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Background and Aim: One of the complications of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery is cognitive function decline. Due to the importance and direct effects of cognitive function on the quality of human life, this study was designed to compare the executive function of young CPB patients with the age range of 30-55 years one year after undergoing the surgery with healthy subjects. Materials and Methods: This causal-comparative study was conducted from February 2017 to October 2018. The experimental group included 40 male patients with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) with an age range of 30 to 55 years. They were hospitalized in the ICU of Tehran Heart Center over the past year. For the control group, 64 healthy men with the same age range were randomly selected. Both groups met all the inclusion criteria and were tested using the Wisconsin scale. Results: The results showed that in the levels of perseveration, correct and incorrect responses, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant at 1% error level (p0/05). Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery, even in younger people with an age range of 30-55 years after one year, can impair the cognitive function of the frontal lobe of the brain.

Background & Aims: Autoimmune and chronic diseases cause many psychological problems by directly and indirectly affecting the nervous system. Lupus is one of the autoimmune diseases that, in addition to the problems caused by the nature of the disease itself, the side effects of its drugs also cause emotional and mental disturbances. The prevalence of lupus in women is about 9 times higher than in men, and the patients are usually between 15 and 45 years old. In Iran, according to a study conducted by the Rheumatology Research Center of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, lupus has a prevalence of 40 in 100,000, that is, 1 person per 2,500 Iranians is diagnosed with lupus. People with lupus Erythematosus experience many skin ulcers, joint pains, periodicity of the disease, side effects of medications, and stressful events. In the framework of psychological interventions for people with lupus, in recent years acceptance-based therapy (ACT) and commitment is a non-pharmacological strategy and among the effective treatment lines for patients with physical diseases. This therapeutic approach is part of the third wave of behavioral therapies, which aims to help clients achieve a more valuable and satisfying life by increasing psychological flexibility and not focusing solely on cognitive reconstructions. Research has emphasized the effectiveness of cognitive functions and attention management and executive function by ACT in patients with chronic diseases. For example, Menshi et al showed in their research in 2015 that ACT can improve people's executive function by adjusting incompatible schemas, however, no research was found regarding the effectiveness of this treatment method in people with lupus. In addition to ACT, another psychological approach and non-pharmacological strategies that have been proposed to improve psychological and functional variables such as attention and executive function in people with lupus is short-term intensive dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP). The goal of ISTDP or psychoanalysis is to help clients achieve a full experience of repressed emotions and the fantasies and memories that are repressed by these emotions. By clarifying defenses and challenging them, ISTDP focuses on experiencing unconscious feelings and emotions to increase awareness. It is a psychological process that can help you change how you react to life's inevitable hardships. The review of the literature showed that even though several studies on the effectiveness of ACT and also the ISTDP approach have been conducted separately on different populations, no study compares these two treatment approaches in patients with lupus Erythematosus. The present study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of ACT and ISTDP on attention and executive function in lupus Erythematosus patients. Methods: The current research was a semi-experimental single-subject type with multiple baseline designs. The participants of this study were 6 people with lupus, members of the Lupus Patients Support Association in Tehran, who were selected as available and randomly assigned to two groups of three. The tools used in the research included the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and the Stroop Test. The subjects of the first group received ACT and the subjects of the second group (ISTDP) individually in 8 sessions of 90 minutes. To analyze the data, the effect size was used. Results: Regarding effect size calculations in Stroop dimensions between treatment groups, the results generally showed that the ACT method had a more significant effect than ISTDP in the extent of reaction time. In terms of reducing the number of errors in the error of the first stage, the effect size in the ACT group is medium and in the ISTDP group, slightly too high, in the second and third stages, both are high, but the magnitude of the effect is higher in the second stage in the ISTDP and in the third stage in the ACT group. Regarding the calculation of effect size and index of stable change in Wisconsin dimensions between treatment groups, the results of the study also showed that the average effect size in the residual error of the first and second stages of the Wisconsin test in the ACT group is higher than the average effect of the ISTDP group. In terms of increasing the number of correct answers in the first and second stages, the effect size in the ACT group is lower than in the ISTDP group. Conclusion: The results of the study showed that despite the effectiveness of ISTDP on the attention and executive function of patients with lupus Erythematosus, ACT had more effectiveness than ISTDP on the attention and executive function of patients with lupus Erythematosus, hence this approach along with other approaches The existing treatment is recommended as a suitable option to improve attention and executive function in people with lupus Erythematosus. It is also suggested that health therapists pay attention to the findings of this research and the discussion of executive functions to enrich their diagnostic formulation, and if they find a symptom in executive functions, they should use cognitive interventions in this direction. Due to the problems in collecting samples from patients with lupus Erythematosus, the available sampling method was used in this research. Therefore, the selected sample group is less representative of the entire society and the results cannot be generalized. Also, this research was considered without a control group and follow-up stage. The same researcher and therapist in ACT may also increase the possibility of bias in the results. Also, in this research, the effect of moderating variables such as gender was not investigated, which may have distorted the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer after lung cancer and the fifth leading cause of death in women. In less developed countries, breast cancer is the most important cause of death. In this disease, the cells of the breast tissue change and divide into multiple cells and cause a lump. If breast cancer is in the early stages, treatment is possible. There are many treatment methods such as surgery to remove the defective area, drug therapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy. These treatments have the potential to save lives when administered in the early stages. From the above explanations, it can be seen that early detection of breast cancer is very important and in this research, an attempt has been made to identify suspected cancer data with the quadratic support vector machine method and based on the features extracted from valid and numerous MRI images. Let's classify so that the process of diagnosing the disease in the early stages is easier and faster. The results showed that 356 out of 357 malignant data and 202 out of 211 benign data were correctly classified. The classification accuracy of malignant data was 99.7% and the classification accuracy of benign data was 97.5%, and finally the overall classification accuracy was 98.2%, which indicates the optimal performance of this method in breast cancer data classification.

Background and Objective: Students with mathematics disorder are faced with various neurocognitive factors, that affect their quality of life. Considering the relationship between neurocognitive functions with self-regulation, one of the methods capable of assisting the students with mathematics disorder is the self-regulation empowerment training. The current study aimed at determining the effect of self-regulation empowerment program training on neurocognitive functions in students with mathematics disorder. Methods: The study was a semi-experimental with pretest/posttest design and a control group. The study sample was consisted of 26 students with mathematics disorder in Rasht city in 2018, selected by the convenience sampling method and randomly assigned into two equal groups. To collect the data, tower of Hanoi task, stroop test, dual n-back task, and Wisconsin card sorting test were used before and after the intervention. A twelve-session self-regulation empowerment program training was implemented for the experimental group. Data was analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance by SPSS 24. Results: The results showed that there was a significant difference in the mean scores of experimental and control groups in all four neurocognitive functions. In other words, self-regulation empowerment program training leads to promote the executive planning, selective attention, working memory performance and cognitive flexibility of students with mathematics disorder (P< 0.001). Conclusion: According to the findings of the research, self-regulation empowerment training can improve the neurocognitive functions in students with mathematics disorder. Therefore, it is suggested that this intervention applies for training students with mathematics disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Lumosity is a computer game for enhancing and improving the memory and brain efficiency of the elderly. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effects of Lumosity on working memory, visual memory, and executive functions of the elderly living in nursing homes. Method: The present was an experimental study based on a pretest-posttest design. The statistical population consisted of all the elderly aged 65-70 years living in nursing homes of Bukan, in 2019. Some of them who were able to read and write were selected as the sample by using purposive sampling and then they were randomly assigned to the control and test groups. In this study, the Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT), the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) were employed for measuring working memory, executive functions, and visual memory, respectively. The data were finally analyzed by the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS-24. Results: The results showed that Lumosity was effective in working memory (F=18.856, P=0.001), visual memory (F=7.97, and p=0.009), and executive functions (F=9.94, p=0.004) at the 95% level of confidence. The results also indicated that there was a significant difference between the pretest and posttest mean of the studied variables, revealing the positive effects of Lumosity on working memory, visual memory, and executive functions of the participants. Conclusion: Since the use of computer games, including Lumosity, can improve major cognitive functions, such as executive functions and memory, such games are recommended to be applied in nursing homes for rehabilitating the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer whose incidence has increased dramatically in recent years. In order to diagnose this disease, many parameters must be taken into consideration and mistakes are possible due to human errors or environmental factors. For this reason, in recent decades, Artificial Intelligence has been used by medical practitioners to diagnose this disease. Method: In this applied-descriptive study, the diagnosis of breast cancer using stacked generalization was presented in the form of an ensemble model based on MLP neural network, ID3 decision tree, and support vector machine methods. To improve the performance of the ensemble classification model, a new approach called separator block was used. This block is responsible for identifying instances that cause errors in the classification model. Results: In order to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed method, the Wisconsin database for breast cancer was used. The experimental results showed the superiority of the proposed method over other similar methods. The accuracy of the classification model presented on the WBCD, WDBC, and WPBC datasets from the Wisconsin database was 99.54%, 99.58% and 99.84%, respectively. Conclusion: Data mining algorithms can provide new and more cost-effective systems in the field of health and treatment that can diagnose breast cancer with high accuracy. In this study, modeling based on the stacked generalization technique was of high accuracy in the diagnosis of breast cancer.

Purpose: In the present study, the relation between handedness and visuo-spatial ability and cognitive flexibility has been investigated Method: A sample of 120 pre-university students, 60 boys and 60 girls, aged 17-18 was chosen through Wisconsin card sorting test, and Koh's block design test. Results: Statistical analysis using two-way variance analysis method showed that visuo-spatial abilities and cognitive flexibility have a significant relationship with handedness, right-handedness. The results indicate that handedness and gender affect cognitive flexibility: the boys and the left-handed have a weaker performance compared to the girls and the right-handed; the variants of gender and handedness, however, do not have mutual action on affecting cognitive flexibility. The other results reveal the effects of handedness on visuo-spatial ability: the left-handed had a better performance in comparison with the right-handed, but no relation was found between gender and visuo-spatial ability; the variants of gender and handedness do not have mutual reaction regarding visuo-spatial ability. Conclusion: The final interpretations of the variants of left-handedness in the non-clinical population, all agree on the high visuo-spatial ability and the reduction of cognitive flexibility. This is strongly supported by one of the theories in the etiology of left-handedness which was proposed by Geshwind, Behan, and Galaburda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to compare the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation training and sensory integration on executive function and memory of hyperactive students referring to educational and clinical centers in district 5 of Isfahan city. The current research was a semi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group with three stages of evaluation (pre-test, post-test and follow-up). The statistical community of all students referring to the educational and clinical centers of Isfahan city in the third quarter of 1400, 200 people who met the entry criteria, responded to the Connors parent questionnaire (hyperactivity). 45 people out of 60 people qualified to enter the study were selected as a sample and were randomly placed in three groups, and during three stages of evaluation, Connors Parent Questionnaire, Continuous Performance Test (CPT), Wisconsin Card Classification Test (WCST), Barat impulsivity scale and numeric span subscale of Wechsler IQ scale for children-revised form answered. The results of descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (multivariate covariance analysis, covariance analysis with repeated measures) with the help of spss-26 statistical software showed that the average age of the students participating in the research in the cognitive rehabilitation groups was 10.33, sensory integration 9.86 and control 10.46 years old. Also, the results showed that there is a difference between the effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation training and sensory integration on executive functions and memory in three groups (cognitive rehabilitation training effectiveness, sensory integration and control group) in the post-test and follow-up of hyperactive students. . that there is a significant difference between both intervention groups and the control group, but there is no difference between the intervention groups (cognitive rehabilitation training and sensory integration) post-test and follow-up in terms of the effect on attention. As a result, students with hyperactivity/attention deficit often face problems with memory and executive functions. The treatment of sensory integration and cognitive rehabilitation by involving different senses, improving executive functions, memory and performing game-like activities causes coherence and organization in the central nervous system of the brain and controls and regulates sensory processing and behavior management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a neurological movement disorder. It is induced by neuroleptic drugs but at least some of these movement are due to dysfunction of frontal lobe in Schizophrenic patients. In this research, we assessed the function of prefrontal area in Schizophrenic patients with and without TD to answer the following questions: Is there any relationship between TD and dysfunction of frontal lobe? Is there any way to recognize patients that are vulnerable to TD and to prevent it> In this research 100 Schizophrenic in-patients were chosen (50 with TD and 50 without it). They were assessed with WCST that is a standard neuropsychologic test for assessment of prefrontal function. Results were statistically analyzed with T-test and Chi-square, SPSS. Patients with TD compared to patients without TD had significantly (P~0) increased errors in WCST that showed dysfunction of frontal lobe in patients with TD. It appears with WCST in early stages of Schizophrenia we can recognize patients with dysfunction of frontal lobe and vulnerable to TD and prevent development and progression of TD with atypical antipsychotics and regular monitoring of abnormal movements in these patients.

Background: In recent research, defects in cognitive processes have been proposed as one of the cognitive causal hypotheses, and psychological interventions can help to improve this disorder. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) focuses on increasing psychological flexibility, which is the ability to pay attention to experiences in the present without bias. Metacognitive therapy (MCT) also emphasizes how a person responds to his/her thoughts and how he/she communicates with them. Conducting comparative research on these two types of treatment in patients with obsessivecompulsive disorder has received less attention. Aims: The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of ACT and MCT in reducing insufficient executive functioning in obsessive-compulsive patients. Methods: The current research design was a semi-experimental pre-test-post-test type with a control group. The statistical population of the research included all patients suffering from obsessivecompulsive disorder who were referred to counseling centers and psychological services in Kermanshah City in 2022. 45 of these patients were purposefully selected and randomly divided into two experimental groups (a treatment group based on acceptance and commitment and a metacognitive treatment group) and a control group (15 people in each group). The measuring tool in this research was the Wisconsin card sorting test of Grant and Berg (1993). The treatment protocol based on acceptance and commitment (Bach & Moran, 2008) and metacognitive therapy (Wells, 2008) were implemented during eight 60-minute sessions for the first and second experimental groups, respectively, but the control group did not receive any intervention. In order to analyze the data, one-way analysis of variance and SPSS-23 software were used. Results: The results of the one-way analysis of variance showed the effectiveness of both treatment models in increasing the number of completed classes, increasing the number of correct answers, and reducing the residual error (p<0.05). Also, based on the results of Toky Post Hoc test, a significant difference was observed between the two treatment groups in the research variable, And the treatment based on acceptance and commitment has been significantly more effective in increasing the number of classes completed, increasing the number of correct answers and reducing the error remaining in participants compared to metacognitive therapy. (p<0.05). Conclusion: The study findings suggest that both treatments were effective in improving the executive function of obsessive-compulsive patients. However, the effectiveness of ACT was significantly higher than MCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Autism is considered a neurodevelopmental disorder. Children with autism are known to have qualitative defects in communication and social interactions, as well as repetitive and limited behaviors. In addition, these children have deficits in joint attention. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the joint attention training program on the neuropsychological abilities and mental flexibility of children with high-functioning autism aged 3 to 7 in Abadan City, Iran. Material & Methods: A semi-experimental design with pretest-posttest and a control group was conducted in 2021 for 30 children with high-functioning autism disorder in Fereshtagan and Noandish centers in Abadan, Iran. The sampling was performed in an accessible way and via the randomized balanced blocks method in the experimental and control groups. Moreover, the assignment and joint attention training program was implemented in the intervention group. The data were collected using the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ, Ehlers and Gillberg, 1993), Continuous Performance Task (CPT, Connors, 2004), and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST, Grant and Berg, 1948). The obtained data were analyzed through the multivariate covariance test and at a significance level of 0.05 using the SPSS software. Results: In the intervention group, the mean (standard deviation) of neuropsychological abilities decreased from 7.82 (0.93) in the pre-test to 6.26 (0.84) in the post-test (P<0.001). In the intervention group, the mean (standard deviation) of cognitive flexibility decreased from 7.00 (1.00) in the pre-test to 6.22 (0.70) in the post-test (P<0.001). Discussion & Conclusion: Considering the effectiveness of the joint attention training program in improving neuropsychological abilities and mental flexibility, the implementation of this program is recommended for preschool counselors and psychologists to improve the conditions of children, especially those with high-functioning autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Quality of life has recently been recognized as an important goal of health care in psychiatry. In this study quality of life of chronic psychiatric patients was evaluated after psychosocial occupational therapy interventions. Materials & Methods: This study is interventional and quasi experimental. Twoenty four chronic mental patients who had refered to SINA Daily Center as intervention group and fifty chronic mental patients as control group were selected by simle and convenient sampling. The instrument was Wisconsin Quality of Life Client Questionnaire that included 8 subscales. Occupational therapy services consisting group therapy, activity therapy and art therapy, according to center’ plane, were performed during 3 months (2 times in week, 90 minutes in each session) for intervention group. Independent T test & Paired T test were used for data analysis. Results: There was no significant difference between two groups in parts of QOL before intervention, but after intervention, significant differences were observed in mean scores of satisfaction level, occupational activities, psychological well–being, physical health and total quality o life (P

Introduction: Cognitive rehabilitation has an effect on the improvement of symptoms of dyscalculia disorder such as executive function and quantitative reasoning and affects other children's functions. Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of cognitivecomputer software on the executive function and quantitative reasoning of 7-12-year-old children with dyscalculia. Method: It was a semi-experimental research design of pre-test-post-test and follow-up with a control group. The statistical population included all children with dyscalculia in Isfahan city in 1402-1401. 45 children with dyscalculia disorder were selected by purposeful sampling and placed in two control and experimental groups.. For the experimental group, Captain Log (2020) cognitive-computer training program was implemented in 10 sessions of 60 minutes; But the control group did not receive any intervention. The research tools included the fifth version of Wechsler's intelligence scale (Wechsler, 2014), continuous performance computer test (Rosold, 1956), Wisconsin card sorting test (Grant and Berg, 1948), Tower of London test (Challice, 1982). The data obtained from the research were analyzed with SPSS software version 26 and using the analysis of variance test with repeated measurements. Findings: The results showed that Captain Log computer cognitive software had a significant effect on executive function (attention, error elimination and correct answer, problem solving and cognitive flexibility) (p<0.001), but on Quantitative reasoning had no significant effect (p<0.05). Conclusion: Based on the findings of the research, it can be concluded that the cognitive rehabilitation of Captain Log's cognitive-computer program can be used as an efficient method to improve the cognitive ability of 7-12-year-old children with dyscalculia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The future of any dairy farm depends on the success of its calf and heifer-raising programs. Regarding the risk of gastrointestinal diseases and the prevalence of diarrhea, suckling calves are among the most sensitive animals in dairy herds. Gastrointestinal diseases are most prevalent in the first two weeks of calves' life and are the reason for 32% of deaths. In addition to short-term economic losses, diarrhea in female calves will delay sexual maturity and reduce milk production performance in the first lactation period. The use of antibiotics to prevent and treat diarrhea in suckling calves is always limited due to antibiotic resistance and some side effects. Research shows that between different anti-diarrhea feed additives, prebiotics and probiotics have the most positive effects in the first weeks of suckling calves' lives. In addition, it has been demonstrated that immunoglobulin Y can be effectively used to inhibit calves' gastrointestinal pathogens such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella species. Also, the use of electrolytes during diarrhea to prevent dehydration in young animals has been known to be positive. However, the synergistic effects of the simultaneous use of the mentioned additives are not clearly defined. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate a combination of immunoglobulin Y, probiotics, and electrolytes' effect on growth performance, feed intake, fecal consistency, health status, and blood parameters of Holstein suckling calves. Materials and methods: In this study, 24 suckling Holstein calves from birth to 28 days old were divided into two experimental groups (12 replications in each group) in a completely randomized design. The experimental groups included: 1) the control group (without additive) and 2) the group that received 10 grams per day of an anti-diarrheal feed additive contained 1.2 grams of probiotics with 5×108 cfu/g, 1 g IgY, and 7.8 g electrolytes. All animals had free access to clean water and the ad libitum basal starter feed. The anti-diarrheal additive was dissolved in the calves' morning meal colostrum or milk. Feed intake, growth performance, and Escherichia coli fecal count were measured weekly. Rectal temperature and calves' fecal scores were evaluated daily (according to the method provided by Wisconsin University). Also, at birth, 14 and 28 days, blood samples were taken from the jugular vein. The repeated measurement data were analyzed by the MIXED procedure of the SAS version 9.4 statistical software. The means were reported as LSMEANS, and the significance level was considered as P<0.05. Also, for the statistical analysis of the fecal scores data, the days of each score were counted. Results and discussion: The results showed that the average daily weight gain in the third week in the antidiarrhea group was significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05). As a result, the live weight of the third and fourth weeks in the anti-diarrhea group was significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05). The starter intake in the anti-diarrhea group was 25% higher in the third week and 12% higher in the whole period than in the control group (P<0.05). Also, the feed conversion rate in the anti-diarrhea group in the second and third weeks was significantly lower than the control group (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed in the blood urea nitrogen, glucose, albumin, cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations. Also, the anti-diarrheal additive had no significant effect on the count of white blood cells and the percentages of lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, and eosinophils. According to the results, the anti-diarrhea additive had no significant effect on the calves' rectal temperature. The count of fecal Escherichia coli in the anti-diarrhea group was significantly lower than the control group in the first week, the first two weeks, and the whole period (P<0.05). The anti-diarrhea additive led to a significant increase in the number of days with zero scores (improvement of feces consistency) and a significant decrease in scores two and three (reduction of diarrhea prevalence) in calves (P<0.05). The results showed that in the first, second, and third weeks, the number of days with diarrhea significantly decreased in the anti-diarrhea group (P<0.05). In addition, the anti-diarrheal additive led to a significant decrease (58%) in the diarrhea length period. According to the period length and hardness of diarrhea, the cost of treating diarrhea in 28 days was estimated to be 830000 Rials and 470000 Rials in the control and anti-diarrhea groups, respectively. Therefore, the anti-diarrhea additive resulted in a 43% reduction in treatment costs. Conclusions: The results of the present study showed that the supply of an anti-diarrheal additive containing probiotics, immunoglobulin Y, and electrolytes to suckling calves led to a significant increase in growth performance, starter intake, improvement in feed conversion rate, reduction in the count of fecal Escherichia coli, and shortening of the diarrhea duration period. However, this additive did not affect rectal temperature, white blood cell status, and blood parameters such as glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, albumin, total protein, and blood urea nitrogen. Therefore, the anti-diarrheal additive can reduce the prevalence, duration, and grade of diarrhea and its harmful effects and improve suckling calves' growth performance and health status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of neurofeedback exercises on executive performance, cognitive flexibility, and attention in students with learning disabilities. Material & Methods: In this study, a total of 30 male students with learning disabilities were referred to the Movafaghiat Clinic in Tehran, Iran, and were randomly assigned to two groups (each including 15 students). The first group (experimental group) received 16 sessions of neurofeedback training (two sessions per week) and the second group (control) did not receive any intervention. The study instruments included the Wisconsin cognitive flexibility test and the Stroop attention test. The data were analyzed using the univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS software (version 24). Findings: The results showed that the experimental group had superiority in terms of the indicators of the Stroop Attention test and Wisconsin Cognitive Flexibility test. Discussion & Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, neurofeedback training is effective in improving the executive functions of students with learning disabilities. Accordingly, this method can be used to improve the executive functions of these groups of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the structural relations between perfectionism levels and cognitive performance in individuals with symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder mediated by cognitive styles. The study population included students of University of Tabriz. Using convenience sampling, 360 subjects were selected. They completed Madsley's obsessivecompulsive disorder inventory, positive and negative perfectionism scale, and Felder-Solomon learning styles questionnaire online. Also, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Continuous Performance Task (CPT) and Wechsler Working Memory Test (WMT) were performed through computer software. Results showed that reflective cognitive style could mediate the relationship between positive perfectionism and cognitive performance. Besides, levels of perfectionism could significantly predict reflective cognitive style and cognitive performance significantly. Hence, it could be concluded that levels of perfectionism and reflective cognitive style in interaction, predict cognitive performance in individuals with symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder. It was also obtained that interventions in this field should consider the interactive effects of perfectionism and reflective cognitive style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Nowadays, disorder in the executive functions of children with autism is a controversial issue. Therefore, the present research aimed to examine the effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and cognitive rehabilitation on the executive functions of children with autism. Materials and Methods: This semi-experimental research had a pre-test-post-test design. The statistical population of the study included all children aged 10-12 with autism disorder who referred to treatment centers and clinics in Shahin Dezh and Bukan cities, Iran, 2021-2022. A total of 30 children with autism were purposefully selected and randomly assigned into two groups (15 in the tDCS and 15 in the cognitive rehabilitation). The participants in the tDCS group underwent anodic tDCS on the head for 10 min, and participants in the cognitive rehabilitation group underwent 12 sessions of 40 min long computerized cognitive rehabilitation training. Research tools included Gilliam's Autism Diagnostic Scale, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Test, Numerical Memory Subtest of Wechsler Test, Andre-Ray Test, and Continuous Performance Test. Multivariate covariance analysis was performed to analyze the collected data using SPSS software (version 26). Results: The results showed that the tDCS method was more effective on executive functions (cognitive flexibility, response inhibition, working memory and sustained attention) compared to the cognitive rehabilitation method (P>0.01). Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present research, both methods of tDCS and cognitive rehabilitation are helpful supplements for improving and strengthening executive functions in children with autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to investigate the reasons for the difference of gene expression between two subspecies of Holstein and, Cholistani cattle and the importance of mitochondrial genes of these two breeds, the genes under study were COX1, COX2 COX3, ND1and ND2, which are involved in essential processes such as energy metabolism, resistance to biological and non-biological stresses, as well as disease resistance. In this study, RNA-Seq data were used, including 40 samples from the University of Wisconsin Dairy Cattle Center (Bos taurus) and 45 Cholistani cows (Bos indicus) of Gujaratpir farm in Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan. IGB software was used to investigate the level of transcriptome coverage and genetic differences, which included polymorphic, deletion and addition and binding regions. MEGA6 and DnaSPV.5 softwares were also used to determine the location of polymorphic areas as well as to calculate the percentage of different types of transitional and transversional replacements of nucleotides and to align sequences. The results showed that the COX1 gene, with a length of 1542 bp, had the highest level of transcriptome coverage in the mitochondrial genome and the lowest level of transcriptome coverage was related to the ND1 gene. Among mitochondrial genes, the COX1 gene showed the highest deletions and additions, which were higher in Holstein than Cholistani breeds. The number of polymorphic regions in the COX1 locus (19 areas) was higher than other genes. The results also showed that the percentage of transitional substitution is higher than transversional substitution which is the reason for the stability of changes during different generations. Therefore, possible reasons for differences in mtDNA gene expression may be due to differences in deletion and addition processes, transcriptome coverage, and polymorphic regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kinetics of potassium release may be affected by P When phosphorus (P) fertilizer is applied to soils. The objective of this study was to the effect of Ca(H2Po4)2 fertilizer on the kinetics of non-exchangeable potassium (NEK) release in 10 calcareous soils. The amount of 100 mg kg-1 of P as Ca(H2Po4)2 was added to the soils. Treated and untreated soils were incubated at 70% of field capacity and 25±1°C for 90 days. After that, the NEK release was studied by 0.01 M CaCl2 extractant in 2017 hours by successive extraction methods in the treated and untreated soils. The results showed the NEK released in treated soils less than in untreated soils. The mean cumulative NEK released after 2017 h in the treated and untreated soils was 260.6 and 303.3 mg kg-1, respectively. The release of NEK in all soils was fast in the initial stages and continued at a lower speed in the later stages until the end of the experiment. The kinetics of NEK release was evaluated using kinetic equations. Based on the highest coefficients of determination (R²) and the lowest standard error (SE), the kinetics of NEK release in treated and untreated soils were described by the power function equation. The results of this research could be helpful for the precise fertilizer recommendation for the study in calcareous soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental neurological disorder that is described by three main characteristics: Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder and Impulsivity. The symptoms often create impairments in one or more major areas of the person’s life, especially in those cognitive areas that require levels of attention and concentration، decision making and flexibility. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cognitive rehabilitation on executive functions (decision making, flexibility, emotion control) in children with ADHD. Methods: The present study is a semi experimental study, designed with pretest / post-test clinical trial and a control group. It was diagnosed and matched with the Raven Intelligence Test using the CSI-4 Diagnostic Test and selected by purposive sampling. Sample was randomly divided into the experimental and control groups. Children in the Experimental group were given 10 one hourly sessions of rehabilitation program each week .Response inhibition was measured using Wisconsin and Planned with Bariff test. Results: Pre and Post test scores were significantly different in measures of executive functions (both decision making, flexibility, emotion control) in children with ADHD (P <0/001). Conclusion: Training on cognitive rehabilitation appears to be effective in improving the executive functions (decision making, flexibility, emotional) of children with ADHD and can be offered as an appropriate replacement against the effects of psycho stimulants medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to study the effectiveness of neurofeedback in combining cognitive games on improving cognitive flexibility in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The research method was quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest design with a control group. For this purpose, 20 male students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were randomaly selected by purposive sampling in two experimental groups and control. The experimental group received neurofeedback training in combination with cognitive games three times a week for 20 one-hour sessions and the control group did not receive any intervention.The research instruments were diagnostic Scale of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adult Children (Parent Form and Teacher Form, 1960), Wisconsin Card Sorting (1948). Data were analyzed by SPSS software using covariance analysis. Data analysis with analysis of covariance test shows changes in participants' scores from pre-test to post-test. Neurofeedback training in combination with cognitive games has improved cognitive flexibility in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (P <0.05). The average effect of 20 sessions of neurofeedback training in combination with cognitive games on improving cognitive flexibility was 31.6%. According to the findings, neurofeedback in combination with cognitive games can improve cognitive flexibility in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Positive mood and cognitive flexibility are known to enhance creativity. The present study examines this important issue in the age range of 8 to 12 years, assuming that positive mood is likely to promote creativity by affecting cognitive flexibility. Methods: The study population included all female students aged 8 to 12 years in districts 4 and 8 of Tehran. From the research population, 60 people in two age groups of 8 to 10 (8/80 ± 0/76) and 10 to 12 (11/20 ± 0/76) years were selected by available sampling method. After randomly placing individuals in research groups based on the induced mood and age, individuals were assessed using the computerized version of Wisconsin Card Sorting (1948) and the Torrance Creative Thinking (1974) test. The collected data were analyzed using independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, Mann-Whitney U and Hayes mediator regression model (2018). Results: Regression model analysis confirmed the mediating role of cognitive flexibility between mood and creativity, where positive mood improves individuals' cognitive flexibility and thereby enhances performance in creativity test. Conclusion: The findings of this study as evidence of the importance of mood on the level of cognitive flexibility and creative performance in children emphasized the need to consider this issue in educational settings with the aim of creating and strengthening creative thinking in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Previous researches have yield contradictory results in the studies of cognitive dysfunction following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI ). This research was also designed and conducted to compare the cognitive condition of two areas of attention strength and executive functions in healthy people and patients with MTBI one year after trauma. Methods: In this Case- control study, which was conducted from February 2017 to October 2018, 48 male Patien with MTBI aged between 30 to 55 years old who were admitted to the intensive care unit of Shohadaye Haftome Tir and Baqiyatallah Hospitals in Theran were randomly selected as case group and 64 healthy men subjects with similar age range as control group. Participants were evaluated using Stroop. and Wisconsin tests in terms of cognitive function. Results: The results of the study showed that the mean and standard deviation of the age of MTBI patients were 41.17 and 8.25, respectively, and the mean and standard deviation of healthy subjects were 41.81 and 8.609, respectively. The two group had significantly difference (p<0/01), in the areas executive functions at the levels of Categories, Perseverative, correct and error responses, number of trials to complete first category and conceptual level responses. The two group had significantly difference (p<0/05), In the attention test at the level of score of interference but the two groups had not significantly difference for interference time (p>0/05). Patients with MTBI had overall poorer results for all the tests than healthy people. Conclusion: According to the findings of this research, mild traumatic brain injury can disturb executive functions of the brain's prefrontal lobes after one year. Hence, it is suggested that in clinical and legal evaluations of the patients, this issue to be considered and both psychological and medical interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Executive functions, as a set of cognitive abilities, enable us to manage our behaviors. Typical development of executive functions is crucial for adulthood health, wealth, and academic achievement. The aim of this study was to design and validate some executive function tests in a sample of Iranian children. Method: In the present study, in a cross-sectional design, 1676 students, aged from 6 to15 years old, were participated in 9 different studies with different executive functions tests: Trial Making Test (TMT), Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT), Token Test (TT), Design Fluency Test (DFT), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Stroop Test (ST), Tower of Hanoi Test (TOHT), and Visual Span Test (VST). Repeated measure ANOVA was used to evaluate discriminative validity between different age groups. Results: Findings described significant discriminative validity for TMT (p<0.05), DFT (p<0.05), RCFT (P<0.01), TT (P<0.01), VST (P<0.01), WCST (P<0.01), ST (P<0.01), and TOHT (P<0.01). Conclusion: The executive functions tests are valid to study typical developmental. These tests are proposed to use in clinical setting to monitor the developmental disorders and/or respective interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been known as an effective psyco-educational method for improving the quality of life and reducing mental health disorders among patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in quality of life in schizophrenic patients. Materials and Methods: The population of this quasi-experimental study with the control group included all patients afflicted with chronic schizophrenia who were residual in Karaj care centers in 1394.Among these centers two were randomly selected. Then, among patients who met inclusion criteria, thirty were randomly selected and replaced in two groups; fifteen in experimental group and fifteen in control group. The experimental group received 8 sessions of cognitive-behavioral intervention but control group remained on the waiting list. Both groups completed Wisconsin Quality of Life Index (W-QLI), Client Questionnaire, at baseline and follow-up. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and by SPSS- 22. Results: The findings suggest that cognitive-behavioral therapy does not affect the quality of life in schizophrenic patients (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Cognitive-behavioral therapy is ineffective in improving the quality of life in schizophrenic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cold executive functions, working memory and cognitive flexibility are among the main cognitive functions that play a role in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Cognitive rehabilitation has been proposed as an efficacy and non-pharmacological treatment method in improving and promoting cognitive functions in a wide range of mental and behavioral disorders, but until now, the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation of inhibitory control on the cold executive functions of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder has been less studied despite the importance and necessity of improving and strengthening these structures. Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigating the efficacy of inhibitory control cognitive rehabilitation on cold executive functions such as working memory, cognitive flexibility in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Methods: The research design was semi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test and follow-up plan with a control group. The statistical population of the study included male and female students of 7- 12 years of elementary school in Tehran in the academic year 2020-2021 who were suffering from attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The statistical sample included 30 students who were selected by purposeful sampling, they were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The SNAP Questionnaire (SNAP-IV, Swanson, Nolan and Pelham, 1980), the Computerized Previous Multiple Stimulus Test (N-BACK, Kirchner, 1958) and the Wisconsin Computerized Test (WSCT, Grant & Berg, 1948) were used to collect information. For data analysis, mixed variance analysis method with repeated measurements and SPSS24 software were used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed that there is a difference in the performance of the experimental group and the control group in the components of active memory and cognitive flexibility (P<0.05). Conclusion: According to the obtained findings, it seems that structured tasks aimed at strengthening interference inhibition and response to improve cold executive functions, Working memory and cognitive flexibility help students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a childhood disorder that is associated with a persistent pattern of symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity or inappropriate impulsivity, which usually continues into adulthood. Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the video game Minecraft on the Cognitive flexibility of ADHD athletes students. Method: The study was a quasi-experimental study with a pre, post and follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population of the study was 79 ADHD athletes students from 9 to 16 years old in 2020 in Lorestan province. Of these, 30 students were randomly selected and divided into two groups control and experimental. Subjects were evaluated three times (pretest, posttest, follow up) with Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Also, to test the hypothesis, multivariate analysis of covariance, repeated measures analysis of variance, Bonferroni test and Spss 26 software at the significance level of 0.05 were used. Results: The results of cognitive flexibility scores showed a significant difference between the two groups in the three stages of measurement (P=0.0001). Bonferroni showed a significant difference between groups in the components of cognitive flexibility, the number of categories (P=0.027) and preservation error (P=0.0001). That is, Minecraft improved Cognitive flexibility in the experimental group, but no change was observed in the cognitive flexibility of the control group. Conclusion: It can be concluded that Minecraft improves the cognitive flexibility of ADHD athletes student. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Calf pneumonia is one of the most common diseases in dairy and beef herds. OBJECTIVES: To compare steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as adjunctive therapy in dairy calf pneumonia. METHODS: Forty calves less than six months of age diagnosed with calf pneumonia in dairy farms of Mashhad suburb were enrolled in this study based on the University of Wisconsin Calf Respiratory Scoring Chart. In this system, calves are scored based on factors such as nasal discharge, rectal temperature, cough, eye and ear staining. Calves should not have a history of any other disease. Moreover, factors such as age, sex, and severity of the disease were considered similar in distributing calves among different groups. These calves were divided into four treatment groups; all were treated with antibiotic florfenicol. The first group received dexamethasone, while dexaphenyl, phenylbutazone, distilled water were used in other groups. After 5 days, calves were examined and scored again and blood samples were taken. Complete blood count (CBC), fibrinogen, total protein, hapto-globulin and albumin measurements on blood samples before and after treatment were done. Repeated measurement ANOVA and Paired t-test were used for statistical analysis with the significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: The results showed that the degree of health, heart and respiratory rate, fibrinogen and total protein, Lymphocyte, N/L, TP-Fib/Fib ratio, MCV and MCHC significantly changed during the two sampling periods (P˂0.05), but there was no significant difference between the treatment groups (P˃0.05). Only the PCV factor and TP-Fib/Fib ratio was significant between groups (P˂0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that in the treatment regimen of dairy calf pneumonia, the use of an anti-inflammatory drug, along with antibiotics and antibiotic treatment alone are not significantly different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Internet addiction can be explained by various factors, including executive functions as multifunctional neuropsychological structures. Aim: The purpose of this study is to predict internet addiction through executive functions among students of Allameh Tabataba'i University. Method: The present study is a correlational study and its statistical population consists of students of Allameh Tabataba’i University who have studied in the second semester of the 2019 academic year. The statistical sample of the study included 206 Undergraduate Student who were selected by available sampling in this study. In order to measure Internet addiction, the Young Internet Addiction Questionnaire was used and to evaluate the executive functions Go/No Go Task, N-Back Task and Wisconsin Card Classification Task (WCST) were used. Correlation and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25 statistical software. Results: The results of the analyzed data show that there was no relationship between working memory components (N-Back Test Series n2) and Internet addiction (P<0.05). However, there is a significant negative relationship between internet addiction (first-series N-BACK), working memory and disinhibition and a significant positive relationship between internet addiction and cognitive flexibility. (P<0.05) Conclusion: The results of this study showed that executive functions can predict internet addiction in students. Executive functions can also be considered as one of the contributing factors to the persistence of Internet addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cognitive impairment is a common feature in the elderly and seems to affect other abilities and behaviors of this group. Aim: The present study aimed at comparing the executive functions and false memory in two age groups of 60-70 years and 71-80 years in Tehran. Method: This is a causal-comparative descriptive study. The statistical population consisted of all the people above 60 years old attending the Retirement Organization of Tehran in 2018. Two groups of 100 participants were selected for the 60-70-year and 71-80-year groups through the convenience sampling method. The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the false memory test were used for data collection. The obtained data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and MANOVA. Results: The results showed that the elderly in the 71-80-year group had poorer performance in WCST than the 60-70-year group. In addition, the false recall and false recognition subscales of false memory were significantly lower in the 60-70-year group than the 71-80-year group. Conclusion: According to the findings of the present study, executive functions and false memory decrease in the elderly with aging. Therefore, it is very important to provide cognitive empowerment services to enhance the executive functions of the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of neurofeedback exercises on executive performance, cognitive flexibility, and attention in students with learning disabilities. Material & Methods: In this study, a total of 30 male students with learning disabilities were referred to the Movafaghiat Clinic in Tehran, Iran, and were randomly assigned to two groups (each including 15 students). The first group (experimental group) received 16 sessions of neurofeedback training (two sessions per week) and the second group (control) did not receive any intervention. The study instruments included the Wisconsin cognitive flexibility test and the Stroop attention test. The data were analyzed using the univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS software (version 24). Findings: The results showed that the experimental group had superiority in terms of the indicators of the Stroop Attention test and Wisconsin Cognitive Flexibility test. Discussion & Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, neurofeedback training is effective in improving the executive functions of students with learning disabilities. Accordingly, this method can be used to improve the executive functions of these groups of students. .

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a positive online parenting program on cold executive functions in children with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder. The research method was quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test design with control group. The statistical population included all parents of children aged 7 to 12 years who referred to rehabilitation and psychological centers in Tehran in 2020-2021 and received attention-hyperactivity disorder based on the opinion of experts. By available sampling method, 30 children with an average age of 7 to 12 years were selected and randomly assigned to two groups of 15 experimental and control. The experimental group received a positive parenting program online in 8 sessions. Attention registration test, N- BACK test, Stroop testand Wisconsin card test were used to evaluate the cold executive functions. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covriance SPSS-25 software. Findings showed that a positive parenting program had a significant effect on improving sustained attention, cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control (P <0.05) and had no significant effect on working memory (P> 0.05). Accordingly, it can be said that the use of positive parenting online in the time of the outbreak of Covid-19 can be considered by specialists and ADHD children's treatment centers and for families who can not visit the centers in person can benefit from this intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The productivity of Holstein dairy cattle herds is significantly influenced by prevailing climatic conditions. Given the potential variability in climates within a single province, this study aimed to investigate the impact of different climates across the country on the productive characteristics of these herds. The study examined average milk production, fat content, protein content, fat percentage, and protein percentage, analyzing data from 325,040 heifers belonging to 270 herds for the period between 2006 and 2021. The regions of the country were classified into five distinct climates, namely BSh, BSk, BWk, Csa, and Dsa, based on the Köppen classification system, which characterizes climates by varying temperature and humidity levels. The study found that the BWk climate, characterized by cold and dry conditions, exhibited the highest milk production levels despite the unfavorable climatic conditions. This outcome can be attributed to effective herd management practices implemented in cities such as Isfahan, which fall under this climate category. The Dsa climate, characterized by a continental climate with hot and dry summers, demonstrated the third-highest milk production levels and was found to be relatively suitable for livestock rearing, particularly during seasons other than summer. Additionally, the Dsa climate was highly conducive to the growth of fodder for livestock and exhibited the best performance in terms of both the quantity and percentage of fat and protein. Despite having the lowest number of herds among the different climates, the Dsa climate outperformed the other climates in terms of production traits. Moreover, in the period from 2007 to 2021, when increasing economic problems, such as the increase in inflation and currency rates, as well as the removal of livestock input subsidies, made it difficult for livestock farmers to cover the costs of providing animal feed, all regions except Dsa region experienced a decrease in the number of herds. From the findings of this research, it can be concluded that the climatic effect in terms of heat stress for livestock and in terms of the suitability of weather conditions for planting fodder and providing livestock feed can have a decisive effect on the productive traits of livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective Gypsum habitats create a stressful environment for plant and the establishment of plants is affected by ionomic toxicity. Shrub plants as nurse plants can safeguard their understory species in the harsh conditions of this habitat. These plants are more important in extreme environmental conditions because they use particular processes to modify the microhabitat conditions and assist the development of subordinate species. This study attempted to explore the biotic effect of Artemisia diffusa shrubs on its subordinate species in an altitude gradient in the gypsum habitat of Semnan province. Methodology For this purpose, four habitats with gypsum content above 40% were chosen based on their altitude gradient. These habitats include Talkheh, Sorkheh Down, Rameh and Sorkheh Up with altitudes 1302, 1358, 1431 and 1544 meters above sea level, respectively. In each habitat, 20 twin plots were established under a canopy of A. diffusa and their nearby open spaces and then, their percentage of cover was measured within the plots. The sampling unit is the shrub, which is considered as a patch. To investigate the response of the plants, they were divided into four functional groups: annual grasses, annual forbs, perennial forbs and shrubs. To analyze the soil parameters in each habitat, ten soil samples were collected as pairs under canopy of A. diffusa and their nearby open spaces and physicochemical properties including pH, EC, gypsum content, CaCO3, sand, silt, clay, phosphorus, organic carbon, nitrogen and sulfur were examined. The difference between treatments was examined using the generalized linear mixed model, and means were compared using Tukey's HSD test. Soil properties were examined using multivariate PCA analysis. All computations were performed with R program. The relative interaction index was developed to measure biotic interactions between plants. Results Based on the obtained results, 22 plant species from 16 families were recognized. The findings revealed that the altitude and location of the species under the patch and their nearby open spaces have a major impact on various ecosystems. In Talkheh (7.7±1.9), Sorkheh down (13.2±2.36), and Sorkheh up (12.75±5.3), the percentage of total cover of species under patch is greater than their nearby open spaces. Additionally, in Talkheh, the percentage of annual forbs (5.3±1.2) and at Sorkheh down annual grasses (8.3±2.3) and annual forbs (5±1.06) under patch, also in Sorkheh up shrubs (7.5±3.5) and annual grasses (3.15±0.84) were more abundant under patch than in their nearby open spaces. Also the results showed that the biotic interaction of A.diffusa facilitates all species in all environments, however the intensity decreased with increasing altitude (F=2.95; P<0.05). The study found that annual forbs facilitation declines with increasing altitude (F=10.01; P < 0.001), while shrub species only experience facilitation at high altitude (F = 5; P < 0.006). The model's results demonstrated that altitude, position, and their interactions had a considerable effect on soil properties. In the Talkhe habitat, the amount of sulfur (4.57±1.21), phosphorus (2.1±0.3), clay (17.12±2.24), silt (31.78±1.61), and carbon (4.17±0.78) was much higher under the patch than in their nearby open spaces and the amount of sand (71.8±3.22) and gypsum content (56.93±3.47) was lower than the nearby open spaces. In general, lower altitudes had less gypsum and higher acidity, while the opposite was true in the upper environment. Conclusion In general, Artemisia diffusa plants in Semnan province's gypsum ecosystem have enabling effects that decrease as altitude increases. Because as altitude and gypsum levels rise, environmental conditions grow more severe, increasing competition among plants for limited resources. Given that gypsum ecosystems feature unique and endemic species, it is critical to understand the types of interactions so that, if necessary, appropriate nurse species can be employed to restore these places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Iranian legal system, use of legislative history (including parliamentary materials) in legal interpretation is quite prevalent. Judges and jurists always try to remain faithful to the legislative history and refrain from giving any interpretation contrary to it. Despite the role of legislative history in interpretation, it's been widely neglected in our legal literature. The following paper explores this matter with regard to Iranian law. It develops arguments based on legal theory, constitutional law, and thus affords deeper insight into the current discussion on legal methods. Despite the role of legislative history in legal interpretations, its nature, types and criteria are unclear and unresolved. In this paper, first a precise definition of legislative history and its types is provided, and then the validity of legislative history is discussed, and explained how legal schools can invoke legislative history based on the assumptions they have previously accepted. In the second part, the main criteria for applying legislative history in legal interpretation is stated. Finally, (Part 3), it has been tried to identify the main applications of legislative history in legal interpretation along with real examples in the Iranian legal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the definition of foreign investment and its elements in law, it is contended that the investor should contribute to the economic development of the host state so that the latter's action is considered an investment. In recent decades, with the growing importance of subject-areas like human, environmental, and labor rights, the act of investing has gone beyond the mere economic/financial concept and, has developed in line with the concept of sustainable development. In this regard, some commentators have considered it permissible and necessary to limit the scope of the permitted activities of the foreign investors within the frame of the concept of sustainable development. So much so that in recent arbitral decisions and international investment agreements, creating a platform for the development of the host state is considered a new component of foreign investment in line with the requirements of human rights, labor and environment rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The cow manure application is a common way to improve soil properties, however, the uses may cause bacteria contamination in the soil profile as well as the surface water and groundwater. Thus it is crucial to monitor the amount of bacterial transport and retention on the soil surface and deeper under cultivation conditions. The literature review shows that the structure of manure, soil structure, cultivation, soil moisture, soil salinity, and irrigation methods are important in the transport and retention of bacteria in the porous media. The plant’s roots cause cracks, creating preferential flow in the soil profile. Preferential flow accelerates pollutant transportation in the soil. Therefore It is essential to survey the transport of bacteria in the presence of plants. In this research, it has been investigated the effect of grass cultivation conditions and the size of the particles on the retention of Escherichia coli bacteria in the soil profile. Materials and Methods This research was conducted in the greenhouse and column experiments condition with grass cultivation. Cow manure was dried for 72 hours and passed through 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mm sieves. The grass was prepared and placed uniformly on the surface of the soil columns. Then 14 days were given for the stabilization and settlement of the grass roots into the soil columns. The columns were irrigated once every two days by custom surface method until the soil moisture to the field capacity. The column’s height was divided into six equal layers, in which each layer was sampled to measure the remaining E. coli bacteria. The live counting method was used to determine the bacteria accumulation on the soil profile. For the measurement, a nine cubic centimeter of distilled water was added to one gr of each soil sample and they were put and kept in a shaker for 30 minutes. After preparing the soil samples’ dilutions, 100 µl of each dilution was cultured on the Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) culture medium. The plates were retained at 37 °C, the temperature suitable for E. coli growth. After 24 hours, the bacteria colonies were counted and reported per ml. Due to the difference in the initial concentration of bacteria in the cow manure samples, the relative concentration index of bacteria was used to compare the concentration of bacteria in the effluent and the soil profile. This is the bacteria concentration ratio to the concentration of input bacteria, at each depth of the soil with the S/C0 parameter, it was shown that C0 and S are the bacteria concentration in the manure columns and the bacterial growth rate in the soil depth respectively. Results and Discussion In this research, the distribution of the soil bacteria is studied at the end of the test period. The results show that in treatments without grass cultivation, it can be seen that the maximum S/C0 for all cow’s manure sizes in the surface layer was 10 cm. With increasing depth, the relative concentration of the bacteria in all treatments has decreased. In the conditions of grass cultivation on the soil surface, the relative concentration of bacteria for the manure particle size of 0.25 mm at lower depths was more than the treatment with a larger particle size. The smaller size of the manure particles of 0.25 mm due to their transfer to the lower layers has led to the observation of a higher amount of bacteria compared to other sizes at lower depths. In other words, due to their small size, cow manure particles with a diameter of 0.25 were more easily transported to the lower layers of the soil column by flowing through the pores created by the plant roots. The reason for the decrease of the bacteria absorption in the soil surface layer compared to the treatments without cultivation can be attributed to the soil structure. The root growth causes the creation of macropores and large pores on the soil surface and increases the transfer of bacteria to the lower layers. Conclusion The effect of grass cultivation and different sizes of cow manure particle size (2.0, 1.0, 0.5, and 0.25 mm) were evaluated on the distribution of Escherichia coli bacteria in the soil profile. It shows that the bacteria retention rate decreases with increasing depth in the soil profile. Manure particles with a size of 0.25 mm cause more contaminant transport to the lower depth of the soil profile. Preferential flow in the conditions of grass cultivation caused the transport of bacteria to the lower depths. Grass cultivation causes bacteria retention at lower depths compared to the conditions without cultivation. The average bacterial retention index was 68% for a manure size of 2.0 mm at a depth of 10 cm and 48% in the treatment with a manure size of 0.25 mm. It concluded that the possibility of deep soil contamination with the application of manure with finer particles and grass cultivation is higher than with coarser particles and without grass cultivation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of nomadism or nomadic society, aside from its philosophical aspects, represents a human network in which adaptive, capital, and disciplinary processes and actions give rise to powers that are different from sedentary societies. These capabilities have provided an opportunity to reevaluate the concept of social resilience based on migration. In light of social crises and inequalities over many years, social resilience models are being reinterpreted for effectiveness. This research aims to create a model for social resilience in nomadism by comparing rhizomatic and Eastern approaches. In this research, we used the Grounded Theory Method to interpret a model by triple coding 42 events into 28 concepts, 8 sub-categories, and 3 main categories. We also employed the meta-synthesis technique to screen sources, examining related texts from a reliable database between 1990 and 2021 in five steps. The concept of social resilience, as understood through the lens of nomadism, encompasses three main components that can be viewed in terms of adaptability and practicality. The first component is "adaptation," which depends on social, cultural, economic, and environmental activism. The second component, "social capital," is not about luxury or appearance, but rather about internal knowledge, innovation, and willingness to take risks. The third component of the proposed model is "governance," which is associated with factors such as institutional capacity building or participation. This indicates a type of governance that involves taking action rather than simply existing. Original social concepts such as nomadism have deep semantic significance and complexity, which can be linked to contemporary social models like resilience. By deeply considering fluid concepts like migration and incorporating the perspectives of different experts, it is possible to gain a modern understanding of social models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis is the most popular illicit drug in the world. Repeated cannabis use is associated with adverse cognitive and mental health. Purpose of this study were compared Executive Functions in patients with cannabis use, recovered (patients treated) and normal individuals. For this purpose, in a causal-comparative study, 50 patients who used cannabis who referred to Shiraz psychiatric centers in the first six months of 2019, they did not have psychiatric, neurological, cognitive disabilities and dependence on non-opioids and received a definitive diagnosis of cannabis use disorder by a psychiatrist, 50 recovered patients with at least six months of no-use period and 50 normal individuals with no history of substance use were selected by available sampling method and were evaluated by the Wisconsin card sorting test and the Wechsler memory scale. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed that the performance of cannabis group compared to the improved group and normal individuals and also the performance of the improved group compared to the normal group in Wisconsin test and Wechsler memory scale were significantly different. But there was no significant difference in the perseveration error in the improved and normal groups. Therefore, it can be said that cannabis consumption disrupts the executive functions and memory of consumers and can continue even after quitting.

Background: This disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder related to childhood that can be extended to adolescence and adulthood; but most of the studies were conducted with the concentration of different therapies in childhood and the importance of this disorder in adulthood is ignored. Aims: the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of tDCS on improving the emotional and cognitive symptoms of adults ADHD. Method: This study was an experimental study with pre-test and post-test. The statistical population included all people with ADHD in Isfahan who referred to one of the major centers equipped with neurotherapy (120 people). The sample also included 40 of these individuals (2 groups, 20 people) who met the research criteria. The intervention sessions consisted of 15 sessions with the treatment protocol of F3 and F4. Participants completed the Adult ADHD self-report scale (2003), STROOP test (1935), Wisconsin sorting cart test (1984), tower of London test (1982), continues performance test (1956), difficulty in emotion regulation scale (2004) and Eysenck Impulsivity Questionnaire (1977). After conducting the research process, covariance method was used for data analysis by SPSS21 software. Results: The results showed that tDCS experimental group significantly improved the scores of emotion regulation, impulsivity, Stroop scores, tower of London, Wisconsin, attention and concentration, and the component of inattention in ADHD scale due to the independent variable(p< 0/005). No significant difference was observed in the hyperactivity component. Conclusions: it can be concluded that tDCS can be use as a single treatment or also a complementary therapy along other treatment for ADHD patients

The prime objective of the current study was to comparative the impact of Transcranial Direct Current Stmulation (tDCS) on the Cognitive flexibility of hyperactive student-athletes. In this study, amongst the79 children diagnosed with ADHD, 30 students were randomly selected and divided into two groups of 15 people, control and experimental, based on age, sex and pre-test results performed by the wisconsin card sorting test (WCST) . All subjects in the two groups received two different types of single-position and dummy anode stimulation on the area (F3) with cathode excitation in the area (SO) with a current of 1 mA for 15 minutes for ten sessions (p≤0.05) and after ten sessions, each group was re-examined. After one month, a follow-up test was performed according to the post-test with using the wisconsin card sorting test (WCST) and multivariate analysis of covariance was used to test statistical hypotheses. (p≤0.05). The results obtained by multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that applying single-session anodal tDCS influenced Cognitive flexibility of hyperactive student-athletes, and it led to a significant difference between the experimental and sham groups. The findings of the study indicated that the protocol of applying single-session anodal tDCS has the ability to improve the cognitive flexibility of hyperactive student-athletes.

The aim of this research was to investigate the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation in enhancing academic achievement, cognitive flexibility, and selective attention in students with specific learning disabilities. This applied study employed a semi-experimental design with pretest-posttest, a quantitative research method, and an experimental and control group. The population included all elementary school pupils who were referred to learning disability centers in Zanjan during the academic year 2021-2022. A total of 40 participants (22 boys and 18 girls) were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (each group, 20 participants). The selection was conducted through convenience sampling. The control group was placed on a waiting list, while the experimental group received 12 sessions of cognitive rehabilitation interventions. The Stroop and Wisconsin Card Sorting Tests were employed to capture data, which were subsequently analyzed using SPSS24 and repeated measures analysis. The findings showed that after cognitive rehabilitation, the level of selective attention, cognitive flexibility, and academic achievement of the participants increased significantly. Selective attention, cognitive flexibility, and academic achievement were significantly different between the experimental and control groups in the pretest, posttest, and follow-up (P

Introduction: Stroke is a sudden onset of a neurological disorder that can be attributed to a focal vascular cause. Working memory defects are one of the most commonly occurring phenomena after brain damage. Working memory is the core of executive functions. Cognitive rehabilitation is a cognitive and neuropsychological intervention program designed to rehabilitate cognitive defects. Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cognitive rehabilitation on the divided attention, selective attention and executive function of adults with stroke. Method: 20 patients with stroke in this study were equally divided into experimental and control groups. All patients were examined by Wechsler's working memory test, divided and selective attention test, and Wisconsin Card sorting test. The experimental group trained 5 weeks and 5 days for 30-40 minutes with a computerized rehabilitation program. Results: Analysis of univariate covariance shows that cognitive rehabilitation has effect on selective attention, but does not affect the divided attention and executive function. The calculated F in the level of significance (P <0.05) was significant (22.23) and (0.6 and 97. 3) was not significant. Improvement in selective attention may occur as a result of changes in neural organization in response to injury. Conclusion: It seems that the lack of improvement in divided attention and the executive function is due to the lack of harmony and parallel exercise in different regions of the brain because of infective tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of biochar, leonardite and coal was investigated on humification and germination index, and the concentration of some elements in the co-composting of manure and forest organic materials. The experiment was conducted in a factorial design with two factors, namely treatments at two levels (2 and 4% by weight) mixed with the raw materials and time was the second factor. Sampling was carried out during the composting process in the first to 12 weeks, measuring temperature, EC, C/N ratio, nitrate, and total concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn, humification and germination index in the compost. The results showed that the coal (2%) had the highest temperature, while the leonardite (2%) had the longest thermophilic phase period. The coal (4%) led to a significant increase in EC, and biochar increased nitrate concentration and C/N ratio. The addition of leonardite resulted in a significant increase in humic and fulvic acids concentrations, as well as the highest values of humification and of polymerization index. The additives did not have a significant effect on germination index and the E3/E5 and E4/E6 ratios. The control had higher concentrations of measured elements compared to other treatments. The results of this study suggest that considering the cost of raw materials, coal is a suitable treatment for accelerating the production and improving the quality of compost, and leonardite, due to its high humic substrate, can be used at the end of composting for the enrichment of the produced compost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current research was conducted with the aim of developing a model of intelligent leadership in education using a qualitative method of thematic analysis. Aims: The current research was conducted with the aim of developing a model of intelligent leadership in education using a qualitative method of thematic analysis. Methods: The data of this research was derived from in-depth and semi-structured interviews with 12 subject experts in the field of leadership and management in education, which was based on purposeful sampling dependent on the selection criteria and continued until the theoretical saturation of this process was reached. The validity of the research data was checked and confirmed by going back to the participants and external auditors. It was done in the form of open, axial, and selective coding in Atlas TI8 software. Results: The results showed that the intellectual, emotional and spiritual dimensions are the three dimensions of intelligent leadership; which includes elements such as strategic thinking, joint goalsetting, rational decision-making, motivation, self-awareness, self-management, faith in goal realization and culture building. The results also showed that the elements of knowledge management, organizational management, team management, and pragmatic management are the components of the intelligent leadership model of education managers. Conclusion: The results of this research showed that intellectual, emotional and spiritual dimensions are three dimensions of intelligent leadership; which includes elements such as strategic thinking, joint goal-setting, rational decision-making, motivation, self-awareness, self-management, faith in goal realization and culture building. The results also showed that the elements of knowledge management, organizational management, team management, and practical management are the components of the intelligent leadership model of education managers. The results of this research are in line with the researches of Zaidzivant (2018), Oleksienko and Rowan (2018), Allen, Shankman, Miguel (2012), Fisher and Wildman (2016), Shishunga (2020), Nooralizadeh and Hajivand (2017) and Kikha (2016). Different emotional, spiritual and rational dimensions of intelligent leadership are aligned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: This research was undertaken to assess the impact of kinetin (Kin) and salicylic acid (SA) on yield and its components in soybean plants by reducing ionic, osmotic and oxidative stresses at different levels of salinity. Materials and Methods: The experiment with factorial arrangements based on randomized complete block design with three replications were conducted at the research greenhouse of Urmia University. The investigated factors included salinity (0, 4, 7 and 10 dS/m) and growth regulators (50 μM kinetin and 1 mM salicylic acid). 20 soybean seeds (cultivar M7) were planted at a depth of 3 cm in each pot containing 1 kg of perlite. Growth regulators were sprayed in the vegetative and reproductive stages. One week after the final treatment, tests were performed. Results: Salinity increased the contents of roots and leaves sodium, the amount of H2O2 and malondialdehyde, the activities of catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, α-tocopherol, the contents of soluble sugars and proline of soybean leaves, but decreased potassium, calcium and magnesium ions, chlorophylls content, leaf area index, membrane stability index, leaf relative water content, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per plant, 100-seed weight, seed yield, biological yield and harvest index. Foliar spray of growth regulators, especially Kin + SA, reduced sodium content, H2O2, malondialdehyde and proline content, while enhancing potassium, calcium and magnesium ions, chlorophylls content, leaf area index, antioxidants activities, membrane stability index, soluble sugars and leaf relative water content. Kin + SA treatment also led to considerable improvements in seed yield (39%), biological yield (18.51%) and harvest index (18.16%) of soybean plants by increasing the number of pods per plant, the number of seeds per plant and the 100-seed weight. Conclusion: Foliar application of growth regulators under salt stress, especially Kin+ SA, increased the growth, seed yield and its components in soybean plants through reducing ionic toxicity and improving antioxidants activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]