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Ameneh Jafari,1,2 Mostafa Rezaei-Tavirani,1 Samira Karami,3 Mohsen Yazdani,4 Hakimeh Zali,1,5 Zahra Jafari6 1Proteomics Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2Student Research Committee, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 3Hematopoietic Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 4Department of Bioinformatics, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran; 5Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 6 9Dey Manzariye Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IranCorrespondence: Hakimeh Zali Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in MedicineShahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranTel +989123367156Fax +982122439848Email hakimehzali@gmail.comMostafa Rezaei-TaviraniProteomics Research Center, School of Allied Medical SciencesShahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranTel +982122439787Email tavirany@yahoo.comAbstract: New cases of the novel coronavirus, also known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), are increasing around the world. Currently, health care services are mainly focused on responding to and controlling the unique challenges of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. These changes, along with the higher susceptibility of patients with cancer to infections, have profound effects on other critical aspects of care and pose a serious challenge for the treatment of such patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to provide strategies for managing the treatment of patients with cancer to limit COVID-19-associated risks at this difficult time. The present study set out to summarize the latest research on epidemiology, pathogenesis, and clinical features of COVID-19. We also address some of the current challenges associated with the management of patients with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide practical guidance to clinically deal with these challenges.Keywords: coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, cancer, pandemic, health care

Background: Fear is an important factor that causes pregnant women to opt for cesarean section. Women with the fear of childbirth consider labor pain to be beyond their power. Basically, these women request cesarean section only to avoid normal vaginal delivery, which indicates their low self-efficacy in normal vaginal delivery. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of couples counseling based on the problem-solving approach on the fear of delivery, self-efficacy, and choice of delivery mode in the primigravid women requesting elective cesarean section in Zanjan, Iran. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 76 pregnant women in the second trimester of pregnancy and their spouses. The women were eligible for elective cesarean section and met the inclusion criteria. The intervention was based on the problem-solving counseling approach with the couples, which was performed in three weekly sessions at the clinic of Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Zanjan, Iran. Data were collected using the questionnaires of knowledge and attitude, Wijma delivery expectancy/experience questionnaire, and Louis’ self-efficacy scale at the baseline and after one month of the final session. Data analysis was performed using independent t-test, Chi-square, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: Significant differences were observed in the mean scores of knowledge and attitude of women and men, and fear of delivery and self-efficacy of women between the intervention and control groups after counseling (P

"nBackground and Aim: According to infection possibility in high risk patients, assessment of microbial contamination in water sources utilized at medico-dental units has become a recent concern. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the microbial contamination in dental units waterlines at the department of operative dentistry, Tehran university of medical sciences in the year 2006. "nMaterials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, six dental units in the department of operative dentistry were selected to assess microbial contamination in water sources. Samples were taken on Saturdays (the first working day in a week) and in the midweek, 64 and 16 hours respectively after turning the units off. Moreover, for investigating the effect of flushing, sampling was done at 30, 60, 90 and 120 seconds after flushing and were taken from three parts of each unit including air/water syringe, turbine handpiece and also cup filler water. Samples were transported in closed sterile containers to microbiology laboratory of the school pharmacy. Data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests with p

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a viral disease caused by some H5 and H7 subtypes of influenza virus type A in most species of birds, especially poultry. HPAI viruses are among the most challenging viruses that threaten both human and animal health. Consequently, various strategies, such as the use of vaccines have been proposed to control the disease. After a catastrophic pandemic and the failure of conventional methods (elimination and extermination) in Iran, multiple vaccines have been used to control the disease. This study investigates the immunogenicity of two recombinant inactivated commercial vaccines of H5N1 and H5N3 subtypes in laying pullet flocks in Tehran Province, Iran. From 32 halls in six breeding units of laying pullets, 3,200 sera, and 800 tracheal and cloacal swabs were collected. After collecting the samples, Serum neutralisation (SN) and hemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests were conducted on sera to determine the serum titers of H5 specific antibody obtained from vaccine inoculation in three steps: before, after the first vaccination, and after the second vaccination (booster). The SN and HI tests were carried out by the alpha and beta methods on the pooled samples by the vaccine type (as antigen for HI and SN), and the results were compared. The PCR was performed on the tracheal and cloacal swab samples to possibly detect the HA (H5) I virus in the studied flocks. The HI test results showed that both vaccines had a Serum antibody titre above 5 (log2) after two vaccination rounds, indicating a desirable immunogenic response. The SN test results also showed a neutralisation index above 104.5 for both vaccines, indicating more than 50% reduction in antigenicity of the virus. The PCR results were negative. This study was the first investigation of immunogenicity following two-time vaccination against H5 subtype vaccines in Iranian poultry flocks, indicating suitable antibody titer against the influenza virus in vaccinated flocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Array comparative genomic hybridization was used to identify copy number alterations in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patient tumors to identify associations with patient/clinical characteristics. Of 763 ccRCC patients, 412 (54%) provided frozen biopsies. Clones were analyzed for significant copy number differences, adjusting for multiple comparisons and covariates in multivariate analyses. Frequent alterations included losses on: 3p (92.2%), 14q (46.8%), 8p (38.1%), 4q (35.4%), 9p (32.3%), 9q (31.8%), 6q (30.8%), 3q (29.4%), 10q (25.7%), 13q (24.5%), 1p (23.5%) and gains on 5q (60.2%), 7q (39.6%), 7p (30.6%), 5p (26.5%), 20q (25.5%), 12q (24.8%), 12p (22.8%). Stage and grade were associated with 1p, 9p, 9q, 13q and 14q loss and 12q gain. Males had more alterations compared with females, independent of stage and grade. Significant differences in the number/types of alterations were observed by family cancer history, age at diagnosis and smoking status. Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene inactivation was associated with 3p loss (P

ObjectiveCentral and Eastern Europe has among the highest rates of renal cell cancer worldwide. Few studies have been conducted in these areas to investigate the possible role of occupational exposures in renal cell cancer aetiology. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of renal cell cancer with employment in specific occupations and industries.MethodsFrom 1999 to 2003, we conducted a hospital-based case-control study in seven areas of the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and Russia. A detailed occupational history was collected from renal cell cancer cases and controls, together with information on potential confounders. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CI of cancer risk were calculated for having ever been employed in selected jobs and industries, with follow-up analyses examining duration of employment.ResultsA total of 992 histologically confirmed incident renal cell cancer cases and 1459 controls were included in the analysis. An increased risk of renal cell cancer was observed for workers in agricultural labour and animal husbandry (OR 1.43; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.93), particularly among women employed as general farm workers (OR 2.73; 95% CI 1.05 to 7.13). Risk gradients for agricultural work increased with longer employment. An overall increased risk of renal cell cancer was seen among architects and engineers (OR 1.89; 95% CI 1.35 to 2.65), and mechanical engineers (OR 1.71; 95% CI 1.03 to 2.84).ConclusionsOur data suggest an association between renal cell cancer and agricultural work, particularly among female workers.

Introduction Diclofop-methyl is labeled for use in wheat and barley to control many grassy species, e.g., the genus Avena. Efforts should be made to use diclofop-methyl correctly, allowing the reduced doses to be applied. The response of herbicides to spray volume is different. After determining a suitable spray volume for a foliage-applied herbicide, the next step is to adjust it. The spray volume can be adjusted by two methods: the change in application speed or nozzle size. If less spray volume is necessary to apply an herbicide, it is needed to increase application speed. It causes the spray droplets to be more bounced or shattered from the leaf surface, causing the herbicide not to achieve optimal efficacy. Therefore, selecting a smaller orifice nozzle is much more applicable, of course, if the spray drift is controlled. The surface tension of water, which is used to spray herbicides, can be slightly reduced after adding the formulation of herbicides. Therefore, the relatively high surface tension of the spray solution poses three main problems. First, the spray droplets can easily be bounced off the leaf surface. Second, those remaining on the leaf surface after impact have a relatively spherical shape. Third, the crystalline wax in the cuticles, is considered an essential barrier to penetrating herbicides into the leaf tissues. It is wellestablished that the three main issues mentioned above can be addressed by selecting a suitable surfactant to add to the spray solution. This addition enables optimal efficacy of the herbicide. Consequently, numerous previous studies have highlighted the superiority of trisiloxane surfactants over non-silicone surfactants in enhancing herbicidal activity. This study aims to assess whether the effect of spray volume, adjusted by changing nozzle size, on the herbicidal activity of diclofop-methyl could be influenced by two types of trisiloxane surfactants -- one with super wetting properties and the other with non-super wetting properties. Materials and Methods A greenhouse trial was performed as a dose-response relationship at the Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran. The experiment was designed as a four-factor completely randomized design. The first factor was the dose of diclofop-methyl (Illoxan® EC 36%) including 0, 112.5, 225, 450, 900 (labeled dose), and 1350 g ha-1. The second factor was spray volume, including 60, 120, 240, and 480 L ha-1, which were adjusted using 1100075, 110015, 11003, and 11006 flat fan nozzle, respectively. The third factor was two types of trisiloxane surfactants, Break-Thru® S 233 having a non-super wetting property and Break-Thru® S 240 having a super wetting property. Both are non-ionic surfactants and manufactured by Evonik company in Germany. They formed their critical micelle concentration (CMC) at 0.1% v v-1 at which the surface tension of distilled water (72.1 mN m-1) containing Break-Thru® S 233 and Break-Thru® S 240 was measured to be 24.1 and 22.6 mN m-1, respectively. The fourth factor was surfactant concentration, including 0, 0.0125, 0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8% v v-1 (a range from ⅛ to 8 CMC, respectively). A compressor sprayer was used to apply the treatments at 300 kPa spray pressure. A nonlinear regression analysis was conducted to analyze the 'drc' using the software R. Results and Discussion A 40% increase in the ED50 value occurred with increasing the spray volumes from 60 to 480 L ha-1 (536.4 and 865.1 g ha-1, respectively), indicating a negative relationship between diclofop-methyl activity and spray volume. Adding Break-Thru® S 233 at 0.025% v v-1 to 60, 120, 240, and 480 L ha-1 spray volumes caused a 1.16, 3.31, 2.04, and 2.13-fold decrease in the ED50 value compared with no surfactant at their corresponding spray volumes, respectively. While, adding Break-Thru® S 240 at 0.025% v v-1 to 60, 120, 240, and 480 L ha-1 spray volumes caused a 1.39, 1.32, 1.34, and 1.19-fold decrease in the ED50 value compared with no surfactant at their corresponding spray volumes, respectively. A decrease in the ED50, attributed to the addition of surfactants, signifies an enhanced activity of diclofop-methyl against sterile oat. This improvement may stem from a reduction in the surface tension of the spray solution, resulting in an expanded retention and/or spreading area of the spray droplets on the leaf surface. This, in turn, facilitates increased penetration of the herbicide into the leaf tissue. These findings indicate that Break-Thru® S 233 works better when added at low concentration to a lowvolume spray solution, while Break-Thru® S 240 works better when added at high concentration to a low-volume spray solution. It can be attributed to the difference in the wetting property of surfactants. The natural relationship between diclofop-methyl activity and spray volume at higher concentrations of Break-Thru® S 233 may be related to its phytotoxic effect, resulting in an antagonism effect on diclofop-methyl activity against sterile oat. In the case of Break-Thru® S 240, the relationship mode between diclofop-methyl activity and spray volume was not affected by surfactant concentration indicating the lack of phytotoxic effect by this surfactant. Conclusion The current study revealed a negative relationship between diclofop-methyl efficacy and spray volume, which was adjusted by nozzle size. Although this finding differs from a previous study in which spray volume has been adjusted by application speed, they showed that the effect of spray volume on the herbicide's efficacy depends not only on herbicide but also on how it is adjusted. The smaller, more concentrated spray droplets are necessary to get a better action of diclofop-methyl against sterile oat. However, the negative relationship observed between diclofop-methyl efficacy and spray volume could also be observed with two types of trisiloxane when they surfactants, were used at 0.0125 to 0.1 v v-1. While, when they were used at 0.2 to 0.8% v v-1, the relationship mode changed from negative to neutral for Break-Thru® S 233, but it did not change for Break-Thru® S 240. Moreover, Break-Thru® S 240 works better when added at high concentration to a lowvolume spray solution due to the danger of spray run-off, while Break-Thru® S 233 works better when added at low concentration to a low-volume spray solution due to its phytotoxic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tribe Alysseae (Brassicaceae) contains the genera Brachypus, Clastopus, Fibigia, Irania, Physoptychis, and Straussiella. Little is known about the pollen morphology in these taxa. In this study, pollen from 11 species and one variety representing some of the genera in the tribe Alysseae were examined using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The size of pollen is the smallest in Brachypus tabriziana (30.23 µm), conversely, the largest in Irania umbellata (47.17 µm) and Clastopus vestitus (46.60 µm) in the Alysseae. The pollen morphology of Irania umbellata deviated from I. multicaulis and was distinct in having perprolate, ornamentation reticulate, the thickest exine, and the polar axis length. In this study, the pollen morphology of some species of Fibigia, Brachypus, and Irania, was previously placed in the Fibigia genus in order to determine the significance of pollen features as taxonomic characters. In addition, our results indicated that Clastopus differs from the related genera Physoptychis and Straussiella, and pollen morphology conforms to the separation of the three genera. These results support research phylogenetic studies in the Alysseae. Based on the above evidence, the three new combinations such as Brachypus kermanshahensis, B. khoshyelaqensis, and B. tabriziana proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, first we consider cross-diagonal, in particular off-diagonal, operator matrices; those operator matrices such that all entries except those on the main and off diagonals are zero. We show that this operator matrix is unitarily equivalent to a block diagonal operator matrix whose diagonal blocks are all two-by-two, except at most one of them which is one-by-one. Then, using this unitary equivalence, we show that any left circulant operator matrix is unitarily equivalent to a direct sum of a one-by-one operator and an off-diagonal operator matrix. As an application, we give equalities for the numerical radius of some important operator matrices. In particular, for the following left circulant operator matrix, we show that w ([ A 1 A 2 ... A n A 2 ... A n A 1 ⋮ ⋱ ⋱ ⋮ A n A 1 ... A n − 1 ]) = max 1 ≤ k ≤ n w ([ 0 ∑ m = 1 n ω k (m − 1) A m ∑ m = 1 n ω (n − k) (m − 1) A m 0 ]) , where ω = e 2 π i n is the nth root of unity. Meanwhile, some inequalities for general operator matrices are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought and salinity, which can alter the water balance, disrupt the ionic equilibrium, and create reactive oxygen species (ROS), are capable of destroying plant tissues. In this study, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics have been used to elucidate various abiotic stress responses. In transcriptional signaling pathways, abscisic acid (ABA) is one of the plant phytohormones that regulate the stress response. On the other hand, several regulons and factors of transcription contributed in the reaction to osmotic stresses, as well as in ABA-dependent/independent signaling pathways. However, the findings display that intricate molecular reaction of plants under stress conditions may be controlled by complicated regulative networks of gene expression and signal transduction, as well as by the interaction between them. From the point of view of proteomics, protein modifications in response to stress can be considered as a molecular tool to improve the resistance of plants to environmental stresses. These studies have provided new information about the significance of several gene and protein networks involved in the response of plants to salinity and drought, and the induction of tolerance. Moreover, identifying the crucial pathways which are involved in salinity and drought resistance can open doors for the establishment of commercial-resistant crop cultivars, and might be very useful in the next-generation crop breeding strategies to produce plants with salinity and drought-resistant traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abiotic stress is one of the major challenges facing crop production globally. Abiotic stress resulting from low temperature is a major limitation to crop production, especially in the temperate regions of the world. Cold stress not only influence crop development and reduce yields, but also curtail the efficient distribution of agricultural products worldwide. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying cold stress tolerance is important for the development of strategies to manage crop loss and improve yield. In this review, we explore the major molecular mechanisms involved in plant cold tolerance, including recent discoveries on interrelated gene networks and regulatory mechanisms for cold stress adaptation in crops. Further, we highlight the role of proteomics in the discovery of proteins involved in key signaling pathways, including late embryogenesis-abundant proteins, antifreeze proteins, cold-regulated proteins, heat shock proteins, and pathogenesis-related proteins. The role of these proteins, and their relative abundance in physiological-biochemical reactions, are discussed and key candidate proteins for plant genetic enhancement are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to investigate the parameters affecting the electromagnetic (EM) stimulation of an oil well. To this end, a simulator and Box-Behnken design were implemented to determine the sensitivity of EM stimulation with respect to rock and fluid properties. Seven factors of the frequency, brine water salinity, water saturation, oil dielectric constant, rock dielectric constant, porosity, and initial temperature were analyzed through 62 simulation runs. The dielectric constants of brine water were obtained using the Stogryn model as a function of brine salinity, frequency, and initial temperature. Based on the distance far from the wellbore, the wellbore region was divided into four sections: 5-6, 6-10, 10-20, and 20-100 cm. The most affecting parameter in the domain of 5-20 cm is brine salinity. The frequency and water saturation were obtained as the next affecting parameters, respectively. The most affecting parameter in the section of 20-100 cm is the frequency. In the section of 20-10 cm, the second and third affecting parameters were found to be brine water salinity and water saturation, respectively. The highest power loss density in the 5-6 cm section was obtained as 4300 Watt/m³ while the highest density was almost 1 Watt/m³ in the section of 20-100 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Since rainfall occurs often in the fall and winter, water is an important limiting factor to subsequent growing crops especially those in hot seasons like soybean. Therefore, there is a growing focus on increasing water use efficiency in crops in recent years. Recently, an irrigation technique so-called magnetized water has been introduced to increase water use efficiency. The researchers have reported that the physical and chemical properties of water including electrical conductivity, volatility, pH, solubility, surface tension, and viscosity can be affected by its passage through the magnetic field. Subsequently, these changes lead to alterations in soil electrical conductivity, soil nutrient mobility, soil water holding capacity, water passage through the soil profile and soil pH. Increased water use efficiency in soybean (11%) and many leguminous crops have been demonstrated through their irrigation with magnetized water. However, those studies have provided no information about the status of bacterial nodulation on legume root in such an irrigation method. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of irrigation with magnetized water on five soybean varieties on their symbiosis with specific bacteria (Bradyrhizobium japonicum). Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted in the open air at the Bu Ali Sina University of Hamedan in 2018. A completely randomized design with two factors (soybean cultivar and irrigation water type) and eight replications was applied. The soybean cultivar had five levels (Amir, Zan, Saba, Kosar, and Hobbit) and irrigation water type had two levels (untreated and magnetically treated water). An equal volume of water (1 liter) was added to each pot every two days. Before adding water to pots for the irrigation with magnetized water, we passed it through a magnetic tube with a 35 cm long, 1-inch radius and a 0.68 T magnetic field intensity. On August 26, the plants of the half of replications were harvested to measure shoot dry weight, root dry weight, number of nodules, nodule dry weight, shoot nitrogen content and root nitrogen content. On September 10, the plants of the other half of replications were harvested to measure individual seed yield and its components (number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and 100-seed weight). By dividing the seed yield obtained from each pot to the total volume of water added to each pot during the growing season, water use efficiency can be calculated. Results and Discussion: The soybean seedlings irrigated with magnetized water were green 1 to 2 days earlier than those irrigated with untreated water. The number of seeds per pod was not affected by soybean cultivar, irrigation water type, and their interaction. In other traits, the simple effects of soybean cultivar and irrigation water type and their interaction were significant at the 5% level of probability. The cultivars of Amir and Saba irrigated with magnetized water led to a higher shoot dry weight to root ratio, indicating the allocation of more resources to the shoot than to the root. The number of nodules formed on the root of all soybean cultivars (Amir (33.7%), Zan (55.3%), Saba (40.1%), Kosar (62.7%) and Hobbit (51.6%)) increased when they were irrigated with magnetized water. However, only in Zan (0.70%) and Kosar (45.1%), irrigation with magnetized water significantly increased the dry weight of nodules. The individual seed yield in all soybean cultivars (Amir (34.8%), Zan (35.1%), Saba (43.4%), Kosar (26.8%) and Hobbit (21.3%)) was significantly increased by irrigation with magnetized water, indicating an improved water use efficiency in soybean irrigated with magnetized water. Based on previous research, the most suitable soil pH range for bacterial growth and activity was found to be between 6.5 and 7.0. On the other hand, other researchers have shown that irrigation with magnetized water reduces the soil pH by approximately 0.5 units. Hence, in our experiment, irrigation with magnetized water probably caused the initial soil pH which was 7.6 to be closer to the optimal range for bacterial activity. Also, according to previous study, bacterial activity is also dependent on soil dry conditions. On the other hand, other researchers have shown that irrigation with magnetized water increases soil water storage capacity due to reduced water vaporization. Therefore, in our experiment, irrigation with magnetized water probably provided good moisture conditions for bacterial activity. Conclusion: The results showed that the irrigation of soybean with magnetized water improved its symbiosis with its specific rhizobium. Improved symbiosis increased plant seed yield and water use efficiency. Therefore, improved symbiosis by irrigating soybean with magnetized water can reduce the reliance on nitrogen fertilizer application in this plant. It can also improve the status of soil fertility for other crops in crop rotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review, the numerous possible mechanisms that provide supportive evidence for how colonic dysbiosis denotes metabolic dysfunction, dysregulates glucose homeostasis and leads to diabetes mellitus and related metabolic disorders are defined. Information was gathered from articles identified by systematic reviews and searches using Google, PubMed and Scopus. The composition of the colonic microbiota plays an integral role in maintaining host homeostasis by affecting both metabolic activities and underlying functional gene transcription in individuals with diabetes and related metabolic disorders. Increased colonic microbiome‐derived concentrations of lipopolysaccharides, also known as 'metabolic endotoxaemia', as well as alterations in bile acid metabolism, short‐chain fatty acids, intestinal hormones and branched‐chain amino acid secretion have been associated with the diverse production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines and the recruitment of inflammatory cells. It has been shown that changes to intestinal bacterial composition are significant even in early childhood and are associated with the pathogenesis of both types of diabetes. We hope that an improved understanding of related mechanisms linking the colonic microbiome with glucose metabolism might provide for innovative therapeutic approaches that would bring the ideal intestinal ecosystem to a state of optimal health, thus preventing and treating diabetes and related metabolic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]