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The characterisation of extreme wind gust speeds has historically relied on data from observations, while numerically modelling these events is limited due to their rarity and localised nature. However, the ongoing increase in computational power now allows extreme events to be characterised in fine-scale numerical data. Extreme gust events are examined using 24 years of 1.5 km horizontal grid reanalysis data for eastern Australia, and compared to those based on 1-minute data from station observations. We estimate return values over long periods using the generalised Pareto distribution (GPD) peaks-over-threshold approach. An automated algorithm that selects an optimal threshold at each grid point is outlined and gives similar results to an approach based on pre-fixing the shape factor value similar to what is applied in Australian building design standards. We also present a decision tree model that skillfully distinguishes between convective (i.e., thunderstorm) and synoptic (e.g., frontal system and cyclone) gust events using only hourly reanalysis data. The reanalysis shows high synoptic gust intensities and frequencies along the coast, consistent with station observations, and that synoptic-type extreme gusts are enhanced by topography (higher occurrence frequencies in mountain areas) while convective-type events are less affected. The reanalysis systematically overestimates parameterised gust activity, while compensating for this at many locations by underestimating the resolved wind speed, thus often producing gusts close to observed. With the proviso that these issues are considered, we find that the information on wind gusts provided by reanalysis data may be quite useful especially in regions with low observational network coverage.

Abstract Background Tumor-promoting factors (TPF) and metabolic reprogramming are hallmarks of cancer cell growth. This study is designed to combine the newly synthesized two nanocomposites DDM (HA-FA-2DG@DCA@MgO) and AF (HA-FA-Amygdaline@Fe2O3) with fractionated doses of radiotherapy (6 Gy-FDR; fractionated dose radiotherapy) to improve the efficiency of chemo-radiotherapy against breast cancer cell lines (BCCs; MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231). The physicochemical properties of each nanocomposite were confirmed using energy dispersive XRD, FTIR, HR-TEM, and SEM. The stability of DDMPlusAF was also examined, as well as its release and selective cellular uptake in response to acidic pH. A multiple-MTT assay was performed to evaluate the radiosensitivity of BCCs to DDMPlusAF at 3 Gy (single dose radiotherapy; SDR) and 6 Gy-FDR after 24, 48, and 72 h. Finally, the anti-cancer activity of DDMPlusAF with 6 Gy-FDR was investigated via assessing the cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis by flow cytometry, the biochemical mediators (HIF-1α, TNF-α, IL-10, P53, PPAR-α, and PRMT-1), along with glycolytic pathway (glucose, HK, PDH, lactate, and ATP) as well as the signaling effectors (protein expression of AKT, AMPK, SIRT-1, TGF-β, PGC-1α, and gene expression of ERR-α) were determined in this study. Results The stability of DDMPlusAF was verified over 6 days without nanoparticle aggregation. DDMPlusAF release and selectivity data revealed that their release was amenable to the acidic pH of the cancer environment, and their selectivity was enhanced towards BCCs owing to CD44 and FR-α receptors-mediated uptake. After 24 h, DDMPlusAF boosted the BCC radiosensitivity to 6 Gy-FDR. Cell cycle arrest (G2/M and pre-G1), apoptosis induction, modulation of TPF mediators and signaling effectors, and suppression of aerobic glycolysis, all confirmed DDMPlusAF + 6 Gy’s anti-cancer activity. Conclusions It could be concluded that DDMPlusAF exerted a selective cancer radiosensitizing efficacy with targeted properties for TPF and metabolic reprogramming in BCCs therapy.

Nickel manganese oxide (NixMn3-xO4) nanoparticle modified carbon paste electrode (NMO/CPE) was used for the determination of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP). NixMn3-xO4 nanoparticles described were synthesized via simple, rapid and inexpensive co-precipitation route. Product's morphology and structure were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis, Fourier-transform infrared, and X-Ray diffraction analysis. Using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and chronoamperometry, the 2, 4-DCP electrochemical response of NMO/CPE was analyzed. kcat was determined to be 1.13 × 104 mol−1 L−2 s−1 through these investigations. Also, the results obtained indicated unique electrocatalytic behavior of 2, 4-DCP at NMO/CPE as a considerable increase in anodic current compared to bare CPE (about 4 times). Supporting electrolyte pH, electrode composition, and scan rate were all experimental parameters that were fine-tuned. Under optimal conditions, the electrode could detect 2, 4-DCP concentrations as low as 89 nmol L−1 in a range of 0.05–500 mol L−1 using differential pulse voltammetry. The electrode also showed outstanding selectivity, repeatability, and stability. Real water samples were successfully analyzed for 2, 4-DCP using the specified electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Vertigo in paediatric age is not a rare condition. However, a lack of awareness about causes of dizziness in children besides the absence of standard diagnostic workup often leads to unnecessary procedures in managing these cases. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence and frequency distribution of balance abnormalities in dizzy children. Additionally, the questionnaire’s utility as a screening tool and its predictive accuracy are discussed. Thus, an organized strategy can be allocated to assist the diagnostic process, which is likely to eliminate unnecessary and costly evaluations. Results This study comprised 848 children who presented with any of the dizzy symptoms referred to the Audio-Vestibular Unit, Fayoum University Hospital. The suggested diagnosis was 23.9% of the cases suffered from otitis media either alone or combined with other diseases, while 17.6% had benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood. Migraine patients represented 11.2% of the cases. Only 5.5% of subjects had benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. 78.3% of cases with possible diagnosis showed agreement in diagnosis by both paediatric dizziness questionnaire and the final diagnosis reached by a full assessment of the patients. Conclusion Diagnosing dizziness in children is challenging; nevertheless, a structured history taken in conjunction with a vestibular examination is crucial for establishing an accurate diagnosis. The questionnaire appears to be an even-handed tool for diagnosing dizzy children.

Abstract Background Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating condition affecting human body biomechanics and quality of life. Current standard care for knee OA leads to trivial improvement and entails multiple adverse effects or complications. Recently, investigational cell therapies injected intra-articularly, such as bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP), have shown safety and therapeutic potency providing patients with pain relief. In the current retrospective comparative study, we investigated the differences in pain and functional improvements in patients with symptomatic knee OA receiving intra-articular injections of BMAC vs PRP. Methods Pain and functionality scores were measured at baseline and at different time points post-injection over 12 months, using 3 self-administered, clinically validated questionnaires: the visual analogue scale (VAS) for assessing pain intensity, the knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS) for evaluating functionality and knee-related quality of life, and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) for evaluating physical function. The repeated-measures general linear model with Sidak test for pairwise comparisons was used to investigate the influence of the treatment on the score evolution within groups (between baseline and each time point) and between groups (overall). Results The BMAC group (n = 26 knees) significantly improved in VAS, KOOS, and WOMAC scores between baseline and 12 months (57.4, 75.88, and 73.95% mean score improvement, respectively). In contrast, the PRP group (n = 13 knees) witnessed nonsignificant improvement in all scores. BMAC, in comparison to PRP, induced significant improvement in outcomes by 29.38% on the VAS scale, 53.89% on the KOOS scale, and 51.71% on the WOMAC scale (P

Abstract Background Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been extensively used in the clinic due to their exquisite tissue repair capacity. However, they also hold promise in the field of cellular vaccination as they can behave as conditional antigen presenting cells in response to interferon (IFN)-gamma treatment under a specific treatment regimen. This suggests that the immune function of MSCs can be pharmacologically modulated. Given the capacity of the agonist pyrimido-indole derivative UM171a to trigger the expression of various antigen presentation-related genes in human hematopoietic progenitor cells, we explored the potential use of UM171a as a means to pharmacologically instill and/or promote antigen presentation by MSCs. Methods Besides completing a series of flow-cytometry-based phenotypic analyses, several functional antigen presentation assays were conducted using the SIINFEKL-specific T-cell clone B3Z. Anti-oxidants and electron transport chain inhibitors were also used to decipher UM171a’s mode of action in MSCs. Finally, the potency of UM171a-treated MSCs was evaluated in the context of therapeutic vaccination using immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice with pre-established syngeneic EG.7T-cell lymphoma. Results Treatment of MSCs with UM171a triggered potent increase in H2-Kb cell surface levels along with the acquisition of antigen cross-presentation abilities. Mechanistically, such effects occurred in response to UM171a-mediated production of mitochondrial-derived reactive oxygen species as their neutralization using anti-oxidants or Antimycin-A mitigated MSCs’ ability to cross-present antigens. Processing and presentation of the immunogenic ovalbumin-derived SIINFEKL peptide was caused by de novo expression of the Psmb8 gene in response to UM171a-triggered oxidative stress. When evaluated for their anti-tumoral properties in the context of therapeutic vaccination, UM171a-treated MSC administration to immunocompetent mice with pre-established T-cell lymphoma controlled tumor growth resulting in 40% survival without the need of additional supportive therapy and/or standard-of-care. Conclusions Altogether, our findings reveal a new immune-related function for UM171a and clearly allude to a direct link between UM171a-mediated ROS induction and antigen cross-presentation by MSCs. The fact that UM171a treatment modulates MSCs to become antigen-presenting cells without the use of IFN-gamma opens-up a new line of investigation to search for additional agents capable of converting immune-suppressive MSCs to a cellular tool easily adaptable to vaccination. Graphical abstract

Lab-based surveillance of Shigella has traditionally been based on serotyping but increasing availability of whole genome sequencing could enable higher resolution typing. Here, the authors apply a core genome multilocus sequence typing scheme to Shigella sequence data and describe its population structure.

Addiction medicine is a rapidly growing field with many young professionals seeking careers in this field. However, early-career professionals (ECPs) face challenges such as a lack of competency-based training due to a shortage of trainers, limited resources, limited mentorship opportunities, and establishment of suitable research areas. The International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) New Professionals Exploration, Training & Education (NExT) committee, a global platform for early-career addiction medicine professionals (ECAMPs), conducted a two-phase online survey using a modified Delphi-based approach among ECAMPs across 56 countries to assess the need for standardized training, research opportunities, and mentorship. A total of 110 respondents participated in Phase I (online key informant survey), and 28 respondents participated in Phase II (online expert group discussions on three themes identified in Phase I). The survey found that there is a lack of standardized training, structured mentorship programs, research funding, and research opportunities in addiction medicine for ECAMPs. There is a need for standardized training programs, improving research opportunities, and effective mentorship programs to promote the next generation of addiction medicine professionals and further development in the entire field. The efforts of ISAM NExT are well-received and give a template of how this gap can be addressed.

Background: Smartphones have greatly facilitated today's human life. However, problematic smartphone use (PSU) could negatively impact mental health. Findings from studies of people in Western countries and Eastern Asia have indicated that individuals with psychopathological symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress are more likely to use smartphones problematically. Aim: This study investigated whether depression, anxiety, and stress were associated with PSU among the Iranian population. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 using a web-based questionnaire promoted through social media. All participants (n = 2569) completed the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) as well as the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21). A linear multivariate regression model was created to investigate the role of psychopathological symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in PSU. Results: We found that for every one-unit increase in subscales of stress, depression and anxiety, the SAS scores increased by β1 = 0.24 (95%CI: [0.18, 0.29]), β2 = 0.13 (95%CI: [0.09, 0.18]), and β3 = 0.14 (95% CI: [0.09, 0.18]), respectively. Significant correlations were also found between depression (r = 0.38, p < 0.01), anxiety (r = 0.36, p < 0.01) and stress (r = 0.42, p

Summary: Immunoproteasome-reprogrammed mesenchymal stromal cells (IRMs) can surpass dendritic cells at eliciting tumor-specific immunity. However, the current IRM vaccination regimen remains clinically unsuitable due to the relatively high dose of IRMs needed. Since the administration of a lower IRM dose triggers a feeble anti-tumoral response, we aimed to combine this vaccination regimen with different modalities to fine-tune the potency of the vaccine. In a nutshell, we found that the co-administration of IRMs and interleukin-12 accentuates the anti-tumoral response, whereas the cross-presentation potency of IRMs is enhanced via intracellular succinate build-up, delayed endosomal maturation, and increased endosome-to-cytosol plasticity. Stimulating phagocyte-mediated cancer efferocytosis by blocking the CD47-SIRPα axis was also found to enhance IRM vaccine outcomes. Upon designing a single protocol combining the abovementioned strategies, 60% of treated animals exhibited a complete response. Altogether, this is the first IRM-based vaccination study, optimized to simultaneously target three vaccine-related pitfalls: T-cell response, antigen cross-presentation, and cancer phagocytosis.

This study aimed to observe the anticancer, as well as radiosensitizing, effect of Anagallis arvensis extract (AAE) on the growth of breast cancer cells (BCCs). This effect was evaluated through measured cell cycle arrest plus apoptosis through flowcytometry analyses associated with a protein level of estrogen receptors (ER-α and ER-β), Fork head box O3a (FOXO3), and phosphorylated histone H2AX (γ-H2AX) by western blotting analysis. Further, the gene expression of mir-18, mir-101, mir-421, and let-7 was detected via a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR). AAE and/or γ-radiation (4Gy) inhibited the mediator-induced growth activation and enhanced radiosensitivity in the BCC lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231). AAE reduced both cell cycle progression and cell growth via induced apoptosis. Additionally, the protein expression of ERα and ERβ was decreased, while the protein expression of FOXO3 and γ-H2AX was increased. Moreover, the gene expression of mir-18 and mir-101 was decreased, while the gene expression of let-7 and mir-421 was stimulated in BCCs. AAE has an anticancer with a radiosensitizing effect and is recommended for BC treatment.

A detailed study of the oxidation of Cu substrates was carried out under controlled conditions by regulating the pressure, atmosphere composition, process time, and temperature. By tuning the synthesis conditions, the formation of cuprous oxide (Cu2O) or cupric oxide (CuO) could be preferentially promoted. The oxidation temperature was varied from 400 to 1050 °C, and a gradual oxidation of metallic Cu to Cu2O was achieved at mild oxidation conditions (400–600 °C), while the formation of CuO was only observed at higher temperatures (≥900 °C). The surface morphology was also affected changing from a highly granular texture (400 °C) with grain sizes between 0.59 ± 0.15 µm to smooth large crystallites (≥900 °C) with a size within 2.76 ± 0.97 µm. We also show that by controlling the oxidation temperature (400–1050 °C), it is possible to tune the work function and the ionization potential of the resulting Cu2O/CuO film, properties that are important for various optoelectronic applications.

The current global platelet supply is often insufficient to meet all the transfusion needs of patients, in particular for those with alloimmune thrombocytopenia. To address this issue, we have developed a strategy employing a combination of approaches to achieve more efficient production of functional megakaryocytes (MKs) and platelets collected from cord blood (CB)-derived CD34+ hematopoietic cells. This strategy is based on ex-vivo expansion and differentiation of MKs in the presence of bone marrow niche-mimicking mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), together with two other key components: (1) To enhance MK polyploidization, we used the potent pharmacological Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, KD045, resulting in liberation of increased numbers of functional platelets both in-vitro and in-vivo; (2) To evade HLA class I T-cell-driven killing of these expanded MKs, we employed CRISPR-Cas9-mediated β-2 microglobulin (β2M) gene knockout (KO). We found that coculturing with MSCs and MK-lineage-specific cytokines significantly increased MK expansion. This was further increased by ROCK inhibition, which induced MK polyploidization and platelet production. Additionally, ex-vivo treatment of MKs with KD045 resulted in significantly higher levels of engraftment and donor chimerism in a mouse model of thrombocytopenia. Finally, β2M KO allowed MKs to evade killing by allogeneic T-cells. Overall, our approaches offer a novel, readily translatable roadmap for producing adult donor-independent platelet products for a variety of clinical indications.

In recent decades, the increase in temperature has caused widespread climate change all over the world, especially in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran and Yazd province. The purpose of this study is to project climate change in Yazd province using the CanESM2 model and new emission scenarios (RCP) during 2021-2050 (near future) and 2051-2080 (distant future) and to study the trend of changes in the baseline period using the Mann-Kendall test. The statistical indices of R2, RMSE, and NSE were used to evaluate the performance of the CanESM2 model. According to the results, the model had an appropriate performance for projecting precipitation and temperature in the future period and was classified into good and very good classes in terms of capability. Investigating the trend of the annual change of temperature and precipitation in the baseline period showed that the temperature had an increasing trend under most scenarios and stations, while the trend of the change of precipitation was no significant. The results of temperature changes in Yazd province indicated an increase of 2.2, 1.2, and 2.5 °C during 2021-2050 and 2.28, 3.19, and 4.77°C during 2051-2080 under RCP2, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5 scenarios, respectively. Changes in precipitation in Yazad province during the winter season showed a decrease in precipitation by 32, 26, and 34% during 2021-2050 and by 32, 32, and 5% during 2051-2080 under RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5 scenarios, respectively.

Chrysoperla carnea Stephens (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) is an important beneficial predator in agriculture, which is easily reared in laboratory. It is widely used in augmentative biological control programs. Research on sublethal effects, aims to reveal the negative and non-lethal impacts of insecticides on pests and provide practical information for forming effective pest control strategies. The lethal and sublethal effects of tebufenozide, clothianidin, and flupyradifurone on the common green lacewing, C. carnea were investigated in laboratory conditions at 25 ± 2°C, 60 ± 5% RH and a photoperiod of 16:8 h. (L:D). The results indicated the oviposition period in insects treated with flupyradifurone (26.62 days) was significantly different from the oviposition period in insects treated with clothianidin (21.90 days) and tebufenozide (21.62 days). Total fecundity in flupyradifurone treatment was significantly higher than the total fecundity in other treatments. The life table experiment of current study showed the values of r in control and the populations treated with LC30 of clothianidin, tebufenozide and flupyradifurone were 0.15, 0.17, 0.14, 0.15 day-1, respectively. The finite rate of increase (λ) was affected with different treatments; and the values varied from 1.19 to 1.16 day-1 for C. carnea adults treated with clothianidin and tebufenozide, respectively. The highest survival rate of C. carnea was observed in control (58 days). Based on the results, it seems flupyradifurone may have less harmful effects on total lifespan, fecundity rate and bio-characteristics of green lacewing population than clothianidin and tebufenozide.

Hosting capacity (HC) is the mathematical interpretation for the maximum aggregated distributed generations (DGs) penetration among the distribution networks. DGs integration has been adopted as a cleaner energy resource, but it has major operational issues like overvoltage, harmonics, and others. In this work, a novel mathematical optimization algorithm is adopted for HC maximization via sequential network reconfiguration followed by soft open points (SOPs) placement. Besides, a novel SOPs allocation index is proposed to reduce the computational burden taken by the optimization techniques while controlling the discrete allocation variables. Thus, to ensure maximum penetration of DG units and optimum operation scheme, HC maximization is formulated as multi-objective optimization approach, while considering system performance indices as a portion of the objective function. The proposed optimization algorithm succeeded in maximizing the HC of the IEEE 33- node distribution network, the IEEE 69- node network, the 59-node Egyptian distribution network and the 135-node Brazilian distribution network efficiently while improving system performance indices. Further analysis is conducted on the studied distribution systems to assess the effect of load growth on system’s HC after allocating both SOPs and DGs.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) induce T-cell-mediated antitumour responses. While ICI were initially successfully applied in metastasized melanoma, they are now approved for several tumour entities. Numerous autoimmune disorders have been reported to occur as adverse events of the treatment, among them bullous pemphigoid (BP), with less than 1% of the patients experiencing ICI-induced BP. This number is higher than the estimated prevalence of autoimmune bullous diseases in the general population of Germany, which lies around 0.05%. We here describe our cohort of eight patients, who developed a bullous pemphigoid under or shortly after ICI treatment. Half of them had a severe subtype (as shown by BPDAI >57) and showed a median onset of ICI-BP after 10 months of ICI initiation. Six patients had a palmar and/or plantar involvement, while oral involvement occurred in one case. All patients had linear epidermal IgG depositions in split skin in the indirect immunofluorescence. In four out of five biopsies available for direct immunofluorescence, linear IgG and C3 depositions were detected at the basement membrane, while one patient showed linear IgM staining. Moderate to high levels of FLBP180 autoantibodies were found in seven of eight cases. The disease can still be active after ICI discontinuation, while rituximab might be required for remission. Finally, four tumour samples were stained histochemically for collagen XVII (BP180), but no enhanced expression was found.

Multi-omic approaches offer an unprecedented overview of the development, plasticity, and resistance of cancer. However, the translation from anti-cancer compounds identified in vitro to clinically active drugs have a notoriously low success rate. Here, we review how technical advances in cell culture, robotics, computational biology, and development of reporter systems have transformed drug discovery, enabling screening approaches tailored to clinically relevant functional readouts (e.g., bypassing drug resistance). Illustrating with selected examples of “success stories,” we describe the process of phenotype-based high-throughput drug screening to target malignant cells or the immune system. Second, we describe computational approaches that link transcriptomic profiling of cancers with existing pharmaceutical compounds to accelerate drug repurposing. Finally, we review how CRISPR-based screening can be applied for the discovery of mechanisms of drug resistance and sensitization. Overall, we explore how the complementary strengths of each of these approaches allow them to transform the paradigm of pre-clinical drug development.

Introduction: Phyllodes (PTs) tumors are fibroblastic neoplasms of the breast. PTs are relatively rare and include less than 1% of all breast neoplasms. In this study, a case of large tumor of Phyllodes following fennel consumption was reported. Case presentation: The patient was a 47-year-old MCzabz female who complained of a large mass in the left breast and referred to Peymaniyeh Hospital in Jahrom. The patient had a history of infertility for 8 years. She had a 3 cm mass in the left breast from the past 2 years. During previous 7 months, she has used fennel for 3 months due to menstrual irregularities. Conclusion: It seems that the increasing of the breast tumor size in this patient is due to arbitrary consumption of fennel; because fennel has a lot of estrogen, which affects Endoplasmic Reticulum, and tumor filament cells also have beta ER-estrogen receptors; in this patient, the arbitrary consumption of fennel for 3 months has led to the sudden increase in the volume of this mass in the breast.

Mycobacterium bovis is the etiologic agent of bovine tuberculosis (BTB), a serious infectious disease in both humans and animals. BTB is a zoonotic disease primarily affecting cattle and occasionally humans infected through close contact with infected hosts or the consumption of unpasteurized dairy products. Zoonotic tuberculosis is strongly associated with poverty and poor hygiene, and low- and middle-income countries bear the brunt of the disease. BTB has been increasingly recognized as a growing public health threat in developing countries. However, the lack of effective surveillance programs in many of these countries poses a barrier to accurately determining the true burden of this disease. Additionally, the control of BTB is threatened by the emergence of drug-resistant strains that affect the effectiveness of current treatment regimens. Here, we analyzed current trends in the epidemiology of the disease as well as the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of M. bovis in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, a region that includes several developing countries. Following PRISMA guidelines, a total of 90 studies conducted in the MENA region were selected. Our findings revealed that the prevalence of BTB among humans and cattle varied significantly according to the population size and country in the MENA region. Most of the available studies were based on culture and/or PCR strategies and were published without including data on antimicrobial resistance and molecular typing. Our findings highlighted the paramount need for the use of appropriate diagnostic tools and the implementation of sustainable control measures, especially at the human/animal interface, in the MENA region.

Abstract Background Children with diabetes mellitus type 1 have many deficits, including neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy, all of which compromise their activity and daily functional status. Vestibular dysfunction is another possible complication of diabetes and may increase the risk of falls. Despite diabetes mellitus prevalence, few studies evaluated its effect on hearing, and even fewer examined the effect on the audiovestibular system. A randomized case control pilot study design was implemented to evaluate the effect of type 1 diabetes mellitus on the audiovestibular system of children. Results The study included 50 children divided into 2 groups; the study group included 25 children suffering from type 1 diabetes mellitus, and the control group included 25 patients who were known to be nondiabetics. Both groups underwent basic audiological and vestibular test battery. Only 16% showed different degrees of hearing loss. Regarding vestibular assessment, saccadic eye tracking showed the highest degree of abnormal results within the study group (80%). Correlation between saccade findings among cases and the risk factors of diabetes like duration, glycated hemoglobin level, diabetic ketoacidosis, and hypoglycemic coma attacks indicated statistically significant positive correlation between saccade latency and glycated hemoglobin level. Conclusion This study proposed that type 1 diabetes mellitus can affect the audiovestibular system of children even in the absence of symptoms. Accordingly, appropriate early rehabilitative management should be planned in an attempt to avoid further complications.

Purpose: One of the intangible assets of clubs is the transfer of privileges, including licenses to establish football schools. The researcher aimed to identify and rank the factors affecting the power of the franchise assignment of clubs to develop football schools.Methodology: The research was conducted in a mixed-method in two parts. Including quantitative and qualitative. The research sample consisted of 11 experts aware of football and sports industry issues. The research tools included library studies, interviews, and researcher-made questionnaires with six indicators and 33 sub-criteria provided to the research samples. Data analysis was performed by AHP and ANP tests in Supers Decision software version 3.2.Findings: The results in AHP analysis showed that human resources, management, legal, software infrastructure, marketing, and economic indicators were the essential factors in enhancing the franchise power of clubs, respectively. Also, in ANP analysis, while determining the weight of sub-criteria and the relationships between the main criteria, the importance of human resources index, managerial expertise, marketing, software, legal and economic infrastructure were the factors influencing the promotion of club franchise power. Thus, human resources are considered the essential internal resource.Originality: Few studies have been done on franchise rights in sports, specifically football clubs. A few studies have been done on how football schools franchising increases clubs' income. And from a micro and macro perspective, it has addressed the issue of managing the transfer of exploitation rights.

Introduction: Benign breast diseases are one of the most common diseases in the females of any society. This study was performed with aim to determine demographic characteristics, history of disease and body mass index in women with benign breast masses and compare it with healthy women referred to Khatam-Al-Anbia Clinic in Jahrom. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed in 2019 with participation of 610 women referred to Khatam-Al-Anbia Clinic in Jahrom. 148 women had fibroadenoma and 467 didn’t have fibroadenoma. Data related to the patients were collected using a questionnaire including individual demographic characteristics and medical records of the referred women. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software (version 21) and descriptive and inferential statistical tests. P

New insensitive high explosives pose great challenges to conventional explosives manufacturing wastewater treatment processes and require advanced methods to effectively and efficiently mineralize these recalcitrant pollutants. Oxidation processes that utilize the fundamental techniques of Fenton chemistry optimized to overcome conventional limitations are vital to provide efficient degradation of these pollutants while maintaining cost-effectiveness and scalability. In this manner, utilizing heterogeneous catalysts and in-situ generated H2O2 to degrade IHEs is proposed. For heterogeneous catalyst optimization, varying the surface chemistry of activated carbon for use as a catalyst removes precipitation complications associated with iron species in Fenton chemistry while including removal by adsorption. Activated carbon impregnated with 5% MnO2 in the presence of H2O2 realized a high concentration of hydroxyl radical formation - 140 μM with 10 mM H2O2 - while maintaining low cost and relative ease of synthesis. This AC-Mn5 catalyst performed effectively over a wide pH range and in the presence of varying H2O2 concentrations with a sufficient effective lifetime. In-situ generation of H2O2 removes the logistical and economic constraints associated with external H2O2, with hydrophobic carbon electrodes utilizing generated gaseous O2 for 2-electron oxygen reduction reactions. In a novel flow-through reactor, gaseous O2 is generated on a titanium/mixed metal oxide anode with subsequent H2O2 electrogeneration on a hydrophobic microporous-layered carbon cloth cathode. This reactor is able to electrogenerate 2 mM H2O2 at an optimized current intensity of 150 mA and over a wide range of flow rates, influent pH values, and through multiple iterations. Coupling these two optimization methods realizes the production of highly oxidative hydroxyl radicals by Fenton-like catalysis of electrogenerated H2O2 on the surface of an MnO2-impregnated activated carbon catalyst. This method incorporates electrochemically induced oxidation of munitions in addition to removal by adsorption while maintaining cost-effectiveness and scalability. It is anticipated this platform holds great promise to eliminate analogous contaminants.

We present here the draft genome sequences of multidrug-resistant blaNDM-1-positive Acinetobacter baumannii strains ACMH-6200 and ACMH-6201, isolated in north Lebanon from civilians wounded during the Syrian civil war. The draft genomes were contained in 217 contigs for ACMH-6200 and 83 contigs for ACMH-6201, including a combined 3,997,237 bases for ACMH-6200 and 3,983,110 bases for ACMH-6201, with 39% and 38.9% G+C content, respectively.

Background: The Gail model is the most well-known tool for breast cancer risk assessment worldwide. Although it was validated in various Western populations, inconsistent results were reported from Asian populations. We used data from a large case-control study and evaluated the discriminatory accuracy of the Gail model for breast cancer risk assessment among the Iranian female population. Methods: We used data from 942 breast cancer patients and 975 healthy controls at the Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran, in 2016. We refitted the Gail model to our case-control data (the IR-Gail model). We compared the discriminatory power of the IR-Gail with the original Gail model, using ROC curve analyses and estimation of the area under the ROC curve (AUC). Results: Except for the history of biopsies that showed an extremely high relative risk (OR=9.1), the observed ORs were similar to the estimates observed in Gail's study. Incidence rates of breast cancer were extremely lower in Iran than in the USA, leading to a lower average absolute risk among the Iranian population (2.78, ±SD 2.45). The AUC was significantly improved after refitting the model, but it remained modest (0.636 vs. 0.627, ΔAUC = 0.009, bootstrapped P=0.008). We reported that the cut-point of 1.67 suggested in the Gail study did not discriminate between breast cancer patients and controls among the Iranian female population. Conclusion: Although the coefficients from the local study improved the discriminatory accuracy of the model, it remained modest. Cohort studies are warranted to evaluate the validity of the model for Iranian women.

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Anxiety can weaken the body's immune system and make them vulnerable to the diseases such as coronavirus disease. This study was performed with aim to evaluate the level of anxiety caused by the new coronavirus (Covid-19) in patients with breast cancer during the coronavirus pandemic. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed in 2020 on 102 breast cancer patients in Jahrom. Data collection tools were Demographic Information Questionnaire and Coronavirus Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS). Scoring range in this study was 0-54. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 21) and statistical tests of t-test and ANOVA or its non-parametric equivalent. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean score of anxiety caused by Covid-19 virus 19 in patients with breast cancer was 22.44±16.61, which is lower than average level. Among the components of anxiety, the mean score of psychological symptoms (36.81±24.38) in patients with breast cancer was higher than physical symptoms (12.76±11.73). No significant relationship was observed between other demographic variables and anxiety caused by Coronavirus 19 (P>0.05). Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that the level of anxiety in women with breast cancer in Jahrom is lower than average level.

Abstract Background Intratympanic (IT) dexamethasone, with or without ventilation tube, is widely used to control vertigo in Meniere’s disease (MD) patients. Some authors believe that the tube on its own has a role in the control of MD symptoms. The authors’ goal was to compare the effects of them on multiple sets of patients. A three arms randomized control trial was conducted on 60 patients ( both males and females; age range, 30–60 years; mean age, 47 years) who were diagnosed with MD according to the 1995 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) Foundation guidelines. The study was conducted at the Otolaryngology Department between May 2016 and May 2018. They were divided into three groups, with 20 patients in each group. The first group received direct IT dexamethasone, the second group received IT dexamethasone through a grommet tube, and the third received saline through grommet. Results No treatment modality showed statistically significant improvement regarding both hearing and vertigo control at follow-up periods. However, comparison of patients with disease duration of 1 year and patients with duration of 5 years in the total sample of patients showed that patients with 1-year duration showed statistically significant higher percentage of improvement in pure tone audiometry (PTA) and vertigo control at all follow-up periods. Conclusions No golden standard in MD treatment; however, initial improvement may be explained as a result of the anti-inflammatory effect of steroids and/or the pressure release due to tube insertion; yet, the progressive course of the disease may diminish that improvement over time. Thus, early intervention either by direct IT injection or through grommet tube or by grommet placement alone can affect treatment outcomes.

Objectives: The aim of this review was to provide an updated scenario on the epidemiology of group A streptococci (GAS) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with a special spotlight on the most prevalent emm types and macrolide resistance profiles. Methods: This review briefly summarises the disease burden for GAS in the MENA region. Results: Whilst the burden of invasive GAS infections is difficult to assess in the MENA region, the GAS prevalence ranged from 2.5% up to 42.4% in pharyngitis patients and from 2.4% up to 35.4% in healthy carriers. emm1, emm12, emm89, emm4, emm28 and emm3 were responsible for the major GAS burden in the MENA region. The coverage rate of the new M protein-based vaccine candidate (30-valent) varied from 42% to 100% according to the country. The rate of erythromycin resistance differed substantially between countries from low to moderate or high. Conclusion: These data add more shreds of evidence on the neglected GAS burden in the MENA region. Systematic surveillance of invasive GAS infections along with molecular characterisation of GAS isolates are strongly recommended to track the trends of circulating clones and to evaluate the potential coverage of vaccine candidates.

Humiliation as social, multifaceted, dynamic, and relational affects the individual social relationships and interactions. The extent and extent of these changes in the humiliating person is different in relation to his position and the subject of contempt. The present study aimed to investigate the experience of Humiliation in women with HIV/AIDS. Regarding the low status of women in the investigated groups and the hot stigma associated, this study is a step towards awareness of a multifaceted and less well-known social phenomenon. The research methodology used qualitative and research community of women with HIV/AIDS in Tehran province. Among the community, three clubs were positive and from among the clubs, 21 were available with the maximum variety, informed consent and ethics of confidentiality. The time of collecting the information in winter and spring of 2017-2018, the instrument of compilation was semi-structured interview and The method of information analysis has been "thematic analysis." The most important issues are "Humiliation for non-existentialism", "humiliation caused by a lack of value", "spiral of femininity", "AIDS and humiliation", "fear of Humiliation" and "acceptance of humiliation". Based on the findings, it can be said that HIV/AIDS in the cross-section with the sexes is an addictive and inferiority to the affected women. This situation is at the heart of the lives of affected women and affects their everyday experiences.