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Lodging occurs when the crop canopy is too heavy for the strength of the stem and it falls over onto the ground. This decreases crop yield and quality, and it makes harvest difficult. A research experiment was set up in a spearmint field on a center pivot with mid elevation spray application (MESA) overhead sprinklers, where the water was applied from a “mid elevation” of 2 m above the ground level (AGL), and low elevation precision application (LEPA) sprinklers, where the water was emitted directly onto the soil surface through drag hoses without wetting the crop canopy. Every-other span of this full-size center pivot was configured with MESA and LEPA sprinklers alternatively. In 2018, imagery was collected with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from a cross section of this field. In 2019, a cross section was again collected, but in addition UAV imagery was collected from marked lodged and un-lodged areas of the field to validate the lodging detection method. These UAV-based imagery data were captured with a ground sample distance (GSD) of 0.03 m. This research introduces using the texture feature, which is based on image entropy, was used to evaluate the degree of lodging. The results from 2018 showed that the average entropy of the grayscale image from LEPA (5.5 (mean) ± 0.27 (standard deviation)) was significantly (P < 0.0001) greater than the average entropy (5.0 ± 0.25) of MESA. Also, the entropy value extracted from the images in 2019 from the marked un-lodged locations were significantly higher compared to that of the lodged areas. Overall, the LEPA irrigation treatment was significantly less lodged compared to MESA. Moreover, the entropy value, or texture feature, is a viable method for estimating lodging using low altitude RGB imagery.

The aim of performing this study was comparison of Entonox and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in labor pain in Zanjan city, Iran.This clinical trial study was conducted on 120 pregnant women in Zanjan-Iran, 2016. The patients were randomly divided (by method of 1:1:1) into three groups (each group 40 patients): First group was TENS group; the second group was Entonox group and control group were choose from the patients that had a physiological delivery. They did not want to use analgesia. All the analyses were done using SPSS (version 23).Before intervention the pain severity between three group was relatively same (Our findings reported that two groups of Entonox and TENS had similar effect on pain relief and decreased significantly pain scores. Therefore, TENS methods as a non-drug pain relief method can propose to women for relief of labor pain.

Conventional methods for crop lodging assessments need accurate ground observations and tend to be laborious. Lodging assessment methods and accuracy can thus be improved using remote sensing data from small unmanned aerial systems (UASs) and low orbiting satellites (LOSs). With such aim, imagery to assess spearmint crop lodging was acquired using a small UAS at two ground sample distances (GSDs) of 0.01 and 0.03 m. Crop surface model (CSM) and six image color features were extracted from small UAS-based data. These features were then classified into not lodged (NL), partially lodged (PL), and lodged (L) groups. Mean and majority feature classes were obtained for 50 regions of interest (ROI) of size 1 m2 each. Features were compared with visual crop lodging ratings using Pearson correlation ( ${r}$ ) and Cohen’s kappa (CK) coefficients. CSM showed higher assessment accuracy with ${r}~\approx $ 0.85 and CK > 0.60. Mean percentage red (%R) was observed to have the strongest correlation with visual ratings ( $r= 0.75$ and CK = 0.40–0.59) followed by mean percentage blue (%B), both at 0.01-m GSD. The percentage of lodging calculated from %R and %B maps was also contrasted with similar estimates from LOS-based imagery at 3.00-m GSD with no statistical differences found at 5% level.

Background Pregnancy nausea and vomiting (NVP) are associated with a wide range of physical and mental changes in the mothers and could affect their adaptation to pregnancy. There is a gap of knowledge regarding the effectiveness of a positive psychology approach counselling on improving coping patterns in women with NVP. Objective This study aimed to determine the effect of supportive counselling with a positive psychology approach on improving coping patterns in women with NVP. Method The current study was a randomized controlled trial on 60 pregnant women who experienced nausea and vomiting in Zanjan a province in the northwest of Iran, 2020–2021. Using four-block random sampling, eligible women were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. According to the Seligman protocol, the intervention group received supportive counselling in six sessions of 45 min3 times a week. The revised prenatal coping inventory (Nu PCI) was used to collect data and analyzed using Chi-square, repeated measures ANOVA, and MANOVA at a 95% confidence level. Results In the counseling group, the mean (SD) of a total score of coping with pregnancy before the intervention was 6.11 (1.31) which increased to 8.40 (1.03) in 4 weeks after the intervention. Based on the MANOVA test with adjusting the number of pregnancies, the mean total score of coping with pregnancy was statistically significant 4 weeks after the intervention compared with the control group (Adjusted mean difference (AMD) = -1.84, CI95% -2.36, -1.32, p = 0.001). Conclusion The use of positive psychology in supportive counselling improved the coping of mothers suffering from nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. It is recommended that this approach be incorporated into prenatal care to promote the health of pregnant women. Trial registration The study was registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials website under the code IRCT20150731023423N17. Registration date: 2020–10-31, Expected recruitment start date: 2020–11-01. IRCT Id: IRCT20150731023423N17.

Background: Optimal management of women with placenta accreta requires accurate preoperative diagnosis. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim to evaluate a new prediction scoring items for risk assessment on placenta accreta and determine its accuracy ratio.Methods: This prospective cohort study was carried out on 159 suspected pregnant women morbidly adherent placenta (MAP) in Shariati, Imam Khomeini, and Yas Hospitals in Tehran from October 2016 to May 2018. The number of previous cesarean deliveries; lacunae stage, location of placenta; Doppler assessment; and loss of clear zone were used for review and scoring of ultrasound images. Ultimately after collecting scores, subjects fall into one of the following three categories: low (≤5 points), moderate (6-7 points), or high (8-10 points) probability for placenta accreta. Ultimately, diagnosis of accreta was based on hysterectomy during surgery or reports of pathology. A logistic regression model was used to calculate the probability of placenta accreta on univariable analysis, to assess the discriminant power of all explanatory variables assessed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results: The area-under-the-ROC curve of the composite scores was 98% and the overall sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of our developed scoring system were 91.84%, 87.27%, 86.54%, and 92.31%, respectively.Conclusion: Combination of several simple ultrasound and clinical characteristics in a scoring system may be highly effective for prenatal risk assessment and prediction of placenta accreta. Output of scoring system helps medical staff to prepare appropriately before surgery and avoid perinatal mortality and morbidity.

Background: Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are the most prevalent bacterial sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in women.Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence ofgGonorrheal and cChlamydial infections, and determination of related risk factors inmarried women complaining about vaginal discharge attending gynecological OPDin Zanjan in 2013-2014.Materials and Methods: In this descriptive/analytic study, 100 women aged 18-49years with vaginal discharge were evaluated for signs and symptoms of gonococcaland chlamydial infections through interviews. Then cervical discharge samples andblood samples were collected from each subject for the detection of Nisseriagonorrhea and Chlamydia trachomatis by bacterial culture and serological tests,respectively. The data from the questionnaires and experimental tests werestatistically analyzed.Results: The overall prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Nisseria gonorrhoeae were 16% and 4%, respectively. There was no significant relationship between the history of fertility and childbirth, contraception methods, previous history of vaginal infections, previous history of urinary tract infections, number of coitus per weekly and self-reported symptoms (itching, burning, abdominal pain) with incidence of Nisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis.Conclusion: According to results obtained through laboratory tests, the prevalence of gonococcal and chlamydial infections increased, which makes it necessary to put emphasis on education and further preventive and therapeutic programs.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of vaginal progesterone on Doppler finding in increased uterine artery resistance compared with aspirin.This study is a double-blind randomized clinical trial that was conducted on 140 pregnant women with increased uterine artery resistance who were referred to the Shariati hospital (Tehran, Iran) in 2017-2018. Patients were randomized to 1 of the 3 treatment groups - group A: tablet aspirin 80 mg; group B: vaginal suppository progesterone; and group C: control group without any intervention. Low-risk pregnant women at the gestational age of 16-20 weeks, were assessed by the uterine artery Doppler. In the presence of increased resistance of the uterine artery, patients were randomly assigned to one of the three above mentioned groups.The results of pairedThe findings showed that the use of vaginal progesterone suppressed the resistance of uterine artery compared to aspirin.

Site-specific irrigation management for perennial crops such as grape requires water use assessments at high spatiotemporal resolution. In this study, small unmanned-aerial-system (UAS)-based imaging was used with a modified mapping evapotranspiration at high resolution with internalized calibration (METRIC) energy balance model to map water use (UASM-ET approach) of a commercial, surface, and direct-root-zone (DRZ) drip-irrigated vineyard. Four irrigation treatments, 100%, 80%, 60%, and 40%, of commercial rate (CR) were also applied, with the CR estimated using soil moisture data and a non-stressed average crop coefficient of 0.5. Fourteen campaigns were conducted in the 2018 and 2019 seasons to collect multispectral (ground sampling distance (GSD): 7 cm/pixel) and thermal imaging (GSD: 13 cm/pixel) data. Six of those campaigns were near Landsat 7/8 satellite overpass of the field site. Weather inputs were obtained from a nearby WSU-AgWeatherNet station (1 km). First, UASM-ET estimates were compared to those derived from soil water balance (SWB) and conventional Landsat-METRIC (LM) approaches. Overall, UASM-ET (2.70 ± 1.03 mm day−1 [mean ± std. dev.]) was higher than SWB-ET (1.80 ± 0.98 mm day−1). However, both estimates had a significant linear correlation (r = 0.64–0.81, p < 0.01). For the days of satellite overpass, UASM-ET was statistically similar to LM-ET, with mean absolute normalized ET departures (ETd,MAN) of 4.30% and a mean r of 0.83 (p < 0.01). The study also extracted spatial canopy transpiration (UASM-T) maps by segmenting the soil background from the UASM-ET, which had strong correlation with the estimates derived by the standard basal crop coefficient approach (Td,MAN = 14%, r = 0.95, p < 0.01). The UASM-T maps were then used to quantify water use differences in the DRZ-irrigated grapevines. Canopy transpiration (T) was statistically significant among the irrigation treatments and was highest for grapevines irrigated at 100% or 80% of the CR, followed by 60% and 40% of the CR (p < 0.01). Reference T fraction (TrF) curves established from the UASM-T maps showed a notable effect of irrigation treatment rates. The total water use of grapevines estimated using interpolated TrF curves was highest for treatments of 100% (425 and 320 mm for the 2018 and 2019 seasons, respectively), followed by 80% (420 and 317 mm), 60% (391 and 318 mm), and 40% (370 and 304 mm) of the CR. Such estimates were within 5% to 11% of the SWB-based water use calculations. The UASM-T-estimated water use was not the same as the actual amount of water applied in the two seasons, probably because DRZ-irrigated vines might have developed deeper or lateral roots to fulfill water requirements outside the irrigated soil volume. Overall, results highlight the usefulness of high-resolution imagery toward site-specific water use management of grapevines.

Most large-scale mint growers are using center pivot irrigation systems with mid elevation sprinkler application (MESA) sprinklers that have a water application efficiency close to 80 %. Modifications of the sprinkler systems like low elevation spray/precision application (LESA/LEPA) that apply water close to the ground can save a lot of water throughout the season. However, improving or maintaing the current oil yield is a main priority for satisfying these producers. A two-year study was conducted in the field near Toppenish, Washington, USA to evaluate and compare the effect of LESA/LEPA, MESA, and hand line (HL) irrigation systems on the hay yield, oil yield, and oil concentration on spearmint and peppermint. Due to the higher application efficiency of the LESA/LEPA systems, they were designed at 15 % less liters per second per hectare than the MESA systems. The HL treatments were irrigated by the grower without any changes. The soil water content (SWC) of each plot was measured continously throughout the growing season using neutron probe soil moisture sensor. The results of the two-year study showed that despite using 15 % less water, there were no significant differences in the SWC, hay yield, oil yield, and oil concentration between the LESA/LEPA and MESA treatments. However, the HL in spearmint had significantly greater hay yield (30.8 tons/ha) and the lowest oil concentrations (31 mL per 10 Kg fresh hay) compared with the other two treatments. From this research study it can be concluded that large water savings are possible by using LESA/LEPA without significantly impacting oil yields in both peppermint and spearmint. Pumping energy savings are also possible because less pumping is required to get an equivalent amount of water to the soil, and because LESA/LEPA sprinklers require less pressure to operate properly. It also showed that hand-line sprinkler-irrigated spearmint had significantly lower oil concentrations than the LEPA/LESA treatments, or the MESA treatments.

Background Despite 2.5 million infections and 169,000 deaths worldwide (as of April 20, 2020), no maternal deaths and only a few pregnant women afflicted with severe respiratory morbidity have been reported to be related to COVID-19 disease. Given the disproportionate burden of severe and fatal respiratory disease previously documented among pregnant women following other coronavirus-related outbreaks (SARS-CoV in 2003 and MERS-CoV in 2012) and influenza pandemics over the last century, the absence of reported maternal morbidity and mortality with COVID-19 disease is unexpected. Objective To describe maternal and perinatal outcomes and death in a case series of pregnant women with COVID-19 disease. Study design We describe here a multiinstitution adjudicated case series from Iran that includes 9 pregnant women diagnosed with severe COVID-19 disease in their second or third trimester. All 9 pregnant women received a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction nucleic acid testing. Outcomes of these women were compared with their familial/household members with contact to the affected patient on or after their symptom onset. All data were reported at death or after a minimum of 14 days from date of admission with COVID-19 disease. Results Among 9 pregnant women with severe COVID-19 disease, at the time of reporting, 7 of 9 died, 1 of 9 remains critically ill and ventilator dependent, and 1 of 9 recovered after prolonged hospitalization. We obtained self-verified familial/household cohort data in all 9 cases, and in each and every instance, maternal outcomes were more severe compared with outcomes of other high- and low-risk familial/household members (n=33 members for comparison). Conclusion We report herein maternal deaths owing to COVID-19 disease. Until rigorously collected surveillance data emerge, it is prudent to be aware of the potential for maternal death among pregnant women diagnosed as having COVID-19 disease in their second or third trimester.

Because of limiting water resources and increasing demand for food, it is necessary to investigate the effect of irrigation systems on water productivity. This research was conducted to evaluate yield and yield characteristics of two potato varieties under sprinkler and trickle irrigation systems. The treatments were two irrigation systems (sprinkler and trickle irrigation) and two potato varieties (Burren and Satina) in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Full irrigation was done based on moisture depletion from depth of root development in both irrigation methods.. Potato yield and water productivity (WP) in drip and sprinkler irrigation systems showed significant differences (P

Background Currently, a comprehensive program for screening and early detection of cervical cancer does not exist in Iran. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smears and some related factors among women living in Zanjan, Iran. Materials and methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012 in Zanjan on 4274 married women aged 20-65 years. The study participants were selected through two-stage cluster sampling. After obtaining written consent, demographic and fertility questionnaires were completed. Samples from cervix were obtained through a standard method using the Rover Cervex- Brush. Evaluation and interpretation of the samples were reported using the Bethesda 2001 method. Data were statistically analyzed using chi-square and logistic regression models. Results Most inflammatory changes in the samples were mild (37.4%). Abnormal atypical changes in the epithelial cells were found in 4.04%. The highest percentage of abnormal changes in the epithelial cells was atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) (1.9%). Abnormal results of Pap smear was significantly and independently associated with age, papillomavirus infection, and lack of awareness about Pap smear tests. Conclusions Given the high prevalence of inflammatory and precancerous changes in this study, compared to other studies in Iran and other Muslim countries, and the effect of demographic variables and individual factors on abnormal results, increasing the awareness of women and their families regarding the risk factors for cervical cancer, preventive measures such as screening, and timely treatment seem necessary.

Background: Conventional IVF and ICSI are two common techniques to achieve fertilization. IVF has long been used for treatment of infertility, although it is not an effective treatment in severe male infertility. The use of ICSI has been expanded in severe male factor and fertilization failure after IVF cycle. In spite of the widespread use of ICSI in patients with non-male factor infertility, there is still little evidence to confirm its effectiveness in this population. Objective: To evaluate assisted reproductive technology outcomes between IVF and ICSI cycles in non-male factor, normoresponder patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 220 non-male factors, normoresponder patients who were indicated for ART were enrolled in this study. The patients received standard long GnRH agonist or GnRH antagonist protocols for ovarian stimulation and after oocytes retrieval, the patients were divided into two groups (IVF and ICSI groups). In IVF group (n=112), all of retrieved oocytes were treated by conventional IVF and in ICSI group (n=88), microinjection (ICSI) was done on all of retrieved oocytes. Results: In IVF group, fertilization and implantation rates were significantly higher than ICSI group (66.22% and 16.67% in IVF group versus 57.46% and 11.17% in ICSI group, respectively). Chemical and clinical pregnancy rates were statistically higher in IVF group as compared with the ICSI group (42.9% vs. 27.3% and 35.7% vs. 21.5%, respectively). Conclusion: According to our study, the routine use of ICSI is not improved fertilization, implantation and chemical pregnancy rates and is not recommended in non-male factor, normozoospermic patients.