مرتضی صادقی

Lung cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in the world, early detection of lung cancer is one of the biggest challenges in treating this disease and can be very effective in saving patients. Considering the role of microRNAs in the development and progression of lung cancer, the effective factors in the expression and function of microRNAs, including the polymorphisms in the genes of microRNAs, can be used as biomarkers for the early diagnosis of lung cancer. This study aims to investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs4919510) of miR608 and (rs6505162) of miR-423 with the risk of lung cancer.

In this case-control study, genotypic analysis of rs6505162 miR-423 and rs4919510 miR-608 polymorphisms was performed on two groups including 110 lung cancer patients and 120 healthy individuals by PCR-RFLP method. After receiving the consent form from the patients, 5 ml of venous blood was collected from each of the study subjects, and the genomic DNA of each person was extracted using the salt precipitation method, the quality of the DNA was measured by absorption spectroscopy, and then all the samples were PCR And by using restriction enzyme digestion by Rsa I and PVUII enzymes, the genotype was determined for both polymorphisms. In the last step, the results of enzyme digestion were checked by electrophoresis on 2% agarose gel, to confirm the RFLP results from sequencing. Random samples were used. Statistical analysis of data was done with SPSS software.

In the investigation of mrs6505162 polymorphism in miR-423, the frequency distribution of CC, CA, and AA genotypes in lung cancer patients was 42.7, 34.5, and 22.7, respectively, and in the control group, 30.8, 54.2, 15, respectively which did not have a significant difference. The genotype CA compared to CC and also CA compared to CC+AA was related to the reduction of lung cancer (P=0.009, 95% CI: 0.256-0.829,
OR=0.460; P=0.003, 95% CI: 0.262-0.760, OR=0.447) which can indicate the protective role of this genotype. In the investigation of rs4919510 polymorphism in miR608, the frequency of allele G was 16.4% in the patient group and 20.4% in the control group, and the frequency of allele C was 83.6% in the patient group and 79.6% in the control group. This allele frequency was not statistically significant with a probability ratio of 0.763 and a confidence interval of 1.227-0.474 (P=0.263). No significant difference was observed between the group of cancer patients and control subjects. Codominant, Dominant, Over dominant, and Recessive, statistically no significant difference was observed.

According to our findings in miR-423, the CA genotype in rs6505162 polymorphism can have a protective role in lung cancer, but rs4919510 polymorphism in miR-608 was not significantly associated with lung cancer, further studies with more samples are suggested to confirm these findings.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are a newer generation of solar cells that, although they have lower efficiency compared to silicon-based solar cells, have a high potential for improved efficiency. Due to their better cost-effectiveness, they can replace silicon-based solar cells in the market if their efficiency and stability increase. The design and development of DSSCs have involved not only experimental and laboratory work but also numerical modeling. The aim of this work is to design and numerically model dye-sensitized solar cells based on a nanostructured semiconductor layer with a wide bandgap (titanium dioxide) and zinc oxide as the electron transporter, N719 dye as the absorber layer, and PEDOT:PSS and P3HT as hole transport materials. In this research, the advanced software CAMSOL with extensive capabilities is used for the design of dye-sensitized solar cells, and the current-voltage characteristics and optical absorption of the cell are calculated, which are in agreement with experimental data.

Oat is one of the grains used in the world, and consuming its right amounts could be considered as a part of a gluten-free diet for people suffering from celiac disease. However, this grain has a hull that is not digested by the human digestive system, and hence need to be dehulled. In this research, a laboratory impact oat dehuller was designed, fabricated and evaluated. The dehulling experiments of Hashemi oat variety were performed at 5 levels of rotor speed (1000, 1250, 1500, 1750, and 2000 rpm) and 3 levels of moisture content (6, 9, and 12% w.b.) with three replications. The effect of these variables on groat percentage (GP), dehulling efficiency (DHE), broken groats (%B), unbroken groat yield (%GY), and mill yield (%MY) was studied. The results revealed that with increase in the rotational speed of the rotor at all grain moistures, the %GY first increased and then decreased. The DHE indicated an ascending trend with increasing the rotor speed and grain moisture. The %B increased with increase in the rotational speed and decreased with increase in the grain moisture. The grains that were more resistant to dehulling showed also more resistance to breakage. At each grain moisture content, the rotational speed that led to the highest %GY was considered as the best rotor speed. The %MY had a direct relationship with %GP and DHE, and it showed an ascending trend with increasing the rotor speed and a descending trend with increasing the grain moisture. The best rotor speed and moisture content for dehulling the oat grains were determined to be 1750 rpm and 12% w.b., respectively.

In this report, mixed matrix membranes which are supported by polyethersulfone and sulfonated polyethersulfone prepared for dehydration of isopropanol. The prepared membranes are composed of a porous sublayer from polyethersulfone/sulfonated polyethersulfone and a composite top layer of poly(vinyl alcohol) and titanate nanotubes. In fact, hydrothermally-synthesized titanate nanotubes are dispersed in poly(vinyl alcohol). Moreover, the sulfonated polyethersulfone are used to investigate the effects of the porous sublayer on mass transport and the separation performance of the membranes. Next, the ability of the prepared membranes were studied for pervaporation separation of 90 wt% aqueous isopropanol mixture at 50 . The obtained results indicate that the thickness and chemical properties of the support have had a significant influence on pervaporation results. Totally, decreasing the difference between hydrophilicity of top layer and support has resulted in formation of an ideal interface between the layers. Furthermore, the presence of sulfone groups in interface, formation of hydrogen bounds among hydroxyl groups of poly(vinyl alcohol) and sulfone groups of the sublayer are responsible for enhanced compatibility between the layers. As a result, selective separation of water through the membranes was obtained. In addition, the results indicated that the support led to existence of an additional mass transport in isopropanol dehydration as well as requiring the physical support for the resultant membranes. The obtained results showed that when 4 wt% titanate nanotubes were dispersed in poly(vinyl alcohol) which was supported by sulfonated polyethersulfone the flux and separation factor were about  0.29 kg/m2 h and 4828, respectively.

Due to the disadvantages of using chemical materials as pretreatment before grape drying, the application of non-chemical methods that not only take the environmental issues into account but also increase the drying rate and improve the quality of the produced raisins is vitally important. The high-humidity hot air impingement blanching (HHAIB) is one of the non-chemical methods that can be used as a suitable alternative for chemical pretreatment in grape drying. In this research, the design, construction, and evaluation of a high-humidity hot air impingement blanching system are discussed in terms of the drying kinetics of white seedless grapes. The results are compared against the control and chemical pretreatment.

High-humidity hot air impingement blanching (HHAIB) system
The HHAIB system is composed of the steam generator, steam transfer pipes, side channel pump, closing and opening valves, air recycling channel, electric air heater, hot-humid air transfer channel, pretreatment chamber, hot-humid air distribution chamber, nozzles, temperature and humidity sensors and controllers. The performance of the system depends on the humid air temperature, the output fluid velocity from the nozzle, the distance of the nozzles from the product surface, as well as the diameter and arrangement of the nozzles. In order to achieve optimal design of the nozzle array, the relationships existed for the heat transfer coefficient, air mass flow, and blowing power were considered.Application of the HHAIB pretreatment and evaluation of its effect on the grape drying processExperiments were conducted to investigate the effect of temperature and duration of HHAIB pretreatment on the kinetics of grape drying. A two-factor completely randomized factorial design with three replications was used to analyze the data.According to the studies, the air at temperatures of 90, 100, and 110°C, a velocity of 10 m s-1, and relative humidity in the range of 40-45% was applied to the product. Pretreatment durations of 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 s were also considered. Experiments were conducted with three replicates and control treatment and acid pretreatment were used to compare the drying process. Due to the high quality of shade-dried raisins, this method was used to study the process.The effect of the pretreatment duration on the drying kinetics of white seedless grapes was assessed by observing variations in moisture ratio and drying rate over time, as well as determining the effective diffusivity of water.For the color evaluation of the produced raisins, chroma (C), hue angle H°, and total color difference (ΔE) parameters were calculated after measuring L*, a*, and b* values.

The comparison of the drying process among the control, chemical, and HHAIB showed the positive efficacy of HHAIB on the drying rate of grapes. Compared to fresh grapes, the increase in drying rate under the influence of HHAIB varied from 8% for a duration of 30 s at 90°C to 68% for a duration of 150 s at 110°C. The values of the diffusion coefficient of grapes for the HHAIB pretreatment at temperatures of 90, 100, and 110°C and durations of 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 s, as well as for the control and chemical pretreatments were determined. The values of the coefficient changed from 2.28×10-10 m2 s-1 for 30 s of applying pretreatment at 90°C to 3.53×10-10 m2 s-1 for 150 s of applying the pretreatment at 110°C. The highest value of this coefficient (7.46×10-10 m2 s-1) was associated with the chemical pretreatment. The value of the diffusion coefficient increased with increasing temperature and duration of the HHAIB pretreatment. In general, this increase in the drying rate and the diffusion coefficient can be attributed to the effect of the HHAIB pretreatment on the texture and destruction of the cell wall, as well as the microcracks created on the skin of the grapes. Moreover, the findings reveal that, in comparison with the hot air temperature, the duration of the HHAIB pretreatment was more effective in enhancing the drying rate. Additionally, based on the color analysis, a temperature of 110°C and a duration range of 90-150 s were achieved as suitable conditions for applying pretreatment.

The HHAIB pretreatment, which combines the benefits of hot air blanching with jet technology, affects the texture and skin of grapes, accelerates the drying process, and increases the quality of the produced raisins. However, the correct application of this pretreatment depends on the proper design of the system and appropriate conditions, including duration, temperature, and relative humidity. The results of drying kinetics showed that the drying rate increased with an increase in the temperature and duration of the pretreatment. The findings indicate that the HHAIB pretreatment could improve the color indices of the raisins, resulting in an increase in the drying rate and acceptable quality of the final product. This provides a basis for the use of HHAIB on larger and industrial scales.

Balance is an important factor in people with intellectual disability to have an independent life. These people are weak static and dynamic balance due to lack of development in their central nervous system, defects in the sensory-motor pathways, and having a sedentary life. This study aims to determine the effect of eight weeks of dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS) exercises on static and dynamic balance of educable mentally retarded female students.

In this study, participants were 26 educable mentally retarded female students aged 15-20 years (Mean age: 17.19±1.50 years, IQ: 61.15±6.07, weight: 58.9±12.73 kg, height: 157.92±6.07 cm) who were selected using purposive and convenience sampling methods and randomly divided into two groups of training (n=13) and control (n=13). Before and after training, their static balance and dynamic balance on the right and left feet were evaluated using a foot scan device. Subjects in the training group performed DNS exercises at 24 sessions, each session for 40 minutes. No intervention was provided to the control group; they performed their routine activities. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. The significance level was set at 0.05.

After eight weeks of DNS exercises, the results showed a significant improvement in static balance (F=72.54, P=0.001), dynamic balance on the right foot (F=90.90, P=0.002) and dynamic balance on the left foot (F=61.58, P=0.001) in the training group compared to the pretest scores and compared to the control group.

DNS exercises can be used as an effective method to improve static and dynamic balance of educable mentally retarded female students.

Corporate credit rating facilitates investment decision by comparing their credit risk with each other, On the other hand, the rate of the company determines the cost of financing in capital market.This study investigates the effects of the disclosure of related party transactions on firms’ credit ratings. Therefore, in order to test the research hypothesis, a sample of 105 firms was selected from the firms listed in Tehran Stock Exchange during the period 2016 to 2020 . the hypotheses were tested using regression method on panel data. The results showed that the f Related Party Transactions Disclosure and Credit Ratings, there is a negative significant relationship And these transactions will reduce the credit rating of the company. It is therefore recommended that financial analysts and rating agents evaluate the effects of these transactions and incorporate them into their valuation and credit rating models.

The path of the center of pressure while walking reflects the general mechanics of the body. Also, the electrical stimulation system triggers movement units, including the lower limbs. The present study investigated the effect of the electrical stimulation system on gait and balance patterns in young athletes.

This research is applied and semi-experimental. In this study, 15 male athletes were selected by convenience sampling. The present study was performed in February 1400 at Shahriar Health Club. Participants were asked to walk at a self-selected speed. In the middle of the walking path, a foot-scanning device was placed, which recorded information about the path of the center of pressure, the relative duration of the stance phases, and the forward angle in both positions with and without the muscle stimulation vest. After checking the normality of the data using the Shapiro-Wilk test, paired sample t-test was used to analyze the data.

The results showed that the electrical muscle stimulation system had a favorable effect on the gait pattern of athletes compared to those without a vest. Electrical stimulation led to a slight increase in pressure center oscillations and improved displacement of pressure fluctuations (p=0.001) in the vest mode, which showed the effectiveness of this method.

The results of the present study showed that strengthening the muscles of the lower extremities by the electrical muscle stimulation system had favorable effects on athletes' gait pattern and foot pressure fluctuations.

Optimizing cell culture conditions to improve oocyte growth and maturation in vitro culture conditions has been the focus of many researchers today, but the quality improvement mechanism is not fully understood. Apoptosis or programmed cell death is a process to remove old and damaged cells from tissues and plays a major role in the life of follicles and immature oocytes. Most of the defective reproductive cells as well as extra cells are removed from the ovaries through apoptosis. One of the ways to reduce oxidative stress in the laboratory culture of oocyte maturation is the use of antioxidants. Statins are drugs for the treatment of high cholesterol for which antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties have been reported. Atorvastatin in high doses has side effects for the heart and kidneys, but in low concentrations, it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects for cells, and no side effects have been reported for it.In this study, we investigated the effect of low-dose atorvastatin on the rate of apoptosis in mouse oocytes. 

24 h after PMSG (Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin) inhection, 200 oocytes were obtained from adult female Wistar rats at the age of 4-5 weeks, were from were divided into 2 groups of 100 including the control group (MEM:Minimum Essential Medium culture+ Growth factor) and the atorvastatin group (MEM culture medium + 2 mg/kg atorvastatin+Growth factor) and cultured in the incubator(35 oC,CO2 %). After 24 hours of oocyte culture, Matured oocytes that met the standards of a healthy mature oocyte(oocytes that were in the first meiosis and had the first and mature polar body) were isolated the amount of apoptosis in each group was checked using tunnel staining and fluorescent microscope, the data were analyzed by variance analysis.

After 24 hours of oocyte culture, the amount of apoptosis in the group receiving atorvastatin in the culture medium and the control group was investigated. The rate of apoptosis in the atorvastatin group and the control group was 24% and 22%, respectively, In the atorvastatin group, apoptosis increased by 2% compared to the control group butt the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (p =0.11).

According to the findings of this study, atorvastatin in low doses can have a pro-apoptotic effect and cause partial induction of apoptosis in mouse oocytes in a laboratory environment. Although this study was not conducted on other doses of atorvastatin, it is suggested that the effect of other doses of this drug on the rate of apoptosis induction should be investigated in order to make an evidence-based decision regarding its administration and use.

The present study investigated the effect of eight weeks of reactive neuromuscular training (RNT) on postural control, muscle strength and quality of life in older adults.The subjects were 30 elderly women who participated in two groups of experience and control. They took static balance test (Functional Reach test), dynamic balance (Timed up and Go test (TUG)) and muscle strength (foot dynamometer device), Before and after eight weeks of training., the risk of falling and the quality of life were measured through the Hopkins fall risk questionnaire and the Lipad quality of life measurement. then the experience group received six weeks of neuromuscular training and the control group did not participate in any exercise program. Data were analyzed using SPSS and repeated measures ANOVA method.static balance (p=0.003), TUG(p=0.035), fall risk (p=0.047) and quality of life (p=0.018) in experience group showed a significant difference compared to the control group. muscle strength improved only in the knee extensor muscles of the right leg (p=0.009) and left (p=0.010) and the left hip adductor muscles (p=0.001) compared to the control group.A course of neuromuscular training improved static balance, muscle strength, reduce the risk of falling and quality of life of elderly women. However, this type of exercise reduces the possibility of elderly people falling down. A course of neuromuscular training improved static balance, muscle strength, reduce the risk of falling and quality of life of elderly women. However, this type of exercise reduces the possibility of elderly people falling down.

Chronic back pain is one of the most common problems in today's society that has recently increased due to inactivity, so various methods of rehabilitation are being studied. The aim of this study was to Comparison of the Effect of Core Stability exercises at both stable and unstable levels on pain, height control and quality of life in women with chronic low back pain.

Twenty female patients with chronic low back pain were randomly divided into two groups of exercise (n = 10) stable and unstable (trampoline). Pain (by visual pain scale), static balance (by stork test), dynamic balance (by Y test) and quality of life (by SF36 questionnaire) were measured before and after the 8 week intervention. Subsequently, patients in both groups received their own training, three sessions every week for 8 weeks. Data were analyzed by repeated measure ANOVA in SPSS software.

The results showed that the intergroup interaction in the variables of pain, quality of life, static and dynamic balance was significant with the superiority of the unstable level group (P <0.05).

The results of the study indicate that exercises for both stable and unstable surface effectively improve pain, increase balance and improve the quality of life of the subjects. The results, however, show that the variables in the unstable training group (trampoline) have significantly improved compared to the other group, so this method can be used as a complementary treatment modality for patients with non-specific chronic low back pain. .

Superimposing high power ultrasonic vibration on metal forming processes changes the mechanical behavior of the material and reduces its flow stress. These phenomena improve the ductility of material and reduce forming forces. To investigate the influence of ultrasonic vibration on various materials, standard compression and tensile tests under ultrasonic vibration could be performed. This research investigates the compression behavior of Ti-6Al-4V alloy under superimposed ultrasonic vibration. For this purpose, a special set-up was designed, fabricated and tested. Ultrasonic vibration is transmitted from the ultrasonic transducer to the booster and then guided by horn (punch) to apply to test sample. Horn geometry, vibrational mode shape and ultrasonic power were selected as input variables. The effect of specimen position in system vibrational mode shape was studied by using different ultrasonic transmitters, which allowed the specimen to place at node and anti-node positions. It is found that ultrasonic vibrations reduced the formability of this alloy. Acoustic hardening phenomena do not observe in this material. Also, flow stress of the material reduced under ultrasonic vibration up to 17.63% which has direct relation to ultrasonic power. In addition, the most efficiency was observed when the specimen placed in the node position.

The aim of this study is to design a model of factors affecting on usage of computer-assisted audit techniques based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology with considering auditor’s characteristics. This research is descriptive-survey in terms of data collection with an applied purpose. Statistical population includes auditors employed in audit firms that 311 auditors are selected by Cochran method through judgmental and convenience sampling methods. Data are collected using a standard questionnaire and hypotheses are examined by structural equation modeling. The result shows auditor’s expectation of performance of CAATs, their expectation of the effort needed for CAATs, auditor’s understanding of the social consequences of CAATs and their understanding of facilitating conditions impact the use of CAATs. Furthermore, performance expectation and the understanding of the social young and aged auditors, causing appearance of dissimilar behavior in applying CAATs. Nevertheless, this is not the same for gender variable.

Inactive lifestyles and neurological disorders among mentally retarded people have caused them to suffer from weaknesses in physical fitness and social adjustment factors. Breathing exercises along with the reconstruction of movement patterns from the first year of life in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) exercises, in addition to treatment, can be effective in preventing many disorders. Therefore the present study aims to study the effect of eight weeks of DNS training on respiratory function, functional tests and quality of life (QOL) of educable mentally retarded students.

Twenty-six educable mentally retarded female students with a mean age (17.19 ± 1.50) and IQ (61.15 ± 6.07) were selected semi-experimentally and purposefully based on IQ and two paired into experimental groups (n = 13) and a control (n = 13) randomly. Before and after the training intervention, respiratory function, functional test and QOL variables were assessed through the Rockport walking test, the FMS test and the Cummins questionnaire, respectively. Analysis of variance for duplicate data at a significance level of 0.05 was used to analyze the data.

According to the results of this study, after performing eight weeks of DNS training, there was a significant difference in respiratory function (P = 0.001, F = 82.93), right FMS (P = 0.011, F = 51.00), Left FMS (P = 0.001, F = 46.09) and QOL (P = 0.001 F = 34.25) were created in the experimental group compared to before the training protocol and also in the control group (P < 0.05). Therefore, DNS exercises showed a significant effect on respiratory performance, functional tests, and quality of life of students with intellectual disabilities.

Based on the current results, it appears that DNS exercises can be used as an effective method for improving the breathing performance, functional tests, and quality of life of mentally disabled female students.

Down syndrome is one of the most common genetic diseases in people with intellectual disabilities, which leads to delays in motor skill. Therefore, this study was performed to determine the effect of eight weeks of turning exercises on the motor skills in femaile students with Down syndrome.

In this semi-experimental research, 26 female students with Down syndrome were selected in an accessible and purposeful manner and then divided into experimental group (with an average age of 12.15 ± 1.62, height 139.23 ± 8.94, weight 42.62 ± 13.44 and IQ 63.02 ± 5.54) and control group (with mean age 12.23 ± 1.53, height 141.15 ± 10.31, weight 45.46 ± 15.94 and IQ 63.05 ± 5.49) were randomly paired. Before and after the training period, gross and fine motor skills was evaluated using Short form of Bruininks-Oseretsky test. The subjects of the experimental group underwent 24 sessions (each session lasting 45-60 minutes). Analysis of variance for duplicate data was used to analyze the data at a significance level of 0.05.

The findings revealed a significant interaction in gross motor skills (P < 0.001, F = 113.60), fine motor skills (P = 0.040, F = 4.40) and composite score (P < 0.001, F = 68.56) in the experimental group compared to the control group. These results indicate that the implementation of combined turning exercises had a significant impact on enhancing the motor skills of students with Down syndrome.

According to the results of this study, these exercises can be used as an effective method to improve the gross motor skills of students with Down syndrome.

Atorvastatin is one of the high blood cholesterol treatment drugs that recently has been shown to have antioxidant effects in the cell. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of atorvastatin on in vitro growth and quality of immature mouse oocytes.

Oocytes of 40 NMRI mice were removed after stimulation of ovulation and placed in culture medium. The oocytes were divided into two groups of 200 including control (culture medium) and atorvastatin group (culture medium + 2 μM atorvastatin). Then oocyte qualitative parameters of Zona pellucida thickness (ZP), Perivitelline space size (PVS) and egg diameter (OD) were determined using invert microscope and image-J software.

Quantitative parameters of Zona pellucida thickness and oocyte diameter were increased in the atorvastatin group compared to the control group. In the evaluation of oocytes quality, the number of oocytes with +1 score in the atorvastatin and control groups were (70%) and (55.4%) respectively, and the difference between the two group was significant (p≤0.05). The number of polar bodies with +1 score in the atorvastatin and control groups were (36.18%) and (18.5%) respectively (p≤0.05).

The use of atorvastatin has a significant effect on the growth and final quality of immature oocytes in vitro and in the future, it could possibly be used to increase the efficiency of in vitro fertilization

Fruits confort several main procedures including harvesting, sorting, packaging, storage, and transportation. During these processes, fruits could encounter either static or dynamic loadings that potentially cause mechanical damage (Polat et al., 2012). Bruising is the most common type of post-harvest mechanical injury in fruits. Around 30–40% of the agricultural products become decayed due to mechanical damage. Mechanical injuries, such as bruises are difficult to limit. However, proper understanding the mechanism of bruises occurrence allows to reduce this undesirable phenomenon (Komarnicki et al.; 2017). Susceptibility measurement of the bruising can provide useful information toimprove postharvest handling and storage operations (Zhu et al., 2016). The bruise susceptibility of fruits and vegetables is themeasurment of response to external loading. Bruise prediction models can provide useful information about the influence of fruit properties on bruise susceptibility, leading to recommendations for fruit handling (Van Zeebroeck et al., 2007b). Bruise prediction models connect the impact characteristics (drop height, contact force and impact energy) to bruise damage, taking into account some fruit properties (radius of curvature, stiffness, temperature, color, etc) that determine bruise sensitivity. Apricot is one of the most vulnerable fruits to mechanical injuries. Therefore, controlling and reducing the mechanical injuries can improve the quality of apricot and increase its export. For this reason, the aim of present study was to evaluate the apricot bruising susceptibility and developing bruise prediction models for apricot fruit.

In the present study, two Iranian apricot varieties "Shahroudi" and "Ordubad" were used for experimental tests. All the fruits were harvested at their traditional maturity in June 2018. In order to avoid and minimize any pre-bruising, all the apricots were carefully hand-picked. Any extremely small or large fruits were excluded from the tests. The physical and mechanical properties of apricots and main characteristics were measured. A curvature meter was used to measure the radius of curvature locally at the point of impact. The acoustic impulse technique was used to measure the fruit firmness non-destructively. Constant height multiple impact (CHMI) method was used to measure apricot critical energy level. In this study bruise susceptibility of the studied cultivars was evaluated using a pendulum impact device to measure required parameters including the impact force, impact velocity, and impact energy. All apricots were placed in the special chamber and a spherical metal impactor was used to impact the apricots. Absorbed energy criteria have been used to quantify bruise damage. In this study, three different impact levels applied in the experimental tests. To obtain the absorbed energy the difference between impact energy and rebound energy was calculated and recorded for each impact test. Different regression models (linear, multiple-linear, and logarithmic) were developed to predict bruising in apricot fruit and were evaluated by proper criteria (R2, R_adj^2, and RMSE). In these models, impact characteristics (impact energy or peak contact force) along with fruit characteristics (acoustic stiffness and radius of curvature) were considered as independent variables and the absorbed energy as the dependent variable. Two separate regression models were developed. In the first model (model 1) independent variables were peak contact force (PF), the apricot radius of curvature at the location of impact (R), and apricot acoustic stiffness (S). In the second model (model 2) PF was replaced by the impact energy (Ei) and the other two variables were the same as the first model. Data analyses were performed using SPSS (version 25.0) and JMP Pro (version 13) software packages.

Experimental data analysis showed both radii of curvature and acoustic stiffness had a negative effect on apricot absorbed energy in Shahroudi and Ordubad cultivars. In Shahroudi cultivar, the average radius of curvature was 20% less than the Ordubad cultivar. Also, the average acoustic stiffness in the Ordubad cultivar was 19% higher than acoustic stiffness in the Shahroudi cultivar. Therefore, the average bruising ratio in the Shahroudi cultivar was 5% higher than the Ordubad cultivar. In both cultivars, apricots with a lower radius of curvature at the contact area had high absorbed energy than those with a higher radius of curvature. By increasing the peak impact force from 16.5 to 30 N, the average absorbed energy in the Ordubad cultivar was increased by 71%. While this amount was 78% in Shahroudi. Also, the mean difference between the absorbed energy between the initial (19 mm) and final (27 mm) range of the curvature radius in Shahroudi and Ordubad cultivars was 18 and 29%, respectively. Also, the mean energy absorption difference between the initial and final acoustic stiffness ranges in Shahroudi and Ordubad cultivars was 27% and 32%, respectively. In other words, with increasing acoustic stiffness, the amount of absorbed energy in Shahroudi and Ordubad cultivars was decreased 27 and 32%, respectively. The effect of the impact energy parameter on the absorbed energy was similar to the peak contact force. Results of prediction models indicated that all of the studied independent parameters, including peak contact force, impact energy, the radius of curvature, and acoustic stiffness, and some of their interactions were significant on the absorbed energy at the 5% probability level. The results showed that increasing the two parameters of impact energy and peak contact force increases the energy absorbed in apricots.

This study was conducted to develop statistic models among different kinds of regressions, to estimate the apricot fruit bruising susceptibility by absorbed energy. Absorbed energy parameter is a good estimation property to quantify bruise damage in apricot. There were significant main effects and significant interactions between fruit properties (radius of curvature and acoustic stiffness) and the impact properties (peak contact force or impact energy). In both apricot cultivars, damage to the fruit decreased with the increase of acoustic stiffness. So, softer apricots developed a higher amount of absorbed energy. Also, smaller radii of curvature led to more bruise damage in both cultivars. It was concluded that Shahroudis cultivar was more susceptible to bruising rather than Ordubad cultivar. The results of this study in predictive regression models showed that a multiple-linear model was selected as the best model for fitting experimental data.

Since the maintenance and repairing costs of mechanical systems, such as structures and rotating machines are significantly high, one way to reduce these costs is to consider some approaches before any operational work to check for damages in such systems. In this study, a new method is presented for damage detection of offshore jacket structures in the presence of various uncertainties, such as modeling errors, measurement errors and environmental noises, based on the simulated model and intact state of the real model. In the proposed method, real intact structure data is used to update the simulated model parameters. Some parts of the signal that are not related to the nature of the system are removed using the complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition method. Frequency data is extracted from the vibrational signals using the frequency domain decomposition method. A deep auto-encoder neural network is designed to learn the damage-sensitive features from the frequency data and to damage detection of the structure. In order to train the proposed deep network, frequency data of the simulated model and real intact state are used; then the frequency data of the real structure is used to test the proposed deep network. The results show that the proposed method is capable for damage detection of the offshore jacket structure with more accurate results than the other comparative methods.

Diabetes is a progressive metabolic disorder that affects many people in the world. One way to prevent any after meal upsurge in blood glucose levels is to inhibit intestinal carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes such as α-glucosidase.

To investigate the inhibitory effect of hexane extract obtained from separated aerial parts of Descurainia sophia L.schuar and Fumaria vaillantii Loisel on α-glucosidase activity.

After preparation of hexane extracts from aerial parts of the plants, their effect on α-glucosidase activity was investigated in seven different concentrations. Enzyme activity was assayed in triplicate using pNPG as substrate. The amount of produced pNP was determined at 405 nm wavelength. Acarbose was used as the positive control.

Among the aerial parts of two plants, Descurainia sophia's flower hexane extract at 200 mg/ml concentration, and Fumaria vaillantii's leaf hexane extract at 300 mg/ml concentration, significantly inhibited activity of the enzyme. IC50 values of the above mentioned extracts were 0.88 and 1.04 mg/ml respectively. The type of inhibition for the Descurainia sophia flower was mixed inhibition (Competitive-noncompetitive) and for the Fumaria vaillantii leaf was uncompetitive inhibition. The results of GC-MS analysis of active extracts, revealed the presence of phenylpropanoid and phenol which could be responsible for the observed inhibitory effects on the α-glucosidase activity.

Hexane extracts from Descurainia sophia's flower and Fumaria vaillantii's leaf have an effective α-glucosidase inhibitory capacity for future research, with the goal of achieving pharmacologically categorized inhibitors.

Condition monitoring of mechanical systems, such as structures and rotating machines is always a major challenge. This paper is presented a new method for damage detection of real mechanical systems in presence of the uncertainties such as modeling errors, measurement errors, varying loading conditions, and environmental noises based on a simulated model and real healthy state. In this method, data of a real healthy system is used to updating the parameters of the simulated model. Some parts of the signals that are not related to the nature of the system are removed using the complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition method. A deep convolutional network is designed to learn damage-sensitive features from raw frequency data of simulated model and real healthy state. Raw frequency data is extracted from vibration signals using the power spectral density method. In order to train the proposed deep network, raw frequency data of the simulated model andreal healthy state are used. Then, raw frequency data of the real model are used to test the proposed deep network. The proposed method is validated using an experimental beam structure. The results show that using the proposed algorithm for identification and damage detection of the beam-like structure has more accuracy with respect to the other comparative methods

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic syndrome characterized by elevated blood glucose. The α-glucosidase enzymes that are found in the small intestine are responsible for the hydrolysis of carbohydrates. The aim of this study was to Bioinformatics evaluation of T.foenum active compounds in suppression of α-glucosidase enzyme.

This study was a descriptive-analytical method. For this purpose, the compounds separation of Trigonella foenum were first downloaded from PubChem database and then the α-glucosidase enzyme file was obtained from PDB database. The toxicity class of compounds and the Lipinski rules were predicted by Toxtree & Protox II and the Swiss ADME server, respectively. Finally, molecular docking and enzyme interaction with the compounds in Trigonella foenumwere performed by AutoDock Tools 1.5.6 and Molegro Virtual Docker 6.0. Interaction results were also analyzed using Discovery Studio 3.5 & Ligplot 2.1 software.

The results indicated that all selected of compounds in Trigonella foenumwere in follow with Lipinskichr('39')s rules, proper binding energy, and lack of toxicity were appropriate options for α-glucosidase inhibition. But among these compounds, Vitexin had the lowest binding energy and the most inhibitory effect on the α-glucosidase enzyme, with -4.8 kcal/mol. These compounds also had lower binding energy than standard inhibitor (Voglibose).

From the results of this study, it can be concluded that among the most important compounds in Trigonella foenum, the Vitexin compound power inhibitor that due to more hydrogen and hydrophobic interactions with the α-glucosidase enzyme active site.

Preparation of a modified process specification is a key factor to reduce the process costs, especially in membrane water purification processes. The feed pressure is one of the most important operating parameters in this case. The aim of the present study is to investigate nitrate removal from underground water using nanofiltration (NF) membranes. In this regard, the optimum operating parameters of two FilmTech made commercial nanofiltration membranes, NF90 and NF270 have been defined. Verberne's economical model has been used to find the optimum operating parameters. The obtained results revealed higher nitrate rejection (about more than 30%) of NF90 in comparison to NF270, while its water flow rate was about half of NF270. The obtained optimum feed pressure for NF90 and NF27 were 8 and 6 bar respectively. In optimum operating conditions, the water purification cost was obtained 0.144 USD and 0.12 USD for NF90 and NF270 respectively.

Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic disorders. Alpha-amylase plays an important role in the development of diabetes by breaking down polysaccharide. Therefore, the search for natural inhibitor for α-amylase is of particular importance. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of flavanone compounds on α-amylase enzyme by bioinformatics method.

This study was performed in the computer environment (Bioinformatics). For this purpose, the structure of flavanone compounds and α-amylase was downloaded from PubChem & Protein Data Ban database, respectively. Then, the drug-like parameter and physicochemical properties of flavanone compounds were investigated by Zink database and the Swiss ADME server, respectively. Then, in order to interact the compounds with α-amylase, one molecular docking software AutoDock Tools 6.0 was used. Finally, the results were analyzed using Discovery Studio 3.5.

The results showed that among the selected flavanone, naringenin compound was more desirable in terms of drug-like and physicochemical properties. Also, the result of molecular docking showed that the naringenin compound with a binding energy of -4.9 kcal/mol had the highest inhibitory effect on the α-amylase.

From this study, it can be calculated that naringenin compound shows more inhibitory ability due to its proper placement in the active site of α-amylase enzyme and interaction of key amino acids. By further investigation of this natural compound in In vivo & In vitro, it can be used as a natural inhibitor for the inhibition of α-amylase and the prevention of diabetes.

Aldose reductase plays an important role in chronic diabetes and can cause tissue complications. Controlling the activity of aldose reductase provides an important strategy in controlling the complications of diabetes. Flavonoids are important inhibitors of aldose reductase. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory nature of flavonol compounds in fruits and plants on aldose reductase activity by bioinformatic methods.

This study was descriptive-analytical. First, the structure of flavonol compounds, Ranirestat, and enzymes were downloaded from ChemSpider and PDB databases, respectively. Ranirestat was used as the standard drug. The pharmacokinetic properties and toxicity of the compounds were predicted by Swiss ADME, Protox servers, and Toxtree2.5.4 software. Then, to interact the compounds with the enzyme structure, molecular docking was used to method AutoDock Tools 1.5.6. Finally, the results were analyzed using Discovery Studio 3.5 software.

The results showed that all flavonol compounds were desirable in pharmacokinetic properties and lacked toxicity. All compounds were able to inhibit aldose reductase enzymes with different PDB codes. However, among these compounds, the combination of Rutin with average docking energy of 191.21 kcal/ mole (P-value <0.05) had stronger binding energy than the standard Ranirestat drug.

From the results of this study, it can be concluded that among the selected flavonol compounds, the Rutin compound showed stronger inhibitory activity than other flavonol compounds due to its interaction with important amino acids in the active site of the enzyme. As a result, further study of this compound in vivo and in vitro environments can be used as a potential candidate to inhibit the enzyme aldose reductase and ultimately prevent chronic complications of diabetes.

Alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase enzymes raise blood glucose levels by breaking down complex polysaccharide units into absorbable monosaccharide units. The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of compounds extracted from Descurainia sophia flowers on the activity of alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase enzymes in silico.

This study was performed using descriptive-analytical method. For this purpose, first the compounds extracted from Descurainia sophia flower in the previous study were taken from PubChem databases and then the files related to alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase enzymes were obtained from PDB database. The Lipinsky rules and physicochemical properties of the compounds were then predicted by the Zink database and the Swiss ADME server, respectively. Finally, Molegro Virtual Docker 6.0 and Molegro Molecular Viewer 2.5 were used to perform molecular docking tasks.

The results showed that most of the compounds present in D.sophia flower had favorable physicochemical properties, and these compounds inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. But among these compounds, the Valtrate composition with -83.45 kJ/mol had the most inhibitory effect on the α-amylase enzyme. Similarly, Palatinol and Valtrate compounds had the highest inhibitory effect on the α-glucosidase enzyme with -122.19 and -152.88 kJ/ mol, respectively.

From the results of this descriptive-analytic study, it can be concluded that the combination of Valtrate due to the appropriate filled in activat site of α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes was more effective than the other compounds in D.sophia flower.