(UNDER ILLEGAL SANCTIONS)  New Scientific Achievements of Iranians ...THE ''ISLAMIC NATION'' AND SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS (WHAT THE WEST REALLY FEARS)
Iran Among 10 Nanotech Pioneering States
Iran ranks among the 10 leading countries of the world in nanotechnology, an Iranian researcher said, adding that the country also ranks first in the Middle-East in the field.“Iran is among the 10 superior world countries in nanotechnology and ranks first in the Middle East in the field,” nanotechnology scientist, Zeinab Fereshteh, told Fars News Agency.he also said Iran ranks 25th in the world for utilizing nanotechnology in different industries and commercializing products.The nanotechnology growth indicators for Iran marked a high rise in the total number of scientific publications in recent years, as the country jumped two ranks (at the beginning of 2012) to stand 10th in the world. Iran ranked 14th in the same list at the beginning of 2011.Dr. Ali Mohammad Soltani, the head of Policymaking Workgroup of Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council (INIC), announced in August that over 3 percent of the world publications on nanotechnology belong to Iranian researchers and scientists.“More than 3 percent of all published scientific journal articles associated with nanotechnology belong to Iran and that is while the country constitutes only 1 percent of the world’s population,” Soltani said.“This formulated plan indicates the long-term and panoramic perspective of the Iran’s nanotechnology authorities and according to Iran’s Holistic Scientific Map on Sciences, the country is supposed to possess a 2-percent world share in the production of nanotech-based products,” Dr. Soltani said, referring to the ten-year strategic plan of INIC for nanotechnology.Soltani noted that Iran has 4,000 nanotechnology specialists, and said, “At present, we are training 1,159 and 3,989 students at PhD and MSc levels, respectively, in different fields of nanotechnology in Iran.”

Iran’s Arash Habibi Awarded at Malaysia Computer Contest Iranian computer specialist Arash Habibi Lashkari has been awarded at the 2012 national contest of MSC Malaysia Asia Pacific ICT Awards (MSC Malaysia APICTA).Lashkari’s new design of disposable password (single use password) can provide the computer system to be protected from six popular password attacksThe best innovations and inventions of the contest have been identified by a jury panel comprising Microsoft engineers and several experts from Malaysia’s Cyber Security Organization.Lashkari has also won at the 14th Innovation and Technology Exhibition (INATEX 2012) that was recently held from October 3 to 4 in Malaysia.He received a Bronze Award for the invention/innovation of ‘A robust graphical password for mobile applications’.Born in 1974, lashkari is PHD candidate of Computer Science and Information Security in Technology University of Malaysia.The MSC Malaysia APICTA aims at recognizing creativity, innovation, and excellence of individuals, students, entrepreneurs, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and organizations in Malaysian ICT.Winners of the MSC Malaysia APICTA Awards will represent Malaysia at the annual International APICTA Awards.

Saffron Extract Offers Cardio Protection Researchers at Mashhad Medical University found saffron and safranal, an organic compound isolated from saffron, have cardio protective effect.Hussein Husseinzadeh, who led the research, said the study was designed to evaluate the cardio protective effect of Crocus sativus L. (saffron) aqueous extract and safranal, the major constituent of the essential oil of saffron, on lipid peroxidation, biochemical parameters and histopathological findings in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial infarction in Wistar rats.“The saffron extract (20, 40, 80 and 160 mg/kg/day IP) or control were administered for 9 days along with ISO (85 mg/kg, SC, at 24 hr interval) on 8th and 9th day in rats,” he said, adding that activities of creatine kinase-muscle, brain (CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured using standard commercial kits.Husseinzadeh noted that the level of malondialdehyde in heart tissue was estimated through the thiobarbituric acid reactive species test“For histopathological examination, hematoxylin and eosin staining was used,” he said.The researcher further said ISO administration induced a statistically significant increase (P< 0.001) in serum LDH and CK-MB and a significant increase (P< 0.001) in the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs) in the heart as compared to vehicle control rats.He also said saffron pretreatment (20, 40, 80 and 160 mg/kg IP) or safranal pretreatment (0.025, 0.050, 0.075 ml/kg IP) for 8 days significantly decreased (P< 0.001) the serum LDH and CK-MB and myocardial lipid peroxidation as compared to ISO- induced rats.Husseinzadeh concluded that histological findings of the heart sections confirmed myocardial injury with ISO administration and preserved nearly normal tissue architecture with saffron or safranal pretreatment.Saffron and safranal may have cardio protective effect in ISO-induced myocardial infarction through modulation of oxidative stress in such a way that they maintain the redox status of the cell.

Cell Therapy for Stress Urinary Incontinence Researchers at Mashhad Medical University have created a novel stem cell therapy for stress urinary incontinence.The team of researchers comprised Maliheh Keshvari Shirvan, Daryoush Hamidi Alamdari, Mohammad Reza Darabi Mahboub, Alireza Qannadi and Hamid Reza Rahimi.Shirvan said the aim of this study was the safety assessment of urethra injections of autologous total nucleated cells (TNCs) along with platelets, which focused on the outcome over a six-month period.She said an open, prospective study was conducted on 9 patients with severe stress urinary incontinence (SUI).“At the baseline, 1, 3 and 6 months after external urethral sphincteric and submucosal injections of autologous TNCs along with platelets, the patients were assessed according to cough tests, Q-Tip tests, urodynamics, 1 hour pad tests, upper tract ultrasonography (UTU), post voiding residue (PVR), International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary incontinence (ICIQ-UI), and International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire-Quality of Life (ICIQ-QOL),” she said.Shirvan further said that in the 3rd month of post-injection, the maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP) and abdominal leak point pressure (ALPP) were measured in one patient with intrinsic sphincteric deficiency (ISD; the baseline: ALPP < 60 and MUCP < 30 cmH2O)“No complications were observed after injection. At 6-months’ follow-up (F/U), all the patients considered themselves clinically cured with eight women completely continent and one marked improvement,” she said.The researcher said cell therapy consisting of intrasphincteric and submucosal injections of autologous TNCs along with platelets in SUI patients is a feasible and safe procedure.Shirvan said the results point out those subjects cured or with marked improvement after six months F/U.Urinary incontinence is any involuntary leakage of urine. It can be a common and distressing problem, which may have a profound impact on quality of life. Urinary incontinence almost always results from an underlying treatable medical condition but is under-reported to medical practitioners.The most common causes of urinary incontinence in women are stress urinary incontinence and urge urinary incontinence. Women with both problems have mixed urinary incontinence. 

Iranian Develops Anti-Cancer System

An Iranian researcher at Amir-Kabir Polytechnic University has developed a new drug-carrier system for fighting cancer cells by using herbal anticancer properties, especially those in green tea.“Green tea includes catechin, an anticancer material sensitive to cancer cells, but it vanishes in the body’s chemical environment quickly when used in normal doses,” Sarah Shafiei, the researcher of the project, was quoted as saying by Fars News Agency.Shafiei said the medication penetrates cancerous cells and then releases the needed amount of catechin in them without poisoning or damaging the healthy cells.“The system has passed cellular tests and destroyed prostate cancer cells successfully,” Shafiei said, adding that the system should now undergo clinical tests.Shafiei pointed out that natural anticancer materials, including green tea, are more compatible with the body and cause less side-effects compared with chemotherapy.The researcher noted that her newly-developed system is cheaper, easier to make compared to its foreign rivals and uses common polymeric materials.

Iranians Boost Sensitivity of Nanosensors

Researchers of Tehran University have succeeded in increasing the sensitivity of tin dioxide nanosensor by synthesizing a multi-walled carbon nanotube and tin dioxide nanocomposite.In this research, multi-walled carbon nanotubes were used to improve the properties of semiconductor sensors of volatile organic compounds, Fars News Agency reported.“In this research, nanocomposites consisted of functionalized carbon nanotubes and tin dioxide nanoparticles were synthesized through sonochemical and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods,” Sadeq Ahmadnia Feyzabad, one of the researchers of the plan, explained.The production of nanoparticles with diameter less than 6 nm is one of the advantages of the chemical deposition method used in this research. It causes the nanosensor made of such nanoparticles to have a very high sensitivity.Recent studies show that the reduction in the diameter of SnO2 nanoparticles to less than 6 nm significantly increases the sensitivity of the sensor made of these particles.“One of the most important applications of these nanosensors is in medical fields. Normal or common or uncommon physiological processes in human’s body can emit gases in expiration. Therefore, the combination of expiration changes. Internal illnesses are usually diagnosed by carrying out various tests such as blood test or through biopsy from the desired tissue,” Feyzabad said.“However, respiration analysis can help the diagnosis of the illness more quickly and when the number of the damaged cells is little. Lung cancer, breast cancer and diabetes are among illnesses that can be diagnosed through respiration analysis.”

Iranians Remove 90% of Arsenic From Polluted Waters Iranian researchers from Bu-Ali Sina University, Yazd University and Hamedan Medical University have succeeded in removing arsenic from polluted waters by using calcium peroxide nanoparticles.According to the results, these nanoparticles can remove 90 percent of arsenic from polluted waters due to their high oxidation power and harmlessness, Fars News Agency reported.“The goal of the research was to present a useful, simple and cost-effective method in order to reduce arsenic concentration in polluted waters through the synthesis of calcium peroxide nanoparticles. In this research, a method was presented, which according to the final results, is one of the newest methods in the world,” Dr. Hussein Banejad, one of the researchers of the plan, explained.According to Dr. Banejad, the removal of arsenic from waters polluted with this element by using calcium peroxide nanoparticles was the most important characteristic of the research.Calcium peroxide nanoparticles oxidized arsenic from a very toxic form (five capacities arsenic) to three capacities arsenic with much lower toxicity due to their high oxidation power.Arsenic is finally separated from the environment due to the formation of a complex and due to the low activity of arsenic and its high adsorption on various surfaces. A final 90 percent removal of the pollutant is obtained at the end of the experiment.The method is classified among the high performance methods in the removal of hazardous materials from water resources and industrial wastewater. The most noticeable feature of the method is the ability of arsenic removal, as a toxic and hazardous material, from surface and underground waters without the need for specific chemical components.

Iranian Researcher Analyzes Brain Chemical A Wayne State University researcher’s take on the current state of brain chemical analysis is the cover story in a recent professional journal, accompanied by a podcast.In “Ultrafast Detection and Quantification of Brain Signaling Molecules With Carbon Fiber Microelectrodes,” published in the Analytical Chemistry, Parastoo Hashemi, PhD, assistant professor of chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, examines the use of carbon fiber microelectrodes (CFM) in neurochemical measurements, Science Codex reported.“The field is more critical than ever,” she said, “with the increasing number of diagnoses of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, which remain largely untreatable, and with a surge in reports of mood disorders and substance abuse.”The brain comprises many different types of cells with different roles and all of those cells communicate through synapses where chemicals interact.“For us to really understand the brain, we have to understand its chemistry, and to understand the chemistry, we have to understand how these chemicals move around in the synapse,” Hashemi said. “We need to know what different molecules are there so we can assign specific roles to specific molecules.”CFMs have proven a good tool for analyzing brain chemicals, which Hashemi said requires adhering to four criteria: size, speed, selectivity and sensitivity--which her group refers to as the four S’s.Selectivity is needed to distinguish between types of chemicals; sensitivity because chemicals often are present in low levels. Speed is important because chemicals fluctuate dynamically--as in processing of conversation, for example--and small size is necessary to fit in gaps between areas of tissue the electrode is intended to sample.CFMs now can be made very small--1/100 the thickness of a human hair--and are uniquely biocompatible. “Because other molecules don’t stick to CFMs,” Hashemi said, “the fibers induce little inflammation or rejection response from tissue.”

Their small size enables CFMs to be combined in microarrays to measure reactions in multiple synapses simultaneously, giving researchers greater insight into how various parts of the brain work together. Amperometry is one technique for using CFMs and works well in a highly controlled system, she said.“If you have a bunch of cells and you know what’s in them already, you can put electrodes right next to a cell and essentially hold it at constant voltage value and oxidize everything that comes out,” Hashemi said. “If you know what’s in there, you can get really fast, really sensitive responses.”“Amperometry enables researchers to expose cells to materials in consumer goods, such as bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA, to see how cell function is impaired,” she said. “It’s a very effective, neat preparation.”

Iranian Researcher Creates 24-Carat Gold in Lab

Iranian researcher Kazem Kashefi along with his American colleague has created gold in Michigan State University using bacteria in a way called ‘microbial alchemy.’Kashefi and Adam Brown used a special type of bacterium to turn liquid gold into more valuable 24-karat gold.They reported that the bacteria Cupriavidus metallidurans is capable of resisting the toxic effects of gold chloride, and can transform large concentrations of the substance into 24-karat gold, Science Daily reports.“Microbial alchemy is what we are doing, transforming gold from something that has no value into a solid, precious metal that is valuable," said the assistant professor of microbiology and molecular genetics Kazem Kashefi.Researchers proved the point with their art installation ‘The Great Work for the Metal Lover,’ in which colonies of the hardy bacteria were fed with massive doses of gold chloride. In about a week, the bacteria produced a gold nugget.Their artwork contains a portable laboratory made of 24-karat gold-plated hardware, a glass bioreactor and the bacteria, a combination that produces gold in front of the audience."This is neo-alchemy. Every part, every detail of the project is a cross between modern microbiology and alchemy," said the associate professor of electronic art and intermedia, Adam Brown.“Science tries to explain the phenomenological world. As an artist, I'm trying to create a phenomenon. Art has the ability to push scientific inquiry," he added

Iran Among Top Five In Orthopedics

Iran is among the top five countries in the fields of orthopedics and arthroscopic surgery.Dr. Gholamali Akasheh, the head of the Iranian Orthopedic Surgeons Association, made the announcement in a press conference on the eve of the 20th annual congress of the association.Akasheh pointed out that Iran is ahead of many European and Western countries in the field.The official noted that over 100,000 people are injured in road accidents annually, which raises the need for orthopedic services.He also said billions of rials are spent annually for the purchase of medicines that have no effect on the treatment of orthopedic and joints problems, stressing that there is no scientific proof that height-enhancement pills actually work.Addressing the same press conference, Seyyed Naqi Nourbakhsh, a member of Iran’s Supreme Medical Council, highlighted the country’s potentials for developing health tourism, especially in the field of orthopedics services.“(Development of) health tourism has been mentioned in the Fifth National Development Plan (2010-14), but unfortunately there is a lack of executive resolve to accomplish it,” he said.He said health tourism is an inter-organizational issue that needs the cooperation of different bodies like the Foreign Ministry, Health Ministry and Islamic Republic of Iran Medical Council.Nourbakhsh further said that the field of orthopedics receives the third highest rate of medical complaints from the public.“However, orthopedists have the least number of convictions for failing to fulfill their medical responsibilities because an expert review found the complaints untenable,” he said.Nourbakhsh said it is illegal for surgeons to operate on healthy individuals for height-enhancement, because such surgeries involve unwanted complications.Mohammad Razi, secretary of the 20th Congress of Iranian Orthopedic Surgeons Association, told the press conference that the congress is slated for October 15-19 at Tehran’s Milad Tower to discuss the latest findings and discoveries in the field.Razi said 200 lecturers from Iran and 12 foreign experts from France, Germany, the US, Canada, Hungary and the UK will participate in the congress.
[ed notes:these are just a few click link for more..then also see...MUST SEE! Iranian Scientific and Technical Achievements in 2011 http://thenakedfacts.blogspot.com/2011/11/iranian-scientific-and-technical.html Iran Able to Produce 38 Nano Laborato - THENAKEDFACTS  Iran to Rank 1st in Science, Technology by 2025 http://thenakedfacts.blogspot.com/2011/12/iran-to-rank-1st-in-science-technology.html iran scientific acomplishments  http://iranprogressndevelopmentlist.blogspot.com/ UNESCO: Iran gaining strength for scientific, technological growth IRAN IS TOP OF THE WORLD IN SCIENCE GROWTH EVEN UNDER SANCTIONS http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20291-iran-is-top-of-the-world-in-science-growth.html