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Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for the majority of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Overexpression of CD70 has been linked to advanced stages of RCC. Therefore, this study aims to develop a multiepitope vaccine targeting the overexpressed CD70 using immunoinformatics techniques. In this investigation, in silico multiepitope vaccines were constructed by linking specific CD70 protein epitopes for helper T lymphocytes and CD8+ T lymphocytes. To enhance immunogenicity, sequences of cell-penetrating peptide (CPP), penetratin (pAntp), along with the entire sequence of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), were attached to the N-terminal and C-terminal of the CD70 epitopes. Computational assessments were performed on these chimeric vaccines for antigenicity, allergenicity, peptide toxicity, population coverage, and physicochemical properties. Furthermore, refined 3D constructs were subjected to a range of analyses, encompassing structural B-cell epitope prediction and molecular docking. The chosen vaccine construct underwent diverse assessments such as molecular dynamics simulation, immune response simulation, and in silico cloning. All vaccines comprised antigenic, nontoxic, and nonallergenic epitopes, ensuring extensive global population coverage. The vaccine constructs demonstrated favorable physicochemical characteristics. The binding affinity of chimeric vaccines to the TNF receptor remained relatively stable, influenced by the alignment of vaccine components. Molecular docking and dynamics analyses predicted stable interactions between CD70-CPP-TNF and the TNF receptor, indicating potential efficacy. In silico codon optimization and cloning of the vaccine nucleic acid sequence were accomplished using the pET28a plasmid. Furthermore, this vaccine displayed the capacity to modulate humoral and cellular immune responses. Overall, the results suggest therapeutic potential for the chimeric CD70-CPP-TNF vaccine against RCC. However, validation through in vitro and in vivo experiments is necessary. This trial is registered with NCT04696731 and NCT04046445. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Stroke is one of the causes of long-term morbidity. Despite rehabilitation strategies, most survivors live with motor deficits in the upper limbs. Objectives. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of contralateral cross education (CE) and high-frequency repetitive magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) on the function of upper extremity in subacute phase of stroke. Methods. Forty patients were randomly assigned into 4 groups. Group "A" received physical therapy (PT) for 10 sessions, 3 times per week. Group "B" received PT and HF-rTMS as follows: stimulation of 20 Hz for 5 s, intertrain interval for 50 s, 20 trains, 2000 pulses at 90% resting motor threshold, and conventional PT. Group "C" was treated with CE and PT. In group "D," HF-rTMS, CE, and PT were administered. Results. Significant differences were found in the Fugl-Meyer scale between "A" and "C" (P = 0.01), "A" and "D" (P = 0.02), and "B" and "C" groups (P = 0.01). In the box-block test, there were significant differences between "A" and "B" (P = 0.01), "A" and "C" (P < 0.001), "B" and "D" (P = 0.001), and "B" and "C" groups (P = 0.01). Statistical differences were observed in grip strength between "A" and "B" (P = 0.01) and "A" and "C" groups (P = 0.02). Conclusions. It is suggested that clinicians select the therapeutic methods in line with their expected goal. When the goal is to improve upper extremity function, CE+PT could be more effective than HF-rTMS+PT. Also, CE+PT and HF-rTMS+PT were more effective than CE+HF-rTMS+PT at improving grip strength. Therefore, combining several methods would not always lead to better results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To synthesize new symmetrical macroacyclic Schiff base ligands (L1 and L2), polyamine (A) was condensed with 2-formylpyridine and salicylaldehyde. Furthermore, Ni(ClO4)2.6H2O and Zn(ClO4)2.6H2O in methanol were reacted with the ligands to prepare corresponding metal complexes. The cytotoxicity of the synthesized complexes against MCF-7 and A549 adenocarcinoma cells was evaluated, where Zn-complexes displayed greater cytotoxic effects than Ni-complexes. Conductivity measurements, ESI-MS, UV-Vis, molar conductivity, IR, 1H, and 13C NMR spectra were used to characterize the products. Furthermore, molecular docking was performed to assess the biological activity of the complexes, and it was observed that Zn-complexes exhibited the highest inhibition effect against cytotoxic receptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the level of acceptance of autonomous vehicles (AVs) has changed with the advent of new sensor technologies and the proportional increase in market perception of these vehicles. Our study provides an overview of the relevant existing studies in order to consolidate current knowledge and pave the way for future studies in this area. The paper first reviews studies investigating the market acceptance of AVs. We identify the nonbehavioural factors that account for the level of acceptance and examine these in detail by cross-referencing the results of relevant papers published between 2014 and 2021 to reach a consensus on the perceived benefits and concerns. The findings showed that previous studies have found legal liability, safety, privacy, security, traffic conditions, and cost to be key external factors influencing the acceptance or rejection of AVs, and that the upsides of adopting AVs in regard to improving traffic conditions and safety outweigh the risks identified in relation to these areas. This resulted in an overall weighted average of 65% market acceptance of AVs among the 11,057 people surveyed in this regard. However, the remaining respondents were not very favourably disposed towards adopting AVs because of unresolved issues related to data privacy, security breaches, and legal liability in the event of accidents. In addition, our evaluation showed that the worldwide market purchasing power for an AV, based on 2022 prices, is around $38k, which is significantly below the current anticipated price of $100k. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims. In recent years, various studies have been conducted worldwide to investigate the relationship between receiving the flu vaccine with acute cerebrovascular accident or stroke and its hospitalization in the elderly; however, the results of these studies are contradictory. Therefore, this study was aimed at investigating the relationship between receiving the flu vaccine with stroke and its hospitalization in the elderly. Methods. This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining the relationship between receiving the flu vaccine with stroke and its hospitalization in the elderly during the years 1980 to 2021 which have been published in ISI Web of Science, Scopus PubMed, Cochrane, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Embase. All analyses were performed by Stata 15, and the significance level in this study was considered <0.05. Results. In the systematic search, 3088 articles were retrieved, considering the study criteria; finally, 14 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Based on the results of the meta-analysis, the odds ratio (OR) of occurrence and hospitalization of stroke compared to the nonvaccinated group in vaccine recipients is equal to 0.84 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.78-0.90, P value ≤ 0.001). Publication bias was not observed in this study (P value = 0.101). Conclusion. Getting the flu vaccine can reduce the risk of occurrence and hospitalization of stroke in the elderly by 16% (10%-22%). Therefore, receiving this vaccine as a preventive intervention for stroke in the elderly may be promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, fucoidan was extracted from Nizamuddinia zanardinii samples using nine different green extraction techniques in addition to the conventional hot water extraction method (HW). Antioxidant (chemical and cellular assays) and emulsifying activities as well as optical properties of the different extracted fucoidans were investigated. The chemical composition and molecular weight of the fucoidans were also discussed. The results showed that fucoidan extracted using microwaves and a combination of ultrasound and microwaves (UM) exhibited the highest DPPH scavenging activity (72%) and reducing power (0.37–0.39 Abs). Moreover, all extracted fucoidans showed good cytoprotective effects on H2O2‐induced damage and inhibition of reactive oxygen species formation in HepG2 cells, and the fucoidan extracted by UM exhibited the highest activity (59.51–69.06%). Additionally, the fucoidans isolated by green techniques showed higher emulsification capacity than those isolated by HW method. Based on the obtained results, the method UM can be recommended for the extraction of fucoidans from N. zanardinii samples. Novelty impact statement: Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from brown seaweeds with various bioactivities. In recent years, industry prefer the greener and faster methods to obtain bioactive compounds. In this regard, further studies are needed to determine the bioactivity of compounds extracted by environmentally friendly methods. In the present study, impact of different green extraction methods on the antioxidant and emulsifying activity of fucoidans from N. zanardinii were investigated for the first time. The results confirmed that fucoidans extracted by green methods has antioxidant activity in both chemical and cellular models and also exhibits emulsifying activity. On this basis, the extracted fucoidans can be used for the development of dietary supplements for humans and can also be incorporated into food formulation for the production of functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on increasing the accuracy of Directional‐of‐Arrival (DOA) estimation by synthesizing the Conformal Uniform Circular Array (CUCA) and uses the Rank Reduction (RARE) algorithm to minimize the mutual coupling and shadowing impacts on the array performance. After separating the azimuthal angles from all of the unknown information by transforming the CUCA from the element space to the mode space, the RARE algorithm is applied in the estimated azimuthal angles. Also, the ambiguous values of π exist in the RARE algorithm are solved by forming the CUCA beam pattern. Due to the fact that the accurate measuring or estimating the mutual coupling and shadowing effects are difficult, one of the most important achievements of this work is that there is no need to measure the mutual coupling and shadow effect. Also, the CUCA aperture is not reduced compared to use the subarray methods as another advantage. The simulation results significantly confirm the presented method's benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the alginate was extracted from Sargassum ilicifolium using conventional (CON), enzyme (Alcalase), ultrasound (UAE), and Alcalase‐ultrasound (ALUAE) methods. Subsequently, the extracted alginates were used for the preparation of edible and biodegradable films. Results demonstrated that the application of different green extraction methods decreased the molecular weight (Mw) of extracted alginates compared to the CON method, which among them the UAE‐extracted alginate had the lowest Mw. Green methods applied to alginate extraction also showed significant effects on different properties of alginate films. In this regard, films that are prepared from alginate with lower Mw (UAE‐extracted ones) showed lower water vapor permeability (WVP) and light transmittance as well as higher tensile strength (TS) values. Conversely, the highest WVP and lowest TS were measured for films prepared from ALUAE‐extracted alginate. These results are consistent with the SEM micrograph. Novelty impact statement: Alginate is a polysaccharide with various applications in different industries. This polysaccharide is extracted using the conventional method (CON). Finding a greener and faster method is preferred by the industry. In the current study, alginate of Sargassum ilicifolium was extracted using different green extraction methods further to CON. The impact of green methods on the properties of films produced from extracted alginate was investigated for the first time. The results showed that the green extraction methods led to films with different properties and among them, the films produced from ultrasound‐extracted alginate showed the lowest WVP and highest TS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inhibitory effects of using extracts and leaf powders from mint (Mentha spicata), ginger (Zingiber officinale), and cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) were investigated on the formation of 3‐monochloropropanediol esters (3‐MCPD esters) in the refined olive oil at temperatures 100–200°C using Taguchi's experimental design. The initial concentration of 3‐MCPD esters in the refined olive oil before the treatment was 0.33 mg/100 g of oil. The greatest reducing effect was found for mint powder (0.16 mg/100 g of oil). The inhibitory effects of extracts and powders were similar. Based on the Taguchi's approach for the analysis of the data, the best level for the extract and/or the powder of mint or ginger was 0.04 mg for 100 g refined olive oil. During the storage of refined olive oil for 1 and 2 months, mint and ginger as both dry extract and plant powder reduced the formation of 3‐MCPD esters. Practical applications: In the current study, during 1 and 2 months of storage of refined olive oil, decreases in the production of 3‐monochloropropanediol esters were observed in samples containing mint and ginger (as a powder or in their extract forms). Therefore, to avoid the production of this toxic chemical in olive oil after it is packaged, mint and ginger can be combined with the oil immediately after its refining stage. Results from the current study can encourage manufacturers to use these natural antioxidants for inhibiting the formation of 3‐monochloropropanediol esters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probiotics are useful microorganisms with health effects. Although the probiotic industry has grown dramatically over the past decade, their survival is still challenging. Also, the residual of antibiotics is considered a serious problem with major health and technological problems in the fermented food industry. In this study, the biofilm technique was examined as a practical solution for increasing viability. The biofilm of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus plantarum are formed in the culture medium (using microtiter plate biofilm method) and yogurt (in containers). The antibiotic susceptibility of probiotics to enrofloxacin, sulfadimidine, tetracycline, and oxytetracycline were studied. The results showed that enrofloxacin, the strongest antibiotic, reduces the bacterial population in the biofilm form only 2.6 log. In contrast, the population of bacteria reduced by about 8 log in plankton form. Therefore, biofilm techniques can be introduced as a survival strategy for the food and pharmaceutical industry. Practical applications: As a new and innovative approach, the biofilm method can lead to a new generation of probiotics, which can significantly protect probiotics against environmental stress and antibiotic residues and significantly affect their survival. The formation of biofilm by probiotics is a unique feature that is inherently bacterial and is a natural and low‐cost method that can upgrade the long‐term sustainability of probiotics. Therefore, biofilm can be commercially used to create new capacity in food and related industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bilayer antibacterial films were prepared using electrospun polylactic acid (PLA)/chitosan (Ch) nanofiber on low‐density polyethylene (LDPE)/PLA films. Blends of Ch and PLA with the selected ratios of 5.0%, 10.0%, 15.0%, and 20.0% Ch were electrospun on the surface of LDPE/PLA composite film. Scanning electron microscopic images indicated a smooth and bead‐free surface for all composite nanofibers with a diameter range from 50–200 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectra depict the presence of PLA and CH in the nanofiber. Hydrophobicity analysis showed that the PLA/Ch layer increase the hydrophobicity of bilayer films. The water vapor permeabilities of bilayer films were lower than those of LDPE/PLA film. The presence of PLA/Ch nanofiber layer resulted in the reduction in the oxygen permeability of bilayer films. When Ch content reached 10.0%, the bilayer films showed antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Novelty impact statement: Blends of chitosan and polylactic acid (PLA) was electrospun on to the surface of a low‐density polyethylene (LDPE)/PLA film to produce bilayer antibacterial films. Electrospun nanofiber layers improved the antibacterial properties of the films and also reduced the oxygen and water vapor permeability levels of LDPE/PLA composite films without major interferences with their intrinsic physical and barrier properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulation of an infinite Timoshenko beam subjected to accelerated moving load rested on the finite depth is assessed in this study. Then, the dynamic response of the infinite beam is illustrated on the various theoretical models, including the Winkler, Pasternak, and visco-elastic foundations. Furthermore, the effects of various damping, such as foundation damping, beam damping, and hysteretic damping (damping between soil grains), are also studied on the dynamic behavior of the beam. It has been worked out that the type of basement and its depth have a remarkable effect on the dynamic behavior. In addition, the load velocity will also cause a maximum displacement in the beam as the critical velocity approaches. The deflection of the beam on the basements increases when the velocity approaches the critical one, and the maximum displacement of the beam occurs under the load. Finally, it was seen that the presented diagrams for all three types of Winkler's, Pasternak's, and visco-elastic foundations follow the usual properties related to the critical velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cystic echinococcosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease, represents a threat for livestock and humans, manifests as a quiescent, subclinical and chronic hydatid cyst infection. The disease imposes high expenditures and economic losses in medical and veterinary. Prophylactic vaccination would be one of the effective preventive health care against echinococcosis. During the last decades, many studies have characterized the protective antigens of Echinococcus granulosus and their role in immunization of various animal host species. Herein, we aimed to systematically evaluate and represent the best antigens as possible vaccine candidates for cystic echinococcosis. Data were systematically searched from five databases including ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect and Web of Science, up to 1 February 2020. Two reviewers independently screened and assessed data extraction and quality assessment. A total of 47 articles were eligible for inclusion criteria in the current study. The most common antigens used for vaccination against E. granulosus were EG95 and antigen B. Freund's adjuvant and Quil A have been predominantly utilized. In addition, regarding the antigen delivery, animal models, measurement of immune responses and reduction in hydatid cyst have been discussed in the text. The data demonstrated that DNA vaccines with antigen B and recombinant protein vaccines based on EG95 antigen have the best results and elicited protective immune responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first aim of this study was the development of real-time, quantitative, and noninvasive visual observation that necessitates different noninvasive multimodal imaging methods. Second, the design of a high-sensitivity imaging free-ligand green chemistry nanoprobe is a critical diagnosis of breast cancer mouse models. The gadolinium-based nanoparticles as box-Behnken design (BBD) experiment are synthesized. A small biomolecule L-glutamine is attached to its surface nanoparticles as a template. Large surface-area-to-volume ratios of nanoparticles enhance the capacity for interactions with biomolecules and present more sites for conjugation. G. 2-Deoxy-2[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]F-FDG) is a quantitative and sensitive tracking instrument in Positron Emission Tomography (PET), also applicable for the in vivo and in vitro characterization of L-glutamine SiGdNPs. Optical imaging was done for 4T1 breast cancer tumor-induced mice. 18F-NP uptake values were significantly higher in primary breast cancer and brain tumors than [18F]F-FDG in PET at 30 min, injected (20 μl/g) via the tail vein with about 300 μCi of 18F-FDG loading. After 15 min of the administration of injection (26 μl/g), the first passed the lung intravenously without any injury to the lung showing promising T1-T2 MRI contrast properties. We receive these by application of a variety of imaging modalities, especially microPET and MRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a modified rectangular resonant cavity consisting of a rectangular waveguide (RWG) and two frequency selective coupled (FSC) end‐plates with embedded parallel metallic strips (PMS) is proposed. The proposed FSC end‐plate converts the semi‐constant coupling mechanism of the conventional iris‐coupled end‐plate to the tunable FSC characteristics. This is due to adding capacitive coupling properties to inductive coupling characteristics of the conventional iris‐coupled end‐plate by embedding PMS inside the iris‐hole. So, the proposed FSC end‐plate enhances output power of the resonant frequency of the cavity. Consequently, the proposed modified cavity can determine the permittivity properties of the high‐loss specimens. Also, the parametric study of the effect of variation of the physical dimensions and position of these strips to tune and trim the performance of the proposed FSC end‐plate is presented. Also, the present study proposes an approach for determining the maximum complex permittivity with the rectangular resonant cavity perturbation method. Based on WR‐229 RWG specifications, conventional and investigated cavities are fabricated and measured. The evaluated results of the proposed configuration and conventional model indicate about 184% determination enhancement in the imaginary part of the dielectric constant. Also, this design is validated by distilled water specimen and TiO2 films at a various partial pressure of oxygen that are deposited by utilizing radio frequency magnetron sputtering technologies and their complex permittivity are determined by manufactured cavities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the diagnostic performance of five alternative serodiagnostic tests, serum samples from 100 confirmed visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients, 197 healthy endemic individuals, and 58 non-VL patients living in southern Iran were compared. The VL patients were defined as individuals with a positive result of the immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT), having clinical signs and symptoms and appropriate response to treatment. The index tests were two direct agglutination tests, DAT-ITM (Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium) and DAT-KIT (Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands), and three rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), Kalazar Detect (InBios International Inc., USA), IT Leish (Bio-Rad, catalog 710124), and Leishmania test (Cypress Diagnostic Company, Belgium). Sensitivities of DAT-ITM and DAT-KIT were low, respectively, 56% and 59%, while specificities were acceptable, respectively, 98% and 93%. Observed sensitivities and specificities of RDTs were higher (71%, 81%, 70% and 99%, 99%, 98% for Kalazar Detect, IT Leish, and Leishmania test, respectively). Even with a maximum sensitivity of 81%, RDTs missed almost one-fifth of VL patients that were positive in IFAT. We conclude that RDTs in VL patients do not possess adequate performance in southern Iran and require some improvement, but they can still be helpful in the diagnosis and screening of the disease in this region due to their high specificity and speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is no doubt regarding the involvement of oxidative stress in the development of glioblastoma, many questions remained unanswered about signaling cascades that regulate the redox status. Given the importance of the substance P (SP)/neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1R) system in different cancers, it was of particular interest to evaluate whether the stimulation of this cascade in glioblastoma-derived U87 cells is associated with the induction of oxidative stress. Our results showed that SP-mediated activation of NK1R not only increased the intracellular levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) but also reduced the concentration of thiol in U87 cells. We also found that upon SP addition, there was a significant reduction in the cells' total antioxidant capacity (TAC), revealing that the SP/NK1R axis may be involved in the regulation of oxidative stress in glioblastoma cells. The significant role of SP/NK1R in triggering oxidative stress in glioblastoma has become more evident when we found that the abrogation of the axis using aprepitant reduced cell survival, probably through exerting antioxidant effects. The results showed that both MDA and ROS concentrations were significantly reduced in the presence of aprepitant, and the number of antioxidant components of the redox system increased. Overall, these findings suggest that aprepitant might exert its anticancer effect on U87 cells through shifting the balance of oxidant and antioxidant components of the redox system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the design and realization of a planar microstrip array antenna with a 4 × 4 modified Butler matrix is presented. The proposed switched‐beam smart antenna operates at 4.95 GHz. The significant purpose of this research is mutual coupling reduction between antennas of the array. Therefore, the microstrip array antenna is arranged as E‐plane mode and the novel decoupling network is used to reduce the mutual coupling. The mutual coupling of the proposed structure is measured −35 dB at 4.95 GHz frequency. The mutual coupling reduction of 17 dB is achieved by using the decoupling network. Also, the impedance bandwidth of the proposed structure with |S11| < −10 dB is about 300 MHz (6%) operating at the center frequency of 5.05 GHz and the average gain of 10.6 dB is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study compared the effect of acid processing approaches, involving different inclusion rates of acetic (5, 10, and 15%) and citric (0.25, 0.50, and 0.75%) acids, on the proximate composition and antinutritive properties of soybean meal (SBM). It was found that acid‐catalyzed processing reduced the levels of trypsin inhibitors (TI), lectins and allergenic proteins in SBM. The use of both acids significantly decreased the pH range compared to untreated SBM. Despite the decrease in protein solubility in acid‐treated SBM compared with untreated SBM, the relevant values are acceptable. With the exception of leucine, the amino acids content of acidified SBM did not differ from that of untreated. In chemical composition, a significant decrease of nitrogen free extract and soluble carbohydrates was observed in acid‐treated SBM compared to untreated sample. It is concluded that acid‐catalyzed processing had beneficial effects on the nutritional quality and reducing of anti‐nutrient factors in SBM. Practical applications: Soybean meal (SBM) is one of the most sources of protein in animal and human nutrition. However, the presence of anti‐nutritional substances such as lectins or TI limits its use in animal and human feeding. This study was performed to reduce these harmful compounds using SBM acid‐catalyzed processing. Therefore, the results of this research may be very useful for feed or food producers and animal nutritionists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to present a tri‐band bandpass filter (BPF) with compact structure. This filter consists of 50 Ω transmission line, varactor diode, positive‐intrinsic‐negative (PIN) diode, symmetrical square‐shaped half‐loop resonator pair, and three pairs of rectangular half circle that a T‐stub is placed in it. By using the add PIN and varactor diodes in the proposed structure, it is possible to connect and disconnect each band, and change the central frequency up to 400 MHz. In addition, there is a situation to disconnect and connect all three bands simultaneously and asynchronously (unconditionally). This filter contains a low ripple value in all three bands. In this regard, the maximum ripple value does not exceed 0.3 dB and rejection is greater than 25 dB in total stop‐band. An experimental tri‐band BPF has been developed for wireless fidelity, wireless local area network, and worldwide interoperability for microwaves access applications. The measured results are properly accommodated with simulated results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite responsible for systemic disease in a wide range of warm-blooded animals. The current study is aimed at evaluating the prevalence of Toxoplasma infection in dogs, using serological and molecular methods in rural areas in Kazeroun Township, Fars province, southern Iran. Methods. Blood samples were obtained from 60 clinically healthy dogs with an age range of 1 to 7 years in three rural areas of Fars province, southern Iran. Sera and buffy coats were used to assess the T. gondii infection using both modified agglutination test (MAT) and real-time PCR. Results. Antibodies against T. gondii were detected in 5 out of 60 (8.3%) dogs by the MAT method, and T. gondii DNA was detected in 17 out of 60 (28.3%) studied animals. There was no significant association between sex and seropositivity to Toxoplasma (p > 0.05). Fair agreement (kappa = 0.27) was seen between molecular and serological findings where three dogs with positive serological results had a positive molecular test. Conclusion. Findings of the present study show a relatively high prevalence of T. gondii infection in dogs in rural areas in Fars province, southern Iran. Finding the parasite genotype in dogs deserves further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the advances achieved in Medical Sciences, no substitute has been found for blood as a vital factor. Therefore, preparing sufficient and healthy blood in crisis conditions is a challenge that health systems encounter. Along with examining the conducted investigations in this field, the main contribution of current research is to develop a biobjective Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model for relief supply under crisis condition. For this purpose, this paper proposes a model for routing of bus blood receiver under crisis conditions considering different blood groups. Besides, hours of unnecessary travel by bloodmobiles (buses) between each blood station (BS) and the crisis-stricken city for dispatching the collected blood is prevented thanks to considering a helicopter. The mentioned model has two objectives: maximizing the amount of blood collected by bloodmobiles and minimizing the arrival time of the blood receiver buses and a helicopter to a crisis-stricken city after the collected blood is used up. The model is coded by CPLEX software, and the results obtained from solving the model indicate that, without considering a helicopter, the demand is not supplied within the critical period after crisis. Given that blood cannot be artificially produced, its primary resource is blood donors. Concerning the importance of this issue under crisis conditions, this research investigates the relief vehicles' routing problem, including bus and helicopter, in a crisis considering supply and transfer of different blood groups to a crisis-stricken city for maximum relief supply and blood transfer within the shortest period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The community, and especially the family, affects children's traffic safety. Parents influence children's current and future traffic behaviors. Numerous studies have demonstrated a relationship between parenting style and children's behavioral problems such as antisocial behaviors and delinquency, so the modification of parenting styles could have a positive impact on the interactions between parents and children. In the literature on children's traffic safety, parental influence has long been recognized as an important aspect of research, but parent-related factors are mostly unknown. In particular, a factor that can affect parents' attitudes and children's views of road safety is parenting style. Therefore, this study aims to examine children's knowledge of traffic signs utilizing a parenting styles' perspective. The determining role of demographic characteristics in traffic skills is critical and is investigated in this study. In this study, 1011 preschool, first-, second-, and third-grade students were interviewed and information about parenting styles and demographic characteristics were collected from questionnaires completed by parents. Through interviews, children's familiarity with law enforcement and informative signs was assessed. Results indicated that older children and those with higher socioeconomic status had better skills in this field. The results also showed that parents could improve their children's understanding of signs by less use of inconsistent discipline and corporal punishments. Parental negligence, contradictory use of corporal punishment, and nonuse of positive behaviors are some factors which are most likely related to children's knowledge of traffic signs and rules. The findings of this study can guide parents and assist relevant authorities to implement policies to more effectively train young children by developing practical and targeted resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Celiac disease (CeD) is an autoimmune intestinal disorder caused by gluten protein consumption in genetically predisposed individuals. As biopsy sampling is an invasive procedure, finding novel noninvasive serological markers for screening of at-risk CeD population is a priority. Metabolomics is helpful in monitoring metabolite changes in body fluids and tissues. In the present study, we evaluated serum metabolite levels of CeD patients relative to healthy controls with the aim of introducing new biomarkers for population screening. Method. We compared the serum metabolic profile of CeD patients (n = 42) and healthy controls (n = 22) using NMR spectroscopy and multivariate analysis. Result. 25 metabolites were identified by serum metabolic profiling. Levels of 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid and isobutyrate showed significant differences in CeD patients' samples compared with healthy controls (p < 0.05). According to pathway analysis, our data demonstrated that changes in nine metabolic pathways were significantly disrupted/affected in patients with CeD. These enriched pathways are involved in aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis; primary bile acid biosynthesis; nitrogen metabolism; glutamine and glutamate metabolism; valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis and degradation; taurine and hypotaurine metabolism; glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism; glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism; and arginine biosynthesis. Conclusion. In summary, our results demonstrated that changes in the serum level of 25 metabolites may be useful in distinguishing CeD patients from healthy controls, which have the potential to be considered candidate biomarkers of CeD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the advances achieved in Medical Sciences, no substitute has been found for blood as a vital factor. Therefore, preparing sufficient and healthy blood in crisis conditions is a challenge that health systems encounter. Along with examining the conducted investigations in this field, the main contribution of current research is to develop a biobjective Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model for relief supply under crisis condition. For this purpose, this paper proposes a model for routing of bus blood receiver under crisis conditions considering different blood groups. Besides, hours of unnecessary travel by bloodmobiles (buses) between each blood station (BS) and the crisis-stricken city for dispatching the collected blood is prevented thanks to considering a helicopter. The mentioned model has two objectives: maximizing the amount of blood collected by bloodmobiles and minimizing the arrival time of the blood receiver buses and a helicopter to a crisis-stricken city after the collected blood is used up. The model is coded by CPLEX software, and the results obtained from solving the model indicate that, without considering a helicopter, the demand is not supplied within the critical period after crisis. Given that blood cannot be artificially produced, its primary resource is blood donors. Concerning the importance of this issue under crisis conditions, this research investigates the relief vehicles' routing problem, including bus and helicopter, in a crisis considering supply and transfer of different blood groups to a crisis-stricken city for maximum relief supply and blood transfer within the shortest period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is aimed at scrutinizing the domestic solar energy potential for electricity and hydrogen production. Under the first scenario, it is sought to evaluate electricity generation for household purposes using RSUs (rooftop solar units). Then, under the second scenario, solar hydrogen production is analyzed for the purpose of meeting a hydrogen vehicle demand. For this, one of the aptest cities, Yazd, located in the center of Iran is investigated. Furthermore, a real-world electric load needed by an usual household in Yazd is deemed as the demand for electricity. To analyze the two scenarios, a system consisting of an 8.2 kW RSU for power generation, a battery for electricity storage, and a 1 kW electrolyzer for hydrogen yield is proposed. Also, to acquire a broader vision, predictions are made for the next 10, 20, 30, and 40 years. The results regarding the first scenario implied that COE (Cost of Electricity) would be, respectively, 0.067, 0.145, 0.136, and 0.127 $/kWh. In addition to supplying the electricity required by the house, 2,687 $/yr could be earned by selling the excess electricity generated, and 5,759 kg of CO2 would be avoided a year. The findings as to the second scenario showed that LCOH (levelized cost of hydrogen) would equate to 3.62, 6.53, 6.34, and 5.93 $/kg, respectively, for the aforementioned project lifetimes. Furthermore, 2,464 $/yr would be the revenue after selling the surplus electricity, and 7,820 kg of CO2 would be saved, annually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. One of the most common surgical complications is nausea. Regarding the contradictory findings on the effect of aromatherapy with peppermint on the severity of nausea, in the present study, we aimed at comparing the effect of aromatherapy with 10% and 30% peppermint essential oils on the severity of nausea in surgical patients. Methods. This single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted at the surgical ward of Imam Reza Hospital in Kermanshah, Iran. A total of 120 patients undergoing abdominal surgery were randomly divided into three groups of 10% peppermint, 30% peppermint, and control (40 patients in each group) using a random number table. In each of the intervention groups, 0.2 ml of 10% and 30% peppermint essential oil was inhaled. In the control group, the same amount of distilled water colored with green food coloring was inhaled. The severity of nausea was measured by nausea visual analog scale (NVAS) before and 10 minutes after the intervention. Results. In the 10% peppermint group, the mean severity of nausea before the intervention was 52.3 ± 13.7 out of 100, which reduced to 40.5 ± 13.5 after the intervention (p < 0.001). In the 30% peppermint group, the mean severity scores of nausea before and after the intervention were 60.2 ± 15.0 and 39.7 ± 12.4, respectively (p < 0.001). In the control group, the mean severity scores of nausea before and after the intervention was not statistically significant. There was no significant difference between the two intervention groups in terms of the mean severity of nausea after the intervention. Conclusions. It can be concluded that 10% and 30% peppermint essential oils are equally effective on the severity of nausea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Patients admitted to intensive care units are exposed to a variety of eye injuries such as lagophthalmos, which can lead to blindness. There is conflicting evidence regarding the effectiveness of different eye protection methods, and evaluations are ongoing. Therefore, this study was performed to compare the effect of "polyethylene cover," "polyethylene cover plus artificial tear drops," and "polyethylene cover plus Lubratex eye ointment" on the severity of lagophthalmos. Methods. A total of 156 patients connected to ventilators were included in this clinical trial using the convenience sampling method. They were randomly divided into three groups: "polyethylene cover," polyethylene cover plus artificial tear drops," and "polyethylene cover plus Lubratex eye ointment." In each group, one eye was regarded as control and the other eye as intervention. The control eye received routine interventions, including washing with normal saline. The eyes were examined daily by an ophthalmologist for 5 days for the occurrence of lagophthalmos. Results. There was no statistically significant difference in the severity of lagophthalmos among the three groups "polyethylene cover," "polyethylene cover plus artificial tear drop," and "polyethylene cover plus Lubratex eye ointment." However, clinically the severity of lagophthalmos was lower in the "polyethylene cover plus artificial tear drops" group than in the other two groups. Conclusion. The results showed that the combination of polyethylene cover and artificial tears drops can be clinically effective in reducing the severity of lagophthalmos. Therefore, the use of this method is recommended for patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Similar studies are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new class of multi‐layer microstrip patch antenna (MPA) array fed by substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) cavities is presented for Ku‐band applications. An efficient compact multi‐layer SIW feeding network is designed, which has lower losses than the conventional corporate feeding network based on microstrip lines or coplanar waveguides. A 4 × 4 array consists of four stacked layers, including three based on the SIW technology as a feeding network and one layer for the radiating antenna array. Each layer can easily be fabricated from a dielectric substrate and processed using the printed circuit board (PCB) technology. Afterward, all the PCB laminates are stacked together and tied by screws. The measured antenna operates from 11.2 to 13.6 GHz achieving 19.35% bandwidth. The measured peak gain at 12.5 GHz is 17.1 dBi, equivalent to 71.47% aperture efficiency. The fabricated array exhibits several advantages: broadband, low cost, compactness, high radiation efficiency, high aperture efficiency, and lightweight, which makes it a candidate for Ku‐band satellite applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new coronavirus, COVID-19, has affected people all over the world. Coronaviruses are a large group of viruses that can infect animals and humans and cause respiratory distress; these discomforts may be as mild as a cold or as severe as pneumonia. Correct detection of this disease can help to avoid its spreading increasingly. In this paper, a new CAD-based approach is suggested for the optimal diagnosis of this disease from chest X-ray images. The proposed method starts with a min-max normalization to scale all data into a normal scale, and then, histogram equalization is performed to improve the quality of the image before main processing. Afterward, 18 different features are extracted from the image. To decrease the method difficulty, the minimum features are selected based on a metaheuristic called Archimedes optimization algorithm (AOA). The model is then implemented on three datasets, and its results are compared with four other state-of-the-art methods. The final results indicated that the proposed method with 86% accuracy and 96% precision has the highest balance between accuracy and reliability with the compared methods as a diagnostic system for COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quarter of all cancer deaths are due to lung cancer. Studies show that early diagnosis and treatment of this disease are the most effective way to increase patient life expectancy. In this paper, automatic and optimized computer-aided detection is proposed for lung cancer. The method first applies a preprocessing step for normalizing and denoising the input images. Afterward, Kapur entropy maximization is performed along with mathematical morphology to lung area segmentation. Afterward, 19 GLCM features are extracted from the segmented images for the final evaluations. The higher priority images are then selected for decreasing the system complexity. The feature selection is based on a new optimization design, called Improved Thermal Exchange Optimization (ITEO), which is designed to improve the accuracy and convergence abilities. The images are finally classified into healthy or cancerous cases based on an optimized artificial neural network by ITEO. Simulation is compared with some well-known approaches and the results showed the superiority of the suggested method. The results showed that the proposed method with 92.27% accuracy provides the highest value among the compared methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, by the Fourier transform, we show that every linear differential equation with constant coefficients of n -th order has a solution in L 1 ℝ which is infinitely differentiable in ℝ ∖ 0 . Moreover the Hyers–Ulam stability of such equations on L 1 ℝ is investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Radiotherapy in breast cancer patients is associated with acute and delayed side effects. This study aimed to compare the effect of alpha and hydrocortisone 1% (H1%) ointments on prevention of acute skin complications due to radiotherapy in breast cancer patients. Methods. This clinical trial was conducted on 86 patients with breast cancer in the radiotherapy center of Imam Reza Hospital of Kermanshah, Iran. Using the records, the patients were selected and randomly divided into alpha and H1% groups after obtaining informed consent. The severity of dermatitis, complications, and patient complaints during treatment were evaluated weekly for up to 6 weeks by RTOG criteria. Data were analyzed using SPSS-16 software. Results. At the end of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth weeks, 10 (11.7%), 25 (29.1%), 53 (61.6%), and 28 (32.6%) patients had skin complications, respectively. In weeks 5 and 6 in the H1 group, the incidence of complications was higher (P = 0.001). The frequency of pain and burning complaints at the end of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth weeks was 15 (17.4%), 37 (43.0%), 52 (60.5%), and 1(1.2%), respectively. Pain and burning intensity in the fourth and fifth weeks in the H1 group was lower than alpha (P = 0010). Complaints of skin itching at the end of the third, fourth, and fifth weeks were 16 (18.6%), 25 (29.1%), and 28 (32.6), respectively. This complication was lower in the H1% group during these weeks (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Alpha ointment is more effective than H1% in relieving pain and burning, preventing complications except itching. It seems using an alpha ointment or combining it with H1% is an appropriate strategy to reduce the rate of injuries and skin complications of radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim of the Study: The frozen elephant trunk (FET) procedure became a popular entity for utilization in aortic arch aneurysm disease. However, its proper mortality and morbidities as well as the predictors of outcomes are poorly identified. This systematic review and meta‐analysis explore FET outcomes and its predictors with a focus on zone aortic proximalization. Methods: We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scopus databases from their beginning to June 2020 to find studies reporting the outcomes of the FET procedure for the total arch replacement (TAR). Results: A total of 64 studies including 7967 patients were evaluated. The pooled estimates of cerebrovascular accidents, paraplegia, renal failure, and in‐hospital mortality were 7.104 (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.691–8.661; I2 = 78.53%), 3.465 (95% CI, 2.852–4.136; I2 = 15.96), 14.969 (95% CI, 11.361–18.977; I2 = 91.26%), and 8.933 (95% CI, 7.128–10.919; I2 = 78.51%), respectively. Stratification by the geographical locations and by the aortic pathologies led to lower heterogeneity, but not for renal failure. The distal anastomosis in Zone 2 was associated with a lower rate of renal failure compared with Zone 3 (odds ratio, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.36–0.81; p =.003; I2 = 0%). Conclusions: The FET procedure for TAR can be performed with acceptable mortality and morbidities among patients with complex aortic pathologies. Moreover, the distal anastomosis in Zone 2 was associated with lower renal failure compared to Zone 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is twofold. Firstly, to investigate the potential benefits of online health communities (OHCs) for informal caregivers by conducting a systematic literature review. Secondly, to identify the relationship between the potential benefits of OHCs and resilience factors of older adults. Performing a thematic analysis, we identified the potential benefits of OHCs for informal caregivers of older adults, including two salient themes: (a) caregivers sharing and receiving social support and (b) self and moral empowerment of caregivers. Then, we uncovered how these potential benefits can support resilience of older adults. Our findings show that sharing and receiving of social support by informal caregivers, and self and moral empowerment of informal caregivers in OHCs, can support four resilience factors among older adults, including self‐care, independence, altruism and external connections. This review enables a better understanding of OHCs and Gerontology, and our outcomes also challenge the way healthcare and aged‐care service providers view caregivers and older adults. Furthermore, the identified gap and opportunities would provide avenues for further research in OHCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a high‐efficient, compact, and broadband microstrip patch antennas (MPAs) based on substrate‐integrated waveguide (SIW) for X‐band applications. The proposed array consists of three stacked layers from top to bottom, including one layer as the antenna layer and two SIW layers as a feeding network. The performance was focused on improving the impedance bandwidth and radiation efficiency by mitigating the loss from the feed network while also maintaining the compact design. To this end, the SIW feeding network was designed to feed the MPA to save the physical aperture size which resulted in a more compact and efficient radiating structure. The overall size of the proposed array is compact and extra surface area around the radiation aperture has not been occupied. The measured −10 dB impedance bandwidth span is from 8.9 to 10.9 GHz (20.2%). The maximum measured gain at 10.6 GHz is 10.6 dBi. The results show that the simulated radiation efficiency and the measured aperture efficiency are more than 75% and 50%, respectively. The fabricated array exhibits great advantages such as wide operating bandwidth, lightweight, low‐cost, high aperture efficiency, high radiation efficiency, and compactness which make it a good candidate for X‐band applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The power system protection scheme must detect faults as soon as possible and isolate the faulty section from the rest of the network in the shortest possible time. Protection in medium voltage distribution networks is usually performed through applying coordinated protective overcurrent relays. Changes in the network topology and operational parameters may cause some uncertainties, which can have deteriorative impacts on the fault current measuring by overcurrent relays, hence lead to in‐coordinated operation of the overcurrent relays. In this paper, it is aimed to optimally solve the problem of the overcurrent relays coordination considering the fault current uncertainty. To this end, a new risk‐averse robust optimization portfolio is proposed based on information gap decision theory to derive the optimistic coordination scheme under severe uncertainties. The presented model is mathematically formulated and implemented effectively to some medium voltage test power systems. The illustrative numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the conducted optimization model in both risk‐neutral and risk‐averse strategies in procuring the robust coordination solution of the overcurrent relays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this article, a new passive islanding detection scheme is presented for synchronous based distributed generation units (SBDGs) considering most vital islanding detection factors such as non‐detection zone (NDZ), event detection time, high reliability in clustering events, cost of implementation, and independency of SBDG parameters. To do so, three‐main concepts are considered: (a) the use of the electrical parameters from the SBDG unit which are independent from inertia, (b) the combination of various passive parameters, and (c) the utilization of the d‐q framework of SBDG that can present its true behavior during the normal and abnormal events. Therefore, five parameters including q‐component of damper winding current, d‐ as well as q‐components of stator winding currents, reactive power and positive sequence of voltage are selected owing to the fast abruptly changes imposed on their pattern of variations during the disturbances. In this regard, to accurately detect the occurred events, three features based on the selected parameters are considered, which are (dIdm/dt), (dId/dIq) and (dVps/dQ). To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed islanding detection scheme (IDS), exhustive simulation studies are performed in MATLAB environment. The results illustrate that by means of the defined parameters, high reliable perfomance of the proposed approach is satisfied through recognizing all the islanding and grid‐connected disturbance (GCD) conditions, including zero power imbalance, within minimum time compared to the existing methods available in literature. It is also revealed that the SBDG parameters do not have any adverse effect on the suggested IDS performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wave energy is a renewable energy with a high density. There are different types of wave power generation systems (WPGSs), including Archimedes wave swing (AWS) coupled to a linear permanent magnet synchronous generator. This study proposes a model predictive control (MPC) for AWS‐based WPGS. The predictive current controller is implemented in a generator‐side converter as a substation for proportional integral (PI) controllers with pulse‐width modulation (PWM). Also, a supercapacitor energy storage system with bidirectional DC/DC converter is proposed to maintain DC link voltage stability. A DC/DC converter is used to keep DC microgrid bus voltage at the desired value. The effectiveness of the proposed MPC method is tested at various operating conditions and compared with conventional PI controllers with PWM in the MATLAB/SIMULINK environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been documented that the genotypic traits in symptomatic and asymptomatic cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) may be different. The current study aimed to find out and compare the genotype and intraspecies diversity of Leishmania Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 (ITS1) from asymptomatic and symptomatic VL cases in southern Iran. Methods. Buffy coat samples from seven VL patients, with clinical signs and symptoms, and seven asymptomatic VL cases, were evaluated in this study. Samples of asymptomatic individuals were obtained from children living in a VL endemic area in southern Iran, while the samples of symptomatic subjects were obtained from patients admitted to hospitals with a diagnosis of VL. DNA was extracted from the buffy coats of the samples and PCR-amplified, targeting the ITS1of Leishmania. The PCR products were sequenced, and the consensus sequences were assembled and multiple-aligned with a set of Leishmania strains retrieved from the GenBank, using Clustal W. The phylogenetic tree was rooted, using MEGAX software, and the diversities based on haplotype and nucleotides, as well as the number of polymorphic sites, were measured using DnaSP v5.0 software. The results of ITS1 sequencing in 5 out of 7 asymptomatic VL cases showed 99.25% to 100% similarity with the Leishmania infantum ITS1 sequence (accessed number: MN648746), and one isolate was considered as just Leishmania sp. In one sample, 99.75% similarity was seen with the ITS1 sequence of Crithidia fasciculata. Of the symptomatic VL patients, the PCR product revealed a 340 bp band corresponding to L. infantum in all of the samples. By analyzing the ITS1 sequences, all seven sequences formed a clade somewhat different from other Leishmania species and considered as Leishmania sp. Haplotype and nucleotide diversity were much more prevalent in symptomatic cases where six haplotypes were seen in the ITS1 of Leishmania from symptomatic patients and only two haplotypes were observed in the samples from asymptomatic cases. The findings of the current study showed that the Leishmania ITS1 from symptomatic VL and asymptomatic cases has significant genetic differences. Besides, infection with Crithidia fasciculata was reported, for the first time, in an asymptomatic case, which deserves further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As many as 80% of patients with TAR die on the spot while out of those reaching a hospital, 30% would die within 24 hours. Thus, it is essential to better understand and prevent this injury. The exact mechanics of TAR are unknown. Although most researchers approve it as a common-sense deceleration injury, the exact detailed mechanism of TRA still remains unidentified. In this work, a deceleration mechanism of TAR was carried out using finite element analysis (FEA). The FE analysis aimed to predict internal kinematics of the aorta and assist to comprehend the mechanism of aorta injury. The model contains the heart, lungs, thoracic aorta vessel, and rib cage. High-resolution computerized tomography (HR CT scan) was used to provide pictures that were reconstructed by MIMICS software. ANSYS FE simulation was carried out to investigate the behavior of the aorta in the thoracic interior after deceleration occurred during a car crash. The finite element analysis indicated that maximum stress and strain applied to the aorta were from 5.4819e5 to 2.614e6 Pa and 0.21048 to 0.62676, respectively, in the Y-direction when the initial velocity increased from 10 to 25 m/s. Furthermore, in the X-direction when the velocity changed from 15 to 25 m/s, the stress and strain values increased from 5.17771e5 to 2.3128e6 and from 0.22445 to 0.618, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tricuspid valve can be affected in left‐sided infective endocarditis. We present a new technique to repair anteroseptal tricuspid valve commissure. It was employed in a patient with left‐sided infective endocarditis with intervalvular fibrous body abscess. A sliding plasty of septal and posterior leaflets was performed, reaching the anteroseptal commissure with the aid of De‐Vega like annuloplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the effects of Artemia supplemented with 2‐β‐mercapto‐ethanol (β‐ME) treated yeast cell, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, on growth and reproductive performance, lysozyme activity, and disease resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila of freshwater ornamental species, Poecilia latipinna, were investigated. Within 60 days, molly fish were fed with three treatments including commercial food (T1), un‐supplemented Artemia (T2), and Artemia supplemented with β‐ME‐treated yeast cell (at concentration of 4 × 107 CFU/L of water) (T3). After the feeding period, the fish were exposed to 100 μl of a suspension (1.1 × 107 cells/ml) of A. hydrophila (BCCM5/LMG3279) and the cumulative mortality rates were recorded for 12 days. No significant difference was found between survival rate and growth performance of P. latipinna except for weight gain that was higher in fish fed through Artemia supplemented with β‐ME‐treated yeast cell compared to control group. Fecundity rate was significantly improved in fish fed using T3 with the maximum amount of 49.5 ± 2.29 per female (p < 0.05). Besides, lysozyme activity was significantly increased in group 3 (p < 0.05). Moreover, lowest fish mortality was significantly observed in this treatment (p < 0.05). In addition, the number of colonies formed by yeast cell in T3 (634 × 103 CFU/g intestine) showed significant difference with other treatments (p < 0.05). In sum, Artemia enriched with β‐ME‐treated yeast improved reproductive indices, immune responses, and resistance against A. hydrophila of P. latipinna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to provide a quantitative understanding of the influence of the different solution and electrospinning variables on the morphology and the mean diameter of electrospun polystyrene nanofibers. In this regard, the effect of different solvents and ionic additives on the electrical conductivity, viscosity, and surface tension of the electrospinning solutions and thereby the morphology of nanofibers were examined. The results indicated that the morphology of the fibers is extremely dependent on the solvent's properties, especially volatility and electrical conductivity, and the ionic characteristics of additives. Finally, to estimate the optimal electrospinning conditions for production of nanofibers with minimum possible diameter, modeling of the process was undertaken using the response surface methodology. Experimentally, nanofibers with the finest diameter of 169 ± 21 nm were obtained under the optimized conditions, and these could be considered promising candidates for a wide practical range of applications ranging from biosensors to filtration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess the prevalence of health‐promoting behaviours (HPBs) and their associations with some occupational factors among nurses. Background: Health‐promoting behaviours are significant indicators of health status. Nurses’ HPBs may have a direct impact on patients’ care and safety. Methods: A descriptive, questionnaire design was conducted among nursing staff (n = 136) in a district hospital in Iran during 2015. Data was collected using a two‐part questionnaire, which included the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II. Data was analysed using the Pearson correlation coefficient, and independent t and ANOVA tests (α = .05). Results: The stress‐management and physical activity dimensions had the lowest mean score and health responsibility had the highest. The HPBs of nurses with rotating/irregular shifts, contract employment, and low income were significantly lower. Conclusions: Nurses’ HPBs should be promoted in the stress management and physical activity dimensions. In this regard, contract nurses, shift nurses, and low‐income nurses are the priorities. Implications for Nursing Management: Nurse managers should give more attention to promote nurses’ HPBs especially in the areas of stress management and physical activity through implementation of healthy lifestyle programs. Nursing policy makers should give attention to permanent recruitment and improving salary as a strategy to improve nurses’ HPBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Candida-associated denture stomatitis (CADS) is a common fungal infection in people who wear dentures. The main objective of this study was to make molecular identification of causative agents of CADS and in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST) in the Iranian patients with denture stomatitis. Methods. A total of 134 Candida spp. were obtained from patients with denture stomatitis. The Candida spp. were identified using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) involving the universal internal transcribed spacer (ITS1 and ITS4) primers, which were subjected to digestion with MspI and BlnI restriction enzymes. The in vitro antifungal susceptibility of Candida spp. to fluconazole (FLC), terbinafine (TRB), itraconazole (ITC), voriconazole (VRC), posaconazole (POS), ketoconazole (KET), amphotericin B (AMB), and caspofungin (CAS) was evaluated using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute M27-A3 and M27-S4 guidelines. Results. Overall, C. albicans was the most commonly isolated species (n=84; 62.6%), followed by C. glabrata (n=23; 17.2%), C. tropicalis (n=16; 12%), and C. parapsilosis (n=11; 8.2%). Posaconazole had the lowest geometric mean minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) (0.03 μg/ml), followed by AMB (0.05 μg/ml), ITC (0.08 μg/ml), VRC (0.11 μg/ml), CAS (0.12 μg/ml), KET (0.15 μg/ml), and FLC (0.26 μg/ml). Discussion. Our study showed that C. albicans was most prevalent in Iranian patients with CADS and was susceptible to both azoles and amphotericin B. In addition, POS could be an appropriate alternative to the current antifungal agents used for the treatment of CADS, as well as in the treatment of recurrent candidiasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Combined effect of montmorillonite nanoclay (MMT) (3%w/w) and Origanum majorana essential oil (MO) (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5%v/v) on microstructural (SEM, TEM, and XRD), water sensitivity, barrier, mechanical, thermal, and antibacterial properties of sodium alginate (SA) was studied. Results showed that, addition of both MMT and MO reduced water solubility of SA film up to 47% while MO increased water vapor permeability of SA/MMT films. MO improved surface hydrophobicity of SA/MMT film but tensile strength tend to decrease when both MMT and MO (≥ 1%v/v) were added into film formulation. The nanocomposite film inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus at 1.5% MO concentration confirming the functionality of the films. Finally, combined application of MMT and MO could provide a tool for developing an active SA film with minimized side effects caused by the hydrophobic nature of the essential oil. Practical application: Huge amounts of synthetic packaging materials used during last decades has caused serious environmental problems resulting great efforts by both governments and researchers for finding innovative alternatives for the conventional packaging materials. Biodegradable packaging materials has been introduced as a promising solution for the problem. Biodegradable packaging materials like biopolymer based films can be produced from proteins, carbohydrate and lipids and can be replaced or complement traditional packaging systems. Up to now, biopolymer‐based packaging materials have been partially successfully used to prolong the shelf life of food products. However, there are still new developments in various fields and from various perspectives worth reporting. This study developed and characterized a biodegradable and antimicrobial nanocomposite films by incorporating MMT nanoparticles and marjoram essential oil in sodium alginate matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: In this study, the authors employed a good dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) within the phase change material (PCM)/polymer (polyethylene glycol/polyacrylonitrile) electrospinning solution to enhance the thermal properties of shape‐stabilized phase change nanocomposite nanofibers (SPCNNs). In this regard, nanofibers with and without MWCNTs were produced (with approximately similar diameters), and the effect of a good dispersion of MWCNTs on the thermal, physical, and mechanical properties of the nanofibrous samples was evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were utilized to observe the surface morphology and interior structures of electrospun nanofibers, respectively. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis were utilized to evaluate the degree of crystallinity (DOC) and thermal stability of the samples, respectively. The DSC results of phase change nanofibers (PCNs) and the phase change nanocomposite nanofibers (PCNNs) confirmed that the presence of MWCNTs extremely boosts the DOC of nanofibers (44.69% and 93.64% for PCNs and PCNNs, respectively), which can be attributed to the nucleation effect of MWCNTs. Moreover, the X‐ray diffraction pattern and tensile test results showed that the presence of MWCNTs can affect the average size of crystals and mechanical strength of nanofibers, respectively. Altogether, the present study demonstrates that the SPCNNs have good mechanical and thermal properties and appropriate potential for use in numerous thermal energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the design, simulation, implementation, and experimental results of a highly efficient, concurrent dual-band, gallium nitride (GaN), class-AB power amplifier (PA) at two frequencies: 1.84 and 3.5 GHz. It proposes a novel dual-band bandpass filter (DBBPF) with quad-section stepped-impedance resonators (SIRs) capable of rejecting the annoying frequencies of the second and third harmonics in the dual-band. The proposed DBBPF was applied in the design of a dual-band PA using a packaged 10 W GaN transistor. The PA prototype maintained a peak power-added efficiency (PAE) of 75.3% at the 1.84 GHz frequency and 64.5% at the 3.5 GHz frequency. For a continuous wave output power of 40.9 dBm, the measured gain was 13 dB in the two frequency bands. Linearized modulated measurements, concurrently using 10 MHz quadrature amplitude modulation (16 QAM) signals and worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) signals, showed an average PAE of 48.5% and 39.8% and an adjacent channel leakage ratio of −46 and −45 dBc with an average output power of 37.8 and 36.8 dBm at the two frequency bands, respectively. This PA is used for wireless systems. It is especially useful in standard simultaneous global system for mobile (GSM) and WiMAX wireless systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background andAim. Depression is the most common psychological disorder in hemodialysis patientswhich decreases their quality of life and increases the mortality. This study was conducted to assess the effect of regular exercise on depression in hemodialysis patients. Methods. In a randomized clinical trial, 51 hemodialysis patients were allocated in two groups. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scale was used to assessing depression rate in participants. Designed program was educated using poster and face-to-face methods for case group. Intervention was carried out three times a week for ten weeks. At the beginning and the end of the study, depression rate of the subjectswas assessed. Datawas analyzed by SPSS16 software and descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings. According to the results of this study, there were no differences between case and control groups in depression rate at the beginning of the study, but there was significant difference after intervention (P = 0.016). In the beginning of the study, the mean and SD of depression in case group were 23.8 ± 9.29 and reduced to 11.07 ± 12.64 at the end (P < 0.001). Conclusion. The regular exercise program could reduce the depression in hemodialysis patients; therefore it is suggested for training this program for hemodialysis patients. This trial is registered with Iranian Registry of Clinical Trial (IRCT) number IRCT201205159763N1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]