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We and others have reported that low-magnitude high-frequency dynamic loading has an osteogenic effect on alveolar bone. Since chondrocytes and osteoblasts originate from the same progenitor cells, we reasoned that dynamic loading may stimulate a similar response in chondrocytes. A stimulating effect could be beneficial for patients with damaged condylar cartilage or mandibular deficiency.Studies were conducted on growing Sprague-Dawley rats divided into three groups: control, static load, and dynamic load. The dynamic load group received a dynamic load on the lower right molars 5 minutes per day with a 0.3 g acceleration and peak strain of 30 με registered by accelerometer and strain gauge. The static load group received an equivalent magnitude of static force (30 με). The control group did not receive any treatment. Samples were collected at days 0, 28, and 56 for reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis, microcomputed tomography, and histology and fluorescent microscopy analysis.Our experiments showed that dynamic loading had a striking effect on condylar cartilage, increasing the proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal cells into chondrocytes, and promoting chondrocyte maturation. This effect was accompanied by increased endochondral bone formation resulting in lengthening of the condylar process.Low-magnitude, high-frequency dynamic loading can have a positive effect on condylar cartilage and endochondral bone formation in vivo. This effect has the potential to be used as a treatment for regenerating condylar cartilage and to enhance the effect of orthopedic appliances on mandibular growth.

Muscle involvement represents a well-recognized but rare manifestation of amyloidosis. Here, we report a 40-year-old female who presented with muscle weakness, musculoskeletal pain, and proteinuria, which was eventually diagnosed as myopathic amyloidosis based on muscle biopsy results. A multidisciplinary approach appears to be the cornerstone of the diagnostic work up for recognizing the unusual amyloid myopathy.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most frequently isolated microorganisms from burn wounds. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is a new strategy that may improve antimicrobial treatment. Method: This study evaluated three meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and three meticillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) clinical isolates, which produced a biofilm with 0.1mg/ml Toluidine Blue O (TBO) (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) with an energy density of 45J/cm2 and 90J/cm2, for MRSA and MSSA, respectively. The antibiofilm potential of aPDT with TBO was analysed using crystal violet assays and scanning electron microscopy. Results: TBO-aPDT significantly degraded the biofilm formed by MRSA and MSSA clinical isolates (pConclusion: Our results indicated that aPDT is an effective approach to combat bacterial biofilms associated with burn wound infection. aPDT could provide a supplemental to the treatment of wound and tissue infection, and patients with burns may benefit from combined treatments.

One of the systemic infections is Brucellosis which is caused by facultative intracellular bacteria of the genus Brucella. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble prohormone, that metabolizes enzymes and its intracellular receptor creates the active hormone and also mediate in responses of immune system.Current research consists of 102 patients with brucellosis who were selected based on culture, PCR results serology, and clinical symptoms. The control group composed of 102 healthy people. The polymorphism of genes (Bsm I, Fok I, Taq I, Apa I) encoding Vitamin D receptor (VDR) were assessed by the PCR-RFLP method.The results showed that ff, tt, aa, and bb genotypes in Fok I, ApaI, TaqI, and BsmI were significant in case/control groups (P-value ≤ 0.0001). The genotype frequency AA in the control group is higher than that of the study group, while genotype frequency aa in the study group is more than the control. The odds ratio for brucellosis in individuals with ff genotype is 37 times higher than that of Ff genotype. Also, the odds ratio of brucellosis in individuals with genotype tt, aa, and bb was 12, 53, and 6 times higher than those of the Aa, Bb, and Tt genotypes.The genotypes aa and ff in the positions of the ApaI and FokI are of higher importance. The brucellosis risk in individuals accompanied aa genotype at Apa I is 53 times higher than that of the genotype AA, in other words, AA and BB, TT and FF genotypes are protective against the disease.

Refereed/Peer-reviewed This article proposes a two-stage optimization algorithm to effectively determine the system configuration at one stage, as well as the capacity of components at the other stage in the middle of the former. This algorithm fits in best with the hybrid systems with more possible types of components. The studied system, in this article, includes diesel generators, wind turbines, photovoltaic arrays, and tidal generators as the power generation components, as well as battery banks and flywheels as the energy storage components. It also includes fuel cells and electrolyzers that either work as batteries or generate electricity in the presence of biomass. When the number of components (decision variables) increases, it becomes difficult to find an optimal solution by the conventional methods. Therefore, in this study, a two-stage multiobjective optimization algorithm is applied to design a cost effective and environmental friendly ac minigrid hybrid power system. In each iteration of the proposed algorithm, first, renewable energy sources and energy storage components are selected to form a hybrid power system along with the diesel generator. Then, the capacities of the components are optimized based on the two objective functions, including levelized cost of electricity and emissions. The optimization model uses real annual data in hourly time intervals for the load, solar insolation, ambient temperature, and wind speed. It is found that the proposed algorithm decreases the susceptibility of the solutions to multiple runs compared with the conventional algorithms and achieves a better optimized power system design.

Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common co-infecting pathogen recognized among COVID-19 patients. We aimed to investigate the antimicrobial resistance patterns and molecular typing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates among Coronavirus disease-19 patients. Methods Between December 2020 and July 2021, 15 Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated from COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit at Sina Hospital in Hamadan, west of Iran. The antimicrobial resistance of the isolates was determined by disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The double-disk synergy method, Modified Hodge test, and polymerase chain reaction were utilized to detect Pseudomonas aeruginosa extended spectrum beta-lactamase and carbapenemase producers. Microtiter plate assay was performed to evaluate the biofilm formation ability of the isolates. The isolates phylogenetic relatedness was revealed using the multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis method. Results The results showed Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates had the most elevated resistance to imipenem (93.3%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (93.3%), ceftriaxone (80%), ceftazidime (80%), gentamicin (60%), levofloxacin (60%), ciprofloxacin (60%), and cefepime (60%). In the broth microdilution method, 100%, 100%, 20%, and 13.3% of isolates showed resistance to imipenem, meropenem, polymyxin B, and colistin, respectively. Ten (66.6%) isolates were identified as multiple drug resistance. Carbapenemase enzymes and extended spectrum beta-lactamases were identified in 66.6% and 20% of the isolates, respectively and the biofilm formation was detected in 100% of the isolates. The blaOXA-48, blaTEM, blaIMP, blaSPM, blaPER, blaVEB, blaNDM, blaSHV, and blaCTX-M genes were detected in 100%, 86.6%, 86.6%, 40%, 20%, 20%, 13.3%, 6.6%, and 6.6% of the isolates, respectively. The blaVIM, blaGIM, blaGES, and blaMCR-1 genes were not identified in any of the isolates. The MLVA typing technique showed 11 types and seven main clusters and most isolates belong to cluster I, V and VII. Conclusion Due to the high rate of antimicrobial resistance, as well as the genetic diversity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from COVID-19 patients, it is indispensable to monitor the antimicrobial resistance pattern and epidemiology of the isolates on a regular basis.

Diabetes Mellitus is a long-term and prevalent disease that 10% of the world population suffer ‎from. This study uses a state feedback controller to control blood glucose level in the delayed ‎fractional order model of this disease. Thus, first, a proper state feedback controller for ‎stabilizing the fractional order model with time-variant delays is presented. Then, stability and ‎stabilization of the fractional order models in the fractional order insulin-glucose model with ‎time-variant delays is presented. The results show that the insulin-glucose system with the ‎proposed controller is stabilized and the blood glucose concentration is controlled in a proper ‎time. Further studies might provide the opportunity for novel technologies in controlling and ‎treating diabetic patients.

This experiment investigated the effects of replacing alfalfa hay (AH) and corn silage (CS) with wheat straw (WS) and beet pulp (BP) in diets with similar forage 30-h undigested neutral detergent fiber (uNDF

In this study, we focus on the extension of the trigonometric F m-transform technique for functions with one-variable in order to improve its approximation properties at the end points of [a,b] and then generalize the extended trigonometric Fm -transform technique to functions with more variables. The approximation and convergence properties of the direct and inverse multi-variable extended trigonometric Fm -transforms are discussed. The applicability of multi-variable trigonometric F m -transforms to approximate multi-variable functions are illustrated by some examples. Moreover, some direct formulas for the multi-variable extended trigonometric Fm -transforms of partial derivatives of multi-variable functions are obtained and they are applied to solving the Cauchy problem of the transport equation. Also, the application of multi-variable extended trigonometric Fm -transforms for image compression is described. Some examples for the validity of the obtained results about the partial differential equations and image compression are given. The results are compared with some existence ones in the literature.

Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common co-infecting pathogen recognized among COVID-19 patients, leading to worsening illness and a high mortality rate. We aimed to demonstrate molecular typing and antimicrobial sensitivity of MDR-Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from COVID-19 patients. Methods Between December 2020 and July 2021, 15 P. aeruginosa were isolated from COVID-19 patients in the ICU ward at Sina Hospital in Hamadan, west of Iran. The Antimicrobial resistance of the isolates were determined operating the disk diffusion (DDT) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests. The double-disk synergy method, Modified Hodge test, and PCR were utilized to detect P. aeruginosa extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBLs) and carbapenemase producers. Microtitre plate assay was operated to evaluate the biofilm formation ability of the isolates. The isolates' phylogenetic relatedness was revealed using the multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) method. Results The results showed P. aeruginosa isolates had the most elevated resistance to imipenem (93.33%), levofloxacin (93.33%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (93.33%), ceftriaxone (80%), ceftazidime (80%), gentamicin (60%), ciprofloxacin (60%), and cefepime (60%). In the broth microdilution method, 100%, 100%, 13.33%, and 20% of isolates showed resistance to imipenem, meropenem, colistin, and polymyxin B, respectively. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases and carbapenemase enzymes were detected in 20% and 66.66% of the isolates, respectively. Biofilm formation was seen in 100% of isolates. On the basis of the PCR results, blaOXA−48, blaTEM, blaIMP, blaSPM, blaPER, blaVEB, blaNDM, blaSHV, and blaCTX−M were detected in 100%, 86.67%, 86.67%, 40%, 20%, 20%, 13.33%, 6.67%, and 6.67%, of the isolates, respectively. The MLVA typing technique showed 11 types and seven main clusters. Most isolates belonged to clusters VII, I, and V. Conclusions As to observe high genetic diversity among P. aeruginosa isolates from COVID-19 patients in the ICU, it is indispensable to regularly monitor the epidemiology and genetical relatedness of the isolates to trace any insignificant alteration in the epidemiology of P. aeruginosa isolates in the COVID-19 epidemic.

The ingrained principles of fairness in a dialogue system's decision-making process and generated responses are crucial for user engagement, satisfaction, and task achievement. Absence of equitable and inclusive principles can hinder the formation of common ground, which in turn negatively impacts the overall performance of the system. For example, misusing pronouns in a user interaction may cause ambiguity about the intended subject. Yet, there is no comprehensive study of equitable text generation in dialogue. Aptly, in this work, we use theories of computational learning to study this problem. We provide formal definitions of equity in text generation, and further, prove formal connections between learning human-likeness and learning equity: algorithms for improving equity ultimately reduce to algorithms for improving human-likeness (on augmented data). With this insight, we also formulate reasonable conditions under which text generation algorithms can learn to generate equitable text without any modifications to the biased training data on which they learn. To exemplify our theory in practice, we look at a group of algorithms for the GuessWhat?! visual dialogue game and, using this example, test our theory empirically. Our theory accurately predicts relative-performance of multiple algorithms in generating equitable text as measured by both human and automated evaluation.

A set $D$ of vertices is a strong dominating set in a graph $G$, if for every vertex $x\in V(G) \setminus D$ there is a vertex $y\in D$ with $xy\in E(G)$ and $deg(x) \leq deg(y)$. The strong domination number $\gamma_{st}(G)$ of $G$ is the minimum cardinality of a strong dominating set in $G$. Let $G$ be a connected graph constructed from pairwise disjoint connected graphs $G_1,\ldots ,G_k$ by selecting a vertex of $G_1$, a vertex of $G_2$, and identifying these two vertices, and thereafter continuing in this manner inductively. The graphs $G_1,\ldots ,G_k$ are the primary subgraphs of $G$. In this paper, we study the strong domination number of $K_r$-gluing of two graphs and investigate the strong domination number for some particular cases of graphs from their primary subgraphs., Comment: 20 pages, 13 figures

Evaluation of various biochemical and immunological parameters in infectious diseases is one of the best indicators for a diagnosis and treatment process. The main goal of this project is to determine the effect of hydroxychloroquine and doxycycline loading into solid-lipid-nanoparticles (DOX-HCQ-SLN) on the both acute and chronic phases of brucellosis. In addition, evaluate some biochemical factors, trace elements, and inflammatory elements. Blood serum levels of Zn, Fe, Na, and K and hepatic biochemical parameters (AST, ALT, ALP, and TBil) were remarkably different between infected and healthy rats. Vitamin D was decreased, and CRP was increased in chronic and acute brucellosis. Quantitative evaluation of these mentioned parameters can be useful to diagnose brucellosis in advance. Due to the good effect of the synchronized use of hydroxychloroquine and doxycycline in the form of nanoparticles, the manipulation of these nanoparticles can help for better treatment and also reduction in brucellosis reinfection.

While we are still learning about COVID-19 affecting people, older persons and persons with underlying diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes mellitus (DM) appear to develop serious illness and more complications often than others. In this report, we presented a patient with spontaneous pneumomediastinum after COVID-19. The patient was a 61-year-old man with a history of DM, hypertension, and heart failure, who has been infected with COVID-19. The patient was diagnosed with COVID-19 based on RT-PCR analysis of nasopharyngeal samples, and chest X-ray showed patchy infiltration upper and lower lobes bilaterally. By day 4, imaging was repeated, performed due to exacerbation of pleuritic chest pain, decreased O2 saturation (80%), and coughing that revealed multiple ground-glass opacities bilaterally, and interlobular septal thickening with emphysema in most of the left upper lobe and a small part of right upper lobe which led to severe spontaneous left pneumomediastinum and parenchymal consolidation was also observed. The combination of a chest tube, antibiotics (vancomycin 1 gr/bid and meropenem 1 g/bid), and antiviral (hydroxychloroquine 200 mg/bid and atazanavir 300 mg/daily) was prescribed, and continued treatment with antiviral and appropriate care for pneumomediastinum was successful. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum in the context of COVID-19 should be considered as a prognostic factor in favor of worsening diseases.

The double proton transfer (DPT) reaction between pyrazole and guanidine, a concerted reaction but strongly asynchronous and presenting a "plateau transition region", has been theoretically reinvestigated in the presence of an external uniform electric field. First, we computed the reaction path by DFT and proposed a very detailed description of the constitutive electronic events, based on the ELF topology and the bond evolution theory. Then, we studied the effect of an oriented external electric field (OEEF) on the reaction mechanism, for an OEEF oriented along the proton transfer axis. We observe that in one direction, the DPT reaction can be transformed into a stepwise reaction, going through a stabilized single proton transferred intermediate. Contrarily, the two proton transfers occur simultaneously when the electric field is applied in the opposite direction. In the latter case, the order in which the two protons are transferred in the same elementary step can even be reversed if the OEEF is intense enough. Finally, it has been shown that the evolution of the double proton transfer reaction in the presence of an electric field could be quantitatively anticipated by analyzing the ELF value at the bifurcation point between V(A, H) proton donor and V(B) proton acceptor of the double hydrogen bonded complex in the entrance channel.

Article, 【日本パグウォッシュ会議公開講座：記録／Article】

The Russian ruble depreciated sharply in 2014 after the US embargo was imposed, in just one day it lost 19% of its value, which was the biggest daily drop in the previous 16 years. Inflation has reached a three-year high. The reasons for the sharp decline in the indicators of the Russian economy were the factors of a sharp drop in oil prices, sanctions against the country and insufficient effective management. The article discusses Russia’s anti-sanctions actions at the federal and regional levels of government. It is concluded that the following measures have become the most effective in responding to sanctions: the introduction of import sanctions against countries subject to the embargo, reducing dependence on the dollar and euro in foreign trade (de-dollarization) by concluding bilateral currency agreements, changing export directions, introducing a national payment system, adopting import substitution plans within federal and regional policies, as well as a plan to support firms affected by sanctions. It is noted that the sanctions posed threats not only to the economy of Russia and its regions, but also to the economies of European countries and, ultimately, to the stability of the global financial system.

The cardiovascular effects of nicotinic receptors of cholinergic system in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT) were shown.In the following, the cardiovascular effects of the muscarinic receptor, another receptor in this system, were examined.Rats were divided into eight groups: 1) control; 2 and 3) Ach (acetylcholine, an agonist) 90 and 150 nmol; 4 and 5) Atr (atropine; a muscarinic antagonist) 3 and 9 nmol; 6) Atr 3 + Ach 150; 7) Atr 9 + Ach 150; and 8) Atr 3 + hexamethonium (Hexa; 300 nmol) + Ach 150. After anesthesia, cannulation of the femoral artery was performed, and then the mean arterial pressure (MAP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and heart rate (HR) were recorded using a power lab apparatus.Following drug microinjection, the maximum change (Δ) in MAP, SBP, and HR was calculated and analyzed. Both doses of Ach (90 and 150) significantly decreased ΔMAP and ΔSBP but could not change ΔHR. Neither of the doses of Atr significantly affected ΔMAP, ΔSBP, and ΔHR. Co-injection of Atr 3 + Ach 150 only increased ΔHR, but Atr 9 + Ach 150 decreased ΔMAP and ΔSBP than Ach 150 alone. The effect of the co-injection of Atr 9 + Hexa 300 + Ach 150 was also the same as the Atr 9 + Ach 150 group.The present results revealed that cholinergic muscarinic receptors in the PPT have an inhibitory effect on MAP and SBP with no important effect on HR.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates obtained from blood culture samples of pediatric patients hospitalized in Borujerd and Hamadan hospitals in western Iran. METHODS: Oxidase-negative isolates were collected from the blood cultures of pediatric patients. S. maltophilia isolates were identified and confirmed by routine microbiological and molecular testing. Antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates was determined. The phenotypic and genotypic biofilm-forming ability of the isolates were investigated. Molecular typing of all isolates was performed by repetitive element sequence-based polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Out of 450 oxidase-negative bacilli, 72 (16.0%) were identified as S. maltophilia isolates. Biofilm assay results showed strong biofilm formation in 19 (26.4%) isolates, moderate in 38 (52.8%), weak in 10 (13.9%), and no biofilm formation in five (6.9%) isolates. Biofilm-associated genes rmlA, rpfF, and spgM were detected respectively in 59 (81.9%), 54 (75.0%), and 72 (100%) of isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that 67 (93.1%) isolates were sensitive to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. All isolates were sensitive to levofloxacin and resistant to ceftazidime. The S. maltophilia isolates were grouped into 14 different types of repetitive sequence by repetitive element sequence-based polymerase chain reaction analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that S. maltophilia should be considered an important opportunistic pathogen in pediatric units. Different genotypes of S. maltophilia with the ability to form a biofilm (an important virulence factor) were circulating in the hospitals investigated. Levofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole are recommended to treat S. maltophilia infections.

Sleep duration, timing and consistency are all important for maintaining good physical health and psychological functioning. While differences in sleep duration across countries are well-known, fewer large-scale studies characterising differences in sleep variability and differences between weekday and weekend sleep have been conducted. The goal of this study was, therefore, to capitalize on the increased use of wearable technology to characterise nocturnal sleep, weekday sleep variability and changes in sleep patterns at the weekend in a large, globally diverse sample. Using data from over 50 million night’s sleep, sleep measures for ~220,000 wearable device users from 35 countries were calculated. Multiple regression was used to assess the impact country of residence had on a number of sleep measures including sleep duration, sleep variability, weekend sleep extension and social jet lag. Our results support prior findings that nocturnal sleep duration and sleep efficiency are lower in Asia than other regions. Furthermore, weekend sleep extension is longer in Europe and the USA than in Asia, and is only partially related to shorter weekday sleep duration. There are also cross-country differences in social jetlag although the regional differences are less distinct than for weekend sleep extension. Variability in weekday sleep duration also tends to be greater in Asia than other regions. Our results suggest that culture affects not only sleep duration and timing, but also how sleep is modulated over the course of the week. While sleep is influenced by many factors, we hypothesize that differing work cultures may be one contributory factor in explaining why sleep patterns differ in different countries.

Human communication often combines imagery and text into integrated presentations, especially online. In this paper, we show how image–text coherence relations can be used to model the pragmatics of image–text presentations in AI systems. In contrast to alternative frameworks that characterize image–text presentations in terms of the priority, relevance, or overlap of information across modalities, coherence theory postulates that each unit of a discourse stands in specific pragmatic relations to other parts of the discourse, with each relation involving its own information goals and inferential connections. Text accompanying an image may, for example, characterize what's visible in the image, explain how the image was obtained, offer the author's appraisal of or reaction to the depicted situation, and so forth. The advantage of coherence theory is that it provides a simple, robust, and effective abstraction of communicative goals for practical applications. To argue this, we review case studies describing coherence in image–text data sets, predicting coherence from few-shot annotations, and coherence models of image–text tasks such as caption generation and caption evaluation.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an emerging multidrug-resistant organism with an increasing frequency of hospital-acquired infections predominantly in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to determine the antibiotic resistance and frequency of the smeD, class1 integron, and sul1 genes in clinical isolates of S. maltophilia in two Iranian provinces. From January 2020 to September 2021, 38 clinical isolates of S. maltophila were collected from patients in hospitals in Tabriz and Sanandaj provinces of Iran. S. maltophilia isolates were confirmed by standard bacteriological tests and 16S rRNA gene PCR. Disc diffusion and E-test methods were used to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern. PCR was performed to investigate the presence of smeD, class1 integron, and sul1 genes. The antimicrobial test for the isolated S. maltophilia showed a high level of sensitivity against most of the antibiotics used. Maximum sensitivity was recorded for ciprofloxacin [100% (38/38)] and levofloxacin 100% (38/38), followed by ceftazidim [97.36% (37/38)], trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole [94.73% (36/38)], ticarcillin-clavulanate [60.52% (23/38)] and piperacillin-tazobactam [55.26% (21/38)]. We observed a high prevalence of smeD [100% (38/38)] and class1 integron [94.73% (36/38)] genes in the isolates, and none of the isolates carried the sul1 gene. The findings from this study indicate that resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was not observed and still, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is the best drug with desirable antimicrobial effect in the treatment of nosocomial infections caused by S. maltophilia strains. Despite the observation of a high number of class1 integron, the sul1 gene was not observed, which indicates the role of this gene in high-level trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole resistance and not having a role in low-level resistance. Based on our results clinical microbiology laboratories need continuous surveillance of resistance rates to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, because of the possibility of S. maltophilia acquiring trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-resistance by mobile gen elements.

Alikhani, P.; Brinkel, N.; Schram, W.; Lampropoulos, I. and van Sark, W. (2023).Marginal Emission Factors in Power Systems: The Case of the Netherlands. InProceedings of the 12th International Conference on Smart Cities and Green ICT Systems - SMARTGREENS; ISBN 978-989-758-651-4; ISSN 2184-4968, SciTePress, pages 50-57. DOI: 10.5220/0011855700003491

Cancer is a complex disease that affects millions of people worldwide. While genetics and lifestyle factors play a significant role in cancer development, the role of diet and micronutrients in preventing and treating cancer is becoming increasingly apparent. Micronutrients, also known as vitamins and minerals, are essential for the proper function of the body's cells and play an important role in the immune system. Studies have shown that diets rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains are associated with a lower risk of various types of cancer. This is partly because these foods contain a variety of micronutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, selenium, and zinc, that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Antioxidants are compounds that protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, which can contribute to cancer development. Micronutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium act as antioxidants in the body and can help reduce the risk of cancer. In addition, some studies suggest that folate may reduce the risk of colon cancer, while zinc may play a role in preventing prostate cancer. However, it's important to note that not all micronutrients are beneficial for cancer prevention. For example, high doses of beta-carotene supplements may increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers. Therefore, it's best to get micronutrients through a balanced diet rather than supplements. In addition to preventing cancer, a healthy diet rich in micronutrients can also help in cancer treatment. People undergoing cancer treatment often experience side effects such as fatigue, loss of appetite, and weight loss, which can be addressed by ensuring adequate intake of nutrients. In conclusion, the role of micronutrients and diet in cancer prevention and treatment cannot be understated. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains can help reduce the risk of cancer, while adequate intake of micronutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, selenium, and zinc can provide additional protection. It's important to consult with a healthcare professional to ensure that dietary changes are appropriate for individual needs and medical conditions.

Background and Aims improving nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE) is necessary to reduce the entry of excess N into the environment and to retain N in the soil. Few studies have been done on dual-purpose slow release fertilizers using urea and zinc (Zn). Methods In this study, a new Zn-incorporated urea slow release fertilizer with diatomite (DE) and nano-diatomite (NDE) was synthesized. The treatments included the following: C: control, U: urea, Zn: zinc sulfate, UZn: urea-Zn complex, UZn-DE: urea-Zn-diatomite, UZn-NDE: urea-Zn-nano-diatomite. The slow-release urea-Zn fertilizers (SRUZns) were characterized using FESEM/EDS, FT-IR, CHN, DLS, and zeta potential techniques. First, the slow release behavior of SRUZns in soil was monitored. Then, a greenhouse study was carried out to check the agronomic effects of them on maize (Zea mays). Results Instrumental analyses indicated the binding of UZn complex into DE and NDE in the components. Usage of SRUZns lead to better retention of NH4+ relative to NO3−. UZn-NDE was twice as effective as UZn-DE in NH4+ retaining in the soil. Also, cumulative losses of Zn available in the soil was the lowest by UZn-NDE. Pot study revealed that UZn-fertilizers boosted the crop growth in comparison to the urea and zinc sulfate alone. N and Zn uptake and use efficiency improved significantly by SRUZn fertilizers in maize. Conclusion The results showed that the dual-purpose SRUZns with slow-release behavior could be reflected as well-organized N and Zn fertilizers in agricultural and horticultural with minimal environmental effluence.

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women worldwide, and it occurs following persistent infection. Cervical cancer incidence is tightly linked to HPV infection (human papillomavirus), and particularly, type 16 and type 18 viruses cause the majority of cases. The common therapies for cervical cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, which are often invasive or unbearable treatment methods with many side effects. They just probably slow down the disease progression or alleviate any comorbid conditions, including vaginal bleeding and pain, which is called palliative care, while novel treatment approaches, especially virus-like particles and viral oncolysate, could eliminate these complications. In this review study, we have proposed a novel approach to cervical cancer therapy focused on utilizing Newcastle disease virus as viral oncolysate with a high potential of immunity induction and low side effects. Furthermore, we have attempted to shed some light on the perspectives of novel virus-based cervical cancer immunotherapy. Finally, we review the recent findings from basic and clinical studies and also discuss the usefulness and limitations of this approach, as well as the reasons why it is believed that viral oncolysate immunotherapy may be of relevance in the treatment of human cervical cancer.

Objective: The burden on caregivers of patients with severe mental disorders is significantly higher than the care burden of patients with other medical conditions. Substance use disorder is also one of the most common psychiatric disorders that has negative effects on people's quality of life. This study was designed to investigate caregiver burden in severe mental disorders versus substance use disorder. Method: First-degree relatives of patients admitted to the Razi Psychiatric Hospital of Tehran with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder type1, schizoaffective disorder, or substance use disorder entered this study. They completed the sociodemographic questionnaire for patients and caregivers and the Zarit burden interview for caregivers. Results: Our study shows that caregiver burden in substance use disorder has no significant difference with that in severe mental disorders (P > 0.05). In both groups, the highest spectrum of burden was moderate to severe. To find caregiver burden related factors, a general linear regression model with multiple predictor variables was fitted. In this model, caregivers’ burden was significantly higher in patients with comorbidity (P = 0.007), poor compliance (P < 0.001), and in female caregivers (P = 0.013). Conclusion: Statistically speaking, the caregiver burden in substance use disorders is as severe as other mental disorders. The considerable burden on both groups necessitates serious efforts to minimize its negative effects.