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Plant viruses pose a significant threat to global agriculture and require efficient tools for their timely detection. We present AutoPVPrimer, an innovative pipeline that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to accelerate the development of plant virus primers. The pipeline uses Biopython to automatically retrieve different genomic sequences from the NCBI database to increase the robustness of the subsequent primer design. The design_primers_with_tuning module uses a random forest classifier that optimizes parameters and provides flexibility for different experimental conditions. Quality control measures, including the evaluation of poly-X content and melting temperature, increase primer reliability. Unique to AutoPVPrimer is the visualize_primer_dimer module, which supports the visual evaluation of primer dimers-a feature missing in other tools. Primer specificity is validated via primer BLAST, which contributes to the overall efficiency of the pipeline. AutoPVPrimer has been successfully applied to the tomato mosaic virus, proving its adaptability and efficiency. The modular design allows customization by the user and extends the applicability to different plant viruses and experimental scenarios. The pipeline represents a significant advance in primer design and provides researchers with an effective tool to accelerate molecular biology experiments. Future developments aim to extend compatibility and incorporate user feedback to consolidate AutoPVPrimer as an innovative contribution to the bioinformatics toolbox and a promising resource for the advancement of plant virology research., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist, (Copyright: © 2025 Ghorbani et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The improved growth performance of calves at weaning results from an effective pre-weaning feeding strategy. The type and pasteurization process of liquid feed are among the most variable feeding practices affecting calves' growth and health. In previous studies that compared waste milk (WM) vs. milk replacer (MR), little consideration has been given to the variations in chemical composition and feeding behavior between them, and there has been a lack of justification for the crude protein: metabolizable energy (CP:ME) ratio adopted. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of feeding pasteurized WM or MR differing in energy source (fat vs. lactose, respectively) with similar CP:ME ratio on intake, growth, feeding behavior, and health of newborn Holstein calves. Thirty-two male calves (4-d-old; 40.0 ± 0.58 kg BW) were assigned to the trial and randomly allocated to each liquid feed diet (WM or MR). Calves were housed in individual pens with free access to starter feed and fresh water. Calves were weaned on d 61 and assessed until d 101 as the postweaning period. WM-fed calves had greater total nutrient intake (DM, CP, EE, and ME), weight gain, final BW, skeletal growth parameters, and feed efficiency (d 30). Calves WM-fed sorted less against particles retained on the 2.36-mm sieve but more against particles retained on the sieve of 0.6 mm. In WM-fed calves, the sorting index decreased for feedstuff retaining on the bottom pan compared with MR-fed calves. Irrespective of the type of the liquid feed, all calves sorted for particles retaining on the sieve of 4.75 mm and the bottom pan, and against the particles that were retained on the sieves of 2.36- (MR-fed calves only), 1.18- and 0.6-mm. Starter feed nutrient intake and particle size intake from the sieves of 4.75-, 2.36-, and 1.18-mm increased in WM- vs. MR-fed calves. Eating rate and meal size but not meal frequency and length were greater in WM-fed calves, leading to higher pre- and post-weaning starter feed intake. Calves WM-fed spent less time eating and standing but more time ruminating and lying than MR-fed calves. Calves WM-fed had a lower likelihood of having elevated general appearance (score ≥2; hazard ratio = 2.79), diarrhea (score ≥3; hazard ratio = 1.35), and pneumonia (hazard ratio = 4.77). Calves WM-fed experienced shorter days with elevated general appearance, diarrhea, and pneumonia. Overall, feeding WM led to increased starter feed intake by boosting the eating rate and meal size, promoting greater growth than MR. Additionally, compared with MR, WM feeding increased time spent ruminating and lying and reduced susceptibility to diarrhea and pneumonia., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2025 Kargar et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Drought adversely affects the growth and performance of plants. By contrast, the application of organic modifiers can improve plant growth by supplying nutrients and water. The influence of foliar application of organic fertilizer under water deficit conditions on growth traits, chemical composition, and fruit quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., var. Maya) were investigated in greenhouse conditions based on bi-plot and principal component analysis (PCA). Plants which were cultivated in soil under greenhouse conditions were subjected to four levels foliar spraying of Zargreen liquid organic fertilizer, ZLOF (0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 L 1000-1, shown as Z0, Z2.5, Z5, and Z7.5, respectively), and three levels of soil water, SW (100, 75, and 50% of field capacity (FC), shown W100, W75, and W50, respectively). The results of biplot analysis using the different treatments representing 42.9% and 38.3%, 60.3% and 28.8%, and 63.1% and 22.4% of the variance attributed to the first two principal components (PCs) for the PC1 and PC2, under 100, 75, and 50% FC conditions, respectively. Water deficit induced a reduction of fruit dry, and fresh weights. Application of 2.5, 5, and 7.5 L 1000-1 of the organic fertilizer significantly increased fruit fresh weight by 16, 20, and 22% and fruit dry weight by 13, 20, and 20% as compared to that of control, respectively. Vitamin C content of fruit significantly increased by 16 and 33% when respectively 5 and 7.5 L 1000-1 of the organic fertilizer was foliar sprayed. Besides, fruit iron (Fe), sodium (Na (and potassium (K) concentrations increased with the application of the organic fertilizer at different levels of water deficit. Furthermore, the highest fruit zinc (Zn) concentration was obtained at the highest level of both applied organic fertilizer and water deficit. The best treatments were selected with increased PC1 and decreased PC2 for different water conditions. The W100Z7.5, W75Z7.5, and W50Z5 treatments with the higher PC1 and the lower PC2, also exhibited higher scores for fruit dry weight, and Na and K concentrations under W100; vitamin C, number of fruits, fruit fresh weight, and fruit Fe concentration under W75; citric acid, and fruit Fe, Zn, Na, K, and Cu concentrations under W50 treatment. The addition of the organic fertilizer was effective in enhancing the plant growth traits under water deficit conditions. Therefore, it can be concluded that organic fertilizer addition is an effective management strategy to mitigate the adverse effects of drought and improve the quantity and quality of tomato fruit., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2025 Zahedifar et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Heart failure (HF) is still associated with quite considerable mortality rates and usage of simple tools for prognosis is pivotal. We aimed to evaluate the effect of shock index (SI) and its derivatives (age SI (ASI), modified SI (MSI), and age MSI (AMSI)) on acute HF (AHF) clinical outcomes., Methods: PubMed/Medline, Scopus and Web of science databases were screened with no time and language limitations till February 2024. We recruited relevant records assessed SI, ASI, MSI or AMSI with AHF clinical outcomes., Results: Eight records were selected (age: 69.44±15.05 years). Mean SI in those records reported mortality (either in-hospital or long-term death) was 0.67 (95% confidence interval (CI):0.63-0.72)). In-hospital and follow-up mortality rates in seven(n = 12955) and three(n = 5253) enrolled records were 6.18% and 10.14% with mean SI of 0.68(95%CI:0.63-0.73) and 0.72(95%CI:0.62-0.81), respectively. Deceased versus survived patients had higher SI difference (0.30, 95%CI:0.06-0.53, P = 0.012). Increased SI was associated with higher chances of in-hospital death (odds ratio (OR): 1.93, 95%CI:1.30-2.85, P = 0.001).The optimal SI cut-off point was found to be 0.79 (sensitivity: 57.6%, specificity: 62.1%). In-hospital mortality based on ASI was 6.12% (mean ASI: 47.49, 95%CI: 44.73-50.25) and significant difference was found between death and alive subgroups (0.48, 95%CI:0.39-0.57, P<0.001). Also, ASI was found to be independent in-hospital mortality predictor (OR: 2.54, 95%CI:2.04-3.16, P<0.001)). The optimal ASI cut-off point was found to be 49.6 (sensitivity: 66.3%, specificity: 58.6%). In terms of MSI (mean: 0.93, 95%CI:0.88-0.98)), significant difference was found specified by death/survival status (0.34, 95%CI:0.05-0.63, P = 0.021). AMSI data synthesis was not possible due to presence of a single record., Conclusions: SI, ASI, and MSI are practical available tools for AHF prognosis assessment in clinical settings to prioritize high risk patients., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Vakhshoori et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Soybean is an important source of food and feed. To keep weeds out of soybean it is often genetically modified. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the effects of a diet containing 70% GM soybean on Sprague-Dawley rats. Two groups of rats were fed GM and non-GM soybeans for a period of 120 days, and their body weight, hematology and serum biochemistry were compared. In addition, the effect of the consumption of GM soybean on identified intestinal microbiota and antibiotic resistance was compared with the effect of the consumption of non-GM soybean. Total bacteria and six types of bacteria shared by humans and rats were detected by q-PCR. The results showed that the consumption of GM soybean did not result in any significant changes in body weight, hematology and serum biochemistry. The results of q-PCR indicated that compared with the consumption of non-GM soybeans, the consumption of GM soybean did not have a comparable effect on the abundance of total bacteria, namely Bifidobacterium group, Clostridium perfringens subgroup, Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus group, and the Bacteroides-Prevotella group. The results of antibiogram showed that the consumption of GM soybean did not change the resistance of E.coli, although it changed the resistance of E. faecalis against erythromycin (the GM group was significantly less resistant than non-GM group). Overall, the study indicated that the consumption of GM soybean did not exhibit adverse effects on physiological variables and gut microbiota of rats. However, the obtained antibiogram results indicated that it is necessary to further investigate the antibiotic resistance of the gut microbiota when GM food is consumed., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Ashrafi-Dehkordi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Road traffic collisions (RTCs) are the primary cause of death, which usually occur during the most crucial years of life, resulting in significant damage to health, society, and the economy. A wide variety of strategies and policies have been implemented around the world to minimize injuries and fatalities resulting from RTCs. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to reduce road traffic injuries (RTIs) in low-, middle-, and high-income countries., Methods: The researchers looked for articles in many databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, Embase, PsycInfo, OpenGrey, EconLit, IMEMR, AIM, Cochrane Injuries Group's specialized register, Transport Research International Documentation (TRID), Transportation Research Information Services (TRIS) Database and the OECD's Joint Transport Research Centre's International Transport Research Documentation (ITRD)) about ways to reduce RTIs and included articles published up to December 2023. The study area did not matter; only RTI reduction methods were considered. Two people checked the articles to ensure being relevant and qualified and summarized what they found in the articles., Results: A total of 852 articles were included in this systematic review. Most interventions were related to legislation (26.4%) and enforcement (17.0%), and the minor interventions were related to social marketing (4.9%) and traffic user safety (2.2%). Regarding income level (based on the latest classification of the World Bank-2020), more than half of the interventions (83.7%) took place in developed and high-income countries. Regarding intervention types, legislative and road safety interventions effectively reduced road traffic crashes by 26% and 16.7%, respectively. The results indicated that interventions in high-income countries were more likely to minimize RTCs than other countries. However, this difference was not statistically significant (p-value = 0.982). Most effective interventions (36.1%) were reported during the Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020)., Conclusion: Current road safety efforts prioritize changing how people behave on the roads (training, laws, enforcement) over making the roads safer. Focusing on fixing the entire system rather than blaming drivers ("system repair") is necessary for a complete picture., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Akbari et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Factors such as topography, mineralogy, physicochemical properties, and climate can affect the distribution of soil potassium (K) forms. However, often the special effects of physiographic units are neglected. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the factors controlling the distribution of chemical fractions of K in different physiographic units of calcareous soils (piedmont plain, flood plain, alluvial plain, lowland, badland, and plateau) in southern Iran. The XRD analyzing patterns showed that the distribution of K forms is controlled by K-bearing minerals (i.e., illite) in finer particles of the soils. Physiographic units significantly affect the distribution of K forms due to different microclimates (such as soluble, exchangeable, and non-exchangeable). In addition, different correlations between the K forms and some physicochemical properties of the soils such as soil texture (i.e., silt (r = 0.511** to 0.527**) and sand (r = -0.357* to -0.389*)), electrical conductivity (EC) (r = 0.617** to 0.723**), sodium absorption ratio (SAR) (r = 0.478** to 0.577**), pH (r = 0.347* to 0.519**), and gypsum (r = 0.372* to 0.475**) were found in soils of the study area. It is recommended that cultivation sites are chosen with a deeper understanding of land conditions e.g., slope, elevation, microclimatic conditions, soil development, and clay mineralogy., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Poozesh Shirazi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background and Aim: Achieving the aesthetic standards in tooth-colored restorative materials requires close attention to their color, translucency, and resistance to discoloration. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of sintering temperature on color stability and translucency in zirconia systems with low, high, and ultra-high translucencies., Methods: This experimental study was conducted on 60 zirconia disks with low, high and ultra-high translucencies (n = 20 per group), each group divided into subgroups to be sintered at either 1450°C or 1550°C (n = 10 per subgroup). Baseline color and translucency parameters were measured, the specimens were then immersed in coffee solution for 30 days, and the measurements were repeated post-immersion. Changes in color (ΔE) and translucency (ΔTP) were calculated via CIELAB formula and compared by using two-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test (α = 0.05)., Results: Results of two-way ANOVA showed that the ΔE was significantly different among the three zirconia translucencies (P<0.001), but no significant difference was found between the two sintering temperatures (P = 0.712). Additionally, the interaction between zirconia type and sintering temperature was not statistically significant for ΔE (P = 0.264). The low-translucency group showed significantly greater ΔE than the high-translucency and ultra-high-translucency groups (P<0.05), while the high- and ultra-high-translucency groups were not significantly different in this regard (P>0.05). Regarding the ΔTP, two-way ANOVA showed that the difference was not statistically significant either among the three zirconia types (P = 0.4430) or between the two sintering temperatures (P = 0.4544). Nor was the interaction between zirconia type and sintering temperature statistically significant (P = 0.5505)., Conclusion: It was concluded that sintering temperature had no effect on color and translucency changes after immersion in coffee. Whereas zirconia type significantly affected the color changes after immersion in coffee; with the higher-translucency zirconia types being significantly more color-stable than the low-translucency zirconia., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Giti, Mosallanezhad. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Characterization of near (field) saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) of the soil environment is among the crucial components of hydrological modeling frameworks. Since the associated laboratory/field experiments are time-consuming and labor-intensive, pedotransfer functions (PTFs) that rely on statistical predictors are usually integrated with the existing measurements to predict Kfs in other areas of the field. In this study some of the most appropriate machine learning approaches, including variants of artificial neural networks (ANNs) were used for predicting Kfs by some easily measurable soil attributes. The analyses were performed using 100 measurements in Bajgah Agricultural Experimental Station. First, physico-chemical inputs as bulk density (BD), initial water content (Wi), saturated water content (Ws), mean weight diameter (MWD), and geometric mean diameter (GMD) of aggregates, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE) were measured. Then, radial basis functions (RBFNNs), multilayer perceptron (MLPNNs), hybrid genetic algorithm (GA-NNs), and particle swarm optimization (PSO-NNs) neural networks were utilized to develop PTFs and compared their accuracy with the traditional regression model (MLR) using statistical indices. The statistical assessment indicated that PSO-NNs with the lowest RMSE and MAPE as well as the highest correlation coefficient (R) value provided the most accurate and robust prediction of Kfs. The prediction models ranked as PSO-NNs (R = 0.958; RMSE = 0.343; MAPE = 9.47), GA-NNs (R = 0.949; RMSE = 0.404; MAPE = 11.83), MLPNNs (R = 0.933; RMSE = 0.426; MAPE = 12.13), RBFNNs (R = 0.926; RMSE = 0.452; MAPE = 14.30), and MLR (R = 0.675; RMSE = 0.685; MAPE = 22.54) in terms of their performances for the test data set. Results revealed that all NN models particularly PSO-NNs were efficient in prediction of Kfs. However, further evaluations may be recommended for other soil conditions and input variables to quantify their potential uncertainties and wider potential and versatility before they are used in other geographical locations/soil conditions., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist, (Copyright: © 2024 Moosavi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Preventing wind erosion and dust storms has always been a major concern in arid and semi-arid areas because of their negative effects on the environment. This study aims to utilize remote sensing and machine learning techniques to model, monitor, and predict the risk of wind erosion in Northeast Iran. Through an examination of relevant studies, a comprehensive review was conducted, leading to the identification of eight remote sensing indicators that exhibited the highest correlation with field data. These indicators were subsequently employed to model the risk of wind erosion in the study area. Various methods including Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), and Generalized Linear Models (GLM) were employed to carry out the modeling process. The final method utilized a weighted average of the model, and the SDM statistical package was used to combine different approaches to decrease uncertainty when modeling and monitoring wind erosion in the area. The modeling results indicated that in 2008, the RF model performed the best (AUC = 0.92, TSS = 0.82, and Kappa = 0.96), while in 2023, the GBM model showed superior performance (AUC = 0.95, TSS = 0.79, and Kappa = 0.95). Therefore, the utilization of an ensemble model emerged as an effective approach to reduce uncertainty during the modeling process. By employing the ensemble model, the outcomes obtained accurately depicted an elevated intensity of wind erosion in the northeastern regions of the study area by 2023. Furthermore, considering the climatic scenarios and projected land use changes, it is anticipated that wind erosion intensity will experience a 23% increase in the central and southern parts of the study area by 2038. By taking into account the reliable results of the ensemble model, which offers reduced uncertainty, it becomes feasible to implement effective planning, optimal management, and appropriate measures to mitigate the progression of wind erosion., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Boali et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effects of the two pre-ovulatory and mid-luteal phases of the menstrual cycle on cognitive function, as well as possible mediators of metabolism and salivary cortisol, at rest and after an aerobic exercise session., Study Design: Twelve active young unmarried women aged 22-30 years volunteered to participate in the study. The participants performed a 20-min exercise session on a cycle ergometer at 60-70% of their reserve heart rate twice, during the follicular (pre-ovulation: days 7-10) and luteal (mid-luteal: days 21-24) phases of the menstrual cycle. Saliva samples were collected to measure cortisol. Fat utilization, respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and energy expenditure (during exercise) were measured using a spiroergometer. Cognitive function was assessed using the Stroop test. Cognitive function and cortisol levels were measured before and after each exercise session., Results: The findings of this study indicated no significant differences in variables during the resting follicular and luteal phases. Cortisol levels and cognitive function were increased after exercise compared with before exercise in both the follicular and luteal phases. Cortisol and fat utilization after exercise were significantly higher in the follicular phase than in the luteal phase. There were no significant differences between the follicular and luteal phasesregarding the effects of exercise on cognitive function, energy expenditure, and RER., Conclusion: In general, the follicular and luteal phases of menstruation may not affect cognitive function in response to a single aerobic exercise session, although they change some metabolic factors and cortisol., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Mirzaei Khalil Abadi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Aim: To investigate the effects of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and curcumin, as a final irrigant on the fracture resistance of irradiated root that obturated with an epoxy resin sealer., Methodology: Eighty mandibular premolars were randomly divided into non-irradiated (NIR) and irradiated (IR) groups. The teeth were irradiated at 2 Gy per fraction, 5 times a week for a total dose of 60 Gy over 6 weeks. All specimens were decoronated, remaining 13±1 mm root length. Two groups were subdivided into four groups (n = 10): 1) non-instrumented; the intact root served as control. The other roots were instrumented with a pro-taper NiTi rotary system. The final irrigation used was 17% EDTA, followed by three irrigation solution groups; 2) 2.5% NaOCl, 3) 0.02% EGCG, and 4) 0.1% curcumin. Root canals were filled with gutta-percha and AH plus. All specimens were embedded in self-curing acrylic resin and loaded vertically at 1 mm/min until fracture occurred. Also, sealer penetration was assessed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The data were evaluated statistically using two-way ANOVA and Tukey test (α = 0.05)., Results: In irradiated roots, fracture resistance of EGCG and curcumin groups did not differ from non-instrumented roots, but they were higher than the NaOCl group (P = 0.006). However, NaOCl, EGCG, and curcumin in irradiated roots had comparable strength that was higher than in the non-instrumented group (p<0.001). Difference between irradiated and non-irradiated roots was observed only for NaOCl and non-instrumented groups (P≤0.004). In irradiated roots, a higher sealer penetration was observed in EGCG and curcumin groups compared to NaOCl., Conclusion: EGCG and curcumin could be promising final irrigants to reverse the adverse effect of radiotherapy on the strength of irradiated roots obturated with AH Plus sealer., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Tavangar et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression in plants, influencing various biological processes such as oil quality and seed development. Although, our knowledge about miRNAs in olive (Olea europaea L.) is progressing, with several miRNAs being identified in previous studies, but most of these reported miRNAs have been predicted without the aid of a reference genome, primarily due to limited genome accessibility at the time. However, significant knowledge gaps still need to be improved in this area. This study addresses the complexities of miRNA detection in olive, using a high quality reference genome and a combination of genomics and machine learning-based methods. By leveraging random forest and support vector machine algorithms, we successfully identified 56 novel miRNAs in olive, surpassing the limitations of conventional homology-based methods. Our subsequent analysis revealed that some of these miRNAs are implicated in the regulation of key genes involved in oil quality. Within the context of oil biosynthesis pathways, the novel miRNA Oeu124369 regulates fatty acid biosynthesis by targeting acetyl-CoA acyltransferase 1 and palmitoyl-protein thioesterase, thereby influencing the production of acetyl-CoA and palmitic acid, respectively. These findings underscore the power of machine learning in unraveling the complex miRNA regulatory network in olive and provide a high quality miRNA resource for future research aimed at improving olive oil production by exploring the target genes of the identified miRNAs to understand their role and their biological processes., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Pakdel et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Zymoseptoria tritici is the causal agent of Septoria tritici blotch (STB), one of the most economically destructive wheat foliar diseases. In this study, we explore the physiological and molecular changes elicited in two wheat cultivars with divergent responses (Taichung 29 = susceptible, and Shafir = resistant) upon infection by Z. tritici. Our aim is to uncover novel insights into the intricate mechanisms that govern wheat defense against Z. tritici infection. Our quantitative histopathological study showed that H2O2 accumulated in the resistant cultivar to a higher degree compared to the susceptible cultivar at the biotrophic and switching phase. Additionally, we combined qPCR with a targeted quantitative HPLC technique to evaluate the expression profiles of 13 defense-related genes and profile the polyphenolic compounds induced differentially in the STB susceptible and resistant cultivar. Our finding indicated that five out of 13 genes were strongly up-regulated in the resistant cultivar compared with that of the susceptible one at eight days post-inoculation (dpi), corresponding to the transition phase present in the infection process of Z. tritici. Finally, our targeted HPLC analysis demonstrated that the traced phenolic compounds were highly elevated in the susceptible cultivar infected by Z. tritici compared with that of the resistant cultivar. In conclusion, our comprehensive analysis unveils a robust defense response in the resistant wheat cultivar Shafir, characterized by heightened H2O2 accumulation, significant up-regulation of key defense-related genes during the transition phase, and a distinct profile of polyphenolic compounds, shedding light on the intricate mechanisms contributing to its resistance against Z. tritici, thereby providing valuable insights for the development of more resilient wheat varieties., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Mirzadi Gohari et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Significant progress has been made in HIV-1 research; however, researchers have not yet achieved the objective of eradicating HIV-1 infection. Accordingly, in this study, eucaryotic and procaryotic in silico vaccines were developed for HIV-Gag polyproteins from 100 major HIV subtypes and CRFs using immunoinformatic techniques to simulate immune responses in mice and humans. The epitopes located in the conserved domains of the Gag polyprotein were evaluated for allergenicity, antigenicity, immunogenicity, toxicity, homology, topology, and IFN-γ induction. Adjuvants, linkers, CTLs, HTLs, and BCL epitopes were incorporated into the vaccine models. Strong binding affinities were detected between HLA/MHC alleles, TLR-2, TLR-3, TLR-4, TLR-7, and TLR-9, and vaccine models. Immunological simulation showed that innate and adaptive immune cells elicited active and consistent responses. The human vaccine model was matched with approximately 93.91% of the human population. The strong binding of the vaccine to MHC/HLA and TLR molecules was confirmed through molecular dynamic stimulation. Codon optimization ensured the successful translation of the designed constructs into human cells and E. coli hosts. We believe that the HIV-1 Gag vaccine formulated in our research can reduce the challenges faced in developing an HIV-1 vaccine. Nevertheless, experimental verification is necessary to confirm the effectiveness of these vaccines in these models., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Hashempour et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) reflectance spectroscopy has recently emerged as an efficient and cost-effective tool for monitoring soil parameters and provides an extensive array of measurements swiftly. This study sought to predict fundamental biological attributes of calcareous soils using spectral reflectance data in the Vis-NIR range through the application of partial least square regression (PLSR) and stepwise multiple linear regression (SMLR) techniques. The objective was to derive spectrotransfer functions (STFs) to predict selected soil biological attributes. A total of 97 composite samples were collected from three distinct agricultural land uses, i.e., sugarcane, wheat, and date palm, in the Khuzestan Province, Iran. The samples were analyzed using both standard laboratory analysis and proximal sensing approach within the Vis-NIR range (400-2500 nm). Biological status was evaluated by determining soil enzyme activities linked to nutrient cycling including acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), dehydrogenase (DEH), soil microbial respiration (SMR), microbial biomass phosphorus (Pmic), and microbial biomass carbon (Cmic). The results indicated that the developed PLSR models exhibited superior predictive performance in most biological parameters compared to the STFs, although the differences were not significant. Specifically, the STFs acceptably accurately predicted ACP, ALP, DEH, SMR, Pmic, and Cmic with R2val (val = validation dataset) values of 0.68, 0.67, 0.65, 0.65, 0.76, and 0.72, respectively. These findings confirm the potential of Vis-NIR spectroscopy and the effectiveness of the associated STFs as a rapid and reliable technique for assessing biological soil quality. Overall, in the context of predicting soil properties using spectroscopy-based approaches, emphasis must be placed on developing straightforward, easily deployable, and pragmatic STFs., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Hosseini et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are structures with high surface area that can be used to remove heavy metals (HMs) efficiently from the environment. The effect of MOFs on HMs removal from contaminated soils has not been already investigated. Monometallic MOFs are easier to synthesize with high efficiency, and it is also important to compare their structures. In the present study, Zn-BTC, Cu-BTC, and Fe-BTC as three metal-trimesic acid MOFs were synthesized from the combination of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and iron (Fe) nitrates with benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid (H3BTC) by solvothermal method. BET analysis showed that the specific surface areas of the Zn-BTC, Cu-BTC, and Fe-BTC were 502.63, 768.39 and 92.4 m2g-1, respectively. The synthesized MOFs were added at the rates of 0.5 and 1% by weight to the soils contaminated with 100 mgkg-1 of Zn, nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd). Then quinoa seeds were sown in the treated soils. According to the results, the uptakes of all four HMs by quinoa were the lowest in the Cu-BTC 1% treated pots and the lowest uptakes were observed for Pb in shoot and root (4.87 and 0.39, μgpot-1, respectively). The lowest concentration of metal extracted with EDTA in the post-harvest soils was for Pb (11.86 mgkg-1) in the Cu-BTC 1% treatment. The lowest metal pollution indices were observed after the application of Cu-BTC 1%, which were 20.29 and 11.53 for shoot and root, respectively. With equal molar ratios, highly porous and honeycomb-shaped structure, the most crystallized and the smallest constituent particle size (34.64 nm) were obtained only from the combination of Cu ions with H3BTC. The lowest porosity, crystallinity, and a semi-gel like feature was found for the Fe-BTC. The synthesized Cu-BTC showed the highest capacity of stabilizing HMs, especially Pb in the soil compared to the Zn-BTC and the Fe-BTC. The highly porous characteristic of the Cu-BTC can make the application of this MOF as a suitable environmental solution for the remediation of high Pb-contaminated soils., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Zarrabi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Precise prediction of soil salinity using visible, and near-infrared (vis-NIR) spectroscopy is crucial for ensuring food security and effective environmental management. This paper focuses on the precise prediction of soil salinity utilizing visible and near-infrared (vis-NIR) spectroscopy, a critical factor for food security and effective environmental management. The objective is to utilize vis-NIR spectra alongside a multiple regression model (MLR) and a random forest (RF) modeling approach to predict soil salinity across various land use types, such as farmlands, bare lands, and rangelands accurately. To this end, we selected 150 sampling points representatives of these diverse land uses. At each point, we collected soil samples to measure the soil salinity (ECe) and employed a portable spectrometer to capture the spectral reflectance across the full wavelength range of 400 to 2400 nm. The methodology involved using both individual spectral reflectance values and combinations of reflectance values from different wavelengths as input variables for developing the MLR and RF models. The results indicated that the RF model (RMSE = 4.85 dS m-1, R2 = 0.87, and RPD = 3.15), utilizing combined factors as input variables, outperformed others. Furthermore, our analysis across different land uses revealed that models incorporating combined input variables yielded significantly better results, particularly for farmlands and rangelands. This study underscores the potential of combining vis-NIR spectroscopy with advanced modeling techniques to enhance the accuracy of soil salinity predictions, thereby supporting more informed agricultural and environmental management decisions., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication.)

Despite recent medical progress, cervical cancer remains a major global health concern for women. Current standard treatments have limitations such as non-specific toxicity that necessitate development of safer and more effective therapeutic strategies. This research evaluated the combinatorial effects of olive leaf extract (OLE), rich in anti-cancer polyphenols, and the oncolytic Newcastle disease virus (NDV) against human cervical cancer cells. OLE was efficiently encapsulated (>94% loading) within MF59 lipid nanoparticles and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs; contains Precirol as NLC-P, contains Lecithin as NLC-L) to enhance stability, bioavailability, and targeted delivery. Physicochemical analysis confirmed successful encapsulation of OLE within nanoparticles smaller than 150 nm. In vitro cytotoxicity assays demonstrated significantly higher toxicity of the OLE-loaded nanoparticle formulations on HeLa cancer cells versus HDF normal cells (P<0.05). MF59 achieved the highest encapsulation efficiency, while NLC-P had the best drug release profile. NDV selectively infected and killed HeLa cells versus HDF cells. Notably, combining NDV with OLE-loaded nanoparticles led to significantly enhanced synergistic cytotoxicity against cancer cells (P<0.05), with NLC-P (OLE) and NDV producing the strongest effects. Apoptosis and cell cycle analyses confirmed the increased anti-cancer activity of the combinatorial treatment, which induced cell cycle arrest. This study provides evidence that co-delivery of OLE-loaded lipid nanoparticles and NDV potentiates anti-cancer activity against cervical cancer cells in vitro through a synergistic mechanism, warranting further development as a promising alternative cervical cancer therapy., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Golalipour et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: This study assessed the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in a general adult population in Iran. The association between GERD and various factors was also evaluated., Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study on 163,018 individuals aged over 35 who were enrolled in the PERSIAN cohort. GERD was defined as the occurrence of heartburn and/or regurgitation symptoms at least several days a month. Survey design analysis for pooled data was performed and multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine the independent risk factors for GERD., Results: The prevalence of GERD in our study was estimated at 21.86% (95% confidence interval:17.4%-36.4%). The mean age of the participants was 49.84 years±9.25 (35-70) and 44.75% of the participants were male. Symptoms of heartburn and regurgitation were reported in 18.65% (n: 29,170) and 6.06% (n: 9,717) of participants, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, several factors were found to be associated with a higher prevalence of GERD: female sex, age >50, current smoking, opium use, weekly consumption of fried foods, frequent consumption of hot tea, less than 6 hours of sleep per night, psychiatric disorders, usage of NSAIDs, and poor oral hygiene, were associated with a higher prevalence of GERD. Conversely, higher education levels and average physical activity were found to be less commonly associated with GERD., Conclusion: We found a relatively high prevalence of GERD (21.86%) in this population-based study in Iran. By identifying modifiable risk factors, this research offers opportunities for targeted interventions and lifestyle modifications to reduce the burden of GERD., Competing Interests: All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Sadeghi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Importance: Spinal cord injury is a lifelong disability necessitating early management of falls during inpatient admissions. However, there is a paucity of research on fall prevention and management in Spinal cord injury rehabilitation., Objective(s): This study aimed at developing a fall prevention program in an inpatient rehabilitation Spinal cord injury unit., Method: A participatory action research approach utilizing a before-and-after, mixed-method design was employed for this study. The study was performed at Rofaydeh Rehabilitation Hospital in Tehran, Iran, from 2021 to 2022. the study implemented Cohen's four-stage model, encompassing the design of a change program, action, observation and evaluation, and feedback stages. A purposeful sampling method was utilized to select 19 nurses and members of the rehabilitation team from the hospital, ensuring maximum diversity. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and a checklist for fall prevention measures. Qualitative content analysis, alongside descriptive (frequency, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (paired t-tests and Chi-square tests), were employed for data analysis. The study adhered to COREQ guidelines., Results: Falls were most common among patients aged fifty years or older (P = 0.026). Throughout the study period, men were more likely to experience falls than women (P = 0.01). Preventive interventions have led to significant improvements in indicators of patient monitoring and care, patient education, and environmental safety, as demonstrated by a paired-sample t-test (P<0.001). Moreover, factors contributing to patients' falls included "shortcomings in fall prevention policies" and "lack of knowledge and participation among patients and caregivers." Changes implemented in the Spinal Cord Injury unit involved enhancing interprofessional interactions, conducting educational workshops for patients and their companions, and identifying high-risk patients. These findings indicate a significant decrease in the incidence of falls following the intervention (P = 0.02)., Conclusions: The study found that a multifaceted intervention can increase knowledge about fall risks and substantially reduce both falls and associated minor injuries., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication.)

Young calves are more susceptible to cold than older animals due to their limited ability to regulate body temperature and lack of fat reserves and may have difficulty consuming the energy needed to cope with the cold by maintaining body temperature and meeting their metabolic needs, especially when fed constant levels of waste milk (WM) with less solids, which can be detrimental to health and future performance. An alternative to overcome this problem is increasing the milk's solids content to the existing volume by using different sources [milk replacer powder (MR) or transition milk (TM)]. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the effects of increasing the total solids of WM via MR (WM+MR) or TM (WM+TM) on the performance, feeding behavior, and health-related variables of cold-stressed dairy calves during pre- and post-weaning. We hypothesized that feeding WM supplemented with MR or TM as potential liquid feed enhancers would improve milk dry matter and energy intake of the calves with a positive impact on body development and have no negative impact on feeding behavior and health. Additionally, we hypothesized that MR would not differ from TM. As a sample size calculation at 80% power using power analysis (PROC POWER) in SAS 9.4, a total of 51 Holstein-Friesian vigorous male calves [vigor score 21-27; 17 per treatment; 4-d old; body weight (BW) = 40.0 ± 0.63 kg (mean ± SD)] were selected, assigned randomly to treatments, and housed in individual pens in an outdoor barn. Irrespective of the type of treatment, all calves were fed 6 kg/d liquid feed from d 1 to d 53 of the experiment. In a step-down weaning program, calves received 0.5 kg liquid feed from d 54 to d 60. All calves were weaned on d 61 and remained in the study until d 101 as post-weaning evaluation. The calves had ad libitum access to starter feed and fresh drinking water across the experiment. Intake, growth, and behavior data were analyzed using a general linear mixed model and health data were analyzed using mixed logistic regression, mixed linear regression, and survival analysis models in SAS. We found that supplementation was responsible for a greater dry matter intake (DMI; P = 0.004), superior average BW (P = 0.037), and increased crude protein (CP; P = 0.001) and crude fat (CF; P = 0.001) intakes, with the most favorable outcomes observed for the WM+TM group when compared with WM+MR. Animals fed WM (control group; CON) showed a smaller average daily gain during the first 40-d of life (P = 0.026), showing slight changes during the whole period of evaluation when compared with the supplemented groups (SUP; WM+MR and WM+TM). No difference between MR- and TM-SUP groups, probability of having abnormal appearance (P = 0.032) and pneumonia occurrence (P = 0.022) was reduced in the SUP than in CON animals, with no effect on diarrhea among treatment groups (P = 0.461). Using milk supplements added to WM is an alternative to improve the intake, performance, and health of young calves under cold stress. Our findings showed that SUP animals outperformed the CON group in terms of DMI, average BW, and intake of CP and CF, with the TM-SUP group displaying the most favorable outcomes. Moreover, the SUP groups demonstrated reduced odds of experiencing abnormal appearance and pneumonia, highlighting the positive impact of supplementation on calf health., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Moradi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background and Aim: Vascular dementia (VD) is a common type of dementia. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of low and high doses of lutein administration in bilateral-carotid vessel occlusion (2VO) rats., Experimental Procedure: The rats were divided into the following groups: the control, sham-, vehicle (2VO+V) groups, and two groups after 2VO were treated with lutein 0.5 (2VO+LUT-o.5) and 5mg/kg (2VO+LUT-5). The passive-avoidance and Morris water maze were performed to examine fear and spatial memory. The field-potential recording was used to investigate the properties of basal synaptic transmission (BST), paired-pulse ratio (PPR), as an index for measurement of neurotransmitter release, and long-term potentiation (LTP). The hippocampus was removed to evaluate hippocampal cells, volume, and MDA level., Result: Treatment with low and high doses improves spatial memory and LTP impairment in VD rats, but only the high dose restores the fear memory, hippocampal cell loss, and volume and MDA level. Interestingly, low-dose, but not high-dose, increased PPR. However, BST recovered only in the high-dose treated group., Conclusions: Treatment with a low dose might affect neurotransmitter release probability, but a high dose affects postsynaptic processes. It seems likely that low and high doses improve memory and LTP through different mechanisms., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Asadi nejad et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objectives: The impression technique highly influences the adaptation of ceramic restorations. Not enough information is available to compare the marginal (MF) and internal fit (IF) of endocrowns fabricated with various digitization techniques. Therefore, this in-vitro study aimed to compare the MF and IF of lithium disilicate (LDS) endocrowns fabricated through direct and indirect digital scanning methods., Materials and Methods: One extracted maxillary molar was used to fabricate endocrowns. The digitization of the model was performed with (G1) direct scanning (n = 10) utilizing an intraoral scanner (IOS), (G2) indirectly scanning the conventional impression taken from the model using the same IOS (n = 10), (G3) indirectly digitalizing the obtained impression using an extraoral scanner (EOS) (n = 10), and (G4) scanning the poured cast using the same EOS (n = 10). The MF and IF of the endocrowns were measured using the replica method and a digital stereomicroscope. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze data., Results: The studied groups differed significantly (p<0.001). G2 (130.31±7.87 μm) and G3 (48.43±19.14 μm) showed the largest and smallest mean vertical marginal gap, respectively. G2 and G3 led to the highest and lowest internal gaps in all regions, respectively. With significant differences among the internal regions (p<0.001), the pulpal area demonstrated the most considerable misfit in all groups., Conclusions: Scanning the impression using an extraoral scanner showed smaller marginal and internal gaps., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Akhlaghian et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Natural menopause is defined as the permanent cessation of menstruation that occurs after 12 consecutive months of amenorrhea without any obvious pathological or physiological cause. The age of this phenomenon has been reported to be associated with several health outcomes., Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the Age at Natural Menopause (ANM) and to identify reproductive and demographic factors affecting ANM., Methods: This cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted on 2517 post-menopausal women aged 40-70 years participating in the first phase of the PERSIAN cohort study of Kharameh, Iran, during 2014-2017. To more accurately detect the determinants of ANM, we applied multiple linear regression beside some machine learning algorithms including conditional tree, conditional forest, and random forest. Then, the fitness of these methods was compared using Mean Squared Error (MSE) and Pearson correlation coefficient., Results: The mean±SD of ANM was 48.95±6.13. Both applied forests provided more accurate results and identified more predictors. However, according to the final comparison, the conditional forest was the most accurate method which recognized that more pregnancies, longer breastfeeding, Fars ethnicity, and urbanization have the greatest impact on later ANM., Conclusions: This study found a wide range of reproductive and demographic factors affecting ANM. Considering our findings in decision-making can reduce the complications related to this phenomenon and, consequently, improve the quality of life of post-menopausal women., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Pasokh et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Marginal fit significantly impacts the long-term success of dental restorations. Different pattern fabrication methods, including hand-waxing, milling, or 3D printing, may affect restorations accuracy. The effect of porcelain firing cycles on the marginal fit of metal-ceramic restorations remains controversial, with conflicting findings across studies., Purpose: The aim was to evaluate the potential effects of multiple porcelain firings (3, 5, 7 cycles) as well as pattern fabrication method (conventional hand-waxing, milling, and 3D printing) on the marginal adaptation of 3-unit implant-supported metal-ceramic fixed partial dentures. It was hypothesized that neither the wax pattern fabrication method nor repeated ceramic firings would significantly affect the marginal adaptation of metal-ceramic crowns., Methods: In this in-vitro study, 30 Cobalt-Chromium alloy frameworks were fabricated based on pattern made through three techniques: conventional hand-waxing, CAD-CAM milling, and CAD-CAM 3D printing (n = 10 per group). Sixteen locations were marked on each abutment to measure the vertical marginal gap at four stages: before porcelain veneering and after 3, 5, and 7 firing cycles. The vertical marginal gap was measured using direct microscopic technique at ×80 magnification. Mean vertical marginal gap values were calculated and two-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc tests were used for inter-group comparisons (α = 0.05)., Results: The 3D printing group showed significantly lower (P<0.001) mean vertical marginal gaps (60-76 μm) compared to the milling (77-115 μm) and conventional hand-waxing (102-110 μm) groups. The milling group exhibited a significant vertical gap increase after 3 firing cycles (P<0.001); while the conventional (P = 0.429) and 3D printing groups (P = 0.501) showed no significant changes after 7 firing cycles. Notably, the vertical marginal gap in all groups remained below the clinically acceptable threshold of 120 μm., Conclusion: CAD-CAM 3D printing provided superior marginal fit compared to CAD-CAM milling and conventional hand-wax pattern fabrication methods. The impact of porcelain firing on the mean marginal gap was significant only in the milling group. All three fabrication techniques yielded clinically acceptable vertical marginal adaptation after repeated firings. Additive manufacturing holds promise to produce precise implant-supported prostheses., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Giti, Farrahi. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The epidemiology of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-associated pneumocystosis (HAP) is poorly described on a worldwide scale. We searched related databases between January 2000 and December 2022 for studies reporting HAP. Meta-analysis was performed using StatsDirect (version 2.7.9) and STATA (version 17) according to the random-effects model for DerSimonian and Laird method and metan and metaprop commands, respectively. Twenty-nine studies with 38554 HIV-positive, 79893 HIV-negative, and 4044 HAP populations were included. The pooled prevalence of HAP was 35.4% (95% CI 23.8 to 47.9). In contrast, the pooled prevalence of PCP among HIV-negative patients was 10.16% (95% CI 2 to 25.3). HIV-positive patients are almost 12 times more susceptible to PCP than the HIV-negative population (OR: 11.710; 95% CI: 5.420 to 25.297). The mortality among HAP patients was 52% higher than non-PCP patients (OR 1.522; 95% CI 0.959 to 2.416). HIV-positive men had a 7% higher chance rate for PCP than women (OR 1.073; 95% CI 0.674 to 1.706). Prophylactic (OR: 6.191; 95% CI: 0.945 to 40.545) and antiretroviral therapy (OR 3.356; 95% CI 0.785 to 14.349) were used in HAP patients six and three times more than HIV-positive PCP-negatives, respectively. The control and management strategies should revise and updated by health policy-makers on a worldwide scale. Finally, for better management and understanding of the epidemiology and characteristics of this coinfection, designing further studies is recommended., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Ahmadpour et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Contraception represents a deliberate choice made by individuals, both men and women, to regulate their desired number of children. The primary objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and predictors of contraceptive use, while also exploring the shifts in contraception methods following the COVID-19 pandemic. This study employed a quantitative approach with a survey technique. The survey was conducted in Kermanshah, one of Iran's metropolises located in the western part of the country. The sampling methodology employed in this study involved a combination of multi-stage classification and systematic random methods. The survey took place between July and August 2022. The target population for the survey included women between the ages of 15 and 49. A total of 600 women from this population were selected and included in the survey sample. The sample was described using frequency tables, as well as central and dispersion indices (mean and standard deviation). Additionally, multivariate analysis was conducted through the application of logistic regression. Findings pointed out that approximately 65% of the women in the sample utilized contraception methods. Among these methods, the condom and oral pill were found to be the most prevalent choices. Moreover, the findings indicated that an increase in the number of both living and ideal children was associated with a decreased likelihood of contraceptive use. Following the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an observed increase in the utilization of traditional and natural methods of contraception. This shift highlights the importance of considering a broader range of contraceptive options and not solely focusing on restricting contraception services. In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, women turned to traditional contraceptives, which may increase the risk of unintended pregnancies and subsequent miscarriages. Therefore, providing in-person services to women at their place of residence is necessary during epidemics., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Serajeddin Mahmoudiani. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objective: The current body of research on utilizing botulinum toxin (BTX) to manage temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) has not yet yielded definitive conclusions. The primary objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of BTX in pain reduction for TMDs compared to placebo and other treatments. The secondary outcomes evaluated were adverse events, maximum mouth opening, bruxism events, and maximum occlusal force., Materials and Methods: A literature search was performed on PubMed, Dimension Publication, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The RoB 2 tool was used for quality assessment. The mean differences in pain scores were estimated to measure the effect of BTX on pain reduction. For adverse events, the risk ratio for the incidence of side effects was calculated., Results: Two hundred and sixty non-duplicate articles were identified; however, only 14 RCTS were included in this review. The total study population included 395 patients. The overall risk of bias showed a low to moderate quality of evidence. Results from 6 studies were reported only narratively; four studies were used for meta-analysis on pain reduction, and five were used for meta-analysis on adverse events. The control used in the meta-analysis was placebo injections. Results of the meta-analysis for pain reduction were statistically insignificant for the BTX group with mean differences at MD = -1.71 (95% CI, -2.87 to -0.5) at one month, -1.53 (95% CI, -2.80 to -0.27) at three months, and -1.33 (95% CI, -2.74 to 0.77) at six months. This showed that BTX treatment was not significantly better than placebo for a reduction in pain scores at 1, 3, and 6 months. Regarding safety, the placebo group showed a relative risk of 1.34 (95%CI, 0.48-6.78) and 1.17 (95%CI, 0.54-3.88) at 1 and 3 months respectively. However, the risks were not statistically significant. There was also no difference in the effectiveness of BTX compared to placebo and other treatments for maximum mouth opening, bruxism events, and maximum occlusal force., Conclusion: BTX was not associated with better outcomes in terms of pain reduction, adverse events, maximum mouth opening, bruxism events, and maximum occlusal force. More high-quality RCTs are needed to better understand this topic., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Saini et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Factors contributing to the development of hypertension exhibit significant variations across countries and regions. Our objective was to predict individuals at risk of developing hypertension within a 5-year period in a rural Middle Eastern area., Methods: This longitudinal study utilized data from the Fasa Adults Cohort Study (FACS). The study initially included 10,118 participants aged 35-70 years in rural districts of Fasa, Iran, with a follow-up of 3,000 participants after 5 years using random sampling. A total of 160 variables were included in the machine learning (ML) models, and feature scaling and one-hot encoding were employed for data processing. Ten supervised ML algorithms were utilized, namely logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), Gaussian naive Bayes (GNB), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), gradient boosting machine (GBM), extreme gradient boosting (XGB), cat boost (CAT), and light gradient boosting machine (LGBM). Hyperparameter tuning was performed using various combinations of hyperparameters to identify the optimal model. Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technology (SMOTE) was used to balance the training data, and feature selection was conducted using SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP)., Results: Out of 2,288 participants who met the criteria, 251 individuals (10.9%) were diagnosed with new hypertension. The LGBM model (determined to be the optimal model) with the top 30 features achieved an AUC of 0.67, an f1-score of 0.23, and an AUC-PR of 0.26. The top three predictors of hypertension were baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP), gender, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), with AUCs of 0.66, 0.58, and 0.63, respectively. Hematuria in urine tests and family history of hypertension ranked fourth and fifth., Conclusion: ML models have the potential to be valuable decision-making tools in evaluating the need for early lifestyle modification or medical intervention in individuals at risk of developing hypertension., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Andishgar et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Incipient carious lesions, the most common complication in orthodontic patients with fixed appliances, call for the development of novel preventive dental materials that do not rely on patient adherence. The present study aimed to assess the ability of elastomeric ligatures coated with bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) to deliver sustained antibacterial activity, during the standard 28-day interval between orthodontic appointments, without compromising their mechanical properties. Kombucha membrane was used to produce cellulose as a secondary product from the fermentation of tea broth with symbiotic bacteria and yeast culture. Characterization of BNC-coated elastomeric ligatures was performed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy analysis. The samples were pre-treated by immersion first in isopropyl alcohol, then in 8 mL nanocellulose solution for 7 days. Tensile strain and strength of the BNC-coated and conventional ligatures were evaluated using a tensile testing machine. Direct contact and agar diffusion tests were performed to assess the antibacterial activity of nanocellulose. In addition, the release profile of BNC was evaluated. Data analysis was performed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by post-hoc Tukey's test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. P values less than 0.05 was regarded as significant. There was no statistically significant difference in tensile strain and strength between the BNC-coated and conventional ligatures. The coated ligatures provided sustained antibacterial activity during the required 28 days. The use of BNC-coated elastomeric ligatures in patients with fixed orthodontic appliances might be a promising solution to plaque formation and subsequent enamel decalcification., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Eskandari et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objective: The current study aimed to identify the association between COVID-19 vaccination and prolonged post-COVID symptoms (long-COVID) in adults who reported suffering from this condition., Methods: This was a retrospective follow-up study of adults with long-COVID syndrome. The data were collected during a phone call to the participants in January-February 2022. We inquired about their current health status and also their vaccination status if they agreed to participate., Results: In total, 1236 people were studied; 543 individuals reported suffering from long long- COVID (43.9%). Chi square test showed that 15 out of 51 people (29.4%) with no vaccination and 528 out of 1185 participants (44.6%) who received at least one dose of any vaccine had long long- COVID symptoms (p = 0.032)., Conclusions: In people who have already contracted COVID-19 and now suffer from long-COVID, receiving a COVID vaccination has a significant association with prolonged symptoms of long-COVID for more than one year after the initial infection. However, vaccines reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 (including reinfections) and its catastrophic consequences (e.g., death). Therefore, it is strongly recommended that all people, even those with a history of COVID-19, receive vaccines to protect themselves against this fatal viral infection., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Asadi-Pooya et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Purpose: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a five-year survival rate of less than 5%. Absence of symptoms at primary tumor stages, as well as high aggressiveness of the tumor can lead to high mortality in cancer patients. Most patients are recognized at the advanced or metastatic stage without surgical symptom, because of the lack of reliable early diagnostic biomarkers. The objective of this work was to identify potential cancer biomarkers by integrating transcriptome data., Methods: Several transcriptomic datasets comprising of 11 microarrays were retrieved from the GEO database. After pre-processing, a meta-analysis was applied to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between tumor and nontumor samples for datasets. Next, co-expression analysis, functional enrichment and survival analyses were used to determine the functional properties of DEGs and identify potential prognostic biomarkers. In addition, some regulatory factors involved in PDAC including transcription factors (TFs), protein kinases (PKs), and miRNAs were identified., Results: After applying meta-analysis, 1074 DEGs including 539 down- and 535 up-regulated genes were identified. Pathway enrichment analyzes using Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) revealed that DEGs were significantly enriched in the HIF-1 signaling pathway and focal adhesion. The results also showed that some of the DEGs were assigned to TFs that belonged to 23 conserved families. Sixty-four PKs were identified among the DEGs that showed the CAMK family was the most abundant group. Moreover, investigation of corresponding upstream regions of DEGs identified 11 conserved sequence motifs. Furthermore, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified 8 modules, more of them were significantly enriched in Ras signaling, p53 signaling, MAPK signaling pathways. In addition, several hubs in modules were identified, including EMP1, EVL, ELP5, DEF8, MTERF4, GLUP1, CAPN1, IGF1R, HSD17B14, TOM1L2 and RAB11FIP3. According to survival analysis, it was identified that the expression levels of two genes, EMP1 and RAB11FIP3 are related to prognosis., Conclusion: We identified several genes critical for PDAC based on meta-analysis and system biology approach. These genes may serve as potential targets for the treatment and prognosis of PDAC., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Kordshouli et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Callogenesis is one of the most powerful biotechnological approaches for in vitro secondary metabolite production and indirect organogenesis in Passiflora caerulea. Comprehensive knowledge of callogenesis and optimized protocol can be obtained by the application of a combination of machine learning (ML) and optimization algorithms. In the present investigation, the callogenesis responses (i.e., callogenesis rate and callus fresh weight) of P. caerulea were predicted based on different types and concentrations of plant growth regulators (PGRs) (i.e., 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), and indole-3-Butyric Acid (IBA)) as well as explant types (i.e., leaf, node, and internode) using multilayer perceptron (MLP). Moreover, the developed models were integrated into the genetic algorithm (GA) to optimize the concentration of PGRs and explant types for maximizing callogenesis responses. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the importance of each input variable on the callogenesis responses. The results showed that MLP had high predictive accuracy (R2 > 0.81) in both training and testing sets for modeling all studied parameters. Based on the results of the optimization process, the highest callogenesis rate (100%) would be obtained from the leaf explant cultured in the medium supplemented with 0.52 mg/L IBA plus 0.43 mg/L NAA plus 1.4 mg/L 2,4-D plus 0.2 mg/L BAP. The results of the sensitivity analysis showed the explant-dependent impact of the exogenous application of PGRs on callogenesis. Generally, the results showed that a combination of MLP and GA can display a forward-thinking aid to optimize and predict in vitro culture systems and consequentially cope with several challenges faced currently in Passiflora tissue culture., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Jafari, Daneshvar. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Hydraulic conductivity (Kψ) is one of the most important soil properties that influences water and chemical movement within the soil and is a vital factor in various management practices, like drainage, irrigation, erosion control, and flood protection. Therefore, it is an essential component in soil monitoring and managerial practices. The importance of Kψ in soil-water relationship, difficulties for its measurement in the field, and its high variability led us to evaluate the potential of stepwise multiple linear regression (SMLR), and multilayer perceptron (MLPNNs) and radial-basis function (RBFNNs) neural networks approaches to predict Kψ at tensions of 15, 10, 5, and 0 cm (K15, K10, K5, and K0, respectively) using easily measurable attributes in calcareous soils. A total of 102 intact (by stainless steel rings) and composite (using spade from 0-20 cm depth) soil samples were collected from different land uses of Fars Province, Iran. The common physico-chemical attributes were determined by the common standard laboratory approaches. Additionally, the mentioned hydraulic attributes were measured using a tension-disc infiltrometer (with a 10 cm radius) in situ. Results revealed that the most of studied soil structure-related parameters (soil organic matter, soluble sodium, sodium adsorption ratio, mean weight diameter of aggregates, pH, and bulk density) are more correlated with K5 and K0 than particle-size distribution-related parameters (sand, silt, and standard deviation and geometric mean diameter of particles size). For K15 and K10, the opposite results were obtained. The applied approaches predicted K15, K10, K5, and K0 with determination coefficient of validation data (R2val) of 0.52 to 0.63 for SMLR; 0.71 to 0.82 for MLPNNs; and 0.58 to 0.78 for RBFNNs. In general, the capability of the applied methods for predicting Kψ at all the applied tensions was ranked as MLPNNs > RBFNNs > SMLR. Although the SMLR method provided easy to use pedotransfer functions for predicting Kψ in calcareous soils, the present study suggests using the MLPNNs approach due to its high capability for generating accurate predictions., Competing Interests: There is no competing interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Mozaffari et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of rowing stroke rates on lower extremity intra-joint coordination variability in professional rowers. Fifteen experienced young rowers volunteered to participate in this study. Kinematic data were recorded at different rowing speeds with seven Vicon cameras. The continuous relative phase (CRP) and CRP variability (CRPV) were used to calculate joint coordination and coordination variability, respectively, for the hip, knee, and ankle in the sagittal and horizontal planes, and a comparison was made among different rowing stroke rates. A vector analysis repeated measure ANOVA using statistical parametric mapping revealed that there were statistically significant differences in the hip-ankle, hip-knee, and knee-ankle CRPs for rowing at different stroke rates. Moreover, there was higher CRPV in the mid-drive and mid-recovery phases and less variability in the transition from the drive phase to the recovery phase. The results demonstrate the importance of knee joint in rowing tasks in experienced rowers during submaximal rowing stroke rate and the shift of movement to the hip at higher rowing stroke rate. Moreover, there was a smaller variability during drive-to-recovery transition, which may suggests an increased risk for overuse injuries., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Pakravan et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

New therapeutic approaches can significantly impact the control of colorectal cancer (CRC), which is increasing worldwide. In this study, we investigated the potential of targeting viral proteins to combat cancer cells. Specifically, we examined the anticancer potential of the matrix (M) protein of the mumps virus Hoshino strain in SW480 CRC cell lines. To begin, we individually transfected SW480 cells with pcDNA3 plasmids containing the mumps virus M gene. We then investigated the percentage of cell death, caspase activity, and the expression levels of genes involved in apoptosis pathways. Following this, we performed bioinformatics analysis on the M protein to identify any similarities with Bcl-2 family members and their viral homologs. Our diagnostic methods showed that treatment with the mumps M protein induced apoptosis and upregulated the expression and activity of pro-apoptotic proteins in SW480 CRC cells compared to the control and vector groups. Based on our bioinformatics studies, we proposed that the BH3 motif in the M protein may trigger apoptosis in CRC cells by interacting with cellular Bax. Overall, our study showed for the first time that the mumps virus M protein could be considered as a targeted treatment for CRC by inducing apoptotic pathways., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Morovati et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the color stability and translucency of various types of monolithic zirconia after immersion in chlorhexidine and Listerine mouthwashes., Materials and Methods: This experimental study was performed on 36 disk-shaped specimens fabricated from low-translucent, high-translucent, and multilayered monolithic zirconia (n = 12 per group). Each group was equally divided and immersed in either 2% chlorhexidine (CHX) or Listerine mouthwash for 2 min daily over 7 days. Changes in color (ΔE) and the translucency parameter (ΔTP) were evaluated and compared. The data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc tests (α = 0.05)., Results: Chlorhexidine caused a significantly lower ΔE and a significantly higher ΔTP in multilayered zirconia compared to the low-translucency (ΔE: P = 0.0027, ΔTP: P<0.001) and the high-translucency zirconia group (ΔE: P<0.001, ΔTP: P = 0.022). Listerine caused a significantly higher ΔE in the high-translucency zirconia group compared to the multilayered zirconia group (P = 0.0165). It also resulted in a significantly higher mean ΔTP in the multilayered zirconia group compared to the low-translucency (P = 0.0003) and high-translucency zirconia groups (P = 0.019)., Conclusions: In both mouthwashes, multilayered monolithic zirconia exhibited the highest color stability among the tested materials; albeit with the most pronounced changes in translucency. Meanwhile, high-translucency monolithic zirconia was more prone to discoloration when exposed to both mouthwashes., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Giti, Jebal. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Introduction: The sudden transition from face-to-face teaching to virtual remote education and the need to implement it during COVID-19 initially posed specific challenges to educational institutions. Identifying and understanding teachers' experiences pave the way for discovering and meeting educational needs. This study explored faculty members' teaching experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic., Materials and Methods: The qualitative descriptive design via conventional content analysis was used. It was conducted from January 13, 2020, to May 10, 2022. In-depth interviews (online and in-person) of ten faculty members, three managers, and one staff from Lorestan University of Medical Sciences were conducted. They were purposefully selected with maximum variation. Simultaneously with data collection, analysis was performed using the approach Graneheim and Lundman proposed (2004). Lincoln and Goba's criteria were used to obtain the study's rigor., Results: Six categories emerged from the data: education in the shadow of the crisis, Challenges related to the teaching-learning process, Blurred boundaries between personal and professional lives, Positive consequences of e-learning, Trying to deal with the crisis, And dealing with the crisis., Conclusions: Initially, teachers faced several challenges in the teaching-learning process and even in their personal life. However, with time, the actions of the teachers and the managers caused an increase in the quality of education. However, planning and foresight are needed in developing countries, including Iran, to appropriately face and optimally manage similar crises and move towards blended learning., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Goudarzi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: During respiratory infection pandemics, masks and respirators are highly sought after, especially for frontline healthcare workers and patients carrying respiratory viruses. The objective of this study was to systematically review fit test pass rates and identify factors influencing the fitting characteristics., Methods: Potentially relevant studies were identified using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct during the COVID-19 pandemic from February 5, 2020, to March 21, 2023. The search strategy using the following keywords was conducted: Quantitative Fit Test, Condensation Nuclei Counter, Controlled Negative Pressure, PortaCount, Sibata, Accufit, Fit, Seal, Mask, Respirator, Respiratory Protective Device, Respiratory Protective Equipment, Protective Device, Personal Protective Equipment, COVID-19, Coronavirus, and SARS-CoV-2. The quality of the included studies was also assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale., Results: A total of 137 articles met the eligibility criteria. Fifty articles had a quality score of less than 7 (good quality). A total of 21 studies had a fit test pass rate of less than 50%. 26 studies on disposable respirators and 11 studies on reusable respirators had an FF of less than 50 and less than 200, respectively. The most influential factors include respirator brand/model, style, gender, ethnicity, facial dimensions, facial hair, age, reuse, extensive movement, seal check, comfort and usability assessment, and training., Conclusion: 37.36% of the disposable respirator studies and 43% of the reusable respirator studies did not report fit test results. 67.86% of the disposable respirator studies had a fit test pass rate greater than 50%, and 35.84% of these studies had an FF greater than 100. Also, 85.71% of the reusable respirator studies had a fit test pass rate greater than 50%, and 52.77% of these studies had an FF greater than 1000. Overall, the fit test pass rate was relatively acceptable. Newly developed or modified respirators must undergo reliable testing to ensure the protection of HCWs. Subject and respirator characteristics should be considered when implementing fit testing protocols. An optimal fit test panel should be developed prior to respirator design, certification, procurement decisions, and selection procedures., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Fakherpour et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The durability of dental restorations is highly determined by an accurate marginal fit, which is in turn affected by the high temperature of porcelain firing. Information is inadequate about the marginal adaptation of metal-ceramic restorations fabricated by soft metal milling technologies after repeated firings. This study aimed to compare the effect of repeated ceramic firings on the marginal fit of copings fabricated from cobalt-chromium through soft metal milling and a conventional nickel-chromium casting alloy. A single standard brass die was designed, machined, and scanned, based on which, 20 frameworks were designed and fabricated through either soft metal milling or conventional casting (n = 10 per group) and porcelain veneered. The vertical marginal fit of the metal copings was measured after 3, 5, and 7 firing cycles by using a digital microscope on 16 points around the finish line of the metal die at ×80 magnification. The data were analyzed through repeated measures ANOVA and independent t-test (α = 0.05). The marginal fit of neither metal group was significantly affected by the number of firing cycles (P = 0.747). However, the marginal discrepancy was statistically lower in the soft metal milling group than that in the casting group (P<0.001). Repeated porcelain firings did not significantly affect the marginal fit of either alloy and remained within the clinically acceptable range after firings. However, the milled alloy had superior marginal fit regardless of the number of firing cycles., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Giti et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Epigenetic modifications, particularly histone acetylation-deacetylation and its related enzymes, such as sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) deacetylase, may have substantial roles in the pathogenesis of obesity and its associated health issues. This study aimed to evaluate global histone acetylation status and SIRT1 gene expression in children and adolescents with obesity and their association with metabolic and anthropometric parameters., Methods: This study included 60 children and adolescents, 30 with obesity and 30 normal-weight. The evaluation consisted of the analysis of global histone acetylation levels and the expression of the SIRT1 gene in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, by specific antibody and real-time PCR, respectively. Additionally, insulin, fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels were measured. Insulin resistance was assessed using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Metabolic syndrome was determined based on the diagnostic criteria established by IDF., Results: Individuals with obesity, particularly those with insulin resistance, had significantly higher histone acetylation levels compared to control group. Histone acetylation was positively correlated with obesity indices, TNF-α, insulin, and HOMA-IR. Additionally, a significant decrease in SIRT1 gene expression was found among obese individuals, which was negatively correlated with the histone acetylation level. Furthermore, SIRT1 expression levels showed a negative correlation with various anthropometric and metabolic parameters., Conclusion: Histone acetylation was enhanced in children and adolescents with obesity, potentially resulting from down-regulation of SIRT1, and could play a role in the obesity-associated metabolic abnormalities and insulin resistance. Targeting global histone acetylation modulation might be considered as an epigenetic approach for early obesity management., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Taghizadeh et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

A significant barrier to optimal antileishmanial treatment is low efficacy and the emergence of drug resistance. Multiple approaches were used to monitor and assess crocin (a central component of saffron) mixed with amphotericin B (AmpB) potential in silico and in vitro consequences. The binding behavior of crocin and iNOS was the purpose of molecular docking. The results showed that crocin coupled with AmpB demonstrated a safe combination, extremely antileishmanial, suppressed Leishmania arginase absorption, and increased parasite death. This natural flower component is a robust antioxidant, significantly promoting the expression of the Th1-connected cytokines (IL12p40, IFN-γ, and TNF- α), iNOS, and transcription factors (Elk-1, c-Fos, and STAT-1). In comparison, the expression of the Th2-associated phenotypes (IL-10, IL-4, and TGF-β) was significantly reduced. The leishmanicidal effect of this combination was also mediated through programmed cell death (PCD), as confirmed by the manifestation of phosphatidylserine and cell cycle detention at the sub-GO/G1 phase. In conclusion, crocin with AmpB synergistically exerted in vitro antileishmanial action, generated nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species, modulated Th1, and Th2 phenotypes and transfer factors, enhanced PCD profile and arrested the cell cycle of Leishmania major promastigotes. The main action of crocin and AmpB involved wide-ranging mechanistic insights for conducting other clinical settings as promising drug candidates for cutaneous leishmaniasis. Therefore, this combination could be esteemed as a basis for a potential bioactive component and a logical source for leishmanicidal drug development against CL in future advanced clinical settings., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Salarkia et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are dangerous parasites of many crops worldwide. The threat of chemical nematicides has led to increasing interest in studying the inhibitory effects of organic amendments and bacteria on plant-parasitic nematodes, but their combination has been less studied. One laboratory and four glasshouse experiments were conducted to study the effect on M. javanica of animal manure, common vermicompost, shrimp shells, chitosan, compost and vermicompost from castor bean, chinaberry and arugula, and the combination of arugula vermicompost with some bacteria, isolated from vermicompost or earthworms. The extract of arugula compost and vermicompost, common vermicompost and composts from castor bean and chinaberry reduced nematode egg hatch by 12-32% and caused 13-40% mortality of second-stage juveniles in vitro. Soil amendments with the combination vermicompost of arugula + Pseudomonas. resinovorans + Sphingobacterium daejeonense + chitosan significantly increased the yield of infected tomato plants and reduced nematode reproduction factor by 63.1-76.6%. Comparison of chemical properties showed that arugula vermicompost had lower pH, EC, and C/N ratio than arugula compost. Metagenomics analysis showed that Bacillus, Geodermatophilus, Thermomonas, Lewinella, Pseudolabrys and Erythrobacter were the major bacterial genera in the vermicompost of arugula. Metagenomics analysis confirmed the presence of chitinolytic, detoxifying and PGPR bacteria in the vermicompost of arugula. The combination of arugula vermicompost + chitosan + P. resinovorans + S. daejeonense could be an environmentally friendly approach to control M. javanica., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest, (Copyright: © 2023 Rostami et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: This study appraises the psychometrics properties of the Inflammatory bowel disease-fatigue (IBD-F) Persian version questionnaire., Methods: The original IBD-F questionnaire was translated into the Persian version in a standard forward-back manner. The validation was performed through the face, content, and construct validity. Fifteen experts scored each item's necessity on an ordinal Likert scale of three; then, the content validity ratio was calculated using the Lawshe formula. Eight judges from pre-defined panel rated each item on an ordinal 4-point Likert scale concerning its relevancy, clarity, and simplicity for individual-CVI calculation. The mean individual-CVI was considered as the Scale-CVI for each domain. Twenty lay experts (selected from the target population) were asked to express their opinion on each item's importance by scoring on a 5-point Likert scale; subsequently, face validity was determined by the impact score formula. The questions that had minimum values of CVR, CVI, and impact score were retained in the final version of the questionnaire for reliability evaluation. Construct validity was evaluated via Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were checked using Cronbach's α and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Fifty-four patients recruited based on inclusion and exclusion criteria to participate in the reliability analysis., Results: All the questions received the qualified values of CVR (exceeding 0.49 points) and impact score (more than 1.5 points) and were retained in the questionnaire; however, revisions were made for questions with a CVI 0.7-0.9 for clarity and simplicity. The result demonstrated relative goodness CFA and proper internal consistency, as Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.964 for the test (0.845 and 0.963 for the first and second part of the questionnaire, respectively (and 0.888 for the re-test (0.793 and 0.876 for the first and second section of the questionnaire, respectively). The ICC values between test and re-test for the first and second part and the whole questionnaire were obtained as 0.904, 0.922, and 0.921, respectively., Conclusion: The Persian version of the IBD-F questionnaire was valid and reliable; thus, an appropriate scale was deemed to measure fatigue (severity, frequency, and impact on daily activities)., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Hatamnejad et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a prevalent and disabling paranasal sinus disease associated with some environmental factors. In this study, we evaluated the effect of geo-climatic factors on CRS in a region of southwest Iran. The study mapped the residency addresses of 232 patients with CRS who lived in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province and had undergone sinus surgery from 2014 to 2019. The effects of Mean Annual Humidity (MAH), Mean Annual Rainfall (MAR), Mean Annual Temperature (MAT), maximum MAT (maxMAT), minimum MAT (minMAT), Mean Annual Evaporation (MAE), wind, elevation, slope, and land cover were assessed on the occurrence of CRS using Geographical Information System (GIS). Statistical analysis was performed using univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression. Patients came from 55 points including villages, towns, and cities. In univariate analysis, climatic factors including MAT (OR = 0.537), minMAT (OR = 0.764), maxMAT (OR = 0.63), MAR (OR = 0.994), and MAH (OR = 0.626) were significantly related to CRS occurrence. Elevation (OR = 0.999), slope (OR = 0.9), and urban setting (OR = 24.667) were the significant determinants among geographical factors when analyzed independently. The multivariate analysis found maxMAT (OR = 0.5), MAR (OR = 0.994), elevation (OR = 0.998), and urban (OR = 16.8) as significant factors affecting CRS occurrence. The urban setting is the most critical factor affecting CRS disease. Cold and dry areas and low attitude are the other risk factors for CRS in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, southwest Iran., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Ghatee et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Surfactant therapy has revolutionized the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) over the past few decades. Relying on a new method, the current research seeks to compare four common surfactants in the health market of Iran to determine the best surfactant according to the selected criteria. The research was a cross-sectional, retrospective study that used the data of 13,169 infants as recorded on the information system of the Iranian Ministry of Health. To rank the surfactants used, the following indicators were measured: re-dosing rate, average direct treatment cost, average length of stay, disease burden, need for invasive mechanical ventilation, survival at discharge, and medical referrals. The CRITIC (criteria importance through intercriteria correlation) method was used to determine the weight of the indicators, and MABAC (multi-attributive border approximation area comparison) was used to prioritize the surfactants. Based on the seven selected indicators in this research (re-dosing rate, average length of stay, direct medical cost per one prescription, medical referral rate, survival at discharge, disability-adjusted life years, number of newborns in need of invasive mechanical ventilation) and using multi-criteria analysis method, Alveofact was identified as the worst surfactant in infants with either more or less than 32 weeks' gestation. So that some criteria were worse in Alveofact group infants than other groups; for example, in the comparison of the Alveofact group with the average of the total population, it was found that the survival rate at discharge was 57.14% versus 66.43%, and the rate of re-dosing was 1.63 versus 1.39. BLES (bovine lipid extract surfactant) was the best alternative for infants more than 32 weeks' gestation, whereas Survanta was identified as best option for infants with less than 32 weeks' gestation. Curosurf showed an average level of functionality in the ranking. This study advises the policy makers in the field of neonatal health to increase the market share of more effective surfactants based on this study and other similar studies. On the other hand, neonatal health care providers are also advised to prioritize the use of more effective surfactants if possible, depending on the clinical conditions and desired improvements., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Izadi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) is one of the economically destructive viruses affecting citrus trees worldwide, causing significant losses in fruit production. Comparative genomic studies have shown genetic diversity in various regions of the genome of CTV isolates, which has classified the virus into several genotypes. In recent years, some orange citrumelo-tolerant rootstocks showed yellowing, decline, and vein clearing in northern Iran (Mazandaran province, Sari). We confirmed the presence of CTV in the symptomatic trees by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). The complete genome of a Sari isolate of CTV (Sari isolate) was sequenced using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. In addition, phylogenetic analysis, differential gene expression of the virus and identification of its variants in a population were studied. We obtained the final contigs of the virus (nt) and annotated all genomes to viral ORFs, untranslated regions (UTRs), intergenic regions, and 5' and 3' ends of the genome. Phylogenetic analysis of the Sari isolate and other genotypes of CTV showed that the Sari isolates were placed in a distinct cluster without a sister group. Based on the number of specific transcripts (TPM) in CTV RNA -Seq, P13 was the most highly expressed gene related to the host range of the virus and its systemic infection. The ORFs of the polyprotein, P33, and P18 showed variation in a single population of the sari isolate. The CTV has a potential for variation in a population in a host, and these variations may contribute to the best fit of the CTV in different situations. In Iran, whole genome sequencing of the CTV was performed for the first time, and we gained new insights into CTV variation in a population., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Ghorbani et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Relay intercropping of legumes with cereals is a useful technique for yield increment. Intercropping may affect the photosynthetic pigments, enzyme activity and yield of barley and chickpea under water stress. To investigate the effect of relay intercropping of barley with chickpea on pigment content, enzyme activity and yield under water stress, a field experiment was conducted during 2017 and 2018. The treatments included irrigation regimes (normal irrigation and cutting off irrigation at the milk development stage) as the main plot. Also, cropping systems as sub plot consisted of sole and relay intercropping of barley with chickpea in two sowing dates (December vs January). Under water stress, the early establishment of barley in December intercropped with chickpea in January (b1c2) enhanced the leaf chlorophyll content by 16% compared to sole cropping due to less competition with chickpea. Late sowing of chickpea enhanced the leaf carotenoid content of chickpea, catalase and peroxidase activities. Barley-chickpea intercropping enhanced the WUE and guaranteed a more efficient use of space (land equivalent ratio of more than 1) compared with sole crops. Under water stress, in b1c2 enhancement of total chlorophyll and water use efficiency caused to increase the grain yield of barley. In b1c2, barley and chickpea reacted to water stress with increasing total chlorophyll and enzyme activity, respectively. In this relay intercropping treatment, each crop occupied and used the growth resources from different ecological niches at different times, which is recommended in semi-arid areas., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest, (Copyright: © 2023 Assadi, Bijanzadeh. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objectives: Micelles are nano-sized particles with a core-shell structure that are made by natural or synthetic polymers or copolymers. The aim of this study was to develop and characterize a copolymeric micelle using two polymers loaded with hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs., Methods: Poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEG-PCL) were used to form a copolymeric micelle which was further loaded with either moxifloxacin or clarithromycin as hydrophilic and lipophilic drug samples, respectively. Characterization tests were done including fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy, encapsulation efficiency, particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index, transmission electron microscopy, and in-vitro release test., Results: The construction of the copolymer was confirmed by the results of FT-IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy tests. The encapsulation efficiency test exhibited that loading was about 50% for twelve formulations. Particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index, and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the formation of monodispersed, uniform, and nano-sized micelles with a few negative charges. The kinetic model of release was fitted to the Higuchi model., Conclusions: Polymeric micelles consisting of PEG-PCL copolymer were loaded with adequate concentrations of hydrophilic (moxifloxacin) and lipophilic (clarithromycin) model drugs, with a mean particle size under 300 nm. Therefore, copolymeric micelles can be used as a suitable drug delivery system for mucous membranes and skin., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Mohammadi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)