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The unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are widely used for agricultural monitoring due to reduce the cost and time of crop monitoring via the acquisition of images with high spatial-temporal resolution. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is the most widely studied and used for mapping crop growth. A relatively expensive multispectral sensor is required to produce an NDVI map. The visible vegetation indices (VIs) derived from UAV images showed potential capabilities for predicting crop growth. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the RGB indices to monitor the growth of the rice crop. The images were obtained from the study area by DJI PM4 multispectral UAV. The multispectral images were used to calculate NDVI as a reference vegetation index and different RGB indices were implemented and compared with the reference index. The results showed that RGB indices can be used as the vegetation index in the case of unavailable multispectral images.

Environmental and human health requirements necessitate replacing chemical herbicides with natural ones for weed control. Allelopathy is a form of interaction among plants that may assist in producing natural herbicides, but less research has been conducted in this important area. Allelopathic effects of extracts of five drought-tolerant plant species widely used in urban landscapes were examined using five completely randomized design experiments with four replications. The species were Rosmarinus officinalis, Lavandula officinalis, Salvia sclarea, Atriplex halimus, and Atriplex canescens. The plant species' soluble extracts were prepared at 0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5%. The seeds' germination percentage and rates of Taraxacum officinale, Conyza canadensis, and Tragopogon major were measured daily after being affected by these extracts. Increasing the concentrations of all the extract types was associated with germination percentages and rate declines. The most outstanding allelopathic effects were related to Atriplex halimus and Salvia sclarea extracts, respectively. Tragopogon major was considered the most sensitive weed species in reducing its germination rate when affected by the landscape plant extracts, except for R. officinalis extract. The reduction in germination percentage of T. major and C. canadensis under A. halimus extract compared to the control was the highest. A. halimus and S. sclarea extracts can be used as natural weed controllers for important weeds such as Taraxacum officinale.

In this paper, we investigate the entanglement dynamics of a two qutrits system interacting with a spin environment. Using negativity as the entanglement measure, we study the entanglement dynamics of the system. The calculations show that in cases where the entanglement decays quickly, the environment will have a quantum phase transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperatures, low average rainfall, drought, and high evapotranspiration are limiting factors in arid lands. Therefore, when constructing landscapes (green spaces) in these regions, strategies should be developed to mitigate these climatic influences. One practical strategy is utilizing different types of mulches on the surface of the soil. This study was conducted as a randomized complete block design experiment with four replications during 2014 and 2015 to examine the performance of organic and inorganic mulches as non-living mulches and ground cover plants as living mulches. Ground cover plants were Carpobrotus sp., Potentilla reptans, Vinca minor, Frankenia sp. and a mixed turfgrass. Non-living mulches were turfgrass clippings, wood chips, sawdust, gravel, rubble and scoria (volcanic rock). Bare soil was used as the control treatment. The results demonstrated the application of mulches could modify soil temperature at 5 and 15 cm depths in different seasons of the year. The living mulches especially Carpobrotus sp. and turfgrass reduced the temperature more than the non-living mulches. The soil covered with sawdust and wood chips preserved soil moisture content over the soil covered with other types of mulches. It would appear the selected mulches could decrease the irrigation intervals through increased water holding capacity of the soil. The outcomes of this research could assist landscape managers operating in extreme climate conditions of arid and semi-arid regions to advance the management of soil moisture and temperatures with the objective to improve sustainability.

Creating sustainable landscapes especially in arid climates is a significant challenge. To achieve sustainable landscapes, some strategies such as using native plants and soil mulches have been suggested. This study aimed to examine the quality and growth response of the native tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) compared with the corresponding commercial cultivar (Festuca arundinacea ‘Jaguar’) under different planting mulches in their planting and early growth stage in arid climate Mashhad city located in the northeast of Iran. Seeds of commercial cultivar and native species of Festuca arundinacea were sown in a sandy loam texture soil and four mulch treatments including vermicompost, leaf compost, cow manure and sand as control, were applied to cover the seeds. The result showed that the native species had greener color and narrower leaves compared to the commercial cultivar but its other NTEP (National Turfgrass Evaluation Program) traits including density, uniformity, establishment, softness of grass surface, quality after clipping, and total quality was lower than that in the commercial cultivar. Using vermicompost as the planting mulch (top dressing or cover mulch at the time of planting of the turfgrass) significantly improved all of the traits in the native species. Vermicompost increased the percentage of grass coverage, clipping dry weight, and the plant height and decreased the leaf width of plants and number and percentage of weeds. Utilizing native species of tall fescue with vermicompost as the planting mulch can promise as quality lawn as their commercial cultivar for native urban landscaping in Iran.

Considering a large number of cities located in arid and semi-arid climatic regions of the world with limited water resources, reducing water consumption and maintenance costs is an important research and implementation priority in urban landscaping. In other words, reducing the high costs of irrigation, increasing water use efficiency and reducing weed competition are important factors in achieving sustainable green spaces in arid and semiarid regions. Application of mulches is one of the suggested strategies for maintaining bed moisture and weed control. In this research, the effects of organic and inorganic mulches on the performance of the flowering plant of Blanket flower (Gaillardia sp.) were investigated in the arid climate city of Mashhad located in the northeast of Iran. The experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with three replications. The four mulch treatments included wood chips, scoria, pine leaves, polyethylene as a layer mulch, and no mulch as the control. The polyethylene mulch inhibited the weed growth up to 100%, and other mulch types also significantly reduced the percentage of the weed coverage (p≤0.01). Application of pine leaves delayed the flowering for seven days while polyethylene caused an early flowering to six days compared to the control. Using different mulch types in water shortage conditions of urban landscapes in arid and semi-arid regions is recommended.

Application of green walls still has not attracted interest among the contractors and people, and this can be due to poor growing performance of the plants on these systems. This study investigated the effect of four growing media types (30% cocopeat + 65% perlite + 5% vermicompost, 30% soil + 65% perlite + 5% vermicompost, 30% mushroom compost + 65% perlite + 5% vermicompost and regular soil as the control) on the performance of three plant species (Frankenia thymfolia, Vinca minor, and Potentilla sp.) on green walls under arid climate of Mashhad city in Iran. In the control growing medium with no organic matter, Frankenia maintained the highest moisture and the lowest temperature compared to the other growing media types. The growing media did not affect the root and shoot fresh and dry weight and leaf relative water content of the Frankenia. Vinca minor in the cocopeat and mushroom compost produced the highest root fresh and dry weight; however, changing to the growing media types enriched with organic matter content did not affect the shoots fresh and dry weight of this plant type. The growing media containing organic matters compared to the control growing medium, improved relative water content of the Potentilla leaves. The growing media containing organic matters, especially mushroom compost, had positive effects on improving the growth performance of the green walls, through maintaining the moisture content of the media, and thus the relative water content of the leaves, which enhanced vitality of the plants.

Kinetic models are the most important instruments for predicting and evaluating the performance of flotation circuits. To determine the kinetic order and rate of flotation of a gilsonite sample, flotation experiments were carried out in both rougher and cleaner stages. Experiments conducted using the combinations of petroleum-MIBC, gas oil-pine oil, and one test without any collector and frother. Five first order kinetic models were applied to the data obtained from the flotation tests by using the Matrix Laboratory software. Statistical analysis showed that the classic first order model perfectly matched the rougher and cleaner results performed using petroleum-MIBC combination. The kinetic constants (k) were calculated as 0.04 (s-1) and 0.01 (s-1) for the rougher and cleaner, respectively. Rougher and cleaner tests without collector and frother also matched with the modified gas/solid adsorption and rectangular models with the k values of 0.05 (s-1), and 0.01 (s-1), respectively. The relationship between flotation rate constant, maximum combustible recovery and particle size were also studied. The results showed that the maximum flotation combustible recovery and flotation rate were obtained with an intermediate particle size both in the rougher and cleaner flotation processes. The combustible recovery and flotation rate in the rougher flotation process were higher than that in the cleaner flotation process.

Creating water-conserving turfgrasses using superabsorbents in soil is a challenge especially in arid environments because their related soil and plant’s behavior is still less known. This research investigated soil moisture content and physiological characteristics of Lolium perenne L. ‘Chadegan’ (perennial ryegrass) and Festuca arundinacea (tall fescue), in the absence (control treatment) or presence of four superabsorbent types. The superabsorbents were Zeolite (zero and 10% wt), Bentonite (zero and 6%wt), Aquasorb (zero and 6 g/m2) and Boloorab (zero and 50 g/m2). The experiment was factorial based on a randomized complete block design with four replications. A one-month stop on irrigation occurred after the first five-month full irrigation regime to simulate drought stress conditions. The results showed tall fescue had higher leaf relative water content, lower relative electrolyte leakage and lower relative saturation deficit than that in perennial ryegrass after applying the drought stress. However, tall fescue had higher chlorophyll content than this factor in the ryegrass. Aquasorb and then Bentonite were able to improve the fresh weight and dry weight in roots and shoots under drought stress conditions compared to the control treatment. Using Aquasorb was associated with better physiological characters in the turfgrasses and higher water content in the soil. Overall, under drought stress conditions, planting tall fescue in a soil containing Aquazorb promised a better quality turfgrass for urban green spaces.

Application[Editor 321] of biotic growth regulators (e.g. humic components) and appropriate mulches is recommended to improve turfgrass quality especially in arid andsemi-arid climate zones. However, limited number of studies have investigated their effect on lawn establishment. To investigate the effect of humic acid (HA) and selected mulches on characteristics of Festuca arundinacea in its planting stage, a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized block design with three replications was performed. The first factor was mulch types including vermicompost, leaf compost, cow manure,[Editor 322] and sand (control) which were used to cover the seeds. The second factor was a HA solution (100 ml l-1) sprayed monthly over the period of the experiment. Plant height, fresh and dry weight of lawn clippings, photosynthetic index, leaf texture, and overall turfgrass quality were measured. Spraying HA significantly improved the measured factors except the dry weight and photosynthetic index of the plants. Among the mulches, vermicompost provided better impressions on improving the characteristics of this turfgrass species including 48% increase in fresh weight, 18% increase in height, 48% increase in total quality, and 10% reduction in leaf width of the turfgrass. This research can assist in developing knowledge for having high quality lawns in urban landscapes of arid and semi-arid environments.

Petroleum coke contains high amounts of carbon and is used in the manufacturing of anode electrodes for the aluminum extraction. In the process of aluminum production, some particles separate from anodes as waste which contain petroleum coke. Therefore, recycling and processing of these petroleum coke particles is the subject of this study. The ash content reduced to 31% and 13% in the jig and shaking table concentrate, respectively. These two steps were considered as the pre-processing methods and heavy media separation was used to decrease the ash content much more. Finally, flotation was performed in order to purify the particles with the size of less than one millimeter.

Developing strategies to tackle water stress in lawns in arid climate regions is significantly important. In such conditions, using growing media amendments as well as native plants can relieve drought stress in different growing stages of the plants. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of some types of soil amendments on the emergence and early seedling establishment of tall fescue (Festuca arundinecea Schreb ‘GazBorkhar ecotype’) under water stress conditions. The experiment was performed in a factorial trial based on a completely randomized design with three replications. The first factor, water stress, was applied based on field capacity (FC) at three levels (80% FC (control), 60% FC and 40% FC). The second factor, growing media amendments, was applied at nine levels of municipal solid waste (MSW), vermicompost (5% and 10% w/w), Stockosorb® (1% and 3% w/w) or zeolite superabsorbent (4% and 8% w/w) which were mixed with loam soil, and the loam soil was used as a control treatment. Theresults showed that using an irrigation system at 60% FC during seed emergence and early seedling growth did not reduce the quality of the turf grass, and also, in many cases, led to a higher quality lawn compared to the control, leading to water saving in turf grass management. Using MSW and manure vermicompost as soil amendments could maintain soil moisture and water supplement for the improvement of morphological, physiological and visual quality of this ecotype of Festuca arundinacea Schreb.

In this dataset we integrated figures related to bacterial transformation using pBI121 plasmid and complementary analysis for magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) characterizations. The structural map of pBI121 plasmid was drawn by Vector NTI software using the complete sequence of binary vector pBI121. Escherichia coli bacteria transformed using pBI121 plasmid and were grown on the selection media containing kanamycin. MNPs were characterized by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Finally, the overall efficiency of different MNPs (Fe3O4, Fe3O4/SiO2, Fe3O4/SiO2/TiO2) in plasmid DNA isolation was compared using gel electrophoresis analysis. The data supplied in this article supports the accompanying publication “Comparative study of three magnetic nano-particles (FeSO4, FeSO4/SiO2, FeSO4/SiO2/TiO2) in plasmid DNA extraction” (H. Rahnama, A. Sattarzadeh, F. Kazemi, N. Ahmadi, F. Sanjarian, Z. Zand, 2016) [1].

Mulches are relatively new landscape components and are becoming recognized for their environmental and aesthetic outcomes on urban landscapes especially in arid environments. However, the effects of mulches on landscape plants have not been extensively discussed. This study examined the effects of organic and inorganic mulches on the performance of a widely used herbaceous drought tolerant flowering plant, Zinnia elegans, toward low maintenance landscaping. This study was designed as a randomized complete block design with three replications. Four widely commercially available and utilized mulches, including wood chips, pine needles, scoria (volcanic stone) and black polyethylene were used as the treatment mulches. The study contained plots with only bare soil as the control. The results showed that utilizing the selected mulches demonstrated positive effects on the plant growth, and increased the fresh and dry weight of shoots (p

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: One of the factors affecting dermatophyte is hormonal factors, in which atopic dermatitis is more common in adult women. Since one of the psychotic problems regarding reproductive performance of women is premenstrual syndrome, in this study, the association between premenstrual syndrome and atopic dermatitis in reproductive age women was investigated. METHODS: This case-control study was performed on 82 women aged between 15 and 49 years old in two groups of atopic dermatitis referring to Skin Clinic of Sina Hospital in Tehran and control group including healthy women for atopic dermatitis. Demographic questionnaire and (PSST) Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Test (with score 42-0) were completed and evaluated by both groups. FINDINGS: The mean age of subjects in the case group was 17.17 ± 4.45 and in the control group was 27.29 ± 8.03 years. The results showed by controlling the possible confounding factors as age, occupation and marital status the probability of having moderate or severe premenstrual syndrome in patients with atopic dermatitis is 13.26 (OR= 13.26, 95% CI: 3.31, 53.07), as compared with healthy subjects. CONCLUSION: The results showed that there is a strong relationship between moderate to severe menstrual syndrome and atopic dermatitis in women.

Coaxial couplers with high input RF power, usually operated at 500 MHz, are one of the critical components used in accelerators. To withstand high RF power, the couplers should be tested first, under identical conditions in a test stand. A waveguide coupled to a coaxial cable is used for this purpose. The parameter that indicates the amount of returned power loss is S11. By optimizing the dimensions of the proposed model this parameter can be reduced.​​ ​MATLAB program has special and powerful tools to optimize the models which are simulated in CST STUDIO SUITE. In this paper the details of how MATLAB can control CST is described. Using MATLAB to control CST, the optimization of the coaxial coupler coupling 1800 waveguide is carried out.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Whooping cough is an acute contagious human respiratory disease especially in infants and children and is one of the ten major causes of death from infectious diseases. Despite reducing the risk due to vaccination with killed bacteria pathogen (Bordetella pertussis), increased disease emerged in recent decades indicates re-emerging due caused by genetic diversity of bacteria and the insufficiency of current vaccines. Therefore, the design of new and effective vaccines based on common strains of the population is essential. In this study the prevalent strain Iranian B.pertussis strains has been selected for gene amplification of pertussis toxin (PTX), the most important antigen of bacteria. The toxicity of the PTX related to its enzymatic activity therefore by site directed mutagenesis, the effective residues in the active site of the enzyme has been changed and the inactive and safe recombinant was produced. METHODS: Bacterial strain used in this study to determine the genome and gene amplification was selected from pathogenic strains isolated from Iranian patients from the pertussis reference laboratory of Microbiology of the Pasteur Institute of Iran. Genomic DNA was extracted by kit, ptx- s1(the enzymatic fragment of PTX) fragments amplified and inserted in pUC18. Site directed mutagenic primers were used for substitution of Arg 9 by Lys and Glu129 by Gly. The confirmed mutant ptx- s1 (mptx-s1) was sub-cloned into expression vector pET15b. The expression of recombinant protein in E.coli BL21 was induced by 0.5mM IPTG. The expression was analyzed by SDS-PAGE and immuno-blotting. The protein was puifird by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography under denature condition. FINDINGS: Sequencing data and restriction enzyme analysis confirmed the gene constructing and mutations. The presence of a 28 kDa band in SDS-PAGE and immunoblot showed the expression of mutant PTX. The concentration of recombinant protein was 0.36 mg/ml. CONCLUSION: The Recombinant protein which was obtained in this study provided the possibility of designing acellular vaccines on the basis of important antigens of prevalent strain of B.pertussis in Iran.

This study aimed to investigate the forming limit diagrams (FLDs), mechanical properties, and bending behavior of the three kinds of sandwich composites. The core layer in all sandwich sheets consisted of polyethylene, and just the skin layers were chosen to be AA5754 or AA3105. The results showed that the sandwich sheets are an appropriate choice to be used instead of the monometallic sheets. According to the 3-point bending test results, the flexural strength of the AL 3105/Polyethylene/AL 3105 sandwich composite is about 30 percent less than the AA3105 monometallic layer. Also, the formability of the metallic sandwich composites with non-identical skin layers was studied. The results demonstrated that using one layer AA 3105 and one layer AA5754 instead of AA5754 for both skin layers, although formability decreased about 11% in the plane strain region, the cost of fabricating the composite was decreased sheet reduces almost 75%. As a result, using skin layers with the different grades of aluminum is an appropriate way to reduce the cost of fabricating the aluminum-polymer sandwich composites, in which the formability does not decrease significantly.

Festuca ovina L. is an important ornamental species used in urban landscapes and pastures reclamation. However, low resistance of this species to salt stress has hindered its extended application in low-water and salty regions. To study the effects of calcium on reducing salt stress injuries in seed germination and early growth of this species, a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with three replications was conducted. The salt levels included NaCl solutions (5, 10, 15 and 20 dS/m). Calcium source was CaCl2 with concentrations of 0, 10, 20 and 30 mmol+/L. Germination percentage and mean germination time were significantly affected by interaction of salinity and calcium. As salinity increased, mean germination time increased. However, germination percentage, shootlet length, rootlet length, shootlet fresh and dry weight, rootlet fresh and dry weight and seed vigour index decreased following the increasing salinity. Concentrations of 10 and 20 mmol+/L CaCl2 had significant effects on reducing salt injuries on seed germination of Festuca ovina. This finding was even prominent in higher salinity levels of 15 and 20 dS/m. Therefore, to facilitate using this species in urban landscapes or in pastures, pre-treatment of the seeds using 10 and 20 mmol+/L CaCl2 is recommended.

Background & Aims: Blood inflammatory factors have been recognized as major risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of two methods of excessive aerobic continuous and interval training on plasma lipoproteins (TC, TG, LDL, HDL, VLDL) and serum CRP in women. Methods: A total of 20 women aged 35-45 years were randomly divided into the two groups of aerobic continuous and interval training. Subjects participated in an 8- week either aerobic continuous or interval running program (3 day / week, at 65-75% HRmax). Twenty four hours before the first training program and 24 hours after the final training session blood samples were collected in a fasted state. Results: No significant difference was found between the two groups in regard to TC, TG, LDL, HDL, VLDL and CRP levels in both pre- and post- tests. Aerobic continuous training induced significant decrease in TC, LDL, CRP and increase in HDL. Aerobic interval training induced significant decrease in TC, TG, LDL, CRP and increase in HDL too, but no significant difference was found between the two methods of training on plasma lipoproteins and serum CRP. Conclusion: Excessive aerobic continuous and interval training can have similar effects on plasma lipoproteins and serum CRP in women.

Background: Trichomonas vaginalis is protozoan parasite responsible for trichomoniasis and is more common in high-risk behavior group such as prostitute individuals. Interest in trichomoni­asis is due to increase one's susceptibility to viruses such as herpes, human papillomavirus and HIV. The aim of this study was to find genotypic differences between the isolates.Methods: Forty isolates from prisoners' women in Tehran province were used in this study. The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique was used to determine genetic differ­ences among isolates and was correlated with patient's records. By each primer the banding pat­tern size of each isolates was scored (bp), genetic differences were studied, and the genealogical tree was constructed by using NTSYS software program and UPGMA method.Results: The least number of bands were seen by using primer OPD8 and the most by using OPD3. Results showed no significant difference in isolates from different geographical areas in Iran. By using primer OPD1 specific amplified fragment with length 1300 base pair were found in only 8 isolates. All these isolates were belonged to addicted women; however, six belonged to asymptomatic patients and two to symptomatic ones.Conclusion: There was not much genetic diversity in T vaginalis isolates from three different geo­graphical areas.

Zirconia (ZrO2) nanopowder was synthesized using sucrose and fructose as a chelating agent from zirconium hydroxide. The synthesized powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), simultaneously thermal analysis (STA), BET surface area, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The above-experimental results showed that the synthesized powders had particle sizes in the range 40-60 nm and mean crystallite sizes of 7-8 nm. Finally, in this research, chelating agents of sucrose and fructose were compared and the obtained results demonstrated that using fructose, nanopowder of zirconia with tetragonal phase was obtained.

Background: Trichomoniasis is an extremely common sexually transmitted infection (STI) world­wide and is associated with important public health problems, including amplification of HIV transmission. This disease is in forms of symptomatic and asymptomatic in women and may de­pend on host as well as parasite variables. Most of the studies reported from females are based on examination of vaginal secretions and urine samples by direct smear and culture in modified Dia­mond's media. The aim of this study was checking the samples, which were negative by direct smear and culture, with PCR technique.Methods: The urine samples and vaginal discharge of patients attending Gynecology Clinics of Ma­zandaran Province, Iran with different symptoms rechecked for Trichomonas vaginalis by PCR technique using primers targeting a conserved region of the beta-tubulin genes of the para­site. Data were analyzed by Epi Info software programResults: Out of 161 negative samples by direct smear and culture, seven samples (4.3%) were posi­tive by PCR technique.Conclusion: Diagnosis of trichomoniasis by PCR is a sensitive and specific method that could play important role to help the physicians for properly treatment and control of infection.

Background: Trichomoniasis is a worldwide protozoan parasitic disease and metronidazole is a choice drug for its treatment. Because of disease importance in public health and its controversial ideas about the prevalence of drug resistance, this study was carried out.Methods: Fifty-two suspected vaginal samples were collected from 2006 to 2007 in Gynecology Maryam Hospital, Tehran, Iran. All isolates were examined by microscopic, culture and PCR tech­niques. The PCR products were analyzed by RFLP and CSGE methods and two suspected samples were sequenced.Results: Trichomonas vaginalis was identified from all 52 samples. Of 52 isolates, 45 samples were successfully cultured and amplified by PCR except one. Seven were positive only by PCR. Finally, ITS1 fragment was successfully amplified in 51 of 52. CSGE analysis and PCR products di­gestion by MspI followed by sequencing showed nucleotide mutation at position 209 (C209T) of the ITS1 fragment in two (3.9%) of them.Conclusion: The results showed mutation in ITS1 fragment of T. vaginalis in two (3.9%) of Ira­nian isolates which may be related to metronidazole resistance.

The reproduction and population growth parameters of Anisopteromalus calandrae (Howard) on the 4th instar larvae of Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius) were investigated at temperature of 25 ± 1ï°C, 20 ± 5% R.H. and a photoperiod of 16: 8 (L: D) hours. Since the parasitoid eggs are laid inside the seeds where the host larvae live, egg hatch rate (hx) was assumed to be 1 (100%). As a result of this study, the gross and net fecundity and fertility rates were determined to be 306.51 and 236.25, respectively. The average number of eggs produced per female per day was obtained 11.48. The intrinsic and finite rates of increase on the 4th instar of C. maculatus were 0.163 and 1.18, respectively. The mean generation and doubling times were 35.30 and 4.24 days, correspondingly. The gross and net reproduction rates were 123.36 and 109.49 females/female/generation, respectively. The results of this study on the stable age distribution showed that 62.3 % and 37.7 % of the population belonged to immature stages and adults, respectively. The possible application of these results for biological control of C. maculatus is discussed.

Recent development in photocatalysis is increasingly focused on transforming organic compounds toward producing fine chemicals. Simple, non-selective oxidation reactions (degradation of pollutants) and very demanding solar-to-chemical energy conversion processes (production of solar fuels) face severe economic limitations influenced by still low efficiency and insufficient stability of the systems. Synthesis of fine chemicals, including reductive and oxidative selective transformations, as well as C-C and C-N coupling reactions, can utilise the power of photocatalysis. Herein, we present the recent progress in photocatalytic systems designed to synthesise fine chemicals. In particular, we discuss the factors influencing the efficiency and selectivity of the organic transformations, dividing them into intrinsic (related to individual properties of photocatalysts) and extrinsic (originating from the reaction environment). A rational design of the photocatalytic systems, based on a deep understanding of these factors, opens new perspectives for applied photocatalysis., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Feeding low-quality forage (LQF) has been evaluated in mature ruminants and results show that it has been improved nitrogen utilization efficiency. The present study evaluated the interaction effect of feeding wheat straw as LQF (0 and 7.5%, DM basis) and starter protein level (20 vs. 24%, DM basis) on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, and microbial protein synthesis in Holstein dairy calves raised under moderate heat stress condition. Forty-eight 3-day old dairy calves (averaging 40.6 kg) were assigned in four experimental treatments as follow; 1) no LQF with 20% CP (NLQF-20CP), 2) no LQF with 24% CP (NLQF-24CP), 3) 7.5% LQF with 20% CP (LQF-20CP) and 4) 7.5% LQF and 24% CP (LQF-24CP). The calves were weaned on d 53 of age but the experiment extended until d 73 of age. Feeding LQF increased starter intake, average daily gain (tendency), ruminal acetate concentration, and improved fecal score of calves. The average daily gains before and after weaning were positively influenced with greater starter protein content. Hence, weaning and final BWs were improved when calves received greater CP content. In addition, greater starter CP content increased total ruminal volatile fatty acid concentration. With respect to the interaction effect between LQF feeding and starter protein content, the lower nitrogen excretion through urine was obtained for LQF-20CP diet among experimental treatments. The results of the current study showed that feeding LQF improved ruminal fermentation pattern and improved growth performance through increased starter intake. In addition, greater starter protein content is advisable during pre-weaning period for calves raised under mild heat stress condition. In conclusion, based on the results found in the current study, it can be suggested that feeding LQF for calves under heat stress condition can improve nitrogen utilization when dietary protein content is low. This can be opportunity to formulate starter diets with greater nitrogen utilization efficiency which is critical for accelerated growth programs at early stages of growth for young calves while calves raised under hot season condition., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

A novel and convenient approach for the synthesis of vinyl phosphonates has been developed, utilizing an aromatic aza-Claisen rearrangement of β,γ-unsaturated α-aminophosphonates. The synthetic utility of this method was further examined in a gram-scale synthesis. The DFT calculations have provided insights into the basis of the reaction mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous advancement of marine engineering and coral reef construction, the construction process of using coral reefs and sand as aggregate to make concrete or mortar came into being. Therefore, this study delves into the impact of aggregate type, water–cement ratio (W/C), and sand–cement ratio (S/C) on the workability, shrinkage, and mechanical properties of mortar. Simultaneously, it uses microscopic techniques to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the impact of aggregate type, W/C , and S/C on mortar performance. The results demonstrate that the S/C of coral mortar should be controlled at 1.5–2. The self-shrinkage and drying shrinkage values of coral mortar decrease progressively with higher S/C and increase with increasing W/C. Coral mortar exhibits a smaller self-shrinkage than ordinary mortar. Unlike self-shrinkage, the early drying shrinkage of coral mortar is less than that of ordinary mortar. However, as time progresses, the drying shrinkage of coral mortar becomes notably greater than that of ordinary mortar. The flexural and compressive strengths of coral mortar are inferior to those of ordinary mortar. Coral mortar experiences transcrystalline fracture, in contrast to the intergranular failure observed in ordinary mortar. Moreover, strength exhibits a quadratic power function correlation with the S/C and a negative linear correlation with the W/C. In addition, the construction technology for coral mortar differs from that of ordinary mortar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, is increasingly recognized for its role in various human diseases, including periodontal diseases. Periodontal diseases comprise a wide range of inflammatory conditions that not only affect the supporting structures of the teeth and oral health but also contribute to systemic diseases. The parasite's ability to modulate the host's immune response and induce chronic inflammation within the periodontium is a key factor in periodontal tissue damage. Through its virulence factors, T. gondii disrupts the balance of inflammatory cytokines, leading to dysregulated immune responses, and exacerbates oxidative stress in periodontal tissues. And T. gondii invasion could affect specific proteins in host cells including HSP70, BAGs, MICs, ROPs, SAGs, and GRAs leading to periodontal tissue damage. The indirect role of the host immune response to T. gondii via natural killer cells, monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, dendritic cells, T cells, and B cells also contributes to periodontal diseases. Understanding these complex interactions of T. gondii with host cells could unravel disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets for periodontal diseases. This review delves into the pathogenic mechanisms of T. gondii in periodontal diseases, offering a detailed exploration of both direct and indirect pathways of its impact on periodontal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing scarcity of clean water necessitates urgent interventions in wastewater treatment. Polymeric membranes are prevalent in this domain. However, due to their hydrophobic behaviour, they become more prone to fouling. To address this issue, we synthesized hydrophilic nanomaterials as additives to prepare polymer nanocomposite membranes with enhanced hydrophilicity. The eco-friendly zinc oxide (ZnO) nanomaterial was synthesized via a green route, and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and a rGO/ZnO composite were synthesized using a chemical process and characterized using FESEM, FTIR, XRD, and zeta potential techniques. The synthesized nanomaterials were incorporated into PVDF membranes, and the prepared membranes were characterized using FESEM with EDX, FTIR, and contact angle measurements, along with mechanical strength determination. The filtration properties of the membranes were evaluated using a dead-end filtration module. The FESEM images revealed the finger-like structure in the membranes, which increases with the incorporation of nanomaterials. The results demonstrated that among all the membranes, the rGO/ZnO-PVDF showed the highest membrane permeability due to increased membrane porosity, pore size, and finger-like macrovoid sponge structures. The rejection of BSA protein and CBB dye increased due to the negative charge provided by the ZnO in the rGO/ZnO nanocomposite. The antifouling study reveals that the rGO/ZnO-PVDF membrane had the highest FRR value of ∼50.05% among the various synthesized membranes. The disk diffusion data of the synthesized nanomaterials and nanocomposite membranes confirms their antibacterial activity and suggests that the addition of rGO/ZnO nanomaterial can provide anti-biofouling behaviour to the polymer membranes by minimizing the adhesion of bacteria on the surface of the membrane. The results showed that the rGO/ZnO-PVDF membrane possesses antifouling and anti-biofouling behaviour, useful for minimising the pollutants from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because they have foundations with two or more different elevations, the mechanical performance of structures in mountain cities is significantly different from that of common structures. Our simulation method and the parameters of a typical bolt steel plate-based dry connection joint were verified based on the static load test of a fully assembled substructure against progressive collapse. The load–displacement curves and the displacement–time history curves of the failure point of six kinds of column removal conditions were obtained by using static nonlinear and dynamic nonlinear analysis methods, establishing a different number of dropped stories and spans for the prefabricated step-terrace frame structure models. Based on the ultimate load amplification factor and the maximum dynamic displacement at the failure point, the progressive collapse performance of prefabricated frame structures in mountain cities, including the number of dropped stories and spans, was obtained. The results show that the progressive collapse performance of a prefabricated step-terrace frame structure is inferior to that of a common prefabricated frame structure. The progressive collapse performance is stronger when the upper ground columns fail than that when the dropped ground columns fail. The progressive collapse performance of the prefabricated step-terrace frame structure decreases gradually with the increase in the number of dropped stories and increases gradually with the increase in the number of dropped spans. With the increase in the number of dropped stories, the redundancy of the structure is reduced, and the progressive collapse performance of the dropped stories is reduced by more than that of the upper stories. The increase in the number of dropped spans increases the redundancy of the structure, and the improvement in the progressive collapse performance of the dropped stories is greater than that of the upper stories. This paper provides a reference for the progressive-collapse-resistant design of step-terrace frame structures in mountain cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignin has long been regarded as waste, readily separated and discarded from the pulp and paper industry. However, as the most abundant aromatic renewable biopolymer in nature, lignin can replace petroleum resources to prepare chemicals containing benzene rings. Therefore, the high-value transformation of lignin has attracted the interest of both academia and industry. Nitrogen-containing compounds and functionalized materials are a class of compounds that have wide applications in chemistry, materials science, energy storage, and other fields. Converting lignin into nitrogenous chemicals and materials is a high-value utilization pathway. Currently, there is a large amount of literature exploring the conversion of lignin. However, a comprehensive review of the transformation of lignin to nitrogenous compounds is lacking. The research progress of lignin conversion to nitrogenous chemicals and functional materials is reviewed in this article. This article provides an overview of the chemical structure and types of industrial lignin, methods of lignin modification, as well as nitrogen-containing chemicals and functional materials prepared from various types of lignin, including their applications in wastewater treatment, slow-release fertilizer, adhesive, coating, and biomedical fields. In addition, the challenges and limitations of nitrogenous lignin-based materials encountered during the development of applications are also discussed. It is believed that this review will act as a key reference and inspiration for researchers in the biomass and material field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the global population ages, the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's is rapidly rising. These diseases present a significant public health challenge, as they severely impair cognitive and motor functions, ultimately leading to a substantial reduction in quality of life and placing a heavy burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Although several therapeutic agents have been developed to manage the symptoms of these diseases, their effectiveness is often limited, and there remains an urgent need for preventive strategies. Growing evidence indicates that bioactive compounds from natural products possess neuroprotective properties through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, modulating key pathways such as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor–tropomyosin receptor kinase B–cAMP response element-binding protein (BDNF-TrkB-CREB), which are crucial for neuronal survival. These compounds may also reduce amyloid-beta and tau pathology, as well as enhance cholinergic neurotransmission by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase activity. By targeting oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration, natural products offer a promising approach for both prevention and treatment. These findings suggest that natural products may be promising for preventing and treating neurodegenerative diseases. This review aims to explore the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, the limitations of current therapies, and the potential role of natural products as therapeutic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of transformer networks has experienced a notable surge in various AI applications. However, the increased computational complexity, stemming primarily from the self-attention mechanism, parallels the manner in which convolution operations constrain the capabilities and speed of convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The self-attention algorithm, specifically the matrix-matrix multiplication (MatMul) operations, demands a substantial amount of memory and computational complexity, thereby restricting the overall performance of the transformer. This paper introduces an efficient hardware accelerator for the transformer network, leveraging memristor-based in-memory computing. The design targets the memory bottleneck associated with MatMul operations in the self-attention process, utilizing approximate analog computation and the highly parallel computations facilitated by the memristor crossbar architecture. Remarkably, this approach resulted in a reduction of approximately 10 times in the number of multiply-accumulate (MAC) operations in transformer networks, while maintaining 95.47% accuracy for the MNIST dataset, as validated by a comprehensive circuit simulator employing NeuroSim 3.0. Simulation outcomes indicate an area utilization of 6895.7 μ m 2 , a latency of 15.52 seconds, an energy consumption of 3 mJ, and a leakage power of 59.55 μ W . The methodology outlined in this paper represents a substantial stride towards a hardware-friendly transformer architecture for edge devices, poised to achieve real-time performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. One of the best therapeutic methods against breast cancer is gene therapy, while having an appropriate gene carrier is the biggest challenge of gene therapy. Hence, developing carriers with low cytotoxicity and high gene transfection efficiency, and preferentially with the selective function of gene delivery is a critical demand for this method. In the present study, we introduce a novel targeted carrier to deliver the inducible caspase-9 suicide gene (pLVSIN-iC9) into breast cancer cells. The carrier is composed of graphene oxide quantum dots decorated with polyethyleneimine, and S2.2; an aptamer with high affinity to MUC1 (GOQD-PEI/S2.2). Due to the overexpression of MUC1 in breast cancer cells, the designed GOQD-PEI/S2.2/pLVSIN-iC9 can selectively target cancer cells. Moreover, to better mimic solid tumor conditions, and to evaluate the selective effect of the GOQD-PEI/S2.2/pLVSIN-iC9, an organoid model derived from human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) and MCF-7 cells (coculture organoid) was generated and characterized. The results demonstrate that the coculture organoid model adapts the tissue structure of luminal breast cancer, as well. Therefore, the organoids were subjected to treatment with targeted gene therapy using GOQD-PEI/S2.2/pLVSIN-iC9. Our evidence supports the targeted killing effect of iC9 on the breast cancer cells of the organoids and suggests the good potential of the newly introduced carriers in targeted gene delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the concept of "natural camouflage," biomimetic drug delivery systems have emerged to address the limitations of traditional synthetic nanocarriers, such as poor targeting, susceptibility to identification and clearance, inadequate biocompatibility, low permeability, and systemic toxicity. Biomimetic nanocarriers retain the proteins, nucleic acids, and other components of the parent cells. They not only facilitate drug delivery but also serve as communication media to inhibit tumor cells. This paper delves into the communication mechanisms between various cell-derived biomimetic nanocarriers, tumor cells, and the tumor microenvironment, as well as their applications in drug delivery. In addition, the additional communication capabilities conferred on the modified biomimetic nanocarriers, such as targeting and environmental responsiveness, are outlined. Finally, we propose future development directions for biomimetic nanocarriers, hoping to inspire researchers in their design efforts and ultimately achieve clinical translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several chemical analytical methods were applied to characterize the chemical structure of polysaccharides extracted from discarded apples and pomegranate peels using hydrodynamic cavitation methods in a circular economy perspective. In particular, the purity of the polysaccharides and the degrees of acetylation and methylation were evaluated by proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H-NMR) analysis; simple sugars and galacturonic acid were analyzed simultaneously by High-Performance Anion Exchange Chromatography—Pulsed Amperometric Detector (HPAEC-PAD); the molecular weight of the extracted polysaccharides was determined by High-Performance Size Exclusion Chromatography-Refractive Index Detector (HPSEC-RID). The results showed a negligible presence of co-precipitated proteins/tannins, easily removed by dialysis, as well as other co-precipitated molecules such as monosaccharides and organic acids. Polysaccharides from apples consisted mainly of pectic material with a prevalence of homogalacturonans. Polysaccharides from pomegranate peels showed greater compositional variability with significant amounts of arabinose and galactose, a lower content of pectin, and the presence of rhamnogalacturonans I. Both polysaccharides were highly methylated and differed in the degree of acetylation, which could lead to different properties. Polysaccharides from apples presented two main molecular weights (>805 kDa and 348–805 kDa, respectively), while those from pomegranate peel showed a major fraction at 348 kDa and minor fractions < 23 kDa. In conclusion, the research tools proposed by this study have allowed defining the macrostructure of polysaccharides in a quick and efficient way to valorize these food by-products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: To date, nearly 300 lentiviral-based gene therapy clinical trials have been conducted, with eight therapies receiving regulatory approval for commercialization. These advances, along with the increased number of advanced-phase clinical trials, have prompted contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) to develop innovative strategies to address the growing demand for large-scale batches of lentiviral vectors (LVVs). Consequently, manufacturers have focused on optimizing processes under good manufacturing practices (GMPs) to improve cost-efficiency, increase process robustness, and ensure regulatory compliance. Nowadays, the LVV production process mainly relies on the transient transfection of four plasmids encoding for the lentiviral helper genes and the transgene. While this method is efficient at small scales and has also proven to be scalable, the industry is exploring alternative processes due to the high cost of GMP reagents, and the batch-to-batch variability predominantly attributed to the transfection step. Methods: Here, we report the development and implementation of a reliable and clinical-grade envisioned platform based on the generation of stable producer cell lines (SCLs) from an initial well-characterized lentiviral packaging cell line (PCL). Results: This platform enables the production of VSV-G-pseudotyped LVVs through a fully transfection-free manufacturing process. Our data demonstrate that the developed platform will facilitate successful technological transfer to large-scale LVV production for clinical application. Conclusions: With this simple and robust stable cell line generation strategy, we address key concerns associated with the costs and reproducibility of current manufacturing processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]