Study on genetic diversity of some Iranian Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) cultivars using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), inter sequence repeat (ISSR) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers: A comparative study

Iran has a rich and diverse pistachio germplasm and thereby, the diversity and number of Iranian pistachio cultivars is unique in the world. In this study, 31 pistachio cultivars and genotypes were characterized by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), inter sequence repeat (ISSR) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The general dendrogram constructed using the combined data of the three sets of molecular markers was to some extent similar to those obtained separately with each marker. The overall principle coordinate analysis (PCA) based on genetic similarity matrices showed that the first three eigenvectors accounted for 28.46% of the total molecular variation. Therefore, the PCA results confirmed the results of cluster analysis .In SSR population analysis, the four primers produced 11 alleles among 31 pistachio genotypes with an average value of 2.75 alleles. 100% polymorphism was observed at all of these loci. The low average polymorphic information content value of 0.4374 indicated the presence of high genetic similarity among genotypes and entails development of additional polymorphic SSR primers for effective characterization of Iranian pistachio cultivars/genotypes. According to the effective multiplex ratio and assay efficiency index, it was shown that RAPD markers were the most powerful to differentiate the genotypes followed by ISSR and SSR markers, respectively.Keywords: Pistacia vera, genetic diversity, clustering, population parameters

Spectrophotometric determination of the acidity constants of calcon in water and mixed water–organic solvents

The acid–base properties of calcon (1-(2-hydroxy-1-naphthylazo)-2-naphthol-4-sulfonic acid) in water and mixed water–organic solvents at 25 °C at an ionic strength of 0.10 M are studied by a multiwavelength spectrophotometric method. The organic solvents used were the amphiprotic (methanol), dipolar aprotic (dimethylsulfoxide), and low basic aprotic (acetonitrile). To evaluate the pH absorbance data, a resolution method based on the combination of soft- and hard-modeling was applied. The acidity constants of all related equilibria were estimated using the whole spectral fitting of the collected data to an established factor analysis model. The data analysis program Datan was applied for determination of the acidity constants. The corresponding pKa values were determined in water and mixed water–organic solvents. Linear relationship between the acidity constants and the mole fraction of the different sol-vents in the mixtures exist. The effect of solvent properties on acid–base behavior is discussed

Comparative Study of Research Performance and Innovation-Industry Indicators in National and International University Ranking Systems

Introduction: There are different national and international university ranking systems in the world which rank universities in terms of numerous metrics. Previous studies have investigated some educational and research indicators, but research and innovation metrics have not yet been compared. The present study aimed to compare research performance and innovation-industry indicators in the national and international university ranking systems based on measured dimensions, data extraction sources, and find the highest innovational and research-oriented ranking systems than others. Methods: This cross-sectional study covered the 2020 edition of each ranking, and the data were collected in January 2021. According to the inclusion criteria, 20 national and international university rankings were selected among 75 ranking systems. This study used a thematic method for data analysis. Results: Among 20 included university rankings in the study, 17 were international and three national university rankings that all have research performance indicators, and seven of them applied innovation-industry indicators. The highest research-oriented rankings were CWTS, NTU, U.S. News, URAP, and Research Excellence Framework. The highest innovative-industrial-oriented rankings were U-Multilink and Scivision. The U-Multilink and the Scivision were the most research and innovative-industry-oriented rankings, among others. Conclusion: The international university rankings are more innovational and research-oriented than national rankings. So, the national university rankings must introduce new national research and innovation-industry indicators for their universities' performance evaluation

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010-19 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. Methods The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk-outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented. Findings Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4.45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4.01-4.94) deaths and 105 million (95.0-116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44.4% (41.3-48.4) of all cancer deaths and 42.0% (39.1-45.6) of all DALYs. There were 2.88 million (2.60-3.18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50.6% [47.8-54.1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1.58 million (1.36-1.84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36.3% [32.5-41.3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20.4% (12.6-28.4) and DALYs by 16.8% (8.8-25.0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34.7% [27.9-42.8] and 33.3% [25.8-42.0]). Interpretation The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden. Copyright (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.Peer reviewe

JSCS–3819 –145.82:544.362:546.212 Original scientific paper

Spectrophotometric determination of the acidity constants of calcon in water and mixed water–organic solvent

Immunogenicity of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli outer membrane vesicles encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles

Objective(s): Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is an important cause of diarrheal disease in humans, particularly in children under 5 years and travelers in developing countries. To our knowledge, no vaccine is licensed yet to protect against ETEC infection. Like many Gram-negative pathogens, ETEC can secrete outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). These structures contain various immunogenic virulence proteins such as LT and therefore can be used as vaccine candidates. In this study we attempted to isolate the OMVs of ETEC cultivated at different temperatures and evaluate their immunogenicity and protective efficacy in a murine model of infection. Materials and Methods: OMVs was purified from bacterial supernatant by ultracentrifugation. OMVs were encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles prepared by ionic gelation method within a layer of Eudragit L100 for oral delivery.  Female BALB/c mice of 9 weeks’ old were immunized by parenteral injection and oral administration with free and encapsulated OMVs obtained from bacteria cultivated at 37°C and 42°C. The serum samples were collected and the antibody titers were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The protein concentrations of OMVs were 3.47 mg/ml and 2.46 mg/ml for bacteria grown at 37°C and 42°C respectively. OMVs loaded into nanoparticles (NP-OMVs) were homogeneous and spherical in shape, with a size of 532 nm. The encapsulation efficiency of NP was 90%. Mice immunized with OMVs, inhibited the ETEC colonization in their small intestine and induced production of antibodies against LT toxin. Conclusion: The results obtained in this research place OMVs among promising candidates to be used for vaccination

Design and validation of a conceptual model regarding impact of open science on healthcare research processes

Abstract Introduction The development and use of digital tools in various stages of research highlight the importance of novel open science methods for an integrated and accessible research system. The objective of this study was to design and validate a conceptual model of open science on healthcare research processes. Methods This research was conducted in three phases using a mixed-methods approach. The first phase employed a qualitative method, namely purposive sampling and semi-structured interview guides to collect data from healthcare researchers and managers. Influential factors of open science on research processes were extracted for refining the components and developing the proposed model; the second phase utilized a panel of experts and collective agreement through purposive sampling. The final phase involved purposive sampling and Delphi technique to validate the components of the proposed model according to researchers’ perspectives. Findings From the thematic analysis of 20 interview on the study topic, 385 codes, 38 sub-themes, and 14 main themes were extracted for the initial proposed model. These components were reviewed by expert panel members, resulting in 31 sub-themes, 13 main themes, and 4 approved themes. Ultimately, the agreed-upon model was assessed in four layers for validation by the expert panel, and all the components achieved a score of > 75% in two Delphi rounds. The validated model was presented based on the infrastructure and culture layers, as well as supervision, assessment, publication, and sharing. Conclusion To effectively implement these methods in the research process, it is essential to create cultural and infrastructural backgrounds and predefined requirements for preventing potential abuses and privacy concerns in the healthcare system. Applying these principles will lead to greater access to outputs, increasing the credibility of research results and the utilization of collective intelligence in solving healthcare system issues

Iranian researchers’ perspective about concept and effect of open science on research publication

Abstract Background Sharing research outputs with open science methods for different stakeholders causes better access to different studies to solve problems in diverse fields, which leads to equal access conditions to research resources, as well as greater scientific productivity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to perceive the concept of openness in research among Iranian health researchers. Methods From the beginning of August to the middle of November 2021, twenty semi-structured interviews were held with Iranian health researchers from different fields using purposeful, snowball, and convenience sampling. The interviews continued until data saturation. Data analysis was performed with thematic analysis using MAXQDA 20. Finally, seven main issues related to open science were identified. Results Through analysis of the interviews, 235 primary codes and 173 main codes were extracted in 22 subclasses. After careful evaluation and integration of subclasses and classes, they were finally classified into nine categories and three main themes. Analysis showed that openness in research was related to three main themes: researchers’ understanding of open science, the impact of open science on publication and sharing of research, concerns and reluctance to open research. Conclusion The conditions of access to research output should be specified given the diversity of studies conducted in the field of health; issues like privacy as an important topic of access to data and information in the health system should also be specified. Our analysis indicated that the conditions of publication and sharing of research processes should be stated according to different scopes of health fields. The concept of open science was related to access to findings and other research items regardless of cost, political, social, or racial barriers, which could create collective wisdom in the development of knowledge. The process of publication and sharing of research related to open access applies to all types of outputs, conditions of access, increasing trust in research, creation of diverse publication paths, and broader participation of citizens in research. Open science practices should be promoted to increase the circulation and exploitation rates of knowledge while adjusting and respecting the limits of privacy, intellectual property and national security rights of countries

Soluble Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (sRAGE) is Up-Regulated in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Treated with Interferon β-1a

Background/Aims: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system. Considering the role of immune system in its pathogenesis, researchers have focused on evaluation of the expression of immune-related genes or proteins in MS patients. Among proteins whose participation in inflammatory process has been documented is the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE). Methods: In the present study, we compared RAGE transcript levels by means of quantitative real-time PCR as well as the serum level of soluble RAGE (sRAGE) by means of enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 50 IFNβ-1a responsive relapsing-remitting MS patients when compared with age and sex-matched healthy subjects. Results: Elevated expression of RAGE as well as higher levels of sRAGE were detected in IFN-β responsive MS patients compared with the controls. A significant inverse correlation between sRAGE plasma concentrations and the expanded disability status scale (EDSS) was also detected in which each unit of increase in sRAGE level resulted in a 0.308 unit decrease in EDSS. Conclusion: Considering the stable clinical state of the MS patients in this study and their response to IFNβ-1a, the elevated levels of sRAGE in patients compared with healthy subjects could be related to the effects of this kind of treatment