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Con2Mix (Contrastive Double Mixup) is a new semi-supervised learning methodology that innovates a triplet mixup data augmentation approach for finding code vulnerabilities in imbalanced, tabular security data sets. Tabular data sets in cybersecurity domains are widely known to pose challenges for machine learning because of their heavily imbalanced data (e.g., a small number of labeled attack samples buried in a sea of mostly benign, unlabeled data). Semi-supervised learning leverages a small subset of labeled data and a large subset of unlabeled data to train a learning model. While semi-supervised methods have been well studied in image and language domains, in security domains they remain underutilized, especially on tabular security data sets which pose especially difficult contextual information loss and balance challenges for machine learning. Experiments applying Con2Mix to collected security data sets show promise for addressing these challenges, achieving state-of-the-art performance on two evaluated data sets compared with other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Con2Mix (Contrastive Double Mixup) is a new semi-supervised learning methodology that innovates a triplet mixup data augmentation approach for finding code vulnerabilities in imbalanced, tabular security data sets. Tabular data sets in cybersecurity domains are widely known to pose challenges for machine learning because of their heavily imbalanced data (e.g., a small number of labeled attack samples buried in a sea of mostly benign, unlabeled data). Semi-supervised learning leverages a small subset of labeled data and a large subset of unlabeled data to train a learning model. While semi-supervised methods have been well studied in image and language domains, in security domains they remain underutilized, especially on tabular security data sets which pose especially difficult contextual information loss and balance challenges for machine learning. Experiments applying Con2Mix to collected security data sets show promise for addressing these challenges, achieving state-of-the-art performance on two evaluated data sets compared with other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of the Iran National Quality Award new model (INQA) in corporations that have implemented this model in Iran. This research aims to reveal the effects of implementation of Iran National Quality Award (INQA) New Model on seven dimensions of the Iranian companies which indeed are seven core factors of this model, i.e. Management & leadership, People, Processes, Resources, Customer & consumer results, Environment & community results, and Performance results.A mail survey was conducted on a simple random sample of 210 organizations that have achieved certification or appreciation during the implementation of INQA model in four rounds. 400 questionnaires were randomly distributed and 392 complete and correct questionnaires were returned. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the data.Results indicated that the highest positive impact of INQA New Model on the improvement of organizational performance of the surveyed organizations was on customers' area. Performance results, leadership and management, processes improvement, environment and society results, and finally better utilization of organizational resources were respectively other areas which are affected mostly. Also, this study found no significant relationship between the implementation of this model and the improvement of employees' conditions in the surveyed organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The increase in global competition and the need for diverse skills and innovation in doing things are the driving forces for prioritizing teamwork in organizations. Implementing and using work teams has become one of the most common changes in today's complex and dynamic environments. In such a way, dealing with complex problems requires the collective development of creative and innovative solutions and the creation of teamwork relationships. In the auditing profession, the importance of teamwork has been demonstrated. In this connection, using transformational leadership by managers and supervisors can have many benefits, including coordination between members, reducing emotional conflict, reducing conflict regarding allocating resources and responsibilities, and increasing collective commitment. Therefore, The quality of team interactions of independent auditors (including coordination, cohesion and involvement of team members). Method: This research is a survey-descriptive type of research. In terms of the goal, it is also considered applied research in such a way that the researcher seeks to reach information that can solve a problem by using it. In the discussion of the scope of the research, there are three types of thematic, temporal and spatial domains. The subject area of this research is the effect of transformational leadership on the quality of team interactions with independent auditors. On the other hand, this research was conducted in 2022 since it seeks to explain the influence of the leadership behaviors of managers and supervisors among all the employees of auditing institutions that are members of the Certified Public Accountants Society of Iran and their data was collected through a questionnaire and analyzed using structural equation techniques. Findings: The results of the descriptive statistics of the research variables show that 1. Managers and supervisors almost implement transformational leadership in their institutions because, on the 5-point Likert scale, the variable of transformational, servant and moral leadership of the manager and supervisor is higher than the average of "3" (respectively, "3.442" and "3.509") so that the T statistic for all variables has a significant difference at the 95% level from the average. 2. The T statistic of team coordination and cohesion has a significant difference at the 95% level with the average of "3" (respectively, 8.25 and 7.38); therefore, there is relatively good coordination and cohesion among the members of the audit team. 3. The T-statistic of team engagement has a significant difference at the 95% level with the mean of "3" (-9.52), which indicates a relatively low engagement among audit team members. 4. Average audit team members, tenure and age of auditors are approximately 5, 5 and 34 years respectively. It should be noted that the measurement accuracy increases when the data's standard deviation is less. In this connection, according to the standard deviation obtained in table number 2, the standard deviation of all research variables is close to 1, indicating their measurement's good accuracy. Finally, in the range of 5 Likert options, the minimum and maximum limits of the respondents to all research variables were 1 and 5, respectively. Since auditors do not work separately, it is essential to know the people, tasks and environment of auditors because of their effect on their performance. As the importance of teamwork has been proven in the auditing profession, auditing firms are organizations with professional services that build their activities as a team. This is because the complex tasks involved in audit work require using different competencies and perspectives of team members. Therefore, considering the importance of teamwork, the effect of transformational leadership on the quality of team interactions was investigated in this research, the results are described below. The results of the research show that managers and supervisors who use the suggestions of team members, dedicate time to guide and train subordinates, emphasize the importance of foresight and achieve goals, and influence the emotional, psychological and behavioral states of team members, can cause coordination, reducing possible misunderstandings and improving commitment among your team members. Conclusion: The current research was done to help institutions, managers, supervisors and legislative bodies in the auditing profession. In this regard, according to the results of the test of research models that indicated the effect of transformational leadership on the quality of team interactions, including cohesion, involvement and coordination of team members, the use of transformational leadership by managers and supervisors can bring many benefits, including coordination between members, Reducing the emotional conflict, reducing the conflict regarding the allocation of resources and responsibilities, will lead to an increase in the sense of collective commitment. Therefore, it is suggested that managers and supervisors use transformational leadership mechanisms that include: allocating time to guide and train subordinates, using the suggestions of team members, emphasizing the importance of foresight and achieving goals, and influencing the mental, emotional and behavioral states of team members be used in order to create effective communication with team members and influence their behavior. Finally, it should be noted that this research faced the following limitations. 2 .There is a possibility of potential bias of managers and supervisors in connection with self-reporting. 3. Because part of the information was collected through cyberspace, the researcher did not directly monitor the correctness of the answers provided by the sample subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) could be classified as 5q and non-5q, based on the chromosomal location of causative genes. A rare form of non-5q SMA is an autosomal-recessive condition called spinal muscular atrophy with progressive myoclonic epilepsy (SMA-PME), phenotypically characterized by myoclonic and generalized seizures with progressive neurological deterioration. SMA-PME is a clinically heterogeneous disorder that arises from biallelic pathogenic variants in ASAH1 gene. Methods: Following clinical and primary laboratory assessments, whole-exome sequencing was performed to detect the disease-causing variants in three cases of SMA-PME from different families. Also, Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) was employed for determining the copy numbers of SMN1 and SMN2 genes to rule out 5q SMA. Results: Exome sequencing revealed two different homozygous missense mutations (c.109 C > A [p.Pro37Thr] or c.125 C > T [p.Thr42Met]) in exon 2 of the ASAH1 gene in the affected members of the families. Sanger sequencing of the other family members showed the expected heterozygous carriers. In addition, no clinically relevant variant was identified in patients by MLPA. Conclusion: This study describes two different ASAH1 mutations and the clinical picture of 3 SMA-PME patients. In addition, previously reported mutations have been reviewed. This study could help to fortify the database of this rare disease with more clinical and genomic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) based on the type of SMA, demographic and clinical features and compare HRQoL of these patients with a matched healthy control group. Methods: This was a case–control study of Patients with SMA in Iran. Sixty-six patients with SMA type II and III aged 8–18 years and also 264 healthy age, sex, and socio-economic matched individuals were enrolled. To assess the quality of life, we used the Persian version of the KIDSCREEN-27. Results: The health-related quality of life between children with type II and type III SMA was not significant in all 5 subscales. However, HRQoL in healthy children was significantly higher than in SMA children in all 5 subscales. Conclusion: The quality of life in children with SMA was lower than the healthy control group in all subscales, and physical well-being and psychosocial aspects are the main domains of life impaired by SMA disease. However, no significant difference between the quality of life in children with SMA type II and type III was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitinol is a well-known shape memory alloy (SMA) which is widely used due to its unique properties such as shape memory effect and pseudoelasticity. However, challenges fabricating Nitinol parts have limited the use of this alloy. Nowadays, additive manufacturing methods, specifically selective laser melting (SLM), are being used as an alternative to conventional methods for fabricating Nitinol specimens. Achieving a dense structure and controlling the transformation temperatures in such products have been among the most important challenges for several research groups. In the present study, fabrication of dense Nitinol parts by SLM together with control of their transformation temperatures is investigated with the main purpose of achieving pseudoelastic products at room temperature. For this purpose, the effect of process parameters on density, transformation temperatures, microstructure, hardness, and shape memory response are studied. The influence of process parameters on transformation temperatures varies depending on the amount of power so that the effect of scan tracks spacing for high powers is more pronounced than that for low powers. The hardness and compressive strength of the parts are also affected by the process parameters. Accordingly, optimal parameters are found to fabricate dense pseudoelastic parts with the ability of strain recovery at ambient temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The current multi-center, randomized, double-blind study was conducted among children with cerebral palsy (CP) to assess the safety and efficacy of umbilical cord blood mononuclear cell (UCB-MNC). We performed the diffusion tensor imaging to assess the changes in the white matter structure.Methods: Males and females aged 4 to 14 years old with spastic CP were included. Eligible participants were allocated in 4:1 ratio to be in the experimental or control groups; respectively. Individuals who were assigned in UCB-MNC group were tested for human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and fully-matched individuals were treated with UCB-MNCs. A single dose (5 × 106 /kg) UCB-MNCs were administered via intrathecal route in experimental group. The changes in gross motor function measure (GMFM)-66 from baseline to one year after treatment were the primary endpoints. The mean changes in modified Ashworth scale (MAS), pediatric evaluation of disability inventory (PEDI), and CP quality of life (CP-QoL) were also evaluated and compared between groups. The mean changes in fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) of corticospinal tract (CST) and posterior thalamic radiation (PTR) were the secondary endpoints. Adverse events were safety endpoint.Results: There were 72 included individuals (36 cases in each group). The mean GMFM-66 scores increased in experimental group; compared to baseline (+ 9.62; 95%CI: 6.75, 12.49) and control arm (β: 7.10; 95%CI: 2.08, 12.76; Cohen's d: 0.62) and mean MAS reduced in individuals treated with UCB-MNCs compared to the baseline (-0.87; 95%CI: -1.2, -0.54) and control group (β: -0.58; 95%CI: -1.18, -0.11; Cohen's d: 0.36). The mean PEDI scores and mean CP-QoL scores in two domains were higher in the experimental group compared to the control. The imaging data indicated that mean FA increased and MD decreased in participants of UCB-MNC group indicating improvements in white matter structure. Lower back pain, headaches, and irritability were the most common adverse events within 24 h of treatment that were related to lumbar puncture. No side effects were observed during follow-up.Conclusions: This trial showed that intrathecal injection of UCB-MNCs were safe and effective in children with CP.Trial Registration: The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT03795974 ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Sarcoglycanopathies (SGCs) which are caused by mutations inSGCA,SGCB,SGCGorSGCDgenes are a subgroup of autosomal-recessive limb-girdle-muscular-dystrophies (LGMD2). Although frequencies of mutations in these genes are different among populations, mutations inSGCAandSGCD, respectively, have the highest and lowest frequencies in most populations. Here, we report the proportion of mutations in SGC genes among a group of Iranian SGCs patients. Clinical features and results of SGC genes screening of 25 SGCs probands are presented. Large deletion mutations are confirmed with MLPA assays. In total, 15 candidate disease causing mutations were observed in theSGCA,SGCB,SGCGandSGCDgenes; ten were novel. Fourteen (56%), seven (28%), three (12%) and one (4%) patient, respectively, carried mutations inSGCB,SGCG,SGCDandSGCA. The findings suggest that LGMD2E is the most common form of SGCs in the Iranian population and that LGMD2D is the rarest. Twelve LGMD2E cases carried the same mutation. To the best of knowledge, the mutation spectrum in SGCs is being reported for the first time in Iranian population. The finding will be beneficial for screening and genetic-counseling of SGCs patients in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) plays a key role in inflammation, has an effect on a wide variety of cells, and often leads to tissue destruction. While the ratio between IL-1 and IL-1Ra could influence the development of different diseases of the central nervous system, its gene polymorphisms were investigated in a group of patients with febrile seizures. Ninety patients with febrile seizures were enrolled and compared with 140 controls. The allele and genotype frequency of single nucleotide polymorphisms within the IL-1α, β, IL-1 R and IL-1Ra gene were determined. The frequency of the IL-1Ra/C allele at position Mspa-I 11100 was decreased significantly (P = .002) and the IL-1Ra/T frequency was significantly increased in patients (P = .002). In addition, the CT genotype frequency at the same position was significantly overrepresented in controls compared to patients (P = .001). Certain alleles and genotypes in the IL-1 gene were overrepresented in patients with febrile seizures, which possibly could predispose individuals to this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As of importance of interleukin-4 (IL-4) in inhibiting the production of proinflammatory cytokines, the IL4 gene polymorphisms were investigated in patients with febrile seizure. This association has not been investigated yet, except 1 study which has been done in Japanese population. Eighty-two patients with febrile seizure were enrolled in this study, compared with 139 controls. The allele and genotype frequency of 3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms of IL4 gene were determined. Frequency of the IL4-590/C allele in the patient group was significantly higher than in the control group (P < .0001). Frequency of the following genotypes was significantly lower in patients compared to controls: IL-4 (–590) TC (P = .0001) and IL-4 (–33) TC (P = .001). The most frequent IL-4 haplotype in the patient group was TCC (P = .00) haplotype. In contrast, frequencies of GCC (P = .01), TTT (P = .009), and TTC (P = .0007) haplotypes were significantly lower in febrile seizure patients. Certain alleles, genotypes, and haplotypes in the IL4 gene were overrepresented in Iranian patients with febrile seizure, which could predispose individuals to this disease, and further investigations in other ethnicities are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melon is one of the most important horticultural crops in Iran. There are a few studies on the genetic structure of Iranian melon. A set of 18 simple sequence repeat (SSR) primer pairs were used to assess the genetic diversity in a collection of 24 melon accessions representing different botanical groups of Iranian cultivated melons (vars. inodorus, cantalupensis and dudaim), along with 28 reference accessions from diverse geographic origin. All studied SSR loci were polymorphic that confirmed their usefulness for genetic analysis of melons. A total number of 141 alleles were detected, with an average of 7.8 alleles per locus for reference genotypes and 4.38 alleles per locus for Iranian accessions. The low variability within Iranian melon accessions is reflected by the low values of the observed heterozygosity (with an average of 0.119), indicating lack of intercrossing between accessions or a high rate of self-pollination. Values of observed homozygosity for 'Suski-e-Sabz' and 'Khatouni', as the most cultivated melon in Iran, were 0.98 and 0.99, respectively. Cluster analysis divided Iranian accessions into two major groups. The highest level of polymorphism was detected among the dudaim group. The analysis of molecular variance indicated that the majority of variation (87 %) was due to the difference within accessions. The average pairwise genetic distance among Iranian accessions was 0.674. Our results showed a distinct separation of dudaim group from the rest of Iranian accessions, even separated two different groups of var. dudaim with different traits. There was a wide genetic distance between Honey Dew, as the most popular member of inodorus group worldwide and 'Khatouni', a major Iranian winter melon (GD = 0.809). This genetic distance shows the importance of Iranian accessions for conservation and use in breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]