Iranian Plants Research Articles

Improvement of Identification Procedure Using Hybrid Cuckoo Search Algorithm for Turbine-Governor and Excitation System

In this paper a new method is introduced in order to modify identification process of a gas power plant using a metaheuristic algorithm named Cuckoo Search (CS). Simulations play a significant role in dynamic analyses of power plants. This paper points out to a practical approach in model selection and parameter estimation of gas power plants. The identification and validation process concentrates on two subsystems: governor-turbine and exciter. Standard models GGOV1 and STB6 are preferred for the dynamical structures of governor-turbine and exciter respectively. Considering definite standard structure, main parameters of dynamical model are pre estimated via system identification methods based on field data. Then obtained parameters are tuned carefully using an iterative Cuckoo algorithm. Models must be validated by results derived via a trial and error series of simulation in comparison to measured test data. The procedure gradually yields in a valid model with precise estimated parameters. Simulation results show accuracy of identified models. Besides, a whiteness analysis has been performed in order to show the authenticity of the proposed method in another way. Despite various detailed models, practical attempts of model selection, identification, and validation in a real gas unit could rarely be found among literature. In this paper, Chabahar power plant in Iran, with total install capacity of 320 MW, is chosen as a benchmark for model validation.

Impact assessment of treating wastewater on the physiochemical variables of environment: a case of Kermanshah wastewater treatment plant in Iran

BackgroundThe most critical step to control sewage pollution and recycle of wastewater is to establish sewage treatment plants and to monitor their performance. This research aims to assess the environmental impacts of effluent waters, treated by Kermanshah wastewater treatment plant (KWTP), on some physicochemical variables of the adjacent river named as Qarasou River, northwestern Iran. Several water samples were collected from different locations into KWTP and along the Qarasou River in different time intervals of April and July 2017 to assess the effect of treated waters on the environment water quality. As well, an integrated environmental change index (ΔYi) was defined to assess the degree of changes and impacts in the current status.ResultsThe analyses indicated that the values of total suspended solids (TSS), nitrate (NO3), phosphorous (P), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) overall decreased by treatment process at effluent water compared with raw sewage amounts. Contrarily, amounts of acidity and dissolved oxygen (DO) slightly increased in effluent water due to the aeration processes during the treatment process. The environmental change index (ΔYi) was estimated between 0.04 and 0.88 with an average of 0.28 for all variables in different time intervals, indicating the lowest degree of environmental changes and higher efficiency of treating wastewater in KWTP.ConclusionsThe results concluded the efficiency for the removal TSS, NO3, BOD, and COD is estimated 80–92% during the water purification process in KWTP as an acceptable efficiency. Finally, it can be mentioned that the activated sludge process of KWTP has not any risky impacts on Qarasou River and the whole environment.

A hybrid approach based on inverse neural network to determine optimal level of energy consumption in electrical power generation

Power plants are a strategic infrastructure industry in each country and provide a strong driving force for the development of other industries. Hence, the performance of a power plant should be optimized by adjusting input parameters to maximize efficiency. This paper mainly proposes a novel hybrid approach that aims to present an optimal level of input parameters of a power plant integrating Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), Artificial Neural Network and Inverse Problem in a new way. The inputs for a power plant system include internal electricity, fossil fuel and water consumption which are used to generate electrical power. First, the collected data are evaluated using a DEA model to identify and determine the days that operated efficiently. Then, the efficient vectors including resources consumption and generated power in the days evaluated in the previous stage are entered into the artificial neural network. Afterward, the weights and biases of the trained network are extracted for use in the inverse neural network. The inverse neural network model is presented as a nonlinear optimization problem with Gaussian constraints. Because of the severely ill-posed nature of the problem, to solve and obtain reasonable solutions, an innovative approach is used to determine the optimal level of inputs in less time and more accuracy. Based on this approach, for solving the nonlinear model and reducing the number of candidate solutions, the optimal interval is computed for each input and each day. A real case study of the thermal power plant in Iran is presented to show the abilities of the proposed approach.

Effect of salinity stress on the physiological characteristics, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of Thymus vulgaris L. and Thymus daenensis Celak

Salinity stress is one of the most important challenges in agriculture systems. The present work was aimed to evaluated the effects of saline irrigation, using different NaCl concentrations (0, 30, 60, and 90 mM), on growth, physiological characteristics, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity of Thymus vulgaris and Thymus daenensis, that are two of the most important medicinal and aromatic plants in Iran. An analytical method based on HPLC-DAD has been developed to identify the main metabolites (mainly phenolic compounds) in thyme extracts. The results indicated that concentrations of 60 and 90 mM NaCl significantly decreased the plant dry matter production by about 28 and 40% in T. vulgaris and 34 and 39% in T. daenensis, respectively, compared with untreated plants. Application of NaCl also induced an increase in Na+content in shoots and leaves while the K+ and Ca2+contents decreased with the salinity stress. Total phenolic content increased by around 20% after the application of 60 mM NaCl, compared with control plants. Also, an increase in leaf flavonoid content by 38.6% and 36.6% was observed in plants grown under salt stress conditions after the application of 60 and 90 mM NaCl, respectively. Both investigated species were rich in phenolic acids, flavonoids, and phenolic monoterpenes. Cinnamic acid was the major constituent in both species. This compound increased by 31.4% in T. vulgaris treated with 60 mM NaCl compared with the control. Concentrations of 60 and 90 mM NaCl increased significantly the amount of gallic and rosmarinic acids in T. vulgaris (25 and 31.6%, respectively) and T. daenensis (20.4 and 27.6%, respectively). On the other hand, the mentioned NaCl concentrations did not significantly change the content of caffeic, syringic, and vanillic acids in T. vulgaris. Interestingly, the higher amount of chlorogenic acid (increase of 4.4%) in T. vulgaris was found under control condition, whereas in T. daenensis this compound increased when salinity stress intensified. The main outcome of the present study was the enhancement of thyme phenolic content under salt stress treatments. Furthermore, salinity stress significantly influenced the antioxidant activities of plant extracts and may be recommended as an appropriate approach to enhance the antioxidant capacity of medicinal plants. In conclusion, the obtained data demonstrated that salinity stress decreased significantly the yield of both species, whereas improved the phenolic contents and antioxidant capacity of thyme plants.

Growing degree days zonation of plants in Iran according to thermal characteristics

Among climatic elements, temperature is of paramount importance, hence highlighting the necessity of studying the effects of temperature on the growth of organisms, especially plants. The main purpose of this paper is the analysis and zoning of degree days during the growing season at base temperatures of 5 and 10 °C using heat index at 31 synoptic stations in Iran during a 23-year common statistical period (from 1988–1989 to 2009–2010). For calculation of heat units, first, the growing season length at temperature thresholds of 5 and 10 °C was obtained and after calculating heat units during the growing season, the zoning map of heat units and growing season length was prepared in GIS software. Accordingly, heat units of the growing season at base temperatures of 5 and 10 °C could be divided into five categories. The heat units of the growing season at a base temperature of 5 °C showed a rising trend from the south to the north and from the west to the east of the country. At a base temperature of 10 °C, heat units declined from the south to the north and augmented from the west to the east.

A qHNMR method for simultaneous quantification of terpenoids from Ferula ovina (Boiss.) Boiss roots

Ferula ovina (Boiss.) Boiss is one of the most important endemic medicinal plants in Iran, which has three main terpenoid compounds including ferutinin, stylosin and tschimgine. Ferutinin is the strongest natural phytoestrogen that has agonistic activity on estrogen receptors, particularly α-receptors. To determine the amount of ferutinin in F. ovina roots, we firstly used HPLC-UV method. In the HPLC method, the resolution of ferutinin from the two other compounds, stylosin and tshimgine, was poor. Therefore, we decided to use qHNMR method for simultaneous quantification of ferutinin, stylosin and tshimgine in the plant roots. Quantitative 1H-NMR (qHNMR) was carried out based on the relative ratio of signal integration of each compound [(H-1 for tschimgine (δH 4.94–5.03), OCH3 for stylosin (δH 3.8), and H-9 for ferutinin (δH 5.58)] to certain amount of the internal standard dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2). The qHNMR method showed good precision (intra-day RSD ≤ 2.31%, inter-day RSD ≤ 2.72%), linearity (in the ranges of 1.3–10.41, 1.2–9.7 and 1.1–9.02 mg/mL with correlation coefficients at 0.9991), repeatability (RSD ≤ 2.99%) and stability (RSD ≤ 2.4%) for the quantification of the compounds. This work confirmed that qHNMR represents a feasible alternative to high-performance liquid chromatography based methods for simultaneous quantification of ingredients in plant extracts.

Mineral composition in populations of Iranian wild celery

ABSTRACTKelussia odoratissima Mozaff. is an Iranian endemic plant, with use as a leafy vegetable, spice, and medicinal herb. This plant is grown in high-altitude mountains and harvested annually in the spring. Five wild populations of K. odoratissima were collected from Ardal, Chelgerd, Sar-Agha-Seyyed, Mogooei, Lordegan regions of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, Iran. Mineral composition of samples was analyzed. Differences were detected among populations. The Ardal population had the highest K (5.30 mg∙100 g−1) and Mn (136.60 mg∙kg−1) contents. The highest P (0.89 mg∙100 g−1), Ca (2.58 mg∙100 g−1) and Mg (0.55 mg∙100 g−1) contents were in the Sar-Agha-Seyyed population. The highest Fe (1258 mg∙kg−1) and Cu (9.81 mg∙100 g−1) contents were in the Chelgerd populations. There was a significant, negative, correlation between Zn and P. Differences in mineral composition of K. odoratissima corresponded to variation among populations. It appears wild celery is a good source of minerals compared to other common leafy vegetables in Apiaceae family.

Effects of Chromium on Enzymatic/Nonenzymatic Antioxidants and Oxidant Levels of Portulaca oleracea L.

Purslane(Portulaca oleracea L.) is a local plant in Iran that can easily breed. Chromium is a heavy metal that causes toxicity for the growth and development of plants. To study the effects of potassium dichromate on growth, efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), cell membrane stability index (MSI), indexes of oxidative stress and antioxidant properties of purslane, an experiment was done in a completely randomized design of five levels (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 ppm Cr per kg of soil) in a greenhouse condition. After 60 days, the effect of different levels of chromium on growth parameters, Fv/Fm, MSI, total phenolic compound, flavonoid, H2O2 and malondialdehyde content and antioxidants enzymatic activity (catalase, peroxidese and ascorbate peroxidase) was assayed. Along With increasing concentrations of chromium, the malondialdehyde (MDA) and H2O2 was increased, and followed by the enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant compounds (except APX) was increased to compensate the effect of oxidant compounds. But, Heavy metal negatively affected growth parameters such as dry weight and length of root and shoot, Fv/Fm and MSI in contaminated plants. Therefore, the destructive effects due to chromium stress with increases the activity of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant system was minimized. It was noted that accumulation of chromium in the roots was higher than the shoots of the plants under treatment, significantly. Based on these results, purslane can be introduced as a good candidate for tolerance to chromium.

HPLC-Based Activity Profiling for Antiprotozoal Compounds in the Endemic Iranian Medicinal Plant Helichrysum oocephalum.

In a screening of Iranian plants for antiprotozoal activity a dichlomethane extract from the aerial parts of Helichrysum oocephalum showed in vitro antiprotozoal activity against Plasmodium falciparum and Leishmania donovani, with IC50 values of 4.01 ± 0.50 and 5.08 ± 0.07 μg/mL, respectively. The activity in the extract was tracked by HPLC-based activity profiling, and subsequent targeted preparative isolation afforded 24 compounds, including pyrones 22-24, phloroglucinol derivatives 12-19, and compounds containing both structural motifs (1-11, 20, and 21). Of these, 15 compounds were new natural products. The in vitro antiprotozoal activity of isolates was determined. Compound 3 showed good potency and selectivity in vitro against L. donovani (IC50 1.79 ± 0.17 μM; SI 53).

Integrating neuro-fuzzy system and evolutionary optimization algorithms for short-term power generation forecasting

PurposeThis study aims to short-therm forecasting of power generation output for this purpose, an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is designed to forecast the output power of power plant based on climate factors considering wind speed and wind direction simultaneously.Design/methodology/approachSeveral methods and algorithms have been proposed for systems forecasting in various fields. One of the strongest methods for modeling complex systems is neuro-fuzzy that refers to combinations of artificial neural network and fuzzy logic. When the system becomes more complex, the conventional algorithms may fail for network training. In this paper, an integrated approach, including ANFIS and metaheuristic algorithms, is used for increasing forecast accuracy.FindingsPower generation in power plants is dependent on various factors, especially climate factors. Operating power plant in Iran is very much influenced because of climate variation, including from tropical to subpolar, and severely varying temperature, humidity and air pressure for each region and each season. On the other hands, when wind speed and wind direction are used simultaneously, the training process does not converge, and the forecasting process is unreliable. The real case study is mentioned to show the ability of the proposed approach to remove the limitations.Originality/valueFirst, ANFIS is applied for forecasting based on climate factors, including wind speed and wind direction, that have rarely been used simultaneously in previous studies. Second, the well-known and more widely used metaheuristic algorithms are applied to improve the learning process for forecasting output power and compare the results.

Estimation of the employment rate of Iranian solar power plants in the horizon of 2050

In Iran, despite the abundant sources of fossil fuels, the use of solar energy has been considered due to its high potential for solar radiation and the number of sunny days. In this paper, it is tried to predict the amount of solar energy used in Iran in 2050 compared to the estimation of the employment rate. Firstly, with the help of the data collected from the nominal capacity of the country’s power plants between 1967 and 2016, the electricity required for 2050 was estimated, then according to the governments’ planning to achieve a capacity of 5000 MW of solar energy for the end of the sixth development plan of the country, three scenarios for the use of solar energy was defined for 2050. Calculations show that 2.5% of the country’s electricity in 2050 will be supplied by solar energy, and more than 608,000 jobs will be created.

Developing a mathematical model of location decision optimization for solar cells using genetic algorithm

ABSTRACTWith growing proliferation of environmental pollution and reduction of energy sources, human being has been always looking for a solution to reduce pollution. One of these solutions is to use solar energy. In this research, a mathematical model is developed for optimization location decision of solar cells to minimize the operational and investment costs. The location of placement and the type of solar technology is planned and optimized by Genetic Algorithm (GA). To show the validity of the model, an accurate solving method is applied for small dimensions. Then, the GA efficiency is shown by comparing GAMS and GA results in large dimensions using the optimum values of the GA parameters. Finally, the applicability of the proposed model is presented for Jarghoyeh power plant in Iran. The results indicate that GA with spending less time could find better answers in comparison with GAMS. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed model.

Rediscovery of the enigmatic Scutellaria xylorrhiza (Scutellarioideae; Lamiaceae)—a rare endemic species from Iran

After more than 100 years since the first discovery, Scutellaria xylorrhiza, a critically endangered species listed in the Red List of Iranian plants had been presumed to be extinct. We rediscovered recently a population of this species in Sofeh Mountain South of Isfahan. Here, we perform the taxonomic history, phylogenetic placement and conservation status of this endemic species, and compare our findings with the description provided in the protologue and other references. Besides the updated description, notes on typification and new photographs of this species are presented. In addition, we compare S. xylorrhiza with other related Scutellaria species occurring in Iran and neighboring regions using molecular sequence data from the nuclear ribosomal DNA (Internal Transcribed Spacer). Our morphological and sequence analyses show that S. xylorrhiza is close to S. ariana.

Iranian traditional medicine and Medicinal plants

Traditional medicine is a general word referring to both tradiotional medicine systems and to Native medicine. Iranian traditional medicine is a great history of medicine and pharmacy.to inform the importance of Iranian traditional medicine we may state great evidences such as: Makhzan-ol-advie by Aghili (18th century, Tehran University of Medical Science Press), canon of medicine by Avicenna (10th and 11th centuries, Beirut publication) and Al-shamel by Gharashi (13th century, Caltural foundation Publication) etc. this valuable books and manuscripts refers us the great position of research,science and expertise in the Iranian traditional medicine.medicinal plants so far have been more noticed due to their desirable therapeutic properties and also the lesser rate of adverse effects. The importance of medicinal plants is highlighted in traditional medicine too. despite all evaluations on the herbal plants and their pharmacologic effects more investigations is needed to inform the world about this valuable topic of micine and pharmacy. The importance of iranian traditional medicine and herbal plants made us to make an interview on these pure and precious fields of medicine.

A mini-review on phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of Scrophularia striata

Introduction: Scrophularia striata (Scrophulariaceae) is an important medicinal plant in Iran and in Iranian folk medicine it has been used for variety of disorders. The present article aims to provide a review at the studies done on phytochemistry and pharmacological effects of S. striata. Methods: This mini review is based on a literature study of scientific journals from electronic sources, such as Science Direct, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science. Results: The main chemical constituents which have been isolated and identified from Scrophularia striata are cinnamic acid, some flavonoids such as quercetin, isorhamnetin3-O-rutinoside and nepitrin and one glycoside (acteoside1) . This plant possesses antiinflammatory , antibacterial , antioxidant, anticancer, analgesic and neuroprotective effects. In addition it accelerates wound healing process Conclusion : Scrophularia striata has a potential for the treatment of several diseases and disorders, but there are only a few studies done to investigate the plant phytochemistry, thus f urther studies should be focused on isolation and identification of active compounds with pharmacological activities. Besides, the majority of pharmacological studies have been performed using aerial parts of plant , thus further studies are needed to investigate bioactivity of other parts of the plant.

Population genetic structure and genetic diversity study in Lallemantia royleana (Benth.) Benth.: identification of potential gene pools in Iran

Abstract Lallemantia royleana (Benth.) Benth. (Family Lamiaceae), is one of the most popular medicinal plants in Iran. It is an herbaceous pant that is commonly known as “Lady mantle”. The vernacular name of Lallemantia royleana’s seed is Balangu or Balangu Shirazi that is used as a source of medicine. Medicinal plants are very important from economic point of view in Iran and several large industries are focused on medicinal plants cultivation, extraction and export. Therefore, providing data on the biology of these plants is important for the country. Lallemantia royleana grows in different parts of Iran and forms several local populations. Genetic, morphological and biochemical divergence of geographical populations are well known in plant species. We have no report on population genetic structure, genetic fragmentation, local adaptation and gen flow of Lallemantia royleana populations in the country. Therefore, the present population genetics investigation was programmed to produce data on above said questions. Randomly collected plants of 7 geographical regions were studied by ISSR molecular markers. This information can be used in hybridization and gene conservation of this medicinal plant in Iran.

Energy audit for pyro-processing unit of a new generation cement plant and feasibility study for recovering waste heat: A case study

In this work, firstly the energy audit was performed on the pyro-processing unit of a cement plant in Iran to improve the efficiency of the clinker production process and operating the system. In this plant, fuel combustion is the main source of thermal energy due to generation about 94% of the total heat input energy of system that it used for the clinker production process. The results indicated about 50% of total heat input was consumed for the clinker formation and 48% of it was lost in the form of radiation from the shell of the kiln, grate cooler, preheater, and convection along with exhaust gases from the pyro-processing unit. Also, the thermal efficiency of the pyro-processing unit was 50% that is in the range of modern plants thermal efficiency (50–54%). Secondly, according to the obtained data, the potential of electrical energy production from the exhaust gases of preheater and grate cooler was evaluated through the waste heat recovery power generation (WHRPG) unit. It was found that about 5.2 MWh power can be produced in WHRPG unit. Finally, the economic feasibility showed that the time of return of capital could be about 6.7 years.

Renewable Energies in Iran before Economic Sanctions

During this period, the Ministry of Energy has received many references as a trustee of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Company as a guarantee of the purchase of electricity. Various companies and institutions from different parts of the country and companies from Europe and Asia have been seeking a license to build a renewable energy plant in Iran, especially since the sanctions have been issued to this organization, of which the number of licenses issued was about 87 contracts with a capacity of almost 1263 megawatts has been secured through a government-guaranteed power-purchase mechanism, of which 17 have been awarded contracts with a capacity of approximately 90 megawatts in operation. Given that the Iranian deserts cover a quarter of the area, the potential for solar energy production in Iran is high. If only one percent of these areas are covered by photovoltaic systems, the energy generated is five times more than the annual electricity consumption in Iran.Of course, with the completion of the zero phase of the country's wind atlas, the estimated amount of wind energy recovered by the country is estimated at 40,000 megawatts. Iran has the potential to generate electricity from hydropower sources between 23,000 and 42,000 megawatts, which is why our country has invested heavily in the development of this sector. The center of the earth is a huge source of thermal energy that leads to various forms, including volcanic eruptions and hot water. In 2007, twenty-four countries have used this massive source of energy to generate electricity by installing geothermal power plants, with a total installed capacity of 9700 megawatts. Hydrogen is one of the elements that is abundant in the surface of the earth, but not in pure form, but it must be found by methods. Different from other elements. Compared to other fuels, this material can be converted to higher energies and very clean combustion. In the sea, the energy of waves, tides and temperature difference or salt concentration at different depths can be used to generate electricity. The biomass includes all substances in nature that have been in the past, living organisms, live organisms, or waste, waste or waste products. There are high potentialities for developing renewable energy in Iran, which shows the need for attention to this sector, although good measures have been taken so far, but it is expected that the Renewable Development Program will be in a tighter routine.

Selection of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) full-sib families from diverse landraces

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is one of the most important culinary and aromatic plants in Iran. Surprisingly, no commercial cultivar is available across the country and farmers are cultivating landraces. The main purpose of the present study was to describe the diversity among and within landraces of sweet basil as well as developing new genotypes for cultivar development. Twenty two genotypes of basil including Iranian landraces and international cultivars were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with three replications in 2017. Three Iranian landraces, ‘Isfahan3’, ‘Birjand’ and ‘Malayer’ were recognized as superior landraces. Dry herb for them was recorded as 3309, 3191 and 3175 kg ha−1, respectively. Also, the content of essential oil in ‘Isfahan3’, ‘Birjand’ and ‘Malayer’ was obtained as 1.43, 1.85, and 1.79% (w/w on dry weight basis), respectively. Due to existence of high diversity among landraces, broad-sense heritability estimates were over 98% for all of the evaluated traits. Among these landraces, 14 full-sib families were produced via controlled pollination. In another experiment the full-sib families were compared. For all measured traits, there were highly significant differences among full-sib families. The best family in each landrace was selected for cultivar development in future breeding programs.

Immunomodulatory and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Scrophularia megalantha Ethanol Extract on an Experimental Model of Multiple Sclerosis

Background and objectives: Scrophularia megalantha is a native Iranian plant. In folk remedies, the species of the genus are used to treat stomach ulcers, goiter, eczema, cancer, psoriasis, and gall; however, there is not much research about S. megalantha. The current study aimed at evaluating the therapeutic effect of Scrophularia megalantha, a medicinal plant of Iran, on myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein 35-55 (MOG)-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) as a model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: The ethanol 80% extract of S. megalantha aerial parts was prepared by maceration method. The extract (100 mg/kg/day) was administered to C57BL/6 mice immunized with MOG (35-55) for 7 days, 3 weeks after EAE induction. The mice brain was removed and Hematoxylin-Eosin (H&E) was used to stain the sections. Moreover, spleen mononuclear cells from extract-treated or non-treated of EAE model mice were stimulated with MOG peptide and then culture supernatants were evaluated for IFN-ɣ, IL-17 and IL-10 cytokines using Enzyme-Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) kits. Results: Based on the obtained results, treatment with Scrophularia megalantha areal part extract significantly reduced inflammatory cells infiltration in the central nervous system (CNS) and also the disease severity in the experimental model of MS. Also, findings of the current study indicated that treatment with this medicinal plant in EAE mice model significantly decreased inflammatory cytokines including IFN-ɣ and IL-17 and vice versa significantly increased IL-10 as anti-inflammatory cytokine compared with non-treated of EAE model mice group. Conclusion: Scrophularia megalantha attenuated EAE by suppressing IFN-ɣ and IL-17 production and also increasing IL-10 cytokine. These findings suggested that this medicinal plant has the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects.