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Hepatitis B virus is a global health concern with a high death rate in Afghanistan. Limited data exist on the disease's impact on quality of life in low‐resource settings. This case–control study aims to identify potential risk factors and assess the quality of life among hepatitis B patients in Herat, Afghanistan, with a focus on sex differences. Understanding these factors can inform prevention, care, and sex‐specific interventions. A cross‐sectional study conducted at Herat Regional Hospital examined hepatitis B patients above 18 years old, between October 2020 and February 2021. The control group consisted of age and sex‐matched individuals without a history of hepatitis B. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire covering socio‐demographic characteristics, signs and symptoms of hepatitis B, and the SF‐36 questionnaire for measuring the quality of life of study participants. Statistical analysis was performed using multivariate General Linear Models, and logistic regression. We identified several potential risk factors for hepatitis B infection, including male sex, younger age groups, tobacco use, lower education levels, rural residence, family history, weak social networks, specific family structures and underlying chronic diseases (p < .05). The study found that hepatitis B cases had significantly lower mean scores across all SF‐36 components, indicating an overall reduced quality of life (p < .05). These differences were more pronounced in males, although females had lower scores in most components. Role limitations due to physical and emotional health were particularly affected. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions, sex‐specific strategies, improved healthcare access and comprehensive policies. These findings can inform prevention efforts to improve the overall quality of life of people with hepatitis B in Afghanistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many clinical evidences have reported the higher risk of seizure in young children and infants after exposure to hyperthermia, which more likely can cause brain damage and affect cognitive function, so, many researches were focused on prevention or treatment of febrile seizure (FS) with minimal adverse effects. Considering the potential effects of oxidative stress as a prominent trigger in FS, and demonstrating the anti‐oxidant effects of metformin, the present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of metformin administration in prenatal and lactation periods in rat pups exposed to hyperthermia by which induced seizure. Method and materials: Pregnant rats were divided into six groups: (1) vehicle: pregnant rats received normal saline during pregnancy and lactation; (2) FS: pregnant rats received normal saline during pregnancy and lactation; (3–5) FS‐Met50/100/150 mg/kg: pregnant rats received different doses of metformin including 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg during pregnancy and lactation; (6) Met150 mg/kg: pregnant rats received Met150 mg/kg during pregnancy and lactation. The male pups born to mothers received in all FS groups exposed to hyperthermia. All experimental groups were allowed to grow up, and after the lactation period, they were subjected for behavioural tests and biochemical analysis. Results: According to the present findings, the prenatal and lactation exposure to the highest dose of metformin demonstrated significant difference with FS group in both behavioural and biochemical test analyses. Although the remaining doses of metformin were also effective, the much better results were reported with the highest dose of metformin (150 mg/kg). Interestingly, the highest dose of metformin administered alone demonstrated better result than vehicle in probe trial test. Conclusion: Considering the present research and related study in relation to metformin in ameliorating the epilepsy symptoms, there are numerous evidences on positive effect of metformin on seizure. Although the exact mechanism is unclear, the anti‐oxidant effect of metformin is strongly supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parenting is a difficult but enjoyable process. When aligned with children's developmental process, parenting reduces problems and empowers children for better behavioral and emotional functioning. Therefore, this study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of positive parenting program (Triple P) and mindful parenting (MP) on the level of preschool children's social development. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest, control design and a 3-month follow-up. The study population included all mothers of preschool children in Shiraz in the educational year 2019-2020. The sample consisted of 45 mothers who were selected using convenience sampling and were then randomly assigned to two experimental groups, each including 15 mothers. First, the Children's Communication Checklist (CCC) (Bishop, 1998) was completed by the children's mothers. Then, the first experimental group participated in Triple P sessions (Sanders et al., 2005) and the second experimental group took part in mindful parenting sessions (Duncan, Coatsworth, Gayles, Geier, & Greenberg, 2015). The control group did not receive any treatment. Subsequently, the aforementioned questionnaire was completed again by the mothers in the three groups. The collected data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA in SPSS software. Results: The results indicated that Triple P had a more positive effect on children's social development level (p < 0.05) and the components of suitable initiation (P < 0.01) and social skills (p < 0.001) than MP training. Furthermore, the effectiveness of MP training on the children's ability for suitable communication (P < 0.01) was greater than the Triple P. Conclusion: Therefore, positive parenting and MP are both good ways to promote a child's social development. Thus, positive parenting program can be used as the preferred method for mothers to increase the social development of their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) offers a promising approach to addressing the significant burden of smoking in Afghanistan. Over three million Afghans smoke daily, making it a leading cause of preventable deaths in the country. While the previous Afghan government implemented various tobacco cessation policies and strategies, these measures were only partially effective in reducing the number of smokers or smoking-related deaths. In 2021, community-based initiatives in Kabul and Herat started advocating for Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) as a novel, realistic, and practical approach proven to promote smoking abstinence and minimize tobacco harm. However, implementing THR strategies in Afghanistan faces numerous challenges, including a lack of governmental support, funding issues, unfavorable market conditions, the high cost-effectiveness of THR products, and misconceptions about these products. To effectively promote THR in Afghanistan and overcome these challenges, it will be necessary to implement THR policies that support THR products for smokers, regulate the market for these products, produce them locally with healthcare professional oversight, conduct more engaging advocacy campaigns, and secure domestic sponsors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although biofuels have many benefits, but their production costs are high. This challenge has caused researches to use waste materials and apply technologies to lower the cost of producing these fuels. In this study, a biocompatible heterogeneous catalyst created from calcining camel bones is employed to make biodiesel fuel from non-edible bitter almond oil (BAO). Additionally, using ultrasound technology was one way to increase the effectiveness of the biodiesel synthesis process. Additionally, the effects of the independent variables alcohol to oil molar ratio (6:1, 11:1, and 16:1), reaction time (10, 20, and 30 minutes), ultrasonic power (30, 65, and 100%), catalyst loading (4, 8, and 12 oil wt%), and reaction time (10, 20, and 30 minutes) on the production of methyl ester from BAO were examined. Camel bones were calcined at 400, 700, and 1000°C for 2, 3, and 4 hours. Optimum temperature and time conditions for camel bones calcination with maximum methyl ester production of 88% were obtained at 1000°C and 3 hours after measuring the morphology structure of camel bones catalyst using XRD and TGA methods. The maximum biodiesel conversion rate of 92.3% was obtained using the calcined catalyst with a molar ratio of 11:1, a catalyst loading of 8%, an ultrasonic power of 100%, and a reaction time of 20 minutes. Using the response surface methodology, tests and optimization were performed by Design-Expert software. Biodiesel yield and energy consumption were 88.13% and 248.18 kJ in the optimal conditions suggested by the software with the conditions of maximum production and minimum energy consumption with appropriate weighting. According to the results, waste camel bone can be used as a cost-effective biocompatible source with favorable catalytic activity for biodiesel fuel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between a flexible beam and a fluid in a channel are of great relevance to biological hairy surfaces, aquatic vegetation, marine life (e.g., fish gills), and many industrial systems alike. While steady state response of a beam to such flows is fairly well-explored, their behavior in the transient regime is not fully understood. A series of numerical simulations are performed to study the laminar Couette flow of an incompressible viscous fluid past an elastic beam in a two-dimensional channel. The flexible beam is perpendicular to the direction of flow, and its base is fixed to the stationary bottom of the channel. We measure the evolution of the Vogel exponent, drag reduction, and reconfiguration number during the transient and steady-state response of the fluid–structure system for different geometrical and physical properties. Our benchmark shows a good agreement between numerical and experimental observations. Our results show that the system's steady-state response at different bulk-fluid velocities can be reproduced by investigating the shear flow response during the transient regime. We define a new variable that characterizes the evolution of the local velocity profile in the proximity of the free end of the beam and use that to characterize the transient-regime response. The analysis yields insight into the competing effects of elasticity of the beam and non-linear flow response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objective: Apigenin is a member of the flavonoid family that can regulate various biological processes, which is characterized as a treatment of different inflammatory disorders and pathological problems associated with oxidative stress (OS). Recent research has focused on apigenin immunomodulatory properties as a potential treatment for different types of lung injuries. This meta-analysis was designed to determine the impact of apigenin treatment on inflammatory markers and OS parameters in animal models of lung injuries. Methods: The comprehensive literature search was conducted using electronic databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase up to August 2021. To assess apigenin's effect on inflammatory mediators and OS biomarkers in lung injury animal models, we used the I2 statistic to determine the heterogeneity. We then pooled data as standardized mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Our meta-analysis of the pooled data for inflammatory biomarkers demonstrated that the apigenin administration significantly decreased the NF-κB expression (SMD − 1.60, 95% CI [− 2.93 to − 0.26]; I2 = 89.0%, p < 0.001), IL-1β (SMD − 4.30, 95% CI [− 6.24 to − 2.37]; I2 = 67.3%, p = 0.047), IL-6 (SMD − 4.10, 95% CI [− 5.04 to − 3.16]; I2 = 72.6%, p < 0.001), TNF-α (SMD − 3.74, 95% CI [− 4.67 to − 2.82]; I2 = 84.1%, p < 0.001), and TNF-α gene expression (SMD − 3.44, 95% CI [− 4.44 to − 2.43]; I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.622). This study also indicated the efficacy of apigenin in increasing the level of CAT (SMD 4.56, 95% CI [3.57 to 5.55]; I2 = 15.3%, p = 3.15), GSH (SMD 5.12, 95% CI [3.53 to 6.70]; I2 = 77.6%, p < 0.001), and SOD (SMD 3.45, 95% CI [2.50 to 4.40]; I2 = 79.2%, p < 0.001), and decreasing the level of MDA (SMD − 3.87, 95% CI [− 5.25 to − 2.49]; I2 = 80.3%, p < 0.001) and MPO (SMD − 4.02, 95% CI [− 5.64 to − 2.40]; I2 = 88.9%, p < 0.001), TGF− β (SMD − 3.81, 95% CI [− 4.91 to − 2.70]; I2 = 73.4%, p = 0.001) and W/D level (SMD − 3.22, 95% CI [− 4.47 to − 1.97]; I2 = 82.1%, p < 0.001) than control groups. Conclusion: Overall, our findings showed the immunomodulatory potential of apigenin as an alternative treatment for the suppression of inflammatory responses and OS in different types of lung injury diseases. Nevertheless, due to the paucity of clinical studies, reliable preclinical models, and clinical settings, evaluating the influence of apigenin on lung injury is required in the future. Before conducting large-scale clinical trials, detailed human pharmacokinetic studies are also needed to establish dosage ranges and determine the initial safety and tolerability of apigenin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theories and application of translation have been investigated primarily from the perspective of researchers, accredited translators, translation teachers, and trainers. This study examines the lenses through which translation students are motivated to embark on the journey of translation. Whereas translation has long been considered to be an art in which translators principally rely on their talent and passion, or a profession in which practitioners are expected to have acquired necessary skills, translation has gained status as an academic discipline on its own in the past few decades. This paper aims to examine how students from different ethnic backgrounds perceive translation to be while studying the subject at university. To do so, a research questionnaire is devised to obtain students' perceptions of translation as to whether they perceive it to be an art, craft, or science. The questionnaire aims at translation students from diverse ethnic backgrounds, specifically: Arabic, Kurdish, and Persian. The results reveal that the student participants perceive translation to be a combination of the three elements of art, craft and science but to slightly varying degrees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low salinity water flooding is an approach used during the EOR process to alter the surface wettability the IFT reduction. However, implementation of this method in shaly sandstone layers has not been totally successful due to the presence of clays and its active interaction with salt ions. In this study, attempts are made to evaluate the effect of ions on the surface wettability of shale rocks and the IFT of brine/oil. For this purpose, NaCl and MgCl2 were considered as two very common salts used in many studies. The results obtained indicated that in the low salinity water range, decreasing the concentration of monovalent ions changes the wettability of shale from neutral wet to weakly water wet where the contact angle reaches 63° in the 1000 ppm NaCl solution. On the other hand, decreasing the divalent concentration initially increases and then decreases the contact angle in the crude oil-brine-shale rock system, inducing an oil wet system in place. It was found that a favorable wettability is achieved when the concentration of NaCl and MgCl2 in the solution reaches 1000 ppm and 8000 ppm respectively. This could be due to several phenomena including the "salt in" effect. In addition, time appears to be an important factor in the shale wettability alteration and a significant contact angle reduction was observed over time. IFT was also sensitive to the salt ion concentration and reached its lowest value once the concentration of NaCl and MgCl2 in the solution decreased by 49.46% and 32.04% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objective: Systemic inflammation and oxidative stress (OS) are associated with breast cancer. CoQ10 as an adjuvant treatment with conventional anti-cancer chemotherapy has been demonstrated to help in the inflammatory process and OS. This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) aimed to evaluate the efficacy of CoQ10 supplementation on levels of inflammatory markers, OS parameters, and matrix metalloproteinases/tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (MMPs/TIMPs) in patients with breast cancer. Methods: A systematic literature search was carried out using electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Embase, up to December 2020 to identify eligible RCTs evaluating the effect of CoQ10 supplementation on OS biomarkers, inflammatory cytokines, and MMPs/TIMPs. From 827 potential reports, 5 eligible studies consisting of 9 trials were finally included in the current meta-analysis. Quality assessment and heterogeneity tests of the selected trials were performed using the PRISMA checklist protocol and the I2 statistic, respectively. Fixed and random-effects models were assessed based on the heterogeneity tests, and pooled data were determined as the standardized mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Our meta-analysis of the pooled findings for inflammatory biomarkers of OS and MMPs showed that CoQ10 supplementation (100 mg/day for 45–90 days) significantly decreased the levels of VEGF [SMD: − 1.88, 95% CI: (− 2. 62 to − 1.13); I2 = 93.1%, p < 0.001], IL-8 [SMD: − 2.24, 95% CI: (− 2.68 to − 1.8); I2 = 79.6%, p = 0.001], MMP-2 [SMD: − 1.49, 95% CI: (− 1.85 to − 1.14); I2 = 76.3%, p = 0.005] and MMP-9 [SMD: − 1.58, 95% CI: (− 1.97 to − 1.19); I2 = 79.6%, p = 0.002], but no significant difference was observed between CoQ10 supplementation and control group on TNF-α [SMD: − 2.30, 95% CI: (− 2.50 to − 2.11); I2 = 21.8%, p = 0.280], IL-6 [SMD: − 1.56, 95% CI: (− 1.73 to − 1.39); I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.683], IL-1β [SMD: − 3.34, 95% CI: (− 3.58 to − 3.11); I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.561], catalase (CAT) [SMD: 1.40, 95% CI: (1.15 to 1.65); I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.598], superoxide dismutase (SOD) [SMD: 2.42, 95% CI: (2.12 to 2.71); I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.986], glutathione peroxidase (GPx) [SMD: 2.80, 95% CI: (2.49 to 3.11); I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.543]], glutathione (GSH) [SMD: 4.71, 95% CI: (4.26 to 5.16); I2 = 6.1%, p = 0.302] and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) [SMD: − 3.20, 95% CI: (− 3.53 to − 2.86); I2 = 29.7%, p = 0.233]. Conclusion: Overall, the findings showed that CoQ10 supplementation reduced some of the important markers of inflammation and MMPs in patients with breast cancer. However, further studies with controlled trials for other types of cancer are needed to better understand and confirm the effect of CoQ10 on tumor therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Procurement for forest companies with pulp and paper mills aims to ensure that a sufficient volume of wood supply enters the production process. Numerous suppliers and contract types are available; however, their selection is a complex decision for procurement managers. In addition, managers typically dedicate a portion of their wood fiber demand to each group of suppliers, which is referred to as a portfolio strategy. Despite the available literature in contract selection, the consideration of contract types and their characteristics have not been addressed for the complex procurement process. In this study, a mixed-integer optimization model is proposed to best select contracts for pulp and paper procurement. The challenge was to plan deliveries in each time period to satisfy the demand of raw material at the mills. The potential of this model is demonstrated with a case study based on characteristics from a forest company in Quebec, Canada. A comparison between traditional fixed and flexible contracts is presented. Different portfolio strategies are also evaluated for groups of suppliers to investigate potential improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of immune checkpoint receptors in the immunopathogenesis of various autoimmune diseases has been addressed in previous reports. In this study,  the expression profile of T‐cell immunoglobulin and mucin‐domain containing‐3 (Tim‐3) and programmed cell death‐1 (PD‐1) checkpoint molecules was investigated in CD8+ T cells of Vitiligo patients. The association of Tim‐3 and PD‐1 expression with disease activity was also explored. The frequency of Tim‐3+/PD‐1+/CD8+ T cells in 30 patients with vitiligo and 30 sex‐ and age‐matched controls was determined by flow cytometry. CD8+ T cells were then positively isolated by magnetic beads, and the mRNA expression of PD‐1 and Tim‐3 was determined by TaqMan‐based real‐time PCR. To measure the cytokines production, PBMCs were stimulated with PMA/ionomycin and concentrations of IL‐4, IFN‐γ and TNF‐α were measured in culture supernatants by ELISA. Disease activity of patients with vitiligo was determined using the Vitiligo Area Severity Index. Patients with vitiligo have significantly shown more expression of Tim‐3 and PD‐1 on their CD8+ T cells compared with controls. Expression analysis of Tim‐3 mRNA, but not PD‐1, confirmed the results obtained from flow cytometry. While the production levels of TNF‐α and IFN‐γ were found higher by patients with vitiligo, IL‐4 production was lower in patients compared with controls. A direct association was observed between the Tim‐3 and PD‐1 expression and also the production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines with disease activity of patients with vitiligo. Our results indicate that Tim‐3 and PD‐1 are involved in immune dysregulation mechanisms of CD8+ T cells in vitiligo and may introduce as potential biomarkers for disease progression and targeted immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, equilibrium solubility of CO2 in aqueous blends of different amines is examined. The amines used are methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), N,N-dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), N,N-diethylaminoethanol (DEAE), 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol (AEEA), and 3-methylamino propylamine (MAPA). New equilibrium solubility data for CO2 in aqueous solutions of DMAE + MAPA, DMAE + AEEA, MDEA + MAPA, MDEA + AEEA, DEAE + MAPA and DEAE + AEEA over a range of low pressures are obtained. Each of the solutions contains 40 wt% of a tertiary amine (DMAE, MDEA, DEAE) and 5 wt% of a primary/secondary amine (MAPA, AEEA). The experimental temperature was set to 313.15 K and the measured CO2 loading was in the range of 0.274–4.563 (mol CO2 per kg of solution). In order to make a better comparison, viscosities and densities of the amine solutions were also measured at 303.15–353.15 K. Experiments show that the aqueous DMAE + MAPA blend has the highest absorption capacity, and at the same time, its viscosity and density are in a desirable range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to investigate the physico-chemical properties and antioxidant activity of five pomegranate fruit (Punica granatumL.) cultivars grown in Iran. Significant differences were found among the pomegranate cultivars for many of the properties studied. Results showed that, in particular, fruit diameter ranged from 63.63 mm (Syah) to 79.29 mm (Rabab), fruit volume from 153.3 cm3(Syah) to 293.3 cm3(Rabab), and fruit density from 0.93 g cm−3(Rabab) to 1.13 g cm−3(TorshSefeed). Although Syah showed the lowest fruit weight (144.8 g), fruit yield (8.28 ton ha−1), and fruit skin thickness (1.55 mm), Rabab had the highest fruit yield (27.1 ton ha−1) and fruit skin thickness (2.32 mm). Juice volume was found to vary between 61.1 and 67.0 cm3. Percent of aril ranged from 59.64% (Rabab) to 75.3% (Syah) and weight of aril between 108.9 and 199.8 g. Also, results indicated that titratable acidity content varied from 0.39% (Syah) to 1.13% (TorshSefeed). The total soluble solids content varied from 12.67 ˆBrix (TorshSefeed) to 15.67 ˆBrix (ZardehAnar), pH values from 3.05 to 3.77, Electrical conductivity values from 2.8 to 3.14 dS m−1,and vitamin C content from 59.25 to 69.52 mg 100 g−1. The anthocyanin content was observed to vary between 80.36 (Syah) and 216.97 (ZardehAnar). The antioxidant activity of pomegranate cultivars ranged from 27.24% (Syah) to 84.04% (TorshSefeed). These results demonstrated that the cultivar was the major factor which influences the morpho-pomological and chemical (especially, antioxidant activity) properties of pomegranates. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

• The CCL2/CCR2 axis is involved in the recruitment of inflammatory monocyte/macrophages to the lung. • Dysregulated activation of the CCL2/CCR2 axis led to hyperinflammation in COVID-19. • The CCL2/CCR2 axis can recruit and activate MDSCs, decreasing the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. • Levels of CCL2 could be different in SARS-CoV-2 variants. • CXCL17/GPR35 also can recruit monocyte and macrophages to the lungs. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is cause of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In the last two years, SARS-CoV-2 has infected millions of people worldwide with different waves, resulting in the death of many individuals. The evidence disclosed that the host immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 play a pivotal role in COVID-19 pathogenesis and clinical manifestations. In addition to inducing antiviral immune responses, SARS-CoV-2 can also cause dysregulated inflammatory responses characterized by the noticeable release of proinflammatory mediators in COVID-19 patients. Among these proinflammatory mediators, chemokines are considered a subset of cytokines that participate in the chemotaxis process to recruit immune and non-immune cells to the site of inflammation and infection. Researchers have demonstrated that monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2) and its receptor (CCR2) are involved in the recruitment of monocytes and infiltration of these cells into the lungs of patients suffering from COVID-19. Moreover, elevated levels of CCL2 have been reported in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) obtained from patients with severe COVID-19, initiating cytokine storm and promoting CD163+ myeloid cells infiltration in the airways and further alveolar damage. Therefore, CCL2/CCR axis plays a key role in the immunopathogenesis of COVID-19 and targeted therapy of involved molecules in this axis can be a potential therapeutic approach for these patients. This review discusses the biology of the CCL2/CCR2 axis as well as the role of this axis in COVID-19 immunopathogenesis, along with therapeutic options aimed at inhibiting CCL2/CCR2 and modulating dysregulated inflammatory responses in patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Addiction is a global public health problem, with over 36 million people suffering from drug-use disorders. Afghanistan, the world's leading opium producer, has high rates of drug use owing to the easy access to drugs in this country. This study aimed to investigate drug users' quality of life in Herat, Afghanistan, and identify the factors affecting it. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined health-related quality of life at six rehabilitation camps in Herat, Afghanistan, from March to July 2019, using the short form-36 questionnaire (SF-36). Data collected through interviews were analyzed using SPSS software (version 25). Findings: A total of 240 participants from six rehabilitation camps in Herat, Afghanistan participated in this study. The majority of participants (80%) rated their overall health as "good" or "very good". Men had higher average scores for mental health and vitality than women and those aged 30-39 had the highest quality of life. Statistically significant differences were found in bodily pain (P = 0.038), vitality (P = 0.042), and social functioning (P = 0.046) among users of different types of drugs. Opium abusers had the highest scores for the physical and mental components, followed by heroin, methamphetamine, hashish, and crack abusers. Conclusion: This study explored the relationship between drug addiction and quality of life in Herat, Afghanistan. The findings showed that young adults were more vulnerable to drug use and male addicts and opium users had the highest quality of life. This study can inform the development of effective rehabilitation programs but more research is needed for addiction treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: IL-27, a member of the IL-12 cytokine family, is a key immunoregulatory cytokine produced predominantly by monocytic cells and mediates innate and adaptive immune responses. IL-27 has been shown to be produced by human monocytic cells primed with IFN-γ and in response to a second stimulus such as LPS. In this study, we show for the first time that IFN-γ alone without any second stimulus can induce IL-27p28 gene expression and IL-27 protein production by human monocytic cells. The signaling pathways that govern IL-27 production in general, and particularly following stimulation of monocytic cells with IFN-γ are not known. We investigated the signaling pathways governing the regulation of IL-27 protein and its subunit IL-27p28 following stimulation with IFN-γ in primary human monocytic cells. Our results suggest that IFN-γ-mediated IL-27 protein but not IL-27p28 gene expression is positively regulated by the C-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), independent of the Janus kinase (Jak)/signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) signaling in primary human monocytes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Interferon (IFN)-γ is a potent stimulator of the IL-12 family Th1 cytokines, including IL-12/23p40 and IL-23, responsible for coordinating the innate and adaptive immune responses. Our results show that IFN-γ induced the production of IL-12/23p40 and IL-23p19 mRNA as well as IL-12p40 and IL-23 proteins in primary human monocytes isolated by positive selection through anti-CD14 microbeads. These results were confirmed by IFN-γ stimulation of CD14-activated monocytes resulting in IL-12/23p40 and IL-23 production. We investigated the signaling pathways governing the regulation of IL-23 and its subunits IL-23p40 and IL-23p19 following IFN-γ stimulation. We observed a differential regulation of IL-23p19, IL-12/23p40, and IL-23 following IFN-γ stimulation. IFN-γ-induced IL-23 and IL-12/23p40 expression was positively regulated by the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), independent of the Janus kinase (Jak)/signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) signaling. In contrast, IL-12 and IL-23 were negatively regulated by the Jak/STAT, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), and the c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) MAPKs in IFN-γ-stimulated monocytes. Overall, our results suggest for the first time a differential positive regulation of IL-12p40 and IL-23 by p38 MAPKs independent of the Jak/STAT pathways and negative regulation by the Jak/STAT, JNK, and PI3K pathways in CD14-activated primary human monocytes stimulated with IFN-γ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Clinicopathologic features in melanoma patients have been related to CXCR4 expression. • High expression of CXCR4 can mediate tumor thickness and ulceration in melanoma patients. • The CXCL12/CXCR4 axis promotes metastasis to the specific site of the body. • Invasion of melanoma cells to lymph nodes is dependent on the CXCR4 expression. CXCR4 is a member of CXC-type and G protein-coupled receptors that can conduce many biological processes, including hemostasis, migration, and adhesion of different types of immune cells. Also, the contribution of CXCR4 in metastasis cascade and development of various malignancies has been addressed in previous reports. This meta -analysis was performed to explore whether the CXCR4 expression affects prognosis and clinicopathologic features in melanoma cancer. Our study involved 656 melanoma patients from 13 reports by detailed literature search from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar up to April 2021. To evaluate the association between CXCR4 expression and clinicopathological features of melanoma, we calculated odds ratios (ORs) with its 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We indicated that the CXCR4 overexpression was obviously correlated with ulceration (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.38 to 0.74; I2 = 0.0%, P = 0.999), tumor thickness (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.38 to 0.74; I2 = 0.0%, P = 0.999) and lymph node metastasis (OR = 8.54, 95% CI: 1.04 to 16.04; I2 = 98.9, P < 0.0001). In conclusion, our results reveal that CXCR4 is involved in enhancing the progression and metastasis of melanoma, and further clinical studies are necessary to investigate the role of CXCR4 as a diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker through the progress of melanoma cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objective: Naringenin is a member of the flavonoid family that can perform many biological processes to treat a wide range of inflammatory diseases and pathological conditions related to oxidative stress (OS). Naringenin immunomodulatory activities have been the subject of recent research as an effective alternative treatment for autoimmune disorders. The effects of naringenin on the levels of inflammatory biomarkers and OS factors in animal models of autoimmune disorders (ADs) were studied in this meta-analysis. Methods: Up until January 2022, electronic databases such as Cochrane Library and EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were used to conduct a comprehensive literature search in English language. To evaluate the effect of naringenin on inflammatory mediators, such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-β, IFN-γ, NF-κB, and nitric oxide, and OS biomarkers, such as CAT, SOD, GPx, GSH and MDA, in AD models, we measured the quality assessment and heterogeneity test using the PRISMA checklist protocol and I2 statistic, respectively. A random-effects model was employed based on the heterogeneity test, and then pooled data were standardized as mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confident interval (CI). Results: We excluded all clinical trials, cell experiment studies, animal studies with different parameters, non-autoimmune disease models, and an inadequate series of studies for quantitative synthesis. Finally, from 627 potentially reports, 12 eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis. Data were collected from several groups. Of these, 153 were in the naringenin group and 149 were in the control group. Our meta-analysis of the pooled data for the parameters of inflammation and OS indicated that naringenin significantly reduced the levels of NF-κB (SMD − 3.77, 95% CI [− 6.03 to − 1.51]; I2 = 80.1%, p = 0.002), IFN-γ (SMD − 6.18, 95% CI [− 8.73 to − 3.62]; I2 = 53.7%, p = 0.115), and NO (SMD − 3.97, 95% CI [− 5.50 to − 2.45]; I2 = 73.4%, p = 0.005), IL-1β (SMD − 4.23, 95% CI [− 5.09 to − 3.37]; I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.462), IL-6 (SMD − 5.84, 95% CI [− 7.83 to − 3.85]; I2 = 86.5%, p < 0.001), and TNF-α (SMD − 5.10, 95% CI [− 6.34 to − 3.86]; I2 = 74.7%, p < 0.001). These findings also demonstrated the efficacy of naringenin on increasing the levels of CAT (SMD 4.19, 95% CI [1.33 to 7.06]; I2 = 79.9%, p = 0.007), GSH (SMD 4.58, 95% CI [1.64 to 7.51]; I2 = 90.5%, p < 0.001), and GPx (SMD 9.65, 95% CI [2.56 to 16.74]; I2 = 86.6%, p = 0.001) and decreasing the levels of MDA (SMD − 3.65, 95% CI [− 4.80 to − 2.51]; I2 = 69.4%, p = 0.001) than control groups. However, treatment with naringenin showed no statistically difference in SOD activity (SMD 1.89, 95% CI [− 1.11 to 4.89]; I2 = 93.6%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Overall, our findings revealed the immunomodulatory potential of naringenin as an alternative treatment on inhibition of inflammation and OS in several autoimmune-related diseases. Nevertheless, regarding the limitation of clinical trials, strong preclinical models and clinical settings in the future are needed that address the effects of naringenin on ADs. Before large-scale clinical studies, precise human pharmacokinetic investigations are required to determine the dosage ranges and evaluate the initial safety profile of naringenin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Generative models for vision and pattern recognition have been overshadowed in recent years by powerful non-parametric discriminative models. These discriminative models can learn arbitrary decision boundaries between classes and have proved very effective in classification and detection problems. However, unlike generative models, they do not lend themselves naturally to more general vision tasks such as rendering novel images, de-noising, and in-painting. In this paper we introduce Complementary Kernel Density Estimation (CKDE), a new generative model that adopts many of the features of non-parametric discriminative models: (1) CKDE allows complex decision surfaces and arbitrary class conditional distributions to be learned, (2) it is easy to train because the log likelihood of the model is concave, so it has no local maxima, and (3) one can train its class conditional distributions jointly to share information among the different classes. We first demonstrate that CKDE is more accurate in benchmark classification tasks than a purely discriminative method such as the SVM. We then show that the posterior probability of class labels is more accurately estimated than kernelized logistic regression. Our other results demonstrate that partial images can be accurately classified by marginalizing unobserved pixels from the class conditional distributions, and missing parts of the image can be painted in using the learned generative model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: The impact of the 2007 American College of Cardiology Foundation Transthoracic Echocardiography Appropriateness Criteria on trends in appropriateness is unknown. Therefore, we sought to identify the appropriateness of outpatient transthoracic echocardiography pre- and postpublication of this document. Methods: The 2007 Appropriateness Criteria were used to classify outpatient echocardiographic studies at an academic medical center during October 2000 and October 2008. The patient''s electronic medical record was used to identify echocardiographic indication and appropriateness. Results: From October 2000 to October 2008, there was an 85% increase in outpatient echocardiographic volume. Using the Appropriateness Criteria, there was no significant change in inappropriate referrals (13% and 15%, P =.58). Sixty-five studies (12%) were referred for indications “not addressed” by the document, with an increase (7% to 15%, P =.012) from 2000 to 2008. In a second analysis, incorporating the 2008 Valve Guidelines, an increase was demonstrated in the total number of studies that could be classified, but there was no significant change in the proportion of inappropriate referrals (P =.50). There remained a significant increase (3% to 10%, P =.009) in the proportion of indications “not addressed” by either guideline. Conclusion: From October 2000 to October 2008, we experienced a near doubling of outpatient echocardiographic volume, with no significant change in the percent of inappropriate referrals despite interim publication of the Appropriateness Criteria document. In addition, there was an increase in echocardiographic referrals for “not addressed” indications. Future efforts are needed both to refine the Appropriateness Criteria to include unaddressed indications and to promote its effective implementation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Bilingualism and multilingualism are indispensable necessity of everyday life for the majority of the world's population. According to Romaine (1995), ‟linguists estimate that there are roughly 6800 languages in the world, but only about 200 nation-states. With more than 30 times as many languages as there are countries, bilingualism or multilingualism is present in practically every country in the world, whether it is officially recognized or not [6, p. 584]. This implies that multilingual educational contexts include the educational practices of most countries in the world. The various cultural and linguistic contexts existing in modern societies around the world create complex challenges for policy makers in many areas. In this regard, a wide range of conditions can have an effect on language policy. As Ferguson [15, p. 9] puts it, "all language planning activities take place in particular sociolinguistic settings, and the nature and scope of the planning can only be fully understood in relation to the settings". [38, p. 15] Also other issues pertinent to language policy such as "standardization, language planning and bilingual programs can also serve as the instruments of linguicide" [29, p. 23], which is a rampant and effectual phenomenon in multilingual contexts. In this paper issues most germane to language policy in multilingual educational contexts, namely components of language policy, language policies in nation-states, typologies and models of multilingual education, types of bilingual education, bilingual education models, immersion program, the effectiveness of bilingual education, standardization, standard languages, language ideology and beliefs, language loyalty, language planning and language policy shall be touched upon. In the epilogue the relationship between language policy, power and linguicide shall be followed by the recapitulation of the discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparative education helps different countries utilize successful experiences and learn from others' unsuccessful experiences. It finds the roots of the problems and prepares the ground for the economic and social development of nations. This article is an effort at acquiring other countries' experiences and the necessity of using their findings in terms of formal and informal educations. This undeniable fact motivated the authors to comparatively analyze the educational systems in China and Iran after their revolutions. In this study, George Beredy's framework has been employed. First, the Post-revolutionary geographical, political, social-economic situations in the People's Republic of China and those of the Islamic Republic of Iran are juxtaposed and described. Then educational systems of these two countries after the revolutions 1949 in china and 1979 in Iran are investigated to come up with commonalities and discrepancies. There is a time interval of thirty years between these two revolutions; Islamic revolution happened some thirty years ago while the Chinese revolution occurred some sixty years ago. In this study , philosophy and objectives of education are scrutinized first and then different pedagogic programs at different levels such as preparatory, guidance school, high school, and university are delineated. Comparison and contrast is carried out through information gathered from different educational perspectives taking into account their relevant philosophical and educational goals in different educational courses and programs. Finally, interpretation of the data and analysis of findings have been indicative of the fact that the Chinese experience can immensely change and enhance the educational system in Iran owing to some really interesting similarities and commonalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which investigates the prescribing habits of physicians. Result shows that physicians do not follow recommendations for dose adjustment of renally excreted medications based on two models such as prescribing habits and the use of logistic regression estimates. Result of the study suggests that physician should consider evaluating current medications and establishing a baseline for renal function and degree of decline.

Background Populous Euphratica tree which belongs to Salicaceae family is naturally distributed in many parts of the world. Our purpose was to compare the therapeutic effects of smoke of its burnt leaves with conventional cryotherapy in patients with warts. Methods Sixty consecutive wart patients were randomly treated with leaves of Populous Euphratica tree (Group A) or conventional cryotherapy (Group B) and were followed up for 22 weeks. Results The respective end results in group A and group B were; Complete cure rates 66.7% vs. 46.4% ( P= NS), partial resolution rates 8.3% vs. 14.3% ( P= NS). The recurrence rate however, was 4.2% in group A and 32.2% in group B patients ( P= 0.024). Conclusion The smoke of burnt leaves of Populus Euphratica tree can be equally effective for treatment of hand and foot warts as cryotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a semisupervised regression algorithm that learns to transform one time series into another time series given examples of the transformation. This algorithm is applied to tracking, where a time series of observations from sensors is transformed to a time series describing the pose of a target. Instead of defining and implementing such transformations for each tracking task separately, our algorithm learns a memoryless transformation of time series from a few example input-output mappings. The algorithm searches for a smooth function that fits the training examples and, when applied to the input time series, produces a time series that evolves according to assumed dynamics. The learning procedure is fast and lends itself to a closed-form solution. It is closely related to nonlinear system identification and manifold learning techniques. We demonstrate our algorithm on the tasks of tracking RFID tags from signal strength measurements, recovering the pose of rigid objects, deformable bodies, and articulated bodies from video sequences. For these tasks, this algorithm requires significantly fewer examples compared to fully supervised regression algorithms or semisupervised learning algorithms that do not take the dynamics of the output time series into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a medical research study that examined self-reported financial barriers to medical care services or medication in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Data was achieved through the Prospective Registry Evaluating Myocardial Infarction: Event and Recovery study. The health status symptoms, overall health status function, and rehospitalization rates of the patients were measured. The authors found that financial barriers to health care services and medications are associated with worse recovery after acute myocardial function, as evidenced by more angina, a poorer quality of life, and a greater risk of rehospitalization.

Objectives: Despite evidence supporting anticoagulant use in atrial fibrillation, this modality is not fully utilized. Methods: Retrospective chart review of 297 patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation between 1997 to 2000. 124 patients received warfarin and 166 did not; 91 patients suffered stroke. Results: Age (P = 0.232) and gender (P = 0.745) were not determinant factors for starting anticoagulation prophylaxis. Whites were more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy than blacks (P = 0.043). Cardiologists were 4.5 times more likely to prescribe warfarin than neurologists and internists (P = 0.035). Neurologists (P = 0.305) and internists (P = 0.770) had similar warfarin prescription patterns and often with patients experiencing the highest rates of stroke. Conclusion: Lack of a uniform pattern in anticoagulant administration, despite multiple guidelines, is disturbing. Continuous physician education and community awareness by local and federal medical agencies is essential and cost-effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of lactate and C-reactive protein as early markers of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in conjunction with established markers, such as creatine phosphokinase (CPK)-MB and troponin I. Methods: The study population consisted of all patients admitted with suspected AMI regardless of age, race, gender, or comorbid conditions. All patients in cardiac heart failure or cardiogenic shock were excluded. Lactate and C-reactive protein were drawn at admission, and then at 2 and 4 hours, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values of these markers were calculated in relation to the primary outcome measure. Results: A total of 62 patients were enrolled in the study. Of those, 18 patients had documented AMI and all underwent thrombolysis, thrombolysis with angioplasty, or stent placement. The lactate was measured at 2 and 4 hours, and lactate levels correlated with CPK and CPK-MB, in addition to troponin I. In out cohort, lactate had a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 95.5%, with a positive predictive value of 85.7% and a negative predictive value of 91.3%. Conclusion: As an inexpensive and readily available marker for AMI, lactate seems to be reliable and could be used in an emergency setting to facilitate the decision-making process for chest pain syndrome. It would be a helpful adjunct on whether the patient can be safely discharged or should be promptly admitted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type B lactic acidosis is a rare and often fatal complication seen in patients receiving the nucleotide analogues zidovudine, stavudine, didanosine, and lamivudine. We describe a case of a 51-year-old human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive woman receiving three nucleotide analogues. She presented with nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and hepatic steatosis. Signs of mitochondrial toxicity were demonstrated by diffuse myopathy and pancreatitis. Serum riboflavin levels documented a deficiency that was treated with 50 mg of riboflavin daily. Immediately after treatment, serum blood urea nitrogen level, lactic acid levels, and arterial blood pH all returned to normal values. Her signs of mitochondrial toxicity also improved after treatment with riboflavin. Successful reversal of the patient's type B lactic acidosis after riboflavin therapy suggested that riboflavin deficiency plays a direct role in the development of nucleotide analogue-induced lactic acidosis. It is impossible to predict which patients are predisposed to the development of this syndrome. For this reason, it may be important to screen and treat riboflavin deficiency in patients on nucleoside analogues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case report describes Nocardia pericarditis in a newly diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patient as an initial manifestation. Previously, two cases of Nocardia pericarditis were reported in patients with established HIV infection. To our knowledge this is the first case of Nocardia pericarditis as an initial manifestation of HIV infection. This case substantiates and emphasizes the importance of identifying Nocardia as an infectious cause of pericarditis in patients with acquired immunodeficiency. Long-term survival may be achieved with a combined medical and surgical approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various reports show the beneficial effect of naringenin on the development of cancer. We hypothesized that naringenin suppresses cancer cells by activating intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways. This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to reveal the effect of naringenin on cancer inhibition in vitro and in vivo by altering apoptotic factors. Literature search was carried out using electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Embase up to February 2021. The heterogeneity test of the included studies was performed using the PRISMA checklist protocol and I 2 statistic, respectively. Pooled standard mean difference and effect size (ES) with 95% confident interval (CI) were used to evaluate each relationship. A total of 32 articles were enrolled in our final analysis. Meta-analysis of the pooled findings for apoptosis, viability percentage, and apoptotic factors determined that treatment with naringenin affects viability and apoptosis in cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the results of in vitro experiments showed that naringenin increases the activity of caspase-3 (ES, 5.04; 95% CI, 2.61-7.47; I 2 = 99.9), caspase-9 (ES, 2.99; 95% CI, 2.47-3.51; I 2 = 93.7%), caspase-8 (ES, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.11-4.61; I 2 = 99.7%), and Bax expression (ES, 2.73; 95% CI, 1.91–3.55; I 2 = 99.4%) in cancer cells. It also increased the apoptotic rate and the activity of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in tumor-bearing animals. Overall, our findings highlight the potential therapeutic effects of naringenin in cancer inhibition through caspases cascade. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Low salinity water can be combined with carbonated water to improve oil recovery. • Combination of LSW and CW can favorably change the interfacial tension (IFT). • Compared to NaCl, CaCl 2 would have a higher impact on the IFT of LSCW and oil. Interfacial Tension (IFT) is one of the most important parameters controlling the production during enhanced oil recovery phase. However, carbonated water injection (CWI), despite its reported applications, has not been totally successful to reduce the IFT between oil and brine. On the other hand, low salinity water (LSW) has been indicated as an effective method of reducing the IFT. Thus, if the CWI can be combined with LSW, with the mechanisms understood, a great step can be taken towards a better production from depleted reservoirs. In this study, the application of low salinity carbonated water (LSCW) injection was studied and attempts were made to understand the mechanisms involved in the presence of salt ions (NaCl and CaCl 2) and carbon dioxide. The results obtained indicated that increasing the solubility of CO 2 within the aqueous phase reduces the equilibrium interfacial tension (EIFT). It was also found that the EIFT of LSCW decreases by 51.8% compared to high salinity water during the laboratory measurements. It appears that the aging time was can improve the surface performance of the carbonated water (CW) once LSW is used. Furthermore, IFT reduction over time in LSCW was higher than the high salinity carbonated water (HSCW). It was argued that "salting in" effect is the major mechanism behind the reduction of IFT during the LSCW injection. Therefore, LSCW flooding can be considered as a competent enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method which can reduce the IFT and increase the microscopic efficiency for a better production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Foam roller substantially improved perceptual indices of recovery. • Foam roller had trivial effect on performance indicators. • Foam roller improved lactate concentration over time. The present study investigated the efficacy of recovery by foam rolling (FR) on performance, psychological, and physiological parameters of futsal players in a simulated futsal tournament. In this randomized controlled trial design, four youth teams from Iran's national premier league participated in a simulated futsal tournament (five days, three matches). Sixteen youth futsal players from two teams (age: 19.1 ± 1.3 years old) were randomly distributed into two groups: (i) passive recovery (PR); and (ii) FR recovery. The FR recovery protocol consisted of five repetitions of 40 s separated by 20 s of rest on calf, quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus muscles 5 min after each match. The other group rested passively during the same period. The Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 2, repeated sprint ability, vertical jump, and PRO agility tests were assessed pre- and post-tournament. Also, Hooper index (HI) and blood lactate concentrations were measured throughout matchdays. Data were analyzed by a repeated measure ANOVA and ANCOVA. Substantial improvements in HI on the second (ES:0.6) and third (ES:0.4) matchdays and faster lactate removal on the third (ES:0.3) matchday were observed in the FR group when compared to the PR group (p <0.05). Although FR recovery was slightly beneficial when compared to PR attenuated decrements in aerobic (-1.6%vs-9.7%) and anaerobic performance (-4.5%vs-1.3%), vertical jump (-1.6%vs-3.0%), and change of direction (-2.1%vs-4.3%), these effects were not statistically significant (p >0.05). The finding showed using FR during compact competitions expedites physical performance recovery, increases blood lactate clearance and leads to regenerate psychological characteristics. Therefore, along with other desirable recovery strategies, the use of FR could be recommended in short-term compacted futsal tournaments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart water flooding (SWF) has been successfully implanted in many fields around the world for the past decades. In this approach, smart water is injected into the reservoir to change the surface characteristics of rocks and improve the oil recovery. However, the presence of sulfate ions in the smart water and their interactions with the cations dissolved in the formation water (FW) may generate what is called scale. There have been several approaches proposed so far to inhibit the scale formations under different conditions but limited success has been reported to the application of these methods once tested under the reservoir conditions. In this paper, a nanomaterial based approach is proposed to inhibit the scale formation during SWF. Nano Glass Flakes (NGFs) and nano silica were considered as two effective nanomaterials in this study and a series of measurements were made to ensure that the scale formation can be inhibited under different temperature and salinity conditions. The results obtained indicates that if the nanoparticles can be properly dispersed in the smart water solution, the likelihood of the scale formation can be significantly decreased and the conductivity can be increased to 0.69 and 0.65 mS/cm for NGFs and nano silica solutions at 50 °C. It appears that NGFs provide a far better performance as temperature rises while nano silica loses its performance. It is also found that the nanoparticles perform better in a high saline water and can be an effective choice for SWF in the concentration of 0.05 wt%. It is also noted that the conductivity improvement made by NGFs in a high salinity water is 0.9 mS/cm while that for water with a low salinity conductivity is 0.23 mS/cm. Given the fact that the nanoparticles used has huge negative surface charge, reduction of the scale formation might be linked to the cations adsorption in the solution but may need further studies. Unlabelled Image • Using new nanoparticle as scale inhibitor during smart water flooding • Glass flake and silica nanoparticle causes a significant change in scale formation in smart water flooding. • Effect of temperature on the performance of nanomaterial inhibitor was positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equilibrium total pressure as a function of loading for aqueous of DMAE 40 wt.% and MAPA 5 wt.% solution (▲: T = 313.15 K; o: T = 328.15 K; +: T = 343.15 K; ♦: T = 358.15 K and solid line: correlating by Deshmukh‒Mather model). • Equilibrium solubility of CO 2 in aqueous amine mixture solutions of Dimethylaminoethanol (40 wt.%) and 3-Methylaminopropylamine(5 wt.%) is measured in temperature range of 313.15–358.15 K and pressure range of 7.9–359.7 kPa. • The solubility of CO 2 in quaternary aqueous mixture of Dimethylaminoethanol and 3-Methylaminopropylamine is correlated by the Deshmukh-Mather model with AAD% = 2.56. • The heat of absorption CO 2 in aqueous amine mixture solutions of Dimethylaminoethanol and 3-Methylaminopropylamine is measured at T = 328.15 K and predicated by tuned model with ARD% = 3.91. The equilibrium solubility of carbon dioxide in an aqueous mixture comprised of 40 wt.% dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) and 5 wt.% 3‒(Methylamino)propylamine (MAPA) was measured at temperatures (313.15, 328.15, 343.15, and 358.15) K and in the total pressure range of (7.9–359.7) kPa. The heat of absorption of carbon dioxide in the aqueous solution was measured at 328.15 K. Equilibrium constant of reaction of formation of carbamate by MAPA was measured experimentally in the temperature range of (298.15–333.15) K. The Deshmukh‒Mather thermodynamic model was applied to correlate the equilibrium solubility data. The small value of average absolute percent deviation (AAD% = 2.56) of the correlated values from experimental data implies good correlative accuracy of the Deshmukh–Mather model. The tuned model was also used to calculate the heat of absorption of carbon dioxide into the aqueous solution of DMAE + MAPA. The AAD% of calculated heat of absorption from the measured values was 3.91. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the terms Low Salinity Sea Water and Smart Sea Water have been used interchangeably as one of Enhanced Oil Recovery methods in recent years, the present study shows that there are some differences between these two. To prove the claim, the role of salinity and aging time on interfacial tension reduction and contact angle alteration of a crude oil/brine/rock system is investigated using both smart sea water and low salinity sea water. Moreover, the governing mechanisms of the IFT variation and wettability alteration are discussed. For this purpose, the seawater solution is diluted with distilled water and at the optimal salinity NaCl, CaCl 2 , and Na 2 SO 4 salts are added to the solution. Next, the IFT of brine and oil, and the CA of the oil drop are measured on the carbonate surface in the presence of brine. The results showed that IFT between low salinity sea water and oil was decreased with increasing salinity and then increased. In this regard, similar results were observed by adding NaCl, CaCl 2 , and Na 2 SO 4 to a low salinity seawater (LSSW) solution. Additionally, reducing seawater salinity improved the wettability from oil-wet to neutral wet such that the optimum wettability range was achieved by adding Na 2 SO 4 to the LSSW solution. The effect of aging time in the low salinity sea water solution and smart sea water resulted in a reduction in the interfacial tension and the contact angle, as well as improving the crude oil/brine/rock interface. The mechanisms governing the reduction of the interfacial tension of low salinity sea water and smart sea water were surface excess concentration, salting in effect, and boiling point reduction, while the dominant mechanism for changing the wettability of low salinity water and smart sea water were the pH rise, pseudo-alkaline behavior, double layer increase, carbonate surface dissolution and salting in effect. • Major mechanisms are introduced to describe the crude oil-brine-rock interactions in smart sea water flooding and low salinity seawater. • Smart sea water flooding causes a significant change in wettability from oil wet to the desirable range of wettability. • Aging time can play an important positive role in successfulness of the smart sea water and low salinity sea water process. • IFT variation and its hidden mechanisms are investigated. • Compare between low salinity sea water and smart sea water effect on carbonate rock surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite many attempts for the development of smart water flooding (SWF), as a new enhanced oil recovery (EOR) approach, mechanisms of EOR by SWF and their dependency on the salt type and concentration in carbonate rocks still remain in a state of ambiguity. In this study, various aspects of smart water such as salt type and concentration, temperature, pressure, and pH on the crude oil-brine-rock (CBR) system are investigated through measuring contact angle (CA) and interfacial tension (IFT), followed by elaborating all governing mechanisms in this regard. For this purpose, five salts (i.e., NaCl, KCl, CaCl 2 , MgCl 2 , and Na 2 SO 4) and formation water (FW) are used as brine part of the system. The experiment results show that the presence of an optimum concentration of CaCl 2 in the injected fluid leads to a greater IFT reduction (20.3%) in the oil-water system than other salts such as Na 2 SO 4 (18.3%), KCl (17.9%), and MgCl 2 (14.4%). Also, it was observed that a slight change in temperature has a stronger effect on the IFT than pressure. Accordingly, it is concluded that increasing reservoir pressure has a small negative effect and reducing reservoir fluid temperature has a significant negative effect on the performance of the SWF process. Moreover, to yield a proper wettability condition, the concentration of NaCl, KCl, CaCl 2 , and MgCl 2 should be decreased as much as possible while maintaining the concentration of Na 2 SO 4. Furthermore, changing the pH of the smart water toward basic values greatly reduces the IFT but acidic pH values do not have a considerable effect on the IFT. Thus, it is suggested adding some additives to make the carrier fluid (water) basic and thus greatly reduce the IFT. Besides, the CA in the basic environments becomes water-wet (60.8°) while no significant change in the acidic aqueous phase was observed. Giving time to the process (soaking) can play an important positive role in the SWF of carbonate reservoirs such that it leads to the rock dissolution (rising pH) as well as stabilization of wettability alteration. The IFT reduction is due to the breakdown of hydrogen bonds in the water. The wettability alteration by the mentioned salts, except Na 2 SO 4 , is based on the salting-in/salting-out effect while for Na 2 SO 4 , it is due to replacing the rock surface carboxyl by SO 4 2− ion. The mechanism of pH effect is the replacement of rock surface carboxyl with the produced OH−. Unlabelled Image • Major mechanisms are introduced to describe the crude oil-brine-rock interactions. • Smart water flooding causes a significant change in wettability. • Aging time can play an important positive role in successfulness of the SWF process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two major mechanisms are introduced to describe the LSWA interactions in terms of wettability alteration. • LSWA causes a significant change in wettability from oil wet to the desirable range of wettability, leading to less alkaline consumption. • The increase in the number of monovalent ions in LSWA has a negligible effect on the pH of the water, while the presence of divalent ions in the solution reduces the pH of the solution significantly. • LSWA results in a 95 % reduction in IFT compared to the formation water. • Presence of monovalent ions in the LSWA reduces the IFT by helping in situ surfactant balance in aqueous and oil interface while the presence of divalent ions increases the IFT in alkaline solutions. Although low-salinity water flooding (LSWF) is an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method, it does not target weakly water-wet situation (which is the best situation for the EOR process) for carbonate rocks. Also, this method does not show a significant reduction in the oil-water interfacial tension (IFT). Despite the ability of alkaline flooding to alter the rock wettability to the desirable range as well as a signification reduction in IFT, the need for a high amount of alkaline makes the approach economically unjustified. In the current study, favorable attributes of low salinity water aided alkaline (LSWA) approach on a crude oil/brine/carbonate rock (CBR) system are presented in terms of IFT reduction and contact angle (CA) alteration. To this end, three solutions with different alkalinity (weak (NaHCO 3), intermediate (Na 2 CO 3), and strong (NaOH)) degrees are used in combination with different LSW. The results show that LSWA achieves the target wettability range (75-85°). Also, the reaction between divalent ions with an alkaline solution is an unfavorable factor on the rock surface. As a considerable achievement, the LSWA approach resulted in a significant reduction in IFT, which was reduced from 13.2 mN/m to 1.1 mN/m in the LSW approach by adding 4000 ppm of NaOH. Therefore, using the LSWA flooding in enhancing oil recovery (EOR) from carbonate reservoirs is highly recommended to get a higher efficiency at a lower concentration of alkaline, which leads to a decrease in costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a case study of man diagnosed with gouty arthritis of the spine. Chief complaint; Physical examination; Laboratory findings; Treatment.

The evolution of the Late TriassicNaybandBasin in central Iranwas influenced by climatic changes and tectonic events. An increase in siliciclastic input and a corresponding carbonate productivity crisis in theQhrogchi area in central Iranwere initiated by the onset of a relatively humid episode in the Carnian, followed by arid to semi-arid conditions in the Norian and Rhaetian. Carbonate sediments of theNayband Formationwere deposited in a range of environments, from outer ramp to marginal marine environments. The rich benthic fauna is predominantly restricted to the limestone bedswithin the upper part of succession. Bivalves, hydrozoans (Heterastridium), calcareous algae, corals and sclerosponges are recorded. The latter two groups form patch reefs on the middle ramp. Benthic foraminifera show strong affinities with assemblages reported from the central Tethys, whereas others are also well-known from the Alpine region and from the eastern Tethys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate that the solvation‐layer interface condition (SLIC) continuum dielectric model for molecular electrostatics, combined with a simple solvent‐accessible‐surface‐area (SASA)‐proportional model for nonpolar solvent effects, accurately predicts solvation entropies of neutral and charged small molecules. The SLIC/SASA model has only seven fitting parameters in total and achieves this accuracy using a training set with only 20 compounds. Despite this simplicity, solvation free energies and entropies are nearly as accurate as those predicted by the more sophisticated Langevin dipoles solvation model. Surprisingly, the model automatically reproduces the negligible contribution of electrostatics to the solvation of hydrophobic compounds. Opportunities for improvement include nonpolar solvation, anion solvation entropies, and heat capacities. More molecular realism may be needed for these quantities. To enable a future, explicit‐solvent‐based assessment of the SLIC/SASA implicit‐solvent model, we predict solvation entropies for the Mobley test set, which are available as Supporting Information. Nucleoside analogues are molecules that differ from the canonical ones in that they are comprised of a non‐canonical DNA base, sugar, or both. Interactions between nucleoside analogues and solvent molecules are proposed as the main responsible for their conformational transformations, which were studied both experimentally and computationally. The evidence of these transformations is provided by time‐dependent infrared spectra and made apparent by the variation of intensity related to a specific stereoisomer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses a multilevel hedonic model to examine information from official sources including the population census, the land-use map, and the field survey to draw conclusions about the 32,108 Tehran residences that make up the statistical sample. These results show that other factors besides proximity to urban facilities are important in determining the value of a home in Tehran, Iran. The results show that proximity to education, culture, entertainment, tourism, administration, and social service centers has a positive effect on housing prices, while proximity to some urban amenities, such as medical centers, commercial strips, and parks, has a negative effect on housing prices. This gap can be explained in part by the externalities of these facilities, including the creation of through traffic, congestion, and reduced security levels, which discourage home buyers from getting too close to these amenities. Furthermore, the study found that the effect of proximity differs from that of service provision at the neighborhood level. For example, while the presence of a medical/health center at neighborhood level was found to be a positive determinant of house prices, its proximity had a negative effect on house prices. In fact, home buyers prefer to purchase properties in neighborhoods that offer such amenities but are less likely to purchase properties in areas adjacent to such amenities. The higher the ratio of nonresidential to residential uses, the higher the price of housing in those areas. In fact, this shows the advantage of neighborhoods with a variety of uses more than single-use neighborhoods. The data also demonstrate that the variances across neighborhoods in Tehran account for a significant amount of the housing price variation, with 11% and 48% of the total variance attributed to local and regional levels of analysis, respectively. This highlights the nested and hierarchical nature of housing price data and the use of multilevel modeling for estimating home prices in Tehran. The results presented in this work may have theoretical and practical uses for scholars, insurance firms, banks, real estate developers, and others in the field of property economics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Oncolytic viruses affected immune responses and selectively lysed tumor cells. • Manipulating OVs could enhance the effectiveness of OV therapy in cancer. • Hypoxia could induce or inhibit OV replication in the tumor microenvironment. Researchers have tried to find novel strategies for cancer treatment in the past decades. Among the utilized methods, administering oncolytic viruses (OVs) alone or combined with other anticancer therapeutic approaches has had promising outcomes, especially in solid tumors. Infecting the tumor cells by these viruses can lead to direct lysis or induction of immune responses. However, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) is considered a significant challenge for oncolytic virotherapy in treating cancer. Based on OV type, hypoxic conditions in the TME can accelerate or repress virus replication. Therefore, genetic manipulation of OVs or other molecular modifications to reduce hypoxia can induce antitumor responses. Moreover, using OVs with tumor lysis capability in the hypoxic TME may be an attractive strategy to overcome the limitations of the therapy. This review summarizes the latest information available in the field of cancer virotherapy and discusses the dual effect of hypoxia on different types of OVs to optimize available related therapeutic methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, compressive strength results of geopolymers produced by ordinary Portland cement (OPC) as aluminosilicate source have been modeled by artificial neural networks. Six main factors including NaOH concentration, water glass to NaOH weight ratio, alkali activator to cement weight ratio, oven curing temperature, oven curing time and water curing regime each at 4 levels were considered for designing. A total of 32 experiments were conducted according to the L32 array proposed by the method. The neural network models were constructed by 10 input parameters including NaOH concentration, water glass to NaOH weight ratio, alkali activator to cement weight ratio, oven curing temperature, oven curing time, water curing regime, water glass content, NaOH content, Portland cement content and test trial number. The value for the output layer was the compressive strength. According to the input parameters in feed-forward back-propagation algorithm, the constructed networks were trained, validated and tested. The results indicate that artificial neural networks model is a powerful tool for predicting the compressive strength of the geopolymers in the considered range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]