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Salt stress is a serious environmental threat reducing crop yield. Hence, developing any breeding plan requires an understanding of the basic physiology and cell molecular genetic regulation under salinity stress. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of gene expression changes on ion homeostasis comprising salt overly sensitive (SOS1) and vacuolar Na+/H+ antiporter (NHX1) along with ion content measurement and proline content in the rice mutants at Rice Research Institute of Iran in 2018-2019. To survey these realities, tolerant mutant genotypes (em₄hs290 and em₄hs84) along with Hashemi parent cultivar, IR28 (sensitive), and FL478 (tolerant) seedlings were treated with 100 mM NaCl. Based on the results of growth indices, the seedling length of Hashemi cultivar and IR28 decreased considerably about 44.7%, and 44.2% reduction to that of the control, and the leaves progressively yellowed. Results showed that proline content and K⁺ and K⁺/Na⁺ ratio increased about ~2–3-fold higher in the tolerant genotypes than in the susceptible ones. Also, the overall amount of the OsNHX1 and SOS1 expression increased in tolerant genotypes compared to the susceptible ones. Accordingly, the compatible solute accumulation significantly advanced resulting in improvement of ionic homeostasis and probably suppresses the stress. Moreover, the variable pattern of gene expression in the two salt-tolerant mutants (em₄hs290 and em₄hs84) and Hashemi parent showed that the induced mutation could increase the salt-tolerant in mutant genotypes through ionic and osmotic homeostasis. Generally, these tolerant mutant genotypes could be applied to develop salt-tolerant varieties in rice breeding programs which can bring on production sustainability.

 

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The potato tuber moth (PTM), Phthorimaea operculella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is an important pest of potato and other solanaceous plants. It is cosmopolite and oligophage that exists in most countries where potatoes are grown. Because of chemical treatment adverse effects, there is a necessity to find safe alternatives to synthetic insecticides. So, medicinal plants are promising since they are safe, inexpensive and effective. In this direction, potato tubers were dipped in 1 ml of 5% methanolic extracts of fumitory, licorice, lavender and oregano. The percentage of first larval penetration to tubers and oviposition-preference of mentioned medicinal plants was investigated on PTM. Subsequently, fumigant toxicity of essential oils of basil, european pennyroyal, lavender, mint and savory were investigated on P. operculella. Treated potato tubers by methanolic extract of lavender elicited the lowest percentage (19.3) of first larval penetration. Studying of oviposition-preference demonstrated that the largest number of eggs were laid on control and fumitory with 28 and 10 eggs after three days, respectively. Probit analysis of essential oils showed that the most effective oil was savory which exhibited LC₅₀ value on adults of PTM equivalent to 0.048 µL/L air.  

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Nowadays, we have to rely on experts in many theoretical and practical matters. We consider them reliable and rely on them. To justify many of our beliefs, we have no other reason but the testimony of experts. Nonetheless, to trust the experts, it is necessary to recognize them and know their distinctive characteristics. In doing so, epistemologists proposed some definitions for experts and expertise. In this paper, First, we will explain the truth-based definition and then the justification-based definition and describe the criticisms of it. we show that the best definition is that S is an expert in domain D if and only if S has more understanding and ability than most people in domain D at his time. In the end At the end, we explain the five necessary conditions of belief, coherence, ability, efficiency and time.
 

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Aim: This research has tried to study the relationship of loneliness, perceived social support, thwarted belongingness and burdensomeness with suicide among Iranian university students.
Methods: The participants of the study included a pool of 315 Iranian university students who were randomly chosen from the students studying in 2015-2016. The study design was correlational and cross-sectional. Data were collected through using four instruments: Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ), Suicidal Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA), and Perceived Social Support Questionnaire (PSSQ). In order to analyze the data, Pearson's correlation and step-wise regression were conducted.
Findings: The findings revealed that while the males scored higher in both factors of thwarted belongingness and burdensomeness, the females possessed greater amount of loneliness and higher rate of perceived social support as compared to their male counterparts. Moreover, although no significant difference was found between marital status and suicide, single people showed more burdensomeness whereas married people felt higher amount of loneliness as well as higher perceived social support.
Conclusion: Finally, based on the results, we can conclude that interpersonal psychological theory of suicide is moderately helpful in predicting and explaining suicidal behaviors in students.

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Aim: Certain Mycoplasma species, the smallest and simplest free-living bacteria which lack a rigid cell wall, are considered as important pathogenic organisms in human and recognized to have a role in rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of this study was to use molecular methods to detect Mycoplasma spp. in synovial fluid of patients with reactive arthritis in comparison with patients suffering from non-inflammatory arthritis as a control group.
Materials & Methods: Synovial fluid samples were collected from 99 patients with arthritis, all of which fulfilled the standard criteria of American College of Rheumatology for the diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis (59 patients) or non-inflammatory arthritis (40 patients). The DNA of all synovial fluid samples was extracted, and PCR was performed with a specific set of general primers for 16S rRNA of Mycoplasma genus. The PCR products were confirmed via restriction enzyme digestion using BamH1 and sequencing.
Finding: A total of 11 out of 99 (11.1%) samples of patients with reactive arthritis revealed a 270bp amplification band. Digesting the PCR product of 16S rRNA by BamH1 confirmed the PCR assay. The sequencing also confirmed the amplified products.
Conclusion: The pathophysiology of inflammatory arthritis could be attributed, at least in part, to the persistence of bacterial DNA in the joint of patients with reactive arthritis.

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Aims: Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium with the capability of causing a variety of nosocomial and community-acquired infections. Evaluating the genetic structure, polymorphism, genotyping, and phylogeny of S. aureus isolates could contribute to the prevention and treatment of infections caused by this microorganism.
Materials & Methods: In this study, the polymorphisms of 16S rRNA, rpoB, and hsp70 genes were investigated in a total of 50 S. aureus isolates using S. aureus NCTC 8325 as the reference strain. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for the detection and amplification of the studied genes. The amplicons were then sequenced using a Sanger sequencing method. Moreover, phylogeny of the isolates was studied using Neighbor-joining and Maximum Parsimony methods for 16S rRNA, rpoB, and hsp70 genes individually and in combination.
Findings: After Sanger sequencing, data obtained by Sequencher and Mesquite software programs revealed several polymorphisms of S. aureus isolates 16S rRNA, rpoB, and hsp70 genes, respectively. These polymorphisms included transversion, transition, insertion, and deletion. Among the studied strains, 10 cases showed no polymorphism. Multi-locus sequence analysis (MLSA) showed several genetic diversities in S. aureus isolates.
Conclusion: It seems essential to rapidly and reliably identify the phylogenetic sources and characteristics of this microorganism and to have a better understanding of its molecular epidemiology in order for infection practical surveillance and control.

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Abstract Adaptive literature is one of the areas of study that has recently attracted the attention of researchers. By comparative study of works, one can reach the emotions, emotions, thoughts, and common concerns among poets and writers all over the world. With the prevalence of translation and travel to Europe, the poetry of European poets has had a great impact on our contemporary poetry. Among these European poets are T. Salliot, Paul E. Lumber, Andrea Burton, Louis Aragon and others. Ahmad Shamloo has written Aida's poetry in his own time under the influence of Eliza's poetry in the Aragón Ayman. Therefore, this essay is based on the analytical-descriptive library resources to the influence of Shamloo of Aragon and the study of virtual images in describing the beloved in the poetry of both poets. The result is that Shamloo, in the composition of Aida in the mirror, considers the poetry of Elza in the mirror of Aragon and other French poets and uses his images and words and his thoughts, but his poetry from the boundaries of the house and the village to the alley , The city expands and more socially than Aragon.

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Survival and their success depends on the existence of appropriate staff at the appropriate time. Succession planning is a systematic and purposeful endeavor in an organization to ensure the continuity of staff effectiveness in key positions and maintain and develop intellectual capital for the future and encourage individual development. The purpose of this study is to identify effective indicators and design of succession - succession model based on indigenous knowledge of knowledge - based organizations. Data from the collection of information from the subsidiary organizations is one of the ministries. In this study, two questionnaires were used in two dimensions: current situation and desirable situation and AHP questionnaire to weigh the criteria. The collected data were compared by paired comparison test of current and desired situation for successful implementation of succession planning. Finally, by regression analysis, the index which has the highest importance in succession planning is presented. The research method used in this research is descriptive survey. In the survey of descriptive studies, library studies and library studies have used interview and questionnaire. In this study, two variables were weighted according to the opinions of experts and using analytic hierarchy process (AHP). the result of paired comparison of criteria has shown that four indexes of determining work requirements and existing staff, organization strategy, competency/ establishment of competency model and talent and identification of talented people have the highest importance in succession planning in organization.

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Hyper-glycosylation is an approach to introduce new N-glycosylation consensus sequence(s) (َAsn-Xxx-Ser/Thr three-peptide) into a protein primary amino acid sequences by site-directed mutagenesis which is followed by the attachment of a new glycan to the Asn residue located within the three-peptide sequence. Hyper-glycosylation has attracted lots of interest especially in the protein therapeutics industry. The attached glycan may improve the pharmacokinetic properties of the hyper-glycosylated priteins and increase their half-life in the bloodstream. In the current study, a new N-glycosylation site was introduced into N-terminal Gla domain of hFIX. Arg³⁷ position of mature hFIX was targeted to be converted into Asn residue by site-directed mutagenesis using overlap extension PCR. Recombinant expression plasmids for native and mutant hFIX were constructed. The expression of the recombinant wild-type and mutant hFIX was analyzed in mammalian HEK293 cells using gradient SDS-PAGE and western blotting analysis. The results indicated in higher molecular weight for R37N mutant in compared with the native protein. The glycan attachment to R37N mutant was further confirmed by PNGase digestion and western blotting. 

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Objective: Today, AIDS is considered as a global problem and many efforts to generate an effective vaccine against this disease have been made, but remain inconclusive. DNA vaccines are a member of the new generation of vaccines that can efficiently stimulate the immune system. However, recent findings indicate low immunogenicity for these vaccines and it is believed that these types of vaccines require strategies that could infer more immunogenicity. The employment of adjuvants could be considered as one of the most important methods involved. In this study, a DNA vaccine candidate for HIV P24-Nef is constructed and then using genetic adjuvants IL-15 and GM-CSF, cellular immune responses have been studied. Materials and Methods: In this study the gene structure of HIV P24-Nef in eukaryotic expression vector was constructed and expression vectors of IL-15 and GM-CSF were used as adjuvants. After inoculation of the candidate vaccine to BALB/c mice, cytokine patterns, lymphocytes proliferation and cytotoxicity were analyzed. Results: Our findings indicate that candidate vaccine significantly stimulated cellular immune responses. The usage of IL-15 and GM-CSF as DNA adjuvants together and separately with candidate vaccine has strengthened cellular immune responses significantly. Co-administration of DNA adjuvants significantly increased cellular immune responses when the ratio of the vaccine dose was more than the adjuvants. Conclusion: The sequences that we selected as candidate vaccine demonstrated good immunogenicity in mouse model and co-administration of IL-15 and GM-CSF DNA adjuvants increased cellular immune response to DNA vaccine construct.

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Objective: Several vaccines against HIV have been investigated but none has been approved as an effective HIV vaccine. An approach that could induce stronger immune response against the pathogen is utilizing a multi-epitopic vaccine. This strategy was used in the design of several vaccines and resulted in improved immune responses. Materials and Methods: In this study a multi-epitopic fusion peptide including parts of HIV-1 Nef and P24 as a vaccine candidate was injected into mice and immune humoral responses measured with total antibody and IgG sub-classes using ELISA. Also measurement of cellular immune responses through evaluation of spleen cells proliferation response using MTT and cytotoxicity by LDH were performed. Finally, the cytokine pattern of IFN-γ and IL-4 were also determined with ELISA. Results: The results indicate that candidate vaccine stimulated mouse splenic lymphocyte proliferation response and also induced strong cytotoxicity responses. Analysis of humoral immune response has shown that the candidate vaccine has induced specific antibody production mainly of the IgG2a sub-class. Also cytokine pattern evaluation has shown that IFN-γ secretion was dominant. Conclusion: The use of immunogen and conserved epitopes from P24 and Nef induced strong humoral and cellular immune responses and this construct could be candidate for further studies in animal models.

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Maintaining and restoring robot balance in the presence of external disturbances is a significant capability for a quadruped robot. This is due the fact that these robots move over uneven terrains which may be themselves the sources of the disturbances. In this article, the balance recovery problem of a quadruped robot after an external disturbance will be investigated. To this end, as first stage, the equations of motion of a whole-body model of a robot and also a constraint elimination method will be proposed. In order to recover robot balance, the desired accelerations will be computed based on the concepts of a PD controller and by using the desired velocities and the positions of the main body. However, these accelerations maybe lead to slip stance feet or lose robot stability. Therefore, an optimization problem will be defined to calculate the admissible accelerations and the contact forces simultaneously. The optimal regulation of the contact forces will be done to distribute the contact forces among all stance legs to avoid feet slippage. Since the stability and the slippage avoidance conditions are formulated as linear constraints, the optimization can be solved as a linear constrained least squares error. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, it will be examined on a quadruped robot in the simulation in two different case studies: in standing situation and walking gait. Finally, obtained results will be discussed.

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In this paper, transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding process between Inconel 718 alloy and Inconel 600 alloy using a BNi-2 interlayer with 50 μm thickness was investigated. Transient liquid phase bonding process was performed at 1050 °C for 5, 25 and 45 min. Microstructure evaluation was carried out through optical microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Also, bonding shear strength was measured. The results showed that the joint microstructure was formed of three zones including isothermal solidification zone (ISZ), thermal solidification zone (ASZ) and diffusion affected zone (DAZ). At the time of 5 min, boride intermetallic compounds in thermal solidification zone were formed. Isothermal solidification was completed and thermal solidification zone was vanished by increasing the bonding time from 5 to 45 min. Diffusion affected zone of the Inconel 718 alloy was persistent and expanded by increasing the time and diffusion of B element to parent metals, but this region in Inconel 600 alloy was vanished and the homogenization process was occurred by increasing the bonding time. Also, because of remove of boride intermetallic compounds, changes of hardness in joint region were more smoothly and the hardness value of joint region was about 280 HV. The results of shear strength showed that the bonding strength was increased from 250 MPa to 410 MPa with increasing the bonding time from 5 to 45 min, respectively.

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Vastness of operation airspace and uncertain environment in aerial search missions, makes utilizing multiple intelligent agents more preferable to integrated centralized systems due to robustness, parallel computing structure, scalability, and cost optimality of distributed systems. Cooperative search missions require the search space to be divided properly between agents. In order to minimize the uncertainty, the agents will calculate the best path in the assigned space partition. According to the communication topology, environmental information and the near-future decisions are shared between agents. In this paper, cooperative search using multiple UAVs has been considered. First, mathematical representation of the search space, kinematic and sensor model of UAVs, and communication topology have been presented. Then, an approach has been proposed to update and share information using the Bayes’ rule. Afterwards, path planning problem has been solved using different optimization algorithms namely First-order Gradient, Conjugate Gradient, Sequential Quadratic Programming, and Interior Point Algorithm. Finally, the performance of these algorithms have been compared according to mean uncertainty reduction and target detection time.

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The Dez dam, with a volume of 3.3 billion cubic meters and 203 meters height, was built with the aim of generating hydropower, flood control and meeting agricultural demands. With the loss of about 700 million cubic meters of dam reservoir capacity due to sedimentation and approaching the level of sediments to the power plant intake, as well as increasing downstream water demand and reducing the reservoir inflow due to the upstream development projects, the optimal operation of the Dez Dam has faced problems. In order to overcome these problems, a plan to increase the height of the dam has been proposed. On the other hand, the Ghadir water supply project with design discharge of 24 cms for transferring water from the dam reservoir to some cities of Khuzestan province is underway. So far, the effects of these projects on the water level variations and thermal regime changes in the dam reservoir have not been studied.
In this paper, first by using the two-dimensional CE-QUAL-W2 hydrodynamics and water quality model, the sensitivity analysis, model calibration and confirmation for simulation of water level, thermal profile and total dissolved solids was performed. Then, the effect of Ghadir project in water level changes in the wet and dry conditions, before and after dam heightening while reducing and not reducing the reservoir inflow has been studied.
By performing model sensitivity analysis, it was found that the model showed the highest sensitivity respectively to the shading parameter and empirical coefficients a, c and b with the sensitivity index values of 3.25, 2.58, 2.34 and 1.23, respectively. After the sensitivity analysis, the model was calibrated for water level, temperature and total dissolved solids. The results showed that the calibration mean absolute error of water level, temperature and TDS was 9 cm, 0.79 °C and 15 mg/l, respectively. On the other hand, by examining the effect of power plant and Ghadir project on thermal stratification, it was observed that the thermal profiles do not experience a significant change due to the inability of the shear forces to overcome the buoyant forces. Also, by evaluating the effect of Ghadir project while reducing the reservoir inflow on the water level in different hydrological conditions, the positive effect of implementing the Dez Dam heightening plan to reduce the effects of water transfer and the possibility of continuous operation of the dam reservoir, Appeared. In this regard, in the hydrological conditions of 2014, which is an average of the hydrological conditions, the decrease in reservoir inflow and operation of the Ghadir project, leads to decrease in the water level of 10.68 meters and 7.8 meters, respectively. By comparing the water level in the conditions of increasing and not increasing the height of Dez Dam in dry and wet periods, improvement of about 50% and maximum improvement, respectively, in maintaining the minimum operational water level in the conditions of increasing the dam height can be seen. Therefore, in case of non-implementation of the Dez Dam heightening project, operation of Ghadir project to supply drinking water to parts of Khuzestan province will face a serious challenge.

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Three different levels of biochar addition in soil (0, 1, 2 kg m^-2) and simultaneous irrigation treatments (50, 85, and 120% of crop Evapotranspiration (ET_c)) were applied to basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) for two consecutive years (2018 and 2019). Central Composite Design (CCD) was used as an experimental optimization method, and 13 given experiments were carried out. The study was performed at the research farm of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. The effects of these treatments were evaluated on biochemical attributes (total chlorophyll, total phenol, and total soluble carbohydrates) and morphological criteria (biological yield, height, seed yield, and harvest index). Then, all the results were statistically analyzed. The results revealed that biochar amendment in the soil decreased all examined biochemical characteristics. Meanwhile, biochar in the soil strengthened the morphological properties of the basil plant. Also, the basil plant significantly responded to the amount of irrigation levels. High levels of water treatments reduced total phenol and total soluble carbohydrates and raised all other measured factors. Statistical analysis shows no significant relationship between 2-way-interaction (biochar×irrigation) and measured factors, except total soluble carbohydrates.

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Mutagenesis has been one of the effective methods for creating genetic diversity and plant mutants can be significant bio-resources for crop breeding and functional genomics studies. The genetic and phenotypic diversity of 95 selected mutants from 17 mutant populations, obtained from an EMS mutagenized rice Hashemi variety, were phenotypically and molecularly assessed in M₃ generation. Phenotypic variation of these mutants showed that grain yield components varied among the selected mutants compared to the control plants. In parallel, genetic diversity assessed by 13 Inter-Simple Sequence Repeats )ISSR) primers showed that the number of amplified fragments per primer varied from 4 (pr1-7) to 11 (ISSR-7, ISSR-11). In general, 13 primers amplified 99 fragments, 50 of which were polymorphic (52.92%). The genetic variation created by ISSR markers within 17 populations varied from 11.11% in HM9 (Hashemi Mutant Line number 9) to 45.45% in HM2. The average molecular polymorphism value was 0.27. In the total genetic variance, 95% of differences were attributed to within-population diversity, and 5% were related to among-populations. The Unweighted Pair-Group Method with Arithmetic mean (UPGMA) trees illustrating ISSR diversity classified the rice mutant population into seven groups, which were further supported by model-based STRUCTURE analysis. In general, the studied mutant genotypes revealed desirable genetic characteristics in populations 13 and 17, with em₃h204 and em₃h280 genotypes being the most divergent.