The effects of operating parameters on the fabrication of polyacrylonitrile nanofibers in electro-centrifuge spinning

Introduced recently, electro centrifuge is a new method for nanofiber production. In the electro-centrifuge method, fibers are produced by the simultaneous use of electrical and centrifugal forces. In this research, the effective parameters in the production of PAN nanofibers diameter and the influence of each of them have been discussed. These parameters are voltage, rotation speed, flow rate of exiting solution from nozzle and viscosity of solution. Also the capability of fiber production by this method is compared with the conventional electrospinning system. Results show that a significant enhancement can be achieved by proper adjustments of the polymer solution viscosity, applied voltage, and rotational velocity in fiber production rate. To exemplify, in a PAN polymer solution, the increased production rate of electro centrifuge varied from 193 to 1200 percent, as compared with a similar electrospinning method in which the polymer concentration and applied voltage varied in a range of 13 to 16 wt% and 15 to 10 kV, respectively.     

Manufacturing of twisted continuous PAN nanofiber yarn by electrospinning process

The development of a modified method to produce heat treated twisted nanofibrous yarns using two oppositely metallic spinnerets system is presented. This method allows the production of more uniform, stronger twisted poly acrylonitrile (PAN) yarns. The novelty of this system permits for in-situ heat treating of the nanofiber yarns. The average diameter of twisted nanofiber yarns is 340.65 μm with 5.8 CV%. The values of the initial modulus and stress of heat treated yarns increase from 1.90 GPa and 61.30 MPa in untreated one to 4.51 GPa and 116.56 MPa, respectively. In order to quantify the alignment of the nanofibers Fourier power spectrum (FPS) and image analysis were used. So the treated yarn shows more degree of nanofiber alignments than the untreated one.     

Effects of Cooking Methods on Proximate Composition and Fatty Acids Profile of Indian White Prawn (Fenneropenaeus indicus)

The effects of baking, boiling, microwaving, and frying on the proximate composition and fatty acid content of the edible portion of Indian white prawns (Fenneropenaeus indicus) were determined. Mean moisture, lipid, protein, and ash contents of raw prawns were 72.1, 4.32, 21.5, and 1.31%, respectively. For all cooking methods, moisture decreased and protein increased, while fatty acid compositions changed uniquely for each method. In fried prawns, the n3/n6 ratio was the lowest and significantly differed from the other treatments. The heat treatment significantly changed the proximate composition and fatty acid content. Baking and microwaving are the best methods of the four for cooking prawn while preserving their nutritional value, especially on the basis of recommended dietary intake of DHA and EPA.     

Effect of Fish Gelatin Coating Enriched with Oregano Essential Oil on the Quality of Refrigerated Rainbow Trout Fillet

ABSTRACT

In the present study, the effect of fish gelatin coating (FG; 4%, w/v) containing oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) essential oil (OEO; 1.2% w/v) on shelf-life extension of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fillet stored under refrigerated storage (4 ± 1ºC) was investigated. The control and the treated fish samples were analyzed periodically for chemical (pH; total volatile basic nitrogen, TVB-N; peroxide value, PV; thiobarbituric acid, TBA) and microbiological (total viable count, TVC; psychrotrophic count) characteristics. The FG + OEO treatment produced significantly lower (p < 0.05) TVB-N values as compared to control and FG-coated samples after Day 6 and until the end of the storage period. The TBA values remained low and were found to fluctuate during storage. Results showed that TVC exceeded 6 log CFU g^?1 on Day 8 of storage for control and FG-coated samples and Day 12 for samples coated with FG + OEO. The reduction of 1.05 and 0.83 log CFU g^?1 of psychrotrophic counts was achieved by FG + OEO coating in trout fillet (p < 0.05) as compared with control and FG-coated samples, respectively. Therefore, the incorporation of OEO into FG coating may be a promising method of maintaining the storage quality of the rainbow trout fillet stored at refrigerated temperature.     

A comparative histopathological, immunohistochemical and nested-PCR study for diagnosis of infectious pancreatic necrosis in the naturally infected cultured rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

To confirm the diagnosis of the infectious pancreatic necrosis, the pancreas, liver, kidney and spleen specimens from 140 rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) of weight ranges from 15 to 250?g were processed for routine histopathological and immunohistochemical (IHC) studies together with a nested-PCR using primers that amplify a 164-bp product. Of the 140 fish samples, 37 (26.4%) had a final diagnosis of IPN on the basis of hematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E), while 39/45 (86.6%) were positive by IHC method. With the nested-PCR, 59/140 (42.1%) fish samples were positive. The IHC and nested-PCR showed higher prevalence than histopathology (P?<?0.05). Based on the nested-PCR, as the fish weight increased, IPN positive results decreased (P?<?0.05). However, IHC method detected IPNV constantly in these weight ranges. Only IPNV serotype Sp was identified by nucleotide sequencing and immunohistochemistry, and antiserum to IPNV serotype Ab and IHNV showed negative results in IHC. This is the first comparative diagnostic study of IPN at different weight ranges in cultured salmonids.     

The effects of altered ultrasound parameters on the recovery of sciatic nerve injury

Background: Initial studies have shown that low-energy ultrasound stimulates living tissue cells to reduce regeneration or speed up their recovery. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of various ultrasound parameters on the speed of recovery in injured sciatic nerves NMRI.Methods: NMRI mice (n = 200) with injured left paw, caused by crushing their sciatic nerves, were randomly selected. The animals were exposed to ultrasound radiation with various frequencies, intensities, and exposure time. They were allocated into 20 groups (19 treatment and 1 control groups). Sciatic functional index (SFI) test was used to evaluate the difference between the groups with respect to functional efficiency of the sciatic nerve and its recovery. SFI ، (P=0.000).Results: The results of SFI test obtained from the 14^th day showed a significant difference among the groups (P<0.05). On the 14^th day after treatment, one of the groups (US11) recovered up to 90%..Conclusion: Altered ultrasound exposure parameters had more favorable outcomes compared with our previous work.Key Words: Sciatic nerve, Ultrasonic therapy, Regeneration     

Age-Specific Gastric Cancer Risk Indicated by the Combination of Helicobacter pylori Sero-Status and Serum Pepsinogen Levels

Background:

Serologic screening of gastric cancer (GC) by serum pepsinogens (sPG) levels and Helicobacter pylori (Hp) sero-status, though highly informative, has provided heterogeneous results. Here, we have evaluated the modifying effects of demographic factors on the risk impact of Hp sero-status/sPG levels in gastric cancer, with particular emphasis on age.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was carried out on 1341 individuals (GC = 578, healthy = 763), who were stratified into two age groups: 35-59 years (middle-aged, n = 830) and ≥ 60 years (60 years-plus, n = 511). Demographic factors and serological states (Hp sero-staus and sPG levels) were recorded by subject interview and serum ELISAs, respectively. Covariate-specific odds ratios were calculated by multivariable logistic regression.

Results:

Hp infection was consistently associated with increased sPGI and sPGII levels in the 60 year-plus, but not the middle-aged group. The joint examination of the variable states of the three serum biomarkers (Hp serology, sPGI, and sPGI/II ratio), in the 60 year-plus age group, demonstrated a stepwise escalation of risk from the single (sPGI_low; OR = 2.6), to double (sPGI_low/sPGI/II_low; OR = 3.55, and Hp_positive/sPGI_low; OR = 5.0) and ultimately triple (Hp_positive/PGI_low/PGI/II_low; OR = 10.48) positive states, in reference to the triple negatives. However, this pattern was not exhibited in the middle-aged subjects.

Conclusion:

Age was clearly identified as a modifying factor on the risk projection of the combined states of Hp serology and sPG levels in gastric cancer screening, reflected by the augmented (~10.5 fold) risk of GC in the triple positive (Hp_positive/sPGI_low/sPGI/II_low) 60 year-plus subjects, which was not evident in the middle-aged group. Key Words: Biomarkers, Demography, Age Distribution     

Preparation of magnetic and conductive graphite nanoflakes/SrFe<Subscript>12</Subscript>O<Subscript>19</Subscript>/polythiophene nanofiber-nanocomposites and its radar absorbing application

This study, we synthesized graphite-nanoflakes (GNFs) by acid treatment and thermal shock and then using the ultrasonic irradiation technique to exfoliate flake-carbon. The SrFe₁₂O₁₉ nanoparticles (NPs) were coated by co-precipitate method on GNFs after by alkaline treatment. Finally nanocomposite (GNF/SrFe₁₂O₁₉/PTh) was prepared by in-situ oxidative polymerization method in presence of thiophene (Th) as monomer. The magnetic and electrical conducting properties of the resulting nanocomposites were measured by using vibrating sample magnetometer and standard four-point-probe method, respectively. The synthesized nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR). In addition, morphological analyses were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A minimum reflection loss (RL) of GNFs/SrFe₁₂O₁₉/PTh with 50 % wt GNFs/SrFe₁₂O₁₉ as core were observed ?28 and ?39 dB at 9.7 and 12 GHz for a 1.5 mm thickness. The results indicated that we can perform good microwave shielding in X-band (8–12 GHz) by these nanocomposites.