Although Zagros forests in western Iran lack industrial timber value due to the severe climate and socioeconomics problems, non-timber products are of great value and importance due to their high economic potential and also their potential to improve the welfare of forestdwelling and forest-fringe villagers. This study was done in the forests of the Zemkan basin, an important part of central Zagros forests, Iran, to recognize the non-timber forest products (NTFP S), investigate their potential economic value and role in people's livelihood. Data, collected using forest cruising, participatory observations, interviews with indigenous and local persons and experts, identified wild pistachio resin, wild pistachio fruit, oak fruit and oak syrup (Shokeh manna) among the non-timber products in this basin with total potential harvestable NTFPs of 77.16, 771.602, 13248.68, and 1324.868 tons per year, respectively. The economic rent from NTFPs is 33 US$/ha/ year and its total expected values with consideration of real interest rate when the exploiter invests the capital in the bank (6.4 %) and when money is borrowed from the bank to execute the incorporated projects (8.4 %) are $516/ha and $393/ha, respectively. Furthermore, families' economic share from potential profit of NTFPs is annually $601 per household. In addition wild pistachio resin has the highest share of the total potential profit of NTFPs and its equal to 51 % of the total of potential profit of NTFPs. Therefore, it is suggested that decisions be made to increase the infrastructure and strengthen the local selling market to enhance the cash income from NTFPs. Forest participatory management practices are suggested to organize and improve traditional use of the forests.
Background: Nano-scaffolds loaded with bioactive compounds such as ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs), as tissue-engineered artificial skin grafts, can be a suitable substitute for extracellular matrix and greatly contribute to accelerating chronic wound treatment by decreasing the chance of bacterial infection. Methods: Silk fibroin nanofiber was fabricated by using electrospinning and three-dimensional porous hybrids (3DPH) nano-scaffold with composite of sodium alginate/ZnO-NPs solution and silk fibroin electrospun nanofibers by adopting freeze-drying method. Successful configuration of nanofibers and porous nano-scaffolds were confirmed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Antimicrobial activity, cell attachment, and cytotoxicity evaluation of scaffolds were performed by employing disk diffusion method, L929 cell culture, and MTT assay, respectively. Results: Antibacterial analysis of 3DPH nano-scaffolds revealed their appropriate antibacterial activity against the Staphylococcus aureus and the Escherichia coli bacteria. Furthermore, the results from cytotoxicity and cell adhesion analyses indicated the appropriate cell attachment, viability, and proliferation on the silk fibroin nanofibers and 3DPH nano-scaffold, which are fundamental for wound healing and skin dermo-epidermal grafts. Conclusions: In sum, silk fibroin nanofiber as an epidermal graft and 3DPH nano-scaffold loaded with ZnO-NPs as a dermal graft were fabricated. Moreover, 1.5% (w/v) concentrations of ZnO-NPs were selected and incorporated into the 3DPH nano-scaffold. Considering the promising results of biological analyses, the nanofibrous and 3DPH nano-scaffolds composite may have been suitable for skin dermo-epidermal grafts and skin regeneration.
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