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Abstract Barley grain (Hordeum vulgare L.) is characterized by a thick fibrous coat, a high level of ß-glucans and simply-arranged starch granules. World production of barley is about 30 % of that of corn. In comparison with corn, barley has more protein, methionine, lysine, cysteine and tryptophan. For ruminants, barley is the third most readily degradable cereal behind oats and wheat. Due to its more rapid starch fermentation rate compared with corn, barley also provides a more synchronous release of energy and nitrogen, thereby improving microbial nutrient assimilation. As a result, feeding barley can reduce the need for feeding protected protein sources. However, this benefit is only realized if rumen acidity is maintained within an optimal range (e.g., > 5.8 to 6.0); below this range, microbial maintenance requirements and wastage increase. With a low pH, microbial endotoxines cause pro-inflammatory responses that can weaken immunity and shorten animal longevity. Thus, mismanagement in barley processing and feeding may make a tragedy from this treasure or pearl of cereal grains. Steam-rolling of barley may improve feed efficiency and post-rumen starch digestion. However, it is doubtful if such processing can improve milk production and feed intake. Due to the need to process barley less extensively than other cereals (as long as the pericarp is broken), consistent and global standards for feeding and processing barley could be feasibly established. In high-starch diets, barley feeding reduces the need for capacious small intestinal starch assimilation, subsequently reducing hindgut starch use and fecal nutrient loss. With its nutritional exclusivities underlined, barley use will be a factual art that can either matchlessly profit or harm rumen microbes, cattle production, farm economics and the environment.

In recent years, wave-based analog computing has been at the center of attention for providing ultra-fast and power-efficient signal processing enabled by wave propagation through artificially engineered structures. Building on these structures, various proposals have been put forward for performing computations with waves. Most of these proposals have been aimed at linear operations, such as vector-matrix multiplications. The weak and hardly controllable nonlinear response of electromagnetic materials imposes challenges in the design of wave-based structures for performing nonlinear operations. In the present work, first, by using the method of inverse design we propose a three-port device, which consists of a combination of linear and Kerr nonlinear materials, exhibiting the desired power-dependent transmission properties. Then, combining a proper arrangement of such devices with a collection of Mach–Zehnder interferometers (MZIs), we propose a reconfigurable nonlinear optical architecture capable of implementing a variety of nonlinear functions of the input signal. The proposed device may pave the way for wave-based reconfigurable nonlinear signal processing that can be combined with linear networks for full-fledged wave-based analog computing.

Introduction and purpose: Despite the availability of vaccines, the use of face masks remains a recognized and effective measure in preventing the spread of COVID-19. However, it is crucial to comprehend the underlying factors influencing people's adherence to preventive behaviors, particularly mask usage within communities, as negligence and disregard for this matter persist. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the reasons for not using masks by people during the COVID-19 pandemic from the point of view of health experts. Methods: This research employed a qualitative approach and content analysis in 2019. A targeted sampling method was employed, and 15 healthcare experts from Kashan and Aran and Bidgol, Iran, participated in this study. Participants were selected to represent maximum diversity in terms of age, gender, and education level. Semi-structured interviews were conducted as the primary method of data collection. The duration of the interviews varied between 20-30 min. The interview transcripts were carefully documented, extracted, and segmented into meaningful units. To enhance the research's reliability and confirm the accuracy of the findings, credibility criteria were employed to validate the collected data. Results: Out of the interview participants, 66.6% held a bachelor's degree, 13.4% possessed a master's degree, and 20% had a doctorate degree. Around 80% of the participants were male, with 53.5% falling within the 40-50 age range, and all were married. During the data analysis process, 40 core concepts sharing common characteristics were categorized into six subclasses, which were further condensed into three main classes based on abstract commonalities. The research findings were classified into three main categories: individual factors, interpersonal factors, and environmental factors. The subcategories included lack of awareness, behavioral and belief patterns, physical barriers, subjective norms, economic barriers, environmental barriers, inappropriate mask structure, and health policies and guidelines. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this research, in addition to individual factors (e.g., awareness and beliefs regarding preventive behaviors), interpersonal factors, abstract norms, and economic and environmental factors can significantly influence mask usage within a society. This finding highlights the necessity of government organizations' support to address these challenges effectively.

Introduction: The normal / healthy lifestyle of people with disabilities is one of the most complex and multidimensional issues in the field of disability studies that has attracted the attention of researchers and has faced an explosion of scientific products in such a way that mastering all aspects of the problem is somewhat impossible. Therefore, the aim of this study is to typify the normal / healthy life patterns of people with disabilities and its causes based on foreign studies and research conducted in this field. Methods: This research has been carried out using interpretive paradigm, inductive approach and meta-combined method. The statistical population of all foreign research in English in the field of dimensions of social life, which was conducted in the period 2021-2000 and based on the criteria of the research, seventy-five qualitative articles were selected and re-coded were analyzed. Findings: Based on the findings, three types of independent life pattern (relative independence), supportive life pattern and control / protection life pattern were extracted; Life patterns consist of six dimensions: social interaction, participation, proper nutrition, mental health, physical activity and recreation, and leisure. Also, fourteen categories were extracted in the causes and contexts section, which were divided into six general categories, which are: socio-cultural, economic and managerial factors, legal, health, intelligent technology and psychological factors. Discussion: The normal social life of people with disabilities depends on the attitude of society and social policies that are adapted from the socio-historical conditions of society. In such situations, it is necessary to provide a structural / cultural context for a healthy / normal life of people with disabilities through an interactive approach.

Abstract Background Besides impaired respiratory function and immune system, COVID-19 can affect renal function from elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) or serum creatinine (sCr) levels to acute kidney injury (AKI) and renal failure. This study aims to investigate the relationship between Cystatin C and other inflammatory factors with the consequences of COVID-19. Methods A total of 125 patients with confirmed Covid-19 pneumonia were recruited in this cross-sectional study from March 2021 to May 2022 at Firoozgar educational hospital in Tehran, Iran. Lymphopenia was an absolute lymphocyte count of less than 1.5 × 109/L. AKI was identified as elevated serum Cr concentration or reduced urine output. Pulmonary consequences were evaluated. Mortality was recorded in the hospital one and three months after discharge. The effect of baseline biochemical and inflammatory factors on odds of death was examined. SPSS, version 26, was used for all analyses. P-vale less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results The highest amount of co-morbidities was attributed to COPD (31%; n = 39), dyslipidemia and hypertension (27%; n = 34 for each) and diabetes (25%; n = 31). The mean baseline cystatin C level was 1.42 ± 0.93 mg/L, baseline creatinine was 1.38 ± 0.86 mg/L, and baseline NLR was 6.17 ± 4.50. Baseline cystatin C level had a direct and highly significant linear relationship with baseline creatinine level of patients (P 0.001). 34.4% (n = 43) of patients expired in the hospital, and the mean baseline cystatin C level of this group of patients was 1.58 ± 0.90 mg/L which was significantly higher than other patients (1.35 ± 0.94 mg/L, P = 0.002). Conclusion cystatin C and other inflammatory factors such as ferritin, LDH and CRP can help the physician predict the consequences of COVID-19. Timely diagnosis of these factors can help reduce the complications of COVID-19 and better treat this disease. More studies on the consequences of COVID-19 and knowing the related factors will help treat the disease as well as possible.

Background & Aim: Health-related behaviors of patients with myocardial infarction (MI) are highly affected by their illness perceptions, and education is one of the ways to enhance illness perception. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to compare the effect of multimedia and telephone education on illness perception in patients with MI after discharge. Methods & Materials: A randomized clinical trial was conducted on 32 patients with MI who were discharged in 2019-2020 in Gonabad and Mashhad. The samples were selected by the convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to the multimedia or telephone groups. The educational content was similar for both groups, and was provided as a conversation for the telephone group, and as video, audio, and image for the multimedia group. The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Brief. IPQ) was completed by the patients on the first day and the sixth week after discharge. Data were analyzed through the SPSS software version 20 using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, independent t-test, Paired t-test and Levene's test, at a significance level of P0.05). Conclusion: Both multimedia and telephone training methods improve illness perception in the patients. Therefore, the trainer is suggested to choose the type of training according to individual differences and facilities of the recipient, and health managers should apply appropriate policies for patients with MI to benefit from telenursing care after discharge. Clinical trial registry: IRCT20190607043834N1

Damage to tunnels caused by explosions may damage the support structure and the stability. This damage is due to either blasting the working face for drilling progress or an explosion inside the tunnel. The present study investigates the dynamic parameters resulting from the blasting pattern on the temporary support structure of the tunnel considered as a lattice girder and shotcrete equivalent cross-section. For this purpose, LS-DYNA finite element software was used to assess the dynamic response of the structure to the vibration of the blasting-induced explosion. The peak particle velocity (PPV) was considered to evaluate the tunnel�s safety under dynamic loads. The results showed that, some levels of destruction would occur by exceeding the velocity of 0.9 m/s in the elements. Regarding the elements of the temporary support structure of the tunnel, it is found that the damage occurs near the face and 2 m from the tunnel.

Measuring the will of the perpetrator at the time of withdrawing from committing a crime in proportion to whether it is voluntary or involuntary is one of the most important topics of attempt of crime since the main core of renunciation is the spiritual element, which cannot be easily understood. Therefore, it is necessary to make a fine distinction between voluntary and involuntary withdrawal by codification. Finally, in this article, by using the descriptive-analytical and library method, it was found that there are two types of withdrawal criteria for the existence of conditions beyond the perpetrator's will. The first category is human obstacles, which are either third parties or victims, and the second category is non-human obstacles, which are either indirect obstacles or direct obstacles related to crime. In the first type, withdrawal is involuntary, and in the second type, indirect obstacles are voluntary withdrawal, and in direct obstacles, involuntary withdrawal. The American Criminal Law has regulated voluntary withdrawal by adding the phrase "full intent to withdraw" and specifying conditions such as the presence of a third party, the severity of the crime or the victim's resistance, or changing the criminal purpose of voluntary withdrawal. In contrast, Iran's approach is only accepting the principle of withdrawal without stating the rules. Therefore, it seems that the American approach in expressing the rules is considered more efficient. However, the attention of the two criminal systems to the development of the circle of renunciation to prevent the crime or sometimes the irreparable damages of the total crime and to encourage the criminals to avoid committing the crime seems to be considered.

Auxetic structures, with re-entrant (inverted hexagonal or bow tie) unit cells, have received considerable interest due to their negative Poisson’s ratio property that results in superior mechanical properties. This study proposes a simple method to create non-homogeneous re-entrant honeycombs by modifying the size of chevron crosslinks. The various structural designs were conceived by changing the geometrical dimensions of the crosslinks, namely the length (lcl) and the thickness (tcl), while maintaining the parameters of the re-entrant cell walls. The influence of the design parameters of chevron crosslinks on the mechanical behaviour of additively manufactured re-entrant honeycombs was investigated experimentally and numerically. The structures were fabricated using the Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) technique from polylactic acid (PLA) plastic. In-plane quasi-static compression tests were conducted to extract the elastic, plastic, and densification properties of the structures. Furthermore, a Finite Element (FE) model was developed via LS-DYNA R11.0 software, validated experimentally, and was then used to obtain a deeper insight into the deformation behaviour and auxetic performance of various designs. The obtained results revealed that the mechanical performance of re-entrant honeycombs can only be tuned by controlling the geometrical configuration of chevron crosslinks.

The approach to incarceration is as old as history itself. However, as societies have developed, fundamental ambiguities have emerged in this approach. Consequently, following the knowledge of criminology, custodial sentences have been seen as inadequate in reducing crimes, preventing recidivism, and addressing the growing number of individuals in the criminal population. These factors have given rise to the de-incarceration movement, which has gained strength in response to the disadvantages of imprisonment; mainly its effects after individuals are released from prison. Thus, the use of alternatives to imprisonment has been embraced in the Islamic Criminal Law approved in 2013, where its scope, types, and formal rules were outlined in the Criminal Procedure Law of the same year. Subsequently, sub-legislative measures were formulated and communicated to the judicial authorities to implement this punishment.Nevertheless, the success of the de-incarceration movement in reducing the number of incarcerated individuals and addressing issues such as the severity of punishment has been a significant obstacle to the release of prisoners. In response to this problem, the de-incarceration movement approved the law on reducing prison sentences in 2020. Since enacting such substantive laws can have a crucial impact on issues raised in criminal proceedings, the effect of their approval in the judicial process cannot be ignored.This article has been written descriptively to study the significant changes this law has brought to the preliminary investigation process. The effectiveness of this law in achieving criminal security orders for the accused, in line with the principle of proportionality and the principle of criminal law as the last and least resort, remains ambiguous. In this regard, the question arises as to whether the principle of criminal law as the last and least resort should be incorporated in obtaining the order of criminal security or not. Furthermore, considering the development of forgivable crimes, which indicates a move towards the privatization of criminal justice, the issue arises as follows: According to Article 106 of the Islamic Penal Code, in the case of forgivable crimes, the victim has the right to file a complaint within one year from the date of crime notification. Therefore, after one year, the victim's right will expire. Given the wide range of crimes categorized as forgivable crimes in the law on reducing the punishment of imprisonment, in a situation where the victim has not yet filed a complaint due to the crime being non-forgivable, the question arises as to whether the judge should issue a suspension of prosecution according to Article 11 of the Islamic Criminal Law or consider the plaintiff's acquired rights and allow the continuation of the prosecution process.Determining the jurisdiction of judicial authorities or institutes is another challenge this law presents. For instance, in cases of criminal damage, the property's value plays a role in determining the authorities' jurisdiction. This means that when the property damage is up to ten million Rials, according to Article 9 of the Conflict Resolution Counsel Act, it falls within the jurisdiction of the Council. If the damage exceeds ten million Rials but is less than twenty million Rials, it directly falls under the jurisdiction of the Criminal Court. If the damage is less than 100 million Rials, the prosecutor's office has the authority over the preliminary investigation. Therefore, the absence of an authority to accurately determine the extent of the damage causes delays in proceedings and creates uncertainty for the judicial authorities. To prevent divergent judicial opinions and adhere to the principle of the generality of criminal procedure, as specified in Article 2 of the Criminal Procedure Law, it seems necessary to issue unanimous opinions regarding the challenges above. This will end these judicial disputes and establish a unified procedure within the judicial authorities. Consequently, when approving substantive regulations, their effectiveness should be evaluated compared to formal regulations to prevent the division of judicial opinions.

Background: Sleep disorders are common among hospitalized children. Aromatherapy is one of the interventions with demonstrated effectiveness in improving sleep quality. Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of orange essential oil inhalation on the sleep quality of hospitalized children. Methods: This semi-experimental study was conducted on 70 children admitted to Valiasr Hospital in Birjand selected by the convenience sampling method and then randomly assigned to two groups of orange essential oil receivers and the control group. In the intervention group, aromatherapy was performed every day for three days in three shifts (10 am, 4 pm, and at the usual bedtime). The researcher completed the BEARS sleep quality questionnaire at the beginning and end of the intervention period. Data analysis was conducted utilizing SPSS version 16 statistical software and chi-square, Mann-Whitney, paired t-test, McNemar, and t-test. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the demographic characteristics of the children in the two groups (p>0.05). The results showed no significant difference between the two study groups before the intervention regarding different sleep quality domains (p

Abstract Spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) is grown for its essential oil (EO), which find use in food, beverage, fragrance and other industries. The current study explores the ability of near infrared hyperspectral imaging (HSI) (935 to 1720 nm) to predict, in a rapid, nondestructive manner, the essential oil content of dried spearmint (0.2 to 2.6% EO). Spectral values of spearmint samples varied considerably with spatial coordinates, and so the use of averaging the spectral values of a surface scan was warranted. Data preprocessing was done with Multiplicative Scatter Correction (MSC) or Standard Normal Variate (SNV). Selection of spectral input variables was done with Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) or Partial Least Squares (PLS). Regression was executed with linear regression (LASSO, PLS regression, PCA regression), Support Vector Machine (SVM) regression, and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP). The best prediction of EO concentration was achieved with the combination of MSC or SNV preprocessing, PLS dimension reduction, and MLP regression (1 hidden layer with 6 nodes), achieving a good prediction with a ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) of 2.84 ± 0.07, an R2 of prediction of 0.863 ± 0.008, and a RMSE of prediction of 0.219 ± 0.005% EO. These results show that NIR-HSI is a viable method for rapid, nondestructive analysis of EO concentration. Future work should explore the use of NIR in the visible spectrum, the use of HSI for determining EO in other plant materials and the potential of HSI to determine individual compounds in these solid plant/food matrices.

RATIONAL: The rationale of this study was to evaluate the visual and anatomical outcomes of pars plana lensectomy and iris-claw Artisan intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in patients with subluxated crystalline lenses secondary to Marfan syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective case series, we evaluate the records of 21 eyes of 15 patients with Marfan syndrome and moderate-to-severe crystalline lens subluxation who underwent pars plana lensectomy/anterior vitrectomy and implantation of iris-claw Artisan IOL at referral hospital from September 2015 to October 2019. RESULTS: Twenty-one eyes of 15 patients (10 males and five females) with a mean age of 24.47 ± 19.14 years were included. Mean best-corrected visual acuity was improved from 1.17 ± 0.55 logMAR to 0.64 ± 0.71 logMAR at the final follow-up visit (P < 0.001). The mean intraocular pressure did not change significantly (P = 0.971). The final refraction showed a mean sphere of 0.54 ± 2.46 D and a mean cylinder of 0.81 ± 1.03 at the mean axis of 57.92 ± 58.33 degrees. One eye developed rhegmatogenous retinal detachment 2 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Pars plana lensectomy and iris-claw Artisan IOL implantation seem to be a useful, impressive, and safe procedure with a low rate of complications in Marfan patients with moderate-to-severe crystalline lens subluxation. Visual acuity was significantly improved with acceptable anatomical and refractive outcomes.

Abstract Despite significant differences between men and women in the symptoms of PTSD and the response to therapeutic interventions, most PTSD studies have been done on male subjects. Continuing our previous study in male rats, this study aimed at better understanding the effect of a combination therapy of exercise with fluoxetine on female PTSD rats. The results were then compared with our past findings in male animals. Female adult Wistar rats subjected to PTSD were treated with moderate treadmill exercise or fluoxetine, or a combination of both. PTSD was induced by the single prolonged stress (SPS) model. Elevated plus-maze (EPM), serum and prefrontal BDNF, and fear extinctions were evaluated. The results showed that exercise plus fluoxetine decreased anxiety-like behavior, improved fear extinction, and increased BDNF changes in female rats. The effects of exercise alone were comparable with those of combination therapy except that combination therapy was more effective on OAT (open arm entry). The majority of results in female rats, except for those of prefrontal BDNF, 4th extinction, and OAT, were similar to those of male rats as shown in our previous study. According to our findings, exercise as a safe and cost-effective intervention can be considered as a complementary efficient option for PTSD treatment in both sexes. To achieve better treatment outcomes in PTSD patient, considering sex differences is recommended.

Textile reinforced mortars (TRMs) are new composite materials which were considered as a proper alternative for fiber reinforced polymers (FRPs) to strengthen various structural elements. In comparison to FRPs, the TRMs have more fire resistance, more environmental consistency and are safer the structural elements because of their better bond to substrate and various failure modes. There are a lot of existing models to calculate the bond strength between TRMs and concrete substrate. But, most of them originated from the FRP-concrete bond models and are not accurate enough to estimate the TRM-concrete bond strength. In this paper, new TRM-concrete bond models were calibrated to predict the bond strength between various TRM composites and the concrete substrate. To achieve this goal, a database including 221 experimental direct shear tests were compiled and a simple existing model was selected to be calibrated via soft computing techniques. It was found that the presented novel models could be accurately utilized to anticipate the TRM-concrete bond strength with various types of fibers and different geometrical features with R value of 0.6909 and NMAE error value of 12.62%.