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The deficiency of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron leads to severe disorders in human body organs. This study introduces Dooshab as a food source of these useful elements. The Dooshab which translates to grape syrup is widely used in Iran. In the traditional method of the Dooshab production, the white soil is added to the grape juice and the mixture is boiled. After cooling, it is filtered. To get the syrup, the filtered juice is boiled again and concentrated. In this research, grape juice was divided into two equal parts. A known amount of white soil was added to one of the samples. Then, both samples were boiled and left to cool down. After paper filtering, the pH of each sample was measured. Heating was continued until liquids were concentrated and converted to syrup. Both samples which are produced from using mud-boiled up the stage and skipping this step were diluted to fixed volumes. Similar amounts of two samples were ashed and dissolved in distilled water and tested. The atomic absorption spectroscopy, spectrophotometry, and flame atomic emission spectroscopy techniques were used for quantitative analyses. The calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium quantity are 12 mg, 6.82 mg, 2.32 mg, and 250 mg in 25 mL of the Dooshab and 1.75 mg, 0.65 mg, 1.28 mg, and 65 mg in 25 mL of grape sauce, respectively. This study demonstrates that boiling of grape juice with the white soil decreases the acidity and increases the amounts of useful elements in grape syrup.

The late glacial - early Holocene transition is a key period in the earth's history. However, although this transition is well studied in Europe, it is not well constrained in the Middle East and palaeohydrological records with robust chronologies remain scarce from this region. Here we present an interesting hydrobiological record showing a major environmental change occurring in the Dasht-e Arjan Wetland (southwestern Iran, near to Persepolis) during the late glacial - early Holocene transition (ca. 11 650 years cal BP). We use subfossil chironomids (Insecta: Diptera) as a proxy for hydrological changes and to reconstruct lake-level fluctuations. The Arjan wetland was a deep lake during the Younger Dryas marked by a dominance of Chironomus plumosus/anthracinus-type, taxa adapted to anoxic conditions of deep waters. At the beginning of the Holocene, a drastic decrease (more than 80% to less than 10%) of Chironomus plumosus/anthracinus-type, combined with diversification of littoral taxa such as Polypedilum nubeculosum-type, Dicrotendipes nervosus-type, and Glyptotendipes pallens-type, suggests a lake-level decrease and a more vegetalized aquatic environment. We compare and contrast the chironomid record of Arjan with a similar record from northwestern Iran. The palaeoclimatic significance of the record, at a local and regional scale, is subsequently discussed. The increase in Northern Hemisphere temperatures, inferred by geochemical data from NGRIP, at the beginning of the Holocene best explains the change from the Younger Dryas highstand to early Holocene lowstand conditions in the Dasht-e Arjan wetland. However, a contribution of the meltwater inflow from small local glaciers in the catchment basin is not excluded. Key words: Younger Dryas, climate change, Karst, lake-level change, Zagros. La transition tardiglaciaire - Holocene precoce represente une periode cle de l'histoire de la terre. Si cette transition est bien etudiee en Europe, ce n'est toutefois pas le cas au Moyen-Orient, et les profils paleohydrologiques associes a des chronologies robustes demeurent rares pour cette region. Nous presentons unprofil hydrobiologique interessant qui montre un important changement environnemental s'etant produit dans la zone humide de Dasht-e Arjan (sud-ouest de l'Iran, pres de Persepolis) durant la transition tardiglaciaire-Holocene precoce (vers 11 650 ans cal BP). Nous utilisons des subfossiles de chironomides (insectes : dipteres) comme indicateurs de changements hydrologiques et pour reconstituer les fluctuations du niveau de lacs. Le milieu humide d'Arjan etait un lac profond durant le Dryas recent, caracterise par une preponderance de taxons de type Chironomus plumosus/anthracinus adaptes aux conditions anoxiques des eaux profondes. Une baisse drastique (de plus de 80 % a moins de 10 %) de ces taxons au debut de l'Holocene, combinee a la diversification de taxons littoraux de types Polypedilum nubeculosum, Dicrotendipes nervosus et Glyptotendipes pallens, indiquerait une baisse du niveau du lac et un milieu aquatique plus vegetalise. Nous comparons le profil des chironomides d'Arjan a un profil semblable du nord-ouest de l'Iran. La signification paleoclimatique du profil, aux echelles locales et regionales, est ensuite abordee. L'augmentation des temperatures dans l'hemisphere nord audebut del'Holocene, infereeapartir dedonnees geochimiques duNGRIP, est cequi expliquele mieux le passage deconditions dehaut niveau du Dryas recent aux conditions debas niveau del'Holocene precoce dans la zone humide de Dasht-e Arjan. Un effet de l'apport d'eau de fonte de petits glaciers locaux dans le bassin versant n'est toutefois pas exclu. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction The late Pleistocene to early Holocene transition marks the final part of the 'Last Glacial - Interglacial Transition' or 'Last Termination' (Lowe and Walker 1997; Hoek et al. 2008). [...]

This study presents a long-term, multi-proxy reconstruction of the Asian southwest monsoon during the Tortonian to Piacenzian, based on a 4.78 Ma record from Coastal Makran, northwestern Gulf of Oman, southeast Iran. The integration of humidity proxies (clay minerals, Th/K, volume magnetic susceptibility, and grain size analysis), marine redox sensitivity (Th/U), total organic matter, carbonate content, [.sup.87]Sr/[.sup.86]Sr ratio, and spectral gamma-ray data conducted here provide valuable information that fill the existing gap in marine palaeoclimate records. The results show that a strong winter monsoon condition associated with relatively low precipitation and subsequently low physical and chemical weathering dominated the region during late Tortonian--late Messinian (7.65-5.83 Ma). However, a few episodes of intense physical and chemical weathering related to high precipitation are observed during this period (6.23-6.01 Ma), which is consistent with increased organic matter input from continental reservoirs to the oceans. In addition, the data indicate that from the latest Messinian (5.82-5.33 Ma) to Zanclean-Piacenzian (5.33-2.87 Ma), a strong summer monsoon accompanied by a relatively wetter condition and higher physical and chemical weathering resulted in a high detrital input into the basin. This higher weathering period is associated with the highest rate of Himalayan uplift, causing enhanced precipitation. Wavelet analysis of spectral gamma-ray data revealed notable periodicities at 750 Ka and 1.7 Ma, with significant periodicities centered around 5.75-6.03 Ma over the latest Messinian--Zanclean. Comparison with palaeoclimate records from other sites indicates a teleconnection with respect to precipitation, weathering, and productivity, especially during the Messinian--Zanclean transition. Resume : Nous presentons une reconstitution de longue duree reposant sur plusieurs variables substitutives de la mousson du Sud-Ouest asiatique, du Tortonien au Piacenzien, etablie a la lumiere d'un registre de 4,78 millions d'annees de la region cotiere de Makran du nord-ouest du golfe d'Oman (sud-est de l'Iran). L'integration de variables substitutives de l'humidite (mineraux argileux, Th/K, susceptibilite magnetique volumique et granulometrie), de la sensibilite a l'oxydoreduction marine (Th/U), des matieres organiques totales, du contenu en carbonate, du [.sup.87]Sr/[.sup.86]Sr et de donnees de spectrometrie gamma fournit de l'information importante qui comble une lacune existante dans les profils paleoclimatiques marins durant la periode etudiee dans cette region. Les resultats montrent que des conditions de forte mousson hivernale associees a des precipitations relativement faibles, suivies d'une faible alteration physique et chimique predominaient dans la region du Tortonien tardif au Messinien tardif (de 7,65 a 5,83 Ma). Quelques episodes d'alteration physique et chimique intense associee a de fortes precipitations sont toutefois observes durant cette periode (de 6,23 a 6,01 Ma), ce qui concorde avec un apport accru aux oceans de matiere organique provenant de reservoirs continentaux. En outre, les donnees indiquent que, du Messinien sommital (de 5,82 a 5,33 Ma) au Zancleen-Piacenzien (de 5,33 a 2,87 Ma), une forte mousson estivale etait accompagnee de conditions relativement humides et d'une plus forte alteration physique et chimique qui se sont traduites par un fort apport detritique dans le bassin. Cette periode d'alteration accrue est associee au taux le plus eleve de soulevement himalayen a l'origine des precipitations accrues. L'analyse par ondelettes de donnees de spectrometrie gamma revele des periodicites marquees a 750 Ka et 1,7 Ma, dont des periodicites significatives centrees autour de 5,75 a 6,03 Ma au Messinien sommital-Zancleen. La comparaison des resultats aux archives paleoclimatiques pour d'autres sites indique une teleconnexion des precipitations, de l'alteration et de la productivite, particulierement durant la transition du Messinien au Zancleen. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction The Asian monsoon, an atmospheric circulation pattern, governs the climatic conditions of the entire continent of Asia. It is comprised of the Indian Summer monsoon, East Asian monsoon, and [...]

Background and Objectives: Nowadays, with the appearance of competitive environment, quality of services is important. The sector of health has a special status compared with other sectors of services. Patients determine the quality of services that are provided by hospitals which are regarded as large and complex service organizations within the health system. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived service quality, perceived services value, patients’ satisfaction, word of mouth advertising and tendency to patients’ return. Material and Methods: This study was a descriptive and functional and from aspect of results, is practical and was done by one cross-sectional and fieldwork. The sample of study of 135 health care receivers, who were referred at least once from Feiz eye clinic in Isfahan were selected by using Cochran formula and stratified with random sampling. The data collected with a questionnaire which its reliability and validity were confirmed. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS and Smart PLS2 software. Results: The findings showed that all indices have acceptable load factor. Perceived service quality had a significant positive impact on perceived value (0.57) and patient satisfaction (0.28). Perceived value had a significant positive effect on patients’ satisfaction and patients’ return. Also, patients’ satisfaction had effect on word of mouth advertising and word of mouth advertising had effect on the patients’ return. Conclusion: The results of the study indicated that perceived value and patients’ satisfaction meditate between the relationship of perceived service quality and patients’ return. In addition, the indirect effect of perceived value on patients’ return, with changeable mediation of patients’ satisfaction is more than direct effect. Also, among the variables, patients’ satisfaction had greatest effect on patients return.

This paper focuses on heavy metal distribution patterns in sediments of central Guilan (CG) and east Mazandaran (EM) in the south Caspian Sea coasts, north of Iran. Sediment sub-samples were retrieved from core and surficial samples in different environments of marine and coastal lagoons as well as coastal outcrops. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-MS and ICP-AES) analysis were used to determine the metal chemistry. Concentration of the selected heavy metals exhibited variations through sediment samples which are partially related to grain size and organic matter content. Geoaccumulation index and statistical procedures have been implemented for analyzing the absolute metal values. Result of the geoaccumulation index demonstrated that the metal distribution reflects the influence of geological background of the watershed area. Some elements including Pb, Ni, Cu, Sr and Ba showed elevated concentration in the CG that could be attributed to development of industrial activities. A comparison of the metal concentration in the marine sediments and the Late Holocene outcrops revealed that the level of the metals concentration at the sea generally corresponds to natural background. The northern part of Iranian multi-lithological catchments basin is the main source for the sediments that drained by the rivers to the South Caspian Sea basin.

Palustrine carbonates are frequently found with active and dried karstic springs in the foothills of the mountains bordering the Persepolis Basin, southwest Iran. A combination of geological conditions favours their formation, including (i) the presence of karstic limestone aquifers in the limbs of anticlines cut through by fault systems; (ii) very gentle slopes from the spring resurgence point towards the centre of the alluvial plain, creating a flat waterlogged area; and (iii) a semiarid climate with marked precipitation seasonality or significant fluctuations in water discharge and wetland water table. We suggest the term 'anastomosing wetlands' or 'anastomosing palustrine environments' to denote the studied karstic spring-fed carbonate wetlands, because of similarities with anastomosing river systems in aerial view. The common presence of extended anastomosing wetland carbonatesin the Persepolis Basin and adjacent basins in the central and southern Zagros suggests that they can play an important role in the geological records of collision-related basin-and-range settings dominated by karstic limestones. Karstic spring wetlands are a main source of fresh water hosting a rich biodiversity, which attracts human communities, whose impact is visible in the archaeological material imbedded in the wetland stratigraphy. Fresh water availability, through these spring wetlands, partly explains why the semiarid Persepolis region was selected by successive civilizations, from Elamites to Persians until early Islamic entities, to establish regional centres throughout the period from the third millennium B.C. to the first millennium A.D. Only a few of these ecosystems have survived the intensive human activities of recent decades. Des carbonates palustres sont frequemment associes a des sources karstiques actives et assechees dans le contrefort des montagnes bordant le bassin de Persepolis, dans le sud-ouest de l'Iran. Une combinaison de conditions geologiques favorise leur formation, a savoir: i) la presence d'aquiferes de calcaires karstiques dans les flans d'anticlinaux decoupes par des systemes de failles, ii) les pentes tres douces des points de resurgence de sources vers le centre de la plaine alluviale, creant une zone plane saturee et iii) un climat semi-aride caracterise par une saisonnalite marquee des precipitations ou d'importantes fluctuations de l'ecoulement de l'eau et de la nappe phreatique dans les zones humides. Nous proposons le terme << zones humides anastomosees >> ou << milieux palustres anastomoses >> pour designer les zones humides a carbonates karstiques alimentees par des sources en raison de similitudes qu'elles presentent en vue aerienne avec des reseaux hydrographiques anastomoses. La presence repandue de carbonates dans les zones humides anastomosees du bassin de Persepolis et des bassins voisins des parties centrales et sud des monts Zagros indiquerait qu'ils peuvent jouer un role important dans les profils geologiques des milieux de bassins et montagnes. Ces milieux sont associes a des collisions tectoniques dans lesquels predominent des calcaires karstiques. Les zones humides karstiques alimentees par des sources constituent une source d'eau douce majeure abritant une grande diversite biologique qui attire les collectivites humaines, dont l'impact est visible dans le materiel archeologique present dans la stratig-raphie des zones humides. La disponibilite d'eau douce qu'offrent ces zones humides alimentees par des sources explique en partie pourquoi la region semi-aride de Persepolis a ete retenue par des civilisations successives, des Elamites aux Perses jusqu'aux premieres entites islamiques, pour y etablir des centres regionaux durant toute la periode allant du 3e] millenaire avant notre ere au 1er millenaire de notre ere. Seuls quelques-uns de ces ecosystemes ont survecu a l'intense activite humaine des recentes decennies. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Palustrine carbonates are continental carbonates deposited in marginal shallow lake environments or wetland systems, later modified by subaerial exposure and pedogenic processes (Alonso-Zarza 2003; Alonso-Zarza and Wright 2009a). They [...]

Security problems and barriers are one of the most fundamental issues in information systems. Security has long been regarded as an integral part of IT infrastructure. In this regard, the present research aimed to identify the effective components of information security management in Iran's Offshore Oil Company Information Technology. The population of this research includes Iran's Offshore Oil Company IT managers and experts. The research is considered as mixed method in nature. In the qualitative section, the effectiveness components were identified using semi-structured interviews. Then these identified components were developed in the form of a secondary questionnaire and proposed to the population so the necessary data were collected. Data analysis was performed using SPSS20 and Lisrel software. The results of the research showed the components related to technical human, managerial, leadership, financial and economic issues, components related to management and leadership issues affecting information security management of information technology department of Iran's offshore oil company.

AbstractThe Persian Gulf is one of the earliest locations where sailing and maritime navigation originated. The Iranian coasts along the northern side of the Persian Gulf have played a key role in maritime history and its development due to the favorable natural and geographical conditions and access to major historical land routes. However, archaeological evidence of ancient ports and maritime activities in this area is scarce and limited to only a few poorly studied sites. This research aimed to identify several potential ancient ports in this region using ground penetrating radar and surface archaeological survey to verify the historical investigations that suggested them as potential ancient ports. The results confirmed that most of the nine suggested sites we investigated had archaeological evidence of maritime activities, but only four of them had buried structures with the others having only surficial evidence. These sites were also threatened by human activity, looting, and encroaching. This study not only highlights the rich and diverse maritime cultural heritage of the northern coast of the Persian Gulf, but emphasizes that more attention and protection needs to be made of this unique heritage, especially in the context of climate change and the need for Iran’s economic diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Hypothyroidism is the most prevalent cause of mental dysfunctions. The rate of this problem in Iran is higher than the average rate of the world. Other studies have shown different prevalence rates of this disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of caesarean operation on the increase of hypothyroidism. Methods: This study was a case-control study performed on the newborns in Chadegan County during 2016-2017. The number of cases (TSH >3.5) was 84 and the number of controls (TSH ≤3.5) was 176. After matching at individual and group levels,analysis was done based on odds ratio and the confidence interval. Results: This study showed that there was no relationship between caesarean and hypothyroidism (odds ratio [OR] = 1.235) with the confidence interval of 0.73-2.08. Conclusion: This study did not show any relationship between caesarean and hypothyroidism and therefore the role of other risk factors especially genetic and environmental risk factors should be emphasized. Other studies also reported such relationship.

Work alienation, its causes and effects are among the key issues in the organizational and management sciences. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of job characteristics and perceived organizational support on work alienation. All the expert personnel of a governmental company in an electrical industry located in Shiraz were the population of this study out of whom 131 were randomly selected to complete the standard questionnaire. The present study is a descriptive-correlational study. The Data analysis was done via SEM using Smart PLS 2.0. The results showed that organizational support and job characteristics have a significant negative effect on work alienation. The job characteristic variable has a higher explanatory power in the changes occurring in work alienation variable

Purpose: Integrins are heterodimeric membrane proteins, which are exposed to post translational modifications in eukaryotic cells in contrast to prokaryotic cells. These modifications provide advantages for production of proper nanobody, mono and polyclonal antibody against this surface protein and also in aptamer selection process. Since the majority of diagnostic and therapeutic antibodies, target the surface epitopes, eukaryotic membrane proteins provide an appropriate model for further investigation on therapeutic agents. Methods: Escherichia coli strain top 10, was used as host for ITGA-4 expression vector encoding the human integrin α4. The plasmid was extracted and consequently, ITGA-4 vector was digested to make a linear plasmid. Human Embryonic Kidney-293 (HEK-293) cell transfected with linear plasmid and subsequently screened for stable ITGA-4 expressing Cells. Three separated clones were isolated twenty one days after transfection. Chromosomal DNA was extracted from ITGA-4-transfected cells. The presence of ITGA-4 gene in HEK-293 genome was confirmed by PCR. The expression level of ITGA-4 on HEK-293 cells was also analyzed by Flow cytometry. Results: Flow cytometric analysis showed that HEK-293 cells have no expression of integrin α4 on their surface while 95% of transfected HEK-293 cells with ITGA4, expressed different levels of integrin α4 on their surfaces which correlates well with genomic DNA PCR amplification results. Conclusions: The results suggest that we have successfully constructed the integrin α4 expressing HEK293 cell, which will facilitate further research into the production of antibody, nanobody and aptamer against α4 integrin.

Background: Dislocated lens fragments in the vitreous cavity can cause potentially serious complications. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the visual outcome of patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for posteriorly dislocated lens fragments after cataract phacoemulsification. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on all consecutive cases (60 patients) with pars plana vitrectomy performed for retained lens fragment. In 30 eyes (50%), PPV was performed within 1 week of cataract extraction and in 30 eyes (50 %), PPV was performed more than 1 week post cataract extraction from July 2005 through August 2008. Results: In the late vitrectomy group, 66.6% of eyes developed persistent uveitis, 53.3% of eyes showed elevated intra-ocular pressure (IOP) and 5 eyes retinal detachment. In early PPV group 16.6% developed uveitis and 20% showed elevated IOP and one eye retinal detachment. The final visual acuity was 20 ± 50 in early PPV and 20 ± 200 in late PPV group (mean ± SD, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The early use of PPV to remove posterior dislocated lens fragments within the first week was shown to be advantageous. The inflammatory response was less pronounced, IOP rose less significant, the incidence of retinal detachment was lower and visual recovery was faster.

Main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is considered one of the key targets due to its role in viral replication. The use of traditional phytochemicals is an important part of complementary/alternative medicine, which also accompany the concept of temperament, where it has been shown that hot medicines cure cold and cold medicines cure hot, with cold and hot pattern being associated with oxidative and anti-oxidative properties in medicine, respectively. Molecular docking in this study has demonstrated that a number of anti-oxidative and hot temperament-based phytochemicals have high binding affinities to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, both in the monomeric and dimeric deposited states of the protein. The highest ranking phytochemicals identified in this study included savinin, betulinic acid and curcumin. Complexes of savinin, betulinic acid, curcumin as well as Nirmatrelvir (the only approved inhibitor, used for comparison) bound to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro were further subjected to molecular dynamics simulations. Subsequently, RMSD, RMSF, Rg, number of hydrogen bonds, binding free energies and residue contributions (using MM-PBSA) and buried surface area (BSA), were analysed. The computational results suggested high binding affinities of savinin, betulinic acid and curcumin to both the monomeric and dimeric deposited states of Mpro, while highlighting the lower binding energy of betulinic acid in comparison with savinin and curcumin and even Nirmatrelvir, leading to a greater stability of the betulinic acid-SARS-CoV-2 Mpro complex. Overall, based on the increasing mutation rate in the spike protein and the fact that the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro remains highly conserved, this study provides an insight into the use of phytochemicals against COVID-19 and other coronavirus diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is considered one of the key targets due to its role in viral replication. The use of traditional phytochemicals is an important part of complementary/alternative medicine, which also accompany the concept of temperament, where it has been shown that hot medicines cure cold and cold medicines cure hot, with cold and hot pattern being associated with oxidative and anti-oxidative properties in medicine, respectively. Molecular docking in this study has demonstrated that a number of anti-oxidative and hot temperament-based phytochemicals have high binding affinities to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, both in the monomeric and dimeric deposited states of the protein. The highest ranking phytochemicals identified in this study included savinin, betulinic acid and curcumin. Complexes of savinin, betulinic acid, curcumin as well as Nirmatrelvir (the only approved inhibitor, used for comparison) bound to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro were further subjected to molecular dynamics simulations. Subsequently, RMSD, RMSF, Rg, number of hydrogen bonds, binding free energies and residue contributions (using MM-PBSA) and buried surface area (BSA), were analysed. The computational results suggested high binding affinities of savinin, betulinic acid and curcumin to both the monomeric and dimeric deposited states of Mpro, while highlighting the lower binding energy of betulinic acid in comparison with savinin and curcumin and even Nirmatrelvir, leading to a greater stability of the betulinic acid-SARS-CoV-2 Mpro complex. Overall, based on the increasing mutation rate in the spike protein and the fact that the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro remains highly conserved, this study provides an insight into the use of phytochemicals against COVID-19 and other coronavirus diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common and associated with higher risk of death. Neutrophil geletinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a small 25 kDa glycoprotein, a member of lipocalin superfamily that released at the response of cellular stress from different cells. In addition, NGAL was studied as an iron regulatory glycoprotein and regulator of iron related gene. The aim of the current study was to determine any association between serum NGAL and body iron status markers in children on chronic dialysis. Materials and Methods: This correlation study was carried out between May 2012 and May 2013 and evaluated all dialysis patients less than 19 years in pediatric dialysis centers in Isfahan that didn′t have exclusion criteria. They were 40 children, including 23 persons on hemodialysis (HD) and 17 persons dialyzed by peritoneal dialysis (PD). Furthermore, we selected 40 children as healthy controls. We examined the relationship between plasma NGAL levels and indices of anemia such as ferritin, transferrin saturation (TSAT) and serum iron (SI) in dialysis children. Results: Serum NGAL level in children on chronic dialysis (group including both PD and HD patients) was significantly higher than healthy controls (P = 0.008). Furthermore, in this group Serum NGAL level had inverse correlation with TSAT (P = 0.04, r = −0.22), SI (P = 0.04, r = −0.2), white blood cells (P = 0.045, r = −0.26) and serum ferritin (P = 0.006, r = −0.3). In addition, HD patients had higher serum NGAL level than PD patients (P = 0.048). Conclusion: High serum NGAL level in low TSAT group demonstrated that NGAL probably has an important role in IDA in children on chronic dialysis; therefore, it can be a new marker for diagnosis of IDA in CKD.

Background & Objectives: Malnutrition among children under five year is a significant public health index. The aim of study was to estimate the prevalence of malnutrition in under 5 years old children in Chadegan (area district city) parish of in Isfahan, Iran. Methods: This was a community-based cross-sectional study. It was carried out on all randomly selected households with children age under five years old in rural and urban area of Chadegan in 2010 year. Demographic information was collected via household and a standardized questionnaire was administered to mothers or guardians and trained personnel measured weight and height or length. Results: The results revealed that prevalence of malnutrition’s based on wasting, underweighting and stunting and obesity were 17.8%, 34.5%, 37% and 2.2% respectively. The main contributing factors for wasting were found to be child’s age, habitat, onset of complementary food, history of disease, hospitalization (P

Historical literature may constitute a valuable source of information to reconstruct sea-level changes. Here, historical documents and geological records have been combined to reconstruct Caspian sea-level (CSL) changes during the last millennium. In addition to a comprehensive literature review, new data from two short sediment cores were obtained from the south-eastern Caspian coast to identify coastal change driven by water-level changes and to compare the results with other geological and historical findings. The overall results indicate a high-stand during the Little Ice Age, up to −21 m (and extra rises due to manmade river avulsion), with a −28 m low-stand during the Medieval Climate Anomaly, while presently the CSL stands at −26.5 m. A comparison of the CSL curve with other lake systems and proxy records suggests that the main sea-level oscillations are essentially paced by solar irradiance. Although the major controller of the long-term CSL changes is driven by climatological factors, the seismicity of the basin creates local changes in base level. These local base-level changes should be considered in any CSL reconstruction.

The fast and ever-increasing progress in Information Technology (IT) area and their role in helping firms to improve their performance cause them to depend on IT day by day. At the same time, few studies have been conducted in this area, so the mechanism and effects of IT on Iranian firm’s value chains are unclear. Therefore, it is necessary to study in this area. This study is a descriptive survey. The statistical population of the research is composed of Iranian exemplary exporter manufacturer companies that have elected since 2004 to 2010 by the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran. Data gathering instrument was questionnaire and path analysis technique has been used for the purpose of data analysis. The research has three main hypotheses and three sub-hypotheses. The conceptual research model has four variables including: IT process infrastructure, the speed desirability of value chain process and the cost and accuracy of that. The findings indicate that the IT process infrastructure of firms has directly effect on the speed and accuracy of the value chin processes. Moreover, IT has indirect effect on cost desirability of value chain processes through effecting on speed of that value chain.