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In this paper, we consider large-scale low-rank Sylvester differential matrix equations. We present two iterative methods for the approximate solution of such differential matrix equations. In the first method, exploiting the extended block Krylov method, we approximate the exponential matrix in the exact solution. In the second method, we first project the initial value problem onto an extended block Krylov subspace and acquire a low-dimensional low-rank Sylvester differential matrix equation. Then the reduced Sylvester differential matrix equation is solved by the backward differentiation formula method (BDF) and the derived solution is used to construct the low-rank approximate solution of the original initial value problem. The iterative approaches are followed until some certain accuracy is obtained. We give some theoretical results and some numerical examples to show the efficiency of the proposed methods.

Nowadays, new urban development strategies emphasize on pedestrian construction where pedestrian zones must meet the standard requirements in order to improve citizen mobility. Urban economies, social justice, and sustainable transportation may be impacted by pedestrianization. Certainly, pedestrianization and walkability can significantly reduce traffic congestion in historic and downtown districts. Concerning historical urban attitudes and relevant potentials, this paper proposes reconstructions to build better pedestrian areas in historic places where private car traffic and public transport lanes are also considered in pathway construction. As a case study, a historic area in the Iranian city of Kerman has been studied due to its unique cultural and climatic conditions. Consequently, all guidelines and regulations for changes to potential streets of historical districts into pedestrian zones have been carefully reviewed followed by defining scenarios of walkability and non-walkability (turning historic passageways into new roadways) of streets as well as improving traffic conditions. In addition to investigating variables including costs, traffic enhancement, and urban development priorities, the analysis has been done by performing the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The results indicated that non-walkability-based scenarios (passage and roadway widening) could merely reduce delays while incurring significant expenses and the highest destruction of historic districts. Nevertheless, the analysis carried out using three criteria showed that walkability and the development of public transportation could provide the most reliable solutions (the highest point) to secure sustainable transportation.

Key Clinical Message Abdominal cocoon syndrome and Chilaiditi syndrome are rare etiologies of bowel obstruction which have to be considered in patients with obstructive symptoms. Patients can profit from surgical management rather than non‐surgical approach. Abstract Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis or abdominal cocoon syndrome (ACS) is an uncommon cause of intestinal obstructions associated with encapsulation of the small bowel by a fibro collagenous sac. Clinical presentations of ACS are unspecific and most patients are diagnosed intraoperatively. Moreover, Chilaiditi syndrome is another rare cause of bowel obstruction defined by interposition of colon and liver. There is no reported relation between these two conditions and surgical intervention is the suggested approach for severe bowel obstruction following them individually. We present a case with both conditions and describe our approach. A 47‐year‐old male presented with complaints of colic abdominal pain and distention, nausea and several attacks of bilious and nonbilious vomiting, anorexia, and constipation in the last 10 days before his admission. Laboratory data were normal and abdominal X‐ray showed large dilation at the distal part of the bowel without air fluid level. The patient underwent explorative laparotomy and a mass‐like lesion containing necrotic bowel and a whitish spleen accompanied by a complete anterior‐rotated liver was found. The encapsulated bowel and the spleen were resected followed by the complete resolution of symptoms in the patient. The intestinal obstruction caused by ACS is mostly approached by surgery to prevent the fatal sequela of this condition.

The pre-tender cost estimation serves as the foundation for determining the project cost in the early stages and is crucial for all parties involved in the tendering process. It is expected to be highly accurate. However, industry surveys have advocated that in the Iranian construction industry, the pre-tender estimated costs of construction projects are not sufficiently accurate during the bidding stage. Building information modelling (BIM) technology is a modern digital tool deployed in the construction industry that has seen substantial growth of application. It employs useful tools in different sectors and has extended its involvement in various stages of the project lifecycle, including feasibility studies, planning, design, construction, and operation and maintenance. This study examines and assesses the status of BIM development in Iran for its applicability in the pre-tender cost estimating process in construction projects. The findings of this study indicate that while there is a limited number of Iranian building projects’ BIM models that possess the required quality and capabilities for BIM-based cost estimation, the results obtained are more precise when compared to existing manual methods. Additionally, utilising BIM-based cost estimation significantly reduces the time required for this process by enhancing the speed of cost estimation operations. An innovative evaluation framework for assessing the quality and functionalities of BIM models is presented, which improves the accuracy of cost estimation before the bidding process in Iran’s construction industry. The research findings demonstrate the enhanced accuracy and effectiveness of BIM as compared to conventional approaches. It also suggests the incorporation of AI technology for model evaluation, which has the potential to become an established global industry standard.

Purpose of the study: This research was conducted with the aim of finding out students' disciplinary attitudes towards physics subjects in high school. Methodology: This research uses a mixed methods explanatory design. The sampling technique uses simple random sampling. The number of samples in this study was 120 high school students. Data collection techniques used questionnaires and interviews. Data analysis uses descriptive statistics and miles and miles model. Data analysis in this research uses a quantitative approach using the SPSS program. Main Findings: It was found that student discipline was categorized as good and quite good. So, stimulus treatment from the teacher is needed to increase student learning discipline. The implication of this research is that it can help teachers and educational stakeholders to understand the factors that influence student learning discipline in Physics subjects. With better understanding, they can develop more effective learning strategies to increase student motivation and engagement. Novelty/Originality of this study: The novelty of the research may provide a better understanding of the dynamics of student learning in physics, enabling the development of more effective learning strategies

Value Engineering (VE) enables project managers to discover the size and location of problems in a project and to mitigate any potential backwardness. The current research aimed to find major impressive criteria and to measure their impact level on promoting the value of large-scale/mega projects using VE concepts. The hindrance and obstacles available in the application of VE in construction engineering were considered to ensure the accuracy. The main research objective was to forecast the effect of quality, cost, and time factors on the project value using an adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) model. To create the ANFIS model, the required data were collected through a five-point scale Likert questionnaire, by which the expert opinions were obtained, and pairwise comparisons of the items were accomplished. The model was created using MATLAB. The statistical population was adopted from the experts and managers working in a large-scale project who were familiar with the concepts and details of VE and project management. According to the literature, more than 50 VE criteria were found, which were then reduced to 25 criteria based on experts’ opinions. These final criteria were categorized into three groups: cost, time, and quality. Afterwards, the data collected via the questionnaires were analyzed by the ANFIS model. Before completing the calculations, validity and reliability of the analytical model were investigated to ensure that the results are both valid and reliable enough for further use. The results showed that the criterion entitled ‘proper programming …’ had the highest impact on promoting the projects value, while the criterion entitled ‘prevention of work and responsibility interference …’ had the least influence. Both of the mentioned criteria were situated in the group of cost, indicating the higher importance of this group than that of the other groups.

Due to the environmental issues associated with the production of binders such as cement and lime, finding alternative materials or binders for geotechnical applications is crucial. Therefore, developing low-carbon-footprint cementitious materials by replacing cement and lime with recycled waste-based geopolymers can provide environmental and economic benefits. Incorporating recycled waste materials or green binders in soil stabilizations can not only reduce the construction cost and alleviate environmental issues, but also improve the mechanical properties of the soils. Although the idea of using recycled glass powder (RGP) as a reclaimed material for stabilizing clay soils is not new, the adoption of copper slag (CS) or combination of CS and RGP for the treatment of low-plasticity clay soil has rarely been studied. In this research, various molarities of sodium hydroxide as an alkaline activator and different combinations of CS-RGP were used to assess the mechanical and microstructural behavior of the stabilized low-plasticity clay soil. Moreover, the effects of two different curing conditions (i.e., oven-dried content (DC) and optimum water content (OC)) and curing time on the mechanical properties of the soil (i.e., unconfined compressive strength and California bearing ratio) were evaluated. The results clearly indicated that CS influenced Atterberg Limits and compaction parameters more than RGP. Also, it was observed that by applying 5% CS at a fixed alkaline activator, the UCS at 56 curing days and CBR at 7 curing days increased 3.11 and 1.68 times, respectively, while these values were 4.03 and 1.90 times, respectively, by applying 5% RGP.

Objective: Snakes are among the predators of any ecosystem and have been seen in different parts of Iran. The report on their distribution in Isfahan province was taken into consideration because of the importance of regional knowledge of these animals. Case report: During this survey, a sample of snakes was collected from north of Isfahan province, Kashan city, the University site of Medical Sciences and the sample was studied. The snake was identified by morphological and habitat characteristics and compared to other photos and data. The specimen belonged to the Colubridae family and non-venomous snakes. This species is distributed in the tropical climatic zone of the province. The species of the tropical region of Kashan city was identified as Platyceps karelini. or spotted snake Conclusion: We identified the habitat of this animal in Kashan city in Isfahan province. By identifying the species of Spotted Desert Racer from the Colubridae family, the number of non-venomous snakes in Kashan reached eight species.

Abstract Background Despite well-known effects of diet on gut microbiota diversity, relatively little is known about how maternal diet quality shapes the longitudinal maturation of gut microbiota in offspring. To investigate, we fed female rats standard chow (Chow) or a western-style, high-choice cafeteria diet (Caf) prior to and during mating, gestation and lactation. At weaning (3 weeks), male and female offspring were either maintained on their mother’s diet (ChowChow, CafCaf groups) or switched to the other diet (ChowCaf, CafChow). Fecal microbial composition was assessed in dams and longitudinally in offspring at 3, 7 and 14 weeks of age. Results The effect of maternal diet on maturation of offspring gut microbiota was assessed by α- and β-diversities, Deseq2/LEfSe, and SourceTracker analyses. Weanling gut microbiota composition was characterised by reduced α- and β-diversity profiles that clustered away from dams and older siblings. After weaning, offspring gut microbiota came to resemble an adult-like gut microbiota, with increased α-diversity and reduced dissimilarity of β-diversity. Similarly, Deseq2/LEfSe analyses found fewer numbers of altered operational taxonomic units (OTUs) between groups from weaning to adulthood. SourceTracker analyses indicated a greater overall contribution of Caf mothers’ microbial community (up to 20%) to that of their offspring than the contribution of Chow mothers (up to 8%). Groups maintained on the maternal diet (ChowChow, CafCaf), versus those switched to the other diet (ChowCaf, CafChow) post-weaning significantly differed from each other at 14 weeks (Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance), indicating interactive effects of maternal and post-weaning diet on offspring gut microbiota maturation. Nevertheless, this developmental trajectory was unaffected by sex and appeared consistent between ChowChow, CafCaf, ChowCaf and CafChow groups. Conclusions Introducing solid food at weaning triggered the maturation of offspring gut microbiota to an adult-like profile in rats, in line with previous human studies. Postweaning Caf diet exposure had the largest impact on offspring gut microbiota, but this was modulated by maternal diet history. An unhealthy maternal Caf diet did not alter the developmental trajectory of offspring gut microbiota towards an adult-like profile, insofar as it did not prevent the age-associated increase in α-diversity and reduction in β-diversity dissimilarity.

This study seeks to explore the effectiveness of flipped instruction on the Iranian intermediate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners reading comprehension and grammar learning. As the participants of the study, 60 Iranian intermediate EFL learners from a language institute in Kerman, Iran, were recruited based on convenience sampling in the form of two intact classes. Then, to conduct randomization, the two classes were randomly assigned to two groups namely, flipping group and control group. Next, the two groups were exposed to 14 treatment sessions in which reading comprehension and grammar were taught to the flipping group through explicit flipped instruction and to the control group through non-flipped mainstream instruction used in the institute. Data collection tools employed in the study included the Quick Placement Test (QPT), Michigan test of grammar, Michigan test of reading, and SPSS 21 software. The results revealed the significant effectiveness of flipped instruction on the Iranian intermediate EFL learners' reading comprehension and grammar learning. Accordingly, it is suggested that EFL teachers use flipped instruction if they seek to enhance EFL learners' reading comprehension and grammatical knowledge.

In this paper, we consider large-scale low-rank Sylvester differential matrix equations. We present two iterative methods for the approximate solution of such difierential matrix equations. The first approach is based on the integral expression of the exact solution which exploits an extended block Krylov subspace method to compute the exponential of a matrix times a block of vectors. In the second method, we first project the initial value problem onto an extended block Krylov subspace and acquire a low-dimensional Sylvester difierential matrix equation with a low-rank constant term. Then the reduced Sylvester difierential matrix equation is solved by the backward difierentiation formula method (BDF) and the derived solution is used to construct the low-rank approximate solutions of the original initial value problem. The iterative approaches are followed until some certain accuracy is obtained. We give some theoretical results and some numerical examples to show the eficiency of the proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering that a significant portion of the share of energy consumption among consumer sectors is in the home and commercial sectors and this share is still increasing, there is a need for research in energy consumption management and evaluation of effective indicators in the building industry. Building the country is vital to optimizing energy consumption. One of the most appropriate ways to optimize fuel consumption in the building and housing sector is the implementation of zero energy buildings which is considered as the main solution in the world. In this research, after analyzing the population and statistical sample, data were collected to evaluate effective criteria and options related to energy consumption management. First, fuzzy Delphi method was used to evaluate the sub-criteria and select the main options of each. At first level the criterion is discussed and at the second level the data analysis and research model is analyzed through paired comparisons using fuzzy hierarchical analysis technique. Finally, the most important indicators and criteria are obtained using fuzzy hierarchical analysis. According to the research findings, among the energy consumption optimization management indices investigated by the FAHP method, the economic, construction and utilities indices with 0.333, 0. 201 and 0.176 have the highest management priority, respectively. Energy-efficient optimization has a zero-energy building approach.

An effective protocol for synthesis of some new pyrazolylbarbiturate derivatives is reported through a one-pot, three-component reaction between barbituric/thiobarbituric acid, aroylphenylhydrazones and arylglyoxal derivatives. All reactions were conducted in ethanol as solvent without using any catalyst and products were obtained by simple filtering of the precipitated solids in high yields. All products were characterized by 1H and 13C NMR and IR spectral and elemental analysis data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pre-tender cost estimation serves as the foundation for determining the project cost in the early stages and is crucial for all parties involved in the tendering process. It is expected to be highly accurate. However, industry surveys have advocated that in the Iranian construction industry, the pre-tender estimated costs of construction projects are not sufficiently accurate during the bidding stage. Building information modelling (BIM) technology is a modern digital tool deployed in the construction industry that has seen substantial growth of application. It employs useful tools in different sectors and has extended its involvement in various stages of the project lifecycle, including feasibility studies, planning, design, construction, and operation and maintenance. This study examines and assesses the status of BIM development in Iran for its applicability in the pre-tender cost estimating process in construction projects. The findings of this study indicate that while there is a limited number of Iranian building projects' BIM models that possess the required quality and capabilities for BIM-based cost estimation, the results obtained are more precise when compared to existing manual methods. Additionally, utilising BIM-based cost estimation significantly reduces the time required for this process by enhancing the speed of cost estimation operations. An innovative evaluation framework for assessing the quality and functionalities of BIM models is presented, which improves the accuracy of cost estimation before the bidding process in Iran's construction industry. The research findings demonstrate the enhanced accuracy and effectiveness of BIM as compared to conventional approaches. It also suggests the incorporation of AI technology for model evaluation, which has the potential to become an established global industry standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]