ashari

Over the past several years, geoheritage and conservation of valuable earth science features have become important issues for several developed countries. In our country, the geologists and other related specialists such as geoarcheologists are not well familiar with the concept of geoheritage. So, in this paper, we tried to define the geoheritage and related terms including geoconservation and geodiversity. In order to explore the value of the geological features in different fields, this paper can help the geologists and other related specialists like geoarcheologists to evaluate the geological features during their routine research activities. Different types of classification of geoheritage resources are represented in this paper. They can be classified on the basis of the scale of occurrence of the geodiversity, in-situ or ex-situ occurrence of geodiversity, levels of significance for sites of geoheritage significance and the uses of geoheritage. The uses of the geoheritage site are so important and critical for characterization of a geodiversity as a geoheritage site. The main uses proposed for the geoheritage are scientific, educational or geotourism/recreational. In this paper, it is shown that how geodiversity elements can be classified qualitatively and quantitatively. Geodiversity assessment can lead to the characterization of a geodiversity element as a geoheritage with scientific, educational or geotourism/recreational value. Here mentioned some examples from Iran.

The effect of drought stress were studied on some physiological aspects of five grafted and ungrafted rootstocks including GF677, Garnem, peach seedlings, almond seedlings and a selected local almond ×peach  hybrid (LAP), with Ferragnes cultivar as scion. Three different drought stress levels including moderate (Ψsoil= -0.9 Mpa) sever (Ψsoil= -1.5 Mpa) and a control (Ψsoil= -0.3 Mpa) were applied in a randomized complete block design as factorial with three replications in pot plants during four weeks. Physiological traits including chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence indices, leaf relative water contents (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI), free proline and concentrations of leaf pigments were recorded.Results showed that photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), RWC, Chl a, Chl b and total Chl were reduced significantly under drought stress while minimum fluorescence (F0), MSI and Free proline were increased noticeably. Drought stress affected significantly on evaluated traits in ungrafted rootstocks compared to grafted ones. According to results, almond seedlings, GF677 and local LAP almost showed similar responses to drought stress and had more tolerance than Garnem rootstock. Peach seedlings were affected significantly by drought stress more than the other rootstocks. Present study suggests chlorophyll fluorescence index as a simple trait for evaluation of almond rootstocks exposed to sever drought stress.

The archaeological sites, including the Sarcham, Bardemar and Kenacheh were excavated during the Darian Dam Archaeological Salvage Project (DDASP) in the Hawraman region, west of the Kurdistan province, western Iran. These sites are adjacent to the Sirwan River. Bardemar is an open-air site and Kenacheh is a cave site. Both sites contain the material cultures of the late Islamic period with simple brown potteries. Mica was the temper which used for making the potteries, so their tempers are shiny and reflect easily the light. The potteries of these two sites were hand-made and not well-fired. The Sarcham is a multi-period site and was recognized the records of Parthian/Sassanid period, Iron Age I, late Bronze Age and Chalcolithic period. The historical period potteries are mostly orange and wheel-made. While, the Iron Age I potteries are divided to buff, orange and grey colors. The grey wares are less abundant. These potteries that have temper were mostly hand-made and under-fired. The same characteristic can be seen in those of the Bronze Age. Potteries related to the Chalcolithic period are categorized into two groups of red slipped and the buff wares. The latter ones that are occasionally characterized by black-on-buff decoration are in minority. During this period the straw-temper was mostly used for tempering the potteries, where they were mostly under-fired. Totally 42 potsherds were selected for X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis including 14 samples from Bardeh Mar, 8 samples from Kenacheh and 20 samples from Sarcham. Some factors that could help to better characterize the soils, including variety of sites in which the potteries are found, their uses and the pottery styles, were used to provenance the potteries of this study. In addition to the data of the potteries, data of three soil samples surrounding the excavated sites were generated. The XRD data showed that calcite, quartz, clay minerals, feldspar and iron oxides are the main pottery-forming minerals, while the calcite, quartz and clay minerals are the main soil-forming minerals. The XRD data suggests derivation of few potteries from non-local materials. However, the XRF data from the potteries revealed that all the samples are cogenetic and originated from the soils of the same geological formation. All the excavated sites are located on the same rock types or the alluvium derived from them. The rocks and consequently the derived alluvium (soils) were formed as the result of the same geological process (es). This is the evidence confirming the results obtained by the XRF data. The XRD and XRF data that are compiled with the geological information of the area where the sites are located indicates that all the potteries of different periods have similar characteristics and made by the use of local materials. All the potteries from Chalcolithic period to the late Islamic period, even the ones with lower frequencies, were made using the local soils. The results are also applicable for the Kenacheh cave, where it has been used by the local transhumances. Location of the Hawraman region in a mountainous area, adjacent to the west-central Zagros and Mesopotamia has caused that the way of living of the ancient people of this area be always questionable. Recognition of the soils that had been the origin of the potteries is helpful for characterization of the geographical origin of the potteries.

Nowadays, crop production methods are moving towards organic farming through reducing the use of chemicals in agriculture. The new generation of seaweed extracts, like Actiwave, could be a promising approach to achieve a part of this goal. Actiwave is a metabolic enhancer derived from a type of brown algae, called Ascophyllum nodosum, and contains compounds that play an important role in plant metabolism. The application of this product on various plants has often improved their vegetative and reproductive characteristics. One of the important problems in our agricultural lands is the presence of bicarbonate ion in soil (calcareous soils) or irrigation water, which increases pH around plant’s root followed by chlorosis between the veins in the young leaves resulting in a reduction or halt in plant growth. The induction of chlorosis in calcareous soils is attributed to iron deficiency due to reduction of iron absorption or availability. The use of biostimulants may help to improve plant growth under such conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of replacing iron chelates in nutrient solution with Actiwave in two optimal and alkaline pH and its effect on some of the vegetative and biochemical properties of two strawberry cultivars in a soil-less system. Strawberry seedlings of Camarosa and Salva cultivars were cultivated in pots containing coco-peat and perlite (1:1), followed by plant’s irrigation and nourishment through a plant nutritional program. The project was conducted in a factorial experiment (with two factors) based on a completely randomized design with three replications. The first factor was strawberry cultivar in two levels including Camarosa and Salva, and the second factor was iron treatment in four levels consisting of Hoagland nutrient solution containing iron chelate (pH=6), iron-free nutrient solution containing 0.25 ml/l Actiwave (pH=6), Hoagland nutrient solution containing iron chelate (pH=8), and iron-free nutrient solution containing 0.25 ml/l Actiwave (pH=8). Plants were fed for two months, at the end of which, the roots and shoot’s fresh and dry weight, chlorophylls a, b and total as well as carotenoids contents, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase  activities in fresh leaf samples and also total Fe and active Fe in dried leaf and root samples were measured. The results showed that the algae extract had a significant effect on all the measured parameters, so that fresh and dry weights of the aerial parts, fresh weight of the roots, as well as chlorophyll and active iron content of leaves in the treatment containing Actiwave with pH=6 was similar to the control plants. Evaluation of the activity of catalase and peroxidase enzymes in the leaf also showed that Actiwave application reduced iron deficiency stress in plants increasing the activity of these enzymes under such conditions. The reason behind these effects can be due to the Actiwave ingredient content, which includes betaine, alginates and kahydrin (derived from vitamin K). Since betaines have cytokine activity, they can increase root growth by increasing the amount of cell division. Increasing the chlorophyll content, which can be the result of reduced chlorophyll degradation, is probably due to the presence of betaines in the seaweed extract. In addition, the presence of kahydrin and alginic acid in Actiwave, with the acidification of the rhizosphere, stimulated the release of more ions around the roots, resulting in more ions received by the plant and increased their assimilation. As observed in this study, It has been proven that iron concentration in the leaf is not always an appropriate indicator for checking the state of iron in plants. Some studies attribute this to limiting the growth of young leaves and the accumulation of iron in tissues or inactivation of iron in tissues occurred through the process of alkalization in leaf apoplast. It is found that activity of catalase and ascorbate peroxidase containing iron and the iron extracted with hydrochloric acid are the most effective indices for checking the iron status in plants, and the concentration of the total iron is less important in this regard. According to the results of this study, algae extract was able to replace iron chelate in nutrient solution for growing strawberry, and so made it possible to produce this fruit by reducing the use of synthetic iron compounds. In other words, application of Actiwave instead of iron chelate is recommended in nutrient solution with pH=6.

Thyroid nodules are among the most common clinical problems and the application of an inexpensive and accurate diagnostic method prevents performing inessential surgeries. In this regard, the aim of this study was to compare the cytologic report of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid nodules with the results of thyroid surgery. In this cross-sectional study, all the patients who had referred to the clinic of Beheshti Hospital of Hamedan, Iran, due to thyroid nodule in 2017 underwent FNA. The samples were then sent to the pathology laboratory, and the cytology results were recorded in a checklist. Based on the cytology results, a portion of these cases was referred to undergo surgery. Following that, the sensitivity and specificity of cytology results of thyroid nodules were calculated in comparison to pathology results of the surgery sample. Out of 115 studied patients, 18 (15.65%) and 97 (84.35%) subjects were male and female, respectively. The mean age of the subjects was 40.14±12.34 years. Most cases were in the form of the right-side unilateral nodule (46.1%). The number of benign and malignant cases diagnosed by the pathologist was 73 (63.48%) and 42 (36.52%), respectively. The specificity, sensitivity, as well as positive and negative predictive values obtained from the FNA of thyroid nodules by the pathologist, were reported as 82.98%, 95.56%, 89.04, and 92.68%, respectively. It is necessary to mention that the diagnostics accuracy of the pathologist associated with the results of surgery pathology was 90.43%. Performing FNA enjoys a relatively high specificity and sensitivity as an inexpensive, low-risk, and simple method in the differentiation of benign and malignant cases if it is performed precisely from the site of the nodule with adequate biopsy and properly examined pathologically.

Anthocyanin content, antioxidant activity and the bacterial and fungal colonies in pomegranate fruit juice as well as visual quality of the fruits (cv. Malas Saveh) were evaluated through 120 days of cold storage (5±1°C). Four packaging styles including gapped and closed wooden boxes with and without polyethylene fruit coverage, and three irradiation treatments comprising 0.0 (control), 5.0 and 15 minutes UV (1.435W.m-2 intensity) exposure time were applied. Packaging and UV irradiation treatments had no significant effects on anthocyanin content, but the interaction between these two factors was significant in this respect. Fruits with polyethylene coverage had the higher antioxidant activity compared to the non-covered samples. In addition, the greatest antioxidant capacity was obtained from the 5 minutes UV exposure time. Between the irradiation levels, the numbers of bacterial and fungal colonies were higher in the control fruits than the two other treatments. Using polyethylene coverage considerably reduced the bacterial contamination, while this increased the fungal infection, but irradiation of fruits greatly decreased the negative effect of polyethylene coverage on fungal infection. Overall, UV irradiation significantly controlled fungal infection without putting the negative effects on anthocyanin content, antioxidant activity as well as pomegranate fruit taste and flavor. In addition, utilization of polyethylene coverage could keep the visual quality of pomegranate (cv. Malas Saveh) fruit in cold storage.

Citrus trees are susceptible to salinity. In the present study, the response of trifoliate sour orange (Poncirus  trifoliata L.) to the salinity stress at the presence of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) was investigated. Forty-day-old seedlings were inoculated with three species of AMF in combinations including Glomus mosseae + Glomus intraradices, Glomus mosseae + Glomus hoi, Glomus intraradices + Glomus hoi, Glomus mosseae + Glomus intraradices + Glomus hoi and no fungi “control”. After 175 days of inoculation, seedlings were exposed to 35 and 70 mM NaCl for 45 days. Mycorrhizal inoculation especially with the combination of G. mosseae + G. hoi increased the leaves relative water content as well as the amounts of chlorophyll and osmolites. There was a significant reduction in the amounts of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide in the leaves in colonized seedlings compared to the control. The concentrations of Na and Cl in the  leaves were higher when salinity increased, while the concentration of N, P, K, Ca and Mg were significantly decreased. On the other hand, inoculation with AMF resulted in a significant increase in the concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg in colonized seedlings. In general, AMF was able to help the sour orange seedlings against salinity by increasing the leaf nutrient elements and reducing oxidative damage.

Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and the main reason of cancer-caused mortality in Iran. The awareness of cancer epidemiologic and pathologic characteristics helps to prevent the prevalence and incidence of cancer. This comparative descriptive study was conducted on patients with lung cancer referring to Ekbatan and Shahid Beheshti Hospitals during 2001-2016. Risk factors as well as clinical and demographic data were collected from medical records. The mean age of the patients was 61.11 ±12.23 years and 166 patients (83%) were male. A total number of 120 (66.7%) patients lived in urban areas. The frequency of patients who had a positive history for consumption of opioid, industrial drugs, cigarette, and hookah were 2%, 0%, 42.2%, and 1%, respectively. The most common symptoms were cough and dyspnea.  The time interval between the appearance of clinical signs and diagnosis was 5.32 months. The most common paraneoplastic symptom was bone pain (45.5%), and the most frequent pathologic form was squamous cell carcinoma (33.5%). The right upper lobe (27.5%) and left upper lobe (23.5%) were the most common lobes. Since the time interval between clinical signs and diagnosis was long and squamous cell carcinoma was the most common type of cancer, it is important to control risk factors, specifically smoking, to  prevent cancer.

Despite the recognition of the common risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD), it appears that there is a wider range of risk factors. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the association between the anatomical factors and the increased risk of CAD occurrence‏ and its clinical consequences. in this study, 50 cases with a single coronary artery stenosis of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and 50 controls with a normal coronary angiography or non-obstructive CAD were enrolled, and the objective of the study was compared between the 2 groups. The number of the branches before the LAD stenosis significantly increased in the patients with LAD disease, and there was a meaningful increase in the number of both the diagonal and septal branches originating before the stenosis (P<0.001). The average number of the diagonal branches was the same in both groups, which was statistically insignificant. (P=0.986) The mean value of the angle between the largest diagonal branch or septal branch and the LAD in the cases with CAD and the controls showed no significant difference. A family history of the early-onset cardiovascular disease in the control group with non-obstructive CAD was 6% versus 20% in the CAD group, and this difference was statistically significant (P≤0.03). According to our study, it appears that the sum of the septal and diagonal branches of the LAD can be a statistically significant risk factor for the progression of atherosclerosis in the LAD as well. The LAD involvement is significantly associated with the familial type of CAD.

Symbiosis effect of three arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) species from the Glomus genus with two and three mixtures were studied on growth characteristics, chlorophyll concentration, gas exchange, chlorophyll florescence and the activity of some antioxidant enzymes in trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliate L.) under salinity stress. 40 days old trifoliate orange seedlings were transferred into the pots containing G. intraradices×G. mosseae, G. hoi×G. intraradices×G. mosseae and no fungi (control). After 175 days, seedlings were exposed to 0 (control), 35 and 70 mM sodium chloride for 45 days. Mycorrizal colonization, shoot and root dry weight, leaf number, plant height, transpiration rate and photochemical efficiency (maximum quantum yield through the dark adaptation “Fv/Fm”) were increased in colonized seedlings under salinity stress specially when the three mixture of fungi were used compared with the non-AMF seedlings under salinity stress. Seedling colonization particularly with three fungi mixture caused increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase and ascorbate peroxidase) compared with the control. Overall, AMF colonization could help trifoliate orange seedlings against salt stress through increasing growth and oxidative damage reduction.

Preparation of the indigenous varicella zoster vaccine could significantly reduce the disease burden of varicella zoster virus especially in immunosuppressed children. To achieve this goal, the varicella zoster virus was isolated from an 8 years boy infected with chicken pox. The virus was cultivated in sensitive cell line and determined varicella zoster. The adaptation and attenuation of virus was carried out after several passages in MRC-5 cell culture, Primary Guinea pig embryo fibroblast cell culture and again switching in MRC-5 cell culture. The challenged of vaccine dose was found 3LogCCID50. Following two doses of immunization in guinea pigs via inoculated cell culture-fluid attenuated- local isolated VZV at zero and 14 day, the humoral immune response, varicella-zoster virus (VZV) IgG and IgM were determined using enzyme-linked Immunosorbent and seroneutralization assays at 7, 14, 21, 30, 60, 90.120 days after receiving of the first and second dose of vaccine. The results of immunization showed good 93% seroconversion in guinea pig which compared with vOKa vaccine was not significant (p<0.05). The prepared attenuate varicella zoster virus promising a candidate Virus for our future plan to vaccine production.

Concomitant hepatitis B and HIV infections are common. In some of these patients, HBcAb is the only serologic marker of hepatitis B. This study was conducted to elucidate the cause of isolated HBcAb in HIV-infected patients via hepatitis B vaccination. In this interventional study during 2014-15 in the HIV Clinic in Hamadan, thirty four patients with HIV infection and isolated HBcAb positive isolate, received hepatitis B vaccine and their responses to vaccination were investigated. Demographic data, stage of disease, and status of CD4 and HCV Ab were extracted from the patients' medical records and were entered in a checklist. Of the 103 HIV positive patients, the prevalence of HBs Ag, and HBc Ab isolates were 6.79% (n=7) and 46.6% (n=48), respectively. All of the patients with isolated HBcAb were positive for HCV Ab. Among the 48 patients with isolated HBc Ab, 34 (70.8%) were available and examined for HBV DNA in serum samples. The result of PCR was negative in all. After the first round of hepatitis B vaccination, HBs Ab titer exceeded 10 International Units Per Liter (IU/L) in 58.8% of patients with isolated HBc Ab. With the completion of the three-dose of vaccine, this titer was observed in 97% of patients. Significant correlation was observed between titer of antibodies and values of CD4 cells. Due to favorable response to hepatitis B vaccination in HIV positive patients with isolated HBc Ab, false positive HBc Ab and recovery from previous infection were more probable than hidden hepatitis B.

Strawberry is a highly perishable fruit sensitive to fungal infections especially gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea, and has a short postharvest life. In this research, the effect of potassium tetraborate on the growth of the above fungus in vitro, as well as on gray mold severity and some qualitative indices of strawberry fruit cv. Selva during cold storage were investigated. In vitro experiment, the concentrations of borate solution were 0 (control), 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3% in two pHs of 7 and 9 added to the Botrytis culture medium, and in in vivo experiments for incubated fruits with the fungus spore suspension, were 1 and 1.5% (pH= 9) and 2 and 2.5% (pH= 7). For the evaluation of qualitative indices, only non-inoculated fruits were treated with different concentration of borate solutions and kept in cold storage. The results showed that Botrytis growth was completely blocked in vitro when borate with the concentrations of 1% or higher (pH= 9) and 2% or higher (pH= 7) was added to the fungus culture medium. Also, treatment of strawberries with 1% borate solution could control gray mold of infected fruits (showing least decay grade) and preserve certain qualitative characteristics including weight loss, tissue firmness and fungal infection during storage.

Silicon (Si) is one of the beneficial nutrient elements for the most of the plants. Recent studies have shown that Si increases the yield and crop quality and plays an important role in plant resistance against the environmental stresses. Strawberries are the good resource of bioactive compounds being an important and valuable fruit in the world from the economical and commercial point of view. For the agricultural purposes, feeding strawberry plants by different nutrient elements such as silicon can affect nutritional value and fruit quality. With science development and nanoparticle production, their application in different industry such as agriculture introduced The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of micro- and nano-SiO2 with two methods of usage including foliar spray and root feeding applied through the growth stage of strawberry plants on some qualitative characteristics and nutrient elements of fruit.
This study was conducted in the research laboratory and greenhouse of
Bu-Ali Sina University in a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with 3 replications and 4 plants in each replicate. Foliar spray and root feeding were carried out using 20, 40, 60 and 80 mg L-1 micro- and nano-SiO2 at two separate growth stages. After fruiting, the ripened fruit were harvested, and some nutrient elements as well as qualitative characteristics of fruit including phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, nitrate, total soluble sugar, vitamin C, TSS and juice acidity measured, and finally the data were statistically analyzed.
Application of silicon increased the amounts of potassium, magnesium, iron, total soluble carbohydrate, vitamin C, TSS and TA significantly, but reduced phosphorus amount, and nitrate remained unchanged. Among the treatments, 60 mg L-1 nano-SiO2 in root feeding method showed the better effects on studied traits than the other treatments as well as the control. Overall, the application of nano-SiO2 proved to have better results than micro-SiO2.
Application of silicon had a significant influence on nutrient elements and quality of strawberry fruits. The effect of silicon on nutrient elements and quality of fruits depended on the form, concentration and application method of silicon. Based on the results, utilization of SiO2 particularly in nano-scale during the growth stage increased the majority of nutrient elements and quality of strawberry fruit. Overall, in soilless culture and greenhouse production of strawberries, the application of 60 mg L-1 nano-SiO2 through the root feeding method is recommended.

Objective (s): The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of overweight and obesity and associated factors among 7- to 12-years old children in Hamedan, Iran, during year 2013. In this cross sectional study, 795 students (50.6%1 females) aged 7 12years were assessed over a period of 6 months. Multi stage stratified cluster random sampling was used for choosing the sample. Stratification was according to socioeconomic status of students and their sex. The children were subjected to a complete anthropometrics measurement. A questionnaire was also used to obtain information on demographic and some risk factors associated with obesity. The mean age of participants was 9.67 ± 1.55 years. The prevalence of obesity and overweight according to WHO, CDC and IOTF criteria were (15.4% 8.1%), (9.7%, 9.8%) and (5.7%, 13.3%) respectively. There was no significant difference between boys and girls and different age groups in terms of BMI. There was a significant relationship between BMI and birth weight, socioeconomic status and consumption frequency of fast foods. There is an urgent need to target children and young adolescents for obesity prevention.

This article is an effort to examine the Profit Maximization of bank according to Iranian "Law for Usury (Interest)-Free Banking Operations", which is close to the Islamic Banking fundamentals.According to the goals of an enterprise in Islamic economics including Islamic bank and employing the nonparametric test of Weak Axiom of Profit Maximization (WAPM), this article deals with the investigation on the activity of a Bank as a sample. The result is the inefficiency of the mentioned bank in the ten-year period (1383-1393). At the end, the article analyzes this inefficiency.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the storage life and quality of persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) fruit cv. ‘Karaj’ stored at 0°C for 4 months after postharvest calcium chloride treatment. Fruit weight loss, fruit firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, total phenolic content, soluble tannin content, chilling injury, antioxidant activity, electrolyte leakage, and malondialdehyde content were measured in 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, and 120 days after storage. Peroxidase and catalase enzyme activities were also determined at the end of the storage. Fruits were dipped in the solutions containing 0.5, 1, and 2% (w/v) CaCl2 as well as distilled water only as the control. Results showed that the fruit weight loss and chilling injury significantly decreased by CaCl2 treatments compared with the control. CaCl2 treatments also increased fruit firmness and catalase and antioxidant activities, whereas they reduced MDA content, EL, and peroxidase activity during 4 months of cold storage. The results indicated that CaCl2 application influenced TPC and soluble tannin compared with the control but had no significant effect on TA. The best result was obtained from the 2% CaCl2 treatment in almost all the studied parameters. In general, postharvest CaCl2 treatment of persimmon could decrease chilling symptoms during the cold storage.

Because of less systemic side effects of topical medications in pain relief of the painful form of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, this study aimed to compare the effect of amitriptyline and capsaicin cream in relieving pain in this condition. In this randomized, double-blind and non -inferiority trial, 102 patients received amitriptyline 2% and capsaicin 0.75% creams 3 times a day for 12 weeks on the feet. Pain relief was measured by the visual analog scale (0–10). Treatment responding was considered as cure rate greater than 50% from baseline. Evaluations of the pain severity, compliance and drugs adverse effects were performed at each of the 4-week follow -up visits. Both drugs significantly relieved pain in 12 weeks compared with baseline values (P < 0.001 for both). Treatment responders were similar in both groups (P = 0.545). Intention-To-Treat analysis showed no significant difference in the efficacy between the two treatments (P = 0.703). Adverse events were more common in capsaicin group (P = 0.001). Dermatologic complications were the most common: itching, blister formation and erythema in the capsaicin group and skin dryness and itching in the amitriptyline group. This study demonstrates the similar efficacy of amitriptyline cream with capsaicin cream in managing diabetic neuropathic pain with fewer side effects.

In order to the study the effect of drought stress on some physiological characteristics in six Iranian pomegranate cultivars a factorial experiment was conducted based on a complete randomized design with three replications. Two factors including pomegranate cultivars (Rabab nyriz, Nadery badroud, Shyshah cap ferdous, Ardestany mahvelat, Malase yazd and Shirin shavar yazd) and irrigation levels (60% and 40% field capacity "the moderate and severe stresses, respectively" and 80% field capacity as "the control" was used and the plants were kept for six weeks. Some physiological characteristics including photosynthesis rate, evaporation rate, stomatal conductance, Intercellular CO2 concentration, leaf temperature, relative water content and leaf ion leakage in fully developed leaves were then measured. All examined cultivars had similar responses to drought stress treatments, but the intensity of these responses was different in various cultivars. According to the ultimate results, Rabab nyriz and Malase Yazd cultivars were more tolerant to drought compared to the others tolerant cultivars.Furthermore, among the cultivars studied, 'Nadery badroud was so they have been suggested as sensitive cultivar to drought stress.

Ascorbic acid is amongst important water-soluble vitamins and when used orally in high-doses it has been observed to relieve pain and reduce opioid use in patients. However no controlled trial has compared the antinociceptive effects of ascorbic acid with other analgesic groups on animal models, and investigated the involved mechanisms. In the present study, the antinociceptive effect of vitamin C on male mice was investigated and compared with morphine and diclofenac. Also, possible mechanisms were assayed. Male albino mice were used in this study. Antinociception was measured using the writhing test, tail flick and formalin tests. Ascorbic acid was used in three doses (30, 150 and 300 mg/kg, IP) and compared with the antinociceptive effects of 10 mg/kg of morphine as an opioid analgesic agent and 5-10 mg/kg of diclofenac as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) analgesic agent.The antinociceptive effect of ascorbic acid (300 mg/kg) was compared before and after treatment with naloxone (4 mg/kg), ondansetron (0.5 mg/kg), atropine (5 mg/kg) and metoclopramide (1 mg/kg) in the writhing test. Vitamin C caused dose-dependent antinociceptive effects in acetic acid writhing test (P < 0.05). It had no significant effect in the tail flick test. Meanwhile, vitamin C in high doses reduced pain in the second phase of the formalin test (P < 0.05). Morphine had higher nociceptive effects in comparison to ascorbic acid in the writhing test (P < 0.05). In the second phase of the formalin test the antinociceptive effects of vitamin C (300 mg/kg) was not significantly different with morphine at dose of 10 mg/kg. There was not significant difference between vitamin C (300 mg/kg) and diclofenac (10 mg/kg) in the second phase of the formalin test. Metoclopramide and ondansetrone reduced the antinociceptive effects of vitamin C. The results obtained from the acetic acid induced writhing test and second phase of the formalin test indicate that vitamin C possess antinociceptive activity especially on inflammatory pain.Ondansetrone and metoclopramide reduced the effects of ascorbic acid, which may be because ascorbic acid produced antinociception through mechanisms that may be involved in dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems.

The Kuh-e Dom intrusion with calc-alkaline nature, in the northeast of Ardestan is located in the central part of the Urumieh-Dokhtar Magmatic Arc and includes the felsic and intermediate-mafic units. The felsic unit consists of monzogranite, granodiorite, quartz monzonite and quartz monzodiorite, whereas the intermediate-basic rocks comprise gabbro, diorite, quartz diorite, monzodiorite and monzonite. The acidic dykes intruded this intrusion and its surrounding rocks. The various mafic microgranular enclaves of dioritic, quartz dioritic, monzodioritic and quartz monzodioritic composition exposed in the acidic rocks. The zircon U-Pb dating by the LA-ICP-MS method indicates that the ages of the felsic rocks, intermediate-mafic rocks, acidic dikes and enclaves are 51.1±0.4 Ma, 53.9±0.4 Ma, 49.95±0.64 Ma and 50.3±0.8 Ma respectively. These ages are in good agreement with the lower-middle Eocene age of the intrusive body, which is simultaneous with subduction of the Neotethys oceanic crust underneath the Central Iran. This result is in agreement with the previous geochemical result.

The Plaque Forming Unit(PFU) and Tissue Culture Infectious Dose50(TCID50) methods are used for evaluation of vaccine heat stability and effect of various stabilizers on thermal stability of vaccines. The aim of present study is using Real-Time PCRtechniquefor estimation of vaccine degradation rate and thermal stability of measles vaccines. Lyophilized measles vaccines containing three various stabilizers were reconstituted with distilled water. Three vial of each vaccine incubated at25˚C for 0, 4 and 8 hours. Titer of virus in vaccines calculated by TCID50 method. Also after RNA Extraction and cDNA synthesis, the RNA copy numbers of viruses in vaccines were estimated by absolute quantitative Real-Time PCRtesting. The data were analyzedby SPSS 19 and Sigma Plot 11 software.The result of this study showed there is a significant relationshipbetween vaccine degradation rate calculated with TCID50 and Real-Time PCR method (p<0.05). ThereforeReal-Time PCR is a good complement or appropriate replacement to traditional methods.Titration methods based on cell culture are gold tests for titration of viral vaccines and estimation of heat stability but Real-Time PCR technique can also be used for this goals. This method is faster, cheaper and easier than TCID50.

Incomplete efficiency of oral medications restricts their therapeutic success in pain control of the painful form of the diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Use of topical medications because of less systemic side effects is more acceptable. This study aimed to compare the effect of clonidine gel and capsaicin cream in relieving pain associated with DPN. This 12-week, randomized, double-blind and parallel-group trial was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of topical clonidine and capsaicin. Totally, 139 patients with type 2 diabetes with a pain score of at least 4 as assessed by visual analog scale (VAS), were treated for up to 3 months. The endpoint of the study was the reduction in the median pain score from baseline, as assessed by the VAS at the 4 weekly follow-up visits. The intention-to-treat population for the efficacy analysis consists of 69 patients receiving clonidine and 70 patients receiving capsaicin. Both drugs significantly relieved pain at 12 weeks (P < 0.001 for both) but no significant difference in the efficacy between the two treatments was observed (P = 0.931). Dermatologic complications were more common in capsaicin group (P = 0.001). The results of this study showed the comparable efficacy of clonidine gel in comparison with capsaicin cream in the treatment of pain due to DPN with less adverse events. More studies are required to better evaluate the efficacy and safety of this topical compound for relieving pain in DPN.

This study was undertaken to identify morphological changes in young seedlings of 5 Iranian almond species (Prunus dulcis, P. eburnea, P. eleagnifolia, P. haussknechti, and P. scoparia) under polyethylene glycol-induced drought stress. Drought stress caused a significant reduction in plant growth parameters such as fresh and dry weights of plant organs, leaf number, total leaf area, and leaf relative water content in all almond species. Specific leaf weight also increased significantly in drought-treated plants compared to control. No significant changes in shoot length, individual leaf area, leaf dimension (length and width), or stomatal size and frequency were observed in response to drought treatments. P. eburnea had the highest relative water content among the species and showed the smallest decrease in fresh and dry weights of organs and greatest decrease in leaf number and total leaf area (the most reduction in transpiration area) as an adaptive mechanism to drought stress.

Screening of native cultivars and understanding of the mechanisms involved in cold hardiness in grapevines is needed to match cultivars appropriately with growing sites and aid in breeding and selecting cultivars with improved freezing tolerance. In this study cold hardiness of fifteen grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivars were evaluated using tetrazolium stain test and post freezing budbreak assays during six months from acclimation till deacclimation stages. Moreover, seasonal changes pattern in soluble proteins, total phenol and Malondialdehyde (MDA) of buds were measured during this period. Significant differences (P≤0.01) were found among cold hardiness of cultivars in all stages. ‘Bidaneh Ghermez’ and ‘Khalili’ (LT50= -22 and -22.6 ºC in respectively) were the hardiest ‘Ruby’ and ‘Perlette’ (LT50= -16.1 and –16.9 ºC in respectively) were the least hardy cultivars in January. Soluble proteins and total phenol concentrations of buds increased during cold acclimation from November to January then decreased in March. The concentration of these compounds was higher in cold hardy such as ‘Bidaneh Ghermez’ and ‘Khalili’ cultivars than least hardy ones, indicating the positive relationship of these compounds with freezing tolerance. The measured MDA in onset and end of dormancy period was lower than its concentration in deep dormancy in January. Lower MDA concentration was found with cold hardy cultivars ‘Khalili’ and ‘Bidane Ghermez’ in comparison with cold sensitive cultivars, ‘Perlette’ and ‘Yaquti’. Our results indicated that high accumulation of soluble proteins and total phenol in cold hardy cultivars resulted in improved membrane stability and freezing tolerance.