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:
Iran’s Nano Market Witnesses 97 Percent Growth in 10 Years
Iran’s nanotechnology market has experienced significant and sustained growth over the past decade, and according to official figures, its average annual growth rate from 2013 to 2023 reached nearly 97%.
The average annual growth rate of 97% in the nano market means that the sales volume of nano-based products in Iran has doubled almost every year. This significant growth occurred while the largest jump was recorded in 2020 with a growth of 160%, and the growth in 2023 with 102%, exceeding the set targets (40%).
Despite the impact of factors like the increase in the exchange rate and inflation on the country’s economic indicators since 2017, Iran’s nanotechnology market has continued to enjoy sustained growth, and even the share of exports in this field reached 57,100 billion rials in 2023 (equivalent to 9.2% of the total market).
In addition to the product market, the nanotechnology equipment market has also grown significantly in recent years, specially in 2020, 2021, and 2023. As in 2023, after a period of decline, it experienced a growth of nearly 60%, and devices like ‘freeze dryers’ and ‘sputtering coating’ have been at the top of the best-selling equipment.
These statistics provide a clear picture of the dynamism, exports capacity, and upward trend of nanotechnology in Iran, which can be the basis for larger policymaking in the field of science, technology, and knowledge-based economy.
Iranian Startup Team Manufactures Beach-Cleaning Robot
A smart robot was manufactures by an Iranian startup team to collect recycled waste from beaches.
The robot uses a powerful brush, precise sensors, and lithium batteries to clean the beach environment from plastic bottles.
In a bid to settle the environmental challenge of cleaning the beaches, an Iranian startup team has designed and built a robot that automatically collects recycled waste from the beach surface to preserve the environment and reduce plastic pollution on beaches.
The robot uses a brush that is connected to a motor on one side and a holder on the other side to separate waste from the sand surface. The DC motor is responsible for rotating the brush and plays an important role in the mechanical performance of the robot.
In the electronics design section, the Arduino Mega board is used as the main memory of the robot, and four ultrasonic sensors are also used as the robot's smart eyes to detect obstacles and waste.
To provide the required energy, three lithium batteries are installed in series in the power section, and a powerful brush is also responsible for collecting waste.
Iranian Students Design Low-Cost Breast Cancer Screening Device
A team of students from Tehran Atomic Energy High School developed an innovative system for the early breast cancer screening by analyzing the mechanical properties of body tissue.
“We have designed a system that measures the mechanical properties of breast tissue by applying a controlled force without causing pain. This is done section by section on the tissue and then, with the help of physical and mathematical calculations, the average is taken,” said Ali Naqdi, a member of the team.
Noting that the breast tissue is divided into 4 parts and the device measures at 16 different points, he said, “Each part where there is a higher probability of a mass is indicated in color and with a red mark on the screen so that the doctor knows exactly which part to examine further.”
“Our technology is based on the accuracy of measuring and analyzing the mechanical properties of tissue in a simple, but scientific way. Our main goal is to make regular monthly screening possible for all women so that breast cancer can be detected in its early stages,” Naqdi noted.
Iranian Surgeons Conduct Operation on Patient's Skull with Home-Made Absorbable Implant
Iranian researchers succeeded in developing 3D bioprinting technology and producing absorbable bone implants which are applicable in jaw, face, and skull surgeries.
A team of Iranian scientists at a knowledge-based company were able to design and produce a bioprinting device and prove its clinical application in the reconstruction of jaw, face, and skull bones.
“Traditional methods use titanium implants that should be removed after a while with another surgery. However, our scaffold is made of biomaterials and after implantation, it gradually dissolves in the body and gives way to natural bone tissue. This process is both less expensive and more comfortable for the patient. These materials, which include biocompatible polymers, hydrogels, and ceramics, are designed with compositions that closely resemble the mineral structure of human bone. Unlike some methods that use cadaveric bone or the person’s own body, these scaffolds are completely synthetic and do not carry the risk of disease transmission,” said Majid Haji Hossein Ali, the founder of the company.
He explained that in skull surgeries, the use of titanium causes problems like MRI contraindications and nerve stimulation, adding, “However, our bioscaffold easily replaces bone without these complications.”
“Several successful cases of using our product have also been reported, including the successful reconstruction of the skull structure of a woman whose bone under her eye was damaged in an accident. The surgery was performed at Sina Hospital in Tehran, and the patient’s eye returned to its normal position after repair,” Haji Hossein Ali said.
Iranian Firm Produces Livestock Embryos in Vitro
An Iranian knowledge-based company succeeded in indigenizing the technology that enables the production of livestock embryos through IVF (in vitro fertilization) in laboratory conditions.
This technology, using ultrasound to retrieve eggs from living, genetically valuable animals, has made it possible to produce 20 to 30 embryos from an elite cow in a short period of time before reaching reproductive age.
These embryos are transferred to the uterus of ordinary and non-elite cows, and as a result, without the need to import livestock, a herd of cows with high genetic value can be created that are superior in terms of milk production, reproduction, and economic productivity.
The knowledge-based company, named Sina Fanavaran Mandegar’ has been able to indigenize the complete cycle of livestock IVF in Iran, from the production of embryos of superior beef and dairy breeds to their successful transfer to recipient cows. This technology has increased the pregnancy success rate even in ordinary livestock to more than 60% and has significantly reduced costs by replacing direct livestock imports.
“This year, we have reached the nominal annual production capacity of 10,000 embryos at Sina Fanavaran Mandegar company, and we plan to increase this capacity in the coming years, considering export projects,” said Mohammad Mehdi Naderi, the founder of the company.
Iran Joins Producers of Advanced Electrochemical Supercapacitor
Iranian scientists succeeded in designing and manufacturing a home-made electrochemical supercapacitor, making the country the fifth state in possession of such technology.
“Iran has succeeded in achieving this technology as the fifth country in the world,” said Nourali Mohammadi, the director of the Research Group of the Chemical Industries Development Research Institute of the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research of Iran.
“In the past, the technical know-how of manufacturing industrial supercapacitors was exclusive to the four countries of Canada, South Korea, China, and the US, and we were able to complete a laboratory sample of this product with a quality similar to highly advanced foreign samples,” he added.
Mohammadi noted that the technology is applied in electric vehicles, elevators, and wind turbines, adding, “These supercapacitors enjoy a physical lifespan of over 10 years and a cycle life of more than one million cycles, and release energy in a much shorter period of time than conventional batteries.”
Iran Ranks 8th in World in Cell Therapy
Secretary of the Biotechnology Development Headquarters of the Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy Mostafa Qaneyee announced that the country ranks 8th in the world in cell therapy.
“We have made significant progress in the field of stem cells; last year we had only one cell therapy product in the market and ranked 12th in the world, but this year we have reached the 8th place with 5 products,” Qaneyee said.
“Our goal is to stand among the top five countries in the world in this field and eliminate the need for patients to travel abroad for treatment,” he added.
Qaneyee also underlined that the country is seriously pursuing two important projects of domestic production of insulin and plasma.
Iran Uses Nanotechnology to Produce 3 Home-Made Advanced Cancer, Fungal Drugs
Head of the Strategic Technologies Development Center of the Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy Saeed Sarkar announced production of three advanced cancer and fungal drugs in the country by using nanotechnology.
“At present, nearly 140 health products based on modern and nano technologies are produced in the country, and some of these products are exported abroad,” Sarkar said.
“Last year, three anti-cancer and anti-acute fungal infections drugs, which previously had a total import of over $6.5 million, were produced and presented to the market with domestic technology. These three drugs include a drug for treating leukemia, a drug for treating pancreatic cancer, and an injectable drug for fungal infections,” he added.
Sarkar also announced the start of implementation of 20 technological development projects this year, including the SMA drug, diagnostic kits for gastrointestinal cancer, and health products.
100 Companies Own 80% of Iran's Nanotechnology Market
Figures of 2023 indicate that over 80% of Iran's nanotechnology market is controlled by 100 top companies, and the civil and construction, automotive and transportation, and chemical industries have accounted for the largest share of domestic sales and exports.
Also products like sanitary valves, industrial catalysts, black grade polyethylene, and industrial carbon black have been at the top of the country's best-selling nano products.
The market for nanotechnology-based products, equipment, and services in Iran during 2023, with the presence of hundreds of active companies, displayed a broad perspective of the capabilities and capacities of this field. Studies show that the majority of this market is controlled by a limited number of leading companies, and the civil and construction, automotive and transportation, chemicals, and oil and petrochemical industries have accounted for a significant share of domestic sales and exports.
Official figures show that key products like sanitary valves, building tiles, reflex glasses, automotive and oil and gas catalysts, black grade polyethylene, and industrial carbon black are at the top of the list of best-selling nano-based products in Iran.
Cold Plasma, Peaceful Application of Iran's Nuclear Industry
Iranian nuclear experts indigenized cold plasma technology to treat chronic wounds like diabetic wounds, bedsores, and burns without the need for surgery and at the lowest cost.
Diabetic wounds, bedsores, burns, and tissue and skin injuries are among the problems that some patients struggle with, and their treatment is difficult and expensive. Using cold plasma technology to treat these types of wounds is a solution that, thanks to the efforts of nuclear industry experts, has become indigenized in the country, and wound treatment centers are using this method to treat patients.
Patients with chronic wounds like burn wounds, diabetic wounds, and bedsores, whose treatment process was long and difficult, are witnessing a significant improvement in their condition with the application of plasma therapy.
Cold plasma helps repair and regenerate chronic wounds in the shortest possible time, without the need for surgery, medication, or light therapy, reducing the duration of treatment with this method, the risk of infection, and the costs of treating the patients.
Iranian Firm Produces Biological Fertilizer for Drought Conditions
A knowledge-based company in Iran produced a type of biological fertilizer for plant growth in drought conditions, the use of which leads to water savings.
The researchers at the knowledge-based company took an effective step in reducing water consumption and maintaining agricultural production in the country's drought conditions by producing ‘biological fertilizer that makes plants resistant to salinity and drought stresses’.
“The specific bacteria in the formulation of this fertilizer, through the secretion of special hormones and enzymes, as well as the promotion of the gene systems of plants under stress conditions, increase the absorption of nutrients and overcome the cessation of plant growth and stimulate its growth again in such conditions, which is the main factor in plant resistance in stressful conditions,” said Maryam Safdarian, the managing director of the knowledge-based company.
“Since the excessive use of chemical fertilizers causes pollution and salinity of water and soil, reduced quality of agricultural products, and water shortages and droughts, we proposed the idea of exploiting the capacity of microorganisms to improve plant gene systems as one of the successful approaches to improve plant production and performance in harsh environmental conditions,” she added.
Iranian Company Makes Floatation Device for Mining Industry
Experts of a technological company in Iran managed to produce floatation device for application in the mining industry.
“The company's laboratories include crushing, granulation analysis, division and homogenization, assaying by classical chemistry and atomic absorption, gold fire assay analysis, dissolved oxygen measurement, ball mill band index calculation, flotation, leaching, gravity and magnetic separation, purification by solvent extraction and sedimentation,” said Milad Allameh, the managing director of the company.
“All these facilities are at the disposal of a team of experts in mineral processing, chemistry and mining engineering,” he added.
Allameh referred to a number of flagship projects developed by the company, and said, “Manufacturing a personalized flotation device, optimizing the flotation line of a mining company in Fars province, and feasibility study of processing a gold mine in Khatibi area are among the projects that we have successfully completed.”
University of Tehran Researchers Make Key Breakthrough about Cataracts, Blindness
Iranian researchers at the University of Tehran’s Center for Biochemistry and Biophysics Research identified the pathogenic mechanism and an important mutation in the human alpha-B crystallin protein that leads to cataracts and blindness.
The findings of Farid Nasiri, a PhD student in biochemistry at the University of Tehran, in his doctoral thesis titled ‘The role of mutation (p.R107L) on the structure, stability, chaperone activity, and fibrillation of human alpha-B crystallin protein’ identified the pathogenic mechanism and an important mutation in the human alpha-B crystallin protein that leads to cataracts and blindness.
Researchers at the Protein Chemistry Laboratory at the Center for Biochemistry and Biophysics Research produced the mutant protein in a bacterial host using targeted mutagenesis methods and recombinantly.
In this study, the structural features and biological activity of the protein were investigated using various spectroscopic and microscopic methods.
The results of the study showed that this pathogenic mutation changes the secondary to tertiary structure of human alpha-B crystallin and significantly reduces its activity and structural stability.
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