Application of Epstein-Barr Virus for Optimization of Immortalized B-lymphocyte Production as a Positive Control in Genetic Studies.

BACKGROUND Infection of B-cells with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) leads to more and subsequent immortalization. This is considered as the method of choice for generating lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). Producing LCLs, although very useful but is very time consuming and troublesome, drives the requirement for quicker and more reliable methods for EBV-driven B-cell transformation. MATERIALS AND METHODS After successfully production of LCLs, different parameters including temperature, serum concentration, type of culture medium, and CO2 concentration were evaluated on EBV-transformed B-cells. In this study, we were able to produce LCLs and optimize condition. RESULTS The best condition for generating LCLs was 37°C, 5% CO2, 20% fasting blood sugar, and RPMI 1640. The study results were to establish a reliable method for producing LCLs that can be used to produce immortalized B-cells from almost any sources. CONCLUSION This can help with tumorgenecity studies, as well as producing control material for rare genetic disorders and so on. The aim of this study was to determine optimized condition for reliable and reproducible LCLs from different sources

Investigation of the Relationship between Genetic Polymorphisms in GSTM1 and GSTT1 Genes and Susceptibility to Lung Functional Abnormalities in Workers Exposed to Air Pollutants at Isfahan Steel Plant

Introduction: Gaseous air pollutants can cause oxidative stress, which can lead to lung damage by inducing inflammation. Polymorphisms in the glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene are involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases, including lung disease. Two glutathione S-transferase Mu 1 (GSTM1) and glutathione S-transferase theta 1 (GSTT1) genes belong to this family, in which deletions occur and the resulting alleles are unable to produce active enzymes. Materials and Methods: In this study, 41 steel plant workers with impaired lung function were selected. Multiplex PCR technique was used to identify the genotyping of GST M1 and T1. Results: The results of the frequency of gene deletion among 41 patients showed that there were 10 individuals (17.2%) with deletion of GSTM1 gene, 4 individuals (11.8%) with deletion of GSTT1 gene. The results of the frequency of gene deletion among 50 healthy individuals (control group) also showed that there were 8 individuals (8.5%) with deletion of GSTM1 gene, and 12 individuals (8.3%) with deletion of GSTT1 gene. There were 7 individuals (14%) without deletion of GSTM1 and GSTT1 removal. The results of Chisquare test between healthy and sick groups showed no significance at the level of p < 0.05. Conclusion: According to the results, it can be concluded that the sensitivity to lung function abnormalities in steel workers is directly related to the duration of employmen

Evaluation of chemical oxygen demand and color removal from leachate using coagulation/flocculation combined with advanced oxidation process

Background: One of the basic practices in the field of waste management is the collection and treatment of leachate. Leachate from municipal waste due to high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and dark color is a potential pollutant of the environment, which causes a lot of problems in the absence of treatment and direct discharge to the environment. This study aimed to determine the efficiency of ultrasonic process in combination with coagulation and flocculation process using sodium ferrate in COD and color reduction. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, all experiments were performed in batch conditions and with changing process variables such as pH and sonication time, and the effect of three parameters, including ultrasonic reaction time (15, 30, and 45 min), pH (2, 4, 5/5, and 7), and coagulant dosage (from 1 to 150 g/l) on the COD reduction and color removal, was evaluated. Coagulant concentration and then the removal efficiency of COD and color were analyzed by ANOVA using SPSS 18. Results: The COD reduction and color removal were 87.05% and 88.6% in optimal condition (using 120 g/L of sodium ferrate at pH 5.5), with coagulation/flocculation, after ultrasound (15 min). Ultrasound (15 min) + sodium ferrate (without coagulation/flocculation) achieved 46.25% of COD reduction and 90.35% of color elimination, whereas the ultrasonic process alone allowed removing the COD and color in the leachate by less than 50%. Conclusion: The results indicate that C-F followed by ultrasonic can be used to efficiently reduce the organic matter and color from municipal waste leachate, and it would be an ideal option for leachate treatment

Investigation of the levels of essential and non-essential metals in women with and without abortion history: A study based on the Persian population of the Shahrekord cohort

Spontaneous abortion is a serious threat to the mothers' physical and mental well-being. The cause of spontaneous abortion is multifactorial disease. Prenatal non-essential metal exposure, particularly heavy metals, has been suggested to be associated with adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the concentration of essential and non-essential metals including Pb, As, Zn, and Se and the risk of spontaneous abortion. In this case-control study the levels of Pb, As, Zn, and Se in the whole blood of 60 women with spontaneous abortion (case group) and also 60 women without spontaneous abortion (control group) were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results revealed statistically significant reductions (P < 0.001) in whole blood levels of Zn and Se as well as the levels of As and Pb had a substantial elevation (P < 0.001) in cases compared to controls. According to the findings, repeated spontaneous abortion may be influenced by increasing whole blood levels of heavy metals such as As (OR = 17.53, P = 0.001) and Pb (OR = 15.58, P = 0.001) as well as decreasing levels of vital micronutrients Zn (OR = 0.20, P = 0.001) and Se (OR = 0.14, P = 0.001). The results of this study support the idea that limiting intake of non-essential metals during pregnancy can decrease the risk of spontaneous abortion. Overall, the information presented is expected to help plan future fundamental and applied investigations on the spontaneous abortion