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This study aims to investigate the spatial and seasonal impacts on the biochemical responses of two bioindicators: Tridacna squamosa and Echinometra mathaei which inhabit the Red Sea coast of Egypt. Samples were collected from three sites during the summer of 2019 and the winter of 2020. Total protein, MDA, and enzyme activity of pyruvate kinase (PK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured in the gonads of the collected samples. The results confirmed that environmental variables vary at both spatial and seasonal levels, where the two species exhibited different patterns of biochemical response to internal and external stresses. In addition, both studied species did not resort to anaerobic respiration as a defense mechanism. Therefore, this study confirms that the use of biomarkers in the field shall be regarded as a general warning of internal and external stress.

Background and Objective: Poisoning is one of the most common reasons for emergency department visits worldwide. Awareness of poisoning patterns helps identify risk factors and enables early diagnosis. In Iran, narcotics are among the main causes of poisoning in children. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of narcotics-induced poisoning in children under 18 years old referring to the Al-e-Jalil Educational and Therapeutic Center in Aq Qala, Golestan Province. Methods: This retrospective descriptive study was conducted on 36 children aged 1 month to 18 years (22 boys and 14 girls; mean age: 51.62±36.25 months) referring to the Al-e-Jalil Educational and Therapeutic Center in Aq Qala due to narcotics-induced poisoning from 2020 to 2022. Samples were included in the study using census. Patients’ medical records were reviewed and recorded in a checklist. Results: The highest poisoning rate stemmed from the consumption of opium (69.4%), followed by methadone (25%). Decreased level of consciousness upon hospital admission was determined to be 66.7%. The interval between poisoning and hospital admission was 5.60±3.86 hours. The mean length of hospital stay was 1.25±0.80 days, and no patients died. Most children were male (61.1%), Turkmen (69.4%), and rural residents (86.1%). The highest cases of poisoning occurred in the summer (36.1%). The most common route of contact was oral (97.2%). Conclusion: The poisoning rate with opium is higher compared to other narcotics. However, there is strong evidence of increased opium use among young people and some evidence of increased methadone use.

Questions: The mountains of Fereydunshahr County are one of the centers of plant endemism within the Zagros, however, its flora and vegetation remain relatively understudied. In this study we undertook research on the plant species diversity of the subalpine and alpine zones of this area, their life forms, chorology, and vegetation types. Study area: Mountains of Fereydunshahr County, Central Zagros, West Iran. Methods: Plant specimens were collected during the growing seasons of 2018 to 2020. A complete species list was prepared including their life forms, chorotypes, elevation range, and major vegetation types. Results: A total of 308 vascular plant species have been identified belonging to 185 genera and 47 families. The largest plant families recorded during the study are Asteraceae with 44 species, Fabaceae 32, Brassicaceae 29, and Lamiaceae 27. At genus level Astragalus with 23 species is the richest. Hemicryptophyte with 162 (53%) species is the major life form. Most of the species are Irano-Turanian elements (52%). A total of 57 species (19%) are endemic to Iran and 23 species (7%) are endemic to Zagros. Most species belong to the montane-subalpine zone (33%), followed by subalpine (20%), montane (15%), lowland-montane (10%), alpine (9%), and lowland-subalpine (5%). In the alpine zone a high proportion of the species are endemic, while the montane zone has a very low proportion of endemics. From the identified species, 24% belong to subalpine and alpine thorn-cushion grasslands, 19% to montane steppe shrublands, 5% to subalpine tall-umbelliferous vegetation types, 5% to wetlands, and 5% to chasmophyte vegetation. Conclusions: The area has a rich flora, but at the same time is under high pressure from anthropogenic activities, especially a very high level of overgrazing. The region is not a protected area, therefore, establishment of a protected area and efficient conservation planning for the region is highly recommended. Taxonomic reference: Flora of Iran (Assadi et al. 1989–2021) and, for families not yet covered in the previous source, Flora Iranica (Rechinger 1963–2015). Abbreviations: ES = Euro-Siberian; IT = Irano-Turanian; M = Mediterranean; SS = Saharo-Sindian.

More than half of the world population lives in Asia and hypertension (HTN) is the most prevalent risk factor found in Asia. There are numerous articles published about HTN in Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO) and artificial intelligence (AI) methods can analyze articles and extract top trends in each country. Present analysis uses Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) as an algorithm of topic modeling (TM) in text mining, to obtain subjective topic-word distribution from the 2790 studies over the EMRO. The period of checked studied is last 12 years and results of LDA analyses show that HTN researches published in EMRO discuss on changes in BP and the factors affecting it. Among the countries in the region, most of these articles are related to I.R Iran and Egypt, which have an increasing trend from 2017 to 2018 and reached the highest level in 2021. Meanwhile, Iraq and Lebanon have been conducting research since 2010. The EMRO word cloud illustrates ‘BMI’, ‘mortality’, ‘age’, and ‘meal’, which represent important indicators, dangerous outcomes of high BP, and gender of HTN patients in EMRO, respectively.

Tracheobronchial calcification is a benign radiological finding seen in middle-aged and elderly females, usually of no clinical significance. We report a female with massive tracheobronchial calcification that is found incidentally after cardiac surgery.

New data (onshore, offshore) on the Upper Cretaceous Ilam Formation of southwestern Iran are provided concerning the common presence of dasycladalean green algae (families Triploporellaceae, Polyphysaceae) that have so far been treated mostly in open nomenclature. The assemblage consists of the five taxa Salpingoporella ubaiydhi Radoičić, 1979, Dissocladella ondulata (Raineri, 1922), Trinocladus tripolitanus Raineri, 1922, Clypeina cf. dusanbrstinai Radoičić, 1997, and gen. et sp. indet. The taxa typically prevail in wackestones-packstones but exhibit different distributional patterns. While S. ubaiydhi and T. tripolitanus, rarely associated with D. ondulata, form a characteristic assemblage in a distal infralittoral facies (more diverse assemblage; zone no. 31 of Wynd, 1965), C. cf. dusanbrstinai occurs in a proximal infralittoral facies associated with miliolids among also complex forms (rhapydioninids) (assemblage zone no. 30 of Wynd, 1965). It is concluded that the two assemblage zones refer to different palaeoenvironments, instead of different ages (‘lower’ and ‘upper’). Based on benthic foraminifera, the main part of the Ilam Formation can be ascribed to the Santonian. For the lower part, a late Coniacian age is suggested implied indirectly by the comparably long vertical range of the rotaliid Orbitokathina vonderschmitti Hottinger, 1966 of the studied core. This would be in conformity with the K 150 Arabian Plate K 150 sequence boundary referring to a late Turonian?–early Coniacian hiatus. From a palaeobiogeographic perspective, T. tripolitanus is a cosmopolitan species, S. ubaiydhi is restricted to the area of the former Arabian Plate (subsurface Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Egypt), while C. dusanbrstinai has been recorded only from Serbia (type-locality). In addition to the algae, the stratigraphic discussion includes the occurrence of the benthic foraminifera Reticulinella? kaeveri Cherchi, Radoičić & Schroeder, 1989 and Orbitoides mid-orientalis (Eames & Smout, 1956) in the Ilam Formation.

The world registration of the Oramanat region as the 26th World Heritage of Iran in the UNESCO organization has doubled the importance of this region from the west of the country. Considering the many capacities of the Oramanat region to attract tourists and the proper use of the world registration point to make this region known as a tourism hub at the international level, this research aims to find the influential factors in branding the Oramanat tourism destination in the form of a model, and it is a Model. Regarding the objective type, this study is applied research conducted using a mixed exploratory method during two qualitative and quantitative stages. In the qualitative section, interviews were conducted with 15 experts in the field of tourism, including university professors, officials, and activists in this field, first in a targeted manner and then in a snowball. In the quantitative section, paired comparisons were given to the same sample people in the qualitative section of the questionnaire. Finally, a hierarchical analysis was performed to analyze the data. Based on the research findings, nine main factors were identified for the international tourism branding of Oramanat, which obtained the most points in the order of the importance of infrastructure and facilities, attraction factor, and marketing and advertising factor. Administrative, political, and legal factors, tourists and agencies, brand building, stabilization, sociocultural, and economic factors were also placed as the following priorities. Finally, according to the results of the interviews, the factor of infrastructure and facilities is the region’s weakness. The attraction factor is its strength, so it is necessary to create facilities for accommodation, healthcare, communication, and transportation in the region and should be strengthened. Oramanat’s destination brand should be created around the attractions of the region that have the necessary capacity by using various marketing and advertising methods. Holding various conferences and forming a specialized committee to develop the branding program of the region are also essential and practical suggestions for facilitating matters.IntroductionOne of the tourist areas in Iran is the Oramanat region. Due to its historical, cultural, and natural attractions, this region can be a suitable destination for attracting tourists throughout the year, effectively empowering the people and organizing the region’s economy.Since there are few essential sources of income and economy in Oramanat, tourism can be an important source of income for the people of this area.However, the expected benefits from this industry have yet to be realized for the people of Oramanat, which may be the main reason for the improper management and planning, lack of necessary facilities, and minor and limited advertising. The combination of these factors has made the majority of tourists in the region from neighboring regions and provinces, and we have yet to see much success in attracting international tourists to this region.Due to the weakness in marketing and advertising, this region has many obstacles to introducing its tourist attractions.One of the subsets of marketing is branding. If we intend to attract international tourists, destination branding will be inevitable because there is fierce competition between different destinations to attract tourists. Our destination must create, maintain, or increase its market share in this competition. Therefore, considering the increasing importance of the tourism industry and the significant impact of this industry on necessary social, economic, and cultural fields, the importance of branding to attract tourists and the potential of Oramanat region in the field of attracting international tourists and also the global registration of the region, we decided to Let us look for the answer to this question, what branding model can lead to the development of international tourism in Oramanat region?Literature ReviewAccording to the definition of the World Organization (WTO), international tourism includes the activities of visitors who temporarily leave international borders and stay in destinations other than their place of work and residence for more than 24 hours. Although international tourism is an economic activity, it creates interaction between many people. International tourism increases the demand for services and facilities. Therefore, it creates challenges and opportunities for the host country and plays a vital role in the economic development process of many countries. The host country spends more to attract this type of tourists and earns more income through visitor expenses. One of the reasons for paying more attention to international tourism than domestic tourism is the positive impact of this tourism on economic growth through the creation of foreign exchange income and job creation.A brand is a set of communications that combines the name, sign, and symbol associated with a product. Brands convey attributes and meanings designed to enhance the value of a product beyond its functional value. The brand makes the product quickly recognized and repurchased by the customer.Branding of tourist destinations has also gained considerable popularity. The battle of customers in the destination market will not be about prices but hearts and minds. Destination branding is a way to communicate that destination’s specific and unique identity by differentiating its personality from competitor destinations. The overall objective of destination branding is to contribute to the positive image of the destination by continuously reinforcing brand elements. The brand is used as a common goal for the activities of many different actors in the tourism industry.The tourism brand should specify the attractions and capabilities of the destination for tourists. In addition to creating an emotional connection between tourists and the destination, the brand will reduce the cost of tourists' research. Suppose the brand leads to presenting a positive image of the destination to the tourists. In that case, the tourists will provide the necessary grounds to attract other tourists with positive word-of-mouth advertising, and this will be effective in reducing marketing and advertising costs.MethodologyThe current research is practical in terms of its purpose. In terms of the working method, it is exploratory mixed research that was carried out in two consecutive stages, qualitative and quantitative.In the beginning and the qualitative stage, the necessary data were collected using in-depth and semi-structured interviews to identify the factors influencing the branding of the Oramanat tourist destination. Then, these data were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method, and the more conceptually related factors were placed in the same category.In the second and quantitative stage of the research, a pairwise comparison questionnaire was prepared and provided to the experts to prioritize the mentioned factors. The studied community in both qualitative and quantitative sections consist of experts, specialists, officials, and professors in the fields of management, entrepreneurship, and tourism in Kurdistan and Kermanshah provinces, which include faculty members of the management and entrepreneurship department of Razi University, managers and experts Organization of cultural heritage and tourism of Kurdistan and Kermanshah provinces, as well as some tourism activists in these provinces.Sampling in this research was done in a targeted manner and then by snowball. Therefore, interviews were conducted with several experts in the field of tourism until we reached theoretical saturation. Theoretical saturation was achieved with 12 interviews, which continued until 15 people to ensure more interviews.In the quantitative part, pairwise comparisons were presented to the qualitative part of the questionnaire sample to give weight and points to the identified factors. The Expert Choice software determined each factor’s final weight and score in the final step. In this research, the reliability of the research was controlled by developing a framework for the interviews, confirming the interviews, and analyzing the results. Also, interviews were conducted with people in different positions to witness pluralism among the participants. The compatibility rate index, which should be less than 0.1, was used to measure the reliability of the paired comparisons questionnaire.DiscussionReviewing the texts and interviews shows that one of the most frequent factors related to the topic of discussion is the infrastructure and facilities of the tourist destination. A destination with many tourist attractions may need proper facilities and infrastructure to attract tourists. There may need to be more than infrastructure and facilities to build a tourism brand, but their absence effectively dose not attract tourists. Naturally, when a destination does not have the most basic facilities, it will not attract tourists, so it can eventually become a tourism brand. According to the participants’ statements in the interview, the Oramanat region lacks the necessary facilities and quality infrastructure, and this issue can be a strong reason for emphasizing this factor.The second most important factor in international tourism branding is destination attractions. Indeed, this factor, like infrastructure and facilities, is not a reason for creating a tourism brand. Every destination must have attractions to attract tourists: otherwise, it will not be a tourist destination. However, using these attractions as a prominent factor in brand building is effective. Especially if these attractions are specific to that destination, the destination brand can be formed by emphasizing that unique attraction. The destination brand is formed around its special attractions. One of the positive points of the Oramanat region is the existence of various historical, natural, and cultural attractions. The attractions alone are enough to use it in the destination brand, while Oramanat is a region rich in diverse and different tourist attractions.The first two factors, which were very important, are not directly involved in the branding process, but the marketing category is tied to branding and cannot be separated. The branding process is hidden in the marketing and advertising factor by looking at the concepts of this factor. Naturally, the destination should be evaluated at the beginning of the matter, and its potential capacities should be identified. By using a variety of marketing and advertising methods, its position should be established in the eyes of tourists as customers of the destination's tourism services. It is essential to use the unique features and attractions of the destination in advertising.One of the things that the experts mentioned about this factor and that was also available in the texts is the discussion of advertising and the use of different advertising methods due to the extensive advancement of technology. Using the multiple capacities of mass communication media and taking advantage of advanced technologies will be critical in building and introducing the destination brand. Regarding the Oramanat area, only a few advertising activities have been done. If something has been done, it has been scattered and limited, which has yet to impact significantly. Other factors also speed up the branding process according to the weight they have gained, and it is necessary to pay attention to these factors and not ignore their influence.ConclusionIn general, among the above-known factors in the Oramanat region, the lack of quality infrastructure and facilities to provide services to tourists is considered a weakness, and it is necessary to plan and take adequate measures in this regard. Let the authorities do it. Various attractions in this region are also considered to have potential and strength, and it is better to evaluate these attractions and identify the attractions that can form the region’s leading brand. Then, the marketing specialists in the tourism industry design the marketing and advertising processes based on it and create the destination brand of Oramanat. It is evident that managerial, political, legal, sociocultural, and economic factors and tourists and agencies have played a significant role in forming the region’s brand, and these factors should be mobilized to play their role in branding Oramanat.

Background: The importance of cerebral perfusion during congenital cardiac surgery, especially after hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) strategy, has remained a debate. In this study, we evaluated the effect of mild hypothermic CPB strategy on cerebral oximetry near-infrared spectroscopy in congenital heart defects surgery. Methods: In a randomized prospective study, the pediatrics aged two months and six years with RACHS categories I-Ⅱ for congenital heart defects surgery were randomly divided into normothermic and mild hypothermic CPB groups. The NIRS was measured in all patients via the INVOS ™ cerebral oximetry system. The perfusion and anesthesia strategies during the study were followed as standard methods. A p-value below 0.05 is considered to be a significant level. Results: Regarding cerebral oximetry, the results showed no significant difference between normothermic and mild hypothermic CPB groups. Conclusion: It can be concluded that optimizing cerebral oxygen saturation monitoring during congenital cardiac surgery can improve patient outcomes as a protective strategy.

An intramyocardial dissection hematoma is a rare event usually caused by hemorrhagic dissection among the spiral myocardial. Herein, we reported a senile man with Intramyocardial dissection hematoma who presented with neglected myocardial infarction

Abstract Background The potential of plant-based sources of vernolic acid to provide agricultural producers with a market diversification opportunity and industrial manufacturers with a renewable, environmentally friendly chemical feedstock is immense. The herbaceous wild spurge or caper spurge (Euphorbia lagascae Spreng) is the most promising source of vernolic acid, containing an average oil content of 50%, of which around 60% is vernolic acid. Its seed yield ranges between 500 and 2000 kg ha−1, and a theoretical yield of 180 kg ha−1 of pure vernolic acid is possible. The objective of this research was to characterize the flower and whole plant morphology so to allow for the development of a method to efficiently hybridize E. lagasce plants for breeding purposes. Results In this study, we have characterized the flower and whole plant morphology in detail, thereby, developing an efficient method for hybridization of E. lagasce to allow for its breeding and improvement as a novel oil crop. Such method was not described previously in the literature making it difficult to breed this crop. We believe that the method will be of great value to plant breeders working on optimizing the crop, particularly in terms of the development of non-shattering cultivars with enhanced germination potential. Conclusions The successful development of this crop through plant breeding could provide substantial economic benefits to farmers by offering them a new industrial oilseed crop. This research could prove invaluable in unlocking the potential of E. lagasce, and in turn, the potential of vernolic acid as a renewable, environmentally friendly source of chemical feedstock.

The present study aimed to evaluate the level of some heavy metals in two edible cephalopods; Sepia officinalis and Octopus vulgaris and investigate the distribution and accumulation of these metals in different body parts of cephalopods. The concentrations of seven essential and nonessential heavy metals (Mn, Fe, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Cd) were measured in the body parts ( Head, Arms, Mantles, Digestive gland, Ink, and Viscera) of the investigated cephalopods which collected from three sites at Alexandria city from the Mediterranean Sea-Egypt during March 2017. The digestive gland of both species exhibited a similar pattern of some heavy-metal accumulation where it was the major part of the highest concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Cd. The highest concentration of Mn was found in the viscera of both studied species while the highest concentration of Fe was recorded in the viscera of the Sepia and the digestive gland of the octopus. The metal pollution index (MPI) in Octopus (5.95) was slightly higher than recorded in Sepia (4.38). The lowest value of MPI was found in the head and the mantle of sepia while for the octopus the lowest value of MPI was found in their arms and mantle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a versatile metal, nickel will experience increased demand in the coming years, with a specific focus on its importance in the battery industry and its role in achieving net-zero emissions. Recognizing the need to ensure sustainable resource management, this study analyses the flow dynamics of nickel’s supply and demand by employing a modelling approach. This is done with a focus on understanding how recycling can contribute to meeting the growing nickel demand. By considering the interaction between mining production, product applications, and recycling rates, this study contributes to a better understanding of the long-term prospects for meeting the nickel demand. It can assist policymakers, industry stakeholders, and investors in making informed decisions regarding resource management and developing sustainable practices in the nickel industry. The results revealed that mining would still play an important role in the supply of nickel for at least the next 40 years. Nickel mining and recycling practices are sufficient to meet future nickel demand if sufficient recycling practices are (rapidly) implemented. Modelling results show that nickel recycling will account for 90% of the total demand (primary nickel mining accounts for the remaining 10%) between the years 2062 and 2096.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus and periodontitis are two common chronic diseases with bidirectional relationship. Considering the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of these two diseases, the use of nutritional supplements with antioxidant properties can be useful. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of daily synbiotic supplement in the management of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and periodontal disease (PD) under non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this randomized double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial, 50 patients suffering from T2DM and periodontal disease were recruited and randomly assigned to two groups: intervention group (n = 25), where one capsule of multi-species probiotic plus 100 mg fructo-oligosaccharide supplement (500 mg in each capsule) every day is given, and control group (n = 25), which received one placebo capsule containing 500 mg wheat flour for 8 weeks. At the beginning and end of the study, the serum levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), the lipid profile including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and inflammatory markers such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured. All subjects received NSPT including oral health education, scaling, and root planning at the beginning of study. One month after the intervention, the second NSPT was performed. The paired-sample test was used to identify within-group differences. The independent sample t-test (crude model) and the analysis of covariance or ANCOVA (adjusted model) were used to compare the results between the two groups. RESULTS: Synbiotic supplement with NSPT significantly decreased serum levels of FBG, HbA1c, TNF-α, and IL-6 compared with the baseline values (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, LDL-C levels significantly decreased compared with the baseline value in both groups (all P < 0.05). Also, the mean changes of IL-6 were significantly lower in the intervention group compared with the control group after the adjustment of confounding factors (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Synbiotic supplementation with NSPT may be beneficial in improving glycemic control and inflammation and decreasing LDL-C in patients with T2DM and PD.

Globally, gastric cancer is a major cause of cancer mortality, with a 5-year survival rate of 32% for locally advanced and metastatic gastric cancer (A/MCG). This systematic literature review summarized the clinical, safety, and humanistic outcomes associated with systemic regimens administered as a first-line therapy for A/MGC. The search included articles published in English in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting library, from inception to April 2022. Phase II and III randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted among western populations diagnosed with stage III and IV A/MGC were included. Two investigators independently reviewed the studies, conducted data extraction, and assessed risk of bias in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Twenty-four randomized controlled trials totaling 8705 patients were included. Median overall survival ranged from 5.0 to 13.1 months, median progression-free survival ranged from 2.0 to 7.7 months, and objective response ranged from 13.0 to 64.1%. Two studies reported high quality-of-life outcomes. Grade 3 and 4 adverse events were reported in most studies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of first-line systemic therapy outcomes in western populations with A/MGC. With the evolving treatment landscape of A/MGC, an improvement in clinical outcomes can be seen in recently published RCTs with immunotherapies. The potential of new targeted treatments and immunotherapies may present more favorable forthcoming options for treating A/MGC.

This article discusses the importance of identifying and preventing human error in industrial environments, specifically in the sugar production process. The article emphasizes the importance of choosing the right technique for risk assessment studies resulting from human errors. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a multi-stage approach – Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA), Human Error Calculator (HEC), and Predictive Human Error Analysis (PHEA) – to identify potential human errors in the sugar production process. The HTA, HEC, and PHEA techniques were employed to evaluate each stage of the process for potential human errors. The results of the HTA technique identified 35 tasks and 83 sub-tasks in 14 units of the sugar production process. According to HEC technique 4 tasks with 80 % probability of human error and 2 tasks with 50 % probability of human error had the highest calculated error probabilities. The factors of individual skill, task repetition and importance were the most important factors of human error in the present study. The analysis of PHEA worksheets showed that the number of human errors identified in the tasks with highest probability were 8 errors, of which 50 % were action errors, 25 % checking errors, 13 % selection errors, and 12 % retrieval errors. To mitigate the consequences of human error, it was recommended training courses, raising operator awareness of error consequences, and installing instructions in the sugar production process. Based on the findings, the article concludes that the HEC and PHEA techniques are applicable and effective in identifying and analyzing human errors in process and food industries.

Euphorbia lagascae Spreng is a promising emerging oilseed crop, with its seed oil accounting for approximately 50% of the seed weight. Euphorbia oil contains a significant amount of vernolic acid, comprising two-thirds of its composition, which boasts various industrial applications, including acting as a stabilizer-plasticizer and natural dye. However, this species was known to have a high degree of seed-shattering and a low germination rate, which act as two important barriers to large-scale production and exploitation. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine the genetic control of seed germination and seed-shattering traits in order to develop a reliable pipeline that would be applicable for industries and breeders to select superior E. lagascae lines and design a robust breeding scheme in a short time at reduced labor costs. For this objective, five different wild-type genotypes of E. lagascae that demonstrated high germination potential were crossed with an ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutant genotype that produces non-shattering capsules. The F2 populations from two successful crosses (A and B) were separated into three different treated groups for seed germination evaluation and to study the segregation of 200 individuals per F2 population. The three treatments were: light, gibberellic acid (GA3), and control treatment. Consequently, plants treated with approximately 250 μmol/m2/s of light showed significant improvement in germination up to 75% in cross A and 82.4 % in cross B compared with the control plants and the group treated with 0.05% GA3. According to the chi-square test results, the inheritance pattern of seed germination in response to light treatment follows a 3:1 segregation ratio between germinated and non-germinated seeds, indicating a dominant gene action in the F2 generation. The same conclusion was followed for the shattering trait in the group treated with light, which was also simply inherited as a 3:1 ratio for shattering vs. non-shattering capsules. Our results emphasize the importance and significance of light treatment in producing uniform populations through acceptable germination and shattering resistance of the mutant genotypes of E. lagascae. This is the first report of light treatment that significantly improved seed germination of E. lagascae, which may enhance efforts in the development of this new industrial crop as a feedstock for vernolic acid production.

Extended Abstract Introduction and Objective: The forests of Zagros, as the most extensive and at the same time as the most damaged forests of the country, have been affected by the extensive decline of oak trees in recent years, and in this sense, they are in a critical conditions. Decline of oak trees is described as a wide and complex phenomenon that causes a decrease in growth and physiological weakness followed by the attack of pathogenic agents. As sustainability of these forests is now facing a serious problem, proper management strategies are required to deal with the decline phenomenon, before these valuable ecosystems are completely destroyed. The implementation of such strategies necessitates collecting basic information, including map of the decline distribution and the extent of the lost biomass of trees as a result of decay. The purpose of this study is to estimate the amount of biomass on the above-ground in dead oak trees as a result of the decline of Zagros forests, which was carried out in the forests of Dadabad region of Lorestan province. Material and Methods: The present study was conducted in Dadabad forests located in the southwest of Khorramabad, Lorestan, Iran. To achieve this purpose, 40 dried trees were randomly selected and biometric parameters including diameter at knee height, diameter at breast height, as well as height and crown diameter were measured. Different parts of the tree were fragmented, dried, and weighed. Using regression analysis, the biomass of different parts was modeled against the independent variables of diameter at knee height, diameter at breast height, crown height, and diameter. Finally, at the area of 32 hectares of the forest stand, a 100% inventory was conducted, and different characteristics of all Iranian oak trees were measured. Results: The results of the research declared that strong relationships can be established to estimate the biomass of Iranian oak trees. The result of fitting linear and non-linear models to estimate the biomass of this tree species showed that if the average diameter of the tree crown was used as an independent variable, the more suitable model was the power model with an explanation coefficient of 0.857. Also, the validity results of the model or the value of RMSE% for the obtained equation was 9.082%. The total biomass in the study area was 389.994 tons, of which 39.54%, i.e. 154.226 tons, of the area's biomass was lost under decline phenomenon. Conclusion: The results indicated that in the comparison between linear and non-linear regression models, the best model for estimating the biomass of this species was the power model based on the average diameter of the crown with R2=0.857. In general, using the average diameter of the crown as an estimator variable for the Iranian oak species can suggest a better and more appropriate assessment of the above-ground biomass of these trees.

Heart disease has emerged as the foremost global cause of mortality. Enhancing awareness and understanding of this disease, along with preventive strategies, is pivotal in averting its onset and diminishing mortality rates. Today, social networks have evolved into paramount information dissemination platforms owing to their user-friendly nature and widespread adoption. Among these, Twitter stands out as a prominent source of rich data that can be leveraged for educational and awareness purposes. While existing studies have evaluated the impact of social media on increasing health-related knowledge, there is a gap in research regarding the role of Twitter in increasing cardiovascular disease awareness and prevention from different perspectives. This study employs a cross-sectional and descriptive methodology to quantitatively analyze over 50026 tweets. This study seeks to investigate how Twitter users seek and disseminate information related to cardiovascular diseases. It aims to identify the prevalent topics shared about cardiovascular diseases and analyze the content of these messages. Initially, 50026 tweets from 8,619 users were gathered over a one-month timeframe. English tweets have been selected due to the prevalence of the English language. Subsequently, the tweets were categorized and analyzed utilizing the LDA technique and the MALLET platform. Content analysis was conducted across various categories, focusing on topics, temporal trends, and geographical locations of the tweets. The results show that there was a significant relationship between the parameters extracted in the research and the most concern of users was in the field of heart diseases and prevention methods. Most user tweets (36,323 or 72.60%) contained specific information about heart disease. 9.33% related to cardiovascular issues, 2817 (5.63%) tweets were about heart attack, 2949 (5.89%) were about heart failure and 3267 (6.5%) about other cases related to heart disorders (cardiac arrest, cardiomyopathy, ischemic heart, etc.). The most concern of users in the group of heart diseases was related to the connection of topics such as cholesterol (4102 tweets (11.04%)), prevention (20348 tweets (56.01%)) and diet (1114 (3.06%)) with heart disease.

To date, there has been limited research conducted comparing the effects of various grinding media shapes on milling kinetics, load behavior, and mill power draw. However, no research has been conducted on their effects on a lifter. This study aims to fill the gap in knowledge. An investigation into the effect of grinding media shape on the lateral movement of the charge (grinding media and material), by analyzing specific breakage rate parameters in a laboratory dry rod mill, has shown how grinding media can act as a lifter. Two grinding media (simple and grooved rods) were compared. The specific breakage rate parameters were determined using the Austin model. The values related to the μ parameter, whose increase means a decrease in the specific rate of breakage and an increase in the lifting of the grinding media, were equal to 3758.76 and 4144.63 for simple and grooved rods, respectively. Results proved that although the grooved rods have a lower specific breakage rate than simple rods, they can perform well as a lifter. They had the highest cataracting effect of the charge.

Lateral cephalometric radiographs are crucial in dentistry and orthodontics for diagnosis and treatment planning. However, their use in forensic identification, especially with burned bodies or in mass disasters, is challenging. AM (antemortem) and PM (postmortem) radiographs can be compared for identification. This study introduces and evaluates a novel algorithm for extracting cranial patterns from digital lateral cephalometric radiographs for identification purposes. Due to the unavailability of AM cephalograms from deceased individuals, the algorithm was tested using pre- and post-treatment cephalograms of living individuals from an orthodontic archive, considered as AM and PM data. The proposed algorithm encodes cranial patterns into a database for future identification. It matches PM cephalograms with AM records, accurately identifying individuals by comparing cranial features. The algorithm achieved an accuracy of 97.5%, a sensitivity of 97.7%, and a specificity of 95.2%, correctly identifying 350 out of 358 cases. The mean similarity score improved from 91.02% to 98.10% after applying the Automatic Error Reduction (AER) function. Intra-observer error analysis showed an average Euclidean distance of 3.07 pixels (SD = 0.73) for repeated landmark selections. The proposed algorithm shows promise for identity recognition based on cranial patterns and could be enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in future studies.

Cervical cancer (CC) is a major global health problem and leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide. Early detection through screening programs has reduced mortality; however, screening compliance remains low. Identifying non-invasive biomarkers through proteomics for diagnosis and monitoring response to treatment could improve patient outcomes. Here we review recent proteomics studies which have uncovered biomarkers and potential drug targets for CC. Additionally, we explore into the role of cervical cancer stem cells and their potential implications in driving CC progression and therapy resistance. Although challenges remain, proteomics has the potential to revolutionize the field of cervical cancer research and improve patient outcomes.

Abstract Background Hip fracture is a major health problem that occurs more often in the elderly, especially in diabetic patients. Some studies have been conducted regarding the effect of anti- diabetic drugs on fractures. But so far, no meta-analysis study has been conducted to investigate the effect of diabetic drugs on hip fractures. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between anti-diabetic drugs (Metformin, Sulfonylurea, and insulin) with hip fractures. Methods In this systematic review and meta analysis study, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases were searched with specific keywords to find relevant studies. Two researchers included related studies after screening based on the title and full text. Cochran’s Q and I2 tests were used to assess heterogeneity between studies. Publication bias between studies was evaluated for each drug using Egger’s test. A 95% confidence interval was used for effect size significance. Overall, 49 studies, including 6,631,297 participants, were reviewed. Results The results showed that metformin significantly reduced the risk of hip fracture (HR: 0.833, 95% CI: 0.759, 0.914, P:0.001). Consumption of sulfonylurea compounds was significantly associated with an increased risk of hip fracture. (HR: 1.175, 95% CI:1.068,1.293, P:0.001), The risk of hip fracture in patients receiving insulin was significantly higher than in diabetic patients who did not receive insulin. (HR:1.366, 95% CI:1.226,1.522, P:0.001). Conclusion The results of this study showed that taking metformin reduces the risk of hip fracture, and insulin and Sulfonylurea increase the risk of hip fracture.

Background: Different sport exercises may have different effects on the control and treatment of diabetes. The aim of this review was to analyze the recent studies related to the effect of different sports activities on the indicators related to type 2 diabetes. Materials and Methods: Persian and Latin databases of PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Magiran and SID were searched using the keywords, including exercise training, resistance training, high-intensity interval training, diabetes, insulin sensitivity, HbA1c, aerobic training and combined training to retrieve published papers during 2010-2022. Results: In total, out of 140 papers in the initial screening, 35 papers were finally reviewed. Aerobic exercises and especially high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may have faster effects in the process of controlling and reducing blood sugar in patients, however, the positive effects of resistance exercises remain for a longer period. Conclusion: The beneficial effects of various types of sport exercises in controlling the glycemic indices of patients with type 2 diabetes have been proven. However, the present study showed that the beneficial effects of resistance exercises compared to endurance exercises can last for a longer period. Thus, it is suggested that sport medicine experts should pay attention to the importance of the type and form of sport exercises when presenting exercise programs to patients.

The aim of this study is to model a relationship between the amount of the suspended sediment load by considering the physiographic characteristics of the Lake Urmia watershed. For this purpose, the information from different stations was used to develop the sediment estimation models. Ten physiographic characteristics were used as input parameters in the simulation process. The M5 model tree was used to select the most important features. The results showed that the four factors of annual discharge, average annual rainfall, form factor and the average elevation of the watershed were the most important parameters, and the multilinear regression models were created based on these factors. Furthermore, it was concluded that the annual discharge was the most influential parameter. Then, the stations were divided into two homogeneous classes based on the selected features. To improve the efficiency of the M5 model, the non-stationary rainfall and runoff signals were decomposed into sub-signals by the wavelet transform (WT). By this technique, the available trends of the main raw signals were eliminated. Finally, the models were developed by multilinear regressions. The model using all four factors had the best performance (DC = 0.93, RMSE = 0.03, ME = 0.05 and RE = 0.15). HIGHLIGHTS This study links the physiographic characteristics of the watershed to M5 sediment estimation.; M5 model tree selects the most important features of the watershed.; Wavelet transform decomposes the raw main signals into several sub-signals and improve the model performance.;

Abstract Background One of the most common causes of pneumonia is Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). As with other microbial pathogens, this bacterium tends to develop resistance to various antibiotics. Amikacin and erythromycin, which are from the aminoglycoside and macrolide antibiotic families, are used to treat respiratory infections caused by P. aeruginosa. Objectives This study explored whether amikacin, erythromycin or a combination of both works better against P. aeruginosa acute lung infection. Methods For this study, 32 rats were used. The trachea of rats was exposed aseptically and their lung was infected with P. aeruginosa through trachea. Then, according to the group, they received amikacin, erythromycin or a combination of both for 1 week. Finally, they were euthanised on the 3rd and 7th days post‐infection. The macroscopic and microscopic evaluations of the lungs, kidney and liver were performed. The right lung was collected for in vivo bacteriological analysis. Results The amikacin group (A group) had a statistically significantly lower macroscopic and microscopic scores than the other groups (p < 0.05). In vivo bacteriological test revealed that the A group had significantly lower lung bacterial load (p < 0.05). Conclusions In summary, it was concluded that amikacin could help alleviate the respiratory infection caused by P. aeruginosa solely, and it was more effective than erythromycin.

Abstract Background Endothelial dysfunction serves as an early marker for the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD); therefore, it is an attractive site of therapeutic interventions to reduce the risk of CVD. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of folic acid supplementation on endothelial function markers in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods PubMed, ISI web of science, and Scopus databases were searched up to July 2022 for detecting eligible studies. A random-effects model was used for meta-analysis, and linear Meta-regression and non-linear dose-response analysis were performed to assess whether the effect of folic acid supplementation was affected by the dose and duration of intervention. Cochrane tools were also used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies. Results Twenty-one studies, including 2025 participants (1010 cases and 1015 controls), were included in the present meta-analysis. Folic acid supplementation significantly affected the percentage of flow-mediated dilation (FMD%) (WMD: 2.59%; 95% CI: 1.51, 3.67; P

Background & Aims: The occurrence of errors in dental practice is an inevitable factor resulting in a reduction in the quality of medical services. These errors can prompt adverse complications, weaken the patient's trust in the dentist, and induce financial losses to the health care system. The purpose of this study was to investigate the common overt and covert errors that can be detected from medical records in selected clinics of the Armed Forces, Iran. Materials & Methods: In this study, we evaluated 3248 dental records, documented in seven selected dental clinics of the Armed Forces, Iran. The dental files were reviewed to detect flaws in the process of documentation, treatment protocols, and results. The patient and practitioner demographics were also extracted for further statistical analyses. Results: Among the studied documents, 14% of the dental records were incomplete and 17% of dental treatments showed at least one deviation from the standard treatment protocols. Also, there was a significant relationship between the occurrence of these errors and some demographic variables such as the dentist’s age, academic degree, and work experience. The prevalence of dental errors was 14%, 20%, and 30% in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-grade dental clinics, respectively. Conclusion: Deficiencies in completing medical records and errors in the treatment process are common in Armed Forces clinics, Iran. Many of these errors can be identified through periodic evaluations and review of medical records to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

تتناول هذه الدراسة الصناعات النسيجية بمختلف أنواعها في كل من بلاد الشام ومصر، ودور الجهاز الرقابي للسلطنة المملوكية في الرقابة على هذه الحرف والصناعات التي كانت تقدم للمجتمع المملوكي كل ما يحتاجه من لباس وغيرها من المنسوجات، وتطرقت الدراسة إلى المواد الأولية الداخلة في هذه الصناعات من قطن وكتان وصوف وحرير، وأماكن زراعتها في بلاد الشام ومصر، وأنواعها والمراحل التي مرت بها هذه الخامات الأولية في عملية التصنيع، والشروط التي فرضتها الدولة المملوكية على أصحاب هذه الصناعات والحرف، وكذلك تعيين الإدارة المملوكية لموظفين متخصصين مهمتهم مراقبة هذه الصناعات، حيث كثرت وسائل وأساليب الغش المتبعة في عمل هذه الحرف، الأمر الذي استدعى فرض رقابة صارمة عليهم، ولعل الجهاز الاداري الذي أوجدته السلطنة المملوكية كان له دور هام في المحافظة على استمرارية جودة الخدمات المقدمة لأفراد المجتمع، وذلك من خلال الشروط التي وضعتها وسعت إلى تطبيقها، فالاهتمام والمتابعة والمراقبة والعقاب، قد أثمرت نتائجها بمنع تلاعب وتدليس وغش أصحاب الصناعات والحرف من أجل تحقيق أرباح كبيرة.

4E (energy, exergy, economic, and environmental) analysis of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) including an integrated system with anaerobic digesters and combined heat and power units (AD-CHP) is performed here. This type of analysis was required for AD-CHP system at Tehran WWTP to estimate the plant energy/exergy efficiency, to estimate annual profit and payback period, as well as to study these parameters with change in plant operating conditions. This necessary type of analysis was not found in literature and in previous studies. The results showed that the integrated system generated 4.6 MWel,netand 2.1 MWth,netwith 3100 m3/day of total mixture of primary and secondary sludge (4.5% total solids and 81.2% volatile solids fraction). In this regard, the system energy efficiency was 24.3%. The flow exergy values throughout the plant were also estimated and demonstrated in two Sankey and Grassmann diagrams which showed the plant overall exergy efficiency of 17.3%. The integrated system also reduced CO2 emissions by 64% compared to that for a traditional energy supply system (buying electricity from the grid and producing hot water by burning biogas produced from anaerobic digesters). In economic analysis, a selling incentive scenario employed in which generated electricity was sold to the grid at price of 0.125 $/kWh while the price of electricity purchased was 0.081 $/kWh. The payback period was 2.4 years in this case which was significantly lower (57%) than that for the case with no-selling electricity to the grid (5.6 years). Moreover, the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE, which is the minimum selling price of electricity required by the integrated system or the point at which cost and revenue are equal) was 127 $/MWh, which was within the acceptable range reported by the International Renewable Energy Agency for the biomass-power generation technologies.

Background and purpose: Dental and skeletal features, unlike soft tissues, remain unchanged in events where most body tissues are destroyed such as car accidents, plane crash, crimes, etc. Panoramic and lateral cephalometric radiographs can provide useful information about dental and cephalometric indicators in human identification. Materials and methods: A cohort retrospective study was carried out in five stages, including collecting the samples, using a specific tooth counting system, identifying the landmarks in panoramic radiographs and designing a dental formula, designing anatomical formula with cephalometric indicators and identifying operator errors, and matching and data analysis. Results: We studied 180 people, including 97 (54%) women and 83 men aged 15-59 (mean age= 25.5) years in Tehran. Average indexes of missing (M), filled (F), Root Canal Therapy (RCT) teeth, crown (C), (Body/Go-Go), (Mf-Mf/Mf-Go(R+L)), De, P, ER, Go in lateral Cephalometry, SNA, SNB, Basal, N-Ans-Me, Ans-Pns/Go-Me, and S-Go/N-Me were not significantly different between cases by comparing the graphs before and after treatments (P>0.05). Examination of average indices of implant and dilacerated teeth in general and without considering the number of teeth, did not show a significant difference when the pre/post-treatment graphs were compared (P>0.05). In examining the Co-Ans/Co-Gn, Go in panoramic graph, (S-N/S-Ba) and S-N-Ba, no significant difference was observed between the cases (P>0.05). Conclusion: Panoramic, lateral cephalometric graphs and designing creative formula can be used in human identification.

In Canada, the length of the frost-free season necessitates planting crops as early as possible to ensure that the plants have enough time to reach full maturity before they are harvested. Early planting carries inherent risks of cold water imbibition (specifically less than 4°C) affecting seed germination. A marker dataset developed for a previously identified Canadian soybean GWAS panel was leveraged to investigate the effect of cold water imbibition on germination. Seed from a panel of 137 soybean elite cultivars, grown in the field at Ottawa, ON, over three years, were placed on filter paper in petri dishes and allowed to imbibe water for 16 hours at either 4°C or 20°C prior to being transferred to a constant 20°C. Observations on seed germination, defined as the presence of a 1 cm radicle, were done from day two to seven. A three-parameter exponential rise to a maximum equation (3PERM) was fitted to estimate germination, time to the one-half maximum germination, and germination uniformity for each cultivar. Genotype-by-sequencing was used to identify SNPs in 137 soybean lines, and using genome-wide association studies (GWAS - rMVP R package, with GLM, MLM, and FarmCPU as methods), haplotype block analysis, and assumed linkage blocks of ±100 kbp, a threshold for significance was established using the qvalue package in R, and five significant SNPs were identified on chromosomes 1, 3, 4, 6, and 13 for maximum germination after cold water imbibition. Percent of phenotypic variance explained (PVE) and allele substitution effect (ASE) eliminated two of the five candidate SNPs, leaving three QTL regions on chromosomes 3, 6, and 13 (Chr3-3419152, Chr6-5098454, and Chr13-29649544). Based on the gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, 14 candidate genes whose function is predicted to include germination and cold tolerance related pathways were identified as candidate genes. The identified QTLs can be used to select future soybean cultivars tolerant to cold water imbibition and mitigate risks associated with early soybean planting.

Background: Caregivers of COVID-19 patients, including mothers with an infected child, are affected by adverse physical and psychological effects. Since mothers perform an important role in caring for a child with Covid-19, explaining their challenges and experiences positively affects the health conditions of children and society, in general. Aim: This study aimed to explain mothers' experiences with children diagnosed with COVID-19, who were referred to Bandar Abbas Children's Hospital. Method: The present study was qualitative and used the Van-Manen method. The statistical population included 13 mothers with children hospitalized for coronary heart disease and COVID-19, who were selected by purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were implemented to collect data until saturation. Data analysis was performed using MAXQDA 10 software. Lincoln and Guba's criteria were used to evaluate the data's accuracy and strength. Results: The mean age of mothers participating in the study was 37.92 ± 4.87. On the other hand, the mean age of children was 5.15 ± 2.07 years. Three main themes and 13 sub-themes were extracted from the data analysis. The main themes were “Inability to Caring”, “Mental and Physical drain” and “Conflict of Roles and Responsibilities”. In this study, when a child develops COVID-19 disease, the mother experiences a series of negative emotions, which lead to feelings of helplessness and inability to care for the child. Conclusion: Mental and physical manifestations strains were the most important issues that the mothers experienced. The majority of the participants need psychological support to cope with the disease. Therefore, it is recommended to make a proper design to psychologically and socially support these mothers, while alleviating the physical manifestations of their children's disease.

AllInOne Pre-processing is an innovative open-source, R-Shiny user interface package designed to facilitate the swift and effective preprocessing of plant phenotypic data. AllInOne Pre-processing incorporates a variety of statistical methods for data preprocessing, including: identifying missing patterns, imputing missing data using various imputation methods, visualizing data (box, violin, density, and scatter plot), detecting and amending outliers using quantile and Cook’s distance methods, estimating correlations, normalizing the data, estimating heritability, conducting spatial analysis, and calculating best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) and estimator (BLUE). In general, AllInOne Pre-processing streamlines the preprocessing of phenotypic data, enabling users who lack programming knowledge to swiftly and accurately prepare their data for further analyses.