Antioxidant Activity, Total Phenolic and Flavonoid Contents of Some Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Used as Herbal Teas and Condiments in Iran

Abdollah Ghasemi Pirbalouti,Amir Siahpoosh,Milad Setayesh,Lyle Craker 한국식품영양과학회 2014 Journal of medicinal food Vol.17 No.10

Total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity of four Iranian herbs (Lamiaceae) were investigated. The antioxidant activity of methanol extracts of thyme (Thymus daenensis Celak.), Bakhtiari savory (Satureja bachtiarica Bung.), dragonhead (Dracocephalum multicaule Montbr & Auch), and woundwort (Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl.) was evaluated by measuring 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP), and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC). A comparison of all plant extracts in the DPPH assay indicated that dragonhead and thyme were the most effective free radical scavenging agents. Thyme demonstrated a relatively strong antioxidant activity in both the FRAP and TEAC assays. The total phenolic content of all the extracts ranged from 99 to 208 mg TAE/g extract with thyme exhibiting the highest phenolic content. The flavonoid content of the extracts, which ranged from 10.1 to 22.2 rutin equivalents/g of extract, was highest in dragonhead. A positive correlation was noted between the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity in both the FRAP and TEAC assays, while no significant correlation was observed between the DPPH, TEAC, and FRAP assay and total flavonoid, suggesting that the level of antioxidant activity in these plants varies greatly, but the total phenolic in the plant extracts provided a substantial antioxidant activity. Experimental results indicate that thyme and dragonhead extracts could be an important dietary source of phenolic compounds with high antioxidant capacity.

Effect of Microwave Irradiation on Morphology and Size of Anatase Nano Powder: Efficient Photodegradation of 4-Nitrophenol by W-doped Titania

Abdollah Fallah Shojaei,Mohammad Hassan Loghmani 대한화학회 2012 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.33 No.12

Anatase nanocrystalline and its tungsten-doped (0.4, 2, and 4 mol %) powders have been synthesized by microwave irradiation through hydrolysis of titanium tetra-isopropoxide (TIP) in aqueous solution. The materials are characterized by XRD, Raman, SEM-EDX, TEM, FT-IR and UV-vis techniques. The nanocrystalline TiO2 particles are 30 nm in nature and doping of tungsten ion decreases their size. As seen in TEM images, the crystallites of W (4 mol %) doped TiO2 are small with a size of about 10 nm. The photocatalytic activity was tested on the degradation of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). Catalytic activities of W-doped and pure TiO2 were also compared. The results show that the photocatalytic activity of the W-doped TiO2 photocatalyst is much higher than that of pure TiO2. Degradation decreases from 96 to 50%, during 115 min, when the initial 4-NP concentration increases from 10 to120 ppm. Maximum degradation was obtained at 35 mg of photocatalyst.

Socioeconomic Inequality in Malnutrition in Under-5 Children in Iran: Evidence From the Multiple Indicator Demographic and Health Survey, 2010

Abdollah Almasian Kia,Aziz Rezapour,Ardeshir Khosravi,Vajiheh Afzali Abarghouei 대한예방의학회 2017 Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Vol.50 No.3

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the socioeconomic inequality in malnutrition in under-5 children in Iran in order to help policymakers reduce such inequality. Methods: Data on 8443 under-5 children were extracted from the Iran Multiple Indicator Demographic and Health Survey. The wealth index was used as proxy for socioeconomic status. Socioeconomic inequality in stunting, underweight, and wasting was calculated using the concentration index. The concentration index was calculated for the whole sample, as well as for subcategories defined in terms of categories such as area of residence (urban and rural) and the sex of children. Results: Stunting was observed to be more prevalent than underweight or wasting. The results of the concentration index at the national level, as well as in rural and urban areas and in terms of children’s sex, showed that inequality in stunting and underweight was statistically significant and that children in the lower quintiles were more malnourished. The wasting index was not sensitive to socioeconomic status, and its concentration index value was not statistically significant. Conclusions: This study showed that it can be misleading to assess the mean levels of malnutrition at the national level without knowledge of the distribution of malnutrition among socioeconomic groups. Significant socioeconomic inequalities in stunting and underweight were observed at the national level and in both urban and rural areas. Regarding the influence of nutrition on the health and economic well-being of preschool-aged children, it is necessary for the government to focus on taking targeted measures to reduce malnutrition and to focus on poorer groups within society who bear a greater burden of malnutrition.

Correlation of Ciprofloxacin Resistance with the AdeABC Efflux System in Acinetobacter baumannii Clinical Isolates

Abdollah Ardebili,Abdolaziz Rastegar Lari,Malihe Talebi 대한진단검사의학회 2014 Annals of Laboratory Medicine Vol.34 No.6

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the most important pathogens capable of colonization in burn patients, leading to drug-resistant wound infections. This study evalu- ated the distribution of the AdeABC efflux system genes and their relationship to ciproflox- acin resistance in A. baumannii isolates collected from burn patients. Methods: A total of 68 A. baumannii clinical strains were isolated from patients hospital- ized in Motahari Burns Center in Tehran, Iran. Ciprofloxacin susceptibility was tested by the disk diffusion and agar dilution methods. PCR amplification of the adeRS-adeB drug efflux genes was performed for all resistant and susceptible isolates. To assess the role of the drug efflux pump in ciprofloxacin susceptibility, carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhy- drazone (CCCP) was used as an efflux pump inhibitor (EPI). Results: Approximately 95.6% of the Acinetobacter isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 4 to ≥128 µg/mL. The susceptibility of 86.1% of the resistant isolates increased by factors of 2 to 64 in the pres- ence of CCCP. All resistant isolates were positive for the adeRS-adeB genes, and 73.2% of them had mutations in the AdeRS regulatory system. Conclusions: The results showed that AdeABC genes are common in A. baumannii , which might be associated with ciprofloxacin non-susceptibility, as indicated by the observed link- age to the presence of the genes essential for the activity of the AdeABC, several single mutations occurring in the adeRS regulatory system, and an increase of ciprofloxacin sus- ceptibility in the presence of a CCCP EPI.

A Reliability-based Methodology for Considering Corrosion Effects on Fatigue Deterioration in Steel Bridges - Part I: Methodology -

Abdollah Hosseini,Ali Sahrapeyma,Mohammad S. Marefat 한국강구조학회 2013 International Journal of Steel Structures Vol.13 No.4

It is known that the effects of corrosion on fatigue originate from two major sources: stress concentration due to corrosiondiscontinuities (CNF factor) and stress amplification due to loosing net section (NAF factor). In order to account for theseeffects, a performance function is developed which takes CNF and NAF factors into account and considers both random andtime-dependent nature of the involved parameters. In order to consider real fatigue and environmental conditions, the availableCNF-y and y-t functions are extended employing α and ϕ factors, respectively. In addition, some recommendations have beenmade to establish corrosion pattern of different steel sections. The final output of the methodology is development of areliability-based procedure to establish time-dependent deterioration profile of a structural member, which assists in decisionmakingwith regard to maintenance activities. The proposed methodology has been applied to Neka Bridge, a railway bridgein northern Iran, which is presented in Part II.

High Selective Oxidation of Alcohols Based on Trivalent Ion (Cr3+ and Co3+) Complexes Anchored on MCM-41 as Heterogeneous Catalysts

Abdollah Fallah Shojaei,Mahboubeh Delavar Rafie,Mohammad Hassan Loghmani 대한화학회 2012 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.33 No.8

Cr(III) and Co(III) complexes with acetylacetonate were anchored onto a mesoporous MCM-41 through Schiff condensation. The materials were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, BET, CHN and ICP techniques. Elemental analysis of samples revealed that one C=N bond was formed through Schiff condensation on MCM-41 surface. The catalysts were tested for the alcohol oxidations using t-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) and H2O2 as oxidant. The catalytic experiments were carried out at both room temperature and reflux condition. Various solvents such as dichloromethane, acetonitrile and water were examined in the oxidation of alcohols. Among the different solvents, catalytic activity is found more in acetonitrile. Further, the catalysts were recycled three times in the oxidation of alcohols and no major change in the conversion and selectivity is observed, which shows that the immobilized metal- acetylacetonate complexes are stable under the present reaction conditions.

SIGNED TOTAL k-DOMATIC NUMBERS OF GRAPHS

Abdollah Khodkar,S. M. Sheikholeslami 대한수학회 2011 대한수학회지 Vol.48 No.3

Let k be a positive integer and let G be a simple graph with vertex set V(G). A function <수식> is called a signed total k-dominating function if <수식> for each vertex v ∈V(G). A set {f1, f2,..., fd} of signed total k-dominating functions of G with the property that <수식> for each v ∈ V(G), is called a signed total k-dominating family (of functions) of G. The maximum number of functions in a signed total k-dominating family of G is the signed total k-domatic number of G, denoted by d^t_(kS)(G). In this note we initiate the study of the signed total k-domatic numbers of graphs and present some sharp upper bounds for this parameter. We also determine the signed total k-domatic numbers of complete graphs and complete bipartite graphs.

New Method for the Estimation of Strong Ground Motions based on the Colonial Competitive Algorithm

Abdollah Bagheri,Gholamreza Ghodrati Amiri,Jamshid Haghdoust 대한토목학회 2014 KSCE JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol.18 No.5

This paper is aimed at presenting a new method on the basis of the colonial competitive algorithm to predict horizontal peakground acceleration and spectral acceleration. The colonial competitive algorithm was developed over the last few years in anattempt to overcome inherent limitations of traditional optimize method. The proposed method employs the optimization capabilitiesof the colonial competitive algorithm to determine the coefficients of attenuation relationships of peak ground acceleration andspectral acceleration. This method was applied to an ensemble of earthquake records of two seismic zones, namely Zagros andAlborz-Central Iran. The obtained results clearly reveal that the colonial competitive algorithm can be viewed as a powerful andreliable tool for solving complex optimization problems such as attenuation relationship.

Study on aerodynamic shape optimization of tall buildings using architectural modifications in order to reduce wake region

Abdollah Baghaei Daemei,Seyed Rahman Eghbali 한국풍공학회 2019 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.29 No.2

One of the most important factors in tall buildings design in urban spaces is wind. The present study aims to investigate the aerodynamic behavior in the square and triangular footprint forms through aerodynamic modifications including rounded corners, chamfered corners and recessed corners in order to reduce the length of tall buildings wake region. The method used was similar to wind tunnel numerical simulation conducted on 16 building models through Autodesk Flow Design 2014 software. The findings revealed that in order to design tall 50 story buildings with a height of about 150 meters, the model in triangular footprint with aerodynamic modification of chamfered corner facing wind direction came out to have the best aerodynamic behavior comparing the other models. In comparison to the related reference model (i.e., the triangular footprint with sharp corners and no aerodynamic modification), it could reduce the length of the wake region about 50% in general. Also, the model with square footprint and aerodynamic modification of chamfered corner with the corner facing the wind could present favorable aerodynamic behavior comparing the other models of the same cluster. In comparison to the related reference model (i.e., the square footprint with sharp corners and no aerodynamic modification), it could decrease the wake region up to 30% lengthwise.

Evaluation of Genetic Diversity in Some Iranian and Foreign Sweet Cherry Cultivars by Using RAPD Molecular Markers and Morphological Traits

Abdollah Khadivi-Khub,Zabihollah Zamani,Naser Bouzari 한국원예학회 2008 Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology Vol.49 No.3

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.), a member of Rosaceae family, is an economically important fruit of the temperate zone. In Iran, various sweet cherry genotypes are grown in different areas. For estimation of genetic diversity, 23 RAPD decamer primers data as well as 23 morphological traits were used on 39 sweet cherry cultivars and genotypes, 28 of Iranian and 11 of foreign origin. Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) data was used for clustering of genotypes using UPGMA method. Based on the results, in some cases, clustering of genotypes by RAPD data was in agreement with morphological data; however, the correlation between the two sets of data was not significant (r = 0.2). The coephenitic coefficients between genotypes varied from 0.43 to 0.83 and the value of calculated polymorphism was 81.7 percent, indicating the presence of a high variation between the studied cultivars. This could be due to the presence of both Iranian and foreign genotypes in the experiment. In the main subcluster, genotypes from both origins were present and some genotypes were showing close relationships. Significant regression associations were found between 7 morphological traits and RAPD markers and some informative markers were found for the traits. Also, in clustering of genotypes good agreements were found between the subclusters and the pollination incompatibility groups reported by other workers. The results showed that RAPD is an effective maker for study of genetic diversity among sweet cherry genotypes.