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It is crucial to optimize energy consumption in buildings while considering thermal comfort. The first step here involved an EnergyPlus simulation on a trade center building located in Tehran, Bandar Abbas, and Tabriz, Iran. A multi-objective optimization was then performed based on non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) in jEPlus + EA to establish the building in the selected city where would benefit the most from implementing the radiant ceiling cooling system. Efforts were undertaken to choose environmentally-friendly materials. The final solution by Pareto charts resulted in a 52% reduction in energy consumption, a 37.3% decrease in cooling load, and a 17.4% improvement in comfort hours compared to the original design. Annual emission of greenhouse gas reduced as 167.67 tone of CO2 equivalent emission, 25.77 ton of CH4, and 0.2 ton of NO2. The mentioned algorithm was conducted for the first time on a trade center, including a DOAS system and radiant ceiling cooling system. Simultaneously, the environmental-friendly materials were dealt with. The procedure holds significant relevance for the design and optimization of buildings in Iran, especially wherever the climate is hot and humid. This approach offers advantages to the environment by reducing the impact on energy resources and utilizing environmentally-friendly materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated levels of metal(loid)s in soil may pose potential threats to the ecosystem and can be harmful for human health. The concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Cr and Ni were determined in agricultural soil collected from 45 pistachio orchards around Feizabad city, Khorasan Razavi province, Iran using ICP-OES. Also, soil pollution indices including contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo) were evaluated. In addition, non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk indices were estimated. The mean concentrations of metal(loid)s were in the order of Ni = 466.256 > Cr = 120.848 > Pb = 12.009 > As = 5.486 > Cd = 0.394 mg/kg. Concentrations of As, Cd and Pb in the soil samples were within their respective permissible limits set by World Health Organization (WHO). But concentrations of Cr and Ni in 84.4 and 100% of the samples, respectively exceeded the WHO allowable limits. The CF, PLI and Igeo showed that soil of some of the pistachio orchards was contaminated with some metals. The possible sources of the metals in the soil are application of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, manures as well as irrigation water. Hazard quotient (HQ) ad Hazard index (HI) values from soil of all the orchards were found to be well below the respective threshold limit (1), suggesting that there is no immediate non-cancer threat arising from the contamination at all the orchards with metal(loid)s for children and adults. The highest cancer risk values (1.13E-02 for children and 1.25E-03 for adults) were estimated for Ni in the soil. Collectively, this study provides valuable information to improve the soil in the pistachio orchards to reduce metal(loid)s contamination and minimize the associated health risks to the population in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the informal diagnoses in DSM-5 is Caffeine Use Disorder (CUD). CUD and high levels of caffeine consumption could impact mental health conditions. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of CUD, caffeine consumption, caffeine-related harms, and related psychiatric symptoms in Iran. A cross-sectional survey with a convenience sample of 1228 adults were conducted in Iran. Caffeine consumption was assessed across 20 products in Iran. Caffeine Use Disorder Questionnaire (CUDQ), Caffeine Withdrawal Symptoms Questionnaire (CWSQ), 14-item Caffeine-related Harm Screening (CHS), and Symptom Checklist-25 (SCL-25) were used in the present study. We used SPSS (desktop version 26.0) to analyze the data using descriptive statistics, chi-square, and the least significant difference (LSD) post hoc test. The daily average caffeine consumption was 146.67 mg. The prevalence of CUD and caffeine withdrawal (C.W.) were estimated at 19.5% and 46.62%, respectively. Also, 12.9% of responders received CUD and C.W.s simultaneously. The prevalence of CUD was higher in men than females (25.08% vs. 13.93%). 95% of participants (n = 1166) reported using at least one caffeine product yesterday. Moreover, the most reported caffeine-related harms were the desire for sugar (42.9%), insomnia (39.3%), and caffeine dependence (38.3%). Age significantly correlates with CUD (− 0.07) and daily caffeine intake (0.08). Moreover, all SCL-90 subscales had a significant correlation with daily caffeine intake. Finally, responders at younger ages reported higher levels of CUD and caffeine consumption than older adults(P < 0.05). High rates of C.W. and CUD in the Iranian population suggest that it is necessary to develop evidence-based treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focused on the morphological and chemical characteristics of 200 Hymenocrater longiflorus Benth. genotypes found in natural habitats of eight regions in west of Iran. The primary objective of the study was to assess the morphological and phytochemical variability within populations grown in their natural habitats, with the aim of identifying their potential for domestication and utilization in pre-breeding programs. The plant height (PH) ranged from 50.32 to 69.65 cm, with the highest observed in population P8. The internode distances ranged from 4.7 to 6.47 cm, with the maximum distance found in P4. Flower lengths varied from 1.95 to 2.45 cm, with the minimum and maximum values observed in P4 and P3, respectively. The highest leaf length (5.20 cm) and width (3.87 cm) were recorded in P2. The aerial parts of the plant were utilized to extraction and determine the essential oil (EO) content and composition, which ranged from 0.40 to 0.78% (v/w). The analysis of EO by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) identified 26 compounds, constituting 99–99.5% of the EOs. The main compounds in the EO and their percentage range (v/w DW) were tau-cadinol (0.62–55.56), mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (8.10–94.70), elemol (0.21–19.11), β-spathulenol (0.08–14.39), 4-terpineol (0.23–10.19), and β-eudesmol (0.21–9.94). The main chemical groups found in EOs included oxygenated sesquiterpenes (1.12–68.43), and phthalates (9.73–94.72). Cluster analysis revealed three distinct chemotypes: chemotype I (populations 1 and 2) with major components of mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, tau-cadinol, and α-elemol; chemotype II (population 5) rich in mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate; and chemotype III (populations 3, 4, 6–8) containing tau-cadinol, β-eudesmol, and 4-terpineol. The study also evaluated total phenolic, total flavonoid, and DPPH free radical scavenging activity in the fifty percent inhibitory concentration (IC50) in leaf and flower samples of the genotypes, along with estimating total anthocyanin content in the flower samples. The total phenolic content (TPC) in leaf and flower samples ranged from 7.89 to 107.18 mg GAE/g DW and 39.98 to 86.62 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g DW, respectively. Total flavonoid content (TFC) ranged from 81.04 to 143.46 mg QUE/g DW in leaf samples and from 94.82 to 133.26 mg quercetin equivalent (QUE)/g DW in flower samples. DPPHsc IC50 (µg/mL) ranged from 0.65 to 78.74 in leaf samples and from 4.38 to 7.71 in flower samples. Anthocyanin content ranged from 1.89 to 3.75 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalent (C3GE)/g DW among populations. Canonical correspondence analysis and simple correlation demonstrated a strong association and correlations among the studied attributes. The negative correlations between leaf DPPH (DPPH L) IC50 and TFC (− 0.73), TPC (− 0.63), Elemol (− 0.90), and EO (− 0.85) indicate that these compounds have a significant impact on the antioxidant activity of the leaves. Furthermore, Fruit DPPH (DPPH F) IC50 showed a negative correlation with TPC (− 0.79) and TFC (− 0.78), but a positive correlation with flower anthocyanins (0.51), (Z)-β-Farnesene (0.66), and 4-Terpineol (0.57). Circular cluster analysis categorized the genotypes of all individuals in the eight studied populations into three main categories based on all the studied traits, indicating significant variation in phytochemical and morphological traits among populations, surpassing the within-populations variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is widespread and seriously threatens public health worldwide. This study aimed to investigate AFB1 in imported hazelnut samples in northwest of Iran (Eastern Azerbaijan Province) using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with a Fluorescent Detector (HPLC-FLD). In all tested samples AFB1 was detected. The mean concentration of AFB1 was 4.20 μg/kg and ranged from 3.145 to 8.13 μg/kg. All samples contained AFB1 levels within the maximum acceptable limit except for one sample. Furthermore, the human health risk assessment of AFB1 from consuming imported hazelnuts by Iranian children and adults was evaluated based on the margin of exposure (MoE) and quantitative liver cancer risk approaches. The MoE mean for children was 2529.76, while for adults, it was 8854.16, indicating a public health concern. The present study found that the risk of developing liver cancer among Iranian children was 0.11100736 per 100,000 people, and in the Iranian adult population was 0.0314496 cancers per 100,000 people. Since environmental conditions potentially affect aflatoxin levels in nuts, countries are advised to monitor aflatoxin contents in imported nuts, especially from countries with a conducive climate for mold growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apple is the most important fruit tree in West Azarbaijan province of Iran. In a survey of apple orchards, a disease with crown and collar canker and necrosis symptoms was observed in three young apple orchards in Urmia, affecting 15% and 1% of 'Red Delicious' and 'Golden Delicious' cultivars, respectively. A fungus with typical characteristics of the asexual morph of Cytospora was regularly isolated from the diseased tissues. Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses inferred from the combined dataset of the ITS-rDNA, parts of LSU, tef1-α, rpb2, and act1 genes revealed that the isolates represent a new species of Cytospora, described herein as Cytospora balanejica sp. nov.. The pathogenicity of all isolates was confirmed on apple cv. 'Red Delicious' based on Koch's postulates. Also, the reaction of 12 other apple cultivars was assessed against five selected isolates with the highest virulence. The results showed that except for cv. 'Braeburn', which did not produce any symptoms of the disease, the other 11 cultivars showed characteristic disease symptoms including sunken and discolored bark and wood. The mean length of the discolored area was different among the 11 so-called susceptible cultivars, hence cvs. 'M4' and 'Golden Delicious' showed the highest and the lowest lesion length, respectively. Moreover, the aggressiveness of the five tested isolates was different, and the isolates BA 2-4 and BA 3-1 had the highest and lowest aggressiveness, respectively. Based on our observations on the potential ability of the fungus to cause disease on young and actively growing apple trees, it will be a serious threat to apple cultivation and industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Verbascum, belonging to the family Scrophulariaceae, has a significant center of diversity in Iran. Two of its species, V. erianthum and V. stachydiforme, originate in the Iranian-Turanian region, but no studies have been conducted on the induction of their hairy roots. This genus is a valuable source of biologically active compounds such as iridoid glycosides and flavonoids. Hairy root culture is a suitable technique for the production and accumulation of secondary metabolites. Three different studies were conducted to optimize the induction and establishment of hairy roots. In the first experiment, the influence of explant type (leaf and hypocotyl), six infection methods, and co-culture time (48 and 72 h) on the efficiency of hairy root induction was investigated. The results showed that the highest hairy root induction (68.18%) was observed in the leaf explants inoculated by direct infection with three wounds within 72 h co-culture time. In the second experiment, the effect of four Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains (ATCC 15834, A4, A7, and A13) and leaf age (14, 21, and 28 days) on transformation efficiency and some morphological traits examined in both species were studied. The high transformation efficiency of hairy root (80.55%) was detected in the 21-day-old leaf explant of V. erianthum species that was inoculated with the A13 strain. The transformed hairy root colons were confirmed by PCR using rolB gene-specific primers. To optimize hairy root growth and avoid tissue browning, hairy roots were cultured in various media containing different antioxidants and improver agents (including ascorbic acid, citric acid, and NAA). The results showed that the highest fresh growth index (20.42) and the lowest tissue browning (9%) as well as total phenol (8.51 mg GA/g DW), and total flavonoid content (4.42 mg QUE/g DW) were obtained in medium B5 with 1.5 mg/l NAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant community assembly is the outcome of long-term evolutionary events (evident as taxonomic diversity; TD) and immediate adaptive fitness (functional diversity; FD); a balance expected to shift in favour of FD in 'harsh' habitats under intense selection pressures. We compared TD and FD responses along climatic and edaphic gradients for communities of two species (Dianthus pseudocrinitus and D. polylepis) endemic to the montane steppes of the Khorassan-Kopet Dagh floristic province, NE Iran. 75 plots at 15 sites were used to relate TD and FD to environmental gradients. In general, greater TD was associated with variation in soil factors (potassium, lime, organic matter contents), whereas FD was constrained by aridity (drought adaptation). Crucially, even plant communities hosting different subspecies of D. polylepis responded differently to aridity: D. polylepis subsp. binaludensis communities included a variety of broadly stress-tolerant taxa with no clear environmental response, but TD of D. polylepis subsp. polylepis communities was directly related to precipitation, with consistently low FD reflecting a few highly specialized stress-tolerators. Integrating taxonomic and functional diversity metrics is essential to understand the communities hosting even extremely closely related taxa, which respond idiosyncratically to climate and soil gradients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrofacies analysis conducted the distribution effects throughout the reservoir despite the difficulty of characterizing stratigraphic relationships. Clustering methods quantitatively define the reservoir zone from non-reservoir considering electrofacies. Asmari Formation is the most significant reservoir of the Mansouri oilfield in SW Iran, generally composed of carbonate and sandstone layers. The stratigraphical study is determined by employing 250 core samples from one exploratory well in the studied field. Five zones with the best reservoir quality in zones 3 and 5 containing sandstone/shale are determined. Moreover, multi-resolution graph-based and artificial neural network clustering involving six logs are employed. Utilizing Geolog software, an optimal model with eight clusters with better rock separation is obtained. Eventually, five electrofacies with different lithological compositions and reservoir conditions are identified and based on lithofacies describing thin sections, sandstone, and shale in zones 3 and 5 show high reservoir quality. According to the depth related to these zones, most of the facies that exist in these depths include sandstone and dolomite facies, and this is affected by the two factors of the primary sedimentary texture and the effect of the diagenesis process on them. Results can compared to the clustering zone determination in other nearby sandstone reservoirs without cores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shear wave transit time is a crucial parameter in petroleum engineering and geomechanical modeling with significant implications for reservoir performance and rock behavior prediction. Without accurate shear wave velocity information, geomechanical models are unable to fully characterize reservoir rock behavior, impacting operations such as hydraulic fracturing, production planning, and well stimulation. While traditional direct measurement methods are accurate but resource-intensive, indirect methods utilizing seismic and petrophysical data, as well as artificial intelligence algorithms, offer viable alternatives for shear wave velocity estimation. Machine learning algorithms have been proposed to predict shear wave velocity. However, until now, a comprehensive comparison has not been made on the common methods of machine learning that had an acceptable performance in previous researches. This research focuses on the prediction of shear wave transit time using prevalent machine learning techniques, along with a comparative analysis of these methods. To predict this parameter, various input features have been employed: compressional wave transit time, density, porosity, depth, Caliper log, and Gamma-ray log. Among the employed methods, the random forest approach demonstrated the most favorable performance, yielding R-squared and RMSE values of 0.9495 and 9.4567, respectively. Furthermore, the artificial neural network, LSBoost, Bayesian, multivariate regression, and support vector machine techniques achieved R-squared values of 0.878, 0.8583, 0.8471, 0.847 and 0.7975, RMSE values of 22.4068, 27.8158, 28.0138, 28.0240 and 37.5822, respectively. Estimation analysis confirmed the statistical reliability of the Random Forest model. The formulated strategies offer a promising framework applicable to shear wave velocity estimation in carbonate reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) is one of the medicinal plants of Anacardiaceae family and widely used as a spice in Iran and Arab countries. Rhus coriaria var. zebaria is a small tree or large shrub, wildly growing in Iraq and described as a new variety with special characteristics. These increase the importance of studying sumac in these areas. Here, the phytochemical variations and the antibacterial activity of 50 accessions of this variety from five different climatic conditions was evaluated in order to identify the best accession to use and the best area for its cultivation. This is the most comprehensive study on this plant. Essential oil compounds were identified using GC–MS method and according to the results, Z, E-2,13-octadecadien, caryophyllene oxide, 2,4-decadienal, E-caryophyllene and nonanoic acid were among the main compounds. Also, the variety is a rich source of minerals including K, Ca, Mg, Na, P, and N. Sumac fruit extract from Akre Xerds had the highest anthocyanin and the lowest amount was from Kavilca region. The radical scavenging effect of extract from Dostic area in the concentration of 400 µg/mL is closer to the effect of ascorbic acid. The largest inhibition was found in the sumac extracted oil of Xasto Zhere area against S. aureus in compared with penicillin and amoxicillin and enrofloxacin antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslipidemia, as a metabolic risk factor, with the strongest and most heritable independent cause of cardiovascular diseases worldwide. We investigated the familial transmission patterns of dyslipidemia through a longitudinal family-based cohort, the Tehran Cardiometabolic Genetic Study (TCGS) in Iran. We enrolled 18,729 individuals (45% were males) aged > 18 years (mean: 38.15 (15.82)) and observed them over five 3-year follow-up periods. We evaluated the serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with the first measurement among longitudinal measures and the average measurements (AM) of the five periods. Heritability analysis was conducted using a mixed-effect framework with likelihood-based and Bayesian approaches. The periodic prevalence and heritability of dyslipidemia were estimated to be 65.7 and 42%, respectively. The likelihood of an individual having at least one dyslipidemic parent reveals an OR = 6.94 (CI 5.28–9.30) compared to those who do not have dyslipidemic parents. The most considerable intraclass correlation of family members was for the same-sex siblings, with ICC ~ 25.5%. For serum concentrations, heritability ranged from 33.64 to 60.95%. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that familial transmission of dyslipidemia in the Tehran population is strong, especially within the same-gender siblings. According to previous reports, the heritability of dyslipidemia in this population is considerably higher than the global average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a sharp increase in the use of the waterpipe (WP) has been noted recently in Iran, no information is available for the smoking behavior and topography parameters. The present study is intended to obtain the inhalation and smoking topography parameters for the Iranian WP smokers. The smoking data collected from 122 smoking sessions, including 192 WP smokers in the Iranian Fars province have been used to perform smoking topography assessments. The influence of demographic and smoking parameters on puffing data is obtained. Results have indicated that gender and tobacco type strongly affect puff volume and duration. Women smokers inhale smaller volume of smoke than men and puff duration is significantly increased for regular smokers than occasional smokers. However, the results of the present study have not revealed a major effect of age, residence and setting on the puffing behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at modelling the underlying predictor of ASCVD through the Bayesian network (BN). Data for the AZAR Cohort Study, which evaluated 500 healthcare providers in Iran, was collected through examinations, and blood samples. Two BNs were used to explore a suitable causal model for analysing the underlying predictor of ASCVD; Bayesian search through an algorithmic approach and knowledge-based BNs. Results showed significant differences in ASCVD risk factors across background variables' levels. The diagnostic indices showed better performance for the knowledge-based BN (Area under ROC curve (AUC) = 0.78, Accuracy = 76.6, Sensitivity = 62.5, Negative predictive value (NPV) = 96.0, Negative Likelihood Ratio (LR−) = 0.48) compared to Bayesian search (AUC = 0.76, Accuracy = 72.4, Sensitivity = 17.5, NPV = 93.2, LR− = 0.83). In addition, we decided on knowledge-based BN because of the interpretability of the relationships. Based on this BN, being male (conditional probability = 63.7), age over 45 (36.3), overweight (51.5), Mets (23.8), diabetes (8.3), smoking (10.6), hypertension (12.1), high T-C (28.5), high LDL-C (23.9), FBS (12.1), and TG (25.9) levels were associated with higher ASCVD risk. Low and normal HDL-C levels also had higher ASCVD risk (35.3 and 37.4), while high HDL-C levels had lower risk (27.3). In conclusion, BN demonstrated that ASCVD was significantly associated with certain risk factors including being older and overweight male, having a history of Mets, diabetes, hypertension, having high levels of T-C, LDL-C, FBS, and TG, but Low and normal HDL-C and being a smoker. The study may provide valuable insights for developing effective prevention strategies for ASCVD in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on marriage, divorce, birth, and death rates using the Poisson regression model and an interrupted time-series Poisson regression model. Before the pandemic, marriage and birth rates were decreasing, while divorce and death rates were increasing, with only the trend in birth rates being statistically significant. The immediate effect of the pandemic was a significant decrease in the divorce rate, but there were non-significant effects on birth and marriage rates. However, in the months following the onset of the pandemic, there was a statistically significant sustained effect on increasing death and divorce rates. Forecasts based on pre-pandemic data showed that by the end of 2020, marriage, divorce, death, and birth rates were higher compared to pre-pandemic levels. In conclusion, the pandemic has greatly impacted society, particularly in terms of death and divorce rates. Birth rates were not immediately affected to the time lag between decisions and actual births. Fear of COVID-19 may have increased death rates as people avoided seeking medical help. Vaccination and effective treatment strategies are vital in reducing the pandemic's impact on mortality. Supporting families financially is important due to the role of economic issues in couples' decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zagros oak forests in Iran are facing a concerning decline due to prolonged and severe drought conditions over several decades, compounded by the simultaneous impact of temperature on oak populations. This study in oak woodlands of central Zagros forests in Lorestan province analyzed abiotic factors such as climate properties, topographic features, land use, and soil properties from 1958 to 2022. We found that higher elevation areas with steeper slopes and diverse topography show significant potential for enhancing oak tree resilience in the face of climate change. Additionally, traditional land use practices like livestock keeping and dryland farming contribute to a widespread decline in oak populations. Preserving forest biodiversity and ensuring ecological sustainability requires immediate attention. Implementing effective land-use management strategies, such as protecting and regulating human-forest interaction, and considering meteorological factors to address this issue is crucial. Collaborative efforts from stakeholders, policymakers, and local communities are essential to oppose destructive suburban sprawl and other developments. Sustainable forestry practices should be implemented to improve the living standards of local communities that rely on forests and traditional livestock keeping, offer forestry-related jobs, and ensure social security. Such efforts are necessary to promote conservation awareness and sustainable practices, safeguarding this unique and vital ecosystem for future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the factors that can affect the quality of life is the psychological status of people. Also, the psychological status of individuals can be affected by other variables. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the role of diabetes health literacy, psychological status, self-care behaviors, and life satisfaction in predicting the quality of life in Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Iran in 2021 among 300 patients with type 2 diabetes. The method of selecting the participants in this study was the proportional stratified sampling method. Data collection instruments included six questionnaires of demographic questionnaire and diabetes status, DASS-21 questionnaire (depression, anxiety, and stress), diabetes health literacy scale, self-care behavior questionnaire, satisfaction with life scale (SWLS), and quality of life questionnaire. Statistical methods such as independent sample t test, one-way analysis of variance, linear regression test, and Pearson correlation were used to analyze the data. Based on the results of Pearson correlation test, there was a positive and significant correlation between diabetes health literacy (r = 0.438, p < 0.001), depression (r = − 0.380, p < 0.001), anxiety (r = − 0.355, p < 0.001), stress (r = − 0.423, p < 0.001), and SWLS (r = 0.265, p < 0.001) with quality of life. Based on the results of linear regression, variables of diabetes health literacy, life satisfaction, self -care behaviors, depression, stress, anxiety, age of onset of diabetes and diabetes duration were able to predict 31% of the quality of life (p < 0.001). The results of this study indicated that diabetes health literacy, life satisfaction, stress and the duration of diabetes are able to predict the quality of life of patients with diabetes. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to these effective variables training programs, especially health literacy, the effect of which is very obvious in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is the standard surgical approach to detect lymph node metastasis in breast cancer. Machine learning is a novel tool that provides better accuracy for predicting positive SLN involvement in breast cancer patients. This study obtained data from 2890 surgical cases of breast cancer patients from two referral hospitals in Iran from 2000 to 2021. Patients whose SLN involvement status was identified were included in our study. The dataset consisted of preoperative features, including patient features, gestational factors, laboratory data, and tumoral features. In this study, TabNet, an end-to-end deep learning model, was proposed to predict SLN involvement in breast cancer patients. We compared the accuracy of our model with results from logistic regression analysis. A total of 1832 patients with an average age of 51 ± 12 years were included in our study, of which 697 (25.5%) had SLN involvement. On average, the TabNet model achieved an accuracy of 75%, precision of 81%, specificity of 70%, sensitivity of 87%, and AUC of 0.74, while the logistic model demonstrated an accuracy of 70%, precision of 73%, specificity of 65%, sensitivity of 79%, F1 score of 73%, and AUC of 0.70 in predicting the SLN involvement in patients. Vascular invasion, tumor size, core needle biopsy pathology, age, and FH had the most contributions to the TabNet model. The TabNet model outperformed the logistic regression model in all metrics, indicating that it is more effective in predicting SLN involvement in breast cancer patients based on preoperative data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

General and electronic health literacy are important factors engaging in healthy behaviors and maintaining good health. The present study explored demographic factors associated with general and electronic health literacy in the Iranian adult population. Via stratified cluster sampling, trained interviewers visited adult residents in Qazvin Province, Iran between January, and April 2022. The participants (N = 9775; mean age = 36.44 years; 6576 [67.3%] females) completed the Health Literacy Instrument for Adults (HELIA) assessing health literacy and the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) assessing electronic health literacy. Demographic data, including age, gender, educational level, marital status, and living location (city or rural), were collected. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to classify the participants into different health literacy/electronic health literacy levels. The relationships between health literacy/electronic health literacy levels and demographic factors were examined using χ2 or analysis of variance. The LCA used HELIA scores to suggest five classes of health literacy and eHEALS scores to suggest three classes of electronic health literacy. For general and electronic health literacy, similar relationships were with demographic factors: females as compared with males had better general/electronic health literacy; younger people as compared with older people had better general/electronic health literacy; higher educational level was associated with better general/electronic health literacy; and city residents as compared with rural residents had better general/electronic health literacy. In conclusion, Iranian governmental agencies may wish to target on males, older adults, people with low educational level, and rural residents to improve their health literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]