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Production of bioactive peptides from wheat gluten by Biarum carduchcorum extract and the biological and functional capacity were investigated in the present study. Results showed that Biarum carduchcorum have the highest protease activity in (5, 45) pH and temperature, respectively. All fractions obtained (F1:˂3, F2: 3-30, F3: 30-100, F4> 100 kDa) exhibited antioxidant activity, However F1 registered the highest DPPH scavenging activity (65.85±2.64 µmol TE/g) and reducing power ABTS (295.81±2.05 µmol TE/g) and F4 have the lowest antioxidant activity. The highest ACE-inhibitory activity was F2 (86.3%) and F3 (76.3%). F1 Fractions showed an appropriate inhibitory effect on tested bacteria while total extract of F4 had no inhibitory activity against pathogens. Functional properties suggested that the solubility of hydrolysates in all samples decreased in acidic pH but as molecular weight of hydrolysates fractions increased, solubility of hydrolysate in pH (4, 7) increased significantly. Emulsifying activity index decreased and foaming and emulsion stability index increased. It seems that hydrolysates of gluten, by-product of starch industry, have a good potential biotechnological alternative for the industry.

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Fresh vegetables are important sources of nutrients, vitamins and fiber and their consumption, especially in raw form, has increased in recent years due to special attention to improving the health of society. Today, despite the use of strict disinfection methods in vegetable and salad factories, The problem of microbial contamination, especially Escherichia coli mesophilic bacteria, remains in the summer. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of interstitial contamination of vegetables with coliforms and specifically Escherichia coli. In this study, iceberg lettuce and non-disinfected vegetable samples were used as control samples and 4 samples of disinfected lettuce and vegetables were randomly sampled from the production line. Samples were inoculated into the relevant culture medium after disinfection with peracetic acid solution and calcium hypochlorite and then final rinsing with water. To evaluate the surface contamination, after 1, 5 and 20 minutes and also to examine the interstitial contamination Finely chopped face After 20 minutes, a specific test for Escherichia coli was performed. The growth of this bacterium was observed in control samples and very finely chopped vegetable samples. The results of this study indicate the accuracy and adequacy of the disinfection process and the lack of surface contamination and the possibility of interstitial contamination and absorption of this bacterium through the roots and vessels of the plant.

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Background: Vaccination is the most effective tool for preventing influenza virus morbidity and mortality. Despite mutability of surface antigen, inner proteins of influenza virus are remarkably conserved among various strains. The high similarity of NP protein sequences among various strains of influenza type A from one side, and the potency of IL-18 molecular adjuvant in shifting immune response toward Th1 from other side, persuaded us to evaluate the possibility of cloning and expression of Influenza type A NP gene in a bicistronic vector harboring mice IL-18 gene in order to assess their immunogenic activities in a susceptible mouse model in the following study.
Materials and Methods: At the beginning, the genomic RNA of Influenza virus PR8 was extracted and after the process of cDNA synthesis, the target gene encoding NP was amplified by PCR. In the next step, NP gene was cloned in the pJET1.2/blunt TA vector. The accuracy of cloned gene was confirmed by PCR, enzymatic digestion and sequencing. The pJET1.2‌-NP plasmid and pIRES-Igk/mIL18/Fc plasmids were simultaneously digested by BstXI/NotI enzymes. Digested NP fragment was inserted into pIRES-Igk/mIL18/Fc plasmid using T4 ligase. Transformation into DH5α and colony selection was done. Henceforth, gene cloning was confirmed by PCR, enzymatic double-digestion and sequencing. Eventually, by transfection of the constructed mIL-18-pIRES2-NP plasmid into BHK-21 and RAW264.7 cell lines, the expression of NP and IL-18 was assessed by Indirect Immunofluorscence and ELISA respectively.
Results: Electrophoresis of PCR product, enzymatic digestion and sequencing showed that Influenza NP gene was successfully cloned into pIRES-Igk/mIL18/Fc to generate mIL-18-pIRES2-NP plasmid. The results of Indirect Immunofluorscence and ELISA indicated the successful expression of NP and mIL-18 from produced plasmid in eukaryotic cell lines.
Conclusion: The results of the present study shows that the expression of NP and IL-18 genes from mIL-18-pIRES2-NP is successful.

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This experiment was conducted to determine the potential synergistic relationship between Enterococcus faecium and fructans with different average Degree of Polymerization (DPav) including OligoFructose (OF, DPav 4), Standard-inulin (ST-inulin, DPav 10), Synergy1-Inulin (SYN1-inulin, DPav 15) and High-Polymer inulin (HP-inulin, DPav 25). A sterilized minimal MRS broth media was prepared by omission of glucose. The media pH was adjusted to a constant initial value of 5.8±0.1 and the temperature was maintained at 41°C. Sterilized fructans were added (1% wt⁄vol) to the broths, as experimental treatments with 3 replications each, and the medium with no added prebiotic was considered as the control. The same starting density of 10⁸ E. faecium cells per ml was introduced to all media. The media pH, viable cells count, as well as growth of the latter were determined during 24 hours of incubation. The lowest pH and best growth rates were observed in the media enriched with OF and ST-inulin. Unlike aerobic, the anaerobic conditions produced no significant differences in growth of the bacteria among SYN1-inulin and HP-inulin treatments compared to the control. The viable cells count in the media containing OF was significantly higher than in the control and other treatments. The significant differences were also found among the control and treatments supplemented with ST-inulin and SYN1-inulin. In conclusion, the fructans with lower DP were preferentially metabolized by E. faecium, and hence it follows that a synbiotic blend of E. faecium and OF has the potential to be used in poultry nutrition.

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Chelidonium majus is a perennial plant of the Papaveraceae family. This plant has been known as a rich source of isoquinoline alkaloids, chelidonine, and berberine, which are pharmaceutically important for their anti-cancerous activities. In the current study, four extraction techniques were compared in terms of their yield potential for chelidonine and berberine. Afterwards, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with a photodiode array type of UV/VIS detector was used for the detection of chelidonine and berberine from leaves and roots of five ecotypes of C. majus during various ontogenetical stages. Based on our results, ultrasonic procedures and refluxing were the best techniques for extraction of these alkaloids. HPLC results inferred that chelidonine and berberine content of ecotypes belonging to the Northern provinces of Iran, i.e. Mazandaran (IBRCP1006619) and Gorgan (IBRCP1006625), were higher than the other ecotypes. Generally, the roots of the C. majus were the most suitable organ for extraction of chelidonine at the generative stage, while at the vegetative stage, leaves are the most suitable organ for extraction of berberine. 

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     Due to the growing importance of replacing meat proteins with a healthy food source, the present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the results of replacing meat with fungus myco-protein. Since the fungus myco-protein have high nutritional value and attributes similar to meat, they can be properly replaced in meat products. According to the results obtained from the present research, which was carried out aimed at improving the nutritional value, health and texture of protein products containing meat, the complete replacement of meat with myco-protein leads to a significant reduction in the texture characteristics of the product, such as firmness, elasticity, gumminess and on the other hand, there was no significant change in the moisture content of the samples. Also, the results indicated that the samples with fungus myco-protein contain higher level of unsaturated fat and protein and less carbohydrates and ash than the samples containing meat, and therefore, the sausages made from these products have higher nutritional and health value than the beef products.
 

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The purpose of this paper is to experimentally investigate the natural frequencies of notched homogeneous and inhomogeneous specimen made from API X65 steel. The specimens cut from spiral welded pipe, tested on an equipped low blow drop weight tester with accelerometer. The tests were performed according to the API 5L standard. The homogeneous specimen was seamless and included only the base metal, while the inhomogeneous specimen included the weld seam and three zones of base metal, heat affected zone and weld. In the present study the specimens were subjected to hammer low blow in the middle without plastic deformation. The laboratory data (voltage-time) were transferred from time to frequency domain using Fourier transformation and the imposed oscillations were removed from the frequency signal by the Butterworth low pass filter. As the hammer drop height increased, the natural frequency in the specimens was almost constant. The natural frequency in the inhomogeneous specimen was less than the homogeneous specimen. Having information about the natural frequency, it is possible to prevent the destructive phenomenon of resonance in the main test (complete fracture of the specimen). Also, using the results of equipped low blow drop weight test and knowing the natural frequency, the dynamic stress intensity factor of the test specimen can be determined.

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Phospholipases are important groups of enzyme with wide applications in various industries. In this study, two-step optimization including Plackett-Burman screening design and response surface methodology (RSM) optimization were done with the goal of higher production level of phospholipase by selected mutant strains of Trichoderma atroviride sp.ZB-ZH292. First step was done by screening and evaluation of seven factors affecting the enzyme activity and biomass production by selected mutant, using Plackett-Burman design at two levels each namely temperature, time, amount of soybean phospholipids (as a carbon source), peptone level (as nitrogen source), equal ratio of mono and di-potassium hydrogen phosphate (as phosphorus source), seed size, and seed age. According to the result of screening design, incubation time (P<0.01), incubation temperature (P<0.01), and soybean phospholipids as a carbon source (P<0.05), had significant effect on the enzyme activity, so they were selected and used as independent variables in central composite design (CCD) under response surface methodology (RSM). In the analysis of 20 experimental runs, the effects of three independent variables including incubation temperature (20-30 °C), incubation time (3-5 day), and phospholipid concentration (3-9%) were evaluated on phospholipase activity. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the optimum values of soybean phospholipid, incubation temperature and incubation time were 4.32%, 29.73°C, and 101.76 h, respectively. At this optimum point, the phospholipase activity was found to be 3.57 (U/ml) which is in good agreement with the predicted value (3.56 (U/ml)) by the model.
 

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In this study, the effect of ultrasound and temperature at three different levels—30, 50, and 70 °C on the amount of phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties of the extract obtained from the byproducts of three date byproducts—Kabkab, Mozafati, and Sayer were evaluated. In order to conduct a comprehensive assessment of antioxidant activities, three methods including DPPH and H₂O₂ radical scavenging activities, and ion chelating ability were employed. The Pierson analysis was used to examine the correlation between polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activities. According to the results, the use of ultrasound treatment enhanced the amount of extracted polyphenols and flavonoids in all date varieties. Furthermore, the polyphenol and flavonoid contents were found to increase up to 50°C during extraction, but subsequently decreased. The highest amount of polyphenols and flavonoids was achieved using the ultrasound treatment in 50° C in Sayer variety, 4.64 ± 0.07 mg Gallic acid/g and 0.326 ± 0.0112 mg quercetin/g, respectively. DPPH and H₂O₂ radical scavenging activities were increased after ultrasound treatment at 50°C but then decreased (P<0.05). Maximum H₂O₂ scavenging activity was observed in Mozafati variety. The iron chelating ability decreased after extraction with ultrasound treatment at 30° C and then increased significantly (P<0.05) until reached the maximum amount of 40.433 ± 0.802% in Sayer variety. Results showed a strong correlation between polyphenols and flavonoids with antioxidant activities. Therefore, the antioxidant properties of the tested date byproducts are likely to derive from their polyphenolic content, making them an economical source of these bioactive compounds.

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Groundwater is the most reliable source of supply for potable water and supports a wide array of economic and environmental services. There is a significant concern that groundwater levels are declining due to intense aquifer use. The sustainable management of groundwater resources requires good planning and concerted efforts. To manage groundwater resources, it is necessary to predict the groundwater levels and its fluctuations. The prediction groundwater level can guide water managers and engineers effectively. On the other hand, there are multifarious types of equipment for measuring levels of groundwater. Sophisticated water level loggers or divers can measure the groundwater level automatically. Sounding devices with acoustic and light signals are also used to check groundwater levels. The use of devices for measuring the level of groundwater is time-consuming and costly. To reduce the time and cost of the groundwater level measuring process, many methods of Artificial Intelligence (AI) have been utilized for estimating the groundwater level. Among the AI methods, SVMs has great ability in predicting non-linear hydrological processes. Support vector machines (SVMs) is as an intelligent computational method for predicting hydrological processes. Recently, (SVMs) have been successfully applied in classification problems, regression and predicting; as techniques of machine learning, statistics and mathematical analysis. The SVM is based on the structural risk minimization (SRM), which can escape from various difficulties, such as the necessity of a large number of control parameters and a local minimum in artificial neural networks (ANNs). The weighted least squares support vector machines (WLSSVM) was first introduced by Suykens et al., and has proved to be much more robust in several fields, especially for noise mixed data, than least squares version of SVM (LSSVM). Their powerful scientific research provides motivation for employing WLSSVM method in estimating groundwater level. The accurate value of WLSSVM parameters  effect on the estimation, these optimal parameters can be achieved optimization algorithms. Therefore, weighted least square support vector machine (WLS-SVM) model was coupled with particle swarm optimization (PSO) and gravitational search algorithm (GSA) as metaheuristic algorithms for estimating well water level. In this study, an attempt has been made to use the hybrid model with high accuracy to estimate the groundwater level. In order to estimate the groundwater level, ten wells data in Bagheyn plain of Kerman province is considered during ten-year time series. The estimated value obtained by the WLSSVM-PSO and WLSSVM-GSA models are compared with the observed value, and showed the estimated results have nearly coincidence with observed values. Numerical results show the merits of the suggested technique for groundwater level simulation. In order to verify the hybrid learning machine metaheuristic model, Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), Average Absolute Error (AAE), and Model Efficiency (EF) are computed, and these statistical indicators stand on the good acceptable range, and find WLSSVM-GSA is more accurate than WLSSVM-PSO. The results demonstrate that the new hybrid WLSSVM-GSA model has high efficiency and accuracy with observed values, and the modelling method is an innovative and powerful idea in estimating well water level.

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Accelerated construction methods are extensively used worldwide to reduce the negative impacts of bridge construction on urban traffic. These methods usually require prefabricating parts of the bridge off-site, which reduces on-site construction time and improves the quality and safety of construction. While the use of precast elements for bridge decks is relatively common, using precast elements for bridge piers is a recent development, especially in high-seismicity regions. Prefabrication of bridge piers can further expedite the construction of bridges. Moreover, the use of precast elements can be combined with a self-centering capability, through which the earthquake-induced damage and cost of post-earthquake repairs are greatly reduced. Despite a number of previous numerical and experimental studies on the behavior of precast, self-centering bridge piers, limited information is available on the selection of design parameters for such piers, and important decisions such as the prestressing force needed to achieve suitable seismic behavior remains to a large extent uncertain. This study aims to investigate the seismic behavior of concrete bridges consisting of precast self-centering piers, in which unbonded, post-tensioned tendons are used for self-centering and reinforcing steel is used to dissipate earthquake energy. A two-dimensional numerical model was developed in OpenSees to simulate the behavior of concrete bridges consisting of precast self-centering piers. The model consisted of fiber elements to model concrete and mild steel, as well as truss elements to model unbonded post-tensioning steel. The model also involved the use of zero-length sections to model the bond-slip behavior of mild steel bars. The modeling approach was validated based on experimental results available in the literature on cyclic loading of four bridge piers. To evaluate the effects of various design parameters on the behavior of precast segmental bridge piers, 9 segmental piers with different percentages of prestressing force and reinforcing steel were designed according to 2017 AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications. All piers were designed to possess similar nominal flexural capacities. The piers were then subjected to monotonic, cyclic, and dynamic time history analyses. The results showed the positive effects of prestressing in delaying cracking and reducing the residual drifts of precast bridge piers. Increasing the prestressing force ratio up to 10 percent of compressive strength of the pier cross section was observed to improve the overall seismic behavior of the structure, above which a further increase in the prestressing level may result in a diminished performance. The optimal value for the prestressing force ratio, which resulted in the most desirable behavior for cyclic and dynamic loadings was therefore found between 0.1 and 0.15. In piers with a prestressing ratio above 0.15, a decrease was observed in the area of hysteresis loops, which was accompanied by negative stiffness of the base shear versus drift curve. Moreover, the residual drift of the pier increased when prestressing ratios greater than 0.15 were used. The maximum drift of the structure was found to be insensitive to the prestressing force ratio. The results of this study are of great value for optimal design of precast, self-centering bridge piers in high-seismicity regions.

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Jews of Medina once asked Prophet Muhammad about a man named Zolqarnein. Verses 82 to 97 of Surah al-Kahf, the 18^th chapter of the holy Qur’an, give description about this king who believed in God and the Day of Judgment. According to these Verses, God provided opportunities for Zolqarnein to be victorious over his enemies and bring justice to the territory under his jurisdiction. These Verses do not mention the place, time, or his name, and Zolqarnein that is his title has been referred as Qarnayeem in Jewish Pentateuch.These uncertain issues have caused many commentators of the Qur'an and Islamic scholars to introduce different individuals as Zolqarnein. Among these, Cyrus, the Achaemenid king and Alexander, the Macedonian king, could be seen more than others. This study aims to determine the character of Zolqarnein, by taking the historical approach. For that matter, religious and historical documents such as the Quran, Torah, Cyrus Charter, and writings of classical Greek historians were studied and corroborated with archaeological evidences. Based on the results of preceding studies, Zolqarnein is found to be Achaemenid king, Cyrus the Great.

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In this study, the effects of flooding stress on grafted cucumber were examined over time. A factorial experiment based on a complete randomized design was conducted with three plots including 9 plants in each plot. Water status treatments included optimum irrigation and flooding stress for 15 days and three cucumber treatments consisted of grafted cucumber (Cucumis sativus var. Isfahan) into Cucurbita maxima×Cucurbita moschata ‘Ferro’= R1 and ‘Cobalt’= R2; and Non-Grafted cucumber= NG was used as the control. Some physiological and growth parameters were measured 3 times in the vegetative stage to follow the effect of flooding stress when used on grafted cucumber. The results showed that K concentration decreased by flooding in the non-grafted, while R1 and R2 could efficiently uptake K in the flooding condition. Both decreasing photosynthesis and water potential of the plant were observed in non-grafted cucumber, reducing the transpiration and stomatal conductance, resulting in more water content in plants and increasing the fresh weight of grafted cucumbers. Grafted cucumber, i.e., R1 and R2 effectively maintained their growth under flooding stress, seemingly by using a different mechanism: R1 by increasing water potential for preserving water and R2 by improving photosynthesis, could successfully keep the growth of grafted-cucumbers under the flooding stress.


 

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In comparison with similar age groups in the general population, students who are studying in universities are more at risk of having mental health problems. Surprisingly, several studies reveal that international students are highly affected by mental health issues than their local counterparts. Seemingly, it is more related to their decision to study overseas that might present them several challenges, including mental health issues. Malaysian universities host a substantial number of international students but the issue of international students’ mental health lack substantial attention there. The current research applying a mixed method, aims to address the mental health issues of newly registered international students at Universiti Sains Malaysia. In-depth discussion on the study findings’ implications for practice, policy, and research for social work profession will be addressed in this research paper.

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Neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by the progressive deterioration of the central nervous system (CNS).  Depending on the affected regions, patients may experience a broad spectrum of neurological deficits, such as sensory, motor, cognitive, and psychological symptoms. Notably, cholesterol synthesis in CNS occurs in a de novo manner and is distinct from systemic lipid metabolism. However, lipids constitute a large portion of the brain and are involved in crucial brain functions like neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity. Emerging evidence suggests that alterations in lipid metabolism may contribute to the development and progression of different aspects of neurodegeneration, such as neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and impaired neuronal membrane function.
There are several critical changes in various lipid fractions, like cholesterol and triglycerides (TG), in individuals with neurodegenerative disorders. This narrative review aims to summarize the current understanding of the relationship between lipid profiles and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). The findings may have important implications for the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies targeting lipid-related pathways in the management of these debilitating neurological conditions.
 

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Those who are affected by the negative effects of economic decisions, are often those who have the least power and ability to influence it. According to the latest report of the Majlis (Parliament) Research Center in Iran, the percentage of the population below the absolute poverty line in the year 2021 was %30/4, While the two issues of poverty and the lack of participation of citizens in the economy are distinct, many believe that economic deprivation continues with the inability to access, influence and interact with the economy. In this article, which has been done in an analytical-descriptive method and using library resources, the authors have come to the conclusion that the democratization of the economy is one of the ways out of the vicious cycle of continuing poverty, and for this purpose, the formation of citizen economic councils and their objectification within the framework of the law can be effective. The formation of these councils can lead to strengthening the ability of citizens to influence national and local economic policies and strengthen the legitimacy and validity of economic policies. In order to make the activity of these councils efficient, it is necessary to have resources for empowering the councils, such as granting them political and legal rights, allocating budget and providing the social capacity needed to create broader consultative networks.