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:
5 Iranian Nano Journals Listed in JCR 2024
There are five Iranian nanotechnology journals in the latest JCR 2024 list, and one of them, with an impact factor of 7.9, has managed to be placed in the first quartile (Q1) of scientific journals in this field.
The annual Journal Citation Reports (JCR 2024) was published in July by Clarivate Analytics. This report contains citation information and rankings of over 21,000 scientific journals from 113 countries in 254 subject areas. There are 161 Iranian journals in this list, among which 5 specialized journals in the field of nanotechnology have achieved an impact factor.
At the top of the list of 161 Iranian journals is the Journal of Nanostructure in Chemistry affiliated with Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e-Quds branch, with an impact factor of 7.9. The journal is classified in the following three subject areas in the first quartile (Q1); nanoscience and nanotechnology with a rank of 34 out of 147, chemistry, multidisciplinary with a rank of 41 out of 239, materials science, multidisciplinary with a rank of 88 out of 460.
Four other Iranian journals in the field of nanotechnology that are listed in the JCR 2024 include International Nano Letters with an impact factor of 4.0 (Islamic Azad University’s Kermanshah branch), Nanomedicine Journal with an impact factor of 1.7 (Mashhad University of Medical Sciences), the Journal of Nanostructures with an impact factor of 1.3 (Kashan University), and International Journal of Nano Dimension with an impact factor of 1.1 (Islamic Azad University’s Ton-e Kabon branch).
Iran among Top 10 States with Technology to Make Digital Hearing Aid
The first Iran-made smart digital hearing aid was designed and produced by a knowledge-based company, putting the country among the top 10 states in the world with the ability to produce digital hearing aids.
“Digital hearing aid production technology is available to less than 10 countries in the world; mainly European countries and two North American states. This technology is a special technology that the owner countries have kept its production in their monopoly,” said Aria Khamseh, the deputy managing director of Sales and Marketing of the knowledge-based company.
He explained that first, the applicant should visit an audiologist or ENT specialist for necessary tests and taking an ear mold, adding that the mold is sent to the company to design a special hearing aid based on the individual's hearing loss.
“The manufactured hearing aid is adjusted by an audiologist and placed inside the ear canal. At present, this process is carried out in collaboration with specialists, and in the near future, we have also planned to produce a special hearing aid adjustment device domestically,” Khamseh said.
He underlined the importance of software development in hearing aid technology, and said, “The important part of this product is its software, which is completely developed by the Iranian experts. The main point is that we can accurately adjust and fit the hearing aid correctly so that it can effectively replace the human sense of hearing,” he added.
Iranian Technologists Produce Specialized Nano-Based Radiopharmaceutical for Cancer Patients
Iranian Researchers at a knowledge-based company achieved the technical know-how to make a nanopharmaceutical based on a complex polymer macromolecule that is applicable in diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of cancers.
Tilmanocept is a complex polymer macromolecule that, in addition to carrying the diagnostic radioisotope technetium, can bind to receptors on the surface of cancer cells. This feature allows this drug to identify cancer cells with high accuracy.
One of the most important advantages of producing this radiopharmaceutical in Iran is the significant reduction in diagnosis costs. The cost of lymphatic system mapping using tilmanocept in Iran has been reduced to one-tenth of global prices. This cost reduction not only increases patients' access to this technology, but also creates a suitable export potential for Iran.
Since the lymphatic system is one of the main routes of metastasis in cancers, the use of this radiopharmaceutical could be useful for about 90% of cancer patients.
Unlike other radiopharmaceuticals, which are usually used to diagnose a specific type of cancer, tilmanocept can scan the spread of cancer throughout the lymphatic system. This feature makes the drug useful for a wide range of cancers.
Iran-Made Nano Coating Blocks Heat by Up to 90 Percent
Iranian researchers at a technological company developed a new nano coating to reduce energy consumption in buildings which can be implemented in new projects and existing buildings without the need to replace the glass, and controls up to 90% of solar heat and eliminates the harmful part of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays.
The company produced a thin and transparent coating that is applied to existing glass with the aim of reducing energy consumption by controlling the entry of solar heat into the building. It is capable of blocking 75% to 90% of infrared (IR) rays, which are the main cause of heating, while also filtering out the harmful part of ultraviolet (UV) rays. At the same time, this coating will maintain the transparency and natural light of the space.
This coating can be applied to new or existing buildings, specially for hot and sunny areas of Iran like the southern and central parts of the country, and can be applied to glass buildings, ministries, houses, restaurants and public spaces. Unlike low-e glass that reflects heat (and may damage vegetation or neighbors), this coating absorbs and manages heat.
“The glass coatings designed by us can control 75% to 90% of the heat transfer that comes through the sun's infrared wavelength. Also, these coatings eliminate the harmful part of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation that causes skin damage and discoloration of surfaces. This technology has been developed over about 3 years,” said Saeed Madarshahi, a specialized facade consultant and a representative of the company.
Iran-Made Nano-Based Socks Prevent Growth of Fungus on Feet in Summer
An Iranian company used nanotechnology to produce antibacterial socks as a hygienic and sustainable solution to combat foot odor and fungal growth in the summer.
A sock manufacturing company uses yarns containing nanoparticles to produce socks that, by having antibacterial properties, prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi and the formation of unpleasant odors in the feet.
The antibacterial activity of the socks against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae has been proven which indicates the favorable performance of this product in combating pathogenic microorganisms.
Features like preventing foot odor, inhibiting the growth of microbes, and maintaining antibacterial properties after washing make this product a suitable option for everyday use, sports activities, medical uses, and formal use. These socks not only provide comfort and hygiene to the user at the same time, but also perform well in terms of durability, skin compatibility, and maintaining properties over time.
Several Iranian companies have so far managed to produce different types of antibacterial socks which are suitable for athletes and workers with sensitive skin.
Iranian Knowledge-Based Firm Produces Nanocatalysts for RFCC Unit
Technologists at an Iranian knowledge-based company in addition to indigenizing the catalysts needed for gasoline production, succeeded in producing the nanocatalysts needed for the RFCC unit, which were previously imported from other countries.
The catalysts produced by the company are of the ‘fluid bed cracking’ type, which play a key role in refinery processes, and their production requires high technology and advanced knowledge.
The fluid bed cracking catalyst, known as FCC for short, consists of zeolite, rare earths, and other valuable compounds, through which the heavy cut of the atmospheric distillation tower is converted into valuable products, including the strategic products of gasoline, diesel, and LPG.
The indigenization of advanced nanocatalysts for the RCD unit is another achievement of this company. The RCD process is used to treat atmospheric and vacuum residual heavy oil cuts and prepares the feed for the RFCC unit by reducing sulfur compounds (HDS) and other contaminants. This measure not only helps to reduce the nanocatalyst consumption, but also brings significant profitability to refineries due to cost reduction.
The RCD process input feed consists of atmospheric (AR) and vacuum (VR) distillation tower bottoms, which after passing through the feed filter, enter the fixed bed reactors. The HDS reaction is carried out by using hydrogen and in the presence of advanced nanocatalysts and its output includes a variety of products like light gases, light and heavy naphtha, and low sulfur fuel oil.
Iranian Firm Makes License Plate Reading System with 95% Accuracy
A knowledge-based company in Iran has improved the accuracy of license plate reading in the country by 95% by designing and manufacturing an advanced system.
The company's license plate reading system, using advanced technologies, plays a key role in completing the traffic chain. Each of the inputs of this license plate reading system requires a dedicated camera.
Relying on domestic capabilities, the knowledge-based company uses the advanced 1500BioCam Maxa camera and other artificial intelligence-based CCTV cameras. The installation of these cameras requires the use of all-steel bases, the height of which is determined and implemented during the installation phase, considering the environmental conditions and the access of vehicles. Also, in order to establish network communication for these cameras, a POE switch is required, which is provided by the customer or the company.
The smart license plate reader system consists of hardware components like a license plate camera and projector, and a powerful license plate reader software. This software is responsible for processing and analyzing the image data received from the camera.
The company's web-based platform, the use of advanced image processing technologies, including deep learning, multi-faceted processing, CPU and GPU-based processing, comprehensive coverage of Iranian license plates, license plate recognition with an accuracy of over 95%, license plate recognition at night and strong sunlight, fog and rainfall, recognition of the class, model and color of the vehicle, vehicle speed recognition, storage of license plate and vehicle images, assignment of multiple drivers to one license plate and vice versa, etc. are a number of the unique advantages of this system compared to other competitors.
Iranian Researcher, Colleagues Invent Accurate At-Home Test for Covid-19, Cancer
An Iranian researcher in cooperation with his colleagues at Berkeley University invented a simple and inexpensive at-home test for detecting Covid-19 that provides results in 12 minutes, is highly accurate, and could potentially be used to diagnose cancer and other diseases.
Created by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, the test combines a natural evaporation process called the “coffee-ring effect” with plasmonics and AI to detect biomarkers of disease with remarkable precision in just minutes.
“This simple yet effective technique can offer highly accurate results in a fraction of the time compared to traditional diagnostic methods,” said Kamyar Behrouzi, the Iranian researcher who recently completed a Ph.D. in micro-electromechanical systems and nanoengineering at UC Berkeley. “Our work paves the way for more affordable, accessible diagnostics, especially in low-resource settings.”
Look closely at any coffee or wine stain, and you might observe that the outline of the stain is much darker than the interior. This is due to a physical phenomenon called the coffee-ring effect: As a droplet of liquid evaporates, it generates a flow that pushes suspended particles towards the edge of the droplet. If the particles are pigmented, as they are in coffee and wine, the resulting stain will be darker around the rim than in the middle.
Iranian Scientists Develop Light Therapy Glasses for Alzheimer's Patients
A technological research team stationed at the Science and Technology Park of Amirkabir University of Technology, in collaboration with the Neuroscience Research Center of Iran University of Medical Sciences, succeeded in designing and manufacturing a prototype of light therapy glasses with a frequency of 40 Hz which improves the cognitive performance of the elderly in the early stages of Alzheimer's.
The team of scientists stationed at Amirkabir University of Technology conducted a research entitled ‘Making a prototype of 40 Hz light therapy glasses to help improve cognitive performance in the early stages of Alzheimer's’.
“In this project, the mechanism of the effect of 40 Hz light on the brain, specially the activation of the gamma rhythm and its role in clearing pathological deposits of Alzheimer's, was first reviewed. Then, the research team designed an electronic circuit and an optical algorithm capable of producing precise 40 Hz pulses,” said Danial Nejad Massoum, one of the researchers.
In addition to the electronic design, the ergonomic design of the glasses and optical safety tests were also carried out. The prototype is currently in the basic performance testing phase and will be prepared for the next stages, including human and clinical tests,” he added.
Iranian Researchers Study Microbial Composition of Patient’s Stomach
Iranian researchers at the Microorganism Bank of the National Center for Genetic and Biological Resources of Iran in cooperation with their colleagues at the Faculty of Biology of Shahid Beheshti University in a joint study succeeded in determining the culturable microbial profile from biopsy samples of patients with gastritis and gastric atrophy.
“In this study we tried to identify the microbial diversity in the gastric mucosa of patients by utilizing classical culture techniques and molecular studies based on sequencing of isolated bacteria. The ultimate goal was to find a possible relationship between the microbial composition of the stomach and the severity of tissue damage like gastritis and gastric atrophy,” explained Mohaddeseh Ramezani, a faculty member and the director of the Microorganism Bank of the National Center for Genetic and Biological Resources of Iran, who supervised the study.
“An important point in this study was the isolation of viable and culturable strains, which allows for further tests like determining antibiotic resistance and examining their pathogenicity characteristics,” he added.
“The initial results of this study showed that changes in the microbial composition of the stomach can be associated with the severity of disease symptoms, opening new horizons in the early diagnosis and targeted treatment of digestive diseases,” Ramezani said.
Iranian Scientists Produce Multipotent Foot-and-Mouth Vaccine
Iranian researchers at the Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute, in collaboration with vaccine-making companies, succeeded in producing a multipotent foot-and-mouth disease vaccine using the gamma irradiation method.
The vaccine inactivates the disease-causing virus with intense gamma radiation while maintaining the ability to stimulate humoral and cellular immune responses in the animal body.
The vaccine could produce a significant protective antibody titer when exposed to the live virus. In laboratory studies on animals like guinea pigs, and the field tests on a livestock farm in Markazi Province, the vaccine has shown successful performance alongside chemical vaccines.
Compared to the chemical method, which takes between 48 and 72 hours to inactivate the virus, the process takes less than an hour with the gamma irradiation method which does not leave any chemical residues in the final product.
Another advantage of the method is the preservation of the antigenic structure and the enhancement of the immune system response of the animal, because gamma radiation inactivates the virus by destroying its genome, without damaging its protein structure, which plays a role in stimulating the immune system. This is while in chemical methods, there is a possibility of damage to the antigenic structure of the virus.
INIC to Hold Workshop on Life Cycle Assessment Stages of Nanotechnology Products
The Iran Nano and Micro Technologies Innovation Council (INIC) is due to hold a specialized workshop on the life cycle assessment of nanomaterials production and use in August with the aim of familiarizing companies and industries with scientific and standard methods for assessing the environmental impacts of nanomaterials throughout their life cycle.
The importance of environmental protection and the possible consequences associated with the manufacture and use of nanomaterials have increased the need to develop methods to better understand and identify these consequences.
One of the techniques developed for this purpose is life cycle assessment (LCA). LCA is a management tool that quantitatively assesses the environmental consequences of a product (like nanomaterials) or service (like the use of nanomaterials) throughout all stages of its life, including resource extraction, production of the final product, use, and post-disposal management, including recycling, reuse, and final disposal.
This management tool provides a specific framework for measuring the environmental impacts of the manufacture and use of nanomaterials, and its purpose is not only to collect data, but also to facilitate the decision-making process with a holistic approach. For this reason, it is always designed with a specific goal in mind. For instance, one of these goals could be to manufacture nanomaterials more sustainably and with less environmental impact.
Due to the importance of this issue, the Standards and Safety Group of the INIC is organizing a specialized workshop on Life Cycle Assessment of the Production and Use of Nanomaterials’ to familiarize companies and related industries with the scientific and standard methods for assessing the environmental impacts of nanomaterials throughout their life cycle.
Iran Uses Smart Robots to Combat Microdust in Power Grid System
Iranian technologists at the Center for Innovation and Development of Information Technology, Communications and Security at Niroo Research Institute (NRI) used robots to monitor power transmission and distribution lines and wash insulators contaminated with microdust.
“In certain sectors of the electricity and water industry that face difficult working conditions like high temperatures in power plants or equipment repairs in remote areas, the use of robots can be very effective,” said Dolat Jamshidi, the head of the Center for Innovation and Development of Information Technology, Communications and Security at Niroo Research Institute.
“At present, robots are used to monitor power transmission and distribution lines. Robots have also been used to wash insulators that are contaminated by microdust and disrupt system performance,” he added.
“Iranian knowledge-based companies, with the necessary technical know-how, are developing and producing these robots. The NRI also plays a scientific and technological support role in this process,” Jamshidi said.
Iranian Scientists Use AI, 3D Printing to Produce Spinal Equipment
The Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based company succeeded in designing and developing two advanced devices in the field of orthopedic and spinal surgeries by using 3D printing technology and artificial intelligence.
“At present, we have two main products, one of which is an intervertebral cage and the other is spinal guides,” said Kousha Abdollah Faridani, a member of the knowledge-based company.
Explaining about the intervertebral cage, he said, “This piece is used when the doctor diagnoses that the disc should be removed from the body for any reason, such as the growth of a cancerous tumor. After the disc is removed, a replacement piece is needed, and we have designed this cage to be placed between the two vertebrae and maintain the appropriate distance. This part must also have a specific geometry and be of the right material.”
“We have designed this cage in an innovative way and by using 3D printing technology. The porosity created in the cage structure is such that bone tissue quickly penetrates it and the part is integrated with the bone. This feature prevents the cage from slipping after implantation and will stabilize it over time,” Abdollah Faridani said.
He elaborated on the company’s second product which is spinal guides, saying, “When the doctor decides to use screws instead of a cage to connect the vertebrae, it is very important that these screws are inserted with high precision in the correct place, because otherwise they may damage the spinal canal or muscles. To solve this problem, we have designed guides that help the doctor determine the exact path of the screws.”
“These guides are generated in two ways; manually and by using artificial intelligence. In the second method, the doctor gives the patient's CT scan to our artificial intelligence algorithm, and the system designs the appropriate guide completely automatically,” Abdollah Faridani noted.
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