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Introduction: Common zinnia (Zinnia elegans), canna (Canna sp.), petunia (Petunia hybrida), compacta (Dracaena Compacta), dahlia (Dahlia sp.), gazania (Gazania sp.), marigold (Tagetes sp.), rose moss (Portulaca grandiflora) and nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) are common ornamental plants in Ahwaz. The identification of fungi associated with these plants will contribute to improving the future management of their cultivation. Members of the genera Amesia and Chaetomium are widely distributed in soil, water, plants, animals and humans. In this study, 12 isolates from Chaetomium and Amesia genera, obtained from herbaceous ornamentals, were identified based on morphology and phylogenetic analysis. Materials and methods: During 2017-2018, 40 symptomatic plants, showing root rot, stem canker and leaf spot, were collected and their associated fungi were isolated. Among those, 12 chaetomiaceae-like isolates were obtained, which their morphological and molecular characterizations were surveyed. Mycelial biomass of the isolates, produced into potatodextrose- broth (PDB), was collected by passing through filter paper and freeze-dried. ITS and partial regions of the 28s-D1/D2 (for 4 isolates) and tub2 (for 9 isolates) were amplified using appropriate primers and sequenced. Results: The isolates under survey were compared with known strains using BLASTn search and phylogenetic analysis based on ITS, 28S and tub2 regions. Accordingly, the isolates under study were identified as follows: Amesia atrobrunnea, Chaetomium rectangulare, C. globosum, C. ascotrichoides and C. olivaceum. The morphological characteristics of these isolates were in accordance with the type strains of each species. Discussion and conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first record of C. ascotrichoides in Iran and the association of C. rectangulare on compacta, C. globosum on zinnia and canna, C. ascotrichoides on petunia, C. olivaceum on common zinnia, nasturtium and marigold in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients need peace of mind to disclose their information to medical staff and with the lack of trust or in specific health status, they may avoid providing sensitive information for their care or might change the information. This research was done to examine the impact of perceived health status and trust propensity on privacy calculus. Methods: In this analytical research three questionnaires, namely Trust Propensity, Health Status (Goldberg and Hiller), and Privacy Calculus were used. The statistical population consisted of the patients of one of the Ahvaz hospitals. Following sample size determination using the Morgan table, 379 usable questionnaires were collected non-randomly. The majority of respondents were younger than 30 and male. After face, content, and construct validities, the reliability was examined through Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability and the hypotheses were examined by partial least square method, using SmartPLS. Results: Patients’ privacy calculus was associated with trust propensity and perceived health status (P<0.05), while trust propensity had no correlation with perceived advantages and disadvantages of privacy disclosure. The relationship between perceived health status and advantages and disadvantages of information disclosure was positively significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: In order to improve patients’ provision of rich information to medical staff, their trust propensity should be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Marital adjustment has a positive effect on the physical and mental health of family members. The purpose of this study was to explain the process of marital adjustment in Iranian women. Methods: This research is based on qualitative data analysis using the grounded theory method. Theoretical and purposeful sampling was used for data collection. Sampling continued until theoretical saturation. A total of 15 women from Ahvaz participated in the semi-structured interview. Interviews were analyzed using the Strauss and Corbin comparative method. Results: By open coding, 17 primary codes, and axial coding, 9 major themes, related to marital adjustment were obtained. Marital adjustment: An incentive to maintain marital life were extracted as the central category influenced by contextual, causal, and confounding conditions. Contextual conditions include emotional bonding with parents and spouse. Causal conditions are an emphasis on self and relationship with another and how to express self in the relationship. Interfering conditions include a relationship with the main family, spouse, and social comparison. Strategies include defense mechanisms and empathy. The consequences of marital adjustment were also the sense of security and comfort. Conclusion: Marital adjustment can be considered in curing marital maladjustment and conflicts and help therapists to have a better understanding of marital dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The family is one of the most important factors in the all-round development of the children. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between family communication patterns and adjustment with resiliency in children. Methods: This study was descriptive and correlational. The study population comprised all sixth-grade elementary school students in Ahvaz City, Iran in the 2016-2017 academic year. The study sample was selected by a multi-stage cluster sampling method. The revised family communication patterns instrument of Koerner and Fitzpatrick, Connor-Davidson resilience scale, and multidimensional adjustment scale were employed in this study. To analyze the data, the Pearson correlation and systematic regression were used. Results: In this study, conversation orientation with resiliency (r=0.22) and adjustment has a positive and significant relationship. Besides, the adjustment (β=0.26) was also a positive and significant predictor of the family communication pattern. Therefore, the results showed that conversation orientation (β=0.19) and resiliency (β=0.19) are the positive and significant predictors of the adjustment. Finally, the results showed that family communication patterns and adjustment were the best predictors of student resilience (P≤0.01). However, there was no significant relationship between resiliency and adjustment with an orientation of conformity (P≤0.01). Conclusion: Results suggested that predicting variables can increase resiliency and adjustment of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new simultaneous framework of distribution network operation is proposed based on the scheduling of photovoltaic/wind/battery multi-microgrids with network reconfiguration considering self-healing. The objective function is considered to minimize the energy losses, and multi-microgrids cost and improve the reliability indices including minimization of energy not-supplied (ENS) and minimizing system average interruption duration (SAIDI) and system average interruption frequency (SAIFI) indices. The optimization variables are defined as the situation of the distribution network switches to find the network's optimal configuration with the installation location and size of renewable resources and battery energy storage during 24 hours. An improved beluga whale optimization (IBWO) based on a nonlinearly diminishing inertia weight (NDIW) approach is used to find the optimal variable set of the problem. The recommended methodology is implemented on 33-bus and real 59-bus distribution networks. The results demonstrated that by obtaining an optimal state of the network switches in the event of a fault, as well as the optimal scheduling of the two microgrids, the energy losses have decreased and the reliability indices have improved. The outcomes of the proposed methodology based on the hybrid multi-microgrid allocation and network reconfiguration are stated that the losses, ENS, SAIDI, and SAIFI are reduced by 66.39%, 54.00%, 50.24%, and 33.61%, respectively, for 33-bus network and are declined by 65.29%, 57.44%, 48.63%, and 62.33%, respectively, for the real 59-bus Ahvaz network in comparison with the base network. The obtained results illustrated that in the condition of the network line outage, by simultaneously implementing the reconfiguration with the change of network switches and the optimal allocation and scheduling of HMGs in the network, self-healing is provided to prevent a significant weakening of the network performance so that the resilience is improved in addition to minimizing the energy losses and the cost of HMG energy injection compared to the base network. The findings revealed that the objectives including losses, ENS, SAIFI, and SAIDI are increased by 78.29%, 33.00%, 83.33%, and 35.11%, respectively, due to outage of line 22 of the 33-bus network and these objectives are increased by 52.32%, 10.30%, 32.29%, and 79.66%, respectively, due to outage of line 12 of the 59-bus network compared with not considering the line outage. Moreover, the superior capability of the recommended NDIW-based IBWO has been confirmed in comparison with the well-known particle swarm optimizer (PSO) and ant lion optimizer (ALO) in solving the problem to achieve better objective value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

So far, valuable studies have been done about the paintings of the Qajar Period from an artistic point of view, especially visual analysis. But their more accurate understanding requires the application of meta-aesthetic approaches such as the sociology of art, since, based on illustrated historical documents such as the ancient reliefs of Iran, the social role of art was in the service of the ruling political class. Based on this, the following paper examines the social function of the first image illustrated in the number one of the second court newspaper during the Naseri era. The approach is based on "reflection," which could be used to answer this question: What social actions does the image of the fourth shah of the Qajar Period reflect? By studying the mentioned image, this article seeks to achieve a meta-aesthetic analysis, so the purpose of this article is not to analyze the subject from the perspective of visual structure or press graphics, but rather to identify the social actions. The research is done using qualitative and descriptive-analytical approaches. The data collection was done based on the library method and the analysis of illustrations. To answer the question mentioned, the approach was determined based on the theory of reflection. According to this theory, artworks convey many concepts about the state of society, such as the political structure. The results show that the expressive language of art as a promotional strategy has an effective action in the direction of strengthening the political and social domination of society, and therefore, Naser al-Din Shah consciously ordered the formation of a range of types of art, such as the court illustration press, in such a way that it is clearly able to reflect the face of the power and strength of his reign in a real way. This is important because, on the one hand, it reflects the social action of art for a long time, and on the other hand, it has reflected the twoway connection between art and politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impure contents of natural gas like Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) should be removed in chemical plants before sending gas to downstream units. These highly corrosive chemicals can be separated by employing several treatment processes. Chemical solvent-based processes are a common method regarding their many positive features. While the choice of solvents for different processes largely depends on process needs, the usage of physical solvents and hybrid solvents has significantly grown in recent decades. The purpose of this paper is the feasibility study of altering the solvent from the chemical solvent of DiEthanolAmine (DEA) to the physical solvent of DimethylEtherPolyethyleneGlycol (DEPG) in a gas refinery situated in Ahvaz, Iran. Firstly, the plant was simulated using the real data gathered. Next, in order to evaluate the feasibility of changing the solvent type from DEA to DEPG, the standard configuration of the produced sweet gas was investigated. Comparing the results of the physical solvent process with the chemical one, it was observed although the overall current costs of the plant were slightly less, gross costs of the process was much higher. To mitigate this, a correction scheme was proposed and the performance of it was economically and technically evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban resilience to natural disasters has constantly been a challenge to sustainable development in human societies. Since Iran is always exposed to natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, it is necessary to address novel approaches to deal with these disasters. The use of urban land and its characteristics in each city is one of the most important indicators related to urban resilience. The Manba Ab neighborhood is one of the most disorderly neighborhoods in Ahvaz city. Considering human perspective (inappropriate social construction), natural (adjacent to the only fault of Ahvaz city and the presence of unevenness in the area), physical and the built environment (improper proportions of land uses and road network; the proximity to large-scale industrial land uses) the city has an unsustainable condition that makes the resilience improvements in the area inevitable. This research aims to assess the resilience of the Manba Ab neighborhood against one of the most critical disasters, namely earthquakes. The paper is an applied descriptive-analytical, and collected data are analyzed in the GIS using algorithms in the ANP model, and Super Decision software. Obtained results show that about 45% of the Manba Ab neighborhood have low resilience against earthquakes due to fine-grained fabrics, low width of the passages, unsuitable building skeleton, deficiency in urban green spaces, and deficiency in relief services land uses. In this regard, land use planning is an essential tool in promoting earthquake resilience in neighborhoods. Identifying vulnerable areas of neighborhoods and reducing factors of neighborhood vulnerability can be very effective in earthquake resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 1st of August 2012, two successive flash floods hit Nasiri hamlet in Maluku archipelago, Indonesia. The floods destroyed 61 houses and swept some of them down into the sea. A monitoring and community-based early warning system (MCBEWS) was developed 2 years later. This paper presents the approach, development, and implementation of the system. There are two components, namely community capacity-building and the establishment of telemetric monitoring. The flood warning system considers two causes: extreme rainfall and landslide dam breaks. Raising awareness, workshops, training, and disaster organisation establishment appeared to effectively increase flood disaster preparedness capacity and community commitment. The adoption of a rainfall depth vs. intensity chart method for issuing flood warnings seems to be promising. The presence of an unusual flow reduction in the record during extreme rainfall indicates damming at the upstream of the record station due to landslides. Possible landslide dams near the downstream to the middle reaches might provide dangerous high peak discharge flash floods with short warning times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to study the effect of different aqueous phases including deionized water (D.W), seawater (S.W), and carbonated seawater (C.W) on oil recovery and asphaltene precipitation during waterflooding in core samples from the Azadegan oil field, Ahvaz, Iran. In this regard, we present the outcomes of a series of coreflood experiments on this local reservoir from different aspects. Besides, a mathematical model using the PC-SAFT EoS was applied at different pressures to predict the asphaltene precipitation area at reservoir temperature. The asphaltene was extracted from crude oil and added to Saltrol® 220 to prepare synthetic oil samples with different asphaltene concentrations of 0 ppm, 500 ppm, and 1000 ppm. In the coreflooding experiments, C.W led to the highest permeability in asphaltene-free oil, while in the presence of asphaltene, S.W showed the greatest permeability. The highest recovery factor in absence of asphaltene was 57% achieved by C.W while the highest recovery factor in asphaltene-containing oil was 52.6% and 50.5% for oil with asphaltene concentrations of 500 ppm, and 1000 ppm, respectively, achieved by S.W injection. These outcomes show that S.W injection is a promising method for enhancing oil recovery in the Azadegan oil field and perhaps other carbonate reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction:One of the communication models that improves communication between the care team, reduces errors, and increases the quality of care is the SBAR method. The aim of this paper was to determine the effect of using the SBAR model in shift handover on patient and nurse satisfaction. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in the emergency department of Golestan Hospital in Ahvaz, 2020. According to the statistical formula, 70 shift handover positions (in control and experimental groups) were selected based on inclusion criteria. First, the control group was randomly selected and, after training the SBAR model, the experimental group was randomly selected. Shift handover was performed routinely in the control group, but it was based on the SBAR model in the test group. Data were collected using demographic, nurse, and patient satisfaction questionnaires and a researcher-made shift handover checklist. Data were analyzed by an independent t-test, a paired t-test, and a chi-2. Results: The findings showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups of patients in terms of age, length of hospital stays, gender, marriage, employment, education, and type of disease (p<0.05). The results of the paired t-test showed that nurses' satisfaction increased significantly after the intervention. Furthermore, the satisfaction of patients in the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group. Conclusion: The present study showed the importance of standardizing the shift handover process. It is possible to increase the quality of care and increase the satisfaction of nurses and patients by training and using the SBAR method in shift handover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural resilience describes urban drainage systems' (UDSs) ability to minimize the frequency and magnitude of failure due to common structural issues such as pipe clogging and cracking or pump failure. Structural resilience is often neglected in the design of UDSs. The current literature supports structural decentralization as a way to introduce structural resilience into UDSs. Although there are promising methods in the literature for generating and optimizing decentralized separate stormwater collection systems, incorporating hydraulic simulations in unsteady flow, these approaches sometimes require high computational effort, especially for flat areas. This may hamper their integration into ordinary commercially designed UDS software due to their predominantly scientific purposes. As a response, this paper introduces simplified cost and structural resilience indices that can be used as heuristic parameters for optimizing the UDS layout. These indices only use graph connectivity information, which is computationally much less expensive than hydraulic simulation. The use of simplified objective functions significantly simplifies the feasible search space and reduces blind searches by optimization. To demonstrate the application and advantages of the proposed model, a real case study in the southwest city of Ahvaz, Iran was explored. The proposed framework was proven to be promising for reducing the computational effort and for delivering realistic cost-wise and resilient UDSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of mulch and different cultivation methods on the quantitative and qualitative yield of oil sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in Ahvaz climate, a factorial experiment in randomized complete blocks with three replications in the 2017-2018 crop year was in the research farm of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan. The first factor includes different types of mulch in five levels (non-application, wheat straw, white plastic, live mulch (mung bean cultivation), and black plastic) and the second factor includes three-level cultivation method (on a flat surface, ridge cultivation, and inside the furrow cultivation). The results showed that in the flat surface and on the ridge, black plastic produced the highest amount of chlorophyll a, b, and In the inside the furrow, the highest chlorophyll a was obtained in the application of living mulch. The highest grain yield and oil yield were obtained from the interaction of wheat straw mulch × in the furrow and wheat straw mulch on the ridge. In addition, the highest harvest index was obtained in the treatment of white plastic mulch on a flat surface with an average of 51.85%. In general, it can be said that the treatment of wheat straw and straw × in the inside the furrow and wheat straw × on the ridge were superior in terms of quantitative and qualitative performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environment problems associated with the generation of waste are part of societal changes where households play an important role. These societal changes influence the size, structure and characteristic of given households. For the effective planning of solid-waste handling infrastructure, it is essential to know the quantity of waste generation and its composition. This paper presents the findings of a study carried out in an urban municipal area in Iran to determine the household solid-waste generation rate and waste composition based on field surveys and to determine the related socioeconomic parameters. The dependent variables were waste generation and composition, and independent variables were family size, family employment, age, number of room and education. Over 400 sample households were selected for the study using a stratified random sampling methodology and from five different socioeconomic groups. Waste collected from all groups of households were segregated and weighted. Waste generation rate was 5.4 kg/household/day. Household solid waste comprised of ten categories of wastes and with the largest component (76.9%). The generation and composition of household solid waste were correlated with family size, education level and households income. This paper adequately suggests new insights concerning the role of socioeconomic parameters in affecting the generation of household waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Heavy metals constitute one of the most hazardous substances that could be accumulated in biota coming from human activities such as agricultural and industrial wastes. This paper aims to study the levels of some of the most common heavy metals in muscles of the fish caught in the Karun River (Ahvaz, Iran) and to assess the health risks associated with their consumption. Design/methodology/approach: In present study, the concentrations of three heavy metals (Pb, Cd and Cu) in the muscle of highly consumed fish species Ctenopharyngodon Idella (Cyprinidae) collected from three selected markets (Khoram Kooshk, Ahvaz-e Qadim and Padad Shahr; total number of samples was 45) in Ahvaz city and human health risk associated with their consumption were detected by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Findings: The results indicated that the highest and lowest accumulated metal concentrations were related to Cu (20.36 ± 0.84) and Cd (0.53 ± 0.02), respectively. In addition, the mean difference for Pb and Cu across two pairwise of sampling sites were significant (Ahvaz-e Qadim and Khoram Kooshk, P for Pb = 0.025, P for Cu = 0.033; Ahvaz-e Qadim and Padad Shahr, p for Pb = 0.018, p for Cu = 0.039). The estimated daily intake of all metals in muscles of fish in this study were below the legal limit, and mean differences were not statistically significant among the sampling sites, except for Cu (Ahvaz-e Qadim and Khoram Kooshk, p = 0.048; Ahvaz-e Qadim and Padad Shahr, p = 0.041). Target hazard quotient values were also all below 1. Originality/value: It can be concluded that the fishes from Ahvaz city markets are comparatively clean and do not constitute a risk for human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa as an opportunistic pathogen produces several virulence factors. This study evaluated the relative frequency of exoenzymes (exo) A, U and S genes and integron classes (I, II, and III) among multi‐drug‐resistant clinical P. aeruginosa isolates from burn patients in Ahvaz, southwest of Iran. Methods: In this cross‐sectional study P. aeruginosa isolates were recovered from 355 wound samples. The antimicrobial susceptibility test was done by disk agar diffusion method on Muller‐Hinton agar according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. MDR isolates were defined if they showed simultaneous resistance to 3 antibiotics. Extensively drug‐resistant was defined as nonsusceptibility to at least one agent in all but two or fewer antimicrobial categories. The presence of class I, II, and III integrons and virulence genes was determined using a PCR assay on extracted DNA. Results: Overall, 145 clinical P. aeruginosa isolates were confirmed with biochemical and PCR tests. Overall, 35% (52/145) of the isolates were taken from males and 64% (93/145) from female hospitalized burn patients. The highest resistance rates of P. aeruginosa isolates to antibiotics were related to piperacillin 59% (n = 86/145) and piperacillin‐tazobactam 57% (n = 83/145). A total of 100% of isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic. MDR and XDR P. aeruginosa had a frequency of 60% and 29%, respectively. The prevalence of integron classes I, II, and III in P. aeruginosa was 60%, 7.58%, and 3.44%, respectively. IntI was more common in MDR and XDR P. aeruginosa isolates. In addition, 70(48%) of P. aeruginosa isolates did not harbor integron genes. Besides, exoA, exoS, and exoU in P. aeruginosa had a frequency of 55%, 55%, and 56%, respectively. Conclusion: It was found that P. aeruginosa as a potent pathogen with strong virulence factors and high antibiotic resistance in the health community can cause refractory diseases in burn patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this paper is to evaluate the awareness of ordinary people about relief operations and accurate cardiopulmonary resuscitation when facing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study including 500 ordinary people who were randomly selected over a 3-month period in Ahvaz County, Ahvaz, Iran, and then asked to perform resuscitation operation on medical moulages. Their performance was then evaluated using a 21-item checklist. Results: The awareness of participants about relief operations were only acceptable in 9 cases. Only 1 (0.2%) of them was able to detect a pulse and blood circulation as well as to relieve any airway obstruction. 7 (1.4%) were able to correctly find the position on the chest where external cardiac massage (ECM) should be performed. And only 1 could perform ECM at a rate of 100-120 compressions/min. Conclusion: Results obtained from the present study does not confirm the awareness of ordinary people when encountering OHCA. Hence, it is essential to hold related training courses at appropriate intervals to improve their skills and knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Adab Al-Kufa is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Several indices can be used to assess the impact of short-term conservation agriculture strategies on improving soil organic carbon (SOC). To find out how the SOC pools and the carbon lability influence the carbon management index (CMI) in response to different agricultural practices in a warm semiarid region, the carbon lability index (LI) and the carbon pool index (CPI) were measured under the interactive effect of different fertilizer applications and crop residue management (hereafter referred to as "farming strategies") in combination with four crop rotation systems in Ahvaz, Khuzestan, Iran, over four growing seasons from 2018 to 2020. The farming strategies were as follows: (1) using the standard rate of inorganic fertilizer used in the region and removing crop residues from the soil (SIF_no-CR); (2) applying the standard rate of organic fertilizers used in the region and returning 30% of crop residues to the soil (SOF_30% CR); and (3) integrating the use of inorganic and organic fertilizers and returning 15% of crop residues to the soil (IOF_15% CR). The crop rotation systems were fallow-wheat (F-W), corn-wheat (C-W), sesame-wheat (S-W), and mung bean-wheat (B-W). No statistically significant difference was observed between the different farming strategies and rotation systems with respect to LI after two years of the experiment. The highest (1.26) and lowest (1.06) CPIs were observed for SOF_30% CR and SIF_no-CR, respectively. The magnitude of the CMI values followed the order SOF_30% CR (121) > IOF_15% CR (107) ≥ SIF_no-CR (106). B-W and F-W had the highest and lowest CPI with values of 1.29 and 1.01, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found for the different crop rotation systems. Given the low impact of the common farming practices in the region, e.g., SIF_no-CR and F-W, on CPI and CMI at 24 months, our results showed that farming strategies with manure application and crop residue management and summer wheat-based rotation systems appear to be more appropriate farming strategies to improve CMI in arable land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many studies have defined the concept of "sense of place" (SOP), only a few have investigated the impact of different behavioral types on the degree of autonomy. Based on the existing literature, behaviors have been categorized along a spectrum ranging from spontaneous to controlled forms. This study aims to examine the effect of three behavioral types, namely autonomous, normative, and controlled, on the SOP in the front yards of homes in Ahwaz city, Iran, using a mixed-method approach. To begin with, the researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with sixteen residents to identify and understand various behavioral types. Subsequently, a survey was administered to 248 participants who owned homes with front yards oriented in the north–south direction. The validation and predictive capability of the structural model were assessed through the R-squares coefficient (0.564), indicating an acceptable fit for the endogenous structures in the model. The findings of this study reveal that autonomous behavior had the most significant impact on shaping the SOP. In contrast, control behaviors, which stem from external or forced stimuli, showed only a marginal effect on the sense of place. Normative behaviors, with a moderate level of control, had a more considerable impact on the SOP, second only to autonomous behavior. Consequently, the results emphasize that factors such as the flexibility and adaptability of individuals in response to situational changes, stemming from voluntary behaviors, significantly contribute to the development of a SOP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Balantidium coli, is a protozoa that can infect humans. Balantidium coli infection is mostly asymptomatic, but can cause of diarrhea, abdominal pain and sometimes perforated colon. There are only few previous reports regarding the infant balantidiasis and there is a little information about its clinical signs and treatment. In Islamic countries pig farming and consumption is prohibited and reservoir host is unknown. Methods: 1.5 years old boy showed sever anorexia and diarrhea. The affected infant was depressed. The evaluation of fecal examination revealed a large number of B. coli trophozoites and cysts leaded us to an uncommon presentation of B. coli in the infant. Results: A few reports of human balantidiasis from Iran seems quite extraordinary. Wild boars have been proposed the responsible for transmission of human infection in Iran. Conclusion: However, this report as the first report of infant balantidiasis in Iran supports the role of other sources and domestic or wild animals as reservoir hosts for B. coli in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Electronic prescription is one of the methods based on information technology to decrease medication errors. This technology has many advantages and overcomes the problems of paper prescriptions. It has also significantly reduced medical errors. The lack of sufficient studies regarding electronic prescription in Iran was a motivation to fulfill this study. Objective: Determining the satisfaction levels of pharmacy employees with the implementation of electronic prescribing. Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in 2022. The data were obtained through a researcher-made questionnaire from the pharmacies of Ahvaz (a metropolis located in the southwest of Iran). The employees of the pharmacies that used the electronic prescription system participated in the study by responding to the questionnaires. Results: A total of 85 questionnaires belonging to 30 pharmacies were included in the study. The results showed that 60% of the participants believed electronic prescription technology improved prescription medicine. In addition, 84% of the employees found it easy to work with the e-prescription software. However, 81% of the participants believed the software had many problems. Also, 77% of the respondents had issues with internet speed. Conclusion: Despite problems such as slow internet speed, software problems, and time wastage, 73% of the respondents were satisfied with the electronic prescription system. Reducing the issues and providing more training to employees will increase satisfaction with this system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-021-00962-7 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis is the most important infectious disease between humans and animals. Avian tuberculosis often affects birds' gastrointestinal tract and causes the bird's death. It affects most species of birds, such as laying hens, pigeons, turkeys, parrots, pheasants, waterfowl and wild birds. The culture method is the most definitive method in diagnosing mycobacterial infection in birds, and other methods, including the histopathology method, are helpful in confirming the diagnosis. In the present study, two methods of isolation and histopathology were compared to diagnose tuberculosis in pigeons. In this research, more than 700 pigeons were examined, and 101 pigeons suspected with clinical signs were selected. After euthanization, tissue samples were collected for culture and histopathology tests. Among 101 pigeons suspected of avian tuberculosis, 38.61 % were positive in the culture method, and 37.62 % were positive in the histopathology method. Statistical results showed that 97.43 % of positive cases in the culture method were also diagnosed as positive by the histopathology method. A nodule was observed in lung tissue (pulmonary tuberculosis) in one case. It was concluded that avian tuberculosis among pigeon flocks in Ahvaz city is high, and the culture method is still the golden and definitive method, but it takes a long time, and diagnosis of the disease in the pathology method is faster than the culture method )correlation 97.43%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Future of Medical Education Journal is the property of Mashhad University of Medical Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Forecasting precipitation is a crucial input to hydrological models and hydrological event management. Accurate forecasts minimize the impact of extreme events on communities and infrastructure by providing timely and reliable information. In this study, six artificial intelligent hybrid models are developed to predict daily rainfall in urban areas by combining the firefly optimization algorithm (FA), invasive weed optimization algorithm (IWO), genetic particle swarm optimization algorithm (GAPSO), neural network (ANN), group method of data handling (GMDH), and wavelet transformation. Optimization algorithms increase forecasting accuracy by controlling all stages. A variety of criteria are used for validating the models, including correlation coefficient (R), root-mean-square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), critical success index (CSI), probability of detection (POD), and false alarm ratio (FAR). The proposed models are also evaluated in an urban area in Ahvaz, Iran. The GAPSO-Wavelet-ANN model is superior to other models for predicting daily rainfall, with an RMSE of 1.42 mm and an R of 0.9715. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The oral cavity can act as an extra gastric reservoir for H. pylori, and the presence of the bacteria in the oral cavity is associated with a higher risk of dental caries development. This study aimed to determine the genotype and evaluate the association between the presence of H. pylori in dental plaque and gastric biopsy specimens in dyspeptic patients in Ahvaz, Southwest Iran. Methods. In this study, 106 patients with recruited dyspeptic complaints were selected, and from each patient, two gastric antral biopsy specimens and two dental plagues were examined. The presence of H. pylori was identified by the rapid urease test (RUT) and the amplification of ureAB and 16S rRNA genes. Also, to verify a hypothetical mouth-to-stomach infection route, the enzymatic digestions of three genes of cagA, vacA, and ureAB in H. pylori strains isolated from dental plaques and stomach samples were compared for each same case. Results. H. pylori was found in the stomach of 52.8% (56/106) and the dental plaques of 17.9% (19/106) of the studied cases. On the other hand, H. pylori was recognized in the stomach of all 19 cases with oral colonization. Following a combination of restriction fragment lengths 21 polymorphism (RFLP) patterns of these three known genes on stomach and dental plague samples, 14 and 11 unique patterns were seen, respectively. However, for all H. pylori-positive cases (19), the comparison of RLFP patterns of these genes in dental plaque and gastric biopsy specimens was different for the same case. Conclusions. In this study, it seems that there is no significant association between the presence of H. pylori in dental plaque and the stomach of the same case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manufacturing waste in that industry is dominant and attracts the attention of the town waste management system. The present study aims to identify the best alternative for managing environmental problems and waste in Ahvaz industrial towns. The criteria and indicators of transforming industrial towns into EIPs are collected and analyzed from different aspects and, then, prioritized using fuzzy and TOPSIS fuzzy techniques. Accordingly, four main criteria (environmental, economic, social/legal, and specialized/technical) are considered, for each of which some sub-criteria are considered. According to the criteria and sub-criteria as well as library and field studies, six alternatives are considered. Results of the questionnaire distributed among experts and employees in Ahvaz industrial towns are collected. The items in each criterion are scored 1-10. Calculations performed in fuzzy and real environments reveal compiling executive guidelines and standards (0.591) is the most appropriate alternative, followed by tertiary education and infrastructural culture building (0.557), modifying and updating laws and regulations (0.535), developing industrial research, development and training units (0.462), providing financial support for knowledge-based activities of industries (0.419) and developing industry monitoring and evaluation units (0.371) as the first to sixth priorities. The results indicated executive guidelines and standards should be compiled to manage environmental problems in industrial towns and transform towns into echo-industrial parks. It is hoped that decision-makers in this field will take an important step to transform industrial towns into echo-industrial parks, minimize environmental problems and manage waste by developing executive guidelines and updated and advanced standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Failure to establish and maintain close romantic relationships with commitment can hinder an individual’s development and impose adverse effects on their well-being in life due to the potential emergence of serious problems. The present study investigates the relative effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and schema therapy on love trauma syndrome and self-compassion in unmarried girls with emotional breakdowns. Methods: The statistical population of this study included all unmarried girls with emotional breakdowns who visited counseling centers in Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, Iran, in 2022. The convenience sampling method was employed to select 45 individuals randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group (n=15 per group). This quasi-experimental research adopted a pre-test-post-test design with a control group design and follow-up. The love trauma inventory and the self-compassion scale–short form were used to collect the data. The analysis of covariance was used for data analysis in the SPSS software, version 26. Results: The results indicated that ACT and schema therapy significantly affected the love trauma syndrome and self-compassion in unmarried girls with emotional breakdowns (P<0.001). Moreover, schema therapy had more significant effects than ACT on the participants’ love trauma syndrome and self-compassion (P<0.001). The results also demonstrated that the effectiveness of act and schema therapy on self-compassion and love trauma syndrome continued until the follow-up phase. Conclusion: Schema therapy is a more appropriate method for addressing the love trauma syndrome and self-compassion in unmarried girls with emotional breakdowns. Based on these results and considering the role of schema therapy, it is possible to help women with emotional breakdowns to enjoy self-compassion and reduce their love trauma syndrome by holding schema therapy sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the importance of parasitic infections in birds and the increasing growth of waterfowl breeding, especially goose and duck, this study aimed to investigate gastrointestinal parasites, including worms and protozoa in the feces of some species of wild and domestic waterfowl with a focus on zoonotic parasites. In this study, 100 fecal samples were collected from eight different wild and domestic waterfowl species in Ahvaz, including domestic goose, wild goose, domestic duck, wild duck, swan, pelican, and Ukrainian goose, and to identify gastrointestinal parasites. The samples were evaluated using the Clayton-Lane method and modified Ziehl-Neelsen and Trichrome staining methods. SPSS Statistics 18.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Out of 100 fecal samples, 17 samples (17%) were positive for gastrointestinal parasites. Fourteen samples (14%) were infected with Eimeria spp., and three samples (3%) were infected with Giardia species. Among the different species of waterfowl that were positive, pelicans had the highest rate of infection (57.28 %). The highest rate of parasitic infection in waterfowl was related to protozoan infections, and the highest rate of protozoan infection was associated with Eimeria (14%). Of the positive cases, only four had clinical symptoms such as lethargy, anorexia, and diarrhea, and the rest of the positive cases were from apparently healthy birds. Considering that most parasitic infections have been detected in apparently healthy birds, it is recommended to observe hygiene and to disinfect cages regularly and also reduce the density of birds. Due to the zoonotic potential of Giardia and due to the contamination of some birds in bird shops with this parasite, this issue should be considered by public health officials, bird shops, owners, and breeders of these birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the problem of statistical hypothesis testing under weighted sampling is considered for obtaining the most powerful test. Some simulated powers of tests, using the Monte Carlo method, are performed. Using a convenient sample of the specialist physicians of Social Security Organization of Ahvaz in Iran, two weighted samplings versus random sampling are tested. Among the three mentioned sampling, the size-biased sampling order 0.2 is more appropriate for the mechanism of data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Bedbugs (Cimex spp.) are a public health problem and an urban pest that require blood meal from humans, other mammals or birds to survive. Bedbugs constitute an emerging public health problem and infestations have been reported globally. This paper reports three cases of social health problems caused by bedbugs in three residential buildings in Kish Island, Dezful, and Ahvaz in southern Iran. Case presentation: Case 1; A 42-year-old male living in Dezful city had a bedbug infestation in his house (September 2018). He developed a phobia (entomophobia) about bedbugs. Case 2; A 36-year-old man and 33-year-old woman living in Ahvaz city had a bedbug infestation in their house (August 2017). The woman was very concerned about the bedbug infestation in the house and she had entomophobia, stress, anxiety, insomnia and paranoia; this issue caused resentment and hence conflict between the couple. Case 3: A 25-year-old woman and a 28-year-old man living in Kish Island rented a house from a 45-year-old man. The landlord was very concerned about the bedbug infestation in the house (July 2017), and claimed that the tenants were responsible for bedbugs’ presence. This issue caused hostility and conflict between them. Generally, all cases had bedbug infestations in their houses and this issue caused some social health problems such as entomophobia, concern, fear, stress, anxiety, insomnia, paranoia, resentment and conflict. Take-away lesson: Bedbugs are not vectors for infectious disease. But, with regard to our observations in the present study, bedbug infestations can produce some social health problems such as entomophobia, concern, fear, stress, anxiety, insomnia and paranoia, as well as resentment, hostility and conflict between residents in infested houses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Persian Journal of Acarology is the property of Acarological Society of Iran and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract This paper designs a novel biogas fueled combined cooling, fresh water and power (CCWP) generation system, and investigates its performance under extremely-hot summer days. In this tri-generation system, biogas is used as clean resource to reduce emissions and consumption of fossil fuels. Six electrical chillers are used for cooling demand supply of a benchmark building located in Ahwaz, Iran. In addition, expected required power of chillers and building is supplied either by gas turbine cycle or by main grid (If total power consumed by chillers and electrical equipment is larger than output power of gas turbine, building owner pays for purchasing electricity from local power system to satisfy not-supplied demand). A low-grade waste heat is extracted from the flue gases for preheating purpose and closed-air open-water humidification dehumidification (HDH) desalination process. In addition, a mixed integer non-linear programming problem is solved to minimize an objective function composed of daily electricity cost, total capital investment, operation and maintenance cost of CCWP generation system considering all operational limitations of gas turbine cycle, chillers, HDH process, and strategic cooling and electrical demand response programs (DRPs). If ambient air decreases, gas turbine power and mas flow rate of potable water will be increased due to lower compressor power and higher absolute humidity of air, respectively. Application of DRPs reduces total electricity cost from 31.2$ to 16.4$. Utilization of biogas and waste heat recovery of flue gases with no need to combustion of fossil fuels results in emission reduction. Hence, this tri-generation plant is called a net-zero emission system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was to assess the feasibility of drill cuttings reinjection (DCRI) by hydraulic fracturing in two typical wellbore configurations: annulus injection and a dedicated disposal well by tubing and packer completion in one of the oil wells in Ahwaz oilfield. This article shows that the Mishan formation is more appropriate for DCRI in the Ahwaz oilfield. The optimum parameters such as injection rate, batch size, and shut-in time were simulated and used to determine the geometry of hydraulic fractures created during injection and to ensure that the fractures are precisely developed within the targeted injection zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many survivors of intensive care units experience functional disabilities and significant physical, mental, and perceptive impairments known as post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). Objectives: This research intended to translate and examine the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the healthy aging brain care monitor self-report (HABC-M-SR). Materials & Methods: This methodological research was directed to ascertain the psychometric properties of the Persian version of HABC-M-SR (p-HABC). This study was conducted in Ahvaz City, Iran, in 2021. The HABC-M-SR was translated into Persian. Face validity, content validity index, and content validity ratio were examined. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed on 500 samples. The Cronbach α and interclass correlation coefficients were calculated to check the reliability. Results: Regarding the quantitative and qualitative face and content validity assessments, all items were suitable for further analysis, with a content validity index >0.79 and a content validity ratio >0.62. Afterward, exploratory factor analysis was implemented on 270 subjects assuming that three factors were constant on the questionnaire. Also, questions 7, 8, 9, and 12 were removed due to low factor loading, and confirmatory factor analysis was performed on 23 questions. Finally, 230 samples were taken, and the results were almost within the acceptable range. The Cronbach α (0.828) and interclass correlation coefficient (0.752) were satisfactory results. Conclusion: The p-HABC showed acceptable psychometric properties and can be used to screen for PICS. The p-HABC can trigger further studies on early diagnosis and management of PICS in ICU survivors in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Normal weight obesity (NWO), known as a syndrome, is characterized by normal weight and body mass index (BMI) but high adipose tissue (more than 30%). Objectives: The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between adipokines and lipid factors as risk factors in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and NWO syndrome in women. Methods: In this case-control study, anthropometric data were obtained from 20 - 40-year-old women referring to nutrition and diet clinics in Ahvaz, Iran. Then, based on the inclusion criteria, including normal BMI and no physical or mental illness, the subjects were divided into the NWO (body fat percentage (BF%) > 30) group and the non-NWO (BF% < 30) group depending on their BF%. Twenty blood samples were taken from each group, and their chemerin and adipokine serum levels were measured using both the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method with high sensitivity and the sandwich and competitive ELISA techniques. Results: The serum levels of adipokine chemerin and IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), as well as the serum concentrations of triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and total cholesterol, were significantly higher in the NWO group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The findings of this study indicated a significant correlation between chemerin, adipokines, and lipid factors, as CVD risk factors, and NWO syndrome and fat tissue percentages in women. Therefore, fat tissue measurement is recommended as a more accurate index than BMI in predicting CVDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: The possible effects on risky driving of young drivers such as age and gender cannot be changed, however, to know the interventions to reduce risky driving behaviors, young drivers, examining psychological variables can be helpful. Coping appraisal and threat appraisal variables from protection motivation theory can help to understand young drivers› decision-making for risky driving behavior. Materials and Methods: This research consists of two parts. The first part was to investigate the psychometric properties of risk perception scale in young drivers based on the theory of protection motivation. For instrument validity, content validity with the opinion of 11 experts, face validity, construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis) and convergent validity were used, and its reliability was checked by internal consistency method (Cronbach’s alpha). And the second part was conducted in the form of route analysis to investigate the decision-making model of young drivers to carry out risky driving behavior. The present sample consisted of 350 young drivers of Ahvaz city, who were selected by available and voluntary sampling method. Subjects responded to driving risk perception questionnaires based on protection motivation for 5 fatal factors, driving risk perception and risky driving behavior. The current questionnaire contains 30 items, which include two subscales: confrontational assessment and threat assessment. Results: After going through the validity and reliability stages of the questionnaire, from the initial 30 questions, 3 questions were removed in the form and content validity check stages, and finally 27 questions remained. Examining the results of construct validity using confirmatory factor analysis showed (RMSEA=0.07) and χ2/df=2.76 (p<0.001). The reliability of the instrument was obtained using internal consistency (0.92-0.95). In the second part of the research, using path analysis, the relationship between coping evaluation variables and threat evaluation with risky driving behavior of young drivers was modeled with the mediation of perceived risk in two models of inconsistent and protective decision making. Both maladaptive and protective models showed a good fit with the data (RMSEA=0.04 and RMSEA=0.06). The threat assessment model was able to explain about 50% of the variance of perceived risk and the general model about 30% of the variance of risky driving behavior. In addition, in this model, the path between perceived severity and perceived risk had the highest relationship value (β=0.56). In the second model, i.e. protective path, coping evaluation explained 14% of the variance of perceived risk and the overall model explained 34% of the variance of risky driving behaviors. Also, in the protective pathway model, the relationship between response costs and perceived risk was the highest (β=-0.55). An interesting result in this study was the mediation of perceived risk between reward and response costs with risky driving behavior. Conclusion: the scale of risk perception in young drivers based on the theory of protection motivation as a reliable and valid tool can be used together with other psychological investigations and high risk behaviors of drivers and our insight about the influencing factors on how young drivers make decisions to design interventions in to improve their driving safety. Also, examining the relationships between variables in the form of path analysis helps us understand the factors that encourage young drivers to engage in risky driving behaviors (threat-inconsistent path) and why young novice drivers may decide not to engage in risky driving (protective path) it helps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Irrational prescription and its subsequent costs are a major challenge worldwide. Health systems must provide appropriate conditions for the implementation of national and international strategies to prevent irrational prescription. The aim of the present study was to determine the irrational surfactant prescription among neonates with respiratory distress and the resulting direct medical costs for private and public hospitals in Iran. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study performed retrospectively using data belonged to 846 patients. Initially, the data were extracted from the patients' medical records and the information system of the Ministry of Health. The obtained data were then compared with the surfactant prescription guideline. Afterward, each neonatal surfactant prescription was evaluated based on the three filters listed in the guideline (including right drug, right dose, and right time). Finally, chi-square and ANOVA tests were used to investigate the inter-variable relationships. Results: The results showed that 37.47% of the prescriptions were irrational and the average costs of each irrational prescription was calculated as 274.37 dollars. It was estimated that irrational prescriptions account for about 53% of the total surfactant prescription cost. Among the selected provinces, Tehran and Ahvaz had the worst and the best performance, respectively. As well, public hospitals outperformed private hospitals in terms of the in drug selection, but they underperformed them in terms of the right dose determination. Conclusion: The results of the present study are considered as a warning to insurance organizations, in order to reduce unnecessary costs caused by these irrational prescriptions by developing new service purchase protocols. Our suggestion is the use of educational interventions to reduce irrational prescriptions due to drug selection as well as using computer alert approaches to reduce irrational prescriptions caused by wrong dose administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the efficiency of a real-scale natural wetland (Naseri Wetland) in the qualitative treatment of agricultural drainage of Khuzestan sugarcane for 1 year (2019–2020). This study divides the wetland length into three equal parts in W1, W2, and W3 stations. The efficiency of the wetland in removing contaminants such as Cr, Cd, BOD5, TDS, TN, and TP is evaluated by field sampling, laboratory analysis, and t-test. Results indicate that the highest mean difference in Cr, Cd, BOD, TDS, TN, and TP are observed between W0 and W3. At W3, the farthest station from the entry point, the highest removal efficiency is obtained for each factor. Removal percentage of Cd, Cr, and TP in all seasons is equal to 100% up to station 3 (W3), and BOD5 and TN are 75% and 65%, respectively. Also, the results show a gradual rise in TDS along the wetland's length due to high evaporation and transpiration in the area. Naseri Wetland reduces the Cr, Cd, BOD, TN, and TP compared to the initial level. This decrease is more significant at W2 and W3, and it is worth mentioning that W3 has the most considerable reduction. With increasing distance from the entry point, the effect of timing of 1.10, 1.26, 1.30, and 1.60 on removing heavy metals and nutrients is high. The highest efficiency is observed for each retention time at W3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocomposites (r)GO/TiO2/hyper crosslinked polymer (HCP) were prepared using ultrasonic-assisted method, and identified by (SEM), (EDS), (TEM), and (XRD) techniques. This study was performed to examine the effect of various operating parameters on photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh.B) over (r)GO/TiO2 embedded HCP followed by an optimization study using response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box–Behnken design (BBD). The photocatalytic activity of rGO/TiO2/polycalix[4]resorcinarene ((r)GTP) was evaluated using the cationic dye Rhodamine B as a pollutant model under solar light (intensity = 850 W/m2) between 10 and 12 am, June, Ahvaz, Iran. Response Surface Methodology was adopted for the optimization of degradation parameters viz pH, dye concentration, and nanocomposites dosage and contact time. The optimum values for the maximum Rhodamine B (Rh B) degradation of rGO/TiO2/polycalix (rGTP) and GTP were obtained, in which the degradation of rGTP was 100% and the degradation efficiency of GO/TiO2/polycalix (GTP) was 70%. ANOVA analysis results demonstrated that irradiation time and nanocomposite mass were the most significant parameters. It was found that rGO/TiO2/polycalix[4]resorcinarene (rGTP) nanocomposite displayed the best degradation yield for the dye. The results showed that the rGTP nanocomposite displayed good EIS and CV properties besides being eco-friendly and reusable. It could also show a high capacity for the elimination of the dye in the industrial wastewaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity and water scarcity are limiting factors for sustainable agricultural production. The cultivation of resistant plants to environmental stresses is one of the important management factors for sustainable production. The objective of this study was to determine the water requirement and plant response coefficients to water deficit stress (Ky) in different growth stages under the Khuzestan province climate. This study was performed on the quinoa cultivar Titicaca in Ahvaz City in 2019 in a randomized complete block design with 13 treatments and three replications. Treatments include full irrigation and application of three levels of water deficit stress (30, 50, and 70% of allowable soil moisture depletion) at four different stages of plant growth. The duration of the initial, developmental, middle, and late growth stages of quinoa was 24, 28, 32, and 18 days, respectively (total growth period=102 days). The highest quinoa yield was obtained in full irrigation treatment (3700 kg ha-1 ) with a water requirement of 312 mm. Plant response coefficient to water deficit stress in the initial, developmental, middle, and late stages were 0.8, 0.65, 0.74, and 0.47, respectively. Although quinoa is a drought-resistance plant, it should be noted that the water stress in the two initial and middle stages (quinoa sensitive growth stages to water stress) reduces the quinoa yield significantly that should be considered in the planning of deficit irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fault‐related folds are present in most tectonic settings and can serve as structural traps for hydrocarbons. These structures have therefore been widely studied by both structural and petroleum geologists using a range of techniques. Approaches include field‐ and seismic‐based methods, and numerical and analogue modelling. Geomechanical models attempt to examine the mechanical and geometric features of folds. This study investigates the effects of variations in a range of parameters, including detachment and ramp geometry, friction coefficient and internal friction angle, on the geometry and development of detachment folds and fault‐bend folds. For this purpose, we ran seven series of numerical, 3D elastic‐plastic finite element models using ABAQUS software (26 model runs in all). Each model set‐up consisted of five layers whose mechanical properties were based on those of stratigraphic units in the Zagros fold‐and‐thrust belt, SW Iran. The models were labelled series A to F and series H. Models in series A investigated the impact of concave, convex, wavy and oblique detachment surfaces on the development of detachment folds; those in series D examined the role of ramp dip and of listric, oblique and wavy ramps on the development of fault‐bend folds. Models in series B and E, and series C and F, examined the effects of variations in the friction coefficient and of the internal friction angle, respectively, on the development of these two classes of folds. Finally, hybrid models in series H were provided to evaluate the results. Major results were as follows. Firstly, the geometry of modelled detachment and fault‐bend folds was found to be influenced by the geometry of the associated ramps and detachment faults. Thus the crests of anticlines and the trough lines of synclines were located at points of maximum curvature and at inflexion points on a wavy detachment fault or wavy ramp, respectively. Second, two important additional factors controlling fold style were identified: the friction coefficient, and the presence of along‐strike geometric variations in the ramp or the detachment fault. Layers with low friction coefficients and high internal friction angles formed detachment folds with thick hinges and thin limbs; conversely, layers with high friction coefficients and low internal friction angles created detachment folds with thick limbs and thin hinges. Application of the results to modelling of the Ahwaz anticline in the Dezful Embayment, SW Iran, was successful, and in general the modelled structure was consistent with that observed in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of irrigation with treated municipal wastewater and agricultural drainage water on Ahvaz (southwest Iran) soil chemical properties in 24 plots with 1 × 1 (m) area in farm No. 1 of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz in 2018–2019. The experiment was carried out as a factorial experiment in a completely randomized block design with three replications. The experiment factors included eight irrigation treatments (A: Irrigation with Karun River water as control), (F: Irrigation with treated municipal wastewater). (Z: Irrigation with agricultural drainage water), (Z1F1: 30% Agricultural drainage water +70% Treated municipal wastewater), (Z2F2: 70% Agricultural drainage water +30% Treated municipal wastewater), (Z3F3: 50% Agricultural drainage water +50% Treated municipal wastewater), (Z4A4:50% Agricultural drainage water +50% Karun River water), (F5A5: 50% Treated municipal wastewater +50% Karun River water), at five time levels (including pre-treatment, first month, second month, fourth month, sixth month were performed at three depths (0–20), (20–40), (40–60) cm. The traits examined in this experiment were pH (Acidity), EC (Electrical Conductivity), Ca2+ (Calcium), Mg2+(Magnesium), Na+(Sodium), K+(Potassium), HCO3-(Bicarbonate), CO3−2(Carbonate), SAR (Sodium Adsorption Ratio). Experimental factors had different effect on studied traits. Results showed that with increasing soil depth, all treatments except carbonate and acidity decreased. Calcium, magnesium, sodium and bicarbonate showed significant differences over time (P < 0.01). Non-significant difference in potassium was observed during this time (P > 0.01). There was significant increase in salinity over time (P < 0.01). In T1 period Karun River water showed the highest salinity amount irrigation treatment. Also, F5A5 treatment had the lowest concentration of Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and the highest concentration of SAR. The Z4F4 treatment showed the lowest concentration of SAR and the highest concentration of Mg2+.The Z treatment had the lowest concentration for Mg2+. The A treatment showed the lowest concentration for HCO3-. The F treatment had the highest concentration for Ca2+; the Z3F3 treatment had the highest concentration for K+, the Z1F1 and Z2F2 treatments showed the highest concentration in terms of SAR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Object: One of the effective ways to involve and participate people in health behaviors, including physical activity behavior, is providing health messages. The purpose of this study is to Comparing gain- and loss-framed message on the level of physical activity of women employees of universities and higher education institutions in Ahvaz city. Materials and Methods: In this three-group intervention study, 105 female employees of universities and higher education institutions in Ahvaz city were randomly selected into three groups: recipients of gain -framed message, recipients of Loss-framed message and control groups were divided. The data collection tool in this study was the demographic information questionnaire and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Information was collected from the three groups in 3 times, pre interventional stage, immediately and 2 months after the intervention. The collected data were analyzed by using SPSS 26 software. Results: The age average of the Participants was 38.4 ± 5.3 years. Before the intervention, mean scores for physical activity was5436.66±3950.05 in the gainframed message group, in the loss-framed messages group was 5583.91±3922.25. Two months after the education, mean scores for physical activity in both the loss-framed messages and gain-framed messages groups showed a significant increase compared to the control group (P=0.004). Two months after the education, physical activity score in the gain-framed messages group was 8338.63±4395.07, in the loss-framed messages group was 6415.10±3909. It was also shown that this increase in the mean score of physical activity in gain message group is significantly more than the Loss message group (P=0/04). Conclusions: The results of this study showed that, designing and implementing educational programs based on message framing can improve and promote physical activity behavior in female employees. Also, gain-framed messages were more effective than loss-framed messages in relation to physical activity behavior [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study applies three methods, Gene Expression Programming (GEP), M5 tree (M5T) model and optimized Artificial Neural Network by Genetic Algorithm (ANN-GA) for estimation of reference evapotranspiration in Ahvaz and Dezful in the southwest of Iran. Comparison between results of the FAO Penman-Monteith (FPM) method and the mentioned three methods shows that ANN-GA with the Levenberg-Marquardt training method is the best method and the M5T model is the second appropriate method for estimation of reference evapotranspiration. In Ahvaz, R2 and RMSE of ANN-GA method are 0.996, 0.184 mm/day. For M5T method, these values are 0.997 and 0259 mm/day, and for GEP method, they are 0.979 and 0.521 mm/day. In Dezful, R2 and RMSE of ANN-GA method are 0.994, 0.235 mm/day. For M5T method, these values are 0.992 and 0265 mm/day, and for GEP method, they are 0.963 and 0.544 mm/day. In addition, sensitivity analysis shows that the maximum temperature is the most effective parameter, and the wind speed is second effective parameter. In Dezful, the effect of the maximum temperature is more than those of Ahvaz but the effect of wind speed is less than those of Ahvaz. Because Ahvaz is more flatter than Dezful (the movement of wind in Ahvaz is freer than those of Dezful). The third effective meteorological parameter is the average relative humidity in Ahvaz and the sunny hours in Dezful. The reason for this subject is the less distant of Ahvaz from the Persian Gulf (it is source of moisture). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) is a chronic parasitic disease caused by the metacestodes of Echinococcus granulosus senso lato (E. granulosus s.l.). The larval stages of this parasite, hydatid cyst, are usually diagnosed using imaging modalities and serological testing; however, several studies have recently suggested using the parasite-derived microRNAs (miRNAs) as novel diagnostic biomarkers. Materials and Methods: The present study included 31 CE patients who were older than 5 years and were admitted to the hospitals of Ahvaz, Iran for hydatid cyst removal surgery during 2019–2021. The egr-miR-125-5p and egr-miR-2a-3p levels were evaluated in the sera of the CE patients before and 6 months after the surgery using Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR), and the results were compared with the serum samples from 15 healthy volunteers. Then, the intergroup comparisons were performed using the t test. Results: The patients' age range was 6–72 years, with a mean age of 34.6 years. Moreover, based on the classification by the WHO-IWGE, one patient (3.2%) had CE1, 14 patients (45.2%) had CE2, 5 patients (16.1%) had CE3, 2 patients (6.5%) had CE4, and 9 patients (29%) had CE5. Also, 21 patients (67.74%) had a positive antigen test using the ELISA method, while 10 patients (32.26%) had a negative ELISA. The pre-operative expression level of egr-miR-2a-3p was 10.36 folds higher compared to 6 months after the surgery, with an AUC value of 0.8176. However, the expression levels of egr-miR-125-5p did not change significantly 6 months after the surgery compared to pre-operative levels. Conclusions: According to the present study results, the serum levels of egr-miR-2a-3p can be a promising non-invasive biomarker for diagnosing CE and monitoring its potential recurrence after cystectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emergence and dissemination of the COVID-19 pandemic and the transformation of education to online classes, it is important to explore the effects of online learning on EFL learners' psychological factors in the Iranian EFL learners. Hence, this study aims to explore the effects of online learning on EFL learners' motivation, anxiety, and attitude. For this purpose, using a convenience sampling method, a total of 293 upper-intermediate EFL learners at Iran Language Institute in Ahvaz, Iran, took the Oxford Quick Placement Test, and 200 EFL learners whose scores fell around the mean were selected and assigned randomly to an experimental group and a control group. The participants' motivation, anxiety, and attitudes were measured before and after the treatments (lasting 10 one-hour sessions held once a week) using validated questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed through a one-way MANOVA test and a one-sample t-test. The findings evidenced that online learning positively affected the participants' motivation, anxiety, and attitudes. That is, due to the online learning, their motivation increased, their anxiety lowered, and positive attitudes were shaped toward L2 learning. Finally, based on the findings, some implications are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought, as a phenomenon that causes significant damage to agriculture and water resources, has increased across the globe due to climate change. Hence, scientists are attracted to developing drought prediction models for mitigation strategies. Different drought indices (DIs) have been proposed for drought monitoring during the past few decades, most of which are probabilistic, highly stochastic, and non-linear. The present study inspected the capability of various machine learning (ML) models, including artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector regression (SVR) as original predictive models and optimized by two selected algorithms, namely, particle swarm optimization (SVR-PSO) and response surface method (SVR-RSM) to predict the meteorological drought indices of standardized precipitation index (SPI), percentage of normal precipitation (PN), effective drought index (EDI), and modified China-Z index (MCZI) on a monthly time scale. A novel model named SVR-RMS is introduced by using two calibrating processes given from RSM with two inputs and the SVR by predicted data handled with RSM given from the first calibrating procedure. For evaluating the models, different meteorological input variables in the period 1981–2020 were considered from 11 synoptic stations in arid and semi-arid climates of Iran, which frequently experience droughts. The SPI showed the highest and lowest correlation with MCZI (0.71) and EDI (0.34), respectively. The results of testing dataset (2011–2020) indicated that the SVR-RSM produced superior abilities for both accuracy and tendency compared to other models, while the SVR-PSO model is better than the ANN and SVR. The worst results of drought prediction were obtained for EDI. However, all models provided the acceptable EDI prediction in the high-temperature station of Ahvaz in the south of the country. Application of SVR-RSM as a novel hybrid model can be suggested for predicting the DIs on a short time scale in arid and semi-arid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is prevalent in the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). There are little data on the relationship between renal dysfunction and COVID-19 prognosis. Objectives: The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of AKI in COVID-19 patients hospitalized to the Golestan and Razi hospitals in Ahvaz, Iran. Patients and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, a total of 194 COVID-19 patients were included, consisting of 79 patients with AKI and 115 patients without AKI. Primary and secondary outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results: According to the findings, mortality was significantly different between the two groups, and mortality was higher in the AKI group (P < 0.001). The mean length of hospital stay was statistically significantly higher in the AKI group (P = 0.024). Moreover, there was a significant correlation between intensive care unit (ICU) admission and the study group (P < 0.001). Staging of AKI group were seen as; stage I (49.37%), stage II (36.71%), and stage III (13.92%). No significant correlation was observed between outcome and the stages of AKI (P = 0.496). Furthermore, 14 patients (17.72%) needed renal replacement therapy (RRT) in the AKI group. Conclusion: Although AKI is a common finding in COVID-19 patients, most patients were in stage I disease, which returned to normal after COVID-19 treatment. According to our research, COVID-19 rarely leads to serious and persistent kidney injury. However, the risk of death is increased in COVID-19 patients with AKI. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the renal function tests during the course of disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]