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Dengue fever, caused by dengue virus, poses a significant global health challenge, particularly in tropical regions where Aedes aegypti serves as the primary vector. The circadian clock in Aedes aegypti governs key behavioral and physiological processes, including activity patterns, feeding behaviors, and susceptibility to dengue virus infection. This article explores the influence of circadian rhythms on the mosquito's ability to transmit dengue virus, emphasizing how the circadian regulation of gene expression, immune responses, and lipid metabolism in the mosquito vector creates temporal windows that affect viral replication efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to determine the best performance of polymeric materials (RPP and CBR Plus) in various types of fine-grained soil, and the optimal percentage of polymeric materials and curing time such that the best performance in soil stabilisation can be achieved. To this end, the Taguchi and Taguchi-GRA methods were adopted to optimise swelling potential and uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) for each additive. The comparison of optimal states of two materials showed that the CBR Plus has a superior performance compared to RPP in increasing the UCS and reducing the swelling of soil. The best performance in increasing the UCS was obtained for CH specimen with 0.9% treatment with CBR Plus and curing time of 14 days. The best performance of CBR Plus in reducing soil swelling occurs when it is used on the ML soil modified with 0.07% CBR plus at the curing time of 8 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is one of the most acute types of cancer that cannot be easily treated with current treatments. In this study, Co3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized and functionalized by glucose and conjugated with Lapatinib. Physicochemical properties of the Co3O4@Glu- Lapatinib nanoparticles were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, EDS-mapping, SEM, TEM, DLS, and zeta potential analysis. The viability of the lung cancer and lung fibroblast cells treated with different concentrations of Co3O4@Glu-Lapatinib, Lapatinib and Co3O4 were investigated by MTT assay. The effect of the nanoparticles on cell cycle and cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry and Hoechst staining assays. The relative expression of the CASP8, mTOR1, and MAPK1 genes was also quantified using a real-time PCR assay. The synthesized nanoparticles were spherical, with a size of 29–64 nm, zeta potential of 36.8 mV, DLS size of 323 nm, and without elemental impurities. Co3O4@Glu-Lapatinib nanoparticles showed concentration-dependent toxicity on the studied cell lines and were significantly more toxic for the breast cancer cells than breast fibroblast cells with IC50 values of 89 and 178 µg/ml, respectively. Treating cancer cells with Co3O4@Glu-Lapatinib nanoparticles increased cell cycle arrest at the sub-G1 and G0/G1 phases and increased the percentage of apoptotic cells from 0.83 to 88.75%. Furthermore, treating cancer cells with the nanoparticles led to overexpression of the CASP8 and MAPK1 genes by 4.48 and 3.4 folds, respectively, while down-regulated the mTOR1 gene by 0.62 folds. Co3O4@Glu-Lapatinib nanoparticles can exert antiproliferative effects on lung cancer cells through the inhibition of growth signaling factors and activation of apoptogenic mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we want to think about the concept of desire in the philosophy of Deleuze and Guattari, and through it, to understand Deleuze's ontology of the concept of "event". In formulating the concept of "desire", they are looking for an answer to the problem of the chaotic world of contemporary man. A world where for its resilience contemporary man seeks refuge in all kinds of ways of escape. Deleuze and Guattari create a new conceptual system centered on the concept of "desire" in order to answer the why of this situation and draw ways to avoid it. In this text, we tried to analyze the concept of desire from their point of view in connection with the concept of "Apparatus" by Foucault-Agamben and Finally, we should approach a new understanding of the concept of the event as its escape from the relativistic postmodern challenge. An understanding that Deleuze included in the concept of "life power" in his last writing and in this context, he offers us a strange and yet familiar view of "life". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We hypothesize that the poor survival outcomes of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients undergoing hemodialysis are associated with a low filtering efficiency and selectivity. The current gold standard criteria using single or several markers show an inability to predict or disclose the treatment effect and disease progression accurately. Methods: We performed an integrated mass spectrometry-based metabolomic and proteomic workflow capable of detecting and quantifying circulating small molecules and proteins in the serum of ESKD patients. Markers linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) were validated on human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes. Results: We identified dozens of elevated molecules in the serum of patients compared with healthy controls. Surprisingly, many metabolites, including lipids, remained at an elevated blood concentration despite dialysis. These molecules and their associated physical interaction networks are correlated with clinical complications in chronic kidney disease. This study confirmed two uremic toxins associated with CVD, a major risk for patients with ESKD. Conclusion: The retained molecules and metabolite--protein interaction network address a knowledge gap of candidate uremic toxins associated with clinical complications in patients undergoing dialysis, providing mechanistic insights and potential drug discovery strategies for ESKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling post‐consumer carpet waste is a critical consideration for decreasing the environmental hazard of non‐biodegradable plastics. Therefore, the manufacturing of activated carbon fibres (ACFs) from post‐consumer carpet waste treated with KOH was modelled and optimized by the response surface methodology (RSM). The simultaneous effects of carbonization rate, pyrolysis temperature, and activation time on the performance of carpet waste‐based ACFs were studied. Box–Behnken design (BBD) was applied to study the influence of three significant processing parameters on the carbon yield and iodine adsorption of synthesized ACFs. The RSM analysis established that pyrolysis temperature was the most important parameter affecting the ACFs' performance. The optimum settings that led to the production of high carbon yield and iodine adsorption of ACFs were a carbonization rate of 5.4°C/min, pyrolysis temperature of 705.7°C, and activation time of 83 min. The carbon yield and iodine adsorption under the above conditions were obtained at 49.8 ± 0.9 wt.% and 1351 ± 45 mg/g, respectively. BBD has been established to be a powerful approach in modelling and optimization to achieve high‐quality of iodine adsorbents from carpet wastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We hypothesize that the poor survival outcomes of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients undergoing hemodialysis are associated with a low filtering efficiency and selectivity. The current gold standard criteria using single or several markers show an inability to predict or disclose the treatment effect and disease progression accurately. Methods: We performed an integrated mass spectrometry-based metabolomic and proteomic workflow capable of detecting and quantifying circulating small molecules and proteins in the serum of ESKD patients. Markers linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) were validated on human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes. Results: We identified dozens of elevated molecules in the serum of patients compared with healthy controls. Surprisingly, many metabolites, including lipids, remained at an elevated blood concentration despite dialysis. These molecules and their associated physical interaction networks are correlated with clinical complications in chronic kidney disease. This study confirmed two uremic toxins associated with CVD, a major risk for patients with ESKD. Conclusion: The retained molecules and metabolite–protein interaction network address a knowledge gap of candidate uremic toxins associated with clinical complications in patients undergoing dialysis, providing mechanistic insights and potential drug discovery strategies for ESKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The findings revealed that the addition of nanoalginate and lime had distinct effects on various soil properties. Specifically, the liquid limit (LL) and plastic limit (PL) decreased when sodium nanoalginate and lime were added, while the plasticity index (PI) and shrinkage limit (SL) increased. Furthermore, the soil classification was altered when sodium alginate and lime were introduced to the control soil. Regarding the standard Proctor test, it was observed that adding sodium nanoalginate increased the maximum dry density and reduced the optimal moisture content, whereas lime had the opposite effect by decreasing the maximum dry density and increasing the optimal moisture content. The free swelling and swelling pressure tests indicated that the incorporation of sodium nanoalginate and lime reduced both free swelling and swelling pressure. The most significant reduction was observed in the sample containing 7% sodium nanoalginate and 5% lime. Additionally, the study highlighted the influence of processing time, showing that an increase in the curing time led to a decrease in free swelling and swelling pressure in samples mixed with 3% sodium nanoalginate and lime. The XRD test showed that adding sodium nanoalginate reduced primary minerals, forming SAH, while lime reduced quartz and calcite, creating CSH. Overall, the results suggest that sodium nanoalginate can be a more environmentally friendly alternative to lime for soil stabilization projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Gene polymorphisms are responsible for at least part of the variation in caries susceptibility despite similar environmental factors. Genes involved in enamel formation like matrix metalloproteinase‐13 (MMP‐13) may participate in caries process. The aim was to investigate the association between MMP‐13 rs478927 polymorphism and caries susceptibility in 6‐years‐old children from Birjand, Iran. Methods: Six‐years old children from Birjand, Iran, participated in this study. The total decayed, missing, and filled teeth were calculated and defined as caries index (CI). Based on this CI, two groups of high‐caries (case) and low‐caries (control) were taken into account. Saliva samples were collected and DNA was extracted. The allele and genotypes of MMP‐13 rs478927 polymorphism were determined by tetra‐primer amplification refractory mutation system‐polymerase chain reaction (T‐ARMS‐PCR) method. p Value was significant if p < 0.05. Results: Three hundred sixty‐seven children consisted of 186 low‐caries children and 181 high‐caries children were included in this study. The mean CI was 6.02 ± 0.81. There was no significant association between high and low‐caries groups based on socioeconomic status, eating sweet snacks, parents' susceptibility to dental caries, duration of breastfeeding, and the brushing habit (p > 0.05). There wasn't any significant association between genotype distribution of MMP‐13 rs478927 polymorphism and CI groups (p = 0.924). This polymorphism was associated with increased caries susceptibility under all genetic models but this effect was not significant (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The MMP‐13 rs478927 gene polymorphism was not significantly associated with dental caries susceptibility in Birjandi children with mixed dentition. It is recommended to conduct studies on children of different dentitions to better understand the role of this polymorphism on caries susceptibility in primary and permanent teeth of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nanocomposites NiO‐ZnO‐CdO/reduced graphene oxide (N‐Z‐C/rGO) were prepared using the reflux method. These nanocomposites were characterized using various techniques, including infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), induced coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICP), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The application of the synthesized nanocomposites was investigated in two fields: the removal of azo dyes and the oxidation of certain organic compounds. To explore the use of this compound as an adsorbent, the removal of methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RhB) dyes was studied. Under optimal conditions, the adsorbent absorbed MB with 98 % efficiency in 15 minutes and RhB with 96 % efficiency in 30 minutes. In the second part of the study, the performance of the nanocomposite in the oxidation of benzyl alcohol and styrene was examined. Optimal conditions for oxidizing benzyl alcohol used tert‐butyl hydroperoxide(TBHP) and acetonitrile, achieving 83 % efficiency and 92 % selectivity for benzoic acid in 6 hours. α‐methyl styrene oxidation used chloroform and TBHP, reaching 97 % efficiency and 90 % selectivity for acetophenone in 4 hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nausea, vomiting, and anxiety are common complications during and after spinal anesthesia. Auriculotherapy as a complementary medicine can be useful for reducing nausea, vomiting, or anxiety. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of auriculotherapy on nausea, vomiting, and anxiety in patients undergoing elective Cesarean Section (CS) with spinal anesthesia. Materials and Methods: The present study was a clinical trial study that was performed on 56 pregnant women selected as CS candidates in Ommolbanin Hospital in Mashhad during the years 2016-2017. In the intervention group, 1 h before spinal anesthesia, auricular acupoint stimulation was performed at four points bilaterally, for 20-30 seconds at each point. Evaluations were done by the following questionnaires: State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Vomiting Assessment Form. Results: The mean anxiety (SD) before the intervention in the intervention group and the control group was 47.88 (8.67) and 47.84 (10.49), respectively, and 4 h after the intervention, it was 40.23 (10.19) and 42.88 (12.18) in the intervention and control groups, respectively. These results were significant in the intervention group (p = 0.008). 30-40 min before and 4 h after the surgery, the severity of nausea and vomiting was low in both groups and no significant difference was observed between the two groups during the surgery and in the recovery room (p > 0.05). Conclusions: According to the results, auriculotherapy could reduce anxiety in CS patients with spinal analgesia. The results also showed that auriculotherapy reduced the severity of nausea and vomiting, but these changes were not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine-grained soils cause problems for forest road construction and often require improvements of their mechanical properties. One of the methods of improving mechanical properties of clay soils is soil stabilization. In this study, the effect of a conventional (lime) and a non-conventional (sodium nanoalginate) stabilizer on improving the characteristics of a high plasticity forest soil was compared. Atterberg limits including liquid limit, plastic limit and plasticity index, standard Proctor, UCS (Unconfined Compression Strength) and CBR (California Bearing Ratio) tests were performed on control (untreated) and soil samples treated with different doses (3%, 5% and 7%) of lime and sodium nanoalginate, according to the standard procedures. Moreover, to evaluate the effect of curing time, additional tests were performed on the soil samples treated with 3% lime and 3% sodium nanoalginate at 7, 14 and 28 days after the treatment. The results indicated that adding sodium nanoalginate and lime to the forest soil improves the Atterberg limits. Additionally, adding sodium nanoalginate to the forest soil increases the maximum dry density (γdmax) and decreases the optimum moisture content (OMC), whereas adding lime to the forest soil reduces the maximum dry density and increases the optimum moisture content. Adding sodium nanoalginate and lime in different doses (3%, 5% and 7%) increased UCS and CBR as the main indices of soil strength. The increment range of UCS for the soil stabilized with sodium nanoalginate and lime was 42.59%–160.14% and 31.34%–56.65%, respectively, and the range of CBR improvement for soil stabilized with sodium nanoalginate and lime was 28.72%–122.97% and 13.83%–45.59%, respectively. Increasing the curing time improved the mechanical properties of the forest soil in the samples treated with both stabilizers, but sodium nanoalginate performed better in soil stabilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: COVID -19 pandemic caused by the emerging SARS-CoV-2, being the cause of COVID -19, leads to acute respiratory syndrome and is a vital threat to global health and the economy since it was identified in late December 2019 in China. Due to the limitations and long -time of vaccine production, most countries were forced to design and produce antigens, kits, and anti -viral drugs so that they might be able to prevent deaths caused by COVID -19. This study was conducted to design and express S1 protein of SARS -CoV -2 to be used as a vaccine candidate. Methods: Recombinant pPICZαA plasmid was replicated in Escherichia coli and the linearized plasmid was transfected into Pichia pastoris yeast as an endosomal fragment. After screening the colonies with Zeocin and confirming the presence of the gene and vector promoter inside the genome extracted from yeast, the expression of S1 protein was induced in BMMY medium with methanol. Results: The S1 protein was successfully expressed in P. pastoris and the results obtained on the SDS -PAGE indicated the presence of a protein with 130 kDa molecular weight, confirmed by Western blotting. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that the yeast expression system of P. pastoris can be a suitable method to produce glycoprotein S1 as a vaccine candidate or a diagnostic antigen against COVID -19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the effect of the electric field on the spin-dependent thermoelectric properties of graphene nanoribbons with asymmetric zigzag edge extensions. The Hubbard Hamiltonian predicts spin-semiconducting behavior with localized band structures due to the magnetic properties of the zigzag edge extensions. Applying a temperature gradient induces thermal spin-dependent currents, pure spin currents, and large spin-Seebeck coefficients, which are similar to other graphene-based structures. Considering the effect of the electric field sensitively reduces the spin gap and finally the threshold temperature. Moreover, the electric field slightly widens the localized band structures around the Fermi energy and could induce ten times more spin current in these nanoribbons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate hydrogel properties produced by electrospraying alginate/AHSG (Alyssum homolocarpum seed gum) dispersions at different mixing ratios (0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, and 100:0). The results revealed that the ζ-potential and electrical conductivity of dispersions decreased with increasing the alginate to AHSG ratio. The dispersions were able to be atomized from the tip of the nozzle without the need for surfactant addition. The apparent viscosity increased with increasing alginate to AHSG ratio. The size of particles decreased, and their sphericity increased when the alginate to AHSG ratio increased. Intermolecular hydrogen bonds were formed between alginate and AHSG. The thermal stability of hydrogel increased as the alginate to AHSG ratio increased. At a mixing ratio of 75 alginate:25 AHSG, the porous structure of alginate hydrogel beads reduced. The XRD spectrum indicated that the crystalline structure of gums transformed into the amorphous state after the electrospraying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to undesired mechanical characteristics, some forest soils cause problems in road construction. Several methods have been proposed for stabilizing these types of soils. In this paper, the impact of two polymer materials on unconfined compression strength of a forest soil is investigated. The unconfined compression strength (UCS) tests were carried out on the soil samples treated with two different polymer materials as well as the control sample. The results of UCS tests show an increase in the maximum dry unit weight by adding polymeric materials of RPP (Road Packer Plus) and CBR Plus (California Bearing Ratio Plus) to the soil. The results also show that polymeric materials improve the UCS of the soil that is dependent on the percentage of polymeric materials and curing time. According to the obtained results, treated samples indicate an increase in the strength with different percentages of RPP and CBR Plus as 32.143–91.30% and 55.84–168.56% for 0.019–0.1% and 0.0096–0.09% content of materials, respectively. The results show that the highest level of the stress and strain for RPP were 151.42 (kPa) and 4.6% (with addition of 0.1% RPP) and 167.13 kPa and 3.1% (with addition 0.09% CBR Plus), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: Pain is known as the greatest complication of cancer and cancer-related therapies. Therefore, control of pain has been considered with pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical methods. This study was performed to survey of mental and psychological activities in control of pain in patients with breast cancer. Methods and materials: 166 patients with breast cancer were selected randomly in a specialist hospital in Tehran, Iran and the questionnaire, and the consent letter was completed by them. Patients were categorized into three groups; first group includes patients with great spirits and hope for complete recovery. Second group includes patients with major depression, and third group includes patients with moderate spirits. Most data in this study were for the primary group. Results: According to data, in the deviation group, no acceptable mean of pain was obtained. In the hypothesis group, mean of pain was more passable. In the group which patients were conversed with own, mean of pain was more than previous two groups. The lowest mean of pain was related to the negative hypothesis group, and the highest mean of pain was related to patients who were prayed and hoped. Conclusion: The obtained results showed that deviation and activity of mental are good way to control and reduce of pain. This method is without side effects, inexpensive and accessible, which reduces of pain in patients. This study suggests that use of mental activity is a non-pharmacological treatment to reduce of pain in outpatient and hospitalized patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effect of surface roughness on the pool boiling heat transfer coefficient of pure water and water-alumina nanofluid with 0.1% and 0.01% volume concentration using computational fluid dynamics on the surface of a stainless-steel cylinder. The effect of nanoparticles was checked by averaging the thermophysical properties in the equations of the flow field with boiling. Simulations were performed for initial surface roughnesses from 0.1 to 0.8 µm. Furthermore, the presence of nanoparticles would make their deposition on the heated surface and change the surface properties. Thus, once again simulations were performed for roughness with the same values but because of the deposition of nanoparticles. In doing so, two separate equations were used for the nucleation site density parameter. Ultimately, the results obtained from both types of roughness were compared. The results indicated that with an increase in the roughness, the boiling heat transfer coefficient increased. Further, at the same roughness, the boiling heat transfer rate of the deposited surface decreased for nanofluid of 0.01% vol and increased for nanofluid of 0.1% vol compared to the non-deposited surface. For pure water at 0.8 µm roughness, the sediment improved heat transfer but it reduced heat transfer for 0.4 µm and lower roughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The embryo release from the zona pellucida is of prerequisites of successful implantation. Objectives: Regarding the negative impact of embryo cryopreservation on the blastocysts hatchability, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of treating embryonic zona pellucida with pronase or acidic Tyrode's solution (ATS) before morula formation on the viability, freezability, and hatchability of vitrified‐warmed resulted blastocysts. Methods: In the first experiment, the zona pellucida of 3‐ and 4‐day‐old embryos were treated with the above compounds for 30 or 45 s. Then, the competency of the treated embryos to reach to blastocyst stage and the hatchability of resulting blastocysts were investigated. In the second experiment, the cryo‐survivability and hatching rate of blastocysts resulting from 3‐day‐old embryos treated with pronase and ATS for 30 s were tested. Results: In the first experiment and in contrast to the 45 s exposure, 30‐s exposure of embryos to pronase or ATS did not have negative effect on the viability and development of embryos to blastocyst stage. In the second experiment, the freezability of blastocysts derived from 3‐day‐old embryos treated with pronase and ATS for 30 s was not different from that of the control group. However, the hatching rate of the pronase group was significantly higher than that of the control group. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that reducing the thickness of zona pellucida of sheep embryos with pronase had no negative effect on the developmental competency and freezability of the treated embryos and improved the hatchability of vitrified‐warmed blastocysts. In this study, we show that treating the zona pellucida of ovine embryos with pronase at cleavage stage improves the hatchability of resulting blastocysts after vitrification and warming. This is significant because may have practical application and improve the implantation rate of IVP vitrified‐warmed embryos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering properties of the subgrade layer are important in roadway development, especially in forest roads. In most cases, well-graded soil is not available near forest road construction sites and its supply incorporates high transportation costs. Therefore, in situ treatment can be a practical alternative for improving the engineering properties of the subgrade. The objective of this research was to assess the stabilization effect of two polymer agents (CBR Plus and Road Packer Plus) at three doses each, on high-plasticity clay soils. Soil tests, including Atterberg limits, standard Proctor, California Bearing Ratio (CBR), and free swelling were conducted on the control and treated soil samples with different percentages of each agent. Results showed that CBR Plus and RPP agents improved the engineering properties of the soil and their effectiveness was relative to their concentrations. Generally, the Atterberg limits and free swelling of the treated samples yielded smaller values than the control sample (natural condition) and their amounts of reduction increased with higher percentages of both agents. Maximum dry density and CBR increased compared to the control sample when any of the polymer agents were applied and they increased more with higher doses. ANCOVA test results yielded no significant statistical difference between the two polymers in terms of their effectiveness on soil stabilization. CBR Plus and RPP proved promising results for the stabilization of road material and thus warrant field testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed at performing a path analysis to assess the parameters of the health belief model concerning BSE. Methods: The present descriptive cross-sectional study at a health care center, affiliated with Islamic Azad University Tehran, Faculty of Medicine in the northwest of Tehran, Iran was conducted from May to June 2018. The champion's HBM scale, breast cancer knowledge test was assessed in all participants. The SPSS-22 and Lisrel-8.8 software, using statistical path analysis, were used for analyzing the data. Results: Totally, 225 women took part in this study. The mean of the BSE performance was 0.53 ± 0.52. The score of BCKT had a significant difference between women, who performed and did not perform BSE (P = 0.001). The final model was a good fit for the data collection. As a result, self-effectiveness improved HBM parameters. Also, perceived barriers, knowledge, and educational level had an association with BSE. Conclusions: According to the results of this study, self-care behaviors could be increased by eliminating perceived barriers and increasing the level of education and as a result of women's knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thorough quantification of soil chemical properties is essential for assessing the engineering properties of forest soils for road design, construction, and maintenance. Here, we investigate the applicability of visible–near‐infrared (Vis–NIR) spectroscopy in conjunction with advanced statistical analysis for estimation of soil chemical properties. Sixty forest soil samples were collected and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), CaCO3, organic matter (OM), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) with established laboratory methods. The spectral measurements were performed with a Vis–NIR spectrometer within a range of 350–2,500 nm. To estimate abovementioned soil properties from reflectance spectra, advanced statistical techniques including partial least squares regression (PLSR), hybrid partial least squares and artificial neural networks (PLS–DI–ANN) models, hybrid partial least squares and adaptive neural fuzzy inference system (PLS–DI–ANFIS) models, as well as narrow band spectral indices were applied. The obtained results ​​indicate that the PLS–DI–ANFIS models show great potential for the estimation of pH, EC, OM, and CEC from reflectance spectra and their first derivatives, exhibiting higher R2 values and lower RMSE than the other investigated models. The estimation accuracy for CaCO3, however, was low for all applied methods. The results confirm that Vis–NIR spectroscopy may be applied as a rapid and cost‐efficient alternative to standard chemical soil analysis techniques, aiding forest road design, construction, and maintenance. Core Ideas: Vis–NIR spectroscopy and machine learning improve soil chemical property estimation.The combined PLS–DI–ANFIS analysis provides the most robust estimation model.Vis–NIR spectroscopy aids the design, construction, and maintenance of forest roads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the physical and especially mechanical properties of forest soils is very important in forest engineering operations including road construction and exploitation. Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) is one of the most important mechanical properties for evaluating the strength of adhesive soils in many engineering projects including forest roads. Measuring the USC of soil in the laboratory and in situ is difficult, time-consuming, and costly, so it is essential to explore a rapid, low-cost, and non-destructive method. The aim of this study was to estimate the UCS of forest roads using spectroscopy. The applied support vector machine (SVM) method determined the soil moisture classes (i.e., 14%, 25%, 31%, and 36%) with R2 of 0.98. Two methods of partial least squares regression (PLSR) and the normal difference index (NDI) were used to estimate the UCS at different moisture classes. The results showed that the NDI performed better than the PLSR to estimate the USC at four different moisture classes of 14% (R2 = 0.8, RMSE = 19.36, RPD = 2.61), 25% (R2 = 0.78, RMSE = 16.06, RPD = 1.64), 31% (R2 = 0.82, RMSE = 11.2, RPD = 2.28), and 36% (R2 = 0.83, RMSE = 7.49, RPD = 2.41). Also, a sampling interval method was applied to reduce spectral dimensionality and processing time. The sampling interval of 16 nm was selected using a genetic algorithm. Finally, the UCS was estimated at maximum soil moisture using the simple regression model (SRM) based on the results of NDI. Based on this current study, it has been found that using spectroscopy to estimate the UCS of soil could be considered an alternative method for developmental operations in identifying the UCS of soil due to the costly and time-consuming conventional laboratory methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All components of Ziziphus jujube (ZJ) were used in medicine and food in ancient Iran and China. Cisplatin is one of the most important drugs in the treatment of solid tumors. Taking this drug can result in nephrotoxicity through several mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of ZJ on the nephrotoxicity induced by cisplatin in rats. Thirty-five experimental rats were randomly divided into the following five groups (n = 7 per group) for an 8-day study: 1- Group C1 was the control group and received distilled water (1 ml/day); 2- Group C2 received a single dose of intraperitoneal cisplatin (5 mg/kg); 3- Group ZJ received 1500 mg/kg/day Ziziphus Jujube extract orally; 4- Group ZJ1 was given 1500 mg/kg/day of Ziziphus Jujube extract orally with taking a single dose of cisplatin (5 mg/kg) on the first day only; 5- Group ZJ2 received 3000 mg/kg/day of Ziziphus jujube extract orally with taking a single dose of cisplatin (5 mg/kg) on the first day only. Eventually, histopathological parameters, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), malondialdehyde (MDA), alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST) were assessed. The findings showed that cisplatin administration resulted in severe degeneration in all parts of the nephron tubules. Also, the present study showed that MDA levels were significantly lower in both ZJ1 and ZJ2 groups compared with those in group C2 (p < 0.01). Moreover, the cisplatin-induced elevation of serum BUN levels significantly decreased in both ZJ1 and ZJ2 groups in comparison with that in group C2 (p < 0.01). In addition, serum levels of both ALT and AST were significantly higher in group C2 in comparison with those in group C1 (p < 0.05). Extensive tubular necrosis was seen in group C2. In brief, results of this research indicated that ZJ could prevent cisplatin-induced kidney injury in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1998, Iran's poultry industry has faced several outbreaks of low pathogenic avian influenza H9N2. Tissue samples were collected from a broiler flock with respiratory symptoms in autumn 2017. After that, virus isolation and confirmation of H9N2 using RT-PCR, sequencing, and bioinformatic analysis for all eight genes were performed. The phylogenic analysis revealed HA gene of recent Iranian isolate (A/chicken/Mashhad/UT-Barin/2017) which was clustered in G1 sublineage. In addition, all eight genes of the virus were placed with Pakistani isolates of 2015 in separate group. Based on amino acid motif KSSR in HA cleavage site, the UT-Barin is considered as low pathogenic avian influenza with eight HA and seven NA potential N-glycosylated sites. No evidence was detected regarding adamantane and neuraminidase inhibitors' drug's resistance. Multiple point mutations were observed in all genes that were responsible for increasing virulence of the virus for avian host and also increasing affinity to mammalian host cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Avian rotaviruses are one of the important agents of enteritis in birds and have a worldwide distribution. These viruses have an important role in runting and stunting syndrome in chickens. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was detection and molecular characterization of avian rotaviruses in broiler farms in Guilan province. METHODS: In this study, 100 samples were collected on different farms from the intestines of healthy and diseased broiler chickens and tested by RT-PCR targeting of the NSP4 gene. Sequencing of NSP4 gene has been used for characterization of detected viruses. RESULTS: Avian rotaviruses were detected in 46% of samples by RT-PCR. Partial sequencing of seven NSP4 genes and phylogenetic analysis indicated that the viruses belonged to group A avian rotaviruses and were 97.52% to 100% homologous. Sequence identity between viruses with previous chicken rotavirus sequences was 31.68% to 99.5%. In comparison with turkey rotavirus Ty-1 and pigeon rotavirus, the homology was 76.98% to 78.22% and 74.75% to 76.98%, respectively. Evident differences were detected between the rotaviruses studied and human and pig rotaviruses with homologies of 31.19% to 38.86% for pig and 47.77% to 48.02% for human viruses. CONCLUSIONS: This study was the first molecular characterization of avian rotaviruses in Iran. Results of this study showed that the group A avian rotaviruses are one of the considerable enteric pathogens in broiler chickens of Guilan province. Further study on the whole genome structure could elucidate the evolutionary process of avian rotaviruses circulating in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newcastle disease (ND) is a contagious viral disease affecting numerous avian species, particularly domestic poultry, and causes devastating outbreaks. In spite of its endemicity and importance in Iran, data on the genetic characterization of ND virus (NDV) are scarce. An alarming issue that has just been raised is the occurrence of ND outbreaks with unexpected high mortality and severe clinical signs. The present study was conducted to characterize the emerging NDV genetically. An NDV strain, isolated in 2017 from commercial broilers showing severe nervous and enteric signs, was completely sequenced and found to be 15,192 nucleotides in length. The phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the virus belonged to subgenotype VIIi, a subgenotype with potential panzootic features which has recently emerged in the Middle East and Asia. The supporting genetic pattern obtained from the complete genome, fusion and haemagglutinin gene analysis showed close relationship of the isolate with Pakistani VIIi NDVs. The analysis of the F protein showed a polybasic amino acid motif and a phenylalanine at position 117 at the cleavage site, which is a characteristic of virulent strains. The isolate showed significant differences from the previously characterized NDV strains from commercial and rural chickens in Iran. This may describe the importance of the illegal trade of pet birds from neighbouring countries leading to the emergence of new genotypes. This study introduces a newly emerging NDV VIIi subgenotype in Iran. This investigation emphasizes the necessity of effective control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV), also known as avian pneumovirus or turkey rhinotracheitis virus, is the causative agent of turkey rhinotracheitis and swollen head syndrome in chickens. Four aMPV subgroups (A-D) have been reported previously based on their genetic and antigenic differences. Evidence suggests that the live bird markets (LBMs) play an important role in the epidemiology of the avian viral diseases. A total number of 450 oropharyngeal samples from eight different species of birds (migratory and local) were collected from LBMs of Gilan province, Iran, from October to December 2016. The presence of aMPV was determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) based on nucleoprotein gene. The aMPV was detected in 30.60% of the examined birds including chickens (37.00%), turkey (33.00%), Eurasian teal (25.00%), common blackbird (33.00%), and Eurasian woodcock (25.00%). Bioinformatics analysis and a phylogenetic tree based on partial nucleotide sequences of the N gene showed that the detected aMPVs were belonged to subtype B. This is the first report of aMPV in non-commercial birds in Iran. Knowledge of the frequency and types of infected birds with pneumoviruses allow a better understanding of the epidemiology of aMPV in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical techniques are the most reliable techniques for determination of neurotransmitters and selective determination is their most challenging issue. Herein we have optimized the condition for oxidation of adrenaline and noradrenaline, as the most similar neurotransmitters, to find a simple and fast technique for their selective determination. Under mild acidic condition, oxidation of adrenaline is followed by a cyclization reaction and oxidation of the product (ECE mechanism) whereas noradrenaline undergoes just oxidation (E mechanism). The redox potential of the product of ECE mechanism has 350 mV difference with the product of E mechanism. This different in reactivity and redox potential yields two baseline separated reduction peaks for the oxidation products of adrenaline and noradrenaline, which used for their selective determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let G be a graph and χ'aa(G) denotes the minimum number of colors required for an acyclic edge coloring of G in which no two adjacent vertices are incident to edges colored with the same set of colors. We prove a general bound for χ'aa(G□H) for any two graphs G and H. We also determine exact value of this parameter for the Cartesian product of two paths, Cartesian product of a path and a cycle, Cartesian product of two trees, hypercubes. We show that χ'aa(Cm□Cn) is at most 6 fo every m ≥ 3 and n ≥ 3. Moreover in some cases we find the exact value of χ'aa(Cm□Cn). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Essential oils are known to possess antimicrobial activity; thus, their use has played an important role over the years in medicine and for food preservation purposes. Objective: The effect of clove oil and its major constituents as bactericidal agents on the global metabolic profiling of E. coli bacteria was assessed by means of metabolic alterations, using solid phase microextraction (SPME) as a sample preparation method coupled to complementary analytical platforms. Method: E. Coli cultures treated with clove oil and its major individual components were sampled by HS-SPME-GCxGC-ToF/MS and SPME-UPLC-MS. Full factorial design was applied in order to estimate the most effective antibacterial agent towards E. coli. Central composite design and factorial design were applied to investigate parameters influencing metabolite coverage and efficiency by SPME. Results: The metabolic profile, including 500 metabolites identified by LC-MS and 789 components detected by GCxGC-ToF/MS, 125 of which were identified as dysregulated metabolites, revealed changes in the metabolome provoked by the antibacterial activity of clove oil, and in particular its major constituent eugenol. Analyses of individual components selected using orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis showed a neat differentiation between control samples in comparison to treated samples in various sets of metabolic pathways. Conclusions: The combination of a sample preparation method capable of providing cleaner extracts coupled to different analytical platforms was successful in uncovering changes in metabolic pathways associated with lipids biodegradation, changes in the TCA cycle, amino acids, and enzyme inhibitors in response to antibacterial treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Forgiveness and empathy are factors which are influential in improving the relationships between people, themselves can be affected by various factors in turn. The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between the styles of attachment to God and forgiveness and empathy among female students in the city of Qom. Methods: 250 students were selected from the city of Qom by cluster sampling. Three questionnaires were used: styles of attachment to God by Kirkpatrick and Rowatt, emotional empathy by Mehrabian and Epstein and forgiveness inventory by Enzeit. Pearson correlation and Regression analysis were used for data analysis. Results: The style of secure attachment to God had a significantly positive relationship with forgiveness and empathy. Furthermore, the style of avoidant attachment to God and the style of bilateral attachment to God had a significantly negative relationship with forgiveness. In addition, the standard coefficients of all three predictive variables (Secure attachment, bilateral and avoidant to God) were all significant at p=0.05. Assessment and recognition of the style of attachment to God, the students and its relation with forgiveness and empathy can have valuable implications in providing the mental health of the students. Conclusion: The findings of this research show a connection between the style of attachment to God and forgiveness and empathy, indicate the clarification of attachment to God in students' forgiveness and empathy. Based on the findings, it can be suggested that the theory of attachment to God can be used in psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CuO/AlO nanoparticles were synthesized in the presence of PEG400 by deposition in alkaline environment. CuO/AlO nanoparticles were characterized by SEM, X-ray diffraction, FT-IR, UV-Vis and PL emission spectra. CuO/AlO nanoparticles catalyze the epoxidation of α-methylstyrene, styrene, cyclooctene, cyclohexene, trans-stilbene and norbornene using HO as an oxidant in ethanol. Under optimized reaction conditions, 100 % conversion of α-methylstyrene has been achieved where selectivity of α-methylstyrene oxide was 92 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: In light of the importance of mental health in today life, attending to mental health of theyouth to pave the way for a better future is of paramount importance. Various factors can influence mental health, one of which is the quality of attachment to and trust in God. The aim of this paper was to examine the capability of this quality so as to predict the mental health of Tehran University students. Methods: This research was of correlation type which utilized analysis of regression and the multiple correlation factor to analyze data. The participants were 300 students studying at University of Tehran (207 males and 93 females) who were stratified into theology 34, biology 38, art 21, literature 54, economics 21, technical 68, English Language 38, and Psychology 26. Data collection was done on the basis of the revised list of mental symptoms, Kirkpatrictest of attachment to God method and Rahyaft questionnaire in life events. Results: in this study, it was demonstrated that 29% of the variance of students' mental health was represented by factors of attachment to God, and the value of F (found in the analysis of regression) showed that only the aspects of attributive and action were meaningful at the significance level of below 0.5% among other variances and the other predictors of students' metal health all were meaningful at the significance level of below 0.01%. Conclusion: The findings of the study demonstrate the relation between spirituality and mental health in such a way that mental health can be helped by strengthening and reinforcing the students' sources of spirituality including trust in God. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swelling behavior of some soils, especially soils with high clay content, has a great impact on forest roads. Moisture variation in expansive soils results in their volume change. If the soil can not swell freely, it will apply pressure to surrounding structures which may eventually cause some damage or complete destruction. Therefore, it is essential to assess the swelling potential of the foundation soils and take appropriate measures to overcome such problem. In the present study, the effects of RPP as a polymer stabilizer to control swelling of expansive soils were investigated. For this purpose, different tests including Atterberg Limits, standard compaction, swelling potential, and swelling pressure, were conducted on control and treated soil samples using different Percentage of Polymer (RPP) (0.019, 0.04 and 0.06%). Also California Bearing Ratio (CBR) tests were conducted on control and treated samples based on manufacturer recommendation. To assess the effect of time on performance of polymer treated soil, samples with 0.019% RPP content were prepared and kept in sealed plastic bags for 7 and 14 days periods and then tested for Atterberg Limits, swelling potential and swelling pressure. The results showed that soil treatment with RPP, resulted in improvement of CBR and maximum dry density and reduction in Atterberg Limits, swelling potential and swelling pressure. The results also indicated that the curing 7-14 days periods had no significant effect on plasticity and swelling properties of the treated samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literacy is a fundamental right and a springboard not only for achieving "education for all", but also for eradicating poverty and increasing participation in society. Political and social literacy is about understanding how politics and social behaviors shape our daily lives. In order to improve the political and social literacy process, it is highly important to recognize effective factors in shaping People's awareness. This study is performed to determine students' points of view concerning such factors. Responsible citizens respect others and participate in political, economic, social and cultural life. The present study aims at examining the level of political and social literacy of adult citizens participating in unofficial adults training centers in Isfahan city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rosai-Dorfman disease is a rare clinical disorder which may present in many forms. While classically a disease of lymph nodes, soft tissue involvement is fairly common. Soft tissue involvement can occur without any lymphatic or systemic involvement, and may be difficult to diagnose. We describe a patient presenting with multiple soft tissue masses which on biopsy proved to be isolated cutaneous Rosai-Dorfman disease. MR imaging showed two well-defined nonspecific superficial masses that enhanced intensely. Review of the literature suggests that when this disease presents in soft tissue, multiple foci of involvement may be common. Although rare, Rosai-Dorfman disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with multiple soft tissue masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the study which focuses on the insomnia in the elderly population dwelling in hospital clinics in Tehran, Iran. It examines the clinical and characteristic conditions of the elderly patients who complaints about insomnia using cross-sectional study to assess sleep problems. It outlines the comparison of several surveys in elderly population insomnia, which enthusiasm towards work and medication without prescription were considered responsible of the problems.

Objectives: In adequate pain control after cesarean section increases complications, infections and the cost of care. Due to complications and lack of adequate pain relievers, investigation of the use of complementary therapies is merited. Hence, the purpose of this research was the review of complementary and alternative therapies for post-caesarean pain relief. Materials and Methods: Using the keywords "pain", "cesarean", "complementary medicine" and their Persian equivalents, articles in PubMed, Google Scholar, SID, Web of Science, and Science Direct were searched for articles published between 1995 and 2015. Finally, 30 studies meeting the inclusion criteria were selected. To be included studies had to be randomized controlled clinical trials for assessment of the efficacy of complementary medicines for post-cesarean pain. Results: The results show that complementary methods that are used for post-cesarean pain include: foot reflexology, foot and hand reflexology, auriculotherapy, touch therapy, acupressure, acupuncture, music therapy, prayer, recitation of the holy Quran, Benson relaxation, reiki, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and aromatherapy (Salvia officinalis essence, lavender essence). The results of most studies affirmed the effectiveness of these methods for pain reduction after cesarean section. Only one study was found that dealt with auriculotherapy and Benson relaxation; on the effects of reiki, two studies were found, but the results of the two studies were contradictory. Conclusion: Most complementary methods in this study were effective in reducing post-cesarean section pain, thus these methods can be used for pain control after cesarean section. However, auriculotherapy, reiki and Benson relaxation needed further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]