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Objectives Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common problems in the elderly, which causes a decline in their cognitive function. This study aims to compare the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and short-term cognitive rehabilitation on language skills and attention in older people with mild AD. Methods & Materials This is a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/post-test/follow-up design. Participants were 60 people over 65 years of age with mild Alzheimer’s referred to a neurologist in 2022, who were selected by a convenience sampling method and were randomly assigned into two experimental groups and one control group (20 in each group). Then, the tDCS was applied in one experimental group at 10 sessions of 20 minutes once a week and the short-term cognitive rehabilitation program was provided to the second experimental group at 9 sessions of 90 minutes, once a week. No intervention was provided to the control group. Before, one week after (post-test) and one month after (follow-up) the end of the intervention, the assessments were conducted in all groups using Addenbrooke’s cognitive examination- revised (ACE-R). For data analysis, repeated measures analysis of variance test was used in SPSS software, version 23. Results Both methods improved the writing and naming domains of language skills, but they had no significant effect on the attention variable. Conclusion Both tDCS and short-term cognitive rehabilitation can be used to improve the language skills of older adults with mild AD.

Background and Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed a significant threat to both healthy individuals and those with chronic diseases, including liver cirrhosis. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and laboratory manifestations and treatment outcomes of patients with liver cirrhosis who were infected with COVID-19. Methods: This retrospective descriptive study was conducted on 9 patients (4 women and 5 men) with liver cirrhosis infected with COVID-19 hospitalized at Shahid Sayyad Shirazi Educational and Therapeutic Center in Gorgan, Iran during 2019-20. COVID-19 infection was diagnosed by a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. The Child-Pugh score was used to classify the severity of liver disease. Demographic and clinical data, including initial symptoms and complaints, laboratory results, need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission, length of hospital stay, and treatment outcomes, were extracted from patients’ medical records. Results: The severity of liver disease was classified as Class B in 7 patients. Comorbidities included cardiovascular diseases and hypertension in 2 patients each, as well as diabetes and asthma in one patient each. Clinical manifestations at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis included ascites in 6 patients; fever in 5 patients; respiratory distress and anorexia in 4 patients each; cough, oxygen saturation less than 93%, and muscle pain in 3 patients each; nausea and vomiting in 2 patients; and abdominal pain and decreased level of consciousness in one patient each. Albumin levels were less than 4 g/dL in all patients. Hemoglobin was less than 12 g/dL in 7 patients. Thrombocytopenia was observed in 8 patients, leukocytosis in one patient, and leukopenia and pancytopenia in 4 patients each. Alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) levels were higher than 40 U/L in 6 and 5 patients, respectively. Only one patient died, a 60-year-old woman with a history of fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and uncontrolled Class C cirrhosis. Conclusion: The most common clinical manifestations in patients with liver cirrhosis infected with COVID-19 consisted of ascites, fever, respiratory distress, and anorexia, and the most common laboratory manifestations were hypoalbuminemia and thrombocytopenia.

Abstract The simulation of chemical reactions and mechanical properties including failure from atoms to the micrometer scale remains a longstanding challenge in chemistry and materials science. Bottlenecks include computational feasibility, reliability, and cost. We introduce a method for reactive molecular dynamics simulations using a clean replacement of non-reactive classical harmonic bond potentials with reactive, energy-conserving Morse potentials, called the Reactive INTERFACE Force Field (IFF-R). IFF-R is compatible with force fields for organic and inorganic compounds such as IFF, CHARMM, PCFF, OPLS-AA, and AMBER. Bond dissociation is enabled by three interpretable Morse parameters per bond type and zero energy upon disconnect. Use cases for bond breaking in molecules, failure of polymers, carbon nanostructures, proteins, composite materials, and metals are shown. The simulation of bond forming reactions is included via template-based methods. IFF-R maintains the accuracy of the corresponding non-reactive force fields and is about 30 times faster than prior reactive simulation methods.

Abstract The oil obtained from black cumin (Nigella sativa) seeds has many health-effective properties, which is used in food applications and in traditional medicine. One practical method to extract its oil is mixing with other seeds such as sunflower (Helianthus anuus) seeds before oil extraction by press. The effectiveness of the cold-press oil obtained from the mixture of black cumin seeds (BS) and sunflower seeds (SF) in different proportions 100:0, 95:5, 90:10, 85:15 and 0:100 (w/w) was studied to evaluate their qualitative properties including peroxide value (PV), acid value, p-anisidine value (AnV), pigments (carotenoid and chlorophyll) content, polyphenols, and profile of fatty acids during heating process (30–150 min at 180 °C). The results revealed that the acid and p-anisidine value of the all samples enhanced with the extension of the heating time, and the peroxide value increased at the beginning of the heating and then decreased with the prolongation of the heating time (p

Abstract Objective Define the prevalence and location of inflammatory and structural lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA) with neck pain as leading clinical symptom. Methods Patients with diagnosis of RA and r-axSpA were consecutively included if they had chronic (> 3 months) neck pain. Clinical assessment, neck pain questionnaires and MRIs of the cervical spine (CS) were performed. Results 107 patients (59 RA and 48 r-axSpA) were included. While there was no difference in the Northwick-Park-Neck-Pain-questionnaire, patients with RA reported higher neck pain compared to r-axSpA on a numeric rating scale (5.0 ± 3.6 vs. 3.0 ± 3.1; p = 0.003). Inflammatory lesions occurred predominantly in the craniocervical area in RA and in the lower CS segments in r-axSpA. Bone marrow edema (BME) was more frequent in axSpA (BME-score axSpA/RA: 0.35vs0.17; p

Shortly after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the country witnessed the unfolding of many crises such as the emergence of counter-revolution and centrifugal crisis in some regions, including the Kurdish region, where, they grew rapidly and showed themselves in a violent form when the leadership of these currents fell into the hands of the Democratic and Komala parties, and, consequently due to the post-revolution conditions, significant parts of the Kurdish regions came under the control of the aforementioned parties in a short period of time. The dispatch of a goodwill delegation in August 1979 could not solve the problem peacefully. Therefore, military action was also put on the agenda. In judicial dimension, Sheikh Sadeq Khalkhali was sent to the Kurdish regions in late August 1979 as religious judge to play a role in confrontation with the counter-revolution and centrifugal forces. The main objective of this research is to study the degree of success of Khalkhali to participate in this confrontation and the extent to which he could prevent the crisis of centrifugal forces in the Kurdish regions. Descriptive-analytical method has been used and the necessary data has been collected from different sources. The findings of the research indicate that although Khalkhali's measures were a reaction to the counter-revolutionary measures, they did not have a decisive effect in preventing the crisis.

Abstract Physical activity promotes various metabolic benefits by balancing pro and anti-inflammatory adipokines. Recent studies suggest that asprosin might be involved in progression of metabolic syndrome (MetS), however, the underlying mechanisms have not been understood yet. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), and further detraining on MetS indices, insulin resistance, serum and the liver levels of asprosin, and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway in menopause-induced MetS model of rats. A total of 64 Wistar rats were used in this study and divided into eight groups: Sham1, OVX1 (ovariectomized), Sham2, OVX2, OVX + HIIT, OVX + MICT, OVX + HIIT + Det (detraining), and OVX + MICT + Det. Animals performed the protocols, and then serum concentrations of asprosin, TNF-α, insulin, fasting blood glucose, and lipid profiles (TC, LDL, TG, and HDL) were assessed. Additionally, the liver expression of asprosin, AMPK, and P-AMPK was measured by western blotting. Both HIIT and MICT caused a significant decrease in weight, waist circumference, BMI (P = 0.001), and serum levels of glucose, insulin, asprosin (P = 0.001), triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and TNF-α (P = 0.001), but an increase in the liver AMPK, P-AMPK, and P-AMPK/AMPK (P = 0.001), compared with OVX2 noexercised group. MICT was superior to HIIT in reducing serum asprosin, TNF-a, TG, LDL (P = 0.001), insulin, fasting blood glucose, HOMA-IR, and QUEKI index (P = 0.001), but an increase in the liver AMPK, and p-AMPK (P = 0.001). Although after two months of de-training almost all indices returned to the pre exercise values (P

The primary aim of this study was to develop biocomposite films using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) (1 % w/v), okra mucilage (OM) (1–3 % w/v), and black cumin seed oil (BSO) (0–0.5 % v/v), based on the central composite design. The effects of OM and BSO concentrations on the properties of biocomposite films were evaluated using response surface methodology. Statistical analysis showed that all variables significantly contribute to the model (p < 0.05). The findings indicated that higher BSO concentrations considerably decreased (p < 0.05) the water vapor and oxygen permeability, moisture content, swelling factor, and water solubility of the produced films. Conversely, a rise in OM concentration notably increased (p < 0.05) the physical and barrier properties of the films. It was determined that an increase in OM concentration led to a decrease in tensile strength (TS), while the elongation at break (%EB) increased significantly (p < 0.05). Conversely, higher concentrations of BSO significantly improved both the TS and %EB values (p < 0.05). FE-SEM analysis revealed that for all films, microstructural irregularities increased with higher concentrations of OM and BSO. The formulation containing 1.82 % OM and 0.5 % BSO was identified as an optimal composition. FE-SEM and AFM analyses showed that the optimal film had higher microstructural discontinuity and surface roughness than the control film. The optimal film exhibited significantly higher antioxidant activity (p < 0.05) compared to the control film. Furthermore, FTIR analysis highlighted the presence of new intermolecular interactions within the functional groups of the optimal film’s matrix. Moreover, the optimal film demonstrated a higher melting temperature and a more amorphous structure than the control film. In conclusion, the optimized CMC/OM/BSO film presents promising potential for use in edible packaging.

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of Affective Reconstructive and Emotional-Focused therapy with regard to marriage issues and forgiveness in women who filled for a divorce. The research method is applied in terms of purpose and semi-experimental research design is pre-test-post-test with a control group and follow-up stage. In 2021, the statistical population comprised all Ardabil women who filed for divorce and had a prior record of child marriage (less than 18 years). The population was purposively sampled to select 45 individuals, who were then randomly allocated into two groups of 15 (one for each group: experimental and control). The research instruments included the Interpersonal Forgiveness Scale (IF-25) and the Marriage Problems Questionnaire (PMQ). The interventions comprised eight 90-minute sessions per week, each centered on affective reconstruction and emotional-focused therapy. SPSS software version 22 was utilized to conduct the data analysis, which included multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and the Bonferroni post hoc test. The results showed that in women who filed for divorce, both affective reconstruction and emotional-focused therapy increased forgiveness and decreased marital problems; however, affective reconstruction therapy demonstrated a significantly greater degree of efficacy than emotional-focused therapy. Hence, in light of the elevated marital issues and diminished forgiveness rates observed among women who have filed for divorce, affective reconstruction and emotional-focused therapies, or a synergistic blend thereof, may be implemented to improve the forgiveness rate and mitigate marital problems.

Background: In addition to physical problems, infertile couples face psychological issues during treatment. This study aimed to investigate the effect of healing codes training on the sexual self-esteem of infertile women.Methods: The present study employed a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test, follow-up design with a control group and an experimental group. Convenience sampling method was used to recruit forty infertile women satisfying the inclusion criteria from fertility treatment centers in Isfahan, Iran in 2023. Participants were randomly assigned into either the experimental group (n=20) or the control group (n=20). The experimental group received a standardized 14-week intervention consisting of weekly 90-minute training sessions focused on a specific therapeutic technique (healing codes). Data analysis was conducted using repeated-measures ANOVA.Results: The results demonstrated a statistically significant increase in sexual self-esteem scores in the experimental group compared with the control group (P=0.001) at both the post-test and follow-up phases. No significant difference was observed between the groups at pre-test. Throughout the study, the mean scores for the experimental group (post-test: 110.13±6.71, follow-up: 110.32±6.93) were significantly higher than the control group (post-test: 91.93±11.40, follow-up: 94.74±17.12). These findings suggested that healing codes training led to a significant difference in sexual self-esteem between the experimental and control groups (P=0.001).Conclusions: This study provided evidence that healing codes training leads to a significant improvement in sexual self-esteem among infertile women. These findings suggested that healing codes training may be a promising new approach to improve the psychological well-being of infertile women.

Olive oils have high consumption due to their health benefits and also owe higher economic value and a grwing demand in the market. However, blending lower grade oils with virgin olive oil can harm its nutritional value and market value. There are valuable reviews on the conventional methods on the detection of olive oils adulteration, but this review focuses on recent literatures on the detection this adulteration through advanced coupling analytical techniques, emphasizing the application of chemometrics in olive oil research.Recent studies have successfully improved the detection limit by combining different methods or modifying existing ones. Each technique has its own strengths and limitations, making them more suitable for specific types of adulteration. The integration of new and advanced detection methods, along with the use of chemometrics, was not found in earlier review research papers. NMR reveals the chemical composition and structure of the oils, while chromatography separates and identifies individual components. DNA-based methods detect genetic material, and electronic nose detects differences in odor or taste. In practice, a combination of multiple analytical techniques enhances the accuracy and reliability of detecting olive oil adulteration. Chemometrics, a mathematical and statistical approach to analyzing large datasets, helps interpret the results and identify patterns and trends that may indicate adulteration.

Sesame oil has been widely used in the daily diet due to its high nutritional value. Sesame oil is extracted at industrial scales and also in small scale by cold pressing at different temperatures. In this research, sesame oil was extracted by pressing at four temperatures, namely, 30 (control sample), 60, 90 and 120 °C, to evaluate its effects on the quality of extracted oils. Oil extraction yields were increased from 38 to 51% by increasing the pressing temperature. The highest amount of peroxide and acid values were related to the oil extracted at 120 °C. Tocopherols and total phenol content were reduced by the increasing the pressing temperature, and the highest amounts of these bioactive components were related to the control sample. The results of the fatty acids profile showed that the composition of oils extracted at different temperatures did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). The results of the present study give a clear picture about the effects of different pressing temperatures on the sesame oil quality and extraction yield, and can be useful in the extraction unit optimization.

Background: Pompe disease, a rare autosomal recessive disorder, is caused by mutations in the acid α-glucosidase gene. Pompe disease is a congenital metabolic disorder that affects all organs, particularly the striated muscle and nerve cells. Diagnosis is typically confirmed through enzyme assays that reveal reduced acid α-glucosidase activity. Enzyme replacement therapy utilizing human α-glucosidase is an available treatment option. Timely diagnosis and treatment in the early stages of the disease significantly impact the effectiveness of enzyme replacement therapy in enhancing patient condition. Here, we present a case of a patient with Pompe disease diagnosed 20 years after the onset of clinical symptoms. Case presentation: A 38-year-old Iranian Baloch woman referred to our rheumatology clinic with progressive muscle weakness presents with a complex medical history. On mechanical ventilation for 12 years, she has endured fatigue and limb weakness since the age of 16, exacerbated following an abortion at 19. Despite undergoing corticosteroid and azathioprine therapies, the suspected diagnosis of inflammatory myopathy did not yield improvement. Hospitalization at 23 due to respiratory failure post-pregnancy led to her continued reliance on a ventilator. A dried blood spot test indicated reduced GAA enzyme activity, confirming a diagnosis of Pompe disease through genetic testing. Treatment with myozyme for 2 years demonstrated limited efficacy, as the patient experienced improved breathing but no significant overall improvement in limb-girdle muscular weakness. This case underscores the challenges and complexities involved in diagnosing and managing rare neuromuscular disorders like Pompe disease. Conclusion: Early intervention with enzyme replacement therapy plays a crucial role in halting further muscle loss and disease progression in Pompe disease patients. It is important to note that treatment during advanced stages of the disease may not yield substantial benefits. Nevertheless, enzyme instability and denaturation due to temperature and neutral pH levels, along with limited delivery to disease-relevant tissues, can pose challenges in treatment. However, timely diagnosis of Pompe disease is paramount for its effective management and improved outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The simulation of chemical reactions and mechanical properties including failure from atoms to the micrometer scale remains a longstanding challenge in chemistry and materials science. Bottlenecks include computational feasibility, reliability, and cost. We introduce a method for reactive molecular dynamics simulations using a clean replacement of non-reactive classical harmonic bond potentials with reactive, energy-conserving Morse potentials, called the Reactive INTERFACE Force Field (IFF-R). IFF-R is compatible with force fields for organic and inorganic compounds such as IFF, CHARMM, PCFF, OPLS-AA, and AMBER. Bond dissociation is enabled by three interpretable Morse parameters per bond type and zero energy upon disconnect. Use cases for bond breaking in molecules, failure of polymers, carbon nanostructures, proteins, composite materials, and metals are shown. The simulation of bond forming reactions is included via template-based methods. IFF-R maintains the accuracy of the corresponding non-reactive force fields and is about 30 times faster than prior reactive simulation methods. Molecular dynamics is a common tool to study microscopic physicochemical systems, however, it is limited by the inhability to form and break chemical bonds. Here the authors present a method to modify traditional force-fields implementing bond dissociation and bond forming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity promotes various metabolic benefits by balancing pro and anti-inflammatory adipokines. Recent studies suggest that asprosin might be involved in progression of metabolic syndrome (MetS), however, the underlying mechanisms have not been understood yet. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), and further detraining on MetS indices, insulin resistance, serum and the liver levels of asprosin, and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway in menopause-induced MetS model of rats. A total of 64 Wistar rats were used in this study and divided into eight groups: Sham1, OVX1 (ovariectomized), Sham2, OVX2, OVX + HIIT, OVX + MICT, OVX + HIIT + Det (detraining), and OVX + MICT + Det. Animals performed the protocols, and then serum concentrations of asprosin, TNF-α, insulin, fasting blood glucose, and lipid profiles (TC, LDL, TG, and HDL) were assessed. Additionally, the liver expression of asprosin, AMPK, and P-AMPK was measured by western blotting. Both HIIT and MICT caused a significant decrease in weight, waist circumference, BMI (P = 0.001), and serum levels of glucose, insulin, asprosin (P = 0.001), triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and TNF-α (P = 0.001), but an increase in the liver AMPK, P-AMPK, and P-AMPK/AMPK (P = 0.001), compared with OVX2 noexercised group. MICT was superior to HIIT in reducing serum asprosin, TNF-a, TG, LDL (P = 0.001), insulin, fasting blood glucose, HOMA-IR, and QUEKI index (P = 0.001), but an increase in the liver AMPK, and p-AMPK (P = 0.001). Although after two months of de-training almost all indices returned to the pre exercise values (P < 0.05). The findings suggest that MICT effectively alleviates MetS induced by menopause, at least partly through the activation of liver signaling of P-AMPK and the reduction of asprosin and TNF-α. These results have practical implications for the development of exercise interventions targeting MetS in menopausal individuals, emphasizing the potential benefits of MICT in mitigating MetS-related complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative electrochemical sensor is introduced that utilizes bipolar electrochemistry on a paper substrate for detecting glucose in sweat. The sensor employs a three-dimensional porous nanocomposite (MXene/NiSm-LDH) formed by decorating nickel-samarium nanoparticles with double-layer MXene hydroxide. These specially designed electrodes exhibit exceptional electrocatalytic activity during glucose oxidation. The glucose sensing mechanism involves enzyme-free oxidation of the analyte within the sensor cell, achieved by applying an appropriate potential. This leads to the reduction of K3Fe(CN)6 in the reporter cell, and the resulting current serves as the response signal. By optimizing various parameters, the measurement platform enables the accurate determination of sweat glucose concentrations within a linear range of 10 to 200 µM. The limit of detection (LOD) for glucose is 3.6 µM (S/N = 3), indicating a sensitive and reliable detection capability. Real samples were analysed to validate the sensor's efficiency, and the results obtained were both promising and encouraging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate aqueous extraction process as a safe and environmentally friendly method for extracting oil from flaxseed. For this purpose, flaxseeds were first roasted (at 120 °C for 45 minutes), then ground and the extraction process was performed. In the aqueous extraction process, temperature (25-70 ° C), time (1.5-5.5 hours) and pH (4-7) conditions were applied and qualitative characteristics (acid value, peroxide value and oil extraction yield) were measured. The results showed that, with increasing extraction time and temperature, the obtained oil yield also increased, so that the maximum yield related to extraction time of 3 hours, extraction temperature of 70 °C and pH=4. Also acid and peroxide values increased by increase of the extraction time and temperature. According to the results of the acid value, peroxide value and extraction oil yield, extraction at 70 °C, 2.45 h and pH=4 was selected as the optimal treatment and quality characteristics of the extracted oil was evaluated during storage. The results showed that, chlorophyll, carotenoids and total phenol content significantly decreased (p≤0.05) during storage. Also, acid and peroxide values had a significant increase during storage (p≤0.05) and the maximum observed at 60th day storage. It was concluded that aqueous extraction of oil from flaxseed despite its relatively low efficiency, improved quality characteristics and can be a good alternative to conventional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 30 volunteers were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria using convenience sampling. They were then randomized into the experiment (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. The participants responded to Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-Being (SPWB) and ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale in three stages of pretest, post-test, and follow-up. The experimental group underwent fourteen sessions (90-minute sessions per week) of self-healing. The repeated measures ANOVA and SPSS-26 were used to analyze the data. Self-healing training improved the elements of psychological well-being and marital satisfaction (p < 0.01). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study sought to propose a divorce risk reduction model based on marital intimacy, triangulation, and attachment with a focus on the mediating role of cohesion and adaptability in married people. This study was conducted using a correlational and path analysis design. The participants were 186 married people residing in Neka, a city in Mazandaran Province, Iran. The participants' ages ranged from 22 to 40 years, and they were selected through non-random convenience sampling based on Klein's formula (1998). The criteria for enrollment in the study were being married for 2 to 5 years and the age range of 22 and 40 years. The instruments used to collect the data were the Marital Instability Index (Edwards, Johnson & Booth, 1987), the Intimacy Scale (IS) (Walker & Thompson, 1983), the Triangulation Questionnaire (Yousefi & Bahrami, 2012), the Adult Attachment Scale (Collins & Reed, 1990), and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES) (Elson, Portner, & Bell, 1985). The findings revealed that marital intimacy, attachment, adaptability, and cohesion have a negative and direct effect on reducing the risk of divorce (marriage instability). In addition, 32% and 24% of the impact of marital intimacy and attachment on reducing the risk of divorce (marriage instability) can be explained through cohesion. Furthermore, 58% and 32% of the effects of triangulation and attachment on reducing the risk of divorce (marriage instability) can be explained through adaptability. The data in this study showed a relationship between intimacy, attachment, and divorce risk reduction mediated by cohesion. In addition, triangulation and attachment can reduce the risk of divorce through the mediating role of adaptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]