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BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and outcome of confirmed and suspected hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Iran hospitals affiliated with the Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on all confirmed and suspected hospitalized COVID-19 cases in hospitals affiliated with the Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences between March and September 2020. Required data were obtained from the Hospital Intelligent Management System of hospitals. Independent t-test, chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for univariate analysis. Variables with P-value < 0.3 in univariate analysis were entered into the multivariate model, and the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) was calculated. RESULTS: Out of 9176 cases, 3210 cases (35.03%) were confirmed with COVID-19. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of age of the cases was 56.5 ± 19.3 in the confirmed and 57.5 ± 20.6 in the suspected cases. The confirmed and suspected cases’ mortality rate was 15.0% and 10.2%, respectively. In both groups, the most common symptoms of admission to the hospital were respiratory distress, coughing, fever, and muscular pain. The variables of older age, male gender, being transferred to hospitals by ambulance, intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization, being intubated, blood oxygen saturation level less than 93, and having an underlying disease were statistically associated with an increased chance of death. CONCLUSION: The mortality rate among both confirmed and suspected hospitalized COVID-19 cases was significant, and this rate was higher for the confirmed cases. Death-related risk factors should be considered in resource allocation, management, and patient prioritization to reduce the outcome of death.

Abstract Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) are well-known and significant fungal diseases of Vitis vinifera with a worldwide distribution. During August to November 2016 in a survey to characterize fungi associated with grapevine trunk diseases in Kermanshah Province (west of Iran) vineyards, 286 fungal isolates were obtained. Based on morphology and DNA sequences data eight species were identified, of which Biscogniauxia rosacearum, Neoscytalidium hyalinum and Phaeoacremonium minimum were the most aggressive fungal pathogenic species characterized in this research. N. hyalinum was the most prevalent species. N. hyalinum and Ph. minimum have previously been reported from Vitis vinifera. Thus far, there are two records of Biscogniauxia mediterranea and Biscogniauxia capnodes on grapevine in the world with no data on pathology aspects. To our knowledge, it is the first time B. rosacearum is reported from grapevine across the globe. Pathogenicity test with three strains of B. rosacearum on 2-year-old potted grapevines confirmed the pathogenicity of B. rosacearum on grapevine. The proximity of vineyards to the oak trees in Zagros forests as one of the plant hosts of Biscogniauxia spp. further highlights the need for extensive studies on B. rosacearum as a new fungal pathogen.

Biscogniauxia rosacearum, recognized for the first time as a pathogen involved in grapevine trunk diseases in Paveh (west of Iran) vineyards, produced meso-2,3-butanediol (1) as the only phytotoxin. Nectriapyrone (2), (3R)-5-methylmellein (3), (3R)-5-methyl-6-methoxymellein (4), and tyrosol (5) were instead produced as phytotoxins from a strain of the same fungus isolated from oak trees in Zagros forests of Gilan-e Gharb, Kermanshah Province. They were identified comparing their 1H and 13C NMR, ESIMS, and specific optical rotation data with those already reported in the literature. The phytotoxicity of metabolites (1–5) was estimated by leaf puncture assay on Quercus ilex L. and Hedera helix L., and by leaf absorption assay on grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) at a concentration of 5 × 10−3 and 10−3 M. Tested on grapevine, meso-2,3-butanediol (1) and (3R)-5-methyl-6-methoxymellein (4) resulted to be the most phytotoxic compounds. On Q. ilex, nectriapyrone (2) and tyrosol (5) showed severe necrosis at the highest concentration while none of the compounds (1–5) was active on H. helix. Furthermore, the phytotoxicity of compounds 3 and 4 was also compared with that of some related natural melleins to perform a structure-activity relationship (SAR) study. The results of this study were also discussed.

The purpose of the present study is to identify the features of information sources and its influence on managers' environmental scanning behavior in second industrial area of Ahvaz. An analytical survey method is used to analyze the relationship between variables. The findings showed that from among 16 information sources, managers used subordinate staff (M=3.37) more than other sources for environmental scanning. Also they revealed that work experts had the greatest quality and richness with means of (M=3.81) and (M=3.69), respectively; and that subordinate staff (M=3.58) were the most accessible information sources. In addition, the personal information sources within the organization, compared to impersonal sources out of the organization were more qualified, accessible and rich. Executives used managers or assistants' (M=3.73) as information sources more frequently than other information sources in environmental scanning. Furthermore the results of testing hypotheses showed that there was a significant relationship between perceived accessibility, quality, and richness of the source from the view point of managers and the frequency with which managers used it for environmental scanning.