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Conventional cephalometric analysis, based on intracranial reference line SN and Frankfurt plan, sometimes leads to incorrect diagnostic findings and unpleasant theraputic results, especially in orthosurgery patients, mainly due to the instability of the mentioned references. Natural head position (NHP) is the standardized orientation of the head that its record in lateral cephalometric radiographs, provides us with extracranial references. The aim of this study is to evaluate the necessity for providing a lateral cephalogram in NHP for diagnosis and treatment of severe malocclusion (orthosurgery) in comparison with mild to moderate malocclusions. For this reason, 28 orthodontic and 26 orthosurgery patient's cephalograms, in natural head position, were selected. Diagnosis and treatment planning were based on clinical evaluation and cephalometric analyses especially Harvold and Tweed ones. Each group, based on their growth pattern, was divided vertically and horizontally. The angles between SN and TH planes with TH (True vertical Sine) were measured. Then, the correlation between the angles in two groups and also in relation to the severity of malocclusion, were analyzed in vertical and horizontal directions. The results of two groups were compared by the independent t-test. The findings of this study showed that:"n1- The SN line was found to be more inclined than FH line and in orthodonthic patients, FH plan is a more reliable reference than SN."n2- In orthosurgery patients, the SN-TH and FH-TH angles were strongly different statistically."n3- Variation in SN-TH angle, in patients with vertical growth pattern, was high in both groups of patients."nThese conclusions prove the necessity of a lateral cephalogram in NHP for all orthosurgery patients and those orthodontic patients with vertical growth pattern.

Objectives: This study assessed the effects of two remineralizing agents namely MI Paste Plus containing casein phosphopeptide amorphous calcium phosphate fluoride (CPP-ACFP) and Remin Pro containing hydroxyapatite, fluoride and xylitol (HFX) with/without erbium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Er:YAG) and CO2 laser irradiation on demineralized enamel microhardness. Materials and Methods: In this in vitro study, 70 sound human premolars were mesiodistally sectioned, demineralized at a pH of 4.6 for 8 hours, and randomly divided into 7 remineralization groups (n=10): of (I) MI Paste Plus (CPP-ACFP), (II) Remin Pro (HFX), (III) MI Paste Plus+CO2 laser (0.7 W power, 50 Hz), (IV) Remin Pro+CO2 laser, (V) MI Paste Plus+Er:YAG laser (1 W power, 10 Hz), (VI) Remin Pro+Er:YAG laser, and (VII) negative control. The Vickers hardness number of specimens was then measured. The groups were compared by one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test (α=0.05). Results: The mean microhardness was 319.8±49.9, 325.3±44.6, 359.4±35.7, 296.4±33.7, 319.9±58.1, 358.9±28.4, and 240.0±41.6 kg/mm2 in groups 1 to 7, respectively. The difference in microhardness was significant among the groups (P0.05). Conclusion: Both Remin Pro (containing HFX) and MI Paste Plus (containing CPP-ACFP) can cause enamel remineralization. MI Paste Plus+CO2 laser irradiation and Remin Pro+Er:YAG laser irradiation were significantly more effective than the application of each remineralizing agent alone.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency can be regarded as a crucial public health obstacle that affects about 50% of the world’s population. Pregnant women are at a relatively high risk of developing deficient concentrations of vitamin D, which can result in detrimental pregnancy outcomes. This survey was designed to evaluate the correlation between serum vitamin D concentrations and first-trimester spontaneous abortion.Methods: This was a case-control study conducted at the Asalian Referral Gynecological Hospital in Khorramabad, Iran, from April 2021 to March 2022. Forty-two women hospitalized due to spontaneous pregnancy loss in the first trimester were recruited as cases, and 100 individuals referred for routine pregnancy care constituted the control group. Demographic and clinical data were recorded for all subjects, and blood samples were taken from both groups to determine serum vitamin D levels. The data were recorded on a researcher-made checklist. The chi-squared test and logistic regression were used for analysis in SPSS version 22.Results: The frequency of vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency was higher in the case group (n=10, 23.8%) than in the control group (n=21, 21%), although this difference was not significant (P=0.899). Logistic regression revealed a significant link between vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency and age (P

Purpose: Distance universities are of great importance for establishing sustainability literacy, as they operate as multipliers for thousands of students. However, despite several advantages of e-learning environments compared to traditional class-teaching, there are still challenges regarding suitable e-learning tools and didactical models. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of several e-learning tools on students' knowledge and skills growth and to compare two learning paths, synchronous vs asynchronous, exploring how each affects the level of students' knowledge achievement and skills acquisition. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical analysis is based on an online course "Participatory processes in environmental politics". International MSc and PhD students who enrolled in the course were from FernUniversität in Hagen (Germany) and Aberta University (Portugal). The course was designed as the flipped classroom, applying different e-learning tools and activities, some synchronous and others asynchronous. A pre- and post-evaluation questionnaire was applied to evaluate students' knowledge and skills. Descriptive statistical analyses were carried out on this data. Findings: Results showed that in the synchronous group, knowledge about theoretical approaches to citizen participation and sustainable environmental governance improved to a greater extent, whereas the asynchronous group showed greater improvement in nearly all skills related to intercultural communication and e-learning. Also, in the synchronous path, students enhanced their knowledge on "research application" to a greater extent. Originality/value: Evaluating the effectiveness of different e-learning tools on students' sustainability knowledge and information and communication technologies skills is a fundamental issue. The study discusses these issues, contributing to enhancing the use of adequate and grounded e-learning models on sustainable development in higher education.

ObjectiveRoot structure modification is associated with the efficient water uptake and the nutrient utilization. It also provides structural support for the anchoring in soil. Genetic engineering for the improvement of plant root structure may help to maintain higher yields under drought conditions. The aim of this study was to modify the root structure of rice in order to improve drought tolerance and the efficiency of nutrient uptake. For this purpose, simultaneous transformation of Deeper Rooting1 or OsDRO1 gene, which is involved in the regulation of growth angle of the root in order to adapt to drought conditions, and Phosphorus-Starvation Tolerance1 or OsPSTOL1 gene, which is effective in increasing phosphorus uptake and improving root structure, were considered for rice root structure modification. Materials and methodsThe OsDRO1 and OsPSTOL1 genes derived from the wild rice cultivars were cloned together in a single construct under the control of the root specific and the ubiquitin promoters, respectively. The resulting construct, pUhrDroPstol is transformed into the Agrobacterium tumefactions strain EHA105 and used for the gene transformation into Hashemi cultivar. Putative transgenic plants, survived on 50 mg/L Hygromycin during tissue culture steps, are transplanted into the Yoshida solution and then into the pots until they set seeds. Construct specific and gene specific PCR analysis are used to confirm the transgenic plants. ResultsIn this study, 12 putative transgenic rice events were obtained, of which 10 showed the presence of both OsDRO1 and OsPSTOL1 genes in the PCR analysis. Transgenic plants show stronger root structure compared to the non-transgenic ones. Molecular analysis in the T1 and T2 generations determined the homozygous events. ConclusionsIn this study, two candidate genes affecting root structure, nutrient uptake and drought tolerance were transferred to the Hashemi rice using genetic engineering. So far, simultaneous transfer of these two candidate genes have not been reported. Transgenic plants present better root system compared to the control plants. The mentioned construct can be used for the transformation of other crops to improve their root structure, nutrient uptake and their drought tolerance. It is hoped that the production of the transgenic rice with modified root structure and efficient phosphorus uptake increases its drought tolerance and reduce water consumption in rice cultivation.

It is currently slow to identify bloodstream infection pathogens. Here the authors report a rapid metabolic preference assay that uses the pattern of metabolic fluxes observed in ex-vivo microbial cultures to identify common pathogens and determine their antimicrobial susceptibility profiles.

Abstract Background Cancer diagnostic probe (CDP) had been developed to detect involved breast cavity side margins in real‐time (Miripour et al. Bioeng Transl Med. e10236.). Here, we presented the results of the in vivo human model CDP studies on non‐neoadjuvant cases. Methods This study is a prospective, blind comparison to a gold standard, and the medical group recruited patients. CDP and frozen data were achieved before the permanent pathology experiment. The main outcome of the study is surgical margin status. From November 2018 to April 2020, 202 patients were registered, and 188 were assigned for the study. Breast‐conserving surgery at any age or gender, re‐surgery due to re‐currency, or involved margins are acceptable. Patients must be non‐neoadjuvant. The reliability of CDP scoring had been evaluated by the pathology of the scored IMs. Then, three models of the study were designed to compare CDP with the frozen sections. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and AUC were measured based on the permanent postoperative pathology gold standard. Results A matched clinical diagnostic categorization between the pathological results of the tested IMs and response peaks of CDP on 113 cases, was reported (sensitivity = 97%, specificity = 89.3%, accuracy = 92%, positive predictive value (PPV) = 84.2%, and negative predictive value (NPV) = 98%). Study A showed the independent ability of CDP for IM scoring (sensitivity = 80%, specificity = 90%, accuracy = 90%, PPV = 22.2%, and NPV = 99.2%). Study B showed the complementary role of CDP to cover the missed lesions of frozen sections (sensitivity = 93.8%, specificity = 91%, accuracy = 91%, PPV = 55.6%, and NPV = 99.2%). Study C showed the ability of CDP in helping the pathologist to reduce his/her frozen miss judgment (specificity = 92%, accuracy = 93%, PPV = 42.1%, and NPV = 100%). Results were reported based on the post‐surgical permanent pathology gold standard. Conclusion CDP scoring ability in intra‐operative margin detection was verified on non‐neoadjuvant breast cancer patients. Non‐invasive real‐time diagnosis of IMs with pathological values may make CDP a distinct tool with handheld equipment to increase the prognosis of breast cancer patients.

In a world characterized by Ecological Overshoot, where humanity demands more from natural ecosystems than they can sustainably renew, education can nurture sustainability-minded citizens and future leaders to help accelerate the transition toward an era where our finite planet’s resources stand at the core of all decision-making. Despite the essential role of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in contributing to a sustainable society, a holistic understanding of how to incorporate sustainability initiatives into HEI is still lacking. Given the critical role of HEI in societies and considering the number of students, educators, and staff they host every day, ensuring that sustainability is both taught and practiced on campuses becomes fundamental. To this end, a strategic partnership was created in 2019 to set up the ERASMUS + project EUSTEPs—Enhancing Universities’ Sustainability Teaching and Practices through Ecological Footprint. Among the main outputs of the project is a teaching module for introducing the sustainability concept to students. This Module takes a 360-degree approach to teaching sustainability that is designed to help students grasp the extraordinary complexity of sustainability in an engaging and captivating manner. This paperthus aims to: (1) present the EUSTEPs Module, its pedagogical approach and structure, and the learning outcomes and competencies students are expected to gain, (2) review the outcomes of its first pilot teaching in four European HEI, and (3) shed light on how this Module contributes to the development of competences and pedagogical approaches for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our findings show that 90% of the students were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the Module, rating the Ecological Footprint as the most useful teaching tool among those included in the Module. In addition, they appreciated the interactive nature of the proposed teaching. Feedback obtained from students during the pilot teaching contributed to shaping the Module’s final structure and content. The Module—an important interactive sustainability pedagogical tool—is now ready for use with students in different disciplines, thus contributing to progress toward the UN 2030 Agenda, particularly SDG 4, SDG 11, SDG 12, and SDG 13.

GPIHBP1, an endothelial cell protein, binds LPL in the interstitial spaces and shuttles it to its site of action inside blood vessels. For years, studies of human GPIHBP1 have been hampered by an absence of useful antibodies. We reasoned that monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against human GPIHBP1 would be useful for 1) defining the functional relevance of GPIHBP1's Ly6 and acidic domains to the binding of LPL; 2) ascertaining whether human GPIHBP1 is expressed exclusively in capillary endothelial cells; and 3) testing whether GPIHBP1 is detectable in human plasma. Here, we report the development of a panel of human GPIHBP1-specific mAbs. Two mAbs against GPIHBP1's Ly6 domain, RE3 and RG3, abolished LPL binding, whereas an antibody against the acidic domain, RF4, did not. Also, mAbs RE3 and RG3 bound with reduced affinity to a mutant GPIHBP1 containing an Ly6 domain mutation (W109S) that abolishes LPL binding. Immunohistochemistry studies with the GPIHBP1 mAbs revealed that human GPIHBP1 is expressed only in capillary endothelial cells. Finally, we created an ELISA that detects GPIHBP1 in human plasma. That ELISA should make it possible for clinical lipidologists to determine whether plasma GPIHBP1 levels are a useful biomarker of metabolic or vascular disease.

Microbes have diverse metabolic capabilities and differences in these phenotypes are critical for differentiating strains, species, and broader taxa of microorganisms. Recent advances in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) allow researchers to track the complex combinations of molecules that are taken up by each cell type and to quantify the rates that individual metabolites enter or exit the cells. This metabolomics-based approach allows complex metabolic phenotypes to be captured in a single assay, enables computational models of microbial metabolism to be constructed, and can serve as a diagnostic approach for clinical microbiology. Unfortunately, metabolic phenotypes are directly affected by the molecular composition of the culture medium and many traditional media are subject to molecular-level heterogeneity. Herein, we show that commercially sourced Mueller Hinton (MH) medium, a Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) approved medium for clinical microbiology, has significant lot-to-lot and supplier-to-supplier variability in the concentrations of individual nutrients. We show that this variability does not affect microbial growth rates but does affect the metabolic phenotypes observed in vitro—including metabolic phenotypes that distinguish six common pathogens. To address this, we used a combination of isotope-labeling, substrate exclusion, and nutritional supplementation experiments using Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) medium to identify the specific nutrients used by the microbes to produce diagnostic biomarkers, and to formulate a Biomarker Enrichment Medium (BEM) as an alternative to complex undefined media for metabolomics research, clinical diagnostics, antibiotic susceptibility testing, and other applications where the analysis of stable microbial metabolic phenotypes is important.

LPL contains two principal domains: an amino-terminal catalytic domain (residues 1-297) and a carboxyl-terminal domain (residues 298-448) that is important for binding lipids and binding glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored high density lipoprotein binding protein 1 (GPIHBP1) (an endothelial cell protein that shuttles LPL to the capillary lumen). The LPL sequences required for GPIHBP1 binding have not been examined in detail, but one study suggested that sequences near LPL's carboxyl terminus (residues ∼403-438) were crucial. Here, we tested the ability of LPL-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to block the binding of LPL to GPIHBP1. One antibody, 88B8, abolished LPL binding to GPIHBP1. Consistent with those results, antibody 88B8 could not bind to GPIHBP1-bound LPL on cultured cells. Antibody 88B8 bound poorly to LPL proteins with amino acid substitutions that interfered with GPIHBP1 binding (e.g., C418Y, E421K). However, the sequences near LPL's carboxyl terminus (residues ∼403-438) were not sufficient for 88B8 binding; upstream sequences (residues 298-400) were also required. Additional studies showed that these same sequences are required for LPL binding to GPIHBP1. In conclusion, we identified an LPL mAb that binds to LPL's GPIHBP1-binding domain. The binding of both antibody 88B8 and GPIHBP1 to LPL depends on large segments of LPL's carboxyl-terminal domain.

Objective. In recent years, dental composite resins such as tooth-colored restoration are frequently used to restore dental cavities, coronal fractures, and congenital defects. This study aimed to evaluate the microleakage of two methacrylate-based composites (GC Kalore and Luna SDI) in class II restorations. Materials and Methods. In this experimental study, a total of 18 intact human premolars previously extracted for periodontal and orthodontic reasons were randomly divided into two groups. Similar class II cavities (box only) were prepared on all teeth and restored with two different composites. In group 1, a bonding agent (Single Bond 2-SB2; 3M ESPE) and Luna SDI composite in mesial cavities and GC Kalore composite in distal cavities were used. In group 2, Single Bond 2 and GC Kalore composite in mesial cavities and Luna SDI composite in distal cavities were applied. They were then subjected to 2000 thermal cycles in a water bath between 5–55°C (dwell time: 30 seconds in every bath and transfer time: 10 seconds). Then, they were immersed in a 2% basic fuchsin dye solution for 24 hours. After rinsing with water, they were sectioned mesiodistally and evaluated for microleakage using a stereomicroscope. Results. Independent t-test (Mann–Whitney test) showed no statistically significant difference for microleakage in mesial and distal class II restorations between GC Kalore composite and Luna SDI composite (p = 1.000) (p= 0.852). A total of 83.4% of the Luna SDI composite samples and 66.6% of the GC Kalore composite had a microleakage score of ≤3 in class II cavities. Conclusion. In the present study, marginal microleakage was found mainly at the gingival floor extending to 1/3 of the axial wall for the Luna SDI composite and GC Kalore composite. Furthermore, no statistically significant difference was found between the microleakage of the Class II cavities restored with Luna SDI composite and GC Kalore composite.

Abstract For most people, the first step in treatment is to take out the tumor (surgery), so precise and fast diagnosis of any sign of high‐risk and neoplastic cells, especially in surgical cavity margins, is significant. The frozen pathology method is the conventional standard of intraoperative diagnosis, but the low number of slides prepared from non‐fixed tissues prevents us from achieving a perfect diagnosis. Although many improvements in intraoperative margin detection were achieved, still real‐time detection of neoplastic lesions is crucial to improving diagnostic quality. Functionalized carbon nanotubes grown on the electrode needles lively and selectively determine the H2O2 released from cancer/atypical cells through reverse Warburg effect and hypoxia assisted glycolysis pathways in a quantitative electrochemical manner. The study was carried out on cell lines, 57 in vivo mice models with breast cancer, and 258 fresh in vitro samples of breast cancer tumors. A real‐time electrotechnical system, named cancer diagnostic probe (CDP) (US Patent Pub. No.: US 2018/02991 A1, US 2021/0007638 A1, and US 2021/0022650 A1 [publications], and US 10,786,188 B1 [granted]), has been developed to find pre‐neoplastic/neoplastic cells in vivo in a quantitative electrochemical manner by tracing hypoxia glycolysis byproducts. Matched pathological evaluations with response peaks of CDP were found based on the presence of neoplasia (from atypia to invasive carcinoma) in live breast tissues. The ability of CDP to find neoplastic lesions in mice models in vivo and fresh breast tumors in vitro was verified with sensitivity and specificity of 95% and 97%, respectively. The system may help a surgeon assistant system for usage in the operating room after passing many trials and standard examinations in the future.

Root hair formation in Arabidopsis thaliana is a well-established model system for epidermal patterning and morphogenesis in plants. Over the last decades, many underlying regulatory genes and well-established networks have been identified by thorough genetic and molecular analysis. In this study, we used a forward genetic approach to identify genes involved in root hair development in Arabis alpina, a related crucifer species that diverged from A. thaliana approximately 26–40 million years ago. We found all root hair mutant classes known in A. thaliana and identified orthologous regulatory genes by whole-genome or candidate gene sequencing. Our findings indicate that the gene-phenotype relationships regulating root hair development are largely conserved between A. thaliana and A. alpina. Concordantly, a detailed analysis of one mutant with multiple hairs originating from one cell suggested that a mutation in the SUPERCENTIPEDE1 (SCN1) gene is causal for the phenotype and that AaSCN1 is fully functional in A. thaliana. Interestingly, we also found differences in the regulation of root hair differentiation and morphogenesis between the species, and a subset of root hair mutants could not be explained by mutations in orthologs of known genes from A. thaliana. This analysis provides insight into the conservation and divergence of root hair regulation in the Brassicaceae.

Introduction: The responsibility of achieving sustainable development goals in most megacities and subsequently in Tehran megacity are in charge of the municipalities. Since, the goal of municipalities in environmental-friendly activities is to protect the physical and mental health of citizens. Therefore, the sustainability assessment of health performance in municipalities is one of the most significant issues in the field of municipal sustainable development of megacities. The Objective of this study was to develop a tool for assessing the sustainability performance of Tehran municipality in the field of health- related activities and services. Material and Method: In this research the main sustainability indicators in the field of health performance were extracted and localized by providing an indicator-based tool for Tehran municipality as a case study. To determine the initial set of effective indicators, guidelines and standards related to health sustainability issues were surveyed, and an initial set of indicators were extracted. Afterward, a two-round Delphi method was applied by 12 qualified experts to select the most robust indicators of Health performance and assign the importance of the inclusion for each proposed indicator on a seven-point Likert scale. The mean value set to 70% and the standard deviation less than 1 were considered as the cut value. Result: The findings resulted in extracting 11 main categories and 28 sustainability indicators of health performance. The set of indicators related to the “green space” and “waste” categories with slight differences gained the first and second position in the health sustainability field respectively, whereas “urban planning”, “active and healthy life” and “health and hygienic services” located in the bottom of the list with the relatively close scores. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that due to little difference between the score of the main selected categories (less than 1 point difference between the highest and lowest categories) and also due to the fact that the expert panel reached a consensus on the total 11 categories, therefore in order to achieve municipal sustainable development and improving the health level of citizens in the future, it is essential to have a robust consideration toward applying engineering and management measures against all 11 selected categories.

Background and aims: Planning to increase production and tends to increase the efficiency of human resources in productive organizations without estimating the economic costs imposed on the organization, cause the actual value of safety is ignored in workplaces. Among the financial cost of the productive organizations, the subject of safety promotion through decreasing the probable hazards will cause to impose the amount of extra costs to employers that are often faced them with the reluctance and therefore they will try to decrease these mentioned costs. The object of this study is to determine the numerical value of safety from the perspective of the refinery staff through computing the amount of money which the staff tend to receive to tolerate unsafe conditions in the workplace. This amount will be equivalent to the importance of preventing accidents and promoting the safety condition in the workplace from the perspective of the labor force. Methods: In this study, by applying Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) and determining the amount of willingness to accept (WTA) of employees in exchange for the waiver of improving safety in the workplace, the economic value of safety in Esfahan Oil Refining Company was estimated from the employeechr('39')s perspective. For this purpose, a questionnaire was provided and by creating a hypothetical market scenario for safety as a non-traded goods, data relating to the safety value were asked from the number of 140 operational employees and analyzed by applying 2-steps questionnaire including the pre-test and final test during 2014. Results: Based on the results of this study, the mean of willingness to accept (WTA) a month for each employee at the refinery was estimated at 2 million and five hundred thousand rials. The total economic value estimated for the safety of the refinery personnel for 1,300 people employed in operational units, estimated 39 billion rails. Considering the total annual cost of refinery safety that is 6,700,000,000 rials, it was clear from the employeechr('39')s perspective, the economic value of safety is 5.8 times greater than the cost of refinery existing safety programs conditions in the workplace. Conclusion: According to this point of view, the need to review the annual budget required to implement safety measures described and from an economic point focusing on the search for optimal conditions for market efficiency and cost effectiveness of the safety measures is important.

GPIHBP1, an endothelial cell protein, binds LPL in the interstitial spaces and shuttles it to its site of action inside blood vessels. For years, studies of human GPIHBP1 have been hampered by an absence of useful antibodies. We reasoned that monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against human GPIHBP1 would be useful for 1) defining the functional relevance of GPIHBP1's Ly6 and acidic domains to the binding of LPL; 2) ascertaining whether human GPIHBP1 is expressed exclusively in capillary endothelial cells; and 3) testing whether GPIHBP1 is detectable in human plasma. Here, we report the development of a panel of human GPIHBP1-specific mAbs. Two mAbs against GPIHBP1's Ly6 domain, RE3 and RG3, abolished LPL binding, whereas an antibody against the acidic domain, RF4, did not. Also, mAbs RE3 and RG3 bound with reduced affinity to a mutant GPIHBP1 containing an Ly6 domain mutation (W109S) that abolishes LPL binding. Immunohistochemistry studies with the GPIHBP1 mAbs revealed that human GPIHBP1 is expressed only in capillary endothelial cells. Finally, we created an ELISA that detects GPIHBP1 in human plasma. That ELISA should make it possible for clinical lipidologists to determine whether plasma GPIHBP1 levels are a useful biomarker of metabolic or vascular disease

LPL contains two principal domains: an amino-terminal catalytic domain (residues 1–297) and a carboxyl-terminal domain (residues 298–448) that is important for binding lipids and binding glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored high density lipoprotein binding protein 1 (GPIHBP1) (an endothelial cell protein that shuttles LPL to the capillary lumen). The LPL sequences required for GPIHBP1 binding have not been examined in detail, but one study suggested that sequences near LPL's carboxyl terminus (residues ∼403–438) were crucial. Here, we tested the ability of LPL-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to block the binding of LPL to GPIHBP1. One antibody, 88B8, abolished LPL binding to GPIHBP1. Consistent with those results, antibody 88B8 could not bind to GPIHBP1-bound LPL on cultured cells. Antibody 88B8 bound poorly to LPL proteins with amino acid substitutions that interfered with GPIHBP1 binding (e.g., C418Y, E421K). However, the sequences near LPL's carboxyl terminus (residues ∼403–438) were not sufficient for 88B8 binding; upstream sequences (residues 298–400) were also required. Additional studies showed that these same sequences are required for LPL binding to GPIHBP1. In conclusion, we identified an LPL mAb that binds to LPL's GPIHBP1-binding domain. The binding of both antibody 88B8 and GPIHBP1 to LPL depends on large segments of LPL's carboxyl-terminal domain.

Disasters are one of the most important challenges which must be considered by every management system. Higher education centers have high disaster risk because of their risk factors (existence of historical and scientific documents and resources and expensive laboratory equipment in these centers emphasizes the importance of disaster management). Moreover, the existence of young volunteers of human resources in universities urges the necessity of making these people familiar with disaster management rules and responses in emergency conditions. Creating appropriate tools for disaster management assessment makes it correct and precise in higher education systems using the presented conceptual model. The present model was planned so as to cover three phases which exist before, during, and after disaster. Studies were performed in one of the largest higher education centers in Tehran: Science and Research Branch of Islamic Azad University Campus. Results showed high-risk disasters in these centers which must be taken into consideration continuously. The objective of this study was to create appropriate patterns of disaster risk management in these centers.

Background and aims: ‏ Evaluation of the contractor’s HSE is a key issue for the employer that influences the selection of a contractor. An appropriate method of assessment can play a significant role in the selection of qualified contractors. This paper presents a new method for ranking of contractor’s HSE at pre-contract stage of a project. Methods: To develop this new evaluation method, the c ontracts were categorized in 3 groups of advanced, medium and preliminary. In order to pre-assess the contractors’ status prior to their participation in bids, an HSE data questionnaire was developed in the frame of 40 questions. Then 29 indices were developed for primary HSE assessment based on International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP). Because the role of each index is different in each category of contracts thus, seven elements of HSE model were weighted on the basis of contract category. Contractors scoring system was developed in each category of contract based on the obtained weights. Finally the contractors were categorized in four groups of A, B, C and D based on their scores obtained from their HSE evaluation. Results: The results revealed that each term of HSE have different weight in each contract category. In advanced (group 1) and medium (group 2) contracts, the leadership plus commitment (coefficient of 4.9 and 4.3 respectively) and in preliminary contracts the execution and monitoring (coefficient 3.3) have the highest weights. The Strategy and goals have the minimum weight in all 3 types of contracts (e.g. 4.4 in advanced, 3.6 in medium and 2.4 in preliminary contracts). The minimum score required for an A group contractor to get an advanced contract is 537 while the maximum score of a D group contractor to obtain a preliminary contract is 123. Conclusion: The new developed method is able to rank the HSE of contractors prior to sign the contract.

Background: Some vitiligo lesions are resistant to all medical treatments. Objective: We sought to compare the efficacy of hair follicle transplantation and mini-punch grafting for the treatment of refractory vitiligo lesions. Methods: A total of 25 patients with stable and resistant vitiligo participated in the study. In each patient, a resistant vitiligo patch was divided into 2 equal parts. One part was treated with hair follicle transplantation and the other part with mini-punch grafting. Postsurgically, the recipient areas were exposed to narrowband ultraviolet B twice a week for 6 months. The diameter of the repigmentation around each graft was measured monthly. Results: At the end of the sixth month, 68% of follicle grafts, and 72% of mini-punch grafts, had repigmentation. The mean diameter of repigmentation around follicle grafts was 5 ± 1.7 mm and around punch grafts was 5.3 ± 1.6 mm. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups statistically (P = .18). Limitations: Small sample size and short time of follow-up are limitations. Conclusions: Because the results of the 2 methods are not statistically different and mini-punch grafting is much easier to do than follicular transplantation, we recommend mini-punch grafting to treat drug-resistant vitiligo. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The objective is to develop an index to assess HSE sustainability performance of municipalities. • Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) method was adopted to determine the main factors. • The safety, HSE and environment themes are the most important in HSE sustainability performance. • The "Health-Environment" intersection theme gained the highest score in Tehran municipalities. • Tehran ranked third in HSE performance which indicates HSE sustainability are under developing. Sustainability assessment tools have provided a way for local authorities to assess their performance towards sustainable development. However, a major problem of existing methods is the lack of an integrated assessment approach to cover significant aspects of municipalities' activities, namely Health, Safety and Environment (HSE). This study was conducted to address the aggregation of these key municipal aspects by combining them into an integrated assessment index. Tehran municipalities are used as a case study. The Exploratory Factor Analysis method was applied to reduce the complexity of HSE indicators and build the index. The final results integrated a set of 62 indicators into 20 factors based on 6 HSE sustainability themes. In addition, the Sustainability Assessment Index (SAI) was formed by combining 6 sub-indices based on the HSE themes. Finally, the level of HSE sustainability performance in the municipality was divided into four levels, regarding their progress. The findings showed that the best HSE sustainability performance was performed on the Health-Environment intersection theme. Moreover, the majority of Tehran municipalities were classified in level 3 (moderate) on HSE sustainability performance, emerging the need of reviewing the plans and programs that are related to municipal sustainable development by considering district-centered HSE issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The level of contractor’s HSE is a major concern in outsourcing of the works for large organizations. In each tender a rational level of HSE holding by the contractors is recommended to reduce the project costs. By investigating the classification procedure of the contracts available in reliable manuals and models at international level, 6 main criteria were selected for determining the contract level from the viewpoint of HSE. Also, an indicator, called "contract separation" was proposed by weighting the criteria. Initial weight of the main criteria along with their scoring in this indicator was determined by applying sub-criteria characteristics, namely "specialized workforce", "man-day required for meeting the criteria", "required technology", and "impact of criterion on planning the next steps of the contract". Then, by preparing a questionnaire and applying the experts' opinion, the final weight of the criteria was specified, based on which all the contracts of Shahid Tondgouyan Oil Refinery Company in Tehran were divided into four levels, namely (1) advanced, (2) moderate, (3) basic, and (4) exempted from the initial HSE assessment. Results of the present study showed that the operational risk level had the highest impact percentage on determining the level of contract compared with other criteria, which indicates that regardless of other criteria, in case the level of contract risk is high, some special HSE measures should be planned for that contract according to the advanced contracts. Also, cost of the contract had the lowest weight; although cost of the contract is one of the most effective criteria in the contract classification, it cannot by itself represent the magnitude of the contract from the HSE perspective and its impact must be considered along with other criteria associated with HSE in order to determine the contract level.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease in which we can recognize destruction of the myelin that is around nerve cells of brain and spinal cord called as oligodendrocytes. Both genetic and environmental factors play roles in MS. One of these genes is the killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) which expressed on surface of natural killer cells (NKs). These genes have loci (not locus) in human genome, so they inherit as haplotypes. The results of previous studies show that different genes of KIR may affect both susceptibility and resistance to such autoimmune disorders that their pathogenesis in MS is still unclear. Since NKs play key roles in immune tolerance, we intend to perform a meta-analysis for the correlation of KIR genes and MS. We used the software comprehensive meta-analysis for data of totally 568 MS patients and 280 controls. Among the 14 genes of KIR in the human genome, lack of KIR2DS1 is accompanied by MS. No KIR gene found to be a risk factor for MS. Further studies on other molecules of NKs like CD94 and NKG2a is suggested.