r. najafi

Tissue engineering refers to methods that are based on the use of scaffolds, cells and biologically active molecules to produce tissues with specific functions. The purpose of tissue engineering is to build structures that can regenerate, maintain and improve damaged tissue or the whole organ. Today, by using tissue engineering methods, various natural and synthetic scaffolds have been designed that can be used for nerve grafts. The physical, chemical and biological properties of the scaffold must be similar to the extracellular matrix of the body in order to avoid adhesion, growth and support the differentiation of cells. An ideal neural scaffold should have biodegradability, biocompatibility and proper tensile strength. Recently, the use of polycaprolactan as a suitable biodegradable material has been evaluated in many fields of tissue engineering. Antioxidants are among the substances, which seem to be able to prevent neuronal death by reducing the amount of ROS. Flavonoids include many compounds that have various biological effects in the body. Silymarin (Silybum marianum) is a flavonoid that has many effects, including anti-cancer effects and antioxidant properties. Tragacanth is a known natural polymer that has excellent biological properties such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, antibacterial and wound healing ability. It is obtained from the stems and branches of the Asian species tragacanth. It has outstanding structural stability against heat and acidity. The aim of this study is to produce polycaprolactan/ tragacanth /silymarin nanoscaffolds and to investigate the viability of pc12 cells on the scaffold under oxidative stress. Considering that silymarin has antioxidant properties, the use of polycaprolactan/ tragacanth /silymarin nanoscaffolds can prevent neuropathy of nerve cells.

Scaffolds used in this research were prepared using the electrophoretic method. For this purpose, an electrospinning machine was used, which is equipped with a rotary collector with a thickness of 70 mm and a width of 50 mm. In order to prepare a polycaprolactan/ tragacanth nanoscaffold and load silymarin on it, a 7% polycaprolactan solution (dissolved in acetic acid), 0.7% by weight tragacanth solution (dissolved in acetic acid) and 0.9% by weight silymarin solution were mixed by a magnetic stirrer for 20 minutes, and in order to make the solution uniform, sodium didecyl sulfate (SDS) with a concentration 1 percent by weight of the solvent was added to the solution and the suspension was homogenized for 20 minutes with an ultrasonic device, then the scaffold was prepared by an electrospinning device. . The nanofibers were collected in a period of 6 hours, the sample collection speed was 1 ml per hour, and the nanofiber samples were collected by rotating at 250 rpm. The distance between the injection needle and the scaffold is 12 cm and this process is done at a voltage of 15 kV. The morphology of the scaffold was evaluated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the chemical structure of the scaffold was evaluated by FTIR spectroscopy. To investigate the antioxidant properties of the scaffold, glucose 80 mg/L and H2O2, 150 macro L were used.

Examining the morphology and chemical structure of the scaffold showed the proper porosity of the polycaprolactan/ tragacanth scaffold and the successful loading of silymarin on the scaffold. Evaluation of the oxidant properties of the scaffold after 24 hours of PC12 cell culture on it showed the increase in cell viability on the scaffold and the appropriate antioxidant properties of the scaffold.

The results of this research showed that the enrichment of polycaprolactan/ tragacanth scaffold with silymarin increased the proliferation and survival of PC12 cells under oxidative stress. Therefore, this scaffold can be a suitable candidate for tissue engineering in oxidative stress.

 Cauliflower is one of the world’s most important vegetable crops. The edible head of the cauliflower is called curd, which is composed of many florets formed of aborted floral meristems. Curd has various components with high nutritional value including glucosinolates, vitamin A and C, phenolic compounds, and carotenoids, which exert beneficial effects on our health. Calcium is an essential macronutrient that plays a vital role in maintains cell wall stability, integrity and determining the fruit quality. Several researches have explored the effects of calcium salts on plant growth and quality in many horticulture crops. Various studies indicate that Ca2+ reduced peroxidation of lipid, increased activity of antioxidant enzyme and improve osmotic adjustment of cell membranes. Plant roots absorb calcium from the soil solution in the form of Ca2+ ions. The mobility of calcium in plant is low, and the root uptake from fertilized soils is poorly effective in increasing the calcium content in leaves and fruits. Deficiency of Ca will appear in younger leaves and in fruits, due to its low rate of transpiration. Thence, it is necessary to have a constant supply of calcium to continue growing. The direct application of liquid source of calcium on leaves and fruits may offer an alternative solution. The efficiency of foliar application with Ca depends on the source of Ca and applied dosage. To our knowledge, however, little information is available regarding the effect of different calcium sources on cauliflower. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of foliar spray of calcium sources on quality and antioxidant properties of cauliflower cv. Romansco.
 In order to evaluate the effect of different sources of calcium on antioxidant properties and quality of cauliflower cv. Romansco, the field experiment was carried out as a randomized complete block design with three replication during 2018 at Research farm of faculty of Agriculture, at the University of Zanjan, Iran. Cauliflower plants (cv. Romanesco) were cultivated by applying conventional farming practice for growing in open air conditions. Different calcium sources including calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 %), calcium chloride (CaCl2, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 %) and calcium lactate ( C6H10CaO6, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 g L-1) were sprayed in vegetative stage and 10 days after curd formation for 2 times onto the leaves and curd until runoff using a mechanical mist sprayer. Distilled water was used as a control. Potassium, phosphorus, total soluble content, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid content, total phenols and flavonoids, free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) were measured. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS software package v. for Windows, and means comparison were separated by Duncan’s multiple range tests at p < 0.05.
 The results showed that foliar spray of different Ca sources significantly increased K content and decreased P content. The highest amount of K (5.6 µg mg-1DW) was achieved in CaCl 0.9% treatment. The highest value of flavonoids (0.86 and 0.85 %) was found in plants treated with CaL 1.5 g L-1 and CaCl 0.9%, respectively. In this study, also it was found that foliar spray of CaN 1.5% and CaCl 0.9% increased respectively 49.3 and 40.4% vitamin C content compared to control plants. Ca application with increasing phenolic compound and vitamin C contents, improved antioxidant capacity and the maximum antioxidant capacity (26.19%) was found in CaL 1.5 g L-1 and CaN 1.5% treatments. Application of Ca sources increased TA and TSS content. The highest TSS content (12.5 and 13.3 ºB) was achievd in CaCl 0.9% and CaL 1.5 g L-1 and the maximum TA (28.8%) was found in plant treated with CaCl 0.9%. In this regard, foliar application of high level of calcium sources was more efficient than of lower levels on cauliflower quality. Therefore, the leaf application of calcium can be effective in improving the quality of vegetables, especially cauliflower.
 Study results suggest that spraying different Ca source improved quality and antioxidant properties of cauliflower cv. Romanesco, so that with the application of Ca salts increase K, vitamin C, phenol and flavonoids contents. Among the calcium treatments used, higher levels of all three salts of CaCl, CaN and CaL had the most influence, so these calcium treatments are recommended to improve the quality and antioxidant properties of Romanesco cultivar.

Diabetes  mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by high blood sugar levels (due to insufficient insulin production or insulin resistance, or both). The aim of this study was to evaluate the status of DMFT index in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes in comparison with healthy children in Ilam province.

The study is a comparative study. The sample size for this study was 160 cases  including all children and adolescents aged 9-18 years, 80 patients with type 1 diabetes (case group) and 80 healthy cases (control group) who were similar in age and sex. A written consent and a researcher-made questionnaire were completed by the two groups. The analysis was performed using chi-square, independent t-test, and correlation coefficient in SPSS 22 and Graphpad Prism8 software.

The mean age of the subjects was 13.4±3 in the diabetic group and 12.8±2.9 years in the healthy group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P> 0.05). The number of DMFT teeth in children with type 1 diabetes was significantly higher than healthy children (P <0.05). There was a significant relationship between the number of decayed teeth and HbA1c (r = 0.3, P = 0.004). Also, there is a direct and statistically significant relationship between DMFT and HbA1c (r = 0.36, P = 0.001).

In this study (DMFT) was higher in the diabetic group than in the healthy group. A direct correlation was also  seen between HBA1C and (DMFT).

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is an important non-climacteric fruit grown in tropical and subtropical regions. The total production in Iran and world for eggplants in 2018 were estimated 54077210 and 666838 tons, respectively, and Iran ranked fifth in the production of this product. The health-promoting attributes of eggplant are derived from the phytochemicals with good source of antioxidants (anthocyanin and phenolic acids), dietary fiber and vitamins. Fruit deterioration during long term storage is associated with appearance quality reduction, calyx discoloration, softening and pulp browning caused by the oxidation of phenolic compounds. Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) is a flammable and colorless gas, that similar to carbon monoxide and nitric oxide, is known as third leading signaling molecule. It has been reported that H2S play an imperative role in the postharvest physiology and chilling injury of various fruits and vegetables. In recent years, exogenous phenylalanine (PA) application has been employed as a beneficial procedure for enhancing quality in fruits and vegetables by promoting higher phenols and flavonoids accumulation arising from higher PAL enzyme activity and proline accumulation exhibiting higher ROS scavenging capacity. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the postharvest application of H2S and PA on quality and postharvest storage of eggplant fruit during storage at 7 °C for 21 days. Eggplant fruits (Solanum melongena cv. Hadrian) were harvested at commercially maturity stage in Jun 2019 from a greenhouse in Hashtgerd city, Iran. Fruit selected for uniform size, shape, and color, and immediately transported to the laboratory. They were divided into seven parts for the following treatments: control (0), hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) at 0.1, 0.2 or 0.3 mM and phenylalanine (PA) at 2.5, 5 or 7.5 mM. Each treatment was done in three replicates, consists of 24 fruits from each replicate, and then randomly divided into four groups include six fruits. One group was analyzed 24 hrs. after harvesting and another groups stored at 7 ± 1 °C and 85% RH for 21 days. At 7-day intervals, one group was taken at random and transferred for one day at 20 °C (shelf-life), and subjected to physicochemical analysis. For H2S fumigation, fruit was placed at the bottom of a sealed 15 L container with different aqueous sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) solution concentrations for 10 min, and for PA treatments, the fruits were immersed in 10 L of fresh phenylalanine solution for 10 min and in distilled water as a control. The fruits were allowed to completely dry at room temperature before storage. The results showed that fruits treated by PA and H2S exhibited higher fruit firmness, chlorophyll, anthocyanin, total soluble solids (TSS), vitamin C, pH and titratable acidity (TA) accompanied by lower weight loss and chilling indices during storage at 7 ºC for 21 days. In control eggplant fruits, fruit firmness (24.2%), chlorophyll (45.8%), vitamin C (34.1 %), anthocyanin content (66.2 %) and TA (44.8) decreased, and weight loss (7.5 %), TSS (8.2%) and chilling indices (4.5 %) increased during 21 storage time. The maximum fruit firmness (1.37 and 1.34 kg cm-2), anthocyanin content (5.02 and 4.2 mg L-1) and TA (18.67 and 1.37 %), and the lowest weight loss (3.67 and 3.7 %) and chilling index (1.6 and 1.3 %) was found in fruits treated with H2S at 3 mM and PA at 7.5 mM during storage at 7 °C for 21 days, respectively. It has been reported that texture correlates with firmness and higher firmness is a characteristic indicator of good texture during postharvest storage of fresh products. Soluble solid contents, titratable acidity (TA) and sugars have been known as important attributes contributing in overall sensory quality of fruits and vegetables. Development of the chilling injury disorder significantly reduces quality of fruits and vegetables due to diminished consumer’s acceptance. So, start of chilling injury symptoms eventually becomes economically critical postharvest constraint that defines the storage life potential of the products. Decline chilling injury in responses to H2S and PA treatments may resulted from higher ROS scavenging enzymes SOD, CAT, APX and POD activity and proline, phenols and flavonoids accumulation giving rise to conferring chilling tolerance. According to results, PA at 7.5 mM and H2S at 3 mM had the highest positive effect on maintain firmness and fruit quality and reducing weight loss and chilling, therefor postharvest treatment of PA and H2S can be proposed to improve fruit quality and postharvest life during storage period.

 Nowadays commercial broiler strains need more oxygen for the faster growth and higher meat production and are susceptible to ascites syndrome due to higher growth rate. Ascites is a metabolic disorder that causes the increased free radical production, decreased level of body antioxidant capacity and hence meat muscles destruction, pale color and lower quality. It damages the gut morphology and reduces the absorption of amino acids and minerals and as a result leg problems. Lysine and betaine are nature osmotic nutrients and control the water status in the absorptive cell and so protect the cell during the conditions of ascites. Thus lysine and betaine may help the synthesis of protein, lowering the carcass fat, change the oxygen needs and results in ascites in broiler chickens. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of lysine and betaine on meat characteristics and bone condition of broiler chicks under cold induced ascites.

Three hundred one-day-old female chicks (Ross 308) were used by employing a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 5 replicates (10 birds for each replicate) to investigate the effects of lysine and betaine alone or together on carcass quantity and quality of broiler chickens under ascites. The experimental diets were the control diet (corn-soybean basal diet without the supplement), 30% higher lysine than Ross 308 strain recommendation, 0.15% beatine and 30% higher lysine and 0.15% betaine. The dietary ingredients were analyzed for energy, crude protein and essential amino acids by NIR. All chickens were raised under cold stress from day 7 of age to induce the ascites. To induce cold stress, a temperature of 31 ° C was used in the first week but the temperature on 7, 14, and 21 days was reduced to 26 ° C, 20 ° C and 15 ° C, respectively After 21 days, it lasted from 15 ° C to the end of the period. At 42 days of age, daily intake and feed conversion and ascites mortality rates were calculated. Two bird from each replicate were randomly selected, weighted and slathered. After slaughter, the proportional weights of carcass, breast, thigh and right ventricle were determined with a precision scale of 0.001 gr. Moreover, thigh and breast meat samples were collected from the slaughtered birds and used for laboratory analysis of nutrients, acidity and the color indices. All the data were analyzed using the GLM procedure of SAS (Version 9.1) software. If there was a significant difference between the treatments, then the means were further compared by Tukey-Kramer range test at a 5% level.

 The results showed that both the lysine and betaine alone or together caused the higher weight gain and the proportional weights of carcass, breast and thigh (P<0.05). Abdominal fat decreased by consumption of betaine alone or along with lysine (P<0.05). Both the lysine and betaine alone or together caused the decreased feed consumption, feed conversion, ascites mortality and right ventricle to total ventricle ratio (P<0.05). The moisture, crude protein, crude fat, ash of both breast and thigh meat were not affected by the experimental treatments (P>0.05). Moreover, thigh or breast meat pH and color indices (lightness, redness and yellowness) were not changed by dietary lysine or betaine supplementation (P>0.05). None of the experimental treatments affected the bone indices (ash, calcium and phosphorous) but the tibia diameter which was increased by dietary lysine supplementation (P<0.05). It seems that dietary lysine and betaine consumption in broiler chickens adjust the osmotic pressure in gastrointestinal cells and hence protect these cells under stress condition such as the cold situation of current experiment and thus help for the higher L-carnitine synthesis in body. The higher L-carnitine production results in lower carcass fat and greater protein synthesis and improved carcass efficiency (higher breast and thigh meat production). Consequently, body oxygen requirements and right ventricle to total ventricle ratio reduced and this causes the lower ascites mortality.

The consumption of betaine and lysine improves the performance, carcass quantity (increased carcass, and thigh and breast weights) and quality (decreased abdominal fat weight), and ascites mortality of broiler chickens. Moreover, no effects of lysine and betaine were detected on meat nutrient contents, pH and color indices and bone parameters.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of growth promoters Avilamycin, Butyric acid and Nutracid Focus® on performance, carcass characteristics and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens. A total of 176 one-day old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly allocated to four treatments with 4 replicates and 11 birds each according a completely randomized design and fed a basal diet or diets supplemented with 0.01% Avilamycin, 0.25% Butyric acid and 0.1% Nutracid Focus throughout the experimental period respectively. At days 21 and 42 of age, three and four birds per treatment were selected respectively and killed for analysis of carcass characteristics and intestinal morphology. In analysis of variance, no significant differences were observed between the treatments for feed consumption, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio, and also relative weights of carcass, liver, heart and gizzard (P>0.05). Furthermore in orthogonal array test, the supplementation of organic acids in comparison with control group decreased the abdominal fat weight and increased the goblet cell numbers in jejunum (P<0.05). In addition, the villus length and villus length to crypt depth ratio in duodenum were higher than those for Avilamycin fed birds (P<0.05). It was concluded that dietary supplementation of organic acids instead of growth promoter antibiotics could have some advantages on abdominal fat weight and intestinal morphological parameters in broiler chickens.

Background and

Binding a monoclonal antibody to tumor associated antigens is an effective method for cancer therapy because these agents can specifically target malignant cells. In fact, monoclonal antibodies are effective agents for diagnosis, grading and treatment of different kinds of cancers. In this research, a new monoclonal antibody against colon cancer cells was prepared and radiolabeling with technetium-99m evaluated.

This research was done in three parts: preparation of hybridoma cell against colon cancer cell line (HT29), production of monoclonal antibody, determination of its characterizations and radiolabeling with technetium-99m.

mAb-D2 is an IgG1 with affinity constant of 7.2 × 109M-1 which can recognize CEA in tumor cells. Radiolabeling showed that 99mTc-HYNIC-mAb-D2 complex is stable, immunoradioactive, and has a desirable biodistribution.

In this study, we gained a new radiopharmaceutical that may be a good candidate for radioimmunoscintigraphy.

In the last two decades treatment of brain tumors using BNCT has been performed using improved boron compounds and neutron irradiation techniques. Compounds that make use of carborane clusters, which have a high inherent boron content, should be more effective, provided, of course, the efficient and selective uptake of the boron-containing carrier molecules by cancer or other target cells. Examples of carborane cluster are the icosahedral C2B10H12 carboranes. Many porphyrins and porphyrinoid compounds have demonstrated an ability to selectively accumulate in tumors, and have therefore been considered as the possible candidates for delivery of boron to malignant tissue. The texaphyrins are aromatic pentadentate macro cyclic expanded porphyrins, which have been found to be useful as MRI contrast agents, as radiation sensitizers and in photodynamic theraphy (PDT). In this study, a new boronated texaphyrine for potential use in BNCT has been proposed and synthesized.