Natural Occurrence of Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus in Iranian Cucurbit Crops

Yazdani-Khameneh, Sara,Aboutorabi, Samaneh,Shoori, Majid,Aghazadeh, Azin,Jahanshahi, Parastoo,Golnaraghi, Alireza,Maleki, Mojdeh The Korean Society of Plant Pathology 2016 Plant Pathology Journal Vol.32 No.3

The main areas for field-grown vegetable production in Iran were surveyed during the years of 2012-2014 to determine the occurrence of begomoviruses infecting these crops. A total of 787 leaf samples were collected from vegetables and some other host plants showing virus-like symptoms and tested by an enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using polyclonal antibodies produced against Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV). According to the ELISA results, 81 samples (10.3%) positively reacted with the virus antibodies. Begomovirus infections were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using previously described TYLCV-specific primer pair TYLCV-Sar/TYLCV-Isr or universal primer pair Begomo-F/Begomo-R. The PCR tests using the primer pair TYLCV-Sar/TYLCV-Isr resulted in the amplification of the expected fragments of ca. 0.67-kb in size for ELISA-positive samples tested from alfalfa, pepper, spinach and tomato plants, confirming the presence of TYLCV. For one melon sample, having a week reaction in ELISA and no reaction in PCR using TYLCV-specific primers, the PCR reaction using the primer pair Begomo-F/Begomo-R resulted in the amplification fragments of the expected size of ca. 2.8 kb. The nucleotide sequences of the DNA amplicons derived from the isolate, Kz-Me198, were determined and compared with other sequences available in GenBank. BLASTN analysis confirmed the begomovirus infection of the sample and showed 99% identities with Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV); phylogenetic analysis supported the results of the database searches. This study reports the natural occurrence of TYLCV in different hosts in Iran. Our results also reveal the emergence of ToLCNDV in Iranian cucurbit crops.

Natural Occurrence of Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus in Iranian Cucurbit Crops

Sara Yazdani-Khameneh,Samaneh Aboutorabi,Majid Shoori,Azin Aghazadeh,Parastoo Jahanshahi,Alireza Golnaraghi,Mojdeh Maleki 한국식물병리학회 2016 Plant Pathology Journal Vol.32 No.3

The main areas for field-grown vegetable production in Iran were surveyed during the years of 2012–2014 to determine the occurrence of begomoviruses infec-ting these crops. A total of 787 leaf samples were collected from vegetables and some other host plants showing virus-like symptoms and tested by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using polyclonal antibodies produced against Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV). According to the ELISA results, 81 samples (10.3%) positively reacted with the virus antibodies. Begomovirus infections were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using previously described TYLCV-specific primer pair TYLCV-Sar/TYLCV-Isr or universal primer pair Begomo-F/Begomo-R. The PCR tests using the primer pair TYLCV-Sar/TYLCV-Isr resulted in the amplificatio of the expected fragments of ca. 0.67-kb in size for ELISA-positive samples tested from alfalfa, pepper, spinach and tomato plants, confirmingthe presence of TYLCV. For one melon sample, having a week reaction in ELISA and no reaction in PCR using TYLCV-specific primers, the PCR reaction using the primer pair Begomo-F/Begomo-R resulted in the amplificationfragments of the expected size of ca. 2.8 kb. The nucleotide sequences of the DNA amplicons derived from the isolate, Kz-Me198, were determined and compared with other sequences available in GenBank. BLASTN analysis confimed the begomovirus infection of the sample and showed 99% identities with Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV); phylogenetic analysis supported the results of the database searches. This study reports the natural occurrence of TYLCV in different hosts in Iran. Our results also reveal the emergence of ToLCNDV in Iranian cucurbit crops.

Application of a Hybrid System of Probabilistic Neural Networks and Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm for Prediction of Brand Share in the Market

Shahrabi, Jamal,Khameneh, Sara Mottaghi Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers 2016 Industrial Engineeering & Management Systems Vol.15 No.4

Manufacturers and retailers are interested in how prices, promotions, discounts and other marketing variables can influence the sales and shares of the products that they produce or sell. Therefore, many models have been developed to predict the brand share. Since the customer choice models are usually used to predict the market share, here we use hybrid model of Probabilistic Neural Network and Artificial Bee colony Algorithm (PNN-ABC) that we have introduced to model consumer choice to predict brand share. The evaluation process is carried out using the same data set that we have used for modeling individual consumer choices in a retail coffee market. Then, to show good performance of this model we compare it with Artificial Neural Network with one hidden layer, Artificial Neural Network with two hidden layer, Artificial Neural Network trained with genetic algorithms (ANN-GA), and Probabilistic Neural Network. The evaluated results show that the offered model is outperforms better than other previous models, so it can be use as an effective tool for modeling consumer choice and predicting market share.

Casein-based hydrogel carrying insulin: preparation, in vitro evaluation and in vivo assessment

Farzin Hadizadeh,Bahman Khameneh,Elham Khodaverdi,Sepehr Maftouhian,Ali Aliabadi,Mohammad Hassanzadeh‑Khayyat,Fatemeh Mohammadpour 한국약제학회 2019 Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation Vol.49 No.6

Hydrogels show great potential particularly in the development of drug delivery because of their desirable properties. The enzymatic crosslinked casein hydrogel is a new generation and has received great attention for drug delivery. In the present study, the enzymatic crosslinked casein hydrogel containing insulin was prepared and in vitro and in vivo evaluations were assessed. The hydrogels were also evaluated using differential scanning calorimeter; X-ray diffraction; Scanning electron microscopy and Atomic force microscopy methods. The rheological and releasing behaviors at different media were also investigated. The secondary structure of insulin was assayed by CD method and finally, the hypoglycemic effects were tested in the diabetic rats. Hydrogel showed a three-dimensional porous structure. Rheographs indicated the combination of thixotropic and pseudoplastic behaviors. In vitro release studies confirmed that insulin released in acidic condition slowly, however, in neutral and alkaline environments insulin rapidly released. The structure of insulin preserved following release. Hypoglycemic effects were observed by oral administration of insulin-loaded hydrogel. Thus, the enzymatic crosslinked hydrogel can be considered as a good candidate for oral delivery of insulin.

Application of a Hybrid System of Probabilistic Neural Networks and Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm for Prediction of Brand Share in the Market

Jamal Shahrabi,Sara Mottaghi Khameneh 대한산업공학회 2016 Industrial Engineeering & Management Systems Vol.15 No.4

Manufacturers and retailers are interested in how prices, promotions, discounts and other marketing variables can influence the sales and shares of the products that they produce or sell. Therefore, many models have been developed to predict the brand share. Since the customer choice models are usually used to predict the market share, here we use hybrid model of Probabilistic Neural Network and Artificial Bee colony Algorithm (PNN-ABC) that we have introduced to model consumer choice to predict brand share. The evaluation process is carried out using the same data set that we have used for modeling individual consumer choices in a retail coffee market. Then, to show good performance of this model we compare it with Artificial Neural Network with one hidden layer, Artificial Neural Network with two hidden layer, Artificial Neural Network trained with genetic algorithms (ANN-GA), and Probabilistic Neural Network. The evaluated results show that the offered model is outperforms better than other previous models, so it can be use as an effective tool for modeling consumer choice and predicting market share.

Effects of Omeprazole and Caffeine Alone and in Combination with Gentamicin and Ciprofloxacin Against Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus and Escherichia Coli Strains

Bazzaz, Bibi Sedigheh Fazly,Fakori, Mahmoud,Khameneh, Bahman,Hosseinzadeh, Hossein KOREAN PHARMACOPUNCTURE INSTITUTE 2019 Journal of pharmacopuncture Vol.22 No.1

Objective: Antibiotic resistance is a global health problem and threatens health of societies. These problems have led to a search for alternative approaches such as combination therapy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of caffeine and omeprazole in combination with gentamicin or ciprofloxacin against standard and clinically resistant isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of different agents against bacterial strains were determined. The interaction of non- antibiotic drugs with gentamicin and ciprofloxacin was studied in vitro using a checkerboard method and calculating fraction inhibitory concentration index (FICI). Verapamil as efflux pump inhibitor was used to evaluate the possible mechanism of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Results: The MIC and MBC values of gentamicin against bacterial strains were in the range of $20-80{\mu}g/ml$ and $40-200{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Caffeine and omeprazole had no intrinsic inhibitory activity against tested microorganisms. However, upon combination of caffeine with antibiotics, the synergistic effects were observed. Verapamil was able to reduce the MIC values of gentamicin (4 folds) only in some bacterial strains. Conclusion: These findings indicated that caffeine was effective in removing bacterial infection caused by S. aureus and E. coli. The relevant mechanisms of antibiotic resistance were not related to the drug efflux.

Effect of Catechins, Green tea Extract and Methylxanthines in Combination with Gentamicin Against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa - Combination therapy against resistant bacteria -

Bazzaz, Bibi Sedigheh Fazly,Sarabandi, Sahar,Khameneh, Bahman,Hosseinzadeh, Hossein KOREAN PHARMACOPUNCTURE INSTITUTE 2016 Journal of pharmacopuncture Vol.19 No.4

Objectives: Bacterial resistant infections have become a global health challenge and threaten the society's health. Thus, an urgent need exists to find ways to combat resistant pathogens. One promising approach to overcoming bacterial resistance is the use of herbal products. Green tea catechins, the major green tea polyphenols, show antimicrobial activity against resistant pathogens. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of catechins, green tea extract, and methylxanthines in combination with gentamicin against standard and clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and the standard strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of different agents against bacterial strains were determined. The interactions of green tea extract, epigallate catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, two types of methylxanthine, caffeine, and theophylline with gentamicin were studied in vitro by using a checkerboard method and calculating the fraction inhibitory concentration index (FICI). Results: The MICs of gentamicin against bacterial strains were in the range of $0.312-320{\mu}g/mL$. The MIC values of both types of catechins were $62.5-250{\mu}g/mL$. Green tea extract showed insufficient antibacterial activity when used alone. Methylxanthines had no intrinsic inhibitory activity against any of the bacterial strains tested. When green tea extract and catechins were combined with gentamicin, the MIC values of gentamicin against the standard strains and a clinical isolate were reduced, and synergistic activities were observed (FICI < 1). A combination of caffeine with gentamicin did not alter the MIC values of gentamicin. Conclusion: The results of the present study revealed that green tea extract and catechins potentiated the antimicrobial action of gentamicin against some clinical isolates of S. aureus and standard P. aeruginosa strains. Therefore, combinations of gentamicin with these natural compounds might be a promising approach to combat microbial resistance.

Effect of Catechins, Green tea Extract and Methylxanthines in Combination with Gentamicin Against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa - Combination therapy against resistant bacteria -

Bibi Sedigheh Fazly Bazzaz,Sahar Sarabandi,Bahman Khameneh,Hossein Hosseinzadeh 대한약침학회 2016 Journal of pharmacopuncture Vol.19 No.4

Objectives: Bacterial resistant infections have become a global health challenge and threaten the society’s health. Thus, an urgent need exists to find ways to combat resistant pathogens. One promising approach to overcoming bacterial resistance is the use of herbal products. Green tea catechins, the major green tea polyphenols, show antimicrobial activity against resistant pathogens. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of catechins, green tea extract, and methylxanthines in combination with gentamicin against standard and clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and the standard strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of different agents against bacterial strains were determined. The interactions of green tea extract, epigallate catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, two types of methylxanthine, caffeine, and theophylline with gentamicin were studied in vitro by using a checkerboard method and calculating the fraction inhibitory concentration index (FICI). Results: The MICs of gentamicin against bacterial strains were in the range of 0.312 - 320 μg/mL. The MIC values of both types of catechins were 62.5 - 250 μg/ mL. Green tea extract showed insufficient antibacterial activity when used alone. Methylxanthines had no intrinsic inhibitory activity against any of the bacterial strains tested. When green tea extract and catechins were combined with gentamicin, the MIC values of gentamicin against the standard strains and a clinical isolate were reduced, and synergistic activities were observed (FICI < 1). A combination of caffeine with gentamicin did not alter the MIC values of gentamicin. Conclusion: The results of the present study revealed that green tea extract and catechins potentiated the antimicrobial action of gentamicin against some clinical isolates of S. aureus and standard P. aeruginosa strains. Therefore, combinations of gentamicin with these natural compounds might be a promising approach to combat microbial resistance.

Fabrication of Graphene Supercapacitors for Flexible Energy Storage

Habashi, M. Namdar,Asl, Shahab Khameneh Materials Research Society of Korea 2017 한국재료학회지 Vol.27 No.5

In the present work, graphene powder was synthesized by laser scribing method. The resultant flexible light-scribed graphene is very appropriate for use in micro-supercapacitors. The effect of the laser scribing process in reducing graphene oxide (GO) was investigated. GO was synthesized using a chemical mixture of GO solution; then, it was coated onto a LightScribe DVD disk and laser scribed to reduce GO and create laser-scribed graphene (LSG). The CV curves of pristine rGO at various scan rates showed that the ultimate product possesses the ability to store energy at the supercapacitor level. Charge-discharge curves of pristine rGO at two different current densities indicated that the specific capacitance ($C_m$) increases due to the reduction of the discharge current density. Finally, the long-term charge-discharge stability of the LSG was plotted and indicates that the specific capacitance decreases very slightly from its primary capacitance of ${\sim}10F\;cm^{-3}$ and that the cyclic stability is favorable over 1000 cycles.

Study of the Effect of Geometric Parameters of Steel Block Slit Dampers on Energy Absorption

Peyman Katal Mohseni,Amin Zahedi-khameneh,Omid Naeemifar 한국강구조학회 2020 International Journal of Steel Structures Vol.20 No.3

In this study, a new type of steel block slit dampers (BSD) has been investigated. This type of damper not only provides good seismic performance but can be easily repaired and replaced after a strong earthquake. The stability of these dampers under periodic loading and the hysteresis behavior was also investigated in this study. It should be noted that energy dissipations and plastic deformation are concentrated only in steel slit dampers (SSDs) and plastic behavior of the beam and column, and they are both more energy-absorbing and more economical than SSDs. Therefore, in this study, eff ort has been made to optimize and increase the energy absorption of these dampers. Therefore, in this study, eight samples with diff erent geometric dimensions have been simulated to develop and increase energy absorption of the steel BSD, and the results indicate that the slit dampers have more ductility and stiff ness than those of previous studies, which considerably increased the energy absorption in hysteresis cycles in all specimens.