فهرست مطالب elham sadeghi

One of the most important factors of the development of an economy is the mergers or acquisitions (M&A) at the level of its active companies such as insurance companies. The main purpose of this study is to examine the efficiency of merger and acquisition before doing this process in the insurance industry using network data envelopment analysis and can select the companies that potentially facilitate achieving the purposes of the merger and acquisition process and improve of this action. For this purpose, in this study, first the efficiency of 20 insurance companies was measured through the Modified Slack-Based Measure (MSBM) in the two-stage data envelopment analysis approach during three years 2017, 2018 and 2019. Then, considering the calculated efficiency, Asia Insurance Company, Parsian, Dey, Pasargad, Kowsar and Taavon, which have had efficient performance in the last three years, were excluded from the calculations and other companies were selected for M&A . After ensuring that no monopoly is considered via Herfindahl- Hirschman Index, M&A is performed and then the overall efficiency was measured and it was divided into three parts: technical, harmony and scale. The results showed that the two consolidations Dana-Mihan and Dana-Sina had the best efficiency and the three consolidations Alborz-Mellat, Sina-Arman and Sina-Sarmad had the lowest efficiency and potential for the highest improvement. Calculations also showed that if the scale effect in the composition is greater than 1, then the coordination effect is smaller than 1 and the inverse relationship are not necessarily satisfied.

To present updated information on the role of anti‑vascular endothelial growth factor (anti‑VEGF) therapy for treating retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

We searched through PubMed and Scopus databases using the keywords of this article and gathered relevant published articles from the year 2005 to December 2022. The selected articles were classified and summarized, and reasonable conclusions were made accordingly.

Considering the current evidence, anti‑VEGF agents are superior to laser therapy for the initial treatment of type 1 ROP in zone 1 or posterior zone 2. However, there is a substantial risk of reactivation or persistent avascular retina after solo treatment with anti‑VEGFs, and many cases may require laser therapy within the following weeks or months. Thus, vigilant follow‑up examinations are mandatory.

The role of anti‑VEGF agents in the treatment of ROP is indispensable. However, future studies are required to improve indications and dosage and determine long‑term ocular and systemic safety.

Nitrogen addition, particle size, and microbial treatment are important factors in mature compost production. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate some physical and chemical parameters and nutrient content in wheat straw compost enriched with urea and Streptomyces. The incubation experiment was performed in a time-based, completely randomized design. To evaluate the effect of compost enrichment with Streptomyces and urea on available micronutrient elements, humification index of compost (E4/E6 ratio), pH, EC, C/N, temperature, Changes in moisture, and ash weight the following treatments (1) wheat residue size at three levels (R0 (<1), R1 (1-2) and R2 (2-4 cm)), (2) three levels of Streptomyces inoculation (S0 (0), S1 (0.5) and S2 (5%)), and (3) three levels of urea (U0 (0), U1 (8.05) and U2 (16.1 g kg-1)) with three replications were applied. The parameters were measured at different times during 90 days of incubation. A rapid increase in temperature in enriched compost with urea and Streptomyces treatment occurred in a shorter time than the control treatment. The pH value in all treatments decreased during the first 20 days of incubation and then increased. The C: N ratio significantly decreased due to the composting process. The humification index also reduced in the treated and control composts after 90 days of incubation. In general, the enrichment of compost with urea or Streptomyces showed increased nutrient values. However, the compost treated with Streptomyces and urea exhibited the highest values of nutrients compared to others. Our results showed that co-application of our isolate and urea can be used in composting process and improve soil properties better than non-treated compost. However, large-scale composting to prove the potentiality of the treatment in enhancement of compost quality is necessary.

Plant growth and crop productivity may be adversely affected under unfavorable environmental conditions, such as a lack of organic matter in the soil. To counteract the negative impacts of these challenges, a unique strategy is required. The paucity of organic inputs, which is common in conventional agricultural production, can lead to soil degradation, erosion, and loss of soil organic matter, which are unfortunate consequences. Soil organic amendments have been shown to have beneficial effects on crop production and a wide range of soil properties in agricultural systems. However, the limited availability of phosphorus (P) in soil can significantly restrict crop growth and productivity, particularly in maize crops. Adequate P supply has been found to enhance early maturity, crop quality, and yield. However, the prolonged use of chemical fertilizers such as NPK has been found to have adverse effects on soil fertility and crop quality. As a result, the combined application of organic and chemical fertilizers has been proposed as an effective approach compared to the single application of organic or chemical fertilizer alone. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the potential benefits of using compost and Triple Super Phosphate fertilizer (TSP) application on the chemical and biological properties of soil, as well as the properties of forage maize (cv. SC704), in loess soil.

A factorial experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design with three replications. A total of 36 samples were performed in two separate cultivated and incubated experiments. A pot experiment was conducted to invwstigate the effects of simple and enriched compost, containing urea and Streptomyces, and varying amounts of TSP fertilizer (0, 10, 40, and 100 mg/kg), on soil properties and maize plant growth. In addition, an incubation experiment was conducted to measure the effects of the same treatments on soil microbial biomass and activity. The effect of treatments were analyzed as factorial under a completely randomized design. The biomass of maize plants was measured at the time of harvesting (the time from planting to harvesting of forage maize was 80 days). Some parameters such as available phosphorus, substrate-induced respiration, microbial biomass carbon, and some enzyme activity (acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, catalase and urease) were measured in soil.

The findings of this study indicated that the application of compost and TSP fertilizer had significant effects on plant biomass. Specifically, compost application led to an increase in microbial biomass carbon and enzymes activity (acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, catalase and urease) in the soil, ultimately promoting plant growth. Moreover, the combined application of compost and TSP fertilizer increased the availability of phosphorus, substrate-induced respiration, and microbial biomass carbon in the soil. Based on the findings, the combined application of TSP and compost resulted in further increases in substrate-induced respiration (63-168%), microbial biomass carbon (72-167%), available phosphorus (29-103%), and enzyme activity (acid phosphatase (4-21), alkaline phosphatase (14-34%), catalase (13-32%), and urease(54-159%)) compared to the application of each amendment alone. This suggests that the addition of both TSP and compost promotes the availability of easily accessible nutrients for microbial growth and soil enzymes (acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, catalase and urease) activity. The highest amount of available phosphorus, microbial biomass carbon, substrate-induced respiration, catalase activity and urease activity in cultivated soil (23%, 270%, 93%, 68%, 1.8%, respectively) and incubated soil (18%, 243%, 90%, 53%, 1.2%, respectively) were observed in C2P3 treatment. The results also indicated that the enriched compost+TSP treatment led to the highest substrate-induced respiration and microbial biomass carbon, followed by simple compost+TSP, enriched compost only, simple compost only, TSP fertilizer only, and the control. The increase in enzyme activity (P<0.01, r=0.90), and available phosphorus (P<0.01, r=0.60) in the soil positively influenced plant growth. Specifically, the simultaneous application of compost and TSP had a greater effect on maize plant biomass. The highest root biomass (2.80 g), stem biomass (10.4 g), and leaf biomass (2.27 g) were observed in the enriched compost and 100 mg kg-1 TSP treatment, which differed significantly from the other treatments.

The results of this study demonstrated that the addition of compost and TSP to loess soils can promote microbial biomass carbon, substrate-induced respiration, enzyme activity (acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, catalase, and urease), available phosphorus, and maize plant growth. Moreover, the use of compost can protect soil microbial and enzymatic activities in loess soils. Thus, the simultaneous application of enriched compost with TSP can reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and their negative environmental impacts.

This study evaluates the interaction of mouse blastocysts as a surrogate embryo on a recellularized endometrial scaffold by seeding human endometrial mesenchymal cells (hEMCs).

In this experimental study, prepared decellularized human endometrial tissues were characterized by morphological staining, DNA content analysis, and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis. The scaffolds were subsequently recellularized by hEMCs. After seven days of cultivation, the mouse blastocysts were co-cultured on the recellularized scaffolds for 48 hours. Embryo attachment and implantation within these scaffolds were evaluated at the morphological, ultrastructural, molecular, and hormonal levels.

There was no morphological evidence of cells and nuclei in the decellularized scaffold. DNA content significantly decreased by 89.92% compared to the control group (P<0.05). Both decellularized and native tissues had similar patterns of collagen bundles and elastin fibers, and glycosaminoglycan (GAGs) distribution in the stroma. After recellularization, the hEMCs attached to the scaffold surface and penetrated different parts of these scaffolds. In the co-cultured group, the embryo attached to the surface of the scaffold after 24 hours and penetrated the recellularized endometrial tissue after 48 hours. We observed multi-layered organoid-like structures formed by hEMC proliferation. The relative expressions of epithelial-related genes, ZO-1 and COL4A1, and SSP1, MMP2, and PRL, as decidualizationrelated genes, were significantly higher in the recellularized group on day 9 in the presence of the embryo compared to the other groups (P<0.05). Beta human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) and prolactin were statistically increased in the recellularized group on day 9 group (P<0.05).

hEMCs and mouse embryo co-cultured on a decellularized endometrial scaffold provides an alternative model to study embryo implantation and the earlier stage of embryo development

Today, with the increasing consumption of electricity and environmental problems caused by fossil fuels, the tendency to use renewable sources is increased. Also, due to the restructuring of power networks from the traditional structure to the market-based structure, different energy markets and ancillary services is designed. On the other hand, due to the uncertainty of the renewable sources generation, energy storage units are considered as a participant in energy and ancillary service markets alongside renewable sources or as an independent unit. Due to the high speed of battery energy storages, using these resources in frequency ancillary service markets such as the automatic frequency restoration reserve market is an appropriate choice. One of the issues in scheduling these units is how to participate in energy or ancillary services markets simultaneously, to maximize the net profit. In this paper, an optimal strategy for the simultaneous participation of the battery energy storage unit in the energy and the automatic frequency restoration reserve markets is proposed. Simulation results show the good performance of the proposed strategy for the simultaneous participation in the energy and the automatic frequency restoration reserve markets to maximize the battery energy storages profit.

To evaluate the epidemiological features of open globe injury (OGI) in a tertiary ophthalmic center in the south of Iran.

The medical files of pediatric patients diagnosed with OGI between March 2014 and March 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. Demographic data, laterality, time of injury, cause of trauma, location and mechanisms, complications, and the involved tissues, visual acuity, type of operation, and antibiotic therapy were all analyzed. Data were processed using the SPSS.

In total, 110 eyes of 108 patients were included. Ages <7 years comprised 49.1%, 7–12 years 26.4%, and 13–18 years 24.5% of cases. Of the 108 patients, 76 (70.3%) were males. No significant difference between right versus left eyes was seen. The incidence of OGI was lowest in winter and highest in spring, and it had more prevalence on the weekends. Sharp objects were the most common cause of OGI in ages <7 years, while blunt objects, accidents and falls, and guns and fireworks were more prevalent in older children. Home was the most common place of injury overall. The most common type of injury was penetrating trauma. Upon arrival, most of the children had a visual acuity <0.1 decimal. Primary wound closure was the most prevalent type of surgery done predominantly within 24 hr from admission time.

Ages <7 years and male gender were the most common age and sex of pediatric OGI, respectively, and sharp objects were the predominant etiology. Early management and primary repair are essential for prevention of complications such as endophthalmitis and amblyopia.

Export diversification is one of the economic growth main components. Also, accepting the agricultural sector importance in the current economy, attention to export diversification in this sector is necessary. This study examines the factors affecting export incomes fluctuation in the agricultural sector. The main purpose is this question whether there is a direct relationship between the agricultural exports diversification and the export incomes stability in this sector. The instability of agricultural export incomes was calculated using the Love Index and the exports diversification was calculated using the Herfindahl Index. The panel vector error correction model and fully modified least squares method has been used to estimate the relationship between variables in 20 developed countries over the period 2004-2018.The findings of this study show the concentration of exports, the instability of GDP, the instability of the real exchange rate, the instability of the inflation rate are positively related to the export incomes fluctuation in of this sector. These findings suggest that countries need to diversify their agricultural exports and develop economic cooperation with other countries.

Since insurance is one of the most important and basic industries in the country, managerial evaluation and creating functional insight of companies in the country's insurance industry is of special importance. In this research, in order to achieve this insight, the dual effect of marketing and profit creation in insurance companies has been investigated using the network data envelopment analysis approach in the three periods of 1396 to 1398. In this approach, modified slack-based measure is selected due to the non-radial nature of the data and the existence of negative data Based on this, the marketing performance and profitability of 20 insurance companies have been examined and the efficiency of the companies has been calculated. In order to be aware of the benefits of scale returns, the efficiency of the scale has been calculated as well. The results show that in the three periods studied, Asia, Parsian, Dey, Pasargad, Kowsar and Ta'avon insurance company were fully efficient and Novin Insurance Company had the lowest efficiency. In addition, the results indicate that Dey insurance company has a constant returns to scale, Karafarin, Razi, Mellat, Novin, Mihan, Ma, Ta’avon, Sarmad and bime tejarat nou insurance company had increasing returns to scale And Asia, Kowsar and Moallem insurance company had decreasing returns to scale and in periods when companies had constant returns to scale, they acted efficiently.

The Ministry of Health and Medical Education for the first time drafted and communicated the National Nutrition and Food Security Document in order to implement targeted programs. This study aims to evaluate the provincial nutrition and food security document and outline strategies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of provincial document deployment at the organizational, inter-organizational and community level.

Documents received by the universities / colleges of medical sciences were classified for evaluation purposes. The studied dimentions consisted of the provincial document cut-off, the beneficiaries of the program, the establishment and implementation of the submitted documents. In the next step, self-declaration compliance assessment and scoring were performed.

Out of 28 provincial documents (90%), 60% were documented, 21% provincial data were not used, and desirable measures were taken to attract stakeholders. No effective measures were taken to evaluate the results as the most important pillar of the document. Among 255 projects anticipated, 7 were documented and 6 were approved, and only 4 projects were submitted to the researchers, and for 5 projects had written

Despite the relatively favorable performance in most of the documented and targeted areas of the document at the national level, assessments show that this trend has not been very successful at the provincial level. This study clearly shows policy makers' lack of support for nutrition programs and poorly evaluates nutrition support.

Soil microorganisms play an important role in maintaining soil quality through the decomposition of organic matter and nutrients cycling. The quantity of plant residue has a positive effect on the accumulation of organic carbon in the soil. One of the most important problems hampering the release of nutrients from plant residues is the high content of lignocellulose in their structure. Therefore, biological treatment has been considered as a candidate to improve lignocellulosic conversion and more release of nutrients from them. Salinity reduces microbial biomass and decreases their activity in decomposition of soil organic matter and organic matter input into soil. Due to the importance of the role of microorganisms in the storage and release of energy and nutrients in the soil, in recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the estimation of microbial activity and biomass in soil. Therefore, the aim of this study was to study the effect of salinity, inoculation of Pleurotus astreatus and wheat residue on respiration, microbial biomass carbon, organic carbon, carbon availability index and metabolic quotient.

The experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design with factorial arrangement in three replications under controlled laboratory conditions at Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Factors included three salinity levels (0, 8 and 15 dS m-1), two fungal levels (0 and 5%) and two wheat residue levels (0 and 1%, w/w). Salinity treatments including (control), 8 and 15 dS m-1 was applied using a mixture of salts (NaCl, KCl and MgCl2 with a molar ratio of 3:2:1). Wheat straw was treated pleurotus fungus and the treated straw was then thoroughly mixed into the soil. To activate the microbial population, soil moisture was adjusted to about 70% of the field capacity and the containers were pre-incubated at room temperature for 2 weeks. The samples were incubated at 25±2°C for 90 days. Microbial biomass carbon, organic carbon was measured at monthly intervals, microbial respiration was measured weekly and substrate-induced respiration (SIR) was measured once at the end of the incubation period.

The results show that salinity has a negative effect on microbial activity and population, but wheat residues reduce the effect of salinity stress on soil microbial community. Inoculation of Pleurotus into the soil also increased the respiration and microbial biomass. The interaction of wheat residues and Pleurotus on microbial activity in saline soil was greater than their effect alone. According to the results, the simultaneous addition of Pleurotus and wheat residue increases organic carbon (%98), microbial respiration rate (90%), substrate respiration (69%) and microbial biomass carbon (79%) and decreases the metabolic coefficient (6%). Salinity reduced respiration (78%), microbial biomass carbon (81%) and carbon availability index (23%), which indicates a decrease in carbon for microbial activity in saline soils. The lowest and highest microbial activity and biomass were in saline soil (15 dS m-1) not treated with wheat residues and Pleurotus (S2F0R0) and in non-saline soils treated with wheat residues enriched with Pleurotus (S0F1R1), respectively. The results showed that higher salinity level (15 dS m-1) further decreased the measured characteristics including carbon availability index, respiration and microbial biomass carbon compared with 8 dS m-1 salinity level in all treatments. In non-treated soil with wheat residue and Pleurotus, salinity level of 8 dS m-1 reduced MBC by 43, 46 and 44 % compared to control (non-saline) soil. The results showed that there was a significant negative correlation between microbial respiration rate and salinity (P <0.01, r = - 0.87). Salinity reduced microbial respiration rate and the effect of salinity on reducing microbial respiration rate of soil with EC 15 dSm-1 was higher than lower salinity level (8 dSm-1). Also, inoculation of Pleurotus in soil led to increase microbial respiration rate compared with non-treated one. According to the results, salinity levels of 8 and 15 dSm-1 reduced carbon availability index in soil treated with Pleurotus and wheat residue by 18% and 23%, respectively, compared to non-saline soil.

The addition of wheat straw enriched with Pleurotus astreatus increased microbial respiration, organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, substrate-induced respiration and carbon availability index due to the increase of available substrate. Therefore, in saline soils with carbon restriction, increasing the level of organic matter, increased microbial activity and biological potentials in the soil. However, further information on responses of microbial indicators to the joint effect of salinity and Plant residues enriched with other microorganisms is required.ReceivedReceived in revised formAcceptedKey words:Carbon availability index, Microbial biomass carbon, Microbial respiration rate, Soil organic carbon, Substrate-induced respiration

This research examined the relationship between video games and cognitive skills including critical thinking and creative thinking. This was an analytical and cross-sectional study. The population of the present research consisted of high school students of Ardebil in the academic year 2013-2014. A sample consisting of 105 students, (54 female and 51 male), was selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. They filled out two questionnaires, namely the California Critical Thinking Skill Test (CCTST) and Critical Thinking Test (CT). The data collected from the questionnaires were analyzed by SPSS through one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) as well as the Scheffe test. To conduct the analysis, the participants were divided into four groups based on the number of hours spent playing video games every day, namely no gaming, less than 1 hour, between 1-2 hours, and more than 2 hours of gaming; they were also divided into four groups based on the number of years they had been playing video games, namely no gaming, less than a year, 1-2 years, and more than 2 years. The results of the one-way ANOVA revealed significant differences in creativity between the four groups based on the hours spent playing and the number of years the subjects had been playing video games (P<0.05). The differences between the four groups in terms of critical thinking were also significant (P<0.05). The findings indicated that the individuals spending up to two hours playing video games on a daily basis had higher levels of creativity and critical thinking compared to non-gamers.

The main purpose of this study is edge detection in MRI brain images. This study presents an efficient method in which a band pass filter is designed to apply to two sub-images of frequency sub bands resulted from the discrete wavelet transform of the original MRI image simultaneously and enhance the edge of the image. The simulation results show that band pass filter with noise elimination and amplification of properties with the desired brightness of the texture, created convenient accuracy in identifying the edges of the image compared to existing filters, it is also time-efficient with less computational process compared to complex methods. This method has a useful solution for identifying diseases in which the diagnostic method of MRI imaging has been used. It can also provide good insight to overcome the difficulties in the field of scale and noise in edge recognition.

Characterization in creating stories is so prominent that Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, recognized it as the second most important component of stories. Characters of stories are generally considered in two schemes; the direct scheme and the indirect one. In the direct characterization –whether as all-knowing or as characters of the story- characters are introduced. In the indirect characterization, speech, appearance, environment, thoughts and characters’ behavior lead to their recognition. Speech characterization is a component of indirect characterization. This article is a comparative study of speech characterization in the movie “My Fair Lady” and its dubbed version in Persian. “My Fair Lady” was made by George Cukor based on the screenplay “Pygmalion” by George Bernard Shaw in 1964 which has been dubbed into different languages such as Persian. Ali Kasmaei was the manager for dubbing My Fair Lady into Persian and many people consider it as a masterpiece in the history of dubbing films in Iran. Since the characters’ language has a key role in the aforementioned works, a comparative study of My Fair Lady and its dubbed version leads to recognizing speech characterization components and their recreation in dubbing films.

Soil as a living system is one of the factors affecting the balance of the ecosystem and many processes, especially on a small scale, take place in it. Soil microorganisms play an important role in maintaining soil quality through decomposition of organic material and nutrient cycling. The use of microorganisms in ecosystems whose biological community stability has been severely compromised due to high consumption of fertilizers, salinity and chemical toxins, is to improve the efficiency of nutrient consumption and biological control of pests and diseases. Soil organic matter increases soil microbial activity. On the other hand, enrichment of organic matter with microorganisms increases their nutrients release. To understand the vital role of soil microorganisms in the release and storage of energy and nutrients in the soil, in recent years, increased attentions has been paid to the estimation of microbial biomass in the soil. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of urea, Streptomyces inoculation and wheat straw on available phosphorus, microbial respiration, microbial biomass C, metabolic coefficient and microbial biomass turnover time.

This study was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions. A factorial experiment with two levels of urea (0 and 1.6 g/100g wheat straw), two levels of Streptomyces sp. (0 and 5%) and wheat straw treatments (0 and 1%, w/w) was conducted using a completely randomized design with three replications. Wheat straw was treated with the urea fertilizer and Streptomyces sp. inoculum firstly and the treated straw was then thoroughly mixed with the soil. The mixtures were incubated at 25±2 ° C for 90 days. Microbial biomass C and available phosphorus were measured monthly for three months and microbial respiration was measured weekly. To revive the microbial population, the containers were pre-incubated at room temperature for two weeks and soil moisture was adjusted to about 70% of the field capacity.

Streptomyces inoculation, addition of wheat straw and urea increased available phosphorus concentration, respiration and soil microbial biomass C. In this experiment, the amount of respiration and microbial biomass C with the simultaneous addition of Streptomyces, wheat straw and urea to the soil was the highest and the effect of Streptomyces inoculation on wheat straw on the studied parameters was more than the two other factors. The lowest amount of microbial respiration, microbial biomass C and phosphorus was in control soil (without urea, Streptomyces and wheat straw). Addition of wheat straw to the soil increased microbial respiration and microbial biomass C by providing the required substrate. Also, the use of wheat straw and urea led to an increase in soil available phosphorus.

The results of this study showed that in carbon-restricted soils, the use of plant residues enriched with Streptomyces and urea increased microbial respiration and microbial biomass carbon in the soil. Also, wheat plant residues addition to the soil increased the soil available phosphorus. Treatment of soil with Streptomyces also increased soil available phosphorus, which was more perceptible in the plant residues enriched with Streptomyces. The results show that the simultaneous application of plant residues, urea and Streptomyces, has increased soil microbial activity. Therefore, in carbon-restricted soils, increasing the level of organic matter and its enrichment can lead to increased microbial activity and biological potentials in the soil.Keywords: Microbial biomass C, Microbial respiration, Plant residue, Streptomyces, Urea

Soil, as an important component of terrestrial ecosystems, plant growth media, and a habitat of diverse living organisms commonly encounters a variety of abiotic stresses. Soil microorganisms play an important role in maintaining soil quality and functioning, since they are responsible for the decomposition of dead organic material, nutrient cycling and degradation of hazardous organic pollutants. Metal toxicity and salinity are the major abiotic stresses affecting soil microbial activity and community structure in many areas of the world, in particular arid regions. Salinity may prompt the negative influences of soil pollution on soil microbial activity. On the other hands, application of organic amendments to saline soils or toxic metal-polluted soils may alleviate the negative consequences of these two abiotic stresses on soil microbial activity and population.

This study was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions at Shahrekord University. The main aim of this study was to investigate the effects of salinity and plant residue as an organic amendment on concentrations of soluble elements, enzyme activity and substrate-induced respirations (SIR) in a calcareous soil polluted with cadmium (Cd) over a three-month incubation experiment. A factorial experiment with two levels of cadmium (0 and 30 mg kg-1), three levels of salinity (1.35, 7.5 and 15 dS m-1) and plant residue treatments (with and without alfalfa residue) was conducted using a completely randomized design with four replications. Using cadmium chloride salt, the soil was contaminated, and subsequently amended with alfalfa residue (1%, w/w). After thorough mixing of soil and plant residue, salinity treatments were applied using NaCl salt. To reactivate the microbial population and for the aging effect, soil moisture was set at 70% of field capacity, and containers were pre-incubated at room temperature for 4 weeks. The samples were then incubated at 25±1 oC for 98 days.

Increasing salinity levels resulted in an increase in soluble Na concentration, a reduction in soil enzyme activity and SIR, and a decline in the concentrations of soluble Ca, Mg and K. The harmful impact of soil salinity on microbial properties was much greater in Cd-polluted soils than unpolluted soils.

Results indicated that addition of plant residue reduced the negative impacts of salinity and Cd pollution stresses on soil microbial and enzyme activity, and that resulted in increases in the concentrations of water soluble elements.The findings of the current study confirmed that application of adequate organic amendments can decrease Cd toxicity, enhance substrate availability and maintain soil microbial and enzyme activity in saline and polluted soils with substrate limitation.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the efficiency of ozone washing and UV irradiation on the decreasing of pesticide residues in dried apple slices. For this purpose, four apple samples were collected from different regions of Urmia city including Shams hajian, Darre shohada, Balanej and Kashtiban. The effects of ozonation of whole apple and UV irradiation of its slices on the moisture content, bulk and true density, color indices and sensorial attributes were investigated. Also, the amount of pesticide residues in the fresh apple and dried slices was studied by GC-Mass analysis. Results indicated that there is no significant difference between moisture content of samples (p˃0.05). But both of growth region and applied pretreatments had significant effects on density and porosity of samples (p˂0.05). According to the evaluation of optical properties, the dried slices obtained from Balanej region had the highest color changes (50-64) and shrinkage (27-36 percent). Both of pretreatments improved the color indices of samples, but the effect of ozone was more than UV. Generally, the slices that were produced from Kashtiban region and by combination of ozone and UV had the lowest browning index (28.46) and achieved the highest sensorial scores. The residual pesticides were higher than standard limits just in the samples of Darreh shoahda and Balanej. Results indicated that the ozonation and UV irradiation were able to decrease the pesticide residues in the slices between 60 to 80 percent depending to the type of pesticide. In general, ozone washing and UV irradiation are effective methods in the decreasing of pesticide residues in the dried apple slices without negative effect on their sensorial characteristics.

The physiological changes associated with aging and the presence of comorbid diseases may complicate the treatment of elderly patients with rheumatic diseases. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and main causes of admissions of elderly patients to rheumatology wards and the number and duration of their hospitalizations.Data was collected on patients aged ≥ 60 who were admitted to rheumatology wards from 2008 to 2013. To make a good compar-ison, the last diagnoses of younger patients admitted to these wards were also recorded. In the elderly group, the records of 399 patients admitted to hospitals with a flare-up of a new or known case of rheumatoid ar-thritis (RA) were compared with those of 480 young patients. No significant difference was seen between these two groups in the duration of hospital stay.In the elderly group, hypertension (62.4%) was the most common comorbidity. The presence of psychiatric problems showed a significant association with the number of admissions (P value=0.037) as well as patients receiving infliximab, rituximab, and IV IG (P value=<0.001). Recurrent admissions were seen mostly in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), polymyositis, and Behçet’s disease. Flare-ups or new diagnoses of RA were the most prevalent causes for the admission of elderly patients to rheumatology wards. Recurrent admissions were seen mostly in patients with PsA and were associated with the presence of psychiatric problems and a need for IV medications. The results highlight the need for healthcare centers to support outpatient clinics for elderly patients.

Patient satisfaction is one of important indicators of quality of service measurement. This study aimed at measuring patient satisfaction and factors which influence it in hospitals in Shahroud. In this cross-sectional study, 800 patients selected through random sampling were studied in public and private hospitals in 2018. The collected data were entered into SPSS 16 and analyzed using t-test and chi-square. The level of significance in all tests is 0.05. Most of the inpatients were women and married people. The average score of satisfaction in the public hospitals affiliated to the University was 22.45 ± 6.02 and in the private sector, it was 21.56 ± 5, which is deemed moderate. Patients were the most dissatisfied with the daily change of patient dresses and bed covers (38.3%), hospital food quality (35.3%), room facilities (31.1%), and were the most satisfied with nursing behaviors (87.7%). Chi-square test showed a significant relationship between the type of hospital (P = 0.002), patients’ age (P = 0.037), education (P = 0.013), and residence (P = 0.012) with their satisfaction. Patients' satisfaction was moderate. Paying more attention to the domains such as daily change of clothes and bed covers, the quality of hospital food, and facilities of the patient's room can play a role in improving the satisfaction of patients.

Soil, as an important component of terrestrial ecosystems, plant growth media, and a habitat of diverse living organisms commonly encounters a variety of abiotic stresses. Soil microorganisms play an important role in maintaining soil quality and functioning, since they are responsible for the decomposition of dead organic material, nutrient cycling and degradation of hazardous organic pollutants. Metal toxicity and salinity are the major abiotic stresses affecting soil microbial activity and community structure in many areas of the world, in particular arid regions. Anthropogenic activities have increased the concentration of heavy metals and soluble salts in soil, resulting in a major constrain for soil microbial performance and functions. Furthermore, soil microbial activity and biochemical processes are often limited by substrate availability in arid areas due to the low organic inputs. Although the individual effects of salinity and metal toxicity stresses on soil biological activity are generally well-known, their combined effects on microbial growth, population and functions are largely uncertain. The main aim of this study was to investigate the interactive effects of salinity and cadmium (Cd) Pollution on microbial respiration and biomass in a calcareous soil treated with plant residue. It was hypothesized that salinity would increase mobility and availability of Cd with subsequent reductions in microbial activity and biomass, and that addition of plant residue would modify these salinity effects.
This study was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions at Shahrekord University. A factorial experiment with two levels of cadmium (0 and 30 mg kg-1), three levels of salinity (1.35, 7.5 and 10 dS m-1) and two levels of plant residue (with and without alfalfa residue) was conducted using a completely randomized design with four replications. Using cadmium chloride salt, the soil was contaminated, and subsequently amended with alfalfa residue (1%, w/w). After thorough mixing of soil and plant residue, salinity treatments were applied using NaCl salt. To reactivate the microbial population and for the aging effect, soil moisture was set at 70% of field capacity, and containers were pre-incubated at room temperature for 4 weeks. Next, the samples were incubated at 25±1 oC for 98 days. Soil C mineralization (microbial respiration) was measured weekly, and available Cd and microbial biomass carbon were measured at monthly intervals. In this experiment, the Bliss independence model was used to determine the type and nature of the interaction between salinity and pollution (synergistic and antagonistic).
The results showed that NaCl salinity increased the concentration of soil available Cd in both polluted and unpolluted soils over the experimental period, and the increases were greater at high than low salinity levels. This effect of salinity was less pronounced in residue-amended and unamended soils. In general, a strong synergistic effect of both stresses was observed on Cd availability in residue-unamended soils while this effect was mostly antagonistic in residue-amended soils. This indicates addition of plant residue to enhance soil organic matter may indirectly repress or lower salinity effect on Cd toxicity. Soil salinity decreased microbial biomass carbon and respiration with subsequent increases in specific respiratory quotient due to the increases in Cd solubility and availability. However, the changes in microbial properties were much lower in residue-amended and unamended soils. Addition of plant residue decreased the negative effects of both the individual and combined salinity and Cd pollution on microbial biomass and respiration. The interactive effect of these two stresses was mainly synergistic in residue-treated soils while it was antagonistic in residue-untreated soils. Overall, a strong synergistic effect occurred when both stresses were combined in the absence of plant residue while this effect was antagonistic in the presence of plant residue.
This study provided evidence that salinity could synergistically increase the mobility, bio-availability, and toxicity of soil Cd in Cd-polluted soils with carbon limitation. This was reflected by synergistic reductions in soil microbial biomass and respiration. However, addition of plant residue to increase soil organic matter lowered this effect of salinity, resulting in the antagonistic effects of salinity and pollution on soil microbial biomass and respiration. The reason for increase in the microbial activity in soils treated with plant residue was the increase of available substrate. As a result, using the plant residue increased the stimulatory effect of microbial activity. These findings point to the importance of providing adequate organic residues to enhance soil microbial performance and agricultural sustainability in polluted soils under salinity stress. However, further information on responses of microbial indicators to the joint effect of salinity and Cd toxicity is required.

Breastfeeding is an only reliable nutritional source for infants. Many factors could affect breastfeeding such as delivery type. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of delivery type and breastfeeding successful.
This was a descriptive-analytical study. Subjects of this study were 298 (148 subjects [49.7%] with cesarean and 150 subject [50.3%] with vaginal delivery) mothers who were referred to 4 health care centers in Urmia, Iran. The demographic data, type of delivery, breast feeding characteristics were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 17.0 software.
The mean age of mothers was 28.2 ± 4.9 years old. Of a total 298 mothers, 148 subjects (49.7%) had experienced cesarean delivery and 150 subjects (50.3%) had experienced vaginal delivery. There was no statistically significant difference among mothers who had Vaginal delivery compared to mothers who had Caesarean delivery in terms of the first lactation duration (P = 0.406), from delivery to first breastfeeding duration (P = 0.125), mean duration of next breastfeeding (P = 0.750), mean number of lactation per day (P = 0.133), and mean number of lactation per night (P = 0.081), and age of onset of auxiliary nutrition (P = 0.784).
In this study there was no relationship between type of delivery and breastfeeding behaviors; while in the vaginal delivery group, the average distance to first lactation was shorter, so, cesarean delivery can be dangerous for mothers, but also can affect the breastfeeding pattern.

Iron chelators are an important part of management of patients with thalassemia. It is prudent to compare efficacy of different iron chelators in treatment of iron overload in these patients who receive regular blood transfusion. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of available oral iron chelator; Deferasirox (Exjade®) with Deferasirox (Osveral®) in reducing iron overload in patients with β-thalassemia major.
Children suffering from β-thalassemia major referring to Mofid Children Hospital were enrolled in this non-randomized clinical trial. The patients were divided into two groups receiving Deferasirox (Exjade®) versus Deferasirox (Osveral®) and their response to either treatment was assessed by measurement of serum ferritin levels and estimation of cardiac and liver iron by MRI T2* of heart and liver. Efficacy of either medication was compared before and after 12 months of treatment. Serum ferritin levels were measured every three months. Mean serum ferritin at baseline was compared with post-treatment values. MRI T2* of heart and liver was performed before and after treatment.
Out of 69 patients with a mean age of 13.6±7.4 years, 42 (60.9%) were male. 30 patients were assigned to take Deferasirox (Exjade®) and 39 patients to take Deferasirox (Osveral®). The groups were not different regarding the age and the gender (P=0.18 and 0.621, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in post-treatment serum ferritin level measurements between the two groups. In patients who received Osveral®, decrease in liver iron overload was significant (0.99 ms in Exjade® group vs 1.16 ms in Osveral® group, p=0.007). In the group of patients who received Exjade®, decrease in cardiac iron overload was significant (4.52 in Exjade group vs. 1.71 in Osveral group, P Deferasirox (Osveral®), the iron chelator manufactured in Iran, was as efficient as Deferasirox (Exjade®) in iron removal and could be a substitute for Deferasirox (Exjade®).

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between healths behaviors with perceived health status among pregnant women referred to health centers of Urmia.
This research is a descriptive study was done in 2015. The research included 411 pregnant women. In each of health center, participants were studied according to some criteria. Data were collected using a questionnaire developed by the researchers in this study consisted of three parts: 1) socio-demographic characteristics, 2) perceived health status 3) health behaviors status.
Participants age group were 15-45 years. The mean gestational age was 22.64 ± 9.52 weeks. 47% of women were in the second trimester of pregnancy. Between perceived health status and health behaviors (sleep habits), there was a statistically significant relationship. Generally, in relation to health behaviors, 26.8% and 38.4% of pregnant women reported increased their sleep duration and appetite during pregnancy (respectively). In relation to the health status 24.8% of pregnant women reported very good health status. 11.4% of pregnant women discomfort more than other pregnant women.
Results of this study indicate low levels of perceived health status and health behaviors among pregnant women in urban and rural areas. To improve the health of women during pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes, education normal health behaviors and proper care, by healthcare providers, is recommended at this time.

Aims: Web-based education is one of active and new methods for promotion of educational quality. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of web-based and traditional teaching methods on midwifery student's knowledge about survey of fetus health.
In this field-experimental study, 44 midwifery students were divided equally into two groups of web-based (22 students) and face-to-face (22 students). Pre–post test scores were done for both groups, before and after education, then compared within and between groups by Independent and paired T-test.
Based on the findings, there wasn’t any significant differences between web-based and traditional education groups score, but both web-based and face-to-face teaching methods were effective on promotion of students’ knowledge (P Web-based teaching seems to be effective as traditional teaching in education of medical students. With regard to advantages of web-based method, it is recommended to be used in university educational programs.

Background and Sexual dysfunction caused by contraceptive methods threatens sexual health. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between sexual health and contraceptive methods in women attending health centers in Urmia, Iran. A descriptive- analytical study was conducted in 2014 in which 198 women were randomly recruited. Data was collected by a standard questionnaire consisting of three parts: socio-demographic characteristics, Female Sexual Function INDEX (FSFI), and Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS). Data was then analyzed applying descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient in SPSS V. 22. P-values less than 0.05 were considered significant. The mean age of participants was 29.89 ± 7.01 years. The mean scores for sexual function and satisfaction were 20.99 ± 6.73and 35.93 ± 16.10, respectively. ANOVA analysis showed a significant relationship between sexual function and contraceptive methods. Also, a significant association was found between contraceptive methods and sexual satisfaction (P= 0.00). The most common cause of sexual dysfunction and satisfaction was contraceptive injections, while withdrawal method resulted in the lowest incidence of sexual dysfunction and satisfaction. In this study, the most common contraceptive methods in women were withdrawal method and taking oral contraceptive pills (OCPs). The results showed that hormonal methods of contraception particularly contraceptive injections could negatively influence the women's sexual health. Therefore, more training programs should be carried out in family planning counselors, so that appropriate contraceptive methods are implemented while considering women’s sexual satisfaction and function.