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Aegilops tauschii, the diploid wild progenitor of the D subgenome of bread wheat, is a reservoir of genetic diversity for improving bread wheat performance and environmental resilience. Here we sequenced 242 Ae. tauschii accessions and compared them to the wheat D subgenome to characterize genomic diversity. We found that a rare lineage of Ae. tauschii geographically restricted to present-day Georgia contributed to the wheat D subgenome in the independent hybridizations that gave rise to modern bread wheat. Through k-mer-based association mapping, we identified discrete genomic regions with candidate genes for disease and pest resistance and demonstrated their functional transfer into wheat by transgenesis and wide crossing, including the generation of a library of hexaploids incorporating diverse Ae. tauschii genomes. Exploiting the genomic diversity of the Ae. tauschii ancestral diploid genome permits rapid trait discovery and functional genetic validation in a hexaploid background amenable to breeding.

The accumulation of heavy metals in crops irrigated with wastewater is a serious environmental problem. Wastewater irrigation is widespread, particularly for rice due to its high water demands. This can lead to heavy metal accumulation in rice and subsequent entry into the human body, posing detrimental health effects. This study investigated heavy metal accumulation in 12 rice brands (6 imported and 6 domestic) from the Bushehr city market in Iran. The mean values of lead, arsenic, and cadmium in domestic rice brands were 0.246±0.194, 0.074±0.025, and 0.150±0.124 mg kg-1 respectively, while in imported rice brands they were 0.086±0.031, 0.085±0.021, and 0.031±0.007 mg kg-1 respectively. The mean lead and cadmium levels in domestic rice brands slightly exceeded the FAO/WHO limit, while the mean arsenic concentration was below the limit. To protect human health and reduce food contamination with heavy metals, preventive measures such as regular monitoring of heavy metals in food must be taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minced meat (MM) has a high surface-to-volume ratio, which makes it prone to the growth of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria due to increased exposure to oxygen and high nutrient levels. In this study, postbiotics were used as a natural preservative to extend the shelf life of MM. Lyophilized postbiotics from Lactobacillus rhamnosus were incorporated into bacterial nanocellulose (BNNC) to create an antimicrobial film for packaging MM. The effectiveness of the postbiotic-embedded BNNC film against Staphylococcus aureus was tested using the disk diffusion method and the optimal postbiotic concentrations were determined using the microdilution broth method. Structural changes of the BNNC film after immersion in postbiotics were examined using scanning electron microscopy, and the attachment and chemical nature of the functional groups in the sample were confirmed using FTIR. The antimicrobial efficacy of the postbiotic-embedded BNNC film against S. aureus in MM was also tested. The results showed that BNNC with 10% (P10-BNNC) and 4% (P4-BNNC) postbiotic concentrations were the optimal films, as confirmed by SEM and FTIR. The P-BNNC films significantly reduced the number of S. aureus during storage of MM for 9 days at 4°C. In conclusion, BNNC can serve as a suitable carrier for creating antimicrobial films using postbiotics derived from LAB for food packaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, antibiotic residues as a global concern pose a threat not only to public health, but also to the food industry all around the world. There have been many studies on contamination sources of bee products, which the most important of them is evaluation of honey contamination extent with various antibiotics used in colonies. Antibiotic residues have a relatively long half life and may have direct toxic effects on consumers. Considering the adverse effects of this residues, we decided to measure the residual erythromycin in different samples of honey consumes in Qazvin, Iran. The present study is a cross-sectional study which conducted in different regions of Qazvin, Iran, in 2019. 80 samples of honey were collected from different regions in Qazvin. Using semi-quantitative ELISA, honey samples were evaluated for the presence of residual erythromycin. Based on the results obtained by ELISA, residual erythromycin was detected only in 8 samples (10.66%), of which, 5 samples (6.66%) and 3 samples (4%) had between 10-120 ng g-1 erythromycin and higher than 120 ng g-1 erythromycin (higher than detection limit of kit), respectively. According to the results, more than 96 percent of our honey samples lacked any erythromycin or had erythromycin concentration lower than allowable limit. The present study demonstrated that most of the honey samples collected from different regions of Qazvin lacked erythromycin residues, but due to the importance of drug residues on community health, annual screening of produced honey for the presence of drug residues by competent authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk serves as a vital source of essential nutrients in human diets and must be safe for consumption. In the dairy industry, it is crucial to analyze the physicochemical and microbiological properties of raw cow milk (RCM) throughout the year to gather fundamental information, as milk quality significantly influences the final quality of dairy products. This study aimed to investigate the physicochemical and microbiological properties of 60 RCM samples collected from 15 primary milk collection centers in Qazvin, Iran, and assess the impact of seasonal variation on these properties. The study discovered that the RCM samples contained >7 Log10 cfu/mL of Staphylococcus aureus, total coliform count, aerobic mesophilic plate count, and mold and yeast in 15%, 30%, 37%, and 28% of the samples, respectively. The results indicated that aerobic mesophilic plate count, mold and yeast, total coliform count, and Staphylococcus aureus were higher in warmer seasons compared to colder seasons. Furthermore, the study revealed that the average pH, freezing point, solid-not-fat, and protein content were higher in warm seasons, while the average acidity, lactose, and fat content were higher in cold seasons. The physicochemical and microbiological properties of RCM in the Qazvin region were found to be below the acceptable quality value. Although seasonal variation throughout the year affected the microbial and physicochemical quality of RCM, the differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05), except for the solid-not-fat value in winter (p<0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals (HMs) such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, aluminum, iron, and barium can accumulate in tea herbs and pose health risks to consumers. This systematic review analyzes research from 2000- 2022 on HM contamination in tea, associated health effects, and strategies to minimize exposure. Initial searches yielded 961 articles, with 157 selected for final review after the screening. HMs have no biological role; their toxicity depends on metal type, oxidation state, and solubility. Chronic ingestion of HM-contaminated tea can impair numerous organs and biochemical processes, potentially causing cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, reproductive, and developmental damage. Factors influencing HM levels in tea herbs include soil, air, and water contamination, proximity to pollution sources, genetic differences, brewing methods, and steeping time. Strategies to reduce HM uptake and toxicity include using cleaner irrigation water, avoiding acidic fertilizers, liming soil, and restricting tea cultivation near pollution sources. Processing methods and shorter brewing can also decrease HMs extracted into tea infusions. Ongoing research should further investigate phytoremediation and genetically engineering tea cultivars. Consuming contaminated tea poses cumulative risks, so sustainable agriculture and pollution control are vital to minimize HM exposure and protect public health. This review enhances understanding HM dynamics, toxicity, and mitigation strategies for producing safer tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the molecular diversity among 95 accessions of Aegilops tauschii was investigated using a CAAT-box derived polymorphism (CBDP) marker system. Fifteen CBDP primers produced a total of 73 bands (4.87 bands per primer), of which 66 bands (91.9%) were polymorphic. The mean of polymorphic information content (PIC=0.26) and resolving power (Rp=5.62) indicated the capability of this marker system in evaluating genetic diversity in Ae. tauschii. In addition, the mean percentage of polymorphic loci, the number of observed alleles, effective alleles, the Shannon information index, and genetic diversity criterion were estimated to be 91.90%, 1.83, 1.47, 0.44, and 0.27, respectively. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that intra-population variation accounted for 96% of the total variance, while the remaining 4% was related to inter-population variation. Cluster analysis grouped the accessions into 7 main clusters. Also, according to principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), accessions were classified into six main groups, where the first two principal coordinates explained 24.19% of the total variation. The results of cluster analysis were relatively consistent with the results of PCoA. In this study, although the CBDP marker system did not completely separate Iranian accessions from other accessions however, accessions from Turkmenistan, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Japan, and Kosovo were grouped in separate clades. Overall, the results showed that the CBDP marker system effectively identifies polymorphisms in the studied accessions. The results of this research suggest that the studied CBDP markers can be used in genetic fingerprinting and analysis of relationships between wheat and its related germplasm to evaluate various agronomic traits as well as tolerance to environmental stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Suicide ideation and suicide attempts are prevalent in Farsi speaking populations. The present study aimed at validating the Farsi version of the Suicide Ideation and Behavior Scale (SIBS). Methods: Reliability and validity of the Farsi version of the SIBS were established in a highly burdened Afghan student sample (N = 279). Internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity were investigated, and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted. Results: The Farsi version of the SIBS was shown to have a unidimensional structure with excellent internal consistency, as well as good convergent and divergent validity. Discussion: The results suggest that the SIBS is a brief, reliable, and valid measure of current suicidal ideation and behavior that can be used in Farsi speaking populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonella serotypes are considered as one of the most important foodborne pathogens. Eggs are a main source of the contamination caused by these pathogens and diseases in humans and the prevalence of the salmonellosis. This study was aimed to isolate Salmonella enteritidis from industrial eggs collected from different areas of Qazvin city, Iran in the year 2020.In this cross-sectional study, 200 eggs were collected randomly (including 100 industrial packaged eggs and 100 industrial tray eggs) from the retail and stores located in Qazvin city, Iran. After culturing of eggshells and egg contents according to the classic methods, suspected colonies were confirmed by PCR assay. Salmonella was detected in 10% (4/40) among the egg samples. Salmonella was isolated from 0% (0/40) and 10% (4/40) of eggshells and egg contents, respectively. Isolates from positive egg samples were characterized as S. Typhimurium. Salmonella Typhimurium is the most prevalent serotype of egg contamination in Qazvin city, Iran. It can be regarded as the risk evaluation of possible human foodborne diseases associated with the consumption of contaminated eggs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The processing of locally harvested data at the physically accessible edge devices opens a new avenue of security threats for edge enhanced analytics. Cryptographic algorithms are used to secure the data being processed on the edge device. However, the implementation weakness of the algorithms on the edge devices can lead to side‐channel attack vulnerability, which is exacerbated with the application of machine‐learning techniques. This research proposes a deep learning‐based system integrated at the edge device to identify the side‐channel leakages. To design such a deep learning‐based system, one of the challenges is formulating the suitable attack model for the underlying target algorithm. Based on the previous findings, three machine learning‐based side‐channel attack models are curated and investigated for the edge device security evaluations. As a test case, the standard elliptic‐curve cryptographic algorithm is selected. Moreover, quantitative analysis is provided for the best attack model selection using standard machine‐learning evaluation metrics. A comparative analysis is performed on the raw unaligned data samples and reduced feature‐engineered samples using edge enhanced security analytics. The investigation concludes that the vulnerable algorithm implementation can lead to the secret key recovery from the edge device, with 96% accuracy, using a neural‐network‐based algorithm to analyse side‐channel attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pomegranate peel is a by-product which has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties and using it as an additive to improve the meat products shelf life in active packaging has increased in the last decade. The purpose of current study is to investigate the utilization of pomegranate peel powder (PPP) in bilayer film to increase the shelf life of ostrich meat (OM) at 4±1°C. In this research, OM was placed in bilayer films with different ratios of PPP (1,3,5%) then chemical and microbial experiments alongside sensory evaluation on OM were conducted on storage days (1,3,5,7,10). The results indicated that the values of chemical properties including pH, lipid oxidation and nitrogen, microbial, and sensory evaluation after 10 days in samples containing 5% PPP were lower than other samples. However, they had an undesirable color; Thus, the samples containing 3% PPP were preferred. This film was proposed as an active packaging for storing OM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current COVID-19 pandemic is associated with numerous psychological issues, such as anxiety and distress as a result of individual, health-related, social, and economic issues. This study aims to assess the general population in Iran for the negative impacts of the current pandemic on psychological well-being and to find possible protective and risk factors when facing such situations in the current COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A total of 317 people participated in an online survey in Iran from August 3, 2020, to September 20, 2020. Anxiety, depression, fear of COVID-19, emotion regulation, intolerance of uncertainty, illness perception, neuroticism, social support, and self-efficacy were evaluated. Results: The results showed that measures that assess anxiety, depression, emotion regulation, intolerance of uncertainty, illness perception, neuroticism, social support, and self-efficacy were significantly related to fear of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the results of regression analysis demonstrated that neuroticism, intolerance of uncertainty, and illness perception could predict fear of COVID-19 beyond and above anxiety and depression. Conclusion: Some factors, including neuroticism, illness perception, and intolerance of uncertainty are considered risk factors for mental health during this pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Reducing the genetic diversity of crops as a result of the use of breeding processes leads to the loss of a large number of useful genes and thus reduces the diversity of genetic resources, which is one of the undeniable tools of breeding programs. Therefore, researches aimed at studying the genetic diversity of crops can be an effective aid in preserving genetic resources and identifying superior genotypes. Electrophoresis of seed storage proteins is a useful tool to study the characteristics of wheat genotypes in terms of storage proteins diversity. Materials and Methods In the present study, the diversity of seed storage proteins of 25 durum wheat genotypes obtained from different regions of Iran, including some landraces and commercial cultivars, was investigated using SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. Storage proteins of the studied genotypes were scored and analyzed after extraction and electrophoresis. Grain protein content and total gluten were measured by NIR and glutomatic gluten washer machines, respectively. Results and Discussion Electrophoresis identified 14 polymorphic bands. Molecular analysis of variance between landraces and commercial cultivars showed 100% intragroup diversity. Cluster analysis using Jaccard coefficients by UPGMA method divided the studied genotypes into 4 groups. Genotypes No. 9 (Land race of Mashhad), 18 (Land race of Ahar) and 24 (Landrace of Islamabad Gharb) were placed each in a separate group and the rest of the genotypes formed another group. The two-dimensional graph resulting from principal component analysis also confirmed these four groups. Based on Jaccard similarity matrix, the lowest similarity and highest genetic distance were determined between genotypes No. 24 (Land race of Islamabad Gharb) with genotypes No. 21 (Dehdasht cultivar), 22 (Land race of Khorramabad), 23 (Dena cultivar) and 25 (Land race of Khorramabad) with a similarity coefficient of 0.41 was obtained. On the other hand, comparing the mean of genotypes for qualitative traits of grain protein content and total gluten, the highest amount of these two traits for genotypes No. 3 (Landrace of Kermanshah), 4 (Landrace of unknown-Iran), 1 (Landrace of Khoram Abad) and 2 (Landrace of Khoramabad) and the lowest values of both traits were obtained for genotype No. 24 (Landrace of Islamabad-West). Genotype No. 18 (Landrace of Ahar) is also one of the genotypes with high amounts of gluten. Conclusion The electrophoretic pattern of seed storage proteins can determine genetic diversity based on the presence or absence of protein bands. Therefore it can be a useful tool to identify the genetic diversity of different plants. It is also possible for genotypes that have the greatest genetic distance and at the same time have good quantitative and qualitative traits to participate in breeding programs as parents. In the present study, according to the study of genotypes by analyzing the variance of qualitative traits of grain protein content and total gluten and comparing the mean and grouping them using the information obtained by electrophoresis, a cross can be found between genotypes genotypes No. 3 (Landrace of Kermanshah), 4 (Landrace of unknown-Iran), 1 (Landrace of Khoram Abad) and 2 (Landrace of Khoramabad) Due to their high content of gluten and protein with genotype No. 18 (Landrace of Ahar) due to its high content of gluten and acceptable genetic distance with the mentioned genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honey is a unique food product containing bioactive compounds derived from bees and plants Nowadays, animal food products that may contain antibiotic residues have caused a lot of concern for the consumers. The presence of antibiotic residues in honey may be harmful to human health. One of the most important risks of antibiotic residues in food products is the occurrence of drug resistance in pathogenic bacteria in the body. Regarding the complications caused by these residues, the present research has investigated sulfonamide antibiotic residues in the honey samples consumed in Qazvin province. The present research is a cross-sectional study performed in different regions of Qazvin province in 2019. For this purpose, 80 honey samples were collected from different regions of Qazvin. The samples were transferred to the food safety laboratory of the Health Faculty under proper conditions. First, the samples were tested to check the sulfonamide antibiotic residue by the semi-quantitative ELISA assay. The data were recorded in SPSS 23, and data analysis was done by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and (post hoc) Tukey test at the significant level of P 0.05. According to the results of the ELISA assay, 10-120 ng of sulfonamide antibiotic residue was found in 23.75% (19 samples) of the samples. The findings showed that the highest and the lowest sulfonamide concentrations were respectively reported as 30.81 and 6.26 ppb, and the average sulfonamide residue was obtained as 14.50 ppb. According to the results, more than 75% of the honey samples collected from Qazvin province are free of sulfonamide or contain a little sulfonamide concentration. The research showed that most of the honey samples collected from different regions of Qazvin province are free of sulfonamide or contain a little sulfonamide concentration. Regarding the important role of honey consumption in health and the wide use of antibiotics in beehives, it is necessary to take the necessary actions to control the quality of this product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the increase in drug resistance of microorganisms and the tendency in using medicinal plants, the present study was carried out to investigate the chemical compounds of Thymol as a constituent of essential oil and antimicrobial activity against several pathogenic bacteria and its antioxidant activity. In this study, the chemical compounds of Thymol extracted from the two parts of the plant together (the leaves and stems) were performed by making use of gas chromatography and the other gas chromatography linked to the mass spectrograph and its antibacterial activity against Ecoli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Salmonella Paratyphi B, Salmonella Typhi typhus and Enterococci through Microdilution and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were investigated. The antioxidant activity of essential oils was measured through the ability of essential oil compounds in decolorizing diphenyl picrilhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals. Chemical analysis of thyme essential oil resulted in the identification of 23 (83.68%) compounds, which Thymol with 25.30% was considered as the main part of the essential oil compound. The highest inhibitory effect was imposed on Klebsiella, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, and the largest inhibitory zone diameter of essential oil appeared against growth S. paratyphi B. Concerning the results, total phenol was equal to 114.3 mg of gallic acid.g and IC50 of thyme was considered to be 49.94 μM/ml. The achieved results from this study declared that thyme essential oil had a suitable inhibitory effect against pathogenic bacteria and also possessed antioxidant properties. In other words, thyme was considered as an alternative to synthetic drugs and food additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In the present study, we estimated genetic diversity and population structure in 186 accessions of Triticum and Aegilops species using 24 simple sequence repeat markers (SSR). Furthermore, an association analysis was performed for antioxidant activities, including guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), and dry matter (DM) under two control and drought stress conditions. Our findings showed that drought treatment significantly decreased DM, whereas activities of all antioxidant enzymes were increased compared to the control conditions. The results of correlation analysis indicated that, under drought stress conditions, all biochemical traits had a positive and significant association with each other and with dry matter. In the molecular section, the results of the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that the molecular variation within species is more than within them. The dendrogram obtained by cluster analysis showed that grouping the investigated accessions was in accordance with their genomic constitutions. The results of association analysis revealed 8 and 9 significant marker–trait associations (MTA) under control and drought stress conditions, respectively. Among identified MTAs, two associations were simultaneously found in both growing conditions. Moreover, several SSR markers were associated with multiple traits across both conditions. In conclusion, our results could provide worthwhile information regarding marker-assisted selection for the activity of antioxidant enzymes in future breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]