Search

The present study aimed at investigating and modelling the release behaviour of encapsulated d‐limonene from electrosprayed Alyssum homolocarpum seed gum (AHSG) nanoparticles. For this purpose, release profiles of d‐limonene from 10% or 20% loaded nanocapsules were obtained in deionised water and simulated mouth conditions by a spectrophotometric method. The experimental results showed that complete release takes ranging between 7 and 15 min, depending on the d‐limonene loading and type of release medium. A gradual increase in the flavour release rate over time without initial burst revealed there are several phenomena involved in the release process due to the hydrophilic nature of AHSG nanocapsules. Based on these findings, a mechanistic approach modelled flavour diffusion as a transport process of combined matrix swelling and erosion mechanisms. The model parameters were obtained via best fitting procedure applying simulated annealing (SA) algorithm. The good correlation between the predicted and experimental results of d‐limonene release confirmed validation of the developed model. The simulation results showed that although matrix erosion contributes more than diffusion process in d‐limonene release from AHSG nanocapsules, the model describing the release mechanism as only governed by the erosion is not able to provide accurate predictions of flavour release as compared to the coupled model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cinnamon is widely recognised for its distinct flavour and potential health benefits, making it an important subject of study in food and nutraceutical fields. To understand the mechanism of cinnamon flavour release as a fundamental step in its flavour perception from high‐amylose corn starch microcapsules, the release of cinnamaldehyde under in vitro mouth conditions was studied using a 3D numerical model. Additionally, predicting cinnamaldehyde release in all three phases simultaneously was developed in COMSOL Multiphysics 5.6. To validate the developed model, cinnamaldehyde release profiles were prepared under simulated mouth conditions using headspace analysis by the SPME‐GC–MS procedure. High R2 (0.997) and low RMSE (1.78E‐06) values, along with good convergence results, confirmed this simulation as a precise numerical model. The effects of cinnamaldehyde initial load, cinnamaldehyde diffusivity and shear rate were also probed, revealing the model to be more sensitive to the microcapsules' properties. This study provides a valuable framework for designing controlled release systems for flavouring agents, with significant implications for food and nutraceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are linked to tobacco smoking, opium use, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. However, little is known about the association of HPV infection with risk factors of HNSCCs, including opium and tobacco use. This cross‐sectional analysis of a national multi‐center case–control study in Iran included 498 HNSCC cases and 242 controls. We investigated the association of opium and tobacco use with α‐ (n = 21), β‐ (n = 46), and γ‐HPV (n = 52) types in saliva samples using type‐specific bead‐based multiplex genotyping assays (TS‐MPG). We found that α‐HPV positivity was significantly associated with tobacco smoking (OR = 10.35; 95% CI = 1.15, 93; p =.03), but not with opium use (OR = 1.06; 95% CI = 0.41, 2.76; p =.89). Additionally, tobacco smoking correlated with an elevated risk of β‐species 2 HPV infection (OR = 1.28; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.58; p =.020). Conversely, opium use showed a positive association with γ‐species 12 HPV infection (OR = 5.67; 95% CI = 1.43, 22.44; p =.013). These findings indicate that tobacco and opium use may influence the risk of HPV infection in different ways depending on the HPV genus and species. Further studies are needed to replicate these findings in other populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase‐10 (PARP10) is a critical enzyme involved in DNA damage repair. Its function in cellular repair mechanisms has been implicated in the development of chemoresistance and radioresistance in cancer cells. Consequently, PARP10 inhibition represents a promising, albeit challenging, and therapeutic target for various cancer types. This study aims to discover new PARP10 potential inhibitors via a hybrid of in silico approaches. Initially, pharmacophore‐based virtual screening was conducted on the ZINC and NCI databases. The resulting compounds were subsequently subjected to molecular docking studies to identify potential new PARP10 inhibitors. Subsequently, classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted to evaluate and compare the dynamic behavior of the selected ligand, veliparib, and OUL35, a selective PARP10 inhibitor. Ultimately, compound ZINC20906412 was found as a potential lead compound based on its docking score and favorable interactions within the PARP10 active site. This compound may offer therapeutic potential for cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, producing fruit or vegetable cubes with high solubility and dispersibility can attract consumers' attention, diminish agricultural waste, and raise people's access to important nutritional sources. In recent years, it seems that cube‐making preserves the appearance and marketability of food. In this study, the physicochemical properties of foam‐mat‐dried spinach powders with thicknesses of 3 and 5 mm produced at 40°C, 50°C, 60°C, and 70°C were investigated. The resulting powder was used to produce spinach cubes. The physicochemical properties of the powders were evaluated. With an increase in foam thickness, the water activity, moisture content, dissolution time, particle size, density, and porosity increased, whereas the hygroscopicity and glass transition temperature decreased. The lowest chlorophyll content (0.166 mg/g spinach) was observed in samples dried at 70°C and 5 mm. The samples dried at 70°C and 3 mm had the highest L∗ and higher stability (lower moisture content and water activity and higher Tg). The Heckel equation showed that the highest k value was related to the spinach powder produced at 70°C and 5 mm. The cubes with the greatest heights, the highest chlorophyll content (0.245 mg/g spinach), and the lowest dissolution time were obtained from powders produced at 40°C and 3 mm. The cube of the powder produced at 70°C and 5 mm had the longest dissolution time. All cubes had a non‐Fickian release in both dissolution media. The product of this research is dried spinach powder and its cubes. This product provides easy access to the valuable nutritional compounds of spinach in all conditions. This product is used as an additive in soup. It can also be used with yogurt and smoothies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our prospective study investigates the 3‐year trajectory of disease‐specific quality of life (QoL) using the PEmb‐QoL questionnaire, functional performance via 6‐min walk tests, and the 5‐year survival following acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and explores their association with patient demographics and clinical characteristics. We highlight that PE‐specific QoL improves over time despite no significant changes in cardiopulmonary performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Repeat‐breeder cows repeatedly fail to conceive after at least three attempts and return to oestrus at apparently normal intervals. Repeat‐breeder cows cause economic losses in dairy farms in different ways. Objective: In the present study, we investigated the effect of sustained‐release progesterone injection in two different doses on the expression of interferon‐related genes in repeat‐breeder dairy cows. Methods: A total of 96 repeat‐breeder primiparous and multiparous cows were assigned among three groups: control group, inseminated and do not receive progesterone treatment; P400 and P600 groups, inseminated and received a single‐intramuscular injection of 400 and 600 mg slow‐release progesterone 5 days after insemination, respectively. Blood sampling was carried out on Day 20 after AI for progesterone measurement and evaluation of gene expression for ISG15, MX1 and MX2 genes. Results: One injection of sustained‐release progesterone increased the expression of ISG15, MX1 and MX2 genes with differences between two different progesterone concentrations. For all three genes, the level of gene expression was higher in progesterone‐supplemented group than in control group, when P400 and P600 groups considered together. The level of MX2 gene expression was significantly higher in pregnant cows than non‐pregnant cows. There was a significant positive correlation between expression level of all three genes and blood progesterone concentration. The expression level of ISG15 gene showed a significant positive correlation with MX1 and MX2 gene expression. Conclusion: The use of this sustained‐release progesterone is simple and can be used in repeat‐breeder cows to improve fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As cognitive decline and dementia‐related diseases are currently incurable, identifying modifiable and preventative factors is imperative. Thus, we aimed to investigate the associations between modifiable lifestyle factors and cognitive function in a population‐based sample of nondemented men. Methods: Data for 537 men were drawn from the ongoing, population‐based, Geelong Osteoporosis Study (GOS). The CogState Brief Battery (CBB) was utilised to determine cognitive function (overall cognitive function [OCF], psychomotor function, attention, working memory, and visual learning). Demographic and lifestyle factors (diet, smoking, physical activity [sport, work/home, and leisure time], alcohol use, and body mass index [BMI]) were self‐reported and documented across three waves of data collection. Generalised estimating equation (GEE) models were used to determine associations between the time‐updating exposures of interest and each of the cognitive domains. Results: Age was associated with OCF (η2 = 0.298), psychomotor function (η2 = 0.163), attention (η2 = 0.210), working memory (η2 = 0.215), and visual learning (η2 = 0.097). Playing sport was associated with all aspects of cognition: OCF (η2 = 0.014), psychomotor function (η2 = 0.007), attention (η2 = 0.004), working memory (η2 = 0.013), and visual learning (η2 = 0.004), and being physically active during leisure time was associated with visual learning (η2 = 0.008). Being physically active at work and home, smoking, diet quality, energy consumed per day, alcohol intake, and BMI were not associated with any of the cognitive domains. Conclusion: In this study of nondemented men, elements of a healthy lifestyle such as playing sport and being physically active during leisure time were associated with better cognition. Further studies into whether these factors, amongst others, prevent the onset and progression of dementia are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing effective and inexpensive photocatalysts is considered a helpful approach to pollution degradation. Herein, CeCoO3/PbS photocatalyst was synthesized via the hydrothermal procedure and described by XRD, IR, SEM, EDS, PL, and DRS analyses. The results revealed the deposition of PbS on the CeCoO3 surface, as illustrated by the FE‐SEM images. The influence of photocatalyst dosage, temperature, electron acceptor, and pH toward the decolorization of MB under the irradiation of a UV lamp was considered. By CeCoO3/PbS photocatalyst, the conversion percentage achieved 98% within 10 min, around two times more than pure CeCoO3 and PbS. According to the experimental and calculated results, the Type‐II heterojunction formation was observed, which boosted the photoactivity of CeCoO3/PbS by its higher charge separation rate compared with perovskite and PbS and the stronger redox capability of charges. In addition, CeCoO3/PbS nanocomposites have impressive stability and efficiency after five cycles of experiments. Consequently, the coupling of CeCoO3 with PbS provides a favorable pathway to remove contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vector control of induction motors has provided us with both good performance and acceptable efficiency at rated loads. Using this method at light loads reduces the efficiency due to the adjustment of motor flux at the rated value. Electric motors are normally used even at lower loads than the rated ones and often selected oversized. Enhancing the efficiency of induction motors at light loads will significantly reduce electric energy consumption. A novel method called Flux Angle Control (FAC) of the induction motor is presented to improve efficiency in the steady state at light loads. To increase the accuracy of the induction motor model we consider iron losses. This method controls the angle between the stator flux (stator current) and the d‐axis (rotor flux direction). The primary aim of the flux angle control method is to reduce the flux level and increase the flux angle at light loads. The optimal flux angle is sensitive to some induction motor parameters. The proposed method offers several advantages compared to similar methods, including high efficiency, minimal sensitivity of the optimal flux angle to changes in motor parameters, a reduced number of calculations, and easy implementation. The validity of this method is examined through experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Irrigation & Drainage is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this research, the small segments parabolic dish concentrator (SSPDC) with a modified cavity was optically and thermally investigated. The SSPDC consisted of small mirrors that were tracking the sun individually. The SSPDC allows using different concentration ratios and aperture areas. Oil, pure water, and water + perypolen glycol (PG) were evaluated as working fluids. Different structural characteristics of the solar system were investigated, including dish focal distance, cavity outer diameter, and cavity aperture area. Then the investigated solar system was explored as a heat source of an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) unit for providing the power for a house. Finally, some environmental parameters of the investigated ORC units, such as carbon dioxide emission and carbon dioxide credits, were evaluated. The results reveal that the investigated solar unit had a dish depth of 0.14 m, a focal distance of 1 m, a cavity aperture outer diameter of 0.1 m, and a cavity aperture inner diameter of 0.08 m for a 10‐mrad optical error and a 1° tracking error. Usage of pure water is recommended for low‐temperature application, water + PG for medium‐temperature application, and oil for high‐temperature application. It was concluded that two units of the proposed ORC could provide energy to the house with solar radiation of more than 800 W/m2 and the number of units should be increased for achieving the required power with decreasing solar radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: We introduced one of the rare causes of intra‐cardiac mass, that is, ECD and a new gene mutation (SLC29A3) that is probably related to this disease, and we noted the importance of using several diagnostic methods to rule out other intra‐cardiac causes. Edheim–Chester disease is a rare histiocytosis affecting multiple organs. The infiltration of lipid‐laden histiocytes characterizes the disease. Most patients experience bone involvement; over 50% of cases involve the cardiovascular system and other extra‐osseous organs. In this case report, we present the case of a 42‐year‐old man who complained of shortness of breath and bone pain. During echocardiography, a large, homogenous, and fixed mass was found in the right atrium free wall. Computed tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed an infiltrative mass in the RA with atrioventricular groove involvement but coronary sinus encasement, right coronary artery, and superior vena cava encasement. Abdominal CT scans also reported aortic wall involvement and bilateral renal cortical and perirenal involvement. A kidney biopsy confirmed the infiltration of histiocytes and the diagnosis of ECD. The treatment was initiated for him, and his symptoms improved. In this case report, we express the importance of considering the rare causes of cardiac tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrastructures can be modeled as large‐scale networks consisting of nodes and arcs, making network optimization a popular modeling option for arising problems. In specific, providing timely restoration plans for interdependent infrastructures facing disruptions has been a challenge for decision makers. In this study, we focus on geospatial (co‐location) and functional interdependencies to capture the impact of cascading failures on infrastructure systems. The dynamics of real networks are more complicated to be captured by one objective function. Therefore, we define three objective functions in three pillars of sustainability: (a) economic, (b) social, and (c) environmental. To solve the multiobjective optimization model, we develop a learn‐to‐decompose framework, consisting of a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm based on decomposition module and a Gaussian process regression (GPR) module to periodically learn from the obtained Pareto front and guide the search direction. We also included a heuristic module to address two significant challenges in restoring interdependent infrastructures: the island scenario and co‐location interdependencies. We applied the proposed framework to benchmark problems and interdependent water and transportation networks in the City of Tampa, FL. We carried out sensitivity analyses to monitor the performance of the GPR by different kernel functions. We also provided insights for decision makers by finding the trade‐off between fortification (proactive) and restoration (reactive) costs. The result demonstrates the proposed framework is feasible and applicable for large‐scale networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Tolosa–Hunt syndrome (THS) is a rare disorder involving the orbital and retro-orbital space. The typical symptoms include sensory loss in the trigeminal nerve's distribution, orbital pain, swelling, headaches, and cranial nerve palsies. Case Presentation. We report a 40-year-old female who initially presented with biparietal headache, unresponsive to medication, which then led to ophthalmoplegia and orbital pain. Serological findings demonstrated positive CANCA-PR3. She was initially treated with 1 g pulse methylprednisolone for three days. Based on the rheumatological evaluation and her positive lung nodule, hematuria, dysmorphic red blood cells, and positive antiproteinase 3 classic antineutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (CANCA-PR3) and also based on the diagnostic criteria for granulomatosis with polyangiitis criteria for Wegner disease, her treatment was continued with prednisolone 1 mg/kg and also rituximab at the first and 14th day of treatment. Conclusion. In our case of THS, we achieved satisfactory improvement in symptoms through the administration of high-dose steroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinoline alkaloid camptothecin (CPT) derivatives are compounds with a wide range of inhibitory activities and they are the basis of several groups of drugs. CPT is one of the prominent lead compounds in anticancer drug development. It inhibits DNA topoisomerase I (topo I) enzyme and has shown remarkable anticancer activity against lung, colon, rectum, ovarian, breast, and stomach cancers. Quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) is basically a statistical approach correlating the response activity data with descriptors encoding chemical information. In the current research, a QSAR study was performed for modeling and predicting the anticancer activity (pIC50) of 76 CPT derivatives as an inhibitor of DNA topo I using the genetic algorithm multiple linear regression (GA‐MLR) and back propagation artificial neural network (BP‐ANN) methods. The results of this study indicate that the use of constitutional and geometrical descriptors provide good estimate for pIC50. The obtained results of statistical criteria, internal and external validation show the superiority of BP‐ANN model than GA‐MLR to predict the pIC50 values of the investigated compounds. QSAR model developed in this study can be used for design and development of novel potent CPT derivatives and for predicting their anticancer activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is a viral infection caused by SARS‐CoV‐2, which can trigger autoimmune diseases such as antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV) that affect small and medium‐sized blood vessels in multiple organs. This study discusses a case with neuropathy and positive ANCA after COVID‐19 infection and reviews the literature on AAV following COVID‐19 infection. A 59‐year‐old man is presented that was referred to Shariati Hospital for evaluation of neurologic problems after a COVID‐19 infection. Initially, he had flu‐like symptoms. A few days later, he developed right distal upper and lower limb paresthesia. His electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) results were consistent with polyneuropathy. Lumbar puncture (LP) was normal except for positive COVID‐19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The patient's paresthesia worsened. Laboratory data showed leukocytosis, anemia, thrombocytosis, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C‐reactive protein (CRP). Perinuclear anti‐neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (MPO‐ANCA) was positive. According to the results, vasculitis was the main differential diagnosis. The sural nerve biopsy was performed, and the result was consistent with small to medium‐sized vessel vasculitis. The patient was diagnosed with COVID‐induced AAV. He was prescribed methylprednisolone and cyclophosphamide and was discharged with prednisolone and cotrimoxazole. In this study, a unique case of AAV induced by COVID‐19 infection confirmed by nerve biopsy is presented. A review of the literature found 48 cases of new‐onset AAV in adults and pediatrics after COVID‐19 infection. Further research is needed to completely understand the relationship between COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical sensors and biosensors are today important analytical and monitoring tools in various fields, from agriculture and the food industry to environmental and biomedical/pharmaceutical applications. In particular, the integration of nanotechnology with electrochemical sensors and biosensors to develop a new generation of sensor platforms has made enormous progress in recent years. The outstanding properties of one‐dimensional (1D) nanofibers (NFs), such as high porosity, superior mechanical properties and high specific surface area have made them attractive electrocatalysts, support materials for the immobilization of biomolecules as well as mimetic materials for sensing and biosensing applications. Moreover, the possibility of fabricating multifunctional composites based on NFs increases (bio)sensing capabilities through synergistic effects and additive properties. This review describes the progress made over the last decade in the use of multifunctional NFs‐based composites as modified electrodes for the sensing of various analytes in biomedical, food, and wastewater treatment applications. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview and a guide for researchers from different disciplines to fabricate and improve their selective NFs‐based (bio)sensor platforms for the detection of desired analytes or multi‐analytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, we aimed to calculate the fraction of cancer attributable to modifiable risk factors in Iran in 2020. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated for established cancer risk factors using three data sources: the national cancer incidence reports, relative risks extracted from global and national meta‐analyses, and exposure prevalence from national/subnational population‐based surveys. In addition to overall cancers, the PAFs were estimated separately for each cancer site among men and women. Overall, 32.6% of cancers in 2020 in Iran were attributable to known risk factors. The PAF in men (40.2%) was twice as high as in women (21.1%). Cigarette smoking (15.4%), being overweight (5.0%), opium use (3.9%) and H. pylori infection (3.8%) were the leading causes of cancers. For men, the highest PAFs belonged to cigarette smoking (26.3%), opium use (6.8%) and being overweight (3.1%), while for women, the highest PAFs belonged to being overweight (7.2%), H. pylori infection (2.7%) and cigarette smoking (2.7%). Among Iranian men and women, the PAFs of waterpipe smoking were 2% and 0.9%, respectively. A third of incident cancers in Iran are due to modifiable exposures, mainly cigarette smoking, being overweight, and H. pylori infection. Opium consumption and waterpipe smoking collectively accounted for 8.8% of cancer occurrence in men and 1.3% in women in Iran. These emerging risk factors should be taken into consideration in future PAF studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine mental health emergency presentations across the Barwon South West, Victoria, Australia – an area comprising a range of urban and rural localities. Methods: This is a retrospective synthesis of mental health emergency presentations across the Barwon South West (1 February 2017–31 December 2019). De‐identified data were obtained from individuals who presented to EDs and urgent care centres (UCCs) within the study region, who had a principal diagnosis of a Mental and Behavioural Disorder (codes F00‐F99). Data were sourced from the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset and Rural Acute Hospital Database Register (RAHDaR). Age‐standardised incident rates for mental health emergency presentations were calculated for the whole sample and for local government areas. Data on usual accommodation, arrival transport mode, referral source, patient disposition and length of ED/UCC stay were also obtained. Results: We identified 11 613 mental health emergency presentations, with neurotic, stress‐related and somatoform disorders (n = 3139, 27.0%) and mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use (n = 3487, 30.0%) being the most frequent types of presentations recorded. The highest age‐standardised incidence rates (mental health diagnosis per 1000 population/year) were in Glenelg (13.95), whereas Queenscliffe had the lowest incident rates (3.76). Most presentations (n = 3851, 33.2%) tended to occur for individuals aged between 15 and 29 years. Conclusions: Neurotic, stress‐related and somatoform disorders and mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use were the most frequent types of presentations recorded across the sample. RAHDaR represented a small but meaningful contribution to the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The effects of dietary sage on the growth performance, antioxidant status, intestinal mucosa morphology, and pulmonary hypertensive response were investigated in broiler chickens with pulmonary hypertension. Methods: Chicks (Ross 308) were reared under cold stress for 35 days and treated with 0.05% vitamin C (positive control) and 0 (control), 0.1 or 0.2% sage extracts, then performance, oxidant and antioxidant status, and intestinal morphology were evaluated. Results: The index of pulmonary hypertension (RV:TV) was decreased, and weight gain (days 22–35) was increased in all treatments (except for sage 0.1%) compared with control (P < 0.05). Lipid peroxidation was decreased, whereas the activity of antioxidant enzymes (GPX, CAT, and SOD) was increased in the sage 0.2% group compared with control (P < 0.05). In the lung, SOD, CAT, and GPX transcripts were decreased in the sage 0.2% group compared with control (P < 0.05). In the right ventricle of the heart, SOD and CAT transcripts were increased in the sage 0.2% group compared with other groups of chickens, whereas GPX transcript was decreased (P < 0.05). The jejunal villus length in the chickens fed sage was significantly lower than in control (P < 0.05). The ileal villus width, villus surface area, and lamina proporia thickness in the chickens fed sage (0.2%) were increased compared with control (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Dietary supplementation of sage (0.2%) could modulate pulmonary hypertensive response, improve antioxidant status (enzymatic activity), intestinal morphometry, and absorptive surface in the broiler chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to synthesize a specific and efficient sorbent to use in the extraction of apixaban from human plasma samples and its determination by high‐performance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry. High specific surface area of metal‐organic framework, magnetic property of iron oxide nanoparticles, selectively of molecular imprinted polymer toward the analyte, and the combination of dispersive solid‐phase extraction method with a sensitive analysis system provided an efficient analytical method. In this study, first, a molecularly imprinted polymer combined with magnetic metal organic framework nanocomposite was prepared and then characterized using different techniques. Then the sorbent particles were used for selective extraction of the analyte from plasma samples. The efficiency of the method was improved by optimizing effective parameters. According to the validation results, wide linear range (1.02–200 ng mL−1), acceptable coefficient of determination (0.9938), low limit of detection (0.32 ng mL−1) and limit of quantification (1.02 ng mL−1), high extraction recovery (78%), and good precision (relative standard deviations ≤ 2.9% for intra‐ (n = 6) and interday (n = 6) precisions) were obtainable using the proposed method. These outcomes showed the high potential of the proposed method for screening apixaban in the human plasma samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dentists by their professional knowledge of prevention have a key role in providing a positive role model for oral health‐promoting behaviours. We aimed to investigate the health behaviour of Iranian senior dental students in terms of oral self‐care and tobacco use during a 10‐year period to assess their preparedness to act as role models for health‐promoting behaviours. Materials and Methods: The study was performed in six dental schools selected through stratified cluster random sampling to have a representative sample of all dental schools in Iran. Data were collected in four occasions in 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2015. Senior dental students (N = 1188) were invited to voluntarily complete a self‐administered anonymous questionnaire about their oral self‐care and tobacco use. Recommended tooth‐brushing habit (RTH) was defined as at least twice a day brushing with fluoridated toothpaste. Three separate questions about cigarette, pipe and waterpipe use were applied to assess the students' reported use of tobacco. Results: The response rate was 81%. Female students reported more frequently RTH than males (p <.001). The reported RTH was more prevalent among nonsmokers. In 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2015, 22.5%, 26%, 28.5% and 24.6% of the students reported smoking, respectively. The trend of reported smoking had the least variation among female students. This was true also for male students regarding RTH. Conclusion: The status and trend of oral self‐care and tobacco use among Iranian dental students call for more emphasis on adopting health‐promoting behaviours during dental education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have linked coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) with endothelial dysfunction and reported elevated levels of endothelial biomarkers in this disease. We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis of the published evidence in this respect. A systematic literature search of PubMed and Scopus databases was performed to find studies investigating biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction in COVID‐19 patients. Pooled standardized mean differences and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each biomarker using random effect model. 74 studies with 7668 patients were included. In comparison to patients with good outcome, those with poor outcome had higher levels of von Willebrand factor (vWF) (SMD: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.59–1.07, p < 0.00001), vWF:ADAMTS13 (1.23, (0.77–1.7), p < 0.00001), angiopoietin‐2 (Ang‐2) (1.06 (0.6–1.51), p < 0.0001), E‐selectin (1.09 (0.55–1.63), p < 0.0001), P‐selectin (0.59 (0.24–0.94), p = 0.001), syndecan‐1 (0.99 (0.6–1.37), p < 0.00001), mid‐regional pro‐adrenomedullin (MR‐proADM) (1.52 (1.35–1.68), p < 0.00001), vascular endothelial growth factor (0.27 (0.02–0.53), p = 0.03), soluble fms‐like tyrosine kinase‐1 (sFLT‐1) (1.93 (0.65–3.21), p = 0.03) and lower levels of ADAMTS13 antigen (−0.69 (−0.9 to −0.47) p < 0.00001) and activity (−0.84 (−1.06 to −0.61) p < 0.0000). Plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 and tissue plasminogen activator levels were not different between the two groups (p < 0.05). There were elevated levels of endothelial dysfunction biomarkers in COVID‐19 patients with poor outcome, indicating their possible role in disease severity and prognosis. In particular, MR‐proADM, vWF, syndecan‐1 and sFLT‐1 showed a significant association with poor outcome in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed at developing a type of slow‐release progesterone micro‐particles useable in a single intramuscular injection for estrus synchronization in non‐breeding season ewes. A total of 66 ewes were randomly assigned into four groups: CIDR (n = 16): exposed to intravaginal CIDR for 12 days, and three experimental groups, i.e., T100 (n = 16), T150 (n = 17) and T200 (n = 17), receiving a single intramuscular injection of 100, 150 and 200 mg slow‐release progesterone, respectively. Blood sampling was performed on all ewes at five different times, and the ELISA method measured progesterone levels. No significant differences were observed in progesterone levels among the groups in each sampling time. More than 90% of ewes in the CIDR, T100 and T150 groups and all those in T200 showed estrus behaviour, and the rate was not significantly different between groups. The difference in the mean interval from progesterone treatment to estrus was also insignificant. The parturition rate declined by increasing the dose of injected progesterone; although it was similar in CIDR and T100 groups, it decreased significantly in T150 and T200. Since our injectable progesterone formulation was successful in the induction and synchronization of estrus in ewes out of the breeding season, it can be applied as an alternative to the conventional progesterone containing intravaginal devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented paper introduces a green route for the arrangement of pure and 1%, 2%, and 4% zinc doped cerium oxide nanoparticles (Zn‐doped CeO2 NPs) by involving the extract of Salvadora persica. The analytical results of powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX), and Raman techniques confirmed the successful synthesis of NPs. According to PXRD outcomes, pure CeO2 NPs have a cubic phase. Moreover, as a result of the zinc doping within the crystal framework of this material, a noticeable alteration was observed in the placement of CeO2 (101) peak. The size of pure CeO2 NPs was measured by the FESEM analysis to be around 20–25 nm, which was decreased with the doping of zinc into CeO2 structure. According to the UV–Vis outcomes, appeared peak in 343 cm−1 confirmed the formation of CeO2 NPs; and this peak shifted by the doping of zinc. The observed Raman active band F2g at 459 cm−1 in the graph of CeO2 can be related to the fluorite type of CeO2 construction. Moreover, we evaluated the photocatalytic functionality of the prepared samples towards acid orange 7 (AO7) dye at visible light. The gathered data indicated 2% Zn‐doped CeO2 as the optimum sample due to eliminating 83% of AO7 dye at the volume of 15 mg L−1 in pH = 7. Therefore, performing a doping process on these NPs was a suitable choice for improving the photocatalytic activity of CeO2 on AO7 dye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Certain psychiatric disorders, including depression, appear to impact adversely on bone health. Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent but few studies have examined their effects on bone tissue. This study investigated the effect of anxiety disorders on bone mineral density (BMD). Methods: This prospective cohort study used data from the Geelong Osteoporosis Study. Participants were women and men aged ≥20 years randomly selected from the electoral roll and followed up for a mean of 14.7 and 11.0 years, respectively. Participants were assessed for a lifetime history of an anxiety disorder using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV‐TR. BMD in the lumbar spine and femoral neck was measured using dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry. Results: Eight hundred and ninety women and 785 men participated in the study. Adjusting for sociodemographic, biometric and lifestyle factors, medical comorbidities and medication use, anxiety disorders were associated with reduced BMD at the lumbar spine (partial η2 = 0.006; p = 0.018) and femoral neck (partial η2 = 0.006; p = 0.003) in men. These associations became non‐significant when men with a history of comorbid mood disorders were excluded from the analysis. There was no significant association between anxiety disorders and BMD in women (p ≥ 0.168). Conclusions: Anxiety disorders are associated with reduced BMD in men. This effect may be mediated by comorbid depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The associations between early lactation changes in the body condition score (BCS) and mid‐lactation levels of blood insulin‐like Growth Factor‐I (IGF‐1), prolactin, insulin, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), milk production and some reproductive indices were investigated. Monthly milk yield and BCS were recorded. Blood samples were collected on days 60, 90, and 120 (±5 days) of lactation. Twelve and 17 cows showed BCS losses ≤0.75 and >0.75 on day 60, respectively. BCS losses ≤0.75 till day 60 after calving enhanced the IGF‐I concentration on day 90 (57.8 ± 10.7 vs. 35.6 ± 17.8 ng/mL; p =.001). The differences in blood metabolites were prominent on day 90. Trends of insulin changes between day 60 BCS (p =.04) groups were different. Inverse correlations were detected between IGF‐I and NEFA (−0.6, p =.001), IGF‐I and milk production (−0.4, p =.05), NEFA and prolactin (−0.8, p <.001) on day 90. Higher percentages of cows with BCS loss >0.75 (day 60) showed their first heat after day 40 postpartum. In conclusion, irrespective of BCS at the time of breeding, the level of BCS loss during the first 60 days of lactation may affect further reproductive performance due to prolonged alterations of IGF‐I, NEFA, prolactin and insulin levels. The extent of postpartum BCS loss may be a predictor of the metabolic status of cows during mid‐lactation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the preparation of Co3O4 QDs‐Ag2MoO4 (AMO) heterojunction was reported by a facile hydrothermal method and characterized by physicochemical methods such as Fourier transformed infrared (FT‐IR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), and UV–Vis. The SEM images show that AMO particles and Co3O4 QDs‐AMO have a morphology of 3D‐hexagons and nanosheets accumulated on the surface of 3D‐hexagons with an average of 36 and 28 nm in size, respectively. The Co3O4 QDs‐AMO photocatalyst was used toward the conversion of methylene blue with a removal percentage of 91%, which is 15 times more than pure AMO. The higher photoactivity of Co3O4 QDs‐AMO heterojunction should be assigned to its lower charge recombination rate compared with pure AMO nanoparticles. This heterojunction photocatalyst was removed from the mixture reaction and reused five times without a considerable decline in activity. Furthermore, a postulated mechanism by the hydroxyl radical (°OH) path was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Medications such as antioxidants and recombinant FSH are prescribed to improve sperm DFI (DNA fragmentation index) and treat infertility. Due to the high cost and duration of medications, in this study, we decided to investigate the effectiveness of combining these two medications with lower doses and in less time, compared to previous studies prescribing them individually, to reduce sperm DFI in infertile men. Methods. This study, a retrospective observational before and after trial, included a group (n = 94) of men aged 18-50 years with DFI > 20 % suffering from male factor infertility in an andrology clinic in Tehran, Iran, from 2019 to 2020. Patients received the combination of two medications, recombinant FSH every 5 days (75 IU subcutaneously) and an antioxidant every day (selenium, vitamin E, CoQ10, and folic acid) for 2 months. The patient's sperm DFI and sperm parameters have been measured before and after the medication and were reported in patient's files. In all patients, we compare the sperm DFI and sperm parameters before and after the treatment to evaluate the effect of the combination therapy. Results. The sperm DFI was significantly reduced (p value ≤0.001) in the patients treated by the combined medication. The sperm DFI improvement was 50.16% in the total population. However, there were no significant changes in other sperm parameters such as sperm concentration, total motility, progressive motility, immotile sperms, and abnormal morphology. Total sperm count and nonprogressive motility had significant changes statistically. Conclusion. Sperm DFI is an important indicator for evaluating the quality of semen. In this study, we demonstrate that the combination of recombinant FSH and antioxidants in a shorter time and with lower doses is effective in reducing DFI significantly. But in terms of other sperm parameters, it does not make a significant difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Since bread consumption has a significant role in enhancing salt intake in the human diet, this study aimed to decrease the salt level in bread while maintaining its desirable properties. The strategy of odor−taste−texture interactions was used to reduce the 50% NaCl level of the bread, in which gel emulsifier was a texture agent, cheese odor was an odor agent, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) and NaCl were taste substances. Bread characterizations (i.e., texture, structure, and mastication), properties of the bolus (i.e., texture and particle size distribution), and the sensory properties of low salt bread were investigated. Findings: Bread samples with lower porosity had a denser structure, resulting in higher hardness. The low salt bread samples, formulated with a gel emulsifier (1% of flour weight), showed lower hardness and higher porosity (%). The bread samples with higher springiness needed a longer chewing time. The bread samples with larger air cell sizes resulted in bolus with smaller particle sizes. According to sensory analysis the interactions of gel emulsifier with taste in the bread matrix increased porosity and softness perception. Conclusions: Odor−taste−texture interactions were an appropriate strategy to improve some of the sensory properties of low‐salt bread samples, such as increasing porosity, bread flavor, and softness. Significance and Novelty: The present study investigated the impact of cheese odor‐NaCl‐MSG interactions combined with a gel emulsifier on the flavor and texture characterization of low salt bread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity (PA) has been shown to have positive effects on mental well-being. However, previous research has mostly concentrated on the negative effects of inactivity on mental well-being and examined the use of PA as a preventive or therapeutic treatment for mental disorders, rather than a proactive method of enhancing mental well-being. Therefore, there is a need to consider the connection between PA and enhanced mental well-being, such as happiness. The current study sought to examine the levels of happiness among active and inactive adults. The study's participants were Iranian adults between 18 and 60 years. Data were gathered using a modified version of the 29-item Oxford 2002 Happiness Questionnaire and a researcher-developed leisure and PA questionnaire. N = 541 individuals completed the online survey, including n = 373 (68.9%) women and n = 168 (31.1%) men. More than half of Iranians (55.1%) reported low or moderate levels of happiness, and that those who engaged in active leisure pursuits reported significantly higher levels of happiness than those who were inactive during leisure time. The results of this cross-sectional study suggest that engaging in PA during leisure time predicts happiness. Encouraging Iranian adults to be more physically active during leisure time could increase happiness levels and thus contribute to the sustainable happiness and well-being of society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trunk disease is a major problem on grapevine in Zanjan province, causing serious decline, despite which its aetiology remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors involved in grapevine decline in vineyards of Zanjan province. Samples were collected from twigs and branches of grapevines in the region between October and November 2018. Fungal isolates were identified based on morphological characteristics and ITS‐rDNA sequence data for selected isolates. The frequency and diversity of the fungal community recovered from grapevines in Darreh Sejin in Zanjan province were higher than in other regions. A total of 112 fungal isolates comprising 22 species were recovered. Phaeoacremonium minimum, Microsphaeropsis olivacea and Kalmusia variispora were identified as the dominant species in the region examined and could be considered the main trunk pathogens of grapevines in Zanjan region. In inoculation tests, M. olivacea was proved to be pathogenic on grapevine for the first time in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opium use was recently classified as a human carcinogen for lung cancer by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. We conducted a large, multicenter case‐control study evaluating the association between opium use and the risk of lung cancer. We recruited 627 cases and 3477 controls from May 2017 to July 2020. We used unconditional logistic regression analyses to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) and measured the association between opium use and the risk of lung cancer. The ORs were adjusted for the residential place, age, gender, socioeconomic status, cigarettes, and water pipe smoking. We found a 3.6‐fold risk of lung cancer for regular opium users compared to never users (95% CI: 2.9, 4.6). There was a strong dose‐response association between a cumulative count of opium use and lung cancer risk. The OR for regular opium use was higher for small cell carcinoma than in other histology (8.3, 95% CI: 4.8, 14.4). The OR of developing lung cancer among opium users was higher in females (7.4, 95% CI: 3.8, 14.5) than in males (3.3, 95% CI: 2.6, 4.2). The OR for users of both opium and tobacco was 13.4 (95% CI: 10.2, 17.7) compared to nonusers of anything. The risk of developing lung cancer is higher in regular opium users, and these results strengthen the conclusions on the carcinogenicity of opium. The association is stronger for small cell carcinoma cases than in other histology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gerontology and ageing research are increasingly focussing on healthy life span (healthspan), the period of life lived free of serious disease and disability. Late‐life depression (LLD) is believed to impact adversely on physical health. However, no studies have examined its effect on healthspan. This study investigated the effect of LLD and subthreshold depression on disability‐free survival, a widely accepted measure of healthspan. Methods: This prospective cohort study used data from the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly study. Participants were aged ≥70 years (or ≥65 years for African‐American and Hispanic participants) and free of dementia, physical disability and cardiovascular disease. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 10‐item Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES‐D‐10). LLD and subthreshold depression were defined as CES‐D‐10 scores ≥8 and 3–7, respectively. Disability‐free survival was defined as survival free of dementia and persistent physical disability. Results: A total of 19,110 participants were followed up for a maximum of 7.3 years. In female participants, LLD was associated with lower disability‐free survival adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, medical comorbidities, polypharmacy, physical function and antidepressant use (HR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.23–1.82). In male participants, LLD was associated with lower disability‐free survival adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors (HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.03–1.64). Subthreshold depression was also associated with lower disability‐free survival in both sexes. Conclusions: LLD may be a common and important risk factor for shortened healthspan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer survival is a key indicator for the national cancer control programs. However, survival data in the East Mediterranean region (EMR) are limited. We designed a national cancer survival study based on population‐based cancer registries (PBCRs) from nine provinces in Iran. The current study reports 5‐year net survival of 15 cancers in Iranian adults (15‐99 years) during 2014 to 2015 in nine provinces of Iran. We used data linkages between the cancer registries and the causes of death registry and vital statistics and active follow‐up approaches to ascertain the vital status of the patients. Five‐year net survival was estimated through the relative survival analysis. We applied the international cancer survival standard weights for age standardization. Five‐year survival was highest for prostate cancer (74.9%, 95% CI 73.0, 76.8), followed by breast (74.4%, 95% CI 72.50, 76.3), bladder (70.4%, 95% CI 69.0, 71.8) and cervix (65.2%, 95% CI 60.5, 69.6). Survival was below 25% for cancers of the pancreas, lung, liver, stomach and esophagus. Iranian cancer patients experience a relatively poor prognosis as compared to those in high‐income countries. Implementation of early detection programs and improving the quality of care are required to improve the cancer survival among Iranian patients. Further studies are needed to monitor the outcomes of cancer patients in Iran and other EMR countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CeCoO3/MoS2 heterojunction was successfully prepared through the hydrothermal method. The synthesized heterojunction structure was characterized by various techniques and applied to the conversion of methylene blue (MB) under irradiation of visible light. To characterize the new heterojunction structure, Fourier transformed infrared (FT‐IR), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE‐SEM), energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDXS), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), differential reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses were used. The FE‐SEM images illustrated the successful deposition of MoS2 flower‐like on the surface of CeCoO3 perovskite with 46 nm as an average size. The influence of the amount of catalyst, temperature, pH, and electron acceptor were investigated. By CeCoO3/MoS2 heterostructures photocatalyst, the conversion rate of MB reached 98% within 20 min, whereas by CeCoO3 perovskite no significant conversion was observed in MB. The higher photocatalytic performance of CeCoO3/MoS2 heterostructures is assigned to their lower charge recombination compared to CeCoO3 perovskite. Moreover, the photocatalytic mechanism and recycling experiments of CeCoO3/MoS2 heterostructures are discussed in detail. The CeCoO3/MoS2 heterostructures are thus promising photocatalysts for the cleanup of polluted water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The artificial neural network (ANN) method and response surface methodology (RSM) were used to predict the bubble departure frequency for the pool‐boiling heat transfer of pure liquids, by using experimental data. The effects of vapor‐liquid density difference, vapor‐liquid viscosity difference, surface tension, thermal conductivity, and heat flux on the departure frequency of vapor bubbles were investigated by RSM and ANN. The results showed that the outputs of the ANN and RSM had a suitable overlap with the experimental data, but the RSM model was more accurate than the ANN model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the hand anthropometric dimensions and strengths of three different occupations. A cross‐sectional study was designed to measure 34 hand dimensions and 4 hand strengths of 558 participants consisted of office workers, vehicle mechanics, and farmers. A digital caliper, a hand dynamometer, and a pinch meter were used to collect data. Percentile values for each measurement were tabulated at the 5th, 50th, and 95th percentile levels. The analysis of variance, t test, and Cohen's d were performed to assess the differences in anthropometric variables between groups of workers. The findings demonstrated statistically significant differences in the mean size and strength of the hands across three occupations. Office workers' hands were significantly smaller than those of car mechanics and farmers, particularly in terms of hand depths and widths. Car mechanics' hand circumferences were bigger than those of farmers. Office workers produced the weakest hand strengths. Wrist breadth of workers showed the highest correlation with hand strengths. Compared to other studies, the hands of Iranian workers were wider and thicker, but the length of their hands was similar. Given the significant variances in hand anthropometry between occupational categories, these differences should be incorporated into the design and selection of hand‐related products such as gloves and hand tools for each group of workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND A combination of magnetic solid‐phase extraction using an efficient and cheap magnetic sorbent obtained from sand and dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction has been developed for the extraction of nine multiclass pesticides (clodinafop‐propargyl, haloxyfop‐R‐methyl, fenoxaprop‐P‐ethyl, oxadiazon, penconazole, diniconazole, chlorpyrifos, fenazaquin, and fenpropathrin) from commercial fruit juices (sour cherry, pomegranate, grape, watermelon, orange, apricot, and peach juices). The enriched pesticides were determined by gas chromatography–flame ionization detector and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The sorbent was natural iron oxide entrapped in silica along with some impurities. In this method, to extract the analytes from the samples, an appropriate amount of the magnetic sorbent (at mg level) is added. Then the sorbent particles are isolated from the solution using an external magnetic field and the adsorbed analytes are desorbed from the sorbent by acetone. In the following, a dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction procedure is carried out to concentrate the analytes more and to reach low limits of detection. RESULTS: Under optimized extraction conditions, the method revealed satisfactory repeatability (relative standard deviation ≤8% for intra‐day and inter‐day precision), reasonable extraction recovery (43.3–55.9%), high enrichment factors (433–559), and low limits of detection (0.45–0.89 μg L−1). CONCLUSION: The method was applied in the analysis of pesticides in various fruit juices. Chlorpyrifos was found in peach juice at a concentration of 27 ± 2 μg L−1 (n = 3) using a gas chromatography–flame ionization detector. To verify the results, the peach juice was also injected into gas chromatography–mass spectrometry after applying the proposed extraction method. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human herpes viruses (HHVs) are among the most common infectious agents detected in the gastrointestinal tract that might be involved in oncogenesis and other gastrointestinal disorders. Although the link between the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and gastric cancer (GC) has been established, the role of the viruses in various stomach diseases remains unknown. The frequencies and viral copy number of EBV, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV‐6) among 50 gastric cancer tumors and 105 chronic gastritis tissues were measured by quantitative real‐time PCR. In the tumor specimens and the adjacent normal tissues EBV was found in 60% and 30.9%, CMV in 14% and 4.7%, and HHV‐6 in 18%, and 14.2%, respectively. The detection rate of EBV and CMV was found to be significantly higher in tumor tissues relative to the adjacent normal tissues. Also, in chronic gastritis, the frequency of EBV, CMV, and HHV‐6 was 19%, 12.3%, and 15.2%, respectively, compared with 16.4%, 1.1%, and 8.2% in their corresponding normal tissues. Here, the CMV frequency was found to be significantly higher in gastritis tissues relative to the adjacent normal tissues. Furthermore, viral load in both gastric cancer and gastritis groups was higher in either tumor or gastritis lesion compared with matched adjacent normal tissue. This study showed a clear association between gastric cancer with both EBV and CMV. Meanwhile, analyses revealed a strong association between the EBV, CMV, and HHV‐6 viral loads with gastritis (P = 0.0026, P < 0.0001, and P = 0.0405, respectively). Our results suggest that these three viruses might contribute to the induction and development the gastritis and gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, iron (III) oxinate magnetic nanocomposite was synthesized and employed as an efficient sorbent for the magnetic dispersive solid‐phase extraction of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from honey samples. In the following, dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction procedure was used for further preconcentration of the analytes. The prepared sorbent was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry, X‐ray diffractometry, vibrating sample magnetometry, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The results verified the successful formation of the magnetic sorbent. In the extraction process, the sorbent was added into an aqueous solution and the mixture was vortexed. After completing the adsorption process, the supernatant phase was separated in the presence of a magnet and the analytes adsorbed onto sorbent were eluted by acetonitrile. Then, microliter‐level 1,1,1–trichloroethane was mixed with the obtained acetonitrile and injected into NaCl solution. Finally, one microliter of the sedimented phase was injected into gas chromatography‐flame ionization detector after centrifugation. Under the optimum conditions, a great repeatability (relative standard deviation equal or less than 5 and 6% for intra– and interday precisions, respectively), acceptable extraction recoveries (59–84%), high enrichment factors (118–168), and low limits of detection and quantification (0.16–0.36 and 0.56–1.22 ng/g, respectively) were acquired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prevention of complications and successful control of diabetes require preventive and therapeutic measures. Patients' nonadherence to medication and diet regimens and healthcare protocols is associated with significant therapeutic and economic consequences. The present scoping review aims to identify determinants of poor treatment adherence among patients with type 2 diabetes and limited health literacy in 2021. This scoping review was conducted in five stages: designing a research question, searching and extracting related studies, selecting related studies, tabulating information, and reporting results. Data were collected from six foreign electronic databases (Embase, Science Direct, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science) and four Iranian electronic databases (MagIran, SID, IranDoc, and IranMedex) using keywords "Type 2 diabetes", "barriers", "treatment", "medication", "adherence", "non-adherence", "limited adherence", and "limited health literacy" from January 2010 to November 2021. From an initial 146 articles, 18 articles were eligible for review. Eighteen studies involving 3925 patients with T2DM from eight countries were included. The prevalence of nonadherence ranged from 42% to 74.3%. Barriers to treatment adherence, which were common among the articles, included economic problems, poor communication with healthcare team, lack of family support, lack of knowledge, misconceptions, and limited health literacy. The results of the present study provided modifiable and nonmodifiable factors affecting treatment adherence among patients with type 2 diabetes. Modifiable factors are essential by performing appropriate interventions with the target group and health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) as a component in the hydrological cycle is calculated using many methods. In this study, the capability of four data‐driven methods including artificial neural network (ANN), adaptive neuro‐fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), support vector machine (SVM), and M5 tree model has been evaluated for daily ETo estimation at the south of the Caspian Sea. Different combinations of climatic data, solar radiation (Rs), mean air temperature (Tmean), mean relative humidity (RHmean), and wind speed (U) during 1991–2020 were used as input variables. The data were divided into training and test data. The values generated from the methods were compared with those of the FAO‐56 Penman‐Monteith as a standard method. The results indicated that the accuracy of ANFIS was increased for estimating ETo, especially in validation phase, when all climatic variables were used as inputs in the synoptic stations. Totally, based on the evaluation of the performances, it was created that the ANFIS with Tmean, RHmean, Rs, and U variables had the best accuracy, while the ANN, SVM, and M5 with only one input of U had the worst performance. The ANFIS with Tmean and Rs was recommended for modelling ETo if there are fewer climatic variables in these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A temperature‐induced counter‐current homogenous liquid‐liquid extraction procedure performed in a burette has been proposed for the isolation of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 from various fruit chip samples. In this method, a homogenous solution of deionized water and cyclohexylamine is added to the solid sample and the resulted mixture is vortexed. In the following, the liquid phase is taken and passed through the burette filled with a mixture of calcium oxide (as a phase separation agent) and sand (to avoid clumping the calcium oxide). By doing so, the temperature of the solution is increased by hydration of calcium oxide and consequently, the homogenous state is broken and the aflatoxins are migrated into the resulted tiny droplets of cyclohexylamine. This phase is collected on the top of the solution owing to its low density with respect to an aqueous solution. Numerous parameters which can affect the efficiency of the suggested approach were evaluated and under the best situations, great repeatability, low limits of determination and quantification, and high extraction recoveries were acquired. In the end, the suggested approach was employed for the quantification of the selected aflatoxins in various fruit chips samples marketed in Tabriz City, Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To characterize results of short-wavelength autofluorescent (SW-AF) and near-infrared confocal reflectance scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (NIR-cR SLO) imaging in cystic diabetic macular edema (DME). Design. Cross-sectional study. Participants: 104 eyes from 52 naïve treatment patients with DME and mild to moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) Methods: complete ocular examination, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and imaging were performed. Results. In NIR-cR SLO, small/medium and large-sized cysts presented with decreased and increased reflectance, respectively. In SW-AF, increased and decreased autofluorescence, corresponding to medium-/large- and small-sized cysts were noted. Mainly, the lower NIR reflectance was associated with petaloid edema pattern in SW-AF (P = 0.011), BCVA (logMAR) (P = 0.056), subretinal fluid (P = 0.035), and the involved layers of retina by cysts (P < 0.001) in Pearson chi-square test. Fair agreement of 0.31 (P < 0.001) between NIR-cR SLO and late FA leakage was found by the weighted kappa test. In regression analysis, NIR-cR SLO abnormality is highly correlated with outer and inner nuclear layers location of the cystic changes. Conclusions. The size of cysts and involved layers affect presenting features of SW-AF and NIR reflectance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has led many healthcare systems to become overwhelmed, and caused many frontline providers to feel fatigued and exhausted and experience severe emotional trauma. Nurses are the largest group of the world's frontline providers and it is clear that their resilience to threatening factors is critical in the current crisis. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the level of resilience in nurses working in COVID‐19 centers in Iran. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted with 250 nurses working at three COVID‐19 centers in northwest Iran. The participants were recruited using simple random sampling. The Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale was used to collect the data. Results: The highest level of resilience was related to spiritual influences, while the lowest was the trust in their instincts and tolerance of negative emotions. Furthermore, the level of resilience was significantly higher in nurses with better family support (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Given the role of resilience in nurses' mental health, it is vital to support the nursing staff in critical situations and improve their resilience by focusing particularly on psychological and spiritual support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]