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Air pollution has significant detrimental impacts on the environmental compartments and human health. The present study investigates the interactions between selected air pollutants, including CO, O3, NO2, SO2, PM10, and PM2.5, in Tehran megacity, the capital of Iran, using statistical modeling and simulating approaches. Data on selected air pollutants have been extracted from 16 sensors across Tehran during 2013–2022. Using the development of three machine learning models, including XGBoost (XGB), LightGBM (LGBM) and Random Forest (RF), significant relationships between the air pollutants were observed. The comparison of the models demonstrated that the RF model has the highest level of optimality in forecasting the concentrations of CO, O3, NO2, and SO2 (R2CO = 0.63, R2O3 = 0.6, R2NO2 = 0.54, R2SO2 = 0.55). The LGBM model provided higher optimality for NO2 and PM2.5 (R2NO2 = 0.56, R2PM2.5 = 0.88), while the XGB model exhibited higher accuracy for the PM10 (R2PM10 = 0.88). Regarding the results obtained from the statistical models, it can be inferred that the RF model has superior performance in the forecasting of gaseous pollutants. Moreover, the XGB and LGBM models exhibited comparable performance and therefore may be regarded as appropriate options for PM prediction. The findings from the simulations indicated that a rise in an individual pollutant likely leads to an increase in other pollutants. Consequently, implementing air quality management strategies for a specific pollutant meaningfully, directly influences other pollutants, highlighting the significance of considering the chemical aspect of air pollutants interaction and enforcing air pollution management rules.

Introduction The contemporary world is characterized by continuous and extensive events and transformations. Among these, the geographic mobility of people stands out as one of the most significant aspects of human history. Humans are inherently migratory and migration has formed a persistent thread throughout our past. This phenomenon, whether on a macro or micro level, is complex and multifaceted; it cannot be attributed to a single cause or explained by a mere combination of theories. Rather, a variety of factors collectively drive individuals or groups to migrate. In recent years, Yazd has emerged as an industrial hub in central Iran. The abundance of job opportunities, stemming from mining activities and the growth of various service and industrial sectors, has made Yazd an attractive destination for many internal migrants and those from abroad. A significant number of these migrants hail from Sistan and Baluchestan, which has become the fifth largest source of migration to Yazd, according to the population census conducted between 2011 and 2016. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the migration of people from Sistan and Baluchestan to Yazd, focusing on the central question: What factors in Sistan and Baluchestan drive these individuals to relocate to the city of Yazd? Materials & Methods This research aimed to explore the migration of people from Sistan and Baluchestan to Yazd City. The study was conducted in Yazd in 2023 by employing qualitative methods and purposive sampling, involving semi-structured interviews with 13 participants. Data analysis was carried out using thematic analysis techniques. Given the variety of models available for thematic analysis, this research adopted a comprehensive, step-by-step approach that integrated methods proposed by Attride-Stirling, Braun and Clarke, and King and Horrocks. Discussion of Results & Conclusion The data analysis revealed 6 main themes: unfavorable conditions, challenging livelihoods, feelings of systemic rejection, de-tension, constraints of separation, and pursuit of progress. Among these, the most significant factor influencing the migration of people from Sistan and Baluchestan was the challenging nature of their livelihoods, which stemmed from the unfavorable conditions in the province. Sistan and Baluchestan is underdeveloped in terms of both natural resources and welfare infrastructure and residents feel that no substantial efforts have been made toward improvement. The migrants from this region expressed concerns about issues, such as water shortages, severe storms, droughts, high temperatures, and a lack of welfare and educational facilities. These challenges had contributed to an environment that many considered unsuitable for living. As a result, they had experienced difficult livelihoods characterized by inadequate employment opportunities and insufficient income, which had motivated their decision to migrate. In addition to these critical factors, feelings of systemic rejection had further reinforced the desire to migrate. Many people believed that effective policies for welfare and provincial development had not been implemented and they felt that local residents were not adequately involved in addressing the region's challenges. This perception—that the province was unlikely to embark on a path toward development and that individual growth necessitated migration—had become a significant driving force behind the movement to Yazd. Another contributing factor was the desire for de-tension as the migrants had sought to escape the anti-normative behaviors prevalent in their home province and avoided social issues, such as addiction, smuggling, and theft, while searching for greater security in Yazd. However, upon migrating, the individuals had encountered various constraints, including identity distortion. Many expressed dissatisfaction with how they were perceived by others, feeling that they were unjustly viewed as undesirable, subjected to humiliation and ridicule, and, at times, even questioned about their Iranian identity. Additionally, the pressures of adaptation had posed challenges, particularly in the initial stages of migration as they had to acclimate to the conditions of their new city. Alienation was another significant aspect of their experience. While migrants might have clan, family, and acquaintances in Yazd, they often felt a lack of meaningful connections, leading to feelings of estrangement. Despite these challenges, migrants remained determined to pursue opportunities for advancement, adapting to obstacles in order to improve their personal growth and living standards—conditions that were unavailable in their home city but were present in the more developed Yazd. Overall, migrants reported a sense of satisfaction with their decision to move as they perceived better prospects for personal and familial growth. This analysis indicated that while economic factors were the primary motivation for migration from Sistan and Baluchestan, social, cultural, and political elements also played significant roles. Consequently, addressing these issues—through investment, development, and creation of job opportunities—required the attention of policymakers to ensure the strategic position of the province was maintained with a balanced population.

Background and objectives: The significant expansion of postgraduate university education programmes in Iran, particularly at the Master’s level, has resulted in a substantial portion of research, including architecture and urban planning, being conducted in the form of Master’s theses. The thesis is the main research activity in the Master’s degree programme, and hence the great importance of its preparation process, particularity the selection the topic. A review of the literature reveals a lack of adequate research on Master’s theses in the fields of architecture and urbanism in Iran, particularlyon topic selection procedures. Therefore, the examination of these procedures and exploration of the experiences of key actors, especially supervisors, is of particular importance. This investigation can help improve the quality and efficiency of such academic endeavours. This research is an inquiry into academic staff’s experiences at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shahid Beheshti University regarding topic selection procedures, to develop a conceptual framework. On that basis, the research objectives include identifying the ‘core category’ in the process of selecting thesis topics, explaining the ‘causes’, ‘intervening conditions’, and ‘contextual conditions’ that lead to the emergence of the core category, and exploring the interaction of the supervisors with the core category and its ‘consequences’.Methods: The research is a qualitative study based on the grounded theory. The participants are 23 academic staff with considerable experiences in supervising Master’s theses from different departments of the School. The sampling method is ‘purposive’. As the initial categories emerged, subsequent participants were selected using the ‘theoretical sampling’ method until theoretical saturation of the discovered categories and concepts was achieved. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Two questions were posed to stimulate sensitivity and reflection among participants. The first question inquired about their experience in choosing thesis topics, while the second question sought their opinion on the optimal method for selecting or developing the topics. The content analysis of the transcribed interviews has been done systematically through sequential steps via ‘open’, ‘axial’ and ‘selective’ coding. Based on the axial coding, the developed categories have been classified and labelled as causal, contextual, intervening, interactive, and consequential categories. The relationships between these categories have been presented in the form of a paradigm model.Results and conclusion: Overall, the research findings indicate that the participants have experienced a ‘lack of formal and explicit strategy for topic selection in the School’ as the ‘core category’ or the main phenomenon. The study also indicates that in the absence of a formal-explicit strategy or a meaningful Big Picture, supervisors have highly relied upon their own tacit knowledge and personal views regarding the definition and mission of a Master’s thesis. This reliance has led to the development of numerous, not necessarily well-coordinated, individual-implicit strategies to inform their decisions. The causal and contextual conditions leading to the formation of the ‘core category’ include non-critical adoption of international universities’ curriculum and programmes, lack of strong institutional relations among university, industry, government and community, diversity of disciplinary cultures in the School, personal tendencies of the supervisors, and instability in the governing bylaws and academic administration. The main consequence of these conditions has been the emergence of numerous unrelated and isolated pieces of research conducted by different departments, and a lack of synergetic accumulation of research results. This study implies the significance of achieving a ‘common understanding’ about the definition and mission of a Master’s thesis among the School’s academic staff. Other research implications include the need to create a pedagogical discourse on architecture and urbanism, build sufficient capacity to carry out curricular and strategic planning at the School, embrace the existing diversity of disciplinary cultures in the School as an opportunity, foster critical thinking skills in students, and strengthen the institutional ties between university, industry, government and community.

Nowadays, the need to use natural pigments instead of artificial colorants in food has increased due to health risks. Chlorophyll is a natural colorant with antioxidant properties. Chlorophyll is a natural pigment with superior antioxidant properties. However, this pigment is unstable in the different conditions of food processing. To increase the stability of chlorophyll extracted from Ulva intestinalis algae, encapsulation of chlorophyll with maltodextrin (MD) and whey protein isolate (WPI) carriers by two drying methods including spray drying and freeze drying was achieved. The optimum combination of wall and core materials to achieve the highest response including encapsulation efficiency (EE) and chlorophyll content (CC) was obtained by response surface methodology and central composite design. The optimal chlorophyll microcapsule (Chl-M) obtained was chosen for subsequent tests containing solubility, moisture content, and antioxidant properties. The results showed that the highest EE and CC were 90.27 ± 0.21 %, 55.36 ± 0.36 μg/mL, and 90.46 ± 0.62 %, 85.85 ± 0.43 μg/mL, respectively in SD and FD. The microcapsules produced by the freeze dryer (FD) had higher antioxidant activity (79.1 ± 0.24) than the microcapsules produced by the spray dryer (SD) (67.5 ± 0.16). The highest solubility (95.32 %) and the lowest moisture content (3.7 ± 0.05) were related to the SD. Freeze drying method (FDM) had the highest EE (91.2 %), CC (89.67 μg/mL), and antioxidant properties (79.1 %). It is hoped that the encapsulated chlorophyll can be used as a health-promoting food color additive in the food industry.

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of group therapies that were based on acceptance and commitment, as well as schema on coping-avoidance style, in individuals who were obese or overweight and were experiencing emotional eating. The present study was a quasi-experimental design that included a control group and a pretest-posttest. The research population included all men and women between the ages of 21 and 50 who visited nutrition and obesity clinics in Tehran during the summer and autumn of 2019. A sample of 60 individuals was randomly assigned to three groups of 20 individuals (acceptance and commitment therapy, schema treatment, and control) using the cluster sampling method and based on entry and exit criteria. The subjects completed the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) and the General and Exclusive Avoidance Questionnaire (GASQ) in three stages: pre-test, on-test, and post-test. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 24 software, which included covariance analysis and Bonferroni's post hoc test. The results indicated that group therapies based on acceptance and commitment and schema therapy were effective in reducing the avoidance of coping styles in obese and overweight individuals with emotional excess. The experimental groups exhibited a lower level of avoidance compared to the control group. The results suggest that overweight and obese individuals can decrease their reliance on coping style avoidance through group therapy that is based on acceptance, commitment, and schema therapy.

Introduction:Divorce is a social issue that exhibits a growing trend and is characterized by a process leading up to the application and implementation of the decision. Divorce can be initiated by either a man or a woman, resulting in three types of divorce requests: the man's request for divorce, the woman's request for divorce, or mutual agreement to separate. The statistical data revealed that women tend to initiate divorce more frequently or opt for mutual agreement, while men obtain divorces in lesser numbers. In the context of divorce in Iran, men have legal advantages as they can initiate divorce more easily compared to women. Divorce is commonly perceived as a male-driven process as women typically lack the ability to unilaterally divorce their husbands, whereas men can divorce their wives without providing any specific reasons. Despite divorces predominantly being initiated by women or through mutual agreement, there are men, who no longer wish to continue their marital relationships, leading them to make the decision to divorce and terminate their shared lives. Consequently, researchers are prompted to inquire about the decision-making process among men and the narratives they construct surrounding their choice to pursue divorce. Materials & Methods:The objective of this study was to gain insights into the lived experiences of men going through divorce through storytelling with the aim of developing a cohesive narrative within a chronological framework. The research was conducted in 2023, employing a qualitative approach and utilizing the narrative analysis method. Data collection involved purposive sampling and conversational interviews were conducted with 5 men, who were in the process of divorcing. Following Riessman's categorization (2008), the narrative data analysis encompassed 4 types: thematic analysis, structural analysis, discourse analysis, and performative analysis. For this particular study, thematic analysis, specifically a combination of the methods proposed by Attride-Stirling (2001), Braun & Clarke (2006), and King & Horrocks (2010), was employed. This approach was chosen due to its step-by-step and comprehensive nature, facilitating a thorough process of thematic analysis.Discussion of Results & Conclusion:Through data analysis, 5 main themes were identified: 1) Instability of life, 2) Social pressures, 3) Redefinition of masculinity, 4) Assertion of rights, and 5) Charting a new path forward. These themes collectively represented the general narrative expressed by the participants. The decision-making process among the men to pursue divorce started with a sense of life instability. Prior to contemplating separation, the men experienced a series of conflicts and events that shook the stability, security, and foundation of the family. This included unmet expectations in areas, such as fidelity. In this study, infidelity emerged as the primary factor leading to divorce. Following infidelity, conflicts and arguments arose within the family and the men had certain basic expectations, such as consistent presence of their partners at home, being a mother to their child(ren), managing household chores, and establishing an emotional and sexual connection. Failure to meet these expectations, not due to the men demanding adherence to traditional gender roles, but rather the non-acceptance of these roles, intensified disputes. Over time, these issues extended beyond the home, becoming public and inviting interference from outsiders. Consequently, the public exposure of family problems diminished the men's dignity and reputation and eroded their decision-making authorities. This had led to social pressure as they had faced rejection and disapproval from their peers, friends, and acquaintances. In response to this pressure, they had sought to redefine masculinity, encompassing notions of power and their roles in the society. Some men, amidst conflicts and repeated mistakes, had associated financial independence with relinquishing payment of dowry. Thus, when the men had found themselves in a state of life instability compounded by personal and social pressures involving rejection, loss of dignity, and interference from others, the primary brakes on their decision-making—dowry and child custody—were removed. The dowry brake referred to either fulfilling or renouncing the dowry obligation, indicating their financial capability. The child brake involved determining post-divorce responsibilities for the children, often resulting in custody being granted to the spouse. These factors had propelled the men towards making quicker decisions and taking action towards divorce. By doing so, they had aimed to restore their reputation and address their obligations. Ultimately, the decision to divorce represented a fresh start as they sought to either remarry or embrace a new individual lifestyle. Overall, the findings of this study indicated that men, who go through divorce, endure numerous tumultuous circumstances in their lives, carefully considering all aspects before reaching a decision.

Background: Strengthening the functions of health research and taking a systematic approach to the development of science and technology are essential for overcoming current challenges in health sector. Therefore, the functional pathology of current research plays a crucial role in highlighting the gap between what is and what should be, thereby illuminating the path of scientific development in health sector with a focus on current challenges. Methods: In this study, interviews with experts, review of documents and conducting an expert panel were used. The method of data analysis is qualitative analysis with a framework analysis approach. A total of 32 experts were selected from heads of research centers, experts of the national innovation system, science and technology policy, health policy, graduate students and faculty members, senior researchers, NGOs and international experts. A review of relevant national and international documents has been done to strengthen and analyze the findings. The content analysis of the findings of two phases was carried out with a framework analysis approach and was presented in an expert panel consisting of representatives of the interviewees. The results of the panel were analyzed and to draw the future triangle consisting of the weight of the past, the push of the present and the pull of the future. Results: The findings of the study have been analyzed in the framework of the future triangle, including the weight of the history, the push of the present, and the pull of the future. The weight of the history and the push of the present were identified and analyzed in the form of past and present challenges of the health research system in seven main functions. Including stewardship and leadership, coordination of research and policymaking, translation of policies and upstream documents at the operational level of research, resource management, performance evaluation and monitoring, human resource empowerment, and evidence-informed policymaking. The pull of future includes the need to draw a coherent national macro image with a forward-looking, participatory and transparent approach, in which attention is paid to the management of conflict of interests, coherence in resource management and strengthening of intersectoral collaborations. Conclusion: The main solutions to address the current challenges in the country's health research system include agreement on concepts, a unified vision and stable procedures, strengthening the relationship between different levels of management (inter-ministerial, ministerial, and university), enhancing education and research at the level of medical ministry and universities, establishing appropriate structures for knowledge translation, strengthening national funds supporting the research, reforming the evaluation system, and undertaking a fundamental review of human resource empowerment model.

The oral microbiome potentially wields significant influence in the development of cancer. Within the human oral cavity, an impressive diversity of more than 700 bacterial species resides, making it the second most varied microbiome in the body. This finely balanced oral microbiome ecosystem is vital for sustaining oral health. However, disruptions in this equilibrium, often brought about by dietary habits and inadequate oral hygiene, can result in various oral ailments like periodontitis, cavities, gingivitis, and even oral cancer. There is compelling evidence that the oral microbiome is linked to several types of cancer, including oral, pancreatic, colorectal, lung, gastric, and head and neck cancers. This review discussed the critical connections between cancer and members of the human oral microbiota. Extensive searches were conducted across the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases to provide an up-to-date overview of our understanding of the oral microbiota’s role in various human cancers. By understanding the possible microbial origins of carcinogenesis, healthcare professionals can diagnose neoplastic diseases earlier and design treatments accordingly.

An increasing number of satellite constellations being deployed in orbit fosters the introduction of a more efficient paradigm of distributed, interconnected orbital assets to ensure better resource exploitation in orbit. This paper aims to illustrate through quantitative modeling the effects of satellites on board available resources and inter-satellite telecommunication hypotheses on the overall operations of a federated satellite system network. Key research questions addressed by this work include the performance quantification of a one hundred CubeSats federated satellite system network in terms of network response and data volume exchanged under several onboard resource constraints. The applicability of a federated satellite system to a time-critical disaster response monitoring scenario has also been verified to assess the practical implementation of such a paradigm in reduced inter-satellite communicability conditions. A distributed simulator based on the IEEE 1516–2010 standard is employed to obtain the federated satellite system network topology according to the individual satellite operations to analyze the network performances, exploiting an approach based on the network’s adjacency matrix. Despite reduced communicability, which limits the average inter-satellite link to an 8 bps time-averaged goodput due to poor onboard resources availability, the federated satellite system proves to be an auto-sufficient and decentralized paradigm, capable of responding to a time-critical scenario such as a rapid mapping request after a natural disaster in under 6 hours. As a result, this work provides the foundation for more detailed development of a federate satellite network, compliant with current radiofrequency regulations.

Background and purpose: The antibacterial properties of pomegranate have been investigated in numerous studies. The aim of this study was to compare the antimicrobial effect of pomegranate seed extract (PSE) with Minnimally Invasive (MI) fluoride varnish and also to investigate their synergistic effect on the caries-causing bacteria Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria. Materials and methods: In this in-vitro study, the antibacterial properties and the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC, respectively) of the the compounds were investigated using the disk agar diffusion test (growth inhibition halo) and the micro broth dilution test. The antibacterial activity of the methanolic extracts was studied in 5 groups: PSE, PSE and varnish, MI varnish, positive control (ampicillin and erythromycin) and negative control (sterile physiological serum). The data were analyzed using SPSS ver22 software. Results: The largest diameter of growth inhibition in S. mutans and L. acidophilus was observed in the combination of two extracts (12±0.22mm) and varnish (12±1.22mm), respectively, while the smallest diameters were recorded in PSE (8.0±1.0mm and 4.0±1.5mm, respectively). Varnish showed the lowest MICs and MBCs for both types of bacteria tested. PSE and varnish showed similar results in inhibiting the growth of S. mutans (P=0.588); however, the simultaneous use of two extracts showed significant synergistic effects (P

Fennel from the Apiaceae family is one of the most important medicinal plants that has strong antimicrobial, liver protective and antioxidant properties and has been used by humans since ancient times. The results of various studies on domestic animals have proven that adding the fennel in the diet of animals, increases digestion and growth efficiency, It improves carcass efficiency and small intestine weight and length , improves performance and health status, and improves feed conversion and body weight. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of fennel feeding on IGF1 gene expression in the rumen tissue of Kermani lambs for the first time.Materials and methodsIn this research, 30 Kermani male lambs weighing 27.5 ± 0.45 kg (eight months old) were used. After the end of the study period, the investigated animals were slaughtered for sampling and the rumen weight was recorded. Total RNA was extracted from the rumen tissue and then cDNA was synthesized. The quality of RNA and cDNA was measured using electrophoresis on agarose gel. The Pfaffl et al. method was used to analyze the Real Time PCR data.ResultsEmpty rumen weight in animals fed with fennel (780 g) was lower than animals fed with diet without fennel (890 g) (P < 0.05). The extracted total RNA was of good quality, complete, and healthy, and had two bands with sizes of S28 and S18. Electrophoresis of the amplification results of target (IGF1) and reference (GAPDH) genes in rumen tissue on agarose gel showed that the band size for the target gene is 265 bp and for the reference gene is 76 bp. By increasing the level of feeding with fennel, there was a significant increase in IGF1 gene proliferation in rumen tissue (p

Abstract Background: Ectopic pregnancy (EP) is defined as embryo implantation in a location other than the uterine cavity. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the expression of several genes, which may play a role in EP, in the ampulla region of fallopian tubes and endometrial tissue of women with EP. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 5 women who underwent salpingectomy due to EP, comprised the 5 pseudo-pregnant women as a control group. These participants referred to the Royan Institute, Shariati, and Arash hospital, Tehran, Iran during 2019-2021. We evaluated the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor A, mucin-1, colony-stimulating factor-1, heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HBEGF), and fibroblast growth factor 2 genes in the fallopian tube and endometrium of EP cases by real-time polymerase chain reaction using specific primers. Results: The vascular endothelial growth factor expression was significantly higher in the ampulla region of the controls. However, no significant differences were observed in endometrial tissue. Assessments of colony-stimulating factor-1 and fibroblast growth factor 2 showed no significant differences between the case and control groups. HBEGF showed significantly higher expression in the ampulla region of EP cases, but no significant difference was observed in HBEGF expression in the endometrial tissues of the study groups. Mucin-1expression was significantly higher in both study regions of the EP cases. Conclusion: Our results have strongly suggested that these genes play important roles in proper implantation, and disruptions in their expression patterns could lead to EP. However, more studies are needed to confirm the current findings.

Abstract Soil contamination with heavy metals adversely affects plants growth, development and metabolism in many parts of the world including arid and semi-arid regions. The aim of this study was to investigate the single and combined effects of drought and copper (Cu) stresses on seed yield, and biochemical traits of Fumaria parviflora in a split – factorial experiment at Research Field of Payam-E-Noor university of Kerman during 2019. The collected seeds from two Cu contaminated regions were evaluated under drought and Cu (0, 50, 150, 300, and 400 mg/kg) stresses. Drought stress levels were depletion of 50% (D1), 70% (D2) and 85% (D3) soil available water. The individual effects of drought and copper stresses were similar to each other as both reduced seed yield. The highest seed yield was observed at Cu concentration of 50 mg/kg under non-drought stress conditions. The maximum values of malondialdehyde (0.47 µmol/g), proline (2.45 µmol/g FW), total phenolics (188.99 mg GAE/g DW) and total flavonoids (22.1 mg QE/g DW) were observed at 400 mg/kg Cu treatment. However, the strongest antioxidant activity (83.95%) through DPPH assay, and the highest total soluble carbohydrate (115.23 mg/g DW) content were observed at 300 and 150 mg/kg Cu concentration under severe drought stress, respectively. The highest amount of anthocyanin (2.18 µmol/g FW) was observed at 300 mg/kg Cu and moderate drought stress. The findings of this study showed a high tolerance of F. parviflora plant to moderate drought stress and Cu exposure up to 150 mg/kg by modulating defense mechanisms, where grain yield was slightly lower than that of control. The results could also provide a criterion for the selection of tolerance species like F. parviflora for better acclimatization under Cu mines and/or agricultural contaminated soils subjected to drought stress.

Water management is essential because of its effect on the performance and durability of the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. This paper studies the flow in the cathode gas diffusion layer (GDL) of a PEM fuel cell using a non-isothermal two-phase model. For this purpose, the conservation equations of mass, momentum, energy, and other auxiliary equations have been solved numerically and validated with data available in the papers. The results show that the pressure variation of the gas mixture (P_g) along the cathode GDL is negligible, while the capillary pressure (P_c) is significant. An increase in the pressure of the cathode channel as well as the porosity of GDL leads to an increase in the concentration of oxygen in the cathode catalyst layer, but by increasing the porosity coefficient of the electrodes from 0.4 to 0.7, the effective thermal conductivity of the fuel cell decreases and the maximum temperature of the fuel cell increases by about 1K. The flow of liquid water and the consequent saturation are higher in the vicinity of the cathode catalyst layer, but due to evaporation, their amount decreases as approach the channel. In the current density range of 0.6< j< 1A/cm^2, the α parameter (which is defined as the ratio of the water entering from the membrane to the catalyst to the water produced due to the reaction) is nearly equal to 1.2, as a result, the water entering the cathode GDL increases proportionally to the current density.

The conventional approach for addressing bone defects and stubborn non-unions typically involves the use of autogenous bone grafts. Nevertheless, obtaining these grafts can be challenging, and the procedure can lead to significant morbidity. Three primary treatment strategies for managing bone defects and non-unions prove resistant to conventional treatments: synthetic bone graft substitutes (BGS), a combination of BGS with bioactive molecules, and the use of BGS in conjunction with stem cells. In the realm of synthetic BGS, a multitude of biomaterials have emerged for creating scaffolds in bone tissue engineering (TE). These materials encompass biometals like titanium, iron, magnesium, and zinc, as well as bioceramics such as hydroxyapatite (HA) and tricalcium phosphate (TCP). Bone TE scaffolds serve as temporary implants, fostering tissue ingrowth and the regeneration of new bone. They are meticulously designed to enhance bone healing by optimizing geometric, mechanical, and biological properties. These scaffolds undergo continual remodeling facilitated by bone cells like osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Through various signaling pathways, stem cells and bone cells work together to regulate bone regeneration when a portion of bone is damaged or deformed. By targeting signaling pathways, bone TE can improve bone defects through effective therapies. This review provided insights into the interplay between cells and the current state of bioceramics in the context of bone regeneration.

Chlorophyll (Chl) is a healthy green pigment that is very unstable. So, chlorophyll microcapsules were fabricated using maltodextrin and whey protein isolate as carriers and freeze-drying (FD) and spray-drying (SD) as encapsulation methods. The microcapsules obtained by the freeze-drying method (FDM) had smaller particle sizes (1.087–0.165 µm) and higher ζ-potential (−10.6 to −18.3 mV) than the spray-drying method (SDM) (3.420–0.285 µm) and (−9.5 to −10.7 mV) respectively. FTIR, XRD, and DSC studies showed that the inclusion of Chl within microcapsules and FDM had a higher melting point (150.12 °C) than SDM (125.03 °C) and Chl (115.66 °C). FD was more effective in protecting Chl from changes in pH (pH 2 to 8, Chl retention; 49.67 %–91.28 %) and light (Chl retention; 38.12 %) than SD. Therefore, due to preserving Chl and increasing its stability, FDM could be a promising approach to use as a natural food colourant.

This study presents a novel approach for the optimal placement of distributed generation (DG) resources, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, and shunt capacitors (SC) in power distribution systems. The primary objective is to improve power efficiency and voltage profiles while considering practical and nonlinear constraints. The proposed model combines competitive search optimization (CSO) with fuzzy and chaotic theory to develop an efficient and effective solution. The use of fuzzy theory in the model enables the identification of optimal locations for DG sources and SCs, leading to significant enhancements in power index, generation, power losses, and system voltage. Moreover, the proposed fuzzy method is employed to determine the best locations for EV charging stations, further optimizing the overall system performance. The theoretical analysis demonstrates substantial improvements in both accuracy and convergence speed, highlighting the robustness of the proposed approach. In addition, the utilization of chaos theory enhances the local search optimization process, making the proposed method more efficient in finding high-quality solutions. To validate the performance of the model, extensive simulations are conducted on a 69-bus distribution system and various test functions. The results consistently reveal the superiority of the proposed method compared to other conventional optimization techniques. The key contribution of this study lies in its development of a comprehensive and efficient approach for the optimal placement of DG, EV charging stations, and SCs in power distribution systems. The integration of CSO, fuzzy theory, and chaotic theory enables the simultaneous consideration of multiple objectives and constraints, resulting in enhanced power dissipation reduction and voltage profile improvement. The obtained results demonstrate the practical applicability and superiority of the proposed method, which can significantly benefit power system planners and operators in real-world scenarios.

Abstract Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a worldwide public health problem affecting millions of people. Probiotics and postbiotics are associated with valuable compounds with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects, preserving renal function in CKD patients. The current study is aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Limosilactobacillus fermentum (L. fermentum) and its postbiotic in an animal model of cisplatin-induced CKD. Methods The animals were divided into four experimental groups (normal mice, CKD mice with no treatment, CKD mice with probiotic treatment, and CKD mice with postbiotic treatment). CKD mice were induced by a single dose of cisplatin 10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally. For 28 days, the cultured probiotic bacteria and its supernatant (postbiotic) were delivered freshly to the related groups through their daily water. Then, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) of plasma samples as well as glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species, and total antioxidant capacity of kidneys were assessed in the experimental mice groups. In addition, histopathological studies were performed on the kidneys. Results Application of L. fermentum probiotic, and especially postbiotics, significantly decreased BUN and Cr (P

Abstract Drought tolerance is a complex trait in plants that involves different biochemical mechanisms. During two years of study (2019–2020), the responses of 64 arugula genotypes to drought stress were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with three replications under field conditions. Several metabolic traits were evaluated, i.e. relative water content, photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll and carotenoids), proline, malondialdehyde, enzymatic antioxidants (catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and peroxidase), total phenolic and flavonoid contents and seed yield. On average, the drought stress significantly increased the proline content (24%), catalase (42%), peroxidase (60%) and malondialdehyde activities (116%) over the two years of study. As a result of the drought stress, the seed yield (18%), relative water content (19.5%) and amount of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll and carotenoids) dropped significantly. However, the total phenolic and flavonoid contents showed no significant changes. Under drought stress, the highest seed yields were seen in the G50, G57, G54, G55 and G60 genotypes, while the lowest value was observed in the G16 genotype (94 g plant−1). According to the findings, when compared to the drought-sensitive genotypes, the drought-tolerant arugula genotypes were marked with higher levels of proline accumulation and antioxidant enzyme activity. Correlation analysis indicated the positive effects of peroxidase, catalase and proline on seed yield under drought conditions. These traits can be considered for the selection of drought-tolerant genotypes in breeding programs.

Abstract Background Several osteotomies are required for orthognathic surgery to reposition the jaws correctly. This study aimed to evaluate whether Kinesiotaping can reduce swelling, pain, and trismus following orthognathic surgery of the facial skull. Materials and methods The present study consists of two phases. In the split-mouth phase, 16 skeletal class III patients underwent Bimax Orthognathic surgery, and Kinesiological tape (KT) was applied on one half of the face. In the prospective case–control phase, 30 patients were divided into two groups. Kinesio tape was applied on both sides of the face of the Kinesio group, and pressure dressing and ice therapy were used for the second group. The tape was parallel to the lower border of the mandible along its entire length, tangent to the labial commissure area on the studied side. The tape was placed in place for 5 days. Edema was evaluated by measuring the distance from the menton to the lower edge of the tragus. The maximum mouth-opening trismus was evaluated, and the VAS index was used to evaluate pain. Results There was evidence of swelling reduction after KT; within the same study, differences between the left and right sides as well as for the same side were statistically significant (p

Abstract Investigating long-term potentiation (LTP) in disease models provides essential mechanistic insight into synaptic dysfunction and relevant behavioral changes in many neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases. Toxoplasma (T) gondii is an intracellular parasite causing bizarre changes in host’s mind including losing inherent fear of life-threatening situations. We examined hippocampal-dependent behavior as well as in vivo short- and long-term synaptic plasticity (STP and LTP) in rats with latent toxoplasmosis. Rats were infected by T. gondii cysts. Existence of REP-529 genomic sequence of the parasite in the brain was detected by RT-qPCR. Four and eight weeks after infection, spatial, and inhibitory memories of rats were assessed by Morris water maze and shuttle box tests, respectively. Eight weeks after infection, STP was assessed in dentate gyrus (DG) and CA1 by double pulse stimulation of perforant pathway and Shaffer collaterals, respectively. High frequency stimulation (HFS) was applied to induce LTP in entorhinal cortex-DG (400 Hz), and CA3-CA1 (200 Hz) synapses. T. gondii infection retarded spatial learning and memory performance at eight weeks post-infection period, whereas inhibitory memory was not changed. Unlike uninfected rats that normally showed paired-pulse depression, the infected rats developed paired-pulse facilitation, indicating an inhibitory synaptic network disruption. T. gondii-infected rats displayed strengthened LTP of both CA1-pyramidal and DG-granule cell population spikes. These data indicate that T. gondii disrupts inhibition/excitation balance and causes bizarre changes to the post-synaptic neuronal excitability, which may ultimately contribute to the abnormal behavior of the infected host.