Explicit Instruction of Context-embedded Hyperlinked Thematic Words and Vocabulary Recall

AbstractThis follow-up study examined the effect of some strategies on vocabulary recall of 75 Iranian intermediate learners through PowerPoint. Three groups were in the study. Seventy new hyperlinked thematically-related words were explicitly taught in context. The first experimental group used L1 translation via hyperlinks for vocabulary learning, while the second experimental group received English definition in the same way. The control group learned the words using a handout through a traditional method. The results indicated a significant difference between the experimental groups and the control group but not between the experimental groups. The study has some theoretical and pedagogical implications

Evaluation of length-weight relationship for a native goby, Awaous jayakari (Teleostei: Gobiidae) in the Middle East

Parameters of length-weight relationship of freshwater and marine fishes have long been of interest as a longstanding theme fisheries sciences and have been estimated for many fishes around the world. In this study, for the first time, length weight relationship (LWR) was estimated for a native fish, the long nose goby Awaous jayakari (Gobiidae) collected from the inland waters of Oman in 2020 using foldable shrimp and crab fishing traps (mesh size of 3*3mm). The parameter of b for male and female specimens based on standard length (SL) was within the range of 2.666-4.377 and 2.852-3.374 respectively. As proposed for different fishes there was high and significant correlation coefficients with between length and weight of (0.970-0.983). Bailey’s ‘t’ test revealed that b value significantly deviated from 3 for both males and females

More than a mountain in the Arabian Peninsula: Inland fish diversity in Dhofar Region, Oman: An annotated checklist, taxonomy, short description, distribution and conservation

Oman, a country in Southwest Asia, situated on the south-eastern quarter of the Arabian Peninsula presents a high level of biodiversity especially marine elements. Although arid habitats cover most parts of Oman (82%), the region has mountainous area including the Dhofar region located in the Southwestern Arabian Coast ecoregion supporting several inland/freshwater systems that are vital for the survival of people as well as for different groups of animals and plants. The current checklist provides for each species of inland waters of the Dhofar region all recognized and named taxa, documenting recent changes and controversies in nomenclature, its records, taxonomic status, synonyms, etymology, common English name, short description, range expansion, conservation status, and detailed distribution map based on several field investigations throughout the region. We also provide native, endemic, and introduced species. The diversity of inland fishes of the Dhofar region included in this annotated checklist consists of 12 recognized species in 12 genera, nine families, seven orders, and a class. The most diverse order is Gobiiformes with five species (41.7%), followed by Cichliformes (two species, 16.7%), Cypriniformes, Cyprinodontiformes, Centrarchiformes, Gonorynchiformes and Mugiliformes (one species, 8.3% each). A total of 11 native species (84.15%) in eight families and one exotic species (15.85%) in one family are listed here. Out of 11 native species, one species (9.1%) in one family is endemic element that is restricted to the Dhofar territory only. It seems that Dhofar comprises more than 29.3% of the recorded inland fish species of the Arabian Peninsula, and about 52.2% of the inland fishes of Oman. Hence, Dhofar is one of the most diverse areas in the Arabian Peninsula and Oman in terms of inland ichthyodiversity. Identification of all recognized species was confirmed by DNA barcoding (mitochondrial COI). The Dhofar region also harbours 867 plant species (63% of all known plant species of Oman) including 41 endemic plants one species of endemic toad of the Arabian Peninsula, the Dhofar toad, Duttaphrynus dhofarensis (Bufonidae), 60 species of terrestrial reptiles (59,41% of all known species of Omani terrestrial reptiles), 475 bird species, 67 species of wild mammals (49 terrestrials and 18 marine mammals) including the critically endangered Arabian leopard (Panthera pardus nimr). Dhofar is renowned for its biological diversity but they are under natural and anthropological pressures particularly climate change, overgrazing of rangelands, habitat destruction, pollution, water abstraction, exotic introduction, and also some fisheries and shipping activities at the Arabian Sea. Due to its high biodiversity, needs to be taken to ensure that the wild life and their habitats are managed in a sustainable way

Improvement of imperialist colony algorithm by employment of imperialist learning operator and implementing in travel salesman problem

This study tries to enhance imperialist colony algorithm (ICA) in the context of travel salesman problem (TSP). By adding new learning operator, imperialist learns from colonies that have suitable cost in which manner that improves the solution of problems. We believe that controlled learning improvement is better than uncontrolled one. The efficiency of new operator represented with the variety of instances from TSPLIB. We evaluate the approach on standard TSP test problems and show that it performs better, with respect to solution quality and computation time than ICA without new learning operator

Direct and indirect in vitro plant regeneration of two commercial cultivars of perennial ryegrass

Experiments were conducted on direct and indirect regeneration fromthe meristem tip and mature caryopsis explants of Lolium perenne L. ʻNumanʼ and ʻGrasslandʼ. De-husked caryopses were cultured both intact and longitudinally sliced on MS media supplemented with 2,4-D alone, and in combinations with BA. The highest percentage of callus induction obtained from intact-sliced caryopses were 71 and 87% for ʻGrasslandʼ on MS basal medium supplemented with 6 mg L-1 2,4-D+ 0.02 mg L-1 BA, and 5 mg L-1 2,4-D. While, for ʻNumanʼ, the highest callus induction was achieved by the same explants as 55% and 72% with 5 mg L-1 2,4-D + 0.02 mg L-1 BA, and 4 mg L-1 2,4-D + 0.02 mg L-1 BA, respectively.The best regeneration medium for ʻGrasslandʼ was MS medium supplemented with 10 g L-1 maltose and 2 mg L-1 ABA. In a separate experiment, meristem tip cultures were incubated on two type combination of plants growth regulators along with control treatment. The best regeneration rate was obtained in both cultivars on MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg L-1 2,4-D + 0.5 mg L-1 Kin. Plantlets with well-developed roots were transferred to greenhouse condition. Four weeks later, all acclimatized plants were survived

An Exegesis of the Word Bayān (Exposition) in Verse 19 of Sura al-Qiyāma

Almost all Quranic exegetes believe that verses 16-19 of Sura al-Qiyāma are digressions between other main verses. While exegetes and lexicologists take the word bayān to mean an exposition or interpretation of Quranic verses, a distinction should be drawn between exposition and interpretation of the Quran. In verse 19 of the sura, the term “lie with Us” suggests God’s commitment to the expository revelation of Quranic verses, which the Prophet taught his companions, as he taught the Quran itself. What distinguishes Imam ʿAlī’s Muṣḥaf (written copy of the Quran) from ʿUthmān’s Muṣḥaf is the addition of expository revelation alongside the Quranic verses. Since Imam ʿAlī’s Muṣḥaf were inherited by later Shiite Imams, their followers were not deprived of expository revelation

The effect of asafoetida essential oil on myocardial ischemic-reperfusion injury in isolated rat hearts

Objective: Previous studies reported that asafetida from Ferula assa-foetida Linn. species and its essential oil (AEO) have antioxidant effects. In the present study, the effect of AEO was evaluated on ischemic-reperfusion injury in isolated rat hearts. Materials and Methods: Forty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: 1) control group, 2) vehicle group, 3-5) AEO groups and, 6) carvedilol group. In the control group, hearts were only subjected to 30-min global ischemia followed by 120-min reperfusion. Hearts in other groups were perfused with vehicle (Tween 0.1%), AEO (0.125, 0.25 or 0.50 µL/g heart) or carvedilol (10 µM) for 5 min immediately before the induction of ischemia. Results: Compared to the control group, myocardial dysfunction was significantly more severe only in group 5 in which a significant increase in left ventricular end diastolic pressure and a significant decrease in left ventricular developed pressure and ±dp/dt. Also, the activities of lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase as the markers of myocardial injury were significantly higher only in group 5 compared to control group. The size of infarct and the incidence of irreversible fibrillation did not show any significant differences between the control group and groups 3-5. Conclusion: These results showed that perfusion of isolated rat hearts with AEO 0.5 µL/g heart, but not at lower concentrations, might worsen myocardial ischemic-reperfusion injury

A Scientometric Study of Iranian Scientific Productions in the Field of ‎Substance Use and Addiction Research in the Years 2008 to 2012‎

Background: We aimed to evaluate the current status of scientific production in the field of substance use and addiction in Iran, to determine its trend and pattern during a 5 years period (2008-2012). Methods: Using relevant keywords, we searched three international databases (Web of Science, Medline, and Scopus) and two local databases (SID and Iranmedex) to locate the papers published in the field of addiction by Iranian researchers during 2008-2012. Findings: The results indicated a significant increase in the number of studies published in the field during the 5 years study period, with more than half of the papers published in the last 2 years. Results also indicated that over half (53.5%) of the papers were published in Persian-language Iranian Journals, but the rate of increase in the number of papers published in English was slightly higher than that of Persian ones. Opioid substances were found to be the topic of approximately 75% of the papers. Studies on key topics, including national surveys, evaluation of current programs, addiction in women and children, and so forth, were found to be highly lacking. Conclusion: Results suggested a significant growth in the scientific production of Iran in the field of substance use and addiction. However, considering the significance of substance use and dependence in the country, and compared to the scientific production of developed countries, the amount of research conducted in the field of addiction in Iran is still limited

Evaluation of blood characteristics of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) after exposure to organophosphate, Diazinon

The effect of different sublethal concentrations of diazinon at 1, 2 and 4 mg/L on some hematological and biochemical parameters of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) weighing 850±155g was studied after 1, 7, 15, 30 and 45 days post exposure to the toxicant as a bath for 12 hours at 18-22 C. In one day exposure fish to the toxicant, the values of neutrophiles exposed to 2 and 4mg/L were significantly higher than control fish, while lymphocyte and monocyte counts in fish exposed to 2 and 1mg/L were significantly lower than control one (P0.05). Seven day after exposing fish to the toxicant, values of WBC in all experimental fish were significantly higher than control fish, while level of neutrophiles in fish exposed to 1mg/L and values of lymphocytes in fish exposed to 2 and 4mg/L were significantly higher and lower than control fish, respectively. Also, values of ALT, AST and ALP in all experimental fish were significantly lower, higher and lower than control fish, respectively (p0.05). Forty five days post-exposing fish to the toxicant, the values of WBC and heterocytes in all experimental fish were significantly higher than control one, while levels of lymphocytes, ALT and ALP were lower than control fish (p<0.05). Also, the level of AST in fish exposed to 4mg/L and level of LDH in fish exposed to 1 and 4 mg/L were significantly lower than control fish (p<0.05)