Factors affecting cellulase sorption in soil

The sorption of cellulase proteins of Trichoderma viride on calcareous soils was investigated, and the soil factors affecting cellulase sorption were also studied. The study on some arid, semiarid and humid soils of Isfahan, Hamadan and Gilan provinces of Iran revealed that the sorption of cellulase on the calcareous soils obey both the Freundlich and the Langmuir isotherms. The maximum binding levels of cellulase on the Isfahan, Hamadan and Gilan soils estimated by the Langmuir model were 58.72, 41.64 and 74.07 g kg-1, respectively. The association binding constants were 3.32, 2.17 and 1.86 ml mg-1 for cellulase sorption on the Isfahan, Hamadan and Gilan soils, respectively. The observed differences may be due to the deferent clay and carbonate contents of soils, because the correlation tests revealed that the sorption capacity of soils was significantly related to the soil clay and carbonates contents. Cellulase sorbed on the soils was not correlated with soil organic mater contents. Sorbed cellulase washed out more easily from the Hamadan soils than from the other soils, probably due to their lower clay contents.Keywords: Sorption, calcareous soils, cellulas

Provision of curriculum model of student life skills at primary schools of Iran

This research seeks to answer the question about the appropriate model of student life skills at primary schools. A comprehensive questionnaire is designed relying on the academic and industrial experts, the research background and theoretical principles in order to test the hypotheses. The reliability of questionnaire is approved through Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.70). The research results cover the prioritization and importance of indices associated with student life skills, antecedents and consequences, and their tasks. The need for education and establishment of this skill improves the relations in learning. This is can facilitate the teaching-learning process due to the today's widespread and growing changes in the content of textbooks, structure, etc. On the one hand, it can largely overcome the educational challenges between parents, teachers and school. On the other hand, it can reduce learning costs. These costs include the training time in the classroom, tutor, regulated teaching methods, reduced purchase of poor-quality educational books, etc. These skills can also protect students from imposed teaching damages such as meaningful learning through repetition and practice. Furthermore, these skills enable the school principals to have higher accuracy and quality in their tasks such as educational supervision, control and decision-making, and the intra and extra-school communications. From principals' perspective, the self awareness has the higher rank than other components. From teachers' perspective, the scientific and technological skills have higher rank than other components; and from principals' perspective, the training time has better rank. Moreover, the teachers think that the personal factors have better ranks. Among the components, the life skill has higher rank

Effect of Amperage and Field of View on Detection of Vertical Root Fracture in Teeth with Intracanal Posts

Introduction: This study sought to assess the effects of amperage (mA) and field of view (FOV) on intracanal metal post artifacts and the diagnostic parameters for detection of vertical root fracture (VRF) in teeth with intracanal posts. Methods and Materials: In this diagnostic study, 80 human single-canal teeth were evaluated by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Nickel chrome cast posts were placed into root canals after root canal therapy and canal preparation. In the test group, fracture was induced by an instron machine while no fracture was induced in the control group. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity and specificity values at different exposure settings were statistically analyzed using the one-way ANOVA and pairwise comparisons were performed by Tukey’s test. Results: Significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of deterministic (P<0.0001) and probabilistic (P<0.013) sensitivity and deterministic (P<0.037) and probabilistic (P<0.0001) specificity at different FOV and mA combinations. Conclusion: A smaller FOV and lower mA should be preferably used for detection of VRFs in teeth with intracanal posts.Keywords: Amperage; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; Field of View; Metal Artifact; Vertical Root Fractur

Application of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria Reduces Genetic Impairment under Salt Stress in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. ‘Linda’)

Salinity is an edaphic stress that dramatically restricts worldwide crop production. Nanomaterials and plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are currently used to alleviate the negative effects of various stresses on plant growth and development. This study investigates the protective effects of different levels of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) (0, 20, and 40 mg L−1) and PGPBs (no bacteria, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus casei, Bacillus pumilus) on DNA damage and cytosine methylation changes in the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. ‘Linda’) seedlings under salinity stress (250 mM NaCl). Coupled Restriction Enzyme Digestion-Random Amplification (CRED-RA) and Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) approaches were used to analyze changes in cytosine methylation and to determine how genotoxic effects influence genomic stability. Salinity stress increased the polymorphism rate assessed by RAPD, while PGPB and ZnO-NPs reduced the adverse effects of salinity stress. Genomic template stability was increased by the PGPBs and ZnO-NPs application; this increase was significant when Lactobacillus casei and 40 mg L−1 of ZnO-NPs were used.A decreased level of DNA methylation was observed in all treatments. Taken together, the use of PGPB and ZnO-NPs had a general positive effect under salinity stress reducing genetic impairment in tomato seedlings

Survey of spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in southwestern Iran, with new records

Twenty-nine locations in Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Province in southwestern Iran were sampled for spiders (Araneae) in 2016–17 using different sampling methods (hand collection, pitfall traps, and aspirators). A total of 196 identifiable specimens were collected which represented 49 species belonging to 38 genera and 15 families. Six species, namely Cheiracanthium elegans Thorell, 1875 (Cheiracanthiidae), Cryptodrassus helvolus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) (Gnaphosidae), Enoplognatha macrochelis Levy & Amitai, 1981 (Theridiidae), Xysticus xerodermus Strand, 1913 (Thomisidae), Zelotes babunaensis (Drensky, 1929) and Z. potanini Schenkel, 1963 (both Gnaphosidae) had not been previously reported from Iran. Also, an additional number of 35 species represent new records for the province.</p

Association of Paraoxonase-1 Genotype and Phenotype with Angiogram Positive Coronary Artery Disease

Funding Information: This study was supported by Mashhad and Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. The authors would like to thank technicians of Sina, Sadi, Ghaem catheterization laboratory and technicians of Isfahan Alzahra genetics laboratory.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Prognostic value of various markers in recovery from peripartum cardiomyopathy: a systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract Aims The aetiology of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is still not clear, and it is unknown who would recover from PPCM. In this meta‐analysis, for the first time, we aimed to explore the prognostic value of potential baseline factors that may help predict recovery in patients with PPCM. Methods A systematic approach following the Meta‐analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guideline was taken by using appropriate keywords in PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases. Studies that had compared different clinical and paraclinical markers at the time of diagnosis related to cardiovascular function between recovered and non‐recovered patients with PPCM were included. To find potential predictors of recovery, the odds ratio (OR) was calculated for different parameters using the random‐effects model. Results Eighteen cohort studies including 1047 patients with PPCM were enrolled. Six markers out of the 11 potentially eligible markers were associated with PPCM recovery. Baseline echocardiographic parameters [left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (OR = 4.84 [2.53; 9.26]), left ventricular end‐diastolic diameter (OR = 3.67 [2.58; 5.23]), left ventricular end‐systolic diameter (OR = 3.99 [2.27; 7.02]), and fractional shortening (OR = 6.14 [1.81; 20.85])] were strong predictors of PPCM recovery. Systolic blood pressure (OR = 2.16 [1.38; 3.38]) and diastolic blood pressure (OR = 2.06 [1.07; 3.96]) at diagnosis were also associated with recovery. Conclusions Patients with PPCM who have a higher baseline LVEF, lower left ventricular diameters, and higher blood pressure levels have a greater chance to recover from PPCM