• Advances in Energy Research
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.67-84
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• 2020

Given the recent surge of interest towards utilization of renewable distributed energy resources (DER), in particular in remote areas, this paper aims at designing an optimal hybrid system in order to supply loads of a village located in Esfarayen, North Khorasan, Iran. This paper illustrates the optimal design procedure of a standalone hybrid system which consists of Wind Turbine Generator (WTG), Photo Voltaic (PV), Diesel-generator, and Battery denoting as the Energy Storage System (ESS). The WTGs and PVs are considered as the main producers since the site's ambient conditions are suitable for such producers. Moreover, batteries are employed to smooth out the variable outputs of these renewable resources. To this end, whenever the available power generation is higher than the demanded amount, the excess energy will be stored in ESS to be injected into the system in the time of insufficient power generation. Since the standalone system is assumed to have no connection to the upstream network, it must be able to supply the loads without any load curtailment. In this regard, a Diesel-Generator can also be integrated to achieve zero loss of load. The optimal hybrid system design problem is a discrete optimization problem that is solved, here, by means of a recently-introduced meta-heuristic optimization algorithm known as Lightning Attachment Procedure Optimization (LAPO). The results are compared to those of some other methods and discussed in detail. The results also show that the total cost of the designed stand-alone system in 25 years is around 92M€ which is much less than the grid-connected system with the total cost of 205M€. In summary, the obtained simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the utilized optimization algorithm in finding the best results, and the designed hybrid system in serving the remote loads.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.119-123
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• 2015

Objectives: Dentin is composed of many minerals and growth factors. Based on this composition, we studied its effect as a possible regenerative material for alveolar healing. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted using four 2.5-year-old mongrel dogs (male; weight, 25 to 30 kg). The third mandibular premolars were carefully mobilized with a dental elevator and then removed using forceps. The crown portions of the extracted teeth were removed with cutters, and the root portions of the remaining teeth were collectively trimmed as closely as possible to 350 to $500{\mu}m$. Dentin and cementum (DC) chips harvested from the extracted teeth were soaked in blood and packed into the fresh sockets (autograft). Biopsies were performed at the ends of day 14 and day 56 following implantation. Data were expressed as $mean{\pm}standard$ deviation and compared with t-test results. Results: The ratio of $S_A$(bone) to total area of each probe was determined and was $170{\pm}16{\mu}m^2$ for the control group and $71{\pm}14{\mu}m^2$ for the DC group, a significant difference (P <0.05). Conclusion: DC particulate grafts offered no improvement in bone regeneration in alveolar extraction sockets.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권14호
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• pp.5917-5921
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• 2015

Background: Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men in the entire world. Reported standardized incidence rates are 12.6, 61.7, 11.9 and 27.9 in Iran, developed countries, developing countries and the entire world, respectively. The present study investigated the relative risk of PC in Iran at the province level and also explored the impact of some factors by the use of Bayesian models. Materials and Methods: Our study population was all men with PC in Iran from 2005 to 2008. Considered risk factors were smoking, fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, obesity and human development index. We used empirical and full Bayesian models to study the relative risk in Iran at province level to estimate the risk of PC more accurately. Results: In Iran from 2005 to 2008 the total number of known PC cases was 10,361 with most cases found in Fars and Tehran and the least in Ilam. In all models just human development index was found to be significantly related to PC risk Conclusions: In the unadjusted model, Fars, Semnam, Isfahan and Tehran provinces have the highest and Sistan-and-Baluchestan has the least risk of PC. In general, central provinces have high risk. After adjusting for covariates, Fars and Zanjan provinces have the highest relative risk and Kerman, Northern Khorasan, Kohgiluyeh Boyer Ahmad, Ghazvin and Kermanshah have the lowest relative risk. According to the results, the incidence of PC in provinces with higher human development index is higher.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권14호
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• pp.5669-5673
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer is the most prevalent kind of cancer among women in Iran. Regarding the importance of cancer prevention and considerable variation of breast cancer incidence in different parts of the country, it is necessary to recognize regions with high incidence of breast cancer and evaluate the role of potential risk factors by use of advanced statistical models. The present study focussed on incidence of breast cancer in Iran at the province level and also explored the impact of some prominent covariates using Bayesian models. Materials and Methods: All patients diagnosed with breast cancer in Iran from 2005 to 2008 were included in the study. Smoking, fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, obesity and the Human Development Index (HDI), measured at the province level, were considered as potential modulating factors. Gamma-Poisson, log normal and BYM models were used to estimate the relative risk of breast cancer in this ecological investigation with and without adjustment for the covariates. Results: The unadjusted BYM model had the best fit among applied models. Without adjustment, Isfahan, Yazd, and Tehran had the highest incidences and Sistan- Baluchestan and Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari had the lowest. With the adjusted model, Khorasan-Razavi, Lorestan and Hamedan had the highest and Ardebil and Kohgiluyeh-Boyerahmad the lowest incidences. A significantly direct association was found between breast cancer incidence and HDI. Conclusions: BYM model has better fit, because it contains parameters that allow including effects from neighbors. Since HDI is a significant variable, it is also recommended that HDI should be considered in future investigations. This study showed that Yazd, Isfahan and Tehran provinces feature the highest crude incidences of breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권8호
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• pp.3391-3396
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• 2014

Background: Vitamin D has been suggested as one of the critical factors for female reproductive health with protective activities against different cancers but there are conflicting facts regarding its role on breast cancer without any clear data on premenopausal cases. This study aimed to evaluate the role of vitamin D from dietary sources and sunlight exposure on the incidence of premenopausal breast cancer. Materials and Methods: We conducted a case control study on 60 newly diagnosed premenopausal breast cancer patients and 116 normal women who lived in Sabzevar and surrounding villages in Razavi, Khorasan, a rural and conservative area of Iran. Results: The mean concentrations of 25-OH vitamin D in cases and controls were $15.2{\pm}8.15$ vs $15.5{\pm}7/45ng/ml$, both well below normal values elsewhere. In fact 50% of analyzed individuals showed very severe or severe vitamin D deficiency and the rest (25%) were detected in suboptimal levels. Although the lack of vitamin D and calcium supplementation increased slightly the risk of premenopausal breast cancer (p=0.009, OR=1.115, CI 95%=1.049-1.187), higher prevalence of weekly egg consumption (86.66% vs 96.55%, p=0.023, OR=0.232, CI 95% 0.065-0.806) showed a slight protective role. The last but the most important risk factor was lack of sunlight exposure because the breast cancer patients had total body coverage from sun (p=0.007, OR=10.131, CI 98% 0.314-78.102). Conclusion: This study pointed out the role of vitamin D and other possible risk factors on the development and growth of breast tumors in this special geographical region. Although this study has revealed the interactions between hormonal and environmental factors in this province of Iran, understanding the deficiency pattern and its contribution to other lifestyle factors elsewhere is also necessary.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.158-172
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• 2017

Nigella sativa (N. sativa, family Ranunculaceae) is a medicinal plant that has been widely used for centuries throughout the world as a natural remedy. A wide range of chemical compounds found in N. sativa expresses its vast therapeutic effects. Thymoquinone (TQ) is the main component (up to 50%) in the essential oil of N. sativa. Also, pinene (up to 15%), p-cymene (40%), thymohydroquinone (THQ), thymol (THY), and dithymoquinone (DTQ) are other pharmacologically active compounds of its oil. Other terpenoid compounds, such as carvacrol, carvone, 4-terpineol, limonenes, and citronellol, are also found in small quantities in its oil. The main pharmacological characteristics of this plant are immune system stimulatory, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-cancer, hypoglycemic, anti-tussive, milk production, uricosuric, choleretic, anti-fertility, and spasmolytic properties. In this regard, we have searched the scientific databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar with keywords of N. sativa, anti-cancer, apoptotic effect, antitumor, antioxidant, and malignancy over the period from 2000 to 2017. The effectiveness of N. sativa against cancer in the blood system, kidneys, lungs, prostate, liver, and breast and on many malignant cell lines has been shown in many studies, but the molecular mechanisms behind that anti-cancer role are still not clearly understood. From among the many effects of N. sativa, including its anti-proliferative effect, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, ROS generation, anti-metastasis/anti-angiogenesis effects, Akt pathway control, modulation of multiple molecular targets, including p53, p73, STAT-3, PTEN, and $PPAR-{\gamma}$, and activation of caspases, the main suggestive anti-cancer mechanisms of N. sativa are its free radical scavenger activity and the preservation of various anti-oxidant enzyme activities, such as glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione-S-transferase. In this review, we highlight the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis and the anti-cancer effects of N. sativa, with a focus on its molecular targets in apoptosis pathways.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.160-165
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• 2019

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Ribes khorasanicum (R. khorasanicum); a plant growing in north Khorasan of Iran; on cardiovascular and stress oxidative in acute hypertension induced by N-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), anitric oxide synthase inhibitor. Methods: Rats were divided into Control, L-NAME (10 mg/kg), Sodium Nitroprusside (SNP) (50 mg/kg) + L-NAME and three treated groups with R. khorasanicum (4, 12 and 24 mg/kg) groups + L-NAME. L-NAME and SNP were injected intravenously and extract intraperitoneal. In R. khorasanicum groups, L-NAME was injected 30 min after injection of the extract. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded continuously using power lab software. At the end of study oxidative stress parameters including of total thiol content (SH), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in heart and aorta of all groups were also measured. Results: In groups 4 and 24 mg/kg extract +L-NAME, there was a non-significant decrease in SBP and MAP compared to L-NAME group but dose 12 mg/kg significantly attenuate the effect of L-NAME(P < 0.05). In L-NAME group the heart and aorta tissues antioxidant enzymes levels decreased, while in treated rats these enzymes significantly increased. Conclusion: The extract of R. khorasanicum in dose 12 mg/kg show anti-hypertensive effect that is mediated by an effect on NO system or antioxidant parameters.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.90-94
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• 2019

Objectives: Paclitaxel (PTX) as an anticancer drug used against solid cancers, possesses adverse reactions such as neuropathic pain which has confined its use. PTX-induced neuropathic pain is mediated via activation of oxidative stress. Berberine (BER), an isoquinoline phytochemical found in several plants, exerts strong antioxidant and painkilling properties. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate pain-relieving effect of BER in a mouse model of PTX-induced neuropathic pain. Methods: This study was done using 42 male albino mice that were randomly divided into 6 groups (n = 7) as follow: Sham-operated (not treated with PTX), negative control group (PTX-treated mice receiving normal saline), BER 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg (PTX-treated mice receiving BER) and positive control group (PTX-treated mice receiving imipramine 10 mg/kg). Neuropathic pain was induced by intraperitoneal administration of four doses of PTX (2 mg/kg/day) on days 1, 3, 5 and 7. Then, on day 7, hot plate test was done to assess latency to heat to measure possible anti-neuropathic pain effect of BER. Results: Four doses of PTX 2 mg/kg/day induced neuropathy that was reduced by BER at all time-points (i.e. 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min) after injection (P < 0.001 in comparison to control). The statistical analysis of data showed significant differences between groups (P < 0.001 in comparison to negative control), at 30, 60, 90 and 120 min after injection of BER 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg; in other words, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min after BER administration, neuropathic pain was significantly reduced as compared to normal saline-treated mice. Conclusion: Altogether, our results showed that PTX could induce neuropathic pain as reflected by hyperalgesia and BER could alleviate PTX-induced thermal hyperalgesia.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.31-40
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• 2022

Background: Plant vegetation appears in heterogeneous and patchy forms in arid and semi-arid regions. In these regions, underneath the plant patches and the empty spaces between them are covered by biological soil crusts (moss, lichen, cyanobacteria, and fungi). Biological soil crusts lead to the formation and development of fertile islands in between vegetation patches via nitrogen and carbon fixation and the permeation of runoff water and nutrients in the soil. Results: The present study has investigated the association of biological soil crusts, the development of fertile islands, and the formation of plant patches in part of the Takht-e Soltan protected area, located in Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran. Three sites were randomly selected as the working units and differentiated based on their geomorphological characteristics to the alluvial fan, hillslope, and fluvial terrace landforms. Two-step systematic random sampling was conducted along a 100-meter transect using a 5 m² plot at a 0-5 cm depth in three repetitions. Fifteen samplings were carried out at each site with a total of 45 samples taken. The results showed that the difference in altitude has a significant relationship with species diversity and decreases with decreasing altitude. Results have revealed that the moisture content of the site, with biocrust has had a considerable increase compared to the other sites, helping to form vegetation patterns and fertile islands. Conclusions: The findings indicated that biological crusts had impacted the allocation of soil parameters. They affect the formation of plant patches by increasing the soil's organic carbon, nitrogen, moisture and nutrient content provide a suitable space for plant growth by increasing the soil fertility in the inter-patch space.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제18권9호
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• pp.1348-1352
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• 2005

Most breeds of sheep in Iran are adapted to their agro ecological niches where it is likely that they were also artificially selected by their owners. In general, most of sheep breeds are multipurpose producing lambs, wool and milk. To compare the physical and chemical composition of the carcasses of ten Iranian native fat-tailed sheep breeds, 243 male lambs (6-7 months of age) of ten fattailed, Iranian breeds of sheep, Sanjabi (S), Ghezel (G), Afshari (A), Mehrabani (M), Lori (L), Lori Bakhtiari (LB), Kordi Khorasan (K), Sangesari (Sa), Baluchi (B) and Chal (C) were studied. Lamb breed group had a significant (p<0.05) effect on all the carcass traits measured. The LB and C lambs showed the same live weight which was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the other breeds. Carcass dressing- out percentage in S lambs was lowest (p<0.05), but not different from G lambs. K and Sa breeds showed the highest (p<0.05) carcass dressing-out percentage. The S lambs had the highest (p<0.05) lean meat percent. Lean meat percentage was not significantly (p>0.05) different in the G, A, M and C breeds. The Sa and K breeds showed the lowest lean meat percent. The S lambs showed the lowest (p<0.05) fat percent in their carcass, while K and Sa showed the highest (p<0.05). Subcutaneous fat in K, Sa and B was higher (p<0.05) than the other breeds. Lambs of S, G, A and M breeds had the lowest subcutaneous fat in their carcasses (p>0.05). Intramascular fat was significantly (p<0.05) lower in M, S and C despite the fact that this values were highest in B and K lambs. The K and Sa breeds had highest fat-tail percentage (p<0.05) in their carcass, whereas S and G showed lowest. Lambs of G, S and A breeds had higher bone percent than other breeds (p<0.05). Lowest bone percent (p<0.05) was seen in K and Sa lambs. The carcass moisture percent was not significantly (p>0.05) different in S, G, A, M, L and C breeds. M lambs showed the lowest crude protein percentage and S breed the highest (p<0.05). There were no significant (p>0.05) differences among other lamb breeds for this trait. Chemical fat percentage was the same in S, G, A, C and M breeds, but significantly (p<0.05) lower from LB, K, Sa and B. Ash percent in S, G and A had no significant (p>0.05) difference. According to higher lean meat and lower fat percentages in the carcass, the ranking of breeds would be S, G, A, M and C.