a. ahmadzadeh

Wheat is the main crop in the world. Tan spot caused by Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Ptr) is a destructive disease in wheat-producing areas. Accumulation of phenolic acids at the onset of the fungal infection induces plant’s resistance to tan spot. This study evaluated the effect of phenolic compound accumulation on the resistance to tan spot in wheat–pathogen interactions. Five different wheat cultivars including Glenlea, Salamouni, Moghan 3, Morvarid, and Bolani were studied at three different time points after inoculation with Ptr. The composition and concentration of phenolic acid including ferulic acid, p-coumaric acids, vanillic acid, chlorogenic acid, and rutin were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography and analyzed according to standard curves. Results showed considerable accumulation of ferulic acid, p-coumaric acids, vanillic acid, chlorogenic acid, and rutin in treatment with Ptr during 7 days post-inoculation in resistant and partially resistant cultivars compared with the susceptible ones. Ferulic acid was the most abundant phenolic compound in Salamouni (16.77±0.16 mg g−1 dw), Moghan 3 (17.76±0.00 mg g−1 dw), and Morvarid (23.11±0.00 mg g−1 dw) at 7 dpi. The obtained data indicated that the identified phenolic acids had enhanced and improved the wheat resistance to the fungal pathogen. Linear Pearson’s coefficient analysis showed a positive correlation between some phenolic acids concentration and also between them and flavonoid rutin in wheat cultivars during infection. These findings highlighted the capacity of phenolic compounds as potential tools for the identification of resistance in wheat–pathogen interactions.

Problem-based learning (PBL) is possibly one of the most innovative methods in medical education. In this training method, small groups of students work on a subject and learn the educational goals which include basic and clinical sciences. The aim of this study was comparing students’ and facilitators’ satisfaction in teaching pediatric course materials by two methods of large group PBL and lecture-based teaching.

In this analytic study, all pediatric theory course students (40 students) were divided into 5 groups. 6 PBL training sessions was added to regular conventional lectures of pediatric subjects. Students’ and facilitators’ satisfaction data for both methods of teaching were collected during the semester. Finally the data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

The results of this study indicated that most students preferred PBL over the lecture-based traditional teaching in the most of the aspects (P<0.05). Tutors activity did not show any significant difference in both methods. Tutors managed this form of PBL effectively within time restraints and reported that they enjoyed the process.

Based on the findings of this study, the modified problem based learning methodology can be successfully used with larger groups of students.

The congenital malformation of male external urogenital system is one of the most common anomalies in newborns. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of external genital anomalies among the male live births in Arvand maternity hospital Ahvaz, Iran.

In this retrospective-descriptive study in 2005-6, a total of 2423 male live births were examined within 24 hours after delivery by pediatrician for external urogenital anomalies. Data was analyzed by SPSS and descriptive statistics in p˂0.05.

11.02% of the cases (267 persons) had anomalies, such as: undescended testis 3.67%, Hypospadiasis 0.9%, Hydrocele 6.11%, Epispediasis 0.12%, Microphalus 0.04%, and small prepose 0.08%.

According to this study external genital anomalies existed in 11.02% of male live births. Hydrocele and undescended testis were the most prevalent.