Adaptive interval type-2 fuzzy logic systems for vehicle handling enhancement by new nonlinear model of variable geometry suspension system

This research examines the emerging role of adaptive interval type-2 fuzzy logic systems (AIT2FLS) versus adaptive type-1 fuzzy logic system (AT1FLS) in vehicle handling by a new nonlinear model of the variable geometry suspension system (VGS) as a vehicle active suspension system. A proper controller is needed in order to have soft response and robustness against challenging vehicle maneuvers. Two controllers, including AT1FLS and AIT2FLS have been used in the paper. The proposed AIT2FLS can efficiently handle system uncertainties, especially in the presence of most difficult challenging vehicle maneuvers in comparison with AT1FLS. The interval type-2 fuzzy adaptation law adjusts the consequent parameters of the rules constructed on the Lyapunov synthesis approach. For this purpose, the kinematic equations are obtained for the vehicle double wishbone suspension system and they are substituted in a nonlinear vehicle handling model with eight degrees of freedoms (8DOFs). Thereby, a new nonlinear model for the analysis of VGS is obtained. The results indicate that between the two controllers, the proposed AIT2FLS has better overall vehicle handling, robustness and soft response

Dynamic features of human mitochondrial DNA maintenance and transcription

Mitochondria are the primary sites for cellular energy production and are required for many essential cellular processes. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a 16.6 kb circular DNA molecule that encodes only 13 gene products of the approximately 90 different proteins of the respiratory chain complexes and an estimated 1,200 mitochondrial proteins. MtDNA is, however, crucial for organismal development, normal function, and survival. MtDNA maintenance requires mitochondrially targeted nuclear DNA repair enzymes, a mtDNA replisome that is unique to mitochondria, and systems that control mitochondrial morphology and quality control. Here, we provide an overview of the current literature on mtDNA repair and transcription machineries and discuss how dynamic functional interactions between the components of these systems regulate mtDNA maintenance and transcription. A profound understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control mtDNA maintenance and transcription is important as loss of mtDNA integrity is implicated in normal process of aging, inflammation, and the etiology and pathogenesis of a number of diseases

Chitosan Nanogel Design on Gymnema sylvestre Essential Oils to Inhibit Growth of Candida albicans Biofilm and Investigation of Gene Expression ALS1, ALS3

Chitosan (CS) is a polycation with a pka of about 6.3 with a charge density dependent on pH and the %DA-value which can interact with polyanions to form complex and gels. Nanoparticles (CNPs) in addition can increase the antifungal potential of bioactive compounds like essential oils by increasing cellular interactions between them and the fungal as a result of the very small size that enhances cellular uptake. In this study, was set to investigate the encapsulation of the Gymnema sylvestre essential oils (G.EOs) using Chitosan and Myrestic acid made Nanogel in order to enhance its antifungal activity and stability to the oil against C. albicans strain (ATCC 10231). To procedure this, the self-assembled process of Chitosan and Myrestic acid Nanogel (CS-MA) through the 1- ethyl - 3- (3 dimethyl aminoprophyl) carbodiimide (EDC) was designed. Its physicochemical properties were determined by Fourier Transforms Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and microscopic methods by Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at 18.7 to 37.5 µg/ml and 2.3 to 4.6 µg/ml and minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC) at 75 µg/ml and 5.38 µg/ml using by broth micro dilution (BMD) method for G. sylvestre oils (G.EOs) and oil-loaded Nanogels (G.OLNPs) were measurement. The susceptibility of C. albicans biofilm to fractions was examined by 2,3-bis (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[8phenylamino) carbonyl] - 2H - tetrazolium hydroxide (XTT) quantitatively.The concentration of G.OLNPs required to inhibit 50 % biofilm formation was 4.68 µg/ml, while that to remove 90 % biofilm growth was 18.07 µg/ml. In addition, it was observed that cell uptake of G.OLNPs was much higher compared with free G.EOs. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was performed to determine the effect of sub-MIC concentrations of G.EOs and G.OLNPs on expression of the biofilm–related gene ALS1 / ALS3, and indicated the G.OLNPs down-regulated the expression of hypha-specific gene ALS3. Furthermore, the data strongly suggested that G.OLNPs more effective suppressed C. albicans planktonic cells and reduction biofilm biomass

The study of body mass index in students of Bam educational centers

چکیده: زمینه و هدف: امروزه چاقی به عنوان یک مشکل بهداشت جهانی مطرح و شیوع آن در دهه های اخیر افزایش یافته است. چاقی به عنوان یک عامل خطر در بروز بیماری های متعدد از قبیل دیابت، پرفشاری خون، هیپرلیپیدمی، بیماریهای قلبی-عروقی و سرطان شناخته است. این مطالعه با هدف ارزیابی وضعیت چاقی و افزایش وزن در دانشجویان شهر بم انجام گردید. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه توصیفی – تحلیلی 327 دانشجو (139 پسر و 188 دختر) با میانگین سنی 61/2±78/21 به روش تصادفی- طبقه ای از بین کل دانشجویان مراکز دانشگاهی شهر بم انتخاب شدند. وزن و قد بدون کفش و لباس اضافی اندازه گیری و نمایه توده بدنی با استفاده از پروتکل استاندارد محاسبه شد. معیار مورد استفاده برای تعریف لاغری، وزن طبیعی، اضافه وزن و چاقی بر پایه حدود مرزی نمایه توده بدنی (BMI) پیشنهادی کمیته تخصصی سازمان بهداشت جهانی (WHO) بود. داده ها با استفاده از روش های آمار توصیفی و تحلیلی (آزمونهای t مستقل و مجذور کا) مورد تجزیه و تحلیل قرار گرفت. یافته ها: نتایج به دست آمده نشان داد که میانگین BMI در نمونه مورد بررسی 216/3±82/21 بود که این میانگین در دختران 31/3±59/21 و در پسران 08/3±08/22 می باشد (05/0P>). 1/14 کل دانشجویان مورد بررسی کم وزن، 6/71 وزن طبیعی، 1/12 اضافه وزن و 1/2 چاق بودند. میانگین BMI در دانشجویان با سابقه چاقی در خانواده 47/3±3/22 و در افراد فاقد سابقه چاقی در خانواده 54/2±01/21 به دست آمد (001/0

Fe2+/Persulfate / Clinoptilolite, catalytic oxidative treatment, as a cost effective process for Isocyanate and Meta Toluene Diamine Petrochemical unit wastewater

Background: Petrochemical wastewater from isocyanate units contains aromatic and hazardous compounds such as Diaminotoluenes, Mononitrotoluene, Dinitro-toluene, Nitro-phenol, Nitro-cresol. Persulfate and ferrous sulfate can produce sulfate radicals with strong standard oxidation potential. Clinoptilolite, a natural adsorbent; plus sulfate radicals can result in catalytic oxidation of these chemicals. The objective of this study is to evaluate the catalytic oxidation efficiency Fe2+/Persulfate/ Clinoptilolite and cost effectiveness of this process for treatment of petrochemical wastewater containing aromatics.Materials and methods: The effect of study variables including persulfate and ferrous sulfate concentrations, zeolite dosages, pH and oxidation time were investigated. The type and amount of aromatic compounds as well as COD and TSS removal efficiencies were determined. All procedures in study were conducted ethicallyResults: The COD and TSS removal efficiencies using catalytic oxidative treatment processes by Fe,Persulfate, Clinoptilolite were 96% and 95%, respectively. The corresponding COD and TSS removal efficiencies using Fe and Persulfate, without zeolite were 85% and 80%, respectively.Conclusion: The catalytic processes utilizing Fe2+/Persulfate/ Clinoptilolite demonstrates an excellent COD and TSS removal efficiency. Due to its natural nature, low cost compared to chemical oxidants, as well as improvements in the efficiency of advanced oxidation processes, Zeolite can be considered as anefficient and cost-effective alternative to upgrade the catalytic oxidative treatment

HYPEROXIC PRECONDITIONING FAILS TO CONFER ADDITIONAL PROTECTION AGAINST ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION INJURY IN ACUTE DIABETIC RAT HEART

Experimental studies show that detrimental effects of ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury can be attenuated by hyperoxic preconditioning in normal hearts, however, there are few studies about hyperoxia effects in diseased myocardium. The present study was designed to assess the cardioprotective effects of hyperoxia pretreatment (≥ 95 % O2) in acute diabetic rat hearts. Normal and one week acute diabetic rats were either exposed to 60 (H60) and 180 (H180) min of hyperoxia or exposed to normal atmospheric air (21 % O2). Then hearts were isolated immediately and subjected to 30 min of regional ischemia followed by 120 min of reperfusion. Infarct size, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, enzymes release and ischemia induced arrhythmias were determined. Heart of diabetic control rats had less infarct size and decreased LDH and CK-MB release compared to normal hearts. 60 and 180 min of hyperoxia reduced myocardial infarct size and enzymes release in normal hearts. 180 min of hyperoxia also decreased cardiomyocytes apoptosis in normal state. On the other hand, protective values of hyperoxia were not significantly different in diabetic hearts. Moreover, hyperoxia reduced severity of ventricular arrhythmias in normal rat hearts whereas; it did not confer any additional antiarrhythmic protection in diabetic hearts. These findings suggest that diabetic hearts are less susceptible to ischemia-induced arrhythmias and infarction. Hyperoxia greatly protects rat hearts against I/R injury in normal hearts, however, it could not provide added cardioprotective effects in acute phase of diabetes

Down-regulation of miR-135b in colon adenocarcinoma induced by a TGF-β receptor I kinase inhibitor (SD-208).

OBJECTIVES Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is involved in colorectal cancer (CRC). The SD-208 acts as an anti-cancer agent in different malignancies via TGF-β signaling. This work aims to show the effect of manipulation of TGF-β signaling on some miRNAs implicated in CRC. MATERIALS AND METHODS We investigated the effects of SD-208 on SW-48, a colon adenocarcinoma cell line. The cell line was treated with 0.5, 1 and 2 μM concentrations of SD-208. Then, the xenograft model of colon cancer was established by subcutaneous inoculation of SW-48 cell line into the nude mice. The animals were treated with SD-208 for three weeks. A quantitative real-time PCR was carried out for expression level analysis of selected oncogenic (miR-21, 31, 20a and 135b) and suppressor-miRNAs (let7-g, miR-133b, 145 and 200c). Data were analyzed using the 2-∆∆CT method through student's t-test via the GraphPad Prism software. RESULTS Our results revealed that SD-208 could significantly down-regulate the expression of one key onco-miRNA, miR-135b, in either SW-48 colon cells (P=0.006) or tumors orthotopically implanted in nude mice (P=0.018). Our in silico study also predicted that SD-208 could modulate the expression of potential downstream tumor suppressor targets of the miR135b. CONCLUSION Our data provide novel evidence that anticancer effects of SD-208 (and likely other TGF-β inhibitors) may be owing to their ability to regulate miRNAs expression

Homeodomain protein transforming growth factor beta-induced factor 2 like, X-linked function in colon adenocarcinoma cells

A member of homeodomain protein namely TGIF2LX has been implicated as a tumor suppressor gene in human malignancy as well as in spermatogenesis. However, to our knowledge, dynamic functional evidence of the TGIF2LX has not yet been provided. The aim of the present study was to investigate the human TGIF2LX target gene(s) using a cDNA-AFLP as a differential display method. A pEGFP-TGIF2LX construct containing the wild-type TGIF2LX cDNA was stably transfected into SW48 cells. UV microscopic analysis and Real-time RT-PCR were used to confirm TGIF2LX expression. The mRNA expressions of TGIF2LX in transfected SW48 cells, the cells containing empty vector (pEGFP-N), and untransfected cells were compared. Also, a Real-time PCR technique was applied to validate cDNA-AFLP results. The results revealed a significant down-regulation and up-regulationby TGIF2LX of Nir1 and Nir2 genes, respectively. The genes are engaged in the cell morphogenesis process. Our findings may provide new insight into the complex molecular pathways underlying colorectal cancer development