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In the current study, we evaluated the impacts of organic and chemical fertilizers as well as the foliar application of growth regulators on quantitative traits and seed oil content of safflower grown in northwestern Iran. The experiment was done as a split-plot (3 × 5), and the main plot was assigned to different fertilizers, including organic fertilizer (FYM: farmyard manure 20 t ha-1 ), full chemical fertilizer (FCF) and no fertilization "control" (NF). The sub-plots were allocated to foliar spray treatments, which included control (no-spray application; S0), choline (S1), chitosan (S2) and salicylic acid (S3). The results showed that the application of fertilizers significantly affected the oil and protein content of the seed. However, the effect of FYM was more prominent than FCF on oil qualitative characteristics. A significant positive correlation was observed between oil content, protein content, and some fatty acid composition such as oleic acid, arachidonic acid, stearic acid, and palmitic acid. The highest values of the previously mentioned traits were obtained using FYMS1, FCFS1 and FYMS3. This trend was also clearly obvious in the content of linoleic acid as the main fatty acid in safflower oil. Among the foliar spraying treatments, the most improving effect was obtained with the use of choline. In conclusion, improving soil conditions through the application of FYM and appropriate amounts of chemical fertilizers is one of the most important agronomic management measures to improve the oil quality of safflower seeds.

Background: Trochanteric bursitis is an inflammation of the greater trochanteric bursa which is a recurrent source of lateral hip pain. Objective: To assess the diagnostic value of 6 clinical tests that can be used to diagnose trochanteric bursitis and utilize ultrasound as an imaging modality to confirm the diagnosis. Patients and Methods: This Cross-sectional study included 85 consecutive patients who had been experienced lateral hip pain in the greater trochanteric area for at least 6 weeks with at least one of the following features: pain on lying on the affected side, pain while climbing stairs or when sitting. Six clinical tests on examination that elicit pressure on the greater trochanteric region were performed to evaluate their value to diagnose trochanteric bursitis and then ultrasound was utilized to confirm the diagnosis. Results: A total of 85 participants were enrolled in the study. Tenderness to deep palpation was the most accurate sign in predicting the diagnosis, with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 81.8%. There were no significant differences between its results and the ultra-sonographic findings (p=0.500). Regarding the other tests, there were significant differences between their results and the results of ultrasound (p< 0.001). Conclusion: Tenderness to deep palpation of the greater trochanter, combined with ultrasound imaging modality, is likely to have the best diagnostic value for evaluation of trochanteric bursitis in patients complaining of lateral hip pain around the greater trochanter region.

People generally seek a better life, so most of them migrate to countries and places that help them improve their standard of living or escape from political turmoil and wars. Still, migration may constitute a set of effects on migrants and the countries to which they go. Migration affects some individuals by making it difficult for them to adapt to the nature of life in the new region, especially with the emergence of cultural and social differences, and also many immigrants do not find anything but difficult jobs that take long working hours and low wages complex migration affects countries with high population density, which leads to an increase in the unemployment rate poverty and the emergence of many political and economic consequence. This study seeks many factors and reasons that lead to immigration from the southern and capital of Iraq to Erbil city. The researchers built his information by ddistributing200 questioner and obtained 186 Usable with ignoring 14 nonusable. The result observed that there is no significant correlation between the independent variable (internal migration) and the dependent variable (economic geography), depending on the value of the statistical significance (0.05), whose value was more significant than the level of significance (0.05), and this indicates that internal migration has nothing to do with the changes taking place in economic geography.

Ensieh Ghasemian Lemraski,1 Hossein Jahangirian,2 Maryam Dashti,1 Elaheh Khajehali,3 Soheila Sharafinia,4 Roshanak Rafiee-Moghaddam,2 Thomas J Webster2 1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran; 2Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; 3Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran; 4Department of Chemistry Faculty of Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, IranCorrespondence: Ensieh Ghasemian Lemraski; Hossein Jahangirian Email e.ghasemian@ilam.ac.ir; kamran.jahangirian@gmail.comPurpose: Today, the development of wounds and their side effects has become a problematic issue in medical science research. Hydrogel-based dressings are some of the best candidates for this purpose due to their ability to keep the wound bed clean, as well as provide proper moisture, tissue compatibility and an antimicrobial effect for wound healing. On the other hand, copper and its compounds have been used experimentally for many years in studies as an antimicrobial substance. Various studies have been performed determining the antimicrobial properties of this element, during which significant effects on infection have been shown.Methods: Chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol/copper nanofibers were successfully prepared by incorporating Cu onto a polymer electrospun using an electrospinning technique. A double-layer nanofiber composed of poly(vinyl alcohol) and chitosan incorporated with Cu nanoparticles as a protective layer and a second layer composed of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers which was adjacent to the damaged cells was prepared. The prepared nanofiber was characterized by TGA, FT-IR, TEM, SEM-EDS, and X-ray powder diffraction. The antimicrobial efficiency of the nanofibers was demonstrated through biological tests on some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Finally, the prepared hydrogel formulations were prepared to evaluate their effect on the healing process of rat open wounds.Results: In this study, data from SEM, TEM, EDS, and XRD confirmed the formation of uniform fibers with nanodiameters and the presence of Cu nanoparticles onto the electrospun nanofibers. The antibacterial activity of copper was observed against all of the selected bacteria, but the Gram-positive bacteria were more sensitive compared to Gram-negative bacteria.Conclusion: According to the obtained results, the hydrogel wound dressing prepared in this research can be effective in caring for open wounds in the early stages of wound healing and preventing the occurrence of prolonged open wounds.Keywords: antimicrobial, healing, hydrogel, copper, nanofiber, chitosan

Introduction Anastomotic leakage (AL) is one of the major complications after colorectal surgery. Compromised tissue perfusion at the anastomosis site increases the risk of AL. Several cohort studies have shown that indocyanine green (ICG) combined with fluorescent near-infrared imaging is a feasible and reproducible technique for real-time intraoperative imaging of tissue perfusion, leading to reduced leakage rates after colorectal resection. Unfortunately, these studies were not randomised. Therefore, we propose a randomised controlled trial to assess the value of ICG-guided surgery in reducing AL after colorectal surgery.Methods and analysis A multicentre, randomised controlled clinical trial will be conducted to assess the benefit of ICG-guided surgery in preventing AL. A total of 978 patients scheduled for colorectal surgery will be included. Patients will be randomised between the Fluorescence Guided Bowel Anastomosis group and the Conventional Bowel Anastomosis group. The primary endpoint is clinically relevant AL (defined as requiring active therapeutic intervention or reoperation) within 90 days after surgery. Among the secondary endpoints are 30-day clinically relevant AL, all-cause postoperative complications, all-cause and AL-related mortality, surgical and non-surgical reinterventions, total surgical time, length of hospital stay and all-cause and AL-related readmittance.Ethics and dissemination This protocol has been approved by the Medical Ethical Committee Leiden-Den Haag-Delft (METC-LDD) and is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov and trialregister.nl. The results of this study will be reported through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.Trial registration number NCT04712032; NL7502.

A global network of journalistic networks has transformed investigative journalism over the past two decades, adding layers of collaboration to what was previously an individual pursuit. A recent case of collaborative investigative reporting at its best was a worldwide effort to reveal breaches of tax haven information, through the Panama Papers (2016). As a result of these remarkable accomplishments, study on multi countries partnership is rising. However, it's still unclear how this combining of facilities, connections and time has influenced day-to-day operation. Newsrooms in developing and heritage newsrooms are navigating their patterns and duties while creating new investigative journalistic practices. The Guardian, a mainstream media firm that has worked at both the domestic and international levels, and Bureau Local, a society/neighborhood journalism co-op, are all given as examples. These actors use a language of justification to explain the differences between the old and the new. While "new" ideas become more common with time, notions like cooperation are also becoming element of decision making process, and information and information development take place within the conventional context of reporting.

Negar Firouzabadi,1– 3 Maryam Dashti,1 Ali Dehshahri,4 Ehsan Bahramali5 1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; 2Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; 3Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran; 4Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; 5Digestive Disease Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranCorrespondence: Negar FirouzabadiDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IranTel +98-917-314-5303Fax +98-713-2424128Email nfirouzabadi@yahoo.comObjective: The IL-33/ST2 pathway plays a fundamental role in the cardiovascular system and can be considered as a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment or prevention of cardiovascular diseases. ST2, as an interleukin (IL)-1 receptor family member, has transmembrane (ST2L) and soluble (sST2) isoforms. sST2 neutralizes IL-33 and thereby inhibits the cardioprotective role of IL-33/ST2L signaling pathway. Increase in sST2 level is associated with weak cardiac output and can be a predictor of mortality in heart failure (HF). Thereby, we hypothesized that there may be a relationship between the cardioprotective effects of carvedilol and sST2 and IL-3 in HF patients.Methods: sST2 and IL-33 were measured in serum of 66 individuals; 22 healthy volunteers and 44 suffering from HF; among whom 25 patients received carvedilol and the other 19 patients did not receive any β-blockers.Results: Lack of association between serum levels of IL-33 and sST2 was observed between HF patients and healthy individuals (2.4466 ± 0.69 vs 2.6748 ± 0.33 and 3416.6 ± 1089.1 vs 2971.6 ± 792.5, respectively). Our results indicated no significant difference between sST2 and IL-33 levels in HF patients who did not receive beta-blockers and patients receiving carvedilol (P=0.59 and P=0.97).Conclusion: Our results showed a lack of association between serum levels of IL-33 and sST2 and HF. Moreover, the results do not confirm the cardioprotective mechanism of carvedilol by means of IL-33/sST2 pathway.Keywords: heart failure, IL-33, sST2, carvedilol, β-blocker, biomarker

Mahnaz Mohammadi Kian, 1, 2 Mahdieh Salemi, 1, 2 Mohammad Bahadoran, 3 Atousa Haghi, 1, 4 Nasrin Dashti, 5 Saeed Mohammadi, 1, 2 Shahrbano Rostami, 1, 2 Bahram Chahardouli, 1, 2 Davood Babakhani, 1 Mohsen Nikbakht 1, 2 1Hematology Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2Hematologic Malignancies Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 3Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran; 4Young Researchers & Elite Club Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran; 5Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranCorrespondence: Mohsen NikbakhtHematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranTel +982184902639Fax +982188004140Email m-nikbakht@sina.tums.ac.irNasrin DashtiDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranTel +989123583690Email dashti@tums.ac.irIntroduction: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of blood disorder that exhibits uncontrolled growth and reduced ability to undergo apoptosis. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a family member of transcription factors which promotes carcinogenesis in most human cancers. This effect on AML is accomplished through deregulation of several critical genes, such as B cell lymphoma-extra-large (BCL-XL) which is anti-apoptotic protein. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of curcumin (CUR) and thalidomide (THAL) on apoptosis induction and also the alteration of the mRNA expression level of STAT3 and BCL-XL mRNA on AML cell line compounds.Methods: The growth inhibitory effects of CUR and THAL and their combination were measured by MTT assay in U937 and KG-1 cell lines. The rates of apoptosis induction and cell cycle analysis were measured by concurrent staining with Annexin V and PI. The mRNA expression level of STAT3 and BCL-XL was evaluated by Real-Time PCR.Results: CUR inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in both KG-1 and U937 cells and this effect increased by combination with THAL. The expression level of STAT3 and BCL-XL was significantly down-regulated in KG-1 cells after treatment by CUR and THAL and their combination.Conclusion: Overall, our findings suggested that down-regulation of STAT3 and BCL-XL mRNA expression in response to CUR and THAL treatment lead to inhibition of cell growth and induction of apoptosis.Keywords: acute myeloid leukemia, curcumin, thalidomide, STAT3, Bcl-xL

An important tool in the field of topological data analysis is persistent homology (PH), which is used to encode abstract representations of the homology of data at different resolutions in the form of persistence barcode (PB). Normally, one will obtain one PB from a digital image when using a sublevel-set filtration method. In this work, we built more than one PB representation of a single image based on a landmark selection method, known as local binary patterns (LBP), which encode different types of local texture from a digital image. Starting from the top-left corner of any 3-by-3 patch selected from an input image, the LBP process starts by subtracting the central pixel value from its eight neighboring pixel values. Then, each cell is assigned with 1 if the subtraction outcome is positive, and 0 otherwise, to obtain an 8-bit binary representation. This process will identify a set of landmark pixels to represent 0-simplices and use Vietoris–Rips filtration to obtain its corresponding PB. Using LBP, we can construct up to 56 PBs from a single image if we restrict to only using the binary codes that have two circular transitions between 1 and 0. The information within these 56 PBs contain detailed local and global topological and geometrical information, which can be used to design effective machine learning models. We used four different PB vectorizations, namely, persistence landscapes, persistence images, Betti curves (barcode binning), and PB statistics. We tested the effectiveness of the proposed landmark-based PH on two publicly available breast abnormality detection datasets using mammogram scans. The sensitivity and specificity of the landmark-based PH obtained was over 90% and 85%, respectively, in both datasets for the detection of abnormal breast scans. Finally, the experimental results provide new insights on using different PB vectorizations with sublevel set filtrations and landmark-based Vietoris–Rips filtration from digital mammogram scans.

Background and objective: Compounds having imine or azomethine (–C=N–) functional group are known as Schiff bases. Schiff bases compounds are found to be an active pharmacophore for the design and development of various bioactive lead compounds. In this study, several new Schiff base compounds have been synthesized and characterized. Methods: Williamson ether synthesis process has been used to synthesize -alkyloxy and substituted benzyloxy of benzaldehyde. Differently substituted ether benzaldehydes used to react with 4-amino-1,5-dimethyl-2-phenyl-1,2-dihydro-3H-pyrazol-3-one in one hand and 1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-amine on the other hand to produce Schiff base compounds. Results: Synthesized ether derivative compounds (3a-e) were converted to new series of Schiff bases (4a-e and 5a-e) by condensation of equal molar amounts of compounds (3a-e) with different heterocyclic amines dissolved in absolute ethanol. All synthesized compounds were confirmed by (IR, 1H-NMR, and 13CNMR) spectroscopy. All synthesized compounds were evaluated for antibacterial activities in vitro against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Conclusion: All compounds were purely synthesized, and all compounds were indicated growth inhibition against Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively with different inhibition zones staring from 13 to 33 mm.

Background: The incidence of thyroid disorders is more prevalent in type 1 diabetes compared to type 2 diabetes, due to associated autoimmune disorders. Physiological and biochemical interconnection between type 1 diabetes mellitus and autoimmune thyroid disease is now stimulating subject of study. Objectives: The objective was to assess the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among type 2 diabetic Kurdish females and to explore the correlation between metabolic syndrome components and autoimmune thyroid abnormality. Materials and Methods: The study included 60 type 2 diabetic Kurdish females and 30 sex- and age-matched controls. All patients in the study were exposed to anthropometric characteristics, including HbA1c, lipid profile, serum uric acid, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO), and anti-thyroglobulin (anti-Tg). Results: Primary hypothyroidism was found in 24 (40%) diabetic patients (5.67 ± 3.35 μIU/mL) versus three (10%) controls (1.76 ± 1.19 μIU/mL) (P < 0.001). Anti-TPO was found in 66.7% (367.21 ± 234.53) of diabetic patients versus 10% (31.78 ± 32.14) of controls (P > 0.001). Anti-Tg was found in 60% (499.98 ± 358.14) of diabetic patients versus 0 (53.27 ± 36.23) controls (P > 0.001). A significant positive relationship was estimated between both TPO antibodies and Tg antibodies and TSH (P = 0.05 and P = 0.001, respectively) in diabetic patients. Conclusion: Autoimmune thyroid disorder is more prevalent in Kurdish women with type 2 diabetes than nondiabetic women, and thus points to a role of autoimmunity in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.

Sex-biased psychophysiology, behavior, brain function, and conditions are extensive, yet underlying structural brain mechanisms remain unclear. There is contradicting evidence regarding sexual dimorphism when it comes to brain structure, and there is still no consensus on whether or not there exists such a dimorphism for brain white matter. Therefore, we conducted a voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis along with global volume analysis for white matter across sex. We analyzed 384 T1-weighted MRI brain images (192 male, 192 female) to investigate any differences in white matter (WM) between males and females. In the VBM analysis, we found males to have larger WM, compared to females, in occipital, temporal, insular, parietal, and frontal brain regions. In contrast, females showed only one WM region to be significantly larger than males: the right postcentral gyrus in the parietal lobe region. Although, on average, males showed larger global WM volume, we did not find any significant difference in global WM volume between males and females.

Mediterranean semi-arid regions in northwestern Iran receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration and are characterised by excessive heat and terminal drought stress. Exogenous application of some nanoparticles and growth regulators appears to alleviate the adverse effects of abiotic stress and improve plant performance. In the present paper, an attempt is made to evaluate the effects of foliar application of salicylic acid (SA), glycine betaine (GB), ascorbic acid (AA), nano-silica (nSiO2) and nano titanium dioxide (nTiO2) suspensions on growth and yield components of sunflower (cv. Azargol) in the semi-arid highland region of Maragheh, Iran. Plants were grown under rain-fed conditions with supplemental irrigation applied three times during the reproductive growth stages of growth. The results revealed that foliar application of SA considerably improved head diameter, chlorophyll content of plant leaves, and days to flowering, while it delayed physiological maturity for a fairly long time. Evaluation of the achene yield component indicated that application of GB significantly increased the weight of achenes when compared with other treatments. The percentage of empty achenes was considerably affected by treatments, the lowest percentage of hollow achenes being recorded for plants sprayed with GB, followed by ones sprayed with AA and nTiO2. The percentage of oil in sunflower achenes was substantially increased by foliar application of nano particles, the highest oil percentage being recorded in plants treated with nTiO2. The results also showed that the highest number of achenes per head, greatest kernel weight, and largest achene size were obtained by spraying with nanoparticle suspensions. Although all treatments improved the achene yield, the effect of nTiO2 was most prominent. The results of the present experiment support the conclusion that foliar application of nanoparticles may alleviate adverse environmental factors and improve the performance of plants in semi-arid regions.

Abstract Head lice infestations are the most prominent ectoparasitic infection in the world, including Iran, particularly among school children. Recently, numerous cases of infestation have been reported in various provinces of the country. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of head louse infestations and analyze kdr gene sequences in terms of resistance mutations in the Torbat-e Heydarieh, Mahvelat, and Zaveh cities of Khorasan Razavi Province, Northeast Iran. The data related to the epidemiological and demographic history of head lice populations were extracted from their medical records and analyzed in Excel software. After extracting the genomic DNA, the kdr fragment was amplified using specific primers. The sequences were also analyzed using bioinformatics software. The prevalence of head louse infestations was 1.59% and 1.7% during 2016 and 2017, respectively. Sequence analysis revealed the frequency distribution of two kdr haplotypes, I and V, in the study areas. The increase in head louse infestations in recent years and the simultaneous presence of kdr mutations indicate the need for new treatments and monitoring/controlling resistance to head louse insecticides.

Background: Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) is a condition that affects fertility by reducing the reproductive potential of the ovary. The altered expression profile of cumulus cells (CCs) can negatively affect the quality and quantity of oocytes in the ovaries. Recent studies suggest that circulating miRNAs play a significant role in the ovary function, and their serum expression changes can be valuable biomarkers for predicting ovarian function. Objective: Investigating the expression levels of circulating miRNA-4463 and its target cytochrome P450 19A1 gene (CYP19A1) in DOR-CCs in order to find a molecular pathway involved in DOR. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, a total of 20 DOR-women and 20 women with normal ovarian reservation aged between 20–34 yr referred to Yazd Reproductive Science Institute, Yazd, Iran were included in the study. Serum and CCs were collected, and real time-polymerase chain reaction was performed to investigate the expression level of miR-4463, and its target gene CYP19A1. Results: Our results showed an inverse relationship between miR-4463 and CYP19A1 expression levels. Therefore, the increase in the expression of miR-4463 was significantly evident in DOR-women compared to the control group (p = 0.0019), while the expression of its target gene, CYP19A1, has significantly decreased in these women (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The present study suggests that miR-4463 and CYP19A1 pathways could regulate ovary function. Therefore, examination of this miRNA could be a promising parameter for predicting ovarian reserve and their response to stimulation protocols.

Background: Diastasis of Rectus Abdominis (DRA) is a frequent problem that affects women during pregnancy and postpartum. The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of static and dynamic plank exercise on Inter-Recti Distance (IRD) in postpartum women.Methods: This semi-experimental study included 30 postpartum women with DRA who were randomly divided into static plank (N=10), dynamic plank (N=10) and control group (n=10). Exercise groups implemented the plank exercise three times weekly for six weeks in Sari, Iran from April to May 2023. Ultrasound imaging was recorded to measure IRD in three locations, center of umbilicus (reference point), three cm above and three cm below umbilicus. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare the effect of static and dynamic plank exercise on IRD.Results: IRD significantly decreased in static (29 mm vs 27/4 mm, P=0.001) and dynamic (30.1 mm vs 27 mm, P=0.001) plank groups after exercise. IRD did not significantly differ between static and dynamic groups at post-test (P=0.420). However, the percentage of the change was greater in dynamic (10.33%) compared with the static (5.51%) group. A significant difference was observed between the dynamic and control groups (P=0.001).Conclusion: The findings revealed that both types of plank exercise could cause narrowing of IRD in postpartum women. However, based on the percentage of change, incorporating additional movements such as abduction and rotation in dynamic plank, which could produce more muscle activity, yielded greater reduction in IRD compared with static plank.

Abstract The ongoing increase in wild boar populations across Europe has fostered human–wildlife conflicts, including the transmission of emerging pathogens with zoonotic importance. Blastocystis is a ubiquitous, faecal-oral transmitted protist that can cause gastrointestinal illnesses and is observed in humans and animals worldwide. The role of wildlife in the epidemiology of Blastocystis is insufficiently understood. Thus, we investigated the occurrence and subtype diversity of Blastocystis in free-ranging wild boars from the Iberian Peninsula using conventional PCR and next-generation amplicon sequencing of a fragment of the ssu RNA gene. A total of 459 wild boar faecal samples were collected across Spain (n = 360) and Portugal (n = 99) between 2014 and 2021. Blastocystis was present in 15.3% (70/459; 95% CI 12.1–18.9) of the wild boars analysed, and its occurrence was significantly higher in Portugal (34.3%, 34/99; 95% CI 25.1–44.6) than in Spain (10.0%, 36/360; 95% CI 7.1–13.6). Seven Blastocystis subtypes (ST5, ST10b, ST13–ST15, ST24b, and ST43) were detected among the surveyed wild boar populations, with greater variability detected in Portuguese samples. ST5 was identified in all the Blastocystis-positive animals, whereas 14.3% of them harboured ST mixed colonisations. Our results demonstrate that Blastocystis ST5 is particularly adapted to infect wild boars. The additional identification of zoonotic STs reinforces the role of wild boars as spreaders of zoonotic infections with public health significance.

Purpose: Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching is considered a clinically effective way to enhance muscle properties; however, rare information exists about its effect on muscle flexibility and strength of the patients with stroke. To investigate the efficacy of PNF exercise on lower extremity muscle flexibility and strength after stroke. Methods: Twenty-four men with stroke were chosen for the current study and assigned to two groups, PNF (n=12, mean age=59.3) and control group (n=12, mean age=58.7). Both groups received conventional rehabilitation three times a week for two months, while the PNF group received an additional 20-minute contract-relax (CR) method of PNF exercises during each session. Gastrocnemius and hamstring flexibility have been measured pre- and post-intervention by wall lunge and active straight leg raising (aSLR) tests, respectively. Additionally, hamstring and quadriceps strength has been measured pre- and post-intervention by a hand-held dynamometer. A 2×2 mixed repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) was utilized to analyze data. Results: Significant interaction of time x group was found for hamstring flexibility (F=33.24, P

Abstract Background Despite successful efforts to eliminate measles in Iran, imported measles cases continue to be reported. Because measles is endemic in neighboring countries. This research aims to evaluate the risk of measles transmission in different regions of Iran. Methods Measles case-based surveillance data of the Expanded Program of Immunization containing 31 provinces and 463 districts from 2019 to 2021 were assessed. The WHO Measles Programmatic Risk Assessment tool was used to evaluate the risk of disease transmission in four domains: population immunity, surveillance quality, program delivery performance, and threat assessment. scores were categorized as low, medium, high, or very high risk. Results During 2019–2021, the average incidence of measles was 1.9 per 1 million. Chabahar and Mashhad with 76 and ./6per million reported the highest and lowest incidence respectively. All 463 districts were categorized as low risk in risk assessment. Andimeshk, Chabahar, and Bojnurd obtained the highest risk scores with 27, 24, and 25 respectively. All districts were classified as low risk for population immunity. The average coverage of (MMR1) and (MMR2) was 95% or higher. All districts received the minimum points for surveillance quality. Conclusion All regions are placed at a low level of disease transmission risk. However, the tool is not able to assess the risk at the rural or peripheral sectors level. The indicators used in this tool are the same for all countries with different epidemiological features (elimination, endemic). Sensitivity analysis can optimize the use of this tool for countries with different disease conditions.

AIM: To investigate the effect of using base-out prisms on nystagmus, visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in patients with albinism. METHODS: In this interventional study, patients with albinism who had nystagmus were enrolled. A comprehensive eye exam was conducted, which included refraction, assessment of far and near vision acuity, and contrast sensitivity measurements. To check for the nystagmus, a videonystagmography was used. The tests were carried out in three modes: without any correction, with optical correction, and with correction using base-out prisms in three different powers, including 4, 6, and 8 prism diopters. RESULTS: Totally 23 patients with average age of 28.65±12.13 were examined. It was found that the use of optical correction and optical correction with prisms resulted in a statistically significant improvement in both far (at least: P

Abstract The power line insulators are permanently exposed to various environmental pollutants such as dust and fine particles. This may lead to flashovers and therefore widespread power blackouts and heavy economic damage. One way to overcome this problem is to make the insulator surface superhydrophobic. In this research, the superhydrophobic properties of the insulators were improved by applying room-temperature cured composite coatings consisting of epoxy and hydrophobic nano-silica particles. Either octadecyl trichlorosilane (ODTS) or hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) was used to coat the silica nanoparticles and make them hydrophobic. Then, the hydrophobic silica was added to a mixture of epoxy resin and hardener. The suspension was applied on the surfaces of a commercial porcelain insulator and cold cured at ambient temperature. The coating increased the water contact angle from 50° to 149°. Even after 244 h exposure to the UV light, the samples preserved their hydrophobic properties. The adhesion of the coating was rated as 4B according to the ASTM D3359 standard. The coating decreased the leakage current by 40% and increased the breakdown voltage by 86% compared to the uncoated sample and showed promise for making power line insulators self-cleaning.

Abstract Budesonide (BDS) a steroid-based anti-inflammatory drug widely prescribed for various diseases, has a low aqueous solubility. In this study, we investigated cosolvency approach to study the thermodynamic specifications related to the solubility of BDS at the temperature range of 293.2–313.2 K in (1-propanol + water) mixtures applying the shaking flask method. The predictive power of different mathematical models for experimental data in the cosolvency systems was evaluated. For this purpose, the linear and nonlinear mathematical equations such as van’t Hoff model (as a linear model), Buchowski-Ksiazczak equation (as a non-linear), CNIBS/R–K and MRS models (as a linear model for solvent composition at an isothermal condition), modified Wilson model (as a non-linear model for isothermal condition), the Jouyban-Acree model (as a model that considers temperature and solvent composition), and Jouyban-Acree-van’t Hoff model (as a model with no further input data) were studied. Also, the Williams-Amidon excess Gibbs energy model was investigated. In addition, the related apparent thermodynamics of the BDS dissolution process in the desired temperature such as Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, and entropy, were computed by the corresponding equations. Moreover, based on the inverse Kirkwood-Buff integrals, it is demonstrated that BDS is preferentially solvated by water in water-rich mixtures. The accuracy of the fitness was evaluated with mean relative deviations (MRDs%) for back-calculated molar BDS solubility data. The result showed that the maximum solubility of BDS was obtained at 0.7 mass fraction of 1-propanol at all temperatures. Thermodynamic studies demonstrated that BDS dissolution procedures were obtained as endothermic and entropy-driven in almost all cases. The overall MRDs% values for the back-computed BDS solubility in the aqueous mixture of 1-propanol based on van’t Hoff model, Buchowski-Ksiazczak equation, CNIBS/R–K model, modified Wilson model, Jouyban-Acree model, Jouyban-Acree-van’t Hoff model, MRS model, and Williams-Amidon excess Gibbs energy model were found 1.93%, 1.80%, 11.68%, 33.32%, 12.30%, 9.24%, 10.70%, and 6.57%, respectively. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Objective The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare education is inevitable. Understanding the proficiency of generative AI in different languages to answer complex questions is crucial for educational purposes. The study objective was to compare the performance ChatGPT-4 and Gemini in answering Virology multiple-choice questions (MCQs) in English and Arabic, while assessing the quality of the generated content. Both AI models’ responses to 40 Virology MCQs were assessed for correctness and quality based on the CLEAR tool designed for evaluation of AI-generated content. The MCQs were classified into lower and higher cognitive categories based on the revised Bloom’s taxonomy. The study design considered the METRICS checklist for the design and reporting of generative AI-based studies in healthcare. Results ChatGPT-4 and Gemini performed better in English compared to Arabic, with ChatGPT-4 consistently surpassing Gemini in correctness and CLEAR scores. ChatGPT-4 led Gemini with 80% vs. 62.5% correctness in English compared to 65% vs. 55% in Arabic. For both AI models, superior performance in lower cognitive domains was reported. Both ChatGPT-4 and Gemini exhibited potential in educational applications; nevertheless, their performance varied across languages highlighting the importance of continued development to ensure the effective AI integration in healthcare education globally.

The porosity and permeability distribution in four layers of the Cretaceous Ilam Formation was simulated using optimized artificial intelligent algorithms based on conventional logging data of 50 wells in Mansuri oil field in Iran. First, the neutron porosity, interval transit time and density wireline logs in five key wells with core data were used as input parameters to calculate porosity and permeability of the reservoirs using backpropagation artificial neural network (BP neural network) and Support Vector Regression methods, and based on the correlation between the calculated results and the core tested results, BP neural network method was taken to do the physical property calculation. Then, the porosity and permeability distribution of the four layers were modeled using kriging geostatistical algorithms. The results show that Layers 2.1 and 2.2 are high in porosity, Layers 1, 2.1 and 2.2 are high in permeability, while Layer 3 is not reservoir; and the porosity and permeability are higher in the north and lower in the south on the whole. Key words: reservoir, physical property modeling, BP neural network, Support Vector Regression, Mansuri oil field, Zagros region

Abstract Background The accuracy of spelling in Electronic Health Records (EHRs) is a critical factor for efficient clinical care, research, and ensuring patient safety. The Persian language, with its abundant vocabulary and complex characteristics, poses unique challenges for real-word error correction. This research aimed to develop an innovative approach for detecting and correcting spelling errors in Persian clinical text. Methods Our strategy employs a state-of-the-art pre-trained model that has been meticulously fine-tuned specifically for the task of spelling correction in the Persian clinical domain. This model is complemented by an innovative orthographic similarity matching algorithm, PERTO, which uses visual similarity of characters for ranking correction candidates. Results The evaluation of our approach demonstrated its robustness and precision in detecting and rectifying word errors in Persian clinical text. In terms of non-word error correction, our model achieved an F1-Score of 90.0% when the PERTO algorithm was employed. For real-word error detection, our model demonstrated its highest performance, achieving an F1-Score of 90.6%. Furthermore, the model reached its highest F1-Score of 91.5% for real-word error correction when the PERTO algorithm was employed. Conclusions Despite certain limitations, our method represents a substantial advancement in the field of spelling error detection and correction for Persian clinical text. By effectively addressing the unique challenges posed by the Persian language, our approach paves the way for more accurate and efficient clinical documentation, contributing to improved patient care and safety. Future research could explore its use in other areas of the Persian medical domain, enhancing its impact and utility.

This paper undertakes an interdisciplinary study of the short story “Dash Akol” and the movie adapted from it. “Dash Akol” is a short story written by a famous Iranian author Sadeq Hedayat in 1932. Hedayat’s “Dash Akol” was made into a movie in 1971 by Masoud Kimiai. There are some discrepancies between the short story “Dash Akol” and the movie, triggering a number of significant implications. This article discusses these discrepancies along with Hedayat’s and Kimiai’s narrative techniques. To this end, it applies Genett’s (1988) Narrative Discourse and his three main narrative methods: narrating, characterization, and focalization. Meanwhile, it brings in Rimmon-Kenen’s (2002) strategy to study characters, and Stam and Burgoyne and Flitterman-lewis (2005) to show the ways in which the movie has deviated from the story. In terms of characterization, it studies traits such as, action, speech, naming and setting.