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Nanostructured silicon can reduce reflectance loss in optoelectronic applications, but intrinsic silicon cannot absorb photons with energy below its 1.1 eV bandgap. However, incorporating a high concentration of dopants, i.e., hyperdoping, to nanostructured silicon is expected to bring broadband absorption ranging from UV to short‐wavelength IR (SWIR, <2500 nm). In this work, we prepare nanostructured silicon using cryogenic plasma etching, which is then hyperdoped with selenium (Se) through ion implantation. Besides sub‐bandgap absorption, ion implantation forms crystal damage, which can be recovered through flash lamp annealing. We study crystal damage and broadband (250–2500 nm) absorption from planar and nanostructured surfaces. We first show that nanostructures survive ion implantation hyperdoping and flash lamp annealing under optimized conditions. Secondly, we demonstrate that nanostructured silicon has a 15% higher sub‐bandgap absorption (1100–2500 nm) compared to its non‐hyperdoped nanostructure counterpart while maintaining 97% above‐bandgap absorption (250–1100 nm). Lastly, we simulate the sub‐bandgap absorption of hyperdoped Si nanostructures in a 2D model using the finite element method. Simulation results show that the sub‐bandgap absorption is mainly limited by the thickness of the hyperdoped layer rather than the height of nanostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The important role of technological learning in the success of enterprises, especially in developing countries, is undeniable. Besides that, the complex nature of learning requires a comprehensive framework. So, developing countries need to have a learning strategy that can help them to increase learning through collaboration. In this research, a mixed method study, after reviewing the literature and previous research, the theoretical framework of the research was extracted and the protocol for the interview was formed. Then the dimensions and factors of technological learning were derived from interviews with managers and experts who were in the Iranian oil agreement writing and document reviewing teams. To form the framework presented in this study, it is necessary for developing countries to implement a transition from the control and prescription phase to the incentive and technology support phase. Motivational regulation can also lead to better results in industry. The results of this paper show that the realization of technological learning in the oil industry of developing countries depends on increasing the absorptive capacity of domestic enterprises as well as governments creating the necessary infrastructure. The results also show the dependency of technological learning on the cultural, social, and international relations of country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, to enhance the searching ability, convergence velocity, computational efficiency, and global performance of the standard Teaching–Learning-Based Optimization (TLBO) algorithm, two modified TLBO algorithms designated as, TLBO-M1 and TLBO-M2, are developed. The standard and the two proposed TLBO algorithms are applied to solve inverse radiative boundary design problems in two-dimensional radiant furnaces with grey absorbing and emitting media. The goal of the inverse design problem is to find the best distribution of heat flux over the heater surface of the radiant enclosure which produces the desired temperature and heat flux distributions over the design surface. Radiation is considered the prevailing mode of heat transfer and thus the media inside the enclosure is at radiative equilibrium. Radiative heat transfer within the enclosure is modelled using the radiative transfer equation and is solved using the discrete ordinates method (DOM). To evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithms, a validation problem and two inverse design problems with regular and irregular enclosures are considered. The results demonstrate that the TLBO-M1 algorithm is more effective and robust compared to the standard TLBO and TLBO-M2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wellbore stability is an important issue in the drilling operation. Wellbore instability can interrupt the drilling and waste lots of time and money. The drilling mud is used to keep up the stability of the wellbore. Therefore, selecting the proper mud weight is an important issue in the drilling industry. The goal of this research is presenting an efficient mud weight estimator using deep learning techniques. To obtain this goal, a relatively big dataset (contained more than half-million samples) has been compiled from 116 wells of two fields in the United Kingdom and Norway. Our main contributions are assembling this large dataset, and applying the deep learning techniques to obtain efficient mud weight estimators. Our estimator is an artificial neural network with five hidden layers and 256 nodes in each layer that is able to estimate the mud weight for new wells and depths with the mean absolute error (MAE) of less than ±0.04 pound per gallon (ppg). In various experiments, the presented model has been challenged and the real-world conditions have been simulated. The results have shown that our model can be reliable and efficient in the real world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the blast furnace process is the dominant ironmaking route to supply the feedstocks for steelmaking, a number of alternative ironmaking technologies such as the direct reduction process have grown rapidly in recent decades. This development is largely in response to the increasingly stringent emission control policies, rising costs of energy, and the increasing costs and environmental effects of coke usage. In direct reduction processes, iron oxides are reduced to iron at a temperature below its melting point. More than 79% of direct reduced iron is produced by Midrex and Energiron, both of which use gas‐based shaft furnaces. A proper understanding of these processes is required to improve the performance and operation of the plants based on them. Therefore, herein, it is aimed to provide a comprehensive review of research that is carried out over the last several decades to examine the effects of the important phenomena on the performance of the gas‐based shaft furnaces. The review is divided into experimental and mathematical investigations. The main features, limitations, and shortcomings of each study are discussed. Finally, the review concludes with current knowledge gaps and suggestions for further research in this thriving sector of the steel industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coping strategies with life changes are different depending on various situations. The individuals' quality of life (QOL) is, to some extent, influenced by the way they deal with life events. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between coping strategies and QOL of women with breast cancer. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 35 women with recently diagnosed breast cancer in Baqiyatallah Hospital, Tehran, Iran, in 2021-2022. Data were collected using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the Coping Operations Preference Enquiry (COPE). This study used SPSS statistical software to analyze the data. A Pearson correlation coefficient test was used to examine the relationship between variables. Results: Generally, the average QOL was approximately 58 to 60 and 57 to 63 at the beginning of study and the 3-month follow-up, respectively. There was a significant and positive relationship between active coping strategies and high QOL in all areas of the QOL at the beginning of treatment and 3-month follow-up (Pearson correlation coefficient > 0.70, P < 0.01). There was a significant relationship between younger age, higher education, marital status, lower disease stage, non-use of chemotherapy, and better QOL at the beginning of treatment and 3-month follow-up (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The QOL of women suffering from breast cancer is not only related to coping strategies but also to the demographic variables, such as age, disease stage, marital status, the type of treatment, and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of acute iron poisoning among patients in a referral poison control center located in Tehran. It also studied their clinical profile, treatment, and outcome. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on acute iron poisoned patients, who were admitted to the poison center from March 21, 2015 to March 19, 2020. Some background variables such as age, gender, ingested dose, time interval between onset of poisoning to hospital admission, the need for antidote, clinical presentations, paraclinical findings and outcome of poisoning were extracted from patients' medical records. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS software. Results: A total of 74 patients with acute iron poisoning with a mean age of 16.85 ± 11.97 years included in this study. Sixty-one (82.4%) patients were female and the most affected age group was 19-30 years (35.1%). The ingestion dose median in patients under 18 years old was 2450 (IQR=5600, Min= 120, Max= 30000) mg and in the group over 18 years old it was 9000 (IQR= 11125, Min= 600, Max= 30000) mg. Vomiting (66.2%) and lethargy (24.3%) were the most common clinical presentations on admission. Metabolic acidosis was the most common abnormality in blood gas analysis (43.2%). Positive findings in abdominal radiography have been observed in 4 (5.4%) cases. The serum iron concentration in the patients were 259.54 ± 153.96 µg/dL. Moreover, mortality was reported in one case (1.3%). There was a significant difference between the age of the patients whom received deferoxamine and more patients under 18 years of age received the antidotal therapy (p=0.003). Conclusion: The present study showed a low mortality rate among the acute iron poisoning patients. From this view, it can be concluded that adults have lower mortality rates than children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To measure caring behaviors, it is necessary to have an instrument adapted based on the contextual culture. This study aimed to translate Caring Behaviors Inventory-24 (CBI-24) into Persian and determine its psychometric properties. Methods: This is a methodological study conducted to translate and then psychometrically test The CBI-24. The forward–backward translation was conducted using the World Health Organization (WHO) model and Wild et al. (2005) approach. The face, content, and construct validity of the inventory were assessed using cognitive interviews (10 nurses and 10 patients), expert panel deliberations (10 experts), and the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (300 nurses and 300 patients), respectively. The reliability was determined using the internal consistency (300 nurses and 300 patients) and test–retest method (30 nurses and 30 patients). Results: After translating the CBI-24 and combining its items, the forward translation was initially conducted and the final backward translation was then sent to the developer for confirmation. The final version of the inventory was prepared after the completion of cognitive interviews. The content validity index of all items was reported to be more than 0.8 and good. The Cohen's kappa coefficient of all items was also shown to be higher than 0.74 and excellent. The factor loading of all items except item 19 was above 0.3. Item 19 was removed since it caused the alpha value of the respectfulness dimension to be 0.32. The Cronbach's alpha and the correlation coefficient of the whole inventory were calculated to be 0.95 and 0.88, respectively. Conclusion: The Persian version of CBI-24 can be a suitable tool for measuring caring behaviors among patients and nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research indicates that the prevalence of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is high and it reduces patient's Quality of Life (QoL). Nowadays, in addition to reducing the symptoms of MDD, emphasis is on the concept of QoL as the purpose of treating these patients. However, we still do not know what these patient's attitudes and perceptions are about QoL. This study aims to clarify the Iranian patient's attitudes and perceptions of QoL's meaning through a qualitative paradigm. Results: During the data analysis, "Agitation factors", "Destructive effects", and "Gratifications" were developed as three main themes with 13 main categories, 39 sub-categories, and 879 codes. According to the findings the main priority of patients with MDD was Agitation factors, which plays a remarkable role in the concept of QoL. Conclusions: MDD leads to deterioration in the QoL of these individuals in different parts. The novelty of this study leads to the creation of a deep and realistic attitude in national and global nurses towards the QoL of majorly depressed patients in order to remove the aggravating factors of the disorder and create a pleasant life based on the adequate and specialized understanding of the consequences of this disorder according to the preferences of patients and provide a suitable quality of life for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the research: The main purpose of this research is to develop scenarios for the future development of start-ups and new businesses in the field of the press according to the experts' point of view. Research methodology: For this research, eight academic and senior press professionals were identified and interviewed. Interviews and content analysis were also used to collect survey data. A formative technique of scenario writing was used to analyze data and develop scenarios. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. Important findings of the research: From the experts' point of view, startups are facing many issues and problems to operate in this field, among which we can mention infrastructural issues, weakness of the industry, resistance to changes and lack of innovation. Also, positive and negative roles, factors affecting growth and formation obstacles, and future predictions were also investigated. Conclusion: Finally, according to the opinions of the experts, to explain the future of this field, three scenarios have been explained in case the infrastructure of their formation is prepared to show the future of this field to the relevant officials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Factor V deficiency is a rare bleeding disorder that can be either congenital or acquired. Factor V deficiency mostly present with mucosal bleeding. Coagulation factor V does not increase considerably during normal gestation. Since pregnancy can be threatened by blood clotting disorders, abnormal changes in coagulation factors level can pose challenges to pregnant women. Case presentation: We report a 40-year-old pregnant woman with prolonged gingival bleeding and epistaxis at 28 weeks of pregnancy. Her past medical history included two unexplained abortions. Physical examination was unremarkable, but the blood test showed elevated PT and PTT with a considerable decrease in factor V activity, while other factors were within normal range. Subsequently, the patient was diagnosed with congenital factor V deficiency. After treatment with fresh frozen plasma, she underwent vaginal delivery and a baby with factor V deficiency was born. Conclusions: This is the second report of recurrent miscarriage in congenital factor V deficiency patients. Clinicians should consider the possibility of factor V deficiency in women with a history of idiopathic miscarriage even in patients without any symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Burnout occurs frequently in emergency medicine (EM) residents and has been shown to have a negative impact on patient care. The specific effects of burnout on patient care are less well understood. This study qualitatively explores how burnout may change the way EM residents provide patient care. Methods: Qualitative data were obtained from a sample of 29 EM residents in four semistructured focus groups across four institutions in the United States in early 2019. Transcripts were coded and organized into major patient care themes. Results: Residents described many ways in which feelings of burnout negatively impacted patient care. These detrimental effects most often fit into one of four main themes: reduced motivation to care for patients, poor communication with patients, difficult interactions with health care colleagues, and impaired decision making. Conclusions: According to EM residents, burnout negatively impacts several important aspects of patient care. Resident engagement with clinical care, communication with patients and colleagues, and clinical care may suffer as a result of burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multimodal analysis of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) has the potential to provide remarkable insight for cancer development and metastasis. CTCs and CTC clusters investigation using single-cell analysis, enables researchers to gain crucial information on metastatic mechanisms and the genomic alterations responsible for drug resistance, empowering treatment, and management of cancer. Despite a plethora of CTC isolation technologies, careful attention to the strengths and weaknesses of each method should be considered in order to isolate these rare cells. Here, we provide an overview of cutting-edge technologies used for single-cell isolation and analysis of CTCs. Additionally, we highlight the biological features, clinical application, and the therapeutic potential of CTCs and CTC clusters using single-cell analysis platforms for cancer management. In-depth characterisation of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) has shown promise in diagnosis and management of cancer patients in a noninvasive manner. However, rarity of CTCs poses critical challenges for isolating and analysing them. CTC analysis provides insights into tumour heterogeneity beyond genomic aberrations that are not found in circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA). Single-cell molecular analysis of CTCs offers a new prognostic approach to identification of targeted therapy resistance mechanisms. Choice of technology for isolation and analysis of CTCs mainly depends on cell-loss, study cost per CTC, and workflow complexity. Current technologies suffer from high analysis costs and cell-loss during handling of the low number of CTCs. Additionally, different physical and biological features of CTC clusters often lead to difficulties in analysing them via current commercial platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, green aspects became a key priority for governments worldwide, as sustainable policies are able to promote a more equitable society and a healthier economy from the social, economic, and environmental perspectives, in addition to preserving natural resources for future generations. As an essential context in information technology management, green information technology (GIT) has been developed to cope with the existing environmental problems through organizations. The present study is aimed at identifying the influential factors of decision-making on the adoption of GIT. To collect the required data, interviews were performed along with a structured survey. A total of 112 questionnaires were delivered to chief information officers (CIOs), 99 of which underwent the analysis. The structural equation and partial least square approaches were adopted for data analysis. GIT driver (G-driver) was found to be an intermediary parameter. Findings revealed the GIT readiness (G-readiness) and GIT context (G-context) result in in GIT adoption whenever there was a G-driver indicator (i.e., ethical driver, economic driver, response driver, or regulatory driver). The present study found the significance of all the variables to be above 1.96 except G-context −> green intention to adoption path and G-readiness −> green intention to adoption. Considering that the determination of coefficients and the analysis of relationships between factors directly depends on the opinion of experts and if the opinion of expert's changes, the results will also change; this can be mentioned as the most important limitation of the research. Therefore, it should be noted that the largest impact was identified to be posed by the economical driver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In semiconductor manufacturing, black silicon (bSi) has traditionally been considered as a sign of unsuccessful etching. However, after more careful consideration, many of its properties have turned out to be so superior that its integration into devices has become increasingly attractive. In devices where bSi covers the whole wafer surface, such as solar cells, the integration is already rather mature and different bSi fabrication technologies have been studied extensively. Regarding the integration into devices where bSi should cover only small selected areas, existing research focuses on device properties with one specific bSi fabrication method. Here, we fabricate bSi patterns with varying dimensions ranging from millimeters to micrometers using three common bSi fabrication techniques, i.e., plasma etching, metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) and femtosecond-laser etching, and study the corresponding fabrication characteristics and resulting material properties. Our results show that plasma etching is the most suitable method in the case of $\mu \text{m}$ -scale devices, while MACE reaches surprisingly almost the same performance. Femtosecond-laser has potential due to its maskless nature and capability for hyperdoping, however, in this study its moderate accuracy, large silicon consumption and spreading of the etching damage outside the bSi region leave room for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing environmental pollution, which causes global warming and endangers human health and environmental degradation, has led to the concern of many supply chain managers and designers. The purpose of this research is to provide a mathematical model for designing the purchase, production, and distribution in a multi-level and multi-product supply chain network such that the environmental impact and total costs of supply chain is minimized and the customers' satisfaction level is maximized. Due to the unspecified demands level, demand uncertainty has been considered in the problem. Regarding the complexity of the proposed mathematical model and difficulties in solving the problem with exact methods in large size, a NSGA II has been proposed. To evaluate the proposed NSGA II, five sample instances are generated in different size and solved by Epsilon constraints method and NSGA II. According to the results, the proposed NSGAII is a reliable method to find efficient Pareto frontiers in a reasonable time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

External intervention can make quasi‐mechanical movements in enzyme‐free DNA nanomachine, suggesting the promise of developing novel biosensing systems. The superiority of the "signal‐on" strategies inspired researchers to fabricate sensitive and selective biosensors by combining the advantages of chemical amplification methods with DNA nanomachines. Herein, a smart enzyme‐free DNA nanomachine for biomolecule detection has been developed using DNA walker strategy, Click Chemistry, and electrochemically mediated surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization. When the target biomarker is present, DNA walker (DW) could be unleashed which drives walking on the surface of the DNA‐coated Fe3O4/GCE. Then, this DW hybridized with Azide‐labeled DNA probe1 (H1) and subsequently substituted by DNA probe2 (H2) through walking process. Therefore, the loop of H1 was unlocked to form Azide group available at 3' end. This procedure is repeated so that each released DW can open multiplex H1 strands, resulted in amplification of the signal. After successive walking, "Click reactions" carried out between Azide and 3‐Butynyl‐2‐bromoisobutyrate for initiating the radical polymerization reaction, which brought a great quantity of the electroactive labels on the electrode surface. The number of labels was quantified by square wave voltammetry which was proportional to the target biomarker concentration. In addition, this electroanalytical devicewas applied successfully for direct determination of biomolecules in real serum, and also showed wide dynamic range, excellent detection limit, storage stability and reproducibility. Thus, the proposed biosensor could be effectually utilized in biomedical research and clinical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered double hydroxides (LDH) are great adsorbents for anionic pollutants, but are in a powder form that leads to challenges in solid-liquid separation, low hydraulic conductivity, and handling. Herein, novel bionanocomposite films containing chitosan (Cs), tannic acid (TA), and LDH were fabricated and applied for the removal of reactive blue 4 (RB4). A response surface methodology with Box–Behnken design was applied to study the effect of operating parameters (TA%: 0–20, LDH%: 0–20, pH: 5–9, adsorbent dosage: 0.5–1.5 g L−1, time: 30–90 min) on RB4 dye removal (DR%). A quadratic regression equation was successfully developed to predict the response (R2: 0.95). The obtained optimized condition was TA%: 10, LDH%: 20, pH: 5, adsorbent dosage: 1.5 g L−1, and time: 71 min that resulted in DR%: 98.2. The best-fitted adsorption isotherm and kinetic models were linear Langmuir and nonlinear pseudo-second-order models, respectively. The maximum capacity of adsorption for the optimized film was 406 mg g−1. The obtained thermodynamic parameters implied that the process of adsorption was exothermic and spontaneous. The reusability studies showed that the DR% was decreased from 93% for the first cycle to 69%, 57%, and 56% for the second, third and fourth cycle, respectively. [Display omitted] • Chitosan/tannic acid@ ZnFe layered double hydroxide film was synthesized. • The Cs/TA@LDH film was applied for color removal of reactive blue 4 dye. • A Box–Behnken design was used to optimize film composition and adsorption conditions. • The optimal percentages of TA and LDH in Cs/TA@LDH were 10% and 20%, respectively. • The maximum adsorption capacity of the fabricated adsorbent was 406 mg g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Major depressive disorder is a common psychological condition that can lead to negative individual and social consequences, the management of which is very important in treating the patients. The present study aimed to determine the effect of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on self-esteem and optimism in patients with major depressive disorder. Methods: This is a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial in which a total of 64 patients with major depressive disorder were recruited using convenience sampling and then randomly assigned to two groups of Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy (CBGT) and Treatment-As-Usual (TAU). Data collection tools consisted of a demographic questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R). In the pretest stage, participants in both groups completed the above questionnaires before the intervention. Patients in the CBGT group received eight 90-min sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy during four weeks (two sessions a week). Then participants re-completed RSES and LOT-R immediately, three months, and six months after the intervention. Data were analyzed with SPSS software version 16.0 using chi-squared test, independent-samples t-test, and repeated measures Analysis of Variance. The significance level (p-value) was considered to be less than 0.05. Results: It was indicated that there was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of self-esteem and optimism between the two groups immediately, three months, and six months after the intervention (p <.05). The mean scores of self-esteem and optimism in the CBGT group increased significantly after the intervention compared to before it, although these scores gradually decreased over the three measurement time points after the intervention. Conclusions: Based upon the results, it was concluded that the level of optimism and self-esteem increased significantly in the CBGT group after the intervention, although the levels of the above variables dropped again in the long run after the intervention due to the discontinuity of CBGT sessions. Therefore, it is necessary to take particular measures to regularly hold the sessions of CBGT for patients with major depressive disorder. Trial registration number: IRCT20140212016564N15, The date of registration: 20–09-2021, Retrospectively registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Parenting as a set of behaviors by parents to raise their children has always been a challenging topic for parents and educating parents is one of the basic ways to reduce these challenges. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of parenting education package on reducing the problems of aggression and lawlessness in adolescents in Ahvaz. Materials and Methods: The present study was a quasi-experimental design with experimental and control groups with pretest-posttest. Out of all parents with adolescent children with aggression and lawlessness problems referred to Ahvaz counseling centers in 2020, 34 people were selected and randomly (lottery) divided into experimental (17 people) and control (17 people) groups. The experimental group was trained in parenting package for 8 sessions and the control group did not receive any training. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using one-variable analysis of covariance. Results: The results showed that parenting education had a significant effect on the score of law-breaking problems (F=18.335, p<0.001) and aggression (F=15.346, p<0.001). Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that the developed package of adolescent parenting is effective in improving the problems of aggression and lawlessness of adolescents, and in order to improve the behavioral problems of adolescents, this package is recommended to the parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although many studies have addressed COVID-19, the challenges faced by nurses in their workplace after recovering from this disease have not been investigated. As the backbone of the health system and at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19, nurses are exposed to serious risks of infection and even death. They may also face numerous challenges in their workplace after recovering from COVID-19. It is therefore ethically recommended that the problems of these nurses be solved to increase their job satisfaction and encourage them to remain in their profession. Objectives: The present research was conducted to determine the workplace challenges faced by nurses who had recovered from COVID-19. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using the interpretive phenomenological approach proposed by van Manen. The data collected through 17 in-depth semi-structured interviews with 14 eligible nurses at different occupational levels were analyzed using the six steps proposed by van Manen. These nurses had also recovered from COVID-19. Ethical considerations: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Urmia University of Medical Sciences (IR.UMSU.REC.1399.318). Findings: Four themes and 20 subthemes extracted from analyzing the data explained the challenges faced by the nurses after their return to work. The themes included declined ethical values (four subthemes), infected nurses, forgotten patients (three subthemes), gradually leaving the job (six subthemes), and corona phobia (seven subthemes). Conclusion: The present findings can be used to lay the foundations for adopting humanitarian policies in health organizations in terms of ethical care provision during future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-care and quality of life challenges significantly affect post-stroke life. Stroke patients look for strategies to improve their performance and cope with their new situation. The aim of this study was to explore spirituality in self-care from the perspective of stroke survivors in the northwest of Iran. Purposive sampling is done on 15 participants through Semi-structured interviews of obtained data through conventional content analysis approach. Two categories of "spiritual self-care" as the main theme included "supplication" comprising subcategories of "worship and prayer", "resort" and "trust" and "religious beliefs" with subcategories of "divine providence" and "divine blessing". Based on results of this study, Spirituality increases motivation for self-care and adaptation, reduces stress and helps patiently manage diseases as realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A special selective wet chemical etchant is developed and optimized for removal of subsurface laser modified c-Si. • The etch recipe is non-toxic while yielding smooth surfaces at a high etch rate and selectivity for laser-processed Si. • The champion etchant exhibits a selectivity of over 1600 times for laser modified c-Si with respect to unmodified c-Si. • Extremely high aspect ratios > 13 are achieved in 3D structuring of c-Si. • The etch rate and selectivity, as well as their calculations, are redefined to include 3D aspects both at the surface and the subsurface of c-Si. Recently-demonstrated high-quality three-dimensional (3D) subsurface laser processing inside crystalline silicon (c-Si) wafers opens a door to a wide range of novel applications in multidisciplinary research areas. Using this technique, novel maskless micro-pillars with precise control on the surface reflection and coverage are successfully fabricated by etching the laser-processed region of the c-Si wafer. To achieve this, a particular selective wet chemical etching is developed to follow subsurface laser processing of c-Si to reveal the desired 3D structures with smooth surfaces. Here, we report the development of a novel chromium-free chemical etching recipe based on copper nitrate, which yields substantially smooth surfaces at a high etch rate and selectivity on the both laser-processed Si surface and subsurface, i.e., without significant etching of the unmodified Si. Our results show that the etch rate and surface morphology are interrelated and strongly influenced by the composition of the adopted etching solution. After an extensive compositional study performed at room temperature, we identify an etchant with a selectivity of over 1600 times for laser-modified Si with respect to unmodified Si. We also support our findings using density functional theory calculations of HF and Cu adsorption energies, indicating significant diversity on the c-Si and laser-modified surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study was conducted to discover the organisational and managerial challenges of nurses recovered from COVID‐19. Background: Nurses, who are at the front line of fighting against COVID‐19, face numerous organisational and managerial challenges that impose a burden on their already heavy burden of infection. Working in challenging situations can affect the quality of nursing care. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted through an interpretive phenomenological approach. To collect the data, 18 semistructured interviews were held with 15 recovered nurses, which were then analysed using van Manen's method. Results: The data analysis led to the extraction of four themes: nurses as victims of organisational prejudice, a profession surrounded by problems, insufficient sources for dealing with COVID‐19 and post‐COVID‐19 development. Conclusion: This study showed the organisational and managerial challenges of recovered nurses from COVID‐19. Although these nurses had positive experiences, they needed eliminating organisational prejudice, minimizing concerns and sufficient resources to deal with the crisis. Implications for nursing management: It is believed that these results can be used as a guide to nurse managers to improve the experience of recovered nurses from COVID‐19 by treating all employees with equal kindness, considering to their problems and minimizing burden by actively providing resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) has become the gold-standard for treating patients with the larger renal stones and staghorn calculi. This study was designed to evaluate the outcomes of flank versus prone position in patients underwent ultrasonic-guided PCNL for treatment of large kidney stones. Methods: This prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted from September 2017 to September 2019 in the department of Urology, Labbafinejad University hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Two hundred patients with kidney stones larger than 2 cm underwent PCNLs in prone (n = 100) or flank position (n = 100). Success rate, operative time, access time, hemoglobin and creatinine changes, hospital stay, auxiliary procedure and surgical complications were compared between the two groups. Results: The two groups were similar in their baseline characteristics. The success rates in prone (87%) versus flank position (85%) were not significantly different at the first post-operative follow-up (p = 0.91). At the three-month follow-up, the overall stone free rates for the prone position PCNLs and flank position PCNLs were 94/100 (94%) and 90/100 (90%) (p = 0.96). There were no significant difference between the groups in operative time (p = 0.42), access time (p = 0.66), hemoglobin (p = 0.46) and creatinine (p = 0.22) changes, hospital stay (p = 0.05), auxiliary procedures (p = 0.75) and surgical complications. Conclusion: Overall, there is no significant difference between prone and flank positions in success rate and complications. More prospective studies must be carried out to identify patient populations who are most apt to benefit from one position over the other. Trial registration number: IRCT20200902048597N1 Date of registration: 2020-11-21, retrospectively registered [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In 2016, WHO gave a comprehensive classification system that included morphology, immunophenotyping, molecular and genetic findings. Flow cytometric immunophenotyping is the backbone of WHO classification, helping to make a more accurate and faster diagnosis. Aim : This study has been conducted to find immunophenotyping aberrancy of acute leukemia (AL) and its association with gender and age group. Material and methods: This is a descriptive retrospective study of 1012 AL patients diagnosed between January 2011 and January 2019, including all new patients of all ages and both sexes, who had available immunophenotyping data. Results and discussion: The most common aberrant antigen on acute my-eloid leukemia (AML) was CD7, on precursor B lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) was CD33 and on precursor T lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) was CD13. There was no association between sex/age and antigen aberrancy except a significant increase in CD34 loss on pre B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pre B-ALL) and HLA- -DR expression on acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) in males compared to female patients and an increase of CD19 expression on non-APL-AML and an elevation of CD34 loss on T-ALL in adult compared to pediatric patients. Not only detection of aberrant expression of CD markers in leukemic cells helps to estimate molecular abnormalities and has a prognostic effect, but also a specification of neoplastic cell markers at the time of diagnosis is essential for monitoring patients after treatment. Conclusions : Although in this study, no association between sex/age and aberrancy of antigens was detected (except in certain AL subtypes), AL specific immunophenotype is essential for minimal residual disease detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-depth study of cellular heterogeneity of rare cells (e.g. circulating tumour cells (CTCs) and circulating foetal cells (CFCs)) is greatly needed in disease management but has never been completely explored due to the current technological limitations. We have developed a retrieval method for single-cell detection using a static droplet array (SDA) device through liquid segmentation with almost no sample loss. We explored the potential of using SDA for low sample input and retrieving the cells of interest using everyday laboratory equipment for downstream molecular analysis. This single-cell isolation and retrieval method is low-cost, rapid and provides a solution to the remaining challenge for single rare cell detection. The entire process takes less than 15 min, is easy to fabricate and allows for on-chip analysis of cells in nanolitre droplets and retrieval of desired droplets. To validate the applicability of our device and method, we mimicked detection of single CTCs by isolating and retrieving single cells and perform real-time PCR on their mRNA contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iran is one of the largest oil and gas producers in the world. Intelligent manufacturing approaches can lead to better performance and lower costs of the well drilling process. One of the most critical issues during the drilling operation is the wellbore stability. Instability of wellbore can occur at different stages of a well life and inflict heavy financial and time damage on companies. A controllable factor can prevent these damages by selecting a proper drilling mud weight. This research presents a drilling mud weight estimator for Iranian wells using deep-learning techniques. Our Iranian data set only contains 900 samples, but efficient deep-learning models usually need large amounts of data to obtain acceptable performance. Therefore, the samples of two data sets related to the United Kingdom and Norway fields are also used to extend our data set. Our final data set has contained more than half-million samples that have been compiled from 132 wells of three fields. Our presented mud weight estimator is an artificial neural network with 5 hidden layers and 256 nodes in each layer that can estimate the mud weight for new wells and depths with the mean absolute error (MAE) of smaller than ±0.039 pound per gallon (ppg). In this research, the presented model is challenged in real-world conditions, and the results show that our model can be reliable and efficient in the real world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This 8‐year (from 2008 to 2016) retrospective study calculated the percentage of carcass and organ (lung and liver) condemnations and estimated the direct financial costs at four slaughterhouses in Sistan‐Baluchestan Province, Southeastern Iran. Each carcass and organ (lung and liver) was thoroughly examined through inspection, palpation and incision following the standard protocol. Identification of the parasites was performed macroscopically. The total direct economic loss due to meat's condemnation was estimated by adding weights of each organ or carcass part and multiplying individual organ totals by their 2016 market unit price. A total of 857,039 cattle were slaughtered during this period, 64,497 livers (7.5%), 31,401 lungs (3.6%) and the carcasses of 1,171 cattle (0.1%) were condemned due to lesions caused by parasites. The main parasitic lesions in the condemned livers were attributed to Echinococcus granulosus (4.2%), Fasciola spp. (3.1%) and Dicrocoelium dendriticum (0.1%). All the condemned lungs were due to E. granulosus (3.6%). Taenia saginata cysticerci were detected in 0.1% of inspected animals. Liver condemnation due to cystic echinococcosis was the highest in fall (4.7%, p < 0.001); while lung condemnation was the highest during spring (3.98%, p < 0.001). Liver condemnation due to Fasciola spp. was the lowest in winter (2.99%, p < 0.001). Carcass condemnation as a result of cysticercosis was the highest in summer (p < 0.001). Considering the 2016 market prices, condemnations due to the studied parasites caused direct costs estimated U.S. $ 3,191,879. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report estimating the monetary losses due to parasitic infections in the slaughterhouses of this province. Due to the high financial impact of the studied parasites, a control programme should be implemented to decrease this impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Typical fundus photography produces a two-dimensional image. This makes it difficult to observe the microvascular and neural abnormalities, because the depth of the image is missing. To provide depth appreciation, we develop a single-channel stereoscopic fundus video imaging system based on a rotating refractor. With respect to the pupil center, the rotating refractor laterally displaces the optical path and the illumination. This allows standard monocular fundus cameras to generate stereo-parallax and image disparity through sequential image acquisition. We optimize our imaging system, characterize the stereo-base, and image an eyeball model and a rabbit eye. When virtual realities are considered, our imaging system can be a simple yet efficient technique to provide depth perception in a virtual space that allows users to perceive abnormalities in the eye fundus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Iran has an human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) epidemic that is concentrated among people who inject drugs (PWID), who have higher risks of progression from latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) to active disease. The aim of this study is to measure prevalence of LTBI, HIV infection and any risk behaviors among PWID in Iran.Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from August to December 2013 in six cities across Iran. A total of 420 PWID were recruited from drop-in centres using convenience sampling. Trained interviewers collected data on socio-demographic characteristics, drug use history and drug-related risk behaviors across the study sites. A tuberculin skin test (TST) was performed, and HIV infection was assessed by a rapid test. Multivariable modified Poisson regression and logistic regression were used for data analysis.Results: Prevalence of positive TST and HIV positivity was 35.7% and 8.6%, respectively. The prevalence of LTBI and HIV was significantly different across the cities of this study. Positive TST was independently associated with older age (APR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01, 1.05) and being HIV positive (APR 1.89, 95% CI 1.45, 2.47). HIV infection was associated with lifetime history of sharing syringes (AOR 3.28, 95% CI 1.44, 10.71) and lifetime number of imprisonment (AOR 1.09, 95% CI 1.03-1.14).Discussion and Conclusions: Prevalence of LTBI infections among PWID is high and independently associated with HIV infection. Given that there are currently no TB services available within drop-in centres, programs which integrate TB case finding, TB preventive therapy, referral and care services for PWID are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Major depressive disorder is the most common psychological disorder and affects many people worldwide. Therefore, it is important to identify the factors that cause or facilitate this disorder. Objectives: The aim of this qualitative study was to identify the facilitating factors of depression from the perspective of Iranian patients with major depressive disorder. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted by content analysis method. Data were collected via purposeful sampling (maximum variation sampling) by conducting semi-structured interviews until reaching data saturation. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 participants, including patients with major depressive disorder and their families in Razi Psychiatric Training and Treatment Center in Urmia (RPsTT) from November 2018 to February 2020. The process of data analysis was based on the Landman and Grenheim method. The accuracy and trustworthiness of the data were obtained through the Lincoln and Guba criteria. Results: The analysis of interviews with the participants indicated four major categories: a. Environmental factors (approved by 8 participants), b. Attitudinal factors (approved by 12 participants), c. Economic factors (approved by 9 participants) and d. Situational factors (approved by 10 participants). Conclusion: In order to prevent major depressive disorder or to reduce the signs of this disorder and improve these patients quality of life, paying attention to the facilitating factors from patient's perspective based on their community culture can be effective. Among facilitating factors, attitudinal factors have the most impact on the incidence and exacerbation of this disorder from the perspective of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a computational model for the post-breakdown phase of an electrical discharge in liquids is presented and validated through comparison with data from a high voltage pulsed power discharge in a water-filled crucible. The numerical framework consists of an arc plasma channel modeled by equivalent resistor-inductor-capacitor circuit equations coupled to a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model (based on OpenFOAM) that solves the compressible fluid equations for describing the shock waves associated with the rapid development of the plasma channel. The circuit model equations evolve the initial discharge plasma expansion which are then used to initialize the pressure pulse in the CFD model. Both single-phase (liquid) and two-phase (gas–liquid) CFD solvers were implemented and compared. The dynamics and magnitude of the simulated pressure pulse perturbations at the boundaries of the crucible were validated with the pressure sensor measurements made in an experiment of a pulsed electrical discharge in liquid water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of transperitoneal laparoscopic pyelolithotomy in renal stone cases with previous renal surgeries. Patients and methods: In this prospective study, 190 consecutive patients with renal stones, who were candidates for transperitoneal laparoscopic pyelolithotomy, were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups. In group A, 163 patients without a history of renal surgery underwent standard laparoscopic pyelolithotomy, whereas in group B laparoscopic pyelolithotomy was performed in 27 patients with a history of kidney stone surgery including percutaneous nephrolithotomy or open stone surgery. All intraoperative data including the operating time and complications such as bleeding requiring transfusion were recorded. Postoperative data such as length of hospitalization, hemoglobin level alteration, and other complications were also recorded. Results: There was no significant difference in the preoperative data such as stone size, stone site, age, sex, and stone side between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the stone-free rate between the two groups (p = 0.4). There was no significant difference between the two study groups regarding the operating time, hospital stay, stone-free rate, complications, and transfusion rate. Conclusion: Laparoscopic pyelolithotomy can be used as a safe and feasible treatment modality in the setting of previous renal surgery. The complications and stone-free rate of laparoscopic pyelolithotomy in patients with history of renal surgery are acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented in which the author discusses substance use treatment and harm reduction services in Iran and how those services coped amid the COVID-19 pandemic and U.S. and United Nations sanctions against Iran.

Purpose: The role of laparoscopic pyelolithotomy (LPL) in the management of renal stones is evolving. One of the challenges in LPL for renal stones is patients with intrarenal pelvis. Here we present our experience with laparoscopic pyelolithotomy for the management of renal stones with intrarenal pelvis anatomy.Materials and Methods: Patients candidate for laparoscopic pyelolithotomy from February 2014 to March 2015 were included. Intrarenal pelvis was defined as > 50% of the renal pelvis area contained inside renal parenchyma. Laparoscopic pyelolithotomy was done by transperitoneal approach. Residual stones were checked by computed tomography and/or intravenous pyelography and ultrasonography 6 weeks after the operation.Results: 28 patients were included in this study. The mean±SD of patients' age was 45.8±12.5 years. 19 patients (68%) were male. Stone locations were pelvis, multiple, and staghorn in 22, 3, and 3 patients respectively. The mean±SD of operation duration was 160±48 minutes. Residual stones were observed in 3 patients with multiple (n=2) or staghorn (n=1) stones. Urinary leak was observed in 3 patients and was managed conservatively in 2 patients. In one patient ureteral stent was inserted by cystoscopy. No conversion to open surgery or re-operation occurred.Conclusion: Laparoscopic pyelolithotomy is a feasible operation for patients with renal stones and intrarenal pelvis in centers with adequate experience in laparoscopy. However, the success of LPL decreases in patients with multiple stones and intrarenal pelvis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the environmental concerns associated with non-biodegradable polymers like low-density polyethylene (LDPE), the production of ecofriendly and partially biodegradable films based on starch/LDPE blends is the point of interest. However, due to immiscibility between hydrophilic starch and hydrophobic LDPE, the mechanical properties of the produced films are not good enough. In this context, several investigations have been conducted to improve the mechanical properties of the films, mainly through the improvements in miscibility and compatibility of two layers. The mechanical characteristics of the films fabricated from these blends are affected by different factors including modification of starch via esterification, cross-linking and thermo-plasticization, starch granule characteristics (amylose to amylopectin ratio, size, and shape) and their content, type, and quantity of compatibilizers, presence of nanoparticles (type and content), using of recycled polymers, type of plasticizers and processing technique. The current article presents an overview of the factors that affect the mechanical properties of LDPE/starch blends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel active LDPE/TPS nanocomposite films containing date palm seed extracts (Kabkab variety) were developed using D-optimal mixture design. 20 different blends of components including LDPE, TPS, Cloisite 20A, PE-g-MA, EDTA and date palm seed extract in different proportions were prepared. Using trace and counter plots the effects of each component on the mechanical and antibacterial properties of the composites were studied. The results showed that the films containing a mixture of date seed extract and EDTA had notable antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus ; however, these components weakened the mechanical properties of the prepared films. At the same time Cloisite 20A nanoparticles strengthened the films mechanical properties. The optimized formulation for the overall best antibacterial and mechanical properties was 67.5 wt% for LDPE, 4.1 wt% for date seed extract, 2.8 wt% for Cloisite 20A and 2.5 wt% for EDTA. The studied properties of the manufactured film samples were close to the values predicted by the model. [Display omitted] • Date palm seed extracts from Kabkab variety were obtained. • An active LDPE/TPS nanocomposite films containing date palm seed extracts by were developed. • The mechanical properties of the films were tested. • The antimicrobial activity was tested against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. • Optimization of film formulation is carried out using D-optimal experimental design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas chimneys and gas clouds in the subsurface media are known as one of the indications of possible petroleum reservoirs. Investigations of their properties are mostly initiated by seismic attribute interpretation on reflection seismic data. However, due to the complexity of their behavior and their difficult interpretation of seismic attributes, state-of-the-art methods are mostly required to be applied on the seismic data to prevent any misinterpretation. This is mostly done through attribute integration and multi-attribute analysis. This research presents a study on seismic attributes and integration on several 2D seismic reflection lines from the Gorgan Plain. It is located in Northeast Iran, on the western border of the region's well-known Kopeh-Dagh fold and thrust belt, and southeastern border of the South Caspian Basin. Hydrocarbon systems of the Gorgan Plain are poorly known and have not been widely studied, but according to preliminary investigations, this region has the potential for hydrocarbon occurrences. The aim of this study is to investigate presence and then delaminate the affected area of possible gas chimneys that are related to possible hydrocarbon reservoirs. Gas chimneys are assumed to be created due to the routes, mostly made by faults, that provoke light hydrocarbons components to migrate toward the surface. Preliminary interpretations of seismic reflection data in this study revealed that at least two gas chimneys occurred within the Gorgan Plain. As it was mentioned, since they are mostly due to the faulting above the hydrocarbon reservoir, gas chimney and heavy faulting might exhibit the same effects on the seismic data and then on its attributes, which are amplitude reduction and high damping on energies, distortion of the waveshape and seismic velocity reduction. Thus, care should be taken in separation of these two different geologic phenomena on seismic attributes. This also was done in this study through utilized integration of the most relevant seismic attributes such as Instantaneous-phase, Chaos, Variance and Remove-bias attributes. Based on the result of interpretations and according to the evolution of the basin and its structural reconstruction on other studies, gas chimneys of the Gorgan Plain, are in relation to the operation of fault zones in Cenozoic erathem in the region. These fault zones which cut the entire Cenozoic erathem, create the pathway for vertical migration of hydrocarbons through Cheleken formation (reservoir rock) and its overburden sedimentary sequences. In other words, operation of fault zones within Cenozoic sedimentary sequence, is the main reason for gas seepage in the Gorgan Plain, which is also shown in seismic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hospitalization could be an unpleasant experience for patients with cardiovascular disease leading to some negative emotional reactions. These emotions can be managed by nursing empathy. There are different methods for improving empathy, but some evidence indicates a dramatic drop in nurses' empathy. In this study, we aim to provide a protocol for investigating the effect of knowledge brokering on nurses' empathy with patients receiving cardiac care.Methods: This study protocol is developed based on SPIRIT checklist with an experimental design. The study population are nurses working in cardiac wards of three educational hospitals in western Iran, Khorramabad. The quota sampling method is used. The sample size is 100 individuals. The samples will be assigned to two intervention and comparison groups using stratified random allocation method. Permuted block randomization is used in each stratum. To prevent contamination between participants; firstly, the measurements of the comparison group is done. Knowledge brokering intervention is performed in 7 stages based on Dobbins' knowledge translation framework 2009. Monica's Empathy Construct Self-Rating Scale is used for measuring empathy. Statistical analyses are performed using SPSS (SPPS Inc. Chicago, Il, version 21). P value below 0.05 is considered as statistically significant.Discussion: To our knowledge, there is no similar study using an experimental design to examine the efficacy of a knowledge brokering method to improve humanistic knowledge. It helps nurses to improve their empathy in caring relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: As one of the major health problems in the present century, the COVID-19 pandemic affected all parts of the global communities and the health of substance users are potentially at a greater risk of harm. This global study has been designed and conducted by the International Society of Addiction Medicine Practice and Policy Interest Group (ISAM-PPIG) to understand better the health related issues of people with Substance Use Disorders (SUD) as well as responses of the relevant health care systems during the pandemic. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study using convenient sampling. The data gathering was carried out with two follow-up stages each two months apart through an online conducted survey prepared using Google platform. The survey started by emergence of COVID-19 as a pandemic in March 2020 and respondents were followed till September 2020 when most of the initial lockdowns by most countries are supposed to be reopened. Ethics and Dissemination: The study was approved by the ethics committee of University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. The results will be published in relevant peer reviewing journals and communicated with different international stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance of crystalline Silicon solar cells depends on numerous factors. One key factor is a surface structure which can restrict electrical and optical properties due to recombination of generated carriers and reflection of incident light. Surface texturing reduces reflection from a flat surface which increases absorption of light. Anisotropic alkaline etchants are commonly used for texturing mono-crystalline Silicon wafers which produce pyramid structures on the surface. Because of randomly oriented crystallographic grains, this method is not feasible for multi-crystalline Silicon wafers. Here, an alternative texturing process using a laser system is proposed. Laser beam creates vertical and horizontal grooves on the surface in which the intersections are for a light trapping purpose. Laser parameters are determined experimentally to have the lowest reflection. Next, chemical post-texture cleaning is performed to remove laser-induced damages and other residues. Finally, samples went through general solar cell fabrication steps. For characterizations, weighted reflection is measured and correlated with Scanning Electron Microscopy images of a textured surface to evaluate the performance of texturing and post-texture cleaning. To examine fabricated solar cells' performance, I–V curve and External Quantum Efficiency are measured. Results indicate that proposed processes lead to an improved efficiency compared to reference samples. • Optimizing laser texturing as an isotropic texturing method by optimizing laser parameters. • Optimizing post-texture cleaning method using KOH solution with proper parameters. • Fabricating solar cell based on optimum laser texturing and post-texture cleaning parameters. • Achieving considerably low weighted reflection by laser texturing and depositing ARC. • Improving conversion efficiency of conventional c-Si solar cell comparing to reference cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Echinococcus granulosus is a worldwide zoonotic cestode that lives mainly in the intestine of dog as definitive host. Its larval stage infects intermediate hosts and forms hydatid cysts mainly in the liver and lungs tissues and less other organs such as brain, eye and bone. In the experimental models, inoculation of protoscoleces into the peritoneum, thoracic cavity, subcutaneous and cerebrum produces hydatid cysts. Experimental echinococcosis in the animal models provides a good opportunity for study of the parasite-host relationship, different transmission ways of infection in the intermediate hosts and effect of new drugs. Methods: The present study was conducted in the Veterinary School, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran in 2018. In this study, cerebral hydatidosis was investigated in 6 female Wistar rats weighing (200±20 gr). For this purpose, protoscoleces were collected from hydatid cysts of infected sheep liver. Overall, 300 protoscolices were injected directly in the lateral ventricle by an insulin syringe through the implanted cannula. Results: After 4 months of inoculation, multiple thin-walled, transparent hydatid cysts were observed in the rat skull. All cysts were infertile. The cysts were localized prominently on the cerebral cortex and lesser in the parenchyma and ventricles. The cyst walls consisted of three layers consist of the outer layer (fibrous capsule), two parasitic layers and the endocyst layer (germinal layer). The cyst was surrounded by the inflammatory cells consist of lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophages. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this research is the first experimental cerebral hydatidosis arisen from larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus in the animal model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is one of the most common mental disorders that leads to anxiety, sleep disturbances, and suicidal thoughts. Due to the high cost of treatment and the reluctance of many patients to seek medical help, major depressive disorder (MDD) is becoming more prevalent. Therefore, alternative methods like smartphone applications can help prevent and improve depression symptoms. The present study aimed to determine the effect of the newly developed Yara smartphone application on anxiety, sleep quality, and suicidal thoughts in patients with MDD. Methods: This randomized controlled trial with a pretest-posttest design was conducted on Iranian patients with MDD in 2022. Sixty-four patients were recruited using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two control and intervention groups. The intervention was conducted using the Yara smartphone application for three months. Data were collected using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI). Data were first entered into IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 22 (IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y., USA) and then analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the mean score of anxiety and sleep quality between the intervention and control groups before the intervention (p ≥.05). However, this difference in the mean score of anxiety and sleep quality was statistically significant in the two groups after the intervention (p <.05). The results showed no statistically significant difference in the mean score of suicidal thoughts between the two groups before and after the intervention (p ≥.05). The use of the Yara smartphone application had a significant positive effect on anxiety and sleep quality in depressed patients (p <.001). At the same time, it had no significant effect on suicidal thoughts (p ≥.05). Conclusion: Considering the positive effect of using the Yara smartphone application on reducing anxiety and improving sleep quality in depressed patients, this application can help alleviate the problems of depressed patients alongside existing treatment methods. Thus, this application is recommended for this group of patients in psychiatric clinics and departments. The Yara application's effectiveness was not approved on suicidal thoughts in this study so that further investigation would be necessary. Trial Registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trial approval code (IRCT# IRCT20131112015390N7). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One motivation to study obstinate ideals in any algebra of logic is that the induced quotient algebra by these ideals is the two-element Boolean algebra. In this paper, we introduce two types of obstinate ideals in HvMV-algebras; obstinate HvMV-ideals and obstinate weak HvMV-ideals. Giving several theorems and examples we characterize these HvMV-ideals. For example, we prove that an HvMV-ideal (if exists) must be maximal, and any HvMV-algebra with odd number of elements does not contatin an obstinate HvMV-ideal. Also, we characterize these HvMV-ideals in finite HvMV-algebras with at most six elements; we investigate that which subsets can be an obstinate (weak) HvMV-ideal. In the sequel, we investigate the relationships between obstinate (weak) HvMV-ideals, and Boolean and prime HvMV-ideals. Finally, we prove that in a commutative HvMV-algebra, the quotient HvMV-algebra induced by an obstinate weak HvMV-ideal must be a two-elements Boolean algebra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer is the second most common cause of mortality after cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Resilience is one of the best strategies for coping with diseases in patients with cancer. This study was aimed to determine the effect of resilience-based group therapy intervention on coping in mothers of children with cancer. Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical trial was carried out on 48 mothers of children with cancer in Shahid Motahhari Hospital of Urmia, Iran, in 2017. Samples were randomly divided into two groups in Excel. The data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), and the Coping Health Inventory for Parents (CHIP). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the two groups at three different times. All p values of less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: A significant difference was observed in the mean scores of integration between the intervention group and control group (F1, 47 = 426.41, p < 0.001); the mean (standard deviation) of the integration score in the intervention and control groups was 40.80 (2.54) and 18.04 (3.05), respectively. Moreover, there was significant difference between the two groups in terms of the mean scores of social support and health status perception (F1, 47 = 176.59, p < 0.001). The mean (standard deviation) of social support and health status perception scores in the intervention group was 39.88 (2.81) and 22.72 (5.91) and in the control group was 16.87 (4.19) and 10.95 (2.01), respectively. Conclusions: Resilience-based group therapy intervention can be an effective strategy for coping with childhood cancer among mothers of children with cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]