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Hydrostatic tube cyclic expansion extrusion process is a newly invented severe plastic deformation technique for producing long ultrafine-grained and nanostructured tubes with higher mechanical properties. In the present research, this process was applied through two passes at room temperature on the commercial purity copper. Then, the hardness, tensile properties, fracture surface and microstructure of the samples were evaluated. The main goal of this research was to achieve a material with a simultaneous high strength and desirable ductility. In this process, the utilization of pressurized fluid between the die and the tube leads to first, the desired improvement of mechanical properties due to the effects of hydrostatic compressive stress. Second, the reduction of a required deforming force to eliminating the friction between the die and the tube leads to the facilitation of producing relatively long ultrafine-grained and nanostructured tubes. After two passes of process, a nearly equiaxed and homogeneous ultrafine-grained (UFG) microstructure was observed. The yield strength and ultimate strength increased from 75 MPa and 207 MPa to 310 MPa and 386 MPa, respectively. However, elongation to failure decreased from 55% to 37%. Also, the hardness value of the tube increased significantly from 59 Hv to 143 Hv, and the uniform distribution of hardness was obtained through the thickness of the tube. The fractography evaluations revealed that the predominantly ductile fracture happened in all samples of tensile testing. The hydrostatic tube cyclic expansion extrusion process can be utilized as a practical industrial method for producing relatively long ultrafine-grained tubes.

Magnesium and its alloys have received much attention not only in the aerospace and electronics industry, but also in medical applications due to its low density, excellent physical properties, and biocompatibility. However, magnesium and its alloys have low ductility and poor strain hardening ability because of the hexagonal crystal structure with the limited number of slip systems at room temperature. Therefore, it seems necessary to improve their ductility and other mechanical properties via novel technologies. In this research, hydrostatic cyclic expansion extrusion has been used to produce ultrafine-grained magnesium rod. Properties of produced rods have been investigated morphologically and mechanically. The numerical investigation has also been performed to show the effects of hydrostatic pressure on strain distribution. Due to the brittleness of magnesium, the process has been conducted at elevated temperatures. Also, due to the fluid limitation at high temperatures, melted polyethylene has been used as the fluid in the process. The results showed that the yield and ultimate strength increased by 54% and 43% after only one pass of the hydrostatic cyclic expansion extrusion process, respectively. Also, elongation increased by 46%. Furthermore, microhardness has also increased with an average of 57 Hv to 70 Hv. The microstructure result showed that the grains become ultrafine-grained after only one pass of the process. Finite element investigation revealed that high hydrostatic pressure has a good effect on improving the strain distribution and the microstructure. This process seems very appropriate for industrial applications due to its ability to produce long ultrafine-grained rods.

This work presents the application of a geostatistical-based modeling approach for building up electrical properties acquired from a geophysical electrical tomography survey deployed for the purpose of porphyry Cu exploration at the Takht-e-Gonbad deposit, in the central domain of Iran. Electrical data were inverted in 2D along several profiles across the main favorable zones of Cu-bearing mineralization to image electrical resistivity and chargeability properties. Upon tight spatial correlation of these geophysical properties and Cu mineralization (i.e. Cu grade), electrical models were constructed in 3D through geostatistical interpolation of 2D inverted data to provide insights into the geometry of probable ore mineralization. Anomalous geophysical zone that was coincident simultaneously with higher values of electrical chargeability and resistivity, was in accordance with the main body of high Cu grades generated from exploratory drillings. It reveals that the porphyry-type Cu mineralization system in this area has strong geophysical footprints controlled mainly by rock types and alterations. Note that these physical models supply valuable pieces of information for designing the layout of further exploratory drillings, constructing geological characteristics, separating non-mineralized form mineralized zones, and resource modeling.

 The efficacy and success of an organization depend on its employees’ performance and satisfaction. On the other hand, motivating employees to improve their work quality and increase their productivity are essential principles of one organization's staff management.

 This research aimed to study the motivation and job satisfaction and their relations in hospital staff in Sanandaj Kurdistan province.

 As a cross-sectional study, 175 hospital employees in Sanandaj were selected through a simple random sampling method. Scales were Verve's Bayfield test for measuring personal satisfaction, and a researcher-made questionnaire according to the Herzberg theory for measuring job motivation which its initial Cronbach was in an acceptable range (0/87). Data were analyzed through SPSS version 22.

 The overall mean of job satisfaction for nurses was 3/12, for office personnel 3/09, and personnel in the service category was 2/75, these means are below the normal mean. Job satisfaction didn't show meaningful differences between groups but it has a positive correlation with motivation (r=0/572). Among motivational factors, the sense of responsibility with 3/9 score, development and progress 3/18, and health-related factors such as good income 3/9, and good relationship with others 3/81, were prioritized in the second level of determinative factors.

 According to the study findings, and the fact that motivation and job satisfaction are highly influential factors in increasing the productivity of an organization, hospital management should pay special attention to motivating employees and improving approaches to increase satisfaction among their staff.

Drip irrigation in greenhouses may be used as a common method, but because of the diversity of the drip irrigation systems, farmers are confused. Therefore, technical evaluation of drip irrigation system could lead to the selection of a suitable system. In this study was carried out technical evaluation of two drip irrigation systems including tape drip irrigation and drip line in strawberry greenhouse in kishestan greenhouse town located in Somesara (Guilan province). Treatments included two drip irrigation systems (tape and drip line). The result showed all of technical indexes apart of discharge pressure equation in tape drip irrigation is more than drip line and they had not statistical different. Distribution Coefficient Uniformity of the tape drip irrigation system was better than the drip irrigation systems.

Agricultural crop production in greenhouses and controlled environments, due to the possibility of increasing the productivity of water and other agricultural inputs, employment creation, value-added off-season production and etc. is among the items that have been considered in the agenda of the agricultural and horticultural authorities of Iran. At the same time and as the result of decreasing in the quantity and quality of available irrigation water, issues have arisen in the established greenhouses. These conditions have led the greenhouse owners to use water desalination systems. The use of these systems is associated with the production of low quality brine, which has some problems with disposal. Therefore, the status of some greenhouses with water desalination system in Isfahan, Qazvin and Alborz provinces was studied for their saline effluent disposal. The results showed that the main alternative for brine disposal of desalination systems was unregulated land evacuation around the greenhouses and then, combined use with well water for outdoor farming, recharge of local wells and discharge into infiltrated trenches and ponds were in the following ranks. Unfortunately, due to the lack of a definite organization to control and monitor the implementation and operation of these equipments and lack of such brine disposal considerations, inappropriate situation is occurring in the surveyed areas. It seems that as the current trend continues, serious problems in means of water and soil resources contamination are not unexpected and may impose irreversible conditions on the country's environment. Therefore, this situation must be fundamentally addressed as soon as possible.

In this research, safflower extract was used as a green inhibitor in 0.1 M HCl solution to evaluate the rate of corrosion of mild steel in this environment. At the first step, the extract of fresh safflower plant (SPE) was prepared. The chemical structure of SPE was recognized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). At the second step the solution of 0.1 M HCl containing 500 ppm SPE was prepared and in the next step the corrosion inhibition performances of the extract solution were proved by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique and potentiodynamic polarization measurement then the result of these analyses was compared to the result of the dipped mild steel sample in the 0.1 M HCl solution without inhibitor. The morphology of the mild steel surface immersed in the extract solutions was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). According to the EIS results, the significant increment was observed in corrosion inhibition of acidic solution containing SPE in comparison with Blank solution. The result of potentiodynamic polarization measurement showed this green inhibitor acted as a mixed type inhibitor.

One of the emerging methods of joining various metals is the use of laser beam welding in a variety of industries such as transportation, aerospace, radar, and marine construction, which reduces fuel consumption and thus reduces environmental pollution. In this study, the microstructure and mechanical properties of similar joints of aluminum alloy 6061 with a thickness of 2 millimeters have been investigated by the laser beam welding method with a high power of 5000 watts. Examined items include the effect of laser welding parameters such as power, frequency, and welding speed on microstructural and mechanical properties. Microstructural analysis results using an optical and scanning electron microscope show that in the process, the microstructure of the weld in the base metal to the center of the weld region changed from the dendritic column to the parallel dendritic zone and eventually reached the equiaxed dendritic area, due to the higher input temperature and consequently less cooling rate. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) showed no significant change in the chemical composition. Investigating the mechanical properties using hardness measurement, and the tensile testing showed that the hardness in the fusion zone was lower than other base metal zones, and the optimized sample was failed in the weld zone. The tensile strength of the optimum welding sample is approximately equal to half the tensile strength of the base metal.

Nowadays, outpatient providers are struggling to reduce the current costs and improve the service quality. A part of the outpatient service provider is a hemodialysis department with expensive supplies and equipment. Therefore, in the present paper, the scheduling of hemodialysis patients with their preferences has been studied. The aim of scheduling hemodialysis patients in this study is to minimize the normalized weighted sum of deviations from the  patients' preferences and the  total completion time. It should be noted that the patient's preferences include beds, treatment combination of days and their turn. To solve the problem, two mathematical models have been presented. Performence of the models in solving the real data of the hemodyalisis department of Imam Khomeini Hospital, in Kermanshah, was investigated. The results showed the efficiency of the proposed models in considering the preferences of patients;  however, these preferences in the hospital schedule were considered in few cases, as far as it was possible.  So, these preferences has no priority in the hospital schedule. In addition to considering the patients’ preferences, the solution of models reduced the total completion time of the pationts treatment. Also, one of the proposed models in this papercould  optimally solve the instances three times larger than the hospital cases

Limited available water resources have rendered wastewater reuse an important issue to specialists in most developed countries, today. The current study works on membrane filtration for treatment of industrial wastewater. By comparing the two methods of membrane bioreactor (MBR) and hybrid membrane electro bioreactor (MEBR) processes, it finds that earlier fouling in the membrane occurs in the first method than the second one. In the membrane electro-bioreactor, in addition to membrane filtration and activated sludge process, the chemical process of electrical coagulation is performed concurrently, wherein the final product quality is improved and the fouling, reduced. In comparison to membrane bioreactor, this method is capable of removing higher percentage of chemical oxygen demand (COD) as an index of organic matters. Accordingly, it is recommended to use the membrane electro-bioreactor method as an alternative to membrane bioreactor for advanced wastewater treatment.

The use of free launch jets in flip bucket structures with associated submerged ponds, in the appropriate geological, and topographic and hydraulic conditions, could have significant economic and safety benefits. In this research, the downstream scour phenomenon of a flip bucket jet was investigated in free conditions, as well as in the presence of a trapezoidal and triangular slot in the coastal manner with different layout intervals at flow rate of 9, with a total of 45 experiments. The results of this study showed that the presence of the slot had significant effects on the depth and range of scour, so that the fit bucket jet with alternate triangular slots reduced the scour by about 12.7%, as compared to the no slot mode. Moreover, the maximum scour depth occurred in the bucket mode with the alternate trapezoidal slots in the more favorable interval than the rest of the models. Then, the results were compared with several empirical formulas and Veronese A relation showed closer results to the actual values.

"Human Resource Branding" is today a comparatively new strategy derived from "Marketing" and is the spirit of the marketing of human resources. This emerging arena provides an excellent chance to create staffs’ value and strengthen governmental agencies' status as a brand. The aim of this study was to develop by the Meta-Synthesis Method a model of human resource branding in Iran's governmental organizations. This study was conducted in mixed research (qualitativequantitative). In the first phase of the study, therefore, the qualitative research methodology of the Sandelowski and Barroso's Meta-Synthesis (2007) was used to introduce a detailed human resources model. The initial conceptual research model was formed after identifying the categories, concepts, and codes of the human resource model and evaluating its validity and reliability. In the second phase of the study involving a survey method, the human resources model was clarified using expert remarks and assessing the comparative coefficient and content validity index (CVR-CVI). Research findings indicate that the dimensions, components and extractive characteristics of the Meta-Synthesis method (research model) were approved by the community of the expert. Finally, the current research model comprises of 6 dimensions, 19 components and 41 indicators that can demonstrate human resource branding in organizations in the governmental sector. The results showed that all six dimensions are: 1. Individual values, 2. Organizational values, and 3. Professional values, 4. Cultural values, 5. Social values, and 6. Iranian-Islamic values in human resource branding. Iranian governmental agencies play an important role.

‎The concentration of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in surface water and irrigation wells is measured using gamma ray spectrometry by HPGe detector‎. ‎Measurement was carried out for samples that were collected over seventeen points in Tehran city and its suburbs‎. ‎The samples were prepared in compliance with the principles from irrigation wells of city‎. ‎The specific radioactivity of Ra-226‎, ‎Th-232 and K-40 were measured and the results from different locations covered a range with the minimum being below "minimum detectable activity‎" ‎up to maximum of 4.04‎, ‎and 6.85 and 4.7 Bq per liter of water‎, ‎respectively‎. ‎The accumulation of radioactive materials in the samples from southern areas of Tehran was more than that of central areas‎. ‎Also‎, ‎concentration of Ra-226 in all the samples was less than the Derived Release Limit of Canada and Environmental Protection Agency standard threshold‎.

Civil infrastructures such as bridges and buildings are prone to damage as a result of natural disasters. To understand damages induced by these events, the structure needs to be monitored. The field of engineering focusing on the process of evaluating the location and the intensity of the damage to the structure is called Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). Early damage prognosis in structures is the fundamental part of SHM. In fact, the main purpose of SHM is obtaining information about the existence, location, and the extent of damage in the structure. Since numerous structural damage detection problems can be solved as an inverse problem based on the proposed objective functions by using optimization algorithm, in this paper, related studies are investigated which discussing objective functions based on Modal Strain Energy (MSE) and flexibility methods including Modal Flexibility (MF), and Generalized Flexibility Matrix (GFM). To illustrate the extent of effectiveness of these objective functions based on the above-mentioned modal parameters, an efficiency index called Impact Factor (IF) is defined. Finally, the best objective function is introduced for each numerical case study based on IF by means of evaluating the obtained result.

The light received by plants is composed of different types of wavelength, ranged from ultraviolet to infrared. The range between 400 nm and 700 nm is used by plants to drive photosynthesis and is typically referred as to Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR). Plants are very good filters of light. They absorb and use most of the R light available to them for photosynthesis, but reflect or transmit most of the FR light, since FR light is not useful in photosynthesis. As a result, the ratio of R: FR will be decreased. Red to far red ratio (R: FR) is considered as an indicator of the quality of light. Recent physiological studies indicate that plants can perceive the quality of light reflected from neighbors as an accurate predictor of future competition, and respond morphologically even before they are directly shaded. Understanding the loss of quality of light, and taking away red wavelengths, creates a series of reactions in the plant such as stem elongation, reduction in stem diameter, and a reduction in shoot and root biomass and so forth that are known as shade avoidance syndrome (SAS). In this study, we established a pot experiment to evaluate the effects of time, number and type of neighboring plants on shade avoidance mechanisms in red bean.

In order to investigate the effects of the neighboring plants consist of Phaseolus vulgaris, Zea maize, Amaranthus retroflexus and Chenopodium album with Phaseolus vulgaris (as target plant), a pot experiment was conducted in Ferdowsi University of Mashhad during spring and summer in 2016. The experiment was designed as a factorial with three factors and four replicates based on a randomized complete block design. The first, second, and third factors were, respectively, the duration of the neighboring period of the plants with red bean (15, 30 and 45 days), the number of plants neighbors with red bean (1, 2 and 3 plants), and the type of neighboring species with red bean, including Phaseolus vulgaris, Zea maize, Amaranthus retroflexus and Chenopodium album. The plants were planted, watered, fertilized and treated carefully. After completing the neighboring time for each treatment, all plants neighbored with target plant (central) were removed and the target plant remained to grow. This work was performed 15, 30 and 45 days after planting. At third stage (45 days of neighboring), after removing the third groups of neighboring plants, all target plants were harvested and some morphological traits such as plant height, number of branches, leaf dry mater, shoot dry mater were measured. Finally, all statistical analyses were performed using SAS 9.1 ((SAS Institute, Cary, NC)) with a type 1 error rate set at P ≤ 0.05.

The results of this experiment showed that among all the investigated factors, the duration of neighboring plants had a significant effect on most traits. Only leaf dry matter reacted to the number of neighboring species and also none of the traits was affected by the type of species. The comparison of means test related to the neighboring duration factor showed that among time of neighboring with central plant (15, 30 and 45 days), third treatment i.e. 45 days neighboring had the significant impact on most of the traits. The amount of plant height for time of 15, 30 and 45 of neighboring was 32.1, 35.2 and 41.2, respectively, demonstrating that time of neighboring is a vital factor in shade avoidance mechanism, regardless of type and number. In this experiment, neighboring did not affect lateral shoot. However, further assessment showed that the lateral shoot is a gene-based trait and the number of lateral shoot is constant. But neighboring time influenced the rate of lateral shoot number per height. The amount of that for the trait of 15, 30 and 45 days neighboring was 0.49, 0.46 and 0.38, respectively. In fact, the continuity of presence of neighboring plants besides the central plants is considered as an effective factor in the appearance of shade avoidance mechanisms. In this experiment, the presence of neighboring species type was one of the evaluated factors assumed to have different influences on shade avoidance mechanisms in beans. Considering that in shade avoidance mechanisms, the biomass volume produced by a plant is considered as reflection of farther red light with higher impact on neighboring plant, but the species treated has no effect on shade avoidance mechanism on red bean. Finally, the quality of light is more strongly affected, with increasing the number of neighboring species. This should be sensitive to the occurrence of shade avoidance mechanisms from the central plant, but number of species did not significantly impact trait.

Alga Cystoseria is a brown macroalga belonging to the Phaeophyta family. This alga with irregular branches is found in tropical, sub-tropical waters near rocks and wetlands. The aim of the study was to identify the bioactive compounds of Cystoseria brown algae extract and to evaluate the physicochemical and sensory properties of the edible jelly fortified with algae.

The chemical compositions of the Cystoseria alga extract were detected by the GC-MS method, and the extracts were added to the jelly formulation at concentrations of 50, 100 and 150 mg, then the effects on sensory properties and synereses were studied. Sensory evaluations of oral jelly were carried out by ten evaluators and using a five-point hedonic test to examine the color, taste, texture and general acceptance of the prepared jelly.

The GC-MS analysis identified twelve biologically active compounds effective in food and drugs. The study indicated that the color score increased with the addition of algae extract. According to the results of acceptability, adding 50 mg of the extract to the jelly had the most effects on color, taste and texture factors. The syneresis reduction in treatments was an indication of high water content within the jelly, resulting in improving the appearance of edible jelly.

It can be concluded that the addition of 50 mg of Cystoseria alga extract can be as criteria for the selection of the best formulation that can be used for its high nutritional value.

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of business strategy and overvalued equity on stock price crash risk. Business strategy Following Bentley et al. (2014) research, the stock price crash risk has been measured following Houghton et al. (2014) and overvalued equity, following the model of Foods et al. (2005). Business strategy and overvalued as independent variables, the stock price crash risk as a dependent variable and firm size, company's age, financial leverage, market value to book value and return on assets as control variables. A total of 211 companies listed in the Tehran Securities Exchange have been selected in the Tehran Securities Exchange during the period of six years from 2012 to 2017 according to the society's screening conditions and 1266 company-year observations are included in the statistical analyzes. The research hypotheses have been tested using multivariate regression analysis using Panel data with fix effects. The results of the research show that business strategy and overvalued equity have a significant and positive effect on the crash risk. In fact, stocks of companies with a Prospector strategy are more exposed to the stock price crash risk compared to Defender Strategy companies. If firm size, company's age, financial leverage have a significant effect on the Stock Price Crash Risk, but the market value to book value and return on assets does not have a significant effect on the stock price crash risk.

The study of petrological findings and geochemical data of mafic and ultramafic rocks and related petrographic units in the ophiolites can be an introduction to environmental geology studies, agriculture and natural resources. Regarding the urban and rural areas of Nain to Ashin in the vicinity of ophiolitic zone (Central Iran), geochemical investigations of mafic and ultramafic rocks of these ophiolites have very important applications in the field of environmental geology of these areas. Therefore, available geochemical data of basic rocks (pillow lavas and basalts), metabasic rocks (amphibolites) and metamorphosed and altered peridotites are considered based on environmental factors. For examples, in the peridotites which are one of the most abundant rock units in these ophiolites, the enrichment factor (Ef) for Ni is extremely high, for Cr is very high, and for Co is high. In addition, the geo-accumulation index or Igeo for Ni (~4) and Ni (>5) in peridotites is heavily to extremely high. therefore, high Ef and Igeo factors of the studied heavy metals (e.g., chrome, nickel, cobalt, arsenic, vanadium) and asbestose minerals (hornblende, tremolite, talc and chrysotile) in the mafic and ultramafic rocks of Ophiolites can be known as some dangerous environmental pollutants. Thus, investigatation of the volume of such elements penetrated into the surface and underground waters and soils in the villages and cities at the foot of these ophiolites could be a theme for ongoing studies in environmental geology of these areas.

A proportional-derivative sliding-mode control (PD-SMC) scheme is addressed for tracking problem of a two-degree of freedom robot manipulator. The sliding-mode control (SMC) may be a robust method in presence of parameters change and system uncertainties. In a typical control problem, the proportional-derivative (PD) control law provides a fast response while the stability of the closed loop system is increased. Hence a two degree of freedom robot manuplator is considered. Then the asymptotic stability of closed loop system with the PD-SMC policy would be shown by using of the well-known Lyapunov stability theory. As a result of this paper, the asymptotic stability criteria would be checked in term of some simple matrix inequalities. Having satisfaction of such matrix inequalities in the tracking problem of the robot manipulator, the tracking error and its derivative would be converged to zero. In order to compare the results with the other control approaches, the controller parameters are firstly tuned in an optimization way via the genetic algorithm (GA) method. Then some numerical examples are provided to show the effectiveness and robustness of the PD-SMC in comparing with the existing methods.

Interference in clinical laboratory tes ting can create discrepancies in tes t results which can lead to patient harm. In clinical chemis try, interference is defined as a cause of medically significant difference in the measurand tes t result due to another component or property of the sample. Interference by endogenous and exogenous subs tances with assays for clinical analytes is a common problem in laboratory medicine. There are four major endogenous compounds that con- sis tently interfere with laboratory

hemoglobin, bilirubin, lipids, and paraproteins. The major exogenous sources of interference are drugs prescribed for the patient; We recommend determining whether the interference is dependent or independent of the analyte for the assay. Further, we propose an approach to the identification and resolution of an interference problem for the clinical.

 Nowadays commercial broiler strains need more oxygen for the faster growth and higher meat production and are susceptible to ascites syndrome due to higher growth rate. Ascites is a metabolic disorder that causes the increased free radical production, decreased level of body antioxidant capacity and hence meat muscles destruction, pale color and lower quality. It damages the gut morphology and reduces the absorption of amino acids and minerals and as a result leg problems. Lysine and betaine are nature osmotic nutrients and control the water status in the absorptive cell and so protect the cell during the conditions of ascites. Thus lysine and betaine may help the synthesis of protein, lowering the carcass fat, change the oxygen needs and results in ascites in broiler chickens. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of lysine and betaine on meat characteristics and bone condition of broiler chicks under cold induced ascites.

Three hundred one-day-old female chicks (Ross 308) were used by employing a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 5 replicates (10 birds for each replicate) to investigate the effects of lysine and betaine alone or together on carcass quantity and quality of broiler chickens under ascites. The experimental diets were the control diet (corn-soybean basal diet without the supplement), 30% higher lysine than Ross 308 strain recommendation, 0.15% beatine and 30% higher lysine and 0.15% betaine. The dietary ingredients were analyzed for energy, crude protein and essential amino acids by NIR. All chickens were raised under cold stress from day 7 of age to induce the ascites. To induce cold stress, a temperature of 31 ° C was used in the first week but the temperature on 7, 14, and 21 days was reduced to 26 ° C, 20 ° C and 15 ° C, respectively After 21 days, it lasted from 15 ° C to the end of the period. At 42 days of age, daily intake and feed conversion and ascites mortality rates were calculated. Two bird from each replicate were randomly selected, weighted and slathered. After slaughter, the proportional weights of carcass, breast, thigh and right ventricle were determined with a precision scale of 0.001 gr. Moreover, thigh and breast meat samples were collected from the slaughtered birds and used for laboratory analysis of nutrients, acidity and the color indices. All the data were analyzed using the GLM procedure of SAS (Version 9.1) software. If there was a significant difference between the treatments, then the means were further compared by Tukey-Kramer range test at a 5% level.

 The results showed that both the lysine and betaine alone or together caused the higher weight gain and the proportional weights of carcass, breast and thigh (P<0.05). Abdominal fat decreased by consumption of betaine alone or along with lysine (P<0.05). Both the lysine and betaine alone or together caused the decreased feed consumption, feed conversion, ascites mortality and right ventricle to total ventricle ratio (P<0.05). The moisture, crude protein, crude fat, ash of both breast and thigh meat were not affected by the experimental treatments (P>0.05). Moreover, thigh or breast meat pH and color indices (lightness, redness and yellowness) were not changed by dietary lysine or betaine supplementation (P>0.05). None of the experimental treatments affected the bone indices (ash, calcium and phosphorous) but the tibia diameter which was increased by dietary lysine supplementation (P<0.05). It seems that dietary lysine and betaine consumption in broiler chickens adjust the osmotic pressure in gastrointestinal cells and hence protect these cells under stress condition such as the cold situation of current experiment and thus help for the higher L-carnitine synthesis in body. The higher L-carnitine production results in lower carcass fat and greater protein synthesis and improved carcass efficiency (higher breast and thigh meat production). Consequently, body oxygen requirements and right ventricle to total ventricle ratio reduced and this causes the lower ascites mortality.

The consumption of betaine and lysine improves the performance, carcass quantity (increased carcass, and thigh and breast weights) and quality (decreased abdominal fat weight), and ascites mortality of broiler chickens. Moreover, no effects of lysine and betaine were detected on meat nutrient contents, pH and color indices and bone parameters.

 Injury with chemical agents effects on the physical, mental, social and spiritual dimension of quality of life. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of modified Pilates training on pulmonary function and quality of life in veterans exposed to chemical warfare agents.

 This semi-experimental study with pretest-posttest design and a control group was conducted in Izeh County in 2016. The study was carried out on 28 male veterans who were exposed to chemical warfare agents. The subjects were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly assigned into the control group (n=15) and training group (n=13). The training group performed the modified Pilates training for 8 weeks, 3 sessions-in 60 minutes per week. The control group did not participate in any particular training program during this period. Muscular strength, pulmonary index, and quality of life of the subjects before and after the training period were measured by hand dynamometer, spirometer, and quality of life questionnaire respectively. Data were analyzed through SPSS 22 software using paired sample t-test and univariate analysis of covariance test.

 The mean scores of forced vital capacity and the quality of life in terms of mental and physical dimensions in the posttest step were significantly higher than the pretest step (p=0.001). By removing the pretest effect, the mean scores of back muscular power (p=0.03), forced vital capacity (p=0.02) and quality of life (p=0.001) in the training group were significantly higher than the control group.

 Eight weeks of modified Pilates training can be effective in the improvement of pulmonary function and quality of life of veterans exposed to chemical warfare agents.

In this study, analysis of complete structure of mitochondrial D-loop region with its regulatory motifs was investigated in four species of the Acipenser of Caspian sea (A. gueldenstadtii, A. persicus, A. stellatus, A. nudiventris). DNA extraction was done by acetate Ammonium method and PCR reaction were performed by a pair of specific primers for the complete amplification of D-loop along with sequences associated with tRNA-threonine and proline. Sequencing on amplified fragments were was done on both strands. Repetitive sequence of tandem repeat (mini-satellite) was observed in the upstream site of D-loop region after the sequence of tRNA proline in all species except the Ship. The results showed that the central repetitive units of 83-82 pairs with 3.2  repetitions in A. persicus  and A. gueldenstaedtii and 2.4  repetitions in A. stellatus were the reason for the length variation in this region. In addition to the central repeat sequences, there were two more repetitive sequences of 39 and 43 bp in this section, which were also present with 3.2  repetitions. But none of these repetitive sequences was observed in ship. The length of the control region in the A. gueldenstadtii, A. persicus, A. stellatus, A. nudiventris was 921, 870, 826 and 839 bp, respectively. The overall structure of the D-loop region showed that the sturgeon control region is similar to that of other fish, including the homologues of the CSB -conserved  blocks, which are located on the upstream of these blocks. According to the presence of tandem repeat (mini-satellite) in control D-loop region and also the importance of these markers in conservation programs for genetic resources it  may be possible to use them in screening of sturgeon species.

In this study reproductive biology of brood stock and larvae rearing technique of Acanthopagrus latus was investigated. Also, different development stages of the egg and larvae in a period of 42 days are described. The diameters of fertilized eggs were 0.77-0.85 mm. The eggs hatched in 32 h between 19-21◦C. The newly hatched out larvae had mean body weight of 84.6 µg and total length of 1.76-1.87 mm. At the end of this study period, yellowfin seabream larval reached to 5170 µg mean body weight and standard length of 12.1-12.6 mm. Gulping the air and swim bladder inflation occurred during first week of larval life, especially as from the sixth day after hatching. In the current study larvae were able to ingest and digest rotifer, Artemia nauplii and microparticulate diet successfully. High mortality of larvae was observed between days 20 and 30 after hatching. Average survival rate of larvae was around %43, when the study finished at day 42 after hatching. The techniques used in this research to deal with yellowfin seabream brood stock and larvae were found to be suitable and led to successful spawning and larval’s metamorphosis into fry in captive condition.