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Several studies have looked into the effectiveness of bleomycin treatment for warts using various injection methods, such as intralesional injection, multiple puncture technique, jet injection, and moonlet needle prick method, in various concentrations and doses. However, injection methods have been linked to acute pain and bleeding. The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of microneedling combination with topical bleomycin and cryotherapy in the treatment of resistant warts on the hands and feet. This randomized clinical trial, conducted at Sina Hospital in Tabriz, involved 90 patients with treatment-resistant warts on their hands and feet. Treatment measures were repeated every two weeks in treatment-resistant patients who did not react to four cryotherapy sessions or whose lesions remained stable for six months. Each wart lesion was randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: topical bleomycin with microneedling or cryotherapy. The effectiveness of the treatment in weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8 with PGA and PaGA, the amount of clearance, and side effects were evaluated in each session and the 8th week. Pain during therapy was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 10. The patients’ mean age was 33.65 ± 12.24 years, with 63.3% being female. A total of 186 resistant wart lesions were treated, with 98 (52.7%) situated in the palmar region and 88 (47.3%) in the plantar region. In palm lesions, the bleomycin micro-needling group had a considerably greater clearance rate than the cryotherapy group (86.4% vs. 61.9%; p = 0.001). In foot lesions, the bleomycin microneedling group had a greater clearance rate than the cryotherapy group, although there was no statistically significant difference (69.6% vs. 54.2%; p = 0.209). In the eighth week following the intervention, the number of lesions and the diameter of warts on the palms and feet decreased significantly in the bleomycin microneedling group when compared to the cryotherapy group. Bleomycin microneedling had no adverse effects; however, in patients undergoing cryotherapy, local pain, blisters, and scars were noted. Bleomycin microneedling has a higher therapeutic efficiency than cryotherapy for treating refractory hand and foot warts, and it removes lesions more effectively. In addition, this therapeutic method is safer and has fewer side effects than cryotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a Plasmon-induced tunable meta-surface for multiband absorption. It consists of a graphene disk that facilitates perfect absorption; whereas, the dual bias graphene pattern creates an enhanced evanescent wave that facilitates the meta-surface to work as a sensor. The modeling and numerical analysis are carried out using Finite Element Method-based software, CST microwave studio. By exploiting graphene's tunable properties we demonstrate a multiband super absorption spectrum having a maximum absorption of 99.7% in a frequency range of 0.1–2.0 THz, 6 THz, 9.5 THz, 16 THz, 19.5 THz, and 22.5 THz that also maintain unique optical performance over a wide incidence angle. Further results show sensitivity analysis and comparison of developed equivalent circuit models with full-wave simulation. Also, the total height of the proposed absorber is about 5µm, makes it ultra-thin device with multiple absorption peaks in whole THz spectrum and beyond. Such a high performance wave absorber is in great demand for medical imaging and sensing. Such a robust meta-absorber is an ideal block for several bio sensing applications if the spacer is replaced via any known biological samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research presents a robust optimization of a hybrid photovoltaic-wind-battery (PV/WT/Batt) system in distribution networks to reduce active losses and voltage deviation while also enhancing network customer reliability considering production and network load uncertainties. The best installation position and capacity of the hybrid system (HS) are found via an improved crow search algorithm with an inertia weight technique. The robust optimization issue, taking into account the risk of uncertainty, is described using the gap information decision theory method. The proposed approach is used with 33- and 69-bus networks. The results reveal that the HS optimization in the network reduces active losses and voltage variations, while improving network customer reliability. The robust optimization results show that in the 33-bus network, the system remains resilient to prediction errors under the worst-case uncertainty scenario, with a 44.53% reduction in production and a 22.18% increase in network demand for a 30% uncertainty budget. Similarly, in the 69-bus network, the system withstands a 36.22% reduction in production and a 16.97% increase in load for a 25% uncertainty budget. When comparing stochastic and robust methods, it was found that the stochastic Monte Carlo method could not consistently provide a reliable solution for all objectives under uncertainty, whereas the robust approach successfully managed the maximum uncertainty related to renewable generation and network demand across different uncertainty budgets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a novel method for planning the expansion of transmission lines and energy storage systems while considering the interconnectedness of electricity and gas networks. We developed a two-level stochastic planning model that addresses both the expansion of transmission and battery systems in the electrical grid and the behavior of the gas network. This research explores the challenges and effects of integrating high levels of renewable energy sources while ensuring security within both networks. Our model uses a stochastic mixed-integer non-linear programming approach. To solve this complex model, we applied the Human Evolutionary Model (HEM). We tested our approach on two case studies: a simple 6-node network and the more complex IEEE RTS 24-bus network for the electricity grid, combined with 5-node and 10-node gas networks, respectively. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of our model, particularly in scenarios where connections in the power and gas networks are disrupted, preventing load shedding even when integrated network connections are cut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent literature underlines the increasing use of online platforms in learning undergraduate mathematics, where students refer to these as supplementary resources to develop their mathematical understanding. Through an intrinsic case study, we focus on a highly viewed YouTube learning resource for learning derivative. The selected case is from 3Blue1Brown, a YouTube channel whose founder has received an award from the American Mathematical Society. The video has garnered more than 3.3 million views in the past couple of years. Reflecting on the relevant literature, a realization tree for derivative is developed and then used as an analytical tool to analyze this resource to explore what realizations have been used in it to facilitate students' understanding of derivative. The findings indicate that the analyzed YouTube resource discusses various realizations of derivative, including all its five main realizations, and effectively utilizes new digital technology for discussing these realizations. Such an exceptional resource for learning mathematics leads us to suggest that mathematics lecturers raise their awareness about such online free resources and incorporate them into their teaching packages when appropriate to facilitate student learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced therapeutic dressings are the current research interest that achieves rapid and complete wound healing. The healing of skin wounds demonstrates a remarkable cellular function process that is distinct in nature and involves the interaction of various cells, growth factors, and cytokines. In this study, nanofibrous scaffolds were prepared using poly(ε-caprolactone) and polylactic acid as mat scaffolds. Also, copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) and curcumin were added to fabricate a hybrid nanocomposite scaffold using the electrospinning technique. The fabricated scaffolds were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), tensile analysis, porosity, and water vapor transmission rate. SEM analysis proved the nanostructured fibers have suitable porosity without any beads. The presence of CuNPs in the PCL-Cu nanofibrous mat was confirmed by TEM analysis. The tensile test confirmed an increase and decrease in the elongation ratio by CuNPs and curcumin addition, respectively. The biocompatibility and cell attachment to the nanofibers were proved by MTT and DAPI staining which proved a significantly positive effect of curcumin in the cell growth. The scaffold can hinder both the gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria through direct contact with them. This research study showed that the addition of CuNPs and curcumin in the hybrid nanocomposite scaffold compensates for each other's shortcomings and has the potential to be used in wound healing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of environmental degradation has become pertinent and the call for carbon neutrality has intensified in recent years. Achieving this target will require countries to meet the conditions of the sustainable development goals. To do this, the study applied spatiotemporal modelling and the generalized method of moments (GMM) to examine the nexus between economic growth (EG) and the load capacity factor (LCF) through environmental goods (ENG) and environmental tax (ENT) among European Union (EU) nations from 1995 to 2018. The findings demonstrate that spatial dependence leads to a change in EG and LCF that impacts the EG and LCF of the neighbouring countries. The study also found that there is a significant positive and bidirectional relationship between economic growth and load capacity factor. Moreover, the study revealed that a positive effect of ENG, ENT, REN and Human Capital Index (HCI) on EG, with a reducing effect from natural resource rents (NRR). Finally, HCI improves environmental quality, while ENG, ENT, REN and NRR degrade the environment. Our findings justify the need for EU countries and other developed nations to implement policies that will help achieve a green economic transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss of data in video transmission over an error-prone channel is inevitable. Video error concealment is a powerful tool for resolving the effects of these errors. In this paper, we conducted several experiments with various video sequences to estimate the distribution of motion vectors (MVs) surrounding the corrupted area. As a result of the experiments, the proposed method suggests an innovative generative clustering approach using the Gaussian mixture model (GMM). The proposed algorithm first measures the GMM's parameters based on the available surrounding MVs. Then each MV is assigned to exactly one cluster. Next, each cluster's likelihood is calculated, and the one is chosen based on the maximum likelihood criteria. Finally, new MVs are generated for the chosen cluster, and the MV that can minimize the boundary distortion is selected for the corrupted block. Comparison concerning recent state-of-the-art techniques shows progress in PSNR and SSIM for H.265/HEVC. The proposed method improves the average PSNR by up to 5.67 dB and an average increase of 0.1135 in SSIM. Moreover, the computational complexity of the proposed algorithm is context-adaptive and shows better performance for the videos with relatively uniform motions over the missing areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Right atrial pressure plays a critical role as a hemodynamic parameter in diagnosing pulmonary hypertension and other cardiac diseases, as well as guiding the treatment and prognosis of various cardiac disorders. If there is no obstruction between the inferior or superior vena cava (SVC) as central veins and the right atrium, the pressures in these veins could be considered equal to the right atrial pressure. This study aimed to examine the correlation between echocardiographic methods for estimating right atrial pressure and invasive measurements of central venous pressure (CVPi) in infants and children with congenital heart disease during the 48 h after cardiac surgery and to establish regression equations for echocardiographic estimation of central venous pressure (CVPe). Results: We prospectively enrolled 43 infants and children, ranging in age from 6 months to 16 years, including 20 males and 23 females. We found a significant correlation between CVPi and the ratio of the maximal diameter of IVC to the maximal diameter of the descending aorta ratio (IVCmax/DAOmax) (r = 0.529, P < 0.001), SVCS/D velocity ratio (SVCS/D) (r = 0.462, P = 0.006), right atrial vertical diameter (RAVD) (r = 0.409, P = 0.01), area (r = 0.384, P = 0.014), and tricuspid valve A wave acceleration rate (TVAAR) (r = 0.315, P = 0.048). Multiple regression analysis yielded an equation for estimating central venous pressure using four parameters related to the IVC, SVC, tricuspid valve, and right atrium. The equation is as follows: estimated CVP = 4.36 + (2.35 × IVCmax/DAOmax) + (1.06 × SVCS/D) + (0.059 × RAVD) + (0.001 × TVAAR). This equation is strongly correlated with CVPi (Pearson r = 0.698, P = 0.002). Conclusions: The estimation of central venous pressure through a multi-parametric equation that included the ratio of the maximal diameter of the inferior vena cava to the maximal diameter of the descending aorta, the ratio of S to D velocity of the superior vena cava, the vertical diameter of the right atrium, and the acceleration rate of the A wave of the tricuspid valve demonstrated a robust correlation with invasively measured central venous pressure. To assess the accuracy of predicted pressures by this equation, further investigations are required to apply this innovative multi-parametric formula to a prospective population of pediatric patients with congenital heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Video error concealment (EC) is a challenging issue, and one of the key challenges is accurately modeling motion vectors (MVs) in corrupted frames. To address this problem, we propose a novel Principal Component Analysis (PCA)-based model for EC that uses hierarchical clustering for MV estimation. Our approach has two main steps: first, we obtain the MV fields represented in the 2D plane, and second, we conceal the erroneous regions of the frame using a PCA-based hierarchical clustering algorithm. This algorithm selects the best MVs among the field candidates while maximizing the correlation of MVs in a cluster. Our approach outperforms recent related techniques in terms of PSNR and SSIM for the H.265/HEVC compression standard. Specifically, our method improves average PSNR by up to 4.99 dB and average SSIM by 0.029. Furthermore, our method has slightly lower computational complexity compared to the compared techniques, especially for videos with relatively uniform motion over the missing areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of diagnostic radiation in medical centers has spread due to the incidence of various diseases. Thus, it is essential that patients and medical staff wear protective clothing to protect themselves from their harmful effects. In the past, lead protective clothing has been used; however, the toxicity and heaviness of lead have limited the tendency to use these clothing. Recently, nanocomposites containing heavy element nanoparticles have been introduced as an alternative to lead coatings. In this study, hybrid nanocomposites containing ceria (CeO2), alumina (Al2O3), and graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles were studied for this purpose. Ceria, alumina, and graphene oxide nanoparticles were mixed with polyethylenevinylacetate (EVA) dissolved in chloroform and casted on a glass plate to form nanocomposite films. The prepared nanoparticles and films were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope, Thermal Gravimetric Analysis, and Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis, and then the attenuation properties of the films against high-energy radiation (120 kV) were studied in two narrow and broad beam geometries. The results showed that hybrid films, despite having a lower percentage of nanoparticles, showed better attenuation properties, which indicated the synergistic effect of nanoparticles with different mechanisms in attenuating the radiations. The attenuation ability of these films was considerable due to their lower density compared to lead. The fabricated hybrid nanocomposite films with a suitable performance in attenuation of high-energy radiations used in therapeutic diagnostics, can be proposed as a suitable alternative to conventional lead clothing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and conventional heating extraction (CHE) techniques have been employed to extract pectin from watermelon rind. Pectin extraction was performed under microwave irradiation at different power levels (100, 300, and 500 W) and irradiation times and compared with the CHE method. MAE method exhibits much higher efficiency than conventional extraction and the highest yield was achieved in MAE-500 W and irradiation time of 5 min (16.01 ± 0.11%). According to its degree of esterification (30–45%), watermelon rind pectin can be classified as low-methoxyl pectin. The pectin with highest galacturonic acid content, WHC and gel stability was obtained from MAE at 100 and 500 W with irradiation times of 26 and 5 min, respectively. The pectin extracted by MAE-300 W gave the highest value of OHC (oil holding capacity) followed by CHE method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have been conducted in different countries of the world to illustrate a link between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and lead (Pb) in different specimens such as hair, blood, and urine. Therefore, we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the association between Pb concentration in biological samples (blood, urine, and hair) and ASD in children through case–control and cross-sectional studies. In this systematic review, PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant studies from January 2000 to February 2022. A random-effects model was used to pool the results. The effect sizes were standardized mean differences (proxied by Hedges' g) followed by a 95% confidence interval. Pooling data under the random effect model from blood and hair studies showed a significant difference between the children in the ASD group and the control group in blood lead level (Hedges' g: 1.21, 95% CI: 0.33–2.09, P = 0.01) and hair level (Hedges' g: 2.20, 95% CI: 0.56–3.85, P = 0.01). For urine studies, pooling data under the random effect model from eight studies indicated no significant difference between the children in the ASD group and control group in urinary lead level (Hedges' g: − 0.34, 95% CI: − 1.14,0.45, P = 0.40). Moreover, the funnel plot and the results of the Egger test for the blood and urine samples showed no publication bias, while, for the hair samples, the funnel plot illustrated the existence of publication bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Correction Notice for the article "Association between Biological Lead Concentrations and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Children" in the journal Biological Trace Element Research addresses errors in the original publication. The corrections involve adjustments to data presented in the abstract and specific sections of the article related to blood, hair, and urine lead levels in children with ASD. The authors have provided accurate revisions to ensure the integrity of the research findings. [Extracted from the article]

Most emerging economies and the South American Countries are no exception to the negative consequences of trade-off between economic growth and environmental sustainability decisions. This study draws strength from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs-7, 11, 12, and 13). Therefore, this study examines the environmental nexus between economic growth, globalization, renewable, and non-renewable energy, in South America from 1995 to 2020. We deployed the pooled mean group (PMG), mean group (MG), and dynamic fixed effects (DFE). Cross-sectional dependence, panel unit root, and cointegration tests were performed. Finally, we used the Dumitrescu and Hurlin test of causality to determine the long-run association between variables. The finding indicates that while environmental pollution increases with increasing economic growth, it decreases with increasing renewable energy both in the short and long term. Whereas economic globalization positively affects environmental pollution in the long term, social globalization and the moderation effect between political globalization and renewable energy improves environmental quality in the long run. Finally, a bidirectional causality was found between economic growth and environmental pollution, with a unidirectional causality running from economic, political, and social globalization, renewable, and non-renewable energy to environmental pollution. Given these findings, we discussed potential policy measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural resources are extremely important to the economy, particularly in emerging nations such as the MINT (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey) nations. To improve their economic performance, such nations put a priority on maximizing the use of natural resources. These natural materials are the basis on which all living creatures rely, and they are the primary motivation behind contemporary production. Therefore, the current research utilizes a dataset spanning the period from 1970 to 2019 to assess the effect of natural resource on economic growth for the MINT nations. The present study uses a unique quantile-on-quantile regression (QQR) approach to assess this interrelationship. Furthermore, we apply the novel quantile causality suggested by Troster (2018), which identifies causality across quantiles. The findings from the QQR reveal that in the majority of the quantiles, the effect of natural resources on economic expansion is positive in Nigeria and Mexico, while it is negative in Indonesia and Turkey. In addition, a feedback causality is found between economic growth and natural resources for Mexico, Indonesia, and Nigeria. Based on the results, it is paramount for policymakers to develop policies or frameworks that promote cleaner energy sources and more effective use of natural resources, which can aid the country's economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematical objects are the outcomes of human discourse and come to life through the process of objectification. Primary and concrete discursive objects (d-objects) play an important role in this process, forming different realizations through the objectification process. In the present study, we analyze the written discourses about the derivative at a point in fourteen Year 11 and Year 12 Iranian calculus textbooks over 42 years (1979–2020) in terms of primary objects, concrete d-objects, and the realizations used in them, here based on Sfard's commognitive theory. The research method is a qualitative content analysis in which the analysis units were texts, examples, activities, and exercises in the textbooks. The results show that out of the 14 textbooks, only five included primary and concrete d-objects. The other textbooks only used abstract objects in their written discourse about the derivative. The pictures (visual mediators) that were used as primary objects gradually changed from schematic to real colored photos, and locally developed technologies and cultural elements were included in the new textbook editions. Additionally, the number of concrete d-objects increased in the new editions. In terms of the realizations, the number of roots also increased over time; however, none of the textbooks had all five main realizations (i.e., symbolic, graphical, verbal, numerical, and physical) for the derivative at a point. The realization tree developed as part of this study can be used as an analytical framework to analyze calculus textbooks in other contexts and can be used by teachers and lecturers to help students have explorative participation in discourse on the derivative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable water resources management aims at increasing the efficient use of water and achieving food security. This work proposes a generalized novel spatial fuzzy strategic planning (SFSP) in combination with multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) and a conceptual agricultural water use model for determining sustainable agricultural water management strategies. The proposed framework is applied to an irrigation and drainage network in Iran, which constitutes a large-scale water resource system. A spatial strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat (SWOT) analysis of internal and external factors related to agricultural water management is applied in this work. Possible water management strategies were ranked with the MCDM approach that combines the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Fuzzy technique for order-preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). The AHP estimates the criteria weights and the TOPSIS model prioritizes the agricultural water management strategies. The results of SWOT analysis show that the final scores of the internal and external factors are equal to 2.9 and 2.73, respectively. Accordingly, the most attractive strategic type is a SO (aggressive) strategy, and a combination of structural and non-structural strategies (SO, ST, and WO strategies) are the top-ranked ones. Proposed strategies for water supply and demand management are the development and rehabilitation of the physical structure of water resources system of irrigation network, improvement of operation management and maintenance of water resources system, wastewater management, and inter-basin water transfer within the irrigation network. The results indicate that the total annual volume of agricultural water under normal conditions is about 1.8 billion cubic meters, of which about 1707 million cubic meters (95%) issue from surface water sources and 90 million cubic meters (5%) from groundwater sources. The proposed model and the calculated results provide viable and effective solutions for the implementation of sustainable management of water resources and consumption in large-scale water resources systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research assesses the effect of health expenditure and sanitation on life expectancy in Mediterranean countries. We also consider other drivers of life expectancy, such as CO2 emissions and economic growth. The study covers the period 2000–2018, and the recently developed method of moments quantile regression (MMQR) approach was utilised to assess these interconnections. This method is immune to outliers and creates an asymmetric interrelationship between variables. The outcomes from the MMQR unveiled that economic growth, health expenditure, and sanitation enhanced life expectancy in all quantiles (0.1–0.90). Furthermore, in all quantiles (0.1–0.90), the effect of CO2 emissions on life expectancy was negative. Moreover, as a robustness check, the FMOLS, DOLS, and FE-OLS long-run estimators were applied, and the outcomes validated the MMQR outcomes. Based on the results generated, policymakers in these nations should implement effective environmental and public health measures that will pay off in the long run through improved health as a result of lower emissions of CO2, as well as increased economic expansion and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's world, wound healing is becoming a challenge for clinical institutes. In this study, nanofibrous scaffolds were prepared using poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and polyurethane (PU) as mat scaffolds. Also by adding titanium dioxide (TiO2) and curcumin, a bi-layered nanocomposite scaffold was fabricated using the electrospinning technique. The obtained scaffolds were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), tensile analysis, porosity, and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR). MTT and DAPI staining were used to prove the biocompatibility and cell attachment of the nanofibers. The PCL/TiO2 scaffold can hinder both the Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria through direct contact with them. This study showed that the bi-layered nanocomposite scaffold has the most significant effect on wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable water resources management involves social, economic, environmental, water use, and resources factors. This study proposes a new framework of strategic planning with multi-criteria decision-making to develop sustainable water management alternatives for large scale water resources systems. A fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making model is developed to rank regional management alternatives for agricultural water management considering water-resources sustainability criteria. The decision-making model combines hierarchical analysis and the fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). The management alternatives were presented spatially in the form of zoning maps at the level of irrigation zones of the study area. The results show that the irrigation management zone No.3 (alternative A3) was ranked first based on agricultural water demand and supply management in five among seven available scenarios, in which the scenarios represents a possible combination of weights assigned to the weighing criteria. Specifically, the results show that irrigation management zone No.3 (alternative A3) achieved the best ranking values of 0.151, 0.169, 0.152, 0.174 and 0.164 with respect to scenarios 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7, respectively. However, irrigation management zone No.2 (alternative A2) achieved the best values of 0.152 and 0.150 with respect to the second and third scenarios, respectively. The model results identify the best management alternatives for agricultural water management in large-scale irrigation and drainage networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schizophrenia is a severe chronic debilitating disorder with millions of affected individuals. Diagnosis is based on clinical presentations, which are made when the progressive disease has appeared. Early diagnosis may help improve the clinical outcomes and response to treatments. Lack of a reliable molecular diagnostic invokes the identification of novel biomarkers. To elucidate the molecular basis of the disease, in this study we used two mRNA expression arrays, including GSE93987 and GSE38485, and one miRNA array, GSE54914, and meta-analysis was conducted for evaluation of mRNA expression arrays via metaDE package. Using WGCNA package, we performed network analysis for both mRNA expression arrays separately. Then, we constructed protein–protein interaction network for significant modules. Limma package was employed to analyze the miRNA array for identification of dysregulated miRNAs (DEMs). Using genes of significant modules and DEMs, a mRNA-miRNA network was constructed and hub genes and miRNAs were identified. To confirm the dysregulated genes, expression values were evaluated through available datasets including GSE62333, GSE93987, and GSE38485. The ability of the detected hub miRNAs to discriminate schizophrenia from healthy controls was evaluated by assessing the receiver-operating curve. Finally, the expression levels of genes and miRNAs were evaluated in 40 schizophrenia patients compared with healthy controls via Real-Time PCR. The results confirmed dysregulation of hsa-miR-574-5P, hsa-miR-1827, hsa-miR-4429, CREBRF, ARPP19, TGFBR2, and YWHAZ in blood samples of schizophrenia patients. In conclusion, three miRNAs including hsa-miR-574-5P, hsa-miR-1827, and hsa-miR-4429 are suggested as potential biomarkers for diagnosis of schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an online non-model-based scheme to voltage and frequency control of microgrids in the presence of inverter-based distributed energy resources (DERs). For developing proposed controller, considering adaptive control concept, a central controller is designed through aggregation distribution procedure which optimized using artificial adaptive neural network (AANN). In this case, based on the system dynamic variables, the DERs dynamical models are provided which following Lyapunov-based theory, the corresponding central controller is designed. In this way, the proposed Lyapunov theory is responsible to limit AANN weighted boundaries which following an optimization procedure, it is resulted in controller accuracy. By developing central controller, the intelligent AANN is provided which considering a set of offline training procedure, online values of dynamic variables are estimated through real-time working mode. By this way, it is not required to receive any initial information related to DER variables which based on the developing non-model-based dynamical model, the central damping controller (CDC) is extended. The effectiveness of proposed CDC scheme is verified on a typical microgrid test system consisting of several DERs which considering different fault event scenarios, CDC damping performances are evaluated. Simulation results prove the voltage and frequency damping performances of proposed controller in the presence of low-inertia suppliers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elimination of spore-forming bacteria is not guaranteed by current pasteurisation processes and is a challenging problem for the dairy industry. Given that Bacillus cereus sensu lato (B. cereus group) is an important foodborne pathogen and spoiler in the dairy industry, this study aimed at evaluating the prevalence and characteristics of B. cereus group in raw and pasteurised milk samples collected in Victoria, Australia. Isolated B. cereus group were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility, biofilm formation and virulence properties. Genetic diversity was assessed using ERIC-PCR. Proteomic profiling using MALDI-TOF MS and chemical profiling using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were also applied for clustering of the isolates. Results showed 42.3% of milk samples contained B. cereus group, with a higher contamination level for pasteurised milk. Virulence studies identified genes nheA, nheB, hblA and nheC in most isolates and cyk gene in 46% of all isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed a high prevalence of resistance towards ampicillin, ceftriaxone and penicillin. The biofilm-forming capacity of our isolates showed that most (53.7%) had the ability to form a biofilm. Genetic profiling using ERIC-PCR placed most B. cereus group isolates from pasteurised milk in the same cluster, indicating that they probably originated from a similar source. Raw milk isolates showed greater diversity indicating various sources. FTIR spectroscopy showed high agreement with genetic profiling. In contrast, low agreement between proteomic (MALDI-TOF MS) and genetic typing was observed. The present study showed that the FTIR spectroscopy could be adopted as a rapid tool for the typing of B. cereus group. Overall, the virulence and antimicrobial resistance characteristics, together with the ability of isolates to produce biofilm, indicate the importance of B. cereus group in the Australian dairy industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most information sources in the current technological world are generating data sequentially and rapidly, in the form of data streams. The evolving nature of processes may often cause changes in data distribution, also known as concept drift, which is difficult to detect and causes loss of accuracy in supervised learning algorithms. As a consequence, online machine learning algorithms that are able to update actively according to possible changes in the data distribution are required. Although many strategies have been developed to tackle this problem, most of them are designed for classification problems. Therefore, in the domain of regression problems, there is a need for the development of accurate algorithms with dynamic updating mechanisms that can operate in a computational time compatible with today's demanding market. In this article, the authors propose a new bagging ensemble approach based on neural network with random weights for online data stream regression. The proposed method improves the data prediction accuracy as well as minimises the required computational time compared to a recent algorithm for online data stream regression from literature. The experiments are carried out using four synthetic datasets to evaluate the algorithm's response to concept drift, along with four benchmark datasets from different industries. The results indicate improvement in data prediction accuracy, effectiveness in handling concept drift, and much faster updating times compared to the existing available approach. Additionally, the use of design of experiments as an effective tool for hyperparameter tuning is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, a major part of the manufacturing and assembly market has been driven by the increasing demand for customised products. This has created the need for smaller batch sizes, shorter production times, lower costs, and the flexibility to produce families of products—or to assemble different parts—with the same sets of equipment. Consequently, manufacturing companies have deployed various automation systems and production strategies to improve their resource efficiency and move towards right-first-time production. Threaded fastening operations are widely used in assembly and are typically time-consuming and costly. In high-volume production, fastening operations are commonly automated using jigs, fixtures, and semi-automated tools. However, in low-volume, high-value manufacturing, fastening operations are carried out manually by skilled workers. The existing approaches are found to be less flexible and robust for performing assembly in a less structured industrial environment. This motivated the development of a flexible solution, which does not require fixtures and is adaptable to variation in part locations and lighting conditions. As a part of this research, a novel 3D threaded hole detection and a fast bolt detection algorithms are proposed and reported in this article, which offer substantial enhancement to the accuracy, repeatability, and the speed of the processes in comparison with the existing methods. Hence, the proposed method is more suitable for industrial applications. The development of an automated bolt fastening demonstrator is also described in this article to test and validate the proposed identification algorithms on complex components located in 3D space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores motivational strategies of university student from five different main ethnic groups in New Zealand (NZ). To explore students’ motivational strategies, a self-administered questionnaire was adapted. The study sample included 1854 students from a NZ university who participated in the survey. The findings showed that there were significant differences in the motivational strategies of Pasifika, Asian, and pākeha (NZ European) students. For instance, Pasifika and Asian students were more inclined to be motivated by extrinsic factors, such as the desire to satisfy familial expectations, than Māori or pākeha students. We argue that tertiary institutions should be aware of these complex ethnic dimensions to student motivation and learning, and promote relevant professional training concerning the differences between ethnic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction is presented to the article "Educational Studies in Mathematics" which appeared in the August 8, 202212 issue.

Durability and the rate of complications of homograft heart valves, adjusted for patient-related contributors and surgical techniques, rely mainly on the quality of allografts which in turn are mirrored in the donor characteristics and most importantly recovery and processing procedures. Aimed to assess the quality, a study was conducted to figure out the durability and late outcome following homograft replacement with valved conduits procured by the Iranian Tissue Bank. Retrospectively, the pre-implantation, perioperative and follow-up data of 400 non-consecutive recipients of cryopreserved heart valves (222 pulmonary and 178 aortic) from 2006 to 2015 were collected and analyzed in terms of variables reflecting late outcome including adverse events and durability. In the context of durability, the event of interest was defined as the need for homograft replacement and homograft-related death. The mean follow-up time (SD) of study entrants (male/female ratio, 1.4) was 49.8 (36.3) months. Median age at the time of implantation was 11 years. Total 10-years mortality was 21 % (84/400), including 66.7 % early (30-days mortality: 56/84) and 33.3 % late (28/84). Overall late complication rate was 2 %. Median survival time was 120 months (95 % CI 83.3-156.6). The pulmonary valves appeared to be more durable (P value <0.001) and survival probabilities in small sized grafts were lower (P value 0.008). One-, five-, and ten-year graft survival was 82, 76 and 73 %, respectively. The evidences suggest that the homografts function satisfactory with low rate of late complications; nevertheless, more emphasis should be given to make long-term durability comparable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use particle filtering for correcting the erroneous motion vectors (MVs), which are derived from the boundary matching algorithm (BMA) in packet video communications. Assuming a two-state Markov channel model for transmission, the error of the extracted MVs by BMA is shown to be modeled by the Gaussian mixture distribution. Formulating the problem in the state space, we deploy particle filtering for denoising the erroneous MVs. The main challenge of using particle filters is high computational complexity that is directly related to the number of particles. The proposed particle filtering scheme is efficient even if the number of particles is decreased. Experimental results are provided to show the efficiency of this filtering approach compared to a recent scheme based on Kalman filtering. The experiments show meaningful increase in the quality of the recovered video sequences in terms of PSNR up to 3 dB compared with the other error concealment techniques. Also, the computational complexity of the proposed scheme is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manual forming of sheet metal parts through traditional panel beating is a highly skilled profession used in many industries, particularly for sample manufacturing or repair and maintenance. However, this skill is becoming gradually isolated mainly due to the high cost and lack of expertise. Nonetheless, a cost-effective and flexible approach to forming sheet metal parts could significantly assist various industries by providing a method for fast prototyping sheet metal parts. The development of a new fixtureless sheet metal forming approach is discussed in this article. The proposed approach, named Mechatroforming, consists of integrated mechanisms to manipulate sheet metal parts by a robotic arm under a controlled hammering tool. The method includes mechatronics-based monitoring and control systems for (near) real-time prediction and control of incremental deformations of parts. This article includes description of the proposed approach, the theoretical and modelling backgrounds used to predict the forming, skills learned from manual operations, and proposed automation system being built. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prioritization the sub-basins available in a basin to flood vulnerability analysis can be discussed in the form of a spatial multi criteria decision making (SMCDM) problem. In this research a fuzzy planning support system based on the spatial analysis using tow multi criteria decision making methods, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and TOPSIS (Technique for order-preference by similarity to ideal solution) is used. AHP method is used to determine the structure of decision making process and to estimate criteria weights and TOPSIS model is used to rank the sub-basins of Tehran urban basin as a study area regarding the flood vulnerable areas. Also in order to perform spatial analysis for decision-making process, a developed toolbox is used within the Geographic Information System (GIS). In this research a model is presented in which some vague concepts such as weight of decision making criteria are expressed in the form of linguistic variables to be converted to triangular fuzzy numbers. Finally, the sensitivity of model was analyzed by changing the weights of decision making criteria and providing of ranking scenarios. The results show the optimum alternatives for mitigation flood vulnerability in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed model production is the practice of assembling different and distinct models in a line without changeovers responding to sudden demand changes for a variety of models. In this paper, to achieve a combination of balancing of the tasks and sequencing of models, both the balancing and sequencing problems are considered simultaneously. Three objective functions including: minimizing the cycle times, minimizing the wastages in each station, and minimizing the work overload by considering a multiple objective in both sequencing and balancing problem are investigated. One of the characteristics of this study is minimizing the wastages. The combination of those objectives in such problems has not been studied yet. Also, we propose a new heuristic algorithm and indicate that our results can be improved in the algorithm from the initial solution. Finally, the straight lines and U-lines in our problem are investigated; therefore, a decision maker can decide about the shape of assembly lines and compare the results in these cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of acute and chronic inflammation, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and cancer of the prostate glands in the canine as a human model in prostate disorders. The study was carried out on 12 cases of different male dogs of terrier (50 %), German shepherd (25 %) breeds, and Greden (25 %), and the age of the dogs ranged from 6 to 13 years (average age 7.8 ± 3.6). The bodyweight ranged from 3.6 to 7.9 kg. Signalment, clinical signs, and diagnostic tools such as ultrasonography, urinary cytology, and histopathology are presented. Dysuria was the most common clinical sign in this study and occurred in 10/12 canine (83.3 %) included. Other clinical signs included lameness (5/12 canine, 41.6 %) and constipation (3/12 canine, 25 %). The range of duration of clinical signs was 5 days to 7 months. Moreover, in the present study, the urinary biochemical markers of different prostate lesions include blood, protein, and glucose and were detected in 11/12 cases (91.6 %), 5/12 cases (41.6 %), and 2/12 cases (16.6 %), respectively. Taken together, sonographic data were classified into four groups based on histological diagnosis. In 7/12 cases (58.4 %), the prostate appeared to have BPH lesions, and the remaining lesions included inflammation (3/12 cases, 25 %), abscess (1 case, 8.3 %), and adenocarcinoma (1 case, 8/3 %) on ultrasound. In all cases, prostate tissue had an irregular echotexture. None of the dogs had sonographic evidence of sublumbar lymph node enlargement. Histopathologically, we looked at the prevalence of inflammation (33.3 % chronic and 8.3% acute) and BPH (58.4 %) in dogs of different ages and breeds, and also, we observed chronic inflammation in >20 % of dogs, which was about 25 % in 3 cases of the 12 cases referred. More chronic inflammation was associated with more BPH. The majority of the asymptomatic inflammation that is detected in the prostate is classified as chronic inflammation (i.e., as evidenced by the presence of monocytic and/or lymphoplasmacytic inflammatory cell infiltrates); however, acute inflammation is also observed to a lesser degree. Acute inflammation, as is typically evidenced by the infiltration of neutrophils, is classically an indicator of an infectious process. Finally, the patients included seven castrated, four castrated together with antibiotic therapy, and one castrated together with chemotherapy intact male dogs, which were treated with the mentioned cases. In conclusion, chronic prostatic inflammation could be a central mechanism in BPH progression, but the pathological features of tissue inflammation were different between BPH and prostate cancer (PCa). Nevertheless, the histological examination of prostate biopsies remains the only way to diagnose prostatic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the frequency of different types of mammary masses and their relationship with cytohistopathologic changes was investigated and data on history, macroscopic description, clinical examination and treatment were collected. To determine the prevalence and types of cytohistopathologic changes, mammary glands from 12 female cats were evaluated. The mean age of cats at the time of diagnosis was 11.5 ± 1.9 years (range 4-14 years), the mean gross size of the masses was 3.1 ± 2.4 cm, 4/12 (33.3 %) masses were ≤3.0 cm in diameter, and the maximum diameter of the largest mass had a median of 5 cm, with a range of diameter of 6 × 5 × 4 cm. Moreover, the preferential localization of mammary masses was the abdominal lobes (%50) and thoracic lobes (%33.3), and inguinal lobes (%16.7 of cases). Furthermore, two cases of the inguinal masses affected the caudo-inguinal lobe, six cases caudo-abdominal lobe, and thoracic masses were found in four cases. Eventually, six cases (%50) of masses were found in the right mammary lobes and six cases (%50) in the left mammary lobes. The majority of the masses revealed elastic (%50 of cases), hard (%25 of cases), or soft (%25 of cases) consistency. In the present study, according to the criteria of the veterinary and the medical WHO classification system, of the 12 cats with the cytohistopathological features of six (50 %) cases qualified abscess, 3 (25 %) cases as cystic hyperplasia and 3 (25 %) cases were called situ carcinoma. Whereas, all hyperplastic lesions (case nos. 7-9 and ranging in size from, 1 to >4 cm) and carcinomas in situ lesions (case nos. 10-12 and ranging in size from, 1 to >3 cm) were found incidentally upon routine cytohistology. Other lesions were observed grossly and removed either at surgery (case nos. 1-6). Finally, the cats were treated with unilateral lumpectomy (3 cases) and also, nine (75 %) cases had subsequent drainage, 3 (25 %) of which showed cystic hyperplasia and 6 (50 %) showed abscess on subsequent histopathological evaluation. Therefore, a correct diagnosis must be established quickly, and treatment must be instituted rapidly when alteration is noted in the mammary glands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been reported that there is a strong dynamic interaction between series and shunt currents in the unified power flow controller (UPFC). In this paper, a method based on state estimator is proposed to decouple series and shunt currents of the UPFC. The suggested feedback-compensator consists of a state feedback and an estimator. The interaction terms are considered as disturbance and eliminated by state feedback based on feedback-compensator. The suggested controller has been compared with singular value decomposition (SVD)-based decoupling controller. Investigations show that although both the suggested controller and SVD show proper performance with linear model of the UPFC, the suggested controller produces fewer transients in the output. The designed controller shows proper performance of UPFC non-linear model, while in this case the SVD decoupling controller does not perform decoupling, that is, it does not follow the reference inputs. Also feedback-compensator controller maintains the proper performance despite disturbance and uncertainties in the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Revegetation of disturbed land, particularly in arid environment, is often hindered by low seedling establishment. Information on seed biology and germination cues of valuable species is lacking. We investigated seed germination of two Acacia species ( Acacia tortilis (Forsk.) Hayne and Acacia oerfota (Forssk) schweinf), required for nitrogen fixation and rehabilitation of arid and semi-arid areas.(four pre-germination seed treatments were applied in order to find the best treatment in germinating acacia species. The medium was L and three replicates were used. Seeds pre-treated with sand paper and also with HSO and then HO had the highest germination percentage in both species. The lowest germination percentage resulted from soaking seeds in water for 48 h followed by soaking in HSO for A. oerfota and from soaking in water for 24 h for A. tortilis. Because the use of sand paper is difficult and time consuming, we recommend pre-treatment of A. tortilis and A. oerfota seeds with HSO and HO before planting. Our study results are significant for conservation agencies with an interest in optimizing germination in arid zones for rehabilitation and reforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a bi-objective cell formation problem with demand of products expressed in a number of probabilistic scenarios. To deal with the uncertain demand of products, a framework of two-stage stochastic programming model is presented. The proposed model considers minimizing the sum of the miscellaneous costs (machine constant cost, expected machine variable cost, cell fixed-charge cost, and expected intercell movement cost) and expected total cell loading variation. Because of conflicting objectives, we develop a two-phase fuzzy linear programming approach for solving bi-objective cell formation problem. To show the effectiveness of the proposed approach, numerical examples are solved and the results are compared with the two existing approaches in the literature. The computational results show that the proposed fuzzy method achieves lower objective functions as well as higher satisfaction degrees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonella is the most important cause of bacterial food-borne disease outbreaks in the world. In this study, we have trained and validated artificial neural networks (ANNs) to predict the combined effect of Zataria multiflora essential oil (EO), pH, and temperature on the probability percentage of growth initiation (log P%) of Salmonella. Z. multiflora was collected in the Fars province of Iran. Lyophilized cultures of Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 25923 was used in this study. This design included four levels of EO (0.0, 0.015, 0.03, and 0.06%), three levels of pH (5.5,6, and 7.3), three storage temperatures (35, 25, and 15°C), and repeated observations (18 times) for growth in brain heart infusion broth for up to 43 days. We have designed a standard and the so-called feed-forward ANN, including four input neurons, eight neuron in hidden layer, and one output neuron to predict the combined effect of Z. multiflora EO, pH, and temperature on the probability percentage of growth initiation (log P%) of S.typhimurium. The mean and standard deviation of ANN and real outputs were −2.9771 ± 2.43 and −2.9722 ± 2.39, respectively. The mean differences (and 95% CIs) between the ANN and real outputs were 0.0049 (0.0009-0.0089). Result showed better prediction compare to the previous study(R = 0.998). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed-model production is the practice of assembling different and distinct models in a line without changeovers with responding to sudden demand changes for a variety of models. In this paper, we specify sequence of models to minimize conveyer stoppages. We assume that our lines are fixed and we cannot change the balance of the lines. When the condition of lines like setup cost and demand of each model change, it is important to specify the sequence for minimizing the conveyer stoppages without balancing the line again because the main lines are fixed. We consider three objective functions simultaneously: minimizing the variation in the actual and required production capacity of the line and minimizing the objectives which increase the chance of conveyer stoppage, including: (a) minimizing the total setup time, (b) minimizing the total production variation cost, and (c) minimizing the total utility work cost. Because of conflicting objectives, we propose the fuzzy goal programming-based approach to solve the model. Finally, we present an estimator for nearness of conveyer stoppages and study about affecting of sub-lines and changing the conveyer velocity in a station for reducing stoppages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aims to evaluate the correlation between serum cyclosporine level, CD4/CD8 ratio, echocardiography and endomyocardial biopsy results after ortrhotopic heart transplantation. Twenty-six consecutive patients with mean age 32 ± 9.6 years who underwent orthotopic bicaval heart transplantation were enrolled in this study. Blood sample for serum cyclosporine level, CD3,CD4,CD8 and CD4/CD8 ratio obtained for each patients, 2 and 4 weeks after transplantation. Likewise immediate echocardiography and endomyocardial biopsy was carried out simultaneously. Results of this study showed that 8(30.7%) patients need to readmission for endomyocardial biopsy. Endomyocardial biopsy results, showed rejection grade 1B in three patients, grade 2 in two patient, grade 3A in two patients and grade 0 in only one patients. Likewise echocardiographic evidence of RV and LV dysfunction was detected in all of them. Also CD4/CD8 ratio which indicate level of immunosuppression in these patients was more than 1 in all of them. Serum cyclosporine level was also less than target level in all of these patients. EMB is expensive, invasive, inconvenient to the patient, and associated with a significant incidence of serious complications. Therefore, it would be very important for patient care if new no-risk methods would prove to be effective in surveillance of rejection. It seems that a combination of CD4/CD8 ratio, echocardiographic study and serum cyclosporine level can predict the appropriate time of endomyocardial biopsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several facultative bacterial strains tolerant to high temperature and salinity were isolated from the oil reservoir brines of an Iranian oil field (Masjed-I Soleyman). Some of these isolates were able to grow up to 60°C and at high concentration of NaCl (15% w/ v). One of the isolates grew at 40°C, while it was able to grow at 15% w/ v NaCl. Tolerances to NaCl levels decreased as the growth temperatures were increased. Surfactant production ability was detected in some of these isolates. The use of biosurfactant is considered as an effective mechanism in microbial-enhanced oil recovery processes detected in some of these isolates. The surfactant producers were able to grow at high temperatures and salinities to about 55°C and 10% w/ v, respectively. These isolates exhibited morphological and physiological characteristics of the Bacillus genus. The partial sequencing of the 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid gene of the selected isolates was assigned them to Bacillus subtilis group. The biosurfactant produced by these isolates caused a substantial decrease in the surface tension of the culture media to 26.7 mN/m. By the use of thin-layer chromatography technique, the presence of the three compounds was detected in the tested biosurfactant. Infrared spectroscopy and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance analysis were used, and the partial structural characterization of the biosurfactant mixture of the three compounds was found to be lipopeptidic in nature. The possibility of use of the selected bacterial strains reported, in the present study, in different sectors of the petroleum industry has been addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various uterine disorders in camelids, such as uterine infections, play an important role in reduced fertility in these species. Cytological techniques can be used to identify the presence of uterine infection. In this study 44 reproductive tracts of slaughtered female camels were examined. The reproductive phase of each tract was estimated by ovarian performance. The uterus and ovary dimensions were measured by caliper. Cytological smears were prepared from cervical mucosa and uterine fluid collected by aspiration methods. The smears were stained and examined for differential cellular counts. The results showed no significant difference ( P≥0.05) for cellular densities between cervical and uterine smears. There was no significant difference ( P≥0.05) for cellular densities between cervix and uterus in different phases of anestrus, estrus cycle (follicular and luteal phases), and pregnancy. Therefore, in dromedary camel, cervical smears may be used for evaluation of uterine condition. However, more work is required on live and synchronized camels before the importance of these findings can be assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parasitic diseases of wild birds follows its companion volume, infectious diseases of wild birds, both of which complement the third edition of infectious diseases of wild mammals and second edition of parasitic diseases of wild mammals. In October 2012, a mature black male mynah with lack of balance and ataxia was brought into the birds department of educational hospital in veterinary medicine faculty of Tehran University. Because of no cure in clinical signs after several days of empirical therapy euthanasia and clinical pathology studies were performed. There was no microscopic pathological lesions in brain, bone marrow, heart, lung, liver and the microscopic results were as following; bone marrow: hemophagocytosis reactive macrophages, liver: infiltration of inflammatory cells (hepatitis) and hemosiderin-laden macrophages. Lung: hemosiderin-laden macrophages and spleen findings: infiltration of inflammatory cells, heterophils with phagocytic bacteria. In abdominal cavity two male and one female parasite was detect. Three parasites were cleared with lactophenol and investigated under the light microscopy and important morphological parts of them measured. Also these parasites in serum containing send to the department of parasitology. Based on all collecting data, Spinodiplotriaena (three parasites each by the length of 2/5, 1/7 and 1/5 cm were found) were diagnosed. Report of this case in important because of first report of this infection in a black mynah in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]