Search

Background and aimOnly 10% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients survive longer than five years. Factors underlining long-term survivorship in PDAC are not well understood. Therefore, we aimed to identify the key players in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) associated with long-term survivorship in PDAC patients.MethodsThe immune-related gene expression profiles of resected PDAC tumors of patients who survived and remained recurrence-free of disease for ≥36 months (long-term survivors, n=10) were compared to patients who had survived ≤6 months (short-term survivors, n=10) due to tumor recurrence. Validation was performed by the spatial protein expression profile of immune cells using the GeoMx™ Digital Spatial Profiler. An independent cohort of samples consisting of 12 long-term survivors and 10 short-term survivors, was used for additional validation. The independent validation was performed by combining qualitative immunohistochemistry and quantitative protein expression profiling.ResultsB cells were found to be significantly increased in the TIME of long-term survivors by gene expression profiling (p=0.018). The high tumor infiltration of B cells was confirmed by spatial protein profiling in the discovery and the validation cohorts (p=0.002 and p=0.01, respectively). The higher number of infiltrated B cells was found mainly in the stromal compartments of PDAC samples and was exclusively found within tumor cells in long-term survivors.ConclusionThis is the first comprehensive study that connects the immune landscape of gene expression profiles and protein spatial infiltration with the survivorship of PDAC patients. We found a higher number and a specific location of B cells in TIME of long-term survivors which emphasizes the importance of B cells and B cell-based therapy for future personalized immunotherapy in PDAC patients.

Abstract Concerning issues include the distribution of scarce water resources, the quality of utilized water, environmental repercussions, and regulations for the sustainable use of water resources. In the management of water resources, optimal qualitative–quantitative exploitation of surface water bodies is regarded as a desirable strategy. The Dez River surface water system from the Dez regulatory dam to Band-e-Ghir is selected in the current paper to create a qualitative–quantitative model that can determine the best exploitation strategies. A dynamic linkage between qualitative and quantitative models is built in order to simulate the current exploitation conditions under the umbrella of the best-case scenario. In this coupled system, hydraulic relationships are established between all of the system’s components. The available data are shared between two models in this structure to simulate the qualitative and quantitative effects of surface water. Then, a new structure is produced to derive the best policies for exploiting the dam and the river by connecting the multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm with the qualitative–quantitative coupled model body. The monthly river environmental demand is one of the decision variables in the ideal scenario, and the goals include boosting the percentage of supply demands and minimizing the violation of quality standards. The best-case scenario’s implementation increases the likelihood that all plain demands will be met, regardless of priority. Furthermore, in comparison with the reference scenario, the results of the optimal scenario show that not only are the concentrations of contaminants and qualitative parameters increased, but there are also only minimal violations of the quality and pollution standards of the river water in the majority of river points, particularly in the locations of agricultural withdrawals. The findings demonstrate that using the qualitative–quantitative dynamic relationship between water resources and the development of the coupled model using the NSGA-II algorithm allows us to better plan for the appropriate use of existing water resources by taking into account all stakeholders in such a way that, in addition to meeting needs, maintains the river quality close to standard limits throughout the exploitation period. By using this strategy, users will be informed of the negative effects of their actions, as well as the encroachment on river boundaries and associated consequences.

Introduction: Sexual satisfaction plays a crucial role in individuals' overall well-being, particularly concerning marital issues and divorce. Among the most significant factors influencing this aspect are body image concerns, self-esteem, and gender. This study investigated the simultaneous relationships among these variables within a structural model.Method: The research design of this study was correlational in nature. The target population comprised all married students attending universities in Tehran. The desired sample consisted of 200 individuals who were selected through convenience sampling and responded to the questionnaire items. To measure the research variables, we utilized the Larson Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire (LSQQ), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Body Image Concern Inventory (BICI).Results: The results of the data analysis indicate that the proposed model demonstrates a satisfactory fit following the removal of a non-significant path. The fit indices of the model indicated a good fit, with the following values: AGFI, NNFI, CFI, GFI, and NFI all exceeding 0.9. Therefore, the results of the path analysis revealed that self-esteem mediates the relationship between sexual satisfaction and body image concerns (p < 0.01).Discussion and Conclusion: Body image concerns significantly influence sexual satisfaction. However, in this context, it is essential to thoroughly consider the significant and influential role of individuals' self-esteem. As demonstrated by the modeling results in this study, there is a correlation between sexual satisfaction and body image concerns. However, when considering the role of self-esteem in this relationship, it becomes clear that body image concerns only contribute to a decrease in sexual satisfaction by affecting individuals' self-esteem.

In recent years, two-dimensional geoelectrical surveys have become one of the common and conventional methods in mineral exploration, groundwater resources investigations, engineering geophysics, archeology, etc. However, in some cases, these studies could not reach the targeted and expected results, and sometimes the geophysical results obtained have had a significant distance from the results obtained from direct studies such as drilling, etc. In this article, authors try to comprehensively analyze some factors that cause errors in two-dimensional geoelectrical studies, and on the other hand, state solution for minimizing the amount and severity of the discussed errors. Also, it has been tried to provide practical solution and approach for minimizing the error factors by a deep understanding of the source and mechanism of error factors. Finally, a case study in which geoelectrical data has been acquired by applying that new approach has been presented. Introduction 2d geoelectrical investigations are one of the most important and effective methods for the study and exploration of different minerals, groundwater, etc (Moghaddasi, et al., 2020). They are also used for geotechnical and engineering geophysics analyses. But in some projects, the final validation test results such as drilling don’t correspond so much with geoelectrical results so the output of the project didn’t satisfy the clients. In this article, we will discuss error-causing factors and will provide a solution to minimize them Discussion Pole-dipole and dipole-dipole arrays are two of the most used arrays for 2d geoelectrical studies. Figure 1 shows these arrays. The spacing between the current electrodes pair, C2-C1, is given as “a” which is the same as the distance between the potential electrodes pair P1-P2. These arrays have another factor marked as “n”. This is the ratio of the distance between the C1 and P1 electrodes to the C2-C1 (or P1-P2) dipole length “a” (Loke, 2023). But one of the main questions is what is the maximum and reasonable “n” for each array and why data acquisition by the large amount of “n” is wrong and leads to bad data? First of all, we consider the sensitivity function meaning. The sensitivity function tells us the degree to which a change in the resistivity of a section of the subsurface will influence the potential measured by the array. The higher the value of the sensitivity function, the greater the influence of the subsurface region on the measurement (Loke, 2023). Now we discuss about those arrays: Pole-dipole array The pole-dipole array also has relatively good horizontal coverage, but it has a significantly higher signal strength than the dipole-dipole array and is not as sensitive to telluric noise as the pole-pole array (Loke, 2023). By following figures, we analyze the effect of the large “n” on the acquired data in this array: Figure 2 sensitivity sections show that the area with the greatest sensitivity lies beneath the P1-P2 dipole pair, particularly for large “n” factors. For “n” values of 4 and higher, the high positive sensitive lobe beneath the P1-P2 dipole becomes increasingly vertical (Loke, 2023). It can be understood based on Figure 3 what will happen when the ‘n’ factor jumps from 6 to 12 to 18. Here, the dipole length is kept constant at 1 meter. When ‘n’ is equal to 6 there are reasonably high sensitivity values to a depth of about 3 to 4 meters between the C1 current and the P1 potential electrode. When ‘n’ is increased to 12, the zone of high sensitivity values becomes increasingly more concentrated below the P1-P2 dipole in an even shallower region. This means that the array with ‘n’ equal to 12 is less sensitive to deeper structures than the array with ‘n’ equal to 6. This effect is even more pronounced when ‘n’ is increased to 18. (Loke, 2023). Figure 4 shows the apparent resistivity anomaly due to a small near-surface high resistivity block for the pole-dipole array for ‘n’ values of up to 28. Note that the amplitude of the high resistivity anomaly due to the near-surface block increases with the ‘n’ value, i.e., the array becomes increasingly more sensitive to the near-surface block as the separation between the electrodes increases. In field surveys with the pole-dipole array where the ‘n’ factor is monotonically increased in the belief that this increases the survey depth, the pseudosection is frequently dominated by a series of parallel slanting high-amplitude anomalies due to near-surface inhomogeneities. The anomalies due to the near-surface structures frequently mask the anomalies due to deeper structures that are of interest. (Loke, 2023). Dipole-dipole array This array has been, and is still, widely used in I.P. surveys because of the low EM coupling between the current and potential circuits. Figure 5 shows dipole-dipole sensitivity sections for n: 1, 2, 4, and 6 (Loke, 2023). Again, as can be seen for this array by increasing the “n” factor sensitivity tends to be beneath of dipole position on the surface and the sensitivity of the deeper part (which is our target zone for investigation), decreases dramatically Now we can understand how much lateral resistivity inhomogeneities, rough topography, presence of high contact resistance, etc., (which are all unavoidable factors in IP/Rs data acquisition), will have an adverse effect on final data when data is acquired by larger. Also, during the inversion process, even those correct data which was acquired by smaller ‘n’ will be badly affected in the final sections. Loke, as the creator of Res2dinv software, states that acquired data with “n” higher than 6-8 are so susceptible to noises, etc., and can cause wrong data (Loke, 2023). However, according to the authors of this article, even these values should be considered with caution and we suggest data acquisition with an even lower “n”. In fact, in the real world, and especially in IP/Rs investigation, many factors are the source of noise and we should use lower “n” factors to get the correct and real data. Unfortunately, in some projects using larger “n” is routine and this is the main reason for failing the 2d geoelectrical project. Suggested and optimal method According to the mentioned sensitivity sections, it can be seen that the best scenario for geoelectrical surveys is when the surveys are done by n=1, and for increasing the exploration depth, the electrode distance (a) is gradually increased instead of increasing the “n” factor. The most favorable state of the sensitivity cross-section, the highest amount of signal to noise, and the least impact of noises and surface inhomogeneities occur in n=1. Nowadays with the introduction of newer technologies such as automatic electrode switching geoelectric equipment and also switch boxes, the suggested optimal method can be implemented more easily. Geoelectrical surveys with this method (n=1 and intermittent increase of the electrode distance) may reduce the speed of the operation and be less economical for contractors, but the results of the geoelectrical studies conducted with this method are much more reliable Figure 6. shows one of the case studies in which authors used above suggested method and the results were excellent and RMS was very low. Conclusion In this article, it was tried to present a kind of pathology regarding the reasons of the failure of some two-dimensional geoelectrical studies with an analytical view and by the results obtained from the modeling and also the field analysis of the authors. It was clarified how much measurements with high “n” values can cause errors. Finally, it was stated that the maximum reasonable and reliable number for n is 6-8 and it was stated that due to the presence of noise sources, also these numbers should be considered with caution. Finally, the optimal method from which the best results are obtained was proposed.

Abstract One of the most important problems in directional sensor networks is coverage problem. The coverage can be measured in two ways: positional or temporal. In temporal coverage, the directional sensors rotate periodically round themselves in a repetitive process. Thus, in each time slot, those targets that are positioned within the sensor nodes radius receive their desired coverage. In this model, if a target is left uncovered, it is said that the target has remained in darkness. The main task defined for the temporal coverage model is the minimization of the total dark time for all the targets in the network. This problem has been solved by greedy‐based algorithms in last studies. Greedy‐based algorithms are able to solve the temporal coverage problem in real time. Remember that the performance of greedy algorithms is extremely dependent on the closeness of optimal solution and initial candidates. For this reason, greedy algorithms may obtain local minima due to heuristic search. As far as we know meta‐heuristic algorithms have not been used in past researches to solve such problems. For solving this problem, in this paper two algorithms were developed, GA‐based and hybridized model comprising genetic algorithms and tabu search. A new model was suggested for the chromosome in genetic algorithm. To evaluate the performance of the developed algorithms, they were compared with randomized scenario and greedy‐based algorithm presented in last studies. For better comparison, several parameters, including total dark time, number of sensors, number of targets, sector angle, sensing range were taken into account. The results obtained from the comparison of the algorithms indicated that the developed algorithms are effective in solving the temporal coverage problem in terms of minimizing the total dark time of the targets.

Abstract Context Advance Care Planning (ACP), as a process for expressing and recording patients' preferences about end-of-life care, has received increasing attention in recent years. However, implementing ACP has been challenging in Iran. Objectives To assess the readiness for advance care planning and related factors in the general population of Iran. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on the general population of Iran in 2022. The data was collected using demographic information questionnaire and The RACP Scale. The purpose and methodology of the research was explained to all participants, and upon their agreement an informed consent was obtained. Participants were invited to fill out the questionnaires wherever is more convenient for them, either alone or if needed, with the help of the researcher to protect their privacy. Chi-square, fisher exact test and multiple logistic Regression model were used to assess the effective factors on the RACP. The data were analyzed by SPSS software version 26. Results A total of 641 people with an average age of 36.85 ± 12.05 years participated in this study. Of those, 377 (58.8%) had high RACP. The logistics model showed an association between the chance of readiness for receiving ACP with participants’ education level, such that the chance of readiness in those with Master's or Ph.D. degrees was three times higher than those with a diploma (p = 0.00, OR:3.178(1.672, 6.043)). However, the chances of readiness in those with bachelor’s degrees was not significantly different from those with a diploma (p = 0.936, OR: 0.984 (0.654, 1.479)). Moreover, the chance of readiness was 1.5 higher in participants over 40 years of age compared with participants under the age of 40 (P = 0.01, OR: 1.571(1.10, 2.23)). Conclusion According to the findings of this study, it can be concluded that there is a relatively RACP among people in Iranian society. The readiness of individuals for ACP increases by their age and education level. Therefore, by holding appropriate training intervention, we can increase the readiness of the public for ACP to improve their end-of-life outcome.

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) disrupts the body's capability to control blood glucose statuses. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) arises from inadequate insulin production and is treated with insulin replacement therapy. Stem cell therapy is a hopeful treatment for T1DM that involves using adult stem cells to generate insulin-producing cells (IPCs). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are particularly advantageous for generating IPCs. The islet cells require interactions with the extracellular matrix for survival, which is lacking in conventional 2D culture systems. Natural or synthetic polymers create a supportive 3D microenvironment in tissue engineering. We aim to construct superior differentiation conditions employing polyethersulfone (PES)/Fish gelatin scaffolds to differentiate Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) to IPCs. In this study, the PES/fish gelatin scaffold (3D) was manufactured by electrospinning, and then its biocompatibility and non-toxicity were investigated by MTT assay. After that, scaffold-supportive effects on WJ-MSCs differentiation to IPCs were studied at the gene and protein levels. After exposure to the differentiation media, 2D and 3D (PES/Fish gelatin) cultured cells were slowly aggregated and developed spherical-shaped clusters. The viability of cells was found to be comparable in both 2D and 3D cultures. The gene expression analysis showed that efficiency of differentiation was more elevated in 3D culture. Additionally, ELISA results indicated that C-peptide and insulin release were more significant in 3D than in 2D culture. In conclusion, the PES/fish gelatin scaffold is highly promising for pancreatic tissue engineering because it supports the viability, growth, and differentiation of WJ-MSCs into IPCs.

Abstract The aim of the current research is to present a model for the implementation of new fintechs in the banking industry (peer-to-peer lending). The research method is applicable in terms of purpose, mixed (qualitative-quantitative) in terms of implementation, and survey in terms of nature and method. The statistical population of the research was the managers, supervisors and employees of the financial and technological fields of banks, experts and specialists in the fintech field in the country; and according to the principles and rules of the unlimited population, 384 people were selected as a sample. Data collection was done by semi-structured interviews in the qualitative part, and by the researcher-made questionnaire in the quantitative part. Coding and MAXQDA software were used in qualitative part data analysis, and SPSS and AMOS software were used in quantitative part. The results of the qualitative data analysis of the research were categorized as follows: In this regard, the extracted categories were categorized as follows: Causal conditions: organizational learning, system attitude, and information technology. Key conditions: communication capital, human capital, and structural capital. Governing platform: partner banks, external theorists, government, and environmental conditions. Intervening conditions: obstacles and challenges including organizational factors, community conditions, individual factors, and lack of education and research. Strategies: policy making, strategic plan, and employee satisfaction and loyalty. Consequence: knowledge-based policy making, knowledge management, innovation, creativity and idea, and knowledge-based organization. The results of the quantitative part showed that the fit indices of the model indicate the confirmation of the model at the confidence level of 99%. Extended Abstract Introduction Among the advantages of strategic cooperation between the banking system and fintech is efficiency in terms of speed, cost, and reaching new customers. The issues and problems of traditional banks include complex structures, high level of formality, increase in operational cost, providing banking services with more cost and time, lack of innovation in service, and failure to meet customer expectations (Soltanee & Tahmasebi Aghbolaghi, 2020). All these factors have led to the decrease in the popularity of the banking system; But on the other side of the field, the increase of people who, for various reasons, cannot use traditional banking services or do not want to use them, has led to the development of fintechs. This trend has confirmed the decreasing popularity of banks, and according to statistics, the average use of fintech globally has reached 33% (Hill, 2018). Peer-to-peer lending in modern banking is a co-product of important business, technological and social processes. One item that has helped to create peer-to-peer lending is the presence of a new generation of freedom advocates. "Technological changes, globalization, and other international processes have reduced the number, size and role of commercial intermediaries in many industrial sectors. These changes have also led to the emergence of peer-to-peer lending. Individuals can become members as lenders by registering on the peer-to-peer lenders website." (Sarhangi et al, 2016). Borrowers also enjoy the benefits of lower costs compared to bank or credit union loans. Fintechs can provide new products and services for peer-to-peer banking customer groups that do not have access to traditional financial services. These conditions are possible through the following ways: improving financial participation, providing simple products with low cost and helping people who do not have easy access to banking services, and improving the customer experience, increasing transparency and improving security, and accommodating retail customers and small and moderate companies to fraudity and cyber-attacks (Wonglimpiyarat, 2017). Due to the importance of this issue, this research seeks to present and propose a suitable model for the implementation of new fintechs in the banking and peer-to-peer lending industry. In this research, we are looking for an answer to this question: what is the implementation model of new fintechs in the banking industry (peer-to-peer lending)? Theoretical Framework fintech The term fintech means financial technology. Fintech refers to companies and representatives of companies that have combined financial services with modern innovative technology. Usually, new participants in the market offer Internet products and application-based products (Anil & Alistair, 2019). Fintech or financial technology is a set of businesses that use software and hardware to provide innovative financial services. The National Center for Digital Research in Dublin, Ireland defines fintech as innovation in financial services (Owzaei & Sohrabi, 2017). Sadraee et al, (2024) examines the presentation of the fintech market development model with an emphasis on existing challenges and strategies. The results of the research showed that the challenges of fintech market development include insufficient infrastructure, regulatory and legislative barriers, difficulty working with public/general customers, mistrust of technology and fintech, low income levels and product pricing challenges, and cultural barriers. Also, fintech market development strategies include community participation in the marketing process, use of social networks, smart and optimal advertising, useful and valuable content production, branding, adaptation of communication strategies to the nature of the fintech market, geographic and cultural segmentation of the market, as well as customer education. Khaled Mohammad et al, (2023) investigated the determinants of fintech adoption: evidence from a representative sample of emerging economies across the country. They identified important characteristics that predict customer fintech adoption among individual respondents. They found that customers were less likely to adopt fintech services if they reported higher levels of concern about security, information privacy, limited government control, and higher levels of perceived service barriers. Evidence showed that these concern factors, for example, are the main determinants of fintech adoption, unlike demographic variables. Our findings have insights for fintech service providers and policy makers. Research methodology The research method is applicable in terms of purpose, mixed (qualitative-quantitative) in terms of implementation, and survey in terms of nature and method. The statistical population of the research was the managers, supervisors and employees of the financial and technological fields of banks, experts and specialists in the fintech field in the country; and according to the principles and rules of the unlimited population, 384 people were selected as a sample. Data collection was done by semi-structured interviews in the qualitative part, and by the researcher-made questionnaire in the quantitative part. Research findings Coding and MAXQDA software were used in qualitative part data analysis, and SPSS and AMOS software were used in quantitative part. The results of the qualitative data analysis of the research were categorized as follows: In this regard, the extracted categories were categorized as follows: Causal conditions: organizational learning, system attitude, and information technology. Key conditions: communication capital, human capital, and structural capital. Governing platform: partner banks, external theorists, government, and environmental conditions. Intervening conditions: obstacles and challenges including organizational factors, community conditions, individual factors, and lack of education and research. Strategies: policy making, strategic plan, and employee satisfaction and loyalty. Consequence: knowledge-based policy making, knowledge management, innovation, creativity and idea, and knowledge-based organization. The results of the quantitative part showed that the fit indices of the model indicate the confirmation of the model at the confidence level of 99%. Conclusion The present study was conducted with the aim of providing a model for the implementation of new fintechs in the banking industry (peer-to-peer lending). The results of this research is aligned with the results of Sadraee et al, (2024), Khaled Mohammad et al, (2023), Khosravani & Bahman (2023), Khazaei et al, (2022), Barrio Oton (2021), Kou et al, (2021), Pazhoheshfar & Biabani (2021), Hammerschlag et al, (2020), Nurjanah et al, (2020), Martinčević et al, (2020), and Zhonging et al, (2019). Zhonging et al, (2019) in a research entitled factors affecting the acceptance of fintech services for bank users and presenting a technology acceptance model, while studying the effect of fintech acceptance on bank service users, presented an innovative technology acceptance model. Also, the results of this research show that the respondents pointed to the popularity and acceptability of the Internet and smart tools among users, perceived ease, usefulness, and government support for innovation as positive and facilitating factors; and the risk of privacy as effective barriers to the use of fintech services by banks. According to the results of this research, the following suggestions are presented: 1-Banking industries should take serious action to improve the implementation of fintechs by strengthening the dimensions of organizational learning which include: individual learning, group level learning, and organizational level learning. 2-a different attitude than the normal one should be used in the organization in order for a better order to prevail and to increase the overall efficiency and performance of it. The attitude required for use in the organization is the system attitude that connects all the elements in the organization to each other and does not examine any element alone because the organization is a system consisting of different elements. Based on the results of this research, it can be said that having a systemic attitude is one of the important factors of using fintechs.

Abstract Type 1 polyketides are a major class of natural products used as antiviral, antibiotic, antifungal, antiparasitic, immunosuppressive, and antitumor drugs. Analysis of public microbial genomes leads to the discovery of over sixty thousand type 1 polyketide gene clusters. However, the molecular products of only about a hundred of these clusters are characterized, leaving most metabolites unknown. Characterizing polyketides relies on bioactivity-guided purification, which is expensive and time-consuming. To address this, we present Seq2PKS, a machine learning algorithm that predicts chemical structures derived from Type 1 polyketide synthases. Seq2PKS predicts numerous putative structures for each gene cluster to enhance accuracy. The correct structure is identified using a variable mass spectral database search. Benchmarks show that Seq2PKS outperforms existing methods. Applying Seq2PKS to Actinobacteria datasets, we discover biosynthetic gene clusters for monazomycin, oasomycin A, and 2-aminobenzamide-actiphenol.

Abstract For managing water resources and operating reservoirs in dynamic contexts, accurate hydrological forecasting is essential. However, it is difficult to track complex hydrological time series with highly non-linear and non-stationary characteristics. The intricacy of the issue is further increased by the risk and uncertainty that are brought about by the dependence of several factors on the hydrological system’s output. To hydrologically model river outflows, a hybrid GARCH time series model technique has been applied in this study. To improve the precision of the proposed model estimation, this hybrid model employs a controllable fuzzy logic system to explore the impact of various input variables and an Archimedean detail function to account for the uncertainty in the dependence of the variables. The prediction error in this model is minimized by utilizing weighting factors and problem analysis parameters that are calculated using the water cycle algorithm. It was found that the minimum root-mean-square error values for the training and testing modeling stages are RMSE = 1.89 m and 1.92 m, respectively, by looking at the hydrological modeling results for a watershed of the Karaj dam. For extended lead (i.e., a 6-month rainfall lag), the weakest forecasting capacity was found. The modeling of the copula function using a higher percentage of answers in the confidence band and a smaller bandwidth resulted in less uncertainty for the estimation of the suggested model, according to the uncertainty analysis.

Background: Delayed dyspnea and fatigue are prevalent symptoms among patients with COVID-19, and family caregivers play a crucial role in their care.Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of a health literacy-promoting intervention based on the Family-Centered Empowerment Model (FCEM) on delayed dyspnea and fatigue in patients with COVID-19.Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at Chamran Hospital in Tehran, Iran, in 2022, involving 70 pairs of COVID-19 patients and their primary family caregivers. Patients were randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group using a block randomization method. The intervention group received two 30-minute training sessions for primary family caregivers, while the control group received routine training. Data were collected using the Health Literacy Instrument for Adults, the Fatigue Severity Scale, and the Borg Dyspnea Scale before, one week after, and six weeks after the intervention. The chi-square and Fisher's exact tests, Mann-Whitney test, Friedman test, repeated measures analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation test were used to analyze the data.Results: The mean baseline health literacy score was higher in the control group; however, the increase in health literacy was significantly greater in the intervention group (F=75.31; Df=1.73; P

Background and purpose: Activated textiles have created a new field of application apart from standard textile applications. Novel, functions, for example, antimicrobial properties have been enhanced in textiles. New textile application fields have been recognized for particular areas of healthcare as well as industry, sportswear, and, home textiles. Advances in the field of antibacterial textiles have fascinated enhancing attention because those are a means to solve serious health challenges such as bacterial overgrowth. A lot of research has been done in the field of adding synthetic and toxic materials to fabrics, such as nanosilver triclosan or other metals and organic materials to produce antimicrobial fabrics. These fabrics kill bacteria by binding to intracellular proteins and inactivating these proteins. Also, by using these chemicals, the content of heavy metals in these textiles can be increased. The application of heavy metals in antimicrobial textiles is limited by many environmental tags and standards. Therefore, it is recommended to use natural antimicrobial agents, such as nisin and chitosan to produce environmentally friendly and safe antimicrobial fabrics. Nowadays finishing process with the natural antibacterial agents that protect the environment and human health is gaining importance. Therefore, this study aims to produce fabric coated with chitosan and nisin and to investigate its antimicrobial properties. Materials and methods: In this research, chitosan was used to bind nisin to the surface of polypropylene span band non-woven fabric. The fabric samples were coated with a solution containing chitosan and nisin using a pad-dry-cure method. The appearance, color, and softness of the coated fabrics were compared to the uncoated fabric. The nisin and chitosan binding properties on the fabric were explored by using the Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR (technique. The diffusion method in agar and the standard method (ASTME2149-01) were used to check the antimicrobial properties of fabric samples. The antibacterial effectiveness of fabric samples was tested against common bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Enterococcus faecalis. After ten washing cycles, the durability of the antimicrobial properties of these fabrics was checked by the method mentioned above. Also, the toxicity of this fabric on fibroblast cells was determined using the MTT colorimetry method after seven days. Results: Fabrics coated with chitosan and nisin do not differ much from the control sample in terms of appearance and softness. The changes observed in the FTIR spectrum, such as the appearance of new absorption peaks and additional peaks associated with peptide bonds, confirm the successful incorporation of nisin and chitosan into the fabric. Antibacterial results have shown that nisin improved the antibacterial effect of coated fabrics versus B. cereus, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa. The antimicrobial properties of the fabric coated with chitosan-nisin were maintained at some of the efficacy after washing against B. cereus, S. aureus, E. faecalis, L. monocytogenes, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa respectively. Also, the chitosan-nisin coating showed that it did not cause significant toxicity in fibroblast cells even after one week. Conclusion: However, the results showed that the chitosan/nisin coating might be used for medical textiles and antibacterial textiles. It also offers an innovative solution to protect human health and the environment.

AbstractThe aim of the present study was to investigate the focal relationship of level five leadership with organizational excellence of schools. The statistical population of the research included all the teachers of primary schools in Fars province in the academic year of 2020-2021, numbering 16,264 people. According to the classes of the research society such as the type of region (rich, semi-rich and deprived), the number of cities/districts (39), and gender (male and female) by proportional stratified random sampling method and based on the Cochran formula, a sample of 375 people was selected. The research method is quantitative, descriptive and correlational. Data collection was done based on five-level leadership questionnaire of Cham Asemani (2007), and Organizational Excellence of Amarloo (2018), whose Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.96 and 0.91, respectively. In order to analyze the data, descriptive techniques, Pearson correlation matrix, focal correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression were used through SPSS 25 software. The results showed that: the dimensions of level five leadership have a positive and significant focal correlation in alpha of 0.01 with a value of 0.725 with the organizational excellence of schools and are able to explain 464% of the variance of the variable of organizational excellence of schools. Dimensions of manager's personality traits; choosing competent employees, then setting the goal; disciplinary culture; the use of technology and the force density dimension and jump have a positive and significant effect on the organizational excellence variable of schools at the level of 0.01.Extended abstractIntroductionEducational organizations face rapidly changing conditions, because they are placed in an environment that changes rapidly and require innovative and superior capabilities to be able to respond to the challenges of the dynamic environment. Therefore, these organizations want to establish a cycle of continuous improvement, achieve excellence, continuously improve the quality of service delivery, increase the capability of internal elements and human resources, and finally compare themselves with other organizations with the same outline of the organizational excellence model. In this regard, education and training, in sync with other institutions, taking into account its important duties and to face these changes, has measures on its agenda, among which this organization pays attention to the organizational excellence of schools. Organizational excellence guarantees that all parts of the organization work together harmoniously and coherently, and by strengthening and providing the best criteria and methods of self-evaluation and continuous improvement, it helps the progress of organizations. Therefore, the most important management challenge at present is the balanced movement towards improvement and excellence, as well as identifying the factors affecting the organizational excellence of schools. Leadership styles are one of the factors influencing the organizational excellence of schools. Among the leadership styles, level five leadership, as a new perspective for twenty-first century organizations, can be the newest and at the same time, the most practical model that places organizations in the most prominent position of global capitals and assets. Five-level leadership is one of the organizational leadership models mentioned by Collins as the key to the success of organizations. The level five leader is in the highest hierarchy of executive abilities and has all the conditions of the competency pyramid and creates lasting greatness by combining humility and professional will. It is in the light of this leadership style that the excellence of the organization lasts in the long term and the organization does not fall apart when the leader leaves. Considering the importance and necessity of level five leadership and organizational excellence of schools and considering that no research has investigated the mutual relationship between these two variables so far, in this research we are looking for an answer to the question: What is the mutual relationship between level five leadership and organizational excellence of schools, and how do the dimensions of two variables explain and predict each other?Theoretical foundationsToday, leading large and advanced organizations is a difficult task, and this important task requires the efforts of leaders who can, with the help of personality traits, exceptional attractions along with humility, institutionalize the necessary commitment and passion in employees to arouse thoughts, opinions and inspiration to allow them to their expected behaviors. Collins (2001) called this new type of calm and submissive but determined and committed leader "level five leader". The level five leadership model, which today is one of the newest and at the same time the most influential models in large organizations and the utility of great managers of the world, is the result of Jim Collins' five-year research. Collins considers level five leadership to be the key to the success of organizations in moving from good status to excellence. Excellence in the word means rising and being superior, and is a term that is described as the highest order of evaluation. Organizational excellence is the formulation of programs aligned with the organization and its environment, which leads to the excellence of the organization and ensures the process of implementing programs and evaluations of the organization based on comprehensive quality management tools, continuous improvement and organizational learning. In line with the relationship between leadership styles and organizational excellence of schools, Aljaloudi & Battah (2010) in a research mentioned suggestions to increase the use of level five leadership model by managers in schools, which include: providing systems and programs that strengthen the foundations of level five leadership for current and future managers; preparing detailed and standard guidelines, criteria and methods for selecting and hiring school teachers; conducting analytical and realistic studies about the internal and external environment; and also identifying the problems and obstacles in the education department of schools. In a research, McCoy (2011) showed that five-level leadership behaviors help all teachers and students to become more capable and efficient based on Collins' theory and thus go from good to great.Research MethodologyThe present research is quantitative according to the research philosophy, applicable according to the purpose, and descriptive and correlative in terms of the method of data collection and analysis. The research population included all the teachers of primary schools in Fars province in the academic year of 2020-2021, numbering 16,264 people. Considering the classes of the research community based on the number of cities/districts (39), using proportional stratified random sampling and Cochran's formula (at the alpha level of 0.05; error value of 0.05 and the ratio of p and q equal to 0.5), the statistical sample volume was determined to be 375 teachers. The library study method was used in order to collect the theoretical foundations and also the research records of the research topic. The process of gathering the required data was also done online through two questionnaires of level five leadership of Cham Asemani (2007), consisting of 31 items; and schools' organizational excellence of Ammarloo (2018), consisting of 16 items. To analyze the data, statistical techniques were used through SPSS statistical software. Frequency distribution tables, central indices (mean, median and mean), and dispersion indices (standard deviation and variance) were used in the descriptive analysis of the data, and the statistical techniques of Pearson correlation coefficient, focal correlation coefficient, and multivariate regression were used in testing the research hypotheses. Research findingsThe findings related to the first hypothesis of the research showed that the dimensions of level five leadership have a positive and significant focal correlation in alpha of 0.01 with a value of 0.725 with the organizational excellence of schools. Dimensions of manager's personality traits; Choosing competent employees, then setting the goal; disciplinary culture; the use of technology and the force density dimension has a positive and significant effect on the organizational excellence variable of schools at the level of 0.01. The findings related to the second hypothesis of the research showed that the dimensions of level five leadership are able to explain 464% of the variance of the variable of organizational excellence of schools. The dimension of force concentration and jump has the most effect; while the dimension of technology use has the least significant regression effect on the organizational excellence of schools.Conclusion and DiscussionThe purpose of the research was to investigate the focal relationship of level five leadership with the organizational excellence of schools. The results of the research are in agreement with the results of the studies of Qamar & Soomro (2023), Lasrado & Kassem (2021), Al-Dhaafri & Alosani (2021), Rostami alileh et al (2020), Adams, Mooi & Muniandy (2020), Alhefiti, Ameen & Bhaumik (2019), Aljaloudi & Battah (2019), Caldwell, Ichiho & Anderson (2017), Farahbakhsh & Mohammadi (2017). In explaining the results, it can be said that the education authorities pave the way to improve and improve the level of the school by choosing level five leaders for schools that have personality traits such as: internal control center against failure and external control center against success; determination to achieve the goal; professional being of humility and determination. By identifying qualified teachers and then set goals according to them; being bound by discipline and promoting this culture among teachers; encouraging and persuading school colleagues to use technology in carrying out assigned tasks; as well as pooling the ability and improving the performance of teachers; these leaders cause the continuous progress of the school in all dimensions and its organizational excellence. To reach the success in the course of shocking transformations, our country's schools need level five leaders who, with the help of humble personality traits and exceptional charms along with a professional, organized and hard-working spirit, provide the necessary commitment and enthusiasm to achieve the highest level of school performance and excellence. Finally, the following solutions are suggested to the education officials and school managers for the continuous improvement of the quality in all fields and ultimately the organizational excellence of the school: The officials of the education departments should choose leaders for the schools, who, as well as being organized and specialized in the administrative affairs of the school, should be very humble and respectful towards their school teachers so that they can provide a friendly and sincere atmosphere among themselves and the school teachers. In this positive and friendly atmosphere, it is better for school leaders to consult with qualified teachers with an open mind in many matters and ask them for their opinions and help empower and improve them by delegating authority and participating in decisions; it is appropriate that the school leaders compare the current situation and the desired situation of the school by using evaluation and self-evaluation systems, and in this way get an accurate assessment of the extent of the school being on the path of excellence and balanced growth.

IntroductionToday, the businesses of the poultry industry are facing many challenges, because this industry has to manage a number of unique processes, methods and risks at the same time. Therefore, identifying the business risks of poultry production units can play an effective role in reducing the level of vulnerability of these businesses. Considering the need to increase the productivity of the poultry industry, one of the basic solutions is to identify the risk and measure the existing risks of this industry. Risk identification and quantification can reduce costs for industry stakeholders, and risk reduction leads to better production planning. In this regard, this study identifies the business risks of poultry production units in Khorasan Razavi province. Materials and MethodsThis study is applied as purpose and descriptive survey in terms of nature and method. This research is based on mixed research, qualitatively and quantitatively. The statistical population is poultry industry experts, 18 of whom were investigated by snowball sampling method as the research sample. This study proposes a new Delphi technique that uses the features of traditional Delphi techniques and the Fuzzy Delphi method. The proposed new Delphi technique is based on the integration of pentagonal fuzzy sets and the Delphi technique. Results and DiscussionThe results of the modified pentagonal Fuzzy Delphi method showed that five main risks and 36 secondary risks out of 58 identified risks are part of the business risks of poultry production units. Identified business risks of poultry production units, in order of priority, include inputs price fluctuations, command pricing, exchange rate fluctuations, sanctions, chicken price fluctuations, delay in accessing inputs, fluctuations in the purchase price of day-old chickens, fluctuations in drug and vaccine prices, imported inputs, lack of government support in the matter of production, fluctuations in subsidies to inputs, lack of animal inputs, import of poultry products, Promulgation of various instructions, poultry diseases, lack of liquidity of poultry farmers, bankruptcy of poultry farmers, fluctuations in current costs, losses, lack of medicine and vaccines, lack of expansion of poultry business, lack of confidence of poultry farmers in the government, fluctuations in profitability, investment, seasonal fluctuations in egg demand, dependence of poultry farmers on Special suppliers, supply of day-old chicks, lack of energy, exclusivity of the livestock and poultry feed supply system, egg price fluctuations, seasonal fluctuations in chicken production, seasonal fluctuations in chicken demand, weakness in providing working capital facilities to poultry farmers, lack of skilled human resources in time Appropriate, lack of technical knowledge of advanced technologies and lack of variety of poultry food ingredients. ConclusionThe business of poultry production units is facing various challenges and risks, and due to the many risks of this industry, production in this industry is facing problems and it is not possible to plan for it, and production will be disrupted in the future. Therefore, in this research, an effort was made to fully identify the business risks of poultry production units. In order to complete and finalize the business risks of poultry production units, the pentagonal Fuzzy Delphi method was used. In this regard, a questionnaire was prepared that included two parts. The first part is about the survey and information about the background of the respondents, and the second part includes the ranking of 54 identified risks. Fuzzy Delphi method in this study was done in two rounds and based on the opinion of experts, 4 more risks were added to the total of 54 risks, and finally 58 risks were analyzed using Fuzzy Delphi method. In Fuzzy Delphi, the selection of risk components among all the components that were identified in the research literature was based on the accepted threshold criterion. The results of the second round of modified pentagonal Fuzzy Delphi showed that there are 36 important sub-risks in the sector of production, market, financial, institutional and personal business risks of poultry production units. Considering the price fluctuations of livestock inputs and exchange rate fluctuations, it is suggested to allocate currency and control it by government policies in order to reduce mentioned fluctuations, or move towards diversifying poultry feed ingredients and formulating new poultry feed rations. Also, in order to avoid fluctuations in the price of chicken or eggs, it is suggested to make the distribution network smarter to prevent these fluctuations. In the poultry market, it is better to set a fair price for each kilogram of chicken according to the production costs of poultry farmers, or not to interfere with the government in the market and allow the government to set the price based on the supply and demand mechanism.

‌ ∴ Introduction ∴ ‌ The legal framework within which public and private entities operate is foundational to their legitimacy and functionality. This analysis delves into the specific realm of "Government-Approved Statutes" within the Islamic Republic of Iran, focusing on the legislative nature of these documents and the oversight mechanisms in place. The statutes in question are essential for the operation, duties, and authorities of legal persons and entities, both governmental and non-governmental. Their importance is underscored by the requirement for such statutes as a prerequisite for the registration and formal recognition of companies. This study is particularly concerned with statutes related to government and government-affiliated organizations, given their significant impact on the country's administrative system and citizens' rights. The legislative framework for these statutes was established under Article (85) of the Iranian Constitution in 1989, allowing for the delegation of statute approval to relevant commissions of parliament or directly to the government. This research aims to elucidate the nature of these statutes, the processes involved in their amendment or modification, and the authorities responsible for their oversight. ‌ ∴ Research Question ∴ ‌ The primary inquiries of this study revolve around three pivotal questions: - What is the nature of the statutes whose approval has been delegated by the Islamic Consultative Assembly to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran? - How are these statutes amended or modified? - Which authorities are tasked with overseeing these statutes? These questions aim to uncover the legislative and operational dynamics of government-approved statutes and the institutional checks and balances that govern them. ‌ ∴ Research Hypothesis ∴ ‌ This research operates under the hypothesis that the statutes approved by the Parliament and delegated to the government for oversight are essentially "governmental decrees." As such, they are posited to fall under the scrutiny of the Guardian Council, the Speaker of the Parliament, and the court of administrative justice, according to the principles laid out in the Constitution of Iran. This hypothesis suggests a structured mechanism of oversight and amendment, ensuring that these statutes align with constitutional mandates and effectively serve their intended purpose within the legal and administrative framework of the country. ‌ ∴ Methodology & Framework, if Applicable ∴ ‌ The methodology adopted for this research is descriptive-analytical, utilizing a comprehensive review of library sources alongside a detailed examination of legal practices in Iran. This approach involves an analysis of documentation from the Guardian Council, the court of administrative justice, the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Parliament), and the cabinet. The study also reviews the historical background and discussions surrounding the approval of article (85) of the constitution, aiming to provide a clear understanding of the legislative intent and the practical application of these statutes. This framework allows for a thorough exploration of the statutes' nature, the process of their amendment or modification, and the extent and quality of their oversight by designated authorities. By systematically addressing the research questions and hypothesis through this methodology, the study seeks to contribute novel insights into the legislative nature of government-approved statutes in Iran and the oversight mechanisms that ensure their alignment with constitutional and legal principles. The findings of this research are anticipated to have significant implications for the understanding of legal governance and administrative oversight in the context of Iranian law, with potential broader applications in comparative legal studies. ‌ ∴ Results & Discussion ∴ ‌ The investigation into the nature and oversight of "Government-Approved Statutes" within the Islamic Republic of Iran reveals several key findings, grounded in the constitutional provisions, particularly article (85). The distinction drawn by the constitutional review council between the legislative authority of the Parliament and the delegated approval powers for statutes of governmental organizations and companies underscores a nuanced approach to legislative delegation. This delegation is justified by practical needs for expedited approval processes, the complexity of statutes, the necessity for content coherence, and confidentiality concerns in certain cases. The analysis delineates the approval of statutes by the cabinet under article (85) as constituting "governmental decrees" rather than conventional laws or legal statutes. This classification has profound implications for the oversight mechanisms applicable to these decrees. The dual oversight by the Guardian Council for conformity with Sharia and the Constitution, and by the Speaker of the Parliament for alignment with ordinary laws, is complemented by the jurisdiction of the court of administrative justice. This court's practice underscores a layered oversight model, where it primarily addresses issues related to the execution of laws, jurisdictional overreach, and the protection of rights, without encroaching on the purviews reserved for the Guardian Council or the interpretation of Sharia and constitutional compliance. The study highlights a significant operational challenge within the oversight framework, particularly the potential for conflicting interpretations between the Speaker of the Parliament and the court of administrative justice rulings. Such conflicts can lead to ambiguity and confusion within the executive branch, underscoring the necessity for legislative refinement. The "Law on the Implementation of articles (85) and (138) of the Constitution of Iran" is identified as requiring amendments to introduce clear deadlines for the Speaker of the Parliament's opinions, aiming to mitigate the risks of operational discord among governmental agencies. ‌ ∴ Conclusion ∴ ‌ The findings of this research elucidate the intricate nature of "Government-Approved Statutes" in Iran and the sophisticated oversight framework designed to ensure their conformity with the broader legal and constitutional framework. The statutes approved by the Cabinet under Article (85) embody a distinct category of governmental decrees, necessitating a multifaceted oversight mechanism involving the Guardian Council, the Speaker of the Parliament, and the court of administrative justice. This oversight is pivotal in maintaining the decrees' alignment with Sharia, the Constitution, and ordinary laws, while also safeguarding individual and institutional rights against governmental overreach and misinterpretation of powers. However, the research identifies critical areas for improvement within this oversight structure, particularly the need for clearer procedural guidelines to resolve potential conflicts between oversight authorities. The recommendation for legislative amendments to specify a deadline for the Speaker of the Parliament's opinion is a constructive step towards enhancing the clarity and efficiency of the oversight process. Moreover, the study advocates for a comprehensive review and redefinition of the oversight scope by the involved authorities to address the evolving challenges within Iran's legal and administrative landscape. In sum, while the legal framework for "Government-Approved Statutes" in Iran is robust, navigating its complexities requires ongoing attention to detail, legislative refinement, and an adaptive approach to oversight. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the statutory approval and oversight processes, offering insights that are pertinent not only to legal scholars and practitioners but also to policymakers engaged in the refinement of Iran's legislative and administrative systems.

Inspired by Williamson’s knowledge-first epistemology, I propose a position on practical knowledge that can be called the ‘know-how-first view’; yet whereas Williamson is one of the pioneers of the new intellectualism about know-how, I employ the know-how-first view to argue against intellectualism and instead develop a know-how-first version of anti-intellectualism. Williamson argues that propositional knowledge is a sui generis unanalyzable mental state that comes first in the epistemic realm; in parallel, I propose that know-how is a sui generis unanalyzable power that comes first in the practical realm. To motivate this suggestion, I put forward two arguments: (1) drawing on dispositionalist ideas, I argue that the practical component of know-how is unanalyzable; (2) based on an investigation of the natures of intentionality and intelligence, I argue that know-how is prior to intentional and intelligent abilities in the order of explanation of agential action. Deploying this know-how-first anti-intellectualism, I then set out know-how-first solutions to two challenging problems for anti-intellectualism: the sufficiency problem and the necessary condition problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been argued that virtue reliabilism faces difficulties in explaining why the "because-of" relation between true belief and the relevant competence is absent in Gettier cases. However, prominent proponents of this view such as Sosa and Turri suggest that these difficulties can be overcome by invoking the manifestation relation. In his Judgment and Agency, Sosa supports this claim based on an analogy between Gettier cases and what in the literature on dispositions is called mimic cases. While there are initial motivations for the alleged analogy, I claim there are at least two arguments against it: 1. there is an asymmetry in the nature of context-sensitivity between the problem of mimicking and the Gettier problem; 2. while causal deviance and double luck can be found in both the mimic case and the Gettier case, their causal processes are different in important respects, making it challenging to see them as both falling under the same category. If these arguments are on the right track, the upshot is that virtue reliablists such as Sosa and Turri who describe the "because-of" relation in terms of the manifestation relation still owe us an account of why the manifestation relation is absent in Gettier cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aimed to purify the proteins that cause blood coagulation in the venom of the Iranian Echis carinatus snake species in a comprehensive manner. Gel filtration chromatography (GFC), Ion exchange chromatography (IEC), and Size Exclusion High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (SEC-HPLC) were utilized in the purification of the coagulation factors. The prothrombin clotting time (PRCT) and SDS-PAGE electrophoresis were performed to confirm the coagulative fractions. The fraction with the shortest coagulation time was selected. The components of this designated fraction were identified through matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) following thorough purification. Circular dichroism (CD) was employed to determine the second structure of the coagulation factor. The crude venom (CV) was analyzed and had a total protein concentration of 97%.Furthermore, the PRCT of the crude venom solution at a concentration of 1 mg/ml was determined to be 24.19 ± 1.05 s. The dosage administered was found to be a factor in the venom's capacity to induce hemolysis. According to CD analysis, the protein under investigation had a helical structure of 16.7%, a beta structure of 41%, and a turn structure of 9.8%. CHNS proved that the purified coagulant protein had a Carbon content of 77.82%, 5.66% Hydrogen, 3.19% Nitrogen, and 0.49% Sulphur. In the present investigation, a particular type of snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP) has undergone the process of purification and characterization and has been designated as EC-124. This purified fraction shows significant efficacy as a procoagulant. Our findings have shown that this compound has a function similar to factor X and most likely it can cause blood coagulation by activating factor II (FII).

The increasing concern of consumers about the quality and safety of agricultural products all over the world has caused organic products to become one of the most popular options for healthy. The increasing trend and consumption of organic agricultural products has led to the increasing growth of the market of these products in the last two decades. Due to the importance of entering and gaining a share of this growing market, this study investigates the factors affecting the international organic products market entry and determines the appropriate strategy for entering it using structural equation modeling. The data of this study was obtained by collecting 90 questionnaires from producers of organic saffron, pistachio, and raisin products in the year 2021 with available sampling method in Khorasan Razavi province. The obtained results indicate that the variables of risk and motivation to enter the international market directly and the production and marketing ownership indirectly and through influencing the motivation to enter the international market, influence the international market entry strategy. Based on this, the appropriate strategy for entering the international market of organic products, indirect, cooperative and non-attendance strategies such as indirect export, contract production and joint investment was obtained. Therefore, it is suggested that the government should remove or reduce the risks caused by sanctions and obstacles to enter the market for the direct presence of organic product producers in international markets.

Abstract Background Health-promoting behaviors have been noticed recently as one of the most critical factors in raising life expectancy, which can be formed during adolescence. Thus, the current scoping review aimed to identify the key factors affecting health-promoting behaviors among adolescents. Methods In this scoping review, we searched multiple English online databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, ProQuest, and Scopus, for articles published between 1977 and 2020. All eligible studies describing health-promoting behaviors in adolescents were included. We followed the JBI guideline for conducting a scoping review and increasing the study’s rigor. Extracted data were synthesized through inductive approaches. Results A total of 3199 articles were identified during the first phase. After the screening process, 20 articles were found eligible for final inclusion. Educational factors (individualized education and school health promotion programs), Economic factors (income, economic incentives and national health insurance), Social factors (support system, responsibility and peers), Spiritual, Psychological and Personal factors (gender, family structure, patterns of living, and medical problems) were found effective in health-promoting behaviors among adolescents. Conclusions Health-promoting behaviors among adolescents require careful consideration. The current review identified some fundamental factors affecting health-promoting behaviors in adolescents. Based on the findings, it is recommended that policymakers and healthcare providers develop several interventions based on identified factors to increase adolescent’s health-promoting behaviors among adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Nursing students are at risk of violence. When nursing students encounter violence in clinical environments, their functional abilities and their desire to stay in this profession are impressed. This research determines the relationship between violence in the workplace and the attitude towards the nursing profession (NP) among Iranian nursing students in 2021. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional research was conducted as an online survey in 2021, and 512 nursing students were selected using the convenience method. Data collection tools included a demographic information form, a professional attitude questionnaire, and a workplace violence questionnaire. Chi-square tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), sample t-test, and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The average age was 23.19 ± 4.58 years. Students with high violence experiences had a more negative attitude towards the profession (P = 0.000). The perpetrators of violence were mainly hospital employees (52.42). It was followed by patients and companions (45.86) and instructors (43.95). A significant relationship was found between gender (P = 0.03), age (P = 0.00), academic year (P = 0.005), and marital status (P = 0.008) with attitude towards profession. The findings of this research showed that the variables of gender (boy) and age have an inverse effect on the attitude with a predictive power of 37%; however, the attitude towards the profession becomes positive by increasing the academic year. CONCLUSION: This research provides data to nursing schools to develop intervention and prevention strategies to support students in dealing with the experience of violence. Holding related training courses in violence prevention techniques reduces the other party’s anger and can help improve the situation.

Abstract Introduction Achieving good death is among the objectives of palliative care in patients with cancer. There should be an instrument for evaluating the quality of palliative care provided by family members at the end of life. This study was done to assess the psychometric properties of good death inventory- short form according to the perspective of family of patients with cancer. Method This methodological study was done in 2022 at two hospitals in Tehran. The translation was done via forward-backward method. Face validity was examined through cognitive interviewing with 10 family members. The content validation, were used by assessment the opinions of 10 palliative care specialists. The construct validity was explored through exploratory factor analysis and examination of convergent validation with care evaluation scale 2.0, as well as inspection of correlation by answering two general questions of satisfaction with treatment and end of life quality of life. The scale’s reliability, internal consistency was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and stability via test-retest. Results Overall, 204 family members of patients with cancer were included. In the exploratory factor analysis, three factors of peace, hope, and value as well as quality of care were extracted with cumulative variance of 41.8%.A significant and suitable correlation between the total scores of the participants Good death inventory-short form and care evaluation scale2.0 (r = 0.459, P

Abstract The target coverage problem is considered as one of the major issues in directional sensor networks (DSNs), which is caused by the nature of these networks, including their limited angle of view. Due to the fault tolerance characteristic of some coverage applications, the target coverage is required to be performed using multiple sensors. This challenge is discussed in the literature under the title of k‐coverage problem. Under certain conditions, the number of sensors may suffer some changes due to various factors such as power depletion of the sensors, sensors' malfunctioning, and harshness of the environment. This can result in unavailability of adequate sensors for providing k‐coverage for all targets. The network suffering from such problem is referred to as under‐provisioned network. This paper was aimed at studying such networks by adopting the network conditions to the real environments. To solve this problem, the present paper proposes a hybrid model integrating the genetic algorithm (GA) and Tabu search (TS). The proposed algorithm generally aimed to identify a subset of sensors with appropriate working directions in order to provide a balanced coverage for all the targets available in the network. In order to evaluate the performance of the algorithm several experiments were conducted and the results have been compared with greedy and learning automat‐abased algorithms. . The results of the experiments show the superiority of the algorithm.

This study aimed to evaluate the opinions of the librarians of Semnan public libraries on information consulting and examine the feasibility and requirements of setting up information consulting services (ICSs) in public libraries, which has become even more important during the coronavirus pandemic. The present study adopted a survey method using the interview technique. The research population included all librarians of Semnan public libraries. The findings showed that more than 75% of the librarians of Semnan public libraries were willing to set up the ICSs in the public library. Librarians of Semnan public libraries believed that specialized human resources hardware and software facilities and funding are required to set up the ICSs in public libraries. knowledge and skills, personality traits, and communication and public relations techniques are mentioned as the characteristics of information consultants. According to the librarians, the ICSs increase the users of libraries, improve library services, provide job satisfaction for librarians, and increase income for the library. They considered these factors as the top benefits of setting up information consulting. Given the willingness of young librarians with less experience, who are educated in Library and Information Science (LIS), to set up the ICSs in Semnan public libraries, they have the potential to provide ICSs in libraries by setting up an information consulting desk. Training of these librarians can provide the necessary basis for setting up the ICSs and information consulting clinics, promoting the position of the LIS field in the community, and leading to the employment market for graduates of LIS. This is the first study on public libraries in Iran. The importance of the subject can be a prelude to launching information consulting services in Iranian public libraries during the coronavirus.

Abstract Recent analyses of public microbial genomes have found over a million biosynthetic gene clusters, the natural products of the majority of which remain unknown. Additionally, GNPS harbors billions of mass spectra of natural products without known structures and biosynthetic genes. We bridge the gap between large-scale genome mining and mass spectral datasets for natural product discovery by developing HypoRiPPAtlas, an Atlas of hypothetical natural product structures, which is ready-to-use for in silico database search of tandem mass spectra. HypoRiPPAtlas is constructed by mining genomes using seq2ripp, a machine-learning tool for the prediction of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs). In HypoRiPPAtlas, we identify RiPPs in microbes and plants. HypoRiPPAtlas could be extended to other natural product classes in the future by implementing corresponding biosynthetic logic. This study paves the way for large-scale explorations of biosynthetic pathways and chemical structures of microbial and plant RiPP classes.

AbstractIdentifying homogeneous climatic zones plays an important role in the success of regional development programs. The climate system is composed of various elements, factors, and variables that together form the climatic components of a region. Multi-characteristic and multivariate methods can combine and overlap the types of elements and variables effective in constructing the climate with appropriate weights in the climatic zoning area. In the present study, climatic zoning of the Caspian region was performed using factor analysis and cluster analysis. For this purpose, a 30*30 matrix consisting of 30 meteorological stations and 30 climatic and environmental variables was formed. The results of factor analysis showed that the climate of the region is affected by 5 factors including precipitation-humidity, temperature, wind, sunlight, and environmental factors. These factors explained a total of 92.5% of the variance of the data. Then, cluster analysis was performed by the hierarchical integration method of Ward on the five mentioned factors. The results showed four climatic zones including humid, semi-humid, semi-arid, and arid in the study area.Keywords: Climate Zoning, Factor Analysis, Multivariate Analysis, Cluster Analysis, Caspian Coastline, Iran. IntroductionKnowledge of climatic zones has long attracted the attention of many scientists and has led to the presentation of various methods of climatic classification such as De Marten, Koppen, Ivanov, Amberje, Selianinov, Hansen, and others. With significant computer advances in recent years, it has become possible to perform internal methods on large volumes of data and the use of new classification methods such as multivariate statistical methods (factor analysis and cluster analysis) have expanded to classify the interactions of a large number of climatic components. Identifying homogeneous climatic zones and the capabilities and limitations of the agricultural climate of each climatic zone can play an effective role in carrying out projects and planning. MethodologyThe study area in this research is the greenest and rainiest region of the country (i.e. the southern shores of the Caspian Sea). In this study, factor analysis with Varimax rotation has been used to identify the factors affecting the climate of the study area and the hierarchical clustering method has been used in its climatic zoning. For this purpose, out of 30 variables affecting agricultural activities, including three environmental variables of latitude, altitude, and distance from the sea, as well as 27 climatic variables including maximum, minimum, and average temperature, an average temperature of winter, spring, summer, and autumn were used. Number of days with a maximum temperature of 30 ° C and above and minimum temperature of 0 ° C and below, average sunny hours, number of full cloudy, partly cloudy, and sunny days, hours of radiation, average relative humidity and annual rainfall, average winter, spring, summer and autumn, total annual rainfall with more than 1 mm, number of days more than 1 mm, more than 5 mm, more than 10 mm and more than 20 mm, average evapotranspiration and average wind speed in 30 stations, and the synoptic meteorology of the region with a suitable statistical period between 2002 to 2018 were used on a daily time scale. ETO Calculator software and radiation amount were used using the Angstrom-Prescott function to calculate the reference evapotranspiration. DiscussionThe results of the Bartlett test showed that the data are suitable for factor analysis and the results can be generalized to the statistical population. The results also showed that the region's climate is the result of the interaction of 5 different factors and explains 92.5% of the total variance. Based on the results of factor scores of variables, variables of average annual rainfall, winter, spring, summer, and autumn, total annual rainfall on days with more than 1 mm, number of days with more than 1 and 5 mm and with heavy rainfall of more than 10 and 20 mm, the number of full and partly cloudy days and average relative humidity had the highest correlation coefficient with the first factor. Due to the fact that the naming of the factors is based on the highest values of correlation coefficients, it was named the precipitation-moisture factor. In the second factor, the variables of average minimum, maximum and average daily temperatures, average temperatures of winter, spring, summer, and autumn, and the number of days with a maximum temperature of 30 ° C and above had the highest factor load and weight. Therefore, the second factor was named the temperature factor. The third factor explains 6.5% of the total variance of the data and was named the wind factor, as the mean variable of wind speed had the highest correlation coefficient with this factor. The fourth factor explains only 5.8% of the variance of the data changes. Because the variable number of sunny days had the highest correlation coefficient with this factor, it was named the factor of sunshine. The fifth factor explains only 5.5% of the variance of the data changes. Because the variables of distance from the sea and latitude had the highest factor and weight in this factor, it was named an environmental factor.After performing factor analysis and identifying the main factors using the hierarchical clustering method by the Ward method, the studied stations are grouped into homogeneous categories and zones and climatic classification was performed. According to the cluster tree diagram obtained and the cutting location of the diagram at the interval of 8, 4 clusters were identified. According to the findings, four climatic zones including a humid climate zone located in the northern parts of Gilan province to the western and central plains of Mazandaran province, a semi-humid climate zone including the eastern and central parts of Mazandaran province to parts of the western and southern regions of Gilan province and western parts of Golestan province, semi-arid climate zone located in the southern parts of the southern shores of the Caspian Sea, and arid climate zone located in the eastern and northeastern parts of Golestan province for the region were identified. ConclusionThe output of this study was four climatic clusters for the study area, which is different from the study of Nazmafar and Goldoust (2015) who in their research on the zoning of the north and northwest of the country, identified three climatic zones for the northern region. In their study, the first climate zone with the effect of precipitation factor was located in the southwest of the Caspian Sea and the second climate zone with the effect of temperature factor was located in a part of the southern shores of the Caspian Sea and the northern slopes of Alborz Mountain range. Therefore, the present study has provided more specific and accurate climatic zones. The findings of this study are consistent with the findings of Montazeri and Bai (2012). They showed in their research that Mazandaran province was located in two humid and semi-cold climates with low rainfall, Gilan province was located in two humid and semi-humid regions, and Golestan province was located in the climate zones of humid, semi-humid, cold, low rainfall, semi-cold, and low rainfall. Also, the findings of this study were consistent with the findings of Fallah Ghaleri et al. (2015) in the field of climatic zoning in Gilan province. References- Biabiany, E., Bernard, D., Page, V., & Paugam-Moisy, H. (2020). Design of an expert distance metric for climate clustering: The case of rainfall in the Lesser Antilles. Journal of Computers and Geosciences, 145, 1-15.- Carvalho, M., Melo-Gonçalves, P., Teixeira, J., & Rocha, T. (2016). Regionalization of Europe based on a K-Means Cluster Analysis of the climate change of temperatures and precipitation. Journal of Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, 94, 22-28.- Schmidt, G. (2019). The Ecological relevance of parameter choice in describing climate. The Ecological relevance of parameter choice in describing climate, 6, 1-26.- Tapiador, F., Moreno, R., & Navarro, A. (2019). Consensus in climate classifications for present climate and global warming scenarios. Journal of Atmospheric Research, 216, 26-36.- Yang, L., Bai, L., Song, B., & Liu, N. (2020). A new approach to develop a climate classification for building energy efficiency addressing Chinese climate characteristics. Energy, 195, 1-14.- Zhao, J., Xia, B., Han, J., & Liang, K. (2020). Technological adaption zone of passive evaporative cooling of China, based on clustering analysis. Journal of Sustainable Cities and Society, 66, 1-10.

NK cells are defined as the major components of the immunological network which exerts defense against tumors and viral infections as well as regulation of innate and adaptive immunity, shaped through interaction with other cells like T cells. According to the surface markers, NK cells can be divided into CD56dim NK and CD56bright NK subsets. CD56bright NK cells usually are known as regulatory NK cells. Once the immune system loses its self-tolerance, autoimmune diseases develop. NK cells and their subsets can be altered during autoimmune diseases, indicative of their prominent regulatory roles and even pathological and protective functions in autoimmune disorders. In this regard, activation of CD56bright NK cells can suppress activated autologous CD4+ T cells and subsequently prevent the initiation of autoimmunity. In this review article, we summarize the roles of regulatory NK cells in autoimmune disease occurrence which needs more research to uncover their exact related mechanism. It seems that targeting NK cells can be a promising therapeutic platform against autoimmune diseases.

Introduction: Providing a stable hemodynamic in extubation is important. We aimed to compare the effect of two different doses of intravenous labetalol on the cardiovascular response to endotracheal extubation. Methods: This double-blind randomized trial was performed in 2019-2020 in Isfahan on 72 patients under general anesthesia. Patients using Random Allocation software were divided into three groups and received 0.1 mg/ kg or 0.2 mg/kg labetalol and normal saline intravenously 10 min before extubation. Hemodynamic variables including heart rate (HR), Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and peripheral blood oxygen saturation(SPO2) was measured for each patient before induction of anesthesia and 1, 3, 5 and 10 minutes after extubation. Results: SBP changes were significantly different between the three groups at 1, 3, 5 minutes after extubation (P=0.036, P=0.009, P=0.005 respectively) unlike the other two groups, patients who received 0.2 mg/kg labetalol did not have an increase in DBP after extubation (P>0.05). DBP was significantly different between the three groups one minute after extubation (P=0.03). At minutes 1 and 3 following extubation, there was a significant difference in the MAP between the three groups. (P=0.029 and P=0.012 respectively). There was no significant difference between the three groups regarding heart rate (P>0.05). Conclusion: Tracheal extubation is usually associated with an increase in hemodynamic variables. Both doses of labetalol attenuate the hemodynamic response accompanying tracheal extubation. But labetalol 0.2 mg/kg in reducing hemodynamic response to extubation acted more effectively than labetalol 0.1mg/kg.

The purpose of the present study was to predict marital burnout between couples based on psychological entitlement and romantic perfectionism. This research was a descriptive-correlation study. The statistical population of the study included all the couples who referred to Hamedan Counseling Centers such as Mehr, Mehravar, Sepidar, Roozbeh, Hale-Khoob, Farzaneh, due to marital problems in spring and summer (May, June, July) of 2018-2019. For the statistical sample, 220 clients were selected purposefully. 215 questionnaires were completed, 7 of which were incomplete and finally, 208 questionnaires were statistically analyzed. To collect the research data, Pines Marital Burnout Measure (1996), Lisard et al. (2011) Psychological Entitlement Measure, and Matt & Lafountain (2012) The Adaptation of Romantic Perfectionism Scale were used. Data were analyzed using Pearson Correlation Coefficient and regression analysis. Findings indicated that there is a positive significant relationship between romantic perfectionism and marital burnout (P

Abstract Finding alignments between millions of reads and genome sequences is crucial in computational biology. Since the standard alignment algorithm has a large computational cost, heuristics have been developed to speed up this task. Though orders of magnitude faster, these methods lack theoretical guarantees and often have low sensitivity especially when reads have many insertions, deletions, and mismatches relative to the genome. Here we develop a theoretically principled and efficient algorithm that has high sensitivity across a wide range of insertion, deletion, and mutation rates. We frame sequence alignment as an inference problem in a probabilistic model. Given a reference database of reads and a query read, we find the match that maximizes a log-likelihood ratio of a reference read and query read being generated jointly from a probabilistic model versus independent models. The brute force solution to this problem computes joint and independent probabilities between each query and reference pair, and its complexity grows linearly with database size. We introduce a bucketing strategy where reads with higher log-likelihood ratio are mapped to the same bucket with high probability. Experimental results show that our method is more accurate than the state-of-the-art approaches in aligning long-reads from Pacific Bioscience sequencers to genome sequences.

Objective Wearable sensors offer non-invasive, portable, and generally convenient ways to monitor sports training. This systematic review aims to present current evidence on using wearable sensors in sports for athletes. Methods IArticles published in English before May 2020 were searched in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and EBSCO databases. Titles, abstracts, and keywords were probed with a search string including terms related to wearable sensors and sports. In addition to providing insight into how performance is achieved, these sensors also provide detailed kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic information. Wearable sensors such as inertial sensors and electromyography are the most suitable from this point of view. Results Advances have been dramatic as sensors have become smaller, more precise, and capable of measuring more accurate data. Force plates measure the ground reaction forces that an athlete exerts while running, jumping, or landing. This information is critical in preventing injuries and understanding how different movement patterns affect performance. Strength platforms can also assess balance and stability, helping to develop injury prevention protocols and rehabilitation programs. Conclusion Reviewing the literature, inertial sensors are the most commonly used to evaluate athletes' performance. However, electromyography may also be used. Even though a wide range of sports was examined in the studies, running was the dominant sport evaluated. Therefore, researchers, athletes, and coaches find it helpful to understand current sports performance assessment technologies.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Iran’s mass education centers, which house a large number of trainees, encountered numerous difficulties in managing the disease. Understanding these challenges can help manage future pandemics. This study was conducted to explore the challenges of managing the COVID-19 pandemic in mass education centers in Iran. Methods: In this qualitative study, we used a qualitative content analysis of data collected from June to October 2022 in eight mass education centers in Iran. Semi-structured interviews (n=19) were used for data collection. Results: Four main themes and eleven subthemes were identified: The essence of dormitory life (Subthemes included: "The high population density in the dormitory", "Public toilets" and, Interprovincial travel), the inflexibility of the profession (Subthemes included: "Inapplicable health protocols" and, "Inflexible rules and regulations"), Negligence (Subthemes included: "Not adhering to health protocols", "Non acceptance of illness", and "High-risk taking"), and Weakness of health-care platform (Subthemes included: "shortage of healthcare facilities", "Lack of specialized personnel", and "The uni-dimensional aspect of healthcare services"). Conclusion: We identified several challenges that made the handling of COVID-19 difficult in Iran’s centers for mass education. These findings can help future research in addressing the challenges and designing adaptable plans for pandemic management in mass education centers.

Pandemics are among the most important events affecting various economic, social, cultural, and political aspects, hence an acid test of functioning of states. Considered as a kind of intervention in social relations, the epidemic disease, owing to its characteristics, targets the logic of established relationships and can potentially have an epoch-making capability. This internal characteristic renders the epidemic disease completely political. In this respect, the present research tries to answer the key question of what negative and positive effects pandemics exert on politics. The research is based on the hypothesis that pandemics have both negative and positive dimensions. The negative aspects include several issues imposed on societies, such as the increased instability, civil war, insecurity, increased power of the state and statism, rebellion, etc. Meanwhile, pandemics have positive aspects, such as the social and political cohesion, peace and cooperation between nation-states, growth of cyberspace activities and more pressure on the state, cessation of some wars, and growth of political and freedom-seeking movements—which are generally overlooked under the shadow of great challenges.There is ample literature, both in English and in Persian, on epidemic diseases and the global coronavirus disease. In her book The Impact of Outbreaks of Infectious Diseases on Political Stability, Menzel (2018) argues that the spread of Ebola, tuberculosis, and influenza caused unrest in some countries. Examining about 120 countries during an eighteen-year-long period, she observes that the three diseases were significantly correlated with the level of political stability in the affected countries in a particular year. Moreover, the research on the US policies in prevention of AIDS in African countries observed that the HIV pandemic caused international instability and insecurity, especially in African countries, so HIV has become a priority for the US foreign policy. Despite the research attempts, it seems that the topic has not been dealt with in a focused manner. In this respect, the present article intends to examine each of these pandemics in a historical context in order to shed light on their impact on politics and the political. The present study is thus necessary given its innovative subject.Focused on a novel research topic, the present study pursues the following objectives: the scientific explanation and analysis of the political effects of pandemics (esp. COVID–19), the analysis of the impact of the COVID–19 pandemic on the nature and performance of states, and the explanation of the effects of the COVID–19 pandemic on transparency, elections, and in general, on democratic processes in different countries.Imposed on societies throughout history, crises such as pandemics are generally considered as a manifestation of the political. For example, due to the outbreak of plague, merchants closed their shops and fled to the outskirts, which left workers and artisans without a livelihood. The closure of stores caused unemployment, leading to conflict over resources and the ensuing insecurity and chaos. In addition, the pandemic was one of the apparent reasons underlying the population decline, the death of elders, and the death of political and intellectual elite, which gave rise to the urban and rural chaos, insecurity and disorder in social relations, and the political chaos. Cholera is another pandemic affecting political life throughout history. The cholera pandemic not only caused a decline in population and state power as well as an increase in protests in countries such as India, but also disturb the power of empires and the sense of security of Western powers and put their vulnerability at risk. It also created tensions over whether global communications would remain open or closed. The Spanish flu, which occurred during World War I, killed a large number of people, resulted in chaos in different parts of the world, and changed the war plans and peace negotiations. Concerning HIV, the children losing their parents due to the disease are more likely to be recruited to terrorist groups. Furthermore, individuals with HIV, especially women, are excluded from society and politics.Despite their challenges, pandemics can have positive effects, albeit minimal, on politics. For instance, the plague pandemic caused a revolution of the elite and intellectuals and could stop the Hundred Years’ War between England and France. The influenza pandemic brought a sense of urgency to improve public health, leading to advances in medical science, public health planning, and international cooperation among states. Due to the cholera pandemic, the world states start international cooperation with each other, thus initiating the efforts to conclude international health agreements. HIV has also been an opportunity to correct fundamental injustices and mobilize positive political movements concerning issues such as women’s, children’s, and homosexuals’ rights.Regarding the negative effects COVID–19, the pandemic challenged and questioned many political issues. For example, it challenged participation in elections and voting as an obvious form of political activity. Moreover, the outbreak of COVID–19 led to a decline in the process of consensus building in most countries, with the executive branch taking and implementing decisions. The pandemic was also used as a pretext for limiting media activities. More importantly, the outbreak of COVID–19 led to an unprecedented increase in injustice and discrimination around the world. Meanwhile, the pandemic created good opportunities, such as generating new forms of civil mobilization, providing the means for human convergence, and reducing defense costs at the national and global levels.In general, although pandemics fundamentally challenge human life in various fields and particularly in politics, they intentionally or unintentionally open up a few opportunities for politics and politicians. Likewise, the COVID–19 pandemic brought about sweeping changes, created positive trends, and could revive many faded or forgotten areas in the political arena—the aspect which used to be hidden in the heavy shadow of the killing and harm caused by the virus.

Objectives: Social isolation of older adults is one of the major global concerns associated with widespread negative outcomes. The present study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the social disconnectedness and perceived isolation scales in Iranian older adults. Methods & Materials: The translation/back-translation process was performed based on the standard protocol of world health organization. Face and content validities were assessed based on the opinions of a panel of experts. The content validity of the scales was evaluated by calculating the content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI). Internal consistency, reliability, and construct validity were evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha, test-retest method, and factor analyses, respectively. Factorial structure of the scales was tested using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling in a sample of 390 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 60 years residing in Tabriz, Iran. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software, version 26 and AMOS version 24. Results: For the social disconnectedness scale, CVR‌=‌0.98 and CVI‌=‌0.91; for the perceived isolation scale, CVR‌=‌0.91 and CVI‌=‌0.96. The EFA with the varimax rotation identified new factors in both scales. Cronbach’s alpha of 0.64 for the social disconnectedness scale and 0.76 for the perceived isolation scale showed that their internal consistency was acceptable. The number of factors in the social disconnectedness scale changed from two to three factors, and the number of factors in the perceived isolation scale changed from two to four factors in the Persian versions. The CFA and SEM confirmed the three-factor solution of the Persian version of the social disconnectedness scale (RMSEA=0.050, GFI=0.951, CFI=0.950, and TLI=0.955) and the four-factor solution of the Persian version of perceived isolation scale (RMSEA=0.045, GFI=0.955, CFI=0.955, and TLI=0.950). Conclusion: Although the structures are different from those of the main versions, the Persian versions of the social disconnectedness and perceived isolation scales have acceptable reliability and validity to be used in Iranian older adults.

IntroductionToday, organizations in various fields are facing huge challenges. The common focus of all of them is the development of knowledge, technology and innovation. To quickly adapt to these challenges and changing needs, organizations need to improve their employees’ innovations and creativities. Educational organizations as the most prominent, most influential, and most extensive organizations are responsible for people’s formal education and training in the society, as well as providing human resources to other organizations. They have an important and extraordinary impact on sustainability, social, economic, and cultural aspects of every country. As the most important members and architects of educational organizations and schools, teachers are considered the main element of competence of any educational system. The importance and unique role of creativity and innovative performance of teachers as a strategic source and designer and implementer of organizational systems and products have now found a far higher position in education than in the past. Since the majority of human resources working in the education system are teachers, addressing the current state of creativity, as well as the factors affecting their innovative performance in schools, is of double importance. Based on the findings of previous researches, leadership styles are one of the factors influencing teachers’ innovative performance. Exploitative leadership as a very self-interested leadership style has many negative effects. It leads to a decrease in job satisfaction and emotional commitment, an increase in the intention to leave the job, job burnout, deviant behaviors in the workplace, hiding knowledge, and reducing the employees’ productivity and innovative performance. Hiding knowledge as another factor affecting innovative performance has destructive effects on organizational effectiveness in the current era. As a negative behavior that includes a conscious refusal to provide knowledge and is requested by another person it can disrupt the relationships between employees, lead to mistrust, and be very harmful to individual and organizational performance. Considering that exploitative leaders play an important role in teachers’ attitudes and behaviors and the exploitative leadership style as one of the new leadership styles has not been investigated and studied in the country so far, we decided to fill this research gap by examining the consequences and results of this leadership style in schools and find out the answer to this question: How do exploitative leaders in schools reduce teachers’ innovative performance by hiding knowledge? Materials & MethodsThe current research was based on an applied goal and with a descriptive-correlation method. The research population included all the teachers of two districts of Shiraz (1945 people). The sample size (319 teachers) was determined based on the simple random sampling method and Cochran’s formula. The questionnaires of Schmid and colleagues (2019) for exploitative leadership with 15 items with 5 subscales of showing selfish behaviors (Questions 1 to 3), applying pressure (Questions 4 to 6), undermining employees’ developments (Questions 7 to 9), gaining credibility (Questions 10 to 12), and hypocrisy (Questions 13 to 15), questionnaires Connelly and Zweig (2015) for concealment of knowledge with 12 items and 3 subscales of evasive concealment (Questions 1 to 4), logical concealment (Questions 5 to 8), and dumbing down (Questions 9 to 12), and questionnaires of Huang and Li (2018) for innovative performance with 7 items and 2 subscales of executive innovation (Questions 1 to 4) and technical innovation (Questions 5 to 7) were used in the 5-point Likert scale to collect the data. Discussion of Results & ConclusionsThe aim of this research was to investigate the relationship between exploitative leadership and innovative performance through the mediating role of knowledge hiding. The results of the research showed that the leadership variable had a direct, negative, and significant relationship with the teachers’ innovative performance at the level of 0.05; hiding knowledge had a direct, negative, and significant relationship with their innovative performance at the level of 0.05; and exploitative leadership had an indirect, negative, and significant relationship with their innovative performance at the level of 0.05. To improve teachers’ creativities, it is suggested that education officials and school administrators exchange information and knowledge by studying and recognizing the undesirable characteristics of exploitative leadership and the destructive consequences that this leadership style can have on the performance of teachers and schools and thus try to induce creative performance in teachers.

The restriction on the development of agricultural fields due to the population growth and the conversion of arable land to residential one has caused the failure in the production of macular crops. Also, the increase in greenhouse gases especially resulting from livestock on farms and also urban life and the resulting climate change; have posed major environmental challenges to almost all human activities over the years. Currently, modern biotechnology can be used for sustainable development in agricultural productivity and related industries to solve human problems in diseases, poverty, pollution, and the current food crisis. Because the traditional systems can no longer meet the world's food needs. Therefore, there is an urgent need to use modern biotechnology to accelerate the development of executive programs.

The study of the rural situation in Iran shows that the sustainability of rural housing, which safeguards the survival of their inhabitants, has been affected by recent decades’ procedures and policies, in terms of their physical body, economies and culture. This has led to the threatening of rural life as well as environmental and human instability. This study has considered the yard and other open spaces of rural housing as important parts of life, in order to then explore the role of yards in the sustainability of rural housing. A survey is conducted in the villages around the city of Garmsar, collecting information through field observations and questionnaires, which is then described and analysed, with findings and analysed data going through factor analysis and one-way analysis of variance (One-way ANOVA). The results show that out of the nine identified factors, six are more influential. Livelihood and production, the physical factor in terms of area and percentage of unbuilt space, social adaptation factor and the yard function in interactions between residents and neighbours, environmental stability and adaptation factor in rural housing, are found to be most influential, both in traditional and rebuilt houses. On the other hand, the biological and residential factors of the yards in terms of constant life functions and fulfilling basic needs, and the service-comfort factors concerning daylighting and parking etc. have been most influential in contemporary houses.

Unusual levels of agricultural product waste are becoming one of the issues and dangers that human societies face in their efforts to achieve food security. Therefore, reducing agricultural product waste is one of the main strategies for the optimal use of production resources and support food security. In this study, a multilevel Bayesian technique was used to examine the characteristics of customers and the effects of marketing mix on the waste of selected agricultural products—a subgroup of fruits and vegetables in Mashhad, Iran. Based on this, 368 consumers (at the first level), 53 fruit and vegetable markets (at the second level), and 3 main supply centers of fruit and vegetables in the city (at the third level) were evaluated using the Bayesian multilevel model. The results showed that approximately 56% of food waste variance was caused by differences between consumers, 29% is due to the differences between fruit and vegetable markets, and almost 14% is due to the differences between the main supply centers of Mashhad. Also, the effects of the marketing mix showed that the place of distribution of agricultural products always has an increasing effect on the waste of agricultural products. Moreover, increasing the price of agricultural products reduces waste by consumers and keeps the consumer away from unnecessary purchases. The product factor also has an increasing effect on the waste of agricultural products, and consumers are encouraged to consume more and create more waste. A good way to reduce agricultural product waste is to use solutions that slow down the spoilage process and extend the shelf life of fruit and vegetables. Using an appropriate marketing mix and considering the characteristics of consumers can also control the waste of agricultural products.

In this article published in Cell J, Vol 17, No 1, 2015, on pages 159-162, the authors found that the affiliation of secondauthor in address 2 was missed during the formatting of the paper. Therefore, we corrected it.The authors would like to apologize for any inconvenience.

Among the educational levels, high school is of special importance, because at this point in time, in addition to entering a new level, students are at a new stage in terms of emotional, moral and social development. Among high school courses, Persian literature course is of special importance; Because literature is the spectrum of all our learning and through it ideas are nurtured and people can have a good understanding of social issues and also get acquainted with the culture of the present and the past;Therefore, compiling the curriculum of Persian books in the framework of the goals that lead the audience to them is of special importance. One type of curriculum is the absurd curriculum, which shows how successful the curriculum authors have been in developing it.When the curriculum planning system does not intentionally present or teach certain concepts and issues, or the content presented in the textbook is not commensurate with the intellectual age of the students, or what the students read but cannot put into practice, it means The curriculum has been absurd. At the same time, there are cases in various textbooks that, according to some experts in the field of curriculum, may not be compatible with the needs and social, cultural, etc. developments of society and are obsolete, which is called redundant curriculum.Considering the importance of these two types of curricula and the special place of Persian literature in high school, in the present