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The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) produced severe acute respiratory coronavirus syndrome (SARS-CoV-2; formerly known as 2019-nCoV) and has mild to fatal symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the different blood markers in confirmed positive COVID-19 individuals and see how they associated with the severity of the condition. A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2020 to March 2021 on seventy-six (20 female and 56 male) Iraqi patients unvaccinated against COVID-19. The mean age of the study subjects was (47.00±13.31; 43.86±14.27) for males and females, respectively. 68.42% of the cases with mild illness, 14.47% with moderate illness, and 17.10% were severely ill. The severity of COVID-19 was assessed by several hematological parameters, including white blood cell (WBC) count, derived indicators such as neutrophils to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and IL6, C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, and S-ferritin. The results showed that lymphocyte count was lower in severely ill patients compared to patients with mild and moderate symptoms, with a significant difference between the three groups (2.274.83). Additionally, the NLR results showed a significant rise (11.56±1.23) in severe COVID-19. The results of the present study indicated that serum levels of IL6, CRP, and S-ferritin revealed significant differences (41.20±6.23 pg/ml), (50.66±12.55 mg/l), and (454.60±95.69 ng/ml) at (P≤0.05) in sever ill compared with mild and moderately ill patients respectively. The results indicated a highly significant positive correlation between IL6 and severity of COVID-19 infection at P<0.01. Furthermore, a positive connection is seen in Neutrophil, CRP, and NLR (0.229, 0.264, and 0.277) at (P≤0.05) respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system. Genetic and environmental factors have important roles in the induction, onset, and progression of MS. In this study, the IL- 21 genotype (rs2055979) (G/T) in Iraqi MS patients was compared with a healthy control group to investigate the possible association of any particular genotype or allele with multiple sclerosis. This study included 70 patients with relapsing-remitting MS and 50 healthy individuals as control. Following the extraction of genomic DNA, polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism, the frequencies of genotypes, and alleles were calculated and statistically analyzed. The results of the study revealed a significant reduction in the distribution of the wild homozygous genotype (GG) in MS patients, in comparison to a healthy control group (14.3% vs. 34 %; 0.0129 at P≤0.05; odds ratio [OR] 3.0909, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2704-7.5203). However, MS cases and controls did not differ significantly in neither GT nor TT genotypes, 62.9% (OR 0.6402, 95% CI: 0.3064-1.3374) and 52% (OR 0.5494, 95% CI: 0.2074-1.4557), respectively. The data of allele frequencies in patients and controls showed that the G allele frequencies were 0.46 vs. 0.60 in patients and controls, respectively, while T allele frequencies were 0.54 vs. 0.40 in patients and controls, respectively. The current conclusions indicated that in the study group, the GG genotype of IL-21(rs2055979) could be related to MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though there are expert monitoring and assessment stations in large cities, air quality monitoring and measurement have a high cost and face significant issues. Data on air pollution can be acquired from remote sensing satellites for large areas and at a reasonable expense to compensate for monitoring stations on the ground. This research presented a method for retrieving PM10 from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) records. The study depends on a previously established equation to retrieve PM10 over Malaysia in September 2014. In Contrast Reduction Technique, we used Aerosol Robotic Network AERONET AOT to define the reference. The conversion factors, representing the relationship between AOT and PM10 satellite columns, were determined using a mathematical approach. The size and type of aerosol, relative humidity, and boundary layer height vary globally and seasonally, thus the AOT–PM10 relationship fluctuates spatially and temporally. The conversion factor was then applied to the MODIS image to predict the surface level of PM10 concentrations in micrograms via cubic meter (μg/m3). Moreover, the achieved correlation coefficient R2 of calculated PM10 based on ground truth data was equal to 0.92. Based on the results obtained from the thematic maps, PM10 levels are significantly higher in specific cities such as Kuala Lumpur and Johor. Where PM10 ranged from (26.5 to 72) µg/m3, while AOT values were between (0.12 and 0.83). It raises concerns about the environmental health threats and their relationship to air quality in these regions as a research topic.

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As a give and take relationship between human and environment, economy has played an essential role in the formation and sustainable development of cities. A city’s spatial structure is a refelction of its urban economy and how social actors have acted to create a relationship between the production and distribution of income from the sale of products, inside and outside urban areas. This social behavior in the city space, on the one hand, has caused high productivity and favorable access to physical-social and economic infrastructure (business) in the whole city. On the other, it has fostered a constructive economy in order to improve residents’ life quality and the sustainability of the city over time. This paper aimed to analyze the spatial behavior that was the driving force of the economic development of Boshruyeh City in the Qajar era using the theory of space syntax. The research questions were: How did the economic variable (“barak”-weaving industry) affect the distribution and density of the neighborhood patterns in Boshruyeh in the Qajar era? In what way were the access system and the pedestrian pattern governing the spatial organization of Boshruyeh able to ensure the sustainability of the urban economy and the growth of the city in the Qajar era? The present study represents a basic research in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in nature and methodology. To collect data, library research was utilized and using findings and documents of cultural heritage, a report on documenting the cultural-historical context of Boshruyeh City was provided. Using the UCL DEPTH MAP software, the descriptive-analytical part was based on the theory of space syntax and the analysis of the city map, emphasizing the metric radius and combining and weighting the two indices of integration and choice in the arrangement method. The results indicated a two-way and significant relationship between the two indicators of integration and spatial choice in the creation of space configuration and movement economy in the city space of Boshruyeh in the Qajar period. In the meantime, the footprint of the human factor in the natural movement of the city, the flow of the barak-weaving industry as the economic variable can be seen in the pattern distribution of the city houses and the pedestrian pattern in the streets as a people-oriented space in the city economy.

Abstract Background The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of a wobble board training (WBT) course with and without cognitive intervention (CI) on balance, ankle proprioception and jump-landing kinetic parameters in active men with chronic ankle instability (CAI). Methods Twenty-one active men in the age range of 18–25 years with CAI were randomly divided into three groups of WBT for five weeks as follows: with CI (n = 7); without CI (n = 7); control (n = 7). In this study, balance was evaluated by Y-Balance Test and Balance Error Scoring System, proprioception was evaluated as active and passive replication of 15-degree inversion angle and Maximum inversion angle minus 5-degrees, and single-leg jump-landing test was used for measurement of kinetic variables as pre-test and post-test in similar conditions. Results Post-test of both groups of WBT with and without CI showed a significant improvement in all variables compared to pre-test (p ≤ 0.05); however, in post-test, there was no significant difference in any of the variables between WBT groups with and without CI (p ≥ 0.05). Conclusions A course of WBT with and without CI leads to a significant improvement in balance, proprioception and jump-landing kinetic parameters, including time to stabilization and center of pressure displacement in active men with CAI. Although the WBT group with CI showed a greater improvement in mean than WBT group without CI, but the difference was not significant in any of the variables. Trial registration Retrospectively Registered. irict.ir Identifier: IRCT20200617047818N1 on 05–02-2021.

Siderophore–antibiotic conjugates consist of an antibiotic covalently linked by a tether to a siderophore. Such conjugates can demonstrate enhanced uptake and internalisation to the bacterial cell resulting in significantly reduced MIC values and extended spectrum of activity. Phenothiazines are a class of small molecules that have been identified as a potential treatment for multidrug resistant tuberculosis and latent TB. Herein we report the design and synthesis of the first phenothiazine–siderophore conjugate. A convergent synthetic route was developed whereby the functionalised phenothiazine component was prepared in four steps and the siderophore component also prepared in four steps. In M. smegmatis the functionalised phenothiazine demonstrated an equipotent MIC value in direct comparison to the parent phenothiazine from which it was derived. The final conjugate was synthesised by amide bond formation between the two components and global deprotection of the PMB protecting groups to unmask the catechol iron chelating groups of the siderophore. The synthesis is readily amenable to the preparation of analogues whereby the siderophore component of the conjugate can be modified. The route will be used to prepare a library of siderophore–phenothiazine conjugates for full biological evaluation of much needed new antibacterial agents.

Dust is one of the natural hazards that occurs mainly in arid and semi-arid area of the world that is one of the major problem in Iran. In this paper, identification active sources of dust generation in Alborz province using satellite images and numerical modeling to predict airflow is discussed. LANDSAT 8 satellite sensor (OLI) (from 2013 to 2015) and digital elevation models (DEMs) from the ASTER were received to produce masks of non-erodible surface and by using vegetation, moisture, roughness indices and images classification those area separated from other areas. Also using field based dust data and HYSPLIT model (normal 5.0 degrees), air flow path in all dust events in 2013 and 2015 was simulated and local dust event was determined. By applying the HYSPILIT matrix model, for local events and specify location of the back flow of air to the ground, raster images events based on the level of dust was produced. The masks of non-erodible surface were used on these images and WLC MCE approach was used to finalize map of active dust sources. The results showed that the combination of remote sensing and numerical simulation methods and field based data could well show active dust sources.

Мета. Метою статті є розробка формальної методики теорії інтелекту, а саме розробка моделі і аксіоматики на мові алгебри кінцевих предикатів. Пропонується ввести систему операцій за відносинами для побудови алгебри відносин. Методи. У статті використані методи алгебри кінцевих предикатів, булева алгебра і аксіоматичний метод. Результати. У статті був розвинений математичний апарат теорії інтелекту. Розроблено моделі та аксіоматику відносин на мові алгебри кінцевих предикатів, введені операції над такими відносинами, як ін'єкція, еквівалентність, сюр'єкція, квазіпорядок, частковий порядок, циркуляція і добуток відносини. Побудована алгебра відносин. Аксіоматично призначається система операцій над предикатами в алгебрі скінченних предикатів, а саме: булеве заперечення, диз'юнкція, кон'юнкція, імплікація, еквівалентність. Вводяться основні предикати (предикати розпізнавання об'єктів). Висновки. Предикати різних порядків відповідають поняттям іншого рівня абстракції. Рішення рівнянь алгебри кінцевих предикатів можна інтерпретувати як творчу діяльність людини. Через наявність такої широкої і змістовної інтерпретації навіть чисто математичний розвиток алгебри кінцевих предикатів дозволяє в той же час стимулювати розвиток теорії інтелекту. Мінімізація, декомпозиція, рішення рівнянь, тотожне перетворення формул є важливими завданнями теорії інтелекту.

Мета Головне завдання теорії інтелекту - математично описати закони, що регулюють інтелектуальну діяльність людини. Для цього необхідно отримати фізичні та об'єктивні методи отримання формального опису суб'єктивних станів людини, достатньо повних для практичних цілей. Людські думки, відчуття, сприйняття та усвідомлення - це всі суб'єктивні стани. У цій статті поставлено завдання розробити багатовимірну предикатну модель компараторної ідентифікації - основного експериментального методу теорії інтелекту, і обґрунтувати аксіоматику цієї моделі. Методи. Метод компараторної ідентифікації, розроблений в даній статті, дає можливість отримати об'єктивне знання суб'єктивних станів людського інтелекту. За методом компараторної ідентифікації з його поведінкою суб'єкт реалізує деякий кінцевий предикат, властивості якого експериментально вивчені та математично описані. Метод компараторної ідентифікації заснований на методах алгебри скінченних предикатів, булевої алгебри і аксіоматичному методі. Результати. Застосування методу компараторної ідентифікації дає математичний опис досліджуваних суб'єктивних станів людини, а також вид функції, що лежить в основі перетворення фізичних предметів в породжувані нею суб'єктивні образи. Висновки. Результати роботи математично обґрунтовують можливості застосування методу компараторної ідентифікації при моделюванні інтелекту людини.