuse-type, lymphoma and GIST tumor were 54.5%, 27.7%, 12.25% and 5.92% respectively. In addition, 67.58% and 13.83% of the tumors were undifferentiated and poorly differentiated respectively. Surgery was less probable in less differentiated tumors (r=0.582 P=0.001). The surgery rate in GIST, intestinal-type, and Diffuse-type tumors were 100%, 57%, and 14.4%, respectively. IHC results showed that E-cadherin expression was present in 78.6, of which 50.9% were weakly positive (+1). Also, the high expression of P53 was observed in 60.7% of patients. Conclusion: According to the data, we can conclude that poorly differentiated tumors, decreased expression of E-cadherin, and increased expression of P53 is linked to poor prognosis in Iranian patients with gastric cancer. In this regard, further clinical trials and multicenter studies should be done to evaluate the possible factors for improving the prognosis and survival rates of Iranian patients with gastric cancer. *Corresponding Author: Shahrokh Iravani; Email: [email protected] Please cite this article as: Sattartabar B, Nourian M, Samizadeh E, Mehrvar N, Jalaeikhoo H, Mehrvar A, Iravani S. Clinicopathological Characteristics of Gastric Cancer in Iranian Patients Referred to Imam Reza Hospital During 2008 to 2017. Arch Med Lab Sci. 2020;6:1-6 (e18). https://doi.org/10.22037/amls.v6.3330

Kinetic Modeling of Photodegradation of Water-Soluble Polymers in Batch Photochemical Reactor

Synthetic water-soluble polymers, well-known refractory pollutants, are abundant in wastewater effluents since they are extensively used in industry in a wide range of applications. These polymers can be effectively degraded by advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). This entry thoroughly covers the development of the photochemical kinetic model of the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) degradation in UV/H2O2 advanced oxidation batch process that describes the disintegration of the polymer chains in which the statistical moment approach is considered. The reaction mechanism used to describe the photo-degradation of polymers comprises photolysis, polymer chain scission, and mineralization reactions. The impact of operating conditions on the process performance is evaluated. Characterization of the polymer average molecular weights, total organic carbon, and hydrogen peroxide concentrations as essential factors in developing a reliable photochemical model of the UV/H2O2 process is discussed. The statistical moment approach is applied to model the molar population balance of live and dead polymer chains taking into account the probabilistic chain scissions of the polymer. The photochemical kinetic model provides a comprehensive understanding of the impact of the design and operational variables

Comparison of the photoactivities of two commercial titanium dioxide powders in the degradation of 1,4-dioxane

Two different commercial photocatalysts, Degussa P25 and Hombikat UV 100, were used to degrade 1,4-dioxane photocatalytically in an annular slurry photoreactor. The optimum photocatalyst loading for Degussa P25 was found to be 1.5 g L-1 while for Hombikat UV 100 was between 3.0−4.0 g L-1. The photoactivity of Degussa P25 is higher than that of Hombikat at lower photocatalyst loadings whereas it is lower at higher photocatalyst loadings. This was found both experimentally and also by mathematical modeling of the radiation within the photoreactor zone. The photoactivity of UV 100 titanium dioxide was found to be twice that of Degussa P25 at optimum loadings

Features of childhood acute myeloid leukemia in Iran: A report from double center study

Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia is one of the important malignancies in children. For better managing the prognosis of this disease, there should be enough information about common features of this malignancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate these common features in children with Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia. A total of 104 eligible children less than 15-year-old have been referred from 2007-2011 to two referral centers for childhood malignancies. Basic epidemiological information recorded in checklists for each individual. Analyzes have been done by SPSS version 22. Out of patients, 57 cases were males (54.8). The male/female ratio was 1.2. The mean age of patients was 6.5 ± 4.3 years. The majority subtypes of patients were M3, M4, non-M3, and M2, respectively. The common molecular abnormalities were t (15;17) and inv (16). Of patients, 19.2 had an early relapse. The mean age of relapse in patients was 6.7 ± 3.9 years. Sixty patients (57.7) were alive, and 44 cases (42.3) died during or after therapy. The three years overall survival rate of patients was 42 in this study. According to our data, AML has the same frequency as compared with data from developing countries. But different epidemiological characteristic was a lower rate of three years overall survival in patients. These data may serve the health authorities for more effective environmental and preventive measurements, purposeful allocation of resources for facilitating upto-date diagnostic and treatment modalities, psychological support programs for respective family members and educational purposes. © 2015 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Prediction of cell loss rate and its application to connection admission control

At a node of a broadband network, such as an ATM network, the prediction of quality of service plays an important role in formulating traffic control functions. The historical data from 1995 to 2001 has shown that data traffic has doubled each year and this trend is likely to continue. Assuming that traffic is generated from a number of data sources, we propose a new approach in predicting packet (or cell) loss rate, which is considered to be the quality of service of interest. The proposed approach not only does not rely on an assumption of a statistical model for the traffic patterns, but also closely approximates the cell loss rate in an output queue of a node. To do this, first, we identify a set of traffic parameters, as traffic indicator , that can describe the behavior of short-term, long-term or self-similar traffic. Then, we approximate the cell loss rate in terms of the traffic indicator using function approximation capability of a neural network system consisting of a linear combination of a number of sigmoid functions. The proposed traffic indicator and cell loss approximator can be used for traffic engineering of broadband networks, e.g., ATM networks, to maximize the utilization of an output link. As an illustrative example, we propose a new connection admission control that predicts packet cell loss rate from the aggregate of two traffic indicators: one for the existing connections and the other for the new connection. If the predicted cell loss rate for the aggregate traffic indicator is less than a pre-set threshold the new connection is admitted. Under the assumption that the users do not tight bound on the cell loss rate, we showed that the proposed admission control is twice as efficient as the Equivalent Capacit