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Summary Due to strong nonlinearities in the governing diffusivity equation for flow in porous media, numerically assisted rate-transient analysis (RTA) techniques have been suggested for the analysis of multiphase production data from multifractured horizontal wells (MFHWs). However, these methods are based on some limiting assumptions that cannot be generalized for three-phase flow or when relative permeability is unknown. In this study, a new RTA-assisted history-matching technique is proposed to simultaneously match production data and diagnostic plots during the calibration process. In the proposed method, the objective function is modified to include the derivative of the integral of rate-normalized pressure for the primary phases. As such, in the history-matching process using compositional numerical simulation, the flow regimes are also matched, which can increase the reliability of the calibrated numerical model. This approach is applied to a challenging data set of production data from an MFHW completed in a Canadian shale reservoir hosting a near-critical gas condensate fluid. The results demonstrate that when the modified objective function is used, the history-matching scheme will reject models that cannot reproduce the flow regimes even if the production data are visually matched. Another benefit of this modified history-matching workflow is that, unlike other numerically assisted RTA techniques, it is not limited to any specific conceptual model or reservoir geometry. Further, interactions between parameters are accounted for during the calibration process. Including the derivative terms in the objective function can ensure a better history-matched model with improved forecast quality. However, comparing the convergence rates of the history-matching with the standard and modified objective functions indicates that adding the derivative terms comes with an additional computational cost requiring more iterations and a slower convergence rate. In this study, a modified objective function is introduced for the first time to enhance the numerical history-matching process to ensure the resulting calibrated model can also reproduce the observed transient flow regimes. This approach is easy to implement and is not limited to a specific model geometry or any input-output relationship.

The quality of granular base materials plays a key role in the enhanced performance of inverted pavement systems (IPSs). Typically, premium-quality materials are required for the construction of IPS structures. This study investigates the feasibility of geocell reinforcement of lower quality materials to be used as an alternative when premium base materials are not available. To this end, 16 different pavement structures were studied using nonlinear finite element (NL-FEM) models in ABAQUS. The results are validated using those of a full-scale field project, which confirms the reliability of the developed FEM model. It was concluded that geocell reinforcement of granular base layer can increase the fatigue and rutting performances. In all the cases, lower quality aggregates with reinforcement exhibited better performance than the non-reinforced base materials with premium aggregate quality. The findings confirm that in the absence of premium-quality aggregates, good-performing inverted pavement structures can still be achieved.

Polarity-dependent electrocapillary imbibition in hydrophobic nanoporous carbon scaffolds.

In this paper, we give a concept of η , γ f , g -contraction in the setting of expanded b –metric spaces and discuss the existence and uniqueness of a common fixed point. Introduced results generalize well-known fixed point theorems on contraction conditions and in the given spaces.

The prevalence of herbicide resistance in ryegrass (Lolium spp.) in the wine-growing regions in New Zealand is poorly understood. Cases of glyphosate, glufosinate and amitrole-resistant ryegrass were documented in a few vineyards in New Zealand in 2013, but there have been no regional surveys for resistance. To address this knowledge gap, 106 vineyards were visited across the important New Zealand wine-growing regions of Marlborough and Waipara in late February 2021, and Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne in late February 2022, and seed samples from individual plants at each site surviving weed-control measures were collected. Ryegrass was found in more South Island (68%) than North Island (20%) vineyards. These seeds, and those from a susceptible ryegrass population were sown in marked rows into trays (10-20 seeds per herbicide) and grown in a glasshouse. When seedlings reached the 3-4 leaf stage, trays were sprayed at the highest recommended label rate of glyphosate. Samples with enough seed were also screened against additional herbicides, amitrole, glufosinate or clethodim. The results indicated 39% of the surveyed vineyards contained glyphosate-resistant ryegrass, with cases detected across all regions, including 58% of vineyards in Marlborough. Eleven of the 27 Marlborough vineyards screened contained amitrole-resistant ryegrass; six samples were also resistant to glyphosate. However, glufosinate and clethodim were still effective against ryegrass at the sites tested. Considering the levels of herbicide resistance to ryegrass observed in this study, growers should explore alternative weed-suppression measures, including tilling, cover-crops, grazing, mowing and the use of herbicides with different modes of action.

Background: Establishing field hospitals is a critical task for governments to complete following disasters, with the first step being to identify suitable locations. Although field hospitals are similar to permanent hospitals and temporary shelters, no research in English has been conducted to extract the location selection criteria for field hospitals from those for hospitals and temporary shelters. Methods: A meta-synthetic approach was used to review all related qualitative, quantitative, and mixed studies published in English between January 2010 and June 2020 to identify new field hospital site selection criteria distinct from those used to select a permanent hospital and temporary sheltering sites. Results: From 4317 screened records, 24 articles were eventually identified as eligible studies, through which 151 open codes, 21 axial codes, and nine themes were identified. The top three axes included proximity to main roads, proximity/distance to permanent hospitals, and proximity/distance to other medical centers. Conclusion: By considering a field hospital as a facility with certain characteristics similar to permanent hospitals and temporary shelters, it is possible to identify specific new criteria and sub-criteria by extracting items common to permanent hospitals and temporary shelter site selection studies.

Chenopodium album L. is a troublesome weed in spring-planted crops, and different levels of ploidy have been documented for this weed species. A population of C. album has evolved resistance to dicamba. The level of ploidy and inheritance of dicamba resistance was studied in this population.The resistant and susceptible individuals of C. album were confirmed as tetraploid by flow cytometry. Pair-crosses were made between ten resistant and susceptible individuals. Eight FDicamba resistance in the studied tetraploid population of C. album is governed by a single dominant gene. This type of inheritance suggests that selection for dicamba resistance can occur readily. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John WileySons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Background and purpose: Today’s dynamic environment is increasingly pressuring public organizations to be simultaneously flexible and efficient. The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating role of organizational ambidexterity in the relationship between psychological capital and the perfor-mance of public organizations that have bureaucratic limitations to their activity and are not as competitive as the private sector. Methods: A questionnaire was developed and distributed among the employees of Management and Planning Organizations in 31 provinces in Iran, and a total of 373 questionnaires were returned. The data was analysed using CFA to validate the measures, and then the mediating effects of organi-zational ambidexterity was tested. Results: The results indicated the significant relationship between psychological capital and organizational performance (B=0.55) and the positive mediation effect of organizational ambidexterity on this relationship (0.333). Conclusion: The findings can help managers of public organizations to enhance their organizational performance by strengthening psychological capital and ambidexterity.

Heat stress can hinder the growth of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) applied exogenously can increase heat stress tolerance in plants; however, the regulatory mechanisms involved in heat tolerance mediated by MeJA are poorly understood in perennial ryegrass. Here, the microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles of perennial ryegrass were assessed to elucidate the regulatory pathways associated with heat tolerance induced by MeJA. Plants were subjected to four treatments, namely, control (CK), MeJA pre-treatment (T), heat stress treatment (H), and MeJA pre-treatment + heat stress (TH). According to the results, 102 miRNAs were up-regulated in all treatments, with 20, 27, and 33 miRNAs being up-regulated in the T, H, and TH treatment groups, respectively. The co-expression network analysis between the deferentially expressed miRNAs and their corresponding target genes showed that 20 miRNAs modulated 51 potential target genes. Notably, the miRNAs that targeted genes related to with regards to heat tolerance were driven by MeJA, and they were involved in four pathways: novel-m0258-5p mediated signal transduction, novel-m0350-5p mediated protein homeostasis, miR397-z, miR5658-z, and novel-m0008-5p involved in cell wall component, and miR1144-z and miR5185-z dominated chlorophyll degradation. Overall, the findings of this research paved the way for more research into the heat tolerance mechanism in perennial ryegrass and provided a theoretical foundation for developing cultivars with enhanced heat tolerance.

Background and Aim: The health concern caused by the respiration of drinking water aerosols containing opportunistic pathogens such as Legionella pneumophila is increasing. This study aimed to investigate the effect of George Fisher's piping system on controlling Legionella pneumophila growth. Methods: A total of 32 samples with a volume of 1 liter per hot and cold water system of the gallery commercial-office complex and selective hospital were collected. Then, filtration, concentration, and heat treatment were performed and cultured on selected BCYE agar medium Results: The culture results showed that 5.8% of George Fisher samples and 37.5% of metal tubes were positive for Legionella pneumophila. Conclusion: Legionella pneumophila stopper pipes and fittings of George Fisher Company have a good ability to control the growth and density of Legionella pneumophila in the indoor water supply system and can be considered a suitable option for use in plumbing and indoor water supply.

PurposeStorytelling is a method for training essential life issues as storytelling can assist learners to consider the story not just as a source of entertainment but as a practical lesson. In fact, teachers can encourage even the most unwilling students by engaging the students in storytelling while maintaining students' attention through narration using sounds and gestures. The present study aims to examine the effect of the university instructor’s narrative on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) student’s sustained attention, emotional involvement and cognitive learning.Design/methodology/approachTo do so, the study adopted a quasi-experimental research design with the aim of focusing on the students’ performance within two different virtual classes. University students’ sustained attention, emotional involvement and cognitive learning were assessed in control and experimental groups before and after the treatment. To measure students’ sustained attention, Wei et al.’s (2012) scale, which comprises six items, was used. Besides, emotional involvement was assessed through Golestani’s (2017) engagement questionnaire. To check students’ cognitive learning, the scale designed by Richmond et al. (1987) was utilized. The summaries and conclusions in the experimental class were ingrained in instructors’ pedagogical repertoires, as the repertoires offer students an alternative way to understand course material beyond a straight lecture. Students in the experimental group were also asked to ponder over the materials presented to the students each session, and the students were supposed to present a one to two-paragraph note on the possible implications of the materials instructed at each session.FindingsThe results of independent samples t-test indicated that there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding the degree of their sustained attention, emotional involvement and cognitive learning. The findings of the present study can raise instructors’ awareness toward the application of narratives in their instructional methodologies, as well as putting forth significant strategies to enhance students’ sustained attention, emotional involvement and cognitive learning through narratives.Originality/valueThe theoretical framework of the study derives from Kromka and Goodboys (2018) conceptualization of instructor narrative (IN), defined as the explicit presentation of the lessons conclusion at the end of each session. Previous studies on narrative have primarily focused on learners’ narrative as an educational tool. Later studies on teacher narratives conceive this as the teachers’ personal anecdotes and story-like accounts of others’ experiences; nonetheless, the position which is taken in this study is more academically laden and is based on the information instructed in each session.

Let E be a sublattice of a vector lattice F. In this paper, we will introduce and study some properties of this new class of operators as F-order-norm continuousoperators and its relationships with some known classifications of operators. We also define the new class of operators that named order weakly compact operators. A continuous operator T : E → X is said to be F-order weakly compact, if T(A) in X is arelatively weakly compact set for each Fo-bounded A ⊆ E. In this manuscript, we study some properties of this class of operators and its relationships with F-order-norm continuous operators.

In this paper, we introduce and study new classifications of operators as name unbounded L-weakly and generalized M-weakly compact operators. We study some lattice properties of these classifications of operators and we investigate their relationships with others known operators such as M-weakly compact operators. We show that each M-weakly compact operator is generalized M-weakly compact operator, but the converse, in general, not holds. Mathematics Subject Classification (2010) 47B65 · 46B40 · 46B42

The objective of this work was to develop and apply integrated geological and experimental workflows to enable a holistic evaluation of the reservoir quality and potential producibility of a prospective shale oil play - the Toolebuc Formation (Eromanga Basin), Australia. Tight oil reservoirs are notoriously difficult to characterize; routine analytical and experimental methods developed for tight reservoir characterisation are prone to providing contradicting observations depending on the complexity of the reservoir. This paper explores the data collection methods and results from a calcareous, organic-rich shale and demonstrates the benefits of combing multiple analytical techniques in the early stages of resource appraisal. The Toolebuc Formation is within a late early oil to early peak oil window at the key well sites which, provide access to the most thermogenically mature material recovered for testing in the play to date. Routine shale core analysis data indicate significant gas-filled porosity, which is inconsistent with the anticipated fluid profiles for the optically determined thermal maturity window. Isotopic data collected on mud gas during drilling indicate biogenic signatures within the light-end hydrocarbon fractions; however, this isotopic signature was not present in the headspace gas of low-temperature hydrous pyrolysis (LTHP) experiments. These observations raise questions regarding the maturation pathway and associated fluid evolution for this source rock reservoir and whether apparent in-situ fluid volatility may enhance the exploitation of this resource in lower thermal maturity windows. This research work provides unique opportunities to advance the fundamental understanding of hydrocarbon generation and production in calcareous organic-rich shales from a prospective Australian Basin, with potential implications for other similar organic-rich shale plays globally.

Natural and hydraulic fractures are important contributors to production performance of low-permeability (‘tight’) hydrocarbon reservoirs during primary and enhanced oil recovery. Laboratory studies that have investigated core-scale huff-n-puff (HNP) processes in ‘fractured’ cores are rare, and focused on ‘rock’ analysis primarily, as opposed to ‘fluid’ analysis. The objective of this proof-of-concept experimental study is to evaluate the application of a new core-scale HNP technique, ‘flow-through-frac’, for tracking compositional evolution of produced liquid hydrocarbons during cyclic gas (CO2 herein) injection in ‘fractured’ low-permeability oil reservoirs.The flow-through-frac technique reproduces the near-fracture conditions during a typical HNP process, with significantly faster testing times (25-50%) compared to conventional techniques (e.g., flow-around). The experimental procedure includes: 1) artificially fracturing core plug sample under differential stress to simulate an induced fracture, 2) saturating the fractured core with de-waxed in-situ (formation) oil, and 3) implementing multiple cycles of gas (e.g., CO2, produced gas) injection, soaking and production. To determine whether this technique can detect compositional variations despite its short duration, the compositions of the original in-situ (dead) oil and produced liquid hydrocarbon sample were compared after a typical core-scale HNP process (4 cycles) using CO2. A low-porosity (3.3%), low-permeability (1.25·10−4 md) Duvernay shale (western Canada) core plug sample was analyzed in this study.Compared to the in-situ (dead) oil, lighter components (C7-C11) were significantly (up to an order of magnitude) leaner in the oil sample produced after 4 cycles of CO2 HNP (fractured core plug). The lighter the hydrocarbon components, the leaner the concentrations in the produced oil. The intermediate components (C12-C28) were enriched in the produced oil, with larger discrepancies for C14-C22 components. The latter observation is attributed to the replacement of adsorbed C17-C19 components by injected CO2, in agreement with recent molecular simulation and experimental studies. The concentrations of heavier components (C29-C33) were similar between the in-situ and produced oil samples.Through combining core-scale CO2 HNP and fluid sampling/testing, this work demonstrates that the flow-through-fracture method can detect compositional variations during a typical core-scale HNP experiment. This technique can enable operators to track the composition of produced hydrocarbons at near-fracture conditions at a significantly shorter time frame (25–50%) than the existing methods. This integrated rock and fluid experimental program could potentially become valuable to not only core-based evaluation of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in unconventional oil reservoirs but also potentially coupled CO2/produced gas EOR and sequestration processes in fractured shale reservoirs.

3D printed LEGO®-like designs are an attractive approach for the development of compartmental delivery systems due to their potential for dose personalisation through the customisation of drug release profiles. Additive manufacturing technologies such as Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) are ideal for the printing of structures with complex geometries and various sizes. This study is a paradigm for the fabrication of 3D printed LEGO® -like tablets by altering the design of the modular units and the filament composition for the delivery of different drug substances. By using a combination of placebo and drug loaded compartments comprising of immediate release (hydroxypropyl cellulose) and pH dependant polymers (hypromellose acetate succinate) we were able to customise the release kinetics of melatonin and caffeine that can potentially be used for the treatment of sleeping disorders. The LEGO® -like compartments were designed to achieve immediate release of melatonin followed by variable lag times and controlled release of caffeine.

Wind turbines and photovoltaic arrays are the most prominent and widely used intermittent Distributed Generations (DGs). Due to the right-of-way, environmental, economical and other restrictions, the connection of this type of DGs to the preferred point of the distribution network is very difficult or in some cases impossible. Therefore, because of non-optimal locations, they may cause a voltage rise at the Points of Common Coupling (PCCs). In this paper, a coordinated design of Switchable Capacitor Banks (SCBs) with dynamic reconfiguration of the distribution network is proposed to avoid low and high voltage violations. For this purpose, distribution network reconfiguration is implemented to mitigate voltage rise at PCCs and Capacitor Banks (CBs) to solve the low voltage problem. A novel method is presented for determining the optimal size of CBs. The proposed Capacitor Sizing Method (CSM) effectively determines the optimal values of reactive power for the given nodes. The optimal locations of SCB are determined using particle swarm optimization algorithm. The 24-hour reactive power curve optimized by the proposed method plays a pivotal role in designing SCBs. The simulation results show that the implementation of the dynamic network reconfiguration and SCBs placement is required to maintain a standard voltage profile for better employment of DG embedded distribution networks.

Objectives The aim of the work was to introduce 3D printing technology for the design and fabrication of drug-eluting contact lenses (DECL) for the treatment of glaucoma. The development of 3D printed lenses can effectively overcome drawbacks of existing approaches by using biocompatible medical grade polymers that provide sustained drug release of timolol maleate for extended periods. Methods Hot melt extrusion was coupled with fusion deposition modelling (FDM) to produce printable filaments of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer–polylactic acid blends at various ratios loaded with timolol maleate. Physicochemical and mechanical characterisation of the printed filaments was used to optimise the printing of the contact lenses Key findings 3D printed lenses with an aperture (opening) and specified dimensions could be printed using FDM technology. The lenses presented a smooth surface with good printing resolution while providing sustained release of timolol maleate over 3 days. The findings of this study can be used for the development of personalised DECL in the future.

PurposeThe major purpose of the present study is to investigate the contribution of academic resilience in accounting for two motivational and attitudinal constructs ? Grit and positive orientation and also probe the predictive power of all these constructs in academic achievement of university students in the midst of the pandemic COVID-19.Design/methodology/approach521 university students participated in an online survey. To measure academic resilience, a scale designed and validated by Kim and Kim (2016) comprising 26 items was employed. The scale contains five sub-factors: perceived happiness, empathy, sociability, persistence and self-regulation. Grit was assessed via an 8-item scale comprising two facets: perseverance of effort (PE) and consistency of interest (CI). It was designed by Duckworth and Gross (2014). Positive orientation was determined through positivity scale developed by Caprara et al. (2010), consisting of eight items.FindingsThe results of structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that resilience positively and significantly predicted both grit (β = 0.56, t = 6.41) and positive orientation (β = 0.54, t = 6.35). Resilience also predicted academic achievement directly (β = 0.71, t = 9.12) and indirectly via its impact on grit and positive orientation. It was also found that positive orientation and grit are positively and highly associated (β = 0.77, t = 9.28).Originality/valueThe pandemic COVID-19 brought about substantial changes in university students' education and their overall life style. Many university students around the globe experienced virtual education. Balancing personal and academic roles in these unprecedented conditions seems to be a tough challenge for every university student.

Rapid identification of herbicide-resistant weeds plays a crucial role in their management. Glyphosate resistance in Lolium perenne is a growing issue in New Zealand and can be conferred by a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) causing amino acid substitutions at codon 106 in the 5-enolpyruvoylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) gene. High-throughput molecular (HTM) methodologies that can detect such SNPs include high-resolution melting and real-time quantitative PCR probe assays. Here, we compare the effectiveness of both assays with a more labour-intense derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (dCAPS) test for detecting SNPs at codon 106. The results showed that both HTM assays detected mutations at this codon, and their results were consistent with those of the dCAPS. Unlike dCAPS, however, the HTM assays over-estimated homozygosity for the glyphosate resistance allele. Nevertheless, cost-effective high-throughput detection of resistance is more important than the zygosity status when initiating an on-farm management response. In summary, both HTM assays successfully identified glyphosate resistance alleles at codon 106 in the EPSPS gene. Given that both assays are more cost-effective and can screen a larger number of samples in a timely manner compared to the dCAPS method, they can be used as quick tests for detecting glyphosate resistance in L. perenne.

Rapid identification of herbicide-resistant weeds plays a crucial role in their management. Glyphosate resistance in Lolium perenne is a growing issue in New Zealand and can be conferred by a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) causing amino acid substitutions at codon 106 in the 5-enolpyruvoylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) gene. High-throughput molecular (HTM) methodologies that can detect such SNPs include high-resolution melting and real-time quantitative PCR probe assays. Here, we compare the effectiveness of both assays with a more labour-intense derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (dCAPS) test for detecting SNPs at codon 106. The results showed that both HTM assays detected mutations at this codon, and their results were consistent with those of the dCAPS. Unlike dCAPS, however, the HTM assays over-estimated homozygosity for the glyphosate resistance allele. Nevertheless, cost-effective high-throughput detection of resistance is more important than the zygosity status when initiating an on-farm management response. In summary, both HTM assays successfully identified glyphosate resistance alleles at codon 106 in the EPSPS gene. Given that both assays are more cost-effective and can screen a larger number of samples in a timely manner compared to the dCAPS method, they can be used as quick tests for detecting glyphosate resistance in L. perenne.

A search for energy efficient, non-herbicide weed control methods led to development of a novel electrical weeding technology. This study focuses on weed control efficiency and energy as elements of a system that would include machine vision and robotics to control escape weeds in field crops. Two pulse generation systems, one single and one multiple, were developed and evaluated at different delivered voltages and energies. Greenhouse trials using specially designed and built application and recording technology showed the application of precisely applied micro-shocks with precisely controlled direct current (DC) voltage, pulse number, pulse length and period (hereafter PMS) can kill small Lolium multiflorum Lam., Chenopodium album L., Amaranthus powellii S. Wats. and Solanum nigrum L. plants with minimal energy. Plants took as much as two weeks to die. Increasing applied energy increased effectiveness as determined by plant biomass reduction and death rate. Grasses appear difficult to control once tillering has commenced, and high voltages may destroy leaf blades but not growing points. Broadleaved plants took several days to show evidence of chlorosis which preceded senescence and death. Our results showed that 5 J is sufficient energy to bring about death or severe growth limitation in many seedlings up to 15 cm height. This is as little as 1% of the energy of, and more effective than, ultra-low energy treatments reported in other recent research. To control five herbicide resistant weeds m-2, the required energy would be about 0.25 MJ ha-1 plus transport and actuation energy for weed destruction, as compared to an optimum target of about 20–40 MJ ha-1 including transport suggested in the literature. PMS can effectively control broadleaved weed seedlings and small non-tillering grasses at a fraction of the energy required by commercially available systems. This indicates PMS has potential as a viable technology for hand-held electric weeders or as part of a site-specific robotic weeding system.

Resistance to iodosulfuron, a herbicide targeting acetolactate synthase (ALS), was identified and characterised in a population of Lolium perenne L. from Canterbury, New Zealand. The resistant population was 264 times more resistant to iodosulfuron than a susceptible population, based on a ratio of the rate corresponding to a 50% reduction in resistant and susceptible plant survival (R/S LD50). The resistant population was also 14-times more resistant to nicosulfuron, another ALS-inhibitor of the same class. However, no resistance to imazapyr, an ALS-inhibitor from a different chemical class, was detected in the resistant population. Pre-treatment with an inhibitor of cytochrome P450 reduced the level of iodosulfuron resistance to 46-fold in the resistant population, suggesting enhanced herbicide metabolism, a non-target site mechanism, contributed to resistance of this herbicide. In addition, a proline to leucine substitution at codon 197 was detected, suggesting a target-site-based mechanism was also associated with resistance to iodosulfuron. This is the first report on the resistance mechanisms to ALS-inhibiting herbicides identified in Lolium perenne in New Zealand and highlights the importance of integrated weed management approaches to reduce the likelihood of ALS-inhibitor herbicide resistance becoming more widespread.

BACKGROUND: Chenopodium album L. is a troublesome weed in spring-planted crops, and different levels of ploidy have been documented for this weed species. A population of C. album has evolved resistance to dicamba. The level of ploidy and inheritance of dicamba resistance was studied in this population. RESULTS: The resistant and susceptible individuals of C. album were confirmed as tetraploid by flow cytometry. Pair-crosses were made between ten resistant and susceptible individuals. Eight F1 individuals from five crosses were confirmed resistant aftertreating with dicamba at 400 g a.e. ha−1. These individuals were selfed, and the response of their progenies to dicamba was assessed in dose–response experiments, and the results confirmed the resistance trait was dominant. Furthermore, an analysis of the segregation patterns revealed that the segregation response of all F2 progenies fitted a 3:1 (resistant/susceptible) ratio when treated with dicamba at 200, 400 and 800 g a.e. ha−1, suggesting a single gene was responsible for dicamba resistance. CONCLUSIONS: Dicamba resistance in the studied tetraploid population of C. album is governed by a single dominant gene. This type of inheritance suggests that selection for dicamba resistance can occur readily.

Clonostachys rosea (Link) Schroers is a filamentous fungus that has been widely used for biological control, biological fermentation, biodegradation and bioenergy. In this research, we investigated the impact of this fungus on root growth in tomato and the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that C. rosea can promote root growth in tomato, and tryptophan enhances its growth-promoting impacts. The results also showed that tryptophan increases the abundance of metabolites in C. rosea, with auxin (IAA) and auxin-related metabolites representing a majority of the highly abundant metabolites in the presence of tryptophan. It was noted that C. rosea could metabolize tryptophan into tryptamine (TRA) and indole-3-acetaldehyde (IAAId), and these two compounds are used by C. rosea to produce IAA through the tryptamine (TAM) pathway, which is one of the major pathways in tryptophan-dependent IAA biosynthesis. The IAA produced is used by C. rosea to promote root growth in tomato. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on IAA biosynthesis by C. rosea through the TAM pathway. More research is needed to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying IAA biosynthesis in C. rosea, as well as to examine the ability of this fungus to boost plant development in the field.

Background: β-thalassemia is the most common hereditary disease in Iran, and more than 2 million carriers of β-thalassemia live in Iran. On the other hand, our country is located in the thalassemia belt, and no comprehensive study has been conducted regarding the effect of erythropoietin on blood parameters in thalassemia intermedia patients in our region. Therefore this study aimed to investigate the effect of erythropoietin on blood parameters of thalassemia intermedia patients. Materials and Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on all patients suspected of thalassemia intermedia in Shahid Sadoughi hospital from March 2021 to M 2022. In the case of diagnosis of microcytic anemia, an electrophoresis test was performed, and people diagnosed with thalassemia intermedia entered the study. Then patients were divided into two groups (the intervention and control groups). The erythropoietin dose was 50-100 units/ kilogram (body weight) three times a week for six months. The measurement of hematocrit and hemoglobin were done using CBC cell counter (Sysmex KX21). Other data were extracted from medical records. ResultL: In the current study, the mean age of patients in the intervention and control groups was 9.15±1.53 and 8.35± 6.90 years old, respectively (p=0.9). The mean hematocrit level in the intervention and control groups was 28.05± 4.06 and 23.45± 3.22 %, respectively (P

Background: Given that various types of cancer are major causes of death among children and there is no comprehensive study investigating the simultaneous effect of ifosfamide and mesna in the treatment of patients with various types of cancer in our country, this study aimed to assess the effect of ifosfamide and mesna in the treatment of children with various types of cancer. Materials and Methods: In the retrospective study, 46 patients with cancer were divided into two groups. In the first group, patients were treated with ifosfamide (800 mg-1g/m2/day) with 500 cc of normal saline and mesna (equivalent to the amount of ifosfamide) in the serum. In the second group, the patient received ifosfamide through serum and mesna at 0, 4, 8, and 16 hours after the ifosfamide injection. This injection continued for three days. Then blood count, hemoglobin, and kidney tests in both groups were examined. Results: White blood cells in both methods decreased significantly (P0.05). Conclusion: In both groups, a decrease in white blood cells was observed, while kidney toxicity was not observed in any group. The decrease in hemoglobin in the second group was more than in the first group.

Due to strong non-linearities in the diffusivity equation, numerically-assisted rate-transient analysis (RTA) techniques have been suggested for analysis of multi-phase production data from multi-fractured horizontal wells (MFHWs). However, these methods are based on some limiting assumptions that cannot be generalized for three-phase flow or when relative permeability is unknown. In this study, a new RTA-assisted history-matching technique is proposed to simultaneously match production data and diagnostic plots during the calibration process. In the proposed method, the objective function is modified to include the derivative of the integral of rate-normalized pressure for the primary phases. As such, in the history-matching process using compositional numerical simulation, the flow regimes are also matched, which can increase the reliability of the calibrated numerical model. This approach is applied to a challenging dataset: production data from a MFHW completed in a Canadian shale reservoir hosting a near-critical gas condensate fluid. The calibrated model is then applied to co-optimize CO2 storage and oil production using a cyclic gas injection scheme. The results demonstrate that when the modified objective function is used, the history-matching scheme will reject models that cannot reproduce the flow regimes even if the production data are visually matched. Another benefit of this modified history-matching workflow is that, unlike other numerically-assisted RTA techniques, it is not limited to any specific conceptual model or reservoir geometry. Further, interactions between parameters are accounted for during the calibration process. Co-optimization using the calibrated model leads to an optimized Huff-n-Puff (HnP) design that can produce 40% additional (incremental) oil, while around 17% of the injected CO2 is stored during the cyclic CO2 injection process. In this study, a modified objective function is introduced for the first time to enhance the numerical history-matching process to ensure the resulting calibrated model can also reproduce the observed transient flow regimes. This approach is easy to implement and is not limited to a specific model geometry or any input-output relationship.