علی طالبی

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women. Epidemiological studies have led to the hypothesis that vitamin D may reduce the risk of breast cancer. This study aimed to investigate the association between vitamin D deficiency and breast cancer.

This case-control study was conducted on 59 patients referred to Khatam Al-Anbia Comprehensive Cancer Clinic in Jahrom city between May 2021 and March 2022. Thirty patients with pathologically confirmed ductal or lobular breast cancer in situ or invasive in one or both breasts, with no previous history of the disease and within two months of their breast cancer diagnosis, were considered as the case group. Thirty women without breast cancer who had been referred for breast screening examination were considered as the control group. Both groups were matched for demographic characteristics and age. The data collection tools in this study included demographic information and clinical history of the patients and serum vitamin D levels. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software, version 21 (IBM SPSS, Armonk, NY, USA) and descriptive statistics (mean, percentage, and standard deviation) and inferential statistical tests (logistic regression, Kolmogorov-Smirnov). The significance level was considered to be P<0.05.

The mean age of the patients participating in the case group was 52.17±10.6 and in the control group was 51.24±9.7. There was no statistically significant difference in age (P=0.654). There was also no significant difference between the two groups in terms of body mass index and different body index classifications, menopause age, and age of onset of menstruation. The number of months of breastfeeding in the control group was significantly higher than the case group (P=0.001). The results of logistic regression showed that, on the other hand, there was no significant relationship between the type of pathology of the disease and serum vitamin D levels.

The results of the present study showed that vitamin D deficiency can be a poor prognostic factor in the course of breast cancer.

The simulation of river discharge at hydrometric stations to predict future flow discharge over specific time periods is an important issue typically addressed using hydrological time series associated with the respective station. To predict river discharge with the hights accuracy, three major groups of methods are commonly utilized: empirical and statistical methods, conceptual methods, and process-based approaches. Among data-driven methods, those based on artificial intelligence-based are prominent. The aim of this study was evaluating the performance of machine learning models, including SVM, ANFIS, and ANN, and assessing the performance of a neural network model trained with Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to predict flow discharge. In addition to evaluating the intelligent models, the impact of using optimization algorithms on the accuracy of river discharge predictions was also examined. Since input data have a significant impact on the performance of data-driven models, the criteria influencing the river discharge were identified, and the best combination of input variables for each model was determined.

In this study, to predict the daily discharge at the Poldokhtar hydrometric station located on the Kashkan River, discharge and precipitation data from 1971 to 2018 were collected, and Intelligent models, including Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), and the hybrid model of Artificial Neural Network with Particle Swarm Optimization (ANN-PSO) and the hybrid model of Artificial Neural Network with Whale Optimization Algorithm (ANN-WOA) were employed. In the two hybrid models, efforts were made to adjust the criterias of the artificial neural network using metaheuristic algorithms, and their impact on the performance of the ANN model was examined. Additionally, this study investigated the impact of river discharge and precipitation data, along with their time lags (data from previous days), and combinations of these metrics as input variables for the models. To determine the best combination of input variables, statistical methods such as the Autocorrelation Function (ACF), Partial Autocorrelation Function (PACF), and Pearson Correlation Coefficient (PCC) were employed. After applying the effective inputs and training the mentioned intelligent models, their performance in predicting river discharge was evaluated by comparing RMSE, R², and NE metrics.

The evaluation of all models in this study showed that the river discharge of one day (Q-1), two days (Q-2), and three days (Q-3) ago, along with the precipitation of one day ago (P-1), exhibited the highest correlation with the river’s daily discharge. Overall, all models demonstrated acceptable accuracy in modeling the river discharge in the Kashkan watershed. According to the results, the highest accuracy in predicting daily discharge was achieved by the ANN-WOA model, with the highest coefficient of determination (R² = 0.896), Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NE = 0.803), and the lowest error (RMSE = 0.0186). Subsequently, the SVM model, using a radial basis kernel function with parameters C=4, γ=1, and ϵ=0.001 demonstrated superior performance, with a coefficient of determination (R² = 0.895), Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NE = 0.801), and an error (RMSE = 0.0187). Then, the ANN-PSO and ANN models ranked third and fourth, respectively. The results indicated that using metaheuristic optimization algorithms significantly improved the accuracy of the ANN model, making it a suitable tool for neural network training. The evaluation of different ANFIS structures revealed that triangular and Gaussian functions performed better for modeling river discharge in the study area. On the other hand, the error of this model, with values of RMSE=0.023 and NE=0.76 was higher compared to the other models. 

This study demonstrated that machine learning models, such as SVM, ANFIS, and ANN, exhibited acceptable accuracy in predicting river discharge. Adjusting neural network parameters using optimization algorithms like WOA and PSO significantly enhanced the performance of the ANN model. Finally, it can be concluded that these models can serve as suitable alternatives to conceptual and hydrological models for addressing hydrological and discharge-related issues. It is recommended to train the SVM and ANFIS models using the PSO and WOA algorithms and then compare the results with the findings of this study.

Climate change, a phenomenon that has been occurring since ancient times, has accelerated in recent years. This study investigates the impact of climate change on groundwater resources using the MODFLOW model. To achieve this, the water balance was first calculated, and then temperature and precipitation data for the near future (2031–2050), mid-term (2051–2070), and long-term (2071–2090) periods were estimated using global climate data. These estimated temperature and precipitation values were input into the MODFLOW 2005 model. The results showed that, under two climate change scenarios—shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5—the monthly averages of both minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to increase across all months of the year. In the optimistic scenario (SSP2-4.5), precipitation and aquifer recharge are projected to remain at current levels on average; however, groundwater levels are anticipated to decline by approximately 22 meters by 2089, with annual and seasonal fluctuations persisting in the long term. In contrast, the pessimistic scenario (SSP5-8.5) predicts a significant reduction in both precipitation and aquifer recharge, leading to a more pronounced decrease in groundwater levels. In this scenario, groundwater levels are expected to drop by about 30 cm per year in the long term, largely due to changes in precipitation patterns and aquifer recharge rates.

continuous monitoring and assessment of water quality are key issues for its sustainable protection and management. The aim of this study is to evaluate the water quality of springs in the Ilam Dam Watershed, located in Ilam Province, using the Water Quality Index (WQI), WHO standards, and an analysis of Schuler and Piper diagrams. In this study, ten water quality parameters, including sulfate, chloride, bicarbonate, pH, TDS, total hardness, potassium, sodium, magnesium, and calcium, were measured in four selected springs over a six-month period, from April 2023 to September 2023, using standard methods. The results of this study indicated that, according to the WQI method, the water quality in the sampling stations was rated as excellent, with scores ranging from 38.07 to 45.45 during the study period. The findings also showed that, according to WHO standards, all parameters were within the acceptable range. Additionally, the water quality was classified as good according to the Schuler diagram and as calcium bicarbonate type according to the Piper diagram. Despite the excellent water quality, it is essential to implement continuous monitoring and more precise management to prevent potential future contamination. The analyses conducted using WQI, Piper, and Schuler diagrams demonstrate that these tools are useful and effective for analyzing and interpreting complex data sets, assessing water quality, and understanding the spatial distribution of water quality for effective water quality management. These tools can serve as a solid foundation for management decision-making and the implementation of protective policies.

The comprehensive management of watershed resources is considered as a new principle for planning the development and management of water and soil resources with an emphasis on the social and economic characteristics of the region in order to provide a sustainable livelihood for the vegetation and users of a basin without vulnerability. Although each country has its own conditions, there are similarities in the challenges faced by watershed management, in particular water resource management. Therefore, it is important to examine the experiences of other countries. In this research, the experiences of comprehensive watershed management approaches at the national and transnational levels were reviewed. The main aim of these plans was to improve and preserve water and soil resources, taking into account the improvement of the livelihood of local communities. According to these studies, a comprehensive watershed management approach has resulted in achievements such as attracting people's participation in projects, protecting water and soil and preventing land degradation, increasing the income of basin residents, women's participation, reducing soil erosion, reducing pollution, etc. The use of successful experiences of countries and the presentation and implementation of the compiled model can serve as a guide for decision-making and action in the field of watershed management, thereby promoting the stability and development of the country's watersheds.

Hirschsprung's disease (HD) is a motor disease caused by defects in the migration of nerve cells during the development of the gastrointestinal tract, which causes functional obstruction. The present study investigates the hypothesis that the absence of nerve trunk hypertrophy in a biopsy specimen is associated with a longer segment of aganglionosis.

Demographic characteristics of patients such as age, sex, type of surgery, length of the involved part during surgery were recorded and then patients' pathological specimens were recorded in terms of diameter and number of nerve trunks and then the relationship between nerve trunk diameter in ganglion-free segment and intestine without the ganglion was examined. Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were used for analytical data.

Twenty five children with Hirschsprung's disease were examined according to gender and age, boys were the most frequent and the majority of patients were infants. As expected, the most affected site was the rectosigmoid. Out of 25 patients, 6 patients had a nerve trunk less than 40 micrometers, of which only 2 patients had involvement of the entire colon. No correlation was found between nerve trunk diameter and age, sex, and length of the involved intestine.

The hypothesis that the lack of hypertrophy of the nerve trunk could be associated with more severe intestinal involvement and a more proximal transition zone was not confirmed. The results can be said that in HD, hypertrophy of the nerve trunk is seen in the pathology specimen in the aganglionic segment.

Soil erosion and sedimentation are among the major problems and environmental challenges in watersheds. The sediment load in rivers causes numerous issues, such as sedimentation in dam reservoirs, changes in river courses due to sedimentation in their beds, reduced water carrying capacity in waterways and water transfer facilities, and changes in water quality for drinking and agriculture. These problems are of great concern to researchers and water resource managers as they can investigate sedimentation, erosion, and potential effects on biological processes. Therefore, it is essential to investigate and evaluate suspended sediment concentrations to determine water quality and hydrological functions. In this regard, the use of accurate, extensive, and cost-effective techniques, such as remote sensing, is invaluable for improving sedimentation estimation and, consequently, water quality assessment. Understanding the spatial relationships between upstream vegetation and sedimentation is crucial for the effective control and optimal management of water resources and soil. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between vegetation cover and suspended sediment concentrations in the Doab Mereg and Gamasiab watersheds.

In this research, the Sentinel-2 satellite data were investigated in the first step. If there were cloudy conditions, dust particles, or other radiometric problems, they were removed from the calculations. Then, factors such as band type (visible and infrared bands), river width (higher than the image pixel - 40 meters at the Doab station and 80 meters at the Polchehr station), separation power, and sensor location (10 and 20 meters) were considered to select the appropriate image pixel for obtaining the spectral reflectance of water. The pixel corresponding to the hydrometric station and its surroundings was selected to extract the spectral reflectance. Then, the suspended sediment concentration statistics of the Doab Mereg station located in the Qarasu River and the Polchehr station located in the Gamasiab River in the five-year period (2016 to 2020) were used simultaneously to investigate the correlation between the spectral reflectance of the Sentinel-2 image bands and sediment concentration. Next, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for the two May and June seasons was extracted using Sentinel-2 images. The relationship between vegetation cover and suspended sediment concentration recorded at the station and extracted from the images was estimated separately.

The results of the correlation analysis of suspended sediment concentration showed that the best result for the Doab and Polchehr stations belonged to band 4 (R2 = 0.86) and band 5 (R2 = 0.83), respectively. The suspended sediment concentrations varied from 0.17 to 76.45 and 0.44 to 118.86 mg/liter in the Doab Mereg and Polchehr stations, respectively. In the Doab station, the depth of the power state had the highest correlation coefficient between the observational data (recorded in the station) and the data extracted from the images. In the Polchehr station, it had a high correlation coefficient in both polynomial and exponential modes. The best values of the coefficient of determination (R2) of the normalized vegetation cover difference index for the Doab and Polchehr stations were 0.98 and 0.64, respectively. This means that the amount of sediment decreases with an increase in vegetation cover. The average values of the vegetation index for the Mereg watershed (0.35) and the Gamasiab watershed (0.28) show the relatively sparse vegetation in the area. The lowest average values of vegetation cover in the studied season (spring) were respectively equal to 0.11 and 0.21 in the Mereg watershed in June and the Gamasiab watershed at the end of May. The results of the regression test showed a strong and significant relationship between the density of vegetation and the amount of suspended sediment concentration recorded in the hydrometric stations of the two basins.

The results showed that six models were extracted for the studied area, which had acceptable and suitable R2 and error values. Among the obtained models, better results were obtained in the single-band model than in the case of using the band ratio. The highest correlations belonged to bands B2, B3, B4, and B5 in the Doab Mereg station, and to B4 and B5 in the Pol Cheher station. The highest R2 values obtained for the two stations were 0.86 and 0.83, respectively, in the exponential model. The results of this study show that Sentinel-2 can be used as a suitable tool to estimate suspended sediment concentrations with acceptable accuracy in small-scale basins and flood conditions, which has been confirmed in a number of similar studies. Sediment rate refers to the positive effect of vegetation on soil protection and the reduction of sediment production and transport within watersheds. In general, the results demonstrate that vegetation has been effective in the quantity and quality of the spatial changes in the sedimentation rate of the basins. In fact, the NDVI vegetation index, as a representative of the vegetation, can be successfully used to create a statistical model of the changes in the sedimentation rate. The revitalization of vegetation should be included in development plans.

Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) refers to non-material benefits and non-physical contact of humans with the watershed. Among the indicators of CES are aesthetic and spiritual values, a sense of place and inspiration, and knowledge system and educational values. First, humans understand the environment based on their culture and then receive non-material benefits from the ecosystem. On the other hand, tourism is one of the activities that have an impact on the culture and services of ecosystems. Actually; tourism is an economic, cultural, and social phenomenon that is related to the movement of people to a place outside their place of residence. Tourism can have different effects such as changes in values, people's behaviour, communal life relationships, lifestyle, security levels, etc. In this regard; considering this importance, the current research was conducted to assess the effect of tourism activities on the components of CES Eskandari Watershed located upstream of the Zayandeh Roud dam watershed. This watershed is located in Isfahan province and includes the cities of Boein and Miandasht, Tiran-Koron, Chadgan, Khansar, Fereidan, and Fereidon Shahr.

 The current research is of applied and descriptive-analytical type, its data has been collected through library methods, observation, and field studies, including questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. Based on this; after examining the tourism attractions of the study area, to evaluate the effect of tourism on CES, indicators were designed in the form of a questionnaire based on the Likert spectrum. The Likert spectrum includes answers from very little (1) to very much (5). In the following, the validity of the questionnaires was confirmed by expert specialists. Cronbach's alpha was used to determine the reliability of the investigated indicators. Cronbach's alpha for a sense of place, aesthetic and spiritual values, and knowledge system and educational values indicators were obtained as 0.85, 0.93, and 0.88, respectively. Then, by surveying the area, tourists were asked to complete the questionnaires. Finally, the analysis of the collected data and statistical comparison was done using the one-sample t-test in SPSS software. In the next step; to evaluate CES in Eskandari Watershed, the number of people visiting natural tourism areas was also used. In this regard; first, the number of visitors was calculated, and then to express the dimensionless tourism index, the range from zero to one was classified into four categories with the same range.

The research results indicate that in total, tourism activities have played an effective role in the CES. Of course, this effect is not the same in different dimensions and the indicators of CES including aesthetic and spiritual values, sense of place and inspiration, and knowledge system and educational values, respectively, have been assigned the first to third priority. In this regard; to measure the sense of place and inspirations, the indicators of tourists' interest intensification, increasing the value of the region, emotions, more visits and more sense of responsibility of tourists were used. The aesthetic values include spatial diversity, correcting the defects and defects of the spaces, increasing the quality and beauty, increasing the physical identity and the apparent order of the space of the region. In addition; the indicators of more respect for social laws, increase in responsibility and courage to express thoughts, more respect for the rights of others, adherence of tourists to the promotion of peace and human rights laws, and improving the knowledge of tourists on how to use natural resources are related to the component of the knowledge system and educational values. Also, the results of the significance test indicated the significant effect of tourism activities on CES components (P=0.05). In addition, the number of people visiting tourist areas after tourism activities has been evaluated positively. In this regard, the cities of Fereidon shahr, Khansar, Chadgan, Fereidan, Boein and Miandasht, and Tiran and Koron respectively, have received the most tourists.

 In total; the greatest impact of tourism activities on the indicators of increasing the quality and beauty of the region (30.00), more visits by tourists as a result of tourism activities (28.30), and more respect for the rights of others with an average of 23.50. In addition, the number of people visiting tourist areas after tourism activities has been evaluated positively. Actually; tourism activities in this area have caused people to get more connected to natural tourism areas, so that all their imaginations, feelings, and enthusiasm to visit the area are affected by tourism activities. However; since the mentioned effects are far from the ideal level, to influence the tourism activities in the region, it is suggested to strengthen the supervisory and executive mechanisms and planning according to the potentials of the region along with the creation of infrastructure for tourism and ecotourism.

Introduction and Goal:

Understanding the role and influencing factors of soil erosion is crucial for effective management and recognition of erodible land areas. Watershed management is one of the most sensitive and complex types of resource and production management. The fractal dimension can be used to examine the complexity of data and simplify complex natural phenomena. This tool enables generating fractal patterns to assess the morphological behavior and power of watersheds. This research focused on the connection and interplay between the morphological characteristics of the watershed and the fractal dimension in the creation of runoff and sediment.

In this research, the necessary data were obtained from the statistics of the country in the water measuring and observation stations of the watershed. The base maps were utilized to determine the watershed characteristics. The calculation of the fractal characteristics was done in Fractalyse 2.4 software by utilizing the box counting method. The factor analysis method was used to identify 85 features related to watershed. In this research, for further analysis, the size of annual runoff and sediment was investigated using different return periods. Therefore, 5 different scenarios were considered based on the homogeneity of the watershed, climatic characteristics, physical and morphological characteristics of the watershed, physical and climatic characteristics simultaneously, and fractal characteristics of the watershed. The correlation between estimated irrigation and sediment size (with different return periods) and different morphological features was also carried out.

The results of the factor analysis technique showed that among the 85 parameters related to the watershed, 18 are the effective parameters of the area, the slope area is 8-12 and 12-20%, the area of the east slope in 9 directions, the length of the 100-m level lines in the watershed, the total length of the stream , the concentration time base Kirpich method, elevation difference, fractal of 200-m level lines, deviation from the moisture standard, temperature difference, average slope, net slope of the main stream, average temperature, average moisture, average precipitation, elongation coefficient and fractal of the basin environment. Also, the fractal dimension of the 200-m horizontal lines and the fractal dimension of the watershed environment were able to significantly explain the overall changes in discharge and sedimentation. This finding explained well the role of fractal characteristics in the relationship between irrigation and sedimentation.

Conclusions and Suggestion:

Based on the results of this research, it was found that almost all the effective factors in estimating discharge and sedimentation in large watersheds are summarized in the area and fractal of the watershed environment, and these two features justify the most changes in discharge and sedimentation. Therefore, with the reduction of the area of ​​watersheds, the role of other factors such as the direction of the slope, the net slope of the waterway, etc., is more evident in explaining the changes, and it can be said that dividing large watersheds into smaller watersheds is the best measure to control the erosion and runoff of watersheds. Implementing watershed management measures in these small sub-watersheds is the next step. The reduction of watershed area in most relationships is sufficient to justify up to 70% of sediment changes. This research findings should be utilized by users and beneficiaries to implement watershed development and management programs.

 Cryopreservation by various mechanisms, such as the induction of oxidative, osmotic, and temperature stress, causes a reduction in sperm quality after the freeze-thaw process. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the simultaneous addition of chlorogenic acid and lipoic acid as an antioxidant supplement to sperm freezing medium in patients with oligoasthenospermia.

 Sperm samples from patients with oligoasthenozoospermia were divided into five groups as follows: fresh sample (pre-frozen semen), control (sperm freezing medium without supplements), CGA group (sperm freezing medium with 100 µM chlorogenic acid), ALA group (sperm freezing medium with 200 µM lipoic acid) and CGA+ALA group (sperm freezing medium with chlorogenic acid and lipoic acid). Total mobility, viability rate (eosin-nigrosin staining) and DNA fragmentation index (Halo test) were assessed before and after freeze-thawing.

 In the control group, there was a decrease in total sperm motility and viability and an increase in DFI. Freezing sperm in the CGA, ALA, and CGA+ALA groups was associated with a significant increase in viability and total sperm motility after thawing. The results of the Halo test also showed that the increase in sperm DFI caused by the freeze-thaw process was less in all three experimental groups than in the control group, and this decrease was statistically significant (P<0.05).

 The simultaneous addition of chlorogenic acid and lipoic acid to the sperm freezing medium can improve the quality of sperm samples after the freeze-thaw process in terms of mobility, viability, and DNA fragmentation, thus increasing the efficiency of this technique in the treatment of male infertility.

LAndscape ProcesS modeling atmUlti dimensions and scaleS (LAPSUS) model is one of the models that can calculate the multiple flow direction routing. In this model, according to the topography of the watershed, a constant value between 1 and 10 is defined as the convergence factor for the entire studied watershed. The value of this factor is considered constant through calibration or the values considered in previous studies. In this research, to solve the problem of constant convergence factor value, the flow distribution function was defined for this model. This study was conducted in five sub-catchments in the Kakhk experimental watershed located in the northeast of Iran in Gonabad county. In this research, the flow distribution function was defined instead of the convergence factor for the LAPSUS model. In this function, the slope parameter is used to model the effect of topographic characteristics on the flow distribution. In this way, the flow trending part in the LAPSUS model was developed by changing its programmed code in the C++ environment for the flow distribution function. Based on the calibration results, the best value of the convergence factor can be between 1 and 10. After applying the flow distribution function to the model, the value of the flow distribution function was calculated to be 6.3 for sub-catchment 4 and between 5.7 and 6.5 for other sub-catchments. The results of validation of the model outputs showed that the value of the coefficient of determination is 0.99 for runoff volume and 0.92 for erosion and sediment. Also, the amount of normalized RMSE was 3.5% for runoff and 5.5% for erosion and sediment. Based on the results, the flow distribution function can define the value of the convergence factor based on the topographic slope for the LAPSUS model. The value of the convergence factor can be defined for the model by entering the average slope of the watershed. Therefore, one of the main issues in the multiple flow direction routing was solved.

Methamphetamine is one of the stimulant drugs that leads to the occurrence of cognitive and behavioral dysfunctions. Among the disorders that occur after methamphetamine abuse are learning and memory disorders as well as social interactions and anxiety. On the other hand, the function of sex steroids in the development of brain regions involved in reproduction has been the subject of extensive research over the years. In this context, testosterone plays an important role in neuronal and glial organization in prenatal and postnatal periods. Recent studies showed the effect of sex hormones on the nervous system and highlight the brain as a main target tissue for androgens. On the other hand, studies have shown that testosterone has neuroprotective effects against cognitive and behavioral disorders. Clinical manifestations of testosterone-related brain changes include cognitive impairments such as reduced memory efficiency related to the frontal cortex, as well as reduced long-term memory related to the hippocampus and other temporal regions of the midbrain. Androgens, especially testosterone, play an important role in memory function whereby the decrease and absence of testosterone leads to cognitive impairment and also neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease. Therefore, in this study, the role of testosterone hormone in social memory, novel object recognition memory, as well as anxiety-like behavior and brain edema induced by a neurotoxic regimen of methamphetamine were investigated.

This study was conducted on 48 gonadectomized rats in 6 groups including control groups, methamphetamine (6mg/kg), solvent (sesame oil), methamphetamine + testosterone (0.25mg /kg), methamphetamine + testosterone (0.5 mg/kg) and methamphetamine + testosterone (1 mg/kg) were performed. At first, mice were anesthetized and gonadectomy surgery was performed. After 2 weeks of recovery, the evaluation of social memory was done using the three-chamber social interaction test, and anxiety-like behavior index using the open field test. Finally, the animals were killed and the brain tissue was evaluated for brain edema.

The findings of the study showed that social memory was significantly impaired in rats that received methamphetamine compared to the control group (P<0.001). On the other hand, results showed that there was a significant increase in anxiety-like behaviors as well as brain edema in rats that received methamphetamine (P<0.001). Statistical analysis also showed that the administration of testosterone hormone was able to improve cognitive functions and reduce anxiety-like behaviors and brain edema caused by methamphetamine (P<0.05).

Overall, the present study suggests that the male sex hormone testosterone can be effective in improving behavioral disorders and anxiety, as well as brain edema caused by the administration of methamphetamine. Further research is needed to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the effects of this hormone.

The amount of sediment and suspended materials, along with flowing water, is one of the important concerns in the design of hydraulic structures, such as channels, valves, and turbines of dams. This issue is very important from other aspects, such as maintaining the quality of soil in agricultural lands, addressing environmental issues, and managing water resources for drinking and industry. Satellite images, are used to estimate and monitor the water quality of rivers (especially the concentration of suspended load), the sources of pollution, and their movement. They cover a large area of the study area simultaneously, and they also record the spectral reflection of terrestrial phenomena. They have high efficiency. In general, research conducted in the field of the relationship between the spectral reflectance of water (recorded in satellite images) and the concentration of suspended load shows that there is a correlation between the red and infrared wavelengths with the concentration of suspended load. This correlation can be used as an indicator in the evaluation of these bands and to estimate the amount of suspended load concentration. The proper method to find the local model of suspended sediment concentration is to use field data collected during satellite imaging. In this article, the estimation of suspended sediment using Sentinel-2 satellite images in a narrow river has been discussed.

In this research, the estimation of suspended sediment concentration using Sentinel-2 satellite images in low latitude rivers has been investigated. In order to investigate the correlation between the spectral reflectance of the Sentinel-2 image bands and the concentration of suspended sediment, the statistics of the concentration of suspended sediments at the Polchehr station, located in the Gamasiab River of Kermanshah province, in a five-year period (1394 to 1398) were used simultaneously with them. For this purpose, a range of different amounts of sediment has been used, from a concentration of 0.44 mg/liter to 118.86 mg/liter. Out of the total of 24 images suitable for the days of measurement of suspended sediment concentration, four images were removed due to cloudiness, and two images with abnormal reflection higher than the others. Finally, 18 satellite images related to floods were used, of which 12 images (70% of the data) were used in the calibration stage, and 6 images (30%) were used in the validation stage. In this study, the pixel values of the images corresponding to the hydrometry data of Polchehr were extracted in two modes: single band and band ratio. Suitable regression models (linear, exponential, and polynomial) were fitted, and the accuracy of these models has been checked. Finally, the type of algorithm governing the concentration of suspended sediment in Gamasiab River was determined.

In this research, 8 bands of the Sentinel-2 satellite were used as single bands and band ratios. The results showed that the concentration of suspended sediment in the Polchehr station varied from 0.44 mg/liter to 118.86 mg/liter. Based on the results, it was found that dates with higher reflectance values had higher measured suspended sediment concentrations. The highest amount of reflection from the water surface was observed in band five (703 nm) and B8A. Also, from the obtained models, it was found that in the case of a single band, better results were obtained than when the band ratio was used. The exponential model related to band 5, which had a higher correlation with all sediment values, and the coefficient of determination was obtained as 0.83. To evaluate the results of the current research, the root mean square error of the evaluation index was used, and its value was 33.95 for the 5-fold band. It was found that the modeling of the suspended sediment parameter was done with proper accuracy. The results of the present study showed that satellite images can be useful for evaluating water quality monitoring. In addition, this study showed that Sentinel-2 can be used as a suitable tool for estimating suspended sediment concentration with acceptable accuracy in small-scale watersheds and flood conditions.

The results showed that the Sentinel-2 satellite images and the equations obtained in the present research are suitable for calculating the suspended sediment concentration in the Gamasiab watershed of Kermanshah province. Based on the results, it was found that nine models for the studied area had acceptable and suitable coefficients of determination and error values. Among the obtained models, it was found that better results were obtained in the single-band mode than in the mode where the band ratio was used. Also, the results showed that the exponential model related to Band 5, which had a higher correlation with all the sediment values, can be used to estimate the suspended sediment concentration from Sentinel-2 satellite images in the Gamasiab watershed of Kermanshah province when it is possible to collect no field data. The present study will be useful as a reference for future research in investigating and estimating suspended sediments using satellite data. In addition, considering the importance of suspended sediment in water quality and its effects on the environment and economy of the region, the use of suspended sediment estimation methods using satellite data can be used as a fast and efficient way to monitor water quality in narrow rivers.

Eskandari sub-watershed is one of the most important water supply sources for agriculture, drinking and industry in Isfahan region and province. Therefore, better understanding of the problems within this watershed is crucial for planning and proper management. Moreover, a concerted effort to engage all stakeholders in the integrated management of this watershed is necessary. This research aims to investigate the reasons for the increase of runoff in the years 2011, 2021, and 2031, providing management solutions with the active participation of stakeholders.

First, the height of the runoff was estimated using the curve number method. In this regard, Landsat 5 and 8 satellite images from 2011 and 2021 were used to prepare a land-use map of the Eskandari sub-watershed. Additionally, the prediction of land-use changes in the future (2031) was done using the Markov model. To prepare the curve number map, the combination of the land-use map and hydrological groups was used, and then the runoff height was estimated in the studied years. Following this, through collaborative workshops, stakeholders were asked to create a problems and objectives tree based on the main reasons for the runoff progress in the watershed, consulting with each other. Subsequently, based on the objective tree, the initial list of proposed solutions for the Eskandari sub-watershed was presented. The proposed solutions were then refined, classified, and prioritized by experts. Continuing with the goals of the current research, the most important indicators affecting the current situation of the Eskandari sub-watershed were selected based on the opinions of experts and stakeholders. To model, the multi-criteria decision-making method was used to select solutions and prioritize them. Therefore, initially, the researcher's questionnaire was distributed among stakeholders for scoring the selected solutions according to the assessment criteria. Finally, the results obtained from experts' scoring were prioritized using the TOPSIS method.

The results reveal a significant reduction in natural lands in the region. Consequently, by 2031, rangelands with good and mediocre cover have been completely destroyed, while those with poor cover, irrigation, and rainfed agriculture dominate the region. Based on soil science information, 57.18% of the area is related to hydrological group B with a medium runoff production capacity. Hydrological groups C and D, with percentages of 24.98 and 17.82, respectively, are the next priorities. Following this, by combining the hydrological group map of the watershed with the land-use map in GIS environment, the CN map with curve numbers ranging from 61 to 96 was obtained. Finally, the average infiltration in 2011, 2021, and 2031 was 79.15, 62.82, and 55.12 mm, respectively, while the average runoff in those years was 10.99, 13.15, and 13.38 mm, respectively. According to the results, the losses decrease over time, while the runoff increases. Residential lands and rocky outcrops have the highest amount of runoff production, i.e. 34.38 mm, whereas rangeland with good cover (0.33) has the lowest amount of runoff. In subsequent collaborative workshops, based on the opinions and consensus of stakeholders and experts, improper agriculture was identified as one of the main reasons for increase of runoff in the studied area. Due to a lack of water, insufficient income, and a lack of laws and supervision in the region, watershed farmers and residents are changing land use and cultivating low-yielding lands in an unprincipled manner. Also, in line with the research goals, 11 management solutions and 12 effective indicators (economic, social, and environmental sectors) were identified for the current situation of the watershed. The prioritization results based on the TOPSIS method showed that the solution of creating cover farming to increase surface coverage has been assigned the highest priority.

In this research, efforts have been made to address and mitigate the runoff in the study area. Management solutions have been presented based on the preferences and participation of stakeholders. Therefore, to prevent further runoff in the region, it is suggested to establish institutions tailored to the watershed's situation, considering patterns of cultivation and conservation agriculture, and integrating the cooperation of subordinate institutions and organizations.

Iran is located in arid and semi-arid areas of the world and the major factor in this region is water shortage. The intensive use of groundwater resources has often affected ground water levels in many parts of the world. This research was carried out with the aim of determining the appropriate management strategies for the optimal use of water resources in the Darband Samalghan watershed with the SWOT approach.

In order to carry out this research, several stages have been implemented, which include collecting information and data from the study area, as well as collecting all the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the area, from the perspective of a group including experts and specialists in water resources to make a decision about the strategies. In the next stage, they were informed about the conditions of the region and the purpose of this study, and then scoring of internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities and threats) was obtained. And by examining the factors with the current situation and choosing the best strategic group among SO, WO, ST and WT strategies, the SWOT matrix was formed and the most important management strategies compatible with the region were presented.

To determine the management strategies of water resources in Darband Samalghan watershed, the average of all SWOT tables was calculated. The sum of the scores obtained from the evaluation matrix of internal and external factors were 1.838 Strengths, 2.276 weaknesses, 1.908 opportunities, and 2.572 threats respectively, and as a result, the weaknesses outweigh the strengths. They prevail and also the threats are ahead compared to the opportunities. WT strategy, from the point of view of the experts present in the brainstorming session, had the most establishments among other strategies, and the strategies of this study area were close to defensive strategies. This strategy aims to minimize losses caused by threats and weaknesses.

Conclusions and suggestion:

After determining the parameters of weakness, strength, opportunity, and threat, finally the defensive strategy was determined as the best management strategy in Darband Samalghan area. According to the results obtained from this research, based on the opportunities and strengths in the region, it is possible to propose solutions that neutralize the threats and weaknesses in order to achieve the balance of the region's aquifer. If we lose time and the main factor of opportunity, the situation in the not so distant future will become much more critical than the current situation.

Empathy is one of the special cognitive functions that play an important role in the evolution of social behaviors and the formation of social memory. Testosterone have neuroprotective effects against cognitive and behavioral disorders and may be very important in the development of social and cognitive behaviors. Therefore, this study investigated the role of testosterone hormone in social behaviors, novel object recognition memory, and anxiety-like behaviors in a rat model of empathic pain.

In this study, 32 gonadectomized male rats were divided into four groups: control, pain, observer + vehicle (castor oil), and observer + testosterone. The emotional pain experienced by a family member who received five formalin injections was socially transferred to the observing rat within the same family through observation. The observation groups received vehicle or testosterone before observing the suffering of mice. Then, social memory, novel object recognition memory, and anxiety-like behaviors were tested.

The results indicated that in the pain group, both social memory and novel object recognition memory were impaired compared to the control group, and anxiety-like behaviors were increased. Conversely, testosterone injection partially improved social memory and novel object recognition memory deficits, and reduced anxiety-like behaviors compared with the observer+vehicle group.

In conclusion, empathy causes anxious behavior and social and novel object recognition memory impairments. Furthermore, testosterone hormones can play a protective role against cognitive and behavioral damages caused by empathy in rats.

Recent advances in the field of reproductive biology through tissue engineering have greatly contributed to infertility health care and treatment. Current studies on the bioengineering of female genital tissues has created new hopes for people suffering from congenital and acquired reproductive tract disorders and infertility.

This study aims to review the biological materials and strategies employed in the tissue engineering of female reproductive organs and tissues.

In this study, articles were searched using the keywords “infertility”, “tissue engineering”, “female reproductive organs”, “vagina”, “uterus”, “ovary” and “follicle” independently in Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect and Google scholar databases. Finally 82 articles were selected and reviewed.

Tissue engineering using biological materials, stem cells, and molecular factors for the construction of artificial uterus, vaginal reconstruction, growth and maturation of ovarian follicles in laboratory conditions, in addition to providing a platform for basic science studies in this field, has provided practical and therapeutic solutions for the female reproductive system disorders and infertility.

The physiological function of female reproductive system can be affected by congenital and acquired disorders, resulting in infertility. Tissue engineering approaches, as functional therapeutic solutions, have greatly contributed to this field through the use of biological materials, cells and growth factors. Therefore, tissue engineering-based therapies can open a window of hope in women suffering from these disorders.

One of the important and effective factors in the runoff production and sediment in hillslopes is their geometry. Vegetation also plays an important role in controlling and reducing runoff and sediment. In this regard, the present study was conducted with the aim of creating a better understanding of the effect of Vetiver vegetation on the processes of runoff and soil loss in convex-parallel and concave-parallel hillslopes in laboratory conditions. Accordingly, by using a rainfall simulator with an intensity of 45 mm/h, in 15 min on a plot with dimensions of 2 m2 and a slope of 20 percent, and by creating the shape of convex-parallel and concave-parallel hillslopes and filled with the surface soil of the sample Tahooneh watershed in Yazd province, rainfall simulation was done. Then, the values of runoff volume and soil loss in the said plots were compared and data analysis was carried out in plots with Vetiver vegetation and in two square and rhombic planting patterns with plots without vegetation. The results showed a decrease in the runoff volume in the concave-parallel hillslope in the treatment with square and rhombic vegetation, with values of 58.61 percent and 69.43 percent, respectively. Also, the square and rhombic planting pattern of Vetiver plant in the convex-parallel hillslope caused a decrease of 81.17 percent and 85.96 percent in the amount of soil loss, respectively.

In arid and semi-arid regions, water is considered as the most important restrictive factor in drinking, industry and agriculture. In this regard, Zayandehroud River is a prominent example of human and environmental concerns in this climate. Due to the large area of the Zayandeh Roud Watershed and the difficulty of developing and implementing a comprehensive participatory management model for the entire watershed, one of the upstream sub-watersheds of the Zayandeh roud Dam was selected for this study based on the Eskandri sub-watershed. This sub-watershed is important because its outlet leads to Zayandeh roud Dam. In addition, this sub-watershed is one of the most important sources of agricultural water supply, drinkable water, and industry in the region and province of Isfahan. Therefore, this study aims to present management responses regarding the strategy of improving the water resources status of the Eskandari sub-watershed with a logical framework approach.

First, the water resources status of the Eskandari sub-watershed was investigated using the Falkenmark index (FI). This index classifies the regions according to the annual renewable per capita volume (RW) for the provision of water resources. Based on the annual renewable per capita volume per person (m3/person), the FI is asfollows: no stress (FI<1700), stress (1000-1700), water low water (500-1000) and absolute deficiency (FI>500). In the following, in order to achieve the goals of integrated watershed management, the logical framework approach was used. Therefore, by identifying the stakeholders and organization of workshops, a problem tree and objectives for the desired strategy was drawn and a logical framework matrix was prepared based on the tree of objectives. In this research, 30 members from stakeholders (random sampling method) were selected as the sample for the resident questionnaire. In other words, the main, sub-goals, achievements, and activities in order to solve the stated problem were extracted from the objectives tree and classified in the framework of the logical framework matrix. Also, the opinion of 28 experts was also considered as a large group decision-making to prioritize items. The expert group consisted of experts from the Departments of Natural Resources and Watershed Management, Environment, Regional Water, and also scientific members of universities of Yazd and Esfahan, and some members of the village council. In the following, for the assessment, prioritization, and feasibility of doing any management response, first, the criteria and indicators for measuring different responses related to the status of the water resources of the Eskandari sub-watershed were determined. Then, the prioritization and selection of responses were done using the questionnaire method and the Friedman's test.

The results of the research showed that the amount of renewable water per person is 637.60 m3. According to the classification provided by Falkenmark, this shows that the Eskandari sub-watershed is in the low water category. In the following, the results of the logical framework showed that the response of the development of optimal allocation plans for water consumption and regulation of water rights has been assigned the highest score according to the indicators and criteria considered. The responses to the strengthening of supervisory and executive mechanisms and modification of laws and regulations for issuance of exploitation licenses and also, preparation and compilation of integrated water resources management plan were the next priorities in terms of status improvement, respectively. In addition, the results of the significance test indicate a significant effect of managerial responses at five percent 0.05 (P=0.00).

This study aimed to provide optimal management responses regarding the strategy of improving the status of water resources based on the expectations and perceptions of the stakeholders. Therefore, due to the ineffectiveness of the solutions in recent years, the implementation of the integrated management program of the Eskandari sub-watershed through the logical framework approach and the participation of all stakeholders is suggested in order for the principled and sustainable exploitation of water resources. Also, reinforcement of regulatory laws is recommended in order to observe water rights and access more equity in exploitation. In addition, in order to reduce water scarcity and improve the condition of watershed, the policies of the water sector should be enforced in a larger framework and with internal and external cooperation.

The slopes of watersheds in nature have three converging, divergent and parallel shapes in terms of plan shape and three convex, concave and flat shapes in terms of floor curvature. In general, there are 9 shapes and geometries for hillslopes, which are called complex hillslopes. Past researches have shown that the topography and geometry of the complex hillslopes have an effect on many hydrological characteristics of the domains, such as the degree of saturation. The degree of saturation of the domain points depends on the concentration of subsurface flow at each point, which is influenced by the shape of the design and topography of the domain.The purpose of this research is the effect of topography on the surface sliding of the complex hillslopes of the watersheds using SINMAP and TOPMODEL models.

In this research, the TOPMODEL model was used to check the degree of saturation of the complex hillslopes, and the equations of this model were modified so that it could consider the topography of the domains, and the results of the saturation in the TOPMODEL model were transferred to a sliding model called SINMAP. And the effect of domain topography on the stability of complex domains was investigated and compared with MATLAB coding and drawing shapes. It should be noted that the aforementioned models are used based on hydrological and topographical data. The methods used in this research are generally applicable to all geographical and climatic regions. 

Considering that in this research, the saturation index was calculated from TOPMODEL, which indicates the degree of concentration of subsurface flow at any point of the domain and determines the saturation of different points of the domain and has a significant effect on the stability of compex hillslopes and based on the average the stability coefficient of the slopes, on average, convex slopes have more stability than flat and concave slopes, and divergent slopes have more stability than convergent slopes, and the higher the saturation layer thickness and soil hydraulic transfer coefficient, the more stable the slope is. and as the amount of effective rainfall increases and as a result the soil moisture increases, the stability of the slopes decreases.

Based on the results obtained in this research, in the downstream parts, the concave slopes are more stable than the upstream part of the slope, while it is the opposite in the convex slopes. Compared to the saturation index, the local slope of the domain points is a much more important factor in determining the stability of the domains. Based on the average saturation index, convex domains are more stable than concave and divergent domains are more stable than convergent domains. It should be noted that in flat slopes with different plan shapes, the slope value is constant, but the degree of saturation of flat-convergent slopes is more than that of smooth-divergent slopes, and it has made some points of the flat-convergent slope more unstable, and the stability value is from top to side. The bottom becomes less and the end parts of the smooth-convergent domain are in an unstable state, but the entire smooth-parallel and smooth-divergent domains are in a stable state.

Given the importance of the geometry of hillslopes in producing runoff and sediment and the influence of soil surface cover on these two components, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of Vetiver vegetation cover and surface rock fragment cover on a convex-parallel hillslope. After preparing the plot based on the geometry of the convex-parallel hillslope and transferring Vetiver vegetation cover and surface rock fragment cover with 30% coverage, rainfall simulation was performed, and the results showed that in this type of hillslope, surface rock fragment cover reduced the average volume of runoff by 13.6% compared to the control and reduced soil loss by 33.37%. In addition, Vetiver vegetation cover led to a 65.76% reduction in runoff volume and a 69.4% reduction in soil loss. Furthermore, the statistical results showed that the volume of runoff and soil loss in the convex-parallel hillslope in protective treatments were significantly different from the control (Pvalue <0.05), indicating that the addition of surface rock fragment cover and Vetiver vegetation cover reduces the volume and soil loss. These results demonstrate the positive effect of both covers on reducing runoff and sediment. Therefore, depending on the goal and the conditions of the study area, appropriate cover can be used.

Since in the judicial procedure of Iran, the current government considers ordinary documents as valid, many people conclude a transaction with the right of extradition through an ordinary document in order to escape from the restrictions stipulated in Article 34 of the Registration Law. Some judges, referring to the provisions of the Civil Law regarding conditional sale, consider the transaction with the right of restitution to be valid, and some others subject this transaction to the provisions of Article 34 of the Registration Law. In terms of balance of exchange, this article identifies two different types of transaction with normal restitution rights: transactions that are subject to a valid exchange contract in terms of the principles of exchange contracts and contracts that do not have the characteristics of an exchange contract. Judges should recognize the transaction with the right of restitution in the event that it falls under the characteristics of the sale of a real condition, and refrain from recognizing the transaction with the right of virtual and unreal restitution, and include these transactions in the mortgage contract to protect the creditor or the buyer

Splenic abscess is a rare disease with growing incidence due to the increasing number of immunocompro-mised patients and usage of improved diagnostic imaging modalities. Hematogenous infections are the most common cause of splenic abscess. Because of nonspecific clinical presentation, diagnosis might be de-layed. CT-scan is the imaging method of choice for diagnosis. Ttreatment includes antibiotics alone or antibiotic therapy with percutaneous drainage or splenectomy. In this article, we present a rare case of multiple splenic abscess (MSA) in a patient undergoing hemodialysis in Bushehr.