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Highlights: [•] We used morphotectonics and Paleoseismology investigation along Firouzkuh fault, north of Iran. [•] In this paper, we estimate ∼2.5mm/yr slip as slip rate for the fault. [•] As first time we made estimation on its probable seismic potential and return period. [•] The Firouzkuh fault was broken in earthquake 856 AD at the same time the Astaneh fault! [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/purpose: The prevalence of obesity and overweight among children and adolescents is increasing rapidly. The present research was performed to determine the influence of a ''behavior modification'' program on body mass index (BMI) in obese public high school students in Iran.Methods: In this study, 152 adolescence and their parents were selected from 12 high schools of Khorram Abad from 2004 to 2006, and they were randomly assigned to either the intervention or the control groups. The "behavior modification" interventional program consisted of nutritional education, modifying dietary habits, teaching exercise programs, teaching nutritional facts to the parents, and performing exercises 3 days a week. The height and weight as well as waist, hip, and wrist circumferences of the participants were measured before and after implementing the interventional program. BMI and waist to hip ratio (WHR) were calculated. The adolescents and parents completed a nutrition knowledge questionnaire. Adolescents also completed the Beck's Depression Questionnaire.Results: Adolescent's mean weight, BMI, and waist and hip circumferences decreased significantly after implementing the interventional program, in the intervention group (p≤0.001). In addition, the students' and parents' nutrition knowledge increased in the intervention group after implementing the interventional program (p<0.046). The symptoms of depression decreased and the frequency of students without symptoms of depression increased in the case group, but it did not reveal a statistically significant difference between case and control groups.Conclusion: The ''behavior modification'' interventional program is effective in reducing BMI in obese students, and therefore, school principals and planners can play an important role in controlling obesity by implementing this program via the students, their parents, and the school staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The largest earthquake in the Zagros Mountains struck the city of Azgeleh on the Iran–Iraq border on 12 November 2017. This M w 7.3 earthquake was followed by an intense seismic sequence. Implementing the double-difference earthquake location technique, we relocate 1069 events recorded by our local seismic network, deployed after the mainshock. The spatial distribution of the epicenters indicates linear alignments of the events nucleated along at least four notable clusters. The clusters are characterized by at least one significant earthquake, such as the Tazehabad earthquake of 25 August 2018 (M w 5.9) along a dense, east–west trending cluster and the Sarpol-e Zahab earthquake of 25 November 2018 (M w 6.3) along the cluster with a northeast–southwest trend. We use two-pass differential SAR interferometry (DInSAR) and Small BAseline Subset (SBAS) methods to study the coseismic permanent displacements of the Azgeleh, Tazehabad and Sarpol-e Zahab events as well as the one-year postseismic deformation field of the 2017–2018 seismic sequence, respectively. We use non-linear and linear optimization algorithms to derive the source geometry and the slip distribution along the fault planes. The inversion is conducted by introducing also seismological constraints, leading to the definition of a listric geometry for the Azgeleh mainshock rupture that accommodates the slip area at depth of 10–16 km along a sub-horizontal plane (dipping ~3°) and a low-angle (~16°) ramp. The thrust and dextral movements along this NNW-striking (~345°) fault have triggered a tear fault responsible for the Tazehabad event ruptured an east–west trending (~267°), north-dipping (~78°) sinistral shear fault. We present the dextral slip distribution of the Sarpol-e Zahab event along a NE-striking (~34°) fault, as a synthetic Riedel structure for the southern segment of the Khanaqin fault, dipping 63° to the southeast. We find the postseismic deformation field associated with the seismic sequence is not confined only to the mainshock source (the Azgeleh fault), but also develops along the Tazehabad and Sarpol-e Zahab faults. We additionally propose afterslip along a duplex, flat-ramp-flat structure down-dip and up-dip of the Azgeleh coseismic slip area. The up-dip afterslip develops onto the shallow detachment (~3°) at depth of ~8 km and the down-dip afterslip propagate onto the mid-crustal décollement level within the Pan-African basement. The Azgeleh, Tazehabad, Sarpol-e Zahab and Khanaqin faults mark the Lurestan Arc–Kirkuk Embayment sharp margin in the Northwest Zagros and play a key role in the lateral escape of the Lurestan Salient and vertical strain partitioning in the Zagros front. • Introducing a complex fault setting involved in the 2017–18 seismic sequence, Iran. • Relocation of the events recorded by the temporary local seismic stations network. • Co- and postseismic slips on the Azgeleh, Tazehabad, and Sarpol-e Zahab faults. • Both up-dip and down-dip afterslip along the Azgeleh duplex zone. • The interaction of the identified faults with the topography within the NW Zagros. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate normalization in real-time quantitative PCR is an important step in quantification of gene transcription pattern, in which proper application of stable reference gene(s) is crucial. To identify the most stable reference gene (s) in pulmonary hypertensive chickens, from a panel of 9 typical candidate genes, the expression of ACTB, HMBS, HPRT1, RPL13, RPL32, 18SrRNA, TBP, TFRC, and YWHAZ was determined in the lung and heart (right ventricle) of both healthy and cold-induced pulmonary hypertensive chickens at 42 d of age. The BestKeeper, geNorm, and NormFinder software programs were used to analyze this set of genes. Also, the ratio of right ventricle to the total ventricle was used as an index of induced pulmonary hypertension, which increased in the cold-treated chickens compared to the control at 42 d of age. Candidate reference genes ranking in the lung of pulmonary hypertensive chickens vs. healthy individuals included RPL13, YWHAZ, HMBS, ACTB, HPRT1, TFRC, RPL32, 18SrRNA, and TBP; those in the heart were YWHAZ, RPL13, HMBS, ACTB, HPRT1, TBP, 18SrRNA, TFRC, and RPL32; and those in the heart-lung combination included RPL13, YWHAZ, HMBS, HBRT1, TFRC, ACTB, 18SrRNA, RPL32, and TBP. The overall results showed that the most stable genes are YWHAZ, RPL13, HMBS, ACTB, HBRT1, TFRC, TBP, RPL32, and 18SrRNA, respectively. In addition, the combination of YWHAZ, RPL13, and HMBS is recommended as the reference gene panel for more accurate quantitative data normalization of heart or lung in the chicken pulmonary hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the active tectonics within the northwestern and southeastern extensions of the Pambak-Sevan-Syunik fault (PSSF), a major right-lateral strike-slip fault cutting through Armenia. Quantifying the deformations in terms of geometry, kinematics, slip rates and earthquake activity, using cosmogenic 3 He, OSL/IRSL and radiocarbon dating techniques, reveal different behaviors between the two regions. Within the northwestern extension, in the region of Amasia, the PSSF bends to the west and splits into two main WNW–ESE trending reverse faults defining a compressional pop-up structure. We estimate an uplift rate and a shortening rate of 0.5 ± 0.1 mm/y and 1.4 ± 0.6 mm/y, respectively. This suggests that most of the ∼2 mm/y right lateral movement of the PSSF seems to be absorbed within the Amasia pop-structure. Within the southeastern extension, the PSSF shows signs of dying out within the Tsghuk Volcano region at the southernmost tip of the Syunik graben. There, the tectonic activity is characterized by a very slow NS trending normal faulting associated with a slight right-lateral movement. Slip rates analyses (i.e. vertical slip rate, EW stretching rate at 90° to the fault, and right-lateral slip rate of ∼0.2 mm/y, ∼0.1 mm/y and ∼0.05 mm/y, respectively) lead to the conclusion that the right lateral movement observed further north along the PSSF is mainly transferred within other active faults further west within the Karabagh (Hagari fault or other structures further northwestwards). Comparing our slip rates with those estimated from GPS data suggests that most of the deformation is localized and seismic, at least within the Tsghuk region. The geometrical and kinematic pattern observed within the two terminations of the PSSF suggests that the fault and its surrounding crustal blocks are presently rotating anticlockwise, as also observed within the GPS velocity field. This is consistent with the recent kinematic models proposed for the Caucasus-Kura-South Caspian region and brings a new insight into the present geodynamics of Armenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of raised coral reef terraces in locations along the southern coast of Iran was carried out with the aim of assessing regional Late Quaternary tectonic uplift rates influenced by salt doming. Two islands were studied: Kish, where no previous data were available, and Qeshm, where a previous survey had already attributed the lowest step in two sequences of raised marine terraces to the Last Interglacial.Twenty-five ESR and seven Th/U ages were obtained from Kish Island. The results show that this flat, about 32 m high, gently domed island was totally submerged during the last two interglacial periods. Corals ascribed to MIS 5 and MIS 7 have been dated at the same elevations, near the present sea level, and in the uppermost, inner part of the island, giving evidence of a polycyclic origin for the island surface deposits. Following a discussion on the possible position of eustatic peaks during MIS 7, a maximal average uplift rate of 0.20±0.02 mm/yr has been deduced from the above data.Furthermore, the survey obtained some new results from Qeshm, where seven ESR ages confirmed the MIS 5 age of the lowest raised marine terrace (that also corresponds to an uplift rate of about 0.2 mm/yr), failing, however, to date older steps, due to significant coral-sample re-crystallisation. In the western part of Qeshm, five new radiocarbon ages of elevated beach material demonstrated the variability of uplift rates even along short distances around an active salt dome. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Electron spin resonance (ESR) dating of raised coral reefs from Kish Island, Persian Gulf, Iran, was used for the calculation of uplift rates. From the methodological point of view, it has been demonstrated that concentrations of uranium, as needed for the calculation of dose rates, determined by instrumental neutron activation analyses were significantly lower than the results of inductively coupled plasma—mass spectrometry and are probably systematically underestimated. The ESR ages for the corals show no increase with elevation as was expected due to field observations. This apparent discrepancy is explained by the dicyclic nature of the palaeo-reef. Average uplift rates for Kish Island are between ∼0.13 and ∼0.24 mm a−1. This is consistent with previous estimates based on 230Th/234U dating of raised marine deposits from the nearby Iranian mainland and Qeshm Island, Strait of Hormuz, but contrary to results based on 14C dating that predicted uplift rates as high as 3 mm a−1 in that area. It is once more demonstrated that 14C dates >20 ka from this context often have to be interpreted as minimum ages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]