Analysis of causes and outcomes of corneal transplantation in al-zahra eye hospital in southeast of Iran from 2011-2016

Background: Corneal transplantation is known as the most successful and common type of organ transplant, but it calls for more intensive and long-term care. Given the lack of adequate information on this important surgery in this province and the differences between indications and causes of corneal transplantation, the present research was carried out to examine the causes and outcomes of corneal transplant in patients visiting Al-Zahra eye hospital who had received donated cornea in the past five years.Methods: In a retrospective analytical-descriptive study 135 files of 149 eyes that had gone through corneal transplantation were examined. Information on the age, gender, residence, indications, and surgery consequences was extracted and was analyzed in SPSS 19 statistical software with descriptive statistics (percentage, frequency, mean, and standard deviation.Results: The highest transplant indication was keratoconus with a frequency of 39.9% followed by bullous keratopathy, corneal opacity, and transplant rejection with frequencies of 16.1, 12.7, and 10.1%, respectively. Other indications were corneal scar (9.4%), corneal perforation (2.7%), trauma (2.7%), and Fuchs’ corneal dystrophy (1.3%) in the order mentioned. Concerning postoperative complications in this research, 57.7% of the eyes (86 cases) showed no complication. Moreover, complications were mostly related to astigmatism with a frequency of 30.8% (46 cases).Conclusions: In general, the most common indication in this research was keratoconus. Most surgeries were also complication-free and most complications were associated with astigmatism

Restoring the Web: Personal and Communal Integration in N. Scott Momaday\u27s House Made of Dawn and Leslie Marmon Silko\u27s Ceremony

Restoring the Web asserts that N. Scott Momaday\u27s House Made of Dawn and Leslie Marmon Silko\u27s Ceremony are novelized emergence myths, detailing the emergence of their respective protagonists\u27 identities. Abel and Tayo\u27s journey employ the framework of the monomyth of separation, initiation, and return. Explored by the essay are separation from self, family, and community. Community includes the earth and their relationship to the natural world that has left these men on the edge of oblivion. Navajo healing ceremonies, invoking the supernatural, initiates their emergence journey, a journey of discovery, in which their identity is (re)constructed. As with all heroes who have suffered injury and overcome challenging circumstance, Abel and Tayo return to their communities with the ability to help others. Theirs is a story of hope, the antidote for what Silko calls the disease of despair

Note-Taking and Listening Comprehension of Conversations and Mini-Lectures: Any Benefit?

This study aimed at investigating the effect of note-taking strategy on listening comprehension of conversations and mini-lectures. The participants consisted of 24 Iranian high-beginner English language learners from two intact groups. One group served as a control and the other one as an experimental. During the study, the experimental group benefi ted from note-taking strategy instruction (the Sentence Method) and listened to the recordings while taking notes but the control group listened to the same recordings without taking notes. A listening comprehension post-test comprising four sections was administered and a questionnaire surveyed the students’ reactions to the opportunity to take notes. The results showed no statistically signifi cant mean differences between the two groups.Key words: Note-taking strategy; The sentence method; Conversations; Mini-lecture

Frequency of cataract in Iran: A meta-analysis and systematic review

PURPOSE: Cataract is the leading cause of blindness and the second cause of low vision in the world. In the world, Asia has the highest number of blind population. The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the frequency of clinical cataracts in Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The frequency of clinical cataract was defined based on the international criteria and the measured outcome of the disease. Study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed by two independent reviewers. We explored PubMed, Google Scholar, ISI Web of Science, and national databases (scientific information database, Magiran) to evaluate the clinical cataract of cataract in the Iranian populations from 1995 to July 2017. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA 14.0 software. RESULTS: Of 283 studies, 27 studies utilized meta-analysis. In 2017, the pooled overall frequency of clinical cataract in 59668 people was 9.27 (95 confidence interval CI: 8.09, 10.45, I2 = 98.82%). Based on subgroup analysis, in the random effect method, the frequency of clinical cataract in males and females were 8.03% (CI: 6.78, 9.28) and 8.32% (CI: 7.08, 9.55), respectively. CONCLUSION: Regarding the high frequency of clinical cataract in Iran, it seems that paying attention to the results of the current study and the application of international policy plans may contribute to better cataract control in Iran. © 2018 Middle East African Journal of Ophthalmology

Fulvic acid affects pepper antioxidant activity and fruit quality

Fulvic acid has been considered as a valuable fertilizer for sustainable agriculture. The present investigation  was undertaken to evaluate the effect of fulvic acid (FA) on antioxidant compounds and fruit quality of pepper  under field conditions. Plants were grown in the Department of Horticulture Farm, Ferdowsi University of  Mashhad, Iran (latitude 36‹ 17Œ N, longitude 59‹ 35Œ E and 985 m elevation). The experiment was designed in randomized block design with three replications. Treatments consisted of five levels of fulvic acid (0, 25, 100, 175 and 250 mg kg-1). The results indicate that fruit antioxidant activity, total phenolic, carbohydrate,  capsaicin and carotenoids contents were influenced by fulvic acid, but total flavonoid and ascorbic acid  contents were not affected significantly by fulvic acid treatments applications. FA applied at 25 mg kg-1 resulted in the highest carbohydrate content, lycopene and ƒÀ-carotene contents, while the lowest values  were recorded in the control. Fulvic acid treatments positively affected fruit quality (total soluble solids and titratable acidity); total soluble solids and titratable acidity significantly increased in response to FA  treatments. These results confirm that the use of fulvic acid have a positive effect on antioxidant activity and quality of hot pepper under field conditions.Key words: Fulvic acid, antioxidant activity, quality, pepper

Foliar applicaton of asparagine and casein on biochemical and morphological attributes of garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) plants under greenhouse conditions

In this study, the effect of foliar application of Asparagine (ASN) and Casein (CSN) during the vegetative stage at four rates (0, 50, 100 and 150 mg l-1) was investigated on garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.). The results showed that asparagine application, especially at a high level, could significantly increase the morpho-physiological traits such as plant height, leaf and stem fresh weights and leaf and stem dry weights, leaf pigments (chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b) and leaf nutrients content (Nitrogen and Phosphorus). Also, the results indicated that casein application at 50 mg l-1 rate had the best performance through in stem and root fresh weights, stem dry weight and diameter of main stem traits. Casein application at rate 100 mg l-1 had the highest leaf nitrogen and phosphorus content. Generally, our findings suggest that the use of asparagine and casein can be considered as an appropriate growth regulator in garden cress cultivation

A Systematic Review of the Possibility of Determining Age Based on DNA Methylation of the ELOVL2 Gene in Human Samples

Background: In forensic medicine, predicting the age of a victim or suspect can be a clue to solving a crime. Epigenetics has recently played a vital role in age prediction in forensic medicine. Cytosine methylation at cytosine and guanine separated by phosphate (CpG) sites is well recognized as a novel epigenetic marker for age estimation. This study aimed to summarize the information obtained from previous studies to determine age by evaluating DNA methylation in the ELOVL2 gene.Methods: In this systematic review, all related articles published between 2012 and 2022 were extracted by searching reputable scientific databases, such as ISI Web of Science, Science Direct, PubMed, and Scopus. After selecting the appropriate articles, the full text of the articles was prepared and fully evaluated by the researchers. The protocol of this study was carried out based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement.Results: Out of 307 articles, 5 articles were eligible for review according to the study protocol. The strongest correlation between DNA methylation and age was observed at sites 11044644 and 11044634 on chromosome 6 in the living cases. The relationship between the chronological age and the age calculated through DNA methylation was above 90% with an approximate error ranging from 7.5 to 10.4. However, the relationship between the chronological age and the age calculated through DNA methylation was above 90% in the multivariate analysis of sites 11044624 and 11044634 on chromosome 6. In this case, the calculation error reached approximately 6.9 years. Hence, considering a combination of multiple cytosine and guanine separated by phosphate (CpG) sites improves the calculation accuracy and reduces the error percentage. The relationships between DNA methylation and the age at sites 11044880 and 11044640 on chromosome 6 were significantly less reported in the blood samples taken from the dead and in those taken from the living (nearly 64%–78.5%).Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that DNA methylation in the ELOVL2 gene could help predict a person’s biological age

Investigation of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus and Fe Interaction on some Physiological Characteristics of Tomato in Greenhouse Conditions

Introduction  Tomato, scientifically known as Solanum lycopersicum L., belongs to the Solanaceae family and is susceptible to various diseases, resulting in reduced yield. Among the diseases, the Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), which belongs to the Tospovirus genus and Bunyaviridae family, causes significant damage to tomato crops and other greenhouse plants. Therefore, it is crucial to find ways to increase plant resistance and control viral infections. One effective method is through proper plant nutrition, which can enhance plant resistance by balancing fertilizer consumption and nutrient supply. Iron (Fe) is an essential element for plants and plays a significant role in increasing their tolerance to various stresses. In Order to evaluate the interaction effects of Tomato spotted wilt virus and Fe on some biochemical traits of Mobil and RioGrand tomato cultivars, a study was conducted in Birjand Faculty of Agriculture. Materials and Methods  Experiment in a Random complete design with greenhouse conditions, with 3 replications and 4 treatments Done. Experimental factors include cultivar with two levels (Mobil cultivar and Rio Grand cultivar) and Fe foliar application in the presence of virus with these three (zero, 1.5 and three milliliter of Fe fertilizer per liter of water). First, two varieties of RioGrand and Mobil tomato seeds were prepared and planted in seedlings. Then, in the two-leaf stage, they were transferred to pots filled with sterile soil and kept in greenhouse conditions. After seedling establishment, the first foliar application of Fe fertilizer was done and in the five to seven leaf stage, the virus was inoculated on all leaves. Then, the second stage of fertilizer was applied 10 days after the first fertilizer and finally, after the last stage of foliar application, the samples were transferred to the laboratory. In Order to accurately investigate the effect of Fe on important plant factors, extracts were taken from the samples. Then, the amount of antioxidants, carbohydrates, Flavonoids, Chlorophyll (a, b and total chlorophyll) and phenol was measured. Finally, the final data analysis was performed using SAS statistical software. Results  The results showed that the simple effect of cultivar on the amount of phenol and flavonoids was significant at the level of one percent and the highest amount of phenol was recorded in Mobil cultivar and the highest amount of flavonoids was recorded in RioGrand cultivar. The effect of treatments on chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll index and antioxidant enzymes was significant at the level of 1% probability and carbohydrate content at the level of 5% probability. The results showed that feeding Fe at a concentration of 1.5 milliliter had a favorable effect on carbohydrate content and increased its amount in infected plants compared to control plants. This Increase effect may be useful for improving tolerance in a variety of tomatoes. According to the results, an increase in foliar application concentration to 3 milliliters led to a decrease in carbohydrate levels. Mechanical inoculation with a positive sample of the virus resulted in plant contamination. However, virus infection increased carbohydrate and antioxidant enzyme levels in tomatoes. The effect of cultivar on treatment was only significant in the amount of antioxidant enzymes at a one percent probability level, with the Mobil cultivar showing the highest response to virus infection treatment. Therefore, it can be concluded that a concentration of 1.5 milliliters of Fe fertilizer could be effective in increasing carbohydrate levels, as well as utilizing enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant components to prevent viral penetration to some extent and reduce symptoms, particularly in the Mobile cultivar. However, the RioGrand cultivar produced less antioxidant components. Different cultivars of the same plant species have been reported to have varying responses to different types of infections, such as viruses, fungi, and bacteria. These differences are attributed to genetic variations among cultivars, which leads to different resistance mechanisms. Conclusion  The final results showed that in the early stages of greenhouse tomato growth, Fe nutrition had an effect on the biochemical properties of the plant and had a positive effect on some traits. In total, Fe fertilizer with a concentration of 1.5 milliliter increased carbohydrates in plants infected with Tomato spotted wilt virus and together with phenol and antioxidants affected the spread of the virus, especially in Mobil cultivar