Ionic Liquids and their Toxicity on the Enzyme Activity and Stability

Molecular interactions are crucial between the enzyme molecules and the surrounding solution in an enzymatic catalysis. Although aqueous solutions used as conventional enzymatic reaction media, non-aqueous enzymology emerges as a major area of biotechnology research and development. Ionic liquids, as new generation of promising alternatives to traditional organic solvents, possess potential industrial enzymatic applications. Enzymes in ionic liquids present enhanced activity, stability, and selectivity. In addition, the potential of ionic liquids in bio-catalysis is raised by high ability of dissolving a wide variety of substrates and their extensively tunable solvent properties through appropriate modification of the cations and anions. However, despite the bio-friendly nature of ionic liquids for enzymatic reactions, their growing interests increase concerns associated with toxicity and environmental pollution of such compounds. This mini-review presents a brief highlight of the contemporary knowledge of enzymes activity and stability in ionic liquids and the environmental influences regarding the potential risks related to the growing applications of these green solvents.HIGHLIGHTS•Conventional organic solvents can be replaced by ionic liquids as green solvents.•Ionic liquids are used as additives, catalysts, or reaction media in industries.•Advantages and disadvantages of ionic liquids are discussed.•Potential environmental hazards linked to application of ionic liquids are highlighted.•The environmental fate needs to be considered in designing safer ionic liquids

Evolution of insecticide resistance and its mechanisms in Anopheles stephensi in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region

Background: While Iran is on the path to eliminating malaria, the disease with 4.9 million estimated cases and 9300 estimated deaths in 2018 remains a serious health problem in the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region. Anopheles stephensi is the main malaria vector in Iran and its range extends from Iraq to western China. Recently, the vector invaded new territories in Sri Lanka and countries in the Horn of Africa. Insecticide resistance in An. stephensi is a potential issue in controlling the spread of this vector. Methods: Data were collated from national and international databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SID, and IranMedex using appropriate search terms. Results: Indoor residual spaying (IRS) with DDT was piloted in Iran in 1945 and subsequently used in the malaria eradication programme. Resistance to DDT in An. stephensi was detected in Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia in the late 1960s. Malathion was used for malaria control in Iran in 1967, then propoxur in 1978, followed by pirimiphosmethyl from 1992 to 1994. The pyrethroid insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin was used from 1994 to 2003 followed by deltamethrin IRS and long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs). Some of these insecticides with the same sequence were used in other malaria-endemic countries of the region. Pyrethroid resistance was detected in An. stephensi in Afghanistan in 2010, in 2011 in India and in 2012 in Iran. The newly invaded population of An. stephensi in Ethiopia was resistant to insecticides of all four major insecticide classes. Different mechanisms of insecticide resistance, including metabolic and insecticide target site insensitivity, have been developed in An. stephensi. Resistance to DDT was initially glutathione S-transferase based. Target site knockdown resistance was later selected by pyrethroids. Esterases and altered acetylcholinesterase are the underlying cause of organophosphate resistance and cytochrome p450s were involved in pyrethroid metabolic resistance. Conclusions: Anopheles stephensi is a major malaria vector in Iran and many countries in the region and beyond. The species is leading in terms of development of insecticide resistance as well as developing a variety of resistance mechanisms. Knowledge of the evolution of insecticide resistance and their underlying mechanisms, in particular, are important to Iran, considering the final steps the country is taking towards malaria elimination, but also to other countries in the region for their battle against malaria. This systematic review may also be of value to countries and territories newly invaded by this species, especially in the Horn of Africa, where the malaria situation is already dire

HIV prevalence and risk behaviours among people who inject drugs in Iran: the 2010 National Surveillance Survey

Objectives To assess the prevalence of HIV and related risk behaviours among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Iran. Methods We conducted a national cross-sectional bio-behavioural surveillance survey between March and July 2010, interviewing male PWID from a geographically dispersed sample through a facility-based sampling method. Results We recruited 2480, and tested 2290 PWID. The overall prevalence of HIV was 15.2% (95% CI 9.7% to 23.1%). Among those who had injected drugs over the last month, 36.9% had used a non-sterile needle, and 12.6% had practiced shared injection. Over the past 12 months preceding the interview, 30.4% had sold sex for money, drugs, goods or a favour. In the multivariate analysis, the prevalence of HIV had a positive association with age, while having above high school education, and permanent job were protective. Conclusions Unsafe injection, and sexual risk behaviours are still frequent and the prevalence of HIV among PWID remains high. Intensified efforts are needed to prevent the further spread of HIV among Iranian PWID and their sexual partners

Evaluation of the Time Course on the Effectiveness of WHO Standard Pyrethroid and Carbamate Impregnated Test Papers against Anopheles stephensi, the Main Malaria Vector in Iran

Background: Anopheles stephensi is a major vector of malaria in some parts of the world. A standard method for de­termining resistance in adult mosquito populations is the bioassay test recommended by the world health organization (WHO). The papers used in this method have an expiry date. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of outdat­ed susceptibility test papers for use in insecticide resistance monitoring programs. Methods: Beech and Bandar Abbas strains of An. stephensi were reared in the insectary. Permethrin 0.75%, Deltame­thrin 0.05%, and Bendiocarb 0.1% impregnated test papers prepared by Universiti Sains Malaysia were used. Probit analysis was used to analyze the results and prepare time-mortality regression lines of LT50 and LT90. Results: There was a difference in the mortality of both tested strains of An. stephensi was exposed to all tested insecti­cides. Both expired and not expired Permethrin and Deltamethrin papers induced 100% mortality at the diagnostic time (60min), but their insecticidal properties were reduced gradually in serial times. The highest efficacy of test papers was in the first trimester after the expiry date and decreased over time. Conclusion: At the diagnostic time of 60 minutes, the mortality rate of both dated and expired papers was 100% in the pyrethroid insecticides, even three years after expiry dates, if stored in the package provided by the producer, in a re­frigerator. This value was reduced to less than 100% in the expired papers of Bendiocarb comparing the dated papers that induced 100% mortality

Biomechanically-Corrected Intraocular Pressure Compared To Pressure Measured With Commonly Used Tonometers In Normal Subjects.

PurposeTo compare the biomechanically-corrected intraocular pressure (bIOP) measured by the Corvis ST (Oculus, Wetzlar, Germany) with IOP measurements made by other commonly used tonometers; and to test the correlations between IOP measures and central corneal thickness.MethodsOne randomly-selected eye from each of 94 healthy subjects was assessed. The bIOP was determined by the CorVis ST and compared with the IOP measurements made by standard Goldmann Applanation Tonometer (GAT: Haag-Streit AG, Bern, Switzerland), the Icare (Icare Finland Oy, Vantaa, Finland), and the Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA-IOPcc: Reichert, New York, USA). Corneal thickness was assessed by the Oculus Pentacam. The correlation between bIOP and the other devices and between CCT were assessed using the Pearson correlation test or Spearman's rho test accordingly to the distribution of these values. The Bland-Altman method and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to assess the agreement of bIOP results with IOP obtained with other techniques. The limits of agreement (LoA) were determined as the mean difference ±1.96 SD of the mean differences. In all tests, the significance level was considered to be 0.05.ResultsMean and SD of the bIOP were 16.11±1.66 mmHg. Significant differences were found between the bIOP and other IOP measurements (GAT, 3.02±2.60 mmHg, pConclusionThe Corvis bIOP has a higher correlation with the IOPcc by ORA, which are also compensated for the effects of corneal biomechanics and have less association with corneal thickness relative to the uncorrected GAT and Icare measurements

Kdr genotyping and the first report of V410L and V1016I kdr mutations in voltage-gated sodium channel gene in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) from Iran

Background: Aedes aegypti is the main vector of arboviral diseases worldwide. The species invaded and became established in southern Iran in 2020. Insecticide-based interventions are primarily used for its control. With insecticide resistance widespread, knowledge of resistance mechanisms is vital for informed deployment of insecticidal interventions, but information from Iranian Ae. aegypti is lacking. Methods: Fifty-six Ae. aegypti specimens were collected from the port city of Bandar Lengeh in Hormozgan Province in the South of Iran in 2020 and screened for kdr mutations. The most common kdr mutations in Latin America and Asia (V410L, S989P, V1016G/I and F1534C), especially when present in combinations, are highly predictive of DDT and pyrethroid resistance were detected. Phylogenetic analyses based on the diversity of S989P and V1016G/I mutations were undertaken to assess the phylogeography of these kdr mutations. Results: Genotyping all four kdr positions of V410L, S989P, V1016G/I and F1534C revealed that only 16 out of the 56 (28.57%) specimens were homozygous wild type for all kdr mutation sites. Six haplotypes including VSVF (0.537), VSVC (0.107), LSVF (0.016), LSIF (0.071), VPGC (0.257) and LPGC (0.011) were detected in this study. For the first time, 11 specimens harbouring the V410L mutation, and 8 samples with V1016I mutation were found. V410L and V1016I were coincided in 8 specimens. Also, six specimens contained 1016G/I double mutation which was not reported before. Conclusions: The relatively high frequency of these kdr mutations in Iranian Ae. aegypti indicates a population exhibiting substantial resistance to pyrethroid insecticides, which are used widely in control operations and household formulations. The detection of the 410L/1016I kdr mutant haplotype in Iranian Ae. aegypti suggests possible convergence of invasive populations from West Africa or Latin America. However, as Iran has very limited maritime/air connections with those African countries, a Latin American origin for the invasive Ae. aegypti in Iran is more plausible

The survey statistical and biological of sturgeon in the southern Caspian Sea (Mazandaran waters)

This study have been conducted entitle biological and statistical sturgeon in the southern Caspian Sea (Mazandaran waters)” from 2009 to 2013. Sampling was manthly. Overal, 1859 specimens of different species of sturgeon was caught including Acipenserpersicus (69%), A. stellatus (19%), Husohuso (6%), A. nudiventris (4%) and A. guldenstaedtii (2%). Totally, the meat and caviar of five species were found 53263.6 kg and 5633 kg respectively and caviar to meat ratio was 10.6%. The results show that ration of meat and caviar whole species reduced from 2009 to 2012 in which the meat and caviar of A. persicus was declined from 12146 to 4465 kg in meat and caviar from 1358 to 487 kg were extremely reduced respectively. The CPUE (catch per unit effort) of sturgeon has fluctuated from 2009 to 2012. Totally, the CPUE of A. persicus was decreased from 0.150 (2009) to 0.130 (2012) kg boat per day, A. stellatue from 0.009 (2009) to 0.021 (2012) kg boat/day, A. guldenstaedtii from 0.002 (2009) to 0.003 (2012) kg boat/day, A. nudiventris from 0.027 (2009) to 0.001 (2012) kg boat/day and H. huso from 0.123 (2009) to 0.018 (2012) kg boat /day. 1061 specimens of fish has been caviar including A. persicus with 69%, A. stellatus (18.1%), H. huso (5.5%), A. guldenstaedtii (2.7%). The frequency of caviar categorize was included 1 , 2, 3 and massive with 49.6%, 38%), 10.6% and 1.9% , respectively. The highest of meat and caviar belong to A. persicus with 31414 kg and 3515.7 kg, respectively were found and the lowest was 841kg and 105.9 kg pertain to A. guldenstaedtii. The results show that 65.9% of sturgeon was caught by legal catch (landing) and 34.1% by beach seine remained. 391 individuals was age determined that the minimum and maximum age was 9 and 41 year comprised to H.huso and A. stellatus, respectively. A. persicus and A. stellatus were majority caught compare to other species. A. persicus has the highest frequency in 14-15 year age groups with 50% and 57% in 2009 and 2011, respectively and 15-16 year age group with 41% and 56% in 2010 and 2012, respectively. The results show that mean of fork length, body weight, caviar weight of A. persicus was declined because the FL and weight average (±SD) obtained from 152.4±16.7cm and 25.8±9.2 kg in 2009 to 146.5± 18.7cm and 22.1±9.2kg in 2012, respectively. In contrast, the average (±SD) FL and weight of H. huso was increased from 218.8±41.1cm and 137.3±96.6kg in 2009 to 231.3±45.2cm in FL and 146.2±78.5kg body weight in 2012, respectively. Consequently, the results show that stocks of sturgeon in the Caspian Sea has a trend declined because of some species in IUCN categorize list was Endangered in 2006 but at this moment lie in Critically Endangered list of IUCN categorize were down which could be a serious alarm for the valuable sturgeon fish in the Caspian Sea. Therefore, recommendation that trade catch of sturgeon in the Caspian Sea must be forbidden and continue legal catch for spawner fish that needede to artificial propagation only

The influence of fat substitution with κ‐carrageenan, konjac, and tragacanth on the textural properties of low‐fat sausage

Reducing the fat content of meat products and producing healthier products is considered as an important matter in politics in prevention of many hazardous diseases and providing consumers' health. The aim of this study was reducing the fat in fatty sausages based on oil reduction and using fat substitutes, including κ‐carrageenan, konjac, and tragacanth, and comparing them according to their texture characteristics. κ‐carrageenan, konjac, and tragacanth gums were used at four different levels (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5) as the fat substitutes in producing low‐fat sausage with 70% reduction based on formulated oil. Texture profile analysis (Hardness, Gumminess, Springiness, and Chewiness) was performed in this study for analyzing the texture characteristics, in 1‐, 10‐, 20‐, and 30‐day time intervals after production. The results showed that producing low‐fat sausage was possible using all the three gums, among the low‐fat samples of which, the texture samples containing konjac were more favorable. Textural properties indicated that fat reduction increased in firmness and gum addition can partially compensate deficits in rheological properties, although during the storage, low‐fat sausages without any gum have highest decline in Hardness. Konjac gum illustrated the best theological properties between treatments