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Language and social symptoms improve with age in some autistic toddlers, but not in others, and such outcome differences are not clearly predictable from clinical scores alone. Here we aim to identify early-age brain alterations in autism that are prognostic of future language ability. Leveraging 372 longitudinal structural MRI scans from 166 autistic toddlers and 109 typical toddlers and controlling for brain size, we find that, compared to typical toddlers, autistic toddlers show differentially larger or thicker temporal and fusiform regions; smaller or thinner inferior frontal lobe and midline structures; larger callosal subregion volume; and smaller cerebellum. Most differences are replicated in an independent cohort of 75 toddlers. These brain alterations improve accuracy for predicting language outcome at 6-month follow-up beyond intake clinical and demographic variables. Temporal, fusiform, and inferior frontal alterations are related to autism symptom severity and cognitive impairments at early intake ages. Among autistic toddlers, brain alterations in social, language and face processing areas enhance the prediction of the childs future language ability.

Background: NUP98 gene fusions in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have recently attracted much interest. Despite substantial research illuminating the roles of NUP98 fusions in the course of AML, their impacts on the outcome of patients with AML should be explored in more detail. As a result, this meta-analysis was designed to provide further light on the prognostic implications of NUP98 fusions in AML. Methods: We completed an extensive search in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify papers evaluating the prognostic effects of NUP98 rearrangements in patients with AML until August 22, 2022. In total, 15 publications with 6142 participants fulfilled the requirements for the current meta-analysis. All the qualified studies were examined for information regarding HRs and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) for overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS). In addition, we utilized Comprehensive Meta-analysis software version 2 (CMA2) for calculating pooled HRs and 95% CI. Results: Our analyses for NUP98-NSD1 indicated that this fusion could significantly impact the outcome of patients with AML (pooled HR: 2.84; 95% CI: 2.49–3.24, P=0.000). Additionally, we observed a strong correlation between NUP98-KDM5A rearrangement and poor prognosis in AML (pooled HR: 2.65; 95% CI: 2.5-2.81; P=0.000). A subgroup analysis also showed that the NUP98-NSD1 and FLT3-ITD together confer a poor prognostic effect (pooled HR: 2.60, 95% CI: 1.61-4.18; P=0.000). Conclusions: NUP98 fusions could significantly impact the outcome of patients with AML. The use of these fusions as prognostic indicators in AML seems rational.

Abstract Aim This study compared the effectiveness of several techniques in restoring compromised bonding to recently bleached enamel. Methods Seventy-five healthy bovine incisors were divided into five groups (n = 15). Fifteen teeth (Group 1) remained intact, whereas 60 (Groups 2 to 5) underwent at-home bleaching with 16% carbamide peroxide. The bonding procedures were as follows: Group 1: Bonding of resin composite to unbleached enamel; Group 2: Bonding immediately after bleaching; Group 3: Application of a 10% sodium ascorbate solution for 10 min before bonding; Group 4: Enamel removal to the depth of 0.5 mm; and Group 5: Increased curing time of the bonding agent to 80 instead of 20 s. After 24 h, the specimens were subjected to micro-shear testing, and the failure mode was determined. Results ANOVA revealed a significant difference in bond strength among the groups (P 0.05). Adhesive failure was the most predominant failure type in all groups. The mixed failure occurred with a frequency of 26.7% in groups 3 and 5. The Fisher’s exact test revealed a significant difference in failure modes among the groups (P = 0.047). Conclusions The three experimental procedures used in this study, including the application of 10% sodium ascorbate before bonding, enamel removal to the depth of 0.5 mm, and increasing the curing time of the bonding agent to 80 s, were effective in restoring the compromised bonding to recently bleached enamel.

Abstract Even though the high plateaus of Qinghai-Tibet and Iran share many faunal elements, the historical biogeography of the species present in this area are not very well understood. We present a complete COI barcode library for Aporia Hübner and a first comprehensive phylogeny for the genus including all known species and majority of subspecies using ten available genes (COI-COII, ND1, ND5, Cytb, EF-1a, Wg, 16S, 28S-D2/D3 and 28S-D8). We then focus on A. leucodice (Eversmann, 1843) and related taxa in order to resolve some long-standing taxonomic issues in this species-group. Based on DNA sequence data as well as morphology, we raise Aporia illumina (Grum-Grshimailo 1890) stat. nov. (= pseudoillumina Tshikolovets 2021 syn. nov.) as a distinct species and designate a lectotype; synonymize Aporia leucodice leucodice Eversmann, 1843 (= A. l. morosevitshae Sheljuzhko, 1908 syn. nov.); and describe a new species, Aporia ahura sp. nov., from the Central Alborz Mountains in northern Iran.

Intercellular interactions and cell-cell communication are critical to regulating cell functions, especially in normal immune cells and immunotherapies. Ligand-receptor pairs mediating these cell-cell interactions can be identified using diverse experimental and computational approaches. Here, we reconstructed the intercellular interaction network between Mus musculus immune cells using publicly available receptor-ligand interaction databases and gene expression data from the immunological genome project. This reconstructed network accounts for 50,317 unique interactions between 16 cell types between 731 receptor-ligand pairs. Analysis of this network shows that cells of hematopoietic lineages use fewer communication pathways for interacting with each other, while nonhematopoietic stromal cells use the most network communications. We further observe that the WNT, BMP, and LAMININ pathways are the most significant contributors to the overall number of cell-cell interactions among the various pathways in the reconstructed communication network. This resource will enable the systematic analysis of normal and pathologic immune cell interactions, along with the study of emerging immunotherapies.

Background: E-learning is increasingly becoming a preference in higher education institutions worldwide; this is intended to assist educational institutions in achieving objectives to meet the proportion of individuals with their educational opportunities. Nevertheless, instructors and students frequently have concerns with their capacity to succeed in E-learning environments. Objectives: This study aimed to presents common eLearning challenges in regard to e-learning courses structure and its relations to various factors, for instance; students' autonomy, prior knowledge and experience, students-students dialogue, and students-instructor dialogue, and proposes solutions to these challenges based on the transactional distance theory. Moreover, this study presents evidence from Malaysian higher institutions based on theoretical models for e-learning course structure and its relations to the factors mentioned above. Methods: Data have been collected from 680 university learners all over Malaysia. Data were then examined using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling employing Smart PLS 3.0 software. Results and conclusion: Research findings indicated that e-learning course structure was affected by all dimensions of overall path analysis findings: student autonomy, students background, student-instructor dialogue, and student-student dialogue. However, the e-learning course structure showed insignificant with students' prior experience. Implications: Implications for universities are discussed accordingly. Such findings provide vital support to the integrative association among collaborative control (CC) and transactional distance theory (TDT) regarding e-learning environments experience, which might support universities administrators in the higher education industry to implement, plan and evaluate online learning platforms applications in their institutions.

The demand for university education to produce good graduate students for emerging nations to deal with global adjustments in the learning environment looks to be increasing as global technological advancements accelerate. Although, educational institutions could evolve technologically to increase students' potential to differentiate, particularly in mathematics and vocational education. As Accounting is concerned, it is one of the undergraduate courses that incorporate learning from other disciplines as well as vocational education. Nevertheless, student outcomes in accounting have remained inadequate, owing to high dropout rates and low engagement due to insufficient teaching techniques, resulting in weak sensory thinking skills needed for success. therefore, the purpose of this article is to bridge the gap by investigating an authentic-based multimedia learning environment to improve student engagement in the teaching of accounting education in Nigerian higher institutions. Constructivist learning methodologies are being investigated in conjunction with Mayer's cognitive theory of multimedia learning, cognitive engagement theories, and behavioral engagement theories in order to solve these challenges, which is critical for engaging students in many emerging nations. For this analysis, 90 respondents were chosen from a total population of 120 undergraduate accounting students. Data was collected through questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. The study's results are important for instructors and administrators who seek to increase student participation in multimedia learning environments in their classroom teaching. Future studies could emphasize on the difficulties of adopting authentic-based multimedia learning while keeping students engaged. To conclude, the federal government, higher education officials, curriculum designers, and accounting teachers are all working together to boost student engagement in Nigeria's multimedia learning environment, as shown in this article.

Abstract Language and social symptoms improve with age in some autistic toddlers, but not in others, and such outcome differences are not clearly predictable from clinical scores alone. Here we aim to identify early-age brain alterations in autism that are prognostic of future language ability. Leveraging 372 longitudinal structural MRI scans from 166 autistic toddlers and 109 typical toddlers and controlling for brain size, we find that, compared to typical toddlers, autistic toddlers show differentially larger or thicker temporal and fusiform regions; smaller or thinner inferior frontal lobe and midline structures; larger callosal subregion volume; and smaller cerebellum. Most differences are replicated in an independent cohort of 75 toddlers. These brain alterations improve accuracy for predicting language outcome at 6-month follow-up beyond intake clinical and demographic variables. Temporal, fusiform, and inferior frontal alterations are related to autism symptom severity and cognitive impairments at early intake ages. Among autistic toddlers, brain alterations in social, language and face processing areas enhance the prediction of the child’s future language ability.

Because heavy metals can build up within the bodies of living things, and because of chemical reactions, they can become poisonous and carcinogenic. Among other things, heavy metal-containing salts are one way these elements enter the body. In Khuzestan Province, Iran, the Shorbarik River is one of the most significant rivers from which salt is mined. In order to assess the health and quality of the salt taken from the Shorbarik River in accordance with national regulations, this study looked into the concentration of heavy metals (lead and cadmium) in these salts. The Shorbarik River was the study region, and the surface salts of the dried bed were sampled in four stages. After drying in an oven, they were injected with acid into an atomic absorption device. Due to the high concentration of cadmium in the region's salts, the risk of cancer from exposure to heavy metals through salt consumption is serious. Ecologically, the Shorbarik River's salt is generally low in lead contamination and considerably high in cadmium contamination, with high levels in the spring and summer. Therefore, it is recommended to consume refined salt.

Background: Today, human power has a deep connection with organization, and the dimensions of personal and organizational life of people are intertwined in a complicated way. The present study was conducted with the aim of designing a structural model of the effect of organizational climate on life satisfaction with the mediating role of job satisfaction among employees of emergency medical centers. Methods: The present descriptive-analytical study was conducted cross-sectionally in 2021. The statistical population of the research included 270 employees of emergency medical centers in Ahvaz city, including the headquarters, urban and road bases, who were all included in the study using the census method. Data collection tools consisted of Halpin and Croft's organizational climate questionnaires, life satisfaction and Spector's job satisfaction. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling technique in Smart PLS 3 software. Results: The findings showed that there was a significant and positive relationship between organizational climate and job satisfaction and job satisfaction and life satisfaction in emergency medical workers in Ahvaz city. Organizational climate has a significant and positive effect on life satisfaction through the mediation of job satisfaction. According to the path coefficients, the job satisfaction variable plays a mediating role in the relationship between organizational climate and life satisfaction with 0.51 units (0.776 x 0.663). The values of Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) and Normed Fit Index (NFI) index were 0.089 and 0.571, respectively, which indicated the suitability of the presented model regarding the relationship between organizational climate, life satisfaction, and job satisfaction. Conclusion: Considering the effect of organizational climate on life satisfaction and the mediating role of job satisfaction, it is possible to increase employees' life satisfaction by providing a favorable environment in the organization and improving job satisfaction.

Every year, rains cause material damage and human losses, in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire). The objective of this study is to contribute to the characterization of the rain hazard in the District of Abidjan. The available data are made up of daily rainfall from a historical station “Abidjan airport” (1961–2014) and an academic network of rain gauges (21) progressively implemented in Abidjan since 2015. A descriptive analysis (date of occurrence, rainfall depth, mean wet days intensity and number of rainy days) on the Highest Cumulative Rainfall Periods (HCRP: 60 d) is conducted on the long-term station. The periods of highest risk of flooding during the long and short rainy seasons are characterized. The Experimental variograms of extreme rainfalls derived from the current network, allow to evaluate their extensions according to the rainy season.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis remains behavior-based and the median age of diagnosis is ~52 months, nearly 5 years after its first-trimester origin. Accurate and clinically-translatable early-age diagnostics do not exist due to ASD genetic and clinical heterogeneity. Here we collected clinical, diagnostic, and leukocyte RNA data from 240 ASD and typically developing (TD) toddlers (175 toddlers for training and 65 for test). To identify gene expression ASD diagnostic classifiers, we developed 42,840 models composed of 3570 gene expression feature selection sets and 12 classification methods. We found that 742 models had AUC-ROC ≥ 0.8 on both Training and Test sets. Weighted Bayesian model averaging of these 742 models yielded an ensemble classifier model with accurate performance in Training and Test gene expression datasets with ASD diagnostic classification AUC-ROC scores of 85-89% and AUC-PR scores of 84-92%. ASD toddlers with ensemble scores above and below the overall ASD ensemble mean of 0.723 (on a scale of 0 to 1) had similar diagnostic and psychometric scores, but those below this ASD ensemble mean had more prenatal risk events than TD toddlers. Ensemble model feature genes were involved in cell cycle, inflammation/immune response, transcriptional gene regulation, cytokine response, and PI3K-AKT, RAS and Wnt signaling pathways. We additionally collected targeted DNA sequencing smMIPs data on a subset of ASD risk genes from 217 of the 240 ASD and TD toddlers. This DNA sequencing found about the same percentage of SFARI Level 1 and 2 ASD risk gene mutations in TD (12 of 105) as in ASD (13 of 112) toddlers, and classification based only on the presence of mutation in these risk genes performed at a chance level of 49%. By contrast, the leukocyte ensemble gene expression classifier correctly diagnostically classified 88% of TD and ASD toddlers with ASD risk gene mutations. Our ensemble ASD gene expression classifier is diagnostically predictive and replicable across different toddler ages, races, and ethnicities; out-performs a risk gene mutation classifier; and has potential for clinical translation.

ImportanceCaregivers have long captured the attention of their infants by speaking in motherese, a playful speech style characterized by heightened affect. Reduced attention to motherese in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be a contributor to downstream language and social challenges and could be diagnostically revealing.ObjectiveTo investigate whether attention toward motherese speech can be used as a diagnostic classifier of ASD and is associated with language and social ability.Design, setting, and participantsThis diagnostic study included toddlers aged 12 to 48 months, spanning ASD and non-ASD diagnostic groups, at a research center. Data were collected from February 2018 to April 2021 and analyzed from April 2021 to March 2022.ExposuresGaze-contingent eye-tracking test.Main outcomes and measuresUsing gaze-contingent eye tracking wherein the location of a toddler's fixation triggered a specific movie file, toddlers participated in 1 or more 1-minute eye-tracking tests designed to quantify attention to motherese speech, including motherese vs traffic (ie, noisy vehicles on a highway) and motherese vs techno (ie, abstract shapes with music). Toddlers were also diagnostically and psychometrically evaluated by psychologists. Levels of fixation within motherese and nonmotherese movies and mean number of saccades per second were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate optimal fixation cutoff values and associated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value. Within the ASD group, toddlers were stratified based on low, middle, or high levels of interest in motherese speech, and associations with social and language abilities were examined.ResultsA total of 653 toddlers were included (mean [SD] age, 26.45 [8.37] months; 480 males [73.51%]). Unlike toddlers without ASD, who almost uniformly attended to motherese speech with a median level of 82.25% and 80.75% across the 2 tests, among toddlers with ASD, there was a wide range, spanning 0% to 100%. Both the traffic and techno paradigms were effective diagnostic classifiers, with large between-group effect sizes (eg, ASD vs typical development: Cohen d, 1.0 in the techno paradigm). Across both paradigms, a cutoff value of 30% or less fixation on motherese resulted in an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.733 (95% CI, 0.693-0.773) and 0.761 (95% CI, 0.717-0.804), respectively; specificity of 98% (95% CI, 95%-99%) and 96% (95% CI, 92%-98%), respectively; and PPV of 94% (95% CI, 86%-98%). Reflective of heterogeneity and expected subtypes in ASD, sensitivity was lower at 18% (95% CI, 14%-22%) and 29% (95% CI, 24%-34%), respectively. Combining metrics increased the AUC to 0.841 (95% CI, 0.805-0.877). Toddlers with ASD who showed the lowest levels of attention to motherese speech had weaker social and language abilities.Conclusions and relevanceIn this diagnostic study, a subset of toddlers showed low levels of attention toward motherese speech. When a cutoff level of 30% or less fixation on motherese speech was used, toddlers in this range were diagnostically classified as having ASD with high accuracy. Insight into which toddlers show unusually low levels of attention to motherese may be beneficial not only for early ASD diagnosis and prognosis but also as a possible therapeutic target.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged since December 2019 and was later characterized as a pandemic by WHO, imposing a major public health threat globally. Our study aimed to identify common signatures from different biological levels to enlighten the current unclear association between COVID-19 and Parkinsons disease (PD) as a number of possible links, and hypotheses were reported in the literature. We have analyzed transcriptome data from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of both COVID-19 and PD patients, resulting in a total of 81 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The functional enrichment analysis of common DEGs are mostly involved in the complement system, type II interferon gamma (IFNG) signaling pathway, oxidative damage, microglia pathogen phagocytosis pathway, and GABAergic synapse. The protein-protein interaction network (PPIN) construction was carried out followed by hub detection, revealing 10 hub genes (MX1, IFI27, C1QC, C1QA, IFI6, NFIX, C1S, XAF1, IFI35, and ELANE). Some of the hub genes were associated with molecular mechanisms such as Lewy bodies-induced inflammation, microglia activation, and cytokine storm. We investigated regulatory elements of hub genes at transcription factor and miRNA levels. The major transcription factors regulating hub genes are SOX2, XAF1, RUNX1, MITF, and SPI1. We propose that these events may have important roles in the onset or progression of PD. To sum up, our analysis describes possible mechanisms linking COVID-19 and PD, elucidating some unknown clues in between.

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks among the most prevalent cancers and accounts for a significant proportion of cancer-associated deaths worldwide. This disease, marked by multifaceted etiology, often poses diagnostic challenges. Finding a reliable and non-invasive diagnostic method seems to be necessary. In this study, we analyzed the gene expression profiles of 20 HCC patients, 12 individuals with chronic hepatitis, and 15 healthy controls. Enrichment analysis revealed that platelet aggregation, secretory granule lumen, and G-protein-coupled purinergic nucleotide receptor activity were common biological processes, cellular components, and molecular function in HCC and chronic hepatitis B (CHB) compared to healthy controls, respectively. Furthermore, pathway analysis demonstrated that “estrogen response” was involved in the pathogenesis of HCC and CHB conditions, while, “apoptosis” and “coagulation” pathways were specific for HCC. Employing computational feature selection and logistic regression classification, we identified candidate genes pivotal for diagnostic panel development and evaluated the performance of these panels. Subsequent machine learning evaluations assessed these panels’ performance in an independent cohort. Remarkably, a 3-marker panel, comprising RANSE2, TNF-α, and MAP3K7, demonstrated the best performance in qRT-PCR-validated experimental data, achieving 98.4% accuracy and an area under the curve of 1. Our findings highlight this panel’s promising potential as a non-invasive approach not only for detecting HCC but also for distinguishing HCC from CHB patients.

Background: It is well known that stretch training can induce prolonged increases in joint range of motion (ROM). However, to date more information is needed regarding which training variables might have greater influence on improvements in flexibility. Thus, the purpose of this meta-analysis was to investigate the effects of stretch training on ROM in healthy participants by considering potential moderating variables, such as stretching technique, intensity, duration, frequency, and muscles stretched, as well as sex-specific, age-specific, and/or trained state-specific adaptations to stretch training. Methods: We searched through PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SportDiscus to find eligible studies and, finally, assessed the results from 77 studies and 186 effect sizes by applying a random-effect meta-analysis. Moreover, by applying a mixed-effect model, we performed the respective subgroup analyses. To find potential relationships between stretch duration or age and effect sizes, we performed a meta-regression. Results: We found a significant overall effect, indicating that stretch training can increase ROM with a moderate effect compared to the controls (effect size = –1.002; Z = –12.074; 95% confidence interval: –1.165 to –0.840; p < 0.001; I2 = 74.97). Subgroup analysis showed a significant difference between the stretching techniques (p = 0.01) indicating that proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and static stretching produced greater ROM than did ballistic/dynamic stretching. Moreover, there was a significant effect between the sexes (p = 0.04), indicating that females showed higher gains in ROM compared to males. However, further moderating analysis showed no significant relation or difference. Conclusion: When the goal is to maximize ROM in the long term, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation or static stretching, rather than ballistic/dynamic stretching, should be applied. Something to consider in future research as well as sports practice is that neither volume, intensity, nor frequency of stretching were found to play a significant role in ROM yields.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the age-friendly indicators in Kashan City, Iran in 2022.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in four districts of Kashan City, Iran. Researchers randomly selected 80 locations and used a specific checklist for observation. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics.Results: Outdoor buildings and offices scored a mean of 8.95±2.25 out of 20 (range 5-14, 95% CI: 8-10.05), indicating an average condition. Urban roads and transportation scored 6.10±2.34 out of 20 (range 5-10, 95% CI: 5.8-7.0), also showing an average condition. Parks and public spaces received a score of 7.57±1.5 out of 16 (range 6-11, 95% CI: 6.8–8.1), reflecting an average condition. Religious places scored 10.09±2.6 out of 12 (range 7-11, 95% CI: 9.2–10.3), indicating a good condition.Conclusion: The majority of outdoor buildings and offices, urban roads and transportation, as well as recreational and religious spaces in Kashan City do not meet the necessary standards for an age-friendly environment. These findings highlight areas that require improvement to enhance the health, activity, and quality of life for the elderly population.

Objective: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely recognized as a promising cell type for therapeutic applicationsdue to their ability to secrete and regenerate bioactive molecules. For effective bone healing, it is crucial to select ascaffold that can support, induce, and restore biological function. Evaluating the scaffold should involve assessing MSCsurvival, proliferation, and differentiation. The principal aim of this investigation was to formulate composite nanofibrousscaffolds apt for applications in bone tissue engineering.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, nanofibrous scaffolds were fabricated using Poly-L-lactic acid(PLLA) polymer. The PLLA fibers’ surface was modified by integrating collagen and hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles.Results: The findings demonstrated that the collagen- and nanohydroxyapatite-modified electrospun PLLA scaffoldpositively influenced the attachment, growth, and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs.Conclusion: Coating the nanofiber scaffold with collagen and nanoparticle HA significantly enhanced the osteogenicdifferentiation of MSCs on electrospun PLLA scaffolds.

Abstract Background The advent of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) has catalyzed a paradigm shift in medical genetics, enabling the identification of disease-associated variants. However, the vast quantum of data produced by NGS necessitates a robust and dependable mechanism for filtering irrelevant variants. Annotation-based variant filtering, a pivotal step in this process, demands a profound understanding of the case-specific conditions and the relevant annotation instruments. To tackle this complex task, we sought to design an accessible, efficient and more importantly easy to understand variant filtering tool. Results Our efforts culminated in the creation of 123VCF, a tool capable of processing both compressed and uncompressed Variant Calling Format (VCF) files. Built on a Java framework, the tool employs a disk-streaming real-time filtering algorithm, allowing it to manage sizable variant files on conventional desktop computers. 123VCF filters input variants in accordance with a predefined filter sequence applied to the input variants. Users are provided the flexibility to define various filtering parameters, such as quality, coverage depth, and variant frequency within the populations. Additionally, 123VCF accommodates user-defined filters tailored to specific case requirements, affording users enhanced control over the filtering process. We evaluated the performance of 123VCF by analyzing different types of variant files and comparing its runtimes to the most similar algorithms like BCFtools filter and GATK VariantFiltration. The results indicated that 123VCF performs relatively well. The tool's intuitive interface and potential for reproducibility make it a valuable asset for both researchers and clinicians. Conclusion The 123VCF filtering tool provides an effective, dependable approach for filtering variants in both research and clinical settings. As an open-source tool available at https://project123vcf.sourceforge.io , it is accessible to the global scientific and clinical community, paving the way for the discovery of disease-causing variants and facilitating the advancement of personalized medicine.

Background and purpose: Assessing job satisfaction within any organization is essential due to its impact on productivity and overall effectiveness. This study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Persian version of Spector's Job Satisfaction Questionnaire among employees of emergency medical centers. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted among 270 employees of emergency medical centers in Ahvaz between February 2021 and June 2021. Data collection was performed using a census method and Spector's Job Satisfaction Questionnaire. Face validity, content validity, and translation accuracy of the questionnaire were reviewed by experts. Convergent and divergent validity and reliability were assessed using factor loadings, average variance extracted (AVE), reciprocal factor loadings, Cronbach's alpha, and composite reliability in SMART-PLS 3 software. Results: The face validity, content validity, and translation accuracy of the questionnaire were confirmed by experts to suit the Iranian context. All item factor loadings and the AVE index for all constructs exceeded 0.4. The AVE index for the entire questionnaire was 0.523. Examination of reciprocal factor loadings confirmed divergent validity. Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability indices for all constructs were above 0.7. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient and composite reliability for the entire questionnaire were 0.83 and 0.88, respectively. Conclusion: The validity and reliability of this questionnaire, as adjusted for the Iranian population, were confirmed to be high. Therefore, this questionnaire can be effectively used to evaluate job satisfaction among employees in various organizations, particularly in healthcare organizations and centers.

Improving the mechanical properties of soil in order to build civil projects is one of the important concerns of civil engineers. For a long time, various methods have been recommended to improve the soil used in projects, and most of these methods have been the result of using past experiences, among which the use of different additives to the desired soil has been one of the most common methods. Today, by using high-tech laboratory equipment, it is possible to select additives needed to improve soil properties based on the type of minerals that make up that soil. Therefore, in the research, using scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction method, the type of constituent minerals and the morphology of the soils used in the channels of Azadegan Plain, which mainly had a chalky texture, were studied. The results of the research show that there are changes in the paste limit for all related samples, the lowest value for the sample with 5% lime is an increase of 7.65% and the highest value for the sample with 7% cement is an increase of 113.74%. The angle of internal friction for all samples shows, the lowest value related to the sample with 5% lime, 5% slag is equal to 22.2% and the highest value related to the sample with 5% cement is equal to 6.4% increase.

Iran is a country characterized by high biodiversity and complex biogeographic patterns. Its diverse landscape and steep climatic gradients have resulted in significant faunal diversity and high level of endemism. To better understand these patterns, we investigated the historical environmental drivers that have shaped Iran’s current geological and climatological conditions, and, consequently, have shaped the current zoological distribution patterns. Furthermore, we provide an overview of the country’s zoological diversity and zoogeography by reviewing published studies on its fauna. We analyzed nearly all available catalogs, updated checklists, and relevant publications, and synthesized them to present a comprehensive overview of Iran’s biodiversity. Our review reports approximately 37,500 animal species for Iran. We also demonstrated that the country serves as a biogeographic transition zone among three zoogeographical realms: the Palearctic, Oriental, and Saharo-Arabian, where distinct faunal elements intersect. This biogeographic complexity has made it challenging to delineate clear zoogeographical zones, leading to varying classifications depending on the taxon. The uplift of mountain ranges, in particular, has played a crucial role in shaping faunal diversity by serving as barriers, corridors, and glacial refugia. These mountains are largely the result of orogeny and plate collisions during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras, coupled with the development of the Tethyan Sea and the uplift of several ranges during the Miocene. Despite these insights, our understanding of biodiversity distribution in Iran remains incomplete, even for some well-studied taxa, such as certain vertebrate families and arthropods. We highlight the existing gaps in knowledge regarding zoogeographical patterns and propose approaches to address these gaps, particularly concerning less-studied species and the highly diverse group of insects.

Aim/Purpose: Drawing on transactional distance theory (TDT) and collaborative learning, this research proposes a research model to examine the role of collaborative learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. It investigates the potential antecedents that influence students' academic achievements, autonomy, and satisfaction with online learning platforms. Background: The coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic devastating the world has shaken the global educational system; such a transformation compelled all educational institutes to utilize online learning platforms. Malaysian higher educational institutions were greatly concerned by this disease and faced considerable transformations that affected higher education learners. Additionally, the campus closure and movement regulations impacted traditional education. Thus, the Malaysian Government ordered students at higher education institutions to return to their hometowns and continue their studies through online learning. Therefore, online learning was the most reasonable alternative to resume the learning process. Furthermore, in the educational world, collaborative learning is pivotal to forming students' interpersonal skills. Collaborative learning practice is working in pairs or small groups to attain the learning objectives collaboratively. Collaborative learning refers to the process of acquiring knowledge in a collaborative setting as opposed to alone. Since the instructor and students are in separate locations, it is challenging for the teacher to facilitate collaborative learning. Methodology: This study utilized a quantitative method; purposive sampling was implemented, and the data were collected from 260 university students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, as long as they were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. The questionnaire for this research was designed to fit the research hypothesis. The items of the questionnaire have been adapted to certify the content's validity. The collected data were analyzed using Smart PLS software, which has been utilized as an essential data analysis tool. Contribution: This research contributes to: (1) a better understanding of the importance of communication and connection among students-students and teachers in online learning environments, as the results suggest that the more communication between students, teachers, and the environment itself, the greater the academic achievements, learners' autonomy, and satisfaction; and (2) the role of both collaborative learning and TDT on learners' academic achievements, autonomy, and satisfaction. Findings: This study advances by incorporating TDT and collaborative learning theories. This research model illustrates six main factors in online learning platforms that enhance students' academic achievements, autonomy, and satisfaction through collaborative learning. The results showed a strong association between TDT and collaborative learning regarding the online learning platforms' utilization for improving academic achievements, learners' autonomy, and satisfaction. Recommendations for Practitioners: This model provided exceptional support to students during this sudden switch to online alternatives and helped them cope with the considerable challenges they faced under the current circumstances. Moreover, this model provides a guideline for higher education teachers and administrators for coping with online learning platforms. Recommendations for Researchers: Drawing on the association between TDT and collaborative learning regarding the utilization of online learning platforms for improving academic achievements, learners' autonomy, and learner satisfaction, the research result presents a road map for researchers in the field of online learning. Accordingly, researchers are encouraged to utilize these theories, as they can lead to improvements among online learners in higher education institutions. Impact on Society: This preliminary model, which was developed throughout this research, will be a great support to both researchers and instructors to be able to utilize and elaborate in accordance with the role of online platforms on students' satisfaction, autonomy, and academic achievements. It is critical for higher education administrators to pay more attention to the nature of communication between students and student instructors, which has been shown to have a positive influence on their academic achievements, to implement online learning. Moreover, instructors and course developers must be trained and skilled to achieve online learning platform goals. Future Research: Future research could include more information about blended learning environments and their relationship to the technology acceptance model as an online learning model. Researchers may extend the model used in this study.

Abstract Background This study aimed to examine maternal serum concentration of β‐human chorionic gonadotropin (β‐hCG) on Day 16 after embryo transfer and risk of miscarriage, pre‐eclampsia, and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Methods In this study, we evaluated 125 pregnancies following in vitro fertilization (IVF). β‐hCG concentrations were measured on the morning of Day 16 after embryo transfer. Baseline characteristics of the study participants were also recorded. Results Concentrations of β‐hCG on Day 16 after embryo transfer were inversely associated with the higher risk of miscarriage (p 0.05). Spearman's correlation coefficient showed a reverse and significant association between β‐hCG and higher risk of miscarriage (σ = 0.531 and p

The understanding of the mechanisms underlying the diffusion, advection, and mixing of pollutants constitutes a crucial aspect in monitoring water resources quality, particularly in the context of river systems. The longitudinal dispersion coefficient holds significant importance in predicting and illustration of pollutants in river systems. The current study investigated the advection and dispersion of pollution in meandering rivers experimentally. A series of experiments were undertaken to quantify the tracer concentration within a laboratory flume. The meandering flume with 8 bends was used to consider variation of tracer concentration for different discharges and solid and sedimentary beds. Utilizing the collected experimental data and employing the routing process, the longitudinal dispersion coefficient was determined across various segments of meandering rivers. Comparison of results for both solid and sedimentary bed indicates that as the flow discharge increases, the tracer's transfer speed increases while the transfer time decreases. Consequently, the difference between the peak concentration of tracer on the hydrographs (Cr) of input and output sections in the range of 21 to 100 percent decreases. Furthermore, by changing the bed from solid to sedimentary, Cr and the longitudinal mixing coefficient (DL) increased noticeably. In the mentioned conditions, the lowest values of Cr and DL parameters were obtained with 100 and 85% increase in value, respectively. Additionally, the results revealed a positive correlation between the mixing parameters and the length of the traversed tracer along the bends. The analysis of the data indicated that as the Reynolds number increased, the longitudinal mixing coefficient increased in both solid and sedimentary bed.

Background: Currently, there is an increasing number of patients reporting dizziness, which has resulted in a positive COVID-19 PCR test. In this paper, we analyzed the ENG signals recorded from patients with a positive COVID-19 PCR test. Methods: In this paper, both linear and nonlinear analyses of time series were employed to determine the regularity and complexity of a recorded ENG signal. Results: The Wilcoxon rank-sum test indicated that the COVID-19 and non-COVID groups have significant differences based on different extracted features. Various machine learning methods including Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Naïve Base (NB), K-nearest Neighbours (KNN), and Support Vector Machines (SVM) were used to classify COVID-19 and non-COVID groups. The best accuracy, precision and FCR achieved by SVM are 86%, 91% and 0.13. Conclusion: In this study, ENG signals were recorded from COVID-19 and control groups. Linear and non-linear features were extracted from the recorded signals to identify significantly different features. Subjects were classified based on SVM and different classifiers. The SVM (polynomial kernel) classifier showed the best result. The proposed method had not been used for the classification of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 subjects before. This work helps other researchers conduct more research on the development of machine learning methods to diagnose the COVID-19 virus using ENG and other physiological signals.

Abstract Background Although stretching can acutely increase joint range of motion (ROM), there are a variety of factors which could influence the extent of stretch-induced flexibility such as participant characteristics, stretching intensities, durations, type (technique), and muscle or joint tested. Objective The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the acute effects of stretching on ROM including moderating variables such as muscles tested, stretch techniques, intensity, sex, and trained state. Methods A random-effect meta-analysis was performed from 47 eligible studies (110 effect sizes). A mixed-effect meta-analysis subgroup analysis was also performed on the moderating variables. A meta-regression was also performed between age and stretch duration. GRADE analysis was used to assess the quality of evidence obtained from this meta-analysis. Results The meta-analysis revealed a small ROM standard mean difference in favor of an acute bout of stretching compared to non-active control condition (ES = −0.555; Z = −8.939; CI (95%) −0.677 to −0.434; p