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Background: Tinnitus treatment remains a global challenge, and current therapeutic approaches are still controversial. This study aims to elucidate the potential mechanisms of Xiao-Chai-Hu-Tang (XCHT) in treating tinnitus through the analysis of network pharmacology, mendelian randomization and molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation analysis. We hope to contribute to the research on the target of action of traditional Chinese medicine and exploration of the mechanism of tinnitus. Methods: We utilized network pharmacology to screen potential targets of action of XCHT on tinnitus. Mendelian randomization was employed to determine the causal relationship between potential targets of action and tinnitus. Finally, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation with clear targets and the combination of the active ingredient in effectiveness. Results: Through network pharmacology, we identified 38 potential targets of action. Mendelian randomization analysis revealed that HIF1A (OR [95 % CI] = 0.78 [0.65, 0.94], P = 0.008) and CCND1 (OR [95 % CI] = 1.22 [1.00, 1.49], P = 0.04) exhibited significant results with tinnitus. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation of HIF1A and active ingredients demonstrated good binding efficacy. Conclusion: HIF1A may play a key role in the treatment of tinnitus by XCHT, which may play a certain protective role in tinnitus patients and may inhibit the occurrence and development of tinnitus. However, the specific mechanism and effect need to be further studied and verified.

Several methods have been developed to computationally predict cell-types for single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) data. As methods are developed, a common problem for investigators has been identifying the best method they should apply to their specific use-case. To address this challenge, we present CHAI (consensus Clustering tHrough similArIty matrix integratIon for single cell-type identification), a wisdom of crowds approach for scRNAseq clustering. CHAI presents two competing methods which aggregate the clustering results from seven state-of-the-art clustering methods: CHAI-AvgSim and CHAI-SNF. CHAI-AvgSim and CHAI-SNF demonstrate superior performance across several benchmarking datasets. Furthermore, both CHAI methods outperform the most recent consensus clustering method, SAME-clustering. We demonstrate CHAI's practical use case by identifying a leader tumor cell cluster enriched with CDH3. CHAI provides a platform for multiomic integration, and we demonstrate CHAI-SNF to have improved performance when including spatial transcriptomics data. CHAI overcomes previous limitations by incorporating the most recent and top performing scRNAseq clustering algorithms into the aggregation framework. It is also an intuitive and easily customizable R package where users may add their own clustering methods to the pipeline, or down-select just the ones they want to use for the clustering aggregation. This ensures that as more advanced clustering algorithms are developed, CHAI will remain useful to the community as a generalized framework. CHAI is available as an open source R package on GitHub: https://github.com/lodimk2/chai. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic data play a significant role in the interpretation of various geologic structures using depth estimation methods and edge detection filters. In this study, we applied methods based on directional derivatives such as tilt-depth (TD), signum transform (ST), source distance (SD) and classical Euler deconvolution (ED) to estimate the depth of the magnetic sources. Moreover, to enhance the edges of magnetic field anomalies, we utilize the total horizontal derivative (THD), analytical signal (AS), tilt angle (TA), theta map (TM), hyperbolic tilt angle (HTA), the tilt angle of horizontal derivative (TAHG), and logistic function of total horizontal gradient (LTHD). These algorithms are tested on a synthetic magnetic model with noise and free noise to understand their performance. Since the edge detection filters are sensitive to noise, we carry out an upward continuation (UC) filter before the reduction of data to magnetic the pole to reduce the noise effect. After comparing the efficiency of the approaches in estimating the depth and horizontal lateral boundaries, these methods were applied to the data surveyed from the Aji-Chai salt dome in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. The results obtained by the depth determination methods were compared with the drilling report of Iran’s geological survey and three-dimensional classical Euler deconvolution method.

Rivers play an essential role in supplying high-quality water to diverse sectors. Understanding water quality indicators and systematic monitoring is crucial for water resources management and macro-level decision-making. In this context, the forthcoming article delves into the simulation of three crucial parameters, namely EC, SAR, and TDS, through a reach of 106 km length along the Aji-Chai River, Iran, encompassing stations from Markid, Khajeh, Akhola, and Serin Dizj. This simulation employs three advanced machine learning models: SVM, GEP, and MLP, in conjunction with the QUAL2Kw mathematical simulator. The study meticulously evaluates the performance of these models using four key indices: RMSE, MAE, R2, and DDR. The calculated results unequivocally establish the superiority of the SVM in simulating three essential water quality parameters across all stations. This is supported by consistently high R2 and DDR values, along with low RMSE and MAE values. While the mathematical model used in this study showed reasonable accuracy in simulating the parameters under investigation, it consistently performed less effectively than the SVM model. In summary, the SVM model with specific parameters (C = 68.5, ε = 4.55, and γ = 205) emerges as the optimal choice for accurately simulating river water quality parameters based on the conducted study.

Objective: Radix Bupleuri and Radix Paeoniae Alba are referred to as Chai-Hu and Bai-Shao, respectively, in Chinese. We used molecular docking and network pharmacological approaches to explore the active components of this Chinese herb combination which is commonly used for treating Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the Chai-Hu and Bai-Shao pair (CBP). Materials and Methods: The active compounds and action targets of Chai-Hu and Bai-Shao were identified in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database, and the Therapeutic Target Database, DrugBank, GenCards, DisGeNET, and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man databases were used to identify therapeutic targets in patients with AD. To identify a common target of CBP in the treatment of AD, we used the Metascape tool to perform Gene Ontology function enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses. In addition, CBP-AD protein–protein interaction (PPI) and herb-component-target networks were created using Cytoscape 3.8.2. Molecular docking was verified using AutoDock tools. Results We identified 20 active compounds of CBP, 202 active targets, 1,323 disease targets, and 117 active compound disease intersection targets; the PPI network showed that the top eight key targets were AKT1, interleukin (IL) 6, JUN, MAPK1, tumor necrosis factor, TP53, vascular endothelial growth factor, and epidermal growth factor. These act mainly on the fluid shear stress, atherosclerosis, IL-17, hypoxia-inducible factor-1, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease pathways, among others, which control immune inflammation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. Based on molecular docking results, the active components of CBP bind well to its key targets. Conclusion Our results indicated that CBP was effective for treating AD by reducing the expression of inflammatory factors, promoting cell proliferation and differentiation, and preventing nerve cell death and anti-neuronal cell apoptosis.

IntroductionThe study of surface water quality control in water resources and environment management programs is very important. Surface water is one of the most important water sources that have crucial impact on agricultural, industrial, drinking and electricity production activities. Due to insufficient water sources with good quality and the increase in population growth rate and as a result of the increase in demand, the study of water quality parameters is very important. The Water Quality Index (WQI) serves as a prominent indicator in classifying surface water quality. Moreover, in recent years, the TOPSIS method has gained traction for evaluating water quality. This approach, known for its simplicity, is increasingly utilized in prioritizing river water and assessing its quality. Through this index, various components of water quality are condensed into a single numerical value, effectively expressing overall water quality. To ascertain the weight index, Shannon's entropy method was employed. Furthermore, to assess water suitability for drinking, agriculture, and industrial purposes, Schuler, Wilcox, and Piper diagrams were utilized. These diagrams provide valuable insights into the quality of water, aiding in decision-making processes regarding its utilization across different sectors. Therefore, the results of this study also confirmed the effectiveness of the TOPSIS method in identifying contaminated stations.Materials and MethodsThis research focuses on evaluating the water quality of three stations within the Aji Chai river watershed on an annual basis. These stations are identified as Arzanag, Akhola, and Markid. The assessment spans the years 2003 to 2021 and aims to classify water quality for both drinking and agricultural purposes. Utilizing the standards set forth by the World Health Organization, the surface water quality index of the Aji Chai basin is investigated to ascertain its suitability for drinking purposes. Shannon's entropy theory was used to prevent expert judgments in determining the weight of each parameter. TOPSIS method was used to classify eleven qualities including TDS, EC, pH, HCO3-, Cl-, , Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+ , K+ and TH. In all the three stations water quality were ranked, based on TOPSIS numerical values. Also, in order to check the quality of drinking, agricultural and industrial water, Schuler, Wilcox and Piper diagrams were used. Results and DiscussionThe initial findings from the %RE error analysis revealed that throughout the entire statistical period (2003-2021), the %RE values were consistently close to zero, with the majority being positive. This suggests that the total number of cations surpasses the total number. In terms of the Shannon water quality index, the results indicate that Markid station exhibited the highest index value at 945.92, while Arzanag station displayed the lowest value at 127.365 among the surveyed stations. The results of the water quality index showed that Arzanag and Akhola stations are in an average condition (100 < EWQI < 150) and Markid station is in a very poor condition (EWQI > 200). According to Schuler's diagram, it was found that the water of Arzanag station is in the average level in terms of water quality, which is in a good position in terms of quality compared to the other two stations, while the water of Akhola station is in a good position. In the range of poor quality, Markid water was undrinkable, which ranked worst among the three stations. According to the Wilcox diagram, it was found that the water quality of Markid is very poor, which is even outside the boundary of the Wilcox diagram, while the water of Arzanag station was ranked 1st in terms of quality. Arzanag water is in C4S2 class in terms of quality. Finally, the water class of Akhola station was placed in the C4S4 class (in the Wilcox chart), which shows very low water quality. According to the TOPSIS method, the first priority in terms of water quality pollution belonged to Markid station. Two other stations, including Akhola and Arzanag, were ranked second and third in this respect. Therefore, the most important station in this basin is Markid station. ConclusionThe results of Shannon water quality index showed that among the stations, the highest index value is related to Markid station with a value of 945.92 and the lowest one is related to Arzanag station with a value of 127.365. According to Schoeller diagram, it was found that the water quality of Arzanag station is average, compared to the other two stations, it was in the right place and the water of Akhola station was in the range of poor quality. The quality of Markid water was found to be undrinkable, which was the worst one among all the three stations. The range of TOPSIS values in different stations is between 0.054 and 0.894, which belonged to the Arzanag and Markid stations, respective ly. According to the results of the Arzanag station, the best water quality condition and the Markid station were assigned the worst water quality condition among all the three stations.

Objective: To explore the characteristics of Xiao Chai Hu (XCH) decoction in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using a bibliometric method. Methods: Seven databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP) and Wanfang database were retrieved from inception to May 27, 2022. In the study, XCH decoction (or modified) used alone or combined with conventional Western medicine as an intervention measure was included. The basic characteristics, funding support, relevant diseases, intervention methods, and adverse events (AEs) were analyzed. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 software. Results: A total of 813 RCTs were included, published from 1989 to 2022. There was only one English-language literature with the recent impact factor of 5.374. There were 147 studies were from Chinese-language core journals, with the highest impact factor of 2.414. Only 6.15% of the literatures mentioned funding support. 96.31% of the included literature reported the statistical significance of using XCH decoction. The diseases treated mainly included chronic hepatitis B (9.35%), cough variant asthma (5.66%), dizziness (5.54%), bile reflux gastritis (4.43%), and fever (4.18%). However, the overall research design of the included literature was poor, and large sample size, multicenter RCTs are needed. The incidence of AEs of XCH decoction alone was 8.86%, which was significantly lower than that of conventional Western medicine treatment. The combination of XCH decoction and conventional Western medicine treatment could reduce the incidence of AEs, and no serious adverse event was reported. Conclusion: Although the included studies show that XCH decoction is widely used, and has good efficacy and few AEs. Due to the low quality of the included RCTs, there may be some bias, and its rational use based on the specific conditions is recommended in clinical practice.

AbstractEnvironmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding permits a new measurement to monitor biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems. This study utilized eDNA metabarcoding to examine the seasonal and spatial distribution of phytoplankton and their relationship with environmental factors in the Chai River, Kunming, China, in the dry, and wet seasons. The process detected 108 genera of phytoplankton, which were members of 11 phyla, 41 orders, and 60 families. Distinct differences in seasonal and spatial distribution patterns of phytoplankton diversity, including community structure, α-diversity, and representative functional groups, were observed. In the dry season, Pseudanabaena, Microcystis, and Synechococcus were the predominant genera in Cyanophyta, and Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta and Euglenophyta were predominant in the eukaryotic phytoplankton. While in the wet season, Cylindrospermopsis, Microcystis, and Planktothrix predominated in the Cyanophyta, and Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta and Xanthophyta predominated in the eukaryotic phytoplankton. Significant differences were shown by a principal coordinate analysis and PERMANOVA test among the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the phytoplankton communities except for the cyanobacterial community structure between the upper and lower reaches at the wet season (p > 0.05). The representative functional groups of phytoplankton varied from A, D, E, LM, L0, N, S1, MP, P, TB, TC, U, W0, W1, Xph, Y, and Z in the dry season to A, B, D, E, F, J, MP, LM, S1, SN, TC, P, W0, W1, X2, and Y in the wet season. Significant differences in the water temperature (WT), pH, chemical oxygen demand, oxygen consumed, nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N), and chlorophyll a were exhibited between the dry and wet seasons (p

In Tanzania, agriculture sector is known for employing more than 70% of the total population. Agriculture sector faces many challenges including climate change. Climate change causes low productivity in agriculture; low productivity is caused due to poor implementation of agricultural policies and strategies. This poor implementation of policies has also caused many farmers to be not competent in climate change adaptation. Over the years, provisions of agricultural advice and extension were provided by various approaches, including training and visit extension, participatory approaches, and farmers' field schools. However, provision of agricultural advisory and extension service is inefficient. Also, in most cases the usage of most agricultural innovations and technologies developed is limited. A literature review indicates that the main reasons given by Tanzanian farmers for not using improved technology are not lack of knowledge or skill, but rather that the technologies do not contribute towards improvements (e.g., the technologies are not profitable or they imply to high risk). Thus, agricultural extension service needs to be geared towards teaching farmers how to develop innovative and cost effective technologies that are contextualized. Limited numbers of agricultural extension staff and less interactivity of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), such as radio and television, have been mentioned to be among the factors limiting the provision of agricultural advisory and extension services to the majority of farmers in Tanzania. The advancements in ICTs have brought new opportunities for enhancing access to agricultural advisory and extension service for climate change adaptation. In Tanzania, farmers and other actors access agricultural information from various sources such as agricultural extension workers and use of various databases from Internet Services Providers. Also there are different web- and mobile-based farmers' advisory information systems to support conventional agricultural extension service. These systems are producing bulk amounts of data which makes it difficult for different stakeholders to make an informed decision after data analysis. This calls for the need to develop a tool for data visualization in order to understand hidden patterns from massive data. In this study, a semi-automated text classification was developed to determine the frequently asked keywords from a web and mobile based farmers' advisory system called "UshauriKilimo" after being in use for more than 2 years by more than 700 farmers.

Spi Rais anticline (East part of major Bekhair anticline) and western part of Chia Gara anticline were chosen to study joint paths. They are located within the highly folded zone of the western zagros fold and thrust belt, Iraqi segment. These anticlines arranged in an en-echelon pattern and they expose rocks range in age from Late Cretaceous to Late Miocene. The Late Cretaceous (Campanian – Maastrichtian) succession represented by Bekhme and Shiranish Formations. The lithologies of these rocks are competent and consist of limestone, dolomitic limestone and marly limestone whichare favorable to joint development. Different types of joints were developed in such rocks due to stresses resulted from collision between Arabian and Eurasian (Turkish and Iranian) plates. The joint sets and systems are the most abundant fractures in the rocks of the study area. The chronological relationships of the joints refer that the area had witnessed multiple tectonic pulses in the form of compressional and extensional stresses. The stereonet and the Win – Tensor programs were used to plot the attitudes of joints and deduce their paleostresss orientations. Furthermore, the orientations of deduced paleostresses were plotted onto geological map of investigated area and simulated as paleo trajectories as well. The deduced paleostress direction responsible for folding in traverse 1 was (356° - 195°), in traverse 2 (330° - 168°) and in traverse 3 (353°- 163°).

The importance of the optimal and efficient use of all available water resources becomes noticeable when today due to successive droughts and a decrease in rainfall, the surface water resources are running out. Runoff and surface water resources are some of the primary and vital available water resources, and hence, modeling and predicting their behavior are especially critical. In the current research, the aim was to model the stream flow of the Chehel Chai watershed in Golestan province, Iran, using the data of the stream flow and precipitation for a period of 45 years. For this reason, 4 machine learning algorithms namely, Extreme Learning Machine (ELM), Random Forest (RF), Gaussian Process Regression (GPR), and Gene Expression Programming (GEP) were used. The data were entered into the modeling in the form of different scenarios consisting of the stream flow and precipitation with varying lags of time. The results showed that scenario M2 (using only stream flow data with two time lags) in the ELM (extreme learning machine) model with the values of RMSE (root mean square error) =0.984 (m3/s) and R2=0.613 had the most accurate performance and predictions among all the models and scenarios.

The present study was conducted to assess the water quality of the Balighli-Chai and Ghare-Sou Rivers, the main rivers of Ardabil Province, Iran. The levels of dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), nitrate (NO3) and phosphate (PO4) were measured and simulated using the QUAL2Kw model during low- and high-water periods. Also, self-purification capacity and total maximum daily load (TMDL) levels of water quality parameters were calculated. The obtained results indicated considerable differences between the levels simulated by the model from the measured data for both rivers. Most of the river sections had low self-purification capacities. Maximum self-purification capacity (%) were: high water period: DO = -226.61; BOD5 = 90/30; NO3 = 99.88; PO4 = 96.49; low water period: DO = -281.71; BOD5 = 89.13; NO3 = 94.74; PO4 = 90.21. TMDL scores for DO, BOD5 and NO3 were higher during the high-water period, but entire sections of both rivers showed high excess loads of PO4. The results showed that most ranges of both rivers didn't have appropriate water quality conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to make proper decisions to control pollution levels and improve water quality in this basin

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Urbanization of catchment regions is a major cause of freshwater ecosystem degradation worldwide. As catchments become more developed and river ecosystems become increasingly engulfed in various land use activities, there is a growing need to understand these impacts on freshwater ecosystems. Macroinvertebrate are extensively used as indicators of ecosystem health and have been an instrument tool in ecosystem monitoring and management. Five stations with different types of land use (reference station, forest, recreational, agricultural, urban area) of Chehel Chai River, Iran were sampled in 2018. A total of 2040 macroinvertebrate belonging to 6 orders from 12 families were identified. The highest abundance was related to the diversity of the Ephemeroptera (Batidae). According to the results, the abundance of macroinvertebrate was significantly different in the seasons and sampling stations. The maximum value of diversity indices was measured to the Shannon index (S1= 1.06, autumn), Simpson's Index (S1= 0.63, autumn), Margalef richness (S1= 0.9, spring) and Pielou's index (S3= 0.92, summer). Stations in up-stream (forest area) recorded highest species richness, abundance and proportion of sensitive macroinvertebrates compared to the agricultural and urban development area. Cluster and nMDS analysis revealed that among the macroinvertebrates, Ephemeroptera were distinct in the forest sites and Diptera and Oligochaeta in urban area of Chehel Chai River. This finding suggests that present environment problem (such as: agriculture, tourism and urban area) caused serious impacts on the biodiversity of Chehel Chai River.

Introduction: Increasing the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is a major cause of climate change that has led to degradation in natural ecosystems and incidence of various environmental problems such as imbalances in hydrologic, nutrients, and carbon cycles in nature. Land surface cover, which has an important role in carbon sequestration, has been strongly influenced by human activities and gradually degraded over time and created a number of challenges in the behavior of watersheds. Therefore, worldwide rehabilitation and restoration of watersheds through the implementation of a variety of mechanical and biological measures have been considered by policymakers, managers, and technical experts. For instance, various watershed management projects (tree sapling, permanent forage cultivation, and terracing) have been implemented with the participation of stakeholders to improve conditions in the Dehchenashk sub-watershed of the Chehl-Chai watershed, where is considered as the most critically degraded watershed of the Golestan Province, northeastern Iran. Therefore, this research was carried out to evaluate the effects of land cover and various management measures on the amount of carbon sequestration in surface soil layer through a comparative analysis between two sub-watersheds of Dehchenashk (treatment) and Chamanie-bala (control).Material and methods: In the present study, the effect of management measures on carbon sequestration in areas under management measures (treatment) and types of land use (forest, croplands, and orchards) was studied. The croplands and orchards as controls and terracing and tree saplings activities (biological measures) as the treatment measures were compared in terms of carbon sequestration. Sampling was conducted using randomly selected plots along the defined transects. Within each plot, above-ground biomass was measured for crops and trees. Also, the effect of management measures on improving land cover and reducing soil erosion from viewpoints of the local stakeholders was carried out using the questionnaire survey.Results and discussion: The results showed that the average of biomass carbon sequestration (ton/ha) in both treatment and control sub-watersheds in dense (5.10 and 4.91), low-density (4.98 and 4.80), and degraded forests (4.27, 95 and 95) was more than walnut (Juglans regia) (3.08 and 2.85) and apple (Malus pumila) (2.21 and 2.00) orchards, and croplands cultivated with alfalfa (Medicago sativa) (1.55 and 1.50), wheat (Triticum aestivum) (1.40 and 1.32), lentil (Lens culinaris) (1.38 and 1.30), and barley (Hordeum vulgare) (1.26 and 1.19), respectively. Regarding biological practices carried out in the treatment sub-watershed, the average carbon sequestration in walnut orchards (2.72) was higher than pear (Pyrus communis) (1.88) and cherry (Cerasus avium) (1.66) orchards and terraced lands cultivated with alfalfa (1.65), wheat (1.50) and lentil (1.40). Also, statistical comparison using T-test between high density, low-density, and degraded forests and apple orchards and barley croplands showed no statistically significant difference at 5% level. The amount of sequestrated biomass carbon in walnut, pear, and cherry orchards and terraced lands cultivated with lentil, alfalfa, and wheat showed significant differences in comparison with the control lands. Moreover, the evaluation of viewpoints of the local stakeholders on the effect of management measures implemented in the Deh-Chanashk sub-watershed, indicated that they believe that the implemented watershed management practices have played a significant role in improving the sub-watershed condition in terms of land cover, soil stabilization, and soil erosion reduction.Conclusion: Therefore, among the watershed management measures undertaken, extending the orchard plantation, particularly walnut plantation, to croplands on the steep slopes is recommended as a high priority management option across the study region due to higher ability to carbon sequestration as well as soil erosion prevention.

Introduction Proper management of catchments is one of the most important ways to make optimal use of water and soil resources. In our country, most of the catchments, especially the mountainous catchments, do not have enough hydrometric and sedimentation stations. This fact makes any development and management plans difficult. Hydrologists and water resources researchers have come up with various solutions but none of them have been completely successful (Roustamiyan et al., 1999; 588 & Shaygan et al., 2011; 2). On the other hand, the limited methods of measurement in hydrology and the need to have a method to generalize the available statistics to areas without statistics or places where measurement is not possible. Also, simulating future hydrological changes is one of the main reasons for hydrological simulation (Beven & Binley, 2001; 46). The ability of the SWAT model to simulate the complex hydrological processes of watersheds in the GIS environment distinguishes this model from integrated models in which larger user units are the basis of operation. Data and Method The study area is part of the Qizil Üzan River. Shahar Chai basin along with other rivers such as Zanjan Chai, Aydughmush, and Qaranquchay is one of the sub-branches of Qizil Üzan that flows northwest and north of the basin and joins near the Myaneh city. The data used in this study include a digital elevation model of 1: 10000 of mapping organization, land use, soil, precipitation, minimum and maximum temperature, wind speed, solar radiation, relative daily humidity of synoptic stations, Sarab, Heris, Bostan Abad, Charoymaq and Runoff and the sediment of Shahar Chai station. In the watershed of Shahar Chai, a soil map prepared by natural resources of East Azerbaijan province has been used. Based on these maps, 21 soil texture classes can be distinguished in the whole basin. Also, based on the land use map, six land use classes in the area were identified. Results and Discussion After parameterization and data entry, the simulation was performed for 20 years from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2019, based on a monthly time step. To determine the degree of sensitivity of flow parameters in the SWAT model, sensitivity analysis was performed using the SUFI-2 method for 25 selected runoff parameters and 15 selected sedimentation parameters. Using validation results to remove parameters that are less sensitive from the calibration process, it is decided that finally the parameters with lower sensitivity were removed and 13 parameters for runoff and 7 parameters for sediment were selected that were more sensitive. The calibration model for runoff and sediment was done in one step with 1500 simulations in three replications. The calibration process ends when, based on the objective function, the coefficients required for evaluation are acceptable. According to the obtained results, all the evaluation criteria of the model in the simulation of runoff and sediment are allowed. Conclusion Examination of the results of the SUFI-2 method in the Shahar Chai basin showed that, based on the evaluation criteria of the coefficients of determination and Nash-Sutcliffe, both in the calibration and validation stages, it has good results in this basin. But they can't predict peak discharge and sediments well. To better determine the performance of the model, first of all, it is recommended that the statistics of stations and numerous and daily runoff and sedimentation measurements should be used instead of monthly, if any, in a basin, to compare their results. Secondly, to achieve the desired results, this model should be used in comparison with other simulation models in this basin and adjacent basins.

Objective: To validate the 10-item Consumer Health Activation Index (CHAI), developed in the United States, as an activation measure for interventions targeted at the Australian older general population. Methods: The study was a cross sectional design. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on survey data from a community sample of participants (n = 250), aged 55–75 years. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate dimensionality among a second sample of participants randomly sampled from the electoral roll (n = 571), aged 50–75 years. Associations between the CHAI and self-reported health behaviours were examined. Results: EFA revealed a 7-item, two-factor structure (‘Health self-management’ and ‘Patient-provider engagement’). CFA indicated optimum model fit was obtained with this structure. Subscale reliability and validity were confirmed, with significant correlation to age, functional health literacy and health screening. Conclusion: In contrast to the original structure, optimum model fit was obtained with a two-factor solution and retention of seven items. The subscales have utility as a measure of health activation for tailoring of information in this group. Innovation: A freely-available, unidimensional health activation measure has demonstrated an underlying two-scale structure that will enable tailored approaches toward the enhancement and maintenance of self- and externally-managed health behaviours in an Australian population.

The application of passive defensive principles and measures as a set of precautions, unarmed actions, and non-violent designs in human settlements such as villages reduces vulnerability and increases the capacity of rural settlements to cope with natural and man-made threats. Therefore, rural housing and infrastructure are the most important physical elements of rural areas that require fundamental attention. The purpose of this article is to establish a relationship between the form of housing and rural infrastructure with passive defensive principles, and to attempt to identify and rank various non-military defense elements within the Yaseh Chai rural defense system in order to understand how defense and defensive architecture affect its physical form, and ultimately ensure the sustainability of the rural area against critical conditions. The methodology of this research is a combination of two descriptive-analytical and survey methods, by a practical development approach, using a questionnaire as a tool. The data analysis was carried out using software such as GRAPHER, VISIO, SPSS, and other statistical programs, while VIKOR technique was used for ranking the criteria. Based on the results obtained from the VIKOR modeling, the spatial analysis of the architectural and urban structure of Yaseh Chai village is based on non-operational defense criteria, such as "hiding the village's appearance with local materials" and "predicting the stair-shaped form of houses to reduce damage caused by the destruction of houses" as well as "suitable village location based on suitable and fertile soil for agriculture, horticulture and farming to provide for the economic needs of the inhabitants." These factors have received the highest scores, while factors such as "predicting mosques and Husseiniyahs in the village as emergency shelters" and "controlling the entry and exit of houses by distinguishing between public and private areas in the space of the houses" have received the lowest scores. Also, among the principles of passive defense, the "appropriate location of Yaseh Chai village" had the greatest impact and "shelter prediction" had the least effect on the formation of housing form and village fabric.

Multiple types of liver diseases, particularly cholestatic liver diseases (CSLDs) and biliary diseases, can disturb bile acid (BA) secretion; however, BA accumulation is currently seen as an important incentive of various types of liver diseases’ progression. Da-Chai-Hu decoction (DCHD) has long been used for treating cholestatic liver diseases; however, the exact mechanisms remain unclear. Currently, our study indicates that the liver damage and cholestasis status of the α-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced intrahepatic cholestasis and bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced extrahepatic cholestasis, following DCHD treatment, were improved; the changes of BA metabolism post-DCHD treatment were investigated by targeted metabolomics profiling by UPLC-MS/MS. DCHD treatment severely downregulated serum biochemical levels and relieved inflammation and the corresponding pathological changes including necrosis, inflammatory infiltration, ductular proliferation, and periductal fibrosis in liver tissue. The experimental results suggested that DCHD treatment altered the size, composition, and distribution of the BAs pool, led the BAs pool of the serum and liver to sharply shrink, especially TCA and TMCA, and enhanced BA secretion into the gallbladder and the excretion of BAs by the urinary and fecal pathway; the levels of BAs synthesized by the alternative pathway were increased in the liver, and the conjugation of BAs and the pathway of BA synthesis were actually affected. In conclusion, DCHD ameliorated ANIT- and BDL-induced cholestatic liver injury by reversing the disorder of BAs profile.

Morphometric analysis is essential in evaluating the geomorphological development and hydrological characteristics of rivers and valley basins. Several studies used different DEM data to evaluate elevation accuracy or their impact on measurements of limited morphometric parameters. The current study was carried out on the Chai Dakuk River basin in the northeastern part of Iraq. The basin is bounded by latitudes 34°44'30"- 35°35'49"N and longitudes 44°17'39"- 45°28'16"E. The current study aims to evaluate the accuracy of different DEM data, i.e., ASTER-GDEM 1-arcsec, SRTM 1-arcsec, and 3- arcsec, ALOS-12.5 meters, and GMTED 7.5 arcsec data, based on reference points collected by GPS and top maps of scale 1: 20000, and to evaluate DEM resolution on the calculation accuracy of different morphometric parameters. The analysis of morphometric parameters was carried out using ArcGIS- morphometric toolbox. The results of the accuracy assessment of DEM data identified the SRTM 1arc-second is more adequate with reference measurements; based on that, the measurements of all other DEM are compared to the SRTM 1- arcsec. The results of morphometric parameters show noticeable differences in many morphometric parameters calculated from different DEM data. Numbers and lengths of stream orders; bifurcation ratios; main channel length; drainage density; stream frequency; constant of channel maintenance; compactness coefficient; drainage texture; infiltration number; basin outlet height and the maximum height of basin, total basin relief, and ruggedness number. According to the results, the study concluded that the SRTM 1- arcsec data are more suitable for morphometric analysis, followed by ASTER GDEM data.

IntroductionEcological services are the benefits that humans derive from ecosystems and include four categories of provision, regulatory, cultural, and supportive services. Each of these four categories includes a wide range of ecosystem services. In fact, climate control services include hydrological cycles, water supply and biochemicals, land-based processes and various biological processes. In this regard, to reduce the degradation rate and improve the condition of the Chehl-Chai Watershed in the northeast of Iran, several watershed management measures have been implemented.Materials and MethodsThe present study has investigated the extent of changes of supporting service (soil aggregate stability), provisioning (crops and fruits production, timber, and biomass production), regulating (control of soil erosion, runoff control, and carbon sequestration), and cultural (Increase of interaction and sustainability of local communities, increase of landscape aesthetics and tourist attraction and increase of knowledge and educational values) as a result of implementation of restoration measures in Chehl-Chai Watershed of Golestan Province. After quantifying the amount of services, prioritization of measures was done using TOPSIS method to identify and propose the most effective management option to improve services in the study area.Results and DiscussionThe results showed that the effect of watershed management measures on the ecosystem services improvement is not the same for all services, whereas it is highest for the regulating services and decreases towards the provisioning, supporting, and cultural services, respectively. Furthermore, the watershed management measures on improvement of the watershed services of treatment sub-watershed showed a statistically significant difference at the level of 5% (p

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of compound Chai Jin Jie Yu Tablets (CJJYT) in ameliorating cognitive impairment associated with depression and its potential mechanism of action. Methods: In vitro experiments, the hippocampus was isolated from the whole brain of the fetal rat and cultured into hippocampal neuron cells. 50 μM corticosterone (CORT) was added to each group 18 h before the experiment for modeling depression, with the exception of the control group. After modeling, the blank serum group was added with 10% blank serum, the CJJYT group and the venlafaxine group were added with the corresponding 10% drug-containing serum, and the control group and the model group were added with equal volumes of culture medium. The intracellular Ca2+ mean fluorescence intensity, miniature excitatory postsynaptic current (mEPSC) current amplitude, and frequency of different hippocampal neurons were evaluated as indicators of synaptic function in the hippocampal neurons. In addition, the expression of synaptic plasticity related proteins, synaptophysin-α (SYN-α), N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2A (NR2A), N-methyl-D- aspartate receptor 2B (NR2B), post synaptic density 95 protein (PSD-95), calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinaseⅡ (CaMKⅡ) and synaptic associated protein (SynGAP) were detected in the hippocampal neurons by immunofluorescence staining and high content analysis (HCA) system. Then, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of SYN-α, NR2A, NR2B, PSD- 95, CaMKⅡ and SynGAP. For in vivo experiments, except for those in the blank control group, all rats were treated within a single cage for chronic unpredictable stress-induced depression modeling and subjected to corresponding drug interventions. Behavioral tests were used to detect depressive behavior and determine learning, memory and other cognitive abilities, whereas enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the CORT levels. Golgi-Cox staining was used to observe changes in the synaptic morphology of parahippocampal gyrus CA1 area (CA1) and dentategyrus (DG). Results: In vitro, CJJYT treatment reduced the intracellular Ca2+ mean flurorescence intensity in the hippocampal neurons (P < 0.05), causing a reduction in the frequency and current amplitude of mEPSC (P < 0.05), and thus inhibited the excessive activation of post-synaptic receptors. CJJYT treatment reduced the protein and mRNA expression of SYN-α, NR2A, NR2B and PSD-95 in the hippocampal neurons (P < 0.05), increased the mRNA and protein expression of CaMKⅡ and SynGAP (P < 0.05), and thereby improved the synaptic plasticity of the hippocampal neurons. In vivo, CJJYT intervention improved sucrose preference, voluntary activity , learning and memory ability of Morris water maze test, and suppressed appetite (P < 0.05), and increased the despair feeling of forced swimming test (P < 0.05). The CORT level was reduced (P < 0.05), leading to the repair of synaptic damage in the hippocampal neurons. Conclusions: CJJYT can improve the synaptic function of hippocampal neurons and has obvious protective effects on neurons. It can repair the structural damage in the hippocampal neurons, improving the cognitive ability of the depressed model rats. The mechanism of CJJYT improving cognition in depressed rats may be related to the transmission and function of SYN-α/NR and its downstream neurotransmitters.