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Background: Radiotherapy, a highly effective method of radiation-based treating cancers, can reduce the size of tumors and affect healthy tissues. Radiation-induced lymphopenia as a side effect of radiation therapy can reduce the effectiveness of the treatment. Objective: This study aimed to examine how taurine can protect peripheral blood lymphocytes from radiation-based apoptosis. Material and Methods: In this experimental study, the effects of the taurine on lymphocytes were studied, and blood samples were divided into three groups: a negative control group that was not treated, a positive control group that was treated with cysteine (100 μg/ml), and a group that was treated with taurine (100 µg. mL-1) in three different doses (4, 8 & 12 Gy) before irradiation. The percentage of apoptotic and necrotic lymphocytes was measured using flow cytometry 48 and 72 hours after the irradiation, respectively. Results: According to the groups treated with taurine, the number of lymphocytes undergoing apoptosis was lower and higher compared to the negative and positive control groups, respectively. The decrease in this value was more pronounced 48 hours after radiation compared to 72 hours. Furthermore, there was a slight increase in the number of apoptotic lymphocytes with increasing radiation dose. Conclusion: Taurine effectively protects human peripheral blood lymphocytes from radiation-based apoptosis.

Abstract The formulation of a novel functional juice, enriched with wheat germ powder and spirulina algae and based on cantaloupe and pear juice, was optimized by D‐optimal combined design. Firstly, sensory evaluation was performed by hedonic test to evaluate the organoleptic properties, and organoleptically desirable samples were screened for further experiments. Various chemical experiments including PH, acidity, formalin index, total phenol, flavonoids, antioxidant capacity, mineral contents (Fe, Zn, Ca, P, K, Mg, and Cu), and fatty acids profile were evaluated. The steady shear flow rheological test also was performed on the screened samples. The results of sensory evaluation showed that the samples containing 1% spirulina and wheat germ had the highest organoleptic score. The results of physicochemical tests on the selected samples showed that the addition of spirulina and wheat germ powder had little effect on pH, acidity, and formalin index but they affected brix, dry matter, and protein content. Also, the addition of spirulina and wheat germ powder, changed the amounts of antioxidant capacity (from 90 to 98%), total phenol (from 4 to 22 mg GAE/g), and flavonoid content (from 5 to 15 mg/L) in the functional beverages. Furthermore, the results of rheological tests showed that the addition of wheat germ powder in the functional fruit juices increased apparent viscosity however; spirulina did not affect important change in rheological properties. The GC‐Mass analysis presented fatty acid profiles of the functional beverages and confirmed the presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids (for example decanoic acid and heptadecanoic acid) in the samples.

Abstract Background There are several therapeutic options for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As predicting the treatment response is critical in clinical decision making, we aimed to evaluate the quantitative intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) parameters as potential predictors of treatment response of HCC lesions to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). Results Twelve patients (eight males; mean age, 56.12 ± 7.88) with 26 confirmed HCC lesions were recruited in the study. Thirteen lesions (50%) responded to TACE, and the remaining lesions were categorized as nonresponder. Age > 60 year (p value: 0.018), D (p value: 0.005), D* (p value: 0.005), and f (p value: 0.004) values were significantly different in response and nonresponse group lesions. Logistic multivariate analysis showed that f value (OR: 0.847 (95% CI 0.732–0.98), p value = 0.025) could independently predict tumor response to TACE. The ROC curve analysis showed f value could predict the HCC response to TACE with sensitivity and specificity of 76.9% and 76.9%, respectively. Conclusions IVIM-DWI parameters, especially the f value, might be useful for predicting the response of the intermediate-stage HCC to TACE.

Abstract Purpose 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), an effective chemotherapy drug, is commonly applied for colorectal cancer treatment. Nevertheless, its toxicity to normal tissues and the development of tumor resistance are the main obstacles to successful cancer chemotherapy and hence, its clinical application is limited. The use of resveratrol can increase 5-FU-induced cytotoxicity and mitigate the unwanted adverse effects. This study aimed to review the potential therapeutic effects of resveratrol in combination with 5-FU against colorectal cancer. Methods According to the PRISMA guideline, a comprehensive systematic search was carried out for the identification of relevant literature in four electronic databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus up to May 2021 using a pre-defined set of keywords in their titles and abstracts. We screened 282 studies in accordance with our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Thirteen articles were finally included in this systematic review. Results The in vitro findings showed that proliferation inhibition of colorectal cancer cells in the groups treated by 5-FU was remarkably higher than the untreated groups and the co-administration of resveratrol remarkably increased cytotoxicity induced by 5-FU. The in vivo results demonstrated a decrease in tumor growth of mice treated by 5-FU than the untreated group and a dramatic decrease was observed following combined treatment of resveratrol and 5-FU. It was also found that 5-FU alone and combined with resveratrol could regulate the cell cycle profile of colorectal cancer cells. Moreover, this chemotherapeutic agent induced the biochemical and histopathological changes in the cancerous cells/tissues and these alterations were synergized by resveratrol co-administration (for most of the cases), except for the inflammatory mediators. Conclusion The results obtained from this systematic review demonstrated that co-administration of resveratrol could sensitize the colorectal cancer cells to 5-FU treatment via various mechanisms, including regulation of cell cycle distribution, oxidant, apoptosis, anti-inflammatory effects.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is recognized as the most prevalent autoimmune abnormality of the CNS. T1WI, T2WI, and FLAIR are limited in the quantification of tissue damage and detection of tissue alterations in white and grey matter in MS. This study aimed to the evaluation of changes in DTI indices in these patients at the thalamus and basal ganglia. Methods: 30 relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) cases and 30 normal individuals were included. Conventional MRI (T2, FLAIR) was acquired to confirm NAGM in MS patients. A T1 MPRAGE protocol was used to normalize DTI images. FSL, SPM, and Explore DTI software were employed to reach Mean Diffusivities (MD), Axial Diffusivities (AD), Fractional anisotropy (FA), and Radial Diffusivity (RD) at the thalamus and the basal ganglia. Results: The FA and RD of the thalamus were decreased in healthy controls compared to MS cases (0.319 vs. 0.296 and 0.0009 vs. 0.0006, respectively) (P

Prostate cancer is the most common and second leading cause of death among men in the world. Nowadays, radiotherapy has been known as one of the most affecting methods for prostate cancer treatment. Nevertheless, radiotherapy is accompanied by the concern of developing secondary cancers by the scattered radiation to the neighbor organs at risk. Several studies have shown that secondary cancers after the radiotherapy of prostate cancer treatment, occur in tissues such as the bladder and rectum which have been exposed to direct or indirect radiations. Therefore, this review study aimed to evaluate the influencing factors for developing secondary cancers after the radiotherapy of prostate cancer. To access the previously validated published studies, Persian and English keywords such as prostate cancer, secondary cancers, radiotherapy and organs at risk have been searched in ISID, Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, and World Health Organization, between 1997 and 2021. Totally 246 pieces of literature have been selected which finally, by ignoring the similar and overlapping studies, only 40 studies were reviewed. In the present study, the most affecting factors for developing secondary malignancies including the anatomical status changes, dose variations, smoking and the impact of the various treatment techniques, have been studied. The results of the reviewed studies showed a reduction of secondary cancer risks with performing the modern modalities such as proton therapy to treat prostate cancer. Moreover, organ movements and anatomical status changes which vary from one patient to others, have been reported to make a significant difference in the relative risk of secondary cancers. It has been shown that smoking may increase the risk of secondary cancers after the radiotherapy of prostate cancer, so radiotherapy and smoking may cause genetic mutations. Despite the advantages of radiotherapy for prostate cancer treatment, developing secondary cancers after the radiotherapy should not be ignored. Assessments of the affecting factors for secondary cancers after the radiotherapy of prostate cancer require social and comprehensive studies which can result in an accurate modality with fewer side effects.

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) remains the cornerstone of advanced prostate cancer treatment. However, the progression towards castration-resistant prostate cancer is inevitable, as the cancer cells reactivate androgen receptor signaling and adapt to the castrate state through autoregulation of the androgen receptor. Additionally, the upfront use of novel hormonal agents such as enzalutamide and abiraterone acetate may result in long-term toxicities and may trigger the selection of AR-independent cells through “Darwinian” treatment-induced pressure. Therefore, it is crucial to develop new strategies to overcome these challenges. Bipolar androgen therapy (BAT) is one such approach that has been devised based on studies demonstrating the paradoxical inhibitory effects of supraphysiologic testosterone on prostate cancer growth, achieved through a variety of mechanisms acting in concert. BAT involves rapidly alternating testosterone levels between supraphysiological and near-castrate levels over a period of a month, achieved through monthly intramuscular injections of testosterone plus concurrent ADT. BAT is effective and well-tolerated, improving quality of life and potentially re-sensitizing patients to previous hormonal therapies after progression. By exploring the mechanisms and clinical evidence for BAT, this review seeks to shed light on its potential as a promising new approach to prostate cancer treatment.

The need to provide food for farms and the lack of roads and cars for transportation in the past led to the invention and innovation of a check dam called Bandar. Bandsar as a watershed check dam is the most important rain fed lands in semi-arid climates (such as South Khorasan Province). This structure turns threats (season flooding) into opportunities. Bandsar is a traditional structure with several main goals such as: cultivation, flood mitigation and erosion control, water harvesting and infiltration, flood water spreading and groundwater recharge. Accordingly, in this research detected 435 Bandsar with 205 thousand cubic meter by using satellite images and field measurement , finally investigating the role of Bandsar in the floods hydrographic characteristics, water harvesting and infiltration of water resources in Seyujan-Tejk plain of Khosf city in South Khorasan province. For this goal, using climate data (1982-2020 period), topography map, cover plant, land use and features and capabilities of ArcGIS10.4 and HMS software. The results showed that Bandsars control 100% of the runoff from rainfall up to a 10-year return period and Bandsar output relative input hydrograph has 2 sharp characteristics; 1- lag to peak and 2- peak attenuation and 76.75% of the water harvesting is infiltration and recharge groundwater recourses.

Objective(s): Bacillus anthracis is the cause of the fatal anthrax. Available anthrax vaccines have low stability and require multiple injections in order to be effective. Poly lactic acid (PLA) has been approved as a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer for drug and vaccine delivery applications. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the antibody titer against the protective antigen recombinant protein (PA63) encapsulated by the mPEG-PLA double-block copolymers and to compare with the non-encapsulated PA63.Materials and Methods: To attain this purpose, to start, the desired protein was purified and confirmed and then PA63 was encapsulated with mPEG-PLA double-block copolymers using a water- oil- water solvent evaporation method. Produced nanoparticles was characterized in terms of morphological specifications using scanning electron microscopy, size and polydispersity index using dynamic light scattering and zeta potential using a zeta seizer. The synthesized nanoparticle antigenic content and also its antigen release profile was measured. In the following, the nanoparticles containing antigens (PA63-NPs), blank nanoparticles (mPEG-PLA- NPs), PA63 and adjuvant control were injected subcutaneously to mice and the IgG polyclonal antibody titr was measured by indirect ELISA. Finally to evaluate biocompatibility and toxicity, synthesized nanoparticles were investigated by cell culture testing.Results: The results of this study showed that the synthesized nanoparticles are of good quality. ELISA results showed that antibody production titr in mice receiving PA63-NPs was higher than those receiving the PA63 (P

In this paper, factors affecting the mechanical properties of polymeric granite artificial stone have been investigated. Epoxy resin and three types of additives called Poly ether ether ketone, Silicon rubber, and Nanoclay have been used to make the artificial stone. Unlike previous research on resin alone, this study has been conducted on artificial stone and samples made using these materials. These samples are compared with the control sample and the sample with optimal mechanical characteristics. The method of making artificial stone is that crushed stone blend with resin, and is molded into molds that are defined according to the American Association of Materials and Testing. Samples were made with two percentages of 7.5 and 15 percent to determine the optimum amount of additive. After curing, the sample is subjected to testing. The results obtained from these experiments for artificial stone show that the addition of polyether ether ketone to epoxy resin compressive strength by more than 30%. 7.5wt% of Nanoclay increases more than 6% in compressive strength in epoxy resin. Therefore, the amount of 7.5% by weight of the additive has been selected as the optimum percentage and only this percent is considered in the manufacture of flexural and tensile strength samples. Adding Silicon rubber to the epoxy resin, increases the flexural strength by 7%. Contrary to expectation, Nanoclay reduces flexural strength significantly. By examining the results of the tensile test, it was determined that the addition of silicon to the epoxy resin increased the resistance to 46% . It is concluded that the addition of silicon rubber has been effective in increasing the compressive strength and in increasing the flexural and tensile strength and adding polyether ether ketone.

Abstract Background This study aims to review chest computed tomography (CT) scanning parameters which are utilized to evaluate patients for COVID-19-induced pneumonia. Also, some of radiation dose reduction techniques in CT would be mentioned, because using these techniques or low-dose protocol can decrease the radiation burden on the population. Main body Chest CT scan can play a key diagnostic role in COVID-19 patients. Additionally, it can be useful to monitor imaging changes during treatment. However, CT scan overuse during the COVID-19 pandemic raises concerns about radiation-induced adverse effects, both in patients and healthcare workers. Conclusion By evaluating the CT scanning parameters used in several studies, one can find the necessity for optimizing these parameters. It has been found that chest CT scan taken using low-dose CT protocol is a reliable diagnostic tool to detect COVID-19 pneumonia in daily practice. Moreover, the low-dose chest CT protocol results in a remarkable reduction (up to 89%) in the radiation dose compared to the standard-dose protocol, not lowering diagnostic accuracy of COVID-19-induced pneumonia in CT images. Therefore, its employment in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic is highly recommended.

The use of phthalates as a plasticizer in plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) always poses the threat of migration of phthalates into the environment through medical equipment. Phthalates can be used with natural-based plasticizers, such as Epoxidized soybean oil (ESBO) known as phthalate’s scavenger and PVC stabilizers. PVC formulations were characterized by different combinations of di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) 30-40% with 5% ESBO. PVC flexibility increased significantly in the presence of ESBO, without a change in strength (tensile test). The decrease of the Tg temperature by adding ESBO in Differential Scanning Calorimetry indicated that ESBO preserved DEHP in the polymer. Also, it was shown that the sterilization process with Ethylene Oxide, similar to ESBO, decreased the Tg of polymer. DEHP migration was evaluated at a maximum level to the environment using the Gas Chromatography test. Samples containing ESBO showed less hemolysis. ABSTRAK: Penggunaan phthalates sebagai plasticizer dalam plastik polyvinyl chloride (PVC) selalu menimbulkan ancaman penghijrahan phthalates ke alam sekitar melalui peralatan perubatan. Phthalates boleh digunakan dengan plasticizer berasaskan semula jadi, seperti minyak kacang soya Epoxidized (ESBO) yang dikenali sebagai pemulung phthalate dan penstabil PVC. Formulasi PVC dicirikan oleh kombinasi yang berbeza di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) 30-40% dengan 5% ESBO. Fleksibiliti PVC meningkat dengan ketara di hadapan ESBO, tanpa perubahan kekuatan (ujian tegangan). Penurunan suhu Tg dengan menambahkan ESBO dalam Calorimetri Pengimbasan Berbeza menunjukkan bahawa ESBO mengekalkan DEHP dalam polimer. Juga, ditunjukkan bahawa proses pensterilan dengan Etilena Oksida, serupa dengan ESBO, menurunkan Tg polimer. Penghijrahan DEHP dinilai pada tahap maksimum ke lingkungan menggunakan uji Kromatografi Gas. Sampel yang mengandungi ESBO menunjukkan kurang hemolisis.

Interference screws are commonly used for the treatment of ruptured ligaments. The interference screws are often constructed from polylactic acid (PLA). In this study, a melt blend of PLA, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and hydroxyapatite (HA) was investigated for use in interference screws. For this purpose, mechanical properties, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), degradation rate, pH change, water contact angle, morphology, cytotoxicity, and cell adhesion on the specimens were investigated. According to the tensile test results, by mixing various levels of PLA, PEG, and HA, mechanical properties of the resulting composite can be kept constant or even improved in comparison with pure PLA. DSC proved the miscibility of components and provided a softer product after adding PEG to the mixture. The weight loss of samples was investigated over a period of 7 months and the results indicated an increase in the degradation rate by increasing PEG level. pH changes were also investigated indicating no significant change in pH. The contact angle test showed an increase in the hydrophilic nature of all specimens with increasing PEG and HA levels. Surface morphology was studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the results showed an increase in toughness with increasing PEG level. 2 µm HA particles and HA agglomeration in some areas were clearly observed in the SEM micrographs. According to the MTT test, none of the samples caused cell death, and results also showed good and spread cell adhesion to the specimens.

An attempt is made in the current research to obtain the fundamental buckling torque and the associated buckled shape of an annular plate. The plate is subjected to a torque on its outer edge. An isotropic homogeneous plate is considered. The governing equations of the plate in polar coordinates are established with the aid of the Mindlin plate theory. Deformations and stresses of the plate prior to buckling are determined using the axisymmetric flatness conditions. Small perturbations are then applied to construct the linearised stability equations which govern the onset of buckling. To solve the highly coupled equations in terms of displacements and rotations, periodic auxiliary functions and the generalised differential quadrature method are applied. The coupled linear algebraic equations are a set of homogeneous equations dealing with the buckling state of the plate subjected to a unique torque. Benchmark results are given in tabular presentations for combinations of free, simply-supported, and clamped types of boundary conditions. It is shown that the critical buckling torque and its associated shape highly depend upon the combination of boundary conditions, radius ratio, and the thickness ratio.

Background: The search for potent radioprotective agents for the amelioration of radiation side effect is an important aim in radiobiology. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of curcumin and seleno-L-methionine against radiation-induced micronucleus formation in rat bone marrow. Methods: In total, 40 male rats were divided into 8 groups (n=5 each), including control, curcumin or seleno-L-methionine treated alone or in combination, 2 Gy irradiation, irradiation of treated groups with curcumin or seleno-L-methionine or their combination. Curcumin was administrated orally and seleno-L-methionine was injected intraperitoneally 24 hours before irradiation. The frequency of micronucleated normochromatic erythrocytes (MnNCEs) and micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MnPCEs) was scored in 5,000 polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) and the cell proliferation ratio [(PCE/(PCE+NCE); NCE=normochromatic erythrocytes] was calculated for each treatment group. Data were analyzed by the SPSS software version 16.0 and P

Absorbable sutures are widely used in surgery. In addition to acceptable mechanical properties, the surgical sutures should exhibit favorable degradability properties. In this research, the mechanical and thermal properties, hydrophilicity, biodegradability, pH changes, and drug release profile of polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) alloy were examined to fabricate absorbable sutures. The test results for the mechanical properties showed that the strength of the PLA/PEG alloy decreased with increasing PEG content, leading to an increase in elongation. The differential thermal analysis indicated that the resulting material was above its glass transition temperature (Tg) at ambient temperature and was thus flexible enough. According to the degradation test results, the alloys were degraded similar to the commercial sample. Furthermore, the pH measurements revealed that the degradation of the alloy had no significant effect on the pH of the environment. Bupivacaine hydrochloride was incorporated into a certain amount of PLA and PEG, and the drug release rate was then measured. The sample provided a suitable substrate for burst release. Moreover, the cytotoxicity test was carried out to evaluate the biocompatibility properties of the PLA/PEG alloy and it was found that this alloy is biocompatible and the biocompatibility of the material decreases with increasing drug loading. ABSTRAK: Sutur boleh serap telah digunakan dalam pembedahan secara meluas. Tambahan kepada sifat-sifat mekanikal ini, sutur pembedahan perlu memiliki ciri-ciri kebolehurain yang dikehendaki. Dalam kajian ini, sifat-sifat mekanikal dan terma, kehidrofilikan, kebolehuraian, perubahan pH, dan profil penguraian ubat asid polilaktik (PLA) dan aloi polietilena glikol (PEG) telah dikaji bagi mencipta sutur boleh serap. Hasil kajian mendapati sifat-sifat mekanikal menunjukkan kekuatan PLA/PEG aloi berkurangan dengan penambahan level PEG, menyebabkan bertambahnya pemanjangan. Analisis pembezaan terma menunjukkan hasil bahan adalah melepasi suhu perubahan gelas (Tg) pada suhu sekitar dan oleh itu sangat lentur. Berdasarkan hasil kajian degradasi, aloi ini telah digradasi seperti sampel komersial. Tambahan lagi, ukuran pH menunjukkan degradasi aloi ini tidak menunjukkan kesan langsung pada pH persekitaran. Bupivacaine hidroklorida dimasukkan ke dalam PLA dan PEG, dan kadar ubat dibebaskan kemudiannya diukur. Sampel substrat yang bersesuian disediakan bagi pelepas letus. Tambahan, ujian Kesitotoksikan telah dijalankan bagi menilai ciri-ciri keserasian-bio aloi PLA/PEG dan didapati aloi ini serasi-bio dan keserasian-bio bahan berkurangan dengan penambahan beban ubat.

In the present paper, the hybrid AUSM-van Leer scheme is extended to solve the governing equations of twophase condensing flows. The method of moments with the classical homogeneous nucleation theory is used to model the non-equilibrium condensation phenomenon. Firstly, the hybrid method is validated using two test cases (i.e. Laval nozzle and rotor-tip cascade) and the results are compared with the MacCormack method. Then the hybrid method is used to solve two other problems (i.e. wavy channel and VKI stage). Based on the numerical results of the paper, the hybrid AUSM-van Leer scheme is an accurate method to simulate twophase transonic flows with nucleation. If the super cooling degree reaches to its maximum value, the nonequilibrium condensation begins and wetness fraction increases suddenly. Also across a shock the wetness fraction decreases due to evaporation of the droplets.

In this paper, effects of non-equilibrium condensation on deviation angle and performance losses of wet stages of steam turbines are investigated. The AUSM-van Leer hybrid scheme is used to solve the two-phase turbulent transonic steam flow around a turbine rotor tip section. The dominant solver of the computational domain is the non-diffusive AUSM scheme (1993), while a smooth transition from AUSM in regions with large gradients (e.g. in and around condensation- and aerodynamic-shocks) to the diffusive scheme by van Leer (1979) guarantees a robust hybrid scheme throughout the domain. The steam is assumed to obey non-equilibrium thermodynamic model, in which abrupt formation of liquid droplets produces a condensation shock. To validate the results, the experimental data by Bakhtar et al. (1995) has been used. It is observed that as a result of condensation, the aerothermodymics of the flow field changes. For example for supersonic wet case with back pressure Pb=30 kPa, the deviation angle and total pressure loss coefficient change by 65% and 200%, respectively, with respect to that in dry case.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of process conditions as well as ultrasound and microwave pretreatments on shrinkage of potato strips during deep-fat frying process. Ultrasound pretreatment was performed at frequencies of 28 and 40 kHz and microwave pretreatment was conducted at powers of 3 and 6 W/g on the potato slices. Then, the frying process was done at 150, 170 and 190°C for 1, 2, 3 and 4 min. According to the results, ultrasound pretreatment significantly reduced the shrinkage of potato strips. However, microwave pretreatment resulted in a significant increase in the samples shrinkage. In addition, frying time as an important process factor had a significant effect on shrinkage; such that by increasing time, shrinkage was increased. Moreover, the results showed that temperature effect on shrinkage is not significant. Furthermore, six models were presented in order to predict shrinkage considering the process conditions and for the models constants, multivariate models were obtained based on multivariate regression analysis as a function of process conditions (ultrasound frequency, microwave power and process temperature).

In the present investigation, the free convection energy transport was studied in a C-shaped tilted chamber with the inclination angle α that was filled with the MWCNT (MultiWall Carbon Nanotubes)-Fe3O4-H2O hybrid nanofluid and it is affected by the magnetic field and thermal flux. The control equations were numerically resolved by the finite element method (FEM). Then, using the artificial neural network (ANN) combined with the particles swarm optimization algorithm (PSO), the Nusselt number was predicted, followed by investigating the effect of parameters including the Rayleigh number (Ra), the Hartmann number (Ha), the nanoparticles concentration (φ), the inclination angle of the chamber (α), and the aspect ratio (AR) on the heat transfer rate. The results showed the high accuracy of the ANN optimized by the PSO algorithm in the prediction of the Nusselt number such that the mean squared error in the ANN model is 0.35, while in the ANN model, it was optimized using the PSO algorithm (ANN-PSO) is 0.22, suggesting the higher accuracy of the latter. It was also found that, among the studied parameters with an effect on the heat transfer rate, the Rayleigh number and aspect ratio have the greatest impact on the thermal transmission intensification. The obtained data also showed that a growth of the Hartmann number illustrates a reduction of the Nusselt number for high Rayleigh numbers and the heat transfer rate is almost constant for low Rayleigh number values.

The chief goal of hotels is to satisfy and retain their customers.Previous researches have shown that contented hotel guests are morelikely to revisit a hotel than guests who were somehow dissatisfied.This study attempts to scrutinize the relationship between servicequality perceptions and customer loyalty in the hotels located in thecity of Shiraz. The other specific purposes of this study are thefollowing: 1) to investigate the perceived service quality and customerloyalty in hotels of Shiraz, 2) to scrutinize relations between servicequality and customer loyalty dimensions, and 3) to providesuggestions to improve service quality and customer loyalty in thefour-star hotels of Shiraz. In this research, perceived service qualitywas measured through five dimensions of SERVQUAL (tangibles,reliability, assurance, responsiveness, and empathy) developed byParasuraman et al. (1988). Also, customer loyalty was measured bythe questionnaire developed by Skogland and Siguaw (2004).Afterwards, 196 questionnaires were collected and analyzed usingKolmogorov- Smirnov (K-S) test, Spearman correlation coefficient,and Binomial Test. Results demonstrated a strong correlation betweenservice quality perceptions and customer’s loyalty. Furthermore,among the 5 dimensions of Servqual (tangibles, reliability, assurance,responsiveness, and empathy), the tangibles dimension showed theleast correlation with customer loyalty, emphasizing more importanceon human elements of service quality.

Two new higher order version of WENO schemes are introduces and problems are solved to investigate problems containing shocks and disturbances in compressible flow. The solver is capable of solving conservation laws using WENO scheme of up to 7th order. The scheme is a recently developed version of the WENO-η-z method with a modified Global Smoothness Indicator (GSI) of 12th order of accuracy, aimed to decrease numerical dissipation over critical points. The code is primarily investigated trough solving several 1D and 2D problems, including the Sod’s shock tub, Lax’s problem, the Shu-Osher problem, which some are presented here as verification. The 2-D shock-bobble interaction and Richtmyer-Meshkov instability are solved as problems including shocks and disturbances, in which proposed methods are compared with both original WENO- η-z and two similarly modified methodes from recent literature. In these problems, the introduced scheme shows lower dissipation in comparison with the original versions, while having more acceptable stability and symmetry against other modifien versions.