Phylogenetic relationships of Pterocarya (Juglandaceae) with an emphasis on the taxonomic status of Iranian populations using ITS and trnH-psbA sequence data

Pterocarya fraxinifolia (Lam.) Spach., a relict tree species of the Juglandaceae family, is native to the Great Caucasus, Anatolia, and to the Hyrcanian forests of the southern Azerbaijan and Northern Iran. In this study, the phylogenetic relationship of the species, sampled in selected Iranian populations, and the global biogeography of the genus Pterocarya were addressed. Leaves were collected from 8 to 10 trees from three geographically isolated habitats. The samples were analyzed with nuclear (internal transcribed spacer [ITS] regions) and chloroplast (trnH-psbA) DNA markers. The obtained results were compared and analyzed with the data registered in NCBI GenBank. It is reported that the ITS regions varied from 644 to 652 for Pterocarya genus, but we did not observe polymorphisms for Iranian Pterocarya. The phylogenetic tree divided the Pterocarya genus in three clades: clade 1 grouping exclusively the samples P. fraxinifolia, clearly separated from the East Asiatic taxa; clade 2 that includes the species P. hupehensis and P. macroptera; clade 3 clustering P. stenoptera and P. tonkinensis. Although the Iranian Pterocarya samples and P. fraxinifolia from the Caucasus were in the same clade, they presented two different secondary structures. The Iranian populations showed the maximum genetic distance with P. stenoptera and P. tonkinensis. Our analysis demonstrates that the traditional division of all the six species sampled throughout their distribution area as well as the phylogeny of the genus Pterocarya needs to be reviewed

Geometric matrix midranges

We define geometric matrix midranges for positive definite Hermitian matrices and study the midrange problem from a number of perspectives. Special attention is given to the midrange of two positive definite matrices before considering the extension of the problem to $N > 2$ matrices. We compare matrix midrange statistics with the scalar and vector midrange problem and note the special significance of the matrix problem from a computational standpoint. We also study various aspects of geometric matrix midrange statistics from the viewpoint of linear algebra, differential geometry and convex optimization.ECH2020 EUROPEAN RESEARCH COUNCIL (ERC) (670645

Factors Engaged With Women Performance in Doing Regular Breast Self-examination or Referring to Health Centers for Examination and Mammography

Aims: Breast cancer, as the most common cancer in women, will lead to death in case it is not diagnosed timely, and if the early diagnosis is timely, the chance of recovery will increase in the early stages. The aim of this study was to determine the factors engaged with women performance in doing regular breast self-examination or referring to health centers for examination and mammography. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytic cross sectional study, in 2012, 9260 women aged 20 to 65 years old in Isfahan province, Iran were selected from different districts by multistage cluster sampling method. A researcher-made questionnaire was used for data collection. The underlying variables, knowledge of risk factors, signs and symptoms, and beliefs about breast cancer diagnosis were considered as predictors of women performance. The data were analyzed by STATA 13 software, using Pearson correlation coefficient test, univariate, and multivariate logistic regression. Findings: Generally, 55.7% of the patients had a poor knowledge of cancer risk factors. Knowledge about signs and symptoms of breast cancer was relatively good in 83.7% of the patients. Also, women belief in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment was poor. Knowledge of risk factors (OR=1.2), knowledge of signs and symptoms (OR=1.5), and beliefs (OR=1.3) were positive predictors of performance. Conclusion: The underlying variables, knowledge of cancer risk factors, knowledge of signs and symptoms of breast cancer, and belief in the effectiveness of examination increase the women performance (self- examination or referring to health centers for examination) for breast cancer examination

Optimization of a high-power coaxial coupler to 1800 waveguide coupler with high input power using CST simulator controlled by MATLAB

Coaxial couplers with high input RF power, usually operated at 500 MHz, are one of the critical components used in accelerators. To withstand high RF power, the couplers should be tested first, under identical conditions in a test stand. A waveguide coupled to a coaxial cable is used for this purpose. The parameter that indicates the amount of returned power loss is S11. By optimizing the dimensions of the proposed model this parameter can be reduced.​​ ​MATLAB program has special  and powerful tools to optimize the models which are simulated in CST STUDIO SUITE. In this paper the details of how MATLAB can control CST is described. Using MATLAB to control CST, the optimization of the coaxial coupler coupling 1800 waveguide is carried out

Nematic director fields and topographies of solid shells of revolution

We solve the forward and inverse problems associated with the transformation of flat sheets with circularly symmetric director fields to surfaces of revolution with non-trivial topography, including Gaussian curvature, without a stretch elastic cost. We deal with systems slender enough to have a small bend energy cost. Shape change is induced by light or heat causing contraction along a non-uniform director field in the plane of an initially flat nematic sheet. The forward problem is, given a director distribution, what shape is induced? Along the way, we determine the Gaussian curvature and the evolution with induced mechanical deformation of the director field and of material curves in the surface (proto-radii) that will become radii in the final surface. The inverse problem is, given a target shape, what director field does one need to specify? Analytic examples of director fields are fully calculated that will, for specific deformations, yield catenoids and paraboloids of revolution. The general prescription is given in terms of an integral equation and yields a method that is generally applicable to surfaces of revolution