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The study reviews the effects of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on learning and information literacy of students. Experimental method involving experimental and control groups was used. Pre-test and post-test were run to investigate the effectiveness of ICT. The statistical population of the research consisted of all male third year students of middle school (school year 89-90) in the city of Arak. After pre-certification testing and applying random cluster sampling, 64 students were selected and placed into two experimental and control groups. Data collection instruments were Educational Improvement Test and Standardized Information Literacy Questionnaire. Collected data were analysed using analysis of covariance method, t-test, and non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test. Findings showed that general hypotheses of the research were true: ICT has a significant effect on learning rate of students, and there is a significant difference between the experimental group and control group regarding information literacy and its features. Based on the results of this study, we recommend educational authorities to apply ICT in educational canters in order to improve students’ learning and educational quality.

Information about the genetic diversity and relationships among breeding lines and varieties is not only useful for germplasm conservation and inbred line identification, but also for the selection of parental lines for quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping as well as hybrid breeding in crops, including sunflower. In order to develop mapping populations, genetic distances among twenty eight sunflower genotypes were evaluated using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. One hundred and two markers were generated by 38 SSR loci and the mean for the number of allele per locus was 2.32. Polymorphism information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.09 (locus ha3555) to 0.62 (locus ORS598) with an average of 0.41. Jaccard's coefficient similarity matrix for the studied sunflower genotypes varied from 0.25 to 0.9 indicating a broad genetic base. The maximum similarity (0.9) was observed between genotypes RT931 and ENSAT-R5, while the lowest similarity (0.25) was between genotypes LC1064C and LR64. Based on unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) clustering algorithm, the studied genotypes were clustered in four groups. However, some genotypes have the same specific characters that influence their clustering, and as a result, the results of the principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) largely corresponded to those obtained through cluster analysis.Key words: Cluster analysis, genetic diversity, principal coordinate analysis, sunflower, simple sequence repeat.

In this research anxiety and depression and their association with 32 different factors in students of Hamedan University of Medical Sciences were measured. Levels of anxiety and depression were assessed by State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (from 2, Trait) and Beck Depression Inventory. A questionnaire made of demographic data, educational and noneducational activities, the presence of medical or psychiatric disorders (over last year) and students' feelings about relationships with their parents as well as educational and financial matters was given to the subjects. Seventy percent of all of the university students completed the two inventories plus questionnaire. Twenty-one percent had a number of 18 or more (the cut-off point for depression) in Beck inventory and 33.4% had a number of 51 or more (the cut off point for anxiety) in State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (from 2, Trait). Differents levels of depression and anxiety and associated variables in each group were determined and discussed.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the genetic diversity among twelve apple rootstocks by using 14 simple sequence repeat primer pairs. Generally, 44 alleles were scored at SSR loci. The number of alleles (na) per locus ranged from two to five alleles with an average of 3.14. The maximum effective number of alleles (ne), expected heterozygosity (He), and observed heterozygosity (Hobs) were 2.3, 0.56 and 0.36, respectively. Results showed that the studied genotypes were not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in most of studied loci. The polymorphism information content (PIC) varied from 0.5 to 0.86 which confirmed the effectiveness of SSR markers in determination of molecular polymorphism and characterization of the rootstocks genotypes. Cluster analysis using UPGMA algorithm on the basis of Jaccard’s similarity coefficient classified the studied genotypes into three distinct groups. In this study, three Iranian local rootstocks were located in separate groups.

Clozapine is the first antipsycotic drug with a great efficacy. Thirty to fifty percent of treatment-resistant schizophrenics markedly improved with clozapine. Approximately, 25% of long-term patients, treated with clozapine, could be discharged. This improvement included negative as well as positive symptom areas. Clozapine produced no extrapyramidal side effects. Tardive dyskinesia, a major side effect of antipsychotics is not probably induced by the drug. Agranulocytosis that occurs in 1-2% of patients treated with clozapine is the most dangerous side effect with a high mortality rate. So, weekly monitoring of white blood cell count is necessary for safe and effective use of clozapine because fatal outcomes can be reduced and even completely prevented by the early detection of the reduction in white blood cell count. Clozapine offers considerable promise for better antipsychotic effect than currently available drugs, but its high cost causes substantial problems for patients with limited financial income

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli was evaluated for its capacity to trigger resistance to common bacterial blight (CBB) of common bean caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli (Xap), under greenhouse and field conditions. A common bean cultivar and three lines including two tolerant lines (Ks51103 and BF13607) and the susceptible cultivar Khomein and line Ks21479, were used. R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli, was applied as a seed treatment and its effect on disease severity (DS) was compared with untreated (control) plants and with urea fertilizer treated plants in both the greenhouse and the feld. R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli in common bean roots tended to reduce CBB severity and to improve plant growth, particularly the 100-seed weight, in the field. The greatest decrease in CBB in the greenhouse occurred 15 days after inoculation (DAI) of Xap in the cultivar Khomein and line Ks21479, and 30 DAI in lines Ks51103 and BF13607. In the field, however, the greatest decrease occurred 35 DAI in the cultivar and all lines. Furthermore, in the field the greatest improvement in 100-seed weight occurred in the cultivar Khomein treated with R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli. The potential of using R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli in the management of CBB and the possible mechanisms that induce resistance in this symbiotic system are discussed.

In this study, 21 genotypes of sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.) derived from a half diallel cross between six inbred lines were evaluated in both water-stressed and well-watered environments. In each environment, the genotypes were evaluated using a randomized complete block design with three replications. From the grain yield data, drought tolerance indices comprising of stability tolerance index (STI), mean productivity (MP), geometric mean productivity (GMP), harmonic mean (HM), stress susceptibility index (SSI), tolerance index (TOL), yield index (YI) and yield stability index (YSI) were calculated for every genotype. The resulting data were analyzed as obtained from a randomized complete block design. Significant differences among genotypes were observed for all drought tolerance indices except for SSI and YSI. High yield value in non-stress and stress environments was exhibited by genotypes ‘LR4 × LR25’ (14.02 g) and ‘LR25 × C100’ (3.84 g) respectively. The maximum value of STI (0.93), MP (8.72), GMP (6.91) and HM (5.48) indices was by genotype ‘LR4 × LR25’. Correlation coefficients revealed that TOL, MP, GMP, STI, HM, and YI indices could effectively be used for screening of drought tolerant genotypes. Using MP, GMP, HM, TOL, YI and STI indices, genotypes UPGMA classification was done and three clusters were established that paralleled the biplot analysis results. According to results in this study, ‘LR4 × LR25’ is the most drought tolerant genotype which was clustered as group A. We suggest that tolerance indices including MP, GMP and HM are suitable for sunflower drought tolerant genotypes selection., En este estudio, 21 genotipos de girasol ( Helianthus annuus L.) derivados de un cruce medio dialélico entre seis líneas puras se evaluaron con y sin estrés hídrico. Para cada ambiente, los genotipos se evaluaron usando un diseño de bloques completos al azar con tres repeticiones. De los datos de rendimiento de grano se calcularon los índices de tolerancia a la sequía para cada genotipo: índice de estabilidad de la tolerancia sexual (ITS), productividad media (MP), productividad media geométrica (GMP), media armónica (HM), índice de susceptibilidad al estrés (SSI), índice de tolerancia (TOL), índice de rendimiento (YI) e índice de estabilidad del rendimiento (YSI). Los datos resultantes se analizaron como obtenidos a partir de un diseño de bloques completos al azar. Se observaron diferencias significativas entre los genotipos en todos los índices de tolerancia a la sequía a excepción de SSI y YSI. Los genotipos ‘LR4 × LR25’ y ‘LR25 × C100’ exhibieron un alto rendimiento en ambos ambientes (14,02 y 3,84 g, respectivamente); ‘LR4 × LR25’ presentó el valor máximo de los índices STI (0,93), MP (8,72), GMP (6,91) y HM (5,48). Los coeficientes de correlación revelaron que los índices TOL, MP, GMP, STI, HM y YI podrían ser utilizados para la selección de genotipos tolerantes a la sequía. Utilizando los índices MP, GMP, HM, TOL, YI y STI, se hizo una clasificación UPGMA de los genotipos y se establecieron tres grupos análogos a los resultados del análisis biplot. De acuerdo a los resultados de este estudio, ‘LR4 × LR25’, del grupo A, es el genotipo más tolerante a la sequía. Se concluye que los índices de tolerancia MP, GMP y HM son adecuados para la selección de genotipos tolerantes a la sequía en girasol.

We present a computer simulation study of a (6,12)-Lennard-Jones fluid confined to a slit pore, formed by two uniform planes. These interact via (3,9)-Lennard-Jones potential with the fluid particles. When the fluid approaches the liquid-to-solid transition we first observe layering parallel to the walls. In order to investigate the nature of the freezing transition we performed a detailed analysis of the bond-orientational order parameter in the layers. We found no signs of hexatic order which would indicate a melting scenario of the Kosterlitz-Thouless type. An analysis of the mean-square displacement shows that the particles can easily move between the layers, making the crystallization a 3d-like process. This is consistent with the fact that we observe a considerable hysteresis in the heating-freezing curves, showing that the crystallization transition proceeds as an activated process., Comment: submitter to J. Phys.: Condens. Matter

Characterization of confectionary sunflower germplasm resources is critical to their efficient collection and management as well as for breeding programs. Thirty six (36) confectionary sunflower populations originating from different regions of Northwest Iran were characterized using 15 agro-morphological traits. Among the studied traits, high coefficients of variation were observed for harvest index (48.36), seed yield (42.07) and petiole length (41.63). Cluster analysis using Ward's method classified the 36 populations into four groups. A large number of genotypes was placed in cluster III (16 genotypes) followed by cluster I (13), cluster IV (4) and cluster II (3). Clusters I, III and VI include genotypes from different sources indicating no association between clustering pattern and eco-geographical distribution of genotypes. The maximum inter-cluster distance of 9.03 was observed between clusters II and VI indicating the possibility of high heterosis if individuals from these two clusters are cross-bred. Principal component analysis resulted in the first four components with Eigen value greater than one accounting for 78% of the total variation. The results of PCA were closely in line with those of cluster analysis. These results can now be used by breeders to develop high yielding sunflower hybrids.Key words: Cluster analysis, confectionary sunflower, genetic variability, principal component analysis.

The genetic property of subclinical eating behaviour (SEB) and the link between SEB and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been studied before but the role of leptin within this connection has never been investigated. The objective of this study was 1). to study the genetic property of SEB. 2). To find a link between leptin, SEB and PCOS. One hundred and fifty four (77 pairs) female-female Iranian twins including 96 MZ individuals (48 pairs) and 58 DZ individuals (29 pairs) participated in the study. Clinical, biochemical and ultrasound tools were used to diagnose polycystic ovary syndrome. BITE questionnaire was filled out for subjects. Eight percent of subjects were diagnosed for subclinical eating disorder. No significant difference was found between intraclass correlation of MZ and DZ (z = 0.57, P = 0.569). Serum leptin level correlated significantly with bulimia score (P0.007). The mean (+/-SD) value for bulimia score was found to be higher among PCOS(positive) subjects (3.27 +/- 5.51) in comparison with PCOS(negative) subjects (2.06 +/- 4.48) (P0.001). The genetic property of subclinical eating disorder was not confirmed as shared environment might have played a major role in likeliness of DZ twins as well as MZ. Leptin is linked with both subclinical eating disorder and PCOS.

Drought stress is one of the factors which influence sunflower production. Hence, breeding for tolerance to drought stress has become a major focus. In this paper, combining ability, gene action and genetic analysis of several characteristics were studied for five sunflower inbred lines and their ten hybrids (fifteen genotypes). The materials were evaluated in two separate experiments using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications in well-watered and waterstressed states and in field condition. Data were analyzed by Griffing’s diallel analysis model 1 (fixed effects) and method 2 (parents and crosses). Combined analysis of experiments revealed significant differences among genotypes for all studied traits. Combining ability analysis revealed that in well-watered conditions, general and specific combining abilities (GCA and SCA) effects were significant for all studied traits except for the leaf number. In water-stressed condition, GCA and SCA effects were significant for all studied traits except for the head and stem diameter. The Griffing diallel analysis showed that the genotype LR4 could be considered as the best combiner with the highest GCA effect for seed yield per plant, number of filled seed, stem diameter and head diameter in the sunflower breeding programs. In both water treatment conditions the cross ‘RHA266xLR4’ showed the highest positive SCA effects and the highest mean value for seed yield per plant.