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Abstract Background There is no consensus on the frequency and timing of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in tendon healing. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of single versus multiple PRP injections in the healing of patellar tendon defects in the experimental model, through histological and biomechanical investigation. Methods Forty-four male skeletally mature Dutch rabbits were randomly divided into the five study groups ( A, B,C, D,E). After creating a longitudinal acute patellar tendon defect on both knees (One-third the width of the patella tendon), the right legs of the rabbits were used as the intervention group and the left legs as the control groups. Animals in groups A, B, and C were euthanized on days 7, 14, and 28, respectively, after the first PRP injection. Animals in group D received the second PRP injection on day 10 and was euthanized on day 14. Animals in group D received the second and third PRP injections on days 10 and 20, respectively, and were euthanized on day 28. The outcomes were evaluated histologically (modification of Movin’s Grading) and biomechanically. Results The inflammatory condition was exaggerated in groups D and E. Load at failure was higher in the non-injected side of groups D and E, while there was no significant difference between the right and left legs of the three groups A, B and C. In other word, groups with a single PRP injection were more resistant to the increasing load compared to the groups with multiple PRP injections. Conclusions PRP improves tendon healing if injected early after injury, while its injection after the initial phase of injury hampers tendon healing. In addition, a single PRP injection seems to be more effective than multiple PRP injection. Therefore, in cases where PRP injection is indicated for tendon repair, such as acute tendon injury, we recommend using a single PRP injection during tendon repair surgery.

This research was conducted to determine the most appropriate grafting method for pecan trees in Dezful between 2019- 2022. Two experiments were carried out based on a completely randomized design in the form of a split-plot in three replications with grafting time at eight levels (from the second week of March to the first week of May) and three scion cultivars: ‘GraKing’. ‘Wichita’ and ‘Choctaw’. In the first experiment, fresh scions were used, and in the second experiment, the scions were prepared and kept at 4oC for one month. The results of the first experiment showed that the grafting success in the first week of March was significantly higher than other dates at the level of 1%. The grafting was not successful in the second week of March and the first week of May. In the second week of April, ‘Choctaw’ had the highest rate of grafting success with 94%. The effect of grafting date and scion cultivar was significant at the 5% probability level in the growth, and ‘Choctaw’ had the highest height and diameter in the first and second year. In the second experiment, the results showed that the grafting success was significantly highest in the first week of April and the grafting was not successful in the second and third weeks of March. Finally, the middle of April was recommended as the best time for pecan trees top-working in Dezful condition.

Abstract The most important quality parameter of salmonids is the red color of their skin and muscles. In this contribution, the effects of astaxanthin and dietary lipid content on the pigmentation of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) were studied. Charrs were fed on diets containing 40, 60, and 80 ppm synthetic astaxanthin together with 10, 18, and 26% dietary lipids for 24 weeks. Results indicated that the astaxanthin concentration in the belly skin and flesh of fish was strongly correlated with both carotenoid and dietary lipid contents, suggesting a significant interaction between diets and the total carotenoid concentration in the belly skin and flesh. The Hunter color L* values of the fillet and the belly skin were inversely related to their carotenoid levels, whereas their a* and b* values were strongly correlated with the total carotenoid concentration. The apparent digestibility coefficient of carotenoids was directly correlated with the level of dietary lipid but inversely correlated with carotenoid contents. A strong correlation between the content of carotenoids retained in the flesh and their digestibility was observed. Thus, the pigmentation of Arctic charr could improve the overall consumer acceptability as well as nutritional and potential market values of Arctic charr. Graphical Abstract

In this study, the effect of five geometric design features, including radius, superelevation, longitudinal grade, lane and shoulder width, on the average speed in the horizontal curve on a two-lane undivided rural road was investigated. The standardized regression coefficients showed that the most important factor affecting the speed was the radius (10.47) followed by the longitudinal grade (4.46). Superelevation and lane width had little effect. Shoulder width had no significant effect. This would be due to the wide width of the lanes. It was found that the relationships between speed and radius, longitudinal grade, superelevation and lane width were radical, quadratic, linear and linear, respectively. Increasing the longitudinal grade has increased the speed of the drivers. Increasing the superelevation was effective when its value changed from negative to positive.

Abstract Pavement engineers frequently employ concrete pavements because of their benefits such as extended lifetime, superior performance and durability, and so on. However, there are some disadvantages of these pavements such as shrinkage which may lead to cracking, warping, and limiting the length of the concrete pavement slabs. Shrinkage reducing admixture (SRA) and polypropylene fibers can be employed to prevent or control shrinkage cracking. In this study, increasing the length of concrete pavement slabs using shrinkage reducing admixture and polypropylene fiber was investigated. For mix compositions, two water–cement ratios of 0.35 and 0.4 were employed, and the percentages of SRA and polypropylene fiber utilized in mixes were 2% and 1% by weight of cement, respectively. Slump, compressive strength, third point flexural strength, electrical resistance, free and restrained shrinkage tests were carried out as the experimental programming to investigate the effect of these materials on concrete behavior and evaluate the amount of concrete pavement design parameters. Statistical analysis and RSM were used to determine the significance of each parameter and their interactions on concrete properties. It was observed that the use of SRA had no influence on workability; however, polypropylene fibers reduced the slump flow of concrete. Also, the use of SRA resulted in a decrease in mechanical properties. In addition, the use of polypropylene fibers considerably enhanced the energy absorption of concrete. Furthermore, on concrete containing SRA and polypropylene fiber, the magnitude of free and restrained shrinkage and crack width were reduced. Finally, the length and thickness of concrete pavement slabs were evaluated using the experimental results on the Tehran-Shomal freeway as a case study. The slab length could be increased by about 20% without any significant change in the slab thickness using SRA and polypropylene fiber in concrete mix composition. This can lead to an increase in construction speed, improve the durability of pavement and generally increase the quality of the concrete pavement.

Abstract Shrimps are the most consumed species among crustaceans and are well appreciated for their flavor and high nutritional value. This work investigated the antioxidative compounds of Northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) and its processing discards (shells and heads) using various solvents and chromatographic techniques as well as mass spectrometry. Ethanol served as the best extraction medium, and the extracts obtained demonstrated strong antioxidant activity in a β-carotene-linoleate emulsion system. The antioxidative compounds of the extract were isolated using a silica gel column chromatography, followed by thin layer chromatography. This led to the identification of two highly polar and two low polarity compounds. These compounds, for the first time, were isolated and purified by using reversed-phase HPLC. Their structures were tentatively elucidated using electrospray mass spectrometry. These unique compounds were heterocyclic phenolic compounds and identified as 7-(3-butenyl)-2-hydroxy-6-(1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridin-2-yl) quinoline and 7-(3-butenyl)-2-hydroxy-6-(1,2,5,6-tertahydropyridin-2-yl)-7,8-dihydroquinoline and their isomers. The proposed novel compounds in shrimp provide a reason for their oxidative stability and potential benefits, as well as possibly serving as substrates for the discoloration of shrimp. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Salmon aquaculture generates 80% of the total revenue of finfish aquaculture across Canada. Salmon farming is carried out in a multilevel process, and at least 60% of the total production is considered as by-products, including skin, head, viscera, trimmings, frames, bones, and roes. These by-products are an excellent source of protein, which can be converted to protein hydrolysates through enzymatic hydrolysis and non-enzymatic processes such as chemical hydrolysis (acid and alkaline) in order to utilize them into value-added products. Several studies have reported that peptides from salmon protein hydrolysates possess bioactivities, including antihypertensive, antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-allergic, and cholesterol-lowering effects. Incorporating in silico computational methods is gaining more attention to identify potential peptides from source proteins. The in silico methods can be used to predict the properties of the peptides and thereby predetermine the processing, isolation, and purification steps that can be used for the peptides of interest. Therefore, it is essential to implement robust, standardized, and cost-effective processing techniques that can easily be transferrable and scale up for industrial applications in view of circular economy and upcycling concept. This contribution summarizes the latest research information on Atlantic salmon, production statistics, growth lifecycle, processing, protein production techniques, nutritional and functional properties, peptide production and purification processes, as well as potential health benefits as a nutraceutical product. Graphical Abstract

The use of salt and chemical deicers can cause significant damage to road infrastructures. This study investigates the impact of different deicers on the viscoelastic properties of mastic and asphalt mixtures, with a focus on characterizing their behavior at varying temperatures and loading frequencies. The samples were subjected to conditioning in solutions of distilled water, salt, Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA), and Potassium Acetate (KAc) at 60 °C for 96 h, followed by frequency sweep and dynamic modulus tests at different temperatures and loading frequencies. The results indicate that moisture conditioning with distilled water softens asphalt mixtures and mastic at low loading frequencies, while brine softens the former at low temperatures. Salt's high interaction with mixture aggregates cannot be ignored. CMA's effect on the fatigue behavior of mastic samples is highly dependent on loading frequency, while KAc increases stiffness at intermediate and high temperatures. All the deicers reduce resistance to rutting damage, with CMA having the most negative effect. Both the 2S2P1D and the generalized Maxwell model can well (R2 ≥ 0.90, Se/Sy ≤ 0.35) predict the viscoelastic properties of dry asphalt mixture. However, in the presence of distilled water and the deicers, asphalt mixture viscoelastic properties cannot be predicted according to asphalt mastic characteristics by implementing the homothety method which indicates different effects of distilled water and the deicers on various scales of bituminous composites.

Abstract Objective: The cardioprotective effects of nuts are well established. However, the positive impacts of nuts in preventing CVD at a younger age, a condition known as premature coronary artery disease (PCAD), is still debated. Therefore, we aim to determine the association between nuts and PCAD occurrence and its severity in different Iranian ethnicities. Design: This case–control study was conducted within the framework of the Iran-premature coronary artery disease (I-PAD) study, an ongoing multi-centric study on Iranian patients of different ethnicities. Setting: This multi-centric case–control study was conducted in among 3253 persons under the age of 70 years in women and 60 years in men from different ethnicities in Iran. Participants: Information on nut consumption was collected using a validated FFQ. Subjects were selected from among the candidates for angiography. Cases were those whose coronary angiography showed stenosis of more than 75 % in at least one vessel or more than 50 % of the left main artery, while the control group participants had normal angiography results. Results: In the crude model, compared to the first quartile, the highest quartile of nut consumption was significantly associated with a lower risk of PCAD (OR = 0·26, 95 % CI (0·21, 0·32); P for trend = 0·001). In the top quartile of nut intake, a substantial decrease in PCAD was observed after controlling for putative confounders (OR = 0·32; 95 % CI (0·24, 0·43); P for trend = 0·001). Additionally, a 75 % decrease in the risk of severe PCAD was observed in the participants in the highest quartile of nut intake. Conclusion: A significant inverse association was observed between nut intake and the risk and severity of PCAD in the Iranian population. Large-scale clinical trials are required to confirm these findings.

The development of rail transport necessitates expanding environmentally friendly infrastructure. However, specific challenges arise in desert and sandy regions. One innovative solution to manage the effects of windblown sand on desert railways is the use of hump slab track superstructure. This paper develops a solid–fluid aerodynamic model based on ANSYS Fluent 2021 R2 software to simulate the hump slab track during a sandstorm. The model is validated through wind tunnel testing. A case study of a railway sandstorm in the Shuregaz region of Iran is presented, evaluating various sandstorm parameters and hump heights to determine their impact on sand concentration and particle velocity within the sand transit channels. The results indicate that increasing the sand particle diameter (from 150 to 250 µm) leads to higher sand concentration (up to 40%) and lower sand movement velocity (up to 28%). These results have been observed with a higher incremental approach concerning the sand flow rate. Conversely, increasing sandstorm velocity (from 10 to 30 m/s) decreases sand concentration and increases sand movement velocity up to 80% and 150%, respectively. Additionally, a 25 cm hump height significantly enhances sand passage by creating larger channels.

The mounting impacts of climate change on infrastructure demand proactive adaptation strategies to ensure long-term resilience. This study investigates the effects of predicted future global warming on asphalt binder performance grade (PG) selection in the United States using a time series method. Leveraging Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) data and Superpave protocol model, the research forecasts temperature changes for the period up to 2060 and calculates the corresponding PG values for different states. The results reveal significant temperature increases across the majority of states, necessitating adjustments in PG selection to accommodate changing climate conditions. The findings indicate significant increases in average 7-day maximum temperatures across the United States by 2060, with 38 out of 50 states likely to experience rising trends. Oregon, Utah, and Idaho are anticipated to face the largest temperature increases. Concurrently, the low air temperature has risen in 33 states, with notable increases in Maine, North Carolina, and Virginia. The widening gap predicted between required high and low PG poses challenges, as some necessary binders cannot be produced or substituted with other grades. The study highlights the challenge of meeting future PG requirements with available binders, emphasizing the need to consider energy consumption and CO2 emissions when using modifiers to achieve the desired PG properties.

In the world of continuous changes, digital transformation has emerged as an inevitable factor for survival of organizations. Not only it is a technology change, but also is a radical change in all aspects and in other words is a business transformation. Banks like other organizations in digital era are facing new features namely the emergence of disruptive technologies and new business models, presence in ecosystems and importance of customer experience. In order for revising an enterprise architecture with digital transformation approach, it is required to determine the distinguishing characteristics of digital banks and traditional banks. The reason is that such characters affect the enterprise architecture framework approach and also the school of thought of enterprise architecture. In the present research, we applied the mixture of quantitative and qualitative research method. Firstly, using a systematic literature review, 284 papers with related keywords with digital bank were reviewed in order to extract the distinguishing features of this bank with traditional banks. In order for determining the indicators and their categories using the SLR, alongside a researcher (coder 1) is done by another expert of SLR (coder 2). Considering the KAPA coefficient 804%, six major features of digital banks are as follows: customer-centric experience, service oriented, based on ecosystem, alignment with digital technologies, digital transformation strategy, and platform oriented codded as 18 micro features. For finding the enterprise architecture school of thought and enterprise architecture framework aligned with digital banks, a questionnaire was designed by a group of 27 experts of enterprise architecture and digital transformation. The results of findings were analyzed using SWARA-WASPAS method.The results show that by considering the macro and micro characteristics of digital banks, in order for implementing a digital bank architecture, considering the distinguishing characters of the bank, it is essential to select ecological school of thought and service-oriented framework.