Top News of Last Week with ANA
Azad News Agency (ANA) published a number of scientific and technological news during the past week whose top ones are as follows:
Iranian Company Produces Sunscreen from Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles
An Iranian technological firm has produced sunscreen from Zinc oxide nanoparticles coated with zinc aluminate, which exhibits a protective effect immediately upon application.
“One of the raw materials needed for the production of sunscreens is zinc oxide nanoparticles, imports of which faced hurdles in due to the sanctions. Subsequently, the producers faced limits and the prices of the imported raw materials increased,” said Nafiseh Nikpay, the representative of the technological company in reference to the production of high-tech raw materials needed for the production of cosmetics and health products in their technological company.
“It was then that the researchers at this company stepped in the direction of the production of high-tech raw materials and a company was established to produce and supply these raw materials. Currently, we use nano compounds to produce sunscreens. When nanoscale zinc oxide is used in producing sunscreens, it becomes more capable of reflecting Sun’s ultraviolet rays away from the skin surface. For that, we use Zinc oxide nanoparticles coated with zinc aluminate.”
Saying that the use of these nanoparticles prevents sunlight from reaching the skin tissues, Nikpap continued, “Nano sunscreens exhibits a protective effect immediately upon application. Meaning that these creams immediately after application, they form a protective layer on the skin surface and create a defense barrier against the Sun's ultraviolet rays.”
“The nanoparticles used in this product do not enter the cell and remain on the surface of the dead skin cells,” the researcher further highlighted.
Iranian Specialists Build Smart Systems for Monitoring Air Pollutants, Waste Management
Experts at an Iranian knowledge-based company used home-made technology to produce smart monitoring systems to measure the amount of air pollutants and implement waste treatment and management plans.
“Our company is active in the field of production of environmental pollutant sampling and measurement equipment, and it is involved in the development of management systems for treatment plants and finding technological solutions to control the release of air pollutants and produce biogas from waste,” said Hossein Karimian, the managing director of the knowledge-based company.
He added that portable industrial smoke detector, environmental gas meter, car exhaust turbidity meter, car exhaust gas meter, environmental sound meter, free air particulate measurement device, and urban air pollution monitoring stations are among the products of the company.
“In addition to setting up water and air purification systems, the design, installation and management of solar systems are also carried out by our knowledge-based group. Measuring and reducing air pollutants, water and sewage pollutants and waste and providing calibration services of measuring equipment are other activities of our company,” Karimian said.
Iranian Knowledge-Based Company Launches Complete Assembly Line of Electronic Components
Specialists of an Iranian knowledge-based company stationed at Pardis Science and Technology Park near Tehran set up a complete assembly line of electronic parts to manufacture and supply electronic products to the customers.
“Signal Houshmand Kasra company provides a full line of production and assembly of electronic boards from supply, production, testing and commissioning to product development for the knowledge-based companies and can act as an arm for the knowledge-based firms,” said Reza Sheraft, the managing director of the knowledge-based company.
“So far, our company has made products in the field of high-frequency telecommunications, automation, electronics, medical equipment, one-kilowatt power supply, etc., and by obtaining the ISO 15000 certificate, the company has guaranteed the quality of its work,” he added.
“The Pick and Place device used in our company has been manufactured by an Iranian knowledge-based group and enjoys the capability to assemble 4,000 electronic parts on the board every hour with high precision,” Sherafat said.
Iranian Scientists Make Chip to Detect Halal, Haram Meat
Iranian researchers at Islamic Azad University’s Shahr-e Kord branch managed to manufacture a type of special chip which can detect halal from haram (forbidden for Muslims) meat.
“The meat of seven or eight animals, including cow, sheep, goat, camel, and haram meat of animals like cat, dog and pig can be detected by the device simultaneously,” Abbas Dousti, a professor of the Biology Department of the Islamic Azad University’s Shahr-e Kord branch, told ANA.
He stated that the chip was designed by using modern biological and molecular technology in the Biotechnology Center of Islamic Azad University’s Shahr-e Kord branch.
Noting that each animal has genetic identifiers that are specific to its species, he said, “When we work on that identifier, it is recognized that the created band is specific to the same animal and we can identify what kind of meat is in this product.”
Dousti said that the device can precisely detect the meat used in different food items, including sausage, salami, hamburger, and kebab, which are processed and the meat types in them are not clear in appearance.
Smart Food Scanner Software Designed in Iran for Diabetic Patients
IT specialists of a technological unit active in the field of making smart medical equipment used artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a smart food scanner software for diabetic patients.
“After installing the food scanner application, people with diabetes can receive all their food information by placing the food image in front of the cellphone’s camera,” Tohid Amadeh, the manager of the technological unit, told ANA.
“Information like the amount of sugar, fat and proteins are among the things transferred to the patient; the information base of this software is so strong that it can also detect the level of ripeness of fruits,” he added.
Noting that after scanning the information and receiving it by the patient, the consumption and non-consumption of the food is suggested to the patient, Amadeh said, “All the processes of collecting information of the diabetic patients, diets and information about calories, fat and sugar in food have been collected and processed by artificial intelligence and the past data.”
Iranian Researchers Produce Specific Powder to Tackle Rat Problem
Researchers at a knowledge-based company in Iran have produced a non-toxic powder that stiffens in the stomachs of rats and other vermin and kill them without the need for chemicals.
“Nine years ago, because there were only hazardous poisons to kill rats, Tehran Municipality was looking for a new product that is only effective for rats and was not dangerous for man and rodents. Therefore, we launched a study on the anatomy of mice/rats and finally, after identifying the characteristics of the digestive system of mice/rats, we produced a specific poison for them. This poison went under changes over time. It is now considered a safe and effective product to kill rats," Akbar Niazi Waqef, the managing director of a knowledge-based company said, according to a report by the Iranian Vice Presidency for Science and Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy.
"We made a kind of food after studying the rat's stomach and intestines. The food stiffens in the animal's stomach, and turns into a stiff paste. For that, the rat cannot discharge it."
"This product could also be used for farmers, shopkeepers, even households," he added.
"Because this product is non-toxic, it does not pose any risk to the environment, animals and humans. This product does not contain any chemical poisons for humans, the environment, livestock and poultry, soil, plants and other organisms. Also, after the rat dies, there is no need to collect its dead body, because when the animal eats this powder, its stomach is full and it goes into its nest that is usually built under the ground. Therefore, its carcass is rarely seen," Niazi Waqef said.
Iranian Knowledge-Based Company Produces Nano Bio-Coatings for Increased Durability of Foodstuff
Researchers at a knowledge-based company in Iran have produced edible bio-coatings to protect food products against physical, chemical, and biological deterioration, a report said, adding, the company also offers services in testing quality of polymer products and foodstuff packages.
“A group of knowledge-based assessment and quality assurance services are offered for all polymer raw materials, additives and polymer packaging products produced by domestic and foreign companies. In these services, the food products are assessed in terms of food safety, health and their food and health grade in accordance with the national and international standards of the European Union, the American Food and Drug Administration, and the Eurasian Customs Union, and the groundwork is provided for improving their quality,” said Abdul Rasool Orumiyehei , the chairman of the Board of Directors and managing director of the knowledge-based company said, according to a report by the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy.
Referring to the development of technology in the field of production of polymer products, he said that the supplying know-how in the production of plastic, wood and recycling of plastic and polymer waste is one of the achievements of this knowledge-based group.
Orumiyehei pointed to the development of “bioprotect” edible coating technology for food products in their company, saying, “In this technology, natural materials are used for packaging of food products that have to be more durable and have long shelf life, including nuts and dried fruits. Moreover, consulting and offering products according to the customer’s needs in the packaging of food products are other services provided in this company.”
“We have received necessary approvals and permits for the production of nano and antibacterial edible coating solution for nuts and dried fruits is in the semi-industrial production stage. This product is an edible coating made of 100% natural materials to protect nuts and dried fruits against environmental pollution and increase the product’s shelf life. These materials are used instead of synthetic plastics. The research and development of biological food coating technology for packaging meat, poultry meat and fruits is also on the path towards commercialization,” the managing director of the company said.
Iran, OIC Members Trade 61 Billion Dollars in 1 Year
Head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) Mohammad Rezvanifar announced that the country and members of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) have traded $61billion in the past Persian calendar year (ended on March 19) showing an 0.19 percent hike compared to a year earlier.
Rezvanifar noted that the volume of the trade exchanges between Iran and the OIC member states reached 94 million tons, registering a 4.22 percent decline compared to the previous year.
Iran exported $29 billion of products to these countries and imported $32 billion worth of products from them, he said.
Rezvanifar added that the country’s exports of products to the OIC members last year registered an 11% decline in value while the imports of products from these countries increased 13% compared to a year earlier.
Among the OIC member states, the UAE, Turkiye, Iraq, Pakistan, Oman, Afghanistan, Malaysia and Indonesia were Iran’s major trade partners, he underlined.
Iranian Researchers Develop Nickel Coating for All Types of Steel by Using Plasma Technology
Iranian researchers at Amirkabir University of Technology succeeded in using the technology of plasma nitrogenization of steel to increase its strength against corrosion and wear for various applications.
“One of the most widely used methods of surface modification in industry, specially the industry of our country, is the electroplating process and one of the conventional methods of electroless plating is the nickel electroless method which can cover conductive and insulating surfaces and form continuous coatings with uniform thickness,” said Saber Mirhosseini, a PhD student in Materials Engineering at Amirkabir University of Technology.
“One of the problems of these coatings is their hardness and low wear resistance; therefore, in this project, for the first time, in order to improve the wear and tribological properties of nickel-boron composite coatings, nano-diamond particles with high hardness were used as reinforcements and the new heat treatment method of plasma nitriding was used,” he added.
Noting that these coatings have many applications in chemical industries, food industries, aerospace and automobile manufacturing, cutting tools, molding and weapons industries, Mirhosseini said, “The main goal of this project was to obtain nickel-boron electroless coatings reinforced with hard nano-diamond particles and plasma nitriding with favorable wear behavior.”
Iranian Scientists Make Nanobiosensor for Simple, Fast Detection of Sepsis Biomarkers
Iranian researchers succeeded in making a nano-biosensor that can help simple and quick detection of CRP and IL-6 biomarkers in sepsis disease.
The researchers, within the framework of a doctoral thesis, have managed to design and study a nano-biosensor based on microfluidic paper that can successfully identify and quantify the two biomarkers of sepsis, the CRP and IL-6.
“The system designed in this doctoral thesis includes a nanobiosensor based on aptamers which enjoys a high potential in detecting target proteins. This nanobiosensor is completely specific and has high reproducibility and stability,” said Ali Hossein Rezayan, a professor of the department of nanobiotechnology and biomimetics of the faculty of Biological Sciences Engineering.
He added that gold nanoparticles are used in this sensor and can create different colors in different states with their special optical properties.
“Therefore, by checking the color of the results, the concentration of the target protein in the plasma is determined,” Rezayan explained.
“One of the important achievements of this thesis is that sepsis can be diagnosed quickly and relatively accurately without the need to complex and time-consuming devices by performing this test,” he said.
Iranian Scientists Review Performance of Drug Inhibitors in Treatment of Colorectal Cancer
Iranian researchers at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences succeeded in studying the therapeutic potential of EW-7197 drug inhibitor in colitis and colorectal cancer.
“Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are a group of chronic diseases of the digestive system that lead to damage and inflammation of the colon and other parts of the digestive system. The two main types of this disease include Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis; intestinal inflammation in colitis can lead to a type of colon cancer,” said Maryam Moradi Binabaj, a PhD student in clinical biochemistry from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.
“In this research, the therapeutic potential of the drug inhibitor EW 7197 was studied in the murine model of inflammatory colitis and the cell and animal model of colorectal cancer,” she added.
Moradi Binabaj explained that in the colitis phase, after the creation of the colitis model and the treatment of mice, tissues and blood samples were examined and the mice were used to investigate the effect of drug inhibitor EW-7197 on reducing the pathological symptoms of inflammatory colitis.
Scientists in Iran Make Artificial Ovary for Transplantation of Ovarian Cells
Iranian researchers at Royan Research Institute succeeded in making an artificial ovary to settle the problem of transplanting ovarian cells.
“By removing and isolating damaged tissue from the body of cancer patients and replacing it with new tissue, often obtained from stored fetal umbilical cords and other connective tissues in the body, embryologists perform decellularization. The connective tissue in the ovary is placed inside this cell scaffold and the new tissue in the ovary is regenerated,” Rouhollah Fathi, an associate professor of the Department of Embryology and the vice-chancellor of Royan Research Institute, told ANA.
He explained that results of the project have been published in line with the latest research of the world's largest universities.
Noting that the artificial ovary research project has reached several new achievements, Fathi said, “Proving that women's bodies can produce eggs during adulthood has been one of the most important achievements of this project in the world.”
“If in the future we can have a baby born from regenerated ovarian tissue, we will have taken the most effective step in developing the achievements of this research,” he underlined.
Iranian Technologists Cultivate Brine Shrimp Using Desalination System Effluent
Technologists in a company in Iran have used discharged effluents from desalination plants to cultivate brine shrimps.
A technological company in Iran enjoys 30 years of experience in supplying services to the companies which are active in the field of brine shrimp cultivation and has been able to produce different brine shrimp products such as Artemia (brine shrimp) cyst or eggs, decapsulated brine shrimp cysts, and brine shrimp biomass.
There is a growing market for fish and shrimp in Iran at the same time as the production and breeding of shrimp and fish in the country is increasing in recent years.
The technological company has focused on using new methods and technologies in response to the growing domestic need for the brine shrimps.
One of the most important water resources for brine shrimp cultivation is effluent from desalination plants.
Iranian Specialists Use AI to Develop Smart Production Lines for Different Industries
Iranian experts at a knowledge-based company managed to use artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) to develop smart production lines for pharmaceutical, marine, petrochemical, steel and oil industries.
“In our company, we produce software and hardware based on artificial intelligence and machine vision to make all stations of production lines intelligent,” Mohammad Hossein Sokout, the deputy managing director of the knowledge-based company, told ANA.
He added that the smartization of all stations has been proposed in the big platform of IoT which is divided into three areas of control and monitoring of production line machines (self-control), product control and monitoring, and control and monitoring of input and output facilities of production lines, stressing, “Our company operates in all these three areas.”
“This system can be used in the smartization of vessels, engines, gearboxes and systems of vessels. Companies that produce marine industry parts or hardware can also use the system,” Sokout said.
“This system can also control a pharmaceutical product and is extremely useful in the automotive industry, because more than 10,000 parts are connected to each other in a car and all these parts should be intelligently controlled for better performance of the car. Also, this system can be applied in steel industries, upstream petrochemical industries and oil transmission lines; for instance, in the oil and gas industry, it can control and check the pipe breakage, pipe vibration or the distance of oil transmission,” he added.
4155/v
