Archives of Advances in Biosciences

     ICD-85 is a combination of three poly-peptides, ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 Dalton, derived from the venoms of an Iranian brown snake (Agkistrodon halys) and a yellow scorpion (Hemiscorpius lepturus). Labeling of this ICD-85 was successfully achieved with ^99mTc, through direct method using SnF₂ as reducing agent. Labeled ICD-85 was injected into mice to determine the excretion pathway. The results show that the maximum labeling yield (>75%) was obtained by using 30 μg of ICD-85 in phosphate buffer (60 μl, pH 7.1) at room temperature. Bio-distribution studies with radiolabeled ICD-85 shows moderate clearance of the complex from blood. The improvement of the immunotherapeutic treatment of cancer requires a better knowledge of the biological actions of the ICD-85 since tissue distribution studies are very important for clinical purpose.

Biofuel cell has been received much attention in recent years because the global energy demand increases every year. This paper presents a design of  Mytheliophthora thermophile laccase on the electrode as a biocathode for biofuel cells based on direct electron transfer (DET) between the active site of the enzyme and reduced graphene oxide-gold nanoparticles-poly neutral red (RGO/AuNPs/PNR). The RGO/AuNPs/PNR/laccase biocathode was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) method. The CV experiments demonstrated the activity, direct electron transfer, and stability of immobilized enzyme on the nanocomposite. The results showed the immobilized enzyme had good stability and performance on the nanocomposite after 10 days. Therefore, the presented method would be used in the design of biosensors or biocathode of biofuel cells.

Different disorders and diseases are associated with liver thus liver enzymes are commonly evaluated. Amino transaminases are among the most important enzymes in the liver, which their serum levels can indicate liver’s health or abnormality. Environmental stimuli including electromagnetic field affect different cells and organs in the body including the liver. WiFi networks are among the most common inducers of electromagnetic field. In the present study, serum levels of three liver aminotransaminases including Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) are assessed and histopathological evaluations are performed for four weeks in six groups of mice following WiFi_2.45GHz exposure. Then, we have analyzed the data (t-test and one-way ANOVA; P<0.05). Our results show that amino transaminase levels are changed following WiFi_2.45GHz exposure compared to control group and that these changes are increased with time. Respectively, AST, ALT and ALP levels showed 11.38%, 18.63%, and 4.85% increase on average, during these four weeks of the experiment. ALT and AST sustain more changes compared to the ALP in the liver. Electromagnetic induction is related to AST, ALP and ALT catabolism. The WiFi exposure time is an important factor that affects the maximum amount of absorbed electromagnetic energy in a specific period.

     Presently, journals are considered as the most important tools of information science and knowledge growth throughout the world. Due to the increase in the number of scientific journals, the selection, evaluation and determination of the authenticity of these resources by the authorized organizations has attached more significance to them. Thus, the present study aims at investigating the compliance of Iranian library and information science journals with basic standards of journal evaluation through Thomson Reuters’ viewpoint. This is an applied research, which has been conducted through comparative analysis. It evaluates the authenticity of scientific journals through four basic standards of  Thomson Reuters, namely on-time publishing of journals, observing international publishing laws, full-text in English, and peer review. The population of the research includes all the active scientific Iranian journals in the field of library and information sciences (12 journals). Results showed that the mean of correlation ratio between the studied journals and standards was 75%. On-time publishing and full-text in English were observed only in 33% and 58% of the studied journals respectively. However, observing international laws of publishing and peer review are in optimal status. Studies are needed in order to find out the compliance of the other countries’ library science journals with international standards,  (specially developing ones) to help those countries to identify the existing gaps which will assist them to present their researches in the international level through being indexed in authentic databases. Obviously more research is needed in this area, as Thomson Reuters has published standards other than the basic standards.

Studies have shown that the determinants of households’ health expenses are in doubt in Iran. Patients deal with pain and trouble while facing with increasing health services payments. Thus, their quality of life decreases in all aspects. The objective of this research lies on the analysis of Iranian households’ health expenditure (HHE) using multilevel modelling methodology. Data collected through Household Income and Expenditure Survey by Statistical Center of Iran. A total of 38299 Iranian households were sampled. This nationally-representative cross-sectional survey collected information from March 2013 to March 2014 using a three-staged cluster sampling method. Descriptive statistics and multilevel modelling employed for data analysis. Data analysis was performed using R programming language version 3.3.2 and SPSS version 20. P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Our findings indicated that families spent about seven percent of their annual income on HHE. Annual median of medical expenses and income per capita were 1020 and 44460 thousand rials, respectively. Family income, age, and activity status of household head had significant positive effects on annual HHE (P<0.05). Female headed families spent about 10% less health expenses than male headed households annually (P<0.001). Although, rural and illiterate heads experienced lower health expenses, their effects were not statistically substantial (P>0.05). More attention on HHE will be needed from researchers and politicians, as it has proved to be no easy matter in the low-income and deprived areas.

V617F mutation of JAK2 gene is a point mutation of Somatic cells leading to permanent phosphorylation and protein kinase activity of the JAK2 protein. This mutation is a valuable marker in the diagnosis of myeloid neoplasms. Development of new techniques can be effective and highly sensitive for the detection of the mutation. The aim of this study is designing and executing a molecular beacon probe-based real-time PCR detect to V617F mutation. Test results were reviewed from a set of wild type and cloned JAK2 exon 12 mutated allele genes into plasmid vector and through amplification by Real-Time PCR system. The sensitivity and specificity of Molecular Beacon probes design were tested. The results showed that the Real-Time PCR system has %100 specificity and % 0.001 sensitivity. Based on the results obtained from the molecular beacon probe-based real-time PCR, it was proved that the system is able to detect normal and mutant alleles of JAK2 V617F position with high accuracy and a short time in a closed tube system

Resistance to antimicrobial agents is on the rise  and this phenomenon not only leads to an increase in economic burden but may also cause serious therapeutic problems. Nowadays, it is known that horizontal transfer of resistance genes is a major cause for spreading antibiotic resistance genes in microbes. The previous studies have manifested that integrons play a significant role in horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance. Integrons are in fact natural cloning and expression systems which have the ability to spread multi drug resistance (MDR) in bacteria. They are normally motionless but can be transferred through mobile genetic elements, for example plasmids and transposons. Integrons carry divergent gene cassettes that are rearranged under antibiotic selective pressure. It is based on the sequence of the integrase gene that various classes of integrons are known. Class 1 integron is the most prevalent type among bacteria. This review highlights the need for continuous surveillance to understand the dissemination of integron and multidrug resistance among different bacteria.

     Purposes of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) include screening for single gene mutations for late onset disorders or susceptibility to cancer. The problematic issue is that PGD is to produce a healthy baby, causing the destruction of some embryos that have been transferred by in vitro fertilization (IVF). Some PGD embryos may be discarded because they are excess to the woman or couples’ goal for family creation, and have been diagnosed as being affected by a particular genetic condition that woman/couple wish to avoid. So, the controversial issue is the destruction of embryos as a consequence of fertility treatment that raises questions on whether the moral status of an embryo of 3 days is the same as that of a born, living adult human being.