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The important role of electricity generation in the power system is evident and is growing more and more with innovative technologies and requirements. Hence, addressing the combined heat and power economic dispatch (CHPED) as one of the relatively new issues in the power system operation and control is more importance. Since the CHPED problem is a non-smooth, highly non-linear, and non-convex one, it is required to solve it so that an optimal global solution can be achieved. In this paper, by applying the piece-wise linearization approach the CHPED problem is solved so that the problem reformulated to a quadratic optimization problem with linear and quadratic constraints. To demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model, four case studies are implemented in the GAMS software environment and the results compared to the literature.

Stratospheric circulation is a critical part of the Arctic ozone cycle. Sudden stratospheric warming events (SSWs) manifest the strongest alteration of stratospheric dynamics. During SSWs, changes in planetary wave propagation vigorously influence zonal mean zonal wind, temperature, and tracer concentrations in the stratosphere over the high latitudes. In this study, we examine six persistent major SSWs from 2004 to 2020 using the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2). Using the unique density of observations around the Greenland sector at high latitudes, we perform comprehensive comparisons of high-latitude observations with the MERRA-2 ozone dataset during the six major SSWs. Our results show that MERRA-2 captures the high variability of mid-stratospheric ozone fluctuations during SSWs over high latitudes. However, larger uncertainties are observed in the lower stratosphere and troposphere. The zonally averaged stratospheric ozone shows a dramatic increase of 9 %–29 % in total column ozone (TCO) near the time of each SSW, which lasts up to 2 months. This study shows that the average shape of the Arctic polar vortex before SSWs influences the geographical extent, timing, and magnitude of ozone changes. The SSWs exhibit a more significant impact on ozone over high northern latitudes when the average polar vortex is mostly elongated as seen in 2009 and 2018 compared to the events in which the polar vortex is displaced towards Europe. Strong correlation (R2=90 %) is observed between the magnitude of change in average equivalent potential vorticity before and after SSWs and the associated averaged total column ozone changes over high latitudes. This paper investigates the different terms of the ozone continuity equation using MERRA-2 circulation, which emphasizes the key role of vertical advection in mid-stratospheric ozone during the SSWs and the magnified vertical advection in elongated vortex shape as seen in 2009 and 2018.

Unit commitment (UC) problem tries to schedule output power of generation units to meet the system demand for the next several hours at minimum cost. UC adds a time dimension to the economic dispatch problem with the additional choice of turning generators to be on or off. In this paper, in order to improve both the exploitation and exploration abilities of the firefly algorithm (FA), a new modification approach based on the mutation and crossover operators as well as an adaptive formulation is applied as an adaptive modified firefly algorithm (AMFA). In this paper, it is shown that AMFA can solve the UC problem in a better manner compared to the other meta-heuristic methods. The method is applied on some case studies, a typical 10-unit test system, 12, 17, 26, and 38 generating unit systems, and IEEE 118-bus test system, all with a 24-hour scheduling horizon. Comparison of the obtained results with the other methods addressed in the literature shows the effectiveness and fastness of the applied method.

Among dairy products, ice cream is very popular all over the world. Therefore, in this research, the possibility of producing probiotic ice cream containing Aloe vera gel was investigated. For this purpose, Aloe vera gel at concentrations of 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% was added to ice cream samples and its effect on the survival of Lactobacillus plantarum was investigated. Besides, some chemical and sensory properties of ice cream were evaluated. The results of this study showed that the addition of Aloe vera gel did not have any significant effect on the acidity, moisture, and fat content of probiotic ice cream samples, but the microbial count and sensory properties of this product were significantly (p < 0.05) affected. During storage, in the samples containing 10% and 15% Aloe vera gel, the number of probiotic bacteria increased to 8.15 and 8.19 log CFU/ml, respectively. The overall sensory evaluation of ice cream samples showed that the highest sensory rating was related to the treatment containing 10% Aloe vera gel. It was concluded that considering the sensory acceptance and survival of probiotic bacteria L. plantarum, the ice cream containing 10% Aloe vera gel was the best treatment.

Background: Edible films and coatings are biodegradable that can preserve the quality and extend the shelf life of foods. The aim of this study was to investigate the physical and mechanical properties, and antimicrobial activity of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) film containing Artemisia sieberi Essential Oil (AEO). Methods: The studied parameters were the antibacterial activity and physical properties, including Water Vapor Permeability (WVP), Contact Angle (CA), solubility, Moisture Content (MC), and surface color; as well as mechanical properties including Elongation at break% (E%) and Tensile Strength (TS) of CMC incorporated with AEO at levels of 0 (control), 0.5, 1, and 1.5% v/v. Data were statistically analyzed by SPSS software. Results: Camphor (36.38%), 1,8-cineole (15.89%), β-Thujone (6.7%), and camphanone (6.2%) were the main components of AEO. The edible CMC film showed increase in WVP, contact angle, E%, darker color, and yellowness, with decreases in film solubility, MC, and TS after the incorporation of AEO. CMC film with 1.5% of AEO showed the highest a* (greenness) and b* (yellowness) values. The inhibition zones were 9.33, 11.5, and 17.30 mm for Staphylococcus aureus; and 8, 11.50, and 14.33 mm for Escherichia coli at AEO levels of 0.5, 1, and 1.5%, respectively. Conclusion: The overall results of this study showed that CMC films enriched with AEO could be beneficial in food packaging to retard food deterioration. DOI: 10.18502/jfqhc.7.1.2450

Distributed energy resources (DERs) including distributed generators (DGs) and controllable loads (CLs) are managed in the form of several microgrids (MGs) in active distributions networks (ADNs) to meet the demand locally. On the other hand, some loads of distribution networks (DNs) can be supplied by retailers which participate in wholesale energy markets. Therefore, there are several decision makers in DNs which their cooperation should be modeled for optimal operation of the network. For this purpose, a bi-level optimization approach is proposed in this paper to model the cooperation between retailers and MGs in DNs. In the proposed model, the aim of the upper level (leader) and lower level (follower) problems are to maximize the profit of retailers and to minimize the cost of MGs, respectively. To solve the proposed multi-objective bi-level optimization model, multi-objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO) algorithm is employed. The effectiveness of the proposed bi-level model and its solution methodology is investigated in the numerical results.

Understanding variations in atmospheric ozone in the Arctic is difficult because there are only a few long-term records of vertical ozone profiles in this region. We present 12 years of ozone profiles from February 2005 to February 2017 at four sites: Summit Station, Greenland; Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway; and Alert and Eureka, Nunavut, Canada. These profiles are created by combining ozonesonde measurements with ozone profile retrievals using data from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS). This combination creates a high-quality dataset with low uncertainty values by relying on in situ measurements of the maximum altitude of the ozonesondes (∼30 km) and satellite retrievals in the upper atmosphere (up to 60 km). For each station, the total column ozone (TCO) and the partial column ozone (PCO) in four atmospheric layers (troposphere to upper stratosphere) are analyzed. Overall, the seasonal cycles are similar at these sites. However, the TCO over Ny-Ålesund starts to decline 2 months later than at the other sites. In summer, the PCO in the upper stratosphere over Summit Station is slightly higher than at the other sites and exhibits a higher standard deviation. The decrease in PCO in the middle and upper stratosphere during fall is also lower over Summit Station. The maximum value of the lower- and middle-stratospheric PCO is reached earlier in the year over Eureka. Trend analysis over the 12-year period shows significant trends in most of the layers over Summit and Ny-Ålesund during summer and fall. To understand deseasonalized ozone variations, we identify the most important dynamical drivers of Arctic ozone at each level. These drivers are chosen based on mutual selected proxies at the four sites using stepwise multiple regression (SMR) analysis of various dynamical parameters with deseasonalized data. The final regression model is able to explain more than 80 % of the TCO and more than 70 % of the PCO in almost all of the layers. The regression model provides the greatest explanatory value in the middle stratosphere. The important proxies of the deseasonalized ozone time series at the four sites are tropopause pressure (TP) and equivalent latitude (EQL) at 370 K in the troposphere, the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) in the troposphere and lower stratosphere, the equivalent latitude at 550 K in the middle and upper stratosphere, and the eddy heat flux (EHF) and volume of polar stratospheric clouds throughout the stratosphere.

The seed husk of psyllium (Plantago ovate Forsk) has a long history of use as a dietary fiber supplement and in traditional herbal medicine, it has been used for treating various disorders. It has an important role in lowering blood cholesterol and has potential to stimulate bacterial growth in digestive system. Therefore, in the present study psyllium husk powder (PHP) at amount of 0, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75% was added to Doogh samples and its influence on viability of probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus casei was investigated. In addition, the amount of serum separation, pH and sensory properties of this product were studied. Results showed that in the presence of husk powder the growth of Lactobacillus casei has been increased insignificantly. The pH values of the all Doogh samples reduced during 14 days of storage but psyllium husk did not affect the pH even at 0.75% concentration. The addition of PHP increased the consistency, resulted in a reduction in the rate of phase separation. Sensory evaluation revealed that the sample containing 0.25% psyllium powder had more acceptability than others. According to the results, addition of PHP at amount of 0.25% in the presence of probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus casei for production functional Doogh product is recommended.

Dogs are important in the epidemiology of Neospora caninum because they act as definitive hosts, shedding oocysts in the environment. The aim of the present survey was to evaluate the serological prevalence of Neospora caninum infection in urban and rural dogs in Ahvaz district, southwest of Iran. In this study, blood samples were taken from 100 rural dogs and 50 urban dogs. The dogs were categorized into two age groups (i.e., ≤ 3 and > 3 years). Neospora agglutination test (NAT) was performed for the detection of infection. Among 150 samples, 30 (20%) showed infection in 1:50 to 1:800 dilutions by NAT (confidence interval 95%: 13.60-26.40). The antibody titers were as follows: 1:50 (n=1), 1:100 (n=14), 1:200 (n=3), 1:400 (n=10) and 1:800 (n=2). The highest serum dilution was 1:100 in 46.67% of the infected dogs and the lowest serum dilution was 1:50 in 3.33% of them. The obtained results showed a significant difference in seroprevalence between urban (10%) and rural (25%) dogs (P=0.03). Although the seroprevalence was higher in dogs above three years of age (23.33%) than below three years (17.78%), there was not a significant difference among different age groups in this regard (P>0.05). The possibility of infection in dogs above the age of three years was 1.3 more than those below three years of age (confidence interval 95%: 0.58-2.9). It can be concluded that a relatively considerable percentage of dogs in Ahvaz district are infected with N. caninum. These infected dogs can play an important role in the transmission of neosporosis to other animals.

In this paper, power distribution planning (PDP) considering distributed generators (DGs) is investigated as a dynamic multi-objective optimization problem. Moreover, Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) is applied to handle the uncertainty in electricity price and load demand. In the proposed model, investment and operation costs, losses and purchased power from the main grid are incorporated in the first objective function, while pollution emission due to DGs and the grid is considered in the second objective function. One of the important advantages of the proposed objective function is a feeder and substation expansion in addition to an optimal placement of DGs. The resulted model is a mixed-integer non-linear one, which is solved using a non-dominated sorting improved harmony search algorithm (NSIHSA). As multi-objective optimization problems do not have a unique solution, to obtain the final optimum solution, fuzzy decision making analysis tagged with planner criteria is applied. To show the effectiveness of the proposed model and its solution, it is applied to a 9-node distribution system.

Computer numerical control (CNC) machines are known as sensitive loads in industrial estates. These machines require reliable and qualified electricity in their often long work periods. Supplying these loads with distributed energy resources (DERs) in a microgrid (MG) can be done as an appropriate solution. The aim of this paper is to analyze the implementation potential of a real and developing MG in Shad-Abad industrial estate, Tehran, Iran. Three MG planning objectives are considered including assurance of sustainable and secure operation of CNC machines as sensitive loads, minimizing the costs of MG construction and operation, and using available capacities to penetrate the highest possible renewable energy sources (RESs) which subsequently results in decreasing the air pollutants specially carbon dioxide (CO2). The HOMER (hybrid optimization model for electric renewable) software is used to specify the technical feasibility of MG planning and to select the best plan economically and environmentally. Different scenarios are considered in this regard to determine suitable capacity of production participants, and to assess the MG indices such as the reliability.

Aloe vera gel contains a blend of carbohydrates, enzymes, vitamins and minerals, and has antimicrobial and anti-oxidant properties. In this study, after extraction and homogenization of Aloe vera gel, the effect of various concentrations (0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10 and 15%) of the gel was investigated on flavor microbial flora (total microbial count and mesophilic lactic acid bacteria) and also its inhibitory effect on Penicillium citrinum (PTCC 5304) in cheese. Results of sensory evaluation showed that cheeses produced with the concentrations of 0.5 and 1% gel had the highest acceptance. Moreover, it was revealed that in the control sample the number of total count and lactic acid bacteria increased in from 1 to 3 months of storage; meanwhile in the gel-containing samples the microbial populations reduced during the same period.In addition, Aloe vera gel at the concentration of 15% caused 37.3% inhibition of P. citrinum in. It was concluded that some concentration of Aloe vera gel could retard the growth of P. citrinum without sensory defects.

Both lignin and silicon (Si) are major players in the resistance of plants to mechanical stress (MS). Focusing on the phenolic metabolism, here we studied the short-term effects of a local MS on tobacco (Nicotiana rustica L. cv. Basmas) plants with Si (+Si, 1 mM Na2SiO3) and without Si (‒Si) treatments in order to see how Si may modify local and systemic responses. One week after starting the Si treatment, a half of the plants were exposed to a mechanical pressure applying 980 Pa for 24 h on the upper side of the 3rd leaf of each plant (+MS). The rest of the plants remained unstressed (‒MS). Plants were harvested 24 h and 72 h after starting the MS and the leaves directly exposed to the mechanical stress (DMS) and those indirectly exposed to the mechanical stress (IMS) from below and above the DMS leaf were analyzed for phenolic metabolism along with the corresponding leaves from‒MS plants. In the DMS leaf, the activities of polyphenol oxidase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, and cytosolic and covalently-bound peroxidases increased by the MS, while decreased by Si. In accordance with this in the DMS leaf, the content of soluble and cell wall-bound phenolics and lignin were enhanced by the MS but decreased by Si. Interestingly, Si influenced the pattern of response to the MS depending on whether the leaves were directly treated by the MS or not. Silicon treatment augmented MS-induced lignin accumulation in the DMS leaf while rather inhibited lignin formation in the IMS leaves. These data show that Si modified MS-mediated changes in the phenolic metabolism differently in local and systemic leaves.

Despite widespread construction of mass-production houses with tunnel form structural system across the world, unfortunately no special seismic code is published for design of this type of construction. Through a literature survey, only a few studies are about the seismic behavior of this type of structural system. Thus based on reasonable numerical results, the seismic performance of structures constructed with this technique considering the effective factors on structural behavior is highly noteworthy in a seismic code development process. In addition, due to newness of this system and observed damages in past earthquakes, and especially random nature of future earthquakes, the importance of probabilistic approach and necessity of developing fragility curves in a next generation Performance Based Earthquake Engineering (PBEE) frame work are important. In this study, the seismic behavior of 2, 5 and 10 story tunnel form structures with a regular plan is examined. First, the performance levels of these structures under the design earthquake (return period of 475 years) with time history analysis and pushover method are assessed, and then through incremental dynamic analysis, fragility curves are extracted for different levels of damage in walls and spandrels. The results indicated that the case study structures have high capacity and strength and show appropriate seismic performance. Moreover, all three structures subjected were in immediate occupancy performance level.

Considering the importance of Theileria equi infection in horse breeding industry and marketing, in the present study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of T. equi among dromedaries in central Iran, where a considerable number of camels and horses are raised and equine theileriosis is quite prevalent. For this purpose, a total of 161 blood samples from camels were examined in terms of T. equi infection, using parasitological and molecular methods. For molecular detection of T. equi, primers targeting the 18S rRNA gene were selected. Microscopic examination revealed that 0.6% of camels were positive for the intraerythrocytic stage of Theileria species, while polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method detected T. equi in 7 (4.3%) out of 161 camels. Sequences of 18S rRNAs from all the isolates showed more than 99% homology to each other and T. equi isolates in the GenBank. With respect to the single-nucleotide substitution in 18S rRNA gene of the studied camels, three different genotypes were identified and submitted to the GenBank. Considering the homology between 18S rRNA sequences of T. equi in the studied samples and those available in the GenBank, the phylogenetic tree formed three distinct, but highly-related clusters. In this study, age, gender, and locality were not determined as risk factors for T. equi infection in camels. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that T. equi is present among Iranian camels.

Ni–SiC composite coatings are successfully employed as a protective coating in the inner walls of engine cylinders. In this study, Ni-SiC, Ni-SiC-MoS2 and Ni-SiC-Gr composite coatings were prepared from a sulfamate bath. Both mechanical and ultrasonic stirring were used simultaneously during the process. Taking into account the working temperature of engine cylinders, the wear behavior of coatings was evaluated at 25 to 300 ºC and the high temperature tribological properties of the coatings were investigated. Based on the results obtained from the wear tests, all three coatings showed almost good friction coefficient values at 25 and 100 ºC, which were close to each other. By increasing the temperature to 200-300 °C, the friction coefficient and weight loss values strongly increased. However, addition of solid lubricants caused the values to decrease. The Ni-SiC-Gr coating at all temperatures showed a good and stable behavior.

This research was conducted to study the amount of self- incompatibility in 25 genotypes of Bromus inermis, under two water environments (non-stress and drought stress) in a completely randomized block design. For this purpose, half of the panicles of each genotype were bagged for obligate selfing and the others were allowed to open pollination. Results showed that under non-stress condition the average number of seeds per panicle for open pollination was 161.4 and for selfing mode was 5.6, indicating the high rate of self-incompatibility in this grass. Under drought stress condition, these values were 142.8 and 4.7, respectively, showing the effect of relative environmental conditions (drought stress) on seed production in regard to both the selfing and crossing. The same trend was also observed for seed weight. Under non-stress condition, variation among genotypes for seed weight per panicle was more than the stress condition. High variability was observed among genotypes for self-compatibility index, and thus the genotypes with the highest and lowest incompatibility index were determined.

Interaction between aluminum (Al) and boron (B) in Al accumulator species has not been characterized so far. In this work, tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] plants were cultivated hydroponically and treated with adequate (control) or low B supply (-B) without or with 300 μM Al (-B+Al) for 14 weeks. Growth of B-deficient plants was completely resumed by Al supplementation or even surpassed control plants regarding shoot biomass. Net photosynthetic rate was negatively influenced by the low B supply, and the Al treatment increased it up to the level of the control plants that was reflected in the higher content of saccharides. The activity of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in the younger leaves decreased at the low B supply accompanied with an increased H2O2 content. The Al treatment increased the APX activity up to the level of the control plants simultaneously with the reduction of H2O2. Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) increased in the low B plants and the Al treatment augmented this effect. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the leaves increased by low B but declined upon the Al treatment. In the Al-treated plants, the activity of nitrate reductase (NR) and the content of free α-amino acids exceeded those of the control plants, and nitrite concentration diminished. The shoot and root B content of the B-deficient plants supplemented with Al was similar with the B-sufficient ones. The results demonstrate that the up-regulation of C and N metabolism, the activation of antioxidative defense, and the enhancement of B uptake and transport were mechanisms for growth amelioration of the B-deficient plants by Al supplementation in tea.

The Khuzestan province in south-western Iran is the centre of Persian Arab horse breeding and training. The present study was aimed at determining the prevalence of Theileria equi in the equids of this province. A total of 165 blood samples from healthy Persian Arab horses from twenty four stables were examined for the presence of T. equi infection using molecular methods. For detection of T. equi, primers targeting the 18SrRNA gene were selected. The PCR method gave 47 (28.5%) positive results. Age (P = 0.68), sex (P = 0.88), contact with cattle (P = 0.26) and type of activity (P = 0.06) were not determined as risk factors for T. equi infection in this study. However, there was a significant geographical variation in the prevalence of T. equi infection ranging from 8.3% (2/24) in Shushtar to 55.6% (10/18) in Ramhormoz (CI, 2.46-76.82) (P = 0.003). In conclusion, equine theileriosis has the potential of posing a significant problem for Iran's Persian Arab horse industry and should remain a major concern to the horse community and regulatory agencies.

An efficient and rapid method has been found for the iodination of aromatic compounds using iodine and polymer-supported periodic acid (PSPIA) as an oxidant under mild aprotic conditions. The reagent after the completion of the reaction was easily removed by filtration and was regenerated for further use. This method has some advantages such as: mild reaction conditions, straight forward procedure, inexpensive method, high yields and one-pot conversion. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v28i2.15

In recent years efforts to find bioactive compounds from live organisms especially marine animals have been increased. In the present study, the anticancer and cytotoxic effects of sea cucumber body walls (Holothuria leucospilota) were investigated. For this purpose, sea cucumbers were collected from Larak Island at depths of 10 to 30 m and extraction process was done with methanol and diethyl ether solvent which then concentrated by rotary evaporator (40℃) following lyophilization with vacuum freeze dryer. XTT method was used to investigate anticancer and cytotoxic effects of body wall extracts. The results showed that the methanolic extract could prevent proliferation of human oral epidermoid carcinoma cells (KB) at concentrations of 100 and 500 μg/ml. The diethyl etheric extract also could prevent proliferation of KB at 500 μg/ml concentration. Overall result showed that sea cucumber body wall had a strong cytotoxic effect on normal cell line (Human embryonic kidney cell [HEK]) which can be used as potent cytotoxic material. However these extracts did not show significant therapeutic value against KB cells.

In this study we propose an approach for dust detection by aerosol reflectance over arid and urban region in clear sky condition. In urban and arid areas surface reflectance in red and infrared spectral is bright and hence shorter wavelength is required for this detections. Main step of our approach can be mentioned as: cloud mask for excluding cloudy pixels from our calculation, calculate Rayleigh path radiance, construct a surface reflectance data base, estimate aerosol reflectance, detect dust aerosol, dust detection and evaluations of dust detection. Spectral with wavelength 0.66, 0.55, 0.47 μm has been used in our dust detection. Estimating surface reflectance is the most challenging step of obtaining aerosol reflectance from top of atmosphere (TOA) reflectance. Hence for surface estimation we had created a surface reflectance database of 0.05 degree latitude by 0.05 degree longitude resolution by using minimum reflectivity technique (MRT). In order to evaluate our dust detection algorithm MODIS aerosol product MOD04 and common dust detection method named Brightness Temperature Difference (BTD) had been used. We had implemented this method to Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image of part of Iran (7 degree latitude and 8 degree longitude) spring 2005 dust phenomenon from April to June. This study uses MODIS LIB calibrated reflectance high spatial resolution (500 m) MOD02Hkm on TERRA spacecraft. Hence our dust detection spatial resolution will be higher spatial resolution than MODIS aerosol product MOD04 which has 10 × 10 km2 and BTD resolution is 1 km due to the band 29 (8.7 μm), 31 (11 μm), and 32 (12 μm) spatial resolutions.

Background and aimsToday for access to effective organizations, notice to the work quality factors is very important. The aim of this study is investigating the happiness level among the staff of the faculties in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.MethodsFor achieving this descriptive, survey research, with random sampling, we selected 144 persons among 401 persons of the staff of the faculties in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Data gathered with two researcher-made questionnaires are happiness, internal andexternal happiness factors. Validity of the questionnaires calculated with validity of the content and their reliability calculated with Kranbakh Alpha coefficients method. Analysis of the results accomplished in two levels of descriptive and inferential Statistics.ResultsThe mean of happiness scores and external happiness factors were less than the average level, but the mean of internal happiness factors were the average level. So, there are not meaningful difference between the mean of happiness scores and internal and external happinessfactors scores depend on education, experience, and work department, but men happiness scores are more than women happiness scores. On the other hand the mean of internal and external happiness factors scores in married people are more than single.ConclusionNecessity of happiness investigating and their factors are both important for community and its institutions.

Background: The purpose of this study was to measure isokinetic maximum and average peak torque of internal and external rotators of glenohumeral joint in volley ball and tennis players Methods: This study was performed on 17 professional female athletes (7 tennis players &10 volleyball players) with age ranged 18-28 years. The subjects had played in a skilled team for more than 3 years. They were free from injury to their dominant shoulder in the past year. Subjects performed a five minute warm up by shoulder wheel and Maximum average Peak Torque (APT) were obtained unilaterally by a Biodex System 3 with the arm of players in 90 degree abduction at 120,180 & 210 o/s. Players performed five trails of concentric movements with 30 second rest between them. Results: Maximum and average of maximum torques of shoulder rotator, in both groups, expect for internal rotators of tennis players, reduced by increase of movement speed (P

Practice of Yoga addresses the requirements of physical health and inner peace. Yoga, which has its roots in India, has evolved over the last 2000 years. Yoga helps the body recover from injury and illness and promotes robust health generally. There are many inspiring stories of people who commenced Yoga practice in mid and later life with significant physical improvements. They regained strength, flexibility, vigor and a level of health they thought had passed with their youth. Yoga therapy involves the use of Yoga postures controlled breathing, relaxation, meditation, and nutrition thus, to release emotional and muscular tension, improve concentration, increase oxygen levels in the blood, and assist the body in healing itself. As complementary therapies enter mainstream of medical settings, nurses and other healthcare providers need a fundamental understanding of these modalities to enable them to advise patients effectively.

In this study, the effects of quality and quantity of protein in flours with 95% and 70% extraction rates obtained from Mahdavi and Tajan wheat cultivars each baked at two different durations (100 and 75 sec.) and temperatures (210 and 250°C), after wrapping in polyethylene packages with 40µm thickness were investigated. All tests were carried out during 168 hours after packing and at 24h intervals. Results indicated that bread staling was affected by wheat cultivar, flour extraction rate, and storage time. Bread prepared from Tajan flour had lower firmness and staleness than that prepared from Mahdavi. High bran content bread was firmer than that with lower bran content. Organoleptic tests indicated that bread baked with 95% flour and bread baked at high temperatures with short durations were not very acceptable.

Three methods—5′ nuclease assay with TaqMan®, minisequencing, and oligonucleotide ligation assay (OLA)—were compared to detect five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in three separate genes. Each method had advantages and disadvantages. The 5′ nuclease assay was the fastest and required only a single step. OLA was the most time consuming to optimize, but once running it was the least expensive method. Minisequencing was universal; however, the technique was also the most expensive. All three methods were reliable and highly effective. Investigators must consider their goals in terms of time, sample number, and expense when selecting among these genotyping techniques.

This study focuses on the possibility of using rice husk ash (RHA) to produce high performance mortar of 100 MPa. The variables of study include effect of grinding and level of cement replacement with RHA. The fine aggregate used was mining sand instead of silica sand which is frequently used in producing high performance concrete (HPC). The average particle size of the RHA used was 13.50 μm, 20.43 μm and 29.92 μm and level of cement replacement was at 0%, 10 %, 15 % and 20 %. The results show that the use of 10 % RHA with the average particle size of 20.43 μm gave better compressive strength from 3 days onwards compared to control OPC and silica fume and the use of 20% of RHA with the average particle size of 13.50 μm at 28 days gave better compressive strength compared to other concrete.

Ce travail présente les résultats d’une étude expérimentale et théorique d’un capteur solaire plan à air. Ce capteur a était conçu et réalisé au niveau de l’Unité de Développement des Equipements Solaire, ‘U.D.E.S’ sise à Bou Ismail, Tipaza. Le capteur représente une partie d’un prototype de séchoir solaire indirect agricole, fonctionnant par thermosiphon. Les résultats théoriques, fournis par le modèle réalisé dans le cadre de cette étude, sont comparés aux mesures expérimentales réalisées sur ce capteur pour une journée caractéristique de mois de mai, sous ensoleillement naturel. Nous présentons également l’influence de l’augmentation du nombre de rangées de chicanes sur le rendement thermique. On a ainsi fait varier le nombre des rangées de chicanes de 7, 8, 9 à 10 rangées, Les résultats obtenus montrent que la température de sortie et le rendement du capteur sont nettement améliorés.

With emerging treatment approaches, it is crucial to correctly diagnose and monitor hereditary and acquired polyneuropathies. This study aimed to assess the validity and accuracy of magnet resonance imaging (MRI)-based muscle volumetry.Using semi-automatic segmentations of upper- and lower leg muscles based on whole-body MRI and axial T1-weighted turbo spin-echo sequences, we compared and correlated muscle volumes, and clinical and neurophysiological parameters in demyelinating Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) (n = 13), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) (n = 27), and other neuropathy (n = 17) patients.The muscle volumes of lower legs correlated with foot dorsiflexion strength (p < 0.0001), CMT Neuropathy Score 2 (p < 0.0001), early gait disorders (p = 0.0486), and in CIDP patients with tibial nerve conduction velocities (p = 0.0092). Lower (p = 0.0218) and upper (p = 0.0342) leg muscles were significantly larger in CIDP compared to CMT patients. At one-year follow-up (n = 15), leg muscle volumes showed no significant decrease.MRI muscle volumetry is a promising method to differentiate and characterize neuropathies in clinical practice.

Repurposing therapeutic agents with existing clinical data is a common strategy for developing radiation countermeasures. IEPA (imidazolyl ethanamide pentandioic acid) is an orally bioavailable small molecule pseudopeptide with myeloprotective properties, a good clinical safety profile, and stable chemical characteristics facilitating stockpiling. Here, we evaluated IEPA's radiomitigative efficacy in the hematopoietic subsyndrome of acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS) using total-body irradiation (TBI) models in C57BL/6J mice and WAG/RijCmcr rats, applying various posology schemes and introducing syringe feeding of the IEPA formulation in the pudding. Additionally, we assessed IEPA in the delayed effects of acute radiation exposure (DEARE) model after partial-body irradiation (PBI) in WAG/RijCmcr rats. Endpoints included survival, body weight, hematology, and pulmonary parameters, depending on the model. Results from mouse and rat TBI models demonstrated survival improvements with repeated IEPA dosing at 10 mg/kg, with the largest benefits observed in the bi-daily (BID) treatment over the 30-day ARS phase in female rats. Survival across PBI-DEARE subsyndromes was comparable between IEPA and vehicle groups, though IEPA improved pulmonary parameters in female rats during the lung-DEARE phase. Sex-related differences in response to irradiation and IEPA were noted, with females showing a survival advantage. IEPA treatment is compatible with Neulasta® (Pegfilgrastim; PEG-G-CSF); adequately powered studies are needed to confirm the trend toward improved survival over standard care alone. IEPA is a promising development candidate as a medical countermeasure against the effects of acute radiation syndrome. Further confirmatory studies in small and large animal models should validate the robustness and translatability of preliminary rodent data on IEPA's radiomitigative efficacy.

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare genetic lung disease. Unfortunately, treatment with the mTORC1 inhibitor Rapamycin only slows disease progression, and incomplete responses are common. Thus, there remains an urgent need to identify new targets for the development of curative LAM treatments. Nitazoxanide (NTZ) is an orally bioavailable antiprotozoal small molecule drug approved for the treatment of diarrhea caused by Giardia lamblia or Cryptosporidium parvum in children and adults, with a demonstrated mTORC1 inhibitory effect in several human cell lines. NTZ's excellent safety profile characterized by its more than 20 years of clinical use makes it a promising candidate for repurposing. Our rationale for this study was to further investigate NTZ's effect using in vitro and in vivo LAM models and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism beyond mTORC1 inhibition. For this purpose, we investigated cell proliferation, cell viability, and changes in protein phosphorylation and expression in primary human cell cultures derived from LAM lung samples before translating our results into a syngeneic mouse model utilizing Tsc2-null cells. NTZ reduced cell growth for all tested cell lines at a dose of about 30 µM. Lower doses than that had no effect on cell viability, but doses above 45 µM lowered the viability by about 10 to 15% compared to control. Interestingly, our western blot revealed no inhibition of mTORC1 and only a mild effect on active ß-Catenin. Instead, NTZ had a pronounced effect on reducing pAkt. In the mouse model, prophylactic NTZ treatment via the intraperitoneal and oral routes had some effects on reducing lung lesions and improving body weight retention, but the results remain inconclusive.

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is the rate-limiting enzyme in dopamine biosynthesis catalyzing the tetrahydrobiopterin (BH 4 )-dependent hydroxylation of tyrosine to L-DOPA. Here, we analyzed 25 TH variants associated with various degrees of dopa-responsive dystonia and evaluate the effect of each variant on protein stability, activity and cellular localization. Furthermore, we investigated the physical interaction between TH and human wildtype (wt) GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (GTPCH) and the effect of variants on this interaction. Our in vitro results classify variants according to their resistance to proteinase K digestion into three groups (stable, intermediate, unstable). Based on their cellular localization, two groups of variants can be identified, variant group one with cytoplasmic distribution and variant group two forming aggregates. These aggregates do not correlate with loss of enzymatic activity but nevertheless might be a good target for molecular chaperones. Unfortunately, no obvious correlation between the half-life of a variant and its enzymatic activity or between solubility, stability and enzymatic activity of a given variant could be found. Excitingly, some variants disrupt the physical interaction between TH and human wildtype GTPCH, thereby interfering with enzymatic activity and offering new druggable targets for therapy. Taken together, our results highlight the importance of an in-depth molecular analysis of each variant in order to be able to classify groups of disease variants and to find specific therapies for each subgroup. Stand-alone in silico analyses predict less precise the effect of specific variants and should be combined with other in vitro analyses in cellular model systems., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of SSIEM.)

Coral reefs accommodate a myriad of species, many of which live in association with a host organism. Decapod crustaceans make up a large part of this associated fauna on coral reefs. Among these, cryptochirid crabs are obligately associated with scleractinian corals, in which they create dwellings where they permanently reside. These gall crabs show various levels of host specificity, with the majority of cryptochirids inhabiting a specific coral genus or species. Here, we report the first records of gall crabs living in association with two different Porites species in the Red Sea. Crescent-shaped dwellings were observed in Porites rus and a Porites sp. in situ, and colonies with crabs were collected for further study in the laboratory. Using a combination of morphology and DNA barcoding, the crabs were identified as belonging to Opecarcinus , a genus only known to inhabit Agariciidae corals. The coral skeleton was bleached and studied under a stereo microscope, which revealed that the Porites corals overgrew adjoining agariciid Pavona colonies. We hypothesize that the gall crab originally settled on Pavona , its primary host of choice. Due to coral interspecific competition the Porites colony overgrew the adjacent Pavona colonies, resulting in a secondary and never before reported association of Opecarcinus with Porites . These findings suggest that cryptochirid crabs can adapt to the new microenvironment provided by a different coral host and survive competition for space on coral reefs., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Building on social psychologist Marie Jahoda's pioneering work, the psychological literature has shown that work fulfills both manifest functions (e.g., monetary returns) and latent functions (e.g., social contact). This article uses data from the German panel study "Labor market and social security" (PASS), which contains information on latent and manifest factors (from a shortened latent and manifest benefits, or LaMB, scale), as well as a large array of other variables for over 9,000 respondents. This probability-sampled data allowed for detailed analyses that have not been previously possible. We investigate differences in these factors by labor market status, among those employed, and among those unemployed. We identify considerable variation between status groups, suggesting that employment, overall, is important and that longer periods of unemployment lead to a gradual decay of the latent and manifest factors. Furthermore, regression analyses show that the LaMB measures account for approximately 70% of the partial correlations between unemployment and various well-being measures., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Bähr, Batinic and Collischon.)

The outcomes of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) refractory to immunomodulatory agents (IMiDs) and proteasome inhibitors (PIs) remain poor. In this study, we performed whole genome and transcriptome sequencing of 39 heavily pretreated relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM) patients to identify mechanisms of resistance and potential therapeutic targets. We observed a high mutational load and indications of increased genomic instability. Recurrently mutated genes in RRMM, which had not been previously reported or only observed at a lower frequency in newly diagnosed MM, included NRAS, BRAF, TP53, SLC4A7, MLLT4, EWSR1, HCFC2, and COPS3. We found multiple genomic regions with bi-allelic events affecting tumor suppressor genes and demonstrated a significant adverse impact of bi-allelic TP53 alterations on survival. With regard to potentially resistance conferring mutations, recurrently mutated gene networks included genes with relevance for PI and IMiD activity; the latter particularly affecting members of the Cereblon and the COP9 signalosome complex. We observed a major impact of signatures associated with exposure to melphalan or impaired DNA double-strand break homologous recombination repair in RRMM. The latter coincided with mutations in genes associated with PARP inhibitor sensitivity in 49% of RRMM patients; a finding with potential therapeutic implications. In conclusion, this comprehensive genomic characterization revealed a complex mutational and structural landscape in RRMM and highlights potential implications for therapeutic strategies.

In this community review report, we discuss applications and techniques for fast machine learning (ML) in science-the concept of integrating powerful ML methods into the real-time experimental data processing loop to accelerate scientific discovery. The material for the report builds on two workshops held by the Fast ML for Science community and covers three main areas: applications for fast ML across a number of scientific domains; techniques for training and implementing performant and resource-efficient ML algorithms; and computing architectures, platforms, and technologies for deploying these algorithms. We also present overlapping challenges across the multiple scientific domains where common solutions can be found. This community report is intended to give plenty of examples and inspiration for scientific discovery through integrated and accelerated ML solutions. This is followed by a high-level overview and organization of technical advances, including an abundance of pointers to source material, which can enable these breakthroughs., Competing Interests: MB was employed by the company Xilinx Inc. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The handling editor EC is currently organizing a Research Topic with the authors JD, ML, and JN., (Copyright © 2022 Deiana, Tran, Agar, Blott, Di Guglielmo, Duarte, Harris, Hauck, Liu, Neubauer, Ngadiuba, Ogrenci-Memik, Pierini, Aarrestad, Bähr, Becker, Berthold, Bonventre, Müller Bravo, Diefenthaler, Dong, Fritzsche, Gholami, Govorkova, Guo, Hazelwood, Herwig, Khan, Kim, Klijnsma, Liu, Lo, Nguyen, Pezzullo, Rasoulinezhad, Rivera, Scholberg, Selig, Sen, Strukov, Tang, Thais, Unger, Vilalta, von Krosigk, Wang and Warburton.)

Compared to the biological world's rich chemistry for functionalizing carbon, enzymatic transformations of the heavier homologue silicon are rare. We report that a wild-type cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (P450 BM3 from Bacillus megaterium, CYP102A1) has promiscuous activity for oxidation of hydrosilanes to give silanols. Directed evolution was applied to enhance this non-native activity and create a highly efficient catalyst for selective silane oxidation under mild conditions with oxygen as the terminal oxidant. The evolved enzyme leaves C-H bonds present in the silane substrates untouched, and this biotransformation does not lead to disiloxane formation, a common problem in silanol syntheses. Computational studies reveal that catalysis proceeds through hydrogen atom abstraction followed by radical rebound, as observed in the native C-H hydroxylation mechanism of the P450 enzyme. This enzymatic silane oxidation extends nature's impressive catalytic repertoire., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A detailed experimental analysis of the 1,4-selective reduction of pyridine with hydrosilanes catalyzed by a coordinatively unsaturated Ru II thiolate complex is reported. The previously suggested intermediates, N-silylpyridinium ions and a neutral Ru II hydride, have been independently synthesized and do indeed participate in the catalytic cycle. The resting state is not the cationic Ru II complex initially used as the catalyst but its pyridine-coordinated congener. All Ru II complexes, including the one resulting from hydrosilane activation, are in equilibrium with each other. The N-silylated 1,4-dihydropyridine together with the cationic Ru II complex convert back into the corresponding N-silylpyridinium ion and the neutral Ru II hydride (retro-hydrosilylation), followed by further backward reaction into the hydrosilane and the pyridine adduct of the cationic complex. These steps prove the overall reversibility of the transformation., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)